Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

It’s raining at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, on the opening day of official practice for this weekend’s F-USA and CCS races.

The weather was perfect on Wednesday, a Team Hammer school, track ride and practice day.

The local forecast calls for on-and-off rain for the next several days.

No Limits Honda, Dream Team Ducati and Valvoline EMGO Suzuki have already moved into the garages they’ll occupy at Daytona for the next 11 days leading up to the Daytona 200 on March 9.

From a press release issued by Yamaha:

MotoGP pre-season IRTA Tests
Thursday 27 February 2003 (day 2 of 2)
Estoril, Portugal

YAMAHA RIDERS UP FRONT IN ESTORIL

The MotoGP pre-season IRTA tests in Estoril concluded today with Yamaha riders Alex Barros and Carlos Checa leading the pack. The morning rain started to dry out this afternoon enabling the riders to make the most of the time they had left after the wash-out of yesterday’s session.

Carlos Checa was the lone rider today for the Fortuna Yamaha Team, as team-mate Marco Melandri flew back to Bologna in Italy after injuring his collarbone in a tumble yesterday. Checa tried to find a better balance with the suspension on his Yamaha YZR-M1, and tested Michelin tyres. He completed a total of 72 laps with a best lap time of 1:40.04, not managing to better his 2002 pole position time of 1:39.793. Gauloises Yamaha Team rider Alex Barros topped today’s times with a best of 1:39.69.

Checa was quite pleased with his day’s performance, “We have had a short amount of decent track time but we tried to work with the bike as best we could”, commented the Spaniard. “The balance of the bike from track to track seems good. We did more Michelin tyre testing today focusing on the front tyre. The track conditions could have been better this afternoon, I’m disappointed I didn’t go faster but I was quite consistent and was very close to my pole position time from last year. We still want to improve, and will keep working.”

Team Manager Geoff Crust commented, “The weather was awful but we still achieved a certain amount of work that we needed to get through. I’m happy that Carlos managed to get consistent laps with his 2003-spec M1. We have now scheduled an extra test in Barcelona, and we hope to get good times there. I hope that Marco will be back to full fitness then.

“The team has worked extremely hard – although we have had to add extra testing time they are keeping up the same level of hard work.”

The Fortuna Yamaha Team’s extra test will take place in Barcelona, Spain on 12th and 13th March, followed by the next MotoGP IRTA group test there on 15th and 16th March.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Rocky Drebber, father of SpeedTV motorcycle racing commentator Brian Drebber, died February 20th in New Mexico. He was 82.

Funeral services were held February 24 in Albuquerque, and he was buried with full military honors at Santa Fe National Cemetery.

Brian Drebber tells his story:

Rocky lived in Belen, New Mexico, just south of Albuquerque. He was a rider all his life and naturally my connection to motorcycling began with him.

The story is that he was to be stationed on Guam just after WWII while serving in the U.S. Army. He was a career officer and eventually retired with the rank of Major. My mother procured a job with the Navy — also on Guam. They shipped over together in late 1948 or early 1949. Shortly thereafter he arranged thru his supply sergeant buddies to have an Ariel Square Four shipped to him. One night Rocky and Charlotte took a moonlight ride to the high point on the island. There were three of us on the way back down. My first motorcycle rides were therefore before I was born — also on Guam in July of 1950.

The Ariel was one of 91 motorcycles Rocky owned in his life. The most recent is a Honda CB400 which he purchased via the Internet in New Hampshire last fall. Scott Greenwood, Geoff May and Jeff Bostrom collaborated in getting it from New Hampshire to Daytona to Atlanta to Albuquerque before, during and after the ROC and GNF weekends.

Rocky raced also. Amateur Hare scrambles, hillclimbs, enduros, etc. The war interrupted his racing career, it seems.

Rest In Peace.

From a press release:

BMW Donates Motorcycles for Pentagon’s First Police Motorcycle Unit

BMW of North America, LLC has donated six R 1100 RT-P police motorcycles to the United States Department of Defense to assist the Pentagon Police in establishing its first motorcycle unit. The donation is part of the company’s program to provide motorcycles to law enforcement agencies in communities significantly impacted by the September 11 tragedy.

At a ceremony held at the historic Pentagon building in Washington, DC, Thomas Plucinsky, General Manager, BMW of North America, Motorcycles, underscored BMW’s longstanding commitment to the United States by indicating that it is not only BMW’s most important export market; it is home to significant BMW automotive production, design and research facilities; and that BMW employs, directly and through its retail organization, nearly 50,000 people here.

“While the human dimension of our company can be measured in numerical terms, there is another more important facet to the human dimension — the experiences we share,” commented Mr. Plucinsky. “The events of September 11 made that point. All of you were violated that day when this building was attacked and you lost friends and associates. BMW also lost a valued employee that day. Linda Gronlund, then our Manager of Environmental Compliance, was traveling to California on United Flight 93.”

