TORONTO, ON Jordan Szoke and the Canadian Kawasaki factory team head into this weekend’s second round of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship at Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant hoping history will be on their side. Szoke was the winner the last time the national tour visited the daunting 4.27km, 15-turn circuit while riding for Honda in 2004. The previous year, on the Canadian series’ first visit to Le Circuit Tom Kipp rode his Kawasaki ZX-7RR to victory. Those respective wins were the last for Szoke and Kawasaki until two weeks ago at the 2006 Parts Canada Superbike series opener at Shannonville Motorsport Park, where Szoke rode his new Kawasaki ZX-10R to an impressive victory to take the early lead in the standings. Szoke is aiming to become just the third rider to win three Canadian Superbike titles since the inception of the national championship in 1980. The select group includes Steve Crevier, who has won six championships, and Michel Mercier. Szoke was previously the Canadian champion in 1998 for Kawasaki and 2002 with Suzuki. The Brantford, ON racer will face many challengers in his bid for a second straight win at Mont-Tremblant. Chief among them could be his own teammate, Kipp, who qualified on pole for the season opener at Shannonville and finished fifth in the race. Another threat will be the Team Suzuki / Blackfoot squad of Francis Martin and Clint McBain. Martin, from Rock Forest, QC, is the defending Parts Canada Superbike champion and placed third at Shannonville. Calgary’s McBain is coming off a nasty fall at the season opener, but should be ready for action this weekend and won two races last year. Another rider nursing injuries is Picotte Performance / Yamaha Canada / Toyota Yamaha’s Pascal Picotte. The two-time champion from St-Cecil Milton, QC finished fourth in round 1 despite racing with broken vertebrae, a broken toe and banged up knees sustained in a crash in the U.S. in April. His teammate Kevin Lacombe of Granby, QC finished second at Shannonville and was also a race winner last season. Darkhorses this weekend include Armour Bodies Honda’s Erick Beausejour of Val Senneville, QC, Riders Choice Suzuki’s Matt McBride of Mississauga, ON, Z1 Yamaha’s Andrew Nelson of Kars, ON and Kahuna Kawasaki’s Frank Trombino of Kleinburg, ON. Szoke will also be looking to stretch his lead in the Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike support class. He won the season opener at Shannonville comfortably over McBain and Lacombe. This weekend’s action also features the second rounds of the International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike, Canadian Thunder and Suzuki SV650 National Cup divisions. Karl Daigle of Roxton Pond, QC rode his Honda to victory in the Amateur 600 opener two weeks ago, while defending champion Darren James of North Vancouver triumphed in Thunder on a Buell and Brantford, ON’s Rob Busby took the SV Cup win. Official practice for the Parts Canada Superbike Championship will be held Friday, with qualifying for the national classes on Saturday afternoon. Feature races will go Sunday.

John McGuinness heads the entry for the 99th annual running of the Isle of Man TT races and having already warmed up with a high speed lap of the demanding 37.73 mile Mountain Course during practice, the Lancastrian is brimming with confidence. The winner of eight races on this unique public roads course, that takes the action on a round trip of the picturesque Island, starting and finishing in Douglas, and charging through towns and village, open countryside and then high over Snaefell Mountain, McGuinness has factory backed HM Plant Honda machines as he bids for glory in all four solo races. On three wheels, local favourite Dave Molyneux, a record eleven times sidecar race winner, passengered by Craig Hallam, also has the benefit of Honda power as he bids for another winning double in the two events for the ‘chairs’, on Monday and Wednesday, that are a vital part of the TT tradition. The racing programme begins with the TT Superbike race, decided over six laps, on Saturday, with McGuinness firmly focussed on achieving an ‘action-replay’ of his success of last year, in both that and the ‘blue-riband’ Senior race the following Friday. He has already lapped the course at an average speed of 125mph during his preparations, and is feeling confident: “I’ve won the previous three big races here, and have the top package to race with and with Honda I am feeling relaxed and ready to race. “I know that I have a target on my back for the others, and it is good to see more young riders challenging, but I am not feeling any stress. Everything is shaping up to be very good,” added McGuinness who holds the outright record, with a lap of 127.68mph, though he admits speed is not everything. “The important thing is to be smooth