Leon Camier crashed during the second British Superbike race yesterday at Cadwell Park, the 21-year-old from Ashford, Kent sustained a broken left femur and a fractured pelvis. To read more on Leon’s progress since the accident or if you wish to leave ‘Get Well’ messages for Leon then please click on the link below. ~http://www.leoncamier.co.uk/category/news~ More, from a press release issued by Martin Jessopp’s publicist: Confidence Building Fifth Place for Jessopp www.martinjessopp.com Martin Jessopp and the Riders Racing Ducati Team secured their best result of the season so far at Cadwell Park in the Maxxis British Supersport race. Jessopp achieved a solid fifth position in the 16-lap race in front of the huge Cadwell Park crowd. It was a welcome return for the youngster from Yeovil who has suffered a run of bad luck and misfortune this season. Running smoothly all weekend Jessopp was eager to gain a strong result and be back at the top end of the pack. Qualifying in ninth position on the Ducati 749 he was keen to work his way through the pack, a strong start saw him gain one position at the end of the first lap and another by the end of the fourth. He could see a podium position in his sights when he got onto the back of R6 Cup winner Tom Grant and TT legend John McGuinness. The trio were locked in a tight scrap for a number of laps but front tyre problems for Jessopp forced him to back off the pace a little and settle for fifth. Running consistently fast times he proved that he can run up at the front end of the field and was the confidence booster that he has been looking for all season. A pleased Jessopp said “It seems to have been a long time coming, my best result was at Brands at the start of the season but I had that taken away from me due to a minor problem after the race. I’ve had so many strange things happen this year on the racing front that it’s good to be back up there and getting decent points. I’m hoping that I will be able to get some more strong results at the final two rounds at Donington and Brands Hatch. It would be nice to finish off the season on a high note for myself and the team. I’d like to thank them all for working so hard this weekend it was very much appreciated.” Jessopp’s next race is at Donington Park on the 14th 16th September. More, from a press release issued by Centurion Racing: Points for Westy as he battles pain barrier After running strong all weekend at Cadwell Park Centurion Racings sole racer James Westmoreland could only secure 13th position despite his valiant effort in the Maxxis British Supersport series. Westy was running consistently fast times during the practice session on Saturday but after a huge crash at Chris Curves during Sunday’s qualifying sessions he chose to participate in the 16-lap race but was suffering pain and discomfort in his shoulder and back. His team-mate Dan Cooper was also sitting this meeting out after dislocating his right shoulder at Croft Circuit a few weeks ago. Commenting he said “I didn’t want to risk doing any more damage to my shoulder. Cadwell is a very demanding and difficult circuit even when you are fully fit. I have another two weeks now before Donington where I will be making my return and hoping that it will all be fully fixed.” Westy secured a solid 11th place during the qualifying sessions in front of some massive Bank Holiday weekend crowds the youngster was looking strong. The crash hindered the newly crowed 2007 British Supersport Cup Champion and stopped him from gaining another top ten finish. He took another solid win in the Cup Championship, his seventh so far this season out of eleven rounds completed, an incredible achievement for Westy and the Centurion Racing Team. Speaking with him, he said “Well I think it’s fair to say we will call that one a character building weekend! It all started so well running up front on Saturday, then been consistently fast on race tyres on Sunday. I crashed heavily in final qualifying at Chris Curve and to be fair it knocked me for six. Then after morning warm up it was discovered I had something wrong with my tendons in my elbow and shoulder causing me great pain. I rode through the pain but could only finish 13th. It’s disappointing but I will be back even stronger to finish the year. I’m sorry to my team, for this result, but thank you for all the support, and that’s from my family, friends, supporters who turned out to cheer me on, it’s greatly appreciated. Also a massive thanks to Ethos and Dunlop. Once again it wasn’t to be, but my head is high and I’m ready for Donington.” Team Manager Gary Stubbington remarked “We’ve been unfortunate the last few rounds where both riders have suffered crashes and sustained injuries from them. The boys haven’t crashed that much this season and then they both do at roughly the same time. Westy did well under the circumstances and we’re hoping that the pair will be fully fit and back on form at Donington Park in a couple of weeks times.” The next race is at Donington Park on the 14th 16th September. More, from a press release issued by Tom Tunstall Racing: Podium at the Double for Tunstall Hardinge Ice Valley racer Tom Tunstall had another great weekend at the 11th round of the British Superbike Championships. Scoring a brace of third places, and making it five podium “doubles” of the year so far. Sunshine bathed the massive record crowd that had made the journey to Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire for the bank holiday event. Ever improving Superbike rookie Tunstall adapted well to the twisty and undulating 2.18mile track and qualified his Honda CBR1000RR 4th on the Superbike Cup Grid In the first of the days two races the Huddersfield rider didn’t get off the line well losing four places before reaching the first corner. Tom Immediately re-took Malcolm Ashley and ended lap one third of the cup riders. With few passing opportunities on the tricky circuit it wasn’t until lap six he’d managed to pass both Aaron Zannotti and Dave Johnson. By which time the gap to Buckingham and eventual race winner Tristan Palmer was too large. Having just stepped of the third step of the podium Tunstall remarked; “My start was shocking!!… I slipped the clutch too much and got swamped. I knew the pace would be fast and I needed to be with the leaders from the start to stand a chance of the win. Plan for race two? Get it off the line!!” As the lights changed for the second outing the Hardinge Ice Valley rider made a better get away and once in front of Guy Martin had clear track between the two cup riders ahead. Even the intervention of the pace car on lap 9 hindered rather than helped as Tom caught it on the narrow mountain section losing more time. A pace just a little faster than Tom’s meant he was unable to fight for the race win. At the end of the 18 laps Tunstall crossed the line in 3rd taking his 12th podium of the year. “It turned out to be a bit of a lonely race. I lost a bit of time trying to pass Guy at the start, but I still needed to find a few more tenths to be in with a shot today. Cadwell is not my strongest track so to come away with another two rostrums and more points is great”. The results take Tom up to 4th in the Cup Championship only four points from 3rd. The next and penultimate round takes place at Donington Park over the weekend of the 22nd-23rd September. More, from a press release issued by Samsung Suzuki: Samsung Suzuki struggle at challenging Cadwell Park. Dean Thomas aboard his Samsung Suzuki had a difficult race weekend at the undulating Cadwell Park, achieving a fourteenth place finish in race one and a DNF due to a slipping clutch in race two not the result he had been hoping for. The weekend got off to a bad start with a crash in third free practice which is just ahead of qualifying. “We had been struggling with too much feedback from the forks and losing a bit of rear grip. Each time we made an alteration to make the bike steer a little better we lost more grip, we changed it back to get the grip back but then the bike wouldn’t steer. We seemed to be stuck in a rut,” explained Thomas. The team made