FIM Supersport World Championship Assen, Netherlands April 27, 2007 Free Practice One Results: 1. Sebastien CHARPENTIER (Hon CBR600RR), 1:43.151 2. Barry VENEMAN (Suz GSX-R600), 1:43.161 3. Kenan SOFUOGLU (Hon CBR600RR), 1:43.250 4. David CHECA (Yam YZF-R6), 1:43.391 5. Andrew PITT (Hon CBR600RR), 1:43.417 6. David SALOM (Yam YZF-R6), 1:43.668 7. Broc PARKES (Yam YZF-R6), 1:43.717 8. Massimo ROCCOLI (Yam YZF-R6), 1:43.749 9. Davide GIUGLIANO (Kaw ZX-6R), 1:43.948 10. Fabien FORET (Kaw ZX-6R), 1:44.101 32. Chris PERIS (Yam YZF-R6), 1:46.666

In response to questions from readers, Roadracingworld.com asked AMA Road Race Director Keith Kizer what happened to the big screens at Barber Motorsports Park last weekend. “There was a problem with Venix Media in getting the sponsorship needed to justify bringing the big screens out to Barber,” said Kizer, speaking from the paddock at California Speedway in Fontana, California, site of this weekend’s AMA Superbike National. “But things have been worked out for this weekend so there will be at least one Jumbotron here at Fontana and we hope that things will be worked out from here on out for the tracks that want the screens; there are some tracks that don’t want them due to conflicts in sponsorship. “It is important that people know that this is an agreement that allowed a company to put together the Jumbotron program. This has nothing to do with us. This is nothing we are paying for. This is nothing we are making any income off of. “The problem at Barber was them selling enough sponsorship packages to justify bringing it down. “We hope they have everything worked out now,” Kizer concluded.

(Burlingame, CA.) Top 1 Oil Products Company, a leading U.S. producer of high quality lubricants, has hired Mojotown.com to launch their new corporate parent website. Mojotown is a full service multi media agency and consulting firm specializing in motor-sports marketing. “We have been considering working with a full service multi media agency for some time but it took a while to identify the right partner. We’re confident that we found the proper partner in Mojotown and are excited to be working with them to assist us in achieving our multi media marketing goals,” said Frank Ryan, V.P. of Sales & Marketing for Top 1 Oil Products. About Top 1 Oil TOP 1 Oil Products Company was founded in 1979 with the purpose of providing quality car care lubricants to consumers worldwide. Nearly thirty years later, TOP 1 has grown into a much larger organization, and its extensive product line is recognized worldwide for its quality and innovation. Earlier this month Top 1 Oil Products announced its arrival to MotoGP racing when it became a partner with Team Roberts for the 2007 MotoGP season. “Not only are we excited about being part of Team Roberts we are equally honored to be a part of the rich history that both Kenny Roberts Jr. and Kenny Roberts Sr. have contributed to the global motor-sports landscape” commented Frank Ryan. TOP 1 is unique from most businesses for it has been continually owned and operated by one family. Today, three generations of Ryans continue to pursue the organizing principle of its founder, William A. Ryan.

RE-SURFACING WORK COMPLETED AT MONDELLO PARK NEW SURFACE AND DRAINAGE SYSTEM WIN UNIVERSAL PRAISE The final phase of Mondello Park’s 2007 upgrade programme has taken place with last week’s completion of the circuit’s latest resurfacing work. Competitors will now benefit from better levels of grip along with a smoother surface, which has ironed out many of the remaining bumpy areas. With the Bennetts British Superbike Championship set to return to Mondello in June, some of the areas which particularly affected motorcycle competitors have been brought to the top of the list. Beginning on the main straight the new surface commences at the pit lane exit and continues all the way down to Turn 1. From the main straight the improvements to the surface continue around to the exit of Turn 2. Most of the remainder of the National circuit has been resurfaced in recent years, but additional work has been carried out to repair problem spots, particularly on the exit of Turn 3. Out on the International circuit, the major bump on the exit of the fastest corner on the circuit, ‘Lola’, is a thing of the past and all other corners not attended to over the past couple of seasons have now been improved. New surface also extends from the braking area for Turn 7A & 7B to well beyond the exit of these two right handers. Birrane’s Bends have also benefited from the works and the new tarmac covers all of the area where competitors are turning through this tricky right left complex. Speaking on the completion of this latest Mondello Park circuit up-grade, Managing Director John Morris said. “Our main concern was to remove the last of the major bumps and to that end we’re delighted with the result. The bump under the bridge is gone and the run into Turn 1 is now smooth and consistent. In addition, over the last couple of years we’d seen a depression develop in the track at Turn 2 and we’ve taken the opportunity to repair this before overlaying with the new surface. Out on the International loop competitors will benefit mostly from the works at turns 7a & 7b and through Birrane’s Bends. It represents another stage in the continual development of the circuit that will next see the run off at turn 7b extended, as the earth bank is scheduled to be moved back” The first opportunity for competitors to test the new surface was at last weekend’s championship car races on April 22nd. There was universal praise from competitors for the new surface and the improved drainage on a day that saw mixed weather conditions. Motorcycle competitors will not have the chance to sample the new smoother Mondello until May 20th, but the feedback from recent motorcycle track days has been excellent.

