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Himmelsbach Racing Crew Survives Truck Crash En-route To Daytona

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Himmelsbach Racing Crew Survives Truck Crash En-route To Daytona

Himmelsbach Racing misses Daytona opener. The crew for Himmelsbach Racing was in route to Daytona International Speedway for the opening round of the Formula USA series when the team was involved in a horrible accident. The team was traveling on Highway 26 in South Carolina when a strong gust of wind and a narrow shoulder contributed to the destruction of the recently purchased Chevy C4500 box truck and the teams motorcycles and equipment. Three members of the team Chris Rich, Chris Bynum and owner Michael Himmelsbach were aboard the vehicle during impact and escaped with no injuries. The team had recently purchased a Chevy C4500 Diesel box truck in an effort to step up their program for 2005 but had no idea the vehicle would contribute in saving their lives. ” I was very pleased with the design of the truck. You don’t buy a truck like this and think about an accident but we hit a tree head on, actually split it in half and the cab of the vehicle was undamaged and thankfully we all walked away.” Said Michael The crew climbed out from the accident to find one of the Yamaha R6 motorcycles had been ejected out of the roof and lay a couple feet from the truck while the other machine was buried under the equipment. Himmelsbach Racing is back at home and plans to compete in the remaining rounds of FUSA competition. Now we will begin to assess the situation and figure out how to accomplish the goals originally set for the remainder of the season. Michael would like to apologize to all of our sponsors for missing this event. It was a tough decision to return to the shop but due to the damage we felt it was best to regroup and bring the best program possible to Road America for our team and sponsors.

Factory Riders Step Aside For Jensen To Win Contingency Saturday At Daytona

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Factory Riders Step Aside For Jensen To Win Contingency Saturday At Daytona

Factory Yamaha riders Aaron Gobert, Jamie Hacking and Jason DiSalvo were each in position to win a CCS race Saturday at Daytona International Speedway, but each passed on taking victories, allowing Robert Jensen to win two Yamaha-contingency-paying sprint races.

“I’m not here to take anyone’s money,” said 2003 AMA Supersport Champion Hacking, after pulling in during the Middleweight Superbike race while he had a seven-second lead. “I’m here for practice. These guys are here to make a living.”

DiSalvo inherited the lead from Hacking but also pulled in on the last lap, saying, “Why wouldn’t I pull in? All I would be doing would be taking $1500 in Yamaha money away from Rob Jensen.”

2004 Formula USA Sportbike and Superbike Champion Jensen started 25th on the Middleweight Superbike grid, moved into third by passing Scott Greenwood on the brakes for turn one on lap four and took the win, after the Yamaha factory riders pulled in.

“We’re going to have to look around and find some Wheaties to run with the factory guys,” said Jensen. “I lose the most on the initial drive off the corners. We need to find some beans.”

Earlier Saturday, Jensen crossed the line second in Middleweight Supersport behind Gobert, but Gobert disqualified himself by not going to post-race technical inspection, handing the win to Jensen.

In other action Saturday, Team M4 EMGO Suzuki’s Geoff May rode his Pirelli-shod 2005-model GSX-R1000 to beat his like-mounted teammate Vincent Haskovec and Rojo Racing’s Jason Perez (Yamaha YZF-R1) to win the Unlimited Supersport sprint. Riding his Superstock GSX-R1000, Haskovec came back to win the Unlimited Superbike race over Hotbodies Racing’s Cory West (Suzuki GSX-R1000). Riding a Dunlop-sponsored GSX-R750, Arclight Suzuki’s Jeff Wood (who finished second to Jensen in Middleweight Supersport) beat his teammate Scott Harwell and Jensen in the Heavyweight Supersport final. CAD Cycles’ David Yaakov won the Lightweight Supersport event on his Suzuki SV650, while David Estok won both the Lightweight Superbike and Thunderbike races on his Harding Buell.

Saturday’s Provisional CCS Race Results:

Unlimited Supersport Expert: 1. Geoff May (Suz GSX-R1000); 2. Vincent Haskovec (Suz GSX-R1000); 3. Jason Perez (Yam YZF-R1); 4. Eric Wood (Suz GSX-R1000); 5. Lee Acree (Suz GSX-R750); 6. Cory West (Suz GSX-R1000).

Unlimited Supersport Amateur: 1. Charles Walsh (Kaw ZX-10R); 2. Carlos Vargas (Suz GSX-R750); 3. Dennis Espinosa (Hon CBR1000RR); 4. Andrew Moates (Suz GSX-R750); 5. Danny Dutton (Kaw ZX-10R); 6. Bill Keros (Suz GSX-R1000).

Middleweight Supersport Expert: 1. Robert Jensen (Yam YZF-R6); 2. Jeff Wood (Suz GSX-R600); 3. Scott Greenwood (Yam YZF-R6); 4. Scott Harwell (Suz GSX-R600); 5. Chris Peris (Yam YZF-R6); 6. Michael Barnes (Yam YZF-R6).

Middleweight Supersport Amateur: 1. Steve Hamer (Yam YZF-R6); 2. Alexander Michaelis (Kaw ZX-6R); 3. J.B. Layman (Yam YZF-R6); 4. Bart Defrancesco (Yam YZF-R6); 5. Frank Giles (Hon CBR600); 6. Michael Pietrzak (Suz GSX-R600).

Lightweight Supersport Expert: 1. David Yaakov (Suz SV650); 2. Nate Kern (BMW); 3. Robert Fisher (Suz SV650); 4. John Linder (Suz SV650); 5. Paul James (Buell XB12R); 6. David White (Duc 1000SS).

Lightweight Supersport Amateur: 1. Brad Faas (Suz SV650); 2. Scott Robertson (Suz SV650); 3. Steve Walker (BMW R1100S); 4. Eric Wilson (Suz SV650); 5. Jeff Jones (Suz SV650); 6. Nathaniel Mendell (Suz SV650).

Heavyweight Supersport Expert: 1. Jeff Wood (Suz GSX-R750); 2. Scott Harwell (Suz GSX-R750); 3. Robert Jensen (Suz GSX-R750); 4. Lee Acree (Suz GSX-R750); 5. Brian Stokes (Suz GSX-R750); 6. Chris Ulrich (Suz GSX-R750)

Heavyweight Supersport Amateur: 1. Andrew Moats (Suz GSX-R750); 2. Carlos Vargas (Suz GSX-R750); 3. Trivillus Lewis (Kaw ZX-6); 4. Bo Lemastus (Suz GSX-R600); 5. Tony Leong; 6. Scott Layman (Suz GSX-R750).

Lightweight Superbike Expert: 1. Dave Estok (Buell XB12R); 2. David Yaakov (Suz SV650); 3. Jerry Wood (Duc 1000SS); 4. Nate Kern (BMW); 5. Robert Fisher (Suz SV650); 6. Sam Rozynski (Buell XB12).

Lightweight Superbike Amateur: 1. Scott Robertson (Suz SV650); 2. Brad Faas (Suz SV650); 3. Justin Hunter (Suz SV650); 4. Jeff Jones (Suz SV650); 5. Nathaniel Mondell (Suz SV650); 6. Guenther Weickert (Suz SV650).

Unlimited Superbike Expert: 1. Vincent Haskovec (Suz GSX-R1000); 2. Cory West (Suz GSX-R1000); 3. Heath Small (Yam YZF-R1); 4. David Loikitis (Suz GSX-R1000); 5. Jeremy Haiduk (Yam YZF-R1); 6. C.R. Gittere (Suz GSX-R1000).

Unlimited Superbike Amateur: 1. Charles Walsh (Kaw ZX-10R); 2. Tony Leong (Suz GSX-R600); 3. Carlos Vargas (Suz GSX-R750); 4. Bill Keros (Suz GSX-R1000); 5. Glen Castle (Yam YZF-R1); 6. Kevin Strickland (Yam YZF-R1).

Middleweight Superbike Expert: 1. Robert Jensen (Yam YZF-R6); 2. Scott Greenwood (Yam YZF-R6); 3. Trey Yonce (Yam YZF-R6); 4. Michael Barnes (Yam YZF-R6); 5. Chris Ulrich (Suz GSX-R600); 6. Heath Small (Yam YZF-R6).

Middleweight Superbike Amateur: 1. Tony Leong (Suz GSX-R600); 2. Brian McCormack (Yam YZF-R6); 3. Gustavo Laya (Hon CBR600); 4. Krishna Pribadi (Hon CBR600); 5. Steve Hamer (Yam YZF-R6); 6. Trivillus Lewis (Kaw ZX-6).

Heavyweight Superbike Expert: 1. Ryan Elleby (Suz GSX-R750); 2. Heath Small (Yam YZF-R6); 3. Joe Spina (Suz GSX-R750); 4. Josef Brenner (Hon CBR600); 5. Marco Martinez (Duc 996); 6. Andy Feuersthaler (Suz GSX-R750).

Heavyweight Superbike Amateur: 1. Trivillus Lewis (Kaw ZX-6); 2. Ashikari Goshi (Tri); 3. Andrew Moates (Suz GSX-R750); 4. Carlos Vargas (Suz GSX-R750); 5. Scott Layman (Suz GSX-R750); 6. J.R. Layman (Yam YZF-R6).

SuperTwins Expert: 1. Marco Martinez (Duc 996); 2. Fred Stucky (Duc 996); 3. John Dierickx (Duc 996); 4. Ryan Andrews (Duc 749); 5. Eric Mouatel (Duc 749); 6. John Costa (Duc 996).

SuperTwins Amateur: 1. Bill Keros (Duc 749); 2. Allyn Graham (Hon RC51); 3. Randy Hills (Duc 998); 4. Dennis Smith, Jr. (Duc 996); 5. Brian Pemberton (Duc 996); 6. Curt Suskevich (Hon RC51).

More, from a press release issued by Daytona International Speedway:

Yamaha Makes Big Commitment To Hacking

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The big blue semis of the factory Yamaha road racing team arrived at Daytona International Speedway a few days early for Bike Week this year. The early appearance of the powerful racing squad is primarily to help team rider and 2003 Pro Honda Oils Supersport champion Jamie Hacking get back up to speed after missing January tire testing. Hacking is still recovering from surgery to repair an injured right shoulder stemming from a testing crash he suffered last summer. He’s here racing in the Championship Cup Series/Formula USA weekend for the first time in over a decade. 

The British born rider who lives in South Carolina is getting his first taste of the new DIS motorcycle course. “It’s growing on me,” the former champ said of the redesigned course. “I wouldn’t say it quite fits the Daytona International Speedway’s whole theme, but it’s definitely an improvement safety wise. At first it seemed a little tight to me, and still seems that way, but it’s starting to open up a little bit for me. With what they had to work with they did a good job.” 

In spite of spending much of the winter recuperating, Hacking was quickly up to speed on his factory Yamaha Supersport machine. He knew coming here for the first weekend was important for him to be ready to race during the AMA weekend. “It’s only been about a month and three weeks since I began the rehab on my shoulder,” Hacking said. “With me being injured and the test days being cut so much I got on the phone to Keith (McCarty, Yamaha racing manager) and told him I’ve got to get down there. The whole reason they came down here was mainly for me to get time on the bike so it’s been a real blessing for me. 

“We’re starting off on a brand new bike and I’m impressed on how much we’ve accomplished in such a short time. I’m right there putting in the same lap times these guys are (his Yamaha teammates).” 

Yamaha’s road racing manager Tom Halverson admitted that coming for the first weekend of racing was a major commitment mainly for Hacking, but added, “We’ve would have done it for any of our riders. 

“We had a lot of things to test and this was a chance to come down here in a more relaxed atmosphere,” Halverson continued. “There are even a few places that have been repaved, so hopefully these extra few days will pay off for us.” 

Saturday’s action: In Saturday’s Formula USA qualifying sessions, Jeff Wood aboard a Suzuki 750 captured the top qualifying spot for Sunday’s Formula SportBike event. Factory Yamaha rider Damon Buckmaster aboard a Yamaha was the fastest qualifier in Superbike and Vincent Haskovec riding a Suzuki was fastest in Expert Unlimited GP. The two remaining Formula USA qualifying sessions have been rescheduled for Sunday morning with the five Formula USA races are on tap for Sunday afternoon. 

In Championship Cup Series action, local rider Dave Estok out of New Smyrna Beach captured victory in the Expert Lightweight Superbike riding a Buell. Tickets for any of the motorcycle racing at Daytona International Speedway are available online at ~http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com~ or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.

