Racers Pub in Riverside, CA will be hosting the Daytona 200 and Superbike races on March 12 at 8 a.m. Join us for great food and drinks, great door prizes from Yamaha, and a raffle for an Inland Line – X spray-on bedliner with 100% of the proceeds going to the Roadracing World Action Fund.
Racers is located at 3812 Pierce St. Unit B, on the corner of Pierce and Magnolia. For more information please call Racers at 951-689-1932 or Inland Line – X at 951-354-2519.
AMA SPORTS TAPS KEN SAILLANT FOR TRACK-RACING POST
PICKERINGTON, OHIO — AMA Sports, the amateur and pro-am competition division of the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA), has announced that Ken Saillant will join its staff as Track Racing Manager on March 21, 2005.
In his role with AMA Sports, Saillant will oversee operations of flat-track, Supermoto, roadracing, ice racing and speedway disciplines. He’ll report to AMA Sports Senior Director Douglas Neubauer.
“Ken has a wealth of knowledge and experience to contribute to AMA Sports, along with his passion as a true racing enthusiast,” said Neubauer. “Adding Ken to our team is the next step in shaping our programs to better serve the racers who are the life-blood of motorcycle competition.”
A racer himself in the 1980s, Saillant became a race promoter under the name Fast Track Racing. He promoted the 1997 AMA Amateur Nationals and co-promoted (with the AMA) the 1998 and 1999 events. In 2000, he became Race Director for the AMA Sports Dirt Track Grand Championships. Since then he’s worked with regional and national ice racing, dirt-track, and speedway competition, and as an assistant director of AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days. Saillant also has represented AMA Sports on the AMA Congress track committee.
 “Two days of testing, we built the bike on the spot at the track, and the guys didn’t even sleep. They worked all night. We started testing but had many mechanical gremlins, tried to get the fuel maping right, tried to gel the motor, brakes, and everything. We didn’t make any fast laps; just trying to learn the track and the bike. And when the race weekend came we thought that the bike would be dialed in but we didn’t have many parts and we were a bit down on speed. But the team was gelling really well. It’s a great team, really fantastic.”
“But of course it rained and we only had one good bike so we sat out to not risk wrecking our good bike. In the second session, I bedded in the brakes for two laps and then I crashed! I’m not sure what the problem was, but the mechanics said it was something with the swingarm or something. I didn’t get hurt but the bike was wrecked pretty bad. And the next time we really got to ride the bike was Friday morning in the wet. And that was fine. I still didn’t want to crash the bike, but we managed to be 6th fastest in the wet.”
“We took our first dry laps in the afternoon, and we were very conservative and ended up deep in the grid. We were quicker in the Saturday morning warm up, but still conservative. During the first race the setup was a bit wrong for the dry/wet conditions. We ended up finishing 12th across the line, but 16th in aggregate. We learned alot in the race, but for the second race we had a mechanical right at the start and didn’t get to race. But we expect to have good parts by the Valencia test and for the Philip Island race.”
“Overall, it’s so nice to be back in World Superbike.  The compettion level is great, there are 20 guys out there really going fast. And being back here with them had me smiling. Even when we were having a tough day, I was happy”
Keep it on two.
“Honda Racing Rides Rocket!”
With the start of the much anticipated 2005 AMA Superbike Series at Daytona International Speedway, just a few days away, Randy Robison, President of Joe Rocket® Sportsgear is pleased to announce an official sponsorship agreement with American Honda’s Road Race Team. The two year agreement with Honda’s legendary Red Riders will see America’s leading sport bike apparel brand outfit the entire team in Joe Rocket designed gear.
“The Honda Team sponsorship is a milestone in the evolution of the Joe Rocket brand”, said Robison, “and we are very proud to be associated with Honda and their commitment to excellence”.
“Our agreement with Joe Rocket is a natural extension of their long term sponsorship of team riders Jake Zemke and Formula Xtreme Champion Miguel Duhamel” said Chuck Miller, Manager of Honda Motorcycle Sports, “Joe Rocket’s dedication to making championship caliber gear makes them a valuable addition to our program”.
“The authenticity of the Joe Rocket brand is directly demonstrated by this sponsorship agreement and reflected by Honda’s trust” said Bruce Parker, Marketing Director for Joe Rocket. “I expect the synergy between Joe Rocket and Honda will see this agreement as a stepping stone to future success”.
Barros and Bayliss continue to improve on third test day in Qatar
The Qatar test concluded today, with lap records smashed all round thanks to the excellent conditions the MotoGP teams have encountered there this week. Tomorrow the Camel Honda will continue to lap the Losail circuit, more than anything to bring to a close the promotional work they began yesterday, whilst today the technical work came to an end. Both Alex Barros, who had a slight crash, and Troy Bayliss, improved their lap times, even using race tyres all day. The next appointment for the two riders Hill be the team’s presentation in Milan, whilst the next on-track session will be the upcoming IRTA MotoGP test in Barcelona, from the 18th to 20th March.
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Sito Pons Camel Honda
“It was yet another good day today, as we brought to an end the work we had scheduled, and finished up there amongst the quickest riders. Apart from Tamada, who used qualifying tyres for his lap time, the gap between the top riders is small and Alex is amongst them. Troy is also getting ever closer and has got a good rhythm going now. Today the team worked both on the set-up and on tyres, with tomorrow lined up for photos, as we originally planned.”
Alex Barros Camel Honda 1:57.38 (62 laps) 5th fastest
“I’m quite satisfied, although to be honest I hoped to go even better. When I was testing a new front tyre I slid out, nothing really, but here in the run-offs it’s not sand or gravel, it’s like little rocks. I can tell you, they’re pretty hard! So the bumps aside, we worked on the set-up, testing various electronic things without picking out anything for certain. Perhaps regarding the tyres I could say that there has been another step up in quality. I finished work on the front, whilst on the rear tyre there are still some things to try. Of the six new ones, I tried three. Even though I felt I could have ridden quicker, in general the tests have gone well, the relationship with the team is as strong as ever and we con look forward to the IRTA test with confidence.”
Troy Bayliss Camel Honda 1:58.18Â (65 laps) 9th fastest
“I´m still not able to ride as I would like, but bit by bit I’m getting close. Here we worked on continuity, without changing too much on the bike but trying to find a good overall balance. I rode with race tyres throughout, and I even did my best time with soft tyres.”
LAP TIMES (official):
1. Tamada (Jap-Honda) 1:56.64: 2. Gibernau (Spa-Honda) 1:57.26; 3. Capirossi (Ita-Ducati) 1:57.32; 4. Melandri (Ita-Honda) 1:57.37; 5. Barros (Camel-Honda) 1:57.38: 6. Hayden (USA-Honda) 1:57.43; 7. Checa (Spa-Ducati) 1:57.52; 8. Biaggi (Ita-Honda) 1:57.63; 9. Bayliss (Camel-Honda) 1:58.18; 10. Rolfo (Ita-Ducati) 1:59.74.
More, from a press release issued by Telefonica Movistar Honda:
TYRE TESTS FOR BOTH TELEFONICA MOVISTAR RIDERS AND VERY POSITIVE ENDURANCE TEST FOR MARCO MELANDRI
Doha, Qatar, 3rd of March 2005
Temperature: 28°C air temperature, from 33°C to 45° the asphalt temperature.
The riders of the Team Telefonica Movistar Honda have concluded positively this fourth pre-season test, before the official IRTA test that will take place in Barcelona next 18, 19 and 20 march.
The Spaniard Sete Gibernau, who was still recovering from fever and not 100% fit, concentrated on tyre testing doing an important job for Michelin together with his team mate Marco Melandri, who carried on some significant tyre testing and a race-distance simulation with very good results.
MARCO MELANDRI: 1:57.31 77 laps:
“This 3-day test session in Qatar was very positive for me, I’m happy of the method of work we have used here. I believe that, mentally, I have done an important step forward. I have learned from the Australian test session and I came here more relaxed and with clear idea! s. Today we made some small modifications to the bike and worked a lot on tyre testing. This afternoon I made a race distance endurance with very positive results: I lapped consistently on low 1’58″even at the end of the race. For me it’s very important to understand the bike and see how it changes on a race distance.
