Home Blog Page 5960

Sunny Skies Greet MotoGP Circus As It Arrives At Jerez

newspaper
-
0
Sunny Skies Greet MotoGP Circus As It Arrives At Jerez

Preparations for the Gran Premio bwin.com de España began today, as the paddock at the Circuito de Jerez filled up with MotoGP teams and riders. With the weather in Spain being somewhat unpredictable over the past few days, there was a fresh wind and sunny skies greeting the early arrivals at Jerez, with the forecast for sunshine all weekend. Things got underway with the traditional pre-event visit to the Gonzalez Byass sherry distillery, attended by MotoGP stars Shinya Nakano and Sylvain Guintoli alongside 125cc World Championship leader Hector Faubel. The trio had a taste of some of southern Spain’s most famous products, and had the honour of meeting MotoGP Legends and fellow attendees Giacomo Agostini and Angel Nieto, the two most decorated champions in MotoGP history. Racewinner in Qatar, Casey Stoner was joined by five-time MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi, local riders Toni Elias and Dani Pedrosa and father-to-be Loris Capirossi at the press conference to talk about Sunday’s race. The latter will be competing in his 250th Grand Prix, and was surprised earlier on in the day as he was presented with a cake in the Ducati garage to commemorate the occasion. Expecting his first child this weekend, the 2006 victor will be hoping for two reasons to celebrate over the coming days. Keeping up the busy schedule of recent weeks, a number of teams put on presentations at the Circuito de Jerez this afternoon. Dani Pedrosa announced the renovation of his promotional deal with Spanish bank La Caixa, whilst Yamaha riders Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards were involved in a photo session with their new Fiat livery on-track. Official MotoGP charity Riders for Health had also organised a special ‘MotoGP Experience’ for fans, giving a group of fans the chance to undertake laps of the Spanish circuit. Of the riders still carrying injuries suffered or worsened two weeks ago at Qatar, both John Hopkins and Hiroshi Aoyama are scheduled to ride tomorrow, with the Red Bull KTM rider having visited the Jerez medical centre earlier today to have his recently-operated-on finger examined. Hopkins will once again be riding through the pain suffering from a hand injury picked up as a result of a crash in preseason. The first practice session for the Gran Premio bwin.com de España kicks off tomorrow at 9am local time, with the start of the 125cc free practice session. MotoGP and 250cc riders will then take to the track, with a very special event rounding off the day. The first ever practice sessions for the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup take place from 4pm,building up to the gateway competition’s first ever race on Sunday.

Lynn Lost Tip Of Finger In Crash During Testing Tuesday But Will Race At Barber Next Month

newspaper
-
0
Lynn Lost Tip Of Finger In Crash During Testing Tuesday But Will Race At Barber Next Month

Fast By Ferracci MV Agusta factory Superbike rider Matt Lynn lost part of the little finger on his right hand in a crash while testing March 20 at Barber Motorsports Park, but the young Georgia rider will be ready to race at round two of the AMA Superbike Championship in April. Lynn, along with his Italian teammate Luca Scassa, participated in their first true test (a multi-team test) of their Dunlop-shod MV Agusta F4-1000R 312 Superbikes March 19-20, in Alabama, and things were going relatively well until the second day. “We had a really good set-up on the bike and we were dialing it in,” Lynn told Roadracingworld.com in a telephone interview March 21. “Every time I went out it was getting better. We decided to try to do a race simulation on the second day. Everything was going good. I was turning some low-to-mid-1:27s and doing alright. “On lap 12, I came up through three where the crest of the hill is and the back end got stepped out a little bit. It just kept stepping out more, so I kind of rolled out of the gas. When I did that it snapped back. It happened really fast and bumped me out of the saddle a little bit and got into a real bad headshake, from lock-to-lock. “I ended up going down on the right side. I pinched the tip of my right pinky finger off. I went to the University of Alabama Birmingham Medical Center. There was no bone left from the first knuckle down, so they couldn’t attach anything or do anything. And when I first got up I knew it was bad and there was no way to fix it. They cleaned it up really good and stitched it up and sent me on my way. In two weeks the stitches come out.” Lynn said he was going to seek a further evaluation from his local orthopedic surgeon near his home in Ballground, Georgia but should be ready to race at round two of the AMA Superbike series April 20-22 at Barber Motorsports Park. A silver lining in the incident was the fact that Lynn did not hit any hard objects. Lynn may have hit an Armco barrier, the same barrier that Roger Hayden hit and broke his leg on last year, if the barrier had not been moved at the request of the riders during the off-season. Relocating the wall was one of several safety enhancements that Barber Motorsports Park made last year at the request of AMA riders.

KYMCO USA Sponsors No Factory Support Superbike Team And NASCAR Busch Cup Racer

newspaper
-
0
KYMCO USA Sponsors No Factory Support Superbike Team And NASCAR Busch Cup Racer

SPARTANBURG, SC, SC — KYMCO USA has signed on as a charter sponsor for a North Carolina-based racing team that is making history in AMA Superbike. From its headquarters deep in the heart of NASCAR country, Alan Rutherford and his “No Factory Support” team are campaigning through the 2007 Superbike season to win races and also to prove a point. “We aren’t out to bash the factory teams,” says team co-owner and manager Alan Rutherford. “But we are out to beat them.” And they are dead serious about it. For riders, the team of “privateers” has attracted three-time AMA champ Doug Chandler and talented young gun Kurtis Roberts, the son of racing legend Kenny Roberts. According to Alan Rutherford, “We’re happy to have KYMCO on board because they’re headed in the same direction we’re headed. KYMCO is one of the greatest products and they’re on the fast-track with growth right now.” The NFS headquarters facility in Gastonia, NC is outfitted with everything a Superbike team needs, including a complete machine shop for making parts and its own dyno room. “We aren’t cutting any corners,” Alan Rutherford says. “We are going out to win.” Four CBR 1000’s were purchased by the team from Ricky Hendricks Performance Honda in Charlotte. Gary Medley, a veteran from the Parts Unlimited Ducati team, is the crew chief. Matt Worbes from the Muzzy’s Exhaust Harley-Davidson team is the engine builder. Danny Hall, who has worked for Yamaha, will set up the chassis. Another Ducati veteran, Neil Freeman, and data specialist, Mike Dillon, round out the team. Rutherford and his partner, Rick Damele of Oakland, CA, formed their venture based on a belief that the Superbike circuit would benefit greatly by having sponsorship from outside the sport’s OE factory names. The example they hope to emulate is NASCAR, which has Sprint Nextel, Tide, UPS, Lowes Home Improvement and dozens of other well-known brands. The team is aiming high, and to help them achieve their lofty goal KYMCO was one of two sponsors signing on prior to the March 10, 2007 opening race at Daytona. (The other is Mac Tools.) KYMCO is providing four Super 9 AC 2T model scooters for the team’s use in the 2007 campaign. Two will be used by the riders for travel at the tracks. And two will be used by a crew from SPEED Channel which is following the team as part of a reality-based TV series. The television exposure is just one more way to gain a wider audience and wider sponsorship for Superbike. But first the NFS effort is focused on winning. “We’re going with the four fastest bikes and two of the hungriest riders,” Rutherford says. “We’re going to win and the sponsors will follow.” During the week leading up to NFS Racing’s first race, KYMCO USA will be on hand at Destination Daytona providing demo rides an its two- and four-wheel products. About the KYMCO Super 9 AC 2T A favorite of scooter racers and enthusiasts, the new Super 9 AC 2T is the top of the line of KYMCO 50cc scooters. It features cool, aggressive Superbike styling and is a thrill on the road. The air-cooled, oil-injected engine 2-stroke engine gets you off the line in a hurry, and KYMCO’s stepless CVT transmission does the shifting. From another press release issued by KYMCO USA: SPARTANBURG, SC “” KYMCO USA is joining the ranks of NASCAR sponsorship this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Virginia. In Saturday’s NASCAR Busch Series Sharpie MINI 300 race, the company will be primary sponsor for the #56 KYMCO USA Chevrolet driven by last year’s Busch Series Raybestos Rookie of the Year, Danny O’Quinn. The car’s hood will be splashed with KYMCO’s colors and logo and under that hood will be over 700 horsepower. “Naturally we’re excited to be a part of the NASCAR family,” said Bruce Ramsey, KYMCO USA Vice President for Sales and Marketing. “And it’s great to be associated with an up-and-coming driver of Danny O’Quinn’s stature, and the Mac Hill Motorsports team, which is located just up the road from us in Mooresville, NC.” O’Quinn won the Busch rookie award last year driving for the perennial NASCAR heavyweights at Roush Fenway Racing. This season Roush is permitting O’Quinn to drive a limited schedule for Mac Hill Motorsports, owner of the #56 Chevrolet, as well as two entries in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup series. The Mac Hill Motorsports team is owned by Jack McNelly, who says he’s very pleased to have KYMCO USA on board for the Bristol Race. “We’re going to give them the biggest bang for their buck we can,” McNelly said. “Building a relationship, that’s what it’s all about.” Racing at Bristol is a homecoming of sorts for McNelly’s driver. Danny O’Quinn was born in nearby Coeburn, Virginia. He’s still a young driver who won’t turn 22 until May, but, in addition to being last year’s Busch rookie of the year, he also won big on the ARCA and USAR Hooters Pro Cup circuits. The half-mile Bristol Motor Speedway has long been one of the most popular tracks in NASCAR. Its steep 36-degree banking makes for a lot of “swapping paint” in action that has drawn comparisons to being stuck in a washing machine. As the #56 KYMCO USA Chevrolet’s owner, Jack McNelly, puts it, “If you come home from Bristol and you’re not marked up a bit then you didn’t run very good.” For more about Mac Hill Motorsports, see machillmotorsports.com. For more information on Danny O’Quinn Jr., visit dannyoquinn.com. About KYMCO USA KYMCO’s roots in the motorsports industry goes back to its founding in 1963, as the Kwang Yang Motor Company, Ltd., with headquarters in Taiwan. Long a leader in quality, fuel economy, and versatility, today KYMCO manufactures motor scooters, motorcycles, and ATVs at five plants in Asia, including the main facility in the city of Kaohsiung. KYMCO is the largest scooter manufacturer in Taiwan, and currently exports to 74 countries worldwide. All KYMCO plants use the latest technology for the engineering and production of reliable engine, chassis, and other components. Since 2004, KYMCO has been officially accredited for ISO-9001 quality in manufacturing, KYMCO is committed to maximum customer satisfaction and constant innovation, making use of the most advanced CAD/CAE tools to bring superior engineering and design to their products. The company’s partner in the United States is KYMCO USA, with headquarters, marketing, and distribution centered in Inman, South Carolina. KYMCO USA is dedicated to building the brand’s reputation and market share through superior value, frequent new product introductions, strategic industry partnerships, and excellence in dealer network support. KYMCO USA has a reputation and expertise gained through over 30 years in the U.S. powersports industry.

