Top Marks for JR and Team Rizla Suzuki TRIPLE British Superbike Champion John Reynolds has been voted as the BSB fans’ favourite Superbike rider in 2005, while Rizla Suzuki has been voted the fans’ favourite team. In a trackside survey conducted by the Championship’s title sponsor, Bennetts, at the final rounds of the BSB Championship and on-line during the season, JR topped the polls as the rider fans would most like to go out for a ride with and go for a pillion ride with. John confirmed his status as the fans favourite rider when he topped the poll of which rider they would like to invite round for dinner and came a close second in the Rider of the Year accolade. JR is currently resting at home as he recovers from injuries sustained in a heavy crash at the final round of the 2005 season at Brands Hatch in Kent in October. Now retired from racing, the fans’ Champion is expected to make a full recovery. “I can’t believe I’ve been named as the fans’ favourite,” said JR. “All I can say is thank you so much to all the fans who voted for me, it’s a real honour and means more to me than I can describe. “At times I’m still in considerable pain with my injuries, but being at home with my family and in familiar surroundings really helps. News like this also gives me a real lift and I cannot thank the fans enough for their support over the years. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Superbike fans are the best in the world bar none. “I’d like to say a big thanks to everyone who sent messages and cards to me via the team. I’m delighted that the team wants me to stay involved next year and that I’ll still be able to meet my fans and friends in the world of racing. I hope to see you all at the races in 2006 and I’m looking forward to my new career with Rizla Suzuki.” In the same survey, the fans voted Rizla Suzuki as their favourite team. Rizla Suzuki team owner, Paul Denning, said: “We are delighted the fans have voted for Rizla Suzuki as their favourite team. We really appreciate the support during a difficult year we are already planning for next season and a more successful campaign.” Full Results: Favourite British Superbike Championship Team: 1. Rizla Suzuki 2. Airwaves Ducati 3. HM Plant Honda BSB Fans ‘Rider of the Year’: 1. Michael Rutter HM Plant Honda 2. John Reynolds Rizla Suzuki 3. Leon Haslam Airwaves Ducati BSB ‘Most Improved Rider’: 1. Leon Haslam Airwaves Ducati 2. Ryuichi Kiyonari HM Plant Honda 3. Gregorio Lavilla Airwaves Ducati Favourite Rider to go out for a ride with: John Reynolds Favourite Rider to ride pillion with: John Reynolds Favourite Rider to invite round to dinner: John Reynolds Best Track for viewing: 1. Silverstone 2: Brands Hatch / Cadwell Park 3: Mallory Park Best Track for action: 1. Silverstone 2. Brands Hatch 3. Oulton Park Best Track for atmosphere: 1. Silverstone 2. Brands Hatch 3. Cadwell Park

MELANDRI FAVOURITE TO SECURE RUNNER-UP POSITION Marco Melandri (Team Movistar Honda RC211V), winner of the Turkish Grand Prix two weeks ago, is now nine points ahead of Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC211V) in the fight for the MotoGP runner-up title. With this, the final round of a 17-race series to go, Melandri holds the advantage on 195 points to Hayden’s 186. But the Italian’s lead is a slender one and Hayden has proved this year that he also has race-winning capability with his Laguna Seca triumph. Mathematically Colin Edwards (Yamaha), fourth with 171 points, is still in the chase. But it’s the Melandri/Hayden fight that will decide the matter on Sunday. For some riders, like Sete Gibernau (Team Movistar Honda RC211V) and Alex Barros (Camel Honda RC211V), the season is all but over. Gibernau has failed to win a single race this season when he won four in 2004. Barros, one of the few men to win early in 2005, cannot now seem to find the recipe for success. Max Biaggi (Repsol Honda RC211V) is struggling too. Troy Bayliss (Camel Honda RC211V) has lost his battle to be fit for this final race of the season. A possible replacement rider is Ryuichi Kiyonari. ‘Kiyo’ rode an RC211V for part of the 2003 MotoGP season for the Fausto Gresini run MotoGP team and finished 14th here at Valencia that year. After two hard-riding years in the British Superbike series, Kiyo could taste MotoGP action again. Makoto Tamada (Konica Minolta Honda RC211V) who holds the pole position lap record here at 1m 32.815 seconds is eager to end his season with at least