From a press release issued by Honda Racing:

MotoGP test
Valencia Spain, December 10, 2003.

Temperature: 9 degrees C
Weather: Overcast, then sunny

Cold First Day in Final MotoGP Test of the Year

Unseasonably frigid temperatures greeted the Honda riders at the final test of the 2003 season, causing most to ride conservatively on a cold Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia, Spain. The first day of the three-day test was spent getting the cobwebs out, the riders said, but also testing next generation engine parts that they’ll carry into the championship battle in 2004.

By the time the riders took to the track it was after 2:00 p.m., the shortened day putting a premium on time and efficiency. Telefonica MoviStar Honda’s Sete Gibernau made the most of it, turning 40 laps and clocking the best time of the Honda riders, a lap of 1:33.9 done while trying to find the balance of the Honda RC-211V that the Spaniard rode to the runner-up position in the 2003 MotoGP World Championship.

Camel Pramac Pons’ Max Biaggi clocked less laps (25) and just a slightly slower time, a best lap of 1:34.4, also done while testing engine parts. The veteran Italian only used two rear tires the entire afternoon, but expected to help test the newest Michelin tyres tomorrow once the track was warm and he was up to speed.

The newest member of the Honda family, Colin Edwards, finished his first full day of testing the Telefonica MoviStar Honda with the third fastest time among the Honda men, a one-off 1.34.7. Edwards had ridden the Honda RC-211V at the Catalunya Circuit just after the season-ending Valencia GP, but that was mostly to set the handlebars and foot pegs. The quick-witted Texan is on his third different machine in three years, having spent his inaugural year in MotoGP on a three-cylinder one year removed from winning the 2002 World Superbike Championship on the Castrol Honda VTR1000.

Makoto Tamada worked on a new engine and exhaust combination on the Pramac Honda RC-211V. The Japanese rider turned 28 laps while continuing to make small adjustments to the machine, while seeking a direction for the final two days of the test.

Sete Gibernau, 1:33.9, 40 laps
It started not so good with the weather, but it turned out to be a positive day. More than anything, we needed to get used to the bike again after a month doing not so much. We are testing some new stuff trying to develop the direction of what we need for next year to try to challenge again for the championship. Today we wanted to make a reset of everything, myself, the team, the bike, and now we have a good basis for tomorrow to start to test. It’s the balance that we’re trying to get right. It’s a little bit of everything. We have a meeting with Honda and Michelin to see what they need for me tomorrow and try to make a plan.

Max Biaggi, 1:34.4, 25 laps
We got just a normal set-up for day one and tomorrow and Friday is going to be two more days, full days, hopefully, we can test in good weather. We have a new engine solution. That’s what we’re trying to see. I have not so many laps that I used just two rear tyres. Right now we have to adjust to the new engine solution. It’s something that we have to adjust with time. Tomorrow we start for sure in better condition and then I can say more details. The track was so cold that it’s very easy to make a mistake if you go too hard. I was trying to be conservative and at the same time try to analyze and take data, speak with the mechanics, try to make it better.

Colin Edwards, 1:34.7, 42 laps
I was working on a lot of stuff. All of these bikes have limits: You just have to learn how to decipher the code. One of them taps you on the left shoulder, one of them taps you on the right. You have to learn that code. Find the limits. Right now I have somewhat of an idea, but not enough to go out there and try to bust a lap. We just went out and did fairly consistent high 34’s and I was happy with that. I didn’t feel I was anywhere near the limit. Now we’re there. Just push a little and find out where it is. The track was pretty bad this morning. We had no idea if the tire was going to stick or if it wasn’t going to stick. I’m trying to sweat a few beers out first before we get out there.

Makoto Tamada, 1:35.4, 28 laps
Today we tried a new machine. We put a new engine in and had to learn how the engine works and what is different. Today was just a test. It’s very noisy because it’s a completely different exhaust, so I have to learn that. We still have to find the best settings. I didn’t try to do a fast time because I thought it was best to try to learn.



