From a press release:

A NEW LOOK FOR AVON’S MOTORCYCLE WEBSITE

Cooper-Avon Tyres Limited has launched their new website geared to motorcycle enthusiasts and buyers of Avon motorcycle tyres.

The site, www.avonmotorcycle.com, provides visitors with an opportunity to select their region of the globe and find the Avon motorcycle tyres available to them. Riders can also access the on-line fitment guide to select the tyre best suited to their modern or classic bikes. They can then use the dealer locator to find their nearest stocking Avon dealer.

Users can also access tyre maintenance tips, which include information on the importance of running tyres at the correct pressures, tread pattern depths and visual inspection of tyres. For the keener enthusiast, there is information on tyre identification, construction, manufacturing and even an insight into a day in the life of a tyre tester. And don’t forget to watch for breaking news on the latest Avon motorcycle tires and developments.

Currently available in English, major European language versions of the site will be available later this year.

Visit www.avonmotorcycle.com and check out the new site.

From a press release issued by Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha Team:

GAULOISES FORTUNA YAMAHA TEAM PREVIEW

Spanish Grand Prix
Jerez, Spain
April 30, May 1-2 2004

WINNING START BOOSTS GAULOISES FORTUNA YAMAHA’S 2004 CAMPAIGN

Having supplied the tools and expertise to allow new signing Valentino Rossi to take a sensational first race win of the season, at the Africa’s Grand Prix on April 18, the Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha Team enters round two at Jerez in southern Spain riding a wave of confidence. The Factory Team’s recent acquisition of Rossi’s services has delivered success at the first time of asking and the team has been hard at work since, aiming to emulate their recent success this weekend in Jerez.

Jerez, now the venue for the traditional first round MotoGP stop-off in Europe, is always a celebration of MotoGP excess. The enthusiastic and passionate local crowd, some 200,000 strong over a typical weekend, will be paying particular attention the Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha team, containing as it does two of their heroes; global star Rossi and their own ever-popular Spanish compatriot Carlos Checa.

Having performed well in off-season testing, Rossi showed what a hard winter of development on the YZR-M1 could achieve at the first attempt. His form at Welkom was nothing short of dominant, heading up both qualifying sessions on his way to a close-fought but nonetheless emphatic win over his oldest rival in the premier class, Max Biaggi (Honda). The race-long fight was proof that the consistently fast times set in pre-season testing were no fluke and, more importantly, proved the potency of the M1 over a full race distance. It was also a record breaking feat for 25-year-old Rossi, who scored GP win number 60 in all classes, and has become the first premier-class rider ever to win his first race after making a move to a different manufacturer. It was Yamaha’s first premier-class race win since October 2002, in Malaysia.

The impact of the Welkom win for Yamaha sent ripples through the sporting world. Media and fans ran out of superlatives to heap on Rossi, his experienced pitcrew and the M1 development programme, which has been so adroitly pursued by Yamaha since even before the signing of Rossi last winter.

Yamaha MotoGP Technical Director Masao Furusawa and his colleagues realised that the other manufacturers would redouble their efforts to outdo Yamaha and its new signing, in what was already flagged as the most competitive MotoGP season in history. The work carried out over the past few months has nonetheless already reaped a sweet harvest. Rossi and Yamaha top the Riders’ and Manufacturers’ Championship tables respectively, each with 25 points.

The ominous news for Rossi’s rivals is that, while the Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha Team entered Welkom with data only for the 2003 spec machine, at Jerez Rossi and Checa will both have some degree of experience of the latest evolution M1, gathered at the recent IRTA tests there in early April. The team’s confidence levels will be fuelled even more by the knowledge that Rossi was fastest during that test, with team-mate Carlos Checa in the top four.

The Spaniard found less than smooth qualifying sessions at the Welkom track and eventually finished 10th in the race. Checa now hopes that the mid-race traction concerns that held back his most recent progress on the M1 will be solved quickly in Jerez this weekend. The partisan Spanish crowd will be the tonic Carlos needs as he approaches what is the first of three ‘home’ races for the 31-year-old this season.

ROSSI AIMING FOR REPEAT PERFORMANCE

The fame of Rossi, already a global motorsport icon, was redoubled after his Welkom race win. The laid-back native of the hill town of Tavullia, near the Adriatic coast of Italy, was so overcome with emotion at winning his first ever MotoGP race for Yamaha that he stopped out on track on the slow-down lap and wept tears of pure joy and relief. His comments before Welkom had hinted that a podium prize of any colour would be an achievement of note. To take the ultimate prize at the first attempt was doubly satisfying.

