Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

More from an Army Captain we know, who is stationed in Irag and will remain anonymous:

Alright–payday! Well, at least it means half the month of August is over.

Fridays are the best for me ’cause to Arabs Friday is our Sunday–they go to their Mosques or what-nots but they sure don’t work, which is not a departure from their normal habits other than they are not actually here today.

Loose translation–Americans can get their work done. We get caught up on all our ID cards and databasing for the job pickups for next week. We are putting almost 1500 people to work this month. On Wednesday I am meeting with all the big-wig businessmen in town to pitch my office as THE source to find employees. We’ll see how it works since they are sooooo steeped in nepotism.

This week we had Basrah Limon instead of the normal chai. It is a tea made from lemons and oranges, it’s actually really good, but when you aren’t expecting lemons and get a hit you get the Jagermeister face bad. We had a staff breakfast the other day which proved to be fairly interesting. We had grape juice but in their juices they ground their leaves as well–so the grape juice tasted like it had mint in it. Kinda cleared out the sinuses and tasted good, nice combo!

Power of the Note:

Little did I know that notes carry the weight of law around here. What kinda notes? Small ones, big ones, Arabic ones, English ones–but they all have one thing in common, my name on them.

People ask me for notes to see American lawyers, doctors, intelligence guys, get medicine, breathe–just about anything you can imagine they want a note. I mean I got notes popping up in Baghdad saying that I said they could have a job. No, I didn’t, but it makes ’em happy. Now that I have hired a couple thousand guys, who all seem to remember me, my name is getting tacked on to sentences around here like a period. So when anyone asks an American for anything the Americans are sending people to come see me NOW? What the? I got six guys that work for me and 72 Iraqis. I give people jobs, not counsel. Two days ago I had a guy come to me ’cause he had cancer and needs drugs available in America.

Yesterday I had a woman see me ’cause her husband lost his leg in the war and she wants reparations.

Tommorrow I have a woman coming to see me ’cause her and her brother own a tract of land and he harvested it all and sold it and gave her nothing. People, I cannot solve your problems, but if you sign right here I can get you a job next week. People come to see me ’cause they know where weapons are buried, because their car was stolen, but I got one for you:

Got a letter from a man yesterday who had $128,000 American confiscated from his house by U.S. soldiers, his brother got arrested in the process, and what he described as “massive amounts of women’s jewelry” were also confiscated. His claim: He owns a trading business. Yeah, well, why the hell did he have four times the National GDP stuffed in a mattress, a brother on the most-wanted list who is now in a maximum security prison in Baghdad, and enough gold to sink a Spanish galleon? Get outta here, chief–sign the dotted line, get a job!

I deal with all classes, the poor, the rich, the officers who still believe they are privileged (News flash: You lost, no privileges for you!), crazy people, lazy people, and the worst, other Americans who think I can help solve their problems with the Iraqis.

So that is my week in a nutshell. Hope your days are not as fun-filled as mine!

From a press release issued by Fuchs Kawasaki:

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2003
ROUND 10 – GAULOISES GRAND PRIX CESKE REPUBLIKY
15TH AUGUST 2003 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HOFMANN SECURES FULL TIME KAWASAKI RIDE FOR 2004

Today the Kawasaki Racing Team and Alex Hofmann reached an agreement that will see the 23-year-old German rider contest all rounds of the 2004 MotoGP World Championship aboard the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR.

Hofmann joined the Kawasaki Racing Team as European test and development rider at the end of the 2002 season and, since taking on the role, the former German and European 250cc Champion has worked tirelessly alongside engineers from both the Kawasaki Racing Team and Kawasaki’s race division in Japan to develop the Ninja ZX-RR MotoGP machine.

In addition, Hofmann has impressed with strong performances in his outings as a Kawasaki Racing Team wild card rider, with his best result of the season so far being a hard fought tenth place finish during this year’s rain lashed Dutch TT.

It is these wild card performances that have led to Hofmann’s future becoming the subject of much speculation in recent weeks, with his name being linked to a number of high profile teams. However, after lengthy discussions between Kawasaki in Japan, the Kawasaki Racing Team and Hofmann’s manager, Dieter Theis, an agreement has been reached whereby the young German rider will continue his test and development role for the remainder of the season, before stepping up to a full time MotoGP ride with the Kawasaki Racing Team in 2004.

This weekend’s Czech Grand Prix at Brno marks the last of Hofmann’s planned wild card appearances aboard the Ninja ZX-RR this season.

Harald Eckl – Team Manager
“The discussions have been long, but I’m happy to be able to finally confirm the fact that Alex Hofmann will be riding full time for the Kawasaki Racing Team in 2004. Alex first came to my attention as a 16-year-old and, even then, it was obvious that he had the natural talent to compete at the very highest level. Since then I have watched his progress with interest and, at the end of the 2002 season, I had no hesitation in recommending him to Kawasaki for the role of European test and development rider.

“This season Alex has impressed with his mature and consistent approach, both to his test and development duties and to his wild card appearances for the team. During the past six months he has adapted well to the Ninja ZX-RR and developed his riding style to get the best from the bike; a fact borne out by his results as a wild card rider. Alex has enormous potential and I am confident that we will see him develop further as a rider in 2004. His work on developing the Ninja ZX-RR this season will also mean that we will be able to supply him with more competitive machinery in 2004.