Hawk Kawasaki Previews This Weekend’s British Superbike Test At Snetterton

newspaper
-
0
Hawk Kawasaki Previews This Weekend’s British Superbike Test At Snetterton

As the new race season approaches Hawk Kawasaki will be out in force this weekend at Snetterton Circuit, Norfolk (23rd 25th March). At the official British Superbike pre season test the four Kawasaki riders are eager to get some vital track time under their belt. New signing Scott Smart is keen to get back out on the ZX10 and will be working hard with the team to get the bike set up for the first race at Brands Hatch on Easter weekend. Peter Hickman who this year will be running number 150 joins him in the Hawk British Superbike team, Hicky will be running the 150 plate as main sponsor Andrews Sykes are celebrating 150 years in business. The two Superbike riders will be testing a number of new elements including chassis and engine parts plus some new electronics throughout the weekend. Making their debut appearance will be 20-year-old David Hallett and 18-year-old Jak Wright on board the brand new Superstock and Supersport Hawk Kawasaki’s. The two youngsters who are running under the Hawk Kawasaki Junior Team banner, are apprehensive yet excited about the big jump they are making into British Championship level racing. It will be an intensive three-day test for the four riders at one of the fastest circuits in the country. It will be a good opportunity for the team to gain a good idea and knowledge as to how the season will pan out.

AMA Championship To Slim Down To Three Road Race Classes In 2009, Superbike Rules To Be Revised

newspaper
-
0
AMA Championship To Slim Down To Three Road Race Classes In 2009, Superbike Rules To Be Revised

AMA TO ROLL OUT NEW SUPERBIKE CLASS STRUCTURE IN 2009 PICKERINGTON, Ohio (March 21, 2007) – AMA Racing announced today that it will implement a new class structure for the AMA Superbike Championship beginning with the 2009 season. The new class structure will feature three championship classes with accommodations in place to run developmental/support classes as part of the overall series. The new championship classes are as follows: “¢ AMA Superbike “¢ AMA Supersport “¢ AMA Formula Xtreme AMA Superbike will remain the series’ leading class and continue to be based primarily on 1000cc equipment. In its new iteration, AMA Superbike pulls from existing Superbike and Superstock rules resulting in an all-new premier class. Supersport and Formula Xtreme will remain similar to their existing structure but will also be refined. In making the announcement AMA President, Rob Dingman, acknowledged the dynamic nature of motorcycle development as well as the motorcycle marketplace. “We’re seeing unprecedented gains in the levels of performance by modern motorcycles,” said Dingman. “Also, as motorcycle sales have remained robust, the manufacturers have sought to accelerate their competitive advantages, not to mention market share, by improving key products even more.” Dingman added that AMA Racing’s objective is to recognize and respond to these changes while considering such factors as rider safety, quality of competition, cost, and the overall health and growth of motorcycle road racing, among other criteria. In developing its new class structure, AMA Racing officials looked outward. “We considered the class structure and rules packages of other leading sanctioning bodies worldwide as part of this process,” said Dingman. “Ultimately, we need to do what is in the best interest of the riders, teams, manufacturers and sponsors competing in the United States but, at the same time, this cannot be done in a vacuum.” Dingman said World Superbike as well as leading national series like British Superbike, German Superbike and Australian Superbike were examined. In 2006 AMA Racing adopted new procedures for rules development. In addition to a Racing Committee whose role is to determine and set strategic direction for all AMA Racing properties, separate rules committees were developed for each racing discipline. The new Superbike class structure was presented to the Road Race Rules Committee on March 21 at a meeting at AMA offices in California. Feedback provided by the committee will be used in determining final class structure details. Specific equipment standards and technical rules remain under development and will be finalized in the near future. Additionally, AMA Racing is evaluating several options for developmental/support classes. A main objective for these classes is to create an improved process for the growth of younger riders and their ability to compete at the national level. As always, AMA Racing will continually monitor its class structure and rules packages and modify as necessary. Dingman stated that strengthening the AMA Superbike Championship overall is at the core of these changes. “We see great opportunity for AMA Superbike to continue to expand,” said Dingman. “Throughout 2006 and early 2007 we have made a number of changes to our organization and staff all in the name of improvement. We see this new class structure as part of that evolution. 2007 will be an important year as we prepare for our future.” About AMA Racing AMA Racing is the competition arm of the American Motorcyclist Association and is the leading sanctioning body for motorcycle sport in the United States. Its professional properties include the Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series, the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF, the AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship, the AMA Supermoto Championship and the AMA Pro ATV Championship. In amateur and pro-am competition, AMA Racing sanctions over 4000 events in 24 different disciplines and supports over 110 thousand active members. For more information about professional racing, visit www.amaproracing.com.

Nicky Hayden: I’m Aiming To Fight Back Strongly After Qatar

newspaper
-
0
Nicky Hayden: I’m Aiming To Fight Back Strongly After Qatar

HOMEBOY DANI READY TO CHALLENGE RIVAL STONER

As round two of what is shaping up to be a red-hot MotoGP World Championship hits Jerez in southern Spain this weekend, a 250,000 crowd is expected. This horde will largely be there to will on Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC212V), the main Spanish hope for the 2007 World Championship.

Dani scored a third place in the opening race in Qatar and now that the series has returned to Europe, he will be looking for nothing less than a win at his ‘home’ race. There used to be a theory that it was only when the series came to Europe that the ‘real’ racing began. But things have changed.

With an 18-race series, and with six of those races outside Europe at key stages of the Championship, no competitor can afford to write off any race as an aberration either in terms of rider form or the result. Which makes Casey Stoner’s win for Ducati in Losail significant and another victory for the red bike here would signal trouble for his rivals.

Dani, Casey’s great rival from their 250 days, must be among the favourites to score a win here, especially after his second place here in 2006 in his debut MotoGP race. He was fast in testing here at this demanding 4.423km track and with the crowd behind him too great things are expected. He will also be buoyed by breaking Rossi’s record of being the youngest rider to take 50 podiums with his third at Losail.

The circuit presents a challenge on two fronts; rider rhythm is vital and front tyre grip at a premium. Laid out among natural contours, Jerez was built in 1986 and hosted its first Grand Prix the following year. It has never been off the Grand Prix calendar since a measure of the quality of racing it provides.

Jerez makes demands in all areas of machine set-up with short, medium and long straights, uphill and downhill braking areas, and two second-gear hairpins. But the biggest test is whether a rider can make a series of consistent, flowing laps in race conditions when the ideal lines through turns on this 11m wide circuit may be occupied by rivals.

Bikes have to be stable to cope with bumps on the entries to key turns. Under hard braking, the undulations into turn one at the end of the start/finish straight can pose problems and another tight right-hander at the end of the back straight is a challenge too especially as these are recognised ‘passing places’. The longest straight is only 600m making a high top speed less of a requirement than at other tracks. But the speed shown by Stoner’s Ducati in Qatar will still be a factor.

Jerez also boasts one of the most spectacular run-ins to the finish line two 100mph right turns, with rear wheels spinning-up, and then desperate braking into the final tight left where many a race has been won and lost, often amid fierce controversy.

Dani said, “The result in Qatar was quite good and I was happy to get on the podium at the first race of the year now we must really push and try to improve so we can fight at the front until the end. The tyre choice for Jerez is going to be really important in order to achieve consistency in the race and we must work hard to get quicker because some of the other teams are going really fast now.”

His team-mate Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC212V) said, “I’m definitely looking forward to the race at Jerez this weekend. The Spanish crowd, the atmosphere everything about Jerez is fun and the passion the fans show is amazing. The last test there went quite well for me and I’m looking forward to getting out on track, trying to get a good feeling with the bike and having some fun. It’s round two and I’m aiming to fight back strongly after Qatar.”

