Claude Danis, who, among many other roles, serves as the FIM’s track safety inspector, is inspecting Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca today for homologation prior to hosting the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix July 8-10. Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca has made several safety improvements (most notably relocating a pedestrian bridge and retaining walls, creating more run-off room and installing motorcycle-friendly curbing at many corners) at the request of the FIM, and others, in order to host the MotoGP World Championship race. A spokesperson for the track did not know if Danis’ ruling on the track’s homologation status would be announced immediately.

The Rizla Suzuki GSX-R1000K4 that John Reynolds piloted to British Superbike Championship glory in 2004 will be taking to Goodwood’s famous 1.16-mile long hill climb course during the 2005 Festival of Speed later this month. Triple BSB Champion JR will be at Knockhill in Scotland on racing duty for Rizla Suzuki during the Festival of Speed, so his 2004 title-winning bike will be ridden by friend of the Crescent team and TT winner Trevor Nation. The 2004 Rizla Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superbike won not only the riders title, but also the Manufacturers Championship for Suzuki. It will be on display all weekend long in the Crescent Rizla Suzuki paddock shelter in the F1 paddock. Crescent is the organization behind Rizla Suzuki, Team SUZUKI MotoGP and two highly successful Suzuki motorcycle retail showrooms in Bournemouth and Verwood, Dorset. The Goodwood Festival of Speed takes place on the 24th, 25th and 26th of June at the Goodwood Estate, Chichester, West Sussex. With a long heritage of quality racing dating back to 1936, the Festival of Speed is an exciting mix of motorsports, boasting everything from classic machines to modern day Formula One cars and drivers. Crescent Retail Director Martyn James said: “It is an honour for us to be invited to attend the Goodwood Festival of Speed for the second year in a row. In the world of motorsport this is one of the highlights of the year and showcases only the very best in racing machinery. Rizla Suzuki will bring colour and excitement to the event and we are counting on Trevor Nation to put on an entertaining display when he rides our GSX-R1000.” Gates open at 0700 hours each day and entrance is by advance ticket only, with children aged 12 and under gaining free admission. Activities continue until 1800 hours on Friday and Saturday and 1900 hours on Sunday. To book tickets or for more information, log on to www.goodwood.co.uk or call the ticket hotline on 01243 755055.

Yamaha/Graves Yamaha rider Jamie Hacking is not ruling out riding in the next AMA round at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca July 8-10 “It’s not a for sure thing that he won’t ride,” Rachel Hacking, wife of Jamie Hacking, said in a telephone call to Roadracingworld.com Tuesday afternoon. “Laguna’s almost a month away, and a lot can happen in a month. It’ll be a long shot, but we’ll just have to see.” The main question is whether or not Jamie Hacking will have the strength necessary to ride competitively. Following an accident while training on his road bicycle May 28 in Colorado, Hacking had surgery at the hands of Dr. Arthur Ting to repair bone fractures and tendon damage in both of his elbows earlier this month. He has spent the last two weeks with his arms immobilized in splints but was switched over to braces that allow movement today, opening the door for Hacking to begin rehabilitation on Wednesday. Hacking will stay in his motorcoach near Dr. Ting’s Fremont, California clinic, going through rehabilitation, until it is time to travel to Laguna Seca for the races. In spite of missing the AMA races at Road America, Hacking is still second in the Supersport Championship and fourth in the AMA Superstock point standings.

AMA GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RETURNS TO SYRACUSE MILE PICKERINGTON, Ohio (June 14, 2005) Round five of the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship returns to the historic New York Fairgrounds on June 18, for the Aaron Creamer Memorial Syracuse Mile. It marks the return of AMA Grand National Championship racing to the Syracuse Mile for the first time in 12 years. The historic Syracuse Mile is one of the oldest racetracks in the country and hosted AMA races dating back to the founding of the association in 1924. The series is coming off a rain out at Tri-City Speedway last weekend in Granite City, Ill., forcing the postponement of that event until Saturday, Sept. 24. Defending AMA Grand National Champion Chris Carr leads the championship chase by 14 points coming into Saturday’s race. Carr is one of the few riders who have race experience on the Syracuse Mile. He’s expecting some of the younger riders to find some interesting quirks with the classic old track. “The signature part of Syracuse is turn three,” said Carr, 2003’s AMA Pro Athlete of the Year. “That turn narrows up quite a bit and will be a real eye opener for some of the riders who haven’t raced there.” Carr scored a pair of podiums in a doubleheader when the series last visited in 1993. He thinks experience on the Syracuse Mile may give a few riders a slight edge. “We were talking last week and figured there were only about five riders still racing today who’ve raced at Syracuse,” Carr explained. “It’s hard to say if experience there will come into play. Riders who’ve raced there won’t be intimidated by turn three, but most of the young riders in the series learn tracks pretty quickly.” Among current riders, only the semi-retired Jay Springsteen has scored a victory at Syracuse. There’s a logjam in the series standings behind Carr. Four riders, Joe Kopp, Kenny Coolbeth, Jake Johnson and Kevin Varnes are all within seven points in the battle for second in the series. Each of those riders is hoping to score a win in Syracuse to close the gap on Carr. This year’s Syracuse Mile is named in honor of Aaron Creamer. Creamer was a well-liked rider from Massachusetts, who died from injuries sustained in a racing accident last season. “Hopefully we can put on a good show in Aaron’s honor for the fans in the area of the country who knew him so well,” Carr said. Syracuse will also feature a round of the Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance Series. Scott Stump, of Warminster, Pa., leads the Sportster standings after winning the opener in Springfield, Ill., last month. For ticket information call 315-471-1157 or visit Performance Harley-Davidson in Syracuse. Tickets are $25 and children under 13 are free.