“Alex will be the only German rider in the MotoGP class, so it is fitting that he should ride for a German team. There is of course another advantage to Alex’s nationality; for the first time I will be able to understand exactly what my rider is saying!”

Alex Hofmann
“The fact that I’ve had offers from other MotoGP teams for next season is probably the worst kept secret in the paddock at the moment! Maybe if I had only been looking at next year then the decision as to who to ride for would have been a lot easier to make, but I have had to think beyond 2004 and I believe that staying with the Kawasaki Racing Team is the best option in terms of my future MotoGP career.

“If someone had told me two years ago that I’d be starting my first full season in MotoGP at the age of 23 I wouldn’t have believed them. But it’s happened and my job now is to make the most of this opportunity, both for myself and for Kawasaki. We’ve worked hard to develop the Ninja ZX-RR this season and I’m confident that the progress we’ve made so far will allow Kawasaki to field a much stronger package in 2004. Both Kawasaki and Harald Eckl have shown a lot of faith in my ability by giving me this chance, now it’s down to me to prove their faith is justified.”

Dieter Theis
“A number of other factory teams in the MotoGP paddock were interested in securing Alex’s services for the 2004 season, but both Alex and I were keen to continue our relationship with the Kawasaki Racing Team and are therefore happy that we have managed to reach an agreement for next season. Kawasaki has shown a lot of faith in Alex this season and, as a loyal and consistent rider, he felt that it would be wrong to break the terms of his contract and depart from the team.

“However, the contract details were not the main reason for Alex’s decision to stay with the Kawasaki Racing Team for 2004. Alex is new to the MotoGP class and it is important that he is part of a team that is capable of developing his abilities as a rider. For many years Harald Eckl has been involved in developing young talent and I am confident that with his guidance Alex’s full potential will be realised. I am also confident that the development work being carried out by Kawasaki in Japan, in conjunction with the team’s engineers in Germany, will result in Kawasaki being able to provide Alex with competitive machinery with which to contest next year’s World Championship.”



(Editorial Note: Garry McCoy is looking for a ride, and has expressed interest in racing in the AMA Superbike Series.)

From a press release issued by series organizers:

MONT-TREMBLANT, QC – Parts Canada Superbike Championship points leader Pascal Picotte kept his momentum rolling on the opening day of practice for the Coors Light Tremblant Superbike at Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant Friday.

The St-Cecile de Milton, QC rider, who won the previous round of the series last weekend at Atlantic Motorsport Park, led practice with a time of 1:40.697 on his Picotte Racing Yamaha YZF-R1. Tom Kipp of Chardon, OH was second fastest at 1:40.990 riding the Canadian Kawasaki Motors Kawasaki ZX-7RR and Australian Robbie Baird placed third at 1:42.247 on the Orion Motorsport Honda CBR954RR.

All three riders set their times in the 45-minute morning session as the afternoon practice was cancelled in order to repair protective Airfence following a crash.

“The Superbike is really good. I can’t complain,” said Picotte, who leads Steve Crevier of Maple Ridge, BC by just eight points in the Parts Canada Superbike standings, 231-223 heading into this weekend’s penultimate round at Mont-Tremblant. “Hopefully I can carry this momentum all through the weekend and extend the little lead I have.”

Crevier was fifth fastest in practice Friday with a time of 1:42.729 riding the Diablo Performance Suzuki GSX-R1000.

Friday morning’s Parts Canada Superbike practice session was interrupted by an accident involving Frank Trombino, who crashed his Brooklin Cycle Yamaha YZF-R1 heavily in turn 1. The Kleinburg, ON rider was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries, including two broken ribs, a bruised liver and a badly cut mouth.

Friday’s action also featured practice for the Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike and International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike national support classes.

Picotte, who holds a commanding lead in the Pro 600 Sport Bike standings led the way in practice with a time of 1:42.615 on his Picotte Racing Yamaha YZF-R6. Kipp was next best riding the Canadian Kawasaki Motors Kawasaki ZX-6RR with a time of 1:42.869 and Trombino set the third best time of 1:43.447 on the Brooklin Yamaha YZF-R6.

Nepean, ON’s Derek Bowker was fastest in Amateur 600 Sport Bike practice with a time of 1:48.648 on his Yamaha YZF-R6. Wellesley, ON’s Bill Card placed second at 1:48.973 riding a Honda CBR600RR and Carol Corbeil of St-Hyacinthe, QC was third at 1:49.445 on another Honda.

Bowker is currently second in class points, 11 behind Keremeos, BC’s Jeremy Leduc.

Qualifying for all three national classes will take place Saturday afternoon with feature races set to go on Sunday. Gates open at 8:00 a.m. Saturday with practice beginning at 9:00 a.m. Qualifying starts at 1:30 p.m.

This weekend’s event will be televised on TSN on Saturday, Sept. 13 at 11:00 a.m. Action from AMP will also be shown later this year on Quebec’s RDS.

