From a press release issued by MS Aprilia:

Manuel Poggiali: “Ready to start!”

Welkom, 4/15/04

Reigning 250 champion Manuel Poggiali begins the defence of his world crown this weekend when the new 2004 season begins in South Africa.

The MS Aprilia Racing rider goes into Sunday’s first race in Welkom brimming with confidence after a successful winter testing schedule on the RSW250, led by his chief engineer Rassano Brazzi. Poggiali will carry his famous number 54 plate instead of the number one in 2004. Like several other riders, he turned opted to carry his own plate used over a number of seasons because he believes the number one plate will be ‘unlucky’.

Poggiali goes into the new season in peak physical condition having undergone an intensive winter testing programme to help him cope with the punishing 16-round world championship. And he’s been training and eating a diet specifically geared to help him cope with the special demands presented by racing in Welkom, with thinner air caused by the circuit’s high altitude above sea level.

Looking forward to beginning the defence of his world title, the young San Marino rider said: “The winter was very hard because the weather wasn’t perfect at some places we tested, but we were still able to do a lot of work and we have moved in the right direction.

“Working with Rossano is the best because every problem we face, it is dealt with quickly and professionally. That has been very good working towards the start of the new season and now we have a perfect bike.”

While this year’s world 250 championship looks to be tougher than ever, Poggiali is looking forward to getting stuck into the challenge.

“It is normal that all the teams do a lot of work and I’m sure this will be a very difficult season, but I’m very confident.”


More, from a press release issued by Aprilia Racing:

Alex De Angelis: “Starting a new adventure”

Welkom, 4/15/04

After an intensive winter testing schedule adapting to the new RSW250, Aprilia Racing’s Alex de Angelis can’t wait for the 2004 world championship to start on Sunday in Welkom.

Relaxing in the Phakisa Freeway paddock before this Sunday’s opening race, de Angelis is confident of making a big early impression in his first world 250 championship season.

The San Marino rider, who finished second in last year’s world 125 series, has spent the winter working closely with his chief engineer Giovanni Sada to give him the best opportunity to challenge at the front in 2004.

He said: “I have spent a lot of the winter getting used to the 250. The bike is very fast, reactive and a joy to ride. It is a lot better than riding a 125”.

In the last winter test at the Mugello circuit in Italy, de Angelis managed to produce a brilliant time of 1.55.5, and that performance has given him great confidence before he embarks on the challenge of the world 250 championship.

Alex said: “I didn’t expect that performance and that has made me very optimistic for the race in Welkom, because we did a lot of work on the set-up there just for this race. I want to get an idea of my potential for Welkom by seeing how we get on in Friday and Saturday’s qualifying session, but I think we can finish in the top six which will be a great start.”

From a press release issued by VP Racing Fuels:

AXLJAK RACING TO BE TRACKSIDE VENDOR FOR LRRS/CCS EVENTS AT NHIS

SAN ANTONIO, TX (April 15, 2004) Axljak Racing has been selected as the trackside fuel supplier for VP Racing Fuels during all LRRS/CCS (Loudon Road Racing Series/ Championship Cup Series) events scheduled at New Hampshire International Speedway in 2004. The complete line of VP motorcycle fuel products, as well as sales and technical support, will be available from Axljak on site from the start of practice through the conclusion of each event at Loudon.

“Axljak Racing welcomes the addition of VP Racing Fuels to our product line,” said Jack Aksel, owner of Axljak Racing.

“We’re looking forward to working together with NHIS and LRRS for another successful season,” said Jim Kelly, regional manager for VP Racing Fuels. Further details can be found on the LRRS web site at www.lrrsracing.com as well as www.axljak.com.

In business for 10 years, Axljak Racing manufactures aluminum parts for motorcycles and has served as trackside fuel supplier at NHIS for the last four years. Axljak is owned and operated by Jack Aksel, 22-year motorcycle road racing veteran and 3-time champion.

VP Racing is a contingency sponsor for AMA, Formula USA and LRRS/CCS. VP has been the fuel of choice among amateur and pro riders throughout North America for many years and is the Official Fuel of factory and factory supported teams including Honda, Yamaha, Graves Yamaha, Erion Honda, Attack Performance, Yoshimura Suzuki, Valvoline Emgo Suzuki and Hooters Suzuki.