Marco Melandri (Gresini Honda RC212V) said, “There’s a lot of expectation for this first race in Europe and it’s sure to be a great show. Jerez is a circuit I like a lot because it is so technical and complete. To ride fast there you need to have a well-balanced bike. The track is characterised by long corners that require a stable front-end that gives you plenty of confidence. There isn’t a long straight like in Qatar, so that is an advantage for us at the moment. I feel good and can’t wait to get back on track.”

“I can’t wait to ride in front of my home fans,” said Marco’s Spanish team-mate Toni Elias (Gresini Honda RC212V). “Racing here is always an incredible emotion, especially when you enter the stadium section. You can feel the heat of the fans it’s really amazing. We took a major step forward at the test here with the Bridgestone tyres and in Qatar we made more progress, qualifying fourth fastest, although we need to work on the durability of the tyres. We are working to find a good base set-up, which is particularly important for Jerez, which combines fast and slow corners.”

Shinya Nakano (Konica Minolta Honda RC212V) said, “We learned a lot about the bike at Qatar, but we didn’t get a good start, and this is so important at Jerez. Everyone tells me I have a classic smooth 250cc style and hopefully as we progress this will suit the new 800cc bike. I’ve tried changing my style in the past, to try to be more aggressive on the brakes, but then I crash, so I believe in my riding style! Jerez always gives me a very special feeling as it’s a pleasure to ride in front of so many fans and I’m also very excited that my father is flying in from Japan to watch! My parents have flown in a few times to Europe to watch races, but never Jerez. With its unique atmosphere I wanted to show him the Spanish GP at Jerez. I think he will love it!”

Another Spanish star riding alongside Dani and Toni is Carlos Checa (LCR Honda RC212V). He said, “I always feel very emotional at Jerez because this is my ‘home’ race and for sure I will have a lot of fans around me, which is always a great feeling. But I need to concentrate on the race because I do not want to repeat the mistakes of Qatar. I know the Jerez track and I’m aiming for a good result on Sunday. I’ve spoken with Ramon Forcada and we have some ideas to improve the front-end feeling of the bike.”

Kenny Roberts (Roberts KR212V) will be aiming for a far better result than his disappointing 13th in Qatar. He said, “We’re just working at getting ourselves into a better position than we were at Losail. We’ll be taking it bit by bit and making sure we have a better package than we did for the first race. This race is where we have to get our season going forward.”

In the 250cc class Honda men will be trying to ensure reigning World Champion Jorge Lorenzo (Aprilia) is denied the chance to win his ‘home’ race. And no one will riding harder than 2006 series runner-up Andrea Dovizioso (Scot Honda RS250RW). His team has now reverted to running under the Team Scot banner again after its stint as Humangest last season.

He said, “Despite the improvements made to the factory Honda, I still suffered from the Aprilia’s better top speed in Qatar. My team is working hard, we have the capacity and in Jerez I’ll make my best efforts to get ahead because I won’t be satisfied with another fifth position. The tests we did in February were good, I set third fastest time here, and because of that I’m confident of doing well here.”

Julian Simon (Repsol Honda RS250RW) said, “I’d love to be at the front in this Grand Prix, because I’ve already shown that I can be fast during the tests. We still have to work a bit on the bike and I think that we’ll have an advantage in Jerez that we didn’t have in Qatar, where the Aprilia machines worked well and were fast. But I think we’ll be able to do a good job here in Jerez.”

Shuhei Aoyama (Repsol Honda RS250RW) said, “We’ve already been to Jerez before and I like it, so I’ll have the chance to make up for Qatar. We’ll have to give our best, because we cannot repeat the result of the first race.”

Rookie Ratthapark Wilairot (Stop And Go Racing Honda RS250RW) said, “Taking 14th in Qatar was a good result, it proved that we’re doing a good job efforts always get rewarded. This will be the third time I’ve ridden at Jerez circuit and even if I couldn’t work as much as I wanted on the two previous occasions because of bad weather, I already know the track. It’s is much more complicated than Losail and we’ll have to work hard.”

In the 125cc class home hopes will be riding with Esteve Rabat (Repsol Honda RS125R) who managed eighth place in the opening race. He said, “I’m really looking forward to it, but I’ll take it easy, focussing on learning from the team and from the quicker, more experienced riders. The only real aim will be to learn the result matters less. But racing at home makes the excitement almost even bigger than being in the World Championships.”

His team-mate Bradley Smith (Repsol Honda RS125R) said, “I know Jerez quite well, I’ve already lapped a lot there in the dry and the wet. So it shouldn’t be a big problem, since we have a lot of data regardless of the conditions. This is very positive, so I only want to get onto the track and do the best I can.”

Mike di Meglio (Scot Honda RS125R), 14th in Qatar said, “We have solved the problems that slowed me in Qatar and so I’m quite easy about this week-end. The track is difficult but it’s one of my favourites and I hope to have a good race.”

More On New LRRS Spec Fuel, Contingency Deal With VP

newspaper
-
0
More On New LRRS Spec Fuel, Contingency Deal With VP

LRRS Implements Spec Fuel Program; VP Racing Fuels Chosen to Perform NEWARK, DE (March 20, 2007) VP Racing Fuels has been chosen by the Loudon Road Racing Series (LRRS) at New Hampshire International Speedway to provide spec fuel products and service for the 2007 season. LRRS, citing rising fuel costs and a desire to provide a more level playing field with the mandatory use of a spec fuel, chose VP over all other proposals to provide race fuel, on site dispensing and technical support. In addition, VP will be providing for LRRS riders an exclusive contingency program that will replace the CCS contingency posted in previous years. The first LRRS race of the season is scheduled April 28-29. Additional information can be obtained by calling VP’s regional office in Delaware at 302-368-1500, visiting vpracingfuels.com or lrrsracing.com. Over its 32-year history, VP Racing has fueled champions in virtually every racing category and class — from drag racing, road racing and circle track to motocross, off road and off shore. VP has earned a reputation for producing high quality racing fuels with superior power and consistency — as illustrated by its sweep of all AMA Pro Racing Championships in Superbike, Supercross, Motocross and Supermoto for the last three years. VP also is the official, spec fuel and/or contingency sponsor of AMA Supercross, AMA Motocross, Prostar AMA, NHRA, SKUSA, Stars of Karting, Rmax Challenge and numerous other sanctioning bodies.

Racer Gonzales Chases, Recovers His Stolen Streetbike

newspaper
-
0
Racer Gonzales Chases, Recovers His Stolen Streetbike

WERA/CMRA racer Frank “Speedy Gonzales” Gonzales made the local news in Springfield, Missouri when he spotted someone riding his stolen Honda CBR600 streetbike, chased the man in his Ford Explorer and recovered his bike. In an e-mail to Roadracingworld.com, Gonzales stated that he has had four motorcycles stolen in the last year, “and after being ignored by Police, I was upset.” Read more here: ~http://springfieldnews-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070320/NEWS01/703200368~

The Last Round Of Press Releases Regarding Last Weekend’s Various Races

newspaper
-
0
The Last Round Of Press Releases Regarding Last Weekend’s Various Races

