High Performance Motorcycle Partnership Established in Utah The Utah SportBike Association, in association with the Freddie Spencer High Performance Riding School, presents the Advanced Rider Training schools. (ART) One of the nations’ most acclaimed high-performance motorcycle schools has collaborated with Utah’s only sport bike organization dedicated to safety, education and performance. Three time world GP Motorcycle Champion, Freddie Spencer, has developed a new line of sport motorcycle training courses to be taught exclusively by the UtahSBA at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah. “We are extremely excited to have one of the best motorcycle racers of all time, Freddie Spencer, working with us to bring the best performance riding education to Utah sport bike riders,” said Dan Solomon, President of the UtahSBA. Freddie Spencer’s High Performance Riding School will interject elements of its highly acclaimed curriculum into the UtahSBA’s Advanced Rider Training (ART) programs that have been taught since 1993. “The UtahSBA’s ART programs will be the perfect transition between Motorcycle Safety Foundation classes and the full-version of the Freddie Spencer Riding Schools,” said Nick Ienatsch, chief instructor for the Freddie Spencer High Performance Riding School. “Ultimately, we hope these classes will teach Utah sport bike riders how to be in more control of their bikes, be safer riders and teach them that if they want to ride hard, they need to take it off state street, out of the canyons and onto the race-track,” said Troy Buchanan, Director of Schools for the UtahSBA. The new program is intended to reach all levels of sport bike riders; from those who wish to begin racing to those who want to improve their street riding. “We even have a special course dedicated to Sport Touring riders riders who travel long distances on performance motorcycles,” said Buchanan. For more information about the association with the Freddie Spencer High Performance Riding School, and the UtahSBA’s Advanced Rider Training school at Miller Motorsports Park visit www.utahsba.com, or call Troy Buchanan 801-910-3534.

Rizla Suzuki’s Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne and James Haydon will start their 2006 British Superbike Championship challenges at Brands Hatch Indy circuit this weekend. Both Byrne and Haydon have won at Brands Hatch in the past and are looking to start the season with strong performances. The Rizla Suzuki GSX-R1000 is all-new for 2006 and the riders will complete their pre-season preparations when they test at Donington Park in Derbyshire today, Tuesday. Shane Byrne: “Brands Hatch Indy is a fantastic spectator circuit. I remember from racing there previously in BSB it all gets a bit hectic with lapped riders and fighting your way through them, which can be exciting. “I won my first ever road race at Brands Hatch Indy and that’s where my career started. It’s my home circuit and I’ll be there giving it my all. I’m looking forward to getting my teeth into the British Superbike Championship.” James Haydon: “I always look forward to the first race. I am also a little bit apprehensive as it will be the first time on track with the competition. The wet and cold weather has been against us in testing but on the plus side we will be racing in conditions like that at some point this year and our experience will stand us in good stead. “I like Brands Hatch Indy and have done well there in the past, winning races in 1999 and 2000. It’s the shortest lap on the calendar and there is plenty of overtaking and action for the fans. I will be going for the best results possible and with the support of Rizla Suzuki behind me I am looking forward to a good season.”

