Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.
Repsol Honda MotoGP racer and former AMA Superbike Champion Nicky Hayden is scheduled to appear in-studio on “Greg’s Garage” during SPEED Channel’s “Two-wheel Tuesday” December 7 at 8:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), according to the network’s website.
From a press release issued by the Wegman Benefit Fund:
The latest and recurring contributors to the Wegman Benefit Fund are Scuderia West in San Francisco, CA , Corse Superbikes in Saukville, WI, and SportbikeTrackTime.com.
Scuderia West held a raffle at a bike night promotion at their shop raising $1,617. Corse Superbikes makes a quarterly donation based on bike sales, this time $2,020 and SportbikeTrackTime.com donated their proceeds of $2,625 from a track day held at Grattan Raceway in Michigan. Their total contribution of $6,262 is a great boost for us to help injured road racers.
The latest rider to receive assistance from the Wegman Fund is Jimmy Moore of the Corona Extra Suzuki team who was injured at Brainerd, MN during AMA competition in 2003.
To date the Wegman Fund has paid out over $154,000 to help seriously injured road racers and their families.
For more information about the fund please check our web site at www.wegmanfund.org and while there check our current online auctions.
Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.
Bill Janklow, the former U.S. Representative and Governor of South Dakota who was found to have killed motorcyclist Randolph Scott as a result of his reckless driving, will not have to pay any damages out of his own pocket to the victim’s family, according to an article appearing on www.startribune.com November 30.
Instead, federal taxpayers will pay any damages awarded to Scott’s family in a wrongful death lawsuit because, a federal judge ruled this week, Janklow was “on duty” the day of the accident. Janklow is therefore “covered under the Federal Tort Claims Act, which protects federal employees from negligence claims when they’re on duty,” read the article.
The civil lawsuit against Janklow was dismissed by the federal court. Lawyers for Scott’s family are expected to file a new wrongful death lawsuit against the United States Government.
Janklow, 65, was convicted of speeding, running a stop sign, reckless driving and second-degree manslaughter after he collided with a motorcycle ridden by Scott, 55, who was killed instantly.
Janklow, who was the Governor of South Dakota for 16 years and served in the House of Representatives since 2002, resigned from Congress in January of 2004, served 100 days in county jail and paid a fine.
Janklow has appealed his conviction to the South Dakota Supreme Court, according to the Washington Times.
From a press release issued by Infineon Raceway:
Notable Bay Area Bartenders/Restaurant Owners Ready to Drink and Drive at Infineon Raceway
NEWLY-ELECTED SANTA CLARA COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE TO SERVE AS GUEST SPEAKER AT ANNUAL HOLIDAY EVENT
SONOMA, Calif. – The people who typically pour drinks will be on the receiving end on Friday, Dec. 17, during the 8th annual “Holiday Sobriety Challenge” at Infineon Raceway.
Some of the Bay Area’s notable bartenders and restaurant owners will be drinking and driving at Infineon Raceway, all with the full blessing of the California Highway Patrol and other law enforcement agencies. The event, which will take place from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., will feature a controlled wine and beer tasting experiment that will graphically illustrate how alcohol consumption affects driving performance, even at levels well below the legal limit (.08-percent).
Teresa Guerrero-Daley, a newly-elected Santa Clara County superior court judge, will be a guest speaker at the event, as will Captain Jim Leonard, Oakland CHP, last year’s chairman of Avoid the 21 in Alameda County.
The event has featured different twists over the years, as Bay Area police chiefs, mayors, senior citizens and celebrities have taken the test. This year, bartenders/restaurant owners from notable establishments will take the test, and for good reason. The hope is that these people will leave Infineon Raceway with an added appreciation of how alcohol can severely impair driving ability.
The experiment will raise awareness for the Bay Area Regional Avoid effort for the holiday season, which begins Dec. 17 with DUI checkpoints throughout the nine Bay Area counties, as well as roving DUI enforcement. Later in the day, following the Holiday Sobriety Challenge, law enforcement officers will report to sobriety checkpoints and DUI saturation patrols. Bay Area Regional Avoid is comprised of all 125 law enforcement agencies in the nine Bay Area counties, and the message is clear: If you are planning to consume alcohol, be sure to have a designated driver.
“Sobriety Checkpoints have proven to be an effective tool in reducing alcohol-involved crashes,” said Sunne Wright McPeak, secretary of the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency. “They are a critical part of any comprehensive DUI enforcement program – and that translates into saved lives.”
The following restaurant owners/bartenders are set to participate in the challenge:
* Jim Bril, owner, Fior d’Italia restaurant in San Francisco.
* Michael DiBenedetti, owner, Amante restaurant in San Francisco.
* Paul Spadaro, owner, Steiner’s Tavern in Sonoma.
* Bud Schuerman, owner, Town Square in Sonoma.
* Mark Elzie, bartender, Shanghai Kelly’s/Northstar Cafe in San Francisco.
* Christopher Digmon, bar manager, McCovey’s Restaurant in Walnut Creek.
* Two bartenders, Ernesto’s/Zòcalo in Sacramento.
Statistics within the Bay Area reflect a need for programs such as the Holiday Sobriety Challenge. Alcohol was involved in 165 collision-related fatalities in the nine Bay Area counties in 2003, up from 162 fatalities in 2002. This marks the fifth consecutive year there has been an increase in fatalities. Statewide, alcohol was involved in 1,445 collision-related fatalities, up from 1,416 in 2002. Figures used have been supplied by the California Highway Patrol.
