PARTS UNLIMITED DUCATI TEAM BACK IN ACTION AT BIRMINGHAM Leeds (Alabama): Neil Hodgson and Ben Bostrom of the Parts Unlimited Ducati team return to AMA Superbike action this weekend at Barber Motorsports Park near Birmingham, Alabama. The second round of the series will see both riders pilot their Ducati 999 Superbikes as part of the 28-lap Superbike races on both Saturday and Sunday. Bostrom said he is ready to race, having last ridden the Ducati Superbike at a test in Birmingham last month. “I’m looking forward to getting back on the bike. I’ve been off it for three weeks and it seems like forever,” said Bostrom. “We’re looking forward to improving our results from the test. We weren’t able to go as quick as we would have liked then. I’m anxious to get some laps in, work with the team to maybe change some things with the setup, and just ride better. We have two races ahead of us and like I said, I just want to get back out there on the track.” Neil Hodgson also says he is also looking forward to the Alabama races. “Last year, we raced with some guys for a position on the podium but ended up fourth on Sunday,” said Hodgson. “Birmingham is a nice track and the Ducati 999 is working well, but this circuit will always be a special challenge for us due to its nature. We know we are going to have to push to the limits to do as well as we’d like. We’re up for the challenge, though, and are looking for good results in both races.” In addition to seeing the Parts Unlimited Ducati Team race Saturday and Sunday, Ducatisti will have an opportunity to check out the Finale of the Monster Challenge. THE CIRCUIT: Barber Motorsport Park, 2.3 miles (3.70 kilometers), 16 turns with 80 feet of elevation changes. AMA SUPERBIKE POINTS (after 1 round): 1. Mat Mladin, Suzuki 38 2. Ben Spies, Suzuki 32 3. Miguel Duhamel, Honda 29 4. Neil Hodgson, Parts Unlimited Ducati, 27 5. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki 26. 6. Aaron Yates, Suzuki 25. 7. Ben Bostrom, Parts Unlimited Ducati, 24 8. Jake Zemke, Honda 23 9. Jake Pridmore, Suzuki 22 10. Jake Holden, Suzuki 21

FPR riders aim to validate test results in Spain Foggy PETRONAS Racing start the European section of the Superbike World Championship season at Valencia this weekend hoping to turn encouraging test performances into race results. Valencia is a happy hunting ground for the team and Australian rider Steve Martin recently finished the official WSBK test at the Spanish circuit in fifth place with a time of 1:35.178 two seconds faster than his previous best at the circuit on the PETRONAS FP1. And, having had a chance to test further engine developments at Misano, Steve is hopeful of transferring fast qualifying times into championship points in the third round races. Steve said: “The test at Valencia last month was really positive and I think we have a really good set-up for the race at a circuit that suits our bike. We have also made some improvements since that test so I am 100 per cent charged up. The recent test at Misano has also made me even more hungry for results, as I was able to do some race-distance work and hopefully everything will come to fruition this weekend.” Team-mate Craig Jones also made great strides forward at the Misano test and is looking to build on those set-up developments Craig said: “I am looking forward to getting back on the bike having had a positive test at Misano. We found a good base set-up there and I’m keen to see how that works at Valencia. But I still have to be realistic about my goals at this stage of the season. Now I feel that I am ready to start trying to finish each session in the top 20 and I want to try and get into Superpole. If I could start on the first four rows I think that would give me a better chance of putting my race skills into practice.” Circuit facts: Valencia, Spain Circuit length: 4.005km Pole position: Right Corners left: 9 Corners right: 5 Corner radius: Min 30m – Max 250m Maximum slope: Downhill 5.33 per cent, Uphill 3.58 per cent

