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It’s Official: Eric Bostrom, Hacking, DiSalvo To Race For Yamaha In 2006

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It’s Official: Eric Bostrom, Hacking, DiSalvo To Race For Yamaha In 2006

All-New YZF-R6 and YZF-R1 Power Rejuvenated Yamaha Road Race Team for 2006 Cypress California, October 31, 2005″¦Yamaha Motor Company is pleased to announce its AMA Roadracing plans for 2006 that will be centered around the introductions of both the all-new YZF-R6 and the new race-spec YZF-R1 LE. Veteran rider and 2003 Supersport Champion Jamie Hacking returns to Team Blue and White competing on the potent new R6 in the AMA Supersport Class and the new R1 LE in the Superstock Class. “I’m just pumped to ride both these classes this year,” said Jamie, “and with these unbelievable new bikes, I’m ready to bring home Yamaha at least one Championship.” Twenty one year-old hot shot Jason DiSalvo also returns and will compete this year on a fully prepped YZF-R6 in the Formula Extreme Class including the prestigious Daytona 200. Jason will also pilot the new R1 LE in an effort to improve his overall second place finishing position in 2005 in the AMA Superstock Class. “We’ve just started testing the new R6 and it’s already miles ahead of last years bike,” said and exuberant DiSalvo. “I’m confident and so looking forward to the season ahead.” Finally, Yamaha is pleased to welcome the charismatic Eric Bostrom, who will round out the Yamaha squad competing in both the Formula Extreme and Superstock classes. “I just saw the new bikes and they are awesome.” Said Bostrom. ” I feel great and Yamaha has already made me feel so much a part of their family. I just can’t wait to start riding,” Graves Motorsports will continue to maintain the Superstock effort in the coming year. “We are extremely excited about the year ahead,” said Racing Division Manager Keith McCarty, “We feel that our new team will have great dynamics and with two new bikes, tremendous potential to win multiple championships.”

Mladin Earns His Sixth Nomination For AMA Pro Racing/SPEED Channel Athlete Of The Year

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Mladin Earns His Sixth Nomination For AMA Pro Racing/SPEED Channel Athlete Of The Year

PICKERINGTON, Ohio Mat Mladin has been nominated for a sixth time for the prestigious AMA Pro Racing SPEED Channel Athlete of the Year award. Mladin is coming off a record-setting 2005 season, winning his sixth AMA Superbike Championship and setting a new single season win record in the series with 11 victories. It was a season of comebacks from adversity for the 31-year-old Australian who rides for Yoshimura Suzuki. Mladin kicked off the 2005 campaign with a victory in the Daytona Superbike race. He then opened up his series lead with a doubleheader sweep at Barber Motorsports Park. Mladin temporarily lost the championship lead after his bike broke in the first leg of the California Speedway doubleheader, but he responded by reeling off another three wins in a row to regain and build his points lead. Mladin faced another major challenge after getting caught up in a crash in the second race at Mid-Ohio’s doubleheader allowing teammate Ben Spies to close the gap and make the championship a race to the final rounds. Mladin showed the true spirit of a champion by shrugging off the Mid-Ohio incident and winning the next three rounds to secure his sixth title. “The year was a good year for sure,” said Mladin. “Suzuki delivered us a motorcycle this year that certainly made life quite a bit easier than last year. But in no way was it easy. We had a couple of problems that certainly kept the championship interesting until the last race. It was nice to get the single season win record, but I’m sure some young guy will come along in the future and do the same thing if not better.” Mladin raced all season with an injured ankle, which was surgically repaired after the racing season. Mladin gave Suzuki its ninth AMA Superbike Championship, matching the nine titles owned by Kawasaki. In addition he extended his lead in the all-time AMA Superbike wins list to 43-career victories and pushed his record of AMA Superbike pole positions to 47. Off the track Mladin took on the added responsibility of team owner, forming the Mat Mladin Motorsports Superbike team. Mladin could be named Athlete of the Year for the second time. He won the award in 2000. 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.

Chili, Fabrizio To Ride For Team Honda DFXtreme In 2006 World Superbike Championship

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Chili, Fabrizio To Ride For Team Honda DFXtreme In 2006 World Superbike Championship

Veteran Pierfrancesco Chili and young Michel Fabrizio will ride CBR1000RRs for Team Honda DFXtreme in the 2006 World Superbike Championship, according to FGSport Group. Chili, 41, rode a CBR1000RR for Klaffi Honda in 2005 and finished 10th in the World Superbike Championship (second Honda rider, behind Chris Vermeulen) with six fifth-place finishes and 14 top-10 results. Chili has more World Superbike race starts than any other rider all time, 260, and is very popular with fans worldwide. Fabrizio, 21, rode a CBR600RR for Italia Megabike in 2005 and finished fifth in the World Supersport Championship with one pole position (Magny-Cours), five podium appearances (including seconds at Brands Hatch and Brno) and no finishes worse than fifth. The effort will be supported by Honda Italia and Honda Europe.

Recent Wedding: Smallwood-McIntyre

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Recent Wedding: Smallwood-McIntyre

Racer Scott Smallwood (USGPRU/AHRMA/WERA #321) married long-time girlfriend Erin McIntyre October 29, 2005 in Columbus, Ohio.

Capirossi To Return For MotoGP Season Finale At Valencia

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Capirossi To Return For MotoGP Season Finale At Valencia

CAPIROSSI BACK FOR DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM

The Ducati Marlboro Team is back to its usual line-up for this weekend’s season-ending Valencia Grand Prix, with team-mates Loris Capirossi and Carlos Checa reunited following Capirossi’s absence from last month’s Australian and Turkish GPs.

Capirossi is returning to action after a three-week layoff with chest injuries sustained during practice for the Australian GP. Yesterday (Saturday 29 October) Loris was accompanied by Dr. Costa to Imola Hospital for a CT scan. The results of the check were excellent and the doctor from the Clinica Mobile gave the go-ahead for Loris to race at Valencia. Although he’s unlikely to be at full strength, the Italian, who had been battling for second overall in the 2005 MotoGP World Championship, is determined to score more points in the 17th and final race of the year. Capirossi had been in storming form before his Phillip Island fall, taking two wins, three pole positions and one second-place finish from the previous four races.

Checa is also enjoying the impressive performance offered by his Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici and Bridgestone tyres, taking two podium finishes from the last four races.

“We’re really happy to have Loris back with us after two races without him,” says Ducati MotoGP project leader Livio Suppo. “Although we know he may not be fully at 100 per cent, we’re hoping that he and Carlos can finish the 2005 season in the best way possible. A big thanks to Dr. Claudio Costa and everyone at the Clinica Mobile who have followed Loris with their usual incredible professionalism right from the start. We know that Loris has the heart of a ‘lion’ but it’s also thanks them that he has recovered so quickly.

At times it has been a tough season, but after the midseason break everything really came together for us because everyone in the team, at the factory and at Bridgestone maintained their commitment and passion for this project. We have won two races so far, more than we’ve done before, so now we hope to celebrate with a good weekend at Valencia.”