SETE GIBERNAU: 1:57.32 57 laps:
“Considering my physical conditions, I can be quite satisfied of the work done. We focused on tyre testing and even if I was not 100% fit, I did the minimum work required for this test session. We are confirming the work done in Malaysia and Australia, there is still some things to improve and I hope that there will be some new things for Barcelona.”
NOT OFFICIAL LAP TIMES
1. Makoto Tamada 1:56.63
2. Marco Melandri 1:57.31
3. Sete Gibernau 1:57.32
4. Loris Capirossi 1:57.32
5. Alex Barros 1:57.38
6. Nicky Hayden 1:57.43
7. Carlos Checa 1:57.52
8. Max Biaggi 1:57.63
9. Troy Bayliss 1:58.21
10. Roberto Rolfo 1:59.74
More, from a press release issued by Honda Racing Information:
Makoto Tamada takes top spot at Qatar MotoGP test
Japanese Honda rider Makoto Tamada ended the three-day MotoGP test at Qatar with a scintillating lap time of 1:57.63 round the 5.400kms Losail circuit. Tamada’s time was an incredible 2.3s faster than pole position time set at the GP last October.
The Konica Minolta Honda rider and his technical crew have established a solid base line setting for the Honda RC211V with the Michelin tyres Tamada will use this season. Over the winter testing period Tamada has found the rhythm and consistency he will need if he is to challenge for major honours when the season begins in earnest, at Jerez, Spain on April 10.
Nicky Hayden has grown in stature with each test aboard the new 2005 Honda RC211V 990cc V-5 grand prix machine and departs for his Kentucky home for a well earned rest. The Repsol Honda rider has developed a good feeling with his RCV that has instilled a high level of confidence as the 17-round championship series approaches. He rounded off the test with by setting his fastest time of the three-days, two seconds faster than his qualifying time at the Qatar GP last October.
Teammate Max Biaggi’s final day was one of mixed fortunes. Biaggi and the team achieved most of their objectives set for the day but their efforts were hampered when Biaggi lost the front end at turn 12 and slid off his RCV. The Italian was unscathed and the machine suffered only superficial damage allowing the team to complete their test programme.
Telefonica MoviStar Honda rider Sete Gibernau shook off the after effects of the fever which has plagued him at Qatar to set second fastest time on the final day of the test. The Spaniard’s condition restricted the number of laps he put in and the team elected to spend the time they had available to tyre testing.
Gibernau’s impressive young teammate Marco Melandri has shown his step by step approach to testing has paid off and he has mastered the power and handling characteristics of his RC211V. Melandri ran for 78-laps today mainly testing tyres running a race simulation distance to gauge tyre wear and behaviour as the race develops.
The Camel Honda team of Alex Barros and Troy Bayliss made progress today Barros despite a crash finished his front fork front tyre test to announce himself ‘Satisfied’ with his days work. Bayliss improved on his best lap times of yesterday while working to find optimum machine balance using race tyres. The Camel team will remain at Losail for an extra day of testing tomorrow.
Honda rider lap times and quotes:
Makoto Tamada, Konica Minolta Honda: 1:56.63 – 77 laps.
 “I’m very happy for what we have globally done in these three days since I have been the fastest rider during the second and the third day. My major satisfaction, apart from the lap times we have obtained, is the feeling I found with the bike. We confirmed also on this circuit after the performances during the Sepang and Phillip Island tests, that the package we have at our disposal for the season 2005 is at a highest level compare to the one we had the past season. Therefore I’m very trustful and I hope to be able to always perform at the maximum level during the season which is about to begin.”
Giulio Bernardelle Konica Minolta Honda Technical Director
“Today Makoto made it to demolish the best time obtained on this circuit last season by Checa, by been over two seconds and thirty cents faster. The results achieved during this test are simple to analyze as we only need to check the lap times. It doesn’t happen often to be able to work during tests, where everything goes well like it happened in the three days we have just spent. Our impression is that we have found a great basic setting as it concerns the bike’s frame and suspensions. In the last two tests we’ll have before the beginning of the season, we’ll mostly concentrate on the honing of the setting of the engine’s electronics.”
Repsol Honda, Nicky Hayden: 1:57.33 79 laps.
“After three days here we’re really starting to put it all together. I really enjoyed it here in Doha. There have been fewer riders around and we have really made some good progress. The conditions here have been good; less windy today. I’m back to Kentucky for a few days before coming back to Europe for the final tests before the season starts proper. I feel we’re in good shape; the team is working real good, and the bike is working well.”
Max Biaggi, Repsol Honda: 1:57.94 37 laps.
“Today was not the best day. We had wanted to make a race simulation but we make a small mistake and I lose the front end of the machine in Turn 12. There was not so much damage but it was hard to get re-started again. We struggled with the set-up of the bike here both on the first day and today. However, we have much data and we tested several interesting parts from HRC and in some cases we have some good results. The team is so strong and motivated. I really look forward to the next test at Barcelona and then move onto racing.”
Marco Melandri, Telefonica MoviStar Honda: 1:57.31 77 laps.
“This 3-day test session in Qatar was very positive for me, I’m happy of the method of work we have used here. I believe that, mentally, I have done an important step forward. I have learned from the Australian test session and I came here more relaxed and with clear ideas. Today we made some small modifications to the bike and worked a lot on tyre testing. This afternoon I made a race distance endurance with very positive results: I lapped consistently on low 1:58even at the end of the race. For me it’s very important to understand the bike and see how it changes on a race distance.
Sete Gibernau, Telefonica MoviStar Honda: 1:57.32 57 laps.
“Considering my physical conditions, I can be quite satisfied of the work done. We focused on tyre testing and even if I was not 100% fit, I did the minimum work required for this test session. We are confirming the work done in Malaysia and Australia, there is still some things to improve and I hope that there will be some new things for Barcelona.”
Alex Barros, Camel Honda: 1:57.38 – 62 laps.
“I’m quite satisfied, although to be honest I hoped to go even better. When I was testing a new front tyre I slid out, nothing really, but here in the run-offs it’s not sand or gravel, it’s like little rocks. I can tell you, they’re pretty hard! So the bumps aside, we worked on the set-up, testing various electronic things without picking out anything for certain. Perhaps regarding the tyres I could say that there has been another step up in quality. I finished work on the front, whilst on the rear tyre there are still some things to try. Of the six new ones, I tried three. Even though I felt I could have ridden quicker, in general the tests have gone well, the relationship with the team is as strong as ever and we con look forward to the IRTA test with confidence.”
Troy Bayliss, Camel Honda: 1:58.18 – 65 laps.
“I´m still not able to ride as I would like, but bit by bit I’m getting close. Here we worked on continuity, without changing too much on the bike but trying to find a good overall balance. I rode with race tyres
throughout, and I even did my best time with soft tyres.”
Sito Pons Camel Honda Team Principle.
“It was yet another good day today, as we brought to an end the work we had scheduled, and finished up there amongst the quickest riders. Apart from Tamada, who used qualifying tyres for his lap time, the gap between the top riders is small and Alex is amongst them. Troy is also getting ever closer and has got a good rhythm going now. Today the team worked both on the set-up and on tyres, with tomorrow lined up for photos, as we originally planned.”
More, from a press release issued by Marlboro Ducati:
DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM WRAPS UP TESTING IN QATAR
Capirossi and Checa prepare for forthcoming IRTA tests with an improvement in lap times and satisfaction for the work carried out in collaboration with Bridgestone.
Doha (Qatar), 3 March 2005 -Â The Ducati Marlboro Team concluded the third and final day of testing at the Losail circuit in Qatar, the fourth scheduled test for the development of the Bridgestone-shod Ducati
Desmosedici GP5. Loris Capirossi and Carlos Checa made the best of today’s final session, which took place in perfect weather conditions (28° air/33-50° track) on a surface that gradually improved over the three days.
The Qatar circuit is particularly tough on the front tyre, so both riders concentrated on getting the best performance from the bike exclusively in a race configuration.
Ducati Marlboro Team engineers also managed to identify several promising set-up and tyre solutions, which clearly have to be developed in the next scheduled tests before the start of the championship.
Loris Capirossi succeeded in improving on yesterday’s performance, and the Italian recorded a best time of 1:57.320 in his 54 laps.