The participants who will take part in the experiment at Infineon Raceway will each be served wine or beer upon arrival. After consuming the alcohol, testers will then be taken through a series of field sobriety tests by law enforcement officers, including a Breathalyzer analysis, before being asked to drive around a pre-determined course at speed. They will be joined in the cars by instructors from the ESPN Jim Russell Racing Drivers School for safety. Nearly 70-percent of those who have taken the Holiday Sobriety Challenge over the last four years have failed.
In addition, other participants in the challenge will include college students, working professionals, retirees and media personnel.
From a press release issued by Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A.
Yamaha MotoGP star Colin Edwards to appear at Long Beach, California Motorcycle show.
CYPRESS, Calif., Dec. 2, 2004 — Recently signed Yamaha MotoGP star and former World Superbike champion Colin Edwards will be on hand for an autograph-signing appearance during the December 3rd-5th Long Beach International Motorcycle Show.
Edwards, fresh from a successful testing session in Malaysia says he is excited to greet his U.S. fans. Edwards said, “It will be great to be in California to say hello my old friends at Yamaha and speak with my fans.”
Autograph times at the Yamaha display will take place Friday, December 3rd from 6:00-7:00 p.m., and Saturday the 4th from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and then again from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Saturday afternoon.
SCRAMP ANNOUNCES 2005 OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS MONTEREY, Calif. – The Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (SCRAMP), the not-for-profit organization that operates major racing events at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, today announced the results of recent elections to determine the officers and board of directors for the 2005 season. SCRAMP officers for 2005 include Don Ask of Carmel Valley as president, Ken Lofink of Monterey as vice president, George Covell of Carmel as treasurer and John O’Neal of Pebble Beach as secretary. Outgoing president Kathryn Hayworth of Del Rey Oaks will serve in the position of past president. Newly elected president Ask is a Monterey Peninsula native with longstanding ties to both the community and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. He is a retired Carmel Postmaster, has been a member of the Carmel Rotary, Monterey Jaycees, Monterey Kiwanis Club and involved with SCRAMP since 1976, serving as the club’s vice president for the past year. Lofink has lived on the Monterey Peninsula since the track opened in 1957 and has been involved with SCRAMP for 35 years, serving on numerous committees and holding officer positions including secretary, vice president and two terms as president. He owned Kajel Designs furniture and lighting business, before moving into real estate 20 years ago. He is currently a partner with MPA Real Estate. Lofink has been involved with many community organizations over the years including a member of the 20-30 Club and Monterey Host Lions Club. He started and ran the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Telethon on the Monterey Peninsula for several years, has been involved with the Crosby/AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am for 25 years and presently sits on the Board of the Monterey County Hospitality Association. The SCRAMP Board of Directors for 2005 consists of the officers listed above and the following individuals: James Alit, Carl Anderson, Jim Coldwell, Greg Curry, Dean Fewtrell, Bruce Herrmann, Bob Hewitt, Harlan Lee, Ed Magner, Mark Mendoza, Allen Mulholland, Ginger Mutoza, Jeff Olinger, Tom Pina, Wayne Rainey, Bill Robertson, Bruce Robertson, Joe Thompson and Bruce Wilson. The Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (SCRAMP) has operated Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca since its opening in 1957. SCRAMP is a not-for-profit organization chartered to benefit local charitable and non-profit groups, and to promote Monterey County economic vitality. Race events at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca have resulted in more than $10 million being distributed to Monterey Peninsula and Central California groups for youth programs and community service projects and have generated more than $1 billion in revenue for area businesses. Today, SCRAMP is one of the most important economic and charitable organizations in Monterey County. 2005 SCHEDULE Apr. 29-May 1 U.S. Sports Car Invitational featuring the Grand Am Rolex Sports Car Series July 8-10 Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix featuring the MotoGP World Championship Aug. 19-21 32nd Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races Sept. 9-11 Grand Prix of Monterey featuring the Champ Car World Series* Oct. 14-16 Monterey Sports Car Championships featuring the American Le Mans Series *pending confirmation
From a press release issued by Foggy Petronas Racing:
Garry recovers from heel surgery
New FPR star Garry McCoy was today recovering in an Austrian hospital after an operation to repair the fractured heel bone he sustained in last week’s test at Valencia.
Initially, Spanish doctors in Valencia believed Garry had suffered ankle ligament damage. Following a CAT scan in Barcelona he was then placed in a plaster cast for two weeks.
But he also sent the MRI scans to an Austrian doctor who had treated Garry for previous fractures of the same leg, sustained in 1998 and 2002.
He diagnosed that the heel bone had fractured down the middle and needed screwing back together in an operation performed yesterday under general anaesthetic in Vienna.
Garry said: “The heel was pretty much boken in half and had rotated apart, so the two halves were a bit out of line. He told me that if it hadn’t been treated it would have been cutting int the soft tissue for the rest of my life. He only got the scans on Monday and told me it needed doing straight away.
“I broke the bone beneath the tib and fib in 1998 and then the tib and fib in 2002. So there’s only really my toes that haven’t been broken on that leg and foot!
“I can’t walk on it for another three weeks so it’s going to be difficult to fly back to Australia, although I’m still hoping to be home for Christmas.
“It’s just part of racing but such a shame because I had felt comfortable and happy on the bike – something that I hadn’t felt in the last couple of years. It happened at turn three, the left kink, when the bike just didn’t seem to get third gear. The heel was obviously the first thing to hit the ground.”
