Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Three-time AMA Superbike Champion and current AMA Superbike Championship points leader Mat Mladin says AMA Pro Racing has made a big mistake with its new 2004 Superbike rules for 2004, and complains that the new technical regulations will give 1000cc V-Twins an advantage over 1000cc four-cylinder racebikes.

“I think the AMA has made an absolute massive mistake in what they’ve done with the rules. All because one guy’s winning races this year they decide to change it? That’s crazy,” said Mladin, nine-time race winner in 2003.

The 2004 rules will require 1000cc Fours, like the Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 ridden by Mladin, to go back to stock airboxes and stock fuel-injection throttle bodies while 1000cc V-Twins will be able to run near their current state of tune.

“They’re saying, yeah, but they can only have the same gearbox (one homologated and one standard gearbox) option as us, as the four cylinders, but Ducati doesn’t change their gearboxes anyway. So essentially they’re allowing a full V-Twin Superbike and we’re going to be handicapped by, who knows, 10-15 horsepower. So all the AMA’s gone and done is put the advantage straight back into the V-Twin’s hands, like the V-Twins have had.

“I think a better way is Ducati needs to abide by everyone else’s rules for once and not have everyone play by Ducati’s rules. Simple. How many years have V-Twins had an advantage over four-cylinder motorcycles? Ever since they’ve been around.”

Mladin believes 1000cc four-cylinder bikes and 1000cc V-Twins under the 2003 rules are competitive with each other and points out Honda’s 1-2-3 finish at Daytona and other strong V-Twin showings at Road America and Mid-Ohio.

“I believe our bike comes off the turn fractionally better, but I believe the V-Twins still have top end on us,” said Mladin.

Al Ludington, Crew Chief for American Honda’s Miguel Duhamel, disagrees with Mladin and complains that the AMA should have already done something to make V-Twins more competitive, mid-season. On Honda’s radar gun during the recent Dunlop tire test at Daytona, Ludington said Mladin’s GSX-R1000 hit 187 mph, RC51 Hondas ridden by Duhamel and Ben Bostrom hit 181 mph and a 2004 Superstock-spec GSX-R1000 ridden by Aaron Yates hit 181 mph.

“The 2004 rules will probably even things up (on horsepower),” said Ludington, “but the four-cylinder is going to be the way to go. The way the weight bias is on the Four helps its handling too much. They all have the power to blow away the rear tire. The Four gets turned and stood up on the big part of the tire quicker, allowing them to get on the gas sooner.

“The AMA doesn’t address the difference in parity in a timely manner,” said Ludington. “Look at NASCAR. I know people say it’s boring, but $2.2 billion in revenue isn’t boring. NASCAR has its own R&D facility with its own wind tunnel and engine development program.

“And NHRA. Have you seen that bike that Vance & Hines is drag racing now? They won a couple of races in a row, and NHRA called them up and told them to add 10 pounds to the bike for the next round. The problem lies in the AMA’s adjustments to the rules.

“You can’t write rules in the winter and hope they’ll be good for the next eight months.”

From a press release issued by WERA:

WERA NATIONAL SERIES HITS THE MID-WEST FOR ROUND EIGHT AT HALLETT

TULSA, Okla.- Round eight of the WERA National Challenge Series and the Dunlop/WERA National Endurance Series will be held this weekend, August 29-31, at Hallett Motor Racing Circuit.

Friday, August 29, will be an all-day practice for the racers. Many of the National Series competitors have never visited Hallett and will be busy learning the 1.8-mile, 10-turn road course.

The Dunlop/WERA National Endurance Series race will start at 11:30 am on Saturday, August 30. It will be the final six-hour race of the season, and riders will be faced with the physical and mental challenges of endurance racing.

Vesrah Suzuki will aim for their eighth consecutive win overall on their Suzuki GSX-R1000. Army of Darkness, who has won the Mediumweight Superbike class in every round, also hopes to continue their season-long winning streak.

Sunday, August 31, will feature the WERA National Challenge Series as well as the Mid-Central Sportsman Series races. There will be 15 sprint races, and each one will be eight laps long.

The National Challenge races include Open Superstock, Pirelli Formula 1, 125 GP, 600 Superstock Expert, STAR School 600 Superstock Novice, and expert and novice divisions for 600 Superbike, 750 Superstock and Superbike, Lightweight Twins, Heavyweight Twins, and Formula 2.

Hallett Motor Racing Circuit is located just 35 miles outside of Tulsa. Three-day tickets are available for $30, Saturday/Sunday tickets are $20, and Sunday only is $15. More information about the track, including directions, can be found on Hallett’s website, www.HallettRacing.com.

