From a press release issued by Ducati Motor Holding:

THE DUCATI MOTOR HOLDING OFFER FOR THE ACQUISITION OF THE MAJORITY STAKE OF THE APRILIA GROUP REMAINS UNCHANGED

Bologna – Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A (NYSE: DMH, Borsa Italiana S.p.A: DMH) takes note of the decision of the Aprilia Board of Directors, taken on July 31 2004, not to extend the exclusivity and not to agree to the proposal, presented by Ducati on July 30 2004 in accordance with the terms of the sale process – aimed at guaranteeing the continued operations of the Aprilia company for the period necessary to complete the acquisition of the group.

Ducati will not modify its offer, which therefore remains valid. It reserves the right to protect its interests in the appropriate ways.

“We are certain that we have respected, in the form and the substance, the process and the procedures requested by the Aprilia advisors” – commented Federico Minoli, President and CEO of Ducati Motor Holding. “We are strongly convinced that our offer reflects the true value of the Aprilia Group and that it offers guarantees for all stakeholders involved in the transaction. For this reason we do not intend to modify our offer and we will leave the possibility of further evaluation up to the advisors.”

From a press release issued by Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation:

Two Ride for Kids(r) events brought together generous and caring motorcyclists from different parts of the country to raise funds for pediatric brain tumor research. As part of the Annual Honda HomeComing Celebration in Marysville, Ohio, the 13th Annual Marysville Ride for Kids(r) was held on Saturday, July 31st. Under cloudy summer skies, 450 motorcyclists, fundraisers, volunteers and patient families gathered for a police-escorted ride through the Ohio countryside to celebrate the lives of young brain tumor survivors and to raise money for the research and family support programs of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation.

After enjoying a scenic route that included several covered bridges, the participants gathered under a gigantic, celebratory big-top tent for the touching Celebration of Life program. There, the four very special Ride for Kids(r) “stars” unfurled the grand total check to reveal that the motorcyclists had raised $142,100.

Martin Brena, MD, was on hand to share with the motorcyclists the importance of funding cancer research. The audience went silent as Katie, a 13-year old brain tumor survivor, thanked them all for their participation and told them that without their fundraising efforts and the work of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, she would probably not be alive today.

The Top Individual Fundraiser was Brent Sheares, who raised $11,519. GWRRA Ohio Chapter B2 of Bellefontaine, OH was the Top Club whose members raised $12,926. They were followed closely by GWRRA Ohio Chapter D3 of Marysville, OH whose members raised $12,326. The Top Shop spot went to Competition Accessories whose customers raised $21,062. Rich Silva of Cleveland, Ohio was the winner of a brand new Honda motorcycle donated by the American Honda Motor Company.

Special thanks to Marysville Ride for Kids(r) Task Force Leaders LouAnn McKeen, Altrece Hogans and their dedicated volunteer team for a successful event.


Across the country, surrounded by the Ramapo Mountains in the picturesque Hudson Valley Region, the 12th Annual Hudson Valley Ride for Kids(r) took place on Sunday, August 1, 2004. The motorcyclists, fundraisers, volunteers and patient families gathered despite the rainy, overcast weather to raise $91,112 for childhood brain tumor research. The riders were treated to a safe, police-escorted ride through mountainous twists and curves. After their ride, the participants gathered under the big-top tent to listen to the seven Ride for Kids(r) “stars” on stage during the Celebration of Life program.

Zach and Dan, both brain tumor survivors and recipients of Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation College Scholarships, were on hand to thank the motorcyclists for their dedication to the Ride for Kids(r) program. Little Emily, a five-year old brain tumor survivor, when asked what kind of pets she had at home, proudly remarked, “crayons and markers!” Tracy, a 20-year old brain tumor survivor, poignantly told the riders, “You can’t know how much you touch our lives just by showing up to a Ride for Kids event.” Dr. James Garvin, a pediatric neuro-oncologist, shared with the motorcyclists the importance of their fundraising efforts.

The Top Individual Fundraiser was Anthony Pessalano who raised $13,190. The Top Club was Ride for Liam whose members raised $13,940. New York Honda’s customers raised $5,946 earning them the Top Dealer position. Keith Rosario of Goshen, NY was the winner of a brand new Honda motorcycle donated by the American Honda Motor Company.

Thanks to Hudson Valley Ride for Kids(r) Task Force Leaders Jack Jones, Walter and Linda Buchanan and their volunteer force for a great event.

The next Ride for Kids(r) event is on Sunday, August 8 in Madison (Middleton), WI.

For more information about the Ride for Kids(r) and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, please visit www.rideforkids.org or www.pbtfus.org or call (800) 253-6530.

From a press release:

2004 MOTORCYCLE HALL OF FAME INDUCTION AND CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE

SHOWCASE LEGENDS AND STARS OCTOBER 8-9, 2004

PICKERINGTON, OHIO – The Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, the place where American motorcycle heritage and legends come to life, will again host the industry’s brightest stars and rarest classics on October 8 – 9, 2004 during the annual Hall of Fame Weekend. This signature event combines the prestigious 2004 Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction, which honors motorcycling’s favorite personalities and pioneers, with the 3rd Annual Concours d’Elegance, an exclusive showcase of over 100 of the country’s finest, privately-owned classic motorcycles. All events are open to the public, including “An Evening of Stars and Legends,” a gala Museum fundraiser reception, scheduled for Friday, October 8. Actor and motorcycle enthusiast Perry King will return to serve as Master of Ceremonies for the weekend.

