Frim a press release issued by World Championship Motorsports (WCM):

Blata V6 MotoGP campaign

Today Monday July 19th 2004 an agreement was made between Blata s.r.o and World Championship Motorsports to develop a V6 MotoGP machine with which to contest the 2005 World Championship.

The Blata V6 is a thrilling venture for the young company previously famous for the Blata mini bike raced the world over. The leap into the greatest class in motor cycle racing offers the chance to showcase the wealth of technological expertise available in the Czech Republic.

Though Blata has only been in existence since 1990 it already sells 15,000 machines a year. The new factory was completed in 2000 It will soon be joined by a second manufacturing facility to be completed in October 2004 plus a third due for completion in 2009. This will result in a manufacturing capability of 100,000 units per year.

The Japanese manufacturers such as Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki used Grand Prix racing in the 1960s to give their engineers a way of rapidly developing and expressing their knowledge and experience. It also gave their brands world wide exposure. In 2005 there is no better way to achieve the same goals than to take up the challenge of competing in the MotoGP World Championship.

World Championship Motorsports bring to this partnership Grand Prix winning experience. Red Bull Yamaha WCM became one of the best known teams at the turn of the century. In the last two years WCM has campaigned its own MotoGP machine and put the WCM name in the record books again.

WCM recognised that they needed a strong technical partner to have any chance of challenging the factory supported teams and joining with Blata in this project achieves that.

The Czech republic has a great history in motorcycle sport through brands such as Jawa and CZ. It is hoped that this project is taking the first step to recapture some of that magic.

More details of the project will be announced at the Grand Prix of the Czech Republic 20th ­ 22nd August.

From a press release issued by Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course:

FANS SET TO LAP TRACK DURING 14TH ANNUAL MID-OHIO DEALER RIDE

DUBLIN, Ohio -Motorcycle riders may take to the city streets daily, but once a year Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course allows spectators the chance to hit the track with their own two-wheeler. Now in its 14th season, the Mid-Ohio Dealer Ride is a crowd favorite. The Dealer Ride takes place throughout the lunchtime break on Sunday, July 25 during the Honda Super Cycle Weekend presented by Dunlop Tire.

With more than 110 motorcycle dealerships scheduled to participate in this year’s event, over 450 riders will experience an on-track tour of Mid-Ohio’s 15-turn, 2.4-mile road course. In addition to the lunchtime lap on Sunday, participants will also receive VIP parking in the infield.

To sign up for the Dealer Ride, bike owners can simply visit their nearest participating motorcycle dealership, including all Honda dealerships in Ohio, during normal business hours. All participating riders and passengers must be 18 years of age or older, riders must carry a valid operator’s license, and helmets are required for those on board.

Along with the 14th annual Dealer Ride, the Honda Super Cycle Weekend presented by Dunlop Tire will feature a Wiseco Superbike 100 doubleheader. Miguel Duhamel, Ben Bostrom, Jake Zemke and the rest of the AMA Superbike superstars will go head-to-head with hopes of taking the checkered flag in Saturday and Sunday afternoon’s races.

Also featured during the weekend events, will be the fast-paced, two-wheeled action from Supersport, Superstock, and Formula Xtreme classes.

From a press release issued by Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha:

GAULOISES FORTUNA YAMAHA MEN ENTER SECOND HALF OF 2004 CHALLENGE

With the season’s halfway point breached at last weekend’s German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring, the forthcoming Donington event heralds the start of the second half of the 16-race MotoGP World Championship. Starting at a later time to allow live TV coverage on a Formula One weekend, the 30-lap British Grand Prix will be almost a home race for Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha Team riders Valentino Rossi and Carlos Checa, as both the 25-year-old Italian and the 31-year-old Spaniard have their primary residences in the English capital city of London.

After winning half of the eight races so far, Rossi holds the slenderest of championship leads, ahead of his new championship rival Max Biaggi (Honda) by one point, with eight races left to run. Checa, who suffered the misfortune of a fall while fighting with the leaders at Sachsenring, sits seventh overall in the table, looking to return to the kind of early season form which gave him second place at Le Mans.

The sweeps and curves of Donington make it a natural backdrop for both team pilots to exploit and after some technical issues were ironed out immediately before the race at Sachsenring, Donington is eagerly anticipated as another opportunity to go for the win and rack up points at a crucial stage of the championship.

