AMERICAN ADVENTURE AHEAD FOR KAWASAKI After ripping up Hollywood Boulevard on a Ninja ZX-10R during a Dorna Pre-Event promotional appearance on Tuesday, Shinya Nakano, together with Kawasaki teammate Randy de Puniet, heads for Laguna Seca and this weekend’s round eleven of the MotoGP World Championship. For Nakano this will be the second time he’s raced at the Laguna Seca circuit, having taken a hard fought ninth place in US Grand Prix last season, but for de Puniet this will be his first time on the track, and his first encounter with the infamous Laguna Seca Corkscrew. The 25-year-old Frenchman took the opportunity to run the Laguna Seca track on Wednesday afternoon, declaring it not dissimilar in layout to the Lédenon circuit in Southern France, where he has been fast in the past. Although certain the track will look very different from the saddle of his Ninja ZX-RR when opening practice gets underway on Friday, already de Puniet is confident that the mainly fast and flowing Laguna Seca circuit will suit his aggressive riding style. While his Kawasaki teammate is busy learning his way around the Laguna Seca circuit during practice and qualifying, Shinya Nakano will focus on improving his lines through the sections of track where he lost time during last year’s race. The 28-year-old Japanese rider knows that there are places on the track where the American riders – through familiarity with the circuit – are faster, and Nakano is determined to find these elusive ‘fast lines’ ahead of Sunday’s 32-lap MotoGP race. While the Laguna Seca circuit has been resurfaced over the winter, and the approach to the Corkscrew has been modified, the track still demands that a bike be set-up to steer quickly, but to remain stable under heavy braking for the two slowest corners on the track; the 60 km/h last turn and the infamous Corkscrew. Shinya Nakano: #56 “Last year I managed to find the fast line through some of the turns here, but there was still something missing and that’s what I need to focus on this time around. Maybe the best idea will be to follow one of the American riders around for a while during practice, as they have a good understanding of the secret to a fast lap time at this circuit. Having said that, based on our first race here 12 months ago, I think we have a good chance here, as Laguna is not really a power circuit, although it is important to carry speed through most of the corners. Overall I think the circuit will suit the characteristics of our Ninja ZX-RR, and I’m definitely looking for a good result this weekend to take me into the summer break.” Randy de Puniet: #17 “Obviously I haven’t ridden the track yet, as the 250cc class don’t race here at Laguna, but from running the circuit this afternoon, I think the layout will suit my riding style. In style the Laguna Seca track is not so different to the Lédenon circuit in the South of France, where I had some successful races when I was contesting the French National Championship some years ago, and I hope I can do the same this weekend. It’s difficult to predict how the track will feel on our Ninja ZX-RR from just running the circuit, but we’ll find out soon enough when practice starts on Friday. I am particularly looking forward to riding the Corkscrew here; it looks like a very strange corner even when you’re running through it, so it will be interesting to see what it’s like on the bike. We have four hours of track time for me to learn my way around the circuit, and I hope we can leave here on Sunday for the summer break with a good result behind us.”

FIM Supersport World Championship Brno, Czech Republic July 21 Provisional Qualifying Results: 1. Kevin CURTAIN (Yam YZF-R6) 2:06.407 2. Broc PARKES (Yam YZF-R6) 2:06.556 3. Simone SANNA (Hon CBR600RR) 2:06.736 4. Kenan SOFUOGLU (Hon CBR600RR) 2:06.863 5. Sebastien CHARPENTIER (Hon CBR600RR) 2:06.906 6. Yoann TIBERIO (Hon CBR600RR) 2:06.979 7. Johan STIGEFELT (Hon CBR600RR) 2:07.034 8. Massimo ROCCOLI (Yam YZF-R6) 2:07176 9. Christian ZAISER (Duc 749R) 2:07.188 10. Barry VENEMAN (Sux GSX-R600) 2:07.407 11. David CHECA (Yam YZF-R6) 2:07.408 12. Gianluca VIZZIELLO (Yam YZF-R6) 2:07.476 13. Gregory LEBLANC (Hon CBR600RR) 2:07.672 14. Robbin HARMS (Hon CBR600RR) 2:07.720 15. Mauro SANCHINI (Yam YZF-R6) 2:07.733 More, from a press release issued by Winston Ten Kate Honda: SOFUOGLU AND CHARPENTIER MAKE BRIGHTS STARTS AT SUNNY BRNO In his comeback ride after suffering recent pelvic and shoulder injuries, Sebastien Charpentier (Winston Ten Kate Honda) went fifth fastest in the opening qualifying session at Brno, one place behind his on-form team-mate, Kenan Sofuoglu (Winston Ten Kate Honda). Hot ambient and track temperatures made the 45-minute session hard for all involved, but the Winston Ten Kate Honda Team nevertheless made a satisfactory start overall, with one more qualifying session left in which to improve times still further. Charpentier was injured in a testing crash at this very circuit, but showed little fear as