New Season, New Website for Foggy PETRONAS Racing Foggy PETRONAS Racing has revamped its website for the new World Superbike season. The existing www.foggyPETRONASracing.com address remains the same but the site, designed by Wrexham based company Data Pacific, has a totally new look and feel and also, unrestricted access. In addition to accessing the latest FPR news, views and results, fans of Foggy, Steve Martin and Craig Jones can also create their own computer wallpapers and download video and audio messages direct from the race circuits. Further and interactive features include automatically updating screensavers, a live webcam for visitors to view the workshop at the team’s UK headquarters, a ‘cut-away’ technical specification of the PETRONAS FP1, competitions with two paddock passes for the Silverstone WSBK round currently up for grabs – and details about the all new FPR Superbikes mobile phone game, due to be launched across Europe in the next few months. You can also join or renew Club FPR membership on-line, to receive the great range of fan club benefits and also enter exclusive Club FPR competitions. FPR Shop enables website visitors to view and purchase items from the distinctive official team merchandise range, with something for everyone from clothing and accessories to team and rider memorabilia and FP1 crashed parts. The gallery provides a comprehensive picture library of the team’s history from racing and testing to events, news and features, with high resolution downloads available to registered media and team partners. FPR Team Owner, Carl Fogarty said, “Although this is our final year as Foggy PETRONAS Racing we are still striving to make developments off the track, as well as on it. The new-look site is designed to reflect our commitment to a fresh approach, which we believe will stand us in good stead going forward beyond this season.” All existing media, sponsors and supporters who have previously registered their details and requested to receive team updates and press releases will continue to do so and any self-selected website login details will remain the same. However any FPR supporters wishing to receive team information by email can also register their details on www.foggyPETRONASracing.com to benefit from this service.

Ducati Seattle is very proud to announce its return to racing with the formation of the Ducati Seattle / Anatra Corsa race team, featuring two of the top Ducati racers in the Northwest. Rick Rinaldo will be campaigning the 2006 Ducati 749R, and Lindsay Gupton will do battle aboard the Ducati 748R. Completing the team are veteran tuner Marty Dahl, ace designer Bill Broderick and Ducati Seattle owner David Roosevelt. The team will compete in WMRRA (the Washington Motorcycle Road Racing Association) and represent Ducati Seattle at NESBA track days throughout the year as ambassadors for the sport. The team’s goal is to be the top-ranked Ducati team in WMRRA, a great partner to its many sponsors and an integral part of the Ducati and track community. Ducati Seattle’s stronger than ever Performance Center will tune the bikes into race-winning, long lasting machines. According to David Roosevelt, owner of Ducati Seattle, “Head Technician Marty Dahl has been involved in road racing in the Northwest for over 20 years and looks forward to showcasing his ability to assemble strong, consistent race-winning Ducati motorcycles. We are really excited to be getting involved with the local racing scene once again. It is a pleasure to support a team of racers that are so professional as well as being very approachable.” Both riders are rising stars in Northwest racing. Rick too fourth in the Formula Thunder class his first year of racing, along with two podiums and five top-5?s. “I have been working with David and his team over the last month to purchase a new 749R, gear and bike accessories. His team has been great to work with and I have purchased everything from them. It’s and honor to be associated with such a prestigious shop and I look forward to our future partnership.” Lindsay, in his first season of racing finished the 2005 year as the number-two ranked Ducati racer in WMRRA with one win, two podiums, seven top-5 finishes and fourteen top-10 finishes. “I am extremely proud to represent Ducati Seattle in WMRRA races and at many NESBA track days in 2006. To race a Ducati with Ducati Seattle is an honor and tremendous opportunity and I look forward to a great season together in 2006.”

The fleet of Buell XBRR racebikes entered in the 2006 Daytona 200 were stopped by broken FCC clutches made in Japan, according to sources close to Buell Motor Company. Early indications are that porous castings may have been to blame, as the design in question has been used successfully on Buell racebikes for years and underwent extensive pre-Daytona testing on the XBRR. New clutches were installed on the Buell racebikes prior to the start of the Daytona 200, ironically in an effort to ensure the bikes would go the distance. None of the XBRR Buells suffered an actual engine failure in the race.