Valencia is one of the tightest and slowest circuits in MotoGP, requiring a very rider-friendly machine set-up. “Valencia is a strange track – very stop-and-go in character,” explains Ducati Marlboro Team technical director Corrado Cecchinelli. “Engine rideability and traction are the crucial performance factors. And there are some interesting sections – like the final fast left, which riders tackle with full throttle and very little load on the rear tyre as they crest the brow of the hill. We don’t plan to alter the engine mapping for such a tight and slow circuit – we prefer that our riders stay familiar with the bike’s behaviour from one track to another, so they know exactly how it reacts.”

CAPIROSSI: ‘I’D WALK TO VALENCIA IF I HAD TO!’

Ducati Marlboro Team man Loris Capirossi returns to action this weekend, three weeks after he crashed heavily during practice for the Australian GP. The lion-hearted Italian fell at around 200kmh/125mph, suffering chest injuries that left him with bleeding around the right lung. On October 17, under supervision from the Clinica Mobile, he flew to Italy, where he was looked after by the Clinica’s Dr Claudio Costa, before returning to his Monaco home where, a few days later, he was able to resume training.

“I’m really happy to be able to return to racing,” says Capirossi “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’m travelling to Valencia in my motorhome. But my desire to race is so great that I would walk all the way to Valencia if I had to!

“I can’t wait to get back on the bike. For sure I won’t be on top form, but I will try and do my best because I want to finish the season in the best possible way. I have to admit that the Valencia track is not one of my favourites: it’s too tight for a MotoGP bike but then again it doesn’t have any particularly difficult or tricky features. Anyway, it will be great for me to put two wheels back on the track!”

CHECA AIMING FOR HOME-RACE PODIUM

Carlos Checa is looking forward to his third home GP of the year at Valencia this weekend. Currently ninth overall with two podium finishes, the Ducati Marlboro Team rider is keen to record a top-three performance in front of his home crowd.

“I’m really looking forward to Valencia because the bike and the Bridgestones are working really well now,” he says. “Valencia is a special event and I’ve a big motivation to do really well for the Spanish fans. I didn’t have such a great time at Jerez or Barcelona earlier this season, so I want a good result here, especially after my podium finishes in Malaysia and Australia.

Valencia is quite an unusual track, there’s a lot of corners in a very tight layout, so you are always working the bike hard, turning from side to side and trying to get through the short little corners as quickly as possible. It’s hard work but it’s quite fun too, especially if the bike is working well. You need very light handling and a user-friendly engine for this track. The front end is also really important here, because you need good turn-in performance.”

THE TRACK

Valencia is the second-slowest circuit in GP racing with a lap record of just 154.5kmh, a fraction slower than Laguna Seca and marginally faster than Estoril. Most of the track’s corners are slow, in-and-out turns, grouped closely together, this unusual layout affording spectators a mostly unobstructed view of the entire circuit – a real rarity in the world of motorsport. It’s an immensely physical circuit with riders afforded little rest between bouts of heavy acceleration, braking and cornering. Valencia is also one of five anti-clockwise MotoGP circuits and the third consecutive left-handed track to feature on the calendar, following Phillip Island and Istanbul.

This weekend Valencia hosts its seventh Grand Prix after featuring on the World Championship calendar for the first time in 1999. The venue is officially christened the Ricardo Tormo circuit, in honour of the late Spanish rider, a former 50cc World Champion.

Lap record: Valentino Rossi (Honda), 1m 33.317s (2003) Pole position 2004: Makoto Tamada (Honda), 1m 32.815s

DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM RIDERS DATA LOG LORIS CAPIROSSI Age: 32 (born April 4, 1973) Lives: Monaco Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP5 GP victories: 23 (1xMotoGP, 2×500, 12×250, 8×125) First GP victory: Britain, 1990 (125) First GP: Japan, 1990 (125) GP starts: 230 (60xMotoGP, 59×500, 84×250, 27×125) Pole positions: 39 (6xMotoGP, 5×500, 23×250, 5×125) First pole: Australia, 1991 (125) World Championships: 3 (125: 1990, 1991, 250: 1998) Valencia 2004 results: Grid: 13th. Race: 9th

CARLOS CHECA Age: 33 (born October 15, 1972) Lives: London, England Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP5 GP victories: 2 (500) First GP victory: Catalunya, 1996 (500) First GP: Europe, 1993 (125) GP starts: 184 (64xMotoGP, 92×500, 27×250, 1×125) Pole positions: 3 (2xMotoGP, 1×500) First pole: Spain, 1998 (500) Valencia 2004 results: Grid: 9th. Race: 14th

Suzuki MotoGP Test Rider Akiyoshi Wins All-Japan Superbike Race At Motegi, Junge DNF

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Suzuki MotoGP Test Rider Akiyoshi Wins All-Japan Superbike Race At Motegi, Junge DNF

Team Yoshimura Suzuki’s Kousuke Akiyoshi raced to his first career win and the team’s first of the season in today’s final eighth-round All Japan Superbike Championship event at Motegi. The factory MotoGP development rider started the 18-lap race in second position behind team mate Atsushi Watanabe and moved to the front on lap three before pulling out a three second lead. On the eighth lap, Watanabe was passed by Shin-ichi Nakatomi (Yamaha) and Shin-ichi Ito (Honda), who then moved to second but could not close on the Suzuki rider. Said Akiyoshi: “In the last two races I got a pole position but I couldn’t keep my position in the race because of some problems. But today I made a good start and had no problems. I would like to thank Suzuki and Yoshimura for giving me the opportunity to enter the race.” Team manager Fujio Yoshimura added: “Akiyoshi did Great job! It is only his third race this season but he showed his true potential with a very good performance. We were a little disappointed for Atsushi Watanabe but overall we feel very happy to give Suzuki this big win.” SUPERBIKE RESULTS: 1 Kousuke Akiyoshi (Yoshimura Suzuki). 2 Shin-ichi Ito (Honda). 3 Tatsuya Yamaguchi (Honda). 4 Shin-ichi Nakatomi (Yamaha). 5 Akira Yanagawa (Kawasaki). 6 Atsushi Watanabe (Yoshimura Suzuki). 7 Osamu Deguchi (Honda). 8 Yoshiteru Konishi (Honda). 9 Chojun Kameya (Honda). 10 Shogo Moriwaki (Honda). Final Standings: 1 Ito 140 2 Yamaguchi 111, 3 Yanagawa 111, 4 Nakatomi 94, 5 Tsujimura 91, 6 Watanabe 71. Editorial Note: American Mark Junge DNF, dropping out on lap four. Junge rode a Vesrah Suzuki GSX-R1000.

