MRA racer and Racing 2 Save Lives Vice President Ralph Forsythe married Donna Dechant, July 28th, 2006 in Denver, Colorado.
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Yoshimura Suzuki Second In Suzuka 8-Hours World Endurance Qualifying
Yoshimura Suzuki’s Akira Watanabe has put his GSX-R1000 into provisional second on the grid for Sunday’s Suzuka 8-Hour World Endurance fifth round as World Champions and series leaders Suzuki Castrol are currently down in 15th. Watanabe set a time of 2:09.636, which was just over 400ths-of-a-second behind pole-setter Yoshiteru Konishi on the Toy Story Honda. Due to an entry of 84, qualifying was split into two groups: The morning sessions were held in the dry, sunny conditions while the afternoon was more mixed and despite some rain, many of the afternoon qualifying sessions were declared officially “wet”. When a qualifying session is declared wet, the Suzuka-only ‘four sets of tyres for qualifying’ rule does not apply to that session and teams may use extra tyres during that session. With the ‘wet’ track almost bone dry, there was an opportunity for teams to use special qualifying tyres, which would only last two or three laps. Konishi took a chance and improved his time significantly from this morning’s session by 1.5 seconds, setting the fastest lap of the session and becoming the first rider to break into the 2:09s during timed qualifying. Watanabe was fastest in Group B and second overall ahead of Nori Haga (Yamaha Blue Racing). Suzuki Castrol’s Vincent Philippe improved slightly on his earlier time in the afternoon session along with team mate Keiichi Kitagawa who missed a chance to improve further when he crashed on the first corner of his final lap of the day. And third rider Matthieu Lagrive was third in his group. The final top ten grid positions will be decided tomorrow afternoon during the Top Ten Trial super pole style special stage.
Visionsports Offers Ladies Only Riding School At Blackhawk Farms Raceway
Visionsports Riding Schools will offer a special “Ladies Only” school program on August 21st at Blackhawk Farms Raceway in Rockton, IL. The school program is $250 and limited to twelve students. Lunch and a souvenir DVD are included at no extra charge. “We’ve had several women through our programs before, but there was interest from the area for a school program exclusively for women,” states Dave Rosno, owner and chief instructor for Visionsports. “The smaller class size will allow us to focus more attention on our riders and their machines during our Visionsports’ program.” Former Road Racing World Magazine Young Gun, CCS Champion, and former Visionsports’ student Meghan Stiles is tentatively scheduled to attend as a guest instructor. Additionally, Visionsports has added a school date at Topeka, Kansas’ Heartland Park Topeka on August 28th. Remaining 2006 Visionsports Riding Schools Schedule August 21st – Ladies Only School – Blackhawk Farms Raceway – Rockton, Il August 28th – Heartland Park Topeka – Topeka, KS September 11th – Heartland Park Topeka – Topeka, KS October 18th – Blackhawk Farms Raceway – Rockton, IL October 23rd – Heartland Park Topeka – Topeka KS More information is available at http://www.visionsportsridingschools.com or at 262-902-9105.
R.I.P.: Former Road Racer Paul Orlandi Of Grass Valley, California Passed Away After Battle With Cancer
FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: Just wanted to let you all know former Road Racer, as well as Div. 1 Speedway, Supermoto, and Motocrosser racer Paul “Mighty Mouse” Orlandi of Grass Valley, Calif. died last Friday after a long battle with cancer. Paul raced for over 30 years in all forms of two wheeled action in both AMA, and AFM. His family and friends were important to him but nothing excited him as much as racing did. He raced all the time and as long as he could. Not that long ago he heard that speedway rival Billy Hamill was winning some Stars TT Supermoto races in Socal and he wanted to show he could beat Billy. Even after numerous operations and cancer left him weak, he went down to race Hamill and took the checkered flag ahead of Billy. Mind you this was at the height of his sickness, he rode with bandages covering his open wounds and did it just because he wanted to do it. Paul was a fierce competitor and a great guy on and off the track! He’ll be greatly missed by all his family and friends. Paul was only 56 years old. Just some of his racing accomplishments include: 1971-1991 Raced Speedway Professionally 1974 1st Place California Speedway Champion 1984 1st Place California Speedway Champion 1991 10th Place AMA Pro Twins GP2 Championship 1995 2nd Place AFM Formula Twins Open Championship 1997 2nd Place AFM Formula Twins Open Championship 1998 1st Place AFM Formula Twins Championship 1998 2nd Place AFM Open Superbike Championship 1998 6th Place AMA Pro Thunder Class Phoenix, AZ 1999 11th Place AMA Pro Thunder Class Laguna Seca, CA 1999 1st Place Speedway Cal Expo Sacramento, CA Handicap Consi. 2002 Superbikers “2” 2nd Place Middleweight “A” Final Road America, WI. 2003 Raced Inaugural AMA Supermoto race at Laguna Seca, CA 2003-05 Multi-time Supermoto USA Champion Craig Mason Fast 50s Auburn, California
Toy Story Honda Takes Provisional Pole For Suzuka 8-Hours
