Odenton, MD. The 2005 USGPRU 125GP and 250GP Champion, Garrett Carter, announced that he and Arai Helmets will be awarding a new Arai helmet to three lucky winners at the Road Atlanta round, 1-2 September. According to series President, Stewart Aitken-Cade, this was an idea that Garrett came up with in order to give a little bit back to the USGPRU. Garrett will join the USGPRU staff after the race on Sunday 2 September for the awards presentation where he will select the three worthy winners. Garrett said, “I know what it’s like to be a privateer. I see this as a way to help out some of the up-and-coming riders that are doing everything they can just to make it to the next round. By providing them with top of the line safety equipment like these Arai Helmets, maybe they won’t get hurt in a crash or maybe it will just be one less thing for their parents to worry about. Either way, I support what the USGPRU is doing, they helped me to get where I am, and I hope this will help to keep their program growing in the right direction.”

Bridgestone Motorsport heads to the Italy’s Adriatic coast this weekend for round 13 of this year’s MotoGP championship, which sees premier class motorcycle racing return to Misano for the first time since 1993. Misano will be the second occasion that MotoGP fever hits Italy this season after the thrills of Mugello less than three months ago. Bridgestone will be hoping that its MotoGP debut at Misano will help extend an unbroken run of Italian podium success which has seen Ducati’s Loris Capirossi take third and second in Mugello in 2005 and 2006 respectively and, more recently, Alex Barros claim an excellent third place for Pramac d’Antin at the same track back in June. After another awe-inspiring performance in Brno two weeks’ ago, Bridgestone-shod Ducati Corse rider Casey Stoner now leads the riders’ championship by sixty points. Stunning rides by Suzuki duo John Hopkins and Chris Vermeulen in the Czech Republic, with the former claiming a MotoGP career-best second position, see the Bridgestone-shod pair tied for points in the championship top five. Riders will have a total of 34 tyres at their disposal this weekend with one extra front tyre and two extra rears being made available, in line with a one-off revision to the FIM technical regulations for this event. An extra free practice session has been squeezed into the schedule on Friday afternoon to allow extra time for riders, teams and tyre manufacturers to get to grips with this new-look Misano circuit. Tyre Talk with Hiroshi Yamada Bridgestone Motorsport – Manager, Motorcycle Sport Unit How does Bridgestone prepare for new events like Misano? “There are several factors involved in preparing for a new event, but the most important job for a tyre manufacturer is to fully appreciate what pressures the machine is going to place on the tyre. We try to understand the circuit’s characteristics by assessing the nature of the asphalt, the composition of corners, the top speeds, cornering speeds, all the factors that make up a lap of the track. This is the same process for each and every event on the calendar, but the big difference at Misano is that we have no data from previous years from which to work.” What sort of track does Bridgestone expect Misano to be? “Misano seems to be quite a narrow track with a few short straights and tight corners. Most of the corners seem to be slow speed, so basically the priority will be on finding good braking stability and good traction. From what we have heard, the track could be quite bumpy, but the riders will only begin to get a real feel for the track when MotoGP bikes make their first runs there on Friday.” How important will the extra one hour of practice be on Friday? “We will have three practice sessions on Friday and our riders will be permitted an extra three tyres in their allocation for this extra hour. All riders will have 15 front tyres and 19 rear tyres this weekend for four free practice sessions, qualifying practice, warm-up and the race itself. I do not think our approach to the weekend will be any different to other events but it is the first trip to Misano for MotoGP so our teams and riders will certainly spend more time than usual on setting up the bikes. This extra hour on Friday will therefore be useful to understand the direction we need to take with tyre choice and to conduct a thorough evaluation of the specifications that our teams select.” Riding Perspective with Marco Melandri (Honda Gresini) “This latest configuration of Misano circuit is really like a completely new track for MotoGP. In addition to the newer parts of the track, we have to ride it in the opposite direction to before, clockwise, so it is going to be a new experience for all of us. There are some small corners and hairpins which can make it tough on a MotoGP bike. The fast part of the lap is pretty nice to ride but it could be a bit scary and difficult to negotiate with so many other riders. The circuit could be pretty demanding on the front tyre, but the track surface looks good, so I hope our Bridgestone tyres will again show a competitive level of performance, as they have done at most of the races this season. For me, it is going to be more of a physical battle after the problems during Brno. My main target is to be fit and ready to ride in front of the crowd. Having a second race in Italy in addition to Mugello is nice because it is always a privilege to race in front of the passionate Italian fans. It gives us Italian riders a nice sensation to ride with such an atmosphere and we derive a lot of satisfaction from it.”