With some distance between him and his most recent day of glory, Rossi stated, “Obviously after our success in Welkom I am really looking forward to Jerez. Our tests went well there so it will be interesting to see if we can be on top for the race as well. It was such a great moment in Welkom but we must not let that stop us from continuing to work as hard when we arrive in Jerez, and at least we already have some experience with the Jerez circuit. It’s a circuit that I like quite a lot, it holds many happy memories for me and also my favourite corner of any track is at Jerez, the last right hand turn before the hairpin.

“We are ahead of where I was expecting us to be at this stage so even more reason why we should not sit back and relax. Welkom was such a close race and the Honda bike and Honda riders are obviously really competitive, there is not much between us. Anyway we will of course be aiming for a podium again, as we will at every race this year.”

CHECA WORKING FOR STRONG HOME RESULT

After some excellent pre-season performances, and much hard work in terms of machine and tyre development, Carlos Checa may have expected more from his latest African adventure.

“Obviously I was very disappointed with the South African race and I was a bit unlucky with the problems I had there,” affirmed Checa, now a London resident. “After the Welkom race I had a meeting with my mechanics and we discussed the reasons behind the problems I had over the weekend. They will decide what the best way forward is and we will work together to make the necessary changes.”

The recent IRTA tests at Jerez may offer some valuable data for Checa’s back-up crew, as he attempts to overturn his recent Welkom ill-fortunes. “In Spain we will start with one bike with the same set-up as we used during the last Jerez test. We will then work from there to find the best race setting. We used a different set-up in South Africa which we won’t use this time. I have had bad luck for the last two years in Jerez and have been unable to finish the races due to problems over which I had no control, so I hope that this time things will be better!”

Checa acknowledges that a home race can be hard work off track as well as on.

“Spain is a bit different; there are friends everywhere and many fans. It is a track I know well and the fans there give me a strong feeling of encouragement; I hope I can give them a good show. I am comfortable at this track and I know the corners and the braking points well. It is also safer than it used to be due to some alterations that have been made to the circuit.”

Checa welcomes the addition of Rossi to the team this year, recognising the potential benefits to his own campaign. “Valentino’s result in Welkom proved that the bike can go faster and, although I don’t want to say I can do the same as him straight away, this provides me with some encouragement. It is in our hands to improve our position and it is my biggest wish to be at a point in Jerez where I can fight at the front.”


DAVIDE BRIVIO LOOKS AT THE BIGGER JEREZ VISTA

“We are very much looking forward to the Jerez Grand Prix, especially after the perfect start to the season from Valentino in Welkom”, said Davide Brivio, Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha Team Director. “We cannot, however, rest for a moment if we want to keep doing the same. Many people have been asking if it will mean even more pressure in Jerez because we won in Welkom. I don’t think it’s a question of more pressure, as the win has given us a bit more confidence. If anything the win has actually lifted the pressure because we know for sure that we are capable of winning, and that all the hard work we have put into renovating the bike has been in the right direction. We will certainly try to win at every race this season, although that might not be possible as our competitors are so close. It depends on the specific situation at each track.

Brivio acknowledges that the Welkom victory will have had a galvanising effect on the opposition. “For sure everyone is now going to be trying even harder to beat us and they will speed up their development accordingly. We need to work hard to combat their reaction. It won’t be easy but we will try to give both riders the ammunition to win.

Of the circuit itself, Brivio stated, “Jerez is a circuit that Valentino likes a lot. He said that the Welkom circuit was not one of his favourites and then he won there, and he says that the Jerez circuit is one he likes a lot, so hopefully that means he will be up at the front again! Most tracks will be new challenges for Valentino on the M1 apart from the tracks he tested at during the winter, so we’re not sure what to expect. But he rode well at the Jerez IRTA test almost a month ago and hopefully he will do so again. Carlos has not had the start to the year we were hoping for, but we have every confidence in him for Jerez. His IRTA test times were good there and we expect to see him fighting at the top in front of his home fans on Sunday.”


TECHNICALLY SPEAKING

The 4.423 km Jerez circuit may have lost the crown of the most popular testing venue on the calendar but its location and perennial appearance of the MotoGP line-up still makes it a favourite in pre-season.