Yoshiteru Konishi has taken provisional pole position for the Suzuka 8 Hour round of the FIM World Endurance Championship. Second place has gone to Yoshimura Suzuki’s Akira Watanabe and third to Yamaha Blue Racing’s Noriyuki Haga. The morning qualifying sessions were held in the dry and for the most part under a blazing sun. The weather for the afternoon sessions was much more mixed and despite little rain actually falling on the circuit, many of the afternoon qualifying sessions were declared officially “wet”. When a qualifying session is declared wet, the Suzuka-only “four sets of tyres for qualifying” rule does not apply to that session; teams may use extra tyres during that session. With the “wet” track almost bone dry there was an opportunity for teams to use special qualifying tyres which would only last two or three laps. It seemed that only one rider rider Konishi on the No.101Toy Story Honda seemed to take the chance, improving his time significantly from this morning’s session by 1.5 seconds, setting the fastest lap of the session and becoming the first rider to break into the 2:09s during timed qualifying. Yoshimura Suzuki’s Akira Watanabe was fastest in Group B and second fastest overall after Yamaha Blue Racing’s Nori Haga missed beating him by just 0.05 seconds after catching a slower rider while braking for the final chicane. Fourth place overall went to Shin’ichi Itoh on the FCC TSR Honda and fifth to Yamaguchi on the Masked Rider Honda. The two Seven Stars Hondas performed less well than expected, finishing in ninth and tenth place overall. Suzuki Castrol’s Vincent Philippe improved slightly on his earlier time in the afternoon session, as did Yamaha Austria’s Igor Jerman and Yamaha Acropolis Zone Rouge’s Michel Nickmans. Yamaha Phase One’s Damian Cudlin, Kawasaki Bolliger’s Patric Muff, Suzuki Fagersjo-el.se’s Paul Young and Kawasaki Diablo’s James Hutchins also improved in the afternoon sessions. Suzuki Castrol’s Keiichi Kitagawa improved on his time in his afternoon session but then threw away a chance to improve further when he crashed on the first corner of his final lap of the day. Suzuki Endurace Moto45’s Duprez also crashed in his afternoon session, despite this being the first session not officially declared wet. Matthieu Lagrive was third in his group, the last session of the day. His final lap saw him sliding, wheelying and spinning his way round the circuit, with no sign of traction control being used on the Castrol Suzuki GSX-R1000s! Unusually, two riders Kamada and Osaki have posted identical qualifying times. The final top ten grid positions will be decided tomorrow afternoon during the Top Ten Trial super pole style special stage. Provisional Qualifying Top Ten 1st 101 Toy Story Honda JPN Honda CBR1000RR Y.Konishi 2:09.176 2nd 12 Yoshimura Suzuki JPN A.Watanabe Suzuki GSX-R1000 2:09.636 3rd 45 Yamaha Blue Racing JPN N.Haga Yamaha YZF-R1 2:09.687 4th 778 FCC TSR Honda JPN Honda CBR1000RR S.Itoh 2:09.950 5th 48 FCC TSR Honda JPN Honda CBR1000RR G.Kamada 2:09.975 5th 39 Team Challenger Yamaha JPN Yamaha YZF-R1 N.Osaki 2:09.975 7th 04 Masked Rider Honda JPN Honda CBR1000RR T.Yamaguchi 2:10.018 8th 21 YSP & Presto Yamaha JPN Yamaha YZF-R1 K.Nakasuga 2:10.052 9th 7 Seven Stars Honda JPN Honda CBR1000RR R.Kiyonari 2:10.089 10th 11 Seven Stars Honda JPN Honda CBR1000RR T.Okada 2:10.199 Qualifying Times Permanent Teams 15th 1 Suzuki Castrol FRA Suzuki GSX-R1000 V.Philippe 2:11.795 38th 07 Yamaha Austria AUT Yamaha YZF-R1 I.Jerman 2:15.372 43rd 199 Yamaha Acropolis Zone Rouge BEL Yamaha YZF-R1 M.Nickmans 2:15.730 47th 3 Yamaha Phase One Endurance GBR- Yamaha YZF-R1 D.Cudlin 2:15.957 50th 8 Kawasaki Bolliger SUI Kawasaki ZX10R P.Muff 2:16.348 58th 012: Suzuki Fagersjo-el.se SWE Suzuki GSX-R1000 P Young 2:17.658 59th 666 Kawasaki Diablo GBR Kawasaki ZX10R J.Hutchins 2:18.659 60th 6 Shell Endurance Academy GBR Yamaha YZF-R1 A.Dubelski 2:18.808 61st 44 Suzuki No Limits & RT ITA Suzuki GSX-R1000 F.Jond 2:19.334 62nd 100 Suzuki Endurance Moto45 FRA Suzuki GSX-R1000 D.Briere 2:19.761
Ducati Releases Limited Edition 2007 Team USA 999S Models
Ducati North America to offer 150 limited edition Superbikes based on Bostrom’s and Hodgson’s AMA Superbike machines Cupertino, CA Ducati North America celebrates competition in the AMA Superbike series with the announcement of a limited edition 2007 Ducati 999s Team USA edition. The early release 2007 model Superbike was unveiled to the public on Ducati Island during the Red Bull USGP weekend, which was held at Laguna Seca Raceway. The Superbike will be limited in production to 150 units, and each one will bear the autographs of team racers Neil Hodgson and Ben Bostrom on the tail section. Combining innovative technology and top-level components such as Ohlins suspension, the 999s Team USA edition continues the winning spirit shared by Ducati riders and racers throughout the world. The 999s Team USA edition is closely based on the race bikes used by the Bostrom brothers and Neil Hodgson during the 2005 and 2006 AMA Superbike seasons. The 2007 Ducati 999s Team USA edition is powered by the 143 HP 999cc Testastretta motor and has a MSRP of $19,995. The motorcycle will be available for sale at Ducati dealers throughout North America beginning in August, 2006. All Team USA edition 999s are built exclusively for the North American market. For more information, including detailed specifications, please visit: www.ducatiusa.com. Founded in 1926, Ducati builds racing-inspired motorcycles characterized by unique engine features, innovative design, advanced engineering and overall technical excellence. The Company produces motorcycles in six market segments which vary in their technical and design features and intended customers: Superbike, Supersport, Monster, Sport Touring, Multistrada and the new SportClassic. The Company’s motorcycles are sold in more than 60 countries worldwide, with a primary focus in the Western European, Japan and North American markets. Ducati has won thirteen of the last fifteen World Superbike Championship titles and more individual victories than the competition put together. For more information about the Company, please visit our web site at www.ducatiusa.com.
