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Thanks To Gordon Lunde For Years Of Helping Injured Racers

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Thanks To Gordon Lunde For Years Of Helping Injured Racers

FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: I would like to thank Gordon Lunde Sr. Of the Wegman Benefit Fund for his assistance to me and my family during my healing process. I contacted Gordon after my injuries that were sustained when I hit a tire-lined Armco barrier at Nelson Ledges Road Course in Northeastern Ohio during the WERA National Challenge Series in September. After surgeries to repair both of my broken legs, I was unable to work and needed some assistance with the influx of bills that I was receiving. Gordon and the Wegman fund stepped up and helped us out. It is much appreciated. So, thank you Gordon Lunde Sr. for your years of dedication to this worthwhile cause. Reuben Frankenfield Mooresville, Indiana Editorial Note: Gordon Lunde is retiring and closing up the Wegman Benefit Fund after 20 years of service. The new Red Flag Fund has been established to continue the work of the Wegman Benefit Fund. For more information on the Red Flag Fund go to ~http://www.redflagfund.org/~.

Dr. Art Ting Surgically Repairs MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden’s Shoulder

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Dr. Art Ting Surgically Repairs MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden’s Shoulder

Repsol Honda World Champion Nicky Hayden underwent a successful operation on his injured right shoulder at the Freemont Clinic, California on Thursday. The surgery repaired an undisplaced fracture through the right greater tuberosity (shoulder bone), an injury sustained at the Grand Prix of Portugal this year. During the procedure, performed by Dr Art Ting, some bone was shaved off the injured shoulder bone to encourage improved healing of the fracture, and the rotator cuff was repaired. At the same time the metal plate on the 25-year-old American’s right collarbone was replaced with a smaller plate. The metal plate, a legacy of a Supermoto crash in 2004, was bent at Estoril and scans on Wednesday showed that the fall had in fact re-fractured his previously broken collarbone. The newly crowned World Champion is expected to wear a sling for two weeks following the successful operation but will be able to resume some cardiovascular training within a week. If his recovery goes to plan Hayden’s expected to be fully fit in time for the first MotoGP test of 2007 which begins at the Sepang circuit on January 22, 2007. Speaking at the Freemont Clinic after the operation Nicky Hayden said: “I actually feel pretty good already. I’ll be off bikes for a while but Aldon Baker, my trainer, is going to get me back doing some cardio work next week and I’m definitely looking forward to that. It’s obviously been a great year all round and I’m glad I’ve had the shoulder fixed because it means I can now begin to prepare for the defence of this title. I’d like to thank Dr Ting and the staff at Freemont, and all the fans who’ve given me great support this year. See you all in 2007!”

December 21 3J’s Track Day At Infineon To Benefit Speedway Children’s Charities

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December 21 3J’s Track Day At Infineon To Benefit Speedway Children’s Charities

SONOMA, Calif. “” 3J’s Motorcycle Track Days hopes to spread some holiday cheer this season at Infineon Raceway on Thursday, Dec. 21. Motorcycle riders are invited to take part in an open track day over the twisting 12-turn road course. The track day includes a full day of riding, lunch, T-Shirt, and even a visit from Santa Claus, who will be giving away free tickets to the Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown at Infineon Raceway, presented by Supercuts, May 18-20. All proceeds benefit Speedway Children’s Charities, the charitable arm of Infineon Raceway. Proceeds benefit qualified youth organizations in Sonoma County. For cost, visit www.3jstrackdays.com or email [email protected]. This marks the 11th 3J’s Motorcycle Track Days since its inception in 2003, and the group has raised more than $100,000 for Speedway Children’s Charities. The group has also hosted two fund-raisers for injured AMA rider Vincent Haskovec, generating another $135,000. “We’re at it again, trying to raise money for a good cause, and we hope the great generosity of the motorcycle community continues,” said Jere Starks, vice president of facilities at Infineon Raceway, who created 3J’s Motorcycle Track Days in 2003 with friends Jim Randolph and Jay Brosius. In keeping with the Christmas spirit, and to thank the riders for their continued support of 3J’s Motorcycle Track Days, Santa Claus will make a visit and give away several pairs of tickets to the AMA event in May. Also, a group of 10-15 children from one of the many youth groups funded by Speedway Children’s Charities, will attend lunch, have their picture taken in the Wine Country Winner’s Circle and get to meet some of the riders who have supported the day. “Giving some tickets away to the riders is our way of thanking them for supporting our 3J’s events, and we also want them to see where there money has been going,” Starks said. “It’s going to be neat to have the kids here.”

