From a press release issued by FIM:

October 27

FIM 100 Years Photo Contest

Sponsor: Canon

The Selection Committee for the FIM Photo Contest met during the Congress in Paris. The winners of the Photo Contest are the following :

– Professional category
1st: Tim Keeton (Great Britain) Canon EOS – 1D Mark II
2nd: Mike Patrick (Great Britain) Canon EF28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS USM
3rd: Mirco Lazzari (Italy) Canon EF70-300mm f/4.5-5-6 DO IS USM

– Amateur category
1st: Serge Beaufils (France) Canon EOS 300D
2nd: Vandandorj Battulga (Mongolia) Canon PowerShot S1 IS
3rd: Vincent Rivalle (France) Canon Digital IXUS IIs

The Selection Committee was composed of:
Francesco Zerbi (Italy) – FIM President
Jean-Pierre Mougin (France) – FIM Vice-President
Phil Read (Great Britain) – Road Racing Grand Prix World Champion.
Ole Olsen (Denmark)- Speedway World Champion.
Akito Mizutani (Japan) – President of the Japanese Journalists and Photographers’ Association.
Takanao Tsubouchi (Japan) – Journalist, photographer.
Christian Lacombe (France) – Journalist, photographer.
Marc Pétrier (Switzerland) – FIM Press Officer

– The Prize-Giving to the winner of each category of the contest will be held on the occasion of the Grand Prix World Champions Awards Ceremony in Valencia on October 31.

See the selected photos on the FIM Internet site: http://www.fim.ch

From a press release:

PIRELLI ENDS ’04 SEASON WITH AMA DRAG-RACING RECORD AND 15 F-USA AND WERA GNF CHAMPIONSHIPS

(Rome, GA) For Pirelli, the season’s ending has been one for the books, literally. Among the numerous championships captured by Pirelli road racing tires during the 2004 season was one that had nothing to do with road racing, but which probably says a lot about Pirelli tires’ functionality. Factory Kawasaki-backed Ryan Schnitz set a new AMA/ProStar drag-racing record for the 1000cc SuperSport class on Pirelli’s DOT Supercorsas. Schnitz’s 2004 Muzzy Kawasaki ZX-10 became the first SuperSport bike to make an official 8-second pass for the quarter mile at the Memphis Motorsports Park early this month. The new record time is a 8.90 seconds – on a Pirelli’s 180/55ZR17 SC2 Supercorsa rear and 110/70ZR17 front. Along with his new record, Schnitz also captured the 2004 class championship. “I was one of first guys to use road racing tires for Supersport drag racing, ” Schnitz said in a phone interview from his home in Decatur, Indiana. “I’ve been using Supercorsas for about four or five years now. Most guys use either specific drag racing tires or other types. But with the Supercorsas in Supersport, you get good grip, but yet the tires still retain the same shape without tire growth, so we can get the horsepower to the track.”

As for the job for which they’re intended, Pirelli slicks and DOT Supercorsa race tires also racked up an impressive number of road racing championships at the recent F-USA/CCS and WERA GNF finals. 16 of them, to be exact. Geoff May, the Hot Bodies/Prieto Racing/Arai/Teknic/Dennis The Plumber-sponsored privateer who stunned the AMA Superbike class with his fifth-place championship ranking on Pirelli slicks, set a new lap record during the F-USA/CCS weekend at the Homestead-Miami Speedway this past weekend with a lap of 1:24.373 on 16.5″ Pirelli slicks. He also took the CCS Unlimited GP race victory.

Pirelli tires and Buell also won both the F-USA Thunderbike race and championship, thanks to the talents of Dave Estok and his Harding H-D/Buell XB9R, who won the Homestead-Miami race, and his Harding’s teammate Bryan Bemisderfer, who captured the class championship on his own XB9R.

