FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: I am now able to get an e-mail out to you. We may not have power until mid-November. I am last year’s CCS competitor #175 Amateur and a long-time subscriber to your magazine, I could not race this past season since I was laid-off this past February. I have suffered a lot of damage to my home and my three sportbikes due to a torrential rain and wind damage due to the Wilma, my enclosed trailer tried to float down the street with my 996 inside until I roped it to a support pillar by the front porch. My large 60 year plus tree in my front yard blew over and damaged my roof which now leaks and a long branch struck my trailer during the fall and shoved it back into my carport so now there is more damage to the bike and trailer. My wife’s business lost its roof and now she is unemployed, I am not one to ask for financial assistance but insurance will not cover the damage to the bikes and other various damages around my home. If any of the readers care to contribute I would be very grateful. We cannot live in our home due to the tree that damaged the roof, my intention is not to be a sad sack to beg funds to repair the damaged bikes it is to possibly get funds to live and eat and such and to get our lives together and move forward, the bike damage is the farthest from my thoughts. I only mention that they are damaged & that the storm even touches racers and motorcyclists in all aspects, such as Katrina did with Josh Hayes. When your roof is penetrated and you can see sky the county automatically condemns your dwelling and you are more or less out in the street on your own to find a shelter or such to live, and now in Broward County the is very little room or shelters to stay at, as more and more people are losing their homes. So I just wanted to keep you up to speed on this ordeal and you would not think that I am trying to take advantage of the readers’ generosity, somehow my wife and I shall get by and move forward from this stage of our lives. We contacted FEMA through a friend with power and they tell you 7 to 10 days to process your claim, 7 to 10 days to send a FEMA adjuster to your home, 7 to 14 days for a check, if, if you qualify. Anyway that is the story here from my area. Jeff Foster Oakland Park, Florida 954-563-7915 And now some reaction: FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: In regards to the unemployed guy from the hurricane zone, I can’t believe this site would even post such a request. Why didn’t this guy start his car, hitch his trailer with his three bikes in it, and drive the hell off to safety? He got what he deserved! What kind of person claims to own three bikes (one of which is a 996 Ducati) and still needs hand-outs from the racing community? Here’s a plan: Sell the trailer and buy food and clothes. Sell one bike and buy a generator. Instant electricity. (the guy probably already has a generator inside the enclosed trailer”¦.) Sell another bike and buy the stuff to fix your roof. No more leaks. Sell the Ducati and live nice for the next year. There isn’t a single city in the United States that doesn’t have pages and pages of want ads for unemployed people. I haven’t been without a job for more than two days in my life. You are only unemployed in the U.S. if you want to be. If there is that much damage where this guy lives, than he could buy a chainsaw for $150 and make $10,000 in the next two weeks clearing trees in his area all by himself! He even has a trailer to haul the debris with! People who live in Florida already get such an absolutely unreasonable amount of U.S. tax dollars for disaster relief that they should be ashamed to ever ask for a dime. I am sick of subsidizing people living in Florida for hurricanes, on U.S. river banks for floods, and in California for fires, earthquakes, and landslides. These aren’t once-in-a-hundred-years occurences! They happen every other year. Sometimes they happen more than once a year in the same place! If you are rich enough to live on the beach, then pay for your own damage, or move where it is safer to live! Stop billing the rest of the United States for your lifestyle. Or in this case, your own stupidity. Max McAllister Woodstock, Georgia

FIRST PERSON/OPINION: Via e-mail: Would you or one of your readers please explain to me why Yamaha has once again forsaken the premier class of AMA road racing? Eric Bostrom racing Formula Extreme and Superstock, no Superbike ride? That’s nuts! Who wouldn’t love to see Jamie Hacking get a crack at the premier class, too? I also think it sucks that Eric won’t get to race Ben. While I’m complaining, it sucks that Ben won’t be in the Daytona 200. Andy Schwarm Monrovia, California FIRST PERSON/OPINION: Via e-mail: I recently read the update stating Yamaha’s racing plans for the next AMA season and was deeply disappointed. I am a long-time Yamaha sportbike rider starting with an 1987 FZR1000 and I currently own a 2004 R1, which I considered selling once hearing the news. There is absolutely no excuse for them to avoid the Superbike class this year. The R1 has proven itself capable in World Superbike this season