Road Racer Quintero Remains Unresponsive Two Weeks After STTARS SuperMoto Crash

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Road Racer Quintero Remains Unresponsive Two Weeks After STTARS SuperMoto Crash

Road racer Rolando Quintero, 35, remains hospitalized and unresponsive two weeks after crashing during a STTARS SuperMoto race on the Horsethief Mile course at Willow Springs Raceway November 19. Quintero is in Intensive Care at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills, California. Quintero finished third in the 1996 WERA National Challenge Series 125cc Grand Prix Championship before moving up to compete in the AMA 250cc Grand Prix Series. Quintero and his long-time girlfriend Liz Esperza have two children, son Michael, age 9, and daughter Tefani, 1. According to family friend Ben Solis, Quintero did not have insurance and his family is facing severe financial hardship during his hospitalization. Solis hopes to organize some sort of fund-raiser for the Quintero family, and details will be posted as they become available.

Moto Uno Racing To Bring Meiring, Knapp, Laya To Pirelli Tire Test At Daytona

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Moto Uno Racing To Bring Meiring, Knapp, Laya To Pirelli Tire Test At Daytona

Moto Uno Racing’s Tony Meiring, Taylor Knapp and Gustavo Laya will ride Kawasaki 600s during the Pirelli tire test next week at Daytona International Speedway, in Daytona Beach, Florida, according to a press release issued by the team. Veteran wrench Vic Fasola will serve as Crew Chief for the team.

WERA Releases 2007 Schedule

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WERA Releases 2007 Schedule

WERA Releases 2007 National and Sportsman Schedules The 2007 Bridgestone/WERA National Endurance and Michelin/WERA National Challenge Series Schedule kicks off March 16-18 at the newly repaved Roebling Road Raceway in Faulkville, GA, then moves on to Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds, AL on May 4-6; then May 18-20 will be Jennings GP in Jennings, FL; June 15-17 will be Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, UT; June 28 through July 1 will be the annual Cycle Jam at Road Atlanta in Braselton, GA; July 13-15 will be Grattan Raceway in Grattan, MI; August 3-5 Summit Point Raceway in Summit Point, WV; August 17-19 Talladega Gran Prix in Talladega, AL; September 7-9 Nelson Ledges, Warren, OH and then the Grand National Finals at Road Atlanta in Braselton, GA will be October 10-14. The first Pirelli Sportsman Round will be for WERA West at California Speedway in Fontana, CA on January 7, 2007. The Southeast Region will kick off February 10/11 at the newly repaved and reconfigured Talledga Gran Prix in Talladega, AL. For the balance of the 2007 schedule check out www.wera.com. For further information contact WERA at (770) 720-5010.

Canadian Wounded Warrior Fund Benefit Raffle Scheduled For Toronto Motorcycle Supershow

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Canadian Wounded Warrior Fund Benefit Raffle Scheduled For Toronto Motorcycle Supershow

