DUCATI MARLBORO MEN RESTED, RELAXED AND RARING TO RACE. Ducati Marlboro Team riders Loris Capirossi and Carlos Checa commence the second half of their 2005 season at Brno on August 28, rested and reinvigorated after MotoGP’s traditional midseason break. The pair took different routes to relaxation during their time off, Capirossi boating around Monaco, Checa trekking in the Pyrenees, but both men are now raring to tackle the final seven races of the year. “We go to Brno in positive mood,” says Ducati MotoGP project manager Livio Suppo. “Bridgestone made a big step forward at the Sachsenring, their new tyres worked really, really well and our riders showed they could go very fast. Carlos’ pace was unbelievable and was second fastest in morning warm-up, just ahead of Loris, so we were confident of a good race. But it didn’t turn out like that. Carlos fell and Loris, who actually recorded the fastest lap of the race, finished ninth. However, our motto is always ‘never give up’, so we go to Brno working hard to turn our speed into results and to get the best possible start to the second part of the season. Brno has been good to us in the past and we hope that we’ll have a good weekend there this time.” Ducati Marlboro Team technical director Corrado Cecchinelli knows what is required at the Czech venue, which has been hosting GPs since 1987. “Brno is a flowing racetrack that seems to suit our machine,” he says. “You need good horsepower for all the straights, real confidence in the front end for the downhill corner entries and a very manoeuvrable chassis for all the esses sections.” CONSISTENT CAPIROSSI WORKING TO GET BACK UP FRONT Ducati Marlboro Team man Loris Capirossi returns to racing at Brno holding eighth place in the MotoGP World Championship standings. One of only three riders to have scored points at all ten rounds so far, the Italian is aiming to maintain his consistency during the remaining seven races, while also getting closer to the front. Capirossi has scored one podium so far this season – when he took a brilliant third-place finish at June’s Italian GP – and he wants more top-three results before the end of the year. “Everyone in the team, at the factory and at Bridgestone is working very hard to give me what I need to get back up front,” says Capirossi. “Bridgestone brought some good tyres to Germany, they seem to have taken a good step forward, so we hope we can continue that progress at Brno, especially since they’ve had a month to work at developing more new tyres. I always look forward to Brno. These days we race at many quite short circuits, so it’s always special to race at fast, open tracks like Brno, Mugello, Phillip Island and Barcelona. I enjoy these circuits the most and our bike also works well at Brno. I’ve had a good few weeks off – just going out on my boat around Monaco and doing very little else – so I am ready to race again!” CHECA WANTS TO TURN SPEED INTO RESULTS Carlos Checa was right on the pace during last month’s German Grand Prix, running with the leading group until he slid off without harm. Now the Ducati Marlboro Team rider wants to turn that impressive speed into an impressive result at Brno. The hard-charging Spaniard’s results from the first half of the season – including a best of three fifth-place finishes in Portugal, Italy and Britain – don’t do justice to the pace he has shown at many races. Hopefully the second half of the season will be kinder to him. “I get on well with the Ducati, I know I can go very fast on this bike, but so far things haven’t turned out my way,” says Checa. “Hopefully my luck will change after the break. I like Brno and I know the Ducati is quite quick there. We have good horsepower and you need a lot of power at Brno, especially for the long uphill run to the final esses section. Brno is definitely one of the best circuits for MotoGP – it’s got a lot of fairly fast turns, some long straights and it’s very up and down, so it’s a real challenge to get the chassis set-up just right.” THE TRACK Brno is a masterpiece of a motorcycle racing circuit. Constructed in the mid-eighties it eschews the modern fashion of tight turns and hairpins for a mighty mix of fast sweepers and undulating corners that test rider talent and machine performance to the limit. Most riders love the place because it’s challenging and also because it’s pretty fast. But Brno’s most significant characteristic is its constant changes of elevation – the circuit weaves its way across forested hillsides outside the Czech Republic’s second city – which means that many of the turns are steeply cambered. Dealing with negative-camber corners requires a perfectly set-up machine, deft riding skills and especially crucial input from tyre engineers. Horsepower is also a major consideration at Brno because this is one racetrack where MotoGP bikes, usually caged in by slower venues, really get moving. Lap record: Alex Barros (Honda), 1:59.302, 163.038kmh/101.307mph (2004) 2004 pole position: Sete Gibernau (Honda), 2:09. 782, (149.873kmh/93.127mph) DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM RIDER DATA LOGS LORIS CAPIROSSI Age: 32 (born April 4, 1973) Lives: Monaco Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP5 GP victories: 23 (1xMotoGP, 2×500, 12×250, 8×125) First GP victory: Britain, 1990 (125) First GP: Japan, 1990 (125) GP starts: 226 (56xMotoGP, 59×500, 84×250, 27×125) Pole positions: 36 (3xMotoGP, 5×500, 23×250, 5×125) First pole: Australia, 1991 (125) World Championships: 3 (125: 1990, 1991, 250: 1998) Brno 2004 results: Grid: 9th. Race: 5th CARLOS CHECA Age: 32 (born October 15, 1972) Lives: London, England Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP5 GP victories: 2 (500) First GP victory: Catalunya, 1996 (500) First GP: Europe, 1993 (125) GP starts: 178 (58xMotoGP, 92×500, 27×250, 1×125) Pole positions: 3 (2xMotoGP, 1×500) First pole: Spain, 1998 (500) Brno 2004 results: Grid: 6th. Race: 6th

