From a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

Just hours after stepping off the Assen podium with the 2003 World Superbike Championship trophy in his hands, Ducati Fila’s Neil Hodgson faced up to questioning from the world’s press. What follows is a transcript of Neil’s press conference:

WHAT DOES THIS TITLE MEAN FOR YOU?
It means everything, the reward for 20 years hard work.

MANY PEOPLE SAY THAT WITH THE LOSS OF THE FACTORY TEAMS AND TOP RIDERS, THE CHAMPIONSHIP HAS BECOME DEVALUED. DO YOU SEE IT THAT WAY?
No, I beat everyone last year except Colin and Troy who were on factory bikes and Michelin tyres. I was very close to beating them on many occasions as well so I believed that I was going to be champion whoever I rode against this year if I was on the best bike and best tyres, which I was.

WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF THE SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP IN YOUR OPINION?
I feel that when the championship needed a boost, it has taken a step down again and it can’t really afford that.

IT WAS A FORMALITY BUT YOU STILL HAD TO WIN THE TITLE. DID YOU HAVE ANY MOMENTS THIS YEAR WHEN YOU LOST CONCENTRATION, SEEING AS YOUR LEAD WAS SO GREAT?
Everything went absolutely perfect until Misano where I lost 30 points in one weekend. And it changed my mentality and I rode defensive instead of attacking everything, which is a shame, but there again you win a championship with consistency.

WERE YOU BOTHERED BY THE FACT THAT YOU DIDN’T WIN THE FIRST RACE?
Yes, very much. But all I can say is I tried my best and I was so tense on the bike. My body was like a piece of iron and I was riding so bad.

ARE YOU GOING TO MOTOGP NEXT YEAR?
It looks like it’s going to happen but anything can happen and it’s not 100%.

HOW DO YOU THINK YOU WILL GO IN MOTOGP?
I’ve learnt over the last few years that if you never give in, anything is achievable. I didn’t think four years ago that I would become World Superbike champion. I’m not going to say I will be world champion but I will say that I will hopefully go to MotoGP and ride every lap of every race and give 100%.

WILL IT BE A PROBLEM FOR YOU TO GO TO MOTOGP OR SATISFACTION?
To be honest I would be happy to stay in World Superbikes, but the ‘old’ World Superbikes, because I’ve raced it now for many years. I understand Ducati, the circuits, the people, so my goal would be to win more championships than Foggy, but the decision has been made for me really because I have to ride against the best competition.

IT LOOKS AS IF YOU WON’T BE RIDING FOR THE FULL-FACTORY TEAM. WILL THIS BE A PROBLEM FOR YOU?
No, I don’t think so because the Ducati looks very strong this year and that would eventually be the bike I’m riding. There will surely be less pressure than being in the factory team. And there is a goal, if I succeed then it will be a perfect step into the factory team.

THIS HAS BEEN THE FIRST SEASON DUCATI HAS NOT DONE MUCH PRE-SEASON TESTING. HOW HARD HAS THAT BEEN?
It’s not been too easy, but in a way it’s been good for me as a rider because it’s made me work really hard every weekend at tracks. I can’t waste a lap, every lap I’ve got to be on it to get the best information from the bike to get the handling better. It’s a sensitive bike and I can only compare it to last year’s bike, which had six or seven years development and did everything you wanted. On the 999 the parameters are wider, the bike is unbelievably fast and is so good. This will be good for me if I do go to MotoGP next year, because the bikes are more sensitive.

DID YOU THINK YOU WOULD BE SITTING HERE TODAY IF YOU HADN’T GONE BACK TO BRITISH SUPERBIKES AND TOUGHENED UP?
No, what could have happened was that if I had got a ride in 1999 in WSBK, things might have been different. I would probably have got spat out after three-four years for being too old. I got spat out at 25 and won the championship when I was 26 so I still had a few more years left in me. I’ve got to thank GSE racing immensely, they were the right team at the right time and I’ve got to thank Darryl Healey, who gave me this opportunity. I was lucky to win the championship with them and be with a team that wanted to go to the next level, and win the world championship. He’s like a member of the family now, but it’s a shame I didn’t win it for him. GSE built the foundations around me and Fila Ducati built the house!