(Toronto) In support of the Sapper Mike McTeague Wounded Warrior Fund, the Canadian Forces will hold a raffle and fundraiser at SUPERSHOW 2007 of a new original painting by renowned artist Marc Lacourciere. Marc, known as ‘Motor Marc’, is an American Chopper licensed artist and as such has produced a variety of fine art products depicting many of the incredible theme bikes from the popular television series. The North American International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW, presented by Dalton Timmis Insurance, at the Toronto International Centre, January 5 – 7, 2007, is pleased to be an active sponsor of this exciting project. Motor Marc is known for the authentic realism and sense of drama that he brings to each subject he portrays. An accomplished artist, he is known as the painter of the open road and has gained international recognition through his work for companies such as the Bradford Exchange, NASCAR, Chevrolet, Harley-Davidson and Boyd Coddington. Marc’s painting will be unveiled on Friday, on the Hall 5 Canada Cup Championships Stage, with full military colours and national anthem. His Gallery display can also be found in Hall 5, while the painting will be in the adjacent Canadian Armed Forces booth. The booths are dedicated to heightening awareness of the Wounded Warrior Fund. Raffle participants are invited to put their fingerprint on the painting in red paint. The SUPERSHOW draw will be held on stage on Sunday and the winner will get a signed numbered print of the painting, while the original painting goes on tour to other Canadian Events. On September 18, 2006 a suicide bomb was detonated in Panjwayi District, Kandahar Province Afghanistan, killing 4 Canadian soldiers and severely injured several others. One of those was 20-year old Sapper Mike McTeague of Orillia, Ontario. Mike was rushed to Langstuhl, Germany where he received urgent medical care and was joined by his family. He then returned to Canada and was cared for at Sunnybrook hospital in Toronto. Mike is currently undergoing treatment at St Johns Rehab Hospital in Toronto. The physical and emotional ordeal was experience enough for Captain Wayne Johnston and Mike’s father Mr. Sean McTeague to launch the Wounded Warrior Fund in Mike’s name. The Sapper Mike McTeague Wounded Warrior Fun supports Canadian service persons wounded on operations, at the outset of the healing process. The fund aims to improve the general morale and welfare of the soldiers and their families by working through first-line caregivers, medical staff, chaplains and Assisting Officers. To date the response from Canadians for donations to the fund has been overwhelming. Announcement of a ‘Red Friday’ motorcycle fundraiser will be made at the SUPERSHOW. Established in 1976, the SUPERSHOW is North America’s largest consumer motorcycle show. Produced by Bar Hodgson Productions Inc, the SUPERSHOW is dedicated to presenting the finest the motorcycle industry has to offer for every type of motorcycle enthusiast, in Seven Halls of the International Centre. Show Dates: Friday, January 5th Sunday, January 7th, 2007 Location: International Centre, 6900 Airport Road, Mississauga Hours: Friday & Saturday 10am – 10pm Sunday 10am – 6pm Parking: Free parking for more than 7,000 vehicles General Info: (905) 655-5403 or [email protected] Website: www.supershowevents.com

AMA Pledges $100,000 Toward Motorcycle Crash Study

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AMA Pledges $100,000 Toward Motorcycle Crash Study

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) has announced that it has committed $100,000 to help fund a comprehensive nationwide study of motorcycle crashes, and encourages individual motorcyclists, organizations, and businesses in the motorcycle industry to contribute to the effort through the AMA’s new “Fuel the Fund” campaign. In 2005, Congress approved federal funding to study the causes of motorcycle crashes, the first such research in the U.S. in more than 25 years. The $2.8 million pledged by the government calls for another $2.8 million in matching funds from the American motorcycling community before the entire federal grant will be released. The AMA, in addition to spearheading the effort to secure federal funding and committing the first matching funds, has launched “Fuel the Fund,” a national campaign allowing individuals and businesses to contribute matching funds necessary to take full advantage of the federal funding. “After declining for more than a decade, motorcycling fatalities have increased in recent years, prompting much speculation about the reasons why,” said Edward Moreland, AMA Vice President for Government Relations. “Last year, Congress agreed that we need answers, not theories.” “Now, we’re confident that American motorcyclists, rider groups, motorcycle dealers and industry leaders will come together to raise the matching funds required to get the crash study underway,” said Moreland. “This is about saving lives, and we need the help of everyone in the motorcycling community to ‘Fuel the Fund.'” Contributions to “Fuel the Fund” can be made online at www.fuelthefund.com; or by calling Cathy Brown at 800-AMA-JOIN ext. 1224; or by mail addressed to Fuel the Fund, c/o AMA, 13515 Yarmouth Drive, Pickerington, OH 43147. Legislation authorizing the funding of the crash study specifies that research grants be provided to the Oklahoma Transportation Center, located at Oklahoma State University. The last comprehensive study of motorcycle crashes, commonly called the “Hurt Report” after University of Southern California researcher Dr. Harry Hurt, was published in the 1970s.

