AMA: Duhamel Breaks Jinx to Win Superbike Race...Finallay

20 April 1998

LAGUNA SECA RACEWAY, California - Riding a Honda RC45 superbike, Canadian Miguel DuHamel broke a 25 year jinx to win the MBNA/AMA National Superbike Championship race here today at the aptly titled Honda Challenge of Laguna Seca event. Right up to the checkered flag, DuHamel hardly had a moment to breath after a wild slide in Turn 3 three laps from the finish almost cost him the lead and the race. Salinas' Doug Chandler finished second on a Kawasaki ZX-R7, barely a bike-length behind DuHamel, and took over the series lead with the points earned. Australian Mat Mladin, who was the series leader at the start of the race, wound up third in the race and second in points. Countryman Anthony Gobert, second in points before the race, came in 11th after his Ducati had mechanical difficulties; he is now third in the standings.

DuHamel and his father, Yvon, a motorcycle racing champion himself now retired, have raced in a total of 10 AMA National Superbike Championship races here at Laguna Seca Raceway since 1973. This was the first win here for either of them. Before the race, Miguel said, "I bought this scary voodoo ring and wore it here this week. I joked about buying it to break the jinx. My father and I both have led superbike races here at Laguna Seca, but we couldn't win one until day. Maybe the ring really did work."

Top 10 finishers in today's MBNA/AMA National Superbike Championship race:

Pos. Rider Hometown Margin of Victory Avg. Speed Bike

1. Miguel DuHamel Lasalle, Quebec, Canada 0.621 sec. 91.525mph Honda RC45 2. Doug Chandler Salinas, Cal. Kawaski ZX-7R 3. Mat Mladin Camden, New South Wales, Australia Suzuki GSX-R750 4. Ben Bostrom Granada Hills, Cal. Honda RC45 5. Steve Crevier Pitt Meadows, B.C., Canada Suzuki TL-1000R 6. Rich Oliver Fresno, Cal. Yamaha YZF750 7. Tom Kipp Chardon, OH Ducati 996 8. Pascal Picotte Quebec, Canada Harley-Davidson VR1000 9. Mike Hale Carrollton, TX Ducati 996 10. Larry Pegram Baltimore, OH Suzuki TL-1000R

ROOKIE CHANDLER WINS HONDA OILS 600 SUPERSPORT RACE

After swapping the lead with Honda CBR600F3 rider Miguel DuHamel more than 20 times in 17 laps, Doug Chandler won the Honda Oils 600 SuperSport Championship race here this morning on a Kawasaki ZX-6. Though Chandler, from nearby Salinas, is the defending National Superbike Champion, he is a rookie in this leading race series for production sports bikes and was racing with a heavy cold passed on to him by his children. "It (the cold) has been going around the family. I guess it was just my turn to get it," he said. "The timing could have been better, but I didn't feel bad once the race started and the adrenaline started pumping."

Top 10 finishers in today's Honda Oils 600 SuperSport championship race:

Pos. Rider Hometown Margin of Victory Avg. speed Bike

1. Doug Chandler Salinas, Cal. 05.496 sec. 92.353mph Kawaski ZX-6 2. Miguel DuHamel Lasalle, Quebec, Canada Honda CBR600F3 3. Nicky Hayden Owensboro, KY Suzuki GSX-R600 4. Ben Bostrom Granada Hills, Cal. Honda CBR600F3 5. Eric Bostrom Granada Hills, Cal. Honda CBR600F3 6. Steve Crevier Pitt Meadows, B.C., Canada Suzuki GSX-R600 7. Takahito Mori Lewisville, TX Honda CBR600F3 8. Steve Rapp Lafayette, Cal. Suzuki GSX-R600 9. Tom Hayden Owensboro, KY Kawaski ZX-6 10. Kurtis Roberts Modesto, Cal. Honda CBR600F3

HONDA is the official automobile & motorcycle of Laguna Seca Raceway

Budweiser is the official beer of Laguna Seca Raceway

Laguna Seca Raceway has been operated by the Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula since its opening in 1957. SCRAMP is a non-profit organization chartered to benefit local charitable and non-profit groups and to promote economic vitality.

Race events at Laguna Seca Raceway race have resulted in over $8 million being distributed to Monterey Peninsula and Central California groups for youth programs and community service projects, and they have generated more than $1 billion in revenue for area businesses.

Today, SCRAMP is the most important economic and charitable organization in Monterey County.