From a press release issued by Ducati North America:

DUCATI NORTHWEST 2004 – A DAY OF MOTORCYCLING PASSION AT ITS PUREST

Ducati Rally at Portland International Raceway Features Ducati AMA and World Superbike Champion Doug Polen – August 5, 2004

CUPERTINO, CA (July 1, 2004) – Ducati North America and Motocorsa today announced details of the most exciting motorcycling event ever to hit the Pacific Northwest. Called Ducati Northwest 2004, the one-day motorcycling extravaganza on Thursday, August 5th at Portland International Raceway is expected to draw thousands of riders and will incorporate track time, food, music, and demo rides.

Ducati aficionados can experience all of the motorcycles in the 2004 Ducati North America lineup, including the race-proven Superbikes, on the sweeping curves of one of the country’s most picturesque road courses. Dedicated Ducatisti can test their riding skills during special track time sessions, participate in custom and vintage Ducati motorcycling contests or just soak up the sunshine and sounds of Ducati motorcycles at speed.

Ducati AMA and World Superbike Champion Doug Polen will be on hand to sign autographs and exchange racing tips along with other Ducati celebrities and engineers who will conduct restoration and maintenance lectures at the amazing Ducati University set up on site. Four laps on a 999 Biposto with Polen will also be auctioned to the highest bidder. Ducati North America’s famed Hospitality Truck will provide refreshments, music and DJ’s from sunup to sundown to keep everyone entertained between the fashion shows and the stuntmen exhibition before Ducati Northwest 2004 closes under the stars.

Also, don’t miss the opportunity to meet Gary Eagan, who just broke the Alaska to Florida world record (4 days 5 hours) aboard a Ducati Multistrada. Moto-Journalist and Author Nick Ienatsch will be on hand to sign his new book, “Sport Riding Techniques.” There will also be many other sporting VIP present, all with a shared passion for Ducati.

There will also be a massive sales area for Ducati products, with the entire range of Ducati accessories and apparel and the new DNW2004 souvenirs. And thanks to the support of our numerous sponsors, enthusiasts will have opportunities to win prizes, from a lap around P.I.R. in a Ferrari to a brand new 2004 Ducati 620 Monster Dark.

Whether you’re a dedicated Ducatisti or just a fan of fabulous bikes, Ducati Northwest 2004 is a single-day celebration of motorcycling where riders from across the country can experience and celebrate the best of the Italian motorcycle industry.

For more information visit www.dnw2004.com

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

via e-mail:

Eric (Wood) tells me that he will have one 20-minute session and then qualify at Laguna, and he has never seen the place. I understand that the factories have had private testing, so how is this fair to the privateers?

Jerry Wood
Searsport, Maine


The short answer is, it isn’t, although in this case someone may have mis-read the schedule. The ultimate answer is to ban all private testing on AMA tracks, and instead hold a limited number of IRTA-style pre-season tests open to all AMA Pro-licensed racers…Editor.



And now some reader reaction:

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

Read the schedule properly before you make a comment. Superstock and Xtreme get 40 minutes each of practice before they qualify.

David Bell
AMA #78
San Francisco, California




More reader reaction:

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

I agree that one practice session is not enough time to learn a new track, especially Laguna Seca, one of the toughest tracks to master. According to the AMA website it is a 30-minute practice followed by a half hour of qualifying in the afternoon. This will be my first time racing at Laguna and I was definitely upset when I saw the lack of practice time. For me it will now be a battle just to qualify!

Brad Puetz
AMA #795
Costa Mesa, California

From a press release:

DUCSHOP OFFERING WERA CONTINGENCY

Ducshop Performance Center in Marietta GA has just confirmed their contingency program for the remaining WERA Sportsman Series South-East and North Florida schedule, starting from this weekend’s Road Atlanta race. The contingency is for Ducati riders competing in the below classes and they will consist of gift certificates for the following positions: first place $50, second place $30 and third place $20.

The series that the contingency applies to are:

Clubman Expert

Clubman Novice

Heavyweight Twins Expert

Heavyweight Twins Novice

Heavyweight Superstock Expert

Heavyweight Superstock Novice

Heavyweight Superbike Expert

Heavyweight Superbike Novice

Next season Ducshop plans to increase their contingency to include more national series.

Ducshop Performance Center
1000 Cobb Pkwy N Suite C
Marietta GA 30062

Tel: 678-594-7717
Fax: 678-594-7727
www.ducshop.com

From a press release issued by Z1 Cycletech:

Binns to ride Z1 Ducati 999 superbike in Calgary

Calgary AL — Matt Binns will be riding the Z1 Cycletech Ducati 999 superbike at round two of the Parts Canada Superbike series taking place this weekend, July 2-4, in Calgary, Alberta.

