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Track Day Providers Sportbike Track Time, Reduc Sportbike Association Merge Memberships

Track Day providers, Sportbike Track Time and Reduc Sportbike Association have announced plans to merge their memberships effective with the 2006 season. The combined memberships will run under the Sportbike Track Time name. According to Marco Carrozza, president of Reduc Sportbike Association, “our members will now have access to a much wider variety of tracks and year round dates than ever before in our club’s history.” Founded in 1992, Reduc Sportbike Association is one of the oldest track clubs in the northeast and most of their events are held at Pocono International Raceway in Long Pond, PA. Ohio based, Sportbike Track Time, is the largest track day providers in the nation. Owners Monte Lutz and Bonnie Strawser are pleased with the recent changes. “We now have a true national presence in all the major markets which is a great benefit for all our members.” For more information on the club as well as their 2006 track schedule, go to www.sportbiketracktime.com or call (888) 390-4020.

Final MotoGP World Championship Entry List Released

FIM announcement. 2006 MotoGP World Championship – Final Entry List MotoGP class 5. Colin Edwards (USA) Camel Yamaha Team, Yamaha 6. Makoto Tamada (JPN) Konica Minolta Honda,Honda 7. Carlos Checa (SPA) Tech3 Yamaha, Yamaha 10. Kenny Roberts (USA) Team Roberts, KR211V 15. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Ducati Marlboro Team, Ducati 17. Randy de Puniet (FRA) Kawasaki Racing Team, Kawasaki 21. John Hopkins (USA) Team Suzuki MotoGP, Suzuki 24. Toni Elias (SPA) Fortuna Honda, Honda 26. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team, Honda 27. Casey Stoner (AUS) Honda LCR, Honda 30. Jose Luis Cardoso (SPA) Pramac D’Antin MotoGP, Ducati 33. Marco Melandri (ITA) Fortuna Honda, Honda 46. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Camel Yamaha Team, Yamaha 56. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki Racing Team, Kawasaki 65. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati Marlboro Team, Ducati 66. Alex Hofmann (GER) Pramac D’Antin MotoGP, Ducati 69. Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda Team, Honda 71. Chris Vermeulen (AUS) Team Suzuki MotoGP, Suzuki 77. James Ellison (GBR) Tech3 Yamaha, Yamaha 250cc class 4. Hiroshi Aoyama (JPN) Red Bull KTM GP 250, KTM 5. Alex de Angelis (RSM) Master – MVA Aspar Team, Aprilia 14. Anthony West (AUS) Kiefer – Bos – Racing, Aprilia 15. Roberto Locatelli (ITA) Team Toth, Aprilia 16. Jules Cluzel (FRA) Equipe GP De France – Scrab, Aprilia 19. Sebastian Porto (ARG) Repsol Honda, Honda 21. Arnaud Vincent (FRA) Arie Molenaar Racing, Honda 22. Luca Morelli (ITA) Nocable Angaia Racing, Aprilia 23. Arturo Tizon (SPA) Wurth Honda BQR, Honda 24. Jordi Carchano (SPA) Stop And Go Racing Team, Honda 25. Alex Baldolini (ITA) Matteoni Racing, Aprilia 28. Dirk Heidolf (GER) Kiefer – Bos – Racing, Aprilia 34. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Humangest Racing Team, Honda 36. Martin Cardenas (COL) Wurth Honda BQR, Honda 41. Michele Danese (ITA) WTR Blauer USA, Aprilia 44. Taro Sekiguchi (JPN) Ticino Hosting Campetella Racing, Aprilia 48. Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) Fortuna Aprilia, Aprilia 50. Sylvain Guintoli (FRA) Equipe GP De France – Scrab, Aprilia 54. Manuel Poggiali (RSM) Red Bull KTM GP 250, KTM 55. Yuki Takahashi (JPN) Humangest Racing Team, Honda 57. Chaz Davies (GBR) Ticino Hosting Campetella Racing, Aprilia 58. Marco Simoncelli (ITA) Squadra Corse Metis Gilera, Gilera 73. Shuhei Aoyama (JPN) Repsol Honda, Honda 80. Hector Barbera (SPA) Fortuna Aprilia, Aprilia 85. Alessio Palumbo (ITA) Matteoni Racing, Aprilia 96.Jakub Smrz (CZE) Cardion AB Motoracing, Aprilia 125cc class 1. Thomas Luthi (SWI) Elit Caffe Latte, Honda 6. Joan Olive (SPA) SSM Racing, Aprilia 7. Alexis Masbou (FRA) Malaguti Ajo Corse, Malaguti 8. Lorenzo Zanetti (ITA) Skilled I.S.P.A. Racing Team, Aprilia 9. Michael Ranseder (AUT) Red Bull KTM Junior Team, KTM 10. Angel Rodriguez (SPA) 3C Racing, Aprilia 11. Sandro Cortese (GER) Elit Caffe Latte, Honda 12. Federico Sandi (ITA) SSM Racing, Aprilia 14. Gabor Talmacsi (HUN) Humangest Racing Team, Honda 15. Michele Pirro (ITA) WTR Blauer USA, Aprilia 16. Michele Conti (ITA) Valsir Seedorf Racing , Honda 17. Stefan Bradl (GER) Red Bull KTM Junior Team, KTM 18. Nicolas Terol (SPA) Derbi Racing, Derbi 19. Alvaro Bautista (SPA) Master – MVA Aspar Team, Aprilia 20. Roberto Tamburini (ITA) Matteoni Racing, Aprilia 21. Mateo Tunez (SPA) Master – MVA Aspar Team, Aprilia 22. Pablo Nieto (SPA) Multimedia Racing, Aprilia 23. Lorenzo Baroni (ITA) Humangest Racing Team, Honda 24. Simone Corsi (ITA) Squadra Corse Metis Gilera, Gilera 26. Vincent Braillard (SWI) Multimedia Racing, Aprilia 27. Stefano Bianco (ITA) 3C Racing, Aprilia 28. Jules Cluzel (FRA) Angaia Racing, Honda 29. Andrea Iannone (ITA) Ticino Hosting Campetella Jnr Team, Aprilia 32. Fabrizio Lai (ITA) Valsir Seedorf Racing, Honda 33. Sergio Gadea (SPA) Master – MVA Aspar Team, Aprilia 35. Raffaele de Rosa (ITA) Multimedia Racing, Aprilia 36. Mika Kallio (FIN) Red Bull KTM GP 125, KTM 37. Joey Litjens (NED) Arie Molenaar Racing, Honda 38. Bradley Smith (GBR) Repsol Honda, Honda 41. Aleix Espargaro (SPA) Wurth Honda BQR, Honda 43. Manuel Hernandez (SPA) Nocable Angaia Racing, Aprilia 44. Karel Abraham (CZE) Cardion AB Motoracing, Aprilia 45. Imre Toth (HUN) Team Toth, Aprilia 52. Lukas Pesek (CZE) Derbi Racing, Derbi 53. Simone Grotzkyj (ITA) Ticino Hosting Campetella Jnr Team, Aprilia 55. Hector Faubel (SPA) Master – MVA Aspar Team, Aprilia 60. Julian Simon (SPA) Red Bull KTM GP 125, KTM 63. Mike di Meglio (FRA) FFM Honda Grand Prix 125, Honda 71. Tomoyoshi Koyama (JPN) Malaguti Ajo Corse, Malaguti 75. Mattia Pasini (ITA) Master – MVA Aspar Team, Aprilia

Two Americans Will Be Racing In The Yamaha R6 Cup In Germany This Season

It’s going to be a great year in Germany for 2006!! We’ve got two guys from or previously living in the U.S.A. racing that will compete in the prestigious R6 Dunlop Germany Cup. Maurice Evans, U.S. Air Force Tech Sergeant his website: www.froggyracingteam.com (under construction) Sidney “Aaron” Morris, U.S. Government Employee (check his website: www.hamann-racing.de)

