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June 2005

Shootout: Suzuki’s Latest Meets Yamaha’s Greatest John McGuinness Returns To Daytona Racing And Track Day Tire Test Riding The Graves Motorsport Superstock YZF-R1 MotoGP Tire Selection: Valentino Rossi, Choosing To Win Project Superbike 2005: Part One Quick Look: MV Agusta F4-1000S How We Rented Our Own MotoGP Track For $62.50 Cribs: Tony “The Tiger” Meiring MotoGP At Jerez WSB At Phillip Island WERA National Endurance At JenningsGP WERA National Challenge At JenningsGP AHRMA At Daytona Beach CMRA At MotorSport Ranch CCS Florida At Moroso AFM At Buttonwillow Letters To The Editor Inside Info 10 Years Ago Club Champion: Dave Stanton John Hopkins: The GP Kid New Products MotoGP Trivia Numbers The Crash Page Road Racing & School Calendar Guide To Road Racing Organizations High-Performance Parts & Services Want Ads Advertisers Index And Directory Chris Ulrich: Adventures Of A Racer On The Front Cover: Yukio Kagayama wheelies his World Superbike GSX-R1000 at Phillip Island. We picked this photo because we like it, and because the latest GSX-R1000 has now won all four 2005 World Superbike races held to date. For how the 2005 Suzuki GSX-R1000 stacked up against the 2005 Yamaha YZF-R1 in stock trim on a U.S. track, see page 16. Photo by Sportsphotography.

Another Recent Wedding

Army National Guard Sgt. Lauri Pfeifer, sister and sponsor of racer Jack Pfeifer, married Sgt. Steve Henderson on Thursday, May 26, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Sgt. Pfeifer is scheduled to deploy to Kuwait next week, and then on to Baghdad.

More About Yesterday’s F-USA Thunderbike National At Summit Point

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BEMISDERFER TOPS ESTOK FOR SUMMIT POINT THUNDERBIKE WIN Seven Buell Riders in Top Ten at Formula USA Thunderbike National SUMMIT POINT, W.Va. Evo-Twin Racing/Harding Harley-Davidson rider Bryan Bemisderfer rode a Buell Firebolt to a close win over his teammate, David Estok, at the Formula USA Thunderbike National at Summit Point Raceway. It was the first National win for Bemisderfer at a course he considers his home track, and the first of the season for the reigning Formula USA Thunderbike champion. Estok was the top qualifier for the Thunderbike National, with a lap time of 1 minute 19.46 seconds on the two-mile, 10-turn Summit Point course. Estok and Bemisderfer battled for the entire 16-lap race, with Bemsiderfer taking the win by less than a second. “There’s no question I know my way around this track, but I’ve had bad luck here in the past,” said Bemisderfer, who failed to finish the 2004 Summit Point Thunderbike race. “David and I had a great battle out there today.” Suzuki rider David Yaakov, another regular at Summit Point, was third, followed by Williams Harley-Davidson/Buell rider Randy Rega in fourth, Schaeffer’s and Classic Harley-Davidson Buell rider Arthur Diaz in fifth, and Daytona Harley-Davidson/Buell and Richie Morris Racing rider Clint Brotz in sixth position. Kenwood/Sirius Satellite Racing riders Sam Rozynski and Joe Rozynski III finished seventh and ninth respectively, both riding Buell Firebolt motorcycles. With 26 entries, the Thunderbike field was the largest of the four Formula USA National races of the day. Fourteen of the Thunderbike entries were Buell motorcycles. After three of eight Formula USA Thunderbike National events, Yaakov leads in series points with 79, followed by Bemisderfer with 64, Estok with 62 and Brotz with 57. The next event on the Formula-USA schedule is the 82nd Annual Loudon Classic, June 16-19 at New Hampshire International Raceway, Loudon, N.H. The Formula USA National Thunderbike series is a horsepower-to-weight ratio restricted class, open to a variety of production-based motorcycles. Buell-mounted riders compete in the eight-event 2005 Thunderbike series race for a share of the $70,500 contingency fund posted by Buell Motorcycle Company. To learn more about Buell motorcycles, visit your local Buell dealer today and experience the pure streetfighter attitude, style and performance only found on board a Buell. For the Buell dealer nearest you, pull into www.buell.com.

