The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) has scheduled the next AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference for June 30-July 2, 2006 at The Classic Center in Athens, Georgia. More information is available from the AMA at 1-800-AMA-JOIN or online at ~http://www.womenandmotorcycling.com/~
ADVANSTAR LAUNCHES BREAKTHROUGH ARENACROSS SERIES Mike Kidd & Team Take Dirt Bike Racing to Next Level Santa Ana, CA May 5, 2005 Advanstar Communications, Inc. a leading publisher of print, event and online media for the powersports, off-road and automotive aftermarket industries today announced the launch of the Arenacross Championship Series, a new racing series beginning in November 2005 with stops in twelve major cities across the US. Advanstar’s leadership, expertise, and business plan will deliver a hugely challenging and entertaining race series. Or as Mike Kidd, founder of Arenacross and Race Director for Advanstar says, “our team is ready to elevate this great sport.” Advanstar will capture the hearts and minds of America’s race fans through a host of new and improved features, including: world-caliber racers, unyielding new tracks, show enhancements, the largest purse and point fund in the sport, contingency, extensive media coverage and branding opportunities for sponsors, special twists to Amateur Day, built-in access to 600,000 motorcycle enthusiasts and the dedication of a veteran leadership team with a sincere passion for racing. In conjunction with the launch of the Arenacross Championship series, Advanstar will run its world-famous 25th annual Cycle World International Motorcycle Shows® presented by Toyota Trucks in conjunction with the races in select markets. In pairing the two events, Advanstar will offer enthusiasts the unique opportunity to watch world-class racers battle to the Arenacross finish-line on the latest factory machines and experience those vehicles and aftermarket products first-hand at the motorcycle show. Skip Johnson head of Advanstar’s Powersports Consumer Group and former Executive Producer of Primedia’s Motor Trend Auto Shows affirms that in combining the two events, and adding industry legends Mike Kidd, Gary Kidd and Lance Bryson to the mix, Advanstar has successfully unified an experience that enthusiasts can’t get anywhere else. “We are very excited about the launch of the Arenacross Championship Series,” said Johnson. “Advanstar is wholly committed to putting the full force of our 40 years of motorcycle event experience into this launch. We’re delivering a bigger, better, faster Arenacross encounter than ever before. Arenacross has never seen anything like it.” The addition of Mike Kidd, Gary Kidd and Lance Bryson to the Arenacross team the trio responsible for the birth of Arenacross is a strong complement to Advanstar’s existing resources and experience in event production. According to Kidd, “We are thrilled to be a part of such a growth-oriented and customer-focused initiative. We have the tools necessary to reinvent the sport, which will benefit the racers, sponsors, and fans.” Advanstar’s Arenacross Championship Series will run from November 2005 through February 2006, with 12 races along the way. For more information, please contact Mike Kidd directly at: (817) 887-8062 or [email protected]. About Advanstar Communications Inc. Based in New York, NY, Advanstar Communications Inc. (www.advanstar.com) is a worldwide business information company serving specialized markets with high quality information resources and integrated marketing solutions. Advanstar has 77 business magazines, 19 directories, 7 electronic publications, 54 tradeshows and 40 conferences, numerous web sites, and a wide range of print and electronic direct marketing, database and reference products and services. Advanstar serves targeted market sectors including the automotive, beauty, e-learning, call center, digital media, entertainment/ marketing, healthcare, fashion & apparel, pharmaceuticals, powersports, science, telecommunications and travel/hospitality industries. The Company has roughly 1,500 employees and currently operates from multiple offices in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia.
Aaron Gobert to Shoei Shoei Safety Helmet Corporation is pleased to announce that reigning AMA Superstock champion Aaron Gobert will be wearing Shoei this year and into the future. He joins his younger brother Alex, who has been enjoying the safety and comfort of Shoei all year. Aaron made his Shoei debut this weekend wearing a Shoei X-Eleven Norick Abe replica in AMA competition at California Speedway in Fontana. When the opportunity to join forces with Gobert presented itself, it was an obvious choice. At the young age of 24, Gobert has shown the maturity and tenacity to return from a near-career ending injury suffered in 2002 to bring home the AMA Superstock Championship in 2004 aboard his Factory Yamaha YZF-R1. “My brother Alex and teammate Damon Buckmaster have told me how great the Shoei X-Eleven helmet is, but I must admit that I was surprised by how light and quiet it was after trying it this weekend. I couldn’t believe how cool my head stayed in my race. I have to say, I’m really happy to be with Shoei”, says Aaron. For more information on the Shoei X-Eleven helmet, please visit Shoei on the web at www.shoei-helmets.com.
Designated Driver Program Offers Choice For Fans on Race Weekend SONOMA, Calif. (IMMEDIATE RELEASE) “” Infineon Raceway has partnered with the California Highway Patrol for the 2005 major-event season to raise awareness of a very serious issue: drinking and driving. The two will join forces during select major events at Infineon Raceway in 2005 with a Designated Driver Program booth, which is designed to not only educate people about the dangers of drinking and driving, but also reward those who choose to become designated drivers. The booth will be operated by both Infineon Raceway and CHP officers and will contain literature, designated driver pledge cards, free bottled water and prizes. The booth will be open beginning with the Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown, presented by Supercuts, May 15. “The California Highway Patrol fully promotes the Designated Driver Program as it relates to the hearts of race fans,” said CHP Captain Mark Rasmussen, Napa Area Commander. “We ask that you join us and support the Designated Driver Program. Have fun but be responsible by choosing a designated driver for the events at Infineon Raceway.” The booth will be operational at the following other events for 2005: –Sunday, June 26: Dodge/Save Mart 350 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup –Sunday, July 17: Infineon Technologies Grand Prix of Sonoma American Le Mans Series, presented by Ravenswood Winery. –Sunday, July 31: FRAM Autolite NHRA Nationals, presented by Supercuts. –Sunday, Aug. 28: Argent Mortgage Indy Grand Prix Those who decide to become designated drivers must fill out a pledge card “” under the direction of the CHP “” and they will be given a free bottle of water. All water supplied for the program is being donated by Levy Restaurants. Designated drivers will also become eligible to win great prizes throughout the day. This is a first-year program and officials hope to service at least 3,000 people, with plans for the program to expand in 2006. “We devote a lot of energy to see that our customers have a good time when they visit the raceway and a very important part of that experience is a safe trip home. We appreciate the California Highway Patrol’s support in making this option available to our fans,” said Steve Page, president and general manager of Infineon Raceway. The CHP operates a similar program at all home games for the NBA’s Sacramento Kings and WNBA’s Sacramento Monarchs.