Updated Again: More About Thursday’s AMA Action At Daytona

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BOSTROM QUALIFIES ON FRONT ROW AT DAYTONA Daytona (Florida): Ben Bostrom of the Parts Unlimited Ducati Team will start on the front row for Saturday’s Daytona Superbike race aboard his factory Ducati 999. Bostrom was third in Thursday’s session with a time of 1:38.012, held in sunny, cool Florida weather. Teammate Neil Hodgson qualified sixth with a time of 1:38.491 and showed a consistent pace throughout qualifying that he hopes to maintain for race distance. “It’s good to be on the front row, but at the same time, I’m a little disappointed,” said Bostrom, the 1998 AMA Superbike champion. “As sure as I threw my leg over that motorcycle, I thought I could have done a high 1:36 and I thought no one could stop me for pole position. The track really changed out there for our second session, though. There wasn’t as much grip as I would have liked. The times from the others were pretty hot but I don’t know if the other guys can turn those lap times all day on Saturday. We’re looking really good for the race, especially since the Ducati seems to pull all the way down the straight. The 999 seems like a quick starter off the line, too. I can’t wait.” Bostrom has plenty of experience at Daytona, and won the pole and finished second in 2003. However, Ben raced in Europe last season and missed the inaugural race on the new track configuration. Neil Hodgson finished a competitive second in last year’s race, though, despite it being just his first attempt on the high banks of Daytona. “The race package we have is quite good,” said Hodgson, a resident of the Isle of Man. “We have chosen a tire and we know exactly what we have with our settings. There are some races that you aren’t sure of where you stand, but this isn’t one of them. Looking at the lap-by-lap times of all the riders, I think it’s going to be a close race. I’m a little disappointed to be on the second row. I thought we had enough to start out front, but that’s racing.” Saturday’s 15-lap race will begin at 11:15 AM local time. Qualifying Times: 1. Mat Mladin, Suzuki 1:37.075 2. Ben Spies, Suzuki 1:37.559 3. Ben Bostrom, Parts Unlimited Ducati 1:38.012 4. Miguel Duhamel, Honda 1:38.337 5. Jake Zemke, Honda 1:38.398 6. Neil Hodgson, Parts Unlimited Ducati1:38.491 7. Roger Hayden, Kawasaki 1:38.573 8. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki 1:38.904 More, from a press release issued by Yamaha Motor Corp. U.S.A.: YAMAHA’S DiSALVO AND BOSTROM ON FRONT ROW FOR DAYTONA 200 ________________________________________________________________________ Daytona Beach, March 10, 2006,”” Yamaha’s Jason DiSalvo and Eric Bostrom provided a fitting return for the most successful manufacturer in the history of the Daytona 200, with both riders qualifying on the front row for Saturday’s Daytona 200 Formula Xtreme race at Daytona International Speedway. With an unprecedented 18 wins to its credit Yamaha hopes to add to that total with its new weapon, the YZF-R6. The R6 is poised to join a host of history making race bikes, including the TZ 350, TZ-700, TZ-750, OW68, and YZF-750, in the pantheon of motorcycle racing history. Today was the first step. DiSalvo, who was consistently the fastest in all three practice sessions, finished less than a tenth of a second off the pole position in preparation for his first Formula Xtreme race. A past winner here in the Supersport class, the New Yorker said a slight miscommunication meant he was unable to take full advantage of one of his three qualifying tires. Bostrom, a champion in both the 600cc Supersport and 1000cc Formula Xtreme classes, was returning to the 600cc class for the first time since 2002. The Californian spent much of the session preparing the new Yamaha R6 for the Daytona 200, his first for Yamaha, while searching for that one blistering lap. The Californian, who’s finished second in the Daytona 200, was three-tenths of a second behind his teammate and third on the front row of the 69-rider grid. Saturday’s 65th running of the Daytona 200 marks the return of Yamaha to the most prestigious race on the AMA calendar for the first time since 2002. Jason DiSalvo, 2nd, 1:41.014 “I was all tense and nervous going out and I made mistakes and everything. I actually went two laps on the second (qualifying tire) because I did five (laps) on the (first) one. I could do two laps no problem. It was just a little lack of communication and I was pretty frustrated afterwards. I know if I could have just hit my marks, I’m pretty confident I could have gone like a mid-40. That’s just the way it goes. What I would like to do Saturday is go out and win the 200 and use the bonus money to buy a Rolex. So that’s my plan.” Eric Bostrom, 3rd, 1:41.341 “The team’s really done a fantastic job. I feel the bike’s obviously good because the first time they came down here and tested, Jason (DiSalvo) and Jamie (Hacking) went pretty good on the thing. For me that was not the case. Got down here and was pretty far off the pace. Just been getting better and better for me each time on the bike and that last session was the first time able to run 41’s on the race tires. We’re in good shape. The team has really done a great job because, obviously, it’s very difficult to build a race bike for the 200 in such a short time. They’d done Supersport for the last few years and to go to a more heavily modified class, and show speed straight away, that shows a lot.” More, from a press release issued on behalf of Hotbodies Racing: Team Hotbodies Racing and the World Center of Speed The first flag flew for the 2006 AMA Superbike motorcycle road racing season, setting off the battle for the Superstock Championship, at Daytona International Speedway. Team Hotbodies privateers Cory West and Taylor Knapp, both returning to the team after strong 2005 seasons, showed themselves proudly in the contest, respectively finishing 15th and 20th, after West fought for position in sight of the podium. Having been running as high as fifth in mid-race, West said later, “I got a great start from my fourth row qualifying position and I was almost immediately in a battle with Buckmaster and Holden, in the front group. I got around them and was in fifth behind Yates and I could tell I was catching him. I tried throwing a rope around him and then my rear tire started going off and there was nothing I could do. I’ve never had it happen like that before. It’s hard to say why it went like that. I have to give great thanks to Don Finelli; he did all the bike’s suspension and if it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t have been able to hang on to what did. My mechanic Chuck Giachetto, my dad and Roger also all worked like crazy to give me this chance.” Taylor Knapp qualified an uncharacteristic 29th but also made huge gains on the start, finding himself up ten positions on the first lap. After the race Knapp said, “Our practice started out a bit hard. This is my second time at Daytona and first time on the Suzuki. We had trouble figuring out the gearing for the infield and when we tried out a power shifter I hit a false neutral and crashed in the infield left hander. That set us back and I ended up qualifying badly. For the race we set the bike back to where we’d started and it was better. My race was pretty smooth and I was in a battle with a few guys for the whole race until I hit a false neutral again on the last lap and ran off the track. We were so far ahead of the next group though that I didn’t lose any places. I’m looking forward to Barber where I’ll have my 600 to race too.” Joining team Hotbodies Racing for 2006 is Barrett Long, in his second year of the AMA Superbike series. Long finished 16th in Daytona’s Supersport race, after drifting back late in the contest from his battle for 11th place. Long said, “I moved up on the start and was in a drafting battle with a group all the way. My father [ex-racer John Long] does the bike and it ran great. We’re both grateful for the help of my dad’s long-time friend George Corbato. He bought the bike for me and without him we wouldn’t be here. I’m looking forward to a great season and to doing the 200 on Saturday.” Roger Davis, founder of Hotbodies Racing, said, “We’re all really happy with our showing at Daytona International Speedway. Just being part of the program here is exciting because of all the history; it’s the big show. But Cory running fifth in the Superstock race is exactly why we do this. He’s growing as a racer and making great advantage of the opportunity we’ve given him, moving up to the front of the pack. We’re very proud of him for that. It gives the whole team a lift” More, from a press release issued by Rory Rock: Rory Rock Daytona results My Daytona weekend is now officially over after a holed radiator in the Superstock final saw me post a DNF. Up to this point things had been going reasonably good, even though my new ZX10RR is still in very standard trim with just a race shock and fork mods done I had qualified in 27th place for the Superstock race. I posted a 1:46.3 in qualifying but got down to a 1:45.4 in Superbike qualifying which saw me miss out on making the final by just 0.5 of a second. That was a bit hard to take as I was getting quicker with every session and think I would have got in pretty easily if I had a chance to ride the track before the weekend started. The final for Superstock saw me get a terrible start, a combination of extremely tall gearing and no experience on the new bike I guess. That didnt stop me moving up the pack and on my first flying lap i posted a 1:45.2 which was my quickest for the weekend, I was running in 23rd at this point. Next lap round and I was wide open in top gear (approx 180mph) at the top of the banking where you are nearlly skimming the concrete wall and water sprayed all over my screen and visor. A stone had been thrown up into my radiator splitting it and causing me to pull into the pits. It was a bit dissapointing to not finish but we have achieved a lot this week on the new bike plus I have done a lot of laps in a race environment which will make a big difference when we get to Brands Hatch. Daytona was a unique experience that I have really enjoyed and would love to do again next year. The banking is something else to ride on although pretty scary, I have massive bruises all down my chest from hitting the tank under the g forces. When you hit the middle of the banking you can hardly move, it is even hard to lift your foot up to shift gears. Round 1 of the British Superstock Championship is at Brands Hatch on the 26th March so hopefully some of you can make it to that one. I am felling really confident this season and the new bikes have shown great potential. More, from a press release issued by Team M4 EMGO Suzuki: MAY’S VALIANT SUPERSTOCK CHARGE COMES UP SHORT Team M4 EMGO Suzuki came into Thursday at Daytona International Raceway with high hopes for Geoff May and he didn’t disappoint. The Georgian fought for the lead and consistently diced with the AMA roadracing series’ top racers before ultimately scoring two strong results. Starting from the second grid position on the front row in the Superstock final, May immediately headed to the front aboard his powerful GSX-R1000, holding down first place for the opening seven laps of the 13-lap contest. Unfortunately, grip issues prevented him from fully capitalizing on his form and his bike’s speed. A last-lap clash with the reigning class champion saw May cross the line in fourth, just hundredths of a second off the podium. “Today was disappointing for us,” said May. “It wasn’t what I wanted. After all that happened last season, I really wanted to win the Superstock race for Vincent and the team and myself. I felt like we had it. I had trained hard all winter and the guys gave me a great bike. I knew I had to go as hard as I could and control the pace. We chose the hardest tire, but the pace for the race was very fast. Leading those laps, it was looking good for a while but then I started to lose grip. By the end, it was pretty tough to hang on and the last three laps, I was doing all I could not to crash, to keep the bike upright. Then (Aaron) Yates caught me and we lost a spot on the podium. That stung pretty bad.” Immediately following the Superstock contest, May returned to the track to take on the 22-lap Supersport race. Once again he battled near the front of the pack, securing a spot in the top five in the early going. A brief run off into the grass late relegated May to a solid seventh place result in the team’s first AMA race aboard the new for ’06 GSX-R600. Completing the races was only half the battle for the Georgian on Thursday. May’s packed schedule also saw him qualify for the Daytona 200 aboard the team’s Pirelli-shod Formula Xtreme racer in the afternoon just prior to the two finals. Geoff, however, had to drop his bid to race all four classes this weekend after Mike Barnes was injured. “We had to drop Superbike,” said May. “I had trained for Superstock for four months and that race was very important to us. Plus, the 200 is very important for Suzuki. We know we have good tires for that race. The plan is to use my GSX-R600 but to pull the trick bits off Barney’s bike. We want to redeem ourselves in that one.” Still adapting to the FX machine, May managed a respectable top-ten showing in qualifying. He earned the inside position on the third row, qualifying ninth with a best lap of 1:43.520. The team’s newest member, Shea Fouchek, completed his first AMA final with the squad. Fouchek finished in 20th in the 100k Supersport race aboard his GSX-R600, remaining on the lead lap and establishing the groundwork for continued improvement as the season progresses. Following a one-day break from action on Friday, Team M4 EMGO Suzuki will return to the track on Saturday for the Daytona 200. More, from a press release issued by Yamaha Motor Corp. U.S.A.: YAMAHA ONE-TWO IN DAYTONA SUPERSTOCK Daytona Beach, March 10, 2006,”” Yamaha’s Jamie Hacking used a classic draft pass on teammate Jason DiSalvo to claim the Superstock victory on a sunny Thursday afternoon at Daytona International Speedway. From the Superstock podium Hacking jumped straight on his Yamaha R6 and nearly swept both races by finishing a close second in the Supersport race. Eric Bostrom, the third member of the Yamaha team, suffered a clutch failure early in the Superstock race and was forced to withdraw. In the 13-lap Superstock final, the veteran Hacking led across the stripe to begin the final lap before Disalvo took over the lead going into turn one. Once DiSalvo was in front, Hacking drew on his nine years of Daytona experience to size up his teammate for the all-important run from the back straight chicane, through the 31 degree banking of NASCAR turns three and four, and down to the checkered flag at the peak of the Daytona tri-oval. Hacking timed it perfectly, winning his first ever professional race at Daytona by a mere .072 seconds. The win was also Yamaha’s first in the Daytona Superstock race and a sterling debut for the new Yamaha YZF-R1 LE. Traffic in the final stages of the 22-lap Supersport race kept Hacking from making a last lap assault on race leader Roger Lee Hayden of Kawasaki. But he was able to pass Kawasaki’s Tommy Hayden to take the runner-up position. Jamie Hacking, 1st Place, Superstock “My main focus was to win that race and I just sat behind (Jason DiSalvo). I just let him do his thing and I did my thing and I knew exactly what I wanted to do. Went on to the last lap there, it was perfect clear lap, went into the chicane, he headed off in there and I figured he was going to stop coming out. He lit it up. I let him go. That was it, it was over. I just breathed it a little bit on the banking and said, ‘You mine, sucker.’ I said, ‘This is over right here. I’m putting this one in the bank.’ If I have to hit that (Supercross track) triple-jump going on the front straightaway in the dirt, I’m going to go across the line in there. He dove down to the inside. I said I’m going to go on underneath. I did. I dove in underneath there and like I said it felt good to come cross that start-finish line with that checkered flag waving right across in front of me. Felt good.” Jason DiSalvo, 2nd Superstock “It was a good race. I don’t know if I would have done anything different. It was just kind of a roll of a dice there at the end, the last lap. I blame myself because I left the door open a little at the bottom. And I know all about shutting doors here at Daytona. I was coming into the tri-oval and I was like, ‘I haven’t seen Jamie (Hacking) yet, so I think I’ve got this one.’ Then it was like, “I got second.’ It was that fast. It was a good race and it was cool for Yamaha to go one-two. That draft was perfect. So congrats to him and we’ll just mark that down in our notebooks and look forward to next year.” Jamie Hacking, 2nd Supersport “I definitely gave it away. I don’t have anything else to say, really, other than the bike worked really well. Roger (Hayden) rode a great race, so did Tommy (Hayden). I had a couple of moments where I lost the front a little bit and kind of backed off and didn’t feel quite comfortable with what was happening. Rog kind of got really aggressive there in the lappers and he knew what he had to do to kind of get him a good gap and he did a good job and played it out right and when I was backing off he was getting a little more aggressive. So I lost the race right there.” Keith McCarty, Team Manager “I think the guys have really been working hard, putting in a lot of late hours. And it’s truly great to come down to this race and have it all pay off. It’s the biggest race of the year for most of us. Daytona is Daytona, so you really want to put your best foot forward, but without putting a lot of pressure on people. It’s on the first of many races for the year. I’m really happy for them because it shows their race and dedication and everything went pretty flawless. We had a problem with Eric’s bike in Superstock. That’s racing. You don’t like it when it happen, but it does. Jamie and Jason did a good job. Very close, very nerve-wracking for me for that many laps to have them that close. What a great experience. A great way to start the week and the season.” More, from a press release issued by Jason DiSalvo’s publicist: Jason DiSalvo of Las Vegas, NV and Stafford, NY is currently racing multiple events at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, FL. With three days of qualifying and racing Jason spent Wednesday, March 8th practicing for Formula Xtreme and qualifying for the 1000cc Superstock class. During Wednesday’s events Jason was consistently the fastest in all classes ultimately smashing the 1000cc Superstock record with a blistering 1 minute 39.18 seconds. This time put Jason in the pole position. On Thursday, during practice and qualifying, Jason maintained his top positions during the day. The 50 minute qualifying session began at 2:30PM, as teams and spectators observed riders in and out of the pits with tire changes and bike adjustments, they could only wonder who would be the top man. Late in the session, Jason moved from second place. With less than 2 minutes to go unfortunately his efforts were for naught as he qualified 2nd in the Formula Xtreme class for the Daytona 200 event. At 3.30PM the grid for the Superstock class began to form for the beginning of the first race of the day. At the start of the race Jason ran 2nd for the first few laps moving into first, then controlling the race until the finish line where he was bit by the Daytona draft, that unpredictable slingshot effect that changes so many Daytona race finishes. With Friday a day of rest for the team Jason returns to action on Saturday, March 11th for the Daytona 200, which will be televised live on speed channel at 1:30pm.