Motorcyclists love nothing more than getting together to ride for a cause, and what better cause than riding in support of young brain tumor survivors? That’s what hundreds of motorcyclists in New England and Utah did on Sunday, Aug. 21, at Ride for Kids® events in North Oxford, Mass., and Salt Lake City. Together, the participants raised more than $80,000 for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation’s medical research and family support programs. New England, celebrating its eighth annual event, attracted more than 275 motorcyclists, fundraisers, volunteers, and patient families. Thunder and lightning provided a dramatic start to the event at the Wal-Mart in N. Oxford, but as the police-escorted ride went through the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains, the skies cleared. Once they disembarked at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, the riders were treated to a moving Celebration of Life program that featured a very special Ride for Kids® “star,” 5-year-old brain tumor survivor Ryen. Last year Ryen attended the ride in his wheelchair, but this year he arrived in his motorized motorcycle. His dad, Ralph, held his son and told the crowd that in the past year, Ryen’s tumors have stabilized and improved. As tears ran down Ralph’s face, Ryen wiped them away with his shirt. Dr. Nicole Ullrich, a pediatric neuro-oncologist with the Brain Tumor Program at Children’s Hospital Boston, joined Ryen and his dad on stage. “Because of all of you here and all others around the country, we have been able to develop new brain tumor protocols and therapies to help children everywhere stricken with brain tumors,” she told the crowd. “We’re also developing programs to help children to be able to continue their education.” The total raised at the New England event was $61,219. Top individual fundraiser honors went to Dave Odess and Perry Robertson, who raised $6,040. The top club, GWRRA RI Chapter B, raised $20,011, while the customers of Venco Wings of Loudon, N.H., made it the top motorcycle business with $9,060 in donations. Dave Odess was the winner of a brand-new Honda motorcycle. Heartfelt appreciation went to New England’s task force leaders, Wayne and Shirley Anderson and Dave Odess””and their hardworking volunteers for putting together such a wonderful ride. Over in Salt Lake City, 280 participants gathered at Skyline High School under glorious blue skies for the area’s first Ride for Kids® event. In the shadow of the spectacular Wasatch Mountains, the 50-mile police-escorted ride featured breathtaking views of East Canyon Reservoir. The ride ended at Morgan City Park in Morgan, and was capped off by a touching Celebration of Life program. Four young brain tumor survivors were in attendance, including 19-year-old Lindsey, a PBTF scholarship recipient who is studying broadcast journalism at Brigham Young University. “Lindsey is a walking miracle, thanks to the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation,” said her father, Todd. The medical community was represented by Leah Malone, a pediatric oncology social worker with Primary Children’s Medical Center in Salt Lake City. The Salt Lake City event raised a total of $19,500. Top individual fundraiser honors went to Walter and Donna Young of Elko, Nev., who raised $5,013. The top club was Riders of the Spirit (CMA) of Salt Lake City, whose members brought $7,224. The customers of Kruzers of Elko, Nev., raised $7,264 to make it the top motorcycle business. Spero Politus of Salt Lake City won the grand prize, a brand-new Honda motorcycle. Special thanks went to task force leaders Ron and Sheila Mazurek and Chuck Packard, along with their dedicated volunteers, for organizing the first-year event. Proceeds of the events fund the medical research and family support programs of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. Since 1984, the national Ride for Kids® program and PBTF have supported childhood brain tumor research and family support programs. Programs include free literature about brain tumors, the Helping Hand and Caring Hand national newsletters, the Informed Parent Internet Conference series and college scholarships for young brain tumor survivors. Thanks to the thousands of caring and generous motorcyclists and motorcycle dealers who have supported the program since its inception, PBTF has become the world’s largest non-governmental source of funding for pediatric brain tumor research. The next Ride for Kids® events are on Sunday, Aug. 28 in Asheville, N.C., and Ann Arbor, Mich. For more information about the Ride for Kids® and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, please visit rideforkids.org or pbtfus.org, or call (800) 253-6530.

