Rich Oliver will race his 2003 AMA Championship winning Yamaha TZ250 at Willow Springs Raceway this weekend. Oliver will be running bike number 297. Oliver and long time mechanic Robert Ward will team up again for the 2005 Roadracing World 250/50 event. This week the team was able to rebuild the mothballed Yamaha with a few fresh engine parts sourced from various vendors. Oliver comments, “I am really looking forward to getting in some hot laps at Willow, my Yamaha TZ is such a fast and great turning machine that I enjoy these rare times that I get to ride. “Robert and I really have to thank our sponsors for helping us run the bike again since it’s so difficult to find parts anymore. We hope to win our third Roadracing World 250/50, but we know it will take our best effort, especially since we haven’t raced for a year. I hope after a few laps the old dog will remember his tricks!” This year’s race effort is sponsored by Rich Oliver’s Mystery School, Yamaha USA, Dunlop Tires, Shoei Safety Helmets, Micron Exhaust, Kushitani Leathers, Supertech, Motorex USA, LE Engineering, Cytomax, Drive Systems USA, Paint by Sabatini, Ferodo, Wilson’s Motorcycles, Chicken Hawk Tire Warmers, and Frenotech. For more information about Rich Oliver’s racing career, there is a new on-line biography here: ~http://www.richoliver.net/RichOliverBio~ To find out more about Rich Oliver’s Mystery School, its courses and date offerings, visit ~http://richoliver.net~ or contact Rich Oliver at [email protected]. Write to Rich Oliver’s Mystery School, 33940 Sterling Lane, Auberry, CA 93602.

AMA PRO RACING’S SAFETY BARRIER INVENTORY INCREASED PICKERINGTON, Ohio (Oct. 12, 2005) With the recent addition of 19 new 30-foot inflatable Airfence sections as well as five used sections, AMA Pro Racing’s inventory of soft barrier has reached an all-time high. Airfence is a brand of safety barrier which is used to protect riders from exposed, dangerous sections of a racetrack. The new sections were purchased by the Roadracing World Action Fund for deployment by AMA Pro Racing, using donations from fans, riders and businesses interested and involved in motorcycle road racing. More information on the fund is available online at ~http://actionfund.roadracingworld.com~. The Roadracing World Action Fund also delivered 13 new sections to the Illinois Motorcycle Dealers Association (IMDA) for use at AMA flat track events including the Springfield and Du Quoin Miles. “Running the Roadracing World Action Fund is both encouraging and discouraging,” said John Ulrich, who is editor and owner of Roadracing World magazine as well as an AMA Pro Racing Board member. “On one hand, it’s encouraging to continue to get donations along with individual notes from contributors who genuinely care about making racing safer, and to hear from riders who have hit soft barriers and walked away. On the other hand, the work is never done, and no matter how many feet of soft barriers we deploy, we’ve seen this year that it is never enough. All we can do is continue to do our best and, with AMA Pro Racing’s help, get as much out there as we can.” The new sections will help replace sections of soft barrier that are damaged beyond repair and add additional footage to AMA Pro Racing’s inventory. While AMA Pro Racing continues to transport and deploy soft barrier, a primary objective is to have individual tracks continue to add to their inventory of safety barrier. “More and more tracks are adding additional footage of soft barrier,” said Hugh Fleming, AMA Pro Racing’s Director of Safety & Logistics. “When that happens we can use AMA Pro Racing’s inventory as a supplement. It’s also important to obtain new barrier on an ongoing basis to replace barrier that has reached the end of its usable lifespan.” AMA Pro Racing continues to work with promoters and track designers to continue to improve track safety. The added footage of soft barrier is just the latest in a series of improvements made this year on the safety front. Based on feedback provided by AMA Pro Racing officials and riders, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course continued safety improvements by relocating the permanent wall along the back straight and moving the Turn Seven wall to provide additional runoff room; prior to the 2005 season, Daytona International Speedway completed a total redesign of its motorcycle road course and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca went through major safety modifications in 2005 to accommodate the MotoGP/AMA Superbike event. Additionally, AMA Pro Racing has had input in the design of the new Miller Motorsports Park, near Salt Lake City, Utah, and was able to recommend design features specifically for motorcycle road racing. The Utah circuit will host its first AMA Superbike Championship event in June of 2006. “Safety improvements are an ongoing process,” Fleming added. “Every year we work to add more soft barrier and work with the tracks to find ways to make racing safer. We’re encouraged by the progress made this year and hope to continue building on these successes as we move forward.”

