AMA Superbike Championship Presented by Parts Unlimited Road America Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin June 3 Provisional Race Results: 1. Mat Mladin (Suz GSX-R1000), 16 laps 2. Ben Spies (Suz GSX-R1000), -0.148 second 3. Jake Zemke (Hon CBR1000RR), -14.087 seconds 4. Miguel Duhamel (Hon CBR1000RR), -14.284 seconds 5. Neil Hodgson (Duc 999F06), -29.983 seconds 6. Aaron Yates (Suz GSX-R1000), -32.087 seconds 7. Tommy Hayden (Kaw ZX-10R), -32.791 seconds 8. Ben Bostrom (Duc 999F06), -39.812 seconds 9. Jason Pridmore (Suz GSX-R1000), -61.133 seconds 10. Steve Rapp (Suz GSX-R1000), -61.181 seconds 11. Jake Holden (Suz GSX-R1000), -62.209 seconds 12. Matt Lynn (Suz GSX-R1000), -84.208 seconds 13. Larry Pegram (Hon CBR1000RR), -96.806 seconds 14. Akira Tamitsuji (Suz GSX-R1000), -108.138 seconds 15. Chris Ulrich (Suz GSX-R1000), -108.321 seconds 16. Lee Acree (Suz GSX-R1000), -109.188 seconds 17. Scott Jensen (Suz GSX-R1000), -130.452 seconds 18. Fernando Amantini (Kaw ZX-10R), -150.619 seconds 19. Brad Hendry (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap 20. Dean Mizdal (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap 21. Jesse Janisch (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap 22. C.R. Gittere (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap 23. Michael Sanchez (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap 24. Mike Sullivan (Yam YZF-R1), -1 lap 25. Taylor Knapp (Suz GSX-R1000), -3 laps 26. Jason Curtis (Suz GSX-R1000), DNF, mechanical 27. Eric Wood (Suz GSX-R1000), DNF, mechanical 28. Cory West (Suz GSX-R1000), DNF, mechanical AMA Superbike Championship Point Standings (after 8 of 19 races): 1. Spies, 289 points 2. Mladin, 265 points 3. Duhamel, 225 points 4. Hodgson, 209 points 5. Yates, 204 points 6. Tommy Hayden, 197 points 7. Ben Bostrom, 191 points 8. Zemke, 185 points 9. Pridmore, 170 points 10. Pegram, 151 points 11. Rapp, 143 points 12. Wood, 120 points 13. Holden, 117 points 14. Curtis, 103 points 15. Hendry, 89 points More, from a press release issued by Parts Unlimited Ducati: PARTS UNLIMITED DUCATI’S HODGSON EARNS ANOTHER TOP FIVE AT ROAD AMERICA Elkhart Lake (Wisconsin) June 3 2006: Parts Unlimited Ducati’s Neil Hodgson and Ben Bostrom finished fifth and eighth in Saturday’s AMA Superbike race from Road America, a contest won by Mat Mladin. Neil Hodgson improved to fifth place, pulling clear of three other factory riders. The 2003 World Superbike Champion said his race was a battle with himself and the machine versus the track, moreso than a competition with other racers. “It was a little uneventful for me. I knew there were some guys behind me, but I never saw them,” said Hodgson. “I just tried to keep the gap the same throughout the race.” Hodgson maintained his fourth place in the points standings with his consistent run on his Ducati 999. “I improved a few positions from the start but the racers that finished in front of me were gone,” said the Englishman who won in the rain at Road America last season. “I was happy with our pace in the race, which was near our qualifying times. We have a direction for Sunday we want to try with the setup. Last year was mixed weather, so really I didn’t have much experience around here. If we make some changes and I can ride a little better, hopefully we can fight for a higher position.” Ben Bostrom was able to get a good start but was unable to hold the slot. “I got a good start and we were up to fourth early in the race,” said Bostrom, a former series champion. “We should have chosen a different front tire, I feel, because after the first couple of laps it wasn’t ideal. We might have had a chance at running down the riders in front of us if we had made a different choice. There were some positives today in the race and I think we are getting closer to the pace we want to run. Tomorrow, we’ll make some changes and try to improve.” Tomorrow’s 16-lap Superbike race begins at 3:15 local time. Race one results: 1. Mat Mladin, Suzuki 2. Ben Spies, Suzuki 3. Jake Zemke, Honda 4. Miguel Duhamel, Honda 5. Neil Hodgson, Parts Unlimited Ducati 6. Aaron Yates, Suzuki 7. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki 8. Ben Bostrom, Parts Unlimited Ducati 9. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki 10. Steve Rapp, Suzuki Points Standings (after eight rounds): 1. Ben Spies, Suzuki 289, 2. Mat Mladin, Suzuki 265 3. Miguel Duhamel, Honda 225 4. Neil Hodgson, Parts Unlimited Ducati 209 5. Aaron Yates, Suzuki 204 6. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki 197 7. Ben Bostrom, Parts Unlimited Ducati 191 8. Jake Zemke, Honda 185 9. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki 151 10. Larry Pegram, Honda 151 More, from a press release issued on behalf of Yoshimura Suzuki: Yoshimura Suzuki Rules Road America with 1-2 Finish –Next round, Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah, June 16 18, 2006– Round 5 AMA Superbike Series Elkhart Lake, WI Road America June 2 – 4, 2006 Team Yoshimura Suzuki’s Mat Mladin won his 45th career AMA Superbike race on Saturday at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis., in the first race of the double-header weekend. Mladin is tied for most AMA Superbike victories at this track with five wins. Teammate Ben Spies came in a very close second and Aaron Yates finished sixth. “It feels good to get the win,” said the defending AMA Superbike Champion. “Ben pushed me the whole way. I tried to get a gap and just couldn’t hold it. But what can you say about the Yoshimura Suzuki team and the GSX-R1000? One/two all season and eight race wins in a row.” As thrilling as the race was, the excitement of Road America actually started with Friday afternoon’s qualifying session. Spies broke the track record with an ultra-fast 2:12.156 lap time and captured