Dave Despain, host of Wind Tunnel and Inside Nextel Cup on SPEED, seems to always have an interesting perspective on the world of racing both auto and motorcycle. The Georgia resident spends much of his time talking with fans within each discipline of the sport, which is where Despain comes from on most issues. The following is a discussion about many of the storylines surrounding racing as we move through the middle part of the 2007 season: SPEED: In your opinion, what’s the biggest news story in motorsports so far in 2007? Dave Despain: It may well be the one that’s breaking as we speak, which is the whole Ferrari and McLaren espionage story that’s been kind of bubbling for a long time now. If some of these revelations that have come out over the past week or so prove to actually amount to something that could be huge. Beyond that, I think certainly in terms of the American audience, the continuing evolution of NASCAR is pretty interesting because the pace of change in that series has increased pretty dramatically in the last four or five years. How that all shakes down in terms of whether traditional fans and new fans accept those changes and remain fans I think will determine the future of the series. The development in that area with the most impact this year has been the ‘Car of Tomorrow’ (CoT). The jury is still out on whether people are going to love or hate it. An awful lot of traditionalists seem to hate it, which puts it in the same category, in my opinion, with a lot of the other changes that have come together over the last few years – the change in the championship format being the most notable example. Traditional fans are having a hard time with this, and how that connects to the empty seats and ratings decline we keep hearing about I’m not sure anybody knows. I’m not sure anyone in NASCAR knows, but over time will all of this change – designed to broaden the appeal of the sport – make it a more mainstream, ‘major league’ sport? It’s still way too early to tell or determine the success of that effort, but to the extent that NASCAR is the most popular motorsport in America, it has huge potential consequences for American racing. SPEED: Do you think the CoT is the right direction for NASCAR? Despain: I think they (the CoT) eliminate an awfully important part of the traditional appeal to the sport when they make all the cars the same. With that said, I don’t view the CoT as nearly the departure an awful lot of the fans I hear from think it is. They seem to view this as some huge break with the past because now the cars are all the same. My argument is that the cars have been virtually identical for a long time now. In that context, I don’t see very much difference between the old car and the new car. On the old car, basically the only changes were a few tweaks in the nose, other than that, they were the same. So I don’t see how the CoT is a huge step. But symbolically, for the fans, it is a huge step. They see this as NASCAR officially embracing the idea that this is some type of IROC series. I don’t think traditional fans like that, and I think the consequences of that will be huge. While the CoT races have been good, I think you’ll need a lot more than whatever we’ve run to judge its success in terms of improving the level of competition, lowering the cost of racing and all the other things it was intended to do. On the key issue of safety, again, I think the jury is still out. I think we’ll be able to see how safe the cars really are when we see a few of them hit the wall at 180 mph. Certainly on paper it’s a safer car and I think that’s good and important. Over the last half century, the single most important change in racing is the fact that we no longer maim and kill racers at the rate we once did. Let’s hope the CoT is another step in that evolution. SPEED: Where does Dale Earnhardt, Jr.’s move to Hendrick Motorsports place them among the all-time race teams in history? Is it really that significant? Despain: Well, it certainly makes them potentially a ‘Super Team,’ if their not already a ‘Super Team.’ But it’s so easy to get caught up in band wagons. It was just two and a half years ago all the fuss was about Roush being a ‘Super Team’ with five cars in ‘The Chase.’ There were calls to do something about this because they were called a ‘dynasty’ and way too powerful. Now, two and a half years later, we’re saying the same thing about Hendrick. It’s way too early to reach that conclusion. The implication in Junior’s move is that he’s a better driver than his record indicates. He’s not saying that, but it’s the implication in the decision he made, and the limiting factor has been DEI (Dale Earnhardt, Inc.). Now, he will be with the team that, at the moment, has the best equipment in the sport. If we see a significant up-tick in Junior’s numbers, the pace at which he wins races, and the fact of an eventual championship, then yeah, you’ve got three guys on one team that will at that point all have been champions. That’s pretty stout, and I’m not sure we’ve seen that before. In a sport that can see such dramatic change, from a Roush dynasty to a Hendrick dynasty in two and a half years, I don’t think that probably ranks as an earth-shaking development. I mean, by the time Junior reaches his full potential, will Jeff Gordon be ready to give it up? They may not be that far apart in age, but they are way far apart in experience and achievement, so I think it’s unrealistic to think they’ll both be racing together in 10 or 15 years. SPEED: Does Formula One miss Michael Schumacher? Despain: It does depend on if you’re a Michael Schumacher fan, doesn’t it? There was a love-hate relationship as far as the fans were concerned with Michael. He was an easy guy to love for his obvious abilities and achievement; but he was also an easy guy to hate for different reasons. I’m only being a little bit flippant about that. I think those that loved him, miss him terribly and those that hated him are glad he’s gone. I wouldn’t want to try and put a number on either side of that equation because I don’t know. Anytime you have a dominant figure in the sport that leaves, there is a huge potential for things to be better because suddenly you have competition. You have a battle for who’s going to be the next Michael. Is there going to be a next Michael? Never mind that, who’s going to win the next race because Michael’s not there as the weekly favorite? The timing is spectacular for Lewis Hamilton to emerge, just as Michael Schumacher exits the stage. Not that I think Lewis is the next Michael, but he’s certainly arrived as a powerful personality, who takes the edge off Michael’s loss because all of a sudden you love him, or hate him. You love McLaren or hate McLaren, whatever. There’s also a fascinating dynamic involved in the whole Hamilton, (Fernando) Alonso, (Kimi) Raikkonen, (Felipe) Massa fight which has the potential to be one of the best in Formula One for a long time. I don’t think there’s a whole lot to choose among those guys when it comes to superiority. They all have an awful lot of talent, but it’s conceivable that Hamilton might be a whole lot better than any of them over the long haul, but we’re not there yet. Right now, I think this is a pretty interesting Formula One season and it’s a whole heck of a lot more interesting without Michael. SPEED: What’s the future of Formula One in the United States, especially on the heels of Indianapolis pulling out of the 2008 U.S. Grand Prix? Despain: I think Formula One is difficult for the American race fan because it’s very different from most of what we have in American racing. If you just look at the ratings, they are a statistical minority. I draw the analogy to motorcycling it’s huge in the the rest of the world, but not in America. Motorcyclist take perverse pride in that because its, ‘We get it and most of America doesn’t.’ Soccer is the same way, and I think Formula One is like that too. The American fans who get it take pride in that fact, but most American fans don’t get it. They watch these races where the lead never or rarely changes hands on track, and don’t get what all the excitement is about. They apparently don’t have the appreciation for the technology like the Formula One purist does, and I don’t see that changing dramatically any more than I see soccer becoming a mainstream American spectator sport. It’s had, however, many years to do that, and I don’t remember when Pele was introduced to the New York media as the guy who was going to put soccer on the American sports map, but I’m pretty sure that didn’t happen. I think Formula One is probably going to be the same thing. You might see incremental increases in the audience as SPEED continues to do a spectacular job of covering the sport, and as the American presence in the sport we’ve had a grand prix now for the past seven years or so and we have an American driver in the series, albeit not for long if some of the rumors are true. I think those things will contribute in small ways to the popularity. I don’t look for some type of breakthrough that makes Formula One a mainstream sport in American racing. SPEED: On the grand scale of racing, is Nicky Hayden the greatest American driver in the world today? Despain: He’s a world champion and you can’t take that away from him. But on the other hand, a world championship is a snapshot in time. Is Nicky week in and week out better than Valentino Rossi? No. If you look at their records over the time Nicky has been there, and the time they have been racing head to head, Rossi is better. But Rossi was not better last year. These kinds of comparisons are so hard to make, but is he the best American yeah. There’s nobody else in any other international series that’s done anything close to that lately. Clearly he’s the best American and had a much better record than Scott Speed. You could argue that Formula One is tougher than MotoGP, but I don’t know that that’s true. It’s a hard question to answer. SPEED is the nation’s first and foremost cable television network dedicated to motor sports and the passion for everything automotive. From racing to restoration, motorcycles to movies, SPEED delivers quality programming from the track to the garage. Now available in more than 76 million homes in North America, SPEED is among the fastest-growing sports cable networks in the country, the home to NASCAR on SPEED and an industry leader in interactive TV, video on demand, mobile initiatives and broadband services.

