Road America To Host The Nation’s Top Superbike Racers Elkhart Lake, Wis.–The Suzuki Superbike Doubleheader returns to Road America, May 31-June 3, 2007, to headline a huge weekend of motorcycle racing. In addition to the Superbikes, this AMA Pro Racing Series event features three other classes: Supersport, Superstock and Formula Xtreme. Sidecars will also race with their unique two-rider configurations. The world’s top motorcycle manufacturers develop and showcase their leading-edge technology at AMA Superbike races. The support classes also offer some of the closest and most heated competition in motorsports, with many riders competing in more than one class. A combination of rider skill and changing technology pushes the limits each year, with constantly improving results. Current Superbike point leaders include 2006 Champion Ben Spies, Mat Mladin and Miguel Duhamel. Race one of the doubleheader is on Saturday and race two is on Sunday. Superside America is the only motorsport that requires two racers to act and react together. Both racers (driver and passenger) are fully exposed to the elements at up to 170 mph without roll cages or safety harnesses. The passenger moves across the back of the Sidecar with split-second timing. Fans can experience track touring at Road America on their own motorcycles in the Sentry Insurance Salute to Cycles. Registration is necessary with a fee of $25 on Saturday and $25 on Sunday plus daily ticket admission. Another visual attraction at the event is the National Association of Show Trucks (NAST) display which showcases working trucks that are also works of art. The trucks feature amazing paint and lighting schemes with personalized interiors. A Night Glow will be held at dusk on Friday and with final judging on Saturday evening. Daily track admission during the AMA Suzuki Superbike Doubleheader event is $10 on Thursday, $20 on Friday, $35 on Saturday and $35 on Sunday. Daily tickets include paddock access and autograph sessions. Children age 12 and under are free with a paying adult. Gates open at 7 a.m. and races run rain or shine. Road America offers diverse racing venues, amazing viewing opportunities, fantastic concessions and high-speed excitement to thousands of spectators each year. Located midway between Milwaukee and Green Bay in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, it offers 628 grassy, rolling acres which include the 4.048 circuit and a .94 mile purpose-built paved and dirt track used for karting and supermoto. For more information, please visit www.roadamerica.com or call 800/892-RACE (7223).

2007 FIM Superbike World Championship Silverstone, England May 25, 2007 Provisional Qualifying Results: 1. Troy BAYLISS (Ducati 999F07), 1:25.295 2. Lorenzo LANZI (Ducati 999F07), 1:25.952 3. James TOSELAND (Honda CBR1000RR), 1:26.203 4. Ruben XAUS (Ducati 999F06), 1:26.328 5. Troy CORSER (Yamaha YZF-R1), 1:26.408 6. Noriyuki HAGA (Yamaha YZF-R1), 1:26.689 7. Michel FABRIZIO (Honda CBR1000RR), 1:26.724 8. Regis LACONI (Kawasaki ZX-10R), 1:26.847 9. Karl MUGGERIDGE (Honda CBR1000RR), 1:27.280 10. Max NEUKIRCHNER (Suzuki GSX-R1000K6), 1:27.356 11. Yukio KAGAYAMA (Suzuki GSX-R1000K7), 1:27.436 12. Max BIAGGI (Suzuki GSX-R1000K7), 1:27.464 13. Roberto ROLFO (Honda CBR1000RR), 1:27.473 14. Fonsi NIETO (Kawasaki ZX-10R), 1:27.707 15. Alessandro POLITA (Suzuki GSX-R1000K6), 1:28.384 16. Luca MORELLI (Honda CBR1000RR), 1:28.764 17. Josh BROOKES (Honda CBR1000RR), 1:28.917 18. Jakub SMRZ (Ducati 999F05), 1:28.976 19. Vittorio IANNUZZO (Kawasaki ZX-10R), 1:31.060 20. Shinichi NAKATOMI (Yamaha YZF-R1), 1:31.902 21. Dean ELLISON (Ducati 999RS), 1:32.582 More, from a press release issued by FGSport Group: DUCATI DOMINATES IN CHANGEABLE CONDITIONS ON DAY ONE BAYLISS FROM LANZI AFTER GAME OF TWO HALVES The Silverstone race weekend kicked off in dry conditions but by the time the first qualifying session had started lunchtime rains had left a wet track for all 21 riders to contend with. In the last laps the track was dry enough for 2001 and 2006 champion Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) to secure a new track record for WSB with a 1’25.295, set on Friday, and as always on mass produced race tyres. To underline the magnitude of his achievement, the next closest rider was his own team-mate Lorenzo Lanzi (Ducati Xerox) who was 0.657 seconds behind. The Honda meat in a triple-decker Ducati sandwich was supplied by James Toseland (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) who was the last rider within a second of the new SBK best time. Ruben Xaus (Team Sterilgarda Ducati) ended in fourth place on day one, ensuring Toseland was surrounded by the booming sounds of desmo engines. ROW TWO OF PROVISIONAL GRID LED BY THE ‘OTHER’ TROY A double rider push in the first qualifying session saw Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia) lead his