Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Nicky Wimbauer, 15, is testing with an Italian team at Misano this coming Saturday and Sunday.

If the test is a success, Wimbauer will race a YZF-R6 Yamaha for the team in the Italian Championship, with wild-card rides in the Supersport World Championship Series.

Wimbauer turns 16 later this month. He is currently based in Munich, Germany, where his grandparents live.

Wimbauer has moved from Colorado to Germany with his father, a native of Germany who is also a motorcyle road racer.

From a press release issued by CTS:

AMA Superbike Racing Legend Miguel Duhamel Joins The Ranks of Elite Athletes Trained By CTS

Colorado Springs, CO – AMA Superbike racing legend Miguel Duhamel signed this January with Carmichael Training Systems, the leader in remote-based endurance coaching, where he will work one-on-one with premiere CTS coach Dean Golich. The 36 year-old Canadian native from Quebec, known for his incredible drive and competitive instincts, has not only won more Superbike races than anyone in history, he has also had the longest Superbike winning streak and has set the AMA 600 Supersport record with 5 titles, 40 wins, and 10 consecutive wins in a row.

From riding his first minibike at age 3, entering his first race at age 8 and eventually emerging as the “King of AMA Superbike Racing,” Miguel Duhamel will continue to push his competitive edge by training with Golich. As Duhamel admits, “You need more than just the ability to go fast on a motorcycle to beat the other guys-I think a desire to win is what motivates me the most.”

A desire to win, and iron guts, Duhamel’s career hasn’t been without its setbacks. In the midst of his stunning career in the ‘90s, which included winning 2 Daytona 200 races, 5 AMA Supersport championships and some 20 Superbike races, Duhamel suffered a double compound fracture to his left leg mid season in ‘98, which severely jeopardized his career. Showing his championship spirit by attending the Daytona 200 nine months later, hobbling with a cane and weakened by the injury, he stunned himself and all onlookers by winning both the 600 Supersport and Superbike races.

However, another crash at the end of the season broke his left leg again, making it an inch shorter and causing him to change his training program altogether. Instead of running, he now focuses on weight-lifting, cycling, and cardiovascular exercises, and with CTS’ help, will continue to improve his fitness, move forward, and focus on the next race.

Who wouldn’t be impressed by this fiery competitor, still considered the King of Superbike Racing? Dean Golich was equally impressed by Duhamel’s desire to continually improve. “Here you have one of the best technical riders in the world,” remarks Golich, “and yet he’s still striving to improve; so if we can increase his aerobic conditioning and get his physical abilities honed to optimal performance, he’ll continue to stay atop the AMA Superbike rankings.”

Miguel will begin the 2004 AMA Superbike season in Daytona Beach, FL on March 3-6.

Carmichael Training Systems, founded in 1999, is a community of athletes and coaches dedicated to improving the performance and lives of athletes of all levels and disciplines. Led by Chris Carmichael, CTS brings coaching expertise, product advice and endurance sports information to the athletic community via the Internet (www.trainright.com) and through personal training camps and clinics. CTS works with a wide variety of athletes including five-time Tour de France Champion Lance Armstrong, 2000 Triathlon Olympic Gold Medalist Simon Whitfield, Montreal Canadiens Captain Saku Koivu, 2001 Mountain Bike World Champion Alison Dunlap, World Record Swimmer Ed Moses and Indy Car racer Eliseo Salazar. CTS is also the official coaching authority of the US Postal Service Cycling Team and the Trek/VW Mountain bike team. CTS also serves as the official coaching service for the US Paralympic cycling team.

From a press release issued by AHRMA:

Nixon and Springsteen set for rematch of Daytona Legends race

Racing greats Gary Nixon and Jay Springsteen will reprise their Battle of Legends match during American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association action Monday and Tuesday, March 1 and 2, at Daytona International Speedway.

The excitement was dampened somewhat during AHRMA’s Classics Days 2003 when rain played havoc with Nixon’s M3 Racing 1972 Honda CR750 and Springsteen thundered away for the win aboard the Hourglass Racing 1972 Harley-Davidson XR750TT. Retired national champs don’t like to lose, even at vintage racing, so 1967 Daytona 200 winner Nixon can be expected to come out with all four cylinders howling to avenge his third-place finish behind Springsteen and Triumph-mounted Geir Jacobsen of Norway.

The past champions will face off in a Battle of Legends race in the Formula 750 class both days, while Nixon also is entered to compete in the Formula Vintage class on the fast M3 Honda.

Nixon, 63, won back-to-back AMA Grand National Championships in 1967 and ‘68 on Triumphs. He began his professional racing career in 1958, and over the next 22 seasons logged 19 AMA national wins in over 150 finishes. Along the way he developed into an excellent roadracer. In 1976, he should have won the world Formula 750 series, but was denied the title after international politics cost him a victory. He was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum in 1998 and lives in Maryland.

The 46-year-old “Springer” is a three-time AMA Grand National Champion (1976, ‘77 and ‘78) with over 40 national dirt track wins to his credit. His pro career began in 1975, and after approximately 400 races he isn’t done yet, as his 10th-place finish in the 2003 AMA national series testifies. The popular Michigan racer also has found success on pavement, most notably in the early ‘80s on Harley-Davidson’s “Lucifer’s Hammer” Battle of the Twins racer, as well as a fifth in the 1986 Daytona 200 on a Yamaha. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003.

For more details, visit the Bike Week preview page at www.ahrma.org.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

(A report from WERA West’s Larry Pointer, a California boy on a fact-finding mission at Talladega.)

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail

Subject: Update from Tally

Sunday, February 8

Well, it’s another refreshing day here at Talladega (23 degrees at 7:30 a.m.)

