Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Several Parts Canada Superbike Championship teams are at Infineon Raceway for a final warm-up before their season begins in May but with one key rider missing.

Present during Thursday’s promoter practice were Coors Light Blackfoot Suzuki’s Craig Connell and Clint McBain, DXS Diablo Suzuki’s Steve Crevier and Jeff Williams and Honda Canada’s Andrew Nelson.

Honda Canada’s Jordan Szoke, a two-time Canadian Superbike Champion and former AMA regular, was not at Infineon Raceway Thursday and may not make it to the track due to trouble entering the United States, according to a crew member who asked to remain anonymous.

Neither Szoke nor Honda Canda Team Owner Alan Labrosse could be reached at post time.

Then riding for the Corona Extra Suzuki AMA team, Szoke ran into visa troubles while attempting to enter the United States in May of 2002 (during a period of increased border security, following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks) and had to finish that season in the Canadian series.

Szoke raced in the AMA event at Daytona International Speedway this past March.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

After testing at the recently-repaved Birmingham, Alabama racetrack in late-April, three AMA factory teams are reporting that the latest racing surface at Barber Motorsports Park is very similar to the old surface.

“We heard about the new pavement and wanted to get on it, but there’s no major differences from last year,” said Yoshimura Suzuki Team Manager Don Sakakura, of the newest surface at Barber. “The lap times were a little slower than last year, but they were pretty close.”

“It’s not much different than last year. It’s a little harder on the front, but that’s just the nature of the track and it being new pavement. Our lap times were about the same as last year,” said Mat Mladin’s Crew Chief Peter Doyle.

“It’s really sharp pavement right now, the corners are really long and the front tires get worked. It’s the same for everyone,” said Ben Spies’ Crew Chief Tom Houseworth.

“We had some (front tire) abrasion issues,” said Miguel Duhamel’s Crew Chief Al Ludington. “But Miguel did his fastest lap on a (front) tire that had 21 laps on it, and the race distance is only 17. It’s fine as long as you don’t mind your tire looking a little fuzzy on the right side.”

“We tested there to see the new pavement, because we heard some horror stories, lap times one-to-two seconds off last year’s times, but the times weren’t that much different,” said Yamaha Team Manager Tom Halverson. “Jason (DiSalvo) went quicker than Damon’s (Buckmaster) 600cc (Supersport) pole time from last year.”

Halverson said his team also tested new Dunlop rear slicks designed to perform more like Dunlop’s D208 DOT-labeled tire under acceleration out of corners.

While DiSalvo bettered last year’s Supersport times, most of the Superbike men were slightly off last year’s pace but with amazingly-equal lap times.

Unofficially, Mladin and Erion Honda’s Jake Zemke led the way with high-1:25s. Duhamel, Ben Bostrom and Aaron Yates were only a few tenths of a second slower.

The biggest news from the test was that Yates walked away from a high-speed crash that totaled a Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superbike.

“There wasn’t much left that was salvageable,” said Sakakura. “Fortunately, he didn’t hurt himself. He just lost the front in a third- or fourth-gear corner. I think it was turn nine.”

Yates said he regretted the crash because the bike he dropped ” was feeling really good.”

From a press release issued by Kawasaki Racing Team:

CONFIDENCE HIGH FOR EUROPEAN OPENER

The Jerez circuit in Southern Spain plays host on Sunday to the first European MotoGP race of the year and, after a promising start to the season for the Fuchs Kawasaki Racing Team in South Africa, Shinya Nakano and Alex Hofmann have high hopes for the weekend ahead.

A successful IRTA test in difficult weather conditions at Jerez back in March could pay dividends for the Fuchs Kawasaki Racing Team, as the local weather forecast is predicting that rain showers may well be a factor that the MotoGP teams have to overcome this weekend.

But, while the weather may be the same as it was for the IRTA test, the circuit will look – and sound – a lot different to the riders this weekend. The Spaniards are some of the most passionate, knowledgeable and noisy race fans anywhere in the world, and when you pack upwards of 150,000 of them onto the natural grandstands that surround the 4.423km Jerez circuit an electric atmosphere is guaranteed. The fireworks that punctuate practice and qualifying here also make Jerez one of the few circuits where you have to strain to hear the sound of the unsilenced 990cc MotoGP machines over the noise of the crowd.