MICHELIN WORKING HARD FOR CHINESE GP Michelin travels to Shanghai with new tires for Valentino Rossi (Fiat Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin) following a difficult Turkish GP where the former World Champion struggled with a rear tire vibration. Michelin reacted swiftly to Rossi’s post-race analysis and feedback by letting test him harder construction rears for the Monday test session at Istanbul. The new tires, already produced for the tests, allowed Michelin and Rossi to confirm the direction of development they are taking. Michelin tailor-makes tires for each of its seven MotoGP riders, according to individual riding style and machine requirements. “We tested harder construction tires based on Valentino’s precise comments after the race at Istanbul,” says Jean-Philippe Weber, Michelin’s director of motorcycle racing. “The new tires he tested gave him more confidence and more stability. Based on these results Michelin is focusing all its efforts on taking new spec tires that fit Valentino’s requirements to China, adapted to the demanding Shanghai circuit.” MICHELIN & THE TECHNICAL CHALLENGE OF SHANGHAI “Shanghai is a horsepower track, where top speed is even more important than at Istanbul,” says Weber. “It features two long straights, so there’s a lot of heavy braking, strong acceleration and high top speeds, which means we have to deal with a lot of stress in the center section of the tires, explains Weber. “We deal with this issue by using harder constructions in both front and rear tires. The center section compounds we use at Shanghai aren’t dramatically different from what we might use at other circuits but the tires are definitely harder “There are also several very long curves during the lap, where riders use high angles of lean and stay on the edge of the tires for a long time. Therefore Shanghai can be quite a challenging track, especially if the weather is good and track temperature is high. “The Turn One and Turn Two right-handers combine to make the biggest corner in MotoGP at over 300 degrees, and it’s a special kind of corner because the camber changes a lot, riders going up into the turn and then down, so the mass transfer isn’t constant. The Turn 12 and Turn 13 rights take riders through another 270 degrees, then there are other quite long curves like Turns Seven and Eight, so we have to use quite hard products at this track. We also have to take into account the balance of lefts and rights and use different compounds on each side of the tires. The surface itself isn’t too aggressive, it’s more the stress placed on the tires from the high speeds, the heavy braking and the long corners. We are confident in our 16-inch front, it will be good for the long corner entries at Shanghai.” MICHELIN IN CHINA China is the world’s biggest manufacturer and consumer of powered two-wheelers, so it’s no surprise that Michelin has a major presence in the country. Michelin China employs around 5000 people and invests hundred of millions of euros in Shanghai Michelin Warrior Tire Co Ltd, which manufactures Michelin and Warrior Tires. Michelin also has an R&D center in Shanghai. TRACK DATA SHANGHAI: 5.281km/3.281 miles Lap record: Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team RC211V-Michelin), 1:59.3318, 159.336km/h- 99.007mph (2006, lap 19) Pole position 2006: Pedrosa, 1:59.009, 159.749km/h-99.263mph WINNERS OF THE CHINESE GP 2006 Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team RC211V-Michelin), 44:07.734 2005 Valentino Rossi (Gauloises Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin), 50:02 463 (wet race) MICHELIN’S 2007 MotoGP RIDERS Carlos Checa (Honda LCR RC212V-Michelin) Colin Edwards (Fiat Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin) Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda Team RC212V-Michelin) Shinya Nakano (Konica Minolta Honda RC212V-Michelin) Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team RC212V-Michelin) Kenny Roberts Jr (Team Roberts KR212V-Michelin) Valentino Rossi (Fiat Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin)