“I am quite pleased with the work we have done over the past three days. We’re still not 100% right with the front but we are on the right path” commented Capirossi. “The GP5 is also going really well on this track and I am sure that the tyres will show further improvement before we come here to race in October. I didn’t want to use a qualifying tyre because we concentrated on development work that was far too important to be distracted by the search for sensational times: we are working calmly, there will be time for that in the future”.
Team-mate Carlos Checa was just a fraction of a second behind Loris, the Spanish rider recording a best time of 1:57.350 in his 60 laps.
“We got through a lot of work today: it wasn’t easy and I think that everyone should be pleased with the results obtained” declared Checa. “We improved a lot since the first day but what is really good is the constant progress that we made: it means that we worked well on a track that last year didn’t give much satisfaction either to Bridgestone or to the Ducati Marlboro Team. We are improving all the time and this test puts me in a good frame of mind for the future”.
Â
With the start of the 2005 MotoGP championship just around the corner, the development of the Desmosedici GP5 is continuing in parallel with the promising partnership with the Japanese tyre constructor.Â
The Ducati Marlboro Team’s next testing appointments are as follows:
March 18-20, Barcellona – IRTA Test
March 25-27, Jerez de la Frontera, IRTA Test
Television Coverage
The World Endurance Championship will reach further than ever before,
as revealed by the announcement of the series’ TV distribution plans.
Eurosport will have exclusive satellite rights throughout Europe for fifteen
days after each event. Other channels broadcasting highlights of the
World Endurance championship by satellite to Europe will include Motors
TV, AB Moteur in France, various channels in Spain, Polsat in Poland,
TVR in Romania and Nuvolari in Italy.
The terrestrial market in Europe will also be well served, with RTL5 in
Holland and Sportitalia (PAF), RAI2 (Motorama) and Telenova in Italy
scheduling broadcasts.
Outside Europe, ESPN Star Asia will bring the championship to Asia,
Supersport MNET to Africa, Fox Australia to Australia, Channel 5 Sport to
Israel, Dubai Sports Channel to the Middle East, Singapore TV to the
Singapore area and Henan TV to the vast Chinese market.
Finally, TV motorsports magazines “Racing Action” from Chris Courteyn
Productions and “Motorsport Mundial” from Greenlight and Duke will also
cover the championship.
Used with permission from www.cdnsuperbike.com:
The Parts Canada Superbike Championship Series will hold a pre-season warm up session at Jennings Grand Prix in North Florida, Monday, April 18 and Tuesday, April 19.
Sponsored by Kawasaki, Yamaha and Honda, the sessions will be open at no charge to all Pro racers with eligible equipment for the Parts Canada Pro Superbike Feature class or Hindle Exhaust Pro 600cc Sport Bike class.
In previous years, poor weather and strict testing guidelines have hindered teams’ abilities to prepare for the upcoming season. The Jennings sessions should allow productive set-up time prior to the opening of the 2005 Parts Canada Superbike Championship tour at Shannonville Motorsport Park’s Pro track, May 19-22.
The Jennings venue is a 2 mile, 14 turn circuit dedicated to motorcycle use. Located just south of Florida’s border with Georgia, the venue is just west from major Highway I-75. Information is available at the track’s web site, www.jenningsgp.com. Canadian racers including Pascal Picotte, Steve Crevier, Francis Martin, and Matt McBride have tested at the track during the winter, while Yamaha’s Frank Trombino is a one time class lap record holder at North Florida.
The April 18 and 19 tests will be conducted as per National event standards, with Technical Inspection and full supervision. Although the details have yet to be confirmed, plans include operating the official series Yamaha-backed dbCom timing system throughout the test.
Gates will open at 8:00AM on Monday April 18 for Registration and Tech, with on-track activity slated to start at 10:00, ending at 5:00PM. On Tuesday, sessions begin at 9:00 AM. Track testing will take place rain or shine, although organizing group Professional Motorsports Productions are looking for the sun!
An historical name has been passed at the age of 82. Umberto Todero, certainly the longest continuously employed member of the Moto Guzzi family died after a several months illness.
Umberto Todero died yesterday afternoon, the victim of a terrible illness that struck him a few months ago, suddenly causing him to abandon his office and his beloved drawing instruments.
We could write thousands of words to describe Umberto Todero and the 66 years he spent with Moto Guzzi. We could write thousands more to relate the many inspiring moments we spent listening to â??Umbertoâ?? as he charmed us with tales and anecdotes of his life at Moto Guzzi and of his wartime experiences. These tales, packed with love, passion and suffering, taught so much, especially to younger colleagues who through them were able to discover a unique, unrivalled and unrepeatable world. We cannot speak enough of the man with our heavy hearts today. We will recount the history of this great man in an upcoming issue of Aquila, the Moto Guzzi annual magazine.
At Mandello del Lario, we shall never forget the persistence and determination that distinguished Umberto Todero throughout his professional life and private life. We remember him today, and in future his memory shall be kept alive within Moto Guzzi by his achievements in design from the legendary V-8 to the stunning MGSO-1. From the past and present, for Umberto Todero remained active as a designer up until the last moments of his life.
â??I first met Umberto at the Moto Guzzi factory I visited there with co-worker Emily Banks during winter vacation in 1994,â?? says long-time Moto Guzzi North America Parts Manager Shelby Kennard. â??There was no one there, except the guard, we were about to leave when this little man in a grey three-piece suit came by. He offered his name and I excitedly recounted some of the projects he had helped design (the V8 racer, the Daytona (now MGS01) 4-valve heads, and other things). Umberto then gave us a tour of the factory and a personalized tour of the museum. I will never forget him or the experience.â??
Moto Guzzi stands by Umberto Toderoâ??s family in remembering a man who was able, through his uniquely genuine character, to teach so much, especially to those who knew how to listen, and to all who had the honour of knowing and appreciating him. We present some words by the man himself, in a rough translation to honour his voice and his own history with Moto Guzzi.
“MY LIFE IN GUZZI” – Memories of Umberto Todero written in 2004
My Memory still today is one of strong emotion, my first day of job in Moto Guzzi, with my hand shaking when presenting my confirmation of responsibilities.
It was 6 March 1939. From then many years pass, 65 to be exact, and I find myself still present between the walls of Moto Guzzi and Mandello of the Lario, proud of having a legacy associated to the Brand, that has known to support the name of Italy in its entire history, in the field of our sport.
The schools ended, and after to me are given a degree to the School of Art to industrial address in Friuli, where I resided with my family. An offer came for a workplace to me to Lecco, near the Fiat Branch (office). I accepted that offer, and therefore I was forced to transfer to Lecco, where my uncles inhabited.
I accepted that workplace, since it did not preclude the possibility to continue, in private, my studies. It was therefore that, having to submit to a period of residence of three months, obligatory for those times, before obtaining the first responsibility with Fiat, I had the possibility of a talk to the Moto Guzzi company, then introducing to me with a job offer.
The fates favored to me, and after some days my long history tied to the Guzzi Motion had started.
In the course of many years, always operating in technical activities, I always passed to duties and positions of greater responsibility. I began in 1939 with simple jobs of particular design, relating the construction of the motorcycle “Elk”, then in phase of prototype and production; I continued then with the development of the “Trialce” and in order to end, always with military products, I came employed to realize industrial “a fixed” motor to use in order to form electricity-generating or motocompressori groups in use to Military Navy. I made essential part of the activity from Moto Guzzi, before the war.
After the war, I was employed in the modernization and I renewed the of production motorcycles in the pre-war era, participated with studies regarding mainly arrangement of suspension, refraining systems, changes of speed and other area, having at the same time to divide job of office with job of workshop. This turned to the experimentation of how much previously came studied. It was just this, the period in which I asserted myself in the jobs of planning and aid to the Comm. Carlo Guzzi.
In 1948 my career endured and carried on more important. I came, in fact, entrusted to the dependencies of the Ing. Giulio Cesar Carcano, brilliant planner of the Eight Cylinders and the twin-cylinder engine to V of 90°, that it still today represents the symbol of Moto Guzzi.
Ing. Carcano, then Director of the Office Experiments and Studies, was person in charge to manage also the planning and the tests of the motorcycles from racing. I began therefore, under the guide of he who was my the true and great master, the job of planning of new motorcycles for racing, that they carried to the first true comparisons of the Moto Guzzi with the competition, in national and international contests.
In 1951 I became named Head of the racing Unit, and the years that followed were those of my greater responsibility within of the Unit.