another podium to add to his third-place at the Japanese Grand Prix this year. Last year Rossi won, with Biaggi second and Bayliss third and with a heavy winter test schedule to come riders need to carry confidence into the looming weeks of hard work, and into next year – the old adage that you’re only as good as your last race always holds true. The 4.005km Ricardo Tormo track was designed to fit in the ‘bowl’ of a natural amphitheatre, so that the huge crowds (120,000 plus) can track the progress of riders almost all the way around a full lap. With 14 turns (five rights and nine lefts) packed into this tight space, and only a short 876m straight, it’s ideal for spectators – but hard work for riders. There is no time to rest here. With many turns in quick succession and only the short chute on which to ‘relax’, the ‘Cheste’ track is punishing. Despite a slow average lap time at around a 150km/h average speed (the second slowest on the calendar next to Estoril) the bikes are on the edge of their tyres for long periods – precisely where riders need to apply maximum concentration. The two fast turns at either end of the main straight are hard on rubber too, so set-up means making the most of available grip and having a machine that turns easily without too much physical effort from the pilot. Progressive acceleration out of those turns is vital too. Marco Melandri feels ready for the challenge and said, “After a year of experience on the Honda RC211V, with five podiums and a win, second place in the World Championship is a tangible goal. I now believe I can do it. It would be a dream come true at the end of a great season, the best possible way to thank Fausto Gresini who believed in me, for the team who followed me in everything, and for Honda and Michelin.” Max said, “The important thing is to look forward and to try to be positive. Valencia should be good for this, not just because I have a great memory of last year, when I got a podium finish after having fought for the victory. I really like this track, although it’s quite narrow and not so fast. I just want to get a good result for my team.” His team-mate Nicky Hayden is typically upbeat too, “Valencia is a track I’ve gone well at in the past, but have never finished the race in the last two years. Both times I’ve got caught up in it being the last race of the year, I’ve just let it all hang out and unfortunately crashed. So I guess this year will be no different other than we want to finish. Marco pulled some big points last week but we won’t quit till the flag on Sunday.” For Gibernau this is last chance for a win. “To race the last round of the season in Spain is an extra motivation,” he said. “I would like to give a gift to all those fans who follow my races and in particular to my fan club who always stood by me, even during this particularly difficult year. A gift to my team as well, who always did a fantastic job and who I would like to thank with a great finale.” Alex Barros said, “I still have great belief in my ability and I go to every race believing I can win,” said the Brazilian. “I still remember the last race of the season here in 2002 when I had a fantastic battle with Valentino and won the race. I still have the same feeling and the same hunger to go out and win and we’ve been trying to do this all season but without sustained success. I like the layout of the track at Valencia and it is great to race in such a real festival atmosphere.” “I would like to fight with the best here,” said a typically determined Tamada. “It would be a way to redeem a season without many successes and with a rash of injuries. The one I suffered at the beginning of the season in Portugal cost me three races, and the long time needed to fully recover has ruined my season. This is my last chance for glory here, I will give it everything.” The 2005 World Champion Dani Pedrosa (Team Movistar Honda RS250RW) will see this race as a celebratory home-coming after another tough season defending his 2004 crown. The Spanish maestro graduates to MotoGP next year and this will be his farewell ride on a 250. The combative Jorge Lorenzo (Fortuna Honda RS250RW) will be going all-out to ruin Dani’s day and try to win a Grand Prix himself in his debut season. If he does he will be the youngest ever winner of a 250cc Grand Prix at just under 18 and a half years old – younger even than Dani – if he can succeed at this final race of the year. The matter of the Manufacturer’s