Harley-Davidson Adds ‘Experience’ Section To Website

WWW.HARLEY-DAVIDSON.COM ADDS NEW EXPERIENCE SECTION TO WEB SITE Web Site Integrates Travel Planning Tools for Riders MILWAUKEE, Wis. (March 9, 2006) Harley-Davidson recently introduced the new Experience section to its Web site as a one-stop location for planning motorcycle travel. The site now offers practical resources that help enthusiasts plan their next riding adventure, book hotel accommodations and air travel, and even arrange to rent or ship motorcycles. The new Experience section gives enthusiasts the choice to book lodging for their next ride or event through a convenient online reservation center or by speaking directly with a travel specialist. Motorcyclists may want to explore the Great Roads Web tool in the Experience section to share their personal favorite roads with other riders. Visitors can also rate and review the nation’s top 24 roads. From there, the Ride Planner is available to give enthusiasts the option to incorporate these popular routes into their own, customized travel plans. Other services offered in the Experience section showcase hundreds of motorcycle-related happenings in the Event Calendar including Harley-Davidson dealer events, demo rides, motorcycle shows and popular rallies such as Daytona Bike Week and Sturgis. Along with the Experience section, other areas of the Web site were reorganized to help visitors find what they want quickly and easily: · The new Motorcycle section links detailed model specifications to information on financing and insurance · Riders will find it easier to customize their motorcycles online with the Accessories and Apparel section. They may also create a wish list, buy online, or for Sportster fans, visually configure their motorcycle to see what it would look like with specific accessories added. · For those who aren’t sure how to get started, want to improve their riding skills, or are looking for tips from other motorcycle enthusiasts, the new Riders section has something for everyone. · The new Detour section has screen savers, wallpaper and games for enthusiasts to enjoy when they’re using a computer and dreaming about riding. Harley-Davidson Motor Company, the only major U.S.-based motorcycle manufacturer, produces heavyweight motorcycles and a complete line of motorcycle parts, accessories and general merchandise. For more information, visit Harley-Davidson’s Web site at www.harley-davidson.com.

Lorenzo Fastest After Two Days Of IRTA 250cc GP Testing At Jerez

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TEAM FORTUNA APRILIA END THE PRESEASON AS PACESETTERS AT JEREZ Jorge Lorenzo and Héctor Barberá completed their preseason programme on top form at Jerez today, demonstrating their talent and strong mental state ahead of the first race of the season at the same track on March 26. The two Fortuna Aprilia riders set the pace at the second and final IRTA Test of 2006, with Jorge Lorenzo setting the fastest time over the two days as he had done last week at the Circuit de Catalunya. Today the Mallorcan rider clocked a time of 1.42.873, the only rider to lap below 1.43, and improved his best effort from yesterday by six tenths. Héctor Barberá, meanwhile, stopped the clock at 1.43.5, 0.2 seconds behind Alex de Angelis, as he knocked seven tenths off his own previous best. The Fortuna Aprilia pair will now head home to complete their physical training programmes before starting the season at full strength in two weeks’ time. JORGE LORENZO: 1’42.873. 76 laps on day one, 46 on day two “I have improved my best time at this circuit from last season by over a second. Aprilia are doing an excellent job and this is showing through in the results. My main objective is not to set an amazing lap time but to take another step forward and to continue with the progress we have made throughout the preseason. I think we are doing a great job and we can be satisfied with that. I want the fans to enjoy the show we put on for them in the first race of the 2006 season, here at the Jerez circuit in two weeks’ time.” HECTOR BARBERA: 1’43.541. 67 laps on day one, 42 on day two “I am very satisfied. We have done a good job throughout the preseason but we still have work to do. Today I improved by best lap time from yesterday although the most important thing for me is that I improved my race pace. We’re now really looking forward to the first race with a lot of ambition, although we have to take into account that the other teams will also be fighting hard to be at the front. I think we are in for a spectacular year. I just can’t wait for the championship to start.”

