From a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

DUCATI CORSE PRESS INFORMATION

WORLD SUPERBIKES BACK IN ACTION AT VALENCIA
HODGSON AND XAUS LINE UP FOR TEAM DUCATI FILA

The World Superbike Championship swings back into action this weekend at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia, Spain for its sixteenth season. In the five months since the memorable end to the 2002 championship, Ducati Corse has been hard at work preparing for the new season, which it will tackle with a new rider, a new bike and a new sponsor.

Britain’s Neil Hodgson, who moves up from the ranks of the HM Plant satellite Ducati team to race for Team Ducati Fila, and Spain’s Ruben Xaus, confirmed for a third successive year with the factory squad, will spearhead the Italian manufacturer’s attack in the World Superbike Championship in 2003.

Hodgson and Xaus are the first riders to get their hands on Ducati’s latest Superbike, the 999, and they will ride the 1000cc twin-cylinder machine exclusively throughout the 2003 season. The Ducati 999 Factory ’03, which sports an exciting new design married to the successful Testastretta engine, has tested well throughout the winter and promises to continue Ducati’s successful tradition, which has seen them take Riders’ or Manufacturers’ titles with every Superbike machine produced to date (851, 888, 916, 996, 998).

With the arrival of globally-renowned Italian sportswear manufacturer Fila as partner, the bikes also sport a totally new livery for the first time in four years. The 999, resplendent in its exciting new colour scheme, was revealed in a spectacular media event last Monday in Milan, which marked the start of a two-year partnership with Fila.

Hodgson smashed the Valencia lap record at last weekend’s pre-season testing session, leaving the new unofficial mark at 1:34.01. Even at this early stage, the 29-year-old British riders is not letting himself be overawed by the tag of #1 favourite for the title: “I’m really looking forward to weekend now because I had a really good test last week and that took a lot of the pressure off me. The Valencia track has not been one of my favourites in the past but as I finally got to know it well at the weekend, I feel a lot more at home on it now. The Ducati 999 is a big improvement on my last year’s bike and I feel really comfortable with it and confident about the season ahead.”

Xaus, who finished sixth overall in last year’s championship, starts his third season with the factory Ducati SBK squad full of confidence for the year ahead is one of the most difficult tracks for me, because it is the way the corners are, they are very tight, with hard braking and changes in direction, not long and fast corners as I like. It’s my home race however and with the new Ducati 999 I’m enjoying it much more. The 999 seat is wider than the 998 and it’s easier to move the bike around so I feel more comfortable.”

CIRCUIT
World Superbike comes to Valencia for the fourth time since the ‘Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana’ opened for business in 1999. The circuit is 25 kms from Valencia along the motorway to Madrid and can accommodate over 110,000 spectators surrounding the 4.005 km track. Valencia has many slow turns, mainly left-handers and a long pit straight measuring almost 900 metres.

STATISTICS
Lap record: Bostrom (Ducati) 1:35.306 (2002); Qualifying: Bostrom (Ducati) 1:34.649 (2002); Superpole: Bayliss (Ducati) 1:34.814 (2002). Race distance: 2 x 23 laps/92.115 kms.

2002 WINNERS
Race 1: 1. Bayliss (Ducati), 2. Haga (Aprilia), 3. Bostrom (Ducati). Race 2: 1. Bayliss, 2. Haga, 3. Edwards (Honda).


More, from a press release issued by Honda Racing:

HONDA RACING INFORMATION

World Supersport Championship 2003
Valencia Race Preview
28 February to 2 March 2003

Honda Riders Ready For Season Opener

World Supersport is shaping up to be the most closely contested streetbike-based class of all this season, and Honda riders have proved to be in the forefront of recent test results. Buoyed by their own shakedown results in recent weeks, the majority of the eight officially backed Honda pilots in the series approached the official SBK sessions at Valencia (21-23 February) in confident mood – and with good reason.

The prime focus for their high spirits is the all-new Honda CBR600RR, the most race-ready middleweight the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer has ever produced.

Four teams – Ten Kate, van Zon, BKM and Klaffi – will be running the in-line fours under a factory banner this year and five riders from these teams featured in the top ten at the Valencia tests.

New 600cc Supersport machines from three manufacturers will do battle with Suzuki’s factory effort this season in this important class of racing, where success on track is often translated into sales of road machines in an already cutthroat sector of the market.

