ALL CHANGE AT KAWASAKI BEFORE THE BRITISH GRAND PRIX The Kawasaki Racing Team confirmed today that Anthony West has accepted a ride on the factory Ninja ZX-RR for the rest of the 2007 MotoGP season. The 25-year-old Australian rider fills the void created by the decision for Olivier Jacque to move permanently to the role of test and development rider for the team. After a number of crashes, which have resulted in numerous injuries and missed races, Jacque has been feeling increasingly uneasy about continuing in the series. Furthermore, Kawasaki’s regular test rider, Naoki Matsudo, is out of action due to injuries sustained earlier this year. Therefore, the decision was made for Jacque, a former 250cc world champion, to return to full-time testing and development: an area where his skill and experience are proven and desperately needed. Much of the season has seen the Ninja ZX-RR being ridden by team rider, Randy de Puniet, without the added input and expertise of another rider to maximise development potential. With Jacque now able to concentrate his efforts away from racing, the team feel confident the evolution of the bike will move onwards and upwards. Taking Jacque’s place as permanent team rider, Anthony West joins the squad from having previously ridden an Aprilia in the 250cc class. Unhappy in that championship, he went on to make his mark as a stand in rider for the Yamaha World Supersport team. In just three races on the 600cc machine, West took one third place, at Monza, and two wins, at Silverstone and, last weekend, at Misano, which caught the attention of Kawasaki bosses and helped promote him to his new position in the premier class. Making his factory MotoGP debut alongside Randy this weekend at the British Grand Prix at Donington Park, West has had little opportunity so far to ride Kawasaki’s Ninja ZX-RR other than a brief testing session after the race at Catalunya, two weeks ago. Unable to ride his usual number, 14, as it’s already taken by teammate de Puniet, Anthony has bravely adopted the number 13 as his own. It is, as they say, lucky for some, and that’s what the Kawasaki team are hoping for with their new line up as the season continues. Olivier Jacque Kawasaki MotoGP Pilot #19 “I’ve crashed on several occasions this season, often with severe injuries and, right now, I feel tired and physically diminished. My body keeps telling me maybe it’s time to move on and I don’t feel competitive enough to ride at the top level. Obviously, it was a difficult decision to make but Kawasaki and I have reached an agreement that will allow me to stay involved in the racing world, for which I’m passionate, and play a role from the other side of the fence. I’m truly satisfied with this compromise and I wish the team plenty of success with a new, young rider because they really deserve it. I’m convinced the Kawasaki Racing Team has only just begun its MotoGP success.” Anthony West Kawasaki MotoGP Pilot #13 “I left my 250cc team because the results weren’t coming and I wasn’t very happy there. Then I did some races on 600cc bikes with the Yamaha team, which have been really good and now I’m here to ride an 800cc factory MotoGP bike. Coming up from smaller bikes, the Ninja is much more comfortable to ride: it’s bigger, I feel more natural on it and, overall, it suits me more. When I tested the ZX-RR, it felt right straight away: a lot easier to ride than I expected and the power’s so smooth and easy to use. I’m really pleased to be joining the Kawasaki Racing Team: they’re great guys and really experienced. For the rest of the season, my aim is to be consistent, try to get some results and not to crash it straight away!” Michael Bartholemy Kawasaki Competition Manager “I think maybe we expected too much of Olivier this season. Last year he did a fantastic job developing the Ninja ZX-RR that has proved so competitive this year but, in hindsight, expecting him to be able to continue the development process whilst also racing at this level was unrealistic. But we need someone to fulfil this development role, and Olivier is the ideal person to shoulder this responsibility. Once he has fully recovered from the injuries sustained in his Shanghai and Catalunya crashes, Olivier will revert to the role of test and development rider for Kawasaki, on a two-year contract, and we’re confident we’ll see our development back on track as a result. For Anthony, moving up to the premier series as a factory rider is a big step, but he showed some potential during his brief test aboard our bike in Catalunya, and we hope we can help him realise this potential during the remainder of the season. Now we have two young guns on our bike, and both of them will be able to call upon Olivier’s experience whenever they need it. I think this new situation will benefit everyone, and will allow us to show the true performance of our Ninja ZX-RR. Finally, I would like to say thank you