Tickets for the On Any Sunday Reunion showing of the famous 1971 Bruce Brown film on May 18th, 2005 in Newport Beach, California are sold out! “We sold out the first theater we rented in just three weeks and now have sold out the 1100 capacity larger theater” reports event coordinator Larry Langley. “The response has been unbelievable. We will have approximately 40 front row seats (2 rows) available the night of the event and will be sold on a first come, first served basis. These seats will be available after everyone else has been seated, approximately 8:00 pm”.
The Dualies will be sponsoring a before-movie Meet N’Greet in the theater parking lot from 5 pm to 7 pm with vintage bikes on display including Marty Smith’s CR125 championship bike by Honda Riders Club, early Huskies from Tom White’s personal collection, Skip VanLeeuwen’s Triumph TT winning bike, Rick Doughty’s Vintage Iron bikes and many more.
In addition there will be silent auctions and raffles taking place with proceeds going to the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation and Team Kawasaki Rick Asch’s family whose daughter Karla is fighting a brain tumor.
Vintage Iron and Greg Primm have teamed up to build a custom Kawi Kruiser bicycle to auction off with proceeds to the Asch family. This bike will be signed by none other than Kawasaki’s Bubba Stewart!
Artist David Burk is donating a Giclee Print (only 25 in existence) of a composite On Any Sunday scene of Mert Lawwill, Cal Rayburn and Dave Aldana. This print will be signed by Lawwill and Aldana and will be raffled or auctioned off with the proceeds donated to the PBTF. (see www.davidburk.net)
Another auction will be for a very special collection of prints from the collection of Don Emde (20-24 in all) taken during the making of On Any Sunday and the time period. Many have never been published.
Special posters and T-shirts will also be available for sale that can be used for autographs by the movie participants that will be present including Mert Lawwill, Malcolm Smith, Bruce Brown, Gene Romero, Jim Rice, Don Castro, Jim Odom, Don Emde, Jeff Ward, Eddie Mulder, Skip VanLeeuwen, Gary Nixon, Dave Aldana, Feets Minert, Walt Fulton and more! Even if you don’t have a movie reunion ticket, you are invited to come to the pre-movie festivities at the Edwards Newport 6 theater, 300 Newport Center Dr, Fashion Island, Newport Beach, Ca.
For more information, please contact Larry Langley at 714 870-1456 or [email protected].
MOTORCYCLE ROAD RACING @ MISSION RACEWAY PARK THIS WEEKEND!!! The Westwood Motorcycle Racing Club www.wmrc.ca started in 1959 and enjoyed many years of very competitive racing at the Westwood Circuit in Port Coquitlam, where the club derived its name. Mission Raceway Park is now the WMRC’s home track and 2005 will be our fourth season racing here. The Club has enjoyed very competitive racing with the likes of ex Canadian Superbike Champions like Steve Crevier and Steve Dick. Both of these long time pro racers will be competing at Mission Raceway Park this weekend; Steve Crevier racing for Carter Motorsports, and Steve Dick racing for Pacific Yamaha. The WMRC promotes fast aggressive riding in a controlled environment @ Mission Raceway Park located near the banks of the Fraser River in The Town of Mission. We have two local race schools that are accredited in training novice racers for the track; Next Level Superbike School www.nlsbs.com owned by pro racer Scotty Borthwick, and West Coast Superbike School www.westcoastsuperbikeschool.com owned by pro racer Troy Burstyk. There are several classes of racing from Vintage motorcycles to Superbikes with everything in between, please see class description below. The track is open to all ages and families are encouraged to come. Spectators are welcome at the circuit; the view is excellent with grandstands situated at the most exciting corners and close to the pits and other facilities. Our first race of the season is this weekend: – Practice Saturday May 7, 2005 from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm – admission is FREE – Race (Round 1 of 6) Sunday May 8, 2005 from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm – admission is $10.00 (Children under 12 are free), there is a $250 door prize draw after the trophy presentations for spectators. Class Descriptions: SUPERBIKE: Our premier class open to all displacement motorcycles OPEN SUPERSPORT: Unlimited displacement with a maximum 160hp 600 SUPERSPORT: 600cc 4 cylinder and 750cc twin cylinder motorcycles BATTLE OF THE TWINS: Unlimited displacement twin cylinder motorcycles SUZUKI SV650 CUP: For all supersport spec. Suzuki SV 650’s OPEN SINGLES: Open to all singles, roadrace and supermotard bikes FORMULA 2: 250GP, middle weight twins, singles and 10 year old 600’s FORMULA 3: 125GP, 400cc 4 cylinder, 500 twins and 350 two strokes YAMAHA RD/RZ CUP: 350cc twin cylinder 2 strokes 1981 to 1991 VINTAGE: For the classic racing motorcycles with a max model year of 1972 SPORTSMAN: A non competitive alternative for track experience only NOVICE: For the new racer to gain track experience under racing conditions
Alice French Grand Prix, Le Mans , May 13/14/15 2005, Preview DUCATI MARLBORO MEN AIM TO REAP OVERDUE REWARD. Ducati Marlboro Team riders Loris Capirossi and Carlos Checa return home to Europe following MotoGP’s first visit to China hoping for some pleasant early summer weather at legendary Le Mans. The past two GPs in China and Portugal were both affected by rain, preventing the team from showing its true potential. In China Capirossi qualified on the front row, just as Checa had done at Estoril a fortnight earlier, but their impressive speed wasn’t borne out by their results. “We hope to finally get the reward we deserve in France,” says Ducati MotoGP project manager Livio Suppo. “We are hoping for the best – Carlos got his best result of 2004 at Le Mans and Loris should now be fully recovered from the ankle injury he suffered at Jerez. We go there in positive mood because, has we showed during the practices in Portugal and in China, we know that we can be very competitive.” Ducati Marlboro Team technical director Corrado Cecchinelli shares Suppo’s optimism heading into the fourth round of the 17-race World Championship. “When our bike was born in 2003 we had some trouble at stop-and-go tracks like Le Mans but we don’t anymore because the bike is much better balanced,” says Cecchinelli. “Maybe we sacrificed some of the advantage we used to have at very fast tracks but overall it’s a much better machine now. Our latest Desmosedici is very balanced, with strong braking and acceleration performance. All we want at Le Mans is consistent weather. We have new tyres this year, so we would like good weather all weekend, so we can finally prove the potential we have already shown.” IS CHECA’S LE MANS SPEED IN THE BLOOD? Carlos Checa goes well at Le Mans – the dashing Spaniard has twice finished on the podium in his last four visits to the circuit. And he aims to be back up there on May 15. The Ducati Marlboro Team rider has a couple of theories about his impressive speed at the tortuous French track. “I’m not really sure why I go well there, maybe it’s my riding style or maybe it’s because it’s in my blood,” he laughs. “My younger