Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

2004 CMRA Championship Series
Round two
Texas World Speedway
College Station, TX Mar. 13-14

By Shan Moore


A full 607 sprint entries and 52 endurance teams filled the grids at round two of the CMRA Championship Roadracing Series held at Texas World Speedway in College Station, Texas.

Rains on Friday and then again on Saturday morning made conditions a little sketchy on the high-banked track, but that didn’t slow Michael Sanchez, who was the big money winner, claiming $4800 in purse and Suzuki contingency awards. However, Yamaha-mounted Bradley Champion made Sanchez work for every penny. Champion won the first money race of the day, the C Superstock Expert event, while Sanchez, who was making his first run on Dunlop tires, searched for the right set up. When Sanchez finally got up to speed, he topped the A Superbike Expert, A Superstock Expert, C Superbike Expert, B Superbike Expert and Formula 1 races while Champion claimed wins in the B Superstock Expert and C Superstock Expert events. Tyler McDonald (Hon RS125) and Ronnie Lunsford (Duc 999RR) won the final two money races, the 125 GP and Heavyweight Twins, respectively, each taking home $175 for their efforts.

The CMRA riders school hosted 16 new riders over the TWS weekend.

Vinyl Edge Racing took a wire-to-wire win in Saturday’s Racing Performance Services CMRA Endurance Championship Series Presented by Shogun Motorsports. The event, scheduled for 5 hours, was cut short due to four red flags. Northwest Honda rode an uneventful race to finish second overall and second Unlimited GP while Village Idiots got off to a good start with a third overall and top Middleweight Superbike. Short Bus Racing grabbed the top spot in Middleweight Supersport ahead of arch-rivals Lone Star Track Days while Desert-Rats.net finished atop the Unlimited Supersport division. Faltless Racing took the Lightweight Superbike class win and 12th overall on their Suzuki SV650.

The CMRA series returns to action at Oak Hill Raceway near Henderson, Texas on April 3-4 for a full slate of spring and mini endurance races.

From a press release issued by Team Suzuki:

INJURED GILES ON PODIUM!

Australian Superbike Champion Shawn Giles fought his way to a solid result after a qualifying accident threatened to ruin his opening round of the 2004 Shell Advance Australian Superbike Championship at Eastern Creek Raceway.

The three-times champion high-sided his Suzuki in greasy conditions during the first qualifying session, injuring both ankles and requiring X-Rays on vertebrae in his neck.

His GSX-R1000 was more seriously damaged in the incident as it erupted in flames, forcing Giles to climb aboard his spare bike for the remainder of the weekend.

Despite the setbacks, Giles still secured himself a front row start in the first race, after qualifying in third place.

“I made a great start in the first race, but I got squeezed back and only managed to hold on to fourth place,” said Giles.

“It was a bit disappointing, but I only had one bike and no spare, so I had to ride carefully to make sure I was still in it for the next races.”

Qualifying in eleventh place, Giles’ team-mate, Damian Cudlin, brought his new GSX-R1000 home for a creditable eighth place in his first competitive outing with the benchmark Suzuki team.

Another scorching start in the second race saw Giles in more familiar territory – in the lead, although he had some tough competition as he duelled with fellow New South Welshman, Dan Stauffer.

The two riders traded places for the lead until lapped traffic came in to play, giving a Stauffer a gap and forcing Giles to eventually settle for second place.

Further back in the pack, Cudlin had an equally-eventful race as a hit from behind resulted in an off-track excursion, but the youngster bounced back to produce a stellar performance, working his way back through the field to recover for a top 10 finish.

“Damian was rammed in the back wheel and went off track; after slipping back to about 17th, he did a fantastic job to claw his way back to 10th,” Team Suzuki Team Manager, Phil Tainton said.

After a slow start in race three, Giles chased down the leader for the day’s most intense battle for the win, this time between Giles and Honda pilot, Josh Brookes.

“The lead changed about half a dozen times in just a few corners in the last race, with Shawn dicing for the lead. It was very exciting racing,” Tainton said.

Riding with injuries on his spare bike, Giles managed to set the fastest lap of the final race, sending an ominous warning to his rivals for the coming rounds.