Rossi has an enviable record at Donington, having won three premier class race victories, one 250cc win and another in 125cc at the circuit. Prior to the race, Rossi will be attending a promotional event at London’s Leicester Square on Wednesday 21 July, immediately before the team decants to the Donington circuit.

ROSSI DESCRIBES THE DONINGTON EXPERIENCE

After leading the race before ultimately finishing fourth at Sachsenring, Rossi is glad to be going to a track which may favour the advantages held by his YZR-M1. “Both Sachsenring and Donington are traditionally good circuits for Yamaha, so I hope to do well in Donington. Donington is different to all the others. It has the medium to high-speed corners in the first part, including the hairpin, and then the second part is the ‘car park’.”

Exactness is the most desirable commodity at Donington, according to Rossi. “You need so much precision in the first part of the Donington track; the bike needs to be set hard for that bit. Redgate is important, just before the corner, because it’s a good place to overtake and quite fast. However you shouldn’t arrive there too fast, because you need good speed for the next section. Also the section before the hairpin is important for your overall lap time.”

His personal favourite part is the Old Hairpin, which forms the lowest part of the track, following on from a rollercoaster ride down Craner Curves.

“The hairpin section for me is perhaps one of the best sections of the championship, down-up and very nice. Then the run up to Coppice is very hard because after about 5 laps you lose grip on the right side of the tyres. It’s all over for me at that point because then you reach the ‘car park’! This section has the slowest track point of the championship, it’s really difficult.”

In summation, Rossi states, “I think Yamaha will have an advantage in the fast part as our bike is more agile, it’s easier to change direction with than the Honda. Then later the braking stability and acceleration of the Honda could have an advantage. It will be an interesting race.”

CHECA’S HOME FROM HOME

For Carlos Checa, Donington has many levels of significance. “I really like to race in the UK, I’ve lived there for quite a few years now so it’s like my second ‘home’ Grand Prix. After my accident I had so much support from the British fans; they are really enthusiastic. I have many friends in England so it’s nice for them to come to the race, too. Having said that Donington is not my favourite track of the year!”

London resident Checa feels right at home at Donington, but does not rate the track as one of his favourites. “I like England very much but the track is not at the level of the country or the World Championship, especially the last part of it; it’s much more suited to 125cc bikes or the British Championship. However, despite all this I’m still looking forward to it!”

Checa feels he can go well in the lone UK-based MotoGP race of the year, the last before a three-weekend break until the next round at Brno in the Czech Republic, on August 22nd. “As for our bike at Donington, we’ll see! I think it will be quite good there, although it will depend on the tyre. We need to work on grip; this will be very important at Donington. Last year I qualified well but wasn’t able to keep the pace throughout the race. This year I am going to need a lot of energy to push as hard as possible and hopefully have a good race. I really want to go into the summer break feeling confident and with some good things to think about.”

DAVIDE BRIVIO – GAULOISES FORTUNA YAMAHA TEAM DIRECTOR

The peculiarities of Donington are well known to the experienced Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha Team, as the Team Director Davide Brivio explains. “Donington is the last race before the summer break so it is obviously important to leave that race still leading the championship. The competition is becoming harder and harder now Max Biaggi is in good shape and I’m sure he will put in all his efforts to get to the top as well. Donington should not be a bad circuit for us. Valentino likes the track and Carlos has been in the top positions there as well. Both riders can be good there, and we have shown we have the potential to fight with the leaders. We got good information from Sachsenring but Donington is a bit different. It has longer corners, faster corners for the most part; the only similarity is the uphill and downhill nature of the track. Then there is the ‘car park’ slow section to finish each lap. We are going with the target to maintain the lead of the championship, and extend it as much as possible.”

TECHNICALLY SPEAKING

Donington, somewhat like the previous circuit at Sachsenring, is a track of two halves. One section is slow and less interesting for the riders and spectators alike, the other is faster and more flowing. Machine set-up is also therefore something of a compromise, with strong front fork springs and sharp steering the ideal solutions for hard braking and swift flick-in at the chicane and last two hairpins, while the rest of the undulating fast and medium corners require suppleness from the front suspension and a high degree of stability mid corner, and a firmer set-up on the rear to help with corner exit traction.

