We now have more details regarding Venezuelan racer Robertino Pietri’s hospitalization with an infection in one of his arms at the site of recent surgery to correct compartment syndrome. According to his father, 1980s AMA Superbike and F1 racer Roberto Pietri, the younger Pietri had contracted a sore throat prior to the infection. “Apparently he caught a bug in his throat(sore throat)which he gets from time to time,” explained Roberto Pietri in an e-mail Sunday. “For some reason this thing as it was wandering around his blood, it found this tender tissue in the arm as after an operation a little blood stays around until it is absorbed by the body. “He had gone to bed the night before and I had checked his arms before going to sleep. When we woke up the next morning to go do some errands he came back from the bathroom showing his arm and saying that it was swollen. I noticed it was a little reddish so we called the family doctor and he directed us to the right doctors and they opened him up, cleaned everything out and put him on some heavy antibiotics. “Since he is an athlete they acted that way so he could be ready to ride not 100% for (an upcoming AMA team test at) Fontana but be ready for Daytona. He is returning to California on February 5th and he can ride the track at Fontana just to learn the track and break in the bike and then go on to a rehabilitation program so he can be 100% for Daytona. “Apparently we acted so quickly and the doctors did such an aggressive response that nothing suffered in the inside (muscle) so he is now fine; all he really has to do is start riding easy and build up from there.”

Date Track Location Feb 25-26 Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch Pahrump, NV March 22 Laguna Seca Raceway Monterey, CA March 27-28 Streets of Willow Rosamond, CA April 4-5 Thunderhill Raceway Willows, CA April 17-18 Miller Motorsports Park Salt Lake City, UT May 15-16 Pueblo Motorsports Park Pueblo, CO May 29-30 Hallet Raceway Jennings, OK June 12-13 Road America Elkhart Lake, WI June 26-27 Autobahn Country Club Joliet, IL July 10-11 Heartland Park Topeka Topeka, KS August 14-15 New Hampshire Int’l Speedway Loudon, NH Sept 21-22 Streets of Willow Rosamond, CA Oct 3-4 Thunderhill Raceway Willows, CA Oct 28-29 Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch Pahrump, NV Nov 18-19 Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch Pahrump, NV For additional info, call (805)658-6333. www.starmotorcycle.com

Racer Roberto “Robertino” Pietri has been hospitalized in Caracas, Venezuela with an infection related to recent surgery performed in the United States to cure “compartment syndrome,” the cause of the racer’s problem commonly known as “arm pump.” The 20-year-old Venezuelan is the son of 1980s AMA Superbike and F-1 competitor Roberto Pietri. The younger Pietri rode at two F-USA Nationals and one AMA National during the 2005 season; he won a CCS National Championship during the 2005 Race of Champions weekend at Daytona in October and plans to compete in the entire AMA series this year. It is not known if the infection and related complications will cause Robertino Pietri to miss AMA team tests scheduled for February 7-8 at California Speedway in Fontana, California.

Vintage Laconia 2006 Now in its 10th year, Vintage Laconia has quietly become the premier gathering for the true vintage enthusiasts in the sport. Acclaimed in both the National and International press, the vintage races through the streets of Laconia, Vintage Observed Trials, FIM/NAMU International Vintage Championship Road Races and a reunion of the old racers all kick off the start of the world famous Laconia Motorcycle Week. It is a low key series of events that captures all the racing sights, sounds and smells as well as the motorcycle fun of the 30’s, 40’s, 50’s and 60’s. Streets of Laconia Vintage exhibition Races June 11, 2006 For the third year in a row, the streets of Downtown Laconia will come alive with vintage racing motorcycles as the City of Laconia plays host to one of the most outstanding vintage motorcycle events in North America. Coming from Canada, Europe and the United States are many of the machines and riders that raced the AMA Laconia National from 1938 to 1963. A challenging road course of slightly over one mile is laid out through the City streets. The vintage racers will be running neck and neck down Main Street in an exhibition of speed that captures all the sights, sounds and racing smells of that golden era American racing. Indians, Nortons, Ducatis, Triumphs, Benellis, Hondas, Yamahas, Parillas, BSAs and Harleys gather at the old Laconia Railroad Station parking lot early Sunday morning to set up their pits and prepare for the afternoon events. Opening ceremonies start at 1pm with the introduction of some of the past Laconia winners and legends of American AMA racing. Exhibition races for the various displacement