MotoGP action returns to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca this week for the third time since the reintroduction of the U.S. round to the World Championship calendar in 2005. The Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix takes place on Sunday July 22nd at the famous American track, and could prove to be one of the crucial races of 2007. Casey Stoner arrives at Laguna Seca as the MotoGP World Championship leader, and whatever happens he will enjoy his summer break at the top of the classification, courtesy of a 32 point gap between himself and second placed Valentino Rossi. The Ducati rider has been on top form this season, taking five victories in the class and holding a lowest finish of fifth on race day. Last year he crashed out in the U.S. round, but it is a more mature Stoner who is taking MotoGP by storm in 2007, and he will surely be one of the frontrunners at this latest visit stateside. Five-time MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi failed to finish at the last Grand Prix in Germany, allowing Stoner the chance to extend his lead in the title hunt. He suffered a mechanical problem last year in America when leading the race, and will be hoping that history doesn’t repeat itself this year as he looks to regain his crown. Dani Pedrosa finally ended both his and Honda’s winless streak in Germany, and he currently lies third in the standings. The Spaniard trails Stoner by 52 points, and will have to maintain his form to get back in the race for his first MotoGP title. One of a number of home riders set to start at Laguna Seca, John Hopkins is currently on a rich run of form in his most successful MotoGP season to date. The Anglo-American’s move to Kawasaki next year was announced at Sachsenring, but Hopkins remains as driven as ever to get results whilst with Rizla Suzuki until the end of the season. He lies just ahead of Marco Melandri and team-mate Chris Vermeulen in the classification, with the latter having taken pole last year at the U.S. Grand Prix. Colin Edwards took second place on his first MotoGP visit to his home track in 2005, and knows the circuit well, something that will aid him in the battle with figures like the resurgent Loris Capirossi, reigning World Champion Nicky Hayden and Alex Barros. Hayden has been the revelation of the past two races, starting 13th and 14th on the grid respectively and reaching the third step on the podium. The ‘Kentucky Kid’ has won both battles of Laguna Seca since MotoGP returned in 2005, and has to be considered one of the favourites for victory this weekend. Two riders also well-acclimatised to the circuit will be making one-off appearances at the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix. The World Champion’s brother Roger Lee Hayden will make it a family affair when he takes a wild card spot for Kawasaki in one of their key markets, whilst AMA Superbike legend Miguel DuHamel will undertake his first MotoGP race since 1992 when he stands in for Toni Elias in the Gresini Honda team. Both riders are also entering the AMA races on July 22nd, making them the first riders to compete in both championships on the same day and the first to ride an additional race to MotoGP since Chris Walker at Donington in 1995. The 250cc and 125cc World Championships take a break from competition until the next round at Brno in August. Circuit Info The Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix takes place on July 22nd, with practice beginning on the preceding Friday at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca played host to Grand Prix events between 1988 and 1994, but advancements in MotoGP racing machines required the event to be put on hold while the track was modified and adapted to meet present day safety requirements. Since December 2004 the circuit has undergone major changes, primarily to increase track safety. The first phase of modernisation included an expanded exit lane, replacement of the kerbs and widening of the main straight, whilst more recent changes involved moving back walls to create bigger run-off areas. The circuit’s principal features, however, remain the same, with 3,58 km of track and 11 curves. Temperatures at the track reach scorching levels, and last year the track had to be repaved in preparation for the MotoGP race, with another resurfacing project having taken place since then.

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (July 17, 2007) The Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship presented by Shoei is traditionally one of the closest competitions in all of AMA racing. This season’s championship chase has only added to the series’ 20-year legacy. When the Supersport riders roll into Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on Saturday, July 21, fans will witness a fierce three-way battle for the 2007 title. The race is part of the jam-packed Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix weekend July 20-22 in Monterey, Calif. Erion Honda’s Josh Hayes, of Gulfport, Miss., leads the Supersport Championship coming into Saturday’s event, round seven of 11. Hayes has watched his once solid series lead dwindle to just nine points over rival Roger Hayden, the Owensboro, Ky., of Monster Energy Kawasaki. Hayes scored a season low seventh at the most recent round at Miller Motorsports Park due to an overheating problem with his bike. He’ll be looking to rebound with a good performance at Laguna Seca. His previous best result in the race was eighth in 2001. He figures to improve on that this weekend. Another major concern to Hayes is the mid-season charge being made by Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Jamie Hacking. Hacking, the defending series champ of Denver, N.C., has worked his way back into position to win a third Pro Honda Oils Supersport title after a spectacular crash at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama, in April. Not only is Hacking the hottest Supersport rider coming into Laguna Seca, he’s also the all-time Laguna Supersport wins leader, having earned a record fourth victory at the scenic circuit last year. “Our goal is to win this championship again,” said Hacking, who won the most recent round in Tooele, Utah. “I’ve never given up and have clawed my way back into this thing. I’m really looking forward to going back to Laguna Seca. Obviously I’ve had a great history there and if I can get another win we’ll be right where we need to be going into the homestretch.” Roger Hayden has a ton of incentive for doing well at Laguna. He has aspirations of joining his brother Nicky on the MotoGP circuit and a win in front of the team bosses this weekend could do nothing but improve his image among the world championship teams. The youngest of the three racing Hayden brothers is also a two-time runner up in AMA Supersport and he’d love to finally earn a national championship after eight years in the pro ranks. Hayden will be pulling double duty at Laguna, riding a MotoGP bike for Kawasaki as well. Steve Rapp is a native of Northern California and he would love to turn in a good ride at Laguna Seca aboard the Attack Kawasaki. Rapp is ranked fourth in the series and already has scored a podium finish this year. Other riders who have been strong in recent rounds include M4 EMGO Suzuki riders Geoff May and Martin Cardenas and Erion Honda’s Aaron Gobert. Any one of those riders is a threat to win at Laguna. Both Hayes and Gobert are looking to give Honda its first Laguna Supersport victory in ten years. Yoshimura Suzuki’s Tommy Hayden is another former Laguna Seca Supersport winner. A third career victory at the track this weekend could turn the season around for the eldest Hayden brother. He’s ranked fifth coming into the race with his best result a third in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway. The Laguna Seca round of The Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship presented by Shoei will air on SPEED, Sunday July 22 at 6:00 pm Eastern. Tickets for the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix weekend are available by calling 1-800-327-SECA (7322) or visiting www.laguna-seca.com. 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.

