AMA Superbike Championship Presented by Parts Unlimited VIRginia International Raceway Alton, Virginia August 19 Provisional Race Results: 1. Mat Mladin (Suz GSX-R1000), 28 laps 2. Ben Spies (Suz GSX-R1000), -19.530 seconds 3. Neil Hodgson (Duc 999F06), -26.126 seconds 4. Miguel Duhamel (Hon CBR1000RR), -30.035 seconds 5. Aaron Yates (Suz GSX-R1000), -32.453 seconds 6. Jake Zemke (Hon CBR1000RR), -35.272 seconds 7. Jason Pridmore (Suz GSX-R1000), -39.284 seconds 8. Tommy Hayden (Kaw ZX-10R), -46.697 seconds 9. Roger Hayden (Kaw ZX-10R), -51.902 seconds 10. Steve Rapp (Suz GSX-R1000), -78.259 seconds 11. Ben Bostrom (Duc 999F06),-87.207 seconds 12. Larry Pegram (Hon CBR1000RR), -1 lap 13. Cory West (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap, 1.919 seconds 14. Jake Holden (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap, 9.278 seconds 15. Jason Curtis (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap, 11.275 seconds 16. David Weber (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap, 14.955 seconds 17. John Haner (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap, 17.575 seconds 18. Scott Jensen (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap, 24.479 seconds 19. Dean Mizdal (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap, 53.085 seconds 20. Kenny Noyes (Yam YZF-R1 LE), -1 lap, 53.777 seconds 21. Dominic Jones (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap, 54.261 seconds 22. Brad Hendry (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap, 64.070 seconds 23. Michael Sanchez (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap, 66.243 seconds 24. Scott Carpenter (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap, 68.227 seconds 25. Akira Tamitsuji (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap, 73.351 seconds 26. Marco Martinez (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap, 80.782 seconds 27. Mark Crozier (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap, 87.535 seconds 28. Andi Notman (Suz GSX-R1000), -2 laps 29. Eric Wood (Suz GSX-R1000), -21 laps, DNF, crash 30. Matt Lynn (Suz GSX-R1000), -22 laps, DNF 31. Taylor Knapp (Suz GSX-R1000), -28 laps, DNF AMS Superbike Championship Point Standings (after 15 of 19 races): 1. Spies, 533 points 2. Mladin, 494 points 3. Duhamel, 414 points 4. Hodgson, 387 points 5. Tommy Hayden, 377 points 6. Yates, 361 points 7. Zemke, 350 points 8. Pridmore, 309 points 9. Ben Bostrom, 304 points 10. Pegram, 279 points 11. Rapp, 272 points 12. Holden, 244 points 13. Curtis, 193 points 14. Eric Wood, 185 points 15. Lynn, 175 points 16. Tamitsuji, 172 points 17. Scott Jensen, 134 points 18. Roger Hayden, 120 points 19. West, 117 points 20. Henddry, 111 points More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki: Reigning AMA Superbike Champion Mat Mladin walked away with victory today at the ‘Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals’ at Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia from injured Yoshimura Suzuki team mate and series leader Ben Spies. Six-time champion Mladin took the lead on the fourth of 28 laps and opened it up to 19.5 seconds at the end of the 28-lap race the biggest victory-margin this season. Said Mladin, after his fourth win of the season: “It was a good race for us. We’ve been working hard all year but unfortunately, Ben’s been too quick.” With four races to run, he trails Spies by 39 points. Spies broke a bone in his right hand during qualifying when he high-sided, but he qualified second and easily took runner-up in the first of the weekend’s two races. More, from a press release issued by America Suzuki: Yoshimura Suzuki’s Mladin & Spies Go One/Two in Saturday’s Superbike Race at VIR –Next round, Road Atlanta in Braselton, GA, Aug. 1 – 3, 2006– Round 9 AMA Superbike Series Alton, VA Virginia International Raceway Aug. 18 – 20, 2006 Team Yoshimura Suzuki’s Mat Mladin won his fourth AMA Superbike race of the 2006 season in Saturday afternoon’s race at Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Va. Teammate and current AMA Superbike points leader Ben Spies followed Mladin home in second place, while Yoshimura Suzuki rider Aaron Yates finished in fifth position. “I got a pretty good start and just kept my head down,” said six-time AMA