Infineon Raceway Increases On-Track Safety for Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown Weekend SONOMA, Calif. “” Infineon Raceway has added 102 pieces of Airfence that will increase on-track safety for motorcycle riders at the Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown weekend, May 19-21. The weekend is presented by Supercuts. Raceway officials will also implement additional safety measures after a meeting with top riders Mat Mladin (Suzuki), Ben Spies (Suzuki), Jamie Hacking (Yamaha) and Jake Zemke (Honda) during a test session in March. “We are very reactive to rider input and many of the enhancements you’ll see are a direct result of the meetings we had with the riders at the test session in March,” said Jere Starks, vice president of facilities at Infineon Raceway and an avid motorcycle rider. “We’ve spent millions of dollars on improvements over the last four years and these are just more elements.” Infineon Raceway will deploy 102 pieces of Airfence around the 12-turn, 2.2-mile road course, plus an additional 38 pieces supplied by the AMA (total of more than 1,700 linear feet). The 140 total pieces will give the raceway more Airfence protection than it has ever had for an AMA visit, dating back to 1977. The 102 pieces provided by the raceway represents more than a 500-percent increase over the number of pieces Infineon Raceway provided in 2005 (20 pieces). The massive increase in Airfence is a joint effort between the raceway, the American Federation of Motorcyclists (AFM), Roadracing World Action Fund and the AMA. The raceway gave the AFM a $70,000 no-interest loan in January, with the AFM using the money “” in addition to AFM funding “” to purchase 92 pieces of Airfence. The additional 10 pieces were donated by the Roadracing World Action Fund, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating people on the importance of deploying soft barriers. Infineon Raceway has agreed to store the Airfence for the AFM on its property, and will oversee maintenance, which includes installation and removal during motorcycle events “” at no cost. In addition to AFM and AMA events, the Airfence will be available for rental during motorcycle track days at Infineon Raceway. Airfence, which is a non-inflatable soft barrier that is designed to gradually absorb the energy of a crashed rider, will be placed at Turns 1, 2, 5, 8 and 10 on the Sonoma Valley road course (not including where AMA will place its Airfence). Airfence is the primary choice of riders “” AirBale, haybales and straw will also be placed at strategic points around the raceway. Other changes that will be implemented as a result of a meeting with the riders include: · The berm at the exit of Turn 1 will be reconfigured, with the pavement behind the berm being extended by approximately one foot. · An additional 40 feet of runoff has been created at Turn 3. · The protective wall and tire pack in Turn 6 (Carousel) has been moved to the top of the slope and away from runoff. · The protective wall on rider’s left at the approach to Turn 7 will be moved back an additional 10 feet. “We really appreciate that the people in Sonoma listen to what we have to say,” Zemke said at the test session in March. “It really shows that they care about what we do and that they’re trying to work with us on making things as good as they can be.” WHAT: Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown, presented by Supercuts WHERE: Infineon Raceway, Highways 37 & 121, Sonoma, CA 95476 WHEN: May 19-21. COURSE: 12 turns, 2.22 miles. 2005 WINNERS: Mat Mladin (Superbike, both main events, Suzuki); Tommy Hayden (Supersport, Kawasaki); Jake Zemke (Formula Xtreme, Honda); Aaron Yates (Superstock, Suzuki). SUPERBIKE SCHEDULE (All times Pacific): Friday “” Superbike practice, 9:40-10:40 a.m.; Superbike qualifying, 2-3:30 p.m. Saturday “” Superbike qualifying, 9:50-11 a.m.; Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown main event #1, 3:50 p.m. (28 laps); Sunday “” Superbike practice, 10:20-10:50 a.m.; Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown main event #2, 3 p.m. (28 laps). TICKETS: $10-$65, 12-and-under free, parking is free. 800-870-RACE, www.infineonraceway.com or www.ticketmaster.com. Gates open at 7 a.m. each day.

