Editorial Note: The fastest race lap time from the 2003 Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang was turned by Valentino Rossi on the Honda RC211V at 2:03.822.

From a press release issued by Yamaha:

YAMAHA FACTORY RACING TESTS

Sepang, Malaysia

Saturday, January 24, 2004

Ambient temperature: 31 degrees C

Track temperature: 41 degrees C

Humidity: 44%

YAMAHA TEAMS MAKE EARLY PROGRESS IN SEPANG TESTS

Reigning MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi (Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha Team) today completed 58 laps of the 5.548km Sepang circuit in Malaysia acclimatising himself to an unfamiliar machine. The Italian superstar will challenge for a fourth premier class title on the Yamaha M1 for the first time this season.

In conditions remarkably similar to those at the Grand Prix held here in mid-October last year the 24-year-old put in a best lap time of 2:03.80. The Italian Yamaha recruit was happy with his day’s work, after spending more than two months without riding a potent MotoGP machine.

“That was quite good,” he said. “We have a lot of work to do, but the bike is not bad at this early stage and after so much time off I need to get more distance covered to improve things. But for a first day on a new bike things were okay. We’ll work our way through gradual changes to the chassis and engine tomorrow.”

Rossi’s Crew Chief Jerry Burgess said, “We didn’t really do much more than get him familiar with the bike. It takes a while to get eye co-ordination back after a long lay-off and we just made minor refinements to deliver what Valentino wants from the bike. What we’re looking for is information to work out the direction we need to go in – and we’re all working together in that.”

Carlos Checa, Rossi’s team-mate in the new Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha Team, put in 53 laps and the Spanish charger requested an extra half-hour’s track time at the end of the day to get his 220bhp M1 machine further dialled-in to the sinuous Sepang track.

“I felt more comfortable as the day went on,” said Checa. “We had some vibration at the front end in the final session though, but before that I was quite consistent with my times.” His best lap of the day was a 2:04.10 lap. “We can’t really expect too much on day one, but there will be more to come tomorrow.”

Checa’s Crew Chief Antonio Jimenez was content with the first day’s work. “That was a normal first day,” he said. “But we spent a bit of time trying to sort out the vibration at the front end. It’s not a big problem but Carlos was consistent and we will improve tomorrow.”

“Today was special for us,” said Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha Team Director Davide Brivio. “It was very emotional seeing the number 46 on our Yamaha and we just tried to adjust the bike to his needs. Carlos continued his job and overall we had a positive day. But this is just the first day.”

Marco Melandri (Fortuna Gauloises Tech 3 Team) couldn’t tuck himself in properly behind his M1’s fairing on the two Sepang straights owing to stiffness in his right shoulder after off-season surgery. The Italian rode 48 laps and had to be content with a best first day’s time of 2:05.40. “I’ve spent almost 100 days without riding,” said the Italian. “But my shoulder should loosen up tomorrow and I will improve. Even so I was a tenth of a second faster than my best race lap here last year.”

His team-mate Norick Abe (Fortuna Gauloises Tech 3 Team) was happy enough with a 2:05.84 lap after completing 50 laps on his number one machine. “That’s okay for the time being,” said the Japanese. “We used last year’s settings on a new chassis so it needed work to refine.”

Fortuna Gauloises Tech 3 Team Director Herve Poncharal is heading up a new team with two new riders and he looked at day one of this three-day test session as time well spent. “We did exactly what we thought we’d do, ” he said. “We improved the lap times each time out and we didn’t want to push Marco too hard too early. It’s early days, but Yamaha is going in the right direction.”

From a press release:

AK Composite Announces Partnership with Attack Racing for 2004

COMPTON, California – AK Composite is exceptionally proud to announce its support of Attack Kawasaki for the 2004 racing season. We are pleased to be able to provide the highest quality race bodywork for Attack Kawasaki ZX-10’s and ZX-6R’s in competition, and to be able to help a winning race organization in their chase for AMA and national titles. Thanks to Attack Kawasaki and its recognition of the quality bodywork that AK Composite produces.

