By GODWIN KELLY
N-J Associate Sports Editor
DAYTONA BEACH - For six years, Thorvald Saeby has ventured to Daytona International
Speedway from his hometown of Flateby, Norway, in search of 'Cycle Week gold.
Lightning struck twice Saturday for the 30 year old rider as he won a pair of Championship Cup
Series (CCS) sprint races aboard his super-fast Yamaha YZF-R6 motorcycle.
"It's incredible," said Saeby, of his first wins on Daytona's 3.56-mile road course. "I can't describe
how happy I am. I'm having the time of my life right now."
The 'Cycle Week program continues today at the Speedway with a variety of CCS and North
American Sport Bike races. The program opens at 8 a.m. with practice. The first race is scheduled
at 10 a.m.
Saeby captured an EBC Brakes Sportbike qualifying heat and the Expert Middleweight Superbike
feature Saturday afternoon. He won both races aboard his Yamaha, the only YZF-R6 currently on
Speedway property.
"I can't describe how good a job Yamaha has done," said Saeby. "We dyno-ed the engine and it had
101.8 horsepower. When it comes up to speed, and the air ram starts working, it's so strong and it
can keep it there (throttle open). It's crazy."
Saeby was reportedly clocked at a top speed of 172 mph, which is nearly unheard-of with a 600cc
engine.
Give an assist to Saeby's tuner and best friend Pat McGivern, who owns the Mototune company
based near Milwaukee.
"I sent my engine in a crate to Pat," said Saeby. "He knows the American rules. He's real good at
it. He built this engine for this week."
Saeby and McGivern are using these CCS races as a tune-up for next week's SuperSport 600
feature. McGivern said he can squeeze more speed out of the bike.
"We haven't tuned it," said McGivern. "We haven't had a chance to compare readings on a dyno.
For the time being, we're getting the handling set up and making Thorvald's job easier out there."
Saeby will start from the front row of today's EBC Brakes Sportbike final.
Next week when he's battling the factory-backed riders, he'll gladly take a top 15 finish back to
Norway.
"When I get home there will be snow still and no riding until the middle of April," said Saeby.
Whatever happens for the remainder of 'Cycle Week, Saeby will still head home with two Daytona
victories to keep him warm the rest of the winter.
"I can't describe it," said Saeby. "It's one of the biggest moments of my racing career. Things are
looking good. Being able to beat guys like Eric Wood makes me feel good."
Frank Stroman and Arthur Wagner joined Saeby as two-time winners Saturday. Stroman topped the
Expert Lightweight Sportsman and Lightweight Superbike races while Wagner took the checkered
flag in the Amateur Lightweight Sportsman and Lightweight Grand Prix.
SATURDAY'S RESULTS
Motorcycle results from Saturday's Championship Cup Series program at Daytona International
Speedway with rider, hometown and make of bike:
Expert Lightweight Sportsman: 1. Frank Stroman, Florence, S.C., Kawasaki; 2. Richard Inman,
Mississauga, Ontario, BMW; 3. Chuck Menotte, West Palm Beach, Yamaha.
Amateur Lightweight Sportsman: 1. Arthur Wagner, Bloomingburg, N.Y., Harley-Davidson; 2. Guy
Edwards, Lexington, N.C., Harley-Davidson; 3. Jim Hunter, Williamstown, Mass., Ducati. Local
riders: 19. Robert Hartley, South Daytona, Honda.
EBC Brakes Sportbike: Heat 1 - 1. David Rose, Bel Air Md., Suzuki; 2. Joshua Hayes, Gulfport,
Miss., Suzuki; 3. Mike Luke, New Smyrna Beach, Honda. Heat 2 - 1. Thorvald Seaby, Flateby,
Norway, Yamaha; 2. Eric Wood, Mansfield, Mass., Kawasaki; 3. David McGrath, North
Charleston, S.C., Suzuki. Local riders: 14. Ryan Banks, Port Orange, Kawasaki.
Expert Lightweight Grand Prix: 1. Greg Esser, Pompano Beach, Honda; 2. Christopher Ulrich,
Lake Elsinore, Calif., Yamaha; 3. Perry Melneciuc, Lehigh Acres, Honda.
Amateur Lightweight Grand Prix: 1. Arthur Wagner, Bloomingburg, N.Y., Harley-Davidson; 2.
Ward Wilson, Middleburg, Yamaha; 3. Shannon Santoni, Crofton, Md., Yamaha.