to Yamaha, and Racing Manager Laurens Klein Koerkamp in particular, for releasing Anthony and allowing him to realise his dream of competing as a factory rider in MotoGP.” More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki Racing Team: NEW LOOK KAWASAKI READY TO HIT DONINGTON This weekend sees the return of the MotoGP series to the UK for the Nickel and Dime British Grand Prix at Donington Park. The Kawasaki squad, represented by Randy de Puniet and new teammate, Anthony West, will be there to continue the offensive in what is proving to be a very exciting season indeed. De Puniet is nearly fully recovered from the accident at Le Mans, which caused his knee to swell dramatically and painfully. His gutsy ride at Catalunya saw him claim fifth place, his best ever finish in a MotoGP race, despite the injury. He is now back to around 80% fitness and keen to prove he can put in another impressive performance. Having won at Donington in the 250cc class in 2005 and, with ever increasing confidence in his bike and Bridgestone tyres, he knows he’s got what it takes to secure a good run at the Midlands circuit, as long as his knee holds out. Meanwhile, Anthony West will make his MotoGP debut aboard the Ninja ZX-RR this weekend, completing the rider line up. The 25-year-old Australian has joined the team as a replacement for Olivier Jacque who, in agreement with Kawasaki, is standing aside for a younger rider whilst maintaining a vital role, testing and developing the bike for Kawasaki. Gaining spectacular results in the World Supersport championship as a stand in rider over the past month, West, who has primarily raced 250cc machines, raised eyebrows after claiming one third place and two wins in just three races on an unfamiliar motorcycle. West rode the 800cc Kawasaki MotoGP racer during a one-day test at Catalunya after the last Grand Prix. Other than that, his first real chance to show what he can do on the machine will come in Friday’s first free practice session. Still swaying from the unexpected invitation, he’s delighted to have joined the factory team and looks forward to making his mark on the premier class. Donington Park provides a spectacular backdrop to motorcycle racing. A natural amphitheatre, the 2.5 mile/4.023km circuit consists of fast, flowing sections combined with hard braking and ever-tightening corners. In other words, it has plenty of everything and will test each rider, and their bike, to the maximum. With the ZX-RR increasingly competitive, the new-look Kawasaki team are looking forward with confidence to facing the challenges both of this weekend and the rest of the season to come. Randy De Puniet Kawasaki MotoGP Pilot #14 “I’m feeling ok about this weekend and I hope to do at least as well as we did in Barcelona. My knee is much better than it was after it was drained last week, not perfect yet though, and my shoulder still isn’t moving properly, so I’m not 100% fit yet and haven’t been able to do any training for a month. I like Donington except, perhaps, for the last two corners! I won here in 2005 on the 250 and did ok last year so yes, I’m confident after the race in Spain, feeling pretty good and hoping to do well this weekend too.” Anthony West Kawasaki MotoGP Pilot #13 “Naturally, I’m feeling a bit nervous. I haven’t done many laps on the bike and this is MotoGP so it’s going to be very different to anything I’ve raced before. I don’t know what to expect at the moment, I just want to finish the race and not crash. It would be great to come in the top ten but I don’t know if it’s really possible or not: I’ve never raced against these guys before. I’m feeling confident, though, and I’m glad I’ve been riding 600s recently as it would have been even more difficult coming here straight from 250s. I like this circuit, and the team really seem to know what they’re doing, so I’m sure they’ll find a good set up to start me off and we’ll take it from there.”

Three USGPRU 125GP riders were involved in an accident while on their way from Arkansas to compete in the AMA National weekend event at Miller Motorsports Park, UT. Scott Thompson, Tony Wang, and Thomas Bohm were driving west-bound through Wyoming when a gust of wind sent their trailer into an oscillation that caused Thompson to lose control of his tow vehicle. The borrowed trailer was totaled and all of their race gear was strewn across both lanes of the interstate, causing the complete shutdown of the west-bound traffic. Thompson wasn’t injured, but Wang and Bohm were transported to the hospital. Wang sustained a few broken ribs and Bohm had to have glass removed from his arm. In fine racer fashion, Thompson rented a box van, gathered up all the pieces and parts he could find, picked up his other riders, and headed to the track. They weren’t about to let something like an accident stop them from competing in the first USGPRU event run in conjunction with the AMA National.

