Copyright 2005, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The revised and shortened infield road course at Daytona International Speedway drew mixed reviews from the AMA racers who tried the new layout on Monday, the first day of a three-day multi-team test.

“It’s still Daytona. They just put a band-aid on a problem,” said Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki’s Jason Pridmore. “It won’t be any fun for fans to watch out there. It’s first gear on our bike (GSX-R1000), and I hear it’s even first gear on some of the 600s. They cured some problems with run-off area, but it’s mediocre at best.

“I’m always amazed how they can repave a track and still have bumps. There are huge bumps going onto the back straightaway.”

“It’s a little too tight for my liking,” said Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki’s Steve Rapp. “On the other hand, if it makes the tire situation safer, it’s good.”

“It doesn’t feel like Daytona,” said Yamaha/Graves Yamaha’s Jason DiSalvo. “It just feels weird. You don’t have ‘The Kink’ or the west horseshoe. Those were classic Daytona corners.”

“It’s OK,” said Kawasaki’s Roger Lee Hayden. “Some corners are fun. Some aren’t so good. It’s all a bit slick. Other than that, it’s another racetrack that I need to learn to get around better than everyone else.”

“It’s still one of those tracks that you show up, put up with it and leave, but it’s getting better,” said 2004 AMA Superstock Champion Aaron Gobert.

“It’s not so bad,” said Yoshimura Suzuki’s Aaron Yates. “I’m still just figuring out where to go on it. There are some lines I’d like to try, but it’s just too dirty right now and no one is going out there. The decreasing radius turns are tough, but it seems like there are some areas where you can make up some time if you’re willing to push it hard and if you’ve got a bike that flip-flops good.”

“I guess it’s an improvement from what we had to ride before,” said Attack Kawasaki’s Josh Hayes, “but it feels really narrow and there aren’t a lot of passing opportunities. It will change the way the race plays out. There will be a lot of ‘Follow the Leader,’ and you could lose a lot of time if you get caught behind a slower rider in the infield.”

Two riders, however, had much different opinions of the track due to their lack of experience with the venue.

“It’s pretty crazy. It’s a bit of a shock to the system,” said Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin’s Neil Hodgson. “I raced here 10 years ago, and I can’t remember it at all, it’s so different. I know they changed the track, but running around on the banking seems so fast, so bumpy, so out of control!

“I raced a Superbike, but I was only 21 and it was a privateer Ducati, an old 888, which probably had about 150 brake horsepower. Now we’re up to about 192 (horsepower). And the track must be bumpier because it hasn’t been paved in all that time. The bumps are horrendous.

“I watched the race on TV, and the banking looked easy. But it’s not! I wish everybody could experience what it feels like. A roller coaster ride is the best way to describe it, except one that is really scary.”

“Oh my gosh!” said Attack Kawasaki’s Ben Attard after riding his Formula Xtreme ZX-6RR around Daytona for the very first time. “It is the most scary thing I’ve ever done. I’d rather go meet a girl’s parents for the first time than do this.”

Copyright 2005, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Not only did basketball legend Michael Jordan bring his new, three-man AMA Superbike and Superstock team, Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki, to the three-day test session at Daytona International Speedway Monday, he also brought a few of his friends, including rock star Kid Rock and Chris Chelios, of professional hockey’s Detroit Red Wings, to see the sport up-close and in-person.

“We came to check out (Jordan’s) team,” Kid Rock, a.k.a. Robert Ritchie, told Roadracingworld.com. “I’m a big SPEED Channel race fan, generally NASCAR. I had a top fuel (drag racing) car. I did a car with Tony Stewart in the (NASCAR) Busch Series – me, Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart. I’ve been a NASCAR fan for years and speed, in general.”

Kid Rock, who rides “choppers” and motocross regularly and appeared in the major motion picture “Biker Boyz,” said he is looking to get involved in motorcycle road racing.

“I keep hearing about it,” said Kid Rock. “Mike’s (Jordan) pretty much got me sold on it. I’ve just got to check it out for myself now. TV doesn’t do any type of racing justice, I think.”

Copyright 2005, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

After a long partnership, Team Hammer, Inc., which races as Team M4 EMGO Suzuki (formerly Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki) in the AMA Superbike series, has ended its relationship with French tire manufacturer Michelin. The Alabama-based team will use Pirelli tires in 2005.

“We felt the need to make a change,” Team M4 EMGO Suzuki Crew Chief Keith Perry told Roadracingworld.com Monday at Daytona International Speedway. “Michelin in the U.S. has been behind us 100 percent, but they depend on getting that kind of support from France.

“We’ve been loyal Michelin users for 10-12 years, or whatever it is, and we wanted to stay with them, but we felt the kind of support we needed wasn’t there anymore.

“We are excited to be working with Pirelli, because they are excited to be working with us.”

