From a press release issued by Team Roberts:

South African GP Preview

Early days for new Proton KR

South African GP is early days for new Proton KR

The South African GP, first of 16 rounds of the 2004 MotoGP World Championship, will be the first race for the second-generation Proton KR V5 machine, hand-built in Britain to challenge the Japanese factories.

Team principal Kenny Roberts, himself a racing legend, is confident that the new machine will show some of its impressive potential. But he admits: “This race is too early for us.”

The gorgeous V5 machine has been through a major upgrade programme in the winter, including a total chassis redesign, using all-new super-accurate fabrication techniques.

At the same time, the top end of the engine was redesigned, to improve the integration of the engine/chassis/airbox package.

“I think people will be impressed when they see the bike for the first time,” said Roberts. “It’s a very nice piece: the best and most integrated motorcycle we have ever built.

“The problem is that so far, the revised motor has not lived up to the performance predicted on the computer simulations. We’re working flat out to find out why, but these things take time.

“For South Africa the engine will only be at 80 percent … not a step forward compared with the first engine. Unfortunately the motor is so integrated with the chassis we can’t run last year’s motor in the new bike,” said Roberts.

“The chassis is very good, as usual – but with the delays in deciding to switch to Dunlop tyres, their new product is not ready either.

“Things will get better. Dunlop assure me they will have new product for the French GP (round three, on May 16), and soon after that we should have the engine up to its full potential. By the Dutch TT at Assen, we hope to move the goalposts,” said Roberts.

Proton Team KR will be fielding two riders as usual, team stalwart Nobuatsu Aoki and class rookie Kurtis Roberts, second son of Kenny.

Kurtis will be making his return to the track after suffering a dislocated shoulder in pre-season testing. He missed the last tests recuperating at home in California.

The South African GP, which first ran at Kyalami in the Eighties, was revived at the Phakisa Freeway outside the gold-mining town of Welkom, south of Johannesburg, in 1999. The track loops around a banked tri-oval circuit in a tight and challenging layout. Special difficulties include a very bumpy surface, often slippery because of dust blown across the track.

The next round is the Spanish GP, opening the European season at Jerez on May 2.

Nobuatsu Aoki – A difficult race
The best thing that I found in testing was the handling and feel of the new chassis. It is a definite improvement. We have other things that are not so good yet. The engine power and throttle response needs to be better, and we also need to improve the tyre performance. I hope Dunlop will be able to make use of the suggestions we’ve made as soon as possible. It means this race will be difficult to get a good result, but I will do the best possible, and we will all keep working.

Kurtis Roberts – Getting back in the flow
I always measure injuries by how they compare with other injuries. The first time I popped my shoulder last year it was worse than this, and I was racing again in two-and-a-half weeks. This time it seemed to recover quicker, but I’m not getting the strength back. I’ve not ridden with it, but I’m shooting for racing in South Africa, even if it won’t be optimum conditions for myself, the bike or the tyres. Leastways when the new development stuff comes in a few races time, I hope to be more in the flow of things. I’ll be there, and I’ll ride, and who knows how it will go.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The April 12 issue of Forbes Magazine ranks the 2000 largest companies in the world, based on sales, profits, assets and market value. Six motorcycle manufacturers made the list, including Honda, BMW, Suzuki, Harley-Davidson, Yamaha and Kawasaki.

Of those six, Harley-Davidson and Yamaha are the only two with a primary business of making motorcycles. Honda, BMW and Suzuki also make cars, while Kawasaki also builds trains, planes and ships.

The Forbes rankings of the six companies follows:


#49 Honda Motor, sales $67,439,000,000, profits $3,610,000,000

#74 BMW-Bayerische Motor, sales $52,226,000,000, profits $2,122,000,000

#452 Suzuki Motor, sales $17,050,000,000, profits $262,000,000

#585 Harley-Davidson, sales $4,624,000,000, profits $761,000,000

#898 Yamaha Motor, sales $8,571,000,000, profits $216,000,000

#1069 Kawasaki Heavy Industries, sales $10,487,000,000, profits $110,000,000


More information is available at forbes.com

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The British Broadcasting Company (BBC) has reached a new, five-year deal with Dorna to broadcast MotoGP World Championship races on the network through 2009.

According to BBC Sport, 12 of 14 races in 2004 will be broadcast live.

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

HODGSON PROMOTED THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP START IN LONDON

On 6th April, before leaving to South Africa, Neil Hodgson attended a crowded press conference in Dominion Theatre London.