More, from a press release issued by Pramac Honda:

Valencia – (Spain)
Private Tests
10/11/12 December 2003

First day of private tests in chilly Valencia

Makoto Tamada and Shinichi Itoh have completed the first in a three-day programme of tests. The Pramac Honda Team rider and the official test rider found themselves having to contend with a rather unsuitable day for getting significant test results. The track was wet after the morning’s rain and only dried up at about 3 o’clock in the afternoon – and the temperatures too did not make it possible to get full value out of the tests. The best weather conditions in Valencia today were just 15°C (59°F) on the ground and 14° (57° F) in the air.


Makoto Tamada did 28 laps round the circuit, making a best time of 1:35.3. The Pramac Honda Team rider flew into Valencia straight from Japan, and on this first day of tests he was able to try out the latest step of his engine, with the configuration he will be using for the first part of the 2004 season. There was no particular development work to be done on the new Bridgestone materials, precisely so that Tamada could concentrate on the new engine configuration. On this first day of tests, development work on the tyres was thus entrusted to the team’s official test rider, Shinichi Itoh.

The methodical and always precise Japanese rider clocked up 28 laps, posting a best time of 1:36.1. Concentrating mainly on testing the tyres, his work programme was also affected by the less than perfect weather conditions.

Better weather is expected tomorrow, so it should be possible to investigate the equipment in greater depth. The tests carry on until Friday.

“Compared with the race on 2 November, I find myself on a track with very little grip indeed,” said Makoto Tamada, “so I can’t say the sensations I got from the new engine are really true. Since I couldn’t go flat out, I wasn’t able to appreciate all the ins and outs of the new step of the engine But my very first impression is that I’m going to have to improve when closing the corners. As for the weather, it looks like today should have been the worst, so tomorrow and the day after we should be able to get into the details better. Like that I’ll be able to give a more accurate overall opinion about the new features of my bike.”

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The annual three-day Dunlop tire test drew to a quiet close Wednesday at Daytona International Speedway.

With the 1000cc bikes sidelined by tire concerns following Tuesday’s incident involving Jason DiSalvo, a total of only nine riders rode 600cc machines today with only six men riding in the afternoon session and several stopping before the test was officially closed.

Roger Lee Hayden recorded the fastest lap time in Wednesday morning’s windy conditions with a 1:53.063 on his new Kawasaki ZX-6RR. However, 2003 AMA Supersport Champion Jamie Hacking cut through equal winds late in the afternoon to record the fastest Supersport lap time of the day (1:52.912). Hacking’s time from Tuesday morning (1:52.376) held up as the fastest Supersport lap time of the test and was well under Miguel Duhamel’s Supersport lap record of Daytona, a 1:52.785.

Ben Bostrom’s time of 1:47.650, set Tuesday on the impressive new Honda CBR1000RR Superbike, was the fastest overall time of the 2003 Dunlop tire test at Daytona.

Wednesday afternoon’s lap times (as provided by AMA Pro Racing Timing & Scoring):

1. Jamie Hacking, Yamaha YZF-R6 Supersport, 1:52.912
2. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki ZX-6RR Supersport, 1:53.815
3. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha YZF-R6 Supersport, 1:53.819
4. Roger Lee Hayden, Kawasaki ZX-6RR Supersport, 1:54.120
5. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha YZF-R6 Supersport, 1:54.174
6. Aaron Yates, Suzuki GSX-R600 Supersport, 1:55.072

From a press release issued by series organizers:

Officials with the Can-Am 125 GP Challenge announced the creation of the Diablo Suzuki SV650 Cup national series at the Toronto Motorcycle Show Dec. 6.

Both the Can-Am 125 series and Diablo Suzuki SV650 class will run alongside the Parts Canada Superbike Championship at selected venues in 2004.

John Bickle, organizer of both the 125 series and the new SV650 class, was involved in several meetings at the Toronto show in his efforts to create a competitive, cost effective entry level race series with the involvement and co-operation of national Superbike series organizer PMP, Parts Canada Superbike, Diablo, Suzuki and the Can-Am.