MELANDRI CHASES AMERICAN DREAM AT LAGUNA SECA PREVIEW GP USA – LAGUNA SECA ROUND 11 Just five days after racing at the Sachsenring in Germany, where Marco Melandri returned to the battle for podium positions, the MotoGP World Championship paddock is preparing itself for one final big effort before the three-week summer break. The eleventh round of the season sees MotoGP return to the USA for the third successive year amidst increasing expectation and excitement from the American public. The track has been completely relaid after the problems of last year and the riders can’t wait to reacquaint themselves with the legendary “Corkscrew”, a breathtaking downhill ‘S’ bend that is synonymous with the Californian circuit. Having already stood on the podium here last year and following on from his outstanding performance at Sachsenring, Marco Melandri arrives at Laguna Seca with a special motivation. This weekend the Italian will be joined by a local expert in the shape of Miguel Duhamel, who steps in to replace the injured Toni Elias in what promises to be a special home debut. It is a proud moment for Duhamel, who returns to the Grand Prix fold after an absence of more than a decade, although it is sure to be a massive physical challenge for the veteran as he will combine the one-off ride with his regular duties in the AMA Superbike category. Marco Melandri: “Thanks to the help we had from Honda in Germany we were able to take a big step forward and we were competitive again straight away. For a lot of laps I was thinking I was going to finish up on the podium but in the end I did what I could. The main thing is that I had fun again and got the feeling back with my bike. Now I’m happy to be racing again so soon. I like Laguna Seca a lot – I finished third there last year and the track is really nice, so technical. We’ll have to see what the weather is like, above all the temperature, but I’m convinced the bike and the Bridgestone tyres can work well in America. I want to fight for the podium again, I’m optimistic and I can’t wait to taste that champagne once more. It will be another tough race, though, and I’m going there to have fun. I really like the USA as a country and this year I’ll be wearing a special ‘stars and stripes’ helmet for the occasion.” MIGUEL DUHAMEL: “I still can’t believe it. I’ve been waiting for this moment for such a long time and it is nice to be a part of a team as important as Fausto Gresini’s. I feel bad for Toni Elias and I wish him a speedy recovery, hopefully he will be back on track soon, but I am very excited. My physical training programme has had an extra motivation to it in the build up to this weekend.” THE AMA CHAMPIONSHIP: On Sunday the MotoGP main event will not be supported by the 125 and 250 races, as it is usually, and instead will be joined on the race schedule by the AMA Superbike and Supersport series’. Before the return of the world’s premier motorcycle racing series to Laguna Seca, national attention was focused on the production series, which has been a huge success since the 1970s, producing top international racers such as Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey, Freddie Spencer, Kevin Schwantz and even the current MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden. Miguel Duhamel, 38, is one of the leading riders in the current series and has been for a number of years. The Duhamel name is hugely popular in the States thanks to the success of Miguel’s father Yvonne, who was a huge part of American motorcycling in the ’60s and ’70s as a street racer. He would later contest the World Championship with the unmistakable green colours of Kawasaki – emblazoned with the number 17 that would later be adopted by Miguel. The AMA Superbike Championship, where Duhamel competes against other big names such as Ben Spies, Mat Mladin and the brothers of Nicky Hayden – Tommy and Roger Lee – has a similar formula to WSBK: two races at each event (with the exception of Daytona), one taking place on Saturday and one on Sunday. The difference is that many riders compete in a variety of different categories on the same day – Superstock, Supersport or Formula Xtreme – in a similar way to Grand Prix riders back in the ’70s. Thanks to the popularity of motorcycle imports in the American market and particularly in California, the biggest market in the world in terms of sales, the AMA series continues to generate great interest and excitement, as well as attracting major investment from sponsors. MIGUEL DUHAMEL -Rider profile Date of birth: 26.05. 1968 Born in LaSalle, Quebec, Canada, but now a resident of Las Vegas. Rider with Honda America, contests the AMA Superbike series with the number 17 he inherited from his father, Yvonne. First race: 1976, aged 8 AMA debut: 12.03.1989, Daytona 600 Supersport First AMA National victory: 05.05.1990, 750 Supersport, Road Atlanta, Suzuki Total AMA National series victories: 87. 32 in Superbike 41 in Supersport 13 in Formula Xtreme 1 in Superstock AMA titles: 8 1 x Superbike, 5 x Supersport 600, 2 x Formula Xtreme.

