THE THIRD EDITION OF CENTOPASSI WAS CONCLUDED ON THE 24TH JULY WITH THE VICTORY OF MARCO TOMASSINI. Bologna, 27th July 2005. After 4 exhilarating Legs on the Western Alps, Centopassi, the most satisfying event for those who love to put to themselves to the test on mountain roads organized by Dream Engine with the support of the main sponsor Z Zegna, the technical partner Ducati Motor and Iveco – Has concluded itself on the 24th July in Bardonecchia. Marco Tomassini on a BMW R1200 GS, is the overall winner of the Competition Class and has taken home the coveted prize a Ducati Multistrada 620 with a total of 75 points acquired on the ability trials and time checks along the way. In second place Cesare Conti, on a BMW RGS 1100R, with 63 points, followed by Alessandro Severi, in third place with a total of 44 points, on the seat of a Ducati Multistrada 1000DS. With regards to team participations, in first place was the BMW Racing Team composed by Marco Tomassini, Cesare Conti and Stefano Tosi with 73 points, in second place the Etna Team composed by Antonio Zingali, Attilio Pennisi and Michele Battiato with 52 points and in third place the X One Performer team composed by Renato Zocchi, Denis Terranova and Giuseppe Gelmini, with a total of 51 points. Participants of both categories Competition and Iron Biker have spent 4 days on the most fun roads and challenging passes of the Western Alps, departure was from Nice and headed towards the beautiful mountains that surround it. On day one participants passed by Gorges du Cians, Guillaumes, Col de la Cayolle, Barcellonette, Col du Vars, Guillestre, Col d’Izoard, Briançon, Col du Montgenevre, Cesana Torinese to arrive at Oulx. On the 22nd of July, departure was from Bardonecchia, then crossing the Col de l’Echelle, Briançon, l’Argentiere La Besse, Col du Vars, Jausiers, Col de la Bonette, Vinadio, Demonte, Elva, Col de Sampeyre, Colle dell’Agnello, Chateau Queyras, Col du Montgenevre and ending in Cesana Torinese. On the 23rd participants swerved by Briançon, Col du Lautaret, Col du Galibier, Col du Telegraphe, Montvernier, Col du Chaussy, Col de la Madeleine, Bourg St. Maurice, Col de l’Iseran, Lanslevillard, Col du Mont Cenis, Susa to return to Bardonecchia. The forth and last leg winded itself through Susa, Col du Mont Cenis, Lanslebourg, Modane,Saint M. de Maurienne, Col du Mollare, Belleville, Col de la Croix de Fer, Alp d’Huez, Col de la Strenne, Clavans, Col du Lautaret, La Vachette, Col de L’Echelle once again with final arrival in Bardonecchia. The prize giving ceremony took place at the Hotel Rivè in Bardonecchia, the Ducati Multistrada 620 first prize was awarded to Marco Tomassini by the SuperG Olympic Champion Daniela Ceccarelli, guest of the event for the second consecutive year. The overall winner of the third edition of Centopassi has expressed that he will place his prize in a charity auction in benefit of the school founded in Dakar by the unforgettable Fabrizio Meoni, who died last January during the Paris-Dakar. The 150 participants of this years’ event came from a wide range of countries: other than Italy, participants came all the way from France, Germany, United Kingdom, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Lussemburg, Sweden, Norway, USA, South Africa and New Zeland, showing great enthusiasm for both the competitive class (Competition Class) as well as the more tourist class (Iron Biker). Centopassi is made possible thanks to the main sponsor Z Zegna, the new fragrance for men launched by Ermenegildo Zegna, a perfume that speaks of style, sport and seduction, created for a man who is passionate about his liberty, about the open road, motorbikes, speed and travel. The event also relies on the support of its’ technical partner Ducati Motor, of Iveco as well as the important collaboration from the local administrations of the locations where each leg ends: Bardonecchia, Cesana Torinese and Oulx. Centopassi is an event organised by Dream Engine with the support of the Curve &Tornanti team, Motoclub Terni “Libero Liberati”, and under the aegis of Federazione Motociclistica Italiana. Also essential to the success of the event was the contribution of the Italian Police Force of Bologna who accompanied the motorbikes along the whole itinerary.

Rizla Suzuki on the pace at Cadwell test RIZLA SUZUKI’S John Reynolds was fourth and James Haydon fifth fastest in today’s Cadwell Park official MCRCB British Superbike test. Featuring most of the main contenders in the BSB series, the Superbikes were given three one-hour sessions on the 2.18-mile long fans’ favourite circuit in Lincolnshire. Rain started to fall with just 20-minutes remaining in the last session but by then the Rizla Suzuki racers had completed a lot of positive testing work. Ducati’s Leon Haslam was quickest. “That was a really good day,” enthused JR. “I always struggle to test at Cadwell Park but it all came together and we were right on the pace despite keeping a fair bit in reserve. “I tried altering the swing-arm pivot point on my Rizla Suzuki and then tested several new Dunlop tyres. I’ve come away from the test revitalized – my GSX-R1000 is just awesome!” James Haydon’s technicians changed the geometry settings on his Rizla Suzuki to give him additional front-end feedback and he was ecstatic with the results. He said: “When we tested at Croft we made big improvements and I honestly didn’t think we could make that much progress again – but we have today. “The difference in the feeling with my bike compared to previously is massive and I am thrilled to be riding it. A big thanks to Norris, Oz and all of my team for ringing the changes and giving me a bike that is just mind-blowing. I’m really looking forward to racing at Castle Combe this weekend.” Rizla Suzuki will be competing at the Castle Combe Grand National in Wiltshire this weekend. James Haydon will be racing alongside British Superbike Privateer Cup leader James Buckingham in the Rizla Suzuki squad. British Superbike Champion JR will be attending to support the team and meet the fans. Racing starts at 13:15 on Sunday, July 31st. Test Times: 1: Leon Haslam (Ducati) 1:28.763, 2: Dean Thomas (Kawasaki) 1:29.072, 3: Karl Harris (Honda) 1:29.092, 4: JOHN REYNOLDS (RIZLA SUZUKI) 1:29.182, 5: JAMES HAYDON (RIZLA SUZUKI) 1:29.539, 6: Steve Plater (Honda) 1:29.669.