Ben Bostrom Replaces Eric Bostrom On Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin AMA Superbike Team

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Ben Bostrom Replaces Eric Bostrom On Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin AMA Superbike Team

NEIL HODGSON AND BEN BOSTROM TO RACE FOR THE PARTS UNLIMITED DUCATI AUSTIN TEAM IN 2006 AMA SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP Bologna (Italy), Saturday 29 October 2005: Ben Bostrom is to partner the already-confirmed Neil Hodgson in the Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin team that will compete in next year’s AMA Superbike Championship with factory Ducati 999 bikes. 2006 will mark the second season in America’s premier racing category for Hodgson, 31 years old from Burnley, England. The former World Superbike champion finished sixth in his debut AMA Superbike season, winning one race at Road America and stepping onto the podium a further five times in the 10 round/17 race series. Hodgson now has a great opportunity to make use of his learning year to aim for the title and thus fulfil his ambition of becoming the only rider to win the ‘triple crown’ of British, American and World Superbike titles. “I’m really looking forward to the challenge in 2006” commented Neil. “I know the 999 will be improved and now I understand how to approach AMA. It’s going to be tough to beat Mladin but I’ve studied everything hard this year and I’ve got a plan for how to beat him! I really enjoyed working with Eric and it will be equally great to work with his brother Ben …. It’s just a pity he’s not better-looking!” Bostrom, also 31 years old and born in Redding (California) in 1974, will step onto a factory Ducati Corse machine again after a three-year gap in which he rode for Honda in AMA Superbike and the World Superbike championship. He returns home after one year on the world stage to take the place of his younger brother Eric, who won four races with the Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin 999 in the last two seasons of AMA racing. “You know, this year was a tough one on the racetrack” declared Ben. “So I’m real excited to be back with a factory that I’ve had so much success with in the past. We’ve shared lots of good memories, Ducati and I, and I’m looking forward to a strong season together, and to creating new memories with them.” Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin owner Terry Gregoricka commented on his team’s new line-up: “Neil had a great first season with us, winning one race and always fighting hard throughout the season and I’m convinced he can challenge for the title in 2006. Ben has had great success with Ducati in the past and I feel sure he will remember that and get on the gas! His crew chief Gary Medley has worked with him before and that’s also sure to be an advantage. I believe Neil and Ben will work well together as a team and knowing each other will certainly help. 2006 is going to be even tougher than this year but I am convinced that our two riders will go well and that they can both win races throughout the season.” Ducati Corse Superbike director Paolo Ciabatti added: “We are officially involved in the AMA Superbike Championship for a second year with the Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin team and once again we will have two world-class riders. The American market is very important to Ducati: our participation in the AMA championship with a factory effort shows our strong commitment to the series and is a key element of the company’s marketing strategies in this area of the world.”

Simpson Named Chairman Of Motorcycle Hall Of Fame Museum Board Of Directors

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Simpson Named Chairman Of Motorcycle Hall Of Fame Museum Board Of Directors

PICKERINGTON, OHIO The Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum has announced that Stan Simpson of Cibolo, Texas, has been named Chairman of the Museum’s Board of Directors. Simpson, who also serves on the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Board of Directors, was named to the Museum’s Board earlier this year. He replaces Mark Mendell, who stepped down from the Chairman’s position to devote more time to his business. Mendell will continue to serve as a member of the Board. An avid off-road and street motorcyclist and a Life Member of the AMA, Simpson serves as a volunteer with the U.S. Forest Service. He devotes much of his time to preserving enthusiasts’ access to trails while reducing the impact of off-highway vehicles. Simpson also serves on the staff of the Colorado 500 charity ride and as president of the Sidewinders Motorcycle Club, and is a past president of the Texas State Championship Enduro Circuit. “It’s a privilege to serve the American motorcycling community as a member of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum’s Board of Directors,” said Simpson. “Educating today’s and tomorrow’s generation of riders about the pioneers, innovators and legends who shaped our industry and sport benefits everyone involved in motorcycling. I look forward to continuing the Museum’s mission of education and preservation, as well as its expansion.” “We’re grateful to Mark Mendell for leading the Museum during a time of great accomplishment and growth,” Simpson continued. “His leadership and vision raised annual events like the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction to new levels and resulted in unprecedented industry and media awareness of the Museum’s world-class exhibits and programs. Thanks to Mark, I have the pleasure of starting my tenure on a very strong foundation one I’m personally excited to build on,” Simpson said. In his professional life, Simpson is president and chief operating officer of San Antonio-based Kalmar RT Center, which provides new-product technology for off-road construction and industrial equipment; and vice president of Kalmar Industries’ KRTC Group, which builds, sells and supports special products to defense departments around the world. He also contributes his professional expertise as a volunteer in the area of domestic and international safety standards. About the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum The goal of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, located on the campus of the American Motorcyclist Association in Pickerington, Ohio, is to tell the stories and preserve the history of motorcycling. The Motorcycle Hall of Fame honors those who have contributed notably to the sport, and three major exhibition halls showcase the machines and memorabilia that have shaped motorcycling. Museum hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; closed on New Year’s, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Adult admission is $10 per person; $5 for AMA members; $9 for members of other national motorcycling organizations; $8 for seniors; $3 for students age 12 to 17; children age 11 and under are admitted free. A special family rate of $25 admits parents and all single children under age 18. For more information, call (614) 856-2222, or visit www.motorcyclemuseum.org.

Eric Bostrom’s Custom Cannondale Bicycle Being Auctioned On eBay To Benefit Hurricane Relief Effort

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Eric Bostrom’s Custom Cannondale Bicycle Being Auctioned On eBay To Benefit Hurricane Relief Effort

A Cannondale Synapse carbon-fiber road bicycle custom made for AMA Superbike racer Eric Bostrom is being auctioned off on eBay with all of the proceeds from the auction to be donated to the American Red Cross’ hurricane relief effort. Bostrom has autographed the bicycle, and a custom Eric Bostrom riding jersey will be included with the bicycle. The auction is due to end November 7. You can go to the auction by clicking the following link: ~http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:31&item=7192879667~

Rossi Aiming To Tie Doohan’s Single-season Win Record At Valencia

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Rossi Aiming To Tie Doohan’s Single-season Win Record At Valencia

