HODGSON AND BOSTROM RETURN TO ACTION IN VIRGINIA FOR PARTS UNLIMITED DUCATI Alton (Virginia): Neil Hodgson and Ben Bostrom of the Parts Unlimited Ducati Team will race the AMA Superbike doubleheader at Virginia International Raceway this weekend. The experienced Ducati 999 pilots will compete against the rest of the AMA Superbike field at the 2.25-mile (3.22-kilometer) circuit in Saturday and Sunday’s National Championship races. Both riders will look to rebound after a trying Mid-Ohio race weekend. Neil Hodgson is currently fourth in AMA Superbike points with just five races to go. The former World Superbike champion coming off a top-five finish at Mid-Ohio says Virginia is a challenging track for the riders. “I’m looking forward to the race at Virginia,” says Hodgson. “It’s one of the better circuits in my opinion and I quite like the track. It’s a technical track but safe and it emphasizes having a good setup.” Ben Bostrom is feeling no ill effects from his Sunday crash at Mid-Ohio, one that saw him fighting for position in the top five of Sunday’s race before crashing at the Keyhole turn. Bostrom has seen his pace increase at recent events, but bad luck in the races has Ben wanting more in Virginia. “We’ve upped the pace in the middle of the season, but haven’t had things go our way so far,” says Bostrom. “I love the Ducati 999. It’s really fun to ride and makes you want to ride it hard. We want to win one of these badly and the team has been working hard to make it happen. My confidence is up and we’ll do our best in Virginia to try to give the Ducati fans something to cheer about.” The Circuit: After the scenic Virginia International Raceway fell into a decades-long racing hiatus, the facility was revamped and AMA racing returned for the 2001 season. Available for use in numerous configurations, AMA Superbike races take place on the North Course, officially rated at 17 turns and 2.25 miles (3.22 kilometers). Racers regard VIR as a tight and technical circuit that requires a good front-end suspension setting from the machine. Signature turns are the “Roller Coaster” and the “Hog Pen” turn that leads onto the front straight and the finish line. Points Standings (after 14 races): 1. Ben Spies, Suzuki 501 2. Mat Mladin, Suzuki 456 3. Miguel Duhamel, Honda 387 4. Neil Hodgson, Parts Unlimited Ducati 358 5. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki 354 6. Aaron Yates, Suzuki 335 7. Jake Zemke, Honda 325 8. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki 285 9. Ben Bostrom, Parts Unlimited Ducati 284 10. Larry Pegram, Honda 260

Another new force-10 gale has blown into MotoGP this year, Rizla Suzuki rider Chris Vermeulen. He’s already taken two stunning pole positions and put on a superb display of front running at Laguna in his rookie full MotoGP season. He now downloads his thoughts and expresses his feelings about what it was like to run up front for so long, in the biggest motorcycle competition there is. “I knew it was going to be a long old race and it’s quite a difficult track to pass on, so I knew how important the pole position slot and a good launch would be. I got off quite well and thought I was leading it up the hill because I didn’t see anyone else – until Kenny Roberts Junior came past on the inside”¦ pretty fast. Towards the end of the lap, as we went round the last right-hander I got good drive out just as Kenny spun a little, and I thought, “Why not? I’ve started pole so I might as well lead it over the first lap”¦” I was fast into the last hairpin, outbraked him – and then just got my head down. From there on I realised I would have to try hard, but not ride at 110% – not be loose everywhere, looking after my tyres.” In the early stages, the plan was perfect with Vermeulen pushing on and on. “The first full lap in the lead my board read +0.5, then out to +0.8, then I thought to myself, “Jeez, either they’re all making mistakes, or we’re going too fast for them!” It kind of felt like a couple of years ago when I was racing in the lead on a Superbike at Laguna. It was smooth, my lead just kept going up and up and eventually it was two seconds.” In the broiling California heat, with the Laguna track surface deteriorating, even from what had started out as a difficult patchwork of bumpy asphalt, the laws of thermodynamics finally had an influence. “My lap times started to slow a few tenths as the tyre just got very hot, because the track temperature was so high. Even when I had +2 on the board I never knew that I was guaranteed to have a podium, I just wasn’t thinking about it, I was just concentrating on going as fast as I could.” Vermeulen’s cool head and necessary emotional detachment were much in evidence at this difficult stage, despite the imminent prospect of losing out on his first MotoGP class win – surely yet another degree of separation that the best racers enjoy over the rest of the human race? “Nicky was pulling me back a few tenths of a second a lap. I wasn’t too worried. I knew that even if he – or they – did catch me then they would still have to pass. With my board at +0 at half distance, coming into turn three I braked slightly later and I lost the front – while the bike was straight-up-and down! That’s the first time I knew I had a problem. I let go of the brake a little, had to let the bike run wide, and that is when Nicky came past. Even then I didn’t worry too much because I know he is fast there, so I just wanted to tag onto the back of him and then try to re-pass him later.” Even after eventual winner Hayden had run away to a clear lead, Vermeulen only started thinking about a possibility of a podium with eight laps left. “The point of the race where I thought I was going to be in for a podium at least was when Pedrosa had been behind for four or five laps, and my board still said +0. He either couldn’t or wouldn’t pass me. I knew there wasn’t much to go in the race, and I figured I could fight my way to the podium. I knew that after him there was a gap back to Valentino at that stage, somewhere around three seconds. I realised there was a chance for a second place, not just a podium of third. And if Nicky had made a mistake, then we could still be in for a win.” It didn’t work out that way, as technical issues pushed their way to the fore, losing Vermeulen his ultimate podium chances. Heartbreaking for him to deal with? Apparently, for Vermeulen anyway, just a fact of racing life, even after a week or two had elapsed since his Laguna experiences. “At Laguna there was no difference in my head about the prospect of winning or setting pole position, even now that I am in MotoGP. It’s obviously harder to win races in MotoGP, of course. Ever since I had my first experience of leading and then winning other World Championship races, I realised that when you’re on the track – while you are racing – it’s no different.”