What Former Road Racer Chris Carr Was Doing Last Weekend

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KING AND SCREAMIN’ EAGLE TEAM TAKE VICTORY AT SPRINGFIELD MILE Rich King Nips Carr, Kopp and Coolbeth with Last-Lap Pass to Win SPRINGFIELD, Ill. Screamin’ Eagle Performance Parts rider Rich King continued his dominance at the Springfield Mile by winning round four of the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship, his fourth win in the past five AMA Grand National events at the fabled track on the Illinois State Fairgrounds. King led 16 laps during the 25-lap main and passed from fourth position on the last lap to take the win over Quality Checked Pre-Owned Ford/Lancaster Harley-Davidson rider Chris Carr and KTM/Mid-America Harley-Davidson rider Kenny Coolbeth. “Anytime you win at the Mile, it’s a huge victory,” said King, who now has 19 AMA Grand National race victories. “The Screamin’ Eagle team put a great bike under me with the set up needed for the race, and we came out on top in a really competitive field.” The Springfield Mile program was delayed almost three hours due to the rain. King won his qualifying heat and then took the lead on the first lap of the main. He found himself in a race-long battle with a group of Harley-Davidson-mounted riders that included Carr, Coolbeth, Latus Harley-Davidson/Jones Powersports rider Joe Kopp, Gerencer’s Harley-Davidson/Kerstings Cycle rider Kevin Atherton, and Bartels’ Harley-Davidson rider Shaun Russell, each of whom led at least one lap. “The day was kind of a roller coaster with the rain, which made the track tough to navigate since there were a lot of different racing lines,” said King. “It was like a 25-mile sprint race, and we were battling each other the whole time.” As the race wound down on lap 22, King led a pack that included Carr, Kopp and Coolbeth, but the Screamin’ Eagle rider found himself shuffled back to fourth place as Coolbeth led at the white flag for the final lap. The group was four abreast into the first corner. King was on the low side and wrestled his way into the lead coming out of it. He led the rest of the race, beating Carr and Coolbeth across the line by less than a second at the checkered flag. “The team has worked really hard in the last year navigating the changes we’ve had, and it all came together with today’s win,” said Harley-Davidson Racing Manager Anne Paluso. “Rich rode with such determination and did a terrific job. The team is really looking forward to the next event.” With his second-place finish, Carr added to his lead in the AMA Flat Track Championship season points race. After four of 13 events, Carr has 67 points. Coolbeth and Kopp are tied for second with 53 points, and American Suzuki rider Jake Johnson is fourth with 50 points. Round five of the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship series is scheduled for June 11 at the Tri-City Speedway in Granite City, Ill. In the first round of the 2005 Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance National, Lima Harley-Davidson/Jeff Eibling rider Scott Stump prevailed after a race-long battle with Doc’s Harley-Davidson/Jim Wagner Racing rider Merle Scherb. Defending class champion Chris Hart was third aboard a Harv’s Harley-Davidson Racing/KK Motorcycle Supply entry. Screamin’ Eagle Performance Parts are inspired by and built in the spirit of the raw adrenaline and power of motorcycle racing. Screamin’ Eagle Pro parts are specifically designed for race-use applications, while Screamin’ Eagle parts offer street-use performance options for the Harley-Davidson motorcycle owner. Visit www.harley-davidson.com for more information. The Screamin’ Eagle Flat Track team is sponsored by Matco Tools.

Wegman Benefit Fund Will Be At Road America AMA National

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The Wegman Benefit Fund will be in attendance at the Road America round of the AMA Superbike series. The Wegman Fund is a 501(c)(3) tax-deductible, non-profit organization in business to assist seriously injured motorcycle road racers. Our mission is to financially assist seriously injured racers with medical bills that insurance won’t cover as well as other needs due to racing injuries. Gordon and Laurel Lunde, principals of the organization, will be in the paddock at Road America to answer any questions racers and their family or sponsors may have. We also have Wegman attire on hand for a donation to the fund. The Wegman Fund has agreed to manage the donations for Vincent Haskovec and we will be available from Wednesday through Sunday for that purpose. Donations may also be made through www.wegmanfund.org by credit card or checks may be made payable to the Wegman Benefit Fund. Be sure donations for Vincent are earmarked for him. Donations may also be made to the general fund. Those funds are available to all licensed road racers across the country who are seriously injured in a racing accident. All donations collected for Vincent Haskovec that exceed his needs will remain in the general fund for other injured racers. We would also like to collect items for our upcoming 19th annual auction to be held August 27th at Blackhawk Farms Raceway in South Beloit, IL. If anyone would care to donate to the auction please bring your items to Road America this weekend or send to Wegman Benefit Fund 3741 S. 71 St. Milwaukee, WI 53220-1814. All donations to the Wegman Fund are tax deductible. We look forward to a great weekend of racing and fund raising for injured racers at RA .