New Website
Tony “The Tiger” Meiring #56, racing for Safety First Suzuki, is pleased to announce his new official website: www.tonymeiring.net. Tony currently races in the AMA Supersport and the AMA Formula Extreme classes. Log on to get the latest updates with Tony’s career and feel free to drop him an email.
Indianapolis Police Drill Team To Perform At AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days At Mid-Ohio
DUBLIN, OH The tremendously popular Indianapolis Police Department Motorcycle Drill Team is set to perform four shows at the AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, July 28-30, at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. The Indianapolis Police Department Motorcycle Drill Team, formed in 1954, now consists of twenty officers, and for more than fifty years, the Drill Team has been one of the top ambassadors for the City of Indianapolis, the State of Indiana and law enforcement around the country. “It is a privilege and an honor for us to welcome the Indianapolis Police Department Drill Team to Mid-Ohio for the AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days,” said Michelle Trueman Gajoch, president of TrueSports, Inc. “This team of skilled motor officers will thrill our fans, just as they have delighted crowds for more than 50 years.” In many ways, drill teams were the original stunt riders, performing often in tight formation many of the same tricks that today’s popular stunt riders perform. The team practices at least once a week from March through November, and all Drill Team members ride the FLHTPI (Road King) model Harley Davidson motorcycle with no modifications, except calibration of the speedometer for accuracy. Its low ground clearance and capacity for tight turns make the FLHTPI ideally suited for everyday traffic enforcement as well as drill team performance maneuvers. All of the members of the Indianapolis Motorcycle Drill Team are police officers assigned to the Traffic Enforcement Section of the Traffic Branch, and their regular duties include traffic law compliance using radar, monitoring high accident intersections and high traffic locations, and working traffic complaints from citizens. The team’s past performances include three presidential inaugural parades; the Indianapolis 500 Festival Parade; the Orange, Citrus and Fiesta Bowl parades; two Aloha Festival parades in Honolulu; the Festival of States Parade in St. Petersburg, Florida; the Kentucky Derby; numerous national HOG (Harley Owners Group) Rallies; and more than 40 American Legion National Conventions. Their accolades include a dedicated roomful of trophies, plaques, certificates and other memorabilia. The Indianapolis Police Drill Team will perform at Vintage Motorcycle Days once on Friday, July 28, twice on Saturday, July 29, and once on Sunday, July 30 in the demo ride area at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The drill team performances are in addition to other stunt shows, three bike shows, the annual Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum Auction, North America’s largest motorcycle swap meet, demo rides of new bikes, seminars and a full slate of American Historic Motorcycle Racing Association action. AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days will be the third event on Mid-Ohio’s eight-race 2006 schedule. Still to come is the Honda Super Cycle Weekend presented by Dunlop Tire (August 4-6), Vintage Grand-Prix of Mid-Ohio (August 18-20), National Auto Sport Association Championships (September 15-17), AMA Road Race Grand Championships & AMA Motocross Manufacturers Cup (September 22-24) and the AMA Superbike Shootout (September 30-October 1). Tickets for all events are available by calling 1-800-MID-OHIO or visiting www.midohio.com. Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is a permanent road racing circuit with two primary configurations: a 2.4-mile, 15-turn, and a 2.25-mile, 13-turn circuit in Lexington, Ohio. Located 60 miles north of Columbus and 75 miles south of Cleveland near Mansfield, the track has been called the most competitive in the U.S. and annually hosts a diversity of locally, regionally and nationally sanctioned racing events for amateur, club and professional riders and drivers. Founded in 1981 and headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, TrueSports, Incorporated is a privately held motorsports entertainment enterprise. The company owns and operates Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and The Mid-Ohio School, and promotes a wide variety of motor racing, driver instruction, corporate, and family entertainment events throughout the year.