and consistent, get going and enjoy, riding within your limits, keeping safety margins that do not push you over the edge. The event is just so different, totally unique.” Ian Lougher, seven times a winner, could pose problems for McGuinness. He is riding a similar Honda CBR1000, but in the colour of British Superbike team Stobart Motorsport, as he bids for his first ‘big-bike’ win on the Island. “For some reason, success in these races has always eluded me for one reason or another, but this year I feel I have the ammunition to go out there and win,” he said after consistently fast lapping, at an average of 123mph, in early practice. Cameron Donald and Martin Finnegan adds to the Honda challenge, but they are all well aware of the threat posed by Guy Martin, keen to taste maiden TT glory, and looking strong on the AIM Racing Yamaha R1, while New Zealander Bruce Anstey, riding the TAS Suzuki GSX-R1000, and Ian Hutchinson, aboard the Kawasaki ZX-10R cannot be ruled out. Lougher, who admits: “I’ve always been referred to as a small-bike rider” expects to add to his collection of victories with a repeat of last year’s triumph in the Junior race for Supersport 600 machines. He will be riding a Honda CBR 600R, in Blackhorse Finance colours, in Wednesday’s four lap race, as he duels with McGuinness, aboard the official Honda CBR 600R entered machine, with both Guy, riding Yamaha, Hutchinson aboard the McAdoo Kawasaki and Jason Griffiths on a Yamaha certain to be on the pace. Griffiths, eleven times a podium finisher on the Island, but so far still chasing that elusive first TT victory, could achieve that ambition in Monday’s four lap Superstock race he has adopted the Island as his home and is keen to impress the locals aboard the Yamaha R1, and has topped 123mph in practice already. Martin is hot on the charge, but McGuinness is running with them aboard his Fireblade. “I have a chance to match the record of four wins a week held by Philip McCallen that would really be something special,” said McGuinness, but nothing comes easy in this event, with top riders including Anstey, riding Suzuki, and Kawasaki’s Hutchinson equally hungry for glory. The sidecar races are expected to fall to Molyneux. Last year he took his eleventh win in style, trimming an astonishing 30 seconds off his own lap record and already he is lapping at almost 115mph, but with Manx duo Nick Crowe and Darren Hope expected to push him hard ironically, they are riding a sidecar outfit built and prepared by Molyneux. For World champion Klaus Klaffenbock and Christian Parzer are back for more aboard their LCR Honda, but the real test for Molyneux and Crowe is expected to be provided by Gary Bryan/Colin Hardman and Phil Dongworth/Stuart Castles aboard Yamaha powered machines. The timetable for TT Race Week is: Saturday 3rd June 13:00 TT Superbike Race (6 laps) Monday 5th June 10:45 TT Superstock Race (4 laps) 13:15 Sidecar TT Race A (3 laps) Wednesday 7th June 10:45 Supersport Junior TT Race (4 laps) 13:15 Sidecar TT Race B (3 laps) Friday 9th June 10:45 Senior TT Race (6 laps) 14:00 Lap of Honour and Classic Parade

No matter how much riders insist they ride equally hard at every track there is usually a ‘home’ track factor that counts in favour of riders competing in their own countries. Italian Giacomo Agostini won the first race held here in 1976 and Valentino Rossi has won the last four races here too. In between those years there have been multiple wins for Honda legends Freddie Spencer and Mick Doohan but the last five podiums have featured at least two Italians. The 2005 rostrum was a clean sweep for Italian riders. Current World Championship series leader Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC211V) knows he has to stem the tide of Italian winners here on Sunday to give his title challenge fresh impetus after he failed to make the rostrum in France two weeks ago. The American had, until Le Mans, shown the consistency that marks out true title contenders with eight rostrum finishes on the trot. He needs to rediscover that form and a successful weekend in the backyard of the reigning World Champion would be a perfect tonic for the Kentucky Kid. His team-mate Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC211V) has tasted success here in the 250cc class with a win last year and his rapid acclimatization to MotoGP in his rookie season suggests that similar success is by no means out of the question. He now knows precisely how to achieve it after his victory in China. Marco Melandri (Fortuna Honda RC211V) will be aiming to repeat his win in France and the Italian will rank among the pre-event favourites to score maximum points here. He is so far the only man this season to have scored two wins and his second place overall in the World Championship points table is fully deserved. He won here in 2002 on a 250 and just