From a press release:

Dorna founds the MotoGP Academy

Dorna Sports, rights owners to the MotoGP World Championship, has created a new project called “MotoGP Academy” to train riders from different nationalities so that they can participate in MotoGP in the near future.

The most promising young riders from Europe have undergone a selection process and six of them have been offered the chance to take part into a complete programme directed by former rider Alberto Puig, current Telefónica Movistar Honda Team Manager in the 250cc class. Puig has a broad experience in projects of this sort, including those which have enabled the discovery and development of talented riders such as Dani Pedrosa, Toni Elías, Casey Stoner, Chaz Davies and Julián Simón.

There are two separate work areas that the riders will put into practice both in their home countries and in Spain: psychophysical and sports. The psychophysical development will be carried out by specialists who will plan a work routine, with a daily preparation programme, as well as additional aspects such as improvement of languages. The selected riders will live in a residence for top-level sportsmen in Barcelona during the several stages programmed in Spain. This residence is equipped with outstanding facilities and has a highly experienced team of doctors and sports physiotherapists.

The sports preparation will consist of winter motocross and supermotard training in different tracks. In addition, the riders will participate in the 2005 Spanish Championship (CEV) in the 125cc category with Honda RS, and will have the chance to participate as wildcards in some of the races of the 2005 World Championship.

A technical structure will be supporting the riders. It is to be directed by highly reputed professionals with experience in MotoGP, such as Alex Batlle -who spent six years in the World Championship with men such as Crivillé, Barros and Capirossi- and Juan Martínez -who collaborated along Doohan and Rossi as a suspension engineer and is currently Sete Gibernau’s crew chief in the World Championship. Former rider Raúl Jara will be in charge of the sports coordination.

The six selected riders are:

– Joshua Sommer, age 15, Germany, Red Bull Rookies to MotoGP Champion
– Meik Minnerop, age 15, Germany, 4th in the 125cc German Championship
– Bradley Smith, age 14, Great Britain, 4th Aprilia Superteen
– Daniel Webb, age 13, Great Britain, 2nd Aprilia Superteen
– Ion Garrido, age 16, Spain, Movistar Junior Cup Champion
– One more Spanish rider from the Movistar Junior Cup, to be selected soon.



The two Spanish riders take part in the MotoGP Academy as a continuation of their participation in the Movistar Junior Cup, and will race under Movistar colours.



And now, a reader’s reaction:


FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

I assume the press release regarding the camp for riders to assist their move into MotoGP didn’t mention which U.S. riders were reviewed in their process. In my eyes DORNA always seems to have a view limited to Europe, especially Spain and Italy, unless it involves a large check coming their way. I was a little surprised to see the inclusion of German riders.

I guess they’re STILL afraid of American and Australian riders. Check me if I’m wrong but I believe the Italians already have a couple of good riders entered in MotoGP next season…

Gary Hilliard
Dover, Delaware

Copyright 2005, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

I work for Family Powersports a Suzuki-Kawasaki dealership in West Texas. I put one of our bikes on eBay (a 2004 Suzuki GSX-R600). Someone copied all of our information (including contact phone number!) and posted it on this website www.searchmotorcycle.com. They changed the location, (from West Texas to New York), price, (from $6,600 to $2,000) and model (from 600 to 750).

I have sent this site numerous e-mails and have heard nothing back from them. If you look thru this website it is full of “unbelieveable deals.” I am still getting calls from people who actually believe they can buy a perfect 2004 GSX-R750 for $2,000. Please be careful when dealing with anyone on this site.

Luis A. Rios
Family Powersport
San Angelo, Texas

Copyright 2005, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Former racer, race promoter and congressman Wes Cooley has been found guilty of fraud and ordered to pay millions in restitution, according to news reports.

Cooley is the father of two-time AMA Superbike Champion Wes Cooley, who last October was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame located at AMA headquarters in Pickerington, Ohio.

