From a press release issued by EBC:


EBC BRAKES ANNOUNCES 2004 ROAD RACE CONTINGENCY PROGRAM

EBC BRAKES has been the leader in US Road Racing Contingency Programs for over a decade, and 2004 will be no exception! EBC is posting over $220,000.00 in US Road Race Contingencies with ALL US Pro and Club Organizations ! This is more than any other brake company’s postings!

CASH Contingencies are posted for AMA Road Race National, and three Formula USA National classes! EBC Brakes Road Race Money Certificates are available at ALL F-USA, CCS, WERA, AFM, CMRA, CRA, FASTRAX, MRA, OMRRA, SMRI, WMRRS, WSMC, race events! Be sure to list EBC Brakes as your brake pad of choice on your Tech Verification Form, or fill out our EBC Form.

EBC Brakes will continue to post more money than any other motorcycle brake company. See one of our EBC Brakes Road Race Track Vendors or call Garry Gallagher at (425) 485-7610


EBC BRAKES WILL HAVE 2004 SUZUKI GSXR GFA-HH
KIT PADs at DAYTONA AMA ROADRACE EVENT

Starting Tuesday, March 2nd, Garry Gallagher, EBC Brakes Race Rep will have the EBC
GFA379HH Kit Roadrace pads to fit all 2004 Suzuki GSXRs. See him in garage #8!


EBC ANNOUCES PRO ROADRACE TEAM LINE-UP!

EBC BRAKES is proud to announce our major US AMA/F-USA National Road Race teams that we will be sponsoring for the 2004 Season. Here’s a list of our major teams and riders:

Millennium Technology / KWS Motorsports: AMA – Suzukis, Riders Shawn Higbee & Danny Eslick.

Empire Suzuki Racing: AMA – Riders Lee Acree and Opie Caylor.

Hooters Suzuki Racing: AMA – Riders Eric Wood and John Hayner.

Road Rage Racing: AMA – Yamaha R6s – rider Giovanni Rojas.

Arclight Suzuki Racing: F-USA – Riders Scott Harwell & Chris Ulrich plus AFM #1 Dave Stanton.

Himmelsbach Racing: F-USA on Yamaha R6s – Rider Michael Himmelsbach.

HAS / Shogun Racing: CMRA – Riders Michael Sanchez, Ty Howard and Ben Thompson.

Many more TOP National and Club Roadrace will choose to ride on EBC Brakes in 2004!

For more information contact your local Road Race Organization or Garry Gallagher (425) 485-7610

EBC BRAKES TECH & RACING SERVICES, 20314 131st COURT NE, WOODINVILLE, WA. 98072

From a press release issued by MCRA:

Midwest Cafe Racing Association’s Daytona 200 Party will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, March 6th 2004 at Memoreze Bar and Grill. Memoreze is located in South County 1/2 mile North of 255 on Telegraph Rd.

Sign-up for a drive in bike show from 11:00am to 1:00pm with cruiser, metric cruiser, custom and sport categories. 1st and 2nd place trophies will be awarded!

Then watch the Daytona 200 on Memoreze big screen TV.

This is your LAST chance to purchase a raffle ticket to WIN a 2004 GSXR 1000 at Widman’s Motorcycle Sales. Proceeds benefit the MCRA Racers Fund for 2004. The drawing will be held on March 9, 2004. For more information visit http://www.mcraracing.com/

From a press release issued by Team Suzuki:

SUZUKI´S SUPERSPORT SEASON STARTER

Team Suzuki Press Office – Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra starts its 2004 World Supersport bid at Sunday´s season opener at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia, Italy.

And for many teams, including the Suzuki squad, it has come around too soon, with the new 2004 bikes still undergoing rigorous tests and development.

Ever since the 2004 GSX 600R Suzukis arrived at the team’s headquarters in Belgium in January, technicians have been working flat-out to get the bikes ready for the first race. Then will use the three-week gap before the bikes get shipped to Australia for the second round, to continue further development of the bike, aided by the important technical data they collect in Spain.

Stephane Chambon:

“Now that we’ve ridden the 2004 GSX 600R Suzuki’s, we have some ideas about the season ahead. The bike is more compact, handles better and feels more like a race bike than its predecessor. But there’s still a lot to do still and not much time, but I’m hoping I’ll be on the podium sooner rather then later. Last year, I missed the race through injury, so this year has got to be better!”

Katsuaki Fujiwara::

“The last test gave our team lots to think about and start working on, but it was all positive. I like the way the new bike feels and handles and if we can get the same level of power out of it as our rivals we can be successful. The first couple of rounds may be a bit frustrating, but I must try and get good finishes, even if I cannot win the races. I think it’ll be hard to repeat last year’s Valencia victory but I’m going to try for sure.”