team-mate Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia) as they scored fifth and sixth best times respectively. A return to form for Michel Fabrizio (DFX Corse Honda) saw him seventh, with the aggression of Regis Laconi (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) pushing him up to eighth. All the first day times may prove important if the second session of qualifying proves to be fully wet, as the times over the first two days will count for Superpole qualifying. MUGGERIDGE NINTH AS PRIVATEERS PROVE SOME POINTS Karl Muggeridge (Alto Evolution Honda) used new suspension parts to improve his final placing to ninth on day one, with another private rider, Max Neukirchner (Suzuki Germany) a fine tenth. Neukirchner was just ahead of the Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra duo of Yukio Kagayama and Max Biaggi, who went only 11th and 12th on day one. In his defence, Biaggi is a novice at the Silverstone circuit, despite his vast experience in other forms of racing. A drying track caught out many riders on settings more suited to dry conditions, with Roby Rolfo (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) fast in the wet, but finally 13th, while Fonsi Nieto (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) was 14th. Two Italian private riders, Alessandro Polita (Celani Team Suzuki) and Luca Morelli (DFX Corse Honda) rounded out the provisional Superpole qualifiers. WORLD SUPERSPORT – SOFUOGLU SETS NEW TRACK BEST Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) held off the challenge of Sebastien Charpentier (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) in the first Supersport qualifying session and in doing so set a new track best of 1’27.937. In third place before the rains came to end the session prematurely, Broc Parkes (Yamaha World SSP Racing) made important early ground, especially as the rest of the weekend could well see more consistently wet weather. Robbin Harms (Stiggy Motorsports Honda) secured fourth on the provisional grid, once more showing his class and pace in a private set-up. Local rider in a regular WSS team, Craig Jones (Reve Ekerold Honda) went fifth, ahead of leading Kawasaki competitor and former UK Supersport championship regular Pere Riba (GIL Kawasaki). SUPERSTOCK 1000 FIM CUP – THREE DIFFERENT BIKES IN TOP THREE PLACES Claudio Corti (Team Lorenzini by Leoni Yamaha) sealed a narrow advantage at the top of the first day Superstock 1000 charts, from Niccolo Canepa (Ducati Xerox Junior Team) and MV Agusta rider Ayrton Badovini. Ilario Dionisi (Cruciani Moto Suzuki Italia) was the top Suzuki rider, sixth. SUPERSTOCK 600 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP – BERGER BESTS THEM Maxime Berger (Team Trasimeno Yamaha) slipped into a convincing provisional pole at Silverstone, finishing day one almost a second faster than second place rider, Domenico Colucci (Ducati Xerox Junior Team). More, from a press release issued by Scuderia SC Caracchi: WET RECEPTION FOR WORLD SUPERBIKE AT SILVERSTONE A classico British weather on the historical Silverstone circuit, close to its 60th anniversary, where Ferrari scored its first World F.1 victory. Heavy grey clouds totally covered the sky during all the day and, for afternoon sessions, the rain arrived to visit the competitors when practising.. That situation of course did not promote the setting research, most for the riders like Jakub Smrz at their debut on this track. But also Gianluca Nannelli in Supersport had not a happy practice day, cause of several problems that the rain arrival increased, sending down him to 17th position after the first qualifying. “I’m actually disappointed.” commentated at the end of the day Gianluca Nannelli. “We know that such twisted track could give us some difficult, but in the morning’s free practice I rode quite well, while for the qualifying session we didn’t select the right set up and, when I rejoined the track after a pit stop with the spare bike, which was setted like the morning, started raining and I couldn’t do anything good. If we see at my hypothetic lap time, summing all the partial time in the different splits of the circuit, I could have a very better position, but I had not even to try a fast lap and so I’m quite down in this first qualifying.” In Superbike Jakub Smrz used all the first free practice session to learn the track, but later in the afternoon the continuous weather changing did not allow him to find a good set up, letting him only 18th in the today’s qualifying. “As logicalin the morning the free practice session has been spent for know the track; I did find it quite difficult because it’s short and full of corners breaking off the pace.” related Jakub Smrz at the end of the day. “Unfortunately with the continuous start and stop of the rain every a few minutes we have been not able to find a set up to be satisfied and the result, in such conditions, was absolutely