From a press release issued by Indianapolis Motor Speedway:

INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY OVAL TO BE REPAVED THIS YEAR
Project to begin in August after Brickyard 400

INDIANAPOLIS, Wednesday, March 31, 2004 – The Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s 2.5-mile oval will be repaved after the 2004 Brickyard 400, track officials announced March 31.

The historic oval was last repaved in the fall of 1995. The 2004 repaving will mark the first time the warm-up lanes and current pit lane, which were constructed in 1993 and 1994, respectively, receive new asphalt.

The Speedway’s 2.605-mile road course, which was built in 1999, will not be paved.

According to Kevin Forbes, IMS director of engineering and construction, 36,500 tons of asphalt will be laid in two or three layers, covering 1,085,085 square feet per layer.

The height of the racetrack, and the track’s SAFER Barriers – the energy-absorbing system located on the outside walls in each of the four turns – will not be affected, as 4 inches of the surface will be milled and replaced with an identical amount of new asphalt.

The 9 degrees, 12 minutes of banking in the turns will remain the same. The Speedway oval’s banking and overall configuration will not be altered.

Preliminary work is scheduled to begin Aug. 9, the day after the 11th Brickyard 400, and paving should be completed by mid- to late October, Forbes said. Formal private testing among teams will not likely resume until spring 2005 to allow the new surface to cure over the winter, Forbes said. Hall of Fame Museum track tours will resume within days of the completion of paving.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s racing surface has taken several forms since the track’s construction. The original coal-tar emulsion and crushed stone surface proved dangerous immediately upon the inaugural weekend of racing in August 1909, and 3.2-million paving bricks were laid down in late 1909, giving the track its venerable nickname, “The Brickyard.”

Patches of asphalt were placed on rough portions of the turns in 1936, and by 1939 all but the middle portion of the main straightaway was covered with asphalt.

In 1961, the main straightaway was finally covered with asphalt.

The track did not receive its first comprehensive repaving until summer 1976, and the process was repeated in the summer of 1988 and again in the fall of 1995.


More, from another press release issued by Indianapolis Motor Speedway:

Q&A WITH KEVIN FORBES ABOUT REPAVING
INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY OVAL

INDIANAPOLIS, Wednesday, March 31, 2004 – An interview with Kevin Forbes, Indianapolis Motor Speedway director of engineering and construction, about the repaving of the entire 2.5-mile IMS oval starting in August 2004:

Q: When will the project start?

Forbes: Literally the day after the Brickyard (400).

Q: How long will the entire process take?

Forbes: If we start right after the Brickyard 400, we are very hopeful to be done by the middle or end of October.

Q: How long will it take for the track to cure? Will the customary fall IndyCar Series testing be out of the question for 2004, and how long will the Hall of Fame Museum tour buses have to stay off the track?

Forbes: Tour buses won’t affect it at all. I’m sure there will be limited testing on the surface just to validate the characteristics of the surface as far as friction and evenness. But, in terms of multiple team testing and prolonged tire testing, we’d be wise not to do that.

Q: How much asphalt is required? (Square feet, weight, etc.) How deep will it be?

Forbes: Three or four layers of asphalt, weighing a total of 36,500 tons. The total area to be paved is 1,085,085 square feet, or 120,565 square yards, and that will be covered either three or four times.

Q: Is anything being done to the road course? How will this affect Turns 12 and 1 of the road course, where it connects with the oval?

Forbes: The texture will become more similar to the road course itself. As far as making the oval portion closer to the texture and appearance of the road course, it will go a long way in doing that, although the disparity that exists now isn’t a problem.

Q: Will this affect the banking of the oval at all? Will it still be 9 degrees, 12 minutes? How is the challenge of maintaining the banking to precision met?

Forbes: After the existing asphalt is milled away, then we will do some very precise checking of what’s left. Then we’ll make adjustments by additional milling in specific areas to ensure we have a perfectly parallel surface that is 5 ½ inches below what we have right now. We will try to start with a perfectly parallel plain. If it’s not, we’ll adjust it at that point. It becomes a very careful process of paving extremely slow, nonstop, and then we’ll check after every lift (layer) of asphalt is put in place. We’ll check that the geometry is what it used to be.

Q: A commonly used number for the amount of original bricks that remain beneath the asphalt surface is 85 percent. Is that number still accurate?

Forbes: That’s pretty close. When the racetrack was bricked in 1909, obviously the entire track was a ring of brick, before any tunnels were built. The bricks were removed where the tunnels were cut through. We’ve saved, over the years, basically all those bricks. Those are the bricks that will be used to reset the start-finish line.

Q: The SAFER Barrier will be removed in order to do this. Any other affects on the SAFER Barrier?

Forbes: No, it will not be affected. We are taking out 4 inches (of asphalt) and putting in 4 inches. Geometrically speaking, it will be identical.

Q: What have you and the staff learned about repaving technology since 1995? What will be done differently, in terms of applying the asphalt, smoothing, etc.?