Vittorio Lannuzzo::

There´s a lot of changes for me to understand in a short space of time, but I’m looking forward to it. Last year I was riding the GSX 1000R, so the smaller GSX 600R bike feels very different. So far, I like the new bike’s handling and the way it steers, but there’s a lot of work still to be done before I feel I can push it to its limit. I’ll know how the season is going to be after a couple of races.”

Team Manager Francis Batta::

“A New Year and a new challenge. And this is a big one because we have a new bike again! Last year we were the only true competitors to Ducati in the Superbike class, but this year all our efforts are concentrated in the Supersport category and it is a very, very important category. Ever since we have been involved in the Supersport World Championship, we have been leading contenders and this year is going to be no different. Our task this year is hard because we have a brand new bike and, with a new bike, there is a lot of work to be done. We have three good, strong riders and we hope to make a lot of progress quickly. I don’t think it’s realistic to expect us to be winning straightaway, but we’d like to be competing for the top honours by the third round for sure. I hope our riders can achieve good results at Valencia and Australia and then be regular podium visitors afterwards. Supersport this year is going to be harder then ever, but it is a challenge that we, at Alstare Suzuki, relish and enjoy.”

From a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

DUCATI FILA’S 2004 CAMPAIGN GETS UNDERWAY IN SPAIN

Valencia (Spain), 26 February 2004: The championship winning Ducati Fila team launched its 2004 World Superbike campaign this afternoon in Valencia, Spain, the day before the season action gets underway at the Ricardo Tormo circuit. With 2003 champion Neil Hodgson and team-mate Ruben Xaus both moving to MotoGP with the satellite Ducati team, Regis Laconi and James Toseland now have the task of continuing Ducati’s successful record in the world’s most important and prestigious production-based championship. Fourth and third respectively last year, the Frenchman and his British team-mate start the season amongst the favourites for the Superbike title, which reaches its seventeenth edition this year.

Ducati have a superb record in World Superbike, the Italian manufacturer winning 12 of the 16 titles so far and picking up 10 Riders’ crowns. Raymond Roche started the ball rolling in 1990 and the Frenchman was followed onto the winners’ rostrum by Texan Doug Polen in 1991 and 1992. British legend Carl Fogarty scored back-to-back championship wins in 1994 and 1995, repeating the double victory in 1998 and 1999. Two Troys from Australia, Corser and Bayliss, both etched their names into the record books with wins in 1996 and 2001, while Hodgson won the title last year with the new 999 model.

After a successful start to their partnership in 2003, Ducati and title sponsor Fila will be lining up once again this year with a new Anglo-French rider pairing, an updated version of the 999 and a new tyre package from exclusive championship supplier Pirelli but with exactly the same desire to win that was demonstrated last year.

“Our commitment to the World Superbike Championship is unchanged” declared Ducati Corse Managing Director, Claudio Domenicali. “We can see the positive effect of the development in the Superbike machine directly in our Ducati production bikes. It’s clearly visible in the 999R and the 749R we have produced for this year and therefore we continue to use racing as the best ‘dyno’ to test and check the development and evolution of the entire Superbike family. Once again considerable development work has been carried out with our technical partner, Shell Advance, to improve the performance of the bike.”

“In particular with this year’s Ducati 999 Factory ‘04, we can find a lot of detail improvement, especially with internal modifications that further improve the global performance of the engine. For example, we developed the whole piston and connecting rod group in order to reduce the overall weight and friction, therefore to increase power output. Really the bike is the same but there are a lot of tiny modifications, which are the normal development of a bike that has already proved to be a winning concept last year. It didn’t need any major changes to continue to improve its performance.”

Team Director Paolo Ciabatti added: “Our 2004 riders, Regis and James, came third and fourth in WSBK last year and showed great determination and potential during our winter tests on the 999. The competition is going to be very even this year because of the spec tyre rule, and also because we have supplied a very competitive bike, the 999RS, which is very similar to our Factory machines, to several other Ducati teams. I am sure that Chili, Haga, McCoy and Martin, as well as our other rivals, will be very competitive and that the Superbike races are going to be as fun to watch as they used to be.”

Laconi starts the 2004 season as one of the favourites for the crown after a series of good results in 2003 for the private NCR Ducati team earned him a place in the factory squad. The 28-year-old from St. Dizier is one of a select group of riders to have won at 500cc and Superbike level and hopes to become the first Frenchman to win the WSBK crown since Roche in 1990.