After finishing an impressive 12th on his race debut for Kawasaki in South Africa, Shinya Nakano heads for the second round of the 2004 MotoGP World Championship in determined mood. The 26-year-old Japanese rider likes the Andalusian circuit and, after testing successfully here preseason, is confident that his Ninja ZX-RR – updated with new components for this race – is capable of giving the Fuchs Kawasaki Racing Team their first top ten finish of the season.

Nakano’s Fuchs Kawasaki teammate, Alex Hofmann, will be looking to put the disappointment of crashing out of the opening race of the season in South Africa behind him at Jerez this weekend. The 23-year-old German rider made his wild card debut for the Fuchs Kawasaki team in this race last season, finishing a creditable 16th aboard his Ninja ZX-RR. Hofmann improved considerably on this race time during the IRTA tests at Jerez in March and is confident that there are further improvements to be made, both to machine set up and lap times, during practice and qualifying for Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix.

Shinya Nakano: No.56
“Jerez for me always feels like the first race of the season, because it’s the first time in the year we see the whole MotoGP paddock set up, with all the trucks and hospitality units. I like racing at Jerez; the circuit suits my style and the enthusiasm of the Spanish fans always makes for an exciting weekend. It’s unusual to be able to hear the crowd when you’re out on track, but with the sheer noise the fans produce here, not to mention the fireworks; they certainly let you know they’re there! The opening race of the season didn’t go quite according to plan, but we had a good qualifying run in South Africa and I’m hopeful that we can match that this weekend. We’ve got some new parts to test on the bike during practice and qualifying and, if all goes well, then I think that matching my eighth place in this race last year is a distinct possibility on Sunday.”

Alex Hofmann: No.66
“I need to get a good result here after the disappointment of South Africa and, while anything can happen in racing, the fact that we had a good test here gives me the confidence that such a result is possible. We already have a good set up on the bike for this circuit, and we know which tyres work well around here, but I think there’s a good chance we can make further improvements in these areas as the weekend progresses. I know it’s possible for me to finish in the points on Sunday, but if all goes well in practice and qualifying then maybe the possibility of a top ten finish shouldn’t be discounted. I like racing at Jerez; the atmosphere is incredible and the sheer enthusiasm of the Spanish fans always gives you an extra boost on race day.”


More, from a press release issued by d’Antin Ducati:

Hodgson and Xaus ready to taste the Spanish GP atmosphe…
[29.04.2004]



The riders of the d´Antin MotoGP team, Neil Hodgson and Rubén Xaus, arrive in Spain with their Ducati Desmosedici bikes this weekend, to kick off the European leg of the World Championships at the captivating Jerez circuit, home of the Spanish Grand Prix since 1987.


It is a very balanced circuit, with one bend leading onto another throughout, requiring riders to be smooth and the set-up precise, with the top speed not being the main factor. However the main draw of this track is the incredible atmosphere created by some 200,000 fans who make their way into the complex, letting the riders know they are there every single lap of the way.

Neil Hodgson knows exactly what it means to ride at Jerez, where he raced for the first time in 1995 taking 12th in the 500cc class. “I’m delighted about returning to Jerez because we tested here recently. The weather conditions were awful though, I hardly rode, and there was no sign of the massive crowds, who are the real reason behind the magical atmosphere at this Grand Prix. It’s an important race for the whole team, and I have to say that I much prefer this track to Welkom. We had bad luck there, but I’m confident that this weekend we can continue our adaptation to the category and we can pick up our first points.”

For Rubén Xaus Sunday’s race will be something of a ‘baptism’, with it being his first race at home this year and his debut in this legendary Grand Prix, “I know the circuit, but the last time I raced here was in 1995 in the Spanish Championship. Now I’ve got pins and needles a bit, because I’m going to ‘that’ Jerez that everyone talks about, that I’ve seen on the television… and as much as people tell you about it, I think you have to live it. I hope that the fans receive me well, because from my point of view I’ll guarantee them 110 percent effort. When we tested during the IRTA session, it caught my eye how much the complex had been improved , but the weather wasn’t with us then and we couldn’t make the most of the time. In Welkom we did some good work, but luck wasn’t with us, and now in Jerez our objectives are still the same as in South Africa: to get more experience and to finish the race.”