Daytona 200 Viewing Party Scheduled In Brooklyn, New York

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It is March, and another riding season has begun. To celebrate, come down to Bar Matchless this Saturday March 11th, to kick off the season by watching the Daytona 200 LIVE! The races will begin @ 11am. The main event will occur @ 1:30pm. Come early, see friends, meet new folks, and take advantage of the free pizza while it lasts. For those who can’t make it on Sat., Bar Matchless will show the races again on Monday Bike Night, March 14th @ 8pm. For directions & info: www.barmatchless.com Parking: On the sidewalk

More On The 2006 AMA Supermoto Season-opener At California Speedway

AMA SUPERMOTO CHAMPIONSHIP KICK STARTS SEASON DURING SUZUKI SUPERBIKE CHALLENGE New Course Created for First Points Paying Event at California Speedway FONTANA, Calif. (March 9, 2006) — California Speedway today announced the AMA Supermoto Championship will kick start their 2006 season at the Speedway during the Suzuki Superbike Challenge on Saturday, April 29. Though California Speedway has hosted supermoto events annually since 2002, this is the first time supermoto riders will compete for series points at the Fontana, Calif., facility. The course will be expanded and significantly larger than ever before, with higher jumps and more thrills for fans. Some of the greatest professional motorcycle riders will be competing for some much needed, early-season points, and California Speedway is the place to catch all the two-wheeled, high-speed action. The idea of supermoto has been around since the late 1970’s, first gaining popularity in Europe. AMA Pro Racing saw the success of the sport in Europe and recognized its potential among American motorcycle racing fans; thus creating the AMA Supermoto Championship in 2002. What makes supermoto so unique is the race course the discipline utilizes a combination of dirt sections, jumps (can be both dirt and steel) and long, high-speed straight-aways and corners. This gives the fans an exciting look at their favorite racers competing both on, and off, the asphalt. California Speedway is excited to hold its first ever AMA Supermoto Championship race during the Suzuki Superbike Challenge weekend. Come and be part of the action at California Speedway. Tickets for Friday’s Superbike practice and qualifying are $10; Saturday’s Superbike race and Supermoto events are $30; and Sunday’s Superbike race and support races are $30. A three-day ticket package is offered for Suzuki Superbike Challenge weekend for only $60; a two-day (Saturday and Sunday) ticket package is also available for $50. Purchase your tickets by calling 800-944-RACE [7223] or logging on to www.racetickets.com.

Former Military Personnel, Cilivilian Contractors From Iraq Form Race Team

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Tommy Thompson, formally of Bantam Racing, announces the formation of “Outside the Wire Racing” or OTW. OTW Racing is a Maryland based team comprised of military personnel and civilian contractors currently serving in Iraq. OTW Racing will compete in the Mid-Atlantic and South Eastern Regions with WERA, and ASRA Thunderbike starting in May 2006.

More From Daytona

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Miguel Duhamel On The Pole For Daytona 200 By Honda Mladin Wins AMA Superbike Opening Round Pole DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., (March 9, 2006) — For the second straight year, Canadian Miguel Duhamel captured the pole for the 65th Daytona 200 By Honda Formula Xtreme event scheduled for Saturday at historic Daytona International Speedway. Duhamel, riding the factory No. 1 American Honda, turned a track record fast lap of 1:40.928 seconds, 105.224 mph to earn the pole for the legendary motorcycle event as well as a Rolex watch. “It means a lot to come out here and get the pole and get the beautiful Rolex watch,” said Duhamel, who has five Daytona 200 By Honda wins but only two Daytona 200 By Honda poles. “It means a lot to the team, especially this year, with all the competition. Some people were thinking it was luck last year, but it was actually determination and a faster CBR600RR.” If the 37-year-old Montreal native, who now calls Las Vegas home, wins the prestigious 200-mile motorcycle road race on Saturday he will become the first six-time winner in the storied history of the race, which first ran in 1937. Duhamel is currently tied the legendary Scott Russell with his fifth victory in the Daytona 200 By Honda last March. “It’s hard,” Duhamel said of winning the Daytona 200 By Honda. “You’ve got to respect Daytona. It’s a hard race, it’s 200 miles. If I do win six, I’ll definitely go out, break my training regime and party with my guys.” Rounding out the podium was second place Jason DiSalvo aboard a Yamaha (105.134), third place Eric Bostrom (104.795) and fourth place Jake Zemke (104.209). Other notable Daytona 200 By Honda qualifiers include Erion Honda’s Josh Hayes (Sixth, 103.961) and Aaron Gobert (Seventh, 103.925) and Jeremy McWilliams aboard the Buell XB12R (103.574). Mladin On The Pole For AMA Superbike Championship Opening Round The track qualifying records continue to fall during Daytona 200 Week By Honda as Yoshimura Suzuki’s Mat Mladin captured the pole for Saturday’s Opening Round of the AMA Superbike Championship at Daytona International Speedway. Mladin, a native of Australia who is gunning for his seventh AMA Superbike title this year, toured the 2.95-mile Daytona International Speedway with a track-record lap of 1:37.075 seconds, 109.400 mph to earn his third Daytona Superbike pole and record 48th career Superbike pole. “I couldn’t test here in December recovering from surgery last year,” Mladin said. “We haven’t been here in 12 months and the bike is certainly very different from what it was 12 months ago so that puts me at a little bit of a disadvantage. But the race track still goes the same way. We’ve got more grip in the infield and that shows in the lap times.” Mladin’s pole was the eighth time a Suzuki has sat on the pole for the Daytona Superbike. Rounding out the front row for the Opening Round of the AMA Superbike Championship was second-place qualifier Ben Spies (108.857), third-place Parts Unlimited Ducati rider Ben Bostrom (108.354) and fourth-place American Honda rider Miguel Duhamel (107.996). More, from a press release issued by Daytona International Speedway: Hacking, Roger Lee Hayden Find Daytona Glory DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., (March 9, 2006) — Thursday’s Superstock and Supersport final delivered two first-time Daytona International Speedway winners. Jamie Hacking can finally call himself a winner at Daytona International Speedway after his thrilling victory in the Superstock event. After coming up short so many times in tight finishes at “The World Center of Racing,” Hacking was able to nip Yamaha teammate Jason DiSalvo at the start/finish line by a mere .072 seconds. “It’s been nine years since I’ve been in here,” Hacking said. “I have second place lined up there on the shelf, and now I’ve finally got that one to go up there in the middle of them.” Hacking, riding in second place on the final lap aboard the factory No. 2 Yamaha, felt like he was in perfect position behind the leader DiSalvo. “I was hoping he was going to play the cards like he played them and I took them,” Hacking said. “I didn’t think he wanted to lead me out of the chicane but he did. I ran out of the banking, let him go and breathed the bike a little bit. “I’ve been in too many situations where I caught myself out trying to make the break too early. I left it as late as possible and ran him down pretty good. I dove down to the inside. If I had to take it to the dirt, I was going to the dirt to win this one.” DiSalvo gave credit to Hacking’s slingshot move at the checkered flag. “He just played the draft right — Miguel Duhamel right,” said DiSalvo referring to five-time Daytona 200 By Honda winner who has patented the slingshot move out of the Daytona chicane. Aaron Yates delivered a third-place finish aboard his Yoshimura Suzuki despite an injured shoulder he suffered during a recent test session at California Speedway. Hacking continued his Daytona successes on Thursday with a runner-up finish in the Supersport race behind winner Roger Lee Hayden. Hayden, riding the No. 95 Kawasaki, was able to break away from the competitive field in the final laps for the 1.609-second victory. “The first 15 laps was a little bit of a struggle,” Hayden said. “I changed my gearing right before the race because I thought we had a pretty bad headwind. It really wasn’t the right decision. “I couldn’t get by either one of these guys (Hacking or Tommy Hayden) by the stripe so I knew my only chance was to try to break away. Once we got into lappers, they were getting out the blue flag, and I was being a little bit aggressive.” Tommy Hayden, the 2005 Supersport champion competing in his only 2006 Supersport event of the year, finished third on his No. 1 Kawasaki. More, from a press release issued by Vreeke & Associates, on behalf of Dunlop: Dunlop Motorcycle Tires race report: 2006 AMA Superbike Series, round one, Daytona International Speedway Daytona, Fl. — March 9, 2006 — The annual spring rite of motorcycle roadracing on the storied tri-oval at Daytona International Speedway (DIS) unfolded in glorious fashion today as Dunlop-supported racers swept the podium in the Superstock and Supersport races at the opening round of the 2006 AMA Superbike Series. Graves Motorsport Yamaha’s Jamie Hacking took top honors in Superstock competition on his YZF-R1LE, beating teammate Jason Disalvo by .071 seconds with a draft pass at the finish line. For Hacking, his first Daytona win served notice that he was back in top form after losing virtually all of last season to rehabilitate two fractured elbows suffered in a bicycle training crash. Yoshimura Suzuki’s Aaron Yates was third, riding valiantly despite weakness in his shoulder, which was broken last month in a crash at a practice session at California Speedway. “I thank all of my friends from home who came here and supported me,” said Hacking. “And my crew for doing a great job on my bike. It’s great to have a fast motorcycle and finally win this race. It’s been nine years since I’ve been in here.” In the 600cc Supersport race that followed, Kawasaki Road Racing’s Roger Lee Hayden took the win on his ZX-6RR by 1.609 seconds over Hacking, who drafted past Hayden’s teammate and brother Tommy Hayden at the finish line. Hayden, who collected his first win in Supersport competition at Daytona, clocked the fastest lap of the race on the last lap. “I knew my only chance was to try and break away,” he said. “I got lucky with the lappers and I’m pretty happy to leave here with a good result.” On the day, Dunlop-shod riders took 15 of the 20 top finishing positions; eight out of 10 in Superstock and seven of 10 in Supersport. The series takes a break on Friday while the AMA Supercross series holds center stage for a day. The road racing resumes Saturday as Yoshimura Suzuki’s Mat Mladin, six-time AMA Superbike champ, hopes to capitalize on his pole-winning position in Superbike competition and Honda Racing’s Miguel Duhamel — the Daytona 200 pole-sitter — goes for a record sixth Daytona 200 victory running in the Formula Xtreme class. About Dunlop Tires Dunlop Tires is the largest supplier of original equipment and replacement motorcycle tires in the U.S. and the only manufacturer of motorcycle tires in North America. With North American operations headquartered in Buffalo, NY, Dunlop has been making and selling high-quality tires in the U.S. since 1923. For more information, please visit www.dunlopmotorcycle.com.

