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WERA Recognizes National Challenge Series Champions

CANTON, Ga. With the 2006 WERA/Michelin National Challenge Series wrapped up for the season, WERA would like to extend their congratulations to all of their National Champions. Among the few experts who earned more than one National Championship was Butler Machinery’s Robert Jensen, who took the titles in Formula 1 and 600 Superstock. Formula 1 was close all season between Jensen and Vesrah Suzuki’s Tray Batey, but during the final round at the WERA Grand National Finals Jensen was able to pull out a 12-point gap. Batey, meanwhile, took two National Championships of his own. In Open Superstock, Batey edged out Lee Acree and Jensen to win by 15 points. The Heavyweight Twins Superstock title also went to Batey, who dominated the class the entire season and won all but one round. The 750 Superstock expert points chase was one of the closest all season, and after ten rounds of intense competition Acree snagged the championship by just two points over Mark Junge. Daniel Parkerson also won dual championships after consistent top finishes all season in 600 and 750 Superbike. Steve Green won his first National Championship in Formula 2, and Chris Parrish emerged with the title in Lightweight Twins Superstock. Parrish and Jeff Walker were both in the running for the Lightweight Twins championship, but a crash during the final round for Walker resulted in no points, and Parrish wound up with a 15-point lead. In the novice classes of the National Challenge Series, Seth Starnes won the most championships with an impressive four. Starnes dominated all year in every class he competed in, coming away with the 750 Superbike, 750 Superstock, 600 Superbike and 600 Superstock titles. Black Dircks tasted success in the twins classes, winning the championships in Lightweight Twins Superstock, Heavyweight Twins Superstock and Formula 2. The Open Superstock Novice championship went to G. Matt Spannan, who took the title by only three points over Starnes. In addition to honoring the National Champions, WERA would also like to thank the sponsors who make it possible for WERA to continue to be the premier organization for amateur roadracing in the United States. In 2006, Michelin was the title sponsor of the National Challenge Series, while Bridgestone gave its name to the National Endurance Series. Pirelli supported the WERA Sportsman Series with title sponsorship. “WERA has been fostering roadracing for 30 years, and we appreciate the role that Michelin, Bridgestone and Pirelli have played in helping us provide a safe, professional environment for our racers,” said WERA President Evelyne Clarke. “WERA is proud to be a place where many of today’s top roadracing stars have gotten their start.” This year’s AMA Pro Racing champions have all raced with the WERA National Challenge Series, including Superbike Champion Ben Spies, Formula Xtreme champion Josh Hayes, and Supersport and Superstock champion Jamie Hacking. “We’re really excited for all of the success that this year’s AMA champions have achieved,” said Clarke. “Nicky Hayden raced with WERA, too, and we’re holding our breath to see if he can win the MotoGP Championship this weekend.” More information about WERA can be found online at www.WERA.com.

Foggy Petronas World Superbike Racer Martin And Wife Have First Baby

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Steve and Sandra are delighted to announce the addition of Axel Alexander into the Martin family, born at 7.06am yesterday, Wednesday 25 October, weighing in at 3.37kg (7lb 4oz) and measuring 50.5cm long. Steve said, “It’s just awesome. It’s not totally sunk in yet and the moment of him actually arriving was amazing really that you’ve made something like that and so perfect. He’s been pretty cool and calm since being born, so I hope that’s a sign of things to come! “I don’t know where the time has gone this last twenty four hours. When we have Axel with us the hours seem like minutes but he’s also been up in the communal nursery some of the time which is good in that at least Sandy’s been able to have some rest, as she worked pretty hard throughout Tuesday night! “I sent out texts and emails to as many people as I could yesterday, but it was a pretty busy day so I’m sorry if reading our news on the FPR website or getting this press release is the first thing that some our friends and sponsors have heard about Axel’s arrival. “We considered a load of names, but while we were at Brno in July we watched a lot of the Tour de France and there are some cyclists with some great names, so we’ve got Axel Merckx to thank for inspiration for Axel’s name. “And Alexander was the middle name of an amazing friend of ours called John, who was without doubt the biggest influence and role model in my life, who died last year and we miss greatly.” A week over her due date, Sandra was induced at 6.00pm on Tuesday before a lot of hard work followed for the next thirteen hours! Sandra said, “Having to be induced didn’t make it the quickest or easiest labour around, but it certainly wasn’t the worst by far and we’ve got a fantastic little bundle which makes everything worth it. Axel is totally a little Steve the same nose, hands and features, so I know he’s going to be absolutely gorgeous! He was born on my Nan’s birthday and I was induced a year to the day of Steve’s kidney operation. We’d have never imagined then that a year on we’d be back at hospital having a baby!” Steve, Sandra and Axel now have a few weeks at home in Switzerland together before Steve resumes his winter testing programme and they then return to Australia to introduce Axel to the family. For more news visit our web site: www.foggyPETRONASracing.com

Your Chance To Ride For A Polish Superstock Team…

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Team Polonia is started for help and support young riders. Team boss Aleksandra Kukawska has started this team to support young riders and bring them to the top in bike racing. This team has support from the goverment of Poland. Why we search riders from the U.S.A is because team Polonia have a few companies who work together with American companies. The team gonna start in the European Superstock 600cc & 1000cc together in the championship with World Superbikes. We give them all the possible support they need over the season. 1. We do all the contacts over the season with FG Sport, press and possible needs for the riders. 2. We have made a contract with K.D.S Support this is a coaching company who have many experience on a high level of bike racing and they gonna train and support the riders over all year on and outside the racing track. 3. Each rider get his own engineer for all the season. 4. We have also the possebility to let the riders stay all the year close with the team in our own sport hotel. 5. We have are own truck a large hospitality area and all the rest a rider needs to win races. This ride is not for free becausse the prices off racing is known! -For Superstock 600 the riders can be from15 to 19 years old and price is 60.000 euro for the season. -For Superstock 1000 the riders can be from 16 to 23 years old and the price is 70.000 euro for the season. In this prices is everything in, we even have our own permanent contract with a race track where we all year throu can test. Timely for paper work in this Championship is to 25 November. Best is contact as soon as possible with Team Polonia to call 011-32-485-30-7196 or e-mail [email protected]

Hell’s Kitchen’s Support Our Troops III Ride To Take Place In Lake Elsinore, California