“Whether you are passionate about motorcycling history, design, technology, racing or culture, or simply enjoy the camaraderie of fellow enthusiasts in a great setting, this is the one weekend no one should miss,” said Mark Mederski, Executive Director of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum. “We invite motorcycle enthusiasts everywhere to come honor the men and women who played such a significant role in shaping our industry and whose stories serve as inspiration for the next generation of riders.”

As announced in May, the 2004 Motorcycle Hall of Fame inductees include several of America’s most successful and best-known motorcycle racing stars, including AMA Superbike champion and Suzuki factory star Wes Cooley, AMA Motocross and Supercross champ Jeff Emig, road racing legend and European World Superbike Championship originator Steve McLaughlin and dirt track ace Steve Morehead. Individuals who helped paved the way for today’s diverse motorcycling culture, such as Linda Dugeau, pioneer and founder of the oldest motorcycling organization for women in North America and Dal Smilie, passionate national advocate for motorcyclist rights, will also be inducted.

All weekend events take place at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, located on the 23-acre campus of the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA), just outside of Columbus, Ohio.

Weekend Event Highlights

“An Evening of Stars and Legends,” welcomes and celebrates both past and current Motorcycle Hall of Fame inductees at a gala evening reception, held Friday, October 8 from 6 pm to 9 pm within the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum. The evening features refreshments, entertainment, special raffle prizes, and much more, with all proceeds helping the Museum achieve its mission of preservation. Tickets must be purchased in advance and are $50.

The 3rd Annual Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum Concours d’Elegance, the largest by-invitation-only motorcycle Concours in the country, takes place Saturday, October 9, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. This amazing showcase of the nation’s rarest and finest 1975 and earlier motorcycles, including American, European, British and Japanese marques. Quality of restoration, correctness and preservation again are the key criteria for each entry, and bikes will be judged by category experts, such as noted Triumph historian and author Lindsay Brooke and noted American motorcycle experts Tony Watson and Rocky Halter. Participation is by invitation only, and owners interested in submitting an application for consideration are invited to contact the Museum.

A 2004 Hall of Fame Inductee autograph session is scheduled for 11 am to Noon. Meet this year’s inductees, bring your own items to autograph or support the Museum with a purchase of the 2004 event poster, featuring the Hall of Fame Class of 2004.

Over 25 vendors will be set up on the Museum grounds on Saturday from 8:30 am to dusk, offering early holiday gift shopping opportunities galore. From vintage memorabilia, clothing and gear to art, books and models, visitors will find moto-themed items for every interest. Food and refreshments will be available throughout the day.

The Museum’s award-winning exhibit “Heroes of Harley-Davidson, presented by Progressive Motorcycle Insurance,” and the new “BSA’s Greatest Daytona,” exhibit, are open from 9 am to 5 pm, as well as the Museum gift shop.

The 2004 Hall of Fame Induction reception, dinner and ceremony takes place Saturday, October 9, with a cocktail reception starting at 5:30 pm. Following the 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm buffet dinner, the Induction ceremony begins at 8:00 pm. Last year’s Hall of Fame induction event sold out, with over 500 guests attending. Early reservations are recommended. Admission to the event, including dinner, is $25.00 per person for open seating. Reserved tables accommodating groups of 10 are available for $300.00.

For the very latest updates on the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction and Concours weekend, visit www.motorcyclemuseum.org frequently.

About the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum

The goal of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum is to tell the stories and preserve the history of motorcycling. Located on the campus of the American Motorcyclist Association in Pickerington, Ohio, the Motorcycle Hall of Fame honors those who have contributed notably to the sport, and three major exhibition halls showcase the machines and memorabilia that have shaped motorcycling. The Museum is open from 9 am to 5 pm daily; and is closed on New Year’s, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Adult admission is $10 per person; Seniors $8.00; Students ages 12 – 17, $3; Children ages 11 and under are admitted free; AMA members $5. Members of national motorcycle organizations are eligible for a $1 discount off regular admission. A $25 family rate and group rates are also available. For more information, call (614) 856-2222, or visit the Museum’s website at www.motorcyclemuseum.org.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Former Sidecar Road Racing National Champion Jack Hart, 61, was killed Wednesday, July 28 in a head-on car crash in Shelton, Washington.

Police say the crash was caused by a young driver trying to pass three cars in a no-passing zone. Alcohol may have been involved in the incident, according to local news reports.

Hart teamed as sidecar passenger with driver Bruce Lind to win the National Sidecar Championship in 1981, 1983 and 1985, finishing second in 1982 and 1984. The pair also won the 1985-1986 New Zealand Sidecar Championship.

Funeral services are pending.

Additional information will be posted as it becomes available.