GAULOISES YAMAHA TEAM READY FOR SEASON FINALE AT VALENCIA The MotoGP World Championship takes its traditional curtain call at Valencia next weekend in the final round of what has been an unforgettable season for the Gauloises Yamaha Team. With the riders’, teams’ and constructors’ titles already in the bag, Yamaha will aim to put the seal on it’s 50th Anniversary celebrations with another successful weekend at the Ricardo Tormo circuit, where both Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards will be aiming for a podium finish to end the season on a high note. After an exhausting trip across Asia, Australia and the Middle East, Rossi returns to Spain for the third time this season looking to add to his earlier victories at Catalunya and Jerez and continue his love affair with the Valencia crowd, which is expected to top 120,000 people. Rossi has won there for the last two years, his 2004 Valencia success with Yamaha his ninth of the year, more than any other Yamaha rider had previously managed in a single season. This time he has the chance to go a step further by equalling Mick Doohan’s all-time record of twelve wins in a season. The MotoGP World Champion, who took his seventh world championship title three races ago at Sepang in Malaysia, followed up his championship success with victory at Qatar and second place at Istanbul, confirming his motivation to finish the season on a high note and taking his points total to a mammoth 351. By finishing ninth or higher at Valencia, Rossi would also set a new points record for the premier-class, surpassing his tally of 357 in the 2003 season. Rossi’s Gauloises Yamaha team-mate Colin Edwards is also aiming for a points finish this weekend as he looks to end the campaign with a 100% point-scoring record. The American is the only MotoGP rider to have scored points in each of the sixteen rounds so far this year, a show of consistency which sees him tackling the last race of the year still holding an outside chance of finishing as the championship runner-up in only his first season with Yamaha. VALENTINO ROSSI: LOOKING TO THE FUTURE Valentino Rossi heads to Valencia this weekend with one eye on the past and one on the future. The emergence of Marco Melandri and Nicky Hayden as key challengers over the course of the season has given the World Champion extra motivation as he looks ahead to defending the title for a fifth time in 2006, and he is expecting a strong challenge from them and other riders this weekend. “Some new young riders have come to the front of the field over the last few races,” says Rossi, “and I am sure we’ll have another big battle in Valencia. “Of course I am not old and I hope that I have a few more years at the top yet! I am looking forward to Valencia and we hope our bike works well there and that we can find a good setting straight away. “In Valencia we will really try for the win again; last year we won there with Yamaha and I also won the year before; I like ending the season with a victory! It is still possible for me to equal Doohan’s win record and beat my own, and this is my aim for the last race. Our bike goes well in Valencia and it’s always a great race. It is Spain, there are many people and the fans are wonderful. It’s always a big party for everyone!” COLIN EDWARDS: PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT With second place in the championship now only a distant possibility, Edwards will nonetheless be looking to take as many points as possible in Valencia with an eye to finishing higher than his current fourth spot. Valencia will also provide a chance for him to work on continuing to perfect the new riding style he adopted at Istanbul. After struggling to make the step up from podium regular to victory contender in 2005, the experienced Texan has decided that it is time to re-evaluate his approach to MotoGP racing following several years of success in the World Superbike series. “I hate to be where I am in my career and having to learn something completely new but that is the situation we are in,” explained Edwards. “I’m trying to put more corner speed into my riding, adding aspects of a 250cc style to my Superbike instincts, but I need more laps to get used to it before I can challenge to win races in MotoGP. I don’t like thinking that the last race of the season will be like a test for me but we have to look to next season and see how we can improve. Hopefully this is the answer. “I have ridden at Valencia for many seasons so it will definitely be a big help to be working on the new style at a track I know well. Melandri and Hayden are on fire at the moment so it will be very tough to beat either of them in the championship, but of course I am still going to try! I never give up and so I’ll keep fighting until the end and see what happens this Sunday. I’ve had some highs and lows this season, but it would be really nice to finish off with a podium and a nice memory to take home over the winter!” DAVIDE BRIVIO: SIGNING OFF ON A HIGH Gauloises Yamaha Team Director Davide Brivio has challenged his staff to end the season on a high note this weekend as they look to put the gloss on a sparkling year of celebrations for Yamaha’s 50th Anniversary. Motivation within the camp has remained high even with the riders’, teams’ and constructors’ titles already decided and the Italian is asking for more of the same, with three more days’ of intense effort required before the end of season celebrations can begin. “This weekend is the last race of what has been a very good season for us,” says Brivio. “It has been a great pleasure to help bring so much success to Yamaha in its 50th Anniversary year and we want to finish it in the best possible way. We took the victory at Valencia last season and it would be nice to do the same again. “We have two targets for the weekend really. One is for a Yamaha victory and the other is to improve Colin’s fourth position in the championship. It will be difficult because the riders in front of him have a good advantage now and they are looking strong but it is not over yet so we will be trying our best. We have a lot of guests and VIPs from around Europe and Japan coming to the race so it would be nice to put on a good show for them and enjoy the celebration party together.” BLAST FROM THE PAST: CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF YAMAHA GLORY In its short history the Valencia circuit has proven to be a happy hunting ground for Yamaha, with Regis Laconi winning the first race there on the YZR500 in 1999 and Garry McCoy following up with victory on the same bike one year later. However, the factory’s most memorable success at the Spanish circuit came last season when Valentino Rossi capped off a remarkable first year as a Yamaha rider with his ninth victory of the season, a record for the factory, and his third win in succession. “To win nine races in my first season with Yamaha was unbelievable for everybody and we also won the team award at Valencia, which was not so bad either!” said Rossi. “The finish of the season was perfect for us, with three wins in a row. It was more difficult for me at Valencia than the two previous races at Sepang and Phillip Island because generally I find the track worse than them. I slid at the start and lost some time but after two or three laps I was able to recover. “Makoto Tamada was looking very strong, and I had a tough fight with him until he slowed and dropped back. My rhythm improved and I was able to push 100% to the end. Then there was a fight with Max Biaggi behind, and he was also very strong. It was incredible to win the final race of the season at Valencia especially in front of such a great crowd. The 2004 season was really unforgettable for me, my mechanics and Yamaha.” TECHNICALLY SPEAKING Advertising itself as a circuit that is also a stadium, the Valencia track is a beautifully appointed, if somewhat cramped, facility where slower corners are the norm. Occupying a small footprint off the side of the Madrid/Valencia freeway, the Ricardo Tormo circuit features a seemingly never-ending burst of tight corners, connected by short straights. The long penultimate looping left-hander and the fast entry to turn one contrast violently with the otherwise geometric flip-flop chicanes and slow speed corners of the infield. More suitable for the smaller classes, Valencia is an awesome challenge in its own way for any MotoGP rider; an intense exercise in concentration and preparation, as the track can easily catch out the unwary, especially in the frequently wet conditions of late October and early November. The continual stop-start nature of Valencia means that suspension setting must offer the correct balance between beneficial weight transfer, which aids alternately front and rear grip, and firm enough settings for spring rates and compression damping, to prevent the machine oscillating as the power is turned on and off. With short but highly loaded periods of front end grip required throughout a lap, and with a lot of corner entries with the brakes still applied, the balance between agility and stability has to fall on the side of greater manoeuvrability. Nonetheless the bike has to be planted enough not to lose corner speed through the quick penultimate corner, which runs over the brow of a hill, or induce tail hopping under hard braking from 300km/h. Instantaneous and yet linear throttle response is a highly desired commodity at Valencia, its point and squirt nature demanding a combination of controlled throttle openings on the many low speed corner exits, with a clean and crisp power off nature required on entry. The relatively low gearing of Valencia exacerbates the potential for highsides even further, as most of the lap is spent in second gear, with an entire three-corner complex taken in first gear. Nonetheless, most crashes come from a loss of front grip on the high number of downhill corner entries. VALENTINO ROSSI: INFORMATION Age: 26 Lives: London, UK Bike: Gauloises Yamaha Team YZR-M1 GP victories: 80 (41 x MotoGP, 13 x 500cc, 14 x 250cc, 12 x 125cc) First GP victory: Czech Republic, 1996 (125cc) First GP: Malaysia, 1996 (125cc) GP starts: 155 (64 x MotoGP, 32 x 500cc, 30 x 250cc, 30 x 125cc) Pole positions: 40 World Championships 7 Grand Prix (1 x 125cc, 1 x 250cc, 1 x 500cc, 4 x MotoGP) COLIN EDWARDS: INFORMATION Age: 31 Lives: Conroe, Texas Bike: Gauloises Yamaha Team YZR-M1 First GP: Japan, 2003 (MotoGP) GP starts: 48 x MotoGP World Championships – 2 World Superbike