some changes which improved the situation however it didn’t work out well on track. “We made some changes and went a bit quicker. On the lap I crashed I was half a second up on that split alone. I pushed a bit hard I think and just turned into turn two, got to the middle of the turn the front chattered twice and then folded the front tyre,” he said. The team had to work hard to ready Thomas’ number two machine for qualifying that afternoon. They spent a lot of time ironing out little problems during the single qualifying session which left them down the field in sixteenth place. Race one got off to a bad start due to a tyre issue as Thomas said, “We had a bit of an out-of-round front tyre which gave us even more chatter than we already had so it just hindered us. I got hung up with Simon Andrews when he was trying to move out of the road when his clutch was playing up. They just got away from me and to cut a long story short I finished in fourteenth place. It’s not a fantastic result; it is a result as it is in the points but it is not a great result.” Things went from bad to worse during race two, “That one didn’t go to plan either! It hasn’t been a very good weekend really!” joked Thomas. “I got a good start and got away well, I was sitting on the back of Plater and Haydon and there was a small gap to Smart. I was just hanging on and doing really good lap times, best we had managed all weekend. The bike didn’t feel so bad and then the clutch went, it just started slipping eight laps into the race and that was that.” He couldn’t believe his bad luck and did his utmost to nurse it home, “I persevered with it for a lap or two just to see whether it would make the distance or not and it wasn’t going to. So I decided to pull in then,” he concluded. Thomas and his Samsung Suzuki team are now putting Cadwell behind them and looking to Donington Park in a few weeks time. “I am looking forward to Donington; it should suit us a little bit better. I’m looking forward to the last two rounds to be fair. I think Donington will be better for us and I’m looking forward to it, it will be good to get out and get a result in the last two rounds.” Round twelve of the Bennett British Superbike Championship will take place at Donington Park on the 21st 23rd September. More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki Press Office: Michael Laverty firmly cemented his place at the top of the British Supersport standings earlier today after a faultless performance on his GSX-R600 Relentless Suzuki, taking his tally to five wins for the season. Laverty also recorded the fastest lap of the race and now sits on 190 points, 37 ahead of nearest challenger Dennis Hobbs. Team-mate Ian Lowry was unfortunately forced to retire from third place after only six laps when a missed gear change caused his engine to over-rev. He now drops to third place in the series behind Hobbs on 149 points. Michael Laverty: “That was exactly what I needed from the weekend especially after scoring no points at Croft. I’m well happy. Everything went according to plan and in the race I wasn’t even trying to pull away but very quickly I found myself with a good gap. I just rode steady today and didn’t push too hard; I had more in me to give, if it was required but my Relentless Suzuki didn’t miss a beat and although I rode to preserve my Pirelli tyres, they were faultless. If every round was that easy it would be great! I now only need a fourth place from the final two rounds to win the championship so I can go to Misano this weekend to watch my brother Eugene racing and enjoy it. I must thank the team for their effort this weekend: everything ran like clockwork and we had the perfect set-up so hopefully we can finish the job at Donington.” Ian Lowry: “I think I may have popped a valve today after missing a gear coming down to the Mountain section that ended my race. If I’m honest, I didn’t feel that comfortable this weekend as Cadwell is not one of my favourite circuits. It’s complicated and has that much around it and I struggled both in practice and qualifying. In saying that, I got a reasonable start and was up to third before I had to retire. I was actually in a comfortable third and was reeling in Billy McConnell, so I was happy to sit there and wait. I am gutted to have lost second place in the championship but it’s one of those things. Michael now has a healthy lead but it’s a Suzuki one-two that we want in the championship, so I’ll be giving it my all at the final two rounds. It’s not out of the question just yet!” Philip Neill – Team Principal: “Michael recorded his fifth win of the season today under immense pressure from leading the championship since the opening day. He has shown once again what a class act he really is and I don’t think it would be out of order to say that he now deserves to win the championship even though it’s not over just yet. He is simply a class act and having been lucky enough to have won some championships myself I do understand the pressure he’s been under. “I felt sorry for Ian today but I was also proud of the way he came through on a circuit that he’s not so fond of. The team are also proud of the way he held his hand up after missing a gear that caused his engine to over-rev ending his race. These things happen. It’s far from over for him just yet and I’m sure he’ll fight all the way through to the last lap at Brands. “I must again say a big thank you to Suzuki, as the GSX-R600 has proved faultless throughout this campaign to date. Hopefully we are leading our way up to repaying the faith that both they, and our partners Relentless have shown in TAS Racing this season. Our package, as always, was complimented today by Pirelli, WP Suspension and Putoline Motorcycle Oil.” Results: 1 Michael Laverty [Relentless Suzuki] 24:28.062; 2 Billy McConnell [Yamaha] +1.511; 3 Tom Grant [Yamaha] +4.340; 4 John McGuinness [Honda] +4.575; 5 Martin Jessopp [Ducati] +10.276; 6 Dennis Hobbs [Honda] +12.772. More, from a press release issued by Steve Plater’s publicist: Lincolnshire ace Steve Plater from Woodhall Spa rode to his best result of the current campaign when he secured a 9th and 13th place finish to his two Bennetts British Superbike races on Bank Holiday Monday. Re-united with his AIM Yamaha R1, Plater encountered a few technical issues with the bike but persevered through qualifying to secure a fifth row start to Monday’s two races. “I don’t know what to say really,” said the affable 35-year-old rider. “I have been pushing as hard as I can and shaved a further second from my lap times. The qualifying tyres did a good job and I am riding the wheels off the bike but still am down in 20th place. If I push any harder I will end up in the tyre wall and I cant afford to do that as I have a World Endurance race in three week’s time. My aim for today is to bring it home safely within the top 15.” As race one got underway Steve made up a couple of places on the first of 18 laps and gradually picked off riders finding himself up into 13th place at the chequered flag to claim three championship points. But when the lights went out at the start of race two Steve was quick off the line to move straight into 14th place before dropping back to 15th as James Haydon went past. But Steve wasn’t to be outpaced and followed Haydon all the way home eventually finishing in ninth place just half a second behind him to claim a further seven championship points and move up the standings to 18th. “That was a good result, considering our disastrous practice and qualifying,” said Steve. “I got a cracking start in both races and got away with the tail end of the front group. Obviously the pace car coming out for the incident involving Leon Camier in the second race helped me a bit and then Scott Smart and Michael Rutter had a coming together at the Old Hairpin, which elevated me further up field. But the bike was quite a bit better and my lap times improved in the second race so we were happy that we have gone forward. “We still have a few issues which need resolving before the next round but we are aware of these and hopefully they will be rectified