From a press release:

WEBSTER MAKES IT DOUBLE DELIGHT AT BRANDS

Steve Webster made it two wins from two in this afternoon’s second race in round six of the Eastern Airways Sidecar Championship round at Brands Hatch, Kent. Tim Reeves shadowed him once again into second place with Jorg Steinhausen settling for third.

Fourth at the end of the first lap, Webster picked off holeshot man, Derek Brindley, Reeves and Steinhausen in turn before producing a series of stunning, sub-1:30 laps around the 4.2km Brands GP circuit.

“I had another slow start today,” said Webster, who now leads the Eastern Airways series by more than 50 points, “but I’m so confident in the Castrol Suzuki package there was no panic. I was also really happy to be able to put in some 1:29 laps.”

Reeves was content with another second place, having passed Steinhausen with just three laps to go. “He was riding quite defensively,” he said of the German, “but I knew I’d get him in the end.”

Steinhausen commented: “We’ve struggled all weekend because we’re down on top speed, which means we have to work so much harder through the corners. I’m happy though – it’s been a great weekend here at Brands. This is definitely where sidecars need to be.”

Early leader, Brindley, eventually finished in fourth place with Bryan Pedder and Ben Birchall taking fifth and sixth places respectively.

Eastern Airways Sidecar Championship, round six race two result (14 laps – 58.75km): 1 Steve Webster (Suzuki) 21m13.309s, 2 Tim Reeves (Suzuki) +7.016s, 3 Jorg Steinhausen (Suzuki) +7.195, 4 Derek Brindley (Suzuki) +30.174, 5 Bryan Pedder (Suzuki) +42.891, 6 Ben Birchall (Yamaha) +49.472, 7 Richard Gatt (Suzuki) +51.679, 8 Stuart Muldoon (Suzuki) +57.994, 9 Bill Philp (Yamaha) +58.580, 10 Andy Laidlow (Suzuki) +1:16.550.

Championship points: 1 Webster 228, 2 Reeves 175, 3 Brindley 136, 4 Lambert 107, 5= Gatt / Pedder 93, 7 Philp 91, 8 Muldoon 82, 9 Birchall 61, 10 Andy Peach (Suzuki) 52.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

A brief followup on the single-make/spec tire class for AMA Pro Racing advanced by Marcello del Giudice (an excellent idea, in my opinion, and one that is not just done in Italy, but elsewhere in the world):

A great bike to start would be the Suzuki SV650. There are bunches of these things around already in race trim, some very fast non-factory riders perched atop them, and lots of knowledge about how to get them into race shape is available. They’re cheap and reliable, if you limit the horsepower for the class. This could be done either with a class horsepower limit (my preference) or restricting the engine mods to pipe and new ECU or jet kit; NOTHING gets changed inside the motor. Point is, with this bike so popular at the local club level, it would take very little cash from Suzuki or the AMA to field a full grid at the National events.

There are a couple intangible benefits to this bike. Most importantly, it looks and sounds different than the other bikes running around out there on any given AMA weekend; and with the current class structure in place, an AMA weekend is sorely in need of some variety. Can’t tell Superbike from Superstock from Supersport without a scorecard. I’d even let them run open or very loud exhausts to emphasize the difference and bring some aural shock value to the program. Low horsepower, evenly-matched bikes and hungry riders makes for mucho madness and an entertaining race. (Sadly, I think it’s clear that Superstock and Supersport have become de facto factory classes, no matter what the rules say.) The class will, by design, prevent factory riders from cherry-picking by eliminating the non-Suzuki riders; and with nothing but Suzukis entered, what incentive does Suzuki have to assist any given team?

I disagree with Marcello on one key point, though; this class should not replace an existing class, but be added to the schedule. A second Saturday afternoon race would be a nice incentive to attend the track both days of the single-race events, and the Sunday show could use some more substance, too; three races seems pretty skimpy on actual racing come Sunday. Some of us can remember when the first race of the AMA weekend ran longer than all of the current Sunday races combined.

Just once during the weekend, it would be nice to see a non-factory rider with a shot at the top step of the podium.

Michael Gougis
Alhambra, California


See related post:

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

From a press release issued by FGSport Group:

TWO WINS AT A SWELTERING BRANDS FOR HAGA

Heatwaves: The ever popular Noriyuki Haga took both wins in the hot crucible of Brands Hatch, winning a straight fight in race one and an aggregate event in race two. The net result of an incredible weekend of close, crowd-pleasing action was to bring the main protagonists for championship glory impossible close to each other, with the top four riders all within eight points of each other.

Race One: In an outstanding contest Noriyuki Haga (Renegade Ducati 999RS) had to fight through every single lap of the 25 to take his win, eventually holding off the last lap attentions of his constant race companion Regis Laconi (Ducati). The two-rider fight for the eventual win could have been three, had race leader Pierfrancesco Chili (Ducati) not have fallen at Surtees, leaving Superpole winner Steve Martin to take third. Fourth was the chasing Chris Vermeulen, Troy Corser fifth on the Petronas, only eight seconds down.