he eased himself back into the role of racer, after missing the previous round at Misano. Ronald Ten Kate – Team Manager “Quite a good start to the weekend really, and it’s good to have Sebastien back and immediately near the top of the time-sheets again. We need to take it step-by-step with him over the weekend, and try to build confidence, and the most important thing for us is to build points from here. We have enjoyed it to see him in the position he is in now and I’m sure he will improve even more tomorrow. It’s also good to have Kenan so far up the sheets, because he is normally a slower starter on the weekend. For tomorrow we will have to work as hard as possible to make the bikes better and to make life easier for the riders around this track. It is going to be very hot on Sunday, as we know. We’ll be studying the race set-ups we tried today very closely, to get the perfect bike for the guys to ride on Sunday.” Sebastien Charpentier – Winston Ten Kate Honda Rider (5th position – 2’06.906) “It wasn’t so easy because for over a month I have not been near a bike, after having to suffer a big five hour operation, so it has not been easy for my body. There is no pain but the muscles in my back have perished through lack of use, and they are vital for changing direction. The afternoon was better than the morning for me, and it will only get better all weekend. It’s nice to come back to the team, I like and respect everyone involved and it is good to be working with them again. The new front Pirelli is good so I feel positive, confident for the future, because after this we have two weeks until Brands. I think it was possible for me to have set a 2’06.5 this afternoon, except for the traffic.” Kenan Sofuoglu – Winston Ten Kate Honda Rider (4th position – 2.06.863) “A not so bad start and I did do a test here last month so we have a lot of information from there. That is very good for me because every time I got to a new track I first have to learn everything from zero again. Today was OK but tomorrow I will have to do even more. I want to start from the front row so tomorrow I will do everything possible to make sure I do.” FIRST QUALIFYING: 1. Curtain – Yamaha – 2’06.407 2. Parkes – Yamaha – 2’06.556 3. Sanna – Honda – 2’06.736 4. Sofuoglu – Winston Ten Kate Honda – 2’06.863 5. Charpentier – Winston Ten Kate Honda – 2’06.906 More, from a press release issued by Yamaha Racing: Yamaha Motor Germany pair fastest in first Brno practice Yamaha Motor Germany riders Kevin Curtain and Broc Parkes topped the timesheets in this afternoon’s first qualifying session at Brno. The Australian YZF-R6 riders were able to take advantage of three days testing at the Czech venue last month and, just as at the test, it was Curtain who ended the day as the fastest rider – one tenth of a second ahead of his team-mate. Both riders were fractionally slower than the times they achieved in testing, Curtain’s best of 2:06.407 comparing to a 2:06.0 set last month, with the hot conditions responsible for a reduction in grip levels. Third fastest in today’s first qualifying session was Italian Simone Sanna (Honda), with Turkish rider Kenan Sofuoglu (Honda) completing the provisional front row. Misano winner Massimo Roccoli ended the day eighth on his Yamaha Team Italia YZF-R6, with Yamaha GMT94’s David Checa 11th and Gianluca Vizziello 12th on the second Yamaha Team Italia entry.

Several MotoGP riders expressed concerns with the new racing surface at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, especially overall grip and grip in areas of the track that have been freshly ground down, during a pre-event press conference Thursday afternoon at the track. “When I went around it,” Kenny Lee Roberts told reporters, “I was unsure of what was happening with why they cut the surface. That is my main point as far as it standing out to me when I went around it. So we don’t know what the surface is going to be like tomorrow with those cuts. I don’t know if it’s going to be good grip or vague feeling or no grip. I hope for us and the circuit it’s OK.” Bumps found between turns four and five, between turns nine and 10 and at the top of the Corkscrew during a recent test by three-time AMA Superbike Champion Doug Chandler were ground level with a method referred to as “diamond grinding,” according to Public Relations Manager Reece White. Those areas were then treated with a special sealer called “Fast Dry, which was mixed with a silica sand to give it grip. You can drive on it in 40-45 minutes,” said White. “It was used here before back in the days when the high-downforce Champ cars were causing problems for a lot of tracks. So motorcycles have run on it before and, presumably, not noticed.” John Hopkins and Colin Edwards said they felt the track was bumpier than they expected when they took sighting laps on pit scooters Thursday. Roberts, Hopkins, Edwards, Nikcy Hayden and Valentino Rossi all said the level of safety of the track had been improved significantly.