Yamaha Comments On Camel’s Departure From MotoGP

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Yamaha Comments On Camel’s Departure From MotoGP

Yamaha Factory Racing Press Release Friday, 1st December 2006 Gerno di Lesmo, Italy YAMAHA FACTORY RACING AND CAMEL END THEIR MOTOGP PARTNERSHIP Following Camel’s recent announcement, Yamaha Factory Racing would like to express its thanks to Camel and Japan Tobacco International for their partnership and support over the 2006 MotoGP season. Our thanks go out to all those involved in the project; they have formed an important part of our team over the past year. It has been a great honour for Yamaha to work with such an experienced sponsor and Camel’s enthusiasm throughout the season has been greatly appreciated by the entire Yamaha Factory Racing Team and the Yamaha Motor Group.

More On Jerez MotoGP Tests, From Bridgestone

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More On Jerez MotoGP Tests, From Bridgestone

BRIDGESTONE MOTOGP: NOVEMBER TESTING DEBRIEF Q+A with Hiroshi Yamada – Bridgestone Motorsport – Manager Motorcycle Racing Just one month since Bridgestone ended the 2006 MotoGP season in style with a 1-2 in Valencia, preparations for the new 800cc era are already well underway. New additions to the Bridgestone family, Gresini and D’Antin, have joined Suzuki, Kawasaki and Ducati in providing the Japanese tyre manufacturer with invaluable feedback ahead of 2007 . How has the approach to winter testing changed this year with the introduction of the new 800cc bikes? “Generally, our approach to winter testing has followed the same lines as previous years with a specific focus on evaluating the performance of our standard specification tyres with the new bikes. We have studied the behaviour of the tyres on both 990cc and 800cc bikes to allow us to determine the basic direction of tyre development for front and rear tyres for the coming season.” What type of tyres has Bridgestone been evaluating in Sepang and Jerez tests? “In addition to our standard 2006 specification tyres, we have also tested a variety of new tyre shapes and constructions in response to the demands of the 800cc bikes. Tyres are just one element of the package, so we have been working closely with all five of our teams in these first winter tests to begin tuning the tyres together with the bike and rider.” How do the characteristics of the 800cc bikes affect tyre performance? “So far, we have seen that lap times have been largely unaffected by the switch to 800cc bikes and, in some instances, have actually improved, albeit in different conditions. Rather than development of a specific “800 tyre”, we are looking at natural progressions and evolutions of our existing tyre technology for 2007. The reduced power output of the 800cc may mean that we can adopt softer compounds at some circuits, but we may need to develop harder compounds to cope with the increased cornering speeds at others.” What is the development plan between now and the next test in January? “We will carefully analyse the information collated from the post season tests and look into finalising a direction for the all-important tests in January and February. We will look at developing tyre constructions for 2007 that complement the increased cornering speeds while at the same time compensating for the overall reduction in power.” How much progress has been made with Bridgestone’s new teams D’Antin and Gresini? “We have been very pleased with the initial tests with both D’Antin and Gresini teams. Together with our existing teams, Suzuki, Ducati and Kawasaki, we have hit the ground running in post-season tests and have seen some encouraging results. Of particular note, Suzuki has excelled with some very quick lap times. We head into the winter break with some valuable feedback from all of our teams. We will be supporting four different manufacturers and, since the characteristics of each bike are different, we have a lot of work to help all our teams to achieve the best results possible, but we are ready for the challenge.” Does the addition of two new teams place more strain on resources? “The new tyre regulations for next season that demand a limit of 31 tyres per rider, per weekend have made it possible for us to supply more teams. We will be producing fewer tyres for each GP weekend, so we will have a greater production capacity in our Tokyo factory. As such, we expect a relatively smooth transition to accommodate the two new additions to the Bridgestone family, Gresini and D’Antin.” With five teams and ten riders, will Bridgestone be under increased pressure in 2007? “It seems that Bridgestone will be supporting a majority number of bikes in MotoGP next season, and we are very proud to be such a major contributor in the motorcycle racing world by supplying more teams. We will be further enhancing the healthy competition we enjoy with our rival tyre manufacturers, which is something that we look forward to. The new tyre regulations add an unknown dimension to the competition next year, but I hope that we are in a position to challenge for victories on a regular basis.”