with 10 podium finishes including two wins. I would think the competition over there is at least the same as the AMA and I suspect better. So here is a suggestion for Yamaha. Fly your team over to the Yamaha Motor Italia headquarters and bone up on how to put a Superbike together. Build a couple of year end spec WSBK R1’s and pony up to the table and race! Darryl K. Sykes Kennesaw, Georgia FIRST PERSON/OPINION: Via e-mail: Is it me? Why in God’s green earth is Eric Bostrom not racing against Mat Mladin in AMA Superbike competition? I just don’t get it. It is truly beyond me to fathom that decision. Will the new R1 not win in Superbike? Guess not. It won’t next year that’s for sure. Yamaha must think Hacking, DiSalvo, and also Bostrom would get drummed by Mladin and Suzuki (after examining their decision). Also, does Yamaha think their new 600 will not win in Supersport? Only Hacking in Supersport? Go Tommy Hayden! Go Rodger Hayden! And Go Mat Mladin. Stomp everyone into submission from day one. David Ferris Kingwood, Texas FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: I’d like to comment on the fact that it’s funny that Yamaha’s Brad Bannister stated (Roadracing World, November 2005) that the intention of the R1LE was for the well-heeled “customer enthusiast,” yet they quickly turn around and proudly boast that they are returning to a support class of AMA (Superstock) with it utilizing factory riders. It should be in Superbike; although I know it’s just wheels and suspension components, but like you mentioned at the time, where will it end again? It was going just fine and the racing was close in Superstock. They won the title in ’04, of course, and with Eboz, they have a great shot in ’06 again. So why are they not racing the regular R1 in AMA Superstock? It seems they are afraid of the other teams and to return to the Superbike class, and that is a shame because I grew up on Yamahas and this certainly is not a potshot at them. I just think they are not playing fair and that they should now step up their program and compete with the rest of the big boys in Superbike, and then the LE would be a good platform to begin with. C’mon Yamaha, this is embarrassing to an old school guy like me. Thank you, John McElfresh Columbus, Ohio FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: I am personally very disappointed in Yamaha’s decision not to participate in AMA Superbike for the 2006 season. Yamaha has gone to great lengths to improve road racing in the US as demonstrated by their sponsorship of the 2005 USGP, but it seems Yamaha is only interested in the short term benefits of road racing and are not interested in a long term commitment. Yamaha’s decision not participate in the premier class in AMA Pro Racing will directly effect the long term health of the sport because once again, all of the best riders and teams are not racing against each other. Yamaha has a very competitive motorcycle in the YZF-R1 as demonstrated last year by Jason DiSalvo and Nori Haga. They also have one of the best Superbike riders on the planet with Eric Bostrom. Yamaha has pointed to the AMA in years past claiming instability in the rules package as to why they do not run Superbike. The AMA has countered this claim with a three year commitment to the current Superbike rules package. What is the excuse now, Yamaha? Is it just outright fear of Mat Mladin? I believe it’s time for the AMA to step in and make the manufacturers do what’s right for the sport as a whole, if they refuse to do what’s right on their own. If a manufacturer wants to race with the AMA then they must enter two riders in the premier class and they must also support a certain amount of privateer teams, and also reserve at least one class for privateer participation. Please Yamaha, do the right thing. Chip Spalding Charleston, South Carolina FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: I am longtime, loyal, fanatical Yamaha racing fan. I cannot believe Yamaha has forsaken us again by not competing in Superbike. I also cannot believe Eric would agree to only race Superstock and Extreme. If they think winning “Championships” is a great marketing tool, I don’t think they realize that winning support classes and not competing in the premier class is actually a negative marketing image to the people who follow racing. I think all Yamaha fans should show up at the track and wander up and down the paddock with our Yamaha Factory Racing T-shirts on and a paper bag over our heads to show how ashamed we are of them. One Question: What do you think is the most effective way to express our concerns to Yamaha? E-mail, phone, letter, etc.? And to whom? Thanks for letting me vent. Kevin Deardorff Ames, Iowa FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: Two words for Yamaha not racing Superbike: Wimps and Cherry Pickers! (OK, 3 words) Larry Gilbert Kokomo, Indiana FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: Your readers wrongly blame Yamaha in their decision to opt out of Superbike, but it’s the AMA’s fault for enticing them into an easy championship – there shouldn’t even be a Superstock class! Superstock is virtually redundant to Superbike, and just dilutes the talent ratio per race. Ever take a newbie to an AMA race and try to explain away the tiny differences in bikes (and lap times) between those classes? Oh, and if Mladin raced a factory-supported Superstock GSXR 1000, he’d match front row Superbike times every weekend, so why both classes? Speed? Nope. Too many AMA classes – that’s the big problem. My suggestions; 1) Dump Superstock altogether, and limit Superbike engines to Superstock specs. 