This Christmas, support our troops by supporting their families. Meet the families and show your appreciation. How can you support a family? “¢ Prior to November 21, go to Hell’s Kitchen and sign up to support a family. “¢ Or, send an e-mail to Hell’s Kitchen at [email protected] with “Support Our Troops” in the subject line to receive an entry form prior to November 21. “¢ On Saturday, December 2 at 11:00 am, attend the Support Our Troops event at Hell’s Kitchen. DRAWINGS “¢ PRIZES “¢ ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS “¢ SANTA VISITS “¢ LIVE MUSIC “¢ Each $10 – $49 contribution will receive a commemorative pin. “¢ Each $50 or more contribution will receive a meal provided by: Hell’s Kitchen on December 2 at 12:30 pm, a commemorative t-shirt provided by The Law Office of Timothy C. Kuzelka, Personal Injury and a commemorative event pin. 100% of your donations go towards gifts for military families. 100% of your donations go towards gifts for military families. Hell’s Kitchen 32685 Ortega Highway Lake Elsinore, CA 92530 (951) 609-3390

Traxxion Dynamics Introduces Gas-Charged Fork Cartridge Kits

Traxxion Dynamics AK-Gas Cartridges Complete Testing, Now Available to Public

Traxxion Dynamics is proud to announce the public release of the world’s first and only gas-charged “Supersport Legal” fork cartridge set, dubbed the “AK-Gas Cartridge System”. The new kit will bolt into stock inverted motorcycle fork casings, using the stock bottom bolts, and the stock fork caps, making it legal in virtually every racing organization, all over the world.

The final production version of the AK-Gas Cartridges have been rigorously tested by selected professional racers in several countries around the world, and have been overwhelmingly approved by the testers. Two weeks ago, at the WERA Grand National Finals, Vesrah Suzuki rider Lee Acree used the AK-Gas Cartridges to win the hotly contested Suzuki GSXR1000 Cup Final, and to set the absolute fastest lap of the entire week’s events two races later in the Formula One National Challenge race.

According to Acree, “Anyone who has raced at Road Atlanta in the last couple of years knows how rough the pavement has become”¦especially through the esses and turns 5, 7, and 12. The main thing I can tell you about the AK-Gas is that they just made the bumps totally disappear allowing me to ride at maximum effort through these sections that are crucial to turning fast laps at Road Atlanta. It was absolutely incredible. If you didn’t know the bumps were there, you would swear the pavement was brand new. It made a huge difference in my confidence through the roughest areas of the track.”

Vesrah Suzuki Team Owner Mark Junge had the following comments. “I was actually the first person to try the prototypes a year ago. They were good out of the box, but the improvements that took place over last winter before I got my first set of production grade parts was really amazing. The fit, finish, quality, and performance are absolutely world class. Max had me race with them all year, to ensure they would be reliable before he released them to the public. I haven’t had a single problem, and they have worked flawlessly the whole time.”

Traxxion Dynamics’ President Max McAllister is pleased the product is ready for sale. “Our goal was to get this product to market in time for the start of the 2006 racing season. Since this is such a major leap forward in front suspension technology, I decided to hold back, and let a small group of testers really rack up some miles on the new cartridges before we released them to the public. To see Lee Acree use the new cartridges to help take the Suzuki 1000 Cup was quite a thrill.

“All of our components are manufactured in the USA at our in-house CNC Machine Center, which went online 100% in June of 2006. There has been no corner cut in the quality or production techniques that have made this product. Now that any rider can purchase the AK-Gas, it will be the first time motorcycle racers all over the world can have a supersport legal fork kit that far exceeds anything a factory-backed rider will have. We think that is pretty cool.”

Traxxion Dynamics is America’s leading high performance fork component manufacturer. For more information, visit them on the web at www.traxxion.com or contact them by phone at 770 592-3823, email [email protected] .

MotoGP Racers Meet America’s Cup Sailing Teams In Port Of Valencia

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CAPIROSSI VISITS ITALY’S AMERICA’S CUP SAILING TEAM On the eve of the final MotoGP race of the season at Valencia’s Ricardo Tormo circuit the Ducati Marlboro Team rider Loris Capirossi paid a visit to the base of Luna Rossa Challenge, the Prada and Telecom Italia-backed team that will represent Italy in the 32nd America’s Cup sailing event at the Spanish city. Located in the America’s Cup port area, the Luna Rossa base was designed by the architect Renzo Piano and it recycles 50 sails used in the last edition of the trophy: 12 mainsails and 38 jibs make up the 485 panels that cover the external façade of the base. Around 100 people from 16 different countries are involved in the different areas of the Luna Rossa base (sailing team, design team, sail-loft, ground staff and management). Loris was greeted by Francesco de Angelis, the skipper and head of the Luna Rossa team, visited the base and went on board Luna Rossa ITA 86, one of the two 26-metre boats with which Luna Rossa will take part in the world’s oldest and most prestigious sailing trophy. “I am delighted to have been able to visit the Luna Rossa Challenge base,” said Loris. “It is really great and impeccably organised. All the members of the team are doing a fantastic job and they have been enthusiastically training for the America’s Cup for years. I was also honoured to visit the boat with Francesco De Angelis and I have to say that the level of technology is incredible. It was really exciting to be there today”. Sport in its various disciplines succeeds in uniting athletes and fans worldwide and never more so will this be evident than during the final MotoGP race of one of the most exciting GP seasons ever. Today Loris visited the base of the team that will defend Italy’s colours in the America’s Cup and on Sunday the members of Luna Rossa Challenge will be in the Valencia circuit cheering him on. More, from a press release issued by Pramac D’Antin MotoGP: THE PRAMAC D’ANTIN MOTOGP TEAM MEETS THE AMERICA’S CUP TEAM SHOSHOLOZA A particular and emotional day for ALEX HOFMANN and JOSE LUIS CARDOSO. The two riders of the Team PRAMAC D’ANTIN MOTOGP met the South African Team SHOSHOLOZA, the youngest of the twelve teams that will compete in the upcoming and prestigious AMERICA’S CUP. The SHOSHOLOZA basecamp, situated in the Valencia Port, is where HOFMANN and CARDOSO lived the great experience of sailing on the RSA 83 Yacht of the South African Team. The two riders, at Valencia for the last race of the 2006 MotoGP World Championship this weekend at the Ricardo Tormo circuit, were welcomed in an exceptional manner by Sports Director Tommaso Chieffi, who introduced them to the whole Team. Both teams exchanged their official shirts before taking part in a race simulation on the official yacht of Team SHOSHOLOZA. HOFMANN and CARDOSO both had a specific duty onboard and experienced unforgettable emotions during this race simulation. ALEX HOFMANN, who already has sailing experience and a license, took the chance to talk about technical details with the Boat Captain Tim Kroeger, the only German on the Team, in his second AMERICA’S CUP. ALEX HOFMANN: “I am very impressed! The Team welcomed us in a very nice way and it has been fascinating to watch these 17 people work on the boat. Everything is totally different from our sport : I need technicians before and after the race, but during it, I’m alone out there! Meeting these athletes, it was very interesting to share and compare details about our different sports. Besides, it also has been great and absolutely impressive how easily the boat can surf the waves. I had a lot of fun and it has been a great pleasure to get the chance to experience this”. JOSE LUIS CARDOSO : “It’s great to know that the AMERICA’S CUP will take place in Valencia next year! I’ve always wanted to come and see that whole impressive organisation and how the teams are training and sailing. Today, with Alex, we had the great opportunity to watch everything from the inside and I was very happy to meet team SHOSHOLOZA. The sailing and the race simulation were fantastic; these are sensations that I won’t forget. I want to thank the whole South African team for their invitation and their welcome”.