Championship also remains to be decided this weekend and it could hardly be closer with Honda on 324 points to Aprilia’s 323. Both factories have at least three riders capable of winning this race and scooping the points that would conclude the contest. Hiroshi Aoyama (Team Movistar Honda RS250RW) would like another win to add to his victory in Japan this year, Hector Barbera (Fortuna Honda RS250RW) is now up to speed after a sluggish start and Andrea Dovizioso (Scot Racing Team Honda RS250RW) craves a win after five podiums in his rookie season. Dani won last year and set a fastest lap of 1m 36.367 seconds and it would be hard to bet against him in his swansong 250cc race. He said, “Hopefully I can have a good race and repay the fans for all their support. It will be a very special Grand Prix for me because it is the end of an era – my final race in 250cc. But I don’t want to think too much about that or let it affect me. I want to enjoy it as much as possible, finish as well as I can and then on Monday rest a little and start thinking about the future.” His team-mate Aoyama said, “Last year we had a great race, the team worked really well all weekend, and we were all very upset when I was disqualified after finishing third. I hope to bury that memory by fighting for the podium again, as we did in Turkey. I would also like to finish third in the World Championship – I think that would be a great result for me and the team.” Lorenzo said, “It’s not one of my favourite circuits and I have never been fast there. I much prefer fast circuits with fast corners. The track is difficult but far too slow – I really only like fast corners. It’s a very tiring track physically, and the race is over so many laps. But all the Spanish riders will get great support from the fans, they make a special atmosphere.” Dovi said, “I don’t particularly like this track because it isn’t fast. There are a lot of corners that come back and a lot of work to do. Moreover the grip is very conditioned by the weather. It is very important for me to do a good race because I want absolutely to keep third place in the World Championship standings.” The 125cc class is where the action will be as all the tension of the 16-races so far is distilled into just 24-laps on Sunday. Thomas Luthi (Elit Grand Prix Honda RS125R) and Mika Kallio (KTM) have been slugging it out at the front all season and with this one race left Luthi leads Kallio by a seemingly healthy 23 point margin. But a Championship is never won until the flag drops on the final race and Luthi knows that in the cauldron of 125cc racing he can take nothing for granted in this final race. Kallio has to win with Luthi failing to score points to wrest the title from the Swiss Honda man – his chances are slim – but he still has a chance. Luthi said, “Everybody in the team knows exactly what we have to do in Valencia. We will go there and prepare for the race just the same way as we have for all the others. I normally prefer fast tracks – Valencia is different – but I still like racing there. The most important thing for us is to keep a cool head during practice and qualifying. If we do that we will be OK.” Mike Di Meglio (Kopron Racing World Honda RS125R) said, “Last year I was in hospital and didn’t race here. However the bike has been very good at the last few races and after the race in Turkey we are very confident. I like this track and I hope we can take another good result.” Fabrizio Lai (Kopron Racing World Honda RS125RW) said, “I don’t particularly like Valencia. Last year I was 15th with a broken hand. My riding style is not well suited to this track. I usually brake hard and late but here it’s better to ride flowing lines without unsettling the bike too much. And the weather here can really affect the grip.” Hector Barbera won this race last year with the 2004 125cc World Champion Andrea Dovizioso (both Honda) second. Now both have graduated to the 250cc class and the third-placed rider here last year, Alvaro Bautista (Seedorf Racing Honda RS125RW), can now use this race to try and finish his season in style. He said, “Valencia is a ‘home’ race for me and my last chance to take a good result from this season. In the last few races my feeling with the bike has been good. I like the circuit and I hope to qualify near the first row – if I do that I will have a good race.” In the 125cc Constructor’s Championship KTM currently has 307 points, Honda 294 and Aprilia 280.

