From a press release issued by FGSport:

KTM and MZ Race Debut – German Teams Pack Grid

KTM and MZ International First

KTM and MZ will both be represented in this weekend’s Oschersleben 24 Hour round of the World Endurance Championship. This is the first time that the KTM LC8 and MZ1000S have been entered in an FIM World Championship road race. The 942cc 75 degree v-twin four-stroke KTM LC8 has been entered by Schittko Motorradsport and will be ridden by Michael Roth and Axel Mironiuk. KTM are no strangers to racing success but this is the first time in recent years that they have run a four-stroke road racer; the bike is based around the 950cc Adventure. The OBI-Breckle-Bike Promotion MZ is a 999cc double-overheadcam eight-valve parallel twin and will be ridden by Rico Richter, Max Müller, Rene Knöfler and Nico Kehrer. MZ have a long and proud road racing tradition with two-stroke machinery but this will be the first international outing for their four-stroke parallel twin.

Buell will also race at Oschersleben, joining MV-Agusta, Moto Guzzi, Benelli, Ducati, Aprilia, Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and Kawasaki to bring the total number of manufacturers represented in the World Endurance Championship this year to twelve.

German Teams Out in Force
Twenty seven German teams are entered for the Oschersleben 24 Hour race, with a packed wildcard field joining local permanent world championship squads Suzuki Innodrom Team Racing, Kawasaki Endurance Deutschland and MV Agusta Burger King Lust.

Suzuki Innodrom Team Racing are currently the highest placed German team in the championship standings, and team manager Markus Schmermund is confident ahead of this weekends tough race: “Since we entered into the FIM World Endurance Championship in 2002 we have continually improved our performance. We are looking forward to a great event in Oschersleben.”

From a press release issued by event organizer Mike Summers:

Sport Bike Night at HARD ROCK CAFE

Dunlop Tires, Arai Helmets and Alpinestars are proud to present a special SPORT BIKE NIGHT at the HARD ROCK CAFE in downtown Sacramento on THURSDAY night, August 12th, from 7 to 9pm.

Joining us for a very special evening will be the hottest rider on the AMA National circuit, TEAM ERION HONDA’S JAKE ZEMKE. Jake is a fan favorite and has just come off a crushing victory at the Mid Ohio AMA National

Jake’s appearance for dinner, autograph signing and bench racing was made possible by our own RICK BRIGGS, of OFF BEAT PRODUCTIONS. THANKS RICK! Don’t miss your chance to meet the top HONDA FACTORY RIDER IN THE NATION!

And, as usual, we will have several lovely members of UMBRELLA GIRLS USA present for photos with you or your bike. Don’t be surprised if we have a few “special guests” drop in as well.

The HARD ROCK CAFE is excited to host this special SPORT BIKE NIGHT and will be offering its full dinner and appetizer menu as well as its regular drink service. The doors will open at 6:30pm for SPORT BIKE NIGHT guests. Program starts promptly at 7pm.

Mike Doran of D & W IMAGES will also be there offering photos for purchase of your favorite local and National riders

We are also welcoming FOUR new sponsors to SPORT BIKE NIGHT. Meet staff from PACIFIC TRACK TIME, LEO VINCE PIPES, TECH SPEC and THROTTLE WEAR. They will have product information and displays on hand.

There will be special motorcycle parking on 7th Street along the side of the HARD ROCK CAFE and any covered parking is free with HARD ROCK CAFE validation.

Polish up you ride and compete for the monthly BEST BIKE AWARD.

Remember our event sponsors when you spend your hard earned dollars!


WHAT: SPORT BIKE NIGHT

WHEN: THURSDAY NIGHT, AUGUST 12TH 7PM TIL
9PM

WHERE: HARD ROCK CAFE, 7TH AND K STREET MALL, DOWNTOWN SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA

WHY? COME AND FIND OUT!

COST? $5.00 AT THE DOOR

WEBSITE www.sportbikenight.com

INFO? Mike at (916) 600-3742

From a press release:

Jimm Nelson Groshong, 50, passed away on August 7, 2004 at Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, California, doing what he loved best.

He was born on August 14, 1953 in Warrington, England. He graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno with a degree in Civil Engineering and was currently employed by Truckee Meadows Community College.

Jimm had several hobbies and interests, however, motorcycles were his passion. His success as an avid racer gave him the thrill and excitement he loved. Jimm had lived in the Reno area for more than 35 years. Over the course of those years he acquired many friends and impacted many lives. He will truly be missed, but never forgotten.