Forbes: We will make a few changes. The worst enemy of bituminous pavement is the long-term oxidation of the asphalt cement. Over time, it becomes brittle. When it becomes brittle, it cracks, and that’s the only reason we’re repaving this racetrack right now. It’s not rough. It just has so many cracks in it that in May when the IndyCarÒ Series cars are on the racetrack, with all the suction from the downforce and the track is still somewhat cold from the winter, they actually start to break up little bits and pieces of the track. Very small pieces, and it’s not that many, but just enough to become a nuisance. And if it weren’t for the cracking and resulting net-like matrix of cracks that leads to IndyCar Series cars breaking it apart, we wouldn’t have to repave this. So, in response to that, we’re going to design a pavement, or mix, that will combat the oxidation much better. One other drawback to racetrack pavement is that it has no traffic, which is a very detrimental effect. (You would think) the more pounding it gets, the worse it would be, but the pounding actually closes the cracks back together. On a highway that has a lot of traffic, they (traffic) are continually kneading those cracks together. We don’t have that on a racetrack, so once cracks open up, they stay open. So we’re going to strive to develop an asphalt pavement that will resist the cracking much more so in the future.

Q: Has this type of asphalt mixture that you’re looking for been used elsewhere?

Forbes: Oh, yeah, it is something we’ve used with virtually every track that’s been paved since we repaved in 1995. We learned a lot in ’95 and applied it to racetrack pavements at Kansas City, Chicagoland. We are starting to really understand the dynamics and all the little idiosyncrasies that surround racetrack paving. Even though bituminous asphalt technology has been around since the 1930s, really only in the last 10-15 years or so have we truly begun to understand how it works on a racetrack.

Q: I understand the “high density” asphalt used last time, in 1995, has pros and cons. Can you elaborate on that, and what will be done this time to get an even better result?

Forbes: There are a couple things. You can look at a bituminous mixture as just a bunch of rocks glued together by asphalt. We’re going to change those rocks. We’re going to make them bigger. We used to think that finer (rock) was better; now we think much bigger is better. For so long, racetracks were always worried about trying to produce a smooth and even surface, smooth like glass and even so that doesn’t undulate. It was a smooth texture, like glass, because of the concerns of tire wear. Well, now we know that it’s kind of a myth because tire engineers can develop tires for the most abrasive of surfaces. Even though this isn’t going to be an abrasive surface, it’s going to be a little more abrasive because it’s going to be coarser. A coarser rock structure is more crack-resistant than a fine rock structure. The other thing we’re going to do is change the chemistry of the asphalt cement, or glue that holds the rock together. We’re going to change it so it behaves more like a fluid in extreme cold temperatures so it doesn’t get brittle and crack like glass. We’re trying to stay away from “glass” in every respect. It doesn’t need to be smooth like glass, and we don’t want the surface to be brittle like glass.

Q: The diamond grinding was done in 2002 to preserve the track “for several more years.” Did you anticipate waiting another year or two to repave, or did the grinding do what it was supposed to do?

Forbes: Yes, it did what it was supposed to do. We’ll end up having three seasons of racing on that diamond-ground surface because we’ll have all of next year’s, as well.

Q: How will the surface compare to the diamond-ground surface?

Forbes: It will not be as abrasive as the diamond-ground surface. It will be a little bit smoother.

Q: Clarence Cagle, who was the longtime superintendent at this track, certainly considered one of the Speedway’s legendary figures and a wizard at paving, passed away last July. What are your thoughts on not having Clarence here to be part of this?

Forbes: He’ll be watching. He just won’t be standing alongside. His presence will be felt. I think anybody who was ever around Clarence learned from him. I know I tried to learn as much as I could while we had the opportunity to pave some of these tracks together.

Q: What other tracks have you paved?

Forbes: I wrote the paving specifications for Chicagoland (Speedway), Kansas (Speedway), Pocono (Raceway), Walt Disney World (Speedway), Pikes Peak (International Raceway) and Las Vegas (Motor Speedway). We’ve had various roles in all those tracks. What we refer to as a special paving consultant is a person who watches the paving process and helps the paving contractor understand the differences between standard street-and-highway paving and racetrack paving. The contractor who will end up paving this track is a commercial street/highway paving contractor. We meet with them and oversee their operations from start to finish to help them understand the differences.

Q: Are there any comparisons between highway and racetrack paving?

Forbes: It is not night and day. It is like the difference between assembling a grandfather clock and assembling a wristwatch. All of the processes are similar; they’re just much more fine-tuned for a racetrack. They’re more critical, and not to put down or understate the importance of highway paving, (but) they’re dealing with a whole different set of loading criteria than a racetrack does. The difference is, when a highway asphalt surface fails, it almost never has a life-or-death consequence. When a racetrack pavement fails, it could mean the difference between life or death. There are just tighter controls. Everything is done a little slower.

Q: This track gets praise from drivers in all series that compete here as being one of the smoothest tracks in the world. And this comes even after the asphalt on the track has sustained eight years of abuse since it was last repaved. Now the drivers are about to get a brand-new surface that should be even better. Give your thoughts on the incredible standard IMS maintains with its track surface.

