Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

AMA Pro Racing issued a Competition Bulletin dated June 10, 2004 that modified the existing rules regarding swingarms in Formula Xtreme.

The rule modification was made without any public notice or opportunity to comment, and although it was dated June 10 and was FAXed to Erion Honda by AMA Pro Racing, as of today several other teams running in Formula Xtreme had not received a copy.

The Competition Bulletin is addressed to “All Licensed Road Racers and Season Credential Holders” from “Rob King, Technical Manager.” The bulletin reads as follows:

“SUBJECT: Formula Xtreme Swing Arms

“Due to possible confusion created by information released by AMA Pro Racing prior to the publication of the 2004 Road Race Rulebook, this bulletin is being published as a clarification of the permitted modifications to swing arms in the Formula Xtreme class.

“This clarification is for the rule located on page 25, item b. in the 2004 AMA Pro Racing Road Race Rulebook, and is effective immediately.

“b. Swing Arms
“Stock swingarms must be utilized. The only modifications permitted are gusseting, attachment of stand mounts, and to allow the fitment of non-stock brake components, spacers, axles and wheels. Any such modification may not alter the fore and aft axle adjustment dimensions or any other pivot or linkage locations from that of the stock swingarm. 1000cc-1350cc air-cooled twin-cylinder motorcycles are unrestricted.

“Should you have any questions concerning this change, please contact Technical Manager Rob King at (614) 856-1910, extension 1230 or [email protected].”

At post time, HMC Ducati’s Gary Medley said he knew nothing about the Competition Bulletin. “Haven’t heard or seen, and in fact I have called (AMA Pro Racing) twice and have not received anything back about it,” Medley told Roadracingworld.com.

“I’ve had a call in to Rob King since early this morning and he didn’t return it,” said Valvoline EMGO Suzuki Crew Chief Keith Perry. “We’re putting our bikes back together for Brainerd so it would be kind of handy to know if they’re going to go by the rule or all the sudden change it.” Told that the rule had been changed, Perry said, “Why haven’t they let us know anything?”

At post time, the rules revision was not posted in the 2004 rules changes section on ussuperbike.com, the official road racing website of AMA Pro Racing. It was, however, posted on amaproracing.com, and could be reached by scrolling down about a page and half in the rules and bulletins section reached by clicking on small print in the site header.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Brid Caveney’s West Coast Racing, a Salinas, California-based company that specializes in vintage British motorcycles, has launched a new website at www.westcoastracing.net.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Corona Extra Suzuki Team Manager Landers Sevier V and wife Jennifer had a daughter, Lilla Tynes Sevier, June 8 in Birmingham, Alabama.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Lone Star Track Days lead instructor Stephen Porter married Julie Traweek June 12 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

From a press release issued by California Superbike School:

California Superbike School goes to Brazil

Keith Code’s California Superbike School will be running in Brazil this week. Code hopes to open up the twelfth country for his schools. Running at the Nelson Piquet circuit just weeks before the Moto GP to be held there in Rio De Janiero, the school hopes to get the feel for the Brazilian riders and their needs.

Code says.”We’ve always gone into countries that have read the “A Twist of the Wrist” books but we don’t have it in Portugese yet, it is one of the 7 translations we arecurrently working on. We’ll check it out then see if we can add a new continent to our schedule.”

The California Superbike School currently runs all across America, England,Ireland, Spain, Norway, Sweden, Greece, South Africa, The Phillipines, Australia and Malaysia on franchise agreements using the school’s rider training technology and format.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Thieves took a 2002 Suzuki DR-Z400S Super Motard streetbike belonging to Former WERA Mediumweight Superbike Class Endurance Champion Jim Williams.

The bike was stolen June 14 from the Georgetown area of Washington, D.C.

The bike is blue/white/black with 17-inch wheels, hand-cut Michelin road race tires and has a Clark fuel tank. It wears a Maryland license plate “786D86”, and has VIN #JS1SK43A222100052.

To view a picture of the bike, go to http://www.13x.net/pictures/Other/04-06-14%20StolenDrz/index.html

Anyone with any information can reach Williams at [email protected].

