Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Notes Regarding The Americans

By Steve Atlas
On Site At Macau

Jeremy Toye had issues with a cracked front wheel, which he found out when he put the new tire on the warmer just before the session. Thus he had to use a front with 30 laps on it as there was no time to mount a new one.

Josh Hayes is getting up to speed quickly, as is Geoff May but both said they rode conservatively after seeing the crash from yesterday. Also, British rider Gus Scott got out of shape ending the final corner, tried to run off into hot pit lane, but hit the outside wall and landed on an embankment, nearly in the ocean. Scott suffered an injured shoulder, but is in stable condition at the local hospital.



More, from a press release issued by series organizers:

John McGuinness and Stuart Easton, the Monstermob Ducati Team duo, topped the qualifying leaderboard for Saturday’s 38th running of the Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix-Hotel Fortuna at the end of the one-hour timed session at the Far East Classic this morning.

McGuinness, the 32-year-old former bricklayer from Morcambe, Lancashire, and the fastest man ever at the Isle of Man TT races, grabbed pole position early on and never looked like being beaten.

But Easton, the 21-year-old Scot, was the big surprise. A last-minute offer to ride with McGuinness prevented him having to miss the meeting when his 2004 sponsor pulled out of the sport and he finished just 1.32 seconds slower than his team mate.

Thomas Hinterreiter (1000cc Yamaha), the 37-year-old Austrian, was third quickest, seven tenths of a second slower than Easton on a machine he normally races in Endurance events.

Michael Rutter (1000cc Red Bull Honda), the man chasing his third Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix victory in succession, was only fourth, struggling with tyres that did not work well in the cool morning temperatures.

The 31-year-old Leicestershire racer, looking for his fifth win in the event, was 2.24 seconds slower than McGuinness but was confident that the new afternoon starting time for the 15-lap race on Saturday will be more suited to his tyres.

Callum Ramsay, the 29-year-old Scot, maintained his grip on the FIM 600 Supersport Class by being fastest in all three practice sessions on the Valmoto Triumph.

But 27-year-old Australian Cameron Donald, twice winner of the class in the past three years, was second quickest on the China Yuan XGJao Racing Honda, just seven tenths of a second down.


More, from a press release issued by MonsterMob Ducati:

MonsterMob Ducati British Superbike and Supersport Championship Team

38th Hotel Fortuna Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix
Saturday, 20th November 2004

MONSTERMOB DUO IMPRESS AT FAREWELL MACAU GRAND PRIX

TEAM MATES MCGUINNESS AND EASTON TOP QUALIFYING SHEETS IN THE FAR EAST

MonsterMob Ducati’s John McGuinness will start tomorrow’s 38th Hotel Fortuna Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix from Pole Position having scorched around the twisty Circuito da Guia nearly one and a half seconds faster than team mate Stuart Easton who will start alongside the Lancastrian.

Going into the team’s swansong race after four memorable years with Ducati, the VK MonsterMob F04 pairing out-paced Austrian Thomas Hinterreiter (Yamaha) and pre-event favourite Michael Rutter (Honda) around the Far Eastern 6.12km track, to clinch the top two slots on the grid in readiness for tomorrow’s race.

Six times TT winner McGuinness set the early pace in the first free practice session before Rutter speeded up in the second one but in the all important timed session today, John set a time of 2:28.663 which was good enough to clinch him the pole as he goes for his second Macau victory.

Reunited with the team that won the 2002 British Supersport title, young Scot Stuart Easton was riding a Superbike at the former Portuguese colony for only the second time and chased McGuinness home in a time of 2:29.986, the only two riders to crack the two and a half minute lap barrier.

Riding the Slingshot built MonsterMob Honda, veteran journalist Gus Scott ended up fifth fastest but a spill coming out of the final corner injured the Cumbrian’s shoulder and he may be forced to miss the race.

