From a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

FRENCH SUPERSPORT WIN FOR MUSCAT AND DUCATI

David Muscat’s win in the French Supersport championship on July 25th on a Ducati 749R was Ducati’s first title success in an intense year of activity for the Italian manufacturer. The experienced Muscat took the title after a hard-fought series of seven races against his closest rival, French youngster Yoann Tiberio on a Yamaha, and the fight went right down to the final round at Dijon-Prenois.

The Ducati Assurance Moto Service Team 749R had the support of Ducati France, which believed in a strong presence of Ducati’s latest Supersport flagship machine in a category that appeals to the buying public.

Muscat’s charge to the top began in earnest at Nogaro’s round 3 when he held off the challenge of Tiberio to take his first win of the year. Before that race, an inauspicious sixth place at the Le Mans opener had been followed by second place at Magny-Cours, but Muscat’s win immediately projected him to second in the standings behind his Yamaha rival.

Another win followed at Carole, while two more second places at Le Vigeant and Ledenon, where Muscat finished right on Tiberio’s exhausts, set the championship up for its final showdown at Dijon-Prenois at the end of July.

A strategic analysis of the points standings by Ducati Corse directors in Bologna made it clear that Muscat needed some extra support to be sure of taking the title. If he were to win and Tiberio to finish second, the Yamaha rider would be crowned champion so a second 749R was entered for long-time Ducati rider Fred Protat.

Protat duly did the job in an exciting final round, in which the race win went to Muscat after Tiberio retired with technical problems.

Thanks to the support of technical partner ‘L’Ecole de la Performance’ and tyre supplier Michelin, the Ducati Assurance Moto Service Team was able to clinch a fifth title for Ducati, and allowed Muscat to take his fourth win in the Supersport category since 2000.

FRENCH SUPERSPORT CHAMPIONSHIP – Final Standings


1. Muscat (Ducati) 145

2. Tiberio (Yamaha) 128

3. Lussiana (Yamaha) 89

4. Bouan (Yamaha) 75

5. De Rosa (Kawasaki) 65

6. Metro (Suzuki) 64

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

Maybe my point was completely missed in the suggestion of a single-manufacturer cup race. The concept is to throw the motorcycle and tire manufacturers into an open bidding war for the fourth class. If that spot were made valuable, it would behoove the manufacturers to put a really good offer together for that fourth spot. I mention it should go to the manufacturer that makes the best offer for the rider. Emphasis on RIDER! If it ended up being Buel Blasts, so be it as long as the racing was close. If nobody was in debt at the end of year and the top 15 or 20 guys could pay their rent, it would be a success.

Creating a dramatic soap opera of characters trying to climb the ladder of the greatest racing sport on the planet should be the intent of AMA Pro Racing. Selling motorcycles should be left to the advertising and marketing departments of the manufactures. It is their job to utilize the results their factory pro teams hand them while racing under the rules dictated by a fair, organized, powerful, sanctioning body.

When the 36 riders line up on the grid they are heroes. Every one of them is great. When the sport is sold that way, you will garner the unlikely fans. Mothers and sisters don’t always care about the Honda or the Suzuki or who might be winning; they want to know who was that guy on that bike?

As for how many classes? There need not be any more than four. Ultimately the AMA road racing circus is looking to strengthen the market value of AMA Pro Racing so they can find title sponsors. The AMA doesn’t want to fill the paddock like a tent-city club race to pay for their expenses. (There is no entry fee for riders of Moto GP. Showing up with talent to put on the show is their entry and should be for AMA pro riders as well.)

Slipstreaming the program so people comprehend the stepping-stone up to the pinnacle of the sport is the goal. In turn, teams can sell their drama to an outside-industry sponsor and pull up to the racetrack in good-looking rolling billboards and afford to buy factory bits that will put them closer to the front.

If you had to have five classes, an Extreme Singles class seems the obvious route. This would allow supermotard engines to find their way onto road racetracks as well as bring back the engineering mechanics we lost when the 250s disappeared.

Marcello del Giudice
Las Vegas, Nevada



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

I nominate the Buell XB9-12R series as a candidate for a box-stock class machine. The Suzuki SV650 is also excellent, but I’d like to see what the track-focused Buell could do in a group of like-built fish.

As an aside, I’m glad to hear from Marcello del Giudice again. A colorful character, “The Man in Black”, back from Antarctica? I remember him, and hope all is well.