BAYLISS (DUCATI XEROX) IS MAN ON A MISSION FOR VALENCIA AFTER POSITIVE FGSPORT TESTS Valencia (Spain), Thursday 20 April: After dominating the recent FGSport official tests at Valencia and Misano Adriatico, championship leader Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) will return to the Ricardo Tormo circuit this weekend as a man on a mission. The 37-year-old Australian unofficially broke both long-standing lap records at the Spanish and the Italian tracks and his aim is now to increase his slender one-point lead over James Toseland (Honda) at the top of the table. “I’ve been saying for some time now that ever since I hopped on the bike, it’s been going really good” declared Troy. “The only thing that seems a bit strange though is that at every test we’ve ended up fastest and everything looks so good, but when it comes down to racing we’ve only had one win, although we’ve always been up at the front. Here we’re quietly confident of doing well but maybe we expected a little bit more at this point of the season. But after the last two tests we’re in a good situation and looking forward to this weekend at Valencia. I’ve done plenty of laps round here in Superbike and MotoGP and know the circuit so well so if we look at everything on paper, it should all go well but you never know with racing!”. Lorenzo Lanzi is still suffering from an incident in training shortly before the recent test at Misano, when he tore a muscle in his ribs. “I feel OK, the problem is when I get on the bike” declared Lorenzo. “I always try and train as much as possible, sometimes these things happen in training. However the last two tests went really well, we are close to the frontrunners, so tomorrow we’ll try and start off on the right foot and do a good job in view of the race. For me Valencia is OK as a track, maybe the first part of the circuit is where I have a bit of difficulty. Both Troy and I are counting on doing a good race here, but as we saw in the tests the Suzukis and the Yamahas are both very competitive”. DUCATI XEROX 2-SEATER: The first European round of the season will also mark the first appearance of the Ducati Xerox 2-Seater, in collaboration with the team’s title sponsor, Xerox. The bike is an exact replica of the 999F06 used by Troy Bayliss and Lorenzo Lanzi, and it will be present at every round of the season to provide a sensational experience for a selected group of clients, sponsors, media and VIPs. The rides will be provided by expert Italian racer Dario Marchetti, chief instructor at Ducati’s DRE (Ducati Riding Experience) riding school and the first pillion passenger on the two-seater at Valencia will be the SBK producer for Spain’s World Superbike host broadcaster Telecinco. ‘MASCALZONE LATINO’ GREETS WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONS. The Spanish Round of the Superbike World Championship taking place this weekend at Valencia will have an enchanting prologue with a press conference organized by FGSport together with the ‘Mascalzone Latino’ America’s Cup yachting team. The conference will take place at the America’s Cup Port on Thursday afternoon. FGSport, the Mascalzone Latino team and the Valencia circuit management, together with top SBK riders such as Troy Bayliss, Troy Corser, Alex Barros, James Toseland, Steve Martin and Andrew Pitt, plus Spanish heroes Ruben Xaus and Fonsi Nieto, will all attend the event. At the end of the press conference the Superbike riders will transfer from the vessel hosting the conference to Mascalzone Latino Ita 77 and will have an opportunity to meet the crew. CIRCUIT HISTORY. Since its opening by King Juan Carlos I in September 1999 the Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo Circuit has become a firm fixture in the world of motorsport. The track is located in the Spanish town of Cheste, on the outskirts of Valencia, and it hosted its first SBK round in 2000. The designers based the 4km course on American circuits, enabling spectators to view the entire track. It has a maximum capacity of 110,000 spectators and has excellent transport links, being just a few hundred meters away from the Valencia-Madrid A3 motorway and a ten-minute drive from the airport. THE CIRCUIT. Name: Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo Circuit. Length: 4.005 km. Pole Position: right. Corners Left/Right: 8/5. Longest straight: 876 metres. CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS (after 2 rounds of 13): (Riders) 1. Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) 75; 2. Toseland (Honda) 74; 3. Corser (Suzuki) 63; 4. Barros (Honda) 55; 5. Pitt (Yamaha) 45; 6. Haga (Yamaha) 42 “¦. 11. Lanzi (Ducati Xerox) 15. (Manufacturers) 1. Honda 78; 2. Ducati 76; 3. Suzuki 73; 4. Yamaha 58; 5. Kawasaki 22; 6. Petronas 3. STATISTICS: Best lap: Bostrom (Ducati), 1m34.649s (2002). Lap record: Hodgson (Ducati), 1m35.007s (2003). Superpole: Bayliss (Ducati), 1m34.814s (2002). Race distance: 2 x 23 laps/92.115 km. 2005 RESULTS: Race 1 1. Corser (Suzuki); 2.Vermeulen (Honda); 3. Kagayama (Suzuki). Race 2 1. Corser; 2. Vermeulen; 3. Walker (Kawasaki).