Thanks To Gordon Lunde For Years Of Helping Injured Racers

FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: I would like to thank Gordon Lunde Sr. Of the Wegman Benefit Fund for his assistance to me and my family during my healing process. I contacted Gordon after my injuries that were sustained when I hit a tire-lined Armco barrier at Nelson Ledges Road Course in Northeastern Ohio during the WERA National Challenge Series in September. After surgeries to repair both of my broken legs, I was unable to work and needed some assistance with the influx of bills that I was receiving. Gordon and the Wegman fund stepped up and helped us out. It is much appreciated. So, thank you Gordon Lunde Sr. for your years of dedication to this worthwhile cause. Reuben Frankenfield Mooresville, Indiana Editorial Note: Gordon Lunde is retiring and closing up the Wegman Benefit Fund after 20 years of service. The new Red Flag Fund has been established to continue the work of the Wegman Benefit Fund. For more information on the Red Flag Fund go to ~http://www.redflagfund.org/~.

Dr. Art Ting Surgically Repairs MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden’s Shoulder

Repsol Honda World Champion Nicky Hayden underwent a successful operation on his injured right shoulder at the Freemont Clinic, California on Thursday. The surgery repaired an undisplaced fracture through the right greater tuberosity (shoulder bone), an injury sustained at the Grand Prix of Portugal this year. During the procedure, performed by Dr Art Ting, some bone was shaved off the injured shoulder bone to encourage improved healing of the fracture, and the rotator cuff was repaired. At the same time the metal plate on the 25-year-old American’s right collarbone was replaced with a smaller plate. The metal plate, a legacy of a Supermoto crash in 2004, was bent at Estoril and scans on Wednesday showed that the fall had in fact re-fractured his previously broken collarbone. The newly crowned World Champion is expected to wear a sling for two weeks following the successful operation but will be able to resume some cardiovascular training within a week. If his recovery goes to plan Hayden’s expected to be fully fit in time for the first MotoGP test of 2007 which begins at the Sepang circuit on January 22, 2007. Speaking at the Freemont Clinic after the operation Nicky Hayden said: “I actually feel pretty good already. I’ll be off bikes for a while but Aldon Baker, my trainer, is going to get me back doing some cardio work next week and I’m definitely looking forward to that. It’s obviously been a great year all round and I’m glad I’ve had the shoulder fixed because it means I can now begin to prepare for the defence of this title. I’d like to thank Dr Ting and the staff at Freemont, and all the fans who’ve given me great support this year. See you all in 2007!”

December 21 3J’s Track Day At Infineon To Benefit Speedway Children’s Charities

SONOMA, Calif. “” 3J’s Motorcycle Track Days hopes to spread some holiday cheer this season at Infineon Raceway on Thursday, Dec. 21. Motorcycle riders are invited to take part in an open track day over the twisting 12-turn road course. The track day includes a full day of riding, lunch, T-Shirt, and even a visit from Santa Claus, who will be giving away free tickets to the Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown at Infineon Raceway, presented by Supercuts, May 18-20. All proceeds benefit Speedway Children’s Charities, the charitable arm of Infineon Raceway. Proceeds benefit qualified youth organizations in Sonoma County. For cost, visit www.3jstrackdays.com or email [email protected]. This marks the 11th 3J’s Motorcycle Track Days since its inception in 2003, and the group has raised more than $100,000 for Speedway Children’s Charities. The group has also hosted two fund-raisers for injured AMA rider Vincent Haskovec, generating another $135,000. “We’re at it again, trying to raise money for a good cause, and we hope the great generosity of the motorcycle community continues,” said Jere Starks, vice president of facilities at Infineon Raceway, who created 3J’s Motorcycle Track Days in 2003 with friends Jim Randolph and Jay Brosius. In keeping with the Christmas spirit, and to thank the riders for their continued support of 3J’s Motorcycle Track Days, Santa Claus will make a visit and give away several pairs of tickets to the AMA event in May. Also, a group of 10-15 children from one of the many youth groups funded by Speedway Children’s Charities, will attend lunch, have their picture taken in the Wine Country Winner’s Circle and get to meet some of the riders who have supported the day. “Giving some tickets away to the riders is our way of thanking them for supporting our 3J’s events, and we also want them to see where there money has been going,” Starks said. “It’s going to be neat to have the kids here.”

