Tentative 2006 AFM Race Schedule: March 25-26 Buttonwillow Raceway April 22-23 Infineon Raceway May 27-28 Infineon Raceway June 17-18 Thunderhill Raceway July 15-16 Thunderhill Raceway August 12-13 Infineon Raceway September 29 – October 1 Infineon Raceway October 21-22 Buttonwillow Raceway For additional information, go to ~http://www.afmracing.org~

A new country club-style road course is scheduled to open later this month near Houston, Texas. Motorsport Ranch Houston, a 2.38-mile, 16-turn road course located on a 381-acre plot approximately 40 miles south of downtown Houston, Texas, will host an open house this weekend, November 12-13, and will have its first day for its members November 19. Motorsport Ranch Houston is independently owned and operated, but it has obtained the rights to share the name, logo and business model of the original Motorsport Ranch in Cresson, Texas, near Fort Worth. Members of either Motorsport Ranch will enjoy privileges appropriate to their membership level at both facilities. According to Operations Manager Jerry Massengale, Motorsport Ranch Houston is in discussions with the CMRA regional motorcycle racing club about hosting a CMRA race date in 2006. CMRA races several times each year at Motorsport Ranch in Cresson, Texas. Massengale said there has not been any talk of hosting an AMA Superbike Championship event but that the Motorsport Ranch Houston facility has all the necessary permits to hold a major race event. For more information about Motorsport Ranch Houston, go to ~http://www.msrhouston.com~

Randy de Puniet made his first appearance as a Kawasaki MotoGP rider today at Valencia, taking advantage of a journalist test day to try for the first time the Ninja ZX-RR he’ll race during the 2006 season. The 24-year-old Frenchman took to the track late in the afternoon, in less than ideal conditions, to start what will be a steep learning curve as he works towards his race debut in the premier MotoGP class next season. With time for only 12 laps before a drop in track temperature brought an end to today’s test, de Puniet’s first outing on a MotoGP bike was a short one, but it was enough for him to be impressed with the power of Kawasaki’s 990cc, inline four-cylinder Ninja ZX-RR engine. Testing for the Kawasaki Racing Team will continue at Valencia on Wednesday and Thursday, when de Puniet will be joined on track by Kawasaki’s test and development rider, Olivier Jacque. Kawasaki’s lead rider, Shinya Nakano, will take no part in the Valencia test, having already flown back to Japan for further treatment on the wrist injury he sustained during a practice crash on Friday. Nakano hopes to resume testing duties in Sepang at the end of November. Randy de Puniet: #17 “I only had a short time on track today, I think 12 laps in total, but it was enough to get a good first impression of the Ninja ZX-RR. The MotoGP bike is very different to the 250cc machines I have been riding; it’s heavier, of course, and it definitely has a lot more power. You notice the extra power most when exiting the turns, where good throttle control is important. I know that learning to get the most from a MotoGP bike is going to take many, many laps, but I’m looking forward to starting the process when we begin testing properly on Wednesday. Overall, my first impression is very positive, but now the hard work begins.” Harald Eckl: Team Manager “Today was simply an opportunity for Randy to get a feel for our Ninja ZX-RR MotoGP machine, and for his crew to sort out the simple things like footrest, lever and handlebar positions, ready for his first proper test on Wednesday and Thursday. Track conditions weren’t ideal so late in the day, but even so, Randy posted a respectable time for a MotoGP first timer. What he needs now is more time on the bike, which will allow him to adapt his riding style to better suit the characteristics of a four-stroke MotoGP machine.”