The one-hour long Superbike shows premier on the Outdoor Life Network on Sunday, Sept. 13 at 1:00 p.m. and run each Sunday through September and October.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Friday’s 125cc Grand Prix Qualifying Results:

1. Daniel Pedrosa, Honda, 2:09.330
2. Casey Stoner, Aprilia, 2:09.477
3. Stefano Perugini, Aprilia, 2:09.571
4. Youichi Ui, Aprilia, 2:09.702
5. Lucio Cecchinello, Aprilia, 2:09.732
6. Steve Jenkner, Aprilia, 2:10.043
7. Hector Barbera, Aprilia, 2:10.072
8. Mika Kallio, KTM, 2:10.089
9. Gioele Pellino, Aprilia, 2:10.145
10. Andrea Dovizoso, Honda, 2:10.394
11. Gabor Talmacsi, Aprilia, 2:10.447
12. Pablo Nieto, Aprilia, 2:10.598
13. Mirko Giansanti, Aprilia, 2:10.619
14. Gino Borsoi, Aprilia, 2:10.755
15. Alex De Angelis, Aprilia, 2:10.877

19. Roberto Locatelli, KTM, 2:11.589

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Former WERA National Endurance Champion Josh Hayes is heading to the Oschersleben 24-Hours, a round of the Endurance World Championship scheduled for next weekend (August 23-24) in Germany.

If all goes well in practice, Hayes will ride with Jason Pridmore on a GSX-R1000 fielded by Phase One Suzuki.

Phase One is currently second in Endurance World Championship point standings.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Friday’s MotoGP Qualifying Results:

1. Max Biaggi, Honda, 1:59.520
2. Valentino Rossi, Honda, 1:59.708
3. Loris Capirossi, Ducati, 1:59.739
4. Tohru Ukawa, Honda, 2:00.338
5. Sete Gibernau, Honda, 2:00.438
6. Nicky Hayden, Honda, 2:00.442
7. Carlos Checa, Yamaha, 2:00.682
8. Shinya Nakano, Yamaha, 2:00.800
9. Makoto Tamada, Honda, 2:00.835
10. Marco Melandri, Yamaha, 2:00.892
11. Olivier Jacque, Yamaha, 2:01.167
12. Troy Bayliss, Ducati, 2:01.203
13. John Hopkins, Suzuki, 2:01.263
14. Alex Barros, Yamaha, 2:01.334
15. Colin Edwards, Aprilia, 2:01.505
16. Jeremy McWilliams, Proton, 2:01.809
17. Alex Hofmann, Kawasaki, 2:02.270
18. Andrew Pitt, Kawasaki, 2:02.371
19. Garry McCoy, Kawasaki, 2:02.376
20. Noriyuki Haga, Aprilia, 2:02.498
21. Ryuichi Kiyonari, Honda, 2:02.661
22. Kenny Roberts, Suzuki, 2:03.589
23. Nobuatsu Aoki, Proton, 2:04.033
24. David De Gea, ROC Yamaha, 2:05.896
25. Chris Burns, ROC Yamaha, 2:06.667


More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service:

HOPKINS AIMS FOR TOP TEN AT BRNO

Team Suzuki rider John Hopkins made a good start in the first day of practice for Sunday’s Czech Republic GP, running fast times from the start of the session as he enjoyed the sensation of riding the ultra-powerful Suzuki GSV-R MotoGP machine round the sweeping curves of his favourite circuit.

Hopkins spent most of the session in the top ten of the list, dropping to a close 13th towards the finish, in a batch of very close times. With the three fastest riders below the two-minute barrier, the next 11 were all within one second of each other, with the Anglo-American rider in the thick of the group. With a few small changes to the machine, Hopkins was confident he could hope to add another top ten finish in the development season of the 2003 version of Suzuki’s 990cc V4 prototype racer.

Team-mate Kenny Roberts was some way back, after a difficult first day of practice. The 2000 World Champion ended up 22nd overall, expecting for a big improvement in tomorrow’s final sessions.

The Brno race follows the first part of a truncated summer break, and the factory race department has been busy in the interim, with a number of new solutions to try. However these are untested, and prudently are being kept for two-day tests at the Brno circuit on Monday and Tuesday after the race.

Today’s first qualifying took place in dry sunny conditions in the afternoon, but free practice in the morning was on a damp track after drenching rains overnight. There is one more day of qualifying before Sunday’s race.

Footnote: French motorcycle racing superstar and current Suzuki Endurance Racing Team rider Jean-Michel Bayle was back in the Suzuki pit, and will be joining the team for the two-day test next week. Bayle brings not only extensive GP experience and an analytical and intelligent approach to the task of developing the GSV-R, but also has the advantage of being able to test without having to bear the next GP in mind.

JOHN HOPKINS – 13th Position, 2:01.263
The biggest thing for me is this track. This was where I rode a GP bike for the first time, and I love the layout and everything about it. I went right out this afternoon and got straight into the 2:01s. That helps the confidence. One thing I’m struggling with is rear grip on race tyres. That’s costing me time on the tighter turns, and also on the corner exits, which spoils your speed down the following straights. We need to improve that, and I hope we can with setting changes, so I’m hoping for some dry sessions tomorrow. If all goes well, another top ten finish would be possible, and that’s what we really need now.