“I can’t wait to start the first race because we’ve done well in testing so far and I’m feeling really confident” declared Laconi. “We haven’t seen all our potential yet but so far I think we have done a good job with the team and with the new Pirelli tyres. Starting the new season with the factory Ducati Fila team is not a big problem for me, the bike is different and the tyres are different but these are the only two things I have to learn. I think the big difference in me now is that I have more experience and I use it better than before. I’ve waited a long time to be in a good factory team and they can help me do my best. I’m sure it’s not going to be easy out there for me this year because you mustn’t forget guys like James, Chili, Haga, McCoy, but the most important thing is to get the first race over with, hopefully with a win, to see where we are.”

His team-mate will be the 23-year-old James Toseland, who hopes to follow in the footsteps of his GSE Racing predecessors Bayliss and Hodgson in moving to the factory team and becoming World Superbike champion.

“I’m ready for the new season, now with the Fila Ducati team there’s a lot of pressure on board but I’m handling it well and looking forward to the first race” declared Toseland. “I’ve had a few mishaps in winter testing at Valencia and Phillip Island but now everything is going well, the times are there and thereabouts, I’m just looking forward to getting the first race meeting in to see where I’m at. I actually like Valencia now, testing here two weeks ago was the final shakedown to get the bike as good as you need it and I concentrated on getting the best set-up because it will become the benchmark for the rest of the season. The championship will see things close at the front, in my opinion there will be quite a few winners but until you find out where you’re at with a race distance on new tyres and new bikes, you just don’t know. With the same tyres, things will be evened out and there’ll hopefully be a scrap to the end and that’s what people want to watch.”

CIRCUIT INFO
Name: Ricardo Tormo.
Length: 4005 m.
Pole Position: Right.
Corners Left/Right: 9/5.
Finish Line Length: 876m.

STATISTICS
Best lap: Hodgson (Ducati), 1:34.633 (2003).
Lap record: Hodgson (Ducati), 1:35.007 (2003).
Superpole: Bayliss (Ducati), 1:34.814 (2002).

From a press release written by Eddie Lawson’s girlfriend and issued today by Yamaha Motor Corp. U.S.:

EDDIE LAWSON SETS PERSONAL-BEST SPEED RECORD –
EXCEEDS MACH ONE IN BLUE ANGELS FLIGHT



El Centro, Calif., February 20, 2004 – Best known for his skills on two-wheels, four-time motorcycle road racing world champion Eddie Lawson today took to the skies with the famous Blue Angels. Lawson, who along with Lt. Justin Otto, flew the F/A-18 Hornet 12,000 feet above the Naval Air Facility in El Centro, Calif., the Blue Angels winter testing grounds.

“Wow, talk about shock and awe, I’m just shocked ya’ll let me fly in this jet,” exclaimed Lawson after stepping onto the tarmac. “What I experienced is simply indescribable, I always have had the greatest respect for our military and especially for these pilots and now even more so. They are so smart, they’re engineers, tacticians, and athletes all rolled into one.”



Founded in 1946 by Adm. Chester W. Nimitz, the Blue Angels represent the finest that the Navy and Marine Corps have to offer. Each team member, whether officer or enlisted, is handpicked from the fleet to be a part of the Blue Angels.

“Eddie epitomizes the characteristics we represent in the Navy and Marine Corps,” said Lt. Otto. “It’s an honor for us to share our passion for flying and our love of serving our country with him.”

Lawson began his professional racing career on the dirt tracks of Southern California during the mid-1970s. He made the switch to road racing by the late-1970s and won his first road-racing championship in 1980. After winning four American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) national titles, he moved on to the FIM Grand Prix world championship arena in 1983 to compete in the 500cc class. During his decade on the Grand Prix circuit, Lawson won four-world championship titles, the most by any American to this day.
Today Lawson continues his relationship with Yamaha, the company that he captured three of his world championships with, as well as the prestigious Suzuka Eight Hour endurance race, and two Daytona 200 titles, America’s top motorcycle racing event. He feeds his “need for speed” by competing in International Karting Federation (IKF) events in his Yamaha-powered twin-250cc superkart, and now, rides with the Blue Angels…whenever they’ll let him.

From a press release issued by Augusta Triumph:

Augusta Triumph/Ducati is pleased to announce our 2004 Racing Team. We are excited to begin our 2004 race season with two Triumph Daytona 600s at Daytona on March 6, 2004.

Joining Steven Breckenridge is our newest addition to the team, Mark Crozier.

