N3WMAN
Well-known member
The Road Atlanta AMA Superbike race of 1994 remains a seminal event in racing history. Yamaha vs Ducati, Jamie James vs Troy Corser with Scott Russell thrown in. Photographer Brian Nelson shot the event but his film was damaged by a Minneapolis lab and never seen. Nelson digitally restored the film this year. These are his shots.
American Scott Russell rode a Gary Medley-tuned factory/Muzzy Kawasaki with Suzuka 8 Hour bodywork. This bike now sits in Russell's house. It was at this race that Russell was approached by a thirteen-year old boy for an autograph--that boy was Nicky Hayden.
Ferracci Ducati rider Troy Corser on the grid for the final race of the 1994 season, which would decide the AMA Superbike championship. Corser was then an AMA Superbike rookie, fresh out of Australia, riding a bike Doug Polen had abandoned.
#4: Scott Russell, Muzzy Kawasaki. #27: Fred Merkel, Muzzy Kawasaki. #14: Steve Crevier, Muzzy Kawasaki. #50: Tim McCartney, Ducati. #54: Mike Taylor, Kawasaki. #16 Tom Kipp, Yoshimura Suzuki.
James (2) was favored to win the title but the EXUP valve on his Yamaha failed in the race, putting him out of the running. Note that the factory Superbikes in 1994 actually ran carbon brakes and semi-crude data acquisition units. Some teams even had laptop computers.
Former Daytona 200 winner Dave Sadowski (25) on a privateer Ducati leads Corser, James and Corser's teammate, Pascal Picotte (21).
The key pass for the championship was Corser passing--or as legend has it, Ski letting him past--Dave Sadowski. James needed to finish well up the order to win the title. Many believe that James lost the title at Atlanta, and he did, but his Road America DQ did not help matters.
Edwards (45) made up a huge amount of ground in the race to finish on the podium in very hot and humid conditions.
Colin Edwards put in a stirring ride at Atlanta, making an outside pass on Corser in turn one which left jaws hanging open. He rode his *** off.
Nelson never looked at the scratched and botched film after the lab let it fall off the processor rack, and recently spent hours restoring these images. Scott Russell, an Atlanta native, raced the final AMA race after campaigning the '94 WSBK championship. He strafed the field, and won the Atlanta race by a wide margin.
Corser may have ridden in obscurity forever had he not left Australia--he found the spotlight in America and his success here helped drive him to World Superbike.
The podium: Russell won the race and Corser the AMA Superbike title. He was on to WSBK the next season.
Photos and captions courtesy of http://www.superbikeplanet.com
American Scott Russell rode a Gary Medley-tuned factory/Muzzy Kawasaki with Suzuka 8 Hour bodywork. This bike now sits in Russell's house. It was at this race that Russell was approached by a thirteen-year old boy for an autograph--that boy was Nicky Hayden.
Ferracci Ducati rider Troy Corser on the grid for the final race of the 1994 season, which would decide the AMA Superbike championship. Corser was then an AMA Superbike rookie, fresh out of Australia, riding a bike Doug Polen had abandoned.
#4: Scott Russell, Muzzy Kawasaki. #27: Fred Merkel, Muzzy Kawasaki. #14: Steve Crevier, Muzzy Kawasaki. #50: Tim McCartney, Ducati. #54: Mike Taylor, Kawasaki. #16 Tom Kipp, Yoshimura Suzuki.
James (2) was favored to win the title but the EXUP valve on his Yamaha failed in the race, putting him out of the running. Note that the factory Superbikes in 1994 actually ran carbon brakes and semi-crude data acquisition units. Some teams even had laptop computers.
Former Daytona 200 winner Dave Sadowski (25) on a privateer Ducati leads Corser, James and Corser's teammate, Pascal Picotte (21).
The key pass for the championship was Corser passing--or as legend has it, Ski letting him past--Dave Sadowski. James needed to finish well up the order to win the title. Many believe that James lost the title at Atlanta, and he did, but his Road America DQ did not help matters.
Edwards (45) made up a huge amount of ground in the race to finish on the podium in very hot and humid conditions.
Colin Edwards put in a stirring ride at Atlanta, making an outside pass on Corser in turn one which left jaws hanging open. He rode his *** off.
Nelson never looked at the scratched and botched film after the lab let it fall off the processor rack, and recently spent hours restoring these images. Scott Russell, an Atlanta native, raced the final AMA race after campaigning the '94 WSBK championship. He strafed the field, and won the Atlanta race by a wide margin.
Corser may have ridden in obscurity forever had he not left Australia--he found the spotlight in America and his success here helped drive him to World Superbike.
The podium: Russell won the race and Corser the AMA Superbike title. He was on to WSBK the next season.
Photos and captions courtesy of http://www.superbikeplanet.com
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After all didn't he win World Superbike in 93 on a Muzzy run ZXR750R M1 
