AMA FORMULA XTREME SERIES DOWN TO THE WIRE AT ROAD ATLANTA Yates looking to win AMA Superstock title at home PICKERINGTON, Ohio (Aug. 31, 2005) — Never have the pole and lap leader points meant so much as they will in the Labor Day weekend’s Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Series finale at Road Atlanta. The situation is this: if Miguel Duhamel is perfect and scores the maximum amount of points by winning the pole, leading the most laps and winning the race he will win his second straight Formula Xtreme title. Anything less than that and series leader and Honda teammate Jake Zemke is set to take home his first AMA National number one. While Zemke and Duhamel are taking it right down to the wire in Formula Xtreme, things aren’t quite as tight in the Repsol Lubricants Superstock Series. Georgia’s own Aaron Yates needs only a 14th or better finish to secure his third AMA road racing championship. Duhamel earned his seventh AMA road racing title last year by winning the Formula Xtreme Series, but he was pushed the entire season by teammate Zemke. This year it was Zemke who took over the Formula Xtreme points lead in April after winning round three at California Speedway and has been chased by Duhamel most of the summer. Last weekend in Virginia, Duhamel put himself in a position to control his own destiny by winning every available point after an exciting duel with Zemke. This weekend if Duhamel can pull off the same feat he’ll win an eighth AMA championship and become the first rider to win two straight Formula Xtreme titles since Kurtis Roberts in 1999 and 2000. “I don’t have any options right now — I’ve got to do whatever I’ve got to do,” stated the veteran Duhamel. “I have to win everything I can.” Road Atlanta means a great deal to Zemke. He has been a leading contender in Formula Xtreme for five years. He’s led the championship, is tied as the winningest rider in the history of the series, but has yet to earn the top prize. “Hats off to Miguel, he rode great and his crew did a great job,” said Zemke after losing in the tight battle last weekend. “At the end of the day we just didn’t have it for him, but we’ll come back swinging next week in Atlanta.” The battle for third in AMA Formula Xtreme is coming down to the final race as well. Privateer Danny Eslick emerged this year from the flat track ranks and proved himself a worthy road racer with MPTracing.com Suzuki. The Oklahoman is ranked third, but a crash last week in Virginia has allowed Aussie Ben Attard, of Attack Kawasaki, to within six points of Eslick going into Road Atlanta. The top finishing non-factory rider is an important point of pride in the Formula Xtreme class and Eslick and Attard would both like to earn that designation. In Repsol Lubricants Superstock Yoshimura Suzuki’s veteran Aaron Yates came back to the class after a nine year absence and he’s right back where he left off, the top rider in the series. In 1996 Yates won the AMA 750 Supersport championship in his first year as a factory Suzuki rider. While Yates was gone the class became Repsol Superstock and the bikes were bumped up to 1000cc displacement, but that didn’t bother the rider from Milledgeville, Ga. He’s won five of the nine races en route to building his 21-point lead over Yamaha’s Jason DiSalvo. Yates would like to go out with a victory at his home track this week, but he implied that at Road Atlanta he may play a more conservative game in order to ensure his third AMA road racing title. “I definitely feel a little more comfortable,” said Yates after taking the victory last weekend in Virginia. “It’s really good to come out with a win. Next week we’ll see, there might be some of the other guys out there mixing it up.” Road Atlanta’s Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Series race will be televised on SPEED Channel, Tuesday, Sept. 6 at 2 p.m. EST. For additional information on the event call (800) 849-RACE or visit www.roadatlanta.com.

Ben Attard signs with Sidi boots and Spidi leathers-gloves! Motonation is glad to announce that top AMA Formula Extreme and Supersport rider Ben Attard has reached an agreement with Motonation in which he will continue his relationship with Sidi boots (Ben has worn Sidi boots for his entire time in the USA) and begin a relationship with Spidi leathers/gloves (both via Motonation) for the upcoming 2006 and 2007 seasons. Motonation exclusively represents Sidi and Spidi in the USA. See the complete line at www.motonation.com More, from another press release from Motonation: Starting September 1st Motonation the importer for Sidi boots and Spidi leathers will start accepting resumes for the 2006 racing season thru Sponsorhouse. Or you can email your resume to [email protected] For those that like to do it the old fashion way send your resumes to Motonation Attn: Kyle Smith/Rider Support 1100 N. Magnolia Ave Ste. A El Cajon, Ca 92020

The Can-Am Challenge Series sponsored by Infinity GP Racing, will hold their final at Shannonville Motorsports Park this upcoming Labour Day weekend Sept 2-4th, which coincides with Parts Canada Superbike finals as well. Dempsey has dominated the 125 Championship and has a 70 point lead with Crook looking for his first Championship Title in the 250 Championship In the G.P. 125 class, fans should expect to see John Dempsey, who earned this year’s championship at Mosport a few weekends ago, demonstrate how he climbed to the top of the points standings to take the number one plate with 229 points. Alex Welsh, the 17 year old rider with 159 points, leads third place Matt Cooper by 28 points; Cooper (131), Mark White (130) and Joe Melchionda (129) are all separated by one point, which should make for a spectacular season finale! Spectators can expect to see Welsh challenge Dempsey hard for a position on the final podium of the season; Cooper, who’s had a season of highs and lows, is also a strong contender. White’s consistency and experience should not be ignored in this last race; Melchionda will have to overcome some Shannonville demons to put him in contention for the podium. Young Calgarian John-Ross MacRae will be looking for another Shannonville round podium; the Can-Am also looks forward to having 14 year old Brett McCormick with us again; the Canadian Mini Road Racing champ took like a duck to water in his first 125 race at Mosport, finishing in sixth place. Rumor has it that Alex Welsh will be spotted on the 250 grid, riding an Infinity sponsored RS250; Welsh has proven more than a few times to be a threat to anyone’s plans for a top three finish, and if the rumor proves to be true, this should make for an interesting weekend as far as the young and upcoming rider is concerned. In the 250 class, John Crook leads the championship with 179 points, followed by Nick Colley at 140 points. Gord MacKay will most certainly be looking for a scrap; the two points that separate him from Colley should provide fans with a great race to look for on Sunday. The top three riders will most likely be joined by Andre Kipin, who will be making his second appearance with the Can-Am this year; Kipin snatched up two second place finishes at the double-header round at Shannonville. Alain Brault, consistently the fastest in qualifying sessions this season, had some bad luck early in the season is predicted to be well under the same blanket that should cover this group of riders in the series’ final battle on the track. The Can-Am Challenge Series would like to encourage spectators to come out to watch these two-stroke G.P. machines at Shannonville this Labor Day Weekend; there are future Canadian champions grooming their talents in the 125 class, and the thoroughbred 250s are something to see as the riders will smoothly push these finicky racing machines to their limits around the demanding 4.03 kilometer Long Track.