Saturday’s Results

Expert Middleweight SuperSport 1. Robert Jensen, Chaffee, N.D., Yamaha 2. Jeff Wood, Mansfield, Mass., Suzuki 3. Scott Greenwood, Dungarton, N.D., Yamaha

Expert Unlimited SuperSport 1. Geoff May, Cumming, Ga., Suzuki 2. Vincent Haskovec, Athens, Ala., Suzuki 3. Eric Wood, Mansfield, Mass., Suzuki

Amateur Unlimited SuperSport 1. Charles Walsh, Winston-Salem, N.C., Kawasaki 2. Charles Vargas, Davie, Fla., Suzuki 3. Dennis Espinosa, W. Milford, N.J., Honda

Amateur Middleweight SuperSport 1. Steve Hamer, Orillta, Ont., Yamaha 2. Alexander Michaelis, Long Beach, N.Y., Kawasaki 3. JB Layman, East Ellijay, Ga., Yamaha

Amateur Lightweight SuperSport 1. Brad Faas, Odenton, Md., Suzuki 2. Scott Robertson, Fort Myers, Fla., Suzuki 3. Steve Walker, Carleton Place, Ohio, BMW

Expert Lightweight SuperSport 1. David Yaakov, Rockville, Md., Suzuki 2. Nate Kern, Phoenixville, Pa., BMW 3. Robert Fisher, Sarasota, Fla.,

Amateur Heavyweight SuperSport 1. Andrew Moates, Castelberry, Fla., Suzuki 2. Carlos Vargas, Davie, Fla., Suzuki 3. Trivillus Lewis, Clifton, Va., Kawasaki

Expert Heavyweight SuperSport 1. Jeff Wood, Mansfield, Mass., Suzuki 2. Scott Harwell, Lincolnton, N.C., Suzuki 3. Robert Jensen, Chaffee, N.D., Suzuki

Expert Lightweight Superbike 1. Dave Estok, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Buelle 2. David Yaakov, Rochville, Md., Suzuki 3. Jerry Wood, Prospect, Mass., Ducante

Amateur Lightweight Superbike 1. Scott Robertson, Fort Myers, Fla., Suzuki 2. Brad Faas, Odenton, Md., Suzuki 3. Justin Hunter, Palm Harbor, Fla., Suzuki

Expert Unlimited Superbike 1. Vincent Haskovec, Athens, Ala., Suzuki 2. Cory West, Eureka Springs, Ark., Suzuki 3. Heath Small, Waller, Texas., Yamaha

Amateur Unlimited Superbike 1. Charles Walsh, Winston-Salem N.C., Kawasaki 2. Tony Leong, Bowie, Md., Suzuki 3. Carlos Vargas, Davie, Fla., Suzuki

Expert Middleweight Superbike 1. Robert Jensen, Chaffee, N.D., Yamaha 2. Scott Greenwood, Dungarton, N.H., Yamaha 3. Trey Yonce, Charleston, S.C., Yamaha

Amateur Middleweight Superbike 1. Tony Leong, Bowie, Md., Suzuki 2. Brian McCormack, Waterford, Ireland, Yamaha 3. Gustavo Laya, Miami, Fla., Honda

Hacking’s Long Road To Recovery From Shoulder Injury

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Hacking’s Long Road To Recovery From Shoulder Injury

2003 AMA Supersport Champion Jamie Hacking crashed his factory Yamaha YZF-R6 during a test session in the middle of the 2004 season at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, breaking his right collarbone. The fracture was surgically plated, and Hacking raced at Laguna Seca less than two weeks later, placing an amazing sixth on his Graves Yamaha YZF-R1 Superstock bike. Then, during the AMA Superstock race at Mid-Ohio, Hacking’s rear tire had a catastrophic failure at high speed, throwing Hacking to the pavement at over 150 mph. Initial reports on Hacking’s condition said he bent the plate holding his collarbone together, and he finished the season without further surgery and with some success he nearly won the final Supersport race at VIR in October. Unbeknownst to anyone but Hacking, however, he had badly separated his shoulder in the second Mid-Ohio crash. “I got the same shoulder injury that Eric Bostrom had all of last year or the year before that. I raced the rest of the season with it. It didn’t feel good, that’s for damn sure. I tore the labrum in the front of your shoulder that holds your shoulder in the socket there,” Hacking told Roadracingworld.com Friday at Daytona. “The next day after Virginia I saw Dr. (Arthur) Ting. Sure enough we had to fix the labrum. It was torn and lying down here on my bicep. He had to go in there and fix it all up. “Everything was going OK. I was starting to rehab on my shoulder. Every time I started training on that shoulder, my collarbone would start hurting real bad. That thing never really got any good bone calcification, so it was like a rubberband. I kept sending (Dr. Ting) X-rays of it, and the little black gaps kept getting more pronounced. So we went out there, put the plate back in, did some re-adjusting of the plate, put it in a different position so it didn’t bother me as bad. A month ago I was just able to concentrate on training and getting my shoulder back up to strength. “This has been the longest injury recovery I ever had. I think if we had sat out the rest of last year we would’ve been healed up (by now), but that’s (not) what I chose to do. I’m paying for it a little bit now, because these guys have got a little bit of test time on me, but thank God we’re here to get some valuable track time.” Asked what his impression of the new Daytona infield road course was after his first few laps on the track Friday, March 4, Hacking thought for a minute before saying, “I read what they had to say, but I couldn’t judge it until I got here. I saw it and judged it in the motorhome yesterday without even riding on it. Putting whatever laps I just did now on it, it’s definitely a different racetrack. Good? I don’t know if I can say that. Definitely as far as not running that banking over there and getting the tire temperatures down, they accomplished that. But I think as far as safety-wise goes, I can’t agree with it.”

Pegram Happy With Initial Outing On New Honda Superbike, New Hip

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Pegram Happy With Initial Outing On New Honda Superbike, New Hip

“It’s pretty fast,” said AMA veteran Larry Pegram when asked what he thought of his new Hotbodies Racing Honda CBR1000RR Superbike during CCS practice March 4 at Daytona International Speedway. Word around the Daytona paddock is that Pegram’s Honda, which is equipped with a full HRC-kitted, Mike Velasco-built engine, produces 200 horsepower. When asked if that was true, Pegram gave a confirming smile and said, “I heard that, but I don’t know if it’s true. It makes a lot more power than my bike did last year, that’s all I know.” Unlike his 2004 program, which came together a month before the season started, Pegram started talking to Honda late last year, about the same time that Hotbodies Racing owner Roger Davies also started conversations with American Honda. Once Pegram and Davies realized they were working toward the same goal, they merged their efforts and the Michelin-sponsored Hotbodies Racing TriangleCycles.com Honda team was born. Not only is Pegram happy with his new program, he is also happy with the results of a cutting-edge hip resurfacing procedure he had done during the off-season to repair range-of-motion-limiting damage he suffered to his left hip in a crash many years ago. “It’s top secret. It’s an HRC kit hip,” joked Pegram. “They call it hip resurfacing. It’s a new deal that’s still in clinical studies. They only do it on professional athletes and stuff. Basically, they popped it out, ground it down to smooth out the surface, put a titanium cap on the top end of my femur and a titanium insert into my pelvis. So now my hip joint is metal-on-metal. I have a lot more range of motion now, and it’s going to get better with stretching.” In addition to Pegram, the Hotbodies Racing TriangleCycles.com Honda team will also field Jeremy Toye on another HRC-kitted CBR1000RR, though Toye’s bike will be built by Phil Allison and will not have the full HRC engine kit until the round at Barber Motorsports Park in April. “Roger (Davies) mis-dialed the phone and got me instead, then he couldn’t backpedal out of it,” said Toye when asked how the deal with his new team came together. Toye pointed out that he had never ridden a CBR1000RR or on Michelin tires before, but said, “It’s not too shabby for a stock bike.”

Two Unexpected Wins At Daytona For Arclight Suzuki

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Two Unexpected Wins At Daytona For Arclight Suzuki

Arclight Suzuki’s Scott Harwell and Jeff Wood took two unexpected CCS/Formula USA race wins Friday at Daytona International Speedway.

Riding a Dunlop-shod GSX-R750, Harwell was credited with the win in the red-flag-interrupted GTO race. Team M4 EMGO Suzuki’s Geoff May led every lap of both parts of the GTO race on his Pirelli-shod 2005-model GSX-R1000, but he pulled into the pits on the final lap.

“I’m just trying to get my new bike dialed in,” said May. “I just wanted to get out front and get some clean laps because the morning practices are ridiculous.”

Rojo Racing’s Jason Perez, 20, then appeared to finish first on his Dunlop-equipped Yamaha YZF-R1, but in the provisional results distributed to the media late Friday afternoon, Perez was listed as fifth.

Harwell, who was third on the track at the flag, immediately in front of his teammate Wood, was credited with the win on the provisional GTO results.

Later, Harwell and Wood teamed up to win the Team Challenge endurance race (which it originally planned to use as a long test session) on Harwell’s GSX-R750. Wood led most of the race on his GSX-R750 while Harwell ran second on the track. On lap 12 of the scheduled-for-56-laps event, Wood pitted to make changes to his bike, handing the lead to Harwell just before a red flag stopped the race.

After a long clean-up delay and with sunlight fading, the field was gridded for a three-lap sprint to the finish. Harwell resumed his lead from the re-start to the final lap, when he came onto pit lane to hand off to teammate Wood, who got on the bike (fulfilling the rule-mandated rider change under green-flag conditions) and rode the last 1000 feet of the race to take the checkered flag and win on pit lane. Arclight Suzuki was also credited with the GTO class win.

“We didn’t even plan to stay out there,” Harwell told Roadracingworld.com. “We didn’t even think about it until the red flag break when we were leading.”

Second place went to two-time defending Team Challenge Champions Yochum Motorsports’ Shawn Conrad and Kevin Gordon on a Michelin-fitted Suzuki GSX-R750. Unlike Arclight Suzuki, Yochum Motorsports intend to campaign the entire F-USA Team Challenge series.

Third overall and first in the GTU class was Dan Ortega and James Ptak on the Kingpin Racing Yamaha YZF-R6.

Rightsforbikers.com’s C.J. Czaia, John Linder, Bob Fisher and Ben Matheson were the provisional winners of the GT Lights class on a Suzuki SV650.

Winner of the Solo class (which does not require a rider change during the race but also does not get ranked in the overall results) was 2004 Isle of Man Formula One TT winner John McGuinness, who rode his Aim Racing Kawasaki ZX-10R British Superbike.

McGuinness, a two-time winner of the AMA 250cc Grand Prix race at Daytona, plans to enter the AMA Superbike race March 12 and is using the entire trip to Daytona as preparation for his 2005 British Superbike season.

There were 60 entries among the four classes of the Team Challenge race.

Other provisional Expert sprint race winners Friday were:

Aaron Gobert, who won the red-flag shortened GTU race on his factory Yamaha YZF-R6 Supersport bike over Wood and Harwell; Dan Bilansky, who won the 25-minute GT Lights event on his Hal’s Performance Buell Thunderbike; Jerry Wood, who rode a Ducati Supermono to a Ultra Light Superbike victory; Dave Estok, who rode a Harding Buell to win in CCS Thunderbike; Richard Croly, Jr., who piloted a Hooters Suzuki GSX-R750 to a narrow victory in Formula 40; David White, who rode a Ducati 1000 Supersport to win Lightweight Formula 40; and 16-year-old Ryan Clay, who was the only entry in the Infinity 125cc GP.

Friday’s official race results will not be available until Saturday, March 5.

More, from a press release issued by Daytona International Speedway:

NASCAR Employee Turning Heads As Motorcycle Racer

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., (March 4, 2005) — During the work week, Nicole Hoffman focuses on four-wheel racing machines as part of her job at NASCAR, where she serves as Manager in the Brand and Consumer Marketing department.

But on weekends, the 30-year-old Port Orange resident focuses on two-wheel racing machines when she competes in the Championship Cup Series events, including this weekend’s races at historic Daytona International Speedway.

“I’m the lone office in our department that has motorcycle stuff everywhere,” Hoffman said. “Of course, everyone has NASCAR photos and favorite drivers. I’ve have a couple of those but I’m the bike person in the office. I’ve got huge posters of some of my favorite riders. I think I have converted a few people and definitely generated some interest.”

A few of Hoffman’s NASCAR co-workers will visit her pits during this weekend’s events. Hoffman, who competed in Friday’s Ultra Lightweight Superbike event and is scheduled to compete in Lightweight Supersport on Saturday, also has the interest of NASCAR President Mike Helton and International Speedway Corporation CEO and NASCAR Vice Chairman and Executive Vice President Jim France.

“I get so much support from all my friends at NASCAR, especially from Jim France and Mike Helton,” said Hoffman, who carries both France and Helton’s names on her motorcycles as token of her appreciation. “They’ve been so supportive. Jim and Mike, any advice or help that I need, they’ve been there.”

This year, Hoffman, who races along with her husband Jeff, is making the move to the expert division. She won the national championship in the amateur ranks of the Ultra Lightweight Superbike last year and says she’s ready for the next challenge.

“It was the right time,” said Hoffman, who is entering her third year of racing. “I had no hesitation. I knew that I kind of spent my time in the amateur ranks and felt that I needed to get with faster riders to get me to the next level. I felt like I hit a plateau and my lap times did too. I think I need that extra push from other people in my class to get me faster.”

Hoffman understands there’s going to be a learning curve in the expert division.

“My goal is to get a top 10 finish in my races,” Hoffman said. “There’s lot of great racers out there. It’s going to be tough. This year, my goal is to learn from a lot of the faster racers out there. I do still have a lot to learn on the track. Being an amateur was a great experience but once you move up you’re with faster riders. There’s definitely a lot to learn.”

Another part of the learning process for Hoffman this weekend at “The World Center of Racing” is figuring out the twists and turns of the newly configured 2.95-mile road course.

“I love the new configuration,” Hoffman said. “It’s tricky. It’s technical in the infield which I love. I’m a very technical racer and love tight turns.”

Team Challenge: Arclight Racing’s Scott Harwell and Eric Wood unofficially won the red-flag shortened Formula USA Team Challenge final on their Suzuki. In an ingenious strategy Harwell rode the entire race and pulled in on the checkered flag lap to hand off the bike to teammate Jeff Wood, who rode the bike 1000 feet to take the checkered flag from pit road.

“I checked with the race director and said it was legit,” Harwell said of the team’s unorthodox strategy. “I grew up in NASCAR country, and those teams always come up with some unique strategy.”

