FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Chip
Spalding, Team Manager
KWS
Motorsports
4657
Franchise Street
North
Charleston, SC 29418
Phone:
1-877-RACE-KWS
Millennium/KWS Suzuki ExcelÕs in the Rain at Road America with Two Top Ten's and a Top Five Finish
Elkhart Lake, WI Ð June 2007 -- Millennium/KWS Suzuki sponsored by Ron Ayers
Motorsports overcame rain, injuries, and two difficult calls by AMA officials
to achieve career best results by riders John Haner and David Weber. Road America
was John HanerÕs first race back after his violent practice crash at California
Speedway in April. Although fit to ride, HanerÕs right ankle is still very
tender and required treatment after every session. David Weber was also riding
through an injury, but has been improving every weekend and was looking to
pick up his first AMA top ten result.
In Superbike qualifying David Weber used his previous Road America experience
to slot his Dunlop shod Suzuki GSX-R1000 on the fifth row with a time of 2:18.654
for nineteenth position. Teammate John Haner struggled with his ankle and lack
of set up time but was still able to put in a time of 2:19.659 for twenty-first
position.
Superstock qualifying was broken into two groups based off FridayÕs practice
times, with the faster riders in the first group and the slower riders in the
second group. Heavy rain blanketed the Wisconsin track as the first qualifying
group started the session. David Weber was in the first group and did a great
job to put the Pit Bull Sponsored GSX-R1000 on the third row with a ninth place
qualifying time of 2:58.882. John Haner was in the second group and on lap
three set the fastest time of both sessions to put the Millennium/KWS Suzuki
on pole with a time of 2:51.131. This would have been HanerÕs first career
pole, but the AMA decided that since it was not raining as hard in the second
session and that conditions had changed ÒsignificantlyÓ that they would put
the entire second group behind the first group. This left Haner starting from
the fourteenth position and the team praying for rain on Sunday.
SaturdayÕs Superbike Race One was declared a wet race by the AMA but the conditions
were dry and sunny. David Weber got an excellent start and worked his way up
to twelfth place and was battling with Halof SuzukiÕs Scott Jensen when both
riders started to run out of gas on the last lap. Fortunately, Weber was able
to nurse his GSX-R1000 around to finish fourteenth. Haner got a great start
as well, but set up issues and the strain on his injured ankle saw the Texan
struggle to a sixteenth place finishing position. The pace of the rain dance
under the Millennium/KWS Suzuki canopy increased.
All of the hoping and praying worked as SundayÕs Superbike Race Two was run
in a soaking Wisconsin spring rain. Haner got an excellent start from the sixth
row working his way up to ninth place on lap one and by lap ten had fought
his way to the fifth position. On lap thirteen while in fifth place with a
comfortable lead on sixth, the AMA pulled Haner off track no less than three
times because of calls from the corner workers that HanerÕs GSX-R1000 was smoking.
After HanerÕs Suzuki was given a clean bill of health several times, he was
allowed to return to the race and finished in the eighth position. Weber meanwhile
rode a smooth and consistent race to finish in the eleventh position, equaling
his best AMA Superbike finish of his career.
The Superstock race was held immediately after Superbike Race Two. The rain
had let up and the sun came out making tire choice a major factor in the outcome
of the race. The track was drying, but the team decided that an intermediate
rain tire was going to be the best choice to for Haner and Weber to put them
in the best position for a good finish. Haner and Weber both got incredible
starts with Haner moving from the fourteenth to second and Weber going from
ninth to fourth on lap one. Haner battled for the lead with M4 SuzukiÕs Geoff
May and Yoshimura SuzukiÕs Ben Spies. On lap five Spies passed May for the
lead and relegated Haner to third. Haner and Weber were able to maintain their
pace throughout the race on the intermediate tires, but the riders on slicks
were able to increase their pace on the rapidly drying track. Haner finished
the race in the fifth position to tie his best AMA result and Weber finished
in the ninth position, his best ever AMA result.
John Haner Ð ÒA top ten and a top five in my first weekend back is pretty good.
I really want to thank my team and the sponsors. KWS, Millennium, Suzuki, Dunlop,
and Penske gave me the tools I needed to do well this weekend. Michael Godin,
Kevin Hunt and Chip Spalding worked really hard on the bike and I canÕt thank
them enough. I also want to thank Komodo, HJC, and Puma for providing the protective
gear that gave me the confidence to ride that hard in the rain.Ó
David Weber Ð ÒI was really happy with the results this weekend. The bike is
working great and the Dunlop rain tires are awesome. I have to thank Rick Matheny,
Matt Hill and the rest of the KWS team for all their hard work this weekend.
I also want to thank Komodo, Arai, Penske, Dunlop and Millennium Technologies
for all their support.Ó
Kevin Hunt (Team Owner) Ð ÒWhat a weekend! Lots of emotional ups and downs.
John and David rode three incredible races and even when the cards were stacked
against them they still came home with some great results. The AMA made some
hard calls, but they are looking out for everybodyÕs safety and I can respect
that. Hopefully next time those calls will go our way. I want to thank everybody
on the team for all their hard work and I especially want to thank our friends
at Millennium Technologies for coming out and supporting us. We couldnÕt do
it without you.Ó
Millennium/KWS Suzuki is proudly sponsored by:
Millennium Technologies, American Suzuki, Ron Ayers Motorsports, Dunlop Tires,
Pit Bull, LeoVince Exhaust, GP Tech, Penske Suspension, Komodo Gear, Catalyst
Racing Composites, VP Fuels, EK Chains, Wiseco Pistons, BG Lubricants, Webcam,
Performance Friction Brakes, Shock Doctor, Worldwide Bearing, Zero Gravity,
XT Racing, APE, CTR Suspensions, Chickenhawk, K&N Filters, Hel Brake Lines
For Pictures
and more Information: http://www.kwsracing.com or
Contact: chip@kwsmotorsports.com
Phone: 1-877-RACE-KWS
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