At the WERA GNF at Road Atlanta the previous weekend, Pirelli riders and tires captured 11 National Challenge championships. Giovanni Rojas and his Joe Rocket/Arai/Vortex/VP Yamaha R-6, won 600cc Superbike Expert, with Pirelli riders taking six of the top-10 positions. Brandon Parrish, also on an R-6, led five Pirelli racers across the line in the 600 Superbike Novice final, following that up with wins in both 600 Superstock Novice and in the inaugural Pirelli Diablo Corsa Challenge (covered in depth below), and a second in 750 Superstock Novice. We’re presuming Mr. Parrish didn’t need a plane for his flight home to Louisville, KY. He is sponsored by TAG/Crosley/ Finish Line Motorsports/VP/Pirelli/Vesrah/Vortex/Pit Bull.

Taylor Knapp led a Pirelli sweep down to fourth place in winning the 750 Superbike Expert class on his Ray C’s/Wintex/Vesrah/Pit Bull/Barker’s Bars, Pirelli/Pirelli Trackside R-6. In 750 Superstock Expert, Vesrah Suzuki’s Tray Batey took the first of his two GNF championships, the second coming in HWT Superstock Expert, while Ross Ryals, on a Pirelli/Pit Bull/Vesrah/VP/Collegiate Bookstores/Adams MS SV-650 led a Pirelli one-two finish in HWT Superstock Novice.

Geoff May, who seems to be everywhere, won the GNF Formula 1 championship on his Pirelli/Ti-Force/Arai/Teknic/VP/Vortex/HotBodies/SBS/Ohlins/GMD/Palmetto Motorsports/Dennis The Plumber-sponsored GSX-R1000. Again, six of the top ten riders were Pirelli mounted. Daniel Parkerson won Formula 2 Novice on his Action Motorsports Suzuki/RRR Cycles/Glass Surgeon/Pirelli SV-650. And in LWT Superstock, it was a wave of Pirelli-shod Suzuki SV-650s: David Yaakov (CAD Cycles/CAD Racing/Suzuki/Vanson/Pit Bull/Sharkskinz/Vortex/EBC/Silkolene/Vesrah/VP) captured the Expert, leading a Pirelli sweep down to fourth place, and eight of the top 10 finishers. Ross Ryals again led a Pirelli one-two in the Novice championship, and again, as in the HWT Novice final, Tim Birdsong, on his Sloans/Pirelli/Pit Bull/Vesrah/LP/Hot Bodies SV was second.

The GNF also saw the inaugural running of the Pirelli Diablo Corsa Challenge. A unique series created by Pirelli’s North American Country Manager, Mark Wilhelm, the Challenge was open to 2004 WERA novice racers, and rewarded the top five Pirelli Diablo Corsa Challenge finishers at the GNF with Pirelli racing contracts for 2005, as well as contracts from each of the participating companies: Arai Helmets, Motul Oil, Pit Bull Motorcycle Stands, Vesrah brakes, and Hot Bodies bodywork.

The main objective of the Challenge, according to Wilhelm, was to give novice racers a special opportunity to get “the credit they deserve, and to let us demonstrate just how good a tire the Diablo Corsa is in helping a novice rider build the confidence needed to break into the higher skill levels of racing without going broke.” The idea for Pirelli’s Diablo Corsa Challenge grew from the “street” radial’s unique blend of construction, features, and benefits which seem tailor-made for racers on a budget in entry to mid-level classes: DOT rubber with better durability than race tires, which saves tire money; very fast, even warm-up over a wide ambient temperature range, which can save tire-warmer money; and a tread pattern and compounding that work in the rain, which can eliminate the need for rain tires.

The top six Diablo Corsa Challenge racers in each region were invited to the GNF Diablo Challenge Final. They even received funds from the sponsors to contribute toward their travel costs to the GNF. And when all was said and done, the five racers who won all of those 2005 sponsorships were: 1: Brandon Parrish; 2: Troy Meikle; 3: Trevor Fortner; 4: Calvin Barnett; and
5: Dean Black.