BAYLISS (DUCATI XEROX) FIT AND READY FOR ASSEN BATTLE Assen (Netherlands), Thursday 26 April: The fifth round of the World Superbike Championship takes place this weekend at the Assen TT circuit in the Netherlands, four months before its traditional late summer date, a switch that was brought about by a reshuffle in the calendar dates. This year’s championship battle was thrown into turmoil by Ducati Xerox Team rider Troy Bayliss’s crash at Donington. While Troy was able to limit the damage at Valencia with a heroic podium finish, he needs to cut the gap to the leaders, James Toseland (Honda) and Max Biaggi (Suzuki) with a couple of good results this weekend. The Yamaha duo of Noriyuki Haga and Troy Corser however are both within closer range. Troy Bayliss, 5th in championship (90 points) Following his recent injuries, the 38-year-old Australian scored a gutsy third place finish in Valencia and will be back more or less at full strength for the fast Assen race. Troy has competed in eight races at the Dutch TT track, winning three of them, but he has also crashed out on a couple of occasions. “I’m definitely in better shape than what I was last time we raced and I’m looking forward to doing the stuff at Assen. Everything is OK and I’ve got no problems with my hand or down under” he declared. “Assen has been up and down for me over the years and I’ve had a few strange moments there – some good and some bad – but last year it was looking OK until I crashed in the rain. I also won the championship there in 2001 and then lost it there in 2002! I do like racing at Assen, we could get strange weather at any time of the year really, but this time round the weather looks much better! 61 points is a lot to make up on the leader, it’s not totally out of reach but it certainly creates a bit of a situation where we have to have a perfect year now. We have to be very good, James has been riding well and has been very strong, but, you know, things can always turn sour in racing”. Lorenzo Lanzi, 6th in championship (87 points) 25-year-old Lanzi has four participations to his name at Assen in 2005 and 2006, but has never gone higher than a sixth place on both occasions. “L’anno scorso, in condizioni di asciutto, in prova siamo andati molto bene qui ad Assen. Ma in gara, per due anni di seguito, ho ottenuto soltanto un sesto e un settimo posto, spero di fare meglio questa volta, anche se il ritmo dei primi si è alzato, come abbiamo visto nelle ultime due gare” ha dichiarato Lorenzo. “Fortunatamente il weekend promette bel tempo, quindi condizioni perfette. Già da domani cercherò di prepararmi al meglio in vista della gara, perché con questo caldo sarà molto importante la scelta delle gomme. Dopo un bell’inizio di stagione voglio tornare al più presto sul podio e vincere delle gare. In classifica non sono molto lontano dal terzo classificato, cercherò di raccogliere più punti possibili da qui in avanti.” Championship Points (after 4 of 13 rounds): Riders – 1. Toseland (Honda) 151; 2. Biaggi (Suzuki) 138; 3. Haga (Yamaha) 124; 4. Corser (Yamaha) 101; 5. Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) 90; 6. Lanzi (Ducati Xerox) 87; etc. Manufacturers – 1. Honda 160; 2. Suzuki 138; 3. Yamaha 134; 4. Ducati 132; 5. Kawasaki 53. The Circuit Name: Van Drenthe Circuit Assen TT Length: 4.555 kms Pole Position: left Finish line length: 560 m Race distance: 2 x 22 laps / 100.210 km Statistics : Best lap: Corser (Suzuki) 1m38.965s (2006). Lap record: Bayliss (Ducati) 1m40.767s (2006). Superpole: Corser (Suzuki) 1m38.965s (2006). 2006 Results : Race 1 – 1. Walker (Kawasaki); 2. Pitt (Yamaha); 3. Fabrizio (Honda). Race 2 – 1. Bayliss (Ducati); 2. Pitt; 3. Nieto (Kawasaki).