Steve Martin’s involvement in the spectacular crash at the final race of the World Superbike season proved to be a blessing in disguise for the Foggy PETRONAS Racing rider. The Australian received a blow to the kidney in the five-bike shunt at Magny-Cours, France, and further examination of the organ at a Swiss hospital revealed the presence of a malignant tumour. Following an operation to remove the kidney last week, Steve has now been given the all-clear to target a comeback for the team’s test session in Qatar in December. Steve said: “It was really lucky that I suffered the injury or the tumour might have gone undetected. I didn’t feel too bad after the accident but then started to pass blood two days later. From the start the doctors felt there was something more to it than just the bleeding, but didn’t say anything until an MRI scan confirmed their suspicions. It probably wouldn’t have even bled had it not been for the tumour. When the kidney was removed the tumour was found to be malignant so I have been quite fortunate. “After the accident I wanted to kiss the rider who caused the accident with my fist, but now I want to kiss him with my lips! “I now have to undergo regular checks but the doctors are confident there will be no recurrence. In fact, it’s a relief that the kidney wasn’t lost as a direct result of the accident, as that might have played on my mind. “I feel great and I have been assured that the loss of the kidney will not affect my performance in any way. In fact I am keen to come back stronger than ever.” Steve will miss the team’s test in Valencia next week, when new team-mate Craig Jones will have his first ride on the PETRONAS FP1.

Noriyuki Haga and Andrew Pitt will race for the Yamaha Motor Italia squad in the 2006 Superbike World Championship, fulfilling the team’s desire to retain the services of both its riders from the 2005 campaign. Both men played an important role in developing Yamaha’s YZF-R1 in its first year of world superbike competition with Japanese ace Haga recording 10 podium finishes, including two wins, on his way to third place in the championship. Australian Pitt ended the year eighth in the standings with a best result of fourth in the opening race of the season in Qatar. The Yamaha Motor Italia squad will again benefit from the official backing of Yamaha Motor Europe and for 2006 will use the updated YZF-R1 as the base for their world superbike contender. Preparations for the new season have already begun, with the first test of the 2006 season due to take place in Valencia on 14-15 November. Noriyuki Haga “I wanted to stay with Yamaha as we ended the year very strongly and I am very pleased that we have been able to agree terms. We had a good first year together and it would have been a shame not to take advantage of all the development work we carried out. Yamaha knows what it has to do to make the bike into a championship winner and it was important for me to know that I have the support needed for 2006. We came close to winning the title in 2000 and my motivation to become champion is still as strong as it ever was. Becoming world superbike champion is the goal I still have to achieve and I believe that Yamaha can give me what it takes to turn this dream into reality.” Andrew Pitt “When I signed for last year we always knew that it would be 2006 before we could really see the benefits of our work, therefore I’m delighted to continue with the team and hopefully take advantage of the hard work we put in last year. I enjoy working with this team and we’ve seen that the bike can be a winner. We know what we have to do to take it to the next level and with a year’s experience of the class, the bike and the Pirelli tyres I feel that I can show my true ability next year.” Laurens Klein Koerkamp – Racing Manager, Yamaha Motor Europe “We were quite late in starting this project last year and I said that our objective would be to develop the bike and put ourselves in a situation where we were winning races by the end of the year. By the middle of the season we were well on track, and we have shown that we can compete with the best in the class. For 2006 we can take advantage of our year’s knowledge. We now have base settings for each circuit we race on, a year’s development work behind us and some chassis improvements from the new YZF-R1. The team will again be run by Massimo Meregalli and working with Andrew and Noriyuki gives us great stability. Our learning year is over and we now know exactly what is required to challenge for the title. It will not be easy, but ultimately it is our goal for 2006.”

