From a press release issued by Croft Circuit, in North Yorkshire:

Friday 8th to Sunday 10th August 2003
Classic Racing Motorcycle Club Meeting

CRMC ELEBRATES ACU ANNIVERSARY AT CROFT

Croft Circuit near Darlington will echo to the sound of yesteryear once again when the Classic Racing Motorcycle Club hold their annual meeting over three days this forthcoming weekend (Friday 8th to Sunday 10th August).

And with the sport’s governing body, the Auto Cycle Union, celebrating its centenary this year, riders will be competing for an additional trophy with the addition of the ACU 100 Handicap Race.

The format for the event will see one hundred Classic and Post Classic riders selected to compete from various categories with heats being run on Friday afternoon to determine the grid for Saturday’s final. The race will be handicapped to allow the smaller engine sizes a chance against the bigger bikes and the top three riders will be awarded trophies and garlands.

Throughout the weekend, there will be plenty of action with no less than 21 classes, both solo and sidecar, set to be fought out around the 2.13 mile full circuit and with top riders such as Lea Gourlay, Mike Hose, Phil Sharpe, Allan Oversby and Colin Breeze in the entry, the racing is bound to be fast and furious.

Practice starts on Friday and Saturday at 9.30am and 12.00 noon on Sunday with racing immediately afterwards on all three days. Adult admission is just £6.00 on Friday and Saturday and £12.00 on Sunday with accompanied children under 15 admitted free.

For further details please contact Claire Jones at Croft Circuit on 01325 721819.

From a rather disjointed press release issued by Sportbike Track Time:

Aprilia, Moto Guzzi, and Triumph to provide demo rides at Femmoto 2003

Aprilia USA has committed to have 30 motorcycles available for demo rides. Moto Guzzi will attend with the new Breva 750 and at least 5 other models of motorcycles. Triumph has now committed and will have 6 motorcycles present for demo rides. Saturday will be the Women’s only event followed by a combined day of “Women & Men Riders” on Sunday.

“What a joy and a dream come true to get fifty-two women from different parts of the country to come together to share in their passion to be out on the track riding in a safe environment for Femmoto 2002” says Bonnie Strawser, co-owner of Sportbike Track Time and the driving force behind Femmoto. “Things are really heating up for Femmoto 2003 at Pahrump. More sponsors, more manufacturers, and assistance from our associates at Pacific Track Time mean that women riders who join us will have a very special time on the track with other women at a great west coast venue”.

WHEN: Saturday, September 20, 2003 Women’s only Track & Demo Day followed on Sunday with an combined “Track Day” for both “Women & Men Riders”. Both days gate will open at 7:00am and run until 5:00pm with a one hour lunch break.

Saturday: “Femmoto” day will be a track day with 15 minute riding sessions. Women will ride demo motorcycles in their respective experience levels – Novice, Intermediate, and Advanced. Sportbike Track Time and Pacific Track Time instructors will be on hand to help women with track riding skills. After every third riding session there will be a thirty minute workshop. Workshops will cover everything from riding skills to basic motorcycle maintenance. Lunch and refreshments throughout the day are included. There is no need for women to bring their own motorcycles for the “Femmoto All Women’s Day” as this is a demo track day only. Women will have the opportunity to ride 4 or more sessions during the day on 4 or more different demo bikes.

Sunday: Combined track day with Women & Men riders. This day will consist of 20 minute riding session in three different skill levels – Novice, Intermediate, and Advanced. STT & PTT instructors will again go out with the Novice group to practice the drills that are explained in the classroom and the instructors will also be available for their students after each track session. STT & PTT instructors will also monitor/assist the Intermediate and Advanced group. This is a regular track day where riders are on their own motorcycles. Aprilia will be staying for Sunday also so riders will have an opportunity to demo track ride an Aprilia for 20 minutes in the Novice or Intermediate groups (sorry, no Advanced Group demos!). The rest of the time riders are on the track on their own motorcycles.