German Grand Prix at The Sachsenring 29, 30, 31 July 2005 HONDA MEN DETERMINED TO TOP PODIUM IN GERMANY After a damp and dismal British GP at Donington Park Honda’s big names in MotoGP are resolved to make amends at the Sachsenring on Sunday. The 17-race season is now past the halfway point with just eight races left to run and this is the last chance to put pressure on World Championship points leader Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) before the summer break. Four of Honda’s big names: Max Biaggi (Repsol Honda RC211V), Marco Melandri (Team Movistar Honda RC211V), Sete Gibernau (Team Movistar Honda RC211V) and Alex Barros (Camel Honda RC211V) have tasted success here before, three of them in the premier class, and Melandri twice on a 250. If ever any of them needed a win here around the twisting dips and climbs of the sinuous Sachsenring, now is the time. With Rossi now on 211 points overall to second-placed Melandri’s 107, nothing less than a win for Honda’s young hotshot will do if he is to put pressure on the reigning World Champion. But Max Biaggi, currently lying fourth on 100 points, is still in a position to put a late-season charge together. But this race surely represents his last chance to claw his way back into contention. He won here in 2001 and tasted victory here last year too. Never a rider to give less than his best whatever the circumstances, his first win of the season is overdue and the Sachsenring could be the place where it happens. The 3.671km track is the shortest of the 17 tracks visited this season. Set in the rolling heartlands of German motorcycle sport in the Hohenstein-Ernstthal region, the former public roads circuit is close to the MZ motorcycle factory and huge crowds of up to 250,000 attended the event in its heyday, when the race took place on the old road course. The tight twisting nature of the track demands acceleration rather than outright speed, six left-hand turns in succession put great stress on tyres and a steep downhill plunge followed by an uphill section to the start-finish straight requires precision from riders and stability from machines. Alex Barros is itching to ride, and said, “I’m happy to be heading to the Sachsenring, where we’re all hoping for a nice sunny day for the race! It’s an unusual track; tight and twisty, but I like it because I’ve had some good results there both on the 500cc bikes and on the MotoGP bike. Last year I battled for victory with Max and I think I did one of the best races of the year, so I’m quite confident for Sunday. The podium in Donington was satisfying because the conditions were truly awful, but I want to do even better before returning to Brazil for the summer break.” His team-mate Troy Bayliss (Camel Honda RC211V), who failed to finish last weekend, said, “I was really annoyed at Donington, even though there’s nobody to blame for what happened considering the rotten conditions in the race. I returned home to Monaco, and took out my anger with a good bike ride and now I’m ready to race again. I love the Sachsenring, I can’t wait to race there next Sunday. I feel so much more comfortable with the bike, We’ve made some steps forward with the front settings and if we continue in this fashion, I will have my say on Sunday.” Sete, who won here in spectacular fashion in 2003, beating Rossi at the final turn on the last lap, said, “The Sachsenring is a slow and difficult track for MotoGP. It’s the shortest and most tortuous of all the tracks in the Championship and it is for this reason that the 250cc times are similar to ours in MotoGP. Due to the weight of the bikes and the slowness of the track, this is a very physically demanding circuit.” His team-mate Melandri said, “Overtaking is quite difficult here and the best place to do it is the braking at the end of the start/finish straight and at the Sachsenkurve. The atmosphere is fantastic here, the track is small so the public is all packed in tight, near the track, and you can really feel their presence. I achieved my first victory in the 250 class in 2001 here, but I also fell here last year.” Max said, “After the disaster at Donington I come to the Sachsenring determined to have a good result and good performance for my fans, for my team and for myself. I remember well last year when we took pole position and won the race. It was the perfect weekend and sadly one that has not happened since last year. It’s so frustrating knowing that I have the ability to be regularly on the front row and be regularly on the podium but at the moment it is just not happening. Let’s hope that the race this weekend will see a change in fortune.” Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC211V) said, “I’ve gone pretty well at the Sachsenring in the past. I wouldn’t say it’s the most fun track but we’ve had some pretty good results there. The first year, I started 15th and finished fifth and last year got a podium. Some of the big left-handers really remind me of some of the dirt tracks back home, and I really like the downhill section towards the end of the track when it really falls away. As always when we have a bad race day I just want to get straight back on the track.” Makoto Tamada (Konica Minolta Honda RC211V) needs a strong race here and said, “From this Grand Prix onwards I expect to improve my results, because as I promised before the United States of America Grand Prix, I want to, and I believe I can, reach my season objective: to improve on the final position of sixth obtained last year.” In the 250cc class reigning World Champion Dani Pedrosa (Team Movistar Honda RS250RW) will be looking to consolidate his position at the top of the World Championship standings with a repeat of his win here last year. “I had never been on the podium in Germany before,” said Dani. “But last season on the 250 I had a great race at the Sachsenring. I hope to have another good result here and I hope the weather stays nice all weekend. We already had enough water in England and even though I can’t complain about how things went there I always prefer to race in the dry. After this weekend we have three weeks of holidays so we have to try and go away with a sweet taste in our mouths.” His team-mate Hiroshi Aoyama (Team Movistar Honda RS250RW) said, “I lost a good chance to win at Donington so I want to make up for that with a good race in Germany. Last year I finished fourth but I was only a few tenths of a second off the podium. Let’s see if I adapt as quickly as possible to the track this year and get a good position on the grid. In Germany it’s important to get a good start and stay at the front because the first turn is very tight and it’s always dangerous to be part of a big group there.” Jorge Lorenzo (Fortuna Honda RS250RW) who qualified on pole last weekend, is ready for another attempt at winning his first 250cc Grand Prix. “It’s not one of my favourite tracks,” said the Spaniard. “But we just need some dry weather. The bike is going really well and my aim is to win here.” Swiss star Thomas Luthi (Elit Grand Prix Honda RS125R) Will be seeking to gain an advantage in the increasingly tight 125cc World Championship. Luthi makes no secret of his preference for faster tracks, but knows he has to perform well here. “The Sachsenring is a tight track with many elevations,” he said. “But I much prefer fast circuits with fast corners. I’ve only raced here three times and haven’t had a good result. But this time I hope to do a lot better. The bike is working really well so I’ll be in better shape to take a good result. We shall have to wait and see.” Alvaro Bautista (Seedorf RC3 Racing Honda RS125RW) is aiming to make up for a disappointing Donington Park, and said, “I feel good and the bike is very strong at the moment. This is the perfect chance to get a good result as long as the weather turns out okay.”

