Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Dyno trouble: Formula USA’s deal with Dynojet to provide the official dyno for dyno-controlled classes fell apart immediately before Daytona, according to Kenny Abbott of Clear Channel Entertainment-Motor Sports. Officials have now done a deal with Factory Pro Tuning to provide the official dyno and dyno support services for the F-USA Series, starting this weekend. F-USA officials picked up a Factory Pro Tuning dyno last night and positioned it at the Speedway, which meant that no dyno was available to competitors for tuning purposes yesterday when official practice started.

Factory Pro Tuning dynos have historically read differently than Dynojet dynos, and it’s unknown at post time if or how officials will adjust official horsepower limits to suit the new dyno.

Factory Pro Tuning owner Marc Salvisberg has long criticized Dynojet dynos as being innaccurate and producing numbers that are not to actual bhp spec. Despite his assertions, Salvisberg has made little progress in his campaign to unseat Dynojet as the standard dyno in the motorcycle industry and aftermarket.

A Dynojet spokesman was not in at Dynojet headquarters in Las Vegas and could not be reached for comment at post time. Marc Salvisberg was not in at his office in San Rafael, California and could not be reached for comment at post time.



Wet and cold weather has been a concern at Daytona International Speedway this week.

Heavy rain fell in the general area during the day Wednesday but not on the Speedway itself. Team Hammer Track Day participants–divided into separate groups for School, Track Ride and Practice for licensed racers–enjoyed a dry track, with five sessions for each group, including two 40-minute practice sessions in the afternoon. A total of 53 licensed racers participated in the practice sessions on the 3.56-mile track, with 37 riders in track ride sessions and 32 in school sessions.

Thursday was overcast, cold and at times misty, with ambient temperatures only reaching the 50s.

Several riders used Thursday’s Team Challenge race to do endurance runs on tires. Valvoline EMGO Suzuki’s Vincent Haskovec and Steve Rapp both completed 16-lap endurance runs aboard their GSX-R1000 Superstock bikes, on Michelin tires.

Arclight Suzuki’s Scott Harwell and Chris Ulrich used the Team Challenge to work on bike set-up. The team faced the extra factor of having changed from Pirelli to Dunlop tires for the 2004 F-USA season. Late in the race, Ulrich left pit lane after a stop for adjustments and then lost the front and crashed his GSX-R600 in the chicane, breaking his right collarbone. Ulrich flew back to California this morning to see orthopedic surgeon Art Ting.

Friday morning, Daytona was cold and overcast with a light mist falling. The mist abated but it remained cold, in the 40s, with a light wind.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Friday Morning Practice Times:

1. James Toseland, Ducati 999F04, 1:36.611
2. Noriyuki Haga, Ducati 999RS, 1:37.233
3. Regis Laconi, Ducati 999F04, 1:37.297
4. Chris Walker, Foggy Petronas FP1, 1:37.347
5. Troy Corser, Foggy Petronas FP1, 1:37.700
6. Garry McCoy, Ducati 999RS, 1:38.005
7. Steve Martin, Ducati 999RS, 1:38.015
8. Leon Haslam, Ducati 999RS, 1:38.063
9. Marco Borciani, Ducati 999RS, 1:38.331
10. Chris Vermeulen, Honda CBR1000RR, 1:38.468
11. Gianluca Nannelli, Ducati 998RS, 1:38.517
12. Lucio Pedercini, Ducati 998RS, 1:38.619
13. Mauro Sanchini, Kawasaki ZX-10R, 1:38.993
14. Piergiorgio Bontempi, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:39.122
15. Ivan Clementi, Kawasaki ZX-10R, 1:39.528
16. Sergio Fuertes, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:39.700
17. Pierfrancesco Chili, Ducati 999RS, 1:39.725
18. Horst Saiger, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:40.661
19. Warwick Nowland, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:40.776
20. Alessio Velini, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:40.916
21. Miguel Praia, Ducati 999RS, 1:41.515
22. Jiri Mrkyvka, Ducati 998RS, 1:44.580

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin is adjusting to the resignation of Lead Mechanic Vic Fasola and is testing Michelin tires during the CCS/Formula USA weekend at Daytona.

“Unfortunately his wife is very sick, and (racing) would take too much time away from being able to take care of her,” Team Manager Tom Bondenbach told Roadracingworld.com regarding Fasola’s departure from the team. “He felt is was better to concentrate on her health and taking care of his family.”

Some published reports incorrectly identified Fasola as Crew Chief for the team, but according to Bodenbach, Fasola was the Lead Mechanic for Eric Bostrom, directing team mechanics Lance Baker and Jerry Daggett and serving as the team’s tire technician.