Nakano And De Puniet Plan To Push Limits At MotoGP Finale In Valencia

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Shinya Nakano and Randy de Puniet will be looking to end the year on a high this weekend, as the Kawasaki Racing Team head for the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia for the final race of the 2006 championship season. Shinya Nakano in particular will be aiming for a strong finish in Sunday’s 30-lap Valencia Grand Prix, to end a streak of bad luck that has seen him crash out of the previous two races. But, while reaching the chequered flag on Sunday is his number one priority, the 29-year-old Japanese rider is adamant that he won’t be playing it safe this weekend. Nakano is determined to realise the true potential of the Ninja ZX-RR that he has spent all year developing, and he arrives in Valencia confident that Sunday’s race will provide him with an ideal opportunity to achieve his aim, and to finish the season on a high note. Randy de Puniet scored his best result of the season so far last time out in Estoril, finishing a creditable tenth after battling with rear grip problems throughout the race. The 25-year-old Frenchman arrives in Valencia determined to carry this momentum through into Sunday’s race, where he’ll be aiming to improve on his Estoril performance. Now the traditional host of the final race of the year, the Valencia circuit is unique in that it is the only stadium style venue that the MotoGP series visits during the course of the season. The 4 km track is surrounded by grandstands, from which spectators will enjoy an unrestricted view of Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden battling it out in the season finale, to decide who will be crowned world champion. The Spanish race fans have a reputation for being vocal in their support, and with all 225,000 tickets for this weekend sold out weeks ago, the atmosphere for Sunday’s 30-lap race promises to be very special indeed. Shinya Nakano: #56 “I’ve crashed out of the last two races, so the priority at Valencia must be to finish the final race of the season. This year has been all about developing our new engine, and I think we’ve reached the point now where, as a package, the Ninja ZX-RR is competitive. We’ve had some bad luck recently, which means we haven’t been able to realise the bike’s full potential, so it would be good to end the season with a strong result, just to show how much progress we’ve made with the Ninja ZX-RR over the past sixteen races. Valencia is a very technical track, which suits both my riding style and the characteristics of our bike, and I have won here on the 250cc machine in the past. The first corner and the hairpin at turn two are critical to a fast lap here. Last year we suffered some chattering at these two turns, but I’m confident that we won’t struggle with the same problem this time around. I’m looking forward to Sunday’s race, and I will be aiming for the best result possible to mark the end of the season.” Randy de Puniet: #17 “This is the last race of the season, and it is important for me to mark the end of my first year in the MotoGP World Championship with a good result this weekend. Last time out at Estoril I had my first top ten finish, and I hope that we can improve further here at Valencia. I like this track. I’ve been fast here in the past on the 250cc bike, and I hope I will be just as fast on the MotoGP machine. There is no respite here; you need to be completely focused on every lap. The circuit is very technical, and even as you enter one corner you must be thinking about the next, as the turns flow together. Make a mistake anywhere on the lap, and it’s almost impossible to recover the time lost. Sunday’s race is a long one, and I think consistency will be key to a good result, so that’s what we’ll be working towards during practice and qualifying.”

OMRRA Looks to Add 85cc Class For 2007 Season

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The Oregon Motorcycle Road Racing Association (OMRRA) has had a successful road racing program for decades. OMRRA has always had an eye for the future and how to develop safe riders regardless of age. Having been the stomping grounds for AMA champion Jimmy Moore, NASB (Superbike) Champion Keith Pinkstaff and current Jordan Motorsports rider Jake Holden, OMRRA has produced a rider or three. Under the leadership of past President Jim Kennedy, OMRRA created the first pocketbike program (~http://www.omrrapocketbikes.com~) within a major road racing organization in North America. The program has been a success, with the first batch of those junior riders having moved to mini races at local kart tracks. Those same riders have are now ready to move beyond the kart tracks. It’s time for them to make the step onto the big track with the rest of OMRRA’s riders. Starting with the 2007 season OMRRA is considering the introduction of an 85cc class intended to be a stepping stone into the full racing program of the club. The program details are still being finalized but the intention is to have 17″ wheeled GP chassis bikes such as a TZ or RS with a MX based 85cc motor. This is the same format used by clubs such as: CMRA, CMRRA, AMRA, NWMini, and SCminiGP with great success. To make sure all our riders are safe, OMRRA is working on the purchase of air fence barriers to increase the safety of Portland International Raceway. All new riders participating in the 85 class would go through the same Novice School instruction that Elena Myers went through as an 11-year old last year. OMRRA allowed her to earn her expert license while other clubs denied her request, and subsequently won her first Expert race with the club. We look forward to the future and hope to see more home grown racers follow in Jimmy and Jake’s footsteps through this new program. To learn more visit OMRRA’s forum: ~http://www.omrra.com/forums/~