Brit John McGuiness, a two-time Daytona 250 Grand Prix winner took second overall riding the Solo Division. Third went to defending Formula USA Team Challenge champs Yochum Motorsports out of Germantown, Wis. Yochum’s Shawn Conrad smiled when told of the way Arclight won the race.

“That was pretty clever,” he admitted. “We’re in the series for the long haul and those guys are only racing Daytona so it really doesn’t hurt us in the big picture.”

Tickets to any of the motorcycle races at Daytona International Speedway are available online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.

Friday’s Results

Expert GT Lights 1. Dan Bilansky, Delafield, Wisc., Buell 2. Robert Fisher, Sarasota, Fla., Suzuki 3. David Yaakov, Rockville, Md., Suzuki

Amateur GT Lights 1. Justin Hunter, Palm Harbor, Fla., Suzuki 2. Darla Martinella, Daytona Beach, Fla., Buell 3. Brad Faas, Odenton, Md., Suzuki

Expert GTO 1. Scott Harwell, Lincolnton, N.C., Suzuki 2. Eric Wood, Mansfield, Mass., Suzuki 3. Jeff Wood, Mansfield, Mass., Suzuki

Amateur GTO 1. Gene Paul, Gilchrist, Columbus, Ohio, Suzuki 2. Charles E. Walsh, Winston-Salem, N.C., Kawasaki 3. Luis Rodriguez Soto, Rio Grande, PR., Suzuki

Akrapovic GTU Amateur 1. Brian McCormick, Co Waterford, Ireland, Yamaha 2. Gustavo Laya, Miami, Fla., Honda 3. Krishna Adrianto Pribadi, Pittsburgh, Pa., Honda

Akrapovic GTU Expert 1. Aaron Gobert, Marietta, Ga., Yamaha 2. Jeff Wood, Mansfield, Mass., Suzuki 3. Scott Harwell, Lincolnton, N.C., Suzuki

Expert Ultra Light Superbike 1. Jerry Wood, Prospect, Mass., Ducati 2. Duane Francis, Pompano Beach, Fla., Triumph 3. Nicole Hoffman, Port Orange, Fla., Aprila

Infinity 125 GP 1. Ryan Clay, Lula, Ga., Aprila

Amateur Ultra Light Superbike 1. Craig Townsend, Wendell, Mass.,Ducati 2. Daniel Denison, San Jose, Calif., Honda 3. Anthony Martorelli, Orlando, Fla., Kawasaki

Kawasaki, Attack Kawasaki Riders To Sign Autographs At Daytona Dealership March 11

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Kawasaki, Attack Kawasaki Riders To Sign Autographs At Daytona Dealership March 11

Kawasaki’s Tommy and Roger Lee Hayden and Attack Kawasaki’s Josh Hayes and Ben Attard are scheduled to sign autograhs at Bankston’s Kawasaki KTM of Daytona Beach Friday, March 11 from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. Bankston’s Kawasaki KTM is located at 3566 West International Speedway Blvd., approximately four miles west of Daytona International Speedway. For more information, call (386) 238-1091

Joe Rocket To Outfit Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki Riders

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Joe Rocket To Outfit Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki Riders

The 2005 AMA Superbike race season launches this week at Daytona International Speedway where Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki will showcase a newly expanded championship effort. Always at the forefront of Superbike racing’s evolution, Randy Robison, president of Joe Rocket Sportsgear, is pleased to announce a sponsorship agreement with the Michael Jordan Motorsports Team “Joe Rocket and Michael Jordan Suzuki will work together toward the development of products that help these talented racers perform at their desired level of excellence,” said Mr. Robison. Joe Rocket will provide Jordan Suzuki racers with custom Speedmaster race suits, gloves, and boots throughout the 2005 season, and beyond. Jason Pridmore, the 1997 AMA Supersport Champion, 2002 AMA Formula Xtreme Champion, and the 2003 F.I.M. World Endurance Champion, will team up with Steve Rapp and Montez Stewart to compete in the AMA Superbike and Superstock series. “As America’s premier sport bike brand, Joe Rocket clearly reflects the essence of Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki. Together we will set a new standard within the AMA paddock,” said Kenny Abbott, General Team Manager of Jordan Suzuki. “By preparing championship caliber gear for our racers, Joe Rocket will help to streamline our efforts as we aim for the Winners’ Circle.” Joe Rocket and Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki will be racing March 10 and March 12, 2005 at the Daytona International Speedway. The all new Joe Rocket hospitality truck will be on hand, providing fans of the Rocket Nation a place to associate, relax, and grab refreshments. “The synergy between Joe Rocket and Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki creates a unique situation that will extend beyond the racetrack; bringing further awareness of the best selling apparel brand in America, to motorcyclists throughout the nation and the world,” said Bruce Parker, Marketing Director for Joe Rocket. “I expect it to be a tremendous success and a whole lot of fun too!”

AMA Pro Racing Previews Daytona

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AMA Pro Racing Previews Daytona

GOBERT OPTIMISTIC GOING INTO REPSOL LUBRICANTS SUPERSTOCK OPENER

Pridmore could become race’s first three-time winner

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (March 4, 2005) — Aaron Gobert prepares to defend his Repsol Lubricants Superstock Championship when the 2005 series opens at Daytona International Speedway’s newly designed motorcycle course on Thursday, March 10. Gobert will be riding the No. 1 Graves Yamaha R1 and he hopes to become the first Superstock rider to win the race back-to-back since Britt Turkington accomplished the endeavor in 1993-94 when the class was known as AMA 750 Supersport.

“Having won the race last year gives me a lot confidence,” said Aaron, the middle of the three racing Gobert brothers from Australia. “At the same time the track is completely new and the competition is very tough.”

Gobert suffered what doctors at the time thought could be career-ending injuries at Daytona in 2002. But the gritty Aussie showed amazing recovery powers and actually came back and raced later that season. Many of the doctors that treated Gobert three years ago continue to follow his career.

Gobert called his win at Daytona the biggest of his racing career. He feels the new road course should make for unpredictable racing. “I don’t really know exactly how it’s going to affect the race,” he says. “It’s going to create a different nature of race with the infield being more like a sprint course. It’s going to be an interesting week that’s for sure.”

Yamaha fields the deepest team in Superstock racing with the Graves Motorsports Yamaha riders of Gobert, Jamie Hacking, Jason DiSalvo and Damon Buckmaster. The Yamaha pilots took four of the top six spots at Daytona last year. The top six finishers in last year’s race were separated by just eight-tenths of a second.

Kawasaki is another full-fledged factory team in the series. Brothers Tommy and Roger Lee Hayden spearhead Team Green’s effort. Gobert and Hacking nipped Tommy Hayden at the Daytona Tri-Oval finish line last year. He crossed the stripe just a fraction of a second behind the leader in what proved to be the closest racing in all of Bike Week last year. 

Yoshimura Suzuki brings heavy hitter Aaron Yates to the match. Yates is a former Superstock (750 Supersport) champ and won the Daytona race in 1996. 

Backing up Yates on the factory Suzuki team is the factory-backed squad of Jordan Motorsports Suzuki. Leading the way for Michael Jordan’s team at Daytona is Jason Pridmore. The Californian racing veteran could become the first three-time winner of the race.

“After the season I had last year I was ready to hang up my helmet and go golfing,” said Pridmore, son of three-time AMA Superbike Champion Reg Pridmore. “When this opportunity came along with Michael’s [Jordan] team it got me excited about racing again. We’ve assembled a great team and I’m looking forward to kicking things off at Daytona.”

Pridmore’s teammates are Steve Rapp, a fellow veteran, and Montez Stewart, the lone returning member from Jordan’s team last season.

The former Valvoline Suzuki team will sport the colors of a new primary sponsor this season in M4 Performance Exhaust. Vincent Haskovec rides for Team M4 EMGO Suzuki. A native of the Czech Republic, Haskovec led the Superstock points race much of the 2003 season. He’s hoping to find the combination to run up front again this year. He’ll team with newly signed former AMA Superbike Rookie of the Year Geoff May. May was the top privateer in AMA Superbike last year and getting a seat on a championship-winning team is the opportunity he’s been waiting for.

Eric Wood and Jimmy Moore make up the riders for Hooters Suzuki this year. Moore is a two-time AMA Superstock champ and could match Scott Russell and Tom Kipp’s record of three AMA Superstock/750 Supersport titles. Lee Acree (KWS/Millennium Suzuki) and Chris Ulrich (Roadracingworld.com Suzuki), both past AMA Superstock race winners, will further bolster a remarkable field of riders slated to race in the Daytona opener.

Road racing fans can catch the action on SPEED Channel on Thursday, March 10, beginning at 3 p.m. EST for three straight hours of live programming. Coverage starts with the final portions of Daytona 200 qualifying before switching into race mode with the Repsol Lubricants Superstock final at 3:45 EST, Thursday, March 10.

For additional information on this year’s March Classic races contact Daytona International Speedway at (386) 253-7223 or visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com.

More, from another press release issued by AMA Pro Racing:

MLADIN GOING FOR SIXTH AMA SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP

New teams and riders add intrigue to Daytona Superbike field

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (March 3, 2005) — For the first 27 years of AMA Superbike racing no rider could crack the three-championship barrier. As the 2005 AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited takes the green flag on Saturday, March 12, at Daytona International Speedway, Aussie racing sensation Mat Mladin embarks on his quest to win an unprecedented sixth title.

Mladin, the defending champ and Daytona Superbike winner who turns 33 on Thursday of Bike Week, is the pre-season favorite on his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000. This year Mladin will face a deep Superbike field. Eighteen factory or factory-backed riders are slated to compete at Daytona, in addition to a number of very good privateer entries.

Mladin turned in another record-setting season in 2004. He tallied eight victories in the 18-race championship and finished the season tied with Miguel Duhamel atop the all-time AMA Superbike wins list with 32-career victories. He hopes to carry that momentum into the 2005 season. He was the fastest rider in the first two days of pre-season Daytona tire testing before suffering a crash and breaking his left ankle. In spite of the accident Mladin was positive about his off-season.

“Aside from this incident, the opening two days of the test were very promising for us,” said the three-time Daytona Superbike winner. “The new Suzuki GSX-R1000 was very good and was quick through the speed trap there, so it’s all shaping up very nicely in that regard at present. We were quickest at the end of each day, which is always good. As with any of these tests where you are preparing a new bike there are lots of things to work through and so far so good.”

Mladin will come to Daytona this year not only as a rider, but a team owner as well. Mladin Motorsports is backing fellow Australian Marty Craggill, a former Australian Superbike champ, and the team will debut at Daytona.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to race in the United States for the 2005 season”, said Craggill. “To be associated with Mat Mladin Motorsports for the up coming season has really given me a boost, and I’m excited to be racing the new for 2005, Suzuki GSX-R1000.”

Neil Hodgson, a former World Superbike Champion from Great Britain, is coming to America to contest the AMA series on the Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin squad as teammate to Eric Bostrom. Hodgson is the highest profile rider in years to move from the world championships to AMA Superbike racing. The colorful Brit is hoping to give Ducati its first Daytona Superbike win in 28 years. Cook Neilson, Cycle Magazine editor at the time, rode a Ducati to victory in the 1977 race.

“I would like to make history and be the first rider ever to have won the British and World Superbike Championships and the AMA Championship,” Hodgson said. “Being back on the Ducati 999 is going to be so natural for me.” Hodgson rode a Ducati 999 to victory in World Superbike in 2003.

Another rider people have been waiting for several years to see full time in AMA Superbike is 20-year-old Texan Ben Spies. The former AMA Horizon winner and 2003 Formula Xtreme champ is expected to be a serious contender in his first Superbike season on the Yoshimura Suzuki. Spies will team with Mladin and Aaron Yates forming what many consider to be the strongest team in the series.

If having Hodgson and Spies as new additions weren’t enough, the late arrival of Kurtis Roberts to the Erion Racing Honda team brings another true title contender to the game. Roberts closed out the 2003 AMA Superbike Championship with two wins in the final three rounds before a disappointing season racing for his father’s MotoGP team last year. The three-time AMA road racing champ is enthused about racing the Honda CBR1000RR. He twice won the Formula Xtreme title on the Honda CBR900RR.

Miguel Duhamel and Jake Zemke are back on the factory Hondas. Duhamel, who would like to pull ahead of Mladin as the all-time AMA Superbike wins leader, is always a threat to win at Daytona and Zemke is anxious to score his first win at the Speedway.

Kawasaki will be represented by Josh Hayes on the Attack Kawasaki. Hayes scored a slew of strong finishes on the team’s ZX-10R in 2004. He’s confident that with a season of development under its belt the team will be even stronger in ’05.

Basketball legend Michael Jordan has assembled perhaps the strongest factory-support team in the history of the series. His Jordan Motorsports Suzuki squad will be three riders strong at Daytona headed by Jason Pridmore. Pridmore, 35, is a former AMA 750 Supersport Champion and Formula Xtreme Champion as well as 2003 FIM World Endurance Champion. He will try to follow in his father Reg Pridmore’s footsteps to become the first father/son combination to earn the AMA Superbike Championship. Steve Rapp and Montez Stewart will compete on Jordan Suzukis alongside Pridmore.

There are a number of solid factory-backed teams entered for Daytona. Larry Pegram, a former AMA Superbike race winner, has his strongest ride in years with the Team Hotbodies Racing Honda. 

Two-time AMA Superstock champ Jimmy Moore will team with Eric Wood on the Hooters Suzuki. Two-time Superstock race winner Chris Ulrich is riding with backing from Suzuki as well on the Roadracingworld.com entry. Former AMA Horizon Award winner Tony Meiring is racing the Daytona Superbike event with Corona Suzuki and 2004 AMA Superbike Rookie of the Year Cory West kicks off his sophomore season on the Team Hotbodies Suzuki. 

