Suzuki MotoGP test rider and former Superbike World Champion Sylvain Guintoli continues his new video series with a “family track day” at Mallory Park, where he continues to use the same set of OEM Bridgestone Battlax R11 tires on his 2020-model Suzuki GSX-R1000R.
Red Bull Gran Premio de España postponed
Due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, the event at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto has been postponed
Thursday, 26 March 2020
The FIM, IRTA and Dorna Sports regret to announce the postponement of the Red Bull Gran Premio de España, which was set to be held at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto from the 1st to the 3rd of May. The ongoing coronavirus outbreak has obliged the event to be rescheduled.
As the situation remains in a state of constant evolution, a new date for the Spanish GP cannot be confirmed until it becomes clearer when exactly it will be possible to hold the event. A revised calendar will be published as soon as available.
More, from another press release issued by Dorna:
MotoE™ Jerez round postponed
Due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, the first MotoE™ race has been postponed
Thursday, 26 March 2020
The announcement from the FIM, IRTA and Dorna regarding the postponement of the Red Bull Gran Premio de España entails the postponement of the first MotoE™ event of the season, which was also set to be held at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto from the 1st to the 3rd of May. The ongoing coronavirus outbreak has obliged the events to be postponed.
The second pre-season test for the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup, originally planned for the 8th to the 10th of April in Jerez, will also not take place as scheduled.
As the situation remains in a state of constant evolution, new dates for the MotoE™ test and first race cannot be confirmed until it becomes clearer when exactly it will be possible for them to take place. A revised calendar will be published as soon as available.
More, from a press release issued by Red Bull:
Jerez Postponed
In alignment with Dorna’s announcement of the postponement of the Jerez GP for all classes, the Rookies Cup season opener will also be affected.
We will continue to monitor the situation and work with Dorna on the revised calendar for the Rookies season.
We will be communicating any updates as soon as we have them.
MotoAmerica Reschedules Road Atlanta Round Of 2020 Series
Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta To Host Round Five
IRVINE, CA (March 25, 2020) – MotoAmerica has announced that it has rescheduled the Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta round of the 2020 MotoAmerica Series from April 17-19 to July 31-August 2 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
With the opening round of the series originally scheduled for Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, already postponed until November because of the Coronavirus, Road Atlanta was slated to be the opening round of the 2020 MotoAmerica Series. As it stands now, the series will begin at VIRginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia, May 1-3, though MotoAmerica is continuing to monitor that situation as well.
“We are all in this together as everyone in the world is affected in some way by COVID-19,” MotoAmerica President Wayne Rainey said. “There are a lot of people who are struggling right now on so many levels. Even though racing motorcycles doesn’t rank highly in the list of problems going on in our world, our teams and our racetracks rely on racing because it’s their livelihood. With that being said, racing right now just isn’t possible. However, we’ve been working with the good people at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta to find an alternative date and we’re happy that with their help we’ve been able to obtain the July 31-August 2 weekend. We really appreciate them working with us because this is obviously a very difficult time for them as well.”
With the change in the schedule, Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta will now host the fifth round of the series with round six a weekend later at Pittsburgh International Race Complex in Wampum, Pennsylvania, August 7-9.
“Our championship is very similar to Formula One, MotoGP, IndyCar and IMSA in that our events are held over four days, including our move-in day,” MotoAmerica’s Chuck Aksland explained. “Our events are held at facilities that also host the premier series mentioned and adjusting the calendar can be difficult as it requires a lot of organization and cooperation with the tracks and other series. Our goal is to race at every track that is on our current schedule and we are working hard on a daily basis trying to finalize dates.”
Fans who have already purchased tickets for the Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta round can use those tickets for the rescheduled July 31-August 2 weekend.