Crew Chief for Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin for 2004 has always been Luca Ferraccioli.

Asked how he would fill the significant gap left in his team, Bodenbach said, “For this race we have a couple of the factory mechanics coming in from Italy to help. And I’m flying in another guy we weren’t originally planning on having, Glenn Grenfell. He worked with me back at Gemini (on the factory Harley-Davidson Superbike team).”

Bodenbach and Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin spent Wednesday and Thursday, February 25-26, at Daytona testing tires for Michelin with former Ducati Superbike pilot Larry Pegram.

“It wasn’t really an official team deal,” clarified Bodenbach. “Michelin wanted to test some tires. Basically, Michelin and Ducati got together and picked Larry. They didn’t want to have Eric (Bostrom) involved in this and (let him) concentrate on the 200 week.”

Weather and track conditions on both days (early on Wednesday, late on Thursday) and traffic during Thursday’s 58-entry F-USA 200-mile Team Challenge race prevented the team from getting its full testing program completed, Bodenbach said.

“We didn’t get as much as we would’ve liked to have gotten accomplished,” continued Bodenbach. “With the light misting and all that, Larry wasn’t able to maintain full throttle on the banking. So it wasn’t as fruitful as we hoped, but we were able to get something out of it.”

When asked for his take on testing Michelins on Bostrom’s Ducati 999 Superbike, Pegram declined to make any comment, saying it was out of respect for his 2004 season tire sponsor, Pirelli.

Pegram plans to race privately-supported Yamaha’s full-time with Formula USA and at select AMA events.

From a press release issued by UmbrellaGirls USA:

UmbrellaGirls USA to Adorn BoxerCup Grid at Daytona

European Grid Flair Lives on in Daytona

San Rafael, CA — For the second consecutive year, BMW Motorrad will team up with the Premier Motorsports Models, UmbrellaGirls USA to adorn the BMW Motorrad International BoxerCups grid with international style. Thirty-nine riders representing 25 teams from ten different nations will compete on the high banks of Daytona International Speedway in the race which is slated to begin at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 6 th right before the 63 rd running of the Daytona 200. “With European racing, the grid girls are a staple of every racing team’s roster. Through BMW Motorrad we are importing that concept to the U.S. for one of the most exciting bar banging racing platforms American spectators will see all year,” declares Ann Asiano, founder and president of UmbrellaGirls USA. The BMW Motorrad International BoxerCup is renowned for its democratic racing with all competitors, including 7 teams sponsored by BMW Motorrad USA dealerships, riding identical near production BMW R1100S motorcycles. The exciting style effectively renders riding skill the lone yard stick for success. With spectator attendance at approximately 100,000 per race event, the BoxerCup has grown to be one of the premier motorcycle racing events in Europe since its inception just four years ago.



UmbrellaGirls have been omnipresent in all forms of United States and International racing and are proud to be associated with BMW Motorrad. “We can always depend on BMW Motorrad to add the class touch to everything they do, including treating their riders to UmbrellaGirls” says owner Ann Asiano of UmbrellaGirls USA.

The BoxerCup–Will be the first in an eight race series run in Europe. The race will broadcast live on Speed Channel .



UmbrellaGirls USA –Conceived and created by Ann Asiano in 2002, UmbrellaGirls USA are an incarnation of the raceway hostesses popular at venues throughout Europe.

Comprised of sleek, attractive young women bursting with personality, UmbrellaGirls USA actively promote the interests and image of a wide array of goods and services in a unique and positive manner. Many of the models are avid race fans and ride motorcycles themselves.

Toting large umbrellas and clad in select apparel created in conjunction with sponsoring clients, UmbrellaGirls USA serve to meet and greet raceway fans, provide shade to race contestants on the start/finish grid and in pits, and attend to raceway VIP’s.



BMW Motorrad USA –BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975. ROLLS-ROYCE Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand, the MINI brand, and the ROLLS-ROYCE brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, an industrial design firm in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Corp. in South Carolina is part of BMW Group’s global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all Z4 roadster and X5 Sports Activity Vehicles. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 340 BMW passenger car centers, 327 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 148 BMW motorcycle retailers, 73 MINI passenger car dealers, and 25 ROLLS-ROYCE Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group’s sales headquarters for N orth, Central and South America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Funeral services will be held today in Santa Ana, California for motorcycle enthusiast and promoter Frank Steeves, 35, who was killed Saturday in a car accident.

Services are scheduled for 3:00 p.m. today at Waverly Chapel, 1702 Fairhaven Ave., Santa Ana, CA 92705. More information is available from the chapel at (714) 633-1442.

Steeves crashed his twin-turbo G35 in Irvine, California.