Jacobsen And Welsh Take Wins In Final USGPRU Round At Miller Motorsports Park

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(Tooele, UT) Near freezing temperatures and cross-country road trips couldn’t keep the competitors away from the spectacular Miller Motorsports Park for the final round of the USGPRU 2006 season. Riders from Europe, Asia, Canada, and all across the U.S., converged on MMP for the chance to race on the epic 4.5 mile, 23-turn full course. Thirteen-year-old, PJ Jacobson set a blistering pace during Saturday 125GP qualifying with a time of 3:08.663. Tommy Aquino clicked off a time of 3:08.812 in his final lap, to take the runner up position. Nobi Iso rode his Aprilia RS125 to a third place position, followed closely by Scott Gilbert to fill up the front row. 18-year-old Alex Welsh aboard his Infinity GP RS250 Honda dominated the Motion Pro 250GP qualifying. He threw down the gauntlet with a time of 3:02.262. Ryan Ferris, Matt Cooper, and Tommy Aquino rounded out the rest of the front row. Will Morton had a time good enough to put him in third position, but his Roland Cushway tuned Honda RS250 was disqualified when it failed to meet the minimum weight requirements. He would be forced to start from the back of the grid on Sunday. The Rising Sun Cycle 125GP main event saw a field of 29 racers all try to squeeze through turn one at the same time. Nobi Iso came out in the lead though and proceeded to try to break away. But, Tommy Aquino and PJ Jacobson wouldn’t allow him to do that without them. Half way through lap 1, Iso started having power problems with his bike, and PJ and Tommy passed him and started to walk away. Iso was forced to retire from the race as the Aprilia’s battery choked out its last few volts. PJ and Tommy swapped positions multiple times during the next lap. But a bad engine cylinder caused his motor to sieze in turn-8, forcing Tommy to watch as PJ rode off in the distance. PJ would ride the rest of the race alone with Bryce Prince and Scott Gilbert battling for the runners up spot. Elena Myers had been battling with Bryce and Scott early on, but had to pull in for a stop-and-go penalty for jumping the start of the race. She came back from the stop and slashed through the field to end up in 5th position, right behind Jon Schendel. . In the Motion Pro 250GP race, Alex Welsh pulled the trigger on his Honda RS250 and shot out into the lead right from the start. He rode the wheels off of his bike despite the fact that he had already wrapped up the championship! Fellow Canadian, Matt Cooper, tried in vain to keep up with Alex, but put in a spectacular ride none the less to finish seven seconds back in second place. Will Morton started from the back of the 33-bike grid, and rapidly worked through the mass of riders. He eventually worked his way up to claim the final podium position for the day, and his first for the season. Race results: Rising Sun Cycles 125GP 1. PJ Jacobsen Hon 2. Bryce Prince Hon 3. Scott Gilbert Hon 4. Jon Schendel Hon 5. Elena Myers Hon 6. Jesse Trayler Hon 7. John Hjelm Hon 8. Mike Orien Hon 9. Tyler Odon Hon 10. Kyle Ferris Hon 11. Jeff Lim Hon 12. Scott Smallwood Hon 13. Phillip Krenn Hon 14. Debra Kuick Hon 15. Scott McNew Hon 16. M. McDonough Hon 17. Jermiah Carlson Hon 18. Mike Santelia Hon 19. Kevin Murray Yam 20. Britt Arechiga Hon 21. Darrin Kuebler Hon 22. Bruce Lind Yam 23. Jose Lopez Hon 24. Brian Heess Hon 25. Shellie Matthews Hon 26. Don Roberts Hon 27. Tommy Aquino Hon DNF 28. Nobi Iso Apr DNF 29. Stu Aitken-Cade Hon DNF 30. Barry Gilsenan Hon DNS Motion Pro 250GP 1. Alex Welsh Hon 2. Matt Cooper Hon 3. Will Morton Hon 4. Ryan Ferris Hon 5. PJ Jacobson Hon 6. Vincent Rolleri Yam 7. Nobi Iso Apr 8. Alex White Yam 9. Jon Schendel Hon 10. Bruce Lind Yam 11. Elena Myers Hon 12. John Dempsey Yam 13. Tyler Odom Hon 14. Steve Lambrick Yam 15. Patrick Dowd Yam 16. Pete Ross Yam 17. Jeff Lim Hon 18. Jesse Trayler Hon 19. Phillip Krenn Hon 20. Kory Gill Yam 21. Daniel Qualtire Hon 22. Derek Dutt Yam 23. Don Roberts Yam 24. David Matthews Yam 25. Andrew Trace Hon 26. Mike Lytle Yam 27. Stu Aitken-Cade Hon DNF 28. Tommy Aquino Hon DNF 29. Kyle Ferris Hon DNF 30. Mark Kelly Hon DNS 31. Barry Gilsenan Hon DNS 32. Mike Santelia Hon DNS 33. Bryce Prince Hon DNS JACOBSON AND WELSH CROWNED 2006 USGPRU CHAMPIONS The USGPRU would like to formally congratulate PJ Jacobson and Alex Welsh for winning the 2006 125GP and 250GP National Championships respectively. PJ Jacobson rode a near perfect season, winning every single race he entered except one, where he took a third. While he had the national championship wrapped up going into the final at Miller Motorsports Park, he showed that he is a true champion, and rode as hard as he could to win the final round too. PJ is only 14-years-old, yet has already secured backing by the Celtic Racing team out of Nyack, NY. Alex Welsh had a very busy season racing 11 weekends in both the 125 and 250 classes. His 125GP results were very strong, enough to finish in 4th overall, but he really came to grips with the added power of the 250 bike and consistently dominated every time he rode it. Also like PJ, Alex showed the true champions spirit by not only racing, but winning in the final round of the series even though he had the championship wrapped up at Mid-Ohio a month earlier. PJ and Alex follow in the footsteps of past USGPRU champions like Garrett Carter, Josh Herrin, and Brian Kcraget. About USGPRU The USGPRU is the officially recognized Motorcycle 125 Grand Prix National Championship ® and 250 Grand Prix National Championship TM series. The USGPRU emulates true World MotoGP racing experience and serves to attract young riders to gain experience in a professional environment and provide a path to world-class motorcycle racing. The USGPRU structures events with extended length grand prix racing exclusive to the GP machines, timed qualifying and strong contingency and sponsor support. For additional details, visit www.USGPRU.net

Young Gun Michael Beck Signs With M4 EMGO Suzuki

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BECK TO RACE WITH TEAM M4 EMGO SUZUKI IN 2007 Michael Beck has signed a contract to race for Team M4 EMGO Suzuki in 2007. The 18-year-old second-generation racer showed promise in his first year as an AMA pro rider in 2006 and demonstrated that he is one of the most talented young racers on the AMA scene. Beck, of Simi Valley, California, has raced motocross since he was four years old and began road racing in 2003. He competed as a privateer during the 2006 season and finished an impressive ninth in final AMA Supersport points, with his season highlight being a fifth-place finish in Utah. Beck won the WERA Sportsman C Superstock National Championship this year and also earned CCS Middleweight Supersport and Middleweight Grand Prix titles last weekend at Daytona. Also at Daytona, Beck raced 2007 teammate Geoff May for the ASRA Sportbike win, finishing a close second. “I’m stoked,” said Beck. “I can’t wait to ride for a professional team. It has been my dream and I’m really happy I’ve signed on with Team M4 EMGO Suzuki. They are a great team and have a long history in the sport. It will be different for me next year because it was mainly me and my dad worrying about everything, working on the bikes and traveling to the races. Just concentrating on my riding will be good for my development next year.” “I’m thrilled with our line-up for next year,” said Team M4 EMGO Suzuki Crew Chief Keith Perry. “Michael Beck is a rider who, along with Geoff May and Michael Barnes, gives us three legitimate shots at top-five finishes and podiums on any given race weekend. We have watched him closely all season and clearly he’s been one of the young guys to keep your eye on. He is a young rider, but he’s been very smooth in getting the impressive lap times. He also has experience on the Pirelli tires Team M4 EMGO Suzuki uses. We’re very excited to have signed Michael and can’t wait to get him on one of our bikes and see how he fares.” Team Hammer, Inc., currently competing as Team M4 EMGO Suzuki, has raced professionally for 26 consecutive seasons. During the 2006 season, the team scored 14 AMA National podium finishes. The team’s headquarters are located in Lake Elsinore, California with a race shop in Athens, Alabama.