classes follow and continue throughout the afternoon. Especially attractive and very unique to the event is the fact that there is no admission fee for spectators. Access to all the viewing areas and the pits is completely free of charge. The Laconia Downtown Association actively supports the event and strongly encourages the local restaurants and merchants to showcase their businesses by having many specials for the spectator. Sunday June 11.. Downtown Laconia is a destination you won’t want to miss. FIM/NAMU North American Vintage Road Race Championships New Hampshire International Speedway June 12, 2006 Internationally sanctioned by the FIM, North American Motorcycle Union, the AMA and the United States Classic Racing Association, vintage motorcycle road racing returns once again to the technically demanding 1.6-mile road course at New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire. The top vintage racers from North America will gather for this event to race for the coveted North American Vintage Championship title. Make no mistake, vintage doesn’t mean slow and boring. These riders race these old machines no holds bared to their absolute limits and sometimes beyond. For pure excitement, the vintage racing sidecars are always a crowd favorite at this event. They slip and slide their way through the corners in a desperate attempt to carry speed, maintain control and beat their competition. In this frantic ballet of motor racing madness, the sidecar passenger climbs around the machine and hangs off scraping the pavement with their leather suit fighting to balance the machine and keep it from flipping. Another unique aspect of this Monday event is the FIM/ NAMU 125 Championships for the modern 125 Grand Prix bikes. These guys are racing true Grand Prix machines for money and they are hungry. The state of the art 125 machines will compete in a forty-mile race that tests the endurance of both the machine and the rider. Look for several up and coming young riders to compete in this event as they hone their skills in preparation for the European Grand Prix circuits. Lap times for these GP machines rival the modern super bikes! The event is very spectator friendly as everyone has access to the infield and the garage area where the competitors are pitted. All parking is free, and even more fantastic is the fact that spectators on motorcycles can park on the inside of the track oval up close and personal to where the action is. All races are run rain or shine. FIM / NAMU 125 GP North American Championship Race Monday—June 12, 2006—NHIS As part of the vintage race program on Monday June 12, the forty- mile FIM/ NAMU North American 125 Grand Prix Championships for modern 125’s will be run at NHIS. Coming from across North America will be the young lions and the wily seasoned racers competing for both the top cash prizes and the Championship laurels. These 125′ are the stepping-stone into the top National road race ranks and the International Grand Prix arena. Though small in displacement, these factory built racers are true Grand Prix machines capable of approaching the lap times of the big superbike racers. Not for the faint of heart, the riders drag their knees and corner at what seem like impossible speeds to carry the momentum. The forty-mile race really tests the skills, endurance and strategy of the riders as well as the reliability of the machines as they burn through a new set of racing slicks for a shot at the gold. Win this race and you are the best of the best. The event is very spectator friendly as everyone has access to the infield and the garage area where the competitors are pitted. All parking is free, and even more fantastic is the fact that spectators on motorcycles can park on the inside of the track oval up close and personal to where the action is. All races are run rain or shine. Reunion Dinner and Biker Ball June 10, 2006 – Laconia Saturday June 10 will be the second annual Reunion Dinner and Biker Ball. Ever want to hang out with the legends of American Motorcycle Racing, eat great food and listen to great music? Attend the Reunion Dinner and Biker Ball ’cause the Legends and riders that made “Laconia” famous will be there to help celebrate the start of Laconia Motorcycle Week 2006. Great Guys, great stories and a great time! 2006 USCRA Schedule: * Vintage Celebration – May 19-21 New Hampshire International Speedway * * FIM Trials – June 10 Laconia NH * * Streets of Laconia – June 11 Downtown Laconia NH * * FIM Vintage Celebration – June 12 New Hampshire International Speedway * * FIM 125 – June 12 New Hampshire International Speedway * * Pewter Run – Sept 3 Hillsboro New Hampshire * * Granite State Champsionship – Sept 4 New Hampshire International Speedway * * Motogiro USA – Sept. 16,17,18 Upstate Vermont * * Fronteirland – Sept 30, Oct 1 New Hampshire International Speedway For more information, go to www.race-uscra.com.