Garry is returning to Barcelona on Saturday before travelling back to his home in Andorra.
From a press release:
North Texas Superbikes partners with Road Race for Kids Program.
Newly opened North Texas Superbikes has partnered with Road Race For Kids, a non-profit corporation that uses motorcycle road racing to promote an anti-drug and alcohol statement throughout the United States. Road Race For Kids is dedicated to keeping kids lives on track and off drugs.
In 2005, Road Race For Kids is planning 40 plus presentations at elementary and Jr. High schools nationwide while the Road Race For Kids Racing Team competes in race weekends around the United States. Bringing media coverage and numerous non-racers together, as well as involving kids, parents, and teachers with our growing sport, this provides kids a positive alternative to drug-use.
The Road Race For Kids program focuses only on positives, not what kids cannot, should not, or better not do. Not an easy task at hand while trying to get the anti-drug statement across.
Road Race For Kids founder Michael Newhouse will be making presentations and public appearances for the remainder of 2004, including a run to benefit a local North Texas girl, who died at 15 from drug and alcohol abuse.(www.kebbsmiles.com ) This run will be held on December 11. Please visit the Road Race for Kids website for more information.
Road Race For Kids is a 501 c (3) non-profit, based North of Dallas, in Lewisville, Texas, and is funded entirely on donations, and sponsors. North Texas Superbikes will provide a racebike and race support, as well as team management for the Road Race For Kids Racing Team for 2005. Please contact North Texas Superbikes to get involved with this worthwhile sponsorship opportunity.
For additional information, please contact:
David Roy
Frenotec LLC
North Texas Superbikes
972-966-0932
[email protected]
www.Roadraceforkids.org
From a press release issued by Clear Channel Entertainment – Motor Sports:
THQ World Supercross GP/THQ AMA Supercross Series Television Schedule
Second Straight Year of Next-day Airing on ESPN2
AURORA, III. (December 2, 2004) – Clear Channel Entertainment’s Motor Sports division announced today the television schedule for the 2004-2005 THQ World Supercross GP/THQ AMA Supercross Series. This is the second consecutive year that the telecast will air the following day after the event on ESPN2.
ESPN2 will kick off the television season with an hour-long Season Preview show that will tell the story of the most competitive Supercross field yet. The Season Preview will air on December 5 at 3 PM EST.
Seventeen (17) rounds of THQ World Supercross GP/THQ AMA Supercross Series will air on ESPN2. The television announcer team will include hosts Todd Harris and Cameron Steele with Jamie Little in the pits. Guest commentators Robbie Floyd, Davey Coombs and Denny Stephenson will also contribute to the TV roster at various stops on the tour.
Todd Harris, a veteran sportscaster, has been covering THQ World Supercross GP/THQ AMA Supercross Series as the Play-by-Play Analyst since 2003. Harris has also covered a variety of sports including NCAA football and the NBA for ABC. Cameron Steele, a former pit reporter for THQ World Supercross GP/THQ AMA Supercross series, joins Harris for his second season in the booth as Color Commentator. Cameron is heavily involved in action sports, with a resume including host of ESPN’s X Games. Jamie Little is the first female to cover THQ World Supercross GP/THQ AMA Supercross Series on television, and returns for her second year as the Pit Reporter. Prior to her reporting duties, she was the live-event announcer for THQ World Supercross GP/THQ AMA Supercross Series. Jamie also reports for many sports on such networks as NBC, ABC, Speed Channel, and TNN.
This weekend in Toronto Floyd, Steele and Little will be covering the race that airs December 5 at 4:00 p.m. EST.
ESPN2 THQ World Supercross GP/THQ AMA Supercross Series Television Schedule
250/125cc Sunday, December 5, ESPN2, 3:00 p.m. EST, Season Preview
250cc Sunday, December 5, ESPN2, 4:00 p.m. EST, Sky Dome, Toronto, Ontario
250cc Sunday, December 12, ESPN2, 12:00 p.m. EST, BC Place Stadium, Vancouver, BC (Qualifying)
250cc Sunday, December 12, ESPN2, 1:00 p.m. EST, BC Place Stadium, Vancouver, BC.(Main Event)
125cc Sunday, January 9, ESPN2, 12:00 p.m. EST, Edison Int’l Field, Anaheim, Calif.
250cc Sunday, January 9, ESPN2, 1:00 p.m. EST, Edison Int’l Field, Anaheim, Calif.
125cc Sunday, January 16, ESPN2, 1:00 p.m. EST, Bank One Ball Park, Phoenix
250cc Sunday, January 16, ESPN2, 2:00 p.m. EST, Bank One Ball Park, Phoenix
125cc Sunday, January 23, ESPN2, 7:00 p.m. EST, Edison Int’l Field, Anaheim, Calif.
250cc Sunday, January 23, ESPN2, 8:00 p.m. EST, Edison Int’l Field, Anaheim, Calif.
125cc Sunday, January 30, ESPN2, 12:00 p.m. EST, Pac Bell Stadium, San Francisco
250cc Sunday, January 30, ESPN2, 1:00 p.m. EST, Pac Bell Stadium, San Francisco
125cc Sunday, February 6, ESPN2, 6:00 p.m. EST, Edison Int’l Field, Anaheim, Calif.
250cc Sunday, February 6, ESPN2, 7:00 p.m. EST, Edison Int’l Field, Anaheim, Calif.