and we will be much stronger for Donington and looking at some more top ten finishes.” There is a four-week break before the next round but there will be no respite for Plater who will be heading off to Magny Cours in France for the penultimate round of the World Endurance Championship on September 15/16. The Bol d’Or 24-hour race begins on Saturday (15th) at 3pm (2pm GMT) finishing the next day at the same time. Steve along with the other two Team Kawasaki France riders is currently holding second place in the series and a good result at Magny Cours could see him edge nearer to the series leaders SERT. Steve was testing at Magny Cours last week but the rain hampered his progress. He found a good wet set up on Tuesday but although the track dried out on Wednesday for a while the rain came back with a vengeance ruining any chance of making further progress. More, from a press release issued by Aim Yamaha: AIM YAMAHA MAKE POSITIVE STEPS AT CADWELL AIM Yamaha made a big step forward on Bank Holiday Monday when Steve Plater secured two strong points-finishes in the Bennetts British Superbike championship at Cadwell Park. He completed race one in 13th place and went on to secure his best result of the season with a fine ninth in the second encounter. Re-united with his AIM Yamaha R1, Plater encountered a few technical issues with the bike but persevered through qualifying to secure a fifth row start to Monday’s two races. As race one got underway Steve made up a couple of places on the first of 18 laps and gradually picked off riders finding himself up into 13th place at the chequered flag to claim three championship points. But when the lights went out at the start of race two Steve was quick off the line to move straight into 14th place before dropping back to 15th as James Haydon went past. But Steve wasn’t to be outpaced and followed Haydon all the way home eventually finishing in ninth place just half a second behind him to claim a further seven championship points and move up the standings to 18th. STEVE PLATER – That was a good result, considering our disastrous practice and qualifying. I got a cracking start in both races and got away with the tail end of the front group. Obviously the pace car coming out for the incident involving Leon Camier in the second race helped me a bit and then Scott Smart and Michael Rutter had a coming together at the Old Hairpin, which elevated me further up field. But the bike was quite a bit better and my lap times improved in the second race so we were happy that we have gone forward. We still have a few issues which need resolving before the next round but we are aware of these and hopefully they will be rectified and we will be much stronger for Donington and looking at some more top ten finishes. Steven Neate was riding the AIM Yamaha R6 for the first time at Cadwell and soon got to grips with his new steed. He qualified in 18th place but as the race began had to take evasive action to avoid a rider ahead whose bike had cut out at the start. After that he noticed a problem with the power and as the race progressed so did the problem, so much so that Steven decided to pull in after completing eight of the 16 laps. STEVEN NEATE I had a bit of a bad start as a bike stalled in front of me. That lost me a few places but then almost straight away I found the bike wasn’t making any power. We had a problem with the bike getting to hot and after about six laps the temperature was reading over 100 degrees so I decided it was time to pull in. It was a disappointing end to the weekend as we had been going so well until that point. I am looking forward to the next round at Donington Park and I have to say that I really have enjoyed working with the team, they are a great bunch of lads and really easy to get on with. If we can continue with the progress we made this weekend then I think we will do well at Donington. ALISTAIR FLANAGAN Steven has done really well this weekend. It’s just a shame this has happened. We think its something to do with the engine that was in the crash at Croft with Steve Allan. We thought we had sorted it out but it lasted a while so must have been something minor that we missed at the time. Steve Plater also did well and brought us our best result in the Superbike class this year. He finished both races in a points-scoring position and we are optimistic he can do as well again at Donington next time out. More, from a press release issued by Hawk Colchester Kawasaki: Hawk Colchester Kawasaki had a strong weekend at round 11 of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Cadwell Park. James Haydon made his Hawk Colchester debut for the team and secured two very hard fought results of ninth and eighth places respectively and he was the first Kawasaki home in both of the 18-lap races. His team-mate Scott Smart also gained point scoring results with 10th and 12th positions. The pairing were consistent throughout the weekend and finished every session on virtually identical times to each other. Eventually Haydon qualified in 13th place with Smart in 14th with only 0.05 separating the pair. Both riders rode extremely well around the very demanding and technical 2.18-mile circuit. Haydon who has not ridden competitively since Silverstone in April and has only completed a handful of laps on the Hawk bike before racing at Cadwell Park made a welcome return to the series. Haydon looked strong and comfortable all weekend and despite making his come back at one of the most difficult circuits in the UK he also gained two very creditable results for the team. A poor start in the first race saw the 32-year-old drop back to 15th and Smart moving up to 13th. Haydon made a move on Simon Andrews on lap two and was then hunting down his team-mate Smart and Kawasaki mounted Michael Rutter. As the trio battled it out over the 18-lap duel it was Haydon that got the better of the two other Kawasaki’s and took a sturdy eighth position with Smart only a few tenths behind as they crossed the line. Once again Haydon struggled to get off the start in the second race and lost places after the first lap. The safety car was despatched on lap ten after a crash at the top of the mountain, which allowed the riders to bunch up. Lap 14 saw Smart have a coming together with Rutter at the hairpin, both were forced onto the grass but managed to re-join. Smart had to fight his way through the field and secured 12th place as he crossed the line. Commenting Haydon said “It’s good to be back, it’s not the easiest of circuits to make a return to and I’m still getting used to how the ZX10 works so I was kind of thrown in at the deep end. The team worked really hard and we found a good set up by race day which I felt comfortable with. I though it was weekend over for me on Saturday as I twisted my back, luckily I managed to get it sorted and I was ready for the race. It’s a nice feeling to be racing again and hopefully I’ll be back in the future.” Smart added “I’ve had a pretty good weekend, we struggled to find a good set up initially but changed a few things throughout the weekend which made the bike work better and feel more stable around the track. Cadwell is always a hard place to get a decent set up and we did make some progress this weekend. I’m looking forward to Donington in a few weeks time and hoping to get some good results there.” Maxxis British Supersport Cup rider Alex Camier was forced to pull in after only the second lap of the race after suffering a mechanical problem.

Road race mechanic and SuperTech owner Dennis Zickrick is recovering at Federal Heights Rehabilitation Center in Salt Lake City and expects to return home to Fort Collins, Colorado by the end of this week. Zickrick was seriously injured August 14th when he crashed his purpose-built Lakester-class racecar at about 175 mph on the Bonneville Salt Flats. The car is powered by a 1425cc KZ1000 pro-stock engine fitted with a Ford Thunderbird turbo and makes about 200 horsepower. Zickrick broke both arms, several ribs and a vertebra in his neck, and underwent surgery to plate compound fractures of both bones in one arm.

