AMA SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP UP FOR GRABS AGAIN AS SERIES MOVES TO VIR Bad luck for Mladin spells opportunity for teammate Spies PICKERINGTON, Ohio — The 2005 AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited has been a roller coaster ride for defending champion Mat Mladin. Twice this season the Australian racing sensation has built a large points lead only to see it evaporate when bad luck hit. A rare bike failure was the culprit that shaved Mladin’s points lead at California Speedway back on April 30, and most recently the Yoshimura Suzuki rider was caught up in an unavoidable crash in the last round in Lexington, Ohio, and just like that his commanding 37-point series lead has been reduced to nine. As the series moves to the scenic Virginia International Raceway in Alton, on Aug. 26-28, the AMA Superbike Championship chase will be in full stride with young Texan Ben Spies suddenly within reach of Mladin with just four rounds remaining. The race is being dubbed the Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals at VIR and will feature rounds 14 and 15 of the 17-race championship. One would think Mladin would be troubled by his sudden change of fortune but he took the Mid-Ohio incident in stride. At Mid-Ohio his Yoshimura Suzuki teammate Aaron Yates crashed right in front of Mladin leaving him nowhere to go and he ended up hitting the ground and damaging his bike. “I was seeing red right after the crash,” Mladin admitted. “But by the time the race was over I was pretty much over it. That’s part of racing and one of the reasons I work so hard to win as much as I can to create a points buffer. I’m not going to dwell on what’s happened in the past. I’m going to VIR with the intention of building my lead again.” Mladin won at VIR in 2003, and while he’ll be looking to score a sweep of the two rounds his young teammate Spies sees nothing but the opportunity of a lifetime to win the AMA Superbike title in his rookie season. He’ll be swinging for the fences at VIR. “I spent most of this season learning the ropes in Superbike racing,” said Spies, who already scored a victory in the series at California Speedway earlier this year. “A lot of my focus has been on learning to ride fast late in the race when the tires start to go off. I think I’ve done that pretty well and now it’s time for me to get some good starts and try to battle for the lead from the drop of the flag. I respect Mat a lot and don’t like to see him have bad luck, but that’s part of this game and I need to take advantage of the opportunities that come my way.” Ducati Austin’s Eric Bostrom has come to life late in the season and is the hottest rider in the series coming into VIR. Bostrom’s win over Mladin at the circuit in 2002 was one of the closest races in the history of the series. Bostrom, who is third in the standings, hopes to keep his momentum going this coming race. “Our crew has been steadily closing the gap on Mladin’s bike here late in the season and the results are starting to come,” Bostrom said. “It feels good to finally feel confidence in the bike and we’re looking to win at VIR.” Other past VIR Superbike winners expected to be on the grid this weekend include Honda riders Miguel Duhamel and Kurtis Roberts. Both riders struggled much of the season while their respective teams worked on developing in house Honda Superbikes. The hard work by American Honda and Erion Honda seems to be paying off. Duhamel scored his first podium of the season with a second at Mid-Ohio, while Roberts scored his first top-five result of the year. Both are eager to close out the final four races with strong performances to give them and their teams something to look forward to going into 2006. While nobody is counting out the veteran Mladin, the top six riders in the championship still have at least a mathematical shot at the title coming into VIR, including Aaron Yates and Britain’s talented Neil Hodgson. Hodgson, a former World Superbike Champ, is preparing for his first race appearance at VIR. Motorcycle racing fans from nearby North Carolina will have a hometown hero to root for at VIR. Lee Acree, from Greensboro, N.C., is ranked in the top 10 on his KWS/Millennium Suzuki. Acree shocked the AMA regulars in one of his first visits to the series when he won the VIR Superstock race (then called 750 Supersport) in 2001, just after the track re-opened after major renovations. He’ll be looking to turn in another solid performance at his home track. The Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals at VIR will be televised nationally on SPEED Channel with the AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m. Eastern, Sunday, Aug. 28. You can also follow the race via live timing and scoring on www.amasuperbike.com. For additional information on the race call (434) 822-7700 or visit www.virclub.com.