The WERA National Endurance Championships saw longtime Pirelli team, Vesrah Suzuki take its third straight overall championship by winning Road Atlanta’s Round #10 season finale. They were followed home by Pirelli’s Team Velocity Racing in second place, Eagle Race Team in fourth, and B&S Endurance in fifth, giving Pirelli four of the top five positions. The wins cemented Vesrah’s championships for both Overall and Heavyweight Superbike. Team Velocity wound up second Overall, also winning the Heavyweight Superstock class championship.

From a press release issued by Team Telefonica Movistar Honda:

VALENCIA, ANOTHER GOAL TO BE REACHED

GP VALENCIA – PREVIEW

The 2004 season concludes with the Valencia GP, a championship year full of breathtaking moments where the riders of the Team Telefonica MoviStar Honda have been unquestionable protagonists.
Sete Gibernau, after a season which saw him leading the championship for the first part of the season and fighting for the title until the Australian GP (the 15th of the season), reconfirms himself as runner up in the Championship for the second year in a row, title which confirms both his value as a rider and that of his team together with Honda and Michelin.

The Team Telefonica MoviStar Honda concludes this season at Valencia with still one goal to reach: winning first place in the Teams Classification. Only one point separates the “azul” team from the leader. A prestigious goal which would complete an extraordinary season for Gresini Racing and would confirm the value of Fausto Gresini’s package: a well organized structure which is aided by the! support of Honda and Michelin, a professional technical staff passionate about racing, very important sponsors like Telefonica MoviStar and Castrol who believe in him and his riders.

The title isn’t far as both Sete and Colin are determined to give their best on the Spanish circuit. Sete Gibernau wants to give a superb show to his fans and all the spectators who followed applauded and rallied him on for 16 challenging races. Colin Edwards is very upbeat and wants to salute his team with a fantastic result in order to repay the mechanics and staff of their fabulous work throughout the year. For him it will be a race to remember as it will be his last time on the RC211V with the colours of the Team Telefonica MoviStar Honda: the relationship between the Texan and Gresini Racing in fact ends with this GP.

The final verdict will take place right on here, on this track during the Valencia GP race, a technical and tormented track, born with a huge stadium wh! ere spectators – conveniently sat on the steps – have complete visibility of the entire event. The Spanish effect added to the fact that Valencia is the last round of the Season, makes it so that this race finishes with a huge party in which a huge numbers of spectators participate.

SETE GIBERNAU, A BIG THANK YOU TO HIS PUBLIC

Valencia is an extra special track for Sete Gibernau. It is in fact here that the Spaniard won his first race in the 500cc class.

The Ricardo Tormo is a small track and complicated for the MotoGP bikes, but the very apparent festive atmosphere is incredible. Valencia is a GP that gives incredible emotions, year after year.

Once again Sete Gibernau is ready for the last challenge of the year, intentioned to give the very best to his public.
“Valencia has always been a special event for me as it is the last race of the season, and it is also a wonderful opportunity to give a great result to my Spanish fan! s.

The track is slow and tormented, not very suited for MotoGP bikes. However it is always capable of thrilling the 150.000 spectators who crowd the grand stands.

My favourite part of the track is the last corner.

The track is tight, and this doesn’t allow for much overtaking, however a good point to overtake is the entrance in the second corner.

The secret to a good lap? On this track it is important to have a good setting, a good rhythm and it is especially important do not commit any mistakes.
For a Spanish rider it is incredible to race here as you can hear the crowd cheering around you, it is an incredible support.”

COLIN EDWARDS, “VALENCIA, DO OR DIE”
At the end of a season in which Colin Edwards distinguished himself for being consistent on the pace, but missing of aggressiveness and incisiveness, two traits which the twice world champion is known for.

The Texan of the Team Telefonica MoviStar H! onda is ready to open the throttle in Valencia, the last round of the 2004 MotoGP Championship.