On Track with Laguna Seca Recreation Area and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
Recent updates to premier events and other track activities
MONTEREY, Calif., March 25, 2020 – The management team of Laguna Seca Recreation Area and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is working with series, guests, track renters, community leaders, local authorities and county officials to safely serve their needs while continuing to prepare for the season events. Therefore, the team wishes to give a general update about the premier events and other happenings.
“Our top priority continues to be safeguarding the well-being of associates, and all those who enter the Laguna Seca Recreation Area,” explained John Narigi, president and general manager of WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. “We continue our planning of the events, working with our partners and community to ensure that when California officials lift the shelter in place order and everyone is healthy and safe, we haven’t missed a step.”
To date, there have been two schedule changes to the 2020 race events calendar. Trans Am SpeedFest has been postponed and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship has moved up one week to Labor Day weekend to allow greater separation from the rescheduled 24 Hours of Le Mans race in France. All other events are currently proceeding as planned:
July 10-12 – MotoAmerica Superbike SpeedFest at Monterey
July 23-26 – Ferrari Challenge Series
August 8-9 – Monterey Pre-Reunion
August 13-16 – Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion
September 4-6 – Monterey SportsCar Championship
September 18-20 – Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey
October 1-4 – Sea Otter Classic *Special Event*
TBD – Trans Am SpeedFest
The management team is anxiously awaiting the opportunity to return to engaging guests and bringing business back to the Monterey Peninsula by hosting these international events. The economic impact generated by these major races is significant for the tourism industry, as well as for surrounding communities.
Recently, the campgrounds have been closed. Campers who are already here observing shelter-in-place regulations can stay through their reservation as long as payment is current. Walking and biking trails are open for day use, during the limited hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The race track and paddock are typically rented every available day of the year. During this time, however, many clubs and organizations have suspended their March and April dates resulting in increased demand for rescheduling dates after the Summer premier events.
As a result of rescheduling renters, the track repaving project that was originally planned for September and October has been postponed in order to accommodate our valued renters, guests and local businesses.
While the April dates for Cars & Coffee and Twilight Cycling have been canceled, we are looking ahead to future Twilight Cycling and Cars & Coffee dates for these community events.
Additional camping, park and event updates will be announced as they become available.
For those who have already purchased tickets to any impacted events, they will be valid on the new dates, or can be used for other future events. For questions about tickets to Trans Am or IMSA Monterey SportsCar Championship, please visit www.WeatherTechRaceway.com or email [email protected].
Longtime racer Caesar Gonzales, a Republican, is running for election to represent Georgia’s 13th Congressional District in the United States Congress.
Georgia’s 13th District includes portions of Atlanta and its southern and western suburbs.
Gonzales has established a Facebook page dedicated to his Congressional campaign.
Mark McGuire, a lifelong motorcyclist, former club racer, and president of the Washington Motorcycle Road Racing Association (WMRRA) in 1999 and 2000 died at his home in Seattle, Washington on March 22 after a valiant 18-month battle with brain cancer.
Mark was 65 years old.
He is survived by his loving wife, Patricia, and five siblings.
He will be sorely missed by his wife, family, and many friends in the Seattle motorcycling community.
An Update from us on COVID-19
Due to the recent Covid-19 pandemic and per recommendations from the Ontario (Canada) Government and health professionals, our office and warehouse will be temporarily closed starting on March 25, 2020. Should anything change, we will re-open as directed by health and government officials. Government officials have suggested that the closure would take place for a period of 14 days; however, we have not been given an official date to re-open.
Our website at www.hindle.com remains open 24/7 to shop online; however, we are unable to physically process orders at this time. Any order placed after March 24, 2020 will be processed once we have re-opened.
Our staff and their families’ health is of utmost importance to us and we hope that we can help stop the spread of Covid-19 with this unfortunate closure. Details and updates will be posted as soon as they become available. We hope to re-open when it has been deemed safe to do so by the Ontario Government.
We want to thank all of our customers, fans, followers, friends and family for their co-operation with navigating this difficult time and we hope that everyone stays safe and healthy.
