From a press release issued by Buell American Motorcycle Company:

FINALISTS OF BUELL SLAY THE DRAGON II SWEEPSTAKES CARVE UP DEAL’S GAP

Winner Chooses 2003 Buell XB9R Firebolt

Knoxville, Tenn. — (Finalists in the 2003 Buell Slay the Dragon II Sweepstakes carved up Deal’s Gap aboard Buell motorcycles on September 25. Each of them won a free trip to the ultimate sportbike riding location to experience the handling of Buell motorcycles, but only one would be chosen as the grand prize winner of either a 2003 XB9R Firebolt or XB9S Lightning. At a stop along the ride, veteran Buell racer Tripp Nobles pulled the name of Maurice “Moe” O Connor, of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

“I thoroughly enjoyed the handling and performance of the Buell motorcycles we rode at Deal’s Gap,” O Connor said. “I pushed them hard and they were very responsive. The location was amazing.” He praised the cornering ability of both the Firebolt and Lightning, but chose the Firebolt because he preferred its riding position. As a rider for more than three decades, O Connor has owned several motorcycles, including some race machines. His last motorcycle was a Harley-Davidson FLHR Road King.

Deal’s Gap is a unique stretch of road that follows U.S. 129 through North Carolina along the Tennessee State line. It is infamous among motorcycle riders as one of the most exciting roads in the United States, boasting 318 turns in just 11 miles. Nicknamed “The Dragon” because of its challenging twists and turns, thousands flock to the area each year to experience the thrill of the road and the area’s scenic Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The Slay the Dragon II group included four of the five customers whose entries were chosen from the sweepstakes drawing earlier this spring. In addition to O Connor, Steven Fling of Arnold, Mo., Jay Fedorenko of Mandan, N.D. and Gerald Tilley of Shelby, N.C. attended the Deal’s Gap event. Dennis Munchel of Berkley Hts., N.J. was one of the finalists, but was not able to make the trip.

Six Buell dealer employees also accompanied the group, chosen based on their outstanding Buell sales performance; Dave Kiesow of Illinois Buell in Berwyn, Ill., Phil Smith of Santa Barbara Buell in Carpinteria, Calif., Matt Blackney of Century Buell in Medina, Ohio, Eddie Arb of Capitol City Buell in Madison, Wis., Jan Dordick of Woodstock Buell in Kingston, N.Y., and Bruce Minor of Valley Buell in Wheeling, W.Va.

To learn more about Buell Motorcycles, visit your local Buell dealer today and experience the pure streetfighter attitude, style, and performance only found on board a Buell. Call 1-800-490-9635 for the Buell dealer nearest you. Or pull into www.buell.com.

From a press release issued by Proton Team KR:

Sepang Preview

Proton Team looks for points again at home GP

The Malaysian GP is the home GP for the Proton KR V5 – and comes just one week after the radical new four-stroke’s best result. At last weekend’s Pacific GP at Motegi, Nobuatsu Aoki finished 14th, and took two points.

It was a landmark for the seven-race-old prototype, after a gruelling and fully public development programme for a motorcycle that only ran on a race-track for the first time only in May, after the season had already begun. Results have been steadily improving as the team worked almost day and night to solve inevitable teething troubles with the groundbreaking new design.

Now the Sepang race gives Aoki and his team-mate Jeremy McWilliams another chance to demonstrate progress, in the home of the team’s principal backers Proton Cars.

“We have a few new parts for this race – new exhausts for better engine performance, and a new fairing that should improve the aerodynamic performance,” said team founder and owner Kenny Roberts, World 500cc Champion from 1978 to 1980.

“Back in Britain, engineers are working on a new design that will fix the problems that were designed in to the first version. You won’t see any big improvements until then, but the bike has been getting better all the time.

“The thing that hurt us most was racing, rather than being able to concentrate on developing the machine in private,” he said.

Improvements have come race by race. Before the Motegi GP, the howling racers were already knocking on the door of the top 15. Detail improvements to electronic engine mapping and intake design brought a significant improvement in mid-range power, while a new slipper clutch solved problems with corner entry. All these improved rideability.

The most visible of the improvements in Malaysia is a new nose-piece for the fairing, lower and smaller than the earlier version, with the “shoulders” taken away from either side of the screen.

Aoki’s points were the reward, but McWilliams fell victim to another problem, crashing after his brakes suffered overheating problems early in the race.

The Malaysian GP is the middle of a trio of gruelling flyaway races. Seven days later the 15th round takes place at Phillip Island in Australia, with the final round a fortnight later at Valencia in Spain.