With the Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha team having tested extensively this season in Malaysia and Australia, the Jerez testing was confined to two weather-affected days during the IRTA Tests. Extensive ‘primary’ safety work, in the form of improved run-off, has been a direct result of the increased power and speed of the current breed of MotoGP machines and is the latest in a string of revamps at the Andalusian circuit.

The Jerez circuit features five left and eight right hand corners, a surprising degree of elevation and to some extent camber changes on what, to the casual observer is a largely flat track layout.

Exactness of line makes precise and repeatable chassis set-up a must, and to make the most of the squirts between corners a clean and predictable throttle response is needed throughout the rev-range. With only a 600m main straight, Jerez is not a long-legged track in the classic mould, but was in the vanguard of more safety-conscious arena-style tracks. Thus absolute horsepower comes into play relatively infrequently, the most important factor being set-up for predictable performance through frequent changes of direction.

Some heavy braking points around the track make that aspect of performance vital to a good race result, while the surface is neither the slickest nor most abrasive on the calendar.

With Jerez a well-known quantity, even from previous seasons, the set-up of the bike is expected to be tuned in relatively quickly, with the fight for pole position expected to be another particularly close one. The pressure to do well in qualifying has been redoubled this season, as MotoGP now features a three-rider grid row, down from the previous four. This qualifying for the front row is a more difficult task by far.


VALENTINO ROSSI: INFORMATION

Age: 25

Lives: London, UK

Bike: Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha Team YZR-M1

GP victories: 60 (21 X MotoGP, 13 X 500cc, 14 X 250cc, 12 X 125cc)

First GP victory: Czech Republic, 1996 (125cc)

First GP: Malaysia, 1996 (125cc)

GP starts: 125 (33 x MotoGP, 32 x 500cc, 30 x 250cc, 30 x 125cc)

Pole positions: 31
Jerez 2003 results (Honda): Grid: 5th, Race: 1st


CARLOS CHECA: INFORMATION

Age: 31

Lives: London, UK

Bike: Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha Team YZR-M1

GP victories: 2 (500cc)

First GP victory: Catalunya, 1996 (500cc)

First GP: Europe, 1993 (125cc)

GP starts: 153 (33 x MotoGP, 92 x 500cc, 27 x 250cc, 1 x 125cc)

Pole positions: 2 (1 x MotoGP, 1 x 500cc)

First pole: Spain, 1998 (500cc)

Jerez 2003 results (Yamaha): Grid: 10th, Race: DNF



Jerez MotoGP lap record – Valentino Rossi (Honda) 1:42.788 2003

Circuit best lap – Loris Capirossi (Ducati) 1:41.983 2003

From a press release issued by Camel Honda Racing Information:

Spanish GP – MotoGP

Camel Honda team all set for star role in Spanish GP

In South Africa the Camel Honda team fully lived up to expectations: that of playing a leading role right from the beginning in the battle to win the 2004 MotoGP championship, with its 16 races across five continents. Max Biaggi’s 28 laps at Welkom had millions of spectators around the world in breathless excitement and his satisfaction on the podium, together with that of the technicians, gives a clear indication of the spirit with which the team is now heading towards the cradle of Spanish motorcycling, Jerez de La Frontera, in Andalusia. And great determination also fires Makoto Tamada’s technicians, who in South Africa enabled the rider to make huge progress over the weekend and who are now aiming to provide the swift Japanese with the best bike-tyre package so that he can show off his talent to the full. Jerez is a circuit that many riders in the world championship like – and the two standard bearers of the Camel Honda Team are no exception – not just because it is a fine course, technical, medium-fast and almost always blessed with ideal weather conditions, but also because it is in the beautiful region of Andalusia and on the GP weekend it attracts a huge throng of biking fans.

Max Biaggi #3: (Michelin tyres)

“I like the Jerez track because it’s technical, fairly difficult and very complete, in the sense that there are many different types of corner, from rapid sweeps to medium-slow, with a number of pretty abrupt braking points. There are no particular ups and downs but otherwise there’s everything it takes to ensure plenty of fun. The chassis settings are fundamental on this type of track and we’ll certainly be starting out with the ones we used in Welkom – which proved to be very effective – but of course we’ll be adapting them to the different characteristics of Jerez, and we’ll try to perfect the little details we didn’t have time to work out in South Africa. I’m feeling fully geared up after the race two Sundays ago. I’m highly motivated and I feel ready to work absolutely flat out with Honda and my team in order to get out ahead and achieve the result we’re going for.”

