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.)

From a press release issued by Honda Racing:

Day three
Isle of Man TT Festival
June 4, 2003.

Anstey Take Junior TT Win – Lougher Second

Molyneux, Hallam the Sidecar Hounours

Kiwi Bruce Anstey powered Triumph to victory in the Junior TT as the British marque made its racing return to the Isle of Man with a factory backed team for the first time in almost three decades.

The 30 year old was a man in a hurry to secure his career second victory on the Island, heading the action throughout the four lap, 150.92 mile race, to finish 11 seconds clear of Honda mounted Ian Lougher chasing him hard every meter of the four laps. Adrian Archibald finished third for Suzuki five seconds down on Lougher.

Anstey sliced an amazing 39 seconds off the race
record time, and though he twice broke the lap record, in his relentless charge, that finally went to Ryan Farquhar whose final lap was completed at an average speed of 122.30mph.

Anstey hit the front immediately, and there was no way he was letting it slip with some brilliant riding on the long, torturous 37.73 mile Mountain Course as he packed the power to end the first lap with a seven second advantage over Ian Lougher, with Jason Griffiths and Adrian Archibald scrapping for third place.

The first lap was fast, Anstey running at an average of 121.10mph, but the second was even quicker as he clocked a flying lap of 18m 35.37s, pushing the record to 121.78mph, to extend his advantage over six times race winner Lougher to nine seconds.

Anstey was hot on the charge as he rejoined after his fuelling halt, pulling further ahead, though Honda CBR600RR rider Lougher was not giving anything away as he hung in determindly, with both of them again bettering the lap record on the final lap, but Farquhar, coming in fourth on his Kawasaki had the edge on them, just.

Shaun Harris, the winner of the 1000 Production race earlier in the week, took fifth, ahead of Yamaha’s Griffiths, but, Jim Moodie coming in ninth, just ahead of John McGuinness put the icing on the cake for Triumph as they secured the manufacturers award.

Triumph’s last previous victory on the Island had been in the ten lap 1975 Production race, won by Dave Croxford and Alex George. Anstey had secured his place in history: “It can’t be bad, can it, giving them victory after all of those years, I can hardly believe it. The bike never missed a beat, it was just perfect. I knew that I could do it practice had gone so well, and I was feeling so confident.”

Lougher had to settle for second best: “Bruce is a good rider, and I have a lot of respect for him on the day I lost the race to a better guy. The conditions were perfect, the best we have had.

“I was working the rear tyre a bit too much so we probably could have done with an odd suspension tweak here and there but at the end of the day I’ve done a 122mph lap so it can’t have been that far out. I found out at my pit stop that it was Bruce leading so I concentrated on catching him. He was faster than me on the run from Glen Helen to Ramsey but I seemed to have the legs on him over the mountain.” Lougher concluded.

Next Honda to finish was Gordon Blackley who took eighth place on his Branson CBR600RR Honda. Blackley was helped with a 120mph lap on his fourth and final circuit.

The fine conditions enjoyed by the Junior field had taken a turn for the worse, with rain falling on parts of the course as the second Sidecar TT of the Festival got underway after a 15 minute delay. It was declared a wet race, but Manxman Dave Molyneux and passenger Craig Hallam opted to go out on slick tyres. “It was hairy out there, we very sideways on,” said Molyneux as he savoured his eighth victory on the Island, with passenger Hallam adding “that was the most dangerous TT I have ever been in it should have cancelled after two laps.”

They took the victory by some 50 seconds ahead of another Manx crew, Nick Crowe and Darren Hope, who in only their second year of riding the TT took the overall sidecar title having finished second in Saturday’s race. The winner’s of the opener pulled out at Kirk Michael at half distance while running third.