Team M4 EMGO Suzuki will race with Vincent Haskovec and Geoff May in 2005. Both riders have had recent experience – and success – on Pirelli tires.

From a press release issued by Daytona International Speedway:

Riders Shake Down New DIS Motorcycle Course

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., (Jan. 3, 2005) — More than 20 motorcycle riders tackled Daytona International Speedway’s new infield motorcycle road course on Monday during the first day of a three-day tire test at “The World Center of Racing.”

“It’s totally different,” said Suzuki rider Ben Spies. “It’s good. The track is so new. It’s real slick. We’ve just got to get some time on it. It’s not as fast and flowing as it once was but the riders will just have to get use to it. It’s definitely going to make it more exciting for the fans and they can see a whole lot more of the track.”

Construction on the new infield motorcycle road course was part of Daytona International Speedway’s multi-million, multi-faceted infield renovation project that began shortly after the Pepsi 400 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event last July.

The new configuration, which will be utilized by motorcycle riders during the upcoming Daytona 200 Bike Week on March 3-12, will exclude NASCAR Turns 1 and 2 and will shorten the course to approximately 3.0 miles. The previous length of the motorcycle course was 3.56 miles.

The Daytona 200, scheduled for Saturday, March 12, will now be 67 laps instead of 57.

Since 1961, when motorcycles began competing at DIS, the course configuration has changed five times with distances varying from 2 miles to 3.87 miles. This is the first change since 1985.

Eric Bostrom, who rides for Ducati Austin, hadn’t climbed aboard his motorcycle yet, but walked the course on Sunday and was pleased with the changes.

“I think I need to ride on it, but it definitely looks like it’s much more flowing,” he said. “Before it was turn, straightaway, turn and now its now got some road course connecting to it. It’s going to be interesting. I think there will be at least one new passing area that has opened up that’s going to be a good passing area.

“I think it’ll be a better rider’s track than in the past.”

The tire test also provided the first look for many of the riders at the other renovations in the infield, which include new garages, an uniquely designed FanZone, new Gatorade Victory Lane, waterfront specialty vehicle and a massive Turn 1 tunnel.

“It’s definitely a different atmosphere,” Bostrom said. “It’s really cool. Certain parts of it look like a park and certain parts look like an entertainment center. It kind of looks like a theme park. It’s nice to see the place revamped and it’s something the fans can enjoy.”

“This is really nice,” Suzuki rider Aaron Yates said of the renovations. “I think the garage setup is a whole lot better. You’re a lot closer to pit road and it seems like a good layout.”

Motorcycle testing continues on Tuesday and Wednesday and is free and open to the public with access to the Oldfield Grandstand available through the lobby of DAYTONA USA.

Tickets for any motorcycle races at Daytona International Speedway are available online at daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.

Copyright 2005, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Five-time and defending AMA Superbike Champion Mat Mladin ended the first day of the annual AMA team test at Daytona International Speedway Monday with the quickest time of all riders.

Piloting his 2005-model Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superbike around the recently revised, 2.95-mile infield road course, Mladin turned a 1:42.107.

The AMA Superbike lap record on the previous, 3.56-mile road course was a 1:46.835, set by Eric Bostrom on a factory Ducati 999 Superbike in 2004.

“Obviously, for quite a while, we were just out there learning the racetrack,” Mladin told Roadracingworld.com. “The racetrack was pretty green and pretty dirty, especially in that new section, and everyone did 20 laps or so figuring out which way it went.

“We started getting going a little bit, went around in circles, got more familiar with the new bike (and) tried a few different tires this afternoon. Tomorrow, we will probably get into some more work and start testing a few parts and things, 2005 stuff.”

Second-fastest overall was Miguel Duhamel on his Honda CBR1000RR “kit” Superbike with a 1:42.278. Duhamel and his new American Honda teammate Jake Zemke split their time Monday between their CBR1000RR Superbikes and CBR600RR Formula Xtreme machines.

Damon Buckmaster showed his wrist, injured for much of the 2004 season, was healed as he led all Superstock riders with a 1:42.679 on his Graves Yamaha YZF-R1.

2003 World Superbike Champion Neil Hodgson was pleasantly surprised with the fifth-fastest time of the day on his brand new Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin 999F05. Hodgson admitted that he had trouble holding his Superbike wide open as he got re-acclimated to Daytona’s bumpy high banks.

In addition to re-learning the Daytona track, Hodgson, like teammate Eric Bostrom, reacquainted himself with Dunlop tires Monday.

The fastest Supersport rider Monday was Yamaha’s Jason DiSalvo, who turned a 1:44.320 on his updated YZF-R6. DiSalvo said the bike had better brakes and more power.

Michael Jordan Motorsports (MJM) Suzuki’s Jason Pridmore, Steve Rapp and Montez Stewart shared one, Superstock-spec 2005 GSX-R1000 all day.