Makoto Tamada #6: (Bridgestone tyres)

“I’m anxiously awaiting the second round of the world championship at Jerez. First of all because I want to improve my performance after the race in South Africa. A good race even so, and an honourable eighth place, but I wasn’t happy about the gap separating me from the leader at the finish. I’m very pleased with the bike, the 2004 RC211V is much more powerful than last year’s but despite this improvement in performance, it’s still very easy to handle and ride. I’m also pleased with the tyres, for new materials are constantly being developed, though I was only able to try out the latest during the weekend in Welkom. After the IRTA tests, when it was almost always raining, I hadn’t gathered all the data I needed to get a complete idea of these new models. So we are going to have to make up for some lost time and the four hours of practice at Jerez will be fundamental. I love the Jerez de La Frontera circuit and I’m hoping to find the right weather conditions so that I can work well. What we’re aiming for is to get the package of bike-plus-new-tyres really balanced so that we can achieve the level of competitiveness that will let us stay out in front and make it up to the podium.”

Jerez circuit


2003 podium
1. V. Rossi (Honda)
2. M. Biaggi (Honda)
3. T. Bayliss (Ducati)

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

Official Record
V. Rossi (Honda – 2003)
1:41.983

No. of laps
27 (119.421 km)

MotoGP race time:
14:00 (GMT + 1)
*Greenwich Mean Time + 1 hour


Features
Length: 4,423 m
Width: 11 m
Right-handers: 8
Left-handers: 5
Built in: 1986
Modifications: 1994

From a press release issued by Deeley Harley Davidson Canada and RACE:

2004 CANADIAN THUNDER RACING SERIES

From Buell (Deeley Harley Davidson Canada) and RACE Events Inc. Shannonville Mortorsports Park

The Canadian Thunder Racing Series was first started in 2002 and was designed to provide a competitive arena for modern air-cooled Twins. Since that time, the series has involved many brands including Buell, Ducati, BMW and Motoguzzi. With Thunder racing at both Shannonville and Mosport, a wide variety of competitors have been able to participate and bring the sound of air-cooled excitement to tens of thousands of spectators.

For 2004, the Canadian Thunder Racing Series will have official undercard status for three national Parts Canada Superbike Championship race dates, the first time ever for the series. These dates will be sanctioned by PMP and RACE and they will consist of four dates at Shannonville and two dates at Mosport with a doubleheader for a total of seven races. Attendance for the six weekends is estimated to be a minimum of 40-50,000 spectators. In addition, two of the respective dates will be in conjunction with the Vintage Road Racing Association 10th Anniversary and the RACE 25th.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

A report in the April 19 edition of Forbes magazine ranks Harley-Davidson among the top 25 corporate brands. No other motor vehicle brands made the list, which was topped by Procter & Gamble.

The list was assembled by Predictiv, a company the magazine described as a “valuation research firm.” The company assigned Harley-Davidson a corporate brand value of $15.7 billion. Other brands close to Harley-Davidson on the list include Kellogg at $16.2 billion, General Mills at $17.5 billion and Nike at $19.7 billion. List leader Procter & Gamble had an assigned brand value of $107.4 billion.

The report credited the 600,000-member Harley Owners Group (HOG) with helping keep the brand strong.


A report in the same issue of the magazine describes an international trade dispute involving Motion Systems, a manufacturer of electronically-controlled actuators and a long-time sponsor of Arclight Racing. The New Jersey company claims that a Chinese firm, CCL Industrial Motor, is selling actuators in the U.S. for less than the cost of the materials used to build the actuators; Motion Systems unsuccessfully sought tariffs on the Chinese actuators.

Former Arclight rider Chris Hughes and former Arclight crew member Mike Hughes are long-time Motion Systems employees.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

American Suzuki Motor Corporation’s Morgan Broadhead, who crashed at Road America Sunday, has been released from the hospital and will fly back to Southern California tomorrow. He suffered a concussion in the crash and is resting at Mark Junge’s Vesrah Suzuki shop in Union Grove, Wisconsin, near Milwaukee.

Broadhead hoped to fly back today but was instructed by doctors to avoid flying for 24 hours.

“I appreciate all the well-wishers who called, but I wanted to let everyone know that I’m fine and that I’ll be flying home tomorrow,” Broadhead told Roadracingworld.com.