Road Racer Quintero Remains Unresponsive Two Weeks After STTARS SuperMoto Crash

Road racer Rolando Quintero, 35, remains hospitalized and unresponsive two weeks after crashing during a STTARS SuperMoto race on the Horsethief Mile course at Willow Springs Raceway November 19. Quintero is in Intensive Care at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills, California. Quintero finished third in the 1996 WERA National Challenge Series 125cc Grand Prix Championship before moving up to compete in the AMA 250cc Grand Prix Series. Quintero and his long-time girlfriend Liz Esperza have two children, son Michael, age 9, and daughter Tefani, 1. According to family friend Ben Solis, Quintero did not have insurance and his family is facing severe financial hardship during his hospitalization. Solis hopes to organize some sort of fund-raiser for the Quintero family, and details will be posted as they become available.

Moto Uno Racing To Bring Meiring, Knapp, Laya To Pirelli Tire Test At Daytona

Moto Uno Racing’s Tony Meiring, Taylor Knapp and Gustavo Laya will ride Kawasaki 600s during the Pirelli tire test next week at Daytona International Speedway, in Daytona Beach, Florida, according to a press release issued by the team. Veteran wrench Vic Fasola will serve as Crew Chief for the team.

WERA Releases 2007 Schedule

WERA Releases 2007 National and Sportsman Schedules The 2007 Bridgestone/WERA National Endurance and Michelin/WERA National Challenge Series Schedule kicks off March 16-18 at the newly repaved Roebling Road Raceway in Faulkville, GA, then moves on to Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds, AL on May 4-6; then May 18-20 will be Jennings GP in Jennings, FL; June 15-17 will be Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, UT; June 28 through July 1 will be the annual Cycle Jam at Road Atlanta in Braselton, GA; July 13-15 will be Grattan Raceway in Grattan, MI; August 3-5 Summit Point Raceway in Summit Point, WV; August 17-19 Talladega Gran Prix in Talladega, AL; September 7-9 Nelson Ledges, Warren, OH and then the Grand National Finals at Road Atlanta in Braselton, GA will be October 10-14. The first Pirelli Sportsman Round will be for WERA West at California Speedway in Fontana, CA on January 7, 2007. The Southeast Region will kick off February 10/11 at the newly repaved and reconfigured Talledga Gran Prix in Talladega, AL. For the balance of the 2007 schedule check out www.wera.com. For further information contact WERA at (770) 720-5010.

Canadian Wounded Warrior Fund Benefit Raffle Scheduled For Toronto Motorcycle Supershow