Jeremy McWilliams – Anything could happen
This track is okay for us until the last section, with the straights linked with hairpins, but I think we can be very close. A lot depends on how effective the new fairing is. But the weather means that anything could happen. Especially with the race at 3:30, which seems to be the time it starts raining most afternoons. Our Bridgestone tyres are good in hot conditions, if it stays dry. The bike’s okay in the wet too, with the latest improvements to the clutch. We’ll see how it turns out.

Nobuatsu Aoki – Maybe better than Motegi
Our chances here seem as good as at Motegi, and maybe better. Motegi is a typical stop-and-go circuit, which is hard for us. Here we have more corners, and that gives us more chance. We have some new parts here, and I will try 130 percent, even more than usual, because this is Proton’s home track.


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

MALAYSIA GP/PREVIEW

The Alice Aprilia Racing Team is ready for the Malaysia GP that will take place at the Sepang circuit close to the international airport of Kuala Lumpur. After the unlucky race in Motegi when both Aprilia RS Cubes were involved in a crash during the start, the team wants to show that the chattering problems they had in the past are going to be solved. New material managed for the development of the chassis setting will be tested this week end in order to give more competitiveness to Colin and Nori.

The Amercian rider spent a week of relax in Malaysia: “After all these flights and the jetlag I had to relax. I feel Ok and hope to get a better start this time”.

Nori Haga came here from Japan with his family: ” In my home GP I had a crash so my position on the grid was almost bad but I caught the firsts anyway. I want to get a good result here as well”.

GIGI DALL’IGNA (Project Leader): “I wish this race can be much more lucky for us: in Japan Colin was involved in the initial crash during the start and Haga was a bit late in the gird because of the crash he suffered the day before. We need a god result now! This Malaysian track is very fast and the air temperature is very high but I do not feel worried about the performance of our bikes: for sure the engine will be used at the maximum level. Anyway we will use new material in order to solve the chattering problems: swingarm, linkage and wheels with different setting to avoid the vibration. The chassis setting is very important as well because here the grip is rather short so the set up must be very precise. Unfortunately last year data are not very helpful cause now we use another tyres supplier”.


THE TRACK

Sepang F1: lenght 5.548 km equal to 3.468 miles

Lap record: Max Biaggi (Yamaha), 2:04.925

Pole position: Alex Barros (Honda 2002), 2:04.487


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

TO MALAYSIA WITH A 18 POINTS ADVANTAGE

After Motegi it’s Sepang turn for the Malaysia GP this week end. Located at 50 km from Kuala Lumpur centre the Sepang track is 5548 meters long with 15 corners and the main straight is 920 meters. Another important feature is the width of the track: even 25 meters. Besides the track it must add the unsettled weather conditions as the damp is about 90% and the temperature is 30° when the sun shines.

Manuel Poggiali: “Here it’s better than Japan and I can relax and do train as there’s a big fitness centre in the hotel. I arrived here on Monday evening and during these days I thought to have relax and did a lot of sport cause it’s important to be at 100% with three races in a row. Compared with the last races I made some changes on my feeding adding some energy drinks to compensate the loss of the liquids due to the high temperature. I like this track cause it’s exciting but it ‘s also very wide and I need to find the right trajectories as I never rode a 250 bike here. In this moment I feel quite good and relaxed without nay pressure. Moreover the work ambience is peaceful and it helps me to concentrate”.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

MotoGP Free Practice
Friday, October 10
Sepang, Malaysia

1. Sete GIBERNAU, Honda, 2:05.070

2. Valentino ROSSI, Honda, 2:05.670

3. Carlos CHECA, Yamaha, 2:05.805

4. Max BIAGGI, Honda, 2:05.855

5. Kenny ROBERTS, Suzuki, 2:06.449

6. Olivier JACQUE, Yamaha, 2:06.627

7. Marco MELANDRI, Yamaha, 2:06.725

8. Loris CAPIROSSI, Ducati, 2:06.809

9. Shinya NAKANO, Yamaha, 2:07.016

10. Alex BARROS, Yamaha, 2:07.180

11. Tohru UKAWA, Honda, 2:07.404

12. Nicky HAYDEN, Honda, 2:07.440

13. Makoto TAMADA, Honda, 2:07.483

14. Garry McCOY, Kawasaki, 2:07.883

15. Troy BAYLISS, Ducati, 2:08.508

16. Noriyuki HAGA, Aprilia, 2:08.561

17. Colin EDWARDS, Aprilia, 2:09.256

18. Jeremy McWILLIAMS, Proton, 2:09.564

19. Andrew PITT, Kawasaki, 2:09.899

20. Nobuatsu AOKI, Proton, 2:09.977

21. Akira RYO, Suzuki, 2:10.469

22. Ryuichi KIYONARI, Honda, 2:11.883

23. David DE GEA, Harris WCM, 2:12.142

24. Chris BURNS, Harris WCM, 2:14.358

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

I have in hand a cashier’s check for $32,000 that is no good. Drawn on a U.S. bank (Wachovia), it arrived at my P.O. Box today, after over a month of e-mails back and forth in regards to a man who wanted to purchase a rare Honda CR750 that was listed on my website.