AK Composite was started in 2000, and has provided race bodywork for many sportbike applications to club and national level racers across the North American continent. From its humble beginnings, we have grown into a competitive and recognizable company, providing race bodywork to a growing contingent across this land. The reason? AK Composite is simply the best “bang for the buck”, providing supremely durable, lightweight bodywork at an affordable price.

We at AK Composite eagerly look forward to the upcoming race season, and the opportunity to help Josh Hayes and young gun Tony Meiring fight for national championships in their respective classes. This will certainly be an interesting year in AMA racing, and we are behind you boys, go get ‘em!

You can visit AK Composite on the World Wide Web at www.akcomposite.com

AK Composite
19301 S. Santa Fe Ave #112
Compton, CA 90221
phone/fax: (310) 631-1000
[email protected]

From a press release issued by BMW:

BMW F650GS AND F650GS DAKAR FOR 2005

Woodcliff Lake, NJ… Narrowly focused sportbikes to the left, massively overwrought tourers to the right…is there any place left for the simple, do-it-all motorcycle? Sure there is, and far from becoming an endangered species, the lightweight enduro – a kind of motorcycle that embodies off-road capabilities alongside roadworthy manners tailored to please experienced and beginning riders alike – has become immensely popular around the world. Between 1995 and 2003, BMW has sold more than 110,000 F 650s, with 32 percent of the latest versions going to female riders worldwide). What’s more, some 21 percent of F 650 buyers were new riders. And now, for the 2005 model year, BMW’s entry in the amazing category returns refined, refreshed and ready to do business.

Crossing continents, crossing boundaries

No motorcycle can do everything, but the BMW F 650 GS and the F 650 GS Dakar come close. Based on the fundamentally flexible “enduro” concept, the F 650 line has been carefully developed to meet a broad range of requirements, to enable cross-country travel in comfort as well as jaunts across town with consummate ease. For example, the Dakar, with dirt-spec tire sizes and long-travel suspension, can truly be taken off road (unlike many similarly concepted but differently equipped enduros on the market) and yet sacrifices nothing in terms of on-road civility.

Central to this multi-role versatility is the F 650’s relaxed, upright riding position that is the ideal compromise between on-road comfort and off-road control. For the new F 650 GS and F 650 GS Dakar, BMW has focused on improving the bike’s ergonomic profile and making it even kinder to beginning and returning riders. To this end, a new clutch lever featuring incremental span adjustments that provide riders with smaller hands improved control and comfort (an adjustable brake lever continues as standard.) New this year are myriad seating options for both the F 650 GS and the F 650 GS Dakar. The GS comes with a standard low seat, and yet there is the option for an even lower seat height – as a no-cost option, the GS can be modified by the dealer with a different rear suspension link that, working in concert with repositioned fork tubes, reduces seat height to 29.5 in. (750mm). In addition, a taller seat is available for the GS that provides taller riders with extra legroom. A lower dual seat is available for the Dakar that reduces seat height 0.8 in. (20mm).

The GS’s overall compact dimensions are made possible by a slender engine and a fuel tank located under the seat. Not only does this placement improve chassis packaging, it dramatically reduces the bike’s overall center of gravity, making the GS feel smaller and lighter – considerations critical to the beginning rider.

This year, the F 650 GS and F 650 GS Dakar have new bodywork placed upon the strong and durable steel frame. A new clear-lens headlight puts more illumination on the road and works with entirely new windscreens to improve weather and wind protection. (Both screens may be removed for off-road use. In addition, a clear version of the taller screen fitted to the Dakar is available for the standard GS.) Revised inserts alongside what would normally be the fuel tank distinguish the new model and improve cooling by allowing more air past the oil cooler (the fuel cell is located under the rider’s seat for lowered center of gravity and improved handling.) Finally, the rear luggage rack has been redesigned to accept an optional top case without an adapter plate, as required in the past.