All the British riders met there and they will take part in this new World Championship edition which will start next 18th April in Welkom circuit.

The prestigious BBC TV channel announced in that occasion it´s engagement to go on retransmiting the World Championship for the next five years, during which Donington Park will go on being the British Grand Prix headquarters.

When Neil heard the slogan chosen by UK for the launch in this 55th season, We will rock you, he said: “I really hope to rock every supporter who will surely be stuck on the screen during all the season. It´s going to be an intensive year and, like them, I´m looking forward to start.”

From a press release issued by Infineon Raceway (aka Sears Point):

Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown
Fact Sheet, April 30-May 2

WHAT:
Infineon Raceway will host the top motorcycle pavement road-racers in the country April 30-May 2 for the Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown. The weekend, which is presented by Cycle Gear, will feature two main events in the Chevrolet Superbike Championship division, one on Saturday, May 1, and the other on Sunday, May 2 (Supercuts Superbike Challenge). There will also be racing in the following divisions: Pro Honda Oils Supersport; Repsol Superstock Series; and Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme.

WHEN:
April 30-May 2. This is the third stop on the 18-race 2004 schedule.

WHERE:
Infineon Raceway, Highways 37 and 121, Sonoma, Calif., 95476 (800-870-RACE or www.infineonraceway.com

MOTORCYCLES:
The AMA Chevrolet Superbike Championship continues to evolve with the growing and ever-changing motorcycle marketplace. New for 2004, the class is based on 1000cc four-cylinder and twin engines, with fewer modifications allowed than in years past, with the goal of making the racing as affordable and competitive as possible.

WHAT’S NEW?
Increased runoff has been created at Turns 1 and 6 on the road course, which should make the circuit much safer. There is now more than 120 feet of runoff at Turn 1, compared with 30 feet prior, and an additional 80 feet of runoff at Turn 6. Moreover, the bridge at Turn 1 has been replaced, while the Turn 6 bridge has been removed. The circuit was also repaved in August.

WHAT TO EXPECT:
It was the Mat Mladin (Suzuki) show at Infineon Raceway in 2003 as the Australian native dominated both ends of the Chevrolet Superbike doubleheader. Mladin went on to win an AMA-record fourth Superbike championship. In all, he posted 10 wins on the season, also a single-season AMA record. He is now tied for second place in career Superbike wins at Infineon Raceway with Fred Merkel at three. Honda’s Miguel Duhamel owns the record for career Superbike wins at Infineon Raceway (four). … Mladin started off the 2004 season in fine fashion with a win in Daytona and a doubleheader sweep at California Speedway. It was his third-career Superbike win in Daytona. … Aaron Yates, Mladin’s teammate, placed second behind Mladin in both Superbike features at Infineon Raceway in 2003, and he also placed second for the championship. He won his only Superbike title at Infineon Raceway in 1996. … Brothers Eric Bostrom (Ducati) and Ben Bostrom (Honda) should be in the hunt, as well. Ben reached the podium with a third-place effort in the second feature at Infineon Raceway last year, while Eric was fourth in the first 28-lap feature. … In Pro Honda Oils Supersport, Yamaha’s Jamie Hacking led wire-to-wire in 2003.

SUPERMOTO:
In addition to the excitement of AMA Pro Racing, the weekend will also feature two days of the latest rage, Supermoto, a blend of on- and- off-road racing. The events will take place on a makeshift course utilizing Turns 4-8 on the road course. The course will feature pavement and dirt, with a flat-track corner, table-top jump and two berm corners. The 1.2-mile 15-turn course is designed to test every aspect of Supermoto and present riders with a technically challenging and high-speed circuit. Competition will be held in 450cc, 250cc, Open Expert and Novice classes. Main events will be held on Saturday and Sunday of race weekend at approximately 6 p.m.


AMA QUALIFYING:
FRIDAY: Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme – 3
p.m.; Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown – 4:20 p.m.

SATURDAY: Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown – 10:30 a.m.; Pro Honda Oils Supersport – 1 p.m.


AMA MAIN EVENTS:
SATURDAY: Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown, Race 1 – 2:30 p.m.

SUNDAY: Repsol Superstock – noon; Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship – 1 p.m.; Supercuts Superbike Challenge – 2 p.m.



ADVANCE

TICKETS: FRIDAY – $10; SATURDAY – $30; SUNDAY – $30; WEEKEND TICKET – $55. Children 12 and under free. Call 800-870-RACE, or
visit www.infineonraceway.com or
www.ticketmaster.com

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The British Superbike Championship series has a new sponsor, a safety campaign organized by the British government and aimed at street sportbike riders.