KENNY ROBERTS Jr. – 22nd Position, 2:03.589
The break was not long enough from the last race for the factory to respond with new stuff for this race, so the situation is the same as in Germany – to try and make the best of what we have. I tried a new chassis today, which weights the front differently, but it didn’t really have much effect either way, so I have no idea now if I will race it or not.

FRIDAY OFFICIAL QUALIFYING TIMES BRNO, CZECK REPUBLIC

1. Max Biaggi (Honda) 1:59.520


2. Valentino Rossi (Honda) + 0.188


3. Loris Capirossi (Ducati) + 0.219


4. Tohru Ukawa (Honda ) + 0.818


5. Sete Gibernau (Hondai) + 0.918


6. Nicky Hayden (Honda) + 0.922


7. Carlos Checa (Yamaha) + 1.162


8. Shinya Nakano (Yamaha) + 1.280


9. Makato Tamada (Honda) + 1.315


10. Marco Melandri (Yamaha) + 1.372


13. John Hopkins (Suzuki Grand Prix Team) + 1.743

22. Kenny Roberts (Suzuki Grand Prix Team) + 4.069


More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

Czech GP, Brno
First Qualifying
Friday, August 15 2003

DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM MEN BACK TO WORK AT BRNO

Ducati Marlboro Team riders Loris Capirossi and Troy Bayliss were back to work at Brno today following their brief midseason break, the pair clocking third and 12th fastest times in this afternoon’s opening Czech GP qualifying session.

The team has a batch of new bodywork and chassis parts to evaluate here, but changeable weather has so far prevented the riders from making any real conclusions about the chassis parts. The gear includes a new fairing, designed to improve engine performance and rider comfort, a new chassis with optimised rigidity and new front fork and triple clamps. Both riders have one bike fitted with the new chassis/fork combination and one with the existing unit combination.

“It rained this morning, which effectively lost us the first session, so we’ve not had any time to work on the new chassis and fork,” said Ducati Marlboro Team technical director Corrado Cecchinelli. “Even in good conditions there’s never much time to test new parts at a GP anyway, you can end up confusing your riders and wasting time. Anyway, the parts aren’t hugely different from what we’ve got already, so there’s no great hurry to introduce them. We test here on Monday, so that might be a better time to evaluate the new chassis and forks. Loris went well today, we’re trying a few small changes to the set-up we ran when we tested here last month. Troy is still learning his way around here, and we’ve been working on his gearbox and front end.”

CAPIROSSI THIRD, JUST 0.219 SECONDS OFF POLE
Loris Capirossi was in the thick of an entertaining battle for provisional pole position at Brno today, the Ducati Marlboro Team man ending up third fastest, just two tenths of a second off pole. The Italian’s best lap was less than a tenth inside last year’s Czech GP pole time – an impressive pace for day one.

“I’m happy with what we’ve done so far,” said Capirossi. “We’re on the pace, the times are fast and the bike is good. Last month’s tests were so useful – we know exactly what we need to do for the bike here. I used the new fairing throughout today but the weather spoiled this morning’s session, so I preferred to spend most of my time riding with the existing chassis which we know so well. I did do a couple of laps with the new chassis, it could be good but it’s too early to say. Everything has gone really well today, third is a good result for day one and I think we already know what we need to do tomorrow.”

BAYLISS 12th AND WORKING ON FRONT END
Ducati Marlboro Team rider Troy Bayliss was second quickest in this morning’s tricky damp session but slipped to 12th in this afternoon’s dry outing, run in warm, dry conditions. The Australian has never raced at Brno before, though he did take part in a two-day test at the track last month.

“It’s good to be back at a race, though I’ve been busy during the break – first doing some PR work with Ducati in Austria, then at the Zandvoort Marlboro Masters,” said Bayliss. “This morning was good in the sketchy, damp conditions, but I knew we’d struggle a bit in the dry. I’m struggling with the front, I don’t really feel comfortable on the bike. At some tracks we find a good front set-up, which we think will work everywhere, but really we seem to end up with a different plan for every racetrack. I’ve tried both bikes, but so far there doesn’t seem to be a huge difference between the new and the old chassis.”



More, from a press release issued by Fuchs Kawasaki:

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2003
ROUND 10 – GAULOISES GRAND PRIX CESKE REPUBLIKY
15TH AUGUST 2003 – QUALIFYING PRACTICE 1

DEVELOPMENT WORK PAYS DIVIDENDS FOR KAWASAKI TRIO

Development work carried out on the Ninja ZX-RR engine during the recent summer break paid dividends for Fuchs Kawasaki’s trio of riders at Brno today, with Alex Hofmann, Andrew Pitt and Garry McCoy all improving on lap times set during a two day test at the Czech circuit back in July.

Kawasaki Racing Team engineers used the summer break to evaluate a revised ZX-RR motor on the transient dynamometer located within the research and development centre of exhaust fabricator and team partner, Akrapovic. Revisions to a number of internal components allowed more power to be liberated from the 990cc inline four motor, an improvement that all three Kawasaki riders used to good effect around the fast Brno circuit today.