Rules and schedule for the SV650 Cup are available at www.svcup.diablopit.com.
There will be an information seminar Jan. 3 at the 2004 International Motorcycle Supershow.

Also at the Toronto Motorcycle Show, Bickle was joined by Richard Italia, president of Diablo Energy Drink to present trophies to the top finishers in the 2003 Diablo Can-Am 125 GP Challenge.

Champion Corey Sherman, runner-up Stuart Nodell and third-place John Dempsey were interviewed by Frank Wood and presented their cups by Italia on the show’s main stage.

Sherman also announced that he is moving from the 125 class to a sponsored ride with the Diablo Performance racing team for the 2004 Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 national series.

“Corey is a perfect example of what the series hopes to accomplish by showcasing riders who are possible recruits for the national series,” Bickle said. “With riders from California to New Hampshire, Calgary to Nova Scotia, the Can-Am series’ competition level is extremely high and produces some of the best racing in North America. The series has provided riders with the opportunity to compete with factory teams and race in World GP competition.”

The series schedule and more news is available at www.can-am125gp.com.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

More details have been learned about the rear tire failure and resulting crash involving Graves Yamaha’s Jason DiSalvo Tuesday during the annual Dunlop tire test at Daytona International Speedway.

According to Yamaha Team Manager Tom Halverson, DiSalvo was on the 11th lap of an 18-lap, full-race-distance (15 race laps, one parade lap, one warm-up lap, one cool-down lap) run when his rear tire blew where NASCAR Turn Four flattens into the adjoining straightaway.

The long run was done not only to look at tire wear but “to see if it had enough fuel to run well on the last lap without sputtering (from fuel starvation),” Halverson told Roadracingworld.com Wednesday morning. “The fuel tank holds 18 liters and the bike uses one liter per lap.”

Halverson said some bikes tend to sputter and run poorly when the fuel level gets low in the tank and the gravitational forces of the Daytona banking work against the bikes’ fuel pumps.

Early reports that DiSalvo’s tire may have been rubbing against his swingarm were incorrect, according to team members, who pointed out they were watching his tires very closely during the long run from various points on the track and would have seen the tire rubbing against the swingarm much sooner than lap 11.

Halverson showed Roadracingworld.com digital pictures he took of tire marks left by DiSalvo’s crashing bike. Starting at the exit of NASCAR Turn Four, tire marks left on the pavement seem to indicate DiSalvo’s tire was hopping. Later marks seem to indicate the bike was weaving violently before the rear tire locked up completely and threw its rider off.

DiSalvo first hit the ground well before the track crossing area on the straightaway between NASCAR Turn Four and the Tri-Oval, which is over 700 feet from the final resting place of his Yamaha, according to Daytona International Speedway personnel. DiSalvo slid for an estimated 150 yards.

In addition to suffering a concussion in his tumble and slide, DiSalvo received friction burns on his back which left clear imprints of the raised edges of his “cool suit” on his skin. Halverson showed Roadracingworld.com pictures of DiSalvo’s back burns.

DiSalvo also suffered burns and abrasions to both hands and had a sore heel. All in all, Halverson said he was impressed with the job done by DiSalvo’s safety gear.

DiSalvo is expected to come to the Speedway Wednesday but is not expected to ride.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The three-day Dunlop tire test at Daytona International Speedway has ended one-day early for 1000cc Superbikes and Superstock bikes.

Following a rear tire failure on Jason DiSalvo’s Yamaha YZF-R1 Superstock bike and the resulting high-speed crash Tuesday at the Speedway, Dunlop asked teams to return all slick tires Wednesday morning, according to members of several teams.

Dunlop representatives were in a meeting at post time and unavailable for comment but are expected to release a statement later today.

Teams with Supersport bikes, like Yamaha, have said they will continue testing Wednesday on their 600cc machines.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

Personally, I’ve seen just about enough of blaming the new Superbikes and their tremendous horsepower for Dunlop’s tire woes. Hasn’t anyone noticed that the MotoGP class seems to run full-out with smoking, sliding tires without any exploding? I think it’s safe to say that they are running with a bit more horsepower than our AMA Superbikes.

