YAMAHA FACTORY RACING CELEBRATES 50TH ANNIVERSARY The Yamaha Factory Racing Team and its riders Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards will contest this weekend’s US Grand Prix in Laguna Seca in a special yellow, white and black livery to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Yamaha Motor Company. The yellow, white and black livery which will be worn by the riders and team throughout the coming weekend, was originally used by Yamaha’s US racers in the 1970’s, most notably triple-World Champion Kenny Roberts. The colour change celebrates Yamaha’s racing history and particular success in the USA with American riders Roberts, Eddie Lawson and Wayne Rainey having won nine premier-class World Championships between them. “I am really happy to be racing in yellow, white and black here in the US, especially since yellow is my favourite colour!” said current World Championship series-leader Rossi, who this weekend races at Laguna Seca for the first time in his career. “It’s great to be recreating the livery of Yamaha US and Kenny Roberts, one of the most famous and recognisable racing liveries of all time. I am proud to be racing together with Yamaha at its 50th Anniversary, especially at this race, which everyone has been looking forward to for such a long time. Our special bikes will help to make the MotoGP ‘show’ even more of a spectacle for the American public!” Colin Edwards has the honour of being the first American Grand Prix rider in 25 years to carry the yellow, white and black livery. “It’s awesome!” exclaimed the Texan, facing his first race on American soil since he left the World Superbike Championship three years ago. “My home race is already such a big thing for me, but this makes it even more special and I’m really excited to be a part of something like this. I really like the livery and the bikes look great. It’s a great honour to be an American riding for Yamaha when there’s such a heritage with the brand and the American greats like Kenny, Wayne Rainey and Eddie Lawson. I really hope we can make this a great 50th Anniversary celebration with the right result on Sunday!” Yamaha Factory Racing Team Director Davide Brivio commented, “It’s very exciting to be celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Yamaha here together in the US, and it’s really nice that Yamaha has been able to bring back this yellow, white and black livery that is such an important part of its racing history. The Team is proud to be here in this historic moment, and to have been chosen to be the ones to celebrate here in Laguna in this special way. Of course we will focus on the race and hope that we will be able to celebrate properly with an unforgettable race result on Sunday!” MESSAGE ON THE OCCASION OF THE AMERICAN MotoGP RACE By Takashi Kajikawa – President, Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. “On July 1, 2005, Yamaha Motor Company celebrated the 50th Anniversary of our company’s founding. We have been able to reach this major milestone thanks to a proud tradition of the Yamaha “Spirit of Challenge” that began with our founding president, Genichi Kawakami in 1955, and has been handed down through the generations of Yamaha employees, and also thanks to the great efforts of our importers and dealers around the world, and finally thanks to the support we have always received from our customers. On behalf of Yamaha Motor, I wish to express our deep gratitude to all these people. Throughout our company’s 50-year history, racing has always been an arena for us to nurture the spirit of challenge and refine our technology. At the same time, it has been a very important way for us to realize our corporate mission of creating “Kando,” which is the Japanese word for feelings of excitement and deep satisfaction. And today, we are more aware than ever of the importance of winning races, because of the tremendous inspiration and motivation it brings to our customers and our business partners around the world. Looking back, the first overseas race Yamaha Motor ever participated in was the Catalina Grand Prix in the U.S. of 1958. Later, Yamaha would bring AMA star Kenny Roberts to the GP500 class of the World Championships and create a sensation, when he went on to win three consecutive world titles. Now I am very happy to see the pinnacle competition of world motorcycle road racing return to the U.S. for the first time in 11 years. In this race, Yamaha will be represented by our Factory Team’s Valentino Rossi, who is presently on a five race consecutive winning streak on the YZR-M1, America’s own Colin Edwards as well as the Fortuna Yamaha Team riders Tony Elias and Ruben Xaus. For this race the machines of Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards will be sporting the nostalgic Yamaha U.S. racing colours from the 1970s. Also, we are happy to hold events that will welcome 19 great Yamaha road race and motocross riders of the past and present including Wayne Rainey, Eddie Lawson and Giacomo Agostini. At the American GP venue this time, we hope that all the members of the media and the fans will have an opportunity to experience first-hand the excitement of another Yamaha racing legend unfolding. Yamaha Motor Company is dedicated to the promotion of racing as a form of “Kando” that can be shared not only within the Yamaha family but also with our customers and fans everywhere. That is why we actively pursue race programmes at all levels, from MotoGP to local races in all parts of the world, and not only for motorcycles but in a wide range of categories, from snowmobiles and ATVs to racing karts. We ask for your continued support for us in these activities.” YAMAHA CELEBRATES 50TH ANNIVERSARY WITH SPECIAL MotoGP LIVERY Yamaha’s Factory MotoGP team goes to this weekend’s United States