ULRICH AND PIETRI BATTLE RIVALS, HEAT AT LAGUNA SECA Team Roadracingworld.com Suzuki performed admirably in front of a three-day crowd of more than 140,000 fans who braved the intense heat at Laguna Seca to attend the U.S. Grand Prix race weekend. Chris Ulrich scored a pair of top-15 results while his Venezuelan teammate, Robertino Pietri, did a fine job learning the racetrack and increasing in speed throughout the weekend without making any critical errors along the way. Ulrich gave the team their best finish of the weekend in the premier AMA Superbike class. The Californian, who qualified 18th fastest at 1:28.948, circulated near his qualifying best at the end of the grueling 28-lap race aboard his Pirelli-shod GSX-R1000, allowing him to fight up to 14th by the flag. On Sunday, Ulrich took 15th in the Superstock final, one position ahead of his starting position after qualifying in 16th at 1: 29.217. Chris summed up his weekend, commenting, “I think the Superbike race went better than the Superstock race for me. I struggled a little bit for the first two laps of the Superstock race. The front was pushing so we just had to chill out and wait for that to come in. It came in about the third lap and I ran some low 1:29s and a few high 1:28s, and I felt like I was reeling in the group ahead of me. Unfortunately, they were too far ahead. “As far as Superbike, I rode a good race. I ran my fastest lap a few laps from the end so I’m good and strong,” said Ulrich. With a month’s layoff to mend following the previous round in Utah, Pietri was feeling healthier as his broken right leg has continued to heal. He steadily worked up his speed and confidence at the notoriously difficult to master Laguna Seca circuit in what was his first visit to the track. Despite his inexperience at Laguna Seca, Pietri was once again the fastest South American over the course of the weekend. He qualified 19th in Superstock at 1:30.337 and 25th in Superbike at 1:30.158. He fared even better in the races, claiming 17th in the Superstock final and 20th in Superbike. Reflecting on the weekend, Robertino said, “Laguna Seca is a very tricky track. It was my first time here and I’m happy because I went through the weekend safe, clear, and with no crashes or stupid mistakes. I was lapping in the low 1:30s at a track that is difficult to learn so that was good. “On Friday, we struggled a lot with the bike. We didn’t have a good set-up for here and I wasn’t feeling I was riding a strongly as I needed to. On Saturday, we made progress. In the Superstock race on Sunday we finished 17th after qualifying 19th so we gained a couple spots, which is good. I was riding well at the start and was right behind my teammate Chris and some other fast riders. I made a mistake in the Corkscrew and they got away. But I’m happy — we made it through and I feel we got some good data for the upcoming rounds. “Also I’m happy because my leg is healing. It’s not bothering me at all when I ride,” said Pietri. “I’ve been cycling a lot, which has helped a lot with the circulation. The bone is 80% but it’s not bothering me at all when I’m on the bike.” Team Roadracingworld.com Suzuki will be back in action in two week’s time at the next AMA round, which takes place at Mid-Ohio on August 4-6. Ulrich won the AMA Superstock race at the venue in 2002 and expects to put in another strong ride this season. “I’m very excited about Mid-Ohio,” he commented. “I’m a little nervous about the new surface. I’m confident in my abilities and I’m confident that I’m pretty quick. I think we’ll get a top ten there — that’s the goal.” More, from a press release issued by Safety First Suzuki: SAFETY FIRST SUZUKI RACING BEATS THE HEAT AT LAGUNA Team Safety First beat the heat at Mazda Raceway, as temperatures under the canopy easily exceeded 108 degrees throughout the race weekend. The heat, however, took its toll on the track, the riders and the spectators. Komodo, the team sponsor and leather supplier, is based out of Texas and has ample R&D regarding warm/hot weather riding. As a result the team riders, Tony “The Tiger” Meiring and Chris “Opie” Caylor were able to deal with the oppressive heat conditions. The Formula Xtreme race posed the biggest challenge for the team and Tony Meiring to date. A mechanical issue during the sighting lap forced the Tracy, CA rider to start from the pit lane a half-lap down after the green light. A run through the field ended up gaining Meiring valuable 17th place points for his perseverance. The following day, Meiring upped the ante and battled for 9th place throughout the Supersport race. “I was very happy with the bikes performance this weekend. I can definitely tell some good development work went into them since Miller” quoted Meiring. Chris “Opie” Caylor stated “even with the poor track surface after the repaving and with the expansive time spans between very brief on-track sessions, the team was able to dial in really good suspension settings. The guys from GP Suspension were able to bring us a new set of forks to try. It came at the perfect time, soaking up the big bumps that developed on the track surface. I came away with 11th place in the FX and 14th in the Supersport and some valuable points. I am now tied with my friend Blake Young for 8th overall in FX”. Wayne Wilder and Lee Schwartzentraub from Komodo were on hand at Laguna Seca as part of the Safety First Racing effort and were available all weekend to address questions from race attendees regarding the Komodo Gear line of riding apparel. Team Owner Kevin Hanson