Race Two: A two leg affair gave the second win of the day to Haga, after his race long rival Regis Laconi crashed out on lap 16 of the restart. Pierfrancesco Chili, credited with second overall, was nonetheless the first rider across the line in the second leg, convinced he had won overall. In third place Chris Vermeulen took his lone podium of the weekend on his ten Kate Honda

Points of Few: After an outstanding pair of races at Brands the World Championship lead changed hands, with Regis Laconi securing 218 points overall so far this season, despite his race two fall. Just behind, Chris Vermeulen’s Honda is second on 216. Haga’s double pushes him to third overall on 212, with the day’s main points casualty James Toseland – seventh and a non-finisher after a crash with Troy Corser. He sits fourth overall now, on 210 points.

Improving Petronas: With Corser fifth in race one Chris Walker managed to go one better in the second race, his fourth place sending the crowd into raptures of joy, as he was the best Briton in show. Ignition mapping changes were the sole changes to the bike since the previous Laguna round, but Walker rode out of his skin to narrowly overcome local wild card rider James Ellison, who was a superb fifth, having been sixth in race one.

Private Business: In the privateer Ducati scene, Giovanni Bussei (De Cecco 998RS) was an impressive sixth on race two, after a 12th place in race one. Only 15 riders finished race two, Garry McCoy (Ducati) scoring points in the second outing for seventh. Martin could not repeat his race one success and failed to finish due to a blown engine. Top Kawasaki rider of the day was Mauro Sanchini, who took his Bertocchi ZX-10 to tenth in race two. Craig Coxhell (Honda) had a good outing away from his regular BSB duties, the Aussie scoring a brace of eight places. Supersport: In the Supersport World Championship the race was stopped and restarted after an injurious crash suffered by Fabien Foret (Yamaha). The aggregate event was taken by serial winner Karl Muggeridge (Honda), his fourth race win in an amazing season so far. He leads the championship by a clear 24 points from third place Brands man Jurgen van den Goorbergh (Yamaha). Long time race leader Sebastien Charpentier (Honda) had to settle for second place after a strong last lap charge by Muggeridge made up the deficit he carried into the second part of the race.

Superstock: In the European Superstock championship the fourth win of the season for Gianluca Vizziello (Yamaha) gave him an extended lead in the series, 140 points to his team-mate Lorenzo Alfonsi’s 119. A tough fight for second place in the 15-lap Brands race put Alfonsi narrowly ahead of German based Turkish rider Kenan Sofuoglu (Yamaha). Ilario Dionisi’s Suzuki was the first non-Yamaha R1 across the line.


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

MUGGERIDGE WINS FOURTH RACE AND EXTENDS CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD

A two part World Supersport event at Brands Hatch, after the race was red flagged due to an injured rider lying on the track, went to Ten Kate Honda rider Karl Muggeridge; a fourth race win of the year to add to his sixth pole position in qualifying. The Aussie extended his championship lead after a magnificent last lap charge to the front, displacing long term race leader Sebastien Charpentier (Klaffi Honda CBR600RR), who finished second. Muggeridge’s win puts Honda within a single point of the Manufacturers’ Championship lead.

Muggeridge’s team mate Broc Parkes (Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR) was in fine form himself, despite a poor start in the first leg, but he was unfortunate enough to get mixed up in a lap ten crash involving Yamaha riders Fabien Foret and Kevin Curtain, despite not falling in the melee created when Foret ran off the track. Foret broke his right leg and left ankle in the horrific accident, which brought out the red flags as he lay on the track. The second Ten Kate Aussie was unfortunate to miss out on third place, which went to Jurgen van den Goorbergh (Yamaha) by only five thousandths of a second.

Alessio Corradi led a three-rider Team Italia Megabike challenge, and finished sixth despite an eventful race. His team-mates Anthony West, having a one off ride, and regular Denis Sacchetti finished ninth and 18th respectively. All the supported Honda riders finished the tough 25-lap,two-part race as Max Neukirchner (Klaffi Honda CBR600RR) came home in 11th on his first visit to Brands Hatch.

For Muggeridge, a win at Brands seemed unlikely for most of the 25 laps. “I didn’t think I was going to win that race. I was sort of struggling through the first leg and I just couldn’t quite get the same pace as Sebastien. It was the same in race two but I realised that I had to give it a go if I had the opportunity. I just hung it out there on the last lap and it paid off. I wasn’t quite sure if I had won because of the aggregate time and I only realised when I came into pitlane and my team guys were standing at the number one spot under the podium!”

Charpentier was disappointed not to win given his lead on every lap bar one; “It was so close to being a win. I’m happy to score 20 points but I knew that if I kept Karl behind me, even a little bit in the second leg, I would win. When he came past I could not stay right with him after I had a little moment with the bike. But it was so, so close to a win.”

For Parkes the race was tough in many respects. ” I don’t like this racetrack much so I’m happy to finish the race. I’m gutted big time to miss out on the podium finish. I also missed out on the fastest lap by about the same. After all that, I’m happy going into the last few tracks now as they are all ones I like.”

Corradi was in sparkling form almost throughout all parts of the race, “Especially the second leg was a good one for me. In race one the bike spun up the rear tyre and I was out of the seat. It was so violent that the CDI unit got dislodged, started to misfire and then the other riders went away.In the second part I did not have such a good feeling from the front to start but then the tyre came in and I could make the same lap times as the riders ahead. Sixth is OK in these circumstances.”