125cc Sunday, February 13, ESPN2 12:00 p.m. EST, RCA Dome, Indianapolis
250cc Sunday, February 13, ESPN2 1:00 p.m. EST, RCA Dome, Indianapolis
125cc Sunday, February 20, ESPN2 12:00 p.m. EST, Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego
250cc Sunday, February 20, ESPN2 1:00 p.m. EST, Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego
125cc Sunday, February 27, ESPN2 4:00 p.m. EST, Georgia Dome, Atlanta
250cc Sunday, February 27, ESPN2 5:00 p.m. EST, Georgia Dome, Atlanta.
125cc Sunday, March 6, ESPN2 10:00 p.m. EST, The Dome at America’s Center, St. Louis
250cc Sunday, March 6, ESPN2 11:00 p.m. EST, The Dome at America’s Center, St. Louis
125cc Sunday, March 27, ESPN2 12:00 p.m. EST, Citrus Bowl, Orlando
250cc Sunday, March 27, ESPN2 1:00 p.m. EST, Citrus Bowl, Orlando
125cc Sunday, April 3, ESPN2 2:00 p.m. EST, Texas Stadium, Dallas
250cc Sunday, April 3, ESPN2 3:00 p.m. EST, Texas Stadium, Dallas
125cc Sunday, April 10, ESPN2 12:00 p.m. EST, Silverdome, Pontiac, Mich.
250cc Sunday, April 10, ESPN2 1:00 p.m. EST, Silverdome, Pontiac, Mich.
125cc Sunday, April 17, ESPN2 12:00 p.m. EST, Quest Field, Seattle
250cc Sunday, April 17, ESPN2 1:00 p.m. EST, Quest Field, Seattle
125cc Sunday, May 1, ESPN2 10:00 p.m. EST, Reliant Stadium, Houston
250cc Sunday, May 1, ESPN2 11:00 p.m. EST, Reliant Stadium, Houston
125cc Sunday, May 8, ESPN2 10:00 p.m. EST, Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
250cc Sunday, May 8, ESPN2 11:00 p.m. EST, Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
For more information, please log on to www.supercross.cc.com. For tickets log onto www.supercross.cc.com, www.ticketmaster.com, www.ticketmaster.ca (Toronto and Vancouver only) www.tickets.com (San Francisco only) or www.unlvtickets.com (Las Vegas only).
About THQ World Supercross GP(tm)/THQ AMA Supercross Series
THQ World Supercross GP is a 17-round global series that is produced and promoted by Clear Channel Entertainment and Dorna Off Road S.L. Riders must compete in the international rounds to be eligible to win the world championship. In 2004-2005, the 17-event THQ World Supercross GP will be comprised of two international events and 15 of the 16 events that are conducted in major cities throughout the United States as a part of the THQ AMA Supercross Series. The other THQ AMA Supercross Series event held in Daytona Beach, Fla., is independently produced by the International Speedway Corporation and is not a part of the THQ World Supercross GP. A THQ AMA Supercross Series rider will be crowned as the national champion for the series of events conducted in the United States only.
Clear Channel Entertainment is the largest promoter and producer of live events in the world, with a broad based tradition in the promotion and production of motorcycle racing events. The FIM, Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme, is the body that globally governs motorcycle sport at the world level. Among other matters, the FIM groups together 85 affiliated National Federations relating to the sport of motorcycle racing. AMA Pro Racing is the National Federation representative that sanctions motorcycle-racing events in the United States. Dorna Off Road S.L. is an internationally recognized sports management group established in 1988 with an emphasis on major international motor sports events. Dorna is headquartered in Madrid, Spain with branch offices in Barcelona, London and Tokyo. In addition to its involvement with THQ World Supercross GP, Dorna manages the rights to MotoGP. For more information on THQ World Supercross GP and the THQ AMA Supercross Series, log on to www.supercross.cc.com.
About Clear Channel Entertainment
Clear Channel Entertainment, the world’s largest producer and marketer of live entertainment events, is a subsidiary of Clear Channel Worldwide (NYSE: CCU), a global leader in the out-of-home advertising industry. Clear Channel Entertainment currently owns, operates and/or exclusively books 135 live entertainment venues, including 44 amphitheaters in the U.S. and 28 venues in Europe. Each year, more than 62 million people attend approximately 26,000 events promoted and/or produced by the company, including: Live music events; Broadway, West End and touring theatrical shows; family entertainment shows; and specialized sports and motor sports shows.
In addition, Clear Channel Entertainment owns leading talent management businesses that specialize in the representation of athletes and broadcasters, including independently operated baseball, basketball and football businesses. Clear Channel Entertainment is headquartered in New York City.
About AMA Pro Racing
AMA Pro Racing is the leading sanctioning body for motorcycle sport in the United States. Its properties include the THQ AMA Supercross Series, the AMA Motocross Championship, the AMA Superbike Championship, the AMA Progressive Insurance Flat Track Championship and the AMA Supermoto Championship. For more information about AMA Pro Racing, visit www.amaproracing.com.
From a press release issued by Ducati North America:
Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin AMA Superbike racer Eric Bostrom will be at the Long Beach IMS show Friday, December 3rd from 8:00-9:00pm to sign autographs in the Ducati corporate booth. Join us in wishing him well for the upcoming season.
Saturday from 11:00am-1:00pm and Sunday 10:00am-12:00pm, World Champion Doug Polen will also be signing autographs at the Ducati corporate booth.
Don’t forget to check out the Ducati Monster Challenge and see all the unique and custom Ducati Monsters.
Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.
Repsol Honda MotoGP racer and former AMA Superbike Champion Nicky Hayden is scheduled to appear in-studio on “Greg’s Garage” during SPEED Channel’s “Two-wheel Tuesday” December 7 at 8:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), according to the network’s website.
From a press release issued by the Wegman Benefit Fund:
The latest and recurring contributors to the Wegman Benefit Fund are Scuderia West in San Francisco, CA , Corse Superbikes in Saukville, WI, and SportbikeTrackTime.com.
Scuderia West held a raffle at a bike night promotion at their shop raising $1,617. Corse Superbikes makes a quarterly donation based on bike sales, this time $2,020 and SportbikeTrackTime.com donated their proceeds of $2,625 from a track day held at Grattan Raceway in Michigan. Their total contribution of $6,262 is a great boost for us to help injured road racers.
The latest rider to receive assistance from the Wegman Fund is Jimmy Moore of the Corona Extra Suzuki team who was injured at Brainerd, MN during AMA competition in 2003.
To date the Wegman Fund has paid out over $154,000 to help seriously injured road racers and their families.
For more information about the fund please check our web site at www.wegmanfund.org and while there check our current online auctions.
Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.
Bill Janklow, the former U.S. Representative and Governor of South Dakota who was found to have killed motorcyclist Randolph Scott as a result of his reckless driving, will not have to pay any damages out of his own pocket to the victim’s family, according to an article appearing on www.startribune.com November 30.
Instead, federal taxpayers will pay any damages awarded to Scott’s family in a wrongful death lawsuit because, a federal judge ruled this week, Janklow was “on duty” the day of the accident. Janklow is therefore “covered under the Federal Tort Claims Act, which protects federal employees from negligence claims when they’re on duty,” read the article.
The civil lawsuit against Janklow was dismissed by the federal court. Lawyers for Scott’s family are expected to file a new wrongful death lawsuit against the United States Government.
Janklow, 65, was convicted of speeding, running a stop sign, reckless driving and second-degree manslaughter after he collided with a motorcycle ridden by Scott, 55, who was killed instantly.
Janklow, who was the Governor of South Dakota for 16 years and served in the House of Representatives since 2002, resigned from Congress in January of 2004, served 100 days in county jail and paid a fine.
Janklow has appealed his conviction to the South Dakota Supreme Court, according to the Washington Times.
From a press release issued by Infineon Raceway:
Notable Bay Area Bartenders/Restaurant Owners Ready to Drink and Drive at Infineon Raceway
NEWLY-ELECTED SANTA CLARA COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE TO SERVE AS GUEST SPEAKER AT ANNUAL HOLIDAY EVENT
SONOMA, Calif. – The people who typically pour drinks will be on the receiving end on Friday, Dec. 17, during the 8th annual “Holiday Sobriety Challenge” at Infineon Raceway.
Some of the Bay Area’s notable bartenders and restaurant owners will be drinking and driving at Infineon Raceway, all with the full blessing of the California Highway Patrol and other law enforcement agencies. The event, which will take place from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., will feature a controlled wine and beer tasting experiment that will graphically illustrate how alcohol consumption affects driving performance, even at levels well below the legal limit (.08-percent).
Teresa Guerrero-Daley, a newly-elected Santa Clara County superior court judge, will be a guest speaker at the event, as will Captain Jim Leonard, Oakland CHP, last year’s chairman of Avoid the 21 in Alameda County.
The event has featured different twists over the years, as Bay Area police chiefs, mayors, senior citizens and celebrities have taken the test. This year, bartenders/restaurant owners from notable establishments will take the test, and for good reason. The hope is that these people will leave Infineon Raceway with an added appreciation of how alcohol can severely impair driving ability.
The experiment will raise awareness for the Bay Area Regional Avoid effort for the holiday season, which begins Dec. 17 with DUI checkpoints throughout the nine Bay Area counties, as well as roving DUI enforcement. Later in the day, following the Holiday Sobriety Challenge, law enforcement officers will report to sobriety checkpoints and DUI saturation patrols. Bay Area Regional Avoid is comprised of all 125 law enforcement agencies in the nine Bay Area counties, and the message is clear: If you are planning to consume alcohol, be sure to have a designated driver.
“Sobriety Checkpoints have proven to be an effective tool in reducing alcohol-involved crashes,” said Sunne Wright McPeak, secretary of the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency. “They are a critical part of any comprehensive DUI enforcement program – and that translates into saved lives.”
The following restaurant owners/bartenders are set to participate in the challenge:
* Jim Bril, owner, Fior d’Italia restaurant in San Francisco.
* Michael DiBenedetti, owner, Amante restaurant in San Francisco.
* Paul Spadaro, owner, Steiner’s Tavern in Sonoma.
* Bud Schuerman, owner, Town Square in Sonoma.
* Mark Elzie, bartender, Shanghai Kelly’s/Northstar Cafe in San Francisco.
* Christopher Digmon, bar manager, McCovey’s Restaurant in Walnut Creek.
* Two bartenders, Ernesto’s/Zòcalo in Sacramento.
Statistics within the Bay Area reflect a need for programs such as the Holiday Sobriety Challenge. Alcohol was involved in 165 collision-related fatalities in the nine Bay Area counties in 2003, up from 162 fatalities in 2002. This marks the fifth consecutive year there has been an increase in fatalities. Statewide, alcohol was involved in 1,445 collision-related fatalities, up from 1,416 in 2002. Figures used have been supplied by the California Highway Patrol.