German wild card, Alex Hofmann, was once again the fastest of the three Kawasaki riders, ending this afternoon’s opening qualifying session 17th fastest. With such a long break since his last outing at the German Grand Prix, Hofmann struggled to find his rhythm on the Ninja ZX-RR today, but is confident that he can improve his qualifying position with more time on the bike tomorrow.

Andrew Pitt spent both of today’s hour long sessions refining the set-up of his Ninja ZX-RR, but still managed to improve on his previous best time by over a second to qualify within of a tenth of a second of his German team-mate on race rubber. The Australian ran two very different set-ups on his Ninja ZX-RR today, but will make a decision on which to concentrate on for the rest of the weekend during tomorrow morning’s free practice session.

The front end chatter problems that plagued Garry McCoy during the recent test at Brno reappeared during free practice this morning and, although his crew were able to improve the situation somewhat, they were unable to dial out the problem completely during qualifying. McCoy eventually qualified in 19th place on the provisional grid, just 0.005s behind team-mate Pitt, after being baulked on his final flying lap by a slower rider.

Alex Hofmann: 17th – 2:02.270
“I’m running a different chassis to the one I ran here during the test and the rain this morning meant we didn’t get as much time as we’d have liked to set it up for this afternoon’s qualifying session. Also, I’m not totally back up to speed after the break, but I’m sure things will be better with more time on the bike tomorrow. The changes to the engine have made a difference when I’m riding the bike; the data will tell us more, but it definitely feels like we have more power available than we did before. Overall I’m quite happy with the progress we’ve made today and I’m looking forward to further improvements tomorrow.”

Andrew Pitt: 18th – 2:02.371
“Overall that was a good session, although I ran out of time towards the end and didn’t get a chance to put in a flying lap on a qualifying tyre. One of my bikes is set up as it was for the test here, while the other is set-up exactly how it finished the race at Sachsenring. The Sachsenring bike is more neutral and feels more stable on the brakes, but the other bike definitely steers better. Hopefully we’ll be able to arrive at a set-up during tomorrow’s free practice session that combines the strengths of both bikes, ready for final qualifying in the afternoon.”

Garry McCoy: 19th – 2:02.376
“The revised engine made a noticeable difference today; it’s definitely a step in the right direction, even if it hasn’t yet had a major impact on lap times. Front end chatter has been a real problem here, just as it was when we tested at Brno last month. Even so, I felt I was capable of putting in a good qualifying lap. Unfortunately, as I came through the last turn to start my flying lap the rear spun up and I lost quite a bit of time. I think I was probably a bit too easy on the out lap and didn’t get enough heat into the qualifying tyre. Half way round the lap I had to overtake Nori Haga – never an easy task – and that lost me even more time. Hopefully we’ll be able to improve things tomorrow.”



More, from a press release issued by Proton Team KR:

UPGRADED PROTON KR TAKES A STEP FORWARD

Round 10: Czech Republic GP, Brno First Qualifying: Friday, August 15, 2003

Jeremy McWilliams: 16th, 2:01.809
Nobuatsu Aoki: 23rd, 2:04.033

Team Proton KR riders Jeremy McWilliams and Nobu Aoki were back on the radical new 990cc four-stroke KR V5 at the sweeping Brno circuit, and enjoying a package of minor but significant revisions that have addressed teething troubles found in the bike’s first few races, as well as unleashing more of the potential horsepower of the new machine

Changes include reworked crankshaft design and construction, to improve strength and endurance of that crucial component; as well as revisions to engine breathing that have increased the power output somewhat. But the bike is still in its infancy, and still in first prototype form – this tenth round of the season is only the machine’s fifth GP, after it was brought out for shake-down tests at the French GP, with the season already well under way.

McWilliams was happy with the improvement, but had mixed feelings. He knew he could be faster at this technical circuit on the old 2002 500cc two-stroke, but at the same time is dedicated to pushing the new project forward, even at the cost of short-term race results. He was frustrated also by just missing the chance for one last fast lap on qualifying tyres, after crossing the start line just seconds after the chequered flag was displayed, denying him the chance of one more lap.

Aoki also appreciated the power boost, but was struggling today with rear tyre grip on the way into corners, which hurt his lap time.

Today’s first practice took place in dry and sunny conditions, after heavy rains overnight and in the morning. There is one more day of qualifying remaining, with one hour-long timed qualifying session tomorrow afternoon to determine final grid positions.

JEREMY McWILLIAMS
I missed my chance at the end, when we took a little bit too long to get a qualifying tyre on. I could have gone a little bit faster. But the times show that we have definitely improved. In tests here a few weeks ago we were doing 2’03s. I thought we would be a second quicker, so I am pretty happy to be in the 2’01s. The bike feels much the same as before at the top end, but it’s definitely better mid-corner and on the exit. I’m struggling a bit with suspension settings, but I hope that can be fixed just with spring changes, pivot position and oil levels. I know I could get below 2:00 on the two-stroke, and I will probably ask if I can ride it. But that wouldn’t really help us in the big picture.

NOBUATSU AOKI
The engine has got a little better in the summer break, but I’m having a big struggle with rear grip under hard braking. I’m going into all the corners sideways, which is not so good. It’s a matter of engine braking, but I think the slipper clutch is working okay, and that it will have to be solved with engine management in the long term. For tomorrow we will try changing the weight distribution, with a higher front ride height to put more weight on the rear.