Grand Prix in celebratory mood, wearing the famous Yamaha USA colours of yellow, white and black. This special livery marks Yamaha’s 50th Anniversary and acknowledges the significant contribution made by American riders to the marque’s racing history. The Yamaha Motor Company was founded on July 1st 1955, just two weeks before the factory’s first bike, the YA1, won its first race, the Mount Fuji Ascent race. Since then three American riders have won nine premier-class World Championships with Yamaha ‘King’ Kenny Roberts, Eddie Lawson and Wayne Rainey, each taking three crowns across three decades, the 70s, the 80s and the 90s. The livery that Yamaha Factory Racing YZR-M1 riders Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards will wear at Laguna Seca was first used by Yamaha USA in the late 1960s and won global renown when Roberts scored his World Championship hat-trick. Masao Furusawa, Senior General Manager of Yamaha’s Engineering Operations, finds that this is a perfect time for the company to celebrate its first half-century. “This is a moment of which we can be proud,” he said. “We will be celebrating our 50th Anniversary at Laguna as the reigning World Champions, while our factory MotoGP team leads the riders’, manufacturers’ and teams’ World Championships, so it’s great that we can celebrate in style.” Lin Jarvis, Managing Director of Yamaha Motor Racing, explains the thinking behind the yellow, white and black colour scheme of the YZR-M1 50th Anniversary US Edition. “We chose to race in Yamaha USA’s historic colours as a tribute to the American riders who have played such an important part in Yamaha’s history,” he says. “It is also right that we should celebrate the return of Grand Prix racing to the USA, which is great for the American fans and also very important for the future of MotoGP. “Of course, this isn’t the first time that our YZR-M1 has carried the yellow, white and black colours. Some of you may have noticed the seat graphics on Valentino’s M1, which since last year have featured his dog Guido wearing an old-school Yamaha USA T-shirt! It will be fantastic to see Valentino racing in yellow, which is his favourite colour. And this is also a big weekend for Colin, his first US Grand Prix, plus he is the first American GP rider in 25 years to race in Yamaha USA’s traditional colours. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our 2005 title sponsor Altadis for their cooperation in permitting Yamaha to race in Yamaha-only livery for this special event.” Rossi’s and Edwards’ one-off livery is only one aspect of a busy weekend of 50th Anniversary celebrations during the US GP. The fun starts with a Friday night party for media and VIP guests at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

History of the USA Grand Prix Although in recent years there has not been a GP held in the USA, there have been a total of eight Grand Prix events held in the country previously and some facts and figures from the premier-class races at these events are given below: The first two GP events held in the United States in 1964 and 1965 took place at the Daytona circuit, both of which were won by Mike Hailwood. After a twenty-two year break the Grand Prix circus returned to the USA in 1988 at Laguna Seca and ran through to 1994 with the exception of 1992. Of the six premier-class races held at Laguna Seca the only rider from outside of the US who has won is Luca Cadalora. Yamaha riders have taken five victories at Laguna; Eddie Lawson in 1988, Wayne Rainey in 1989, 1990 & 1991 and Luca Cadalora in 1994. The only other successful manufacturer was Cagiva in 1993 with John Kocinski. Honda have never had a victory in the premier-class at Laguna Seca; their best results being second place with Wayne Gardner in 1988 and Mick Doohan in both 1990 and 1991. Suzuki has had riders finish on the podium on three occasions at Laguna; Kevin Schwantz in 1989 & 1991 and Alex Barros in 1993. Of the 18 podium positions available from the six premier-class GP races held at Laguna exactly 50% of them have been taken by riders from the US. At least one rider from the USA has finished on the podium in each of the previous premier-class GP’s at Laguna Seca. Yamaha and the USA have had three pole positions at Laguna Seca with Wayne Rainey in 1988, 1989 and 1991. Australia and Honda have also had three pole positions with Wayne Gardner in 1990 and Mick Doohan in 1993 and 1994. MotoGP facts & figures Following his victory at Assen Valentino Rossi has now finished on the podium at the last ten races. This is the longest run by a Yamaha rider since Wayne Rainey had fifteen successive podium finishes in the 1989 and 1990 seasons, this being a record for a Yamaha rider. Marco Melandri’s second place finish at Assen is his best result since joining the MotoGP class at the start of 2003. Max Biaggi finished on the podium in the 250cc race at Laguna Seca back in 1994 on his way to winning his first world title riding an Aprilia. At the Dutch TT Sete Gibernau finished behind two other Honda riders for the first time since the Malaysian GP last year. Alex Barros is the only rider still competing in Grand Prix racing who has competed in a premier-class GP previously at Laguna Seca. He rode the Cagiva at Laguna in 1990 and 1991 and a Suzuki in both 1993 and 1994. His best result at the circuit was in 1993 when he finished second behind John Kocinski. This was Barros’ first podium appearance riding the Suzuki and it was just two weeks later that he scored his first ever GP win at the FIM Grand Prix at Jarama in Spain. Colin Edwards has been the second Yamaha rider home in each of the seven MotoGP races of 2005. Edwards’ single victory from fourteen races in the World Superbike championship at Laguna Seca came in his final appearance in 2002.

The Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki team joins the MotoGP circus and the rest of the AMA Superbike Championship regulars this weekend, July 8-10, at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for what promises to be a very special event. For the first time in over 10 years, the top class of Grand Prix motorcycle racing will compete on American tarmac, backed up by some of the best national series riders and racing in the world. The Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki team will be back in full force with riders Jason Pridmore, Steve Rapp and Montez Stewart, as well as special guests and executives from Nike/Jordan Brand, Upper Deck and other team corporate sponsors. In addition, the Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki team is proud to welcome Giant RV on board as a team sponsor. Giant RV is the # 1 RV dealer in California, and they are providing four 40-foot motorhomes for the team’s use during the event. Along with the racing and other activities, look for the launch of the 2006 Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki apparel line by Joe Rocket on Saturday, July 9. Through a licensing agreement with Jordan Brand (a division of Nike, Inc.), many of the graphics seen on and around team riders Jason Pridmore, Steve Rapp, and Montez Stewart will be utilized in the all new Michael Jordan Motorsports apparel brand. Jason Pridmore “I’m ready to go,” said Pridmore. “I’m feeling good, I’m fit and I really like Laguna Seca. I tested last week and we made some big improvements on the bike, so I’m looking forward to riding. The only downside to the weekend is being so close to Pebble Beach and not getting to play golf.” Steve Rapp “I’ve done pretty well at Laguna in the past,” said Rapp. “The only downside for this year is that we didn’t get to test there. So, the first day we may be a little off the pace while we sort out the gearing and stuff. We did test at Mid-Ohio a couple of weeks ago, so we’ll start with that set-up and go from there.” Montez Stewart “I was at Laguna Seca last year for the first time, and it was culture shock,” said Stewart. “The track is so technical, and the Corkscrew is something else. But I’ve been doing laps around Laguna on my Playstation, so I’m ready for it this year. The MotoGP is going to be cool, so awesome. It’s going to be crowded, so I’m staying at the racetrack.” Legendary NBA star Michael Jordan formed Michael Jordan Motorsports in 2004 as a result of his passion for motorcycle racing. His mission is to bring a new level of excellence and style to the motorcycle racing industry. And now, some reader reaction: FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: It’s nice to know that with the limited pit space at Laguna it will be fairly parsed (as per this from the press release): “The Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki team will be back in full force with riders Jason Pridmore, Steve Rapp and Montez Stewart, as well as special guests and executives from Nike/Jordan Brand, Upper Deck and other team corporate sponsors. In addition, the Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki team is proud to welcome Giant RV on board as a team sponsor. Giant RV is the # 1 RV dealer in California, and they are providing four 40-foot motorhomes for the team’s use during the event.” Will Eikenberry Littletrock, California

AMA PRO RACING ON TV THIS WEEK (July 10-July 14, 2005) (All times Eastern) AMA Repsol Lubricants Superstock Series, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, Calif., Sunday, July 10, 4 p.m. (SPEED Channel) AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, Calif., Sunday, July 10, 6 p.m. (SPEED Channel) AMA Pro Honda Oils Supersport presented by Shoei, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, Calif., Tuesday, July 12, 1 p.m. (SPEED Channel) AMA Repsol Lubricants Superstock Series, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, Calif., Wednesday, July 13, 4 a.m. (SPEED Channel) AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, Calif., Thursday, July 14, 4 a.m. (SPEED Channel) All times subject to change. Check local listings.

