From a press release:

A custom-built 450cc Honda dirt tracker will be raffled off to benefit the Roadracing World Action Fund. The project started just four weeks ago, but quickly grew to include 12 well-known and respected participants, who were excited about the prospect of building the bike and also helping to benefit the Roadracing World Action Fund.

Project/raffle co-ordinator Peter Giammalvo of Sideways Promotions, which specializes in professional and amateur flat track racing events, describes how it all came together: “Four weeks ago Leo Vadnais, a die-hard dirt track enthusiast and reporter for The Motorcyclist’s Post and Flat Track Illustrated, approached me with an idea: to build a 450 Honda dirt tracker and raffle it off with 100% of the proceeds to benefit the Roadracing World Action Fund. A few phone calls by Leo and it’s a done deal! With the blessing of Roadracing World and Bruce Bober of the AMA, donations came from many enthusiasts.

“Mike Owen from J&M Frames donated a frame, shock and radiator. Bruce Lyskawa from Concord Honda donated a 2005 motor. Jack from First Klass Glass is supplying the seat and tank. Bob Weiss from Weiss Racing is supplying triple clamps. Jeff from East Coast Wheels is taking care of wheels and hubs. SuperTrapp is taking care of the pipe. Chris from Wakula Racing is supplying brakes and brackets. Tires and misc hardware is taken care of by A1Cycles.com, Bettencourt’s Honda-Suzuki and Sideways Promotions. ZEKE Design will ensure an awesome paint design. Fast Plates is doing the number plates which will be autographed by the top riders of 2005.”

A maximum of 3000 tickets will be sold at $10 each at racetracks and online at www.roadracingworld.com. Although tickets will be on sale for bike week at Daytona in March, the completed custom bike will debut at the Springfield Mile and TT May 29. The bike will tour a circuit of AMA Nationals including Syracuse and Vernon NY, Labor Day Springfield and the season ending Duquoin Mile Oct 1, where the winning ticket will be drawn.

Producers at Two-Wheel Tuesday tentatively plan to have a camera crew in Laconia to do a story on the bike during The 13th Annual Ben Campanale Laconia ½ Mile.

A sold-out raffle will produce $30,000 to benefit the Roadracing World Action Fund, a non-profit organization under section 501(c)3. The Roadracing World Action Fund advocates and promotes the use of soft barriers to prevent racetrack injuries, and promotes motorcycle racing safety education. To learn more about the Roadracing World Action Fund, visit http://actionfund.roadracingworld.com.

450 Honda Dirt Tracker Project Participants

J&M Frames
Concord Honda
First Klass Glass
Weiss Racing
East Coast Wheels
SuperTrapp
Wakula Racing
A1 Cycles.com
Bettencourt’s Honda-Suzuki
Sideways Promotions/www.sidewayspromo.com
ZEKE Design
Fast Plates

Copyright 2005, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION:

Via e-mail:

Gentlemen – we, the passionate-about-our-roadingracing public, have started a campaign over at the SPEEDTV message boards to get the channel to change its broadcast time for Round One of the World Superbike series on February 27th. Currently the broadcast is scheduled for Tuesday, March 1st at 12 and 1 pm. That’s right….we will not have same day coverage of a series that is seeing extraordinary participation from the bike manufacturers for 2005. And need I mention the names Haga, Bostrom, Laconi, Corser, Toseland, Chili, Walker, Pitt, and Kayagama?

This isn’t a hate mail campaign – SPEEDTV is to be commended for bringing us same day coverage of AMA, MotoGP, and WSBK.

But I have got to believe that Brian D., Greg W., Dennis N.and even Dave D. over at SPEEDTV have heavy, heavy hearts with respect to this development for the dedicated fans that tune into their channel.

Your help in our cause is appreciated.

Bob Close
TooClose Racing
Oswego, New York



We’re sure that SPEEDTV is eagerly awaiting the TooClose Racing commercial package that will finance the same-day coverage Mr. Close and friends desire…Editor.



And now some reaction:

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

I think that guy has a point. WSBK was once
an afternoon broadcast, thanks to the DR. Woodchipper.

Last year it moved to Sunday evenings, sometime not even back to back. But a weekday broadcast? It’ll be recorded and the ads fast-forwarded.

Of course that may make some motorcycles appear even faster, and fuel even more buying, but I doubt it.

What advertisers there are should be disappointed.

Is there a solution other than moving to Europe?
Satellite TV with access to Sky broadcasting?

Keep up the great work. The article on the MotoCzysz MotoGP bike was excellent. I love interviews with engineers who explain the whys of their designs.

Aaron Woell
DeKalb, Illinois

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

2005 Calendar Confirmed

The final calendar for the 2005 World Endurance Championship has now been confirmed by the FIM.