Track Day Providers Sportbike Track Time, Reduc Sportbike Association Merge Memberships

Track Day providers, Sportbike Track Time and Reduc Sportbike Association have announced plans to merge their memberships effective with the 2006 season. The combined memberships will run under the Sportbike Track Time name. According to Marco Carrozza, president of Reduc Sportbike Association, “our members will now have access to a much wider variety of tracks and year round dates than ever before in our club’s history.” Founded in 1992, Reduc Sportbike Association is one of the oldest track clubs in the northeast and most of their events are held at Pocono International Raceway in Long Pond, PA. Ohio based, Sportbike Track Time, is the largest track day providers in the nation. Owners Monte Lutz and Bonnie Strawser are pleased with the recent changes. “We now have a true national presence in all the major markets which is a great benefit for all our members.” For more information on the club as well as their 2006 track schedule, go to www.sportbiketracktime.com or call (888) 390-4020.

Final MotoGP World Championship Entry List Released

FIM announcement. 2006 MotoGP World Championship – Final Entry List MotoGP class 5. Colin Edwards (USA) Camel Yamaha Team, Yamaha 6. Makoto Tamada (JPN) Konica Minolta Honda,Honda 7. Carlos Checa (SPA) Tech3 Yamaha, Yamaha 10. Kenny Roberts (USA) Team Roberts, KR211V 15. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Ducati Marlboro Team, Ducati 17. Randy de Puniet (FRA) Kawasaki Racing Team, Kawasaki 21. John Hopkins (USA) Team Suzuki MotoGP, Suzuki 24. Toni Elias (SPA) Fortuna Honda, Honda 26. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team, Honda 27. Casey Stoner (AUS) Honda LCR, Honda 30. Jose Luis Cardoso (SPA) Pramac D’Antin MotoGP, Ducati 33. Marco Melandri (ITA) Fortuna Honda, Honda 46. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Camel Yamaha Team, Yamaha 56. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki Racing Team, Kawasaki 65. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati Marlboro Team, Ducati 66. Alex Hofmann (GER) Pramac D’Antin MotoGP, Ducati 69. Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda Team, Honda 71. Chris Vermeulen (AUS) Team Suzuki MotoGP, Suzuki 77. James Ellison (GBR) Tech3 Yamaha, Yamaha 250cc class 4. Hiroshi Aoyama (JPN) Red Bull KTM GP 250, KTM 5. Alex de Angelis (RSM) Master – MVA Aspar Team, Aprilia 14. Anthony West (AUS) Kiefer – Bos – Racing, Aprilia 15. Roberto Locatelli (ITA) Team Toth, Aprilia 16. Jules Cluzel (FRA) Equipe GP De France – Scrab, Aprilia 19. Sebastian Porto (ARG) Repsol Honda, Honda 21. Arnaud Vincent (FRA) Arie Molenaar Racing, Honda 22. Luca Morelli (ITA) Nocable Angaia Racing, Aprilia 23. Arturo Tizon (SPA) Wurth Honda BQR, Honda 24. Jordi Carchano (SPA) Stop And Go Racing Team, Honda 25. Alex Baldolini (ITA) Matteoni Racing, Aprilia 28. Dirk Heidolf (GER) Kiefer – Bos – Racing, Aprilia 34. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Humangest Racing Team, Honda 36. Martin Cardenas (COL) Wurth Honda BQR, Honda 41. Michele Danese (ITA) WTR Blauer USA, Aprilia 44. Taro Sekiguchi (JPN) Ticino Hosting Campetella Racing, Aprilia 48. Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) Fortuna Aprilia, Aprilia 50. Sylvain Guintoli (FRA) Equipe GP De France – Scrab, Aprilia 54. Manuel Poggiali (RSM) Red Bull KTM GP 250, KTM 55. Yuki Takahashi (JPN) Humangest Racing Team, Honda 57. Chaz Davies (GBR) Ticino Hosting Campetella Racing, Aprilia 58. Marco Simoncelli (ITA) Squadra Corse Metis Gilera, Gilera 73. Shuhei Aoyama (JPN) Repsol Honda, Honda 80. Hector Barbera (SPA) Fortuna Aprilia, Aprilia 85. Alessio Palumbo (ITA) Matteoni Racing, Aprilia 96.Jakub Smrz (CZE) Cardion AB Motoracing, Aprilia 125cc class 1. Thomas Luthi (SWI) Elit Caffe Latte, Honda 6. Joan Olive (SPA) SSM Racing, Aprilia 7. Alexis Masbou (FRA) Malaguti Ajo Corse, Malaguti 8. Lorenzo Zanetti (ITA) Skilled I.S.P.A. Racing Team, Aprilia 9. Michael Ranseder (AUT) Red Bull KTM Junior Team, KTM 10. Angel Rodriguez (SPA) 3C Racing, Aprilia 11. Sandro Cortese (GER) Elit Caffe Latte, Honda 12. Federico Sandi (ITA) SSM Racing, Aprilia 14. Gabor Talmacsi (HUN) Humangest Racing Team, Honda 15. Michele Pirro (ITA) WTR Blauer USA, Aprilia 16. Michele Conti (ITA) Valsir Seedorf Racing , Honda 17. Stefan Bradl (GER) Red Bull KTM Junior Team, KTM 18. Nicolas Terol (SPA) Derbi Racing, Derbi 19. Alvaro Bautista (SPA) Master – MVA Aspar Team, Aprilia 20. Roberto Tamburini (ITA) Matteoni Racing, Aprilia 21. Mateo Tunez (SPA) Master – MVA Aspar Team, Aprilia 22. Pablo Nieto (SPA) Multimedia Racing, Aprilia 23. Lorenzo Baroni (ITA) Humangest Racing Team, Honda 24. Simone Corsi (ITA) Squadra Corse Metis Gilera, Gilera 26. Vincent Braillard (SWI) Multimedia Racing, Aprilia 27. Stefano Bianco (ITA) 3C Racing, Aprilia 28. Jules Cluzel (FRA) Angaia Racing, Honda 29. Andrea Iannone (ITA) Ticino Hosting Campetella Jnr Team, Aprilia 32. Fabrizio Lai (ITA) Valsir Seedorf Racing, Honda 33. Sergio Gadea (SPA) Master – MVA Aspar Team, Aprilia 35. Raffaele de Rosa (ITA) Multimedia Racing, Aprilia 36. Mika Kallio (FIN) Red Bull KTM GP 125, KTM 37. Joey Litjens (NED) Arie Molenaar Racing, Honda 38. Bradley Smith (GBR) Repsol Honda, Honda 41. Aleix Espargaro (SPA) Wurth Honda BQR, Honda 43. Manuel Hernandez (SPA) Nocable Angaia Racing, Aprilia 44. Karel Abraham (CZE) Cardion AB Motoracing, Aprilia 45. Imre Toth (HUN) Team Toth, Aprilia 52. Lukas Pesek (CZE) Derbi Racing, Derbi 53. Simone Grotzkyj (ITA) Ticino Hosting Campetella Jnr Team, Aprilia 55. Hector Faubel (SPA) Master – MVA Aspar Team, Aprilia 60. Julian Simon (SPA) Red Bull KTM GP 125, KTM 63. Mike di Meglio (FRA) FFM Honda Grand Prix 125, Honda 71. Tomoyoshi Koyama (JPN) Malaguti Ajo Corse, Malaguti 75. Mattia Pasini (ITA) Master – MVA Aspar Team, Aprilia

Two Americans Will Be Racing In The Yamaha R6 Cup In Germany This Season

It’s going to be a great year in Germany for 2006!! We’ve got two guys from or previously living in the U.S.A. racing that will compete in the prestigious R6 Dunlop Germany Cup. Maurice Evans, U.S. Air Force Tech Sergeant his website: www.froggyracingteam.com (under construction) Sidney “Aaron” Morris, U.S. Government Employee (check his website: www.hamann-racing.de)