“I didn’t make a very good start, but I managed to make it up and get some good speed out of the bike and take second place,” Giles said.

Fourth in the first race and two second place finishes netted Giles third place overall for the weekend, with team mate, Cudlin finishing the weekend in eighth place.

“My ankles are pretty sore and it was hard going, but the bike was good which is a credit to the team given that it was the spare bike,” said Giles.

“I wasn’t happy with fourth place in the first race, but third overall isn’t that far behind in the points, so it’s not too bad.

“Shawn did a fantastic job this weekend particularly under the circumstances,” Tainton said.

“I’m really pleased with Damian’s performance for his first round. He’s getting happier with the bike and is riding very well.

“He went faster and faster in each race and made really good progress this weekend.”

Team Suzuki newcomer, Damian Cudlin was also pleased with his debut performance on the Phil Tainton-prepared GSX-R1000.

“I kept out of trouble and brought it home for some good points,” said Cudlin.

“I’m becoming more comfortable on the bike and settling in to the team.

“I’m not where I want to be yet, but it will happen; it’s only a matter of time before I’m up the front end challenging the leaders,” he added.

Team Suzuki will contest the Australian Superbike support races for the Australian round of the World Superbike Championship at Phillip Island on 26 – 28 March.

The 2004 Shell Advance Australian Superbike Championship continues with round two at Wakefield Park (NSW) on 16 – 18 April.

SHELL ADVANCE AUSTRALIAN SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP:

TEAM SUZUKI RESULTS:

QUALIFYING 3rd Shawn Giles Qualifying Time – 1:32.863

11th Damian Cudlin Qualifying Time – 1:35.01

RACE 1: 4th Shawn Giles, Fastest Lap – 1:33.470

8th: Damian Cudlin, Fastest Lap – 1:34.789

RACE 2: 2nd Shawn Giles, Fastest Lap – 1:33.010

10th Damian Cudlin, Fastest Lap – 1:34.715

RACE 3: 2nd Shawn Giles, Fastest Lap – 1:32.921

8th Damian Cudlin, Fastest Lap – 1:35.059

2004 SHELL ADVANCE AUSTRALIAN SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP:

CURRENT POINTS:

Josh Brookes,(Honda) 61 points, Daniel Stauffer (Yamaha) 60, Shawn Giles (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 53, Adam Fergusson (Honda) 41, Robbie Baird (Kawasaki) 36, Jamie Stauffer (Kawasaki) 35, Shannon Johnson (Yamaha) 24, Damian Cudlin (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 22, Scott Charlton (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 22, Nick Henderson (Honda) 16.

From a press release:

G.M.D. Computrack Dallas/Fort Worth will be holding a FREE Chassis and Suspension seminar on March 27, 2004 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Kent Soignier from G.M.D. Computrack Atlanta will be flying in to host the seminar. The address of the DFW location is 1285 North Main Street, Suite 308, Mansfield TX 76063.

Seating is limited so call now to book your space. 877-297-8464

From a press release we received today for reasons which escape us, since some of these screenings have already come and gone:

AWARD-WINNING FASTER COMES TO THE BIG SCREEN!!

Action-Packed Motorcycle-Racing Movie
Narrated by Ewan McGregor Will Zoom into 10 American Cities in April-May 2004

DVD Release Moves to Early Summer

Special Screenings Scheduled Alamo Draft House in Houston on March 13 and 14, With Special Appearance by MOTO GP CONTENDER COLIN EDWARDS

And at the Sonoma Film Festival in California on April 3 and 4

(Los Angeles, CA) – FASTER, the highly anticipated documentary about the glamorous, dangerous world of grand prix motorcycle racing, will come to theaters in at least ten American cities in April and May. The news was announced today by FASTER’s director and executive producer Mark Neale, and by fellow producer and racing- world veteran Ian MacLean. The deal to distribute the award-winning movie in theaters will push release of the DVD from March, as previously announced, to early summer.