Over its 27-year history, VP Racing has fueled champions in virtually every racing category and class — from road racing, drag racing and circle track to motocross, off-road, off-shore and even airplane racing. VP has earned a reputation for producing high quality racing fuels with superior power and consistency – as illustrated by the 2003 AMA Superbike, AMA Sportbike, AMA 250GP, Formula USA Superbike, AMA Supercross, NHRA Pro Stock Bike and other champions, each of whom made VP their fuel of choice. In addition to fuels, VP’s product line includes synthetic oils, 2-cycle lubricants, additives, chemicals and traction compounds – each designed to produce the most power and best performance in their respective racing applications. More information can be obtained from VP’s website – vpracingfuels.com – or the contacts below.

VP Racing Fuels
Jim Kelly, 302-368-1500 (office); [email protected] or

Axljak Racing
Jack Aksel, 978-422-8790; [email protected] or visit www.axljak.com for information requests via the

From a press release issued by California Speedway:

Stater Bros. Markets, Kingsford Charcoal and Cholula Hot Sauce join speedway family

CALIFORNIA SPEEDWAY WELCOMES THREE NEW CORPORATE PARTNERS

FONTANA, Calif. (April 15, 2004) — California Speedway today announced the addition of three new corporate sponsors, Stater Bros. Markets, Kingsford Charcoal and Cholula Hot Sauce, beginning with the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Auto Club 500 weekend.

“We are pleased to welcome these three California-based corporations to the California Speedway team,” said speedway president Bill Miller.

As the largest privately owned supermarket chain in Southern California, Stater Bros. Markets is joining the speedway as “California Speedway’s preferred Grocery Store.” Stater Bros. Markets currently operates 158 Full Service Supermarket locations, with 47 in San Bernardino County, 42 in Riverside County, 30 in Orange County, 27 in Los Angeles County, 10 in Northern San Diego County, and 2 in Kern County. There are over 14,500 members of the Stater Bros. “Family” of Employees. Headquartered in Colton, California, Stater Bros. has been serving Southern California customers since 1936.

Continuing a relationship started last year, Kingsford Charcoal will become the “Official Charcoal of California Speedway.” The Kingsford Product Company is the leading manufacturer of charcoal in the U.S. with both its Kingsford and Match Light brands. The company makes regular and instant charcoal, wood chips and lighter fluid. The Oakland, Calif., company also is the primary sponsor for the No. 59 Kingsford Ford driven by Stacy Compton in the NASCAR Busch Series.

As the “Official Hot Sauce of the Auto Club 500 Weekend,” Cholula Hot Sauce will be located in all concession stands and hospitality areas to add their famous Flavorful Fire to any speedway meal. The authentic recipe was originally developed in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico and blends pequin peppers, red peppers and spices in a delicate process that produces a perfect balance between flavor and heat. Cholula Hot Sauce will also host a Tortilla Toss contest in the infield and the Temecula, Calif., based company will distribute 2 oz. bottles to all infield RV guests during the Auto Club 500 weekend.

Purchase your tickets today to the Auto Club 500 weekend, April 30-May 2. Tickets start at $65 for Sunday. Joining the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series drivers on Saturday are the NASCAR Busch Series for a 300-mile event and the NASCAR Grand National Division, West Series for the King Taco 200. Tickets start at $40 for Saturday’s action, which will also include the Miller Lite Rock ‘n Racing Concert featuring “Live.” Tickets for Friday’s NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Chevy Trucks Pole Day are $10 general admission.

For ticket and event information call 800-944-RACE (7223) or log onto www.californiaspeedway.com.

From a press release issued by Ducati Austin:

Ducati Austin-Home of E-Boz and the Ducati Austin Race Team Launches Message Board

Austin, TX — To help our Ducati clientele connect, Ducati Austin announces the launch of our www.ducatiforums.com message board. Our Forum provides Ducati Owners the opportunity to find events and rides, sell their bikes, come to a track day events or just discuss anything in the world of Ducati. We welcome participation from Ducatisti Worldwide.

Our Forum will feature regional rides for Ducati Owners to connect and ride together, announcements for our upcoming track days and events, classified ads, and especially Ducati Austin Race team press releases and info on Eric Bostrom.

We welcome suggestions from our clientele on what they want to see and how they want to connect with others so that this becomes a board that everyone can use.

Ducati Austin is a Ducati-only dealership running the factory-backed Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin 999 AMA Superbike with rider Eric Bostrom. We co-host “Texas Ducati Track Days” to provide track time and rider training for Ducati owners in Texas.

Message Board registration and use is free. If you want to connect with many Ducatisti from across the nation and around the world, visit www.ducatiforums.com to try out our board.

From a press release issued by Kawasaki Racing Team:

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2004
AFRICA’S GRAND PRIX – PHAKISA FREEWAY
15TH APRIL 2004 – EVENT PREVIEW

FUCHS KAWASAKI ALL SET FOR SEASON OPENER

What is surely the most eagerly anticipated MotoGP season in recent years finally gets underway this weekend, at the Phakisa Freeway circuit in South Africa’s Free State Province.