WHERE: Spring Mountain Motorsports Park, Pahrump

HOW TO SIGN UP: http://www.femmoto.com

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The revised Casio Triangle, or the chicane, at Suzuka Circuit will not pass FIM homologation and must be changed, say FIM officials.

“I will not accept this chicane anymore,” said FIM’s Claude Danis. “For next year, they have to change the chicane.”

When it comes to FIM track inspections and approval, Danis is the man. In addition to holding the title of FIM Circuit Inspector, Danis is also the President of the FIM Road Racing Commission and sits on the newly-formed FIM Grand Prix Safety Commission and the FIM Grand Prix and Superbike Commissions.

“They report to me that they got some accident with domestic racing. Of course, I cannot say it was not true because I was not there,” Danis told Roadracingworld.com Sunday morning after making his final inspection prior to the start of the Suzuka 8-Hours race. “They push very hard to change the double chicane we got for the Grand Prix. I accepted that situation providing we have some sort of Type-A protection, some sort of Airfence in the last turn and also nearby the chicane. But I am not satisfied at all with this chicane, and I think everybody is not satisfied with this chicane.”

The problem Danis has is not so much the chicane itself, but the resulting speed through the final, sweeping right-hander onto the front straightaway and the lack of run-off room there.

“For me with the room that is there, the best solution is to have the double chicane,” said Danis. “It make it safer because we have a safety issue with the last turn. And by making a double chicane like that the speed is less, and the riders, because they are going on the left-hand side of the last chicane, they are more straight going through this last corner. They are not that close to the wall or the guardrail than they are with the existing chicane.”

Why will the Suzuka 8-Hours go on if he doesn’t approve of the chicane? Danis said, “Sometimes it’s quite difficult to find good solution here at Suzuka in Japan, but next year I will not accept this.”

From a press release issued by Cartersport:

Steve Hislop Funeral Details

Steve’s mum Margaret along with George have asked us to forward details for the funeral as follows:

Thursday 7th August 2003 at 12.30pm

Teviot Church
Hawick
Scotland

(In town centre adjacent to High School and Car Park – ample car parking in town and surrounding fields) followed by interment at Southdean cemetery, near Bonchester.

All are welcome to meet afterwards at the Horse and Hounds, Bonchester for refreshments.

Family flowers only please.

Donations towards the Steve Hislop Memorial Fund to be collected at the church or please send to:

Steve Hislop Memorial Fund
c/o Cartersport
PO Box 150
Northallerton
North Yorkshire
DL6 3WZ

See related post, 7/30/2003 Steve Hislop Dies In Copter Crash

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By Beth Wyse

Vesrah Suzuki’s Tray Batey earned three wins during the WERA National Challenge Series round at Summit Point Raceway, while Brian Kcraget and track homeboy Tim Bemisderfer each won two races.

Batey won the 750cc Superstock race, finishing 10 seconds ahead of teammate John Jacobi with Reuben Frankenfield third, all on GSX-R750 Suzukis.

Batey’s second win of the day came in Heavyweight Twins, a runaway on a Suzuki TL1000R. Only four bikes started the race, with three finishing. Jimmy Clark was second on a Honda RS250 and Brian Roach was third on a Yamaha TZ250.

Batey had to hold off Shenandoah Honda’s Bemisderfer in the opening laps of the Pirelli Formula 1 race, but eventually pulled away to win on his Suzuki GSX-R750. Bemisderfer finished second on his Honda CBR954RR and C.R. Gittere was third on a Suzuki GSX-R1000.

Bemisderfer followed Mark Junge in the Open Superstock race, finally passing for the lead on lap seven. Bemisderfer, who was again riding his Honda CBR954RR, won by a narrow margin over Junge, who was riding a Suzuki GSX-R1000. Army of Darkness’ Mark Crozier was third on a Honda CBR954RR.