MJM Suzuki team owner Michael Jordan spent the entire day at the racetrack watching from pit lane and the infield with rocker Kid Rock and Detroit Red Wing Chris Chelios.

Team M4 EMGO Suzuki’s Vincent Haskovec, Superstock GSX-R1000, and Geoff May, Supersport GSX-R600, worked on finding baseline set-ups with their new bikes and new Pirelli tires.

Kawasaki’s Tommy Hayden and Roger Lee Hayden concentrated on their new ZX-6RR Supersport bikes Monday while five visitors from Kawasaki Japan looked on.

The only crashers on the day were Yoshimura Suzuki’s Aaron Yates and lone Erion Honda rider Alex Gobert. Yates highsided his 2005 GSX-R1000 Superbike exiting the new, first-gear, turn five left-hander, and Gobert lost the front going into turn one while testing fork settings. Neither Yates nor Gobert suffered any injury.

The test will continue through Wednesday, January 5.

Monday’s Best Lap Times (as supplied by AMA Pro Racing):

1. Mat Mladin, Suz GSX-R1000 Superbike, 1:42.107
2. Miguel Duhamel, Hon CBR1000RR Superbike, 1:42.278
3. Damon Buckmaster, Yam YZF-R1 Superstock, 1:42.679
4. Ben Spies, Suz GSX-R1000 Superbike, 1:42.854
5. Neil Hodgson, Duc 999F05 Superbike, 1:43.166
6. Vincent Haskovec, Suz GSX-R1000 Superstock, 1:43.401
7. Jake Zemke, Hon CBR1000RR Superbike, 1:43.585
8. Jason Pridmore/Steve Rapp/Montez Stewart, Suz GSX-R1000 Superstock, 1:43.639
9. Jason DiSalvo, Yam YZF-R1 Superstock, 1:43.767
10. Aaron Yates, Suz GSX-R1000 Superstock, 1:43.799
11. Jason DiSalvo, Yam YZF-R6 Supersport, 1:44.320
12. Eric Bostrom, Duc 999F05 Superbike, 1:44.332
13. Aaron Gobert, Yam YZF-R1 Superstock, 1:44.345
14. Tommy Hayden, Kaw ZX-6RR Supersport, 1:44.654
15. Jake Zemke, Hon CBR600RR Formula Xtreme, 1:44.875
16. Josh Hayes, Kaw ZX-10R Superbike, 1:45.009
17. Roger Lee Hayden, Kaw ZX-6RR Supersport, 1:45.996
18. Damon Buckmaster, Yam YZF-R6 Supersport, 1:46.254
19. Michael Barnes, Yam YZF-R6 Supersport, 1:46.342
20. Geoff May, Suz GSX-R600 Supersport, 1:46.578
21. Miguel Duhamel, Hon CBR600RR Formula Xtreme, 1:46.697
22. Alex Gobert, Hon CBR600RR Formula Xtreme, 1:47.259
23. Aaron Gobert, Yam YZF-R6 Supersport, 1:47.558
24. Taylor Knapp, Yam YZF-R6 Supersport, 1:48.627
25. Ben Attard, Kaw ZX-6RR Formula Xtreme, 1:48.766
26. Mike Ciccotto, Buell XB12R Formula Xtreme, 1:49.236
27. Ben Spies, Suz GSX-R600 Supersport, 1:49.501
28. Matt Lynn, Suz GSX-R1000 Superbike, 1:49.535
29. Matt Lynn, Suz GSX-R1000 Superstock, 1:51.722
30. Dan Bilansky, Buell XB12R Formula Xtreme, 1:54.107


Top Speeds (as recorded on one factory team’s radar gun):

1. Jake Zemke, Hon CBR1000RR Superbike, 191.3 mph
2. Eric Bostrom, Duc 999F05 Superbike, 191.0 mph
3. Mat Mladin, Suz GSX-R1000 Superbike, 190.3 mph
4. Ben Spies, Suz GSX-R1000 Superbike, 188.2 mph
5. Neil Hodgson, Duc 999F05 Superbike, 188.1 mph
6. Aaron Yates, Suz GSX-R1000 Superbike, 188.0 mph
7. Steve Rapp, Suz GSX-R1000 Superstock, 186.0 mph
8. Jason Pridmore, Suz GSX-R1000 Superstock, 184.8 mph
9. Josh Hayes, Kaw ZX-10R Superbike, 184.3 mph
10. Damon Buckmaster, Yam YZF-R1 Superstock, 183.2 mph
11. Alex Gobert, Hon CBR600RR Formula Xtreme, 175.0 mph
12. Jason DiSalvo, Yam YZF-R6 Supersport, 171.5 mph
13. Matt Lynn, Suz GSX-R1000, 171.1 mph
14. TIE, Aaron Gobert, Yam YZF-R6 Supersport/Tommy Hayden, Kaw ZX-6RR Supersport, 170.1 mph
16. Roger Lee Hayden, Kaw ZX-6RR Supersport, 169.6 mph
17. Geoff May, Suz GSX-R600 Supersport, 166.4 mph

Copyright 2005, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The three-day AMA team test January 3-5 at Daytona International Speedway (DIS), in Daytona Beach, Florida, is extremely crucial to teams and tire manufacturers due to changes to the legendary track’s infield road course.