Speaking from Macau, team boss Paul Bird said that their joy was tempered with a tinge of sadness:

“To claim one and two on the grid for our final race with Ducati is brilliant but the whole team has a lump in their throats and it’s strange because there are a few long faces around when we should really be celebrating. It would be magnificent if we could get the race win tomorrow and a rostrum also would be fitting. Whatever happens, it’s going to be a very emotional time for us all.”

From a press release:

Ozbike is proud to announce the names of the five American riders who qualified to represent the USA at the World Mini GP event scheduled for December 18-19 in Almeria, Spain.

The top five riders in the season finale, held with WERA at Nashville Super Speedway November 13-14, were selected for the trip to Spain and are as follows:

1. Miles Thornton, 10, of West Point, Georgia
2. Rey Dominquez, 11, Miami, Florida
3. Alex Nieves, 12, of Miami, Florida
4. Jake Lewis, 9, of Princeton, Kentucky
5. Josh Cook, 9, of Ravenna, Ohio

The race was the most exciting of the weekend with a close (0.011-second gap) battle for first.

Please contact US MINI GP at 305-880-1800 or see www.minigp50cc.com for more race details

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Friday’s Provisional Qualifying Times From The Macau Grand Prix:

1. John McGUINNESS, GBR, Ducati, 2:28.663
2. Stuart EASTON, GBR, Ducati, 2:29.986
3. Thomas HINTERREITER, AUT, Yamaha, 2:30.663
4. Michael RUTTER, GBR, Honda, 2:30.906
5. Gus SCOTT, GBR, Honda, 2:31.122
6. Marcel KELLENBERGER, SUI, Kawasaki, 2:32.126
7. Roger BENNETT, GBR, Ducati, 2:32.640
8. Josh HAYES, USA, Kawasaki, 2:33.206
9. Markus BARTH, GER, Kawasaki, 2:33.262
10. Geoff MAY, USA, Suzuki, 2:33.320
11. Steve ALLAN, GBR, Kawasaki, 2:33.705
12. Les SHAND, GBR, Suzuki, 2:33.893
13. Stephen THOMPSON, GBR, Suzuki, 2:34.494
14. Martin FINNEGAN, IRL, Yamaha, 2:34.667
15. Richard BRITTON, GBR, Suzuki, 2:35.311
16. Jeremy TOYE, USA, Yamaha, 2:35.385
17. James McBRIDE, GBR, Suzuki, 2:35.999
18. Callum RAMSAY, GBR, Triumph, 2:36.016
19. Jun MAEDA, JPN, Honda, 2:36.691
20. Cameron DONALD, AUS, Honda, 2:36.784

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Marietta, Georgia’s Ducshop provided us with missing information for a Triumph spec chart we’re working on for publication in Roadracing World magazine.

Our thanks go to:

Ducshop
1000 Cobb Parkway North, Suite C
Marietta, GA 30062
(678) 594-7717

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Racer Dave Estok, 32, was arrested Wednesday, November 17 at his home in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, when agents of the Volusia (County) Bureau of Investigation served a warrant at his home and found “a major marijuana growing operation,” according to a report on the website of Local 6 News, WKMG-TV, Central Florida.

The report states that agents seized a large number of marijuana plants, which were found in “an extensive growing operation that had been set up inside a mobile home on the property.”

Estok was booked into the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach, Florida on several drug-related charges.

To see the full report, go to:

http://www.local6.com/news/3926813/detail.html

Estok, a long-time professional racer, was the 2003 Formula USA Thunderbike Champion.


Additional information is available online at:

http://65.77.232.5/sheriff/press/040160.htm

From a press release issued by the Macau Grand Prix:

McGuinness Quickest in Opening Practice Session

John McGuinness, the 32-year-old British rider on the 999cc Monstermob Ducati, topped the opening practice session for Saturday’s 38th running of the Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix – Hotel Fortuna. McGuinness, the fastest man ever round the Isle of Man TT Circuit in June threw down the gauntlet to his major rival four-time winner Michael Rutter in the opening session.

Rutter, the 31-year-old from Leicestershire looking for his third win in a row, was only fourth quickest in the 1000cc Red Bull factory Honda, 2.4 seconds a lap slower than McGuinness.