The Repsol Honda Team will enter the final third of the 18-race 2007 season this weekend when the Misano circuit makes a return to the MotoGP calendar after an absence of 13 years. The Cinzano Grand Prix of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera takes place on Sunday September 2, with both Dani Pedrosa and Nicky Hayden relishing the challenge of tackling the famous Italian track for the first time. Pedrosa arrives on the east coast of Italy lying in a strong third place in the World Championship having clawed back four points to second-placed man Valentino Rossi at the last race in Brno. The Spaniard’s fourth place in the Czech Republic puts him 44 points clear of Chris Vermeulen in the standings and Pedrosa lies just eighteen points adrift of Rossi with six rounds remaining. Hayden is looking to continue the strong run of form which has seen the World Champion on the podium at three of the last four races. After his tough start to the 2007 season, recent chassis and engine updates to the RC212V have allowed the American to display the kind of attacking riding that took him to the world title. Hayden will be hoping for further progress at Misano to enable him to battle for his first win of the season. This is the 11th time the Misano circuit has hosted a round of the Motorcycle World Championships. The previous races were held under the names of the Grand Prix of Nations in 1980, 1982, 1984, 1989 and 1990, the Grand Prix of San Marino in 1985, 1986 and 1987, and the Italian Grand Prix in 1991 and 1993. Honda riders have won in the premier class at Misano on three occasions. Freddie Spencer took victory in 1984, Pierfrancesco Chili won for Honda in 1989 and Mick Doohan claimed the win in 1991. On Grand Prix’s last visit to Misano in 1993 the races were run in an anti-clockwise direction, but for 2007 the direction has been reversed for safety reasons. It was deemed that the wall on the outside of the fast Curvone corner was too close for the super-powerful MotoGP machines travelling anti-clockwise. As well as the direction change, the circuit has been modified since the last visit to further improve safety. These changes have lengthened the lap by 120 metres, increasing it to 4.180km (2.596 miles). In order for teams and riders to familiarise themselves with the ‘new’ track, there is an extra hour of MotoGP practice on Friday afternoon. Practice sessions for the 125cc and 250cc classes are also extended on Friday. The 28-lap MotoGP race begins on Sunday at 14.00 CET. Dani Pedrosa World Championship Position: 3rd 168 points “I’m excited about going to Misano because I’ve never visited the track before though I have watched old Grand Prix races from there so it will be very interesting to see the circuit for myself. The direction is reversed now and there are some changes to the circuit, so everyone is going to be starting from the same point. This means we’ll have to be clever with our decisions on tyres and set-up. For sure it’s going to be a great atmosphere with the Italian fans coming to support the local riders if it’s anything like Mugello then it will be another special weekend. The tyres and temperature will be important again this weekend. We spent a couple of days testing after the last race at Brno and we’re hoping the things we learnt there will help us for Misano. For the championship we must continue to fight for the best result possible. Casey is a long way in front and to catch him will be very very difficult but we will just focus on doing the best we can at each race.” Nicky Hayden World Championship Position: 8th 89 points “It’s quite exciting going to a new track and it’s definitely going to be a challenge. A couple of years ago there were a few new venues on the calendar but it’s been a while since we’ve been to a new one. I’m looking forward to it because it’s a challenge for the riders and the teams to try to get a set-up and a direction as quickly as possible. Basically none of us knows the track a few of the Italian riders have checked if for safety but no one’s ridden a MotoGP bike here. I’m expecting a big weekend. I’ve heard the atmosphere at Misano is quite wild and it’s right in the Italian riders’ neck of the woods so it should be an exciting event. One of the major factors is going to be tyres again. We’ve seen this year that when we’ve gone to tracks with a new surface like Sachsenring or Laguna Seca it all came down to tyres. Hopefully we can get a good early direction with Michelin, get rolling quickly on Friday morning and see what happens when the lights go out on Sunday.” Dani Pedrosa Racing number 26 Race machine RC212V Date of birth September 29, 1985 Birthplace Castellar del Valles – Spain Height 1.59 m Weight 52 kg Hobbies Music, Internet First race 1997 Pocket bike racing. Grand Prix debut 2001, 125cc Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka First Grand Prix win 2002, 125cc Dutch Grand Prix, Assen Total Grand Prix wins 26 8 x 125cc, 15 x 250cc, 3 x MotoGP Total Grand Prix podium places 54 17 x 125cc, 24 x 250cc, 13 x MotoGP Total Grand Prix pole positions 23 9 x 125cc, 9 x 250cc, 5 x MotoGP World championships 3 1 x 125cc, 2003 2 x 250cc in 2004 and 2005 Results at Misano no previous results Nicky Hayden Racing number 1 Race bike Honda RC212V Date of birth July 30, 1981 Birthplace Owensboro, Kentucky, USA Height 1.73m Weight 68kg Hobbies Dirt track racing, music First race 1986, dirt track Grand Prix debut 2003, MotoGP, Japanese Grand Prix Suzuka First Grand Prix win 2005, MotoGP, United States Grand Prix Laguna Seca Total Grand Prix wins 3 x MotoGP Total Grand Prix podium places 23 x MotoGP Total Grand Prix pole positions 4 x MotoGP World Championships 1 x MotoGP, 2006 Results at Misano (MotoGP): no previous results

After a tough Grand Prix in the Czech Republic two weeks ago, which saw the return of Toni Elias after a lay-off of just 51 days with a broken left femur and a new injury problem for Marco Melandri, who missed the race after suffering an exposed discal hernia in his neck during practice, the Spaniard and the Italian are ready to tackle what promises to be another special weekend for the team led by Fausto Gresini. Gresini Racing’s headquarters are located in San Clemente, just a few kilometres from the Misano circuit – making this weekend’s GP di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini a second home race of the season for the Italian outfit. TONI ELIAS, boosted by the confidence of his successful return to action at Brno and his well-deserved eleventh place, is looking forward to the Italian race: “Soon after my crash at Assen I set my comeback target for Brno. I worked hard, eight hours a day, and made it back at around 60% fitness. I took the weekend as a kind of test and it was tough but with another two weeks of rehab behind me I feel more confident now. I’ve still got a lot of work to do, of course, but I feel calm. At Brno we received some updates for the chassis, exhaust and engine. Unfortunately, because of my physical condition, I wasn’t able to make the most of them. I’m happy to be racing at Misano, my team’s home circuit. During the week before Brno I had the opportunity to complete a couple of laps there on a street bike to test out my physical condition before tackling the GP in the Czech Republic. It is an interesting circuit but also difficult. On Friday we’ll have an extra hour of practice because the circuit is new to the calendar. I’m just disappointed I won’t be at full fitness because I’d like to pay my team back with a top result. All the guys in the garage, my chief engineer Fabrizio Cecchini included, live close to the track and they’re looking forward to this race.” MARCO MELANDRI: “The medical checks after Brno confirmed a discal hernia between the fifth and sixth vertebrae but luckily the need for surgery was ruled out. I need more rest and physiotherapy right up until the eve of the Grand Prix. The situation is better compared to Brno but I know I am running out of time. I just hope to be in good shape for the race because this is a special Grand Prix for my team. As a circuit Misano has changed a lot from the one we knew: there are some new sections and they are running it in the opposite direction so it’s like a completely new track. The best place to overtake? Under braking at Quercia! It won’t be easy to pass though because there are at least four first gear corners. For me it will be a physically challenging race after the problems I had at Brno. I’ll have to see how it is when I get on the bike on Friday but I’m hoping to be fit. To have a second race in Italy as well as the traditional race at Mugello is a privilege for the Italian riders. Racing in front of our fans is an incredible feeling!” ANOTHER HOME RACE: The MotoGP World Championship returns to Misano after a 14-year hiatus this weekend for the second race of season on Italian soil. For Fausto Gresini’s staff, Misano is as close to a home Grand Prix as they could possibly get, with the Gresini Racing headquarters located just three kilometres away in San Clemente. The Honda Gresini Team’s nerve centre is the epitome of functionality: an area measuring 1,100m², doted with the very latest in motorcycle preparation technology and logistic organisation. Fabrizio Cecchini, who has worked with Fausto Gresini since 1997, when the team was born, is responsible for the technical side of things and oversees the work done to ensure all the preparations are made for a season competing at the highest level. The heart of the racing division lies in two rooms dedicated to bike maintenance and tuning, which are joined on to an engine room. This is also home to the first engine ever used by Team Gresini: Alex Barros’ twin cylinder Honda 500 from 1997. There is also a cleaning room with a bath, where each part of the bike is washed and comes back as new. Team Gresini also has its own facilities to create the interior structure of the pit box. Each year, at the end of the season, plans are made for a new box structure that must improve that of the previous year in terms of both functionality and elegance. There is even a graphic design office, where the bike’s stickers are drawn up. All the material, spare parts and long-haul transporter boxes are stored in a huge warehouse. On the first floor there is a storeroom for the team’s uniform and merchandise. Outside there is a motocross track, where the riders can train on one of the team’s two supermoto bikes.

