M3 Racing’s fairs well at the Swedish International Grand Prix

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(posted 8/25/00)
The M3 Racing Team’s double F750 AHRMA Champion & four (4) time Daytona F750 winner, Adam Popp of Minneapolis, MN, got two (2) impressive second place finishes at the International Classic Races in Linkoping Sweden this past weekend. "Very impressive", were the spectators comments, as Adam came back from a high-speed (120 mph) crash that had him on his side on only the second lap of the first practice, while he attempted to avoid hitting a rider who had fallen on the straight away directly in front of him!!!??? (this left him with a separated shoulder) Team leader/owner/mechanic, Mark Mcgrew had the bike repaired in time for the next practice where Adam was only .05 seconds behind the leader after the timed practice ended.

The race, held at the 2.1 Km Sviestad track outside Linkoping became one of the best F750 races this year, with a big battle between three different riders on three different brands. Hasse Gustafson riding his Ducati 750 (winner of this years Daytona Formula Vintage race & fourth in the F750) had to fight hard when he was attacked from both Adam Popp and local rider Johnny Norberg on a surprisingly fast XR750 Harley-Davidson.

Adam Popp took the holeshot in the first race but Gustafson took back the lead a couple of laps latter when the M3 Honda CR750 went on three (3) cylinders, due to a loose spark plug lead. This allowed Hasse to move up and bring the XR750 of Johnny Norberg to do battle with Adam for second place. When the flag dropped...it was Hasse Gustafson/Ducati first with Adam Popp/Honda a close second, & Johnny Norberg/HD third.

In the second race all three contenders were in the lead for a while before Gustafson did a break and run, when Adam and Johnny got caught behind a waving yellow flag during the mid part of the race. Up until the yellow flag incident Adam, on his super fast Honda CR750 was able to easily pass the Ducati of Hasse on the 800 meter long back straight that led into the last corner before the finish line. "I could not follow the Ducati on the twisty back section, but this was still a very good race for us", said Adam after the race. "We came to Sweden invited by Honda of Sweden & the Classic Honda Club of Sweden to put on a good show. And I think that is what we did...I am very happy with our performance!"

The race meeting at Sviestad saw some 300 classic road-racers, 150 vintage motocrossers and 40 old speed-way riders. This meeting was the largest Classic festival in Scandinavia.

The race meeting also saw a demonstration of the Dutch Centennial Classic Demo Race supported by European Arai importer, Ferry Brouwer. His team demonstrated a rare NSU Sportmax 250, and the only built three (3) cylinder 350 Yamaha which won the World Championship in 1977 with Takazumi Katayama as the rider.

Along with the extra special support from the Honda of Sweden importer, the Classic Honda Club of Sweden, Elf/Sweden, Robert Laver/McNytt, Dunlop/Sweden the following sponsors & supporters were very important to our Team’s success while overseas:

Once again, thanks go out to M3 Racing’s Sponsors

• ELF - lubes and chemicals
• Progressive Suspension - shocks
• Vanson - leathers
• Dunlop - tires
• Kibblewhite Pecision Machine Inc - engine components
• University Motors Inc - all the rest of the parts
• Tsubaki - chains
  
• Race Tech - front suspension tuning
  
• Sudco - carbs
• Tucker Rocky - batteries
  
• Air Tech - fairings
  
• Tech One - machine shop
• American Kowa Seiki - tools
  
• Sprocket Specialists - sprockets
  
• McNytt - cash
  
• Woody’s Wheel Works - wheels
  
• Trackstar - parts
• Pit Bull - racing stands