It’s Official: Eric Bostrom, Hacking, DiSalvo To Race For Yamaha In 2006

All-New YZF-R6 and YZF-R1 Power Rejuvenated Yamaha Road Race Team for 2006 Cypress California, October 31, 2005″¦Yamaha Motor Company is pleased to announce its AMA Roadracing plans for 2006 that will be centered around the introductions of both the all-new YZF-R6 and the new race-spec YZF-R1 LE. Veteran rider and 2003 Supersport Champion Jamie Hacking returns to Team Blue and White competing on the potent new R6 in the AMA Supersport Class and the new R1 LE in the Superstock Class. “I’m just pumped to ride both these classes this year,” said Jamie, “and with these unbelievable new bikes, I’m ready to bring home Yamaha at least one Championship.” Twenty one year-old hot shot Jason DiSalvo also returns and will compete this year on a fully prepped YZF-R6 in the Formula Extreme Class including the prestigious Daytona 200. Jason will also pilot the new R1 LE in an effort to improve his overall second place finishing position in 2005 in the AMA Superstock Class. “We’ve just started testing the new R6 and it’s already miles ahead of last years bike,” said and exuberant DiSalvo. “I’m confident and so looking forward to the season ahead.” Finally, Yamaha is pleased to welcome the charismatic Eric Bostrom, who will round out the Yamaha squad competing in both the Formula Extreme and Superstock classes. “I just saw the new bikes and they are awesome.” Said Bostrom. ” I feel great and Yamaha has already made me feel so much a part of their family. I just can’t wait to start riding,” Graves Motorsports will continue to maintain the Superstock effort in the coming year. “We are extremely excited about the year ahead,” said Racing Division Manager Keith McCarty, “We feel that our new team will have great dynamics and with two new bikes, tremendous potential to win multiple championships.”

Mladin Earns His Sixth Nomination For AMA Pro Racing/SPEED Channel Athlete Of The Year

PICKERINGTON, Ohio Mat Mladin has been nominated for a sixth time for the prestigious AMA Pro Racing SPEED Channel Athlete of the Year award. Mladin is coming off a record-setting 2005 season, winning his sixth AMA Superbike Championship and setting a new single season win record in the series with 11 victories. It was a season of comebacks from adversity for the 31-year-old Australian who rides for Yoshimura Suzuki. Mladin kicked off the 2005 campaign with a victory in the Daytona Superbike race. He then opened up his series lead with a doubleheader sweep at Barber Motorsports Park. Mladin temporarily lost the championship lead after his bike broke in the first leg of the California Speedway doubleheader, but he responded by reeling off another three wins in a row to regain and build his points lead. Mladin faced another major challenge after getting caught up in a crash in the second race at Mid-Ohio’s doubleheader allowing teammate Ben Spies to close the gap and make the championship a race to the final rounds. Mladin showed the true spirit of a champion by shrugging off the Mid-Ohio incident and winning the next three rounds to secure his sixth title. “The year was a good year for sure,” said Mladin. “Suzuki delivered us a motorcycle this year that certainly made life quite a bit easier than last year. But in no way was it easy. We had a couple of problems that certainly kept the championship interesting until the last race. It was nice to get the single season win record, but I’m sure some young guy will come along in the future and do the same thing if not better.” Mladin raced all season with an injured ankle, which was surgically repaired after the racing season. Mladin gave Suzuki its ninth AMA Superbike Championship, matching the nine titles owned by Kawasaki. In addition he extended his lead in the all-time AMA Superbike wins list to 43-career victories and pushed his record of AMA Superbike pole positions to 47. Off the track Mladin took on the added responsibility of team owner, forming the Mat Mladin Motorsports Superbike team. Mladin could be named Athlete of the Year for the second time. He won the award in 2000. 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.

Chili, Fabrizio To Ride For Team Honda DFXtreme In 2006 World Superbike Championship

Veteran Pierfrancesco Chili and young Michel Fabrizio will ride CBR1000RRs for Team Honda DFXtreme in the 2006 World Superbike Championship, according to FGSport Group. Chili, 41, rode a CBR1000RR for Klaffi Honda in 2005 and finished 10th in the World Superbike Championship (second Honda rider, behind Chris Vermeulen) with six fifth-place finishes and 14 top-10 results. Chili has more World Superbike race starts than any other rider all time, 260, and is very popular with fans worldwide. Fabrizio, 21, rode a CBR600RR for Italia Megabike in 2005 and finished fifth in the World Supersport Championship with one pole position (Magny-Cours), five podium appearances (including seconds at Brands Hatch and Brno) and no finishes worse than fifth. The effort will be supported by Honda Italia and Honda Europe.

Recent Wedding: Smallwood-McIntyre

Racer Scott Smallwood (USGPRU/AHRMA/WERA #321) married long-time girlfriend Erin McIntyre October 29, 2005 in Columbus, Ohio.

Capirossi To Return For MotoGP Season Finale At Valencia

CAPIROSSI BACK FOR DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM

The Ducati Marlboro Team is back to its usual line-up for this weekend’s season-ending Valencia Grand Prix, with team-mates Loris Capirossi and Carlos Checa reunited following Capirossi’s absence from last month’s Australian and Turkish GPs.

Capirossi is returning to action after a three-week layoff with chest injuries sustained during practice for the Australian GP. Yesterday (Saturday 29 October) Loris was accompanied by Dr. Costa to Imola Hospital for a CT scan. The results of the check were excellent and the doctor from the Clinica Mobile gave the go-ahead for Loris to race at Valencia. Although he’s unlikely to be at full strength, the Italian, who had been battling for second overall in the 2005 MotoGP World Championship, is determined to score more points in the 17th and final race of the year. Capirossi had been in storming form before his Phillip Island fall, taking two wins, three pole positions and one second-place finish from the previous four races.

Checa is also enjoying the impressive performance offered by his Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici and Bridgestone tyres, taking two podium finishes from the last four races.

“We’re really happy to have Loris back with us after two races without him,” says Ducati MotoGP project leader Livio Suppo. “Although we know he may not be fully at 100 per cent, we’re hoping that he and Carlos can finish the 2005 season in the best way possible. A big thanks to Dr. Claudio Costa and everyone at the Clinica Mobile who have followed Loris with their usual incredible professionalism right from the start. We know that Loris has the heart of a ‘lion’ but it’s also thanks them that he has recovered so quickly.

At times it has been a tough season, but after the midseason break everything really came together for us because everyone in the team, at the factory and at Bridgestone maintained their commitment and passion for this project. We have won two races so far, more than we’ve done before, so now we hope to celebrate with a good weekend at Valencia.”