DO YOU THINK THAT YOUR MICHELINS MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE EVEN THOUGH THEY DIDN’T DO A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT WORK?
People think they didn’t do as much development work, but I did three tests with Michelin and they turned up with 20 new tyres just because I didn’t like the feeling at the front. They couldn’t have worked much harder, they must have produced sixty tyres for me to test, which I’d never experienced before. They didn’t really have to because I was leading the championship and going well. They realised I had a problem and so they worked hard. At the start of the season I was nervous about doing the transition from Dunlop to Michelin but I took to them like a duck to water. They are the best tyres I have ever used.

HOW DOES THIS COMPARE TO BECOMING A FATHER ON TUESDAY?
Disappointingly, nowhere near! Being a dad was so much better. I actually am not that fond of babies and I was dreading Tuesday, but the bizarre feeling I had when Kathryn gave birth, nothing comes close to that, not even winning that second race and becoming world champion, sorry to say! On a scale of 1 to 10, ten was Tuesday and one was today and I genuinely mean that.

IS IT RIGHT THAT YOU HAVE BOUGHT A PORSCHE THAT YOU WILL DRIVE ONLY NOW YOU HAVE WON THE CHAMPIONSHIP?
Yes, it’s true. When I was a child I had a little Porsche car and it was my dream. I went through school and wasn’t very intelligent and didn’t pass many exams, then I left school and I was a builder and I didn’t think I’d ever own one. But I said if I can achieve my goal of winning the world championship then I will buy myself a Porsche 911 Turbo. When I get back to the Isle of Man, I’ll go and collect it.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE OUT THERE WITH 30,000 UNION JACKS AND BRITISH FANS?
Absolutely mega! It’s something I’ve dreamed of since being in Carl Fogarty’s huge shadow. Seeing that and wanting it to be for me and now I’ve come here today and it’s there. Not everyone is a Hodgson fan out there but it means the world to me and is very special.

WHAT DID CARL FOGARTY SAY TO YOU ON THE GRID FOR RACE 2?
He was actually very nice and congratulated me. Normally he says something sarcastic but he said ‘Now you’ll go a lot better! I could tell you were tense but I know you’ll do well in this race’. Then he was talking about Holly Jean being born on Tuesday, on the 2nd September because that’s when his first child Danielle was born. Quite a coincidence really, two world champions, both left-handers, both from ten miles apart, both started at the same schoolboy motocross club, very bizarre.

NEXT YEAR WHAT WILL THE WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP BE LIKE, WITH THE CHANGE IN REGULATIONS?
It’s difficult to comment because I don’t know what factory support there will be for the other manufacturers. I hope the factory-supported teams will be successful and that World Superbikes continues to be strong. It hurts me to think that it will continue to go down.

IT MUST BE A STRANGE FEELING FOR YOU COMING FROM 500 AND GOING TO GPS AGAIN AFTER ALL THESE YEARS?
It’s strange how it all works out, I feel a little bit cheated because I felt I was quite a good two-stroke rider. In 1995 I was top privateer in my first year, I was 21 years old and arguably had quite a good future ahead of me. It all went wrong because I jumped into the most wanted seat in the paddock on a factory Ducati bike and I wasn’t ready. I was expected to be the man and I wasn’t and I lost my job. If you end up in a situation where you don’t think you can win, then you won’t and I had people around me who I thought were better than me, and they were better only because I thought they were. If you think you can beat people then you can, it’s all mental, I’m convinced about that. Troy Bayliss will always be successful because he just doesn’t care, he enjoys it, Troy is strong mentally. I feel like I’m always one step behind Troy. I was his team-mate in 1999 when he won the championship, then I won the year after. He then got into the factory Ducati team, and I did a couple of years after. He won the championship, now I’ve won it. He’s gone to MotoGP and is doing well …..

DO YOU THINK IT’S AN ADVANTAGE THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY BEEN IN GPS?
Definitely, because I know what it’s like. I’ve done three years already, I came to the Assen GP and I know nearly everyone so it’s not daunting in that respect.

IS IT A DISADVANTAGE FOR THE BRITISH RIDERS THAT THEY HAVE SUCH A STRONG SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP AND THEY HAVE TO GO TO GP?
No, not really, I think it’s better to have a strong Superbike championship because Superbike is always going to be the feeder for MotoGP. There are no real up-and-coming riders, but when they do come, if they win in Britain they might have an interesting future in MotoGP.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Formula USA racer Dan Bilansky and girlfriend Kristy Schedler had a son, Christian Bilansky, September 3 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

From a late press release issued by series organizers:

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

TORONTO, ON – Stuart Nodell did everything he could but it wasn’t enough to keep Corbyville, ON’s Corey Sherman from claiming the Diablo Energy Drink Can-Am 125 Grand Prix Challenge title at Shannonville Motorsport Park Aug. 31.