The MotoGP world seams always in action following a frenetic calendar of practices, races and test sessions, but sometimes it is important to stop and today Fausto Gresini and his team stopped their normal activity to commemorate the third anniversary of Daijiro Kato who lost his life in Suzuka during the opening Grand Prix of the 2003 season. “It’s a sad moment for all of us” comments Fausto Gresini who grew the young Japanese rider in his team at his arrival in Europe. “The relationship with Daijiro was special and there is no words to describe this loss. Kato was a dear person before being a great champion. We still are very close to his family and today I called Daijiro’s father, Takashi Kato and I spoke with Makiko, Daijiro’s wife to share with them this sad day.” Daijiro Kato was a special person and a champion. He surprised when he was racing as wild card in the home GPs of Suzuka and Motegi in the 250 class conquering two victories and a second place. In 2000 he entered officially the World Motorbikes Champion with the Gresini Team. He showed his talent since the first year finishing 3rd. In 2001 he conquered the 250cc World Title with 11 victories. In 2002 he switched to the 500/MotoGP class with 2 second places and a pole position. 2003 was the year of the tragic incident in “his” Suzuka.

Ready for Valencia Last year, Norick Abe was fighting on the Valencia race track for third position, before he crashed unfortunately. This season, the Team Yamaha Motor France Ipone comes to the Spanish circuit with confidence after two good testing sessions. Shinichi Nakatomi and Lorenzo Alfonsi (who is replacing Sébastien Gimbert for this race) are also ready to do good. World Superbike speed: An incredible progression The majority of the riders is so much quicker this year than last year that it is unbelievable. Between 2005 and 2006, the difference is huge. Let us look at the first two races, not the lap times during Superpole or the races (depending too much on qualifying tyres or slipstream) but the total race time of the rider who finished for instance in 5th position. With the same weather conditions, the total race time of the rider who finished in 5th in Qatar in 2005 would allow him to finish only 15th this year. The total race time of the rider who finished in 5th in Phillip Island in 2005 would only allow him to finish 20th this year. This is a situation that is not seen very often in motorcycle racing, all categories included (For instance in the MotoGP class, the 5th total race time in Jerez in 2005 would allow again the 5th place this year). Lorenzo Alfonsi to replace Sébastien Gimbert Sébastien Gimbert will race this coming weekend the 24 Hours of Le Mans for Yamaha Motor France with David Checa and Garry McCoy. Before he is back with us for the Monza race on May 7, Gimbert will be replaced at Valencia by the Italian rider Lorenzo Alfonsi who took part with our team in the previous test session on the Ricardo Tormo circuit. Lorenzo Alfonsi was Italian Champion in 1995 (minibikes) and 2000 (250cc, under 21), then finished 4th in the 2003 European Superstock Championship riding a Yamaha, behind Michel Fabrizio, Lorenzo Lanzi and James Ellison. In 2004, he won magnificently this 1000cc European Superstock Championship, still racing a Yamaha R1. The Valencia circuit The first Valencia World Superbike race was held in 2000. The circuit is next to the town of Cheste, 25 km from Valencia, 320 km from Madrid and 370 km from Barcelona. The “Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana – Ricardo Tormo” is 4,005 km long and between 12 and 13 meters wide. It has 9 left-hand turns and 5 right-handers, with radii ranging from 30 to 250 meters. The start-finish straight is 876 meters long. Maximum downhill camber is 5.33% with 3.58% uphill. Paddock area is 49,066 m2. Maximum seating capacity for spectators is 60,000, with room for a further 50,000 on the hills surrounding the circuit. Valencia is a fascinating but tricky circuit. It’s easy to get caught out by the many slow turns. It’s certainly not the kind of track where a Superbike rider can really use his machine’s power and speed. First gear has to be used several times and that always means extra care has to be taken. The track heats up the left hand side of the rear