Binns is filling in for four-time Canadian champion Michael Taylor, who is still recuperating from a qualifying session crash at round one in Shannonville last month. Taylor will also be on hand in Calgary to provide set-up advice and meet the fans.

Z1 Cycletech’s test day with Binns at the Shannonville Fabi circuit a few weeks ago went very well. Said Binns “The slipper clutch on the 999 makes going into corners almost remind me of a two stroke. But everywhere else the powerband is way nicer. It’s really smooth and easy to get up to speed.”

Matt Binns was the HJC Pro Rookie of the Year award winner in 2003 and has already chalked up several road racing championship titles in his career.

From a press release issued by WSMC racer Tyler Paulson:

Hell’s Kitchen, Southern California’s newest and hottest motorsports restaurant, is celebrating it first annual July 4 party. All sportbikers are welcome, as always.

Come listen to live music or watch racing on the big screen.

Hope to see you in Hell,

Hell’s Kitchen
32685 Ortega Hwy.
Lake Elsinore, CA 92530

WWW.hellskitchen-ca.com

909-609-3390

From a press release issued by American Suzuki:

Suzuki World Cup Qualifier Slated for Mid-Ohio

BREA, Calif. (July 1, 2004) – American Suzuki Motor Corporation (ASMC) today announced that the 2004 Suzuki Worldwide GSX-R Cup Qualifier will be held in conjunction with the AMA Road Race Grand Championship at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, on July 20-21, 2004. The winner of the event will be the first member of ASMC’s Worldwide GSX-R Cup team, which will compete against riders from 14 countries at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Ga., on October 17, 2004.

The ASMC’s Worldwide GSX-R Cup Qualifier is open to privateer riders competing on 2002-2004 Suzuki GSX-R750 motorcycles and who have accumulated at least one Suzuki Cup point in any GSX-R-based Suzuki Cup class (600cc, 750cc or 1000cc) prior to the event. The Worldwide GSX-R Cup Qualifier grid will be set during a timed qualifying session on Tuesday, July 20. The race will be on Wednesday, July 21. A Dynojet dynamometer will be used to control the 140-horsepower limit and all motorcycles will be required to weigh a minimum of 370 pounds.

ASMC will pay contingency money for the event at the WERA National event level:
1 $2,000
2 $1,000
3 $800
4 $700
5 $600
6 $500
7 $400
8 $350
9 $250
10 $150

The remaining two spots on ASMC’s Worldwide GSX-R Cup team will be filled by the leading privateer Suzuki riders from the AMA Repsol SuperStock class and the Formula USA Formula Sportbike class as of September 7, 2004. Currently Jake Holden leads the AMA series and Brian Stokes and Joe Ribeiro are tied in the Formula USA series.

Previous Suzuki Worldwide GSX-R Cup American team members include Chris “Opie” Caylor, Jason DiSalvo, Tray Batey, John Dugan, Brian Livingood and Corey Eaton.

From a press release:

MotoGP touches down in Rio

The final stages of a logistical miracle took place under the shadow of the Corcovado today as the MotoGP World Championship paddock completed its incredible transportation from Holland to Brazil in a matter of barely five days. Some 250 tonnes of cargo, including bikes, tyres, and team equipment as well as television and timing material, has been shifted almost 10,000km from the Assen circuit to Rio de Janeiro by three jumbo jets, two flying from Luxembourg and one from Amsterdam, in readiness for the Cinzano Rio Grand Prix, the second of four races in five weeks.

The staff and riders have taken various routes from Central Europe to South America but all were present and correct under bright blue skies and temperatures touching 30ºC this afternoon as they prepared for tomorrow’s first free practice session. Reigning World Champion Valentino Rossi flew in from Paris this morning to a traditionally warm welcome from the local fans, his legend unrivalled on these shores after winning on each of his last six visits to the Nelson Piquet circuit in the 125cc, 250cc and MotoGP classes.

“It is hard for everybody involved in the sport to come to Brazil so soon after Assen but it is a wonderful country and a racetrack I love, especially with the MotoGP bike,” commented Rossi, who lies level on points with Sete Gibernau after six rounds. “There are a lot of long corners where it is possible to slide the bike, but we will have to see how the Yamaha is here. Anyway, I think we can find a good setting and make another good result.”

Rossi scored his fourth win from six at Assen but admitted he is pushing harder than he ever has had to in his career since making the switch from Honda to Yamaha in the winter. “When I was on the Honda I always pushed to the limit, but I could afford to wait for a while and then go. Now I have to push from the start to the end. I knew Sete would be strong, but he has been very, very strong. I am on top of the championship now but there is a long way to go.”