MELANDRI AND HAYDEN TO CLOSE SEASON IN STYLE After a rousing ride in Qatar, where Marco Melandri (Team Movistar Honda RC211V) finished tantalisingly close to his maiden MotoGP win, the Italian star is revved-up and ready to make Phillip Island the place where he finally makes the top step of the podium as a winning force in the premier class. Marco has proved beyond doubt that he has the speed and the will to triumph in the cauldron of MotoGP and he can also bank on the fact that Phillip Island was where he secured his 250cc World Championship in style with a win here in 2002. Another Honda man who has already tasted victory in the big class is Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC211V). He won his home race at Laguna Seca in the USA this year and the young man from Kentucky is eager to add at least another to his record this season. Runner-up position in the MotoGP World Championship is wide open still with a maximum 75 points up for grabs from the remaining three races. Realistically, an incredible seven riders are in with a chance just 43 points cover the men currently lying from second down to eighth place. Max Biaggi (Repsol Honda RC211V) is the man best placed to steal the prize, but the Roman’s wretched run of form (a sixth place and a DNF) in the last two races) suggests he will be overhauled by the form riders Melandri and Hayden. Max has 159 points to Melandri’s 157 with Colin Edwards (Yamaha) on 152, Hayden on 150, Loris Capirossi (Ducati) with 148, Alex Barros (Camel Honda RC211V) on 129 and Sete Gibernau (Team Movistar Honda RC211V) still in the hunt with 126. Gibernau, although he has the most ground to claw back, is hungry for a win to end this disappointing season with a flourish at a track where he finished second last year, and set the fastest qualifying lap of 1m 30.122 seconds. This rollercoaster of a circuit is situated 130km south east of Melbourne and is home to one of the climaxes of a 17-race season. Real talent is needed here, perhaps more than at any other circuit. Australia hosted its first Grand Prix race here in 1989 and the racing is almost always spectacular, the crowd vocal and the atmosphere spine tingling. Tyres will be an issue here. The two long left-hand turns onto the main straight are particularly hard on rubber, so machine set-up will be partly aimed at conserving rubber on this 4.448km long circuit. It has just one short 900m straight, but five right-hand turns and seven lefts including the high-speed series onto the start/finish straight. Much of the track requires rapid changes of direction at high speed, and sustained periods of high lean-angle test riders to the maximum. Competitors need to be comfortable on worn tyres towards the end of the race, while wind and trouble with wandering wildlife can also be determining factors. Sete said, “Phillip Island is one of the quickest and most spectacular tracks of the World Championship. It’s fun to ride and very technical. During the pre-season tests I went very quickly and we have some very interesting data references for set-up. I’m confident about this Australian Grand Prix. I’m convinced that as soon as we’re able to overcome this difficult period with a positive result, we’ll go back to being stronger than ever.” “I can’t wait to go back racing after the fantastic race in Doha,” said Melandri. “After a bit of a difficult moment I finally got back onto the podium. The Grand Prix of Qatar was an important race. I am now third again in the overall standings and I’m ready to give my best. I’m coming to a track I really like, I’m full of energy and yet very relaxed too. After Qatar I went straight to Australia, Brisbane to be exact, for one week of complete relaxation on the beach!” Biaggi said, “All I can really hope for is that we find something good for this weekend. I’ve won here in the past and it’s an amazing circuit to win at. Every view is just like a post card; it is truly spectacular. I only hope that from Friday morning in first qualifying we can report back some good news to give my fan club, who are always so supportive here, something to be proud of.” Nicky Hayden said, “Phillip Island is a fantastic place. It was somewhere I’d heard of when I was a kid and I was so excited to go there for the first time to test back at the start of 2003. It’s a real riders track. If you like riding bikes fast then you have to like it here. The last long fast left hand turn onto the start finish straight is one of my favourite corners on any track in the world.” “Phillip Island is a track I really like,” said Barros. “It’s one of the best on the