It is official! Youth road racing for ages 10-16 is taking grip in the USA. AMA Sports, the Pro-Am and amateur racing department of the American Motorcyclist Association, has come on board to help move the sport of youth road racing forward. With events alongside WERA and USGPRU already on their schedule, USMINIGP is achieving things never before thought possible in the USA. USMINIGP with support from OZBIKE, METRAKIT and Cycle Imports has worked tirelessly for 4 years to get to this point. AMA Sports has added the 72cc Metrakit USMINIGP SPEC class as the first youth class that will earn an AMA Sports national number one plate during the Road Race Grand Championships, September 22-24, 2006 at the Mid Ohio Sports Car course in Lexington, Ohio. In addition, this event will serve as the US qualifier for the World Mini Festival set for Valencia, Spain in December. This is a breakthrough and milestone in US Road Racing on this side of the Atlantic Ocean (USA). It is no secret that with current club racing memberships excluding kids under 16 due to insurance or lack thereof, the sport was heading for a shortage of young talent in the very near future. USMINIGP and AMA Sports are now working together in the hopes of preventing this. “This most recent development is hopefully a sign of things to come.” Said Ozzie Saez of USMINIGP and OZBIKES. “This is very exciting for me on a personal level. I am sure when we get another 2-5 years under our belts the level of rider coming out of the US will rival the best Europe and Asia have to offer. Who knows, for the first time in a long time if not history, we may see an all American 125cc podium at the world level.” For more details call USMINIGP at (305) 889-1800 or visit www.minigp50cc.com and to obtain more information on the AMA Sports Road Race Grand Championships contact AMA Sports at (614) 856-1900 ext. 1345 or visit www.amadirectlink.com.

This Memorial Day weekend, TrackAddix invites you to view exciting motorcycle road racing at Mid-America Motorplex in Glenwood Iowa. Special events are planned in honor of our brave military personnel; gate entry fees are FREE for military personnel and their immediate family. Denver, CO — This Memorial Day weekend, May 27th, 28th and 29th, 2006, TrackAddix will host an exciting weekend of Championship Cup Series motorcycle road racing at Mid-America Motorplex (MAM) in Glenwood, Iowa. Come see some of the best club racers battle it out at speeds over 160 mph on MAM’s 15 turn, 2.23-mile road racing circuit. MAM is an excellent track for spectators, with the entire road course viewable from the grandstands. The paddock area will be open to the public so spectators can walk through the pits and meet the racers. It’s a TrackAddix GP event with Superbike racing all weekend, with a Friday racer practice hosted by MAM. Saturday will consist of practice and a Team Challenge two-hour endurance race that begins at 3:00 pm. Main events will take place on Sunday with opening ceremonies at 9:00 am, followed by 17 different races involving various classes and types of motorcycles. The weekend will be capped off on Monday by a TrackAddix track day open to racers and street riders alike. Special events will honor those who bravely guard our country. Gate passes will be free to military personnel and their immediate family (just present your military ID card). Admission on Sunday for the general public will be $15 with kids 12 and under free. Interested spectators, racers, and riders can learn more at www.trackaddix.com. TrackAddix is headquartered in Denver, Colorado and provides motorcycle track days, Bridgestone tire sales and support, and sales of parts and accessories for sport motorcyclists. In addition, TrackAddix operates an independent motorcycle road racing series (TrackAddix GP) under a sanctioning agreement with the Championship Cup Series. About Mid-America Motorplex (MAM)- Located in Glenwood, Iowa, just 18 miles south of Omaha/Council Bluffs, on Interstate 29. Lodging is available in nearby Council Bluffs, camping is allowed at the track. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT TrackAddix P.O. Box 857 Pine, CO 80470 (866) 92-TRACK [email protected] www.trackaddix.com

AMA Pro racer and 2005 WSMC Open Modified Production Champion Premek Glinz is now being sponsored by Monster Energy Drink. The deal includes Glinz’s racing efforts in all venues. Glinz rides a Suzuki GSX-R1000.

Traxxion Dynamics Gas Cartridge Development Goes Forward At Barber and Fontana Traxxion Dynamics has begun final testing on production versions of the world’s first supersport legal gas-charged fork cartridges. Rich Cronrath, owner of Innovative Motorcycle Research, took delivery of the first set of the new “AK-Gas Cartridges” in time for Mike Hale to use them in AMA Formula Extreme action at Barber Motorsports park last April 23rd. Tuner Don Finelli was on hand to install in the cartridges into a set of custom built OEM Buell XB forks. The initial results met all expectations, and Hale was notably impressed. Fernando Peris, owner of Topline Racing, took delivery of two more sets for their new Yamaha R-6 which they will use in AMA 600 SS competition for rider Chris Peris. Peris tested the cartridges at California Speedway on Friday April 28th, and was immediate on pace with them, turning fast times in the morning practice using Pirelli tires. That test gave Peris’ chassis tuner Max McAllister (Traxxion’s President) direction to go for valving changes prior to public release of the new components. According to Peris, “The new gas cartridges had really good feel on the brakes. I was able to go in really deep with a lot of control. But they were moving too freely over bumps, and Max says with a simple valving change, he should be able to get them working better than our existing Traxxion AK-20 cartridges. If he can do that, I will be stoked since what I have is already good enough to put me on the front row next to the best in the AMA!” “It’s the dawn of a new era in front fork technology for supersport racers” stated McAllister. “Existing fork cartridge design has been maximized by every manufacturer in the business. If anyone could make a fork cartridge that would be one second or two seconds faster, they would have done it. It just isn’t going to happen. The move from a simple recirculating damper to a gas-charged damper is the same step bikes took when they moved from carburetors to fuel injection. “A myriad of tuning and valving possibilities will exist with the new gas cartridges, and that will allow crew chiefs and tuners new avenues to try to make their bikes faster. The killer part of this whole deal for Traxxion customers is that anyone can buy them, not just factory teams. In this case, a privateer has access to technology that the factories don’t even have yet. “Mark Junge and Vesrah Suzuki will be testing tires for Pirelli at Autobahn on May 10th, and Junge will also take delivery of two sets of the new cartridges for his GSXR-600s. If the information we learned at Fontana lets us nail the setup after Mark rides on them, they will be available for sale to the public immediately thereafter. We hope to be winning races with them very soon!” For more information, contact Traxxion Dynamics by phone at 770 592-3823, or email [email protected].

