Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Even though Attack Suzuki team owner Richard Stanboli was not at California Speedway for the start of a three-day AMA team test Tuesday morning, the 600cc Supersport and Formula Xtreme team had some very qualified new hands at the test.

Crew Chief for 2001 European Superstock Champion James Ellison, Jack Russell has joined the Attack Suzuki crew through Daytona. “I was visiting some of my sponsors here in America and met up with Richard (Stanboli),” said Russell on pit lane Tuesday. “We got to talking and he offered me a job. I wanted to take it, but I had already made commitments to race in Europe in 2002. So I’m only going to be here through Daytona. Even then, I will be missing the first round of the Euro series at Valencia.”

Returning to the European Superstock series (1000cc production bikes), Russell said that he will be working with Chris Miller, a young up-and-comer from Scotland, in 2002.

Russell also said that he is currently trying to obtain new Ohlins cartridge fork kits for the Attack Suzuki GSX-R600 Supersport bikes. The kits are said to cost between $2000 and $4000, depending on the application, but provide the performance of a Superbike fork while staying within Supersport rules.

Factory-run AMA Supersport racing teams, most noteably Erion Honda and Kawasaki, have used aftermarket suspension internals for several years.

According to Attack’s Stephen Rezmer, Stanboli will come to Fontana on the last day of the test with the team’s newly-built Formula Xtreme GSX-R1000s.

“I’m not too concerned with Formula Xtreme right now,” said Attack rider Jason Pridmore. “I’m more concerned in getting everything ready for Daytona.”

Pridmore, along with new teammate Ben Spies, recently tested alongside the Yoshimura Suzuki riders in Pahrump, Nevada. According to members of the Attack team, Pridmore shared the fastest 600cc time of that three-day test with Yoshimura’s Jamie Hacking, at a 1:38.6.