All times are Eastern Time AMA Supermoto Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, Miller Motorsports Park, Tooele, Utah, Thursday, July 20, 7 p.m. (OLN) AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, California AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, Sunday, July 23, 3 p.m. (SPEED) AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF, Unadilla Valley Sports Center, New Berlin, New York AMA Motocross Championship, Sunday, July 23, 3 p.m. (OLN) AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, California AMA Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship, Sunday, July 23, 4 p.m. (SPEED) AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, California AMA Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Series, Sunday, July 23, 6 p.m. (SPEED) AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF, Unadilla Valley Sports Center, New Berlin, New York AMA Motocross Championship, Monday, July 24, 4 a.m. (OLN) AMA Supermoto Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, Miller Motorsports Park, Tooele, Utah, Monday, July 24, 3 p.m. (OLN) AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF, Red Bud Track-n-Trail, Buchanan, Michigan AMA Motocross Lites, Monday, July 24, 4 p.m. (OLN) AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF, Unadilla Valley Sports Center, New Berlin, New York AMA Motocross Lites, Sunday, July 24, 5 p.m. (OLN) AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, California AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, Tuesday, July 25, 2 p.m. (SPEED) AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, California Repsol Lubricants Superstock Series, Tuesday, July 25, 3 p.m. (SPEED) AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF, Red Bud Track-n-Trail, Buchanan, Michigan AMA Motocross Lites, Wednesday, July 26, 5 a.m. (OLN) AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF, Unadilla Valley Sports Center, New Berlin, New York AMA Motocross Lites, Wednesday, July 26, 5 a.m. (OLN) AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF, Red Bud Track-n-Trail, Buchanan, Michigan AMA Motocross Lites, Wednesday, July 26, 6 p.m. (OLN) AMA Supermoto Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, Miller Motorsports Park, Tooele, Utah, Thursday, July 27, 5 p.m. (OLN) AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF, Unadilla Valley Sports Center, New Berlin, New York AMA Motocross Lites, Thursday, July 27, 6 p.m. (OLN) Check local listings Subject to Change

BOSTROM AND HODGSON READY FOR US GRAND PRIX WEEKEND Monterey (California) 20 July 2006: The Parts Unlimited Ducati Team returns to AMA Superbike racing this weekend at Laguna Seca. Fresh off his Utah podium performance, Ben Bostrom and teammate Neil Hodgson, plus the rest of the AMA stars, will race as a support class at the US Grand Prix. The Ducati 999 pilots will contest the 28-lap AMA Superbike battle on Saturday afternoon in what is becoming one of the most significant races in the USA. For Bostrom, the race at one of his favorite tracks can’t come soon enough. Bostrom has found his form of late. Ben has been quick in testing, practice, and the races. Bostrom and the Ducati 999 finished a close third in the first race in Utah and on Sunday led the race before spectacularly crashing out of the contest. Laguna Seca has seen some of Bostrom’s proudest moments in racing. Ben won a World Superbike race in Monterey as a “wild card” entry in 1999, a victory that helped spring the Californian into a works Ducati World Superbike ride the next season. Bostrom also won the last Superbike race he entered at Laguna Seca, taking the 2004 AMA win before returning to World Superbike last year. “I’m ready,” said Bostrom. “We’ve made a lot of progress lately and learned a lot in our time with the Ducati 999. At Utah, we were able to run up front and it felt great to be back. Of course, we want to do it again and we have a pretty good record at Laguna. I consider it my home track. There won’t be much time for getting up to speed with the limited practice this weekend, and that will make it even more of a challenge.” There is a sole practice session Friday morning. Saturday will see qualifying at 11:15 AM and the 28-lap race at 4:00 PM local time. Neil Hodgson has finished on the podium at Laguna Seca before, including twice in his World Superbike championship season. “Laguna Seca was a track I learned in my World Superbike days, so in a way it is the track I am most familiar with in the States. I’ve had some good races here. They have made some changes to the circuit again this year, so we’ll have to