brother (David, reigning World Endurance Champion) won the Le Mans 24-hour race last month, so maybe the track just suits my family! I actually like the circuit – there’s a lot of fierce low-gear acceleration, a lot of heavy braking and I really enjoy the final section, which reminds me of a part of the Calafat track in Spain.” If Checa’s results have yet to mirror his impressive speed on his Desmosedici, the Spaniard says the bike does offer him the feedback he needs to go fast. Racers need to feel exactly what the tyres and the bike are doing when they are approaching the limit, so they known exactly where the limit is. “The connection between me and the bike is really good now,” he says. “My riding style is quite smooth but it seems I can be more aggressive on the Ducati, so I can push harder towards the limit because it gives me a wider ‘safety’ area. “It will be interesting to see how the bike works at Le Mans because we’ve worked on a couple of things which should help us around tight circuits. First, we have improved the bike’s behaviour under heavy braking. Second, we have improved steering into slow-speed corners, just through minor adjustments to geometry and balance.” LE MANS WINNER CAPIROSSI NOW 100% FIT Loris Capirossi is confident that he will be 100 per cent fit for Le Mans. The Italian Ducati Marlboro Team rider cracked a bone in his left ankle when he fell during practice for last month’s season-opening Marlboro Spanish GP which affected his riding during the first three GPs. “The ankle was already pretty good when we raced in China a couple of weeks back but it should be 100 per cent fit for Le Mans,” he says. “That’s a big relief for me and I’m really looking forward to riding the bike fully fit.” Capirossi has already won a Grand Prix at Le Mans, the French 250 GP way back in 1994, but he is not the track’s greatest fan. “Le Mans is a lot of fun on a 125 or 250 but it’s not very interesting on a really fast machine because it’s just accelerate, brake, accelerate, brake, accelerate.” he explains. “But there’s a couple of fun corners – the Musee left-hander and the very fast turn one, where you need to be very brave! Last year at Le Mans we made some big steps forward after a few difficult races. This year we return in much better shape, despite what the results suggest, so we should have a good weekend if the bike/tyre packages work well”. THE TRACK Le Mans is one of the world’s most famous motorsport venues, legendary for its 24-hour races. The French track, based in the Sarthe region a few hours south west of Paris, has been hosting World Championship motorcycle GPs on and off since 1969. The Bugatti circuit, very different from the longer 24-hour car track, returned to the GP calendar in 1999, since when the event has built a huge following in bike-mad France. Le Mans has undergone various layout changes and safety modifications over the past few years. The daunting high-speed first turn was tightened for the ’99 GP and the Musee left-hander was also modified to lower speeds. Further modifications were carried out before the 2002 event and the track was fully resurfaced for last year’s race. The circuit layout is very stop-and-go, with plenty of slow turns where braking and acceleration performance are primordial. Riders and their engineers therefore concentrate on honing their machines’ braking stability, as well as improving rear-end traction for the numerous hairpin exits. LE MANS: 4.180km/2.597 miles Lap record: Max Biaggi (Honda) 1m 34.088s, 159.935kmh/99.379mph Pole position 2004: Sete Gibernau (Honda), 1m 33.425s DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM RIDER DATA LOGS LORIS CAPIROSSI Age: 32 (born April 4, 1973) Lives: Monaco Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP5 GP victories: 23 (1xMotoGP, 2×500, 12×250, 8×125) First GP victory: Britain, 1990 (125) First GP: Japan, 1990 (125) GP starts: 219 (49xMotoGP, 59×500, 84×250, 27×125) Pole positions: 36 (3xMotoGP, 5×500, 23×250, 5×125) First pole: Australia, 1991 (125) World Championships: 3 (125: 1990, 1991, 250: 1998) Le Mans 2004 results: Grid: 9th. Race: 10th CARLOS CHECA Age: 32 (born October 15, 1972) Lives: London, England Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP5 GP victories: 2 (500) First GP victory: Catalunya, 1996 (500) First GP: Europe, 1993 (125) GP starts: 171 (50xMotoGP, 92×500, 27×250, 1×125) Pole positions: 3 (2xMotoGP, 1×500) First pole: Spain, 1998 (500) Le Mans 2004 results: Grid: 2nd. Race: 2nd For further information: www.ducaticorsepress.
CORSER BACKING FOR YOUNG AUSSIE Team Suzuki Press Office – May 5, 2005. Motorcycling hero Troy Corser has backed talented young Australian rider Josh Forster to compete in the 2005 Suzuki GSX-R European Cup Championship. Currently dominating the 2005 World Superbike Championship aboard his Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra GSX-R1000, Corser has teamed with Suzuki Australia to assist Forster in this year’s GSX-R Cup series. “Josh is a fantastic young talent. I’ve got a lot of faith in his ability and given a start in the right competition, he could definitely make his mark on the international racing scene,” said Corser. “I know from experience how tough it can be to make it overseas without good solid support and financial backing and that’s why I decided to pay the entry fee to enter the series and back Josh. It would be a real waste for such a promising Aussie rider to be left on the sidelines. “It’s absolutely brilliant that Suzuki Australia will support our team with spare parts assistance to help Josh throughout the European GSX-R Cup series,” added Corser. Previously known as the Worldwide GSX-R Cup and run over one weekend, the revised GSX-R Cup program now comprises a five-round championship throughout Europe. While non-European Suzuki distributors were not scheduled to be involved this year, Suzuki Motor Corporation has allowed Suzuki Australia to field a late entry at the special request of Corser. At the inaugural Suzuki GSX-R European Cup Championship round in Valencia, Spain on April 24th, Forster showed much promise in the opening event. And having only received confirmation of his entry one week prior to the event, he qualified 18th and finished a very creditable sixth overall in his first outing. “Suzuki Australia is very pleased to support Josh throughout the Suzuki GSX-R European Cup Championship. With one round completed, he has already shown a lot of potential and is positioned very well for the series,” said Glyn Griffiths, National Marketing Manager – Motorcycles, Suzuki Australia. “We have a range of on-going initiatives offering assistance for up-and-coming racing talents in Australia; extending this support to a rider contesting an entire series abroad takes our commitment to the next level.” The next round of the series takes place at the British World Superbike Championship round at Silverstone on May 29th. SUZUKI GSX-R EUROPEAN CUP POINTS (after 1 of 5 rounds): 1. David Salom (Spain) 25. 2. Hudson Kennaugh (South Africa) 20. 3. David Fouloy (France) 16. 4. Carmelo Morales (Spain) 13. 5. Mike Edwards (UK) 11. 6. Josh Forster (Australia) 10. 7. Ismael Ortega (Spain) 9. 8. Oliver Skatch (Germany) 8. 9. Dominic Lammert (Germany) 7. 10. Rene Mahr (Austria) 6.