Team Roadracingworld.com Suzuki teammates Chris Ulrich and Robertino Pietri gained respect and appreciation for motorcycle road racers after giving rides to four representatives of the local general interest media Thursday at Miller Motorsports Park (MMP), in Tooele, Utah. “I thought that was the most exhilarating experience I’ve had in motorsports in a long time,” said Jim Cooksey, host of “Racing Fan,” a weekly motorsports talk show that airs Saturdays on KFAN-AM 1320 and a racer with extensive experience in cars and on motocross bikes. “I’ve wrecked about everything you can wreck, but that was an awesome experience. I’ve got a whole lot of respect for what these guys are doing, even more than I had previously. It’s awesome. I tell you what, if I was 20 years old again I would be trying this.” Asked what he thought of his two-lap, 160-mph ride around the 3.06-mile Outer Course at MMP, Salt Lake Tribune sports reporter Jay Drew said, “Fear at first, but then exhilaration. You get to where you don’t want it to end. Your heart’s beating fast and the adrenaline is flowing. You gain a great respect for guys who do this all the time. It feels like one little mistake and you’re in big trouble out there. You put your trust in those guys and it’s just exhilarating, just a chance of a lifetime. I’ve been out here with cars, and it’s 10 times better with these things.” “I thought it was gonna be the ride of a lifetime, and it was probably the ride of about 10 or 11 lifetimes,” said KTVX Channel 4 (the ABC affiliate in Salt Lake City) Sports Anchor Dana Green after riding on Ulrich’s two-seat GSX-R1000 AMA Superstock racebike. “I’ve never gone that fast or got that close to the ground. Coming around turns I was involuntarily laughing. I was having so much fun. I can’t believe what these bikes can do. Like someone else said, I know they were taking it easy on me, but that was the most fun speed-experience — and I’ve skied, done every roller coaster in the world and that was by far the best thing I’ve ever done. Whoooohooo!” Green filmed several extra pieces with Ulrich at MMP and said he planned to air as many as four segments beginning Thursday night. The fourth and final rider was Danny Allen, co-host of a variety show on Salt Lake City’s KJZZ Channel 14 called “B. All Over” and a former motorcycle racer, who gained a new-found respect for Ulrich and Pietri, who rode in close proximity to Ulrich on the track to give the guests a better sense of actually racing. “These guys are the real deal,” said Allen, after he finished shouting with exhilaration and high-fiving everyone in range. “My concern coming out was putting myself on the back of a bike doing 150 mph with a guy I just met, you know? You’ve got to trust that guy. Two corners into this I was laughing and whooping and hollering. And this cat was good. I’m not kidding. This guy was good. “The coolest part, I think, is having watched it on TV, and you can be an armchair driver wannabe, like we all are watching these guys scream around there, but you have no idea how frickin’ fast these guys are going until you’re leaning down like this and Skippy here [Pietri] comes up — at a buck and a half — leaning right next to you. That was unbelievable. That was totally cool. It was awesome, absolutely awesome.” After completing his strafing duties during the two-seater rides, Pietri, who hails from Venezuela, and Colombian Martin Cardenas (who rides for Team M4 EMGO Suzuki) did on-camera and live phone-in interviews with CANAL 23, a Spanish-language television station in Salt Lake City, and KXTA-AM 1600 “La Bonita,” a Spanish-language radio station in the area. For the last seven years Team Roadracingworld.com Suzuki and Team M4 EMGO Suzuki (known formerly as Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki), have offered rides on two-seat racebikes to expose the sport of motorcycle road racing to mainstream media representatives and enhance their understanding and appreciation of two-wheeled competition.