Randall Leonard
Watsonville, California



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

SV650s don’t push my buttons, but it’ll go down as one of the success stories in club-racing … right in there with EX500s, KZ550s, and various other lightweight or middleweight bikes. (Sorry if I’ve neglected your personal favorite.)

For a one-bike class, the SV is the best choice right now for North America, as the performance is much more approachable and affordable than 165-mph 600cc Inline-4s. A 450cc supermotard class would be a close second choice — mainly because of the potential crossover into the numerous SM orgs running at kart tracks and/or temporary parking lot circuits.

As for setting up such a series, the most important criteria is that a podium-capable bike MUST be cheap, and not require specialized fine-tuning or mechanical mods. LRRS has that in the “Production Twins” class, run at Loudon for probably two decades now. It has essentially evolved into an “EX500 race,” though other bikes have always been legal. (This winter the Ducati 620 was voted in, and feared to be a potential class steamroller. But only one or two riders race them at the track, and it has not yet made a difference in the class.)

The key to success in all those years was that the rental bikes offered by the race school were EX500s. This offered newbies a smooth transition into a class while simulaneously funnelling in new blood every single weekend. Call that the second-most important criteria.

One other note: Making it a DOT tire negates the need for a spec tire, and though I argued against allowing rain tires in our PT class for years, I now see that they make for better racing. And for teams that put a premium on good paint and presentation, they would save money over a typical season’s usage in bodywork damage. (I’m a fan of spray cans. 😉

Historically, these types of classes have not proved themselves very profitable. We let the riders pay most of the costs, but make it cheap enough for them to do it. Tires are a huge cost, making a (relatively) low-power bike attractive. But tire costs are nothing compared to the costs of actually driving all around the country to score the requisite points to win a national championship: A capable rider with the wherewithall to do that will win — but he or she will occasionally get spanked by the local boys.

Jeez, sure sounds like I’m describing FUSA’s m.o.

B.J. Worsham
LRRS #31
Old Westbury, New York


See related posts:

8/1/2004 Another Racer’s Take On A One-Make Class For AMA Pro Racing

7/30/2004 Racer Opinion: AMA Pro Racing Needs One-Make Class

From a press release issued by Foggy Petronas Racing:

Bright future for WSBK says Foggy

Carl Fogarty believes the Superbike World Championship may be on the verge of a resurgence.

Encouraging crowds at Brands Hatch last weekend, coupled with encouraging noises of the return of a variety of manufacturers, has provided the FPR owner with grounds for optimism for the years ahead.

On the back of further signs of improvement for his Foggy PETRONAS Racing team as Chris Walker claimed fourth place and team-mate Troy Corser was fifth, Carl said: “I think the series was at a low last year, when there was only really one fast bike out there and when there was the negative reaction to the one tyre rule.

“Now the Honda is fast and there are a lot more 999 Ducati teams. There are strong indications that there will be more Hondas next year, with Yamaha and Suzuki teams returning. And, if MotoGP proves too expensive for the major manufacturers, World Superbike could get stronger and stronger again.

“I’m also hopeful that we will be challenging on a consistent basis after the encouraging results at Brands. We are hoping to consistently and comfortably run in the top six for the rest of the year and we are confident there is a lot more to come from the 900cc engine of the PETRONAS FP1.

“I think the one-tyre rule has made the series more interesting. There are four guys challenging for the championship and a few more capable of winning races. And it should be remembered that we are the only team doing lap times on Pirellis that are faster than our times last year.”

From a press release issued by MotoExotics:

Three dealerships under one roof!

MotoExotics which includes Southern California Triumph and Southern California Ducati is now your new MV Agusta dealer for the Los Angeles and Orange County area.

Owner, Tom Hicks, states “we will treat MV Agusta in the same manner that has made Southern California Triumph and Southern California Ducati the premiere Triumph and Ducati dealers in the country.”

Come see the MV Agustas in our showroom

MotoExotics is located at 515 West Lambert Rd., Brea, CA 92821, (714) 256-6700, FAX (714) 256-6709, e-mail [email protected], www.motoexotics.com

An update on Jason Perez, who crashed during the Supersport race at Mid-Ohio July 25, from his father, Dave Perez:

After a few days of rest Jason saw an orthopedic surgeon last Thursday. Unfortunately the damage to his shoulder is a little worse than originally thought. The X-rays showed a fracture in his shoulder at the top of his arm. Finding this out, we sought out Dr. Art Ting for further consultation.