Kawasaki, Hayden Back in AMA Superbike Picture for 2006 SONOMA, Calif. (IMMEDIATE RELEASE) “” Kawasaki Racing is back in the hunt for the AMA Superbike Championship, presented by Parts Unlimited, and veteran rider Tommy Hayden is leading the charge. Kawasaki Racing, which has not fielded a factory-backed Superbike program since 2003, will campaign the all-new ZX™-10R during the 2006 season, and the early results have been impressive. Northern California race fans will get their first glimpse of the bike at Infineon Raceway during the Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown, presented by Supercuts, May 19-21. Hayden has helped raise the confidence level for Kawasaki as it enters the race weekend in the Sonoma Valley. The Owensboro, Ky., native has posted five top-10 efforts in five starts to begin the Superbike season, including season-best efforts of fifth place at both Daytona Beach (Fla.) and Barber Motorsports Park (Ala.). Hayden sits in sixth place in the Superbike standings with 124 points through five rounds of competition. Suzuki’s Ben Spies leads the standings entering the Sonoma Valley with 183, and is followed by six-time Superbike national champion Mat Mladin (163), Honda’s Miguel Duhamel (140), Ducati’s Neil Hodgson (130), Suzuki’s Aaron Yates (126) and Hayden. Kawasaki will certainly be a factor in Sonoma and should challenge the likes of Mladin, who has won a track-record six Superbike features at Infineon Raceway. The weekend will feature 28-lap Superbike main events on both Saturday and Sunday. Hayden, 27, is joined in the Kawasaki program by younger brother Roger Hayden, 22, who hopes to compete in both Superbike and Pro Honda Oils Supersport in Sonoma. Roger is recovering after surgery to repair a broken right Tibia and Fibula at an AMA event in Alabama earlier this year. The younger Hayden opened the season with Supersport wins in Daytona Beach (Fla.) and Barber Motorsports Park (Ala.) and sits seventh in Supersport points despite missing last weekend’s event at California Speedway in Fontana. The brothers will certainly be tough to beat in Sonoma, if they both can compete. Tommy has won the last two AMA Supersport championships, and was victorious on the road course at Infineon Raceway in 2005 (Supersport), as well. Tommy will focus primarily on Superbike, while Roger will pull double-duty in Superbike and Supersport. “I’m excited to be back for another season with Kawasaki,” said Tommy. “It’s going to be a challenge to return to Superbike but it’s something I’ve wanted for a long time.” Roger placed runner-up to Tommy in the Supersport class in 2005, and he was fourth in Superstock. Roger had five wins combined in the two classes last year, including a dominating win in the Supersport season finale at Road Atlanta. “Tommy’s one of the best teammates to have and I’m hoping both of us will have some close battles,” Roger said. WHAT: Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown, presented by Supercuts WHERE: Infineon Raceway, Highways 37 & 121, Sonoma, CA 95476 WHEN: May 19-21. COURSE: 12 turns, 2.22 miles. 2005 WINNERS: Mat Mladin (Superbike, both main events, Suzuki); Tommy Hayden (Supersport, Kawasaki); Jake Zemke (Formula Xtreme, Honda); Aaron Yates (Superstock, Suzuki). SUPERBIKE SCHEDULE (All times Pacific): Friday “” Superbike practice, 9:40-10:40 a.m.; Superbike qualifying, 2-3:30 p.m. Saturday “” Superbike qualifying, 9:50-11 a.m.; Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown main event #1, 3:50 p.m. (28 laps); Sunday “” Superbike practice, 10:20-10:50 a.m.; Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown main event #2, 3 p.m. (28 laps). TICKETS: $10-$65, 12-and-under free, parking is free. 800-870-RACE, www.infineonraceway.com or www.ticketmaster.com. Gates open at 7 a.m. each day.