THE CHALLENGE BEGINS GP OF SPAIN – PREVIEW The waiting is over. After an intense winter of preparation that has seen the Team Fortuna Honda riders visit circuits in Malaysia, Australia and Spain, the battle for the 2006 world title is finally underway. The venue for the opening round of the MotoGP World Championship takes place at Jerez de la Frontera, a circuit where both Team Fortuna Honda riders hold fond memories. It was at this track where Marco Melandri scored his first podium of the 2005 season on his debut with the Honda RC211V and the Team Gresini, whilst Toni Elias took his MotoGP bow in the colours of Fortuna. The final test session at the Andalusian ten days ago confirmed the good job done by the team during the preseason and now Marco Melandri and Toni Elias are ready for the first race. Fausto Gresini – Fortuna Honda “This is an important moment because it is the start of a new season, for which we have high hopes. It is the start of a new project alongside Fortuna, with a young team and, thanks to Marco Melandri and Toni Elias, with massive potential. Marco is 23, he became the MotoGP World Championship runner-up with this team last year and scored his first wins in the premier-class. With two straight victories and five podiums in all he was a real star in an incredible season and he’s now ready to challenge at the very highest level. After a tough winter I am sure that Marco can fight for the front positions from the first race. Alongside him Toni Elías, also 23, a Spanish rider who this year joins our team, where so many young talents have come through over the years. In the preseason tests Toni has proved that he is a talented and determined rider and a quick learner. During the last test at Jerez he showed that he has character and good potential. I’m sure that we can now start to reap the fruit of his hard work during the winter.” Marco Melandri: “I can’t wait to get out onto the track at Jerez, a circuit I like a lot because it is technical and complete. There is so much expectation for the start of the championship and it’s guaranteed to be a real spectacle. Jerez will be a very combative race with so many riders in the right shape to challenge to win. I am also ready. I can already feel the adrenaline and I am sure that will push me to take that extra step forward and be competitive. I am quite satisfied; after a tough winter we have managed to create a good base. We still have to improve a little bit and then I can be fast, like I showed I can be last season.” Toni Elias: A Race To Remember “Finally the testing is over and the championship is starting. Over the winter we worked a lot, keeping a philosophy of taking small steps forward. I tried to remain calm and focused to try and understand the bike and adapt it to my style without just going for a lap time at all cost. I’ve covered a lot of kilometres, I now feel more comfortable on the bike and my race rhythm has improved. I’m looking forward to the start – I can already feel the tension of a race. I’m happy to be starting out in Spain, in front of my fans. Jerez is a nice Grand Prix, not just for the track but also for the fans – the feeling when you enter the ‘stadium’ section is unbelievable. “Jerez is a special occasion for every rider in the championship and even more so for a Spaniard. It is a particular GP because of the amount of passion transmitted by the fans, so many of them and so close you can feel it in your helmet. I’ve always had really strong emotions at this circuit. It was here that I produced one of the best races of my life, the Spanish GP in 2003 while I was racing in 250. I remember starting from the third row after a difficult weekend caused by a broken thumb injury I had picked up in the previous race. I started to make up positions and only on the last lap I managed to join the lead group. My thumb was hurting but the desire to win in front of my home fans was bigger. One final effort, the finish line and an a long shout inside the helmet. I dedicated the victory to my family, my team and Daijiro Kato. I had wanted to do it at Welkom, the first race after his death, but the dream came true at Jerez, where I was able to dedicate victory to a good friend and a great rider. “Jerez 2006: a new challenge, same emotions. This will also be my first race on the Honda and my 23rd birthday. I hope I can give myself a nice present!” More, from a press release issued by Dorna Communications: MotoGP 2006 season begins this weekend at Jerez After a preseason packed with team changes, broken circuit records and new and improved bikes, the MotoGP World Championship 2006 season gets underway this week. Sunday’s Gran Premio betandwin.com de España will be the first chance to see all the old favourites, young pretenders and surprise packages set to wow spectators over the next 17 races. Reigning MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi will be out to defend his crown for the fifth consecutive season in 2006, but the popular Italian will have to be looking over his shoulder over the next eight months as the premier class’ top contenders won’t be giving it up without a fight. Riders such as Marco Melandri, Sete Gibernau, Nicky Hayden and Dani Pedrosa will be going all out to