tyre. Especially in the double left-hander that leads down onto the start-finish straight and really puts the edge of the tyre under pressure. Valencia is a real stop-and-go circuit where the front tyre has to be good for hard braking and fast cornering. An easier engine A lot of work has been done since the Qatar and Phillip Island races. «The engine is now easier to use for the riders,” says team principal Martial Garcia. “Regarding the top speed, we are now in the middle of the result page, which is kind of logical for standard bikes with kits. Now our riders have more comfort when they use the engines of our R1s.” February 6 and 7 test unofficial results (courtesy of Pirelli): 1. Bayliss (Ducati) 1’34.4 ; 2. Lanzi (Ducati) 1’35.6 ; 3. Toseland (Honda) 1’35.8 ; 4. Muggeridge (Honda) 1’35.9 ; 5. Neukirchner (Ducati) 1’36.4 ; 6. Abe (Yamaha Motor France-Ipone) 1’36.4; 7. Clementi (Ducati) 1’36.6; 8. Rolfo (Ducati) 1’36.6; 9. Borciani (Ducati) 1’36.7; 10. Foret (Suzuki) 1’36.9. March 27 to 29 test unofficial results: 1- Bayliss (Ducati) 1’33.758 ; 2- Xaus (Ducati) 1’34.659; 3-Lanzi (Ducati) 1’34.848 ; 4- Corser (Suzuki) 1’34.933 ; 5- Martin (Foggy Petronas) 1’35.178 ; 6- Haga (Yamaha) 1’35.295″¦ 19-Abe (Yamaha Motor France-Ipone) 1’35.967 ; 23-Nakatomi (Yamaha Motor France-Ipone) 1’36.737 ; 24-Alfonsi (Yamaha Motor France-Ipone) 1’36.900 World Championship standings : 1-Troy Bayliss (Ducati) 75 points, 2-James Toseland (Honda) 74, 3-Troy Corser (Suzuki) 63, 4-Alex Barros (Honda) 55, 5-Andrew Pitt (Yamaha) 45″¦12-Norifumi Abe (Yamaha Motor France-Ipone) 14, 21-Gimbert (Yamaha Motor France-Ipone) 3. Valencia Stats : Practice record (2003) : 1’34.633 Hodgson (Ducati) 152,360 km/h 2003 2005 Yamaha Motor France practice times: Norifumi Abe : 1’36.862 / Sébastien Gimbert : 1’38.203 Race 1 results 2005: 1-Corser (Suzuki), 2- Vermeulen (Honda) 3- Kagayama (Suzuki) 4- Walker (Kawasaki) 5-Haga (Yamaha) 6- Gimbert (Yamaha Motor France) 2005 Yamaha Motor France race 1 results: Sébastien Gimbert : 6th Norifumi Abe : DNF Race 2 results 2005: 1- Corser (Suzuki), 2- Vermeulen (Honda) 3- Walker (Kawasaki) 4- Haga (Yamaha) 5-Abe (Yamaha Motor France) 2005 Yamaha Motor France race 2 results: Norifumi Abe : 5th Sébastien Gimbert : 11th Lap record (best race time 2003): 1’35.007 Hodgson (Ducati) 151,760 km/h Round 4 of the Superbike World Championship : May 7, Monza (Italy)

World Supersport and Superbike Championships 2006 Round 3 Valencia – Spain Valencia Race Preview 21 – 23 APRIL 2006 World Supersport Round 3 of 13 HONDA’S SUPERSPORT EFFORT BACK TO FULL STRENGTH AT VALENCIA Round three of the 13-round World Supersport championship starts a ten-race run of European action, and despite recent injuries for two of Honda’s supported riders, the CBR600RR contingent is back to its usual size, shape and strength. The Valencia race offers Winston Ten Kate CBR600RR Honda star Sebastien Charpentier the second chance to lift Spanish silverware in two years, and he is also going for three race wins in three 2006 starts. His victories at Qatar and Phillip Island were masterful displays of front running and already give him a ten-point advantage over his closest challenger Kevin Curtain. 2006 season Honda signing Kenan Sofuoglu (Winston Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR) has had one podium finish and one crash-induced DNF thus far, but after a largely positive test at Valencia in late March, he is ready to add to his third place from the Qatar weekend. With the Ten Kate riders sitting out the most recent official SBK test sessions at Misano, it was left to the returning Katsuaki Fujiwara (Team Megabike Honda CBR600RR) to test some new development parts, as well as ascertain the condition of the hand injury he suffered in Qatar. It held up well, and with more time to recuperate before taking his second race start of the year, the Japanese rider could show well in Spain. Fujiwara’s team-mate Yoann Tiberio (Team Megabike Honda CBR600RR) is going through his rookie season in World Supersport, and despite suffering his own injury worries early in the year, he is back and ready for the fight. For Charpentier, Valencia is a happy hunting ground, and another chance to continue his goal of taking an unprecedented second straight WSS Riders’ Championship. “Until