impossible to get. For tomorrow the weather forecast says still rain, but we hope that we could work with continuity. That’s a very demanding track, in some point I feel well, but for some other we still have to find the right set up.” More, from a press release issued by Xerox Ducati: DUCATI XEROX MEN SET THE PACE IN SILVERSTONE OPENING SESSION Silverstone (UK), Friday 25 May: Troy Bayliss and Lorenzo Lanzi set the pace for the Ducati Xerox Team in today’s opening qualifying session of the British Round of the World Superbike Championship at Silverstone. The double WSBK champion totally decimated the circuit’s best lap by one second in tricky conditions to take provisional pole in 1m25.295s, while his Ducati Xerox team-mate Lorenzo Lanzi was six-tenths of a second adrift of Bayliss’s time but right behind him in the timesheets with a time of 1m25.952s. Troy and Lorenzo were the only riders to dip under the 1m26s mark. “I’m very happy, everything went good and I feel pretty comfortable on the bike” declared Troy. “Silverstone in general has got a lot less grip than where we’ve come from in the Misano tests so that bike didn’t work here! Anyway we made a few changes today and the bike’s working well. What we want now is better weather so we can do a couple of long runs and put it to the test. I thought we should be doing 25s, I did OK when the track was wet but we sat and waited until the track was dry near the end and the last ten minutes it was completely dry. It’ll be difficult to find much more than what I did but all in all I’m happy.” “I am very pleased with my result today, with my choice of tyres and feeling with the bike” said Lorenzo. “To set this time I used a softer tyre which I clearly will not use in the race, but I’ve already got a good idea on what tyre to use in the dry and for this reason I’m pleased. I managed to use a solution that was different to usual and this is important for me. I think 1m25s is a pretty good time on this track but we’ll see how things go tomorrow with the weather. It’s not going to be easy but we’ve made a good start.” Times: 1. Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) 1m25.295s; 2. Lanzi (Ducati Xerox) 1m25.952s; 3. Toseland (Honda) 1m26.203s; 4. Xaus (Ducati) 1m26.328s; 5. Corser (Yamaha) 1m26.408s; 6. Haga (Yamaha) 1m26.689s; 7. Fabrizio (Honda) 1m26.724s; 8. Laconi (Kawasaki) 1m26.847s; 9. Muggeridge (Honda) 1m27.280s; 10. Neukirchner (Suzuki) 1m27.356s. More, from a press release issued by HANNspree Ten Kate Honda: Wet weather hinders Silverstone qualifying The first qualifying session of round seven of the 2007 World Superbike Championship took place in mixed conditions at Silverstone today. HANNspree Ten Kate Honda’s James Toseland completed the session with the third fastest lap time to secure a provisional front row start. Team-mate Roberto Rolfo qualified in thirteenth position. After a dry morning free practice that saw some good lap times from both riders, the afternoon qualifying was marred by bad weather conditions. The session was declared wet from the start but as the rain cleared and the track surface began to dry, the riding conditions changed considerably. By the time the 3.561km circuit had dried out, Toseland had already competed six laps on his tyres and did not have the grip to complete a fastest lap before the end of the hour-long session. However, he still qualified as the third fastest rider to secure a place on the provisional front row with a time of 1’26.203. Rolfo proved that the form he showed in Monza looked set to continue at Silverstone. However, he was also caught out by the mixed conditions as he switched to slick tyres late in the session and subsequently got stuck behind some slower riders. The Italian rider remains positive about the weekend ahead and is looking forward to tomorrow’s second qualifying session. Ronald ten Kate, Team Manager: “We had almost all track surfaces in one session today, which is almost unique in itself. This made it a very difficult session. It was good to see that our riders were fast in all conditions, especially James, who was up at the top in the dry, wet and intermediate. He had slick tyres on the bike with a rain setting, but towards the end it was fully dry so to enable him to go faster we should have moved to the dry setting. Roby was also fast but he was unlucky in that he moved rather late to the slick tyres and he also hit a bit of traffic on his fast lap. He’s a bit further down the grid but he is still strong. We’ll have to see what the weather brings, but everything is looking in good shape so far.” James Toseland: “It’s been a pretty good day all in all. It was dry this morning and we did the second fastest lap, which was pretty much equal to Haga’s fastest anyway. I was pleased with that. This afternoon it started to rain and the track was pretty damp, but then it stopped and the track gradually dried out. By