New Website For Ducati Fans

DUCATI’s NEW DESMO OWNERS CLUB WEBSITE NOW ONLINE Bologna (Italy), May 31, 2005 – As the Desmo Owners Club Presidents meet “physically” (for the D.O.C. World President’s Meeting in Mugello today), a new “virtual club-house” will be revealed. As of Tuesday, May 31, 2005, the new website dedicated to the Desmo Owners Clubs (D.O.C.) is online. The brand new site at http://www.ducaticlubs.com is a reference point for Desmo fans worldwide providing tons of information, event descriptions, pictures from the amazing world of D.O.C. Ducatisti and much more. As Ducati President and CEO, Federico Minoli, says, “The Ducati Desmo Owner Clubs are a great way for Ducatisti to express the passion of our Ducati Tribe. Whether you’re looking for a riding group, track day, bike gathering or are simply interested in meeting other Ducatisti in your area, the D.O.C. are the perfect solution.” There are clubs all over the world: across Europe and North America, in Asia and South America, and soon in Africa too. With the new site, members can keep up-to-date on Ducati activities planned in their home town, and they can also find out what is going on around the world, allowing them to participate in Ducati events while away from home, while on vacation, or even on a business trip. The new Ducati clubs site is making D.O.C. membership valid worldwide. Even if the new site was created by Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A., it is the D.O.C themselves that will give it life. Each club has the opportunity to express their individuality and their pride in Ducati in their own way. The clubs themselves create profiles, descriptions and photos of who they are and what they do, and they decide what events to organize and publicize. Ducati has all different kinds of clients and clearly, there are all different kinds of clubs. D.O.C. membership provides entrance to the world of Ducati, with all the passion and fun that comes with being part of a big and dynamic community. Visit the Ducati Clubs site to find the club nearest you and learn how to join in on the fun. Anyone with a passion for Ducati is a potential D.O.C. member.

More About British Superbike This Coming Weekend

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JR aims high on his return for Rizla Suzuki RIZLA SUZUKI’S British Superbike Champion John Reynolds is aiming for the top step of the podium when he returns to racing his GSX-R1000 in the sixth round of the British Superbike Championship at Croft Circuit in North Yorkshire this Sunday. JR missed the last two rounds of the series as he continued his recovery from a broken right leg. He rode his Rizla Suzuki at an official test at the 2.1-mile long Croft Circuit last week and was fourth quickest and bubbling with enthusiasm at the end of the day. Croft Circuit is close to Rizla Suzuki racer Scott Smart’s hometown of York and he is hoping that the support of his home fans will give him a boost as he continues to get to grips with his GSX-R1000. One of the most popular events on the BSB calendar, a bumper crowd is expected to attend Croft Circuit in North Yorkshire. Superbike racing starts at 1:20pm on Sunday, June 5th. It will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. A highlights package of all the racing will be shown by Channel 4 one week later. JR: “I am so hungry to race that I can hardly sleep thinking about this weekend at Croft. If people are expecting me to make a half-hearted return to racing then they are sadly mistaken. I am going to Croft and aiming for the top step of the podium and nothing less. My Rizla Suzuki GSX-R1000’s good enough and I want to do it justice.” Scott: “Croft is almost on my doorstep and is very much my home track. I’ll be looking for support from the local fans on Sunday and want to repeat my podium performance from last year at the same track. “I like Croft, it is fast and flowing and I am coming to it with more confidence and experience on my Rizla Suzuki than at any time previously this season. I so want this to be the weekend it all comes good for my team, they deserve silverware for the efforts the have put in.”

Recent Wedding: Williamson-Hornbuckle

WERA racer Clark Williamson married Sabrina Hornbuckle, May 21st, 2005 on the start/finish line at VIR during the WERA Cycle Jam. WERA Chief Tech Inspector and Chaplain Tony Pentecost officiated.

Updated: Something About Karts At Laguna Seca, Or, No Wonder They Couldn’t Fit AMA Formula Xtreme Into The Schedule

