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.

Alton, Va. VIRginia International Raceway is gearing up for its biggest event of the year, the Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals featuring the AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, this weekend. The event will feature three days of racing in America’s top motorcycle road racing championships on VIR’s technical and challenging 2.25-mile North Course. The headlining AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited will run a double-header event, with 28-lap feature races on both Saturday and Sunday. The Lockhart Phillips Formula Xtreme series will have a 17-lap race on Saturday afternoon, while the Repsol Lubricants Superstock and Pro Honda Oils Supersport presented by Shoei Helmets series will contest 17-lap races on Sunday. Off the track, the entertainment will be just as intense as the racing. On Friday night, the Big Kahuna Fan Party will get underway at 5:30 pm, located at the Speed Channel Mobile Theater in the paddock. There will be a DJ playing all the latest hot music, free Red Bull and water for everyone, plus umbrella girls and many of the top riders in the sport, including former World Champions, who will be available for autographs. There will also be a mind-boggling variety of prizes to be won by lucky fans. Ten fans will be able to win $100 cash prizes in a raffle drawing. There will be a number of signed helmets available to win: one from Arai signed by Moto GP and AMA Superbike stars, plus former World Champions; one signed by Suzuki Superbike stars Mat Mladin and Ben Spies; and one signed by Yamaha Supersport and Superstock star Jamie Hacking. Plus there will be cool gear available to be won by Speed Channel, Moto 1 and Joe Rocket, as well as motorcycle art prints from the renowned artist Tim Berry. In addition to all the give-aways, Speed Channel celebrities Ralph Sheheen and Dave Sadowski will man the microphones for a question-and-answer session with the series’ top riders, and there will be a special stunt show by Jason Britton and Eric Hoenshell of Team No Limit Extreme. To cap off the evening, there will be a special showing of the new Moto GP movie, “The Doctor, the Texas Tornado and the Kentucky Kid” on the Jumbotron screens. Another exciting component of the Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals weekend will be the Boz Bros Bike Show presented by 2Wheel Tuner magazine and Parts Unlimited. Eric and Ben Bostrom, two of the world’s most renowned motorcycle racers, with experience in the World Superbike Championship and the AMA Superbike Championship, have created their own line of street bike exhausts, plus clothing and accessories. Their products will be on display at VIR, along with a rock-climbing wall, a bike dyno, Tourist Trophy game demos and a wheelie machine for fans to enjoy. In addition, the Bostroms will host a custom sportbike show, with five classes open for fans to display their customized rides, specialized awards such as Best ‘Busa, and an invitational class for builders that have been featured in the magazine. Eric and Ben, along with other top names in the industry, will judge the bikes on Saturday afternoon, and will be available to sign autographs for fans. The Speed Channel Mobile Theater will be open to fans all weekend, and its removable pods will enable fans to play the latest video games when they’re not enjoying the on-track action or other entertainment. Plus, there will be numerous Jumbrotron screens set up around the facility so fans can watch the action on other parts of the track. Also, Team No Limit Extreme will be proving stunt shows in the pit lane and at various locations on the track every day. A new feature this year will be the Big Kahuna Lounge, located at VIR’s Pavilion just outside the paddock. This will provide fans with a shady spot to relax during the weekend, with music and refreshments available. A DJ will be spinning the hottest new music all weekend, with valuable prize giveaways throughout all three days. “We have been promoting races for a long time,” said event promoter Cameron Gray of M1 Entertainment, “and we have learned that the Golden Rule of event promotion is to make sure the fans have fun. We have designed the Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals to be more like a festival than an event. There is something for everybody to do, all the time, all weekend. If you like motorcycles, there is no way you can come to VIR this weekend and not enjoy yourself. The fans in Virginia are great, not to mention very knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and we’re looking forward to putting on a show for them that they’ll never forget.” “Cameron Gray and M1 Entertainment continue to impress us more every year as the Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals grows in quality and stature,” said VIR general manager Josh Lief. “The creative and innovative approach they bring to the table, with the emphasis on giving the fans more than just a race, sets the standard in event promotion. We think this year’s Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals is going to be the biggest and best yet, and the fans can look forward to great racing on the track as well as terrific off-track entertainment.” 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. 