RIZLA SUZUKI has teamed up with Silverstone Circuit to put on an exciting weekend of events and activities at the ninth round of the British Superbike Championship at the Northamptonshire circuit this weekend 19th-21st August. Silverstone BSB promises to be one of the best races of the year and is described by Rizla Suzuki British Superbike Champion John Reynolds as: “A technically demanding circuit that takes real skill and courage to master. Fast straights combined with a turning and twisting infield section surrounded by grandstands of cheering fans make this one of my favourite tracks in the world.” JR was the fastest on race rubber at the circuit in a recent test and is looking to score a pair of wins at the 2.21-mile long circuit. His Rizla Suzuki team mate James Haydon was just behind him at the test and is also threatening to stand on the podium. If you are a Rizla Suzuki fan or Suzuki rider there are a host of brilliant attractions just for you, including: · The free Suzuki bike park. Preferential parking for all riders arriving on Suzukis, just follow the signs. · The Rizla Suzuki Grandstand at Priory. With seating for 1000 race fans, this free access grandstand is one of the best viewing areas at the circuit. · The Rizla Suzuki display area. Right beside the grandstand there are plenty of attractions for you to visit including: the Suzuki village with new Suzuki models on display, Suzuki race bikes, the Suzuki Owners Club, Shell Advance Oils, Mac Tools, Triboseat, Fast Bikes, Express Insurance and more. · Free entry Rizla Suzuki Prize Draw made by JR and James Haydon at 2:30pm on race day. Great prizes include: Free Fan Club Plus membership and evening meal with team worth £120, 2xVIP passes worth £600, a pillion ride with Niall Mackenzie at a future round plus 2xVIP passes worth £600, JR sliders, JH sliders, signed posters, a year’s supply of Rizla papers, signed team cap, signed team shirt, mini radios, Silverstone caps and pens. · Meet John Reynolds and James Haydon on race day. Hear their thoughts on the day’s action in special briefings and get autographs or your picture taken with them within the Rizla Suzuki display area. The riders will be meeting the public at approx 10:30am and 2:30pm. Superbike racing starts at 13:15 at the spectator friendly, technically demanding Northamptonshire circuit on Sunday, August 21st.

ZEMKE AND DUHAMEL BRING BATTLE FOR AMA FORMULA XTREME TITLE AT VIR It’s Yates and DiSalvo to the wire in AMA Superstock PICKERINGTON, Ohio — For the second year in a row the battle for the Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Series title is coming down to the last few races and at Virginia International Raceway on Aug. 26-28, Honda teammates Jake Zemke and Miguel Duhamel will write another chapter of their great 2005 season-long battle. While the Honda mates go toe-to-toe in Xtreme, it’s a battle between experience and youth in the Repsol Lubricants Superstock Series. There veteran Aaron Yates is trying to win back the championship he vacated in 1996 and young Jason DiSalvo is trying to chase down his older rival to score his first AMA title. Zemke and Duhamel have been trading wins all season long on their factory Hondas. Last year it was Duhamel taking the victory at VIR and going on to win the Formula Xtreme No. 1 plate. This year the tables have turned and it’s Zemke leading and Duhamel chasing. Zemke leads by 11 points with just two rounds remaining and is trying to reach the finish line and for the first time take home the top prize. Zemke has been agonizingly close to championships five times in his career and the former flat tracker isn’t breathing easy yet. “Anytime you have someone of Miguel’s stature chasing you for the championship it’s going to be tough,” said Zemke, who has been runner up in Formula Xtreme three times before. “Even though we’re teammates he’s not going to give me an inch and I’ll have to earn this championship one lap at a time.” Duhamel will go down in the record books as one of the best road racers in the history of AMA racing he already has seven AMA road racing titles to his name, but the 37-year-old Montreal native is not ready to rest on his laurels just yet. “Obviously the pressure is on,” Duhamel said. “For both of us it’s going to be tight, right down to the last lap. Jake has ridden really well this season, but I don’t want to go down without really making him earn it. VIR will not lack for excitement, that’s for sure.” While Zemke and Duhamel are focusing on the championship, a few other riders would like to break the Honda stranglehold on the series. The two most likely candidates to break the monopoly at VIR are Attack Kawasaki’s Ben Attard and Michael Barnes, of M4 EMGO Suzuki. Attard has scored two podium finishes in the series and seems to be coming into his own in recent rounds. Barnes joined his team as a mid-season replacement rider and the veteran has been impressive. Barnes would love to add a Formula Xtreme win trophy to his trophy case. Aaron Yates is heading up the Repsol Lubricants Superstock Series coming into VIR. The Yoshimura Suzuki rider has found a home in the series and a string of three consecutive wins has given the Georgian racing veteran a 14-point lead over Jason DiSalvo. If Yates makes it four in a row at VIR he would become the first to run up a streak like that in the series since Tom Kipp clicked off five straight in the former 750 Supersport Series in 1999. “It’s good to be on a winning streak,” Yates said. “but the championship is still too close for comfort. With just two races to go there’s not a lot of strategy left. I’m going out there to try to keep winning. That’s about it.” Former race winner Lee Acree will also be in the lineup for the VIR Superstock race. Acree’s win here in 2001 was one of the biggest upset wins in the history of the series. The AMA Lockhart Phillips USA formula Xtreme Series race will be televised nationally on SPEED Channel at 1 p.m. (Eastern), Tuesday, Aug. 30. You can also follow the race via live timing and scoring on www.amasuperbike.com. For additional information on the race call (434) 822-7700 or visit www.virclub.com.

