From a press release issued by Fortuna Yamaha Team Release:

Q&A WITH YAMAHA RACING REPRESENTATIVES

Q&A with Lin Jarvis, Managing Director of Yamaha Motor Racing B.V.


Q: Having announced the news about signing Valentino Rossi, there must have been a lot of excitement in the past couple of weeks, not only from the media but also within Yamaha?

A: Since we made the announcement there has obviously been a great amount of media interest, and many staff within the international Yamaha network, as well as our co-sponsors and team staff, have expressed how pleased they are at our news. It seems that most people welcome the drama that this will bring to the MotoGP championship as a whole, and also the anticipation of the challenge of us achieving our goal with Valentino.



Q: Is it true that Yamaha had a contract with Valentino for some time before the announcement?

A: We had only worked on the basis for a contract before the Valencia GP. It was only after Valentino’s and Honda’s joint announcement in Valencia that we could really tie down all the details to conclude an Agreement.



Q: Can you tell us how much Yamaha is paying Valentino?

A: We never release details of our riders’ salaries. His salary is based upon his worth as a rider.



Q: What changes have been made within Yamaha’s structure to accommodate Valentino’s arrival?

A: The only specific changes we have made for Valentino’s arrival are those made to his own technical support staff within our team. We are at the same time, very busy to restructure and improve every section of our MotoGP operations and further details will be made known when our plans are complete.



Q: Valentino has stated that he wanted a new challenge, are you worried that if he wins the World Championship with Yamaha within the two years of his contract he will leave to find another new challenge?

A: Our goal is for him to win the World Championship with Yamaha. If that happens we shall, of course, be extremely happy! Of course we would love Valentino to remain a Yamaha rider for a while to come, but at the moment we’ll take one step at a time. It seems inappropriate to talk about when he’ll leave when he hasn’t even arrived yet!



Q: What will the sponsor set-up be for 2004?

A: Both Yamaha teams in the MotoGP world championship will continue to have Altadis
as the principal sponsor, with the Fortuna and Gauloises brands. The colours of the two teams might change to satisfy their marketing needs. At this stage we can’t say more than that.



Q: Will Alex Barros stay in the Tech 3 team?

A: Alex Barros has an existing contract with Altadis for 2004 and is expected to stay in the Tech 3 squad. As far as we know he will be in the line-up for 2004.



Q: Will Marco Melandri receive the same support that he had in the factory team?

A: The Tech 3 team has a good record of working with young riders and we feel that Marco will be well looked after in the Tech 3 team. He certainly will not suffer from a lack of support from Yamaha either. Marco had a difficult first year in the championship through injury but proved at times that he will be very good in MotoGP. Marco has a big future ahead of him and Yamaha will give him all the support he needs.




Q&A with Davide Brivio, Team Director of Yamaha’s factory team

Q: With Valentino joining your team, you will obviously need to make changes. Who from his Honda team will Valentino bring with him?

A: Jeremy Burgess will come to Yamaha as Valentino’s crew chief, accompanied by Alex Briggs, Bernard Ansiau, and Gary Coleman, three of his existing mechanics. They will work with Brent Stephens, one of our own mechanics, and Matteo Flamigni our data acquisition technician.



Q: Is it true that you ‘let some of your team members go’ before the Valencia GP to make way for the new crew?

A: It is true that we have not renewed a number of staff agreements that expired at the end of 2003. We informed a number of our team staff even before Valencia that we could not guarantee their positions for next year due to the likelihood that we could sign Valentino and may need to make changes to the technical support staff. We have now informed those concerned that we will not be able to renew their contracts. It is always difficult to lose staff, especially when as in this case they have all been extremely good at their jobs. Unfortunately that is very much the nature of working in this sport – that major changes can take place on a yearly basis.



Q: Was it Valentino’s request that members of his crew come with him?

A: It was a mutual decision between Valentino and Yamaha – in order to create the best possible working environment for Valentino when he comes to Yamaha, we have made some adjustments to the existing team. Valentino has an excellent working relationship with some of his present crew, and in order for him to feel as comfortable as possible and to integrate him as smoothly as possible into the all-new Yamaha set-up we have built a team around him that includes some of his 2003 staff. The final support crew will be a mix of existing Yamaha technical staff with some members of Valentino’s 2003 crew.



