From a press release issued by Foggy Petronas Racing:

Troy’s puncture is good news!

Troy Corser arrived back in Europe today declaring he was back to full fitness following his spectacular crash at Phillip Island.

The 140km somersault during Saturday qualifying aggravated the shoulder problems that he had been suffering ever since his crash at Magny-Cours in the final round of last year.

The strained tendons of his rotator cuff had troubled the Australian throughout the winter and had caused some discomfort during this year’s first round at Valencia.

But Troy resorted to acupuncture to cure the problem once and for all, with resounding success.

He said: “I have used acupuncture a few years ago when I broke my collar bone and I actually think it works better for me than traditional methods like massage.

“As soon as I got back to Wollongong from Sydney I went for a treatment and now the shoulder actually feels better than it did before the Valencia race.

“I had obviously aggravated things with this latest fall, as well as straining muscles at the front of my neck but now I have no restrictions at all and I have been taking advantage of the good weather at home to keep fit by riding my dirt bike and jet-skis.”

After a few days in the UK visiting family, Troy, Sam and Kalani will return to Monaco this weekend before joining the team in Misano on Thursday.

From a press release issued by Ducati Corse and referring to the MotoGP 2004 season opener scheduled for April 16-18:

DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM ALL SET FOR WELKOM START TO 2004

The 2004 MotoGP World Championship roars into action at Welkom this weekend after one of the most intensive off-seasons in memory. Ducati Marlboro Team riders Loris Capirossi and Troy Bayliss have been busy since the end of the 2003 World Championship developing the team’s new Desmosedici GP4 which races in anger for the first time this Sunday.

The 2004 machine is a brand-new version of the bike that took last year’s MotoGP series by storm, winning Ducati’s first MotoGP race and taking second overall in the Constructors’ World Championship.

NEW GP4 IS GOOD AND GETTING BETTER
The Ducati Marlboro Team comes to Welkom to race its Desmosedici GP4 for the first time. The machine has already impressed with its pace during tests in Australia, Asia and Europe.

“It seems like the winter has lasted a long, long time, so we can’t wait to start racing again!” smiles Ducati Marlboro Team Director Livio Suppo. “Overall we are happy because the bike has been on track since January and since then we’ve been progressing in a good direction. We have been faster than last year at Philip Island, Sepang and Valencia. Unfortunately last month’s tests at Barcelona and Jerez were mostly spoiled by poor weather, although at Barcelona Loris was faster than last year on race tyres. I would say the bike is at 70 per cent of its ultimate potential at the moment. We knew that it would take time to develop a new machine, but we believe that this bike was necessary to improve our performance throughout the World Championship.”

Ducati Marlboro Team technical director Corrado Cecchinelli reckons the new Desmosedici GP4 promises great things ahead. “This machine has much more potential than our 2003 bike,” he says. “We are still developing it, and there’s a lot more to come. Our aim with the GP4 is to be faster everywhere. We have worked on every aspect of performance, particularly engine power and rideability, handling and rider comfort. This last factor is particularly important at Welkom. It can be the hottest race of the year, and we have to help the riders to be in the best shape throughout the race.”

CAPIROSSI READY FOR FIRST GP
Loris Capirossi knows that the first race of the season is always crucial. The Ducati Marlboro Team rider made a stunning start to the 2003 MotoGP series, scoring a podium finish in his first race on the Desmosedici at Suzuka. “The first race is always very important to demonstrate that you are going in the right direction,” says Capirossi. “I’m ready for the first GP and, as always, I’ll give 100 per cent for a good result. Our winter testing went quite well – the bike is better and faster than last year’s – it’s just a shame that bad weather prevented us from testing effectively in Spain last month.
“I really like Welkom. It’s unusual because it’s a long way above sea level, which makes the engines ‘sweeter’ than usual. It’s a bumpy and technical circuit, for which you need a really good engine and chassis.”

