The race was red-flagged for a turn two crash involving Matt Lynn, Cory West, Dominic Jones and Shane Turpin and restarted after about a 15-minute delay. Only Lynn made the restart. In a bid to avoid mass heat stroke among crew members in the extreme heat, AMA teams were allowed to deploy their canopies on pit lane for the Superbike race. Prior to the Superbike race, AMA team canopies were banned from pit lane for a variety of constantly shifting reasons attributed variously to officials of Dorna (the Spanish company that holds the marketing and promotional rights to MotoGP) and to officials of Laguna Seca Raceway; reasons ranged from, the canopies would obstruct the view from pit-lane suites, to the canopies did not look professional (as if mechanics laboring in the hot sun with no canopies did). The canopy issue was a (literally) hot one with AMA team managers and riders. AMA Superbike Championship Presented by Parts Unlimited Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca Monterey, California July 22 Provisional Race Results: 1. Ben Spies (Suz GSX-R1000), 28 laps 2. Tommy Hayden (Kaw ZX-10R), -3.114 seconds 3. Neil Hodgson (Duc 999F06), -7.922 seconds 4. Miguel Duhamel (Hon CBR1000RR), -8.997 seconds 5. Aaron Yates (Suz GSX-R1000), -13.331 seconds 6. Mat Mladin (Suz GSX-R1000), -18.307 seconds 7. Ben Bostrom (Duc 999F06), -22.261 seconds 8. Jake Zemke (Hon CBR1000RR), -26.725 seconds 9. Jason Pridmore (Suz GSX-R1000), -36.258 seconds 10. Steve Rapp (Suz GSX-R1000), -52.255 seconds 11. Roger Hayden (Kaw ZX-10R), -56.033 seconds 12. Marty Craggill (Suz GSX-R1000), -70.532 seconds 13. Larry Pegram (Hon CBR1000RR), -78.563 seconds 14. Chris Ulrich (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap 15. Matt Lynn (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap, -6.745 seconds 16. Akira Tamitsuji (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap, -14.417 17. Scott Jensen (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap, -19.363 18. Eric Wood (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap, -33.737 19. Jason Curtis (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap, -46.156 20. Robertino Pietri (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap, -50.178 21. Dean Mizdal (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap, -57.438 22. Jason Perez (Yam YZF-R1), -1 lap, -61.790 23. Martin Szwarc (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap, -68.473 24. Corey Sarros (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap, -82.313 25. Mike Sullivan (Yam YZF-R1), -1 lap, -82.705 26. Brian Stokes (Yam YZF-R1), -2 laps 27. Doug Chandler (Kaw ZX-10R), -3 laps, DNF, mechanical 28. Corey Eaton (Suz GSX-R1000), -5 laps, DNF, mechanical 29. Jake Holden (Suz GSX-R1000), -6 laps, mechanical 30. Mark Ledesma (Hon CBR1000RR), -16 laps, DNF 31. John Haner (Suz GSX-R1000), -24 laps, DNF, mechanical 32. Cory West (Suz GSX-R1000), -28 laps, DNF, crash 33. Dominic Jones (Suz GSX-R1000), -28 laps, DNF, crash 34. Shane Turpin (Yam YZF-R1), -28 laps, DNF, crash AMA Superbike Championship Point Standings (After 12 of 19 races): 1. Spies, 426 points 2. Mladin, 392 points 3. Duhamel, 329 points 4. Hodgson, 317 points 5. TIE, Tommy Hayden/Yates, 304 points 7. Zemke, 296 points 8. Ben Bostrom, 268 points 9. Pridmore, 259 points 10. Rapp, 226 points 11. Pegram, 218 points 12. Holden, 181 points 13. Wood, 165 points 14. Curtis, 147 points 15. Tamitsuji, 142 points 16. Lynn, 133 points 17. Hendry, 102 points 18. Fernando Amantini, 85 points 19. Scott Jensen, 83 points 20. Mizdal, 70 points More on the pit lane canopy situation from a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing: AMA Pro Racing and Dorna agree to team tents to combat heat PICKERINGTON, Ohio AMA Pro Racing and Dorna reached an agreement Saturday to allow AMA teams to set up tents on pit row during the combined Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix/ AMA Superbike Championship event at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. It is hoped that the tents will provide some measure of relief from the near record temperatures the Monterey area is experiencing this weekend. Pit row tents are normally prohibited at this event. However AMA and Dorna officials met on Saturday and arrived at a compromise. “We’re pleased that we were able to discuss