Miguel Duhamel Update Torrance, CA: American Honda’s Miguel Duhamel has been released from a Georgia hospital and is currently recuperating in Montreal after suffering injuries during a testing crash at Road Atlanta last week. Duhamel, who was third in points for the 2007 AMA Superbike championship at the time of his crash, suffered a broken rib, punctured right lung, collapsed left lung, a lacerated liver and sprains to both ankles and knees. He is currently getting around on crutches, and plans to see specialists and begin physical therapy as soon as possible. “The impact was extremely hard,” said Duhamel, who crashed into the turn 12 wall after losing the back end of his CBR1000RR Superbike. “I went into the wall feet first, then hit my side. I went through the first three rows of hay bales, and then hit the tire wall. I came to an abrupt halt. I thought for sure I broke my sternum because I couldn’t breathe. I have one broken rib, but they all hurt. From where I crashed and hit the asphalt to the wall is a short distance””maybe 25 feet or so. From hitting the ground to hitting the wall seemed like it took barely a second. I saw the bike go into the wall and take out the air fence. I remember going through the hay bales, just blowing them up like they were mini shredded wheats. I don’t think I had the benefit of hitting the air fence. Mat Mladin and Kevin Schwantz placed extra hay bales there earlier in the day, exactly where I hit, so a big thanks to those guys.” Duhamel will not be competing at the Virginia International Raceway national this month, and is taking his rehabilitation one day at a time. “I’m pretty fearless with broken bones,” said Duhamel, “but internal injuries are another story. “I want to take this time to thank everyone who has called, texted, faxed and visited me at the hospital,” said Duhamel. “The support has been amazing. I’ll be back out there as soon as humanly possible.”

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (August 16, 2007) Three-time AMA Grand National Champion and 1988 AMA Superbike Champion Bubba Shobert was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America when the prestigious organization staged its annual induction ceremony Aug. 15 in Detroit. Shobert, who was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998, is one of only four riders in the history of AMA racing to complete the AMA Grand Slam, by winning races in five different disciplines: the Grand National half-mile, mile, TT, short-track and national road racing. The only other riders to accomplish this rarest of feats in motorcycle racing were Dick Mann, Kenny Roberts and Doug Chandler. Shobert was forced to retire from racing in the prime of his career after suffering head injuries in a freak accident at the U.S. World Championship Road Racing Grand Prix in 1989. Shobert recovered from the injuries, but never returned to racing. He was honored as the AMA Pro Athlete of the Year in 1986 and 1987. Shobert was inducted this year along with NASCAR champion Bill Elliott, Indy car mechanic-team manager Jim McGee, 1960 Indy 500 winner Jim Rathmann, Goodyear and Indy Racing League executive Leo Mehl, the legendary Pro-Stock drag racing team of Ronnie Sox and Buddy Martin and SCCA and Sebring legend John Fitch. Mehl also has deep ties with the AMA. He served as a consultant to AMA Pro Racing in the early 2000s. Shobert was named Rookie of the Year in 1980 and he went on to win the AMA Grand National Championship in 1985, ’86 and ’87. He then focused on road racing and won the AMA Superbike title in 1988. All of his titles came while riding for Honda. “It’s a great honor to be inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame,” Shobert said. “To be up there with all the greats from racing is something I never dreamed would happen.” Shobert joins a select list of motorcycle racers enshrined in the Motorsports Hall of Fame that includes Jeff Ward, Jay Springsteen, Don Vesco, Gary Nixon, Eddie Lawson, Freddie Spencer, Bob Hannah, Bart Markel, Carroll Resweber, Jim Davis, Malcolm Smith, Roger DeCoster, Dick Mann, Joe Petrali, Joe Leonard, Kenny Roberts, and Cannonball Baker. 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.

The Ninja ZX-RR machines on which Kawasaki’s Randy de Puniet and Anthony West will return to action at this weekend’s Czech Republic Grand Prix will look decidedly different to the bikes they stepped off at Laguna Seca ahead of the three week summer break. For the remainder of the 2007 MotoGP season the Kawasaki Racing Team will run in the traditional Kawasaki lime green, rather than the metallic green that made it’s first appearance on the Japanese manufacturer’s Ninja ZX-RR machines during pre-season testing. While the metallic green was popular in some quarters, the overall consensus amongst Kawasaki fans worldwide was that the new colour didn’t properly reflect Kawasaki’s rich racing heritage, built on the back of success with on and off road competition machines sporting the traditional Kawasaki lime green livery. “The metallic green we ran on our Ninja ZX-RR MotoGP bikes during the first part of the season generated some lively discussion amongst Kawasaki fans worldwide,” commented Ian Wheeler, Kawasaki’s Communications Manager. “But, while the colour was well received by some, research by our colleagues in Japan clearly showed that the majority of Kawasaki fans worldwide felt the traditional lime green a more appropriate colour for Kawasaki’s factory MotoGP machines. For this reason, the Ninja ZX-RR bikes of Randy de Puniet and Anthony West will run the traditional lime green livery from Brno onwards.” “It’s meant a lot of work during the summer break for quite a few people, both in Europe and Japan, as we’ve had to change the livery on not only the bikes, but also the race transporters, the pit display and a whole host of other items. But, this is what Kawasaki’s loyal racing fans have told us that they want, so we’re happy to do it. It will be strange to see the bikes back in the traditional colour at Brno, but sort of reassuring at the same time: Kawasaki’s racing bikes have been lime green for a good few years, and it looks like they will remain so for some time to come,” concluded Wheeler. The lime green liveried Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR machines will make their first appearance on track during Friday morning’s opening practice session ahead of this weekend’s Czech Republic Grand Prix.