Jimm was preceded in death by his father Douglas. He is survived by his daughter Amy; mother Clarine; brother Tedd and wife Beth; sister Nancy Berg and husband Henry; nieces Kathleen and Christine Berg; as well as aunts, uncles, cousins and numerous friends.

Services will be held on Friday, August 13, 2004 at 1:00 p.m. at O’Brien-Rogers and Crosby Funeral Home, 600 W. Second St., Reno, Nevada.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Dunlop tested with Erion Honda’s Jake Zemke, a Japanese rider from HRC, and Kawasaki’s Roger Hayden at California Speedway last Wednesday and Thursday.

Michelin is testing with Ducati Austin’s Eric Bostrom and Lorenzo Lanzi along with Valvoline EMGO Suzuki’s Steve Rapp and Vincent Haskovec at VIR today and tomorrow.

Also present are Michael Barnes, Mike Ciccotto and Shawn Higbee, riding Buells on Pirelli tires, as well as Michelin privateer Robert Jensen and Team Embry’s Matt Lynn, also on Michelins.

The track was dry for testing until about 4:00 p.m, when it started raining.

From a press release issued by Fairchild Sports:

Fairchild Sports (formerly Intersport Fashions West, Inc.), the exclusive North American distributor of Held gloves and the manufacturer, Held GmbH of Burgberg, Germany is issuing this news release to set the record straight on claims of poor quality of Held product reportedly being made by the former Held distributor.

The Held product line is renowned as the world’s highest quality glove collection, with material selection, manufacturing standards and individual inspection to the highest of Held’s German specifications. For the past 8 years, including 6 years prior to Fairchild Sports/IFW becoming the distributor, Held gloves have been manufactured in the same Held-owned factories in Hungary or associate factories in Pakistan and China. Material sourcing and final inspection is done in the Held facilities in Burgberg, Germany as it has always been.

According to hearsay, the Held gloves were previously manufactured in Germany when the distributor previous to Fairchild Sports/IFW was involved and now the production has been moved to substandard factories in Asia, with a drop in quality. There is no truth whatsoever to these rumors. The only manufacturing Held has ever done in Germany is custom-sizing gloves, which Fairchild Sports/IFW does not offer. If the former distributor had imported custom-sized Held gloves, they could make the claim of German origin, but not on any regular production glove.

For more information on Held product, dealers can visit www.held-usa.com or call the Fairchild Sports/IFW Customer Service Department at (888)311-5399.

From a press release issued by USGPRU:

USGPRU National Championship Round 9 Portland International Raceway GP Results

PORTLAND, OR. – August 11, 2002 – The battle for the USGPRU Western Regional Championship ensued this weekend in the heart of the city at Portland International Raceway this weekend. Hosted by the Oregon Motorcycle Road Racing Association, the venue for the Western Regional Championship could not have presented a better battle ground for the USGPRU event surrounded by downtown Portland, the Pacific Ocean, the Columbia River, and Vancouver, Washington.

Nearly 50 racers from as far as Florida, Canada, and Japan flew in for what has heating up to be an intense finale to the West Coast USGPRU Championship. Riders from the South brought the California sunshine with them to warm up the event and yet the electricity in the air over points standings could be cut with a knife.

Qualifying sessions on Saturday for both the 125GP and 250GP events revealed the intense battles to follow during the main events. The top five Qualifying times for the 125GP event were within 1 second placing Josh Herrin on Pole with a 1.16.527 on his Honda RS125. Nobi Iso neglecting to weigh-in was DQ’d and relegated to a last place grid position. 250GP Qualifying subsequently had Iso on Pole with a 1.14.487 with the remainder of row 1 within three tenths of a second.

Herrin, Jake Gwin, Scott McNew, and Mike Orien took the front row for the 125GP event with nineteen riders behind them. As the flag dropped and 23 riders jammed en masse into Turn 1, Iso on his Aprillia RSR125 rocketed to second position to challenge Herrin from the back of the grid. Orien’s hopes of battling with Herrin and Iso were dashed as he low sided in Turn 3 early in the race. McNew on a loaner bike shared several exchanges with Gwin as they battled for third. While Mike McDonough slipped in behind McNew, Steve Wenner charged the field from pit lane having missed the warm up lap to take the fifth spot. A five-way battle ensued for fifth with Wenner, Darrell Baker, Kirk Snell, Phil Krenn, and Brian Ens all in hot pursuit of the lead pack. Multiple exchanges took place with as many as four riders wide going into Turn 7 passing back markers by the eighth lap. Newlywed Britt Arechiga battled with Jonathan Giddens for tenth place. Gwin leading McNew on the tenth lap was disqualified for causing a red flag and calling the 15 lap race short with high side in Turn 4. Iso captured the pole along with Herrin and McNew.