calendar ­ quick, technical, with super-fast corners where the front of the bike is worked really hard and has to be set up perfectly. So I hope that, with Michelin’s help after a week of being able to analyse the problems we’ve had in the last few races, we can get back to finding a good set-up with the tyre/forks combination.” Aussie Chris Vermeulen, standing in for the injured Troy Bayliss (Camel Honda RC211V), said, “It’s especially exciting to be able to ride Honda’s RC211V at Phillip Island. It’s always good to ride at home because we only get one race here each year. Phillip Island is one of the best circuits in the world. It’s fast and flowing and that really suits my riding style. You get a great view of the ocean coming down the start/finish straight, but maybe I won’t get the chance to appreciate that so much on a factory Honda Grand Prix machine at something like 320kph!” Makoto Tamada (Konica Minolta Honda RC211V) said, “I am ready to give it my best on this track. I’m charged-up and motivated and very concentrated. I want to make up for the negative performance in Qatar together with the all Konica Minolta Honda Team. It will be vital to work well on the bike settings because unluckily during the winter tests done on this track in February, we didn’t accomplish what we planned due to an accident.” In the 250cc class Dani Pedrosa (Team Movistar Honda RS250RW) leads the World Championship by 26 points from Aussie challenger Casey Stoner (Aprilia) who can rely on vocal backing from the crowd here. Dani broke both his ankles here in 2003 while riding in the 125cc class after he had wrapped up his first World title in the class. He finished fourth here last year when he won the 250cc World Championship in his rookie year and knows an emphatic win here this year would help to stall the Stoner challenge. Dani said, “I’m going out to Australia in good spirits, looking forward to getting ready for the race and prepared to fight as hard as always. I’m aware that certain people will want to beat me at Phillip Island but I also want to win again so we’ll see what happens.” His team-mate Hiroshi Aoyama (Team Movistar Honda RS250RW) said, “In Australia we will come up against completely different conditions to the last two races: we’re going from intense heat to cold and unstable weather. You never know what to expect at Phillip Island normally it is very windy and there is also a threat of rain. We are capable of doing a good job and fighting for the podium, as we have already demonstrated this year.” “I love Phillip Island,” said Andrea Dovizioso (Scot Racing Team Honda RS250RW), 2004 World 125cc Champion, “But I think it’s more difficult with a 250cc than 125cc. This track has a lot of fast corners and they’re more difficult with a heavier bike. However, last year I won with the Honda 125cc, and this weekend I’ll try to do the same on the 250.” Rookie Yuki Takahashi (Scot Racing Team Honda RS250RW) said, “I’ve learnt Phillip Island on the Playstation which is all very well. But, with the real bike, all that can change in few seconds. But I take courage knowing my rapport with the RS250RW Honda is improving race by race.” The 125cc World Championship is now a straight fight between Thomas Luthi (Elit Grand Prix Honda RS125R) on 199 points and series leader Mika Kallio (KTM) with a slender lead on 201 points. Gabor Talmacsi (KTM) remains a mathematical contender with 156 points. “Australia will be a difficult race,” said Luthi. “Phillip Island is a heavy race track for all of us. I had a bad race here last year, in fact after my poor season I think it was the lowest point of my career. But look how far I have come since then! I will be confident going into the race because I have had a chance to rest my injuries.” Fabrizio Lai (Kopron Racing World Honda RS125RW), currently sixth overall in the points table, said, “Last year I had a lot of problems at this track. I broke my left hand in a crash. But I like this circuit and I hope to get a good result here with Honda. The most important thing for me now is to finish the season in a good position in the World Championship standings next season, I want to win the title with Honda.” Mike Di Meglio (Kopron Racing World Honda RS125R), who finished fourth in Qatar two weeks ago, said, “After that result I want to continue the trend. In Qatar I was good in qualifying practice on Thursday and Friday. I made a good start and had a good race on Saturday staying with the lead riders. I hope to so the same in Phillip Island and start from the first or second row. And I don’t find this track particularly difficult.”