the situation with Dorna and arrive at a positive solution,” said Kerry Graeber, AMA Pro Racing Vice President, Director of Communications. “We went to Dorna on behalf of our teams and Dorna agreed that due to the extreme conditions this weekend, allowing pit row tents during our races was in everyone’s best interest.” AMA competitors will be allowed to set up their team tents during Sunday’s Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship presented by Shoei at 11:30 a.m. and again during the Repsol Lubricants Superstock race scheduled for 3:45 p.m. Teams were being informed of the change on Saturday evening. Temperatures soared to over 100 degrees at the track on Saturday, combined with sunny conditions. The heat is forecasted to moderate somewhat on Sunday. Up to 150,000 fans are expected at over the three days of the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix/AMA Superbike Championship, making it the largest motorcycle racing event in the United States. About AMA Pro Racing AMA Pro Racing is the leading sanctioning body for motorcycle sport in the United States. Its properties include the Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series, the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF, the AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship and the AMA Supermoto Championship presented by Parts Unlimited. For more information about AMA Pro Racing, visit www.amaproracing.com. More, from a press release issued by American Suzuki: Yoshimura Suzuki’s Spies Wins Laguna Seca Superbike Race! –Next round, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, OH, Aug. 4 – 6, 2006– Round 7 AMA Superbike Series Monterey, CA Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca July 21 – 23, 2006 Team Yoshimura Suzuki’s Ben Spies battled record-breaking heat as well as the competition to win his eighth AMA Superbike race of the season and extend his points lead at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on Saturday. Teammate Aaron Yates finished up in fifth position and Mat Mladin came home in sixth place. “I really want to thank my team and credit the Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000,” said Spies of his first Laguna Seca victory. “I asked them to bring me a bike that we wouldn’t have to make too many changes on because we had so little track time. And that’s exactly what they did — I just sat on it and rode around.” Earlier in the day, Spies picked up his fifth career pole position after posting a fastest lap time of 1:24.946. Teammate Yates qualified a close second with a best time of 1:25.433, while Mladin rounded out the front row of the grid in fourth with a 1:26.025 posting. “Right now, getting pole position is just another point toward the title,” said Spies. “It’s going to be a hard fight today, but we’ve found a good set-up for the Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 and the bike is working really well.” Spies showed just how well the bike was working by taking the lead immediately and leading all 28 laps of the main event. “I just have to give all the credit to the Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 and my crew,” Spies reiterated. “I knew we had to show up with a bike that was good to go and the Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 was just that. I rode as hard as I could, but the bike and the Dunlop tires made it easier this weekend.” Teammate Yates also got a good start and was running in the top five for most of the race. “I got a decent start and then I got hung up behind some guys and couldn’t make any passes,” said Yates. “I got caught up in the pace and then I made a few mistakes. As the race went on, I had a hard time getting a good drive off the corners and it just got worse. I made a charge toward the end of the race but almost went off the track so I backed off. I was hoping to put my Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 up on the podium, but it just didn’t happen today.” Mladin, unlike his teammates, did not get a good start and was forced to play catch-up. Even so, the defending AMA Superbike Champion rode hard and charged up to sixth place before the end of the race. “I made a mistake at the start and it bogged,” he said. “Then I was just doing the best I could and by the time I got up into a decent position it was too late to make any real difference.” Mat Mladin, Team Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000, #1 6th Place AMA Superbike 2nd Place — Overall Aaron Yates, Team Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000, #20 5th Place AMA Superbike 6th Place — Overall Ben Spies, Team Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000, #11 1st Place AMA Superbike 1st Place — Overall AMA Superbike Top 10 Finishers: 1. Ben Spies, Team Yoshimura Suzuki 2. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki 3. Neil Hodgson, Ducati 4. Miguel Duhamel, Honda 5. Aaron Yates, Team Yoshimura Suzuki 6. Mat Mladin, Team Yoshimura Suzuki 7. Ben Bostrom, Ducati 8. Jake Zemke, Honda 9. Jason Pridmore, Jordan Suzuki 10. Steve Rapp, Jordan More, from a press release issued by Honda Racing Information: Heat Causes Problems in Laguna Seca Even before the start of the AMA Superbike race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, there were problems. There was intense, near record heat in the beautiful Monterey Peninsula. There was a lack of practice and qualifying time for the 12th round of the championship, held as a support race for the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix. And then there was the track itself. A recent repaving had been badly executed and there were extraordinary bumps throughout the track, but especially out of the signature Corkscrew turn. What it all meant was that the valuable data gathered by the American Honda mechanics and engineers in years of racing and testing was of only marginal value. Despite those difficulties, American Honda’s Miguel Duhamel felt his Honda CBR1000RR was capable of a third place finish. But the track temperature wreaked havoc with his rear tire and he just missed out on his fifth podium finish of the year. Teammate Jake Zemke, the winner of the previous round at Miller Motorsports Park, wasn’t as fortunate. Zemke struggled with the elements and wasn’t able to properly set up his Honda CBR1000RR in the less than one hour of practice and qualifying allowed. It all added up to a less than satisfying weekend, one race after American Honda showed themselves to be serious race contenders with Zemke’s win Duhamel led off the start, held late on a 38 degree afternoon in the hills east of Monterey, California. But his moment of glory was short-lived. A multi-rider first turn incident brought out a red flag and forced a re-start. The second time around Duhamel was strong-he ran second for the first two laps and third for the next nine-before he struck traction problems at the rear. Every time he tried to close the gap on the leaders, he’d find himself on the razor’s edge of grip. Rather than risk crashing on a track surface that was rapidly deteriorating, he sensibly decided to finish fourth. The finish allowed him to maintain third in the championship with seven races to run. Zemke found it more difficult to find a solution for the bumps. The team solved one problem, but it caused another, and he rode smartly to an eighth place finish. The race was won by Suzuki’s Ben Spies from Kawasaki’s Tommy Hayden, the older brother of Repsol Honda’s Nicky Hayden, and Ducati’s Neil Hodgson. Miguel Duhamel 4th Place The guys did a great job. Al (Ludington) and the boys gave me a really good bike. I made a few little mistakes in there and the leaders got away. And every time I started getting going good pace, starting going low 26’s, the tire got really hot and started sliding a lot. Every single time I went pretty fast, I’d make time, I’d lose time. I felt like I had a lot more speed. But as the race wore on and the tire got a little bit hotter”¦I should have gone harder a little bit quicker. But the bike was good. everything was really good. Just a little click here, a click here. Laguna doesn’t forgive. You make a mistake in four and you’re almost paying for it in 11 before you get your rhythm back. So had a couple of slides. Our tire was not bad, but every time I got to mid to low 26’s, the thing started moving around quite a lot. But anyway, all that being said the bike was still good enough. I think I could have been and maybe should have been, but could have been on the podium. Jake Zemke, 8th Place It was a long race. Well, we showed up here and we were having a big difficulty dealing with the new bumps that have