this moment things have gone perfectly for me and I hope I can continue on this road in Valencia,” said the 2005 champion. “In the Valencia test I was always fast, we never had any problems and therefore I expect great things from this race, which I won last year. I want to thank the team and Honda because this year they have put me in the best condition to race.” The long break between round two (on March 5) and the forthcoming race at Valencia has given Sofuoglu a chance to reappraise his up-and-down rookie season. “I have finally spent some time at home in Turkey with my family and this has been really good for me,” said Sofuoglu in the run-up to Valencia. “It helped me to relax and recharge. I really needed it, especially after the hard fall in the last test in March. I am learning the bike more and more; the third position in Qatar has made me understand that I can easily end every race in the top five. In Valencia I am ready to be one of the main competitors. Sebastien seems unreachable, but with the rest it should be a great contest.” Fujiwara is ready to race, and was encouraged both by his performances in the recent Misano tests, and how his wrist reacted to the physically demanding Misano circuit – not dissimilar to the one he will race around this weekend. “I only got my cast taken off of my wrist a few days before the Misano tests,” said Fujiwara, “but it seemed to be OK. With even more time to train and get back my strength before Valencia I think it will be OK for the race. I tried two different specifications of machine in Misano and we should have both again in Valencia.” Nineteen-year-old Tiberio missed out on the first race of the year but his excellent performance in the most recent Phillip Island race, and the Misano test has bolstered his confidence in the run-up to round three. “I’m very satisfied after the Misano test,” said the Frenchman. “We tried many things, especially with the suspension and I have confidence for Valencia race because I made a lot of laps with a good race rhythm. In Spain I will try to start from the first or second row because is very important for the final result of the race.” World Superbike Round 3 of 13 EUROPEAN THEATRE OF OPERATIONS WELCOMES SUPERBIKE QUINTET James Toseland (Winston Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) enters the third race weekend of the year in second position overall, just a single point from leader Troy Bayliss. The 2004 World Champion has tested at the 4.005km long Circuito Ricardo Tormo recently, and was in the upper echelons in simulated race conditions. James goes for his second race win of the 2006 season, and will have two opportunities to do so on Sunday 23 April. Joining him in Spain will be his temporary new team-mate, Giovanni Bussei, brought in for a single race to deputise for injured team regular, Karl Muggeridge. The Australian rider’s crash in testing at Valencia has ruled him out of this race, as the result of suffering two compressed vertebrae. Now in possession of a recently enhanced race spec Honda CBR1000RR, Phillip Island double podium finisher Alex Barros (Klaffi Honda CBR1000RR) relishes the prospect of racing on another circuit he knows well from his days in MotoGP. Tight and twisty, the Ricardo Tormo Circuit should offer the SBK rookie another chance to battle for the top places, to back up his second and third race finishes in Australia. Currently fourth overall, Barros has settled into the Klaffi Honda set-up in assured fashion since his relatively late inclusion into the 29-strong SBK ranks this year. For such a young rider Michel Fabrizio (DFX Honda CBR1000RR) has amassed a variety of experience thus far, and riding at Valencia will offer another novelty, albeit an unwanted one. In Spain he will be riding without his countryman and legendary figure in the SBK firmament, Pierfrancesco Chili (DFX Honda CBR1000RR). Chili broke his pelvis and two ribs in a heavy fall at recent official tests in Misano, and is expected to be out for four race weekends in total. Another fast Italian, Gianluca Nannelli, who first rode Chili’s DFX CBR1000RR Honda on the final day of the official Misano tests, will replace him for the next few races. Toseland, who confesses that Valencia may be the toughest test for his machine during the entire