Team EMGO USA kicks off 2007 with strong showing at Roebling Road Team EMGO USA’s Opie Caylor got off to a quick start at Roebling Road Raceway in Savannah, Georgia this past weekend by qualifying on the front row’s of each of the four classes that Opie is racing in this year. Using a 2006 Suzuki GSXR 750, Opie qualified in second position in Formula One and took pole in both the 750 and 1000 Superstock classes. He then rode his 2006 Suzuki GSXR 600 to third place on the grid for the 600 Superstock race. After qualifying Caylor had this to say; “I’m pretty happy with our qualifying results. Pole in all four would have been great, but as long as we are on the front row, then we’ll be okay! As far as the 600 goes, I’m pretty happy with third on the grid. The forks on the bike are completely stock right now! Thermosman is building the forks with those real good 25mm Ohlins cartridges, so once those are done, we’ll be going a lot faster!” Saturdays are always endurance day during a WERA/AMA National Challenge weekend and Team EMGO USA uses those Saturdays as a workday. Team EMGO USA’s newest member, mechanic Shane Giguere, spent all afternoon prepping the teams bikes for Sundays sprint races, including the installation of the Thermosman built forks and fresh new Dunlop tires. On Sunday, Opie got a great start and stormed into the lead as the green flag dropped for the 1000 Superstock race and was passed by only one of the faster GSXR 1000’s, ridden by Tray Batey. The two began to separate themselves from the rest of the field. Opie didn’t know it at the time, but Canadian factory rider Clint McBain was stalking him. McBain got around Opie on the long front straight but Opie held onto the back of McBains faster GSXR1000. On the last lap, in the second to the last corner, the two came up on a slower rider. McBain stayed behind the slower rider and Opie swept to the outside and passed both of them! Opie got a great run through the last corner and held onto second position. The 600 Superstock race was next. Caylor didn’t get that same good start as in the 1000 race but quickly went to work on passing as many riders as he could. As he approached a pack of riders directly behind the leaders, Opie started looking for a way past. Opie committed to his line and leaned in while another rider slid up underneath the rider Opie was going around. When that happened, the rider in the middle stood up and left Opie no where to go. Opie tucked the front and slid off the edge of the track. “I picked the bike back up and tried to get back in it but the left clip-on broke off so it is was game-over.” Luckily for Caylor, he was wearing Komodo’s latest version of their excellent FX-series leathers. Without even a bump or bruise, Caylor hopped back on the 750 and started that race from pole. Two hole-shots and two red flags later, the race was finally under way. On the third start, Opie got into turn one in fourth and settled in for the five-bike battle royale! At the halfway point, Caylor decided that it was time to go. He moved past Jacobi and Jensen into third position. Two turns later, the leader Lee Acree and second place rider James Chance collided, which sent both riders off the track. The remaining three went back and forth for the rest of the race with Team EMGO USA’s Caylor taking third. ” Man, that was a really fun race! I hate that Lee and James got together over there in five. I hope that both of them are okay! I tipped over there a little while ago. But after they went out, I still had my hands full with Robby and Jacobi! We were going back and forth that was the funnest race I had in a long time!” One tenth of a second covered the top three riders at the finish. The last race for Caylor and Team EMGO USA on the day, was the last race of the day, Formula One. Again, on his 750, Caylor got a great start. Jensen, Batey and Opie separated themselves from the rest of the field. Turning nearly identical fastest laps, each riders best lap time was a 1:12.0. Jensen and Batey swapped the lead several times with Jensen coming home first, Batey second and Team EMGO USA’s Opie Caylor finishing third. “I knew that riding the 750 against the 1000’s here would be tough. But overall, I am really pleased with how things turned out. In F1, I could turn the lap times I just couldn’t get past them and have any chance of leading at the finish line. What was keeping me doing the times though were the Dunlop tires. The new DBG front that Dunlop has come out with is awesome. That and the motors that Grant Matsushima at MPT Racing has built me!” More, from a press release issued on behalf of American Suzuki: Vesrah Suzuki Captures Milestone 50th WERA Endurance Victory BREA, Calif., (March 21, 2007) American Suzuki Motor Corp. (ASMC) congratulates the Vesrah Suzuki Racing Team for its 50th Bridgestone/WERA National Endurance win in the series’ season-opening round at Roebling Road Raceway in Faulkville, Ga., on Saturday, March 17, 2007. The five-man Vesrah Suzuki team, which raced a GSX-R1000 to this landmark victory, includes Mark Junge, Tray Batey, John Jacobi, Lee Acree and Chris Ulrich. Founded in 2000 by team owner and rider Junge, the 2006 Bridgestone/WERA National Endurance Championship-winning Vesrah Suzuki Racing Team has five WERA National Endurance titles and is currently working toward its sixth. “I think that getting 50 wins is certainly a milestone,” said Junge. “It’s an accomplishment that I wasn’t expecting to get when I started endurance racing. I have to give credit for these wins to the team and to Suzuki. It’s a combination of a quality bike in the Vesrah Suzuki GSX-R1000 and a strong sense of team work. Now, we’re just looking to be consistent for the rest of the season and to make sure that our main focus is winning another championship.” The Bridgestone/WERA National Endurance Series is co-sanctioned by the AMA and is the premier class of WERA Motorcycle Roadracing, Inc. The series is the longest-running endurance series in the world, with races ranging from four to 24 hours. This team sport incorporates pit stops and rider changes. Team Vesrah Suzuki will return for round two of the Bridgestone/WERA National Endurance Series on May 5, 2007, at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Al. More, from a press release: PETER LENZ ROLLS WITH THE PUNCHES AND TAKES 4 WINS IN SMRRC SEASON OPENER When you add up one highside, a trashed Arai helmet, a completely roached rear tire, and 126 race laps what do you get? You get a very busy and eventful weekend that resulted in 4 wins, a 2nd, a 3rd and an 8th for Metrakit Canada (www.metrakit.ca) backed Peter Lenz (www.peterlenz.com) at the SMRRC season opener this past weekend. Having first turned a wheel at the Stockton, California track Saturday afternoon, Peter was instantly on pace at the Bay Area’s mini hotbed, home to both AFM regulars and Hopper Racing’s junior rider Vision Hayes. The track was cold at the start of Sunday morning and Peter’s warm-up was finished before he completed his first lap. Peter highsided his Metrakit 80 on his out lap landing squarely on his Arai Helmet. “I want to thank Bruce (Porter) of Arai, he gave me a really good helmet. When I crashed I put it to really good use and I think we did a really good job (destroying the helmet) this time. I highsided and hit my head and now (the helmet) is all gone but at least I saved my head,” explained Peter after the crash. After taking a break and being looked over by the trackside medical staff, Peter headed out in the last warm-up session of the morning looking no worse for wear. Though the same thing couldn’t be said of his Z Leathers or the retired Arai Helmet. When the green flag dropped you couldn’t tell he had been tossed across the track just an hour earlier. Peter jumped out front in his first heat race and took his first win of the morning securing a straightaway lead by the end of the eight lap heat. He followed that up with several other performances that saw him move through traffic resulting in him securing front row starts in all seven of his classes. After winning both the Formula 50 and Super 50 classes by a good margin, Peter had a difficult time in the 80 class. This wasn’t the result of an aftershock of highsiding the bike earlier, but rather because he found himself at the back end of the pack after a poor start. He worked himself up to fourth position only to find himself in seventh after having his front wheel chopped as he drove underneath a rider that didn’t expect him to be there. He recovered and began again to work his way up into fifth when Peter again had a close encounter that saw him drop back to ninth, this time behind a torquey supermoto. Having never raced against a fast supermoto rider while on a MiniGP racer, Peter spent the next five laps figuring out how to pass someone that was three times as wide going into the corner (due to being sideways) and had 4-stroke torque coming out. Peter finally got underneath him on the last corner to take a hard fought eighth place finish. The closest race for a win came when Peter and ex-AMA Pro Racer, Bryan Edginton, slugged it out in the Expert Trophy Dash. “I was stuck behind him and couldn’t get by. He kept changing his lines and I couldn’t fit. I rode on the grass a couple times when I tried to pass him on the outside. And when I went underneath, he would pinch me off. He gave me a real good race, I want to come back again and race him,” explained Peter. Peter was fired up after that close race and put his head down and won the Junior Stars race by a whopping 18 seconds. Next up was the Formula Extreme race. After taking the holeshot, Peter fell off the pace when the very abrasive surface of the Stockton track took Peter out of the running. His flat track grooved rear tire shredded causing massive rear chatter resulting in Peter dropping three seconds off his pace from earlier. “I couldn’t keep the gas on, the rear was bouncing all over. Whenever I turned the throttle and leaned over the rear would start hopping. It started to hurt (my bottom) it was bouncing so much,” commented Peter. He conceded his lead and let both Bryan Edginton and Hopper Racing rider Vision Hayes go by for a comfortable third finish while D+W Images supported junior rider Josh Serne brought his Kawasaki motard home fourth after spending most of his practice learning his new Metrakit MiniGP 50. The last race of the day was the NSR Cup. Peter grabbed the early lead, pulled a gap, and maintained the gap as necessary based on what was communicated to him. “I rode hard until I had a three second lead then backed off. Then I just watched what my dad showed me my gap was. If he showed me two fingers (showing a two second lead) then I would turn a quick lap to get it back up to three fingers,” explained Peter. Having never rode the track prior to Saturday afternoon Peter was happy with the results: four wins, a challenging second, an effortful eighth and a tire induced third for the day. Peter remarked on the day, “I think we did good. I’m glad my Grandma and Grandpa where there to see me race. My dad had to fix Phil’s (Phil Gaze of Metrakit Canada) 80, I hope he doesn’t get mad that I crashed it. I am going to put my Arai in my room and take it to school to show them that it was a big crash and it saved my brain. I want to come back!” Peter is scheduled to race next in Vancouer, BC for the Canadian national mini road race series season opener April 15th. You can keep up with Peter via his website: ~http://www.PeterLenz.com~

Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Starts This Weekend At Jerez; After Three Tests American Beaubier Considered Podium Contender By KTM

newspaper
-
0
Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Starts This Weekend At Jerez; After Three Tests American Beaubier Considered Podium Contender By KTM

Programme “3 plus” in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup 2007 23 rookies will compete in the first European round in Jerez 2007. On March 25th, Round 1 of the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup 2007 gets under way at Jerez de la Frontera in Spain: The biggest talent search in motorcyle racing history will start its first race. Originally, after the Selection Event at the “Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo” on 28 August 2006, the best twenty riders were selected and nominated for the Rookies Cup. Under the auspices of Spanish motorcycling legend Alberto Puig and KTM’s Race Director Harald Bartol, several additional reserve riders were chosen and also invited to further test sessions, run at Adria Raceway in Italy at the end of October, where the talent scouts were positively surprised, so that the level of performance, but also the quality of the young riders led to a change of mind. In a “3 plus” programme, three additional riders were selected for the Rookies Cup 2007, so now a total of 23 riders from ten nations will participate in the biggest talent search in international motorcyle racing so far, powered by Dorna and Red Bull. These young talents come from Germany, Italy, Norway, Great Britain, the USA, the Czech Republic, France, Sweden, Hungary and Spain. Over the past two weeks three further test sessions were held at Jerez and Valencia to prime the 23 riders for the start of the season at the end of March (see list). Several riders were already able to put themselves in the limelight as possible podium contenders e.g. American Cameron Beaubier, Johann Zarco (FRA), Lorenzo Savadori (ITA), Jamie Mossey (GB) and Cristian Trabalon Laso (ESP) among others. The sole lady in the field, Lucy Gloeckner from Germany, ran consistently in the top eight. Harald Bartol: “It was a pleasant problem for us to suddenly have 23 almost level young riders at our disposal. We wanted to guarantee the highest quality possible and therefore decided to expand our Cup accordingly! The fact that ten riders should be good for podium positions is especially gratifying.” The seven races of the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup 2007: 25 March 2007 Jerez/ESP 2 June 2007 Mugello/ITA 24 June 2007 Donington/GB 30 June 2007 Assen/NL 15 July 2007 Sachsenring/GER 19 Aug 2007 Brno/CZ 4 Nov 2007 Valencia/ESP