Local racers struggled with the heat as temperatures rose close to 100 degrees for the 250GP event. Iso managed to capture the pole position on Bruce Lind Racing’s Yamaha TZ250 with Wenner on his Honda RS250 along side. Filling out the front row were McNew on his brother’s Honda RS250 and Vincent Rolleri on a Yamaha TZ250. Of 23 entries, only three riders on 125s chose to challenge the 250s on PIR’s high speed track. McNew displayed his signature light-speed launch at the start and led the pack for first two laps. As Wenner and McNew drafted each other for position down the front straight, Iso drafted both of them and catapulted himself from third to first. Rolleri followed closely behind the leaders to hold onto fourth. Mark Watts in the points lead for the Regional 250GP championship and recovering from a recent injury quickly fell behind. A mid pack battle began to develop as John Lee gave chase to Mike Stubbs and Watts from the back of the grid. Joel Manes entertained spectators with a spectacular crash into Turn 1. Wenner miraculously managed to hold off McNew when his handlebar came loose as in the fifth lap. Again the race was called short as a crash in Turn 9 by Joe Pezzente caused a red flag. Rounding out the podium were Iso, Wenner, and McNew, with McNew capturing just 4 additional points to take the West Regional Championship.

The Eastern Regional final Championship round is scheduled at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama on August 13-15.

USGPRU sponsors include Infinity Investing, Acid Cigars, CCS/F-USA, Bridgestone, Dunlop, EBC Brakes, GPC Moto, Hjelm Motorsports, Motion Pro, Redline Cycle Imports, REV’IT! USA, Silkolene, Speed Fiber, 888-Fastlap, and VP Fuel.

About USGPRU
The USGPRU is the officially recognized Motorcycle Grand Prix Road Racing US National Championship series. The USGPRU emulates true World MotoGP racing experience and serves to attract young riders to gain experience in a professional environment and provide a path to world-class motorcycle racing. The USGPRU structures events with extended length grand prix racing exclusive to the GP machines, timed qualifying and strong contingency and sponsor support. For additional details, visit www.USGPRU.net



Full results:



125GP – 9 laps

1. Nobi Iso APR RSR125

2. Joshua Herrin HON RS125

3. Scott McNew HON RS125

4. Mike McDonough HON RS125

5. Steve Wenner HON RS125

6. Darrell Baker HON RS125

7. Kirk Snell HON RS125

8. Phil Krenn HON RS125

9. Brian Ens HON RS125

10. Jonathan Giddens HON RS125

11. Britt Arechiga HON RS125

12. Andy Moore HON RS125

13. Ryan Ferris YAM TZ125

14. Steve Korol YAM TZ125

15. Joel Manes HON RS125

16. Jeff Kittle HON RS125

17. Darrin Kuebler HON RS125

18. Brian Hess HON RS125 8 laps

19. Shellie Matthews HON RS125 8 laps

20. Roger Wong HON RS125 8 laps

21. Mike Orien HON RS125 DNF

22. Frank Pate HON RS125 DNF

23. Jake Gwin HON RS125 DQ



250GP – 8laps

1. Nobi Iso YAM TZ250

2. Steve Wenner HON RS250

3. Scott McNew HON RS250

4. Vincent Rolleri YAM TZ250

5. Mark Watts YAM TZ250

6. Mike Stubbs YAM TZ250

7. John Lee HON RS250

8. Mike Lytle YAM TZ250

9. Phil Krenn HON RS125

10. David Matthews YAM TZ250

11. Kurt Husted YAM TZ250

12. Jonathan Giddens HON RS125

13. Brian Chamberlain YAM RZ250

14. Herb Wagner YAM TZ250

15. Joel Manes HON RS250 DNF

16. Frank Pate HON RS125 DNF

17. Darrell Baker HON RS125 DNF

18. Mike McDonough HON RS125 DNS

19. Joshua Herrin HON RS125 DNS

20. Steve Korol YAM TZ125 DNS

21. Joe Pezzente YAM TZ250 DQ

From a press release issued by Speedrag:

Speedrag is pleased to announce the launch of their all-new re-designed website at www.speedrag.com. Complete with more information, more news & events, more products, and their own web forum. Feel free to check it out!