2) Go to a uniform WSB two-race superbike format, even at Daytona. 3) Ditch the nobody-cares-FX-class and… 4) … allow Ducati 749s and Triumph 675s into Supersport. 5) Create a supersport (as opposed to hi-tech Thunderbike) twins-class for BMW R1200S, MZ 1000, Buell XB12, Guzzi MGS01, and Ducatis (or Bimotas) powered by 1000cc 2 valve motors. Allow the new/updated Suzuki and Kawasaki 650 twins, too. Ronnie West Encino, California FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: As a long time AMA road racing fan, I just have express my profound disappointment in Yamaha’s announcement to go “support” racing with their R6 and R1 and not participate in the Superbike class. It means that they do not embrace the concept of a premier class in our US road racing series. It suggests that they do not believe that the R1 can be a competitive bike in the series, or that they do not have the talent and willingness to make it a competitive bike. And for the US Yamaha riders, I think the perception will be that Yamaha is not really preparing them to ride at a world level – and are instead forcing them to “flip burgers” in the support classes. What a shame for a young talent like Jason Disalvo. I won’t even go into the Formula Extreme class – aww heck, yes I will. Since the factories insist on participating in classes that – in the other premier motorcycle racing series – are treated as development or “retirement” classes, I had really hoped that the factories would stay out FX. Nope. First Honda racked up a bunch of empty wins and a couple of championships. And now I guess Yamaha sees an opportunity to “win multiple championships” by kicking around the privateers (I’ll give Kevin Erion the benefit of the doubt) in FX. Way to go. Bob Close Oswego, New York FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: So, Yamaha passes on Superbike again to instead concentrate on FX and Superstock. FX with its small number of entries is all Honda and boring, while SS is a watered down Superbike class. Whatever. But, Eric Bostrom is going to bail out of the premier class!? Yamaha must have laid down some serious coin to get him to star in the “support” classes. Last year was not stellar for Eric, but he had wins and looked strong towards the end of the season. I suppose that leaves the Suzuki/Yosh team to race among themselves unless something drastic has changed in the Honda tent. Rob Graham Fairfield, California FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: As a Yamaha owner/rider since 1977, I’m pretty embarased by Yamaha’s pointless decision in contesting Superstock and FX for 2006. I can’t believe they would want the empty contest of FX any more than I could understand Honda advertising their “Championship” of this year and last. If I remember correctly regarding Daytona last year, Duhamel and Zemke lapped every rider at least once (and some twice) up till 3rd place!?! Pretty powerful stuff! Now Yamaha is going to try the same? Then Yamaha’s statements of the R1LE about it being a “premium” street ride, and now to “contest” another support class of Superstock? What a joke! I feel bad for Bostrom, Hacking and DiSalvo as well! Personally, I think the AMA should simply eliminate Factory teams in Superstock and Supersport and leave those to the Privateer level, then the actual Factory teams could compete in the “Premier” open class and 600 with the Superbike and FX. Yamaha, you blew it! Jim Paulsen Puyallup, Washington FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: For those of us that are Kawasaki fans first and Eric Bostrom fans second, it was hard news two years ago that Eric was leaving Kawasaki for Ducati. But his stated reason was completely understandable– he wanted to race Superbikes and Kawsaki had announced they were not going to run a factory bike in that class. When Kawasaki announced this year they were returning to the Superbike class I held out hope that Eric was coming back, but it was announced that Eric was going to Yamaha. I’m still an Eric fan and fully expect him to do better on the 4-cylinder Yamaha than he did on the V-twin Ducati. Yet when Yamaha announced they were not going up to Superbikes, I was dumbfounded. Here they have the best (in my opinion) Superbike rider in America (at least, until he and Mat are on comparable bikes), and they stick him in a support class. I’m glad, at least, that Ben gets to take his place at Ducati. Come on, Yamaha, I’ll bet Eric would be competive in Superbike on a Superstock-spec R1 with the minimum required Superbike mods, but give him a real Superbike. Steve Frankiewich Stockton, California FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: I, too, like many of your readers, are disappointed (and a little surprised) that with the rider addition of Eric Bostrom, that they are not going to field even one bike in the Superbike class! LAME! LAME! LAME! Garry Gallagher Woodinville, Washington FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: I’ve seen a lot of chatter so far with regards to Yamaha not racing in the Premier class in 06. Let’s review for a second shall we? Yamaha sponsored the US GP at Laguna Seca this year and did a good job and they paid out some serious coin as another reader earlier put it to do all of that. They brought back the bumble paint scheme, made new uniforms for the team and painted everything they could like old school to show how involved they are in the sport! BS. They probably paid out 500k or maybe even double that for Eric’s services to race a street bike in 2006 and all they’ll do is cherry pick the class and use it for marketing because that’s what racing is, marketing! What they spent on Laguna this year could have paid for an entire AMA Superbike season! Not only did they sponsor the event but they made all this chatter how they want to show their support for their diehard Yamaha race fans. Well, we not only crave Moto GP but we want Yamaha in the other premier class, AMA Superbike. Yamaha competes in all the other SBK series in all the other countries like Japan, Germany, Canada, France and so on and so on but why not hear? We are the sportbike capital of the world yet we’re always left out in the cold? The AMA has committed to 1,000cc Superbike displacement now for sometime so now what is Yamaha’s excuse? Look for me at the races in 2006. I’ll be wearing my painted in Yamaha bumble bee colors paper bag on my head to all the AMA road races that I can attend and Yamaha will be X’ed out all over it and shame, shame shame will be on it as well. I encourage all other Yamaha owners to do the same and make sure you huddle around the Yamaha pits to really let them know just how you feel! C’mon Yamaha stop being pussies and show your metal, if you have any? If anyone is interested in buying a ’05 R1 cheap please let me know because I’m switching over to Suzuki because they really do support the sport! Armen Manougian Rancho Cucamonga, California FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: Does this mean there won’t be SuperBike races at Laguna this year? Craig “Huey” Stewart Kennesaw, Georgia FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: There is ONE good point of E-boz riding FX: Barring mechanical failure or getting taken out by a Supersport bike, Eric can be fairly assured he will win the Daytona 200, the dubious distinction that winning the Daytona 200 has become not withstanding. America’s “premier” motorcycle racing is becoming more of a laughing stock every year…it is a sad, sad state of affairs. George B. Leavell Gilroy, California FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: We can argue for hours about the relative merits of different AMA classes, but Yamaha only need to know one thing: In a market where all 4 Japanese manufacturers make awesome 600 and 1000cc sportbikes and the performance differences are negligible, it’s things like this that really matter to customers. I will now refuse to buy Yamaha in 2006. Funny how easy it is to forget their $2 million investment in Laguna Seca. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot… Neil Smith San Francisco, California

TOMMY HAYDEN NOMINATED FOR AMA PRO RACING SPEED CHANNEL ATHLETE OF THE YEAR PICKERINGTON, Ohio Tommy Hayden, 27, of Owensboro, Ky., earned his first nomination for the AMA Pro Racing SPEED Channel Athlete of the Year by virtue of his outstanding performance in this year’s Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship presented by Shoei. Hayden won the highly competitive Supersport title for the second straight year becoming only the third rider in the history of the series to accomplish that feat. Hayden won the title despite breaking his hand three-quarters of the way through the season. He held off a determined charge by his youngest brother and Kawasaki teammate Roger Lee Hayden to secure his second AMA road racing championship. “I’m honored to be nominated,” said Hayden, who is the oldest of the three racing Hayden brothers. “The season got a lot more challenging after I was injured, but fortunately Kawasaki gave me a great bike and I was able to finish the season strong to defend the title.” Hayden kicked off his 2005 campaign with a victory in the Daytona Supersport race. He won three of the first six rounds and took command of the series standings after archrival Jamie Hacking was sidelined from injuries suffered in a bicycling accident. Then came a crash at Mazda Laguna Seca in July, which left Hayden with a broken right hand. His crew fabricated a special throttle grip so he could race the Laguna AMA Superstock event and he was able to finish sixth though riding in considerable pain. From there Hayden did what he needed to do to win the championship, scoring a pair of runner-up finishes to his brother and a fifth in