JASON PRIDMORE: READY FOR LAGUNA SECA AND BEYOND Jason Pridmore is fully recovered and ready to race at this weekend’s combined MotoGP / AMA Superbike Championship event at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California. Pridmore broke the fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot in a freak accident at Road America on June 2nd, and had a plate and seven screws installed by Dr. Arthur Ting three days later to stabilize the bone. Jason stayed off the foot for a couple of weeks, then got back to work, training in Arizona and testing his Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki GSX-R1000 at Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch in Pahrump, Nevada. With three more AMA races and a full schedule of STAR Motorcycle Schools coming up, Jason has a busy summer and fall ahead of him. We got him to stop long enough to ask him a few questions. Q: How’s the foot? A: It’s great! It doesn’t bother me at all. Q: How have you been training? A: I’ve been in Arizona for the last week or so, training outside in the heat. I was in Scottsdale and Flagstaff, I’ve got friends there. I went mountain biking every morning, and I even hiked down into the Grand Canyon about an hour or so, it was beautiful. I went to the gym every day, and I got in some golf as well. Q: How’s your golf game going? A: Really, really well. My last seven or eight rounds have all been under par. I even tied a course record at one of the courses. I’ve got sponsorship from Titlist now for clubs and other stuff, and I’m pretty excited about that. Q: You were able to get on your racebike last week. How did that go? A: It was good. It felt good to get back on the bike. It was just me and my crew. We made some big improvements in the suspension, getting it to feel like it did early in the season. The new shock really suits me, it’s a lot more compliant. Q: Are you looking forward to this weekend at Laguna Seca? A: Yeah, I’m looking forward to the energy and seeing some friends from MotoGP. Logistically, it’s going to be a tough weekend, with such a tight schedule. I just hope everyone, the officials, the racers and fans just have a little patience and it’ll be good. I’m just going to concentrate on Superstock, no Superbike this time. Q: You’ve got some STAR Schools coming up soon? A: Yeah, we’ve got a school a week after Laguna at the new Autobahn track in Joliet, Illinois, then a bunch up North and in the Mid-West in August and September, then back out West in October and November. I’ll be at them all.

The Road to Suzuka Suzuki, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Aprilia Teams Head for Japan Aprilia’s De Nardi First Women Competitor at Suzuka 8H The Suzuka 8 Hour round of the FIM World Endurance Championship takes place at the end of this month, and for the permanent world championship teams making the long trip out to Japan preparations are already well under way. Eight teams will be travelling out from Europe to join the 72 Japanese entries in what is widely regarded as the most prestigious motorcycle race in the world. Suzuki Castrol’s Vincent Phillipe and Keiichi Kitagawa have already taken part in last month’s Suzuka 300km warm-up race. This is the 20th anniversary year for the GSX-R model range and the Suzuki factory is putting all its resources behind securing a Suzuka 8 Hour victory and the World Endurance Championship title in 2005. Yamaha Phase One have recruited Suzuka veteran Paul Young to ride alongside Warwick Nowland and Damien Cudlin, while Yamaha Austria will take their regular team of Igor Jerman, Gwen Giabbani and Horst Saiger to Japan. Both teams have taken part in additional testing sessions ahead of the eight hour race. The full Yamaha Shell Endurance Academy line up of Marko Rohtlaan, Ben Wylie and Calvin Hogan are also entered this year, after Rohtlaan’s success in 2004. Five permanent teams will be making their first trip to Japan this year. The Aprilia Motociclismo Test Team riders will be Federico Alverti, Daniele Veghini and Samuela de Nardi, the first European women to compete at Suzuka. Kawasaki Bolliger Team are currently holding second place in the championship standings, and will run David Morillon, Roman Stamm and Fred Moreira. Their sister team Kawasaki Diablo’s James Hutchins and Steve Mizera will be joined by BSB rider Gary Mason, and Suzuki No Limits & RT have entered Roberto Ruozi, Andrea Giachino and Moreno Codeluppi. Factory supported entries from all of the major Japanese manufacturers and tuning companies will be the main challenge to the European competitors, but weird and wonderful wildcard entries are always a feature of Suzuka. Twin cylinder bikes from Ducati, BMW and Over will line up alongside the factory HRC Hondas, Yoshimura Suzukis and endurance specialist permanent teams, in front of the biggest World Endurance Championship crowd of the year. The Suzuka 8 Hour race takes place on the 31st of July.