Ten Kate Honda produced the machinery for Riders’ World Championship winner Fabien Foret last season, and once more started the run up to the season’s first race in almost perfect form. Chris Vermeulen (Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR) was fastest at Valencia and his team-mate Karl Muggeridge set the third quickest official test time.

Although delighted to have performed so well in the only official SBK tests of the season, Vermeulen did not lose sight of the fact that there are no points for his excellent pre-race showings. “We’ve had a good test and the bike is working very well,” confirmed Vermeulen. “It’s very adjustable and we’ve tried lots of tyres to select good race options. The main thing is the race next weekend, not this test, so we spent most of our testing time working towards a proper race set-up.”

No other rider in the Valencia tests could get near Vermeulen’s best of 1:37.331 but behind the young Aussie the times were nonetheless very tight – as always in this category of racing.

Muggeridge was the closest Honda man to his fellow Aussie Vermeulen, after spending a lot of time working on chassis set-up in race trim. Ronald Ten Kate, team boss of the Dutch team explained the impact the new CBR has had on his riders’ pre-season progress. “When we started testing this bike the riders’ first impression was of how easily adjustable the machine was and how sensitive it was to set-up changes. At first Karl felt more comfortable on the machine with a tank pad fitted, because he felt that the he needed to push some weight backwards under braking. Now both riders have taken the pads off, after they got used to the more purposeful nature of the new bike.”

The tall figure of Austrian Robert Ulm (Klaffi Honda CBR600RR) spent much of his time at Valencia working through set-up on the small and compact machine and, even though much time was lost due to adverse weather, he left the test satisfied with his state of readiness for the first race.

Christophe Cogan from the BKM Honda team hopes to translate his seventh place after Valencia testing into an even better race result for his Belgian team. Broc Parkes, also from the BKM Honda team, should be a force at the Valencia race if he can continue his good form in readiness for his ‘rookie’ WSS season.

Gianluigi Scalvini (Klaffi Honda CBR600RR) used all his GP experience and his test mileage on Supersport bikes in 2002 to get to grips with Honda Supersport machinery at Valencia, proving his natural aptitude at an early stage of his learning curve on the CBR600RR.

The CBR600 Honda has played a key part in the career of Iain Macpherson (van Zon Honda CBR600RR) in the past and his acquaintance with the latest version has been largely successful. He has shaken off the effects of a crash during testing and his looking forward to scoring more than the single podium finish he took in 2002, while competing for the Ten Kate Honda team.

Werner Daemen (van Zon Honda CBR600RR) is racing for a career best finish in the coming season, and with what is already a well-developed Supersport machine at his disposal he has never been in a better position to finish in the highest echelons.

The 4.005km Valencia circuit, now a well known venue for even the newest of teams and least experienced Supersport riders, will provide a tough test for all, not least because of the expected cold weather, and the possibility of rain anywhere in Spain at this time of year.

From a press release issued by FIM:

Superbike World Championship
2004 Regulations
Decision of the Superbike Commission

In a meeting held today at the circuit of Valencia, the Superbike Commission, composed of Messrs. Claude Danis (FIM), Paolo Alberto Flammini (SBK International), Takanao Tsubouchi (MSMA) and Giulio Bardi (Team representative), has unanimously approved the following proposal concerning the restrictors for 1000cc Superbike machines, for application in 2004:

The engines must be fitted with restrictors as follows:
2-cylinder: 50 millimetres
3-cylinder: 39 millimetres
5-cylinder: 27 millimetres
6-cylinder: 22.5 millimetres

All the other specifications concerning the restrictors (Art. 2.4.4.1 of the Road Racing World Championship Regulations for Superbike) remain the same.

For the 4 cylinder 1000cc engines, the restrictor rule of 32.5 millimetres has already been enforced for the 2003 season.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Hodgson fastest as first shots fired in WSB 2003

By Glenn LeSanto

Neil Hodgson celebrated his new factory Ducati 999 ride in style by storming to the top of the timesheet in the first timed qualifying session of the 2003 World Superbike season.

Resplendent in the new Ducati Fila livery Hodgson got on with the job of producing fast lap after fast lap, recording a fastest time of 1:34.932. With conditions at the circuit far from ideal due to dust on the track Hodgson’s time was slower than Ben Bostrom’s best lap of 1:34.649 set during qualifying last year.