From a press release issued by Vitrans Honda:

VITRANS SENSES SNETTERTON IMPROVEMENT

Vitrans Honda rider, Craig Coxhell, finished in 13th place in the second race of yesterday’s British Superbike championship third round at Snetterton in Norfolk but declared himself happy with the team’s early season progress.

Coxhell had earlier crashed out of race one having started from 12th place on the grid but the Aussie feels that his team is beginning to understand the all new CBR1000RR Fireblade better with each race.

“We’re developing the bike each time we go out,” said Coxhell, “but Snetterton is a completely different track to Brands Hatch, so we had to start again with a blank piece of paper. The crash with Steve Plater in race one was just a racing thing so I was pleased to get some more points in race two.”

Vitrans Honda’s two new Supersport riders for Snetterton, Iain MacPherson and American Nicky Moore, enjoyed mixed fortunes; MacPherson crashing out of the lead on lap 18 and Moore taking eleventh place on his European debut.

MacPherson was disappointed not to finish in his first outing for the team but was impressed by the Vitrans CBR600RR, saying: “That’s a quick bike, for sure. I was pretty comfortable in the lead before I crashed but when the back stepped out I just lost the front trying to correct it.”

Moore, who contested his first AMA Supersport race in the US earlier this month, flew in from California just days before Snetterton and rode the bike for the first time in Friday morning practice. The 17-year-old impressed many with a steady, points-scoring ride.

“I’m real happy with that,” he said afterwards. “I struggled a bit with set-up during qualifying but we made some changes during warm-up and that improved things. There’s definitely a different racing style to AMA and it’s real fast here, too!”

Vitrans Honda’s regular British Supersport and Superstock rider, Paul Young, was helping the squad at Snetterton as he recovers from the fractured arm sustained at Brands Hatch. While Young hopes to recover in time for round five at Mondello Park in Ireland on 23 May, the Vitrans team moves on to Oulton Park for round four of the championship which takes place next Monday 3rd May.


British Supersport championship

Result: 1 M. Laverty (Ducati) 23:14.750, 2 K. Harris (Honda) -0.537, 3 P. Riba (Kawasaki) -0.578, 4 L. Quigley (Suzuki) -1.813, 5 S. Andrews (Yamaha) -2.091, 6 J. Vincent (Honda) -2.259, 7 T. Sykes (Suzuki) -7.651, 8 A. Coates (Suzuki) -8.394, 9 C. Jones (Triumph) -8.684, 10 M. Llewellyn (Ducati) -14.619, 11 N Moore (Vitrans Honda).

Points after round three: 1 Laverty 51, 2 Harris 45, 3 Vincent 43, 4 Riba 42, 5 Quigley 38, 6 Jones, Andrews 27, 8 Murphy 19, 9= Coates, Sykes 15.

From a press release:

Colin Edwards helps the Houston Ride for Kids® kick off the 2004 Ride for Kids® Season

Darla captures the hearts of the motorcyclists by sharing some life-lessons with six-year old Garrett while National Ride for Kids® Director Allen Hughes looks on.

It is a rare and mighty special occasion when a two-time World Superbike champion and current MotoGP contender is the Top Individual Fundraiser at a Ride for Kids® event. However, that’s exactly what happened at this year’s Houston Ride for Kids(r). Colin Edwards, a Conroe, Texas native who currently rides for Gresini Racing on a Honda RC211V, wowed the motorcyclists by having his representatives turn in $15,075. Edwards, who is in Europe preparing for the MotoGP circuit, was there with the kids and riders in spirit, his spokesperson said.

The 2004 Ride for Kids® season kicked off with a bang in Kemah, Texas on Sunday, April 25. Despite a little drizzle, 800 giving and dedicated motorcyclists gathered to ride through Houston’s southern suburbs to raise a record-breaking $273,523 for childhood brain tumor research.

Since 1984, the Ride for Kids® program has raised funds to support the research and family support programs of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. Today, more children die from brain tumors than from any other childhood cancer.

After the police-escorted ride, the motorcyclists gathered for the meaningful Celebration of Life program. An amazing 15 patient families, with Ride for Kids® “stars” ranging in age from six to nineteen, were in attendance. Dr. Jack Su and Dr. Allison Bertuch were also there to help the riders understand the importance of pediatric brain tumor research. Darla, a 16-year old brain tumor survivor, won the audience over by taking the microphone away from National Ride for Kids® Director Allen Hughes and asking him to have a seat. She then addressed the younger brain tumor survivors by telling them, “I learned a saying that I want to pass on to you. Please remember that rain always comes before a rainbow.”

