Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Friday’s MotoGP Qualifying Results:

1. Loris Capirossi, Ducati, 1:51.954
2. Valentino Rossi, Honda, 1:51.968
3. Max Biaggi, Honda, 1:52.021
4. Sete Gibernau, Honda, 1:52.270
5. Carlos Checa, Yamaha, 1:52.290
6. Alex Barros, Yamaha, 1:52.439
7. Shinya Nakano, Yamaha, 1:52.569
8. Marco Melandri, Yamaha, 1:52.687
9. Makoto Tamada, Honda, 1:52.700
10. Colin Edwards, Aprilia, 1:52.767
11. Olivier Jacque, Yamaha, 1:52.999
12. Tohru Ukawa, Honda, 1:53.078
13. Alex Hofmann, Kawasaki, 1:53.146
14. Kenny Roberts, Suzuki, 1:53.399
15. Noriyuki Haga, Aprilia, 1:53.732
16. Jeremy McWilliams, Proton, 1:53.813
17. John Hopkins, Suzuki, 1:53.897
18. Troy Bayliss, Ducati, 1:53.978
19. Nicky Hayden, Honda, 1:54.331
20. Garry McCoy, Kawasaki, 1:54.703
21. Andrew Pitt, Kawasaki, 1:55.322
22. Nobuatsu Aoki, Proton, 1:56.394
23. Ryuichi Kiyonari, Honda, 1:56.863


More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

Italian GP, Mugello
First Qualifying
Friday, June 6 2003

DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM GRABS PROVISIONAL POLE AT HOME

Ducati Marlboro Team rider Loris Capirossi took provisional pole position with a breathtaking last-gasp attack around the challenging high-speed Mugello circuit this afternoon. In sweltering 32-degree heat, the Italian left it until his very last lap of the session to better compatriot Valentino Rossi by just one hundredth of a second. Team-mate Troy Bayliss had a less successful day in the sun, ending up 18th as he searches for a set-up.

“This is very special for us, it makes us very proud to have an Italian rider and an Italian bike on pole in front of all the ‘red’ fans,” said Ducati Corse CEO Claudio Domenicali. “We are using a different approach to qualifying here. Both our riders are focusing all their attentions on race set-up, using race tyres. Loris was very strong throughout the session with race tyres, and only fitted a soft one for his final run. Before this weekend we were always concentrating on getting good performance over a single lap, so this change in approach should help our race performances.

“It’s been a strange day for Troy. We know he has been around here faster in private testing, so we’re not sure what wrong – maybe he’s had an off day, or maybe it’s the bike. We’ll check everything and I’m sure tomorrow will be different.”

CAPIROSSI – FASTEST MotoGP RIDER IN THE WORLD!
Loris Capirossi’s pole-grabbing end-of-session run triggered some minor celebrations in the Ducati Marlboro Team pit, where the focus is already very much on Sunday’s race. The little Italian had already done a fast run on race tyres, but like his rivals he fitted a softer Michelin for his final outing. Earlier in the session he had rocketed along Mugello’s long start-finish straight at 328.9kmh, breaking his previous top-speed record (set at Catalunya during pre-season testing in March) and making him once again the faster MotoGP rider in the world.

“Provisional pole and another speed record is great for us,” said Capirossi, who took the Desmosedici’s first-ever pole position at last month’s Spanish GP. “We made a big step forward with set-up after this morning’s session, though I’d still like the bike to be easier to ride – everyone knows how much power we’ve got, so the bike isn’t always easy to control! We will check our data to see what changes we can make for tomorrow, but I’m sure we’re heading in the right direction. I’m really happy and I’d like to thank the whole team for working so well.”

BAYLISS SEARCHES FOR SET-UP
Ducati Marlboro Team rider Troy Bayliss had an altogether more difficult first day at Mugello, the Aussie struggling to find a chassis set-up that suited him. He ended this afternoon’s opening qualifier down in 18th, and is now working his way through data from today’s two sessions in an effort to improve the behaviour of his Desmosedici for tomorrow’s all-important final qualifier.

“Not a great day,” said Bayliss, who scored his first MotoGP podium at Jerez last month. “We’re missing something with the set-up, especially up front. I’m not getting a good feeling from the bike going into corners, that’s what’s holding us back, because I can’t carry a decent amount of speed into the corners.”



More, from a press release issued by Fortuna Yamaha:

Italian Grand Prix
Friday, 6 June 2003
Mugello, Italy

YAMAHA ON FORM DURING DAY ONE IN MUGELLO

Fortuna Yamaha Team rider Carlos Checa (1:52.290) charged through the final stages of today’s opening qualifying session for the Italian Grand Prix in Mugello, featuring as high as third on the grid only to have the front row start snatched from his grasp seconds later. Ducati rider Loris Capirossi dramatically improved his time as the flag dropped, to place his V-four machine on provisional pole position, with a time of 1:51.954, with fellow Italian Max Biaggi (Honda, 1:52.021) following close behind – setting the third fastest time. Defending MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi (Honda, 1:51.968) separated the pair.

Although disappointed to miss out on the front row by a mere 0.020 seconds – behind fourth fastest man Sete Gibernau (Honda, 1:52.270) – Checa completed the opening session confident that he can improve his qualifying position significantly tomorrow, following his performance during a recent Fortuna Yamaha Team test held in Mugello in mid-May. In similar conditions the Spaniard produced a time of 1:51.900 – good enough for pole position during today’s first session. As it stands Checa is currently 0.336 seconds shy of Capirossi’s time, and with the improved balance of the M1 since its last outing in Italy, Checa is looking forward to another shot at a pole position start to the Italian Grand Prix spectacle.

“Today was good and I finished in a strong provisional grid position but the best day will be Sunday, I hope”, said the Catalan-born rider. “We have been changing settings on both of my bikes today and eventually went back to the setting and bike that I was more comfortable with, with some more front stability. With softer tyres I was able to do a fast lap and get that best time. Today was just for the lap time and I hope that tomorrow I can find the consistency I am looking for. Overall not a bad day.”

One of the driving forces behind Fortuna Yamaha team-mate Marco Melandri’s astonishing recovery, following his high-speed Suzuka crash, has been the desire to produce a good result here in Mugello at his home Grand Prix. The 20-year-old Italian, who won last year’s Italian 250cc race, improved on his Fortuna Yamaha Team Mugello testing time by nearly half a second to be eighth fastest, with a 1:52.687, on an all-Yamaha second row. Alex Barros (Gauloises Yamaha Team, 1:52.439) and Shinya Nakano (d’Antin Yamaha Team, 1:52.569) were sixth and seventh respectively. Still, the young Italian is confident he can improve further given the final adjustments made to the set-up of his M1 towards the end of the session.

“I found it a difficult session until the last 15 minutes because the setting wasn’t quite right and it was really hot and slippery out there,” said Melandri. “I didn’t try to push too hard because I didn’t feel totally comfortable but then we changed the setting of the suspension, chassis and tyres and it felt a bit better. I felt more trust with the bike and could push harder. At the end when we changed tyres it was maybe a little bit too late to go for a faster lap. I hope it will be dry tomorrow because we need to test some more race tyres, and obviously I would like to improve my grid position.”

Fortuna Yamaha Team director Davide Brivio was happy with both riders’ performance, “At the end of the session both riders were able to improve,” said Brivio. “They both rode well today, both riders are on the provisional second row, and the gap from the other top riders is quite close. We have tomorrow to look for the best package for the race – I’m looking forward to seeing what they can do for the rest of the weekend. All the Yamaha riders are quite close to the top so it’s been a good day for Yamaha generally.”