noted, “We have 100% finishing rate for both bikes in all of our races this seasons. Our competitors can’t say that. The work and prep that the guys on the team and back at 4& 6 Racing are doing this year speaks volumes of what the Suzuki GSXR 600’s are capable of. We have both riders in the top 10 for Formula Xtreme and 8th and 12th for the highly competitive Supersport class.” More, from a press release issued by Team Stargel Castrol: TEAM STARGEL CASTROL MAKES RETURN TO AMA COMPETITION Since the Barber round in April, Team Stargel Castrol has been absent from the AMA paddock due to health reasons. Needless to say, the team was ecstatic to be returning to action for the combined AMA / MotoGP event at Laguna Seca on July 21st-23rd. It would prove as always to be challenging and full of the unexpected. The Friday schedule made no concessions to the fact that the crew had not worked as a unit in months. With scorching heat and very little track time, practice for both Formula Xtreme and Superbike came and went with little problems, but both lap times and setup discovering were less than stellar. In Formula Xtreme qualifying, rider Brian Stokes suffered a setback. Following Jason DiSalvo, Stokes crashed at speed in turn 9. This ended his qualifying session prematurely and gave the team a new list of work for Friday evening. When Saturday dawned, it was quickly obvious that the heat would continue to punish everyone during the day. In both Formula Xtreme and Superbike practice, the team tried various compounds of Michelin tires, hoping to find a combination that would survive the abrasive track surface as well as the heat. They also learned that the repairs made to their Yamaha R6 were sound and successful. At the start of the Formula Xtreme race, the bikes and riders were running at a fever pitch – literally. While waiting for a delayed start, many of the motorcycles began to overheat and were boiling over. Stokes made an excellent start and began to work himself forward from his 16th place grid position. Finally gaining more track knowledge, Stokes steadily lowered his lap times like clockwork as the race progressed. At the end, Stokes crossed the line in 9th position, just behind Jeremy McWilliams on the factory Buell. On his white flag lap, Stokes turned his fastest lap of the race carving well over two seconds and his aborted qualifying session. When asked how this was possible at the end of a race in 100 degree heat, Stokes responded thusly, “The Michelin tires were amazing, I had so much grip that I can’t remember a single slide during the entire race…just incredible!” Many times in racing, just when you think you have a firm grasp on something, it slips through your fingers. This would be the case in the Superbike race. Stokes got a good start and had passed 4 to 5 other riders. For the first two laps, he was moving forward, then fate decided that this would not be his race. A known, tested component decided that it did not want to perform as it had previously in the weekend. Stokes was forced to slow his pace 3-5 seconds a lap, but soldiered on for 28 laps in the brutal heat to finish the race. It was a tough day at the office. Despite missing the last four months from the AMA, Team Stargel Castrol picked right up where they left off in Formula Xtreme. Their 9th place finish at Laguna carries over from their 8th place finish at Barber in April. While suffering a problem in Superbike at Laguna, the team is proud of the fact that they have completed every race they have started this year. Finally, everyone at Team Stargel Castrol would like to extend a warm thank you to all of their sponsors. The support and friendship they have shown through a period of serious health crisis will not be forgotten. We will work diligently to represent you and your products with honesty, class, and professionalism. More, from a press release issued by Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki: MICHAEL JORDAN MOTORSPORTS SUZUKI LEAVES LAGUNA SECA WITH TWO TOP-10 FINISHES MONTEREY, Calif., Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki’s Jason Pridmore and Steve Rapp brought home two impressive top-10 finishes in the AMA Superbike race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif., on Saturday afternoon. Saturday morning, the Jordan Suzuki team had a strong showing in Superbike qualifying, with Pridmore (1:27.136) posting the fastest lap time for the 10th spot on the grid. Jake Holden (1:27.203) qualified in the eleventh spot, while Rapp (1:27.624) was gridded in 14th position. The 28-lap Superbike race saw all three riders get a good start until a turn-one crash caused a red flag. In the re-start, Pridmore again got a good start and charged hard on his Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000 to finish in ninth position. “This was the best race we’ve had all season,” said Pridmore. “I got killer starts. I think I was fourth or fifth in the first start and then somewhere around sixth in the second start. I actually got to ride with the factory guys today. We made some changes to the Jordan Suzuki this weekend that really give us hope for the remaining races. We’re just hoping to carry that over into the next four rounds.” Teammate Rapp also got a good start on his Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000 and rode a consistent race to bring home 10th place. “The race was good,” said Rapp. “I got a pretty good start and after a couple of laps I was catching up to the front-runners. Then I just put my head down and tried to stay in front of