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc. Former motocross star Rich Thorwaldson, 58, who suffered severe brain trauma in a crash during an AFM road race at Infineon Raceway May 30, remains in a “deep coma” and “is showing no signs of improvement,” according to a website set up by his family, www.richardthorwaldson.com. A June 14 posting by Lee Felch on the website bulletin board states that Thorwaldson was recently transferred from John Muir Medical Center, near San Francisco, California, to Saint Mary’s hospital, near Thorwaldson’s home in Reno, Nevada. Felch reported that plans are being made for Thorwaldson to return to his home, where he will receive hospice care. News is better regarding first-year Expert James Chance, 18, who crashed his 2004 GSX-R600 during a WERA C Superbike race June 6 at Roebling Road Raceway, near Savannah, Georgia. According to Chance’s father, Jim Chance, the young man lost his front brake lever on the front straightaway due to contact with another rider, did not realize he lost the brake lever until he got to his braking marker at Turn One, ran straight off the track and impacted an earthen barrier at a high rate of speed. According to his father, Chance was transported to Memorial Hospital in Savannah with two collapsed lungs, a fractured C2 vertebra and a severe concussion. He was placed into a drug-induced coma, and fully woke up on June 15. “He has been off life support and breathing on his own since 8:00 p.m. Monday night, so now they are trying to find a regular room for him so he can leave ICU (Intensive Care Unit),” Jim Chance told Roadracingworld.com Wednesday. “He’s still foggy. It was a pretty nasty head injury, but he’s doing good. “Now they are going to concentrate on his fractured C2, but they haven’t found any spinal cord or arterial damage and he can wiggle all of his fingers and toes. So that’s good. “Right now all of the information from his doctors is good. We don’t know how long his recovery is going to be. It’s up to him, but so far he has been on top of all their best-case predictions.”

From a press release issued by Laguna Seca Raceway:

CROWD-PLEASING SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP HEADING TO THE USA

10th Annual Honda Superbike Classic Set For July 9-11


MONTEREY, Calif. – The stars of the Superbike World Championship (SBK) are headed to the USA for their only appearance in the Western Hemisphere at the Honda Superbike Classic July 9-11 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

The 2005 season is producing crowd-pleasing races and shaping up as one of the most competitive in all of motorsports, with six different riders taking victory in the 12 races staged thus far. (Each championship round includes two separate races.)

Frenchman Regis Laconi (Ducati Fila) has won a series high five races this season and leads the world championship over teammate James Toseland of Great Britain. Toseland won the season-opening race at Valencia (Spain) and has added five second-place finishes to trail his teammate by only three points, 171-168.

Fan favorite Noriyuki Haga (Renegade Ducati) comes to the States third in the championship (139 points) and one of the hottest riders on the circuit. The Japanese rider has won three times this season, including twice in the last two rounds. As a two-time winner at the Honda Superbike Classic (Race 2 in 1998 and Race 1 in 2000), Haga is considered one of the favorites in next month’s event at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

Fourth place in the championship with 137 points is Chris Vermeulen (Ten Kate Honda) who is fulfilling the promise he showed in winning the 2004 Supersport World Championship. The 21-year-old Australian earned his first win – as well as the first win for the Honda CBR1000RR – in Race 2 this past weekend at Silverstone (Great Britain). Vermeulen led all but the last lap of Race 1, before yielding to Haga in the final turn. He then led all but two laps in Race 2 en route to his maiden victory.

Italian Pierfrancesco Chili (PSG-1 Ducati) took a popular win in Race 2 at Misano (San Marino) earlier this season and has five additional podium finishes, placing him fifth in the championship with 129 points. The SBK veteran, who turns 40 later this month, is a crowd favorite in Monterey, particularly after winning Race 1 here last season.

Sixth place in the championship, just one point behind Chili and three points behind Haga, is Australian Garry McCoy (Xerox Ducati Nortel Networks), winner of Race 2 in his home race at Phillip Island.

Veteran Troy Corser (Foggy Petronas) joins Haga and Chili as the only former Honda Superbike Classic winners entered in this year’s races. The Australian won Race 1 in 1995, Race 2 in 1998 and Race 1 in 2000. Corser, who won the 1994 AMA U.S. Superbike Championship, is currently sixth in the point standings (95), with his best finish being a second place in Race 1 at Misano.

Tickets are on sale now for next month’s Honda Superbike Classic, featuring the Superbike World Championship and the AMA Chevrolet U.S. Superbike Championship, as well as a complete schedule of AMA road racing support series. Tickets are available by calling (800) 327-SECA or logging onto www.ticketmaster.com or www.laguna-seca.com.

More event information is available at www.superbikeclassic.com.

From SPEED Channel:

12:00 p.m. FIM World Supersport, Silverstone
1:00 p.m. FIM MotoGP, Catalunya
2:00 p.m. AMA Formula Xtreme, Road America

8:00 p.m. Two Wheel Tuesday with Greg White
9:00 p.m. American Thunder
9:30 p.m. Corbin’s Ride On

12:00 a.m. Two Wheel Tuesday with Greg White
1:00 a.m. American Thunder
1:30 a.m. Corbin’s Ride On

3:00 a.m. FIM 250cc Grand Prix, Mugello

All times are Eastern Time.