Forbes: Since our track is as flat as it is, it’s easy to pave a flat track, so we should have a smooth track. When you start paving tracks that are in excess, say, of 14 degrees, now you’re talking about another set of equipment just to hold up the paving equipment. When you have one set of machines holding up machines, then you just double the chances for something to go wrong. There’s another reason why we’re going to repave this track. The more cracks there are, the more water gets into the surface. The more water that gets inside the asphalt, it adds more water to the pavement structure, and it makes it difficult to dry the racetrack. So, this will also help the events, in that we can put the show on a lot quicker now so people aren’t in their seats waiting for the track to dry. One of the major benefits of repaving this track is that it’s going to dry much more quickly, and we’re going to get the show back on the stage much more quickly.


More, from another press release issued by Indianapolis Motor Speedway:

INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY OVAL SURFACE IMPROVEMENTS TIMELINE

INDIANAPOLIS, Wednesday, March 31, 2004 – A timeline of the original construction and surface improvements to the 2.5-mile oval at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway:

Summer 1909: The Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval was graded, and a surface of crushed rock – smoothed and compacted using rollers and then sprayed with tar – was laid. Several railroad tank cars full of tar were delayed en route, and the process of spraying tar on the track was not completed until early August.

Fall 1909: Several serious accidents in the first weekend of racing convinced Speedway management that the tar-and-crushed rock surface was too dangerous, so the decision was made to resurface the track with paving bricks. Approximately 3.2-million bricks, weighing 9.5 pounds each, were used to complete the job in 63 days from late September through early December. That is an average of 51,000 bricks laid per day. To pave the track with bricks, crews placed a layer of sand on top of the original surface, then set each brick in the bed of sand with about one-quarter inch separation on each side, then poured mortar around the bricks.

Spring 1936: The track received asphalt paving for the first time, when rough portions of the turns were smoothed with asphalt patches.

1937: The four turns were resurfaced with asphalt.

1938: More asphalt was laid, leaving brick exposed only in the middle portions of each straightaway.

1939: The entire track, except for the main straightaway, was resurfaced with asphalt.

1956: All four turns were resurfaced with asphalt.

October 1961: After A.J. Foyt’s first Indianapolis 500 victory, the main straightaway was paved with asphalt. The now-famous “Yard of Bricks,” a 36-inch strip of original bricks at the start-finish line, was kept in place to pay tribute to the Speedway’s famous surface.

1964: The back straightaway and Turn 3 were resurfaced.

July 1969: Track was resurfaced, except areas paved in 1961 and 1964.

Summer 1976: The entire track was repaved, marking the first time a complete repaving took place since the bricks were laid in 1909.

Summer 1988: The entire track was repaved.

Spring 1993: Asphalt warm-up lanes installed in four turns and two short straightaways between Turns 1 and 2 and Turns 3 and 4.

Spring 1994: Pit lane renovated, widened.

Fall 1995: The entire track, except the new pit lane and warm-up lanes, was repaved with a specially designed racetrack asphalt mix featuring very small rocks. The top 5 inches of the track were milled and replaced with the new asphalt.

March 2002: The oval surface was made smoother with a process called “diamond grinding,” which eliminates minor bumps in the asphalt. This marks the first time that the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s surface was ground so the surface would meet the requirements of high-speed racing.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

A story in the March 30, 2004 USA Today online edition highlights the rising popularity of naked sportbikes.

The story quotes the Motorcycle Industry Council’s Discover Today’s Motorcycling as reporting naked sportbike sales were up 111 percent from 1998 to 2002, whereas “traditional” sportbike sales were up 88 percent over the same period.

The story states in 2002, overall motorcycle sales were up 6.4 percent, the 11th consecutive year of sales growth.

To read the full story, follow this link:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2004-03-30-naked-bikes_x.htm

From a press release issued by California Speedway:

Ben Bostrom on Southern California Sports Report tonight

FONTANA, Calif. (March 31, 2004) – AMA Chevrolet Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited rider Ben Bostrom will appear on FOX Sport’s Southern California Sports Report tonight.

Bostrom, who is in Southern California for the Yamaha Superbike Challenge at California Speedway April 2-4, is the 1998 AMA Superbike Champion and runner up in 1999. After a three-year stint in the FIM World Superbike Series, Bostrom returned to the AMA in 2003 finishing fourth in the end of the year standings.

The No. 155 Honda Racing rider returns to California Speedway this weekend where he garnered two top-10 finishes last year, finishing third in the Yamaha West Region Dealers 100k and eighth in the Yamaha 100k. Bostrom, 29, looks to shine at California Speedway’s 21-turn, 2.36-mile motorcycle competition course in this weekend’s doubleheader.

Catch Bostrom on the Southern California Sports Report tonight at 10:00 p.m. on FOX Sports West. The show, which covers various Southern California sporting events and personalities, will re-air early in the morning on April 1st at 1:00 a.m. and again at 6:30 a.m.