We look forward to a successful racing season with the help of the following sponsors: Bridgestone, Hyperpro, Spiegler, LSL, Pit Bull, Penske, Sharkskinz, GMD, Applyd Kinetics, and VP Fuels. Steven’s sponsors include Arai and Joe Rocket clothing, while Mark is sponsored by Shoei, Spidi, and XES.

From a press release issued by American Honda:

American Honda Motor Company’s Motorcycle Division Expands Racing Contingencies


Torrance, CA – American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announces it’s (sic) racing contingency program for 2004. The 2004 contingency program will post more than 7 million dollars at over 700 events across the country and will now include ATV, Off-Road/Enduro and Supermoto events in addition to Supercross, Motocross, Dirt Track and Road Racing.

With the addition of the new TRX450R to the line, this year’s program is expanded to cover ATV events in 3 series nationwide. Also new to this year’s schedule, Enduro competitors aboard a CRF, CR or XR, will have the benefit of contingencies in the AMA GNCC series and WORCS series. CRF450R riders will be happy to hear that Supermoto, which was added mid-year last year, will again be on the contingency schedule.

“We love to race, and support those who race ” said Ray Blank, Vice President of American Honda’s Motorcycle Division, “with payouts at over 700 events nationwide, this is one of the most aggressive racing support programs in the industry.”

Payouts will be credited to the Red Rider Rewards card – the industry’s first and only contingency debit card. Racers can use the Red Rider Rewards card anywhere Visa is accepted.

For complete details on events included, eligibility and payout schedules please go to www.hondaredriders.com.


About Honda

American Honda Motor Co., Inc. is the sole distributor of Honda motorcycles, scooters, ATVs and personal watercraft in the U.S. American Honda’s Motorcycle Division conducts the sales, marketing, and operational activities for these products through Honda authorized dealers. For further information about Honda products, racing teams, programs, and dealer locations, visit the Honda web site at: www.honda.com.

From a press release:

Greenwood and Team Argo Cycles Will Defend F-USA #1 Plate in 2004

MANCHESTER, N.H. -This weekend, Scott Greenwood of Team Argo Cycles plans on continuing his good form at Daytona International Speedway. Greenwood will be competing the full season schedule of the Formula USA series hoping to retain the 600 Sportbike Championship he earned in 2003 aboard private Yamaha YZF R6s.

Recently awarded the “Privateer of the Year Award for 2003” by Lockhart Phillips USA, Scott says “This season is going to be even tougher competition wise in the F-USA Series. We had some success last year and I am planning on keeping that momentum going with me into Daytona next weekend,” explained Greenwood. “Team Argo Cycles is a small outfit and I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished and I hope to continue to build on that in 2004.”

In addition to the Formula USA series, Team Argo Cycles will be competing in selected AMA events throughout the year as well. The first AMA Supersport round in Daytona is slated to be Team Argo’s first chance against the top factory teams in the country.

“The AMA races are always a good reference point for me to see where I am at and hopefully I can have some good results.”

Scott Greenwood & Team Argo Cycles are proud to be supported in 2004 by: Arai Helmets, Argo Cycles, Artistimo.com, Bryan Sportbike Paint, Dunlop, GMD Computrack Boston, Hindle, Hot Bodies, Klucky Pucks, Lone Wrench Performance, Lockhart-Phillips USA, Motion Cycle Center, Penske Racing Shocks, RK Chain, Spectro Oils, Spy, Telephone Systems Efficiency, Vanson Leathers, Vortex Racing, and Woodcraft.

From a press release issued by Trackside Racer’s Supply:

Trackside Racer’s Supply 2004 Win, Win and Win again contingency offer

Finish in the top five in any regional or national race and win part of Pirelli’s $2.3 million contingency certificates. Full details on their contingency can be found at www.us.pirellimoto.com

The Expert who wins the highest overall dollar figure in Pirelli certificates and redeems those certificates with Trackside Racer’s Supply or any one of their sub-distributors will win a 2005 GSXR1000. The GSXR1000 will be race prepared by Vesrah Racing.

The Novice who wins the highest overall dollar figure in Pirelli certificates and redeems those certificates with Trackside Racer’s Supply or any one of their sub-distributors will win a 2005 GSXR600. The GSXR600 will be race prepared by Vesrah Racing.

Contest Rules:

1) Must Race on Pirelli tires all year

2) Must list TRS as sponsor

3) Must place TRS stickers on front fender

4) Only certificates redeemed through TRS and their sub-distributors will count towards your total.

5) All totals will be verified and winners will be contacted after the GNF results are posted.

Updates will be posted throughout the year at www.TracksideRacerssupply.com



Supporting Sponsors:

Trackside Racer’s Supply, Pirelli U.S.A., American Suzuki, and Vesrah Racing