The Kawasaki Racing Team gathered to bid a fond farewell to popular German rider, Alex Hofmann, during a surprise presentation today ahead of the Valencia Grand Prix. As Alex returned to pit lane after the morning warm-up session he was met by the entire Kawasaki Racing Team, all of whom were sporting “Alex #66” shirts in place of the more usual race day team uniform. The Valencia Grand Prix was to be Alex’s final appearance for Kawasaki, after three years with the team, and to mark the occasion he was presented with a replica Ninja ZX-RR mini-bike by Team Manager, Harald Eckl. “I appreciate very much everything that Alex has done for the team, and it is not easy for me to say goodbye to him,” declared Eckl, as he made the presentation. “Alex has been a committed member of our team for three years, and he has earned his place in MotoGP. It goes without saying that I, and everyone else in the team, wish him all the very best for the future,” continued Eckl. Harald Eckl first came across his fellow countryman when the 13-year-old Hofmann joined an ADAC backed racing school for promising youngsters that Eckl, then a Grand Prix rider himself, was involved with. “Already at just 13-years-of-age Alex had talent and a very mature approach to racing, plus a great desire to succeed,” remembers Eckl. “I followed his career and then for 2003 I was able to offer him the job of test and development rider for the new Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR MotoGP project.” “He did an excellent job with our technical and tyre programme, surprised a few people in some wild card rides, and then was an obvious choice as a race rider with Shinya Nakano for 2004 and 2005.” “The more powerful and heavier 990cc four-stroke machines suited his style, more so than the 500cc GP bikes on which he had impressed as a replacement rider during the 2002 season,” added Eckl. Alex Hofmann made his Kawasaki race debut as wild card in the Spanish Grand Prix at the beginning of the 2003 season. Including today’s Valencia GP, Hofmann has made a total of 31 starts for Kawasaki aboard the Ninja ZX-RR, with a best result of eighth in the 2005 British Grand Prix at Donington. His best qualifying performance was also eighth, at Phillip Island in the 2004 Australian GP. “I’ve enjoyed my time at Kawasaki, especially working with a great bunch of guys in the garage, although this season has not been so lucky for me,” Hofmann said. “This part of my career is over, but I intend to be back racing in MotoGP,” he added. Unfortunately Hofmann’s 2005 season, which promised so much, has been plagued by a series of unfortunate injuries that kept him out of seven races. But Hofmann always faced these setbacks with a positive attitude and the determination to come back even stronger. He showed that spirit again today when he rode with two plates and 16 screws in his left ankle and foot following his most recent injury. Hofmann rode through the pain barrier to finish a brave 14th in the Valencia race, scoring championship points in his final Ninja ZX-RR appearance. Earlier in the season he missed three races with a fractured wrist. “Alex is still improving as a rider and I’m sure he will get opportunities to show his potential in MotoGP in the future. It has been a great pleasure to work with him over the past three seasons, and I hope we’ll have the opportunity to work together again sometime in the future,” Eckl concluded.

SETE GIBERNAU JOINS THE DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM The Ducati Marlboro Team has reached agreement with Sete Gibernau to contest the 2006 MotoGP World Championship. The Spanish rider will join Loris Capirossi, who renewed his contract with the squad before September’s Japanese GP. “I’m delighted to welcome Sete,” said Federico Minoli, president of Ducati Motor Holding. “We think Sete is one of the strongest guys in MotoGP. He’s a talented, gritty and courageous rider. Sete has had a difficult season this year but he has shown throughout that he never gives up, in the best Ducati spirit. For this reason we’re very proud to have him in our 2006 line-up alongside Loris. They are both very strong riders and we’ll do everything we can to give them what they need to obtain the best possible results.” Gibernau replaces Carlos Checa, who completed his time with the Ducati Marlboro Team in today’s Valencia GP. “It’s always difficult to welcome someone while saying goodbye to someone else,” continued Minoli. “I want to sincerely thank Carlos for the commitment and professionalism he’s shown us. For sure he’s a great rider and also a nice guy; working with him has been a great pleasure.” Gibernau is optimistic about his future, trusting in the Ducati/Bridgestone partnership that has already given great joy to Ducati fans with some amazing results, including Capirossi’s fantastic victories at the recent Japanese and Malaysian GPs. “After achieving some great results and much satisfaction during the last few years, and after a season at the highest level but with some difficulties, I decided to make a change in my career,” said Gibernau. “First of all I want to thank the people who helped me achieve so many good results. But now it’s time to find some new motivation. The professionalism and enthusiasm I’ve found at Ducati are what made me decide to join forces with the factory. I face this new challenge with real determination, convinced that together we can achieve great success. In recent years Ducati has shown that it has big ambitions and huge potential. I trust that, with my experience, I can make a real contribution to turn our shared dreams into reality.”