From a press release issued by Eddy Brunet of DXS Diablo/Team Suzuki Canada:

DXS DIABLO/TEAM SUZUKI

Round 6 of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship Shubenacadie, Nova-Scotia.

The moody weather allowed us very little set-up time on the track last week-end on the Atlantic Motorsport Park circuit Sunday afternoon. When the sun finally decided to show up we knew there would be at least one race in the dry.

In the 600 Sportbike class, Steve Crevier was starting from the front row on the second spot while Williams was just behind on row 2 in 6th place.

The race started and it wasn’t too long before Crevier took the lead while Jeff Williams was also moving towards the front, when a red flag came out. On the restart, both Crevier and Williams took off from row one, and after a full lap they were first and second. Jeff could not hold the hard charge of Picotte and McBain. Just before the checkered flag, in the last corner, Crevier ran a little wide and saw Picotte steal first place just like Crevier had done to him in the Superbike race opener earlier this season. The team was hoping for a win, and we were so close, but a 2nd place finish for Steve and a 4th for Williams are excellent results. Meanwhile Michael Leon managed to pass 10 riders in that race and crossed the finish line in 15th position.

For the Superbike final, the sun was fighting dark clouds in order to stay with us. It was the last dry race of the day.

Crevier had lost the pole in the last minutes of qualifying when Kevin Lacombe, who was chasing him, bettered Crevier’s time by less than 0.2 second . He also bettered Crevier’s previous lap record by 0.021 second.Jeff Williams was doing very good early in the session, but a half second off the pole pushed him back one row, to the 5th spot.

Then the flag dropped and we were racing. Lacombe took the lead while Crevier was third. A few laps later, Steve took the lead while Jeff was now running fourth. But with about 6 laps remaining, the nut holding the rear clevis on Steve’s GSXR 1000 Superbike came off and he had to pull in the pits. We knew it was over for him, but meanwhile Williams was fighting with Jordan Szoke for the second highest step on the podium. Jordan held him off and Jeff had to settle for the third bottle of Champagne. Good ride, Mr. Williams!

Next round will be held at Mont-Tremblant on August 19th -22nd, followed right away by Montréal’s Molson Indy Superbike Exhibition Race.

See you there!



More, from a press release issued by Honda Canada Fast Company Racing:

HONDA CANADA / FAST COMPANY RACING

Szoke second again

SHUBENACAIDE, NS Honda Canada / Fast Company’s Jordan Szoke earned his second consecutive runner-up finish in the sixth round of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship at Atlantic Motorsport Park last Sunday.

Riding his Honda CBR1000RR Szoke worked himself up from sixth after the first lap to move into second by lap 16 of 22. He then held off a challenge from Jeff Williams to claim second place.

“I didn’t know how close he [Williams] was,” the Brantford, ON racer explained. “Our bike is really fast on the straights, so I’d just try to slow things down in the corners and use the straightline speed to pull a gap on him.”

Despite podium finishes in the past two races Szoke slipped from second to third in the Parts Canada Superbike point standings with 212 points to the 216 of Kevin Lacombe, who won the race at AMP. Two rounds remain in the 2004 season.

“The bike’s getting better but we only had one dry practice session and it’s hard to get a good baseline set-up,” Szoke said.

Szoke had qualified on pole for the Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike race on his Honda Canada / Fast Company Honda CBR600RR but had trouble shifting from first to second gear off the start.

He then dropped to seventh on the second lap when he was caught out by debris on the track. Expecting a red flag, Szoke eased his pace only to find out the race wasn’t being stopped. He fought back to fifth at the finish and lies fourth in points with 188.

Szoke’s teammate Andrew Nelson also suffered bad luck in the Pro 600 Sport Bike race. He had joined Szoke on the front row by qualifying fourth and grabbed the lead off the start. But a problem developed with his rear shock, and it was all the Kars, ON rider could do to wrestle his bike home in 10th spot.

Nelson is sixth in the Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike standings with 150 points.

The trouble in the 600 race left Nelson in a poor frame of mind for Superbike action later in the day, and he managed an uncharacteristic ninth. Nelson is now eighth in the Parts Canada Superbike series standings with 142 points, just four behind seventh place Frank Trombino.