WERA Recognizes National Challenge Series Champions

CANTON, Ga. With the 2006 WERA/Michelin National Challenge Series wrapped up for the season, WERA would like to extend their congratulations to all of their National Champions. Among the few experts who earned more than one National Championship was Butler Machinery’s Robert Jensen, who took the titles in Formula 1 and 600 Superstock. Formula 1 was close all season between Jensen and Vesrah Suzuki’s Tray Batey, but during the final round at the WERA Grand National Finals Jensen was able to pull out a 12-point gap. Batey, meanwhile, took two National Championships of his own. In Open Superstock, Batey edged out Lee Acree and Jensen to win by 15 points. The Heavyweight Twins Superstock title also went to Batey, who dominated the class the entire season and won all but one round. The 750 Superstock expert points chase was one of the closest all season, and after ten rounds of intense competition Acree snagged the championship by just two points over Mark Junge. Daniel Parkerson also won dual championships after consistent top finishes all season in 600 and 750 Superbike. Steve Green won his first National Championship in Formula 2, and Chris Parrish emerged with the title in Lightweight Twins Superstock. Parrish and Jeff Walker were both in the running for the Lightweight Twins championship, but a crash during the final round for Walker resulted in no points, and Parrish wound up with a 15-point lead. In the novice classes of the National Challenge Series, Seth Starnes won the most championships with an impressive four. Starnes dominated all year in every class he competed in, coming away with the 750 Superbike, 750 Superstock, 600 Superbike and 600 Superstock titles. Black Dircks tasted success in the twins classes, winning the championships in Lightweight Twins Superstock, Heavyweight Twins Superstock and Formula 2. The Open Superstock Novice championship went to G. Matt Spannan, who took the title by only three points over Starnes. In addition to honoring the National Champions, WERA would also like to thank the sponsors who make it possible for WERA to continue to be the premier organization for amateur roadracing in the United States. In 2006, Michelin was the title sponsor of the National Challenge Series, while Bridgestone gave its name to the National Endurance Series. Pirelli supported the WERA Sportsman Series with title sponsorship. “WERA has been fostering roadracing for 30 years, and we appreciate the role that Michelin, Bridgestone and Pirelli have played in helping us provide a safe, professional environment for our racers,” said WERA President Evelyne Clarke. “WERA is proud to be a place where many of today’s top roadracing stars have gotten their start.” This year’s AMA Pro Racing champions have all raced with the WERA National Challenge Series, including Superbike Champion Ben Spies, Formula Xtreme champion Josh Hayes, and Supersport and Superstock champion Jamie Hacking. “We’re really excited for all of the success that this year’s AMA champions have achieved,” said Clarke. “Nicky Hayden raced with WERA, too, and we’re holding our breath to see if he can win the MotoGP Championship this weekend.” More information about WERA can be found online at www.WERA.com.

Foggy Petronas World Superbike Racer Martin And Wife Have First Baby

Steve and Sandra are delighted to announce the addition of Axel Alexander into the Martin family, born at 7.06am yesterday, Wednesday 25 October, weighing in at 3.37kg (7lb 4oz) and measuring 50.5cm long. Steve said, “It’s just awesome. It’s not totally sunk in yet and the moment of him actually arriving was amazing really that you’ve made something like that and so perfect. He’s been pretty cool and calm since being born, so I hope that’s a sign of things to come! “I don’t know where the time has gone this last twenty four hours. When we have Axel with us the hours seem like minutes but he’s also been up in the communal nursery some of the time which is good in that at least Sandy’s been able to have some rest, as she worked pretty hard throughout Tuesday night! “I sent out texts and emails to as many people as I could yesterday, but it was a pretty busy day so I’m sorry if reading our news on the FPR website or getting this press release is the first thing that some our friends and sponsors have heard about Axel’s arrival. “We considered a load of names, but while we were at Brno in July we watched a lot of the Tour de France and there are some cyclists with some great names, so we’ve got Axel Merckx to thank for inspiration for Axel’s name. “And Alexander was the middle name of an amazing friend of ours called John, who was without doubt the biggest influence and role model in my life, who died last year and we miss greatly.” A week over her due date, Sandra was induced at 6.00pm on Tuesday before a lot of hard work followed for the next thirteen hours! Sandra said, “Having to be induced didn’t make it the quickest or easiest labour around, but it certainly wasn’t the worst by far and we’ve got a fantastic little bundle which makes everything worth it. Axel is totally a little Steve the same nose, hands and features, so I know he’s going to be absolutely gorgeous! He was born on my Nan’s birthday and I was induced a year to the day of Steve’s kidney operation. We’d have never imagined then that a year on we’d be back at hospital having a baby!” Steve, Sandra and Axel now have a few weeks at home in Switzerland together before Steve resumes his winter testing programme and they then return to Australia to introduce Axel to the family. For more news visit our web site: www.foggyPETRONASracing.com

Your Chance To Ride For A Polish Superstock Team…

Team Polonia is started for help and support young riders. Team boss Aleksandra Kukawska has started this team to support young riders and bring them to the top in bike racing. This team has support from the goverment of Poland. Why we search riders from the U.S.A is because team Polonia have a few companies who work together with American companies. The team gonna start in the European Superstock 600cc & 1000cc together in the championship with World Superbikes. We give them all the possible support they need over the season. 1. We do all the contacts over the season with FG Sport, press and possible needs for the riders. 2. We have made a contract with K.D.S Support this is a coaching company who have many experience on a high level of bike racing and they gonna train and support the riders over all year on and outside the racing track. 3. Each rider get his own engineer for all the season. 4. We have also the possebility to let the riders stay all the year close with the team in our own sport hotel. 5. We have are own truck a large hospitality area and all the rest a rider needs to win races. This ride is not for free becausse the prices off racing is known! -For Superstock 600 the riders can be from15 to 19 years old and price is 60.000 euro for the season. -For Superstock 1000 the riders can be from 16 to 23 years old and the price is 70.000 euro for the season. In this prices is everything in, we even have our own permanent contract with a race track where we all year throu can test. Timely for paper work in this Championship is to 25 November. Best is contact as soon as possible with Team Polonia to call 011-32-485-30-7196 or e-mail [email protected]

Hell’s Kitchen’s Support Our Troops III Ride To Take Place In Lake Elsinore, California