Tickets to the Yamaha Superbike Challenge are $10 on Friday, $30 on Saturday and $30 for Sunday. Two-day packages are available for $50 and three-day packages are available for $60. For ticket and event information call 800-944-RACE (7223) or log onto www.californiaspeedway.com.

From a press release issued by Clear Channel Entertainment Motor Sports:

MX HOUR ON OUTDOOR LIFE NETWORK
Catch all the In-Your-Face Action From Home

AURORA, Il. (March 31, 2004) – Clear Channel Entertainment Motor Sports announced today the official dates of the MX Hour that runs on the Outdoor Life Network. MX Hour features non-stop action of both the National Arenacross Series and IFMA Freestyle Motocross series.

MX Hour showcases in depth coverage of the IFMA Freestyle Motocross with interviews, XM Satellite trick gallery, and the crazy aerial acrobatics of the world’s best freestyle riders. Watch the battle for first place between 2003 Rookie of the Year Matt Buyten as he takes on 2000 IFMA Champion Jake Windham.

National Arenacross Series coverage begins with the mind-bending dirt track the motocross riders must conquer. Watch the best of the best battle it out to the finish line in a race of speed and endurance. Tune in to see 2002/2003 AX Champion Josh Demuth defend his title against teammate Tommy Hofmaster, five-time champion Buddy Antunez, and 2003-2004 National Arenacross Champion Darcy Lange.

Find MX Hour in the Action Sports category on www.olntv.com to set a reminder for your favorite MX Hour shows. Call your local cable provider to get OLN in your area or visit www.olntv.com.

MX Hour Schedule
April 1 – Fort Worth AX-Friday
April 8 – Fort Worth AX- Saturday
April 15 – Denver FMX- Friday
April 22 – Denver FMX- Saturday
April 29 – Cleveland AX- Friday
May 6 – Cleveland AX- Friday
May 13 – Pittsburgh FMX- Friday
May 20 – Pittsburgh FMX- Saturday
May 27 – Denver AX- Friday
June 3 – Denver AX- Saturday
June 10 – Sacramento AX- Friday
June 17 – Sacramento AX- Saturday
June 24 – Kansas City AX-Friday
July 1 – Kansas City AX- Saturday
July 29 – Little Rock FMX- Friday
August 5 – Little Rock FMX- Saturday
August 12 – Greenville FMX- Friday
August 19 – Greenville FMX- Saturday
August 26 – Milwaukee FMX- Friday
September 2 – Milwaukee FMX- Saturday
September 9 – Best of FMX
September 16 – Best of AX
*All shows air at 3:30 pm EST

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

WMRRA corner worker Ken Howshoski, 40, of Langley, British Columbia, Canada, was fatally stabbed March 21 in the home of female friend Brenda “Kat” Brunner, in Whatcom County, Washington, according to a March 29 article appearing at www.bellinghamherald.com.

Brunner’s estranged husband Francis “Frank” A. Brunner, 42, has been charged with aggravated murder, assault and burglary in connection with the incident and is being sought by authorities.

From a press release:

Pro-Motion Parts Club offers innovative web paint service

Now your wife doesn’t have to give you hell for stinking up the house anymore and you can forget about putting those parts in her oven at home (come on admit it). Team Pro-Motion Parts Club has a new solution. By visiting promotionpartsclub.com and clicking on the paint your bike banner, you too can be the next Leo Vinci!!!

The Parts Club at Team Pro-Motion has just launched Pro-Paint. Now you can grab your mouse and paint your racebike in your very own home! Pro-Paint allows you to play with the different body parts of your bike, coloring them in with a click of your mouse button. By using six sections and offering eight colors to choose from, you can design and submit your creation to them and receive a ready to win painted body right to your door. Airtech bodies are offered so choosing a body and having it painted all in one step now has become a snap, and not to mention your wife will be very pleased.

Visit promotionpartsclub.com and see for yourself how much fun being a kid again can be.

From a press release issued by Balz Renggli, Manager, Ducati-Aprilia of Oceanside:

On the way to challenging for the AMA Superbike double-header at Fontana, Ducati rider Eric Bostrom will stop at Aprilia-Ducati of Oceanside for autograph signing on Thursday, April 1. Eric Bostrom is scheduled to be on hand between 10:30am and noon. Stop by to wish Eric good luck for the upcoming races. Aprilia-Ducati of Oceanside is located at 525 S. Coast Hwy. Oceanside, CA. Call 760-722-7704 for directions.

From a press release issued by Kawasaki Racing Team:

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2004
IRTA TEST – CIRCUITO DE JEREZ
31ST MARCH 2004 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SUPER SHINYA SHOWS HIS PACE AT JEREZ

Fuchs Kawasaki’s Shinya Nakano started today’s final pre-season test at the Circuito de Jerez as he left off at Catalunya, setting the seventh fastest time of the day aboard his Ninja ZX-RR and closing to within 0.7s of reigning World Champion, and the man at the top of today’s timesheet, Valentino Rossi.

Overnight rain meant that Nakano and Alex Hofmann were greeted by a damp track as they arrived at the Jerez circuit this morning, but keen to make the most of the break in the weather, and despite the less than perfect conditions, both riders exited pit lane to start testing as soon as dry patches started to appear on the circuit.