Valencia is one of the tightest and slowest circuits in MotoGP, requiring a very rider-friendly machine set-up. “Valencia is a strange track – very stop-and-go in character,” explains Ducati Marlboro Team technical director Corrado Cecchinelli. “Engine rideability and traction are the crucial performance factors. And there are some interesting sections – like the final fast left, which riders tackle with full throttle and very little load on the rear tyre as they crest the brow of the hill. We don’t plan to alter the engine mapping for such a tight and slow circuit – we prefer that our riders stay familiar with the bike’s behaviour from one track to another, so they know exactly how it reacts.”

CAPIROSSI: ‘I’D WALK TO VALENCIA IF I HAD TO!’

Ducati Marlboro Team man Loris Capirossi returns to action this weekend, three weeks after he crashed heavily during practice for the Australian GP. The lion-hearted Italian fell at around 200kmh/125mph, suffering chest injuries that left him with bleeding around the right lung. On October 17, under supervision from the Clinica Mobile, he flew to Italy, where he was looked after by the Clinica’s Dr Claudio Costa, before returning to his Monaco home where, a few days later, he was able to resume training.

“I’m really happy to be able to return to racing,” says Capirossi “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’m travelling to Valencia in my motorhome. But my desire to race is so great that I would walk all the way to Valencia if I had to!

“I can’t wait to get back on the bike. For sure I won’t be on top form, but I will try and do my best because I want to finish the season in the best possible way. I have to admit that the Valencia track is not one of my favourites: it’s too tight for a MotoGP bike but then again it doesn’t have any particularly difficult or tricky features. Anyway, it will be great for me to put two wheels back on the track!”

CHECA AIMING FOR HOME-RACE PODIUM

Carlos Checa is looking forward to his third home GP of the year at Valencia this weekend. Currently ninth overall with two podium finishes, the Ducati Marlboro Team rider is keen to record a top-three performance in front of his home crowd.

“I’m really looking forward to Valencia because the bike and the Bridgestones are working really well now,” he says. “Valencia is a special event and I’ve a big motivation to do really well for the Spanish fans. I didn’t have such a great time at Jerez or Barcelona earlier this season, so I want a good result here, especially after my podium finishes in Malaysia and Australia.

Valencia is quite an unusual track, there’s a lot of corners in a very tight layout, so you are always working the bike hard, turning from side to side and trying to get through the short little corners as quickly as possible. It’s hard work but it’s quite fun too, especially if the bike is working well. You need very light handling and a user-friendly engine for this track. The front end is also really important here, because you need good turn-in performance.”

THE TRACK

Valencia is the second-slowest circuit in GP racing with a lap record of just 154.5kmh, a fraction slower than Laguna Seca and marginally faster than Estoril. Most of the track’s corners are slow, in-and-out turns, grouped closely together, this unusual layout affording spectators a mostly unobstructed view of the entire circuit – a real rarity in the world of motorsport. It’s an immensely physical circuit with riders afforded little rest between bouts of heavy acceleration, braking and cornering. Valencia is also one of five anti-clockwise MotoGP circuits and the third consecutive left-handed track to feature on the calendar, following Phillip Island and Istanbul.

This weekend Valencia hosts its seventh Grand Prix after featuring on the World Championship calendar for the first time in 1999. The venue is officially christened the Ricardo Tormo circuit, in honour of the late Spanish rider, a former 50cc World Champion.

Lap record: Valentino Rossi (Honda), 1m 33.317s (2003) Pole position 2004: Makoto Tamada (Honda), 1m 32.815s

DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM RIDERS DATA LOG LORIS CAPIROSSI Age: 32 (born April 4, 1973) Lives: Monaco Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP5 GP victories: 23 (1xMotoGP, 2×500, 12×250, 8×125) First GP victory: Britain, 1990 (125) First GP: Japan, 1990 (125) GP starts: 230 (60xMotoGP, 59×500, 84×250, 27×125) Pole positions: 39 (6xMotoGP, 5×500, 23×250, 5×125) First pole: Australia, 1991 (125) World Championships: 3 (125: 1990, 1991, 250: 1998) Valencia 2004 results: Grid: 13th. Race: 9th

CARLOS CHECA Age: 33 (born October 15, 1972) Lives: London, England Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP5 GP victories: 2 (500) First GP victory: Catalunya, 1996 (500) First GP: Europe, 1993 (125) GP starts: 184 (64xMotoGP, 92×500, 27×250, 1×125) Pole positions: 3 (2xMotoGP, 1×500) First pole: Spain, 1998 (500) Valencia 2004 results: Grid: 9th. Race: 14th

Suzuki MotoGP Test Rider Akiyoshi Wins All-Japan Superbike Race At Motegi, Junge DNF

Team Yoshimura Suzuki’s Kousuke Akiyoshi raced to his first career win and the team’s first of the season in today’s final eighth-round All Japan Superbike Championship event at Motegi. The factory MotoGP development rider started the 18-lap race in second position behind team mate Atsushi Watanabe and moved to the front on lap three before pulling out a three second lead. On the eighth lap, Watanabe was passed by Shin-ichi Nakatomi (Yamaha) and Shin-ichi Ito (Honda), who then moved to second but could not close on the Suzuki rider. Said Akiyoshi: “In the last two races I got a pole position but I couldn’t keep my position in the race because of some problems. But today I made a good start and had no problems. I would like to thank Suzuki and Yoshimura for giving me the opportunity to enter the race.” Team manager Fujio Yoshimura added: “Akiyoshi did Great job! It is only his third race this season but he showed his true potential with a very good performance. We were a little disappointed for Atsushi Watanabe but overall we feel very happy to give Suzuki this big win.” SUPERBIKE RESULTS: 1 Kousuke Akiyoshi (Yoshimura Suzuki). 2 Shin-ichi Ito (Honda). 3 Tatsuya Yamaguchi (Honda). 4 Shin-ichi Nakatomi (Yamaha). 5 Akira Yanagawa (Kawasaki). 6 Atsushi Watanabe (Yoshimura Suzuki). 7 Osamu Deguchi (Honda). 8 Yoshiteru Konishi (Honda). 9 Chojun Kameya (Honda). 10 Shogo Moriwaki (Honda). Final Standings: 1 Ito 140 2 Yamaguchi 111, 3 Yanagawa 111, 4 Nakatomi 94, 5 Tsujimura 91, 6 Watanabe 71. Editorial Note: American Mark Junge DNF, dropping out on lap four. Junge rode a Vesrah Suzuki GSX-R1000.