The word ‘Phakisa’ means ‘hurry up’ in Sotho, and that’s exactly what Fuchs Kawasaki riders, Shinya Nakano and Alex Hofmann, will be looking to do on Sunday, after five months of intensive winter testing aboard the latest version of the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR.

For Nakano, this weekend will mark his first race appearance as a Kawasaki rider. The 26-year-old Japanese rider likes the high speed but technical Phakisa Freeway circuit, having won a 250cc Grand Prix here and qualified in fifth position for last year’s MotoGP race, and he is looking forward to making his race debut aboard the Ninja ZX-RR MotoGP machine.

Nakano’s Fuchs Kawasaki teammate, Alex Hofmann, also makes his debut as a full time Kawasaki Racing Team rider this weekend. The 23-year-old German rider was promoted from test and development rider to a permanent place in the team following a string of impressive wild card rides aboard the Ninja ZX-RR during the 2003 season. Hofmann starts his rookie MotoGP season determined to prove that this promotion was warranted.

Shinya Nakano: No. 56
“Normally the winter months seem to last a long time and I can’t wait to start racing again. But, this season, with a new bike and a new team, I would have preferred to test some more before the first race, especially as the two IRTA tests were disrupted by rain. Having said that, we made a lot of progress with the bike during the overseas tests, where the weather was better, so I think we are in a fairly good position for the first race this weekend. Hopefully, during qualifying, I will be able to show our potential and secure a start position on the first three rows of the grid.”

“For the race I will be concentrating on making it all the way to the chequered flag, scoring as many points as possible and collecting the data that the team need to continue improving the bike. The track here can be very slippery on the first day because of the dust, but overall I like the Phakisa Freeway circuit. It is both fast and technical; a real rider’s track. Having won here on the 250, and qualified fifth on the MotoGP bike last season, I am really looking forward to the weekend ahead.”

Alex Hofmann: No.66
“The progress we’ve made with the new bike during the winter months has been good for my confidence, and it means that I go into my first full season in the MotoGP class with the feeling that we’re well prepared for what lies ahead. I think we’re going to have a lot of fun in this, my rookie year, but I also think my learning curve will be extremely steep. I have had one-off and wild card rides in MotoGP in the past, which has allowed me to show my potential on the big bikes, but it is only this season, as a full time MotoGP rider, that I will have the opportunity to develop as a rider and finally realise this potential. Now, I just can’t wait to get started.”

“I have raced at Phakisa Freeway on a 250cc machine in the past, but Friday’s opening practice session will be the first time I have seen the track from the seat of a MotoGP bike. The circuit is very different to the other tracks we race at over the course of the year, but I don’t think it is too difficult to learn. Like most tracks, finding your way around is not a major problem, but learning the secrets to a fast lap time can take some doing. Overall, I think this circuit will suit our bike quite well.”

Harald Eckl: Team Manager
“Finally, after a successful winter test programme for us, the season gets underway this weekend here in South Africa. As you can imagine, everyone in the team, and everyone involved in the MotoGP project at Kawasaki in Japan, is keen to see how the combination of new bike, new riders and new tyres will perform in a race situation for the first time on Sunday. After our final test at Jerez two weeks ago I am looking forward to this weekend’s race, and also the Jerez race, which is next on the calendar. I think that the work we have done with the chassis, the tyres and the overall handling of the new bike over the winter will stand us in good stead at circuits where outright power is not a major factor. Maybe I am being too optimistic, but I think there is a good chance of both our riders finishing in the top ten here at Welkom. Of course, there are a lot of things that can go wrong between now and the end of the race on Sunday, but that’s what makes racing so interesting.”

From a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

LACONI AND TOSELAND (DUCATI FILA) BACK TO ITALY FOR RIVIERA THRILLER

Misano Adriatico (Italy), 15 April 2004: After a couple of exciting races in Australia, World Superbike returns to European soil for round 3 of the championship at the Misano Adriatico circuit on Italy’s sun-kissed Adriatic Riviera. Switched from its regular June slot to mid-April, the race at the twisty, anticlockwise Misano track always produces a classic encounter, with close battles guaranteed to thrill the thousands of Ducati fans who turn up to the resort venue.

Regis Laconi returned from Phillip Island with a first win under his belt, and the 28-year-old Frenchman is anxious to give his championship challenge some momentum as it enters the next phase of four successive European events.