For WSS inductee West it was a successful first day in a new category of racing, “It was a bit of fun. In the first race I felt better and thought I was stronger than the two guys in front of me, could have passed them but they stopped the race. In race two I missed a gear on lap one and the Ducati rider got past me and held me up a lot. That factory bike is so quick and he brakes really late. Supersport was new experience, something different.”

It was an unremittingly challenging first Brands Hatch World Supersport race for Max Neukirchner. “In the first leg a rider crashed in front of me and that put me down the order, after I almost lost control of the bike avoiding him. I lost a lot of ground. I am not really happy to have finished 11th but for my first time here I suppose it is not too bad.”

Sacchetti experienced some woes in his latest race of his rookie WSS season: “I did not start so well and I had a problem with the clutch. Afterwards when I got my rhythm and I met Cruciani on the Kawasaki and I got held up behind him. The riders in front had got away and that was the end.”

After the dust settled at Brands Hatch, Muggeridge left the race with a 24-point advantage over van Den Goorbergh, 132 to 108, with Parkes still a strong third with 82 points. Charpentier moves to within one point of Curtain, on 69 points.

World Superbike Championship Round 8

Close competition throughout the entire 25 laps of race one delivered a race win for Noriyuki Haga, the Japanese rider holding off the race long challenge of second place rider Regis Laconi. A multi rider fight for the win for half the race was a three man affair until race leader Pierfrancesco Chili (Ducati) crashed spectacularly on the exit of Surtees, highsiding himself out of contention. Superpole winner Steve Martin (Ducati) benefited to take third, with Ten Kate Honda rider Chris Vermeulen fourth.

In the second race the same top three protagonists as race one battled out for the right to win, in what was another aggregate race. Italian rider Gianfranco De Matteis (Ducati) broke his collarbone and thus the race was red flagged, with the result comprising three lap and 22 lap legs. The eventual winner proved to be Noriyuki Haga, by 0.960 seconds over Chili, as Laconi crashed, but still took the championship lead away from England. Vermeulen finished in third position, with Chris Walker (Petronas) fourth.

In the championship battle Laconi is on 218 points, Vermeulen promoted to second on 216, with Haga on 212 and Toseland 210.

The next round of the championship takes place at Assen on September 5, for all classes.


More, from a press release issued by Foggy Petronas Racing:

Top ten double for FPR in first Brands race

Troy Corser achieved a commendable fifth place in the first race of the eighth round of the Superbike World Championship at Brands Hatch today.

Team-mate Chris Walker also worked his way through the field from 13th on the grid to 9th to complete a top ten double for Foggy PETRONAS Racing.

Both riders made excellent starts and Corser was on the pace of the leading six riders for most of the race. When Frankie Chili crashed on lap 19, Troy was able to hunt down championship challenger Chris Vermeulen but was forced to back off on the penultimate lap following a water leak.

Troy said: “I was lining up Vermeulen with a couple of laps to go to see where I could take him as I was quicker through Dingle Dell but it would have been difficult. I had probably my best start of the season and tried to make up a few places by running on the outside through Druids. Our bike was really not that much slower than the others and I could almost run with the leaders as I was making around half a second up through the back section. There was a slight water leak for the last couple of laps, maybe caused by a stone in the radiator, so I had to back off slightly. There’s no need to change anything for the second race.

Chris said: “I got the start I wanted and it would have been better if Chili hadn’t had a moment in front of me. But I just wasn’t able to keep pace with the leaders. I desperately wanted a top five finish but I suppose top ten is better than nothing. Fingers crossed for a better set-up for the second race.”


More, from another press release issued by Foggy Petronas Racing:

Best of British for FPR at Brands Hatch

Chris Walker took full advantage of team-mate Troy Corser’s second race misfortune at Brands Hatch to finish a thrilling fourth and complete a morale-boosting weekend for Foggy PETRONAS Racing.

Troy had earlier sparked renewed optimism with an accomplished fifth place in the opening race of the eighth round of the Superbike World Championship. But a crash at the second corner of a restarted second race dashed his hopes of a potential podium finish as Noriyuki Haga claimed both victories to re-ignite his championship challenge.

Team owner Carl Fogarty was delighted that his riders had at last been able to inspire an enthusiastic home support after a succession of disappointing showings at British rounds.

Carl said: “Those were the best rides of the season from both riders. Chris had an awesome second race and didn’t put a foot wrong as he was under pressure all the way through. For Troy to be two seconds off the lead with two laps to go in the first race shows how far we have come in such a short space of time. Troy was also perfectly placed at the start of race two before it was red flagged and restarted. He didn’t get off the line for the restart very well because the starter kept them waiting for so long. Maybe he was trying too hard to make it up in the first bend when he came together with James Toseland. It was one of those racing incidents. The way that race panned out he could well have been on the podium, which would have been incredible. The result was great for Chris and for the team. Finally we have had a good British round and everyone will now go into the summer break on a high and looking forward to the progress that we know we can still make with the FP1 for the rest of this season and beyond.”