More information about WERA, including a full schedule for the weekend at Hallett, can be found at www.WERA.com.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

British rider James Ellison will race a Suzuki GSX-R750 in the AMA Superstock race at Virginia International Raceway (VIR) this weekend.

Ellison, 22, will ride the STAR Suzuki School machines left vacant by Hawk Mazzotta; Mazzotta is still recovering from knee and foot injuries suffered in a crash during an AFM race in July at Thunderhill and will not ride at VIR.

According to STAR Suzuki School Crew Chief Jeremy Daniel, Jason Pridmore and Mazzotta collaborated on the deal to bring Ellison over for the race.

In addition to riding with Pridmore on the Endurance World Championship-leading Suzuki GB Phase One team, Ellison has raced in 23 European Superstock Championship events, has won seven and has finished on the podium 12 times.

Attack Suzuki’s Josh Hayes, who raced with Ellison recently in the Oschersleben 24-hour Endurance World Championship race, said Ellison is “a cool kid. I’m glad he’s coming over. It’ll be fun to have him here. I think he’ll do well.”

From a press release issued by Foggy Petronas Racing:

Foggy Feels His Age at Valencia Test

Carl Fogarty took to the saddle of the PETRONAS FP1 during Foggy PETRONAS Racing’s first day of a two day private test in Valencia, Spain for further development of the Malaysian superbike.

“I am officially old!” commented a surprised Carl. “It’s amazing how different it felt to be back out on track after three and a half year. I did a couple of runs of three or four laps but when I came back in to the garage my head was spinning. Going down the start finish straight I was finding it difficult to comprehend the speed and then found I was braking early and cruising round the corners really slowly!

“It would have been easier if I was at a circuit like Donington, which I know well, and also on a bike that I know as I’m obviously not familiar with the handling, characteristics and sounds of the FP1. I’ve only ever tested, not raced at Valencia which is a technical track and I didn’t find the seating position on the FP1 comfy, particularly given my injuries and dodgy knees!

“That said though, today’s ride round certainly put an end to any joking thoughts I may have had about racing again. It was hard work and every part of me was aching when I got off the bike. I managed to knock seconds off my lap time with every lap but I couldn’t, and didn’t want to, push to the limit. It was an experience for sure but that’s it – I can’t believe I have to say I’m now too old for this,” Carl concluded with a smile.

James Haydon was unable to ride having woken up with seized neck muscles, leaving team-mate Troy Corser to work through the testing programme, although joined by British rider Jamie Morley on a second FP1. He achieved promising lap times for his first outing on the bike and commented to be impressed with its chassis and handling.

Team Manager Nigel Bosworth commented, “We have a number of areas to test which wouldn’t necessarily be most productive for Troy and James to work on, so it was good to have the opportunity for Jamie to ride the bike and also obtain a third opinion and good feedback for the team and engine manufacturer.”

Troy Corser was happy with the day’s work having made valuable in-roads particularly with clutch settings. “It’s been great to have time to really test different areas today as we understandably never have enough time during a race weekend. We tried different combinations of spring and pre-load settings and found something I’m very happy with. I’m comfortable with my lap times, averaging around 1:37s, as that’s about the same as in the race here at the beginning of the season and I’ve not been trying as hard as I was then and, the track condition is also not as good. Being back at Valencia I’ve been able to benchmark just how much improvement we have made since the first race here 6 months ago, and there is no doubt that the bike package as a whole is stronger.”

From a press release issued by Proforma:

HAS/SHOGUN RACING BACK IN FULL FORCE AT VIRGINIA

HAS/Shogun Racing rider Heath Small will be back in action at Virginia International Raceway this weekend for Round 10 of the AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship, after recovering from hand injuries sustained at the Pikes Peak Raceway round. Heath joins teammate John Haner, who has been flying the HAS/Shogun flag solo for the last four rounds.

Both riders took the opportunity to race in last weekend’s WERA regional event at V.I.R., and Heath was able to test his left hand in real racing conditions. “I’ve been riding dirt bikes for the last week or so, but it’s not the same as road racing. The WERA weekend went well. My hand’s a little sore, but it’s getting better all the time,” said Small. “I’m not trying to rush it, just take my time and get myself back up to speed after being off for three months.”