Fundraising records were broken across the board in Houston. The Top Club honor went to both GWRRA Texas Chapter Z whose members brought $55,450 and GWRRA Texas Chapter C whose members turned in $54,153. The Top Dealer title was earned by two deserving and generous dealers. Pasadena Honda’s clients turned in $68,320 and Northwest Honda’s customers brought in $62,914. Howard Chipman of Groves, Texas won the grand prize, a new Honda motorcycle.

Kudos to Ronnie Lunsford and his hard working volunteer Task Force for conducting a successful Houston Ride for Kids® event.

The next Ride for Kids® events are on Sunday, May 2 in Pittsburgh, PA and Triangle Area (NC).

For more information about the Ride for Kids(r) and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, please visit www.rideforkids.org or www.pbtfus.org or call (800) 253-6530.

From a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing, in which we learn that Steve Rapp used to park cars IN a restaurant, which may explain why he had to find a new career…:

Duhamel’s experience showing through in Lockhart-Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Series

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (April 26, 2004) — Few riders in all of AMA Pro Racing have the experience of Miguel Duhamel. Twice this season the 36-year-old Las Vegas resident has been challenged all the way to the checkered flag in the Lockhart-Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Series and twice the 16-year AMA professional came out on top. Duhamel leads the Formula Xtreme Series as the championship rolls into Infineon Raceway, in Sonoma, Calif., as part of the Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown presented by Cycle Gear on April 30 through May 2.

Duhamel edged Honda teammate Ben Bostrom at Daytona International Speedway in the opening round of the series by a scant 0.151 seconds to take the first victory in the revamped class. He then turned around in early April and held off Erion Honda’s Jake Zemke by less than a bike length at California Speedway. Duhamel hopes to make it three-for-three at Infineon Raceway.

Duhamel was all smiles after a race-long battle with Zemke at California Speedway. He predicted a lot more races like that after taking his 70th-career AMA road racing win.

“I had a great race with Jake at Fontana,” Duhamel said. “I think the two of us are going to be going at it all season.”

With his Formula Xtreme victories Duhamel joins Nicky Hayden as the only other rider to win in all four categories of AMA Pro road racing.

Erion Honda’s young gun Alex Gobert is third in the series putting Hondas 1,2,3 in the series to this point. Gobert is hoping to find the speed to run up front with his Honda teammates at Infineon.

Coming on strong is 2002 AMA Formula Xtreme Champion Jason Pridmore on the No Limit Suzuki. After suffering a DNF at Daytona, Pridmore charged back with a third at California Speedway. Pridmore has proven to be one of the top riders at Infineon Raceway over the years. He’s won both
Formula Xtreme and Superstock races on the challenging circuit. Unfortunately, Pridmore was injured in a practice crash earlier this month and is questionable for Infineon.


Spies rallies to share Repsol Superstock Series lead with Gobert

Ben Spies left Daytona eighth in the Repsol Superstock Series after serving a stop-and-go penalty for jumping the start. But instead of leaving the opening round with his head hung low, the tough Texan simply looked forward to the rest of the season. “We’ve got a great bike so I’m not worried about it,” he said after the March opener. Spies proved he knew what he was talking about. He came back to take a commanding victory aboard his factory Yoshimura Suzuki at California Speedway earlier this month. As a result Spies comes to round three of the 11-race series at Infineon Raceway, on April 30-May 2, sharing the series points lead with Graves Yamaha’s Aaron Gobert.

Spies, last year’s Formula Xtreme winner at Infineon, looks to break the tie with Gobert with yet another victory at the Northern California circuit.

The new Superstock class has proven to be very competitive. There’s a logjam atop the series standings with the top six riders within 10 points. Any of those six could conceivably leave Infineon Raceway with the points lead.

Spies will have to hold off the tidal wave of Graves Yamaha riders, with four riders in the top six. Gobert heads up the blue brigade, but look for last year’s Infineon Supersport winner Jamie Hacking, who is ranked third in Superstock, to be strong at this track.

