Alton, Va. One of the biggest hits among many big hits during last year’s Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals at VIRginia International Raceway was the inaugural Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals Superstars Kart Enduro Challenge, in which 10 lucky fans got to compete with and against some of the biggest motorcycle racing superstars in the business at VIR’s Plantation Valley Kart Track. Event promoters M1 Entertainment have announced that the event will not only return in 2006, but will be bigger and better than ever. This year’s Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals Superstars Kart Enduro Challenge will take place on Thursday, August 17. The concept is this: There will be 12 teams of four drivers each. Each team will be comprised of one fan, one Superbike racer, one media member and one staff member from VIR, AMA, M1 Entertainment or a sponsor. Each driver will get seven laps of the 5/8-mile Plantation Valley Kart Track in one of 12 equally prepared 50cc Zip karts. Each driver’s fastest lap will be recorded, and the team with the lowest elapsed time (arrived at by compiling the team’s four fastest laps) will win the event. The winning fan will receive a trophy and a group photo with all the participants, plus a free three-day pass for the 2007 Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals, and the winning team will have a guaranteed entry in next year’s Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals Superstars Kart Enduro Challenge. Two of the fan seats are already spoken for. Last year’s fan winner, Matt Boike of Charlotte, N.C., will be back to defend his title, along with his teammates, Kawasaki Formula Xtreme competitor Jessica Zalusky, speedtv.com director Mark Mitchell and AMA Superbike Championship series manager Ron Barrick. Another fan seat will go to the winner of the recently-announced M1 Experience promotion, which will award one lucky ticket-buyer an unprecedented package of amenities and access that includes an entry in the Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals Superstars Kart Enduro Challenge. With the addition of two teams this year to bring the total to 12, that still leaves as many chances for fans to win as before. In order to be eligible to win a seat in the Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals Superstars Kart Enduro Challenge, a fan must purchase a ticket before August 7. Ten names will be drawn from all those who purchase tickets by that date and the chosen fans will be contacted by M1 Entertainment by August 10. “The Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals Superstars Kart Enduro Challenge was a huge success last year,” said M1 Entertainment president Cameron Gray. “Not only was it popular with the fans and racers, it got a lot of coverage on Speed Channel and in the motorcycle media. The competition was fierce but fun, and we’ve been getting calls from a lot of the Superbike racers who want to be a part of the big race this year. We’ll be announcing the Superbike participants in the next few weeks, but you can be guaranteed that the field will include some of the biggest names in the business.” Last year’s Superbike contingent included Zalusky, Miguel Duhamel, Neil Hodgson, Eric Bostrom, Roger Hayden, Ben Spies, Steve Rapp, Kevin Schwantz, Josh Hayes and Aaron Yates. 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 with a copy of a current military ID (advance) or by presenting their ID card at the gate. Similarly, college students will be eligible for a 15-percent discount with a copy of a current college ID (advance) or 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. Advance ticket sales will end at 5:00 pm on August 14. Tickets ordered too late to mail will be able to be picked up at Will Call at the track. To purchase tickets, visit www.m1event.com or www.gettix.net. VIRginia International Raceway is a multi-purpose road racing facility, located on the Dan River between Danville and South Boston, Va., and 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; and the Oak Tree Tavern, a full-service restaurant located within the circa-1840 Plantation Clubhouse.

A record 11 permanent World Endurance Championship teams will race at the Suzuka 8 Hour round of the FIM World Endurance Championship at the end of this month. Four additional permanent teams have entered alongside the seven permanent teams announced last week as taking part in the FIM Endurance Cup of Nations. The full line up is now as follows: · Suzuki Castrol · Yamaha Phase One Endurance · Shell Endurance Academy Yamaha · Yamaha Austria Racing Team · Bolliger Team Kawasaki · Team Fagersjo-el.se Suzuki · Yamaha Endurance Moto38 · No Limits & RT Suzuki · Team Endurance Moto45 Suzuki · Acropolis Zone Rouge 199 Yamaha · Kawasaki Diablo 666 The Suzuka 8 Hour race takes place on July 30th. It is widely regarded as the most prestigious motorcycle race in the world, with the many factory and semi-factory supported entries and high profile riders reflecting the importance that the Japanese manufacturers place on winning this race. Until recently only a small handful of European teams made the annual trek to Japan to compete at Suzuka. Over the last few years this number has grown steadily and participation is now considered essential by teams hoping to make an impact in the championship. The permanent championship teams have raised their game in recent seasons, with top ten finishes for Suzuki Castrol, Yamaha Phase One Endurance, Yamaha GMT94 and Suzuki Police Nationale over the last three years showing that they can compete at Suzuka with the best Japanese entries. More information about the FIM World Endurance Championship can be found at www.worldendurance.com