Ben Bostrom Replaces Eric Bostrom On Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin AMA Superbike Team

NEIL HODGSON AND BEN BOSTROM TO RACE FOR THE PARTS UNLIMITED DUCATI AUSTIN TEAM IN 2006 AMA SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP Bologna (Italy), Saturday 29 October 2005: Ben Bostrom is to partner the already-confirmed Neil Hodgson in the Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin team that will compete in next year’s AMA Superbike Championship with factory Ducati 999 bikes. 2006 will mark the second season in America’s premier racing category for Hodgson, 31 years old from Burnley, England. The former World Superbike champion finished sixth in his debut AMA Superbike season, winning one race at Road America and stepping onto the podium a further five times in the 10 round/17 race series. Hodgson now has a great opportunity to make use of his learning year to aim for the title and thus fulfil his ambition of becoming the only rider to win the ‘triple crown’ of British, American and World Superbike titles. “I’m really looking forward to the challenge in 2006” commented Neil. “I know the 999 will be improved and now I understand how to approach AMA. It’s going to be tough to beat Mladin but I’ve studied everything hard this year and I’ve got a plan for how to beat him! I really enjoyed working with Eric and it will be equally great to work with his brother Ben …. It’s just a pity he’s not better-looking!” Bostrom, also 31 years old and born in Redding (California) in 1974, will step onto a factory Ducati Corse machine again after a three-year gap in which he rode for Honda in AMA Superbike and the World Superbike championship. He returns home after one year on the world stage to take the place of his younger brother Eric, who won four races with the Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin 999 in the last two seasons of AMA racing. “You know, this year was a tough one on the racetrack” declared Ben. “So I’m real excited to be back with a factory that I’ve had so much success with in the past. We’ve shared lots of good memories, Ducati and I, and I’m looking forward to a strong season together, and to creating new memories with them.” Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin owner Terry Gregoricka commented on his team’s new line-up: “Neil had a great first season with us, winning one race and always fighting hard throughout the season and I’m convinced he can challenge for the title in 2006. Ben has had great success with Ducati in the past and I feel sure he will remember that and get on the gas! His crew chief Gary Medley has worked with him before and that’s also sure to be an advantage. I believe Neil and Ben will work well together as a team and knowing each other will certainly help. 2006 is going to be even tougher than this year but I am convinced that our two riders will go well and that they can both win races throughout the season.” Ducati Corse Superbike director Paolo Ciabatti added: “We are officially involved in the AMA Superbike Championship for a second year with the Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin team and once again we will have two world-class riders. The American market is very important to Ducati: our participation in the AMA championship with a factory effort shows our strong commitment to the series and is a key element of the company’s marketing strategies in this area of the world.”

Simpson Named Chairman Of Motorcycle Hall Of Fame Museum Board Of Directors

PICKERINGTON, OHIO The Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum has announced that Stan Simpson of Cibolo, Texas, has been named Chairman of the Museum’s Board of Directors. Simpson, who also serves on the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Board of Directors, was named to the Museum’s Board earlier this year. He replaces Mark Mendell, who stepped down from the Chairman’s position to devote more time to his business. Mendell will continue to serve as a member of the Board. An avid off-road and street motorcyclist and a Life Member of the AMA, Simpson serves as a volunteer with the U.S. Forest Service. He devotes much of his time to preserving enthusiasts’ access to trails while reducing the impact of off-highway vehicles. Simpson also serves on the staff of the Colorado 500 charity ride and as president of the Sidewinders Motorcycle Club, and is a past president of the Texas State Championship Enduro Circuit. “It’s a privilege to serve the American motorcycling community as a member of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum’s Board of Directors,” said Simpson. “Educating today’s and tomorrow’s generation of riders about the pioneers, innovators and legends who shaped our industry and sport benefits everyone involved in motorcycling. I look forward to continuing the Museum’s mission of education and preservation, as well as its expansion.” “We’re grateful to Mark Mendell for leading the Museum during a time of great accomplishment and growth,” Simpson continued. “His leadership and vision raised annual events like the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction to new levels and resulted in unprecedented industry and media awareness of the Museum’s world-class exhibits and programs. Thanks to Mark, I have the pleasure of starting my tenure on a very strong foundation one I’m personally excited to build on,” Simpson said. In his professional life, Simpson is president and chief operating officer of San Antonio-based Kalmar RT Center, which provides new-product technology for off-road construction and industrial equipment; and vice president of Kalmar Industries’ KRTC Group, which builds, sells and supports special products to defense departments around the world. He also contributes his professional expertise as a volunteer in the area of domestic and international safety standards. About the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum The goal of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, located on the campus of the American Motorcyclist Association in Pickerington, Ohio, is to tell the stories and preserve the history of motorcycling. The Motorcycle Hall of Fame honors those who have contributed notably to the sport, and three major exhibition halls showcase the machines and memorabilia that have shaped motorcycling. Museum hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; closed on New Year’s, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Adult admission is $10 per person; $5 for AMA members; $9 for members of other national motorcycling organizations; $8 for seniors; $3 for students age 12 to 17; children age 11 and under are admitted free. A special family rate of $25 admits parents and all single children under age 18. For more information, call (614) 856-2222, or visit www.motorcyclemuseum.org.

Eric Bostrom’s Custom Cannondale Bicycle Being Auctioned On eBay To Benefit Hurricane Relief Effort

A Cannondale Synapse carbon-fiber road bicycle custom made for AMA Superbike racer Eric Bostrom is being auctioned off on eBay with all of the proceeds from the auction to be donated to the American Red Cross’ hurricane relief effort. Bostrom has autographed the bicycle, and a custom Eric Bostrom riding jersey will be included with the bicycle. The auction is due to end November 7. You can go to the auction by clicking the following link: ~http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:31&item=7192879667~