Defending ASRA Sportbike and Superbike Champion Jeff Wood will race his Arclight Suzuki GSX-R600 in the Pro Honda Oils AMA Supersport races at Virginia International Raceway (VIR) and at Road Atlanta. “I want to see if it opens any doors,” said Wood, when asked why he was racing the two AMA rounds. “And the Road Atlanta round will get me ready for the Suzuki Cup Finals in October.” Wood, who clinched the 2006 ASRA Superbike Championship (two rounds early) August 13 at Barber Motorsports Park, is no stranger to AMA racing. He finished seventh in the AMA Formula Xtreme race at Daytona International Speedway, and prior to that he finished on the AMA 250cc GP podium in three successive years at New Hampshire International Speedway, his home track. Wood’s team, Arclight Suzuki, also has AMA experience. It has fielded several riders in AMA competition over the last 10 years and nearly won the 2002 AMA Superstock Championship with rider Lee Acree, who won two races that season even though his focus was on the Formula USA Championship. Jeff Wood is the younger brother of Hooters Helpmeride.com Suzuki’s Eric Wood, an AMA race winner.

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (August 16, 2006) Formula Xtreme series leader Jason DiSalvo may have said it best. “Formula Xtreme is the most entertaining class in the championship this year.” His point is hard to argue. As the AMA Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Series rolls into Virginia International Raceway on Saturday, Aug. 19, a mere four points separate the top three riders. Whoever wins between DiSalvo, Josh Hayes and Eric Bostrom at VIR is likely to grab the series lead. Each of the three leading riders has blazed different paths to the top of the Formula Xtreme standings and that is part of the reason the series has been particularly entertaining. Yamaha’s DiSalvo started the season on fire with a slew of podium finishes including a victory at Barber Motorsports Park in April. Erion Honda’s Hayes has been steady Eddie in his route to championship contender. Hayes looked early on to be merely a good bet for a podium finish, but that was before he proved himself a potential winner at any given race by putting his Honda on top at the race in Utah in June. The most spectacular path in his bid for the 2006 Formula Xtreme title has been Yamaha’s Eric Bostrom. After a fourth and 22nd-place finishes in the first two rounds, Bostrom found himself mired in ninth in the standings with little hope of catching DiSalvo and Hayes. In round three at California Speedway things began to click for Bostrom. He was victorious and rapidly made his way up the standings ladder by winning five of the last six Formula Xtreme rounds. Along the way Bostrom, the 1998 Formula Xtreme titlist, has become the all-time Formula Xtreme wins leader passing two-time series champ Miguel Duhamel. “I feel really good about our bike,” said Bostrom after winning the most recent round in Lexington, Ohio. “We started the season far from where we are now and we had a lot of ground to make up. Now it seems like everyone in this class is running good. You look at qualifying and it’s just amazing with the top five being within 2-10ths of one another.” Bostrom was also pleased to become the all-time Formula Xtreme wins leader at Mid-Ohio with 14-career victories. “Anytime you can pass Miguel Duhamel in anything you’re doing something right,” Bostrom added. Erion Honda’s Aaron Gobert is the only former VIR Formula Xtreme winner in the field this weekend. Graves Motorsports Yamaha’s Jamie Hacking has opened a bit of breathing room over AMA Repsol Lubricants Superstock Series rival Aaron Yates. At round five of the 11-race series Yates scored a victory in Elkhart Lake, Wis., and pulled to within nine points of Hacking. It appeared at that juncture that the series would be a battle to the final lap, but with his recent win at Mid-Ohio, Hacking has now won three straight and opened up his lead over Yates to 27 points. “I hate to see that points gap getting larger,” said Yates, who is the defending and two-time champion of the Superstock class. “I’m riding the best I can and that’s all I can do. We’ll go to VIR and try to back up our win there from last year.” Hacking is in a position where he doesn’t have to win at VIR, but he still approaches the races with victory in mind. “It’s nice to be in a position where you can relax a bit,” Hacking admitted. “My crew has given me a bike that makes it comfortable to run up front. Until I get to a point where I don’t feel comfortable on the bike I don’t see any reason to back down.” Hacking is trying to become only the second rider to win both the AMA Supersport and Superstock titles in the same year. Doug Polen accomplished just that in 1988, the first year of AMA Superstock competition (then called 750 Supersport). The VIR Lockhart Phillips Formula Xtreme and Repsol Superstock races will be broadcast nationally on SPEED. The Formula Xtreme/Superstock races will air at 5:00 p.m. eastern on Tuesday, Aug. 22. This weekend’s Formula Xtreme and Superstock races are part of Virginia International Raceway’s Big Kahuna Nationals presented by Parts Unlimited in Alton, Va., on August 18-20. For additional information call 434.822.7700 or visit the website www.virclub.com.