Nakano started the day by evaluating changes to both engine and chassis geometry in a bid to improve acceleration and rear traction when on the gas out of the turns. The 26-year-old Japanese rider also tested new rear tyres from Bridgestone, identifying two that worked particularly well around the flowing Jerez circuit.

Hofmann initially focussed on comparing the characteristics of two different specifications of the 990cc inline four-cylinder Ninja ZX-RR engine, before also testing the latest tyres from Bridgestone. In just 49 laps of the Jerez circuit, and in less than ideal conditions, the 23-year-old German rider had already improved upon his best race time from 2003 by a considerable margin.

Both riders set their fastest lap times late in the afternoon, with a time of 1:43.386 securing Nakano seventh place on the timesheet and MotoGP rookie Hofmann finishing an impressive 12th fastest with a lap time of 1:44.009.

While the weather forecast for tomorrow promises more rain, both Nakano and Hofmann are hopeful of one more day’s testing before their Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR machines are crated up ready for shipment to South Africa, and the opening race of the season on April 18th.

Alex Hofmann: 12th (1:44.009 – 49 laps)
“We’ve been a little bit lucky with the weather today, as it looked like we were going to have a repeat of the Barcelona test when we arrived to find a very wet circuit this morning. We eventually took to the track around lunchtime, which meant we were kept busy trying to complete the test schedule we had planned for today. Conditions weren’t exactly perfect for the first couple of sessions this afternoon, but as the track dried out we were able to start increasing the pace and refining the set up of the bike to suit the circuit. Overall I’m pretty satisfied with what we’ve achieved today; the bike works well around here and, after just 49 laps, we’ve already managed to improve on my best race time from last year by over 1.5 seconds. Hopefully the weather will be kind to us tomorrow, as this will be the last chance we get to test before we head off to Welkom for the first race of the season.”

Shinya Nakano: 7th (1:43.386 – 40 laps)
“We don’t know what the weather is going to do tomorrow, so I tried to get as much track time in as I could today. Our main concern at this time is that the bike wants to wheelie and spin up the rear tyre when you get on the gas out of the turns, and solving this problem is our number one priority at the moment. Today we tried some changes to the chassis geometry and the engine but, while there was a slight improvement overall, we still need to do some more work in this area. During the Barcelona test I struggled to find a tyre I was happy with, but Bridgestone have brought two new tyres to Jerez and I think my lap times today are a good indication of how well they work around this circuit. I am happy with the progress we’ve made in the short time we’ve had this afternoon and, if the weather holds for tomorrow, I am confident that we’ll see further improvements to both the bike and the lap times.”


More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

Rain conditions hamper MotoGP testing for

Ducati Marlboro Team at Jerez

Jerez (Spain), 31 March 2004 – Bad weather continues to hamper development work for the Ducati Marlboro Team and the new Desmosedici GP4. The rain, which fell throughout the morning, made the Jerez track impracticable during the morning and it was only at around 1 o’clock that Troy Bayliss and Loris Capirossi finally went out onto the circuit. Testing was then brought to a halt for good half an hour early when rain started to fall again.

The weather conditions put paid to any attempt to further develop the new Desmosedici GP4 and Loris’s 27 laps and Troy’s 45 were simply not sufficient for the Ducati Marlboro Team to identify the ideal set-up.

After demonstrating the potential of the 2004 bike at the Catalunya circuit (where on Sunday Loris set a record top speed of 347.4 km/h), the team hope to finalise the bike’s development in view of the first GP of the year, scheduled for April 18 at Welkom, South Africa.

Unfortunately day 1 of testing failed to produce the expected results and the changeable weather meant that it was not possible to give the new solutions a thorough work-out. Loris, who concentrated on setting up the bike rather than on the stop-watch, set a quickest time of 1:44.54, while Troy lapped in 1:44.59. The Ducati Marlboro Team will continue testing on tomorrow’s second and final day, the last opportunity before the bikes are air-freighted off to South Africa.


More, from a press release issued by Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha Team:

ROSSI AND CHECA MAKE GOOD PROGRESS BETWEEN RAIN SHOWERS IN JEREZ

Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi completed another worthwhile pre-season test session today, topping the leader board again despite doing just 39 laps on his YZR-M1 machine due to sporadic rain showers throughout the day. His team-mate Carlos Checa also had a valuable day of testing, finishing fourth fastest during this first day of the second official IRTA Tests of 2004.

A rainy morning saw only a few MotoGP bikes venture out for practice, the Yamaha riders eventually getting underway in the early afternoon after the track had dried out. Reigning World Champion Rossi quickly went to the top of the leader board and managed to stay there, bettering his own best time several times over before another rain shower half an hour before the end of the session brought him in with a final fastest time of 1:42.656. Just over one tenth of a second behind him was Suzuki rider Kenny Roberts (1:42.761), and Colin Edwards on his Honda (1:42.771). Checa, who completed 50 laps, also clocked up some fast times, finishing the day fourth fastest with a time of 1:42.927.