Assen 500 March 28th (Easter Monday) Netherlands

Albacete 8 Hour May 21st Spain

Suzuka 8 Hour July 31st Japan

Oschersleben 24 Hour August 13/14th Germany

Vallelunga 200 September 25th Italy

The Albacete race and the Vallelunga race will both take place one week earlier than originally planned. The season opener is the Assen 500 which takes place on March the 28th, Easter Monday.

Copyright 2005, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

After a 15-year relationship with Shoei helmets, American Honda’s Miguel Duhamel will wear Shark helmets through the 2006 season.

“That’s true. We will be wearing Shark helmets for the next two years. I’m really pleased,” Duhamel told Roadracingworld.com Tuesday. “They are a company that’s been around for a long time. I remember when Raymond Roche came out to Mosport for World Superbike. He was a big Shark guy and a bit of a friend of mine. So I have a lot of confidence and am looking forward to doing this.”

The 2004 AMA Formula Xtreme Champion said leaving Shoei was not a quick or easy decision. “It’s not something that was sudden,” said Duhamel. “I made sure Shoei had every chance possible to keep me. Obviously, there is a professional association there and also a friendship that has been built through the years, but unfortunately, that didn’t work out. That’s just how it goes sometimes, you know?

“I would have been pleased to stay with Shoei, but I’m even more pleased that Shark is enthusiastic about coming here and supplying me with support and helmets. I’m looking forward to representing them as well as I can. Hopefully, it’s from the top of the podium this year.”

Duhamel said that he and Shark will collaborate on a new Miguel Duhamel Replica helmet design, which will be sold worldwide. The seven-time AMA Champion said the new replica design could carryover a dragon-based theme, like his previous helmet designs, or the design could be tied in with a potential major personal sponsorship deal from a company based in Las Vegas, Nevada, where Duhamel resides.

“I’m hoping that comes to realization,” said Duhamel. “That would be a great thing for our sport, someone out of the industry coming in and showing interest in what we do. The excitement (on AMA racetracks) is definitely validating the enthusiasm we are receiving right now. Hopefully, I can capitalize on it and do the same thing I did for racer salaries and open the door to outside sponsorship. It’s not done yet, but it’s not dead either. We’re still working on it.”

Asked if the new sponsorship was from a hotel/casino in Las Vegas, Duhamel said, “That’s a high possibility, obviously, being here in Las Vegas.”

Duhamel also said he will be sponsored by Giant Bicycles in 2005.

Copyright 2005, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Formula USA and Championship Cup Series (CCS) have a new address:

3001 Ramona Drive
Fort Worth, Texas 76116

From a press release issued by Cartersport Motorsports Media and P.R. on behalf of Paul Bird Motorsports:

BIRD SIGNS McWILLIAMS TO RACE FOR STOBART HONDA IN BSB 2005

Following on from months of negotiations, Paul Bird Motorsport is pleased to announce that Ulsterman Jeremy McWilliams will ride for the Stobart Honda team in the 2005 British Superbike Championship (BSB).

The two year deal will see the experienced former Moto GP racer join Gary Mason and Michael Laverty in a three man team for the former double BSB champions and sees Cumbrian businessman Bird land a major coup for both his team and the BSB series.

Riding for Honda, Yamaha, Proton and Aprilia, McWilliams, originally from Belfast but now living at Newtownabbey, has spent just over a decade in Grands Prix with over 150 GP starts to his name and is the biggest signing in the recent history of Britain’s most popular motorsport series.

40 year old McWilliams, who turned down a number of lucrative offers to stay in Moto GP for 2005, was delighted with the deal:

“BSB is second only to Moto GP in status and I’m thrilled to be racing here this season. I’ve been wanting to race in BSB for a couple of seasons now but it was a case of waiting for the right ride with the right team and Stobart Honda is the one that fits the bill perfectly. I can’t thank Paul enough for hanging on whilst it was all being sorted out and we’re both in it for one reason this year, and that is to win the title. We’ll do whatever it takes to achieve that,” said McWilliams.

Having not raced regularly in the UK in recent years, many of the tracks will be new or will need relearning but it’s a challenge that McWilliams is looking forward to: “There are some places I’ve never seen before and even those tracks I do know have changed so it is going to be interesting. But one of my main strengths in the world championship was my ability to learn them quickly so I don’t see that being a problem. In fact I’m relishing the task! The other factor is that I’m delighted to be back and riding for Honda again and I genuinely believe we have got the right package in order to challenge for the crown.”

The signing of McWilliams is the final piece in the jigsaw for the four times British Champions who will be sporting new colours and new sponsors as well as reverting back to Honda power after four successful years with Ducati.