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YAMAHA AND GE TO SPONSOR SUPERSTARS OF SUPER KARTS FEATURING GRAND PRIX MOTORCYCLE LEGENDS Rainey, Lawson, Schwantz and Chandler Back on Track Together at Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix MONTEREY, Calif. (May 31, 2005) Fans attending the 2005 Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix July 8-10 will think it is “déjà vu all over again,” as former grand prix motorcycle world champions Wayne Rainey, Eddie Lawson and Kevin Schwantz, along with three-time U.S. Superbike champion Doug Chandler, will once again be mixing it up on track during the Yamaha and GE Superstars of Super Karts race. “This event is a chance to see our road racing heroes competing again on the racetrack,” said Bob Starr, Corporate Communications Manager for Yamaha Motor Company. “On behalf of GE’s Consumer and Commercial Finance businesses, as well as Yamaha during its 50th Anniversary Celebration, we’re proud to be a part of the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix weekend through this sponsorship as well as our contribution to the track improvement program.” With thanks to Superstars of Super Karts race sponsors Yamaha and GE, the motorcycle champions will compete head-to-head with some of the world’s best Super Kart racers. They’ll all be piloting 250cc racing karts that feature semi-enclosed bodywork and rear wings and can reach speeds up to 140 mph around the 11-turn, 2.238-mile Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca road course. “People look at these Super Karts and think they are cute little toys, but they haul butt around here,” according to Lawson. The four-time world champion (1984, ’86, ’88, ’89) set the Super Kart lap record at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in 2003 – 1 minute, 23.875 seconds, an average speed of 100.864 mph. (Troy Bayliss turned the fastest official lap on a motorcycle at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca when he road his Ducati around the circuit in 1 minute, 24.833 seconds during the 2002 World Superbike Championship event.) Lawson will be competing with three-time world champion Wayne Rainey (1990-92), 1993 world champion Kevin Schwantz and three-time U.S. Superbike champion (1984, ’86, ’88, ’89) Doug Chandler, who tested a Super Kart for the first time back in January. “Driving a Super Kart around here is completely different than racing a motorcycle,” said Chandler, who is new to Super Karts. “These karts have so much more grip than a bike through the corners. It is going to take some getting used to, physically. But this is just a good opportunity for us (Rainey, Lawson, Schwantz and himself) to get together on the race track again.” The motorcycle racing legends will be competing against some of the top Super Kart racers in the world, including Gerald Siebert, an eight-time Australian Super Kart champion, and American Larry Kurpiewski, a five-time International Karting Federation (IKF) Grand National champion. All of the Super Kart racers take to the track on Friday, July 8, for a pair of practice sessions. They’ll be on track three times on Saturday, July 9, with a morning warm-up, qualifying session and a 25-minute race scheduled for 3:10 p.m., immediately following MotoGP qualifying. The Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix features round 8 of 17 in the MotoGP World Championship, the fastest two-wheel sport in the world, along with support races from AMA Pro Racing and the Yamaha and GE Superstars of Super Karts. A complete schedule of the weekend’s events is available online at www.laguna-seca.com. 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. And now, some reader reaction… FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: I can’t understand how karts fit into an international motorcycle event. It’s unfortunate that our money for tickets and time will be used up by what could be considered an exhibition race to promote kart racing. Who at SCRAMP looked at this kart race and figured it would be great to have this during a motorcycle event? The only reason it was considered is because of the participation of ex-superstars of motorcycle racing. Take the four guys out of the race and it wouldn’t have been considered. Motorcycle race enthusiasts purchasing tickets to a motorcycle event want to see “motorcycle” racing. Take the karts to a kart event where people are interested in watching four wheelers and stop wasting our time and money. Seriously, are there any kart racing enthusiasts traveling to Monterey just to watch the kart race? Come on, SCRAMP! The next time you want to add value to your events you might check to see if has any value to your customers. By the way, this has nothing to do with Lawson, Rainey, Schwantz, Chandler or any other Super Kart driver attending this event. I have respect for all these superstars but this is not the correct venue to show off their Super Kart skills. In addition, I’m guessing the company responsible for spending millions of dollars upgrading Laguna Seca has forgotten to address the paddock area. Perhaps they will have to cancel another AMA class to make room for the karts….. Chris Scott Laguna Niguel, California

Hey, What About These AFM Vintage Guys?

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FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: Just a note to let you know the results for the Vintage Class AFM at Infineon May 29th are not posted correctly in the “Stanton” news clip. (Updated: Stanton Wins AFM Formula Pacific At Infineon Raceway, May 30, 2005) ~https://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=23008~ There are 3 AFM Vintage classes: 0-250 251-500 501-Unlimited. The 251-500 results are as follows :- #31 VINT 251-500Pos Pts AFM # Lic Name Mk/Yr Best Lap 1 40 133 E MELTON, RON NOR62 2:05:161 2 33 358R E BRODIE, PAUL AER72 2:06:998 3 27 144R E CAVENEY, BRID BSA72 2:11:701 4 22 498 N SPENCER, RALPH S75 2:12:720 5 17 284 E ECHOLS, CRAIG AER66 2:15:719 Thanks. Brid Caveney 2004 AHRMA Classic 60’s 650 National Champion www.westcoastracing.net Salinas, California

