From a press release issued by Aprilia Racing:

TESTS IN VALENCIA / 2ND DAY

A cloudy day and some rain that wet the asphalt did not stop the test day in Valencia. Despite the bad weather and the reduced number of laps the day was positive for the Aprilia MotoGP protagonists; Shakey did a good performance on his RS3 showing his confidence but the attention was focused of course on Jeremy Mc Williams who improved his first performance getting along pretty well with the Cube’s 200 H.P.

It definitely was a positive day for what concerns the data collecting and the materials’ test, a common aim for all 250′ riders; Manuel Poggiali devoted several laps to test the tires, trying different solutions in sight of the on-coming season.

Timing in MotoGP:

Shane Byrne 1.35.7
Jeremy Mc Williams 1.36.2

250cc Timing:

Sebastian Porto 1.36.1
Alex De Angelis 1.36.4
Fonsi Nieto 1.36.7
Manuel Poggiali 1.36.5

Aprilia Racing’s press release from Day One of the test:

Here we are again. Under Valencia’s sun, the Aprilia MotpGp is back on track after the long xmas pause. It’s test time, in order to coordinate the technical developments and re-create the feeling between riders and motorbikes.

In the first, important day of test the appointment is very special for Jeremy McWilliams, on his debut on the RS3 towards a season that will see him as a protagonist of Noale’s 3 cylinders side by side with the young Shane Byrne. For both of them, the test day was surely positive.

Jeremy has worked a lot on the set up, including the personal regulation of each part of the cube, from the handle to the engine brakes. The first meeting with the RS3 was quite good, except a little slide in the end, the motorbike gave to the British guy some good vibrations. Shakey keeps on going well improving his performances progressing his time of two tenths less than the previous December.

Good timing also in the 125, you can have a look at the right below.

Tomorrow, thanks to the good weather, riders will be on track again: MotoGP has just begun!

MotoGP timing:
Shane Byrne 1.35.1
Jeremy McWilliams 1.37.0

250cc timing :
Sebastian Porto 1.36.2
Manuel Poggiali 1.36.6
Fonsi Nieto 1.37.2

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

According to a January 30 memo sent by Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. to dealers and obtained by Roadracingworld.com today, production of the 2004 Kawasaki ZX-10R has been delayed.

The memo states, “Shipments to dealers are expected to start aproximately 60 days later than indicated in your Vehicle Confirmed Delivery Schedule, and to continue at that rate.”

The delay means that ZX-10R Kawasakis should start arriving at some dealers late in March, 2004.

At post time, Roadracingworld.com was unable to reach a Kawasaki spokesperson and was awaiting a return phone call.

From a press release issued by Yamaha:

Yamaha Motor Racing will again play host to its popular Yamaha Racing Training event –– which takes place between March 21 and 25 at the Nogaro circuit in France.

This year’s event is open to competitors having a racing license and running either a 2004 model YZF-R1 or a 2003/2004 model YZF-R6 in a recognised national or European Superbike, Supersport or Superstock championship. What is so unusual about the Yamaha Race Training – in short YRT – is that the event is free of charge. The only costs incurred by participants are traveling to and from the event, overnight accommodation, food, fuel, tyres and other machine consumables.

Yamaha Motor Racing’s technical coordinator (and former GP and World Supersport winner) Wilco Zeelenberg is hosting the event. Wilco is joined by race engineers from Yamaha’s Japanese headquarters, Yamaha service staff and technicians from some of the leading tyre and suspension manufacturers, while the hospitality set up from the Yamaha Belgarda World Supersport team will provide participants a warm central home for the duration of the event.

YRT first saw the light of day in the mid-nineties as a classroom-based programme for racing customers. It was reintroduced last year at the Almeria circuit in southern Spain, with a new format that combined the theory with practical assistance in the form of free track time.

Last year’s YRT proved an undoubted success, with competitors from 11 countries traveling to Spain. The main difference between the 2003 and 2004 events, apart from the more central location, is that this year the event has been opened up to R1 riders, due in no small part to the high number of competitors choosing to race the for 2004 new 1000cc model in the Superbike, Endurance and Superstock classes. This year’s format also offers participants more track time, with one day of theory and three days on track.