SMASH MOUTH TO PLAY FREE CONCERT FOR RED BULL U.S. GRAND PRIX SPECTATORS Saturday Activities Conclude With Smash Mouth Presented by Yamaha and HSBC Retail Services MONTEREY, Calif. (June 14, 2005) – Spectators attending the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, July 8-10, will be treated to the high-energy sound of Smash Mouth presented by Yamaha and HSBC Retail Services. The Bay-Area band, whose Billboard top-10 hits include “All Star” and “Then The Morning Comes”, will perform the free concert on a temporary stage constructed near the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca scoring tower overlooking Turn 10. The band will play from approximately 6:00-7:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 9 following the on-track activities of the second day of the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix. “Smash Mouth in concert is more entertainment value included in admission to the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix,” said Gill Campbell, CEO/general manager of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. “Instead of rushing for the gates when the racing ends, fans can stick around and enjoy the concert before heading out for an evening down on the Wharf or Cannery Row.” Several Smash Mouth members, including lead singer Steve Harwell, are avid motorsports fans and the band has performed at races in the past. The eagerness to perform in such venues is due at least partly to their love for the sport. The band won’t take the stage alone. Gauloises Yamaha teammates Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards will take time during the show to introduce the winner of Yamaha’s charity auction benefiting “Feed The Children”. Both Edwards and Rossi are scheduled to present and autograph a set of their riding leathers, awarded as part of the auction packages. “This is just another event during this fantastic weekend that we’re honored to be associated with” said Bob Starr, Corporate Communications Manager for Yamaha Motor Company. “And having our partner HSBC Retail Services help out is just another testimony to the overwhelming enthusiasm for this event.” The Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix marks the return of the MotoGP World Championship, the fastest two-wheeled sport in the world, to the United States for the first time since 1994. Support races include the AMA Superbike, Supersport and Superstock Championships and the Yamaha & GE Superstars of Super Karts. Tickets to the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix are on sale now by calling (800) 327-SECA or (831) 648-5111, or logging on to www.ticketmaster.com or www.laguna-seca.com. More information is also available at www.RedBullUSGrandPrix.com.

Tune in tomorrow morning (Wed., June 15) to NBC’s top-ranked Today morning show where a top American MotoGP racer will be unveiled during a special announcement during the 9:00 am hour.

Canadian young gun Chris Peris, 19, will replace Frenchman Christophe Cogan, 34, on the Moto1 Suzuki team at the Misano, Italy round of the World Supersport Championship. Cogan, who is 18th in the World Supersport Championship standings, with a best result of 10th, after five rounds, and the Moto1 Suzuki team have parted ways, according to Peris’ father Fernando. The team informed Giulio Bardi (who, among other things, is the Team Representative to the FIM Superbike Commission) that it needed a new rider for Misano. Bardi, who lives in Colorado, asked friend and Graves Yamaha mechanic Geoff Cesmat for a recommendation, and Cesmat named Peris, who is currently sixth and eighth in the AMA Formula Xtreme and Supersport Championship, respectively, on his privateer Topline Printing Yamaha. “Yeah, it should be really cool to go to a world event and see how we can do,” said Peris, who at age 16 qualified for the FIM 125cc Grand Prix as a wild card at Valencia, in spite of riding an unfamiliar Aprilia on Bridgestones for the first time. Peris crashed out of that race, however. “Hopefully, we’ll do a little better this time. “I’m going out to California to ride a Vesrah Suzuki, so I can test on Pirelli tires. So I’m going to do Friday (June 17) practice at Thunderhill Raceway. Max (McAllister, Peris’ AMA Crew Chief and owner of Traxxion Dynamics) is going to fly out and bring some forks and a shock so we can kind of get the bike set up where we want it. Then we’ll pull the forks and shock off and take them with us so we have a starting point at Misano.” McAllister, who is a long-time sponsor of Vesrah Suzuki, set up the Thunderhill test for Peris. Peris is currently sponsored by Vesrah Brakes. American young gun Nicky Wimbauer, 17, also rides for Moto1 Suzuki in the European 600cc Superstock class and will also race at Misano.