FIRST SHAKEDOWN TEST FOR THE DESMOSEDICI GP7 Factory test-rider Vittoriano Guareschi carries out the first shakedown test of the Ducati Desmosedici GP7, fitted with a new 800cc engine in compliance with 2007 MotoGP regulations. Mugello (Italy), Tuesday 2 May 2006 – Alongside the development work being carried out by Loris Capirossi and Sete Gibernau for the 2006 MotoGP championship, the Desmosedici GP7 machine that will form the basis for the Italian manufacturer’s challenge for the 2007 season had its first shakedown test today at Mugello. Ducati factory test-rider Vittoriano Guareschi, who has steadfastly carried out this role since 2002, took to the track with the new 800cc powered prototype machine, marking the start of the first track test of the Desmosedici GP7 that will continue until Thursday. The scene for the shakedown test was Ducati’s ‘home’ circuit of Mugello, which was the venue for the debut of the first version of the Desmosedici way back on August 1, 2002. Filippo Preziosi (Ducati Corse Technical Director) “Today the new 800cc engine finally moved from the dyno to the track and we are quite satisfied with this debut. We started off by running a check on all the components of the new bike and over the next two days, if we don’t encounter any particular problems, we will move on to phase two and begin the first set-up work. Today is certainly very important, but it is just the start of a long path that we know lies ahead of us. A special thanks goes out to all the guys in Ducati Corse who have worked hard over the past few months to get the bike, with which we will race in next year’s championship, out onto the track today, as well as all of our suppliers and technical sponsors, above all Shell Advance, who with their technology, experience and availability are making a decisive contribution to our project”. Vittoriano Guareschi (Ducati Corse official test-rider) “I have to admit that the first lap with the GP7 was really exciting. I am used to testing new solutions on our bikes, but this was different to the others: it is a totally new machine, and so it’s even more exciting than usual. It seems just like yesterday that we were testing the Desmosedici GP3 here at Mugello for the first time, but four years have gone by! Today we made another important step forward in the MotoGP project: it is as if our family has given birth to a second ‘baby’ and the first noises it has made are not bad at all!”.

DOUBLE PODIUM FOR SICK BYRNE AT OULTON Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne scored brilliant second and third place podium finishes in today’s Bank Holiday fourth round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Oulton Park while racing with a stomach bug that left him feeling barely strong enough to stand. Shakey was given a saline drip by doctors before climbing aboard his Rizla Suzuki GSX-R1000 for the first race. Despite feeling weak he showed his determination to lead the race and finish in second place to score the team’s first podium of the season. In the second event an exhausted Shakey battled for third place for the entire race. On the last lap he clashed with Honda’s Jonathan Rea and both riders went off track. Rea missed the Knickerbrook chicane and crossed the line in third while Shakey came back on track and finished fourth. He was later awarded third place after an investigation into the incident and both riders sportingly shook hands. Shakey is now up to fifth in the Championship standings. James Haydon was in contention for the win in the opening race and finished fourth just two seconds behind the winner. In the next race he was knocked off track by Kawasaki’s Dean Thomas at Shell Oils corner and despite rejoining the race, finished out of the points in 17th. Ducati’s Gregorio Lavilla won both races. Rizla Suzuki will test at Croft in North Yorkshire on Tuesday, May 9th before making the trip to Mondello Park in the Republic of Ireland for the fifth round of the Championship on Sunday, May 21st. Shakey Byrne: “A massive thank you to the medical staff who kept me hydrated and fit enough to race this weekend. I have had a serious stomach bug which meant I couldn’t eat or sleep and felt absolutely terrible in the races. “Before the first race Niall Mackenzie told me to do the warm up lap and if I felt bad then come in to the pits and go straight to bed. But when you receive the amount of support I do from Rizla Suzuki it wasn’t an option and I had to give it a go. I’m glad I did”¦ “In both races I wasn’t riding as well as I could have, I just wasn’t strong enough to muscle the bike around. Thanks to the team for giving me a great bike this weekend and also to Jonathan Rea for being such a good sport over our last lap clash and conceding third place. I’m sure we’ll both be fighting for more podiums again very soon.” James Haydon: “In the opening race there were four of us battling at the front. I was disappointed to end up fourth and made a minor change to the rear suspension to