Austrian Thomas Hinterreiter on the 1000cc Yamaha pulled off the biggest surprise of the 50-minute session by setting second-best time, 1.8 seconds slower than McGuinness.

Gus Scott, the 40-year-old from Cumbria, was third best just over a tenth of a second slower than the Austrian.

Scot Roger Bennett, back at Macau after a two-year absence, was fifth best on the 998cc ETI Racing Ducati, and German Markus Barth on the 1000cc Fylde Superbikes Kawasaki rounded off the top six.

American Josh Hayes was eighth fastest on the 1000cc Attack Racing Kawasaki despite it being his first ever visit to the Far East road circuit event.

Callum Ramsay on board the Valmoto Triumph was best of the FIM 600 Supersport competitors, in 14th place overall, lapping one and a half seconds a lap quicker than his British team mate Chris Palmer who was second best.

Cameron Donald, China Yuan XGJao Honda, two-time winner of the class which runs concurrently with the Grand Prix, was third best in the 11-strong line up.

First qualifying will be later this afternoon with the second and deciding session on Friday morning to set the grid for the 40-strong field in Saturday afternoon’s 15-lap race.


Thursday Morning Practice Times:

1. John McGUINNESS, GBR, Ducati, 2:31.938
2. Thomas HINTERREITER, AUT, Yamaha, 2:33.763
3. Gus SCOTT, GBR, Honda, 2:33.877
4. Michael RUTTER, GBR, Honda, 2:34.342
5. Roger BENNETT, GBR, Ducati, 2:34.959
6. Markus BARTH, GER, Kawasaki, 2:35.148
7. Marcel KELLENBERGER, SUI, Kawasaki, 2:35.722
8. Josh HAYES, USA, Kawasaki, 2:35.862
9. Steve ALLAN, GBR, Kawasaki, 2:37.612
10. Stuart EASTON, GBR, Ducati, 2:38.132
11. Geoff MAY, USA, Yamaha, 2:38.160
12. Stephen THOMPSON, GBR, Suzuki, 2:38.337
13. Jeremy TOYE, USA, Yamaha, 2:38.908
14. Callum RAMSAY, GBR, Triumph, 2:38.969
15. James McBRIDE, GBR, Suzuki, 2:39.129
16. Martin FINNEGAN, IRL, Yamaha, 2:39.231
17. Nigel DAVIES, GBR, Suzuki, 2:39.349
18. Jun MAEDA, JPN, Honda, 2:40.434
19. Richard BRITTON, GBR, Suzuki, 2:41.227
20. Erwin WILDING, AUT, Honda, 2:41.352

From a press release issued by the Macau Grand Prix:

Rutter Back on Top in Macau

Michael Rutter, the 31-year-old racer from Leicestershire, topped the second free practice session for Saturday’s 38th running of the Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix-Hotel Fortuna, this afternoon.

Rutter, on the 1000cc Red Bull Honda, had only been fourth fastest in the morning session, but was quickest of all in this outing, though he failed to go faster than he had earlier in the day.

His pre-race rival, John McGuinness (999cc Monstermob Ducati), who had been best in the early morning, was second quickest just six tenths of a second down.

Austrian Thomas Hinterreiter (1000cc Yamaha), second fastest in the morning, was third best but almost two and a half seconds slower than McGuinness.

First-time American visitor, Josh Hayes (1000cc Attack Racing Kawasaki) continued his astonishing debut performance by setting fourth quickest time after being eighth best in the morning.

Callum Ramsay, the 29-year-old Scot, continued to dominate the FIM 600 Supersport class. He was again quicker than his Valmoto Triumph team mate Chris Palmer with last year’s winner, Australian Cameron Donald third best on his China Yuan XGJao Honda.

The session was halted following an incident involving the Austrian rider Erwin Wilding (1000cc Honda).

Editorial Note:

Due to a long oil clean-up delay and resulting poor track conditions (caused by one of the car classes), the first qualifying session was shortened to 30 minutes and re-classified as a free practice session. The one and only qualifying session will take place Friday.