John, fresh off a sixth place finish in Superstock at Mid-Ohio, used the WERA event to try out new fork settings after having them serviced over the weekend. “The forks are way better, it makes the whole bike feel better,” said Haner, who is currently tenth in Superstock points and looking to move up. “There’s only 22 points between 6th and 10th place in points. With a good result this weekend I could move up a few spots in the standings, which would be good for next year.”

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Faster!, the full-length feature movie about MotoGP racing, could be in American theaters by November, according to the film’s director.

“We don’t have any date definite yet,” Faster! director Mark Neale told Roadracingworld.com in a telephone interview. “We’re still talking to a lot of studios – Sony, Fox, HBO. We have several offers, but we want to make sure the offers are solid and right.”

Even if Hollywood’s major movie studios don’t show the interest in the film that he would like, Neale said he and Executive Producer Ian MacLean and Spark Productions will do a limited release of the film in at least six major U.S. cities in November followed by a DVD and video tape release of the film soon after. “I’m really impatient to get it out there,” said Neale.

Faster! has already met with a warm reception when viewed by MotoGP racers Valentino Rossi, John Hopkins, Garry McCoy, Olivier Jacque, Colin Edwards, Loris Capirossi and officials from MotoGP rights holder Dorna at the Cannes Film Festival in France during May.

“I think the film itself is great, I enjoyed it a lot,” Rossi told reporters at Cannes.

Faster! was shot on location at several Grands Prix from June 2001 to July 2002, and, thanks to the full cooperation of Dorna, Neale and his film crews had unprecedented access to the bikes, teams and riders–as well as to archival film footage.

“It’s an action documentary,” said Neale of his 100-minute product. “It’s a documentary that shouldn’t be any less exciting than an action movie, especially when considering you’re dealing with a sport as exciting as this.”

A motorcycle racing fan before he started Faster!, Neale said he hopes the film appeal to a wide audience and will be different things to different people. “Some people who are less into the sport will get more into the stories and hopefully open their eyes to the sport,” said Neale. “And it will take the enthusiast further into the sport than they’ve ever been.”

Some of the stories followed by Faster! include the heated rivalry between Rossi and Max Biaggi (with footage taken seconds after their famous physical altercation behind the podium at Catalunya). Interviews with former greats Kenny Leroy Roberts, the late Barry Sheene, Wayne Rainey and Kevin Schwantz give first-person insight into racing rivalries.

The film also follows the story of young MotoGP star Hopkins and his meteoric rise to the highest level of motorcycle road racing, McCoy’s roller coaster ride from winning more GPs than Rossi or Biaggi in 2000 to spending a large portion of the next two seasons injured and watching from the paddock garage, and the transition of the World Championship from 500cc two-strokes to 990cc four-stroke racebikes. The stories are narrated by actor and motorcycle racing enthusiast Ewan McGregor.

“The director Mark Neale called me up and showed me the movie while I was working in the U.S., and I had never seen such a good motorcycling film,” McGregor told reporters in Cannes, France.

“It’s the definitive action movie about Grand Prix motorcycle racing,” said Neale.

From a press release issued by the Wegman Benefit Fund:

The 17th Annual Wegman Benefit Fund auction was a resounding success this year raising just over $17,000 for seriously injured road racers. This is a new record amount again this year.

The directors and volunteers that worked so hard to make this event happen would like to thank everyone that contributed to the auction and certainly those that spent their hard earned money to make this possible. The list of donors and helpers is long but worthy of noting here so they can be acknowledged for their support of the Wegman Fund and injured road racers across the country.

Alexa & Roger Krueger, Alvarez Restaurant, Ben Bostrom, Bill & Claudia Ritger, Bill & Granny Beyers, Blackhawk Farms Raceway, Bob Delie, Brandon Kupczak, Brian McLaughlin, Championship Cup Series, Chris Onwiler, Clear Channel Motorsports, Corner Ten Store, Corona Suzuki Racing, Dave Bergeron, DDM Motorsports, Ed Kwaterski, Edna Ringenberg, Eric Bostrom, Fox Valley Cycles/Jim Cromwell, Fritz Kling, Gayle Wagner, Hal’s Harley- Davidson, Henry Chin, Hooker’s Resort, Ideal Mfg. Solutions, Illinois Harley-Davidson, Jane Styles, Jason DiSalvo, Jim Schaefer, John Dries, John Wytack, Kegel Motorcycle Co., Kim Berg-Olsen, Kurtis Roberts, Larry Pegram, Layke Tool & Mfg., Learning Curves Racing, Ltd./Rick Breuer, Lucky Devil cycle Sports, Lucky Dog Racing/Roger Hendricks, Marilyn Shock, Matco Tools, Matt Gerard, Matt McNall, Matt Mladin, Matt Schmidt, MCJ Motorsports/Vesrah, MD Racing, Miguel DuHamel, Mike Langenfeld, Mike Schaefer, Neal Manske, NEC Racing, NESBA, Nick Manske,Norris Racing, Patty Prince, Polar-Optics, LLC, Ray Irwin, Rhiannon Lucente, Rick Schertzl, Safety First Racing, Sharkskinz Body Works, Speedgear.com, Spyder Leather Works, Starnet USA/Russ Intravartolo, Steve Faust, Team Motorsports of Green Bay, Team Stumpy Racing, Tim Berry Motorsports Art, Torque Center, Traxxion Dynamics, Valley Racing, Vincent Haskovek, Visionsports, Inc./Dave Rosno, Yoshimura R&D of America, Young America, 4&6 Cycle.