CORSER CHASES FIRST ASSEN WIN After the summer break, the Superbike World Championship resumes at the ever-popular Assen circuit in the Netherlands with both Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra riders Troy Corser and Yukio Kagayama looking for podium places. The fast, flowing circuit is a favourite amongst riders and fans and is consistently one of the best attended events in the Superbike World Championship calendar. World Championship leader Corser has been on the podium seven times at Assen but he has never won a race there – something he intends to rectify this year. After his recent run of bad luck and a couple of heavy tumbles, Kagayama is looking forward to Assen and kick-starting his season back to life. It is one of the few tracks this year that he has raced at before – in MotoGP two years ago – and one that he likes a lot. Troy Corser: “The week leading up to, and including, Brands Hatch was something special. Becoming a father to a beautiful baby girl six days or so before the race and then winning the first race and taking runner-up spot in the second was the perfect end to a wonderful week. “I always look forward to Assen because it such a great circuit and usually we get really good crowds there. I am still after my first win at Assen, but I reckon this year I am in a good position to do it – and that’s my goal. Like all fast tracks, Assen provides good racing and normally it’s not the kind of place where a rider can make a break from the rest and make it stick. Over the past few seasons, the track has had a few changes so most of us will be seeing this year’s layout for the first time. But, as long as they have not destroyed what the track is all about, I’m sure I will be in with a chance of a couple of podiums.” Yukio Kagayama: Brands Hatch was a painful experience for me – first my backside and then my ribs. On Saturday lunchtime, I did not think I would be able to take part in Superpole or the races, but I did. Superpole was very, very hard for me, but I had a chance to rest on Saturday evening and felt in better condition for the race. I wanted to race because I have many British fans and I did not want to let them down. And, in a way, that is a bit the same for Assen, because many, many British fans like going there and they make the atmosphere special. Although, I have not ridden a Superbike at Assen, I have raced there before, so I have an idea of which way the track goes! It is a fast track, but technical and it is a track where you need to put in many, many laps to shave off those last fractions of a second. It is one of those tracks where you always feel that maybe you could’ve gone faster afterwards. I should be fully fit again at Assen and it is one place you need to be 100% if you want a good result.” 2004 results: Troy Corser (Petronas FP1): Race 1:10th, Race 2: 7th. Yukio Kagayama – DNS. More, from a press release issued by Honda Racing: World Supersport and Superbike Championships 2005 Round 9, Assen Netherlands Race Preview 2 – 4 SEPTEMBER 2005 CHARPENTIER ON THE BRINK OF HONDA’S FOURTH RIDERS’ TITLE Sebastien Charpentier (Winston Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR) approaches Assen with the knowledge that a race win would guarantee him his first and Honda’s fourth consecutive World Supersport Riders’ Championship. Such has been his astonishing run of consistently competitive outings on his Winston Ten Kate machine that he sits 74 points ahead of his closest challenger, his own team-mate Katsuaki Fujiwara (Winston Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR). Charpentier’s raceday dominance has been a result of strong work behind the scenes by manufacturer and team, with Charpentier winning six of the eight races so far, and taking seven of the eight pole positions. Only Fujiwara and third placed rider Kevin Curtain (Yamaha) have even an arithmetical chance of overhauling Charpentier before the season ending race at Magny Cours on October 9th. Charpentier and Fujiwara are not alone in their quest to take the Assen win for Honda, as the Team Italia Megabike Honda squad has 2002 World champion Fabien Foret (Team Italia Megabike Honda CBR600RR) and Michel Fabrizio (Team Italia Megabike Honda CBR600RR) ready to do battle once more. With Foret fourth overall on 85 points and Fabrizio fifth on 82, Assen will be something of a personal duel between the former champ and the young contender. WSS novice Tatu Lauslehto (Klaffi Honda CBR600RR) rates Assen as his favourite circuit of all, but this year he, like all his competitors, will have a new section of track to learn, after winter safety modifications at a number of corners on the circuit. For Charpentier, Assen is not just a chance to win in front of his Winston Ten Kate team’s home crowd; it is one of four remaining opportunities to become champion something he would rather not think about quite yet. “For sure, the championship is possible for me this weekend and I’m in very good physical condition,” stated Charpentier, who prefers to deal with this race as a single event like any other. “We know how strong the bike is and how well the team has been working all through the season, so I have to be hoping for a win or at least a podium finish. My approach to the weekend will be exactly the same as before and, although I cannot help thinking about the championship, when I am inside the box and inside my helmet, there is only one thing I am concentrating on. That is riding as well as I can and trying to get the best from a very good bike. I like the circuit at Assen but some of the GP riders were not so positive about the changes for this season so we’ll have to see what the new layout is like.” Fujiwara will be racing a Honda for the first time at Assen, but is undaunted by the challenge of the always impressive van Drenthe circuit. “This is my first time at Assen on the Honda but I think it will suit the bike,” he states. “Although I know there have been some changes for this year, we will have to see what effect they have on the track’s character. I like the circuit and took pole position for my first Supersport race there in 2001. I also finished in third behind Chris Vermeulen and Karl Muggeridge a year or so later. My back is much better after my crash in Japan last month, although it was a little sore after the race at Brands Hatch, I don’t expect any problems this weekend. I will have to be in good shape because I know I have to beat Sébastien at Assen to stop him winning the championship.” Foret has firm aspirations for his 2005 season, to finish top three despite his ups and downs. “The last two race weekends were no so good for me,” confessed Foret. “I’m fourth in the World Supersport championship and my target is to arrive on the final podium. This target will be possible only thanks to four fantastic races, from Assen to Magny Cours. I will make the best that is possible for me and I know that the team also has that as a target. Assen is a wonderful track and I want to return to the podium.” Fabrizio’s last experience of Assen came on a MotoGP bike in the rain, but whatever the conditions it is a track that he knows he can take a podium at. “I made a good race at Assen in the rain one year ago, but I’m not hoping for bad weather for Sunday, because I know that I can make a good race, again with the podium as the target, without the ‘help’ of the rain,” said Fabrizio. “The bike now has a good suspension set-up and good engine power. The victory? It’s my dream for this week-end but I know that Charpentier will be a hard rider to pass.” Lauslehto, tenth overall in the championship race in his rookie season, loves Assen and hopes to continue his affection for its new layout. “I like Assen a lot,” grinned the flying Finn. “Actually, it is my favourite track. It