Ducati Marlboro Team rider Loris Capirossi returns to action at Brno after MotoGP’s four-week summer break partnered by Alex Hofmann. Capirossi’s full-time team-mate Sete Gibernau isn’t fit to contest the Czech GP following further surgery to the collarbone he broke at June’s Catalan GP. Gibernau had his left collarbone plated two days after his Catalunya accident and returned to action at the German GP in mid-July, but he struggled there and at the US GP, after which his surgeon decided that the plate was too weak, requiring another operation. Following that surgery, the Spaniard underwent a final scan today, on Wednesday August 16, when his surgeon decided that it would be too risky for him to race at Brno, so Gibernau and the team decided he should continue his convalescence and return fully fit at the Malaysian GP on September 10. D’Antin Ducati rider Hofmann will once again take Gibernau’s place on his Desmosedici GP6s, having already subbed for him at the Dutch and British GPs. SETE GIBERNAU, Ducati Marlboro Team rider, 13th overall, 58 points “Together with the team and my surgeon we decided that the best way forward is for me to continue my recovery, because the most important thing is that I return to racing in the best possible condition, rather than just to make up the numbers. So now I will work to prepare myself to contest the last part of the championship with even more vitality and determination. Once again I want to thank my team because they have treated me like family since I first joined them, which is something I appreciate very much, especially during difficult moments like these.” ALEX HOFMANN, Ducati Marlboro Team rider, 16th overall, 21 points “I am very happy to have the chance to contest another GP with the factory Ducati squad and I would like to thank Ducati, Pramac, D’Antin and all our sponsors for giving me this opportunity. Obviously, I feel very sorry for Sete because he’s going through a difficult time. I wish him a speedy and full recovery.” LORIS CAPIROSSI, Ducati Marlboro Team rider, 5th overall, 126 points “It is a real shame that Sete will miss this race but I hope he will be able to return in good shape for the final few races of the season. After Laguna Ingrid and I spent a few days in Miami, then in Sardinia and then home to Monaco. So now I am rested, relaxed and ready to race again. I am really looking forward to this race because I adore Brno. It’s an old-style track, with fast corners and many up and down sections, much more enjoyable than some of the slow, tight circuits we go to. Also, Brno is very good for our tyres, last year it was the start of a good run of races for us and for Bridgestone and I hope it will be the same this year. Like all tracks you need a very well balanced bike for Brno because some corners you have positive camber, other corners you have negative camber. You also need a very strong engine because there are some big straights, several of them uphill.” LIVIO SUPPO, Ducati MotoGP project manager “We go to Brno with mixed feelings. On the one hand we’re sad that Sete cannot ride because we didn’t expect him to have more problems with the shoulder but we must listen to the surgeons who say it’s better that he doesn’t ride for a few weeks. However, Sete is very determined and we are sure he will return in great shape in Malaysia, ready to turn around a difficult season. “On the other hand we are optimistic and confident because we think we are ready to race up front again, as we did before Barcelona where Loris also got injured while he was leading the championship, because we had good form at these tracks last year. In 2005 we got two victories, one second place and two thirds at Brno, Sepang, Phillip Island and Motegi. We are also happy because Bridgestone enjoyed extraordinary success in last month’s Suzuka Eight Hour race, monopolising the podium. That was a great result which proves their amazing technical capacity and I’m sure it will be a great stimulus for us all during these last few races.” THE TRACK Brno is a masterpiece of a motorcycle racing circuit. Constructed in the mid-eighties it eschews the modern fashion of tight turns and hairpins for a mighty mix of fast sweepers and undulating corners that test rider talent and machine performance to the limit. Most riders love the place because it’s challenging and also because it’s pretty fast. But Brno’s most significant characteristic is its constant changes of elevation – the circuit weaves its way across forested hillsides outside the Czech Republic’s second city – which means that many of the turns are steeply cambered. Dealing with negative-camber corners requires a perfectly set-up machine, deft riding skills and especially crucial input from tyre engineers. Horsepower is also a major consideration at Brno because this is one racetrack where MotoGP bikes, usually caged in by slower venues, really get moving. Lap record: Valentino Rossi (Yamaha), 1m 58.787s (163.745kmh/101/746mph) Pole position 2005: Sete Gibernau (Honda), 1m 57.504s DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM RIDER DATA LOGS LORIS CAPIROSSI Age: 33 (born April 4, 1973) Lives: Monaco Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP6 GP starts: 242 (72xMotoGP, 59×500, 84×250, 27×125) GP victories: 26 (4xMotoGP, 2×500, 12×250, 8×125) First GP victory: Britain, 1990 (125) First GP: Japan, 1990 (125) Pole positions: 40 (7xMotoGP, 5×500, 23×250, 5×125) First pole: Australia, 1991 (125) World Championships: 3 (125: 1990, 1991, 250: 1998) Brno 2005 results: Grid: 3rd. Race: 2nd ALEX HOFMANN Age: 26 (born May 25 1980) Lives: Switzerland Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP6 GP starts: 85 (43xMotoGP, 41×250, 1×125) First GP: Germany, 1997 (125) Brno 2005 results: Grid: 14th. Race: 15th