Daytona 200 mileage leader Rick Shaw is entered in the Daytona Superbike event, as is former AMA Supersport great Mike Smith. 

The race will be nationally televised live on SPEED Channel starting at 11 am EST, Saturday, March 12. 

For additional information on this year’s Bike Week races contact Daytona International Speedway at (386) 253-7223 or visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com.

From another press release issued by AMA Pro Racing :

HAYDEN LOOKING TO FOLLOW UP CHAMPIONSHIP WITH DAYTONA WIN

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (March 4, 2005) — Last year Tommy Hayden attained one of the goals he set out to accomplish when he began his professional career, and that was to win a national title. On Thursday, March 10, Hayden will try to cross off another long-time goal by adding a Daytona Supersport trophy to his collection. Hayden kicks off his title defense at Daytona International Speedway in round one of the Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship presented by Shoei.

Ever since AMA Supersport began at Daytona in 1987, it has usually been the most competitive race of Bike Week. The list of past winners reads like a who’s who of racing and includes two world champions. Hayden knows a good result at Daytona can give the kind of start to a season that’s needed to win the championship.

“I never really had much luck in the Daytona Supersport race,” said Tommy, the oldest of the three racing Hayden brothers from Owensboro, Ky. “Last year I finally got a podium there and I went on to win the championship, so it’s important to get the season started strong with a good result at Daytona.”

The race will run for the first time on the new 2.95-mile road course. Hayden likes the new configuration.

“The new track is a lot more technical than the old course,” he said. “I think it’s going to reward the better riders. With the old track you could lose quite a bit in the infield section and still make it up with all the drafting on the banking. Now you’re going to have to be fit and ready to work really hard in the infield section to do good there.”

Hayden hopes to become the third Kawasaki rider to win the Daytona Supersport final. Miguel Duhamel won the race on a Kawasaki in 1993 and Doug Chandler accomplished the feat for the team in 1998.

 “It would mean a lot to me to win the Supersport race at Daytona,” Hayden continued. “It’s one of those races that’s really important to the manufacturers and if you win it shows that you’ve done the work you needed to do in the off season. But the biggest thing is it puts you in a great position in the championship.”

Hayden sees his biggest competition coming from his brother and Kawasaki teammate Roger Lee Hayden. The youngest Hayden brother finished 2004 with three wins in the final four rounds and was runner up to Tommy in the final standings. Roger Lee was injured in a bicycle training crash last month, but is expected to be fit and ready to race by Daytona.

Yamaha returns with the same four riders, Damon Buckmaster, Jason DiSalvo, Aaron Gobert and Jamie Hacking, who raced for the team in Supersport last year. DiSalvo, 21, of Stafford, N.Y., is the defending Daytona Supersport winner. He gave Yamaha its first Daytona Supersport victory in 14 years and was the fastest of the Yamaha riders in pre-season testing at the Speedway.

Yoshimura Suzuki fields Texan Ben Spies. Spies was the only Suzuki rider to score a victory in Supersport last year. 

A strong field of privateer teams hopes to challenge the factory riders at Daytona. Chief among them is Florida’s own Michael Barnes on a Prieto Racing entry. The racing veteran is a former Daytona Supersport winner and was extremely quick in pre-season testing at Daytona. 

Former AMA Superbike Rookie of the Year Geoff May will make his debut on the Team M4 EMGO Suzuki GSX-R600 at Daytona. Aussie Ben Attard is expected to be a front-runner on the Attack Kawasaki. Team Hotbodies Racing’s Taylor Knapp turned a lot of heads at the Daytona tire tests and the young Michigan rider could be ready for a breakthrough season.

The Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship presented by Shoei is set for national live television coverage on SPEED Channel at 4:45 EST, Thursday, March 10.

For ticket information contact Daytona International Speedway at (386) 253-7223 or order online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com.

More, from a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing:

CARR TAKES ANOTHER STAB AT BECOMING FIRST FOUR-TIME DAYTONA SHORT TRACK WINNER

2005 AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship begins at Municipal Stadium

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (March 4, 2005) — The AMA Grand National Series kicks off 2005 with a new sponsor in Ford. While the series will run under a new banner Chris Carr is the one constant as he begins his mission to become a seven-time AMA Grand National Champion and first four-time winner at Daytona Beach, Florida’s Municipal Stadium on Thursday evening, March 10. 

Round one of the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship gets its traditional start on the white crushed limestone surface of the Municipal Stadium Short Track. The riders will give the fans a preview of the Grand National with the Hot Shoe event on Wednesday night. The attention then turns to the national on Thursday and the one thing you can nearly always count on at Daytona is the unexpected.

Last year JR Schnabel broke through to win his first Daytona Short Track on a Yamaha. Schnabel will be one of the favorites this year, but many look to defending and six-time AMA Grand National Champion Chris Carr as the rider to beat.

Carr, the all-time wins leader among active riders from Fleetwood, Pa., will bring his fleet of No. 1 plate Quality Checked Certified Pre-owned Ford Racing machines to Daytona in hopes of becoming the first four-time winner of the prestigious kick-off race.

“We’ve been working hard this year as we do every year to get ready for Daytona,” Carr said minutes after getting off a practice track in South Carolina. “The team has been dialing in our KTMs to my preferences in hopes of racing those at Municipal Stadium. If they don’t work out we have the Rotax bikes to fall back on. Nothing’s really changed at Daytona. You’ve got to be ready to go as soon as practice starts and carry that on to qualifying. If you do well in qualifying it makes the rest of the evening a lot easier.”

Another rider to watch for at Daytona is Johnny Murphree on the Coziahr Harley-Davidson sponsored No. 20. The Paso Robles, Calif., native has scored podium finishes in each of the last two Grand Nationals at Municipal Stadium. “When it comes down to it, we need to beat Chris at our big races,” said Murphree of trying to wrestle away the No. 1 plate from the champ. “Daytona, Springfield – the TT, the Short Track and of course the Mile and we need to beat him in Peoria. Those are the key races.”

Joe Kopp has shown speed at Daytona, finishing runner-up twice in the last five years. He’ll ride the Latus Harley-Davidson/Jones Powersports No. 3 entry and try to break through to win his first at Daytona.

Kenny Coolbeth finished a career-matching best third in last year’s title standings. Coolbeth rides the Mid-American Harley-Davidson/Jones Powersports No. 31 and he too feels championship hopes begin and end with Carr. “He is the one to watch at every race. He doesn’t appear to have weakness in his program.”

Daytona will mark the final race for 46-year-old veteran and fan favorite Terry Poovey, of Euless, Texas. A two-time Daytona winner, Poovey is hoping to go out on a winning note riding his Pro Honda Oils-sponsored Hondas.

On Saturday, March 12, viewers will get to see taped coverage of the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship opener on SPEED Channel.

For additional information on this year’s Bike Week races contact Daytona International Speedway at (386) 253-7223 or visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com.

About AMA Pro Racing

AMA Pro Racing is the leading sanctioning body for motorcycle sport in the United States. Its properties include the THQ AMA Supercross Series, the AMA Motocross Championship, the AMA Superbike Championship, the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship and the AMA Supermoto Championship. For more information about AMA Pro Racing, visit www.amaproracing.com.

National City Motorcycle To Field AMA Race Team

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National City Motorcycle To Field AMA Race Team

National City Motorcycle, Inc. “NCM”, is proud to announce its 2005 AMA race team of Tim Knutson and Joe Pollard. Tim will be competing in the AMA Formula Extreme series on Bridgestone tires while Joey will be contesting the AMA Supersport series starting the season on Michelins. Joey will also continue to race the CCS series

Both riders will be racing 2003 Yamaha YZFR6’s prepared by National City Motorcycle. While Joey’s bike remains nearly stock, Tim’s engine has been built by Rob Brown, long time engine builder for several top amateur racers like Rich Munn who did battle with the likes of Chuck Graves at Willow Springs back in the 1990’s. Rob is also the Service Manager at NCM.

This is Tim Knutson’s third year in the AMA although this is the first year he will be contesting the entire series. Tim looks towards this season and the Daytona 200 opening round with much enthusiasm and high expectations. Tim is returning from a near career ending injury he sustained at Willow Springs Toyota 200 in 2002 where he high sided in turn two during practice. The injuries he sustained left him in a wheel chair for months and he was not able to walk unassisted until the Spring of 2003 at which time he returned to racing. Tim is now back in the best shape of his life having lost nearly 50 pounds. His intense workout regimen is paying off with big dividends. In a recent test at California Speedway, Tim was 2 seconds a lap quicker than his qualifying time for last year’s Fontana round. Those times were attained with worn tires and last year’s Supersport engine in his R6.

Tim was the 2002 Aprilia Heavyweight National Champion, 2002 WSMC 550 Superbike Champion, CCS Middleweight Sportsman Pacific Region Class Champion, and 2001 WSMC Rookie of the Year.

The 2005 season will be Joe Pollard’s rookie year in the AMA. Joey has quickly moved up the amateur ranks having completed an unbelievable season in CCS Southwest and Pacific regions in 2004. In the Pacific Region, Joey won the Akrapovic Amateur GTU and Amateur Middleweight Supersport classes. He finished second in the Amateur Middleweight Superbike and Middleweight classes. Joey was just as successful in the Southwest Region, winning the Akrapovic GTU Amateur class and finishing second in the Amateur Speedscreen Unlimited GP and Middleweight GP. He also took third overall in the Amateur Middleweight Superbike and Supersport classes.

NCM also has a strong amateur racer support program in San Diego. Among its top racers are CCS, WERA and WSMC racer Brian Short competing on a Yamaha YZFR6 and Honda CRF450; STARRS Supermoto rider Chris Borgman racing Chad Reed’s former Yamaha YZ450F supermoto bike; NHRA drag racer Wayne Fletcher campaigning a 2004 GSXR1000, and 600cc Minisprint driver Tom Gerow.

“NCM” is hosting a Daytona 200 Party on Saturday March 12th to support its AMA Formula Extreme racer Tim Knutson. Hooters Girls will be catering the event, and  will also be on hand for photo opportunities.

So come out and cheer on San Diego’s own Tim Knutson as he does battle on his NCM sponsored Yamaha YZFR6 at the legendary Daytona 200 in the 2005 AMA Superbike series season opener.  The race will be televised live on NCM’s new 65″ Mitsubishi television.  While you’re there, enjoy free hot wings and other great food, plus get your picture taken with the Hooters Girls.

The first 25 guests to arrive will receive free Daytona t-shirts. NCM will also be giving away other great prizes. 

The event will be held on Saturday March 12th.  Store hours on Saturdays are from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, and the Hooters Girls will be at there starting at 11:00 am.  The Daytona 200 starts at 11:00 am.

Since 1981, National City Motorcycle, Inc. has been one of San Diego’s premier independent motorcycle dealerships. With Japanese and Harley Davidson MMI certified mechanics on staff, NCM specializes in servicing Japanese, American, and European motorcycles. NCM also stocks one of the largest selections of motorcycle accessories, and women’s and men’s apparel in San Diego County. For more information regarding National City Motorcycle race team and racer support program, please contact John Wenger, Esquire at (619) 474-2025, [email protected], 1504 National City Boulevard, National City, California 91950.

SuperFlow Merges With Hicklin Engineering

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SuperFlow Merges With Hicklin Engineering

AUTOMOTIVE TESTING TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES MERGE

SuperFlow Corporation and Hicklin Engineering, L.C. “” two major forces in the development and marketing of vehicle testing equipment “” have announced plans to combine operations “to broaden their service and engineering capabilities and accelerate new product launches and technologies” in this rapidly expanding industry.

SUPERFLOW TECHNOLOGIES GROUP will be the name of the recently merged and newly re-branded organization. Corporate headquarters will be in Des Moines IA. Manufacturing, sales and testing operations will continue at both the Colorado Springs and Des Moines facilities.

“We see a lot of potential and synergies in this newly combined entity,” says SuperFlow President Scott Giles. “Through SUPERFLOW TECHNOLOGIES GROUP, we now offer the most complete selection of dynamometers and test equipment for the drive train “” from the engine, torque converter and transmission to the axles, drive shaft, brakes or the entire vehicle.

“We now have the ability to provide customers common software solutions across all dynamometer platforms. SUPERFLOW TECHNOLOGIES GROUP is the only one able to offer this scope of test and service equipment for the total vehicle … covering everything from high performance cycles and dragsters to giant off-road vehicles.

“As we combine the strengths and resources of these two respected organizations, it’s clear customers will benefit significantly from the knowledge, expertise and resources this combination creates,” Giles added.

Giles will serve as President, with John Smidt as Chairman of the Board and Chief Financial Officer. Neal Williams (founder of SuperFlow Corporation) will continue to lead new product engineering and current product enhancements. Steve Matthiesen will direct SuperFlow product sales from the Colorado Springs facility. Des Moines sales and marketing will be directed by Marc Pavelick.

SuperFlow, founded in the 1970’s, is the industry leader in high performance flow bench technology, producing and marketing a wide range of engine and chassis dynamometers worldwide. SuperFlow customers include many of the top names in motorsports including Richard Childress Motorsports, Dale Earnhardt, Inc., Hendrick Motorsports, and many others.