Ducati is live streaming a video presentation of its new Streetfighter V4 today at 6:30 p.m. CET/1:30 p.m. Eastern Time/10:30 a.m. Pacific Time.
You can watch the live stream in the embedded player below.
If you miss the live presentation, it may be available for on-demand viewing later.
Fabio Quartararo: “I’m fast on the Playstation but I’m faster in reality!”
The PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team rider tells us how he’s keeping busy and adjusting to life at home awaiting the return of MotoGP action.
How are you doing and where are you now?
“Well I’m Ok; I’m at home in Andorra and I’m training. The situation is I think a little bit like other parts of Europe – we’re not totally in quarantine but I try to go out as little as possible to have more security staying at home.
“We don’t know when we’ll start the season but of course we need to be fit and 100% prepared whenever the first race is, so I’m training hard and, of course, looking forward to starting the season.”
How are you training?
“More or less like the pre-season, but honestly in pre-season and during the season the training is pretty much the same. Just in the pre-season you can do more riding with the motorcycle, and more motocross, but now we can’t really go out of the home so the training is the same as normal, just without the chance to ride. I’m basically spending hours doing workout at home to keep my body in good shape. I try to control what I’m eating and that’s it, I can’t do a lot more in this extraordinary situation.”
What else are you doing to keep busy?
“Apart from watching Netflix, films, and reading books, I’m Facetiming with family and friends, playing on the Playstation, and ordering the house and the garage a little bit!
“I’m not watching so many races, but I’m watching some practice sessions where I finished quickest or where I’m proud of the lap I did, like the qualifying in Jerez.”
How are you with virtual racing?
“I’m fast on the Playstation but if you look at the standings compared to the top guys there I’m faster in reality! But it’s true that it’s always good to have fun on the MotoGP videogame and I’m really lucky to have one at home during these tough moments.”
How much can you still speak to your team?
“We have a Whatsapp group and almost every day we are sending messages. I think it’s really important to keep contact with the people that help you a lot and that you love.
“We are a team and we need to support each other as a team. All over the world people are having tough moments, but we need to keep strong and keep going and I’m sure normality will come back. I hope something will happen soon for a good solution.”
What would you say to everyone and the MotoGP community?
“I think the most important thing is to stay at home. I know it can be really boring, because for me I’m not a static guy – I love to go out, I love to train, I love to move – but at this moment the best solution is to stay at home and stay safe. That’s the message I want to share to everyone. And to clean your hands, try to keep distance and have no physical contact with people – this is the most important during this time. We have to be more responsible than ever.
“And of course to the fans – it’s tough for those with passion that can’t wait for it, but I can promise that as soon as we can come back we will give you a good show and we will make as many MotoGP races as possible and have fun to make some good racing again.”
By David Swarts
Seven-time AMA Superbike Champion Mat Mladin has been arrested and accused of four child sex offenses in Australia, according to an article published March 25 at DailyTelegraph.com, the online presence of Sydney, Australia’s largest newspaper.
According to author Daniel McGookin, Mladin, age 48, has been charged with sexual intercourse with a child under the age of 10, two counts of intentionally carrying out a sex act on a child under 10, and one count of intentionally inciting a child to perform a sex act.
After a lengthy investigation, according to the article, Mladin was taken into custody on March 13 and spent days in jail before he was released on $50,000 bail and had to surrender his passport.
The matter is being handled in Campbelltown Local Court, in New South Wales, Australia.
Read the entire article behind a paywall HERE
Mladin’s court case number is 2020/00081386. Online court records under that case number refer to a court appearance Mladin made via videolink March 25th Australian time.
In recent years, Mladin has returned to racing as a team owner, fielding Max Croker in the Australian Supersport and then Superbike National Championships under the Mladin Racing banner.
Mladin’s Facebook page, which appeared to have been the source for some of the photos used in the DailyTelegraph.com article, has been taken down.