improve the bike for the next race. “I didn’t get as good a start in the second race and going into Shell Oils a Kawasaki collided with me and forced me off the track on to the wet grass where I dropped the bike. I got back on and fought my way through to 17th from dead last by the end. That’s a shame because I think I had the pace to compete for the podium and never got the opportunity.” Robert Wicks – Team Manager: “What a heroic ride by Shakey to score two podium finishes while being seriously ill. Most riders wouldn’t have got on their bikes but Shakey wasn’t going to let anything stop him. I am sure if he had been fully fit he would’ve been difficult to beat but he can leave here content in the knowledge he has the speed and potential to win races. “James rode a brilliant opening race to take fourth and was looking to match that or better in the second before bad luck and a Kawasaki took him off track and out of contention. Like Shakey, he can leave here knowing he has the bike and ability to challenge for race wins. “We have shown the real potential of the team and it feels great to be back in the thick of the racing. Rizla Suzuki has had a tough start to the season but today’s performances by the riders and the entire team have been a real inspiration. Our test at Croft should hopefully yield further improvements and we look forward to the next race at Mondello Park.” Race One Result: 1: Gregorio Lavilla (Ducati) 27:41.446, 2: Shane Byrne (Rizla Suzuki) +0.429, 3: Leon Haslam (Ducati) +0.870, 4: James Haydon (Rizla Suzuki) +2.087, 5: Karl Harris (Honda) +11.188, 6: Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) +19.467, 7: Tommy Hill (Yamaha) +20.053, 8: Jonathan Rea (Honda) +20.196, 9: Michael Rutter (Honda) +20.878, 10: Glen Richards (Honda) +25.854. Race Two Result: 1: Lavilla 27:33.612, 2: Harris +0.058, 3: Shane Byrne (Rizla Suzuki) +12.004, 4: Rea +12.380, 5: Kiyonari +12.430, 6: Rutter +14.764, 7: Haslam +14.826, 8: Hill +22.645, 9: Richards +27.654, 10: Ben Wilson (Suzuki) +27.858, 17: James Haydon (Rizla Suzuki) +54.143. Championship Positions (after four of 13 rounds): 1: Lavilla 182, 2: Haslam 121, 3: Kiyonari 108, 4: Harris 88, 5: Shane Byrne (Rizla Suzuki) 81, 6: Rea 75, 7: Rutter 61, 8=: Laverty and Hill 52, 10: Smart 50. 14: James Haydon (Rizla Suzuki) 28. More, from a press release issued by Cartersport Motorsport Madia: Round 4 – Bennetts British Superbike Championship Meeting Oulton Park, Cheshire. Sunday 30th April and Monday 1st May 2006 TOMMY’S BACK IN THE POINTS AT OULTON OLLIE MISSES OUT AGAIN AT HIS BOGEY CIRCUIT”¦. After both riders failed to record a finish at their local track of Thruxton last time out, Etchilhampton near Devizes in Wiltshire brothers Ollie and Tommy Bridewell ventured north to Oulton Park for round four of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship and British Supersport Championship respectively, hoping for better luck. As so it proved for 17 year old Tommy who overcame the handling problems that he experienced at Thruxton aboard his 600cc Vivaldi Suzuki to bring the bike home in a battling 15th place at the end of a frenetic sixteen lap race around the Cheshire parkland track. Qualifying on row six of the grid for a second successive meeting, Tommy upped his game and became embroiled in a multi machine battle for the lower leaderboard places but bravely dug in and scored points for the third time in four races: “I enjoyed that much more than Thruxton and the bike handled a lot better. As the race progressed, my rear tyre started losing grip as I’d worked it very hard in the opening stages and for the last three laps, I was struggling a bit. Still, I’m happy enough to be in the points again although I do think I could have been a few places higher had things worked out better but it wasn’t to be” said a rejuvenated Tommy. Meanwhile elder brother Ollie, now fully recovered from the 160mph crash he experienced at Thruxton, was hoping to get back into the points for the Vivaldi Racing team but once again, Oulton Park proved to be a bogey circuit for the 20 year old. A row seven start saw Ollie end up in a demoralising 24th place in race one of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship before redeeming himself a little with a fighting eighteenth place in the day’s second race held in dry but blustery conditions. “I don’t know what it is about Oulton but I’ve left without a result again although I have to admit I learned a lot out there today. We’ve just got to move on now and that’s what I intend to do as we now go to tracks whereby I know I will be strong. I’m going to focus on learning the technical aspects of circuits from now on and that should help me progress as I really need to be racking up the points again soon” said Ollie. The next round of the respective championships takes place in three weeks time at Mondello Park in County Kildare, Ireland over the weekend of May 20/21st. More, from another press release issued by Cartersport Motorsports