Q: Is it true that Team Manager Geoff Crust will not work for the team next year?

A: Geoff has been a very valuable part of our set up for a number of years in his role as team manager for the Yamaha factory team. It is true that he will not continue that role within the team for 2004. The basic reason is that we shall change our working system and we need the team management staff to be based permanently in Italy at the team headquarters. Geoff has always been based in the UK and it would not have been practical for him to make the move. Geoff and Yamaha are discussing future options.



Q: Is it now Yamaha’s aim to win the World Championship with Valentino in 2004?

A: Of course when you start any new season the dream is to be able to challenge to win the championship but I think that 2004 will be a year for Valentino to establish a good working relationship, to clarify where we need to go with the M1 development, and hopefully in that process we will be able to challenge for individual race wins and to prepare the base for the future. Our 2005 target is certainly to go for the World Championship with Valentino. Carlos is of course more used to the M1 and can be at his maximum from the beginning of the season.



Q: Does it worry you that if Valentino wins with this bike, people will say it’s just because of the rider, not the bike?

A: I think that if we win races next year people will recognise that it is because we have made a huge effort and that the package we have put together is working.



Q: If Valentino cannot win with the M1, are you worried that it will be negative for Yamaha?

A: It is true that in some senses we are taking a risk. With Valentino riding our bike we can make no excuses if we are off the pace. However, we are ready to accept that challenge and we have every confidence that we can deliver a good package next year.



Q: In the past Yamaha has had a policy of not having a clear number one rider. Is this still the case?

A: It is fair to say that our focus next year will be on Valentino but we do not think that
this will disadvantage the other Yamaha riders. We are expecting to work closely with Valentino and Carlos to adapt the bike to their individual needs. All in all Yamaha has a very strong line up next year and I think having Valentino as the lead rider will be good for everyone.



Q: Have there been any developments on when Valentino will be able to test the M1 for the first time?

A: Valentino’s contract with Honda will cease on 31st December 2003. We have approached Honda to see whether they would be willing to free Valentino early in order for him to take place in our test in Malaysia on the 28/29/30 November. I thought they would accept since it’s fairly normal for factories to release riders from their contracts early to test with a new manufacturer. Unfortunately they refused us permission but that’s just the way it goes. We will go ahead with our November test with Carlos Checa and our Japanese test riders. And as it stands Valentino will test on the 20th January, also at Sepang in Malaysia.




Q&A with Masao Furusawa, General Manager of Yamaha Motor Company’s Technology Development Division, relating to YMC engineering & technical
issues


Q: You have been in charge of Motorsports in Japan since June. How are you finding it?

A: Firstly, very busy! Especially since recent negotiations began with Valentino Rossi! I
am very much enjoying being involved in MotoGP and am feeling very enthusiastic about the year ahead. We have a number of new staff in Japan and everyone is highly motivated.



Q: What technical developments have you already put in place ahead of Valentino’s arrival?

A: Our engineers are busy to improve and upgrade every part of the M1 to be ready for the 2004 season. We have already tested new prototype chassis in Valencia and a revised engine is currently being completed in Japan (based upon Yamaha’s chosen inline-four concept). We will use an extensive winter test program to further develop the bike and to adapt it to match Valentino’s and our other riders’ needs.



Q: When do you hope Valentino might be able to win for the first time on the M1?

A: We’ve recently made a lot of changes in our motorsport organisation and we feel confident that we will be able to produce the right package. We can’t make any guarantees and we know it’s not going to be easy but we’re working as hard as possible to make sure the package is fully capable to get the results we desire. It is
certainly our aim to put him in a position to challenge for race wins from the first race of the championship in April.



Q: Valentino cannot test with the M1 until the testing ban ends in January. What process will you have to go through to adapt the bike to suit his needs, and do you feel you have enough time to do this before the first race?

A: During this season we’ve learned a lot about what is good and what is not so good
for the current M1 bike, verifying with engineering analysis from our measured data.
Some of that data will be put into a computer simulation to further develop the bike until Valentino becomes available in January. Of course more time would be welcome but I believe the M1 can easily be adapted to suit his needs, even with a limited time frame during a race weekend. The M1 is a bike that can be adjusted to each rider’s preference with its adjustable steering position, adjustable pivot location for the rear arm, etc.



