Picotte on Pole for Brainerd AMA Superbike Event (with Qual Results)
28 June 1997
PICOTTE EARNS PROVISIONAL AMA SUPERBIKE POLE AT BRAINERD BRAINERD, Minn. -- Pascal Picotte turned in a strong run on his Suzuki GSX-R750 Friday in first-day qualifying for the Hitching Post Suzuki Classic at Brainerd International Raceway. Picotte, a 27-year-old French-Canadian, turned in a lap at 108.901 miles per hour (one minute, 39.173 seconds) on the three-mile Brainerd circuit to earn the provisional pole for Sunday's race. Picotte edged out AMA/MBNA Superbike Series leader Doug Chandler who pushed his Kawasaki to a speed of 108.852 mph. Picotte's speed was somewhat surprising for those track side on Friday. While Picotte is one of the most competitive riders in the AMA Superbike Series, he hasn't earned a pole in the series in two years. If his times holds on Saturday, Picotte would be the first Suzuki rider to ever win the Superbike pole at Brainerd. "I was hearing that there might be showers in the area on Saturday, so I really tried to go as fast as I could today," said Picotte, winner of three AMA Superbike races in his seven-years of racing in this country. "The wind really made turn one difficult, so if conditions are better tomorrow I think a track record is within reach." The record of 109.862 mph was set by Italian Alessandro Gramigni last year on a Ducati. Gramigni went on to win the race. One of the Superbikes blew a motor in turn one late in the session, spewing oil along the racing surface. Several riders, including Picotte, said they were setting up to run their fastest laps only to have to slow down because of the slippery conditions in the turn. Rounding out the provisional front row is Honda's Miguel Duhamel and Tom Kipp riding a Yamaha. Australian Mat Mladin, winner of the last two AMA/MBNA Superbike Series races, qualified fifth. In a very rare coincidence, Mladin's speed of 108.033 was identical to his teammate Gerald Rothman. Five different manufacturers -- Suzuki, Kawasaki, Honda, Yamaha and Ducati -- were represented in the first five qualifying positions. Harley-Davidson's Thomas Wilson qualified ninth. BRAINERD, Minn. -- First-day qualifying Friday for the AMA/MBNA Superbike Series on the three-mile Brainerd International Raceway with rider, hometown or country, make of motorcycle and qualifying speed: 1. Pascal Picotte, Canada, Suzuki, 108.901 mph. 2. Doug Chandler, Salinas, Calif., Kawasaki, 108.852 mph. 3. Miguel Duhamel, Sarasota, Fla., Honda, 108.690 mph 4. Tom Kipp, Chardon, Ohio, Yamaha, 108.522 mph. 5. Mat Mladin, Australia, Ducati, 108.033 mph. 6. Gerald Rothman, Jr., Manchester, Conn., Ducati, 108.033 mph. 7. Thomas Stevens, Woodstock, Ga., Ducati, 107.974 mph. 8. Larry Pegram, Baltimore, Ohio, Suzuki, 107.894 mph. 9. Thomas Wilson, Oregon, Ohio, Harley-Davidson, 107.672 mph. 10. Aaron Yates, Milledgeville, Ga., Suzuki, 107.469 mph. 11. Steve Crevier, Canada, Honda, 107.084 mph. 12. Chris Carr, Valley Springs, Calif., Harley-Davidson, 106.386 mph. 13. Doug Polen, Denton, Texas, Suzuki, 105.853 mph. 14. Tripp Nobles, Macon, Ga., Harley-Davidson, 105.847 mph. 15. Tommy Hayden, Owensboro, Ky., Kawasaki, 105.722 mph. 16. Michael Barnes, Boca Raton, Fla., Harley-Davidson, 104.723 mph. 17. Quenni King, Miami, Suzuki, 103.206 mph. 18. Mark Miller, Long Beach, Calif., Suzuki, 102.851 mph. 19. Dax Snow, St. George, Utah, Suzuki, 102.829 mph. 20. Dale Kieffer, St. George, Utah, Suzuki, 102.619 mph. 21. Daniel Bailey, Navarre, Ohio, Suzuki, 102.529 mph. 22. Chris Rankin, Austin, Texas, Suzuki, 102.341 mph. 23. Richard Alexander Jr., Carmel, N.Y., Suzuki, 102.335 mph. 24. Jason Pridmore, Ventura, Calif., Suzuki, 102.162 mph. 25. Andrew Deatherage, Cleveland, Kawasaki, 102.121 mph. 26. James Randolph, Santa Rosa, Calif., Suzuki, 101.795 mph. 27. Brian Gibbs, Stockbridge, Ga., Suzuki, 101.774 mph. 28. Anthony Lupo, San Rafael, Calif., Suzuki, 101.723 mph. 29. Greg Fryer, Blaine, Minn., Yamaha, 101.456 mph. 30. Eric Moe, Spring Lake, Mich., Kawasaki, 101.265 mph. 31. James Milroy, Jr., Omaha, Neb., Kawasaki, 100.698 mph. 32. Jimmy Moore, Eugene, Ore., Suzuki, 100.471 mph. 33. John Jacobi, Noblesville, Ind., Suzuki, 100.180 mph. 34. Dean Mizdal, Huntington Beach, Calif., Suzuki, 100.159 mph. 35. Mike Walsh, Canada, Yamaha, 99.907 mph. 36. Roger Hendricks, Minneapolis, Suzuki, 99.859 mph. 37. Shane Clarke, Overland Park, Kan., Suzuki, 98.767 mph. 38. David Kieffer, Laramie, Wyo., Ducati, 98.657 mph. --END--