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.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

What started with one man’s hope to make Christmas a little merrier for a neighbor in need has resulted in the entire motorcycle community donating over $18,000 in cash plus gifts to the young family of six.

It all started with a December 16 posting on the WERA Motorcycle Racing electronic bulletin board (www.wera.com) by custom leathers maker “Barnacle Bill” Burns. Burns’ neighbors’ oldest of four sons, 12-year-old Christopher Powers, has had serious medical problems since birth, and even with health insurance, Christopher’s worsening condition and ever-increasing medical expenses had drained the family’s finances to the point where there would be little in the way of Christmas at their small Kentucky home.

Inspired by the Roadracing World Action Fund drive to raise money to increase racetrack safety, Burns decided the best way he could make a difference was to start a raffle. He offered entries at $5.00 each to win a custom-made set of racing leathers. His original post dreamed of getting 1000 people to each buy one ticket, which would result in a $5000 donation to the family.

Thanks to members of the WERA BBS spreading the word to other online motorcycle forums and the establishment of a website (www.expertfriend.com/ffcr_home.html) and PayPal account ([email protected]) by volunteer Dave Arkle, the $5000 mark was surpassed in less than two days and donations have continued to pour in from every corner of the U.S and as far away as the Kawasaki Triples Club of Norway.

Other business owners in the motorcycle community have donated additional prizes – like racing tires, fuel, motorcycle parts and pit flooring – to be awarded as secondary prizes in the raffle. A group of 10 racers have pledged to place decals representing these companies, or any company that donated $100 or more in cash or prizes, on their racebikes for the 2005 season. And some contributors donated video games, toys and department store gift cards directly to the family in time for Christmas.

At post time, cash donations had surpassed $18,000, a portion of which was given to the Powers family prior to Christmas.

Because donations continue to come in daily, some from repeat donors, Burns has not decided on an exact date he will close the raffle to entries. The drawing is expected to take place some time in early-January, however, so that the winner of the leathers can have their new suit completed prior to the start of the 2005 racing season.

To enter the raffle or just make a donation, go to www.PayPal.com and donate to: [email protected]. Donations can also be mailed in to: Barnacle Bill’s, Attn: Christopher Powers, 1106 Logan Rd., Springfield, KY 40069. Checks should be made payable to Barnacle Bill’s Christopher Fund. For additional information, call “Barnacle Bill” Burns at (859) 336-7375 or e-mail [email protected].

From a press release:

Privateer AMA Superbike racer Jack Pfeifer has created a new website.

Please start your new year with a glimpse at a “Privateer’s Dream” at www.jackpfeifer.com.

Highlights of the new site include great action photos, sponsorship opportunities, Jack’s bikes including his 4th-place-finishing Daytona 200 Suzuki GSX-R1000 for sale, and most importantly a Pfeifer Fan page where you could win a new Suomy helmet.

From a press release:

FAST Riding School adds “Phase R” race school for 2005

12/31/04 Shannonville, Ontario, Canada — FAST Riding School is pleased to announce it will be offering “Phase R,” a new course level that is intended for riders who plan to begin racing in 2005 or licensed racers who would like to improve their abilities.

“Many of the riders who begin racing at Shannonville have already attended our school” said FAST Riding School owner and 3-time Canadian Superbike Champion, Michel Mercier. “But we thought a specialized course for beginning and novice racers would be useful. Phase R will cover topics such as starting, passing and strategy, these are things we don’t concentrate on in our other courses.”

The Phase R courses are scheduled at Shannonville Motorsport Park’s Nelson circuit on April 27 and April 28, 2005. Successfully completing Phase R in April means students will be able to apply for their race license in time to enter the first races of the season which begin in May. Students must supply their own racebikes and riding gear.

More information can be found at the FAST Riding School website at www.fastridingschool.com.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The news last week that Virginia International Raceway had not included an AMA event on its 2005 schedule was met with disappointment from racers.

“It’s a bummer, for sure,” 2004 AMA Supersport Champion Tommy Hayden told Roadracingworld.com. “I always liked going there (VIR). I’ll be disappointed to only have 10 races. We need to keep as many races as we can, and VIR is definitely one of our good tracks. I hope this gets worked out, but it doesn’t look very good.”

“It’s never good to lose races off the schedule,” said American Honda’s Jake Zemke. “It would be nice to see if we can find a replacement or go back to another track twice. If we lost (VIR) and Brainerd in one year, that wouldn’t be good.”

“It’s always disappointing to lose a racetrack,” said 2004 AMA Formula Xtreme Champion Miguel Duhamel. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to replace it, if that does happen.”

With the AMA event at Brainerd International Raceway also listed by the AMA as tentative, due, in part, to the facility being put up for sale, and the possibility that all AMA support classes will not race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca this season, Duhamel was asked what he thought about the possibility of racing AMA Formula Xtreme only eight times in 2005.

“The point structure is made to be tight. They want to keep it tight. If there’s only eight races, if anything it’s just going to make it tighter. Hopefully, no one has a problem,” said Duhamel. “I’m just going to jump into the season. There’s not much I can do about it, personally. All I can do is give it my best effort. I’m going into the season pretty confident that no matter what they throw at us we’re going to have a good season. To this point in my career, I’m pretty much immune to anything they (AMA Pro Racing) could do. I’ve seen pretty much everything. That’s why I’m not anticipating too high or too low. I’m just going to really keep my head down and hope they keep it fair for everybody.”

From a press release:

Visionsports’ Racer University Dates for 2005

“Super” Dave Rosno’s Visionsports, Inc. will have two Visionsports’ Racer University (VRU) programs in 2005.

VRU dates are:

May 26th

August 25th

The location for VRU will be at the recently repaved Blackhawk Farms Raceway in Rockton, Illinois.

Visionsports’ Racer University programs are special small groups of instruction for road racing license holders that do race with regularity. Visionsports’ owner, Dave Rosno states, “It was apparent that there was a difference between a racer that raced with regularity versus more recreationally. This program is for a regular racer that needs that extra bit of input into their set up and riding for regular amateur and expert club racing.”

Enrollees will work with Chief Instructor “Super” Dave Rosno exclusively. Enrollments are limited to eight racers per event.

For more information about Visionsports’ programs, contact Visionsports, Inc. at 262-594-3883

Or at http://www.team-visionsports.com