Horsepower is less of a factor at Donington than most circuits this year, but clean engine response and exact gearing choices are essential to handle such a variety of corners, as the track runs downhill from the start to the Old Hairpin, then back uphill to the flat section behind the pits.

Working conditions at the ageing Donington track are far from ideal but the track layout is the type that provokes either love or hate, such is its individuality. The prevalent off camber nature of Donington is one of the main factors at play during any British GP weekend, with a large tendency for the front tyre to push, making the right, left, right flick down the Craner Curve section something of a high tension rollercoaster ride. A dramatic viewing experience, Donington sits inside an amphitheatre style setting, with the spectator bankings ringing around the outside.


VALENTINO ROSSI: INFORMATION
Age: 25
Lives: London, UK
Bike: Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha Team YZR-M1
GP victories: 63 (24 X MotoGP, 13 X 500cc, 14 X 250cc, 12 X 125cc)
First GP victory: Czech Republic, 1996 (125cc)
First GP: Malaysia, 1996 (125cc)
GP starts: 132 (40 x MotoGP, 32 x 500cc, 30 x 250cc, 30 x 125cc)
Pole positions: 33
Donington 2003 results (Honda): Grid: 4th, Race: 3rd


CARLOS CHECA: INFORMATION

Age: 31
Lives: London, UK
Bike: Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha Team YZR-M1
GP victories: 2 (500cc)
First GP victory: Catalunya, 1996 (500cc)
First GP: Europe, 1993 (125cc)
GP starts: 160 (40 x MotoGP, 92 x 500cc, 27 x 250cc, 1 x 125cc)
Pole positions: 2 (1 x MotoGP, 1 x 500cc)
First pole: Spain, 1998 (500cc)
Donington 2003 results (Yamaha): Grid: 5th, Race: 6th



Donington MotoGP lap record – Valentino Rossi (Honda): 1:31.023 (2003)
Circuit best lap – Max Biaggi (Honda): 1:30.740(2003)

From a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing:

COULD “THE PASS” BE DUPLICATED IN THE MID-OHIO SUPERSPORT RACE?

Tommy vs. Roger Lee Hayden could be as good as Tommy vs. Nicky five years ago

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (July 19, 2004) – Five years ago one of the greatest passes in the history of AMA Supersport racing took place at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. On the final lap that year Nicky Hayden made a daring outside pass on his older brother Tommy as the two braked hard at the end of the back straight. Nicky went around the outside of Tommy and somehow made the move stick and held on to win the race. It was a pivotal victory in Nicky’s drive to win the title in a tight chase over his brother. Like “The Catch” with Dwight Clark and Joe Montana in the NFL, the amazing move Nicky made at Mid-Ohio came to be known simply as “The Pass”.

Five years later and again it’s two Hayden brothers atop the Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship presented by Shoei. This time Tommy is battling with his youngest brother and Kawasaki teammate Roger Lee. Roger Lee closed the gap on his brother to 22 points after his win last week in Monterey, Calif. With just three rounds to go the youngest Hayden brother may have to try to find a way to duplicate Nicky’s feat if he’s to have any chance of catching Tommy for the championship. Both Hayden brothers are seeking their first AMA road racing title.

Round nine of the 11-race Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship will take place at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Sunday, July 25, as part of the Honda Super Cycle Weekend presented by Dunlop Tire. A new Mid-Ohio Supersport winner will be crowned this weekend since none of the AMA Supersport regulars have won the race.

Tommy Hayden is the pre-race favorite coming into Mid-Ohio. Not only is he the series leader, but Hayden has also scored four top-five finishes in the Mid-Ohio Supersport in the last five years, including runner-up results in 2001 and the aforementioned 1999 race. Hayden is coming ever closer to winning his first AMA road race championship after ten years of trying.

“Until I have it sewn up I won’t feel very good about it, but it’s good to have a cushion,” said the soft-spoken Hayden of the points lead on his brother. “I’m not going to get super-excited.”

Eight riders are still in contention for the Supersport title, although it seems unlikely that anyone will be able to overcome the substantial points lead of the Hayden brothers with just three races left on the 2004 schedule.

If either Tommy or Roger Lee wins at Mid-Ohio it would mark the first time a Kawasaki rider has won the race since Miguel Duhamel took the victory on a green machine 11 years ago.