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. To purchase tickets, visit www.m1event.com or www.gettix.net. Tickets ordered too late to mail will be able to be picked up at Will Call at the track. 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.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION By John Ulrich The Red Bull Rookies Cup is a bad deal for the majority of the American kids “selected” to try out at Valencia, Spain later this month. Looking at the road racing experience (or lack thereof) of some of these kids, there either wasn’t much of a selection process or the selection was done by a cynic or a dumbass or both. The parents of the selected kids will probably spend around $5000 (some are holding fund raisers to try to get the money together) getting to the tryouts, which include 15 minutes of track time (on a new bike and a new track!) to impress the judges. Many of the American kids selected have never ridden a 125cc GP bike and some have never ridden anything on a paved road course. A few have experience racing RS125s and are actually front-runners in USGPRU and WERA 125cc Grand Prix events, an example being Cameron Beaubier. Others race in various Lightweight Novice classes. They will all face a contingent of European kids with experience racing 125cc GP bikes, many of whom have come up racing minis and 125s at Valencia. Even for the best of the Americans, to say the deck is stacked is an understatement. None of that was explained in TV commercials that touted the Red Bull program as the ticket to GP stardom during the network coverage of the U.S. GP at Laguna Seca. Asked about the program, Red Bull’s Jordan Miller wrote in an e-mail to Roadracing World, “Just so you know, the Red Bull Rookies Cup is being run out of Europe, and the focus this first year has been on emerging European riders. The activation and the program itself this year has been via word of mouth, especially here in the US, hence no press releases out of us here in the States. We are aware the cost of getting to Spain from the US is high as well, so that was part of why we didn’t focus on the US this first year. “Know that we are excited the young riders will have the opportunity to compete with Europe’s top talent, and we support them fully, especially with the success this season of MotoGP points leader Nicky Hayden, we are excited and hopeful that road racing continues to build in America.” What Miller doesn’t explain is how Red Bull, known for so many good programs promoting racing worldwide, can justify raising false hopes and inducing American families to undergo financial hardships chasing the dream, when their kids won’t even have a fair chance. If Red Bull really wants to “support them fully,” it should give each selected American kid a $5000 travel allowance, which at least would take the financial sting out of this charade of dreams. God knows they’ve got the money… Americans Selected For The Red Bull Rookies Cup Tryouts Tommy Aquino Brayden Bagley J.D. Beach Cameron Beaubier Chris Cid Rey Dominguez Frankie Garcia Katherine Keene Brent Lyskawa Tyler Meade Matt Myers Tyler Odom Andrew Price Nikola Radosavljevich Corey Rech Tyler Reed James Rispoli Toby Stay Erich Stender II Sarah Templeton Kris Turner And now, a parent’s reaction: FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: I have worked with kids from all over the country the last 6 years in our Coolskunk KyDs program in order to help young riders get new opportunities such as this. But let’s not waste anyone’s time or money. How about we hear something from the big guys here in America other than just Mr. Ulrich before it’s too late? For many of us the tickets are already non-refundable, however we can still save 50% of the cost! How about it Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha, Suzuki, Freddie Spencer and Kenny Roberts…Are we wasting our kid’s time and our sponsor’s money with this experience or what? While my own rider has tons of experience dirt tracking and a modest amount of SuperMoto and 125cc GP, the program is billed around a possibility. If there is no chance in hell, why don’t some of the factory guys come out and say so? Maybe they can suggest a better investment this year here in the States! Philip Rispoli Attica, New York And now we hear from the father of World Supersport racer Chris Peris: FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: Just a comment on John Ulrich’s comment on Red Bull try-out: Although everything John Ulrich says is true about the Red Bull try-outs, I think it’s only fair to say, the experience is worth it. For most parents, it will be the first time in their lives they’ll get to see what sort of talent their son will be up against. It’s a real eye opener. As a father of a former Red Bull try-out in Mallory Park a long time ago. Seemed like a bank account ago, maybe 2001? Its true, $5000 is a lot of money, but that’s nothing, compared to what road racing will eventually cost the family. Consider this $5000, a warm-up. I think our trip to England was the cheapest part of Chris’ racing career. Chris recorded the second best time at the try-outs and I think, if we would have pulled a Casey Stoner, sold the house, moved from Australia to England and had the whole family live in a motorhome, who knows? Not implying anything about the talent, just pointing out, that’s the kind of commitment it takes to bring up a road racing star. Unfortunately, all those dreams have a rude awaking. However, all-in-all, it was a great experience. If the families can get the money together, it’s the start to, “how fast is your wallet?” Red Bull seems to be the only one doing these try-outs. I suppose with no-one else offering, a Red Bull try-out is the best option and you get to see Spain. Spain is a great country and Valencia is a great track. Take care and good luck, Fernando Peris Calgary, Alberta, Canada

