From a press release:

Pramac Racing presents its 2003 MotoGP sports programme



Victory in the 2005 MotoGP championship: This is Pramac Honda Team’s ambitious aim. The announcement was made during the imposing presentation that took place, before all the assembled workers, inside the Pramac Group works in Casole d’Elsa.

“It would be fantastic to get there even earlier. Our commitment is to prepare special tyres for each Grand Prix”, said Hiroshi Yamada, director of the Bridgestone motorcycle division that has chosen Pramac Racing and Honda for the development of its new generation tyres.

“The challenge we are facing is to become the number one team in the Grant Prix”, reaffirmed Tetsuo Iida, former chief of Honda Europe for nine years and now president of Pramac Racing. He was chosen for the helm of the racing squad by Paolo Campinoti, the managing director of the Pramac Group who is already gunning for the title this year with the other team set up in agreement with Sito Pons and Max Biaggi. “Max is the best rider, Pons has the best organisation, and we’re putting our bets on the world championship”, declared Campinoti.

“We’ll be working together to make the best of Italian imagination and Japanese meticulousness”, stressed Gianluca Montiron, sports director of the team that will be entrusting the Bridgestone-shod Honda RC211V to Japanese rider Makoto Tamada, and that will have another Japanese, Shinichi Itoh, as its full-time test rider.

“In the world championship this year we’re going to have to face up to new teams and new competitors. It’s going to be a very tough and very hard-fought championship. Knowing that we’ll be working with an efficient organisation like Pramac, that we’ve known for two years, is indeed a comforting thought”, said Kuoji Nakajima, general manager of HRC, “partly because we know that Bridgestone will do all in its power to give us its support and technical development. And we’ll do the same.”

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

BMW Group Niderlassungen Racing Team’s Markus Barth set the fastest time in the first BMW Boxer Cup practice session Wednesday afternoon at Daytona International Speedway at 2:07.503 for an average lap speed of 100.515 mph.

“For me everything is new,” Barth told reporters. “I’ve never raced on oval, so I’m very surprised that I have fast time. The tactic for the race is very important here, and also the slipstream. I used the slipstream from some other guys, so I feel that’s the best solution for the race.”

Americans Brian Parriott, who will contest the entire nine-round BMW Boxer Cup series, and 18-year-old Jason Perez were second and third-fastest respectively.

Wednesday Afternoon BMW Boxer Cup Practice Times (all on BMW R1100 S):

1. Markus Barth, Germany, 2:07.503
2. Brian Parriott, USA, 2:07.527
3. Jason Perez, USA, 2:07.586
4. Roberto Panichi, Italy, 2:07.620
5. Andy Hofmann, Switzerland, 2:07.883
6. Thomas Hinterreiter, Austria, 2:08.142
7. Richard Cooper, UK, 2:08.444
8. Sebastien Legrelle, Belgium, 2:08.471
9. Michael Galinski, Germany, 2:09.117
10. Eric Lejeune, Belgium, 2:09.428
11. Guillaume Dietrich, France, 2:09.602
12. Fernando Cristobal, Spain, 2:10.140
13. Lex Van Dijk, Netherlands, 2:10.150
14. Koen Vleugels, Belgium, 2:10.170
15. Francois Cicilliani, France, 2:10.699
16. Ricky Orlando, USA, 2:10.720
17. Alessandro Tomassoni, Italy, 2:10.933
18. Steven Casaer, Belgium, 2:11.028
19. Steve Atlas, USA, 2:11.040
20. Jay Springsteen, USA, 2:11.179
21. Josep Maria Busquets, Spain, 2:11.259
22. Norbert Rebholz, Germany, 2:11.303
23. Peter Ottl, Germany, 2:11.505
24. Jeroen Oudeman, Holland, 2:11.813
25. Dirk Buylinckz, Belgium, 2:11.949
26. Agusti Busquets, Spain, 2:12.002
27. Alex Busquets, Spain, 2:12.078
28. Javier Valera, Spain, 2:12.510
29. Laurry Fremy, France, 2:12.701
30. Klaus Nies, Germany, 2:12.857
31. Matt Layt, UK, 2:13.883
32. Nate Kern, USA, 2:14.409
33. Jimmy Lewis, USA, 2:14.455
34. Gabriele Perri, Italy, 2:14.923
35. Frank Shockley, USA, 2:14.978
36. Brian Catterson, USA, 2:15.616
37. Barry Burrell, UK, 2:15.664
38. Dave Campbell, USA, 2:15.924
39. Gerald Young, USA, 2:17.239
40. Guido Stosser, Germany, 2:17.587
41. Rosana Scoleri, Italy, 2:18.236
42. Robert Van Der Molen, Holland, 2:18.253
43. Greg White, USA, 2:19.688
44. Jorge Diaz, Spain, 2:24.408

From a press release issued by Corona Extra Suzuki:

CORONA EXTRA SUZUKI ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH JOE ROCKET

Corona Extra Suzuki is proud to announce the Team’s partnership with Joe Rocket for the 2003 and 2004 AMA Superbike Championship seasons. Joe Rocket will provide Corona Extra Suzuki team riders Adam Fergusson, 2001, 2002 AMA SuperStock Champion Jimmy Moore and 2002 Canadian Superbike Champion Jordan Szoke its state-of-the-art “Speedmaster” suit And gloves.

“Joe Rocket has a history of working with Champions and producing top-of-the-line racing products” said Corona Extra Suzuki principal Tim Saunders. “All of us at Corona Extra Suzuki are honored Joe Rocket has selected the Team as a showcase for their new products. Adam, Jimmy and Jordan are all excited to get into their new leathers and add 2003 Championships to Joe Rocket’s and the Teams collection!”

