Camel Honda today announced a new partnership with one of the most important Casinos in Europe, Casinò di Campione. As part of the new partnership the name of the Casino situated on the picturesque shores of Lake Como on the borders of Italy and Switzerland will appear from the Chinese Grand Prix onwards on the yellow Camel Honda RC211Vs ridden by Alex Barros and Troy Bayliss. “A strong and asserted team in a young sport with tremendous media appeal and a dominant presence in each continent. These are the ingredients” underlines the Casinó di Campione President Matteo Seroldi “that have taken the largest and most beautiful Casino in Europe trackside and become Corporate Partner of the Camel Honda team.” The two principle objectives of the Casinò di Campione are: the incrementation and provenance of the clients and internationalisation of the brand of the Casino as well as its clients. “Associating the Casinò di Campione and the local tourism of Lake Como together with the prestigious Camel Honda team is for us synonymous of great potential for attracting new clients” underlines the President “not only to increase the number of players but to globally internationalise our Casinò”. The new structure of the Casinò di Campione will be able to accommodate important events, meetings and prestigious conferences. The Casino is located close to the Malpensa international airport, not far from Milan, Como and Lugano and this makes Campione a strategic and winning location for all of those multinational companies which are present in Europe. With these credentials the Casino plans to gain worldwide recognition thanks to the partnership with the Camel Honda Team and at the same time propose itself as the ideal venue for business forums for the important sponsors that are present in the international motor racing environment. Principal of the Camel Honda team, and former double Word Champion, Sito Pons was quick to underline the importance of the new agreement for the team. “We are very pleased to welcome the Casinò di Campione into our team and we are delighted that one of the most prestigious establishments in Europe has confided in our team to carry its name and raise its profile around the world. I am convinced that the Casino’s decision will be richly rewarded since the worldwide popularity of the MotoGP Championship and the success on track of the Camel Honda team will guarantee a strong projection of the Casino’s name around the globe which will certainly lead to an increase in its business.”

Shanghai April 28th, 2005 Chinese Grand Prix Preview Exciting challenge in new Chinese wonder-world From Portugal in Southern Europe, where Spaniard Carlos Checa scored an impressive fifth place aboard his Bridgestone-fitted Ducati Desmosedici, Japanese tyre manufacturer Bridgestone and their three partner teams in MotoGP racing travelled halfway around the globe for the first ever MotoGP race in the People’s Republic of China. Located near the Yangtze river delta just outside the prosperous port city, the Shanghai International Circuit is a proud showcase for the rapid pace of development and the high technological and commercial ambitions of the world’s largest country with one of the world’s fastest growing economies. Build with a budget of 250 million US-Dollars and completed in just 18 months, the circuit and its infrastructure are record-breaking in every sense. Sitting on 12000 tons of steel, 40000 reinforcing concrete pillars, and 320000 cubic metres of EPS engineering plastics, the architecture makes for a spectacular sight, with grandstand seating for a massive 200,000 spectators, with two surreal-looking wings that cover the starting straight, and with its team buildings that are arranged in an exotic Chinese garden environment rather than in a paved paddock. Designed by re-known German engineer Hermann Tielke, who also shaped a number of other modern circuits like the Malaysian Sepang circuit or the new German Hockenheim ring, the Shanghai International Circuit is 5.45 kilometres long and features two very long straights the main straight measures 1202 metres in length, the longest of the entire championship where the MotoGP bikes are expected to reach top speeds in excess of 320 kilometres per hour. The track is also characterised by two very long right-hand corners, almost 360 degrees, which will put the tyres to the test with a lot of heat built-up in the right tyre flanks. Like the Sepang track, the Shanghai circuit is also very wide, and presents many overtaking opportunities. Despite its sheer size and the long straights, the Shanghai circuit is still relatively slow in comparison with the fastest tracks on the calendar. The first half of its length consists of consecutive low-speed corners, requiring good handling abilities from the tyres for quick changes from right to left, as well as consistent grip levels through the turns. The second part of the track is a Formula 1-style stop-and-go layout, challenging the braking and traction qualities of the tyres. Bridgestone has air-freighted a total of 1000 tyres to Shanghai straight from Japan, more than the average 700 tyres, in order to cater for all possible track conditions. But despite the fact that the Shanghai International Circuit is new to the MotoGP world, Bridgestone’s tyre technicians haven’t arrived unprepared.