Alton, Va. (August 16) What may well be the most-anticipated race during this weekend’s Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals, featuring the AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, at VIRginia International Raceway will take place on VIR’s state-of-the-art Plantation Valley Kart Track on Thursday afternoon. The field has been set for the second annual Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals Superstars Kart Enduro Challenge, which will pit 12 of the best motorcycle racers in the sport against media personalities, staff members from VIR, AMA, event promoter M1 Entertainment and event sponsors and 12 lucky fans in equally-prepared racing karts. Twelve teams, each consisting of a Superbike racer, a media celebrity, a staffer and a fan, will take the green flag at 4:30 pm on Thursday. Each driver will get seven laps of the 5/8-mile, 24-foot-wide circuit that features 30 feet of elevation change and electronic timing and scoring before handing off to a teammate. Each driver’s fastest lap will be recorded, and the team with the lowest combined elapsed time will be declared the winner. The winning team will receive trophies and a guaranteed entry in next year’s race, and the winning fan will receive a three-day pass to next year’s Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals. The racing stars signed up to compete include Ben Spies (Yoshimura Suzuki); Miguel Duhamel (Honda Racing); Tommy Hayden (Team Kawasaki); Roger Lee Hayden (Team Kawasaki); Eric Bostrom (Graves Yamaha); Ben Bostrom (Parts Unlimited Ducati); Aaron Yates (Yoshimura Suzuki); Jamie Hacking (Graves Yamaha); Neil Hodgson (Parts Unlimited Ducati); Jason DiSalvo (Team Yamaha); Josh Hayes (Erion Honda); and defending event winner Jessica Zalusky (Kawasaki Team Green). The media contingent includes Speed Channel personalities Ralph Sheheen and Greg White; RoadRacing World associate editor David Swarts; Todd Lamb, publisher of 2Wheel Tuner; Mark Mitchell, director of speedtv.com; Lindsay West, representing Cycle News; Laurel Allen, representing Road Racer X; Bill King, representing motorsport.com; Jeff Manhart, producer for Chet Burks Productions/Speed Channel; Jack Carbone, director for Chet Burks Productions/Speed Channel; and event announcer Danny Walker. Staff members competing include Mike “Rooster” Cassada, Bert Howerton and Mike Allen, representing VIR; Cameron Gray, Dave Monseu and Cali Matthews, representing M1 Entertainment; Ron Barrick and Ken Rogers, representing AMA Pro Racing; Kevin Schwantz, representing Suzuki; Jamie James, representing Ohlins; and event announcers Scott Russell and Dave Sadowski. The lucky fans who will compete include last year’s winner, Matt Boike of Charlotte, N.C.; plus Debbie Ulrich of Tampa, Fla.; Darren Combs of Clemmons, N.C.; David Eanes of Mebane, N.C.; Randy Iculey of Pamplin, Va.; Dereck Martin of Shipers, Ky.; Joshua Powell of Lynchburg, Va.; Donald Raynor of Cumberland, Va.; Jason Reed of Woodbridge, Va.; Mark Atwood of Sparta, N.C.; Doug Wiese of Virginia Beach, Va.; and Laura Dicello of Hardy, Va. The competing fans were chosen from all those who purchased event tickets by August 7. “We have an awesome field of competitors for this year’s Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals Superstars Kart Enduro Challenge,” said race promoter Cameron Gray of M1 Entertainment. “Last year’s event was such a big hit, all of the sport’s superstars wanted in on the fun this year. Some of the ‘staff’ competitors look suspiciously like former motorcycle racing champions, but that just makes it better for those of us who will be standing on the podium at the end of the race. We expect a very hotly contested race, and it will be nice to have bragging rights over the best in the business for a whole year. There has been a lot of trash-talking about the race, but it’s time to stop talking and start racing!” “The Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals Superstars Kart Enduro Challenge is one of the most fun parts of a fun-filled weekend,” said VIR general manager Josh Lief. “Everyone jokes around before the green flag drops, but once the race starts it’s all business. It’s a great opportunity for the average fan to race with and against the biggest names in professional motorcycle racing, and the 12 fans competing in the race will go home with the memory of a lifetime. We’re very proud of our VIR contingent, who earned the right to race through a series of intra-company qualifying races, and we expect to see them on the podium. We always enjoy the Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals Superstars Kart Enduro Challenge, and plan on it being a long-standing tradition here at VIR.” The Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals offers a