Honda’s factory riders – Miguel Duhamel, Ben Bostrom and Jake Zemke – have dominated the AMA Formula Xtreme class, taking all three pole positions and race wins thus far in the 2004 season. Honda’s domination ended Friday at Barber Motorsports Park, however, when Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki’s Vincent Haskovec (1:27.793) rode a GSX-R600 equipped with a hand-cut, soft-compound Michelin slick to take his first pole position in the revised-for-2004 class.
“We got a late start (to the season). Everybody knows that,” said the likable immigrant from the Czech Republic. “Barry (McMahan, lead mechanic), Keith (Perry, team Crew Chief), everybody trying to catch up on the road. Michelin is trying hard, too, and that is key because the bike hasn’t changed much. I hope the tires keep coming along.”
Honda riders Duhamel (1:28.046), Zemke (1:28.180) and Alex Gobert (1:28.960) also qualified on the provisional Formula Xtreme front row for Saturday’s 17-lap final.
Provisional AMA Formula Xtreme Qualifying Results:
1. Vincent Haskovec, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:27.793
2. Miguel Duhamel, Honda CBR600RR, 1:28.046
3. Jake Zemke, Honda CBR600RR, 1:28.180
4. Alex Gobert, Honda CBR600RR, 1:28.960
5. Jake Holden, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:29.736
6. Larry Pegram, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:29.891
7. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:30.055
8. Mike Ciccotto, Buell XB9R, 1:30.663
9. Mike Smith, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:30.682
10. Michael Barnes, Buell XB9R, 1:31.798
11. Heath Small, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:31.939
12. Danny Eslicks, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:31.943
13. Darin Eli Edwards, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:33.037
14. Carlo Gagliardo, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:33.162
15. Perry Melneciuc, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:33.555
16. Nicky Moore, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:33.675
17. Nathan Hester, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:33.733
18. Derek Keyes, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:35.270
19. Adrian Jones, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:36.759
20. William Johnson, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:36.969
21. Joseph Arico, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:37.234
22. Marcus Winfree, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:38.341
23. Robert Deily, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:39.208
24. James Davis, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:41.295