BAYLISS BEGINS SECOND MotoGP SEASON
Former World Superbike champ Troy Bayliss was a MotoGP rookie at Welkom last year, although that didn’t stop him having a great race to fourth place. Despite starting from row 3, Troy led the race for 10 laps and had an extraordinary battle with Valentino Rossi. This season the Ducati Marlboro Team man expects to benefit from his 2003 experiences. “I now know the people I’m racing against and I know all the tracks, apart from the Qatar circuit, which is new for everybody,” says the Aussie. “Second years have been good to me in the past (Bayliss won the British and World Superbike titles at his second attempts), so I can’t wait to start racing. We’re making progress with the new bike. I really believe that it’s better than what we had last year. The motor is a bit smoother, the bike is cooler and I think it’s going to handle better once we’ve sorted a few things out. “I don’t mind Welkom as a racetrack – I got a pretty good result there last year. It’s quite bumpy, with plenty of sharp little bumps, but I like to ride it.”

THE TRACK
The Phakisa Freeway circuit returned South Africa to the GP calendar in October 1999 after a seven-year absence, the Free State venue replacing Kyalami which had hosted the nation’s four previous GPs in 1983, ’84, ’85 and ’92. Constructed outside the gold-mining town of Welkom, the circuit is a real challenge, especially for tyres, which run at a higher temperature than at any other GP track.
Although Welkom was resurfaced for last year’s MotoGP event, the circuit is still bumpy and can be slippery if dust from the surrounding area is blown onto its surface. Situated on a plateau 1350 metres above sea level, the venue’s high altitude has a huge effect on performance, robbing engines of up to 20 per cent of their horsepower.

Phakisa Freeway, Welkom 4.242km/2.636 miles
Pole position 2003: Sete Gibernau (Honda) 1m 33.174s
Lap record: Valentino Rossi (Honda) 1m 33.851s, 162.717kmh/101.108mph

DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM DATA LOGS
LORIS CAPIROSSI
Age: 31 (April 4, 1973)
Lives: Monaco
Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP4
GP victories: 23 (1xMotoGP, 2×500, 12×250, 8×125)
First GP victory: Britain, 1990 (125)
First GP: Japan, 1990 (125)
GP starts: 200 (30xMotoGP, 59×500, 84×250, 27×125)
Pole positions: 36 (3xMotoGP, 5×500, 23×250, 5×125)
First pole: Australia, 1991 (125)
World Championships: 3 (125: 1990, 1991, 250: 1998)
Welkom 2003 results. Grid: 4th Race: DNF

TROY BAYLISS
Age: 35 (March 30, 1969)
Lives: Monaco
Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP4
First GP: Australia, 1997 (250)
GP starts: 17 (16xMotoGP, 1×250)
World Superbike victories: 22
World Championships: 1 (Superbike: 2001)
Welkom 2003 results. Grid: 9th. Race: 4th.

From a press release issued by KTM:

The KTM Road Racing Season 2004

KTM enters its second season in Road Race Grand Prix armed with the knowledge and experience of last year! The amazing progress made during 2003 should allow the team to be ready to challenge for the podium from the first race in South Africa.

The Grand Prix 125cc team structure will be similar to 2003. Led by Harald Bartol the bikes will be based in Italy and the continuing development will be done at the KTM factory in Austria. The two young riders (Mika Kallio and Casey Stoner) have taken advantage of the Red Bull Training Centre in Salzburg for winter condition testing and the engines have run for many hours on the KTM dynojet.

The Grand Prix team will be backed in 2004 by the formation of the Red Bull KTM Junior Team, which will compete in the German Championship and some races of the European Championship. The aim of the junior team is to help with GP bike development and especially bring on young talented riders to be KTM‘s future Road Racing stars!

Interview with Harald Bartol

How did it feel for the team to achieve a podium finish at the Malaysian GP in 2003 with a bike that was less than 8 months old?

It was a nice feeling for everybody after 4 months very hard work to get the bike ready and competitive.


The riders in 2003 were experienced ex-Champions, but for 2004 you have chosen two of the fastest young riders. Why the change in policy?

We thought that the developments of the motorbike with our former riders weren’t going in the right direction and we therefore preferred to do it in a different way: to have young riders to develop the motorbike like the factory wants.


As the bike is still so new I guess that some changes have been made to the bike for 2004?

The motorbike of 2004 is the result of all the versions from engine and chassis side we tried in 2003.

From a press release issued by Infineon Raceway:

The following is a transcript of a teleconference on Wednesday, April 7, with four-time AMA Chevrolet Superbike Champion Mat Mladin (Yoshimura Suzuki) and media members from the San Francisco Bay Area. The teleconference was held in advance of the Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown, which will be held at Infineon Raceway April 30-May 2. The weekend is presented by Cycle Gear and features Sunday’s (May 2) Supercuts Superbike Challenge:


Q: What are your thoughts on the season thus far? You’ve had three races and three wins at Daytona and Fontana; that has to be a good start in your quest for a fifth AMA Chevrolet Superbike championship.