Defending series champion Ty Howard claimed five wins and knocked almost a full second off of the track record for the counter-clockwise direction at Motorsport Ranch, this weekend, during round eight of the Central Motorcycle Roadracing Association’s Championship Series held at the 1.7 mile, nine-turn facility near Cresson, Texas. Howard turned a 1:13.899 on his Adrenalix-backed GSX-R1000, en route to an easy win in the Northwest Honda Formula 1 Expert race. The old record was a 1:14.862 set by Howard this time last year. The Weatherford, Texas native also claimed wins in the Liberty Motorsports Park B Superstock Expert, South Central Race Center C Superstock, Island Racing Services C Superbike, and RaceworX A Superstock Expert races. One of the most exciting races of the day pitted Princeton, Kentucky’s Jake Lewis against Rockwall, Texas’ Chase Vivion in the GMAN Production 125 GP race. Lewis and Vivion swapped positions at the front several times during the eight-lap race with Lewis taking the win by less than a second at the checkers. Another close race was the Heavyweight Twins Expert race, where Andy Galindo topped Vivion by 0.340 seconds for the win. Other Expert winners included Dustin Dominguez, with two wins, Marv Esterly, Eric Falt, Tyler McDonald, Randall Kienast, Zac Chapman, and Chris Romeo, each with one win. Dustin Doucet, Ricky Jordan and Kory Pappas topped the list of Novice winners. A grid-filling 476 entries took part in Sunday’s sprint racing action at Motorsport Ranch, as class titles begin to get tight with just two races remaining on the schedule. In Saturday’s endurance rounds, Team Ridesmart won the CMRA Shogun Motorsports Big Bike four-hour endurance race, beating Desert-Rats.net by a one-lap margin. Lone Star Track Days finished third, with Moto-Ace Racing and Team Fastlane rounding out the top five overall. GMAN Racing took the Formula 1 class win with a sixth overall finish, while Faltless Racing topped the Formula 2 division in ninth overall. GMAN Racing 2 took the win in the Formula CMRA Mini Endurance race, finishing a full lap ahead of series points leaders Hambone during the two-hour race. Excel Racing beat out No Homeless for third, with Highlands Kawasaki taking fifth. The CMRA returns to action on September 28-29 at Oak Hill Raceway with a full slate of sprint racing and the final round of the Formula CMRA Mini Endurance Series.

Rizla Suzuki racer Cal Crutchlow scored his best ever points haul at a British Superbike meeting at the 11th round of the Championship at Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire today. In front of a massive Bank Holiday Monday crowd and in warm sunshine, starting from seventh on the second row, he finished fifth in the opening race and then went one better to take a career-best-equalling fourth in the second. His round total of 24-points is well ahead of his previous best of 18 at the ninth round at Mallory Park and moves him into the top 10 in the Championship standings. Rizla Suzuki’s Chris ‘Stalker’ Walker kept getting faster as the weekend progressed. He came home with very respectable eight and sixth place finishes after starting from 10th on the grid. Ducati’s Leon Haslam won the opening race and Honda’s Jonathan Rea the second. Crutchlow, Walker and triple British Superbike Champion John Reynolds will be at the annual Crescent Open weekend this Saturday and Sunday September 1st – 2nd at the Performance Centre in Verwood, Dorset. The team returns to race action at Donington Park and the penultimate round of the Championship on September 23rd. Cal: Crutchlow: “I’ve always enjoyed racing at Cadwell Park and without a doubt today has been my best ever on a Superbike. It’s funny because I didn’t have any expectations and simply went out determined to do my best and make sure I got two solid finishes. A few riders fell off and I benefited from that but that’s racing – you have to finish to score points. “The podium is getting closer and closer with every round and that is my target before the season ends. Thanks to my Rizla Suzuki team for all their support over the course of the weekend, they worked non-stop and prepared two fantastic GSX-R1000s for me.” Chris Walker: “I am pleased with sixth place. I think that was as good as we could have expected after a seven year absence from the circuit. My Rizla Suzuki simply got better every time I rode it and I wish there was another day of racing because I think I could improve even further. “I love Cadwell Park and even though I would have preferred a podium finish. I have thoroughly enjoyed coming back to what is a spectacular circuit with the best fans in the world cheering us on.” Simon Buckmaster – Team Manager: “Well done to Cal on his best race day so far on a Superbike. He’s going from strength to strength and along with his whole crew, he is starting to show his true talent. We have high hopes for the rest of the season. “It wasn’t easy for Chris coming back to such a technically difficult and demanding circuit after a seven year absence, but he has done himself and his technicians proud. We are confident he can compete for the podium at the final two rounds and look forward to a good end of the season run with him. “The Rizla Suzuki team continues to improve and progress with every outing and we are now genuine podium contenders. Roll on Donington Park in four weeks time.” Race One Results: 1: Leon Haslam (Ducati) 26:21.047 2: Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) +2.233 3: Tom Sykes (Honda) +2.862 4: Shane Byrne (Honda) +13.872 5: Cal Crutchlow (Rizla Suzuki) +14.196 6: Tommy Hill (Yamaha) +15.968 7: Gregorio Lavilla (Ducati) +34.111 8: Chris Walker (Rizla Suzuki) +34.966 9: James Haydon (Kawasaki) +41.182 10: Scott Smart (Kawasaki) +41.406 Race Two Results: 1: Rea 27:00.039 2: Kiyonari +1.085 3: Lavilla +1.208 4: Cal Crutchlow (Rizla Suzuki) +4.421 5: Sykes +6.681 6: Chris Walker (Rizla Suzuki) +11.459 7: Hill +13.608 8: Haydon +16.250 9: Steve Plater (Yamaha) +16.624 10: Michael Rutter (Kawasaki) +19.127 Championship Positions (after 11 of 13 rounds): 1: Kiyonari 388 2: Rea 347 3: Haslam 313 4: Lavilla 294 5: Byrne 257 6: Sykes 230 7: Leon Camier (Honda) 199 8: Chris Walker (Rizla Suzuki) 183 9: Hill 135 10: Cal Crutchlow (Rizla Suzuki) 125 More, from a press release issued by Stobart Motorsports: ANOTHER PODIUM SUCCESS FOR SYKES 2007 Bennetts British Superbike Championship Round 11 Cadwell Park, Lincolnshire Monday 27th August 2007 Stobart VK Vent Axia Motorsport rider Tom Sykes made it a third successive podium with a battling third place in the opening race of round eleven