the season finale at Road Atlanta to secure the title. It was a gutsy performance for the veteran rider. This year Hayden passed Mike Smith to move into second on the all-time wins list in AMA Supersport racing history. I had the best bike, for sure, by far,” Hayden said after wrapping up the championship. “That made things a lot easier. I think it showed at Daytona at the beginning of the year. I was just really comfortable and really, really quick right out of the gate. It gave me a good advantage straight out to start the season. And then about halfway it was just about finishing up and staying ahead.” Hayden is an 11-year AMA Pro road racer. He was named AMA Superbike Rookie of the Year in 1997. Hayden is also an established flat track racer. He won an AMA Grand National race, the Springfield (Ill.) TT, in 2001. Kawasaki has announced a return to the premier AMA Superbike class in 2006 and Hayden is set to be a part of that effort. The AMA Pro Racing SPEED Channel Athlete of the Year Award is the highest honor an AMA racer can receive. Past recipients include such legendary names as Bob Hannah, Scott Parker and Kenny Roberts, among others. Generally speaking, the award goes to the rider judged to have had the most successful racing year. A “lifetime achievement” approach can also be considered if the season complements a remarkable career. A selection panel made up of AMA and AMA Pro Racing staff, field staff and volunteer leadership is named by the AMA Pro Racing CEO and that panel evaluates nominations and determines the final winner. The 2005 AMA Pro Racing SPEED Channel Athlete of the Year will be named at the AMA Pro Racing Championship Awards Banquet, on Sunday, Nov. 20, at Paris Las Vegas. The five nominees will be announced in the weeks leading up to that event. About AMA Pro Racing AMA Pro Racing is the leading sanctioning body for motorcycle sport in the United States. Its properties include the Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series, the AMA Motocross Championship presented by FMF, the AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship and the AMA Supermoto Championship. For more information about AMA Pro Racing, visit www.amaproracing.com.

MotoGP tees off with charity day at Valencia The MotoGP World Championship paddock was boosted by the arrival of several thousand fans as well as the return of a host of injured riders today as the traditional Day of Champions welcomed the series to Valencia on the eve of the final Grand Prix of the season. Whilst the first free practice session for the Gran Premio betandwin.com de la Comunitat Valenciana gets underway on Friday morning, the Riders for Health charity was the main beneficiary of the intense passion for MotoGP in this part of the world today, with a host of events, including a pit-lane visit, stunt show and auction, raising crucial funds for ongoing medical relief projects in Africa. Whilst the majority of MotoGP riders had already got the fund-raising underway with a charity golf tournament yesterday, for Loris Capirossi and Alex Hofmann the main challenge is to get their racing season back into full swing as they make timely returns from injury. Capirossi missed the last round in Turkey after damaging his chest and lungs in a free practice crash at Phillip Island but he was given the all-clear by MotoGP’s Doctor Claudio Costa after a CT scan at Imola Hospital last Saturday. The Italian was determined to return to the Ducati fold this weekend and even a motorhome fire on his way through France did not stop him. “I’m really happy to be able to return to racing,” said Capirossi, who had taken two wins, three pole positions and one second-place finish from the previous four races before his misfortune in Australia. “It was tough to watch the racing and qualifying in Turkey from home, especially since the decision was forced upon me by my physical condition. I still can’t fly so I have travelled here in my motorhome. Unfortunately we had an engine problem near St. Tropez and the whole motorhome was destroyed by the fire but my desire to race is so great that I would have walked all the way to Valencia if I had to!” Hofmann had sixteen screws and two plates inserted to correct eight fractures to his left ankle and foot following a crash at Motegi in September. Over the past six weeks the German has undergone an intense programme of rehabilitation and physiotherapy – between four and six hours per day – in a bid to be fit for Valencia, where he will make his final appearance for Kawasaki before being replaced by Randy de Puniet next season. “I can’t wait to be back, I have watched far too many races on TV this season,” said Hofmann, who will race alongside regular team-mate Shinya Nakano and wildcard entry Olivier Jacque. “I reckon I’ve got more screws in my ankle than the mechanics have in their toolboxes! The Motegi crash was the worst I’ve had in terms of injuries, but that is behind me. I want a positive finish to the season in my final race with Kawasaki.” Ryuichi Kiyonari becomes the fourth rider to replace the injured Troy Bayliss for Honda, making his return to MotoGP from the