VALENTINO ROSSI (1:42.656)

“It was another good surprise to be fastest today, I am very happy. We arrived here and everything immediately went quite well with a set-up similar to Barcelona. The bike is easy to steer, very agile, and it’s handling the braking well. We are still having some problems because after 8 or 9 laps the bike is a bit more difficult to control, but we will keep working to change that. Unfortunately today we weren’t able to do a lot of testing; I hope the weather is better tomorrow and I can improve even more. This run of tests has been really important because when you have tested at Sepang, Phillip Island, Barcelona and Jerez, you have tried the bike on all types of different corners and, overall, the bike seems in a good way.”

CARLOS CHECA (1:42.927)

“We did a good job today and stuck with the same set-up we used in Barcelona. There’s obviously a clear improvement and I think it’s coming from an increase in my turning speed, but we are still looking to do better. The new engine spec is obviously making some difference too but apart from that we have made as few changes as possible to the bike. The target now for the rest of the test is to do several laps at a good pace; I already did seven or eight fast laps in a row this afternoon, but then the rain came and stopped me.”

JEREMY BURGESS, VALENTINO ROSSI CREW CHIEF

“We’ve changed the suspension a bit for Jerez, but overall the bike’s not that different from Barcelona. There’s much more feel from the tyres here because the temperature is higher than Barcelona. Each time we test we get a better picture and we are pleased with the way the bike is adapting to each circuit. It is not the case that the Yamaha has to have big changes each time you move. It’s good to come to our fourth circuit and be fastest on the first day, although we are continuing to fix the problems we have, as always.”

Wednesday Times:
1. VALENTINO ROSSI (ITA) GAULOISES FORTUNA YAMAHA 1:42.656
2. Kenny Roberts (USA) Team Suzuki MotoGP 1:42.761
3. Colin Edwards (USA) Telefonica Movistar Honda Mot 1:42.771
4. CARLOS CHECA (SPA) GAULOISES FORTUNA YAMAHA 1:42.927
5. Alex Barros (BRA) Repsol Honda 1:42.974
6. John Hopkins (USA) Team Suzuki MotoGP 1:43.314
7. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki Racing Team 1:43.386
8. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Telefonica Movistar Honda Mot 1:43.408
9. Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda 1:43.457
10. Makoto Tamada (JPN) Camel Honda 1:43.541


More, from a press release issued by Telefonica Movistar Honda/Gresini Racing:

TEST IRTA – JEREZ, DAY ONE

The circus of the MotoGP moved to Jerez for the last two day-session of Official Test before the South African GP, the first race of the season, scheduled on the 18th of April at Welkom.

Because of the rain of the early morning and cool conditions, the team Telefonica MoviStar Honda MotoGP riders went on track only around 15.00 when the sun started to dry the track.

Today’s testing session was focused on testing the new bike in preparation of the first GP. Rain and cold conditions in fact haven’t allowed so far the development of the new bike, both in terms of best setting and endurance test.

Colin Edwards 3rd – 1:42.771 – 40 laps: “today we did a good job, we tested some tyres for Michelin and continued to work on the new bike, especially the swing arm. Unfortunately cold conditions and rain spoiled our last test sessions, I wish we had more time for testing.”

Sete Gibernau 8th – 1:43.408 – 30 laps: “I don’t feel very well, I had fever and stayed in bed both Monday and Tuesday. Despite this, today I wanted to lap a little bit in preparation of the work scheduled for tomorrow. Today we have find some good solutions, I’m confident for tomorrow.”

The test goes on tomorrow, Thursday 1st of April.

These are the time reference of last season:
GP JEREZ 2003 –MotoGP
pole position: Capirossi (Ducati) 1:41.983
race record: Rossi (Honda) 1:42.788


More, from a press release issued by Camel Honda Racing Information:

First day of IRTA tests at Jerez de la Frontera in run up to the World Championship

Unsettled weather again in Jerez after trying days in Catalunya The bad weather that struck the Mediterranean coast also influenced this area in the south of Spain. Rain in the night, and a wet track in the morning: the engines stayed quiet. Only in the early afternoon did the Jerez circuit offer the right conditions for a series of laps able to provide useful data for getting the settings right on the bikes. The yellow-blue liveried riders of the Camel Honda team put in 40 laps, perfecting the settings on their RC211V bikes. Another important opportunity, after the bad weather in Catalunya, to get the basic set-up worked out before the World Championship gets under way in Welkom on 18 April.

Santi Mulero – Camel Honda (Head Technician, Max Biaggi)
“We worked hard, using the bike with the new frame all the time, to gather further data so we can get the settings just right. It’s clear we need to improve our recent performance in Montmelò, but here in Jerez the weather hasn’t helped us either. The track was damp this morning, then a bit of sun came out and, half an hour from the end, it started raining again. There are still a number of things to try out to improve engine management and the chassis settings, and we’re just hoping we’ll be able to work in more stable weather conditions tomorrow.”