Team Velocity Racing Takes WERA Endurance Points Lead with Overall Win at Talladega OXFORD, Ala. Team Velocity Racing moved into the WERA National Endurance Series points lead with their third overall win of the season during the four-hour race at Talladega Gran Prix Raceway on Saturday, August 20. Chuck Ivey, Reuben Frankenfield and Mark Crozier also took the Heavyweight Superstock class victory on the Team Velocity Racing Yamaha YZF-R1. It is the team’s seventh class win in eight rounds. Crozier started the race in 109-degree temperatures. He was putting pressure on the race leader when a red flag came out just 15 minutes after the green flag. On the restart, Crozier held down second for a few laps before making the pass for the race lead. Ivey rode the second stint, reentering the race in third. He was back in the lead ten minutes later, although he had to battle tire issues on the hot track. Frankenfield got on the Yamaha shortly after the halfway mark, and he had to work his way from fourth back up to first. At the end of the third hour, Frankenfield had given Team Velocity Racing a 15-second lead. “I had new tires on, so I knew I could go pretty fast. I got about a half an hour in before I started getting some slides. I got some splits from the crew and knew that we were where we needed to be,” said Frankenfield. With 45 minutes to go, Frankenfield pitted and Crozier went out for the final stint. He still had a narrow lead, but he extended the team’s margin of victory to a lap by the time the checkered flag came out. “I tried to gap them as much as I could at the beginning and then maintain,” said Crozier. “I think they got within six seconds of me when I went back out on track. It’s been a really good year. The team always puts 110 percent into this, and that’s what I’m here to do, too.” The win extends Team Velocity Racing’s lead in the Heavyweight Superstock championship, and it puts them into the overall championship lead for the first time in their career. They have a 38.815-point advantage with three rounds left in the season. “It’s really gratifying to take the overall points lead, and to know that we have a team that can pull together and not make mistakes,” commented Ivey. “In any sport, whoever makes the least mistakes ends up on top, ideally. Our goal at the start of the season was to not make mistakes, and I’m really proud at how everybody’s come together.” Fans can keep up with Team Velocity Racing online at www.TeamVelocityRacing.com.

Team SUZUKI MotoGP at full strength for Brno Team SUZUKI MotoGP will field a three-man team for the first time this season with Kenny Roberts Jr and the fully recovered John Hopkins being joined by Nobuatsu Aoki at this weekend’s Gauloises Grand Prix Ceske Republiky. Hopkins is now back to full fitness following an operation to plate his broken left foot that he received at the last MotoGP in Sachsenring. The hard-charging Anglo-American enjoys racing at the 5,403m Brno circuit. He showed that his riding style and the Suzuki GSV-R are suited to the twisty and flowing track by setting the fastest times in the only two dry free practice sessions at last year’s event. Aoki is the Team SUZUKI MotoGP test rider and has been racing in Grand Prix’s since 1990. Suzuki has entered the talented Japanese racer to assist with the on-going development of the GSV-R throughout a race weekend. He will then continue his Bridgestone testing programme with two further days at Brno after the race. Sunday’s race is round 11 on the MotoGP calendar and all three Suzuki riders will be lining up for the start of the race at 14.00CET. Paul Denning Team Manager: “It’s great to be getting back into action again after the mid-season break, although it couldn’t have come at a better time for us as it enabled John to make a complete recovery from the injuries he received from his two crashes in Germany. He is now back to full fitness and I’m sure he will be going all out at Brno to get the results that his performances this year have deserved. “We are looking forward to Suzuki running a three-man team this weekend and I know that Nobu will work hard as always. Race weekend experience and information is generally more relevant than pure testing and we hope that Nobu can show a good pace. “All three riders will continue with further testing of the GSV-R next week as we make further steps forward with the bike and learn the clear direction needed to take a leap forward in competitiveness in 2006.”

Fergusson continues affinity with Winton Adam Fergusson (Joe Rocket Honda) continued his love affair with the Winton circuit in north-east Victoria after a superb performance in round five of the YMF Loan Australian Superbike Championship from August 19-21. In a day where intermittent showers played havoc with tyre choice, 30-year-old Fergusson made all the right moves, claiming overall honours in both the Supersport and Superbike classes on his rapid-fire CBR Hondas for the second year in succession. Fergusson’s latest bout of belligerence has also served to tighten up the overall standings in both classes, with the Victorian now only 3pts behind teammate Josh Brookes in Supersport, and nine in arrears of the same rider in Superbike with Shawn Giles (Team Suzuki GSX-R1000) sandwiched in between. Fergusson (CBR1000RR), who started from pole position in Superbikes, finished first and second in the two races, and was the only rider to stand on the podium both times although Brookes and Daniel Stauffer (Yamaha Racing Team YZF-R1) came close. The opening race saw Fergusson score the holeshot from Shannon Johnson (Yamaha Racing Team YZF-R1) and Anthony Gobert (Redwing Honda CBR1000RR), although Daniel Stauffer, returning to action after an injury layoff, was into third place by the end of lap one. That set a pattern for the next eight laps, with Johnson and Daniel Stauffer stalking Fergusson the whole time, but unable to find a way past the defending champion. However, that didn’t preclude Stauffer making a move on his own teammate, when he successfully passed under brakes