the end of the session it was fully dry but by that time I had already done six laps on my tyres and the grip was beginning to go. Anyway, I ended up third so I’m happy with that.” Roberto Rolfo: “I am a little bit angry because the last lap was quite good and I feel that I had improved everywhere – particularly the first section of the track. Unfortunately some riders got in the way on the last section and I was unable to improve the lap time. This was the only chance I had and I couldn’t do it. Anyway, I want to be able to regain some positions tomorrow. If it rains it is not so bad because I know I am ok in the wet and after today we have a good pace. For tomorrow we have a lot of work to do and I have to be quick immediately to be able to get a better position.” More, from a press release issued by Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra: Round 7, Silverstone, GB Circuit: 3.561 miles Conditions: Overcast, some rain 12-14C. Friday qualifying, 25th May, 2007 DIFFICULT CONDITIONS HINDER PROGRESS FOR TEAM ALSTARE. The first qualifying session of the weekend was blighted by changing conditions and Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra riders Yukio Kagayama and Max Biaggi finished the day with eleventh and twelfth positions respectively. The start of the timed session saw a wet track and lap times were generally over ten seconds slower then the morning untimed dry practice. But the 3.561 mile circuit began to dry out and halfway through the session some riders were going out on either full slicks or a rear slick and an intermediate front. For Max, the problem was compounded because it was his first time at the circuit and, as usual, he began by concentrating on finding a good bike set-up. Yukio crashed in the afternoon qualifying, but fortunately was uninjured. He then ran out of time at the end of the session and was unable to go out on full slicks and therefore could not improve his lap time. Troy Bayliss (Ducati) took provisional pole with a lap of 1:25.295 – over one second inside the lap record. His team mate Lorenzo Lanzi ended second quickest today, with James Toseland (Honda) third and Ruben Xaus (Ducati) fourth. YUKIO – 11th, 1:27.436 This was not such a good day and once again I had some bad luck. In the afternoon qualifying I had a problem with my brakes and crashed. This was the first time I have had such a problem, but I suppose I was also a bit lucky because I did not hurt myself! The start of qualifying was wet and I had my crash on my second lap. Later the track began to dry out and then we changed to intermediate tyres. Right at the end, I think maybe the track was dry, but I was too late to change to slicks front and rear and that’s why many of the other riders went much quicker. I know if I had been on full slicks, I would’ve probably finished on the second row of the grid. Today I also found it hard to get the bike to change direction easily, so we will make some adjustments and hopefully we will be able to go faster. MAX – 12th, 1:27.464 It is my first time here and there is a lot for me to learn and the bike has to improve also. The track is quite bumpy and so we need to get a good bike set-up before I can push hard. The changing conditions in this afternoon’s qualifying didn’t help us much and I know we got a lot of work to do tomorrow if we are to challenge the front row. At the moment I am having a little problem because the bike is not accelerating so good out of the turns. That initial charge is not as good as it should be and you need it at this track. But for my first time here, it’s not so bad -especially when you consider that I am doing the same lap times as Yukio who has been here many times before. Friday qualifying 1 Bayliss (Aus-Ducati) 1:25.295, 2 Lanzi (I-Ducati) 1:25.952, 3 Toseland (GB-Honda) 1:26.203, 4 Xaus (E-Ducati) 1:26.328, 5 Corser (Aus-Yamaha) 1:26.408, 6 Haga (J-Yamaha) 1:26.689, 7 Fabrizio (I-Honda) 1:26.724, 8 Laconi (F-Kawasaki) 1:26.847, 9 Muggeridge (Aus-Honda) 1:27.280, 10 Neukirchner (D-Suzuki) 1:27.356, 11 YUKIO KAGAYAMA (J-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) 1:27.436, 12 MAX BIAGGI (I-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) 1:27.464,