TORONTO, ON The Parts Canada Superbike Championship has confirmed a round for the Canadian Thunder series at Race City Motorsport Park in 2006. Additionally, Canadian Thunder competitors will run with spec Pirelli DOT tires beginning next season, meaning all five national classes will be equipped with Pirelli spec rubber. In August, series organizer Professional Motorsports Productions completed a three-year deal with the Italian manufacturer to supply tires for the Parts Canada Superbike, Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike and International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike categories. The Suzuki SV650 National Cup division ran on Pirellis in 2005 and will continue to use Pirelli tires in 2006 through distributor Orion Motorsports. Adding the Calgary venue to the schedule was part of the initial two-year agreement when the Thunder class became a part of the national road racing tour for the 2005 season. “Bringing the Canadian Thunder series to Race City was always part of our plan for the growth of the series,” said PMP president Colin Fraser. “This will open new doors for western Canadian racers to join the national tour, and we think western Canadian motorcycle enthusiasts will get a thrill from seeing these BMW, Buell and Ducati twins racing at a great motorsports venue.” The Canadian Thunder class is designed for air-cooled twin-cylinder production-based sport motorcycles and is administered by PMP in partnership with BMW Motorrad Canada, Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada and Ducati North America. “The Buell brand is gaining popularity across the country and having a western venue to showcase our product is very important to us,” said Ric Marrero, marketing and communications director for Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada, which represents Buell. There are plans for all three sponsoring manufacturers to provide trailer space for riders planning to compete at the Race City round in an effort to reduce individual expenses and encourage a strong entry for the Calgary race. The Parts Canada Superbike Championship conducted its first formal Pirelli tire test at Shannonville Motorsport Park last month and the Canadian Thunder class was represented by 2005 champion Darren James on a Buell and Derek Vammus riding a Ducati. Running together and despite cool temperatures, the pair approached the ‘Long Track’ course record. “Going to the Pirelli spec tire is significant because it further raises the level of the Canadian Thunder series in relation to the other national classes,” said Chris Duff, events/promotions co-ordinator for BMW Motorrad Canada. “It will be very interesting to see how the different brands of motorcycle handle running the same tires.” Ducati Canada is stepping up its efforts to unseat Buell in the Thunder series in 2006. Vammus, who placed third in points last season, will ride a Paul Smart 1000 Replica next year. The bike is based on the legendary motorcycle Smart rode to victory in the world renowned Imola 200 Formula 750 race in 1972. That model was the first Desmo-equipped v-twin Ducati.

A truly memorable event to end the season with a noisy sell out crowd and fireworks adding to an electric atmosphere around the tight and twisty Ricardo Tormo circuit. The second slowest track on the MotoGP calendar is surrounded by grandstands which completes the stadium affect, generating a tremendous atmosphere. The track, which named after the former 50 cc World Champion Ricardo Tormo who died of leukaemia, was only completed in 1999 and staged it’s first grand prix the same year. Frenchman Regis Laconi won that first race which was his only grand prix victory. It’s been a good circuit for the Honda Pons team with current Camel Honda star, Brazilian Alex Barros scoring a superb victory over Valentino Rossi in the last race of the 2002 season. Rossi has won the MotoGP race for the last two years, riding both Yamaha and Honda machinery. Track data: Length: 4.005 kms Pole Position: Right. Width: 12 m Right corners: Five Left corners: Nine Longest Straight: 876 m Constructed: 1999. Lap record: Valentino Rossi (Honda) 1:33.317 154.506 km/h (2003) Pole record: Valentino Rossi (Honda) 1:32.478 155.907 km/h (2003) 2004 Race winner: Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 47:16.145 – 152.510 km/h Camel Honda Alex Barros 2004 – sixth. TECHNICAL INSIGHT – COMUNITAT VALENCIANA GRAND PRIX – 06/11/05 – VALENCIA The Cheste Circuit is 4.005 m long with a total of 14 corners, 9 left-handers and 5 right-handers, and a 650 metre-long straight. In this short straight surprisingly high speeds of around 305 km/h are reached due to the fact that it is a downhill section and also the fact that the first corner is taken at a relatively high speed of more than 140 Km/h. In spite of the fast straight, Cheste is the second slowest track in the MotoGP Championship with an average speed of only 155 km/h, slightly more than the Portuguese Estoril circuit. To make a good race here it is necessary to prepare the bike