From a press release issued by Baker Race Gear:

Baker Race Gear announces New BRG/Midwest Axxion Center Racing Team

Team Baker Race Gear/Midwest Axxion Center will compete in the 2004 Formula USA series. Brian Baker and Matt Malterer are returning to the team with 2 new additions, 1999 AMA Pro Thunder Champion Shawn Conrad and Andy Feuersthaler. Team BRG will be competing for the FUSA Team Challange, Supersport, Superbike, and Formula Sportbike Championships on 2004 Suzuki GSXR 600s and 750s.

All four team members will concentrate on the FUSA Team Challenge championship. Brian Baker/Shawn Conrad will compete in FUSA Sportbike and Superbike. Matt Malterer/Andy Feuersthaler will compete in Formula Sportbike with Andy also competing in FUSA Superbike.

Brian Baker (Team Owner/Manager) “We are looking forward to the start of the 2004 season at Daytona. We are ready and I feel we have a strong team of riders that have proven to work well together during our off season training. The FUSA series will be very competitive, we are up to the task and we may even suprise a few people. We also had a great off season securing some new sponsorships that will, no doubt, help us reach our goals for the 2004 Formula USA series.”

Team Baker Race Gear/Midwest Axxion Center sponsors for 2004: Baker Race Gear/Midwest Axxion Center, Pirelli, Vesrah, Traxxion Dynamics, Air Tech, Vortex, Woodcraft-cfm, Scooter Therapy, Lone Wrench Performance Engines, University Audio, Spyder Leather Works, and Tire Bakers.

For more information contact Baker Race Gear/Midwest Axxion Center at (414) 916-9559 or visit their website at www.Axxioncenters.com (under Baker Race Gear).

From a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing:

REPSOL TO SPONSOR AMA SUPERSTOCK SERIES

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (Feb. 16, 2004) — Repsol, the world’s seventh largest petroleum company, will be the title sponsor of the AMA Superstock Series beginning with the 2004 racing season.

Andy Leisner, AMA Pro Racing Vice President, welcomes the company to AMA racing and is excited to have the brand aboard. “Repsol is a world leader in motorcycle racing and performance, largely because of their connection with MotoGP racing,” said Leisner. “We are thrilled to be associated with Repsol and are confident that their involvement with our series will help them grow their brand in the United States.”

Maurice Murray, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Global Motorsport Group, the parent company of Repsol’s exclusive distributor, Motorcycle Stuff agrees. “We’re looking to aggressively grow our presence in the United States and the AMA Superstock Series is the ideal vehicle for us,” said Murray. “The Superstock class promises to be one of the most competitive classes in 2004 so we expect to receive a great deal of exposure for Repsol. We’re planning to take our leadership position in MotoGP and apply it to the AMA series, too.”

Interestingly, both Tommy and Roger Lee Hayden, brothers of top MotoGP rider and Repsol-sponsored Nicky Hayden, are expected to be top competitors in the AMA Superstock class. Nicky, the middle son in the three racing brothers, was the 2002 AMA Superbike Champion before moving on to contest the 2003 MotoGP season where he finished fifth in the points and was named Rookie of the Year. With five wins to his credit, Tommy Hayden lead the AMA Superstock class in 2003 narrowly missing out on the championship. As the class has now expanded to include 1000cc bikes, the eldest Hayden looks to be a championship favorite.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Hello, my name is Darren Behm, I met you a few times while racing in the WERA Southeast Region and more recently in some of the RPM events at Texas World. I have been racing for about 10 years, but now am in Iraq and taking a little leave (from racing) you could say.

I recently have been able to stay in touch with racing news and have visited your site recently, many interesting developments this past year. Do you know what stations the Daytona 200 is being broadcast on? We are able to see some racing on Armed Forces Network, maybe I can find the Daytona 200

Respectfully,

Darren Behm
Somewhere In Iraq


The Daytona 200 will be shown live on SPEED Channel on Saturday, March 6….Editor.

From a press release issued by ISC Motorsports:

REWARDS PROGRAM OFFERS FANS EXCLUSIVE RACE EXPERIENCES

International Speedway Corporation announces Race Rewards* Credit Card program

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Fans can now gain access to celebrate in Victory Lane through a newly announced rewards program! Race fans visiting International Speedway Corporation-owned motorsports facilities can turn purchases into ticket and merchandise savings, behind the scenes track tours and other exclusive race experiences.