F Series- 2 Spark ignition for 2005

The F 650 is powered by a BMW-designed, single-cylinder engine embodying technologies not seen on other “thumpers.” For 2005, the engine’s technological resume stretches to include 2 Spark ignition for the four-valve cylinder head and a new and advanced BMS-C II computerized engine-control unit that dynamically manages spark and fuel delivery to suit any riding condition. With these improvements, the liquid-cooled, 652cc engine produces fewer harmful exhaust emissions, is more fuel efficient, and has a torque peak at 4800 rpm instead of the previous model’s 5000 rpm. In addition, the 2 Spark ignition system offers increased drivability, stronger mid-throttle response and greater engine flexibility. As before, the GS uses a three-way catalyst in the updated, stainless-steel exhaust system to meet the stringent Euro2 exhaust emissions requirements.

F 650 GS Dakar – true off-road intentions

In addition to the standard F 650 GS – a model intended for mainly on-road escapades yet still more than capable of trips off the tarmac – BMW offers the F 650 GS Dakar. More than special paint, the Dakar embraces true off-the-beaten-path adventures with longer-travel suspension and special wheels sized to carry traditional dirt-oriented tires. Owing to the higher natural riding position, the GS Dakar sports a taller tinted windscreen that can be easily removed for off-highway treks.

Although the GS and GS Dakar may see different missions, they are both available with BMW’s advanced ABS system, the only such single-cylinder bikes in this category for which this is true. To optimize the system for off-road use, the ABS may be switched off via a cockpit-mounted switch.

BMW Accessories

BMW owners, even those new to the fold, are staunch individualists, which is why there are so many options and accessories available for the new F 650 GS and F 650 GS Dakar. These include:

* ABS II with rider-selectable defeat. This system is available on both the F 650 GS and GS Dakar.
* Multiple seats. For the F 650 GS, there is a taller dual seat as well as a lowered-suspension option using the standard seat. For the Dakar, there is a lowered seat.

Either the GS or the Dakar can be fitted with a special black single seat with luggage rack that provides the same seat height as the standard saddle.
* Several soft- and hard-luggage options, including variable-thickness hard saddlebags(Vario), soft bags for passenger seat and luggage rack, a hard top case, as well as liners for the hard bags.
* A taller windscreen for the F 650 GS, similar to the F 650 GS Dakar’s.
* New hand guards.
* Heated hand grips.
* Anti-theft alarm.
* Engine protection kit.
* On-board computer installation kit.

BMW Group In America
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 North, Central and South America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

From a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing:

LONGTIME AMA OFFICIAL BUZZ MEIFERDT PASSES AWAY

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — George Byron “Buzz” Meiferdt, a long-serving AMA official, died Monday at his home in Port Orange, Fla. He was 79.

Buzz and his wife Carol traveled the country to work at AMA races for nearly 50 years. He worked primarily in technical inspection testing engine sound levels and making sure riders were able to receive all the contingency money available to them. He retired from the racing circuit after the 2000 season.

Buzz was well liked by everyone in the racing community.

“He was a great guy to work with,” said AMA Pro Racing Flat Track Series Manager Bruce Bober. “He always had a positive attitude and kept things light by always joking around. He loved racing and the people involved. You have to love it to do it as long as he and Carol did.”

Meiferdt was an Army veteran of World War II. He retired to Florida in 1977 from his birthplace, Joliet, Ill.

Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Carol; two sons, Russell, New Lenox, Ill., and Richard, Durango, Colo.; and three grandchildren. Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of Volusia/Flagler, 3800 Woodbriar Trail, Port Orange, FL 32129; or to First United Methodist Church of Port Orange Building Fund, 305 Dunlawton Ave., Port Orange, FL 32127. Alavon Direct Cremation, South Daytona, conducted the services.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Promoter practice days will be available prior to seven of the 11 AMA Superbike series events in 2004.