Results from Isle of Man TT racing festival

JuniorTT
four laps, 150.92mph
1 Bruce Anstey Triumph 1:15:13.98
2 Ian Lougher Honda 1:15:24.94
3 Adrian Archibald Suzuki 1:15:30.00
4 Ryan Farquhard Kawasaki 1:15:31.15
5 Shaun Harris Suzuki 1:15:48.42
6 Jason Griffiths Yamaha 1:15:54.72
7 Richard Britton Kawasaki 1:16:09.02
8 Gordon Blackley Honda 1:16:28.64
9 Jim Moodie Triumph 1:16:35.90
10 John McGuinnness Triumph 1:16:38.46

Sidecar race “B” TT three laps, 113.19miles
1 David Molyneux/Craig Hallam Honda 1:04:25.17
2 Nick Crowe/Darren Hope Yamaha 1:05:15.67
3 Gregory Lambert/Daniel Sayle Yamaha 1:06:17.31
4 Ben Dixon/ Mark Lambert Yamaha 1:06:37.02
5 Geoff Bell/Jake Beckworth Yamaha 1:06:48.06
6 John Holden/Colin Hardman Yamaha 1:07:15.87
7 Andrew Laidlow/Patrick Farrance Yamaha 1:07:33.42
8 Roy Hanks/Dave Wells Yamaha 1:7:35.35
9 Allan Schofield/Mark Cox Yamaha 1:08:43.27
10 Andy Brown/John Dowling Yamaha 1:09:20.05

From a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing:

AMA LAUNCHES RIDESTRAIGHT.COM

PICKERINGTON, OHIO — The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) has launched a website to support “Ride Straight,” a national campaign to educate motorcyclists about the dangers of drinking and riding.

The new website, www.ridestraight.com, features a wide range of educational and informational resources, as well as links to other motorcycle-safety programs. The site also includes public-service advertisements that can be downloaded for use in print publications.

“The AMA is proud to take the lead in addressing the issue of impaired riding,” said Robert Rasor, President of the American Motorcyclist Association. “We believe that ridestraight.com can be a valuable tool in raising awareness about the risks of combining alcohol and motorcycling.”

In light of statistics showing that 41 percent of the fatally injured motorcycle riders in 2001 had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 g/dl or greater — the legal limit of impairment in many states — last September the AMA announced that it had joined forces with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to produce Ride Straight.

From a press release issued by Mat Mladin Motorsports:

2003 AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship
Rounds 9 & 10
Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, USA
Event Preview


ROAD AMERICA EXCITES MLADIN

Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, USA –The return to what Mat Mladin calls a ‘proper race track’ could be the inspiration that sees the Australian make a return to the top step on the winners podium when the 2003 AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship heads to Road America in Wisconsin for rounds nine and ten of this year’s championship.

“It’s nice to head back to a race track where there is a bit of length about it,” said Mladin. “Road America is definitely one of my favourite tracks in the championship and one I look forward to coming to, as I do with Brainerd for the following round. They are good flowing tracks, nice length and nice speed.”

The three-times American Superbike champion knows what is required to win at the ultra fast 6.44km (4.00miles) having taken home two trophies from the circuit in 1997 and 2001.

He has the form on the board to add to his win tally at Road America as he has taken his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 to five race wins from eight starts this year, but tyre problems during the other three races while holding down strong track position leaves him lying third on the championship points table, ten points adrift of teammate and current leader Aaron Yates.

“It wasn’t the best weekend for us last weekend, but that’s how it goes sometimes. We’ve just got to keep going. We’ve had eight races so far, I’ve won five of those and the other three we’ve had tyre problems. The appropriate people are looking into those problems now, but at the moment our attention is focused on the coming rounds of the championship.

“As opposed to Pikes Peak, Road America presents itself with different range of characteristics. At Colorado we were loading up the side of the tyre, but this weekend we will be more upright, with longer and faster straights that you’re doing about 300kph (185mph) on and therefore loading the middle of the tyre. I don’t think it will be as much of a problem as with some of the other places we’ve been to this year.”

Mladin and his Yoshimura Suzuki team have worked extremely hard in getting their new GSX-R1000 Superbike up to a level that they are happy with since the model was allowed entry into the championship at the start of the season.

He has shown the potential of the new bike already this season, but knows that there is still sufficient work to be carried out to make it an even better race and championship-winning package.

