YAMAHA'S RICH OLIVER LED EVERY MOMENT OF THE 17 LAP MAIN EVENT, FINISHING 14.49 SECONDS IN FRONT OF TEAM STARGEL APRILIA'S CHUCK SORENSEN, PRIORITY RACINGS SIMON TURNER, AND COLIN JENSEN ON HIS APRILIA 250.
RICH HAD QUALIFIED ON POLE, WITH A NEW TRACK RECORD OF 1:28.9, "GETTING DOWN" SATURDAY DURING HIS 20 MINUTE TIMED QUALIFING SESSION. THIS WAS AFTER A LAST MINUTE GEARBOX CHANGE THAT SHAVED ALMOST A FULL SECOND FROM HIS FORMER LAP TIMES.
THIS RESULTED IN A GREAT LAUNCH FROM THE INSIDE OF THE FRONT ROW POSITION, AND A CLEAN FIRST LAP, FOLLOWED BY 5 MORE NEAR TRACK RECORD LAPS TO DISTANCE HIMSELF FROM HARD RIDING SORENSEN AND TURNER, WHO WERE BATTLING THEMSELVES DURING THE OPENING PORTION OF THE EVENT.
RICH WENT ON TO WIN THE RACE, TAKING JUST OVER 25 MINUTES TO DO SO, WITH AN AVERAGE SPEED OF 92.0 MILES AN HOUR.
RICH WAS ASKED LATER IN THE PRESS ROOM IF THIS WAS THE START OF ANOTHER PERFECT SEASON?
HE COMMENTED, "THE KEY IS OUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE 2002 YAMAHA TZ MACHINE, WE UNDERSTAND WHAT IT NEEDS NOW, AND ROBERT AND I UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER VERY WELL. WE HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP THAT I HOPE WILL LEAD TO MORE WINNING WAYS THIS YEAR. AFTER ALL, IT'S THE LAST YEAR WE GET TO RACE THESE GREAT MACHINES AND TRACKS."
RICH WENT ON ABOUT THE BIKE SET UP FOR FONTANA, "WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD GREAT POWER, BUT NEVER THE PERFECT HANDLING PACKAGE TO HARNESS IT ALL. NOW WE HAVE MORE TRACTION, BECAUSE OF A NEW SET OF STOCK FORKS SET UP BY JIM LINDEMANN OF LE ENGINEERING. THEY WORKED SO WELL THAT I HAD TO INCREASE MY CORNERING SPEED TO A NEW LEVEL. IT WAS FUN TO BE ABLE TO GO AROUND THE CORNERS FASTER, AND THEN LAY INTO THE POWER AND WHEELIE OFF THE TURNS. I WAS SMILING THE WHOLE WEEK AFTER WE PUT THE NEW FORKS ON!
'THANKS TO ROBERT WARD FOR HIS USUAL GREAT JOB WITH THE BIKE, AND OUR CREW OF CINDY, ROBBIE, LISA, AND KARIN FOR HELPING OUT IN FONTANA.
'SPECIAL THANKS TO ROBYN FROM DISCOVER TODAY'S MOTORCYCLING FOR THE SATURDAY NIGHT DINNER AND FOR INVITING KARIN AND I UP TO THE SUITE TO WATCH THE SUPERBIKE RACE ON SUNDAY."
NEXT RACE: SEARS POINT, CA
SEE YOU THERE!