Day of Champions and Michael Owen at Donington Park Nickel & Dime British Grand Prix Thursday 21st June Preview The Nickel & Dime British Grand Prix preparations started with a bang today, with one of the biggest non-race events of the year, ‘Day of Champions’ also taking place at Donington Park. Ahead of the on-track action, which kicks off tomorrow, all manner of activities were put on an the circuit to help raise money for MotoGP’s official charity, Riders for Health. After stunt demonstrations, tours, music sets and meet-and-greets, the indisputable showpiece of the annual event began. The legendary MotoGP auction Riders for Health’s biggest provider of funds as they look to help support transport projects for those less privileged in Africa – involved every MotoGP rider donating various articles and personal effects to go to the highest bidder. The winner of one particular lot will tomorrow get the chance to spend a day with the Suzuki MotoGP team. Without the final sum known until tomorrow, organisers were confident of this being the most successful ever year for the Day of Champions, with the total reached already topping over 200,000 pounds. in sporting news, Kawasaki Racing today made official the addition of Anthony West to their 2007 line-up, replacing Olivier Jacque who returns to his testing role for the team. In a press conference held at Donington Park, scene of the Nickel & Dime British Grand Prix, Michael Bartholemy and Ichiro Yoda from the team were joined by both West and Jacque to make the announcement, which comes off the back of a successful test for the Australian in the post-race test at Catalunya and Jacque’s misfortune with injuries in his return to MotoGP action. West will ride for the team for the rest of the season, accompanying regular rider Randy de Puniet onboard the Ninja ZX-RR. He previously rode 14 races on a 500cc machine in 2001, before dropping down to 250cc with a variety of teams. The decision was made on the strength of a promising performance at the post-race test at Catalunya, with the need for Jacque to aid the team with development and a respect for his body after some unfortunate crashes this year cited as the key reasons for the change of roles for the former 250cc World Champion. A popular visitor to the MotoGP paddock today was England striker Michael Owen who was taken on a tour of the circuit by reigning World Champion Nicky Hayden. The Repsol Honda rider showed the Newcastle United footballer around the finer details of his RC212V before the duo took to the stage of the Riders for Health auction, where they recouped over 5,000 pounds for the charity. Back in the paddock, the pre-event press conference for the Nickel & Dime British Grand Prix was a lively affair, with riders who hold a strong history at Donington Park addressing the media ahead of what promises to be a great weekend of unpredictable action. Casey Stoner was first to face questioning, explaining how he started his career back in 2001 at the British track. “There’s a bit of history here with me; I’ve had good and bad races at Donington, but it isn’t a particular favourite of mine,” he said, before analysing what has been an incredible year so far for the Australian. “No matter what happens from here on, I will be happy with what I’ve achieved this season.” A rider who took his maiden victory on British soil, and who regards the track as his ‘home from home’, Valentino Rossi, was next up. The Italian has always had a strong following at the race where he has won seven times, and expressed his delight with the challenge presented by the track. “The last part of the track, with the hairpin, is difficult, but the first is one of the best sections of the entire championship. Now we have to try and catch Casey here. At the beginning of the season he surprised me, because he always used to be a rider who was fast but made mistakes. Now he is still fast, but there are less errors. We will try though.” Anglo-American John Hopkins is the closest thing that British fans will have to a MotoGP rider in the premier class this weekend, and he expressed the belief that this race would be one of those in which the 990cc times would be demolished by the largest margin. “I really enjoy Donington. I still have a house here, so the family are coming to watch me. Wet or dry, we’ll be strong here, and I think that this track and Laguna Seca will be the two in which we really see the times from the old bikes brought down by the fast corner speed. Now I just have to knock the other three guys here today from the podium!” said the Suzuki rider. Last year’s winner Dani Pedrosa was as ever playing his cards close to his chest, simply stating that “the recent podiums have been a good sign. We will see about the weather here; I feel different about this race than last year.” Team Roberts owner Kenny Roberts Sr. has seen his plans for Donington change drastically in the past few days, with Jonathan Rea being withdrawn from his wild card spot, and Kenny Roberts Jr. being replaced by brother Kurtis for the next few races. The charismatic former World Champion gave his side to the story in today’s press gathering. “It was a shame that we couldn’t work something out with Jonathan for this weekend,” said the head of the Roberts clan, before showing some gallows humour when pressed about his younger son’s withdrawal. “Things haven’t been working out with him this year because the bike is too slow and he is too old,” he added. “Kenny rides this bike like it was a 1000cc -which it isn’t- but Kurtis rides it more like a 600cc.”