Racer Kenny Kopecky married Dana Jorgensen Ertley August 6th in Poway, California.

PROPOSED 2006 FLAT TRACK AND ROAD RACE RULE CHANGES PICKERINGTON, Ohio (Aug. 18, 2005) — As announced earlier this month by AMA Pro Racing, proposed rule changes for the 2006 AMA Superbike Championship Presented by Parts Unlimited and AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship are currently open for public comment. Licensed riders and credential holders may comment on proposed rule changes during a 30-day period which will end Monday, Aug. 29 for the proposed Flat Track changes, and Saturday, Sept. 3 for Road Race. Credential holders with RIDERS ONLY password access may also comment via AMA Pro Racing’s RIDERS ONLY website at www.amaproracing.com/ridersonly. Proposed rule changes for the 2006 season can be viewed at www.amaflattrack.com and www.amasuperbike.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 presented by Parts Unlimited, the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship and the AMA Supermoto Championship. For more information about AMA Pro Racing, visit www.amaproracing.com. Accredited media outlets can also access AMA Pro Racing’s online Press Room at www.amaproracing.com/pressroom.

Main Line BMW’s Nate Kern to ride factory BMW K1200R in Brno. Main Line BMW racer Nate Kern has been invited to race the new K1200R in the Czech round of the BMW Power Cup, August 26-28. The factory prepared K1200R that BMW is providing the talented rider is producing over 180 horsepower. Nate will be competing against former and current WSBK, WSS, and the best racers from around Europe. Having raced in Europe last season in the previous series, BMW Boxer Cup, Nate is familiar with the Brno circuit. “This is another great opportunity for me and I look forward to the challenge of learning this new machine as quickly as I can”. This track was picked as Nate’s favorite European circuit from 2004. This will also be a special experience for Nate as his favorite racer is Vaclav “Vincent” Haskovec. “To be able to compete in front of 200,000 plus Czech fans makes me even more excited knowing that Vincent has given me advice over the past few seasons that have helped me achieve this and his love and energy for the sport I will ride with over there,” described Nate. “I met him (Vincent) for the first time in 2000 at Pocono Intl. Raceway and I was so driven by his love for life and racing that I decided to take the Team Hammer School and try racing!” Currently Nate Kern and his Main Line BMW team are leading the overall CCS Mid Atlantic and CCS Southeast Overall championships. Adding to the impressive overall standings, Main Line BMW is leading 8 class championships on their shaft driven, air cooled Boxer Twin! In the Czech Republic there will be one 30 minute practice for Nate on Friday the 26th followed by one timed 30 minute qualifying. Saturday the 27th will have the second 30 minute timed qualifying run for the Main Line BMW rider then the race is on Sunday before the premier Moto GP class.

Gauloises Grand Prix Ceske Republiky The wild-card riders who will race in the Gauloises Grand Prix Ceske Republiky, scheduled on the circuit of Brno on August 28 next, are the following: MotoGP class 9 – Nobuatsu Aoki (JPN-Suzuki) 250cc class 41 – Álvaro Molina (SPA-Aprilia) 60 – Wang Zhu (CHN-Aprilia) 61 – Li Zheng Peng CHN-Aprilia) 70 – Michal Filla (CZE-Yamaha) 125cc class 76 – Michael Ranseder (AUT-KTM) 77 – Stefan Brad (GER-KTM) 87 – Patrik Vostarek (CZE-Honda) 97 – Lukas Raze (CZE-Honda) 99 – Thomas Maye (GER-Aprilia)