Hicklin, a 35-year old company, is the worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of dyna-mometers for the automotive, truck and military repair markets. Hicklin also markets dynamometers and drive shaft service equipment under the AXILINE brand, as well as torque converter rebuilding systems under the TCRS brand. Axiline, TCRS and Hicklin product names will continue to be maintained and marketed through SuperFlow in Des Moines.

Giles estimates total employment for the two facilities to be approximately 110. For more information on SuperFlow or Hicklin products, visit www.superflow.com.

Himmelsbach Racing Crew Survives Truck Crash En-route To Daytona

Himmelsbach Racing misses Daytona opener. The crew for Himmelsbach Racing was in route to Daytona International Speedway for the opening round of the Formula USA series when the team was involved in a horrible accident. The team was traveling on Highway 26 in South Carolina when a strong gust of wind and a narrow shoulder contributed to the destruction of the recently purchased Chevy C4500 box truck and the teams motorcycles and equipment. Three members of the team Chris Rich, Chris Bynum and owner Michael Himmelsbach were aboard the vehicle during impact and escaped with no injuries. The team had recently purchased a Chevy C4500 Diesel box truck in an effort to step up their program for 2005 but had no idea the vehicle would contribute in saving their lives. ” I was very pleased with the design of the truck. You don’t buy a truck like this and think about an accident but we hit a tree head on, actually split it in half and the cab of the vehicle was undamaged and thankfully we all walked away.” Said Michael The crew climbed out from the accident to find one of the Yamaha R6 motorcycles had been ejected out of the roof and lay a couple feet from the truck while the other machine was buried under the equipment. Himmelsbach Racing is back at home and plans to compete in the remaining rounds of FUSA competition. Now we will begin to assess the situation and figure out how to accomplish the goals originally set for the remainder of the season. Michael would like to apologize to all of our sponsors for missing this event. It was a tough decision to return to the shop but due to the damage we felt it was best to regroup and bring the best program possible to Road America for our team and sponsors.

Factory Riders Step Aside For Jensen To Win Contingency Saturday At Daytona

Factory Yamaha riders Aaron Gobert, Jamie Hacking and Jason DiSalvo were each in position to win a CCS race Saturday at Daytona International Speedway, but each passed on taking victories, allowing Robert Jensen to win two Yamaha-contingency-paying sprint races.

“I’m not here to take anyone’s money,” said 2003 AMA Supersport Champion Hacking, after pulling in during the Middleweight Superbike race while he had a seven-second lead. “I’m here for practice. These guys are here to make a living.”

DiSalvo inherited the lead from Hacking but also pulled in on the last lap, saying, “Why wouldn’t I pull in? All I would be doing would be taking $1500 in Yamaha money away from Rob Jensen.”

2004 Formula USA Sportbike and Superbike Champion Jensen started 25th on the Middleweight Superbike grid, moved into third by passing Scott Greenwood on the brakes for turn one on lap four and took the win, after the Yamaha factory riders pulled in.

“We’re going to have to look around and find some Wheaties to run with the factory guys,” said Jensen. “I lose the most on the initial drive off the corners. We need to find some beans.”

Earlier Saturday, Jensen crossed the line second in Middleweight Supersport behind Gobert, but Gobert disqualified himself by not going to post-race technical inspection, handing the win to Jensen.

In other action Saturday, Team M4 EMGO Suzuki’s Geoff May rode his Pirelli-shod 2005-model GSX-R1000 to beat his like-mounted teammate Vincent Haskovec and Rojo Racing’s Jason Perez (Yamaha YZF-R1) to win the Unlimited Supersport sprint. Riding his Superstock GSX-R1000, Haskovec came back to win the Unlimited Superbike race over Hotbodies Racing’s Cory West (Suzuki GSX-R1000). Riding a Dunlop-sponsored GSX-R750, Arclight Suzuki’s Jeff Wood (who finished second to Jensen in Middleweight Supersport) beat his teammate Scott Harwell and Jensen in the Heavyweight Supersport final. CAD Cycles’ David Yaakov won the Lightweight Supersport event on his Suzuki SV650, while David Estok won both the Lightweight Superbike and Thunderbike races on his Harding Buell.

Saturday’s Provisional CCS Race Results:

Unlimited Supersport Expert: 1. Geoff May (Suz GSX-R1000); 2. Vincent Haskovec (Suz GSX-R1000); 3. Jason Perez (Yam YZF-R1); 4. Eric Wood (Suz GSX-R1000); 5. Lee Acree (Suz GSX-R750); 6. Cory West (Suz GSX-R1000).

Unlimited Supersport Amateur: 1. Charles Walsh (Kaw ZX-10R); 2. Carlos Vargas (Suz GSX-R750); 3. Dennis Espinosa (Hon CBR1000RR); 4. Andrew Moates (Suz GSX-R750); 5. Danny Dutton (Kaw ZX-10R); 6. Bill Keros (Suz GSX-R1000).

Middleweight Supersport Expert: 1. Robert Jensen (Yam YZF-R6); 2. Jeff Wood (Suz GSX-R600); 3. Scott Greenwood (Yam YZF-R6); 4. Scott Harwell (Suz GSX-R600); 5. Chris Peris (Yam YZF-R6); 6. Michael Barnes (Yam YZF-R6).

Middleweight Supersport Amateur: 1. Steve Hamer (Yam YZF-R6); 2. Alexander Michaelis (Kaw ZX-6R); 3. J.B. Layman (Yam YZF-R6); 4. Bart Defrancesco (Yam YZF-R6); 5. Frank Giles (Hon CBR600); 6. Michael Pietrzak (Suz GSX-R600).

Lightweight Supersport Expert: 1. David Yaakov (Suz SV650); 2. Nate Kern (BMW); 3. Robert Fisher (Suz SV650); 4. John Linder (Suz SV650); 5. Paul James (Buell XB12R); 6. David White (Duc 1000SS).

Lightweight Supersport Amateur: 1. Brad Faas (Suz SV650); 2. Scott Robertson (Suz SV650); 3. Steve Walker (BMW R1100S); 4. Eric Wilson (Suz SV650); 5. Jeff Jones (Suz SV650); 6. Nathaniel Mendell (Suz SV650).

Heavyweight Supersport Expert: 1. Jeff Wood (Suz GSX-R750); 2. Scott Harwell (Suz GSX-R750); 3. Robert Jensen (Suz GSX-R750); 4. Lee Acree (Suz GSX-R750); 5. Brian Stokes (Suz GSX-R750); 6. Chris Ulrich (Suz GSX-R750)

Heavyweight Supersport Amateur: 1. Andrew Moats (Suz GSX-R750); 2. Carlos Vargas (Suz GSX-R750); 3. Trivillus Lewis (Kaw ZX-6); 4. Bo Lemastus (Suz GSX-R600); 5. Tony Leong; 6. Scott Layman (Suz GSX-R750).

Lightweight Superbike Expert: 1. Dave Estok (Buell XB12R); 2. David Yaakov (Suz SV650); 3. Jerry Wood (Duc 1000SS); 4. Nate Kern (BMW); 5. Robert Fisher (Suz SV650); 6. Sam Rozynski (Buell XB12).

Lightweight Superbike Amateur: 1. Scott Robertson (Suz SV650); 2. Brad Faas (Suz SV650); 3. Justin Hunter (Suz SV650); 4. Jeff Jones (Suz SV650); 5. Nathaniel Mondell (Suz SV650); 6. Guenther Weickert (Suz SV650).

Unlimited Superbike Expert: 1. Vincent Haskovec (Suz GSX-R1000); 2. Cory West (Suz GSX-R1000); 3. Heath Small (Yam YZF-R1); 4. David Loikitis (Suz GSX-R1000); 5. Jeremy Haiduk (Yam YZF-R1); 6. C.R. Gittere (Suz GSX-R1000).

Unlimited Superbike Amateur: 1. Charles Walsh (Kaw ZX-10R); 2. Tony Leong (Suz GSX-R600); 3. Carlos Vargas (Suz GSX-R750); 4. Bill Keros (Suz GSX-R1000); 5. Glen Castle (Yam YZF-R1); 6. Kevin Strickland (Yam YZF-R1).

Middleweight Superbike Expert: 1. Robert Jensen (Yam YZF-R6); 2. Scott Greenwood (Yam YZF-R6); 3. Trey Yonce (Yam YZF-R6); 4. Michael Barnes (Yam YZF-R6); 5. Chris Ulrich (Suz GSX-R600); 6. Heath Small (Yam YZF-R6).

Middleweight Superbike Amateur: 1. Tony Leong (Suz GSX-R600); 2. Brian McCormack (Yam YZF-R6); 3. Gustavo Laya (Hon CBR600); 4. Krishna Pribadi (Hon CBR600); 5. Steve Hamer (Yam YZF-R6); 6. Trivillus Lewis (Kaw ZX-6).

Heavyweight Superbike Expert: 1. Ryan Elleby (Suz GSX-R750); 2. Heath Small (Yam YZF-R6); 3. Joe Spina (Suz GSX-R750); 4. Josef Brenner (Hon CBR600); 5. Marco Martinez (Duc 996); 6. Andy Feuersthaler (Suz GSX-R750).

Heavyweight Superbike Amateur: 1. Trivillus Lewis (Kaw ZX-6); 2. Ashikari Goshi (Tri); 3. Andrew Moates (Suz GSX-R750); 4. Carlos Vargas (Suz GSX-R750); 5. Scott Layman (Suz GSX-R750); 6. J.R. Layman (Yam YZF-R6).

SuperTwins Expert: 1. Marco Martinez (Duc 996); 2. Fred Stucky (Duc 996); 3. John Dierickx (Duc 996); 4. Ryan Andrews (Duc 749); 5. Eric Mouatel (Duc 749); 6. John Costa (Duc 996).

SuperTwins Amateur: 1. Bill Keros (Duc 749); 2. Allyn Graham (Hon RC51); 3. Randy Hills (Duc 998); 4. Dennis Smith, Jr. (Duc 996); 5. Brian Pemberton (Duc 996); 6. Curt Suskevich (Hon RC51).

More, from a press release issued by Daytona International Speedway:

Yamaha Makes Big Commitment To Hacking

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The big blue semis of the factory Yamaha road racing team arrived at Daytona International Speedway a few days early for Bike Week this year. The early appearance of the powerful racing squad is primarily to help team rider and 2003 Pro Honda Oils Supersport champion Jamie Hacking get back up to speed after missing January tire testing. Hacking is still recovering from surgery to repair an injured right shoulder stemming from a testing crash he suffered last summer. He’s here racing in the Championship Cup Series/Formula USA weekend for the first time in over a decade. 

The British born rider who lives in South Carolina is getting his first taste of the new DIS motorcycle course. “It’s growing on me,” the former champ said of the redesigned course. “I wouldn’t say it quite fits the Daytona International Speedway’s whole theme, but it’s definitely an improvement safety wise. At first it seemed a little tight to me, and still seems that way, but it’s starting to open up a little bit for me. With what they had to work with they did a good job.” 

In spite of spending much of the winter recuperating, Hacking was quickly up to speed on his factory Yamaha Supersport machine. He knew coming here for the first weekend was important for him to be ready to race during the AMA weekend. “It’s only been about a month and three weeks since I began the rehab on my shoulder,” Hacking said. “With me being injured and the test days being cut so much I got on the phone to Keith (McCarty, Yamaha racing manager) and told him I’ve got to get down there. The whole reason they came down here was mainly for me to get time on the bike so it’s been a real blessing for me. 

“We’re starting off on a brand new bike and I’m impressed on how much we’ve accomplished in such a short time. I’m right there putting in the same lap times these guys are (his Yamaha teammates).” 

Yamaha’s road racing manager Tom Halverson admitted that coming for the first weekend of racing was a major commitment mainly for Hacking, but added, “We’ve would have done it for any of our riders. 

“We had a lot of things to test and this was a chance to come down here in a more relaxed atmosphere,” Halverson continued. “There are even a few places that have been repaved, so hopefully these extra few days will pay off for us.” 

Saturday’s action: In Saturday’s Formula USA qualifying sessions, Jeff Wood aboard a Suzuki 750 captured the top qualifying spot for Sunday’s Formula SportBike event. Factory Yamaha rider Damon Buckmaster aboard a Yamaha was the fastest qualifier in Superbike and Vincent Haskovec riding a Suzuki was fastest in Expert Unlimited GP. The two remaining Formula USA qualifying sessions have been rescheduled for Sunday morning with the five Formula USA races are on tap for Sunday afternoon. 

In Championship Cup Series action, local rider Dave Estok out of New Smyrna Beach captured victory in the Expert Lightweight Superbike riding a Buell. Tickets for any of the motorcycle racing at Daytona International Speedway are available online at ~http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com~ or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.