Superbike Champion Mladin of his fourth VIR Superbike victory and his 47th career Superbike win. “The Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 felt really good — we found a few things at our test last week at Road Atlanta that made the bike feel more comfortable.” Yoshimura Suzuki had one of its strongest qualifying sessions all season at VIR, with Mladin taking his third pole position of the season, Spies qualifying in second and Yates in third. Mladin’s fastest lap was a 1:24.226, Spies’ was 1:24.363 and Yates’ was 1:25.208. “It was a good session for us,” said Mladin after picking up his 50th career pole position and his third at VIR. “We did some pretty good laps out there and it’s good to see Yoshimura Suzuki in the top three.” In the 28-lap race, Spies was out front immediately and led the first few laps. Defending AMA Superbike Champion Mladin, however, was right behind him and quickly took over the lead. “I wasn’t sure how Ben was feeling after crashing yesterday so I knew I had to put my head down,” said Mladin. “Now we just need to keep the momentum for tomorrow’s race.” Although Spies rode a strong race, the young Texan suffered from a fractured right hand following a crash the day before in qualifying. Determined to hold onto his overall points lead, however, Spies persevered in spite of the injury and finished in an impressive second place. “I tried to get out front on the first lap but I knew Mat was behind me,” said Spies, who’s points spread is 39 points over second-place Mladin. “I just tried to keep my head down and I knew Mat was going to get around me. I tried to hang with him as long as I could and create a gap on everybody else. I’m really happy with this finish, considering the circumstances. I’m just going to go back, take care of my hand and try to be better for tomorrow.” Teammate Yates also got a pretty good start but wound up back in seventh position. He put up a good fight and was rewarded with a top-five finish. “I got a really good launch off the line,” said Yates. “I was right behind Mat in Turn One and he let off, then I let off and a bunch of guys got past me. I got stuck behind those guys for the first half of the race and I was having a tough time making passes. We’re going to make a few changes to the bike and give me a little more confidence in the front end and hopefully go a little faster tomorrow.” Saturday’s race was the first of two Superbike races in the VIR double-header weekend, with the second race slated for Sunday afternoon. Mat Mladin, Team Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000, #1 1st Place AMA Superbike 2nd Place — Overall Ben Spies, Team Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000, #11 2nd Place AMA Superbike 1st Place — Overall Aaron Yates, Team Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000, #20 5th Place AMA Superbike 6th Place — Overall More, from a press release issued by VIRginia International Raceway: Mladin Dominates Superbike Opener at VIR; Bostrom Wins Formula Xtreme Thriller Alton, Va. (August 19) Six-time AMA Superbike champion Mat Mladin of Australia won the opening race of the AMA Superbike doubleheader at VIRginia International Raceway’s Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals on Saturday, topping injured Yoshimura Suzuki teammate Ben Spies. Spies overcame a broken right hand sustained in qualifying on Friday and finished second. Neil Hodgson of Britain was third on his Parts Unlimited Ducati. Mladin passed Spies, the series leader, on the fourth lap of the 28-lap race, and won his fourth race of the year by 19.530 seconds. It was the largest margin of victory this year. “It was a good race for us,” Mladin said. “We worked hard all year, but Ben’s had it over us. With his crash (Friday) he didn’t have it all together, so we took advantage of the opportunity it presented.” Mladin shaved six points off Spies’ series lead and now trails 533-494 with four rounds remaining. He can further cut into the deficit by winning the second race on Sunday. In Saturday’s 17-lap Lockhart Phillips Formula Xtreme Championship series race, Yamaha USA’s Eric Bostom emerged victorious over Erion Honda’s Josh Hayes by a scant 0.122 seconds after a titanic battle on the 2.25-mile VIR North Course. Bostrom’s teammate