MM: I think out of all the possible points this year, we’ve only left one point on the track, which was the one for pole position at Daytona. So, you really couldn’t ask for a better start to the season. The wins record (27) is certainly important, but the guy I overtook is still currently racing (Honda’s Miguel Duhamel). You’ve got to put it in perspective and realize that you’re here to win the championship. And to win that fifth championship would be very important for me.


Q: How well suited is the Suzuki GSX-R1000 for Infineon Raceway?

MM: I enjoy the Infineon Raceway layout, simply because it’s a technical circuit. They’ve obviously made some changes there, and the new paving has made the race track a little smoother and a little safer. The track is certainly in better shape than it was 12 months ago. We took the doubleheader wins there last year, and we’re certainly looking for nothing less that that this year.


Q: Do you think that your 27 career Superbike wins give you a psychological advantage or an edge over your competitors?

MM: I’ve always gone into every race feeling confident and feeling that we can win. Certainly it has a psychological advantage over your competitor, so I’m sure some of them are hoping what happened last year doesn’t happen again this year, as far as our dominance. I certainly believe we’re in the run for the championship and I’ll believe that for the rest of the season.


Q: You describe Infineon Raceway as technical. What does that mean?

MM: Typically a lot of circuits have some decent-length straightaways, which allows the guys with the faster motorcycles to sometimes get involved with a race for the lead, and at Infineon that might not happen. At Infineon Raceway you don’t need the fastest bike, you need the best setup. You also need to be physically fit because there’s no time to rest. Typically, if you get it all right, you can usually win the race by a fair margin. Handling is at a premium.


Q: Do you think your main competition at Infineon Raceway will come from Honda, which swept the doubleheader weekend behind Nicky Hayden in 2002?

MM: I’m not sure about their new bike, and so far it really hasn’t shown a great deal on the racetrack as far as wins go. Previously they had a motorcycle and a rules advantage, but this year it probably doesn’t allow them as much since they’re running the same engine setup as ours. The Suzukis seemed to be the fastest in the testing at Infineon Raceway, even though some people thought the Hondas would be faster.



Q: Did you learn anything during the test at Infineon Raceway that will help you during the race weekend, April 30-May 2?

MM: We learned a little bit of stuff. Suzuki and our suspension company have come up with some new linking systems for our bike, which have made things a little easier on the rider and on tires. This also allows us to go faster around the racetrack, and the first place we really tested it was at Infineon Raceway. It was a good, successful test, and one we were very happy with. We’ll implement a lot of what we learned in the race.


Q: How was your adjustment to Superbikes in America coming from Australia?

MM: Honestly, I’ve always been a rider who sees a track as a bunch of corners connected by a bunch of straights. A track is a track. So, the guy who gets around it fastest is the guy who’s going to win. I’ve never paid much attention to being concerned with a race track I’ve never seen. Other than that, the cultures are pretty different. It was a fairly easy adjustment. I love living in the states and these days; it’s just as comfortable here as it is at home.


Q: What do you think about the changes that have been made to Infineon Raceway?

MM: They’ve done a great job with the racetrack. As I’ve told the guys at Infineon Raceway, Turn 1 has become a lot safer, but there are still some areas that need to be worked on before we race there in the rain. You slide a lot farther in the rain. Typically when you repave the track, you have to move the walls back just because the speeds are going to be so much higher. I wouldn’t say that we have a “great” racetrack on our hands, we’ve got a racetrack with a lot of potential.


Q: How important is qualifying position at Infineon Raceway as compared to some other tracks?

MM: Qualifying is always important because it offers a single point. Obviously if you qualify on the pole throughout the season, that is a lot of extra points. Qualifying is very important at Infineon Raceway, particularly more so than a track like Daytona. Starting in front gives you a chance to build up a good lead in front of the other riders. So, usually if you start on the second row at Infineon Raceway you need to be extra aggressive to not let the leaders get away.


Q: Do you think some of the changes to the facility will allow for more passing?

MM: Now that Infineon’s moved some of the walls out of the way, I think it allows the opportunity to believe that if you do pass there, you’re not going to hurt yourself. Again, the corners are pretty much the same, but feeling that you have more room may give you the confidence to make a pass where you wouldn’t before.