More, from a press release issued by Fuchs Kawasaki:

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2003
ROUND 5 – GRAN PREMIO CINZANO D’ITALIA
6TH JUNE 2003 – QUALIFYING PRACTICE 1

WILD CARD HOFMANN LEADS KAWASAKI’S QUALIFYING CHARGE

Brushing aside a sore throat and an Italian summer heat wave, wild card rider Alex Hofmann gave the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR it’s best provisional qualifying result of the season, setting the 13th fastest time during today’s opening qualifying session for the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello.

As track temperatures soared to 48 degrees, Hofmann – delighted to be back racing at one of his favourite circuits – came within 1.1s of pole position on his fastest lap. This is the closest the Fuchs Kawasaki team have been to provisional pole in their first full season of MotoGP competition, with Hofmann clearly benefiting from last week’s three-day test at Autopolis in Japan.

Kawasaki team-mates, Garry McCoy and Andrew Pitt, were 20th and 21st quickest respectively, with Pitt walking away unhurt from a mid-session crash when he lost the front end on the entry to the first chicane.

Pitt recovered quickly from his crash, and the subsequent hike back to pit lane, to set his fastest lap with just three minutes of the qualifying session remaining. Garry McCoy used today’s practice and qualifying periods to identify a suitable race tyre and chassis set-up, while also evaluating revised rear shock settings.

Alex Hofmann – 13th – 1:53.146s
“Obviously I’m happy with the way the day went, although I still have a sore throat and don’t feel 100 per cent. I made quite a big step in chassis set-up at Autopolis last week and I was fast right from the start today. I don’t know if it’s just me, but I’m feeling more comfortable on this bike and that’s where the time is coming from. The chassis has a softer feel, which is something we tried in the winter tests, and I’m also getting good feedback from the new Dunlop front tyres here. The bike feels very stable, but for the race we need to keep working on the rear tyres.”

Garry McCoy – 20th – 1:54.703s
“I never got around to having a run on a real soft qualifying tyre, as I spent most of the day working on race set-up. It’s going to be a hot race here and it doesn’t look as if it will rain like it did at Le Mans. The rear set-up I’m trying has good and bad points, so now we just have get it working as part of the whole package and find a good combination for the race. I did a three lap run at the end for my best time.”

Andrew Pitt – 21st – 1:55.322s
“The crash was no big drama. I was trying a new front tyre and had just gone a second quicker, which felt okay, but then the front just started to tuck really slowly on me – it wasn’t a typical lose the front end type of crash. The worst part wasn’t actually crashing, but the fact that no one knew where I was and I had to walk back to the pits! I like the Mugello circuit, but it is a tough track to learn. It’s a long track, with a lot of corners, and I know I’m losing time in a lot of places, but I’m sure it will be easier tomorrow. At the moment I’ve got one bike that feels good in the rear and one that feels better at the front. Hopefully, by analysing the data from both bikes tonight, we’ll be able to come up with a set-up that combines the positive aspects of both.”

Harald Eckl – Team Manager
“Alex did a great job in qualifying today. He is running a slightly different chassis to that which he tested last week at Autopolis, but it is important to remember that this is still a development period for the Ninja ZX-RR. We are making small steps, but they are definitely in the right direction. Garry and Andrew have also worked extremely hard today; Garry on finding a race set-up and Andrew on learning his way around a new circuit.”


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

Amazing New Proton KR in the Hunt at First Race

Round Five – Italian GP, Mugello Thursday, June 6, 2003

Jeremy McWilliams – 16th Position, 1:53.813
Nobuatsu Aoki – 22nd Position, 1:56.394

Two days before its first race, on only its second full day at a race-track, the brand new four-stroke Proton KR V5 put the writing on the wall at Mugello. The 990cc machine, fresh from first shake-down test runs at Le Mans and still in first prototype form, is already showing strong potential, with Jeremy McWilliams claiming a place on the fourth row of the provisional grid.

Amazingly, with the bellowing new four-stroke still relatively rough-cut, the veteran from Northern Ireland consistently lapped faster than several established factory machines, including a Suzuki, a Ducati and two of the three Kawasakis. This was in spite of a gearing problem that meant he was the slowest of all down the long main straight of the classic Italian circuit. McWilliams was giving away 30km/h, but the machine’s cornering prowess meant he could make it up again, even before the correct suspension and settings have been established.

Team-mate Nobuatsu Aoki was less fortunate, however, with a series of small but costly problems keeping him in and out of the pits (he ran 16 laps to McWilliams’s 21), and intervening with his attempt at a fast lap on soft-compound qualifying tyres.

There are three of the new machines at the circuit – the full production run so far. A pair of the trusty old 500cc two-stroke KR3 machines waited under covers in the pits in case of emergency, but the new four-strokes have so far put their teething troubles behind them, and there were no major problems that stopped any of the three machines from running.

The new Proton KR distinguished itself dynamically, and also set a new benchmark in orchestral effect. The V5 engine is not the only MotoGP four-stroke to run without silencers, but the rich and complex exhaust note could be easily distinguished, as it thundered around the 5.245km circuit in the Tuscan hills outside Florence.


Jeremy McWilliams
“It’s a very pleasant surprise to be on the fourth row. After the Le Mans tests, I didn’t expect to be ahead of any other riders, who have all had so much more track time. We’re still learning so much, and trying to establish so many things. We’re especially working on the way it enters the corners. I need it to stop much quicker – at the moment the engine has so much inertia it means I can’t turn in like I want to. But the chassis feels spot on. In the middle of the corner, it does exactly what you want it to do. The gearbox is as it was at Le Mans, and fifth gear is too tall, which is costing me speed – but we just don’t have any different gear sets yet. We need to look at what we can do to improve that. I really didn’t expect to be in the top 20. Now we are I want to go better tomorrow, though I’m not sure how to do it. There are a million things going round my head … there’s too much to think about, and I don’t have the brain space to put it all in. We’re still just testing, really, but I’m thinking about racing. It’s been a really positive first day.”

Nobuatsu Aoki
“We’ve been working a lot today, but I’ve had many small problems coming up, and it cost time to sort them out. One of them is finding the right settings for the ECU and the fuel injection. At the moment the throttle connection is terrible, and my guys are trying to improve that. It is really interesting work, but it’s hard to do during a race meeting. I had two bikes today, but both were giving little problems. Then I put on some soft tyres to try for a fast lap, but a warning light came on, so I had to come back to the pits, and I lost my chance.”

Kenny Roberts – Team Owner
“This is only really the bike’s second day out, and to be honest I anticipated it would be a lot worse. I figured we’d be four or five seconds off the pace, so we’re twice as good as I expected. We don’t have everything we need here this weekend. We will have new engine parts for Barcelona that will give us more top end power. But we can still improve tomorrow. The suspension is not correct, and we are getting lots of information. The main thing is they’re all still running … not perfectly, but running.”



More, from a press release issued by Pramac Honda:

Pramac Honda Team Press Information
Mugello – Italian Grand Prix – 6/7/8 June 2003
Friday – qualifying session

Makoto Tamada on third provisional row of Italian Grand Prix

Ninth quickest time gives Makoto Tamada a place on the third provisional row after just two hours’ work at Mugello – this was indeed the first time that Makoto had ever been out on the wonderful Tuscan circuit. This morning he immediately set off to explore it and find out its secrets so as to become competitive as quickly as possible. In the afternoon session he managed to lop almost two seconds off his morning’s time, once again showing his expertise in adapting to different circuits he has never been on. His qualifying time today: 1:52.700 just over 7 tenths from the provisional pole show how determined Makoto is to do well. He was satisfied with the set-up of his RC211V, that was agreed on with the team technicians, and he chose some new products from Bridgestone tested at Le Mans the Monday after the race. The gifted Japanese asked the technicians to give him shorter-ratio gears, but the long straight at Mugello will require some form of compromise.