KONICA MINOLTA Honda aiming for a good result in the USA The KONICA MINOLTA Honda Team and rider Shinya Nakano head straight from the heart of Europe to the Californian coast for round 11 of the MotoGP World Championship. With just one week between the German GP and the United States Grand Prix at Laguna Seca, near Monterey, it’s been a rush to travel half-way across the globe to the only race on the MotoGP calendar which takes place on the American continent. This weekend’s race will be the first time MotoGP fans in the USA have had a chance to see the new-breed of 800cc machines. Laguna Seca is 2.24 miles long and like the Sachsenring is one of the few anti-clockwise circuits on the MotoGP calendar. The circuit undulates in a natural bowl in the Monterey hills and is dominated by one legendary corner the Corkscrew. The Corkscrew is a downhill left-right chicane with a blind entry, which is a stern test of rider skill, nerve and machine set-up. Following the American MotoGP race, the championship takes a well-earned three-week break before the season resumes on 19th August at the Brno circuit in the Czech Republic. Gianluca Montiron Team Manager KONICA MINOLTA Honda “For me it is very exciting going to a circuit like Laguna Seca: it is such a spectacular venue and the KONICA MINOLTA Team are always happy to return to the USA. America is a very important market in the world for MotoGP and I really think that the atmosphere over the weekend is really quite unique. From the technical point of view this is the first time the new 800cc MotoGP machines have been seen in the USA and the first time they have experienced the Laguna Seca circuit and for this reason I think that this means it could be a surprise for everybody. Saying that, Laguna is similar in many ways to the Sachsenring: it goes uphill and downhill, doesn’t have any long straights and goes anti-clockwise. The KONICA MINOLTA Honda Team want to do well here and take this final chance of taking some good points that will help us move forward in the championship before the summer break. After the break we are hopeful to receive continued support from our Technical Partners so we can be more competitive in the second part of the season.” Shinya Nakano Rider, KONICA MINOLTA Honda “I enjoy riding around Laguna, it is a very challenging track. After a number of races at Laguna I grew to really like the circuit layout: even if I look at my results there and see they are not so good! But the important thing is that I like the track very much, so I’m confident that if we find a good set-up there we can do very well. I remember last year the track had a new surface and it was so bumpy that everybody complained, so many of us couldn’t ride it very well last year. With a year of use since being re-surfaced, I’m hoping that the bumps have gone!” Giulio Bernardelle Technical Director, KONICA MINOLTA Honda “We think that Laguna Seca will be a good track for our machine as there’s not so many straights and that will help us. Also, as Shinya likes the layout of the circuit this helps too. The layout of the track is very similar in nature to the Sachsenring so the feeling for our rider should be similar. We will need to carry on making some small improvements to our technical package over the race weekend and if we do this then hopefully we will find a way to keep Shinya in the top ten and fighting closer to the top group of riders.”

Bridgestone GP Briefing Round 11: USA Tuesday 17 July 2007 The final race before MotoGP’s traditional summer break takes Bridgestone Motorsport to Laguna Seca for the United States GP, the eleventh round of this year’s championship. Ducati’s Casey Stoner extended his lead of the riders’ classification by eleven points after a determined ride to fifth place in last weekend’s German GP, a race which saw his team-mate Loris Capirossi take the fifteenth podium of the season on Bridgestone tyres. After last season’s Californian heatwave saw track temperatures soar to sixty degrees Celsius, the Laguna Seca track has again been resurfaced ahead of this year’s event. At 3.610km, the circuit is the shortest on the MotoGP calendar, but offers challenges unlike any other, including the world-renowned Corkscrew which initially takes riders uphill to face a blind crest before sending them spiralling downhill in thrilling fashion. Bridgestone has only tackled the MotoGP challenge of Laguna Seca on two previous occasions, so will be using the experiences gather from those two visits in preparation for this year’s event. Chris Vermeulen revelled at the track in 2006 taking pole position on Bridgestone qualifiers, his second pole of the season, before challenging for victory for most of the 32-lap race. He ultimately finished in fifth position ahead of Suzuki team-mate John Hopkins. Tyre Talk with Hiroshi Yamada Bridgestone Motorsport – Manager, Motorcycle Sport Department What are your thoughts about Laguna Seca? “We have only visited Laguna Seca twice with MotoGP since its return to the calendar in 2005 and it is a great venue for racing. New tracks are always challenging and exciting in equal measure because we never really know what to expect, but our tyres have shown a gradual improvement in performance at Laguna over the last two years, highlighted by Chris Vermeulen’s competitiveness there last season. He really demonstrated his prowess around the Laguna track and competed for the victory before running into technical trouble close to the end. However, there are several areas which require attention too, not least the recent resurfacing, which will be our main hurdle to overcome.” What areas of the track pose the most problems? “Obviously, the Corkscrew is the most well known part of the Laguna Seca track, but the right-handers of turns three and four are probably one of the most important parts from a tyre point of view. The circuit layout has more left handers than right, so we need good grip levels on the right hand side of the tyre, while the durability will be the biggest issue for the left. We will be bringing soft and medium compound tyres with us to cope with the anticipated technical characteristics of the track.” What can we expect from Bridgestone if the temperatures are as hot as last year’s US GP, or even as hot as Sachsenring last weekend? “Laguna Seca last year was one of the hottest races on record but the weather forecast for this year’s event does not seem to be quite as hot. The desert location of the track means that if it does get hot, then the track temperature rises quickly. At Laguna last year, even with the extreme and oppressive heat, Vermeulen was able to show excellent pace, so we must look to build on that type of performance with all our teams, whatever the weather this weekend.” Riding Perspective with Suzuki’s Chris Vermeulen “Laguna Seca is a track I really enjoy, it has a lot of character and it is a very up and down hill circuit. Last year, we were very fast at Laguna Seca, I was able to lead part of the race having started from pole position. I had been to the track just once before with World Superbikes and had a lot of success, scoring the double victory. It is actually a demanding and scary circuit, very blind, especially going into the infamous Corkscrew. We go up the hill blind and if you brake a little bit later, which you often think you can, because you are going up hill the bike starts to feel really light and you can’t get enough weight on to the ground, so it is very easy to overshoot there. For me the scariest part of the track is turn 1, at least what is called turn 1, which is the kink in the straight after the start-finish, where we reach speeds of up to 270kmh, over the crest of the hill, and both wheels get really light, sometimes both in the air. It is very hard on tyres coming down from the corkscrew, we get a lot G-force there and there is a lot of banking too.” 2006 Flashback Race Winner Nicky Hayden Honda 45m04.867s Top Rider on Bridgestone (5th) Chris Vermeulen Suzuki 45m32.306s Qualifying Pole Position and Top Rider on Bridgestone Chris Vermeulen Suzuki 1m23.168s