“I only like the first part of the Misano track, in particular the Curvone” declared Laconi. “The last part is difficult and the two chicanes are very slippery. Things will be different this year because it won’t be as hot racing in April as it usually is so that will affect the set-up a bit. At Misano you have to find good grip on the rear because you are on your side a lot in the long left-hand corner.

“The only thing I can do is win both races because I am not happy with my start to the season. I know I am fast, I don’t crash all the time, just a few small mistakes in a season are acceptable but that’s all. At the moment the other guys are not so far ahead in the points, but I would feel better if I was up there with them.”

James Toseland, currently holding a five-point lead over Pierfrancesco Chili (PSG-1 Ducati), claims he has finally got to grips with the difficult Misano track, where his best result is last year’s second place. “Misano is not a long track but it is a technical and challenging one” declared 23-year-old Toseland. “The most critical point are the three fast lefts leading onto the back straight, where if you get it right you can knock half-a-second off your lap time. The last section however is not good, because of the tight chicane and the surface change, where it is bumpy and not ‘grippy’ at all.

“We battled with the set-up in Australia and I feel much happier now with the feeling. We’ve got the baseline set-up for the 999 and it’s just a question of tweaking it now here and there. I will be quite happy with two podiums but I’ve got everything I need to win.”

50 YEARS OF DUCATI SUCCESS FOR FARNE’.

A special commemorative plaque will be awarded to long-time Ducati rider and race engineer Franco Farnè for 50 years of success with the Italian manufacturer. Bologna-born Farnè started working in Ducati in 1951 and soon made his name for the company as test-rider, before notching up a series of international wins in the 1950s and 1960s on Ducatis. He was chief engineer in all of Ducati’s pre-Superbike sporting exploits, including the 1972 Imola win and Endurance racing, as well as Mike Hailwood’s triumph in the 1978 Isle of Man TT race. In Superbike, Farnè was team manager for the factory Ducati team that won eight Constructors’ titles in the 1990s. Since 2001 he has worked for Stefano Caracchi’s NCR Ducati satellite outfit. The award will be handed to Farnè by fellow Ducati engineering legend Gianluigi Mengoli in the Ducati Fila hospitality unit on Saturday after Superpole.

POINTS (after 2 of 11 rounds):
(Riders) 1. Toseland 61; 2. Chili 56; 3. McCoy 55; 4. Vermeulen 55; 5. Haga 43; 6. Borciani 43 . 10. Laconi 25.

(Manufacturers) 1. Ducati 100; 2. Honda 55; 3. Petronas 42; 4. Kawasaki 27; 5. Suzuki 18; 6. Yamaha 13.

CIRCUIT INFO:
Name: Autodromo di Santamonica.
Length: 4.060 km.
Pole Position: Left.
Corners Left/Right: 4/4.
Finish Line Length: 510 m.

STATISTICS:
Best lap: Kocinski (Ducati) 1:34.296 (1996).
Lap record: Yanagawa (Kawasaki) 1:33.494 (1997).
Superpole: Bayliss (Ducati) 1:33.525 (2002).
Race Distance: 2 x 25 laps/101.500 km

2003 RESULTS:
Race 1 – 1. Xaus (Ducati Fila); 2. Toseland (HM Plant Ducati); Laconi (NCR Ducati).
Race 2 – 1. Xaus; 2. Hodgson (Ducati Fila); 3. Chili (PSG-1 Ducati).

From a press release issued by FGSport Group:

World Superbike Championship 2004
Round 3 Misano Adriatico 16-18 June 2004

The Eastern coast of Italy plays host to the third round of what is proving to be a fascinating and unpredictable 2004 World Superbike Championship, after two previous race weekends of alternating fortunes for the top contenders.

Round one in Valencia saw Ducati riders James Toseland (Ducati Fila 999F04) and Noriyuki Haga (Renegade Ducati 999 RS) secure the first laurels of the year, with the second round in Australia providing wins for Regis Laconi (Ducati Fila 999 F04) and Garry McCoy (Xerox NCR Ducati 999RS).

The 2004 SBK regulations allow for a wide variety of roadbike-based machines, of many differing engine configurations, to be truly competitive. The upper engine capacity of 1000cc, for all models and types, plus the adoption of a control tyre for all classes supplied by technical partner Pirelli, have evened out the possibilities for all of the participants. Hence four different winners in four races so far, and widely differing fortunes for the top contenders as each race progresses.

King of Superpole, the specialised form of one-lap competition determining the final grid positions for the top 16 starters, is undoubtedly Regis Laconi, who has secured both Superpole starts quite magnificently so far. Only once has his practice prowess been converted into race finishes – albeit a win – and thus one of the pre-season favourites will be looking to Misano simply as a chance to claw his way up the championship table from tenth.