Harley-Davidson Twin Sports: 1. Billy Graef, Sheboygan, Wis., H-D; 2. Jeffrey Johnson,
Minneapolis, H-D; 3. Mike Ciccotto, Sebastian, H-D. Local riders: 6. Richie Morris, Daytona
Beach, H-D.
Amateur Middleweight Superbike: 1. David Moser, Loganville, Calif., Suzuki; 2. Jason Gray,
Concord, N.C., Suzuki; 3. Dave Ferrell, Yadkinville, N.C., Kawasaki.
Expert Middleweight Superbike: 1. Thorvald Saeby, Flateby, Norway, Yamaha; 2. Todd Harrington,
St. Charles, Ill., Kawasaki; 3. Eric Wood, Mansfield, Mass., Kawasaki. Local riders: 6. Mike Luke,
New Smyrna Beach, Honda; 11. Ryan Banks, Port Orange, Kawasaki.
Expert SuperTwins: 1. Matt Wait, Lodi, Calif., Ducati; 2. Larry Pegram, Baltimore, Ohio, Ducati; 3.
Thomas Fournier, East Bridgewater, Mass., Ducati.
Amateur SuperTwins: 1. Damon Patton, Tampa, Suzuki; 2. Tim Morris, Conyers, Ga., Suzuki; 3.
Michael Delage, Homer, N.Y., Ducati. Local riders: 7. Dr. Robert Bianco, Palm Coast, Suzuki.
Amateur Unlimited SuperSport: 1. Robert Goudy, Philadelphia, Suzuki; 2. Jonathan Knowles,
Charlotte, Kawasaki; 3. Matthew Griffin, Clearwater Beach, Suzuki.
Expert Unlimited SuperSport: 1. Timothy Bemisderfer, Greencastle, Pa., Yamaha; 2. Ken Krebs,
Northlake, Ill., Yamaha; 3. Per Hogdahl, West Palm Beach, Suzuki. Local riders: 5. Chad Simons,
Port Orange, Suzuki; 21. Richard Croly, Deltona, Suzuki.
Buell Lightning Series: 1. Mike Ciccotto, Sebastian, Buell; 2. Richie Morris, Daytona Beach, Buell;
3. Chad Healy, Woodstock, Conn., Buell.
Amateur Lightweight SuperSport: 1. Guy Edwards, Lexington, N.C., Harley-Davidson; 2. John
Linder, Tampa, Yamaha; 3. J. Harold Seagle, Wilmington, N.C., Ducati.
Expert Lightweight SuperSport: 1. Richard Inman, Mississauga, Ontario, BMW; 2. Richie Morris,
Daytona Beach, Harley-Davidson; 3. Paul Netterstrom, DeBary, Yamaha.
Grand Prix Singles: 1. Jeff Nash, Mansfield, Texas, Ducati; 2. Jerry Wood, Searsport, Mass.,
Ducati; 3. Hiromi Hachiya, Benton, Wash., UNKN.
Expert Lightweight Superbike: 1. Frank Stroman, Florence, S.C., Kawasaki; 2. Ron Perry, W.
Melbourne, Yamaha; 3. Greg Doney, Sunrise, Honda.
Amateur Lightweight Superbike: 1. Shannon Santori, Crofton, Md., Yamaha; 2. Arthur Wagner,
Bloomingburg, N.Y., Harley-Davidson; 3. Rodney Goddard, Middleburg, Honda.
Expert Heavyweight Sportsman: 1. Christopher Boy, Gulfstream, Ducati; 2. Greg Doney, Sunrise,
Honda; 3. Tim Hall, Port Richey, Honda. Local riders: 7. James Swegheimer, DeBary, Buell; 9.
Derek Desimore, Port Orange, Kawasaki.
Amateur Heavyweight Sportsman: 1. Michael Delage, Homer, N.Y., Ducati; 2. Rodney Goddard,
Middleburg, Honda; 3. Giancarlo Battaglini, Holiday, Ducati.Amateur Heavyweight Superbike: 1.