Qualifying for this weekend’s round begins on Friday, June 6, with the first of the double-header Superbike races being held on Saturday afternoon, with the second 16-lapper scheduled for Sunday afternoon.

Road America – FAST FACTS

Circuit length: 6.44km (4.00miles)
2002 Pole position: Eric Bostrom (Team Kawasaki ZX-7RR) 2:08.510

2002 Results:
Race 1
1. Miguel DuHamel (American Honda RC51)
2. Eric Bostrom (Team Kawasaki ZX-7RR)
3. Aaron Yates (Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R750)

Race 2
1. Miguel DuHamel (American Honda RC51)
2. Nicky Hayden (American Honda RC51)
3. Eric Bostrom (Team Kawasaki ZX-7RR)

2003 AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship (points after 8 of 18 rounds)
1. A Yates 244
3. E Bostrom 239
3. M Mladin 234
4. B Bostrom / K Roberts 221
6. M DuHamel 187
7. L Pegram 162
8. S Higbee 159
9. J Pridmore 150
10. V Haskovec 140.


More, from a press release issued by Eric Bostrom’s publicist:

Before the Pike Peak race weekend, Eric Bostrom needed twelve points to lead the points table in the 2003 Chevy Trucks AMA Superbike Championship. After his strong performance and race victory in Colorado, he now only needs five. But these five points could be the toughest ones to earn, as Eric takes his momentum into this weekend’s round at Road America in Elkhart Lake, WI.

“Road America is definitely one of the best tracks that we have in the States. It’s exciting that we’re going there this weekend. Hopefully our bike will have what it takes, because that track not only takes a good handling bike, but a lot of ‘HP’.”

Eric’s race win at Pikes Peak International raceway last weekend was Eric’s first since his exciting defeat of Mat Mladin at VIR (Virginia International Raceway) in the last race of the 2002 season. It also marks the fourth podium this year for the Las Vegas resident. “I had no idea who would win that race, going into it on Sunday. There were six guys that I felt could have been right there with me. Even though that wasn’t the case, it still ended up being a really fun race. I had some awesome moments going into turn one. I’d go in there and the bike would get loose and I’d have these 100 yard drifts!

“And I was pretty pumped on my start. I was just happy to be starting anyway, because I thought that we might not have had a race with the way the weather had been earlier that day, so I was just excited to get on the bike and go racing. I got off to a great launch and it seemed that both Mat and Aaron got pretty poor starts and it left me nowhere to go. I was either going to have to back off or go on the inside down into the paint. I knew that it was going to be icy slick down there, but backing off didn’t seem like an option. I was able to squeeze by them and that really set us on fire for the race. Had it not happened, I think it would have been more of a battle. It made our race easier, but that’s not to say that it was easy. Every lap I had to try and bring my heart rate down on the front straight because I was just working so hard trying to get around for 48 laps while still keeping the tire on the bike. I definitely had to conserve tires every lap of the race!

“There were a few laps in lapped traffic where I had to buzz the thing up to get some drives on some slower riders, but otherwise I was focusing hard to conserve my tires and still put in strong laps. Pikes Peak was definitely more of a ‘ride your ass off kind of race’. In fact, I rode so hard that I made myself sick. My head, eyes, and lungs have hurt since. But I hope to be mended up and strong for this weekend to take advantage of our momentum.”


More, from a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing:

POINTS LEADER ZEMKE READY FOR HIGH-SPEED ROAD AMERICA

Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Series

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (June 4, 2003) — Jake Zemke loves speed and that puts Road America high on the Erion Honda rider’s list of favorite tracks. On Saturday, June 7, Zemke hopes the long straights and sweeping corners of the four-mile Road America course will play into his strengths as the Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Series hits the mid-way point in the 10-race season.

Consistency has been the hallmark of Zemke’s racing career and this season is no different. A string of podium finishes in the first half of the season has earned the Paso Robles, California, resident the Formula Xtreme Series lead. Last year he tied Jason Pridmore in the final series standings, but lost the title in a tiebreaker – Pridmore won more races.