If I missed anyone I’m truly sorry but please know that your support is greatly appreciated.

Gordon Lunde
Wegman Benefit Fund, Inc.
3741 S. 71 St.
Milwaukee, WI 53220-1814
414-321-2338
gplunde@starnetusa,net

From a press release issued by series organizers:

VETERANS LEAD TITLE FIGHT

TORONTO, ON – Fans might feel they are in a time warp at this weekend’s final round of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship at Shannonville Motorsport Park.

The battle for Canada’s national motorcycle road racing title is shaping into a two-horse race between veteran riders Pascal Picotte and Steve Crevier. Picotte, from St-Cecile de Milton, QC comes into the season finale with a 17-point lead over Maple Ridge, BC’s Crevier, 277-260. A rider can score a maximum of 56 points at each Parts Canada Superbike round.

Almost exactly 10 years ago Picotte and Crevier were at the forefront of the Canadian racing scene and their battles became legendary. Crevier was in the midst of a three-year championship run from 1991 to 1993, riding for Kawasaki. In 1992 and ’93 Picotte rode the Italian-built Ducati against the more traditional Japanese manufacturers. He won five races in that time but never captured a Canadian crown.

Now riding for his own Picotte Racing Yamaha team, Picotte is trying to win his first national Superbike title this weekend and give Yamaha its first crown since 1990, when Michel Mercier won his last of three championships and his teammate and protégé was a young Picotte.

Crevier on the other hand is bidding for a record-extending seventh Canadian Superbike crown and the second straight for Suzuki. Crevier is in his first year with the Diablo Performance Suzuki team and trying to become the first racer in Canadian series history to win a title with four different manufacturers. His previous championships came with Yamaha (1989), Kawasaki (1991-93) and Honda (2000-01).

But Picotte and Crevier are not the only riders with a shot at the Parts Canada Superbike title this weekend. Francis Martin of Rock Forest, QC, the 1999 national champion is third in the standings with 245 points for the Coors Light Racing/Blackfoot Suzuki team.

Also mathematically in the race is Joliette, QC’s Jean-Francois Cyr with 229 points for his CyRacing/Michelin Yamaha squad.

Six riders have scored wins in the seven Parts Canada Superbike rounds held so far and this weekend’s event has plenty of other challengers for victory. Chardon, OH’s Tom Kipp won the previous event at Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant for Canadian Kawasaki Motors and moved up to fifth in points.

Also among the potential winners is Toronto’s Michael Taylor, who won earlier this year in Calgary aboard his Orion Motorsport Honda.

Action this weekend also features the final rounds of the Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike and International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike national support classes. Picotte has already clinched the 600 Sport Bike title while another Yamaha rider, Keremeos, BC’s Jeremy Leduc holds a narrow lead in the Amateur 600 Sport Bike standings.

Qualifying for all three national classes will take place Saturday afternoon with feature races set to go on Sunday.

This weekend’s event will be televised on TSN on Sunday, Sept. 28 at 1:00 p.m. and on the Outdoor Life Network on Sunday, Oct. 26, also at 1:00 p.m. Action from Shannonville will also be shown later this year on Quebec’s RDS.