break the Yamaha rider’s dominant winning streak. With the exception of rookie Casey Stoner who was recovering from surgery, all the MotoGP riders will have the Jerez Circuit’s twists and turns fresh in their minds. The final preseason test took place just over a week ago at the Andalusian track, with Ducati riders Loris Capirossi and Sete Gibernau topping the timesheets. Capirossi and his team-mate have demonstrated the strength of the Desmocedici GP6 throughout the preseason, and will be wanting to carry their form into the season proper. Ahead of this weekend’s curtain raiser Capirossi stated, “I think we are well prepared for the first race, the team and Bridgestone are really strong at the moment, my bike feels perfect for Jerez after the set-up modifications we made during the final tests. It’s not always easy to find perfect settings but the bike is great now, and hopefully what we learned during the last tests will help us at other tracks. We have worked very hard this winter. The bike is better than before, the engine is more rider-friendly and the tyres have also improved a lot. Bridgestone have done very good work over the winter, so my thanks to them. Jerez is a good track, it’s nice to ride and very technical. To go quick at Jerez you need a well-balanced bike and a good front end because you need confidence to attack all the fast corners.” Impressive performances at the final test also came from Kawasaki’s Shinya Nakano and young rookie Dani Pedrosa, who is looking to become an immediate challenger for Rossi’s world title. With the Yamaha also looking strong in tests returning rider Carlos Checa even surprised himself with his fast times, and with John Hopkins’ performing well for Suzuki the championship is shaping up to be as competitive than ever. 250cc With Pedrosa making the jump in category to MotoGP, this year will see a new 250cc champion crowned. Casey Stoner and Randy de Puniet will join the Spaniard in the premier class, leaving a wide open quarter litre category. Jorge Lorenzo had a tight grip on the top spot during the final test, although his fellow Aprilia riders Alex de Angelis and Hector Barbera have not been far behind. Andrea Dovizioso and Sebastian Porto will also enter the 2006 as favourites to challenge for the title, with solid preseason results for Yuki Takahashi and Jakub Smrz indicating that any one of a number of riders could be victorious. 125cc In 125cc, Champion Thomas Luthi will be taking to the Jerez Circuit for the first time this season, coming back from a fractured collarbone suffered in the earlier official test at Catalunya. With Julian Simon, Mattia Pasini and last year’s runner-up Mika Kallio chasing after the Swiss rider, the exciting junior category is sure to provide more of the usual thrills and spills throughout the coming season.

Leon Haslam Stars at Thunderspint 2006 The Thundersprint has played host to many famous riders but the red carpet will really be rolled out for 22 year old Superbike star Leon Haslam when he takes to the unique Northwich town centre track on Sunday 7 May. Thundersprint organiser, Frank Melling, said: “It will be great to have one of the fastest young riders in the world join us alongside some of the most famous riders from the past. “I have followed Leon’s career for many years so it gives me particular pleasure to welcome not only a brilliant rider but one of the best representatives for bike racing one could hope to find. “We want Leon to treat the Thundersprint as a weekend off from the pressures of chasing the British Superbike Championship on his GSE Airwaves Ducati. Leon will be having a play in the Motorcycling Personalities class, spending a lot of time with fans and no doubt admiring some of the wonderful classic bikes. “The Thundersprint will provide a unique opportunity for spectators to meet Leon without any restrictions or pressures and we hope that many of his thousands of supporters will be in Northwich to cheer him on.” Leon was equally enthusiastic.”I am really looking forward to the Thundersprint. I have heard so much about the event but I still can’t imagine what it will be like to a see a small town like Northwich packed with over 100,000 race fans. It will be an incredible experience. “I’m also looking forward to a really relaxing weekend meeting fans and cruising round on the fantastic Ducati Sport Classic 1000. It’s going to be a great experience being in the same paddock as all the classic racers and then going to the start line on one of the best looking bikes in the world. “There will be the chance for me to meet a lot of my fans personally which is really important to me. My weekend will start at the eBike Thundersprint party on Saturday evening and then on Sunday you’ll find me in the paddock when I’m not on the track. I will also be spending some time on the Phoenix Distribution trade stand where I will be launching my Leon Haslam Arai helmet. “I’ll be at the Thundersprint all weekend to talk with anyone who has a passion for bikes – except when I’ve sneaked off to see all the fabulous classic race bikes. There are no restricted areas or special passes at the Thundersprint. Wherever you see me I’ll be there to talk to you. “Make sure you come by and say hello.”