Yamaha’s theory tuition will ensure that the competitors get the most out of their new steeds and the YEC (Yamaha Engineering Corporation) kit parts, while the free track time acknowledges the fact that it can often be difficult for national level riders to get sufficient practice to go into the season with a bike set-up they are totally confident in.

“National riders sometimes only get 20 or 25 minute practice sessions before races,” explains Zeelenberg. “That makes it especially important for them to find the correct set-up quickly. If they follow our guidelines they should be able to find good settings for every track, and go faster quicker.”

Registration

Competitors wishing to find out more information about YRT or who wish to register should contact their national Yamaha distributor prior to 23rd February. Details of local distributors can be found on the Yamaha Motor Europe website http://www.yamaha-motor-europe.com or can be obtained by contacting us by the following email address: [email protected]

From a press release issued by Stockton Motorplex Park:

New Northern California Mini Road Racing Club!

Matt Myers, the Director of Events (motorcycle
division) at the Stockton Motorplex Park located in Stockton, California, along with track owner Chris Ranuio, have developed a new mini road race club and series called Stockton Mini Road Race Club (SMRRC) scheduled to start on March 7th, 2004.

A little about Mr. Myers, Matt has been an avid motorcycle rider and racer for over twenty years, mostly on street bikes, including some amateur and semi professional road racing. Myers has also had experience running several local motorcycle racing series and organizations, including the position of race director for SupermotoUSA at the Stockton facility. Matt’s position at the Stockton track, among other things, is to develop and oversee new ways of showcasing their facility and to bring motorcycle riders an opportunity to experience motorcycle riding and racing in a safe controlled environment. “We have already earmarked 7 race dates starting in March 2004” says Myers, with all races scheduled to be held on Sundays. One of the new clubs many focuses will be to support and nurture junior road racers. With that in mind, they have developed several youth classes. One inparticular has been dubbed “Jr. Stars” where kids as young as 5 can compete on small displacement minibikes. Matt feels the timing is right for a new series to begin. “With the emergence of Supermotard racing coupled with the latest minibike and mini road racing craze we’re sure to have a hit, especially since the track is so motorcycle friendly.”

“I would love to hear some feedback from riders and racers who would be willing to support and join this new club” says Myers. Please feel free to contact Matt with questions or comments.

Matt Myers
Director of Events, Stockton Motorplex Park
(209) 914-3697
e-mail @ [email protected]
2827 Cherry Hills Dr. Discovery Bay, CA 94514

Below is a quick overview of the class structure, more about class details, and or membership can be found by obtaining our 2004 series rulebook at the tracks official website www.in2higear.com or www.teamcalamari.com

Stockton Mini Road Racing Club (SMRRC)

Basic Class Structure

12″ wheel classes YSR, NSR, Metrakit…
(1) Stock YSR
(2) Modified
(3) Super Modified
(4) Unlimited

Pocketbikes
(5) Pocketbike Production & Mini Sidecars

GP Classes…
(6) 80GP Junior (ages 10-13)
(7) 80GP Expert-(ages 14-up)

Big Wheel
(8) Modified Production (production based modern
street bikes)
(9) Unlimited Production (production based modern
street bikes)

4 Stroke Classes…
(10) Junior Stars-(ages 5-9)
(11) Unlimited XR50- (ages 10-up)
(12) Stock Thunder
(13) Unlimited Thunder

Womens
(14) Big Wheel, Stock Thunder

From a press release issued by Sport Tire Services:

Feb. 3rd 2004

Sport Tire Services/Dunlop race tires
Paso Robles, CA

We at Sport Tire Services are proud to announce Dunlop’s release of the all new AMA Supersport ready, 17-inch racing slicks. These tires will fit a 5.50X17 to a 6.00X17 inch rear rim and a 3.50X17 inch front.

The all new sizes are; 120/70X17 front and 195/70X17 rear.

These tires are currently available in Soft, +1 and +2 compounds.

The same tires that are being used by factory Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki for their AMA Superstock 1000cc machines, are now in stock and ready for club racer use.

They will be on sale at the Willow Springs Motorcycle Club races during the Valentine’s Day weekend.

The new 190/60X17 D208 GP “A” is soon to follow!

Call 805-434-4810 for details and pricing.

From a press release issued by California Speedway:

Les Richter Selected To Receive Eagle One-Shav Glick Award

Lexington, KY, Feb. 3, 2004…Les Richter, long-time NASCAR vice-president and a name synonymous with motor racing in Southern California, has been chosen the winner of the fifth annual Eagle One-Shav Glick Award, a symbol of distinguished achievement in motor racing by a Californian.