KENNY ROBERTS – Team Owner
We’re not as far off as we were, though we’ll have to wait until Sunday to see how far we’ve really progressed. Today went good, and I’m pleased we’ve made a step forward.


More, from a press release issued by Pramac Honda:

Brno – (Czech Republic)
Round 10 – 15/16/17 August 2003
Friday – qualifying sessions

Makoto Tamada just inches from second provisional row

In the first day of qualifying for the tenth round of the world championship, Makoto Tamada came within a hairsbreadth of the second provisional row. In eighth place during the very last stages of the official sessions, he was then nudged back into ninth by a final dash made by Nicky Hayden. Even so, it was a good result on the Czech Republic circuit: this is a track that the Japanese rider of the Pramac Honda Team is already on good terms with, since he was able to get a feeling for it during the recent tests in July. It is a result that promises well for the qualifying round for pole position and for Sunday’s race.

During the session, Makoto used the same configuration he had tried out during the tests, though he had to deal with a level of grip that was different from last month’s. The fact that there was a different degree of adherence to the tarmac was probably due to the fact that it rained during the night and in the early hours of the morning in Brno. Initial tests were made on the choice of tyre for the race, even though the real, in-depth studies will be made tomorrow.

Tamada did not use the latest version of the frame, as the comparative tests on the new component are slated for next Monday, again here in Brno, in a further session of tests.

Makoto Tamada (Pramac Honda Team): 9th – 2:00.835
“The rain ‘washed’ the track so the grip was different from what it was like in the tests in July. But it doesn’t matter: we just need to adapt and make sure we make the right choices for the race. I really like this circuit, though I can’t quite say why, but it’s fun to ride and I’ve got a great feeling for it. I also feel it makes the best of the characteristics of our tyres. I left Japan after a short holiday with the determination to do well, and that’s exactly what I intend to do. Tomorrow we’ll have time to work out all the details and choose the right tyres for the race. We’ll see how it goes.”


More, from a press release issued by Fortuna Yamaha:

Czech Grand Prix
Friday, 15 August 2003
Brno, Czech Republic

CHECA HOPES PROVISIONAL SEVENTH WILL LEAD TO MORE

The 2003 MotoGP World Championship returned from its scorching three week summer break to a hot Brno circuit in the Czech Republic for the tenth race of the 16-round season. For Fortuna Yamaha team-mates Carlos Checa and Marco Melandri it was the first time aboard the Yamaha YZR-M1 since the Sachsenring Grand Prix last month, and the pair are hopeful of producing a reputable result at a circuit which has traditionally favoured Yamaha.

Checa kicked off proceedings with a respectable performance, featuring well on the time sheets during the hour-long session before eventually finishing the opening day seventh fastest. The Spaniard’s time of 2:00.682 left him just over a second behind provisional polesitter and Brno expert Max Biaggi (Honda, 1:59.520). Second fastest was defending MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi (Honda, 1:59.708), with Loris Capirossi (Ducati, 1:59.739) and Tohru Ukawa (Honda, 2:00.338) completing the front row.

“I am fairly satisfied with this for the first day,” said Checa. “I’ve done the same lap time as I did when we tested here last month, after Donington. The problem I’m having is with the braking and then flipping the bike into the turn. I don’t have enough front grip when the bike’s on its side. Our main target is to have a more stable front and more side grip and then I’ll be able to do 1:59s.

“This morning’s damp conditions were a shame, but you can always take something positive from time on the bike in whatever conditions. We were able to try a few things. Tomorrow I’ll continue to work and do my best. I have confidence in Yamaha and my team. Unfortunately we only have two hours to solve the problem, but we’ll keep working together and the results will come.”

For Melandri, his start to the second half of the 2003 season didn’t proceed as planned, with the MotoGP rookie tumbling off during the first third of the opening qualifying session. Although the Fortuna Yamaha Team rider was unaware of exactly why he lost the front of his 220-horsepower machine, Melandri was able to return to the fray, unhurt, on his second bike.

It was not the 20-year-old’s first time lapping the 5403m Czech layout on the high tech M1 four-stroke – the Fortuna Yamaha Team tested in Brno for two days in July. Therefore the likeable Italian was hopeful of a more promising result than the tenth place he eventually closed proceedings with today. Although his time of 2:00.892 was respectable, Melandri is confident that there is a great deal of room to improve.

“I’m a bit sad because we worked so hard at the test here last time, but for some reason we’re having problems this time and I don’t feel as comfortable as I did then,” said Melandri, who won last year’s 250cc race here on his way to becoming the youngest ever 250cc World Champion. “I had a very slow tumble this afternoon – I didn’t feel very good with the bike and when I tried to take the left hand seventh turn, I did it too slowly and fell off. I’m going to spend as much time as I can for the rest of today talking with my team about the best way to improve my set-up by making any necessary changes. I’m sure that we can improve for tomorrow. “

Team Director Davide Brivio said, “This morning’s weather was a shame and it was good to see the sun return this afternoon. Neither rider is completely happy but it’s a matter of set-up and we’ll just have to work to make the bike better for them. They’ve already done the same times as they did when we tested here so that’s a start.”