Private(er) test at VIR ALTON, Va. Ten privateer riders conducted their own test day at Virginia International Raceway on Monday, August 15, turning laps and wrenches in their own version of the factory test session being held over the following few days at Road Atlanta. AMA Superbike regular C.R. “Critter” Gittere organized the test and tune session after polling many of the southeast-based riders who compete in AMA Pro Racing events, as well as some whose focus is on WERA and other club races held at VIR during the year. Enough interest was generated to make it financially feasible and each rider paid an equal share of the track’s special weekday test rate. The ten riders present all got plenty of seat time and open track. “It is just as important for us to do well as it is for the factory guys not only for ourselves but for our sponsors. Rather than complain, we did something about it. It was a good day for all of us,” said Gittere, who was riding his GEICO Insurance Suzuki GSX-R1000. Among the privateers present was Opie Caylor, who brought his Team EMGO Taiwan GSX-R600 to get track time and test setups with Dunlops. His time of 1:29.54 on the Formula Extreme bike was the quickest of the day. Caylor put in approximately 71 laps, a hearty effort considering the ninety-plus degree temperatures and extreme humidity. The same conditions are likely to exist when the AMA series visits VIR from August 26-28. Caylor commented that “except for promoter practice we get 40 or so minutes of official practice before qualifying, usually. Having a day like this with an open track to get a good base setting is huge. We’ll be that much closer to the factory guys who tested here themselves. It helps a bunch.” Also on GSX-R600s but in Supersport trim were HotBodies Racing’s Keith Marshall and Baker Race Gear’s Ryan Elleby. The pair spent 60-65 laps each testing setup and Pirelli tires around the VIR layout. Leo Vince/Team Embry’s Matt Lynn earned an unofficial Ironman award for nearly 90 laps aboard his GSX-R1000 Superstock bike. Consistent times in the 1:30s were good enough to call the experience an unqualified success. “I purposely didn’t change much, just a shock spring at lunchtime” Lynn said. “It was about making laps and feeling like I was riding my own motorcycle, not someone else’s. I’ve only had this ’05 Suzuki since Laguna. I focused on technique and just riding that’s tough to do when the track is full of guys at an AMA weekend. It was like I had the place to myself”. David Weber was also working with a new bike that he and his father Joel picked up en route to VIR. The pair spent the morning preparing the new XT Racing machine before the AMA Horizon Award runner-up got out on the track in the afternoon for 45-50 laps and a best time of 1:30.80 from his lap timer. Weber used one set of scuffed Pirelli tires, but had a tire machine on hand for the other privateers to use. Also on hand were John Marable, Donnie Hendry, Jason Moss and Wayne Watts. Marable and Hendry of Team MedEvac spent 35-40 laps on the track in preparation for an upcoming WERA National Series race at Talladega Gran Prix Raceway. Moss got into the 1:33’s on his M&M Lighting Yamaha R6, reacquainting himself with the bike after a long layoff. He will try to qualify for the AMA Supersport race at VIR. Watts ran his Suzuki GSX-R600 on Dunlop tires, turning over 70 laps.

Fastrack Riders & WERA West move September Venue Fastrack Riders and WERA West are pleased to announce the final WERA West Sportsman event of the year, September 25th, will now be held at California Speedway on the 2.3 mile 21 turn AMA Track verses the shorter Infield Course. The entry fees will be the same for this event as all WERA West races this year. There will be a $10.00 gate fee on Sunday for all spectators and racers. Pre entry for the WERA West events must be done ten days in advance of the event by going to WERA’s website, www.wera.com ; download the entry forms and faxed back to WERA’s corporate offices. Fastrack Riders will have track days on the AMA Track prior to the event on Friday, September 23rd and Saturday, September 24th. Registration may be done on line at www.fastrackriders.com or call 877-560-2233. “Fastrack Riders is more than excited to have additional dates on California Speedway’s AMA Track” stated David Pyles, President of Fastrack Riders “and to finish off the WERA West season on the AMA track is just plain AWESOME!” Gates will be open at 6:30 AM all three days. Garages are available for all riders and bikes can be left overnight. California Speedway will deploy all of their Airfence to assure track safety.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: I just wanted to let everyone know about Connie. She suffered a stroke on August 13 while recovering from a triple bypass operation that she underwent the day before at West Houston Medical Center. Her condition was pretty bleak the first two days, but she regained consciousness on the 15th and is doing much better now. At first she couldn’t talk, but was able to communicate using her handwriting skills – which are still excellent. She’s talking now but still has some slurred speech and a lot of weakness on her left side. She is expected to stay in ICU for a few more days. Aimee flew down and we visit her every session we’re allowed (4 per day). We were all scared to death for those first few days, but now that she’s getting better we’re actually having a lot of fun watching her improve and compete with the nurses for control. She pulled the tube out of her nose 3 times before they gave up. Charles Brothers Houston, Texas