The campaign’s slogan is “Think! Keep racing for the track,” which will be displayed prominently at 2004 British Superbike events.

Government officials have been quoted as saying the campaign is designed to get the message directly to those most at risk.

According to published reports, there were approximately 350 motorcycle fatalities on British roads in 2002, 16 percent of all traffic fatalities despite motorcyclists making up just one percent of British road-going traffic.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Participation in the AMA Pro Racing 2004 Chevrolet U.S. Superbike Championship series is declining.

In 2003, the first practice for the Superbike, Supersport, Superstock and 250cc Grand Prix classes at Daytona International Speedway saw 207 riders go out on track.

In 2004, the same classes, with the exception of Formula Xtreme replacing 250cc Grand Prix, saw 168 riders go out in the first practice, a decline of 18.9 percent.

The trend holds true when comparing the number of riders who attempted to qualify at Daytona in 2003, 220, versus the number of riders who attempted to qualify at Daytona in 2004, 173, a 21.4 percent decline.

The second round of the 2004 series, at California Speedway, saw participation drop even more. Participation in the first practice sessions for the four classes dropped 21.9 percent, 192 riders in 2003 versus 150 riders in 2004, and participation in qualifying sessions for the four classes dropped 26.7 percent, 206 riders in 2003 versus 151 riders in 2004.

AMA Pro Racing Vice President, Director of Communications Kerry Graeber could not be reached for comment at post time.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The British Grand Prix will take place at Donington Park in Leicestershire, England through the 2009 season, according to an announcement by Dorna Sports.

Donington Park has recently completed a large-scale resurfacing project, which included increasing run-off room at Craner Curves and the Old Hairpin and installing 850 meters of “Vallelunga” curbing, which is said to be safer for crashed riders to slide over while still being a course-cutting deterrent to racecars.

The second phase of the $8.3 million renovation project, to be completed over the next two years, will see the infrastructure of the paddock improved, including new facilities for race control, timing and scoring, media and new pit lane and paddock garages.

From a press release issued by Team Suzuki:

SUZUKI READY FOR WELKOM MOTOGP

South African MotoGP Preview. Round 1, Phakisa Freeway, Welkom – April 18, 2004.

The South African GP is the first of 16 rounds of the third year of the MotoGP four-stroke prototype racers – and observers are predicting a vintage, best-ever season of close competition. Team Suzuki MotoGP is hoping that the year will be their best also in the new top class of motorcycle racing.

The first two years of the class left the well-established factory racing team in an unfamiliar position … without even one race win, as they worked to perfect their new 990cc V4 racing machine using experimental cutting-edge technology.

It was a frustrating time for the multi-victorious squad, but the improvement in overall performance that the factory race engineers and England-based racing team were striving for was just around the corner. Chassis and suspension revisions tested last December were the first evidence. Since then, engine refinements have improved the package further.

At the same time, a new association with Japanese Bridgestone tyres, relative newcomers to the top class of racing, also showed strong early promise. The tyres worked well with the GSV-R from the first tests.

Progress through the test programme continued without set-backs and an ever-improving technical package. At the last test of the close season, the group IRTA tests at Jerez in Spain, Kenny Roberts Jr. set second-fastest time, less than a tenth of a second slower than defending champion Valentino Rossi.

Now Roberts, World Champion in 2000, and team-mate John Hopkins face the first real test of the year, in the unusual conditions of the Phakisa Freeway at Welkom in South Africa.

It is a unique challenge and the Suzuki men are hoping the track’s quirks will play into their hands.

One of the circuit’s peculiarities is a fiendishly bumpy surface in spite of recent resurfacing. This is a result of the frequent minor earth tremors felt in the area, which is in turn the legacy of the gold mines that honeycomb the earth beneath the flat plain. The grip levels are also unusual. The circuit sees very limited use and the grip on the racing line improves continually throughout the racing weekend as tyres clean the surface and coat it with fresh rubber.

Another characteristic is the power-sapping altitude of some 1,500 metres. The thin air robs the 230-plus horsepower MotoGP engines of as much as 15 percent of their power at sea level, making tuning and gearing more critical than ever.

All these could be plus points for Suzuki if the team’s fortunes continue to prosper as they have during testing.

“This is the best-prepared the team has been for years,” said manager Garry Taylor.

“Both riders are highly motivated and there is a general feeling of excitement throughout the team after a highly positive series of tests.

“We are under no illusions that we have fully turned the corner yet, but we’ve clipped the apex and we can see the exit line ahead of us. We know the competition is going to be even tougher this year than last, and that we have a lot more work to do before we are fully competitive.