Including several things that have mid-June deadlines despite the fact that this information pack did not reach us or several riders we know prior to the end of June. And no, that last map showing the Ranch Gate Road entry is not accurate. (Adobe PDF, 1.6 MB)

Both of Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne’s Rizla Suzuki GSX-R1000K6 race bikes were stolen last night from a locked garage at the Croft circuit in North Yorkshire. Rizla Suzuki is offering a £10,000 reward for their safe return. The bikes were garaged in preparation for the start of the official MCRCB two day test at the circuit, due to start this morning. The team left the circuit at around 20:00 and returned at 8:00 this morning to find the garage door open and the two bikes missing along with parts and accessories. Airwaves Ducati and Redbull Honda also had parts stolen last night. The police and circuit security have been called to the scene and an investigation is underway. Rizla Suzuki Team Manager Robert Wicks said: “The priority now is to try and recover these stolen bikes. They are two very distinctive Rizla Suzuki race bikes littered with hand-made parts and marked accessories that are useless to anyone bar a Superbike race team. Even if the bikes are broken down the parts will remain identifiable and we will do everything within our power to trace them. “We are giving our full co-operation to the police to find these bikes and bring the thieves to justice. The team is offering a reward of £10,000 to anyone who can help the police with their investigation that leads to the bikes being recovered and the thieves successfully prosecuted. Anyone with any information or suspicion should contact 01202-820170. Alternatively they can call the police direct.” The theft of the bikes scuppers the two day test for Shakey and the team. “Shakey’s bikes were tailored to suit him with one-off fitments and hand-built engines that took months to complete,” explained Robert. “To replace these will be immensely difficult, it sets us and Shakey back a long way. “The thieves who have stolen these bikes are not fans of the sport or friends to motorcycling in any way, they are simply thieves. I urge anyone with information to come forward and expose these thieves for the good of the team, Shakey and the legions of BSB and race fans in this country.” If you have any information on the whereabouts of the stolen bikes please call Darlington Police on 0845-6060365 or Rizla Suzuki direct on 01202-820170 or e-mail any information to [email protected]. Any information supplied in confidence will remain in confidence.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: Stolen dirt bike in Atlanta- Please keep an eye out! Some punk made off with my dirt bike last night, out of (my husband) Ed’s truck. I had it with me up at Cycle Jam and we hadn’t unloaded it yet. I’d just backed up so the tailgate was against our 6′ tall wooden fence that pens in our trailer. Bastards just cut the straps and lifted it over the side of his truck. Guess it’s our fault for not unloading it right away, but I’m a little beyond pissed. I know the chances of actually getting it back are slim to none, but I thought I’d post the info here just in case. It’s a blue 2005 Yamaha TTR-230, and the VIN is 9C6CG19Y950003258. I just got it for my birthday in November, so it’s only got some minor scratches on it. I had “77” on the numberplates, and the little red cap on top of the kill switch was missing. It also has blue Acerbis bark busters on it. Despite a recent pressure washing, it was still pretty muddy on the underside, too. We live in East Atlanta, but who knows where it is now. If anybody should happen to see it (or somebody trying to sell it), please let me know. Beth Dolgner Atlanta, Georgia [email protected]

The viewing will be Thursday night from 7:00-9:00 p.m., and the funeral is on Friday 2:00 p.m. at Forbis & Dick Funeral Home in Pleasant Garden, North Carolina, ~http://www.forbisanddick.com~ In lieu of flowers, his family has requested donations be made in Chris Steveson’s name to either the Roadracing World Action Fund for Airfence deployment fund or to a riders injury fund which is currently being set up; Check back later for more details. In the meantime I’ve set-up this account at Paypal: [email protected] Thanks to everybody for all your prayers and kindness. An obituary can be seen, here: ~http://www.legacy.com/News-Record/Obituaries.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonId=18356930~

Hot news, buy Capirosi’s 2005 Sepang pole sitter and MotoGP winning Ducati! Up for bid at the ~http://www.montereyclassicbikeauction.com~ MotoGP week! A major first–you can buy a Schumacher Ferrari but not a GP bike due to the teams compacting them or tipping them in the ocean. This is a major coup and one I hope will break the ‘glass ceiling’ for bike auctions. We have some great stuff, so see you there.