And as much as I feel that it’s time we stop racing motorcycles on NASCAR tracks such as Daytona, the track is not the only track where such catastrophes have happened.

Noelle Rohr
Covina, California



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

This year’s Daytona tire testing is producing some worrisome results. There has to be a solution to this mess and it has to be easily implemented and affordable. Instead of criticizing, I propose this:

How about adding a second chicane at the speedway? After looking at aerial photographs of the track, there seems to be plenty of room to construct something in the huge paved area at or just before the exit of NASCAR turn four. Part of this area is where the big trucks cross the track to enter the infield. I can visualize the riders coming off the east banking, slowing, diving left down through a chicane, then accelerating right, then left again up towards the start finish line.

This new chicane would have to incorporate an entrance to the pits; maybe have two exits to it, one right towards start finish and one straight onto pit road. Or maybe have the pit entrance entirely to the left of the chicane so as to avoid it altogether.

I don’t know if this would work but it should be easy enough to try. Some hay bales, an aerial shot of that area of the track, a ruler, calculator and 50-foot tape are all that’s needed to get started. Jeez, at least somebody should TRY IT! It might work, it’d be cheap and easy and tire temperatures might not be so high.

I don’t blame Mat Mladin one bit for what he’s said about not wanting to race at Daytona this coming March. I almost don’t want to drive 1000 miles to watch. I sure hope it doesn’t take a death before something is done. I hope, hope, hope.

Ed Siccardi Jr.
Eyeball Engineering
Downingtown, Pennsylvania



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

In regard to the Dunlop tire failures I would like to add the comment that if people think that only the riders in the U.S. are having troubles, they should think again.

At the begining of the year in the British Superbike series, Dunlop were having so many problems that the entire paddock who were on Dunlops asked that the promoters reduce the amount of laps run in the second race of the day.

All the teams were concerned that the Dunlops could not last the full race distance. Of course, the Pirelli and Michelin teams were against the shortening of the race but were out-voted by the predominant teams on Dunlops. As reported by Motorcycle Racer magazine.

If I remember correctly “Shakey” Burne crashed twice on the same weekend when his Dunlop tires delaminated.

Neville Hall-Reace
CCS #80
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

First, in response to Noelle Rohr, The complaint is not that the Superbikes have too much horsepower, but that they have a lot of horsepower combined with a lot more weight than a MotoGP bike. The weight of the bikes is the biggest problem combined with the speeds they can generate.

To race at Daytona, they need to at least put in an additional Chicane to break up the run around the banking, This would limit the time on the banking and reduce the time that the tires are subjected to the heat buildup.

Ultimately, it would be better to have a couple of real corners put in the infield, starting where they would put in a chicane.

Daytona could do it if they wanted too, the question is do they want to and how many needed to get badly injured or killed before it is taken seriously enough by both Daytona and the AMA

Paul Trautman
San Jose, California

From a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

THREE DAYS OF TESTING FOR DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM AT VALENCIA

Valencia (Spain), 10 December 2003 – The Ducati Marlboro Team continued development work on the first day of a three-day test session at the Valencia circuit in Spain today.

After thrilling the Bologna Motorshow crowd over the weekend, Loris Capirossi and Troy Bayliss got down to testing duties today with the 2004 version of the Desmosedici. Three Desmosedici machines were brought to Valencia for the tests, with Loris and Troy joined for the occasion by official test-rider Vittoriano Guareschi, who will be trying out components for next year’s bikes.

Today was characterized by variable weather, with cold and damp conditions in the morning meaning that the Ducati riders could only put in a few laps. The weather improved in the afternoon with temperatures reaching 13° C air / 15° C track. At the end of the day Capirossi ran 20 laps, recording a best time of 1:34.8, while Bayliss completed 28, with his best being 1:34.2. Guareschi completed a total of 18 laps with the ‘laboratory’ Desmosedici.

