DOUBLE WINS FOR JENSEN AND JONES ON DAY ONE OF MICHELIN U.S. MOTORCYCLE CHAMPIONSHIP

Pro rider Robert Jensen and amateur Ryan Jones are the front-runners for the overall titles in their respective classes at the Michelin U.S. Motorcycle Championship, as each posted two victories on the first day of the two-day event at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Ala., on Oct. 3.

Jensen led from the pole in the Supersport Pro race aboard his Suzuki GSX-R600, fending off the challenge of Kawasaki ZX-6R-mounted Matt Lynn until Lynn crashed on the sixth of 12 laps. While Lynn remounted to finish fourth, Jensen easily won with an 18-second margin over second-placed Ricky Parker on a Yamaha R6. Scotty Ryan finished third on another Yamaha.

The Chaffee, N.D., rider earned his second win of the day in Superstock Pro, taking the lead on the first lap from polesitter Brian Stokes. While Stokes stayed close for most of the race, Jensen opened a gap after the two Suzuki GSX-R1000 riders encountered a lapped rider on the penultimate lap of the 12-lap race. Lynn, riding a 600cc Kawasaki, finished third.

Jensen's two victories put him in line for a possible $14,000 payday, if he can win Sunday's two pro races. "We'll make some changes to the 1000, and some changes to the 600, and see how they go," Jensen commented.

Jones began the day with a hard-fought win in the 12-lap Supersport Amateur race. Starting fourth on the grid, the Kawasaki rider hounded polesitter Blake Cochran for the lead until passing Cochran's Suzuki on lap five. He held on for the win, with Cochran second and James Brown on a Honda CBR600RR third.

The second win of the day for Jones came in far more eventful fashion, as the Superstock Amateur race was red-flagged twice for crashes. After the second restart, Jones found himself in a three-way battle for the lead with Honda rider Chris Steele and Cochran, his nemesis from the earlier race. The trio traded the lead at least three times on the final lap, Jones taking the win by less than a second over Steele.

In other race action, Melissa Appel topped what may have been the largest-ever field of women at a national-level motorcycle road race, winning Women Supersport aboard her Honda CBR600RR, ahead of Wyeth Jackson on a Kawasaki and Melissa Berkoff on a Suzuki SV650. Berkoff earned an impressive pole position on the v-twin-powered Suzuki, but was at a decided horsepower disadvantage versus the four-cylinder competition in the race.

J.B. Layman on a Yamaha breezed to a nine-second victory in Supersport Expert, which ran in a combined race with Supersport Pro. Layman moved into the lead on the third of 12 laps, while a three-rider battle for second eventually went to Robert Pretts on a Kawasaki, over James Dellinger (Yamaha) and Gerry Signorelli (Kawasaki).

In Superstock Expert, Byron Barbour on a Suzuki GSX-R1000 led the class from flag to flag in another combined pro/expert field, Meanwhile, James Vanderhaar and Ben Walters, both aboard Yamaha R1's, took their battle for second place all the way to the finish, with Vanderhaar taking the position by a half-bike length. So intense was the contest that Walters crashed after the finish in turn one, without injury.

Buell rider Danny Bilansky led from pole in the Thunderbike Expert class and was awarded the victory after the race was red-flagged for a crash after eight laps. Arnold Hastings rode his Suzuki SV650 to second, while Phil Fortune was third on a similar machine. In Thunderbike Amateur, Steve Walker's BMW 1200 was the winner over the Buells of Jay Smith and Dan Thomson.

1993 WORLD CHAMPION SCHWANTZ TO APPEAR AT MICHELIN U.S. MOTORCYCLE CHAMPIONSHIP

Kevin Schwantz, the 1993 500cc Grand Prix world champion who is one of motorcycle racing's living legends, will be on hand at the Michelin U.S. Motorcycle Championship.

Schwantz, whose heart-stopping riding style and charismatic personality won him legions of loyal fans worldwide, will help present trophies to the race winners on Sunday, Oct. 4.

During his stellar career, Schwantz amassed 25 Grand Prix wins, 21 lap records, 29 pole positions and the 1993 World Championship. He was the first rider in the history of Grand Prix racing to have his competition number retired.

FREE T-SHIRTS FOR MICHELIN U.S. MOTORCYCLE CHAMPIONSHIP PARTICIPANTS

Here's a preview of the souvenir t-shirt that all entered racers will receive. We'll also have a limited number of these available for sale at the race.

GATE FEE FOR MICHELIN U.S. MOTORCYCLE CHAMPIONSHIP

Racers and spectators will be subject to a $25 gate fee at the Michelin U.S. Motorcycle Championship. The fee will be waived for racers who are pre-registered.