on lap nine. Meanwhile, gun privateer Robbie Bugden (Northstar Yamaha YZF-R1) and Brookes were both fighting back after listless starts, with the latter moving into fourth on lap 11 of 17 just as another rain squall kicked in. After a number of ‘hints’ from Fergusson, the race was eventually red-flagged during lap 14, with results taken at the end of the previous lap which was fortuitous for Daniel Stauffer, who had run off the circuit by that time. Gobert, who had dominated the wet practice sessions on Friday, held on for sixth place, over five seconds ahead of Giles. Glenn Allerton (Team Suzuki GSX-R1000), Scott Charlton (Active Electrical/BTX Motorcycles GSX-R1000) and Jamie Stauffer (Kawasaki Racing Team ZX-10RR) rounded out the top 10. The victory was Fergusson’s fourth successive Superbike triumph at Winton, and his third in 2005, which placed him on equal terms with Brookes and Giles. Race two was a superb exhibition, and saw 24-year-old Budgen fend off Fergusson for 11 laps straight to score his maiden Superbike win. “I knew we had all the right ingredients, and it was just a matter of time,” said Bugden. “This afternoon, it all came together, but it was the longest 17 laps of my life. I just pushed and pushed, and managed to come home I’m over the moon.” When asked what the future may now hold, Budgen said: “I’d ride a factory donkey at this stage of if I could! I’ve now won the privateers’ cup a few times and I’m now after a new challenge. If that comes, great, great, or there may be some potential overseas.” In one of the more bizarre post-race ‘celebrations’, seconds after Fergusson and Bugden crossed the finish line, they both crashed unhurt at Turn One. Fergusson kickstarted the shenanigans, with Budgen seemingly following suit. “That was plain stupid. I came across the line and gave Robbie the thumbs up and grab the front brake and then the front wheel locked up,” said Fergusson. “I then thought ‘I’m going straight on here’. It’s the old case scenario you don’t ride on wet grass with slicks. The thing doesn’t want to go straight, let lone turn, and it sort of dumped me on my head. At least I did it after the finish! “I’m happy to come away with a round win, and close the championship up that’s what it’s all about. “I came here 17pts behind Josh in Supersport, and now I’m only three behind him, and we are a hell of a lot closer to Giles in Superbike.” Johnson held third place for the majority of race two, but the intermediate front tyre he gambled with didn’t last the distance, and he ran off the track on lap 14. That allowed Brookes to move into the final podium position, ahead of Daniel Stauffer, Jamie Stauffer, Russell Holland (Pirelli Tyres CBR1000RR), Judd Greedy (Rocket Racing CBR1000RR), Giles and Deon Coote (Valentino Bread Makers CBR1000RR). With two rounds now remaining (a maximum of 102pts), there’s a logjam building up at the sharp end of the field, with Brookes now back in the lead for the first time since round two. He’s on 200pts, ahead of Giles (197), Fergusson (191) and Jamie Stauffer (165). Bugden (144pts) made up two spots at Winton, and may have a big say in who ultimately wins the title. In Supersport, Brookes (CBR600RR), who finished sixth in the torturous Suzuka 8 Hours in early August, claimed his third successive pole position. The 22-year-old unleashed a 1:25.776 in the second qualifying session, and was joined on the front row by Fergusson (CBR600RR, 1:26.963), Mark Aitchison (Fraser Motorcycles Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:26.023) and Albury’s Chris Seaton (Kawasaki ZX-6RR, 1:26.319). However, the qualifying paradigm meant very little in the damp race day conditions, as a number of privateers came to the fore just as some of the factory-backed clientele wallowed. One of those wasn’t Fergusson, who strolled to a strong 6.258sec win over Brookes in the opening 17-lapper, while last year’s 125 GP champion Bryan Staring (Allect Racing CBR600RR) proved adept in the wet to comfortably take out race two. Undoubtedly, the trickier conditions were reserved for the opening Supersport race, with a number of tyre combinations in use. It was a race of halves – those riders with wet tyres prospered in the early laps, before slowly wilting as the track dried out. For others, the opposite came into play, which was why the battle for third place in race one was such a thriller. It eventually fell in favour of the fast-finishing Jordan Coote (Valter Moto/GYTR YZF-R6), who passed dual Australia dirt track champion, Seaton, on the final lap after being nearly 15 seconds behind him at one stage! B-grader Gareth Jones (TeamMoto Gold Coast YZF-R6) was fifth, from Mark Stanley (Lismore Motorcycles YZF-R6), Staring and Zac Davies (Australian Security Concepts YZF-R6). Among those to struggle included Brendan Clarke (Pro Yamaha YZF-R6) in 10th and Jason O’Halloran (Rocket Racing CBR600RR) in 14th, while Aitchison and Josh Waters (Kawasaki Racing Team ZX-6RR) didn’t last the distance. With full wets the tyre of choice in race two, Fergusson (laps 1-3 and 8-10) and Stanley (4-7) both took turns in the lead, but Staring was the real master, taking control on lap 11 until the chequered flag. “Unbelievable. I just figured that Krusty (Fergusson) would stay right behind me all the way,” said Staring, who became the fourth different Supersport winner in 2005. “Then on the last lap I looked around and had all this room. “After I crashed last weekend, I didn’t think this weekend was going to be too special, but it’s turned out great.” With no rear grip left, Fergusson fell back to fourth in race two, behind Aitchison, while Davies, Seaton, Clarke, Jones, Waters and Coote filled positions 5-10. Brookes was a distant 14th in that one, but still remains the championship leader by 3pts (225 to 222) over Fergusson. Staring is now equal third with Aitchison on 170pts, ahead of Waters (153). For more information on the 2005 YMF Loan Australian Superbike Championship, including full results and standings across all classes, visit www.aus-superbikes.com.au.