FASTER is the most true-to-life look at motorcycle racing ever brought to screen, a look into a world of men who ride machines so fast and so dangerous that even the experts call them ‘evil.’ The film is narrated by Ewan McGregor (“Star Wars,” episodes I, II, III, “Big Fish,” “Black Hawk Down”), and set to a pulsing soundtrack by tomandandy and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. FASTER follows MotoGP world championships through the 2001 and 2002 seasons -a landmark period for the sport, which saw the switch from two-stroke to four-stroke engines, and the shattering of the 200 mph barrier.

Crossing five continents, FASTER features today’s top riders, including Valentino Rossi, called “the most sought after racer in the world,” and his archrival Maxi Biaggi; the brilliant but injury-prone Garry McCoy; and rising American star John Hopkins, the youngest rider on the circuit. FASTER also features a raft of former champs who have shaped the way racing is done today, along with the doctor who patches the riders together and puts them back on the track, and the experts in the bleachers who write the history of the sport.

FASTER won the prestigious 2003 award for Documentary Reportage, Individual Sport (Mention D’honneur) at the 21st Annual Sport Movies & TV Festival in Milan, Italy. It has been hailed by Track Junkie as “The real deal–with a backdrop of incredible action,” and by One Wheel Drive as “Raw, manic and very honest — it feels driven like the sport it’s chronicling.”

The list of cities where FASTER will screen will be determined in coming weeks, and unveiled as plans are finalized. In other news, special screenings have been scheduled for March 13 (7pm, 9:45pm) and March 14 (4pm) at the Alamo Draft House, West Oaks Mall in Houston, Texas (see www.drafthouse.com). Colin Edwards, one of the most closely watched contenders for this season’s Moto GP, will be making a special appearance at the March 14 screening.

The film also has been selected by the Sonoma Valley Film Festival in California, and will screen on April 3 (3pm) and April 4 (3pm) in Sonoma, California (www.sonomafilmfest.org).

At the end of January, motorcycle fans turned out in number to see FASTER at the Slamdance Film Festival in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah, making the film one of the top box-office draws at the festival. “We have to thank our fans for helping us get this distribution deal. Their response at Slamdance, and the daily requests for screenings we get from all over have shown that there’s a hungry audience out there for FASTER,” noted Neale, who added “It’s great that people are going to have the chance to see this on the big screen – in a theater, the action is going to blow their minds.”

Mark Neale is a multiple award-winning filmmaker. As a music video director, he worked numerous times with U2, earning a Best Director nomination at the 1994 MTV Awards for the video ‘Stay (Faraway So Close)’, co-directed with Wim Wenders, and has teamed with artists including Counting Crows, Paul Weller and The Verve Pipe, Peter Gabriel and John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin. FASTER is Neale’s second feature-length movie, following his acclaimed, William Gibson: No Maps For These Territories, called “The best documentary of 2001” by the Los Angeles New Times.

FASTER is a film by Spark Productions in association with Dorna Sports SL.

Executive producers are Ian MacLean, Mark Neale and Chris Paine.

Produced by Stephen Lim.

www.fastermovie.com

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.
Photos by Jeffrey E. Cobble.


Aaron Yates fell under fire amid a post-crash incident.


Yates was hopping mad!


Anthony Fania flips Yates off just after Yates drop-kicked him.


Fania falls on hay bales after Yates’ head-butt.


Officials intervene.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Courtesy www.cdnsuperbike.com:

Calgary based Blackfoot Racing Inc. announced yesterday the continuation of their relationship with Suzuki Canada Inc., Coors Light Racing, and Parts Canada for the 2004 Parts Canada Superbike Championship.

“Suzuki has always been a leader in motorcycle road racing with their GSX-R series of motorcycles,” stated Team Manager Pat Chambers. “This will be the second year that Suzuki Canada has assigned Blackfoot Racing Inc. with the responsibility of managing their National Road Racing Team and we are confident that the new GSX-Rs will be dominant again this season. We have the privilege of working with a strong team of sponsors, who have made a huge impact on our success. On behalf of the Team, I would like to thank Parts Canada, Dunlop, HJC, WestJet, Yoshimura, Motorex, Alpinestars, Galfer, Ohlins, T&S, Oakley, D.I.D., VP, Sunstar, K-Tech and Flexi-Glass for their continued support in 2004.”

