From a press release:

The Southwestern Missouri Sport Riders Assoc. is having its 9th Daytona 200 race party, Saturday, March 6th at Classic Sports, located in the Clarion Hotel, 3333 S. Glenstone, Springfield, Missouri.

The party starts one hour before showtime on Speedvision.

For more info call 417-581-9604 or e-mail [email protected]

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Mike Ciccotto and Michael Barnes will race Buell Firebolt XB12Rs in the 2004 AMA Formula Xtreme series.

Ciccotto, who won the last-ever AMA Pro Thunder race on a Buell Firebolt, will ride for the Terry Galagan-run Hal’s Performance Advantage Buell team.

Barnes, the 2001 Formula USA Buell Lightning Series Champion, will ride for the Rich Cronrath-run Kosco Harley-Davidson/Buell squad.

Both riders will race on Pirelli tires.

“I got the word that our funding came through just yesterday,” Galagan told Roadracingworld.com. “Now I have four weeks to get everything ready to go.”

Galagan said that quite a bit of testing has been done to the Buell Firebolts since they last raced in AMA Pro Thunder in 2002. Improvements have been made in aerodynamics, horsepower and the chassis of the American-made motorcycles, according to Galagan.

From a press release issued by Clear Channel Entertainment — Motor Sports:

FORMULA USA THUNDERBIKE CLASS RULE UPDATE

2 NEW CHANGES FOR 2004

JAN 29, 2004 (Fort Worth, TX)

Rule / Purse Update

The 2004 Formula USA ThunderBike class, a perennial crowd favorite featuring today’s greatest twin machine battles between America’s Buell and Japan’s Suzuki, returns to the Formula USA program. A minor adjustment to the weight to horsepower limit has been made by changing the ratio to 3.8 pounds per horsepower (tested weight divided by tested horsepower) for all of the single, twin, and triple cylinder machines. (See 2004 FUSA/CCS Rule Book for equipment listing and requirements.)

Formula USA will also award National Championship Recognition to the top placing Amateur in ThunderBike competition at the 21st Annual Race of Champions in Daytona Beach held in October. The Champion will be determined by points earned at all Formula USA rounds over the course of the 2004 season.

As of March 1, 2004, all liquid cooled four cylinder machines are require to meet a ratio of 4.5 pounds per horsepower for F-USA ThunderBike. For complete details of Thunderbike class rules visit FormulaUSA.com or CCSracing.com, and download a copy of the 2004 Rule Book. While there, you may also print copies of the latest CCS / FUSA license mailer and the Spring event mailer, including event details for 2004 Spring Daytona (February 26-29) and Elkhart Lake (April 23-25).

PROJECTED 2004 Earnings for Thunderbike Competitors:

2004 FORMULA USA THUNDERBIKE Championship Point Fund
1st $2,000
2nd $1,250
3rd $1,000
4th $750
5th $500

2004 FORMULA USA THUNDERBIKE Minimum Sprint Purse
1st $500
2nd $325
3rd $250
4th $225
5th $200
6th $100
7th $100
8th $100
9th $100
10th $100

2004 Formula USA THUNDERBIKE Projected Winnings with Contingency*
1st $2,645
2nd $2,105
3rd $1,705
4th $1,255
5th $1,020
6th $730
7th $640
8th $510
9th $470
10th $435

Formula USA Projected THUNDERBIKE Championship Bonuses with Contingency*
1st $9,250
2nd $1,250
3rd $1,125
4th $750
5th $500

*Figures based on best paying product in each category from 2003 Contingency Program and 2004 minimum purse.

From a press release:

ON ONE WHEEL ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES

Wheelie Device Developed by Keith Code Gears Up with Triumph Speed Triple

LOS ANGELES, California — January 29, 2004 – The On One Wheel wheelie school announced today that they will be using Triumph Speed Triple motorcycles during 2004. The Speed Triple combined with Keith Code’s legendary “Wheelie Trainer.” offers students the ultimate wheelie training machine.

To many motorcycle fans and racers, the post-race ‘wheelie’ celebration has become as much of a victory symbol as the checkered flag itself. On One Wheel offers hands-on wheelie instruction to students during an 8-hour training course. Keith Code, internationally recognized as a foremost authority on motorcycle riding instruction, developed the On One Wheel “Wheelie Trainer” approximately 5 years ago.

The “trainer” consists of two devices that assist the rider in managing to bring the motorcycle back to earth following a ‘wheelie’ class experience.

“Along with a rich heritage, Triumph is known for their high performance standards and the Speed Triple is the most powerful machine in its class,” said Whitney Fair, On One Wheel executive director. “It is the perfect motorcycle for our program of bringing riders up one-step at a time. We are very proud to be associated with Triumph and look forward to a long relationship.

“The responsive handling and performance of the Speed Triple combined with the ‘Wheelie Trainer’ and on-site instructors gives students of all skill levels the keys to the experience and excitement of a controlled wheelie,” added Ms. Fair. “In a hands-on environment, students earn how to reach the balance point consistently and how to keep the bike there using throttle control – another step towards better motorcycle operation.”