should be, because in 2004 I won my first European Championship race at Assen. I have a confident feeling for the next round. But I try always to think realistically and a position somewhere in the top ten seems possible.” For this race Lauslehto will have a temporary Klaffi Honda team-mate, Scandinavian Production 600 champion, Nicolai Sørensen, from Denmark. World Superbike Round 9 of 12 ASSEN BEGINS RUN TO FINAL HURDLES FOR HONDA’S SUPERBIKE MEN Chris Vermeulen (Winston Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) knows that only race wins with his name on them, and some bad luck for championship leader Troy Corser (Suzuki), will be enough to leave him a fighting chance of the title. This reality is merely a spur to his deep-seated desire to take his second and third race wins of the season, to add to his second leg success at Monza in May. A first podium is the fervent desire of his team-mate Karl Muggeridge (Winston Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) as he begins the final third of his rookie SBK season, with his memories of his 2004 World Supersport championship win still fresh in his mind – including his Assen race win. His immediate Assen target is to break into the top ten in the championship, and he is currently only three points from it. Even the most experienced World Superbike rider of them all, Pierfrancesco Chili (Klaffi Honda CBR1000RR) has a new trick to learn this year, the Assen ace joining his fellow riders in having a new section of the track to assimilate, thanks to off-season safety modifications. Eighth overall, Chili will be looking for his first podium of the year at Assen. Max Neukirchner (Klaffi Honda CBR1000RR) had a superb start to the season but has been dogged by injury and slight misfortunes since then. Nonetheless, the German 22-year-old likes fast tracks, and is a big fan of Assen. In 13th place at present, he is determined to finish in the top ten in his rookie SBK season, and add to his lone Phillip Island podium finish. Using a recent British Superbike Championship race at Silverstone to get in some valuable testing miles, Ben Bostrom (Renegade Honda Koji CBR1000RR) suffered impact injuries to his back and internal organs, but hopes to recover sufficiently at Assen to improve on his overall 15th place in the rankings. Vermeulen is one of Assen’s many fans, and he has already won a Superbike race at the Dutch venue, taking the first leg in his rookie Ten Kate Honda season in 2004. “I like Assen and I’ve had some success there in the past, with a win and a fourth in Superbike last year and pole position in Supersport in 2002 and 2003,” recounts Vermeulen. “We need to get the bike working a little better to beat Troy (Corser) but we all know that we have the potential. I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t be going for eight wins from the remaining eight races but it’s going to be tough to stop Troy with the points lead that he has.” For Chili the second highest placed Honda rider in the championship, recent Assen performances will be his incentive for great things this season. “The last three years I was always on the podium at Assen, so this is one good reason I like the track very much,” said Chili. “This time there is one renewed part of the race track I don’t know yet. I wonder if this will make a real difference. I’m looking forward to riding at Assen and I’ll give my all to be on the podium again.” Despite the new section of the track, and the broken hand he suffered at Brands Hatch on 7th August, Muggeridge reckons his task of learning circuits on a Superbike should be easier at this venue than any other. “Although I haven’t raced the Superbike there, I think Assen will suit the bike. It seems that the faster and more flowing the circuit, the better we can get the bike working. It’s difficult to compare with Chris’s results from last year but at least we should have a good base setting to start from – something we were lacking a little at the beginning of the season. I like all the circuits but I think I’m at last learning what we need to get the bike working properly. My hand is a lot better after a three week rest though, and I’m in good shape.” Neukirchner’s season has also been affected by a hand injury, but his youthful exuberance has been undimmed by his occasional bouts of bad luck and no scores. “Assen is one these fast tracks I like very much,” he enthused, “But this track is also a challenge which requires a lot of experience. Last year I finished 7th in the Supersport race at Assen. This was perfect. But I had to learn in the hard way before, because I crashed twice in the practice sessions. This time I hope to keep a little bit cooler in the beginning. In return I’ll open the throttle during the race. A top ten position would be great!” Bostrom fully expects Assen to be a painful trial but such was his encouragement after qualifying at his recent British Championship ‘testing’ weekend, that he is still ready for a new challenge. “After a good qualifying and some hard work finding improvements in set-up I had a fourth gear highside at the British Championship meeting at Silverstone, after hitting water left by another bike,” said the 31-year-old American. “It was the biggest highside of my life. It’s left me with an incredibly painful back and it messed up my insides quite a bit. I suppose the good news is that I’ve lost about ten pounds in weight, because the internal bruising has put me off eating. In the run up to the races I’m just looking to rest as much as possible, and get the bike as easy to ride fast just as soon as I can.” Both Supersport and Superbike classes decamp immediately from Assen to a former SBK venue of Lausitzring in Germany, for the tenth round of the series on 11 September

SERIES MOVES TO SPEC TIRE TORONTO, ON The Parts Canada Superbike Championship has concluded a deal with Pirelli to supply a spec, or control tire for its three major classes beginning with the 2006 racing season. The arrangement, which puts the Canadian tour on the cutting edge of a worldwide racing trend, will apply to the Parts Canada Superbike feature class, along with the Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike and International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike national support divisions. The agreement is for three years. “Fairness and transparency are the key elements of this deal,” said Colin Fraser, President of Professional Motorsports Productions, which runs the Parts Canada Superbike Championship. “Teams will no longer carry their own tires or do their own mounting. Now everything will be centralized, just like it is in World Superbike, World Supersport and a number of European race series. Everyone, privateer and factory rider, will draw from the same choices of tire and compound.” The switch to a spec tire will remove a major variable from the Parts Canada Superbike series and is designed to create a more level playing field among competitors. Under the open tire format racers are able to purchase or import their tires from a range of different suppliers. Those with more money or better connections often have access to superior tires or can stockpile the choicest rubber options. “Under the previous format it has always been easy to point to tire selection as an excuse for performance,” Fraser said. “Now this has been ruled out.” The opportunity to provide the spec tire for the national series was tendered to the various suppliers in July and Pirelli submitted a proposal that was, in the eyes of PMP, considered to be the most favourable to the series and its competitors. A recent meeting in Toronto with key international Pirelli staff, Canadian Pirelli race tire distributor Kevin Graham of Orion Motorsport and the major motorcycle manufacturers