GAULOISES YAMAHA TITLE CHALLENGE RESUMES AT BRNO The MotoGP World Championship challenge continues for Yamaha next weekend after a four-week summer break, as the series heads to the Brno circuit in the Czech Republic for the 11th Grand Prix of the year. The Gauloises Yamaha Team will travel to the legendary venue, located just over 200 kilometres south-east of the capital city of Prague, with their batteries fully recharged and confidence at a premium after a stunning first half of the season, which concluded with Valentino Rossi’s eighth victory from ten races at the Sachsenring circuit at the end of July. The Italian now needs just two more victories from the remaining seven rounds to guarantee the title for the fifth successive season. With his 76th career success in Germany, Rossi also broke into the top three Grand Prix winners of all-time, having already smashed his way through a succession of records over the previous four months of racing. In the opening round at Jerez in April he became the first rider to win the first race of the season for five consecutive years since Giacomo Agostini, whilst his win at the Dutch TT made him the first Yamaha rider in history to take five consecutive victories in the premier-class. Rossi’s current championship lead of 120 points is the largest advantage ever held by a rider after ten races of a season in any Grand Prix class and he is targeting a similarly successful finish to the campaign, as he looks to beat his own record of eleven wins in a season. Rossi’s win at Sachsenring was also Yamaha’s 139th in the premier-class, bringing the Japanese manufacturer to joint second in the all-time winners list. In the year of its 50th anniversary, Yamaha has established itself as a dominant force in elite road racing, leading the 2005 manufacturers’ standings with a 38-point advantage and with the Gauloises Yamaha on top of the teams’ standings by 119 points. The improved performance of the 2005 version YZR-M1 machine has seen Rossi’s Gauloises Yamaha Team colleague Colin Edwards take a starring role in his first season with the team. After finding his feet with the machine over the opening stages of the season, the American has been the form rider behind Rossi for the last four races, propelling his way up the rider standings to within striking distance of second place in the championship. Edwards currently lies fourth overall after following up three consecutive top-four finishes with eighth place at the Sachsenring, but he is only two points short of Rossi’s closest current challenger, Marco Melandri (Honda). The team plans to stay at Brno for two days of tests after Sunday’s Czech Grand Prix as they prepare to tackle a run of five ‘flyaway’ races in Japan, Malaysia, Qatar, Australia and Turkey, before returning to Europe for the final round of the season at Valencia in Spain on the 6th November. VALENTINO ROSSI: RECORD BREAKER As well as matching Mike Hailwood’s total of 76 Grand Prix victories, a figure bettered only by the legendary Giacomo Agostini and Angel Nieto, Valentino Rossi needs just one more win to equal his total of nine from last season already a premier class record for a Yamaha rider. The Italian has also equalled Agostini’s record of scoring eight premier-class victories in a season on five separate occasions and one more will set a new record as the first rider to score nine wins in a season on five occasions. “Records are not the most important thing but I am very happy to have the same number of victories as ‘Mike the Bike’,” says Rossi, who recently extended his deal with Yamaha until the end of the 2006 MotoGP World Championship. “I never saw him race but they tell me he was one of the best, maybe the best ever. I am now on the podium of all-time winners and this is a big pleasure for me.” Rossi scored his very first win in Grand Prix racing at Brno in 1996 in the 125cc class, after starting from pole for the first time in his career. Since then a further three of his 76 victories have come at Brno, including the MotoGP race in 2001 and 2003, and it is a result he would like to repeat as he looks to make up from the disappointment of losing there last season. “This break was very important because the first half of the season has been very tough and everybody needed to rest! I have been winning races but every one has been a big battle, almost always with a different rival. Each of the remaining seven races of this season will be another challenge, but I want to try to beat my record of eleven wins in a season. “Brno is definitely not my favourite circuit but I have had good races there in the past, especially two years ago. It is a high-speed track, but it still has many turns, as well as some up and downhill sections and a lot of adverse camber. Last year the Yamaha was not bad there, but I lost a little bit too much time under acceleration at the beginning and then also under braking towards the end and in the end it was impossible to beat Gibernau. This year our bike is much better, so I hope it will be a different result!” COLIN EDWARDS: CONSISTENCY THE KEY Colin Edwards returns to Europe from a family break in his native Texas with his sights firmly set on a