2007 FIM Supersport World Championship Silverstone, England May 25, 2007 Provisional Qualifying Results: 1. Kenan SOFUOGLU (Honda CBR600RR), 1:27.937 2. Sebastien CHARPENTIER (Honda CBR600RR), 1:28.178 3. Broc PARKES (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:28.189 4. Robbin HARMS (Honda CBR600RR), 1:28.384 5. Craig JONES (Honda CBR600RR), 1:28.389 6. Pere RIBA (Kawasaki ZX-6R), 1:28.759 7. Massimo ROCCOLI (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:28.787 8. David CHECA (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:28.805 9. Javier FORES (Honda CBR600RR), 1:28.919 10. Barry VENEMAN (Suzuki GSX-R600), 1:28.997 11. Fabien FORET (Kawasaki ZX-6R), 1:29.068 12. Yoann TIBERIO (Honda CBR600RR), 1:29.090 13. Matthieu LAGRIVE (Honda CBR600RR), 1:29.182 14. Davide SALOM (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:29.302 15. Anthony WEST (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:29.346 16. Simone SANNA (Honda CBR600RR), 1:29.370 17. Gianluca NANNELLI (Ducati 749R), 1:29.385 18. Sebastien GIMBERT (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:29.424 19. Katsuaki FUJIWARA (Honda CBR600RR), 1:29.512 20. Lorenzo ALFONSI (Honda CBR600RR), 1:29.631 More, from a press release issued by HANNspree Ten Kate Honda: HANNspree Ten Kate Honda fastest at Silverstone HANNspree Ten Kate Honda’s World Supersport riders secured places on the provisional front row for round seven of championship at Silverstone today. Kenan Sofuoglu completed the 45-minute first qualifying session with the fastest time, with team-mate Sébastien Charpentier not far behind in second position. The predicted rain stayed at bay for the morning free practice and the majority of the afternoon qualifying session. Sofuoglu continued his stunning form by setting the fastest lap a total of eight times throughout the sessions. He finished the day by smashing the existing best Silverstone Supersport lap with a blistering time of 1’27.937 – almost second faster than the 2006 best lap time. Charpentier was also on top form today, proving once again that he is back to full fitness. The Frenchman set his best time within two laps of the 3.561km circuit and was on line to improve this even further when a small mistake forced him off the CBR600RR. He re-joined the session uninjured and finished with a final best time of 1’28.178 – within two tenths of a second of his team-mate. With rain forecast for tomorrow’s second session, it is possible that today’s times could dictate the grid line-up for Sunday’s race, meaning that HANNspree Ten Kate Honda would fill the top two positions for the second consecutive round. Ronald ten Kate, Team Manager: “Today has been a very good start to the weekend with the riders first and second on the timesheets. With rain forecast for tomorrow, it was very important for us to be at the top in what could be the only dry qualifying we have this weekend. For Kenan is already three seconds faster than his fastest lap time from last year, so that’s very, very impressive. He was a bit worried coming to Silverstone because last year his results were not so good but this year is really a new year for him so big compliments to him for the improvement. “We have changed quite a bit on Sébastien’s bike and it just getting better and better for him. It was a pity to see him crash out when he was on a real fast lap, but anyway he is back on track and his confidence is coming back so let’ see what happens tomorrow. We couldn’t have had a better start to the weekend.” Sébastien Charpentier: “We are now very close to the perfect set-up for my riding style. Everybody in the team has worked so hard for this and they really understand my needs more than before. I think now I have found a good direction and I am pushing more and more to find my limit in the front. I hope the weather is nice tomorrow so I can push for the front position. I want to get the pole and I want to make the best set-up possible for my bike for the race. It is not easy now though – it’s not easy for anybody in these conditions – but I am a lot happier than before, that’s for sure.” Kenan Sofuoglu: “I was really nervous in the build-up to Silverstone because last year I had a really bad result, I was 20th in the race. There was really a big question mark over how I was going to do here – I just had no idea. Already I am three seconds faster than last year so it’s going really well. However, we still have to work very hard because tomorrow we don’t know if it will be dry or wet. I want to keep the good lap time to stay in the front row but I also want to work on my race distance. We will not make a plan for tomorrow until the morning when we see what the weather is like.”

2007 FIM Superbike World Championship Silverstone, England May 25, 2007 Practice Times: 1. Noriyuki HAGA (Yamaha YZF-R1), 1:26.219 2. James TOSELAND (Honda CBR1000RR), 1:26.274 3. Troy CORSER (Yamaha YZF-R1), 1:26.333 4. Troy BAYLISS (Ducati 999F07), 1:26.365 5. Ruben XAUS (Ducati 999F06), 1:26.388 6. Lorenzo LANZI (Ducati 999F07), 1:26.728 7. Yukio KAGAYAMA (Suzuki GSX-R1000K7), 1:26.857 8. Fonsi NIETO (Kawasaki ZX-10R), 1:27.050 9. Regis LACONI (Kawasaki ZX-10R), 1:27.159 10. Roberto ROLFO (Honda CBR1000RR), 1:27.296 11. Max NEUKIRCHNER (Suzuki GSX-R1000K6), 1:27.406 12. Michel FABRIZIO (Honda CBR1000RR), 1:27.657 13. Karl MUGGERIDGE (Honda CBR1000RR), 1:27.831 14. Alessandro POLITA (Suzuki GSX-R1000K6), 1:28.128 15. Max BIAGGI (Suzuki GSX-R1000K7), 1:28.309 16. Josh BROOKES (Honda CBR1000RR), 1:28.835 17. Shinichi NAKATOMI (Yamaha YZF-R1), 1:29.220 18. Jakub SMRZ (Ducati 999F05), 1:29.408 19. Luca MORELLI (Honda CBR1000RR), 1:29.531 20. Vittorio IANNUZZO (Kawasaki ZX-10R), 1:29.692 21. Dean ELLISON (Ducati 999RS), 1:30.619