Max Biaggi – Camel Honda (Michelin tyres) – 11th – 1:43.980 – 40 laps
“The morning didn’t start out in the best possible way, what with the rain and the dirty wet track. Then at around 1 o’clock the sun came out and the tarmac dried out, so we were able to work. These two days of tests – the last before the green lights go on for the World Championship season – are extremely important. We’ve got to finish working on the settings of the new materials, and we’re working with the new frame and the new swingarm: important, complex components that need to be set up right. Materials that need time to get sorted out. So tomorrow is going to be really important for getting the final touches put on for South Africa, because we’re already running a bit late.”

Giulio Bernardelle – Camel Honda – (Head Technician, Makoto Tamada)
“Many items on the work programme will have to be put off till tomorrow, again hoping the weather is clement. Today was yet another very patchy day of tests and Makoto was not able to appreciate all the characteristics of the new frame, as we still haven’t been able to get the right set-up. As far as the tyres are concerned, we continued the development work on the new materials we tried out in Catalunya.”

Makoto Tamada – Camel Honda (Bridgestone tyres) – 10th – 1:43.541 – 40 laps
“Again the weather didn’t help us, like in Catalunya, and the track was in ideal conditions to open up the throttle only for part of the day. I still haven’t gathered sufficient elements to have an exact idea about the characteristics of this new frame, but I’m trusting that I’ll be able to do so tomorrow. I also continued the tests on the new rear Bridgestone tyres we used in Montmelò and my impression was good. Now let’s hope things work out well tomorrow. We’ll be trying to get everything done in time for Welkom.”



More, from a press release issued by Honda Racing Information:

HONDA RACING INFORMATION

Honda continue hard work on new chassis despite bad weather

At Jerez in the south of Spain, the six rider strong Honda contingent are taking part in the final session of what has been a long winter testing programme. Before a wheel could be turned in anger however this morning, the riders came up against their old adversary, the weather. Overnight rain had left the asphalt sodden, and with heavy clouds looming in the skies it looked as though completing nothing more than a couple of coasting laps on wet tyres was going to be impossible. However, the sun broke through just after midday and the circuit eventually began to dry out, with work able to commence around three o’clock.

When they did finally get out on track, the riders knew they had to make the most of the little time they had been given, and set about working on the bike settings, especially the new chassis and swinging arm, introduced at Catalunya at the weekend. Colin Edwards ended up the fastest of the Honda men, just a hundredth outside the time of countryman Kenny Roberts on the Suzuki, and third fastest rider on the day, with Valentino Rossi quickest on the Yamaha. With the rain returning to haunt the riders once more at 5:30pm however, they hardly had time to get into a groove, with a maximum of three and a half hours out on track.

Alex Barros was fifth fastest, and the quickest of the Repsol Honda duo, with the other four Honda riders making it into the top eleven; Sete Gibernau in eighth place, and Nicky Hayden, Makoto Tamada and Max Biaggi just behind him. All except Biaggi were within a second of the best time of the day, a new circuit record.

Colin Edwards: 1:42.771 – 40 laps

“I think we’ve pretty much got the chassis figured out, it didn’t take too long. The biggest thing is finding the balance between it all, but it seems to be working okay. We’re going good, and dare I say it I’m maybe not 100% with the motor now. I’m crawling trying to keep the front end down. The old one was so friendly in that area, so I think we’ll have to mess around with the electronics a bit to get it sorted, but all in all it was okay. We’ve changed stuff now compared to what Honda brought us at the beginning in Barcelona, and now it feels good.”

Alex Barros: 1:42.974 – 43 laps

“We started with the aim of getting a good base set-up as I have never ridden the RC211V here. We tested two or three different compound Michelins here and worked hard on different suspension settings. When we were ready to push for some fast laps the rain came and it was impossible to make a good lap.”

Sete Gibernau: 1:43.408 – 30 laps

“It’s not so bad, but I have a bit of a fever which meant I wasn’t sure whether I was going to go out today. It’s important to get some more information on the bike though here, so we decided to give it a go. Hopefully the fever will have gone by tomorrow because I feel confident. The new chassis, swing-arm, links and all that are feeling better, I’m getting more feedback than in Barcelona. There I wasn’t too confident, but it’s definitely coming now.”

Nicky Hayden: 1:43.457 – 43 laps

“The day was really weather affected which after the interruptions of Catalunya was a real shame. The day started off real wet and the track took a long time to dry out. The team worked hard and we got the bike going pretty good. We were confident we were going in the right direction with regards the set-up then it started raining again mid afternoon and that was it really. Lets hope for a good day tomorrow. One more day of testing before the season starts!”

Makoto Tamada 1:43.541 – 40 laps

“I tried some tyres today which I was unable to test at Catalunya. Honestly though, I wanted to test the new machine more than the tyres. The weather was bad though, and I wasn’t able to do either properly! I went out in the wet this morning to show that I am motivated and to get some laps in under rain conditions, but apart from that we hope it’s dry tomorrow so I can test some more things.”