Q: How has the news of Valentino’s arrival been received in Japan and within Yamaha?

A: Everyone in Japan is very interested in Valentino Rossi and in MotoGP. Many newspapers are writing about how good the MotoGP championship will be in 2004. In Yamaha head office the staff are really excited and looking forward to the new challenge. It seems they can’t wait for the season to start!

From a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing:

CARR NAMED AMA PRO RACING SPEED CHANNEL ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (Nov. 24, 2003) — Chris Carr was named AMA Pro Racing Speed Channel Athlete of the Year Saturday night at the AMA Pro Racing Awards Banquet at the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas. It was the first time Carr has won the prestigious award after being nominated six times including the last three years in a row.

Upon learning that he had been nominated again Carr, 36, joked that he wasn’t getting his hopes up about winning. However, upon receiving the elusive award Carr was jubilant saying he was shocked and excited. He paid tribute to his wife and children and thanked his mom and dad for allowing him as a child to “chase a dream.” Carr laughingly compared himself to Susan Lucci, the soap opera star who was nominated multiple times for an Emmy award before finally capturing the prize.

Carr’s success in AMA Grand National racing places him in the upper echelons of the sport’s hierarchy. His 62-career national victories makes him the winningest active rider in the AMA Progressive Insurance U.S. Flat Track Championship and his series-leading five victories in the 2003 season places him in second in the all-time AMA Grand National wins category behind retired rival and recent Motorcycle Hall of Fame inductee, Scott Parker. Carr has more AMA Short Track wins than anyone having passed legends Kenny Roberts and Steve Eklund in 2003.

Carr won his first AMA Grand National Championship in 1992 and followed that with titles in 1999, 2001, 2002 and 2003. He’s hoping to capture his fourth straight title (sixth overall) in next year’s 50th anniversary of AMA Grand National racing. Carr credited his championship to those around him. “I’m proud of our team from our sponsors, to my wife and kids, to my crew chief Kenny Tolbert and Rich Bates who put in a lot of time to allow me to win another championship,” said Carr. “They worked hard and this championship is more than a victory for just myself, it’s a victory for a lot of people and I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish what I have without them.”

The AMA Pro Racing Speed Channel Athlete of the Year award is coveted among professional motorcycle racers and is awarded to the racer generally considered to have had the best overall year. A recipient’s overall career success can also be considered in the selection process. In addition to Carr, nominees for the 2003 award included Ricky Carmichael, Mat Mladin, James Stewart and David Watson.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Kawasaki road racing team manager Mike Preston broke his arm at a motocross track in Lake Elsinore, California over the weekend.

Details will be posted when available.

From a press release issued by the AMA:

AMA UNVEILS NEW BRAND IDENTITY AT LAS VEGAS EVENT



PICKERINGTON, OHIO — On the eve of its 80th anniversary, the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is pleased to reinforce its commitment to reaching even more motorcyclists and growing its membership and political strength, with the unveiling of a new branding project, a new logo, and the tagline, “rights. riding. racing.”

The unveiling took place last night at the 2003 AMA Pro Racing Awards Banquet at the Rio Suites Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The new AMA logo is only the third major redesign in the Association’s 80-year history. It replaces the familiar “star” logo, which was introduced in the late 1970s.

“Throughout the AMA’s history, change has been necessary to ensure the Association’s future,” said AMA President Robert Rasor. “We believe that the new AMA logo updates the Association’s identity, while respecting the history and traditions that have carried the AMA through its first 80 years.”

The goal of the new tagline — “rights. riding. racing.” — is to better convey the mission of the AMA. This message, accompanied by the new logo, will be delivered to the AMA’s traditional audiences of road riders and off-road riders, and also to new and young riders, minorities and women.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Circuit Mont-Tremblant, located in Quebec, Canada, will not host a round of the FIM-sanctioned World Superbike Championship in 2004, according to Colin Fraser, the promoter of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship.

In a telephone interview with Roadracingworld.com, Fraser said, “We have our race date (August 19-22) confirmed and the assurance that we will be the only two-wheel event at the track, and we have both in writing. I wanted to know if the World Superbike round was going to happen, because, obviously, it would affect our event, and the track manager assured me that we were the only motorcycle event for 2004.”