confirmed the structure of the 2006-2008 arrangement. The meeting included Giorgio Barbier, Pirelli World Racing Manager and Alberto Warburg, the Canadian Account Manager. The arrangement is a marketing partnership between PMP, representing the partner manufacturers in the Canadian National series, and Pirelli, rather than a financial one. As the spec tire provider Pirelli will enjoy a strong corporate presence at each series round. The feature Superbike class, which uses slick tires, will offer the most choice and a specific tire will be independently selected from event to event. The series will conduct fall testing with a select group of riders to develop product for the headline category. The Amateur 600 Sport Bike classes will likely have a single DOT tire option. As an added cost saving measure, the number of tires used per race weekend will be restricted. Pirelli, which also supplies the spec tire for the World Superbike Championship, is planning to bring 16.5-inch diameter pure racing wheel performance, developed specifically for Canada, to the Parts Canada series. Canadian competitors will continue to compete with stock, 17-inch wheels. The Canadian Thunder class is not included in the spec tire deal yet. The Suzuki SV650 National Cup already runs with a spec Pirelli tire and that arrangement is expected to continue.

Tickets Will Be Available at (800) 327-SECA or www.laguna-seca.com on September 1 MONTEREY, Calif. (August 30, 2005) Tickets for the 2006 Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix July 21-23, 2006 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca will go on sale starting Thursday, September 1. All general admission, grandstand seats, paddock passes and general camping will go on sale at 8:00 a.m. (PST) by phone at (800) 327-SECA or on-line at www.laguna-seca.com. All remaining tickets, including Flagroom and Laguna Club hospitality areas, are available by telephone only. A three-day general admission ticket for next year’s event remains $90. A weekend paddock pass is $40 and must be purchased in conjunction with an admission ticket. Grandstand seats are $15 on Saturday and $25 for Sunday’s MotoGP World Championship Race. The 2005 Red Bull Grand Prix saw American rider Nicky Hayden capture his first MotoGP race win. This year’s event was a sell out, drawing the largest crowd ever to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca – 153,653 over the event weekend. Due to an expected high-volume of sales, orders will be taken via telephone or internet only on September 1. No orders will be taken on-site at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca during the first day of sales. More information on the ticket process is available by calling (800) 327-SECA or logging on to www.laguna-seca.com. Information on the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix is also available at www.RedBullUSGrandPrix.com. About Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and SCRAMP: Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca was built in 1957 and has been operated since its inception by the Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (SCRAMP). The world-renowned 2.238-mile, 11-turn permanent road course has seen many of the all-time greats in motorsports grace its technically challenging layout that includes the spectacular signature Corkscrew (Turns 8 and 8A). Among the many who have raced here are the likes of Mario Andretti, Wayne Rainey, Kenny Roberts, Eddie Lawson, Michael Andretti, Dan Gurney, Parnelli Jones, Sir Stirling Moss, Sir Jackie Stewart and on and on through a virtual who’s who of automobile and motorcycle racing. SCRAMP is a not-for-profit corporation that donates net proceeds from each race season to the volunteer organizations that help put on the events at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

BROTHER VS. BROTHER AT ROAD ATLANTA FOR AMA SUPERSPORT CHAMPIONSHIP PICKERINGTON, Ohio (Aug. 30, 2005) — The 2005 Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship presented by Shoei has come down to the final race. Tommy Hayden and his youngest brother Roger Lee Hayden will do battle at Road Atlanta for the number one plate during the Suzuki Superbike Showdown presented by Makita, which runs Sept. 2-4 at the challenging Braselton, Ga., circuit. When Tommy’s series archrival Jamie Hacking dropped out of the series after suffering a bicycling training accident in May it appeared that Tommy had a clear path to his second straight AMA Supersport title. Then younger brother and Kawasaki teammate Roger Lee caught fire, winning three of the last five rounds and rapidly moved up through the series standings all the way to second after suffering a mechanical failure in the opening round at Daytona Beach in March. With his win last week at Virginia International Raceway Roger Lee kept his title hopes alive. “I definitely want him to lose a little bit more sleep,” ribbed Roger Lee after his victory last week in Virginia. “I didn’t want to give it to him that easy. Fun and games I guess.” The youngest of the famous trio of racing Haydens from Owensboro, Ky., Roger Lee is the defending Road Atlanta Supersport winner. Tommy is clearly in a good position and the math is simple he needs to score a 23rd or better finish at Road Atlanta to win his second straight AMA Supersport Championship. If he wraps up the championship this weekend Tommy will become only the third rider in the history of the championship to win back-to-back titles, following in the footsteps of Doug Polen and Miguel Duhamel. Tommy is the second all-time wins leader in AMA Supersport racing. “I really wanted to get the championship wrapped up in Virginia and have a stress-free week at Road Atlanta,” said Hayden, who is seeking his first Road Atlanta Supersport victory. “Things didn’t quite work and we’ll try to finish up with a win this weekend.” Kawasaki is in an enviable position with its ZX-6RR Supersport bike poised to grab first and second in the championship. It will mark the fourth title in the prestigious and highly-competitive class for Team Green. Ben Spies is the only past winner of the race besides Roger Lee Hayden expected in the field on Sunday. Spies is ranked fifth in the series coming into Road Atlanta, primarily due to his focus being on the AMA Superbike Championship this year where he is a title contender in his first full year in that series. With nothing to lose it’s a sure bet that third-ranked Jason DiSalvo will go for broke at Road Atlanta and try to give Yamaha a victory to celebrate during the long off-season. DiSalvo already took a victory in the series at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in July. At 21, he is considered one of the young rising stars in AMA road racing. A number of privateers are making a good showing in this year’s championship. Chief among them is young Canadian Chris Peris who is ranked eighth on his Topline Printing / Bikecards.com / Yamaha Canada Yamaha R6. Peris has scored seven top-10 finishes in the series so far with a high of sixth at Pikes Peak, and will be hoping for a good showing at Road Atlanta to give the factory scouts something to ponder over the winter. Road Atlanta’s Supersport finale will be televised on SPEED Channel, Sunday, Sept. 11 beginning at 11 a.m. For additional information on the event contact (800) 849-RACE or visit the website www.roadatlanta.com. About AMA Pro Racing AMA Pro Racing is the leading sanctioning body for motorcycle sport in the United States. Its properties include the THQ AMA Supercross Series, the AMA Motocross Championship, the AMA Superbike Championship, the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship and the AMA Supermoto Championship. For more information about AMA Pro Racing, visit www.amaproracing.com.