SLIPSTREAM THRILLER GUARANTEED AS DUCATI XEROX TEAM HEADS TO MONZA FOR WORLD SUPERBIKE ROUND 4 Monza (Italy), Thursday 5 May: World Superbikes head to the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza circuit this coming weekend for the fourth round of this year’s championship battle. A slipstream thriller is guaranteed around the legendary Formula 1 circuit as a multitude of powerful four-stroke Superbikes hit top speeds of close to 200 mph (320 km/h) down the long Monza straights. Top speed is something the Ducati Xerox Team riders James Toseland and Régis Laconi are not lacking as they get to grips with this early part of the season, both riders having set outright speed records for the championship (316 km/h for Toseland, then 318 km/h for Laconi) at the Phillip Island circuit one month ago. Régis Laconi was knocked cold in an incident with another rider during Sunday warm-up at Valencia, an incident that caused him to miss both races, but the Frenchman has now fully recovered and has set his sights on breaking the Suzuki stranglehold on the championship. “Last week was very tough for me as I was still feeling the effects of the crash and was very tired, but I went for a check at the start of this week and I am now 100% fit for Monza” declared Laconi. “I’ve even managed to do some training on the bicycle so now I am looking forward to getting back on my Ducati on Friday. “I really love the Monza track” he continued, “it’s very fast and it involves a lot of hard riding. I had a double win last year, and the Ducati always seems to go well there. The 999 is a very fast bike so we’re OK for top speed, now all we need to do in qualifying is find a good solution for rear grip for the fast curves, of which there are a lot at Monza, especially as you exit the Parabolica, but we were going well at Valencia until Sunday morning and I’m sure we will be in a good position for this weekend’s race.” James Toseland has had a difficult time since the start of the season on the #1 championship-winning Ducati 999 machine, but is convinced that at Monza everything will be in place to help him re-emerge as a front-runner. “At Monza we’ve just got to get things sorted out. We’re not a million miles away, the circumstances that have happened in qualifying have been bad but I’m not making any excuses” declared Toseland. “Monza is not very technical as a circuit – it’s just long straights and braking at the limit. We’ve got a few things to try there, so with a track that’s not very complicated, with the speed of the Ducati and everything else, hopefully it will be a weekend in which we have two solid results to get everything back on track. “My confidence and the team morale have suffered a few knocks recently but I can assure you that there’s nothing wrong with us or the bike and we want to find the form again. I’ve got a good team behind me and we’re going to work hard this weekend to be back up front”, concluded James. CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS (after 3 of 12 rounds) : Riders – 1. Corser (Suzuki) 141; 2. Kagayama (Suzuki) 110; 3. Vermeulen (Honda) 90; 4. Laconi (Ducati Xerox) 54; 5. Abe (Yamaha) 44; 6. Neukirchner (Honda) 41 … 10. Toseland (Ducati Xerox) 30. Manufacturers – 1. Suzuki 150; 2. Honda 93; 3. Yamaha 65; 4. Ducati 64; 5. Kawasaki 50; 6. Petronas 1. THE CIRCUIT – Name: Autodromo Nazionale di Monza; Length: 5.793 km; Pole Position: Left; Corners Left/Right: 5/8; Finish Line Length: 1.195 km. STATISTICS – Best lap: Hodgson (Ducati) 1m46.981s (2003); Lap record: Bayliss (Ducati) 1m47.434s (2002); Superpole: Hodgson (Ducati) 1m46.981s (2003); Race distance: 2 x 18 laps/104.256 km. 2004 RESULTS: Race 1 – 1. Laconi (Ducati); 2. Toseland (Ducati); 3. McCoy (Ducati). Race 2 – 1. Laconi; 2. Toseland; 3. McCoy.
The website for Doug Chandler’s new CHAMP road racing school features copyrighted content lifted directly off the website for Jason Pridmore’s competing STAR road racing school. Pridmore’s site is at ~http://www.starmotorcycle.com/about.htm~ and states, in part: STAR Motorcycle School will teach you skills in: – Concentration, Relaxation, and Breathing – Smoothness – Visual Skills and Awareness – Discipline – Body Position – Cornering Lines – Steering Techniques – Shifting Techniques – Braking Techniques – Reference Points – Managing and Optimizing Traction – Overcoming Panic – Suspension and Chassis Basics Chandler’s site is at ~http://www.champ-racing.com/~ and states, in part: The Doug Chandler Motorcycle School improves your skills in: Concentration, Relaxation, and Breathing Smoothness Visual Skills and Awareness Discipline Body Position Cornering Lines Steering Techniques Shifting Techniques Braking Techniques Reference Points Managing and Optimizing Traction Overcoming Panic Suspension and Chassis Basics Start Improving Today Chandler’s site was designed by Jeffrey Najar’s iBrain Promotions. According to Najar’s website, “iBrain Believes In Ethics In Business. iBrain Promotions is a member of Shared Vision Network that believes in developing business through ethical means.” And now, some reader reaction: FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: I took a look at the Doug Chandler “Champ Racing” website and compared it to the Jason Pridmore STAR School website and it is sad to see that someone would just steal the exact wording, they simply copied the text from Jason Pridmore’s site and pasted it to the Doug Chandler site. What is worse, is that it will produce a reply that it was a mistake and no one intended to steal or infringe on copyright material. When one is starting a business if the owner or top level staff are not on top of everything to make sure it is done properly, legally and in a cost effective way, it is paving the road to disaster. Imagine a group like this taking the safety of people on real fast bikes in their hands and saying, “we were not aware that there was no ambulance on site”, or “we made a mistake in not checking if that student’s bike brakes were not working”. You can’t just dismiss this as a mistake. Like the old saying says “Either you are lying to me or you are stupid” Bert Schramm Hesperia, California FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: I find it hard to believe that a class act such as Doug Chandler would scheme so low as to perform a stunt such as this. I am sure that Doug is on the phone right now apologizing to Jason, and whatever former Doug Chandler employee who decided to plagiarize Star School is now out looking for a new career……Jason-Hope your recovery is going well, can’t wait to see you back on the track, hopefully before the season is over! Thanks Roadracingworld.com for putting the truth out there. Steve Freville Murrieta, California
The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) has scheduled the next AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference for June 30-July 2, 2006 at The Classic Center in Athens, Georgia. More information is available from the AMA at 1-800-AMA-JOIN or online at ~http://www.womenandmotorcycling.com/~