FIRST PERSON/OPINION Shame On You By Ed Sorbo In recent years many new tracks have been built in the U.S. and many old tracks have undergone improvements; all of this costs a lot of money and we are lucky to be racing when it’s happening. I have raced and ridden on 34 different tracks around the world. I have owned a motorcycle shop, racing club, team and school and worked for motorcycle racing clubs and schools. I have owned a go-cart concession and worked for a car racing school. I currently work for a racing magazine and a race team. In short, my life has revolved around racetracks. I feel qualified to critique the people who own and operate racetracks. Good on you for doing the hard stuff: –Daytona: Changing the track so our tires are less likely to come apart and kill us. Making it easier to get into and out of the track. Motivating the security guards to be much nicer now. –Barber: For moving some of the Armco back and planning to move more. –Infineon: For gathering and acting on information from motorcycle racers when making your improvements and for giving the AFM an interest-free loan so they could buy more Airfence. Shame on you for not doing the low-cost stuff: –Daytona: The slippery lines across the entrance of turn one, on pit road and around the top of the banking. Redo them with grippy paint, or make the lines across turn one thinner, or dashed. Sandblast off the unused lines on pit lane. And the Armco on the inside of turn two can be moved back to the outside of pit lane. –Infineon: The lack of a PA system for the pits. –Laguna: Bringing GP races to the U.S. does not give you a pass on everything else. The restrooms in the paddock are pathetic. Last year one of the urinals was broken and overflowing. There was a three-gallon bucket under it. The bucket was overflowing. The drain in the floor is not at the low spot. Picture this, a urinal overflowing with piss into a overflowing three-gallon bucket of piss, leading to a puddle of piss in the middle of the floor. Add to that the backed-up toilets. I opened the windows and I found someone to complain to. This year I opened the windows again and the same urinal was still out of order without an out-of-order sign. Yes the fools who used that urinal are part of the problem too, you know who you are. –Mid Ohio: I drove up to the nice young woman at the gate to the pits with many cases of drinks and many bags of ice wanting to drop it off at my pit. She said she was sorry and please don’t yell at me like the last guy but my boss said no cars can go in the pits without a pass. I can’t get this pass and the boss won’t honor my AMA season parking pass. I was not surprised by this and was ready. I smiled and said thank you as I drove into the pits, unloaded and drove out to park. Someone in a golf cart and a Mid-Ohio shirt found me, I told him the problem and he said he knew and I could tell the boss, I said I could not take the time to go find the boss but if he came to my pit I would explain it to him. In the restrooms I have to step to the side of the toilet in order to close the door, one of the sinks didn’t work until Sunday and only then because I found the guy cleaning and told him, telling a number of people standing around in Mid Ohio shirts was a waste of my time. The pits were a mess, I had to sweep up the dirt behind pit wall. The boss guy parked his car in the middle of the lane behind pit wall so that everyone had to squeeze by to set up, and a Sheriff’s car showed up in the same place latter. The boss guy and the Sheriff were up in the tower doing something. Why couldn’t they park in the pits? Unfortunately I missed them when they came out. The PA is useless in the pits. I could go on and on but you get the picture. This stuff is easy to fix, there is no excuse. –Road Atlanta: Continuing the saga of bad restrooms. Don’t use the portable toilet trailer in the pits, your knees will hit the door when sitting, if you dare to sit, if they have been cleaned. Go up the hill to the old restrooms and use the rocking toilet. I was impressed when the deadly “gravity cavity” was replaced by the turn 10 chicane and the hill on the outside of turn 11 was moved back. I’m sickened by the turnstile that was installed at turn four instead of just moving the dirt hill on the outside of turn four back. Also the dangerous curb on the inside of turn three is still there. –All Tracks: Set up a system using low-power FM radio for the PA! They have it at Willow Springs and it works great. This list is incomplete, just because you are not on it does not mean you can’t do better. I decided to write this opinion piece because of the simple problems at many of our tracks. There is no excuse for dropping the ball on the basic stuff, and this is the responsibility of the track bosses/owners. (Also read “Shame on Us” in the October 2002 issue of Roadracing World for a list of things that we racers need to do better.)