Jason DiSalvo finished third. In qualifying for the Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship presented by Shoei, points leader Jamie Hacking put his Yamaha on the pole with a lap at 1:26.816, edging Suzuki’s Geoff May (1:27.112) and Kawasaki’s Roger Hayden (1:27.311). DiSalvo claimed the pole for Yamaha in qualifying for the Repsol Lubricants Superstock Series, clocking in at 1:25.485 over teammate Bostrom (1:26.002) and Suzuki’s May (1:26.227). Both the Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship presented by Shoei and the Repsol Lubricants Superstock Series will contest 17-lap races on Sunday, supporting the 28-lap second feature for the Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited. The on-track action will get underway at 9:00 am with final practice for all three series, with the Superstock race scheduled to take the green flag at 11:50. The Supersport race is scheduled to start at 2:00 pm, and the Superbike race will wrap up the weekend’s activities with the green flag scheduled for 3:15 pm. The Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals offers a variety of ticket packages designed to fit every budget, including standard general-admissions tickets, Big Kahuna Super Tickets, Big Dog Hospitality Passes, Little Dog Hospitality Passes, Pit Walk Passes, car parking passes and camping passes. Tickets will be available at the gate. All current military personnel will receive a 30-percent discount and free parking by presenting their ID card at the gate. Similarly, college students will be eligible for a 15-percent discount by presenting their ID card at the gate. Groups of 20 or more will also be eligible for a 15-percent discount, providing the order is paid for with one credit card. Discounts do not apply to Trackside VIP Suite and Big Kahuna Super Tickets, or to Big Dog Hospitality Passes or Pit Walk Passes. Children aged 12 and under will receive free admission, provided they are accompanied by a paid adult, but must have a Little Dog Hospitality Pass to enter the Big Dog Hospitality area. To purchase tickets, visit www.m1event.com or www.gettix.net. Tickets ordered too late to mail will be able to be picked up at Will Call at the track. VIRginia International Raceway is a multi-purpose road racing facility, located on the Dan River between Danville and South Boston, Va., just north of historic Milton, N.C. In addition to its 3.27-mile natural-terrain road racing circuit, VIR is the cornerstone of VIR Club, America’s first motorsports country club; the VIR Raceplex Industrial Park; the VIR Gallery, a sales showroom for high-end collector and racing cars; Plantation Valley Kart Track, a 5/8-mile paved karting circuit; The Lodge at VIR, a 27-room trackside hotel; the new VIR Paddock Suites and Garages, with 18 dual-purpose hospitality/ lodging units and garages; and the Oak Tree Tavern, a full-service restaurant located within the circa-1840 Plantation Clubhouse. For more information on VIRginia International Raceway, visit the track’s website at www.virclub.com or telephone 434-822-7700. For more information on M1 Entertainment, visit their website at www.m1event.com or contact them via telephone at 303-377-3278. For more information on the AMA Superbike Championship Presented by Parts Unlimited, visit their website at www.amasuperbike.com. More, from a press release issued by Parts Unlimited Ducati: NEIL HODGSON EARNS PODIUM FINISH IN VIRGINIA FOR PARTS UNLIMITED DUCATI Alton (Virginia) 19 Aug 2006: Parts Unlimited Ducati’s Neil Hodgson finished third in Saturday’s AMA Superbike race at Virginia International Raceway. The Ducati 999 pilot eased a hard-earned gap on his rivals and ran a strong race, finishing on the podium at the tight, technical circuit. After fighting with the group that contested fourth place, Neil’s teammate Ben Bostrom finished 11th on the day. Hodgson got an excellent start off the line and ran as high as second place in the early going. After the leaders sorted themselves out, Neil maintained his position. Hodgson ran a hot pace in third place and increased his gap over fourth throughout the event. “I feel like from Laguna onward, we’ve gotten faster. Hopefully, we can battle every weekend from here on out,” said Neil. “Today, I got a good start