Round 7: Assen, The Netherlands Track length: 6027 m Opened: 1955 Fastest lap ever: tbc Superbike lap record: tbc Last year Superbike winners: Chris Vermeulen (Honda) and James Toseland (Ducati) Yamaha Motor Italia riders Noriyuki Haga and Andrew Pitt go to the Dutch round of the Superbike World Championship looking to write their own small piece of motorcycling history. This weekend’s races will be the last world championship event to be held on the legendary 6km circuit before the bulldozers move in to shorten the northern loop section of the track, making way for a new hotel and entertainment complex. The Yamaha riders go to the Dutch race well rested and in high spirits. Haga has been in inspirational form in the last two rounds, winning in both Brno and Brands Hatch to climb to fifth in the championship and move within five points of fourth placed Yukio Kagayama (Suzuki). “I was very happy after Brands Hatch,” commented Haga, who has spent the four weeks since the last race holidaying with his family. “I know that I cannot win the championship so my aim now is just to win races. I do not care about my championship position if it is not champion but I know that we can win races so I will be trying maximum for win is Assen. I also hope to try out a new engine. All season I have asked for more engine power. My feeling with the chassis is now very good and with more power it will make my job easier!” The long-awaited new specification engine has been track tested by Pitt, who completed a day’s testing at Alfa Romeo’s Bolloco test track. The Australian, who finished third on his on his debut with the team at last year’s Assen world supersport event and is hoping for a similar result at the famous circuit this year. “I love riding at Assen and we got a good result there last year,” he explained. “We got back on track at Brands Hatch. I felt a lot more comfortable on the bike and that gives you the confidence to push hard so, yes, I’m really looking forward to the weekend.” Team coordinator Massimo Meregalli was satisfied with the outcome of the shakedown runs, commenting: “Overall Andrew’s feeling was very good. He didn’t notice much change in the characteristics of the new engine but the dyno and datalogging figures all suggest that it is better in all areas. Since the test we have carried out reliability runs on the dyno without any problems. We are building up the engines now and will make the decision on which engine to race during the race weekend.” Another rider looking for a good result in Assen in Yamaha Motor France’s Norick Abe. The Japanese is no stranger to the circuit from his MotoGP days, and has proven to be quick on tracks he knows. He goes to Assen tenth in the championship, one place behind Pitt. Haga hits double milestone in Assen Noriyuki Haga is due to hit two important milestones in the second race at Assen: his 150th start in the Superbike World Championship and his 100th on a Yamaha. The ever popular 29-year-old Japanese made his debut as a wild-card rider at the 1994 Japanese round at Sugo. Riding a privately entered Ducati, Haga made an inauspicious start with a 12th place in race two. Two years later Noriyuki announced himself to with world after grabbing his first class podium at the same venue, taking his Yamaha YZF750 to second place in race one. After Sunday’s races, Haga will have made 100 starts riding Yamaha, 26 on Aprilia and 24 on Ducati. In his 148 races to date, he has scored 19 wins and 25 other podium placings. Supersport World Championship – Curtain targets second Having produced a stunning display to finish third at Brands Hatch, Yamaha Motor Germany’s Kevin Curtain heads to Assen looking for his first win of the season and a chance to move up to second in the championship. Championship leader Sebastien Charpentier (Honda) looks to have one hand on the title with a 74 point advantage going to the Netherlands. Curtain was one of the form men at Assen last year, only being denied a podium finish when another rider took him out at the final corner, and now he has his sights firmly set on the runners-up position presently occupied by Katsuaki Fujiwara (Honda), who is currently seven points ahead of the Australian Yamaha rider. Team-mate Broc Parkes is also aiming for a reversal of fortunes at Assen. The 23-year-old goes to the Dutch race on the back of two non-finishes that have seen him slip back to seventh in the championship. Parkes is also no stranger to the Assen track, having finished fourth there last season. Superstock – young guns going for it in Assen Yamaha R6 Cup graduates Kenan Sofuoglu and Massimo Roccoli continue to battle for honours in this series for young riders running virtually stock 1000cc sports machines, with Sofuoglu’s Brands Hatch win taking him back to the head of the championship. The Turkish rider is almost completely recovered from hand injury that saw him miss the Misano round in June and, with Roccoli crashing in Brands, he now has a 18 point advantage in the championship – the Italian slipping back to third behind Craig Coxhell (Suzuki). Last season Sofuoglu grabbed third place behind fellow Yamaha riders Lorenzo Alfonsi and Gianluca Vizziello, while Belgian team-mate Didier van Keymeulen took the lap record at what is his local race. Van Keymeulen currently lies fourth in the series and could kickstart a late bid for the title with a win in Assen. In the 600cc superstock class, Italian Yamaha R6 rider Claudio Corti goes to the Netherlands with a 26 point advantage at the head of the championship. More, from a press release issued by Pirelli: It’s time for Assen, a track that doesn’t need any introduction, being famously known as the ‘university of motorcycle racing’. In the last round, in England on 7th August, Noriyuki Haga and his Yamaha beat Troy Corser in race two, but the two races were a battleground, providing a great show, based on extreme outbraking and overtaking. It was simply a feast of racing, lapped up by 100,000 spectators. The Championship is living in a magic moment, with five different manufacturers in the first seven championship places, underlining the highly competitive nature of the show. In the leading place Corser still strides the table, but in Brands he proved he is racing with little thought of the Championship, competing as if every race were a championship decider. Everybody will race for the two wins on offer