variety of ticket packages designed to fit every budget, including standard general-admissions tickets, Big Kahuna Super Tickets, Big Dog Hospitality Passes, Little Dog Hospitality Passes, Pit Walk Passes, car parking passes and camping passes. Tickets will be available at the gate. All current military personnel will receive a 30-percent discount and free parking by presenting their ID card at the gate. Similarly, college students will be eligible for a 15-percent discount by presenting their ID card at the gate. Groups of 20 or more will also be eligible for a 15-percent discount, providing the order is paid for with one credit card. Discounts do not apply to Trackside VIP Suite and Big Kahuna Super Tickets, or to Big Dog Hospitality Passes or Pit Walk Passes. Children aged 12 and under will receive free admission, provided they are accompanied by a paid adult, but must have a Little Dog Hospitality Pass to enter the Big Dog Hospitality area. VIRginia International Raceway is a multi-purpose road racing facility, located on the Dan River between Danville and South Boston, Va., just north of historic Milton, N.C. 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 on VIRginia International Raceway, visit the track’s website at www.virclub.com or telephone 434-822-7700. For more information on M1 Entertainment, visit their website at www.m1event.com or contact them via telephone at 303-377-3278. For more information on the AMA Superbike Championship Presented by Parts Unlimited, visit their website at www.amasuperbike.com.

With just six rounds of this 17 race 2006 MotoGP series remaining, the destiny of the 2006 World Championship is still by no means a foregone conclusion despite the 34 point advantage that leader Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC211V) currently holds over his team-mate Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC211V), who lies second. Hayden has shown remarkable consistency throughout this punishing season and his lead is testament to his thorough work in establishing the evolution RC211V as a force in its debut year, but there are still three other riders firmly in the chase for the title. Dani, in his rookie season, has astonished those who had not looked closely enough at his utter domination of the 125cc and 250cc classes. His quest to arrive in the premier class as a contender and not merely an apprentice rider on the big 990cc four-strokes has already been more than fulfilled. He has won two races and ridden to four pole positions so far and the closer he gets to the sharp end of the points table the more he seems to be able to raise his already high-achieving game. His second place at Laguna Seca last month at a track he had never even seen before is evidence enough of his desire and skill. Lurking in third overall is Marco Melandri (Fortuna Honda RC211V). The Italian finished runner-up in 2005 and his two wins at the end of last season spurred him on to become one of this season’s title contenders. Had it not been for the debilitating effects of a multi-bike crash in Barcelona in June, ‘Macio’ might well be even closer to Hayden. And then there’s reigning World Champion Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) who lies 51 points behind Nicky. With 150 points still up for grabs, it’s never beyond the bounds of possibility that if Nicky suffers a mishap of any sort the picture at the top of the table could begin to change. And with these few races left nerves can become a factor. But Nicky, who celebrated his 25th birthday after the Laguna race and is showing a maturity on track that he has gained after three hard seasons as a Honda rider, looks in no mood to throw away a season’s hard work. And the rider in charge at the top has every reason to suppose that he too will get stronger as the pressure mounts. Brno is not a track where any rider can afford to make a mistake at this stage of the season. This imposing circuit lies 200km south-east of Prague and the area is steeped in the rich history of Grand Prix racing. Races were run on a fearsome closed roads course before the dedicated circuit was built in 1987. The 5.403km track is a spectacular environment for motorcycle racing and its plunging turns and a power-sapping climb demand a maximum from riders and machines. The track drops 74m from its highest to its lowest point and this gradient is felt chiefly by way of downhill corner entries that make huge demands on the front tyre. Some of these tricky entries are compounded by negative camber that further increases the need for dependable front-end grip. And from turn four to turn 11 it’s all downhill. There are fast chicanes requiring a chassis set up for rapid changes of direction. Precise steering is a must here even though the track is exceptionally wide at 15m. Without accurate turn-in at the high sustained speeds achieved here, not even this super-wide circuit can accommodate wayward exits resulting from inaccurate turn-in. Another factor is the huge, enthusiastic crowd, The Czechs love their motorcycle racing and tens of thousands flock to Brno where the viewing facilities are excellent. The event won’t quite attract the crowds of 250,000 who used to watch in the 1970s, but Brno, like the best tracks, always has a charged atmosphere. “Winning