From a press release issued by Laguna Seca Raceway:

CROWD-PLEASING SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP HEADING TO THE USA

10th Annual Honda Superbike Classic Set For July 9-11


MONTEREY, Calif. – The stars of the Superbike World Championship (SBK) are headed to the USA for their only appearance in the Western Hemisphere at the Honda Superbike Classic July 9-11 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

The 2005 season is producing crowd-pleasing races and shaping up as one of the most competitive in all of motorsports, with six different riders taking victory in the 12 races staged thus far. (Each championship round includes two separate races.)

Frenchman Regis Laconi (Ducati Fila) has won a series high five races this season and leads the world championship over teammate James Toseland of Great Britain. Toseland won the season-opening race at Valencia (Spain) and has added five second-place finishes to trail his teammate by only three points, 171-168.

Fan favorite Noriyuki Haga (Renegade Ducati) comes to the States third in the championship (139 points) and one of the hottest riders on the circuit. The Japanese rider has won three times this season, including twice in the last two rounds. As a two-time winner at the Honda Superbike Classic (Race 2 in 1998 and Race 1 in 2000), Haga is considered one of the favorites in next month’s event at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

Fourth place in the championship with 137 points is Chris Vermeulen (Ten Kate Honda) who is fulfilling the promise he showed in winning the 2004 Supersport World Championship. The 21-year-old Australian earned his first win – as well as the first win for the Honda CBR1000RR – in Race 2 this past weekend at Silverstone (Great Britain). Vermeulen led all but the last lap of Race 1, before yielding to Haga in the final turn. He then led all but two laps in Race 2 en route to his maiden victory.

Italian Pierfrancesco Chili (PSG-1 Ducati) took a popular win in Race 2 at Misano (San Marino) earlier this season and has five additional podium finishes, placing him fifth in the championship with 129 points. The SBK veteran, who turns 40 later this month, is a crowd favorite in Monterey, particularly after winning Race 1 here last season.

Sixth place in the championship, just one point behind Chili and three points behind Haga, is Australian Garry McCoy (Xerox Ducati Nortel Networks), winner of Race 2 in his home race at Phillip Island.

Veteran Troy Corser (Foggy Petronas) joins Haga and Chili as the only former Honda Superbike Classic winners entered in this year’s races. The Australian won Race 1 in 1995, Race 2 in 1998 and Race 1 in 2000. Corser, who won the 1994 AMA U.S. Superbike Championship, is currently sixth in the point standings (95), with his best finish being a second place in Race 1 at Misano.

Tickets are on sale now for next month’s Honda Superbike Classic, featuring the Superbike World Championship and the AMA Chevrolet U.S. Superbike Championship, as well as a complete schedule of AMA road racing support series. Tickets are available by calling (800) 327-SECA or logging onto www.ticketmaster.com or www.laguna-seca.com.

More event information is available at www.superbikeclassic.com.