provisional pole. On Saturday, however, Mladin came back with blistering lap time of 2:11.970. The result was Mladin taking his second pole position of the season and his 49th career pole. Spies remained in the second spot on the grid, while Yates was slated for fifth. The 16-lap race on the lengthy and flowing 4.0-mile Road America circuit was indeed a nail-biter. Although Spies was out front for the first several laps, Mladin was able to reel him in and hold him off to take the win. “As I’ve been saying all season, Ben’s been riding really well,” said Mladin. “I’ve learned some stuff off him from the last few races, places where he’s stronger than me. And I’ve worked on that at the last few tests. That’s not easy they say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks and I’m only 34, that’s not really old, but I’ve been racing for 30 years and I’m pretty set in my ways.” Even so, Mladin pulled off the victory. It was close, though, with Spies right on Mladin’s GSX-R for the remaining laps. In fact, Spies finished less 0.149 of a second behind his teammate. “Hats off to Mat,” said Spies, who currently leads the AMA Superbike points chase. “He rode great right from the get-go and we just didn’t have what it takes today. I rode as hard as I could and I wouldn’t have done anything differently. The Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000’s handling is awesome and it’s really going good. We just have a few adjustments to make before we come back tomorrow.” Yates, meanwhile, was battling tire grip and some bad luck at Road America. Although he got a good start, the Georgian got caught up in some turn-one confusion and lost several spots. “I got a good launch,” he said ruefully. “And I tried to go to the outside but then I fell way back. It took awhile to get around everybody and I think I chose the wrong front tire. I just didn’t have any confidence and wasn’t going forward. But tomorrow, we’ll go with a different tire and try a few bits and pieces, and hopefully get with the program.” Mat Mladin, Team Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000, #1 1st Place AMA Superbike 2nd Place — Overall Aaron Yates, Team Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000, #20 6th Place AMA Superbike 5th Place — Overall Ben Spies, Team Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000, #11 2nd Place AMA Superbike 1st Place — Overall AMA Superbike Top 10 Finishers: Mat Mladin, Team Yoshimura Suzuki Ben Spies, Team Yoshimura Suzuki Jake Zemke, Honda Miguel Duhamel, Honda Neil Hodgson, Ducati Aaron Yates, Team Yoshimura Suzuki Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki Ben Bostrom, Ducati Jason Pridmore, Jordan Suzuki Steve Rapp, Jordan Suzuki More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki: Mat Mladin continued Yoshimura Suzuki’s total domination of the AMA Superbike Championship by winning today’s Road America Championship round ahead of team mate Ben Spies. Six-time Champion Mladin won a hard-fought victory and stopped Spies taking the AMA record for consecutive race wins, which he now shares with American Honda’s Miguel Duhamel at six. Duhamel led from the start but Spies took the lead by the end of the first lap. Mladin was fourth on lap two after a poor start, third on lap three and into second on the sixth lap, before taking the lead In the closing stages, Spies closed on Mladin, but the Australian held the 23-year-old Texan behind. “It feels good to get the win,” said the defending AMA Superbike Champion. “Ben pushed me the whole way. I tried to get a gap and just couldn’t hold it. But what can you say about the Yoshimura Suzuki team and the GSX-R1000? One -two all season and eight race wins in a row.” As thrilling as the race was, the excitement of Road America actually started with Friday afternoon’s qualifying session. Spies broke the track record with an ultra-fast 2:12.156 lap time and captured provisional pole. On Saturday, however, Mladin came back with blistering lap time of 2:11.970. The result was Mladin taking his second pole position of the season and his 49th career pole. Spies remained in the second spot on the grid, while team mate Aaron Yates was fifth. The 16-lap race on the lengthy and flowing 4.0-mile Road America circuit was a nail-biter. Although Spies was out front for the first several laps, Mladin was able to reel him in and hold him off to take the win. “As I’ve been saying all season, Ben’s been riding really well,” said Mladin. “I’ve learned some stuff off him from the last few races, places where he’s stronger than me. And I’ve worked on that at the last few tests. That’s not easy they say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks and I’m only 34, that’s not really old, but I’ve been racing for 30 years and I’m pretty set in my ways.” Even so, Mladin pulled off the victory. It was close, though, with Spies right on Mladin’s GSX-R for the remaining laps. In fact, Spies finished less 0.149 of a second behind his team mate. “Hats off to Mat,” said Spies, who currently leads the AMA Superbike points chase. “He rode great right from the get-go and we just didn’t have what it takes today. I rode as hard as I could and I wouldn’t have done anything differently. The Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000’s handling is awesome and it’s really going good. We just have a few adjustments to make before we come back tomorrow.” Yates, meanwhile, was battling tyre grip and some bad luck at Road America. Although he got a good start, the Georgian got caught up in some turn-one confusion and lost several spots. “I got a good launch,” he said ruefully. “And I tried to go to the outside but then I fell way back. It took awhile to get around everybody and I think I chose the wrong front tyre. I just didn’t have any confidence and wasn’t going forward.”