The on-track action resumes tomorrow for the riders of the MotoGP World Championship, but a flurry of post-vacation activity has well and truly kicked preparations for the Cardion ab Grand Prix Ceske Republiky into gear. Although the Brno circuit in the Czech Republic plays host to the latest round of the series, neighbouring Austria was also treated to the sights and sounds of the bikes used to compete in MotoGP when Vienna’s main street was closed off for a demonstration by riders Carlos Checa, Sylvain Guintoli and Ivan Silva onboard their 800cc machines. 10,000 fans saw the riders strutting their stuff, with Checa in particular putting on a show with a spectacular burnout. 250cc rider Mika Kallio and 125cc starlets Randy Krummenacher and Michael Ranseder also took to the street, whilst Marco Melandri made an appearance to sign autographs and speak to the media. After the event, which took place in front of the Rathaus parliamentary building and the national Burg Theatre, the riders headed across the border to begin their preparations for their latest challenge in Brno. In big news, Loris Capirossi took the relative calm of a pre-race Thursday afternoon to make an announcement about his MotoGP future. Departing Ducati after five fruitful seasons, the Italian will ride for Suzuki in 2008, with an option in place for a further year. The veteran extended thanks to both teams, and reiterated his commitment to going out on a high with a strong final part of the season. Capirossi was in a talkative mood, on double duty owing to his participation in today’s official press conference alongside current team-mate World Championship leader Casey Stoner, future partner Chris Vermeulen, returning Gresini Honda rider Toni Elias and third placed Dani Pedrosa. All riders filled the media in on what they have been up to since the last race at Laguna Seca just under a month ago, and expressed their desire to get back in the saddle at a popular track with the MotoGP field. Casey Stoner “It was good to get back home and in shape for the last part of the season, and it seems that the Australian public are really getting behind me. I’m ready for the final races, and I’m hoping to take the fight a step further. In the past 12 sessions I’ve been fastest 11 times, so I hope I can quickly get into the rhythm here, even though I know that it will be hard work. “Here is one of my favourite circuits alongside Mugello and Phillip Island. It’s getting a bit bumpy, but it’s not so bad. I’m confident in myself to finish the job.”

KTM adds an intoxicating dash of orange to Vienna’s Ringstrasse Road Racing fans in downtown Vienna had an exciting glimpse of the excitement to come at this weekend’s Grand Prix in Brno, Czech Republic when riders from the Red Bull KTM GP Team joined other racing colleagues for a special MotoGP promotion. The dedicated MotoGP fans were there. So were the tourists, the curious and even the mildly bemused. Some 10,000 people lined a section of Vienna’s regal Ringstrasse and also transformed the steps of the elegant Parliament House into an impromptu grandstand. On Wednesday, MotoGP came to Vienna, bringing with it the intoxicating smell of gasoline, the roar of high-tech engines and a true shot of adrenalin to this city that thrives on a more sedate image expressed in its history, music and culture. For Red Bull KTM’s factory riders Mika Kallio (250ccm) and Randy Krummenacher (125ccm) it was also a special occasion. “It was a great atmosphere and a nice experience,” young Swiss rider Randy Krummenacher told the crowd later. His Finnish KTM team-mate agreed. “We have done this kind of promotion before in Estoril a couple of years ago, but here there were a lot more people,” Kallio said. “I think we could do this more often.” Kallio, Krummenacher and the other participating MotoGP riders showed off their bikes and their skills against the stunning backdrop of some of Vienna’s most grandiose public buildings – the Gothic-style City Hall, Parliament House and the National Theater. After the ride the boys in orange tireless signed autographs for the hundreds of fans who wanted to document the moment and take home a souvenir. On Sunday the KTM factory team returns to the business of serious racing – championship points and the fight for podium places at the Czech Grand Prix. Brno, a racing circuit that has hosted top class motor sports since the 1930s, is a popular venue for Austrian fans and many of those who lined the Ringstrasse will travel north to enjoy Sunday’s MotoGP. With appetites now whetted, they will be in Brno to see their KTM idols open the throttle, lean into the corners at angles that defy the laws of gravity and charge the straight to the checkered flag. Kallio, Krummenacher and their teammates are determined to make it an occasion to remember in what is, in effect, the Red Bull KTM GP team’s “home” Grand Prix.