Makoto Tamada (Pramac Honda Team): 9th – 1:52,700
“Actually I’m not all that satisfied with ninth quickest time – I’m always very demanding and feel I can do better. I like the track and I don’t want to think of the fact I’m at a disadvantage by not knowing virtually any of the world championship circuits. I want to stay up with the leaders and a few laps with Max and Ukawa helped me get a better feeling for the layout. I wasn’t particularly aiming for the fastest lap time as we were mainly working on keeping up a good pace: it’s going to be a tough fight here and maintaining constant lap times is going to be the key to dominating the race. The tests on the tyres after the Le Mans race were very important as preparation for this event in Italy. We’ll see how things go tomorrow as we carry on preparing for Sunday.”


More, from a press release issued by Alice Aprilia Racing Press Information:

MUGELLO GP/ FIRST QUALIFYING SESSION

SCARPERIA – Good performance for Colin Edwards in the first qualifying session at Mugello track. Even if the American rider suffered a technical problem in the rear brake, he obtained the 10th fastest lap anyway. He could improve his lap time but he has been forced to end the session with the bike no. 2 and the setting was not so good. Two slips for the Japanese rider Noriyuki Haga due to a loss of the front. The improvement of RS Cube bike will continue during the free session of tomorrow morning as the second qualifying session will be very hot. not only for the temperature!

COLIN EDWARDS: “Not so bad, Mugello track does not scare me anymore: I memorized it very well and it’s the second time for me here. Then I did not get just one fast lap but my pace is quite good. I have been forced to end the session with the bike no. 2 and the feeling was not so good. The bike no. 1 had a problem in the rear brake so it has not been possible to use it till the end. I think I can improve my lap time tomorrow achieving a good position in the starting grid”.

NORIYUKI HAGA: “I crashed twice because of the loss of the front in the corner. Luckily I did not get any serious damage. Now I have to understand the reasons”.

GIGI DALL’IGNA (Project Leader): “An important session to understand the type of work we have to do in order to be competitive for the race; we have a lot of things to manage but I feel optimist about the work we have already made. Colin did all his best even if we suffered for a technical problem of the rear brake. It’s just a foolishness. Colin was not able to proceed with bike no. 1 so he tested the setting of his second bike. I feel sorry for Haga as two crashes in the same session reduce the feeling with the bike. Anyway the work we made both on track and in the workshop is getting better: we need more time”.

Lap Times:

1 Capirossi (Ducati) 1’51″954

2 Rossi (Honda) 1’51″968

3 Biaggi (Honda) 1’52″021

4 Gibernau (Honda) 1’52″270

10 Edwards (Aprilia) 1’52″767
15 Haga (Aprilia) 1’53″732

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Aaron Gobert lost control of his Graves Yamaha YZF-R1 during Formula Xtreme practice Friday afternoon and hit an unpadded concrete wall at Road America.

Gobert was riding on slicks and it had just started to sprinkle when the crash occurred.

Gobert’s bike bounced back onto the track and the session was red-flagged.

According to eyewitness Chris Ulrich, who was behind Gobert when he crashed, Gobert highsided up over his bike exiting Canada Corner but hung onto the handlebars. Gobert was dragged along the left side of the bike, which turned left and headed directly into a bare concrete wall, past haybales positioned in normal impact areas exiting the turn.

The front end of Gobert’s Yamaha was broken off by the impact.

When cornerworkers arrived to move the machine, it leaked fluids on the track.

Cleanup efforts took just about an hour.

AMA Pro Racing officials issued the following statement:

“Yamaha rider #96 Aaron Gobert–has been transported to Valley View Hospital after going down in turn 12. Update to follow.”


This just in: According to Yamaha’s Tom Halverson, Gobert suffered a broken left wrist and a concussion.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Vesrah Suzuki’s John Jacobi turned a 2:40.253 late in the second, drier AMA Superstock qualifying session to apparently take the provisional pole position for Saturday’s 10-lap final, as shown on timing and scoring displays in the press room.

Later, AMA Pro Racing issued a sheet that showed Mike Ciccotto on pole at 2:36.551, followed by Tommy Hayden at 2:40.257 and Jacobi at 2:40.766.

Asked what happened, AMA Pro Racing Director of Timing & Scoring Ken Rogers said that spotters had radioed in that Tommy Hayden had short-cut the course between turns five and 13; Hayden did that to be able to start a flying lap before the 30-minute Superstock fast group qualifying session ended. By the time Timing & Scoring heard Hayden’s cut-through called in by spotters, Hayden had completed his final, fast lap. Timing & Scoring initially deleted Hayden’s fastest lap, but after double-checking on which lap Hayden short-cut the track, Hayden’s time of 2:40.257 was reinstated.

Mike Ciccotto’s fastest lap, a 2:36.551, was deleted automatically by the Timing & Scoring computer system. Rogers explained, “When we put into the system a minimum lap time, a lap faster than the minimum will be deleted automatically. As the rain increased this afternoon, we had edged our minimum up. As the sessions went on, it dried out, and we forgot to bring our minimum lap time back down.”

Ciccotto’s time came late in the drying session, and was reinstated after Ciccotto brought the problem to Rogers’ attention.

Rogers said that there would be one other revision.

Times from the second qualifying session now look like this:

1. Mike Ciccotto, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:36.551
2. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki ZX-6R, 2:40.253
3. John Jacobi, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:40.764
4. Jason DiSalvo, Yamaha YZF-R6, 2:41.484
5. Mark Junge, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:41.535
6. Josh Hayes, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:$1.690
7. Steve Rapp, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:42.076
8. Jamie Stauffer, Suzuki GSX-R600, 2:43.294
9. Vincent Haskovec, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:43.586
10. Adam Fergusson, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:43.740
11. Opie Caylor, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:43.825
12. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:45.658
13. Jake Holden, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:46.823
14. Tony Meiring, Kawasaki ZX-6R, 2:47.036
15. Jeremy Toye, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:51.035
16. Steve Atlas, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:55.192

Times from the first qualifying session now look like this:

1. Hawk Mazzotta, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:49.716
2. Tom Wertman, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:53.793
3. J.J. Roetlin, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:54.811
4. John Haner, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:55.191
5. Dr. Jeffrey Purk, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:55.510
6. Matt Furtek, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:57.319
7. Ruben Frankenfield, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:57.962
8. Jason Peters, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:59.023
9. Nathan Hester, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:59.497
10. Jeff Bostrom, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:59.658
11. James Kerker, Honda CBR600, 3:00.157
12. David Bell, Suzuki GSX-R750, 3:02.461
13. Eric Haugo, Suzuki GSX-R750, 3:06.576
14. Matt Malterer, Suzuki GSX-R750, 3:08.455
15. Eric Dooyema, Suzuki GSX-R750, 3:09.361
16. Peter Bohlig, Suzuki GSX-R600, 3:13.832
17. Michael Kosta, Suzuki GSX-R750, 3:15.295
18. Russ Intravartolo, Kawasaki ZX-7R, 3:17.201
19. Christopher Flores, Suzuki GSX-R600, 3:18.476
20. Jessica Zalusky, Suzuki GSX-R750, 3:21.003
21. Chad Rolland, Suzuki GSX-R750, 3:24.412
22. Michael Radke, Yamaha YZF-R6, 3:51.509

It stopped raining during Superstock qualifying, and as a result the faster Superstock qualifying group had a drier track than the first, slower group, and the course improved as the second session went on. On the last lap, a handful of riders jumped up the time order.