This Christmas, support our troops by supporting their families. Meet the families and show your appreciation. How can you support a family? “¢ Prior to November 21, go to Hell’s Kitchen and sign up to support a family. “¢ Or, send an e-mail to Hell’s Kitchen at [email protected] with “Support Our Troops” in the subject line to receive an entry form prior to November 21. “¢ On Saturday, December 2 at 11:00 am, attend the Support Our Troops event at Hell’s Kitchen. DRAWINGS “¢ PRIZES “¢ ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS “¢ SANTA VISITS “¢ LIVE MUSIC “¢ Each $10 – $49 contribution will receive a commemorative pin. “¢ Each $50 or more contribution will receive a meal provided by: Hell’s Kitchen on December 2 at 12:30 pm, a commemorative t-shirt provided by The Law Office of Timothy C. Kuzelka, Personal Injury and a commemorative event pin. 100% of your donations go towards gifts for military families. 100% of your donations go towards gifts for military families. Hell’s Kitchen 32685 Ortega Highway Lake Elsinore, CA 92530 (951) 609-3390

Traxxion Dynamics Introduces Gas-Charged Fork Cartridge Kits

Traxxion Dynamics AK-Gas Cartridges Complete Testing, Now Available to Public

Traxxion Dynamics is proud to announce the public release of the world’s first and only gas-charged “Supersport Legal” fork cartridge set, dubbed the “AK-Gas Cartridge System”. The new kit will bolt into stock inverted motorcycle fork casings, using the stock bottom bolts, and the stock fork caps, making it legal in virtually every racing organization, all over the world.

The final production version of the AK-Gas Cartridges have been rigorously tested by selected professional racers in several countries around the world, and have been overwhelmingly approved by the testers. Two weeks ago, at the WERA Grand National Finals, Vesrah Suzuki rider Lee Acree used the AK-Gas Cartridges to win the hotly contested Suzuki GSXR1000 Cup Final, and to set the absolute fastest lap of the entire week’s events two races later in the Formula One National Challenge race.

According to Acree, “Anyone who has raced at Road Atlanta in the last couple of years knows how rough the pavement has become”¦especially through the esses and turns 5, 7, and 12. The main thing I can tell you about the AK-Gas is that they just made the bumps totally disappear allowing me to ride at maximum effort through these sections that are crucial to turning fast laps at Road Atlanta. It was absolutely incredible. If you didn’t know the bumps were there, you would swear the pavement was brand new. It made a huge difference in my confidence through the roughest areas of the track.”

Vesrah Suzuki Team Owner Mark Junge had the following comments. “I was actually the first person to try the prototypes a year ago. They were good out of the box, but the improvements that took place over last winter before I got my first set of production grade parts was really amazing. The fit, finish, quality, and performance are absolutely world class. Max had me race with them all year, to ensure they would be reliable before he released them to the public. I haven’t had a single problem, and they have worked flawlessly the whole time.”

Traxxion Dynamics’ President Max McAllister is pleased the product is ready for sale. “Our goal was to get this product to market in time for the start of the 2006 racing season. Since this is such a major leap forward in front suspension technology, I decided to hold back, and let a small group of testers really rack up some miles on the new cartridges before we released them to the public. To see Lee Acree use the new cartridges to help take the Suzuki 1000 Cup was quite a thrill.

“All of our components are manufactured in the USA at our in-house CNC Machine Center, which went online 100% in June of 2006. There has been no corner cut in the quality or production techniques that have made this product. Now that any rider can purchase the AK-Gas, it will be the first time motorcycle racers all over the world can have a supersport legal fork kit that far exceeds anything a factory-backed rider will have. We think that is pretty cool.”

Traxxion Dynamics is America’s leading high performance fork component manufacturer. For more information, visit them on the web at www.traxxion.com or contact them by phone at 770 592-3823, email [email protected] .

MotoGP Racers Meet America’s Cup Sailing Teams In Port Of Valencia

CAPIROSSI VISITS ITALY’S AMERICA’S CUP SAILING TEAM On the eve of the final MotoGP race of the season at Valencia’s Ricardo Tormo circuit the Ducati Marlboro Team rider Loris Capirossi paid a visit to the base of Luna Rossa Challenge, the Prada and Telecom Italia-backed team that will represent Italy in the 32nd America’s Cup sailing event at the Spanish city. Located in the America’s Cup port area, the Luna Rossa base was designed by the architect Renzo Piano and it recycles 50 sails used in the last edition of the trophy: 12 mainsails and 38 jibs make up the 485 panels that cover the external façade of the base. Around 100 people from 16 different countries are involved in the different areas of the Luna Rossa base (sailing team, design team, sail-loft, ground staff and management). Loris was greeted by Francesco de Angelis, the skipper and head of the Luna Rossa team, visited the base and went on board Luna Rossa ITA 86, one of the two 26-metre boats with which Luna Rossa will take part in the world’s oldest and most prestigious sailing trophy. “I am delighted to have been able to visit the Luna Rossa Challenge base,” said Loris. “It is really great and impeccably organised. All the members of the team are doing a fantastic job and they have been enthusiastically training for the America’s Cup for years. I was also honoured to visit the boat with Francesco De Angelis and I have to say that the level of technology is incredible. It was really exciting to be there today”. Sport in its various disciplines succeeds in uniting athletes and fans worldwide and never more so will this be evident than during the final MotoGP race of one of the most exciting GP seasons ever. Today Loris visited the base of the team that will defend Italy’s colours in the America’s Cup and on Sunday the members of Luna Rossa Challenge will be in the Valencia circuit cheering him on. More, from a press release issued by Pramac D’Antin MotoGP: THE PRAMAC D’ANTIN MOTOGP TEAM MEETS THE AMERICA’S CUP TEAM SHOSHOLOZA A particular and emotional day for ALEX HOFMANN and JOSE LUIS CARDOSO. The two riders of the Team PRAMAC D’ANTIN MOTOGP met the South African Team SHOSHOLOZA, the youngest of the twelve teams that will compete in the upcoming and prestigious AMERICA’S CUP. The SHOSHOLOZA basecamp, situated in the Valencia Port, is where HOFMANN and CARDOSO lived the great experience of sailing on the RSA 83 Yacht of the South African Team. The two riders, at Valencia for the last race of the 2006 MotoGP World Championship this weekend at the Ricardo Tormo circuit, were welcomed in an exceptional manner by Sports Director Tommaso Chieffi, who introduced them to the whole Team. Both teams exchanged their official shirts before taking part in a race simulation on the official yacht of Team SHOSHOLOZA. HOFMANN and CARDOSO both had a specific duty onboard and experienced unforgettable emotions during this race simulation. ALEX HOFMANN, who already has sailing experience and a license, took the chance to talk about technical details with the Boat Captain Tim Kroeger, the only German on the Team, in his second AMERICA’S CUP. ALEX HOFMANN: “I am very impressed! The Team welcomed us in a very nice way and it has been fascinating to watch these 17 people work on the boat. Everything is totally different from our sport : I need technicians before and after the race, but during it, I’m alone out there! Meeting these athletes, it was very interesting to share and compare details about our different sports. Besides, it also has been great and absolutely impressive how easily the boat can surf the waves. I had a lot of fun and it has been a great pleasure to get the chance to experience this”. JOSE LUIS CARDOSO : “It’s great to know that the AMERICA’S CUP will take place in Valencia next year! I’ve always wanted to come and see that whole impressive organisation and how the teams are training and sailing. Today, with Alex, we had the great opportunity to watch everything from the inside and I was very happy to meet team SHOSHOLOZA. The sailing and the race simulation were fantastic; these are sensations that I won’t forget. I want to thank the whole South African team for their invitation and their welcome”.