I called the number listed on back of the check which put me in contact with, “Integrated Payment Systems” to find out if the check was good and was informed that the check number that was given had been cashed some months ago for a totally different amount!

Interesting note: The name of man looking to buy was, “Andre Agassi” and the remitter was listed as, “Tom Jones”! These guys even have a sense of humor.

Thanks to Roadracing World I had a “heads up” on what was going down when I received this bogus check.

Mark McGrew
M3 Racing
Hawley, Minnesota

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Defending MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi said he remains unsigned for the 2004 season despite widespread reports Wednesday that he was leaving Honda to ride for Yamaha.

Speaking in a pre-event press conference Thursday in Malaysia, Rossi told reporters, “The contract I was offered by Honda at Motegi was not good enough and I did not sign it. My manager will arrive tonight with a new one and we will have to see. I don’t know what people are saying because I don’t read the newspapers, but I can tell you that I have not signed for anybody, that is for sure. I think the best thing for this weekend is to concentrate on the race and the championship.”

If Rossi finishes second or better this weekend in the Malaysian Grand Prix he will clinch his third consecutive 500cc/MotoGP World Championship and his fifth World Championship overall. Rossi is 24 years old.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Dunlop is conducting another tire test at Daytona International Speedway this weekend.

The company tested in August and will return to Daytona in December.

Yoshimura Suzuki’s Aaron Yates and Ben Spies will ride at the test this weekend. Four-time AMA Superbike Champion Mat Maldin, awaiting the birth of his first child in Australia, will miss the test.

From a press release issued by Scandinavian Brake Systems (SBS), makers of brake pads:

We at SBS congratulates our partners in racing, Chris Vermeulen and Ten Kate Honda Racing Team winning the 2003 World Supersport 600 title and Team Phase One Endurance winning the 2003 Endurance World Championship title.


Ten Kate clinched their second consecutive World Supersport crown with both riders on the top two steps of the podium at the penultimate round in Imola.

World Supersport championship Imola race result (21 laps – 103.593km)
1. Karl Muggeridge, Australia (Ten Kate Honda) 39:48.471
2. Chris Vermeulen, Australia (Ten Kate Honda) -0.771s (2003 World Champion)
3. Jurgen van den Goorbergh, Holland (Yamaha) -7.380
4. Stephane Chambon, France (Suzuki) -10.035
5. Sebastien Charpentier, France (Honda) -10.766

Final round: Magny-Cours, France – October 19th

From a press release issued by Triumph:

TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES APPOINTS WORLDWIDE COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR

Tue Mantoni Recruited to New Global Sales and Marketing Post

NEWNAN, Georgia – October 09, 2003 – Triumph Motorcycles (America) Ltd., announces the appointment of Tue Mantoni to the newly created position of Commercial Director for Triumph Motorcycles Limited. In this position Tue Mantoni will oversee the commercial strategy of Triumph worldwide including all sales and marketing related activities.

Following six months of extensive strategy, organization and operational project work with Triumph as the senior consultant and project leader with McKinsey & Co. – a leading management consulting firm – Mr. Mantoni was recruited to the Commercial Director post by John Bloor, owner of Triumph Motorcycles Limited.

“A world-class brand like Triumph deserves a world-class talent and in today’s demanding business environment companies go wherever they can to find the best strategic thinking, most inventive solutions and distinctive work,” stated John Bloor. He continued, “During this past year Tue, working with the McKinsey & Co., established corporate strategic growth plans for Triumph along with worldwide marketing goals. Recruiting someone of Tue’s caliber to focus on our worldwide sales and marketing activities is a key next step in our plan and our commitment to meeting those goals.”

Mr. Mantoni was previously senior consultant and project leader with McKinsey & Co. in London, England – with an emphasis on sales and marketing related projects, specializing in growth strategies for global brands. Prior to his position at McKinsey, Mr. Mantoni was employed with Goldman Sachs in London – one of the leading global investment banking, securities and investment management firms. Born in Denmark, Mr. Mantoni holds an MBA from the Leonard N. Stern Business School, New York University. Residing in London, his office is at the Triumph Motorcycles headquarters in Hinckley, England.

Mr. Mantoni joined Triumph as Commercial Director on August 1, 2003 and has been traveling around the world meeting with each of the subsidiaries. Commenting on Mr. Mantoni’s appointment Mark Brady, General Manager Triumph Motorcycles (America) Ltd., said, “We are very pleased to have Tue on the Triumph team and we are confident that his leadership will assist in expanding market share for Triumph and extending the reach of this venerable icon.”