In the past, when the qualifying groups were separated by bike numbers, the grid would have been made up by alternating riders from each session. But according to the new fast-group/slow-group qualifying procedures, the Superstock grid at Road America will not be staggered.

The grid will be formed with the qualifying order of the faster group, then by the qualifying order of the slower group – even though Hawk Mazzotta, riding on a wetter track in one group, went faster than Jeremy Toye, riding on a drier track in the other group.


More, from a press release issued by Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki:

Rapp On A Charge At Wet Road America

Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki was back to full-strength on Friday at Road America, with all three riders in action and the team battling in three separate classes of AMA roadracing action in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.

Steve Rapp headed the charge, overcoming inclement weather to qualify his Michelin-shod GSX-R750 on the second row for tomorrow’s 10-lap Superstock final. The 30-year-old Californian displayed considerable prowess to qualify sixth despite his relative lack of wet-weather experience. Of course, he’s hoping for more favorable conditions for the remainder of the weekend, a sentiment backed up by his second overall time in the dry morning practice.

“Lots going on today,” said Rapp, who also qualified 13th provisionally for the weekend’s dual Superbike finals. “We worked on getting a good set-up for the 1000. On the Superstock bike I think things went pretty well considering that growing up in California we don’t ride in the rain a lot. I’m looking forward to a dry race; the wet just doesn’t do this track justice. It’s one of my favorite tracks — fast and flowing.”

Meanwhile, teammate Chris Ulrich made a breakthrough with his race machine set-up on Friday. The 23-year-old and his crew made some radical changes to the front-end of his GSX-R750, which should enable Ulrich to improve upon his 11th place Friday Superstock standing throughout the remainder of this weekend and beyond.

He explained, “Today we switched forks and instantly I went faster. I had been struggling with the front quite a bit all year, which was getting me down. But the change made me comfortable again and allows me to readjust everything. I can go in deep again — I just have to re-expand my limits. Hopefully tomorrow will be dry and we will be able to refine the package even more. We’re going to go faster.”

He was almost able to do so on Friday. “We were jumping up at the end. I kept going faster, dropping two seconds a lap. One more lap and I could have jumped up further, but that’s just the way it goes.”

Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki teenager Matt Furtek made a welcome return to action today. The South Holland, Illinois-native was sixth best in Group 1 (22nd overall) of Friday’s Superstock qualifying.


More, from a press release issued by Marietta Motorsports:

1-888-FASTLAP RIDER CAYLOR QUALIFIES 11th AT ROAD AMERICA; STOKES CRASHES IN RAINY CONDITIONS

ELKHART LAKE, Wis.- 1-888-FASTLAP rider Opie Caylor qualified 11th for AMA Pro Racing’s Superstock race at Road America this weekend after crashing in a rainy Superbike qualifying session.

Caylor set a fast lap of 2:43.825 (87.899 mph) on his 1-888-FASTLAP/Team EMGO Taiwan Suzuki GSX-R750, giving him a starting position of 11th for Saturday’s race.

“We were about third in morning warm-up, so we were right where we wanted to be,” commented Caylor. “I went out in Superbike qualifying to get a feel for the rain, and I crashed on the second or third lap. I twisted my knee quite a bit, and bent my A bike up pretty bad, but I came in and rested, then went out on the B bike (in Superstock qualifying) and still qualified 11th.”

Stokes, another 1-888-FASTLAP rider, also crashed on the damp track, although he was quickly getting up to speed at Road America and was poised to set a fast qualifying time. Stokes was riding his first full lap of qualifying on his Team Embry Suzuki GSX-R750 when he crashed, so he was unable to post a time. He hopes to get a provisional spot on the grid for the race.

The 10-lap Superstock race will be the final event of the day on Saturday, June 7. It will get started following the Superbike race, which begins at 2:00, and 250 GP qualifying.

More information about 1-888-FASTLAP, Caylor and Stokes can be found on the Internet at www.1888FASTLAP.com.

From a press release issued by series organizers:

MCBAIN EYES DEBUT WIN

CALGARY, AB – Alberta’s most successful motorcycle road racer will be
Calgary’s Clint McBain comes to the second round of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship as a strong favorite to score his first career national Superbike win on Sunday. The Coors Light Racing/Blackfoot Suzuki rider sits third in the series point standings after a superb performance in the opening race last month, when he snatched third place from Pascal Picotte on the final lap.

The 30-year-old is building on a breakthrough year in 2002, when he won the 600 Sport Bike national support class and finished second in the Open Sport Bike division. He won both the 600 and Open events at Race City in his stellar campaign.

History is certainly on McBain’s side at his home track. Four riders have scored their first ever national Superbike wins in the last eight events at Race City.

But McBain also faces competition from the toughest Parts Canada Superbike field assembled in years. The entry includes three former champions and eight feature race winners.

Maple Ridge, BC’s Steve Crevier leads the standings after a victory in the opening round at Shannonville Motorsport Park last month on his Diablo Suzuki. Crevier has won more titles (six) and more races (21) than any other racer in Canadian Superbike history.

The Suzuki threat also includes Crevier’s teammate Jeff Williams of Harrowsmith, ON, who scored his only national win at Race City in 1999, and McBain’s teammate Francis Martin, the 1999 Canadian national champion who also has a Calgary win to his credit.

Picotte is also a serious contender for victory on his Picotte Racing Yamaha. The St-Cecile de Milton, QC rider is making a return to Canadian action in 2003, and won in Calgary in 1991 and ’93.

Fellow Yamaha riders Frank Trombino of Kleinburg, ON and Joliette, QC’s Jean-Francois Cyr could also challenge. Trombino, riding for Brooklin Yamaha, is the only racer to have won a Superbike national in each of the last three years while Cyr finished a strong fifth at Shannonville’s season opener.

The factory Orion Motorsport Honda team includes two-time Canadian Superbike champ Michael Taylor of Toronto, another former Race City winner and rising star Kevin Lacombe of Granby, QC, who claimed his first career national Superbike win at the end of last season.

The Orion line-up also features Canadian newcomer Robbie Baird, a star in his native Australia.

Kawasaki’s hopes lie with Ohio veteran Tom Kipp, who finished sixth at Shannonville in his debut in the Canadian series.

This weekend’s racing also includes the second round of the Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike Championship and the International Motorcycle
SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike Championship.

Picotte leads the Pro 600 points after winning the first race, while Ottawa Yamaha rider Dan Henri was victorious in the first ever Amateur 600 Sport Bike national feature at Shannonville.

Official practice at Race City Motorsport Park opens Friday.

Qualifying for all three national classes will go Saturday afternoon and races are set to run on Sunday.

This weekend’s event will be televised on TSN on Sunday, July 6 at 12:30 p.m. EDT and later this year on Quebec’s RDS and across Canada on the Outdoor Life Network.