ADVANSTAR LAUNCHES BREAKTHROUGH ARENACROSS SERIES Mike Kidd & Team Take Dirt Bike Racing to Next Level Santa Ana, CA May 5, 2005 Advanstar Communications, Inc. a leading publisher of print, event and online media for the powersports, off-road and automotive aftermarket industries today announced the launch of the Arenacross Championship Series, a new racing series beginning in November 2005 with stops in twelve major cities across the US. Advanstar’s leadership, expertise, and business plan will deliver a hugely challenging and entertaining race series. Or as Mike Kidd, founder of Arenacross and Race Director for Advanstar says, “our team is ready to elevate this great sport.” Advanstar will capture the hearts and minds of America’s race fans through a host of new and improved features, including: world-caliber racers, unyielding new tracks, show enhancements, the largest purse and point fund in the sport, contingency, extensive media coverage and branding opportunities for sponsors, special twists to Amateur Day, built-in access to 600,000 motorcycle enthusiasts and the dedication of a veteran leadership team with a sincere passion for racing. In conjunction with the launch of the Arenacross Championship series, Advanstar will run its world-famous 25th annual Cycle World International Motorcycle Shows® presented by Toyota Trucks in conjunction with the races in select markets. In pairing the two events, Advanstar will offer enthusiasts the unique opportunity to watch world-class racers battle to the Arenacross finish-line on the latest factory machines and experience those vehicles and aftermarket products first-hand at the motorcycle show. Skip Johnson head of Advanstar’s Powersports Consumer Group and former Executive Producer of Primedia’s Motor Trend Auto Shows affirms that in combining the two events, and adding industry legends Mike Kidd, Gary Kidd and Lance Bryson to the mix, Advanstar has successfully unified an experience that enthusiasts can’t get anywhere else. “We are very excited about the launch of the Arenacross Championship Series,” said Johnson. “Advanstar is wholly committed to putting the full force of our 40 years of motorcycle event experience into this launch. We’re delivering a bigger, better, faster Arenacross encounter than ever before. Arenacross has never seen anything like it.” The addition of Mike Kidd, Gary Kidd and Lance Bryson to the Arenacross team the trio responsible for the birth of Arenacross is a strong complement to Advanstar’s existing resources and experience in event production. According to Kidd, “We are thrilled to be a part of such a growth-oriented and customer-focused initiative. We have the tools necessary to reinvent the sport, which will benefit the racers, sponsors, and fans.” Advanstar’s Arenacross Championship Series will run from November 2005 through February 2006, with 12 races along the way. For more information, please contact Mike Kidd directly at: (817) 887-8062 or [email protected]. About Advanstar Communications Inc. Based in New York, NY, Advanstar Communications Inc. (www.advanstar.com) is a worldwide business information company serving specialized markets with high quality information resources and integrated marketing solutions. Advanstar has 77 business magazines, 19 directories, 7 electronic publications, 54 tradeshows and 40 conferences, numerous web sites, and a wide range of print and electronic direct marketing, database and reference products and services. Advanstar serves targeted market sectors including the automotive, beauty, e-learning, call center, digital media, entertainment/ marketing, healthcare, fashion & apparel, pharmaceuticals, powersports, science, telecommunications and travel/hospitality industries. The Company has roughly 1,500 employees and currently operates from multiple offices in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia.
Aaron Gobert to Shoei Shoei Safety Helmet Corporation is pleased to announce that reigning AMA Superstock champion Aaron Gobert will be wearing Shoei this year and into the future. He joins his younger brother Alex, who has been enjoying the safety and comfort of Shoei all year. Aaron made his Shoei debut this weekend wearing a Shoei X-Eleven Norick Abe replica in AMA competition at California Speedway in Fontana. When the opportunity to join forces with Gobert presented itself, it was an obvious choice. At the young age of 24, Gobert has shown the maturity and tenacity to return from a near-career ending injury suffered in 2002 to bring home the AMA Superstock Championship in 2004 aboard his Factory Yamaha YZF-R1. “My brother Alex and teammate Damon Buckmaster have told me how great the Shoei X-Eleven helmet is, but I must admit that I was surprised by how light and quiet it was after trying it this weekend. I couldn’t believe how cool my head stayed in my race. I have to say, I’m really happy to be with Shoei”, says Aaron. For more information on the Shoei X-Eleven helmet, please visit Shoei on the web at www.shoei-helmets.com.
Designated Driver Program Offers Choice For Fans on Race Weekend SONOMA, Calif. (IMMEDIATE RELEASE) “” Infineon Raceway has partnered with the California Highway Patrol for the 2005 major-event season to raise awareness of a very serious issue: drinking and driving. The two will join forces during select major events at Infineon Raceway in 2005 with a Designated Driver Program booth, which is designed to not only educate people about the dangers of drinking and driving, but also reward those who choose to become designated drivers. The booth will be operated by both Infineon Raceway and CHP officers and will contain literature, designated driver pledge cards, free bottled water and prizes. The booth will be open beginning with the Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown, presented by Supercuts, May 15. “The California Highway Patrol fully promotes the Designated Driver Program as it relates to the hearts of race fans,” said CHP Captain Mark Rasmussen, Napa Area Commander. “We ask that you join us and support the Designated Driver Program. Have fun but be responsible by choosing a designated driver for the events at Infineon Raceway.” The booth will be operational at the following other events for 2005: –Sunday, June 26: Dodge/Save Mart 350 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup –Sunday, July 17: Infineon Technologies Grand Prix of Sonoma American Le Mans Series, presented by Ravenswood Winery. –Sunday, July 31: FRAM Autolite NHRA Nationals, presented by Supercuts. –Sunday, Aug. 28: Argent Mortgage Indy Grand Prix Those who decide to become designated drivers must fill out a pledge card “” under the direction of the CHP “” and they will be given a free bottle of water. All water supplied for the program is being donated by Levy Restaurants. Designated drivers will also become eligible to win great prizes throughout the day. This is a first-year program and officials hope to service at least 3,000 people, with plans for the program to expand in 2006. “We devote a lot of energy to see that our customers have a good time when they visit the raceway and a very important part of that experience is a safe trip home. We appreciate the California Highway Patrol’s support in making this option available to our fans,” said Steve Page, president and general manager of Infineon Raceway. The CHP operates a similar program at all home games for the NBA’s Sacramento Kings and WNBA’s Sacramento Monarchs.