The participants who will take part in the experiment at Infineon Raceway will each be served wine or beer upon arrival. After consuming the alcohol, testers will then be taken through a series of field sobriety tests by law enforcement officers, including a Breathalyzer analysis, before being asked to drive around a pre-determined course at speed. They will be joined in the cars by instructors from the ESPN Jim Russell Racing Drivers School for safety. Nearly 70-percent of those who have taken the Holiday Sobriety Challenge over the last four years have failed.
In addition, other participants in the challenge will include college students, working professionals, retirees and media personnel.
From a press release issued by Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A.
Yamaha MotoGP star Colin Edwards to appear at Long Beach, California Motorcycle show.
CYPRESS, Calif., Dec. 2, 2004 — Recently signed Yamaha MotoGP star and former World Superbike champion Colin Edwards will be on hand for an autograph-signing appearance during the December 3rd-5th Long Beach International Motorcycle Show.
Edwards, fresh from a successful testing session in Malaysia says he is excited to greet his U.S. fans. Edwards said, “It will be great to be in California to say hello my old friends at Yamaha and speak with my fans.”
Autograph times at the Yamaha display will take place Friday, December 3rd from 6:00-7:00 p.m., and Saturday the 4th from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and then again from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Saturday afternoon.
SCRAMP ANNOUNCES 2005 OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS MONTEREY, Calif. – The Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (SCRAMP), the not-for-profit organization that operates major racing events at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, today announced the results of recent elections to determine the officers and board of directors for the 2005 season. SCRAMP officers for 2005 include Don Ask of Carmel Valley as president, Ken Lofink of Monterey as vice president, George Covell of Carmel as treasurer and John O’Neal of Pebble Beach as secretary. Outgoing president Kathryn Hayworth of Del Rey Oaks will serve in the position of past president. Newly elected president Ask is a Monterey Peninsula native with longstanding ties to both the community and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. He is a retired Carmel Postmaster, has been a member of the Carmel Rotary, Monterey Jaycees, Monterey Kiwanis Club and involved with SCRAMP since 1976, serving as the club’s vice president for the past year. Lofink has lived on the Monterey Peninsula since the track opened in 1957 and has been involved with SCRAMP for 35 years, serving on numerous committees and holding officer positions including secretary, vice president and two terms as president. He owned Kajel Designs furniture and lighting business, before moving into real estate 20 years ago. He is currently a partner with MPA Real Estate. Lofink has been involved with many community organizations over the years including a member of the 20-30 Club and Monterey Host Lions Club. He started and ran the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Telethon on the Monterey Peninsula for several years, has been involved with the Crosby/AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am for 25 years and presently sits on the Board of the Monterey County Hospitality Association. The SCRAMP Board of Directors for 2005 consists of the officers listed above and the following individuals: James Alit, Carl Anderson, Jim Coldwell, Greg Curry, Dean Fewtrell, Bruce Herrmann, Bob Hewitt, Harlan Lee, Ed Magner, Mark Mendoza, Allen Mulholland, Ginger Mutoza, Jeff Olinger, Tom Pina, Wayne Rainey, Bill Robertson, Bruce Robertson, Joe Thompson and Bruce Wilson. The Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (SCRAMP) has operated Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca since its opening in 1957. SCRAMP is a not-for-profit organization chartered to benefit local charitable and non-profit groups, and to promote Monterey County economic vitality. Race events at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca have resulted in more than $10 million being distributed to Monterey Peninsula and Central California groups for youth programs and community service projects and have generated more than $1 billion in revenue for area businesses. Today, SCRAMP is one of the most important economic and charitable organizations in Monterey County. 2005 SCHEDULE Apr. 29-May 1 U.S. Sports Car Invitational featuring the Grand Am Rolex Sports Car Series July 8-10 Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix featuring the MotoGP World Championship Aug. 19-21 32nd Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races Sept. 9-11 Grand Prix of Monterey featuring the Champ Car World Series* Oct. 14-16 Monterey Sports Car Championships featuring the American Le Mans Series *pending confirmation
From a press release issued by Foggy Petronas Racing:
Garry recovers from heel surgery
New FPR star Garry McCoy was today recovering in an Austrian hospital after an operation to repair the fractured heel bone he sustained in last week’s test at Valencia.
Initially, Spanish doctors in Valencia believed Garry had suffered ankle ligament damage. Following a CAT scan in Barcelona he was then placed in a plaster cast for two weeks.
But he also sent the MRI scans to an Austrian doctor who had treated Garry for previous fractures of the same leg, sustained in 1998 and 2002.
He diagnosed that the heel bone had fractured down the middle and needed screwing back together in an operation performed yesterday under general anaesthetic in Vienna.
Garry said: “The heel was pretty much boken in half and had rotated apart, so the two halves were a bit out of line. He told me that if it hadn’t been treated it would have been cutting int the soft tissue for the rest of my life. He only got the scans on Monday and told me it needed doing straight away.
“I broke the bone beneath the tib and fib in 1998 and then the tib and fib in 2002. So there’s only really my toes that haven’t been broken on that leg and foot!
“I can’t walk on it for another three weeks so it’s going to be difficult to fly back to Australia, although I’m still hoping to be home for Christmas.
“It’s just part of racing but such a shame because I had felt comfortable and happy on the bike – something that I hadn’t felt in the last couple of years. It happened at turn three, the left kink, when the bike just didn’t seem to get third gear. The heel was obviously the first thing to hit the ground.”