A re-run of Hodgson’s epic battle with Chris Walker in the 2000 British Superbike championship looks likely, Walker, on the HM Plant Ducati, was second quickest at 1:35.347. Spaniard Ruben Xaus will want to improve on his grid position, he’s in provisional third on the factory Ducati 999 but he’ll want to make sure he finishes in front of Walker!

The lack of full-factory machines meant privateers have a real chance of podium places this season. Frankie Chili and Steve Martin underlined this point by finishing the session fourth and fifth fastest respectively.

Talking of factory machines, things look to be improving in the Foggy pit garage as Troy Corser upped the pace to slot his FP1 into provisional seventh place with a time of 1:35.908. Four-times World Superbike champion and team owner Carl Fogarty said he was happy with progress. The team are billing this weekend’s debut race for the FP1 as ‘historic.’

Putting their achievement into perspective was Gregorio Lavilla, he was way down at 12th-fastest on the Suzuki, making him the second multi-cylinder bike – well behind Corser’s FP1. Lavilla’s time of 1:36.836 was nearly a second off Corser’s pace.

Superbike World Championship
Round One, Valencia, Spain, 28 February to 2 March, 2003

Fastest Times, Friday Qualifying:

1. N. Hodgson, GBR, Ducati, 1:34.932
2. C. Walker, GBR, Ducati, 1:35.347
3. R. Xaus, ESP, Ducati, 1:35.416
4. P. Chili, ITA, Ducati, 1:35.687
5. S. Martin, AUS, Ducati, 1:35.827
6. J. Toseland, GBR, Ducati, 1:35.839
7. T. Corser, AUS, FP1, 1:35.908
8. M. Borciani, ITA, Ducati, 1:36.305
9. R. Laconi, FRA, Ducati, 1:36.365
10. L. Pedercini, ITA, Ducati, 1:36.499


More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse:


DUCATI CORSE PRESS INFORMATION

THE NEW DUCATI 999 QUICK AT VALENCIA HODGSON AND XAUS (TEAM DUCATI FILA) FIRST AND THIRD IN FRIDAY QUALIFYING

Valencia (Spain), Friday 28 February 2003 – Team Ducati Fila riders Neil Hodgson and Ruben Xaus set first and third quickest times in Friday qualifying for the opening round of the 2003 World Superbike Championship at Valencia, Spain. Hodgson set provisional pole with a time of 1:34.932, followed by another British rider Chris Walker (HM Plant Ducati) and Ducati Fila team-mate Ruben Xaus, on 1:35.416.

Three days of testing last week, in more wintry conditions, plus two practice sessions today enabled 29-year-old Hodgson to find a good set-up on his Ducati 999, which is making its track debut in the colours of new sponsor Fila. Hodgson also recorded his best time on lap 25 of a race simulation, a clear sign that the new Michelin tyres are providing excellent results.

“I did race distance this afternoon on the 999, which was quite hard after such a long time off the bike. I had planned to do one anyway for that reason but I felt a bit stiff after” declared Neil. “The bike feels good both at the front and the rear, but the temperatures were much warmer than last week and it was windier so that’s why I found it physically more challenging. Handling is spot on all the way round the track, I’m changing nothing from the settings. Everything feels really smooth, top speed is very good, things couldn’t be better!”

A problem with the steering damper during the morning session slowed team-mate Xaus’s progress, but once it was resolved in the afternoon the 25-year-old from Barcelona began to lap on the pace, and he ended the day third quickest behind Walker.

“I couldn’t really ride the bike this morning, it felt strange at the front” declared Ruben. “It was a steering damper problem that we resolved in the afternoon and I soon got back down into the 1m35s mark again. That’s important because I did everything with a race tyre. I’ve got a good set-up at the rear, the front I still need to work a bit more with, but lap times are not so far from the first guys and I hope I can knock another half-a-second off my best time tomorrow.”


More, from a press release issued by HM Plant Ducati:

Flying the flag

HM Plant Ducati’s Chris Walker has qualified on the provisional front row of the grid after clocking a time of 1:35.347 prior to the first round of the 2003 Superbike World Championship at Valencia. The Nottingham rider was second fastest and only 0.415 seconds behind Ducati Corse’s Neil Hodgson on pole position. Walker’s team-mate James Toseland (1:35.839) was sixth, completing a trio of British riders in the top six positions.