Sunny Skies Greet MotoGP Circus As It Arrives At Jerez

Preparations for the Gran Premio bwin.com de España began today, as the paddock at the Circuito de Jerez filled up with MotoGP teams and riders. With the weather in Spain being somewhat unpredictable over the past few days, there was a fresh wind and sunny skies greeting the early arrivals at Jerez, with the forecast for sunshine all weekend. Things got underway with the traditional pre-event visit to the Gonzalez Byass sherry distillery, attended by MotoGP stars Shinya Nakano and Sylvain Guintoli alongside 125cc World Championship leader Hector Faubel. The trio had a taste of some of southern Spain’s most famous products, and had the honour of meeting MotoGP Legends and fellow attendees Giacomo Agostini and Angel Nieto, the two most decorated champions in MotoGP history. Racewinner in Qatar, Casey Stoner was joined by five-time MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi, local riders Toni Elias and Dani Pedrosa and father-to-be Loris Capirossi at the press conference to talk about Sunday’s race. The latter will be competing in his 250th Grand Prix, and was surprised earlier on in the day as he was presented with a cake in the Ducati garage to commemorate the occasion. Expecting his first child this weekend, the 2006 victor will be hoping for two reasons to celebrate over the coming days. Keeping up the busy schedule of recent weeks, a number of teams put on presentations at the Circuito de Jerez this afternoon. Dani Pedrosa announced the renovation of his promotional deal with Spanish bank La Caixa, whilst Yamaha riders Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards were involved in a photo session with their new Fiat livery on-track. Official MotoGP charity Riders for Health had also organised a special ‘MotoGP Experience’ for fans, giving a group of fans the chance to undertake laps of the Spanish circuit. Of the riders still carrying injuries suffered or worsened two weeks ago at Qatar, both John Hopkins and Hiroshi Aoyama are scheduled to ride tomorrow, with the Red Bull KTM rider having visited the Jerez medical centre earlier today to have his recently-operated-on finger examined. Hopkins will once again be riding through the pain suffering from a hand injury picked up as a result of a crash in preseason. The first practice session for the Gran Premio bwin.com de España kicks off tomorrow at 9am local time, with the start of the 125cc free practice session. MotoGP and 250cc riders will then take to the track, with a very special event rounding off the day. The first ever practice sessions for the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup take place from 4pm,building up to the gateway competition’s first ever race on Sunday.

Lynn Lost Tip Of Finger In Crash During Testing Tuesday But Will Race At Barber Next Month

Fast By Ferracci MV Agusta factory Superbike rider Matt Lynn lost part of the little finger on his right hand in a crash while testing March 20 at Barber Motorsports Park, but the young Georgia rider will be ready to race at round two of the AMA Superbike Championship in April. Lynn, along with his Italian teammate Luca Scassa, participated in their first true test (a multi-team test) of their Dunlop-shod MV Agusta F4-1000R 312 Superbikes March 19-20, in Alabama, and things were going relatively well until the second day. “We had a really good set-up on the bike and we were dialing it in,” Lynn told Roadracingworld.com in a telephone interview March 21. “Every time I went out it was getting better. We decided to try to do a race simulation on the second day. Everything was going good. I was turning some low-to-mid-1:27s and doing alright. “On lap 12, I came up through three where the crest of the hill is and the back end got stepped out a little bit. It just kept stepping out more, so I kind of rolled out of the gas. When I did that it snapped back. It happened really fast and bumped me out of the saddle a little bit and got into a real bad headshake, from lock-to-lock. “I ended up going down on the right side. I pinched the tip of my right pinky finger off. I went to the University of Alabama Birmingham Medical Center. There was no bone left from the first knuckle down, so they couldn’t attach anything or do anything. And when I first got up I knew it was bad and there was no way to fix it. They cleaned it up really good and stitched it up and sent me on my way. In two weeks the stitches come out.” Lynn said he was going to seek a further evaluation from his local orthopedic surgeon near his home in Ballground, Georgia but should be ready to race at round two of the AMA Superbike series April 20-22 at Barber Motorsports Park. A silver lining in the incident was the fact that Lynn did not hit any hard objects. Lynn may have hit an Armco barrier, the same barrier that Roger Hayden hit and broke his leg on last year, if the barrier had not been moved at the request of the riders during the off-season. Relocating the wall was one of several safety enhancements that Barber Motorsports Park made last year at the request of AMA riders.

KYMCO USA Sponsors No Factory Support Superbike Team And NASCAR Busch Cup Racer

SPARTANBURG, SC, SC — KYMCO USA has signed on as a charter sponsor for a North Carolina-based racing team that is making history in AMA Superbike. From its headquarters deep in the heart of NASCAR country, Alan Rutherford and his “No Factory Support” team are campaigning through the 2007 Superbike season to win races and also to prove a point. “We aren’t out to bash the factory teams,” says team co-owner and manager Alan Rutherford. “But we are out to beat them.” And they are dead serious about it. For riders, the team of “privateers” has attracted three-time AMA champ Doug Chandler and talented young gun Kurtis Roberts, the son of racing legend Kenny Roberts. According to Alan Rutherford, “We’re happy to have KYMCO on board because they’re headed in the same direction we’re headed. KYMCO is one of the greatest products and they’re on the fast-track with growth right now.” The NFS headquarters facility in Gastonia, NC is outfitted with everything a Superbike team needs, including a complete machine shop for making parts and its own dyno room. “We aren’t cutting any corners,” Alan Rutherford says. “We are going out to win.” Four CBR 1000’s were purchased by the team from Ricky Hendricks Performance Honda in Charlotte. Gary Medley, a veteran from the Parts Unlimited Ducati team, is the crew chief. Matt Worbes from the Muzzy’s Exhaust Harley-Davidson team is the engine builder. Danny Hall, who has worked for Yamaha, will set up the chassis. Another Ducati veteran, Neil Freeman, and data specialist, Mike Dillon, round out the team. Rutherford and his partner, Rick Damele of Oakland, CA, formed their venture based on a belief that the Superbike circuit would benefit greatly by having sponsorship from outside the sport’s OE factory names. The example they hope to emulate is NASCAR, which has Sprint Nextel, Tide, UPS, Lowes Home Improvement and dozens of other well-known brands. The team is aiming high, and to help them achieve their lofty goal KYMCO was one of two sponsors signing on prior to the March 10, 2007 opening race at Daytona. (The other is Mac Tools.) KYMCO is providing four Super 9 AC 2T model scooters for the team’s use in the 2007 campaign. Two will be used by the riders for travel at the tracks. And two will be used by a crew from SPEED Channel which is following the team as part of a reality-based TV series. The television exposure is just one more way to gain a wider audience and wider sponsorship for Superbike. But first the NFS effort is focused on winning. “We’re going with the four fastest bikes and two of the hungriest riders,” Rutherford says. “We’re going to win and the sponsors will follow.” During the week leading up to NFS Racing’s first race, KYMCO USA will be on hand at Destination Daytona providing demo rides an its two- and four-wheel products. About the KYMCO Super 9 AC 2T A favorite of scooter racers and enthusiasts, the new Super 9 AC 2T is the top of the line of KYMCO 50cc scooters. It features cool, aggressive Superbike styling and is a thrill on the road. The air-cooled, oil-injected engine 2-stroke engine gets you off the line in a hurry, and KYMCO’s stepless CVT transmission does the shifting. From another press release issued by KYMCO USA: SPARTANBURG, SC “” KYMCO USA is joining the ranks of NASCAR sponsorship this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Virginia. In Saturday’s NASCAR Busch Series Sharpie MINI 300 race, the company will be primary sponsor for the #56 KYMCO USA Chevrolet driven by last year’s Busch Series Raybestos Rookie of the Year, Danny O’Quinn. The car’s hood will be splashed with KYMCO’s colors and logo and under that hood will be over 700 horsepower. “Naturally we’re excited to be a part of the NASCAR family,” said Bruce Ramsey, KYMCO USA Vice President for Sales and Marketing. “And it’s great to be associated with an up-and-coming driver of Danny O’Quinn’s stature, and the Mac Hill Motorsports team, which is located just up the road from us in Mooresville, NC.” O’Quinn won the Busch rookie award last year driving for the perennial NASCAR heavyweights at Roush Fenway Racing. This season Roush is permitting O’Quinn to drive a limited schedule for Mac Hill Motorsports, owner of the #56 Chevrolet, as well as two entries in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup series. The Mac Hill Motorsports team is owned by Jack McNelly, who says he’s very pleased to have KYMCO USA on board for the Bristol Race. “We’re going to give them the biggest bang for their buck we can,” McNelly said. “Building a relationship, that’s what it’s all about.” Racing at Bristol is a homecoming of sorts for McNelly’s driver. Danny O’Quinn was born in nearby Coeburn, Virginia. He’s still a young driver who won’t turn 22 until May, but, in addition to being last year’s Busch rookie of the year, he also won big on the ARCA and USAR Hooters Pro Cup circuits. The half-mile Bristol Motor Speedway has long been one of the most popular tracks in NASCAR. Its steep 36-degree banking makes for a lot of “swapping paint” in action that has drawn comparisons to being stuck in a washing machine. As the #56 KYMCO USA Chevrolet’s owner, Jack McNelly, puts it, “If you come home from Bristol and you’re not marked up a bit then you didn’t run very good.” For more about Mac Hill Motorsports, see machillmotorsports.com. For more information on Danny O’Quinn Jr., visit dannyoquinn.com. About KYMCO USA KYMCO’s roots in the motorsports industry goes back to its founding in 1963, as the Kwang Yang Motor Company, Ltd., with headquarters in Taiwan. Long a leader in quality, fuel economy, and versatility, today KYMCO manufactures motor scooters, motorcycles, and ATVs at five plants in Asia, including the main facility in the city of Kaohsiung. KYMCO is the largest scooter manufacturer in Taiwan, and currently exports to 74 countries worldwide. All KYMCO plants use the latest technology for the engineering and production of reliable engine, chassis, and other components. Since 2004, KYMCO has been officially accredited for ISO-9001 quality in manufacturing, KYMCO is committed to maximum customer satisfaction and constant innovation, making use of the most advanced CAD/CAE tools to bring superior engineering and design to their products. The company’s partner in the United States is KYMCO USA, with headquarters, marketing, and distribution centered in Inman, South Carolina. KYMCO USA is dedicated to building the brand’s reputation and market share through superior value, frequent new product introductions, strategic industry partnerships, and excellence in dealer network support. KYMCO USA has a reputation and expertise gained through over 30 years in the U.S. powersports industry.