Saturday’s Results

Expert Middleweight SuperSport 1. Robert Jensen, Chaffee, N.D., Yamaha 2. Jeff Wood, Mansfield, Mass., Suzuki 3. Scott Greenwood, Dungarton, N.D., Yamaha

Expert Unlimited SuperSport 1. Geoff May, Cumming, Ga., Suzuki 2. Vincent Haskovec, Athens, Ala., Suzuki 3. Eric Wood, Mansfield, Mass., Suzuki

Amateur Unlimited SuperSport 1. Charles Walsh, Winston-Salem, N.C., Kawasaki 2. Charles Vargas, Davie, Fla., Suzuki 3. Dennis Espinosa, W. Milford, N.J., Honda

Amateur Middleweight SuperSport 1. Steve Hamer, Orillta, Ont., Yamaha 2. Alexander Michaelis, Long Beach, N.Y., Kawasaki 3. JB Layman, East Ellijay, Ga., Yamaha

Amateur Lightweight SuperSport 1. Brad Faas, Odenton, Md., Suzuki 2. Scott Robertson, Fort Myers, Fla., Suzuki 3. Steve Walker, Carleton Place, Ohio, BMW

Expert Lightweight SuperSport 1. David Yaakov, Rockville, Md., Suzuki 2. Nate Kern, Phoenixville, Pa., BMW 3. Robert Fisher, Sarasota, Fla.,

Amateur Heavyweight SuperSport 1. Andrew Moates, Castelberry, Fla., Suzuki 2. Carlos Vargas, Davie, Fla., Suzuki 3. Trivillus Lewis, Clifton, Va., Kawasaki

Expert Heavyweight SuperSport 1. Jeff Wood, Mansfield, Mass., Suzuki 2. Scott Harwell, Lincolnton, N.C., Suzuki 3. Robert Jensen, Chaffee, N.D., Suzuki

Expert Lightweight Superbike 1. Dave Estok, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Buelle 2. David Yaakov, Rochville, Md., Suzuki 3. Jerry Wood, Prospect, Mass., Ducante

Amateur Lightweight Superbike 1. Scott Robertson, Fort Myers, Fla., Suzuki 2. Brad Faas, Odenton, Md., Suzuki 3. Justin Hunter, Palm Harbor, Fla., Suzuki

Expert Unlimited Superbike 1. Vincent Haskovec, Athens, Ala., Suzuki 2. Cory West, Eureka Springs, Ark., Suzuki 3. Heath Small, Waller, Texas., Yamaha

Amateur Unlimited Superbike 1. Charles Walsh, Winston-Salem N.C., Kawasaki 2. Tony Leong, Bowie, Md., Suzuki 3. Carlos Vargas, Davie, Fla., Suzuki

Expert Middleweight Superbike 1. Robert Jensen, Chaffee, N.D., Yamaha 2. Scott Greenwood, Dungarton, N.H., Yamaha 3. Trey Yonce, Charleston, S.C., Yamaha

Amateur Middleweight Superbike 1. Tony Leong, Bowie, Md., Suzuki 2. Brian McCormack, Waterford, Ireland, Yamaha 3. Gustavo Laya, Miami, Fla., Honda

Hacking’s Long Road To Recovery From Shoulder Injury

2003 AMA Supersport Champion Jamie Hacking crashed his factory Yamaha YZF-R6 during a test session in the middle of the 2004 season at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, breaking his right collarbone. The fracture was surgically plated, and Hacking raced at Laguna Seca less than two weeks later, placing an amazing sixth on his Graves Yamaha YZF-R1 Superstock bike. Then, during the AMA Superstock race at Mid-Ohio, Hacking’s rear tire had a catastrophic failure at high speed, throwing Hacking to the pavement at over 150 mph. Initial reports on Hacking’s condition said he bent the plate holding his collarbone together, and he finished the season without further surgery and with some success he nearly won the final Supersport race at VIR in October. Unbeknownst to anyone but Hacking, however, he had badly separated his shoulder in the second Mid-Ohio crash. “I got the same shoulder injury that Eric Bostrom had all of last year or the year before that. I raced the rest of the season with it. It didn’t feel good, that’s for damn sure. I tore the labrum in the front of your shoulder that holds your shoulder in the socket there,” Hacking told Roadracingworld.com Friday at Daytona. “The next day after Virginia I saw Dr. (Arthur) Ting. Sure enough we had to fix the labrum. It was torn and lying down here on my bicep. He had to go in there and fix it all up. “Everything was going OK. I was starting to rehab on my shoulder. Every time I started training on that shoulder, my collarbone would start hurting real bad. That thing never really got any good bone calcification, so it was like a rubberband. I kept sending (Dr. Ting) X-rays of it, and the little black gaps kept getting more pronounced. So we went out there, put the plate back in, did some re-adjusting of the plate, put it in a different position so it didn’t bother me as bad. A month ago I was just able to concentrate on training and getting my shoulder back up to strength. “This has been the longest injury recovery I ever had. I think if we had sat out the rest of last year we would’ve been healed up (by now), but that’s (not) what I chose to do. I’m paying for it a little bit now, because these guys have got a little bit of test time on me, but thank God we’re here to get some valuable track time.” Asked what his impression of the new Daytona infield road course was after his first few laps on the track Friday, March 4, Hacking thought for a minute before saying, “I read what they had to say, but I couldn’t judge it until I got here. I saw it and judged it in the motorhome yesterday without even riding on it. Putting whatever laps I just did now on it, it’s definitely a different racetrack. Good? I don’t know if I can say that. Definitely as far as not running that banking over there and getting the tire temperatures down, they accomplished that. But I think as far as safety-wise goes, I can’t agree with it.”

Pegram Happy With Initial Outing On New Honda Superbike, New Hip

“It’s pretty fast,” said AMA veteran Larry Pegram when asked what he thought of his new Hotbodies Racing Honda CBR1000RR Superbike during CCS practice March 4 at Daytona International Speedway. Word around the Daytona paddock is that Pegram’s Honda, which is equipped with a full HRC-kitted, Mike Velasco-built engine, produces 200 horsepower. When asked if that was true, Pegram gave a confirming smile and said, “I heard that, but I don’t know if it’s true. It makes a lot more power than my bike did last year, that’s all I know.” Unlike his 2004 program, which came together a month before the season started, Pegram started talking to Honda late last year, about the same time that Hotbodies Racing owner Roger Davies also started conversations with American Honda. Once Pegram and Davies realized they were working toward the same goal, they merged their efforts and the Michelin-sponsored Hotbodies Racing TriangleCycles.com Honda team was born. Not only is Pegram happy with his new program, he is also happy with the results of a cutting-edge hip resurfacing procedure he had done during the off-season to repair range-of-motion-limiting damage he suffered to his left hip in a crash many years ago. “It’s top secret. It’s an HRC kit hip,” joked Pegram. “They call it hip resurfacing. It’s a new deal that’s still in clinical studies. They only do it on professional athletes and stuff. Basically, they popped it out, ground it down to smooth out the surface, put a titanium cap on the top end of my femur and a titanium insert into my pelvis. So now my hip joint is metal-on-metal. I have a lot more range of motion now, and it’s going to get better with stretching.” In addition to Pegram, the Hotbodies Racing TriangleCycles.com Honda team will also field Jeremy Toye on another HRC-kitted CBR1000RR, though Toye’s bike will be built by Phil Allison and will not have the full HRC engine kit until the round at Barber Motorsports Park in April. “Roger (Davies) mis-dialed the phone and got me instead, then he couldn’t backpedal out of it,” said Toye when asked how the deal with his new team came together. Toye pointed out that he had never ridden a CBR1000RR or on Michelin tires before, but said, “It’s not too shabby for a stock bike.”

Two Unexpected Wins At Daytona For Arclight Suzuki

Arclight Suzuki’s Scott Harwell and Jeff Wood took two unexpected CCS/Formula USA race wins Friday at Daytona International Speedway.

Riding a Dunlop-shod GSX-R750, Harwell was credited with the win in the red-flag-interrupted GTO race. Team M4 EMGO Suzuki’s Geoff May led every lap of both parts of the GTO race on his Pirelli-shod 2005-model GSX-R1000, but he pulled into the pits on the final lap.

“I’m just trying to get my new bike dialed in,” said May. “I just wanted to get out front and get some clean laps because the morning practices are ridiculous.”

Rojo Racing’s Jason Perez, 20, then appeared to finish first on his Dunlop-equipped Yamaha YZF-R1, but in the provisional results distributed to the media late Friday afternoon, Perez was listed as fifth.

Harwell, who was third on the track at the flag, immediately in front of his teammate Wood, was credited with the win on the provisional GTO results.

Later, Harwell and Wood teamed up to win the Team Challenge endurance race (which it originally planned to use as a long test session) on Harwell’s GSX-R750. Wood led most of the race on his GSX-R750 while Harwell ran second on the track. On lap 12 of the scheduled-for-56-laps event, Wood pitted to make changes to his bike, handing the lead to Harwell just before a red flag stopped the race.

After a long clean-up delay and with sunlight fading, the field was gridded for a three-lap sprint to the finish. Harwell resumed his lead from the re-start to the final lap, when he came onto pit lane to hand off to teammate Wood, who got on the bike (fulfilling the rule-mandated rider change under green-flag conditions) and rode the last 1000 feet of the race to take the checkered flag and win on pit lane. Arclight Suzuki was also credited with the GTO class win.

“We didn’t even plan to stay out there,” Harwell told Roadracingworld.com. “We didn’t even think about it until the red flag break when we were leading.”

Second place went to two-time defending Team Challenge Champions Yochum Motorsports’ Shawn Conrad and Kevin Gordon on a Michelin-fitted Suzuki GSX-R750. Unlike Arclight Suzuki, Yochum Motorsports intend to campaign the entire F-USA Team Challenge series.

Third overall and first in the GTU class was Dan Ortega and James Ptak on the Kingpin Racing Yamaha YZF-R6.

Rightsforbikers.com’s C.J. Czaia, John Linder, Bob Fisher and Ben Matheson were the provisional winners of the GT Lights class on a Suzuki SV650.

Winner of the Solo class (which does not require a rider change during the race but also does not get ranked in the overall results) was 2004 Isle of Man Formula One TT winner John McGuinness, who rode his Aim Racing Kawasaki ZX-10R British Superbike.

McGuinness, a two-time winner of the AMA 250cc Grand Prix race at Daytona, plans to enter the AMA Superbike race March 12 and is using the entire trip to Daytona as preparation for his 2005 British Superbike season.

There were 60 entries among the four classes of the Team Challenge race.

Other provisional Expert sprint race winners Friday were:

Aaron Gobert, who won the red-flag shortened GTU race on his factory Yamaha YZF-R6 Supersport bike over Wood and Harwell; Dan Bilansky, who won the 25-minute GT Lights event on his Hal’s Performance Buell Thunderbike; Jerry Wood, who rode a Ducati Supermono to a Ultra Light Superbike victory; Dave Estok, who rode a Harding Buell to win in CCS Thunderbike; Richard Croly, Jr., who piloted a Hooters Suzuki GSX-R750 to a narrow victory in Formula 40; David White, who rode a Ducati 1000 Supersport to win Lightweight Formula 40; and 16-year-old Ryan Clay, who was the only entry in the Infinity 125cc GP.

Friday’s official race results will not be available until Saturday, March 5.

More, from a press release issued by Daytona International Speedway:

NASCAR Employee Turning Heads As Motorcycle Racer

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., (March 4, 2005) — During the work week, Nicole Hoffman focuses on four-wheel racing machines as part of her job at NASCAR, where she serves as Manager in the Brand and Consumer Marketing department.

But on weekends, the 30-year-old Port Orange resident focuses on two-wheel racing machines when she competes in the Championship Cup Series events, including this weekend’s races at historic Daytona International Speedway.

“I’m the lone office in our department that has motorcycle stuff everywhere,” Hoffman said. “Of course, everyone has NASCAR photos and favorite drivers. I’ve have a couple of those but I’m the bike person in the office. I’ve got huge posters of some of my favorite riders. I think I have converted a few people and definitely generated some interest.”

A few of Hoffman’s NASCAR co-workers will visit her pits during this weekend’s events. Hoffman, who competed in Friday’s Ultra Lightweight Superbike event and is scheduled to compete in Lightweight Supersport on Saturday, also has the interest of NASCAR President Mike Helton and International Speedway Corporation CEO and NASCAR Vice Chairman and Executive Vice President Jim France.

“I get so much support from all my friends at NASCAR, especially from Jim France and Mike Helton,” said Hoffman, who carries both France and Helton’s names on her motorcycles as token of her appreciation. “They’ve been so supportive. Jim and Mike, any advice or help that I need, they’ve been there.”

This year, Hoffman, who races along with her husband Jeff, is making the move to the expert division. She won the national championship in the amateur ranks of the Ultra Lightweight Superbike last year and says she’s ready for the next challenge.

“It was the right time,” said Hoffman, who is entering her third year of racing. “I had no hesitation. I knew that I kind of spent my time in the amateur ranks and felt that I needed to get with faster riders to get me to the next level. I felt like I hit a plateau and my lap times did too. I think I need that extra push from other people in my class to get me faster.”

Hoffman understands there’s going to be a learning curve in the expert division.

“My goal is to get a top 10 finish in my races,” Hoffman said. “There’s lot of great racers out there. It’s going to be tough. This year, my goal is to learn from a lot of the faster racers out there. I do still have a lot to learn on the track. Being an amateur was a great experience but once you move up you’re with faster riders. There’s definitely a lot to learn.”

Another part of the learning process for Hoffman this weekend at “The World Center of Racing” is figuring out the twists and turns of the newly configured 2.95-mile road course.

“I love the new configuration,” Hoffman said. “It’s tricky. It’s technical in the infield which I love. I’m a very technical racer and love tight turns.”

Team Challenge: Arclight Racing’s Scott Harwell and Eric Wood unofficially won the red-flag shortened Formula USA Team Challenge final on their Suzuki. In an ingenious strategy Harwell rode the entire race and pulled in on the checkered flag lap to hand off the bike to teammate Jeff Wood, who rode the bike 1000 feet to take the checkered flag from pit road.

“I checked with the race director and said it was legit,” Harwell said of the team’s unorthodox strategy. “I grew up in NASCAR country, and those teams always come up with some unique strategy.”