Round 10: Sachsenring, Germany Track length: 3671 m Opened: 1966 Fastest Lap Ever: 1:24.056 (Alex Barros, 2004) MotoGP lap record: 1:24.056 (Alex Barros, 2004) Last year MotoGP winner: Max Biaggi 2004 MotoGP Race Summary Yamaha Factory rider and reigning World Champion Valentino Rossi entered the 2004 German Grand Prix, held at the Sachsenring with high expectations since the tight and twisty circuit has traditionally suited the nimble Yamaha. But after a determined fourth place in what was a dramatic and changeable race it was Max Biaggi (Honda) who mounted the podium as winner. Rossi’s fourth place came after an incident-filled race, and his team-mate Carlos Checa was one of many riders who did not make the finish. The Spaniard tumbled out on lap five, shortly after passing a string of riders. Rossi encountered his own challenges in the final laps, running wide on two corners and experiencing a violent weave as he tipped into the fast left hand curve at the top of the hill, losing places on each occasion after the rear tyre began to fade. Rossi chased the eventual race winner Max Biaggi in the early laps, sitting second and harrying his fellow Italian throughout. Sete Gibernau (Honda) closed in on the pairing until he fell from third place on lap eight, allowing fellow Honda riders Nicky Hayden and Alex Barros to move in on the act. Rossi broke Biaggi’s lead on lap 16, 0.7 seconds ahead at one stage, heading the order for a total of six laps. The young Italian’s challenge for maximum points faded, however, when he lost places consecutively to Biaggi, Barros and finally Hayden. Meanwhile massive misfortune visited the Fortuna Gauloises Tech 3 team when both riders crashed out on lap 21 of the 30-lap race. Marco Melandri lost control of his YZR-M1 when the rear wheel touched the grass. The bike highsided the young Italian into the air and then Norick Abe hit the stricken machine at nearly 200kmh, crashing spectacularly as a result. Both riders were circulating the 3.671km track in close company as they both tried to get the better of Honda runners Colin Edwards and Makoto Tamada. Marco and Abe were both well into the points places in seventh and eighth when the double disaster unfolded. 2005 Set-up report YZR-M1 The tight and twisty nature of Sachsenring lends itself to close racing. This is partially influenced by its rather short overall length, only just scraping in on the minimum allowed distance to host a MotoGP race, while the looping layout itself has the reputation of making passing moves on fellow competitors difficult even at the best of times. The design of the circuit, with virtually only three pieces of straight tarmac, has seen the MotoGP machines reach their top speeds at the back straight, with two key passing points – the final two left-handers. Like Donington Sachsenring is made up of low and high speed sections. For this reason the Yamaha YZR-M1 will need to offer agility and a degree of stability too – a difficult combination – although agility takes priority. For 2005 this has become a major strength with the re-born YZR-M1 and should provide each of the four Yamaha pilots an advantage. Due to the long radius turns, and the low speeds a smoother power delivery is especially useful at such an undulating circuit as much of the driving is done off the left side of the tyre. All of this with little camber on offer. To help the YZR-M1 in this regard Yamaha will opt for a more linear characteristic from the rear suspension linkage – to suit the needs of the circuit and the flatter torque characteristics likely to be used by the inline-four. Such a linkage ratio will offer a plusher movement through the first stage of the stroke before gradually increasing in intensity. It will not only improve traction off the turns, allowing the rider to get on the power harder and earlier than before, the new linkage should also reduce the effects of the M1’s front wheel pawing for the clouds. This is often an issue for the 240 plus horsepower 145kg machines. This will be supported with a rear shock set-up that sports a setting a little more on the softer side; offering more feel while working the rear tyre less over the bumpy surface. It is necessary, however, to ensure the swingarm motion is predictable, as these setting, combined with the undulating layout and lack of grip, can lead to instability. To prevent this from becoming an issue the shock’s damping will be dialed in to compensate, while the front forks will be set to provide the best all-round balance. This is possible with the limited amount of hard braking that takes place at the Sachsenring.

Team SUZUKI MotoGP hopes to carry on where it left off Team SUZUKI MotoGP will be competing in this weekend’s Alice Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland at Sachsenring in Germany, eager to capitalise on the superb second place Kenny Roberts Jr secured last week in England. Roberts Jr qualified in third place at last year’s German Grand Prix and both he and team-mate John Hopkins then raced their Suzuki GSV-R’s to top-10 finishes at the demanding eastern German track. A feat both riders will be hoping to at least repeat if not improve upon in Sunday’s race. Sachsenring is the shortest European circuit on the MotoGP calendar at only 3.671Km long. It regularly manages to produce top-class racing due to its tight and twisty character – where grip is more important than horsepower – and set-up is vital to a good lap-time. It is also a venue that gets one of the biggest spectator attendances of the season, over 200,000 fans turned up to watch last years meeting and a similar number can be expected this weekend. Sunday’s race is round 10 of the 17 event MotoGP World Championship and will begin at an earlier than usual time of 12.30CET. Paul Denning Team Manager: “Sachsenring is a very twisty circuit that will put tremendous demands on the Bridgestone tyres and the set-up of the GSV-R. Whilst outright power is not a priority as such, the riders still need excellent acceleration and strong mid-range power. We hope the improvements at Donington will prove themselves to be a step forward at Sachsenring, whether the conditions are wet or dry. “The team is still on cloud nine from last Sunday’s result but we know that we will have to start all over again this weekend – beginning with Friday’s free practice. Last weeks podium is now in the past and we will have to carry on working with the same drive and enthusiasm we have shown all season to make sure the step by step improvements continue, and that we allow the riders to use their talents to the full.”

