Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Second Creek Raceway Gets Another Year of Life

By Mark Newby

In a session lasting until 1:00 a.m. on December 6, the Commerce City, Colorado City Council approved a conditional use permit that give the Motorcycle Roadracing Association (MRA) another year of AMA-sanctioned road racing at Second Creek Raceway.

Encroaching housing development has closed many racing venues in Colorado in the past few years: Aspen, Steamboat Springs, and Stapleton have all been lost to the racing community due to opposition from developers and the new residents in these areas. The chief complaints are always the same: Noise, lights, and traffic. A strong showing of a crowd of several hundred racing supporters and sympathetic City Council members sensitive to both the needs of the community and the wishes of the racing enthusiasts resulted in a surprising reversal of the recommendations of the City Planning Commission and the granting of extension of the conditional use permit for the facility until November 1, 2005.

Sadly, this racetrack will still be lost permanently to the racing community, as the conditions for granting the permit hinged on agreement by the property owner and track management not to seek any further extensions for operation of the facility.

An important lesson for all of us is contained in this development. To preserve our racetracks in the future, we must work within the community often and with high visibility; recognize and plan for changes of this nature in time to have a positive effect; mobilize your organization’s members and show up in force when actions are needed; minimize the factors that are always going to be used as an excuse to eliminate your facility (noise, lights, and traffic); and perhaps most importantly, be a good neighbor and build up good will in the community at all times – you will someday need it.

It might be your racetrack that is next on the chopping block as massive growth and development create permanent communities right up to the property line. Thanks to the calculus of politics and community involvement, we have another year to find a new home for the sport we love and cherish. A Merry Christmas to everyone, indeed.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By Clive Strugnell

A team of British riders flew out to South Africa last week to compete in an end-of-the-season 3-hour Superbike Endurance race. Billed as the South Africa TT, this race was held at the historic Zwartkops Racetrack on the outskirts of the capital City, Pretoria. It seeks to revive the invitational races of the 1960s and 1970s, where the likes of Agostini, Read, Grant, Barry Sheene and many others thrilled South African enthusiasts with plenty of no-holds barred racing.

The visiting team, brought to South Africa by circuit owner and former GP rider and TT star Mick Grant, revelled in the sunny and hot
conditions.

Teamed with new South African Champion Hudson Kennaugh, TAS Suzuki Supersport rider Tom Sykes ran a flawless race, winning by three laps on a Suzuki GSX-R1000. Fellow Brit Steve Plater, who has had a dismal season through injury, impressed enormously riding a BMW Boxer special, built in the workshop of Pretoria BMW dealer, Bavarian Motorcycles. Super smooth, and incredibly fast, Plater and his teammates, club racer Braam Smit and Novice Grant Scott, beat official entries from Ducati and Aprilia and brought the booming Beemer home in 6th place overall.

In the 600cc class Englishman Craig Jones and local club riders Gareth De Rapper and Grant Maidment finished second, giving Triumph its first podium finish in South Africa in over 30 years.

Despite falling twice (once in qualifying ) the team of Paul Shoesmith and Dean Ellison finished in the top 10 on another Suzuki GSX-R1000. Ellison was originally teamed up with Suzuki South Africa’s Trevor Crookes on the official Team Suzuki SA bike. When it stopped after an hour he was drafted onto the Paul Shoesmith bike, entered by South Africa’s largest motorcycle magazine, Bike SA. The lead Bike SA rider, Donovan Fourie, concussed himself when he fell during qualifying, after having slotted onto the front row of the grid.

The British team now heads down to Cape Town for a 2-hour race next weekend.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Italian Max Biaggi had stitches removed from his left leg/ankle last week by Dr. Claudio Costa in Imola, Italy, according to a posting on Biaggi’s official website.

Biaggi wrote that he was happy with the movement he already has in his foot and with Dr. Costa’s reassurance that everything looked to be healing well.

The four-time 250cc World Champion (who broke his lower left leg and ankle while riding his Supermoto bike near Rome, Italy in early November and had surgery to repair the damage soon after) is aiming to be fit enough to ride when the annual MotoGP testing ban ends January 20, 2005.