Suzuki MotoGP test rider and former Superbike World Champion Sylvain Guintoli continues his new video series with a “family track day” at Mallory Park, where he continues to use the same set of OEM Bridgestone Battlax R11 tires on his 2020-model Suzuki GSX-R1000R.
Red Bull Gran Premio de España postponed
Due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, the event at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto has been postponed
Thursday, 26 March 2020
The FIM, IRTA and Dorna Sports regret to announce the postponement of the Red Bull Gran Premio de España, which was set to be held at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto from the 1st to the 3rd of May. The ongoing coronavirus outbreak has obliged the event to be rescheduled.
As the situation remains in a state of constant evolution, a new date for the Spanish GP cannot be confirmed until it becomes clearer when exactly it will be possible to hold the event. A revised calendar will be published as soon as available.
More, from another press release issued by Dorna:
MotoE™ Jerez round postponed
Due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, the first MotoE™ race has been postponed
Thursday, 26 March 2020
The announcement from the FIM, IRTA and Dorna regarding the postponement of the Red Bull Gran Premio de España entails the postponement of the first MotoE™ event of the season, which was also set to be held at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto from the 1st to the 3rd of May. The ongoing coronavirus outbreak has obliged the events to be postponed.
The second pre-season test for the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup, originally planned for the 8th to the 10th of April in Jerez, will also not take place as scheduled.
As the situation remains in a state of constant evolution, new dates for the MotoE™ test and first race cannot be confirmed until it becomes clearer when exactly it will be possible for them to take place. A revised calendar will be published as soon as available.
More, from a press release issued by Red Bull:
Jerez Postponed
In alignment with Dorna’s announcement of the postponement of the Jerez GP for all classes, the Rookies Cup season opener will also be affected.
We will continue to monitor the situation and work with Dorna on the revised calendar for the Rookies season.
We will be communicating any updates as soon as we have them.
MotoAmerica Reschedules Road Atlanta Round Of 2020 Series
Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta To Host Round Five
IRVINE, CA (March 25, 2020) – MotoAmerica has announced that it has rescheduled the Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta round of the 2020 MotoAmerica Series from April 17-19 to July 31-August 2 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
With the opening round of the series originally scheduled for Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, already postponed until November because of the Coronavirus, Road Atlanta was slated to be the opening round of the 2020 MotoAmerica Series. As it stands now, the series will begin at VIRginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia, May 1-3, though MotoAmerica is continuing to monitor that situation as well.
“We are all in this together as everyone in the world is affected in some way by COVID-19,” MotoAmerica President Wayne Rainey said. “There are a lot of people who are struggling right now on so many levels. Even though racing motorcycles doesn’t rank highly in the list of problems going on in our world, our teams and our racetracks rely on racing because it’s their livelihood. With that being said, racing right now just isn’t possible. However, we’ve been working with the good people at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta to find an alternative date and we’re happy that with their help we’ve been able to obtain the July 31-August 2 weekend. We really appreciate them working with us because this is obviously a very difficult time for them as well.”
With the change in the schedule, Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta will now host the fifth round of the series with round six a weekend later at Pittsburgh International Race Complex in Wampum, Pennsylvania, August 7-9.
“Our championship is very similar to Formula One, MotoGP, IndyCar and IMSA in that our events are held over four days, including our move-in day,” MotoAmerica’s Chuck Aksland explained. “Our events are held at facilities that also host the premier series mentioned and adjusting the calendar can be difficult as it requires a lot of organization and cooperation with the tracks and other series. Our goal is to race at every track that is on our current schedule and we are working hard on a daily basis trying to finalize dates.”
Fans who have already purchased tickets for the Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta round can use those tickets for the rescheduled July 31-August 2 weekend.
