Blake Young, 17, of Madison, Wisconsin, was named the 2005 AMA Sports Horizon Award winner for road racing by taking victory in two “Premier” class races and placing second in three others at the AMA Grand Championship Road Races July 18-20 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. But according to AMA Sports Supplemental Regulations for the event, Young was ineligible to even ride in the AMA Grand Championship races, which should have precluded him from Horizon Award consideration. From AMA Sports Supplemental Regulations ( ~http://www.amadirectlink.com/amrace/2005/rr/Newsletter.pdf~ ): SUPPLEMENTAL RULES AND RIDER ELIGIBILITY 5. All classes (except for the Solo classes) are not open to riders who accomplished any of the following: a. Since 2000, finished in the top 10 in any AMA Pro Racing Superbike race. b. Since 2000, finished in the top 5 in any AMA Pro Supersport/Superstock or Formula Xtreme event. c. Since 2002 in the Formula USA series, finished in the top 3 or won a Championship in Formula Sportbike, Sportbike or Superbike classes. On April 25, 2004, Young finished second in three Formula USA races (Sportbike, Superbike and Formula Sportbike) at Road America.

RAIN LASHES FINAL DAY OF DUCATI XEROX TEAM TWO-DAY TEST AT EUROSPEEDWAY Bologna (Italy), Thursday 21 July: The second and final day of the Ducati Xerox Team’s two-day test at the Eurospeedway Lausitz in Germany was cut short this afternoon as heavy rain lashed the circuit most of the day. Régis Laconi and James Toseland managed to put in a full day’s dry-weather testing on the Wednesday, but bad weather conditions meant that none of the riders from the various WSBK teams present for the testing session could improve their times today. Yesterday the Ducati Xerox Team focussed on learning the track and general set-up work in the morning, before testing tyres for the championship’s one-make supplier Pirelli in the afternoon, while today the two riders concentrated on wet-weather tyres and set-up following a half-an-hour dry ‘window’ first thing in the morning. The top times recorded by both riders yesterday were 1m40.4s for Laconi, and 1m40.9s for Toseland on race tyres. “Today it rained really a lot and the track became a bit dangerous because there was not much grip” declared Laconi. “But we worked really well these two days, despite the difficult conditions. Yesterday in particular I put in a lot of laps and we fitted the large 200mm rear tyre I used during the Misano weekend, and the results were very good.” “The first day was a bit disappointing because we didn’t make much headway with the new front tyre and when I did have a decent front, the day was up and I was a bit behind with my time” commented Toseland. “Today I was the quickest before the rain and was looking forward to improving the rest of the day, but it didn’t happen. Then when I did get confident in the rain, I took a bit of a dive while trying to break the two-minute barrier. It was good we did a lot of testing in the rain because it might be like that here in September.” This year World Superbike returns to the impressive speedway facility in the former East Germany for the first time in three years. The 4.265 km Lausitzring has twice been the venue for the German Round of the championship, in 2001 (when the wins went to Colin Edwards (Honda) and Troy Bayliss (Ducati) and the following year, when Ducati’s Australian rider scored the double. This year’s race, round 10 in the 12-round calendar, will be held on September 11. UNOFFICIAL TIMES: 1. Vermeulen (Honda) 1m40.1s; Laconi (Ducati Xerox) 1m40.4s; 3. Lanzi (Ducati SC) 1m40.6s; 4. Toseland (Ducati Xerox) 1m40.9s; 5. Muggeridge (Honda) 1m41.2s; 6. Walker (Kawasaki) 1m41.3s; 7. Martin (Petronas) 1m42.0s; 8. Riba (Kawasaki) 1m42.3s; etc. More, from a press release issued by Winston Ten Kate Honda: RAIN CURTAILS WINSTON TEST IN GERMANY Rain on Thursday at Lausitzring in Germany cut-short a scheduled two-day Winston Ten Kate Honda test at the Eurospeedway circuit, limiting the team to just one full day on Wednesday. Chris Vermeulen and Karl Muggeridge used race rubber throughout the day, testing different chassis components and suspension settings to improve race performance. Ronald Ten Kate team manager: “Wednesday was good, as we tried a lot of different components and settings to further our development of the Honda CBR1000RR and to try to get more consistency on used race tyres. Everything went well, with Chris posting the fastest unofficial time of 1m40.1s comparing to Troy Bayliss’s 2002 lap record of 