Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Bruce Transportation Group Honda’s Jake Zemke hopes to race in three classes at Road America, while Erion Honda Superbike chassis tuner Danny Hull just hopes to get through the weekend.

American Honda’s Ray Plumb said Thursday morning that Zemke would probably not race in the Pro Honda Oils Supersport event at Road America, instead concentrating on riding Kurtis Roberts’ RC51 Superbike and his own Bruce Transportation Group Formula Xtreme CBR954RR. Zemke, however, said Thursday that he hoped to ride in all three classes, and all four races, taking a wait-and-see approach to his weekend.

“It’s important for everybody that I ride all three,” said Zemke, who is second in Formula Xtreme points and 11th in Supersport points coming into Road America.

American Honda Racing Teams Manager Chuck Miller told Zemke on Tuesday, June 4 that he would be riding Roberts’ bike, Zemke said.

“Chuck told me to just go have fun with the Superbike,” said Zemke. “He said if I didn’t want to race the Superbike, I didn’t have to; if I only wanted to race it once, that was fine; or if I only wanted to only ride it in practice, that was fine, too.

“Formula Xtreme is my priority right now, and the Superbike is the last thing I’m thinking about. But I don’t think I’ll have a problem racing all four (two Superbike races plus one race each in Formula Xtreme and Supersport). I think I’m in good enough shape to do it. My only concern is Saturday’s Superbike race. There’s only a 20-minute 250 qualifying session between the Superbike race and the Formula Xtreme race Saturday. But it’s not like it’s Sears Point, Mid-Ohio or Colorado where they’re physically demanding tracks. There’s a lot of room to rest out there, and the (Superbike) race is only 16 laps.

“Chuck made it real clear that it’s just a one-off ride. Kurtis should be back by Brainerd.”

Mechanic Hull suffered a back injury at Road Atlanta. “It’s just a muscle strain,” said Hull, limping through the paddock Thursday. “I just lifted a bike wrong and pulled the muscles in my back. I’ll be fine. I just need more rest.”

After being bed ridden for “a while” and missing the Pikes Peak round of the AMA Series, Hull is back, working in a limited capacity for Zemke. “I won’t be throwing wheels and tires around, but I can do little stuff, check the bike over and work on the bike while it’s on the bench. It’s still my bike.

“I believe he’ll do just fine,” said Hull, when asked what he expected Zemke to do on the Superbike. Hull added that he was very impressed when Zemke pushed his Formula Xtreme Honda up the turn 11 hill after crashing in the FX race at Road Atlanta, re-started the race from row six and finished third.