of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship held at Cadwell Park today. Starting from the front row of the grid the 21 year old Yorkshireman followed up a double podium success last time out at Croft with some more silverware as he continued his sensational run of results. However sadly in race two he couldn’t make it four consecutive podiums when he ran wide whilst battling it out at the front and as a result had to settle for fifth place in front of a massive record crowd at the Lincolnshire venue. For team mate Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne it was another weekend of mixed fortunes and after following up a superb fourth place in the opening race, the 30 year old Londoner crashed out of race two when well placed late on and unfortunately could not add to his championship tally. Tom Sykes: “I got a good start in both races but I was struggling a bit in the first race so I tried something with the electronics and it helped and then a couple of riders went down and gifted me the podium, but I’ll take it and enjoy it as well! I was running consistent lap times in the second race and was lying in third behind Kiyo and there was only one place where I knew I could pass him but when I made my move the rear tyre locked up and I ran wide. I’ve had a great season so far, the team and Dunlop have been great and I’m looking forward to the remaining two rounds and hopefully carry on with some more podiums.” Shane Byrne: “It’s not for the lack of trying! In the second race I was dreading the restart when the pace car came out, but I went so much better and was feeling really comfortable on the bike. I was on the back of Greg (Lavilla) and looking at going for second place but coming up the mountain Greg slowed a little in front of me and I just went off sideways and that was it.” Paul Bird: “It was looking really good until the last lap and a half and it looked like we were going to have one of our best results of the year. Both riders are trying so hard and I’m sure we will have a double podium by the end of the year. It’s great that our private team is battling with the factory bikes at every round now and I’m really pleased with both riders – you can’t knock them for trying.” The penultimate round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship takes place at Donington Park in four weeks time with Sykes looking to make it three podiums at three different venues and Byrne hoping he can add to the victory that he took at Mallory Park back in July. Race 1 Result: 1, Leon Haslam (Ducati) 26m21.047s, 2, Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) +2.233s, 3, Tom Sykes (Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport Honda) +2.862s, 4, Shane Byrne (Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport Honda) +13.872s, 5, Cal Crutchlow (Suzuki) +14.196s, 6, Tommy Hill (Yamaha) +15.968s, 7, Gregorio Lavilla (Ducati) +34.111s, 8, Chris Walker (Suzuki) +34.966s, 9, James Haydon (Kawasaki) +41.182s, 10, Scott Smart (Kawasaki) +41.406s. Race 2 Result: 1, Jonathan Rea (Honda) 27m00.039s, 2, Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) +1.085s, 3, Gregorio Lavilla (Ducati) +1.208s, 4, Cal Crutchlow (Suzuki) +4.421s, 5, Tom Sykes (Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport Honda) +6.681s, 6, Chris Walker (Suzuki) +11.459s, 7, Tommy Hill (Yamaha) +13.608s, 8, James Haydon (Kawasaki) +16.250s, 9, Steve Plater (Yamaha) +16.624s, 10, Michael Rutter (Kawasaki) +19.127s. Bennetts British Superbike Championship Positions after Round 11 1, Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) 388pts 2, Jonathan Rea (Honda) 347pts 3, Leon Haslam (Ducati) 313pts 4, Gregorio Lavilla (Ducati) 294pts 5, Shane Byrne (Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport Honda) 257pts 6, Tom Sykes (Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport Honda) 230pts 7, Leon Camier (Honda) 199pts 8, Chris Walker (Suzuki) 183pts 9, Tommy Hill (Yamaha) 135pts 10, Cal Crutchlow (Suzuki) 125pts Round 1 7th to 9th April Brands Hatch GP, Kent Round 2 14th/15th April Thruxton, Hants Round 3 27th/29th April Silverstone, Northants Round 4 5th/7th May Oulton Park, Cheshire Round 5 18th/20th May Snetterton, Norfolk Round 6 15th/17th June Mondello Park, Co Kildare Round 7 30th June/1st July Knockhill, Fife Round 8 13th/15th July Oulton Park, Cheshire Round 9 20th/22nd July Mallory Park, Leics Round 10 10th/12th August Croft, North Yorkshire Round 11 25th/27th August Cadwell Park, Lincolnshire Round 12 21st/23rd September Donington Park, Leics Round 13 12th/14th October Brands Hatch Indy, Kent More, from a press release issued by Brendan Roberts’ publicist: Stunning Win for Roberts Australian Brendan Roberts finally took to the top step of the podium for Buildbase Ducati at round nine of the Metzeler National Superstock Championship at Cadwell Park this weekend. The talented youngster looked totally dominant throughout the 14-lap race and the weekend, which saw him take pole position, the lap record and the race win, a tidy hat-trick for Roberts and the team. Roberts who is also competing in the FIM 1000 Superstock Cup with the Ducati Xerox Junior Team gave the UK based Buildbase Ducati team something to smile about when he took their first race win this season. This was his first triumph in dry conditions after suffering serious damage to his right wrist at the beginning of the season and is a good sign that the injury is healing. Roberts was on stunning form throughout the weekend on the Ducati 1098 and set impressive lap record breaking times throughout the qualifying sessions and broke his own personal lap record, which he set last year on a Kawasaki. Sat at the top of the qualifying sheets in both sessions he was eager to take a race victory, as he last win in the British Championship was back in August last year at Croft Circuit. A delighted Roberts commented “It’s been a great weekend and I’m really pleased to be back on the top of the podium in the British series. It’s my first win in the dry since I did my wrist and a confidence builder for myself and hopefully proves that my it’s healing and I’m finally on the mend. It’s been a long process and it’s been great for everyone. J Lav was second so the team couldn’t ask much more, everyone at Buildbase worked so hard and the team provided me with a great package and I was able to return the favour with achieving their first win this season. I go to Germany the week after next and hopefully I can get some strong results there before coming back to Donington for a double barrelled round.” His next race is at Lausitz on the 7th 9th September.