FULSOME GRID FOR SBK SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP® The increasing strength of SBK™ racing has no better illustration than the 2006 provisional entry list, unveiled recently by the FIM. Defending champion Troy Corser (Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) faces almost 30 permanent competitors this year, a solid line-up of talent, in impressive strength and vast depth. His own team-mate of 2005, Yukio Kagayama, is back in the mix, hoping to build on a ‘rookie’ SBK™ season which saw him score a win in round one at Qatar, and finish top five overall. A welcome re-entry to the series in 2006 will be 2001 World Champion Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) while Briton James Toseland (Winston Ten Kate Honda), the world champion in 2004, makes it three proven title holders aiming to engrave their names on the top trophy once more. Supersport World Championship® provides more tried and tested World Champions for SBK™ yet again, with new boy Fabien Foret (Alstare Corona Extra Suzuki) plus 2005 SBK™ ‘veterans’ Andrew Pitt (Yamaha Motor Italia) and Karl Muggeridge (Winston Honda Ten Kate) each having scored the middleweight crown; Pitt in 2001, Foret in 2002 and Muggeridge in 2004. Proven riders of all kinds litter the field in 2006, boosting the numbers of riders with a genuine chance of a top five championship finish to almost unprecedented levels. Coming back to the SBK™ fray, when he recovers from a training injury, is exciting Spaniard Ruben Xaus (Sterilgarda Berik Ducati), who will be teamed up with experienced privateer Marco Borciani. Runner-up to Neil Hodgson in SBK™ in 2003, Xaus has since claimed a podium finish in MotoGP, and currently has a total of nine World SBK™victories to his credit. Perennial WSBK™ force Pierfrancesco Chili comes back with his inimitable determination to succeed to the fore as usual, and the veteran rider will line up in a DFX-Treme Honda squad, alongside former European Superstock® Champion Michel Fabrizio. Chili’s experience and Fabrizio’s youth should make for a dazzling combination, in one of many Italian-based ‘dream teams’. None of those is bigger than the official Ducati Xerox outfit, and lining up alongside the prodigal Bayliss will be last year’s find of the year, Lorenzo Lanzi. A proven race winner already, with two victories under his belt, Lanzi will find year two an even tougher prospect than his rookie season. Nonetheless, few who saw him in 2005 will bet against his cool head and aggressive spirit breaking into the upper echelons once more. Equalling Lanzi’s two win total from 2005 is SBK™ legend Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia), the third placed rider in last year’s series. Determined to make a better start to 2006 than he did last year, Haga is one of the most exciting riders to watch, in a group or on his own. PSG-1 Kawasaki’s two man effort from the 2005 season has expanded to a three rider squad in 2006, and features quality from to top to bottom. The perennially competitive force that is Chris Walker is now allied to the French flair and impressive winning record of 2004 series runner up Regis Laconi. The talented trio is completed by 2005 rookie Fonsi Nieto, who enjoyed a couple of outings for the PSG-1 squad at the tail end of 2005. After taking rookie of the year in Supersport World Championship® in 2004, Max Neukirchner (Klaffi Honda) was a podium finisher in SBK™ in 2005. He continues his upward career path with the Klaffi Honda squad once more, and there is a space on the provisional grid for one more Klaffi Honda rider. Riders with extensive 250cc experience abound this year, with the adoption of former MotoGP riders Roberto Rolfo (Team Ducati SC Caracchi) and Franco Battaini (Kawasaki Bertocchi) readying themselves to adapt their technique to a Superbike format. The most unique machine in the championship returns once more in 2006, with the Petronas three-cylinder machine running under the banner of Foggy Petronas Racing. Team owner Carl Fogarty, the most successful SBK™ World rider in history, once more places highly-respected Aussie Steve Martin on one of the 900cc FP-1 machines, and Steve’s team-mate this season is talented young Briton Craig Jones, taking part in his very first SBK™ season at the highest possible level. Last year one of the most experienced MotoGP riders of the past ten years, Norick Abe (Yamaha Motor France Ipone) enjoyed his rookie season in WSBK™ , and this year he is joined in the squad by not just his 2005 team-mate Sebastien Gimbert, but another Japanese SBK™ first-timer, Shinichi Nakatomi. Even the latest entry from Japan has a good pedigree on a SBK™ , as he finished fourth in the 2005 All Japan Superbike championship. In the ‘true’ privateer ranks, Italian teams once more dominate, with the Celani Suzuki team placing 2002-season European Superstock® Champion Vittorio Iannuzzo on the grid, while the Pedercini Ducati squad features owner Lucio Pedercini and 2006 signing, Ivan Clementi. Two more full time riders are expected on the final grid for 2006, a grid which, even without any further additions, will ensure the highest possible level of competition for any rider who wants to lay claim to the most coveted crown in WSBK™ racing.