Millnic Media Honda another podium finish – July 17th, 2007 Grattan, Michigan What turned out to be a very interesting day for the four rider team of Millnic Media Honda, on Saturday 14th round 5 of the WERA/AMA National Endurance, took place at Grattan Raceway near Grand Rapids Michigan. When the teams took to the grid for the six hour endurance event rain was falling. The decision was made to have team principal Melissa Paris start the race from sixth on the grid. Melissa was able to ride in the warm-up session one hour before the race, in the rain, but prior to that she had only ridden four total laps ever in the rain, and those four laps ended in a crash. Melissa was nervous without question, but when the first red flag came out 75 minutes after the race had started she was ripping and had done a great job to keep the CBR600RR in contention for a podium finish. With the rain still falling, but the radar showing clear skies an hour away, Millnic Media Honda recruited local hot shot, semi-retired racer Chris Knight to ride. Chris restarted the race on the Dunlop full rain tires and started picking people off with every passing lap. The track was drying and decisions had to be made. Another red flag came out to temporarily stop the race, so strategy ensued. During a red flag in WERA/AMA competition no one can touch the motorcycle. So with full rains on and a quickly drying track Chris went back out while the team prepared for a full tire change to Dunlop DOT’s. It was decided that Josh Hayes would ride the first dry session. Hayes had not visited Grattan since 1996 and had only arrived the evening before at 9PM. Josh would have to go out in the middle of the race and re-learn the tricky circuit. After a phenomenal stint that saw Knight rip off a 1.28 lap time on rain tires, he was brought in for fuel, rider change and a full tire swap. The crew of Stacey Foster, Wyatt Foster, Stephanie White, Doug McCracken and Cindy Stumpf had everything done and Hayes back on track in just about two minutes. Amazingly, within 7 laps, Hayes who leads the AMA Supersport and Formula Xtreme Championships was already turning lap times quicker than anyone in the Middle Weight Superstock class. When race leader and 1000cc mounted Tray Batey went by Hayes, Josh decided to put the hammer down and put in the class fastest lap of the race and the second fastest lap of the race at a 1:21.9 (the fastest lap set by a 1000cc Superbike with slicks was 1.21.3 only .6 faster than the CBR600RR on DOT tires) with 30 laps already on the Dunlop’s. When Josh brought the CBR600RR back in for fuel and rider change, returning to action rider Greg White took the controls. With about 80 minutes remaining in the six hour event White’s job was to hold second in class and six overall. Team Westby had a great day positioning themselves second overall and first in the MSS class by 5 laps. With 40 minutes to go team Westby came by Millnic Media Honda in the “bowl” section of the circuit and then crashed collecting Greg White with them. With less than 30 minutes on the clock by the time clean-up was complete the race was called. Both riders were OK. In the end Millnic Media Honda scored another podium finish, 2nd in class and 6th overall. The team lost some points to Team Westby but remains second in the championship down by about 13 (using the one throw away round.) For more information on the Millnic Media Honda team and the sponsors who support the team check out http://www.mmhracing.com For more information about WERA and the race this weekend check out http://www.wera.com More, from a press release issued by Martin Jessopp Racing: Highside Hinders Jessopp It was another disappointing weekend for the Riders Racing Ducati team when Martin Jessopp succumbed to the terrible weather conditions and crashed heavily out of the Maxxis British Supersport race at Oulton Park. Jessopp had been running strong all weekend on the Ducati 749 and was unlucky not to finish the 14-lap race. He had ridden well throughout the weekend and had made progress with the bike and found a good set up in both the wet and the dry. Friday’s practice was extremely wet and Jessopp suffered a heavy crash at Druids which left the mechanics with a lot of work to do for the afternoon session, he was back out and put in a healthy time which saw him lying in 10th position. Saturday treated the paddock to some glorious sunshine and Jessopp set some extremely good times, fourth fastest in the morning qualifying session and ended up with a grid position of sixth after the afternoon session. Race day however, was once again wet and unfortunately Jessopp was unable to secure a strong start and slipped down the pack to 13th after the first lap. He got his head down and started chipping away at the riders in front of him and was making good progress through the field. A strong pass on Joe Dickinson on lap five saw him move up to 10th but on the following lap disaster struck when he had an almost identical crash to the one he sustained on Friday at Druids, forcing him out the race. A disappointed Jessopp commented “I was gutted to crash again as I’d felt pretty strong all weekend. I wish we could have a dry race as I found a really good set up on my bike for the dry. The weather keeps changing every weekend but we’ve not had a dry one for a long time. It was a big crash I had in the race, thankfully I am ok but I did a lot of damage to the bike. I feel gutted not for just myself but for the whole team as the boys have worked so hard this weekend to get everything right. I’m hoping at some point this season my luck my take a turn for the better and that I can bring home the bike in one piece and get some decent results in the process. I’m trying to keep focussed for Mallory this weekend.” More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki Press Office: Michael Laverty increased his series lead at the eighth round of the British Supersport Championship at Oulton Park when survival was the order of the day in horrendous conditions at the Cheshire venue. The Relentless Suzuki rider now leads team-mate Ian Lowry by 27 points and Honda rival Dennis Hobbs by 33 points. Having qualified on the front row in fourth position in dry conditions on Saturday, Laverty was happy with his race pace, but like everyone else in the paddock, the Toomebridge rider was well aware of the inclement conditions that he would face on Sunday. Peripheral vision and awareness kept Michael upright for the 14 lap race, and while his main rivals were either struggling with the conditions, or finding their way into the many gravel traps, the Pirelli shod Relentless Suzuki pilot rode like a champion elect. Ian Lowry, although finishing in 11th rode a superb race coming from 26th on lap one, scoring enough points to maintain his second place in the series. Michael Laverty: “I spun off the line but when I got settled I did have ideas of going after McGuinness and Hutchinson. A few hairy moments put paid to that; I just rode for solid points as I knew Ian and Dennis were behind me and possibly struggling a little in the conditions. I was comfortable in third but Jamie Robinson came past with a couple of laps to go and I didn’t want to take any unnecessary risks. I had a little problem with my clutch but nothing serious, and as always, the Pirelli / Suzuki combination was strong enough today to help me increase my lead in the series. I’m happy enough with the result.” Ian Lowry: “It was surely a tough day out there in terrible conditions. When I got away I just kept spinning up, and the more riders that came past I tried even harder and just spun my bike up again and again! When I did get going my lap times in the wet were pretty good, so had I got away, I could have run top five. To come from so far back, I suppose I have to be happy enough and Dennis has only gained a couple of