1m39.7s. Unfortunately, we only managed to get in a few laps on Thursday morning before it began to drizzle and then rain more heavily. We had a lot of other stuff to test on day two and lots of work to get through but, being unable to try anything useful, we packed up early to prepare for the next round at Brands Hatch.” Chris Vermeulen best time, 1m40.1s (on race tyres): “The first day at Lausitzring was really good and we played with a lot of different things on the bike. At the Magny-Cours test we had a lot of different Pirellis to test but this time round we just went through everything on standard race tyres. We worked on rear shocks, linkages, geometry, front forks the whole chassis really. We learned a lot more about how the bike behaves and performs on the same tyres with different settings, so it was really useful. I only did about 15 laps on Thursday but that was enough to find out that the circuit is incredibly slippery in the wet. They use it a lot for car races and there is lots of rubber on the surface.” “ Karl Muggeridge best time, 1m41.1s (on race tyres): “Everything went pretty good really and we definitely found a better way with the rear set-up, which allowed us to find more grip and durability in race situations. I only used two-and-a-half sets of race tyres on Wednesday, when I did about 100 laps. We just tried to maintain a good pace right the way through a race distance. The direction we found works pretty good and we’ll definitely be able to take it to Brands Hatch. We’ll still have some work to do on the front there because we had to cut the test short. Between now and then I’m going to take a little holiday in Greece give me a Greek salad, a deck-chair and some sun, and I’m happy!”” Eurospeedway, Lausitzring (4.265km) Unofficial times: Chris Vermeulen (Winston Ten Kate Honda) 1m40.1s; Regis Laconi (Ducati) 1:40.4; Lorenzo Lanzi (Ducati) 1:40.5; James Toseland (Ducati) 1:40.9; Chris Walker (Kawasaki) 1m41.2; Karl Muggeridge (Winston Ten Kate Honda) 1:41.2. 2002 fastest race lap Ruben Xaus (Ducati) 1:39.679 More, from another press release issued by Winston Ten Kate Honda: CHARPENTIER SEEKS EVEN MORE AT LAUSITZRING In spite of his domination of this season’s World Supersport championship, Winston Ten Kate Honda’s Sébastien Charpentier has been looking for even more from his CBR600RR at a test in Germany this week. Direct from his impressive win last weekend at Brno in the Czech Republic, the Frenchman rode at the Eurospeedway circuit, Lausitzring on Wednesday and Thursday. Ronald Ten Kate team manager: “With Katsuaki Fujiwara still recovering from his back injury in Japan, it was down to Sébastien to test a new fuel injection and ignition system on his own this week. Unfortunately, rain forced us to call an early halt to the test on Thursday morning but that didn’t stop him putting in a lot of work and posting an impressive lap time. He is hungry for any improvements we can find on the bike and, as a team, we are always looking to make small adjustments to boost its performance even further.” Sébastien Charpentier best time, 1m42.0s: “It was a very good test for me and the team and I was able to do a very good lap time. My bike felt even faster than at Brno but we also tested some development parts from HRC as we always look for improvements. The new injection and ignition system felt good and I made many practice starts to test it. In the dry on Wednesday everything felt good and I even made a few laps in the wet on Thursday morning, although it was very slippery. The weather was strange cold, windy and wet so I hope it is OK for the race there in September.” Eurospeedway, Lausitzring (4.265km) Unofficial times: Sébastien Charpentier (Winston Ten Kate Honda) 1m42.0s; Broc Parkes (Yamaha) 1:43.1; Kevin Curtain (Yamaha) 1:43.3 2002 fastest race lap Fabien Foret (Ten Kate Honda) 1:43.6

BOSTROM AND HODGSON READY TO SUSTAIN DUCATI SUPERBIKE MOMENTUM AT MID-OHIO Mansfield, Ohio – After winning three of the last four AMA Superbike races, the Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin team will look to continue their recent streak at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course this weekend. Eric Bostrom and Neil Hodgson hope to break a trend at Mid-Ohio’s Superbike doubleheader. No Ducati-mounted rider has won at the 2.4-mile (3.8-kilometer), 15-turn circuit since 1992, but both the factory Ducati 999 riders have proven capable of finishing first, most recently with Bostrom winning at Laguna Seca. Eric Bostrom, a former race winner at Mid-Ohio, has