On Track with Laguna Seca Recreation Area and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
Recent updates to premier events and other track activities
MONTEREY, Calif., March 25, 2020 – The management team of Laguna Seca Recreation Area and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is working with series, guests, track renters, community leaders, local authorities and county officials to safely serve their needs while continuing to prepare for the season events. Therefore, the team wishes to give a general update about the premier events and other happenings.
“Our top priority continues to be safeguarding the well-being of associates, and all those who enter the Laguna Seca Recreation Area,” explained John Narigi, president and general manager of WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. “We continue our planning of the events, working with our partners and community to ensure that when California officials lift the shelter in place order and everyone is healthy and safe, we haven’t missed a step.”
To date, there have been two schedule changes to the 2020 race events calendar. Trans Am SpeedFest has been postponed and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship has moved up one week to Labor Day weekend to allow greater separation from the rescheduled 24 Hours of Le Mans race in France. All other events are currently proceeding as planned:
July 10-12 – MotoAmerica Superbike SpeedFest at Monterey
July 23-26 – Ferrari Challenge Series
August 8-9 – Monterey Pre-Reunion
August 13-16 – Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion
September 4-6 – Monterey SportsCar Championship
September 18-20 – Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey
October 1-4 – Sea Otter Classic *Special Event*
TBD – Trans Am SpeedFest
The management team is anxiously awaiting the opportunity to return to engaging guests and bringing business back to the Monterey Peninsula by hosting these international events. The economic impact generated by these major races is significant for the tourism industry, as well as for surrounding communities.
Recently, the campgrounds have been closed. Campers who are already here observing shelter-in-place regulations can stay through their reservation as long as payment is current. Walking and biking trails are open for day use, during the limited hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The race track and paddock are typically rented every available day of the year. During this time, however, many clubs and organizations have suspended their March and April dates resulting in increased demand for rescheduling dates after the Summer premier events.
As a result of rescheduling renters, the track repaving project that was originally planned for September and October has been postponed in order to accommodate our valued renters, guests and local businesses.
While the April dates for Cars & Coffee and Twilight Cycling have been canceled, we are looking ahead to future Twilight Cycling and Cars & Coffee dates for these community events.
Additional camping, park and event updates will be announced as they become available.
For those who have already purchased tickets to any impacted events, they will be valid on the new dates, or can be used for other future events. For questions about tickets to Trans Am or IMSA Monterey SportsCar Championship, please visit www.WeatherTechRaceway.com or email [email protected].
Longtime racer Caesar Gonzales, a Republican, is running for election to represent Georgia’s 13th Congressional District in the United States Congress.
Georgia’s 13th District includes portions of Atlanta and its southern and western suburbs.
Gonzales has established a Facebook page dedicated to his Congressional campaign.
Mark McGuire, a lifelong motorcyclist, former club racer, and president of the Washington Motorcycle Road Racing Association (WMRRA) in 1999 and 2000 died at his home in Seattle, Washington on March 22 after a valiant 18-month battle with brain cancer.
Mark was 65 years old.
He is survived by his loving wife, Patricia, and five siblings.
He will be sorely missed by his wife, family, and many friends in the Seattle motorcycling community.
An Update from us on COVID-19
Due to the recent Covid-19 pandemic and per recommendations from the Ontario (Canada) Government and health professionals, our office and warehouse will be temporarily closed starting on March 25, 2020. Should anything change, we will re-open as directed by health and government officials. Government officials have suggested that the closure would take place for a period of 14 days; however, we have not been given an official date to re-open.
Our website at www.hindle.com remains open 24/7 to shop online; however, we are unable to physically process orders at this time. Any order placed after March 24, 2020 will be processed once we have re-opened.
Our staff and their families’ health is of utmost importance to us and we hope that we can help stop the spread of Covid-19 with this unfortunate closure. Details and updates will be posted as soon as they become available. We hope to re-open when it has been deemed safe to do so by the Ontario Government.
We want to thank all of our customers, fans, followers, friends and family for their co-operation with navigating this difficult time and we hope that everyone stays safe and healthy.