Q: Has your career unfolded the way you thought it would when you first started racing?

MM: When I first started road racing in 1991, within two years I was racing Grand Prix, so I certainly was mentally brainwashed by the motorcycle media to think that if you don’t go racing at the highest level you haven’t succeeded. Fortunately, after some time I realized that there are many different ways to succeed and make a living. Racing here has allowed me to make a very comfortable living and have a good time. I enjoy my life here with my wife and my daughter. But, did it go where I expected it to go? No. But is it now going where I want it to go? Yes.


Q: You have a fair amount of time off between races, where do you live? What do you do in your free time?

MM: I split my time between Las Vegas and Southern California. We also spend about three months a year in our motor coach. Instead of flying home, we usually do the motorhome thing and get a good look at the country. America is so vast and there are so many things to see and we’ve really had a chance to do many different things.


Q: Can you tell us about how physically demanding it is to ride a Superbike for 30 laps?

MM: I guess the first thing to say is that everyone’s effort level on the motorcycle is different. For myself, I have a very high effort level to get the lap times that I need to be able to win races. At a place like Infineon Raceway, especially if it’s warm, typically I have a heart rate about 165-175 beats per minute for the 45 minutes and probably lose three to five pounds in water weight. So, it’s very physical. You’re riding around basically wrapped in a cow, you know, so it’s certainly very physical. Physical training is certainly something I’ve focused on the last few years and being in the shape to last through the season and be good at the last race.


Q: What is your training regimen like?

MM: Typically I do a lot of bicycle riding. I probably almost did too much last year towards the end of the year. Last year I was doing 250-300 miles per week on the bike and some gym work. Bicycling was my main form of training last year. This year, bicycling has been eased up and I’m doing a lot more gym work and I play some tennis. Every year is an evolution and you have to change to keep up with the evolution.


Q: You had your first child several months ago, how has having a child changed you?

MM: Everyone says a child changes your life dramatically, and I guess in one way it does. I guess the feelings are different than they used to be because you have so much responsibility. But, as far as the racing goes, the first race that my daughter was at was last weekend in Fontana I have to admit, the feelings I had when I saw her there for the first time were really strong. When I was on the podium and I saw her there, it was pretty amazing. It motivates me more than I was already motivated, which some people didn’t think was possible. It’s really intensified my thinking about racing and at this particular time we’re really enjoying it.

From a press release issued by Team Roberts:

South African GP Preview

Early days for new Proton KR

South African GP is early days for new Proton KR

The South African GP, first of 16 rounds of the 2004 MotoGP World Championship, will be the first race for the second-generation Proton KR V5 machine, hand-built in Britain to challenge the Japanese factories.

Team principal Kenny Roberts, himself a racing legend, is confident that the new machine will show some of its impressive potential. But he admits: “This race is too early for us.”

The gorgeous V5 machine has been through a major upgrade programme in the winter, including a total chassis redesign, using all-new super-accurate fabrication techniques.

At the same time, the top end of the engine was redesigned, to improve the integration of the engine/chassis/airbox package.

“I think people will be impressed when they see the bike for the first time,” said Roberts. “It’s a very nice piece: the best and most integrated motorcycle we have ever built.

“The problem is that so far, the revised motor has not lived up to the performance predicted on the computer simulations. We’re working flat out to find out why, but these things take time.

“For South Africa the engine will only be at 80 percent … not a step forward compared with the first engine. Unfortunately the motor is so integrated with the chassis we can’t run last year’s motor in the new bike,” said Roberts.

“The chassis is very good, as usual – but with the delays in deciding to switch to Dunlop tyres, their new product is not ready either.

“Things will get better. Dunlop assure me they will have new product for the French GP (round three, on May 16), and soon after that we should have the engine up to its full potential. By the Dutch TT at Assen, we hope to move the goalposts,” said Roberts.

Proton Team KR will be fielding two riders as usual, team stalwart Nobuatsu Aoki and class rookie Kurtis Roberts, second son of Kenny.

Kurtis will be making his return to the track after suffering a dislocated shoulder in pre-season testing. He missed the last tests recuperating at home in California.