Hawk Kawasaki Previews This Weekend’s British Superbike Test At Snetterton

As the new race season approaches Hawk Kawasaki will be out in force this weekend at Snetterton Circuit, Norfolk (23rd 25th March). At the official British Superbike pre season test the four Kawasaki riders are eager to get some vital track time under their belt. New signing Scott Smart is keen to get back out on the ZX10 and will be working hard with the team to get the bike set up for the first race at Brands Hatch on Easter weekend. Peter Hickman who this year will be running number 150 joins him in the Hawk British Superbike team, Hicky will be running the 150 plate as main sponsor Andrews Sykes are celebrating 150 years in business. The two Superbike riders will be testing a number of new elements including chassis and engine parts plus some new electronics throughout the weekend. Making their debut appearance will be 20-year-old David Hallett and 18-year-old Jak Wright on board the brand new Superstock and Supersport Hawk Kawasaki’s. The two youngsters who are running under the Hawk Kawasaki Junior Team banner, are apprehensive yet excited about the big jump they are making into British Championship level racing. It will be an intensive three-day test for the four riders at one of the fastest circuits in the country. It will be a good opportunity for the team to gain a good idea and knowledge as to how the season will pan out.

AMA Championship To Slim Down To Three Road Race Classes In 2009, Superbike Rules To Be Revised

AMA TO ROLL OUT NEW SUPERBIKE CLASS STRUCTURE IN 2009 PICKERINGTON, Ohio (March 21, 2007) – AMA Racing announced today that it will implement a new class structure for the AMA Superbike Championship beginning with the 2009 season. The new class structure will feature three championship classes with accommodations in place to run developmental/support classes as part of the overall series. The new championship classes are as follows: “¢ AMA Superbike “¢ AMA Supersport “¢ AMA Formula Xtreme AMA Superbike will remain the series’ leading class and continue to be based primarily on 1000cc equipment. In its new iteration, AMA Superbike pulls from existing Superbike and Superstock rules resulting in an all-new premier class. Supersport and Formula Xtreme will remain similar to their existing structure but will also be refined. In making the announcement AMA President, Rob Dingman, acknowledged the dynamic nature of motorcycle development as well as the motorcycle marketplace. “We’re seeing unprecedented gains in the levels of performance by modern motorcycles,” said Dingman. “Also, as motorcycle sales have remained robust, the manufacturers have sought to accelerate their competitive advantages, not to mention market share, by improving key products even more.” Dingman added that AMA Racing’s objective is to recognize and respond to these changes while considering such factors as rider safety, quality of competition, cost, and the overall health and growth of motorcycle road racing, among other criteria. In developing its new class structure, AMA Racing officials looked outward. “We considered the class structure and rules packages of other leading sanctioning bodies worldwide as part of this process,” said Dingman. “Ultimately, we need to do what is in the best interest of the riders, teams, manufacturers and sponsors competing in the United States but, at the same time, this cannot be done in a vacuum.” Dingman said World Superbike as well as leading national series like British Superbike, German Superbike and Australian Superbike were examined. In 2006 AMA Racing adopted new procedures for rules development. In addition to a Racing Committee whose role is to determine and set strategic direction for all AMA Racing properties, separate rules committees were developed for each racing discipline. The new Superbike class structure was presented to the Road Race Rules Committee on March 21 at a meeting at AMA offices in California. Feedback provided by the committee will be used in determining final class structure details. Specific equipment standards and technical rules remain under development and will be finalized in the near future. Additionally, AMA Racing is evaluating several options for developmental/support classes. A main objective for these classes is to create an improved process for the growth of younger riders and their ability to compete at the national level. As always, AMA Racing will continually monitor its class structure and rules packages and modify as necessary. Dingman stated that strengthening the AMA Superbike Championship overall is at the core of these changes. “We see great opportunity for AMA Superbike to continue to expand,” said Dingman. “Throughout 2006 and early 2007 we have made a number of changes to our organization and staff all in the name of improvement. We see this new class structure as part of that evolution. 2007 will be an important year as we prepare for our future.” About AMA Racing AMA Racing is the competition arm of the American Motorcyclist Association and is the leading sanctioning body for motorcycle sport in the United States. Its professional properties include the Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series, the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF, the AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship, the AMA Supermoto Championship and the AMA Pro ATV Championship. In amateur and pro-am competition, AMA Racing sanctions over 4000 events in 24 different disciplines and supports over 110 thousand active members. For more information about professional racing, visit www.amaproracing.com.

Nicky Hayden: I’m Aiming To Fight Back Strongly After Qatar

HOMEBOY DANI READY TO CHALLENGE RIVAL STONER

As round two of what is shaping up to be a red-hot MotoGP World Championship hits Jerez in southern Spain this weekend, a 250,000 crowd is expected. This horde will largely be there to will on Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC212V), the main Spanish hope for the 2007 World Championship.

Dani scored a third place in the opening race in Qatar and now that the series has returned to Europe, he will be looking for nothing less than a win at his ‘home’ race. There used to be a theory that it was only when the series came to Europe that the ‘real’ racing began. But things have changed.

With an 18-race series, and with six of those races outside Europe at key stages of the Championship, no competitor can afford to write off any race as an aberration either in terms of rider form or the result. Which makes Casey Stoner’s win for Ducati in Losail significant and another victory for the red bike here would signal trouble for his rivals.

Dani, Casey’s great rival from their 250 days, must be among the favourites to score a win here, especially after his second place here in 2006 in his debut MotoGP race. He was fast in testing here at this demanding 4.423km track and with the crowd behind him too great things are expected. He will also be buoyed by breaking Rossi’s record of being the youngest rider to take 50 podiums with his third at Losail.

The circuit presents a challenge on two fronts; rider rhythm is vital and front tyre grip at a premium. Laid out among natural contours, Jerez was built in 1986 and hosted its first Grand Prix the following year. It has never been off the Grand Prix calendar since a measure of the quality of racing it provides.

Jerez makes demands in all areas of machine set-up with short, medium and long straights, uphill and downhill braking areas, and two second-gear hairpins. But the biggest test is whether a rider can make a series of consistent, flowing laps in race conditions when the ideal lines through turns on this 11m wide circuit may be occupied by rivals.

Bikes have to be stable to cope with bumps on the entries to key turns. Under hard braking, the undulations into turn one at the end of the start/finish straight can pose problems and another tight right-hander at the end of the back straight is a challenge too especially as these are recognised ‘passing places’. The longest straight is only 600m making a high top speed less of a requirement than at other tracks. But the speed shown by Stoner’s Ducati in Qatar will still be a factor.

Jerez also boasts one of the most spectacular run-ins to the finish line two 100mph right turns, with rear wheels spinning-up, and then desperate braking into the final tight left where many a race has been won and lost, often amid fierce controversy.

Dani said, “The result in Qatar was quite good and I was happy to get on the podium at the first race of the year now we must really push and try to improve so we can fight at the front until the end. The tyre choice for Jerez is going to be really important in order to achieve consistency in the race and we must work hard to get quicker because some of the other teams are going really fast now.”

His team-mate Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC212V) said, “I’m definitely looking forward to the race at Jerez this weekend. The Spanish crowd, the atmosphere everything about Jerez is fun and the passion the fans show is amazing. The last test there went quite well for me and I’m looking forward to getting out on track, trying to get a good feeling with the bike and having some fun. It’s round two and I’m aiming to fight back strongly after Qatar.”

Marco Melandri (Gresini Honda RC212V) said, “There’s a lot of expectation for this first race in Europe and it’s sure to be a great show. Jerez is a circuit I like a lot because it is so technical and complete. To ride fast there you need to have a well-balanced bike. The track is characterised by long corners that require a stable front-end that gives you plenty of confidence. There isn’t a long straight like in Qatar, so that is an advantage for us at the moment. I feel good and can’t wait to get back on track.”