From a press release issued by Team Suzuki:

UP-BEAT TEAM SUZUKI HEAD FOR THE FIESTA

Spanish GP Preview. Round 2, Jerez de la Frontera, Spain, May 2, 2004

After a highly encouraging start to the season in South Africa, Team Suzuki MotoGP riders Kenny Roberts Jr. and John Hopkins head back to Jerez with high hopes, their pre-season optimism reinforced.

The same goes for the whole team, as they prepare for the second race of the season, the Spanish GP. The GP at the now classic Andalucian circuit also marks the start of the European season – a dogged week-in week-out campaign that tests the strengths of riders and teams to the limit.

The Moto-GP crazy Spanish fans can be relied on for a memorable opening round. Vast crowds flock to the picturesque capital of the sherry-producing district, and the GP is a fiesta all of its own, in a region where they take the task of celebrating very seriously. On race day, the natural grandstands around the 2.748 mile / 4.423 km track will be packed with 130,000 fans, clamouring to see their heroes in typically close MotoGP action.

The Africa’s GP at Welkom opened the eagerly-awaited 2004 MotoGP season, and clearly proved the prowess of the latest version of the 220-plus horsepower Suzuki GSV-R MotoGP prototype. Roberts put up a strong performance to qualify tenth, with team-mate Hopkins joining him on the fourth row of the new three-by-three starting grid. An electronic glitch brought Kenny’s race to a premature end while he was well-placed in the top ten, and sizing up the opposition. Hopkins lost ground in some hectic tangles on the first lap, but finished 13th and in the points, highly confident of better things to come.

Jerez is the first of three GPs in bike-mad Spain, and this is the riders’ second visit so far this season. Team Suzuki and almost all their MotoGP rivals took part in IRTA tests at the start of April, two weeks before the season began. Kenny Roberts set second-fastest time, only one hundredth of a second slower than South African GP winner Valentino Rossi, with Hopkins close behind, and sixth overall. Results that mean the revitalised Suzuki team is looking forward to the forthcoming race with relish.

The upturn in the long-established and much-decorated factory team’s fortunes has come after two years race-developing radical new designs and solutions in the 990cc V4 GSV-R MotoGP machine. Relatively minor changes to Suzuki’s most powerful ever racing machine, along with a switch to Bridgestone tyres, have unleashed the competitive edge that was always within the motorcycle. Better still, there is more on the way – including engine revisions in the pipeline.

“Right now, the factory is testing parts aimed at answering the rider’s requests for more horsepower,” said team manager Garry Taylor.

“In fact, both these things are as usual – development at the factory is always continuous; and I have yet to meet a top-level rider who doesn’t always want more horsepower.

“The difference now is that we have been seeing very positive results from the latest developments and every sign that we can continue going in the right direction,” he said.

The Jerez race is followed by two days of testing … Suzuki expect to join several other teams at the circuit, where they will further perfect the latest engine and chassis developments and work with Bridgestone tyre technicians to gather further data.

“The whole start to the season has been so encouraging and uplifting for the whole team,” said Taylor. “We know that there is a long way to go, but everybody can see how much progress we’ve already made.

“There’s an air of optimism in the pit and everybody is confident that we can keep closing in on our ultimate target, of fighting again for race wins, and the championship we last won in 2000.” he said.

The Spanish GP is followed in quick succession by the French and Italian races as the European season follows on to its conclusion in September – interrupted only by a quick trip to Rio de Janeiro and a brief summer break. There are 16 rounds in the 2004 MotoGP World Championship.

KENNY ROBERTS Jr. – EVERYTHING FROM HERE LOOKS UP:

“I think our team could be pretty happy with the way the last race weekend went, on a grand scale. Sometimes you don’t get a finish, and it was one of those days. But we’ve shown that Suzuki can get to a better position. I think South Africa was the worst-prepared we’ll be all year – from here on everything just looks up. We have some exciting stuff coming for Jerez, if not for the race, for testing on Monday. I’m really looking forward to the weekend.”

JOHN HOPKINS – HIGH HOPES, THAT’S FOR SURE:

Jerez has always been a really good track for me. I got my best result of the season there last year. I really like it. Then at the last tests, we found a race tyre there from the Bridgestones that was really excellent – it just connected with our bike and that track. I’m going to be training my ass off and going there with high hopes, that’s for sure.”