Max Biaggi: 1:43.980 – 40 laps

“I didn’t find any solutions today, since Barcelona I just haven’t been able to go any faster. The problem is that the new chassis is difficult to find improvements in. We have a kind of rear chatter when you transfer to the front going into the turn. Then also we have more chatter coming out of the turn. This makes riding impossible because if you can’t go well both going in and coming out of the bend then you can’t go fast. We have to work this out and get the cornering right. I have to say I’m a little upset today and just need a little help to sort these problems.”


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

RAIN RETURNS TO PLAY IN JEREZ

The d´Antin MotoGP riders today began the scheduled IRTA test session in Jerez, with the circuit affected by rain. Neil Hodgson and Rubén Xaus were keen to get some good laps in on their Ducati Desmosedici bikes, neither having ridden there for nearly a decade, but came up against the poor climactic conditions which changed the timetable. In the afternoon Hodgson and Xaus made the most of a dried-out track in the afternoon, essentially focusing on getting a good base set-up for the Spanish Grand Prix which takes place here in a month’s time.

Neil Hodgson had not been at the Andalusian track since 1995 and without doubt the British rider was one of the first into his leathers today as he complete a total of 45 laps: “The morning rain didn’t allow us to make too many laps, but I felt pretty good on the bike. I enjoyed myself quite a bit, although we didn’t test anything in particular – having worked from the Catalunya set-up to try and find something more suitable here. We’re hoping that the weather can be a little more forgiving today, and that it lets us get a bit more work done!”

Rubén Xaus meanwhile had also not been at Jerez since 1995, when he rode in a round of the Spanish Supersport championship. Today he completed a total of 50 laps: “The weather really isn’t helping us, and I found it hard to find the right ‘feeling’ today. This is a very technical track and you have to ride very neatly, so there’s still quite a bit more work to be done. We need the weather on our side though, and if it’s dry tomorrow, we’ll continue to make progress. It’s almost like it was in Barcelona here, and for sure the weather will be completely different when we come here for the Grand Prix in a month’s time, although at least all of us are having to put up with the same bad conditions.”


Times:
1st V.ROSSI 1:42.656
2nd K.ROBERTS 1:42.761
3rd C.EDWARDS 1:42.771
4th C.CHECA 1:42.927
5th A.BARROS 1:42.974

13th NEIL HODGSON 1:44.140
18th R.XAUS 1:44.662


More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki:

ROBERTS AND HOPKINS STORM JEREZ TESTS!

Team Suzuki riders Kenny Roberts and John Hopkins posted their best results so far in the run up to their MotoGP World Championship campaign at today’s second-round tests in Jerez, Spain.

Roberts claimed second best time of the test, a fraction over 100ths-of-a-second off the benchmark 1:42.656 time posted by reigning World Champion Valentino Rossi, whilst Hopkins, who is still recovering from a pre-season ankle injury, claimed an impressive sixth place overall.

Overnight showers impeded the riders from lapping on a dry track this morning, even though the rain itself had stopped falling. Few chose to brave the in-between conditions, and all were forced to wait until around three in the afternoon before making their first dry laps of the 4.423 kilometre circuit.

From a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing:

ROADRACING WORLD ACTION FUND TO DONATE ADDITIONAL AIR MODULES TO AMA PRO RACING

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (March 31, 2004) — As part of an ongoing effort to promote safety at AMA Chevrolet Superbike Championship events, Roadracing World Action Fund, Inc. will deliver six air modules to AMA Pro Racing during the Yamaha Superbike Challenge at California Speedway, set for April 2-4.

Air modules, also called soft barriers, are inflatable air bags positioned against hard objects around race tracks. For more than a decade, AMA Pro Racing has transported, maintained and deployed air modules at race tracks around the country in an effort to improve safety for the riders.

In addition to air modules purchased directly by the sanctioning body, Roadracing World Action Fund, Inc. has to date secured 47 units totaling 1410 linear feet for use by AMA Pro Racing.

“Our goal is to demonstrate the benefits of air modules including their ability to decrease serious injuries by lessening the force of rider impacts,” Roadracing World Action Fund, Inc. President John Ulrich said. “We have worked with both Airfence Safety Systems in Australia and Alpina Sicherheitssysteme in Austria to secure the soft barriers.”

“AMA Pro Racing continues to aggressively promote safety at all AMA-sanctioned events, particularly in cooperation with our track partners,” AMA Pro Racing Vice President, Director of Communications Kerry Graeber said. “Roadracing World Action Fund has taken a very proactive role in the implementation of air modules and we recognize those efforts.”

“In additional to the use of air modules where appropriate, AMA Pro Racing continues to review all track-related safety issues,” continued Graeber. “This ongoing effort has resulted in a number of alterations to tracks on the AMA schedule. We will continue to focus on safety as part of our operational agenda.”

AMA Pro Racing recognizes and sincerely thanks all the contributors who donated time, energy and money toward the implementation of air modules.

Roadracing World Action Fund, Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to demonstrating the safety benefits of air modules. Tax-deductible contributions used to purchase air modules come from individuals and companies involved in the motorcycle industry. For more information, visit www.roadracingworld.com and click on Roadracing World Action Fund News.