Read about the elder Cooley’s latest troubles here:

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/world/10807813.htm

From a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

DUCATI AND XEROX ANNOUNCE NEW WORLD SUPERBIKE PARTNERSHIP

Bologna (Italy), February 3rd, 2005 – Ducati Corse announced today that it will take part in the 2005 World Superbike Championship with a new title sponsor, Xerox. The announcement was made today during the international media launch of the team in the Ducati factory in Bologna, Italy.



The deal, which will initially run for two years, will see the team renamed Ducati Xerox Team. The partnership marks Xerox’s second year in World Superbike sponsorship. Xerox, who were introduced to the world of Superbike racing in 2004 with Stefano Caracchi’s satellite Ducati NCR team, are now aiming for the very top through their association with the Championship’s most successful protagonists.

The Ducati Corse factory team has dominated the sport in recent years, winning five of the last seven World Riders Championships. Ducati Xerox Team enters 2005 as the reigning champions in both Constructor and Rider Championships. Briton James Toseland and Frenchman Regis Laconi finished one-two last year with a total of 28 podium finishes including 10 race victories across the 11 round/22 race season.



Commenting on the sponsorship, Richard Wergan, Head of Marketing Communications for Xerox Europe said: “Ducati has a rich legacy of producing winning teams and bikes which perform to the highest standard. They also have a dynamic and unrivalled image, and so a Xerox partnership with a brand such as Ducati – both demonstrating technological innovation and high performance – is an extremely desirable one.

“World Superbikes is one of the most exciting and fastest growing motor sports in the world and sponsoring the number one team is highly appropriate for a market leader such as Xerox,” he said.

“World Superbike continues to be vitally important for Ducati and we have demonstrated that with our commitment over the years, even when the championship has been going through a less healthy period” declared Ducati Corse CEO Claudio Domenicali. “Now we are very pleased to welcome the return of our traditional competitors to the championship because it again offers us the possibility of showcasing our racing products against world-class opposition on a level playing-field.

“Racing is in Ducati’s DNA and World Superbike is essential for the development and evolution of our production bikes. When we race and win, we know that the spin-off from racing will eventually be felt throughout the entire Ducati production range.

“This year it gives me great pleasure to welcome the new partnership with Xerox, who become our new title sponsor. Xerox and Ducati are both leaders in their respective fields, both are internationally-renowned, highly successful and enthusiastic companies and we are sure that the new Ducati Xerox Team will be a force to contend with in the championship” he concluded.

The 2005 World Superbike Championship will be held over 12 rounds beginning in Doha, Qatar on February 26. The Championship will cross three continents before culminating at Magny Cours, France October 9. The first European race of the season will be at Valencia, Spain on April 24.

From a press release:

SPANISH SHAKEDOWN FOR WINSTON TEN KATE HONDA

The Winston Ten Kate Honda team today completed a three-day initial test at the Almeria circuit in southern Spain in preparation for this year’s World Superbike and World Supersport championships.

As well as being the first time the four-man team has taken to the track in its new Winston colours, the Almeria test also represented the first opportunity to test Ten Kate’s winter development of the Honda CBR1000RR and the new CBR600RR, which has been heavily revised for 2005.

Cold weather restricted testing time on both machines but Winston Ten Kate Honda team manager, Ronald ten Kate, declared himself happy with the three-day exercise.

“For the supersport team we have two new riders in Katsuaki Fujiwara and Sébastien Charpentier,” he said. “We also have some new mechanics and, of course, the new CBR600RR. All these new ingredients are mixing well together already.”

He continued: “We’ve worked hard on the CBR1000RR superbike over the winter, but it’s been evolutionary, rather than revolutionary. Last year was a development year with Chris Vermeulen but we were competitive towards the end of the season. I think that Chris and now Karl Muggeridge, who tested in November, have found that the overall package has been improved in certain key areas.

“We now head for two more days testing at Valencia,” concluded ten Kate, “where we already have some data on both bikes from last year. Hopefully the weather will be warmer and we will get a much clearer idea on how our preparations for the season are going.”

Copyright 2005, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Pikes Peak International Raceway is for sale but that will not impact motorcycle racing at the Fountain, Colorado speedway in 2005.

That’s the word from a track spokesman, who said racers and fans should expect “status quo” during this coming racing season.

More information will be posted as it becomes available.