return to his best form at Brno. Of the riders chasing second place in the championship, Edwards has been the most consistent contender, scoring points in every round this season. A continuation of this high level of performance, coupled with the flashes of race-winning potential he has shown on the Yamaha M1 at recent races, promise an exciting end to the season for the former World Superbike Champion. “It’s been nice to have a break I’ve spent some time on a fishing trip with my wife’s family and some friends in the Gulf of Mexico and generally just enjoyed being at home for a while,” said Edwards. “But there’s no doubt I’m looking forward to going racing again. I had a disappointing weekend in Germany at the last round and it’s been hard to forget that, so it’ll be nice to have the chance to get back to the form we had shown in previous weeks. “I like Brno, Motegi, Sepang, Qatar”¦ pretty much all the tracks that are coming up, so I’m excited about what the next few races will bring. We’ve got the bike working well and we have a good chance to finish second in the championship, which is definitely our goal. Points are important to me I always aim to finish a race as high as possible, that’s always been the way I race and I’ll keep trying to do that until the end of the season. At the same time it would be great to win a race”¦so I’m going to try for both!” DAVIDE BRIVIO: A WELL-EARNED BREAK Gauloises Yamaha Team Director Davide Brivio is looking forward to bringing his staff back together at Brno after a the summer break, with the team having returned to their respective bases across Europe, Australia and Japan to rest and recuperate from an intense first half of the season. Brivio praised his team for their efforts over the last ten races and knows that they will now return to work fully focused on the remaining races, in order to put the seal on what he hopes will prove to be one of the factory’s most successful ever seasons of Grand Prix racing. “It was good to have a break and to recharge the batteries for the end of the year,” says Brivio. “The season so far has been very positive because Valentino has scored eight wins and is leading the championship by a very big advantage of 120 points. Colin has three podiums and he is right in the middle of the battle for second position in the championship so it was definitely a well-earned break for the everyone, but now we have to keep this trend going until the end of the season. “We still have seven races to go and the next few rounds in particular will be very important for us. We won at some of the remaining tracks with Valentino last year so we will be trying to repeat those victories and also Valentino himself will be determined to win at the circuits where he didn’t manage to last season.” BLAST FROM THE PAST: CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF YAMAHA GLORY Whilst the current Brno circuit has hosted almost two decades of memorable races since opening its gates to the World Championship in 1987, tales of local legend more often refer to the historic encounters on the old road circuit, which still winds its way through the forests and local villages surrounding the modern venue. The track was removed from the calendar for safety reasons in 1977, when 21-year-old Venezuelan Johnny Cecotto wrote the final chapter of its colourful history with Yamaha’s first victory there in twelve years of Grand Prix racing. “The thing I most remember about the race is that my fuel cap came open on the starting grid and I had to close it myself before push-starting”, recalls Cecotto, who had lapped an incredible four seconds quicker than his nearest challenger, Pat Hennen, in qualifying. “It meant that I got a really bad start and I had to fight my way back from last place. Brno was very fast and very long and to be honest I preferred tracks like Daytona, Imola or Paul Ricard, but for some reason I just flew around that circuit. One minute you were surrounded by trees and the next by small houses there were some amazing corners with steep drops and it was always a lot of fun to race there.” Cecotto’s pole position, lap record and race victory, by a massive 25 seconds over Yamaha colleague Giacomo Agostini, was made even more remarkable by the fact that he had already completed an identical clean sweep in the 350cc event that morning. It also came just seven days after his debut 500 win at Imatra, despite having missed the majority of the season with a broken left arm, sustained in the second round at Salzburgring. Those two victories, coupled with a second place at Anderstorp, saw him end the season in fourth place and still leave his army of fans pondering over what might have been. “To win on the 500 was very special because it was always the premier class, but in those days it was actually tougher in 350cc there was a much bigger battle,” reflects Cecotto, who had already become the youngest ever World Champion when he won the title in the smaller category for Yamaha two years previously. “In 500 there were some fast riders but it wasn’t as hard to win and I think I would have had a big chance to win the title in 1977 if I hadn’t crashed at Salzburgring. It’s a shame