“I can’t wait to ride in front of my home fans,” said Marco’s Spanish team-mate Toni Elias (Gresini Honda RC212V). “Racing here is always an incredible emotion, especially when you enter the stadium section. You can feel the heat of the fans it’s really amazing. We took a major step forward at the test here with the Bridgestone tyres and in Qatar we made more progress, qualifying fourth fastest, although we need to work on the durability of the tyres. We are working to find a good base set-up, which is particularly important for Jerez, which combines fast and slow corners.”

Shinya Nakano (Konica Minolta Honda RC212V) said, “We learned a lot about the bike at Qatar, but we didn’t get a good start, and this is so important at Jerez. Everyone tells me I have a classic smooth 250cc style and hopefully as we progress this will suit the new 800cc bike. I’ve tried changing my style in the past, to try to be more aggressive on the brakes, but then I crash, so I believe in my riding style! Jerez always gives me a very special feeling as it’s a pleasure to ride in front of so many fans and I’m also very excited that my father is flying in from Japan to watch! My parents have flown in a few times to Europe to watch races, but never Jerez. With its unique atmosphere I wanted to show him the Spanish GP at Jerez. I think he will love it!”

Another Spanish star riding alongside Dani and Toni is Carlos Checa (LCR Honda RC212V). He said, “I always feel very emotional at Jerez because this is my ‘home’ race and for sure I will have a lot of fans around me, which is always a great feeling. But I need to concentrate on the race because I do not want to repeat the mistakes of Qatar. I know the Jerez track and I’m aiming for a good result on Sunday. I’ve spoken with Ramon Forcada and we have some ideas to improve the front-end feeling of the bike.”

Kenny Roberts (Roberts KR212V) will be aiming for a far better result than his disappointing 13th in Qatar. He said, “We’re just working at getting ourselves into a better position than we were at Losail. We’ll be taking it bit by bit and making sure we have a better package than we did for the first race. This race is where we have to get our season going forward.”

In the 250cc class Honda men will be trying to ensure reigning World Champion Jorge Lorenzo (Aprilia) is denied the chance to win his ‘home’ race. And no one will riding harder than 2006 series runner-up Andrea Dovizioso (Scot Honda RS250RW). His team has now reverted to running under the Team Scot banner again after its stint as Humangest last season.

He said, “Despite the improvements made to the factory Honda, I still suffered from the Aprilia’s better top speed in Qatar. My team is working hard, we have the capacity and in Jerez I’ll make my best efforts to get ahead because I won’t be satisfied with another fifth position. The tests we did in February were good, I set third fastest time here, and because of that I’m confident of doing well here.”

Julian Simon (Repsol Honda RS250RW) said, “I’d love to be at the front in this Grand Prix, because I’ve already shown that I can be fast during the tests. We still have to work a bit on the bike and I think that we’ll have an advantage in Jerez that we didn’t have in Qatar, where the Aprilia machines worked well and were fast. But I think we’ll be able to do a good job here in Jerez.”

Shuhei Aoyama (Repsol Honda RS250RW) said, “We’ve already been to Jerez before and I like it, so I’ll have the chance to make up for Qatar. We’ll have to give our best, because we cannot repeat the result of the first race.”

Rookie Ratthapark Wilairot (Stop And Go Racing Honda RS250RW) said, “Taking 14th in Qatar was a good result, it proved that we’re doing a good job efforts always get rewarded. This will be the third time I’ve ridden at Jerez circuit and even if I couldn’t work as much as I wanted on the two previous occasions because of bad weather, I already know the track. It’s is much more complicated than Losail and we’ll have to work hard.”

In the 125cc class home hopes will be riding with Esteve Rabat (Repsol Honda RS125R) who managed eighth place in the opening race. He said, “I’m really looking forward to it, but I’ll take it easy, focussing on learning from the team and from the quicker, more experienced riders. The only real aim will be to learn the result matters less. But racing at home makes the excitement almost even bigger than being in the World Championships.”

His team-mate Bradley Smith (Repsol Honda RS125R) said, “I know Jerez quite well, I’ve already lapped a lot there in the dry and the wet. So it shouldn’t be a big problem, since we have a lot of data regardless of the conditions. This is very positive, so I only want to get onto the track and do the best I can.”

Mike di Meglio (Scot Honda RS125R), 14th in Qatar said, “We have solved the problems that slowed me in Qatar and so I’m quite easy about this week-end. The track is difficult but it’s one of my favourites and I hope to have a good race.”

More On New LRRS Spec Fuel, Contingency Deal With VP

LRRS Implements Spec Fuel Program; VP Racing Fuels Chosen to Perform NEWARK, DE (March 20, 2007) VP Racing Fuels has been chosen by the Loudon Road Racing Series (LRRS) at New Hampshire International Speedway to provide spec fuel products and service for the 2007 season. LRRS, citing rising fuel costs and a desire to provide a more level playing field with the mandatory use of a spec fuel, chose VP over all other proposals to provide race fuel, on site dispensing and technical support. In addition, VP will be providing for LRRS riders an exclusive contingency program that will replace the CCS contingency posted in previous years. The first LRRS race of the season is scheduled April 28-29. Additional information can be obtained by calling VP’s regional office in Delaware at 302-368-1500, visiting vpracingfuels.com or lrrsracing.com. Over its 32-year history, VP Racing has fueled champions in virtually every racing category and class — from drag racing, road racing and circle track to motocross, off road and off shore. VP has earned a reputation for producing high quality racing fuels with superior power and consistency — as illustrated by its sweep of all AMA Pro Racing Championships in Superbike, Supercross, Motocross and Supermoto for the last three years. VP also is the official, spec fuel and/or contingency sponsor of AMA Supercross, AMA Motocross, Prostar AMA, NHRA, SKUSA, Stars of Karting, Rmax Challenge and numerous other sanctioning bodies.

Racer Gonzales Chases, Recovers His Stolen Streetbike

WERA/CMRA racer Frank “Speedy Gonzales” Gonzales made the local news in Springfield, Missouri when he spotted someone riding his stolen Honda CBR600 streetbike, chased the man in his Ford Explorer and recovered his bike. In an e-mail to Roadracingworld.com, Gonzales stated that he has had four motorcycles stolen in the last year, “and after being ignored by Police, I was upset.” Read more here: ~http://springfieldnews-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070320/NEWS01/703200368~