A new Misano beckons for KONICA MINOLTA Honda and Shinya Nakano The KONICA MINOLTA Honda Team arrive this weekend in the Principality of San Marino for the 13th round of the 2007 MotoGP championship. The last time the premier class machines visited the track on the Adriatic coast was back in 1993. Since then the track has changed considerably. Not only has the 2.5 mile circuit been resurfaced, it’s also now running in the opposite direction clockwise instead of the previous anti-clockwise direction. The circuit itself was designed back in 1969 and hosted its first event in 1972. It held its first international event in 1980 and its final 500cc GP in 1993. With the racetrack effectively being completely new to all the teams, there will be an additional practice period taking place on Friday, giving all the riders much-needed track time on the unfamiliar circuit. The 2007 tyre rule which sees just 17 rear and 14 front tyres allowed in each rider’s allocation will also be expanded to 15 fronts and 19 rear tyres. As the series enters the final third of the season, it’s vital that the KONICA MINOLTA Honda Team get improved results, so the whole Team will be working hard from Friday morning to ensure that Shinya Nakano’s Honda RCV212V machine is ready for Sunday’s 28-lap race. Gianluca Montiron Team Manager KONICA MINOLTA Honda “The test at Brno was vital for us to give us information for the final part of the season. With new parts our expectation is higher than before, but it does take time to get data on these parts and find an improved setting. Shinya has not been able to push because of a front-end chatter problem, so we will be hoping that this does not affect him in Misano. The interesting thing for the race is that the circuit is new to everyone and to the tyres, so it should make this weekend a very exciting one for race fans!” Shinya Nakano Rider, KONICA MINOLTA Honda “The test after the Brno round was very important for us and we are hoping to continue our hard work at Misano. We didn’t find a solution for the chattering problems which afflicted us at Brno, so that’s still our main aim, but we were able to find some improvements in the bike’s settings which hopefully will give us a base from which to work from when we arrive at Misano. It’s going to be interesting to head out in the first session, knowing that it’s a new track to all of us.” Giulio Bernardelle Technical Director, KONICA MINOLTA Honda “Our Brno test was very important for us as we needed as much time as possible with the new parts before this weekend’s Misano race. This track has been completely renovated, and it is very different to the last time GP bikes rode there. With time in the practice sessions so short, it was important during the test to understand the updated machine in time for Misano where time will be spent learning the new layout of the track, a track which we have no data for. It is good that we will have an additional practice session on Friday. This track will be new for everybody, so hopefully we can work hard and get a good result.”

Italian company Polini has been confirmed as the title sponsor for the seventeenth round of the 2007 MotoGP World Championship on October 21st, the Polini Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix. Polini are one of the leading manufacturers of tuning parts for both mopeds and scooters, in addition to cylinders and variators for racing and road use. The company has its main office in Alzano Lombardo near Bergamo, and leads production of two-stroke minibikes and minicross, and four-stroke motard-cross machines for racing (110cc) and street (125cc) use. It was founded in the mid-20th century and has previously sponsored the 2006 MotoGP round in China. The Polini Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix will be the penultimate round of the MotoGP World Championship calendar, and has the potential to be one of the most exciting races of the season in the first Grand Prix visit to Sepang since the introduction of the 800cc MotoGP machines. It is also the final race of the 2007 season to take place outside of Europe.