because it could have been a great year for me, but nevertheless I have fond memories of my victory at Brno.” TECHNICALLY SPEAKING Few circuit locations are as historic as that of Brno. The current circuit is encircled by the tendrils of the various ‘real’ road layouts that made up the Czech Grand Prix venues of yesteryear. Used for a Grand Prix for the final time in 1977, the old track was replaced in 1987 by what is basically the current incarnation, subtly altered in 1996 to measure 5.403km in length. The Brno circuit no longer boasts cobblestone sections, but as contemporary MotoGP circuits go, it is one of the best and most atmospheric, winding its way first down a hillside, dropping 73 metres from the highest point, before providing a power-sapping climb back up to the start/finish line. Brno has been a good circuit for Yamaha riders in the past and priority number one will be to dial the YZR-M1 in for the seemingly never-ending succession of fast chicanes, interspersed with similar radius medium speed corners. Ultra-slow chicanes and their need for heavy braking loads are conspicuously absent at Brno. However there is still a heavier use of front tyre side grip than usual, due to all the downhill corner entries, with the bike on its side while negotiating negative cambers many times per lap. One of the less technically demanding tracks on the calendar, the one crucial feature of the chassis set-up at the Czech venue is to have a good turn-in performance to make light work of the propensity of relatively high speed chicanes. Falling within the traditional Italian August holiday period, local support from the Czech Republic, Austria and Germany is generally boosted in Brno by the legion of travelling Rossi, Melandri, Biaggi and Capirossi fans that colour the hillsides. Invariably, the most numerous and raucous will be those in the blue and yellow of Valentino Rossi. VALENTINO ROSSI: INFORMATION Age: 26 Lives: London, UK Bike: Gauloises Yamaha Team YZR-M1 GP victories: 76 (37 X MotoGP, 13 X 500cc, 14 X 250cc, 12 X 125cc) First GP victory: Czech Republic, 1996 (125cc) First GP: Malaysia, 1996 (125cc) GP starts: 150 (58 x MotoGP, 32 x 500cc, 30 x 250cc, 30 x 125cc) Pole positions: 40 World Championships 6 Grand Prix (1 x 125cc, 1 x 250cc, 1 x 500cc, 3 x MotoGP) Brno 2004 Results (Yamaha): Grid 3rd, Race 2nd COLIN EDWARDS: INFORMATION Age: 31 Lives: Conroe, Texas Bike: Gauloises Yamaha Team YZR-M1 First GP: Japan, 2003 (MotoGP) GP starts: 42 (MotoGP) World Championships – 2 World Superbike Brno 2004 Results (Honda): Grid 5th, Race 7th Brno MotoGP lap record: Alex Barros (Honda), 1’59.302 2004 Circuit best lap: Valentino Rossi (Honda) 1’58.769 2003

Robert Jensen and Mike Smith gave the Michelin WERA National Challenge Series a show at Talladega Gran Prix Raceway, in Talladega, Alabama, Sunday, each earning two wins in the ten-lap sprint races. Kneedraggers.com’s Jensen got the day off to a start by winning Open Superstock. Starting on row three, Jensen took the lead from the green flag on a borrowed Suzuki GSX-R1000. Smith gave him a fight and even took the lead once, but Jensen was able to hang on for the win. Smith finished second on his Suzuki GSX-R750. Jensen’s next win was on his Yamaha YZF-R6. He took the 600cc Superstock lead from the start and was able to put some distance between himself and Smith, who again came in second, this time on his Suzuki GSX-R600. The race ended two laps short, when a crash brought out the red flag. Smith got his first win in 750cc Superstock on his Suzuki GSX-R750. Smith got past Team Stargel’s Brian Stokes on lap four and kept the lead until the checkered flag. Stokes finished second on his Suzuki GSX-R750. Jensen, who was on a Yamaha YZF-R6, managed to finish third in spite of his displacement disadvantage. Smith also won Formula One, again on his Suzuki GSX-R750. He took the lead from Jensen on the first lap, leaving Jensen to hold off a charging Stokes. Jensen was able to hold onto the second spot on his Suzuki GSX-R1000. Josh Herrin took off at the start of 600cc Superbike on his Team Herrin Yamaha YZF-R6 and won by over 13 seconds. Josh Smith-Moore, riding a Suzuki GSX-R600, held off Tim Vosnick for second. Keith Marshall got his second 750cc Superbike win of the season on his Suzuki GSX-R750, beating RacerSupply.com’s Ben Thompson, who rode a borrowed Suzuki GSX-R750. Marshall won by 4.331 seconds. John Ulrich was in fourth at the start of Formula Two but rallied back to win on his Roadracingworld.com Yamaha TZ250. Ulrich battled with Chris Parrish, who rode a Suzuki SV650, for seven laps before finally taking the lead for good. Ross Ryals was running second in the Heavyweight Twins Superstock race on his Suzuki SV650 while Vesrah Suzuki’s Tray Batey led, but Ryals inherited the race lead, and win, when Batey crashed in turn four on lap two. Birdsong finished second on his Suzuki SV1000. Kris Wall also inherited a win, in Lightweight Twins. Brian Suffridge had a long lead when the motor on his Suzuki SV650 gave out, bringing out the red flag on lap seven. Suffridge was disqualified for causing the stoppage, and the win went to Wall, who had been running in second on his Suzuki SV650.