season, is nonetheless confident after a stellar start to what many consider to be the toughest championship season to date. “I really believe in our chances at this race, even if I know Bayliss will be just as fast as he was in the recent tests,” said Toseland. “Corser and Haga will be another two strong riders at the front, as usual. But I am really motivated and focused and I want to continue to get important results after the great start of the season I’ve had. Bayliss only has one point on me and I don’t have any intention of letting him get away. I am sorry Karl didn’t make it to the race at Valencia, but I wish the best of luck to my new team-mate Giovanni.” Bussei is no stranger to World Superbike, having competed on a wide variety of SBK machines in the past. Given the chance to replace Muggeridge at Valencia, he willingly agreed, and is sure to provide more than just back-up for Toseland during the tyre testing and machine set-up stages of race weekend. “I am really happy to be able to compete with the Winston Ten Kate Honda Team and I am aware that I will ride one of the top bikes in the entire series,” said Bussei. “It will be hard because I have to get used to the race rhythm but of course I will do all I can to payback the trust that has been placed in me. It will be nice to be James’ team-mate, even if only for one weekend, and for this I want to thank the team and the sponsors.” The influence of Barros on his Klaffi Honda team has been a positive one, and for Barros it’s been the latest in a long line of challenges to his adaptability. He knows his machine has been given a boost, just in time for round three, and aims to capitalise on it. “We tried a lot of things at the test at Misano and we made real progress,” said Barros. “We have more power, more than during the first and second rounds. I have three different specs of rear shock to try again at Valencia, where I think I can be a lot more competitive. I know the track very well so there should be no problems.” Michel Fabrizio, who scored a startling fifth place in his first ever World Superbike race at Qatar, is ready to make his fifth and sixth SBK starts, and was buoyed by his recent testing run outs at Misano and Valencia. “I am very happy after the winter in March at Valencia and the more recent one in Misano,” said Fabrizio. “Both the chassis and engine on my bike improved. In Misano, for the first time, we got the set-up of the EFI and electronics package working perfectly, and that made the bike very easy to ride fast. It was just a shame about Frankie injuring himself, I am sorry for him, I hoped to have him with us in Spain.” Chili’s misfortune has allowed Gianluca Nannelli the chance to shine under a Spanish sun, albeit not in circumstances that Nannelli would have wished for. “For Frankie; my best wishes. It is very difficult to speak about this situation. I am very grateful to Honda and Team DFXtreme because I was a rider without motorcycle in this World Championship. Now, thanks to them, I will ride a very important CBR1000RR for a good team. I did only 30 laps in Misano but the potential of the bike is very high. I will be careful for the next race in Spain but at Monza the “Nanna” will be very, very fast!” The next stop for the WSS and SBK train is at Monza, on 5 – 7 May.

This coming May 14th the MotoGP World Championship returns to Shanghai for only the second ever Grand Prix at the Chinese circuit. Italian company Polini Motori have secured the naming rights to the race, as they continue their long association with MotoGP. Polini Motori is a world leader in the manufacturing of cylinders and special parts for scooters, 2 and 4-stroke engines, minibikes and minicross bikes. The company already has an extensive history of collaboration in MotoGP. Not only have Polini been title sponsors for Grands Prix in the past, it also formed part of the set-up that bought Loris Capirossi two 125cc titles, and three titles for Valentino Rossi (125cc, 500cc and MotoGP). Currently Polini is a partner with the Fortuna Honda Team of Marco Melandri and Toni Elias in MotoGP. The fourth round of this season’s MotoGP World Championship will therefore be known as the Polini Grand Prix of China, and Polini will enjoy all the benefits of being the title sponsor for the event.