IT’S CRUNCH TIME FOR SPIES AND MLADIN AT ROAD ATLANTA PICKERINGTON, Ohio (August 28, 2007) Things couldn’t be much tighter in the AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited as the series moves to Road Atlanta, in Braselton, Ga., for the Rockstar Suzuki Superbike Showdown on Aug. 31 – Sept. 2. Mat Mladin’s recent four-race winning streak on his Yoshimura Suzuki has moved him to within six points of his teammate, series leader and defending champion Ben Spies. Mladin broke the 60-win mark in the most recent round in Alton, Va., and comes to Road Atlanta with a remarkable 61-career AMA Superbike victories. The determined Aussie will be seeking wins 62 and 63 in this weekend’s doubleheader. Following his 10th win of the season at VIR in the most recent event, Mladin talked about once again charging back from a rather significant points deficit. “It’s the second time we’ve done it this year,” Mladin said. “After Daytona we had a little bit of a points gap to catch back up and we got in the lead in Road America. And then in the wet race on Sunday we gave it back again and lost a few after that. And (crashing) in Utah, we really did ourselves a lot of harm if we’re thinking about championships. I’m just fighting to come back as strong as possible and win as many races as I can and see what happens at the end. “I’m enjoying this season more than any I’ve had so far because it’s such a good challenge to race Ben and to get the measure of him. To be honest with you, I hope we can win the next couple in Atlanta because I really want to be able to go to Laguna Seca and have it winner take all because that would just be the ultimate.” If Mladin manages to win both rounds of the Rockstar Suzuki Superbike Showdown he would establish yet another amazing record in the AMA books. A doubleheader sweep would give Mladin 12 wins this season. That would break his own mark of 11 wins set in 2005. Mladin is the defending winner at Road Atlanta. He swept the doubleheader last year. Spies knows the stakes are getting ever higher coming into Road Atlanta. “Obviously second isn’t getting it done,” he said after taking second place in both races in Virginia two weeks ago. “I’m not upset because I rode it 100% both races. Like I’ve said all weekend, if it’s me or the bike, we didn’t have something right and that’s all it took. But when it came down to riding the motorcycle I rode as hard as I could both races so I’m not upset with myself.” “We had a test at Road Atlanta a week or two ago and we were both going really well. It’s going to be hard to go back and find more time of what we laid down there. I think it’s going to be who can go fast and save the tire because tire wear is definitely going to be an issue there. I guess this is what championships are all about. You like winning them from way out front, but whoever does win this championship is going to be a lot more excited than winning it by 30 or 40 points.” The two leading Yoshimura Suzuki riders have been so dominant, that they are in control of the championship chase with three races remaining. In spite of the series boiling down to a two-rider show, many longtime observers of the series are calling this season one of the best in history of the AMA Superbike Championship, which began in 1976. Another big story coming into Road Atlanta is the revival of home state hero Aaron Yates. The Milledgeville, Ga., racing veteran was released by the Suzuki factory squad last year after 11 years with the team. He was picked up by the Jordan Suzuki squad, a team owned by basketball legend Michael Jordan, and has brought that team success. Yates has twice finished on the podium this year, a very rare feat for a non-factory team. Road Atlanta is his home track and he would love to continue the success for the team. “It’s been great to join Jordan Suzuki and sort of be the underdog,” Yates said. “I don’t think a lot of people expected us to get podium finishes as deep as the field is in Superbike, but it shows the commitment this whole crew has to being one of the best teams out there. I’d like to go to Road Atlanta and have some good results. I’ve won there before and to do it again might be a tough thing, but you never know. We’ll give it our best shot, that’s for sure.” Jordan Suzuki announced in Virginia that Yates renewed his contract with the team for 2008. Jamie Hacking is the other former Road Atlanta Superbike winner in the field. Hacking has been turning a lot of heads with his strong performances on the factory Monster Energy Kawasaki. He and teammate Roger Hayden will try to keep the progress going at Road Atlanta. As the season winds down other riders will be looking to make late-season statements. Yamaha’s Eric Bostrom and Jason DiSalvo, Yoshimura Suzuki’s Tommy Hayden and Honda’s Jake Zemke will all be aiming to close out the season with top performances as they look towards 2008. Popular Miguel Duhamel is recovering from injuries sustained in a crash while testing at Road Atlanta a couple of weeks ago. His return to racing is unknown at this time. Besides Yates, Georgia racing fans will have another favorite son to root for in the Superbike class. Matt Lynn, of Ball Ground, will be riding the factory Ferracci MV Agusta. He comes to Road Atlanta fresh off his best finish of the season, an eighth at Virginia International Raceway. Both AMA Superbike rounds from Road Atlanta will be televised nationally on SPEED. Saturday’s race will air on Sunday at 1:00 pm Eastern and Sunday’s race will receive special live coverage starting at 3:00 pm Eastern. Advance tickets for the Rockstar Suzuki Superbike Showdown may be purchased from the Road Atlanta web site, ticket office at 770.967.6143, or 1.800.849.RACE, weekdays between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm. “Super” tickets include paddock access. Tickets may be purchased at the gate on race weekends. You can visit www.roadatlanta.com for additional information. About AMA Racing AMA Racing is the competition arm of the American Motorcyclist Association and is the leading sanctioning body for motorcycle sport in the United States. Its professional properties include the Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series, the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF, the AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship, the AMA Supermoto Championship and the AMA Pro ATV Championship. In amateur and pro-am competition, AMA Racing sanctions over 4000 events in 24 different disciplines and supports over 110 thousand active members. For more information about professional racing, visit www.amaproracing.com.