WORTH WAITING FOR The late Soichiro Honda would have been frustrated by the wait. The company he founded and took racing are on the verge of yet another historic milestone but that final brick in the wall is proving difficult to cement into place. Honda have arrived at the last two grands prix ready to celebrate their 600th grand prix victory but the champagne has remained on ice. When Hiroshi Aoyama gave them their 597 th victory in the 250 cc race at their home track of Motegi in the Japanese Grand Prix, expectations were high for a the record breaking 600th win either in Malaysia or Qatar. Swiss rider Thomas Luthi pushed those expectations even higher when he opened the proceedings with victory in the 125 cc race in Malaysia but since then the wins have dried up. Surely those celebrations will start either at Phillip Island or the Otodrom circuit on the outskirts of Istanbul during the next couple of weeks, with just two wins required in the six races. It’s a truly staggering milestone for Honda who only started racing on the international stage in 1959 in the 125cc race at the TT races in the Isle of Man. Even a man with the vision and ambition of Soichiro Honda would have never envisaged 46 years after their historic debut, that the company he founded and nurtured, is about to re-write the history books once again. Less than two years after their debut in the Isle of Man, Australian Tom Phillis brought Honda their very first grand prix victory in the 125 cc race at the twisty and tight Montjuich Park circuit on the outskirts of Barcelona. Jim Redman finished third in a race that just opened the floodgates for the Japanese factory. A month later Phillis and Redman finished third in the French Grand Prix in Clermont – Ferrand. Their domination of the 125 cc class was complete when they returned to the Isle of Man to take the first five places on the infamous 60.721 kms Mountain circuit , led by one of their greatest ambassadors, Mike Hailwood. At the end of the season, Phillis was crowned World Champion and Honda won the Manufacturers Championship and the ball has never stopped rolling since. Camel Honda Team Principal Sito Pons may live in Barcelona but he can be forgiven for remembering nothing about Phillis’s historic first victory at Montjuich Park – he was just one and a half years old when Phillis fought of the challenge of Ernst Degner’s two-stroke MZ. However, Pons’s contribution to Honda’s success when he grew up, both as a rider and a Team Manager has been enormous. He won 14 250cc grands prix for Honda and brought them two World 250cc titles in 1988 and 1999. His contribution to the Honda success story did not finish when he hung up his leathers. Under his leadership, no less than eight riders have won premier class grands prix for Honda. Current rider Alex Barros is the most successful, bringing the Honda Pons team six wins, starting in the 500cc race in the 2000 Dutch TT in Assen and finishing this year when he beat Valentino Rossi to win the Portuguese Grand Prix in Estoril. Max Biaggi has won five premier class grands prix for Honda, including his amazing 500cc debut ride, winning the 1998 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka. Three of those victories came riding for the Camel Honda team. In 2003 the Italian won in Great Britain and Japan. Last year he was victorious at the Sachsenring in Germany. Carlos Checa has won two premier class grands prix, both in Spain and both for the Barcelona -based Honda Pons team. His first win was a memorable occasion for the team with victory in the 1996 Grand Prix of Catalunya, in front of a patriotic home crowd., including King Juan Carlos. His second win for the team two years later was also in Spain, at the Jarama circuit on the outskirts of Madrid. Makoto Tamada also won two races for the Camel Honda team and both came last year. He scored an impressive victory in the Rio Grand Prix and then gave Honda a home win in Motegi. Loris Capirossi has brought Honda 19 wins on route to both 125 and 250cc World Championship. The Italian’s one and only premier class win on Honda machinery came in the perfect location. In a very special afternoon for Capirossi and the Honda Pons team, he won the 2000 Italian Grand Prix at Mugello. These days Alberto Puig is probably best known for masterminding the success of 125 and 250cc World Champion Dani Pedrosa but the Spaniard was also a brilliant grand prix rider. His career was cut short after a serious crash at Le Mans in France but before then Puig secured his one and only grand prix victory for the Honda Pons team. It came at Jerez in Spain in 1995 just a couple of months before the Le Mans crash. Sito Pons as a rider and then Team Principle has has played a massive part in the Honda success story. Twenty eight of those 598 grands prix wins are down to his skill and bravery as a rider and his leadership. It would be fitting tribute to his close knit Barcelona team if Alex Barros could secure Honda that long awaited 600th grand prix win at Phillip Island on Sunday.