Beyond to the planning job, I had to favour the job of direct run manager of the unit, and therefore still more, to use in new duties tied the world of the competitions.
The hard work, the worries and the emotions lived in the arc of those years, are for me unforgettable.
Ended the Racing experience to the Unit, in 1957, I always continued my activity under the direction of the Ing. Carcano, with which I contributed to realize new products, between which I would want to remember the Stornello, in the versions Tourism and Sport, to which followed the V7 and the twin-cylinder engine to V.
After the passing of the Founding Associates, George Parodiin the 1955 and Carlo Guzzi in 1964, the Guzzi Motion passed of ownership in property, with many problems to resolve consequently and with various organizational systems.
With all the working changes, my position remained unchanged and also my tasks as Planning Foreman remained the same ones.
I continued, in particular, to maintain connections with the offices of the Ministry of Transportation and with the Association of the Constructors. With these “work groups” I collaborated in the years the seventies regarding the new norms of atmospheric pollution on topics proposals from the Italian Ministry of Transportation, of the EEC and the UN through the ISO. A job was this a lot important and critical for the research and the experimentation.
Just in seventies, and exactly in 1975, I must remember a great and unexpected acknowledgment that reached me from the Italian Ministry Work, a telegram, then followed from by Presidential decree, announced me the award of the Star to the Merit of the Job, with the title it of Master of the Job.
Through my job, carried out in all these years with an infinite passion and a dedication, I have always obtained satisfactions and acknowledgments, reason for which I indeed feel myself proud to have united contributed to many colleagues to the best fortunes of the Moto Guzzi, and to which I endeavor a continuous growing and rich future in of new successes.
In Moto Guzzi we will not never forget the tenacity and the stubbornness that has defined Umberto Todero, is in its professional life and in his private one.
His memory is present today in all of us, and will remain always alive in Moto Guzzi through its history. It is tied to our early history that to that recent one, a passion that the active protagonist has seen to until the last moment.
Moto Guzzi tightens around the family in the memory of a man who in its “special semplicità“, has taught so much. The family is rich by the experience with the man and we will appreciate it, always and forever.
Goodbye Umberto, we will never forget to you,
Your Moto Guzzi Family.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., — The Daytona 200, one of the most prestigious motorcycle events in North America, will be sponsored by Honda, Daytona International Speedway officials announced today.
The 64th Daytona 200 By Honda, scheduled for Saturday, March 12, will feature the Formula Xtreme Series from the American Motorcycle Association (AMA) in a 68-lap event on the Speedway’s redesigned 2.95-mile road course.
“We’re thrilled to announce Honda as the sponsor of the prestigious Daytona 200,” Speedway President Robin Braig said. “We’ve had a long-standing relationship with Honda and we’re excited to extend that with one of the premier motorcycles races in the country.”
“The Daytona 200 has a rich and exciting heritage in American racing,” said Ray Blank, American Honda’s Motorcycle Division Vice President, “We won our first Daytona 200 35 years ago with Dick Mann and the CB750. We look forward to great racing this year and a continued relationship with Daytona International Speedway.”
Honda also serves as the sponsor of the Daytona Supercross By Honda, scheduled for Friday, March 11 under the lights at “The World Center of Racing,” and is the official motorcycle of Daytona International Speedway.
Tickets for all the upcoming motorcycle races at Daytona International Speedway are available online at http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.
Tamada tops the Qatar time sheet on day two of MotoGP test.
Japanese rider Makoto Tamada set the fastest time of the day on the second day of MotoGP testing at the 5.400kms Losail circuit today. Tamada, riding the Konica Minolta liveried Honda RC211V, was in scintillating form all day. The ever smiling Japanese shook off the lingering stiffness from his crash at Phillip Island last week started his day testing chassis and suspension improvements before moving on to Michelin tyre testing. Tamada used the latest Michelin race tyres to set a lap time of 1:57.69, an incredible 3 seconds faster than his qualifying time for the Qatar GP held in October 2004.
American Nicky Hayden has hit a rich vein of form in recent tests and he carried it over into today. The Repsol Honda factory team rider has quickly found his way with the 2005 version of the RC211V and is in confident mood. Hayden tested transmission developments and a new Michelin front race tyre while setting his best time of the day, just one-tenth of a second slower
than Tamada.
Teammate Biaggi had a better day today than on opening day. The Italian experimented with the geometry of his RCV and different suspension setting and immediately felt more comfortable on the Repsol Honda. He goes into the final day of the test with renewed confidence.
Camel Honda riders Alex Barros and Troy Bayliss hardly did 50-laps between them dividing their day between testing and a team photo shoot but in the short time they were running they achieved the objectives they set
themselves for the day. Bayliss was particularly happy with his performance, and perseverance, the Australian slashed over two seconds off his best time of yesterday.
Honda rider lap times and quotes:
Makoto Tamada, Konica Minolta Honda: 1:57.69 – 60 laps.
“I’m very happy because we understand day after day that our situation is getting better and better, and the lap times we have achieved today are the proof of our evolution. Today I have achieved with racing tyres, a lap time more than three seconds faster than the time I have obtained during the past season qualifying sessions. This makes me even happier if I think that
we’ll be able to reach a higher level of competitiveness before the beginning of the championship. Also my physical conditions are getting better. I have almost fully recovered from the hard hit that I have suffered during the slip on the Phillip Island circuit and today I was able to work all day without any sort of problem.”
Giulio Bernardelle – Konica Minolta Honda Technical Director
“This morning we finished the first part of the work done yesterday on the bike’s frame and suspensions, and in the middle part of the day, we tested new front and rear tyres that Michelin has furnished us. The impression we have obtained after trying this new racing tyres, is that they are much better compare to the ones we have used during the first winter test. I have to thanks my team because we are working only on one bike after that the other one has been wrecked in Australia, and they are working with a lot of enthusiasm to make all the changes on one bike as quickly as possible to be able to try different solutions from lap to lap.”
Nicky Hayden, Repsol Honda: 1:57.78 – 78 laps.
“We knocked a bit more off yesterday’s time which was satisfying. We made some changes in the transmission and we used a different front tyre compound which increased grip and confidence levels a little. The track defiantly has a bit more grip than yesterday but its still pretty windy round here. We have a few new parts to test for the bike – some of which seem to be working well. It’s all going generally in the right direction.”
Max Biaggi, Repsol Honda: 1:57.79 – 71 laps.
“We did better today. We tried a different set-up with different geometry and different suspension settings and the feeling was immediately better. We are still trying to improve the handling and it’s coming better. I trust
everyone around me and we are all working hard for the best results. We still have quite a lot of work to do on the front with tyres from Michelin and some adjustment from the Showa guys. Tomorrow we hope to complete a
full race simulation.”
Sete Gibernau, Telefonica MoviStar Honda: 1:58.66 – 40 laps.
“I made only some few laps to test some solutions for HRC and some tyre testing. Unfortunately I’m still suffering from fever and I couldn’t give the indications I wanted I prefer to wait tomorrow morning. I hope to feel better because we have a lot of work to do.”
Marco Melandri, Telefonica MoviStar Honda: 1:57 948 – 58 laps:
“I’m very happy of today test session. We worked a lot with tyres and made some small modifications at the set up. I have found a good feeling with the bike and already this morning I improved my rhythm, lapping in low 1:58. I think that I have made here a step forward both in my riding style and approach to tests. What I like of my bike is that the RC211V doesn’t need many modifications from one track to another so I have time to understand the bike and adapt my riding style. Tomorrow, third and last day of test here in Qatar, I’d like to make a long run.”
Alex Barros, Camel Honda: 1:57.80 – 26 laps.
“We got through twenty-six laps today, so still short of what’s needed to get the set-up right. More than anything we tested new tyres, four fronts to be exact, before we stopped for the photo shoot. In the next two days, however, we will focus entirely on the set-up of the bike.”
Troy Bayliss, Camel Honda: 1:58.55 – 25 laps.
“We didn’t ride too much today either, but nonetheless I’m very happy. In those few laps I was able to improve my time considerably from yesterday’s, taking over two seconds off it! I can see the improvements coming and we’ve found a good direction. Tomorrow and Friday we will be able to make the most of all the time left and we will be able to work on the data we’ve picked up today.”