see how it goes because we haven’t tested the new configuration yet. I’m excited to get back racing again after some time off.” In addition to the on-track racing action, Laguna Seca also plays host to one of the largest gatherings of Ducati fans in North America. Ducati-related activities at the track are centered on Ducati Island. The Island, started in 1998, is located on the circuit infield and will see the launch of a special new 2007 Superbike model this weekend. With over 150,000 fans in attendance for the three days of last year’s race, the 2006 event promises to be one of the largest of the season. The Circuit: The 11 turn, 2.2 mile (3.6 kilometer) Laguna Seca circuit is known for challenging, flowing turns. The landmark corner at the track is the Corkscrew, a left/right chicane that features a dramatic elevation drop of more than 50 feet. The Corkscrew has been modified for this race. The final corner, Turn 11, is the slowest on the circuit and has featured many passing maneuvers in the previous races held in Monterey. AMA Superbike Points (after 11 races): 1. Ben Spies, Suzuki 388 2. Mat Mladin, Suzuki 367 3. Miguel Duhamel, 302 4. Neil Hodgson, Parts Unlimited Ducati 288 5. Aaron Yates, Suzuki 278 6. Jake Zemke, Honda 273 7. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki 272 8. Ben Bostrom, Parts Unlimited Ducati 244

DUCATI XEROX TEAM HEADS TO THE CZECH REPUBLIC FOR SEVENTH ROUND AT BRNO Brno (Czech Republic), Thursday 20 July: Ducati Xerox Team riders Troy Bayliss and Lorenzo Lanzi will be back in action again this weekend for the seventh round of the 2006 World Superbike Championship at the AutoMotodrom Brno in the Czech Republic. Just a few days after the conclusion of a successful three-day test at the Lausitzring, the Australian championship leader and his Italian team-mate will be donning their leathers once again as the series passes the half-way point to move into the second half of the season. Despite eight wins so far and a 94-point lead under his belt, 37-year-old Bayliss from Taree, Australia will not be changing his strategy for the rest of the year. “I’ll be attacking for sure in the remaining rounds” he declared. “I really like the Brno track, I had a podium there in 2003 in MotoGP and good results in the last test there a month or so ago so I’m looking forward to going back. My 999 is almost perfect now, so we’ve been working more with the settings in the last tests, little things to improve the tyre life and conserve the rear tyre. We came away in the second long-run at Lausitz a lot better than the first one, and we went under the record at the test here so all in all I’m feeling pretty confident this weekend. I think all the teams have picked it up a little bit as well and are getting the bikes working better. Right now Pitt, Haga, Corser and Toseland are all riding strong and they’ll give us some good races.” Lorenzo Lanzi is currently lying seventh in the championship standings on the second Ducati Xerox 999 machine with 80 points. The 24-year-old Italian aims to break out of his run of below-par results with a couple of good performances at Brno. “I really like the Brno track” he says, “and the tests we did here one month ago and in Germany this week went well so we will try and start the weekend in the best way by getting the right set-up and setting some good times on the Fiday. When we did the test in June I wasn’t far off the pace of the top guys, especially with race tyres so I feel I can obtain some good results in this race. Moreover there will be a couple of coaches of my fans here at Brno, it gives me great pleasure that they follow me everywhere. For sure they’ll be cheering for me, hopefully I can give them something to enjoy this weekend!” THE CIRCUIT Name: Automotodrom Brno Length: 5.403 km. Pole Position: left. Corners Left/Right: 5/9. Race distance: 2 x 20 laps/108.060 km CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS (after 6 rounds of 12): Riders – 1. Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) 254; 2. Haga (Yamaha) 160; 3. Toseland (Honda) 157; 4. Corser (Suzuki) 149; 5. Barros (Honda) 146; 6. Pitt (Yamaha) 128; 7. Lanzi (Ducati) 80; 8. Xaus (Ducati) 70; 9. Walker (Kawasaki) 64; 10. Abe (Yamaha) 60. Manufacturers – 1. Ducati 260; 2. Honda 196; 3. Yamaha 189; 4. Suzuki 188; 5. Kawasaki 98; 6. Petronas 4. STATISTICS: Best lap: Corser (Suzuki), 2m02.694s (2005). Lap record: Haga (Yamaha), 2m03.747s (2005). Superpole: Corser (Suzuki), 2m02.694s (2005). 2005 RESULTS: Race 1 – 1. Corser (Suzuki); 2. Toseland (Ducati); 3. Laconi (Ducati). Race 2 – 1. Haga (Yahama); 2. Corser; 3. Vermeulen (Honda).