Local hero Alex Barros thinks it could be too late to join the Italian and the Spaniard in their duel for the title, but says he has every intention of breaking their hegemony at his home track. “Mathematically I can still win the title and I am still fighting, but they are a long way in front now,” commented the Brazilian, who was joined by his team-mate Nicky Hayden on a trip to a major Honda plant in the middle of the Amazon yesterday.

“My main focus now is to take it race by race and go for the win wherever possible, and I think this is my biggest chance of winning my home race. I know my obligations to Honda, they signed me to finish first, not second, and I know what the expectations are of me. I need to win, it’s important.”

Whilst Barros and Hayden took their chance to visit the sights yesterday, there was still time for some last minute tourism today as Colin Edwards, Carlos Checa and Randy De Puniet took a closer look at the Corcovado statue of Jesus Christ, the most famous landmark on the stunning Rio skyline.

De Puniet still leads the 250cc World Championship, as he has done from round two, but denies feeling the strain as he comes under increasing pressure from Dani Pedrosa and Sebastian Porto. “Last week at Assen was only the second time I’ve missed the podium this season so there is no need to panic,” commented the Frenchman, who holds a one-point advantage over Pedrosa. “It will be a tough race because the of the hot conditions here but I am ready to get back to winning.”

Porto moved to within 22 points of Pedrosa with his win in Holland five days ago and the Argentinean is keen to repeat victory at what is the closest he comes to a home race. “I’m really happy to be here, it’s been nice to celebrate victory at in Argentina for a couple of days and all my family and friends will be here to watch,” commented Porto, who took his maiden win at this track in 2002. “We’ve demonstrated that we can be at the front so we’ll keep working hard and go for the win again.”

Like Porto, 125cc World Championship sensation Jorge Lorenzo took his first win at this circuit and his most recent at Assen, becoming the latest of a series of riders to take the challenge to stubborn early leader Andrea Dovizioso. The young Italian maintained his series lead with his sixth top four finish of the season in Holland but a host of challengers are closing down his advantage, which now stands at 16 points over Roberto Locatelli.

From a press release issued by Fuchs Kawasaki:

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2004
CINZANO RIO GRAND PRIX – NELSON PIQUET CIRCUIT
1ST JULY 2004 – EVENT PREVIEW

HIGH SPEED RIO AWAITS FUCHS KAWASAKI RIDERS

Despite a rushed travel schedule, Fuchs Kawasaki riders, Shinya Nakano and Alex Hofmann, are ready for the annual MotoGP visit to Brazil for the Rio Grand Prix.

The challenge of the high-speed Rio race comes just one week after the Dutch TT at Assen. The Rio GP is the seventh round of the MotoGP World Championship.

For Hofmann it is a welcome return to Brazil where he has not raced for three years, with his previous appearance being in the 2001 250cc GP.

A steep learning curve awaits MotoGP rookie Hofmann, as makes his 990cc four stroke debut aboard the Ninja ZX-RR at a track that has a well deserved reputation for being both bumpy and abrasive.

Even so, the 24-year-old Fuchs Kawasaki rider hopes to capitalise on the speed and consistency he has shown in recent races.

Meanwhile, Hofmann’s Fuchs Kawasaki teammate, Shinya Nakano, believes the chassis and steering balance of the new generation Ninja ZX-RR, together with the arrival of further new specification tyres from Bridgestone, will produce a competitive package this weekend.

The 26-year-old Japanese rider comes to Rio on the back of a season best fifth qualifying position at Assen, although he was bitterly disappointed not to finish the Dutch TT after falling victim to a mechanical problem during the race.

Rio is a once-a-year track with no pre-event testing, thus adding to the task of both team and tyre engineers to confirm race settings in just four hours of practice and qualifying.

The 12 turn Rio circuit is part of a complex that includes an Indy car oval with a layout that features parallel straights. Here it is the back straight that is the faster and longer of the two and, at 1,000 metres in length, the home of high-speed slipstreaming. The long, fast curves also place a premium on front-end stability.

This year the Rio race has been returned to a Sunday afternoon staging and moved forward in the calendar to mid-winter in the Southern Hemisphere. One benefit could be the absence of the tropical downpours that have often hit the Rio GP weekend and conditions will be cooler, although pleasantly mild, with a forecast of 25 degree temperatures during practice, qualifying and for Sunday’s race.

Shinya Nakano: No.56
“I like Brazil and this track. It will be my first time here on the Ninja ZX-RR and with no testing or previous data available finding a good race set-up in practice will be critical. The bumps and low grip levels are not easy to deal with, but the new 2004 Kawasaki chassis is a strong point for us. Like Assen I’m looking for a good qualifying position, although this time I want to see the chequered flag at the end of the race. And it will be good if we have three days of dry weather to properly evaluate the latest Bridgestone tyres, which we did not get a chance to do in Assen because of the rain.”

