The Red Bull KTM Team returns to Japan this weekend pumped with confidence. The team scored victories in both classes on the famous circuit last season, the bikes are expected to do well and both Aoyama and Koyama are riding in front of their home crowd. Last year’s Grand Prix in Motegi was unforgettable for KTM. Mika Kallio out-braked newly-crowned world champion Alvaro Bautista in the last lap of the 125 cc race, celebrating his third victory of the season. Then Aoyama turned team pleasure into pure unadulterated euphoria by coming home first in the 250 cc category. “A historic day,” remembers Technical Director Harald Bartol. “Of course it was our secret plan o be prepared and to do well in Motegi. Even though they don’t admit this, the Japanese manufacturers are pulling out all stops to succeed at their home Grand Prix. That’s what makes these two victories so valuable.” So what of 2007? First it will be an occasion for Aoyama and Koyama to excel in front of what is always an animated crowd at the spectacular 4.8 km circuit set in rolling hills about three hours north of Tokyo. Hiroshi is confident. He has twice won at Motegi and he knows that he will have the crowd behind him. Last year they turned the main grandstand and large sections of the crowd into a sea of orange with countless flags, caps and banners supporting Red Bull KTM and this year the support for the team will be no less enthusiastic. “We have a big following in Japan,” Aoyama confirms. “All my friends will be there, but there are also an amazing number of KTM fans that come to support us. It’s especially important for me to do well there, and despite our bad luck in Portugal, I am very confident that we will do well in Motegi. The basic set-up of our bike is very good now, and I really enjoy the track!” Aoyama will be riding with the adrenalin racing as he attacks his home circuit. His 250cc team-mate Mika Kallio shares his enthusiasm and his confidence. The Finn also goes to Motegi with the most positive of memories and is looking forward to making the weekend a memorable one. “The progress we’ve made with the bike and especially with our new chassis is fantastic,” he says. “Of course it’s always disappointing if you don’t finish the race like in Portugal, but you have to look at the big picture. We are fully competitive – and maybe even have a little advantage here and there.” Japan is also a huge occasion for the team’s 125 cc ace Koyama who has one victory and a total of five podiums this season and is lying third in the season’s standings. “I can’t wait to race in front of my home crowd,” Koyama said with obvious pleasure. “The KTM bike is strong, and even though I couldn’t make a podium in Portugal due to a set-up problem in one particular corner, I know that we will be up there with the best in Motegi. I will fight tooth and nail for victory!” Two other challenging MotoGP races in the region follow Japan, in Australia and Malaysia, where the KTM factory riders will be onboard with the support of the crowd and plenty of enthusiasm. A top weekend in Japan will enhance the team’s confidence and set them up for good results at the other two Far East venues before they return to Valencia in Spain for the season’s finale.

Rizla Suzuki is ready and raring to go racing at the penultimate round of the 2007 Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Donington Park in Derbyshire this weekend after a three-and-a-half week break from track action. Cal Crutchlow piloted his Rizla Suzuki GSX-R1000 to his best ever Superbike results at Cadwell Park at the last round in August with a fourth and fifth and is looking to make the elusive step onto the podium at the challenging 2.5-mile long Donington Park. “I feel that I am riding better than ever and my Rizla Suzuki is doing everything I want,” explained Cal. “For the last few rounds we have made very few changes and my results have been getting better and I think it will be more of the same this time out. I want a podium finish before the end of the season and will be doing all I can to achieve it at Donington Park.” Rizla Suzuki racer Chris ‘Stalker’ Walker joined Cal at a test at Donington Park in May as part of the Bikefest Show and was marginally faster than his team mate on the day. He said: “The test we had at Donington earlier in the year was very useful. Our lap times were fast despite a lack of rubber on the track and we left with a good set up on my Rizla Suzuki. “I have two races left to show exactly what I can do on a Superbike and I want to get back on the podium for Rizla Suzuki and all the Stalker fans. Donington is my home track and one I am familiar with from World Superbikes so it’s a big opportunity for me and the team.” Rizla Suzuki Team Manager Simon Buckmaster is enthusiastic about the team’s chances at the Derbyshire track that is famous for hosting the British round of the MotoGP Championship. He said: “Rizla Suzuki is revved up to get back on track and racing again. We feel as though we are in the ascendancy and have a real shot at the podium in the two final rounds.”

PENALTIES ASSESSED FOLLOWING AMA SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP FINALE PICKERINGTON, Ohio (September 20, 2007) AMA Racing has announced that riders Martin Cardenas, Jake Holden, Morgan Murphy, Shaun Summers and Aaron Yates have been penalized following the season-ending AMA Superbike Championship event from Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on Sept. 16, 2007. In pre-race technical inspection, the motorcycles of Murphy and Summers were found to be using engines that were not homologated for the class. In post-race technical inspection, the motorcycles of Cardenas, Holden and Yates were found to have illegal modifications to the crankcase breather tube(s). Murphy and Summers were disqualified from the event and received six month suspensions. Cardenas, Holden and Yates have been fined $2,000 and will forfeit 20 points. Cardenas, Holden and Yates will retain their finishing positions from the event. As noted on page 30, section 3.1 Homologation, a, of the 2007 AMA Superbike rulebook (www.amaproracing.com/rulebook), Only homologated motorcycles may be used in Supersport and Superstock competition. Also, as noted on page 31, section 3.5 Engines, b, Except as noted, all internal and external engine parts must remain stock with no modifications”¦. (Editorial note: Murphy’s GSX-R600 had been built using GSX-R750 engine internal parts to boost displacement, and Summers’ GSX-R600 had been fitted with a complete GSX-R750 engine.)

