Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Former CCS Southwest (#191) racer and current Air Force Staff Sergeant Leonard Novak, III, married Amanda Foss August 10 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Foss is stationed in Okinawa, Japan.

From a press release issued by Honda Racing Information:

GIBERNAU AND BIAGGI POISED TO REEL IN ROSSI

The pulsating 2004 MotoGP season resumes this weekend at Brno in the Czech Republic with Honda riders Sete Gibernau (Telefonica MoviStar Honda RC211V) and Max Biaggi (Camel Honda RC211V) locked together on 142 points as they chase MotoGP series leader Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) who has 164 points.

With seven races of this 16-race season left to run, there are 175 points up for grabs more than enough to suggest that even beyond the halfway point of this compelling season nothing can be taken for granted.

Even Colin Edwards (Telefonica MoviStar Honda RC211V) who had been having a wretched season up until the British Grand Prix at the end of July is now likely to be a factor in the title run-in. It may be too late for him to nurse title dreams in fourth overall on 95 points, but his results are likely to have a bearing on the final outcome if he can maintain his Donington form and steal points from other riders.

The most consistent riders in the Championship are Biaggi and Edwards. They are the only two to have scored points at every round so far. As a result they lie third and fourth in the points table. Gibernau has failed to finish twice, Rossi once. Further DNFs for any title aspirant will now prove disastrous as Brno and the six races beyond become a reality after the summer break.

Brno lies 200km south-east of Prague and the area is steeped in the rich history of Grand Prix racing. Races were run on an imposing closed roads course before the dedicated circuit was built in 1987. The 5.403km track is a spectacular environment for motorcycle racing and its plunging turns and a power-sapping climb demand a maximum from riders and machines.

The track drops 73m from its highest to its lowest point and this gradient is felt chiefly by way of downhill corner entries that that ask a lot from the front tyre. Some of these tricky entries are compounded by negative camber that further increases demands for dependable front-end grip. And from turn four to turn 11 it’s all downhill.

There are fast chicanes requiring a chassis set up for rapid changes of direction. Precise steering is a must here even though the track is exceptionally wide at 15m without accurate turn-in at the high sustained speeds achieved here not even this super-wide circuit can accommodate wayward exits resulting from inaccurate turn-in.

Another factor is the huge, enthusiastic crowd, The Czechs love their motorcycle racing and tens of thousands flock to Brno where the viewing facilities are excellent. The event won’t quite attract the crowds of 250,000 who used to watch in the 1970s, but Brno, like the best tracks, always has a charged atmosphere.

One of the most successful riders here in recent times is Max Biaggi. The Roman maestro has won here four times (back-to-back) on a 250 between 1994 and 1997, and he has also scored three premier class wins here too in 1998, 2000 and 2002. Of all the riders hoping for a victory here this weekend, perhaps Max is man best qualified to reasonably expect one…

“This season has already proved however that nothing is decided until the end, and it is with this spirit that I will take on the second part of the year. I’m delighted that we kick off again with Brno, because it is a track that I like without a doubt, but I will approach it as I do any other. In the end every track is great when you feel at one with your bike. And every track can be a pitfall when you don’t think it will be. So, it’s good to go to Brno, but the job more importantly than ever is to work well with the team, with Honda and with Michelin to get ourselves into the best shape technically by Sunday so we can fight for victory.” he said

His team-mate Makoto Tamada (Camel Honda RC211V) riding on Bridgestone tyres said, “The Brno track is one of my favourites; the design and the track’s rhythm are very special. I really think I can go well there. During the summer break the tyre development will have moved on, and with the right choice to suit the climate in the Czech Republic we can feature prominently in this race.”

For Sete the battle begins again. “We are going to fight for this World Championship,” he said. “And Brno is a track I love a lot, it’s one of my favourites. Both the setting and layout of the track are excellent. It has good grip and very few bumps. From the first corners to about three fourths the length of the track the circuit descends, while for the last quarter the ascent is very pronounced with two chicanes, a very slow one and another very fast one which brings you to the straightaway. I always like racing in Brno.”