Brit John McGuiness, a two-time Daytona 250 Grand Prix winner took second overall riding the Solo Division. Third went to defending Formula USA Team Challenge champs Yochum Motorsports out of Germantown, Wis. Yochum’s Shawn Conrad smiled when told of the way Arclight won the race.

“That was pretty clever,” he admitted. “We’re in the series for the long haul and those guys are only racing Daytona so it really doesn’t hurt us in the big picture.”

Tickets to any of the motorcycle races at Daytona International Speedway are available online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.

Friday’s Results

Expert GT Lights 1. Dan Bilansky, Delafield, Wisc., Buell 2. Robert Fisher, Sarasota, Fla., Suzuki 3. David Yaakov, Rockville, Md., Suzuki

Amateur GT Lights 1. Justin Hunter, Palm Harbor, Fla., Suzuki 2. Darla Martinella, Daytona Beach, Fla., Buell 3. Brad Faas, Odenton, Md., Suzuki

Expert GTO 1. Scott Harwell, Lincolnton, N.C., Suzuki 2. Eric Wood, Mansfield, Mass., Suzuki 3. Jeff Wood, Mansfield, Mass., Suzuki

Amateur GTO 1. Gene Paul, Gilchrist, Columbus, Ohio, Suzuki 2. Charles E. Walsh, Winston-Salem, N.C., Kawasaki 3. Luis Rodriguez Soto, Rio Grande, PR., Suzuki

Akrapovic GTU Amateur 1. Brian McCormick, Co Waterford, Ireland, Yamaha 2. Gustavo Laya, Miami, Fla., Honda 3. Krishna Adrianto Pribadi, Pittsburgh, Pa., Honda

Akrapovic GTU Expert 1. Aaron Gobert, Marietta, Ga., Yamaha 2. Jeff Wood, Mansfield, Mass., Suzuki 3. Scott Harwell, Lincolnton, N.C., Suzuki

Expert Ultra Light Superbike 1. Jerry Wood, Prospect, Mass., Ducati 2. Duane Francis, Pompano Beach, Fla., Triumph 3. Nicole Hoffman, Port Orange, Fla., Aprila

Infinity 125 GP 1. Ryan Clay, Lula, Ga., Aprila

Amateur Ultra Light Superbike 1. Craig Townsend, Wendell, Mass.,Ducati 2. Daniel Denison, San Jose, Calif., Honda 3. Anthony Martorelli, Orlando, Fla., Kawasaki

Kawasaki, Attack Kawasaki Riders To Sign Autographs At Daytona Dealership March 11

Kawasaki’s Tommy and Roger Lee Hayden and Attack Kawasaki’s Josh Hayes and Ben Attard are scheduled to sign autograhs at Bankston’s Kawasaki KTM of Daytona Beach Friday, March 11 from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. Bankston’s Kawasaki KTM is located at 3566 West International Speedway Blvd., approximately four miles west of Daytona International Speedway. For more information, call (386) 238-1091

Joe Rocket To Outfit Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki Riders

The 2005 AMA Superbike race season launches this week at Daytona International Speedway where Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki will showcase a newly expanded championship effort. Always at the forefront of Superbike racing’s evolution, Randy Robison, president of Joe Rocket Sportsgear, is pleased to announce a sponsorship agreement with the Michael Jordan Motorsports Team “Joe Rocket and Michael Jordan Suzuki will work together toward the development of products that help these talented racers perform at their desired level of excellence,” said Mr. Robison. Joe Rocket will provide Jordan Suzuki racers with custom Speedmaster race suits, gloves, and boots throughout the 2005 season, and beyond. Jason Pridmore, the 1997 AMA Supersport Champion, 2002 AMA Formula Xtreme Champion, and the 2003 F.I.M. World Endurance Champion, will team up with Steve Rapp and Montez Stewart to compete in the AMA Superbike and Superstock series. “As America’s premier sport bike brand, Joe Rocket clearly reflects the essence of Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki. Together we will set a new standard within the AMA paddock,” said Kenny Abbott, General Team Manager of Jordan Suzuki. “By preparing championship caliber gear for our racers, Joe Rocket will help to streamline our efforts as we aim for the Winners’ Circle.” Joe Rocket and Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki will be racing March 10 and March 12, 2005 at the Daytona International Speedway. The all new Joe Rocket hospitality truck will be on hand, providing fans of the Rocket Nation a place to associate, relax, and grab refreshments. “The synergy between Joe Rocket and Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki creates a unique situation that will extend beyond the racetrack; bringing further awareness of the best selling apparel brand in America, to motorcyclists throughout the nation and the world,” said Bruce Parker, Marketing Director for Joe Rocket. “I expect it to be a tremendous success and a whole lot of fun too!”

AMA Pro Racing Previews Daytona

GOBERT OPTIMISTIC GOING INTO REPSOL LUBRICANTS SUPERSTOCK OPENER

Pridmore could become race’s first three-time winner

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (March 4, 2005) — Aaron Gobert prepares to defend his Repsol Lubricants Superstock Championship when the 2005 series opens at Daytona International Speedway’s newly designed motorcycle course on Thursday, March 10. Gobert will be riding the No. 1 Graves Yamaha R1 and he hopes to become the first Superstock rider to win the race back-to-back since Britt Turkington accomplished the endeavor in 1993-94 when the class was known as AMA 750 Supersport.

“Having won the race last year gives me a lot confidence,” said Aaron, the middle of the three racing Gobert brothers from Australia. “At the same time the track is completely new and the competition is very tough.”

Gobert suffered what doctors at the time thought could be career-ending injuries at Daytona in 2002. But the gritty Aussie showed amazing recovery powers and actually came back and raced later that season. Many of the doctors that treated Gobert three years ago continue to follow his career.

Gobert called his win at Daytona the biggest of his racing career. He feels the new road course should make for unpredictable racing. “I don’t really know exactly how it’s going to affect the race,” he says. “It’s going to create a different nature of race with the infield being more like a sprint course. It’s going to be an interesting week that’s for sure.”

Yamaha fields the deepest team in Superstock racing with the Graves Motorsports Yamaha riders of Gobert, Jamie Hacking, Jason DiSalvo and Damon Buckmaster. The Yamaha pilots took four of the top six spots at Daytona last year. The top six finishers in last year’s race were separated by just eight-tenths of a second.

Kawasaki is another full-fledged factory team in the series. Brothers Tommy and Roger Lee Hayden spearhead Team Green’s effort. Gobert and Hacking nipped Tommy Hayden at the Daytona Tri-Oval finish line last year. He crossed the stripe just a fraction of a second behind the leader in what proved to be the closest racing in all of Bike Week last year. 

Yoshimura Suzuki brings heavy hitter Aaron Yates to the match. Yates is a former Superstock (750 Supersport) champ and won the Daytona race in 1996. 

Backing up Yates on the factory Suzuki team is the factory-backed squad of Jordan Motorsports Suzuki. Leading the way for Michael Jordan’s team at Daytona is Jason Pridmore. The Californian racing veteran could become the first three-time winner of the race.

“After the season I had last year I was ready to hang up my helmet and go golfing,” said Pridmore, son of three-time AMA Superbike Champion Reg Pridmore. “When this opportunity came along with Michael’s [Jordan] team it got me excited about racing again. We’ve assembled a great team and I’m looking forward to kicking things off at Daytona.”

Pridmore’s teammates are Steve Rapp, a fellow veteran, and Montez Stewart, the lone returning member from Jordan’s team last season.

The former Valvoline Suzuki team will sport the colors of a new primary sponsor this season in M4 Performance Exhaust. Vincent Haskovec rides for Team M4 EMGO Suzuki. A native of the Czech Republic, Haskovec led the Superstock points race much of the 2003 season. He’s hoping to find the combination to run up front again this year. He’ll team with newly signed former AMA Superbike Rookie of the Year Geoff May. May was the top privateer in AMA Superbike last year and getting a seat on a championship-winning team is the opportunity he’s been waiting for.

Eric Wood and Jimmy Moore make up the riders for Hooters Suzuki this year. Moore is a two-time AMA Superstock champ and could match Scott Russell and Tom Kipp’s record of three AMA Superstock/750 Supersport titles. Lee Acree (KWS/Millennium Suzuki) and Chris Ulrich (Roadracingworld.com Suzuki), both past AMA Superstock race winners, will further bolster a remarkable field of riders slated to race in the Daytona opener.

Road racing fans can catch the action on SPEED Channel on Thursday, March 10, beginning at 3 p.m. EST for three straight hours of live programming. Coverage starts with the final portions of Daytona 200 qualifying before switching into race mode with the Repsol Lubricants Superstock final at 3:45 EST, Thursday, March 10.

For additional information on this year’s March Classic races contact Daytona International Speedway at (386) 253-7223 or visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com.

More, from another press release issued by AMA Pro Racing:

MLADIN GOING FOR SIXTH AMA SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP

New teams and riders add intrigue to Daytona Superbike field

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (March 3, 2005) — For the first 27 years of AMA Superbike racing no rider could crack the three-championship barrier. As the 2005 AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited takes the green flag on Saturday, March 12, at Daytona International Speedway, Aussie racing sensation Mat Mladin embarks on his quest to win an unprecedented sixth title.

Mladin, the defending champ and Daytona Superbike winner who turns 33 on Thursday of Bike Week, is the pre-season favorite on his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000. This year Mladin will face a deep Superbike field. Eighteen factory or factory-backed riders are slated to compete at Daytona, in addition to a number of very good privateer entries.

Mladin turned in another record-setting season in 2004. He tallied eight victories in the 18-race championship and finished the season tied with Miguel Duhamel atop the all-time AMA Superbike wins list with 32-career victories. He hopes to carry that momentum into the 2005 season. He was the fastest rider in the first two days of pre-season Daytona tire testing before suffering a crash and breaking his left ankle. In spite of the accident Mladin was positive about his off-season.

“Aside from this incident, the opening two days of the test were very promising for us,” said the three-time Daytona Superbike winner. “The new Suzuki GSX-R1000 was very good and was quick through the speed trap there, so it’s all shaping up very nicely in that regard at present. We were quickest at the end of each day, which is always good. As with any of these tests where you are preparing a new bike there are lots of things to work through and so far so good.”

Mladin will come to Daytona this year not only as a rider, but a team owner as well. Mladin Motorsports is backing fellow Australian Marty Craggill, a former Australian Superbike champ, and the team will debut at Daytona.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to race in the United States for the 2005 season”, said Craggill. “To be associated with Mat Mladin Motorsports for the up coming season has really given me a boost, and I’m excited to be racing the new for 2005, Suzuki GSX-R1000.”

Neil Hodgson, a former World Superbike Champion from Great Britain, is coming to America to contest the AMA series on the Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin squad as teammate to Eric Bostrom. Hodgson is the highest profile rider in years to move from the world championships to AMA Superbike racing. The colorful Brit is hoping to give Ducati its first Daytona Superbike win in 28 years. Cook Neilson, Cycle Magazine editor at the time, rode a Ducati to victory in the 1977 race.

“I would like to make history and be the first rider ever to have won the British and World Superbike Championships and the AMA Championship,” Hodgson said. “Being back on the Ducati 999 is going to be so natural for me.” Hodgson rode a Ducati 999 to victory in World Superbike in 2003.

Another rider people have been waiting for several years to see full time in AMA Superbike is 20-year-old Texan Ben Spies. The former AMA Horizon winner and 2003 Formula Xtreme champ is expected to be a serious contender in his first Superbike season on the Yoshimura Suzuki. Spies will team with Mladin and Aaron Yates forming what many consider to be the strongest team in the series.

If having Hodgson and Spies as new additions weren’t enough, the late arrival of Kurtis Roberts to the Erion Racing Honda team brings another true title contender to the game. Roberts closed out the 2003 AMA Superbike Championship with two wins in the final three rounds before a disappointing season racing for his father’s MotoGP team last year. The three-time AMA road racing champ is enthused about racing the Honda CBR1000RR. He twice won the Formula Xtreme title on the Honda CBR900RR.

Miguel Duhamel and Jake Zemke are back on the factory Hondas. Duhamel, who would like to pull ahead of Mladin as the all-time AMA Superbike wins leader, is always a threat to win at Daytona and Zemke is anxious to score his first win at the Speedway.

Kawasaki will be represented by Josh Hayes on the Attack Kawasaki. Hayes scored a slew of strong finishes on the team’s ZX-10R in 2004. He’s confident that with a season of development under its belt the team will be even stronger in ’05.

Basketball legend Michael Jordan has assembled perhaps the strongest factory-support team in the history of the series. His Jordan Motorsports Suzuki squad will be three riders strong at Daytona headed by Jason Pridmore. Pridmore, 35, is a former AMA 750 Supersport Champion and Formula Xtreme Champion as well as 2003 FIM World Endurance Champion. He will try to follow in his father Reg Pridmore’s footsteps to become the first father/son combination to earn the AMA Superbike Championship. Steve Rapp and Montez Stewart will compete on Jordan Suzukis alongside Pridmore.

There are a number of solid factory-backed teams entered for Daytona. Larry Pegram, a former AMA Superbike race winner, has his strongest ride in years with the Team Hotbodies Racing Honda. 

Two-time AMA Superstock champ Jimmy Moore will team with Eric Wood on the Hooters Suzuki. Two-time Superstock race winner Chris Ulrich is riding with backing from Suzuki as well on the Roadracingworld.com entry. Former AMA Horizon Award winner Tony Meiring is racing the Daytona Superbike event with Corona Suzuki and 2004 AMA Superbike Rookie of the Year Cory West kicks off his sophomore season on the Team Hotbodies Suzuki. 