Nakano And De Puniet Plan To Push Limits At MotoGP Finale In Valencia

Shinya Nakano and Randy de Puniet will be looking to end the year on a high this weekend, as the Kawasaki Racing Team head for the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia for the final race of the 2006 championship season. Shinya Nakano in particular will be aiming for a strong finish in Sunday’s 30-lap Valencia Grand Prix, to end a streak of bad luck that has seen him crash out of the previous two races. But, while reaching the chequered flag on Sunday is his number one priority, the 29-year-old Japanese rider is adamant that he won’t be playing it safe this weekend. Nakano is determined to realise the true potential of the Ninja ZX-RR that he has spent all year developing, and he arrives in Valencia confident that Sunday’s race will provide him with an ideal opportunity to achieve his aim, and to finish the season on a high note. Randy de Puniet scored his best result of the season so far last time out in Estoril, finishing a creditable tenth after battling with rear grip problems throughout the race. The 25-year-old Frenchman arrives in Valencia determined to carry this momentum through into Sunday’s race, where he’ll be aiming to improve on his Estoril performance. Now the traditional host of the final race of the year, the Valencia circuit is unique in that it is the only stadium style venue that the MotoGP series visits during the course of the season. The 4 km track is surrounded by grandstands, from which spectators will enjoy an unrestricted view of Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden battling it out in the season finale, to decide who will be crowned world champion. The Spanish race fans have a reputation for being vocal in their support, and with all 225,000 tickets for this weekend sold out weeks ago, the atmosphere for Sunday’s 30-lap race promises to be very special indeed. Shinya Nakano: #56 “I’ve crashed out of the last two races, so the priority at Valencia must be to finish the final race of the season. This year has been all about developing our new engine, and I think we’ve reached the point now where, as a package, the Ninja ZX-RR is competitive. We’ve had some bad luck recently, which means we haven’t been able to realise the bike’s full potential, so it would be good to end the season with a strong result, just to show how much progress we’ve made with the Ninja ZX-RR over the past sixteen races. Valencia is a very technical track, which suits both my riding style and the characteristics of our bike, and I have won here on the 250cc machine in the past. The first corner and the hairpin at turn two are critical to a fast lap here. Last year we suffered some chattering at these two turns, but I’m confident that we won’t struggle with the same problem this time around. I’m looking forward to Sunday’s race, and I will be aiming for the best result possible to mark the end of the season.” Randy de Puniet: #17 “This is the last race of the season, and it is important for me to mark the end of my first year in the MotoGP World Championship with a good result this weekend. Last time out at Estoril I had my first top ten finish, and I hope that we can improve further here at Valencia. I like this track. I’ve been fast here in the past on the 250cc bike, and I hope I will be just as fast on the MotoGP machine. There is no respite here; you need to be completely focused on every lap. The circuit is very technical, and even as you enter one corner you must be thinking about the next, as the turns flow together. Make a mistake anywhere on the lap, and it’s almost impossible to recover the time lost. Sunday’s race is a long one, and I think consistency will be key to a good result, so that’s what we’ll be working towards during practice and qualifying.”

OMRRA Looks to Add 85cc Class For 2007 Season

The Oregon Motorcycle Road Racing Association (OMRRA) has had a successful road racing program for decades. OMRRA has always had an eye for the future and how to develop safe riders regardless of age. Having been the stomping grounds for AMA champion Jimmy Moore, NASB (Superbike) Champion Keith Pinkstaff and current Jordan Motorsports rider Jake Holden, OMRRA has produced a rider or three. Under the leadership of past President Jim Kennedy, OMRRA created the first pocketbike program (~http://www.omrrapocketbikes.com~) within a major road racing organization in North America. The program has been a success, with the first batch of those junior riders having moved to mini races at local kart tracks. Those same riders have are now ready to move beyond the kart tracks. It’s time for them to make the step onto the big track with the rest of OMRRA’s riders. Starting with the 2007 season OMRRA is considering the introduction of an 85cc class intended to be a stepping stone into the full racing program of the club. The program details are still being finalized but the intention is to have 17″ wheeled GP chassis bikes such as a TZ or RS with a MX based 85cc motor. This is the same format used by clubs such as: CMRA, CMRRA, AMRA, NWMini, and SCminiGP with great success. To make sure all our riders are safe, OMRRA is working on the purchase of air fence barriers to increase the safety of Portland International Raceway. All new riders participating in the 85 class would go through the same Novice School instruction that Elena Myers went through as an 11-year old last year. OMRRA allowed her to earn her expert license while other clubs denied her request, and subsequently won her first Expert race with the club. We look forward to the future and hope to see more home grown racers follow in Jimmy and Jake’s footsteps through this new program. To learn more visit OMRRA’s forum: ~http://www.omrra.com/forums/~