READY FOR CHINA Preview GP of China – round 4 After the excitement of Istanbul the MotoGP Woirld Championship heads even further east this weekend to China and the circuit of Shanghai, another of design guru Hermann Tilke’s dramatic offerings to the world of motorsport. Team Honda Gresini are still flying high on the emotion of a stunning second place for Toni Elias in Turkey and a formidable comeback from Marco Melandri, who charged from 14th on the grid to finish in a creditable fifth. Those results leave the Faenza-based outfit with both riders on the verge of the top three in the championship, with the Spaniard in fourth in and the Italian in fifth. They have also lifted Team Honda Gresini up to third place in the Teams’ World Championship, behind the factory Ducati and Yamaha teams and the highest placed Honda outfit. Marco Melandri: “I’m going to China feeling confident after the race in Istanbul – not so much for the result but for the way we fought back after a difficult weekend. In the race we recovered the feeling I lost during practice and I was able to ride my Honda in the way I like. Now the objective is to find the right way forward with the set-up from the first session and get a qualifying position that will allow me to fight for a top position in the race. The characteristics of the circuit in China don’t really suit our bike but I like the track itself. Bridgestone have demonstrated in the first three races that they can be competitive at different kinds of circuit and I’m confident they will come up with some really good options for us at Shanghai.” Toni Elias: “I like Shanghai a lot and I’m happy to go there after such a great race in Istanbul. I have to thank my team for the work they have done on the set-up and Bridgestone, who have come up with a tyre which is perfect for my riding style. This has raised my confidence in my potential and allowed me to progress. The job still isn’t finished though and we still have margin for improvement. I’m pleased to see that my riding style, which many people said would be too aggressive for the new 800cc bike, can be effective and allow me to challenge for victories. The Shanghai straight is the longest on the calendar (1202 metres) and that doesn’t suit our bike but I hope we can make up for this with a good set-up in the cycle part.” THE TRACK: “It’s a unique circuit,” explains Marco. “It has two long straights, one of which measures 1202 metres and is the longest on the calendar. The first corner is probably the strangest because it is so long and you have to change gear whilst banked over down a steep drop. It’s important to have a precise line through turns 3, 4 and 5 and a good exit from turn 7 before the long straight. You then have to be prepared for the hardest braking zone in the championship to set up a good finish.” FOCUS: How the World Championship crosses the globe In Europe the team’s material travels across land in the trucks, but how is it transported to Intercontinental venues? Everything is packed into boxes and transported on special charter flights. On their arrival at customs, the boxes and documents undergo strict examination both at the airport and again at the circuit. This procedure takes around 48 hours. THE NUMBERS: 3 Boeing 747s transport the 945 boxes. 290,000kg of material transported 200kg of documentation 40 trucks transfer the boxes from the airport to the circuit 100,000 kg of MotoGP material 10,600kg of Team Honda Gresini material, packed in 33 boxes Interesting fact: the total weight of all the bikes in all three classes is 20 tonnes – just 7% of the entire freight. The cost varies from track to track. Istanbul to Shanghai costs 3 euro per kilo, whilst the return from Shanghai to Le Mans is more than double. This information is provided by TEMPORA, who are in charge of transporting MotoGP material outside of Europe. Tempora’s operating staff is made up of seven people, who all travel with the cargo.

Albacete 6hr Night-time Endurance Stage set for an exceptional race The ‘Albacete 6 hour Night-time Endurance’, the second huge test of the QMMF Endurance FIM World Championship, is fast approaching. On Saturday 5th May, from 18:00 until 00:00, twenty-eight teams will take to the 3.5km long Spanish track. Among the favourites is the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team, the double-victors from the ‘Le Mans 24 Hours’ last weekend. The first and second-placed GSX-R from Le Mans, is six points ahead of the ZX-10R of Team Kawasaki Motor France, who finished third at the famous 24 Hour race. The duel between the official Suzuki and Kawasaki is sure to provide huge entertainment for the crowds at Albacete. The arrival of an official Japanese Honda, however, has provided a new threat to the leaders. Albacete will mark the first appearance of the CBR1000RR of the FCC TSR team, winner of the ‘Suzuka 8 Hours’ in 2006. Riding the Honda super-bike will be Takeshi Tsujimura, responsible for the win in 2006, and Yoshiyuki Sugai who finished seventh at Suzuka in 2006. The factory Honda will be using the race as a first test before an eventual return to the official Endurance World Championship in 2008. The presence of the Spanish Yamaha of Folch Endurance is another characteristic of this year’s ‘Albacete 6 hour Night-time Endurance’. Endurance specialists Folch Endurance have finished second and third in the last two races at Albacete. Once again this year the Yamaha Folch will be looking for a place on the podium, under the guidance of rider Victor Casas, winner of the 2006 ‘Catalan 24 Hours’, together with Alex Martinez. Qatar Endurance Racing Team will also certainly be among the front-runners thanks to its Spanish riders. Competitive and on home turf, Jose Luis Cardoso and Ivan Silva are attempting to cast aside the memories of the disappointment of having to retire at Le Mans following mechanical problems. The Albacete circuit, 160km to the west of Valencia, is the only fully-lit track outside of Japan. The free tests will begin on Friday 4th May in the morning. The first qualifying round will take place on Friday afternoon and the second on Saturday morning. The race itself will get underway on Saturday 5th May at 18:00, finishing at midnight. Twenty-five points are on offer for the winner.

