Throwback Thursday: Doug Polen Wins Sizzling Road Atlanta Superbike Race (1993)
Larry Lawrence | April 13, 2023
Riders had to deal with 100-degree temperatures on the challenging Georgia circuit
In this week’s Throwback we put the time machine in reverse and dial it back 30 years to land at Road Atlanta near Braselton, Georgia in July of 1993. Mid-July in Georgia can be brutally hot and that was certainly the case for that year’s AMA Superbike weekend. The heat didn’t seem to bother Texan Doug Polen. The Fast by Ferracci Ducati rider got a great start, shown here, and then after a race long battle with Georgia native Mike Smith on his Camel Honda, Polen dug deep and nailed a couple of near perfect laps to close out the race and take the victory ahead of Smith by a tad over two seconds. In this shot Polen is leading Smith. Also clearly visible in the photo are Pascal Picotte (No. 21 Ducati), Miguel Duhamel (No. 17 Kawasaki), Dale Quarterley (No. 32 Kawasaki), Thomas Stevens (No. 11 Suzuki), Jamie James (No. 2 Yamaha) and Jacques Guenette, Jr. (No. 39 Yamaha).
One week from now road racing fans will again be heading towards Road Atlanta for the opening round of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship.
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