All Time Race City Superbike Wins

Jordan Szoke (Brantford, ON) 5
Steve Crevier (Maple Ridge, BC) 2
Pascal Picotte (St-Cecile de Milton, QC) 2
Michael Taylor (Toronto, ON) 2
Gary Goodfellow (Vancouver, BC) 1
Rueben McMurter (London, ON) 1
Michel Mercier (Thedford Mines, QC) 1
Don Munroe (Halifax, NS) 1
Francis Martin (Rock Forest, QC) 1
Jeff Williams (Harrowsmith, ON) 1
Owen Weichel (Toronto, ON) 1

Race City Fast Facts

…Jordan Szoke has won five of the last eight Superbike nationals at Race City Motorsport Park, including sweeping doubleheaders in 2000 and 2002. Szoke is not competing this weekend due to U.S. racing commitments

…Five racers have scored their first career national Superbike wins at Race City, including Pascal Picotte (1991), Jordan Szoke (1998), Francis Martin (1999), Jeff Williams (1999) and Owen Weichel (2001)

…On seven occasions a winner at Race City has gone on to claim the Canadian title in the same year, Michel Mercier (1990), Steve Crevier
(1992), Michael Taylor (1996), Don Munroe (1997), Jordan Szoke (1998 and 2002) and Francis Martin (1999)

2003 Point Standings

Parts Canada Superbike: 1. Steve Crevier (Suzuki) 56; 2. Francis Martin (Suzuki) 42; 3. Clint McBain (Suzuki) 38; 4. Pascal Picotte (Yamaha) 35; 5. Jean-Francois Cyr (Yamaha) 29

Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike: 1. Pascal Picotte (Yamaha) 54; 2. Andrew Nelson (Honda) 43; 3. Clint McBain (Suzuki) 39

International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike: 1. Dan Henri (Yamaha) 54; 2. Derek Bowker (Yamaha) 43; 3. Yanick Beauregard (Suzuki) 37

Provisional Weekend Schedule

Saturday June 7

12:55 p.m.- 1:20 p.m. Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike Qualifying

2:00 p.m.- 2:55 p.m. International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike Qualifying

3:35 p.m.- 4:20 p.m. Parts Canada Superbike Qualifying

Sunday June 8

1:00 p.m. Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike Race – 12 laps

2:10 p.m. International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike Race – 12 laps

3:30 p.m. Parts Canada Superbike Race – 16 laps

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Friday Morning Superbike Practice Times:

1. Mat Mladin, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:15.064
2. Miguel Duhamel, Honda RC51, 2:15.724
3. Aaron Yates, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:15.914
4. Kurtis Roberts, Honda RC51, 2:16.043
5. Eric Bostrom, Kawasaki ZX-7RR, 2:16.602
6. Ben Spies, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:16.640
7. Anthony Gobert, Ducati 998RS, 2:16.689
8. Steve Rapp, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:17.201
9. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:17.586
10. Larry Pegram, Ducati 998RS, 2:18.551
11. Ben Bostrom, Honda RC51, 2:19.516
12. Jimmy Moore, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:19.744
13. Michael Barnes, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:20.167
14. Shawn Higbee, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:20.258
15. Geoff May, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:20.420
16. Josh Hayes, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:20.803
17. Chris Caylor, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:21.104
18. Vincent Haskovec, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:21.882
19. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:22.744
20. Matt Furtek, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:23.000
21. Jeremy Toye, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:23.697
22. John Jacobi, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:23.858
23. Doug Duane, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:24.995
24. Jake Holden, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:25.136
25. Mike Sullivan, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:25.396
26. Tom Wertman, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:26.524
27. Scott Jensen, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:27.096
28. Dr. Jeffrey Purk, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:27.247
29. Monte Nichols, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:27.263
30. Dean Mizdal, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:27.280
31. Jason Knupp, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:28.054
32. Kevin Lehman, Yamaha YZF-R1, 2:28.192
33. Jeff Bostrom, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:28.293
34. Brian Boyd, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:28.490
35. Kevin Hanson, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:28.578
36. J.J. Roetlin, Suzuki GSX-R750, 2:28.896
37. Roger Hendricks, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:32.853
38. James Bonner, Yamaha YZF-R1, 2:33.849
39. David Duprey, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:37.993
40. Brett Ray, Suzuki GSX-R750, 3:02.064

From a press release:

Bay Area Riders Forum and Mountain View Rotary to collaborate on: “THE RIDE FOR LIFE” June 7th, 2003

San Jose, CA — Bay Area Riders Forum (BARF), a Bay Area motorcycling organization, will be joining forces with The Mountain View Rotary Club on June 7th, 2003 to bring Bay Area Motorcyclist together to enjoy a ride from the Palo Alto Elks Lodge through the Santa Cruz mountains west of Silicon Valley and then back to a barbeque at the Palo Alto Elks Lodge picnic area. The ride will feature a Palo Alto Police escort from Gunn High School to the Lodge at the tail end of the ride.

The ride starts at 9:00 a.m.

The proceeds of this event will go to Rotary Internationals effort to eliminate Polio from the face of the Earth, an ongoing effort since 1985. The event will be $30.00 to attend the ride with participants receiving an event shirt, patch, (2) raffle tickets and food. Barbeque only will be $12.00. A raffle will be held to provide prizes to the participants. Motorcycle vendors will be on hand with displays of product and services.

Better known by its acronym BARF, Bay Area Riders Forum (founded in January 2002) began as a website with a vision – bringing the motorcycling community together; getting people out from behind the computers and together to meet and ride. BARF members, a very enthusiastic and spirited group of people, meet weekly in different locations throughout the Bay Area to socialize, meet for rides throughout the week, head to the track in masses…the list goes on. The original vision has been realized and BARF has set the bar even higher with ambitious goals for 2003 that should keep BARF an exciting place for years to come.

Mountain View Rotary has been actively serving the Mountain View community and Rotary projects worldwide since 1925. Rotary, the world’ first service club established in 1905 is continuing it’s 20 years commitment with the World Health Organization to eradicate Polio in the world by 2005. Rotary’s 1.2 million members in 163 countries have been able to immunize over 1 Billion children world wide and eliminate Polio from over 150 nations.

Bay Area Riders Forum and Mountain View Rotary are pleased to announce this event and encourage anyone interested to attend.

More information is available online at www.bayarearidersforum.com or from (650) 269-1020.

From a slew of press releases issued by Honda and various Honda teams:

HONDA RACING INFORMATION

Italian Grand Prix at Mugello
6/7/8 June 2003.

GIBERNAU TITLE CHALLENGE IN FULL FLOW

After his second breathtaking win of 2003 at Le Mans in France two weeks ago, Spanish rider Sete Gibernau’s challenge to the reigning MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi is gaining momentum as the season unfolds at the glorious Mugello facility in Italy’s Tuscan Hills this weekend. And a massive raceday crowd of up to 70,000 is expected to throng the circuit.

Rossi (Repsol Honda RC211V) leads the Championship after four of the 16 rounds with 90 points accumulated, while his fierce rival Max Biaggi (Camel Pramac Pons RC211V) lies only 23 points behind on 67. Then it’s Gibernau only four points behind the two Italians after his two wins this season. Rossi has also won twice so far.

Gibernau was forced to retire from last year’s race when his Suzuki’s brakes gave problems but now the experienced rider is getting to grips with his Telefonica MoviStar Honda RC211V and he knows he has a machine that is a consistent winner in the right hands.

The 5.245km Mugello track is set deep into a natural lie of rolling hills and has everything a track needs to promote close and spectacular racing: a long straight to allow slipstreaming and a wide variety of fast and slow turns with tricky cambers to test every area of both rider and machine performance.