Now that he has a good feeling with the bike, he has to get ready to say goodbye to the team which accompanied him for the entire season.

Edwards comments the Valencia race like this: “Do or die, I am going to Valencia and opening the throttle.”

Colin Edwards, known for being consistent, has every intention breaking his riding rule, that of riding in a regular way in order to get points every race, and he promises to put on quite a show.

The goal of his final race is to reconquer his fourth position in the championship that has been momentarily lost because of the accident he was caught up in Japan and because of his eleventh place in Sepang, his worse placing of the season. 6 points separate the Texan with Alex Barros who is in fourth place coming into this race.

From a press release issued by The Wegman Benifit Fund.

The Wegman Benefit Fund is auctioning a California Superbike “Bring Your Own Bike” School on their web site at www.wegmanfund.org.

The school was donated by Keith Code and is available at any track the school is held at through 2005. Bids will be accepted through 12/31/04.

All proceeds will go to the Wegman Fund to assist seriously injured motorcycle road racers. This is an opportunity to get a super deal for a great on track experience with your own bike with the California Superbike School.

Watch the Wegman web site for more auctions in the future and check out our merchant page for great Wegman Fund apparel or make a donation on line.

The Wegman Fund is a 501(c)(3) non profit organization.

From a press release issued by Dorna Sports:

Curtain to fall on dramatic season at Gran Premio Marlboro de la Comunitat Valencia

The 2004 MotoGP World Championship comes to a close this weekend with the final round of an unforgettable season at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia. Whilst Valentino Rossi has already been crowned World Champion for the fourth successive time, there is plenty to look forward to for a local crowd who have already snapped up but a handful of the available tickets. Extra temporary grandstands to cope with the extraordinary demand should guarantee a race day crowd in excess of 120,000 fans and the MotoGP riders will need no more motivation to sign off from the season in style.

It is a big weekend for home favourites in the premier class, with Sete Gibernau looking to make up for the disappointment of losing out on the title to Rossi in Australia last week with a fifth victory of the season at the scene of his debut success back in 2001. Meanwhile, it promises to be an emotional affair for Carlos Checa, who makes his 95th and final appearance for Yamaha after the announcement that he will be replaced by Gibernau’s current Honda team-mate Colin Edwards next season.

Gibernau is not the only rider looking to repeat past glory at Valencia this weekend, with several others also calling on a strong record at the Spanish circuit. Alex Barros has twice finished on the podium, including his last win in 2002, whilst Rossi himself ended a comparatively poor run last season with his first ever victory there in any class.

Troy Bayliss scored five podium finishes at Valencia during his World Superbike career, including winning both races in 2002, and will be hoping for a similar result this weekend. The final round of the MotoGP season represents the Australian’s last appearance with Ducati after the decision by the Italian factory not to extend his contract beyond the end of the current campaign.

Garry McCoy took victory at Valencia riding the two-stroke Yamaha in 2000 and returns this weekend as a continued replacement for Shane Byrne at Aprilia. Byrne is recovering from an operation on his wrist after injuring himself in a practice crash at Brno in August and will be back in the MotoGP paddock this weekend as an eager spectator.

Kenny Roberts is also back in the fray after a three race absence and, unlike Byrne, is fit to make a return to competitive action for Suzuki. Roberts’ return could not have come at a better time for the team, who part company with Team Manager Garry Taylor this weekend after a relationship stretching over three decades and 390 Grands Prix.

Roberts’ younger brother Kurtis is also back in action after recovering from a fractured elbow and will ride the Proton Team KR V5 in what looks to be its final public appearance, with further tests planned for the team’s own chassis with a KTM V4 engine in the near future. Development will also be the key for Olivier Jacque, who makes his second appearance of the season as a wildcard aboard the Moriwaki MD211VF prototype.