Mario Martin, Rockland, Ontario, Suzuki; 2. Chris Murray-Audain, Scarborough, Ontario, Yamaha;
3. Raife Snover, Pompano Beach, Suzuki. Local riders: 36. Jeremy Steiner, Daytona Beach, Suzuki.
AT DIS
Today: 7 a.m., track opens; 8 a.m., practice as follows: H-D Twin Sports, All CCS Expert Riders,
Buell Lightning, All CCS Amateur riders, EBC Brakes Sport Bikeriders; 10 a.m., CCS Spring
Races (7 laps), CCS Heavyweight SuperSport (Am), CCS Formula 40 (Am/Ex), NASB
Harley-Davidson TwinSports Final (25 miles, 7 laps), CCS Middleweight SuperSport (Am), NASB
EBC Brakes SportBike (36.5 miles, 10 laps), CCS Heavyweight SuperBike (Ex); 7 p.m., garage
area closed.
Monday: CLASSICS DAYS ACTIVITIES BEGIN. 7 a.m., track opens; 8 a.m., AHRMA Classics
Days practice sessions (20 mins.); 11 a.m., lunch; noon, Classics Days Vintage Road Races - Day
One including: Battle of the Twins Formula One / Two / Three, Open 500 Premier, BEARS, 250
GP; 7 p.m. garage area closed.
Tuesday: 7 a.m., track opens; 8 a.m., AHRMA Classics Days practice; 11 a.m., lunch; 11:45 a.m.,
Parade of Greats (3 laps); noon, Classics Days Vintage Road Races - Day Two including: Sound of
Singles, Sound of Thunder, SuperMono, SuperMono 2, Skorpion, Historic Handicap Race; 7 p.m.,
garage area closed.
Wednesday: AMA PRO ROAD RACE ACTIVITIES BEGIN. 7 a.m., track opens; 8 a.m.,
practice in alternating classes: 500 SuperSport, Pro Thunder, 750 SuperSport, 250 Grand Prix; 10:20
a.m. - 11:50 a.m., MBNA Superbike practice; 11:50 a.m., track closed (lunch); 1 p.m., practice in
alternating classes; 3:20 p.m. - 4:50 p.m., MBNA Superbike practice, 7 p.m., garage area closed.
Thursday: 7 a.m., track opens; 8 a.m., practice in alternating classes: 600 SuperSport, Pro Thunder,
750 SuperSport, 250 Grand Prix; 10:40 a.m. - 11:40 a.m., MBNA Superbike practice; 11:40 a.m.,
track closed (lunch); 12:40 p.m. - 1:30 p.m., Pro Honda Oils 600 SuperSport timed qualifying; 1:40
p.m. - 2:00 p.m., Progressive Insurance Pro Thunder timed qualifying; 2:10 p.m. - 4:20 p.m., Arai
Pole timed qualifying for the Daytona 200 Rolex Award, (top four qualifiers locked-in); 4:30 p.m. -
5:20 p.m., Teamline 750 SuperSport timed qualifying; 7 p.m., garage area closed.
Friday: 7 a.m., track opens; 8 a.m., practice in alternating classes: 600 SuperSport, Pro Thunder,
750 SuperSport, 250 Grand Prix; 10:40 a.m. - 11:20 a.m., MBNA Superbike practice, 11:20 a.m.,
track closed (lunch); 12:20 p.m. - 2:10 p.m., Round #2 - timed qualifying for Daytona 200 By Arai;
2:20 p.m., final events in the following order: TEAMLINE 750 SUPERSPORT FINAL (80k, 15
laps), qualifying heat races for 37th INTERNATIONAL LIGHTWEIGHT 100K (5 laps each),
PRO HONDA OILS 800 SUPERSPORT INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGE 100k (18 laps); 7
p.m., garage area closed.
Saturday: DAYTONA SUPERCROSS BY HONDA. 7 a.m., track opens; 8:30 a.m., practice; 11
a.m., racing activity begins with Elimination Heat Races; 12:50 p.m., Opening Ceremonies; 1 p.m.,
Qualifying Heat Races; 3:45 p.m., 125cc Main Event (15 laps, 22 riders); 4:20 p.m., Start, 29th
DAYTONA SUPERCROSS BY HONDA (20 laps, 30 riders).
Sunday, March 7: 7 a.m., track opens; 9 a.m., practice sessions, 250 Grand Prix, Pro Thunder,
MBNA Superbike (20 mins. each); 11 a.m., INTERNATIONAL LIGHTWEIGHT 250 GRAND
PRIX 100K (18 laps); noon, PROGRESSIVE INSURANCE PRO THUNDER FINAL (60k, 11
laps); 1:30 p.m., 58TH DAYTONA 200 BY ARAI SUPERBIKE CLASSIC (200 miles, 57 laps).
Schedule is tentative and subject to change.
( Please don't sue me for copying this :)