Former MotoGP rider Jeremy McWilliams tested a Moto Czysz C1 at Miller Motorsports Park Wednesday, and said that the bike turned better than anything he had ever ridden. While McWilliams has returned to the U.K., Moto Czysz continues to test during a promoter practice day at Miller Motorsports Park, with Shane Turpin at the controls. More, from a press release issued by Rizla Suzuki: Rizla Suzuki concluded its two-day Cadwell Park test with Neil Hodgson delighted with the direction and feedback the former World and British Superbike Champion was able to provide. Despite limited riding in 2007 without a race seat of his own, Hodgson impressed the Rizla Suzuki technicians with his insights on the GSX-R1000 – and his ability to get up to speed quickly at the picturesque but difficult-to-master 2.18-mile Lincolnshire track. “I’ve enjoyed the two-day test working with Rizla Suzuki,” explained Isle of Man resident Hodgson. “We got through a lot of work and I hope my thoughts will help the team to be competitive during the second half of the BSB season. “Coming back to Cadwell Park after a long break has been exciting; the circuit has improved since I last visited. I’ve relished working with Rizla Suzuki; the atmosphere is fantastic and positive. The team and staff deserve good results, they are working hard enough for them and I hope they come soon.” The 33-year-old 2000 BSB and 2003 WSB Champion is currently looking at various options for racing in 2008 within the BSB, WSB and AMA Superbike Championships. Rizla Suzuki Team Manager Simon Buckmaster said: “It has been the perfect weather for a test and Rizla Suzuki leaves Cadwell Park with more information and direction on how to extract the maximum performance from its race bikes. “Neil got through a heavy test programme by anyone’s standards and has done countless laps trying new settings, parts and tyres. He certainly found a direction in tyre choice that we will be pursuing for the rest of the season. “We’ll take all of Neil’s opinions back to our Crescent Performance Centre HQ and start analysing what we can use to help both our riders to be more competitive at Knockhill in just over a week’s time. Thank you to Neil for joining us and putting in such hard graft over the last two days.” Rizla Suzuki regular riders Chris Walker and Cal Crutchlow will be in action at the eighth round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Knockhill in Scotland on Sunday, July 1st.

FIM HOMOLOGATION FOR MAZDA RACEWAY LAGUNA SECA Monterey Track Hosting 2007 MotoGP World Championship July 20-22 MONTEREY, Calif. (June 21, 2007) Following a repaving project completed earlier this month, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca has been homologated by the FIM for the 2007 Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix, July 20-22, featuring the only appearance in North America for the prestigious MotoGP World Championship. The FIM’s official track inspector, Claude Danis, examined the historic 2.238-mile, 11-turn road course on Wednesday, deeming it in condition to be homologated for round 11 of 18 in the 2007 MotoGP World Championship. In order to be homologated, a track must meet exacting safety and construction standards. Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is the only road racing circuit in North America currently homologated by the FIM, the world governing body for motorcycle racing, and able to host world championship events. “It takes tremendous resources to bring MotoGP to the USA,” said Gill Campbell, general manager and CEO of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, “The Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix only happens because of the passionate support from the fans, sponsors and motorcycle industry.” Over the last three years, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca has received more than $8 million in safety improvements and renovations, due in large part to the return of the MotoGP World Championship to the United States in 2005. Safety improvements, funded in part by Yamaha Motor Corporation, include an increase in run-off areas through nearly every turn. The construction projects include the state-of-the-art Red Bull Energy Center hospitality area overlooking Turn 1. “All of us at Yamaha are truly honored to be part of this effort aimed squarely at improving both rider safety and fan enjoyment at what is for sure one of the best spectator facilities in the entire country for motorcycle race fans,” said Bob Starr, National Communications Manager for Yamaha Motor Corporation.” And with this year’s repaving, we look forward to another incredible race that will bring each fan memories that last a lifetime.” Tickets are available for the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix by calling (800) 327-SECA or logging onto www.laguna-seca.com or www.ticketmaster.com. Race information is also available at www.RedBullUSGrandPrix.com. The 2007 racing season marks the 50th Anniversary for Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, which has been operated since its inception by the Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (SCRAMP), a not-for-profit corporation. Each year, SCRAMP donates net proceeds from each race season to the volunteer groups that help put on the races. Last season, SCRAMP donated over $400,000 to local charities and civic organizations. Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is celebrating its 50th Anniversary in 2007 with a world-class racing schedule including the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix July 20-22, the 34th Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races August 17-19, the AMA Superbike Championship September 15-16 and the Monterey Sports Car Championships featuring the American Le Mans Series October 19-21.

