Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra news 2006 Superbike World Championship Round 11, Imola, Italy – Preview Team Alstare Suzuki aiming for a big finish in Imola. The penultimate round of this year’s Superbike World Championship takes place at the undulating 4.933 kilometre Imola circuit and Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra riders Troy Corser and Yukio Kagayama will be going all-out to end the season in style. For both riders, this year has been somewhat of a roller-coaster ride, but both are determined to take podiums in Imola and then Magny-Cours one week later. Last year, Imola was a scene of celebrations for Team Alstare because it was there that Troy was crowned world champion after the second SBK race was cancelled due to a flooded track. Troy’s runner-up spot in race one and the cancelled race two was enough for Suzuki to take their first ever World SBK title. Yukio fell in that race, but remounted to finish fifteenth. TROY I still think I can finish in the top three this year and that’s what I’ll be shooting for at Imola and Magny. It’s been a real up and down year – literally in some cases – but I’m aiming for strong consistent finishes in the remaining races and a good end to the season. I had mixed feelings last year when the second race was cancelled last year because I would’ve liked to have taken the title in normal conditions. But our team had worked so hard over the winter months and we were all set from the very first race – and so our title was well-earned. It’s not going to be so easy these last few races because Bayliss and his Ducati are working so well – particularly his traction control. Also, Imola is a ‘home’ race for Ducati because their factory is just down the road, but that’s a big incentive for me and the rest of the boys to put one over them. That’s what I’ll be trying to do, for sure. YUKIO I do not have such good memories of Imola last year, so I will be doing my best to get two good results this time – maybe podiums. Ever since midseason, when I was fully fit again, I have been feeling good on the bike. There have been changes to the bike from last season and it has not always been so easy to get a really good set-up at some racetracks. I think my riding style has changed a little during the year and I have learnt how to be more patient. It is not my natural style, but if it works of course I will use it. It’s always a bit of a problem when you have back-to-back races (Imola and then Magny), but I want to take podiums in all the four races and end the year in a big way. 2005 results Race 1: 1 Vermeulen (Aus-Honda), 2 TROY CORSER (Aus-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra), 3 Haga (J-Yamaha), 15 YUKIO KAGAYAMA (J-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra), Race 2: Cancelled due to torrential rain and flooded track.

4TH ANNUAL AMA SPORTS BANQUET HAS A NEW VENUE PICKERINGTON, Ohio (September 25, 2006) — The 4th Annual AMA Sports Banquet will return to Las Vegas on Nov. 17, 2006, but with a new location. The AMA Sports Banquet will now be held at the same location as the AMA Pro Racing Championship Banquet at The Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The event will be part of the entire AMA Las Vegas Invasion with the Maxxis EnduroCross which will remain at The Orleans Arena. “I am excited about the move and look forward to the new excitement we can add to the event,” stated Doug Neubauer Vice President of AMA Racing. “The event will again be held to honor the more than 400 National Champions from over a dozen forms of motorcycle and ATV racing with the crowning of the AMA Sports and ATVA Athletes of the year. The AMA is pleased to honor all of our champions, from amateur to professional, at the same venue,” added Neubauer. Tickets for the 2006 AMA Sports Awards Banquet are $100 per person and include entry to the evening’s hosted reception, dinner, a souvenir program, memorabilia, and seating for the ceremony. For reservations, contact Sue Mason at (614) 856-1900, extension 1244, or at [email protected]. Additional Ticket, Hotel and other information will be available soon at the AMA Sports section of www.amadirectlink.com.