Superbike World Championship: round three – Valencia Track length: 4005m Year opened: 1999 Last year’s winner: Troy Corser (Suzuki) Superbike lap record: 1:35.007 (Neil Hodgson, 2003) The Spanish round of the Superbike World Championship takes place at the Ricardo Tormo circuit on the outskirts of Valencia. The modern venue is well known to all the superbike riders, as it is a favourite location for winter testing and the host of the first official FG Sport test, held between round two at Phillip Island and this weekend’s third round of the championship. Valencia is a tight and twisty circuit built with spectators in mind. Surrounded by grandstands, fans can see almost the entire circuit from their seat. The favourable winter weather conditions and modern facilities, including sprinkler systems to simulate wet conditions, mean that the circuit is in use throughout the year by everything from trucks to Formula One cars, MotoGP to national championship riders. Perhaps because of this, grip levels can be unpredictable, causing conditions to change by the hour and requiring constant adjustments to the set-up of the bike. Yamaha Motor Italia has been busy since the opening rounds of the series at Qatar and Australia, attending official tests at Valencia and Misano. Valencia was the venue for the first of those tests, ensuring that the Yamaha Motor Italia squad goes into this weekend’s race with good settings for their YZF-R1 machines. Haga ended that test sixth overall, testing a whole range of chassis, suspension and electronics parts for his bike. Currently lying sixth in the championship, the Japanese ace was in sensational form in Qatar – finishing third in race two after crashing out of the opener while challenging for the lead on the last lap. Valencia is a favourite of Haga, who has won there in 2000 and 2004, and he is looking forward to this weekend’s races. Team-mate Andrew Pitt is currently fifth in the championship. Finishing third in Qatar’s opening race, Pitt has been the epitome of consistency with two fifth places also to his credit. The 2001 supersport world champion ended the Valencia test just a few places behind his team-mate, setting the eighth fastest time at the end of the three days. Like Haga, the Australian completed a comprehensive test programme and is confident he has found a good set-up for the weekend’s race. With the first two rounds taking place seven weeks earlier, many people see the Valencia round as the ‘real’ start of the season. Having worked out of flight cases at the fly-away rounds in Qatar and Australia, the teams will have the added advantage of having their full accompaniment of trucks and hospitality units to help them settle in for the main European season. This year sees the championship take in a total of 13 rounds of two races each. Valencia marks the start of 10 European races, with the series due to end with a final flyaway round to South Africa, most likely at the Kyalami circuit, in October. Valencia also plays host to round three of the Supersport World Championship and the opening round of the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup. In supersport, Australian Kevin Curtain lies second in the championship having finished in that position in the opening two races of the season. In superstock, last year’s 600cc champion Claudio Corti makes his debut in the 1000cc class as Yamaha looks to make it a hat-trick in the championship. The third-generation YZF-R1 has won the series every year since the bike was introduced for the 2004 season.

AMA LOCKHART-PHILLIPS USA FORMULA XTREME TITLE WIDE OPEN Graves Yamaha’s Hacking heads up Repsol Superstock coming into Barber PICKERINGTON, Ohio (April 19, 2006) — The AMA Lockhart-Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Series has been the domain of factory Honda rider Miguel Duhamel over the last couple of years, but now that the two-time champ has moved on to concentrate on AMA Superbike it leaves the class wide open. Honda has dominated Formula Xtreme and hopes to keep that going with Erion Honda riders Josh Hayes and Aaron Gobert, but Yamaha has thrown its hat in the ring with a potent pair of riders in Jason DiSalvo and Eric Bostrom. This weekend, April 21-23, at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Ala. the battle for the championship gets back underway after an early season break. Honda’s Jake Zemke won the opening round of the series, the Daytona 200, last month, but Zemke, like his teammate Duhamel, is not contesting the rest of Formula Xtreme schedule. That leaves Erion Honda’s Hayes as the de facto leader of the championship coming into this weekend’s event. Hayes is no stranger to Formula Xtreme or leading a championship series. The Gulfport, Miss., native has contested Formula Xtreme on and off since 1998. He knows how to win championships, having earned the AMA Superstock title in 2003. Hayes is rebuilding his life after losing his home to Hurricane Katrina last year. He sees his opportunity with Erion Honda in the Formula Xtreme Series as a new beginning. He also likes the idea of being somewhat of an underdog in the class. “With Yamaha coming in with such a strong effort I think a lot of people sort of forgot that Honda is still in the class,” Hayes said. “I’m very happy with the team and our