Kawasaki’s racing brothers Tommy and Roger Lee Hayden like the speed of their new ZX-10Rs, but both are still trying to get the chassis on the speedy green bikes perfected. Tommy is ranked fifth, while younger brother is just two points behind him in seventh. Look for both to continue to improve as the Kawasaki crew learns the in-and-outs of setting up the big ZX.

Hometown fans will root for Valvoline EMGO Suzuki’s Steve Rapp. Rapp, an Oakland native, came up through the racing ranks the hard way, supporting his racing career by parking cars in a Bay Area restaurant. Rapp is eighth in the series after earning a pair of top-10 finishes. He’ll be looking to challenge for the win at Infineon in front of friends, family and fans from the area.

The Infineon Formula Xtreme race and Superstock highlights will be broadcast on SPEED Channel on May 11 beginning at 2 p.m. Eastern.

Call 800-870-RACE, or visit www.infineonraceway.com or www.ticketmaster.com for additional information on the Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown.


More, from a press release issued by Mat Mladin Motorsports:

2004 American AMA Chevrolet Superbike Championship

Rounds 4 & 5 – Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, California, USA

Event Preview

MLADIN AIMS TO CONTINUE SUPERBIKE WINNING STREAK AT INFINEON RACEWAY THIS WEEKEND

After taking victory in the opening three races of this years American AMA Chevrolet Superbike Championship, Mat Mladin and his Yoshimura Suzuki team will be out to maintain their race-winning intensity as the championship heads to this weekend’s double-header round at Infineon Raceway, north of San Francisco.

With this year’s 18-race championship in its early stages, the four-times American Superbike Champion knows the importance of stringing together a number of strong race finishes to lay the foundations for his title defence.

“The next two double header rounds of the championship at Infineon and then Barber Motorsports Park are both very important weekends for us,” said Mladin. “If we can get a couple more wins at those tracks, we can extend our points lead out to the equivalent of a race win and after five or so races in the championship that would be a nice position to be in. This weekend is a very important weekend and that’s how we’re treating it.”

Mladin arrives at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California, holding a 24-point lead over Honda’s Jake Zemke (112 – 88), with Miguel DuHamel a further three points adrift in third.

Last year’s corresponding round of the championship was affected by poor weather during qualifying before Mladin emerged victorious in both Superbike nationals. These results, plus his early season form in 2004 leave him and his crew in a strong position prior to the commencement of practice this Friday.

The tight 2.2 miles (3.54km) circuit contrasts the fast Daytona and California Speedway circuits that the championship has already appeared at, offering little in the way of fast straightaways, instead linking together a range of twists and turns that will have all of the teams searching for the best engine / chassis combination to suit the conditions over the weekend.

“I do like the Infineon circuit,” Mladin added. “They’ve made a lot of improvements to it since we last raced there which have helped the safety side of things, plus the track surface is also better. They still have a bit more to do to make it 100 percent safe for motorcycles, but they’re well on their way to doing that.”

“Bike setup here will be at a premium, speed really doesn’t help too much. We think we’ll be in good shape, we know what the motorcycle can do there, obviously the results from last year and the test we had there earlier this year have given us a lot of information, so we’re heading there with no less expectation than to win a couple of races.”

Practice and qualifying for this weekend’s double-header AMA Superbike round commences on Friday, followed by the final qualifying session and opening Superbike race on Saturday. Sunday’s program will feature the second 28-lap Superbike national.

FAST FACTS – Infineon Raceway

Circuit Length: 2.2 miles (3.54km)
2003 Pole position: Mat Mladin (Team Yoshimura Suzuki) No official qualifying due to rain.

2003 Race results:
Race 1
1. Mat Mladin (Team Yoshimura Suzuki)
2. Aaron Yates (Team Yoshimura Suzuki)
3. Miguel DuHamel (American Honda)

Race 2
1. Mat Mladin (Team Yoshimura Suzuki)
2. Aaron Yates (Team Yoshimura Suzuki)
3. Ben Bostrom (American Honda)

Superbike lap record: Anthony Gobert (Yamaha) 1:31.692 mins (2001)

2004 AMA Chevrolet Superbike Championship (Points after 3 of 18 rounds)
1. Mat Mladin (112, 3 wins); 2. Jake Zemke (88); 3. Miguel DuHamel (85); 4. Eric Bostrom (70), 5. Lee Acree (67); 6. Geoff May (64); 7. Scott Jenson / Eric Wood (57), 9. John Haner (53), 10. Cory West (52).