More, from a press release issued by WCM:

CZECH REPUBLIC GP
FRIDAY QUALIFYING SESSION

David de Gea – 24th 2.05.896
“Our bike doesn’t really suit this track, it’s just too slow. On Monday we are testing the 4 stroke, so we will have some more speed by Portugal.”

Chris Burns ­ 25th 2.06.667
“My collarbone that I injured in Donington is quite sore after today¹s session and I am struggling to change direction, anyway I just have to get on with it. I’ve raced here before in ’97 on the 125’s so at least I know which way to go around here. We had some problems today and I lost horsepower mid-way during the session and then had problems with the rear disc, which cut my session short and I didn’t have the opportunity to go out on any qualifying tyres. We were doing well during the wet in practice, I think at one stage I was about 5th so I am hoping for rain on Sunday.”

Peter Clifford ­ Team Manager
“We always knew this was going to be the toughest of the 3 races for the 2-stroke, The climb back to the pits is a real killer for the dear old girl. The guys are dealing with it as best they can and we are all looking forward to running our 4-stokes for the rest of the Season.”

From a press release issued by Mat Mladin Motorsports:

Virginia International Raceway
Alton, Virginia, USA

Test Session Report

NEVER TO LATE TO TEST FOR MLADIN

With the AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship in the middle of a five-week break in proceedings, current points leader Mat Mladin has not been taking things easy preferring instead to take to the track and undertake a number of important test sessions.

Last week Mladin and his close knit Yoshimura Suzuki team tested at the new Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama and have just completed their latest test at Virginia International Raceway, host of the penultimate round of the championship on August 30 & 31. Next week the team will head to Florida to test on the ultra fast banking of Daytona International Speedway.

This week’s three-day test proved to be yet another important and crucial test for Mladin and his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superbike. Always enjoying the opportunity to further develop his machine, Mladin was very happy with the results gained from the test.

” It was a definitely worthwhile test for us that’s for sure,” said Mladin. “We got through a lot of stuff along with a lot of tyres that Dunlop wanted us to test and it all went very well. I’m glad we made the effort to get here, especially after our earlier planned test here was washed out a few weeks ago. We had a few rain interruptions over the three days, but essentially it was good for us and we got in a lot of track time. Dunlop did bring a few different things out for us to try which is again a positive sign to show their support for us this year, while we also had a few other things on the bike that we wanted to test and did so.

“When you do all of the testing it seems to get to a point where you think, geez why do we have to do all of this testing, but you’ve always got to do it when you get a chance. That’s why we are here and that’s why we are heading to Daytona next week, where that will give us a start for next March’s race.”

Virginia is one of the few circuits on the championship trail where Mladin has failed to score a race win and where he was beaten by the narrowest of margins at the corresponding round last year. Following this week’s test, he will feel a lot more comfortable heading to VIR.

“When you compare the times from last year we’re looking pretty good. Last year I raced for the win here and got pipped on the line and we know the lap times that we did last year and we now know the ones we have done this year, so things a looking pretty good.”

With a total of nine wins from fourteen races this year, Mladin heads to Virginia leading the championship with a 33-point advantage over teammate Aaron Yates. His nine victories this year leaves him one shy of the all-time AMA season race win record of ten, while he has further extended his own record of AMA career Pole Positions with a total of 30, six of which have been scored this season so far.

2003 AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship (points after 14 of 18 rounds)
1. M Mladin (431); 2. A Yates (398), 3. B Bostrom (376); 4. E Bostrom (350); 5. K Roberts (349), 6. M DuHamel (332); 7. J Pridmore (315); 8. S Higbee (299), 9. V Haskovec (221), 10. J Szoke (212).

From a press release issued by Ducati Corse:


Czech GP, Brno
Thursday, August 14 2003

IMPORTANT NEW PARTS FOR DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM

Ducati Marlboro Team riders Loris Capirossi and Troy Bayliss will have important new parts at their disposal for this weekend’s Czech Grand Prix.

Their Desmosedici MotoGP machines will be equipped with a new fairing that features improved cooling, both for engine and rider. The modified bodywork, designed by Ducati Corse’s aerodynamic specialists, has new air intakes in the upper fairing to cool the rider for improved comfort, plus new air outlets in the fairing lower to extract hot air for improved performance. These upgrades should prove particularly crucial in hot weather.

Capirossi and Bayliss will also have a new chassis to compare against the existing Desmosedici chassis. Geometry is unchanged but rigidity has been optimised. New, larger diameter Ohlins forks are also available, as well as new triple clamps.

All these upgrades are thanks to the ongoing dedication of Ducati’s MotoGP test team. Test rider Vittoriano Guareschi has already evaluated all the parts during various test sessions in Italy, and their adoption by the Ducati Marlboro Team should help maintain the impressive progress made by the Italian marque’s MotoGP project.