2007 FIM Supersport World Championship Silverstone, England May 25, 2007 Practice Times: 1. Kenan SOFUOGLU (Honda CBR600RR), 1:28.480 2. Broc PARKES (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:28.586 3. David CHECA (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:28.936 4. Javier FORES (Honda CBR600RR), 1:29.049 5. Sebastien CHARPENTIER (Honda CBR600RR), 1:29.083 6. Davide SALOM (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:29.146 7. Yoann TIBERIO (Honda CBR600RR), 1:29.203 8. Katsuaki FUJIWARA (Honda CBR600RR), 1:29.213 9. Massimo ROCCOLI (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:29.234 10. Sebastien GIMBERT (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:29.237 11. Fabien FORET (Kawasaki ZX-6R), 1:29.265 12. Gianluca NANNELLI (Ducati 749R), 1:29.272 13. Craig JONES (Honda CBR600RR), 1:29.490 14. Barry VENEMAN (Suzuki GSX-R600), 1:29.579 15. Robbin HARMS (Honda CBR600RR), 1:29.581 16. Gianluca VIZZIELLO (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:29.711 17. Simone SANNA (Honda CBR600RR), 1:29.718 18. Pere RIBA (Kawasaki ZX-6R), 1:29.975 19. Matthieu LAGRIVE (Honda CBR600RR), 1:30.019 20. Vesa KALLIO (Suzuki GSX-R600), 1:30.045

FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: Has anyone thought to ask the AMA how long it will take to create the rule requiring 2003-2007 Yamaha R6s to have tank guards on the protruding corners of the tanks? It seems to me that enough (practice) time has been wasted dealing with the recurring theme of crashed R6 Yamahas losing their fuel and burning up. Safety is paramount. For the cornerworkers and competitors. No one wants to get caught on fire or lose precious practice time which allows a safer degree of riding. How many fires must signal the pattern? Nathan Dressman ARNCHU Consulting Berkley, Michigan FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: Just read the letter you posted about the guys having fuel/fire issues on the 06+ R6 tanks. Both my guys Mark Gulin #95, and Pete Bertram #137x had crashes on Sunday at PIR with OMRRA. They both suffered tank damage even though both were lowsides in the wet. Pete was unable to finish the day due to the tank having a hole! Mark riding the EDR Performance Superbike was able to only because it was not leaking–but both tanks did in fact have pretty bad damage while rest of bike fared very well. ERIC DORN, Owner EDR Performance Portland, Oregon FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: If anyone has a product to protect the tanks of the R6s, sign me up! I would be more than willing to purchase a product to save the tank. Safety is obviously a priority, plus who wants to burn up their new racebike? The day something is available, I will buy it. Jeff Wood CCS/ASRA #1 Winchendon, Massachusetts FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: I would like to see a few pictures of a typical R6 tank that has sustained damage in the area that is prone to wear through. If anyone has such pictures, please forward them to [email protected] and we will look to see if we can come up with a functional solution for this problem. Thanks, Eric Wood President Woodcraft Technologies, Inc. 105 Baldwinville Rd Winchendon, MA 01475 978-297-2977 Fax 978-297-2922 www.woodcraft-cfm.com

Moto Forza Ducati, Husqvarna & Aprilia is hosting a large Open House event on Saturday, June 9th, 2007 during which Ducati’s exciting new Hypermotard will be revealed to the public the first time in North America! Other attractions include dyno runs, demo rides, best-of-show competition, special deals and more. The day’s festivities will be capped off with a cocktail party and apparel fashion show in the evening. Moto Forza is located at 572 N. Tulip St., Escondido, CA 92025 For details call Moto Forza at (760) 746-6001 or go to www.moto-forza.com

Motorcycles at Moroso on Monday Memorial Day The Championship Cup Series of Florida will be at Moroso Motorsports Park this Memorial Day weekend (Sunday and Monday). This event will be paying manufacturer contingency cash to eligible riders on Buell, Ducati and Yamaha motorcycles. Sunday schedule: gates open at 8:00am, practice and time trials 8:30am-4:30pm. Monday schedule: Gates open 7:00am, 39 classes will compete in 19 races. The main event will be the Unlimited GP “Shoot-Out”, which feature motorcycles of unlimited displacement running “un-muffled GP style” exhaust systems. More, from another press release issued by CCS Florida: We have canceled the July 28-29 and August 25-26 races at Moroso and moved the October 6-7 race from Moroso to Jennings. We also will have a Florida/Southeast/Mid-Atlantic round added to the schedule at Roebling Road on June 9-10. This was all done due to proposed construction at Moroso.