Media: Bennetts British Superbike Championship – Round 4 – Oulton Park, Cheshire- 30th April/1st May RUTTER BATTLES BACK TO SIXTH AT OULTON Following the disappointment of only finishing ninth in the opening race, Stobart Motorsport rider Michael Rutter bounced back with a battling sixth place in race two when round four of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship took place at a cool and blustery Oulton Park today. Having struggled with machine set up throughout the weekend, Rutter could only manage a ninth place finish in race one as he faded back following a promising start but in the second leg in front of the live ITV cameras, he led for the opening four laps as he battled with the Championship front runners. Eventually Championship leader Gregorio Lavilla (Airwaves Ducati) and HM Plant Honda rider Karl Harris pulled away leaving Rutter to battle for the last rostrum place but gradually he dropped back into the clutches of the pursuing pack to end up in sixth position at the end of the second 17 lap race. “The second race was a bit better. I got a good start and tried to hang in there with them but just lost a bit on each corner and couldn’t stay with them in the end. We can now go to the next round a bit stronger and a lot more positive” said Rutter. Meanwhile team mate Michael Laverty recorded two eleventh place finishes following a difficult weekend for the young Ulsterman. Laverty circulated with the leading bunch in the opening laps but decided to settle for two points scoring rides rather than risk a crash and score no points in the process. “It’s been an absolutely horrible weekend for me and I just couldn’t get a comfortable setting on the bike. I was riding hard just to get where I did but I couldn’t get the bike to do what I wanted. Hopefully when we move on to the tighter circuits the bike should be better. The next round is my home round so hopefully I can do better and get some decent results like I should be getting” said Laverty. Meanwhile team owner Paul Bird commented: “I was quite happy with the second race, it was a lot better but we’re still a long way off where we need to be. The riders upped their game in race two and they needed to as I’d hoped to be challenging for race wins by now. I’m looking forward to competing in the Manx Rally next weekend to let off some of my pent-up frustration!” The next round of the Championship takes place at Mondello Park in three weeks’ time whereby the Stobart Motorsport riders are hoping to challenge for rostrum places at the County Kildare circuit south of Dublin. Superbike Race One Result: 1, Gregorio Lavilla (Ducati) 27m41.446s, 2, Shane Byrne (Suzuki) +0.429s, 3, Leon Haslam (Ducati) +0.870s, 4, James Haydon (Suzuki) +2.087s, 5, Karl Harris (Honda) +11.188s, 6, Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) +19.467s, 7, Tommy Hill (Yamaha) +20.053s, 8, Jonathan Rea (Honda) +20.196s, 9, Michael Rutter (Stobart Honda) +20.878s, 10, Glen Richards (Honda) +25.854s, 11, Michael Laverty (Stobart Honda) +25.945s. Superbike Race Two Result: 1, Gregorio Lavilla (Ducati) 27m33.612s, 2, Karl Harris (Honda) +0.058s, 3, Shane Byrne (Suzuki) +12.004s, 4, Jonathan Rea (Honda) +12.380s, 5, Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) +12.430s, 6, Michael Rutter (Stobart Honda) +14.764s, 7, Leon Haslam (Ducati) +14.826s, 8, Tommy Hill (Yamaha) +22.645s, 9, Glen Richards (Honda) +27.654s, 10, Ben Wilson (Suzuki) +27.858s, 11, Michael Laverty (Stobart Honda) +28.096s. Bennetts British Superbike Championship Standings (after round 4) 1, Gregorio Lavilla (Ducati) 182pts 2, Leon Haslam (Ducati) 121pts 3, Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) 108pts 4, Karl Harris (Honda) 88pts 5, Shane Byrne (Suzuki) 81pts 6, Jonathan Rea (Honda) 75pts 7, Michael Rutter (Stobart Honda) 61pts 8, Michael Laverty (Stobart Honda) 52pts =, Tommy Hill (Yamaha) 52pts 10, Scott Smart (Suzuki) 50pts 2006 Bennetts British Superbike Race Dates R1: 2426 March, Brands Hatch, Kent (Indy) www.motorsportvision.co.uk R2: 79 April, Donington Park, Leics www.donington-park.co.uk R3: 1417 April, Thruxton, Hants www.barc.net R4: 29 April1 May, Oulton Park, Cheshire www.motorsportvision.co.uk R5: 1921 May, Mondello Park, Co Kildare www.mondellopark.ie R6: 24 June, Mallory Park, Leics www.mallorypark.co.uk R7: 16-18 June, Snetterton, Norfolk www.motorsportvision.co.uk R8: 1416 July, Knockhill, Fife www.knockhill.co.uk R9: 21-23 July, Oulton Park, Cheshire www.motorsportvision.co.uk R10:11-13 August, Croft, N Yorks www.croftcircuit.co.uk R11: 26-28 August, Cadwell Park, Lincs www.motorsportvision.co.uk R12: 15-17 September, Silverstone, Northants www.silverstone-circuit.co.uk R13: 29 September 1 October, Brands Hatch, Kent (GP) www.motorsportvision.co.uk