Gene Bazyl Memorial Auction On July 2, 2006 there was a on-track accident that claimed the life of racer Gene Bazyl, MRA #502 and AMA #503. During the last several months of attempting to help his parents cope with the loss and Gene’s estate, we have been asked to do as much as we can to prevent this from happening again. We have decided to hold an auction with some of the things from Gene’s estate as well as items that were donated through our industry contacts. All of the proceeds will be donated, in Gene’s name, into a special MRA account designated specifically for the purpose of improving our tracks. We will be purchasing items such Airfence and fire extinguishers–100% of all proceeds will be spent on safety equipment. The link to the auction can be found here: http://axismoto.com/memorialfund.asp The auction started on September 18th and will end at 5:00 p.m. October 6th. Joe LoGalbo 4 Horsemen Racing MRA #55 Parker, Colorado The MRA has set up a special account that will hold these funds. None of these funds will be spent unless both the MRA Board and Joe Logalbo (representing the interests and wishes of Gene Bazyl’s family) agree that they are being spent on appropriate safety projects/equipment, etc. Glenn Conser President, Motorcycle Roadracing Association (MRA) Fort Collins, Colorado

Yoshimura Suzuki’s Ben Spies: The Making of a Champion BREA, Calif., (Sept. 25, 2006) As the final round of AMA Superbike approaches next weekend at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, Yoshimura Suzuki’s Ben Spies leads the championship points standings. The 22-year-old from Longview, Texas, has won 10 Superbike races on his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 and needs only to finish in 13th position at Mid-Ohio to clinch his first AMA Superbike title. “This has been a great year for us,” said Spies. “Everything just clicked this year. I didn’t have to ride out of my comfort level, my crew has been great and the Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 was everything I could want. I’ve been racing Suzuki motorcycles since 1999 and I’ve been with Suzuki for seven years now. I want to stay with Suzuki for my whole career. We’re a good combination.” Spies began riding motorcycles when he was just 5 years old. By the time he turned 10, he’d already won 27 consecutive races and by 1999, Spies had captured three amateur championships. The following year, he was awarded the AMA’s prestigious Horizon Award for road racing after turning Pro. In his first season riding for the factory Yoshimura Suzuki team in 2003, Spies brought home the AMA Formula Xtreme Championship. Last year, in his rookie AMA Superbike season, the young Texan finished second-overall in the premier class. Over a few short years, Spies’ professional motorcycle racing career has skyrocketed and he’s done it all aboard Suzuki motorcycles. 1995 1999 Spies won his first title ever when he was 11 years old a Central Motorcycle Racing Association (CMRA) YSR50 championship. For the next few years, he made a name for himself at first in Texas club races and later in WERA National events. “I won at least one title every year, from 1995 on,” recalled Spies. “I got into road racing when I was 7 and a family friend was doing it. He bought a little YSR and it fit me better than him. I started racing in school parking lots, wearing dirtbike gear and roller blade kneepads. Then I went to a track for the first time and fell in love with it. I did my first race in 1993 when I was 8 and I started dead last. But I was up to second place by Turn Two and then I had my first crash. I ran into the back of somebody I guess I thought he was going too slow. I fell down and started crying, but that’s where it all started.” 2000 2001 Spies turned Pro in 2000 and seriously began his road racing career with Suzuki. The teen signed with the Valvoline EMGO Suzuki support team and raced a Suzuki GSX-R750 to an impressive ninth-place overall in the 750 Supersport class. Such a remarkable rookie performance caught the AMA’s attention and Spies was rewarded with the prestigious AMA Horizon Award for Road Racing at the end of the season. The following year, Spies won his first AMA Pro race at Pikes Peak International Raceway in Fountain, Colo., and finished the 750 Supersport season in third-place overall. “I started racing Suzukis when I was 15,” said Spies. “Suzuki’s Jeff Wilson came to some of the WERA races and saw me ride. Shortly after that, I got a call from Valvoline EMGO Suzuki team owner John Ulrich. I signed with John and rode with him for a few years and went on from there.” 