The International Speedway Race Rewards* VisaÒ allows cardholders to earn two percent back in the form of LAPSTM for every dollar spent on qualified Race Rewards purchases with the card. Qualified facilities include Daytona International Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway, Michigan International Speedway, Richmond International Raceway, California Speedway, Kansas Speedway, Phoenix International Raceway, Homestead-Miami Speedway, North Carolina Speedway, Darlington Raceway, Watkins Glen International and Nazareth Speedway.

“This rewards program is an easy way for fans to get behind the scenes where not many other people get to go,” said ISC Vice President of Sales and Marketing Paul Phipps. “We’re excited to offer this unique and exclusive opportunity to our fans.”

Fans can earn 2 LAPSTM for every dollar spent on qualified purchases and 1 LAPTM for every dollar spent anywhere Visa credit cards are accepted. Use LAPSTM toward the purchase of tickets and merchandise or save LAPSTM to earn access to special race experiences like celebrating in Victory Lane or going behind the scenes on a VIP tour.

Lincoln, Nebraska-based World’s Foremost Bank, the fastest growing bank in Nebraska, will serve as the credit-card issuer, providing co-branded Visa cards to customers and clients.

For more information on this unique program, call 1-800-843-5940.

From a press release issued by Croft Circuit:

ROCKINGHAM AGREES FOR CROFT CIRCUIT TO HOST ROUND OF THE BRITISH SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP IN 2004

Negotiations have been concluded successfully between Rockingham and Croft resulting in Rockingham’s 2004 round of the British Superbike Championship being run at Croft, the first time the BSB Championship will visit the North of England

Ashley Pover – Chief Executive Officer of Rockingham Motor Speedway Limited said:

“When first contacted by Croft, we were reluctant to give up our BSB meeting this July. However, I had a meeting with Croft Director Trevor Chaytor-Norris and we have agreed that, for one year only, the Rockingham BSB round would move to Croft.

“BSB will be back at Rockingham in 2005. We are looking at giving this meeting a ‘Days of Thunder’ makeover with more off track entertainment and a live band that will appeal to a wider bike audience. This agreement is a commercial deal for Rockingham, in what is proving to be an extremely busy year for us.”

Trevor Chaytor-Norris – Director of Croft Promosport Limited said:

“Croft is delighted to have done a deal with Rockingham which enables a round of the most prestigious national Motorcycle championship to come to the North of England for 2004. This deal will be a boost for the championship with a new venue on the calendar and offer live racing to a region starved of top quality motorcycle sport.

“A round of BSB will compliment the other major motorsport championships held at Croft including the British Touring Car Championship and the British Formula Three Championship. Croft has a long tradition of motorcycle racing and very much looks forward to welcoming the teams, competitors and spectators for what will be a fabulous weekend of motorcycle action.”

Croft Circuit, Croft on Tees, North Yorkshire, DL2 2PN. Tel: 01325 721815 Fax: 01325 721819

From a press release:

Team Hammer Talent Search Now Open To Riders On All Bikes, Tire Brands

Due to popular demand, the Team Hammer Talent Search Presented by Alpinestars has been opened up to riders on all brands of motorcycles and all brands of tires, and the sign-up deadline has been extended to March 1.

The program is designed to prepare riders for a professional career and to evaluate their potential. It covers all aspects of a professional career, including riding, bike set-up, sponsorship, dealing with the media and other major components of professional motorcycle road racing, and is open to Expert or Pro-licensed riders.

Two finalists in the program will earn the use of a Valvoline EMGO Suzuki racebike at the 2004 Suzuki Cup Finals, along with a mechanic, race entry fees, and a set of custom Alpinestars leathers in team colors along with Alpinestars boots and gloves, and will be considered for a 2005-season ride with the team. The best-finishing finalist in the Suzuki Cup Finals will take home the GSX-R he or she races at the event.

More information is available from Team Hammer at (909) 245-6414 or online at www.teamhammer.com

From a press release issued by Harley-Davidson:

FORD EXTENDS PARTNERSHIP WITH HARLEY-DAVIDSON; 2004 FORD HARLEY-DAVIDSON TRUCK SALES SOAR

Leather and chrome. Freedom and the open road. Trucks and motorcycles. Some concepts just go together, like Harley-Davidson and Ford. Ford and Harley-Davidson announced plans to extend their alliance through 2007, which means three more years of exciting Ford Harley-Davidson™ F-Series products.

“We’ve sold nearly 40,000 trucks since we introduced the first Ford Harley-Davidson™ F-150 in 1999,” said Steve Lyons, Ford Division president. “We couldn’t be happier with the success of our alliance, and the great response these trucks have generated from our customers.”