British Superbike series, where he has won twelve races this season. Bayliss’ replacement for the last two rounds, Chris Vermeulen, will be one of an estimated 120,000 crowd watching from the grandstands on Sunday although the Australian is likely to get his chance on track next week. Vermeulen is expected to complete his first laps on the GSV-R machine after being confirmed as a full-time MotoGP rider for 2006 with Suzuki. The 23-year-old will take the place of former World Champion Kenny Roberts, who is currently injured and will be replaced this weekend by factory test rider Nobuatsu Aoki. 250cc World Champion Dani Pedrosa will contest his final Grand Prix in the class before stepping up to MotoGP in front of a passionate home crowd, who will also be supporting the likes of Jorge Lorenzo and Héctor Barberá. Pedrosa has been the centre of attention since returning to Spain from Turkey last week with the title under his arm and he is expecting a big reception on Sunday. “Since I got back from Turkey I have been receiving constant messages of support and congratulations from everybody,” said Pedrosa. “It has been a tough and stressful end to the season and when you are so focused on things you don’t realise what you have achieved or the support you have been getting until you come home and see it for yourself. I can just imagine what Valencia will be like this weekend!” Thomas Lüthi needs just three points to win the 125cc World Championship regardless of Mika Kallio’s result after a close battle between the pair took a dramatic twist when the Finnish rider crashed on the final lap of the last round. “Everybody in the team knows exactly what we have to do in Valencia,” said Lüthi. “We will prepare for the race in just the same way as we have for all the others. I normally prefer fast tracks – Valencia is different – but I still like racing here. The most important thing for us is to keep a cool head during practice and qualifying. If we do that we will be okay.”

SILVERSTONE NAMED BY FANS AS THEIR NUMBER ONE BENNETTS BRITISH SUPERBIKE CIRCUIT Bennetts, title sponsor of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship, has revealed that Silverstone has been voted by the fans as their favourite race circuit. Motorcycling fans have been casting their votes in the official Bennetts British Superbike Fans’ Awards by logging onto the Bennetts website (www.bennetts.co.uk), and also filling out questionnaires at the final rounds of the Championship, to have their say – the survey of results have now been published. Silverstone, which hosted round nine of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship this year, polled the most votes ahead of Brands Hatch and Cadwell Park in the eleven circuits used in the racing calendar. Silverstone, one of the country’s most famous race circuits hosts a number of high profile motoracing events in the sporting calendar including the British Grand Prix. The Northamptonshire circuit has been revealed as the Bennetts British Superbike fans’ premier choice for viewing all the race action and witnessing all the high speed overtaking, and also topped the poll as the number one circuit for atmosphere. More than 15,000 fans attended round nine of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at the world famous circuit in August, and witnessed two thrilling races as leading contenders for the championship crown Gregorio Lavilla and Ryuichi Kiyonari each recorded a victory on the day. Richard Phillips, the Managing Director of Silverstone Circuits Limited, on learning the circuit received the thumbs up from fans said: “We are delighted that bike fans have voted Silverstone as their favourite circuit. The Bennetts British Superbike Championship is one of the most prestigious dates in our racing calendar and we are looking forward to welcoming the fans for another thrilling days racing next year. We are due to meet with organisers in the hope that we will soon be able to confirm and announce our 2006 date.” In other categories of the fans’ survey, Michael Rutter has been named Rider of the Year after finishing third in the Championship, while Airwaves Ducati rider Leon Haslam has been named as the most improved rider. Silverstone was also voted as the fans’ favourite circuit for both all-round racing action and atmosphere. Former Rizla Suzuki rider John Reynolds, who has recently announced his retirement, and enjoyed a long and highly successful career that included three British Superbike Championship titles, received the most votes as the rider the fans would most like to ride pillion with. John confirmed his status as the fans’ favourite rider when he topped the poll of which rider they would like to invite around for dinner, and came a close second in the Rider of the Year accolade. Kal Samra, Director of Bennetts, said: “The Bennetts British Superbike fans’ survey has been very revealing. We have been delighted to be title sponsors of the British Superbike Championship for 2005 and it was a thrilling climax to the series. The fans’ survey has been just one of a number of initiatives we introduced to get the fans closer to the action.”