Preview Suzuka 8 Hours – Suzuka Japan, July 31, 2005. Ukawa and Kiyonari chasing repeat Suzuka 8 Hours victory for Seven Stars Honda Team Team HRC Honda will run two factory prepared CBR1000RR four-cylinder machines in Sundays Suzuka 8 Hours race. The Seven Stars liveried machines will be in the hands of rider combinations that have both the experience and the speed to give Honda their 9th consecutive victory in the most prestigious two-wheel event on the Japanese racing schedule. The vastly experienced former grand prix rider Tohru Ukawa, now 32, will be partnered by 22 year old Ryuichi Kiyonari. The two men will race with the fabled number 7 that has carried Honda riders to victory on several occasions, including last year when Ukawa, racing with the now retired Hitoyasu Izutsu, gave their Seven Stars CBR1000RR a debut win. Ukawa, who has won grands prix in both the 250cc and MotoGP classes, has retired from full-time racing but the race has additional significance for him this time round. The long term HRC team rider is chasing a record breaking fifth win in the Japanese classic. Ukawa currently shares the record with Australia’s former 500cc World Champion Wayne Gardner. Contrastingly Kiyonari, currently contesting the British Superbike Championship (BSB), has yet to make a name for himself in the race. Despite brilliant qualifying performances at the last two 8-hour races that put him among the pre-race favourites Kiyonari did not ride in either race after his team mate on the day crashed out during the first hour. The team will run the CBR1000RR with Kiyonari’s race set up, Ukawa calling upon his track knowledge and experience to adjust his style to compensate. “This year I am teaming up with Ryuichi Kiyonari and as he is young and I have more experience than him, I would ride the machine with his set-up. If you try to find a compromised solution, both riders cannot use their performance fully. If one of them gives away, the other can ride 100%.” Ukawa said. Kiyonari, a graduate of the Suzuka Racing School Junior, was an ‘8-Hour’ race fan long before he first contested the event and he is determined to win the race and erase the dismal memories of his last two attempts. He said: “I am riding with Ukawa san this time. My parent loves watching 8-hour races and they brought me to Suzuka every year when I was kid and once I got an autograph from Ukawa san. So it is a great pleasure to ride with him. As I am riding the same machine in the BSB, I cannot ride fast without my set-up so Ukawa san said ‘I can ride with your set-up Ryuichi.’ Of course I want to win this race desperately because I was a mere spectator for the past two years.” Team manager Katunori Suzuki believes the CBR1000RR is the machine to beat on Sunday. However, at the recent Suzuka 300km race the team saw a comfortable lead wiped out when a race incident brought out the pace car destroying the teams race strategy and allowing their rivals back into the race. “So far, everything is going well. We have tested seven days at Suzuka. However, this year’s race will be tough and there are many strong rivals such as Yoshimura Suzuki, the TSR of Ito and Tsujimura, Yamaha and Masked riders.” Said Suzuki. “We have our basic plan but we must also have flexible tactics to cope with any accident or pace cars. During the Suzuka 300km race in June, pace cars were introduced and our advantage became nothing. We lost the race to Yoshimura but it was a good lesson for us, as we have learned how to reorganize the race when pace cars are introduced. Anyway, our target is to win the race.” HRC have drafted in two high profile riders from world championship to race the second Seven Stars CBR1000RR in the race. Katsuaki Fujiwara from World Supersport racing and World Superbike rider Chris Vermeulen will ride with race number 11. Fujiwara is a seasoned 8-hour campaigner who has born the brunt of pre-race testing but for Australian Vermeulen the race is a completely new experience. The two men are in good form. Racing Ten Kate Hondas in the world championship both hold second place in their respective race series Fujiwara aboard a CBR600RR, Vermeulen with his CBR1000RR. Fujiwara, Kats to his friends, is suffering the after effects of a July 6 crash while testing the Honda at Suzuka. Daily hospital visits for treatment in an oxygen tent have speeded his recovery and Kats is confident he will be completely fit to race on Sunday. Team Manager for number 11, Kazuhiko Yamano said: ” Fujiwara will be OK for the race. He is not having any problem with the machine, although the machine and tyres are different from the ones he is using for the World Supersport series. In case of Chris, he had to learn Suzuka track so there were more new things, which he had to get accustomed to. However, he got used to all of them very quickly. His adaptability is amazingly high.” The experienced Fujiwara, now 30, said: “I crashed at the Dunlop curve during the 8 hour test at Suzuka on July 6, and suffered a crack in a small side bone of spinal column. I am almost OK now although I had to cancel my World Super Sports race at Brno last weekend. Still, I have not ridden motorcycle since the accident so I will see how it goes during the first free practice on next Thursday. Feeling of the machine is perfect and I don’t feel any awkwardness switching from 600cc to 1000cc. Engine of the CBR1000RRW revs from the bottom so smoothly. Chris and I have almost identical set-up so there is no problem for us. I can ride 2’11″s constantly and this is very good.” Team mate Vermeulen cant wait to get to grips with the Seven Stars Honda: The Australian said: “I’m really looking forward to Suzuka and, although it’s my first time doing the 8-hour, I know it’s going to be a very long and hard race. The biggest things for me have been trying to learn the circuit during the tests we’ve had there, and riding with different tyres and suspension to my World Superbike CBR1000RR. It’s such a long lap and I was still learning things from other riders right at the end of our last test. But I like the circuit a lot – it’s very technical and has a bit of everything so I think I’ll enjoy the ride.” He went on to say: “The HRC factory bike just feels very different to my CBR1000RR but I’m with a very experienced HRC team. Some of the mechanics have been around since the Gardner and Doohan days so they know what it takes to win at Suzuka. I’ve really enjoyed working with all the technicians who really show their appreciation when you’re doing your job well. Working with Kats (Fujiwara) has been good, too. He knows the track like a lot of the Japanese riders, so I spent some time following him and Ukawa. Kats is fast there and we can ride using similar settings and the same, road-bike gear-shift pattern so it’s only natural that we should team up.” The race, officially part of the World Endurance Championship, is a high-speed eight-hour dash run at near grand prix pace around the technically challenging 5.821km circuit. Speed is not enough to win the Suzuka 8 hours riders have to possess an array of talents. He has to find a fast and smooth rhythm to get the very best from his tyres while grinding out consistent fast lap times. Track craft and patience is essential for dealing with a host of lapped riders and oily circuit conditions. Tactical awareness and the ability to adapt race strategy when the weather changes, or accidents bring out the pace care are priceless qualities. Like all top flight endurance events, two and four wheel classics, competitors in the twilight of their racing careers are in high demand and some of the very best among the two wheel exponents of the art will race for Honda supported teams. Dream Team Sakurai Honda has entered Tadayuki Okada the 38 years old near veteran as team leader. Okada is currently Team Manager of the BSB team that runs Kiyonari, is making his first race appearance since the corresponding event last year. The team will race with number 74 in honour of Okada’s late friend Daijiro Kato. He will be partnered by Kato’s cousin Chojun Kameya, the partnership hoping to better their ninth place finish in last years race. Another 38 year-old evergreen campaigning a CBR1000RR is Shinichi Ito who set a new Superbike record of 2m 09.211s at the Suzuka 2&4 race last April. Ito is paired with former five-time 125cc GP winner Takeshi Tsujimura yet another thirty-plusser. “Everything is going so smoothly at the moment. I marked low 2’09″s during the testing and my partner Tsujimura is also in good shape.” Said Ito. “So we are looking forward to the race. I have marked the best time during the Superpole for the past two years and I am really aiming for that again this year but I guess I have to mark 2’08″s to get the pole this year.” Former double 125cc World Champion Haruchika Aoki returns to the 8-hour after a two-year absence during which he has raced in the Autorace series held on oval tracks. Aoki will share the Team Harc Pro Honda with Tsuyoshi Yasuda who finished seventh for the team in 2004. The Anglo-Japanese partnership of Naoki Matsudo and Leon Camier race for Moriwaki Motul Tiger Racing. Moriwaki inevitably provides his riders with fast competitive motorcycles and Matsudo and Camier are a formidable combination. Team Masked Rider Hibiki Honda RT field Tatsuya Yamaguchi and Kazuki Tokudome for the second consecutive year. They finished fourth last year and but for Yamaguchi suffering an arm pump-up problem the team might have taken a podium place. They are determined to finish in the top three this time round. Tokudome has his sights set firmly on the top step of the podium. He said: “This year we are really aiming to win the race. During the Suzuka 300km race in June, I was chasing Ukawa san. He was faster than me at the straights but I could catch up at the turns. But our machine broke down three laps to go and I had to come in to the pit. It was disappointing but the race itself gave me confidence for the 8-hour race.” Competition among the Honda teams is intense no quarter asked or given but they will not have the race to themselves they face formidable opposition from strong teams entered by rival marks. Chief among them will be the Yoshimura Suzuki of Atsushi Watanabe and Yukio Kagayama who finished second in 2004. They will be backed up by the Castrol Suzuki of Keiichi Kitagawa, Vincent Philippe and Matthieu Lagrive. Yamaha look to the talented pairing of Shinichi Nakatomi and Wataru Yoshikawa to deliver the big prize while Kawasaki place their faith in tried and trusted campaigners Ryuji Tsuruta and Katsunori Hasegawa backed up by Osamu Nishijima and team mate Kazuki Shimizu.