Jacobsen And Welsh Take Wins In Final USGPRU Round At Miller Motorsports Park

(Tooele, UT) Near freezing temperatures and cross-country road trips couldn’t keep the competitors away from the spectacular Miller Motorsports Park for the final round of the USGPRU 2006 season. Riders from Europe, Asia, Canada, and all across the U.S., converged on MMP for the chance to race on the epic 4.5 mile, 23-turn full course. Thirteen-year-old, PJ Jacobson set a blistering pace during Saturday 125GP qualifying with a time of 3:08.663. Tommy Aquino clicked off a time of 3:08.812 in his final lap, to take the runner up position. Nobi Iso rode his Aprilia RS125 to a third place position, followed closely by Scott Gilbert to fill up the front row. 18-year-old Alex Welsh aboard his Infinity GP RS250 Honda dominated the Motion Pro 250GP qualifying. He threw down the gauntlet with a time of 3:02.262. Ryan Ferris, Matt Cooper, and Tommy Aquino rounded out the rest of the front row. Will Morton had a time good enough to put him in third position, but his Roland Cushway tuned Honda RS250 was disqualified when it failed to meet the minimum weight requirements. He would be forced to start from the back of the grid on Sunday. The Rising Sun Cycle 125GP main event saw a field of 29 racers all try to squeeze through turn one at the same time. Nobi Iso came out in the lead though and proceeded to try to break away. But, Tommy Aquino and PJ Jacobson wouldn’t allow him to do that without them. Half way through lap 1, Iso started having power problems with his bike, and PJ and Tommy passed him and started to walk away. Iso was forced to retire from the race as the Aprilia’s battery choked out its last few volts. PJ and Tommy swapped positions multiple times during the next lap. But a bad engine cylinder caused his motor to sieze in turn-8, forcing Tommy to watch as PJ rode off in the distance. PJ would ride the rest of the race alone with Bryce Prince and Scott Gilbert battling for the runners up spot. Elena Myers had been battling with Bryce and Scott early on, but had to pull in for a stop-and-go penalty for jumping the start of the race. She came back from the stop and slashed through the field to end up in 5th position, right behind Jon Schendel. . In the Motion Pro 250GP race, Alex Welsh pulled the trigger on his Honda RS250 and shot out into the lead right from the start. He rode the wheels off of his bike despite the fact that he had already wrapped up the championship! Fellow Canadian, Matt Cooper, tried in vain to keep up with Alex, but put in a spectacular ride none the less to finish seven seconds back in second place. Will Morton started from the back of the 33-bike grid, and rapidly worked through the mass of riders. He eventually worked his way up to claim the final podium position for the day, and his first for the season. Race results: Rising Sun Cycles 125GP 1. PJ Jacobsen Hon 2. Bryce Prince Hon 3. Scott Gilbert Hon 4. Jon Schendel Hon 5. Elena Myers Hon 6. Jesse Trayler Hon 7. John Hjelm Hon 8. Mike Orien Hon 9. Tyler Odon Hon 10. Kyle Ferris Hon 11. Jeff Lim Hon 12. Scott Smallwood Hon 13. Phillip Krenn Hon 14. Debra Kuick Hon 15. Scott McNew Hon 16. M. McDonough Hon 17. Jermiah Carlson Hon 18. Mike Santelia Hon 19. Kevin Murray Yam 20. Britt Arechiga Hon 21. Darrin Kuebler Hon 22. Bruce Lind Yam 23. Jose Lopez Hon 24. Brian Heess Hon 25. Shellie Matthews Hon 26. Don Roberts Hon 27. Tommy Aquino Hon DNF 28. Nobi Iso Apr DNF 29. Stu Aitken-Cade Hon DNF 30. Barry Gilsenan Hon DNS Motion Pro 250GP 1. Alex Welsh Hon 2. Matt Cooper Hon 3. Will Morton Hon 4. Ryan Ferris Hon 5. PJ Jacobson Hon 6. Vincent Rolleri Yam 7. Nobi Iso Apr 8. Alex White Yam 9. Jon Schendel Hon 10. Bruce Lind Yam 11. Elena Myers Hon 12. John Dempsey Yam 13. Tyler Odom Hon 14. Steve Lambrick Yam 15. Patrick Dowd Yam 16. Pete Ross Yam 17. Jeff Lim Hon 18. Jesse Trayler Hon 19. Phillip Krenn Hon 20. Kory Gill Yam 21. Daniel Qualtire Hon 22. Derek Dutt Yam 23. Don Roberts Yam 24. David Matthews Yam 25. Andrew Trace Hon 26. Mike Lytle Yam 27. Stu Aitken-Cade Hon DNF 28. Tommy Aquino Hon DNF 29. Kyle Ferris Hon DNF 30. Mark Kelly Hon DNS 31. Barry Gilsenan Hon DNS 32. Mike Santelia Hon DNS 33. Bryce Prince Hon DNS JACOBSON AND WELSH CROWNED 2006 USGPRU CHAMPIONS The USGPRU would like to formally congratulate PJ Jacobson and Alex Welsh for winning the 2006 125GP and 250GP National Championships respectively. PJ Jacobson rode a near perfect season, winning every single race he entered except one, where he took a third. While he had the national championship wrapped up going into the final at Miller Motorsports Park, he showed that he is a true champion, and rode as hard as he could to win the final round too. PJ is only 14-years-old, yet has already secured backing by the Celtic Racing team out of Nyack, NY. Alex Welsh had a very busy season racing 11 weekends in both the 125 and 250 classes. His 125GP results were very strong, enough to finish in 4th overall, but he really came to grips with the added power of the 250 bike and consistently dominated every time he rode it. Also like PJ, Alex showed the true champions spirit by not only racing, but winning in the final round of the series even though he had the championship wrapped up at Mid-Ohio a month earlier. PJ and Alex follow in the footsteps of past USGPRU champions like Garrett Carter, Josh Herrin, and Brian Kcraget. About USGPRU The USGPRU is the officially recognized Motorcycle 125 Grand Prix National Championship ® and 250 Grand Prix National Championship TM series. The USGPRU emulates true World MotoGP racing experience and serves to attract young riders to gain experience in a professional environment and provide a path to world-class motorcycle racing. The USGPRU structures events with extended length grand prix racing exclusive to the GP machines, timed qualifying and strong contingency and sponsor support. For additional details, visit www.USGPRU.net

Young Gun Michael Beck Signs With M4 EMGO Suzuki

BECK TO RACE WITH TEAM M4 EMGO SUZUKI IN 2007 Michael Beck has signed a contract to race for Team M4 EMGO Suzuki in 2007. The 18-year-old second-generation racer showed promise in his first year as an AMA pro rider in 2006 and demonstrated that he is one of the most talented young racers on the AMA scene. Beck, of Simi Valley, California, has raced motocross since he was four years old and began road racing in 2003. He competed as a privateer during the 2006 season and finished an impressive ninth in final AMA Supersport points, with his season highlight being a fifth-place finish in Utah. Beck won the WERA Sportsman C Superstock National Championship this year and also earned CCS Middleweight Supersport and Middleweight Grand Prix titles last weekend at Daytona. Also at Daytona, Beck raced 2007 teammate Geoff May for the ASRA Sportbike win, finishing a close second. “I’m stoked,” said Beck. “I can’t wait to ride for a professional team. It has been my dream and I’m really happy I’ve signed on with Team M4 EMGO Suzuki. They are a great team and have a long history in the sport. It will be different for me next year because it was mainly me and my dad worrying about everything, working on the bikes and traveling to the races. Just concentrating on my riding will be good for my development next year.” “I’m thrilled with our line-up for next year,” said Team M4 EMGO Suzuki Crew Chief Keith Perry. “Michael Beck is a rider who, along with Geoff May and Michael Barnes, gives us three legitimate shots at top-five finishes and podiums on any given race weekend. We have watched him closely all season and clearly he’s been one of the young guys to keep your eye on. He is a young rider, but he’s been very smooth in getting the impressive lap times. He also has experience on the Pirelli tires Team M4 EMGO Suzuki uses. We’re very excited to have signed Michael and can’t wait to get him on one of our bikes and see how he fares.” Team Hammer, Inc., currently competing as Team M4 EMGO Suzuki, has raced professionally for 26 consecutive seasons. During the 2006 season, the team scored 14 AMA National podium finishes. The team’s headquarters are located in Lake Elsinore, California with a race shop in Athens, Alabama.