“Jeremy was always my number one target and I offered the ride to him in the first place. Of course we were interested in both Shakey Byrne and Gregorio Lavilla as I didn’t think we had a chance of signing a rider of Jeremy’s calibre and it has taken a lot of time and patience but I’m absolutely thrilled to have secured his services. He is a rider with so much experience and he will bring a new dimension to the team,” said Paul Bird.

As part of their policy of bringing new names to the sport, the team has secured the backing of transport giants Eddie Stobart and another company joining the team for the first time is the UK’s number one ventilation specialists Vent Axia. The MonsterMob brand has been superseded by “The Mob” and they remain involved for a fifth year running along with VK Vodka Kick and Fuchs Silkolene Lubricants. The kitted bikes will utilise Dunlop tyres and riders will wear Alpine Stars clothing.

The 13 round Bennett’s British Superbike Championship regularly attracts trackside crowds of over 25,000 as well as millions of television viewers and BSB Race Director Stuart Higgs was elated with the news:

“Having a rider of Jeremy’s undoubted pedigree will add further depth to the already high quality of the rider line up. We now have a dynamic mix of GP and WSB standard riders alongside BSB regulars and emerging talent, demonstrating that BSB is probably THE most competitive series. I personally can’t wait for Brands Hatch in March.”

McWilliams started out racing in 1988 before rapidly progressing to British Championship level. He raced a 250cc machine in 1991 and in 1992 until moving on to an Oxford Products Ducati for selected rides in the Supercup Championship. From there, he moved onto the GP scene where he remained until returning to the UK this season.

During his GP career, he amassed a total of 684 points including six rostrums. With victory in the 2001 Dutch TT, he became the first British rider to win a solo Grand Prix race since Ian McConnachie in 1986, a statistic which still remains today.

After testing for his new team, McWilliams will race the Stobart Honda Fireblade at the opening round of the series which takes place at Brands Hatch in Kent on Easter Monday March 28th2005.

Jeremy McWilliams Biography

Full Name: Jeremy McWilliams

Status: Married to Jill, two sons (Jack and Zak)

Date of Birth: 04/04/1964

Place of Birth: Belfast, Northern Ireland

Residence: Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland

Weight: 65 kg

Height: 162 cm

Music: Everything from Rap to R&B

Favourite Food: Chicken and Pasta

Favourite Drink: Coffee, VK Energy

Hobbies: Trials, Moto X and anything on two wheels

Dream: To win BSB and keep racing

First Race: 1988 Irish Championship, 350cc Production Yamaha

First Success: 1988 Winner Irish Championship Production 350cc

First Grand Prix: 1993 Australian Grand Prix, 500cc Yamaha

First GP Win: 2001 Dutch TT, 250cc Aprilia

Podiums: 1998 German Grand Prix, 250cc Honda, 2nd Position; 1999 Dutch TT, 250cc Aprilia, 3rd Position; 2000 Italian Grand Prix, 500cc, 3rd Position; 2000 British Grand Prix, 500cc, 3rd Position; 2001 Japanese Grand Prix, 250cc, 3rd Position;

Pole Positions: 1999 Australian Grand Prix, 250cc Aprilia; 2000 Australian Grand Prix, 500cc Aprilia; 2002 Australian Grand Prix, 500cc KR Proton;

First Major Victory: 1991 British 250cc Supercup (Yamaha), Brands Hatch

Career Highlights:

1988 Irish Champion, Production 350cc, Yamaha

1990 Irish Champion, Open 350cc, Yamaha

1991 Irish Champion, 250cc, Yamaha

1991 9th British 250cc Supercup, Yamaha

1992 12th British 250cc Supercup, Yamaha

1993 21st 500cc World Championship, Yamaha

1994 12th 500cc World Championship, Yamaha

1995 19th 500cc World Championship, Yamaha

1996 16th 500cc World Championship, Yamaha

1997 10th 250cc World Championship, Honda

1998 9th 250cc World Championship, Honda

1999 10th 250cc World Championship, Aprilia

2000 14th 500cc World Championship, Aprilia

2001 6th 250cc World Championship, Aprilia

2002 14th Moto GP World Championship, KR Proton

2003 18th Moto GP World Championship, KR Proton

2004 19th Moto GP World Championship, Aprilia



2005 BSB Race Dates

26 – 28 March Brands Hatch, Kent (Indy), British Championship R1, www.motorsportvision.co.uk

8 – 10 April, Thruxton, Hants, British Championship R2, www.barc.net

22 – 24 April, Mallory Park, Leics, British
Championship R3, www.mallorypark.co.uk