Rossi Aiming To Tie Doohan’s Single-season Win Record At Valencia

GAULOISES YAMAHA TEAM READY FOR SEASON FINALE AT VALENCIA The MotoGP World Championship takes its traditional curtain call at Valencia next weekend in the final round of what has been an unforgettable season for the Gauloises Yamaha Team. With the riders’, teams’ and constructors’ titles already in the bag, Yamaha will aim to put the seal on it’s 50th Anniversary celebrations with another successful weekend at the Ricardo Tormo circuit, where both Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards will be aiming for a podium finish to end the season on a high note. After an exhausting trip across Asia, Australia and the Middle East, Rossi returns to Spain for the third time this season looking to add to his earlier victories at Catalunya and Jerez and continue his love affair with the Valencia crowd, which is expected to top 120,000 people. Rossi has won there for the last two years, his 2004 Valencia success with Yamaha his ninth of the year, more than any other Yamaha rider had previously managed in a single season. This time he has the chance to go a step further by equalling Mick Doohan’s all-time record of twelve wins in a season. The MotoGP World Champion, who took his seventh world championship title three races ago at Sepang in Malaysia, followed up his championship success with victory at Qatar and second place at Istanbul, confirming his motivation to finish the season on a high note and taking his points total to a mammoth 351. By finishing ninth or higher at Valencia, Rossi would also set a new points record for the premier-class, surpassing his tally of 357 in the 2003 season. Rossi’s Gauloises Yamaha team-mate Colin Edwards is also aiming for a points finish this weekend as he looks to end the campaign with a 100% point-scoring record. The American is the only MotoGP rider to have scored points in each of the sixteen rounds so far this year, a show of consistency which sees him tackling the last race of the year still holding an outside chance of finishing as the championship runner-up in only his first season with Yamaha. VALENTINO ROSSI: LOOKING TO THE FUTURE Valentino Rossi heads to Valencia this weekend with one eye on the past and one on the future. The emergence of Marco Melandri and Nicky Hayden as key challengers over the course of the season has given the World Champion extra motivation as he looks ahead to defending the title for a fifth time in 2006, and he is expecting a strong challenge from them and other riders this weekend. “Some new young riders have come to the front of the field over the last few races,” says Rossi, “and I am sure we’ll have another big battle in Valencia. “Of course I am not old and I hope that I have a few more years at the top yet! I am looking forward to Valencia and we hope our bike works well there and that we can find a good setting straight away. “In Valencia we will really try for the win again; last year we won there with Yamaha and I also won the year before; I like ending the season with a victory! It is still possible for me to equal Doohan’s win record and beat my own, and this is my aim for the last race. Our bike goes well in Valencia and it’s always a great race. It is Spain, there are many people and the fans are wonderful. It’s always a big party for everyone!” COLIN EDWARDS: PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT With second place in the championship now only a distant possibility, Edwards will nonetheless be looking to take as many points as possible in Valencia with an eye to finishing higher than his current fourth spot. Valencia will also provide a chance for him to work on continuing to perfect the new riding style he adopted at Istanbul. After struggling to make the step up from podium regular to victory contender in 2005, the experienced Texan has decided that it is time to re-evaluate his approach to MotoGP racing following several years of success in the World Superbike series. “I hate to be where I am in my career and having to learn something completely new but that is the situation we are in,” explained Edwards. “I’m trying to put more corner speed into my riding, adding aspects of a 250cc style to my Superbike instincts, but I need more laps to get used to it before I can challenge to win races in MotoGP. I don’t like thinking that the last race of the season will be like a test for me but we have to look to next season and see how we can improve. Hopefully this is the answer. “I have ridden at Valencia for many seasons so it will definitely be a big help to be working on the new style at a track I know well. Melandri and Hayden are on fire at the moment so it will be very tough to beat either of them in the championship, but of course I am still going to try! I never give up and so I’ll keep fighting until the end and see what happens this Sunday. I’ve had some highs and lows this season, but it would be really nice to finish off with a podium and a nice memory to take home over the winter!” DAVIDE BRIVIO: SIGNING OFF ON A HIGH Gauloises Yamaha Team Director Davide Brivio has challenged his staff to end the season on a high note this weekend as they look to put the gloss on a sparkling year of celebrations for Yamaha’s 50th Anniversary. Motivation within the camp has remained high even with the riders’, teams’ and constructors’ titles already decided and the Italian is asking for more of the same, with three more days’ of intense effort required before the end of season celebrations can begin. “This weekend is the last race of what has been a very good season for us,” says Brivio. “It has been a great pleasure to help bring so much success to Yamaha in its 50th Anniversary year and we want to finish it in the best possible way. We took the victory at Valencia last season and it would be nice to do the same again. “We have two targets for the weekend really. One is for a Yamaha victory and the other is to improve Colin’s fourth position in the championship. It will be difficult because the riders in front of him have a good advantage now and they are looking strong but it is not over yet so we will be trying our best. We have a lot of guests and VIPs from around Europe and Japan coming to the race so it would be nice to put on a good show for them and enjoy the celebration party together.” BLAST FROM THE PAST: CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF YAMAHA GLORY In its short history the Valencia circuit has proven to be a happy hunting ground for Yamaha, with Regis Laconi winning the first race there on the YZR500 in 1999 and Garry McCoy following up with victory on the same bike one year later. However, the factory’s most memorable success at the Spanish circuit came last season when Valentino Rossi capped off a remarkable first year as a Yamaha rider with his ninth victory of the season, a record for the factory, and his third win in succession. “To win nine races in my first season with Yamaha was unbelievable for everybody and we also won the team award at Valencia, which was not so bad either!” said Rossi. “The finish of the season was perfect for us, with three wins in a row. It was more difficult for me at Valencia than the two previous races at Sepang and Phillip Island because generally I find the track worse than them. I slid at the start and lost some time but after two or three laps I was able to recover. “Makoto Tamada was looking very strong, and I had a tough fight with him until he slowed and dropped back. My rhythm improved and I was able to push 100% to the end. Then there was a fight with Max Biaggi behind, and he was also very strong. It was incredible to win the final race of the season at Valencia especially in front of such a great crowd. The 2004 season was really unforgettable for me, my mechanics and Yamaha.” TECHNICALLY SPEAKING Advertising itself as a circuit that is also a stadium, the Valencia track is a beautifully appointed, if somewhat cramped, facility where slower corners are the norm. Occupying a small footprint off the side of the Madrid/Valencia freeway, the Ricardo Tormo circuit features a seemingly never-ending burst of tight corners, connected by short straights. The long penultimate looping left-hander and the fast entry to turn one contrast violently with the otherwise geometric flip-flop chicanes and slow speed corners of the infield. More suitable for the smaller classes, Valencia is an awesome challenge in its own way for any MotoGP rider; an intense exercise in concentration and preparation, as the track can easily catch out the unwary, especially in the frequently wet conditions of late October and early November. The continual stop-start nature of Valencia means that suspension setting must offer the correct balance between beneficial weight transfer, which aids alternately front and rear grip, and firm enough settings for spring rates and compression damping, to prevent the machine oscillating as the power is turned on and off. With short but highly loaded periods of front end grip required throughout a lap, and with a lot of corner entries with the brakes still applied, the balance between agility and stability has to fall on the side of greater manoeuvrability. Nonetheless the bike has to be planted enough not to lose corner speed through the quick penultimate corner, which runs over the brow of a hill, or induce tail hopping under hard braking from 300km/h. Instantaneous and yet linear throttle response is a highly desired commodity at Valencia, its point and squirt nature demanding a combination of controlled throttle openings on the many low speed corner exits, with a clean and crisp power off nature required on entry. The relatively low gearing of Valencia exacerbates the potential for highsides even further, as most of the lap is spent in second gear, with an entire three-corner complex taken in first gear. Nonetheless, most crashes come from a loss of front grip on the high number of downhill corner entries. VALENTINO ROSSI: INFORMATION Age: 26 Lives: London, UK Bike: Gauloises Yamaha Team YZR-M1 GP victories: 80 (41 x MotoGP, 13 x 500cc, 14 x 250cc, 12 x 125cc) First GP victory: Czech Republic, 1996 (125cc) First GP: Malaysia, 1996 (125cc) GP starts: 155 (64 x MotoGP, 32 x 500cc, 30 x 250cc, 30 x 125cc) Pole positions: 40 World Championships 7 Grand Prix (1 x 125cc, 1 x 250cc, 1 x 500cc, 4 x MotoGP) COLIN EDWARDS: INFORMATION Age: 31 Lives: Conroe, Texas Bike: Gauloises Yamaha Team YZR-M1 First GP: Japan, 2003 (MotoGP) GP starts: 48 x MotoGP World Championships – 2 World Superbike

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