From a press release issued by Norton Motorsports, Inc.:

Bill Langley Joins Norton Motorsports, Inc. as CFO

Gladstone, OR – the site of the new Norton Motorsports, Inc.

Norton Motorsports, Inc. is proud to announce the addition of Bill Langley to its executive team to fill the role of Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Langley brings over 25 years of experience with extensive experience in emerging company finance and operations. He built FEI Company (Nasdaq: FEIC) from $9 million to $180 million in revenue, has taken two companies public, has developed private financing for several others and has both domestic and international operations experience. He joins Norton effective immediately as the company moves toward introduction of the first new Norton Commando in over 25 years.

As a lifetime motorcycle enthusiast, Mr. Langley brings genuine passion for the brand and a veteran’s knowledge of capital raising and the operations of the company. “Having a person of Bill’s caliber is a tremendous addition to our company,” stated company founder and President Kenny Dreer. “Our exceptional team of design, engineering, production, marketing and sales professionals will benefit tremendously from Bill’s leadership.”

“I am extremely pleased to be joining with Kenny and the team at Norton Motorsports”, said Mr. Langley. “We can develop this fantastic brand and beautiful motorcycle into a strong global player in the $9 billion world-wide market for heavyweight motorcycles. With the foundation that Kenny and the others have laid, we are going to do it”.

Norton Motorsports, Inc. is the sole owner of the world-wide trademark rights to Norton and is reintroducing the brand through the launch and continued production of the new Commando 952. The company plans to build over 500 motorcycles in 2005 and grow its production to over 13,000 motorcycles in four years. The Norton motorcycle brand originated in England in 1898 and built its legacy on performance and racing success at the Isle of Man TT.

From a press release issued by Pro Italia:

Glendale, CA – Pro Italia Los Angeles, one of the nation’s top dealers of exotic Italian motorcycles, is pleased to announce the addition of MV Agusta to the line of motorcycles that we sell and service.

Along with the motorcycles themselves, Pro Italia will feature MV Agusta’s fine range of performance and customization parts, branded clothing and enthusiast gear in our Glendale store and via our online shop at http://www.proitalia.com

Pro Italia will also be featuring a MV Agusta Brutale S as part of our “Naked Demo Fleet”. Call (818) 249-5707 to make an appointment for a demo ride of this stunning motorcycle.

Producing bikes in their Schiranna factory, the storied name of MV Agusta has a tradition of greatness and desirability that is well represented in its current products and growing presence in the USA. MV Agusta’s exclusive and stunning line of motorcycles, featuring the Brutale S and Oro “naked” bikes as well as the F4 line of superbikes, demonstrates a dedication to design innovation and sheer excitement that compliments the other top Italian manufacturers represented in our showroom.

We feel Italian motorcycles are the most stirring and exciting made today and the MV Agusta brand only confirms this. Pro Italia looks forward to being your source for bikes, parts and service for this classic marque.

Pro Italia
3319 N Verdugo Road
Glendale, CA 91208
818 249-5707
FAX 818 249-3402
[email protected]
http://proitalia.com/

From a press release issued by FGSport Group, organizers of the World Endurance Championship:

Yamaha Austria rider Thomas Hinterreiter has won the 2004 BMW Motorrad Boxer Cup with one race still to be won. His sixth place finish in this weekend’s Czech round of the Boxer Cup leaves only a mathematical chance of closest rival Roberto Panichi equalling him, in which case Hinterreiter would win on the number of second places he has scored. The Austrian has finished on the podium six times in seven races and won twice.

After joking that he would like his BMW M3 prize in black, Hinterreiter continued: “I’m so very very happy. I was a little nervous at the start and kept telling myself not to push too hard even though I knew I could go faster. Once I crossed the line in sixth and then was told that I have enough of a lead going into the final race and am therefore the champion this season, I’m just so happy for everyone in the team. We’ve all worked so very hard for this and that has been shown by six podiums from the first six races, so now we can celebrate this over the end of the summer.”

As usual, the World Endurance Championship was well represented amongst the field, with Stephane Mertens and Gwen Giabbani putting up a good showing in the race. Roberto Panichi finished the race in first place, Brian Parriott was second and Stephane Mertens third. Gwen Giabbani was fifth, Thomas Hinterreiter sixth and Michael Bursa was twelfth.


More, from a reader:

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

To correct the press release from FGS, American Brian Parriott is second in the points standings behind Mr. Hinterreiter with 107 points (to 132).

Brian Parriott, sponsored by San Jose BMW, won the Daytona race, was 2nd at Brno, and 3rd at Le Mans.

Chris Hodgson, President
San Jose BMW
1886 W. San Carlos Street
San Jose, CA 95128
408-295-0205 ext. 14
[email protected]
www.sjbmw.com


BMW Boxer Cup Point Standings:

1. Hinterreiter, 132 points
2. Parriott, 107 points
3. Roberto Panichi, 103 points
4. Markus Barth, 99 points
5. TIE, Stephane Mertens/Sebastien Legrelle, 81 points
7. Jose Luis Nion, 41 points
8. Richard Cooper, 40 points
9. TIE, Gwen Giabbani/Guillaume Dietrich, 37 points

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Texas Mini-GP racer Mark Novak and wife Jennifer had a son, Hayden Christopher Novak, August 24 in Houston, Texas.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

AMA Formula Xtreme racebikes entered in the 2005 edition of the Daytona 200 by Arai will not be allowed extensive equipment to allow quicker wheel changes during pit stops, according to a series official.

“We’re not going to do anything with quick-change. There will not be any quick-change equipment,” AMA Pro Racing Superbike Series Manager Ron Barrick told Roadracingworld.com Wednesday. “I don’t know how those rules will read yet. We haven’t had a chance to sit down with everyone and draft that yet. It’s not going to be like the old days where teams spent a lot of money on one-use equipment.”