Yamaha’s Jason DiSalvo is the first non-Hayden in the series standings. The 20-year-old New York rider is among the four who have won in the series this year. DiSalvo took victory at Daytona International Speedway in March and is eager to get his second win of the season. The other winner is Ben Spies, of Yoshimura Suzuki. Spies raced his first professional event at Mid-Ohio four years ago. Since his pro debut Spies become an AMA Formula Xtreme champ in 2003. He’s ranked sixth in the Supersport standings coming into this weekend’s race.

The Mid-Ohio Supersport race will be televised live, July 25 on SPEED Channel at 1 p.m. Eastern.

For additional information on the Honda Super Cycle Weekend presented by Dunlop Tire contact Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course at (800) MID-OHIO or check out the website www.midohio.com

From a press release:

Radio and TV Version of SpeedFreaks Sweetened With

Multi-Platinum Selling Band Sugar Ray and Brothers Bostrom



Hollywood, CA (July 19, 2004) – SpeedFreaks keep their foot on the throat of conventional motorsports programming as they continue to defy the norm. And tonight, it is no different as the Freaks combine raucous music mad men of Sugar Ray with hard core motorsports of Eric and Ben Bostrom.



“Going into this thing four years ago, we set out to make this big time motorsports radio show as bump and grind as a Baja 1000 back seat boogie,” says SpeedFreaks president, Kenny Sargent. “So, why not for Speed Channel? We call in our rowdy So-Cal neighbors, Sugar Ray, to join our friends and arguably the most popular last name in Superbikes, the Bostroms… Eric and Benny that is.”



“Just as the Brothers do leaning into it at 180 in Daytona, SpeedFreaks will grab a knee, and then some, as we max the throttle tonight in the SpeedFreaks Pits,” vows the Freaks Statt Mann Caruthers. “Taking our two hour radio diatribe, crunchin’ her to thirty minutes for Speed Channel, there is not an octane in existence to rival our juice.”



Along with the aforementioned double barrel barrage, SpeedFreaks run in the red with features from NASCAR Truck pilot Chad Chaffin and another installment of The World According to AJ.



SpeedFreaks and the who’s who in motorsports guest line-up can be seen tonight on Speed Channel at 8:30 p.m. EST (5:30 p.m. PST) and repeated at 12:30 a.m. (9:30 p.m. PST).



If the thirty-minute bum rush leaves you thirsting for more, check out the full two hour national radio broadcast archive including interviews with NASCAR Busch Series driver Mike Wallace and NASCAR Truck winner from St. Louis David Starr, at www.SpeedFreaks.TV.



SpeedFreaks with Kenny Sargent, Lugg Nuttz, Statt Mann Caruthers and Crash Gladys can be heard every Sunday Night on the Freak Radio Network at 7 p.m. PST. The FRN houses over 80 radio stations across the United States including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Chicago, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Indianapolis, Boston, Detroit, Seattle, Portland, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Albuquerque, Charlotte, Charleston, Reno, Bakersfield, Hampton, etc. For an additional SpeedFreaks affiliate listing, log on to http://www.speedfreaks.tv/affiliates.shtml


Additional live coverage can be heard on the Internet at http://www.SportsByline.com, the Armed Forces Network and on Sirius Satellite Radio’s channel 122, via Sports Byline USA.

Plus – SpeedFreaks can also be heard every Saturday live from 3 to 6 PM (EST) on Sirius Satellite’s Extreme Sports Action 123.

From a press release issued by Traxxion Dynamics:

Traxxion Dynamics Moves Production In-House, Will Miss Mid-Ohio Races

Traxxion Dynamics has purchased a new HAAS-TL15 CNC Turning Center, and will move production of their Championship Winning Axxion Valves in house, according to Max McAllister, President of Traxxion.

“Until now, we have always outsourced 100% of our parts, and that has always left us with gaps in quality and delivery time. Since our parts have to be perfect, we are forced to do QC in house anyway. This fully automated machine will allow us to have complete control over quality and production, and prioritize our needs to meet our customer’s demands more efficiently.”