Brainerd International Raceway Sold To Minnesota Family
Brainerd, Mn. – Brainerd International Raceway, Minnesota’s premier motor sports facility long held by Sports Resorts International Inc., a Michigan based company, has been sold to BIR Holdings LLC, held by Jed and Kristi Copham of Forest Lake MN. The facility will be known as “Brainerd International Raceway and Resort.” Together, along with Sports Resorts CEO Donald J.Williamson, they take great pleasure in making this announcement for the Brainerd racetrack that has long played a historical significance in the Minnesota Motorsports landscape and Brainerd community. The 600 acre facility plays host each year to numerous automobile and motorcycle events including the renowned National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) 25th annual National Event scheduled for August 10 13, 2006. “As the Mayor of Flint Michigan, and my wife Patsy Lou running for State Senate, we are focusing our efforts within our local community” commented Donald Williamson. “We have owned the Brainerd facility since 1994 and continued to invest each year with numerous capital improvements. We feel this has continued to make BIR a great destination for thousands of motorsports fans and racers.” Williamson stated “they are pleased to have kept the 6-unit condominium building on the lake and sincerely wish the Cophams as much fun and success as we have had. We would also like to thank the Brainerd community for their support and continued well wishes for the new owners.” “As amateur road racers and occasional drag racers, my family and I are excited about the purchase of BIR,” said Jed Copham. “Like many around the State of Minnesota and the Midwest, our family has been coming to BIR for years as participants and spectators. The opportunity for our company to purchase this facility and continue its legacy is a welcomed challenge we look forward to for many years to come. My transition team is eager to continue the work that has taken place in this wonderful facility and we especially look forward to developing new relationships within the Brainerd area and all throughout the motorsports community.” “We want to welcome Mr. and Mrs. Copham into the NHRA family and look forward to working with them and the entire staff at Brainerd International Raceway for years to come,” said Peter Clifford, Executive Vice President and General Manager, NHRA. “Given their personal involvement in racing, we are confident that as owners of the facility, they will make sure the needs of both the fans and the racing community are met and will be a great asset to the Brainerd community.” Future plans for BIR include a continuance of the current drag racing programs and road course racing programs while searching for new racing events for BIR’s patrons and racing customers. Additional plans may include a revision of the current road course configuration with a goal of separating the current drag strip from the track’s main straightaway. As allowed, additional configuration changes may see a new but separate and shorter road course design using turn’s 2, 3, 4, and 5 on the current road course. Although BIR’s famed 3 mile road course will continue to be an option for users, the construction of a shorter track will allow more options for multiple uses within the facility.
Eric Wood Recovers From Knee Surgery After AMA Superbike Qualifying Crash At Laguna Seca
Eric Wood of Team Hooters HelpMeRide.com Suzuki is recovering from arthroscopic surgery performed on Tuesday July 25th on his left knee. Wood had scheduled the surgery prior to the past AMA Superbike round at Laguna Seca to remove a piece of cartilage that was bothering his knee. Unfortunately, Wood compounded the original injury when he fell during qualifying for the Superbike final at Laguna.
Wood explained, “I was trying to learn a new setup during Saturday qualifying, we only got 8 laps on Friday and the bike needed some major changes to work on the new track surface. We were making progress and dropping time, when I tried using some of the entrance curbing entering the corkscrew on the left side – I had noticed some tire marks there on previous laps and thought I may be able to straighten out the entrance a bit. When I hit the curbing I lost the front and threw my left foot off the peg. In the process of gathering the bike back up I got my foot sucked into the back tire and jammed between the tire and the swingarm. The tire then locked up and dragged me down the hill – not a lot of fun.”
The crash gave him a hairline fracture in his left foot and a small ACL tear in his left knee. He rode the race a few hours later and soldiered on to 18th place, gathering some valuable championship points. Wood hopes to be ready for the next round of the AMA Superbike series at Mid Ohio.