Walker blitzed the opposition in the closing stages of today’s official qualifying session. His time was the fastest he has recorded around the 4km Ricardo Tormo circuit and is a fraction of a second outside Ben Bostrom’s lap record set in last year’s second race.

“Overall, I’m pleased with the way it’s gone today,” said Walker after his impressive time. “We’ve tested quite extensively here over the winter, so we’re fine-tuning the set-up on the HM Plant Ducati and working hard with Dunlop to select the correct race tyre. We’ll continue that process tomorrow, but every time I go out I’m feeling more comfortable with the HM Plant Ducati.”

Toseland was second in this morning’s free practice and actually went marginally slower in qualifying. However, the 22-year-old Sheffield rider is confident that there is more to come from the familiar number 52 HM Plant Ducati.

“I’ve been working hard this afternoon with the team to achieve a good level of consistency to my lap times on race tyres,” he said after 24 laps in this afternoon’s qualifying session. “My hand injury isn’t causing me too much discomfort, so I don’t think it’ll be a problem under race conditions. To be honest, after so many practice laps in testing, I’ll be looking forward to the start of the first race.”


More, from a press release issued by Foggy Petronas Racing:

Corser in touch as competition starts for Foggy PETRONAS Racing
Troy Corser was straight on the pace during Foggy PETRONAS Racing’s first day of competitive action at the first round of the World Superbike championship in Valencia. The Australian former world champion finished seventh fastest in the afternoon’s qualifying session with the promise of more to come before Sunday’s debut races for Carl Fogarty’s new team, which has been backed by Malaysian petroleum giant PETRONAS.

Riding the Foggy FP1 – the PETRONAS superbike – Corser made further progress on his best lap time of last weekend’s official test at the same circuit, to clock 1:35.908. Team-mate James Haydon had a frustrating day but still managed to approach his circuit best with a time of 1:36.949. The team also came to terms with the new WSBK tyre ruling, which states that a maximum of 13 rear slick tyres can be used on the two days of qualifying, so limiting the amount of crucial tyre testing capacity available to the team.

Nigel Bosworth said: “The biggest factor has been the new tyre ruling. We had discussed it in advance in detail but the practice is different to the theory, although we dealt with it very well. We are working well with Michelin in selecting a suitable race tyre, and we have not used any qualifiers yet as we are saving them for tomorrow morning. Troy is looking very positive, but James had some trouble with set-up and was dogged by engine problems.”

Troy said: “It is good to get two sessions under our belts and I wanted to stick a couple of decent lap times in early. The bike seems to be handling well and I have just lifted it a little, as the fairing was touching when I was going a bit quicker I have tried a range of tyres and the last seems to be the best so far. The lap times that I set on race tyres were about the same as the other riders and some of them then stuck a qualifier in towards the end.”

James said: “I am disappointed as I had a difficult day with many problems, some that we had not previously experienced. I have done a lap that was all right, but nothing like I could do.”

From a press release issued by Infineon Raceway, which is located in Sonoma, California, in the San Francisco Bay area:

Bay Area Teens Learn Driving Skills at Infineon Raceway

SONOMA, Calif. (IMMEDIATE RELEASE) Nearly 400 high school students from eight Bay Area high schools learned some valuable driving skills this week at AAA¢s High School Safe Driver Program at Infineon Raceway.

The participating high schools were: San Ramon Valley (Danville); New Technology (Napa); Vintage (Napa); Junipero Serra (San Mateo); San Marin (Novato); Las Lomas (Walnut Creek); Petaluma; and Mission Valley (Fremont). The four-day program was also sponsored by the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School and the California Highway Patrol.

Each school had the opportunity to send 50 students to the raceway for a free four-hour session. Students got behind the wheel to learn important skills and techniques necessary to make them better drivers. The course, which exposed teens to extreme driving conditions (skidding, speeding, threshold braking, road obstacles, spinning out of control), also included classroom instruction. The on-track instruction was administered by professional instructors from the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School, which is based at Infineon Raceway. This marked the eighth year of the program, which ran from Monday-Thursday.

“This was a very good experience,” said Al Bahn, Dean of Students at Vintage High. “This program teaches the kids how to handle potentially dangerous situations, and I think they learned a great deal.”

Vintage senior Katie Priebe wished she had taken this class long ago. She was involved in a car accident just six months after getting her license while driving the Silverado Trail in Napa.