the guys behind me. But the Jordan Suzuki was running well and the tires were good.” The Jordan Suzuki team will next compete in the eighth round of AMA Superbike at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, Aug. 4 – 6, 2006. Jason Pridmore, Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000, #43 9th Place AMA Superbike Race 1 9th Place Overall Jake Holden, Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000, #59 29th Place AMA Superbike Race 1 12th Place Overall Steve Rapp, Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000, #15 10th AMA Superbike Race 1 10th Overall Legendary NBA star Michael Jordan formed Michael Jordan Motorsports in 2004 as a result of his passion for motorcycle racing. His mission is to bring a new level of excellence and style to the motorcycle racing industry. For more information on the team, visit the race team website at www.23RACE.com and the Jumpman website at www.Jumpman23.com. More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki Racing: KAWASAKI RACING TEAM THRILLS FANS AT LAGUNA SECA Tommy Hayden earns first Superbike podium of his career Monterey, Calif. Kawasaki Racing Team rider, Tommy Hayden, put in a thrilling performance as AMA Superbike racing came to Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, Calif., this weekend. At the start of the 28-lap feature, Tommy left the grid in fourth but the race was red flagged immediately following due to a crash. At the re-start, Tommy launched his ZX-10R into fourth and quickly began making a charge for the front. As the laps clicked away, Tommy made his move just over a third of the way into the race. He first took out Miguel Duhamel for third-place with a gritty outside pass under braking while heading into Turn 2 on lap 12. He then captured second-place from Ben Bostrom a few laps later with an inside pass in the same corner and held his position for the remainder. Tommy’s second-place result was the first Superbike podium of his career. Tommy’s brother, Roger, who was making his return to Superbike action at Laguna Seca, started in seventh and eventually crossed the stripe in 11th. Roger also contested in Supersport on Sunday and found himself in third position at the start of the 17-lap feature. The 23-year-old Kentucky native rode incredibly fast throughout the duration of the event while holding off four other riders to score a runner-up finish aboard his Kawasaki ZX™-6RR. Attack Kawasaki rider, Ben Attard, finished in fourth and his teammate, Damon Buckmaster, unfortunately pulled out of the race with electrical problems. In AMA Superstock Action, Attard and Buckmaster both put in respectable rides aboard their Kawasaki ZX-10Rs. Attard advanced from a 14th place start to finish 12th. Buckmaster started in sixth and was unfortunately shuffled back into 12th four laps into the race. He then slipped further back to 14th due to mechanical problems. Racing resumes when the teams head to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, Aug. 46, for a Superbike doubleheader. More, from a press release issued by JasonDiSalvo.com: DISALVO INCREASES CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD Jason DiSalvo of Stafford, New York and Las Vegas, Nevada participated in the AMA Superbike Championship at Mazda Laguna Seca Raceway in Salinas, CA. The AMA race was run in conjunction with the Moto GP World Championship race. With the schedule being very tight due to the combined races a shortened version for practice and qualifying was implemented. In the Formula Xtreme class Jason extended his continuous pole positions to 6 giving him a front row start for the race. With a good start Jason and his teammate pulled a fast get away extending their lead to 6 seconds with Jason finishing second. He extended his point lead in the Formula Xtreme Championship to 6 points. In the 1000cc Superstock class Jason experienced set up gremlins in qualifying, starting fourth on the outside of row one. With a good start Jason got bottled up in turn two ending up 7th after the first lap, ultimately finishing 4th which keeps him in third place for the Superstock Championship. Jason will be leaving for Japan on Monday, July 24, 2006 to participate in the World Championship Endurance Suzuka 8-Hour event being held on July 30, 2006. Jason returns on July 31st for round 8 of the AMA Championship on August 4, through August 6, 2006 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. You will be able to watch Jason in the 1000cc Superstock race on Tuesday, 7/25/06 at 3PM on the Speed Channel. More, from another press release issued by Jordan Suzuki: MICHAEL JORDAN MOTORSPORTS SUZUKI’S RAPP PICKS UP BEST SUPERSTOCK FINISH OF SEASON AT LAGUNA SECA MONTEREY, Calif., Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki’s Steve Rapp captured his best finish of the AMA Repsol Superstock season at Mazda Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, Calif., on Sunday, finishing in fifth position. Teammate Jake Holden was right behind in sixth, while Jason Pridmore brought home a solid eighth-place finish. In Saturday’s qualifying, the Jordan Suzuki team was gridded together. Rapp posted the team’s fastest lap time (1:27.453) for seventh position, while teammate Holden (1:27.582) was next to him in eighth, with Pridmore (1:27.650) in ninth. Immediately, Rapp got a good start on his Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000 and slotted into sixth position. By the second lap he’d moved up into fifth, where he wound up finishing. “I’m really happy with the weekend,” said