From a press release issued by Stewart Aitken-Cade of USGPRU:

The U.S. Grand Prix Riders Union (USGPRU) 125cc GP Series has a new website at www.USGPRU.net.

The old .org site is no longer being used as
the prime site.

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