Troy had been running in third place in the second race when James Toseland was forced to retire with engine problems. After a typical `Stalker start’ from 13th on the grid, Chris had climbed to eighth place by the end of lap three when positions were taken for the reformed grid, with Toseland allowed to rejoin the second heat. First corner congestion at the restart – featuring Chris, Toseland and Troy – had a knock-on effect at the second corner, when Troy and Toseland collided.

Chris, ninth in the first race, said: “I desperately needed that result. The first race wasn’t brilliant but the second race was! I can now go into the break thinking positive things before our next test at Magny-Cours. Our starts this weekend have done us both proud. I had a brilliant start to the second race but couldn’t keep the pace and I was panicking a little bit because nothing seemed amiss. James came by me and I could see oil coming out, so that cost me some time but fortunately the race was stopped. In the interval we had a quick look at the data and virtually went back to the morning settings, with a few minor tweaks. But I was about half a second quicker after the restart. I didn’t see who was behind me but I knew it was James Ellison as it wasn’t a noisy bike! I also knew that I just had to keep my head down and not make any mistakes to keep my position.”

Troy said: “You can never be too sure but I am pretty confident I would have been on the podium if the second race hadn’t been stopped. The bike and the engine were feeling good. At the restart I was on the outside with nowhere to go when there was a domino effect at the second corner. There was nothing James or I could do about it. We were both in the corner and we came together. In the first race I was lining up Vermeulen with a couple of laps to go to see where I could take him, as I was quicker through Dingle Dell but it would have been difficult. Our bike was really not that much slower than the others and I could almost run with the leaders as I was making around half a second up through the back section. There was a slight water leak for the last couple of laps, so I had to back off slightly.”


More, from a press release issued by Troy Corser’s publicist:

A FIFTH AND A DNF, BUT TROY HAPPY AND OPTIMISTIC

Troy finished fifth in the first race at Brands Hatch today and was on course for a possible podium in the second when he was hit from behind and found himself down and out. The race had been red-flagged after four laps due to a crash and then when it was restarted, Troy’s luck ran out before even half a lap had been completed.

The first race featured a tremendous dice between Noriyuki Haga (Ducati) and Regis Laconi (Ducati), which went all the way down to the wire. Laconi thought he had it all wrapped up, but Haga daringly passed him two turns from the end and held on to take the chequered flag by just one tenth of a second. Third went to pole-setter Steve Martin (Ducati), with Chris Vermeulen (Honda) fourth and Troy fifth.

In race two, Troy made a superb getaway and was comfortably placed in the top three when it was stopped. Troy was bunched in when the grid got off the line in the restart and was about to round Druids Hairpin when he was struck from behind and taken out. Chili (Ducati) was first across the line and was already celebrating when his mechanics told him that, due to the aggregated times), he was second. So, Haga took the win, to complete a great double, with Chili second and Vermeulen third.

TROY Race 1: 5th, Race 2: DNF

It was disappointing to DNF after such a promising start to the second race. In the restart, we were all held far too long on the line and I think everybody was surprised when we got away, because nobody made a real break.

We were very bunched together going into the first turn and I was so close to Chris (Walker) that my arm touched his wheel! Going into Druids, Chris was up the inside of Toseland and Toseland had to move across to give him space.

But Toseland didn’t know I was there and he hit me, knocking me off and into the gravel. For me, it was just a racing incident and I don’t think anybody was to blame, but it did ruin what promised to be a really good result. After the fifth in the first race, it had all the makings of our best race weekend of the season, but the crash put a stop to that. It’s a shame because the bike was handling well and the engine felt strong. The tyres felt very consistent and I believed that we were in there. But, although we didn’t end what what we expected, I am feeling very optimistic. The engines are working very well and we’ve another step-up stage to come. We’ve also got the new clutch to try out and get working the way I like, so I feel that we’re entering a very positive stage and that’s great with three rounds to go.


More, from a press release issued by Yamaha Racing:

PODIUM FOR JURGEN, BUT DISASTER FOR FABIEN.

Yamaha Racing Italia experienced the highs and lows of racing in the seventh round of the Supersport World Championship at Brands Hatch today. Jurgen van den Goorbergh took a superb third in a two-part race, behind Karl Muggeridge (Honda) and Sebastien Charpentier (Honda), but the cause of the stoppage was his team mate Fabien was in contention for the lead but, crashed, was run over by Parkes and Curtain and suffered a broken ankle and very badly bruised leg in the process. The incident happened on the tenth lap and the race was immediately red-flagged to allow the ambulance to get to Foret. The race was restarted as a 14-lapper, with the times from the first part added to the second to determine the aggregate winner. At the end, series leader Muggeridge stole the win by the narrowest of margins, finishing just 0.098 of a second ahead of Sebastien Charpentier. Third went to Jurgen – even though it took his mechanics to persuade him that he was on the podium instead of fourth.