British Superbike Race Two Results From Silverstone: 1. Ryuichi KIYONARI (Honda), 16 laps, 23:15.938 2. Gregorio LAVILLA (Ducati), -1.490 seconds 3. Leon HASLAM (Ducati), -7.420 seconds 4. Michael RUTTER (Honda), -8.139 seconds 5. Glen RICHARDS (Kawasaki), -15.189 seconds 6. Dean THOMAS (Kawasaki), -15.342 seconds 7. Gary MASON (Honda), -16.070 seconds 8. James HAYDON (Suzuki), -17.949 seconds 9. Karl HARRIS (Honda), -17.968 seconds 10. Tommy HILL (Yamaha), -28.067 seconds 21. Sean EMMETT (Yamaha), -8 laps, DNF 22. Steve PLATER (Honda), -9 laps, DNF 26. John REYNOLDS (Suzuki), -14 laps, DNF British Superbike Championship Point Standings: 1. RUTTER, 316 points 2. KIYONARI, 290 points 3. LAVILLA, 286 points 4. HASLAM, 208 points 5. RICHARDS, 182 points 6. HARRIS, 145 points 7. THOMAS, 129 points 8. MASON, 116 points 9. Michael LAVERTY (Honda), 113 points 10. REYNOLDS, 84 points 11. EMMETT, 79 points 12. SMART, 76 points 13. HAYDON, 70 points 14. PLATER, 69 points 15. HILL, 51 points More, from a press release issued by Rizla Suzuki: Rizla Suzuki on the podium RIZLA SUZUKI’S John Reynolds took his second podium of the year with a third place finish at today’s sun-drenched ninth round of the British Superbike Championship at Silverstone in Northamptonshire. Starting from sixth on the grid, JR posted the third fastest lap of the opening race. Holding fourth with just a lap to go, he was boosted onto the podium when Honda’s Michael Rutter fell at the chicane. In race two he changed his front tyre to a harder compound and was in fifth place closing down the riders ahead of him when he crashed out at Priory unhurt and disappointed. Rizla Suzuki racer James Haydon took 10th and eighth place finishes as he struggled to find rear end grip with his GSX-R1000. Ducati’s Gregorio Lavilla took victory in the opening race and Honda’s Ryuichi Kiyonari triumphed in the second. Rizla Suzuki now travels to Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire for the 10th round of the British Superbike Championship next weekend, with a huge crowd expected at the circuit on race day, Bank Holiday Monday, August 29th. JR: “Changing my front tyre to a harder compound for the second race was certainly a move in the right direction. I had a good feeling with my Rizla Suzuki and after a lap or two really thought we could compete for the top honours. I had just passed a rider and was closing up on fourth quickly when I lost the front without any warning going into Priory. “My Rizla Suzuki felt pin sharp and planted in race two apart from when I crashed. Put that on top of a podium position in the opening race and I am leaving here in a positive frame of mind. I am frustrated but now very much looking forward to Cadwell Park and going for a good result there.” James: “All weekend I have struggled to find rear end grip with my Rizla Suzuki. On the fast sections my bike is mint but out of the slower corners I just couldn’t get the power down and was losing time. I will be spending time with my technicians to figure out how to progress before heading to Cadwell Park. “It’s been a hard weekend of racing with poor results and will do my best to make sure it doesn’t happen again.” Dave Marton, Team Technical Consultant: “Getting a podium with JR in race one was a brilliant result and well deserved but it doesn’t mask a weekend of frustration for us all. JR was much more competitive at the start of the second race and it’s a shame he crashed out. However, he is not hurt and he now has a setting on his bike that he is very happy with and that bodes well for Cadwell Park. “James battled for grip all weekend and we tried numerous combinations of suspension and chassis settings as well as tyre compounds to fix that for him with no real success. We have a good idea of what needs to be done and will be making some changes to his bike before he races again.” Race One Results: 1: Gregorio Lavilla (Ducati) 27:50.122, 2: Leon Haslam (Ducati) +3.160, 3: JOHN REYNOLDS (RIZLA SUZUKI) +10.104, 4: Karl Harris (Honda) +11.904, 5: Glen Richards (Kawasaki) +11.935, 6: Dean Thomas (Kawasaki) +12.079, 7: Gary Mason (Honda) +16.233, 8: Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) +18.792, 9: Tommy Hill (Yamaha) +20.570, 10: JAMES HAYDON (RIZLA SUZUKI) +23.524. Race Two Results: 1: Kiyonari 23:15.938, 2: Lavilla +1.490, 3: Haslam +7.420, 4: Michael Rutter (Honda) +8.139, 5: Richards +15.189, 6: Thomas +15.342, 7: Mason +16.070, 8: JAMES HAYDON (RIZLA SUZUKI) +17.949, 9: Harris +17.968, 10: Hill +28.067. Championship Positions after Round Nine: 1: Rutter 316, 2: Kiyonari 290, 3: Lavilla 286, 4: Haslam 208, 5: Richards 182, 6: Harris 145, 7: Thomas 129, 8: Mason 116, 9: Michael Laverty (Honda) 113, 10: JOHN REYNOLDS (RIZLA SUZUKI) 84, 13: JAMES HAYDON (RIZLA SUZUKI) 70.