Zemke is going ahead with the same formula this season and hopes his steadiness pays off this time around. He looks forward to the Road America race, where his best finish came in 2000 when he finished third.

“It the kind track were you can push the bike and slide both ends,” said Zemke, who is trying to get Honda back atop the podium at Road America for the first time since the 2000 season. “The high speeds really suit my style so we’re looking for another good result there. Getting on the podium every weekend is what it takes to win championships.”

Young Yoshimura Suzuki rider Ben Spies also eagerly awaits Road America. The 18-year-old Texan led the championship after dominating the first two rounds. He lost the points lead after a crash at Road Atlanta last month. He’s hoping the power of his factory Suzuki will be the key to victory Saturday. Spies finished fourth in this race last year.

2001 Road America winner Damon Buckmaster comes into this year’s race ranked third. The Aussie veteran is coming off a victory last week at Pikes Peak International Raceway on his Graves Yamaha and will be keen to start a winning streak of his own. “Bucky” could take sole possession of third place on the all-time AMA Formula Xtreme wins list with a victory at Road America.

Defending race winner and series champ, Jason Pridmore is still searching for the combination that brought him the 2002 title. The No. 1 Attack Suzuki rider is all the way down in 12th in the series standings after a poor start to this year’s campaign, but he’s almost certain to crack the top-10 after this week’s race.


Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock Series

It doesn’t get much closer on the championship trail than the hotly contested Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock Series. Kawasaki’s Tommy Hayden leads the series by a single point over Hooters Suzuki rider Vincent Haskovec. Corona Suzuki’s Adam Fergusson is right there as well, only two points out of the series lead. The scouting report on Road America’s Superstock race reads that the more powerful Suzuki GSX-R750 should have an advantage over the Kawasaki ZX636 and Yamaha R6. But that’s what they said about Daytona as well and Hayden earned a well-deserved win in the season opener.

One fact to consider is that Suzuki is enjoying a 10-year winning streak in the Superstock race at Road America. Jason DiSalvo won the race last year on a Suzuki. He’ll be in the field again this year, but this time on a factory Yamaha R6. Kawasaki’s Tony Meiring got a breakthrough win in the series last week in Colorado and he’ll be another rider to watch at Road America.


MBNA 250 Grand Prix Series

Rich Oliver will be better than halfway home to a perfect season if he wins the MBNA 250 Grand Prix Series at Road America. Oliver has won five of five coming into round six of the 11-race series on his Team Oliver Yamaha. He’s earned eight victories at Road America dating back to 1988.

The Northern California native is looking to win back the MBNA 250 Grand Prix title he last held in 1997. Oliver is a stunning 60-points ahead of former teammate Chuck Sorensen after five rounds, meaning it would take major problems in the second half of the season to keep Oliver away from his fifth AMA 250 Grand Prix title. Sorensen is the defending Road America race winner.

For ticket information call (800) 365-RACE or visit www.roadamerica.com. The Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Series race from Elkhart Lake will broadcast on Speed Channel, Tuesday, June 24 at 1 p.m. EST.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The new method of splitting AMA Supersport and Superstock qualifying groups, tried for the first time this year at Pikes Peak International Raceway May 30-31, was a big success.

Instead of splitting the Supersport and Superstock qualifiers into two groups sorted by odd and even bike numbers, AMA Pro Racing sorted racers into two groups based on their times from Friday practice, with one group for the fastest half of the field and the other group for the slowest half of the field. The new method was a big hit with racers in the faster group.

“Oh, it was so much better!” said Erion Honda’s Alex Gobert. “You’re out there sort of waiting to run into lappers, but they just never come. You catch up to someone and it’s just another fast guy. I really like the new rules. I think the AMA’s taken a big step.”

“I think it’s great!” said Kawasaki’s Tommy Hayden. “I think it’s really good for both people. If I was three or four seconds off the pace…it’s a lot safer for them because they don’t have to worry about looking back, who’s coming, getting run into, getting flipped off and everything else. They can go out there and concentrate on their deal, and the faster guys can concentrate on their deal. All in all, I think it’s safer for everybody.”