Yamaha team sources have confirmed that Jamie Hacking’s injuries are more serious than first thought and that he may not be back in action before the VIR round scheduled for August 26-28. Hacking crashed his road bike May 28 while training with Ben Spies in Colorado. Spies dodged some debris in the roadway but Hacking, who was following close behind, hit it, crashing and dislocating and breaking his elbows, and doing damage to the part of the bone where the tendons attach. The crash was similar to one during the off-season in which Roger Hayden crashed and suffered severe road rash; Hayden was following his two brothers on road bikes when the brothers dodged debris and Roger hit it. The same type of crash sometimes happens on the racetrack, when two or three drafting riders come up on a slower bike, the first one or two riders dodging the obstacle and the third hitting it. At post time, Hacking had not returned phone calls requesting comment.

Hailwood “¦Agostini “¦Montano! – Munroe Motors and Thomas Montano Bring MV Agusta Back to the Isle of Man – Munroe Motors and Tom Montano have once again completed a successful week of TT racing at the famous Isle of Man road circuit. This year Montano blazed the 37.75-mile course on a Munroe Motors’ 2005 MV Agusta F4-1000. In the main event, the 6-lap “Senior” TT held on Friday morning June 10th, the 2001 AMA Pro-Thunder champion finished a strong 13th place with an average speed of 118.43 mph – winning a rare and coveted Silver Replica. (The fastest riders in a TT race that finish within 5% of the race winner’s time receive a Silver Replica trophy, and those within 10% win a Bronze Replica “¦there is no “gold”.) Tom’s 17th place result in Superbike, the first race held nearly a week earlier, was a heralding display of his and the MV Agusta’s potential. Throughout the week of racing, Montano, along with the only other American competitors, Craig McLean of Corte Madera, CA and Wade Boyd of San Francisco, posted competitive results time after time. Montano and McLean battled within just a few seconds of each other in both 600cc races. Boyd made a strong showing close behind them with a Bronze in the Junior TT “B” race. Montano’s week with the MV Agusta F4-1000 gave the Munroe Motors team invaluable experience with the stunning new bike. During the second of three 1000cc races, the Superstock, the MV Agusta competed in stock form against a field filled with the likes of Suzuki’s GSXR1000, Honda’s CBR1000 and RC51 and Yamaha’s R1. Montano’s unrelenting throttle hand started to spin the clutch free early into the 4-lap race, but Tom kept his lap times very competitive. The clutch finally gave up on the last lap of the race – on the far side of the Island road course. He left the bike with a trustworthy local and hitched a courageous pillion ride back to the starting grid with a handy spectator. To the amazement of his pit crew, Jamie Karrick and Matt Prentiss of Munroe Motors and Adrian North of Douglas, Isle of Man, he made it back with literally seconds to spare in time to start the 600 Junior TT “A” race on his trusty 1999 Yamaha R6. The virtually stock MV Agusta F4-1000 proved to be a formidable competitor against the Superbike and Superstock-spec Japanese machines that littered the starting grids. The ’05 1000cc 4 cylinder MV Agusta was sprung from its crate in early April at Munroe Motors in San Francisco. For break-in, Montano competed once with the new bike, finishing 12th in the AFM Formula Pacific race May 1st at Infinion Raceway. Shortly thereafter, the bike had to be packed up and shipped to the Isle of Man, giving the Munroe Motors team precious little time to prepare for the epic week of road racing. Aside from wearing out the clutch pack during the Superstock race, the MV Agusta performed flawlessly throughout a hard week of practice and some 600 ultra-high-speed racing miles! Competition upgrades to the stock machine include Fast by Ferracci slip-on mufflers and chip – with the catalytic converter masterfully removed from the mid-pipe by Dennis Etcheverry at Norman Racing – fiberglass race bodywork painted by Cycle Finish, a Graves front fairing bracket, a Brembo GP front brake master cylinder and lightweight forged aluminum wheels for the Superbike spec events. The motor remained untouched from the factory except for the installation of MV Agusta’s reverse pattern shift drum. It is Munroe Motors’ honor and Thomas Montano’s achievement to have raced the fastest MV Agusta in the history of the Isle of Man TT races – and to have won a Silver Replica in doing so. The accomplishment is especially gratifying because Giacomo Agostini was on hand to take one of his championship winning MV Agusta 750 machines from the ’70s around the road course for the Lap of Honor and Classic Parade. This legendary and supremely competitive motorcycle brand has made a forceful movement back into road racing in 2005 with Thomas Montano and Munroe Motors. For more information about the Isle of Man TT races, please visit: www.iomtt.com To download the results sheet from the Senior TT, please click on: http://www.iomtt.com/results/2005/Fri10/senior-result.pdf