Riders interested in enrolling in an 8-hour On One Wheel wheelie school may register on-line at www.ononewheel.com or call for more information in Los Angeles at On One Wheel: 818-957-7104.

Classes are conducted throughout the United States and the cost to enroll is typically $495 per person (see www.ononewheel.com for more information or call the wheelie school).



About Triumph Motorcycles (America) Ltd.

Triumph Motorcycles (America) Ltd., is a wholly owned subsidiary of Triumph Motorcycles, Ltd., the manufacturer of Triumph motorcycles and accessories. Triumph Motorcycles (America) Ltd., is located in Newnan, GA and services the Triumph dealer organization throughout the United States, Canada and Latin America.



About On One Wheel

On One Wheel is a one-day, eight hour wheelie school with hands-on experience in a controlled environment with instructors and a ‘Wheelie Trainer” device specially designed by Keith Code to assist students in training and developing wheelie skills.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

(And will the person who forwarded the link to the website of the manufacturer of an anti-theft wheel “boot” the last time we posted a stolen trailer report, please forward the link again? This time we’ll actually do something with it, in the name of the overall social good, we promise.)

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail

Hey I’m hoping you guys can help me out a little. I had my race trailer stolen last night (Wednesday night-early Thursday morning) from outside my shop. It’s a white 6×12 Pace American Worksport with some LP, CCS, Suzuki, Michelin stickers on the sides. Has a ramp main door and a side entry door.

Inside were most of my spares and pit equipment including Cheetah bodywork for a 2001 Suzuki GSX-R1000 painted flourescent yellow, bike stands, generator, 10×20 EZ-Up canopy, chairs, Craftsman tools and large Craftsman box, spare motor parts, wheels, forks and other misc. race stuff. Plus my AGV leathers and Spidi boots and three Shoei helmets.

Trailer had an Arizona plate M81419.

VIN 4P2FB121X3U039551. Cash reward for info!

Keep up the good work,

Kevin Wehner
CCS #174
Tempe, Arizona
480-921-0480

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

A return to MotoGP working with 2000 500cc World Champion Kenny Lee Roberts is not out of the question for Legendary Crew Chief Erv Kanemoto.

Kanemoto told Roadracingworld.com today that his trip to MotoGP team tests at Sepang last week was simply to observe what was going on. But Kanemoto also said that he went to the test at the invitation of Roberts.

“The reason to go was just to see and I made the trip with Kenny and his wife,” said Kanemoto.

Asked directly if there is any chance that he might make a return to MotoGP working with Roberts, Kanemoto said “Nothing’s been decided, but it’s not out of the question.”

From a press release:

TrackAddix Racing, Track Days and School of Speed has booked a track day and school event on the weekend left vacant by the cancellation of the AMA Superbike round at Brainerd International Raceway. TrackAddix originally had an event scheduled on Monday, June 27th following the AMA weekend.

According to Dean Rumfola, owner of TrackAddix, “We have had many requests for a weekend date at Brainerd. Weekends are very hard to come by at certain tracks and we saw this as an opportunity to better serve our customers.”
In addition to racing with the MRA, CRA, and CCS, TrackAddix also provides motorcycle track day events, a suspension tuning school, and a roadracing school.

For more information visit them on the web at www.TrackAddix.com

From a press release issued by AHRMA:

Tommy McDermott: AHRMA Daytona grand marshal

Tommy McDermott’s third-place finish at the 1954 Daytona 200, part of BSA’s top-five sweep of the race, was unquestionably a high point of his motorcycling career. But in some quarters, McDermott is better known as the first American to earn a gold medal in the “Olympics of motorcycling,” the International Six Days Trial, doing so on his first try. He was truly a competitor who could do it all, and do it well.

McDermott will serve as grand marshal for the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association’s Florida Bike Week festivities. Along with the other AHRMA Great Men, he will be available for autographs and photos at 1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 29, at the American Motorcycle Institute in Daytona Beach, and then at 11 a.m. on Monday and Tuesday, March 1 and 2, at Daytona International Speedway as part of AHRMA’s Classics Days roadracing there.

Born in 1931 in Glen Falls, N.Y., McDermott began his competition career at age 16, flat tracking a BSA 350. He moved to the AMA Expert ranks in 1948. Along the way, he also got interested in off-road competition, once finishing third in the 500-mile Jackpine Enduro.

Invited by BSA to come to England for the season in 1949, the 18-year-old competed with the works scrambles team with impressive success and even demonstrated skill as a speedway racer. At the ISDT in Wales that year, he became the first American to win gold, hitting all the checks on time despite a crash-damaged wheel. One motorcycle British publication referred to McDermott as “an American over here to see how we do things. If he stays much longer he will be showing us!”

McDermott’s first ride at Daytona had also taken place in 1949, when he logged a sixth-place finish. His 1950 Daytona yielded a third, but then military service in Korea took him away from the next three 200s. Then came the Daytona ‘54 and his third-place ride on a Gold Star behind fellow BSA riders Bobby Hill and Dick Klamfoth, and ahead of Al Gunter and Ken Eggers in fourth and fifth.