The award, presented by the car-care products company, is named in honor of the venerable motorsports writer of the Los Angeles Times. Previous winners were Dan Gurney, Wally Parks, Parnelli Jones and Rick Mears.

Richter will receive the award May 2 during ceremonies prior to the start of the NASCAR Auto Club 500 at California Speedway, in Fontana.

After a Hall of Fame football career in college at the University of California and in the pros with the L.A. Rams, Richter became manager and operator of Riverside International Raceway for 23 years before leaving to become a vice president of NASCAR. He and Bill France Sr. were responsible for NASCAR and Winston Cup moving west to Riverside and helping the then Southeast-oriented racing organization become a national entity.

In 1994 he returned to Southern California to oversee construction of California Speedway in Fontana for Roger Penske. He is currently vice president of special projects for International Speedway Corp., which obtained control of California Speedway from Penske in 1999. He is also chairman of the board for the International Race of Champions (IROC).

Said Glick of Richter, “He, more than anyone but Bill France Sr., was responsible for the expansion of NASCAR. After they established NASCAR on the West Coast, the series expanded elsewhere. Riverside became a national and international racing institution under Richter’s stewardship.”

Other nominees were: Don Prudhomme, Rodger Ward, Joe Leonard and Chris Pook.

Judges were: Mike Harris, Associated Press; Bill Center, San Diego Union; Jim Short, Riverside Press-Enterprise; Doug Stokes, Irwindale Speedway; John Zimmermann, motorsports writer; and Mears, last year’s winner.

Eagle One is a division of The Valvoline Company.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail

I just read an article about the guys in Europe who are attempting to purchase bikes with false checks. I have been contacted by two gentleman regarding a bike I am selling on the internet. I was contacted about 4 weeks ago and have been communicating with them once or twice a week. They gave me the same story as the others. They send the check, I take my money and, pay the shipper and send the rest back. I am not surprised that this is taking place, for someone was sure to take advantage of the anonymity the internet provides. The names in the article written by John Chen are different than the two guys I spoke to but now the uncertainty of their intentions have left a bad taste in my mouth.

Tom Galan
Elizabeth, New Jersey



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail

In regards to your post about the “Nigerian scam” e-mails, I’ve seen an increase recently from similar individuals broadcasting these messages by replying to classified ads on my site. I hope posting this info will raise awareness to the point where these scams no longer catch people unaware.

Below are a few of the recent replies claiming to be interested in buying parts listed in classified ads. Feel free to publish & edit any of these details.

Rod Helsens
Ringwood, New Jersey

From: lilian [[email protected]]
Date: Thu 1/22/2004 10:56 PM
Subject: Re: RS250 HONDAS on fatbaq.com
Good Day,
I saw your advert via net and am interested in the purchase of your bkie and also i will like to know the actual price of the car with the present condition of the car,i will be paying with the cashiers check and if the method of payment is okay by you mail me immediately so that i can contact my client to prepare the check for you. Don’t worry about the shipment of the car,I have made a solid arrangement for the pick up of the bike by my shipping company. I will be waiting for your reply ASAP.

Best Regard


From: smith magor [[email protected]]
Date: Mon 1/19/2004 7:50 AM
Subject: Re: 1993 RS125 MOTOR on fatbaq.com
Hello,
my name is smith magor, wishing you merry xmas and happy new year i’m from norway,i saw your advert on the net that are about to sell your 93 RS125 MOTOR.kindly get back tome with the price so we can make arrangement for the payment cos the mood of payment will be a check, then if you are okay with this you send me you following information so i can make arrangement for the payment; smith magor


From: Austine [[email protected]]
Date: Mon 1/5/2004 10:33 PM
Subject: 1997 RS125 ROLLING on fatbaq.com
Dear sir,
I am Austine based in Holland.i will like to know how much you are willing to sell this 1997 RS125 ROLLING CHASSIS I’m highly intrested in buying it.I would like to know your last offer on this 1997 RS125 ROLLING CHASSIS and what is present condition.And if the pics is available i will like to see it and verify some things okay and please reply me as soon as possible. Best Regards, Austine.