ROCKSTAR SUZUKI SUPERBIKE SHOWDOWN FACT SHEET When: Friday, Saturday & Sunday (Aug. 31-Sept 2) Where: Road Atlanta (2.54-mile road course) in Braselton, GA Races: Friday 8 am 6 pm Practice & Qualifying Saturday 3:20 pm Superbike Championships presented by Parts Unlimited 4:45 pm Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme presented by HMR Sunday Noon USGPRU 1 pm AMA Superstock presented by Dynojet 2 pm Pro Honda Oils Supersport presented by Shoei Helmets 3 pm Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited Tickets: Available at the Gate $75 3-Day Ticket $60 Sunday Only $60 Saturday Only $15 Paddock Pass $15 Fan Ride Children 12 & Under Are Always Free! Websites: www.roadatlanta.com www.ussuperbike.com Races at a Glance Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited Ben Spies vs. Mat Mladin. #1 vs. #66. Defending AMA champion vs. Six-Time AMA champion. Yoshimura Suzuki teammates Ben Spies and Mat Mladin will resume their battle for supremacy in the AMA Superbike Series presented by Parts Unlimited this weekend at Road Atlanta during the Rockstar Suzuki Superbike Showdown doubleheader. Mladin has a definite advantage at Road Atlanta, where he has won nine career Superbike races, including a doubleheader sweep last year. He won four straight races and trimmed Spies’ lead in the championship standings to just six points. Spies has never won a Superbike race at Road Atlanta. Action starts Friday with practice and preliminary qualifying. Championship points paying races are scheduled both Saturday and Sunday. And every point is important, including the three available bonus points (fastest qualifier, and then one each to the rider who leads the most laps in each 25-lap race). Spies Also After Superstock Title Ben Spies is chasing two AMA championships this year. But while his Superbike lead is just six points over Yoshimura Suzuki teammate Mat Mladin, Spies has a more-than-comfortable 51-point lead in AMA Superstock presented by Dynojet competition. Spies has six wins on his #11 Suzuki GSX-R1000 and even picked up a point for being fastest qualifier at the rained out Mid-Ohio race. He can clinch the title by finishing sixth or better in Sunday’s 15-lap race. Ben Bostrom is second with 203 points, but has not won a Superstock race this year on his #155 Yamaha YZF-R1. Aaron Yates of Milledgeville, GA, is third with 202 points, including a victory at Barber on his #20 Michael Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000. Hayes Can Clinch Formula Xtreme Title Josh Hayes should easily clinch the Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme presented by HMR title Saturday at Road Atlanta. He holds a commanding 63-point lead over Steve Rapp in the championship standings, with only the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca event remaining on the calendar. A rider can earn a maximum of 38 points in an AMA race, including bonus points for being fastest qualifier and then leading the most laps in the race. Unofficially, Hayes earns the title by finishing 18th or better in Saturday’s 15-lap race. Hayes has won six races this year aboard his #1 Honda CBR600RR while Rapp has one victory on his #15 Kawasaki ZX-6R Hayden, Hacking Battle for Supersport Title The battle between Roger Hayden and Jamie Hacking for the Pro Honda Oils Supersport presented by Shoei probably won’t be decided at Road Atlanta Sunday unless one of them has a disastrous day like Hacking had at Barber Motorsports Park earlier this year. Hacking dropped out of the Barber race and finished 39th, earning only the single point he got for being fastest qualifier. Coming into Road Atlanta, Hayden leads 241-230 despite the fact that he has only one win on his #95 Kawasaki ZX-6R while Hacking has four wins on his #2 Kawasaki ZX-6R. Entertainment Free Fan Party in the Paddock Features Autograph Session Fans attending the Free Fan Party in the Paddock Friday at Road Atlanta will have an opportunity to collect autographs from some of the biggest stars in motorcycle racing, including a special appearance by 1993 500cc World Champion Kevin Schwantz, who also runs the highly-successful Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School. Riders will be available for autographs between 6:30 -7:30 pm Friday in the Hospitality Chalet in the Support Paddock. A partial lineup of riders scheduled to appear: 1993 500cc World Champion Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School Kevin Schwantz Yoshimura Suzuki Mat Mladin, Ben Spies, Tommy Hayden Michael Jordan Suzuki Aaron Yates, Jake Holden M4 EMGO Suzuki Geoff May Monster Energy Kawasaki Jamie Hacking Leo Vince Pegram Racing Ducati Larry Pegram Admission is Free to the Fan Party in the Paddock, which will be limited to the Support Paddock. Gates will open at 3 pm and 95.5 The Beat will be broadcasting live from 6-8 pm. Fans will have the opportunity to register to win prizes and will be able to purchase tickets for Saturday and/or Sunday for the Rockstar Suzuki Superbike Showdown. Stunt Tours For the first time ever, the popular Stunt Tours exhibition team will perform at Road Atlanta. A pair of two-man teams will put on an exhibition of motorcycle stunt tricks both Saturday and Sunday. Times are subject to change due to race action on the track.

The Fiat Yamaha Team make the short trip from their Milan base to the Adriatic coast this weekend for their second ‘home’ race of the season as the MotoGP World Championship returns to Misano following a fourteen-year hiatus. The late summer trip to the lively party resort will be anything but a holiday for Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards, however, as they look to overhaul a disappointing run of results and put up a competitive resistance over the final stage of the season. For Rossi, in particular, this is a crucial opportunity to close the gap on series leader Casey Stoner after conceding 39 points to the Australian over the past three races. The Italian has not appeared on the podium during that time but he has yet to go four races without a top three finish since his rookie season in 2000 and he certainly will not be short of support in his quest to maintain that record. Thousands of fans are planning to make the 15km pilgrimage from his hometown of Tavullia to the Misano circuit on foot on Saturday morning and fill the stadium-style banking that surrounds the circuit with his famous yellow colours. Whilst this will be Rossi’s first competitive race at the renowned Italian circuit, his team-mate Colin Edwards has plenty of experience there thanks to his days in the World Superbike Championship, when he finished on the podium on four occasions. However, the track knowledge he gained during that time will be of little use this weekend, with the circuit now running in the opposite direction. In order for the riders to get used to the new layout, they will be given an extra hour of free practice on Friday afternoon and each rider’s tyre allowance has been increased by one front and two rears – taking the total allocation to 15 and 19 respectively. Valentino Rossi “WE WILL DO OUR BEST” Valentino Rossi’s unusual podium dry spell since his victory at Assen two months ago has left him 60 points adrift of Stoner at the top of the championship, with just six rounds remaining to haul himself back into contention. The multi-World Champion has made a habit of defying the odds throughout his glittering career but is well aware of the challenge ahead and is simply looking forward to performing for his home fans this weekend. “It’s always very special for me to race in front of my home fans and Misano is so close to my home that it should be something amazing!” says Rossi. “Anyway, we arrive here not in such great shape, following some disappointing races. We had two days of testing in Brno and, although we weren’t able to find the ‘miracle’ tyres that we were hoping for, we did give a lot of information to Michelin and hopefully they will have been able to use this to do some good work during this week. We will see where we are on Friday morning. “About the track, now they’ve turned it around it’s like a new track for everyone. Even Colin, who knows it well from Superbikes, is expecting that his previous knowledge won’t help, so I think it’s fair to say that we’re all in the same boat. As always we will do our best and I sincerely hope that we can give the Italian fans something to cheer about!” Colin Edwards “KEEP THE FAITH!” Colin Edwards returned home to Texas for a short break after the Brno tests, which saw him complete extensive tyre work alongside Michelin’s engineers. The American also tried some new starting maps but despite his knowledge of the