Racers Pub in Riverside, CA will be hosting the Daytona 200 and Superbike races on March 12 at 8 a.m. Join us for great food and drinks, great door prizes from Yamaha, and a raffle for an Inland Line – X spray-on bedliner with 100% of the proceeds going to the Roadracing World Action Fund.
Racers is located at 3812 Pierce St. Unit B, on the corner of Pierce and Magnolia. For more information please call Racers at 951-689-1932 or Inland Line – X at 951-354-2519.
AMA SPORTS TAPS KEN SAILLANT FOR TRACK-RACING POST
PICKERINGTON, OHIO — AMA Sports, the amateur and pro-am competition division of the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA), has announced that Ken Saillant will join its staff as Track Racing Manager on March 21, 2005.
In his role with AMA Sports, Saillant will oversee operations of flat-track, Supermoto, roadracing, ice racing and speedway disciplines. He’ll report to AMA Sports Senior Director Douglas Neubauer.
“Ken has a wealth of knowledge and experience to contribute to AMA Sports, along with his passion as a true racing enthusiast,” said Neubauer. “Adding Ken to our team is the next step in shaping our programs to better serve the racers who are the life-blood of motorcycle competition.”
A racer himself in the 1980s, Saillant became a race promoter under the name Fast Track Racing. He promoted the 1997 AMA Amateur Nationals and co-promoted (with the AMA) the 1998 and 1999 events. In 2000, he became Race Director for the AMA Sports Dirt Track Grand Championships. Since then he’s worked with regional and national ice racing, dirt-track, and speedway competition, and as an assistant director of AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days. Saillant also has represented AMA Sports on the AMA Congress track committee.
 “Two days of testing, we built the bike on the spot at the track, and the guys didn’t even sleep. They worked all night. We started testing but had many mechanical gremlins, tried to get the fuel maping right, tried to gel the motor, brakes, and everything. We didn’t make any fast laps; just trying to learn the track and the bike. And when the race weekend came we thought that the bike would be dialed in but we didn’t have many parts and we were a bit down on speed. But the team was gelling really well. It’s a great team, really fantastic.”
“But of course it rained and we only had one good bike so we sat out to not risk wrecking our good bike. In the second session, I bedded in the brakes for two laps and then I crashed! I’m not sure what the problem was, but the mechanics said it was something with the swingarm or something. I didn’t get hurt but the bike was wrecked pretty bad. And the next time we really got to ride the bike was Friday morning in the wet. And that was fine. I still didn’t want to crash the bike, but we managed to be 6th fastest in the wet.”
“We took our first dry laps in the afternoon, and we were very conservative and ended up deep in the grid. We were quicker in the Saturday morning warm up, but still conservative. During the first race the setup was a bit wrong for the dry/wet conditions. We ended up finishing 12th across the line, but 16th in aggregate. We learned alot in the race, but for the second race we had a mechanical right at the start and didn’t get to race. But we expect to have good parts by the Valencia test and for the Philip Island race.”
“Overall, it’s so nice to be back in World Superbike.  The compettion level is great, there are 20 guys out there really going fast. And being back here with them had me smiling. Even when we were having a tough day, I was happy”
Keep it on two.
“Honda Racing Rides Rocket!”
With the start of the much anticipated 2005 AMA Superbike Series at Daytona International Speedway, just a few days away, Randy Robison, President of Joe Rocket® Sportsgear is pleased to announce an official sponsorship agreement with American Honda’s Road Race Team. The two year agreement with Honda’s legendary Red Riders will see America’s leading sport bike apparel brand outfit the entire team in Joe Rocket designed gear.
“The Honda Team sponsorship is a milestone in the evolution of the Joe Rocket brand”, said Robison, “and we are very proud to be associated with Honda and their commitment to excellence”.
“Our agreement with Joe Rocket is a natural extension of their long term sponsorship of team riders Jake Zemke and Formula Xtreme Champion Miguel Duhamel” said Chuck Miller, Manager of Honda Motorcycle Sports, “Joe Rocket’s dedication to making championship caliber gear makes them a valuable addition to our program”.
“The authenticity of the Joe Rocket brand is directly demonstrated by this sponsorship agreement and reflected by Honda’s trust” said Bruce Parker, Marketing Director for Joe Rocket. “I expect the synergy between Joe Rocket and Honda will see this agreement as a stepping stone to future success”.
Barros and Bayliss continue to improve on third test day in Qatar
The Qatar test concluded today, with lap records smashed all round thanks to the excellent conditions the MotoGP teams have encountered there this week. Tomorrow the Camel Honda will continue to lap the Losail circuit, more than anything to bring to a close the promotional work they began yesterday, whilst today the technical work came to an end. Both Alex Barros, who had a slight crash, and Troy Bayliss, improved their lap times, even using race tyres all day. The next appointment for the two riders Hill be the team’s presentation in Milan, whilst the next on-track session will be the upcoming IRTA MotoGP test in Barcelona, from the 18th to 20th March.
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Sito Pons Camel Honda
“It was yet another good day today, as we brought to an end the work we had scheduled, and finished up there amongst the quickest riders. Apart from Tamada, who used qualifying tyres for his lap time, the gap between the top riders is small and Alex is amongst them. Troy is also getting ever closer and has got a good rhythm going now. Today the team worked both on the set-up and on tyres, with tomorrow lined up for photos, as we originally planned.”
Alex Barros Camel Honda 1:57.38 (62 laps) 5th fastest
“I’m quite satisfied, although to be honest I hoped to go even better. When I was testing a new front tyre I slid out, nothing really, but here in the run-offs it’s not sand or gravel, it’s like little rocks. I can tell you, they’re pretty hard! So the bumps aside, we worked on the set-up, testing various electronic things without picking out anything for certain. Perhaps regarding the tyres I could say that there has been another step up in quality. I finished work on the front, whilst on the rear tyre there are still some things to try. Of the six new ones, I tried three. Even though I felt I could have ridden quicker, in general the tests have gone well, the relationship with the team is as strong as ever and we con look forward to the IRTA test with confidence.”
Troy Bayliss Camel Honda 1:58.18Â (65 laps) 9th fastest
“I´m still not able to ride as I would like, but bit by bit I’m getting close. Here we worked on continuity, without changing too much on the bike but trying to find a good overall balance. I rode with race tyres throughout, and I even did my best time with soft tyres.”
LAP TIMES (official):
1. Tamada (Jap-Honda) 1:56.64: 2. Gibernau (Spa-Honda) 1:57.26; 3. Capirossi (Ita-Ducati) 1:57.32; 4. Melandri (Ita-Honda) 1:57.37; 5. Barros (Camel-Honda) 1:57.38: 6. Hayden (USA-Honda) 1:57.43; 7. Checa (Spa-Ducati) 1:57.52; 8. Biaggi (Ita-Honda) 1:57.63; 9. Bayliss (Camel-Honda) 1:58.18; 10. Rolfo (Ita-Ducati) 1:59.74.
More, from a press release issued by Telefonica Movistar Honda:
TYRE TESTS FOR BOTH TELEFONICA MOVISTAR RIDERS AND VERY POSITIVE ENDURANCE TEST FOR MARCO MELANDRI
Doha, Qatar, 3rd of March 2005
Temperature: 28°C air temperature, from 33°C to 45° the asphalt temperature.
The riders of the Team Telefonica Movistar Honda have concluded positively this fourth pre-season test, before the official IRTA test that will take place in Barcelona next 18, 19 and 20 march.
The Spaniard Sete Gibernau, who was still recovering from fever and not 100% fit, concentrated on tyre testing doing an important job for Michelin together with his team mate Marco Melandri, who carried on some significant tyre testing and a race-distance simulation with very good results.
MARCO MELANDRI: 1:57.31 77 laps:
“This 3-day test session in Qatar was very positive for me, I’m happy of the method of work we have used here. I believe that, mentally, I have done an important step forward. I have learned from the Australian test session and I came here more relaxed and with clear idea! s. Today we made some small modifications to the bike and worked a lot on tyre testing. This afternoon I made a race distance endurance with very positive results: I lapped consistently on low 1’58″even at the end of the race. For me it’s very important to understand the bike and see how it changes on a race distance.