Testing will continue tomorrow and Friday when hopefully the weather will improve enough to enable the team to complete the work schedule.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Four-time AMA Superbike Champion Mat Mladin said he wants to sit out the 2004 Daytona 200 because he’s worried about Dunlop’s recent tire failures caused by heavy, high-powered racebikes and the demands of the high-speed racetrack.

“With all the problems that happened yesterday again here at Daytona with tires, I don’t like my chances of being back here for the race on the Superbike,” Mladin told Roadracingworld.com Wednesday morning, referring to Jason DiSalvo’s tire failure and crash Tuesday at the Speedway. “Because to me you’re just playing Russian Roulette, and something’s going to happen one day, and I don’t want it to happen to me. Simply because we’ve outgrown this racetrack, full-stop.

“You’re playing Russian Roulette with this racetrack now with the performance of the motorcycles, a lot of power, a lot of torque being put through, a lot of load on the bikes. The bikes are getting heavier, which doesn’t help.

“I’ll do my absolute best to see that I don’t have to come and race here in March. I prefer to start with a 37-point deficit than come and race here.

“When there’s kids out there and the kids are worried about what’s going to happen to them, the riders, and they speak to you about it (pauses) that plays on your own conscience. When you’ve got a 19-year-old kid on your team (Ben Spies) and he’s thrown down the road at 186 mph two months ago…these kids haven’t even done anything with their lives yet and they’re already worried about having to ride at Daytona.

“I remember when I was 19 when I was racing Superbike I was care-free. I had no worries, none at all. But I knew nothing like this was going to happen. Now everyone sits on the bike and goes around the banking wondering if they’re going to end up in the wall at 185-190 mph. At that plays on my conscience.”

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

One of the things that has always attracted me to professional sports in general and motor sports specifically, is the level of commitment and concentration that the top athletes must attain and maintain throughout the course of their seasons. This is perhaps nowhere more important than motorcycle road racing. Call it what you will; getting your “race face” on, being “in the zone”, for the top riders it is an absolute necessity that they operate at optimum levels for extended periods of time. To do this, one must have unquestioning faith in one’s equipment. A confidence that allows peak performance with no distraction in a sport where a miscalculation at speed can cause grave harm not only to the rider, but his fellow competitors. This elevated state of “tune” is a crucial component to a successful season. It can be the difference between just being on the front row and taking pole position. Being in the points hunt and winning a championship. Most importantly, it can be the difference between finishing the race and crashing out.

It seems as if there is a sickness in the AMA paddock right now. A sickness that up to now has shown no signs of getting better. It is a creeping disease borne of a lack of confidence in one’s equipment.

The sickness began to appear this past AMA season, with multiple Dunlop riders having tire problems at various tracks. Tires were chunking at an alarming rate. Dunlop couldn’t (and, I think it’s important to point out, didn’t) point the finger at riders who were traditionally hard on tires (Kurtis Roberts), bikes that had too much horsepower (the GSXR’s) or tracks that were just too hard on tires (Daytona). The failures happened to different riders at different tracks, and in different conditions. They occurred on four cylinders and twins and in both the early and late stages of races. Eventually and maybe inevitably, one let go with a bang. Mat Mladin’s wild ride at Road Atlanta was a butt-clencher just to watch on television. I can only imagine what it felt like from his perspective. Thankfully, he rode it out (mostly) and was able to walk away from what could have been a major incident. Subsequent events would prove that Mladin’s frightening episode was a harbinger of things to come.

Flash forward to Daytona, October of this year. Ben Spies crashes spectacularly at 186 mph after a rear Dunlop fails. My initial reaction was “what the hell”? “Dunlop has been having problems all year and presumably working diligently to solve the issues, and this is what they came up with”? Thankfully, Spies walks away from the crash with relatively minor injuries. Surely this is the wake-up call that Dunlop needs to make whatever effort necessary to prevent this sort of thing from happening again. Whatever resources they have at their disposal are surely being used to eliminate this threat to the safety of the riders. I believed this. I believed it because Dunlop is a reputable company with a storied history in motor sports. Not only here in America with the AMA, but all over the world in many forms of racing. They have a guy in Jim Allen who has the experience and intelligence to effectively communicate with the riders and teams and relay their needs to the Dunlop factory. Dunlop employs some of the most cutting edge R&D procedures and manufacturing techniques in the world. They have the resources and knowledge necessary to effectively eliminate failures in their products. All of the components were in place. That’s why I believed in Dunlop. That’s why I was virtually certain nothing like what happened to Ben Spies would happen again.