points on me in the series.” Philip Neill – Team Principal: “If I am completely honest, today was obviously not the result that we had set out to achieve; it was a shame to lose our 100% podium success rate from this season so far. However, when a motorcycle race is affected by continuous rainfall normal protocol goes out of the window and it becomes a lottery situation, where you can lose or gain a lot of points. Considering the fact that no one has more to lose than the championship leader, Michael did a sterling job this weekend and we leave Oulton Park quite happy. After consistently setting the fastest race tyre times in dry conditions throughout the weekend Michael was quite confident of another top spot. However a bad start and a small problem with his clutch adjuster late in the race ended what looked to be a certain podium finish. “I feel a little bit sorry for Ian as he is obviously not fully enjoying the current spell of wet weather. However his expertise in these conditions will improve with experience; after all, it is only the fourth time that he has competed in a wet race on Supersport tyres. That said, 11th does not reflect the quality of his ride at Oulton. After suffering from wheel-spin off the start line and dropping to 26th position at one stage on the opening lap, he showed how much he has learnt over this past few weeks by working his way through to 11th on the Relentless Suzuki GSX-R 600 in difficult conditions. On a positive note, our main championship rival Dennis Hobbs finished in ninth position and was being caught rapidly by Ian on the last few laps. If you had told me before the season started that Ian Lowry would be in second position in the British Supersport Championship after 8 rounds I would have been extremely happy. “Thanks to Suzuki, Relentless, Pirelli, WP, Putoline Lubricants, Beacon Security and all our other partners for what has so far been a successful season. We now look forward to a continued test programme that will include Cadwell Park on Wednesday prior to the next round at Mallory Park this coming weekend.” Race Results – Maxxis British Supersport Championship: 1 Ian Hutchinson [Honda] 26:03.600; 2 John McGuinness [Honda] +6.233; 3 Jamie Robinson [Honda] +7.205; 4 Michael Laverty [Relentless Suzuki] +8.378; 5 Billy McConnell [Yamaha] +10.765; 6 Aaron Walker [Honda] +17.298. More, from a press release issued by L.O.C. Endurance: LOC ENDURANCE UNLUCKY IN END OF WET GRATTAN SIX HOUR RACE L.O.C contemplated a name change to Team Hard Luck after a disappointing Third in class and 8th Overall at Saturday’s six hour slip and slide at Grattan Raceway in MI. Team standout Jimmy Vanderhaar went out for the start in conditions resembling a tropical monsoon, without the benefit of the warmth. After a couple of laps to judge the conditions Vanderhaar set about chasing down the lead group fronted by Vesrah’s Trey Batey, and Team Westby’s Dane Westby. Vanderhaar’s lap times steadily came down and by the first red flag bike #77 was sitting third overall second in class with a 1:41:77 fastest lap in the rain showing again Bridgestone Rain tires legendary Superiority. After the restart Vanderhaar brought the bike in for fuel and 2006 Teammate Joe Hayes took the bike out riding for J.B. Layman who was unable to compete. Hayes clicked off consistent ever improving laps in the treacherous conditions maintaining the class position in a solid ride after almost a year off the L.O.C Bridgestone shod Yamaha R6. The team gambled a bit and decided to go to DOT tires a bit earlier than the other teams and brought Hayes in for a front and rear tire change and fuel. Vanderhaar took the bike back out to capitalize on the quick tire change and dry conditions while other teams were still circulating on full rains. The strategy worked and Vanderhaar brought the bike in at the end of his stint second in class, fifth overall with a two lap lead on nearest Middleweight Superstock team Millnic Media Honda. Dan Carr began his stint with a comfortable lead and began picking up speed running consistent laps and all looked well until 35 minutes into the stint the bike’s chain came off entering turn three. “At first I thought I caught a false neutral even though I was not shifting at the time.” But the engine died and I rolled off the track into the grass trying like hell to get it into neutral to restart. I couldn’t get into neutral so I finally got off the bike to look around and saw the chain jammed into the area between the swingarm and rear sprocket. I was able to get the chain on the sprocket and roll it backwards to realign it and took off, but the damage was done. Almost two laps lost.” “Unbelievable” “We have had such bad luck this year, especially after the ride Jimmy put down in the rain, everybody has been riding well, it’s the third race we have been in the top 5 overall and lost.” The bad luck continued with insult to injury in the final hour. Team L.O.C. still had time to catch 2nd in class Millnic Media and was taking time away every lap when with more than 40 minutes to go Class leader Team Westby crashed taking out 2nd in class Millnic Media Honda with Greg White aboard. With 35 minutes left grids were issued and the bikes were clear from the track but inexplicably the race was called final reverting to the lap before the crash ensuring the win went to Westby and second in class to Millnic, both bikes involved in the crash that brought out the red flag. Team rider Dan Carr summed up the frustration “Westby, Millnic, everybody ran great races, but how you can crash in Endurance racing with 45 minutes left and not be penalized at all is beyond me” More, from a press release issued on behalf of Team Toyota Fast Company Racing: CREVIER TAKES MOSPORT SUPERBIKE WIN Fast Company rider now second in point standings BRESLAU, Ont. – Team Toyota Yamaha / Fast Company’s Steve Crevier scored his 24th career Canadian national Superbike win in the fifth round of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship at Mosport International Raceway Sunday. In a difficult race that started in the rain but finished under sunny skies, the Maple Ridge, B.C. racer took his Scott Miller-tuned Yamaha YZF-R1 to a 3.693-second victory over Pascal Picotte. It was the first victory for the newest generation R1 in the Canadian national series. “I don’t necessarily consider myself much of a rain rider but I was pretty comfortable out there and the Pirelli tires were working well in the rain,” said the 42-year-old, who is tied for the lead in all-time national Superbike wins with Jordan Szoke. The win was part of an almost perfect weekend for Crevier. He claimed the Inside Motorcycles Pole Position award in both the Superbike and Yoshimura Pro 600 Sport Bike classes for the doubleheader event, and missed breaking the Superbike record at Mosport by just .005 secs. The six-time Canadian Superbike champion finished second in the first Superbike race, held Sunday morning, and placed third in the first of two Pro 600 Sport Bike races on his Yamaha YZF-R6, giving him podium finishes in three of the four events he competed in. He also set the fastest lap in both Superbike races at Mosport. His only setback came in the second Pro 600 race, when he was robbed of his second victory of the season by a jump start penalty. He set the fastest lap in that event. Crevier’s excellent Superbike results moved him into a clear second place in the Parts Canada standings, 48 points behind Szoke with two races to go. A win is worth 50 points. The series resumes at Atlantic Motorsport Park in Shubenacadie, N.S. Aug. 10-12. “Things have turned around for us,” said Crevier, who has won more Superbike nationals at AMP than any other rider with six. “The R1 was new to us this year but we’ve learned a bit and sort of figured some things out. We’ll see what we can do from here.” Crevier is also a very close second in the Pro 600 Sport Bike standings, just 10 points behind Szoke, with two races remaining.