at Laguna was awesome,” Nicky said, “But this is just another race where we have to use every minute of all the sessions to qualify well and be ready to roll when the light goes out. I quite enjoy this time of the season and Brno is a track I like. It normally makes for some good racing with the long straights combined with a lot of passing places. I’m really looking forward to being back at the track with my boys and hopefully we’ll come out of the gate strongly on Friday morning and put together a good package for two o’clock on Sunday. It’s really time to get it done.” Dani said, “This track has been good for me in the past, so I’ll be hoping it’s the same situation on the MotoGP bike. A lot will depend on how the other riders go here because after the break everybody has more energy inside them, so for sure the other riders will be trying really hard. Brno is a fast track which will make it physically demanding on this bike, and also demanding for the Michelin tyres. My goal is to try to keep my rhythm and my speed and finish the remaining six races at a good level if I do that I will be happy at the end of the year.” Kenny Roberts (Roberts KR211V), the 2000 World Champion is showing great riding form this season and is keen to step up progress. He said, “We’re about a quarter of a second off of where we need to be. We need to engineer a better motorcycle for race day, not for the first two days. Nicky’s comfortable with his bike by race morning. We need to get there, but I don’t know when that’s going to be. We’re working on it.” Toni Elias (Fortuna Honda RC211V) said, “I needed the three weeks off to have a complete rest and allow the shoulder injury to recover 100%. My body was really worn before the break and it needed some recovery time so the last thing I wanted to do was get on an aeroplane. I spent a few days at home before heading up to the beach on the Costa Brava. Now I’m pleased to be going to the Czech Republic and to a circuit I like a lot.” His team-mate Melandri said, “I feel better than ever and I can’t wait to go racing again at Brno, a track I really like and have a lot of good memories from the best being in 2002 when I took my sixth straight win on the way to the 250 title. The track requires a good engine so the team will have to work hard on adapting the motor of my RC211V. I feel calm and confident after leaving Laguna with a podium and I hope to get back underway at Brno with another good result.” Makoto Tamada (Konica Minolta Honda RC211V) said, “In these weeks I relaxed even if I had to take care of my left knee which has been in pain since July 16th. The pain also influenced my performance in the “Suzuka 8 hours”. After this summer break, I hope I’ll reach the necessary physical condition to carry out profitable practice sessions and ride a good race. I love Brno, and the rhythm of it through the turns. I hope to be aggressive from Friday onwards.” Casey Stoner (LCR Honda RC211V) said, “It’s been disappointing not starting in Germany and not finishing in America, but I’ll put that behind me and hope I can repeat the podium I got here last year on a 250. The team deserves better than I’m delivering for them at the moment.” In the 250cc class Andrea Dovizioso (Humangest Racing Honda RS250RW) is closely shadowing series points leader Jorge Lorenzo (Aprilia) and is only 2 points adrift of the Spaniard. His team-mate Yuki Takahashi (Humangest Racing Honda RS250RW) lies third in the standings 39 points behind Dovi. Dovi said, “My goal, of course, is to get back on the top of the Championship, but I know it won’t be easy because Lorenzo and Aprilia are very competitive. I’ll do my best as I always do, starting from now. We had two days testing in July after the British Grand Prix on this track and made many changes to the chassis, so I’m quite confident my Honda will be OK starting from the first session on Friday.” Takahashi will not be riding here this weekend. He said, “I don’t have enough power in my left arm and so I can’t fully control the bike. Also, I feel pain with the vibration of the bike and I can’t ride as I’d like. If I ride at Brno I won’t be at 100% physically and so, along with my mechanics and team, I have decided not to race. This means I can finish the rehabilitation and be ready for Malaysia in September.” In the 125cc class Aprilia ride Alvaro Bautista heads the standings from KTM rider Mika Kallio, while reigning 125cc World Champion Thomas Luthi (Elit Grand Prix Honda RS125R) is down in seventh overall with no chance of retaining his title. He said, “I won three races at the end of last season so I’m feeling positive even though the title is gone. I like Brno a lot more than the Sachsenring because there’s more variety to it and it’s faster. My goal is always a top six finish and I should be able to achieve that here.” Gabor Talmacsi (Humangest Honda RS125R) who currently lies ninth overall with 65 points said, “I spent my free time during this long break training in Hungary. I hope that everything has been sorted out for the final push of the season. I look forward to getting back on track and Brno is a special circuit for me, because I know it very well and, actually, I feel it’s my ‘home’ Grand Prix. There will be many supporters there and I want to get a good result.”