circuit he admits it will be an entirely different kind of map that he will need on Friday morning! “I remember the old layout well so I think my mechanics are going to have to remind me which way to go round the track!” jokes Edwards. “Of course I knew the old track well from my Superbike days and I’ve had some great races there, I liked it a lot. However all that knowledge is pretty much out of the window now we’re going the other way around so I’m pretty much just viewing it as a new track. Of course I know my way around the town well and where to get the best ice cream, but I think I just need to forget everything else I remember about it! “The test at Brno was important to try and get some more data for the tyres because the new tyre rules don’t you give much opportunity to try new things during a Grand Prix. We found a front that I’m pretty happy with and made some improvements with the rear so hopefully that will help. We’re not expecting miracles but we’ve just got to go step-by-step and keep the faith. I’ve been home for a few days so I’m well rested and looking forward to reacquainting myself with Misano!” Davide Brivio Fiat Yamaha Team Director “A SPECIAL PLACE” Fiat Yamaha Team Director Davide Brivio is also excited about the prospect of racing in Italy for a second time this season and looking forward to the extra support and motivation that will bring. However, he says the new engine that Rossi and Edwards tested at Brno will not be available to his riders this weekend and is looking further ahead for updates to the YZR-M1 machines. “Mugello is always an important race for us but Misano is something new and it’s a special place because of the history attached to the circuit,” says Brivio. “It is a second home for Valentino and I’m sure there will be an incredible crowd there for him because it’s so close to Tavullia. It is an area where the passion for motorcycles is very strong and hopefully a lot of fans will come. “For us it is a difficult moment to be going there but you can never be sure what will happen in racing. We’re working hard on our package to try and improve the situation for both our riders and racing at Misano is just an extra motivation for all of us to do well. The new engine we tested at Brno will now go back to Japan for further development and we hope to have it available as soon as possible after this weekend.” Valentino Rossi : Information Age: 28 Lives: London, UK Bike: Yamaha YZR-M1 GP victories: 87 (61 x MotoGP/500cc, 14 x 250cc, 12 x 125cc) First GP victory: Czech Republic, 1996 (125cc) First GP: Malaysia, 1996 (125cc) GP starts: 186 (126 x MotoGP/500cc, 30 x 250cc, 30 x 125cc) Pole positions: 49 World Championships: 7 Grand Prix (1 x 125cc, 1 x 250cc, 1 x 500cc, 4 x MotoGP) Colin Edwards: Information Age: 33 Lives: Conroe, Texas Bike: Yamaha YZR-M1 First GP: Japón, 2003 (MotoGP) GP starts: 78 x MotoGP World Championships: 2 World Superbike

The MotoGP World Championship returns to Misano on September 2nd following a 14 year absence, as the circuit plays host to the GP Cinzano di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini. The MotoGP World Championship leader heading to the San Marino encounter is Australian Casey Stoner, who currently has a cushion of a massive 60 points over nearest rival Valentino Rossi. The Ducati factory rider has won seven races thus far in 2007, including the last two at Laguna Seca and Brno from pole position. A dominant figure in the premier class over the entire season, Stoner has established an advantage that will be difficult to overturn. One of the only riders with previous experience of recovering such a deficit is precisely the man behind him in the classification, Yamaha’s five-time MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi. He came back from 51 points behind current title holder Nicky Hayden last season to lead the standings at the final race, but can he or anyone else do the same to Stoner? Rossi has won just three of the last sixteen races, something well below his usual haul. The Italian will have plenty of support at the next date on the calendar, with Misano sure to play host to thousands of fans committed to the Rossi cause and create scenes akin to those at Mugello earlier this year. Dani Pedrosa has an even harder task ahead of him as the only other rider with a realistic chance of catching his former 250cc rival, 78 points behind Stoner in the championship. Whilst a maiden title seems a tall order for the Spaniard, he has Rossi in his sights for second place in his sophomore season. The Suzuki duo of Chris Vermeulen and John Hopkins are both experiencing their most successful season in MotoGP, with the former having taken his first victory at Le Mans and Hopkins the most recent Suzuki podium finisher with a career best second place in the Czech Republic. The pair are dead level on points after 12 races, and will soon be incorporating a new engine specification on the GSV-R800. A doubt for Misano, Marco Melandri rounds off the top six in the classification. The Gresini Honda rider missed the race at Brno with a neck injury, and has been undergoing further tests to see if he will be fit to compete after two weeks of rehabilitation. The race is an important one for his team, as their headquarters are located close to the Misano circuit. Team-mate Toni Elias is also on the recovery trail after making his return to action at 60% fitness in the Czech Republic. Both riders used the track to complete a late fitness test this month on streetbikes. Experienced faces Colin Edwards, Nicky Hayden, Loris Capirossi and Alex Barros complete the MotoGP top ten, all looking to gain points and places in the remaining races of the 2007 season. Of the MotoGP field, only the aforementioned Gresini Honda riders, Safety Commission members Rossi and Capirossi and one other rider have ridden at Misano. The only additional competitor with experience at the circuit is ironically MotoGP newcomer Anthony West, who took victory on a 600cc bike earlier in the year. The GP Cinzano di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini takes place on Sunday September 2nd, with practice beginning on the preceding Friday. The schedule for Friday will change to allow riders extra time to get to grips with the circuit. An extra hour has been set aside for 800cc practice from 4.15pm local time, with an additional two rear tyres and one front permitted accordingly to tyre companies subject to new this year’s regulations (Michelin and Bridgestone). 250cc In 250cc Jorge Lorenzo maintains his stronghold of the quarter litre leadership. The Spaniard was victorious for the seventh time this season last time out at Brno, and has yet to relinquish the lead in the championship since the season’s start. His current nearest rival is perennial foe Andrea Dovizioso, who has been a consistent podium regular over the past two seasons and has strung together over thirty consecutive points-scoring finishes. The rider with the most at stake at Misano will be Alex de Angelis, riding at his home Grand Prix. After a run of 15 races finishing inside the top four, the Aspar team rider finally came unstuck when he took a tumble in the Czech Republic. He will be hoping to make amends at the San Marino race, and will be one of the favourites as he goes for his second 250cc victory. Dovizioso is 30 points behind Lorenzo, with De Angelis trailing by a further ten. Behind them Alvaro Bautista, Hector Barbera and Mika Kallio complete the top six. 125cc Hector Faubel’s last minute dash to the line at Brno not only won him the 125cc race and the leadership in the general classification, but also brought Spain their 300th Grand Prix victory. The Aspar team rider has been the victor of three hard-fought races in the tightest of the three MotoGP categories. Team-mate Gabor Talmacsi is just ten points behind, and any combination of results could see the lead change yet again between the two. Level in third, Lukas Pesek and Tomoyoshi Koyama have both been race winners this season, as have the remainder of the first seven in the standings, namely Simone Corsi, Sergio Gadea and Mattia Pasini. Circuit Info The Misano circuit is a new challenge for the large majority of the MotoGP riders. Close to the city of Rimini, the circuit was constructed in 1972 and has since undergone an array of modifications. A regular scene for Italian Grands Prix throughout the 80s and early 90s, Misano returns to the MotoGP calendar in 2007. With updated facilities, track and grandstands, Misano Adriatico will hold a maximum capacity of 60,000 spectators. In accordance with MotoGP safety regulations, the 4,200m track will run clockwise for the World Championship races.