been red hot since Pikes Peak and the Californian has won two of the last four AMA Superbike races. “Mid-Ohio is always a tough track because a lot of the guys go really well there,” said Bostrom, a 14-time AMA Superbike winner. “Our side of the team has fought hard and gotten more competitive over the season and it will be interesting to see how the weekend develops. My confidence is high coming off the Laguna Seca win and we are certainly ready to race the 999 again.” Neil Hodgson has proven his mettle in 2005, dueling with the veteran AMA Superbike aces despite competing at the difficult American tracks for the first time. Coming off a spectacular victory in the wet at Road America, Neil’s Laguna race ended in disappointment after a lap one incident saw his 999 knocked out from under him at the Corkscrew by another rider’s mistake. Neil says he is ready to get back on the track, however. “It was good that we were able to test at Mid-Ohio earlier this year,” said Neil, the 2003 World Superbike champion. “I must say I’ve never seen another track quite like it with the concrete patches and high curbs. Any rider racing there for the first time has to come to terms with that. The actual layout of the track is interesting. I haven’t had the best luck the last few times out and we’re ready to turn that around in these two races.” “We are looking forward to this weekend,” said team owner Terry Gregoricka. “Eric’s gotten up to speed and raced really well the past few events. I know Neil’s ready to get racing again after Laguna Seca. He feels like he had some unfinished business after the way his race was ended early on the first lap. He wants a good result for himself and the team.” The Circuit: The 15-turn Mid-Ohio circuit is a tight track with some elevation changes but also has a respectable straight. The 2.4-mile (3.8-kilometer) track’s surface has been quite bumpy in the past, but the surface was ground down for last year’s race. The track also brought in 1000 feet of air-based safety barriers, smoothed two of the gravel traps, and relocated two walls for this year’s event. Last weekend, Ducati was the featured marque at the AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days held here. AMA Superbike Points Standings (After 11 of 17 races) – 1. Mat Mladin, Suzuki 358 2. Ben Spies, Suzuki 327 3. Aaron Yates, Suzuki 294 4.ERIC BOSTROM, PARTS UNLIMITED DUCATI AUSTIN 999 268 5. NEIL HODGSON, PARTS UNLIMITED DUCATI AUSTIN 999 249 6. Miguel Duhamel, Honda 229

With the AMA paddock set up and ready, the road course at Mid-Ohio is currently occupied by a group of street riders being led around by a pace car, reaching top speeds that appear to be pushing 60 mph. The street bike track day was scheduled instead of a Thursday practice for privateers–who were excluded from factory team tests held at the Ohio facility last month–to use to set up their bikes. Exciting new development: The pace car has exited the track and the street riders now on course appear to be exceeding 70 mph on the front straight!

MONTEREY, Calif. (July 21, 2005) Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca has distributed applications for renewals on all premium seating locations for the 2006 Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix July 21-23, 2006. The deadline for all renewal applications is August 20, 2005. Ticket packages available for renewal are all Premier Pit Row Suites, Turn 3 Paddock Suites, Turn 2 Suites, Flagroom, and Laguna Club. Premier and Reserved Camping locations are also renewable purchases. All remaining tickets, including general admission, paddock passes, remaining grandstand seats and remaining camping go on sale September 1. Renewal opportunities for the 2005 Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix, marking the return of the MotoGP series to the United States, were offered to previous World Superbike Championship event ticket holders. This year’s event sold out of Saturday and Sunday tickets one week in advance of the event, drawing an announced crowd of 153,653 during three days of activity. Due to the quantity of orders for the 2006 Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix, there will be no exceptions to renewal applications received after the August 20 deadline. Renewal orders are accepted by mail or walk-up only. More information on the ticket process is available by calling (800) 327-SECA or logging on to www.laguna-seca.com. Information on the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix is also available at www.RedBullUSGrandPrix.com.