This weekend’s seventh World Superbike Championship round at Silverstone will be another new venue for Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra rider Max Biaggi to learn. The Italian has never ridden at the British venue, although team mate Yukio Kagayama has experience at the Midlands circuit in both World and British Superbikes. The circuit was formerly an aerodrome and is mostly flat and fast with the addition of a first-gear final chicane to catch out the unwary. Max Biaggi: “I have never raced at Silverstone so once again I have a new track to learn. From what I have been told, it’s not a difficult circuit generally, but the final section and last chicane are areas you have to know well to put in a good lap. Normally I do not have a problem learning circuits but, as usual, I will start the first day of practice learning the track and finding a good bike set-up. I think most, if not all, of my rivals have raced at Silverstone before so they will have an advantage over me, but that is not going to affect the way I approach my weekend. My goal is to learn the track, get a good set-up, and then attack in final qualifying, Superpole and the races.” Yukio Kagayama: “I have raced at Silverstone before so I can concentrate on finding a good bike set-up right from the start of the weekend. It’s true that my season has not gone as planned, but I am doing a lot of work at the track and that is my job. “Sometimes this can be a bit frustrating, but it has to be done. I have many fans in England so I would really like to do well in Silverstone – especially after last year when I could not make a good show because of my injuries after my crash in practice. This weekend I will try my best – as usual – and I hope that luck is on my side and I can finish on the podium.” 2006 results: Race 1: 1 Bayliss (Aus-Ducati), 2 Haga (J-Yamaha), 3 Toseland (GB-Honda). 14 Yukio Kagayama (J-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra). Max Biaggi (I-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) DNS. Race 2: 1 Bayliss, 2 Haga, 3 Toseland. 13 Yukio Kagayama (J-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra). Max Biaggi (I-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) DNS. More, from a press release issued by Team YZF Yamaha: Superbike World Championship Round 7 Silverstone (United Kingdom) 05/27/07 Nakatomi OK for Friday Despite two broken toes after an accident during the practice of the Monza race 15 days ago, Shinichi Nakatomi is able to ride his R1 this coming Friday at Silverstone. Back from Italy, Nakatomi went to see in Manosque with Martial Garcia doctor Simonet, a surgeon who took care already of riders like Jean-Michel Bayle and Sebastien Gimbert. It was then decided that the Japanese rider can participate to the Silvertone practice session on Friday, without cast for his foot, and then a decision is to be made, considering Shinichi’s physical shape. Like the doctors of the Clinica Mobile suggested at Monza, no operation was necessary. But in the United Kingdom, Nakatomi is using an orthopaedic sole to have a better balance on his racing motorcycle, without pushing too much on his healing broken toes. Martial Garcia (team manager): “Silverstone is for our team a race of transition. We have tried our best so our rider can participate in the best possible conditions and get back in good physical shape.” The slowest track The Silverstone circuit is the slowest of the 13 tracks of the 2007 Superbike World Championship. The fastest average speed for one lap is 148.549 kph by Troy Bayliss (Ducati) last year, which is the current lap record. Silverstone Story Silverstone was built on the site of a WWII RAF airfield. The first race was held there in 1948, Luigi Villoresi winning the R.A.C. Grand Prix in his Maserati. From May 13th 1950 to July 15th 2001, 35 Formula One GPs have been raced at Silverstone. Alain Prost holds the record for the biggest number of wins: 5 with Renault, McLaren, Ferrari and Williams. Silverstone also played host to the British Motorcycle Grand Prix from August 14th 1977 to August 3rd 1986. Kenny Roberts (Yamaha) won the biggest number of 500 GPs there and Kork Ballington (Kawasaki) did the same in 250s. Both won three times while Angel Nieto won six 125 GPs (three with Minarelli and three with Garelli). Silverstone started life as a very high-speed circuit. In essence, it was all straights joined together by a few fast turns. Over the years, the track layout was changed to slow it down. Today there are six possible track configurations: Grand Prix (5.140 km), International (3.624 km), South (3.170 km), National (2.637 km), Stowe (1.281 km) and Rally Sprint (1.920 km). This permanent racing circuit is 15 metres wide, can accommodate up to 90,000 spectators and has 60,000 grandstand seats. Silverstone is 100 kms north of London, 25 kms south/west of Northampton, 74 kms north/west of Oxford and 5 kms west of Towcester in Northamptonshire. F1 speed record In 1985, on the old Silverstone circuit, Keke Rosberg driving a Williams-Honda set the fastest ever average speed for an F1 lap during that year’s British GP: 258.984 kph. World Championship standings: 1-Toseland (Honda) 229 points, 2-Haga (Yamaha) 194, 3-Biaggi (Suzuki) 191, 4-Bayliss (Ducati) 164, 5-Corser (Yamaha) 