The South African GP, which first ran at Kyalami in the Eighties, was revived at the Phakisa Freeway outside the gold-mining town of Welkom, south of Johannesburg, in 1999. The track loops around a banked tri-oval circuit in a tight and challenging layout. Special difficulties include a very bumpy surface, often slippery because of dust blown across the track.

The next round is the Spanish GP, opening the European season at Jerez on May 2.

Nobuatsu Aoki – A difficult race
The best thing that I found in testing was the handling and feel of the new chassis. It is a definite improvement. We have other things that are not so good yet. The engine power and throttle response needs to be better, and we also need to improve the tyre performance. I hope Dunlop will be able to make use of the suggestions we’ve made as soon as possible. It means this race will be difficult to get a good result, but I will do the best possible, and we will all keep working.

Kurtis Roberts – Getting back in the flow
I always measure injuries by how they compare with other injuries. The first time I popped my shoulder last year it was worse than this, and I was racing again in two-and-a-half weeks. This time it seemed to recover quicker, but I’m not getting the strength back. I’ve not ridden with it, but I’m shooting for racing in South Africa, even if it won’t be optimum conditions for myself, the bike or the tyres. Leastways when the new development stuff comes in a few races time, I hope to be more in the flow of things. I’ll be there, and I’ll ride, and who knows how it will go.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The April 12 issue of Forbes Magazine ranks the 2000 largest companies in the world, based on sales, profits, assets and market value. Six motorcycle manufacturers made the list, including Honda, BMW, Suzuki, Harley-Davidson, Yamaha and Kawasaki.

Of those six, Harley-Davidson and Yamaha are the only two with a primary business of making motorcycles. Honda, BMW and Suzuki also make cars, while Kawasaki also builds trains, planes and ships.

The Forbes rankings of the six companies follows:


#49 Honda Motor, sales $67,439,000,000, profits $3,610,000,000

#74 BMW-Bayerische Motor, sales $52,226,000,000, profits $2,122,000,000

#452 Suzuki Motor, sales $17,050,000,000, profits $262,000,000

#585 Harley-Davidson, sales $4,624,000,000, profits $761,000,000

#898 Yamaha Motor, sales $8,571,000,000, profits $216,000,000

#1069 Kawasaki Heavy Industries, sales $10,487,000,000, profits $110,000,000


More information is available at forbes.com

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The British Broadcasting Company (BBC) has reached a new, five-year deal with Dorna to broadcast MotoGP World Championship races on the network through 2009.

According to BBC Sport, 12 of 14 races in 2004 will be broadcast live.

More, from a press release issued by d’Antin Ducati:

HODGSON PROMOTED THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP START IN LONDON

On 6th April, before leaving to South Africa, Neil Hodgson attended a crowded press conference in Dominion Theatre London.

All the British riders met there and they will take part in this new World Championship edition which will start next 18th April in Welkom circuit.

The prestigious BBC TV channel announced in that occasion it´s engagement to go on retransmiting the World Championship for the next five years, during which Donington Park will go on being the British Grand Prix headquarters.

When Neil heard the slogan chosen by UK for the launch in this 55th season, We will rock you, he said: “I really hope to rock every supporter who will surely be stuck on the screen during all the season. It´s going to be an intensive year and, like them, I´m looking forward to start.”

From a press release issued by Infineon Raceway (aka Sears Point):

Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown
Fact Sheet, April 30-May 2

WHAT:
Infineon Raceway will host the top motorcycle pavement road-racers in the country April 30-May 2 for the Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown. The weekend, which is presented by Cycle Gear, will feature two main events in the Chevrolet Superbike Championship division, one on Saturday, May 1, and the other on Sunday, May 2 (Supercuts Superbike Challenge). There will also be racing in the following divisions: Pro Honda Oils Supersport; Repsol Superstock Series; and Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme.

WHEN:
April 30-May 2. This is the third stop on the 18-race 2004 schedule.

WHERE:
Infineon Raceway, Highways 37 and 121, Sonoma, Calif., 95476 (800-870-RACE or www.infineonraceway.com

MOTORCYCLES:
The AMA Chevrolet Superbike Championship continues to evolve with the growing and ever-changing motorcycle marketplace. New for 2004, the class is based on 1000cc four-cylinder and twin engines, with fewer modifications allowed than in years past, with the goal of making the racing as affordable and competitive as possible.