2002 After a successful run with the Valvoline Suzuki team, Spies signed with Attack Suzuki and his mentor, long-time Suzuki supporter Jason Pridmore. While racing with Pridmore, Spies branched out into additional classes of racing. Campaigning a Suzuki GSX-R750 in 750 Supersport and a GSX-R600 in Formula Xtreme, the young rider racked up multiple top-five finishes in both classes. This performance had him poised to join American Suzuki’s factory-supported Yoshimura Suzuki team the following year. “That year with Attack Suzuki was one of the most fun years I’ve had racing,” said Spies. “I got the chance to work with some real good guys and having Jason as my teammate was a plus. We built a really close friendship and he taught me a lot about riding, bike setup and focus. I could always go to him for guidance and, as a younger rider, it was great if I was a bit faster and he would come to me.” 2003 Armed with several years racing for Suzuki’s support teams, Spies joined the Yoshimura Suzuki team in 2003. In his first year racing for the factory-supported Suzuki team, the 18-year-old contested AMA Supersport on a Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R600 and AMA Formula Xtreme on a Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000. His rookie year with the Yoshimura crew could not have been better. Spies won the Formula Xtreme championship after carding five victories and two additional podiums. Icing on the cake for Spies was picking up a Supersport victory as well as finishing seventh on a Yoshimura Suzuki Superbike in the influential Daytona 200. “It was a really good rookie season,” said Spies of his first year with Yoshimura Suzuki. “That was when I decided to start training more and I got an old injury fixed that I had ridden with for a few years. I’d hurt my knee and that had been holding me back, but I had my knee fixed and I started training and went into ’03 with an awesome crew chief in Tom Houseworth. He had a lot of confidence in a young kid first coming into a factory team.” 2004 2005 Spies carried the momentum from this initial success into the next few years with Yoshimura Suzuki. Aboard the Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R600, he continued to pick up victories and podium finishes in AMA Supersport and he contested the revamped AMA Superstock class aboard the Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000. In the latter class, he celebrated two victories and two additional podium finishes. The following year, Spies made his Superbike debut and won his first Superbike race at California Speedway in Fontana, Calif., and finished an unprecedented second place in the premier class. “Last year, I finished second in the Superbike series and at the end of the season I knew I needed to move up,” said Spies. “The only way to do that is to go out and win the title. So I did my homework, I knew I needed to work closely with my crew and run every race hard. I’ve also been lucky to work with former Grand Prix Champion Kevin Schwantz. We’re good friends and I look up to him a lot. Actually, I looked up to everybody who raced in the early 1990s, but mostly Kevin and Colin Edwards and Doug Chandler. Kevin and Colin are both from Texas and I got to meet them a couple of times when I was younger. I’ve told Kevin many times that I want to be like him, though I’d like to win a few more championships and not be on the ground as much. But I admire his charisma on the bike.” 2006 Spies followed up his impressive Superbike debut with an even more remarkable sophomore effort. As Yoshimura Suzuki prepares for the final round of AMA Superbike at Mid-Ohio, Spies leads the way in championship points. He has surrounded himself with a strong crew led by Houseworth, as well as his family. He credits his mother, Mary, with much of his success. “I’ve really been inspired in life by my parents and my grandpa,” said Spies. “My dad’s a stand-up guy and a good business man. My mom has gone way beyond herself to get me where I am today. I don’t mean this in a cocky manner, but we knew that I had some talent and that I could be halfway decent at racing but I could never have gotten here if my mom hadn’t given her whole life to my racing. And my grandpa did so much for so many people he started a charity called Love for Kids, and we still do a lot with them. We also support the Roadracing World Action Fund. The racetracks in the United States are working to improve safety in a lot of different ways. But these improvements can’t happen overnight. The only safety-related change that can be made overnight is to install air fences. I think that’s really important and I want to be a part of that.” Final season results notwithstanding, Spies has signed on with Yoshimura Suzuki for two more years. His long-term plans are extensive, ambitious and involve Suzuki. “I would love to break every Superbike record to be broken in the U.S.,” said Spies. “It’s definitely possible. I look at my teammate Mat Mladin and how many races he’s won, and what he’s done and he really didn’t start dominating until he was in his late 20s. I want to be able to break every record Mat has set. I want to be the winningest rider over here. If we have another year like this year, it would be easy to do that by the time I’m 25 or 26. Of course, this was a great year for us and I don’t know if this will be a normal year or not. But we’ll keep on plugging away and keep everything clean.” For more information on Spies and Yoshimura Suzuki, log onto www.teamsuzuki.com.