The top of the table is headed by the more consistent points scorer James Toseland, but the following pack of riders (Chili, McCoy and Vermeulen) are bunched up in a competitive manner, with only six points separating the top four.

In overall second place, despite some pronounced set-up issues with his new 999 Ducati, Pierfrancesco Chili has used both his 2004 and 2003 spec machines in races this year. Chili may find that Misano, his home round and a circuit where he has won a World Superbike race in the past, is the very place to take his first win of the year.

The fact that only one man in the present championship line up, Troy Corser, has won a race at Misano in past seasons makes pre-race predictions something of a lottery, rather than a calculated gamble. Of the other top entrants, two stand out as having been unfortunate so far this season, Steve Martin (DFX Sterilgarda Ducati 99RS) has taken only one podium, despite some impressive front-running rides, while the upsurge of young Briton Leon Haslam (Renegade Ducati 999RS) has yet to be translated into the high finish his talents deserve.

As well as the aforementioned Ducati entries, the field also comprises top-flight riders on competitive multi-cylinder machines. Having taken the World Supersport Championship with an unheard of level of dominance in 2003, Chris Vermeulen has swapped his 600cc machine for a full 1000cc Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade. The lone Ten Kate rider and his new machine have been the revelations of the season so far, taking podiums with what is a rapidly developing (yet still surprisingly standard) motorcycle, proving the ethos of the new SBK Championship is well founded.

Marco Borciani (DFX Ducati Sterilgarda 999RS) has proved his abilities with an overall championship sixth place, while the top Kawasaki rider is his countryman Mauro Sanchini (Bertocchi Ducati ZX-10) in ninth place overall.

The unique three-cylinder Petronas FP-1, operated by the Foggy Petronas Team, has propelled one of its two factory pilots to the podium places, as Chris Walker secured a third at Valencia. His team-mate, Troy Corser, the 1996 Champion on Ducati, will be desperate to equal or better that result, and is the only top rider in the current field to have taken wins at Misano in SBK.

The SBK wildcards for the Misano race include big name rider Doriano Romboni (Yamaha) plus another healthy entry of five ‘one-off’ competitors.

In the World Supersport Championship, also entering round three, the leader is the former GP rider and now Supersport supremo, Jurgen van den Goorbergh (Yamaha Italia). The winner of the opening round in Valencia also took third at Phillip Island, giving him an 11 point advantage.

Second overall in the series is his team-mate, Fabien Foret, and a Yamaha 1-2-3 at this stage is completed by Phillip Island runner-up Kevin Curtain (Yamaha Motor Germany).

Top regular Suzuki rider is Katsuaki Fujiwara (Alstare Team), in fifth place, with new Ducati entry Lorenzo Lanzi (Ducati Breil) sixth.

Some superb qualifying performances from the Ten Kate Honda riders Broc Parkes and Karl Muggeridge have yet to be turned into big points scores. With Parkes on the Misano podium in 2003, he may be the best bet of the two.

From a press release issued by d’Antin Ducati:

The challenge commences

At last everything is ready for the start of a new MotoGP season filled with emotion, and which begins on the African continent this weekend. The Phakisa circuit sits on the outskirts of the mining town of Welkom, from where a third of South Africa’s gold originates.

The technical track is a real challenge for riders and teams alike with the 1350-metre altitude meaning engines lose power due to the thinner air. The other challenge comes from the constantly changing conditions of the track surface, which lacks grip initially, but then improves throughout the weekend as it is cleaned by the bikes lapping.

For the d´Antin MotoGP riders, this Welkom event represents the start of a great new adventure, with their debuts in the new elite category of motorcycling.

Neil Hodgson and Rubén Xaus arrive in South Africa at a track neither knows at all, yet both are desperate to ride in Welkom to make their own minds up about it.

Hodgson is optimistic, although he mainly believes this should be seen as yet another testing session: “Bad weather has affected us in our recent tests and I think that we are coming in to this race still learning to gel together, but nevertheless I am keen to get into action. The circuit looks a little strange to me, but I’ll have to wait until the first practice sessions to make any valid conclusions. In principle my aim is to fight to be amongst the top ten on Sunday. This would be like a first win for me, but there is still a lot of work ahead of us to do before then.”

Xaus is in much the same mind as his team-mate: “I’ve never been to Welkom before, and although I walked around it as soon as I got here, until the first sessions get underway, I won’t be able to get a fixed idea. I’d only seen the circuit on television before now, and it looks very different to how it does here in the flesh. The good temperature will make up for things though, because after bad weather in Spain at the last tests, it’s nice to be in a place where it’s hot. As regards my objectives this weekend, at the moment I’m only thinking about learning, and getting a feel for the new championship.”