McDermott managed only a 62nd-place finish the next year, but rebounded with a fourth in 1956 and a fifth in ‘57. He rode Daytona three more times, with mixed results. All of his rides were aboard BSAs.

Today McDermott owns a Harley-Davidson franchise in Fort Ann, N.Y. He was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum in 2000.

McDermott will be joined at Daytona by his fellow 1954 BSA Daytona teammates Hill, Klamfoth, Eggers and Eugene Thiessen, all of whom will be available for photos, autographs and reminiscing about of one Daytona’s most amazing races. Others taking part in the AHRMA Great Men program at Daytona International Speedway and the American Motorcycle Institute include:

• Chet Dykgraff, the American Motorcyclist Association’s first national champion in 1946.
• Al Knapp, AHRMA’s elder statesman of roadracing.
• Johnny Knapp, veteran Michigan dirt tracker.
• Dave Munganest, renowned ISDE rider and off-road competitor.
• Gary Nixon, two-time AMA Grand National Champion.
• Jeff Smith, twice World 500cc Motocross Champion.
• Jay Springsteen, three-time AMA Grand National Champion.
• John Tibben, veteran Iowa dirt tracker and roadracer.
• Bill Tuman, member of the Indian Wrecking Crew and 1953 national champ.

For a complete schedule of events and other information, visit the AHRMA Bike Week preview page at www.ahrma.org.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Racer Jamie Stauffer and wife Emma had a son, Max Stauffer, January 26 in Kurri Kurri, New South Wales, Australia.

Stauffer is planning to race in the 2004 Australian Superbike and 600cc Supersport series for Kawasaki Australia. Robbie Baird will be Stauffer’s teammate.



More, from a press release issued by Jamie Stauffer Racing:

JAMIE STAUFFER HAS A NEW RIDE AND A NEW BABY

Kurri Kurri, Australia – Australian Jamie Stauffer, after a successful venture into American AMA Supersport roadracing, will contest the Australian Superbike and Supersport Championships this year on the new Kawasaki ZX10R and ZX6R. He will be teamed with another top domestic rider, Robbie Baird.

“All things considered, I had a decent first season in the States, and obviously I would have liked to have had the chance to ride in the U.S. again this year but the rides just weren’t available. Kawasaki Australia made me a solid offer so I’ll be racing here this year.” Jamie made quite an impression in his first AMA season, finishing 7th on a self-prepared R6 in the challenging Daytona race, while turning the fastest lap of the race. Following the series next round at Fontana, he rode the remainder of the season for Yoshimura Suzuki, competing on the GSX-R600, and finishing 13th overall.

About his new opportunity at home in Australia, he said, “I’m pretty excited to be riding the new ZX10R. I haven’t had a chance to ride it yet but from what I’ve heard, it’s quite good. As well, Kawasaki Australia has brought in some ex-MotoGP mechanics so we should be in pretty good shape to win a championship. We start testing in a couple of weeks”.

Jamie’s most recent project has been welcoming the new addition to the Stauffer family. Jamie and wife, Emma, have become parents for the first time. Max Stauffer was born on January 26th.

You can follow Jamie’s season and contact him on his new website at www.JamieStauffer.com.

From a press release issued by Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.:

BRENAN PROMOTED TO NEW POSITION WITH KMC’S P.R. GROUP

He assumes daily contact responsibilities as trade/enthusiast media supervisor

IRVINE, Calif. (Jan. 28, 2004) —Russ Brenan, who joined Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. in 1998 as a media relations coordinator, has been promoted to the newly created position of trade/enthusiast media supervisor. He will be responsible for supervising all company contact with trade publication and core enthusiast magazine editors and writers that service Kawasaki’s various product categories.

In his new position, Brenan will place special emphasis on key models in each of the categories, which include motorcycles, all terrain vehicles (ATV), utility vehicles (UV), and JET SKI® personal watercraft.

Primary responsibilities of the new position include strategic planning, supervision of media launch activities, generation of feature article concepts, and oversight of internal policies and procedures implementation.

Most recently, Brenan served as a senior media relations coordinator, with specific responsibility for the ATV and UV products.

Brenan is personally involved with all of Kawasaki’s product lines, and according to Jan Plessner, media relations manager, “can be found most week-ends enjoying the outdoors with our various products, whether it’s work or pleasure.”

The newly appointed trade/enthusiast media supervisor has 10 years of marketing experience following a formal business management education.

Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A., (KMC) markets and sells at wholesale Kawasaki motorcycles, ATVs, JET SKI® watercraft, MULE™ utility vehicles, power products and small engines.

These product lines are sold through a network of more than 1,500 independent retailers. KMC and its affiliates employ nearly 2,400 people in the United States, with approximately 400 of them located at the Irvine, California headquarters.

Kawasaki’s heritage of creating high-performance recreational vehicles and its tagline, “Let the good times roll™”, are recognized worldwide. With its illustrious history of breaking performance barriers with such product lines as the world renowned NINJA® sportbikes and JET SKI® personal watercraft, Kawasaki is aggressively carrying this heritage of pioneering leading-edge design and performance products into the 21st century.
Information about Kawasaki’s complete line of recreational products and Kawasaki affiliates can be found on the Internet at www.kawasaki.com.