The session was cut even shorter when Wilding crashed his Honda CBR1000RR in high-speed turn one and was seriously injured. He was rushed to the local hospital and taken via helicopter to the nearest trauma center. At post time, Wilding was reported to have suffered a severe head injury and was unconscious.

Turn one is a left hand turn taken at the top of fourth gear, at well over 100 mph, and, like the majority of the track, has no run-off.


Thursday’s Afternoon Practice Times:

1. Michael RUTTER, GBR, Honda, 2:35.362
2. John McGUINNESS, GBR, Ducati, 2:36.008
3. Thomas HINTERREITER, AUT, Yamaha, 2:38.354
4. Josh HAYES, USA, Kawasaki, 2:39.222
5. Marcel KELLENBERGER, SUI, Kawasaki, 2:39.417
6. Gus SCOTT, GBR, Honda, 2:40.781
7. Jeremy TOYE, USA, Yamaha, 2:41.760
8. Richard BRITTON, GBR, Suzuki, 2:41.882
9. James McBRIDE, GBR, Suzuki, 2:42.118
10. Stuart EASTON, GBR, Ducati, 2:42.522
11. Jos LEITE, POR, Kawasaki, 2:42.607
12. Jun MAEDA, JPN, Honda, 2:42.869
13. Martin FINNEGAN, IRL, Yamaha, 2:43.433
14. Nigel DAVIES, GBR, Suzuki, 2:44.451
15. Callum RAMSAY, GBR, Triumph, 2:44.552
16. Horst SAIGER, AUT, Yamaha, 2:44.835
17. Rui REIGOTO, POR, Suzuki, 2:44.852
18. Chris PALMER, GBR, Triumph, 2:45.016
19. Geoff MAY, USA, Suzuki, 2:45.604
20. Cameron DONALD, AUS, Honda, 2:46.196

36. Erwin WILDING, AUT, Honda, 2:53.817

41. Markus BARTH, GER, Kawasaki, 3:36.022
42. Pete JENNINGS, GBR, Honda, 4:04.918

From a press release issued by AMA:

AMA VINTAGE MOTORCYCLE DAYS TO CELEBRATE DUCATI

PICKERINGTON, OHIO — The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) has announced that Ducati will be the “Featured Marque” at AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days 2005, to be held July 15 – 17 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.

In celebrating the famed Italian marque, AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days 2005 will benefit the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum and will feature an exhibit of classic motorcycles and memorabilia.

The “Grand Marshal” of AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days 2005 will be Paul Smart, winner of the 200 Miles of Imola aboard a Ducati in 1972. Also, special guest and World Stunt-Riding Champion Christian Pfeiffer will be performing on his Ducati throughout the event.

The legendary Mid-Ohio circuit will again host American Historic Motorcycle Racing Association (AHRMA) roadracing throughout the weekend; two days of AHRMA motocross, plus observed trials and dirt-track racing, also will be on the schedule. In all, the AHRMA racing events are expected to attract more than 1,500 competitors.

AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days 2005 also will feature three vintage bike shows; the traditional all-brands AMA Swapmeet, North America’s largest; a slate of guest speakers, including renowned designer Craig Vetter; demo rides offered by Ducati, Buell, and Harley-Davidson; an array of vendors featuring new products from top manufacturers and dealers; the annual Motorcycle Hall of Fame Auction of motorcycles and memorabilia; a reunion of motocross legends, in conjunction with the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum’s upcoming “Motocross America” exhibit; and the return of Tommi Ahvala’s “Team Extreme” Trials Showcase.

This year marks AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days’ 11th annual event at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Motorcycles previously honored with the Featured Marque distinction include BSA, Honda, Norton, Penton, Vincent, Indian, Spanish motorcycles, Harley-Davidson and, most recently, BMW.

Spectator tickets for AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days 2005 are available from Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course at 1-800-MID-OHIO or www.midohio.com. For more information about AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days 2005, including dirt-track tickets, auction details and swapmeet registration, visit www.AMADirectlink.com or call 1-800-AMA-JOIN.