From a press release issued by Proforma’s Bill Syfan:

HAS/SHOGUN RACING TO MAKE AMA DEBUT AT DAYTONA

In a new alliance between HAS Racing and Shogun Motorsports, the team of HAS/Shogun Racing will make its debut in the 2003 AMA/Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship at Daytona on March 5th. With two successful tests in the last month at No Problem Raceway and Oak Hill Raceway, the new team has gotten a chance to work together and determine baseline settings that will help make the team more competitive from the start of practice at Daytona.

“The team has really come together in the two tests that we’ve done,” said team owner Lance Small. “Our sponsors have been great about getting us the products that we need, and the crew has worked non-stop to get everything together for Daytona.”

Riders John Haner and Heath Small have had a chance to get familiar with their new machines, which in Heath’s case was quite a change. “I’ve been riding V-Twins for the last three years, so it’s taken some laps to get used to the Yamaha R6, but I’m getting really comfortable on it now,” said Small, who will focus on the AMA 600 Supersport class at Daytona on the #278 Yamaha.

John Haner, who will contest the AMA 750 Superstock class on the #44 Suzuki GSX-R750, has been training hard in preparation for the 2003 season. “I’m in better shape than ever, and my endurance is way up. I’m really looking forward to the Superstock race at Daytona!”

Both Haner and Small will also compete in the Superbike class on Yamaha R1s that meet the new 1000cc engine rules for the class. Be sure to look for the red, white and blue HAS/Shogun Racing transporter in the paddock at Daytona.

For more information on HAS/Shogun Racing, visit www.hasracing.com and www.shogunmotorsports.com.

From a press release:

AMA privateer Chris “Opie” Caylor’s fan-based
website is now officially open!

Please visit www.chriscaylor.com for information about Opie and the team.

The News section will be updated often with announcements, pictures and articles. So check in frequently.

From a press release issued by Dunlop Tire Co.:

Dunlop Announces Change in Qualifying Race Tire Policy

Daytona Beach, FL–Dunlop Tire announced today that the company will not be supplying qualifying tires to competitors in the AMA Chevy Trucks Superbike class or the AMA Formula Xtreme class during the 2003 season. This decision will take effect beginning with the 62nd annual running of the Daytona 200 on March 9, 2003.

This decision was reached recently, following ongoing discussions with Dunlop’s contracted Superbike teams at the end of the 2002 season. “It’s simply a matter of cost and of giving the teams additional time to find their best race set-ups during practice,” said Jim Allen, Dunlop’s Road Race Manager. “When we raised the topic in our annual meetings with the OEM teams at the end of 2002, there was general agreement that as long as no Dunlop team had access to qualifying tires and as long as none of our tire competitors were supplying qualifying tires, the extra edge these tires can give wasn’t necessary.”

Dunlop supplies tires to all of the major OEM race teams and the vast majority of the AMA Superbike and Formula Xtreme fields, and has unassailable records on both classes. Specifically, in the 27-year history of AMA Superbike racing, Dunlop has won 17 championships, including the last 13 in a row.

Allen added that an agreement had been reached with Dunlop’s UK division to produce and ship all necessary qualifying tires immediately, should it prove necessary to react to the actions of other tire companies. In addition, a one-race supply of the latest qualifying tires is currently on hand at Dunlop’s USA headquarters in Buffalo, NY.

From a press release issued by Keith Milne of Vmoto:

New Vintage Motorcycle Racing Group Formed

Vmoto (Vintage Motorcycle Racing Association), founded by Llew Kinst and Keith Milne in January of 2003, will offer a different experience for the vintage rider and spectator than is currently available. Vmoto’s focus is on the history of the sport and period correct bikes, not trying to make history by putting an emphasis on races and winners.

Vmoto encourages the restoration, preservation and use of historic, vintage, and classic road racing motorcycles. Vmoto events are, in effect, rolling museums where historic bikes of the past can be ridden once again in a venue that respects their historic value. Vmoto advocates preserving the history of the bikes and giving the rider an opportunity to experience motorcycle racing as it was in the past.

“You can either go vintage bike racing or go and race a vintage bike,” states founder Llew Kinst. “There is a big difference between the two. The former allows modern technology and emphasizes competition, the later (sic) emphasizes the history of the bikes and the sport.” Vmoto strives for the later, providing a venue for riders to bring out historically significant bikes and ride them as they were intended.

Vmoto is currently planning events at Northern California tracks for the 2003 season.

For more information, visit our website at http://www.vintagemoto.com

From a press release issued by Roger Lyle:

There will be three motorcycle Tune & Test Days at Summit Point Raceway in 2003. The first date is Thursday, April 10, followed by May 22 and September 19.

All licensed road racers and race-prepared machines are eligible for these practice days on the legendary Summit Point Raceway 2-mile circuit. This is a great opportunity for racers to dial in their motorcycles before a big race weekend.

For more information on these quality days at the track, contact Roger Lyle at 301-933-2599 or [email protected].

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

AMA Pro Racing does not run races in the rain at Daytona International Speedway, but Formula USA, CCS and AHRMA do run races at Daytona in the rain.

What’s it like to ride around the paint-stripe-covered, wall-lined Daytona Speedway in the rain? We talked with two of the top Formula USA racers about their recent experiences.