No official announcement has been made, but Biaggi is expected to be named teammate to Nicky Hayden on the Repsol Honda factory team.

Mad Moto Mike Benefit Fund Raiser

All proceeds going to Morley medical relief fund.

Saturday Dec 11, 2004

http://www.backroadstriumph.com/

Mike Morley, a partner in Back Roads Triumph/Moto Guzzi, Jacksonville, NC, crashed at a track day and suffered head injuries.

Mike, or MadMotoMike as his friends call him, is the biggest motorcycle enthusiast around -literally and figuratively. Mike is 6’7″ and almost 300 pounds, and knows more about motorcycles and rides more than most people even dream about.

Once you’ve met Mike, you’ll never forget him. Mike contributes tremendously to the motorcycle community. Mike stresses for people to have fun but ride safely; he encourages riders to increase their skills and save the speed for the track; and leads new and experienced riders alike to Daytona, trips to the mountains and to track days, as well as regular Sunday rides.

Mike personifies all of the good things about motorcycles and motorcyclists. He is friendly, knowledgeable, generous, eminently likeable, and highly skilled. Mike is the type of guy that keeps everyone laughing and thinking as you sit around a camp fire with a cold beer after a long day in the saddle.

Mike is also a devoted family man, husband to his wife Kelly and father to their two young children, Evan and Katie. Mike is also one of the nicest guys around that you could ever hope to meet.

Door Prizes, Raffles, Live Music, All You Can Eat BBQ, Fried Turkey, Drinks. 11:00 am – Until……… $15 Per Person

If you would like to make a donation, but cannot attend please make payment to : Kelly Morley all donations can be sent to: Back Roads Triumph 1238 Pony Farm Rd. Jacksonville NC, 28540

Event to be held at BACK ROADS TRIUMPH for directions or information please call (910)-347-4050

Thank you,

Roger Preston
WERA Official
AHRMA Official & Racer

From a press release issued by Ducati North America:

DUCATI DAY DAYTONA CATERS TO DUCATISTI DURING MARCH BIKE WEEK

The 2005 edition of Daytona’s biggest Ducati party ramps up to kick off the AMA racing season.

Cupertino, CA – December 7th, 2004 – The Ducati.Net Ducati Owners Club and Ducati North America present DucatiDayDaytona at Speedpark Motorsports on Friday, March 11th, 2005. This party kicks off the 2005 AMA racing season in Daytona Beach, Florida across from the world famous Daytona International Speedway. Those attending DDD will be able to soak up the sun while admiring Ducati’s on display, race go-carts, or test their skills aboard the Speedpark’s 22 foot dragsters (each with a roaring 300 horsepower 350 cubic inch V-8 engine) in the Nitro Alley Challenge. The event will also include Ducati race team appearances, tech talk classroom sessions, a Ducati only bike show, umbrella girls, the American Ducati Idol motor sound contest, a vendor row and more. DDD also marks the final round of the nationwide Ducati Monster Challenge contest. The lucky winner of this event will be presented with a new Ducati Monster S4R at the party.

Long known for its prestigious Ducati bike show, the 2005 DDD adds a new class, “Best Special”, a salute to Daytona’s long tradition of custom built “specials”. The entry fee to participate in the bike show is $10. Trophies are provided by CycleCat Motorcycle Performance products, a long time sponsor of Ducati.Net.

Returning this year is the popular American Ducati Idol – “Let Your Ducati Sing” contest where the Ducati with the best exhaust note will be chosen. This event will again be judged by the visiting members of the Desmodromiclub of Rome, Italy.

Celebrities expected to attend and sign autographs include renowned racer Eric Bostrom, rider of the Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin AMA 999 Superbike, Neil Hodgson, former World Superbike Champion n his AMA debut, and world famous long distance record holder Gary Eagan, who will also be giving a seminar on his sport touring adventures.

General questions about DDD and the featured activities should be directed to Ms. Vicki Smith by calling on 954-764-3847 or emailing to [email protected]. See you there!