MOTO-ST Motorcycle Endurance Series to be Part of 2007 VIR 400 Weekend Alton, Va. (September 22) When the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal rolls into VIRginia International Raceway for the 2007 VIR 400 over the weekend of April 27-29, they will be accompanied by the brand-new MOTO-ST motorcycle endurance racing series. MOTO-ST (which stands for “Moto Sport Twins”), will specialize in long-distance team racing, and its inaugural race will be an eight-hour enduro on the traditional road course at Daytona International Speedway over the weekend of October 20-22. The 2007 season will kick off with a three-hour race at Daytona March 3-4 and the VIR round, the second race of the season, is scheduled for 500 kilometers. Other events scheduled thus far for 2007 include a three-hour race at the new Iowa Speedway July 12-13 and a season-ending eight-hour enduro at Daytona, October 19-20. MOTO-ST will consist of three classes, Super Sport Twins (SST), Grand Sport Twins (GST) and Sport Twins (ST). Motorcycles homologated for competition will be powered by twin-cylinder, four-stroke engines. Each machine will have its own list of specifications, including maximum horsepower and minimum weight. The 2007 National Championship schedule for MOTO-ST will consist of up to six points-paying endurance races. Event purses will be substantial and will feature lap prizes for the class leaders. Pirelli has been named as the sole supplier of MOTO-ST tires and all competitors will use Sunoco GT unleaded fuel. Horsepower limits will be enforced by a Dynojet chassis dynamometer. Due to the long-distance nature of the events, each team will be allowed to use as many as three riders per race. Timed practice will determine the starting grid, which will be set up in rows of two with separate rolling starts for each class. Safety car procedures will be in place for full-course caution periods, and the highest-placed lapped motorcycles in both classes will be allowed to make up one lap during any full-course caution. Scoring will be handled by transponders, giving teams on pit road with instant and complete information on their status. Two-way radio communication between riders and their crews will be allowed and encouraged. The series and its race events will be sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) of Pickerington, Ohio and organized by Professional Motorsports Productions of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Daytona Beach-based Grand American Road Racing Association will assist the series with administrative and commercial support. “Virginia International Raceway has an amazing history with motorcycle racing, and we are thrilled to add to that with our inaugural MOTO-ST event at VIR next spring,” said MOTO-ST Director of Competition Colin Fraser. “VIR joins an impressive list of venues that have already signed-on to host MOTO-ST and we are still nearly a month away from turning a wheel in competition. That speaks volumes and we will definitely repay VIR and the other race tracks for their confidence by putting an exciting and unique brand of motorcycle racing on the track next year and for years to come.” “We are very pleased to be part of the inaugural season for the MOTO-ST series,” said VIR general manager Josh Lief. “Motorcycle racing is an integral part of what we do at VIR, and our fans will be ecstatic to have another new event on our schedule. We look forward to a long and successful relationship with the MOTO-ST organization and its teams.” VIRginia International Raceway is a multi-purpose road racing facility, located on the Dan River between Danville and South Boston, Virginia, just north of historic Milton, North Carolina. In addition to its 3.27 mile natural-terrain road racing circuit, VIR is the cornerstone of VIR Club, America’s first motorsports country club; the VIR Raceplex Industrial Park; the VIR Gallery, a sales showroom for high-end collector and racing cars; Plantation Valley Kart Track, a 5/8 mile paved karting circuit; The Lodge at VIR, a 27-room trackside hotel; the new VIR Paddock Suites and Garages, with 18 dual-purpose hospitality/lodging units and garages; and the Oak Tree Tavern, a full-service restaurant located within the circa-1840 Plantation Clubhouse. For more information, visit the track’s Web site at www.virclub.com or contact VIR at 434-822-7700. For more information on MOTO-ST, visit their website at www.moto-st.com. For more information on the Grand American Road Racing Association, visit their website at www.grandamerican.com.

THE DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM TESTS THE GP7 800 AT MOTEGI Following yesterday’s extraordinary victory, the Ducati Marlboro Team stayed on at the Motegi track today to continue development work on the new 800cc GP7 machine. Sete Gibernau, who rode the 800 for the first time, confirmed the positive impressions that Capirossi received at Brno during the Italian’s first contact with the GP7. Sete did a total of 43 laps, setting a best time of 1m47.44s Loris Capirossi did the same number of laps, concentrating mainly on testing braking components, which come under considerable stress at the Japanese circuit. Loris set a good pace and a quickest time of 1m47.91s. More, from a press release issued Honda Racing: HONDA REVEAL NEW V4 800CC MOTOGP MACHINE AT MOTEGI TEST Repsol Honda team riders Nicky Hayden and Dani Pedrosa returned to action at the Motegi circuit for an afternoon of testing following yesterday’s Grand Prix of Japan. Hayden testing newly developed parts for his ‘New Generation’ RC211V while Pedrosa gave the V4 800cc MotoGP machine its first public viewing. Spaniard Pedrosa put in 30-laps of the 4.801km Japanese circuit to give the HRC race engineers valuable data as they prepare the machine to comply with the 800cc MotoGP regulations scheduled for