AMA RACING ON TV – June 21 – 28, 2007 (All times Eastern) AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship, Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, Illinois (GNC Singles TT) Thursday, June 21, 9 pm (MavTV) AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship, Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, Illinois (GNC Singles TT) Friday, June 22, 2 am (MavTV) AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship, Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, Illinois (GNC Singles TT) Friday, June 22, 7 pm (MavTV) AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, Miller Motorsports Park, Tooele, Utah (AMA Superbike Race 1) Sunday, June 24, 11 am (SPEED) AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, Miller Motorsports Park, Tooele, Utah (AMA Superbike Race 2) Sunday, June 24, 5 pm (SPEED) AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship, Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, Illinois (GNC Singles TT) Monday, June 25, 9 am (MavTV) AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship, Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, Illinois (GNC Singles TT) Monday, June 25, 2 pm (MavTV) AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, Miller Motorsports Park, Tooele, Utah (AMA Superbike Race 1) Tuesday, June 26, 3 am (SPEED) AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, Miller Motorsports Park, Tooele, Utah (AMA Superbike Race 2) Tuesday, June 26, 4 am (SPEED) AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, Miller Motorsports Park, Tooele, Utah (AMA Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Series presented by HMR & AMA Superstock Series presented by Dynojet) Tuesday, June 26, 1 pm (SPEED) AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, Miller Motorsports Park, Tooele, Utah (AMA Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship presented by Shoei) Tuesday, June 26, 2 pm (SPEED) AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF, Budds Creek Motocross Park, Budds Creek, Maryland (AMA Motocross Lites) Tuesday, June 26, 3 pm (SPEED) AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF, Motocross 338, Southwick, Mass. AMA Motocross Lites Tuesday, June 26, 9 pm (SPEED) AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF, Budds Creek Motocross Park, Budds Creek, Maryland AMA Motocross Lites Tuesday, June 26, 10 pm (SPEED) AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, Miller Motorsports Park, Tooele, Utah (AMA Superbike Race 1) Wednesday, June 27, 12 pm (SPEED) AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, Miller Motorsports Park, Tooele, Utah (AMA Superbike Race 2) Wednesday, June 27, 1 pm (SPEED) AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF, Budds Creek Motocross Park, Budds Creek, Maryland AMA Motocross Lites Thursday, June 28, 3 am (SPEED) Check local listings Subject to Change www.mavtv.com; www.speedtv.com

Bennetts Goes Global In addition to its successful title sponsorship campaign with the British Superbike Championship, Bennetts, the UK’s number one for bike insurance* is going global with an exciting SBK Superbike World Championship® programme. The Peterborough-based motorcycle insurance provider will launch its new partnership with series organisers FGSport at the forthcoming British round of the series at Brands Hatch. It will take the title of Official series sponsor for the remainder of this year’s Championship and the whole of the 2008 Championship. Bennetts, the UK’s number one for bike insurance* has also announced personal sponsorship of British rider and World Championship leader James Toseland. The Isle of Man resident will be supported by Bennetts for the remainder of 2007 a further demonstration of the company’s passion for motorcycle racing and the industry as a whole. “We are proud to be strengthening our sponsorship programme in this way,” says Mark Fells, Marketing Director, Bennetts. “We’re really excited to be involved with the World Championship. We already have a relationship with James and with him enjoying such huge success in this year’s series, it seems the perfect time for us to offer our support