at Assen, a track which has been modified to be safer for all competitors. It is thus a little bit slower than previous years, but still highly demanding. The Dutch track needs a particularly careful choice of tyres, for a host of reasons. First of all the climatic conditions, both in terms of the temperature and the fast changes in the weather throughout the day, mean that things are always far from easy. For Pirelli this means a wide range of different solutions must be made available, in order to face all the different conditions with confidence. But this track always creates some troubles for the riders, who may be asked to take uneasy decisions when experiencing extreme conditions – like rain that falls only on some sections of the track, and not others. Nonetheless, in the case of rain the Assen tarmac performs well: offering good grip and efficient drainage properties. There’s something more that becomes a pivotal point of tyre choice at Assen. The tarmac also creates high temperatures on the central part of the tyre profile, due to the long fast corners and the high-speed changes of direction. Riders will find available to them for a dry race four different front tyres that they have already tried this season, while at the rear they will choose among five different solutions, plus two qualifying tyres. From the same ‘medium’ compound base Pirelli technicians wanted to obtain three different solutions. One made with a harder carcass (that will allow a more precise line) and one of 200mm width (still undergoing testing and development). The final fifth solution is made with a harder compound, but this one showed at Brno that it can work as well as the others. In any case, it will be interesting to see how the riders arrive at their personal decisions. Then there will be the two qualifying tyres, one of which is a multi-compound version. With all this rubber there will be also the intermediate and rain solutions, which drive the total amount of tyres brought solely for the SBK class close to 3,600. That total increases significantly for the entire paddock, as Pirelli is also the sole supplier for the Supersport, Superstock 1000 and Superstock 600 classes.

SUCCESSFUL TEST FOR NAKANO AHEAD OF HOME GRAND PRIX With Alex Hofmann having completed his test programme ahead of schedule yesterday, it was left to Shinya Nakano alone to continue development work on Kawasaki’s latest Ninja ZX-RR engine during today’s final day of testing at the Brno circuit. The revised engine, which Nakano tested for the first time yesterday, produces more peak power, but also retains the ‘driveability’ of the previous incarnation of Kawasaki’s 990cc, inline four-cylinder MotoGP motor. Nakano, together with his regular crew and development engineers from Kawasaki in Japan, concentrated today on evaluating changes to the engine management system, and assessing revisions to the front-end geometry on his Ninja ZX-RR. The 27-year-old Japanese rider also tested a new specification exhaust during the afternoon session, collecting valuable data for Kawasaki’s ongoing development programme. After a busy race weekend, followed by two days of intensive testing, Nakano will spend a few days at home in Japan recuperating, before starting preparations for his home Grand Prix at Motegi, scheduled for Sunday 18th September. Shinya Nakano: #56 – 1’59.74 (48 Laps) “It’s been two hard days of testing, both for me and my crew, but we’ve achieved a lot. We’ve done a lot of laps on the new engine and, while there is still some development work to be done to realise its full potential, my overall impression has been very positive. It has more top-end power, and the power doesn’t drop off so sharply on over-rev. Brno is not such an ‘engine circuit’ so it will be interesting to see what advantages the new motor offers at Motegi, where I hope to try it again during practice. Overall, although we haven’t seen much of an improvement in lap times, it’s still been a very productive two days of testing for us.” Ichiro Yoda: Technical Manager “This has been a very positive test for Kawasaki. The feedback and data we have collected during these two days will allow us to continue our engine development programme ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi. We now have a clear direction for our engineers, and I am confident that we can make further improvements to the engine before the next race. Motegi is an important race for Shinya, and also for Kawasaki, so we are focussing all our efforts on providing our riders with the best possible package for this event. The same is also true of Bridgestone, who have collected a lot of data on Motegi through their involvement in the Japanese championship. I’m sure that the tyres they supply to us for this race will offer some advantages over those of our competitors.” More, from a press release issued by Gauloises Yamaha: GAULOISES YAMAHA TEAM READY FOR FLYAWAYS AFTER SUCCESSFUL BRNO TEST Following his ninth victory from eleven races in Sunday’s Czech Republic Grand Prix, Gauloises Yamaha Team rider Valentino Rossi and his team-mate Colin Edwards completed a two-day test at the Brno circuit today, preparing for the forthcoming run of five ‘flyaway’ races in September and October. Both riders worked hard over the two days on a variety of small but important set-up changes, as well as spending time testing different Michelin tyres, finishing the test with some encouraging lap times under their belts. Rossi and Edwards were joined on the track by most of the rest of the MotoGP field, as the teams all took the chance to spend some time out on track without the pressure of a race looming over them. According to the unofficial lap times, the fastest man over the two days was Ducati rider Loris Capirossi, third in Sunday’s race, with a time of 1’57.568. Nicky Hayden and Sete Gibernau (both Honda) followed, with Edwards (1’58.584) and Rossi (1’58.654) setting the fourth and fifth best times. The Team now has a two-week break before the Japanese Grand Prix in just in Motegi, the first of five races outside Europe in six weeks, before the MotoGP paddock returns to Spain for the season-ending finale at Valencia in November. Rossi can clinch the World Championship title by finishing in the top two in Motegi, whilst Edwards will be looking for more valuable points to keep him in the battle for second place. COLIN EDWARDS 