the 2007 season. The initial shake-down test was positive and after a few visits to the pits for adjustments to various areas of machine set up the youngster lapped the multi-purpose race track at 1m 48.210s a time just over half a second slower than his best lap time set in Sundays Japanese grand prix. MotoGP world championship leader Hayden concentrated his efforts on improving his race starts with new clutch parts brought to the test by HRC engineers in a bid to help the American. Once he was satisfied with performance Hayden set about improving the corner speed stability of his RC211V. Hayden will now turn his attention to the V4 800cc Honda and hopes the forecast rain showers hold off long enough for him to evaluate the performance of the V4 as the test team prepare the machine for next test following the Grand Prix of Valencia in late October. Team Roberts arrived at Motegi with the first of the New Generation’ frames for the KR. The new machine was built in time for Friday morning practice. However, testing during a race weekend is very rarely successful and team rider Kenny Roberts Jnr struggled to find the necessary balance required for the super grippy surface at the Japanese circuit. Kenny improved the handling characteristics of the machine throughout practice for the main event and took ninth place in the race. Today with five hours track time the team the new chassis performed up to design expectations and their day ended with Kenny reeling off a series off fast laps under his best race lap time, the best at 1m 47.57s. Honda rider lap times and quotes: Nicky Hayden, Repsol Honda:1m 47.755s 54 laps. “Overall it was a pretty good day I was able to run 1m 47 laps easier than I had been over the weekend so even though the bike hadn’t changed I feel like I was riding a bit better. Today we mostly tested some different parts for the clutch, I did some practice starts and tried to find something that worked into the corners and can still handle the starts. We don’t want to use anything that’s too risky because the last thing we can afford right now is a DNF. I didn’t try the 800 because I’ve got plenty of work to do with the current bike and I don’t need to take on too many new projects right now. It looked really cool though and I’m looking forward to getting a crack on the 800 tomorrow.” Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda: 1m 48.210s 30 laps. “The first feeling is that the new bike runs well and this is very important – it works normally and everything feels fine. The engine character feels a little different and this is to be expected but the package feels quite similar to the RC211V. Some things about the bike fees smaller and the rear seat is much shorter which makes the whole bike look more compact. The bike has some characteristics which are a little more like a 250cc but it’s still a MotoGP bike. The lap time today is quite good for a first test though it’s too early to say whether it will be faster than the 990. The cornering speeds feel very similar to the RCV though the corner speed at Motegi is very low because there are many hairpins, so it’s very difficult to say definitely whether it’ll be quicker. This was a good first test though.” Kenny Roberts Jnr, KR211V: 1m 47.57s 63 laps. “That’s the best the bike has ever been, it’s the most rider friendly tractable bike the team have built for me. With this chassis we have been able to use a new suspension set up that has given the bike a better balance. We have also changed the power curve and some things on the brakes, the changes have helped give the machine the kind of rear wheel grip we need on circuits like Motegi and Sepang.”

An overflow crowd attended a viewing and rosary for WSMC racer Jesus Amezcua on Sunday evening, including law enforcement associates, family members, friends and WSMC 250cc GP racers. Amezcua died as the result of injuries suffered in a last-corner, last-lap crash during the 250/50 at Willow Springs Raceway September 17. The viewing was held at All Souls Cemetery & Mausoleum in Long Beach, California. A funeral service is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. Monday morning at Holy Family Catholic Church in Wilmington, California. FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: My son and I were shocked to learn of Jesus’s untimely passing. We met Jesus early this spring when we bought his old Hot Rod for a friend in France. We could tell Jesus was a dedicated man, serious about this hobby and his passion from the beauty of his equipment and his apparent care for work well done. He certainly was a gentle man and it was a true pleasure meeting him. We extend our deepest sympathy to his wife Araceli and his family. Godspeed, Jesus. Philippe & Teddy Danh Torrance, California Patrick & Agnes Levy Brunoy, France FIRST PERSON/OPINION: Via e-mail: Jesus Amezcua was a friend and a fierce competitor I looked forward to seeing everytime I arrived at the track. I met Jesus a couple of years ago when he showed up at my pits inquiring about my TZ250. He informed me he had purchased an RS250 and we immediately hit it off, exchanging information; I was more than happy to give him any advice he needed. I watched him rapidly improve in his riding and over this last season he quickly became one of my main competitors and beat me several times this year in wheel-to-wheel battles. We always enjoyed pre and post-race chats and I will truly miss his smiling face at the races. It has been an honor and a privilege to have known him and he will sadly be missed. The events of the past weekend have replayed in my mind dozens of times, as I was part of a four-rider battle in the 250/50 and Jesus’ accident happened feet in front of me. He was truly giving it his best and going for it in true warrior fashion. Godspeed Jesus. Alex White WSMC #46 Los Angeles, California