The Last Round Of Press Releases Regarding Last Weekend’s Various Races

Team EMGO USA kicks off 2007 with strong showing at Roebling Road Team EMGO USA’s Opie Caylor got off to a quick start at Roebling Road Raceway in Savannah, Georgia this past weekend by qualifying on the front row’s of each of the four classes that Opie is racing in this year. Using a 2006 Suzuki GSXR 750, Opie qualified in second position in Formula One and took pole in both the 750 and 1000 Superstock classes. He then rode his 2006 Suzuki GSXR 600 to third place on the grid for the 600 Superstock race. After qualifying Caylor had this to say; “I’m pretty happy with our qualifying results. Pole in all four would have been great, but as long as we are on the front row, then we’ll be okay! As far as the 600 goes, I’m pretty happy with third on the grid. The forks on the bike are completely stock right now! Thermosman is building the forks with those real good 25mm Ohlins cartridges, so once those are done, we’ll be going a lot faster!” Saturdays are always endurance day during a WERA/AMA National Challenge weekend and Team EMGO USA uses those Saturdays as a workday. Team EMGO USA’s newest member, mechanic Shane Giguere, spent all afternoon prepping the teams bikes for Sundays sprint races, including the installation of the Thermosman built forks and fresh new Dunlop tires. On Sunday, Opie got a great start and stormed into the lead as the green flag dropped for the 1000 Superstock race and was passed by only one of the faster GSXR 1000’s, ridden by Tray Batey. The two began to separate themselves from the rest of the field. Opie didn’t know it at the time, but Canadian factory rider Clint McBain was stalking him. McBain got around Opie on the long front straight but Opie held onto the back of McBains faster GSXR1000. On the last lap, in the second to the last corner, the two came up on a slower rider. McBain stayed behind the slower rider and Opie swept to the outside and passed both of them! Opie got a great run through the last corner and held onto second position. The 600 Superstock race was next. Caylor didn’t get that same good start as in the 1000 race but quickly went to work on passing as many riders as he could. As he approached a pack of riders directly behind the leaders, Opie started looking for a way past. Opie committed to his line and leaned in while another rider slid up underneath the rider Opie was going around. When that happened, the rider in the middle stood up and left Opie no where to go. Opie tucked the front and slid off the edge of the track. “I picked the bike back up and tried to get back in it but the left clip-on broke off so it is was game-over.” Luckily for Caylor, he was wearing Komodo’s latest version of their excellent FX-series leathers. Without even a bump or bruise, Caylor hopped back on the 750 and started that race from pole. Two hole-shots and two red flags later, the race was finally under way. On the third start, Opie got into turn one in fourth and settled in for the five-bike battle royale! At the halfway point, Caylor decided that it was time to go. He moved past Jacobi and Jensen into third position. Two turns later, the leader Lee Acree and second place rider James Chance collided, which sent both riders off the track. The remaining three went back and forth for the rest of the race with Team EMGO USA’s Caylor taking third. ” Man, that was a really fun race! I hate that Lee and James got together over there in five. I hope that both of them are okay! I tipped over there a little while ago. But after they went out, I still had my hands full with Robby and Jacobi! We were going back and forth that was the funnest race I had in a long time!” One tenth of a second covered the top three riders at the finish. The last race for Caylor and Team EMGO USA on the day, was the last race of the day, Formula One. Again, on his 750, Caylor got a great start. Jensen, Batey and Opie separated themselves from the rest of the field. Turning nearly identical fastest laps, each riders best lap time was a 1:12.0. Jensen and Batey swapped the lead several times with Jensen coming home first, Batey second and Team EMGO USA’s Opie Caylor finishing third. “I knew that riding the 750 against the 1000’s here would be tough. But overall, I am really pleased with how things turned out. In F1, I could turn the lap times I just couldn’t get past them and have any chance of leading at the finish line. What was keeping me doing the times though were the Dunlop tires. The new DBG front that Dunlop has come out with is awesome. That and the motors that Grant Matsushima at MPT Racing has built me!” More, from a press release issued on behalf of American Suzuki: Vesrah Suzuki Captures Milestone 50th WERA Endurance Victory BREA, Calif., (March 21, 2007) American Suzuki Motor Corp. (ASMC) congratulates the Vesrah Suzuki Racing Team for its 50th Bridgestone/WERA National Endurance win in the series’ season-opening round at Roebling Road Raceway in Faulkville, Ga., on Saturday, March 17, 2007. The five-man Vesrah Suzuki team, which raced a GSX-R1000 to this landmark victory, includes Mark Junge, Tray Batey, John Jacobi, Lee Acree and Chris Ulrich. Founded in 2000 by team owner and rider Junge, the 2006 Bridgestone/WERA National Endurance Championship-winning Vesrah Suzuki Racing Team has five WERA National Endurance titles and is currently working toward its sixth. “I think that getting 50 wins is certainly a milestone,” said Junge. “It’s an accomplishment that I wasn’t expecting to get when I started endurance racing. I have to give credit for these wins to the team and to Suzuki. It’s a combination of a quality bike in the Vesrah Suzuki GSX-R1000 and a strong sense of team work. Now, we’re just looking to be consistent for the rest of the season and to make sure that our main focus is winning another championship.” The Bridgestone/WERA National Endurance Series is co-sanctioned by the AMA and is the premier class of WERA Motorcycle Roadracing, Inc. The series is the longest-running endurance series in the world, with races ranging from four to 24 hours. This team sport incorporates pit stops and rider changes. Team Vesrah Suzuki will return for round two of the Bridgestone/WERA National Endurance Series on May 5, 2007, at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Al. More, from a press release: PETER LENZ ROLLS WITH THE PUNCHES AND TAKES 4 WINS IN SMRRC SEASON OPENER When you add up one highside, a trashed Arai helmet, a completely roached rear tire, and 126 race laps what do you get? You get a very busy and eventful weekend that resulted in 4 wins, a 2nd, a 3rd and an 8th for Metrakit Canada (www.metrakit.ca) backed Peter Lenz (www.peterlenz.com) at the SMRRC season opener this past weekend. Having first turned a wheel at the Stockton, California track Saturday afternoon, Peter was instantly on pace at the Bay Area’s mini hotbed, home to both AFM regulars and Hopper Racing’s junior rider Vision Hayes. The track was cold at the start of Sunday morning and Peter’s warm-up was finished before he completed his first lap. Peter highsided his Metrakit 80 on his out lap landing squarely on his Arai Helmet. “I want to thank Bruce (Porter) of Arai, he gave me a really good helmet. When I crashed I put it to really good use and I think we did a really good job (destroying the helmet) this time. I highsided and hit my head and now (the helmet) is all gone but at least I saved my head,” explained Peter after the crash. After taking a break and being looked over by the trackside medical staff, Peter headed out in the last warm-up session of the morning looking no worse for wear. Though the same thing couldn’t be said of his Z Leathers or the retired Arai Helmet. When the green flag dropped you couldn’t tell he had been tossed across the track just an hour earlier. Peter jumped out front in his first heat race and took his first win of the morning securing a straightaway lead by the end of the eight lap heat. He followed that up with several other performances that saw him move through traffic resulting in him securing front row starts in all seven of his classes. After winning both the Formula 50 and Super 50 classes by a good margin, Peter had a difficult time in the 80 class. This wasn’t the result of an aftershock of highsiding the bike earlier, but rather because he found himself at the back end of the pack after a poor start. He worked himself up to fourth position only to find himself in seventh after having his front wheel chopped as he drove underneath a rider that didn’t expect him to be there. He recovered and began again to work his way up into fifth when Peter again had a close encounter that saw him drop back to ninth, this time behind a torquey supermoto. Having never raced against a fast supermoto rider while on a MiniGP racer, Peter spent the next five laps figuring out how to pass someone that was three times as wide going into the corner (due to being sideways) and had 4-stroke torque coming out. Peter finally got underneath him on the last corner to take a hard fought eighth place finish. The closest race for a win came when Peter and ex-AMA Pro Racer, Bryan Edginton, slugged it out in the Expert Trophy Dash. “I was stuck behind him and couldn’t get by. He kept changing his lines and I couldn’t fit. I rode on the grass a couple times when I tried to pass him on the outside. And when I went underneath, he would pinch me off. He gave me a real good race, I want to come back again and race him,” explained Peter. Peter was fired up after that close race and put his head down and won the Junior Stars race by a whopping 18 seconds. Next up was the Formula Extreme race. After taking the holeshot, Peter fell off the pace when the very abrasive surface of the Stockton track took Peter out of the running. His flat track grooved rear tire shredded causing massive rear chatter resulting in Peter dropping three seconds off his pace from earlier. “I couldn’t keep the gas on, the rear was bouncing all over. Whenever I turned the throttle and leaned over the rear would start hopping. It started to hurt (my bottom) it was bouncing so much,” commented Peter. He conceded his lead and let both Bryan Edginton and Hopper Racing rider Vision Hayes go by for a comfortable third finish while D+W Images supported junior rider Josh Serne brought his Kawasaki motard home fourth after spending most of his practice learning his new Metrakit MiniGP 50. The last race of the day was the NSR Cup. Peter grabbed the early lead, pulled a gap, and maintained the gap as necessary based on what was communicated to him. “I rode hard until I had a three second lead then backed off. Then I just watched what my dad showed me my gap was. If he showed me two fingers (showing a two second lead) then I would turn a quick lap to get it back up to three fingers,” explained Peter. Having never rode the track prior to Saturday afternoon Peter was happy with the results: four wins, a challenging second, an effortful eighth and a tire induced third for the day. Peter remarked on the day, “I think we did good. I’m glad my Grandma and Grandpa where there to see me race. My dad had to fix Phil’s (Phil Gaze of Metrakit Canada) 80, I hope he doesn’t get mad that I crashed it. I am going to put my Arai in my room and take it to school to show them that it was a big crash and it saved my brain. I want to come back!” Peter is scheduled to race next in Vancouer, BC for the Canadian national mini road race series season opener April 15th. You can keep up with Peter via his website: ~http://www.PeterLenz.com~

Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Starts This Weekend At Jerez; After Three Tests American Beaubier Considered Podium Contender By KTM

Programme “3 plus” in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup 2007 23 rookies will compete in the first European round in Jerez 2007. On March 25th, Round 1 of the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup 2007 gets under way at Jerez de la Frontera in Spain: The biggest talent search in motorcyle racing history will start its first race. Originally, after the Selection Event at the “Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo” on 28 August 2006, the best twenty riders were selected and nominated for the Rookies Cup. Under the auspices of Spanish motorcycling legend Alberto Puig and KTM’s Race Director Harald Bartol, several additional reserve riders were chosen and also invited to further test sessions, run at Adria Raceway in Italy at the end of October, where the talent scouts were positively surprised, so that the level of performance, but also the quality of the young riders led to a change of mind. In a “3 plus” programme, three additional riders were selected for the Rookies Cup 2007, so now a total of 23 riders from ten nations will participate in the biggest talent search in international motorcyle racing so far, powered by Dorna and Red Bull. These young talents come from Germany, Italy, Norway, Great Britain, the USA, the Czech Republic, France, Sweden, Hungary and Spain. Over the past two weeks three further test sessions were held at Jerez and Valencia to prime the 23 riders for the start of the season at the end of March (see list). Several riders were already able to put themselves in the limelight as possible podium contenders e.g. American Cameron Beaubier, Johann Zarco (FRA), Lorenzo Savadori (ITA), Jamie Mossey (GB) and Cristian Trabalon Laso (ESP) among others. The sole lady in the field, Lucy Gloeckner from Germany, ran consistently in the top eight. Harald Bartol: “It was a pleasant problem for us to suddenly have 23 almost level young riders at our disposal. We wanted to guarantee the highest quality possible and therefore decided to expand our Cup accordingly! The fact that ten riders should be good for podium positions is especially gratifying.” The seven races of the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup 2007: 25 March 2007 Jerez/ESP 2 June 2007 Mugello/ITA 24 June 2007 Donington/GB 30 June 2007 Assen/NL 15 July 2007 Sachsenring/GER 19 Aug 2007 Brno/CZ 4 Nov 2007 Valencia/ESP

1...5,9595,9605,961...7,721Page 5,960 of 7,721

Follow us

43,094FansLike
19,223FollowersFollow
16,430FollowersFollow
1,200SubscribersSubscribe

Menu

Information

© , Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

AUTHOR LOGIN