SETE GIBERNAU: 1:57.32 57 laps:
“Considering my physical conditions, I can be quite satisfied of the work done. We focused on tyre testing and even if I was not 100% fit, I did the minimum work required for this test session. We are confirming the work done in Malaysia and Australia, there is still some things to improve and I hope that there will be some new things for Barcelona.”
NOT OFFICIAL LAP TIMES
1. Makoto Tamada 1:56.63
2. Marco Melandri 1:57.31
3. Sete Gibernau 1:57.32
4. Loris Capirossi 1:57.32
5. Alex Barros 1:57.38
6. Nicky Hayden 1:57.43
7. Carlos Checa 1:57.52
8. Max Biaggi 1:57.63
9. Troy Bayliss 1:58.21
10. Roberto Rolfo 1:59.74
More, from a press release issued by Honda Racing Information:
Makoto Tamada takes top spot at Qatar MotoGP test
Japanese Honda rider Makoto Tamada ended the three-day MotoGP test at Qatar with a scintillating lap time of 1:57.63 round the 5.400kms Losail circuit. Tamada’s time was an incredible 2.3s faster than pole position time set at the GP last October.
The Konica Minolta Honda rider and his technical crew have established a solid base line setting for the Honda RC211V with the Michelin tyres Tamada will use this season. Over the winter testing period Tamada has found the rhythm and consistency he will need if he is to challenge for major honours when the season begins in earnest, at Jerez, Spain on April 10.
Nicky Hayden has grown in stature with each test aboard the new 2005 Honda RC211V 990cc V-5 grand prix machine and departs for his Kentucky home for a well earned rest. The Repsol Honda rider has developed a good feeling with his RCV that has instilled a high level of confidence as the 17-round championship series approaches. He rounded off the test with by setting his fastest time of the three-days, two seconds faster than his qualifying time at the Qatar GP last October.
Teammate Max Biaggi’s final day was one of mixed fortunes. Biaggi and the team achieved most of their objectives set for the day but their efforts were hampered when Biaggi lost the front end at turn 12 and slid off his RCV. The Italian was unscathed and the machine suffered only superficial damage allowing the team to complete their test programme.
Telefonica MoviStar Honda rider Sete Gibernau shook off the after effects of the fever which has plagued him at Qatar to set second fastest time on the final day of the test. The Spaniard’s condition restricted the number of laps he put in and the team elected to spend the time they had available to tyre testing.
Gibernau’s impressive young teammate Marco Melandri has shown his step by step approach to testing has paid off and he has mastered the power and handling characteristics of his RC211V. Melandri ran for 78-laps today mainly testing tyres running a race simulation distance to gauge tyre wear and behaviour as the race develops.
The Camel Honda team of Alex Barros and Troy Bayliss made progress today Barros despite a crash finished his front fork front tyre test to announce himself ‘Satisfied’ with his days work. Bayliss improved on his best lap times of yesterday while working to find optimum machine balance using race tyres. The Camel team will remain at Losail for an extra day of testing tomorrow.
Honda rider lap times and quotes:
Makoto Tamada, Konica Minolta Honda: 1:56.63 – 77 laps.
 “I’m very happy for what we have globally done in these three days since I have been the fastest rider during the second and the third day. My major satisfaction, apart from the lap times we have obtained, is the feeling I found with the bike. We confirmed also on this circuit after the performances during the Sepang and Phillip Island tests, that the package we have at our disposal for the season 2005 is at a highest level compare to the one we had the past season. Therefore I’m very trustful and I hope to be able to always perform at the maximum level during the season which is about to begin.”
Giulio Bernardelle Konica Minolta Honda Technical Director
“Today Makoto made it to demolish the best time obtained on this circuit last season by Checa, by been over two seconds and thirty cents faster. The results achieved during this test are simple to analyze as we only need to check the lap times. It doesn’t happen often to be able to work during tests, where everything goes well like it happened in the three days we have just spent. Our impression is that we have found a great basic setting as it concerns the bike’s frame and suspensions. In the last two tests we’ll have before the beginning of the season, we’ll mostly concentrate on the honing of the setting of the engine’s electronics.”
Repsol Honda, Nicky Hayden: 1:57.33 79 laps.
“After three days here we’re really starting to put it all together. I really enjoyed it here in Doha. There have been fewer riders around and we have really made some good progress. The conditions here have been good; less windy today. I’m back to Kentucky for a few days before coming back to Europe for the final tests before the season starts proper. I feel we’re in good shape; the team is working real good, and the bike is working well.”
Max Biaggi, Repsol Honda: 1:57.94 37 laps.
“Today was not the best day. We had wanted to make a race simulation but we make a small mistake and I lose the front end of the machine in Turn 12. There was not so much damage but it was hard to get re-started again. We struggled with the set-up of the bike here both on the first day and today. However, we have much data and we tested several interesting parts from HRC and in some cases we have some good results. The team is so strong and motivated. I really look forward to the next test at Barcelona and then move onto racing.”
Marco Melandri, Telefonica MoviStar Honda: 1:57.31 77 laps.
“This 3-day test session in Qatar was very positive for me, I’m happy of the method of work we have used here. I believe that, mentally, I have done an important step forward. I have learned from the Australian test session and I came here more relaxed and with clear ideas. Today we made some small modifications to the bike and worked a lot on tyre testing. This afternoon I made a race distance endurance with very positive results: I lapped consistently on low 1:58even at the end of the race. For me it’s very important to understand the bike and see how it changes on a race distance.
Sete Gibernau, Telefonica MoviStar Honda: 1:57.32 57 laps.
“Considering my physical conditions, I can be quite satisfied of the work done. We focused on tyre testing and even if I was not 100% fit, I did the minimum work required for this test session. We are confirming the work done in Malaysia and Australia, there is still some things to improve and I hope that there will be some new things for Barcelona.”
Alex Barros, Camel Honda: 1:57.38 – 62 laps.
“I’m quite satisfied, although to be honest I hoped to go even better. When I was testing a new front tyre I slid out, nothing really, but here in the run-offs it’s not sand or gravel, it’s like little rocks. I can tell you, they’re pretty hard! So the bumps aside, we worked on the set-up, testing various electronic things without picking out anything for certain. Perhaps regarding the tyres I could say that there has been another step up in quality. I finished work on the front, whilst on the rear tyre there are still some things to try. Of the six new ones, I tried three. Even though I felt I could have ridden quicker, in general the tests have gone well, the relationship with the team is as strong as ever and we con look forward to the IRTA test with confidence.”
Troy Bayliss, Camel Honda: 1:58.18 – 65 laps.
“I´m still not able to ride as I would like, but bit by bit I’m getting close. Here we worked on continuity, without changing too much on the bike but trying to find a good overall balance. I rode with race tyres
throughout, and I even did my best time with soft tyres.”
Sito Pons Camel Honda Team Principle.
“It was yet another good day today, as we brought to an end the work we had scheduled, and finished up there amongst the quickest riders. Apart from Tamada, who used qualifying tyres for his lap time, the gap between the top riders is small and Alex is amongst them. Troy is also getting ever closer and has got a good rhythm going now. Today the team worked both on the set-up and on tyres, with tomorrow lined up for photos, as we originally planned.”
More, from a press release issued by Marlboro Ducati:
DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM WRAPS UP TESTING IN QATAR
Capirossi and Checa prepare for forthcoming IRTA tests with an improvement in lap times and satisfaction for the work carried out in collaboration with Bridgestone.
Doha (Qatar), 3 March 2005 -Â The Ducati Marlboro Team concluded the third and final day of testing at the Losail circuit in Qatar, the fourth scheduled test for the development of the Bridgestone-shod Ducati
Desmosedici GP5. Loris Capirossi and Carlos Checa made the best of today’s final session, which took place in perfect weather conditions (28° air/33-50° track) on a surface that gradually improved over the three days.
The Qatar circuit is particularly tough on the front tyre, so both riders concentrated on getting the best performance from the bike exclusively in a race configuration.
Ducati Marlboro Team engineers also managed to identify several promising set-up and tyre solutions, which clearly have to be developed in the next scheduled tests before the start of the championship.
Loris Capirossi succeeded in improving on yesterday’s performance, and the Italian recorded a best time of 1:57.320 in his 54 laps.