Buckingham earns his chance to shine with Rizla Suzuki BRITISH SUPERBIKE Privateer Championship leader James Buckingham will race for Rizla Suzuki at the Grand National at Castle Combe Circuit in Wiltshire this weekend alongside James Haydon. Buckingham, 21, has campaigned a Suzuki GSX-R1000 successfully in the British Superbike Privateers Cup this year and his excellent results have earned him this opportunity to show what he can achieve on a Factory Superbike. He replaces William Dunlop who was scheduled to ride for Rizla Suzuki but broke his collarbone two weeks ago. From Ilfracombe in Devon and standing at 6’4in, Buckingham is a full time motorcycle mechanic. He said: “This is a great opportunity for me to be part of a top team like Rizla Suzuki. I am absolutely focussed on getting good results. My aim is to go out there, enjoy myself and really make the most of the opportunity. “I have never ridden at Castle Combe or on the Rizla Suzuki before, so it is not going to be easy to get results. I learn quickly though and really want to show what I am capable of as a rider.” Rizla Suzuki regular racer James Haydon is hoping to use the time on his GSX-R1000 productively and is aiming for silverware. The 31-year-old Andorra resident said: “I want the practice time on my Rizla Suzuki as I am still learning about it and I also want to get on the podium and taste champagne. “I never race to finish anywhere but on the top step of the podium and this weekend I am targeting two victories. The competition will be tough but the team has experience from the circuit last year and I’ll be aiming to give the Rizla Suzuki supporters in the crowd something to cheer about!” British Superbike Champion John Reynolds will also be at Castle Combe on Sunday, July 31st. He is not competing at the event as he prepares himself for the remainder of the British Superbike Championship season. He will be signing autographs and meeting the public as well as cheering on the two James’s. The UK headquarters for Rizla is based close to Castle Combe Circuit in the nearby city of Bristol and there is expected to be a huge amount of support for the team at the event. Superbike Racing starts at 13:15 on Sunday July 31st. For more details visit www.castlecombecircuit.co.uk.

Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix 2006 provisional calendar The 2006 Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix provisional calendar is the following: March 26 – Jerez, Spain April 8 – Doha, Qatar ** April 23 – Istanbul, Turkey May 7 – Shanghai, China May 21 – Le Mans, France June 4 – Mugello, Italy June 11 – Catalunya, Spain June 24 – Assen, Netherlands ** July 2 – Sachsenring, Germany July 16 – Donington Park, Great Britain July 23 – Laguna Seca, United States * August 20 – Brno, Czech Republic September 10 – Sepang, Malaysia September 17 – Phillip Island, Australia September 24 – Motegi, Japan October 8 – Estoril, Portugal October 29 – Valencia, Spain *: Only MotoGP class **: Saturday

THREE MAN SQUAD FOR KAWASAKI AT GERMAN GRAND PRIX The Kawasaki Racing Team will field a three man squad on factory Ninja ZX-RRs in the German Grand Prix at Sachsenring this weekend. Frenchman Olivier Jacque will boost the team as a wild card entry, joining regular riders Shinya Nakano and Alex Hofmann. Jacque was recently signed as a test and development rider by Kawasaki and his German Grand Prix appearance is part of that programme, which combines both testing and racing. The 31-year-old Frenchman is already a familiar face at Kawasaki, with two impressive race appearances for the Japanese factory earlier in the season at the Chinese and French Grand Prix races. Jacque’s brilliant wet weather performance for second place at Shanghai in the Chinese Grand Prix delivered Kawasaki’s best-ever result so far in MotoGP. And, although Jacque has not raced at the Sachsenring for two years, he has a high success rate at the hillside German circuit. At the 2002 MotoGP race Jacque qualified on pole position for the German Grand Prix, ahead of teammate Nakano, Max Biaggi and Alex Barros, with Valentino Rossi sixth on the grid. In 2000, on his way to winning the 250cc World Championship, Jacque scored the Sachsenring double – pole position and race win! With both Nakano and Hofmann very strong performers at Sachsenring the Kawasaki squad has a formidable line-up, for what is regarded as its second home race of the season. The Kawasaki-Eckl team’s European base is at Vohenstrauss, in south-east Germany. At the Sachsenring last year Nakano qualified fifth, just 0.25s off pole position, and finished a strong seventh in the race. German young gun Hofmann, again set to race before a strong home crowd, was an impressive tenth in 2004 after starting from sixteenth position. The current Sachsenring hosted its first Grand Prix event in 1998, although the layout was altered in 2001 and the 3.6 km track is now a combination of ten left-hand corners and only four rights, linked by short straights. The rear tyre gets a heavy work-out at this track, which features steep, up and down sections with its hillside location. The 30-lap race will be the tenth round of the MotoGP World Championship. Shinya Nakano: #56 “The Sachsenring is a very technical circuit and one of my favourites, so I’m aiming for good results like last year. The final section with the high-speed right corner, downhill section and then uphill onto the straight is critical to a fast lap time and I really like this part of the track. Our team is based in Germany, so this is always a special weekend and I’m keen to make-up for the disappointment of last week’s British Grand Prix when I crashed because of a clutch problem.” Alex Hofmann: #66 “It’s my home race and I’ve heard it is virtually sold out, so there should be a great atmosphere at the track. I’m going there to enjoy it and not feel any pressure, but with the ZX-RR running the way it is I hope to give the fans something to cheer about. The key to Sachsenring is tyre edge grip feeling, especially for all the long left corners; the bike is on maximum lean angle a long time. The track is short, technical and physical and I would like to back-up my eighth place at the British Grand Prix last Sunday with another good result.” Olivier Jacque: #19 “This will only be my third Grand Prix of the season, but it’s going to be great to be back with Kawasaki, especially at a track where I have some good memories. I’ve been training hard and this race is really the beginning of my programme as test rider, so I’m looking forward to the challenge, and working with the team to further improve the ZX-RR. It is already a very strong package and I think it will feel at home at the Sachsenring.” Harald Eckl: Team Manager “OJ’s presence will strengthen the team and we have already seen what he is capable of this season. We are optimistic for a good performance here, as Sachsenring should be compatible with the latest ZX-RR package – both engine and handling set-up – however tyre performance will again be a critical factor. Shinya is always strong at this track and Alex will have a lot of support to finish ten top again like he did at Donington.”