The Parts Canada Superbike Championship moves next to the fast and flowing Circuit Mont-Tremblant in the scenic Quebec Laurentians. The track is expected to suit both the Honda CBR1000RR and CBR600RR and should be the scene of solid results.

From a press release issued on behalf of Dunlop by PR firm Vreeke & Associates:

Dunlop congratulates Ben Bostrom, SuperMoto X gold medal winner

Buffalo, NY-Dunlop Motorcycle Tires congratulates Ben Bostrom on his gold medal victory in the debut of SuperMoto X racing at the EXPN Summer X Games. The race took place at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California on Sunday, August 8 and Bostrom captured the win with a dramatic flair.

Bostrom, the 2003 AMA (American Motorcyclist Association) Supermoto Champion, gave fans exactly what they paid for: an edge-of-your-seat race capped off with a last-lap pass of Supermoto World Champion Eddy Seel. Significantly, Bostrom’s Dunlop-shod Honda Racing CRF450R was the first of seven consecutive Dunlop-equipped machines across the finish line; in fact, nine of the top 10 finishers took the checkered flag on Dunlop tires.

Broadcast live in its entirety on ABC’s Wide World of Sports, road-racing champ Bostrom was one of several top-name racers from many disciplines, including Supercross/motocross champions Jeremy McGrath, Jeff Ward, Doug Henry and Chad Reed, and motocross/freestyle stars Travis Pastrana, Kevin Windham, Grant Langston, Brian Deegan and Kenny Bartram. Baja desert racing champion Steve Hengeveld and Supermoto standouts Seel, Jurgen Kuenzel, Ben Carlson, Chris Fillmore and Steve Drew rounded out an impressive list of competitors.

The 35-minute Supermoto competition was conducted on a purpose-built course designed by flat-track guru Danny Walker. Approximately 30 percent of the surface was built on dirt inside the soccer stadium complex and included many Supercross-style obstacles. The remaining 70 percent of the course was built in the paved stadium parking lot and showcased numerous flat corners where the riders pitched their machines into lurid slides at nearly horizontal angles, much to the delight of the spectators on hand as well as those viewing the event at home.

EXPN Summer X Games SuperMoto X (450cc) results:

1. Ben Bostrom – Honda

2. Eddy Seel – Husqvarna

3. Jeremy McGrath – Honda

4. Steve Drew – Honda

5. Kevin Windham – Honda

6. Chad Reed – Yamaha

7. Jurgen Kuenzel – KTM

8. Mike Metzger – Honda

9. Mickey Dymond – KTM

10. Jeff Ward – Honda

Fans of Supermoto racing can enjoy the sport’s annual AMA competition starting on September 29 as the 2004 AMA Supermoto Championship airs during prime time on Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. EST on OLN (Outdoor Living Network).

From a press release issued by Team Suzuki:

SUZUKI AIM FOR TOP IN GERMANY

Suzuki Castrol head to the German World Endurance fifth round at Oschersleben this weekend 14 points adrift of Yamaha GMT 94 following their crash at the Suzuka 8 Hour, but with double points available, the SERT squad are confident of remaining major contenders for the World Title.

An accident at Suzuka when Australian guest rider Shawn Giles was hit from behind, lost the French team more than 40 minutes, saw their chance of victory disappear, and a narrow two-point deficit on the series leaders increase dramatically.

Practice and qualifying for The 24 Stunden von Oschersleben – one of the most difficult and key events in the World Endurance calendar – starts on Thursday with the main race getting underway at 3pm local time on Saturday afternoon.

The event is the circuit’s centrepiece of its ‘Speedweek’ celebration which attracts a huge crowd from all over Europe and also includes support races from the European Supermono Championship, the German national championship, one-make championships, sidecar races, super moto and an old timers race for classic and historical machines.

The series is currently dominated by Suzuki with 12 of the 25 top teams mounted on Suzuki GSX-R1000s.

Current points (after 4 rounds) 1 Yamaha GMT 94 – 99 points, 2 Suzuki Castrol Team – 85, 3 Yamaha Endurance Moto 38 – 56, 4 Yamaha Austria Racing Team – 51, 5 Seven Stars Honda – 38, 6 Yoshimura Suzuki – 30, 7 Kawasaki Bolliger – 30, 8 Suzuki Jet Team – 30, 9 WRT Honda Austria – 28, 10 Shell Endurance Academy – 23.