Phillip Island October 13th, 2005 Australian GP Preview Bridgestone ready for Phillip Island high-speed action: Special tyres for special conditions Located on the Southern tip of mainland Australia, Phillip Island is a paradise for nature lovers and motorsport fans alike. Embedded in green parklands directly besides fabulous surf beaches and the rolling waves of the Tasmanian Sea, Phillip Island is not only one of the most beautiful, but also the fastest tracks in the MotoGP calendar. Its classical layout with fast and sweeping corners produces close racing with heart-stopping action every year, and tests skill and bravery of the MotoGP riders aboard their 250 horsepower machines to the maximum. Phillilp Island’s high-speed corners are also a real challenge for the tyre technicians. The unique high-speed layout, and especially the fast last turn, where the riders shift through the gears with high lean angles and wide open throttle, make the rear tyre spin for a long time, thus creating excessive heat in the tyre. A variety of corners without any camber make the tyres slide even more, and add to the overheating problem. Durability and grip consistency are the big issues, together with the warm up – performance of the tyres Phillip Island can be cold in the springtime of the Southern Hemisphere, with sudden drops in temperature of up to 15 degrees if the wind direction swings around and it starts blowing from the Antarctic South. “I love Phillip Island as long as the weather is nice”, smiles Ducati star Loris Capirossi. “I always love fast corners and Phillip Island has many beautiful ones. It is the kind of track where the rider can make all the difference, It’s also good for our Desmosedici, we have always been fast here. Bridgestone has done some great work recently, so we’ll wait and see what evolution tyres they bring to this race. I hope we’ve got a good package because I really want second place in the championship!” The 32-year-old Italian is currently sixth in the overall standings, just eleven points away from second place two consecutive victories in Japan and Malaysia, and another pole position in Qatar meant a miracle recovery from a difficult first part of the season, and made all the difference in the outlook for the rest of the season. “Since Bridgestone came up with their latest generation of tyres, I can ride the bike the way I really want to and I feel strong enough for more victories this year”; says Capirossi, who has sweet memories of Phillip Island: Back in 1990, he won his first world title there, and has enjoyed plenty more success here, including podium finishes at the last two Australian GP’s. Capirossi is also the current lap record holder. Phillip Island also marks the return of Kawasaki rider Olivier Jacque, who had dropped out of the last Grand Prix in Qatar due to lower back and shoulder pain. “Phillip Island is one of my favourites, and I have very happy memories there”, says Jacque who won his 250 cc title there five years ago as a team-mate of Shinya Nakano who is now his team-mate again. “Shinya has shown the potential of the latest Kawasaki motor and the new Bridgestone tyres, plus the ZX-RR has precise handling, which is critical at the island.”