CHAMPIONSHIP BATTLE BUILDS AS BRNO COMES ON LINE – POPULAR TRACK WAITS FOR TOP SBK RIDERS Considering it was built in a period where slow-paced geometric circuits were the norm, the layout at Brno still relies on natural topography for much of its character, and that fact makes it one of the most eagerly awaited venues for all SBK riders. This will be the 5.394km circuit’s fifth year hosting SBK races, with two events in the nineties now added to by the 2005 and 2006 meetings. Each modern era race has been won by riders still fully active in the 2007 championship chase, making the 2007 races even more of a tantalising prospect for all. Brno is the perfect place to get competitive action back on the agenda, after two recent test sessions – one here at Brno for the top tyre development teams only, and then a more recent outing to new track of Vallelunga for all the SBK and WSS teams who wished to attend. CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT SET TO RUN AND RUN James Toseland (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) may have looked like a clear championship bet after four or five rounds, but as we approach round nine, his rivals are massing on the borders of his reduced 21-point championship lead. Twenty-one may be an ominous number all round, as it is the race number of his new number one threat, Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) who currently leads Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia) by five points. Between the top three there have been 13 victories in 15 attempts (after one cancelled race at Silverstone robbed us all of the scheduled 16th). BIAGGI GOES BACK TO ONE OF HIS FAVOURITE HAUNTS In fourth place, some 43 points behind Toseland, Max Biaggi (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) has frequently found himself in a new situation this season, but at Brno at least he not only has previous knowledge from many years of GP racing and winning in the Czech Republic, but he also relies on recent experience on his 2007 GSX-R1000. A recent top team’s tyre development test gave Biaggi valuable track time, and the previous GSX-R has won three of the last four SBK races outright. Two of those victories came for Biaggi’s team-mate, Yukio Kagayama (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) who was unstoppable in race trim in 2006, winning both races easily. CORSER GOING FOR FIRST 2007 GOLD Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia) is currently fifth overall in the championship chase, some 78 points from leader Toseland, and looking for his first 2007 win. The third most successful SBK race winner ever, Corser has scored 33 race wins and 111 podiums in his glittering career, and has previous experience of being a Brno race winner, during his second championship winning season in 2005. LANZI READY TO FEND OFF XAUS Lorenzo Lanzi (Ducati Xerox) is an SBK race winner of yore but his more immediate task this year is to hold off the attentions of the only rider outside the top four to have won a race in 2007, Ruben Xaus (Sterilgarda Ducati). Lanzi is sixth and with Xaus only three points behind, he will have to make good friends with Brno again early in the race weekend to keep his nose in front of the potent privateer rider. ROLFO OUT TO SHOW HIS TRUE METTLE Roby Rolfo (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) has had some difficult periods since his move to the official Honda team but the flashes of excellence he undoubtedly has may well find Brno a great conductor this weekend. It is a circuit ex-GP rider Rolfo knows very well, as he fights to hold onto his top ten status. For the privateer wünderkid Max Neukirchner (Suzuki Germany) Rolfo is an immediate target, and only nine points ahead. LACONI AND NIETO LOOKING TO TURN PACE INTO PRIZES A good recent test for Regis Laconi (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) and Fonsi Nieto (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) needs to be translated into strong results in each Brno race, to allow the talented Kawasaki twins to scale the heights of the top ten before the season concludes. Laconi is currently 11th, 13 points behind Kagayama’s Suzuki, with Nieto 14th, 26 points from his team-mate. Splitting the Kawasakis in the championship table right now are two very different riders, on very different machines. In 12th place, Michel Fabrizio was a double Brno podium force in 2006, aboard last year’s DFX Corse Honda, with Jakub Smrz only six points behind him currently, riding to his relatively venerable Caracchi Ducati SC 999. Josh Brookes is out of the SBK limelight now and very firmly in the forefront of the Supersport stars, with his old Alto Evolution team-mate Karl Muggeridge staying put to see out the season in the Superbike class. Shinichi Nakatomi (Yamaha YZF Team), Luca Morelli (DFX Honda Corse), Alessandro Polita (Celani Suzuki) and Dean Ellison are also privateer riders to watch, while a bit of local flavour comes from wild card rider, Milos Cihak (Prorace Suzuki GSX-R1000). WORLD SUPERSPORT – SOFUOGLU THE PERENNIAL TARGET Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) has been a fixture at the top of the championship table this year, and his recently extended gap of 61 points over Fabien Foret (GIL Kawasaki) is a formidable step to make up with only five rounds left. The endlessly dramatic season in WSS continues apace, with Katsuaki Fujiwara (Althea Honda) in third, and with big name riders both leaving and joining the series since the last competitive round at Misano in June. Robbin Harms (Stiggy Motorsports Honda) is now joined by proven WSS race winner Joshua Brookes, while double WSS race winner Anthony West has now chosen to race in another class entirely. After the previous Misano round Barry Veneman (Pioneer Hoegee Suzuki) is sixth, with the top placed regular Yamaha rider proving to be Broc Parkes (Yamaha World Supersport Team) seventh. Radomil Rous (KRTZ IV Yamaha) and his team-mate Michal Filla join the regular WSS ranks as wildcard riders this weekend. SUPERSTOCK 1000 FIM CUP – BAIOCCO ATTACKS TO DEFEND Matteo Baiocco (Umbria Bike Yamaha) will be going to Brno to win and keep his eight point advantage over Mark Aitchison (Celani Team Suzuki Italia) intact, or extended. Baiocco is the only rider to have won two races so far, but Aitchison, Niccolo Canepa (Ducati Xerox 1098), Michele Pirro (Team Lorenzini by Leoni Yamaha) and Brendan Roberts (Ducati Xerox Junior Team) have all taken victories in what is a spectacularly good year for overall competitiveness. Xavier Simeon (Alstare Corona Suzuki) is still looking for his first win, as he lies in overall fourth place right now. Milos Urbanec (Heron Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000) is the lone wildcard in the big Superstock class. SUPERSTOCK 600 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP – THREE IN IT Michele Magnoni (Bevilacqua Yamaha) had to give ground to Maxime Berger (Trasimeno Yamaha) at Misano, as Berger scored his second race win of the 2007 season. Andrea Antonelli (Team Italia Megabike Honda AX) is only 18 points from the lead, and is looking for his second win of the year. BRANDS BIGGIE NEXT STOP FOR THE SBK CIRCUS The biggest race in the SBK voyage, Brands Hatch, takes place on August 5, before the traditional August break in the calendar. Round 11 of 13, at EuroSpeedway Lausitz on September 9, brings the series back to life again.