June 2005

Shootout: Suzuki’s Latest Meets Yamaha’s Greatest John McGuinness Returns To Daytona Racing And Track Day Tire Test Riding The Graves Motorsport Superstock YZF-R1 MotoGP Tire Selection: Valentino Rossi, Choosing To Win Project Superbike 2005: Part One Quick Look: MV Agusta F4-1000S How We Rented Our Own MotoGP Track For $62.50 Cribs: Tony “The Tiger” Meiring MotoGP At Jerez WSB At Phillip Island WERA National Endurance At JenningsGP WERA National Challenge At JenningsGP AHRMA At Daytona Beach CMRA At MotorSport Ranch CCS Florida At Moroso AFM At Buttonwillow Letters To The Editor Inside Info 10 Years Ago Club Champion: Dave Stanton John Hopkins: The GP Kid New Products MotoGP Trivia Numbers The Crash Page Road Racing & School Calendar Guide To Road Racing Organizations High-Performance Parts & Services Want Ads Advertisers Index And Directory Chris Ulrich: Adventures Of A Racer On The Front Cover: Yukio Kagayama wheelies his World Superbike GSX-R1000 at Phillip Island. We picked this photo because we like it, and because the latest GSX-R1000 has now won all four 2005 World Superbike races held to date. For how the 2005 Suzuki GSX-R1000 stacked up against the 2005 Yamaha YZF-R1 in stock trim on a U.S. track, see page 16. Photo by Sportsphotography.

Another Recent Wedding

Army National Guard Sgt. Lauri Pfeifer, sister and sponsor of racer Jack Pfeifer, married Sgt. Steve Henderson on Thursday, May 26, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Sgt. Pfeifer is scheduled to deploy to Kuwait next week, and then on to Baghdad.

More About Yesterday’s F-USA Thunderbike National At Summit Point

BEMISDERFER TOPS ESTOK FOR SUMMIT POINT THUNDERBIKE WIN Seven Buell Riders in Top Ten at Formula USA Thunderbike National SUMMIT POINT, W.Va. Evo-Twin Racing/Harding Harley-Davidson rider Bryan Bemisderfer rode a Buell Firebolt to a close win over his teammate, David Estok, at the Formula USA Thunderbike National at Summit Point Raceway. It was the first National win for Bemisderfer at a course he considers his home track, and the first of the season for the reigning Formula USA Thunderbike champion. Estok was the top qualifier for the Thunderbike National, with a lap time of 1 minute 19.46 seconds on the two-mile, 10-turn Summit Point course. Estok and Bemisderfer battled for the entire 16-lap race, with Bemsiderfer taking the win by less than a second. “There’s no question I know my way around this track, but I’ve had bad luck here in the past,” said Bemisderfer, who failed to finish the 2004 Summit Point Thunderbike race. “David and I had a great battle out there today.” Suzuki rider David Yaakov, another regular at Summit Point, was third, followed by Williams Harley-Davidson/Buell rider Randy Rega in fourth, Schaeffer’s and Classic Harley-Davidson Buell rider Arthur Diaz in fifth, and Daytona Harley-Davidson/Buell and Richie Morris Racing rider Clint Brotz in sixth position. Kenwood/Sirius Satellite Racing riders Sam Rozynski and Joe Rozynski III finished seventh and ninth respectively, both riding Buell Firebolt motorcycles. With 26 entries, the Thunderbike field was the largest of the four Formula USA National races of the day. Fourteen of the Thunderbike entries were Buell motorcycles. After three of eight Formula USA Thunderbike National events, Yaakov leads in series points with 79, followed by Bemisderfer with 64, Estok with 62 and Brotz with 57. The next event on the Formula-USA schedule is the 82nd Annual Loudon Classic, June 16-19 at New Hampshire International Raceway, Loudon, N.H. The Formula USA National Thunderbike series is a horsepower-to-weight ratio restricted class, open to a variety of production-based motorcycles. Buell-mounted riders compete in the eight-event 2005 Thunderbike series race for a share of the $70,500 contingency fund posted by Buell Motorcycle Company. To learn more about Buell motorcycles, visit your local Buell dealer today and experience the pure streetfighter attitude, style and performance only found on board a Buell. For the Buell dealer nearest you, pull into www.buell.com.