Day of Champions brings MotoGP paddock back together at Donington Park The entire Grand Prix paddock was reunited today with riders from the MotoGP, 250cc and 125cc World Championships teaming up with the British public to make their annual contribution to improving medical aid services in Africa as the Riders for Health charity held their biggest and most impressive Day of Champions yet at Donington Park. On the eve of the betandwin.com British Grand Prix some 3,000 fans poured into an open paddock for a day of festivities that ranged from a pit-lane walk to stunt shows, sidecar rides, live music, a circuit ride-in and the afternoon’s main event, the rider memorabilia auction. Despite preparing to sell his leathers off to the highest bidder in the auction, MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi was in anything but charitable mood as he prepares to defend a 79-point lead at the top of the championship. The Italian won his first MotoGP race at this track in 2000 and is hoping for a similar result in front of a vast army of local support. “For sure this is one of my favourite tracks, it’s near my home and I like it a lot,” said Rossi. “It is technical and difficult but always a great pleasure. It is incredible because I see from 2000 every year there have been more people following me and all the riders. It has been a fantastic year for me so far and now we’re at the turning point for the second part of the season. It will be difficult but our target is to arrive on the podium every race and try to make a lot of victories. The bike is going well and we’ll see what happens.” The Italian discovered yesterday that he will have a new rival next season as 250cc World Champion Dani Pedrosa confirmed at a promotional event in London that he has signed a deal with Honda to ride as part of their official team in the MotoGP class from 2006. The Spanish youngster, who won the quarter-litre title at the first attempt last season and currently leads the series by 37 points, tested the Japanese factory’s V5 machine at Valencia last November and expressed his delight at the deal. “As soon as Honda made the offer we accepted,” said Pedrosa. “Both Alberto [Puig, Pedrosa’s manager] and I were very clear we wanted the best bike more than we wanted the money. When I tested Honda’s MotoGP bike at Valencia I could tell that it was a bit big for me and my body isn’t quite ready for a bike like that so I will have to train very hard. I am not scared of anybody in MotoGP, just a little worried about my size.” Whilst Pedrosa will be looking to challenge Rossi for the title next season, the Italian’s nearest current challenger is Marco Melandri, who is looking forward to racing at a circuit just two kilometres from his Derbyshire home after crashing out of the race in the USA two weeks ago. “It’s a good feeling to be back in Europe after the experience of Laguna Seca,” said Melandri. “It was a tough weekend for us and I want to get back on the good run of results we’ve had so far in the championship. I also want to get over what happened at Donington last season, when I fell, broke my thumb, had to have an operation and suffered with the injury for the rest of the season.” Nicky Hayden is also hungry for success after getting his first taste of the winners’ champagne at his home round. The American rider is flying high on the confidence of his debut victory and is promising plenty more to come. “A repeat performance of Laguna will be a very long shot but I come here with a new spring in my step knowing that we have the capability to shock and that is what I want to do again,” said Hayden. “It took me a while to win races back home in AMA but when I did they seemed to come. I now know I can do it at this level and I won’t be happy till we can do it again.” With Melandri and Alex Barros all escaping unhurt from their race crashes at Laguna Seca there are no injury worries going into tomorrow’s first day of action, particularly with the 250cc and 125cc riders having benefited from an extra two weeks’ rest since their last Grand Prix at Assen. Australian rider Casey Stoner lies second to Pedrosa in the quarter-litre class and is hoping to close the gap this weekend at the circuit where he made his debut as a wildcard four seasons ago. “A lot will depend on how we can set the Aprilia up because the Honda is very strong at this circuit and Dani had it all his own way last year,” said Stoner. “Andrea Dovizioso is also good at this track so it will be a tough race but I’m looking forward to trying to beat them both and consolidate second in the championship.” Meanwhile, Gabor Talmacsi says he has enjoyed plenty of limelight in his native Hungary over the past four weeks after becoming the first rider from the nation to lead the 125cc World Championship but admits there is still plenty of hard work to be done with eight rounds of the season still remaining. “The people in Hungary are giving me a lot of support and I hope to stay on top of the championship on Sunday,” said Talmacsi, who is currently level on points with Mattia Pasini. “125cc racing is very unpredictable and there is a long way to go but so far the season is going very well for me.”

FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: The good news is: Jack is able to walk and walked for the first time today with a walker and two nurses, down the hall and back. They also removed his IV for now and he drank with help for the first time. The bad news is: Jack has 3 other discs bulging and three broken ribs to add to his injury list. Today they also discovered he’s got pneumonia from not being able to use the full capacity of his lungs due to the back and rib injuries. Coughing is the last thing he wants to do but now he’s doing a lot of it. Dr. Canale(ex WSMC racer) is working with the neurologist in Chico via the internet and telephone and he said the pneumonia was expected and should be cured with lots of antibiotics. Jack will be in Chico, California, longer than expected, until he is stable enough to be transported to Las Vegas. He may be in Chico for another week. Jack will be in a back brace for 3 to 6 months or more. As for right now they don’t plan on doing any surgery. His right arm and wrist were also casted without need for surgery. On a lighter note, I spoke to Jack yesterday afternoon before he got worse today. He’s very morphined up right now but he still sounded like good old Jack. I told him about all the e-mails he had recieved. I could hear him smile and say, “that’s cool, man, who emailed me”? He had over 75 emails in one day thanks to Roadracingworld.com. He closed our conversation with, “TBone, I’m really hurting, man.” Jack is still at the ~http://www.enloe.org/welcome_to_enloe/how_to_find_us.asp~ in room #301. I promised to read every e-mail he has received to him when I see him and he’s coherent. These e-mails will help him deal with the long van ride home to Vegas and his recovery process to come. Jack and the Pfeifer Family thank everyone for sending the e-mails with your thoughts and prayers. I’m sure Jack will reply to all of you his own personnal way in the next few weeks. The Pfeifers also were very concerned about the other riders involved and hope everyone recovers from that dramatic accident. Please feel free to use this e-mail address, [email protected], for questions or e-mails to Jack and I will keep you posted on his status. Thank You All, Travis Ryan

Wegman Benefit Fund representatives Gordon and Laurel Lunde will be at the AMA Superbike event at Mid-Ohio this coming weekend. The Lundes will have their trailer in the paddock with apparel, stickers, etc. available for a donation to the general fund for injured racers. We will also accept donations for injured racer Vincent Haskovec and we have a limited number of Czecher #3 stickers available. The 19th Annual Wegman Fund auction will be held August 27th at Blackhawk Farms Raceway and we are also looking for donations for that auction. If anyone can drop by, racers or fans, with an item it would really be appreciated.

The AMA Superbike Championship returns to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course during the Honda Super Cycle Weekend presented by Dunlop Tire, July 22-26. The July motorcycle racing classic will run at Mid-Ohio for the 23rd time, making it the longest-running series on the track’s 2005 schedule. “We’re pleased to welcome the AMA back to Mid-Ohio and are looking forward to more of the incredible 170-mile-per-hour action that has made this event one of best and most popular on the calendar,” said TrueSports President Michelle Trueman Gajoch. “Some of the best riders in the world will be here showing fans just why Mid-Ohio is America’s most competitive road course.” The competition is tight entering this year’s event, with Superbike rookie Ben Spies trailing defending champion Mat Mladin by just 31 points. Because Mid-Ohio’s Wiseco Superbike 100 doubleheader represents rounds 12 and 13 of just 17 races on the AMA schedule, the Mid-Ohio stop should have an enormous impact on the season championship. Aaron Yates is third in the Superbike points chase with seven podium finishes this year. Eric Bostrom and Neil Hodgson round out the top five. Bostrom has two wins and Hodgson has one win this season. Though the Superbike class highlights the weekend, the AMA’s field of support races will prove to be just as exciting. Formula Extreme, Superstock, and Supersport series round out the schedule. Jake Zemke leads Miguel Duhamel by seven points in the chase for the Formula Extreme championship. The two Honda riders have combined to win every Formula Extreme race this season. With three races left on the schedule, Danny Elsick, Alex Gobert, and Ben Attard round out the top five. Aaron Yates has won three of the last four Superstock races and now leads Jason Disalvo by 10 points. Steve Rapp and Tommy Hayden hold down the third and fourth position in the points standing and are separated by only nine points. The Supersport standings are led by Tommy Hayden and his brother Roger Lee Hayden. The brothers from Owensboro, Ky., have combined to win four of the seven rounds so far. Jason Disalvo is third in Superstock points followed by Ben Spies and Aaron Gobert. Spies and Gobert are separated by just one point with three rounds to go. Spectators and fans wanting to get up close and personal with their favorite AMA riders also will enjoy the all-series autograph session Saturday, July 23, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on the infield patio. Tickets and information for the Honda Super Cycle Weekend presented by Dunlop Tire are available by calling 1-800-MID-OHIO or visiting www.midohio.com. Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is a 2.4-mile, 15-turn permanent road racing circuit in Lexington, Ohio. Located 60 miles north of Columbus and 75 miles south of Cleveland near Mansfield, the track has been called the most competitive in the U.S. and annually hosts a diversity of locally, regionally and nationally sanctioned racing events for amateur, club and professional riders and drivers. The remainder of Mid-Ohio’s six-event 2005 schedule includes the EMCO Gears Classic (August 26-28) featuring the Unlimited Audio and Accessories Triple Crown Tuner Challenge, and the SCCA National Championship Runoffs® presented by Kohler (September 19-25). Founded in 1981 and headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, TrueSports, Inc. is a privately held motorsports entertainment enterprise. The company owns and operates Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and The Mid-Ohio School, and promotes a wide variety of motor racing, driver instruction, corporate, and family entertainment events throughout the year.