Disappointing finish for area racer

0 Comments | Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Jun 2, 2002 | by Tim Mimick

FOUNTAIN - Josh Kludt was surrounded by his wife and friends Saturday afternoon, chuckling about his just-completed motorcycle race. His friends told him about their harrowing photographs of him battling the other racers, the 1.315-mile course and the heat at Pikes Peak International Raceway.

One of his buddies kidded Kludt that his Yamaha motorcycle got "too large" in the view finder on one of the turns. Another friend showed off a digital print of Kludt "leading."

"Yeah, I was ahead of that one guy," Kludt said with a grin and a shake of his head dominated by a bushy mustache.

It didn't matter to them he finished 27th in the 33-entry Lockhart- Phillips USA Formula Xtreme race. It somewhat mattered to him, although the hugs, handshakes and stories soothed the hurt.

"Pretty disappointing, really," he said. "I had some major tire issues. I was just trying to make it to the end of the race."

The 32-year-old Kludt, of Colorado Springs, wanted to give his Apex Sports sponsor a top-10 finish in his first career start in this series. It did give him four points, which placed him 60th in the season standings.

Starting 30th, Kludt certainly would have needed some luck to swerve and dash into the top 10. On Lap 10, the chin guard on his helmet banged into and knocked off a chunk of the windshield.

He was on the 27th lap when the winner, Jason Pridmore, crossed the 29-lap finish line. Kludt's top lap time was 1 minute, 1.230 seconds.

He isn't finished with the Cruise America AMA Superbike Weekend at PPIR. He will start 17th today on a Pikes Peak Harley-Davidson Buell in the Buell Pro Thunder race. Two years ago, Kludt finished in the top 20 in the Pro Thunder race at PPIR.

NOTES: Eric Bostrom will start from the pole today in the Chevy Trucks Superbike event. He posted a lap of 87.036 mph Saturday in qualifying. Next to him on the front row will be season points leader Nicky Hayden, who turned in an 86.710-mph lap. Bostrom said, "Our first bike wasn't running, so we jumped on our other bike. The thing actually didn't feel that special to me. I just put my head down. I just had to trust it. At this track, qualifying can be hard; everybody is so close." ... Speed Channel will televise the two main races today. The network will begin its telecast at 12:15 p.m. for the Pro Honda Oils U.S. Supersport race. The Chevy Trucks Superbike race telecast will begin at 3 p.m. ... Light rain disrupted the racing at times Saturday. The clouds helped ease the heat that soared Friday to a reported track temperature of 125 degrees when the air temperature neared 95. At 12:30 p.m., a Dunlop tire official recorded the air temperature at 95 and the track temperature at 110.

- Tim Mimick may be reached at 636-0365 or tmim@gazette.com.

SATURDAY'S RESULTS

CRUISE AMERICA AMA RESULTS

Lockhart Phillips Formula Xtreme

Final results

1. Jason Pridmore, Ventura, Calif., Suzuki 1000

2. Jake Zemke, Paso Robles, Calif., Honda 954

3. Adam Fergusson, Victoria, Australia, Suzuki 1000

4. Roger Lee Hayden, Owensboro, Ky., Honda 954

5. Tom Kipp, Chardon, Ohio, Suzuki 1000

6. Lance Isaacs, Lafayette, Calif., Yamaha 1000

7. Michael Hale, Azle, Texas, Honda 954

8. Ben Spies, Longview, Texas, Suzuki 1000

9. Damon Buckmaster, Carrolton, Texas, Yamaha 998

10. James Compton, Fort Worth, Texas, Suzuki 1000

11. Jason Curtis, Saugus, Calif., Yamaha 1000

12. Douglas Vickery, Sedalia, Yamaha 1000 13. Mark Ledesma, Gilbert, Ariz., Honda 954

14. Travis Graham, Alberta, Canada, Yamaha 1000

15. Gregory Glennie, Boulder, Yamaha 1000

16. Sean Fey, Denver, Yamaha 1000

17. Colin Gilbert, Boynton Beach, Fla., Suzuki 750

18. Eric Erling Haugo, Flagstaff, Ariz., Suzuki 1000

19. Ron Curry, Denver, Kawasaki 998

20. Tom Wertman, Puyallup, Wash., Suzuki 750

21. Mickey Lane, Vallejo, Calif., Suzuki 750

22. Jamie Thompson, Walls, Miss., Suzuki 750

23. Michael Hanley, Miami, Suzuki 750 24. Kenyon Kluge, Santa Cruz, Calif., Suzuki 750

25. David Lambert, Pueblo, Suzuki 1000

26. Nathan Hester, Priest River, Idaho, Suzuki 750

27. Josh Kludt, Colorado Springs, Yamaha 1000

28. Alex McElyea, Scottsdale, Ariz., Honda 1000

29. Jeff Bostrom, Cedar Ridge, Calif., Suzuki 750

30. Alex Gobert, Australia, Honda 954

31. Shane Prieto, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Suzuki 1000

32. Thomas Montano, Berkeley, Calif., Ducati 996

33. Martin Craggill, Australia, Suzuki 1000

RACE STATISTICS

Race time: 27:18.821

Margin of victory: 00:00.369

Winner's average speed: 83.771 mph

Winner's average lap time: 00:56.511

Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock

Final results

1. Jimmy Moore, Eugene, Ore., Suzuki, GSX-R750

2. Jason Disalvo, Stafford, N.Y., Suzuki GSX-R750

3. Craig Connell, Lafayette, Calif., Suzuki GSX-R750

4. Tony Meiring, Tracy, Calif., Kawasaki ZX-6R

5. John Haner, Pearland, Texas, Suzuki GSX-R750

6. Lee Acree, Jamestown, N.C., Suzuki GSX-R750

7. Vincent Haskovec, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Suzuki GSX-R750

8. Ty Howard, Fort Worth, Texas, Suzuki GSX-R750

9. Chris Ulrich, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Suzuki GSX-R750

10. Brian Parriott, Calistoga, Calif., Suzuki GSX-R750

11. John Dugan, Washougal, Wash., Suzuki GSX-R750