Lion Racing’s two young lions, Jake Holden (#59) and John Haner (#44), charged through the field at Mid-Ohio and brought home splendid results from the weekend’s hunt. These two well-known privateers, mounted on superbly tuned GSXR Suzuki 1000s, were totally stoked to compete the AMA’s Superbike and Superstock classes using their same bikes in both classes. Thanks to their brilliant riding, they wrapped the weekend with one of the team’s best finishes and some of the riders’ best rides all season. “We’ve always had the power, but recently we’ve been tweeking the front-end feel. Like at Laguna Seca, we got the front nailed again this weekend thanks to Lindemann Engineering, one of our longtime sponsors”, said Jake. “With that front dialed in, we knew we could run at the front, and that’s just what we did! I like Virginia, and hopefully we’ll be doing even better there.” We expect so, as Jake was brilliant in his stalking efforts with the front pack in Superstock, having run as high as 3rd in the race. Leaving Mid-Ohio, Jake takes away another remarkable 4th place finish in Superstock, and he moves up to 4th overall in the series with 184 points, in front of five factory riders! In Sunday’s Superbike race, Jake rallied to 8th place after qualifying 16th, his second best finish of the season, but only just behind the big bucks and factory guys. As one of the AMA’s top privateers, he now finds himself moving up to 16th overall in Superbike with 168 points. Lion teammate John Haner had a classic mixed-bag weekend, actually leading the Superstock race for a couple of early laps before falling back to a 9th overall. John’s still recovering from foot surgery, but claims the extra metal in his foot isn’t slowing him down. It’s certainly not diminishing his startling starting technique as he blasted from 7th on the grid to actually lead laps 2 and 3 during the Superstock race. Unfortunately, tire issues got the better of his momentum. John leaves Mid-Ohio having moved up to 5th overall in Superstock with 174 points. In Superbike, as a result of a couple of unfortuitous DNFs this weekend, John’s placement moves back to 22nd with 113 points. More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki: KAWASAKI BLANKETS THE PODIUM AT MID-OHIO Roger Hayden wins second Supersport race of the season with Tommy Hayden in second and Ben Attard in third LEXINGTON, OHIO Reigning AMA Supersport champion Tommy Hayden and series runner-up Roger Hayden dominated the field aboard their Kawasaki NINJA® ZX™-6RR motorcycles as AMA motorcycle road racing returned to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course last weekend. In the AMA Superstock race, Roger blasted off the grid and settled into ninth by the end of the first lap. As the laps wound down, the younger Hayden was determined to make it to the front aboard his NINJA® ZX™-10R and climbed from ninth to fifth before the checkered flag dropped. Tommy elected to sit-out the race due to tenderness in his right hand following surgery to repair a broken bone. In the AMA Supesport race, Team Attack Kawasaki rider Ben Attard got the jump on the field and took the lead going into the first turn. However, Attard’s lead was short-lived as Tommy quickly passed him by turn three with Roger in tow. As the first lap was completed, Roger was in close contention for the lead and passed Tommy during a breaking battle in the infamous keyhole section of the track. Despite increasing pain in his hand, Tommy continued to keep the pressure on Roger for the duration of the event with Attard remaining close behind. As the checkered flag dropped, Roger took the win with Tommy in second and Attard in third. “Obviously it feels good to win,” said Roger during the post-race press conference. “In the beginning I didn’t know how strong Tommy would be. I saw the pain he was going through, so I know he’s not 100%. I was trying to put a gap on the field. I got in the mid ’30s and the board said +0. I lowered the pace a little bit more and it still said +0. I was reading Tom’s board too and it said +0, so I knew we had a fight on our hands. I just pushed the whole way and these guys made me earn it for sure.” With the win, Roger inched five points closer to Tommy. However, with just two races remaining in the ’05 season, Tommy currently has 269 points to his second-ranked brother’s 233 and remains a strong favorite to earn his second consecutive Supersport title. During Saturday’s AMA Superbike race, Attack Kawasaki rider Josh Hayes captured his eighth top-ten finish of the season by keeping a consistent pace with the rest of the field as he rode to a sixth-place finish in the 26-lap event. Ben Attard qualified sixth for Saturday’s AMA Formula Xtreme and rode a clean and consistent race to earn his fifth top-ten finish of the season after crossing the finish line in fifth place. Hayes also competed in the second Superbike race on Sunday but endured mechanical problems on lap 20 and pulled out of the race. Racing resumes when the teams head to Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Va., August 26-28. Race Report: Event: AMA Superbike Championship, Round 8 of 10, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course “” Lexington, Ohio. Date: July 22 24, 2005 Television: AMA PRO RACING ON TV THIS WEEK (All programs on SPEED CHANNEL) (All times Eastern) AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited (Superbike Race 1), Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio, Sunday, July 24, 2 p.m. AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited (Superbike Race 2), Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio, Sunday, July 24, 3 p.m. AMA Pro Honda Oils Supersport presented by Shoei, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio, Sunday, July 24, 4 p.m. AMA Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Series, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio, Tuesday, July 26, 2 p.m. AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited (Superbike Race 1), Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio, Wednesday, July 27, 4 a.m. Repeat AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited (Superbike Race 2), Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio, Thursday, July 28, 4 a.m. Repeat AMA Pro Honda Oils Supersport presented by Shoei, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio, Friday, July 29, 4 a.m. Repeat All times subject to change. Check local listings Weather: The weather conditions in Lexington, Ohio, were partly cloudy with a high of 90°F during the day and a low of 68°Fduring the evening. For additional news and team information go to: www.kawasaki.com Official Results: SUPERSPORT EVENT RESULTS: Pos. Rider Hometown Points Bike 1 Roger Lee Hayden Owensboro, KY 37 Kawasaki ZX-6RR 2 Tommy Hayden Owensboro, KY 32 Kawasaki ZX-6RR 3 Ben Attard Murrieta, CA 29 Kawasaki ZX-6RR 4 Jason Disalvo Stafford, NY 28 Yamaha YZF-R6 5 Ben Spies Longview, TX 26 Suzuki GSX-R600X 6 Robert Jensen Chaffee, ND 25 Yamaha YZF-R6 7 Chris Peris Calgary, AB 24 Yamaha YZF-R6 8 Damon S Buckmaster Henderson, NV 23 Yamaha YZF-R6 9 Aaron Gobert Murrieta, CA 22 Yamaha YZF-R6 10 Danny Eslick Broken Arrow, OK 21 Suzuki GSX-R600X SUPERSPORT STANDINGS: Pos. Rider Hometown Points 1 Tommy Hayden Owensboro, KY 269 2 Roger Lee Hayden Owensboro, KY 233 3 Jason Disalvo Stafford, NY 210 4 Ben Spies Longview, TX 202 5 Aaron Gobert Murrieta, CA 197 6 Geoff May Cumming, GA 181 7 Chris Peris Calgary, AB 181 8 Robert Jensen Chaffee, ND 172 9 Jamie Hacking Denver, CO 165 10 Damon Buckmaster Henderson, NV 162 SUPERSTOCK EVENT RESULTS: Pos. Rider Hometown Points Bike 1 Aaron Yates Milledgeville, GA 37 Suzuki GSX-R1000 2 Jason Disalvo Stafford, NY 33 Yamaha YZF-R1 3 Steve Rapp Valencia, CA 29 Suzuki GSX-R1000 4 Jacob Holden Eatonville, WA 27 Suzuki GSX-R1000 5 Roger Lee Hayden Owensboro, KY 26 Kawasaki ZX-10RR 6 Jason Pridmore Ventura, CA 25 Suzuki GSX-R1000 7 Michael Barnes Boca Raton, FL 24 Suzuki GSX-R1000 8 Damon Buckmaster Henderson, NV 23 Yamaha YZF-R1 9 John Haner Pearland, TX 22 Suzuki GSX-R1000 10 Geoff May Cumming, GA 21 Suzuki GSX-R1000 SUPERSTOCK STANDINGS: Pos. Rider Hometown Points 1 Aaron Yates Milledgeville, GA 264 2 Jason Disalvo Stafford, NY 250 3 Steve Rapp Valencia, CA 206 4 Jacob Holden Eatonville, WA 184 5 John Haner Pearland, TX 174 6 Roger Lee Hayden Owensboro, KY 173 7 Tommy Hayden Owensboro, KY 168 8 Aaron Gobert Murrieta, CA 162 9 Jamie Hacking Denver, NC 156 10 Damon Buckmaster Henderson, NV 138 SUPERBIKE EVENT RESULTS (RACE #1): Pos. Rider Hometown Points Bike 1 Matt Mladin Henderson, NV 38 Suzuki GSX-R1000 2 Ben Spies Longview, TX 32 Suzuki GSX-R1000 3 Eric Bostrom Las Vegas, NV 29 Ducati 999R 4 Miguel Duhamel Las Vegas, NV 27 Honda CBR1000RR 5 Neil Hodgson Onchan, Isle of Man 26 Ducati 999R 6 Josh Hayes Gulfport, MS 25 Kawasaki ZX-10RR 7 Kurtis Roberts Denver, CO 24 Honda CBR1000RR 8 Jason Pridmore Ventura, CA 23 Suzuki GSX-R1000 9 Jacob Holden Eatonville, WA 22 Suzuki GSX-R1000 10 Martin Craggill Etiwanda, CA 21 Suzuki GSX-R1000 SUPERBIKE EVENT RESULTS (RACE #2): Pos. Rider Hometown Points Bike 1 Eric Bostrom Las Vegas, NV 37 Ducati 999R 2 Miguel Duhamel Las Vegas, NV 32 Honda CBR1000RR 3 Ben Spies Longview, TX 29 Suzuki GSX-R1000 4 Neil Hodgson Onchan, Isle of Man 27 Ducati 999R 5 Kurtis Roberts Denver, CO 26 Honda CBR1000RR 6 Steve Rapp Valencia, CA 25 Suzuki GSX-R1000 7 Jason Pridmore Ventura, CA 24 Suzuki GSX-R1000 8 Jacob Holden Eatonville, WA 23 Suzuki GSX-R1000 9 Aaron Yates Milledgeville, GA 22 Suzuki GSX-R1000 10 Larry Pegram Baltimore, OH 21 Honda CBR1000RR SUPERBIKE STANDINGS: Pos. Rider Hometown Points 1 Matt Mladin Henderson, NV 397 2 Ben Spies Longview, TX 388 3 Eric Bostrom Las Vegas, NV 334 4 Aaron Yates Milledgeville, GA 316 5 Neil Hodgson Onchan, Isle of Man 302 6 Miguel Duhamel Las Vegas, NV 288 7 Martin Cragill Etiwanda, CA 247 8 Steve Rapp Valencia, CA 226 9 Lee Acree Greensboro, NC 226 10 Larry Pegram Baltimore, OH 219 FORMULA EXTREME EVENT RESULTS: Pos. Rider Hometown Points Bike 1 Jake Zemke Las Vegas, NV 37 Honda CBR600RR 2 Miguel Duhamel Paso Robles, CA 33 Honda CBR600RR 3 Kurtis Roberts Denver, CO 29 Honda CBR600RR 4 Michael Barnes Boca Raton, FL 27 Suzuki GSX-R600 5 Ben Attard Murrieta, CA 26 Kawasaki ZX-6RR 6 Ty Howard Weatherford, TX 25 Yamaha YZF-R6 7 Robert Jensen Chaffee, ND 24 Yamaha YZF-R6 8 Chris Peris Calgary, AB, Canada 23 Yamaha YZF-R6 9 Danny Eslick Broken Arrow, OK 22 Suzuki GSX-R600 10 Chris Caylor Marietta, GA 21 Suzuki GSX-R600 FORMULA XTREME STANDINGS: Pos. Rider Hometown Points 1 Jake Zemke Paso Robles, CA 249 2 Miguel Duhamel Las Vegas, NV 238 3 Danny Eslick Broken Arrow, OK 171 4 Ben Attard Murrieta, CA 138 5 Aaron Gobert Murrieta, CA 136 6 Chris Peris Calgary, AB 135 7 Nick Moore Riverbank, CA 124 8 Michael Barnes Boca Raton, FL 105 9 Taylor Knapp Lapeer, MI 102 10 Armando Ferrer Miami, FL 98 More, from a press release issued by Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki: ANOTHER PODIUM FINISH FOR MICHAEL JORDAN MOTORSPORTS SUZUKI AT MID-OHIO The Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki team had great results at round eight of the AMA Superbike Championship at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Steve Rapp earned his second podium position of the year for the Jordan Suzuki team with a fine third place in the competitive Superstock final and a sixth in Sunday’s Superbike race, while teammate Jason Pridmore, fully healed and riding well, rode to three top-eight finishes in the Superstock and Superbike finals. Their teammate Montez Stewart finished 21st in the Superstock final, running competitive lap times in only his second trip to the notoriously difficult Mid-Ohio course. Steve Rapp Saturday’s Superbike Final – 18th Place “I got a good start from the fourth row,” said Rapp. “I was right behind (Marty) Craggill, who was behind (Neil) Hodgson. Then (Jake) Holden passed me, and we went back and forth a few times. I pulled away from him by a few seconds, and that’s when I crashed in turn 11. I