ABOUT THIS RACE:

Jerez celebrates its 18th year as a GP venue, but only its 17th as host to the Spanish GP. The exception was in 1988 when it replaced the cancelled Portuguese GP with the Expo 92 event. By then, the Andalucian venue was already well-established as an important start to the European season, attracting huge crowds to the venue outside the capital of Spain’s sherry district between Cadiz and Seville. The crowds kept on growing over the years, as did the race’s importance in line with Spain’s growing love affair with GP racing. Now it is the first of four events on the Iberian peninsula, where motorcycle GP racing is second in popularity only to soccer. The Spanish GP also coincides with a number of springtime fairs in the region, making it an early holiday race for crowds, who can expect sunny if not necessarily always hot weather.”

ABOUT THIS TRACK:

The circuit at Jerez de la Frontera began a major upgrade two years ago with the track fully resurfaced, and pit and paddock buildings extensively rebuilt to bring the former showpiece of Spanish racing up to the standards of newer tracks at Barcelona and Valencia. The track, originally commissioned by the municipality of Jerez in the late Eighties, had a twisting lap making good use of the surrounding hillsides to provide natural grandstands and extensive views. The first layout was not universally popular with riders, but the track was lengthened slightly in 1992, replacing one slow section with faster curves. The result was exemplary, much improving the track with a minimum of disruption. Since that time the venue has grown in stature and popularity to become one of Europe’s premier motor sport events, drawing weekend crowds in excess of 200,000. With a lap of 2.748 miles (4.423km) and a lap record speed of 95mph (153km/h), Jerez is still a fairly slow circuit, but with enough faster corners to make it interesting. A quirk is extreme sensitivity to temperature, with grip levels changing morning to afternoon.

GP DATA

Jerez de la Frontera.

Circuit Length: 2.748 miles / 4.423 km).

Lap Record: 1:42.788 – 96.256 mph / 154.909 km/h. Valentino Rossi, 2003.

2003 Race Winner: V Rossi (Honda).

2003 Race Average: 46.50.345 – 95.055 mph / 152.976 km/h.

2003 Fastest Race Lap: see lap record.

2003 Pole Position: L Capirossi (Ducati) 1:41.983.

2003 KENNY ROBERTS (Suzuki) Race: 13th. Qualification: 17th – 1:43.026.

2003 JOHN HOPKINS Race: Seventh. Qualification: Seventh, 1:42.579.

From a press release issued by Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin:

BOSTROM LOOKING FORWARD TO “HOME” ROUND AT INFINEON RACEWAY
Having scored Ducati’s first podiums of the season with two strong second-place finishes at California Speedway, Eric Bostrom is set to do battle in round 3 of the AMA Superbike Championship at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California, just 40 miles north of Eric’s birthplace of San Francisco.

Although the Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin team has never tested the Ducati 999 at Infineon Raceway, they remain positive that the extensive work they’ve done to date with Michelin will bring them positive results. Eric’s experience on his “home” track should also help facilitate getting the 999 set up during its maiden practice and qualifying sessions at Infineon on Friday.

“I’m looking forward to riding the Ducati at Infineon,” said an enthusiastic Bostrom. “Not only is the track a lot of fun to ride, but the folks at the track have shown a level of commitment to the riders that’s really quite impressive. Plus, my brother and I grew up nearby so we normally have a large contingent of friends, family, and supporters there that we always look forward to seeing. I know that there are also a large number of Ducati owners and fans in the area as well, so I’m looking forward to giving them something to cheer about.”

“It’s always good to go into a circuit where the rider really likes the track since it’s such a positive starting point,” explained Racing Manager Tom Bodenbach. “We’re hoping to build on our good results from Fontana at Infineon. We’ll really benefit from having Ernesto Marinelli come over from Ducati Corse in Italy to help out. He’s the Team Ducati Fila Technical Director – Eric works great with him. Our goal this weekend is to cut into the points lead in the series.”

The first of the two 28-lap (100k) races takes place on Saturday, with the second race of the double-header to be featured on Sunday.

The Circuit
Originally named Sears Point Raceway when constructed in 1968 and renamed in 2002 as part of a 10-year strategic partnership with Infineon Technologies, the 12-turn, 2.22 mile (3.57km) circuit sits on 1,600 acres in Sonoma, California. A recent $65 million upgrade to the raceway included significant safety improvements for motorcycle racers. Several top AMA racers, including Eric Bostrom, were consulted for their input before the changes were implemented.