Practice days will be available on the Thursday prior to the AMA events at Infineon Raceway, Barber Motorsports Park, Road America, Brainerd International Raceway, Road Atlanta and Virginia International Raceway. A promoter practice on Friday will precede the two-day AMA event at Pikes Peak International Raceway.

Promoter practice days will not be available at Daytona International Speedway, California Speedway, Laguna Seca Raceway and Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

For additional information, contact the racetracks directly: Infineon Raceway (707) 938-8448, Barber Motorsports Park (205) 298-9040, Pikes Peak International Raceway (805) 256-2475, Road America (920) 892-4576, Road Atlanta (800) 849-RACE, Virginia International Raceway (434) 822-7700.

For additional information on the promoter practice at Brainerd, contact Team Hammer, Inc. at (909) 245-6414 or at www.teamhammer.com.

From a press release issued by Joe Rocket:

“SPIES RIDES ROCKET”

Bruce Parker, Marketing Director for Joe Rocket® is pleased to announce the signing of AMA Superstar Ben Spies, as the newest member of the Rocket® Racing Team.

The personable nineteen year old Spies, who calls Longview, Texas home, rode brilliantly all season on his way to winning the 2003 AMA Formula Extreme Championship. Ben will chase new championships in 2004 with the factory Yoshimura Suzuki Team on a GSX-R600 in Supersport and a GSX-R1000 in Superstock wearing the new Joe Rocket® Speedmaster Suit, gloves and boots.

“Ben’s a very special racer with world class talent” said Parker. “His youth and abilities make him a great long term addition to the Rocket® Racing Team and we are very proud to be part of his future”.

Look for Ben to make his Joe Rocket® debut this weekend, during testing at Laguna Seca Raceway.

From a press release issued by Fuchs Kawasaki:

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2004
PRESEASON TESTING – SEPANG, MALAYSIA
23RD JANUARY 2004

CONFIDENCE HIGH AT FUCHS KAWASAKI

The Fuchs Kawasaki Racing Team concluded an extremely successful four-day test at Malaysia’s Sepang circuit today, with both riders and team technical staff declaring themselves satisfied with the progress made with the latest version of Kawasaki’s Ninja ZX-RR MotoGP machine.

For Alex Hofmann, the first test of 2004 ended in the best way possible, with the 23-year-old German rider posting his fastest lap of the four days during today’s final session. Hofmann, who spent this morning evaluating different rear suspension settings on his Ninja ZX-RR, is confident that further improvements will be achieved when the Fuchs Kawasaki Racing Team return to Sepang on February 11th.

Shinya Nakano completed 34 laps aboard his Ninja ZX-RR during today’s fourth and final day of testing, working his way through a selection of Bridgestone front and rear tyres, as well as evaluating different front suspension settings. Nakano, from Chiba Prefecture in Japan, was a little disappointed not to improve upon his fastest lap time today, but overall, the 26-year-old Japanese rider was satisfied with his progress during this, his first outing as a Fuchs Kawasaki Racing Team rider.

Alex Hofmann: best time – 2:04.43 (45 laps)
“We started out this morning evaluating different rear linkages, together with the frame that Shinya has been using for the past three days. We also tested some more Bridgestone rear slicks and made a few improvements in other areas. It was good to finish this afternoon with my fastest lap of the four days and it’s been fun working with the new guys in the team; they’ve put in a lot of hard work this week. We’ve made some big steps forward with different components on the bike, now we need to bring everything together, ready for when we return here next month. Overall, I’m totally happy with how things have gone this week and I’m looking forward to getting back on the bike again in two week’s time.”

Shinya Nakano: best time – 2:04.47 (34 laps)
“We continued with the tyre test programme today, but we also managed to test some changes to the front suspension that definitely gave an improvement in feeling. I also tried the rear tyre on which Alex set his fastest lap, but we had a small problem with the bike and I didn’t get the chance to try a fast lap on it. It was a little disappointing not to improve my lap time today, but I’m confident that we can go faster when we return here for our second test. Overall, I am very happy with my new bike, and the new team have worked well together over the past four days. I will visit the Kawasaki factory in Japan at the end of this month and, hopefully, the feedback I am able to give the engineers will enable them to improve the bike further before we come back to Sepang in February.”