Updated Again: More About Thursday’s AMA Action At Daytona

BOSTROM QUALIFIES ON FRONT ROW AT DAYTONA Daytona (Florida): Ben Bostrom of the Parts Unlimited Ducati Team will start on the front row for Saturday’s Daytona Superbike race aboard his factory Ducati 999. Bostrom was third in Thursday’s session with a time of 1:38.012, held in sunny, cool Florida weather. Teammate Neil Hodgson qualified sixth with a time of 1:38.491 and showed a consistent pace throughout qualifying that he hopes to maintain for race distance. “It’s good to be on the front row, but at the same time, I’m a little disappointed,” said Bostrom, the 1998 AMA Superbike champion. “As sure as I threw my leg over that motorcycle, I thought I could have done a high 1:36 and I thought no one could stop me for pole position. The track really changed out there for our second session, though. There wasn’t as much grip as I would have liked. The times from the others were pretty hot but I don’t know if the other guys can turn those lap times all day on Saturday. We’re looking really good for the race, especially since the Ducati seems to pull all the way down the straight. The 999 seems like a quick starter off the line, too. I can’t wait.” Bostrom has plenty of experience at Daytona, and won the pole and finished second in 2003. However, Ben raced in Europe last season and missed the inaugural race on the new track configuration. Neil Hodgson finished a competitive second in last year’s race, though, despite it being just his first attempt on the high banks of Daytona. “The race package we have is quite good,” said Hodgson, a resident of the Isle of Man. “We have chosen a tire and we know exactly what we have with our settings. There are some races that you aren’t sure of where you stand, but this isn’t one of them. Looking at the lap-by-lap times of all the riders, I think it’s going to be a close race. I’m a little disappointed to be on the second row. I thought we had enough to start out front, but that’s racing.” Saturday’s 15-lap race will begin at 11:15 AM local time. Qualifying Times: 1. Mat Mladin, Suzuki 1:37.075 2. Ben Spies, Suzuki 1:37.559 3. Ben Bostrom, Parts Unlimited Ducati 1:38.012 4. Miguel Duhamel, Honda 1:38.337 5. Jake Zemke, Honda 1:38.398 6. Neil Hodgson, Parts Unlimited Ducati1:38.491 7. Roger Hayden, Kawasaki 1:38.573 8. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki 1:38.904 More, from a press release issued by Yamaha Motor Corp. U.S.A.: YAMAHA’S DiSALVO AND BOSTROM ON FRONT ROW FOR DAYTONA 200 ________________________________________________________________________ Daytona Beach, March 10, 2006,”” Yamaha’s Jason DiSalvo and Eric Bostrom provided a fitting return for the most successful manufacturer in the history of the Daytona 200, with both riders qualifying on the front row for Saturday’s Daytona 200 Formula Xtreme race at Daytona International Speedway. With an unprecedented 18 wins to its credit Yamaha hopes to add to that total with its new weapon, the YZF-R6. The R6 is poised to join a host of history making race bikes, including the TZ 350, TZ-700, TZ-750, OW68, and YZF-750, in the pantheon of motorcycle racing history. Today was the first step. DiSalvo, who was consistently the fastest in all three practice sessions, finished less than a tenth of a second off the pole position in preparation for his first Formula Xtreme race. A past winner here in the Supersport class, the New Yorker said a slight miscommunication meant he was unable to take full advantage of one of his three qualifying tires. Bostrom, a champion in both the 600cc Supersport and 1000cc Formula Xtreme classes, was returning to the 600cc class for the first time since 2002. The Californian spent much of the session preparing the new Yamaha R6 for the Daytona 200, his first for Yamaha, while searching for that one blistering lap. The Californian, who’s finished second in the Daytona 200, was three-tenths of a second behind his teammate and third on the front row of the 69-rider grid. Saturday’s 65th running of the Daytona 200 marks the return of Yamaha to the most prestigious race on the AMA calendar for the first time since 2002. Jason DiSalvo, 2nd, 1:41.014 “I was all tense and nervous going out and I made mistakes and everything. I actually went two laps on the second (qualifying tire) because I did five (laps) on the (first) one. I could do two laps no problem. It was just a little lack of communication and I was pretty frustrated afterwards. I know if I could have just hit my marks, I’m pretty confident I could have gone like a mid-40. That’s just the way it goes. What I would like to do Saturday is go out and win the 200 and use the bonus money to buy a Rolex. So that’s my plan.” Eric Bostrom, 3rd, 1:41.341 “The team’s really done a fantastic job. I feel the bike’s obviously good because the first time they came down here and tested, Jason (DiSalvo) and Jamie (Hacking) went pretty good on the thing. For me that was not the case. Got down here and was pretty far off the pace. Just been getting better and better for me each time on the bike and that last session was the first time able to run 41’s on the race tires. We’re in good shape. The team has really done a great job because, obviously, it’s very difficult to build a race bike for the 200 in such a short time. They’d done Supersport for the last few years and to go to a more heavily modified class, and show speed straight away, that shows a lot.” More, from a press release issued on behalf of Hotbodies Racing: Team Hotbodies Racing and the World Center of Speed The first flag flew for the 2006 AMA Superbike motorcycle road racing season, setting off the battle for the Superstock Championship, at Daytona International Speedway. Team Hotbodies privateers Cory West and Taylor Knapp, both returning to the team after strong 2005 seasons, showed themselves proudly in the contest, respectively finishing 15th and 20th, after West fought for position in sight of the podium. Having been running as high as fifth in mid-race, West said later, “I got a great start from my fourth row qualifying position and I was almost immediately in a battle with Buckmaster and Holden, in the front group. I got around them and was in fifth behind Yates and I could tell I was catching him. I tried throwing a rope around him and then my rear tire started going off and there was nothing I could do. I’ve never had it happen like that before. It’s hard to say why it went like that. I have to give great thanks to Don Finelli; he did all the bike’s suspension and if it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t have been able to hang on to what did. My mechanic Chuck Giachetto, my dad and Roger also all worked like crazy to give me this chance.” Taylor Knapp qualified an uncharacteristic 29th but also made huge gains on the start, finding himself up ten positions on the first lap. After the race Knapp said, “Our practice started out a bit hard. This is my second time at Daytona and first time on the Suzuki. We had trouble figuring out the gearing for the infield and when we tried out a power shifter I hit a false neutral and crashed in the infield left hander. That set us back and I ended up qualifying badly. For the race we set the bike back to where we’d started and it was better. My race was pretty smooth and I was in a battle with a few guys for the whole race until I hit a false neutral again on the last lap and ran off the track. We were so far ahead of the next group though that I didn’t lose any places. I’m looking forward to Barber where I’ll have my 600 to race too.” Joining team Hotbodies Racing for 2006 is Barrett Long, in his second year of the AMA Superbike series. Long finished 16th in Daytona’s Supersport race, after drifting back late in the contest from his battle for 11th place. Long said, “I moved up on the start and was in a drafting battle with a group all the way. My father [ex-racer John Long] does the bike and it ran great. We’re both grateful for the help of my dad’s long-time friend George Corbato. He bought the bike for me and without him we wouldn’t be here. I’m looking forward to a great season and to doing the 200 on Saturday.” Roger Davis, founder of Hotbodies Racing, said, “We’re all really happy with our showing at Daytona International Speedway. Just being part of the program here is exciting because of all the history; it’s the big show. But Cory running fifth in the Superstock race is exactly why we do this. He’s growing as a racer and making great advantage of the opportunity we’ve given him, moving up to the front of the pack. We’re very proud of him for that. It gives the whole team a lift” More, from a press release issued by Rory Rock: Rory Rock Daytona results My Daytona weekend is now officially over after a holed radiator in the Superstock final saw me post a DNF. Up to this point things had been going reasonably good, even though my new ZX10RR is still in very standard trim with just a race shock and fork mods done I had qualified in 27th place for the Superstock race. I posted a 1:46.3 in qualifying but got down to a 1:45.4 in Superbike qualifying which saw me miss out on making the final by just 0.5 of a second. That was a bit hard to take as I was getting quicker with every session and think I would have got in pretty easily if I had a chance to ride the track before the weekend started. The final for Superstock saw me get a terrible start, a combination of extremely tall gearing and no experience on the new bike I guess. That didnt stop me moving up the pack and on my first flying lap i posted a 1:45.2 which was my quickest for the weekend, I was running in 23rd at this point. Next lap round and I was wide open in top gear (approx 180mph) at the top of the banking where you are nearlly skimming the concrete wall and water sprayed all over my screen and visor. A stone had been thrown up into my radiator splitting it and causing me to pull into the pits. It was a bit dissapointing to not finish but we have achieved a lot this week on the new bike plus I have done a lot of laps in a race environment which will make a big difference when we get to Brands Hatch. Daytona was a unique experience that I have really enjoyed and would love to do again next year. The banking is something else to ride on although pretty scary, I have massive bruises all down my chest from hitting the tank under the g forces. When you hit the middle of the banking you can hardly move, it is even hard to lift your foot up to shift gears. Round 1 of the British Superstock Championship is at Brands Hatch on the 26th March so hopefully some of you can make it to that one. I am felling really confident this season and the new bikes have shown great potential. More, from a press release issued by Team M4 EMGO Suzuki: MAY’S VALIANT SUPERSTOCK CHARGE COMES UP SHORT Team M4 EMGO Suzuki came into Thursday at Daytona International Raceway with high hopes for Geoff May and he didn’t disappoint. The Georgian fought for the lead and consistently diced with the AMA roadracing series’ top racers before ultimately scoring two strong results. Starting from the second grid position on the front row in the Superstock final, May immediately headed to the front aboard his powerful GSX-R1000, holding down first place for the opening seven laps of the 13-lap contest. Unfortunately, grip issues prevented him from fully capitalizing on his form and his bike’s speed. A last-lap clash with the reigning class champion saw May cross the line in fourth, just hundredths of a second off the podium. “Today was disappointing for us,” said May. “It wasn’t what I wanted. After all that happened last season, I really wanted to win the Superstock race for Vincent and the team and myself. I felt like we had it. I had trained hard all winter and the guys gave me a great bike. I knew I had to go as hard as I could and control the pace. We chose the hardest tire, but the pace for the race was very fast. Leading those laps, it was looking good for a while but then I started to lose grip. By the end, it was pretty tough to hang on and the last three laps, I was doing all I could not to crash, to keep the bike upright. Then (Aaron) Yates caught me and we lost a spot on the podium. That stung pretty bad.” Immediately following the Superstock contest, May returned to the track to take on the 22-lap Supersport race. Once again he battled near the front of the pack, securing a spot in the top five in the early going. A brief run off into the grass late relegated May to a solid seventh place result in the team’s first AMA race aboard the new for ’06 GSX-R600. Completing the races was only half the battle for the Georgian on Thursday. May’s packed schedule also saw him qualify for the Daytona 200 aboard the team’s Pirelli-shod Formula Xtreme racer in the afternoon just prior to the two finals. Geoff, however, had to drop his bid to race all four classes this weekend after Mike Barnes was injured. “We had to drop Superbike,” said May. “I had trained for Superstock for four months and that race was very important to us. Plus, the 200 is very important for Suzuki. We know we have good tires for that race. The plan is to use my GSX-R600 but to pull the trick bits off Barney’s bike. We want to redeem ourselves in that one.” Still adapting to the FX machine, May managed a respectable top-ten showing in qualifying. He earned the inside position on the third row, qualifying ninth with a best lap of 1:43.520. The team’s newest member, Shea Fouchek, completed his first AMA final with the squad. Fouchek finished in 20th in the 100k Supersport race aboard his GSX-R600, remaining on the lead lap and establishing the groundwork for continued improvement as the season progresses. Following a one-day break from action on Friday, Team M4 EMGO Suzuki will return to the track on Saturday for the Daytona 200. More, from a press release issued by Yamaha Motor Corp. U.S.A.: YAMAHA ONE-TWO IN DAYTONA SUPERSTOCK Daytona Beach, March 10, 2006,”” Yamaha’s Jamie Hacking used a classic draft pass on teammate Jason DiSalvo to claim the Superstock victory on a sunny Thursday afternoon at Daytona International Speedway. From the Superstock podium Hacking jumped straight on his Yamaha R6 and nearly swept both races by finishing a close second in the Supersport race. Eric Bostrom, the third member of the Yamaha team, suffered a clutch failure early in the Superstock race and was forced to withdraw. In the 13-lap Superstock final, the veteran Hacking led across the stripe to begin the final lap before Disalvo took over the lead going into turn one. Once DiSalvo was in front, Hacking drew on his nine years of Daytona experience to size up his teammate for the all-important run from the back straight chicane, through the 31 degree banking of NASCAR turns three and four, and down to the checkered flag at the peak of the Daytona tri-oval. Hacking timed it perfectly, winning his first ever professional race at Daytona by a mere .072 seconds. The win was also Yamaha’s first in the Daytona Superstock race and a sterling debut for the new Yamaha YZF-R1 LE. Traffic in the final stages of the 22-lap Supersport race kept Hacking from making a last lap assault on race leader Roger Lee Hayden of Kawasaki. But he was able to pass Kawasaki’s Tommy Hayden to take the runner-up position. Jamie Hacking, 1st Place, Superstock “My main focus was to win that race and I just sat behind (Jason DiSalvo). I just let him do his thing and I did my thing and I knew exactly what I wanted to do. Went on to the last lap there, it was perfect clear lap, went into the chicane, he headed off in there and I figured he was going to stop coming out. He lit it up. I let him go. That was it, it was over. I just breathed it a little bit on the banking and said, ‘You mine, sucker.’ I said, ‘This is over right here. I’m putting this one in the bank.’ If I have to hit that (Supercross track) triple-jump going on the front straightaway in the dirt, I’m going to go across the line in there. He dove down to the inside. I said I’m going to go on underneath. I did. I dove in underneath there and like I said it felt good to come cross that start-finish line with that checkered flag waving right across in front of me. Felt good.” Jason DiSalvo, 2nd Superstock “It was a good race. I don’t know if I would have done anything different. It was just kind of a roll of a dice there at the end, the last lap. I blame myself because I left the door open a little at the bottom. And I know all about shutting doors here at Daytona. I was coming into the tri-oval and I was like, ‘I haven’t seen Jamie (Hacking) yet, so I think I’ve got this one.’ Then it was like, “I got second.’ It was that fast. It was a good race and it was cool for Yamaha to go one-two. That draft was perfect. So congrats to him and we’ll just mark that down in our notebooks and look forward to next year.” Jamie Hacking, 2nd Supersport “I definitely gave it away. I don’t have anything else to say, really, other than the bike worked really well. Roger (Hayden) rode a great race, so did Tommy (Hayden). I had a couple of moments where I lost the front a little bit and kind of backed off and didn’t feel quite comfortable with what was happening. Rog kind of got really aggressive there in the lappers and he knew what he had to do to kind of get him a good gap and he did a good job and played it out right and when I was backing off he was getting a little more aggressive. So I lost the race right there.” Keith McCarty, Team Manager “I think the guys have really been working hard, putting in a lot of late hours. And it’s truly great to come down to this race and have it all pay off. It’s the biggest race of the year for most of us. Daytona is Daytona, so you really want to put your best foot forward, but without putting a lot of pressure on people. It’s on the first of many races for the year. I’m really happy for them because it shows their race and dedication and everything went pretty flawless. We had a problem with Eric’s bike in Superstock. That’s racing. You don’t like it when it happen, but it does. Jamie and Jason did a good job. Very close, very nerve-wracking for me for that many laps to have them that close. What a great experience. A great way to start the week and the season.” More, from a press release issued by Jason DiSalvo’s publicist: Jason DiSalvo of Las Vegas, NV and Stafford, NY is currently racing multiple events at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, FL. With three days of qualifying and racing Jason spent Wednesday, March 8th practicing for Formula Xtreme and qualifying for the 1000cc Superstock class. During Wednesday’s events Jason was consistently the fastest in all classes ultimately smashing the 1000cc Superstock record with a blistering 1 minute 39.18 seconds. This time put Jason in the pole position. On Thursday, during practice and qualifying, Jason maintained his top positions during the day. The 50 minute qualifying session began at 2:30PM, as teams and spectators observed riders in and out of the pits with tire changes and bike adjustments, they could only wonder who would be the top man. Late in the session, Jason moved from second place. With less than 2 minutes to go unfortunately his efforts were for naught as he qualified 2nd in the Formula Xtreme class for the Daytona 200 event. At 3.30PM the grid for the Superstock class began to form for the beginning of the first race of the day. At the start of the race Jason ran 2nd for the first few laps moving into first, then controlling the race until the finish line where he was bit by the Daytona draft, that unpredictable slingshot effect that changes so many Daytona race finishes. With Friday a day of rest for the team Jason returns to action on Saturday, March 11th for the Daytona 200, which will be televised live on speed channel at 1:30pm.