and Mladin came by on the first lap. It gave me a good chance to follow him for a short while. After that, it was a lonely race. After the first lap, I think I had 0.4 on the guy behind me and the lead grew from there, up to about eight seconds.” Hodgson retains his fourth place standing in the season’s points, closing slightly on third place. “I want to finish the season as hard as I can,” said Neil. Bostrom became ill in the race, which ruined his charge toward the front. “The bike felt great out there but I got sick during the race,” said Bostrom. “I’d go a few laps, and then I’d feel okay again and I’d go well. On the 28th lap, I did a 1:26.4. It’s disheartening but there is hope for tomorrow.” The Sunday Superbike race begins at 3:15 PM local time. AMA Superbike results: 1. Mat Mladin, Suzuki 2. Ben Spies, Suzuki 3. Neil Hodgson, Parts Unlimited Ducati 4. Miguel Duhamel, Honda 5. Aaron Yates, Suzuki 6. Jake Zemke, Honda 7. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki 8. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki 9. Roger Hayden, Kawasaki 10. Steve Rapp, Suzuki 11. Ben Bostrom, Parts Unlimited Ducati AMA Superbike points (after 15 races): 1. Ben Spies, Suzuki 533 2. Mat Mladin, Suzuki 494 3. Miguel Duhamel, Honda 414 4. Neil Hodgson, Parts Unlimited Ducati 387 5. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki 377 6. Aaron Yates, Suzuki 361 7. Jake Zemke, Honda 350 8. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki 309 9. Ben Bostrom, Parts Unlimited Ducati 304 10. Larry Pegram, Honda 279 More, from a press release issued by GPR Stabilizers: GPR STABILIZERS SCOTT JENSEN HAS AN UP AND DOWN DAY… After making a great comeback in Mid-Ohio to an injuried filled season GPR Stabilizers Scott Jensen had an up and down day. Scott and his JQ Moto team is being filmed and interviewed for the all new Superbikes program airing on Speed TV. “It’s to show the life of a privateer racer in the AMA Superbike Series”, said Jensen, “It’s exciting, nerve wrecking, and a little scary all at the same time. It’s happening on a weekend that my main sponsor, GPR Stabilizers, sent Jeff Norman (son of owner, and head of roadracing development for GPR) to the races to see how their product and our team is doing. I was hoping for a great race for the show and for my sponsors”. In a race that proved to be a race long battle for Jensen with 4 other riders he wasn’t happy with his results. “Chris Cook from RPM and his friend Leon came to help out this weekend. It was great timing cause it gave me a little time to work with the Superbikes show people”, Scott said, “Racing with guys I dont normally run with was both fun and a bummer since we finished 18th. We just plain missed the set up a bit. The track changed and I think it affected a lot of teams if you look at where Ben Bostrom (Ducati) and Jake Holden (Jordan Suzuki) finished 11th and 14th respectively. Im not sure at this point if it was a wrong tire choice or if we didnt anticipate the heat surge that came this afternoon, but we just lacked grip and it made it a handfull the entire race”. With another day of filming planned the GPR team plans on a making changes to improve their finish during Sunday’s 28 lap main event. “It’s absolutely exciting for me and our company”, said Jeff Norman, “Scott is doing a great job in his racing and finding time to help promote our products. I know he was a little unhappy with his result today but his quest to improve his position tomorrow is what makes us excited and confident that we chose the right person to sponsor and make GPR Stabilizers a huge name and face in roadracing”. On a 3 day race weekend GPR’s Bob Bright says there is about 25 top compitors using GPR stabilizers, anyone form factory supported teams like Pegram Racing to local racers trying to play with the big boys. “We’re planning on staying around a long time in the racing industry”, says Norman, “Our efforts and programs will grow over the years and we are off to an awesome start”. Look for Scott Jensen to be back toward the front of the AMA Superbike race in Sundays main event. “we have a little work tonight but we will get the motorcycle ready with the right adjustments and have a go at it again tomorrow. I just can’t thank all my sponsors, and friends enough”.