Round 1 – Bennetts British Superbike Championship Meeting Brands Hatch, Kent. Friday 24th to Sunday 26th March 2006 BRIDEWELL BROTHERS READY TO ROLL AT BRANDS The 2006 British championship season gets underway this weekend at Brands Hatch in Kent with Etchilhampton near Devizes in Wiltshire brothers Tommy and Ollie Bridewell both relishing their new challenges. After impressing throughout the 2005 season, both 17 year old Tommy and 20 year old Ollie have been rewarded with rides in the British Supersport and Bennetts British Superbike Championships respectively with the Vivaldi Racing Team. After finishing fifth in the Metzeler Racetec National Superstock Championship for the Lincolnshire-based team last season, Ollie has moved into the Superbike team alongside Scott Smart and Ben Wilson whilst Tommy, who finished in third place in the Virgin Mobile Cup of 2006, has been drafted in as the team’s sole representative in the British Supersport class aboard a 600cc Suzuki. The team has undergone an extensive and rigorous pre-season test programme in Spain and although Ollie has benefited from his first serious outing on a 200bhp superbike, Tommy was injured after crashing and sustained a serious finer injury which needed surgery. There was some doubt that Tommy would be able to ride this weekend but a further operation has proved successful and he expects to take his place on the grid on Sunday. “I lost the end off my little finger and then there were some complications with it not healing properly but I’m glad to say it’s a lot better now. I’m really looking forward to racing again and hopefully the finger will be OK. I’m sure the adrenaline will numb the pain and it’s important I get the season off to a good start as I intend to be strong this season” said Tommy. Meanwhile, elder brother Ollie will be up against some of the world’s fastest racers in what is widely recognised as the toughest domestic superbike championship in the world. But the bespectacled ginger ace is not phased by the prospect and is planning a good impression aboard his 1000cc Vivaldi Suzuki this weekend: “I know it’s going to be tough but I’m feeling in a confident mood ahead of Brands. We had some good tests pre-season and I’m hoping that we can be somewhere in the mix from the off. Really, I just want to get round one out of the way with some safe points tucked away and then I’ll have a lot more insight from then on. The weather is not looking too good but I’m happy to race in the wet or dry conditions so bring it on!” said Ollie. Marcus Bridewell, Ollie and Tom’s father who runs the Wayside Racing Team which the boys started their careers with, commented: “It’s a shame Tom has had a setback but he’s well on the road to recovery now although he could have done without that. Ollie has been training very hard over winter and both of them realise that this is the opportunity of a lifetime. It seems strange for both me and my wife Liz that we aren’t running around making all the usual last minute plans but I’m delighted that they are both riding for the Vivaldi Racing Team this season and we wish them both well” More, from another press release issued by Hawk Kawasaki: Hawk Kawasaki Preparing for British Superbike Season Brands Hatch Indy – 24th – 26th March After a very successful pre season test at Snetterton at the weekend (19th March), Stuart Hicken and his Hawk Kawasaki Team are in high spirits as they head for the first round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch this weekend (24th – 26th March). In the extremely cold conditions the three Hawk riders, Dean Thomas, Craig Coxhell and Peter Hickman managed a number of consistent lap times at the Norfolk based circuit. Riding on board the Dunlop shod Kawasaki ZX10’s each are feeling confident as they head to the opening round. 33-year-old Dean Thomas will be contending his second season for Hawk and the Australian is extremely excited about the prospect of racing again. ‘It seems like it’s been a long time since we last raced at Brands Hatch in October. I’ve been lucky that I was granted two wild card rides in the opening rounds of the World Supersport series, which has made me more eager to get back to racing in the UK. I’m feeling very different this season and looking forward to gaining some strong and positive results for the Hawk Kawasaki Team.’ Fellow Australian 23-year-old Craig Coxhell will join Thomas during 2006. Coxhell has not competed in British Superbikes since 2004 and spent last year competing in the European Superstock Championship, securing a fantastic 3rd position overall. He is eager to get the British season underway ‘I’m really looking forward to racing in the UK again especially with a team like Hawk. I’ve learnt so much in the last 12 months and I’m keen to demonstrate that on the tracks over here, racing abroad taught me a number of new skills and disciplines. I know the Championship is extremely tough but I know I will never improve if I am not mixing in with it all.’ Peter Hickman is the youngster of the group at only 18 years of age he will be the youngest rider in the British Superbike class this season. Hickman, who has had the support from Hawk before, most notably when he lifted the British Superstock Cup Championship in 2004. An exceptionally talented rider he is looking forward to his rookie year in the British Superbike class. ‘Stuart (Hicken) has given me a huge opportunity this year and one that I couldn’t possibly refuse. I like the way the team works and I am hoping to put what I have learnt over the last few years into good use on a Superbike. It will be an all new experience for me but I am looking at securing some good top 15 finishes at the start of the year and working my way up to a top ten by the end of the season.’ Team Manager Stuart Hicken is delighted with his rider line up this year. ‘I’m extremely happy with the riders that I have riding for me this season. It’s good to have Dean back on board and also the two younger riders in the team who I am hoping will develop and progress through the season. Everyone in the Hawk team has been working around the clock to ensure that the team is ready for the first race at Brands Hatch on the 26th March. We’ve had a lot of work to do with the arrival on the new ZX10’s but I am confident that we will be able to gather a good assortment of positive results throughout the season.’ The British Superbikes will be shown on ITV1 at 14:45 and will be shown ‘As Live’ on Sky Sports Xtra at 21:15 on Sunday 26th March. 2006 British Superbike Calendar: – Round 1 – 24 26 March Brands Hatch, Kent Round 2 – 07 09 April Donington Park, Derbyshire Round 3 – 14 17 April Thruxton, Hampshire 21 April Official BSB Test Oulton Park Round 4 – 29 Apr 01 May Oulton Park, Cheshire Round 5 – 19 21 May Mondello Park, Southern Ireland Round 6 – 02 04 June Mallory Park, Leicestershire Round 7 – 16 18 June Snetterton, Norfolk 05 06 July Official BSB Test Croft Round 8 – 14 16 July Knockhill, Scotland Round 9 – 21 23 July Oulton Park, Cheshire Round 10 – 11 13 August Croft, North Yorkshire 17 August Official BSB Test Cadwell Park Round 11 – 26 28 August Cadwell Park, Lincolnshire 31 August Official BSB Test Silverstone Round 12 – 15 17 September Silverstone, Northamptonshire Round 13 – 29 Sept 01 Oct Brands Hatch, Kent

Camel Yamaha Team Preview Spanish Grand Prix Circuito de Jerez, Jerez 24, 25, 26 March 2005 CAMEL YAMAHA TEAM READY TO BEGIN TITLE DEFENCE AT JEREZ The Camel Yamaha Team returns to southern Spain next weekend to begin the defence of its MotoGP World Championship titles. With Valentino Rossi taking the riders’ crown for the fifth successive season, adding to both the team and manufacturers’ titles in the year of Yamaha’s 50th Anniversary, the factory outfit faces a tough challenge to live up to its 2005 success but the team is approaching the new campaign with optimism and fresh motivation. This will be the 20th consecutive Grand Prix at Jerez since the circuit was first used in 1987 – Assen and Donington are the only other current venues boasting a longer association with the series and this year’s opening round sees Rossi hunting for his seventh win there in all classes. Victory next Sunday would be his fifth in the premier-class and make him the most successful MotoGP rider ever at Jerez; with one more win than the legendary Mick Doohan. Colin Edwards has enjoyed limited success at the Andalucian track since racing there for the first time in 2003. His best result is a seventh-place finish two years ago but an encouraging pre-season with the 2006 version YZR-M1 has given the ‘Texas Tornado’ realistic hopes of producing his best form this time around. ROSSI: NEW ARRIVALS AND NEW RIVALS Valentino Rossi defends his MotoGP title from a host of new riders this year after an influx of young talent from the 250cc and World Superbike categories. Dani Pedrosa (Honda), Casey Stoner (Honda), Randy de Puniet (Kawasaki) and Chris Vermeulen (Suzuki) have all demonstrated rapid progress during the pre-season tests and Rossi is looking forward to the fresh challenges they will present. “This year my main rivals have changed and the average age is much younger, so I will have to work out their strengths and weaknesses,” said Rossi. “I have watched the career of Dani Pedrosa very closely since he was in 125cc and I have always been impressed by him and I expect him to be strong from the first race. Besides him, there are many different riders, manufacturers and teams that have been fast at different times throughout the pre-season so I hope that we can have some really good battles for the fans!” If Rossi needs further motivation to open his fifth consecutive title defence with a victory, he has the added target of protecting an impressive record of opening-round successes in recent years. The Italian has been victorious in round one of each of the last five seasons, all of which have ended with championship success, but he says that work must be done to improve the performance of his 2006-specification YZR-M1 at Jerez after recent tests at the same circuit. “We need to find more grip when the tyre is on