A group of privateers campaigning mostly 750cc Supersport bikes in the Superbike class have protested payment of AMA Privateer bonus awards to Jordan Szoke, claiming that the young Canadian should be excluded from the incentive program because he has the use of factory Harley-Davidson engines and of Dunlop tires that are not available to non-factory riders.

Organized by Andy Deatherage, the riders signed a petition and presented it to AMA officials at Mid-Ohio.

Other riders who signed the petition were Mauro Cereda, Eric Wood, Tony Meiring, Dean Mizdal, Scott Carpenter, Brett Ray, Rick Narup, Doug Duane, Todd Snyder, Alan Schmidt, Rich Alexander, Jimmy Moore, Rich Conicelli, Greg Fryer, Mike Walsh, Jeff Purk, Scott Hermersmann, Scott Van Scoik and Jim Doerfler.

The text of the petition read:

We the true privateers in the AMA Superbike are filing a formal protest against bike 101 Harley-Davidson bike (sic). It is a FACTORY BIKE not available to true privateers. They receive parts and ENGINES DIRECT from Harley, and SPECIAL TIRES from Dunlop. Lap times always two seconds a lap faster than the real privateers. Please do the right thing and remove bike 101 from list!