From a press release issued by Telefonica Movistar Honda/Gresini Racing:

THE WAITING IS OVER…….

GP South Africa – Preview

Few Grand Prix seasons have been so eagerly awaited as the 2004 MotoGP championship.The premier class, where there are more championship-winning riders than ever before, is in the spotlight and there is no doubt that the season will be demanding and hard-fought for everyone.

The first race of the 2004 championship kicks off at the Phakisa Freeway racetrack, located 250kms south of Johannesburg. This racetrack was opened in 1999 and it was entirely resurfaced last year.

The track is situated in the gold mining area of Welkom called “the Goldfields” and it’s in the middle of a table-land at 1350 meters see level. Because of its height, Welkom racetrack is very demanding for mechanics and Engineers of all classes: the air rarefaction due to the altitude in fact causes a lower engine efficiency that can be even 20% less of the performance in standard conditions.

The track has nine right corners and eight left corners with only one straight where the power of the engine can be completely used. The racetrack has gained a reputation for its bumpy and dirty surface. Although it was entirely resurfaced last year, the surface remains quite slippery and dusty because of the sand and dirt brought by the wind and because it’s seldom used during the year.

Because of the lack of grip and the hot temperatures, the choice of the best tyre that can offer a superior end-of race performance is very important at Welkom. In fact, the demanding features of the track produce high tyre temperatures and Phakisa Freeway is regarded as one of the toughest tracks for the tyres.

SETE AND COLIN AND THE CHALLENGE OF WELKOM

The waiting is over for the Vice Champion of the premier-class, Sete Gibernau. The good results achieved during the winter tests have demonstrated that the Spanish rider is ready for the new challenge: “I’m very excited and motivated. I’m determined to do well since the first race but not obsessed by the idea of chasing the title. I’m more mature and I have learned a lot from last year. I’m focused on myself and I want to improve my results”

SETE GIBERNAU likes the Phakisa racetrack and he has always made good results at Welkom but last year it was a very special event for him: “Welkom reminds me of tears and joy at the same time: South Africa brings me very strong emotions. I have always had good results at Welkom so I have good memories of this place but last year it was a very special race for me because of what happened to Dajiro at the first GP. I dedicated the pole position and the victory to my team-mate, there are no words that could say how I really felt.”

Back with the marque with which Colin Edwards won two World Superbike Titles, the Texan has demonstrated during the winter test that his apprenticeship in the premier class is over. He is very experienced with four stroke bikes, he has talent and determination and during the pre-season test he showed to be very fast. The first race of the season kicks off at Welkom where “Texas Tornado” raced last year for the first time.

COLIN EDWARDS: “I like to race at Welkom, I have a lot of friends and fans from Superbike races. I like the layout of the track: there are fast corners and some slow corners, there is one very fast corner which is a little bit intimidating. I‘m satisfied with the job done so far, I’m really happy to be back with Honda – the marque I rode with since 1998 – with a top team. I’m very happy of my team, especially my chief I have a good feeling with the RC211V and look forward to the first race.”

FAUSTO GRESINI, Team Manager: “Finally the season kicks off and we are at the first race! The Team Telefonica MoviStar Honda takes the start of the 2004 championship determined to improve the results that we have achieved so far.

“We have big expectations for the 2004 season and I’m confident that we will be among the protagonists, thanks to development carried out by HRC during the pre-season test and the feeling of our riders with the bike that, test after test, has always increased. Sete Gibernau and Colin Edwards have done a very good job, they have trained a lot and they are ready for the new adventure.”

From a press release issued by Honda Racing:

MotoGP World Championship 2004
Grand Prix of South Africa
April 16, 17 and 18

MotoGP REVS UP FOR OPENING SHOWDOWN OF THE SEASON

The MotoGP circus is in rude health for the long-awaited first confrontation of the 2004 season. After what seems like an interminable four months of high-pressure testing across the globe – the lights are soon to be staged for a first race that will answer some of the big questions surrounding this season. First: can Honda maintain its incredible record of winning a third consecutive premier class title since the dawn of the four-stroke era in 2002? Second: can reigning World Champion Valentino Rossi give rival factory Yamaha a win first time out? And third: who among his Honda rivals can establish themselves as the main contenders for the title?

The big six Honda riders in the premier class have now had plenty of time to gel with their crews and teams. And the three two-rider teams running the imperious RC211V are ready to take the fight to new rival Rossi who has been working hard at making up ground on Honda – the dominant factory of this new era.