David Rose led the 600cc Superstock race until he crashed on the sixth lap, bringing out the red flag. Bemisderfer, who was in second on his Honda CBR600RR, was credited with the win. Junge took second and Michael Garofalo was third, both on Suzuki GSX-R600s.

Brian Kcraget won the 125cc GP race on the NESBA.com Honda RS125. He chased Scott Moxey until the final lap, when he passed for the lead. Moxey was second and Steve Gorrell was third, both also riding Honda RS125s.

Kcraget earned a second win in Formula 2, again on his Honda RS125. Bart Ashby was second on a Suzuki SV650 and Jimmy Clark was third on a Honda RS250.

Team InfoTech’s young Nicky Wimbauer won the 600cc Superbike race on a Yamaha YZF-R6, leading the entire race. XT Racing teammates Greg Myers and David Weber finished second and third, respectively, Myers riding a Yamaha YZF-R6 and Weber on a Suzuki GSX-R600.

Weber and Wimbauer battled during all 10 laps of the 750cc Superbike race. Weber barely kept his Suzuki GSX-R750 in front of Wimbauer and his Yamaha YZF-R6, until the final lap, when Wimbauer got past. But Weber pulled alongside as they headed down the front straight toward the finish line, winning by half-a-wheel. C.R. Gittere was third on a Suzuki GSX-R750.

Despite injuries sustained in a crash during the endurance race on Saturday, Bradley Champion won the Lightweight Twins race. Champion, Edward Repkoe and Phillip Chapin, all on Suzuki SV650s, battled all 10 laps. Repkoe eventually finished second and Chapin was third.

Intermittent rain fell during the day, but the track never became wet enough for rain or even intermediate tires.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Official Hour One Standings From Suzuka 8-Hours:

1. Seven Stars Honda 7, SB, 25 laps
2. Kenz JTrust Mojo Suzuki, JSB, -10.915 seconds
3. Team Sakurai Honda 71, SB, -13.628 seconds
4. Zongshen Suzuki 1, SP, -35.161 seconds
5. Wins Factory & Vega Sports, JSB, -35.826 seconds
6. Moto Liberty Arata-EX & Kiss-FM, XF1, -40.255 seconds
7. Corona Light TiForce Endurance, SP, -40.834 seconds
8. Team 22 & Tsukigi Racing, SP, -43.032 seconds
9. Heat Magic by Wins Factory, JSB, -60.072 seconds
10. Weider Honda ATS DDBoys, JSB, -72.487 seconds

13. Corona Light TiForce Endurance, assessed 20 second stop-and-go penalty for missing sighting lap

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Seven Stars Honda 11’s Nicky Hayden and Yoshimura Suzuki GP1 Daxim’s Atsushi Watanabe both crashed in turn one at the start of lap two of the Suzuka 8-Hours.

Television replays of the incident only showed both riders sliding into the first turn’s gravel trap.

Later, Hayden, with the help of cornerworkers, pushed his crashed Honda RC51, which had the rear wheel locked up, onto a crash truck.

Watanabe’s Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 caught fire in the gravel trap and was extinguished before it was also loaded onto the crash truck.

Team Sakurai Honda 74’s Tadayuki Okada crashed in turn one on the next lap and joined Hayden and Watanabe on the crash truck, which brought all three riders back to pit lane.

At the time of the Safety Car period, the running order was:

1. Seven Stars Honda 7
2. Kenz JTrust Mojo Suzuki
3. Team Sakurai Honda 71
4. F.C.C. TSR Zip-FM Racing Team
5. Weider Honda ATS DDBoys
6. YSP & Presto Racing
7. Corona Extra TiForce Endurance
8. F.C.C. TSR
9. Wins Factory & Vega Sports
10. Moto Liberty Arata-EX & Kiss-FM

From a press release issued by Seven Stars Honda:

Re: protest to the disqualification of #11 team

The Jury of the meeting decided that the #11 machine has been disqualified as it was carried back to the pit by a wrecker after the 2nd lap incident. Honda made a protest to the Jury as the rider got on the wrecker following the instruction of track marshal.