One year ago Daniel Pedrosa celebrated the 125cc World Championship title with a lap of the Ricardo Tormo circuit in a convertible car after breaking both of his ankles in a practice crash at Phillip Island. However, the Spaniard arrives at his home circuit this weekend with a clean bill of health and the 250cc title under his arm after a sensational rookie season which saw him crowned World Champion in Australia just over a week ago. Pedrosa is sure to be one of the main attractions for the local support this weekend as he looks to end a perfect year with his seventh victory of the season but will come under pressure from equally patriotic compatriots such as Toni Elías and Fonsi Nieto as well as the form man in the category, Sebastián Porto.

In the 125cc class the World Championship is decided but the scrap for second place is very much on, with two home favourites looking to stake their claim at Valencia. Whilst Andrea Dovizioso clinched the title two races ago in Malaysia and has the chance to set the second highest points total ever in the class behind Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo and Hector Barberá trail Roberto Locatelli by three and five points respectively in the chase for the prestigious runner-up spot.


More, from a press release issued by Camel Honda:

Valencian GP – MotoGP

VALENCIA´S AMPHITHEATRE BRINGS CURTAIN DOWN ON
MOTOGP IN 2004

The Valencia circuit is just like a giant theatre, and on the main stage this coming Sunday, the spectacular players in the fantastic MotoGP show will perform their roles for the last time this 2004 season. The Camel Honda team will be there of course with its two riders, Max Biaggi and Makoto Tamada, and will be aiming to take home yet another trophy after a season which has seen them fighting for victories around the whole world. The “Ricardo Tormo” circuit is well-known for its peculiar configuration, which allows the crowds in the stands to see practically the entire circuit, within the confines of what is effectively a giant amphitheatre. The resultant effect is stunning and it is because of this, and in general not the tight and twisty circuit which isn’t a favourite of the riders in the elite MotoGP class, the GP of the Valencian Community is becoming one of the classic events on the MotoGP calendar.

Sito Pons – Camel Honda (Team Principal)
“The Valencian GP is a home race for our team, and to finish off with a victory would be fantastic for us. The 2004 World Championship has been hard fought and great to watch, it’s been a brilliant show for the spectators and that’s positive for our sport, in which Camel Honda is one of the main protagonists. We have won races with both riders and have made many appearances on the podium. The Valencia track is different, very tight and not particularly quick, but our team already won there in 2002 with Alex Barros and this year we’ve got good results on many different kinds of circuits, like Rio and Sachsenring for example. We have every chance of repeating this, and that’s our objective for this final race of 2004.”


Max Biaggi #3: (Michelin Tyres)
“Ricardo Tormo is not among my favourite tracks for the circuit itself at least; it’s too slow and twisty. Next year they should be making it faster and this is good because even if the track doesn’t excite me, the atmosphere certainly does with a brilliant crowd who follow you over the whole lap. Racing in Spain is always special because of the passion amongst the fans there. The last races over the intercontinental trip weren’t brilliant and now I want to get a top result. The track isn’t difficult from a technical point of view and in the tests in December 2003 we went quite well. We hope to find that kind of form again and fight for the win in this race.”

Giulio Bernardelle – Camel Honda (Makoto Tamada’s Technical Director)
“We’re happy to be finishing the season in Valencia because it’s a good track for us. In the December tests last year, Makoto got some good results back and the tyres worked particularly well. Since then they have improved even further, so we are very confident from that point of view, and also because the weather conditions shouldn’t be too extreme. We have enough data for a good base set-up, so you could say that everything is in order to fulfil our objectives: closing off the 2004 season with the kind of result that has already pleased us so much this year.”

Makoto Tamada #6: (Bridgestone Tyres)
“I really like the fast circuits, with the long bends and quick changes of direction, but Valencia is quite different to all of that. Although, I don’t particularly dislike it, perhaps because in the winter tests I went quite well, I felt comfortable there. The last two races haven’t gone as I expected, so I really want to prove myself now. Both the Malaysian and the Australian GPs saw me having to recover positions on the early laps. Given that it’s even more important to be up with the front group early on in Valencia, with the track being so tight, you have to qualify well and then make a good start. I’m hoping for both!”