The track is fast and flowing, and favours machines with a balance of power and poise under downhill braking and through the turns. And Tohru Ukawa (Camel Pramac Pons RC211V) who finished third last year set the highest maximum speed at a blistering 322.2km/h and he and team-mate Biaggi are in a prime position to bag a first win of the season.

Last year’s winner Rossi knows that he faces a stiff challenge from many fronts at his home Grand Prix. The two times MotoGP Champion is gunning for his third successive title and acknowledges the importance of a strong domestic result as well as the knowledge that a win represents another 25 points that will be crucial in what is shaping up to be a tight Championship.

“Mugello has extra importance because it is in Italy,” he said. “But in another way it is just another 25 points – the same as any other race. Of course there is more pressure because of my family being local, because of the fans and all of those things. But I always have to think more in terms of the Championship than just one race.”

Rossi currently holds the circuit record for the fastest ever lap of the undulating Tuscan track at 1m 51.258 seconds while Tohru Ukawa holds the race lap record at 1:52.601. Mugello’s 1.14km uphill straight holds the key to part of those times while the tricky right turn at the end of that straight is also a large part of unlocking a quick lap here.

Max Biaggi who finished second to Rossi here last year has been devastatingly consistent so far this year and Mugello could be the springboard he needs to post a first victory of the year to close the gap on Rossi at the top of the table.

And as ever the Roman is relishing the challenge. “Racing at Mugello is fantastic,” he said. “If I could, I would like to do two races there every season. Not just because the track is one of my favourites but because the atmosphere, my fans, the language – everything is familiar to me. You always feel an extra need to do well there. I forecast three Italians on the podium – but not the finishing order!”

Camel Pramac Pons team rider Tohru Ukawa knows he really needs to get into Championship contention here after finding it hard to get into a race rhythm in the rounds contested so far. But the determined Japanese knows what it takes to squeeze maximum speed from his Honda RC211V and will be giving it his all.

“I hope we’ll get better weather than in Le Mans, which made things difficult, but I’m not here to wonder about the weather,” he said. “I’m ready to make the most of this opportunity to make up ground and I know that if I can get settled with machine set-up early on then I will be in a strong position to make a challenge. As ever my determination will not be in any doubt.”

But the man with the momentum at the minute is undoubtedly Gibernau who rolls into Mugello on a high after fending off a fierce Rossi challenge in a thrilling race in France. With two wins so far this year, he knows that he’s in a strong position to take the initiative here this weekend.

“We go to Mugello now where a hard race awaits me, the Italians will give everything at their home race. Maybe my target has to be a little lower but a place on the podium is my aim. After the race at Le Mans we stayed on for a Michelin tyre test and we did a good job. We go to Mugello in good shape ready to wrestle with the ‘Owners’ (Rossi-Biaggi-Capirossi),” he said

Rossi’s team-mate Nicky Hayden’s rollercoaster baptism into the world of MotoGP continues apace with his initiation into the rolling gradients and tough off-cambers of Mugello, but as ever the American’s optimism, willingness to listen and learn, and his utter determination to succeed are likely to pay off here.

“Man, I’ve never even been to Italy before,” he said. “But I’ve heard some really nice things about the place. The track sound really awesome and I’ve heard the crowd is massive and really into its racing. Like every race this year, I’m really looking forward to it. I’ve just got to get out there and learn it. I’ve also got some family coming over and they’ll be staying until Barcelona, so that’ll be good, too.”

Makoto Tamada (Pramac Honda RC211V) is making huge progress with Bridgestone tyres and will be hoping to repeat his Jerez result of last month when he stormed to sixth in only his third ever MotoGP race. “I said before Le Mans we shouldn’t get too carried away,” said the Japanese. “But Mugello gives us another chance to measure our progress as a team and I’m really looking forward to riding here.”

Rookie Ryuichi Kiyonari (Telefonica MoviStar Honda RC211V) is another rider on a steep learning curve after joining the team at Jerez and riding his first MotoGP race at Le Mans.

Kiyonari said of his new career in MotoGP. “Little by little I’m adapting to the new circumstances I’m living in right now. Europe, the championship, the tracks, food, everything is new to me. I’m lucky to have a place in a great team where everyone is helping me, making me feel at home. In France I earned my first MotoGP points but I know I have to do many, many kilometers to learn all about the RCV too. In Mugello I will carry on learning, and I hope to score points in the race.”

The 250cc category is typically tight and Honda hotshot Roberto Rolfo (Fortuna Honda RS250RW) will be going all out for his first win in the class at his home Grand Prix. The Italian currently lies fourth in the World Championship standings a mere seven points behind the leader. A win could easily catapult him to the top of the standings and his determination is measured but intense.

“First we have to do the groundwork in set-up,” he said. “And we are learning more all the time and also finding solutions that we maybe struggled with earlier in the season. This is a big opportunity for the team to make another big step forward and I don’t have to tell you how important it is being at Mugello and knowing we have a really good opportunity to do well.”

Sebastian Porto Sebastian Porto (Telefonica MoviStar Honda Junior Team RS250RW) is eager to make up the points difference on the title leaders. Porto was the innocent victim of a Le Mans collision with Manuel Poggiali but will arrive at Mugello refreshed following a break at home in Argentina.

“After the race at Le Mans I went back to Argentina to recuperate from the two crashes I’ve had recently. Spending some time with my friends and family and relaxing. I’m looking forward to the race. The bike is getting better with each race, it steers really well but we need a little more power off the corners.” Commented Porto.

The 125cc category is headed by Daniel Pedrosa (Telefonica MoviStar Honda Junior Team RS125R) and the Spanish rider is ready to try and extend his five-point lead over second-placed Lucio Cecchinello (Aprilia) in the Italian factory’s backyard.

Pedrosa said. “Mugello is a complicated track. The slipstream is very important at that circuit, as there will be many riders in the lead group. I’m very motivated, even if it’s a circuit I have never loved. I’m in good form now so I’m ready to change my mind about how I feel about the track.”

The other Honda contenders in the quarter-litre category share either vast experience of the track in the shape of Masao Azuma (Ajo Motorsports Honda RS125R) who visits the track for the eighth time or are raw first-timers here like Thomas Luthi (Elit Grand Prix Honda RS125R).

Luthi is perfectly open about the challenge he faces, “I have never been to Mugello, not even for a test,” he said. “I have studied it on Play Station, and watched many videos of previous races. I think I will like it, it looks very exciting.”

While the wily contender Azuma knows all the challenges he faces. “Mugello is a circuit that is sometimes good for me, and sometimes like last year, bad,” he said. “It’s a high speed track and you need to have good acceleration in all six gears. Right now we need a little more help with third-to-sixth-gear acceleration. But we have to wait until practice to see what it holds for me this year.”



PRAMAC RACING PREVIEW

MotoGP – Round 5 – Italian Grand Prix

International motor-racing circuit of Mugello – 6/7/8 June 2003

ITALIAN GRAND PRIX, FIFTH ROUND OF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP AT MUGELLO

Built in 1974, the Mugello International Racetrack hosted the first motorcycling Grand Prix in 1976. A modern, technical circuit with unique characteristics, where fast curves are followed by sharp corners that are difficult to negotiate, following the rises and falls in one of the finest tracks of the entire world championship. A splendid design created by a series of technical corners is followed by the impressive and long home straight that rises slightly towards the end and where today’s motorcycles reach breathtaking speeds.