“We’re starting the season ready to build on the progress we’ve already made,” Taylor continued.

“The bike is good, the tyres are good, and the riders are ready. Let’s go racing.”

There is a weekend break after the South African GP before business resumes in earnest at Jerez in Spain, the first race in the gruelling European season.

KENNY ROBERTS – READY TO RACE FOR IT:

“We have more unknowns than the other teams. They have improved their bikes over the winter, but they’re on the same tyres. We’ve not only made big improvements to the bike, but also we’re on Bridgestone tyres for the first time. There is still more stuff I’d like to test before the race. Sometimes you have a fast learning curve, as we’ve been doing during tests, and I hope we can get the bike feeling good out of the crate, and can keep that pace up at Welkom. We’ve also tested a lot of the new tyres at different tracks. I hope that they will work as well in South Africa as elsewhere. Last year was Bridgestone’s first at Welkom with the four-strokes, and they’ve learned a lot since then. If the tyres can do the lap times and last the distance, then I can go into the race with a very positive attitude.”

JOHN HOPKINS – EXPECTING GOOD THINGS AT WELKOM:

“After the last two tests, I feel really confident going in. The track’s a lot different from what anybody has tested on, and because it’s dirty, there’s never as much grip as you’d like until Sunday – but I like the place, and it’s gone quite well for me the last two years. The bike still has not as much horsepower as I’d like, but we are expecting more in the coming races. But the acceleration is good even as it is, the chassis holds the line well, and the bike seems easy to set up. These are the important things at Welkom. And the tyres are really good – I tried a race tyre at Jerez that was just awesome. The bike seems really good and Kenny and I are riding well. I think we can only expect good things from South Africa.”

ABOUT THIS TRACK:

Funded by the local Free State government as a boost to the economically troubled gold-mining area, the Phakisa Freeway was built on the site of the old “Goldfields” circuit. The bold new initiative combined an international-standard banked Tri-Oval NASCAR-type circuit with the road-racing course, which shares some sections as it loops back and forth, without actually using the full banking. The oval track has barely been used, but the twisting short circuit has been a regular on the GP circuit since 1999. With 14 corners ranging from medium-speed ess-bends to slower U-turns, it is a highly technical circuit. One special feature is the corner at the end of the back straight. Approached at 160mph, the bikes are still leaned over as they have to brake with increasing pressure as the corner tightens into one of the slowest bends on the track. Another challenge is the bumpy surface: not even frequent resurfacing can overcome the effect of the regular earth tremors in an area where the ground is honeycombed with mine shafts. Sited in a quiet area at the far end of the goldfields stretching southwards from Johannesburg, the 4,500ft altitude makes it the highest track of the year.

ABOUT THIS RACE:

The first South African GPs ran from 1983 to 1985 at the old Kyalami outside Johannesburg. A brief revival at the new Kyalami in 1992 was a one-off event, but in 1999 the race was revived at the new Phakisa (“Hurry Up”) Freeway. The track proved challenging from the start – with a slippery and unpredictable surface only making the tight, looping layout more difficult. The track also became bumpier year by year, especially where it crosses the oval track. At the same time, the thin air saps the engine power and can affect throttle response.

GP DATA – PHAKISA FREEWAY, WELKOM:

Circuit Length: 2.636 miles – 4.242 km.

Lap Record: 1:33.851 – 101.108mph/ 162.717 km/h, V Rossi (Honda) 2003

2003 Race Winner: S Gibernau (Honda).

2003 Race Average: 44:10.398 – 100.246mph / 161.331 km/h.

2003 Fastest Race Lap: see record.

2003 Pole Position: S Gibernau 1:33.174.

2003 KENNY ROBERTS (Suzuki).

Race: 15th.

Qualification: 17th – 1:34.646.

2003 JOHN HOPKINS: (Suzuki).

Race: 13th.

Qualification: 16th – 1:34.306.

From a press release issued by Pirelli:

PIRELLI PUTS THREE IN FONTANA AMA SUPERBIKE TOP 10, TAKES SECOND IN LeMANS 24-HOUR, WINS PORTUGUESE WORLD MX GP

(Rome, GA) Following on the heels of its Daytona 200 Superbike showing, when four of its riders finished in the top 10, Pirelli had three top-10s in each of the Superbike finals during the April 2-4 AMA doubleheader at California Speedway in Fontana, CA.