Look for Corona Extra Suzuki’s with Adam, Jordan and Jimmy and new look-leathers in Formula Xtreme, Superbike and SuperStock action. An added bonus to the partnership for race fans, Joe Rocket and Corona Extra Suzuki are planning to offer Corona Extra Suzuki replica Team gear!

Corona Extra Suzuki is proud to be partnering with Corona Extra, Suzuki, EBSCO Media, MTS, Parts Unlimited, Dunlop, Yoshimura R&D, Joe Rocket, Sidi Boots, MotionPro, Braking, Silkolene Lubricants, Suzuki Genuine Accessories, STR Motorsports, Lindeman Engineering, Bickle, FastDates.com, Yoyodyne, Hotbodies Racing, Zero Gravity, Regina Chain, Race Girl, GP Tech, RB Components, Spiegler, Box R, Stahlwille Tools.

Twenty-eight years ago today Sue Gobert gave birth to her first son, Anthony, in Green Acre (a suburb of Sydney), New South Wales, Australia.

From a press release:

Dunlop Expands WERA Sponsorship to National Endurance Series

Buffalo, NY: Dunlop Tires, a longtime sponsor of WERA’s 600 Superstock Expert class, is proud to announce it is expanding its role by becoming the Title Sponsor for WERA’s National Endurance Series Classes for three years, 2003 through 2005.

WERA Motorcycle Roadracing Inc. is one of the oldest (starting in 1974), largest and most well-respected sanctioning bodies in the United States. For 2003, WERA’s National Endurance Series will comprise 10 events, with five combined expert/novice classes.

For riders (WERA boasts 3000-plus licensed competitors), it means that at each venue Dunlop will be there to provide tires and mounting services, adding a measure of convenience for all racing teams using Dunlop tires.

Dunlop’s increased presence and sponsorship roles reaffirm the company’s commitment to support racing in the U.S. at all levels. WERA, for example, has been sanctioning national and regional series in order to help showcase the talents of riders of all skill levels. WERA also enjoys a working relationship with the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) that ensures riders, teams and sponsors have the opportunity for involvement at virtually every level of road racing competition in the U.S.

From a press release issued by Daytona International Speedway’s PR Department:

Dunlop Tire Named ‘Official Tire of Daytona 200 Week’

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., (March 4, 2003) — Daytona International Speedway officials announced today that Dunlop Motorcycle Tires has been named the “Official Tire of Daytona 200 Week.”

The 62nd Daytona 200 By Arai on Sunday, March 9 and the 32nd Daytona Supercross By Honda on Saturday, March 8, headline Daytona 200 Week.

Support races of Daytona 200 Week include the Pro Honda Oils U.S. Supersport, the Suzuki Genuine Accessories Superstock, the inaugural BMW
Motorrad International BoxerCup and the MBNA 250 Grand Prix.

Dunlop is the leading supplier of motorcycle racing tires in the United States and has dominated the Daytona 200 By Arai in the past decade with riders such as Scott Russell, Miguel Duhamel, Mat Mladin and most recently Nicky Hayden.

“Dunlop has a storied success at Daytona and it’s fitting that they’re now the official tire of Daytona 200 Week,” Speedway President Robin Braig said.

Tickets for Daytona 200 Week events are available online at
http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling the Speedway ticket office at (386) 253-7223.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

The start of AMA practice at Daytona is on hold due to fog and a wet track.

Pro Honda Oils U.S. Supersport practice was scheduled to start at 8:00 a.m. Wednesday but has not started as of 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time due to a wet track and low visibility from fog.

“The tower can’t see the back straight,” said AMA Superbike Operations Manager Ron Barrick. “Visibility is not good. So we’re on hold for that and for the wet track.”

Originally, the Pro Honda Oils U.S. Supersport, Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock and MBNA 250cc Grand Prix classes were each scheduled to have 40 minutes of practice Wednesday morning, followed by a 90-minute Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike practice session.

Wednesday afternoon’s schedule calls for the Supersport, Superstock, 250cc Grand Prix and BMW Boxer Cup classes to each get approximately 30 minutes of practice, followed by another 90-minute Superbike practice.

Obviously, the schedule will be adjusted accordingly as soon as practice starts, and the weather forecast for Wednesday is good, calling for temperatures in the mid-80s Fahrenheit and no rain.

The reason BMW Boxer Cup riders were not scheduled to practice Wednesday morning, according to Barrick, was because the BMW Boxer Cup organizers were concerned that not all of their competitors would arrive at the track in time.

Thursday’s schedule includes approximately 35-minute practice sessions for the support classes and a 60-minute Superbike practice in the morning followed by Supersport, Superstock, BMW Boxer Cup and Superbike qualifying sessions.

The front row of the Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike grid will be locked in on Thursday with the rest of the grid being set in other qualifying sessions on Friday.

After practice Friday morning and final Superbike qualifying on Friday afternoon, the Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock and Pro Honda Oils U.S. Supersport final events will take place, separated by 250cc Grand Prix qualifying and final qualifying for the BMW Boxer Cup.

No on-track road racing activity will take place on Saturday at Daytona International Speedway.

Sunday’s schedule calls for short warm-up sessions for 250cc Grand Prix, BMW Boxer Cup and Superbike riders with the 250cc Grand Prix, BMW Boxer Cup and Superbike final events taking place in the afternoon.

The Superstock race will run 15 laps, the Supersport final will last 18 laps, the 250cc Grand Prix race will go 18 laps, the BMW Boxer Cup race will run 13 laps and, of course, the 62nd Annual Daytona 200 by Arai Superbike race will go the traditional distance of 57 laps or 202.92 miles.