Directions:
Speedpark is located across from the Daytona Speedway’s highest grandstand, the Winston Tower, just behind the Hooters on Intl. Speedway Blvd For
further information on Speedpark and this event visit www.speedparkdaytona.com. Party hours are 11am – 6 pm.

From a press release issued by Coors Light Racing Blackfoot Team Suzuki:

Coors Light Racing Blackfoot Team Suzuki is proud to welcome back 2002 600 Sport Bike Champion Clint McBain, new-comer Kevin Lacombe from Eastern Canada and 2003 HJC Pro Rookie of the Year, Matt Binns. Nathan Naslund of Suzuki Canada is proud to introduce this all-Canadian Team, Coors Light Racing Blackfoot Team Suzuki will be a top contender for both 600 and Superbike Championships in 2005.

Clint McBain finished Third in 600 Sport Bike and Fourth in Superbike last year and is looking forward to capitalizing on his experiences in 2004.

“I feel really good this year, we had a great year last year from a development standpoint,” said McBain. Moving forward to 2005, I’m looking forward to a continued relationship with a professional team and excellent group of riders.”

The Team would like to thank James Danyluk specifically from Parts Canada for their continued support in 2005. “We are extremely happy to have a phenomenal group of sponsors behind us,” affirms Team Manager Patrick Chambers “Thank you to each of our Team Sponsors.”

Kevin Lacombe began his road racing career at Shannonville Motorsport Park, which interestingly was where he won his first National Superbike race. 21 year-old Quebec native, Lacombe remembers being the “youngest rider in road-racing” on a Suzuki, participating in the ASM and RACE series (Quebec and Ontario). Coors Light Racing Blackfoot Team Suzuki is pleased to have Kevin join the Team for 2005.

To complete the Team, “Young Gun” Matt Binns from Uxbridge, Ontario will race the Suzuki GSX-R600. Matt will prove to be a great addition to the team and we’re happy to have him on-board.

From a press release:

Motocourse 2004 – 2005 Yearbook

Offered by Concepts International

The World’s number one Motorcycle Yearbook is back for the 29th year. Motocourse 2004 – 2005 offers the most complete race by race coverage available of the 2004 MotoGP and Superbike seasons. It contains team, rider and technical reviews, and complete statistics on all 2004 MotoGP and Superbike races. Plus, reviews of the Isle of Man TT, US road racing series and more. You’ll be an expert with this informative book at your side, $52.95 each. Price includes shipment to USA destinations.

Distribution has changed for this important book. This year Concepts International will be one of the few companies offering Motocourse 2004 – 2005 in the United States. You can visit their web site at www.conceptsi.com or write to them at:

Concepts International
8650 Spicewood Springs – Suite 145-B550
Austin, TX 78750

From a press release issued by SPEED Channel:

A Band Apart Produces Reality Series for SPEED Channel

Scott Gillen’s “Build or Bust” to Debut in February

Los Angeles-A Band Apart Commercials, a producer of award-winning commercials and music videos, and director Scott Gillen are currently producing a new reality series for Fox Television’s SPEED Channel entitled Build or Bust. Created and directed by Gillen, the unique one-hour show gives “average Joes” a chance to build a custom motorcycle. The series’ 10-episode debut season will air on SPEED Channel Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m. beginning in February.

Build or Bust, the first television series to be produced under the A Band Apart Commercials banner and the first to involve an ABA director, is part of the company’s effort to broaden its scope and to create new opportunities for its directors, according to Jeff Armstrong, the company’s managing director.

“Commercials and music videos remain our core business, but we want to tap into the talent of our directors and work with them on film and television projects,” said Armstrong. “Scott’s show is only the first of several projects that we are moving forward with.”

Armstrong added that Scott Gillen is currently developing two more television series with A Band Apart Commercials. The company is also developing two television series with Andy Dick, who recently signed with it for representation as a commercial and music video director. A Band Apart’s affiliate, Bender Brown Productions, has sold several television projects, including Dr. Las Vegas, EarthSea and The Survivors Club.