While Nodell claimed the race win on his Nodell Motorsports/Canada Post-backed Honda RS125 Sherman placed second riding his Carrera Leathers Honda to take the title over the Ajax, ON racer by just nine points, 251-242.

Eddy Brunet of Montreal finished third in the race on his Diablo Honda RS125.

“It feels good,” Sherman said in the winner’s circle. “I was eerily calm before the race today. The pressure was off. I knew all I needed was a third.

“I’d like to thank Diablo for sponsoring the series. It’s really grown in the past couple of years and that wouldn’t have happened otherwise.”

Sherman qualified third for the Diablo Energy Drink Can-Am 125GP event and led the opening lap of the eight-lap race. But on lap 2 Nodell passed Sherman in the Hairpin and opened up a slight lead.

Sherman also fell behind Brunet on lap 3 but the veteran road racer was unable to pull away and Sherman took the runner-up spot back on lap 6. He finished 1.970 secs. behind Nodell, who also set the race’s fastest lap of 1:53.529 on lap 2.

“Corey was in a position to win the championship and he rode a smart race,” said Nodell, the outgoing series champion. “Good on him.”

Brunet said he might have been able to challenge Nodell for the race win had he not experienced fatigue in the closing stages of the race.

“My right arm started pumping up. I’m not in shape,” said Brunet, who took a break from his role as team manager for Diablo’s Parts Canada Superbike squad to compete in the 125 race. “But it’s nice riding with these guys. It’s only my second time on a 125 and I was surprised how well it went.”

Behind the podium finishers, Matthew Dennie of Rochester, NY finished a career-high fourth on his Honda RS125.

Angela Hiba held off fellow Brampton, ON rider John Dempsey for fifth after the two had enjoyed a racelong fight for the spot. Hiba, riding a Honda, passed the Zipit Racing Honda of Dempsey on lap 5 and stayed in front the rest of the way.

Dempsey grabbed third in the final championship standings with 150 points while Hiba improved to sixth with 112.

Jim Struke finished the year fourth in the standings with 145 points and Yvan Desy was fifth with 122.

The race had to be restarted after a red flag for a crash by Andrew Rektor on the opening lap. The Waterloo, ON Yamaha rider was not seriously hurt in the fall.


Results of the final round of the Diablo Energy Drink Can-Am 125 Grand Prix Challenge at Shannonville Motorsport Park Aug. 31, showing finishing position, riding name, hometown, type of motorcycle and laps completed:

1.Stuart Nodell, Ajax, ON, Honda, 8; 2. Corey Sherman, Corbyville, ON, Honda, 8; 3. Eddy Brunet, Montreal, QC, Honda, 8; 4. Matthew Dennie, Rochester, NY, Honda, 8; 5. Angela Hiba, Brampton, ON, Honda, 8; 6. John Dempsey, Brampton, ON, Honda, 8; 7. Mark White, Caledon East, ON, Honda, 8; 8. Dean Hoelscher, Kirkland, ON, Aprilia, 8; 9. Rick Bulman, Oakville, ON, Yamaha, 8; 10. Jesse Herrera, Rochester, NY, Honda, 8; 11. Don Murfin, Mississauga, ON, Honda, 8; 12. Julian Molyneux, Toronto, ON, Honda, 8
NS. Neal Bach, Toronto, ON, Honda; NS. Christian Rose, Terrebonne, QC, Honda; NS. Andrew Rektor, Waterloo, ON, Yamaha

Final Diablo Energy Drink Can-Am 125 Grand Prix Challenge point standings showing position, rider name and point total:

1. Corey Sherman, 251; 2. Stuart Nodell, 242; 3. John Dempsey, 150; 4. Jim Struke, 145; 5. Yvan Desy, 122; 6. Angela Hiba, 112; 7. Christian Rose, 111; 8. Matthew Dennie, 104; 9. Dale Greenwood Jr., 94; 10. Mark White, 88; 11. Eddy Brunet, 72; 12. John Hjelm, 64; 13. Dean Hoelscher, 63; 14. Don Murfin, 55; 15. Chris Peris, 54; 16. Frank Guadagino, 51; 17. Chris Knowles, 50; 18. Debra Kuick, 40; 19. Zack Courts, 38; 20. Steve McNeil, 35; 21. Eric Yoo, 32; 22. Julian Molyneux, 32; 23. Jim Pentecost, 29; 24. Jesse Herrera, 29; 25. Gus Holcomb, 27; 26. Dave Monahan, 26; 27. Paul Hoyt Nelson, 25; 28. Rick Bulman, 25; 29. Scott Moxey, 21; 30. Steve Scott, 21; 31. Joe Melchionda, 18; 32. Paul Duval, 17; 33. Tim Courts, 13; 34. James Lovejoy, 12; 35. Neal Bach, 12; 36. Chris Cosentino, 6; 37. Reet Das, 4; 38. Brian Kcraget, 4; 39. Craig Derosa, 2; 40. Dave Wright, 2

From a press release issued by Sport Bike Night:

SPECIAL FUNDRAISING EVENT

SPORT BIKE NIGHT needs YOUR support! Join us on Sunday, September 28th from 3pm till 7pm for a special fundraising event. AMA/AFM/CCS rider SHAUN SUMMERS was seriously injured July 11th on the first lap of the 600cc National at Laguna Seca. Shaun has spent nearly a month in Stanford University Hospital and has undergone three surgeries to his right leg and foot as the result of the crash. The current total for medical expenses, to this point, is approximately $150,000. Although Shaun has medical insurance we expect there to be several thousand dollars in “out of pocket” expenses. A majority of the proceeds from the event will directly to Shaun’s medical expenses.

We would like to invite you to a special fundraiser hosted by some of Shaun’s sponsors. DUNLOP TIRES, ALPINESTARS and ARAI HELMETS are holding a day of KART RACING at RACE PLACE MOTORSPORTS in Rancho Cordova, California. RPM is a state of the art indoor kart racing facility. Please check out their website at www.RacePlaceMotorsports.com Both of their tracks will open for drivers to “hot lap” during the day. Later in the afternoon, a special championship race will be held with entries limited to 36 karts. Heat races and semi’s will par the field down to 12 karts. Each of the 36 entrants will receive prizes just for entering. The winner of the main event will be awarded a new ARAI HELMET. Main event finishers will be awarded prizes from DUNLOP TIRES AND ALPINESTARS.

On hand to assist, sign autographs and race in the main event will be two of the top riders on the AMA National circuit.

TONY MEIRING Team Kawasaki
STEVE RAPP Team Valvoline Suzuki

Tony and Steve will signing posters and challenging YOU to beat them on the race track!

Details are still being worked out but you can count on lots of fun, prizes and racing to help support a injured local rider.

WHEN: SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 28TH FROM 3PM TIL 7PM

WHERE: RACE PLACE MOTORSPORTS, 3130 BRADSHAW ROAD, SACRAMENTO. (BRADSHAW AND HWY 50)

WHY: BECAUSE IT’S A BUNCH OF FUN AND TO SUPPORT INJURED RIDER, SHAUN SUMMERS

COST: $5.00 AT THE DOOR

INFO: MIKE AT (916) 373-1557 OR WEBSITE AT WWW.SPORTBIKENIGHT.COM

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Formula USA road and dirt track racer Nate “Gator” Wait is out for the remainder 2003 racing season with a double fracture of his right wrist.

The injury occurred when Wait crashed in the first corner of the warm-up lap for the F-USA Sportbike race Sunday, September 7 at Summit Point Raceway in West Virginia.

“It just totally lost all traction in the rear and started to slide out, then it went to like lowside, then it caught and highsided me,” said Wait Wednesday from his home in Lodi, California. “I don’t know if it was a cold tire or it was a harder compound or what. I took the warm-up lap like I would any other first lap. I was already off the front brake and slowing down, and I had barely started to crack the throttle at a little lean angle and it slid out.

“How I broke my wrist I don’t know. I jumped up and went to run for my bike. When I went to grab the handlebars to lift my bike up [my hand] wasn’t working. When I went to grab it, it felt like my arm bones were digging in the ground. My bones were basically poking out my skin. They didn’t come out, but they were right there.”

The radius and ulna were broken just above Wait’s right wrist and completely dislocated. Wait had surgery Tuesday night in which Dr. Arthur Ting set Wait’s fractures and attached an external fixator device. Wait will have to wear the fixator for at least six weeks before starting rehabilitation, which rules him out for the remainder of the 2003 Formula USA series.