“I am quite pleased with the work we have done over the past three days. We’re still not 100% right with the front but we are on the right path” commented Capirossi. “The GP5 is also going really well on this track and I am sure that the tyres will show further improvement before we come here to race in October. I didn’t want to use a qualifying tyre because we concentrated on development work that was far too important to be distracted by the search for sensational times: we are working calmly, there will be time for that in the future”.
Team-mate Carlos Checa was just a fraction of a second behind Loris, the Spanish rider recording a best time of 1:57.350 in his 60 laps.
“We got through a lot of work today: it wasn’t easy and I think that everyone should be pleased with the results obtained” declared Checa. “We improved a lot since the first day but what is really good is the constant progress that we made: it means that we worked well on a track that last year didn’t give much satisfaction either to Bridgestone or to the Ducati Marlboro Team. We are improving all the time and this test puts me in a good frame of mind for the future”.
Â
With the start of the 2005 MotoGP championship just around the corner, the development of the Desmosedici GP5 is continuing in parallel with the promising partnership with the Japanese tyre constructor.Â
The Ducati Marlboro Team’s next testing appointments are as follows:
March 18-20, Barcellona – IRTA Test
March 25-27, Jerez de la Frontera, IRTA Test
Television Coverage
The World Endurance Championship will reach further than ever before,
as revealed by the announcement of the series’ TV distribution plans.
Eurosport will have exclusive satellite rights throughout Europe for fifteen
days after each event. Other channels broadcasting highlights of the
World Endurance championship by satellite to Europe will include Motors
TV, AB Moteur in France, various channels in Spain, Polsat in Poland,
TVR in Romania and Nuvolari in Italy.
The terrestrial market in Europe will also be well served, with RTL5 in
Holland and Sportitalia (PAF), RAI2 (Motorama) and Telenova in Italy
scheduling broadcasts.
Outside Europe, ESPN Star Asia will bring the championship to Asia,
Supersport MNET to Africa, Fox Australia to Australia, Channel 5 Sport to
Israel, Dubai Sports Channel to the Middle East, Singapore TV to the
Singapore area and Henan TV to the vast Chinese market.
Finally, TV motorsports magazines “Racing Action” from Chris Courteyn
Productions and “Motorsport Mundial” from Greenlight and Duke will also
cover the championship.
Used with permission from www.cdnsuperbike.com:
The Parts Canada Superbike Championship Series will hold a pre-season warm up session at Jennings Grand Prix in North Florida, Monday, April 18 and Tuesday, April 19.
Sponsored by Kawasaki, Yamaha and Honda, the sessions will be open at no charge to all Pro racers with eligible equipment for the Parts Canada Pro Superbike Feature class or Hindle Exhaust Pro 600cc Sport Bike class.
In previous years, poor weather and strict testing guidelines have hindered teams’ abilities to prepare for the upcoming season. The Jennings sessions should allow productive set-up time prior to the opening of the 2005 Parts Canada Superbike Championship tour at Shannonville Motorsport Park’s Pro track, May 19-22.
The Jennings venue is a 2 mile, 14 turn circuit dedicated to motorcycle use. Located just south of Florida’s border with Georgia, the venue is just west from major Highway I-75. Information is available at the track’s web site, www.jenningsgp.com. Canadian racers including Pascal Picotte, Steve Crevier, Francis Martin, and Matt McBride have tested at the track during the winter, while Yamaha’s Frank Trombino is a one time class lap record holder at North Florida.
The April 18 and 19 tests will be conducted as per National event standards, with Technical Inspection and full supervision. Although the details have yet to be confirmed, plans include operating the official series Yamaha-backed dbCom timing system throughout the test.
Gates will open at 8:00AM on Monday April 18 for Registration and Tech, with on-track activity slated to start at 10:00, ending at 5:00PM. On Tuesday, sessions begin at 9:00 AM. Track testing will take place rain or shine, although organizing group Professional Motorsports Productions are looking for the sun!
An historical name has been passed at the age of 82. Umberto Todero, certainly the longest continuously employed member of the Moto Guzzi family died after a several months illness.
Umberto Todero died yesterday afternoon, the victim of a terrible illness that struck him a few months ago, suddenly causing him to abandon his office and his beloved drawing instruments.
We could write thousands of words to describe Umberto Todero and the 66 years he spent with Moto Guzzi. We could write thousands more to relate the many inspiring moments we spent listening to â??Umbertoâ?? as he charmed us with tales and anecdotes of his life at Moto Guzzi and of his wartime experiences. These tales, packed with love, passion and suffering, taught so much, especially to younger colleagues who through them were able to discover a unique, unrivalled and unrepeatable world. We cannot speak enough of the man with our heavy hearts today. We will recount the history of this great man in an upcoming issue of Aquila, the Moto Guzzi annual magazine.
At Mandello del Lario, we shall never forget the persistence and determination that distinguished Umberto Todero throughout his professional life and private life. We remember him today, and in future his memory shall be kept alive within Moto Guzzi by his achievements in design from the legendary V-8 to the stunning MGSO-1. From the past and present, for Umberto Todero remained active as a designer up until the last moments of his life.
â??I first met Umberto at the Moto Guzzi factory I visited there with co-worker Emily Banks during winter vacation in 1994,â?? says long-time Moto Guzzi North America Parts Manager Shelby Kennard. â??There was no one there, except the guard, we were about to leave when this little man in a grey three-piece suit came by. He offered his name and I excitedly recounted some of the projects he had helped design (the V8 racer, the Daytona (now MGS01) 4-valve heads, and other things). Umberto then gave us a tour of the factory and a personalized tour of the museum. I will never forget him or the experience.â??
Moto Guzzi stands by Umberto Toderoâ??s family in remembering a man who was able, through his uniquely genuine character, to teach so much, especially to those who knew how to listen, and to all who had the honour of knowing and appreciating him. We present some words by the man himself, in a rough translation to honour his voice and his own history with Moto Guzzi.
“MY LIFE IN GUZZI” – Memories of Umberto Todero written in 2004
My Memory still today is one of strong emotion, my first day of job in Moto Guzzi, with my hand shaking when presenting my confirmation of responsibilities.
It was 6 March 1939. From then many years pass, 65 to be exact, and I find myself still present between the walls of Moto Guzzi and Mandello of the Lario, proud of having a legacy associated to the Brand, that has known to support the name of Italy in its entire history, in the field of our sport.
The schools ended, and after to me are given a degree to the School of Art to industrial address in Friuli, where I resided with my family. An offer came for a workplace to me to Lecco, near the Fiat Branch (office). I accepted that offer, and therefore I was forced to transfer to Lecco, where my uncles inhabited.
I accepted that workplace, since it did not preclude the possibility to continue, in private, my studies. It was therefore that, having to submit to a period of residence of three months, obligatory for those times, before obtaining the first responsibility with Fiat, I had the possibility of a talk to the Moto Guzzi company, then introducing to me with a job offer.
The fates favored to me, and after some days my long history tied to the Guzzi Motion had started.
In the course of many years, always operating in technical activities, I always passed to duties and positions of greater responsibility. I began in 1939 with simple jobs of particular design, relating the construction of the motorcycle “Elk”, then in phase of prototype and production; I continued then with the development of the “Trialce” and in order to end, always with military products, I came employed to realize industrial “a fixed” motor to use in order to form electricity-generating or motocompressori groups in use to Military Navy. I made essential part of the activity from Moto Guzzi, before the war.
After the war, I was employed in the modernization and I renewed the of production motorcycles in the pre-war era, participated with studies regarding mainly arrangement of suspension, refraining systems, changes of speed and other area, having at the same time to divide job of office with job of workshop. This turned to the experimentation of how much previously came studied. It was just this, the period in which I asserted myself in the jobs of planning and aid to the Comm. Carlo Guzzi.
In 1948 my career endured and carried on more important. I came, in fact, entrusted to the dependencies of the Ing. Giulio Cesar Carcano, brilliant planner of the Eight Cylinders and the twin-cylinder engine to V of 90°, that it still today represents the symbol of Moto Guzzi.
Ing. Carcano, then Director of the Office Experiments and Studies, was person in charge to manage also the planning and the tests of the motorcycles from racing. I began therefore, under the guide of he who was my the true and great master, the job of planning of new motorcycles for racing, that they carried to the first true comparisons of the Moto Guzzi with the competition, in national and international contests.
In 1951 I became named Head of the racing Unit, and the years that followed were those of my greater responsibility within of the Unit.