Recent Wedding: Forsythe-Dechant
MRA racer and Racing 2 Save Lives Vice President Ralph Forsythe married Donna Dechant, July 28th, 2006 in Denver, Colorado.
Yoshimura Suzuki Second In Suzuka 8-Hours World Endurance Qualifying
Yoshimura Suzuki’s Akira Watanabe has put his GSX-R1000 into provisional second on the grid for Sunday’s Suzuka 8-Hour World Endurance fifth round as World Champions and series leaders Suzuki Castrol are currently down in 15th. Watanabe set a time of 2:09.636, which was just over 400ths-of-a-second behind pole-setter Yoshiteru Konishi on the Toy Story Honda. Due to an entry of 84, qualifying was split into two groups: The morning sessions were held in the dry, sunny conditions while the afternoon was more mixed and despite some rain, many of the afternoon qualifying sessions were declared officially “wet”. When a qualifying session is declared wet, the Suzuka-only ‘four sets of tyres for qualifying’ rule does not apply to that session and teams may use extra tyres during that session. With the ‘wet’ track almost bone dry, there was an opportunity for teams to use special qualifying tyres, which would only last two or three laps. Konishi took a chance and improved his time significantly from this morning’s session by 1.5 seconds, setting the fastest lap of the session and becoming the first rider to break into the 2:09s during timed qualifying. Watanabe was fastest in Group B and second overall ahead of Nori Haga (Yamaha Blue Racing). Suzuki Castrol’s Vincent Philippe improved slightly on his earlier time in the afternoon session along with team mate Keiichi Kitagawa who missed a chance to improve further when he crashed on the first corner of his final lap of the day. And third rider Matthieu Lagrive was third in his group. The final top ten grid positions will be decided tomorrow afternoon during the Top Ten Trial super pole style special stage.
Visionsports Offers Ladies Only Riding School At Blackhawk Farms Raceway
Visionsports Riding Schools will offer a special “Ladies Only” school program on August 21st at Blackhawk Farms Raceway in Rockton, IL. The school program is $250 and limited to twelve students. Lunch and a souvenir DVD are included at no extra charge. “We’ve had several women through our programs before, but there was interest from the area for a school program exclusively for women,” states Dave Rosno, owner and chief instructor for Visionsports. “The smaller class size will allow us to focus more attention on our riders and their machines during our Visionsports’ program.” Former Road Racing World Magazine Young Gun, CCS Champion, and former Visionsports’ student Meghan Stiles is tentatively scheduled to attend as a guest instructor. Additionally, Visionsports has added a school date at Topeka, Kansas’ Heartland Park Topeka on August 28th. Remaining 2006 Visionsports Riding Schools Schedule August 21st – Ladies Only School – Blackhawk Farms Raceway – Rockton, Il August 28th – Heartland Park Topeka – Topeka, KS September 11th – Heartland Park Topeka – Topeka, KS October 18th – Blackhawk Farms Raceway – Rockton, IL October 23rd – Heartland Park Topeka – Topeka KS More information is available at http://www.visionsportsridingschools.com or at 262-902-9105.
R.I.P.: Former Road Racer Paul Orlandi Of Grass Valley, California Passed Away After Battle With Cancer
FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: Just wanted to let you all know former Road Racer, as well as Div. 1 Speedway, Supermoto, and Motocrosser racer Paul “Mighty Mouse” Orlandi of Grass Valley, Calif. died last Friday after a long battle with cancer. Paul raced for over 30 years in all forms of two wheeled action in both AMA, and AFM. His family and friends were important to him but nothing excited him as much as racing did. He raced all the time and as long as he could. Not that long ago he heard that speedway rival Billy Hamill was winning some Stars TT Supermoto races in Socal and he wanted to show he could beat Billy. Even after numerous operations and cancer left him weak, he went down to race Hamill and took the checkered flag ahead of Billy. Mind you this was at the height of his sickness, he rode with bandages covering his open wounds and did it just because he wanted to do it. Paul was a fierce competitor and a great guy on and off the track! He’ll be greatly missed by all his family and friends. Paul was only 56 years old. Just some of his racing accomplishments include: 1971-1991 Raced Speedway Professionally 1974 1st Place California Speedway Champion 1984 1st Place California Speedway Champion 1991 10th Place AMA Pro Twins GP2 Championship 1995 2nd Place AFM Formula Twins Open Championship 1997 2nd Place AFM Formula Twins Open Championship 1998 1st Place AFM Formula Twins Championship 1998 2nd Place AFM Open Superbike Championship 1998 6th Place AMA Pro Thunder Class Phoenix, AZ 1999 11th Place AMA Pro Thunder Class Laguna Seca, CA 1999 1st Place Speedway Cal Expo Sacramento, CA Handicap Consi. 2002 Superbikers “2” 2nd Place Middleweight “A” Final Road America, WI. 2003 Raced Inaugural AMA Supermoto race at Laguna Seca, CA 2003-05 Multi-time Supermoto USA Champion Craig Mason Fast 50s Auburn, California
Toy Story Honda Takes Provisional Pole For Suzuka 8-Hours