to him as he looks set to become Superbike World Champion for the second time. This complements our current sponsorship of the domestic championship perfectly.” “It’s great news to hear that the series is attracting further support from a leading UK brand,” says SBK Superbike World Championship® contender James Toseland. “I’m proud to be associated with Bennetts, the UK’s number one for bike insurance* and I believe that their sponsorship can have nothing but a positive effect on the Championship.” *Based upon independent research conducted in July 2006. More, from a press release issued by FGSport Group: BENNETTS BECOMES AN OFFICIAL SPONSOR OF THE SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Rome, Friday 22nd June 2007 Bennetts, the UK’s leading motorcycle insurance provider, announced yesterday that they have signed an agreement with FGS Organization to become an Official Sponsor of the SBK Superbike World Championship®. The Bennetts logo will be present at all the World Superbike race tracks, starting with the Brands Hatch round at the historic English circuit on August 3/4/5 2007. Bennetts sponsorship of the SBK Superbike World Championship® will be extended to the whole race season in 2008.

WHITHAM, GEORGE AND MARTIN TO RACE AT SILVERSTONE CLASSIC Silverstone’s motorcycle racing heritage is to be honoured by a full grid of two-wheeled racers at the Silverstone Classic, in association with Bonhams, on July 27-29. Up to 50 racing machines from the 1970s and early ’80s, with a minimum engine size of 750cc, will battle it out for the Mike Hailwood Trophy on Saturday and the John Surtees Trophy on Sunday. Both Hailwood and Surtees were bike racing legends who made a successful transition to cars, Surtees becoming the only man to win World Championship titles on both two wheels and four. Hailwood, killed in a road accident in 1981, drove for Surtees when he became a Formula 1 team owner, and scored the team’s best-ever World Championship Grand Prix finish – second – in Italy in 1972. The era of eligible motorbikes spans the last years of pre-eminence in motorcycle racing of British manufacturers and the early years of Japanese domination, meaning that Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki are joined on the grid by Triumph and Vincent. Among the riders at Silverstone there are likely to be some big names from motorcycle racing. Twice former British Superbike Champion Jamie Whitham, now a popular TV pundit on ITV’s coverage of Superbike racing, is almost certain to be in the field, for Sunday’s race at least, on a Harris Suzuki. Alex George, a contemporary of Hailwood’s, is also hoping to be in the field. George was the man who deprived Hailwood of what would have been his 15th Isle of Man TT victory, when he took honours in the 1979 Formula 1 TT. Guy Martin, a winner at the Silverstone Classic last year, is expected, like Whitham, to ride a Harris Suzuki. Martin, one of the bright young names of the sport, is fresh from finishing second in the Isle of Man Senior TT earlier this month. The entry is put together by the Classic Racing Motorcycle Club (CRMC). CRMC Entry Secretary John Davidson said: “We have seven meetings every year that are full of classic bikes, and this is an extra one-off for the 750s and above. For the riders who have got those machines it’s a unique opportunity to race on the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit. The Silverstone Classic is certainly a highlight of our year.” Tickets for the 2007 Silverstone Classic, in association with Bonhams, have been priced at an attractive £15 for the Friday and £20 for the Saturday or Sunday if booked in advance (£20 on the Friday and £25 on the Saturday or Sunday if purchased on the day), while a special Event Ticket represents fantastic value at £35 for all three days. Children aged 15 years and under, accompanied by an adult, go free, while parking, roving grandstand seating, paddock access and centre transfer are all also included in these special prices. To purchase tickets, or for further information on the 2007 Silverstone Classic, in association with Bonhams, visit www.silverstone.co.uk, or call 08704 588 260.