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail

Here’s a beauty:

It now appears that even those of us not selling bikes are targets for these dipshits. I received an e-mail this week from a Mr. Barrister Mondo A$$hole or whatever his name was. Stating that after years of trying unsuccessfully to reach the next of kin of some family that tragically died in an auto accident while on business in Nigeria (whose name just happens to be the same as mine). That because we have the same name I am entitled to $14.7 million that they have left behind. WOW, I’m loaded. I guess all I have to do is give this moron my social security # and my bank account and he’ll be so kind as to send the money right away. Sorry I don’t have the exact copy of the e-mail, as I deleted it after telling all my co-workers that I was now rich and they wouldn’t be seeing me anymore. Anyway, it was a good laugh.

Kent Shoemaker
Goodrich, Michigan

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail

My GSX-R1000 was stolen last night. Here are the details:

Sunday night between 11:30 p.m. and 8:15 a.m. from Marina Bay, Richmond, California.

2001 GSX-R1000, black and silver

Stock bike in excellent condition, never crashed or dropped

License: 15V8345
VIN: JS1GT74A912101863
EIN: T708104787

Thanks for anything you can do.

Brad Stewart
415-577-7045
[email protected]

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Grand-Am Spokesman Pat Murphy said today that there were no GT-class tire problems during the Rolex 24-hour car race at Daytona this weekend.

Roadracingworld.com called Murphy after several readers e-mailed that five Dunlop tires had failed in the first couple of hours of the race, which runs on the same road course as motorcycle races held there. Dunlop is the spec-tire sponsor in the GT class, and all entrants are required to use the same model Dunlop tires.

“Did you see the first two hours of the 24-hour?” asked reader and racer Bill St. John in one e-mail. “Five of the Dunlop spec-tire-equipped GT class cars had tires explode. Then it started raining.”

Murphy said that while Grand-Am GT-class racers have had tire problems in the past, those problems were caused by improper camber set-up on the involved cars. Once cars were set-up to camber specs recommended by Dunlop, the problems disappeared, Murphy said.

This year, Murphy said, there were several problems with wheels falling off cars after pit stops, which teams blamed on a new wheel nut system mandated by Grand-Am.

In related news, a Vreeke & Associates spokesperson said today that the advertising and public relations company was experiencing e-mail problems, which may explain why some media outlets received a recent Dunlop press release concerning last week’s motorcycle tire test at Daytona while other media outlets, including Roadracingworld.com, did not.

An e-mailed message from Vreeke & Associates Project Manager Michaela Harrison and the release in question follow:

Sorry for any inconvenience not receiving the press releases we have e-mailed. I am having e-mail troubles and was not aware of the problem until your phone call this morning. I am sending this from another computer to make sure it gets to you. If you need any thing else feel free to contact me.

Michaela Harrison
Projects Manager
Vreeke & Associates


Dunlop Completes Successful January Daytona Tire Test

Buffalo, NY: Dunlop Motorcycle Tires has completed a successful January tire test at Daytona International Speedway, with almost all Dunlop riders posting faster times than they achieved in December.

Dunlop Road Racing Manager Jim Allen said, “We set out to address some serious tire issues we encountered in our December test, and these January results certainly show that we’ve addressed those issues. It also appears that we didn’t have to compromise performance while developing solutions. Nothing is a sure bet at Daytona, but we’re quietly optimistic after this test.”

All six racers in attendance, Honda’s (Miguel Duhamel, Ben Bostrom and Jake Zemke), Kawasaki’s (Tommy Hayden and Roger Hayden) and Yamaha’s (Jason DiSalvo) were able to complete successful full race-distance tire trials. Team Honda’s Miguel Duhamel, Daytona’s winningest active rider, completed 103 laps on his CBR1000RR over the course of the two-day test, more than any other rider on hand.

“The tires were working really well in December, but unfortunately we had that one mishap,” Duhamel said. “Now Dunlop has come out with a tire that’s more bulletproof for Daytona, and that’s the tire I prefer the most. These tires were good for lap times about a full second faster. They ran cooler and my lap times were more consistent for the whole 18 laps that I ran on them. I think the tires will be even better when we come back here in March.”