Available as an F-250 or F-350 SuperCab or Crew Cab, the limited edition 4×4 model is arriving at dealerships now. Production began last November, and after only four months, the order banks are more than 50 percent completed. To date, more than 90 percent of customers have ordered Crew Cab models powered by Ford’s 6.0-liter Power Stroke® diesel engine.

“We’ve seen a tremendous response to the Harley-Davidson™ Super Duty,” Lyons said. “Customers are snatching up these trucks as fast as we can build them and they are opting for the higher-end models.”

Ford and Harley-Davidson forged an alliance in 1999 to celebrate their corporate heritage and shared 100th Anniversaries in 2003.

“The Ford Harley-Davidson product partnership brings out the best attributes of two American icons,” Lyons said.

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

MOTORCYCLE HALL OF FAME MUSEUM EXHIBIT IS SHOWCASED AS ONE OF “WORLD’S BEST” IN NEW BOOK

PICKERINGTON, OHIO – The Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum’s current exhibit “Heroes of Harley-Davidson, presented by Progressive Motorcycle Insurance,” is one of 70 corporate, commercial and museum installations featured in the new book, “Designing the World’s Best Exhibits.” Written by Martin M. Pegler, the book features high-impact visual environments from around the globe, ranging from luxury retail concepts and massive consumer product showcases to multi-million dollar trade show stands. To be included, exhibits had to be more than just a showcase for products or objects—they had to create a seamless brand experience and establish a powerful emotional connection between viewer and subject matter. In addition, exhibit designers had to achieve this objective through innovative visual elements and materials.

These criteria were especially well met by the “Heroes of Harley-Davidson, presented by Progressive Motorcycle Insurance” concept and design team, which included Mark Mederski, executive director, Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum; Ed Youngblood, exhibit curator; William Mahon, exhibit and fixture designer; and Dean DeShetler, principal of DeShetler Design, graphic and exhibit designer.

One example of the team’s approach to engaging exhibit visitors is the full-size replica of the backyard shed and workshop of founders William S. Harley and Arthur Davidson, located near the exhibit entrance. Complete with period tools and machinery, including a 2500-lb engine lathe and drill press on loan from the Henry Ford Museum, the structure was constructed from lumber specially milled to 19th century specifications.

Such attention to detail and historical accuracy is a hallmark of the entire 8,100-square foot exhibit. Throughout the 19 themed sections that comprise the exhibit, visitors can immerse themselves in the colorful tales of over 100 individuals, while also admiring 54 rare motorcycles, 150 unique artifacts and a collection of fine art, including officially licensed Harley-Davidson artists. Serpentine walls and edge-to-edge graphics create a rich continuum throughout the visitor’s journey, revealing surprises around each bend—such as an accurate board track racing surface replica, complete with race-ready vintage machines.

“Our mission for this exhibit was to bring Harley-Davidson’s 100-year journey to life, through the stories of the people and personalities who have played important roles in the company’s ride to success,” said Mark Mederski, executive director, Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum. “The machines, artifacts and memorabilia were all selected to illustrate and support their stories, which is a very non-traditional approach to exhibit design.” Mederski points out that while many transportation-themed Museums have extensive collections of rare machines, few create exhibits that consider the hardware secondary to the people associated with the products.

“Heroes of Harley-Davidson, presented by Progressive Motorcycle Insurance” has been delighting thousands of visitors since its February 2003 opening. The world-class exhibit, the largest ever in the Motorcycle Hall of Fame’s history, provides an unprecedented introduction to the intriguing men and women who contributed sweat, inspiration, innovation and passion to build an American icon. Open to the public through the end of 2004, the exhibit has also been featured on national television, including The Travel Channel and CBS News Sunday Morning..

About the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum

The goal of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, located on the campus of the American Motorcyclist Association in Pickerington, Ohio, is to tell the stories and preserve the history of motorcycling. The Motorcycle Hall of Fame honors those who have contributed notably to the sport, and three major exhibition halls showcase the machines and memorabilia that have shaped motorcycling. Museum hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; closed on New Year’s, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Adult admission is $10 per person; $5 for AMA members, $9 for members of other national motorcycling organizations; $8 for seniors; $3 for students age 12 to 17; children age 11 and under are admitted free. A special family rate of $25.00 admits parents and all single children under the age of 18. For more information, call (614)856-2222, or visit www.motorcyclemuseum.org.