What Former Road Racer Chris Carr Was Doing Last Weekend

KING AND SCREAMIN’ EAGLE TEAM TAKE VICTORY AT SPRINGFIELD MILE Rich King Nips Carr, Kopp and Coolbeth with Last-Lap Pass to Win SPRINGFIELD, Ill. Screamin’ Eagle Performance Parts rider Rich King continued his dominance at the Springfield Mile by winning round four of the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship, his fourth win in the past five AMA Grand National events at the fabled track on the Illinois State Fairgrounds. King led 16 laps during the 25-lap main and passed from fourth position on the last lap to take the win over Quality Checked Pre-Owned Ford/Lancaster Harley-Davidson rider Chris Carr and KTM/Mid-America Harley-Davidson rider Kenny Coolbeth. “Anytime you win at the Mile, it’s a huge victory,” said King, who now has 19 AMA Grand National race victories. “The Screamin’ Eagle team put a great bike under me with the set up needed for the race, and we came out on top in a really competitive field.” The Springfield Mile program was delayed almost three hours due to the rain. King won his qualifying heat and then took the lead on the first lap of the main. He found himself in a race-long battle with a group of Harley-Davidson-mounted riders that included Carr, Coolbeth, Latus Harley-Davidson/Jones Powersports rider Joe Kopp, Gerencer’s Harley-Davidson/Kerstings Cycle rider Kevin Atherton, and Bartels’ Harley-Davidson rider Shaun Russell, each of whom led at least one lap. “The day was kind of a roller coaster with the rain, which made the track tough to navigate since there were a lot of different racing lines,” said King. “It was like a 25-mile sprint race, and we were battling each other the whole time.” As the race wound down on lap 22, King led a pack that included Carr, Kopp and Coolbeth, but the Screamin’ Eagle rider found himself shuffled back to fourth place as Coolbeth led at the white flag for the final lap. The group was four abreast into the first corner. King was on the low side and wrestled his way into the lead coming out of it. He led the rest of the race, beating Carr and Coolbeth across the line by less than a second at the checkered flag. “The team has worked really hard in the last year navigating the changes we’ve had, and it all came together with today’s win,” said Harley-Davidson Racing Manager Anne Paluso. “Rich rode with such determination and did a terrific job. The team is really looking forward to the next event.” With his second-place finish, Carr added to his lead in the AMA Flat Track Championship season points race. After four of 13 events, Carr has 67 points. Coolbeth and Kopp are tied for second with 53 points, and American Suzuki rider Jake Johnson is fourth with 50 points. Round five of the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship series is scheduled for June 11 at the Tri-City Speedway in Granite City, Ill. In the first round of the 2005 Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance National, Lima Harley-Davidson/Jeff Eibling rider Scott Stump prevailed after a race-long battle with Doc’s Harley-Davidson/Jim Wagner Racing rider Merle Scherb. Defending class champion Chris Hart was third aboard a Harv’s Harley-Davidson Racing/KK Motorcycle Supply entry. Screamin’ Eagle Performance Parts are inspired by and built in the spirit of the raw adrenaline and power of motorcycle racing. Screamin’ Eagle Pro parts are specifically designed for race-use applications, while Screamin’ Eagle parts offer street-use performance options for the Harley-Davidson motorcycle owner. Visit www.harley-davidson.com for more information. The Screamin’ Eagle Flat Track team is sponsored by Matco Tools.

Wegman Benefit Fund Will Be At Road America AMA National

The Wegman Benefit Fund will be in attendance at the Road America round of the AMA Superbike series. The Wegman Fund is a 501(c)(3) tax-deductible, non-profit organization in business to assist seriously injured motorcycle road racers. Our mission is to financially assist seriously injured racers with medical bills that insurance won’t cover as well as other needs due to racing injuries. Gordon and Laurel Lunde, principals of the organization, will be in the paddock at Road America to answer any questions racers and their family or sponsors may have. We also have Wegman attire on hand for a donation to the fund. The Wegman Fund has agreed to manage the donations for Vincent Haskovec and we will be available from Wednesday through Sunday for that purpose. Donations may also be made through www.wegmanfund.org by credit card or checks may be made payable to the Wegman Benefit Fund. Be sure donations for Vincent are earmarked for him. Donations may also be made to the general fund. Those funds are available to all licensed road racers across the country who are seriously injured in a racing accident. All donations collected for Vincent Haskovec that exceed his needs will remain in the general fund for other injured racers. We would also like to collect items for our upcoming 19th annual auction to be held August 27th at Blackhawk Farms Raceway in South Beloit, IL. If anyone would care to donate to the auction please bring your items to Road America this weekend or send to Wegman Benefit Fund 3741 S. 71 St. Milwaukee, WI 53220-1814. All donations to the Wegman Fund are tax deductible. We look forward to a great weekend of racing and fund raising for injured racers at RA .

