Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

American Honda is testing its new CBR1000RR Superbike today at Willow Springs in Rosamond, California.

According to sources at the track, American Honda’s Ben Bostrom and Miguel Duhamel along with Erion Honda’s Jake Zemke are testing.

There are only two Honda CBR1000RR Superbikes currently in the U.S., and one of those is on a short-term loan and due to be returned to HRC in Japan in January, according to team members.

Conditions at Willow Springs are cool-to-cold with no wind and a completely overcast sky.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

WERA racer Steve Thompson and wife Carrie had a daughter, Bailey Cate Thompson, December 18 in Louisville, Kentucky.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Speaking to RoadracingWorld.com by telephone Tuesday morning, Dennis Smith of Sport Tire Services described yesterday’s earthquake located near his Paso Robles, California headquarters:

“The power went out, the computers went down, e-mail service went down and it’s still down this morning. We have no way to communicate other than telephones now. We do have power. But, as far as the business part of it goes, nothing serious, just some file cabinets opened, and stuff fell off the walls, no major damage to the building we were in.

“I was actually here walking in the door at eleven o’clock in the morning coming back from Willow Springs to handle the paperwork from the (WSMC) race and that’s when it started. We can see the freeway from here, and the cars stopped on the freeway, screeching to a halt. One of the big oak trees in front of the shop, a big branch fell off of it, like a foot and a half branch fell off of it, I watched it hit the ground.

“We’re out in farm country and there’s a plowed field, about a quarter of a mile, and it looked like the ocean. From where we are at, to the freeway…I could see it moving up and down about a foot. I had my briefcase in my hand, standing in the parking lot, I had walked back out of the building, and I could barely stand up. Twice I about fell down.

“The worst thing that happened physically was at my house I have a Gold Wing and a GSX-R1000, the GSX-R1000 was on the rear stand and Gold Wing was on the center stand, and both of them fell over. So, it was serious.

“The 1000 was worse off than the Gold Wing was. The Gold Wing just kind of rocked over on the crash bar – it’s got a couple of bars that protect the saddle bags and the engine – it just kind of rolled over on that and was sitting there. The GSX-R got the worst of it. Poked a hole in the fairing, and broke the brake lever off on it, and scratched the windshield. Nothing serious, though. At least we’re O.K.

“My house is OK. Stuff fell off the walls, I had glasses broken on the floor. The dogs were freaking out. My wife and daughter were freaking out, but other than that, physically, no big deal.

“We had trouble sleeping last night there were so many aftershocks. I’ve been up here five years and have not felt the earth move one time. And yesterday, it let go. Scary.”

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Roadracingworld.com has learned that former World Superbike Technical Director Steve Whitelock has been quietly investigating the Dunlop tire problems at Daytona, even though AMA Pro Racing announced that he was hired to run the AMA Supercross and Motocross programs.

The following is the original press release from AMA Pro Racing, as issued earlier this month:

AMA Pro Racing names Steve Whitelock as AMA Supercross/Motocross Series Manager

AMA Pro Racing, the leading sanctioning body for motorcycle sport in the United States, has appointed Steve Whitelock as AMA Supercross/Motocross series manager. Whitelock, to be based in AMA Pro Racing’s West Coast office, will be responsible for the overall management of the AMA Supercross Series and AMA Chevrolet Motocross Championship in the newly-created position.

Whitelock leaves his position as FIM Technical Director for World Superbike and will assume duties with AMA Pro Racing immediately.

Whitelock’s technical experience in professional motorcycle sport is vast. Additionally, his background is diverse including positions managing world championship teams as well as the FIM governing body.

AMA Pro Racing CEO, Scott Hollingsworth welcomes the skill set and experience Whitelock brings to the new position. “By creating series manager positions for each of the racing disciplines that AMA Pro Racing oversees and hiring someone of Steve’s caliber, we’re dramatically re-thinking how we manage AMA championship racing,” said Hollingsworth. “The series manager role will be vital and take into account the needs of our riders, teams, promoters, sponsors and anyone else who has a relationship with AMA Pro Racing. The series manager will be responsible for the ‘big-picture’ handling of the series and will be supported by a crew that includes a race director as well as a technical and administrative staff. Steve is ideally suited to this position and we have extremely high expectations for him.”

