From a press release issued by, no surprise, a PR agency contracted by Dunlop:

Dunlop Streaks

The 2002 racing season in America has returned results of epic proportions for Dunlop. No other motorcycle tire manufacturer even begins to approach the success Dunlop has earned throughout a stunningly wide variety of championship venues.

The season began with Yamaha of Troy¹s Chad Reed handily winning the 125 East Supercross title. Next came Honda¹s Ricky Carmichael, who wrapped up the 2002 AMA Supercross crown by winning 11 of 16 races‹a dominating show of force. Add a victory by his Dunlop-mounted teammate Nathan Ramsey, and the tally works out to 12 out of 16 wins in 250 Supercross for Dunlop in 2002. Carmichael then went on to win an astonishing 22 consecutive motos–11 overall event wins–to win the AMA 250 National Motocross championship before the season was even over.

On pavement, the Dunlop sweep continued, beginning with the AMA’s Pro Honda 600 Supersport championship, which was won by Suzuki’s Aaron Yates on Dunlop tires. His title marked the 16th consecutive 600 Supersport championship for Dunlop–no other tire manufacturer has ever won a single title in this wildly competitive class.

When the AMA road racing series concluded at Virginia International Raceway in August, Dunlop riders completed a sweep of every single AMA national road racing class in 2002. Honda’s Nicky Hayden took his first Superbike title, marking 13 titles in a row for Dunlop in this premier class, and became the youngest rider in AMA Superbike history to take the crown.

Meanwhile, Jason Pridmore rode his Attack Suzuki to the Formula Xtreme championship in the tightest of all the road racing title battles. Pridmore finished the season tied in points with Jake Zemke and his Dunlop-equipped Bruce Transportation Honda, but the Suzuki rider earned the crown by merit of having one more race win.

And Dunlop rider Chuck Sorensen awarded Aprilia its first-ever 250 GP title in AMA racing, a class Dunlop has historically dominated. In AMA Superstock competition, Corona Extra EBSCO Media Suzuki’s Jimmy Moore defended his Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock title.

Dunlop would like to congratulate all the 2002 champions, and the hard-working team members who helped these riders win the most coveted championships in AMA racing.


(Editorial Note: Dunlop apparently has forgotten that Kirk McCarthy won the 2002 AMA Pro Thunder Championship on an Advanced Motor Sports Ducati 748.)