The MotoGP World Championship paddock set up camp at the Shanghai International Circuit for the first time today, with the teams, riders and organisers all expressing their admiration for the sensational facilities. Reigning World Champion Valentino Rossi arrived only this afternoon but was taken aback as much by the quality of the circuit’s architecture and infrastructure as the racetrack itself. “My first impressions are very good,” commented Rossi, who leads the standings after two rounds by seven points over Alex Barros. “The facilities are very nice you could come here for a holiday, never mind a race! Also the track is incredible. I expected it to be fast but having had a look at it today it is actually quite tight and technical. All the riders have a lot of hard work to do finding the right setting for the bikes here.” Barros arrived in China full of confidence after victory in the last round at Estoril and is hopeful of adapting swiftly to the Shanghai circuit after also getting his first look today. “Like Valentino says, it is a very technical track and I expect it to be very physical because there are only two straights where you can relax a little on the bike. We’ll have to keep an eye on the weather but the surface looks good and we should enjoy ourselves. Everybody is starting from zero here but I like conditions like that.” Two riders had more reason than most to feel optimistic this weekend, having been plucked out of the wilderness to take part in this Sunday’s historic event. Whilst Olivier Jacque returns to MotoGP as a replacement for the injured Alex Hofmann at Kawasaki, Jurgen Van Den Goorbergh has made the dash from Europe to China after a late call-up to replace Makoto Tamada at Konica Minolta Honda. “I still can’t quite believe I’m here,” said Van Den Goorbergh, who was given a surprise call by team boss Luca Montiron after Tamada failed a late fitness test on his injured wrist. “It worked well for me because I recently separated from my team in the World Supersport series and the chance to come back to MotoGP and race in such a historic event here in China was perfect. I haven’t ridden a Grand Prix bike for a while but I have confidence in my ability, I have plenty of experience and I hope to pay back the faith shown in me by the team.” Whilst the Dutchman has not raced in MotoGP since the end of 2002, Jacque made a handful of wildcard appearances for Moriwaki Racing last season and admitted to feeling a little out of place on his return today. “In French we say I feel like a hair on the soup!” laughed the former 250cc World Champion. “I tested the bike at Estoril and then again two days ago in Japan and it was very strange to ride at 300km/h again. But I could still feel the fire inside me to race and I’m very pleased to be here.” Moriwaki also make a welcome return to MotoGP in China, with former factory Honda rider Tohru Ukawa preparing to ride their MD211VF prototype when the first free practice session gets underway on Friday morning. 250cc World Champion Dani Pedrosa, the leader of a blossoming teenage generation in the minor classes, revealed their usual technique for learning a new circuit would be obsolete this weekend. “Usually I play the Playstation to learn the track but we can’t do that here because it is so new!” revealed the Spaniard, who leads the standings by five points from Andrea Dovizioso. “On a scooter you don’t get a real idea, although it can help to do a few laps on a Thursday afternoon. The gearbox ratio, track conditions, grip levels and other things like that”¦ you can’t get a really idea until you ride the circuit on your race bike. Anyway, it’s the same situation for everybody so we will just try to make the best of the practice sessions.” Meanwhile, Mika Kallio arrives in China as leader of the 125cc World Championship for the first time in his career after his maiden victory in the second round at Estoril. The Finnish rider is aiming to end a run of forty-one races in the minor class without a rider winning back-to-back races.

PARTS UNLIMITED DUCATI AUSTIN TEAM TAKES ON AMA CHALLENGERS AT CALIFORNIA SPEEDWAY (Fontana, CA–April 27th) The Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin team heads to California Speedway in Fontana, California, for the third race meeting of the season this weekend. Neil Hodgson is currently second in AMA Superbike points on the basis of two second place finishes and looks to close ground at the 2.3-mile circuit. Eric Bostrom looks to improve his 2005 fortunes at a track he favors. Bostrom finished second in both Cal Speedway races last year and enjoyed a solid test on his Ducati 999 Superbike earlier this month. “I know Fontana will be better for us,” says Bostrom. “Fontana’s going to be good. The test went well and the race is going to go even better. We’ve been trying a lot of different things out on the bike and I liked how the front felt at Barber went we chose some stiffer settings. I’m just going to put the past behind me and look to run up front at California Speedway. The Ducati 999 seems to suit me well at that track.” “I’m confident Eric will do well at Fontana,” says team engineer Luca Ferraccioli. “He was second place in both the races last year and was very good at the test. He’s been making progress and is working well with the team on improving his lap times.” So far, Neil Hodgson and Ducati have proven to be the strongest competition for the factory Suzuki squad this season at the front end of the AMA Superbike pack. Despite his newcomer status in the US, Neil has shown consistency in learning the tracks, then coming through with quality results in the races. Despite a virtual washout on Friday at Barber that limited his track time, Neil was back on the podium by the end of the weekend. Hodgson says the team made headway for Sunday’s Barber race when a setup change helped make the 999 more maneuverable in the tighter sections of the track. “We made the bike go a lot faster through the flip-flop bends. I was really happy with that and I was pleased with how the bike turned. If nothing else, we learned something (at Barber) that might help us at other tracks,” says Hodgson, the 2003 World Superbike champion. The Fontana race will be the closest the 31-year old Briton has to a “home” race this season, his first year in AMA competition. Hodgson is staying in Laguna Beach this season when he’s not racing at the track. Neil has quickly become a fan favorite in his short time in the US. CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS (after 3 of 17 races): 1. Mat Mladin (Suzuki) 113, 2. NEIL HODGSON (PARTS UNLIMITED DUCATI AUSTIN 999) 91, 3. Ben Spies (Suzuki) 87, 4. Aaron Yates (Suzuki) 82, 5. Miguel DuHamel (Honda) 78, 6. ERIC BOSTROM (PARTS UNLIMITED DUCATI AUSTIN 999) 20 THE CIRCUIT Name: California Speedway 2.36 miles (3.7 kilometers),21 turns. Oval with permanent road course, with up to 14 degrees of banking. STATISTICS Lap record: Mladin (Suzuki) 1:24.759 (2004) Race distance: Gobert (Yamaha) 39:28.637 (2002)