Garry is returning to Barcelona on Saturday before travelling back to his home in Andorra.
From a press release:
North Texas Superbikes partners with Road Race for Kids Program.
Newly opened North Texas Superbikes has partnered with Road Race For Kids, a non-profit corporation that uses motorcycle road racing to promote an anti-drug and alcohol statement throughout the United States. Road Race For Kids is dedicated to keeping kids lives on track and off drugs.
In 2005, Road Race For Kids is planning 40 plus presentations at elementary and Jr. High schools nationwide while the Road Race For Kids Racing Team competes in race weekends around the United States. Bringing media coverage and numerous non-racers together, as well as involving kids, parents, and teachers with our growing sport, this provides kids a positive alternative to drug-use.
The Road Race For Kids program focuses only on positives, not what kids cannot, should not, or better not do. Not an easy task at hand while trying to get the anti-drug statement across.
Road Race For Kids founder Michael Newhouse will be making presentations and public appearances for the remainder of 2004, including a run to benefit a local North Texas girl, who died at 15 from drug and alcohol abuse.(www.kebbsmiles.com ) This run will be held on December 11. Please visit the Road Race for Kids website for more information.
Road Race For Kids is a 501 c (3) non-profit, based North of Dallas, in Lewisville, Texas, and is funded entirely on donations, and sponsors. North Texas Superbikes will provide a racebike and race support, as well as team management for the Road Race For Kids Racing Team for 2005. Please contact North Texas Superbikes to get involved with this worthwhile sponsorship opportunity.
For additional information, please contact:
David Roy
Frenotec LLC
North Texas Superbikes
972-966-0932
[email protected]
www.Roadraceforkids.org
From a press release issued by Clear Channel Entertainment – Motor Sports:
THQ World Supercross GP/THQ AMA Supercross Series Television Schedule
Second Straight Year of Next-day Airing on ESPN2
AURORA, III. (December 2, 2004) – Clear Channel Entertainment’s Motor Sports division announced today the television schedule for the 2004-2005 THQ World Supercross GP/THQ AMA Supercross Series. This is the second consecutive year that the telecast will air the following day after the event on ESPN2.
ESPN2 will kick off the television season with an hour-long Season Preview show that will tell the story of the most competitive Supercross field yet. The Season Preview will air on December 5 at 3 PM EST.
Seventeen (17) rounds of THQ World Supercross GP/THQ AMA Supercross Series will air on ESPN2. The television announcer team will include hosts Todd Harris and Cameron Steele with Jamie Little in the pits. Guest commentators Robbie Floyd, Davey Coombs and Denny Stephenson will also contribute to the TV roster at various stops on the tour.
Todd Harris, a veteran sportscaster, has been covering THQ World Supercross GP/THQ AMA Supercross Series as the Play-by-Play Analyst since 2003. Harris has also covered a variety of sports including NCAA football and the NBA for ABC. Cameron Steele, a former pit reporter for THQ World Supercross GP/THQ AMA Supercross series, joins Harris for his second season in the booth as Color Commentator. Cameron is heavily involved in action sports, with a resume including host of ESPN’s X Games. Jamie Little is the first female to cover THQ World Supercross GP/THQ AMA Supercross Series on television, and returns for her second year as the Pit Reporter. Prior to her reporting duties, she was the live-event announcer for THQ World Supercross GP/THQ AMA Supercross Series. Jamie also reports for many sports on such networks as NBC, ABC, Speed Channel, and TNN.
This weekend in Toronto Floyd, Steele and Little will be covering the race that airs December 5 at 4:00 p.m. EST.
ESPN2 THQ World Supercross GP/THQ AMA Supercross Series Television Schedule
250/125cc Sunday, December 5, ESPN2, 3:00 p.m. EST, Season Preview
250cc Sunday, December 5, ESPN2, 4:00 p.m. EST, Sky Dome, Toronto, Ontario
250cc Sunday, December 12, ESPN2, 12:00 p.m. EST, BC Place Stadium, Vancouver, BC (Qualifying)
250cc Sunday, December 12, ESPN2, 1:00 p.m. EST, BC Place Stadium, Vancouver, BC.(Main Event)
125cc Sunday, January 9, ESPN2, 12:00 p.m. EST, Edison Int’l Field, Anaheim, Calif.
250cc Sunday, January 9, ESPN2, 1:00 p.m. EST, Edison Int’l Field, Anaheim, Calif.
125cc Sunday, January 16, ESPN2, 1:00 p.m. EST, Bank One Ball Park, Phoenix
250cc Sunday, January 16, ESPN2, 2:00 p.m. EST, Bank One Ball Park, Phoenix
125cc Sunday, January 23, ESPN2, 7:00 p.m. EST, Edison Int’l Field, Anaheim, Calif.
250cc Sunday, January 23, ESPN2, 8:00 p.m. EST, Edison Int’l Field, Anaheim, Calif.
125cc Sunday, January 30, ESPN2, 12:00 p.m. EST, Pac Bell Stadium, San Francisco
250cc Sunday, January 30, ESPN2, 1:00 p.m. EST, Pac Bell Stadium, San Francisco
125cc Sunday, February 6, ESPN2, 6:00 p.m. EST, Edison Int’l Field, Anaheim, Calif.
250cc Sunday, February 6, ESPN2, 7:00 p.m. EST, Edison Int’l Field, Anaheim, Calif.