However, the protest has been rejected due to the reason that Nicky Hayden did not reject the instruction of the marshal to get on a wrecker.

This decision is unacceptable for Honda, but we decided that we should not continue the protesting as it would be meaningless to do so.

Koji Nakajima

Managing Director Honda Racing Corporation/General Manager of Seven Stars Honda teams


And now a very good question, posed by a reader:

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

I am writing to express my opinion.

Regarding Suzuka 2003: When did they change the rules? It used to be that you were penalized if you didn’t obey the marshals. Now Hayden gets bagged because he didn’t disobey?

Unacceptable, and lame to boot.

Thanks for listening.

David Yesman
Norwich, Vermont

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

F.C.C. TSR Zip-FM Racing Team’s Shinichi Itoh, 36, rode his Bridgestone-tired, Honda CBR954RR-powered prototype to pole position for the 26th Suzuka 8-Hours Saturday during the Special Stage superpole session.

After promoting his team from fifth to first with a lap of 2:07.552, Itoh told reporters his performance was better than he expected. From a translation provided by Suzuka Circuit staff, Itoh said he felt his current role as a test rider for Bridgestone allowed him to make the perfect tire choice for Saturday afternoon’s Special Stage session. The two-time race winner would not reveal anything about his team’s tire strategy for the race but did say the team was having trouble getting a consistent fuel mileage reading from its X-Formula machine.

Itoh’s last 8-Hours race win came in 1998, but he finished second in 2001 behind Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards.

British Superbike regular and MotoGP fill-in rider Yukio Kagayama turned a 2:07.655 on his JSB class, Dunlop-equipped Yoshimura Suzuki GP1 Daxim GSX-R1000 in the earlier Attack Stage, giving his partner Atsushi Watanabe, who will start the race for the team, the second spot on the grid.

Kagayama said he lost some time due to a couple of mistakes, which he regrets, but he said traveling across the world racing for the last eight weeks straight has worn him out. Still, Kagayama hopes to bring Suzuki its first 8-Hours win since 1983.

Kenz JTrust Mojo Suzuki’s Keiichi Kitagawa did a 2:07.754 on his Dunlop-shod, JSB-spec GSX-R1000 in the Jump-up phase of the Special Stage to qualify third. Kitagawa, a regular JSB1000 competitor in the All-Japan Road Race Series, said his 8-Hours bike is very similar to his normal racebike, but a fever had slowed his progress through practice, especially through the “East part” of the Suzuka Circuit.

Kitagawa’s teammate, World Supersport regular Katsuaki Fujiwara, said the GSX-R600 he usually rides is completely different from the 8-Hours bike, and he is forced to ride opposite from the way he normally does. Fujiwara also pointed out to reporters that he hasn’t ridden at Suzuka in three years and hasn’t raced the 8-Hours since 1998. As a result, his goal will be to support Kitawawa.

When asked about the surprise 10-tire limitation, most riders with the top three teams refrained from making a comment, but Kagayama spoke out, saying 10 sets of tires is not enough. According to a translator, Kagayama said Honda was in a good position with the tire rules thanks to testing at the circuit, but his team was having troubles. “Those that have tire data will be OK, but those with no data or who do not ride in Japan might have trouble. Tires on the 1000cc bikes lose grip quickly and slide a lot,” Kagayama was reported as saying.

The riders were also asked about the changes to the Casio Triangle chicane since Daijiro Kato’s fatal accident there in the April 2003 MotoGP race. Itoh said he didn’t feel a big change but said the new chicane was not easy. Apparently, the wall on rider’s left bothers him. “It feels like it is very close,” said Itoh through a translator . “They have widened it (the area between the chicane and the wall) but it is not enough.”

Kagayama then said there are a lot of dangerous curves in foreign tracks, especially in England where he says there are far too many dangerous tracks. “If all these people who are here today were to ride in England they would probably boycott and not ride because it is too dangerous,” said Kagayama, through the translator.