so that it is light and agile. The corners come one after another all around the lap and a manoeuvrable bike is key to setting good lap times. In general one can say this is a track where a shorter wheel base is desirable and often special plates are fitted to make the bike turn more easily into the corners. This setting can though lead to problems in turn one, turn seven and the final corner where the rider must brake when the bike is leaning, which tends to block the steering and the fitting of these special plates can accentuate the problem. Also in the final corner the rider must change from fourth gear to first with the bike leaning over on the side where the gear change is located, making it very difficult to find a good racing line through the corner. Although Cheste is not a high speed circuit, the braking points are nevertheless sharp and hard suspension shocks are normally fitted. The most movement in the front fork is experienced on the short straight leading up to turn 2, and also the tricky corner 12 where the track suddenly starts to climb, producing even more force on the front shocks. Luckily the track is in good conditions and there are not too many bumps so hard springs can be fitted without too much pondering. Rear suspension is not an excessive problem either, although we must bear in mind that the rear tends to sink under acceleration when the throttle is opened at low speeds, and also when the rider accelerates through the long corner with the bike leaning over. To counteract this effect harder springs can be fitted or the hydraulic brakes of the rear shock can be adjusted to dampen the compression and sinking effect in these areas. Another important factor to consider when setting the bike is the engine brake. A well-adjusted engine brake that lets the rider turn with ease is invaluable in setting fast times here. In Cheste, all the gears are used around the lap, with three taken in first gear, seven in second gear, three more in third and finally turn “13” is taken in fourth. And we could really say that turn “7” is taken in fifth gear although under braking in preparation for turn “8”. Since the top speed on the straight is not so high, it is relatively easy therefore to find a good adjustment for the gear ratios. Tyre choice is not such a big problem in Cheste as it is not a circuit that causes excessive tyre wear. The only thing to look out for is the left side of the tyre since there are many more left corners than right corners, and also the possible heavy tyre wear produced in turn “13.”

WSMC will move the Toyota 200 from the third Sunday in October to the third Sunday in September for 2006. The move came after two straight years of rain falling on the October race date. The change will reduce the chances of rain for the 2006 race and will also eliminate a date conflict with the WERA GNF and Suzuki Cup Finals held at Road Atlanta each October. The Toyota 200 has paid $50,000 to win since it was established four years ago. The 2006 race weekend will be September 15-16-17 and will also include the Roadracing World 250/50 race for 250cc Grand Prix racebikes. Upgrades to the track’s computerized timing and scoring, including a back-up system, are expected to be in place by then.

Six-time AMA Superbike Champion Mat Mladin will ride his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 at the annual Dunlop tire test in December 2005 at Daytona International Speedway, but he will not ride a GSX-R600 in the Daytona 200 AMA Formula Xtreme race next March. In an online column he wrote in September, Mladin stated that he hoped not to test at Daytona this winter, that it did not make sense to him to test for three days at a track that only hosted one, 15-lap race. He instead hoped to test with his team privately at California Speedway in November, but his recovery from off-season surgery to his left ankle will force him to miss that date. “I will be at the Daytona test because I will not be attending the Fontana testing in November so my foot/ankle has more time to heal,” Mladin wrote in an e-mail to Roadracingworld.com October 31. “I was hoping to do the November testing, but we have decided I need more time. So I will be at Daytona to get some time on the bike.” In his e-mail, Mladin wrote that the 90-minute, September 9 procedure to repair bone fractures and remove floating bone fragments from his left ankle (injured in a crash during testing at Daytona in January 2005) and to repair old damage suffered in an ultra-light airplane crash in 1995 went well. He stated that he already has more range of motion than he has had since the airplane crash. Mladin is currently undergoing physical therapy in Australia and will continue physical therapy upon returning to the United States with Dr. Thomas Bryan, the orthopedic surgeon who performed Mladin’s surgery, at the Athletic Rehabilitation Center in Chino, California In his e-mail, Mladin also put an end to speculation on the Internet by stating that he will not ride a GSX-R600 in the Daytona 200 AMA Formula Xtreme race.