bike and I think we have a very good chance of keeping the Formula Xtreme championship in the Honda camp. I think maybe we came in under the radar before the season started, but after our Daytona performance I know we are going to be sort of a target. It could be an interesting season-long battle for the championship. I see it as a great opportunity for me to win another AMA championship.” Hot on the heels of Hayes in the standings are the factory Yamaha riders of Jason DiSalvo and Eric Bostrom. Yamaha has been a leading manufacturer in Formula Xtreme in past seasons, but 2006 marks the return of the factory Yamaha team for the first time in three years. Yamaha sees Formula Xtreme as a perfect showcase for its redesigned R6 and putting DiSalvo and Bostrom in the class shows just how serious they are about winning its first Formula Xtreme title. DiSalvo is considered one of the top up-and-coming riders in America and Bostrom is a former champion of the class. Barber’s Formula Xtreme will mark the return of two-time Formula Xtreme champ Kurtis Roberts. Roberts tested at Barber with the M4 EMGO Suzuki squad as a possible temporary replacement for the injured Michael Barnes. Barnes is recovering from his Daytona knee injury quicker than expected and hopes to race at Barber. Roberts is going to race for the team in any case. The addition of Roberts to the mix will bring a depth of talent to the class not seen for several years. In the Repsol Lubricants Superstock Series a healthy Jamie Hacking is a dangerous Jamie Hacking, so say some of his main competitors. After suffering injuries over the last few seasons Hacking is healthy and ready to go coming into the Barber Superstock race. Hacking earned a breakthrough victory in the Superstock final at Daytona International Speedway last month. It marked the first pro victory for Hacking at Daytona and was a major milestone in the Graves Yamaha rider’s career. The last time Hacking had a similar breakthrough was in 2003 when he finally won the Supersport race at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., a track that prior to that had been a nightmare for him. Hacking went on to win the Pro Honda Supersport title that year and he hopes the Daytona breakthrough is a precursor to another championship run. “You can’t get off to a better start than I had at Daytona,” said Hacking, who also won the Barber Superstock race in 2004. “Hopefully I can stay healthy this season and make a strong run at the championship. The class is loaded with talent so it’s going to be a battle, but I know my team is ready for the challenge.” Hacking’s teammate Jason DiSalvo finished a very close second at Daytona and is hoping to even the score at Barber. Defending Repsol Lubricants Superstock champion Aaron Yates injured his shoulder in pre-season testing and was a question mark on whether or not he was even going to be able to ride in the season opener last month. But instead of sitting out the race, Yates gritted his teeth and rode with the broken shoulder and it paid off richly with a solid third-place finish. “That was important to get through Daytona and come out with some points,” Yates said. “I guess I was a little surprised at how well I did there and now I’m not that far behind in the championship and I feel like I still have a good shot at defending the title.” Other riders high in the standings coming into Barber include M4 EMGO Suzuki’s Geoff May, who is ranked fourth; Erion Honda’s Josh Hayes; Attack Kawasaki’s Damon Buckmaster and Roadracingworld.com Suzuki’s Robertino Pietri, the Venezuelan who surprised a lot of people with his strong seventh-place showing at Daytona. The Pro Honda Oils Supersport race is part of Barber Motorsports Park’s Honda Superbike Classic that runs from April 21-23. The Barber Formula Xtreme final will be televised nationally on SPEED at 3 p.m. EST on Tuesday, April 25. To obtain tickets for the Honda Superbike Classic call 800-240-2300 or visit the website www.barbermotorsports.com. About AMA Pro Racing AMA Pro Racing is the leading sanctioning body for motorcycle sport in the United States. Its properties include the Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series, the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF, the AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship and the AMA Supermoto Championship. For more information about AMA Pro Racing, visit www.amaproracing.com. More, from a press release issued by No Limit Motorsports: No Limit Motorsports will compete in the remaining rounds of the 2006 AMA Superbike series beginning with round two in Alabama. The team has arrived in Birmingham and the Barber Motorsports Park for the second race of the series. They are riding NLMS prepared Suzuki GSX-R1000s for the season. Rider Jason Curtis returns to the AMA series after missing almost all of last year with a badly broken shoulder suffered at a pre-season test in California. He is 110% healthy this year, and expects to be more competitive than ever. Tuner Poncho Rangel and Race Technician Ryan Landers have spent the entire off-season building the bikes for the ’06 series, and both feel as though the bikes are as competitive as any in the paddock. Stop by the pits and say hello to Jason, Poncho and Ryan…and sample some RED HOTS CANDY…Our treat.