Supercuts Cuts Hair for Charity at AMA Weekend, Offers Chance to Win Kawasaki Motorcycle SONOMA, Calif. “” There’s one-stop shopping at the Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown at Infineon Raceway, May 13-15, for anyone interested in helping a great charitable cause, and at the same time, getting a shot at winning a sleek new 2005 Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle. Just stop by the Supercuts booth located behind the main grandstand in the paddock area and you can accomplish both. Stylists from Bay Area and Sacramento Supercuts locations will be giving haircuts all weekend long, with all proceeds benefiting needy youth organizations in Sonoma County through Speedway Children’s Charities, the charitable arm of Infineon Raceway. The race weekend is presented by Supercuts. You can have your hair colored Kawasaki green, go for a buzz-cut or get a simple trim. It’s your choice as stylists will take care of your every need, plus you’ll be helping out a great charitable cause. “It’s great to be a part of a fun sport. The stylists and myself are looking forward to donating our time to cutting hair and informing fans about Supercuts, ” said Ron Groves, a Supercuts Franchisee. “During the event our haircuts and spiking services are free, all we ask is for a small donation and all proceeds go to Speedway Children’s Charities. Stop by our booth and we will give you a free gift and an invitation to get a free haircut at one of our San Francisco Bay Area or Sacramento area stores.” The marks Supercuts’ fourth year of providing this great service “” you can also catch the team at this year’s Dodge/Save Mart 350 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup weekend, June 24-26, and the FRAM Autolite NHRA Nationals, presented by Supercuts, July 29-31. Supercuts raised more than $3,000 for the charity last year alone. While at the booth, also be sure to sign-up for the chance to win a 2005 Kawasaki Ninja. The motorcycle will be given away on Sunday, July 31, of the FRAM Autolite NHRA Nationals weekend.

Yamaha Motor Italia riders Noriyuki Haga and Andrew Pitt today completed two days of testing at the high-speed Monza circuit in preparation for the upcoming round of the Superbike World Championship at the historic Italian venue. In a busy test the team concentrated almost exclusively on chassis development of their YZF-R1s, evaluating a new specification swingarm, several rear linkages and trying out many new suspension parts over the two days. The Yamaha riders, at the test with their rivals from Ducati and Suzuki, also tested a number of development tyres from championship supplier Pirelli. With the test focusing on chassis development, the team also used the outing as a chance to carry out durability tests on the R1 engines. Running the engines from last weekend’s Valencia races, the motors in both machines ended the test having clocked up over 2000 kilometres of running without failure. “It has been a very good test,” commented team coordinator Massimo Meregalli. “We have been able to test many things and both Andrew and Noriyuki are very tired due to all the work they put in. Both riders are happy with the set-up and that will help us for the race here. Andrew has found a good combination with the front brake (and suspension) that he will use here in the race and Noriyuki tried out a new Yamaha kit swingarm which he tells us improves rear tyre life. This is something else we will look to use in the race. We were also pleased with the results of the engine endurance tests. Monza is a hard track on engines but still had good performance and suffered no failures despite the high kilometres.” Round four of the Superbike World Championship takes place at Monza on the weekend of 6-8 May.

Long-time racer, race tuner and race official Jim Tribou has died at the age of 46. According to his wife, Diane, Jim Tribou had been suffering seizures and had been flown from his home in Petersburg, Virginia to local hospitals twice in March for aneurysms. On March 27, Easter Sunday, Tribou left his home driving his truck and never returned. A “Missing Person” report was issued by police, who found Jim Tribou dead in his truck (which had run off the road and was hidden by trees) April 21. According to the medical examiner’s report, Tribou died instantly from another brain aneurysm. Tribou, originally from Syracuse, New York, started racing off-road motorcycles in 1976, before switching to road racing in 1978. As a racer, Tribou won several National Championships with Team Genesis, Team KAO and Virginia Breeze, according to his wife, and won several more Championships as a tuner for several teams, including Virginia Breeze’s Glenn Szarek. Most recently, Tribou served as a race starter for CCS and as National Chief Technical Inspector for WERA. In between races, Tribou worked as a motorcycle technician. Tribou is survived by his wife Diane, his son Tom, his daughter Jennifer, stepson Jonathan Parkes (who is a novice road racer) and his stepdaughter Niki Parkes. A memorial service has been scheduled for Tuesday, May 3 at 2:00 p.m. at Morrissette Funeral Home, 6500 Iron Bridge Road, Richmond, VA 23234 (804) 275-7828. In lieu of flowers, Diane Tribou has asked that contributions be made to the TSR Injured Riders Fund at 120 Kale Ave., Sterling, VA, 20164. Paypal donations are also accepted via [email protected]