2002 600 Sportbike Champion Clint McBain is returning to the team for 2004. With his determination to win and enthusiasm for the sport, McBain finished 2nd overall in the 2003 Hindle Pro 600 Sportbike, and 5th overall in the 2003 Parts Canada Superbike Championship.

Coors Light Racing Blackfoot Team Suzuki is welcoming a new-comer to the team. Australian rider Craig Connell comes with a 2002 Formula USA Pro Honda Oils 600 Superbike Championship under his belt, and a 2nd place overall in the 2002 Formula USA Lockhart Phillips Superbike Championship. Connell’s only history on Canadian ground was with Arclight Suzuki during the CAN/AM race in Mosport on July 21, 2002.

Although Connell was unfamiliar with the track, he came away with both wins. Connell was also crowned 2002 King of Mosport after winning the Yoshimura Pro 600 and the International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Open Sportbike race. Connell is sure to prove to be a strong competitor in the 2004 Parts Canada Superbike Championship.

Racing Director Joe Skidd and Lead Technician Chuck Downie will continue their relationship with the team in 2004.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Harley-Davidson Motor Company has been named to Fortune magazine’s 2004 list of America’s Most Admired Companies.

Harley-Davidson was ranked fourth among motor vehicle companies in a poll of 10,000 corporate executives, directors and analyists, according to a press release issued by Harley-Davidson.

Form a press release issued by Midwest Café Racing Association:

Midwest Cafe Racing Association Announces Track Days at Gateway International Raceway:

Saturday,May 15th 2004.

Lockhart Phillips Track Day, to be followed by CCS Road Racing action May 16th

Saturday, June 5th 2004.

Midwest Cafe Racing Association Track Day the same weekend as the AMA Pro Drag races at Gateway.

Friday, August 20th 2004.

Midwest Cafe Racing Association Track Day

Registration fees:

MCRA Members $110.00 over one week in advance. $130.00 the week before, and the day of the event.

Non-MCRA Members $130.00 over one week in advance. $150.00 the week before, and the day of the event. A MCRA membership is included in this fee. Your second track day will be at the member rate.

To register visit the MCRA site http://www.mcraracing.com and click on the Track Days in St. Louis link.

From a Press release issued by Center of Gravity:

OGK comes to North America

Revolutionary helmets available from Center Of Gravity

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA (MAR. 10) Center Of Gravity of Huntington Beach, CA is now importing OGK’s FF4 helmets into North America. The helmets the standard FF4 and the FF4 Polen are DOT and Snell 2000 approved for North America.

The helmets feature a patented ‘Top Aero Ventilation’ system, carbon composite shell, quick-change shield, washable inner liner system and shield post tear-off arrangement.

Center of Gravity also distributes the Arata exhaust system in North America.

The FF4’s ‘Top Aero Ventilation’ system is a development of OGK’s patented ‘Top Ventilation’ method, in which warm internal air is forced from the rear of the helmet at the same time as cooler external air flows in. With the ‘Top Aero Ventilation’ system, a ‘stream plate’ prevents turbulent air from collecting at the rear of the helmet and putting pressure on the rider’s neck. The FF4’s carbon composite shell uses carbon fiber and KEVLAR® to improve the strength and stiffness of the helmet while at the same time reducing weight.

OGK has also patented its ‘Quick Change Shield System’, which allows the shield to be removed with the press of a single button and quickly replaced, a useful feature for both racing and general riding applications.

The FF4 also uses the ‘Inner Joint System 2′ for improved comfort and cleanliness. The cheek pad, inner pad and chinstrap pad can be easily removed and washed, and fresh pads can be purchased as aftermarket items as well. The shield post tear-off system is standard equipment on the FF4. This enables the rider to easily switch from a clear to smoked shield for different riding conditions.
The standard FF4 retails for $389.00 (U.S.) while the FF4 Polen is available for $449.00 (U.S.)

Center Of Gravity has sponsorship opportunities available for both the OGK helmets and Arata exhaust systems. More information is available by contacting Center Of Gravity at 714-374-9491, or email to [email protected].

Center of Gravity
19744 Beach Blvd.
Suite 415
Huntington Beach, CA 92648

714.374.9491 office
714.374.9469 fax

www.ogk-helmet.com