For more series information, visit www.cdnsuperbike.com

All Time Shannonville Motorsport Park Superbike Wins: Steve Crevier (Maple Ridge, BC) 9; Michel Mercier (Thetford Mines, QC) 5; Rueben McMurter (London, ON) 3; Miguel Duhamel (Repentigny, QC) 2; Jeff Gaynor (Toronto, ON) 2; Pascal Picotte (St-Cecile de Milton, QC) 2; Michael Taylor (Toronto, ON) 2; Don Munroe (Halifax, NS) 2; Paul MacMillan (Downsview, ON) 1; Gary Goodfellow (Vancouver, BC) 1; Steve Dick (Vancouver, BC) 1; Linnley Clarke (Barrie, ON) 1; Jordan Szoke (Brantford, ON) 1; Francis Martin (Rock Forest, QC) 1; Frank Trombino (Kleinburg, ON) 1; Kevin Lacombe (Granby, QC) 1

Shannonville Motorsport Park Fast Facts

…More national Superbike races have been staged at Shannonville Motorsport Park than any other Canadian venue. The facility near Belleville, ON is hosting its 36th race this weekend. It held its first in 1980, when Rueben McMurter won.

…This is the 13th year Shannonville has played host to more than one Superbike national round, but only twice has there been a ‘Shannonville Sweep’. Michel Mercier won both SMP rounds in 1987 and Steve Crevier duplicated the feat in 1989. In each instance Mercier and Crevier went on to score Canadian titles. In 1992 and ’93 Crevier won two of three Shannonville nationals. The rider who stopped him on each occasion was Pascal Picotte.

…In the 17 years Shannonville has hosted at least one national Superbike round, an SMP race winner has gone on to take the Canadian crown eight times. The last time it happened was 2001, when Crevier claimed the season opener. Before that it happened in 1997, when Don Munroe triumphed in the finale.

2003 Point Standings
Parts Canada Superbike: 1. Pascal Picotte (Yamaha) 277; 2. Steve Crevier (Suzuki) 260; 3. Francis Martin (Suzuki) 245; 4. Jean-Francois Cyr (Yamaha) 229; 5. Tom Kipp (Kawasaki) 191 Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike: 1. Pascal Picotte (Yamaha) 296; 2. Clint McBain (Suzuki) 192; 3. Frank Trombino (Yamaha) 172 International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike: 1. Jeremy Leduc (Yamaha) 218; 2. Derek Bowker (Yamaha) 190; 3. Dan Henri (Yamaha) 169

Provisional Weekend Schedule

Saturday Aug. 30

1:00 p.m.-1:25 p.m. – Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike Qualifying

2:15 p.m.-3:05 p.m. – International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike Qualifying

3:15 p.m.-4:00 p.m. – Parts Canada Superbike

Qualifying
Sunday Aug. 31

12:30 p.m. – Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike Race – 12 laps

2:15 p.m. – International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike Race – 12 laps

3:00 p.m. – Parts Canada Superbike Championship Race – 14 laps

From a press release issued by Rizla Suzuki:

Hi from Yuki in hospital

IT has been a while since my last diary entry, but I have just finished my new column for Motorcycle Racer Magazine and thought I would let all the Rizla Suzuki fans know how I am getting on in Lincoln hospital.

The first thing I must say is thank you all for your kind thoughts and messages. I had no idea that I had so many fans either here in the UK or from across the world. Thank you so much for your support and the strength you give me to get better.

My pelvis is broken in two places and I have a fixator fitted to keep it in place and help it heal quickly. That is my main injury, although there is another that I have that is strange – I have world champion bollocks. They are huge and very swollen and I am glad the doctor says they will heal naturally.

I don’t remember a great deal about the crash. I collided with Chris Heath, a slower rider, on the circuit at the same time as me. Blue flags were being waved, but we still came together. I am glad he is not seriously injured.

I do think that Cadwell Park needs more run-off area. If I had more run-off then maybe my injuries wouldn’t be so bad. I had no time to think before I was lying on the ground in agony wondering what had happened. Cadwell Park is a dangerous place to race motorcycles and I hope something is done to make it safer.

I am still sore but the doctors and nurses here at Lincoln hospital are very good to me. They are nice people and are positive that I will recover, although it will take some time. They think maybe it will be three months before I will walk again. I hope I can beat that and walk earlier, that is a main target for me. I want to heal as fast as possible.

It means that I won’t be racing again this year, which is disappointing and difficult for me. I want to race for my fans and to win races, but now I must put all my energy into healing for next season.

I have made no decision on where I will be racing in 2004 but would like to win the BSB title if possible. The decision will be made after I talk with Suzuki Company and recover completely from my injuries.

Rizla Suzuki will have a stand-in rider for the final two rounds of British Superbikes. I will support whoever that will be and hope that along with John-san, my team can win the last four races. This is a great team and I am happy to be part of it.

Some friends who have visited me say that I am lucky to have the attention of so many pretty nurses in hospital. I agree, but I am married…