Tickets for the On Any Sunday Reunion showing of the famous 1971 Bruce Brown film on May 18th, 2005 in Newport Beach, California are sold out! “We sold out the first theater we rented in just three weeks and now have sold out the 1100 capacity larger theater” reports event coordinator Larry Langley. “The response has been unbelievable. We will have approximately 40 front row seats (2 rows) available the night of the event and will be sold on a first come, first served basis. These seats will be available after everyone else has been seated, approximately 8:00 pm”.
The Dualies will be sponsoring a before-movie Meet N’Greet in the theater parking lot from 5 pm to 7 pm with vintage bikes on display including Marty Smith’s CR125 championship bike by Honda Riders Club, early Huskies from Tom White’s personal collection, Skip VanLeeuwen’s Triumph TT winning bike, Rick Doughty’s Vintage Iron bikes and many more.
In addition there will be silent auctions and raffles taking place with proceeds going to the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation and Team Kawasaki Rick Asch’s family whose daughter Karla is fighting a brain tumor.
Vintage Iron and Greg Primm have teamed up to build a custom Kawi Kruiser bicycle to auction off with proceeds to the Asch family. This bike will be signed by none other than Kawasaki’s Bubba Stewart!
Artist David Burk is donating a Giclee Print (only 25 in existence) of a composite On Any Sunday scene of Mert Lawwill, Cal Rayburn and Dave Aldana. This print will be signed by Lawwill and Aldana and will be raffled or auctioned off with the proceeds donated to the PBTF. (see www.davidburk.net)
Another auction will be for a very special collection of prints from the collection of Don Emde (20-24 in all) taken during the making of On Any Sunday and the time period. Many have never been published.
Special posters and T-shirts will also be available for sale that can be used for autographs by the movie participants that will be present including Mert Lawwill, Malcolm Smith, Bruce Brown, Gene Romero, Jim Rice, Don Castro, Jim Odom, Don Emde, Jeff Ward, Eddie Mulder, Skip VanLeeuwen, Gary Nixon, Dave Aldana, Feets Minert, Walt Fulton and more! Even if you don’t have a movie reunion ticket, you are invited to come to the pre-movie festivities at the Edwards Newport 6 theater, 300 Newport Center Dr, Fashion Island, Newport Beach, Ca.
For more information, please contact Larry Langley at 714 870-1456 or [email protected].
MOTORCYCLE ROAD RACING @ MISSION RACEWAY PARK THIS WEEKEND!!! The Westwood Motorcycle Racing Club www.wmrc.ca started in 1959 and enjoyed many years of very competitive racing at the Westwood Circuit in Port Coquitlam, where the club derived its name. Mission Raceway Park is now the WMRC’s home track and 2005 will be our fourth season racing here. The Club has enjoyed very competitive racing with the likes of ex Canadian Superbike Champions like Steve Crevier and Steve Dick. Both of these long time pro racers will be competing at Mission Raceway Park this weekend; Steve Crevier racing for Carter Motorsports, and Steve Dick racing for Pacific Yamaha. The WMRC promotes fast aggressive riding in a controlled environment @ Mission Raceway Park located near the banks of the Fraser River in The Town of Mission. We have two local race schools that are accredited in training novice racers for the track; Next Level Superbike School www.nlsbs.com owned by pro racer Scotty Borthwick, and West Coast Superbike School www.westcoastsuperbikeschool.com owned by pro racer Troy Burstyk. There are several classes of racing from Vintage motorcycles to Superbikes with everything in between, please see class description below. The track is open to all ages and families are encouraged to come. Spectators are welcome at the circuit; the view is excellent with grandstands situated at the most exciting corners and close to the pits and other facilities. Our first race of the season is this weekend: – Practice Saturday May 7, 2005 from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm – admission is FREE – Race (Round 1 of 6) Sunday May 8, 2005 from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm – admission is $10.00 (Children under 12 are free), there is a $250 door prize draw after the trophy presentations for spectators. Class Descriptions: SUPERBIKE: Our premier class open to all displacement motorcycles OPEN SUPERSPORT: Unlimited displacement with a maximum 160hp 600 SUPERSPORT: 600cc 4 cylinder and 750cc twin cylinder motorcycles BATTLE OF THE TWINS: Unlimited displacement twin cylinder motorcycles SUZUKI SV650 CUP: For all supersport spec. Suzuki SV 650’s OPEN SINGLES: Open to all singles, roadrace and supermotard bikes FORMULA 2: 250GP, middle weight twins, singles and 10 year old 600’s FORMULA 3: 125GP, 400cc 4 cylinder, 500 twins and 350 two strokes YAMAHA RD/RZ CUP: 350cc twin cylinder 2 strokes 1981 to 1991 VINTAGE: For the classic racing motorcycles with a max model year of 1972 SPORTSMAN: A non competitive alternative for track experience only NOVICE: For the new racer to gain track experience under racing conditions
Alice French Grand Prix, Le Mans , May 13/14/15 2005, Preview DUCATI MARLBORO MEN AIM TO REAP OVERDUE REWARD. Ducati Marlboro Team riders Loris Capirossi and Carlos Checa return home to Europe following MotoGP’s first visit to China hoping for some pleasant early summer weather at legendary Le Mans. The past two GPs in China and Portugal were both affected by rain, preventing the team from showing its true potential. In China Capirossi qualified on the front row, just as Checa had done at Estoril a fortnight earlier, but their impressive speed wasn’t borne out by their results. “We hope to finally get the reward we deserve in France,” says Ducati MotoGP project manager Livio Suppo. “We are hoping for the best – Carlos got his best result of 2004 at Le Mans and Loris should now be fully recovered from the ankle injury he suffered at Jerez. We go there in positive mood because, has we showed during the practices in Portugal and in China, we know that we can be very competitive.” Ducati Marlboro Team technical director Corrado Cecchinelli shares Suppo’s optimism heading into the fourth round of the 17-race World Championship. “When our bike was born in 2003 we had some trouble at stop-and-go tracks like Le Mans but we don’t anymore because the bike is much better balanced,” says Cecchinelli. “Maybe we sacrificed some of the advantage we used to have at very fast tracks but overall it’s a much better machine now. Our latest Desmosedici is very balanced, with strong braking and acceleration performance. All we want at Le Mans is consistent weather. We have new tyres this year, so we would like good weather all weekend, so we can finally prove the potential we have already shown.” IS CHECA’S LE MANS SPEED IN THE BLOOD? Carlos Checa goes well at Le Mans – the dashing Spaniard has twice finished on the podium in his last four visits to the circuit. And he aims to be back up there on May 15. The Ducati Marlboro Team rider has a couple of theories about his impressive speed at the tortuous French track. “I’m not really sure why I go well there, maybe it’s my riding style or maybe it’s because it’s in my blood,” he laughs. “My younger