The tight and twisty circuit features mostly right hand corners, with exciting elevation changes and varying degrees of negative and positive camber. Nearly the entire track was repaved in August 2003, including turns 1-3, 6-8 and 11. The track’s layout favors an overall balanced bike set-up over top speed capabilities.


More, from a press release issued by Proforma:

HIGBEE AND ESLICK READY FOR INFINEON

Millennium Technologies Suzuki riders Shawn Higbee and Danny Eslick return to sunny California for round three of the AMA Chevrolet Superbike Championship at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma this weekend, April 30-May 2.

Higbee is healed from his crashes at California Speedway four weeks ago, and is looking forward to Infineon. “I like the track, and I understand that they’ve made quite a few changes since last year,” said Higbee. “We made a lot of progress on my bikes at Fontana, so I think they’ll be good at Infineon. The crashes at Fontana were unfortunate, but we’ll bounce back this weekend.” Shawn is currently tied for 10th place with Jason Pridmore in Repsol Superstock points.

Eslick has spent the last month riding his Suzuki DR-Z400 as much as possible, while also bicycling and going to the gym. “Me and A.J. have been riding at a go-kart track a lot on our DR-Zs, it’s a blast,” said Danny. “We just put street tires on the stock ,wheels and go have at it. I can’t wait for Sears Point, I had a pretty good race there last year, it was my first time there.” Eslick is currently 12th in Pro Honda Oils Supersport points after two events, and 15th in Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme after his first event in the class at California Speedway.


More, from a press release issued by Proforma:

HEATH SMALL BACK TO 100 PERCENT FOR INFINEON

After re-injuring his shoulder at California Speedway a month ago, HAS/Shogun Racing rider Heath Small deems himself 100% fit for round three of the AMA Chevrolet Superbike Championship at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA this weekend, April 30-May 2. Heath again plans to compete in both the Pro Honda Oils Supersport and Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme classes on his Yamaha R6s.

“My shoulder is totally healed,” said Heath, who originally dislocated the shoulder at Daytona in March. “We’ve had a little bad luck at the first two events, but we’re expecting a good result at Infineon. I enjoyed the track last year, my first time there, and I guess they’ve made some good changes to it since then.”

Team owner Lance Small says the team has made changes to the power output on the team’s Formula Xtreme machine. “We’ve tamed the motor down a bit,” said Lance. “It still makes really good horsepower, but we’ve smoothed the powerband out. It should be easier for Heath to ride.”

From a press release issued by FGSport Group:

2002 World Endurance Champions the Zongshen Team of China will take part in the Zhuhai 6 Hour round of the World Endurance Championship. There are also several other interesting entries already confirmed for what will be one of the biggest races of the year.

Zongshen Team took first and second places in the 2002 World Endurance Championship, with at least one of their two bikes on the podium at every round of the series except Suzuka. They looked set to repeat this achievement in 2003. The Zongshen 1 bike won four of the first five rounds last year; their poorest result a third place at Assen when victory went to the Zongshen 2 bike. A run of bad luck at Suzuka and Oschersleben put paid to their championship hopes, and the team moved on to the World Superbike Championship for 2004. The full Zongshen rider line-up has not been confirmed, but it will include World Superbike competitors Warwick Nowland and Piergiorgio Bontempi, and former World Endurance Champion Stephane Mertens.

Amongst other entries already confirmed are Alf’s Motorcycles, Macau Team, Ducati Hong Kong, Arlen Ness and local teams Wan Li Da, Dee Team and Xichao Dachang Foshan Hong Xing. This will be a challenging event for the permanent teams who are competing in the full championship; it will be the first time they have seen the circuit and they will be travelling with smaller pit crews than normal. Could we be in for a surprise from one of the wildcard entries?

Massive crowds are expected to attend the Zhuhai 6 Hour race, which takes place on the 2nd of May during the Chinese May Day holiday season. With the full weight of the race organisers, circuit officials and local government backing the event, we could well be about to see the biggest World Endurance race of the year.