the side,” he explains. “At the test our speed in the corner was down considerably in some places so, where we usually have an advantage with the Yamaha, we were behind. Anyway, now the Yamaha engineers understand what has happened and they have a lot of data and information to fix it for the race. I have confidence in them, in Jeremy Burgess and in Michelin and I know that when we can use our bike at 100%, as we showed in Barcelona, it is the best bike on the grid. I love racing in Spain and I have many fans there, so I always look forward to the race in Jerez!” COLIN EDWARDS: DRIVING TOWARDS SUCCESS Colin Edwards is entering his second season with Yamaha, the first for him in MotoGP without a switch of team and bike during the winter. Lengthy pre-season tests, as well as valuable data gathered last year, have given the American a crucial platform for the new campaign as evidenced by his form at the Official Test in Barcelona two weeks ago when he set the fastest time in the ‘Qualifying’ practice and drove away with the prize of a new car. “It’s been a pretty intense few months testing and I am really happy that we’ve finally made it to the first race – this is where the fun starts!” smiled Edwards. “The great result at the Barcelona Test was a massive confidence boost to me and a validation of all the hard work that everyone’s put in, but we have to use it as a trampoline to bigger and better things. As everyone knows, we had a bit of a setback at the Jerez test but I’ve said from the first time I rode the new M1 that it’s a great bike and pretty much better in every way to the old one, so I have confidence that we will be okay come the race. “Jerez is a great race, it’s a fantastic place to kick off the season and the atmosphere is always something special. As for the season in general, I have said that I am ready to win races and I stand by that. Of course, I’ve got to beat my team-mate and that’s the hardest part! This is the first time in MotoGP that I’ve begun the season on the same bike and with the same team so I’m way ahead of where I have been every other year. I’m really looking forward to the new season!” DAVIDE BRIVIO: MOTIVATED AND EXCITED Camel Yamaha Team Director Davide Brivio has enjoyed a busy winter, with new title-sponsor Camel coming on board as well as an intense pre-season testing schedule in Malaysia and Qatar. The Italian has been pleased with the form shown by his riders despite recent problems at Jerez and says he is expecting another exciting and successful season. “Our winter programme went quite well, apart from the most recent session at Jerez when we faced a few problems,” admits Brivio. “We weren’t able to use the bike to its full potential but, thankfully, that was only a test and we were able to collect a lot of data that will be useful to us as we try to iron out those problems for the race. We have some ideas so hopefully they will turn into solutions on Friday morning. In any case we are very aware that this is just the first race of seventeen and it will be another long season. “As far as the team is concerned I would say they are even more motivated than last season. Obviously Valentino wants to win the title again and Colin is also very happy with the way the bike has performed in the winter. It is his second year in the team and we all want to take advantage of that. I would say that altogether the team is motivated, excited and very much looking forward to the start of the new season next weekend.” TECHNICALLY SPEAKING: DANIELE ROMAGNOLI ON JEREZ With few hard braking points and little opportunity to fully open the throttle, the key to Jerez is about the rider’s skill in picking the most effective racing line. The 4.423km track features five left and eight right hand corners with regular and quick changes in direction, meaning that the rider requires a responsive overall package and, above all, precise chassis set-up. “The most important and difficult aspect of set-up at Jerez is the chassis,” explains Daniele Romagnoli, Chief Mechanic to Colin Edwards. “It is a particular circuit because the bike spends a lot of time at maximum lean and there are very few points that require maximum throttle, so the engine and the gearbox settings are not as important here as they are at other tracks. There are many high-speed corners with fast entry so the chassis has to be good, as do the suspension and the tyres. The riders need good grip at maximum lean so we work on the weight balance, spring rates and finding a good tyre.” VALENTINO ROSSI: INFORMATION Age: 27 Lives: London, UK Bike: Yamaha YZR-M1 GP victories: 81 (42 x MotoGP, 13 x 500cc, 14 x 250cc, 12 x 125cc) First GP victory: Czech Republic, 1996 (125cc) First GP: Malaysia, 1996 (125cc) GP starts: 157 (65 x MotoGP, 32 x 500cc, 30 x 250cc, 30 x 125cc) Pole positions: 40 World Championships 7 Grand Prix (1 x 125cc, 1 x 250cc, 1 x 500cc, 4 x MotoGP) COLIN EDWARDS: INFORMATION Age: 32 Lives: Conroe, Texas Bike: Yamaha YZR-M1 First GP: Japan, 2003 (MotoGP) GP starts: 49 x MotoGP World Championships – 2 World Superbike