HIGHS AND LOWS THAT WAS THE YEAR THAT WAS The release of the 2006 official (unless F1 Change their minds again) MotoGP calendar made you think, just where has 2005 gone. It seemed like yesterday Valentino Rossi and Sete Gibernau were involved in their own private arm wrestling contest on the last bend of the first race of the year at Jerez in Spain. That was seven long months of of highs, lows and certainly plenty of travel, ago. It’s been another amazing season dominated by a certain Valentino Rossi, who chases his 12th grand prix victory of the season before the end of season party on the beach in Valencia. The MotoGP travelling show closes the curtains on their season on Sunday in Valencia. What has the last seven months on the road been like for half a dozen vital components to the success of the travelling show. Check out their highs and lows. CAMEL HONDA. Highs – Surely the highlight of the season was the victory of Alex Barros in just the second grand prix of the season at Estoril in Portugal. The Brazilian veteran fought off the challenge of both Valentino Rossi and Max Biaggi to win by almost three seconds in difficult conditions. Also the impressive performances of Australian Chris Vermuelen, when he replaced the injured Troy Bayliss, must have given Sito Pons great satisfaction. Lows – The injury to Troy Bayliss while training on a Moto-Cross bike back home in Australia wrecked the end of the season for likeable Australian. He’d had a tough time adjusting to the Honda after his two years with Ducati but both Bayliss and the team were confident those last six races would have yielded some decent results. THE ORGANISERS AND PROMOTERS Highs – Spreading the MotoGP word to new countries such as China and Turkey and the re-emergence of America as a grand prix venue. Also the two wins by Ducati in Japan and Malaysia to break the Japanese domination and the maiden grand prix wins by Nicky Hayden and Marco Melandri, surely the MotoGP future if and when Valentino Rossi retires. Lows – The loss of a couple of major sponsors and a terrestrial broadcaster. The sport could be in for a tough time unless new sponsors are persuaded to support to the second biggest Motorsport Championship in the World. THE INTERNATIONAL RACING TEAMS ASSOCIATION (IRTA). Highs – Getting through all the logistics to actual arrive and race at new venues and away from their European basses for the last five races. Those last five races have ensured a massive operation involving three cargo jumbo jets to reach destinations in different continents on time. Despite plenty of moaning and groaning, everybody and everything arrived on time which is an enormous credit to all involved. Lows – The 2005 calendar which involved so much travel in the last six weeks. Hopefully the 2006 calendar looks a lot easier ( Please don’t change it). THE RIDERS Highs – Getting through practice, qualifying and race without any serious accidents at Laguna Seca. Not having to come in to pit lane to change bikes when the rain arrives. Good communication between riders and organisers about safety, resulting in no major accidents. The chance to race through turn 11 in Turkey, the newest and fastest bend in MotoGP. Lows – The 2005 Calendar producing some very tired bodies and minds in Turkey. The injuries to Kenny Roberts and Loris Capirossi in Australia. THE MEDIA Highs – Valentino Rossi signing a new contract with Yamaha and his ‘involvement’ in Formula One has ensured thousands of column inches to keep the food on the table for the hungary journalists. Rossi’s presence means world-wide media interest continues while the likes of Marco Melandri and Nicky Hayden are emerging as the new stars challenging the Doctor. Six hundred media applications including radio and television have been received for Valencia this weekend showing the global interest in the sport. Also the introduction of wireless systems at many of the MotoGP venues has greatly helped with communication between news papers and the media centres. Lows – The 2005 calendar which ruled out some of the long haul venues for tight budgets. Fernando Alonso’s victory in the Formula One World Championship has meant a massive surge in four wheels coverage in Spain which has not been good news for a number of the large contingent of Spanish MotoGP journalists. The death of Swiss photographer Maurice Bula who’s been involved in grands prix racing since that first year in 1949 as a rider, sidecar passenger and photographer. He’s sadly missed. THE TEAMS Highs – Air conditioning in Qatar. The Hotels in Qatar. The size of the garages in Turkey and China. The return of their hospitality units to Valencia after five consecutive fly aways. Lows – The 2005 calendar and the laundry facilities in Turkey. Not being able to test out the new regulations about coming into change bikes if it starts to rain. The Donington Park paddock. Airline food and lack of leg room in economy. THE FANS Highs – Mugello. Witnessing probably the greatest Motor Cycle racer the World has ever seen in action. Watching Nicky Hayden and Marco Melandri win their first MotoGP races. Being able to brag to their Formula One friends about witnessing more overtaking in one lap than in a complete Formula One grands prix. Lows – Donington Park. Camping in the Sachsenring and traffic at Donington Park and Laguna Seca. Ticket prices in Turkey and the lack of somebody to chat to in the Qatar grandstand. That was the year that was !