Steeves gained fame by promoting huge bike nights at a restaurant in Southern California and went on to operate an internet retail sales site.

He is survived by his wife, Claire, and their infant daughter, Sara.

A fund has been set up for Sara Steeves and donations can be sent to 200 Technology Dr. Suite L, Irvine, CA 92618.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Friday Afternoon World Supersport Qualifying Results:

1. Sebastien Charpentier, Honda CBR600RR, 1:39.065
2. Karl Muggeridge, Honda CBR600RR, 1:39.128
3. Broc Parkes, Honda CBR600RR, 1:39.128
4. Fabien Foret, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:39.239
5. Katsuaki Fujiwara, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:39.457
6. Kevin Curtain, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:39.467
7. Werner Daemen, Honda CBR600RR, 1:39.657
8. Alessio Corradi, Honda CBR600RR, 1:39.670
9. Christian Kellner, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:40.003
10. Stephane Chambon, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:40.362
11. Tobias Kirmeier, Honda CBR600RR, 1:40.391
12. Lorenzo Lanzi, Ducati 749R, 1:40.576
13. Vittorio Iannuzzo, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:40.684
14. Matteo Baiocco, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:40.985
15. Giovanni Bussei, Ducati 749R, 1:41.004
16. victor Carrasco, Honda CBR600RR, 1:41.105
17. Borre Kai Andersen, Kawasaki ZX-6RR, 1:41.146
18. Jurgen Vd Goorbergh, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:41.184
19. Max Neukirchner, Honda CBR600RR, 1:41.193
20. Craig Jones, Triumph Daytona 600, 1:41.337

From a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing:

REVAMPED AMA REPSOL SUPERSTOCK SERIES ATTRACTS DEEPER FIELD

Defending AMA Formula Xtreme Champion Ben Spies among favorites in star-studded line-up

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (February 27, 2004) — Ben Spies was a breakout rider in the 2003 season. The 19-year-old Texan went from young up-and-comer to the next big thing after winning five races en route to last year’s Formula Xtreme Series. At times Spies dominated the series. Now Yoshimura Suzuki hopes the talented youngster can deliver a similar performance in the new AMA Repsol Superstock Series.

Considering the depth of the talent pool in the new series, Spies will have his hands full beginning with the opening round at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday, March 4. This year’s Superstock class allows for a significant increase in displacement but still requires that the equipment remain essentially stock. As Spies puts it “We’re pretty much racing them right off the showroom floor.” Opening up the displacement limits has attracted all the major manufactures to the class with everyone looking to showcase their 1000cc sport bikes.

Spies seems to be following in the path of other great Texas road racers like Kevin Schwantz, Colin Edwards and Doug Polen. Schwantz, Edwards and Polen, along with non-Texans like Freddie Spencer and John Kocinski, who came up racing the local CMRA club road races before getting national attention in the WERA Grand National Finals (CMRA is a WERA affiliate) and moving on to AMA Pro Racing competition. As hard as it is to believe Spies is entering his fifth season in AMA Pro Racing. He began his AMA career mid-way through the 2000 season a few days after turning 16. The Suzuki GSX-R1000 fits Spies like a glove. His style makes it look as if the speedy Suzuki is an extension of his body. Spies likes the new Superstock version of the Suzuki even more than the Xtreme bike of last year.

“The Superstock bike handles more like a 600,” said Spies, a former AMA Horizon Award winner. “I feel like I can ride it harder, and I can feel the limit. I can feel what the bike is doing even though it’s moving around more.”

While Spies may be a slight favorite in the new Superstock class, he’s by no means a shoo-in for the title. In fact, Spies is in for the battle of his young career. The Superstock class features an impressive roster as well as extensive manufacturer participation.

The biggest Superstock story in recent weeks is the signing of Anthony Gobert to the Erion Honda squad. Gobert will ride Honda’s new CBR1000RR that in Superbike form was the fastest bike in pre-season testing. Gobert is considered one of the most naturally talented riders in the world. While many feel that Gobert’s off-track problems have kept him from reaching his full potential, there’s no question that the addition of Gobert to the class makes it one of the most anticipated pre-season motorcycle racing stories in years.

Gobert will be joining his younger brothers Alex (his Erion Honda teammate) and Aaron, who rides for Graves Yamaha, in Superstock. The possibility exists that the Goberts could become the first brothers to fill all three spots on an AMA road racing podium. Another brother act, the Haydens, Tommy and Roger Lee, will also compete in Superstock in the Kawasaki camp. Tommy, Roger Lee and Nicky Hayden (who now races in the Motorcycle Grand Prix World Championship) are the only brothers in the history of AMA Pro Racing to fill a national podium. That was at an AMA Grand National race in 2004 at the Springfield, Ill., TT.