Returning from recent visits to the United States, Tue Mantoni stated, “The US market represents the single most important market segment in the company’s plans both in terms of current size and future growth. I am encouraged by the strong reception to the Triumph line and committed to the further development of Triumph’s dealer network, product line and customer satisfaction.”

In his new role with Triumph, Mr. Mantoni will oversee and work closely with each of the subsidiaries marketing and sales teams.

Triumph Motorcycles (America) Ltd., is a wholly owned subsidiary of Triumph Motorcycles, Ltd., the manufacturer of Triumph motorcycles and accessories. Triumph Motorcycles (America) Ltd., is located in Newnan, GA and services the Triumph dealer organization throughout the United States, Canada and Latin America.

From a press release:

PACIFIC TRACK TIME ANNOUNCES NEW OWNERSHIP

GILROY, CA, October 9, 2003 – Pacific Track Time, a leading provider of upscale motorcycle track day events on the West Coast, announced the sale of the company today to American Federation of Motorcyclists (AFM #26) racer, Michael Earnest.

Michael has been racing in the AFM since 1985, as well as holding a current AMA racing license. Michael recently won both the 600 Production and 600 Superbike championships in the AFM this year while collecting another top ten plate. He, also, has previously instructed the AFM New Racer School.

“The Pacific Track Time staff has always been a close knit group. That is what attracted me to the company when I came on-board earlier this season to assist in instructing. I am excited to become part of such a fantastic group and company. I am looking forward to joining Briana, Bob and the staff in making Pacific Track Time the most successful track day provider on the West Coast,” said new owner, Michael Earnest.

Company founder, Briana Droege plans to remain on-staff as a marketing consultant and assist in the management transition and day-to-day business operations. Also, previous partner, Robert Marshall, plans to remain on-staff as a corporate legal consultant. The company’s current structure and service offerings are remaining the same. Plans for the Pacific Track Time 2004 season are still in the scheduling phase and will be announced by the end of the year.

“We are thrilled to have Michael’s enthusiasm for track day events and racing come to Pacific Track Time. Michael shares the same vision for Pacific Track Time’s future that I have. So, I am very excited to help him bring Pacific Track Time to the next level in this industry and make it the biggest and best track day provider west of the Rockies!” stated Briana Droege.


About Pacific Track Time
Pacific Track Time is the West Coast premier up-scale motorcycle track day provider. Founded in 2001 by Briana Droege, Pacific Track Time operates events at Laguna Seca, Thunderhill, and Willow Springs, Streets of Willow. Pacific Track Time is a privately held company.



And now, some reader reaction:

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

The press release from Pacific Track Time is very obvious in its total exclusion of Todd Robinson. The press release states that Briana Droege founded the company in 2001. I’m pretty sure that Todd was at least an equal in that founding.

I wonder why Todd’s being dissed like this. The last I heard about any of these people was Todd’s family having a nasty car crash, now this. The imagination reels.

Weird.

Andy Schwarm
Monrovia, California



And the answer, via e-mail:

Todd Robinson’s personal decision to resign from his position as Managing Partner of Pacific Track Time was made at the beginning of the month. He passed his control of the company to Briana Droege (Founding Partner) and Bob Marshall (General Partner). Todd’s plans are to focus on recovering from the brain injury he received in the rollover auto collision that happened in August and on running Cal-Sportbike.

Since its inception, Pacific Track Time has benefited greatly from Todd’s important contributions. Todd has played a significant role in helping the company create a strong foundation for future growth. We thank him for all that he has done for Pacific Track Time and wish him all the best with Cal-Sportbike. We hope that everyone will join us in wishing the Robinson family a speedy recovery.

Briana Droege
Founder and Marketing Consultant

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

I am also a Captain in Iraq at a place we call Q West which is short for Qayarah West. Q West is about 45 miles south of Mosul where the other Captain you know is writing from.

I just want to say that I appreciate your support for the guys over here and simply ask that the free track days for the road racers in the military be run again when we redeploy and can actually take advantage of the opportunity.

Right now Iraq may be the unemployment capital of the world, but we are putting a dent in the number of unemployed Iraqis. We have tons of these guys doing all kinds of construction and various projects at the airfield here. Which will eventually be turned over to the Iraqis to run again.

Now if we could just get Saddam and kill off a few more of the terrorists this place could really be a land of opportunity. Someday, Roadracing World may be reporting from a new road racing course in Baghdad.

Thankful for Roadracing World,

CPT B
U.S. Army
Qayarah West, Irag