Commercialbank sponsor Grand Prix of Qatar for three years The Grand Prix of Qatar enters its third year on the MotoGP World Championship calendar in 2006, and as the race becomes an established world class event within the Gulf state, one of the country’s leading banking institutions Commercialbank today confirmed a deal to become the title sponsor of the race for the next three years during a special presentation event in Doha. Formed in 1975 as Qatar’s first private sector bank, Commercialbank has grown its corporate and personal banking businesses successfully each year since its launch to become one of the most important banks in the state. As a committed supporter of the Qatari community, Commercialbank agreed a deal with MotoGP World Championship rights-holders Dorna Sports to become title sponsor of the Qatari round of the series, taking full naming rights and all the other benefits enjoyed by the position, whilst projecting a positive image of Qatar to MotoGP’s massive global audience. Commercialbank’s Deputy CEO, Mohammed Mandani, said, “Becoming the title sponsor of the Commercialbank Grand Prix of Qatar is a great honour for us and will help to project Qatar’s global reputation as an economic and sporting powerhouse of the Gulf region.” Meanwhile Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation President, Nasser bin Khalifa Al Attiya, said, “Each year since the launch of MotoGP in Qatar in 2004, the event has grown in status. Commercialbank, a leading Qatari bank, will enable us to lift the event to a new level on the global stage.” As such, the second round of the MotoGP World Championship in 2006 will be known as the Commercialbank Grand Prix of Qatar. The event will take place at the Losail International Circuit, just a few miles to the north of the capital city of Doha, and as has become traditional the races are scheduled to be run on a Saturday, April 8th.

TORONTO, ON Parts Canada Superbike Championship organizing body Professional Motorsports Productions will play a key role in a new American-based motorcycle endurance racing series set to debut this fall. Officials with the American Motorcyclist Association, the Grand American Road Racing Association and PMP announced the launch of the MOTO-ST (Moto Sport Twins) series at Daytona International Speedway last week. The endurance series for twin-cylinder motorcycles will have its first event as part of Daytona’s Biketoberfest Oct. 28 in preparation for a full schedule of races in 2007. The Daytona race will be an eight-hour, starting in daylight at 1:00 pm and running into darkness. “This is an exciting day for our sport,” said PMP’s Colin Fraser, who will act as director of competition for MOTO-ST. “While there are several different forms and classes of motorcycle ‘sprint’ racing, long distance team racing and competition for twin-cylinder machines has been under-served. We feel strongly that through a logical and well-managed rules package MOTO-ST will establish itself quickly with participants and spectators alike.” MOTO-ST will consist of two classes, Grand Sport Twins and Sport Twins, and will run to the minimum-weight / maximum-horsepower rules that have been so effective in the Parts Canada Superbike Championship since 1997. Generally, the larger displacement Endurance division will follow the standards established for the Thunder Canadian National class in 2005, while the smaller MOTO-ST class will be similar in structure to the existing Suzuki SV650 Cup National Championship Series. Horsepower limits will be enforced by a Dynojet dyno. Pirelli has been confirmed as the sole tire supplier for this fall’s inaugural race and the 2007 season, and all competitors will use Sunoco GT unleaded fuel. The 2007 season will comprise up to six points-paying races promising substantial purses and bonuses. Series points will be awarded based on mileage as well as position. A schedule, rules package and contingency and industry support will be finalized over the next 90 days. MOTO-ST will include an advisory board with an extensive motorsports background. The board will consist of Fraser, World Superbike series founder Steve McLaughlin, former Daytona 200 winner Don Emde, Grand American Road Racing Association president Roger Edmondson, Brumos Porsche president and general manager Bob Snodgrass, Grand American Road Racing Association director of competition Mark Raffauf, noted road racing journalists Kevin Cameron and John Ulrich, and Grand American deputy director of competition Scott Spencer. As conditions warrant, the MOTO-ST series will use members of the PMP staff that are also involved in the Parts Canada Superbike Championship. PMP will continue to conduct the Parts Canada Superbike Championship as it has over the past nine years.

Anthony Fania Jr. made it back into the Daytona 200 news this year when he was seen on the SPEED TV live broadcast flipping-off unknown persons with both hands raised over his head. Fania had crashed in top gear on the banking when his front wheel was hit by another rider’s rear wheel as the other rider went past and dove down the banking. Roadracingworld.com called Fania and asked him what happened, and why he was apparently flipping the bird to the world. Here’s what he said: “I was down low, maybe two feet off that yellow line down there, and this rider passed me, dove down and his rear wheel hit my front wheel. I saw a blue and white bike but I’m not sure who it is. I thought I saw a red logo on the bike so I thought it was Geoff May but I’m not sure. “I went straight to the ground, slid maybe 100 yards, ground all the way through (my leathers) into my left arm, my back and knees and legs are all bruised. My helmet took a beating and my doctor said I rang my bell, had a concussion. “I thought I saw the rider who knocked me down so I ran over to the edge of the track. My actions were not being upset with the fans, I thought I saw the rider who knocked me down. So I apologize to anyone thinking it was aimed at the fans. That wasn’t it. “I would just like to know if the rider who did it even knows he did it–there should be some sort of reprimand. It was beyond a rookie move. If it was me and I had knocked down another rider the first thing I would have done is run into the pits and find out if he was OK. “Maybe he thought he was past me when he dove down.” Roadracingworld.com then called Geoff May and asked him if he was involved in the incident with Fania. “I never got close to anybody,” May said. “It wasn’t me. I didn’t hit anybody. No way! Plus, I had the TV camera on my bike, so anybody who doesn’t believe me can look at the tape and see that I never got close to Anthony or anybody else.”