brother (David, reigning World Endurance Champion) won the Le Mans 24-hour race last month, so maybe the track just suits my family! I actually like the circuit – there’s a lot of fierce low-gear acceleration, a lot of heavy braking and I really enjoy the final section, which reminds me of a part of the Calafat track in Spain.” If Checa’s results have yet to mirror his impressive speed on his Desmosedici, the Spaniard says the bike does offer him the feedback he needs to go fast. Racers need to feel exactly what the tyres and the bike are doing when they are approaching the limit, so they known exactly where the limit is. “The connection between me and the bike is really good now,” he says. “My riding style is quite smooth but it seems I can be more aggressive on the Ducati, so I can push harder towards the limit because it gives me a wider ‘safety’ area. “It will be interesting to see how the bike works at Le Mans because we’ve worked on a couple of things which should help us around tight circuits. First, we have improved the bike’s behaviour under heavy braking. Second, we have improved steering into slow-speed corners, just through minor adjustments to geometry and balance.” LE MANS WINNER CAPIROSSI NOW 100% FIT Loris Capirossi is confident that he will be 100 per cent fit for Le Mans. The Italian Ducati Marlboro Team rider cracked a bone in his left ankle when he fell during practice for last month’s season-opening Marlboro Spanish GP which affected his riding during the first three GPs. “The ankle was already pretty good when we raced in China a couple of weeks back but it should be 100 per cent fit for Le Mans,” he says. “That’s a big relief for me and I’m really looking forward to riding the bike fully fit.” Capirossi has already won a Grand Prix at Le Mans, the French 250 GP way back in 1994, but he is not the track’s greatest fan. “Le Mans is a lot of fun on a 125 or 250 but it’s not very interesting on a really fast machine because it’s just accelerate, brake, accelerate, brake, accelerate.” he explains. “But there’s a couple of fun corners – the Musee left-hander and the very fast turn one, where you need to be very brave! Last year at Le Mans we made some big steps forward after a few difficult races. This year we return in much better shape, despite what the results suggest, so we should have a good weekend if the bike/tyre packages work well”. THE TRACK Le Mans is one of the world’s most famous motorsport venues, legendary for its 24-hour races. The French track, based in the Sarthe region a few hours south west of Paris, has been hosting World Championship motorcycle GPs on and off since 1969. The Bugatti circuit, very different from the longer 24-hour car track, returned to the GP calendar in 1999, since when the event has built a huge following in bike-mad France. Le Mans has undergone various layout changes and safety modifications over the past few years. The daunting high-speed first turn was tightened for the ’99 GP and the Musee left-hander was also modified to lower speeds. Further modifications were carried out before the 2002 event and the track was fully resurfaced for last year’s race. The circuit layout is very stop-and-go, with plenty of slow turns where braking and acceleration performance are primordial. Riders and their engineers therefore concentrate on honing their machines’ braking stability, as well as improving rear-end traction for the numerous hairpin exits. LE MANS: 4.180km/2.597 miles Lap record: Max Biaggi (Honda) 1m 34.088s, 159.935kmh/99.379mph Pole position 2004: Sete Gibernau (Honda), 1m 33.425s DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM RIDER DATA LOGS LORIS CAPIROSSI Age: 32 (born April 4, 1973) Lives: Monaco Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP5 GP victories: 23 (1xMotoGP, 2×500, 12×250, 8×125) First GP victory: Britain, 1990 (125) First GP: Japan, 1990 (125) GP starts: 219 (49xMotoGP, 59×500, 84×250, 27×125) Pole positions: 36 (3xMotoGP, 5×500, 23×250, 5×125) First pole: Australia, 1991 (125) World Championships: 3 (125: 1990, 1991, 250: 1998) Le Mans 2004 results: Grid: 9th. Race: 10th CARLOS CHECA Age: 32 (born October 15, 1972) Lives: London, England Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP5 GP victories: 2 (500) First GP victory: Catalunya, 1996 (500) First GP: Europe, 1993 (125) GP starts: 171 (50xMotoGP, 92×500, 27×250, 1×125) Pole positions: 3 (2xMotoGP, 1×500) First pole: Spain, 1998 (500) Le Mans 2004 results: Grid: 2nd. Race: 2nd For further information: www.ducaticorsepress.
CORSER BACKING FOR YOUNG AUSSIE Team Suzuki Press Office – May 5, 2005. Motorcycling hero Troy Corser has backed talented young Australian rider Josh Forster to compete in the 2005 Suzuki GSX-R European Cup Championship. Currently dominating the 2005 World Superbike Championship aboard his Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra GSX-R1000, Corser has teamed with Suzuki Australia to assist Forster in this year’s GSX-R Cup series. “Josh is a fantastic young talent. I’ve got a lot of faith in his ability and given a start in the right competition, he could definitely make his mark on the international racing scene,” said Corser. “I know from experience how tough it can be to make it overseas without good solid support and financial backing and that’s why I decided to pay the entry fee to enter the series and back Josh. It would be a real waste for such a promising Aussie rider to be left on the sidelines. “It’s absolutely brilliant that Suzuki Australia will support our team with spare parts assistance to help Josh throughout the European GSX-R Cup series,” added Corser. Previously known as the Worldwide GSX-R Cup and run over one weekend, the revised GSX-R Cup program now comprises a five-round championship throughout Europe. While non-European Suzuki distributors were not scheduled to be involved this year, Suzuki Motor Corporation has allowed Suzuki Australia to field a late entry at the special request of Corser. At the inaugural Suzuki GSX-R European Cup Championship round in Valencia, Spain on April 24th, Forster showed much promise in the opening event. And having only received confirmation of his entry one week prior to the event, he qualified 18th and finished a very creditable sixth overall in his first outing. “Suzuki Australia is very pleased to support Josh throughout the Suzuki GSX-R European Cup Championship. With one round completed, he has already shown a lot of potential and is positioned very well for the series,” said Glyn Griffiths, National Marketing Manager – Motorcycles, Suzuki Australia. “We have a range of on-going initiatives offering assistance for up-and-coming racing talents in Australia; extending this support to a rider contesting an entire series abroad takes our commitment to the next level.” The next round of the series takes place at the British World Superbike Championship round at Silverstone on May 29th. SUZUKI GSX-R EUROPEAN CUP POINTS (after 1 of 5 rounds): 1. David Salom (Spain) 25. 2. Hudson Kennaugh (South Africa) 20. 3. David Fouloy (France) 16. 4. Carmelo Morales (Spain) 13. 5. Mike Edwards (UK) 11. 6. Josh Forster (Australia) 10. 7. Ismael Ortega (Spain) 9. 8. Oliver Skatch (Germany) 8. 9. Dominic Lammert (Germany) 7. 10. Rene Mahr (Austria) 6.