Harald Eckl: Team Manager
“This has definitely been a successful first test for us. Shinya has adapted well to the Ninja ZX-RR during the four days, while Alex has also impressed with his lap time today. The fact that all our new team members have been able to work together, both with each other and with the riders, certainly bodes well for the future. Of course, there is still a lot of work to do before the season gets underway in South Africa, but we leave here confident that we’re definitely moving in the right direction with the latest version of the Ninja ZX-RR.

From a press release issued by Yamaha:

Q&A with Valentino Rossi

Q: What has the waiting for your first ride on the Yamaha M1 been like?

A: It’s been a long time since I rode a bike – more than two months. And everything’s completely new, so it’s almost starting from zero. I’ll need one day just to get used to riding again, just to recalculate the speed and the braking. And the bike will feel different to what I have been used to.


Q: How big an advantage is it taking some of your old crew to join the Yamaha team?

A: It’s a big, big advantage because understanding what changes we might make takes time and it takes time to work out settings and to understand everything about the new machine. The crew knows me very well because we’ve been together four years, and now we have the best team in the world.


Q: In the past you’ve taken one year to work out how to win a World Championship and then the next year to win it. Your crew chief Jerry Burgess has already said you can win it this year. What’s your view?

A: It’s not clear for me yet because I haven’t ridden the bike. To win the Championship in the first year will be hard. We need time to become competitive and win races. We will aim at being at the top level by mid-season and then try to win some Grands Prix.


Q: Who will be the biggest threat this year?

A: Looking at last year, it’s going to be Biaggi, Gibernau and also Hayden. Capirossi will be fast on the Ducati too.


Q: Have you set any targets for tomorrow’s (Saturday) test, or for the entire three day session?

A: The target for these three days is to understand the bike and to give as much information as possible to the engineers about any problems we might have.


Q: What are your impressions of the Yamaha M1 having raced against it for two seasons now?

A: In 2002 the Yamaha was at more or less the same level as the Honda, better in some ways, worse in others. But in the winter of last year between 2002 and 2003, Honda made a big step forward and it seemed as if Yamaha couldn’t quite match that improvement.


Q: You like Sepang as a race track, but do you rate it as a test track? Will it give you a good overall impression of the Yamaha M1?

A: This is one of the best tracks in the world because it has all types of corners – from a tight hairpin to long fast turns. It’s very wide with a good surface and one of the best test tracks.


Q: What made you sign with Yamaha for 2004 instead of any other factories?

A: First, because Yamaha is the second best factory in MotoGP at the moment. And also because when I talked to them I got a very good feeling about things.


Q: How competitive do you expect to be in the race at Welkom in April?

A: It depends on how the test programme goes and how quickly any modifications can be made. And after that we’ll see. For sure, there won’t be a victory, but we hope to be not too far away.


Q: If you don’t win a race on the Yamaha M1 this year will it prove technology has become more important than the rider?

A: Yes.


Q: Eddie Lawson was the last rider to successfully switch factories in the premier class. What was your motivation to switch factories?

A: There was nothing to prove. It was just that the motivation riding for Honda had finished, we won three World Championships in a row, we won at favourite tracks, at my least favourite tracks, and in all conditions – so what was left to do?


Q: What do your Italian fans think of your move to Yamaha?

A: They are confident.


Q: Do you prefer to be the underdog – and then surprise people by winning?

A: I don’t mind being the favourite. I have been in the past, but the problem was if I lost a Grand Prix. If I finished second it was because I rode badly or made big mistakes, but that wasn’t always the reason. If you come second or third in MotoGP at this level, it’s possible, it’s normal.


Q: Do you still miss the 500cc two-strokes?

A: Always, yes.


Q: Why?

A: Riding a 500 was always so much fun, but these bikes are very good now with so much power.