Hollingsworth added that the addition of Whitelock is a continuation of AMA Pro Racing’s strategy of hiring high-level industry talent as well as expanding the company’s presence on the West Coast. “We’ve made it clear that we want to be more accessible to the major teams and OEMs so placing Steve in our West Coast office enables us to further that goal,” said Hollingsworth.

Whitelock is highly regarded in the world of motorcycle sport and his most recent position as FIM Technical Director for World Superbike earned him a great deal of respect among riders, teams and the factories. Hollingsworth pointed out the depth of Whitelock’s experience. “In addition to overseeing the technical aspects of the World Superbike Championship for the past eight years, Whitelock has a deep foundation in off-road racing,” said Hollingsworth. “Steve was employed by HRC from 1982 through 1991 and at one point directed the company’s motocross efforts resulting in six world championships with such racing greats as Jean-Michel Bayle, Andre Malherbe and Eric Geboers. Steve was also involved with HRC’s Grand Prix road racing efforts holding a variety of senior positions within the organization. Clearly, this broad-based experience will benefit Steve in his new role.”

Not limiting himself to one form of motorcycle competition has allowed Whitelock to form an expansive view of the sport. “My involvement with motocross racing, Grand Prix road racing and even my roots in AMA racing as Yvon Duhamel’s mechanic, has given me the chance to see motorcycle racing from virtually every perspective possible,” said Whitelock. “Additionally, I’ve enjoyed the past eight years with the FIM and treasure the experience it has afforded me. I see my new role with AMA Pro Racing as a logical progression of my career and am eagerly awaiting the AMA Supercross Series to begin in Anaheim.”

From a press release issued by Alstare Corona Suzuki:

FUJI GIVES THE NEW GSXR600 ITS TRACK TEST. IANNUZZO BACK ON A SUPERSPORT. CHAMBON ABSENT THROUGH ILLNESS.

Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra’s final track action of the year took place at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia, with two of their three riders in action on both days. Frenchman Stephane Chambon missed the test through illness, but his team mate Katsuaki Fujiwara was assisted by Vittorio Iannuzzo who had not ridden a bike for nearly four months.

The test was for Superbikes and Supersport machines, but was dominate by the Supersport class.

At the end of the two days, Aussie Steve Martin (Ducati 999) posted the fastest overall time – 1:26.454. Fastest of the Supersport riders was another Australian – Karl Muggeridge – with a time of 1:38.023 on his Honda CBR600.

Fujiwara spent a lot of time (particularly on day two) on the new GSX-R600 Suzuki, which had arrived less then two weeks before the test. The Suzuki was nowhere near the finished article and so Fujiwara just put in the laps in order to give the team feedback about what needs to done before the next test. As there was only one of the new bikes available, Iannuzzo spent all his time on one of Chambon’s GSX-R600s. The Italian used the two days to re-familairise himself with a Supersport bike after a season on a Superbike, so didn’t push hard.

Katsuaki Fujiwara – 107 laps, best time – 1:38.919

It was very interesting riding the new bike, even though there’s a lot of work to be done before it is competitive. But already, I feel that it is an improvement over the 2003 bike. The new bike feels a bit more compact and slimmer and I think that it handles better and is more easy to flick from side to side. Obviously we don’t have any fast parts yet and we have a lot of work to do before I can say how good the bike is.

Riding on Pirellis was a new experience for me, after years with Dunlop, but I think it went OK – well on the not yet finished bike anyway. The slipper clutch on the new bike is very good and I also like the upside down front forks. Once we have the finished bike, I will look forward to riding it hard. I am sure it will be a significant improvement – and I hope to challenge for the title with it.

Vittorio Iannuzzo – 102 laps, best time – 1:40.468

It felt a bit strange to be riding a Supersport after a season on a Superbike. And it also felt strange because I haven’t been on a bike for the best part of four months! I thought I’d feel more sore (especially my right hand) after the two days, but actually I didn’t feel too bad at all. It was a good test for me, because I was able to spend time on a Supersport bike and get used to its characteristics all over again. What was one of the hardest things was getting used to the different braking and cornering speeds. On the Superbike, I was able to brake late and then power out of the turns. On the Supersport, I needed to change and brake earlier and then keep up good corner speed in the turns. But I took it steadily and used the track time to get back into the groove. I rode on Pirellis when I competed in the European Superstock Championship and they didn’t feel so different to me, so that is not much of a problem. Supersport is a hard series and the bikes are so even that it is difficult to gain a huge advantage. I’m looking forward to riding the 2004 GSXR600 and can’t wait for the next test.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Yamaha factory Supersport and Graves Yamaha Superstock racer Aaron Gobert, 23, is recovering at his off-season home near Sydney, Australia following surgery to remove a plate from his left wrist and a rod from his right leg.