New Website For Ducati Fans

DUCATI’s NEW DESMO OWNERS CLUB WEBSITE NOW ONLINE Bologna (Italy), May 31, 2005 – As the Desmo Owners Club Presidents meet “physically” (for the D.O.C. World President’s Meeting in Mugello today), a new “virtual club-house” will be revealed. As of Tuesday, May 31, 2005, the new website dedicated to the Desmo Owners Clubs (D.O.C.) is online. The brand new site at http://www.ducaticlubs.com is a reference point for Desmo fans worldwide providing tons of information, event descriptions, pictures from the amazing world of D.O.C. Ducatisti and much more. As Ducati President and CEO, Federico Minoli, says, “The Ducati Desmo Owner Clubs are a great way for Ducatisti to express the passion of our Ducati Tribe. Whether you’re looking for a riding group, track day, bike gathering or are simply interested in meeting other Ducatisti in your area, the D.O.C. are the perfect solution.” There are clubs all over the world: across Europe and North America, in Asia and South America, and soon in Africa too. With the new site, members can keep up-to-date on Ducati activities planned in their home town, and they can also find out what is going on around the world, allowing them to participate in Ducati events while away from home, while on vacation, or even on a business trip. The new Ducati clubs site is making D.O.C. membership valid worldwide. Even if the new site was created by Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A., it is the D.O.C themselves that will give it life. Each club has the opportunity to express their individuality and their pride in Ducati in their own way. The clubs themselves create profiles, descriptions and photos of who they are and what they do, and they decide what events to organize and publicize. Ducati has all different kinds of clients and clearly, there are all different kinds of clubs. D.O.C. membership provides entrance to the world of Ducati, with all the passion and fun that comes with being part of a big and dynamic community. Visit the Ducati Clubs site to find the club nearest you and learn how to join in on the fun. Anyone with a passion for Ducati is a potential D.O.C. member.

More About British Superbike This Coming Weekend

JR aims high on his return for Rizla Suzuki RIZLA SUZUKI’S British Superbike Champion John Reynolds is aiming for the top step of the podium when he returns to racing his GSX-R1000 in the sixth round of the British Superbike Championship at Croft Circuit in North Yorkshire this Sunday. JR missed the last two rounds of the series as he continued his recovery from a broken right leg. He rode his Rizla Suzuki at an official test at the 2.1-mile long Croft Circuit last week and was fourth quickest and bubbling with enthusiasm at the end of the day. Croft Circuit is close to Rizla Suzuki racer Scott Smart’s hometown of York and he is hoping that the support of his home fans will give him a boost as he continues to get to grips with his GSX-R1000. One of the most popular events on the BSB calendar, a bumper crowd is expected to attend Croft Circuit in North Yorkshire. Superbike racing starts at 1:20pm on Sunday, June 5th. It will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. A highlights package of all the racing will be shown by Channel 4 one week later. JR: “I am so hungry to race that I can hardly sleep thinking about this weekend at Croft. If people are expecting me to make a half-hearted return to racing then they are sadly mistaken. I am going to Croft and aiming for the top step of the podium and nothing less. My Rizla Suzuki GSX-R1000’s good enough and I want to do it justice.” Scott: “Croft is almost on my doorstep and is very much my home track. I’ll be looking for support from the local fans on Sunday and want to repeat my podium performance from last year at the same track. “I like Croft, it is fast and flowing and I am coming to it with more confidence and experience on my Rizla Suzuki than at any time previously this season. I so want this to be the weekend it all comes good for my team, they deserve silverware for the efforts the have put in.”

Recent Wedding: Williamson-Hornbuckle

WERA racer Clark Williamson married Sabrina Hornbuckle, May 21st, 2005 on the start/finish line at VIR during the WERA Cycle Jam. WERA Chief Tech Inspector and Chaplain Tony Pentecost officiated.

Updated: Something About Karts At Laguna Seca, Or, No Wonder They Couldn’t Fit AMA Formula Xtreme Into The Schedule