Build or Bust is an unscripted drama where each week an ordinary motorcycle enthusiast is given the chance to build a custom bike from scratch. Using the facilities of a well-known custom motorcycle shop, the builder, nicknamed “The Wrench,” is supplied with the parts and tools necessary to build the motorcycle of his or her dreams and given 30 days to complete the task. If successful, The Wrench gets to keep the bike, if not he leaves the shop with nothing.

“Scott has a vision for this program that is absolutely complete,” said Robert Ecker, SPEED Channel VP of Programming. “He knows exactly what the show will look, sound and feel like, and he is positively single-minded in his determination to capture every nuance of the emotional and physical stress that lie at the heart of his concept for this series. It’s hard to deny such passion for the material; it fuels the project and energizes the proceedings.”

Gillen, a former stunt driver and currently an acclaimed commercial director whose credits include NASCAR, BMW and Ford, says by featuring novice mechanics B.O.B. has an element of drama that is lacking in motorcycle shows that center on competitions between professional builders.

“When I watch these shows I know, because they are professionals, they will build the bike…where is the drama?” Gillen said. “In our show, you never know if the guy is going to make it. In fact, I am sure that most will not.”

Gillen’s prediction certainly holds up in the show’s pilot episode which features a Wrench named Seth Stockton. Although Stockton has some experience in building motorcycles as a hobbyist, he quickly finds the task of constructing a $50,000 custom bike daunting.

Master Builder Russell Mitchell and the staff of his custom motorcycle shop provide a certain amount of advice, assistance and what passes for encouragement (“You just screwed up an extremely important part.”), but the novice “wrench” is largely left to fend for himself with such chores as mounting engine parts, polishing chrome and welding.

Gillen stresses that in contrast to other reality series, B.O.B. is a “build” and not a game. He adds that his show will also have a distinct look.

“The show will be edgy and hard core…old school,” he said. The director added that, unlike other reality shows, he breaks through the “fourth wall” and interacts with the participants himself. In the first episode, for example, he becomes involved in a heated argument with Stockton.

Further episodes of the show will feature guest appearances by other Master Builders including Jesse Rooke, owner of Rooke Customs in Phoenix, leather seat maker Paul Cox, designer Roland Sands of Performance Machines in La Palma, California and others. As the season proceeds, Gillen also plans to tweak the show’s set-up to keep it fresh (one upcoming episode features a woman Wrench), but he insists that the key to B.O.B.’s appeal lies in the personalities of the people selected to put their wrenching skills to the test.

“There are a thousand ways the show could go and innumerable conflicts that can arise, and it’s all driven by what each Wrench brings to it,” Gillen said. “There are going to be losers, but at some point a guy is going to complete the build and ride away on his own bike…and how great will that be?”

Build or Bust is produced by Scott Gillen and A Band Apart Commercials for Fox Television. The series was created by and is directed by Scott Gillen. Scott Gillen, Jeff Armstrong, Lawrence Bender and Kevin Brown are executive producers.

For more information about Build or Bust, visit www.buildorbust.com.

About SPEED Channel
In 2004, SPEED Channel is the exclusive U.S. cable home for many of the top motor sports series in the world. In addition, SPEED’s weekly programming schedule brings car enthusiast television to Prime Time Monday through Thursday. Now available in more than 68 million homes in North America, SPEED Channel is among the fastest growing sports cable networks in the country and the home to NASCAR TV.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Racer Chris “Opie” Caylor will undergo the first of eight scheduled surgeries on Tuesday, to correct breathing problems.

“I’ve had sinus problems for a long time, and I thought I’d just keep taking medicine,” Caylor told Roadracingworld.com today. “But it kept getting worse.

“I’m going to have eight different surgeries starting tomorrow morning at 7:00 a.m. They’re going to remove some stuff from my throat and clear out some stuff from my nose and from my cheeks. Hopefully, I’ll be able to breathe again. Especially on cold mornings like at the GNF, I’ve actually had problems breathing while I’m racing, while I’m going down the racetrack, which is not good.

“They tell me it should be two-and-a-half to three weeks for a full recovery, so hopefully I’ll be able to make the tire test at Daytona, if I get invited.”