Beyond to the planning job, I had to favour the job of direct run manager of the unit, and therefore still more, to use in new duties tied the world of the competitions.
The hard work, the worries and the emotions lived in the arc of those years, are for me unforgettable.
Ended the Racing experience to the Unit, in 1957, I always continued my activity under the direction of the Ing. Carcano, with which I contributed to realize new products, between which I would want to remember the Stornello, in the versions Tourism and Sport, to which followed the V7 and the twin-cylinder engine to V.
After the passing of the Founding Associates, George Parodiin the 1955 and Carlo Guzzi in 1964, the Guzzi Motion passed of ownership in property, with many problems to resolve consequently and with various organizational systems.
With all the working changes, my position remained unchanged and also my tasks as Planning Foreman remained the same ones.
I continued, in particular, to maintain connections with the offices of the Ministry of Transportation and with the Association of the Constructors. With these “work groups” I collaborated in the years the seventies regarding the new norms of atmospheric pollution on topics proposals from the Italian Ministry of Transportation, of the EEC and the UN through the ISO. A job was this a lot important and critical for the research and the experimentation.
Just in seventies, and exactly in 1975, I must remember a great and unexpected acknowledgment that reached me from the Italian Ministry Work, a telegram, then followed from by Presidential decree, announced me the award of the Star to the Merit of the Job, with the title it of Master of the Job.
Through my job, carried out in all these years with an infinite passion and a dedication, I have always obtained satisfactions and acknowledgments, reason for which I indeed feel myself proud to have united contributed to many colleagues to the best fortunes of the Moto Guzzi, and to which I endeavor a continuous growing and rich future in of new successes.
In Moto Guzzi we will not never forget the tenacity and the stubbornness that has defined Umberto Todero, is in its professional life and in his private one.
His memory is present today in all of us, and will remain always alive in Moto Guzzi through its history. It is tied to our early history that to that recent one, a passion that the active protagonist has seen to until the last moment.
Moto Guzzi tightens around the family in the memory of a man who in its “special semplicità“, has taught so much. The family is rich by the experience with the man and we will appreciate it, always and forever.
Goodbye Umberto, we will never forget to you,
Your Moto Guzzi Family.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., — The Daytona 200, one of the most prestigious motorcycle events in North America, will be sponsored by Honda, Daytona International Speedway officials announced today.
The 64th Daytona 200 By Honda, scheduled for Saturday, March 12, will feature the Formula Xtreme Series from the American Motorcycle Association (AMA) in a 68-lap event on the Speedway’s redesigned 2.95-mile road course.
“We’re thrilled to announce Honda as the sponsor of the prestigious Daytona 200,” Speedway President Robin Braig said. “We’ve had a long-standing relationship with Honda and we’re excited to extend that with one of the premier motorcycles races in the country.”
“The Daytona 200 has a rich and exciting heritage in American racing,” said Ray Blank, American Honda’s Motorcycle Division Vice President, “We won our first Daytona 200 35 years ago with Dick Mann and the CB750. We look forward to great racing this year and a continued relationship with Daytona International Speedway.”
Honda also serves as the sponsor of the Daytona Supercross By Honda, scheduled for Friday, March 11 under the lights at “The World Center of Racing,” and is the official motorcycle of Daytona International Speedway.
Tickets for all the upcoming motorcycle races at Daytona International Speedway are available online at http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.
Tamada tops the Qatar time sheet on day two of MotoGP test.
Japanese rider Makoto Tamada set the fastest time of the day on the second day of MotoGP testing at the 5.400kms Losail circuit today. Tamada, riding the Konica Minolta liveried Honda RC211V, was in scintillating form all day. The ever smiling Japanese shook off the lingering stiffness from his crash at Phillip Island last week started his day testing chassis and suspension improvements before moving on to Michelin tyre testing. Tamada used the latest Michelin race tyres to set a lap time of 1:57.69, an incredible 3 seconds faster than his qualifying time for the Qatar GP held in October 2004.
American Nicky Hayden has hit a rich vein of form in recent tests and he carried it over into today. The Repsol Honda factory team rider has quickly found his way with the 2005 version of the RC211V and is in confident mood. Hayden tested transmission developments and a new Michelin front race tyre while setting his best time of the day, just one-tenth of a second slower
than Tamada.
Teammate Biaggi had a better day today than on opening day. The Italian experimented with the geometry of his RCV and different suspension setting and immediately felt more comfortable on the Repsol Honda. He goes into the final day of the test with renewed confidence.
Camel Honda riders Alex Barros and Troy Bayliss hardly did 50-laps between them dividing their day between testing and a team photo shoot but in the short time they were running they achieved the objectives they set
themselves for the day. Bayliss was particularly happy with his performance, and perseverance, the Australian slashed over two seconds off his best time of yesterday.
Honda rider lap times and quotes:
Makoto Tamada, Konica Minolta Honda: 1:57.69 – 60 laps.
“I’m very happy because we understand day after day that our situation is getting better and better, and the lap times we have achieved today are the proof of our evolution. Today I have achieved with racing tyres, a lap time more than three seconds faster than the time I have obtained during the past season qualifying sessions. This makes me even happier if I think that
we’ll be able to reach a higher level of competitiveness before the beginning of the championship. Also my physical conditions are getting better. I have almost fully recovered from the hard hit that I have suffered during the slip on the Phillip Island circuit and today I was able to work all day without any sort of problem.”
Giulio Bernardelle – Konica Minolta Honda Technical Director
“This morning we finished the first part of the work done yesterday on the bike’s frame and suspensions, and in the middle part of the day, we tested new front and rear tyres that Michelin has furnished us. The impression we have obtained after trying this new racing tyres, is that they are much better compare to the ones we have used during the first winter test. I have to thanks my team because we are working only on one bike after that the other one has been wrecked in Australia, and they are working with a lot of enthusiasm to make all the changes on one bike as quickly as possible to be able to try different solutions from lap to lap.”
Nicky Hayden, Repsol Honda: 1:57.78 – 78 laps.
“We knocked a bit more off yesterday’s time which was satisfying. We made some changes in the transmission and we used a different front tyre compound which increased grip and confidence levels a little. The track defiantly has a bit more grip than yesterday but its still pretty windy round here. We have a few new parts to test for the bike – some of which seem to be working well. It’s all going generally in the right direction.”
Max Biaggi, Repsol Honda: 1:57.79 – 71 laps.
“We did better today. We tried a different set-up with different geometry and different suspension settings and the feeling was immediately better. We are still trying to improve the handling and it’s coming better. I trust
everyone around me and we are all working hard for the best results. We still have quite a lot of work to do on the front with tyres from Michelin and some adjustment from the Showa guys. Tomorrow we hope to complete a
full race simulation.”
Sete Gibernau, Telefonica MoviStar Honda: 1:58.66 – 40 laps.
“I made only some few laps to test some solutions for HRC and some tyre testing. Unfortunately I’m still suffering from fever and I couldn’t give the indications I wanted I prefer to wait tomorrow morning. I hope to feel better because we have a lot of work to do.”
Marco Melandri, Telefonica MoviStar Honda: 1:57 948 – 58 laps:
“I’m very happy of today test session. We worked a lot with tyres and made some small modifications at the set up. I have found a good feeling with the bike and already this morning I improved my rhythm, lapping in low 1:58. I think that I have made here a step forward both in my riding style and approach to tests. What I like of my bike is that the RC211V doesn’t need many modifications from one track to another so I have time to understand the bike and adapt my riding style. Tomorrow, third and last day of test here in Qatar, I’d like to make a long run.”
Alex Barros, Camel Honda: 1:57.80 – 26 laps.
“We got through twenty-six laps today, so still short of what’s needed to get the set-up right. More than anything we tested new tyres, four fronts to be exact, before we stopped for the photo shoot. In the next two days, however, we will focus entirely on the set-up of the bike.”
Troy Bayliss, Camel Honda: 1:58.55 – 25 laps.
“We didn’t ride too much today either, but nonetheless I’m very happy. In those few laps I was able to improve my time considerably from yesterday’s, taking over two seconds off it! I can see the improvements coming and we’ve found a good direction. Tomorrow and Friday we will be able to make the most of all the time left and we will be able to work on the data we’ve picked up today.”