JURGEN VAN DEN GOORBERGH – 3rd

That was a very tight, hard race and I didn’t even realise that I was third until my mechanics told me! I was just behind Fabien when he crashed and I was really lucky to be able to avoid it – it was that close. I feel very sorry for him, because he was riding really well and I think he could’ve won the race. In the restart, I stayed with the Hondas as best I could, but I just didn”t have enough speed to get past them. Although Muggeridge has gained some pints on me today, I still haven’t given up my title challenge. I will be attacking all the way to the last lap of the last race.


More, from a press release issued by Ten Kate Honda:

Vermeulen Goes Second In Championship

Chris Vermeulen (Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) ran out with a podium finish in race two at Brands Hatch and in taking the 16 points for his third place finish he went second in the table, a mere two points from the leader Regis Laconi (Ducati).

In race one Vermeulen was fully in contention for large parts of the race, slipping back at the very end to finish a mere four seconds off the winner Noriyuki Haga (Ducati), and just behind Laconi and pole position qualifier Steve Martin (Ducati).

Chris was in another wonderfully entertaining race in the second 25-lapper, even if it was stopped after only three laps due to a crash for Italian privateer Giancarlo De Matteis. In the restart Vermeulen secured third place, in an ultimately lonely race.

Said Vermeulen, after a tough weekend with a positive ending, “After all the problems we had in practice and qualifying this weekend we’ve come away very well with a fourth and the third. I know now that the championship is pretty open. We came here with a new bike we were to develop for a year and I planned to be world champion in 2005. But if it comes along this year then I’ll take it.”

Team Manager Roland Ten Kate stated. “Not the most easy weekend but we got away pretty well from here and moved up in the championship standings. We are only two points away now. Obviously we are happy with that and we know that all the upcoming tracks will suit our bike very well. I think the pressure is not on us now.”


Muggeridge Wins Four Races in Seven Attempts

Karl Muggeridge (Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR) secured his fourth race win of the year to further extend his World Championship lead to an impressive 24 points, after a two-part aggregate race held in high temperatures. Broc Parkes (Ten Kate Honda) missed out on his fourth podium place of the year by an impossibly small five thousandths of a second after the final race results were calculated. He eventually finished fourth, behind Sebastien Charpentier (Honda) and Jurgen van den Goorbergh (Yamaha).

The race was stopped after nine laps when Fabien Foret crashed on the exit of Graham Hill Bend and got tangled up with first Curtain and then Parkes, with Parkes staying on and Curtain falling. Foret has fractured his right femur and left ankle.

Muggeridge’s successful last lap attack on race leader Charpentier, who finish the first part just ahead, was an outstanding piece of aggressive racecraft, as Muggeridge refused to settle for second place.

Muggeridge, on his way to the podium ceremony stated, “I didn’t think I was going to win that race. I was sort of struggling through the first leg and I just couldn’t quite get by Sebastien. It was the same in race two but I realised that I had to give it a go if I had the opportunity. I just hung it out there on the last lap and it paid off. I wasn’t quite sure if I had won because of the aggregate time and I only realised I had when I came into pitlane and my team guys were standing at the number one spot under the podium!”

Parkes had more on his mind than motorcycle racing after the race-halting crash. “Fabien crashed and Kevin was right in front of me. Kevin unavoidably ran into Fabien and then there were bikes and so on everywhere and maybe I also ran into Fabien. They tell me I maybe went over his foot. I don’t like this racetrack much so I’m happy to finish the race. I’m gutted big time to miss out on the podium finish. I also missed out on the fastest lap by about the same small margin of time. After all that, I’m happy going into the last few tracks now as they are all ones I like.”

Team Manager Ronald Ten Kate was once more impressed by the talent of his riders and team, “I am particularly happy to win here at Brands Hatch, especially as we were competitive all weekend. I am particularly pleased with the way Karl raced on the last lap, very aggressive to want to win the race and not settle for second. I like to see this in my riders. It was too bad for Broc who rode well and only missed out on a podium by something like five thousandths of a second. Karl’s championship position has been increased greatly by this result and in the manufacturers’ championship Honda is only one point from the lead now.”


More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki:

RESTART SPOILS ALSTARE’S HOPES
Team Suzuki Press Office – August 1, 2004.

Team Suzuki’s World Supersport riders Katsuaki Fujiwara and Stephane Chambon lost out on potential top six places in today’s Brands Hatch European seventh round after the race was red-flagged after 10 laps.

Both were lying in challenging positions when the event was stopped then restarted with the times from the two parts aggregated to determine the winner.

In the earlier stages of the both parts, Fujiwara and Chambon were fighting for a top six place, but instead they dropped to seventh and eighth respectively as team mate Vittorio Iannuzzo was overeager on the third lap and crashed out, fortunately uninjured.

Series leader Karl Muggeridge (Honda) stole the win by just 0.098 of a second from Sebastien Charpentier when the times from the two parts were added up. Third went to Jurgen van den Goorbergh (Yamaha), with Broc Parkes (Honda) fourth, Kevin Curtain (Yamaha) fifth and Alessio Corradi (Honda) sixth.

KATSUAKI FUJIWARA – 7th:

“I tried my best but I don’t think anything more than about seventh place was possible. I never like two-part races and toady was a bit frustrating. Here at Brands, I couldn’t match our main rivals, so it was always going to be very hard to get a podium.”