1’58.584 “That was a really busy test! We just tried a bunch of stuff with the bike, playing around with settings, trying to get my weight right and get to the root of the problem that we had at the weekend. Every time we’ve had a bad race it’s been the same issue no traction and today we really tried a lot of things to get it fixed. We made some good steps forward and by the end of the test I was able to do low ’59s on a tyre that had done 24 laps. The mechanics worked incredibly hard over this test to keep up with me and my demands, so big thanks to them. We spent so much time working with the bike on race tyres that we actually tested less new tyres than usual with Michelin, probably only about six, but we got some good stuff from that too so all in all it’s looking much better for Motegi.” VALENTINO ROSSI 1’58.654 “Testing the day after a race is always a bit difficult, and when you have won the race it is even harder to feel motivated! However we know that we have to keep improving, because the championship is not over yet and anything could happen! For this reason it’s been a valuable test for us. The bike is good and we didn’t want to take any big risks with trying new parts, but we have tried a new setting for the front forks and done some work on the engine mapping. We have also done a lot of work with Michelin and they brought some good new tyres here for us to test, so this is encouraging for the remaining races. I did some good times both yesterday and today and I’m happy with the work we’ve done. Now I am glad to have two weeks to relax before we go to Motegi.” DAVIDE BRIVIO GAULOISES YAMAHA TEAM DIRECTOR “This was the last test before the end of the season, so the work we’ve done here will be very important for the remaining six races. We didn’t test any big things, just some small details which are important for us. Our bike is good right now so we didn’t want to make any great changes by introducing new parts at this point in the championship. We tested some new settings in the front forks, as well as working on mapping and electronics, looking to improve the power delivery and make it smoother. We also tried some tyres for Michelin. The test also gave Colin the chance to work again on his race setting and try to find a good way forward after the small problems he had at the weekend. It’s been very positive for both of them and they did some good times on both days, so now we are looking forward to Motegi!” UNOFFICIAL LAP TIMES (OVER TWO DAYS) Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati Marlboro Team 1’57.568 Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda Team 1’57.602 Sete Gibernau (SPA) Movistar Honda MotoGP 1’58.441 COLIN EDWARDS (USA) Gauloises Yamaha Team 1’58.584 VALENTINO ROSSI (ITA) Gauloises Yamaha Team 1’58.654 Carlos Checa (SPA) Ducati Marlboro Team 1’58.730 Marco Melandri (ITA) Movistar Honda 1’58.977 Alex Barros (BRA) Camel Honda 1’59.393 Makoto Tamada (JPN) Konica Minolta Honda 1’59.392 Max Biaggi (ITA) Repsol Honda Team 1’59.399 More, from a press release issued by Telefonica Movistar Honda: BRNO, SECOND DAY OF TESTING FOR THE MOVISTAR HONDA TEAM The MotoGp teams worked hard today for the second and last day of testing at Brno. Sete Gibernau continued to gather important data lapping with the bike he raced with on Sunday. In the afternoon he made few laps with the new bike. Marco Melandri continued the schedule of work started yesterday. He made comparative testing and tyre testing. Marco also made a race simulation in order to improve the performance of the bike in the second part of the race. In total he made 99 laps. SETE GIBERNAU (37 laps, 1.58″441): “Unfortunately we had not enough time to test the new bike and it’s too early to say something about the new bike. In fact, I only made four laps. For sure, Honda is doing a great effort to develop a new bike.” MARCO MELANDRI (99 laps, 1.58″977): “This test session has been very important for me. We have worked to improve the performance of the bike in the second half of the race. Today I made a race simulation and I had a very good feeling. In fact we succeeded to be more consistent. I’m happy and I look confidently to the next race.” UNOFFICIAL LAP TIMES 1. Loris Capirossi (Ita/Ducati) 1:57.568 2. Nicky Hayden (Usa/Honda) 1:57.717 3. Sete Gibernau (Sp/Honda) 1:58.441 4. Colin Edwards (Usa/Yamaha) 1:58.584 5. Valentino Rossi (Ita/Yamaha) 1:58.654 6. Carlos Checa (Sp/Ducati) 1:58.730 7. Marco Melandri (Ita/Honda) 1.58.977 8. Alex Barros (BR/Honda) 1:59.221 9. Makoto Tamada (Jap/Honda) 1:59.392 10. Max Biaggi (Ita/Honda) 1:59.399 11. Nobuatsu Aoki (Jap/Suzuki) 159.658 12. Shinya Nakano (jap/Kawasaki) 1:59.766 13. Roberto Rolfo (Ita/Team D’antin) 2.00.801 14. akioshi (jap/suzuki) 2.00.919 More, from a press release issued by Honda Racing Information: Positive day for HRC at Brno – Biaggi and Hayden shine at the Czech circuit Honda Racing Corporation completed a successful two-day MotoGP test session at Brno, Czech Republic in positive mood. Repsol Honda team riders Nicky Hayden and Max Biaggi particularly pleased with the performance of their RC211V 5-cylinder 990cc grand prix machines. Both riders achieving the goals set for them by team engineers in preparation for the next round of the series at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit in Japan, on September 18. Former America Superbike Champion Hayden, 23-years old from Kentucky set a blistering pace around the 5.403km Czech circuit. Hayden tested a range of Michelin tyres and various machine settings eventually posting a brilliant lap time of 1m 57.717s, on race tyres. A time that easily bettered his best lap time of 1m 59.100s in Sunday’s MotoGP race at the circuit on his way to a fifth place finish. “We’ve improved the machine, found some good tyres and I think I’ve improved my riding as well over these past two days.” Said a delighted Hayden at the end of the day. Hayden’s Repsol Honda team-mate Max Biaggi tested his race machine and the evolutionary RC211V HRC are preparing for the run in to the 17-round MotoGP World Championship. HRC developed the new RC211V to help the riders steer the machine into the corners faster. Biaggi set his fastest time of the day aboard the new machine and pronounced himself satisfied with his new GP mount. In what was basically his first 20-lap shake down test on the machine Biaggi set a surprisingly fast lap time