Ducati is live streaming a video presentation of its new Streetfighter V4 today at 6:30 p.m. CET/1:30 p.m. Eastern Time/10:30 a.m. Pacific Time.
You can watch the live stream in the embedded player below.
If you miss the live presentation, it may be available for on-demand viewing later.
Fabio Quartararo: “I’m fast on the Playstation but I’m faster in reality!”
The PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team rider tells us how he’s keeping busy and adjusting to life at home awaiting the return of MotoGP action.
How are you doing and where are you now?
“Well I’m Ok; I’m at home in Andorra and I’m training. The situation is I think a little bit like other parts of Europe – we’re not totally in quarantine but I try to go out as little as possible to have more security staying at home.
“We don’t know when we’ll start the season but of course we need to be fit and 100% prepared whenever the first race is, so I’m training hard and, of course, looking forward to starting the season.”
How are you training?
“More or less like the pre-season, but honestly in pre-season and during the season the training is pretty much the same. Just in the pre-season you can do more riding with the motorcycle, and more motocross, but now we can’t really go out of the home so the training is the same as normal, just without the chance to ride. I’m basically spending hours doing workout at home to keep my body in good shape. I try to control what I’m eating and that’s it, I can’t do a lot more in this extraordinary situation.”
What else are you doing to keep busy?
“Apart from watching Netflix, films, and reading books, I’m Facetiming with family and friends, playing on the Playstation, and ordering the house and the garage a little bit!
“I’m not watching so many races, but I’m watching some practice sessions where I finished quickest or where I’m proud of the lap I did, like the qualifying in Jerez.”
How are you with virtual racing?
“I’m fast on the Playstation but if you look at the standings compared to the top guys there I’m faster in reality! But it’s true that it’s always good to have fun on the MotoGP videogame and I’m really lucky to have one at home during these tough moments.”
How much can you still speak to your team?
“We have a Whatsapp group and almost every day we are sending messages. I think it’s really important to keep contact with the people that help you a lot and that you love.
“We are a team and we need to support each other as a team. All over the world people are having tough moments, but we need to keep strong and keep going and I’m sure normality will come back. I hope something will happen soon for a good solution.”
What would you say to everyone and the MotoGP community?
“I think the most important thing is to stay at home. I know it can be really boring, because for me I’m not a static guy – I love to go out, I love to train, I love to move – but at this moment the best solution is to stay at home and stay safe. That’s the message I want to share to everyone. And to clean your hands, try to keep distance and have no physical contact with people – this is the most important during this time. We have to be more responsible than ever.
“And of course to the fans – it’s tough for those with passion that can’t wait for it, but I can promise that as soon as we can come back we will give you a good show and we will make as many MotoGP races as possible and have fun to make some good racing again.”
By David Swarts
Seven-time AMA Superbike Champion Mat Mladin has been arrested and accused of four child sex offenses in Australia, according to an article published March 25 at DailyTelegraph.com, the online presence of Sydney, Australia’s largest newspaper.
According to author Daniel McGookin, Mladin, age 48, has been charged with sexual intercourse with a child under the age of 10, two counts of intentionally carrying out a sex act on a child under 10, and one count of intentionally inciting a child to perform a sex act.
After a lengthy investigation, according to the article, Mladin was taken into custody on March 13 and spent days in jail before he was released on $50,000 bail and had to surrender his passport.
The matter is being handled in Campbelltown Local Court, in New South Wales, Australia.
Read the entire article behind a paywall HERE
Mladin’s court case number is 2020/00081386. Online court records under that case number refer to a court appearance Mladin made via videolink March 25th Australian time.
In recent years, Mladin has returned to racing as a team owner, fielding Max Croker in the Australian Supersport and then Superbike National Championships under the Mladin Racing banner.
Mladin’s Facebook page, which appeared to have been the source for some of the photos used in the DailyTelegraph.com article, has been taken down.