Loris Capirossi and Alex Hofmann: Comeback for a great season’s final For the 17th and final round of the 2005 season, the MotoGP paddock not only gears up for a final showdown on the track, but also for one of Spain’s overwhelming fiestas. Like the season-opening race in Jerez, the final round in Valencia traditionally attracts massive crowds. One reason is the strong line-up of Spanish Grand Prix riders such as Ducati and Bridgestone’s Carlos Checa; the other reason is the unique stadium atmosphere of the circuit where the fans on the grandstands can overlook almost the entire track from wherever they are seated. With 4.005 metres in length, the track consists of a sequence of nine left- and five right hand corners that require a very precise and clean riding style. Agility and overall balance are crucial in terms of bike set-up, good handling and lots of edge grip are the basic requirements for the tyres. Unpredictable weather at this time of the year means another challenge, which Bridgestone has met with an unusually wide range of compounds and constructions. A total of approximately 1100 tyres were shipped to Spain, with 4-5 different front and 6-8 different rear specs to choose for each rider. The Ducati Marlboro Team is especially keen to go racing in Valencia, with local hero Carlos Checa set for another success after scoring two podium finishes in the last four races, and with their Italian star Loris Capirossi back in action after missing the races in Australia and Turkey due to chest injuries. The 32-year-old Italian, winner of the Grand Prix in Japan and Malaysia, got the thumbs up for the final race after an extensive medical check-up. Even though he hasn’t yet recovered all of his former strength, Capirossi can’t wait to get on the bike again. “It was tough to watch the Turkey GP on television. I want to race so bad that I would walk all the way to Valencia if I had to”, he said. Another long-awaited comeback takes place in the Kawasaki Racing Team. German Alex Hofmann, who suffered a multiple fracture to his left ankle in the Japanese Grand Prix, will be back alongside his Japanese team-mate Shinya Nakano for the final race of the season. “I have more screws in my ankle than the mechanics in their toolbox”; jokes Hofmann whose bones had been pinned with two platinum plates and 16 screws. “But I have trained harder than ever, between four and six hours a day, to overcome the injury, and I’ll try my best to finish the season on a high note.” Suzuki rider Kenny Roberts, who broke his left wrist in the first practice session at the Australian Grand Prix, will also miss the Valencia Grand Prix, and will be replaced by Nobuatsu Aoki, Suzuki and Bridgestone’s development rider. Hiroshi Yamada – Motorcycle Racing Manager Bridgestone Motorsport “We are excited to return to Europe for the last race of the season, as the generation of tyres we’ve been using in the overseas rounds will be put to its final test. We’re very happy to have Loris Capirossi back riding the Ducati, and Alex Hoffman riding the Kawasaki, as they have both demonstrated amazing courage to bounce back from their injuries. We are also excited to have Nobu Aoki on the Suzuki, who has always played an integral part in our tyre development program. Our tyres have been upgraded further with some late modifications for Valencia, and I’m confident that we will get some good results to finish this season on a high note!”