AMA: Championships on the line at Chevy Trucks US Superbike Finale
22 September 2000
PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- The AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship
will be decided at the Coca-Cola AMA Superbike Championship Final presented by
Suzuki, Sept. 29?Oct. 1, at Willow Springs Raceway in Rosamond, Calif.
The championship has come down to two riders ? Suzuki's Mat Mladin and
Honda's Nicky Hayden. Australian Mladin holds a comfortable 19-point lead over
Hayden coming into the finale and needs only to finish 12th or better to wrap up
his second consecutive AMA Superbike title.
Making things tougher for the underdog Hayden, is the fact that Mladin
rider has been a model of consistency on the Superbike tour. The last time
Mladin failed to finish a Superbike race was in June of 1998 at Loudon, N.H.
That is a full 28 races without a crash or mechanical problem on his Suzuki.
The Willow Springs round is very uncomplicated for Hayden ? he simply needs
to ride his factory Honda RC51 to the pole position, then lead the most laps and
win the final to earn the maximum available championship points. But even then,
he'll need Mladin to finish uncharacteristically low. No pressure at all on the
youngster from Owensboro, Ky.
Three other AMA Pro Racing championships will be decided at Willow Springs
as well, most notably the Pro Honda Oils 600cc SuperSport Championship. Six
riders still have a chance at earning the 600 SuperSport title, with Kawasaki's
Eric Bostrom and Erion Honda's Kurtis Roberts at the top of the points.
Bostrom leads Roberts (who already wrapped up the eSportbike.com Formula
Xtreme title) by a scant 8 points coming into the final race. Jamie Hacking,
Aaron Yates, Tommy Hayden and Miguel Duhamel also have mathematical shots at the
600 SuperSport crown.
The Lockhart Phillips USA 750cc SuperSport and the MBNA 250cc Grand Prix
championships will also be decided at Willow Springs. A total of five riders
still have at least a chance of winning the Lockhart Phillips USA 750 SuperSport
Series. Valvoline EMGO Suzuki rider John Hopkins, 18, of Ramona, Calif., leads
the championship coming into Willow Springs. Hopkins has the opportunity to turn
a rare feat -- winning an AMA Pro Racing Championship in his first full year of
competition.
The MBNA 250 Grand Prix Championship is being fought over by two old
friends -- defending champ Chuck Sorensen and his former mentor Rich Oliver.
Sorensen, last year's winner at Willow, needs to finish third or better to lock
up the title. Oliver, the 39-year-old veteran from Fresno, Calif., is the
all-time wins leader in MBNA 250 Grand Prix history, but surprisingly, Willow
Springs is the only track on the circuit on which he hasn't won. Sorensen is
still looking for his first win of the year.
For tickets to the AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship races at
Willow Springs Raceway, call (714) 695-1863. Sunday's Chevy Trucks U.S.
Superbike Championship races will be broadcast live on Speedvision, at 5pm EST.
Check local listings, as broadcast times may vary.
Event Network Air Date Time
AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Speedvision Oct. 1 5pm EST
AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Speedvision Oct. 1 10pm EST
AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Speedvision Oct. 3 12N EST
AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Fox Sports Net Oct. 12 2pm EST
AMA Pro Honda Oils 600 SuperSport Fox Sports Net Oct. 1 2pm EST
AMA Pro Honda Oils 600 SuperSport Speedvision Oct. 3 9pm EST
AMA Pro Honda Oils 600 SuperSport Speedvision Oct. 4 1am EST
AMA eSportbike.com Formula Xtreme Speedvision Oct. 3 8pm EST
AMA eSportbike.com Formula Xtreme Speedvision Oct. 3 12M EST