Among those seeking to establish an early toehold on the Championship will be 2003 title runner-up Sete Gibernau who is joined this season by Texan Colin Edwards in the Telefonica Honda MoviStar Team. Gibernau won here last year and the win put him in early contention for the title. But Edwards will be aiming to get off to a fast start in the points standings in a season where many observers believe consistency will hold the key to title contention.

But the Phakisa Freeway is something of a ‘one-off’ experience each year for the riders. The 4.242km track lying deep in South Africa’s Free State Province is only visited once a year by the MotoGP, 250cc and 125cc riders, so teams have little time to set up machines for the twisty and often dusty track.
The longest straight here is a mere 413m in length and so the astonishing high speeds of the MotoGP bikes (approaching 215mph at Barcelona’s Montmelo track in pre-season tests) will not be witnessed here at Welkom.

But the tarmac places other demands on teams and riders. There are nine right-hand turns and five left-handers, and the surface, despite being re-laid last year, is bumpy and slippy. But grip tends to improve as raceday nears with rubber laid down by the circulating machines displacing a fine layer of dust.

Max Biaggi (Camel Honda RC211V) has more experience than most here. “I quite like the track,” he said. “It’s got a nice layout and it’s pleasant to ride. The weather’s normally good although I’m tempting fate when I say that. What’s certain is I’m not looking forward to the undulating tarmac, even though it’s been redone just recently, and the fact that the track generally takes quite a bit of time – at least all the first day of practice – before the grip is acceptable. And with two different frames to compare and the right set-up to work out, we’re going to need every minute we’ve got to decide what configuration to use for the official qualifying. This is going to be tough with the new three-bike-per-row rule – and, of course, for the race. We’re going to have to react fast and understand immediately what to do. I feel good and I’m starting out with confidence and determination.”

Biaggi’s team-mate Makoto Tamada (Camel Honda RC211V) riding on Bridgestone tyres is equally eager to race. “I can’t wait to be in Welkom when the first green light of the season goes on,” he said. “I’m just raring to go and I’m feeling incredibly motivated to do my best. In the recent IRTA tests in Montmelò and Jerez, I really didn’t bring my full potential to bear. We didn’t have the weather on our side that time, and the work was very stop-start. The cold weather didn’t let us simulate race conditions like I think we’ll find in the first championship races. I’m waiting for some more new materials to come in from Bridgestone: I was able to try out some in the IRTA tests, and the results were good, but I’m expecting more in South Africa. Now, the track at Welkom has a few little unknown factors: first of all, it isn’t much used for practice or competition, so we don’t have much recent information about the grip and the state of the circuit. And the weather, which is sometimes unsettled, may be another varia
ble. So there may be a few surprises – but I’d like myself to be the biggest surprise of all: going fast during the four hours of practice and getting out in front in the race.”

For Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC211V) this season represents a chance to consolidate the hard work the American rider put into his rookie season in 2003. “I’m so excited about this season and can’t wait to go racing now,” he said. “The winter testing has been good and I think we’re in real good shape for the season. The 2004 RC211V is awesome, by far the trickest bike I’ve ever ridden. I feel now that I’m riding much nearer the limit where last season was really a learning year. Now I know the tracks I feel very comfortable with the team and I know the competition. It’s going to be super-competitive this year as no one has really stood out in testing. That’s what is so great about MotoGP – the best riders in the world on the best bikes every other Sunday. Sure is going to be a good show.”

Alex Barros (Repsol Honda RC211V) has plenty of experience and the Brazilian has switched back to Honda after an uncomfortable year with Yamaha. “In all the years I’ve been racing I can really say that I have never felt as positive as do now at the start of this very exciting year,” he said. “I have a strong team, a fantastic bike and a real opportunity this season. Back in February when I first rode the RC211V we made a plan to get to the first Grand Prix in good shape after the surgery I had to my shoulder over the winter. So in Sepang, Phillip Island and in Spain we learned a lot about the bike, my fitness got better, and now we are ready to race. It will be a long season, very close and all the accumulated points will be very important at the end.”

In the 250cc class last year’s title runner-up Roberto Rolfo (Fortuna Honda RS250RW), who, in a run of remarkable consistency, scored points at every single race in last year’s World Championship, is ready again for the title challenge, with a new machine. “I haven’t got the feel of the new machine quite right yet because the bike is a lot lower than last year,” he said. “But after the Valencia test session things are getting better and I’m ready to race.”

Rolfo is joined by a new team-mate Tony Elias (Fortuna Honda RS250RW) while reigning World 125cc title holder Danny Pedrosa (Telefonica Honda MoviStar Junior Team RS250RW) moves up to the quarter-litre class this season.