Harley-Davidson Adds ‘Experience’ Section To Website

WWW.HARLEY-DAVIDSON.COM ADDS NEW EXPERIENCE SECTION TO WEB SITE Web Site Integrates Travel Planning Tools for Riders MILWAUKEE, Wis. (March 9, 2006) Harley-Davidson recently introduced the new Experience section to its Web site as a one-stop location for planning motorcycle travel. The site now offers practical resources that help enthusiasts plan their next riding adventure, book hotel accommodations and air travel, and even arrange to rent or ship motorcycles. The new Experience section gives enthusiasts the choice to book lodging for their next ride or event through a convenient online reservation center or by speaking directly with a travel specialist. Motorcyclists may want to explore the Great Roads Web tool in the Experience section to share their personal favorite roads with other riders. Visitors can also rate and review the nation’s top 24 roads. From there, the Ride Planner is available to give enthusiasts the option to incorporate these popular routes into their own, customized travel plans. Other services offered in the Experience section showcase hundreds of motorcycle-related happenings in the Event Calendar including Harley-Davidson dealer events, demo rides, motorcycle shows and popular rallies such as Daytona Bike Week and Sturgis. Along with the Experience section, other areas of the Web site were reorganized to help visitors find what they want quickly and easily: · The new Motorcycle section links detailed model specifications to information on financing and insurance · Riders will find it easier to customize their motorcycles online with the Accessories and Apparel section. They may also create a wish list, buy online, or for Sportster fans, visually configure their motorcycle to see what it would look like with specific accessories added. · For those who aren’t sure how to get started, want to improve their riding skills, or are looking for tips from other motorcycle enthusiasts, the new Riders section has something for everyone. · The new Detour section has screen savers, wallpaper and games for enthusiasts to enjoy when they’re using a computer and dreaming about riding. Harley-Davidson Motor Company, the only major U.S.-based motorcycle manufacturer, produces heavyweight motorcycles and a complete line of motorcycle parts, accessories and general merchandise. For more information, visit Harley-Davidson’s Web site at www.harley-davidson.com.

Lorenzo Fastest After Two Days Of IRTA 250cc GP Testing At Jerez

TEAM FORTUNA APRILIA END THE PRESEASON AS PACESETTERS AT JEREZ Jorge Lorenzo and Héctor Barberá completed their preseason programme on top form at Jerez today, demonstrating their talent and strong mental state ahead of the first race of the season at the same track on March 26. The two Fortuna Aprilia riders set the pace at the second and final IRTA Test of 2006, with Jorge Lorenzo setting the fastest time over the two days as he had done last week at the Circuit de Catalunya. Today the Mallorcan rider clocked a time of 1.42.873, the only rider to lap below 1.43, and improved his best effort from yesterday by six tenths. Héctor Barberá, meanwhile, stopped the clock at 1.43.5, 0.2 seconds behind Alex de Angelis, as he knocked seven tenths off his own previous best. The Fortuna Aprilia pair will now head home to complete their physical training programmes before starting the season at full strength in two weeks’ time. JORGE LORENZO: 1’42.873. 76 laps on day one, 46 on day two “I have improved my best time at this circuit from last season by over a second. Aprilia are doing an excellent job and this is showing through in the results. My main objective is not to set an amazing lap time but to take another step forward and to continue with the progress we have made throughout the preseason. I think we are doing a great job and we can be satisfied with that. I want the fans to enjoy the show we put on for them in the first race of the 2006 season, here at the Jerez circuit in two weeks’ time.” HECTOR BARBERA: 1’43.541. 67 laps on day one, 42 on day two “I am very satisfied. We have done a good job throughout the preseason but we still have work to do. Today I improved by best lap time from yesterday although the most important thing for me is that I improved my race pace. We’re now really looking forward to the first race with a lot of ambition, although we have to take into account that the other teams will also be fighting hard to be at the front. I think we are in for a spectacular year. I just can’t wait for the championship to start.”