TOP RIDERS READY FOR ROADRACING’S RICHEST WEEKEND ROSAMOND, CA – With Willow Spring’s big motorcycle weekend rapidly approaching, top riders and their crews are prepping their bikes and getting “in the zone” to compete for some of the best prize money offered anywhere. $30,000 is up for grabs in the 3rd Annual Roadracing World 250/50 race, while $150,000 will be distributed to riders in the 4th Annual Toyota 200, where the first place finisher going home with a cool $50k, not bad for a few hours of work! Both races will be held on Sunday, October 16th. Early qualifying was held last month, with two young riders finishing at the front of the pack. Jason Perez, a 21 year-old rider out of Northern California was guaranteed a front row starting position by finishing first in early qualifying with a best lap time of 1:21.964 or an average speed of 109.804 mph lap. The second best time went to 18 year-old Michael Beck with a 1:22.573, six tenths of a second behind Perez. The third best qualifier was veteran Robbie Dowie whose 1:22.631 was a mere six hundredths of a second off of Beck’s best time. Chris Ulrich of Escondido finished 5th in early qualifying. The final qualifying round for the Toyota 200 gets underway on Friday, October 14th, when top AMA and other pro circuit riders will be on-hand to earn a prime positions for their start. Expect the likes of two-time Toyota 200 winner, Mississippian Josh Hayes; former Toyota Cup series champ and current AMA Superbike competitor, Jeremy Toye out of San Diego; Las Vegas based Jeff Stern, former WSMC points champion; AMA competitors Tony Meiring and Nick Moore; top WMRRA rider KC Clarke; Mexico City’s Rocky Caceres and many others to be on hand to test their skills and endurance racing at a 120 mph for 200 miles on the no-holds barred, unlimited series Formula One bikes. Qualifying for Roadracing World’s 250/50, the longest 250 race held in the United States, will be held on Saturday, October 15th. Racers in this exciting 50 mile contest ride exotic purpose-built 250 Grand Prix race bikes known for their great maneuverability and exciting race action. Expected to compete in this year’s 250/50 are last year’s winner, Rich Oliver; AFM Formula 2 top contender Richard Denman, former Isle of Man racer and current WSMC 250 GP points champ, Mark Watts; Colorado based Daniel Qualtire among many others. Saturday’s schedule also includes a full card of WSMC club racing including 29 classes of racing ranging from the high-strung 125 GP bikes to heavy hitting unlimited Formula One class, that will offer a preview of Sunday’s main event. Another part of Saturday’s celebration will include the “Roadracer’s Rendezvous” where track owner Bill Huth invites racing legends such as Motorcycle Hall of Famer Eddie Lawson, Keny Eggers, winner of the first motorcycle race ever held at Willow Springs some 50 years ago and several other notables to share their tales of the track. The Rendezvous starts right after the race day concludes on Saturday at the Budweiser Balcony over looking the track and the entire Antelope Valley. Local favorites, Midlife Crisis will perform well into the night and food and beverages will be available. Weather for the race weekend is expected to be excellent with sunny skies, temperatures in the low to mid eighties and light to moderate breezes forecast. Tickets for the three packed days of racing excitement are just $30 per person and include pit passes and free parking and camping. Kids 8 and under are free when accompanied by an adult. For a detailed schedule of events and more information please visit www.willowspringsraceway.com or call (661) 256-6666.

Buell & Harley Free Demo Rides To Be Part of Road Racing’s Richest Weekend Rosamond, CA, October 11, 2005 – Harley Davidson/Buell of Glendale will be sponsoring a special test ride program at this weekend’s Toyota 200/Roadracing World 250/50 competition at Willow Springs Raceway in Rosamond. Licensed motorcycle riders will have the opportunity take a selection of both street and sport bikes out for a spin on Saturday and Sunday, October 14 and 15. The Buell Factory truck and crew will be on hand along with representatives from HD/Buell of Glendale to answer questions and provide advice on the best bike to suit the riding styles of any motorcycle enthusiast. There is no cost or obligation to participate in the demo rides. The only requirements are that riders possess a valid motorcycle license, wear closed toe shoes with a heel strap, have a helmet that meets DOT requirements and eye protection. Buell demo riders must also wear long pants and a full-face helmet. HD/Buell of Glendale is a strong supporter of club racing at Willow Springs. The dealership is class sponsor of the highly competitive BOTT Middleweight series throughout the year. Buell Motorcycle Company, a subsidiary of Harley-Davidson, Inc, produces sport motorcycles, parts, and accessories. Their XB-12R Firebolt was recently named by Bike Magazine as the best cornering bike in the business out a field of 50 top competitors. Willow Springs Raceway’s premiere motorcycle road racing event of the year couples RoadracingWorld’s 250/50, North America’s longest 250GP race with the legendary Toyota 200 unlimited Formula One competition which posts the best riders and machines against 200 miles of high-speed action and excitement. The three day event starts Friday October 14th with Toyota 200 qualifying, continues Saturday, October 15th with a full card of Club Racing and concludes with the $30,000 Roadracing World 250/50 and $150,000 Toyota 200 on Sunday. Tickets for all three days including pit passes, parking and camp privileges are just $30 per person. Children eight and under are free with paid adult.