Just four days after the MotoGP teams hurriedly packed up their garages after the last round in Portugal, the World Championship returned to another country and another continent for the A-Style Grand Prix of Japan. The very different atmosphere of the two races was striking, but the work to be undertaken was the same at this crucial moment in the season. A number of riders were arriving directly from Tokyo, where yesterday they took part in the highly successful “MotoGP lands in Tokyo” event and were greeted by 3000 fans in Shinjuku Station Square. Casey Stoner, Valentino Rossi, Nicky Hayden Colin Edwards, Carlos Checa, Chris Vermeulen, Randy de Puniet and Anthony West in addition to home favourites Shinya Nakano and Makoto Tamada, had all made an early trip to the Japanese city. Of the ten riders at the event, three were on double duty as they took part in today’s pre-event press conference. MotoGP World Championship leader Stoner was joined by Rossi, last year’s race winner Loris Capirossi, home rider Tamada and Honda’s Dani Pedrosa to field questions from the media ahead of the Japanese challenge. For Stoner, even though the title is nearly within his grasp, this race will be no different than every other. He commented on his minor troubles in Portugal, and looked forward to what is hoped will be a thrilling race. “We struggled in Portugal a bit, I think I messed about a bit too much mid-race trying to keep up. This race has always been good for Ducati though, even when perhaps the season hasn’t been going so well,” said the Australian. “Last year I did ok here but the settings were a little wrong, but the weekend overall was good. I hope that I can continue the good form this year. This track makes the racing interesting, with lots of overtaking.” Rossi, who has never won on a four-stroke at Motegi, explained his history at the Japanese circuit, and went through the important factors for Sunday’s race. “It’s not one of my favourite tracks; I’ve had a lot of second places here, always trying to catch up with Loris but never managing!” said the five-time MotoGP World Champion. “Brake settings will be important here, but in Portugal we did well with the brakes so I’m not so worried. We just have to check the new Michelins, and see if they work on this surface.” Practice sessions for the A-Style Grand Prix of Japan begin tomorrow at 9am local time.

The final RPS season continues for Team Komodo/Repsol/RPS riders Danny Kelsey and Dustin Doucet during the AMA Sports Grand National Championships at Mid-Ohio. The two riders are competing for the Horizon Award and Top Novice Awards respectively. Both riders are having exemplary years and the focus for the riders is to come home with top results at the scenic Mid-Ohio race course. Danny Kelsey The Georgetown, Texas rider has had an outstanding first year in CMRA Expert sprint racing action. Kelsey is vying for both the C Superbike and C Superstock championships while consistently posting podium finishes in several other classes. RPS owner Marcus McBain reflected on the season, “I am really excited how the season has gone so far. We spent the first part of the year trying different tire combinations and setup and have since switched back to what was working last year. Since then, Kelsey has really been able to get back to great riding. I really am excited for his opportunities at Mid-Ohio.” Dustin Doucet Bridge City, Texas rider Doucet has had a very impressive year. Already posting over 35 wins in the first few months of his road racing career, Doucet has been a great model of speed and consistency. Doucet and RPS have worked closely with Bridgestone and South Central Race Center’s John Hutchinson. The result has been Doucet and Bridgestone lead nearly every A, B, and C Superstock/Superbike class entered. Doucet will be vying for the “Top Novice” award during AMA Sports Grand National Championship racing this weekend.

Bologna (Italy), Wednesday 19 September 2007: Troy Bayliss tested Ducati’s 2008 World Superbike challenger, the 1098 F08, for the first time yesterday and today at the Vallelunga circuit near Rome. Although two-time WSBK champion Bayliss had done a couple of demo laps during the 2007 edition of World Ducati Week at Misano in July, this was the first time that the 38-year-old Australian has ridden the bike in anger. The testing program saw Troy Bayliss share the riding duties on the new F08 machine with Ducati Corse test-rider and the Ducati Xerox Junior Team’s Superstock rider, Niccolò Canepa. The F08 has already been put through a series of shakedown tests by the young Italian in the last few months, but it is still at an early development stage and the riders were not aiming to set any quick times. “This is the first time I’ve tested the bike and I’m trying to get as comfortable on it as possible” declared Troy. “I feel that we’re already close to the performance of the 999 and with the data we picked up here and the indications given to the engineers, I’m sure we can improve the times set on the old bike at the next tests. I’m pretty sure the bike will be competitive soon. A big thanks also to Niccolò for all the testing work he’s done on the bike.” The Vallelunga circuit on the outskirts of the Italian capital, as well as being one of the Ducati Xerox Team’s two selected test-tracks this year, will be the venue for the penultimate round of the World Superbike Championship in ten days’ time.