Yoshiteru Konishi has taken provisional pole position for the Suzuka 8 Hour round of the FIM World Endurance Championship. Second place has gone to Yoshimura Suzuki’s Akira Watanabe and third to Yamaha Blue Racing’s Noriyuki Haga. The morning qualifying sessions were held in the dry and for the most part under a blazing sun. The weather for the afternoon sessions was much more mixed and despite little rain actually falling on the circuit, many of the afternoon qualifying sessions were declared officially “wet”. When a qualifying session is declared wet, the Suzuka-only “four sets of tyres for qualifying” rule does not apply to that session; teams may use extra tyres during that session. With the “wet” track almost bone dry there was an opportunity for teams to use special qualifying tyres which would only last two or three laps. It seemed that only one rider rider Konishi on the No.101Toy Story Honda seemed to take the chance, improving his time significantly from this morning’s session by 1.5 seconds, setting the fastest lap of the session and becoming the first rider to break into the 2:09s during timed qualifying. Yoshimura Suzuki’s Akira Watanabe was fastest in Group B and second fastest overall after Yamaha Blue Racing’s Nori Haga missed beating him by just 0.05 seconds after catching a slower rider while braking for the final chicane. Fourth place overall went to Shin’ichi Itoh on the FCC TSR Honda and fifth to Yamaguchi on the Masked Rider Honda. The two Seven Stars Hondas performed less well than expected, finishing in ninth and tenth place overall. Suzuki Castrol’s Vincent Philippe improved slightly on his earlier time in the afternoon session, as did Yamaha Austria’s Igor Jerman and Yamaha Acropolis Zone Rouge’s Michel Nickmans. Yamaha Phase One’s Damian Cudlin, Kawasaki Bolliger’s Patric Muff, Suzuki Fagersjo-el.se’s Paul Young and Kawasaki Diablo’s James Hutchins also improved in the afternoon sessions. Suzuki Castrol’s Keiichi Kitagawa improved on his time in his afternoon session but then threw away a chance to improve further when he crashed on the first corner of his final lap of the day. Suzuki Endurace Moto45’s Duprez also crashed in his afternoon session, despite this being the first session not officially declared wet. Matthieu Lagrive was third in his group, the last session of the day. His final lap saw him sliding, wheelying and spinning his way round the circuit, with no sign of traction control being used on the Castrol Suzuki GSX-R1000s! Unusually, two riders Kamada and Osaki have posted identical qualifying times. The final top ten grid positions will be decided tomorrow afternoon during the Top Ten Trial super pole style special stage. Provisional Qualifying Top Ten 1st 101 Toy Story Honda JPN Honda CBR1000RR Y.Konishi 2:09.176 2nd 12 Yoshimura Suzuki JPN A.Watanabe Suzuki GSX-R1000 2:09.636 3rd 45 Yamaha Blue Racing JPN N.Haga Yamaha YZF-R1 2:09.687 4th 778 FCC TSR Honda JPN Honda CBR1000RR S.Itoh 2:09.950 5th 48 FCC TSR Honda JPN Honda CBR1000RR G.Kamada 2:09.975 5th 39 Team Challenger Yamaha JPN Yamaha YZF-R1 N.Osaki 2:09.975 7th 04 Masked Rider Honda JPN Honda CBR1000RR T.Yamaguchi 2:10.018 8th 21 YSP & Presto Yamaha JPN Yamaha YZF-R1 K.Nakasuga 2:10.052 9th 7 Seven Stars Honda JPN Honda CBR1000RR R.Kiyonari 2:10.089 10th 11 Seven Stars Honda JPN Honda CBR1000RR T.Okada 2:10.199 Qualifying Times Permanent Teams 15th 1 Suzuki Castrol FRA Suzuki GSX-R1000 V.Philippe 2:11.795 38th 07 Yamaha Austria AUT Yamaha YZF-R1 I.Jerman 2:15.372 43rd 199 Yamaha Acropolis Zone Rouge BEL Yamaha YZF-R1 M.Nickmans 2:15.730 47th 3 Yamaha Phase One Endurance GBR- Yamaha YZF-R1 D.Cudlin 2:15.957 50th 8 Kawasaki Bolliger SUI Kawasaki ZX10R P.Muff 2:16.348 58th 012: Suzuki Fagersjo-el.se SWE Suzuki GSX-R1000 P Young 2:17.658 59th 666 Kawasaki Diablo GBR Kawasaki ZX10R J.Hutchins 2:18.659 60th 6 Shell Endurance Academy GBR Yamaha YZF-R1 A.Dubelski 2:18.808 61st 44 Suzuki No Limits & RT ITA Suzuki GSX-R1000 F.Jond 2:19.334 62nd 100 Suzuki Endurance Moto45 FRA Suzuki GSX-R1000 D.Briere 2:19.761
Ducati Releases Limited Edition 2007 Team USA 999S Models
Ducati North America to offer 150 limited edition Superbikes based on Bostrom’s and Hodgson’s AMA Superbike machines Cupertino, CA Ducati North America celebrates competition in the AMA Superbike series with the announcement of a limited edition 2007 Ducati 999s Team USA edition. The early release 2007 model Superbike was unveiled to the public on Ducati Island during the Red Bull USGP weekend, which was held at Laguna Seca Raceway. The Superbike will be limited in production to 150 units, and each one will bear the autographs of team racers Neil Hodgson and Ben Bostrom on the tail section. Combining innovative technology and top-level components such as Ohlins suspension, the 999s Team USA edition continues the winning spirit shared by Ducati riders and racers throughout the world. The 999s Team USA edition is closely based on the race bikes used by the Bostrom brothers and Neil Hodgson during the 2005 and 2006 AMA Superbike seasons. The 2007 Ducati 999s Team USA edition is powered by the 143 HP 999cc Testastretta motor and has a MSRP of $19,995. The motorcycle will be available for sale at Ducati dealers throughout North America beginning in August, 2006. All Team USA edition 999s are built exclusively for the North American market. For more information, including detailed specifications, please visit: www.ducatiusa.com. Founded in 1926, Ducati builds racing-inspired motorcycles characterized by unique engine features, innovative design, advanced engineering and overall technical excellence. The Company produces motorcycles in six market segments which vary in their technical and design features and intended customers: Superbike, Supersport, Monster, Sport Touring, Multistrada and the new SportClassic. The Company’s motorcycles are sold in more than 60 countries worldwide, with a primary focus in the Western European, Japan and North American markets. Ducati has won thirteen of the last fifteen World Superbike Championship titles and more individual victories than the competition put together. For more information about the Company, please visit our web site at www.ducatiusa.com.