30 April – 2 May, Oulton Park, Cheshire, British Championship R4, www.motorsportvision.co.uk

13 – 15 May, Mondello Park, Kildare, British Championship R5, www.mondellopark.ie

3 – 5 June, Croft, N Yorks, British Championship R6, www.croftcircuit.co.uk

24 – 26 June, Knockhill, Fife, British Championship R7, www.knockhill.co.uk

8 – 10 July, Snetterton, Norfolk, British Championship R8, www.motorsportvision.co.uk

19 – 21 August, Silverstone, Northants, British
Championship R9, www.silverstone-circuit.co.uk

27 – 29 August, Cadwell Park, Lincs, British
Championship R10, www.motorsportvision.co.uk

9 – 11 September, Oulton Park, Cheshire, British Championship R11, www.motorsportvision.co.uk

23 – 25 September, Donington Park, Leics, British Championship R12, www.donington-park.co.uk

7 – 9 October, Brands Hatch, Kent (GP), British
Championship R13, www.motorsportvision.co.uk

Copyright 2005, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Road America Communications Director Cheryl Barnes has resigned her position with the Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin racetrack and accepted a similar position with Kearney, Missouri’s Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative.

“My family is in Kansas City and I am moving there to be nearer them. There will always be racing; parents, however, are another story,” Barnes wrote in an e-mail to Roadracingworld.com. “It’s been my privilege to work in motorsports, to work at Road America and to have met and worked with so many wonderful people. It’s been an exciting four years and I have truly enjoyed my time at Elkhart Lake.”

From a press release issued by WERA:

WERA MINI CLASSES GET SOME SUPPORT FOR 2005

In an effort to help grow motorcycle road racers WERA Motorcycle Roadracing has had a 50cc and 80cc mini class at some of the races in 2004 and will do so again in 2005. The minis run once on Saturday and then they have another race on Sunday. For the 2005 Sunday races Pauleez Custom Cycle Repair has posted a purse of $50.00 for 1st; $30.00 for 2nd and $20.00 for 3rd to the first three competitors under age 16 in the 80cc Class. They will also provide trophies for these three finishers on Sunday.

King Awards will sponsor the 50cc Class with trophies for the Sunday race finishers – 1st; 2nd and 3rd.

Saturday results will still award 1st/2nd and 3rd place medals in both the 50cc and 80cc classes.

We hope that this encourages more young road racers to come out. The future of the sport relies on getting talented road racers and this is a great avenue to showcase that talent. Racers need to be 10 years of age or older and must have parental consent on file to participate in the 50cc and 80cc Classes.

For further information contact WERA at (770) 720-5010.

From a press release issued by Foggy Petronas Racing:

McCoy Looks To Future in Superbikes

FPR rider Garry McCoy has turned his back on MotoGP and is instead focused on spending his remaining years in the sport in Superbikes, he declared at the recent launch of the of the Australian round of the 2005 World Supberbike calendar.

“I was asking myself at the end of last season if I would go back to MotoGP, but unless you get the interest of the really top teams, there’s no real point in going there,” exlained the 32 year old Aussie.

“FPR is a very professional outfit, which is one of the main reasons why I made the decision to sign with them.

“I’m happier racing in the World Superbike Championship as it’s a racing class more in touch with most motorcycling fans.

“It’s a lot more easy going, everybody’s looking for a rider more so than money and there’s just more of a racing atmosphere, whereas GP – it just doesn’t seem like that. MotoGP is a bigger line of everything. There’s more money….the teams need big money and they look for European riders and bring European sponsors. I don’t know – it’s just not good old racing anymore. You’ve got guys running up front on machinery that people can’t even dream of owning.”

Australia is the second most represented nation on the 2005 World Superbike grid, with six riders including FPR’s Garry McCoy and Steve Martin, behind Italy on ten.

The return of factory support by the big Japanese manufacturers after they left Superbikes in 2001 has given the series a real boost, as well as boosted the hopes for an Australian victory.

“There’s quite a few Aussies in the class and I think a lot of people underestimate the ability the Australian riders have got because we usually don’t get the good machinery. But this year there’s an Australian on a PETRONAS, a Honda, a Yamaha and a Suzuki, which almost covers all the top makes.

“Troy Corser is on the Suzuki and I think he as a former World Champion and his bike will be one of the most competitive combinations out there.

“I’ve got a bike that’s mostly equal to everyone else as well. We’ll be a little bit down on power in the first couple as races as the PETRONAS engine development team are still working on further developments, but I’m very confident of the FP1’s potential.

“I haven’t won a championship even after all those years in MotoGP, but I haven’t thought about retiring for a second. While I get good rides and I’m enjoying it I reckon I’ll just keep going.”