“Unfortunately, I won’t be able to attend the WERA and AMA races at Mid-Ohio due to the delivery of our new machine. They aren’t able to give us an exact time or date it will arrive this week, but I have to be here to inspect it and sign off on the delivery. However, I have made arrangements to have Traxxion Customers supported at these races by Marcus McBain of Racing Performance Services. RPS is Traxxion’s #1 Dealer, and Marcus will be equipped to provide the same support and service we could, if we were there. Please seek him out if you need any assistance. RPS will be arriving at the track Monday July 19th in the afternoon.”

For further information, you can email us: [email protected] or call 770 592-3823.

From a press release issued by Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course::

TWO-WHEELERS ROCKET BACK TO MID-OHIO SPORTS CAR COURSE

DUBLIN, Ohio – The AMA Chevrolet Superbike Championship returns to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course during the Honda Super Cycle Weekend presented by Dunlop Tire, July 23-25. The July classic will run at Mid-Ohio for the 22nd time, making it the longest running series on the 2004 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course schedule.

The competition is extremely tight entering this year’s event, with Honda riders Miguel Duhamel and superbike rookie Jake Zemke trailing defending champion Mat Mladin by just 10 and 19 points, respectively. Because Mid-Ohio’s Wiseco Superbike 100 doubleheader represents rounds 13 and 14 of just 18 races on the AMA schedule, the Mid-Ohio stop will have an enormous impact on the season championship.

Between the close points race and the always-close racing at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Duhamel believes the stars are aligned for a special weekend of racing.

“This year’s racing has been the tightest and most competitive ever,” said Duhamel, who has won more AMA Superbike races than any rider in history. “If you don’t show up this year are really going to miss something. You are going to miss a moment in time when you can say, ‘I was there,’ because I think it’s going to be a real barn burner.”

Jake Zemke, who is chasing a championship in the AMA’s premier class after winning on a Supersport bike during last year’s Honda Super Cycle Weekend presented by Dunlop Tire, concurs with Duhamel.

“Obviously, we’re definitely going to have our work cut out for us here,” said the Erion Honda rider. “Mat (Mladin)’s going to be strong, Miguel’s going to be strong…we’ve been competitive pretty much every race this year, and it’s put us right in the thick of things.”

Though the Superbike class highlights the weekend, the AMA’s field of support races will prove to be just as exciting. Supersport, Superstock, and a revamped Formula Xtreme series round out the schedule.

Spectators and fans wanting to get up close and personal with any of their favorite AMA riders should mark Friday, July 23 on their calendar. From 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the Honda Pavilion, located just outside the “carousel” turn of Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, top racers from all of the AMA series will be participating in an autograph session.

For more information or tickets to the Honda Super Cycle Weekend presented by Dunlop Tire, call 1-800-MID-OHIO or visit Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on the web at www.midohio.com

From a press release issued by Ride To Work:

Worldwide Motorcycle Ride to Work Day is Wednesday

Motorcycle riders 13th annual commuting Ride to Work day is Wednesday, July 21st. Participation in the yearly demonstration is estimated to triple the number of riders on the road, and help reveal to the public that motorcyclists come from all walks of life, work in all occupations, and range in age from teenagers to grandparents. Motorcycle clubs and organizations worldwide actively encourage members to ride their cycles to work on this day.

Each week day in the United States, more than eighty million cars and light trucks commute on American roads, but only about 200,000 of the over six million registered cycles are regularly used for such daily transportation. Adding more motorcycles to the mix can help make urban parking easier and traffic flow better, according to Ride to Work, a non-profit advocacy organization. Studies have also shown that urban motorcyclists reach their destinations faster than those using automobiles, and that most motorcycles consume less resources per mile than typical automobiles.

“Riding to work on this day shows the positive value of motorcycling for transportation. For many people, riding is a socially responsible form of personal mobility that saves energy, helps the environment and provides a broad range of other public benefits,” stated Andy Goldfine, this year’s event organizer.

On Wednesday’s 13th annual Ride to Work Day, motorcyclists worldwide seek:

– Employer recognition and support for motorcycling

– Public and government awareness of the positive value of motorcycling.

– The Ride to Work nonprofit advocacy program can be reached at: POB 1072, Proctor, Minnesota, 55810 USA.

– The Ride to Work Organization’s Mission: To advocate and support the use of motorcycles for transportation, and to provide information about transportation riding to the public.

– Ride to Work Day Participating Countries include: Germany, Philippines, England, Israel, Turkey, Ecuador, United States, and many others.