Josh Hayes is the defending AMA Superstock champ. Even though the class was very different last year, Hayes is still considered a leading contender to win the title. Hayes will ride an Attack Kawasaki ZX-10R.

Arguably the most talented team overall in Superstock is Graves Yamaha with defending Supersport champ Jamie Hacking, Damon Buckmaster, the aforementioned Aaron Gobert and Jason DiSalvo. The Yamaha R1 has proven blazingly fast in pre-season testing. DiSalvo was the fastest of all Superstock riders in the most recent Daytona tire tests. The team has a solid mix of veterans and young riders and could be a real threat to sweep the podium at Daytona.

Valvoline EMGO Suzuki has been one of the top teams in AMA Pro Racing since the mid-1990s. This year the red, white and blue Valvoline EMGO GSX-Rs will carry Steve Rapp and Vincent Haskovec. The squad has cultivated some of the best young riders in recent years such as John Hopkins (now a factory Suzuki MotoGP rider) and Ben Spies. This season the team is going with older and more established riders and both Rapp and Haskovec could be serious contenders for the Superstock title.

Suzuki goes even deeper in Superstock with teams like Hooters Suzuki with John Haner and Eric Wood; the new Empire Racing Suzuki squad with Chris Caylor and Lee Acree; No Limit Suzuki’s Jason Pridmore, Jimmy Moore and Jason Curtis; and Millennium Technologies Suzuki with last year’s leading Superbike privateer Shawn Higbee.

Wildcards to consider at Daytona include Yamaha Canada’s Pascal Picotte and Larry Pegram, who is forming a new Yamaha-based team. Both are former AMA Superbike winners.

For additional information on the race contact Daytona International Speedway at (386) 253-7223 or visit the website
www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com

The AMA Repsol Superstock opener will kick-off live SPEED Channel race coverage from the Speedway on Thursday, March 4, at 3 p.m. Eastern time.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Friday Morning World Supersport Practice Times;

1. Broc Parkes, Honda CBR600RR, 1:39.594
2. Karl Muggeridge, Honda CBR600RR, 1:40.061
3. Kevin Curtain, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:40.258
4. Fabien Foret, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:40.285
5. Katsuaki Fujiwara, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:40.610
6. Sebastien Charpentier, Honda CBR600RR, 1:41.074
7. Lorenzo Lanzi, Ducati 749R, 1:41.144
8. Stephane Chambon, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:41.702
9. Vittorio Iannuzzo, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:41.924
10. Kai Borre Andersen, Kawasaki ZX-6RR, 1:42.084
11. Craig Jones, Triumph Daytona 600, 1:42.119
12. Werner Daemen, Honda CBR600RR, 1:42.199
13. Matteo Baiocco, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:42.261
14. Max Neukirchner, Honda CBR600RR, 1:42.306
15. Jurgen Vd Goorbergh, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:42.515
16. Sebastien Le Grelle, Honda CBR600RR, 1:42.555
17. Alessio Corradi, Honda CBR600RR, 1:42.580
18. Matthieu Lagrive, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:42.959
19. Walter Tortoroglio, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:43.304
20. Christian Kellner, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:43.328
21. Tobias Kirmeier, Honda CBR600RR, 1:43.521

22. Giovanni Bussei, Ducati 749R, 1:43.628

From a press release issued by On One Wheel:

Here is the latest On One Wheel 2004 schedule in its entirety – and please notice we have MORE EAST COAST SCHOOL Dates!! Keep an eye out for upcoming Chicago and Georgia dates soon!

July 9, 10, 11 – Orange County Airport, NY (60 miles north of NYC)

July 23, 24, 25 – Pomona Raceway (35 miles from downtown Los Angeles)

July 29, 30, 31 – Orange County Airport, NY

August 6, 7, 8 – Texas Motor Speedway (North of Ft. Worth)

August 6, 7, 8 – Solano County Fair (Northern California – Vallejo)

August 20, 21, 22 – Orange County Airport, NY

Sept. 10, 11, 12 – Orange County Airport, NY

Sept. 24, 25, 26 – Solano County Fair

Oct. 1, 2, 3 – Orange County Airport, NY


(The above are all one-day classes for you to choose from, though you can sign up for multiple days to really master the art!)

Cost: $495 for the one day school

Damage Deposit: $500 only taken on the day of the school if you damage the bike

Bike: Triumph Speed Triple

Session: Arrive at 8:00am sharp, day ends around 5:00pm

Class size is limited. Pre-registration is a must with first come, first served.

Whitney Fair
On One Wheel
www.ononewheel.com
[email protected]
818-957-7104
fax 818-957-8108