From a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing.

Carmichael earns AMA Pro Racing SPEED Channel Athlete of the Year nomination


PICKERINGTON, Ohio (Oct. 26, 2004) — Ricky Carmichael has received a nomination for the 2004 AMA Pro Racing SPEED Channel Athlete of the Year Award. Carmichael, who in September completed an amazing second perfect season in the AMA 250 Motocross Championship, is a two-time winner of AMA Pro Racing’s most prestigious award. He could join Scott Parker as the only three-time winner of the award should he win it on Nov. 14 at Paris Las Vegas during the 30th Annual AMA Pro Racing Awards Banquet.

Carmichael made a return to racing in May of this year after going through major knee surgery during the off-season. No one was sure how strong the 24-year-old Floridian would be in his comeback as not only would he be returning from an injury that ended many riders’ careers, but he would also be riding a four-stroke motorcycle for the first time in his career. Carmichael proved better than ever and supremely adaptable to the new bike by dominating the season opening Hangtown Classic.

After winning the first round Carmichael never looked back. He duplicated his remarkable 2002 feat of going the entire Motocross season without a defeat – a perfect 24 for 24 moto wins in the 12-event championship.

“I’ll never forget the 2004 season,” Carmichael said. “I wanted to prove not only to everybody else, but also myself that I could come back even stronger than I was before the knee injury. I think this year’s undefeated season was maybe even more satisfying than in 2002 because the competition was so strong with Kevin [Windham] and Chad [Reed] both on the top of their game.”

The year was also special to Carmichael since it marked the final season of his three-year association with Honda. “I really want to dedicate this perfect season to all the crew at Honda. We had a great relationship and set a lot of records together,” he said on the podium after winning the season finale in San Bernardino in May. Carmichael wore the No. 1 instead of his traditional No. 4 on his Honda at Glen Helen as a tribute to the team.

Carmichael is without a doubt one of the best motocross racers in the history of the sport. He owns just about every record in AMA Motocross. Carmichael is the all-time wins leader in combined AMA Motocross and Supercross victories with 108 wins. He also leads the AMA 250 motocross category with 49-career wins so far — over 20 wins more than second-ranked Bob Hannah. Carmichael owns a record 11 AMA National Championships.

Carmichael previously won the AMA Pro Racing SPEED Channel Athlete of Year in 2001 and 2002. This is his fifth nomination for the award.

The 2004 AMA Pro Racing SPEED Channel Athlete of the Year will be announced at the 30th annual AMA Pro Racing Awards Banquet to be held at the Paris Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, on Sunday, Nov. 14. Contact Cyndi Freeze-Cain at (614) 856-1900, ext. 1232 for more information on the banquet.



More, from Mat Mladin himself:

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

Ricky had a perfect outdoor season, 24 moto wins from 24 starts. My season doesn’t compare. Don’t like to bust my own bubble but it’s a fact.

Mat Mladin

From a press release issued by FIM:

Wild card entries for the Gran Premio Marlboro de la Comunitat Valenciana

The wild-card riders who will race in the Gran Premio Marlboro de la Comunitat Valenciana, scheduled at the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana – Ricardo Tormo on October 31st next, are the following:


MotoGP class
19 – Olivier Jacque (FRA-Moriwaki)

250cc class
40 – Alvaro Molina (SPA-Aprilia)
42 – Gregory Leblanc (FRA-Aprilia)
85 – Hans Smees (NED-Aprilia)

125cc class
43 – Manuel Hernandez (SPA-Aprilia)
70 – Julian Miralles (SPA-Aprilia)
71 – Enrique Jerez (SPA-Aprilia)
88 – Michael Ranseder (AUT-KTM)
96 – Alex Espargaró (SPA-Honda)