lost the front end. It took me a while to pick the bike up. It was at a bad angle. I got going and was able to finish the race in 18th. My lap times were the same as before I crashed. I was just trying to push as hard with a used tire as I had with a new tire.” Sunday’s Repsol Lubricants Superstock Final – 3rd Place “I got a mediocre start,” said Rapp. “A couple of guys got around me going into turn one. First lap around, I came around in seventh, I think. I felt like they were slowing me down, but when people have good grip it’s hard because they get good drives and carry a lot of corner speed. Four or five laps into it, you could tell people were starting to lose grip. I think every lap I passed one guy. My bike was the best it’s been all year. The Dunlops were really good. The race went by really quick.” Sunday’s Superbike Final – 6th Place “I got in behind Jason (Pridmore) there on the first lap,” said Rapp. “I was a little stronger than him in a couple of places, and I was able to get around him after about seven or eight laps. Josh (Hayes) had cleared off, so I just concentrated on keeping Jason and Jake Holden behind me. I just kept riding hard and eventually pulled out a little bit of a gap at the end.” Jason Pridmore Saturday’s Superbike Final – 8th Place “We made some big gains,” said Pridmore. “From the beginning of the weekend, it was difficult because we didn’t get any track time here. Every race I’m going to right now is a test session. I hadn’t ridden the Superbike since Barber. Coming from the fourth row, it’s hard to get a really good result. By the time I weeded through everybody, I was up to eighth. Kurtis (Roberts) was up there a few seconds ahead, but there was a little bit of attrition with Aaron (Yates) and Steve (Rapp) going down. It was a good test. I told my guys that my frustration turned into a positive, because there are a lot of things that we can do to make the bike better.” Sunday’s Repsol Lubricants Superstock Final – 6th Place “We needed that race,” said Pridmore, who made a close but clean pass on Michael Barnes on the last lap. “Coming off the third row again, it’s just brutal. We qualified tenth and we finished sixth; definitely an improvement. I’ve been coming back slowly. The team has been so patient with me, and that’s been nice. Steve (Rapp) stepped it up today. This weekend, he’s been riding really well, and it’s good to see him put the team up on the podium again. Roger (Lee Hayden) and Barney (Michael Barnes) were going back and forth. I knew Michael knew that Roger was there, but I don’t know if he knew I was there. It was the last lap of the race, and I think the world of Michael Barnes. It was just one of those things. There was no way I was going to take him out or jeopardize us. It was a close pass that I made on him over in the back section. Now we’ve just got to continue to move forward so we can both be up there and push. Our guys have worked so hard. We didn’t test at all here. Everytime I’ve gone out, I’ve gone faster and the bike is improving.” Sunday’s Superbike Final – 7th Place “Steve (Rapp) rode awesome, and I knew I was holding him up,” said Pridmore, who led his teammate for the first six laps of the race. “I feel really fit, but I was working really hard the last half of the race and I didn’t have anything for Steve. I could stay with him, but passing him was a whole other issue. I’m happy with my results. We had a great weekend.” Montez Stewart Sunday’s Repsol Lubricants Superstock Final – 21st Place “It went pretty good, considering that last year was the first time I’d ever been here,” said Montez. “The tire test did me really well here. We came out and I was able to get into the 1:34s. My goal today was to do 1:32s, and I did them. I didn’t get lapped. This is the first time I’ve done a race and haven’t been lapped. There were a couple of guys, I don’t know if they’re local guys or not, but I’ve never seen them before. They stuck around me for a long time. One guy got past me going down through Thunder Valley. The bike got sideways on me, and I had to get myself back in order and he got past me. The bike was awesome. The guys built an awesome bike for me.” Superbike Results – Race 1 – Round 8 – Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, OH 1. Mat Mladin, Yoshimura Suzuki 2. Ben Spies, Yoshimura Suzuki 3. Eric Bostrom, Ducati 4. Miguel Duhamel, Honda 5. Neil Hodgson, Ducati 6. Josh Hayes, Attack Kawasaki 7. Kurtis Roberts, Honda 8. Jason Pridmore, Jordan Suzuki 9. Jake Holden, Lion Racing Suzuki 10. Marty Craggill, Mladin Motorsports Suzuki 18. Steve Rapp, Jordan Suzuki Superbike Results – Race 2 – Round 8 – Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, OH 1. Eric Bostrom, Ducati 2. Miguel Duhamel, Honda 3. Ben Spies, Yoshimura Suzuki 4. Neil Hodgson, Ducati 5. Kurtis Roberts, Honda 6. Steve Rapp, Jordan Suzuki 7. Jason Pridmore, Jordan Suzuki 8. Jake Holden, Lion Racing Suzuki 9. Aaron Yates, Yoshimura Suzuki 10. Larry Pegram, Hotbodies Honda Superstock Results – Round 8 – Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, OH 1. Aaron Yates, Yoshimura Suzuki 2. Jason Disalvo, Yamaha 3. Steve Rapp, Jordan Suzuki 4. Jake Holden, Lion Racing Suzuki 5. Roger Lee Hayden, Kawasaki 6. Jason Pridmore, Jordan Suzuki 7. Michael Barnes, M4 EMGO Suzuki 8. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha 9. John Haner, Lion Suzuki 10. Geoff May, M4 EMGO Suzuki 21. Montez Stewart, Jordan Suzuki 2005 Superbike Point Standings (After 13 Races) 1. Mat Mladin, 397 2. Ben Spies, 388 3. Eric Bostrom, 334 4. Aaron Yates, 316 5. Neil Hodgson, 302 6. Miguel Duhamel, 288 7. Marty Craggill, 247 8. Steve Rapp, 226 9. Lee Acree, 226 10. Larry Pegram, 219 21. Jason Pridmore, 117 2005 Superstock Point Standings (After 8 Races) 1. Aaron Yates, 264 2. Jason Disalvo, 250 3. Steve Rapp, 206 4. Jake Holden, 184 5. John Haner, 174 6. Roger Lee Hayden, 173 7. Tommy Hayden, 168 8. Aaron Gobert, 162 9. Jamie Hacking, 156 10. Damon Buckmaster, 138 20. Jason Pridmore, 74 23. Montez Stewart, 57