Team Morse Racing opens the MRA season with podium finishes! Team Morse Racing attended the Colorado-based MRA series opener at Pueblo Motorsports Park this past weekend and started the regional series off with a bang! Fresh off a WERA National podium finish at Jennings Florida, Dave Gallant was ready to begin the MRA regional series and concentrate solely on the setup for his new RacerSupply.com Suzuki GSXR 750. The MRA has attracted many new riders by announcing plans to travel to some fantastic new race tracks in the 2006 season. This coupled with the depth of talent already present in the premier MRA classes means that stepping off a Suzuki SV650 and onto a Racersupply.com Suzuki GSXR 750 and placing well is no easy task; but Dave Gallant was able to do just that his first weekend aboard the new bike. Friday night clouds parted Saturday morning to provide a cool but sunny morning practice session to an anxious crowd in Pueblo Colorado. Dave spent the morning practice sessions dialing in his new Suspension Solutions suspension while gathering tire temperature and tire pressure data with The Racer Supply Company”s Joe Page. Joe and Dave worked through the early sessions searching for the sweet spot between his fresh Ohlins suspension and his new Pirelli tires and as the green track”s temperature slowly came up as Dave”s lap times steadily came down. “While I am a most comfortable pushing a small displacement bike to its absolute limit, I am having a great time with this new challenge presented by my new Suzuki. Ryan at Suspension Solutions can almost read my mind now when it comes to how I like my forks set up, and the new Pirelli tires are even better than last year. Right now I just working through as many small changes as possible to see how good we can get this setup before this afternoon”s endurance races” commented Dave during the Saturday afternoon lunch break. With the afternoon came the first of the 2006 MRA Solo Endurance races, and first up was Mike Applehans aboard his Suzuki SV650 in Lightweight Endurance. The road to recovery from multiple broken ribs has proven to be a long one, but Mike rode hard to a second place podium finish. “The SV is a brand new bike but it is already quite easy to ride. I am glad to be right in the mix of things right away!” commented Mike on his podium finish. With the drop of the next green flag for the MRA”s first Heavyweight Endurance race of the 2006 season, it was clear that Dave”s morning setup work was going to pay off. Dave slipped into second place by turn one then along with a fellow GSXR 750 rider proceeded to slice and dice their way through the first wave of 1000cc motorcycles. At the checkered flag, Dave Gallant managed to bring home a strong second place podium finish in his first race on the RacerSupply.com GSXR 750. “Although I have a long way to go learning how to get this motorcycle around the track, this race was a great first step. The guys I was chasing are all on bikes they are very comfortable with, but I was able to learn a great deal about my new bike simply by stacking it up every corner and seeing where I am doing well and where I need to improve. I have never had as much rear end traction as this before, and can”t wait to get back out for a few more set-up sessions with what I learned in that last race” commented Dave Gallant. The sun came out even stronger for Sunday”s races with higher temps and a cleaner race track. Dave used various races throughout the day to continue to test suspension settings and tire pressures in preparation for the big Heavyweight Supersport race at the end of the day. When the Heavyweight Supersport race finally did get underway, all of the hard work was almost lost. “This 750 motor is very strong, and I was really abusing the clutch all day long getting off the line against those 1000cc monsters in my morning races. The clutch started slipping on the warm up lap of the Heavyweight race and my heart sank as I pulled up to the starting line. I had no idea if it had one more start in it or not, and even if I got off the line I wasn”t sure if the clutch would simply slip off every corner” Dave launched off his front row starting position hard enough to maintain his front row starting position, again slipping into second place by turn one; then never looked back. After a hard 8 laps of racing, Dave Gallant was able to bring home another strong second place podium finish for the weekend aboard his RacerSupply.com Suzuki GSXR 750. “While that wasn”t the prettiest race I have ever run, I am glad I could bring it home in second place. I really want to thank American Suzuki for continuing their support of regional events through their contingency programs. Not only does Suzuki make a fantastic motorcycle but they understand what it takes for a privateer roadracer to continue growing in their career, and year after year they provide programs that help make that growth possible. This weekend”s contingency payouts are going to make it possible for me to race again this month, and to top that off they are even giving away brand new Suzuki GSXR”s at the end of the season. Like most everyone else in the country, I want my shot at one of those bikes; and every race weekend