Daytona 200 Viewing Party Scheduled In Brooklyn, New York

It is March, and another riding season has begun. To celebrate, come down to Bar Matchless this Saturday March 11th, to kick off the season by watching the Daytona 200 LIVE! The races will begin @ 11am. The main event will occur @ 1:30pm. Come early, see friends, meet new folks, and take advantage of the free pizza while it lasts. For those who can’t make it on Sat., Bar Matchless will show the races again on Monday Bike Night, March 14th @ 8pm. For directions & info: www.barmatchless.com Parking: On the sidewalk

More On The 2006 AMA Supermoto Season-opener At California Speedway

AMA SUPERMOTO CHAMPIONSHIP KICK STARTS SEASON DURING SUZUKI SUPERBIKE CHALLENGE New Course Created for First Points Paying Event at California Speedway FONTANA, Calif. (March 9, 2006) — California Speedway today announced the AMA Supermoto Championship will kick start their 2006 season at the Speedway during the Suzuki Superbike Challenge on Saturday, April 29. Though California Speedway has hosted supermoto events annually since 2002, this is the first time supermoto riders will compete for series points at the Fontana, Calif., facility. The course will be expanded and significantly larger than ever before, with higher jumps and more thrills for fans. Some of the greatest professional motorcycle riders will be competing for some much needed, early-season points, and California Speedway is the place to catch all the two-wheeled, high-speed action. The idea of supermoto has been around since the late 1970’s, first gaining popularity in Europe. AMA Pro Racing saw the success of the sport in Europe and recognized its potential among American motorcycle racing fans; thus creating the AMA Supermoto Championship in 2002. What makes supermoto so unique is the race course the discipline utilizes a combination of dirt sections, jumps (can be both dirt and steel) and long, high-speed straight-aways and corners. This gives the fans an exciting look at their favorite racers competing both on, and off, the asphalt. California Speedway is excited to hold its first ever AMA Supermoto Championship race during the Suzuki Superbike Challenge weekend. Come and be part of the action at California Speedway. Tickets for Friday’s Superbike practice and qualifying are $10; Saturday’s Superbike race and Supermoto events are $30; and Sunday’s Superbike race and support races are $30. A three-day ticket package is offered for Suzuki Superbike Challenge weekend for only $60; a two-day (Saturday and Sunday) ticket package is also available for $50. Purchase your tickets by calling 800-944-RACE [7223] or logging on to www.racetickets.com.

Former Military Personnel, Cilivilian Contractors From Iraq Form Race Team

Tommy Thompson, formally of Bantam Racing, announces the formation of “Outside the Wire Racing” or OTW. OTW Racing is a Maryland based team comprised of military personnel and civilian contractors currently serving in Iraq. OTW Racing will compete in the Mid-Atlantic and South Eastern Regions with WERA, and ASRA Thunderbike starting in May 2006.

More From Daytona

Miguel Duhamel On The Pole For Daytona 200 By Honda Mladin Wins AMA Superbike Opening Round Pole DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., (March 9, 2006) — For the second straight year, Canadian Miguel Duhamel captured the pole for the 65th Daytona 200 By Honda Formula Xtreme event scheduled for Saturday at historic Daytona International Speedway. Duhamel, riding the factory No. 1 American Honda, turned a track record fast lap of 1:40.928 seconds, 105.224 mph to earn the pole for the legendary motorcycle event as well as a Rolex watch. “It means a lot to come out here and get the pole and get the beautiful Rolex watch,” said Duhamel, who has five Daytona 200 By Honda wins but only two Daytona 200 By Honda poles. “It means a lot to the team, especially this year, with all the competition. Some people were thinking it was luck last year, but it was actually determination and a faster CBR600RR.” If the 37-year-old Montreal native, who now calls Las Vegas home, wins the prestigious 200-mile motorcycle road race on Saturday he will become the first six-time winner in the storied history of the race, which first ran in 1937. Duhamel is currently tied the legendary Scott Russell with his fifth victory in the Daytona 200 By Honda last March. “It’s hard,” Duhamel said of winning the Daytona 200 By Honda. “You’ve got to respect Daytona. It’s a hard race, it’s 200 miles. If I do win six, I’ll definitely go out, break my training regime and party with my guys.” Rounding out the podium was second place Jason DiSalvo aboard a Yamaha (105.134), third place Eric Bostrom (104.795) and fourth place Jake Zemke (104.209). Other notable Daytona 200 By Honda qualifiers include Erion Honda’s Josh Hayes (Sixth, 103.961) and Aaron Gobert (Seventh, 103.925) and Jeremy McWilliams aboard the Buell XB12R (103.574). Mladin On The Pole For AMA Superbike Championship Opening Round The track qualifying records continue to fall during Daytona 200 Week By Honda as Yoshimura Suzuki’s Mat Mladin captured the pole for Saturday’s Opening Round of the AMA Superbike Championship at Daytona International Speedway. Mladin, a native of Australia who is gunning for his seventh AMA Superbike title this year, toured the 2.95-mile Daytona International Speedway with a track-record lap of 1:37.075 seconds, 109.400 mph to earn his third Daytona Superbike pole and record 48th career Superbike pole. “I couldn’t test here in December recovering from surgery last year,” Mladin said. “We haven’t been here in 12 months and the bike is certainly very different from what it was 12 months ago so that puts me at a little bit of a disadvantage. But the race track still goes the same way. We’ve got more grip in the infield and that shows in the lap times.” Mladin’s pole was the eighth time a Suzuki has sat on the pole for the Daytona Superbike. Rounding out the front row for the Opening Round of the AMA Superbike Championship was second-place qualifier Ben Spies (108.857), third-place Parts Unlimited Ducati rider Ben Bostrom (108.354) and fourth-place American Honda rider Miguel Duhamel (107.996). More, from a press release issued by Daytona International Speedway: Hacking, Roger Lee Hayden Find Daytona Glory DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., (March 9, 2006) — Thursday’s Superstock and Supersport final delivered two first-time Daytona International Speedway winners. Jamie Hacking can finally call himself a winner at Daytona International Speedway after his thrilling victory in the Superstock event. After coming up short so many times in tight finishes at “The World Center of Racing,” Hacking was able to nip Yamaha teammate Jason DiSalvo at the start/finish line by a mere .072 seconds. “It’s been nine years since I’ve been in here,” Hacking said. “I have second place lined up there on the shelf, and now I’ve finally got that one to go up there in the middle of them.” Hacking, riding in second place on the final lap aboard the factory No. 2 Yamaha, felt like he was in perfect position behind the leader DiSalvo. “I was hoping he was going to play the cards like he played them and I took them,” Hacking said. “I didn’t think he wanted to lead me out of the chicane but he did. I ran out of the banking, let him go and breathed the bike a little bit. “I’ve been in too many situations where I caught myself out trying to make the break too early. I left it as late as possible and ran him down pretty good. I dove down to the inside. If I had to take it to the dirt, I was going to the dirt to win this one.” DiSalvo gave credit to Hacking’s slingshot move at the checkered flag. “He just played the draft right — Miguel Duhamel right,” said DiSalvo referring to five-time Daytona 200 By Honda winner who has patented the slingshot move out of the Daytona chicane. Aaron Yates delivered a third-place finish aboard his Yoshimura Suzuki despite an injured shoulder he suffered during a recent test session at California Speedway. Hacking continued his Daytona successes on Thursday with a runner-up finish in the Supersport race behind winner Roger Lee Hayden. Hayden, riding the No. 95 Kawasaki, was able to break away from the competitive field in the final laps for the 1.609-second victory. “The first 15 laps was a little bit of a struggle,” Hayden said. “I changed my gearing right before the race because I thought we had a pretty bad headwind. It really wasn’t the right decision. “I couldn’t get by either one of these guys (Hacking or Tommy Hayden) by the stripe so I knew my only chance was to try to break away. Once we got into lappers, they were getting out the blue flag, and I was being a little bit aggressive.” Tommy Hayden, the 2005 Supersport champion competing in his only 2006 Supersport event of the year, finished third on his No. 1 Kawasaki. More, from a press release issued by Vreeke & Associates, on behalf of Dunlop: Dunlop Motorcycle Tires race report: 2006 AMA Superbike Series, round one, Daytona International Speedway Daytona, Fl. — March 9, 2006 — The annual spring rite of motorcycle roadracing on the storied tri-oval at Daytona International Speedway (DIS) unfolded in glorious fashion today as Dunlop-supported racers swept the podium in the Superstock and Supersport races at the opening round of the 2006 AMA Superbike Series. Graves Motorsport Yamaha’s Jamie Hacking took top honors in Superstock competition on his YZF-R1LE, beating teammate Jason Disalvo by .071 seconds with a draft pass at the finish line. For Hacking, his first Daytona win served notice that he was back in top form after losing virtually all of last season to rehabilitate two fractured elbows suffered in a bicycle training crash. Yoshimura Suzuki’s Aaron Yates was third, riding valiantly despite weakness in his shoulder, which was broken last month in a crash at a practice session at California Speedway. “I thank all of my friends from home who came here and supported me,” said Hacking. “And my crew for doing a great job on my bike. It’s great to have a fast motorcycle and finally win this race. It’s been nine years since I’ve been in here.” In the 600cc Supersport race that followed, Kawasaki Road Racing’s Roger Lee Hayden took the win on his ZX-6RR by 1.609 seconds over Hacking, who drafted past Hayden’s teammate and brother Tommy Hayden at the finish line. Hayden, who collected his first win in Supersport competition at Daytona, clocked the fastest lap of the race on the last lap. “I knew my only chance was to try and break away,” he said. “I got lucky with the lappers and I’m pretty happy to leave here with a good result.” On the day, Dunlop-shod riders took 15 of the 20 top finishing positions; eight out of 10 in Superstock and seven of 10 in Supersport. The series takes a break on Friday while the AMA Supercross series holds center stage for a day. The road racing resumes Saturday as Yoshimura Suzuki’s Mat Mladin, six-time AMA Superbike champ, hopes to capitalize on his pole-winning position in Superbike competition and Honda Racing’s Miguel Duhamel — the Daytona 200 pole-sitter — goes for a record sixth Daytona 200 victory running in the Formula Xtreme class. About Dunlop Tires Dunlop Tires is the largest supplier of original equipment and replacement motorcycle tires in the U.S. and the only manufacturer of motorcycle tires in North America. With North American operations headquartered in Buffalo, NY, Dunlop has been making and selling high-quality tires in the U.S. since 1923. For more information, please visit www.dunlopmotorcycle.com.