New Website
Tony “The Tiger” Meiring #56, racing for Safety First Suzuki, is pleased to announce his new official website: www.tonymeiring.net. Tony currently races in the AMA Supersport and the AMA Formula Extreme classes. Log on to get the latest updates with Tony’s career and feel free to drop him an email.
Indianapolis Police Drill Team To Perform At AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days At Mid-Ohio
DUBLIN, OH The tremendously popular Indianapolis Police Department Motorcycle Drill Team is set to perform four shows at the AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, July 28-30, at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. The Indianapolis Police Department Motorcycle Drill Team, formed in 1954, now consists of twenty officers, and for more than fifty years, the Drill Team has been one of the top ambassadors for the City of Indianapolis, the State of Indiana and law enforcement around the country. “It is a privilege and an honor for us to welcome the Indianapolis Police Department Drill Team to Mid-Ohio for the AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days,” said Michelle Trueman Gajoch, president of TrueSports, Inc. “This team of skilled motor officers will thrill our fans, just as they have delighted crowds for more than 50 years.” In many ways, drill teams were the original stunt riders, performing often in tight formation many of the same tricks that today’s popular stunt riders perform. The team practices at least once a week from March through November, and all Drill Team members ride the FLHTPI (Road King) model Harley Davidson motorcycle with no modifications, except calibration of the speedometer for accuracy. Its low ground clearance and capacity for tight turns make the FLHTPI ideally suited for everyday traffic enforcement as well as drill team performance maneuvers. All of the members of the Indianapolis Motorcycle Drill Team are police officers assigned to the Traffic Enforcement Section of the Traffic Branch, and their regular duties include traffic law compliance using radar, monitoring high accident intersections and high traffic locations, and working traffic complaints from citizens. The team’s past performances include three presidential inaugural parades; the Indianapolis 500 Festival Parade; the Orange, Citrus and Fiesta Bowl parades; two Aloha Festival parades in Honolulu; the Festival of States Parade in St. Petersburg, Florida; the Kentucky Derby; numerous national HOG (Harley Owners Group) Rallies; and more than 40 American Legion National Conventions. Their accolades include a dedicated roomful of trophies, plaques, certificates and other memorabilia. The Indianapolis Police Drill Team will perform at Vintage Motorcycle Days once on Friday, July 28, twice on Saturday, July 29, and once on Sunday, July 30 in the demo ride area at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The drill team performances are in addition to other stunt shows, three bike shows, the annual Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum Auction, North America’s largest motorcycle swap meet, demo rides of new bikes, seminars and a full slate of American Historic Motorcycle Racing Association action. AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days will be the third event on Mid-Ohio’s eight-race 2006 schedule. Still to come is the Honda Super Cycle Weekend presented by Dunlop Tire (August 4-6), Vintage Grand-Prix of Mid-Ohio (August 18-20), National Auto Sport Association Championships (September 15-17), AMA Road Race Grand Championships & AMA Motocross Manufacturers Cup (September 22-24) and the AMA Superbike Shootout (September 30-October 1). Tickets for all events are available by calling 1-800-MID-OHIO or visiting www.midohio.com. Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is a permanent road racing circuit with two primary configurations: a 2.4-mile, 15-turn, and a 2.25-mile, 13-turn circuit in Lexington, Ohio. Located 60 miles north of Columbus and 75 miles south of Cleveland near Mansfield, the track has been called the most competitive in the U.S. and annually hosts a diversity of locally, regionally and nationally sanctioned racing events for amateur, club and professional riders and drivers. Founded in 1981 and headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, TrueSports, Incorporated is a privately held motorsports entertainment enterprise. The company owns and operates Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and The Mid-Ohio School, and promotes a wide variety of motor racing, driver instruction, corporate, and family entertainment events throughout the year.