2005 AMA Superbike Rookie of the Year Jason Perez, 21, has been listed on the provisional entry lists for the FIM MotoGP World Championship and the FIM 1000cc Superstock European Championship, but the young Californian has not signed any contracts as of Friday. “Oh really?” said a surprised Perez when Roadracingworld.com informed him Friday morning that he was listed on the provisional MotoGP entry list. “Right now we’re in negotiations with everyone. Nothing is 100%. We’re just waiting for everybody to agree on something and then we can proceed, but right now I’m just trying to keep training and stay in shape. I’m just kind of waiting. I’m just letting Doug (Gonda, Perez’s new manager) do what he’s known to do.” “I really can’t say too much, but obviously there’s been some really good discussions (with the WCM Bimota MotoGP team). We’re working on things as quickly as possible,” Gonda told Roadracingworld.com Friday. Gonda was the manager of John Hopkins when Hopkins started his MotoGP career with the then WCM Red Bull Yamaha MotoGP team in 2002. “We’re also looking at an opportunity for him in the 1000cc Superstock European Championship (with the HP Racing Suzuki team), as well,” continued Gonda. “So he has a couple of pretty good opportunities right now. It’s just an awkward time of the year, when things are being put together put nothing is completely firm. Both of those would be great opportunities for him.”

Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix 2006 Provisional Entry List 125cc class 1, THOMAS LUTHI, SUI, 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, GER, RED BULL KTM JUNIOR TEAM, KTM 10, ANGEL RODRIGUEZ, SPA, TOTTI TOP SPORT – 3C, APRILIA 11, SANDRO CORTESE, GER, ELIT CAFFE LATTE, HONDA 12, FEDERICO SANDI, ITA, SSM RACING, APRILIA 14, GABOR TALMACSI, HUN, HUMANGEST TEAM 125cc, HONDA 15, MICHELE PIRRO, ITA, WTR BLAUER USA, APRILIA 16, MICHELE CONTI, ITA, SEEDORF RACING WORLD, 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 22, PABLO NIETO, SPA, MULTIMEDIA RACING, APRILIA 23, LORENZO BARONI, ITA, HUMANGEST TEAM 125cc, HONDA 24, SIMONE CORSI, ITA, SQUADRA CORSE METIS GILERA, GILERA 26, VINCENT BRAILLARD, SUI, MULTIMEDIA RACING, APRILIA 27, STEFANO BIANCO, ITA, TOTTI TOP SPORT – 3C, APRILIA 28, JULES CLUZEL, FRA, ANGAIA RACING, HONDA 29, ANDREA IANNONE, ITA, TICINO HOSTING CAMPETELLA RACING, APRILIA 32, FABRIZIO LAI, ITA, SEEDORF RACING WORLD, 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 44, KAREL ABRAHAM, CZE, CARDION AB MOTORACING, APRILIA 45, IMRE TOTH, HUN, TEAM TOTH, APRILIA 46, MATEO TUNEZ, SPA, MASTER – MVA ASPAR TEAM, APRILIA 52, LUKAS PESEK, CZE, DERBI RACING, DERBI 53, SIMONE GROTZKI GIORGI, ITA, TICINO HOSTING CAMPETELLA RACING, 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 TEAM, HONDA 71, TOMOYOSHI KOYAMA, JPN, MALAGUTI AJO CORSE, MALAGUTI 75, MATTIA PASINI, ITA, MASTER – MVA ASPAR TEAM, APRILIA 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 – CASTROL RACING, APRILIA 15, ROBERTO LOCATELLI, ITA, TEAM TOTH, APRILIA 19, SEBASTIAN PORTO, ARG, REPSOL HONDA, HONDA 21, ARNAUD VINCENT, FRA, ARIE MOLENAAR RACING, HONDA 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 – CASTROL RACING, APRILIA 34, ANDREA DOVIZIOSO, ITA, HUMANGEST TEAM 250cc, 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 TEAM 250cc, 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 96, JAKUB SMRZ, CZE, CARDION AB MOTORACING, APRILIA TBA, TBA, EQUIPE GP DE FRANCE – SCRAB, APRILIA MotoGP class 5, COLIN EDWARDS, USA, CAMEL YAMAHA TEAM, YAMAHA 6, MAKOTO TAMADA, JPN, JIR KONICA MINOLTA HONDA, HONDA 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 25, JASON PEREZ, USA, WCM, BIMOTA 26, DANI PEDROSA, SPA, REPSOL HONDA TEAM, HONDA 27, CASEY STONER, AUS, HONDA LCR, HONDA 30, JOSE LUIS CARDOSO, SPA, D’ANTIN PRAMAC, 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, D’ANTIN PRAMAC, DUCATI 69, NICKY HAYDEN, USA, REPSOL HONDA TEAM, HONDA 71, CHRIS VERMEULEN, AUS, TEAM SUZUKI MOTOGP, SUZUKI 77, JAMES ELLISON, GBR, TECH 3 YAMAHA, YAMAHA 99, JEREMY McWILLIAMS, GBR, WCM, BIMOTA TBA, TBA, TECH 3 YAMAHA, YAMAHA