Colin Edwards too is ready for the challenge of Brno. “It’s a great place and full of character. The best bit is about halfway round where there’s a mini-stadium section. It’s really difficult but it’s good. It’s a nice flowing track, and you’ve got to pick the right lines every time. After Donington I can’t wait to get back racing, to show people the real Colin Edwards again.”

Alex Barros (Repsol Honda RC211V) currently lies fifth in the overall points standings and said, “I’m really looking forward to getting back on the bike on Friday and pushing hard. This season has been very frustrating for me so far. The team is working very hard but there are times when things don’t seem to go my way. But I think we should go well in Brno. The new exhaust system helps with traction out of slower corners and this circuit has several second gear turns where it is important to get the power down smoothly. I’m looking to make this race the start of the best half of the season.”

Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC211V) in sixth overall is another rider in need of a stronger second half to his season. “I was ready to get back racing half way through the break I’m so excited about the rest of the season! We’re working real tight as a unit and we’ve had a few good sessions and races but no weekend has been 100% yet and this is the goal. In my first year I finished fifth in the championship and any racer’s goal is to go better with every season.”

In the 250cc category Dani Pedrosa (Telefonica MoviStar Junior Team RS250RW) has simply set the class alight in his rookie year and the young Spanish flyer leads his nearest rival Randy de Puniet (Aprilia) by 34 points with Sebastian Porto (Aprilia) in third 18 points behind de Puniet.

Again consistency is the key and de Puniet has finished every race in the points and despite his single win to Pedrosa’s four the Frenchman is ahead of Portoin third who’s scored two wins but twice failed to finish. But Pedrosa’s rookie record so far is astonishing; four wins, four seconds and just one DNF from his first nine races in the class.

Dani said, “We’ve had a good first half to the season, better than we expected, but the end will be very tough and we have to be ready. I’m glad we’re starting off in Brno because it is a circuit that has always been good for me with the 125. There are only two races left in Europe, other than the last round at Valencia, and the ‘flyaways’ will be stressful, with a circuit that we don’t know thrown in at Qatar. I’m very motivated and I’m looking forward to getting back on track.”

“I was looking forward to going home to Japan after so long away,” said Hiroshi Aoyama (Telefonica MoviStar Junior Team RS250RW), “Although I am very happy in Barcelona. The holidays were really nice, I was able to relax and recharge the batteries for the rest of the season. At the start of this year everything was new for me but now I feel more and more at home in the category and in the competition, although every Grand Prix represents a new adventure for me. I think I have had some good races, although I still need a little extra. I have been close to the podium on two occasions and I would like to be up there before the end of the season.”

Tony Elias (Fortuna Honda RS250RW) said, “I like racing at Brno, it’s fast with corners you can do something with and I’m looking forward to it after the break. The remaining races are very important for me and I have to win to improve my position in the Championship. The bike is fast but we need to work more on the rolling chassis to get the very best out of the machine now.”

Andrea Dovizioso (Team Kopron Scot Honda RS125R) currently heads the 125cc table just as he has done all season. He has finished every race in the points so far and with three wins among those finishes, the young Italian is showing the combination of speed and discretion that defines a potential World Champion.

But seasoned campaigner Roberto Locatelli (Aprilia) is on his tail and hungry Hector Barbera (Aprilia) is only two points behind him. And even sitting on a considerable points cushion, ‘Dovi’ is in no mood to discount the challenges ahead of him.

“I’m going to Brno in good condition, said Dovi. “I have been training hard to improve my physique while on holiday in Sardegna. Running long distance and riding my CR450 Supermotard, a gift from our sponsors. Brno is not one of my favourite tracks and last year I had trouble getting the bike to turn as precisely as I needed on the wide corners. Even though I don’t really like the circuit I’m confident I will have a good race there. The team is working very hard for me, the bike is really good and I rode well at Donington.”

From a press release issued by PR firm Plummer-Menapace Group on behalf of Helmet House:

HELMET HOUSE GROWS AGAIN

Three New Management Hires And A Promotion

(Calabasas Hills, CA) Helmet House, one of the industry’s premier distributors, continues to grow with the addition of three new management people and the promotion of a third.