YAMAHA AND GE TO SPONSOR SUPERSTARS OF SUPER KARTS FEATURING GRAND PRIX MOTORCYCLE LEGENDS Rainey, Lawson, Schwantz and Chandler Back on Track Together at Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix MONTEREY, Calif. (May 31, 2005) Fans attending the 2005 Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix July 8-10 will think it is “déjà vu all over again,” as former grand prix motorcycle world champions Wayne Rainey, Eddie Lawson and Kevin Schwantz, along with three-time U.S. Superbike champion Doug Chandler, will once again be mixing it up on track during the Yamaha and GE Superstars of Super Karts race. “This event is a chance to see our road racing heroes competing again on the racetrack,” said Bob Starr, Corporate Communications Manager for Yamaha Motor Company. “On behalf of GE’s Consumer and Commercial Finance businesses, as well as Yamaha during its 50th Anniversary Celebration, we’re proud to be a part of the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix weekend through this sponsorship as well as our contribution to the track improvement program.” With thanks to Superstars of Super Karts race sponsors Yamaha and GE, the motorcycle champions will compete head-to-head with some of the world’s best Super Kart racers. They’ll all be piloting 250cc racing karts that feature semi-enclosed bodywork and rear wings and can reach speeds up to 140 mph around the 11-turn, 2.238-mile Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca road course. “People look at these Super Karts and think they are cute little toys, but they haul butt around here,” according to Lawson. The four-time world champion (1984, ’86, ’88, ’89) set the Super Kart lap record at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in 2003 – 1 minute, 23.875 seconds, an average speed of 100.864 mph. (Troy Bayliss turned the fastest official lap on a motorcycle at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca when he road his Ducati around the circuit in 1 minute, 24.833 seconds during the 2002 World Superbike Championship event.) Lawson will be competing with three-time world champion Wayne Rainey (1990-92), 1993 world champion Kevin Schwantz and three-time U.S. Superbike champion (1984, ’86, ’88, ’89) Doug Chandler, who tested a Super Kart for the first time back in January. “Driving a Super Kart around here is completely different than racing a motorcycle,” said Chandler, who is new to Super Karts. “These karts have so much more grip than a bike through the corners. It is going to take some getting used to, physically. But this is just a good opportunity for us (Rainey, Lawson, Schwantz and himself) to get together on the race track again.” The motorcycle racing legends will be competing against some of the top Super Kart racers in the world, including Gerald Siebert, an eight-time Australian Super Kart champion, and American Larry Kurpiewski, a five-time International Karting Federation (IKF) Grand National champion. All of the Super Kart racers take to the track on Friday, July 8, for a pair of practice sessions. They’ll be on track three times on Saturday, July 9, with a morning warm-up, qualifying session and a 25-minute race scheduled for 3:10 p.m., immediately following MotoGP qualifying. The Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix features round 8 of 17 in the MotoGP World Championship, the fastest two-wheel sport in the world, along with support races from AMA Pro Racing and the Yamaha and GE Superstars of Super Karts. A complete schedule of the weekend’s events is available online at www.laguna-seca.com. 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. And now, some reader reaction… FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: I can’t understand how karts fit into an international motorcycle event. It’s unfortunate that our money for tickets and time will be used up by what could be considered an exhibition race to promote kart racing. Who at SCRAMP looked at this kart race and figured it would be great to have this during a motorcycle event? The only reason it was considered is because of the participation of ex-superstars of motorcycle racing. Take the four guys out of the race and it wouldn’t have been considered. Motorcycle race enthusiasts purchasing tickets to a motorcycle event want to see “motorcycle” racing. Take the karts to a kart event where people are interested in watching four wheelers and stop wasting our time and money. Seriously, are there any kart racing enthusiasts traveling to Monterey just to watch the kart race? Come on, SCRAMP! The next time you want to add value to your events you might check to see if has any value to your customers. By the way, this has nothing to do with Lawson, Rainey, Schwantz, Chandler or any other Super Kart driver attending this event. I have respect for all these superstars but this is not the correct venue to show off their Super Kart skills. In addition, I’m guessing the company responsible for spending millions of dollars upgrading Laguna Seca has forgotten to address the paddock area. Perhaps they will have to cancel another AMA class to make room for the karts….. Chris Scott Laguna Niguel, California

Hey, What About These AFM Vintage Guys?

FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: Just a note to let you know the results for the Vintage Class AFM at Infineon May 29th are not posted correctly in the “Stanton” news clip. (Updated: Stanton Wins AFM Formula Pacific At Infineon Raceway, May 30, 2005) ~https://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=23008~ There are 3 AFM Vintage classes: 0-250 251-500 501-Unlimited. The 251-500 results are as follows :- #31 VINT 251-500Pos Pts AFM # Lic Name Mk/Yr Best Lap 1 40 133 E MELTON, RON NOR62 2:05:161 2 33 358R E BRODIE, PAUL AER72 2:06:998 3 27 144R E CAVENEY, BRID BSA72 2:11:701 4 22 498 N SPENCER, RALPH S75 2:12:720 5 17 284 E ECHOLS, CRAIG AER66 2:15:719 Thanks. Brid Caveney 2004 AHRMA Classic 60’s 650 National Champion www.westcoastracing.net Salinas, California