Q: How do you feel about tomorrow?

A: I’m very excited, I really am. I’ve been waiting for this for two months. Tomorrow is not a job, I’m really excited about it.

From a press release issued by TARRC Race Director Gary Stiles:

Due to recent events surrounding the revocation of Arizona Motorsports Park’s special use permit by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, Team Arizona Roadrace Club has been forced to cancel the January 31-February 1 T.A.R.R.C. event.

Pre-entries received for this event will be refunded promptly. At this time no rescheduled date has been announced.

Representatives for Arizona Motorsports Park are currently fighting to re-open the facility, the outcome of this litigation will determine the status of the remaining 2004 dates. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

From a press release issued by Honda UK:

Honda Racing announces 2004 line-up

After months of speculation, Honda Racing has announced an impressive line-up for its assault on the 2004 British Superbike Championship. The world’s leading motorcycle manufacturer also revealed its partnership with a new title sponsor, HM Plant, the UK’s official distributor of Hitachi Construction Equipment.

With the signing of Michael Rutter and Ryuichi Kiyonari, the HM Plant Honda Racing team will enter two new riders on the factory CBR1000RR Fireblade. Thirty-year-old Rutter from Market Bosworth in Leicestershire is already one of the stars of the championship. After finishing the past two seasons second and third in the series Rutter will be hoping to go one better on Honda’s latest four-cylinder Superbike.

Twenty-one-year-old Kiyonari will be a rookie in the British Superbike Championship. But, with invaluable experience racing in his native Japan and the MotoGP World Championship, Kiyonari is expected to make a huge impact on the world’s leading domestic Superbike series. Honda’s ex-MotoGP and World Superbike rider Tady Okada, who will be supervising the new CBR1000RR project with full Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) support, will join him.

HM Plant Honda Racing has also contracted British Supersport Champion Karl Harris to defend his title on the all-conquering CBR600RR. The services of the talented 24-year-old Yorkshireman have been retained following a superb 2003 season when he won the ultra-competitive, 12-round series by the comfortable margin of 43 points.

Honda Racing also confirmed that Red Bull would extend its partnership with the manufacturer to become principle sponsor of the team – this is in addition to the Red Bull Rookies Honda youth development programme, which was announced before Christmas.

Honda Racing and Red Bull have already joined forces to develop the latent talent of young British motorcycle racers to become the stars of tomorrow. Eugene Laverty (17) and Steven Neate (16) have been selected to compete in the British 125cc Championship with Jonathan Rea (16) ascending to the Supersport category.

HM Plant Honda Racing and Red Bull Rookies Honda will be based at Honda Racing’s headquarters at Louth in Lincolnshire. Each team will embark on a full pre-season test schedule to prepare for their forthcoming championship challenges before the first round at Silverstone on 28 March.







Neil Tuxworth, Race Team Manager, Honda Racing: “Honda Racing is delighted to welcome HM Plant and Red Bull as three-year partners of the team. We are all looking forward to embarking on one of the most exciting projects ever undertaken in the sport – the development of the new CBR1000RR, the defence of the Supersport title and the possible development of future British and World Champions.”

John Jones, Chairman, HM Plant: “HM Plant has made a strategic decision to support Honda Racing in the British Superbike Championship. The performance, reliability and technology inherent with Hitachi’s range of construction equipment are replicated by the underlying values of motorsport. We are also looking forward to exploring our business relationship with Honda UK, promoting HM Plant to a wider audience and further developing customer relationships across our ten regional depots in tandem with the British Superbike calendar.”


Linda Pelham, Motorsports Manager, Red Bull: “The whole ethos of the Red Bull brand is behind nurturing young talent and projecting their natural abilities onto a higher level. The new team and partnership with Honda Racing is without doubt the best hope that we have for the future development of young British motorcycle racers. The levels of technical and promotional support will hopefully ensure that being a member of the team becomes a top priority for the stars of tomorrow and gives them an excellent opportunity to fulfil their dreams. ”