Alex Hofmann: No.66
“I’m happy to be back in Rio; I haven’t raced here for three years. It’s my first time on a MotoGP bike here, so I’m sure it will take some time to settle in on the Ninja ZX-RR at this track which is usually bumpy and dirty for the opening sessions. My last race here was on a 250cc machine, so it’s difficult for me to predict too much regarding the MotoGP bike, other than that Rio has some long and fast corners, which usually suit my style. I like the layout of the circuit, although the fast back straight needs a lot of top speed. Another strong finish and more championship points is my main aim this weekend.”

From a press release issued by Hawk Kawasaki:

HAWK KAWASAKI

THINK! BSB Championship, Round 8
National Superstock Cup, Round 6
Knockhill, Scotland
July 1-3

PREVIEW

HAWK LOOK FOR HIGH SCORE IN HIGHLANDS

The THINK! British Superbike Championship heads north of the border this weekend for the eighth round of the 2004 series. The tight and twisty 1.3 mile Knockhill circuit, in Fife, is the only Scottish track on the BSB calendar, but never fails to deliver excitement and high drama.

Hawk Kawasaki’s Scott Smart is looking to muscle his way back to third in the championship – which he held going into the last round at Brands Hatch – but is aware that Knockhill’s notoriously changeable weather may have as much say in the race results as the riders.

“Knockhill’s a handling circuit so the Hawk ZX-10s should work well for us because we’ve focused really hard on getting our chassis right,” he said. “But being where the track is, on the side of a mountain, you can never predict what’s going to happen with the weather. Last year qualifying was nothing short of a gamble due to the rain. The good thing for us is that we proved the ZX works in the rain, at Brands Hatch, so if the weather does turn nasty I’m confident we’ll still be up there.”

Smart’s team-mate, John McGuinness, who is standing-in for injured Glen Richards, is all fired-up to ride the Hawk Kawasaki ZX-10R at Knockhill after his superb performance at Brands two weeks ago, where the Lancastrian took to the podium first time out on the bike.

“Brands was brilliant,” explained McGuinness. “To get on the podium was awesome. A result like that is great for my confidence, obviously, so I’m looking forward to riding for the team in BSB again this weekend. I raced a superbike at Knockhill last year, so I know what’s required, and to be honest I just can’t wait to get out there again. My main aim is to bring the bike home in both races and if I can get near the front again that’ll be a bonus.”

Hawk Kawasaki National Superstock rider Peter Hickman is also relishing the challenge of the tight highland track. After stepping onto the podium last time out, at Thruxton, the 17 year-old wants to prove his second place was no fluke.

“I’m definitely looking forward to Knockhill because I haven’t raced for four weeks,” said Hickman. “The last round, at Brands, was cancelled, so it’s been a while for us Cup guys. I’m feeling more confident with the ZX-10 all the time so I’m aiming for a top three this weekend and some decent points.”

BSB CHAMPIONSHIP AFTER 7 ROUNDS
1) John Reynolds, Suzuki, 261. 2) Michael Rutter, Honda, 232. 3) Sean Emmett, Ducati, 186. 4) Yukio Kagayama, Suzuki, 181. 5) Scott Smart, Hawk Kawasaki, 164. 6) Dean Thomas, Ducati, 101. 7) Tommy Hill, Yamaha, 88. 8) Ryuichi Kiyonari, Honda, 87. 9) Glen Richards, Hawk Kawasaki, 78. 10) Gary Mason, Yamaha, 64. 11) Craig Coxhell, Honda, 59. 12) James Ellison, Yamaha, 56. 13) Jon Kirkham, Suzuki, 45. 14) Leon Haslam, Ducati, 43. 15) Kieran Clarke, Yamaha, 42. 21) John McGuinness, Hawk Kawasaki, 26

NATIONAL SUPERSTOCK CUP AFTER 5 ROUNDS
1) Simon Wright, 51. 2) John Fisher, 44. 3) Simon Pomeroy, 41. 3) Graham Seward, 41. 5) Donald MacFadyen, 38. 6) Paul Shoesmith, 37. 7) Rory Rock, 34. 8) Rob Barber, 33. 8=) Derek Sheils, 33. 10) Jamie Hitter, 32. 11) Alan Moreton, 31. 12) Dan Stewart, 30. 13) Sean Baker, 25. 13=) Dean Johnson, 25. 15) Mark Turner, 24. 15=) Peter Hickman, Hawk Kawasaki, 24. 17) John Nisill, 23. 18) James Dawson, 16. 18=) Stan Watt, 16. 20) James McBride, 14