The fractured bone is being held in place by the surrounding tissue, therefore no surgery will be necessary. This is great news considering he was airlifted away (from the track) and we feared the worst.

We would like to thank everyone for the enormous response of e-mails. Jason can’t wait to get back into action and is confident that he will be at full steam by Road Atlanta.

See you there!

Dave Perez
Brentwood, California


See related post:

7/27/2004 Young Gun Perez Recovering At Home

From a press release issued by Ducati North America:

THE SECOND EDITION OF CENTOPASSI 2004 – THE MULTISTRADA CHALLENGE – WAS CONCLUDED AT SAINT VINCENT WITH A VICTORY BY RENATO ZOCCHI

Bologna – After five exciting legs on the Western Alps, Centopassi, the motorbike challenge inspired by the versatility and performance of the Ducati Multistrada, was concluded on the 25th July with the final arrival at Saint Vincent.

Renato Zocchi, on a Honda 450, is the overall winner of the Competition Class and has taken home the grand prize – a Ducati Multistrada – with a total of 77 points acquired on the ability trials and time checks along the route.

In second place is the winner of last year’s challenge, Alberto Pignat, on his Ducati Multistrada, with a total score of 74 points, followed by Guido Zocchi in third place with a score of 58 points, also riding a Multistrada.

Participants of both categories – Competition and Iron Biker – have spent 5 days on the most fun roads and challenging passes of the Western Alps. Departure was from Nice and on day one participants passed by Cagnes sur Mere, Col de Turini, Sospel, Col de Tende to arrive at Limone Piemonte. On the 22nd of July, the route from Limone Piemonte to Sestriere touched places like, Borgo San Dalmazzo, Vinadio, St. Etienne de Tinée, il Col de la Bonette, il Col d’Izoard, Brian?on,the pass of Mont Genevre, Claviere and Sansicario. On the 23rd July Claviere, Villeneuve, Col du Galibier, Albertville, Bourg St. Maurice, Bardonecchia and Oulx were amongst the places reached.The following day from Sestriere the challenge headed towards l’Alpe d’Huez, Col de la Croix de Fer, St. Jean de Maurienne, St. Michel de Maurienne, Modane, Lenslebourg, Col du Mont Cenis, Susa and Cesana Torinese. On the 25th July, the last leg took all participants from Sestriere to Saint Vincent passing through Moncenisio, Col d’Iseran, Col du Petit St. Bernard, Aymavilles, Verrayes.

CENTOPASSI is born with the spirit to challenge the driving skill of motor bikers on the most fascinating and demanding mountain passes. This year the appeal has reached motor bikers from various nations: Italy, Germany, United Kingdom, Belgium and Holland. As in 2003, the event was open to all brands of motorbikes and the participation categories – Competition and Iron Biker – are characterised as follows:

Competition Class: Open to single participants or as part of a team of 3 riders. During each leg participants take part in ability trials and are awarded points for their driving skills and performance. Throughout the leg they must also go through various time checks.

Iron Biker Class:It is for those riders who prefer a non-competitive experience and who wish to take in the stunning scenery. Expert riders accompany the group and give advise on mountain riding.

Ducati Motor for the second year in a row is the main sponsor of the event, and the subtitle “Multistrada Challenge”, celebrates the versatility of the moto-best seller which the Bolognese factory has created to face every road type: from tortuous mountain passes to highways and even busy city centres. Centopassi had also the support of: Superga, leading company specialized in footwear and clothing for leisure time, Pirelli, one of the worlds leading producer of tyres cables and systems, APT Servizi, Emilia Romagna Tourist Promotions Office and Grandi Navi Veloci, navigation company part of the Grimaldi group.

Centopassi would not have been possible without the support and collaboration of the Italian Street Police and of the Hosting Municipalities: Nice, Limone Piemonte, Cesana Torinese-Sansicario, Sestriere, Oulx , Saint-Vincent. Centopassi is an event organised by Dream Engine with the support of Motoclub Terni “Libero Liberati”, Team Curve &Tornanti and under the aegis of Federazione Motociclistica Italiana.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

A new motorsports country club called Autobahn Country Club, located in Joliet, Illinois, just south of Chicago and only a few miles from Chicagoland Speedway, is currently under construction.

When completed, the facility will include two road courses – a 1.46-mile, nine-turn North Course and a 2.10-mile, 14-turn South Course.

Both courses will be able to operate independently and simultaneously and can be combined into a single, 3.56-mile course.