Circuit Mont-Tremblant was listed as a “to be confirmed” date, July 2-4, on the tentative 2004 World Superbike schedule released by the FIM on October 24.

Track designer Alan Wilson, who re-designed Circuit Mont-Tremblant in recent years to bring it up to FIA (car) racing standards and has worked with the FIM on several projects including Barber Motorsports Park, recently stated that FIM would have to make “major concessions” to run a World Superbike race at Mont-Tremblant.

From a press release :

T-Bone Racing Presents…
RIDE FOR LIFE
When: December 13th and 14th 2003

Where: Jennings GP – 4960 NW CR152 Jennings FL, 32053

Why: T-Bone Racing and Jennings GP will be attempting to raise funds for the Bryan Cassell II Memorial Foundation. This foundation will help out Privateer riders in their time of need. We all know how difficult it is to get started and some start out with bad tires and unsafe gear. This foundations purpose is to help riders with the proper gear to be safe. We will also be raising money to donate to Bryan’s family to help with whatever is needed. It is a tragedy when we lose a fellow rider to unforeseen situations. It is time for us to all pull together and help those who have lost loved ones while living out their dreams of racing.

Cost:
Track Day Pricing
Saturdays & Sundays $125 per day per Rider
Mondays $85 per Rider

Book all three days (Sat/Sun/Mon) for $299 per Rider

Please pre book to avoid disappointment

Block booking discounts & club membership also available.

Call 386.938.1110 or email us at [email protected]

All riders are welcome street riders and racers

All Track fees to be paid to Jennings JP.

Please sign up in advance so we can get an Idea of how much food and drinks to bring.

FREE STUFF!!!
We will start the Grill and tap the 1st keg after the last practice session. Food and Beer are FREE compliments of T-Bone racing. Live music and Raffle will shortly follow the lighting of the grill.

For any questions please contact Josh Holley @ [email protected] or Laura Bramble @ 239-229-4309

Thanks and see you there!!

Event sponsors: XT Racing, Woodcraft-CFM, 1-888-FASTLAP, Motul, Suomy, Gaerne, Chicken Hawk Racing, Baxley Trailer Co., Darrin Talbott

From a press release issued by Team Troll Honda BQR:

Report on today’s final round of the Spanish National Formula Extreme Championship held on Sunday, November 23rd, 2003 at Jerez de la Frontera, Spain.

Cardoso Wins Race, De Gea the title and Noyes Is 7th in Spanish Formula Extreme Final

Europe’s last major road racing series, the Spanish Formula Extreme Championship, was decided in spectacular fashion today at Jerez de La Frontera under a steady rain, and at the end of 17 laps around the 2.7 mile Grand Prix circuit former 250 and 500 GP star Jose Luis Cardoso won his third consecutive National on his Team D’Antin Laglisse Yamaha R1, but was beaten in the points table by the narrowest of margins, 121-120, by current MotoGP WCM rider José David de Gea on his Alstare Corona Suzuki GSX-R1000.

In the mix was American Kenny Noyes (Troll BQR Honda) who was 30th into the first corner but managed to move up 22 positions to finish 7th. The Californian, who won the Spanish Bancaja Superperies (Superstock) Championship two weeks ago at Valencia, passed fifteen riders on lap one, but was very cautions when he came up on De Gea on lap two.

“I got caught out by the rain in qualifying and didn’t get in a good lap on a qualifying tire while it was dry and that put me back on the fifth row. To make it worse I spun up at the start and was one of the last riders out of the first corner. I passed a lot of riders on the opening lap but I waited for a very clear opportunity to pass De Gea because I knew he was riding for the championship and I didn’t want to screw him up,” said Noyes. “Once I got around him I got into a long fight with Salvador Cabana (Suzuki) for seventh. I finally got him with five laps to go but by then I was too far back to catch anybody else. Without the rain we’d have been another six or seven places back on out bike, with a better start I could have been fourth or fifth.”