From a press release issued by the AMA Hall Of Fame Museum:

“The Supercross King” Jeremy McGrath

When Jeremy McGrath is inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame on October 5, 2003, he will become the youngest member ever of an elite group. To date, 285 of the motorcycle industry’s most intriguing and memorable men and women have been immortalized in the Motorcycle Hall of Fame, located just minutes east of Columbus, Ohio on the 23-acre campus of the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) in Pickerington. McGrath will be one of 13 new inductees honored, include racing legends Scott Parker and Jay Springsteen, industry ambassador Tom Heininger and trials champ and award-winning Hollywood stuntwoman Debbie Evans.

During his career, McGrath–who turns 31 this year–won seven AMA Supercross championships, more than any other racer in the sport. In addition, he set two other records: he won more individual AMA Supercross races (74) and more races in a single season (14) than any other person. McGrath holds 11 major championship titles. He was also twice selected to represent the United States on the Motocross des Nations team. McGrath caught the racing bug at the age of 11 when he started competing in Bicycle Motocross (BMX) competitions. At the age of 17, he traded pedal power for two-stroke engines and began racing motocross as a privateer. He turned pro in 1989. In 2003, McGrath retired from Supercross competition and began a new career on the growing Supermotard circuit. This season, McGrath is competing for Team Troy Lee Designs, aboard a Honda, in the AMA Red Bull Supermoto Championship.

In addition to his amazing string of victories, McGrath has inspired thousands of young men and women to pursue their championships dreams. Motivated by a pure passion for the sport and a rigorous work ethic instilled in him by his parents, McGrath carved his way to the very pinnacle of racing success.

The annual Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction ceremony takes place at 2 p.m., Sunday, October 5 at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum. The ceremony is the highlight of a two-day celebration that starts with a Saturday, October 4 evening reception at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, open to the public ($15 per person, RSVP required). On Sunday, visitors can enjoy the country’s most exclusive showcase of classic motorcycles at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Concours d’Elegance, featuring over 100 rare vintage bikes. Additional activities include an autograph session with the inductees and a motorcycle art showcase featuring internationally acclaimed bronze artist and sculptor Jeff Decker and licensed Harley-Davidson artists David Uhl and Scott Jacobs. All Sunday, October 5 events are open to the public. Visitors can also tour the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum’s extensive new exhibit, “Heroes of Harley-Davidson, presented by Progressive Motorcycle Insurance.”

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By Bruce Wilkins

Unusual events often occur in the waning minutes of testing sessions and this week’s AMA Superbike session at Virginia International Raceway was no exception. On Tuesday, 15 minutes before the second thunderstorm of the day, factory Yamaha rider Jason DiSalvo powered off from the pits for his first-ever venture on a Formula Xtreme bike.



DiSalvo jumped at the impromptu chance to pilot teammate Jamie Hacking’s Graves Yamaha, putting in seven laps before approaching rain shut practice down for the second and final time of the day. His initial lap was just a “get-acquainted” cruise in the 1:38 range, but he recorded a 1:31 on his last lap, despite raindrops beginning to fall on the backside of VIR’s North Course.

The 19-year-old New York native came to a halt amid smiles of the Yamaha camp, not the least of which was from his relieved mother, Connie. Of course, the biggest smile of all was from Jason himself, who was clearly exuberant over the power and style of the bike.

“It was my first time on a Formula Xtreme bike, so I was just kind of taking it easy out there. It’s definitely a fun bike to ride!” exclaimed DiSalvo. “That last lap I did…the quickest lap I did, I just tried to, like, smooth it out a bit. The bike’s really set up for Jamie, so I had to ride it kind of like he rides. He’s one of the smoothest guys out there, so I just tried to relax, get a little bit smoother, try not to spin tires hard out of the corners, and it seemed to work with that setup. If I had my choice, I’d choose a more aggressive setup. Get that bike sideways coming out of turns, kind of like how I like to ride it with my dirt track background and all.”



There was no open discussion of any future Formula Xtreme rides, just the youthful thrill of a new experience on what he says is a sheer joy to ride. In fact, one of the few problems DiSalvo encountered was keeping the front wheel on the pavement on the frontstretch between the entrance to pit road and the frontstretch’s famous kink.

“The first couple (wheelstands), it was like, I gave it a little tug and then I was having to let off,” DiSalvo explained. “So I was like, ‘I’ll just keep it wide open’ and try to keep the front end down because I wanted to get to top speed by the end of the straightaway and it was still doing it. It was wheeling just a little bit, and actually it just carried down the straightaway, it was really wild!”

His riding coach, Jeff Haney of Freddie Spencer’s High Performance Riding School, was also among the first to de-brief DiSalvo upon his return to pit lane. “This is an extremely talented kid with a good head on his shoulders and I believe he can adapt well to any situation,” Haney pointed out. “Obviously, Jason was just having fun out there, but he showed that despite a setup not for him and this weather, he could quickly record a decent lap.”

DiSalvo’s father, Jim, shared the exuberance of his son. “Oh, Jason was having fun out there, no question about it and I think he took well to the Xtreme bike,” he said with a proud grin. The elder DiSalvo started his son’s career at the tender age of 18-months, towing him on a pocket bike that was equipped with training wheels.

“In two weeks, Jason didn’t want me to tow him by the rope any more,” remembered DiSalvo. “So like today, if it’s got two wheels, no matter what it is, Jason doesn’t miss a chance to ride.”