Nicky Hayden out-did his Seven Stars Honda 11 teammate Ryuichi Kiyonari in the Special Stage, but Hayden’s 2:08.711 was only good enough for sixth on the grid. Hayden said he had problems in the Special Stage warm-up session and the two-hour wait from the warm-up until he, the last rider, went on track also did not help. But Hayden said the biggest factors in his less-than-hoped-for performance were his mistakes.

“I was a little bit nervous before Superpole because we had a little bit of problems (in practice). Before I went out, they (his team) were, ‘be careful, be careful,’ because they wanted me to get a time,” Hayden told Roadracingworld.com. “I guess I rode a little bit tight. I got a little slide coming out of the hairpin; I got out of the seat there. It was a pretty clean lap, but I broke too early for turn one. Actually, I broke quite early for turn one. After that I got into a rhythm. I was down at the first split, but I was pretty close after that.”

Hayden said the reason he went quicker Friday morning three laps into official practice than he did on his Special Stage lap was related to tires. “We had two race tires,” said Hayden. “The race tire I did my best time on, the 2:07.3, I like it a little bit better for the race, but it’s a little hard and doesn’t come in as quick as this one.”

Hayden also said his Honda RC51 was in full race trim with a light fuel load for his Special Stage lap. When asked why his team didn’t reprogram the Honda’s engine management system for full performance instead of fuel mileage for the Jump-Up Stage, Hayden said, “We never even talked about it. It was never brought up.”

Corona Extra TiForce Endurance team held on to its 13th starting spot during the Special Stage. Attack Stage rider Anthony Gobert was very happy with his 2:09.921 lap despite a small mistake when he ran wide in Spoon Curve. Gobert’s mistake, however, was smaller than teammate Adam Fergusson’s miscue exiting the hairpin during the Jump-up Stage.

“I just lit it up and tossed it sideways, and that burned up a load of time,” said Fergusson. “Oh, well. Anthony got us a good time and put us fairly close to the front. It’s an 8-hour race anyway. Starting six or seven positions further up isn’t going to change the outcome. I’m just disappointed because I wanted to see how fast I could really go.”

Combined Special Stage Results:

1. F.C.C. TSR Zip-FM Racing Team, Honda CBR954RR, XF1, S. Itoh, 2:07.552

2. Kenz JTrust Mojo Suzuki, Suzuki GSX-R1000, JSB, K. Kitagawa, 2:07.655

3. Yoshimura Suzuki GP1 Daxim, Suzuki GSX-R1000, JSB, A. Watanabe, 2:07.754

4. Seven Stars Honda 7, Honda RC51, SB, T. Ukawa, 2:08.433

5. Masked Rider 555 Honda, Honda CBR954RR, JSB, Y. Takahashi, 2:08.598

6. Seven Stars Honda 11, Honda RC51, SB, N. Hayden, 2:08.711

7. Team Sakurai Honda 74, Honda RC51, SB, T. Okada, 2:08.730

8. Team Cha-llenger, Yamaha YZF-R1, JSB, T. Kayo, 2:08.893

9. YSP & Presto Racing, Yamaha YZF-R1, JSB, S. Nakatomi, 2:09.108

10. F.C.C. TSR, Honda CBR954RR, JSB, Y. Konishi, 2:09.474

11. Team Sakurai Honda 71, Honda RC51, SB, Y. Nukumi, 2:09.523

12. Garfield RSK, Suzuki GSX-R1000, XF1, H. Kobayashi, 2:09.823

13. Corona Extra TiForce Endurance, Suzuki GSX-R1000, XF1, A. Gobert, 2:09.921

14. Weider ATS DDBoys, Honda CBR954RR, JSB, O. Deguchi, 2:09.953

15. Wins Factory & Vega Sports, Suzuki GSX-R1000, JSB, H. Kawase, 2:10.096

16. Alpha OMC Racing Supply, Suzuki GSX-R1000, JSB, A. Tamitsuji, 2:10.229

17. Moriwaki Motul Racing, Honda CBR954RR, XF1, M. Okuno, 2:10.730

18. RS-Itoh & Kaze, Kawasaki ZX-7RR, SB, I. Higashimura, 2:10.770

19. Club Yamaha Motorcycle Racing, Yamaha YZF-R1/7, XF1, M. Tokinaga, 2:11.682

20. Team Etching Factory 15, Yamaha YZF-R1, XF1, K. Hasegawa, 2:12.627

More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service:

YOSHIMURA SUZUKI SECURE SECOND GRID

After the official practice of the 2003 Suzuka 8 Hours that was held on 31 July, the teams were timed to be qualified on 1st August. The top 20 qualified teams took part in the Superpole today. Two SUZUKI GSX-R1000 teams, YOSHIMURA and KENZ, showed brilliant performances in the past three days. YOSHIMURA took the second grid and KENZ took the third grid for the final race.

Under heavy muggy weather just like in past years, each team has now completed final machine settings and official qualifying. A new regulation this year allows every team to use a maximum of 10 tyres throughout the event starting from official qualifying to the final race.

YOSHIMURA SUZUKI rider, Yukio KAGAYAMA, has been regularly participating in the British Superbike
Championship this year and Atsushi WATANABE, title holder of 2002 All Japan Superbike Championship on a YOSHIMURA-made JSB machine that debuted this week, netted good times.

WATANABE recorded 2:07.540 which was the second quickest of the day.

The KENZ machine has been ridden by Katsuaki FUJIWARA, a regular rider of World Super Sports, and Keiichi KITAGAWA who has won three races out of four of the All Japan Championship. KITAGAWA was fast enough to qualify for the Super Pole with the ninth quickest time, 2:09.254.

In the Special Stage, KAGAYAMA (YOSHIMURA SUZUKI) was second with 2:07.655, while KITAGAWA (KENZ) marked the third quickest time which was 2:07.754.

Although it was Shinichi ITO / Takeshi TSUJIMURA riders on the CBR954RR of the Extreme Class that made the top time, the SUZUKI riders also did well for the final race tomorrow with top two quickest times in the JSB class.

Yukio KAGAYAMA (YOSHIMURA SUZUKI) – “It is my first week of riding the YOSHIMURA machine, however; as it has been nicely set-up by WATANABE while I was in England, I am feeling familiar with it. I have been riding for the BSB, WSB and Moto GP for nine weeks. So, physically I feel a bit tired, but have good spirits. I will give it my best, aiming for victory tomorrow.”

Atsushi WATANABE (YOSHIMURA SUZUKI) – “KAGAYAMA and I have been improving in the same team, so we know each other very well with regards to likes and dislikes concerning machine. With our machine that has been finished to a satisfactory level, I would like to complete an 8-hours run without any mistake made, hoping to beat the one and only works team that participates in this event this year.”

BKeiichi KITAGAWA (KENZ SUZUKI) – “Physically I had been in a bad condition until yesterday, but today, I could manage to ride well. With a speedy machine and a reliable partner, I hope to beat the HONDA works team tomorrow and be the first finisher. This is the third year for me in riding the GSX-R1000 for the 8-hours. Surely the best result will be brought to us only if we can complete the race without any mistake made.”

Katsuaki FUJIWARA (KENZ SUZUKI) – “As soon as I finished with the race held at Brands Hatch, I flew to Japan for the Suzuka without taking a rest. I am required to ride the 8-hours machine in a different manner from that for the GSX-R600 I usually ride. The characteristics of the machine today is not the same as that of the GSX-R600. However, I think that my riding style has been adjusted little by little for the 8-hours machine that KITAGAWA has set up. I found my times starting to improve at last. My mission tomorrow is to support KITAGAWA”