“I just rode around, used a lot of throttle control, tried to be real smooth,” said Kneedraggers.com Yamaha’s Matt Watt after qualifying on F-USA pole position with a YZF-R6. “The paint stripes are really super slippery. I hit one of them and the bike went sideways. So I just tried to ride around and stay off the paint….I didn’t know how hard I could go in because it was raining harder in some corners than others. But I was just trying to be careful.

“Turn one, there’s a major, big paint stripe going into turn one, so you have to make sure you stand the bike up and let off the brakes real quick when you go over it. The high-speed stuff, the kink, be careful through there. I tried to roll it and not chop it or wick it up through there. Entering the chicane, obviously. When it rains a lot there’s a big, huge puddle there that causes your bike to hydroplane. There’s grip there, but you have dodge the paint stripe.”

“Having to come off of turn six, out of the infield and out of the chicane; those two spots are real, real slick and the puddles against the dark pavement, and you can’t really see how deep the puddles are,” Formula USA Unlimited Grand Prix winner Michael Barnes said after wet qualifying. “That’s a real challenge, especially coming out of the chicane. Then to have a 170-plus-horsepower GSX-R1000 cruising around the banking in full-wet conditions, besides having the tire spinning on the banking, in the tri-oval the rear was stepped out a good foot. You could feel it, just full counter-steering through the tri-oval past the start/finish line. I can see why other organizations don’t race in the rain here.”

Another consequence of racing in the rain is that fallen riders slide much farther on wet pavement, quickly traveling through what is considered to be safe run-off room.

Tilley H-D/Buell’s Tripp Nobles crashed at the exit of the chicane during the wet Thunderbike final and slid a great distance before impacting inflatable air barriers at speed.

Earlier last week, Bettencourt Racing’s Jeff Wood crashed in the high-speed dogleg turn and nearly slid completely across the expansive run-off area and back across the west horseshoe.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Bruce Transportation Group Honda’s Marty Craggill will not race in the AMA National event at Daytona International Speedway March 5-9 due to recent surgery on his back.

Bruce Crew Chief Joey Osowski told Roadracingworld.com that Craggill, 34, suffered with a pinched nerve in his neck during off-season testing. “It was bothering him before the last test at Fontana (California Speedway, February 5-6). That’s why he only rode the morning of the second day.”

Craggill had been seen by a doctor prior to that test, and the doctor, according to Osowski, told Craggill that the problem could get better on its own. The Bruce team then went to participate in a three-day test at Laguna Seca Raceway in late-February.

“Marty went out and did nine laps on the first morning, came in and he couldn’t lift his head, he was in so much pain,” said Osowski from his Whittier, California race shop. “At that point it was like, you have to go get this thing taken care of now, before it gets too late.”

Craggill had a MRI scan and was diagnosed with a pinched nerve in his neck. On February 20, Craggill had minor surgery to “remove a disc from his back,” reported Osowski, who did not know the name of Craggill’s doctor or which California hospital Craggill received care at.

“He’s doing a lot better,” said Osowski. “He’s up and driving and everything. He’s swimming for rehab, and has an appointment next week to see when he will be able to ride a bike again. We’re hoping to catch a track day out here (California) later this month and be ready for the Fontana race (April 4-6).”

Although the Bruce team originally considered fielding Craggill on a Honda CBR954RR in the Daytona 200 Superbike race, the team had abandoned those plans before Craggill’s injury became a problem. Craggill did intend to race in the Supersport event at Daytona and campaign the entire AMA Supersport and Formula Xtreme series.

The first round of the Formula Xtreme series takes place at California Speedway.

Craggill is a former Australian Superbike Champion.

From a press release issued by organizers of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship series:

TORONTO, ON – Parts Canada Superbike Championship officials announced today a date change for the seventh round of the series at Circuit Mont-Tremblant. The event will take place Aug. 15-17 rather than Aug. 22-24, as originally planned.

The shift came due to a late change in the CART Champ Car schedule. That series recently moved its round at Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve to Aug. 22-24, setting up a conflict with the Parts Canada Superbike event. Mont-Tremblant is located about an hour’s drive north of Montreal.

Since the two events will draw from the same pool of course workers, Parts Canada Superbike representatives elected to change the date
of their event.

“It wasn’t very practical to try and run two major motorsports events within about an hour of each other on the same weekend,” said Colin Fraser of Parts Canada Superbike Championship series organizer Professional Motorsports Productions. “The staff at Mont-Tremblant have been very co-operative in helping us resolve this situation and we thank them for their understanding.”

The Mont-Tremblant event, the first national Superbike round held at the classic venue, will now come one week after the Parts Canada Superbike series stop at Atlantic Motorsport Park in Shubenacadie, NS. The season will conclude two weeks following the Mont-Tremblant race at Shannonville Motorsport Park Aug. 29-31.

The full revised schedule is as follows:

Round 1 May 15-18 Shannonville Motorsport Park (Pro Track), Shannonville, ON

Round 2 June 6-8 Race City Motorsport Park, Calgary, AB

Round 3 July 4-6 Autodrome St-Eustache, St-Eustache, QC

Round 4-5 July 18-20 Mosport International
Raceway, Bowmanville, ON

Round 6 Aug. 8-10 Atlantic Motorsport Park, Shubenacadie, NS

Round 7 Aug. 15-17 Circuit Mont-Tremblant, Mont-Tremblant, QC

Round 8 Aug. 29-31 Shannonville Motorsport Park (Long Track), Shannonville, ON