No little flakes today, just crisp air, blinding sunshine, and tasty coffee from the snack bar.

Some great racing today despite the cold weather. WERA had about 150 entries today to start off the first sprint races of the year. It is amazing to see the racing action with 40 riders on the track (a 1.35-mile, 9-turn track) going into turns that were made for one bike at a time.

For me, the highlight of the two-day weekend were the Minis. The kids, 9-10 years of age, with their father’s helping and cheering them on, put on a truly inspirationally show. True racing at its best, no attitudes and complete respect for others.

Lastly, at the end of the racing day, awards are given out to the top three finishers, in front of everybody, it felt like a big happy family!

David Pyles and I look forward to bringing WERA racing and that ‘family’ feeling to the West Coast.

From a press release:

Center of Gravity, OGK/Arata USA importers, Is now excepting road race resumes for the 2004 season. Please send all resumes to [email protected], [email protected], and/or mail to address below.

OGK/Arata is also exhibiting at the Indy dealer show,booth 3913 in Section 9, for all interested dealers.

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

www.ogk-helmet.com
www.arata-ex.com

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

(A report from WERA West’s Larry Pointer, a California boy on a fact-finding mission at Talladega.)

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail

Update from WERA Race at Tallagega GPR–Snow Tires Needed

It’s cold!

The first event of the season for Southeast and Mid-Central Region is starting off with some chilly weather, 36 degrees, and some very light snow. The turnout of 130 riders is pretty good, according to the officials, considering the weather conditions.

Commentary by Larry;
It’s cool to see such a good turnout for a grassroots track. Met one of the racetrack owners, Michael, and he was an racer himself at one time. The 1.35 mile track is in great shape and is will be expanded to 1.8 miles in the near future.

Larry Pointer
WERA West/Fastrack Riders
Costa Mesa, California

This just in from Two Brothers Racing boss (and former racer) Craig Erion:


From a press release issued by Traxxion Dynamics:

Traxxion Dynamics Becomes First US Elka Suspension Dealer.


Not quite. Two Brothers Racing has been distributing Elka suspension components in the U.S. for the last six months.

Craig Erion
Santa Ana, California


See related post:

2/6/2004 Traxxion Adds Elka Shocks

From a press release issued by Fuchs Kawasaki:

HOFMANN IN MINIATURE MAYHEM

Fuchs Kawasaki rider Alex Hofmann was given the opportunity to get in some extra preseason testing during a visit to Nürnberg recently. The 23-year-old German rider even got the chance to test the bikes of Loris Capirossi and Nicky Hayden, but it’s unlikely he learnt much about the opposition, given that the bikes were only 10cm high!

Hofmann was on hand at the Nürnberg Spielwarenmesse, the largest toy fair in Europe, as Horny unveiled a MotoGP version of their world famous Scalextric slot racing system to their worldwide dealer network.

With his Fuchs Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR providing a suitable backdrop on the Scalextric stand, Hofmann wasted no time in getting to grips with the slot racing version of MotoGP, which features highly detailed 1/18th scale replicas of the top 16 bikes and riders in the MotoGP World Championship.

If the assembled Scalextric dealers were expecting a virtuoso performance from the Fuchs Kawasaki rider then they were to be disappointed, as controlling a scale model of a MotoGP machine proved much harder for Hofmann than the real thing. On a positive note, the former European 250cc Champion did get plenty of exercise retrieving the scale model bikes from the floor after numerous crashes, before finally admitting defeat and swapping his hand throttle for a marker pen and heading off to sign posters for visitors to the show.

“Maybe I should stick to the real thing in future because this is definitely a lot harder than it looks,” declared Hofmann, after yet another crash brought about by over enthusiastic use of the hand throttle. “I can see I’m going to have to get some practice in between now and the start of the season, as I guess this is going to be a popular way of passing the time in the paddock this year.”

Three different MotoGP sets will be in the shops in May, to coincide with the first European round of the championship at Jerez, with the latest version of the Fuchs Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR making an appearance in miniature form by mid-season.

From a press release:

After 11 days in Our Lady Of The Lake Hospital in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, racer Greg Moore finally gets to go home to Alabama.

He is doing well and has been getting around great considering his injuries.

He would like to thank all who have been so supportive and generous.

From a press release issued by Traxxion Dynamics:

Traxxion Dynamics Becomes First US Elka Suspension Dealer

To All Motorcycle Racers:

Traxxion Dynamics is proud to become the first source in the US for the new Elka Racing Shocks.

Elka Suspension is a newcomer from Canada. Their company was founded in 2000, and in very short order they have taken over the world of custom ATV racing shocks, being the brand of choice by most top racers in just three short years.

I have worked closely with Elka to set their shocks up to suit road racing bikes. Having helped develop and improve other top shocks in the past, I have been able to cut the Elka set up curve down to nothing. They are a very responsive company and are committed to becoming the #1 racing shock in the US. I am quite confident that their superior quality shocks will turn heads, and win races. To top it all off, they are substantially less expensive than any of the major competing brands.



The “top of the line” Elka is triple adjustable, offering high and low speed compression adjustment, as well as rebound. Ride height and spring preload adjustment are standard on this product as well. Most models come in piggyback configuration. The retail price is only $895!

The standard Elka is double adjustable, offering high speed compression and rebound damping adjustment. It too, has spring preload and ride height adjustment. These shocks are the most affordably priced of all “top tier” shocks at $735.

For information on sponsorship opportunities and introductory pricing specials, please email us, [email protected]. We will have photos and information up on our website (www.traxxion.com) within a week or so. Please stop by our booth at the Indy Dealer Expo to see our exciting new shock line! We are in booth #6012.

Sincerely,

Max McAllister
President
Traxxion Dynamics, Inc.