Jake Zemke, who rides the new CBR1000RR Honda Superbike under the Erion Racing banner, offered similar observations. “Dunlop’s response in providing new tires has been very impressive. These guys definitely had their work cut out for them after the December test and they definitely got the job done. We all put in long runs and nobody had any problems, so I feel they really have a good handle on what’s going on. I went 1:48.2 in December, and I turned 1:47.59 this time. So I went a little bit quicker. I turned the fastest lap I’ve ever turned here at Daytona, and the bike felt pretty good on that lap. And there’s definitely more in there—for sure.”

After a strong showing on his factory Honda CBR1000RR Superbike, Ben Bostrom summed things up by saying, “This was the biggest leap forward in tires ever here at Daytona.”

Having completed testing with his ZX-10 1000cc Superstock machine, Team Kawasaki’s Roger Hayden said, “I’m pretty excited with the way Dunlop came through and got on top of the tire setup for the Superstock class. I think they’re doing a great job and they’re going about it the right way. I felt like I was struggling with grip, but I went 1.3 seconds quicker this time than I did in December. It’s weird the way that works, but it’s making me learn more about how to set up the bike. You’re not going to be able to put a softer tire on every time you’re at a race, so you just have to learn how to run with a harder tire. I have confidence in Dunlop. They’ve shown a lot of support.”

Factory Yamaha rider Jason DiSalvo echoed that thought, saying, “These tests gave me a lot more confidence here at Daytona.”

With all these riders and more, Dunlop will turn out in full force at Daytona in March, the season kick-off for the 2004 AMA road racing season. Dunlop has won the past eleven consecutive Daytona 200 Superbike races, and the company has its sights set on completing the even dozen in 2004.

COPYRIGHT 2004, ROADRACING WORLD PUBLISHING, Inc.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail

Thank you for the recent articles regarding internet bike-buying scams w/bogus cashier’s checks.

Friends of mine have been contacted by these a**holes abroad and I have recently been contacted by two people (see below) with similar scams when I posted a bike for sale in the local paper.

Is there a place where I can report these people to or is it because they are abroad, there is nothing we can do?

Please let me know as this problem appears to have become rampant and I hate to just dismiss it without doing anthing about it.

The thought of others falling prey to this pisses me off to no end.

John Chen
WSMC/WERA 73
AMA737
Foothill Ranch, California



From: Richard Winston
Date: 2004/02/02 Mon PM 05:30:15 EST
To: [email protected]
Subject: 2002 GSXR750 Frame & motor w/swingarm,injectors …, $975.00
Hi,
I am a used auto spares trader from Italy with clients all over Italy. I have offices in most Italian Cities. I have a client who’s interested in your equipment. Although I’m ok with your price and Inrespect of payment i have a client in U.S.A who is owing me $=5,500. All i need to do to make payment easier and faster is to instruct him to raise a cashier’s check in your name, mail it to me and i’ll mail to you personally on the address and name you want on the check and you know that you can cash it easily. But i would want to know if i can trust you to send my balance to me via Western union money transfer money transfer to enable me prepay the shipping company here so that they can instruct their office closer to you to come and pick the item from your location.

Please mail me asap to enable me arrange payment .
Awaiting your urgent response.

Thank you
Richard.



From: “dimmy vest”
Date: 2004/02/02 Mon PM 04:55:23 EST
To: [email protected]
Subject: payment & shipping …….trust
thanks for the mail,i really appreciate your speedy response and all the details.as for the payment the payment,there is an associate of mine in U.S who is owing me the sum of $4,000,he did promise to pay me after the xmas celebration by issuing me a cashier’s check of $4,000 since this is the case i will not like to delay you, i will instruct him to issue out the payment that he is owning me to you so that you can deduct your amount of your item and send the remining to my shipping agent that will settle the shipping company for the pick up.please i am entrusting the balance to you after you have deducted your own money and any other charges. please i do not intend to send any fund to my shipper for picking up.this mean without any delay in the shipping, once the payment is in your possession i will like you to send the balance of the money to my shipping agent via WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER ASAP.for the picking i am doing this to hesten the shipping.if this p is okay by you i will like you to forward me your contact adress where the check will be sent to or your account information immediatly,so as to send it to my associate immediatly to issue you the payment as soon as possible, as follow
NAME………..
STREET……..
STATE…….
CITY……..
ZIPCODE….
CELL PHONE……
PHONE NO………..
i will be greatful if the recent pics will be forwarded if there is one in your next mail,Your immediat respose will be highly be appreciated