A club house and dedicated go-kart track will also be located on the 320-acre site near the intersection of Interstates 55 and 80.

The course was designed by noted racetrack designer Alan Wilson, who designed Barber Motorsports Park, among many other tracks around the world.

Aerial photographs dated July 29, 2004 and posted on the track’s website, www.autobahncountryclub.net, show the North Course and paddock have been paved, but the South Course did not appear to have been paved yet.

According to its website, Autobahn Country Club has already sold out all of its Phase One Founding memberships, at $100,000 each, and approximately 100 Country Club memberships, at $15,000 each with annual dues of $3000.

The facility’s website did state that members who own motorcycles will have their own sessions on the track and that the possibility of hosting sanctioned motorcycle races is a possibility.

A call to phone number listed on Autobahn Country Club’s website was answered by an answering machine.

Donations to the Roadracing World Action Fund, Inc., a 501(3)c non-profit corporation dedicated to reducing racetrack injuries by encouraging the use of soft barriers, have reached $271,627.75 for road racing and $19,147 for dirt track, for a combined total of $290,774.75.

Before the creation of the fund, AMA Pro Racing deployed three 30-foot sections of soft barriers. AMA Pro Racing now has 57 sections of soft barriers. Before the creation of the fund, F-USA deployed no soft barriers. F-USA now deploys 25 soft barriers.

Before the creation of the fund, WERA deployed no soft barriers at its annual Grand National Finals/Suzuki Cup Finals at Road Atlanta. Since creation of the fund, WERA has deployed up to 35 soft barriers at the the GNF.

The fund has also caused the deployment of soft barriers by other organizations and racetracks nationwide.

To learn how soft barriers are installed, click here.

Support continues from motorcycle industry-sponsored donation programs, with Mark Brereton donating $790 from sales of the popular DVD, “RoadRACE,” and Racing Performance Services owner Marcus McBain donating $250. Brereton’s total contribution now stands at $3470, while McBain’s total of $5535, is less than he had anticipated, as he explains below.

Marcus McBain writes: “Great to be part of a safety solution for road racers again! Although a tremendous amount of business was generated through the observed efforts of RPS and Ty Howard breaking three track records in a row, RPS also experienced over $1200 in check fraud that was unfortunately turned over to the local district attorney. This unfortunate situation is preventing us from making a $1000 donation that we had originally earmarked for the Action Fund. Thank you for your hard work.”

For the third year in a row, a raffle benefiting the Roadracing World Action Fund was held at the annual Bandit Owners Southern Stampede sponsored by www.banditalley.com, a Suzuki Bandit motorcycle website. “B.O.S.S. 2004” was held in May at Two Wheels Only motorcycle resort in Suches, Georgia, and was organized by webmaster Pete Cedel, yielding $235.95, and bringing the 3-year total to $659.95.

Other recent donations include Thomas Jenson, $80, with thanks to Ed’s Honda; Ted Meyer, $75; Vinton Squires, $67; Alan Galbraith, $25; Jason Michelson, $25; Little Big Racing, $20; and James Elias, $10.

Summary of Recently Posted Donations
Mark Brereton $790
Marcus Mc Bain $250
“B.O.S.S. 2004” $235.95
Thomas Jensen $80
Ted Meyer $75
Vinton Squires $67
Alan Galbraith $25
Jason K. Michelson $25
Little Big Racing $20
James Elias $10

As of August 2, 2004

Accounting Details to Date
Road Racing Expenditure Details

Direct purchase of soft barriers: $137,700
Shipping/Customs: $9133.50
Bank Fees: $384.05
Air Fence* Deployment Crew Training: $700
Transportation & Installation: $4689.47
Corporation/Business Fees: $612
Online Auction Fees: $221.99
Printing Education Materials – $346.42
Misc Supplies: $39.59
Donation to AMA Pro Racing for Air Fence: $104,104

Total Spent: $257,931.02
Total Donations Collected $271,627.75
Misc. Income $92.32

Cash on hand: $13,789.05


Dirt Track Expenditure Details

Direct purchase of soft barriers: $9,200
Shipping/Customs: $2717.72
Transportation & Installation $2174.77

Total Spent: $14,092.49

Total collected: $19,147
Cash on hand: $5,054.51

All administrative costs, including the percentage taken by credit card companies on credit card donations, have been absorbed by Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

*Trademark of Airfence Safety Systems Australia.