125cc Sunday, February 13, ESPN2 12:00 p.m. EST, RCA Dome, Indianapolis
250cc Sunday, February 13, ESPN2 1:00 p.m. EST, RCA Dome, Indianapolis
125cc Sunday, February 20, ESPN2 12:00 p.m. EST, Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego
250cc Sunday, February 20, ESPN2 1:00 p.m. EST, Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego
125cc Sunday, February 27, ESPN2 4:00 p.m. EST, Georgia Dome, Atlanta
250cc Sunday, February 27, ESPN2 5:00 p.m. EST, Georgia Dome, Atlanta.
125cc Sunday, March 6, ESPN2 10:00 p.m. EST, The Dome at America’s Center, St. Louis
250cc Sunday, March 6, ESPN2 11:00 p.m. EST, The Dome at America’s Center, St. Louis
125cc Sunday, March 27, ESPN2 12:00 p.m. EST, Citrus Bowl, Orlando
250cc Sunday, March 27, ESPN2 1:00 p.m. EST, Citrus Bowl, Orlando
125cc Sunday, April 3, ESPN2 2:00 p.m. EST, Texas Stadium, Dallas
250cc Sunday, April 3, ESPN2 3:00 p.m. EST, Texas Stadium, Dallas
125cc Sunday, April 10, ESPN2 12:00 p.m. EST, Silverdome, Pontiac, Mich.
250cc Sunday, April 10, ESPN2 1:00 p.m. EST, Silverdome, Pontiac, Mich.
125cc Sunday, April 17, ESPN2 12:00 p.m. EST, Quest Field, Seattle
250cc Sunday, April 17, ESPN2 1:00 p.m. EST, Quest Field, Seattle
125cc Sunday, May 1, ESPN2 10:00 p.m. EST, Reliant Stadium, Houston
250cc Sunday, May 1, ESPN2 11:00 p.m. EST, Reliant Stadium, Houston
125cc Sunday, May 8, ESPN2 10:00 p.m. EST, Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
250cc Sunday, May 8, ESPN2 11:00 p.m. EST, Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
For more information, please log on to www.supercross.cc.com. For tickets log onto www.supercross.cc.com, www.ticketmaster.com, www.ticketmaster.ca (Toronto and Vancouver only) www.tickets.com (San Francisco only) or www.unlvtickets.com (Las Vegas only).
About THQ World Supercross GP(tm)/THQ AMA Supercross Series
THQ World Supercross GP is a 17-round global series that is produced and promoted by Clear Channel Entertainment and Dorna Off Road S.L. Riders must compete in the international rounds to be eligible to win the world championship. In 2004-2005, the 17-event THQ World Supercross GP will be comprised of two international events and 15 of the 16 events that are conducted in major cities throughout the United States as a part of the THQ AMA Supercross Series. The other THQ AMA Supercross Series event held in Daytona Beach, Fla., is independently produced by the International Speedway Corporation and is not a part of the THQ World Supercross GP. A THQ AMA Supercross Series rider will be crowned as the national champion for the series of events conducted in the United States only.
Clear Channel Entertainment is the largest promoter and producer of live events in the world, with a broad based tradition in the promotion and production of motorcycle racing events. The FIM, Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme, is the body that globally governs motorcycle sport at the world level. Among other matters, the FIM groups together 85 affiliated National Federations relating to the sport of motorcycle racing. AMA Pro Racing is the National Federation representative that sanctions motorcycle-racing events in the United States. Dorna Off Road S.L. is an internationally recognized sports management group established in 1988 with an emphasis on major international motor sports events. Dorna is headquartered in Madrid, Spain with branch offices in Barcelona, London and Tokyo. In addition to its involvement with THQ World Supercross GP, Dorna manages the rights to MotoGP. For more information on THQ World Supercross GP and the THQ AMA Supercross Series, log on to www.supercross.cc.com.
About Clear Channel Entertainment
Clear Channel Entertainment, the world’s largest producer and marketer of live entertainment events, is a subsidiary of Clear Channel Worldwide (NYSE: CCU), a global leader in the out-of-home advertising industry. Clear Channel Entertainment currently owns, operates and/or exclusively books 135 live entertainment venues, including 44 amphitheaters in the U.S. and 28 venues in Europe. Each year, more than 62 million people attend approximately 26,000 events promoted and/or produced by the company, including: Live music events; Broadway, West End and touring theatrical shows; family entertainment shows; and specialized sports and motor sports shows.
In addition, Clear Channel Entertainment owns leading talent management businesses that specialize in the representation of athletes and broadcasters, including independently operated baseball, basketball and football businesses. Clear Channel Entertainment is headquartered in New York City.
About AMA Pro Racing
AMA Pro Racing is the leading sanctioning body for motorcycle sport in the United States. Its properties include the THQ AMA Supercross Series, the AMA Motocross Championship, the AMA Superbike Championship, the AMA Progressive Insurance Flat Track Championship and the AMA Supermoto Championship. For more information about AMA Pro Racing, visit www.amaproracing.com.
From a press release issued by Ducati North America:
Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin AMA Superbike racer Eric Bostrom will be at the Long Beach IMS show Friday, December 3rd from 8:00-9:00pm to sign autographs in the Ducati corporate booth. Join us in wishing him well for the upcoming season.
Saturday from 11:00am-1:00pm and Sunday 10:00am-12:00pm, World Champion Doug Polen will also be signing autographs at the Ducati corporate booth.
Don’t forget to check out the Ducati Monster Challenge and see all the unique and custom Ducati Monsters.