WHAT’S NEW?
Increased runoff has been created at Turns 1 and 6 on the road course, which should make the circuit much safer. There is now more than 120 feet of runoff at Turn 1, compared with 30 feet prior, and an additional 80 feet of runoff at Turn 6. Moreover, the bridge at Turn 1 has been replaced, while the Turn 6 bridge has been removed. The circuit was also repaved in August.

WHAT TO EXPECT:
It was the Mat Mladin (Suzuki) show at Infineon Raceway in 2003 as the Australian native dominated both ends of the Chevrolet Superbike doubleheader. Mladin went on to win an AMA-record fourth Superbike championship. In all, he posted 10 wins on the season, also a single-season AMA record. He is now tied for second place in career Superbike wins at Infineon Raceway with Fred Merkel at three. Honda’s Miguel Duhamel owns the record for career Superbike wins at Infineon Raceway (four). … Mladin started off the 2004 season in fine fashion with a win in Daytona and a doubleheader sweep at California Speedway. It was his third-career Superbike win in Daytona. … Aaron Yates, Mladin’s teammate, placed second behind Mladin in both Superbike features at Infineon Raceway in 2003, and he also placed second for the championship. He won his only Superbike title at Infineon Raceway in 1996. … Brothers Eric Bostrom (Ducati) and Ben Bostrom (Honda) should be in the hunt, as well. Ben reached the podium with a third-place effort in the second feature at Infineon Raceway last year, while Eric was fourth in the first 28-lap feature. … In Pro Honda Oils Supersport, Yamaha’s Jamie Hacking led wire-to-wire in 2003.

SUPERMOTO:
In addition to the excitement of AMA Pro Racing, the weekend will also feature two days of the latest rage, Supermoto, a blend of on- and- off-road racing. The events will take place on a makeshift course utilizing Turns 4-8 on the road course. The course will feature pavement and dirt, with a flat-track corner, table-top jump and two berm corners. The 1.2-mile 15-turn course is designed to test every aspect of Supermoto and present riders with a technically challenging and high-speed circuit. Competition will be held in 450cc, 250cc, Open Expert and Novice classes. Main events will be held on Saturday and Sunday of race weekend at approximately 6 p.m.


AMA QUALIFYING:
FRIDAY: Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme – 3
p.m.; Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown – 4:20 p.m.

SATURDAY: Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown – 10:30 a.m.; Pro Honda Oils Supersport – 1 p.m.


AMA MAIN EVENTS:
SATURDAY: Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown, Race 1 – 2:30 p.m.

SUNDAY: Repsol Superstock – noon; Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship – 1 p.m.; Supercuts Superbike Challenge – 2 p.m.



ADVANCE

TICKETS: FRIDAY – $10; SATURDAY – $30; SUNDAY – $30; WEEKEND TICKET – $55. Children 12 and under free. Call 800-870-RACE, or
visit www.infineonraceway.com or
www.ticketmaster.com

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The British Superbike Championship series has a new sponsor, a safety campaign organized by the British government and aimed at street sportbike riders.

The campaign’s slogan is “Think! Keep racing for the track,” which will be displayed prominently at 2004 British Superbike events.

Government officials have been quoted as saying the campaign is designed to get the message directly to those most at risk.

According to published reports, there were approximately 350 motorcycle fatalities on British roads in 2002, 16 percent of all traffic fatalities despite motorcyclists making up just one percent of British road-going traffic.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Participation in the AMA Pro Racing 2004 Chevrolet U.S. Superbike Championship series is declining.

In 2003, the first practice for the Superbike, Supersport, Superstock and 250cc Grand Prix classes at Daytona International Speedway saw 207 riders go out on track.

In 2004, the same classes, with the exception of Formula Xtreme replacing 250cc Grand Prix, saw 168 riders go out in the first practice, a decline of 18.9 percent.

The trend holds true when comparing the number of riders who attempted to qualify at Daytona in 2003, 220, versus the number of riders who attempted to qualify at Daytona in 2004, 173, a 21.4 percent decline.

The second round of the 2004 series, at California Speedway, saw participation drop even more. Participation in the first practice sessions for the four classes dropped 21.9 percent, 192 riders in 2003 versus 150 riders in 2004, and participation in qualifying sessions for the four classes dropped 26.7 percent, 206 riders in 2003 versus 151 riders in 2004.

AMA Pro Racing Vice President, Director of Communications Kerry Graeber could not be reached for comment at post time.