Daytona 200 mileage leader Rick Shaw is entered in the Daytona Superbike event, as is former AMA Supersport great Mike Smith. 

The race will be nationally televised live on SPEED Channel starting at 11 am EST, Saturday, March 12. 

For additional information on this year’s Bike Week races contact Daytona International Speedway at (386) 253-7223 or visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com.

From another press release issued by AMA Pro Racing :

HAYDEN LOOKING TO FOLLOW UP CHAMPIONSHIP WITH DAYTONA WIN

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (March 4, 2005) — Last year Tommy Hayden attained one of the goals he set out to accomplish when he began his professional career, and that was to win a national title. On Thursday, March 10, Hayden will try to cross off another long-time goal by adding a Daytona Supersport trophy to his collection. Hayden kicks off his title defense at Daytona International Speedway in round one of the Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship presented by Shoei.

Ever since AMA Supersport began at Daytona in 1987, it has usually been the most competitive race of Bike Week. The list of past winners reads like a who’s who of racing and includes two world champions. Hayden knows a good result at Daytona can give the kind of start to a season that’s needed to win the championship.

“I never really had much luck in the Daytona Supersport race,” said Tommy, the oldest of the three racing Hayden brothers from Owensboro, Ky. “Last year I finally got a podium there and I went on to win the championship, so it’s important to get the season started strong with a good result at Daytona.”

The race will run for the first time on the new 2.95-mile road course. Hayden likes the new configuration.

“The new track is a lot more technical than the old course,” he said. “I think it’s going to reward the better riders. With the old track you could lose quite a bit in the infield section and still make it up with all the drafting on the banking. Now you’re going to have to be fit and ready to work really hard in the infield section to do good there.”

Hayden hopes to become the third Kawasaki rider to win the Daytona Supersport final. Miguel Duhamel won the race on a Kawasaki in 1993 and Doug Chandler accomplished the feat for the team in 1998.

 “It would mean a lot to me to win the Supersport race at Daytona,” Hayden continued. “It’s one of those races that’s really important to the manufacturers and if you win it shows that you’ve done the work you needed to do in the off season. But the biggest thing is it puts you in a great position in the championship.”

Hayden sees his biggest competition coming from his brother and Kawasaki teammate Roger Lee Hayden. The youngest Hayden brother finished 2004 with three wins in the final four rounds and was runner up to Tommy in the final standings. Roger Lee was injured in a bicycle training crash last month, but is expected to be fit and ready to race by Daytona.

Yamaha returns with the same four riders, Damon Buckmaster, Jason DiSalvo, Aaron Gobert and Jamie Hacking, who raced for the team in Supersport last year. DiSalvo, 21, of Stafford, N.Y., is the defending Daytona Supersport winner. He gave Yamaha its first Daytona Supersport victory in 14 years and was the fastest of the Yamaha riders in pre-season testing at the Speedway.

Yoshimura Suzuki fields Texan Ben Spies. Spies was the only Suzuki rider to score a victory in Supersport last year. 

A strong field of privateer teams hopes to challenge the factory riders at Daytona. Chief among them is Florida’s own Michael Barnes on a Prieto Racing entry. The racing veteran is a former Daytona Supersport winner and was extremely quick in pre-season testing at Daytona. 

Former AMA Superbike Rookie of the Year Geoff May will make his debut on the Team M4 EMGO Suzuki GSX-R600 at Daytona. Aussie Ben Attard is expected to be a front-runner on the Attack Kawasaki. Team Hotbodies Racing’s Taylor Knapp turned a lot of heads at the Daytona tire tests and the young Michigan rider could be ready for a breakthrough season.

The Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship presented by Shoei is set for national live television coverage on SPEED Channel at 4:45 EST, Thursday, March 10.

For ticket information contact Daytona International Speedway at (386) 253-7223 or order online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com.

More, from a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing:

CARR TAKES ANOTHER STAB AT BECOMING FIRST FOUR-TIME DAYTONA SHORT TRACK WINNER

2005 AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship begins at Municipal Stadium

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (March 4, 2005) — The AMA Grand National Series kicks off 2005 with a new sponsor in Ford. While the series will run under a new banner Chris Carr is the one constant as he begins his mission to become a seven-time AMA Grand National Champion and first four-time winner at Daytona Beach, Florida’s Municipal Stadium on Thursday evening, March 10. 

Round one of the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship gets its traditional start on the white crushed limestone surface of the Municipal Stadium Short Track. The riders will give the fans a preview of the Grand National with the Hot Shoe event on Wednesday night. The attention then turns to the national on Thursday and the one thing you can nearly always count on at Daytona is the unexpected.

Last year JR Schnabel broke through to win his first Daytona Short Track on a Yamaha. Schnabel will be one of the favorites this year, but many look to defending and six-time AMA Grand National Champion Chris Carr as the rider to beat.

Carr, the all-time wins leader among active riders from Fleetwood, Pa., will bring his fleet of No. 1 plate Quality Checked Certified Pre-owned Ford Racing machines to Daytona in hopes of becoming the first four-time winner of the prestigious kick-off race.

“We’ve been working hard this year as we do every year to get ready for Daytona,” Carr said minutes after getting off a practice track in South Carolina. “The team has been dialing in our KTMs to my preferences in hopes of racing those at Municipal Stadium. If they don’t work out we have the Rotax bikes to fall back on. Nothing’s really changed at Daytona. You’ve got to be ready to go as soon as practice starts and carry that on to qualifying. If you do well in qualifying it makes the rest of the evening a lot easier.”

Another rider to watch for at Daytona is Johnny Murphree on the Coziahr Harley-Davidson sponsored No. 20. The Paso Robles, Calif., native has scored podium finishes in each of the last two Grand Nationals at Municipal Stadium. “When it comes down to it, we need to beat Chris at our big races,” said Murphree of trying to wrestle away the No. 1 plate from the champ. “Daytona, Springfield – the TT, the Short Track and of course the Mile and we need to beat him in Peoria. Those are the key races.”

Joe Kopp has shown speed at Daytona, finishing runner-up twice in the last five years. He’ll ride the Latus Harley-Davidson/Jones Powersports No. 3 entry and try to break through to win his first at Daytona.

Kenny Coolbeth finished a career-matching best third in last year’s title standings. Coolbeth rides the Mid-American Harley-Davidson/Jones Powersports No. 31 and he too feels championship hopes begin and end with Carr. “He is the one to watch at every race. He doesn’t appear to have weakness in his program.”

Daytona will mark the final race for 46-year-old veteran and fan favorite Terry Poovey, of Euless, Texas. A two-time Daytona winner, Poovey is hoping to go out on a winning note riding his Pro Honda Oils-sponsored Hondas.

On Saturday, March 12, viewers will get to see taped coverage of the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship opener on SPEED Channel.

For additional information on this year’s Bike Week races contact Daytona International Speedway at (386) 253-7223 or visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com.

About AMA Pro Racing

AMA Pro Racing is the leading sanctioning body for motorcycle sport in the United States. Its properties include the THQ AMA Supercross Series, the AMA Motocross Championship, the AMA Superbike Championship, the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship and the AMA Supermoto Championship. For more information about AMA Pro Racing, visit www.amaproracing.com.

National City Motorcycle To Field AMA Race Team

National City Motorcycle, Inc. “NCM”, is proud to announce its 2005 AMA race team of Tim Knutson and Joe Pollard. Tim will be competing in the AMA Formula Extreme series on Bridgestone tires while Joey will be contesting the AMA Supersport series starting the season on Michelins. Joey will also continue to race the CCS series

Both riders will be racing 2003 Yamaha YZFR6’s prepared by National City Motorcycle. While Joey’s bike remains nearly stock, Tim’s engine has been built by Rob Brown, long time engine builder for several top amateur racers like Rich Munn who did battle with the likes of Chuck Graves at Willow Springs back in the 1990’s. Rob is also the Service Manager at NCM.

This is Tim Knutson’s third year in the AMA although this is the first year he will be contesting the entire series. Tim looks towards this season and the Daytona 200 opening round with much enthusiasm and high expectations. Tim is returning from a near career ending injury he sustained at Willow Springs Toyota 200 in 2002 where he high sided in turn two during practice. The injuries he sustained left him in a wheel chair for months and he was not able to walk unassisted until the Spring of 2003 at which time he returned to racing. Tim is now back in the best shape of his life having lost nearly 50 pounds. His intense workout regimen is paying off with big dividends. In a recent test at California Speedway, Tim was 2 seconds a lap quicker than his qualifying time for last year’s Fontana round. Those times were attained with worn tires and last year’s Supersport engine in his R6.

Tim was the 2002 Aprilia Heavyweight National Champion, 2002 WSMC 550 Superbike Champion, CCS Middleweight Sportsman Pacific Region Class Champion, and 2001 WSMC Rookie of the Year.

The 2005 season will be Joe Pollard’s rookie year in the AMA. Joey has quickly moved up the amateur ranks having completed an unbelievable season in CCS Southwest and Pacific regions in 2004. In the Pacific Region, Joey won the Akrapovic Amateur GTU and Amateur Middleweight Supersport classes. He finished second in the Amateur Middleweight Superbike and Middleweight classes. Joey was just as successful in the Southwest Region, winning the Akrapovic GTU Amateur class and finishing second in the Amateur Speedscreen Unlimited GP and Middleweight GP. He also took third overall in the Amateur Middleweight Superbike and Supersport classes.

NCM also has a strong amateur racer support program in San Diego. Among its top racers are CCS, WERA and WSMC racer Brian Short competing on a Yamaha YZFR6 and Honda CRF450; STARRS Supermoto rider Chris Borgman racing Chad Reed’s former Yamaha YZ450F supermoto bike; NHRA drag racer Wayne Fletcher campaigning a 2004 GSXR1000, and 600cc Minisprint driver Tom Gerow.

“NCM” is hosting a Daytona 200 Party on Saturday March 12th to support its AMA Formula Extreme racer Tim Knutson. Hooters Girls will be catering the event, and  will also be on hand for photo opportunities.

So come out and cheer on San Diego’s own Tim Knutson as he does battle on his NCM sponsored Yamaha YZFR6 at the legendary Daytona 200 in the 2005 AMA Superbike series season opener.  The race will be televised live on NCM’s new 65″ Mitsubishi television.  While you’re there, enjoy free hot wings and other great food, plus get your picture taken with the Hooters Girls.

The first 25 guests to arrive will receive free Daytona t-shirts. NCM will also be giving away other great prizes. 

The event will be held on Saturday March 12th.  Store hours on Saturdays are from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, and the Hooters Girls will be at there starting at 11:00 am.  The Daytona 200 starts at 11:00 am.

Since 1981, National City Motorcycle, Inc. has been one of San Diego’s premier independent motorcycle dealerships. With Japanese and Harley Davidson MMI certified mechanics on staff, NCM specializes in servicing Japanese, American, and European motorcycles. NCM also stocks one of the largest selections of motorcycle accessories, and women’s and men’s apparel in San Diego County. For more information regarding National City Motorcycle race team and racer support program, please contact John Wenger, Esquire at (619) 474-2025, [email protected], 1504 National City Boulevard, National City, California 91950.

SuperFlow Merges With Hicklin Engineering

AUTOMOTIVE TESTING TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES MERGE

SuperFlow Corporation and Hicklin Engineering, L.C. “” two major forces in the development and marketing of vehicle testing equipment “” have announced plans to combine operations “to broaden their service and engineering capabilities and accelerate new product launches and technologies” in this rapidly expanding industry.

SUPERFLOW TECHNOLOGIES GROUP will be the name of the recently merged and newly re-branded organization. Corporate headquarters will be in Des Moines IA. Manufacturing, sales and testing operations will continue at both the Colorado Springs and Des Moines facilities.

“We see a lot of potential and synergies in this newly combined entity,” says SuperFlow President Scott Giles. “Through SUPERFLOW TECHNOLOGIES GROUP, we now offer the most complete selection of dynamometers and test equipment for the drive train “” from the engine, torque converter and transmission to the axles, drive shaft, brakes or the entire vehicle.

“We now have the ability to provide customers common software solutions across all dynamometer platforms. SUPERFLOW TECHNOLOGIES GROUP is the only one able to offer this scope of test and service equipment for the total vehicle … covering everything from high performance cycles and dragsters to giant off-road vehicles.

“As we combine the strengths and resources of these two respected organizations, it’s clear customers will benefit significantly from the knowledge, expertise and resources this combination creates,” Giles added.

Giles will serve as President, with John Smidt as Chairman of the Board and Chief Financial Officer. Neal Williams (founder of SuperFlow Corporation) will continue to lead new product engineering and current product enhancements. Steve Matthiesen will direct SuperFlow product sales from the Colorado Springs facility. Des Moines sales and marketing will be directed by Marc Pavelick.

SuperFlow, founded in the 1970’s, is the industry leader in high performance flow bench technology, producing and marketing a wide range of engine and chassis dynamometers worldwide. SuperFlow customers include many of the top names in motorsports including Richard Childress Motorsports, Dale Earnhardt, Inc., Hendrick Motorsports, and many others.

Hicklin, a 35-year old company, is the worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of dyna-mometers for the automotive, truck and military repair markets. Hicklin also markets dynamometers and drive shaft service equipment under the AXILINE brand, as well as torque converter rebuilding systems under the TCRS brand. Axiline, TCRS and Hicklin product names will continue to be maintained and marketed through SuperFlow in Des Moines.

Giles estimates total employment for the two facilities to be approximately 110. For more information on SuperFlow or Hicklin products, visit www.superflow.com.

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