FIAT YAMAHA RIDERS AIM TO END LAGUNA SECA DROUGHT The Fiat Yamaha Team head to California this weekend for the eleventh round of the MotoGP World Championship in determined mood as they look to bury the memory of a nightmare race at Laguna Seca last year and avenge Valentino Rossi’s misfortune in the last round at Sachsenring just a few days ago. A bittersweet weekend in Germany saw Rossi lose ground on series leader Casey Stoner, who now holds an advantage of 32 points with eight rounds remaining, and the Italian is relieved to have the chance to redress the balance so soon and narrow the gap ahead of the summer break. The high point of last weekend was a fourth place finish for Colin Edwards from thirteenth on the grid and that strong result has provided the Texan with a much-needed confidence boost ahead of his home race. The situation going into the eagerly-anticipated California date could not be in starker contrast to last season, when Rossi made the Transatlantic trip in great spirits on the back of a scintillating victory at Sachsenring. However, the Laguna race ended in disaster as the searing 56ºC track temperatures took a heavy toll and Rossi was forced to retire just four laps from the end with tyre and engine problems. Similar tyre issues for Edwards compounded the effects of flu symptoms and an upset stomach that he had suffered throughout the weekend, limiting him to a ninth place finish despite qualifying on the front row. Famed, feared and revered for the world-famous ‘Corkscrew’ corner, the Laguna Seca circuit near has lived up to its billing as one of the most exciting circuits in the world since MotoGP returned in 2005. With only a few short straights, a series of fast and sweeping corners and elevation changes that leave front wheels frequently spinning through thin air, the 3.602km circuit provides the ideal viewing spectacle for fans but is surprisingly straightforward when it comes to machine set-up. Throttle connection is much more important than top-end power and the riders require a well balanced chassis set-up to deal with the frequent and dramatic elevation changes and corner variation. Valentino Rossi “NO TIME TO DWELL” After missing the chance to recover ground on Stoner in this year’s championship following his sixth-lap crash in Germany, Valentino Rossi says he is relieved to have such an early chance to put things right – with just seven days between the tenth and eleventh rounds of the season. Laguna Seca is one of only three circuits on this year’s calendar where Rossi has never previously won, a record he is also looking to set straight this Sunday. “Laguna was a great disappointment for me last year because I wasn’t able to finish,” says Rossi, who has also yet to take victory at Istanbul Park (Turkey) and Misano (San Marino). “I have never won there and after the disappointment of Germany I am determined to do so this time! I’m really glad we have such a short time between races because there’s no time to dwell on what happened on Sunday, we just have to focus on Laguna Seca. “With the way that our bike and tyres are working now, I think we have a great potential there. It’s a great place to race and I think if they’ve made the improvements we hope to the track then it will be a good weekend. The championship is long and the important thing is to get as many points as possible from every race and arrive at the end still fighting.” Colin Edwards “GIVING IT MY ALL” Laguna Seca is one of the tracks that Colin Edwards pinpointed at the start of the season as having the potential of staging his first victory in the MotoGP class. The former World Superbike Champion has finished second on several occasions during his premier-class career, including the US Grand Prix in 2005, and is hoping to finally go one better and break his duck in front of his home fans. “Germany turned into a really good weekend for us and I was very happy with the performance of my bike in the end – especially the tyres,” reflects Edwards. “Fourth place at a track I don’t like has given me a lot of confidence for Laguna Seca, a place I love, and it’s good to go there on a roll. It’s my home race and I’ve got lots of friends and family coming down to add to the support of a few fans, I hope! “Last year I was pretty sick on race day and it wasn’t a good experience but this time I’m feeling in great shape and I’m determined to go one step higher than in 2005. I know the track better than anyone and the fans always give me a real boost so I’ll be giving it my all from Friday morning.” Davide Brivio Fiat Yamaha Team Director “DOUBLE TARGET” Fiat Yamaha Team Director Davide Brivio has pinpointed twin objectives for his riders this weekend, with short and long term goals in mind. In both cases the target is to challenge for victory at Laguna Seca and put Yamaha back on the podium at a circuit they enjoyed so much success at during its first period on the Grand Prix calendar, when the factory won five of the six races premier-class races held between 1988 and 1994. “We’ve got a double target for Laguna; a great home race for Colin and making up for Germany with Valentino,” stated Brivio. “2006 wasn’t a great year for us at Laguna and we were very unlucky but it’s a nice place to go and race with a fantastic atmosphere so hopefully this time we can make the most of it! We know our package is very good now and our tyres are working very well, so we have the potential to do a great job with both riders in America. “This is another demanding weekend for the team because it is a long way to travel in such a short space of time, especially with the time difference. Logistically it is quite tough but the situation is the same for all the teams and we will be working hard to make sure everything is in place for our riders to come out fighting on Friday morning.” 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: 184 (124 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: 76 x MotoGP World Championships: 2 World Superbike Laguna Seca: Lap Record D. Pedrosa (Honda) 2006, 1’23.333 Laguna Seca: Best Lap N. Hayden (Honda) 2005, 1’22.670 Grand Prix Results: Laguna Seca 2006 1. N. Hayden (Honda) 45’04.867 2. D. Pedrosa (Honda) +3.186 3. M. Melandri (Honda) +10.929 9. C. Edwards (USA) Yamaha +53.228 DNF. V. Rossi (ITA) Yamaha 0

‘Born in the USA’ Hopkins heads home for American GP Rizla Suzuki MotoGP’s Anglo-American racer John Hopkins will be back on ‘home’ asphalt next weekend as round 11 of the MotoGP World Championship takes place at Laguna Seca in California. Hopkins will be returning to the State that he was born in and will be looking to turn his hometown knowledge to his advantage over the 32-lap race. He will as in previous years have a huge stateside following of friends and family cheering him on as he goes in search of his first MotoGP victory. Chris Vermeulen is heading to Laguna determined to make amends for the way he was cruelly robbed of what looked like a certain podium there last year. Suzuki’s Australian star had looked completely at home over the 3.6km circuit last season in scorching temperatures. He secured pole position for the race and then led for over half distance, until a fuel starvation problem caused him to drop back to fifth place. Vermeulen is a big fan of the Californian track and took a World Superbike double-header victory there in 2005. Laguna Seca is situated near Monterey in California, approximately 165km south of San Francisco. The track celebrates its half century this year, it was constructed in 1957 on a dried-up lagoon in part of the US Army’s field artillery target range, and has staged the US GP since the event’s return to America in 2005. The circuit is one of the narrowest on the MotoGP calendar and features one of the scariest corners found on any racetrack anywhere in the world The Corkscrew where riders almost drop off the side of the track in a virtually sheer drop left-hand bend before turning immediately right half-way down. Rizla Suzuki MotoGP begins preparations for Sunday’s race with two free practice sessions on Friday, before a final hour of practice on the Saturday morning. Qualifying will take place on Saturday afternoon as all the riders battle it out to secure the best starting positions for race day. The main event gets underway at 14.00hrs local time (21.00hrs GMT). John Hopkins: “I can’t wait to get to Laguna; it is great to be coming home to race. I love racing there and it always feels special to me. All my family and friends are there and the American fans get to see a MotoGP for the only time this year in their country. It is a great track to race on and hopefully we can give a good showing on the Rizla Suzuki and try and stand on top of the box!” Chris Vermeulen: “I thought I could have had my first MotoGP podium at Laguna last year, the bike and the tyres worked really well there, but we had a small problem that stopped that happening. I really enjoy this track and I had a lot of success in World Superbike and I’m really looking forward to racing there and I’m sure we can be fighting at the front!”