DOUBLE-H IS GONNA RUMBLE IN THE DESERT Three-time winner of the world-renowned WSMC Toyota 200, Attack Racing, is delighted to return to Willow Springs International Raceway this weekend for a chance to make it four in a row as Superbike pilots Joshua Kurt Hayes and John Haner race the Attack Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR Superbikes around the “fastest track in the West” in a quest for the highest purse in American motorcycle racing. Mr. Hayes will be intent on defending the title which he has won two years in a row on Attack machinery, and Mr. Haner is looking forward to the opportunity to give his buddy a good run for the money. The weather’s predicted to be hot and sunny, so if you’re looking for some real excitement, head on out to Rosamond, CA. It’s going to be fun!

John Reynolds announces retirement from racing JOHN REYNOLDS has announced his retirement from top level motorcycle racing after a long and highly successful career that included three British Superbike Championship titles and highly competitive seasons in World Superbike and Grand Prix racing. The 40-year-old Rizla Suzuki star made the decision after a serious accident at the final round of the British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch during practice on Friday, October 7th. He crashed heavily, breaking four ribs on his right side, puncturing his right lung and breaking his left collarbone in the accident. He also suffered injuries to his neck and back which may require corrective surgery. No complications are expected and a full recovery is expected. “When I hit the barrier it was like a switch in my head flipped,” explained JR, who came back to racing against the odds from a severely broken leg in February. “Instantly I knew it was time to stop. I had received a warning with my broken leg earlier in the year. I see this as a final warning and I’ve made the decision to stop racing, more for my wife Shelley’s sanity and for the good of my family than for me.” JR, from Nottingham, has been racing since he was eight years old and has competed at the very highest level in Grand Prix, World Superbikes and British Superbikes. A triple British Superbike Champion, JR was the reigning title-holder and sporting the number one plate when he suffered his crash. With more than 200 British Superbike race starts and 50 victories to his credit, JR is a living motorcycle legend. He started his career in Schoolboy motocross before moving on to short circuit racing in 1987 and sampling road racing at the Isle of Man TT. In 1990 he won the British Supersport Championship and then in 1992 his first British Superbike Championship adding titles two and three in 2001 and 2004 respectively. In between his national titles he raced in Grand Prix and World Superbike Championships, including a full season as a factory WSB Suzuki rider in 1996. “I am satisfied and relaxed about my decision to retire,” said JR. “I’m in a lot of pain right now, but my spirits are very positive and I’m comfortable that there’s an exciting new life for me ahead. Strangely enough, what makes it easier for me to accept is the fact that I had agreed terms with Rizla Suzuki team owner Paul Denning only four days earlier to race for the team next season. “The fact that Paul, the whole team and the guys at Suzuki had the confidence to ask me to ride in 2006 is a massive compliment and a real honour. I am leaving the sport knowing that Rizla Suzuki thought I was good enough to win the Championship again – thanks to them for that belief, it means a lot to me. I am stopping for the right reasons right now, knowing that I had an opportunity with a great team on a fantastic bike.” JR will be transferred from Darent Valley Hospital in Dartford to the Queens Medical Centre in Nottingham this week and continues to make good progress. A committed family man, he is looking forward to returning to his home town where he can be near his wife Shelley and eight-year-old son Ben as he recovers from his injuries. Paul Denning said: “John Reynolds is a personal friend, one of the world’s best motorcycle racers and a truly exceptional person. We have spoken in detail and he has made his decision to retire for all the right reasons and with his family in mind. We support him whole-heartedly and will be with him every step of the way during his recovery. “Despite his early season injuries this year, JR is leaving competitive racing at the very top of his game. His performances over the last few rounds showed us clearly that with a winter’s worth of testing and training under his belt, he was ready to win again. John’s competitive spirit was as inspiring as ever! “The team is sure that JR could have challenged for the Championship again in 2006 and while it is a great pity he will now not be riding next year, he will be joining Rizla Suzuki to put his experience and raw passion for the sport to the best possible use. It’s been a pleasure working with JR as a rider and as a friend. Already the whole team, as well as Suzuki GB and Rizla, are looking forward to working with him in 2006.” JR said: “Thanks to my family, my sponsors and all the many people who gave me opportunities and support over the years you all know who you are. Also, racing fans are quite simply the best sports fans in the world and have given me more inspiration and strength than they can ever know. I have achieved a lot and enjoyed my career, it has been a brilliant ride and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I can’t wait to get fit and start work again I want to thank the team Suzuki and Rizla for giving me so much positive encouragement about the future.”