At the time of his accident, Wait was in contention for the F-USA Grand National Championship, which combines points from select Formula USA road race and dirt track events. Wait was second, six points behind leader Nicky Cummings after six of 10 rounds. Cummings, 16, now holds a commanding 17-point in the F-USA GNC point standings with two dirt track and one road race event remaining.

Current Unofficial F-USA Grand National Championship Point Standings:

1. Nick Cummings, 102 points
2. Nate Wait, 85 points
3. Scott Greenwood, 83 points
4. Matt Wait, 81 points
5. Rob Pearson, 72 points
6. Jeff Wood, 66 points
7. Bryan Smith, 61 points
8. Michael Himmelsbach, 56 points
9. Dave Stanton, 55 points
10. Des Conboy, 53 points

The next Formula USA GNC round is a dirt track race in Sacramento, California September 14.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship Presented By Parts Unlimited

Barber Motorsports Park

September 19-21

AMA Pro Purses

Chevy Trucks Superbike
$80,000 total purse
Half paid for each of two Superbike races
1. $8500
2. $6500
3. $5000
4. $3800
5. $3500
6. $3300
7. $3200
8. $3050
9. $2950
10. $2850
11. $2750
12. $2650
13. $2550
14. $2450
15. $2350
16. $2150
17. $2100
18. $2050
19. $2000
20. $1950
21. $1650
22. $1550
23. $1450
24. $1350
25. $1250
26. $1150
27. $1050
28. $900
29. $800
30. $700
31. $600
32. $550
33. $500
34. $450
35. $400


MBNA 250 Grand Prix, Pro Honda Oils U.S. Supersport, Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme, Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock
$10,000 paid for each class
1. $1500
2. $1200
3. $900
4. $700
5. $650
6. $600
7. $525
8. $475
9. $425
10. $400
11. $375
12. $350
13. $325
14. $300
15. $275
16. $250
17. $225
18. $200
19. $175
20. $150

From a press release issued by the FIM:

2003 FIM World Champions’ Awards

The ceremony will be held in Dubai on December 13, next

The 2003 FIM World Champions’ Awards Ceremony will be held in a totally new venue. This event will take place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on December 13 next. The promoter will be Youthstream, the company which is the contractual partner of the FIM for the Motocross World Championship, the Motocross of Nations, the SuperMoto World Championship and the Snowcross World Cup. The local organiser will be the company Arabia 1, motorsports event promoter in Dubai and the Middle East. The Ceremony will be held under the auspices of the FIM-affiliated United Arab Emirates Motorcycle Club (UAEMC), with the support of the government authorities of Dubai and of the future circuit of Dubai.

In the presence of FIM delegates and many guests, sponsors and VIPs, the 2003 World Champions in Road Racing, Motocross, Trial, Enduro and Track Racing will receive their medals and trophies. Representatives of the Manufacturers’ World Champions will receive their diplomas.

Several 2003 World Champions are already known: the Spanish rider Adam Raga is the Indoor Trial World Champion, and the Russian rider Vitaly Khomitsevich won his first Individual Ice Racing World Championship title. In Motocross, Belgian riders are on top this year, with Stefan Everts winning the MotocrossGP title, the seventh in his career, beating the previous record of six titles established by another famous Belgian rider, Joël Robert, and Joël Smets winning the 650 title, his fifth world crown. Australian rider Chad Reed is the 2003 Supercross World Champion, and Daniel Willemsen and Casper Stupiles are Motocross Sidecar World Champions.

All the world titles have been attributed in the Individual World Two Days’ Enduro Championship: Anders Eriksson won the 400cc 4-stroke class, his seventh world title; Juha Salminen (FIN) won the 500cc and overall classes, reaching a total of 8 world titles; Stefan Merriman (AUS) the 250cc 2-stroke title (his 3rd title), Peter Bergvall (SWE) took his second 250cc 4-stroke title, and Petri Pohjamo (FIN) the 125cc 2-stroke title, the first of his career.

Finally, another rider won a World title last week-end on the circuit of Assen: British rider Neil Hodgson, riding a Ducati 999, has become the 2003 Superbike World Champion.

Views of the 2004 Yamaha YZF-R1, YZF-R6 and FZ6, from press materials distributed by Yamaha Motor Corp. U.S.:


2004 YZF-R1


2004 YZF-R1


2004 YZF-R6


2004 YZF-R6


2004 FZ6


2004 FZ6


2004 YZF-R1


2004 YZF-R1