Eli Whitney, a 27-year Helmet House veteran, has been promoted to Tour Master Brand Sales Manager. It marks the first time in the company’s 35-year history that a sales manager has been appointed solely for the rapidly-growing and expanding Tour Master® and Cortech® lines of riding apparel, gloves, soft bags and luggage, and rainsuits. Whitney spent his first 22 years as a Helmet House sales representative in the Southern California market. Five years ago he was promoted to Field Sales Trainer and then, in 2001, to Regional Sales Manager.

Described as someone who “eats, sleeps, and breathes Tour Master”, Whitney’s new role will see him working more closely with the New Products department, assisting with product improvements and new-product development and testing. He will also aid the Regional Sales Managers in continuing to build the Tour Master and Cortech brands and further increase their market shares, along with conducting dealer and consumer seminars. A serious motorhead, Whitney has owned and ridden “countless” motorcycles, has put over 53,000 miles on his Honda ST1100 in the past year and a half, is a former open-wheel and stock-car racer, and has devoted decades to the building and restoration of street rods.

To fill Whitney’s former position, Helmet House has hired Scott McBrien as a Regional Sales Manager. McBrien comes to the company with an extensive background in sales, sales management, and sales training. An avid rider himself, he is “extremely passionate about bikes and the motorcycle industry, and this ‘passion’ for the sport and his work is something we actively seek in Helmet House personnel,” said David Kane, National Sales Manager. McBrien, his wife and two children are currently re-locating from Phoenix, AZ.

Jim Reznik is another new Regional Sales Manager added to the Helmet House roster. And while he may be new to our industry, he has an extremely solid background in sales, coming in with over 20 years as an independent sales representative in the golf equipment industry (which is going to make him really popular with a lot of bike-industry people). For the past eight years, Reznik was the Sales Manager of Sayco International, a golf equipment distributor in the Midwest. Of course, motorcycles are a major part of his life: “The reason I was drawn to the position at Helmet House was my enthusiasm for motorsports dating to my pre-teen years. I am an active Enduro and Hare-Scramble rider, and have participated in the Michigan CCC, 7-day Enduro for over 13 years, as well as the Colorado Trail Ride of the Rookies, and other riding events.”

Randy Hutchings is the other addition to the management staff, in the position of Chief Financial Officer. Hutchings is no stranger to Helmet House; for the past eleven years he has been with the company’s accounting firm, which gives him a uniquely-thorough knowledge of Helmet House’s financial operations. A CPA and native southern Californian, Hutchings received his accounting degree from the University of Southern California. “During my last 15 years in accounting, I have worked with numerous companies, and I have always admired the organization, professionalism, and bright future that make Helmet House so distinctive and successful,” Hutchings said. When not “crunching numbers”, he added that he enjoys spending time with his wife, Linda, and sons, Zachary and Ian, along with sports and travel.

Founded in 1969, Helmet House is a full-service national motorcycle-products distributor. Its core brands are Shoei and HJC Helmets, Tour Master and Cortech. Shoei, Tour Master, and Cortech are exclusive with Helmet House. The company maintains two distribution centers in Calabasas, CA and Memphis, TN. Its headquarters are at 26855 Malibu Hills Road, Calabasas Hills, CA, 91301.

From a press release:

Fastrack Riders & WERA West August Events

Fastrack Riders will have a track day on Saturday, August 28th on the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Infield / Oval combination track which is approximately 2.5 miles in length. All riders will have access to air cooled garages to keep cool while not riding. The price is $195 per rider for the day with the Novice Rider School being an additional $100 for first timers to the track. Register on line @ www.fastrackriders.com or call 877-560-2233 to reserve a spot.

WERA West is staging their fifth event of their first season Sunday, August 29th at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on the 2.5 mile Infield / Oval track. There will be eighteen Sportsman Event races run that day with points going towards the WERA West overall championship series. The top fifteen riders in points in each class for each Region will be invited to the Grand National Final held at Road Atlanta October 12th through the 17th. There will be a $10 per person gate fee for the August 29th race day.

The final WERA West race of the season will again be at Las Vegas Motor Speedway but on the exterior 2.5 mile Classic Road Course run in the same configuration as the WERA West May event on Sunday, October 3rd.