SUMMIT POINT, W. Va.”” Robert Jensen proved that he is his own toughest competition during last weekend’s WERA National Challenge Series races at Summit Point Raceway, winning three races en route to breaking his own lap record. The ten-lap WERA/Michelin National Challenge Series sprint races were held on Sunday, and Butler Machinery’s Jensen got the day started right with a win in Open Superstock. He followed up that performance with another win in 600 Superstock. A crash in 750 Superstock ended Jensen’s hopes of winning that class, but it left the door open for Vesrah Suzuki’s Mark Junge, who took the victory with just 0.011 seconds to spare over his teammate Lee Acree. Coming into the weekend, Acree led Junge in the 750 Superstock championship by a mere one point. Now, with Junge’s victory, he has taken the championship lead by two points. In Formula 1, the race was not only for the win but for the track record. Jensen and Vesrah’s Tray Batey both ran lap times under the record that Jensen had set earlier this season. After four record-breaking lap times between the two, Jensen had the win and the new record with a 1:13.059. Batey earned the win in Heavyweight Twins Superstock, holding off a fierce charge from Roadracingworld.com’s Chris Ulrich. Other expert-class winners included local racer Tim Bemisderfer in 600 Superbike and Justin Marm in 750 Superbike. Chris Parrish took the Lightweight Twins Superstock win, and Formula 2 honors went to Arnold Hastings. In the novice classes, two riders split all of the first-place trophies. Seth Starnes won Open, 600 and 750 Superstock, as well as 600 and 750 Superbike. Stevie Bonsey won Heavyweight and Lightweight Twins Superstock, then completed his day with a Formula 2 victory. In Saturday’s six-hour WERA/Bridgestone National Endurance Challenge Series race, Vesrah Suzuki got the win with an astonishing eight lap lead. Batey, Acree and John Jacobi teamed up on the Heavyweight Superbike Suzuki GSX-R1000 for the team’s third consecutive win. Team Velocity Racing won Heavyweight Superstock, finishing second overall with Chuck Ivey, Reuben Frankenfield and Scott Harwell on a Yamaha YZF-R1. The third tier on the overall podium was filled by William Lindsay, Joe Prussiano, Ben Walters and Brian Gibbs, who also won Mediumweight Superbike on a Yamaha YZF-R6. Team Velocity Racing’s TVRII took the Mediumweight Superstock victory with their finish of fourth overall. Ivey, Steven Breckenridge and Josh Day rode the Yamaha YZF-R6. Blue Ridge Performance earned the Lightweight Superbike class win, finishing ninth overall. The Kawasaki 650R riders included Martin Musil, Matt LaPham andMark Biletnikoff. Round eight of the WERA National Series will be at Nelson Ledges in Ohio, September 8-10. More information about WERA can be found online at www.WERA.com. More from a press release issued by Team Velocity Racing: VELOCITY RACING TEAMS TAKE TWO VICTORIES IN WERA NATIONAL ENDURANCE SERIES AT SUMMIT POINT SUMMIT POINT, W. Va.””Team Velocity Racing had a nearly flawless day at Summit Point Raceway last Saturday, earning two class victories during the WERA National Endurance Series six-hour event at the West Virginia track. Chuck Ivey, Reuben Frankenfield and Scott Harwell rode the Team Velocity Racing (TVR) Yamaha YZF-R1 to the Heavyweight Superstock victory, taking second overall. “I was a little nervous going into the weekend,” commented Ivey. “Over the past few weekends something has happened to one of the two teams. We had a little problem with the timing on the first pit stops, then the R1 started overheating. Luckily we got a red flag and the bike cooled down. Otherwise, we had a good race.” “I got on and kept plugging along. The goal was to do 1:18s and we all kept it at that pace,” said Harwell. “When the bike started to overheat we had a lap up on second (in class) so I started short shifting and trying to cool off the bike. We ran a steady pace and stayed out of trouble.” After some mid-season mishaps, TVR is back on the road to securing another Heavyweight Superstock championship. There is still plenty of work ahead, though. “We have to look at the rest of the season as ‘must win’ races,” commented Frankenfield. “To get the championship we can’t have any mistakes in the pits and we need to be turning competitive lap times. We