“I only had my license for six months before I got in that accident,” Priebe said. “I wish I had this class before. I learned a lot of things today, especially to not panic when I’m behind the wheel.”

“This was the best field trip I’ve had in my four years here,” said San Marin senior Andrew Walton. “I learned many things that will help me when I’m driving. What really stands out is now I feel confident that I can handle a skid properly. I had no clue how to handle that before I came here.”

The students qualified for the program by implementing a safety project within their respective high school that stressed safety while on the roadways. AAA judged the safety projects before selecting the eight high schools.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Reader Shalonda Daniels pointed out in an e-mail that a press release issued by Daytona International Speedway yesterday (see 2/27/2003, Pre-packaged Daytona Quotes) quoted and described Mat Mladin as follows:

“… We’ll see what happens.” – two-time Daytona 200 By Arai champion Mat Mladin, rider of the No. 1 Yoshimura Suzuki.

To which Ms. Daniels asks, “No. 1? Doesn’t he wish!”

Of course, three-time AMA Superbike Champion was dethroned by Nicky Hayden in 2002; Mladin is actually running #66 in 2003, and the reference was a mistake made by the Daytona PR staff.

Roadracingworld.com publishes press releases as received, labels them as being press releases, and does not correct errors in them.


This just in, from Mat Mladin himself, via e-mail:
Tell Ms. Daniels they are keeping it warm for me.

From a press release issued by Honda Racing:

NEW TYRE RULES BROUGHT INTO FORCE

New World Supersport championship tyre regulations were introduced today at Valencia, Spain with each rider allowed a maximum of 13 rear tyres in each of this year’s 11 rounds.

The new ruling means riders must decide how many of their allocation of soft compound rear tyres for qualifying are used on Friday or how many are saved for Saturday.

Ronald Ten Kate, team manager of the Pirelli-shod Ten Kate Honda team said: “It’s the same rule for everyone so from that side it’s OK. It’s aimed at cost reduction which is always a good thing.

“But it has taken away that little bit of research and development the tyre manufacturers did at the events, that will now have to take place at private test sessions.”

Eddie Roberts of Pirelli commented: “It’s not a major issue and if there’s any spots of rain then it will all be insignificant anyway as there’s no tyre restrictions for wet conditions. It’s certainly stopped any rider going crazy and using four or five soft compound race tyres in the dying stages of qualifying.”

Klaffi Honda team rider Robert Ulm commented: “The new rule means we have to think out the day a little bit more, two rear tyres in the morning and four in the afternoon.”

Steve Whitelock of the sport’s governing body, the FIM, commented: “We’re aiming to reduce the cost a little but also hoping to ensure Supersport remains as competitive as it has always been.”

From a press release:

Triumph ValMoto completes successful first test

Following its launch on Monday 24 February 2003 the Triumph ValMoto team has completed a successful first test at Croft circuit.

On a sunny morning in the north-east the team was at last able to put the Triumph ValMoto Daytona 600 through its paces and get an early indication of how the bike will perform in its challenge for the British Supersport title this season.

Triumph ValMoto team manager Jack Valentine is delighted with the early indications: “Today went very well indeed!”he said. “I don’t want to get too excited but we’ve seen some times today that can equal the best we have achieved in the past.

“My objective from today was to gather as much data as possible to take forward to our next test and to let the riders get the feel of the bike and feel comfortable out on the track. We’ve more than exceeded all of that; we have an excellent bike and the complete package is working really well.”

Riders Craig Jones and Jim Moodie are equally pleased with their first taste of the Triumph Daytona 600 and are both eager to get back out on the track and get as many laps as possible under their wheels as soon as they can.

Craig Jones, last year’s British Junior Superstock champion, describes the bike as mega and wicked. He said: “Today was fantastic, I really enjoyed it. It’s a brilliant bike, the engine feels really strong and the chassis, suspension and brakes are excellent. In fact the brakes are probably one of the bike’s best features.

“We hardly had a problem at all; just a few set-up problems but nothing serious and certainly nothing to worry about. I’m really happy with my times, and my mechanics Paul and James are doing a great job to get the bike running so well.”

Jim Moodie is also pleased with the day’s results. He added: “It went very well today; there is no major work to do. I am just familiarising myself with the bike and the speed but to be honest it only needs minor adjustments
and could race right now!