WERA West is in the process of negotiating dates for 2005 and look to expand the series to a seven to eight race one day Sportsman events. Fastrack Riders will have a track day on each Saturday before a WERA West race event in 2005.

From a press release issued for WERA Motorcycle Roadracing by Raven Communications:

WERA NATIONAL SERIES HEADS SOUTH TO TALLADEGA

OXFORD, Ala.- The WERA National Challenge Series and the Dunlop/WERA National Endurance Series will head south to Talladega Gran Prix Raceway this weekend, August 21-22, for round seven of the season.

At only 1.35 miles in length, Talladega is one of the shortest tracks that the series runs. The tight circuit is a popular venue for fans, who benefit from being able to see all of the racing action from the grandstands or pit lane. The short track also fosters exciting racing, with daring passes and close competition.

The four-hour Dunlop/WERA National Endurance Series race will begin at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 21. Vesrah Suzuki won the Talladega round last season on a Suzuki GSX-R1000 and they currently lead the points, but Team Velocity Racing was at the top of podium at Summit Point two weeks ago on their Yamaha YZF-R1.

Army of Darkness will also be a favored team at Talladega on their Mediumweight Superbike Suzuki GSX-R600. The team finished second overall during last year’s race, and they have the advantage of using Talladega as their test track during the winter months.

The WERA National Challenge Series sprint races get started at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, August 22. Each race will be 12 laps in length.

Tray Batey has been the man to beat in the expert classes this season, but this weekend Mike Smith is returning to the series with his eye on the top of the podium. Batey and Smith each won two races when they competed at Talladega last year, and both will be anxious to break the tie.

Fans can catch three days of on-track action, including a practice day on Friday, for only $30. A two-day ticket costs just $20, and Sunday-only admission is $15. Camping for the weekend is also available.

The track is less than a two-hour drive from both Atlanta and Birmingham. Take I-20 to exit 185 (Hwy. 21- Anniston/Oxford). Go south for 10 miles, and the track is on the left. More information about Talladega Gran Prix Raceway can be found at www.TGPRace.com.

More information about WERA, including a full schedule for the WERA National at Talladega, can be found at www.WERA.com.

From a press release issued by Team Suzuki:

KIRK McCARTHY: THE PASSING OF A CHAMPION

Suzuki is today mourning the death of former Australian Superbike Champion, Kirk McCarthy.

Racing in the Supersport class of the Shell Advance Australian Superbike Championship, the 35 year-old rider was critically injured in a tragic accident during round six at Queensland Raceway on Sunday 15 August.

“Everyone at Suzuki is greatly saddened by Kirk’s death,” Perry Morison, General Manager – Motorcycles, Suzuki Australia said.

“Kirk was one of our sport’s most colourful and talented racing stars and his passing is a great loss to the Australian motorcycle industry – he will be greatly missed.

Kirk rode for the factory Suzuki World Superbike Team in 1996.

Suzuki Australia extends its deepest sympathies to Kirk’s family, friends and fans both nationally and internationally.

From a press release issued by Camel Honda Pons:

MotoGP restarts after summer break. Max, Makoto and the Camel Honda team ready for Brno GP

With nearly a month having passed since the British GP, the last race before the recent summer rest period, the world championships has been able to take a breath before setting out on the second, frenetic half of the season. Seven races across four continents, beginning with this weekend’s Czech GP, will decide the outcome of one of the most exciting MotoGP seasons ever to take place over the next ten weeks. Max Biaggi makes his way to Brno after having undergone a rollercoaster of emotions over recent races, which nonetheless have had a common denominator; his determination to fight to the end and to always look ahead, even when fortune has not been on his side. That’s also how Biaggi is looking at this Brno race, despite the technical problems at Donington he is calm and confident in his own and his team’s capabilities. In much the same way Tamada, who travels straight to the Czech Republic from his holidays back home in Japan, is preparing for the second half of the season looking to repeat the success of Rio at a track that he already performed well on last year.