SLIPSTREAM THRILLER GUARANTEED AS DUCATI XEROX TEAM HEADS TO MONZA FOR WORLD SUPERBIKE ROUND 4 Monza (Italy), Thursday 5 May: World Superbikes head to the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza circuit this coming weekend for the fourth round of this year’s championship battle. A slipstream thriller is guaranteed around the legendary Formula 1 circuit as a multitude of powerful four-stroke Superbikes hit top speeds of close to 200 mph (320 km/h) down the long Monza straights. Top speed is something the Ducati Xerox Team riders James Toseland and Régis Laconi are not lacking as they get to grips with this early part of the season, both riders having set outright speed records for the championship (316 km/h for Toseland, then 318 km/h for Laconi) at the Phillip Island circuit one month ago. Régis Laconi was knocked cold in an incident with another rider during Sunday warm-up at Valencia, an incident that caused him to miss both races, but the Frenchman has now fully recovered and has set his sights on breaking the Suzuki stranglehold on the championship. “Last week was very tough for me as I was still feeling the effects of the crash and was very tired, but I went for a check at the start of this week and I am now 100% fit for Monza” declared Laconi. “I’ve even managed to do some training on the bicycle so now I am looking forward to getting back on my Ducati on Friday. “I really love the Monza track” he continued, “it’s very fast and it involves a lot of hard riding. I had a double win last year, and the Ducati always seems to go well there. The 999 is a very fast bike so we’re OK for top speed, now all we need to do in qualifying is find a good solution for rear grip for the fast curves, of which there are a lot at Monza, especially as you exit the Parabolica, but we were going well at Valencia until Sunday morning and I’m sure we will be in a good position for this weekend’s race.” James Toseland has had a difficult time since the start of the season on the #1 championship-winning Ducati 999 machine, but is convinced that at Monza everything will be in place to help him re-emerge as a front-runner. “At Monza we’ve just got to get things sorted out. We’re not a million miles away, the circumstances that have happened in qualifying have been bad but I’m not making any excuses” declared Toseland. “Monza is not very technical as a circuit – it’s just long straights and braking at the limit. We’ve got a few things to try there, so with a track that’s not very complicated, with the speed of the Ducati and everything else, hopefully it will be a weekend in which we have two solid results to get everything back on track. “My confidence and the team morale have suffered a few knocks recently but I can assure you that there’s nothing wrong with us or the bike and we want to find the form again. I’ve got a good team behind me and we’re going to work hard this weekend to be back up front”, concluded James. CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS (after 3 of 12 rounds) : Riders – 1. Corser (Suzuki) 141; 2. Kagayama (Suzuki) 110; 3. Vermeulen (Honda) 90; 4. Laconi (Ducati Xerox) 54; 5. Abe (Yamaha) 44; 6. Neukirchner (Honda) 41 … 10. Toseland (Ducati Xerox) 30. Manufacturers – 1. Suzuki 150; 2. Honda 93; 3. Yamaha 65; 4. Ducati 64; 5. Kawasaki 50; 6. Petronas 1. THE CIRCUIT – Name: Autodromo Nazionale di Monza; Length: 5.793 km; Pole Position: Left; Corners Left/Right: 5/8; Finish Line Length: 1.195 km. STATISTICS – Best lap: Hodgson (Ducati) 1m46.981s (2003); Lap record: Bayliss (Ducati) 1m47.434s (2002); Superpole: Hodgson (Ducati) 1m46.981s (2003); Race distance: 2 x 18 laps/104.256 km. 2004 RESULTS: Race 1 – 1. Laconi (Ducati); 2. Toseland (Ducati); 3. McCoy (Ducati). Race 2 – 1. Laconi; 2. Toseland; 3. McCoy.
The website for Doug Chandler’s new CHAMP road racing school features copyrighted content lifted directly off the website for Jason Pridmore’s competing STAR road racing school. Pridmore’s site is at ~http://www.starmotorcycle.com/about.htm~ and states, in part: STAR Motorcycle School will teach you skills in: – Concentration, Relaxation, and Breathing – Smoothness – Visual Skills and Awareness – Discipline – Body Position – Cornering Lines – Steering Techniques – Shifting Techniques – Braking Techniques – Reference Points – Managing and Optimizing Traction – Overcoming Panic – Suspension and Chassis Basics Chandler’s site is at ~http://www.champ-racing.com/~ and states, in part: The Doug Chandler Motorcycle School improves your skills in: Concentration, Relaxation, and Breathing Smoothness Visual Skills and Awareness Discipline Body Position Cornering Lines Steering Techniques Shifting Techniques Braking Techniques Reference Points Managing and Optimizing Traction Overcoming Panic Suspension and Chassis Basics Start Improving Today Chandler’s site was designed by Jeffrey Najar’s iBrain Promotions. According to Najar’s website, “iBrain Believes In Ethics In Business. iBrain Promotions is a member of Shared Vision Network that believes in developing business through ethical means.” And now, some reader reaction: FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: I took a look at the Doug Chandler “Champ Racing” website and compared it to the Jason Pridmore STAR School website and it is sad to see that someone would just steal the exact wording, they simply copied the text from Jason Pridmore’s site and pasted it to the Doug Chandler site. What is worse, is that it will produce a reply that it was a mistake and no one intended to steal or infringe on copyright material. When one is starting a business if the owner or top level staff are not on top of everything to make sure it is done properly, legally and in a cost effective way, it is paving the road to disaster. Imagine a group like this taking the safety of people on real fast bikes in their hands and saying, “we were not aware that there was no ambulance on site”, or “we made a mistake in not checking if that student’s bike brakes were not working”. You can’t just dismiss this as a mistake. Like the old saying says “Either you are lying to me or you are stupid” Bert Schramm Hesperia, California FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: I find it hard to believe that a class act such as Doug Chandler would scheme so low as to perform a stunt such as this. I am sure that Doug is on the phone right now apologizing to Jason, and whatever former Doug Chandler employee who decided to plagiarize Star School is now out looking for a new career……Jason-Hope your recovery is going well, can’t wait to see you back on the track, hopefully before the season is over! Thanks Roadracingworld.com for putting the truth out there. Steve Freville Murrieta, California