come up here at this race track, especially with the rears. So we went into qualifying making some big changes to the rear end of the bike, changing the link and the suspension to try to absorb those bumps better. It made it absorb those bumps a little bit better on acceleration, but then under deceleration, going into the corner, we had a horrible, horrible chatter in qualifying. Basically, we had to go into the race on something, just roll the dice and gamble. And we got rid of that deceleration chatter a little bit, but the bike didn’t really want to turn once we got into the corner. It was a long day for sure. Superbike: 1. Ben Spies (Suzuki) 2. Tommy Hayden (Kawasaki) 3. Neil Hodgson (Ducati) 4. Miguel Duhamel (Honda) 5. Aaron Yates (Suzuki) 6. Mat Mladin (Suzuki) 7. Ben Bostrom (Ducati) 8. Jake Zemke (Honda) 9. Jason Pridmore (Suzuki) 10. Steve Rapp (Suzuki) Championship Standings: 1. Ben Spies (Suzuki) 426 2. Mat Mladin (Suzuki) 392 3. Miguel Duhamel (Honda) 329 4. Neil Hodgson (Ducati) 317 5. (TIE) Tommy Hayden (Kawasaki)/Aaron Yates (Suzuki) 304 7. Jake Zemke (Honda) 296 8. Ben Bostrom (Ducati) 268 9. Jason Pridmore (Suzuki) 259 10. Steve Rapp (Suzuki) 226 More, from a press release issued by Parts Unlimited Ducati: HODGSON EARNS LAGUNA SECA PODIUM FOR PARTS UNLIMITED DUCATI WITH SPECTACULAR CHARGE Monterey (California) 22 July 2006: Neil Hodgson earned a strong third place in Saturday’s AMA Superbike race at Laguna Seca, producing a podium finish in front of the large crowd assembled for the US Grand Prix weekend. Ducati 999-mounted Hodgson charged through the field in the California heat, moving his way through a fierce pack of Superbike riders. Hodgson rose from sixth place in the early stages to challenge for second place in the 28-lap event. Teammate Ben Bostrom finished seventh despite dehydration forcing him to the medical center immediately after the race. Bostrom ran strongly in second place before becoming ill at the mid-point of the event. “I feel really pleased. I thought the race went really well for us today. Hopefully, we’ll become regulars on the podium from here on out,” said Hodgson of his charge that saw his best laps come near the end of the race. “We were strong today despite the heat and had some good battles out on the circuit. Tommy Hayden rode a great race and, as it came down to the final laps, it looked as if the two of us would be fighting for second place. He pulled a bit of a gap but I chased him down and was planning my moves for the end. I lost the front really badly with three laps to go. At that point, I felt that it would be best to be content with the podium. It’s been a tough weekend and we needed a good result to build on.” Hodgson continued: “The team were really put in a rough spot here at Laguna. This was one of the most difficult races of the year. The heat was tough on everyone. The track was bumpy and we didn’t have much practice time, but we all pulled it together and I’m proud of the crew for working so hard,” said Hodgson. Ben Bostrom saw a strong result escape when he became ill. Bostrom thought he might be bound for yet another Laguna Seca victory but saw his hopes foiled when he became ill during the race. “I’m disappointed because I thought I had a great shot at a win today,” said Bostrom. “We were about halfway through the race and I had a lot in reserve. I was just cruising out there. Then I got sick and just fell apart, end of story. I should have pulled in because I was so weak I could barely ride. I was done.” Still, Ben managed to better two factory Superbike riders even though he had to check in to the Laguna Seca medical center for fluids immediately after the race. Bostrom is positive on the next races for the Parts Unlimited Ducati Team. “After our tests, the Miller races, and now Laguna, we are super confident going into the next events.” Team owner Terry Gregoricka was pleased with the performance of both the riders and of the team at Laguna Seca. “This is the type of result we’ve been working for and one we can use to get some positive momentum,” said Gregoricka. “Neil’s podium was well deserved. It’s great watching the team’s rider putting in his best laps towards the end of the race. With Ben, he really charged hard and just was a little unlucky today. We’re feeling good about the way things are going.”