Sito Pons – Camel Honda (Team Principal)
“I think that this summer break has allowed everyone who works in the world championships, including riders and engineers, to enjoy a well-earned rest after a frankly intense and challenging period. It will allow us all to attack the second part of the season with renewed energy and enthusiasm. Brno is a track where Max has always got top results and which also works well for Makoto, who loves the fast circuits. I’m sure that after Donington, where a technical problem prevented us from showing our true potential, we can find our way back to victory, as we did in Brazil and Germany beforehand. Our team has everything it takes to take the title challenge to the very end.”

Max Biaggi #3: (Michelin Tyres)
“I have rested over the last few weeks, I got in some sunshine and did some sport whilst holidaying with friends. My thoughts have tracked back to the race, I admit it, just because what happened in Britain is still getting to me, how can that have happened? This season has already proved however that nothing is decided until the end, and it is with this spirit that I will take on the second part of the year. I’m delighted that we kick off again with Brno, because it is a track that I like without a doubt, but I will approach it as I do any other. In the end every track is great when you feel at one with your bike and every track can be a pitfall when you don’t think it will be. So, it’s good to go to Brno, but the job more importantly than ever is to work well with the team, with Honda and with Michelin to get ourselves into the best shape technically by Sunday so we can fight for victory.”

Luca Montiron – Camel Honda (Makoto Tamada Team Manager)
Makoto was in Japan during the summer vacation, and we hope he returns rested and refreshed so he can take on the second half of the season in perfect condition, as the rest of the team is ready to do. During the break, Bridgestone has continued its own work and we are hoping ultimately to reduce the gap to our rivals to firmly establish our position amongst the top riders. It is because of this work that we look forward to Brno with great anxiety and we are sure that the second part of the season will be fundamental for us.

Makoto Tamada #6: (Bridgestone Tyres)
“The Brno track is one of my favourites; the design and the track’s rhythm are very special. I really think I can go well there. During the summer break the tyre development will have moved on, and with the right choice to suit the climate in the Czech Republic we can feature prominently in this race.”


2003 Podium

1. V. Rossi (Honda)
2. S. Gibernau (Honda)
3. T. Bayliss (Ducati)


Pole Position Record
V. Rossi (Honda – 2003)
1:58.769


Official Record
V. Rossi (Honda – 2003)
1:59.966


No. of Laps
22 (118.866km)



MotoGP timetable:
14.00 (GMT + 2)
*European Summer Time




Characteristics
Length: 5,403 m
Width: 15m
Right corners: 8
Left corners: 6
Constructed in: 1987
Last Modified: 1996

From a press release issued by Team Suzuki:

MISSION RESUMES FOR TEAM SUZUKI
Team Suzuki Press Office – August 17, 2004.

MotoGP racing resumes at Brno next Sunday after a welcome three-week layoff and for Team Suzuki, it is back to business as usual – to continue to develop and refine the ever-improving GSV-R MotoGP prototype racer.

There will be three of the blue Suzukis on the grid; team regulars Kenny Roberts Jr. and John Hopkins joined by official test team rider Gregorio Lavilla, a wild card entry for the Czech Republic GP. All will be going for the best possible race results then staying on for two days of testing – all part of the long-term programme to bring the traditional racing factory back to winning races and challenging for the championship.

The first half of the season – actually nine of the 16 races – was an encouraging and motivating experience for the Suzuki riders and team. Changes wrought to the third version of the GSV-R V4 brought out the best in the powerful prototype and a new alliance with Bridgestone tyres also brought rapid progress.

It showed in ever-improving lap times and race results: 2000 World Champion Kenny Roberts qualified on pole at Rio, the seventh round, where he led away from the start, finishing seventh, his best so far. Kenny was on the front row again in Germany for the next race where he and team-mate John Hopkins claimed a double top-ten finish. Hopkins’s best race was the British GP, after early-season misfortunes, pushing through to a fighting eighth after starting only 16th fastest.

The biggest improvement has come in rideability of the machine compared with earlier versions; at the same time a revised engine with different firing intervals – and a more musical exhaust note – has brought further progress, along with a raft of detail changes throughout the machine.

The three-weekend summer break gave tired riders and race crews a chance to recoup, regroup and relax. Roberts and Hopkins both returned to the USA in the break with Hopkins putting in a week in Hawaii.