(Toronto) In support of the Sapper Mike McTeague Wounded Warrior Fund, the Canadian Forces will hold a raffle and fundraiser at SUPERSHOW 2007 of a new original painting by renowned artist Marc Lacourciere. Marc, known as ‘Motor Marc’, is an American Chopper licensed artist and as such has produced a variety of fine art products depicting many of the incredible theme bikes from the popular television series. The North American International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW, presented by Dalton Timmis Insurance, at the Toronto International Centre, January 5 – 7, 2007, is pleased to be an active sponsor of this exciting project. Motor Marc is known for the authentic realism and sense of drama that he brings to each subject he portrays. An accomplished artist, he is known as the painter of the open road and has gained international recognition through his work for companies such as the Bradford Exchange, NASCAR, Chevrolet, Harley-Davidson and Boyd Coddington. Marc’s painting will be unveiled on Friday, on the Hall 5 Canada Cup Championships Stage, with full military colours and national anthem. His Gallery display can also be found in Hall 5, while the painting will be in the adjacent Canadian Armed Forces booth. The booths are dedicated to heightening awareness of the Wounded Warrior Fund. Raffle participants are invited to put their fingerprint on the painting in red paint. The SUPERSHOW draw will be held on stage on Sunday and the winner will get a signed numbered print of the painting, while the original painting goes on tour to other Canadian Events. On September 18, 2006 a suicide bomb was detonated in Panjwayi District, Kandahar Province Afghanistan, killing 4 Canadian soldiers and severely injured several others. One of those was 20-year old Sapper Mike McTeague of Orillia, Ontario. Mike was rushed to Langstuhl, Germany where he received urgent medical care and was joined by his family. He then returned to Canada and was cared for at Sunnybrook hospital in Toronto. Mike is currently undergoing treatment at St Johns Rehab Hospital in Toronto. The physical and emotional ordeal was experience enough for Captain Wayne Johnston and Mike’s father Mr. Sean McTeague to launch the Wounded Warrior Fund in Mike’s name. The Sapper Mike McTeague Wounded Warrior Fun supports Canadian service persons wounded on operations, at the outset of the healing process. The fund aims to improve the general morale and welfare of the soldiers and their families by working through first-line caregivers, medical staff, chaplains and Assisting Officers. To date the response from Canadians for donations to the fund has been overwhelming. Announcement of a ‘Red Friday’ motorcycle fundraiser will be made at the SUPERSHOW. Established in 1976, the SUPERSHOW is North America’s largest consumer motorcycle show. Produced by Bar Hodgson Productions Inc, the SUPERSHOW is dedicated to presenting the finest the motorcycle industry has to offer for every type of motorcycle enthusiast, in Seven Halls of the International Centre. Show Dates: Friday, January 5th Sunday, January 7th, 2007 Location: International Centre, 6900 Airport Road, Mississauga Hours: Friday & Saturday 10am – 10pm Sunday 10am – 6pm Parking: Free parking for more than 7,000 vehicles General Info: (905) 655-5403 or [email protected] Website: www.supershowevents.com

AMA Pledges $100,000 Toward Motorcycle Crash Study

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) has announced that it has committed $100,000 to help fund a comprehensive nationwide study of motorcycle crashes, and encourages individual motorcyclists, organizations, and businesses in the motorcycle industry to contribute to the effort through the AMA’s new “Fuel the Fund” campaign. In 2005, Congress approved federal funding to study the causes of motorcycle crashes, the first such research in the U.S. in more than 25 years. The $2.8 million pledged by the government calls for another $2.8 million in matching funds from the American motorcycling community before the entire federal grant will be released. The AMA, in addition to spearheading the effort to secure federal funding and committing the first matching funds, has launched “Fuel the Fund,” a national campaign allowing individuals and businesses to contribute matching funds necessary to take full advantage of the federal funding. “After declining for more than a decade, motorcycling fatalities have increased in recent years, prompting much speculation about the reasons why,” said Edward Moreland, AMA Vice President for Government Relations. “Last year, Congress agreed that we need answers, not theories.” “Now, we’re confident that American motorcyclists, rider groups, motorcycle dealers and industry leaders will come together to raise the matching funds required to get the crash study underway,” said Moreland. “This is about saving lives, and we need the help of everyone in the motorcycling community to ‘Fuel the Fund.'” Contributions to “Fuel the Fund” can be made online at www.fuelthefund.com; or by calling Cathy Brown at 800-AMA-JOIN ext. 1224; or by mail addressed to Fuel the Fund, c/o AMA, 13515 Yarmouth Drive, Pickerington, OH 43147. Legislation authorizing the funding of the crash study specifies that research grants be provided to the Oklahoma Transportation Center, located at Oklahoma State University. The last comprehensive study of motorcycle crashes, commonly called the “Hurt Report” after University of Southern California researcher Dr. Harry Hurt, was published in the 1970s.