I was certain until yesterday when, during tire testing, Jason DiSalvo skipped down the Daytona pavement at better than 180 mph without his motorcycle after another Dunlop slick came apart at speed. Like Spies, DiSalvo seems to crash well and walks away with only a headache and some toasty skin. Dunlop pulls the plug on further use of their slicks and asks all of the teams to return any slick tires they had received for the test.

There seems no doubt that the problems that plagued Dunlop last season remain a problem still.

So, where does this leave Dunlop, and where does it leave the teams and riders who have to come to Daytona, three short months from now, and compete lap after lap at speeds approaching 200 mph?

The way I see it, there are only two possible scenarios. In scenario number one, Dunlop provides a tire that is capable of handling the rigors of sustained speed on the Daytona banking by March. In Scenario two, the Superbikes (and quite possibly the Superstock bikes) don’t race at Daytona this year. As a racer and race fan, I hate to envision March without the Superbikes running at Daytona. Logically, however, I find this scenario to be as likely as Dunlop coming up with a solution to the problem in time. If they have had all of last season and the off season until now to fix the problem, why should I assume that their efforts in the next 90 days will prove more fruitful?

At his point, there are perhaps more questions than answers. Is Dunlop providing a faulty product? Are the bikes getting too powerful, too heavy, or both? Are the teams and riders partially at fault for constantly pushing Dunlop to provide higher and higher levels of grip in their never ending quest for lower lap times?

I think Jim Allen hit the nail on the head when he suggested on a couple of occasions, and I’m paraphrasing here, that maybe Dunlop hadn’t done a good enough job just telling the riders: “Here you go. This is what you have to race on”. In other words, create a product you know is safe and distribute it that way whether the riders and teams like it or not. I know Dunlop has the capability to construct a tire that will last at Daytona. I just can’t buy the weight and speed argument. If airline tires can hold together under the weight of a fully loaded jumbo jet landing, a motorcycle tire can be constructed that will stand up to 200 mph on the high banks. Will it have to be a harder compound than the teams want? Probably. Will it need to have a thicker/heavier carcass with more material? Most assuredly. Will it have less overall grip in the infield and raise lap times? No doubt. Will the competition or spectator’s enjoyment suffer? Not a bit.

Motorcycle racing is inherently dangerous. No reasonable person could argue otherwise. The riders accept this risk as part of their job and do everything in their power to reduce the chances of bringing harm on themselves or others during a race. Their close partners in this endeavor are the equipment manufacturers, especially their tire supplier. The latest Superbikes are making close to (some say more than) 200 hp and weigh less than 400 lbs. They circulate the track and rail through the corners on a small patch of rubber that is maybe the size if a silver dollar. That contact patch is the rider’s very lifeline when competing. Sending him or her out on a tire that has a known tendency to fail under certain conditions is akin to sending a soldier into battle with a gun that might blow up in his hand. It could cost him his life.

Tony Shortman
Las Vegas, Nevada



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:


I’m going to have to comment on this one. What a load of bollocks! The only people afraid at Daytona are the ones who are wearing the Dunlop skins on their bikes. Send ’em out with Pirelli or Michelin and you wouldn’t be reporting this at all. If I remember correctly, Daytona wasn’t the only track in which tire failures happened last year.

Dunlop….you’ve got a problem I’d say. Especially with the confidence of your riders.

Darick Pash
CMRA Amateur #123
Abilene, Texas


FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

I’ve been reading about Jason DiSalvo’s tire failure yesterday at DIS and the uproar it caused with the riders. I agree with them that Superbikes and Superstock bikes should no longer race at Daytona. The bikes have become too powerful and it’s obvious tire technology has not kept up. It’s become too much of a safety issue.