“Absolutely! It’s great for a guy that’s towards the back of the pack,” said Dream Team Racing’s Thad Halsmer, one of the top Supersport privateers. “It’s great to have all those guys to pull off of. Every guy that comes past is a guy that’s faster than you. For the fastest guy in the slow group, he kind of gets screwed. He has to spend the whole sessions passing people.”

“I think they’re (riders) happy with being out in the riders who are more similar in performance level,” said AMA Pro Racing’s Ron Barrick. “Slow guys are happy to be out there in their own group as well. Next year we might look at doing that in more classes.”

Barrick also said that AMA Pro Racing planned to continue with the new method of splitting Supersport and Superstock qualifying groups for the remainder of the 2003 season.

The new method was not without its teething problems, however. “I think there was some confusion as to who was in what group,” said Barrick. “So, we’ll probably have to do a better job of informing everybody on how groups are split up.”

Halsmer was one of the confused ones, explaining, “I kind of made the mental leap that the fast group was group one. (The faster group was group two at Pikes Peak.) I actually read the addendums, but I realized three laps into the session that I was in the wrong session. I came in and told the AMA. They said don’t worry about it, go out in the next session.”

Halsmer was allowed to go out in the second, faster group.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

There is a very good chance that the new “Bend” section of track recently added at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin will be used for the AMA U.S. Superbike Championship event this weekend, June 5-8.

Speaking in a telephone interview, Road America Public Relations Manager Cheryl Barnes told Roadracingworld.com that there was “a very good chance” that the new section of track would be used by the AMA.

No one has ridden on the new section of track, according to Barnes, but Formula USA Thunderbike racer Paul James inspected the new layout Monday, June 2. Viewing the track from the spectator areas, James said he envisioned riders exiting the Carousel and braking hard for the new, second-gear left-right section, which is as wide as the original track. According to James, riders will most likely be straight up-and-down at the apex of the Kink.

“I definitely think it is going to be safer,” said James, adding that there may be a chance that a rider crashing at the entrance of the new Bend could come back across the exit of the new chicane. However, James pointed out that a gravel trap sits in the middle of the new chicane and that the original section of track leading to the Kink still remains and could be utilized as an escape road.

James was inspecting the track in his role as Harley-Davidson/Buell Communications Manager for an upcoming press introduction at the four-mile road course. James said that he will use the new section for his press introduction.

In April Barnes stated that it would be up to the sanctioning body, in this case AMA Pro Racing, as to whether or not they use the new Bend section or the original track. Barnes also stated at that time that the course change was designed to bring the road course up to FIM homologation standards.

The first time riders will see the new section will be during promoter practice Thursday, June 5.

The Roadracing World Action Fund has reached $238,372.30 in total road-racing-designated contributions thanks to individuals who not only made tax-deductible donations, but who also pro-actively reached out to the motorcycle community to rally support and interest for improving motorcycle racing safety.

Individuals donated and urged others to do the same; manufacturers pledged profits from product sales; and a motorcycle club sponsored a fundraiser.

Mr.& Mrs. Frederick Bittner contributed $2900, enough for an entire section of Airfence. In an e-mail, Fred pledged to make a lot of phone calls, writing “Like many others, my wife and I continue to find the news about injuries sustained by road racers as a result of contact with unprotected barriers troubling. We therefore decided to make an additional contribution to the Roadracing World Action Fund, and consider it an investment in the future safety of roadracers. I would like to note that I am racing this year, and am very gratified to see that several of the manufacturers and service providers whose goods and services I use also support the Fund. Nevertheless, I would be very proud to be able to say that all the companies and organizations associated with my racing program have contributed to the Fund. To this end, I am in the process of contacting nearly 100 organizations in an effort to encourage them to do just that. Finally, a big thumbs up to all who have contributed and especially to John Ulrich and Roadracing World.” Last year, the Bittners donated $2900 in honor of injured racer Papa Thiam, bringing their total contribution to the Action Fund to $5800.