missed out on a podium place in 2005 on his first season on a Honda RC211V. He will be highly motivated both by legions of fans and by the prospect of taking control at the top of the World Championship standings if he wins. Casey Stoner (LCR Honda RC211V) rides here for the first time on a 990cc machine and the genial Aussie has the added spur of representing his Italian-run team at their home race. He finished second here in 2004 on a 125. For Toni Elias (Fortuna Honda RC211V) this is a race where his season could either take a huge leap forward or condemn the buoyant Spaniard to the middle ranks of the points table. After five rounds he lies seventh with just under half the points tally of his team-mate Melandri. But he has finished as high as fourth in the opening round in Spain and only once been out of the top ten finishers. He has the talent for a podium here and it would be no less than his Italian-run team deserves. Makoto Tamada (Konica Minolta Honda RC211V) has been showing signs of improved form lately with a sixth and a seventh at the last two races. Again, his Italian-based team would like nothing more than another leap forward in form from the Japanese ace. Kenny Roberts (Roberts KR211V) will again be looking to take development of his Honda-powered machine forward here. With three races this month closely followed by three in July, now is the time when big improvements in chassis performance will pay dividends. All riders will under the gaze of more than 70,000 hardcore Italian race fans who flock to the Tuscan hills to cheer on their ‘home’ riders. In a sea of colour, various troupes of fans camp out in specific areas to cheer on their riders. Just 30km north east of Florence Mugello is a high-speed carousel of a track, with rolling, cambered turns and a 215mph 1141m main straight. At 5.245km it’s among the longer tracks too. Racing here tends to be close with spectacular slipstreaming action along the main chute and epic close-quarter fights in the turns, nine of which are right-handers, six left. Rhythm is the key to a fast lap here and a race rhythm over the 23-laps of the MotoGP contest will be crucial. It is also a ‘power’ circuit and so the Honda riders need have no worries about being short in that department here. “I’m really excited about going to Mugello because it’s an awesome place to race,” said Hayden. “The Italian fans really love their Grand Prix racing and it’s just an exciting place to be. The track is really good to ride and with that long straightaway drafting comes into play which usually makes for a close race. It’s an important one too, going into the summer, because we’ve got a lot of races coming up.” Dani said, “Mugello is one of the most complicated circuits we race on. It has a lot of variation: slow corners, fast corners, elevation changes and there are quite a few bumps that make the suspension set-up critical. It’s a really challenging track and was very physical to ride on a 250, so on a MotoGP bike I think it will be very tiring. But I’m really looking forward to it.” Stoner likes the layout and said, “Even though this is LCR’s home race I’m not feeling any extra pressure and Mugello is a track where I’ve always been fast I rate it as one of two best tracks in the world, up there with Phillip Island. The Italian Grand Prix is always a tough race because of the warm weather and the physical demands of the track, but I’ve been training hard.” Marco Melandri said, “The victory at Le Mans was a huge emotion, the best possible ‘antipasto’ before my home race. To head back to Italy straight after a win is fantastic even though Mugello will be a completely different story. My home race in front of so many supporters will be difficult because there are so many potential winners but I am one of them and I am ready to fight for the podium.” His team-mate Elias sai, “Mugello is a very technical track that requires good physical preparation because of the frequent changes in direction. In terms of riding it’s one of the most difficult tracks on the calendar. This year will be my first time there with a MotoGP bike last year I was unable to take part because of the broken wrist I sustained at Le Mans. I don’t have any references so hopefully I can find a good base setting quickly and adapt well to Mugello.” Tamada said, “The Mugello track is for sure one of my favourite. The endless front straightway and fast bends make it fantastic to ride at. The data we got during the last two Grands Prix gave us interesting information and I think we are very close to reaching the best technical balance on our RC211V. I feel the Italian Grand Prix as my second home race and I can’t wait to get on track.” Roberts said, “We have been working to finish the last modifications we have to make to the new chassis we brought to Le Mans. We are getting there I can run deeper into the