I would hate for there not to be a Daytona 200 next year, however. That’s always been my favorite race of the season to watch. So as a compromise, why not make the 200 a Supersport or Formula Extreme race? The 600s don’t have the tire problems the bigger bikes have, and the racing would be just as good, if not better!

Mark Dolente
CCS #927
Clifton Heights, Pennsylvania



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

Regarding Mladin and Daytona, I know there are those who will say he doesn’t want to race at Daytona because of the times the other teams are turning, but does that make his point less valid? The track is not an accident waiting to happen – the accidents have happened! The track is now a massive injury (or injuries) or fatality (or fatalities) waiting to happen. If one of these tire failures happens in a pack, then what?

It is time for either a MASSIVE layout change at Daytona or to remove the track from the schedule. It is an aberration as a track now with it’s layout, and has little to do with the rest of the AMA schedule, yet requires a HUGE layout of cash to run. Want to save the privateers (and factories, for that matter – and tire manufacturers as well) a bundle of cash? Scratch this race in it’s current format before someone is killed.

One man’s opinion – no wait, it’s Mat’s, too! And Spies, I believe, as well. I’m guessing DiSalvo may agree as well…

Gary Hilliard
Felton, Delaware

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Number, Rider, Country, Machine, Team
3, Max Biaggi, Italy, Honda RC211V, Pramac Honda Pons

4, Alex Barros, Brazil, Yamaha YZR-M1, Fortuna Yamaha

6, Makoto Tamada, Japan, Honda RC211V, Pramac Honda Pons

7, Carlos Checa, Spain, Yamaha YZR-M1, Gauloises Yamaha Team

9, Nobuatso Aoki, Japan, Proton KR5, Proton Team KR

10, Kenny Roberts, USA, Suzuki GSV-R, Suzuki Grand Prix Team

11, Ruben Xaus, Spain, Ducati, D’Antin MotoGP

12, Troy Bayliss, Australia, Ducati, Ducati Marlboro Team

15, Sete Gibernau, Spain, Honda RC211V, Telefonica Movistar Honda

21, John Hopkins, USA, Suzuki GSV-R, Suzuki Grand Prix Team

33, Marco Melandri, Italy, Yamaha YZR-M1, Fortuna Yamaha Team

45, Colin Edwards, USA, Honda RC211V, Telefonica Movistar Honda

46, Valentino Rossi, Italy, Yamaha YZF-M1, Gauloises Yamaha Team

56, Shinya Nakano, Japan, Kawasaki ZX-RR, Kawasaki Racing Team

65, Loris Capirossi, Italy, Ducati, Ducati Marlboro Team

66, Alex Hofmann, Germany, Kawasaki ZX-RR, Kawasaki Racing Team

67, Shane Byrne, Great Britain, Aprilia RS3, Aprilia Racing

69, Nicky Hayden, USA, Honda RC211V, Repsol Honda

80, Kurtis Roberts, USA, Proton KR5, Proton Team KR

99, Jeremy McWilliams, Great Britain, Aprilia, Aprilia Racing

TBA, Neil Hodgson, Great Britain, Ducati, D’Antin MotoGP

TBA, Honda, Repsol Honda

TBA, Harris WCM, WCM

TBA, Harris WCM, WCM



And now, some reader reaction:

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

There are indeed, as you pointed out, five Americans riding MotoGP next year. I did the math and discovered that America is represented in MotoGP more than any other nation! The next-closest country is Italy with four riders. Spain, Great Britain and Japan each have three riders and Germany and Australia have only one rider each.

The story used to be that there’s few Americans in MotoGP because the series sponsors are mostly European companies and the sponsors like their own home-boys doing the work. Another reason I have read is that many of the MotoGP riders have their own sponsorships that allow them to “buy” their way onto a team.

I don’t know how so many Americans landed in MotoGP, but it sure is great!

Forget the sugarplums, I have visions of all-American podiums in MotoGP, dancing in my head!

Andy Schwarm
Monrovia, California