Prieto Racing’s Geoff May gave Pirelli the top privateer spot just as Jack Pfiefer did at Daytona with his fifth-place finish in Saturday’s first Superbike race. In fact, after the four factory riders single-filed through much of the race, May’s thrilling battle with Steve Crevier, Pirelli-mounted Larry Pegram, and Marty Cragill, became the race to watch.

Pegram’s seventh place, combined with a tenth from Empire Racing’s Opie Caylor gave Pirelli its three top 10s. Sunday’s Superbike race started out as a carbon copy of Saturday’s in every respect. But at the wire it was Pirelli’s May, Pegram, and Empire’s Lee Acree taking seventh, eighth, and ninth respectively.

Pirelli also put three in Fontana’s Formula Xtreme Top 10, with Larry Pegram’s sixth, Jacob Holden’s seventh, and Pirelli-newcomer Corey Eaton’s ninth.

Across the pond, the famed 24 Hours of LeMans – the first round of the 2004 Masters of Endurance series gave Pirelli a heartbreaking second place. Heartbreaking, because the Pirelli Yamaha GMT94 team, which had captured the pole and taken over the lead on Pirelli rain tires when the French weather turned ugly, saw their lead disappear in the 23rd hour when a clutch problem brought the bike back into the pits within a lap following its scheduled stop. It took 19 minutes to fix the problem, but the team got back onto the track for its second place finish. Kawasaki-mounted Bolliger Team Switzerland also gave Pirelli a fifth.

Pirelli’s domination of world motocross GP racing continued at last weekend’s Portuguese GP. Multi-world champion Stefan Everts and former champion Mickael Pichon swapped one-two finishes in the two MX1 motos, with Pichon taking the overall win by virtue of his second-moto win. It was his first win in 11 months. Both riders have been long-term Pirelli racers, and both opted for Pirelli’s “championship combo” of the Scorpion Pro front (formerly the MT83) and MT32 rears.


More, from a press release issued by Corona Extra Suzuki, in which 2003 Suzuki GSX-R750 Cup Winner Ben Attard morphs into “Suzuki Grand National Champion”:

CORONA EXTRA SUZUKI BACK IN THE FRAY AT CALIFORNIA SPEEDWAY

Corona Extra Suzuki jumped back into the deep end of AMA Pro Superbike racing this weekend at California Speedway netting fine eighth place finishes in Superbike and Supersport. The Team missed the first round at Daytona while finalizing the expanded Corona program for 2004 and 2005 but pulled it all together at the last minute to be racing at Fontana.

In the Superbike qualifying, new team member and two-time Australian Superbike Champion Marty Craggill took a while to get up to speed on the bike he first saw on Thursday and first rode on Friday, qualifying on the outside of row four. Marty said, “I haven’t been on a race bike for almost seven months, so it will take a while to get it set up and back to speed. The bike works good so I think we will be in the hunt!”

In the first race of the doubleheader event Marty got a good start, moving from 16th to 10th by the end of lap one. He worked his way up to 7th by lap 14, dropping to 8th five laps later where he held his position to the end of the race. Craggill said, “I was riding tentatively and just getting comfortable and up to speed when it started to rain towards the end, and it got really slippery – I just decided to take it steady and finish!”

In race two, Craggill was quickly up to 9th by the end of lap one from his 16th start position. On lap three as he started charging the pack of four riders ahead of him, he lost the back end of his Suzuki GSX-R1000 in turn 5 and low-sided out of the race. Disappointed, Marty remarked, “I am really bummed. I was much more comfortable than yesterday and getting aggressive but the bike set-up needs to be different the more you push it. Still, we know for next time!”

Suzuki Grand National Champion Ben Attard also had a great first race in AMA Pro. Seeing the track for the first time and on a completely new bike that had only been finished prepping three days earlier, he qualified 16th. Attard said, “We only get a few practice sessions, so it’s tough to learn the track and how to set up the GSX-R600, which of course is completely new. I think we will do better in the race!”

How true! Ben got a good start and by the end of lap one was in 11th place. He moved into 10th on lap 9 and quickly into 9th on lap 11 and 8th by lap 12. He held the position comfortably to the end, a fine first result in the fiercely competitive Supersport class. After the race, Ben enthused, “I really enjoyed the race. I learned a lot about the bike and suspension – also, what the other guys are doing out there! Now we know a bunch of stuff to do for the next race at Infineon (April 30 –May 2) so I should do pretty good there!”

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Superbikepics.com owner/photographer Ryan Schlagheck and wife NiCole had a daughter, Sydnie Victoria, March 25 in Hartford, Connecticut.