The Mugello facilities, owned by Ferrari, who have made it the leading test track for F1, also have exceptional characteristics for Grand Prix motorbikes. It is of enormous value for Italian riders and manufacturers, for this is their “home” race, the number one sports arena. All this against the unique backdrop of huge and enthusiastic public. The hills of Tuscany, in which the circuit is located, are the venue for a staggering number of fans. In terms of colour, sound and “warmth”, it may well be considered as the most important event in the entire championship.


THE PRAMAC HILL

Many of the people who will crowd on to the Mugello hills will be thoroughbred Tuscans. For 200 employees at its Tuscany headquarters, Pramac Group has organised a trip to the international motor racing circuit of Mugello so they can have a live view of the Italian Grand Prix. With their red and white flags, the Pramac people will create the first “Pramac Hill” in history.

The circuit:
5,245 metres
left-handers: 6
right-handers: 9
longest straight: 1,141 metres
Maximum width: 14 metres
Year of construction: 1974.


Winners in 2002.
125 class: Poggiali (RSM) Gilera
250 Class: Melandri (ITA) Aprilia
MotoGP Class: Rossi (ITA) Honda.


Circuit records.
125: Cecchinello 1:59.181 (2002)
250: Nakano 1:54.462 (2000)
MotoGP: Ukawa 1:52.601 (2002).



FIRST PRAMAC CUP CONTEST

The first four-team 5-a-side Pramac Cup soccer tournament will take place on Thursday 5 June. The teams will be made up of riders, press journalists, TV journalists, and Riders for Health supporters. Together with the typical spirit of competition in a soccer tournament, this year’s Pramac Cup will aim to provide tangible assistance to the Riders humanitarian association. For each goal scored during this first Pramac Cup, the Group will donate to the association. The matches will be played out on a special soccer pitch provided by Diadora, a partner of Pramac, and the starting whistle will be blown by a celebrity in the world of soccer: World Cup referee Pierluigi Collina. Riders and journalists, however, are going to find themselves up against a team of supporters of the Riders for Health association who are currently trying to earn themselves a place in the team by taking part in the charity auction for Riders on the famous eBay site:


http://members.ebay.it/aboutme/riders_for_health

MAX BIAGGI AND CAMEL PRAMAC PONS TEAM FIRMLY IN SECOND PLACE IN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP


After finishing the first three races on the podium, many-times world champion Max Biaggi ended the race at Le Mans in fifth place. This gave him and the Camel Pramac Pons Team the points they needed to stay firmly in second place in the riders’ ratings and in the special teams classification of the 2003 MotoGP World Championship. Massimiliano is now 23 points from the leader, a distance that need not be too difficult to bridge since the championship still has a long way to go and the central – “European” – stage has only just begun. Torhu Ukawa, Max Biaggi’s team-mate, came seventh in the Le Mans race, thus putting himself into sixth place in the overall ratings. The race in France, which was stopped by rain, was by no means simple and, for the first time, the new rules for stopping the race in the case of adverse weather conditions were applied. The second time round, the race started all over again for the remaining 13 laps and it was the final result of this that decided the final ratings, cancelling everything that had been done until the race had been stopped.


MAKOTO TAMADA AND PRAMAC HONDA TEAM PREPARE FOR “HOME” RACE.


For the great Japanese and for the Pramac Honda Team, Mugello can be considered as the “home” race. The team is based at Casole d’Elsa in Tuscany, and the ace from Shikoku Island has been living for about a month now in the Tuscan hills near the Pramac headquarters. Makoto started Italian lessons a couple of days ago, mainly so that he will be able to communicate freely with the majority of his team who do not speak Japanese. This is how he is looking forward to this important appointment at Mugello:


“I don’t feel I’m under particular pressure for the Mugello race. Everything’s new for me here. Like so many of the others this season, Mugello is a circuit I’ll be seeing for the first time. So my approach is going to be similar for all the other ones I don’t know yet. I can’t deny that, since this is the home race for Pramac and for all my team, we’re coming up to a very important weekend: I know I’m going to have all eyes on my results, and that hopes are high. I want to do well, so as always I’ve spent hours and hours in front of the TV watching last year’s race over and over again. The circuit looks very technical to me and also very tough for getting the set-up of the bike right. It’s going to be crucial to get the settings perfect if I’m going to have the rideability I need to negotiate the key points of the track in the best possible way. As always, we’ll have very little time, but the challenge we’re taking up is precisely that of being able to get the best results in the shortest possible time. We’ll see: on Friday I’ll already have an idea of what strategy we need to adopt. The Italian lessons… I must say it’s hard to concentrate fully, as my mind’s totally focused on the Italian Grand Prix.”


HONDA RACING INFORMATION

Japanese Talent joins forces with Italian Passion

The partnership between Japanese star Makoto Tamada and Pramac Group S.p.A, the Italian power product producer, to race in the 2003 MotoGP World Championship was viewed as unusual blend of talents when announced.

The newly formed partnership, however, was rich with promise following pre-season testing and is now beginning to establish itself as a force to be reckoned with in the senior class of grand prix racing.

The 26-year old from Shikoku Island, Japan, has quickly found his feet in the torrid world of MotoGP racing, despite having chosen the unusual route of signing to race for an Italian team, without being able to speak one word of Italian. A bold move for any non-Italian, let alone a Japanese. Tamada, however, is a one off, almost a throw back of the old school of racing characters.

The quietly confident, good-humoured, and very fast rider has already shown he belongs among motorcycle racing’s elite group. Following a solid grounding in All Japan 250cc Championship racing, and four years as an official HRC Superbike rider, Tamada had everything he needed to make the switch to two-wheeled racing’s Blue Riband class.

Tamada first came to world recognition in 2001 when he won both races at the Japanese round of the World Superbike Championship, at Sugo. He went on to score a one – two finish at the same event a year later. That year he also finished second in the ‘Suzuka 8 Hours,’ racing with his friend, and team manager at the time, Tadayuki Okada.

Tamada and Pramac Honda have grown together in the short period between their first meeting, pre-season testing at Sepang in January (20) and today. The successful blending of Japanese racing talent and Italian passion has much to do with Tamada’s laid back personality and the vast experience of the key members of the Pramac team staff.

Tamada said of his new team: “What I have experienced so far I like very much. I’m used to working for HRC in an all Japanese environment, in the Japanese way. In Europe I work with Japanese and Italian technicians and team staff and it’s very professional. I am working with a group of very good people and I have a very positive feeling.”

In fact the Japanese star has drawn confidence from his new environment. Jerez was a real culture shock but gave Tamada great energy. “Jerez was a fantastic experience for me. The huge crowd, the entire atmosphere they created – I got a lot of positive energy from the whole event. More an injection of energy to push you on, ready to do it for those people. It was great.

“Of course my first impression of European race was gained at Jerez. If I make an analysis of my race, I was in fourth place at one time, which was good. The beginning of the race was hard, I had to speak to myself and get going, I had a lot to do. Racing with Barros and Ukawa San was good. But at the end of the race when I saw how far ahead of me Valentino was, I realised just how hard I have to work if I am to get to the top.” Said Tamada.

The fun loving Tamada has yet to find enough free time in his hectic schedule to enjoy the sights and scenes of his temporary home, or Europe in general.

“I must admit that I have not had enough time to mix socially. I live on top of a hill in Casole dÉlse, Toscana, and haven’t even had the time to jump into the car and go down into Fierenze. We had a short time in Barcelona, and last week I saw a little of Paris, but not long enough. I have to say it’s all very exciting. The local people in Casole know I’m a racer and give me a wave when I pass, particularly the police. They stop me just to say hello! Soon I will be able to speak to them, I hope. I am learning to speak Italian. One of the girls in the Pramac office is learning Japanese, so we work together on both languages.”