MEETING UP WITH AN OLD FLAME Both partners are a little nervous. Going back to Laguna Seca is a more like preparing for a meeting with an old girlfriend who you’ve not seen for eleven long years. Will you hit it off straight away, will there be a few moments of embarrassing silence or worst of all, arguments about just why the partnership split up. MotoGP and Laguna Seca renew a relationship this weekend that is so important to both parties. Neither partner really knows what to expect. Laguna is a stunning venue but was ruled too dangerous for modern day MotoGP monsters. The required safety changes have been made and the MotoGP circus rolls into town for the eighth round of the Championship. Only on Friday morning when the four stroke MotoGP machines wake up the residents of Monterey for their extended first practice will we know just how significant those changes are. The MotoGP class is the main attraction but there will also be a full programme of the AMA Championships including the Superbikes. The American spectators have never seen a MotoGP machine in action. Once they have got to grips with the new circuit, Valentino Rossi and Co. are certain to woo their new audience who will whoop and scream at the noise speed and sheer excitement generated by the new breed of grand prix motorcycles. While the machinery will be new to American ears, many of the MotoGP riders flying into California will be well known. In addition to the home bred stars Colin Edwards, Nicky Hayden, John Hopkins and Kenny Roberts, a couple of the older members of the MotoGP Club competed at Laguna last time round. Both Brazilian Alex Barros and Max Biaggi rode in 1994. Barros, who competes on the Camel Honda this year, finished eighth on the Suzuki in the 500cc race while Biaggi was second in the 250’s won by Dariano Romboni. That was a long time ago and perhaps the best people to judge just what an impact MotoGP is going to have not only in California but throughout North America are the riders who rode in the World Superbike Championship races at Laguna in recent years. Former World Superbike Champion Troy Bayliss has not doubt about the impact MotoGP will make with the America fans. “This will be the biggest bike race ever held in America,” prophesied the Australian who returns to Laguna riding for the Camel Honda team. “Superbikes have always been big there but MotoGP will be awesome and everybody is so excited about going back there and you can certainly include me with them.” Bayliss won the first race at the World Superbike meeting at Laguna in 2002 and finished second to his great rival Colin Edwards in the second race the same year. He loves the 3.610km track in the hills above the Pacific ocean and the beautiful town of Monterey but he also has a word of caution for his fellow MotoGP gladiators. “Safety is vital and I’m sure the changes they have made will make the track a lot safer but the fact the track is a little bit dangerous does add that little extra edge to the proceedings,” explained Bayliss who last rode there in 2002. “I love going to Laguna and to go there with a MotoGP will be a fantastic experience.” While Assen has the old Veenslang corner, Spa Francorchamps Eau Rouge, Laguna has the Corkscrew. A left and right downhill swoop after a very fast approach, that is written into motorcycle racing folklore. Many a Champion has come to grief at the Corkscrew although Bayliss warns there are some even more demanding corners waiting for his colleagues on Friday morning. “The corkscrew is fantastic with such a fast approach and is very technical but I think turn one will be the place to watch,” enthused Bayliss just at the thought of it. “It’s very fast and I could take it absolutely flat out on a Superbike with a little bit of air between the tyres and tarmac. It could be a bit messy on a MotoGP machine.” He then continued with the lap. “Turns two, three and four are not that exciting but then you start climbing up through turn five and six which are awesome, towards the straight which leads to the Corkscrew. I love the next section down through the Rainey curve and turn ten to the last turn which is a bit stop and start into the start and finish straight.” Bayliss’s excitement about returning to California reflects the mood of the MotoGP paddock. Everybody wants to put on a special show for a market and audience that is so used to glamour and glitz and to show them just what they have been missing. So will the old partners jump straight back into bed together (perhaps not literally), will there be moments of embarrassing silence or will old arguments re-surface. One thing for sure, both partners are really looking forward to the reunion. It appears to be the perfect partnership and for certain they will put on a better show than their Formula One counterparts for the American audience.