The 125cc class sees 10 Honda riders take to the tarmac at Welkom with Andrea Dovisioso (Team Scot Honda RS125R) expected to be among the front runners, now that Pedrosa has his sights set on 250cc glory. “Testing has been dogged by rain,” said the Italian who finished fifth overall last season. “Jerez is likely to be a better indicator of form than Welkom, but I’ll be going for the title from the first race. The bike is good and we just need some more time to work on suspension settings.”


More, from another press release issued by Honda Racing:

World Supersport Championship 2004 – Round 3
Misano Adriatico Race Preview
16 – 18 APRIL 2004

HONDA RIDERS PLAN SPRING OFFENSIVE IN ITALY

Having recently completed the only long haul race scheduled for the 10 round 2004 World Supersport Championship the well-subscribed and ever combative grid of Supersport riders returns to the European continent for the latest set piece engagement.

Honda’s supported rider line up, running to six pilots in this highly competitive and unique season, will once more enter the fray with impressively quick and well-balanced Honda CBR600RRs. Each competitor will also be looking for solidity and predictability during what has been an often-turbulent year so far.

Proof of this came via the performance of 20-year-old rookie wildcard Josh Brookes in Australia, the Australian Championship regular taking his HRC kitted CBR600RR to a popular but somewhat unforeseen victory on his home track, the first race win for a Honda Supersport rider in 2004.

After some dominant qualifying sessions at the previous Valencia and Phillip Island rounds, the Ten Kate Honda pairing of Karl Muggeridge and Broc Parkes have yet to experience similar levels of reward in races, with both now poised just inside the overall top ten of the points standings.

Parkes leads the overall Ten Kate points tally in eighth, thanks to his 13 points for fourth place at his home round of Phillip Island, after a race one DNF in Spain. Muggeridge lies tenth, despite two powerhouse rides in qualifying.

In the Klaffi Honda team, Valencia no-scorer Sebastien Charpentier (Klaffi Honda CBR600RR) rode with pace and panache to finish fifth in Australia, for 11th overall. His youthful team-mate Max Neukirchner (Klaffi Honda CBR600RR) has exhibited the speed that made him a top Euro Championship contender in the 250cc class. In only his second World Supersport rider ever, and at arguably the most technically challenging circuit on the calendar, Neukirchner ripped his way to a strong points score.

Honda’s third supported team, Team Italia Megabike, is working its way to outright race-distance competitiveness since adopting its new equipment, but the proven speed of Alessio Corradi (Team Italia Megabike Honda CBR600RR) and the promise of home tarmac for rookie Denis Sacchetti (Team Italia Megabike Honda CBR600RR) may make Misano a happy hunting ground.

For Broc Parkes, translating his pre-race prowess into sustainable race performances is the aim in Italy. “My set-up got better as the weekend went on in Australia but I think our setting from Valencia will maybe help us at Misano, as the circuit is a bit more like Valencia than Phillip Island. Misano gave me a podium finish last year so I’m hoping for more of that this year.”

Karl Muggeridge, who looked to be in a safe third place at Phillip Island before a technical impediment dropped him to 12th, looks to Misano as the start of a rich seam of points gathering. “Third would have been all right at Phillip Island and we did try our best,” said the Aussie. “We’re down, but not out. Misano was a DNF for us last year but we need to have a good result there this year.”

Confidence, even at one of his least favourite circuits, emanates from Sebastien Charpentier, now in his second season of competition with the respected Klaffi Honda team. “Misano is not the perfect track but it’s OK. For this year Misano will be completely different than last year, because now I know the team, the tyres, everything. Misano 2004 will be good for us.”

Klaffi new boy Max Neukirchner has been a minor sensation so far, but again finds himself at the doorway of a new examination hall. “I have no experience of Misano,” grinned Neukirchner in Australia. “Only Oscherleben, Assen and Magny Cours are circuits I know from any previous year. I’m looking forward to another new challenge, and I’m enjoying the experience of World Supersport.”

Alessio Corradi worked hard at the last round but found little reward – pushing all his focus to the next round in Italy. “We need some work on the set-up because in Australia when the temperature was quite high the lap times were not so good,” he stated. “I’m looking for better results in Misano. It’s always good to race at home.”

WSS rookie Denis Sacchetti has experienced similar concerns in qualifying, but is determined to overcome them at the very next attempt. “I had a few problems throughout the most recent Phillip Island race, but I know that I am capable of a much better result. I am hoping that will come at Misano in front of my home crowd. I’m aiming for a top 10 there.”

On completion of the Misano round, the championship reconvenes a month later, still in Italy, at the classic Monza circuit on May 14 -16.