More, from another press release issued by FGSport Group:

In the Assen 500 opening race of the 2004 World Endurance Championship eventual winners Suzuki Castrol and second placed Yamaha GMT94 enjoyed a race-long fight for the lead, and we can expect more of the same at Zhuhai. Some of the leading teams experienced problems with set-up before the race or with reliability during it, and they will be hoping to have made improvements before rolling out onto the track in China.

Practice and qualifying for the 6 hour race take place on Friday the 30th April and Saturday 1st May, with the race starting at 1:00pm on Sunday the 2nd May and running into the early evening. Supplementary practice sessions are being held on Thursday the 29th, and these will be vital for the permanent teams who have had to airfreight their entire race operations to China; if parts are needed that haven’t been packed, they will have to be begged, borrowed or manufactured on the spot. Few of the thirty teams entered for the race will have seen the circuit before, so the pressure will be on the riders to quickly learn the circuit and find a good bike set up.

Success in the six hour race will depend as much on pit strategy as on all-out speed. All of the teams are expected to make at least five fuel and tyre stops, with the some of the faster bikes requiring more. Most teams have also entered three riders for this race, rather than the minimum of two. The weather for the race is expected to be good, although thunderstorms are predicted for nearby Hong Kong on race day.

Warwick Nowland, World Endurance Champion in 2000 and 2002 will ride for the Zongshen Team of China at the Zhuhai 6 Hour race: “For me, this race is very special. 4 years ago I joined the Zongshen Team and no one had ever heard of the Zongshen name. It has been a great experience to be a part of the team’s growth and to return to the home of Zongshen and take part in this historic event is something I am very proud of. I am looking forward to it. I am always out to beat GMT Yamaha and of course my Le Mans winning team, Suzuki France. It will be a great fight!”

From a press release:

Rich Oliver to appear at Infineon this Saturday and Sunday.

Rich will be on hand to sign posters and talk to
former and future students about the Mystery School programs.

Rich Oliver’s Mystery School will be set up in the pits near the Jordan Racing team with a small display of Yamaha TT-R 125 flat track trainer motorcycles and 2004 brochures.

Students will be able to enroll on the spot at a 10% discount for the Mystery School two-day Fun Camp, five-day Pro Camp, one-day MSF DirtBike School, and the Open Track Days.

Rich will be cheering on his school graduates racing at Infinion this weekend including Chris Peris, Montez Stewart, Michael Aron, and Brian Bartlow, just to name a few.

Be sure to stop by during the weekend and bring by any items you would like Rich to autograph.

For more information on Rich Oliver’s Mystery School, visit www.richoliver.net today!



See related post:

4/27/2004 Racetrack Claims AMA License Release Allowed It To Transfer Racer’s Image Rights To Local Brewery For Use On Bottle

From a press release issued by Proton Team KR:

Jerez a step closer for new Proton KR V5

Proton Team KR will be back to full rider strength for the Spanish GP on Sunday, May 2, the opening round of the European season at Jerez- and team principal Kenny Roberts hopes they will also be a step closer to achieving the full potential of the compact and highly integrated new KR V5 MotoGP racer.

Team regular Nobuatsu Aoki will be continuing his drive to put the beautiful howler back in the championship points, after missing out by just two places in the opening round in South Africa.

He will be rejoined by class rookie Kurtis Roberts, who was forced to withdraw from the South African GP when a recovering injury gave unexpected trouble. Kurtis, second son of Kenny, dislocated his shoulder in tests in mid-March, but has worked hard to build up strength for the second race.

The new machine, the second generation of a machine itself less than a full year old, has already joined the 200mph club, with 204.12 mph at pre-season tests. The balance of the overall technical equation will be improved for Jerez, thanks to continued improvements to the revised engine, closely tailored to fit the innovative and compact hewn-from-solid chassis.

“We’re still not fully on top of sorting the engine to perform as predicted on the computer, but we have new parts coming for Jerez, and more for Le Mans (two weeks later),” said Roberts.

“Actually I don’t think our machine is too far out. The chassis stands out as a big improvement. The real question is what tyres Dunlop will bring to Jerez – and I’m expecting an improvement from them as well,” he said.

The Spanish GP will be the team’s second race with Dunlop, and Roberts is confident of further fruits of the new partnership – Proton Team KR’s headquarters at Banbury is less than an hour from Dunlop’s Birmingham race tyre facility, encouraging close cooperation between tyre and machine designers.

“Already the tyres they brought to South Africa worked better than we expected, and they will have yet more new stuff for Jerez,” explained Roberts.