“Considering that the track was cold and dusty today, after not being used all winter, the times were fantastic, we just need a bit more fine tuning but that’s being sorted out and I just can’t wait to get on the bike again.”

From a press release:

TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES CAPTURES LEAD IN HOLLYWOOD

Triumph Motorcycles Star in Hollywood Blockbusters: How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Daredevil, Terminator III, Torque, Tuck Everlasting, Mission Impossible II

NEWNAN, GA – Triumph Motorcycles has long been a
preferred motorcycle of Hollywood starring with the legendary likes of Marlon Brando, Clint Eastwood and Steve McQueen. Today, Triumph’s modern day star power is shining brighter than ever as Triumph’s motorcycles are being selected by top studios for feature placements in Hollywood’s leading box office hits.

Paramount Studio’s current big screen success, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, features a fun love story with Matthew McConaughey, Kate Hudson and a 2003 Triumph Bonneville. “What’s cool about a bike,” exclaims McConaughey’s character while on a motorcycle ride with screen star Kate Hudson, “it’s great on gas, good in traffic, easy to park, and at the end of the day, chicks dig ’em!” Offscreen McConaughey, 33, is equally a great motorcycle enthusiast and regularly rides his Triumph Thunderbird Sport. The customization of the onscreen Triumph Bonneville was personally appointed and directed by McConaughey.

“Triumph Motorcycles is Hollywood’s darling! ” exclaims Christopher Wagner, President, Royal Promotions and Placement, a leading motion picture and television product placement agency. “Triumph’s outstanding reputation as an ultra cool and quality motorcycle, combined with its broad line of products from Bonnevilles to Daytonas, has positioned Triumph as the motorcycle ‘of choice’ in Hollywood.”

This past weekend, Daredevil, an action-thriller starring Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner, Michael Clarke Duncan and Colin Farrell topped box offices — entertaining movie fans across America. As the superhero’s plot thickens, Colin Farrell dominates the big screen with a Triumph America.

“Hollywood has taken note of Triumph’s rebirth,” stated Mike Vaughan, Chief Executive Officer, Triumph Motorcycles (America) Ltd. “Triumph’s reception from American and world-market consumers continues to grow, and we are pleased that Hollywood is recognizing what motorcycle enthusiasts have come to know over the past decade with the reintroduction of Triumph.”

Recent requests from leading motion picture and television studios to Triumph Motorcycles have resulted in key motorcycle placements within blockbusters including: Mission Impossible II, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Daredevil, Tuck Everlasting, Torque and Terminator III.

“The good news,” added Vaughan, “is that discussions are ongoing for additional placements of Triumph Motorcycles within feature movies and television productions. We thank the continuing growth of Triumph fans – and enthusiasts — for that!”

Triumph Motorcycles (America) Ltd., is a wholly owned subsidiary of Triumph Motorcycles, Ltd., the manufacturer of Triumph motorcycles and accessories. Triumph Motorcycles (America) Ltd., is located in Newnan, GA and services the Triumph dealer organization throughout the United States, Canada and Latin America.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.


The MidCities Motorsports 1 team of Calvin Martinez, Dave Ebben and Brian Baker won the F-USA 200-mile Team Challenge race at Daytona International Speedway Thursday afternoon, by nearly two minutes. The winning team ran a Suzuki GSX-R1000.

The track dried out for the 200-miler after a day plagued by rain.

New England Motorsports finished second overall, second in the GTO class, with Mark Reynolds and Chad Healy riding an Aprilia Mille, crossing the finish line 1 minute, 45 seconds behind.

The King’s Fitness team of Dennis King and Mike Swank was originally credited as finishing third overall, first in the GTU class, but revised results gave the GTU class win to I&E Homes Racing’s Thomas Pfuner and Darren Mulvaney. Third overall went to the GTO entry of Shaw Racing (Rick Shaw, Brian Shaw), consisting of Daytona veteran Rick Shaw and his nephew Brian.

CornerSpeed’s Aaron Stevenson and Eric Gray won in the GT Lights class at 17th overall on a Suzuki SV650.