have the equipment and the know how, and we’ve got to stay at the front.” Ivey found himself pulling double duty during the race, joining Steven Breckenridge and Josh Day on the TVRII Yamaha YZF-R6. The trio took the Mediumweight Superstock win and finished fourth overall. “Everything went really smoothly,” said Breckenridge. “We’re running the Pirelli Diablos and they last a long time. We only had to do one tire change. Everything went perfectly, so it was uneventful, really. The crew did a great job. They’re really the reason why everything went so well.” For 16-year-old Day, the race was a chance to get more familiar with Summit Point, a track he had never ridden until the day before. “It wasn’t as hard of a track to learn as I had expected,” he said. “Steven helped a lot. I went out on my sprint bike in practice on Friday and followed him around. This is my first year on a 600, and this is a great learning experience for me.” Team Velocity Racing will have both of their teams back on track in September for round eight of the WERA National Series at Nelson Ledges. The night race at the Ohio circuit was a success for the team last year, earning them second overall and first in Heavyweight Superstock. Fans can keep up with the team’s battle for two championships at www.TeamVelocityRacing.com. More, from a press release issued by L.O.C. Endurance: LOC TAKES A SECOND PLACE FINISH AT SUMMIT POINT (& Proves That It Knows How to Do a Tire Change) Summit Point, West Virginia L.O.C. Endurance finished second in class and eighth overall in this past weekend’s Bridgestone/WERA National Endurance races at Summit Point, West Virginia. The podium finish moves the EBC/Bridgestone team into the top 10 in the overall standings and it closes the gap to class points leader Dalke Racing. The team completed 219 laps of the 2.2 mile road coarse over the span of the 6 hour race. Jimmy Vanderhaar started the race and, after about 50 minutes, brought the bike into the pits in 12th overall position, right on the heels of TVR II Racing and Dalke Motorsports. Substitute rider Bill Stranahan, filling in for Joe Hayes, then took the bike out for the second stint. The team fought hard for the first 2 hours holding its position and then began moving up the grid sheet during the third hour with Dan Carr on the bike. They moved into the top 10 on lap 88 and never looked back. In and unusual move, the L.O.C. decided to do a tire change during the 4th hour. The Vanderhaar Engineering designed quick-change system worked flawlessly and a new rear tire was installed, taking only about 15 seconds longer than the normal fuel stop. Carr and Vanderhaar then rode the fresh Bridgestone home to the eventual 8th overall position.

The highly exciting Bennetts British Superbike Championship pays its annual visit to the scenic Cadwell Park circuit in Lincolnshire over the August Bank Holiday weekend and with the series at a critical stage, the action is sure to be fast and furious. But there will be two-wheeled power of a slightly slower version hitting the track that weekend too, as the inaugural CHARITY BSB CYCLE RACE will be taking place on the evening of SUNDAY 27th AUGUST. In aid of the Chris Jones Memorial Fund the young rider who tragically lost his life at Cadwell a year ago the aim is to raise additional funds for a mobile X-Ray facility to be used by the resident series medics and already, the event has gained the support of the Honda factory stars. Joining Honda Team Co-ordinator Havier Beltran for the five lap sprint around the Woodland Circuit will be current championship leader RYUICHI KIYONARI and HM Plant team mate KARL HARRIS whilst Jones’ Red Bull Honda team mates from last season, JONATHAN REA and EUGENE LAVERTY, are both planning to take a victory. Stobart Motorsport’s MICHAEL LAVERTY will also be throwing his leg over his pushbike and expect the likes of Northpoint Ekerold Honda ace CAL CRUTCHLOW to be on the starting grid also, as well as many other stars of the BSB paddock. Open to all fans as well as riders and team members, the entry fee is £25 (cash donation to the CJMF) and signing on takes place in the BSB Administration between 4pm and 6pm on Sunday 27th August. The five mile race gets underway 18.30 with the trophy presentation taking place on the BSB podium immediately afterwards.