The Spanish GP is the first round of the punishing European season, running almost unbroken week in week out until September – and what is already one of the biggest events on the calendar is expected to redouble in popularity, as fans flock to the 2.748-mile / 4.423 km circuit outside the sherry capital of Jerez. Last year, fully 130,000 fans made it through the gates on race day.

The next race is the French GP at Le Mans in two weeks.

Nobuatsu Aoki – Rubber side up
Actually, the performance of the bike is not so bad now – the engine was already coming better in South Africa, and it should be better again for Jerez, because they are doing a lot of work. Already the chassis feeling and balance is very good. The important thing for this race will be Dunlop tyre developments. At Welkom, they already took a step compared with tests. I’m looking forward to seeing what they bring to Jerez.

Kurtis Roberts – Fighting for fitness
In South Africa there was one particular corner which put my shoulder in a real awkward position, so it felt it would pop out again. Since then I’ve been doing a lot of physio and training to strengthen those muscles, and also testing on dirt bikes. I’ve tried to reproduce the same position and bad feeling, but the shoulder feels good. I want to go racing right away now.

From a press release issued by WERA Motorcycle Roadracing, Inc., in which first-round overall winners Army of Darkness are ignored:

WERA NATIONAL AND SPORTSMAN SERIES RETURN TO NASHVILLE SUPERSPEEDWAY

NASHVILLE, Tenn.- The WERA National Endurance Series, National Challenge Series and Sportsman Series return to Nashville Superspeedway from May 1-2, bringing the top amateur road racers in the nation to Music City.

On Saturday, May 1, the four-hour endurance race will kick off at 12:30 pm. Last year’s race was cut short due to a red flag, so teams will be hoping to complete all four hours this time.

Vesrah Suzuki won at Nashville in 2003 on a Suzuki GSX-R1000, and they will be looking to repeat their success on the tight 1.8-mile infield road course. The team of Tray Batey, Mark Junge and John Jacobi lost their first round in over a year at the season opener last month, and Vesrah Suzuki will be anxious to be back at the top of the podium.

The WERA National Challenge and Sportsman Series sprint races will be featured on Sunday, May 2. With the National and Sportsman races being combined this year, the grids will be bigger and the competition even more tough.

Vesrah Suzuki’s Batey, who is from nearby Gallatin, earned a stunning six victories at Nashville during last year’s event, three each in the National and Sportsman divisions.

Another racer who hopes to repeat his success at Nashville will be first-year expert Matt Lynn. The Team Embry rider earned his first ever career victories at Nashville in 2003, and now he will be aiming to earn his first victories in the expert class.

The National Challenge and Sportsman Series action gets underway at noon on Sunday. There will be 16 races, each 10 laps in length, providing a full afternoon of racing for fans.

Tickets are available for the entire weekend, including the Friday practice day, for only $30. Saturday/Sunday tickets are $20 and Sunday only is $15.

More information, including a complete schedule of events, can be found at www.WERA.com.

From a press release issued by No Limit Motorsports — Suzuki:

The No Limit Motorsports – Suzuki Team is looking forward to a good weekend at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California. World Champion rider Jason Pridmore, who was injured in a crash during testing at Willow Springs shortly after the Fontana Race, will be back to try to improve on his Third place finish at Fontana in the Lockhart-Phillips USA Formula Extreme Class. His crew has found some needed horsepower in his Suzuki GSX-R600’s that have been built for the highly competitive class. Jason will also continue his run on the GSX-R1000 in the Repsol Superstock Class.

Jimmy Moore remains on the injured list and will be back in form for the Brainerd Race early this summer.

Jason Curtis will again compete in the Repsol Superstock Class as well as in his second set of Superbike Races at the Infineon race. He too is optimistic about improving on his recent finishes, and has been training hard to prepare for the more technical track at Infineon.

This session will see veteran racer Brian Parriott aboard one of the No Limit Motor Sports GSX-R1000’s in the Repsol; Superstock class. Brian, winner of the BMX Boxer Cup race at Daytona this spring, is anxious to see how he does at his favorite track on one of the well prepared No Limit machines. The entire crew is excited about the prospect of having Brian riding with the team this weekend, and are hopeful that he is able to surprise the other competitors in the highly competitive Superstock class.