just 0.130s off his best lap in Sundays race. The Italian said. “The new machine has lots of potential and I can feel it is a little bit better than my 2005 machine in lots of areas. We found a lot of positive points for HRC to develop – especially the feel of the machine under braking and turning into corners.” The Movistar Honda team riders were also content with their work over the two-days at Brno. Vice World Champion Sete Gibernau spend his time running test aimed at finding solutions to the fuel management system problem that sidelined him in the Czech GP. Spaniard Gibernau was 4/10ths of a second faster today than on Sunday. The Movistar team engineers providing HRC with sufficient data to address the problem in time for the Japanese GP. Gibernau briefly tested the new RC211V but decided his cause would be best served by working on the 2005 machine in preparation for Motegi. He said. “It’s a little early for me to comment on the performance of the new machine but it is clear that Honda are making a big effort.” Italian Marco Melandri, on the second Movistar Honda, was running in close order with the race leaders in the opening laps of Sunday’s race but could not hold them over the closing stages eventually finishing in sixth place. Melandri spent the day working with his mechanics and Michelin in a bid to improve consistency over the entire race distance. Melandri shaved a few tenths of a second off his best time ever at Brno. Konica Minolta Honda Rider Makoto Tamada slashed a one whole second off his best ever lap time at the circuit and goes into his ‘Home GP’ at Motegi in a ore confident frame of mind. Tamada won at Motegi last year and hopes the hard work he and his team have done over the last two days will give him a fighting chance of a repeat victory. Honda rider quotes and best lap times: Nicky Hayden: Best lap: 1m 57.717s – 81 laps. “It’s been a really worthwhile test and we’ve achieved a lot. We’ve got the machine much better turning into corners and the Michelin race tyres I tried today were superb. To lap in 1m 57s on race tyres is a massive step forward and much better than I could have ever expected. We’ve improved the machine, found some good tyres and I think I’ve improved my riding as well over these past two days. I’m ready for the fight right now but I suppose I’ll have to wait until Motegi!” Max Biaggi: Best lap: 1m 59.399s – 47 laps. “It was good to get out on the new machine today. I managed about 20 laps and recorded my fastest lap of the day on the new machine. The new machine has lots of potential and I can feel it is a little bit better than my 2005 machine in lots of areas. We found a lot of positive points for HRC to develop – especially the feel of the machine under braking and turning into corners. I’m looking forward to racing the machine as soon as it’s available.” Makoto Tanaka, Repsol Honda Team Manager: “Nicky has had a really good day, especially with the performance he showed on the race tyres. His times would have been good enough to win Sunday’s race here comfortably. Nicky also improved the setting of the machine, which will help him in the remaining six races. Max tried the new machine and found many positive areas and gave us some idea of the areas of the machine which need attention. During the next few days we will decide a further test programme for the new machine and make a plan for its race debut.” Sete Gibernau: Best lap: 1m 58.441s – 37 laps. “It’s a shame we haven’t had more time to test the new bike – in the end I only managed four laps with it. That’s why it seems a little early for me to comment on its performance but it is clear that Honda are making a big effort.” Marco Melandri: Best lap: 1m 58.977s – 99 laps. “The two days of tests have gone really well for us. We concentrated fully on improving the performance of the bike in race conditions, particularly in the second half, and I’m satisfied with the result. We’ve tried a few different set-up solutions and I felt comfortable.” Makoto Tamada: Best lap: 1m 59.392s. “My lap times have been really constant over both of the days of the test. We have tested many tyres provided by Michelin and I have confidence with them has surely improved also thanks to the good condition of the track today. I leave for home tomorrow and I am really looking forward to Motegi where I hope to have my best race of the season in front of my fans.” UNOFFICIAL LAP TIMES 1.Loris Capirossi (Ita/Ducati) 1:57.568 2.Nicky Hayden (USA/Honda) 1:57.717 3.Sete Gibernau (Sp/Honda) 1:58.441 4.Colin Edwards (USA/Yamaha) 1:58.584 5.Valentino Rossi (Ita/Yamaha) 1:58.654 6.Carlos Checa (Sp/Ducati) 1:58.730 7.MarcoMelandri (Ita/Honda) 1.58.977 8.Alex Barros (BR/Honda) 1:59.221 9.Makoto Tamada (Jap/Honda) 1:59.392 10.Max Biaggi (Ita/Honda) 1:59.399 11.Nobuatsu Aoki (Jap/Suzuki) 159.658 12.Shinya Nakano (Jap/Kawasaki) 1:59.766

Superbike & Supersport World Championships, Superstock Cup Changes to the Rules The Superbike Commission, composed of Messrs. Paolo Flammini (FGSport), Claude Danis (FIM) and Giulio Bardi (Team representative), in a meeting held on August 29, unanimously decided to introduce the following modifications to the Road Racing Superbike & Supersport World Championship and Superstock Cup Regulations (for immediate application) : TECHNICAL REGULATIONS 2.3.6 Tyres Tyres may be replaced from those fitted to the homologated motorcycle. 1) With the exception of tyres: a) supplied by the Official Supplier. b) slick tyres. c) tyres marked “not for highway use”. The manufacturer must identify the tyre with the following: 1. The DOT mark and/or the E mark (used for “homologated tyres” or tyres marked for highway use only) 2. The name of the manufacturer 3. The year of manufacture (in code) 4. The tyre dimension 5. The speed rating 6. Any other features necessary for the correct use of the tyre 2) Fitting · The tyre must be mounted on the correct rim. · The rim must not be deformed or damaged. 3) Permitted maximum speed With the exception of tyres supplied by the Official Supplier, the minimum speed rating for use in Supersport and Superstock is (W). 4)”¦ 2.7.6.7 Tyres The rider can use a maximum of three (3) front and three (3) rear DRY weather tyres for each event. Only during free practices and warm up, riders will be allowed to use tyres allocated to them in a previous event, and an additional set of tyres (1 front and 1 rear).