turns with this bike. We are at maybe 80% of where we need to be but I think we will be closer this week at Mugello. If it doesn’t rain again.” In the 250cc class series leader Andrea Dovizioso (Humangest Racing Honda RS250RW) takes to the track with massive support and the Italian will be aiming to increase his points advantage over closest rival Hector Barbera. But Mugello is also home track to the Aprilia factory and it will be going flat out to provide its riders with as much speed as possible here. This race should prove an intriguing factory and individual battle between the in-form Honda riders and the Aprilia men. Dovi said, “The start of the season has been positive so far, even though I haven’t won yet, but it’s very important to lead the World Championship with a 14 points advantage. Honda dominated the whole podium at Le Mans, but it will be harder at Mugello as it’s a fast track and favours the Aprilias. But, as always, I’ll do my best with my bike, which is a competitive machine.” Shuhei Aoyama (Repsol Honda RS250RW), currently tenth in the standings said, “After the podium finish in France we have to continue to follow the same working line in Italy. I don’t know the Mugello circuit, only from video games, but everybody is telling me that it’s a very difficult and demanding circuit, both as regards the mechanical aspects and the rider. I hope to be able to make another good weekend to thank for the excellent job my team is making. The most important thing will be practice.” Dovi’s team-mate Yuki Takahashi (Humangest Racing Honda RS250RW) said, “This is not a favourite circuit for Honda, but my team and I are very motivated after the victory at Le Mans. After the race in France, I went back to Japan where I celebrated my first success along with my family and friends. I feel well and in good shape and the atmosphere inside the box is perfect, so there are all the ingredients for a good result even at Mugello.” Thomas Luthi (Elit Grand Prix Honda RS125R) is now back on top form in the 125cc class after a turbulent start to his season. He won in France two weeks ago and the Swiss World Champion is upbeat about his chances at a track where he finished second last season. He said, “I like the track at Mugello and with the bike working so well we hope for another good result after Le Mans but it will be tough I think any one of eight riders could win in Italy.” Gabor Talmacsi (Humangest Honda RS125R) said, “Last Thursday I was shooting an advertisement with a Honda production bike, when I crashed out at the first curve. It’s strange as there wasn’t grip and suddenly I was high-sided. I hurt my left shoulder but, luckily, nothing broken. I feel pain, I’m doing lots of physiotherapy and I hope Doctor Costa will help me to be 100% ready for the Italian race.” Rookie of tender years, 15-year-old Bradley Smith (Repsol Honda RS125R) said, “It looks like a difficult track lots of hills, lots of bits and pieces. I’ve been on the Playstation, watching DVDs and trying to get an overall feeling before I actually go. It’s never the same until you’ve ridden it but you get an overall idea.”

With the Gran Premio d’Italia Alice set to take place at the Mugello circuit this coming weekend, Jean Todt, General Director of Ferrari, and Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports SL, today signed a new contract at Maranello, which will see Mugello host the Gran Premio d’Italia for a further five years (2007-2011). “The Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello has taken on an increasingly important role for Ferrari over the years, since owning it”, stated Jean Todt. “This agreement demonstrates the high levels of standard already achieved by our structure from every point of view, and at the same time represents a new starting point, taking into account the latest development programme. I am therefore delighted to be able to announce that Mugello will continue to host MotoGP, the pinnacle of motorcycling, with the Gran Premio d’Italia which will continue to be the most important event on our sporting calendar over the next few years. The agreement also means that we can continue in our successful collaboration with Dorna, an organisation whose professionalism has allowed motorcycling to take on levels of popularity never seen before.” “We are very satisfied with this agreement, which extends our collaboration with the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello for another five years,” said Ezpeleta. “We are proud to be able to work with Ferrari, a legendary name in motorsport throughout the world, and also to have a circuit like Mugello as a host to the MotoGP World Championships, with both an organisation and a track which are at the very highest level, and where every year we see one of the most exciting and passionately followed events on the MotoGP calendar.”