The plate was inserted into Gobert’s wrist after he broke it in a crash at Road America in 2003, and the rod was inserted into his leg following his massive crash at Daytona International Speedway in March 2002.

Speaking at the Dunlop tire test at Daytona earlier this month, Gobert told Roadracingworld.com, “My wrist is acting up a bit, so I’m going to go back to the doctor in Australia to see if he can take the plate out of my wrist and get some strength back in it. I’d like to go see Dr. (Arthur) Ting, but I want to go home for Christmas.”

Gobert underwent surgery December 18 at the hands of Professor (and Dr.) Ron Sekel at St. George Private Hospital in Sydney, according to his mother/manager Sue Gobert. Gobert hopes to be strong enough to participate in Yamaha’s next test session, scheduled in January.

From a press release issued by the AMA:

EPA ISSUES NEW STREETBIKE EMISSIONS RULES

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) reports that road-going motorcycles nationwide will be required to meet new strict emissions standards beginning with the 2006 models under rules released by the federal Environmental Protection Agency.

But the new rules, issued December 23, give small-volume motorcycle manufacturers a break in meeting the new standards, and provide for exemptions for certain motorcycles.

The EPA rules set new emissions standards that are the same as those adopted by the state of California, but will go into effect two years after California’s standards. The first tier of the new national standards will go into effect in 2006 and a second tier in 2010.

The new national emissions standards are expected to result in an increased use of fuel injection and catalytic converters on new motorcycles. Some motorcycles sold in the United States already meet California’s strict 2008 standards, which are the same as the planned federal EPA 2010 standard.

The California standard that begins with the current model year, 2004, and the federal standard that will take effect for the 2006 model year, require new motorcycles to emit no more than 1.4 grams per kilometer traveled of hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides, and 12 grams per kilometer of carbon monoxide.

Before passage of the new federal rule, federal emissions standards for street motorcycles were 5.0 grams of hydrocarbons and 12 grams of carbon monoxide per kilometer traveled.

Under the new rule, manufacturers who build fewer than 3,000 motorcycles a year, and who have fewer than 500 employees, don’t need to meet the first-tier emissions standards until 2008. They also aren’t required to meet the second-tier standards.

The EPA also provides certain exemptions for “kit” and custom motorcycles.

Nothing in the new rules changes what owners may do legally to customize their motorcycles.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Tentative 2004 Formula USA Schedule:

2/24-28 Daytona Int’l Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL

4/23-25 Road America, Elkhart Lake, WI

5/29-31 Summitt Point Raceway, Summitt Point, WV

6/18-20 New Hampsire Int’l Speedway, Loudon, NH

6/25-27 Virginia Int’l Raceway, Alton, VA

8/13-15 Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, AL

9/24-26 Las Vegas Classic Course, Las Vegas, NV

10/20-24 Daytona Int’l Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL


For additional information, call CCS/F-USA at (817) 332-4822, FAX (817) 870-9790, www.ccsracing.com, www.formulausa.com.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

An earthquake measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale struck the central California coast at 11:16 a.m. Pacific Time Monday morning, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The epicenter of the quake was 24 miles west-northwest of Paso Robles, where the Associated Press is reporting two people have been killed in a building collapse.

Paso Robles (240 miles north of Los Angeles, 200 miles south of San Francisco) is the home of Erion Honda racer Jake Zemke.

Reached via cell phone Monday afternoon, Zemke reported that he was uninjured and that his home only suffered minimal damage.

“Everything is OK on my end,” Zemke told Roadracingworld.com at 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time. “A few things fell down, but other than that, not too bad.”

When asked if he felt the quake at his home, Zemke laughed and said, “Oh, yeah! It was big, real big. It’s hard to say how long it lasted. It lasted long enough to think about it and go, ‘Alright…OK…it can stop shaking now.'”

Zemke said he hadn’t heard from his parents at post time, but he attributed that to widespread power, telephone and even cell phone service interruptions in the area.