Rapp. “I have to thank the Jordan Suzuki team for putting in so much time and effort and for giving me such a good bike in the GSX-R1000.” Holden also got a good start and was in seventh position by the end of lap one. The consistent rider stayed put until a last-minute pass saw him finish in sixth place. “Everything went really well, especially considering how little track time we had,” said Holden. “The race was good and the Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000 was great. I wish I’d been able to stay up there with the top group but I was happy that I was able to catch Jeff (May) in the last corner on the last lap to take sixth.” “It was a good race weekend,” summed up Pridmore. “We made definite progress for the whole team. As a team, we seem to be seeing a surge in the right direction. For me, we made some changes to the Jordan Suzuki Superstock bike that allowed me to be much more competitive.” The Jordan Suzuki team will next compete in the eighth round of AMA Repsol Superstock at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, Aug. 4 – 6, 2006. Jason Pridmore, Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000, #43 8th AMA Repsol Superstock 9th Place Overall Jake Holden, Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000, #59 6th Place AMA Repsol Superstock 10th Place Overall Steve Rapp, Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000, #15 5th Place AMA Repsol Superstock 6th Place Overall Legendary NBA star Michael Jordan formed Michael Jordan Motorsports in 2004 as a result of his passion for motorcycle racing. His mission is to bring a new level of excellence and style to the motorcycle racing industry. For more information on the team, visit the race team website at www.23RACE.com and the Jumpman website at www.Jumpman23.com. More, from a press release issued by Team Millennium/KWS Suzuki: MILLENNIUM/KWS SUZUKI BATTLE THE HEAT AT LAGUNA SECA FOR SOLID FINISHES Team Millennium/KWS Suzuki sponsored by Ron Ayers Motorsports battled record temperatures and minimal track time to record another round of solid finishes at Laguna Seca Raceway. This particular round of the AMA Superbike Series is held in conjunction with the World Championship MotoGP Series and presents a unique event that saw 140,000 motorcycle race fans brave the heat to see the best riders on a world stage. However with the MotoGP series headlining the event, the AMA Superbike series was only allowed approximately one-third the track time it normally enjoys. This, along with temperatures measuring over 100 degrees for most of the weekend, found the team challenged to get the most out of their equipment and themselves. In Superbike qualifying, Matt Lynn and John Haner pushed the limits of their Pirelli shod Suzuki GSX-R1000’s and their bodies to arrive on the forth and fifth rows. Haner qualified in the fifteenth position with a time of 1:27.037 and Lynn qualified in the nineteenth position with a time of 1:29.267. The Superbike race started with a bang as both riders got excellent starts, each moving up at least a full row before turn one. Unfortunately, Matt Lynn was contacted by another rider which caused a four rider incident in turn two and brought out the red flag stopping the race. Luckily, Matt was unhurt and was able to make it back to the pits and jump on his back-up bike for the restart. Although Lynn had to start from the back of the grid in the twenty-fifth position, he once again got an excellent start and turned some of his fastest laps of the weekend to ultimately finish in the fifteenth position. Haner got a great start as well but retired early with brake problems on lap four. “I had two moments with the brakes and I decided it would be safer for everybody out there if I just came in,” said Haner. “We had a great bike and the Pirelli tires worked great even with the crazy heat, but everybody’s safety is more important.” In Superstock both riders qualified their Suzuki GSX-R1000’s on the forth row. Lynn qualified in the thirteenth position with a time of 1:28.850 and Haner qualified in the fifteenth position with a time of 1:29.035. Both riders got good starts and rode hard races despite the oppressive heat. Lynn finished just outside the top ten in the eleventh position and Haner finished in the sixteenth position. With his safe finish, Lynn was able to move up into the seventh position in overall Superstock points. Matt Lynn “Laguna Seca should be commended for the safety improvements they made to the track, but the changes made to the surface made learning the track difficult. Overall the weekend was good and we moved up in the points, which is really important. I really want to thank my mechanics Brian Stricker and Rick Matheny as well as my Dad and Grant for working so hard in the heat.” John Haner “My shoulder is feeling much better and I am really looking forward to the last four races. We made a lot of progress with the chassis even though the results don’t show it. I really want to thank my sponsors for coming out this weekend, Rock Star Energy Drink as well as Komodo Leathers and HJC. I also want to thank everybody with the team. Those guys worked so hard through the heat and limited track time and I can’t thank them enough. Kevin Hunt “The team did really well this weekend through a lot of adversity. Record heat, limited track time, and a new surface all contributed to a long weekend for everybody. Matt and John put in a 100% effort and the crew; Chip, Michael, Owen, Rick, and Brian worked really hard and I want to thank them for it.”