When asked if teams will be able to use larger-than-stock fuel tanks, like the 24-liter (6.3-gallon) tanks Daytona 200 Superbikes have been allowed to use, Barrick said, “I supposed anything is possible. We would prefer that they remain stock size.”

Barrick pointed out that most of the current 600cc machines have 17-18-liter (4.5 -4.7-gallon) fuel tanks, which is true.

The 2004-model Yamaha YZF-R6 and Suzuki GSX-R600 both have 17-liter tanks, while the Kawasaki ZX-6RR, Honda CBR600RR and even the Ducati 749R have 18-liter fuel capacities.

However, the Buell XB9R/XB12R, which is raced regularly in the 2004 AMA Formula Xtreme series, only carries 13.2 liters (3.8 gallons) of fuel in its frame/fuel tank.

Competitors in the 2003 Formula USA Sportbike races at Daytona and Road America barely made the 100-kilometer (62-mile) race distance with the stock fuel load, and the Buell teams had to fit auxiliary fuel tanks in the tail sections of their bikes to safely make that distance.

Fuel economy on the revised, 3.0-mile infield road course at Daytona will most likely be better than on the 3.56-mile course, but if stock fuel tanks are mandated, the Buell teams will have a definite disadvantage in terms of range between pit stops in the 200-mile race.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Financing is in place, engineers are drawing up plans for track improvements, construction has been scheduled and all the blanks are being filled in, in preparation for the MotoGP World Championship event coming to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California.

That’s the word from Gill Campbell, General Manager of the facility, who told Roadracingworld.com Wednesday, “(Construction) will start as soon as our racing season is over, hopefully, after the American Le Mans (car) race in October. The first thing that will happen is the Turn Nine bridge will get moved. We’re having engineering (plans) drawn up even as we speak, then we have to go through the permit process.”

Campbell said local government officials are excited to have MotoGP coming to the Monterey Peninsula, so she does not anticipate any major hurdles or delays in the permitting process.

And all of the financing is in place to pay for the track improvements and the event sanctioning fee to Dorna thanks to a yet-to-be-announced sponsor.

“I can’t tell you who that’s going to be right now, but hopefully within the next couple of weeks I’ll be able to announce that,” said Campbell, who pointed out that Dorna sold the title sponsorship of the event to Red Bull and that Red Bull is not paying for the improvements to the track, as has been incorrectly reported elsewhere.

Further improvements for spectators – such as terraced seating cut into the hillside surrounding turn two, a new pedestrian bridge at the start/finish line, permanent bathrooms and more – will be funded through the “Steps to the Corkscrew” fundraiser, which is selling personalized bricks in a pathway leading from Turn 10 to a balcony overlooking the Corkscrew to fans.

Although the MotoGP paddock is very restricted at normal venues, Campbell said a limited number of paddock access passes will be sold, “similar to what we were able to do with World Superbike. (Dorna) absolutely understands that America is very different and for this event to grow and continue in the U.S. there are some things that will have to be different for this venue.”

And what support races will MotoGP share the paddock and racetrack with? Campbell said she hopes that will be determined within the next 30 days. As happened with World Superbike at Laguna Seca, AMA Superbike could provide the support program. Contacted Wednesday and asked about that possibility, AMA Pro Racing Superbike Series Manager Ron Barrick said, “I personally don’t know of any obstacles that would prevent that from happening.”

As far as ticket sales for the MotoGP event, which is still over 10 months away, “Oh my God! Our phones have been ringing off the hook. It’s insane. It’s a great insane,” said Campbell.

During the ever-growing World Superbike events of recent years at Laguna Seca, there had been rumors that the track was near its fire-code-mandated fan capacity, but Campbell said there is only a guideline of 50,000 people in the park per day. “But there’s nothing that holds us to it…if we were to get 50,000 people in the park per day it would be incredible,” said Campbell.

The Red Bull U. S. Grand Prix at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is scheduled for July 8-10, 2005 and hotel rooms are already going fast.

From a press release issued by Joe Rocket:

PICOTTE ROCKETS TO TWO CHAMPIONSHIPS!!

Pascal Picotte has once again ascended to greatness at Mont Tremblant Raceway as he secured both the Canadian Superbike Championship and the Hindle Exhaust 600 Sportbike Championship just this past weekend. 2004 marks the second consecutive season that Picotte, the St. Cecile De Milton, Quebec native has dominated two of Canada’s premier race classes.

“An overwhelming amount of emotion goes along with winning two championships in two days” the elated Pascal said this morning from his hotel room.

Aboard Yamaha R1 and R6 motorcycles prepared by the stellar “Picotte Performance” crew, Pascal endured flu symptoms and a gnarly high-side during Friday practice to realize his goal of wrapping up two Championships. Leading the Joe Rocket podium sweep in the 600 Sportbike event, the Champ was joined by Jordan Szoke and Kawasaki Canada’s Francis Martin in the winner’s Circle. Pascal placed third in the Superbike race as “Honda Canada’s” Jordan Szoke rode to victory. Third place earned Picotte an untouchable 328 points, enough to clinch the #1 plate and proclaim him Canadian Superbike Champion!

“Pascal Picotte is a true legend in Canadian Superbike Racing. His achievements this weekend prove that together, Joe Rocket and Picotte Performance are the best in the business” said Bruce Parker, Marketing Director for Joe Rocket.

Look for the newly crowned Champion and the rest of the Rocket Racing Team as they culminate the Canadian Superbike season, September 3-5 at Shannonville Raceway in Belleville, Ont.