Former 125 GP regular Josep Sardá (Mistral Suzuki) was just managing to hold off Cardoso for the lead going into lap thirteen while De Gea was back in tenth. At that point, with five laps to go De Gea was in position to win the title by five points, but Sarda had a slow speed crash at the hairpin. Cardoso went into the lead but Sarda kept his engine running and was back up and still in second. On that same lap De Gea, who had been dicing with Jesús Moreno (Yamaha) since lap one with the two passing and re-passing each other several times, moved up a place and a point and held that place to the finish. If De Gea had finished tenth instead of ninth he would have tied Cardoso 120-120 but lost the crown on the basis of having two wins to Cardoso’s three.

For Cardoso his three race winning streak just might be enough to earn the 30 year Andalusian from Seville a 250 GP ride in 2004. For De Gea the title capped a hectic season that saw the 25 year old from Murcia riding in both MotoGP with the uncompetitive WCM and in Formula Extreme with the Alstare Suzuki.

Cardoso’s team mate Javier del Amor was third in front of Sete Gibernau’s cousin Lucas Oliver Bultó, himself a former 250 Grand Prix regular.

Noyes’ seventh place, the best result this season by Honda in the Spanish FX class, moved the American from 16th to 12th in the final points table, easily the top Honda rider in a championship that saw Suzukis take the title and eleven of the top fifteen places. Yamahas were second, ninth and fourteenth and Noyes’s Honda was 12th.

“Our objective for Kenny this year was to win the Superstock and finish top ten in FX. We accomplished the first objective but just missed on the second because of a big crash at the first Jerez when he was headed for a solid seventh and a rim problem in Jarama that cost us at least four points, but now we can finally park the old 954 and start working with the new Fireblade,” said BQR team owner Raúl Romero.

In the other Spanish National races, Martin Cardenas of Colombia on a D’Antin Yamaha R6 won the wet Supersport race from Spaniards Javier Fores (Repsol Honda) and Julián Mazuecos (ADT Yamaha) with already-proclaimed 2003 Champion Ivan Silva fourth on his D’Antin Yamaha. American teenager Cory West, in the points at mid-race, eventually finished 21st on his 2002 CBR600RR Honda, completing a promising rookie season for the Monllau team of Barcelona in the very competitive Spanish Supersport championship which is limited to riders under 23.

In 125 Grand Prix star Alvaro Bautista (Seedorf Aprilia) , who clinched the title last week in Valencia, won handily in the rain from Hungarian GP regular Gabor Talmasci (factory Malaguti) and Bautista’s team mate Ismael Ortega.

From a press release issued by Harley-Davidson:

PASSPORT TO RIDE WINNER GETS THE KEY TO A 100TH ANNIVERSARY SPORTSTER


Besides attending the events taking place during the 100th Anniversary, Harley-Davidson encouraged riders to “ride and have fun” with the Passport to Ride Sweepstakes. This sweepstakes offered riders an opportunity to visit Wisconsin dealerships, meet up with other enthusiasts for the 100th Anniversary events in Wisconsin and win a 100th Anniversary Sportster motorcycle.

Jennifer Hogan won the grand prize, a 2003 XL Sportster 1200 Custom motorcycle, while visiting both her parents and her husband’s parents in Chicago and Minnesota, and celebrating Harley-Davidson’s 100th Anniversary in August. Hogan collected 12 points while visiting dealerships in Wisconsin and mailed the Passport to Ride postcard. Hogan was selected as a winner in late October and looks forward to riding her new motorcycle in 2004.

Fifty first prize winners received a 100th Anniversary Carpet Bag and 75 second prize winners received a “100 Years of Harley-Davidson” Book, by Willie G. Davidson.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

After agreeing to a deal with American Suzuki Motor Corporation but before company lawyers finished printing out the final version of the contract, Josh Hayes negotiated a deal with Kawasaki and will ride an Attack-prepared ZX-10RR Superbike in the 2004 AMA Superbike series. Hayes will also compete in the Superstock series on an Attack Kawasaki.

Placing Hayes on the Attack support team allows Kawasaki to skirt AMA rules preventing factory riders from participating in both Superbike and Superstock in 2004, even though Hayes will be directly contracted to and paid by Kawasaki Motors Corp.

Kawasaki has re-structured its rider line-up and will now run Tommy Hayden and Roger Hayden on the factory team and Hayes and Tony Meiring on the Attack Kawasaki support team.