This year’s Bandit Owners Southern Stampede, the “B.O.S.S. 2003” held May 2-4 at Two Wheels Only motorcycle resort in Suches, Georgia, yielded a $308 donation for the Roadracing World Action Fund. Organizer Pete Cedel rallied support from event attendees who managed to more than double last year’s B.O.S.S. 2002 contribution of $116.

Max McAllister of Traxxion Dynamics contributed $250, the first installment fulfilling a pledge of $5 for each suspension set-up video sold at www.traxxion.com. Others who have pledged product-sales-related contributions include Hi-Side Racing Tire Warmers, (which will donate $25 for every set of Hi-Side Racing tire warmers sold through the end of the year), BBVR Performance Products, (which will donate $25 for each Ontrack portable laser wheel alignment system sold for competition end use), and Kyle Racing, (which will donate $50 for each Ohlins shock or fork sold through June 22, 2003.)

Last year Don Emde contributed $1000 in memory of Cal Rayborn. This year he chose to memorialize fallen racers of the past with a contribution of $500, “In memory of Jarno Saarinen and Renzo Pasolini, who died May 20, 1973.” Emde donated another $500 following Woody Deatherage’s crash at Road Atlanta, at the same time issuing a challenge to others to match his contribution.

Royalty Racing’s Jerry King rose to that challenge and called in with a $500 contribution. Jerry stated that it was something that he always wanted to do, and Don Emde spurred him on to do it. Jerry is an ex-racer, all of his sons have raced, and his son Travis King is currently racing WERA, CCS and some AMA events.

Brian Drebber made a donation of $1000 in memory of his father, Rocky Drebber. Brian stated in a phone call that, like Roadracing World Action Fund founder John Ulrich, he had lost his father recently, and he wanted to make a contribution in his father’s memory.

Other contributions include: Mark Godfrey, $50; Philippe Kostezer, $50; Andrew Kupfer, $20; and an anonymous donation of $20 at California Speedway.

Repeat contributors include Jason Temme, who added $25 to an earlier donation of $100; David Kopfinger, adding $55.05 to $126 for a grand total of $181.05; and Allan Lockheed, adding $200 to last year’s $100 donation.

Roadracing World Action Fund dirt track contributions have stalled at $18,597, with no new contributions since the last post. However, dirt track-designated funds were used for the first time when Airfence was deployed and demonstrated at the Springfield Mile in May. A fresh batch of 11 Airfence modules was delivered there, some of which were actually designated for road race use. The road race modules made the trek from Springfield to Pikes Peak for the AMA races last weekend courtesy of Danny Walker’s SuperCamp, and are now in a trailer being towed by racer Chris Ulrich to Road America.

Summary of New Contributions Recently Posted

Mr. & Mrs. Frederick Bittner $2900
Don Emde $500
Don Emde/In Memory of Jarno Saarinen and Renzo Pasolini $500
Brian Drebber/In Memory of Rocky Drebber $1000
Jerry King $500
Boss ’03 Raffle $308
Traxxion Dynamics $250
Allan Lockheed $200
David Kopfinger $55.05
Philippe Kostezer $50
Mark Godfrey $50
Jason Temme $25
Andrew Kupfer, $20
Anonymous at California Speedway $20

Accounting Details to Date
Road Racing Expenditure Details

Direct purchase of soft barriers: $101,350
Shipping/Customs: $5654.75
Bank Fees: $344.05
Airfence* Deployment Crew Training: $700
Transportation & Installation: $4689.47
Corporation/Business Fees: $592
Online Auction Fees: $221.99
Misc Supplies: $19
Donation to AMA Pro Racing for Airfence: $104,104

Total Spent: $217,675.26

Total Donations Collected $238,372.30
Misc. Income $67.27

Cash on hand: $20,764.31


Dirt Track Expenditure Details

Direct purchase of soft barriers: $15,000
Shipping/Customs: $2717.72

Total Spent: $17,717.72

Total collected: $18,597
Cash on hand: $879.28

All administrative costs, including the percentage taken by credit card companies on credit card donations, have been absorbed by Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

*Trademark of Airfence Safety Systems Australia.