At the test, riders and crews for American Honda, Erion Honda, Yoshimura Suzuki, Team M4 EMGO Suzuki, Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki, Kawasaki, Attack Kawasaki, Yamaha, Graves Yamaha and Hal’s Performance Advantage Buell will be sorting out their 2005 machines and equipment, some for the first time.

More importantly, the teams and tire manufacturers Bridgestone, Dunlop, Michelin and Pirelli will be getting their first – and only – look at DIS’s recently revised infield road course prior to the all-important AMA season opener in March.

In the summer of 2004, DIS began a multi-million dollar infield renovation project, which, among many other things, shortened its 3.56-mile infield road course to approximately 3.00 miles. The course revision eliminates the west banking, NASCAR Turns One and Two, and changes the unique demands the World Center of Speed places on motorcycles.

Tire manufacturers will use this week’s test to gather data necessary to redesign their Daytona-specific tires for the best possible performance and safety on the significantly altered course.

Tire engineers will also have to gather information to accommodate the change in the format of the Daytona 200 by Arai.

Instead of 200-plus-horsepower, 370-pound Superbikes, the Daytona 200-miler will feature 140-plus-horsepower, 350-pound Formula Xtreme bikes. The AMA Superbike race at Daytona will be reduced to as few as 12-to-15 laps.

Likewise, teams will have to do long-distance runs (testing engine reliability, fuel mileage and tire wear) on their new Formula Xtreme machines and develop sprint set-ups for their Superbikes on the new course.

Weather forecasts call for relatively good conditions during the period of the test, but conditions can change dramatically and with little warning in Florida.

From a press release issued by Gordon Lunde, Wegman Benefit Fund:

The 11th annual Steel Shoe Fund 3 hr. endurance motorcycle ice race will be held Sunday January 23, 2005 at Gimmer’s Sunset Marina on Lake Koshkonong in Ft. Atkinson, WI.

This ice endurance event is run on what is normally a 1.5 to 2 mile road course layout and all entry fees are used to assist seriously injured flat track racers across the country. The entry fee is $125 per team (maximum of 4 riders per team). Three classes are run, Lightweight: 125-200cc, Middleweight: 201-400cc and Heavyweight: 401 and up.

Race day hotline for weather/track conditions is 920-563-5702.

For more information please contact Al Sumner at 262-754-0686 or [email protected].

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION:

Via e-mail:

I am in Los angeles, looking for racers needing transportation for their racing equipment to Daytona. I can haul 8 bikes, spares, wheels and tools. (No fuel for safety. Get fuel at the track.)

I have a very reliable Freightliner FL70 Box Truck. My route is for the CCS and AMA weeks at Daytona. I would like to stay on the east coast thru the Birmingham AMA round, and then return for the Las Vegas CCS race April 30th. I have three spots filled.

For more information, contact Eric Pinson at:
[email protected]

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

World Superbike veteran Pierfrancesco Chili, 40, will ride a CBR1000RR for Klaffi Honda in the 2005 World Superbike Championship, according to an announcement on the Klaffi Honda team website.

Chili has been a popular and successful fixture in the World Superbike Championship since 1995. In his 239 race starts, Chili has earned 61 podium finishes, 17 race wins, 29 fastest race laps and 10 pole positions.

Though he spent most of his years riding V-Twin-powered Ducatis, Chili is no stranger to inline Fours. The Italian rode a Suzuki GSX-R750 from 1999 to 2001, collecting three wins and 18 podium finishes during that time.

The highest Chili has finished in the World Superbike Championship standings was fourth (1998 and 2000). He finished fifth in the 2004 Championship on a PSG-1 Ducati 998/999 hybrid.

Chili was quoted in the announcement as saying “thank you” to his crew members, none of whom accepted other job offers while waiting for him to finalize his deal with Klaffi Honda.

According to Klaffi Honda Team Owner and Manager, Klaus Klaffenbock, his decision for his lead rider came down to Chili or Ben Bostrom.

Bostrom is expected to be announced to the Renegade Honda World Superbike team some time after January 1, 2005.

The Klaffi Honda team will also field 21-year-old German Max Neukirchner in World Superbike. (Neukirchner, along with Sebastien Charpentier, rode for Klaffi Honda in the 2004 World Supersport Championship.) Fin Tatu Lauslehto will ride on Klaffi Honda’s World Supersport squad in 2005.