Yamaha Comments On Camel’s Departure From MotoGP

Yamaha Factory Racing Press Release Friday, 1st December 2006 Gerno di Lesmo, Italy YAMAHA FACTORY RACING AND CAMEL END THEIR MOTOGP PARTNERSHIP Following Camel’s recent announcement, Yamaha Factory Racing would like to express its thanks to Camel and Japan Tobacco International for their partnership and support over the 2006 MotoGP season. Our thanks go out to all those involved in the project; they have formed an important part of our team over the past year. It has been a great honour for Yamaha to work with such an experienced sponsor and Camel’s enthusiasm throughout the season has been greatly appreciated by the entire Yamaha Factory Racing Team and the Yamaha Motor Group.

More On Jerez MotoGP Tests, From Bridgestone

BRIDGESTONE MOTOGP: NOVEMBER TESTING DEBRIEF Q+A with Hiroshi Yamada – Bridgestone Motorsport – Manager Motorcycle Racing Just one month since Bridgestone ended the 2006 MotoGP season in style with a 1-2 in Valencia, preparations for the new 800cc era are already well underway. New additions to the Bridgestone family, Gresini and D’Antin, have joined Suzuki, Kawasaki and Ducati in providing the Japanese tyre manufacturer with invaluable feedback ahead of 2007 . How has the approach to winter testing changed this year with the introduction of the new 800cc bikes? “Generally, our approach to winter testing has followed the same lines as previous years with a specific focus on evaluating the performance of our standard specification tyres with the new bikes. We have studied the behaviour of the tyres on both 990cc and 800cc bikes to allow us to determine the basic direction of tyre development for front and rear tyres for the coming season.” What type of tyres has Bridgestone been evaluating in Sepang and Jerez tests? “In addition to our standard 2006 specification tyres, we have also tested a variety of new tyre shapes and constructions in response to the demands of the 800cc bikes. Tyres are just one element of the package, so we have been working closely with all five of our teams in these first winter tests to begin tuning the tyres together with the bike and rider.” How do the characteristics of the 800cc bikes affect tyre performance? “So far, we have seen that lap times have been largely unaffected by the switch to 800cc bikes and, in some instances, have actually improved, albeit in different conditions. Rather than development of a specific “800 tyre”, we are looking at natural progressions and evolutions of our existing tyre technology for 2007. The reduced power output of the 800cc may mean that we can adopt softer compounds at some circuits, but we may need to develop harder compounds to cope with the increased cornering speeds at others.” What is the development plan between now and the next test in January? “We will carefully analyse the information collated from the post season tests and look into finalising a direction for the all-important tests in January and February. We will look at developing tyre constructions for 2007 that complement the increased cornering speeds while at the same time compensating for the overall reduction in power.” How much progress has been made with Bridgestone’s new teams D’Antin and Gresini? “We have been very pleased with the initial tests with both D’Antin and Gresini teams. Together with our existing teams, Suzuki, Ducati and Kawasaki, we have hit the ground running in post-season tests and have seen some encouraging results. Of particular note, Suzuki has excelled with some very quick lap times. We head into the winter break with some valuable feedback from all of our teams. We will be supporting four different manufacturers and, since the characteristics of each bike are different, we have a lot of work to help all our teams to achieve the best results possible, but we are ready for the challenge.” Does the addition of two new teams place more strain on resources? “The new tyre regulations for next season that demand a limit of 31 tyres per rider, per weekend have made it possible for us to supply more teams. We will be producing fewer tyres for each GP weekend, so we will have a greater production capacity in our Tokyo factory. As such, we expect a relatively smooth transition to accommodate the two new additions to the Bridgestone family, Gresini and D’Antin.” With five teams and ten riders, will Bridgestone be under increased pressure in 2007? “It seems that Bridgestone will be supporting a majority number of bikes in MotoGP next season, and we are very proud to be such a major contributor in the motorcycle racing world by supplying more teams. We will be further enhancing the healthy competition we enjoy with our rival tyre manufacturers, which is something that we look forward to. The new tyre regulations add an unknown dimension to the competition next year, but I hope that we are in a position to challenge for victories on a regular basis.”

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