Copyright 2005, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Mid-Ohio, Daytona and Loudon have each purchased additional soft barriers to deploy during motorcycle races.

Mid-Ohio bought about 800 linear feet of Airfence brand soft barriers previously owned by Dan Murphy’s company, which used the soft barriers during combined World Superbike and AMA Superbike races at Laguna Seca it promoted at Laguna Seca. The Airfence soft barriers purchased by the Lexington, Ohio racetrack include a mix of inflatable and non-inflatable Airfence Bike units.

Daytona bought about 500 linear feet of Alpina brand non-inflatable Defender soft barriers.

Loudon bought a container of Alpina Defender non-inflatable soft barriers; at post time, the linear feet figure of the Loudon purchase was not available.

From a press release issued by OzBike USA:

US MINIGP in collaboration with Infinity Group (www.infinitygpracing.com), OZBIKE USA, SAVA tires and Metrakit are stepping up their National mini road racing program in Central USA through CMRA (817-239-0739) with a $5000.00 contingency program. The monies will be paid through 3rd place for any riders aboard a Metrakit machine using specific equipment as required by USMINIGP.

The monies will be distributed as follows: $250.00, $150.00, $100.00 Any monies not distributed at any one of the ten races will roll over and be available for any CMRA license holder at the last race of the 2005 season in Oak Hill. For more details contact Cycle Imports at 305-889-1800 or visit www.minigp50cc.com

Copyright 2005, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Daytona 200 mileage record holder Rick Shaw (#79) is looking for a ride in the 2005 Formula Xtreme Daytona 200.

“This will be my final 200 after setting the all-time mileage record in 2003,” wrote Shaw in an e-mail to Roadracingworld.com. “This, hopefully, will give me the record for number of starts. If there is anyone interested in supporting this record-breaking event please call any time at cell 305-299-0079 or home 305-258-5234.”

In real life, Shaw is a police officer working in Miami-Dade County, Florida.

From a press release:

Great Lakes Mini-Motard Racing Series Set to Launch This Weekend

With the winter still ever present, the Great Lakes Mini-Motard Racing Series’ (GLMMRS) inaugural season begins February 6th at Kart 2 Kart (www.kart2kart.com), located in Sterling Heights, Michigan.

Kart 2 Kart, an indoor karting facility began hosting motorcycles in the form of pocketbikes not long ago. Within a few short weeks, a motard class began and quickly grew to over 20 guys and girls banging bars and having a blast while doing it. This prompted the beginning of GLMMRS; a race series focusing on one of the latest, most unique, and incredibly fun forms of racing; mini-motard racing. Based on the heavily popular CRF/XR-50, GLMMRS will be running 3 spec-classes featuring these bikes in a 6-round, 22-race series for bragging rights and big championship trophies.

What makes this form of racing great is that it’s for everybody. Road racers, dirt trackers, motocrossers, street riders, trail riders, young, old; everyone. People from every background of motorcyles can come and either drag a knee or their foot in an incredibly affordable adrenaline fix.

Honda East (www.hondaeasttoledo.com) headlines the sponsor list of GLMMRS; and the 88-Extreme class, along with Classic Honda (www.hondaminitrail.com) supporting the GLMMRS 50cc Superstock class. Ice Nine Choppers (www.iceninechoppers.com) will be sponsoring the GLMMRS Unlimited class, featuring heavily modified CRF/XR-50s along with the increasingly popular SDG, Xtreme 107, and Icon bikes.

With members from Indiana, Illinois and Ohio, GLMMRS looks to attract riders all over the Midwest. Make sure and have your bike ready for the first event. Medals, championship trophies, 3-4 races per event, endurance racing, random prize giveaways, along with clean racing at Kart 2 Kart’s top-notch indoor racing facility will make for a great time.

Additional information can be found at www.glmmrs.com.

GLMMRS 2005 Winter Schedule

Round One February 6th, 2005
Round Two February 20th, 2005
Round Three March 6th, 2005
Round Four March 20th, 2005
Round Five April 3rd, 2005
Round Six April 17th, 2005

Chase for the Championship. 22 races and 550 points up for grabs!