Tamada is here to race and he has adapted to the RC211V very quickly following his four-year stint on Superbikes. For a MotoGP rookie his lap times, at the tracks he has visited for the first time have been more than respectable. At Jerez, exceptional.

“The feeling I have with the RCV now is totally different from when I first tested with the team in Malaysia. Then it was, ‘Oh, it’s an RCV,’ now the feeling is quite normal when I ride it, the relationship is very good. The bike is no way like a Superbike. You have to be very careful how you use the power of the RCV, the wheel spin is incredible, and not just in low gears but in the mid-range. You have to be very delicate on the throttle, whereas you can be hard on the throttle with a Superbike.” Commented Tamada.

He went on to say. “There is a very big difference in what I’m doing this year from racing Superbikes. I have to learn the MotoGP tracks, learn and develop the RCV and also the Bridgestone tyres. I never raced a 500 at this level so it would be difficult to compare, everybody talks about them, I do wish I had raced an NSR500.”

Pramac Honda and Tamada are putting in a huge effort to improve the Bridgestone tyres they race with and Tamada is confident they are the tyres of the future. “The tyres are improving all the time, you can see that in the results. We have many choices of tyres, at all tracks. Any kind of development you work on is really the same. You find the solutions you need by testing everything you have available. If it doesn’t work you have to develop something that does, and I’m confident Bridgestone can do that. I’m happy with the work we are doing with Bridgestone.

“We got our choice of tyres wrong for the wet race at Le Mans, we changed the rear tyre from a wet for an intermediate after the wet warm up. Even after the warm up laps I thought I had got it right but I hit a puddle early in the race and went down. I will not make the same mistake again once I have more experience on the RCV.” Concluded Tamada.

Tamada’s next race is the big one for Pramac Honda, the Italian Grand Prix, at Mugello. The team’s home race. But the genial Japanese rider will not be overawed by the additional pressure of Mugello, or the need to do well on home ground.

“No I will not feel any pressure at Mugello, even if I race for an Italian team with Italian sponsors. I raced for HRC in Japan. The rhythm of work was rigid, I’m used to the pressure,” said Tamada. “I’m looking forward to Mugello, it’s a race I have to ride, and I’m ready because I have heard so much about it from my friends and my team.”

Pramac Honda Press Officer Michele Morisetti gave an insight to Tamada’s character as a racer. “Tamada learns very quickly, he will study videos of the previous races at the track we will race at next, sometimes for hours. At work Tamada works very hard but when work is over he likes to spend his free time having fun. He’s a man who has the life he dreamed of and is prepared to work very hard at making a success of it.

Morisetti went on to say. “Tamada San is the first rider I ever saw in my life with such an easy approach to his racing, it’s so natural to him. I have never seen a hint of stress in his eyes, never. We didn’t realise how difficult it was for him to carry on after the death of Daijiro (Kato), his best friend. He just got on with the job, he showed nothing to us, that shows his character. We only realised how difficult it was for him during the one-minute silence in Welkom. He stood and cried quietly for five minutes, then got on the bike and raced. There was no outpouring of emotion, apart from that.

“The culture gap is also closing, both nationalities warming to each other, developing a tight knit atmosphere within the team, and improved performances each time Tamada rides the RC211V. At the end of the race at Jerez he came into the garage and the entire team, fifteen people, from the owner to the truck driver stood and applauded his race. Tamada looked a little confused, and very moved by the reception he received, so I clapped him on the back and said ‘Welcome to Italy.’ I think he understands us a bit better after that. That is one of the biggest differences in us culturally.” Morisetti concluded.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Vesrah Brakes’ Mark Junge, Ken Melville, Mike Laney and Michael Peet took third in the Wisconsin Endurance Mountain Bike Series 12-hour race May 31 on the John Muir Trails of the Southern Kettle Moraine State Forest, located in southern Wisconsin.

Vesrah Brakes, which was also sponsored by Western Utility, completed 19 laps of a 6.75-mile course and finished one lap behind winners Pedal Moraine and second-place finishers Team Hayes Brakes, both serious mountain bike racing teams, according to Junge.

Junge told Roadracingworld.com that he ran the race for fun but also to do research and development on a new line of Vesrah bicycle brake pads, which should be available late this year.

In addition to owning the Vesrah Suzuki motorcycle road racing team–which has won the WERA National Endurance Championship twice–Junge and his wife Nancy import and distribute racing brake pads for Vesrah.

Nancy Junge also raced at the John Muir Trails event, winning the women’s division of a three-hour solo endurance race.

Vesrah Suzuki’s Mark Junge plans to race in the AMA Superstock race this weekend at Road America, two hours from his home in Union Grove, Wisconsin. Junge’s motorcycle teammate John Jacobi intends to race in Superstock, on a GSX-R750, and in Superbike, on a GSX-R1000, at Elkhart Lake.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The Roadracing World Action Fund arranged to have five additional sections of Airfence modules hauled from the AMA U.S. Flat Track Championship event in Springfield, Illinois to increase protection for racers at the AMA U.S. Superbike Championship round at Pikes Peak International Raceway in Fountain, Colorado Sunday, June 1.

AMA road racers compete on a 1.315-mile infield road course inside of PPIR’s one-mile speedway car oval track.

“John Ulrich had come up to me this morning after practice had started and said, ‘We had five pieces of Airfence shipped in from the Springfield dirt track,'” said AMA Pro Racing’s Ron Barrick. “He alerted me that it was here and available for use and that it belonged to the Roadracingworld World Action Fund. We decided we would create an action plan and get it deployed as soon as we could, which was the lunch break.”

The additional Airfence modules were deployed in front of the concrete retaining wall outside of PPIR’s speedway turn two. The five extra modules brought the total number of Airfence modules deployed at Pikes Peak June 1 to 32.

The five extra Airfence modules, bought for road race use, had been deployed at Springfield with six modules purchased for dirt track use. The five road race modules were hauled from Springfield to Pikes Peak by Danny Walker’s SuperCamp, and are being hauled from Pikes Peak to Road America by racer Chris Ulrich. After Road America, two modules will be sent to Texas for use by CMRA, two will replace damaged modules in the Airfence inventory deployed by F-USA/CCS and the remaining module will be deployed as needed.

From a press release issued by the FIM, announcing a decision from a mid-May hearing”

Mies, June 5
International Disciplinary Court
Case of team WCM

The International Disciplinary Court, composed of Mrs. Clotilde Galy (President), Messrs Vassilis Koussis amd Wojcziech Tomczyk, convened on May 16 at the FIM headquarters in Mies, Switzerland, in a public hearing in order to judge the appeal of the team WCM against the decision taken by the FIM Stewards in Welkom, South Africa. The motorcycles Harris-WCM were disqualified for non conformity with Art. 2.2.1 of the Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix Regulations (see Press Release of April 25). The WCM team manager Mr. Peter Clifford was present at the hearing, together with his lawyers Mr. Ian Mill (QC), Mr. Mike Brookes and Mrs. Jane Mulcahy.

Messrs Oriol Puig Bulto, President of the FIM International Technical Panel, Fabio Fazi, CTI Vice-President, David Hagen, consultant engineer, and Robert Fleck, expert engineer, were present as witnesses and experts.

The CDI considered the appeal acceptable, but confirmed the decision of the FIM Stewards to disqualify the Harris-WCM motorcycle. The costs of the procedure are to be borne by WCM.



(In other words, Harris WCM lost again.)