2006 MotoGP World Championship, round 12 Czech Grand Prix, Brno August 18/19/20 The 2006 MotoGP series fires back into life at Brno, following the championship’s traditional month-long summer recess. The Czech Grand Prix also commences the final stage of the 2006 season six races, three in Europe, three in Asia and Australia, concluding with the Valencia round on October 29. So far, Michelin riders have been the dominant force of 2006, taking ten wins from the first 11 races, filling 28 of 33 podium places and currently occupying seven of the first eight championship positions, including the top four places. The battle for the 2006 title now seems down to those four men Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda Team RC211V-Michelin), Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team RC211V-Michelin), Marco Melandri (Fortuna Honda RC211V-Michelin) and Valentino Rossi (Camel Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin) who have used Michelin’s high-performing 2006 tires to take all of the company’s 2006 race wins and are currently separated by 51 points. Hayden, Pedrosa and Melandri have all won two races apiece, while Rossi has won four but also suffered three DNFs. Michelin has won the last ten premier-class GPs at Brno and has scored a total of 15 victories at the circuit since it hosted its first GP in 1987. MICHELIN’S RESPONSE TO THE CHALLENGE OF BRNO “Brno is a great track, a real rider’s track, quite fast with varied corners, some quite long and open, and also very undulating, so we enjoy going there,” says Nicolas Goubert, Michelin’s motorcycle racing director. “The surface is old now, so it’s quite bumpy, though after Laguna Seca it will probably seem pretty smooth to the riders!” “Front tire grip is important at Brno because there are a lot of downhill corner entries. We now have three different types of front tire being used by our riders the new, bigger profile 16.5in front and two different constructions of our narrower profile 16.5in. Different tires suit different riding styles and bikes. The new construction of the narrower profile tire which is now used by several of our riders should help at Brno because riders need a lot of feel and grip into the downhill corners, and they use a lot of trail-braking into these turns. The bigger profile tire should help in the same way. But Valentino proved at the Sachsenring that the older construction of the narrower tire can also do an amazing job! “Rear traction is also important at Brno because the surface is old and doesn’t offer a lot of grip. Finding good traction isn’t easy when you have both uphill and downhill sections, because the bike needs to put the right loads on the tires and it’s much easier to get the bike to do that consistently when you have a flat circuit. But Brno isn’t that demanding on rear tires because the tarmac is old and not aggressive. Our 2006 rear should definitely help, the tire offers more sidegrip which is important through long corners. Chatter can also be an issue at Brno because it’s quite bumpy and bumps can sometimes set off chatter. “Brno starts the last part of the season and we hope to have as much success during the last six races of the year as we had at the first 11. We won ten of those and filled most of the podiums, so although we are coming up to a few circuits where one of our competitors always does well, we are hopeful of some more good results.” BRNO DATA Lap record: Valentino Rossi (Camel Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin), 1:58.787s (163.745kmh/101/746mph) Pole position 2005: Sete Gibernau (Telefonica Movistar Honda RC211V-Michelin), 1:57.504 Recent winners of the Czech GP 2005 Valentino Rossi (Gauloises Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin), 43:56.539 2004 Sete Gibernau (Telefonica Movistar Honda RC211V-Michelin), 44:03.480 2003 Valentino Rossi (Repsol Honda RC211V-Michelin), 44:18.907 2002 Max Biaggi (Marlboro Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin), 44:36.498 2001 Valentino Rossi (Nastro Azzurro Honda NSR500-Michelin), 45:01.044 2000 Max Biaggi (Marlboro Yamaha Team YZR500-Michelin), 45:31.918 1999 Tadayuki Okada (Repsol Honda NSR500-Michelin), 45:18.066 1998 Max Biaggi (Kanemoto Honda NSR500-Michelin), 45:12.043 1997 Mick Doohan (Repsol Honda NSR500-Michelin), 45:25.012 1996 Alex Crivillé (Repsol Honda NSR500-Michelin), 45:38.884 MICHELIN MotoGP RIDERS 2006 Colin Edwards, Valentino Rossi (Camel Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin) Nicky Hayden, Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team RC211V-Michelin) Toni Elias, Marco Melandri (Fortuna Honda RC211V-Michelin) Casey Stoner (Honda LCR RC211V-Michelin) Makoto Tamada (Konica Minolta Honda RC211V-Michelin) Kenny Roberts Jr (Team Roberts KR211V-Michelin)