STEPHANE CHAMBON – 8th:

“I’m not happy today because I know we can be much better. We were just not able to keep up with the Hondas and Yamahas. The track felt a bit greasy and we were sliding around a lot, but I kept going as hard as I could to get whatever points I could.”

VITTORIO IANNUZZO – DNF:

“Today, I was a bit stupid and the crash was all my fault. I wanted to get a really good start and fight my way up, but I was too eager. I got into a corner far too fast and when I braked hard I just lost the front end and crashed.”


More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

DUCATI WIN THIRTEENTH MANUFACTURERS TITLE IN DRAMATIC DAY OF RACING AT BRANDS

Brands Hatch (UK), 1 August 2004: Ducati clinched their thirteenth World Superbike Manufacturers’ title at Brands Hatch in a dramatic day of racing in front of a massive crowd, which saw alternating fortunes for Ducati Fila riders Regis Laconi and James Toseland and a double win for Renegade Ducati’s Japanese rider Noriyuki Haga. The Frenchman battled hard with Haga to finish second in race 1 but then ruined another positive result when he lost the front and crashed out at Graham Hill Bend on lap 19 of race 2.

“What can I say?” declared Laconi. “The big problem is that if I am not in front of Noriyuki, he was slow, and I tried to go faster than him and I felt I was over the limit. That’s why I crashed. I tried to go away but I entered too wide pushing hard and lost the front. I am not happy because I am unable to get away from him. I tried my best with the team and the engineers to get the best out of this bike, and we did, so if I crashed it means that I was at the limit. I really want to win this championship and I hope that we will have something new for the last three rounds.”

Toseland had an even worse weekend in front of his home crowd. Never quite happy with his set-up, he could only manage seventh in the first encounter of the day. In race 2 his Ducati 999 F04 suffered an oil cooler leak after just three laps, but with the race stopped due to an incident Toseland was able to take the restart on his second bike. This part lasted just two corners as he was wiped out and pitched into the gravel at Druids by Troy Corser (Petronas).

“I’ve got a stiff neck from the crash, I’ve dropped from first to fourth in the championship, I’ve disappointed myself and my home crowd, is there anything else?” commented Toseland. “There’s still only eight points in it though, unlucky for Regis but I’ve had bad luck as well with Corser taking me out. I’ve had a disappointing weekend at Silverstone and a disappointing one at Brands Hatch. I can only apologise and say I’ve given 110% all weekend. Sorry to everyone who came to see a British winner, that was down to me. Let’s get it over with and move on to the next round”.

Ducati’s thirteenth win in the Manufacturers’ championship comes in seventeen years of top-class World Superbike racing with production-based machinery against constructors from Italy, Japan, and now Malaysia. The Riders’ title is now hotting up to be a four-way battle between Laconi, Toseland (Ducati Fila), Vermeulen (Honda) and Haga, with all four riders separated by just eight points with three rounds left to go.


LANZI TAKES TENTH PLACE IN TWO-PART SUPERSPORT RACE

Brands Hatch (UK), 1 August 2004: Lorenzo Lanzi (Ducati Breil) scored a top 10 finish in the seventh round of the World Supersport Championship at Brands Hatch.

The 22-year-old Italian, who started from eleventh on the grid, was unable to make much headway in the 23 lap race, which was interrupted after a nasty crash for the Yamaha front-runner Fabien Foret.

“I got a better start this time after the first part had been interrupted” declared Lanzi. “For the first few laps I tried to stay with the guys at the front, but after ten laps I started to have a few problems with the tyres, and the rear was sliding around a lot, so I began to fall back.

“However I am quite pleased, a big thanks to the team because this is a track that we know would be difficult. I feel we didn’t do too badly this weekend and we look forward to the next races with optimism.

“Assen, the next round in September, will surely be a more favourable track for our bike than this track and we hope to get a good result in Holland.”


More, from a press release issued by Xerox Ducati Nortel Networks – Scuderia Caracchi

Only during the two-part Superbike Race-2 the Team Xerox Ducati Nortel Networks finally grabbed a positive result, after a poor week end in today’s European round of the World Superbike series at Brands Hatch.

Garry McCoy recorded a seventh place with a fast race, after the crash during Race-1, touched behind from another rider just before the half race length.

“I’m actually not happy about this race.” – said Garry McCoy. “It has been a strange day. During Race-1Borciani made an unforeseen change of his racing line and touched the rear of my bike, pushing me down. During Race-2 I started well, bur the red flag for the oil on the track broke the race pace. Then I had some difficult to get it once more, but I was in 6th position and I lost a position in the aggregate result just in the final laps of the race. Now finally are scheduled race circuits that I know, starting from Assen, and I wont to upgrade my championship standing.”

Miguel Praia had still high temperature this morning, and during Race-1 he has been forced to stop. Then during Race-2 he fight hard against the fever, resisting until the chequered flag of a very long race and scoring a point for the championship.

“At the end of the race I was close to faint.” – commented Miguel. “After a very poor week end, because the broken engines and the fever, this World Championship point is a small p