MotoGP flocks south for the Polini Australian Grand Prix The MotoGP World Championship’s intercontinental caravan takes to the skies again this week as the riders, teams and officials make their way to the south coast of Australia for the fifteenth round of the season at the picturesque Phillip Island circuit. After a two-week break since contesting three consecutive races across Asia and the Middle East, the Polini Australian Grand Prix will be the 17th consecutive year that the series has visited the country, with the first two events having been held at Phillip Island, followed by six at Eastern Creek, before returning to the current venue in 1997. Valentino Rossi’s record at the fast and flowing circuit is second to none, with no fewer than six Grand Prix victories there in all classes and an unbeaten MotoGP record that stretches back to 2001. The MotoGP World Champion will be hoping his siege of the island can continue this weekend as he aims to clinch his eleventh victory of the year and match his record total of wins in a season, set in 2001 and 2002 when riding for Honda. A win for the Italian will also secure the constructors’ title for Yamaha, who need just one point more than Honda to make sure of the honour for the first time in five years. A host of riders will be combining duties for Honda this weekend as they aim to halt Yamaha and Rossi’s progress, as well as staking their claim for second place in the championship. Max Biaggi, Marco Melandri and Nicky Hayden are three of five riders separated by just eleven points in the battle for runner-up honours and all have happy memories of Phillip Island. Biaggi took victory, albeit for Yamaha, in the 500cc class in 2000 whilst Marco Melandri has had two wins at Phillip Island in the smaller classes, including a title-clinching 250cc success in 2002. Hayden, meanwhile, stood on the podium for the first time in his career at the Victorian circuit two years ago and will this weekend be aiming to score back-to-back rostrum finishes for the first time this season after finishing in third place at Qatar. The other two riders battling for second spot are Yamaha’s Colin Edwards and Ducati rider Loris Capirossi. Edwards has finished on the podium in World Superbike races at Phillip Island on eight occasions, including a win in 2001, whilst Capirossi took victory in the 125cc class back in 1990 and has had four podiums there in the last five years, including his only podium of 2004. The in-form Italian has won two of the last three races and will be looking for his fourth consecutive pole position when qualifying takes place on Saturday. Dani Pedrosa gets his first chance to seal the 250cc World Championship for the second successive season in Australia despite coming under pressure from his nearest rival Casey Stoner. Pedrosa, who finished fourth at Phillip Island last year to clinch the championship in his rookie season, will take the title if he wins the race and Stoner fails to score more than a single point. However, the Australian is the category’s form rider and after back-to-back victories in the last two rounds he has reduced the gap to the leader to just 26 points ahead of his home round. At the front of the queue of riders looking to stop a potential party for either Pedrosa or Stoner will be Jorge Lorenzo, who has until the end of this year to become the youngest ever rider to win a 250cc Grand Prix and last year’s Phillip Island winner Sebastián Porto, who also holds the quarter-litre lap record. A controversial twist to the 125cc World Championship in the last round at Qatar means Mika Kallio is now leading by just two points from Thomas Lüthi with three rounds remaining. Kallio saw victory snatched from his grasp by his KTM team-mate Gabor Talmacsi on the finish line in Doha and will be looking to take matters into his own hands this weekend at a circuit where he has not enjoyed the best of fortune in past seasons. Kallio, who has finished either first or second at the last five races, has failed to finish in each of his three previous starts at Phillip Island, crashing in both 2002 and 2003 and retiring with handling problems last year. However, Lüthi also has a poor record in Australia, failing to score points there in three previous visits.