PICKERINGTON, Ohio – The last two seasons of the AMA Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Series was a two rider duel between Honda riders Miguel Duhamel and Jake Zemke. This season is shaping up to be another battle between teammates. This times it’s Graves Yamaha’s Jason DiSalvo and Eric Bostrom who are trading wins. Bostrom now has two consecutive Formula Xtreme victories coming into this weekend’s contest at Road America and the Californian moved up to third in the series standings. Throw in second ranked Erion Racing Honda’s Josh Hayes in the mix and you have the makings of a three-way battle for this year’s title. Bostrom’s victory at Infineon Raceway two weeks ago not only moved him to third in the standings, it also tied him for second on the all-time Formula Xtreme wins list. With 11-career victories, Bostrom is only two wins away from tying Miguel Duhamel’s class record of 13 wins. Bostrom will try to edge closer to the record and series point leader DiSalvo in Elkhart Lake. Bostrom, with a hard fought, last lap victory over DiSalvo at Infineon, is gaining in confidence as the season progresses. “It should be an interesting rest of the year,” Bostrom said after his win two weeks ago in Sonoma, Calif. “Our bike keeps getting better and it should be good for the next race. I’ve got to keep winning. That’s our only shot at getting back up in the championship. I would guess Road America is going to be an even more strategic race than the one in Infineon.” Bostrom last won the Road America Formula Xtreme race in 1998. He also won the title that season. Five former winners of the Repsol Lubricants Superstock Series race at Road America are slated to be on the grid for this year’s race. Graves Yamaha’s Jamie Hacking leads the Superstock standings by 12 points over rival Aaron Yates, of Yoshimura Suzuki. Yates is the defending winner of the Road America Superstock event and is aiming to close the gap on Hacking with another victory this year. In addition to Yates, the other former Road America Superstock winners in this year’s field are Steve Rapp and Jason Pridmore of the Jordan Suzuki squad, Jason DiSalvo, Yamaha teammate to series leader Hacking, and Damon Buckmaster, who won on a Suzuki at Elkhart Lake in 2000 and now rides for Attack Performance Kawasaki. If Hacking or DiSalvo win at Road America, it would mark the first time a Yamaha has won the Road America Superstock race. Highlights of Road America’s Formula Xtreme and Superstock races will air on SPEED, Tuesday, June 6 at 5 p.m. Eastern. The Lockhart-Phillips Formula Xtreme and Repsol Lubricants Superstock races are part of Road America’s Suzuki Superbike Doubleheader on June 1-4 in Elkhart Lake, Wis. Tickets for the event can be purchased by calling 1.800.365.RACE or visiting www.roadamerica.com. Camping is available and children under 12 are admitted free.

Rizla Suzuki’s James Haydon and Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne will race at a revised Mallory Park circuit featuring a new chicane for the first time when the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visits the Leicestershire track for the sixth round this weekend. The chicane has been placed approximately half way round the famous Gerard’s 180 degree corner in a bid to slow the Superbikes down to improve safety. It means the circuit is now 1.41-miles long and a new lap record will be established during the races. James Haydon: “There will be a few new twists and turns for us at Mallory Park this weekend thanks to the new chicane. That puts an emphasis on learning the new corners quickly during the practice sessions. “Mallory Park is for brave riders who are ready to bash fairings and do what it takes to compete that’s what makes it one of my favourites. After the last round at Mondello Park was cancelled due to flooding I’m looking forward to racing again and scoring good results.” Shakey Byrne: “Gerard’s will be a lot different compared to the last time I raced at Mallory Park thanks to the new layout. To stick a chicane in the middle of a 120mph corner certainly makes things interesting and may give us another overtaking spot on the circuit. “At Mondello Park I took second place in qualifying only for the races to be cancelled, which was a bit of a blow. The Rizla Suzuki is working very well for me now though and I think we will be genuine podium contenders at Mallory Park. I need to win a race soon as I’m feeling starved.”

Hawk Kawasaki are pleased to be running 36-year-old Carl Rennie at this year’s famous Isle of Man TT. The Lancashire based rider will be competing in the Superbike, Superstock and Supersport classes. Rennie will ride the Kawasaki 2005 ZX10-R in the Superbike Class, the 06 ZX10-R in the Superstock races and the ZX-6RR for the Supersport events. Rennie who has already competed for Hawk Kawasaki at Tandagree and the Northwest 200 in preparation for the TT races scoring consistently good results. He suffered during qualifying at the Northwest 200 but managed 16th and 17th positions respectively in the two Superbike races from 31st place on the grid. His first TT was back in 1998 and he has since gained some very creditable results, having missed two years out due to injury in 2001 and 2004 he is hoping to gain some strong results for Hawk Kawasaki. Commenting he said “I’d like to thank Stuart Hicken and his team for giving me the opportunity to work with Hawk this year. Everyone has been working extremely hard to ensure the Kawasaki’s are spot on for the next two weeks. I’m very much looking forward to working with such a professional team and hope that I can gain some good results to thank them all for their efforts.” Rennie who has already been out on circuit, has already posted some positive times despite the blustery weather conditions during the practice week. During Monday’s (29th May) practice Rennie posted the sixth best time in the Supersport Class and was lying in fifth position in the ultra competitive Superbike Class. With thousands of racing fans due to descend on the Island in the next week, it is once again expected to be a fantastic event. Rennie is hoping to continue to show his form over the next week and secure a handful of strong results for the Hawk Kawasaki Team.