Brainerd International Raceway Sold To Minnesota Family
Brainerd, Mn. – Brainerd International Raceway, Minnesota’s premier motor sports facility long held by Sports Resorts International Inc., a Michigan based company, has been sold to BIR Holdings LLC, held by Jed and Kristi Copham of Forest Lake MN. The facility will be known as “Brainerd International Raceway and Resort.” Together, along with Sports Resorts CEO Donald J.Williamson, they take great pleasure in making this announcement for the Brainerd racetrack that has long played a historical significance in the Minnesota Motorsports landscape and Brainerd community. The 600 acre facility plays host each year to numerous automobile and motorcycle events including the renowned National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) 25th annual National Event scheduled for August 10 13, 2006. “As the Mayor of Flint Michigan, and my wife Patsy Lou running for State Senate, we are focusing our efforts within our local community” commented Donald Williamson. “We have owned the Brainerd facility since 1994 and continued to invest each year with numerous capital improvements. We feel this has continued to make BIR a great destination for thousands of motorsports fans and racers.” Williamson stated “they are pleased to have kept the 6-unit condominium building on the lake and sincerely wish the Cophams as much fun and success as we have had. We would also like to thank the Brainerd community for their support and continued well wishes for the new owners.” “As amateur road racers and occasional drag racers, my family and I are excited about the purchase of BIR,” said Jed Copham. “Like many around the State of Minnesota and the Midwest, our family has been coming to BIR for years as participants and spectators. The opportunity for our company to purchase this facility and continue its legacy is a welcomed challenge we look forward to for many years to come. My transition team is eager to continue the work that has taken place in this wonderful facility and we especially look forward to developing new relationships within the Brainerd area and all throughout the motorsports community.” “We want to welcome Mr. and Mrs. Copham into the NHRA family and look forward to working with them and the entire staff at Brainerd International Raceway for years to come,” said Peter Clifford, Executive Vice President and General Manager, NHRA. “Given their personal involvement in racing, we are confident that as owners of the facility, they will make sure the needs of both the fans and the racing community are met and will be a great asset to the Brainerd community.” Future plans for BIR include a continuance of the current drag racing programs and road course racing programs while searching for new racing events for BIR’s patrons and racing customers. Additional plans may include a revision of the current road course configuration with a goal of separating the current drag strip from the track’s main straightaway. As allowed, additional configuration changes may see a new but separate and shorter road course design using turn’s 2, 3, 4, and 5 on the current road course. Although BIR’s famed 3 mile road course will continue to be an option for users, the construction of a shorter track will allow more options for multiple uses within the facility.
Eric Wood Recovers From Knee Surgery After AMA Superbike Qualifying Crash At Laguna Seca
Eric Wood of Team Hooters HelpMeRide.com Suzuki is recovering from arthroscopic surgery performed on Tuesday July 25th on his left knee. Wood had scheduled the surgery prior to the past AMA Superbike round at Laguna Seca to remove a piece of cartilage that was bothering his knee. Unfortunately, Wood compounded the original injury when he fell during qualifying for the Superbike final at Laguna.
Wood explained, “I was trying to learn a new setup during Saturday qualifying, we only got 8 laps on Friday and the bike needed some major changes to work on the new track surface. We were making progress and dropping time, when I tried using some of the entrance curbing entering the corkscrew on the left side – I had noticed some tire marks there on previous laps and thought I may be able to straighten out the entrance a bit. When I hit the curbing I lost the front and threw my left foot off the peg. In the process of gathering the bike back up I got my foot sucked into the back tire and jammed between the tire and the swingarm. The tire then locked up and dragged me down the hill – not a lot of fun.”
The crash gave him a hairline fracture in his left foot and a small ACL tear in his left knee. He rode the race a few hours later and soldiered on to 18th place, gathering some valuable championship points. Wood hopes to be ready for the next round of the AMA Superbike series at Mid Ohio.