like this will be a step closer to getting one.” More, from a press release issued by Mat Mladin Motorsports: Hotbodies Racing Mat Mladin Motorsports Suzuki’s Craggill in Top 10 at Fontana Before Red Flag FONTANA, Calif. – Hotbodies Racing Mat Mladin Motorsports Suzuki rider Marty Craggill was headed for a top-10 finish at California Speedway’s AMA Superstock race on Sunday in Fontana, Calif., when a red flag caused by a downed rider stopped the race. Craggill was unable to re-start the event. “The race was going good,” said a matter-of-fact Craggill afterward. “The Suzuki GSX-R1000 was going good and I was feeling better than I had yesterday. It’s a shame, but that’s racing. Now we’ll just focus on Infineon Raceway next month.” Saturday’s qualifying session saw Craggill post a best lap time of 1:26.636, resulting in a fourth-row starting position on the grid of the 2.8-mile, 21-turn track. “The Suzuki is pretty good,” said Craggill. “It’s really fast, even though my results don’t show it right now. Basically, we did really well on race tires but not so good on qualifiers. But I’m happy with the overall set-up and it’s the race that counts.” In the actual 17-lap race on Sunday, Craggill got a pretty good start and began to work his way through the pack. Unfortunately, the red flag stopped the race and Craggill pulled into the pits, where his crew discovered a problem with the bike’s rear axle. “Basically, a nut in the rear axle failed,” said team owner and reigning AMA Superbike Champion Mat Mladin. “It’s too bad and this was a tough lesson for the team, but they’ve learned from it and I don’t think it will happen again.” Hotbodies Racing Mat Mladin Motorsports Suzuki’s next AMA Repsol Superstock race will be at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., May 19 – 21, 2006. Marty Craggill, Hotbodies Racing Mat Mladin Motorsports Suzuki, #16 DNF – AMA Superstock 16th Place – Overall More, from a press release issued by Hawk Kawasaki: Mixed fortunes for Hawk Kawasaki Round 4 – Oulton Park – 1st May Hawk Kawasaki riders Dean Thomas (33), Craig Coxhell (23) and Peter Hickman (19) suffered mixed fortunes at the fourth round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Oulton Park on Monday (1st May). Qualifying in eighth position on the grid Dean Thomas got a flying start in the first race and settled nicely into fifth position. Leading a trio of factory riders including Honda’s Ryuichi Kiyonari and Karl Harris, Thomas was fighting a strong battle and fending off the chasing pack. As half distance approached the Chesterfield based rider began to struggle with grip and chatter problems and began to drop places, finishing in 12th position overall. He was only to see half a lap in the second race after another good start he got tangled up with Suzuki rider James Haydon at Shell Oils corner forcing Thomas to crash out. An injured Thomas said “Things definitely progressed this weekend and we made a number of alterations on the ZX10-R and we are now moving in the right direction and know where we want to be. I have broken a rib after the crash with James (Haydon) so I’m feeling a little second hand at the moment, which I could have done without. If I’m well enough, we have a test at Mallory Park this Friday, which I’d like to attend and continue making improvements with the bike.” Returning from injury his fellow Australian team-mate Craig Coxhell rode two impressive races to finish a creditable 17th and 15th places respectively. Coxhell who broke his left collar bone and tore the muscles in his right shoulder three weeks ago fought through the pain this weekend and battled around the demanding circuit. Coxhell said “Oulton is certainly a very difficult circuit to ride when you are fully fit so I was struggling a lot this weekend with my injuries. All I wanted to do was finishes both races and learn more about bike and the track for the next time we visit there in July. The bike was moving around a fair bit towards the end of the races so I was having to ride it harder than normal. I did struggle with bike fitness but this is just a time thing and hopefully I will be fully fit by Mondello in three weeks.” Youngest rider in the British Superbike Series, Peter Hickman gained a 20th and 19th position in the two races at the Cheshire circuit. Hickman who is contending his first year on a Superbike is learning the trade well, the Lincolnshire based rider was locked in a battle with experienced Superbike rider Kieran Clarke in race one and Clarke’s team-mate Billy McConnell in the second race. Commenting “It’s been a tough weekend but I managed two race finishes which I’m pleased about. I’m learning so much and realise what a tough class the Superbike series is. I’ve had a couple of crashes at the last few meetings and so my main aim at Oulton was to stay on, which I did. I still have a long way to go and still focusing on scoring some Championship points.” The Hawk Kawasaki Team will be testing at Mallory Park on Friday 5th May.