135…17-Nakatomi (Yamaha) 19 Silverstone stats Practice record (2005): 1:26.679 Yukio Kagayama (Suzuki) 147.900 kph [1:25.383 Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) British Superbike / April 2007] Lap record (best race time 2006): 1:26.299 Troy Bayliss (Ducati) 148.549 kph [1:25.377 Gregorio Lavilla (Ducati) / British Superbike / April 2007] Race 1 results 2006: 1-Bayliss (Ducati), 2-Haga (Yamaha), 3-Toseland (Honda), 4-Xaus (Ducati), 5-Pitt (Yamaha) 2006 Yamaha Motor France race 1 results: Nakatomi: DNS; Abe: 10th; Gimbert: DNF Race 2 results 2006: 1-Bayliss (Ducati), 2-Haga (Yamaha), 3-Toseland (Honda), 4-Pitt (Yamaha), 5-Barros (Honda) 2006 Yamaha Motor France race 2 results: Nakatomi: DNS; Abe: 11th; Gimbert: DNF 8th round of the Superbike World Championship: June 17th at Misano (Italy) More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse: WORLD SUPERBIKE REACHES MID-POINT AT SILVERSTONE Silverstone (UK), Thursday 24 May: The World Superbike Championship reaches its mid-point of the season at the Silverstone circuit in the UK this weekend. Seven rounds and 14 races remain for Ducati Xerox Team’s Troy Bayliss to make up the points gap on the three men lying ahead of him in the table, James Toseland, Noriyuki Haga and Max Biaggi. After gaining three points on points leader Toseland at Monza, the Silverstone short circuit could offer the 38 year-old Australian another chance of cutting the gap at a track where he scored the double last year. Troy Bayliss, 4th in championship (164 points) Troy has a great record at Silverstone, winning three out of the four races he has competed in there. He split the wins with Colin Edwards on the long circuit in 2002 and then took a double last year. “Silverstone is featureless and a bit computer-like really, it’s a flash circuit with great facilities and is big, wide and safe but doesn’t compare with any circuits in England. We found a couple of simple things with the bike in testing at Misano last week but basically we just had a very good test and left there very confident. Honestly what we learnt there will help us at every track as well as Silverstone and I came away from there very happy. From now on I’ve always got to be on the podium but it’s time to win a few races as well because James, Nori and Max have all been really consistent. I expect those guys to be the main guys to beat this weekend but our bike is strong and we’ll put in a good performance as well.” Lorenzo Lanzi, 6th in championship (107 points) Lorenzo’s record at Silverstone on the other hand has never yet yielded him a top 10 finish in his four participations in 2005 and 2006. “Until now, apart from Valencia, we have gone better than last year and even my position in the table is better. The Silverstone track is much more favourable for us than Monza, but there’s always the unknown factor of the weather. Even though there are not many places to overtake, I like this circuit and I won here on my debut in Superstock in 2003. Hopefully I can get some good results this weekend and I’ll be trying to get into the top positions. There are five or six guys who are really strong out there but this does not intimidate me, on the contrary it really motivates me to improve”. Championship Points (after 6 of 13 rounds): Riders – 1. Toseland (Honda) 229; 2. Haga (Yamaha) 194; 3. Biaggi (Suzuki) 191; 4. Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) 164; 5. Corser (Yamaha) 135; 6. Lanzi (Ducati Xerox) 107; 7. Xaus (Ducati) 106; 8. Neukirchner (Suzuki) 81. Manufacturers – 1. Honda 238; 2. Yamaha 217; 3. Ducati 209; 4. Suzuki 191; 5. Kawasaki 77. The Circuit Name: Silverstone (short circuit) Length: 3.561 km Pole Position: right Finish line length: 491 metres Race distance: 2 x 28 laps/99.708 km Statistics : Best lap: Bayliss (Ducati) 1m26.299s (2006). Lap record: Bayliss (Ducati) 1m26.299s (2006). Superpole: Kagayama (Suzuki) 1m26.679s (2005). 2006 Results : Race 1 – 1. Bayliss (Ducati); 2. Haga (Yamaha); 3. Toseland (Honda). Race 2 – 1. Bayliss; 2. Haga; 3. Toseland.

Over £800 Raised for Steve Plater’s Leg Hair! It wasn’t all racing at the North West 200, the scene of Steve Plater’s recent triumph on the Team AIM Racing Yamaha where he scored his second successive win plus a second, third and fourth place finish to his other races, in Northern Ireland. Steve took part in a charity leg wax to raise funds for the MCUI Medical team and with the marquee packed full of onlookers, over £800 was raised for the team of doctors and paramedics who attend the races and care for the riders unfortunate enough to need their attention.. North West 200 specialist Steve Plater along with fellow racers Keith Amor, Guy Martin, and Stephen Thompson endured the pain (some better than others) in front of a big crowd. However, it didn’t end there, with a few personal bets leading to both Martin Finnegan and Stephen Thompson donating £100 each to see each other have their armpits waxed, and with Keith Amor donating a further £50 for some revenge on organiser Simon Patterson, who also lost his leg hair to the cause! Woodhall Spa racing star Steve Plater said: “I was more than happy to endure the leg wax, it was all for a good cause and I was only too pleased to take part. My legs are as smooth as anything now and it didn’t hurt much!”