TEAM RIGHTSFORBIKERS.COM READY TO ROCK AND ROLL Palmetto, Fla–Ready to rock and roll their way to victory, Team RightsForBikers.com is heading for Virginia International Raceway for Round 3 of the SunTrust MOTO-ST Series, April 27-29. Spearheaded by well-known Florida attorney and chairman of the Manatee County Democratic party, C.J. Czaia, this popular team is running in all three of the MOTO-ST classes and is currently ranked in a 5th place tie in the SST class, in 8th in GST and 5th in ST. “We are definitely ready to go,” says Czaia. “We learned an incredible amount at the last event in Homestead and I think that this should be a good weekend for us. Everyone on our team is extremely determined and motivated and that’s what it takes to win.” Piloting the RightForBikes.com Suzuki SV1000S in the SST class are Mark Crozier and Nathan Dressman. Crozier, who lives in Palm Coast, Florida, has been racing most of his life. With 8 National Endurance Championships to his credit, his two-wheeled skill is obvious and he is a definite asset to any team. Dressman, who is an industrial designer, has been competing for the past 6 years. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio and now a resident of Berkley, Michigan, Dressman earned 7 WERA regional championships and last season he took home the WERA National Endurance Heavyweight Superstock crown and was 2nd overall in the WERA standings. ‘Our fourth place finish at Homestead moved us from 11th into a tie for fifth place,” explains Crozier. While winning is always the goal, it ended up being a good day for us considering we started at the back of the pack. Being able to turn consistent laps definitely helped. Unfortunately we were a little short on gas mileage which necessitated pulling in for a quick splash and go. But, we should be dialed for this weekend and hopefully we can gain a little more in the points battle.” In the GST class, the team’s Ducati S2R1000 boasts the talents of John Linder of Tampa, Chris Boy of Fort Lauderdale and C.J. Czaia. “We had some problems at Homestead,” explains Czaia. “About 56 laps into the race, we had a clutch problem. Luckily we were able to coast into the pits and the crew put in a new clutch. It wasn’t the way we wanted it to go, but it’s all part of racing and we were able to gain some valuable points.” Last, but not least, are Nicole Hoffman and Robert Fisher riding a Suzuki SV650 in the ST class. Hoffman, who lives in Palm Coast and works for NASCAR began racing six years ago. Since her involvement in the sport she has steadily developed both her riding skills and her skills in managing a team and securing sponsorship. “Being fast and winning races is first and foremost. It’s important for me to get seat time and get faster every time I am on the bike,” she explains. This philosophy has worked so far in her favor, earning her a championship title in 2004. In addition, she was a member of the winning ST team at the inaugural SunTrust MOTO-ST 8 Hours At Daytona Teammate Robert Fisher, who resides in Sarasota, had been competing for the last 12 years. In addition to his numerous championships and accolades, Fisher, the president of Roaring Toyz, has earned a standout reputation as a builder of custom sport bikes. His Who’s Who list of customers include celebrities such as actor and rapper Ludacris, Tampa Bay Buccaneer running back Michael Pittman, Cincinnati Reds infielder Felipe Lopez and super middleweight boxer Jeff “Left-hook” Lacy, to name just a few. “This is one of the best series I have ever competed in,” sums up Czaia, who has been racing for the past 25 years. “We are all pleased to be part of it and know that it is just going to get better and better.” More, from a press release issued by Go Big Racing: GO BIG RACING 8 POINTS SHY OF FIRST IN MOTO-ST’S ST CLASS Hamilton, Ontario – April 26, 2007 – After this past weekend’s pre-season testing for the 2007 Parts Canada Superbike Championship, Go Big Racing’s Millson and Glenn will be heading to Virginia just eight-points shy of the points lead in the ST class of the SunTrust MOTO-ST endurance series. The Pair-A-Nines riders Springsteen and Filice currently hold top spot in ST championship points. Team-mates Millson and Glenn are still riding high from their second place finish at the SunTrust MOTO-ST, Homestead 500K, at Homestead-Miami Speedway, even though their trip back home to Canada presented some challenges due to a major storm that blasted the East Coast. “We ended up camping out at the airport due to flight cancellations all along the East Coast and then decided to rent a car to drive back which was an ordeal in itself!” explained Millson. “Sometimes I don’t know what’s more challenging, the races, or the traveling to and from the tracks.” Glenn kidded, referring to the travel conditions surrounding the last two rounds. The team is looking forward to round three of the SunTrust MOTO-ST series at VIRginia International Raceway and hope to improve their results to one step higher on the podium. “Springsteen and Filice are great racers.” said Millson. “Our Suzuki SV650 and our crew have been incredible, so it’s up to Paul and I to turn it up a notch.”