Back in Japan, the factory race department was hard at work, consolidating the lessons and improvements of the first half of the season, to come back stronger still for the second part.

Team Manager Garry Taylor sums up the team’s philosophy, and the reason for the spirit that has re-enthused the factory squad.

“Everybody at Suzuki knows that we are capable of winning the championship – the riders, the team and the factory engineers. We’ve made a lot of progress this year which has been highly motivating. But this is still very much work in progress. We’re not where we want to be and we’re all anxious to get back to the programme,” he said.

One target for the factory engineers is to increase horsepower, especially important for Brno where a steep uphill straight out of a slow corner leads to the final turns of the long and technically-complicated lap. The sharp climb puts a heavy emphasis on pure acceleration at a crucial point of the circuit leading to the finish line.

With testing banned, the race will be the first chance for riders and team to resume progress with their machines. “We will be assessing the latest ideas and developments over the weekend for the race, then in more detail at tests for two days after the race,” said Taylor.

“Our goal is to maintain our rate of improvement until we are challenging for the title again,” he concluded.

KENNY ROBERTS – BACK TO WORK:

“The break was good but I guess we’re ready to start racing again. Over the past races, we’d been qualifying better and getting the best out of this year’s bike. The changes made it much easier to ride at the limit. Now we need to take the next step, with more improvements. We’re all ready for it, as a team and as riders.”

JOHN HOPKINS – AIMING HIGH AS ALWAYS:

“I headed to the USA for the summer and after six days in Hawaii I’ve been cycling and training. Temperature-wise it’s like training for Qatar! It’s been over 100 degrees pretty much every day. I like Brno and there have been tons of improvement to the bike so I’ll aim for a top five, as always.”

ABOUT THIS RACE:

There has been motorcycle racing at Brno since long before the birth of the World Championship in 1949, but the first GP was only in 1965. The country was then Czechoslovakia, behind the Iron Curtain, and the venue was an 8.6-mile (13.9km) public-roads circuit on the outskirts of the city, famed for its precision engineering (Brno gave its name to the famous Bren gun of World War Two). That track was itself the third version of what had been an even longer road circuit.

The last time the premier-class GP bikes raced there was in 1977, though the smaller classes continued until 1982 before the dangerous track was dropped from the GP calendar. Local enthusiasts achieved backing from the communist regime to build a show-piece new purpose-built closed circuit, with a long lap and a challenging layout, first used in 1987. Soon afterwards, political turmoil saw the Iron Curtain collapse and the Czechoslovakian GP last ran in 1991.

In 1993, the race resumed with a new name to go with the new political freedoms – the Czech Republic GP – and pit buildings and paddock facilities were rebuilt to keep the track’s standards high.

The race attracts big crowds, packing the vast natural grandstands. They also come for the liberated atmosphere and cheap beer of the new country, making Brno a popular and important fixture on the calendar.

ABOUT THIS TRACK:

A long lap of 3.357 miles (5.403 km) and an average speed of more than 100mph are the key to Brno which has wide sweeping corners and only short straights. “Vertical corners” are an added complication, riders struggling with treacherous front-wheel grip as the corners drop away for the first half of the lap. Speeds are high and Brno rewards handling finesse and high corner speed more than raw horsepower, but for that final uphill straight. “You have the bike on its side for a real long time and one corner flows into the next. At the same time, there are places where you open the throttle wide and hold it there. It’s probably my favourite track,” said Kenny Roberts, who claimed his first front row qualifying position there in 1996, his first year riding a 500.

GP DATA:

Brno.
Circuit Length: 3.357 miles / 5.403 km.
Lap Record: 1:59.966 – 100.747 mph / 162.136 km/h. V Rossi (Honda), 2004.
2003 Race Winner: Rossi.
2003 Race Average: 44:18.907 – 1900.02 mph / 160.937 km/h.
2004 Fastest Race Lap: see lap record.
2004 Pole Position: Rossi (Honda) 1:58.769.
2004 KENNY ROBERTS: 20th, qualified 16th (Suzuki).
2004 JOHN HOPKINS: 17th, qualified 13th (Suzuki).