Offical Revised Results:

1. MidCities Motorsports (Calvin Martinez/Dave Ebben/Brian Baker), GTO, Suz GSX-R1000, 56 laps; 2. New England Motorsports (Mark Reynolds/Chad Healy), GTO, Apr RSV1000R, 56 laps; 3. Shaw Racing (Brian Shaw/Rick Shaw), GTO, Suz GSX-R750, 55 laps; 4. BAI Racing (Joe Bennardi, Sr./Joe Bennardi, Jr./Mike Ciccotto), GTO, Suz GSX-R1000, 55 laps; 5. I&E Homes Racing (Thomas Pfuner/Darren Mulvaney), GTU, Suz GSX-R600, 54 laps; 6. Racerhouse.com (Andrew Nelson/Bill Card), GTU, Hon CBR600RR, 54 laps.

GTO: 1. MidCities Motorsports; 2. New England Motorsports; 3. Shaw Racing; 4. BAI Racing; 5. Big Valley Honda (Rich Thorwaldson, Jim Gronshong), Hon CBR929RR, 53 laps; 6. Performance Cycle (Arthur Wagmer, Jr./Michael Wingen/Thomas Aquino), Suz GSX-R750, 53 laps.

GTU: 1. I&E Homes Racing; 2. Racerhouse.com; 3. Team Hooters Suzuki (Nathan Kern/Michael Himmelsbach), Suz GSX-R600, 54 laps; 4. King’s Fitness (Dennis King), Suz GSX-R600, 53 laps; 5. Hooter’s Northeast (Tom Bibeau/Brian Cushing/Vincent Haskovec), Suz GSX-R600, 53 laps; 6. TTR Racing (John Briody/Aaron Aaronsen), Yam YZF-R6, 52 laps.

GT Lights: 1. CornerSpeed Racing (Aaron Stevenson/Eric Gray), Suz SV650, 50 laps; 2. Naked Boy Racing (Harold Jordan/Pete Butler), Buell XB9R, 49 laps; 3. Irish Bike Racing (Mark Hamilton/Richard Britton), Suz SV650, 49 laps; 4. SB Racing (Tim Hall/Robert Stellfox), Suz SV650, 48 laps; 5. Bad Monkey Racing (Ray Silika/Brian McClain), Suz SV650, 48 laps; 6. Great White Racing (Steve Del Grasso/Matthew Eaton/Thomas Deloriea), Suz SV650, 46 laps.


More, from a press release issued by Daytona International Raceway:

Team Challenge Lands First-Time Winners

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The first checkered flag from motorcycle racing has waved at Daytona International Speedway as two-wheel thunder got underway on Thursday with the 200-mile Team Challenge event.

The No. 93 Midcities Motorsports Suzuki 1000, with Wisconsin’s Calvin Martinez and David Ebben aboard, put on a dominating performance to capture the overall victory. It was the first win for both riders at the “World Center of Racing.”

“Not a single problem the whole day,” said the 28-year-old Ebben, who started the race and took the lead immediately. “This is my fifth time at Daytona and my first win. It’s awesome. It hasn’t hit me just yet.”

Said the 39-year-old Martinez: “The bike handled great. The tires never gave out on us. It ran all day long. The tires are still good for maybe another 20 laps, but that might be pushing it. It’s my first win at Daytona and this is my second year. It’s real special.”

Rounding out the podium was the No. 1 New England Motorsports Aprilia 1000 with riders Mark Reynolds and Chad Healy and finishing third overall was the No. 205 King’s Fitness Suzuki 600 and riders Dennis King and Mike Swank.

King and Swank also took top honors in the GTU class. Winning the GTL class was the No. 88 entry from CornerSpeed Racing with riders Aaron Stevenson and Eric Gray.

Formula USA and Championship Cup Series events continue through the weekend at the Speedway.

SPEED Channel: Daytona 200 Week will garner plenty of television coverage from SPEED Channel as the fastest growing sports cable network will broadcast 11 hours motorcycle racing from Daytona International Speedway.

Included in SPEED Channel’s 11 hours of coverage are live broadcasts of the Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock and the Pro Honda Oils U.S. Supersport on March 7 and the MBNA Grand Prix, the inaugural BMW BoxerCup and the Daytona 200 By Arai on March 9.

SPEED Channel will also broadcast the Daytona Supercross By Honda same-day tape delayed on March 8 and the AMA Flat Track action at Daytona Beach Municipal Stadium on March 11.

Of course, there’s nothing like being able to watch Daytona 200 Week in person. Tickets for the Daytona 200 and the Daytona Supercross are available by logging on to http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or calling the Speedway ticket office at (386) 253-7223.