Following September 11, BMW made a significant cash donation to the Red Cross, as well as 10 U.S.-built X5 sports activity vehicles for its disaster relief efforts. The company helped endow a scholarship in Ms. Gronlund’s honor at MIT, and it has donated motorcycles to 38 law enforcement agencies in communities deeply affected by the tragedy. In most cases, BMW assisted those communities in establishing motor units where none had previously existed. It also established a training program to ensure that officers were well-prepared to operate the technologically advanced motors.

The motorcycles donated to the Pentagon were previously operated by the California Highway Patrol (CHP), repurchased by BMW as part of its contract with the CHP, and outfitted with special lighting and equipment. Officers of the newly established Pentagon Police Motor Unit will utilize the motorcycles for traffic enforcement in the Pentagon reservation.

BMW Authority Motorcycles Internationally, BMW is the largest seller of motorcycles for authority use. More than 80,000 BMW motorcycles are currently in official use in over 150 countries on five continents. In the United States, more than 225 law enforcement agencies have BMW authority motorcycles in their fleets of patrol vehicles. These include urban police agencies in Atlantic City, NJ; Los Angles, CA; Sacramento, CA; Reno, Nevada; Honolulu, HI; Newport News, VA; Tallahassee, FL; and Irvine, TX; and state highway patrols in Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Maryland, Virginia, South Carolina and California (the nation’s largest fleet with over 600 BMW motorcycles).

BMW Authority Motorcycles are the only certified police motorcycles available with an anti-lock brake system, high-capacity alternator with linked battery system, thermostatically-controlled cooling system, 3-year unlimited- mileage limited warranty and 6,000-mile service intervals, all standard.

From a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing:

AMA PRO RACING LAUNCHES USSUPERBIKE.COM
AS OFFICIAL webSITE OF AMA CHEVY TRUCKS U.S. SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — AMA Pro Racing, the leading sanctioning body for motorcycle sport in the U.S., announced today the launch of www.USSuperbike.com — a new website dedicated to complete coverage of the AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship. The official series website will serve as the premier source for official news about the AMA U.S. Superbike Championship and marks another example of AMA Pro Racing’s continuing commercial development efforts to grow the sport of motorcycle racing.

USSuperbike.com is the third series-specific website built by AMA Pro Racing in the last two years. www.1800FlatTrack.com (also available as
www.USFlatTrack.com) was launched in March 2001 as the official website of the AMA U.S. Flat Track Championship, and www.USMotocross.com launched in April 2002 as the official website of the AMA U.S. Motocross Championship. The content make-up of USSuperbike.com will follow the model used successfully in the two other AMA Pro Racing series websites, which includes:

*Official up-to-the-minute, post-race results and points standings and more.

* Near real-time, lap-by-lap scoring with a new and improved version of @theWire LIVE!

* Unique round-by-round navigation allowing easier and faster access to event-specific information.

* News and photos from each race updated throughout the race weekend.

* Weekly columnists, including unique insights from paddock insider Evan Williams and a privateer column by road racer Chris “Opie”
Caylor.

* Access to the complete line of official AMA Pro Racing merchandise, authentic series and rider apparel.

* Fan feedback opportunities such as a weekly
letters-to-the-editor section, online polls, ask-the-experts question and answer forums, free classifieds, fantasy racing and monthly
contests.

* Official historical information and statistics covering the rich heritage of AMA road racing.

If experience is any indicator, USSuperbike.com should be hit with fans. “The response we’ve gotten about 1800FlatTrack.com and USMotocross.com has been extremely positive,” said Matt Ringlien, AMA Pro Racing web
development manager. “We know that there are a number of top-flight independent websites out there covering AMA Superbike racing. But as the
sanctioning body, we feel it’s our obligation to the sport, fans, sponsors and the riders to cover the series more completely, and more officially, than anyone.”

In December 2000, AMA Pro Racing launched an aggressive Internet strategy setting the stage for 1800FlatTrack.com, USMotocross.com and
now USSuperbike.com. The plan also called for the refocus of www.amaproracing.com, the official website of AMA Pro Racing, to become more targeted toward the sanctioning body’s participants, as well as a taking off point for content on all three series websites.

From a press release issued by WSMC, which pays WSMC license holders for finishing on the podium in National races:

Willow Springs Motorcycle Club

2003 WSMC Nationals Podium Award Program*

AMA 600cc Supersport ($300 Cash Purse)
1st $150.00
2nd $100.00
3rd $50.00

AMA 750cc Superstock ($300 Cash Purse)
1st $150.00
2nd $100.00
3rd $50.00

AMA 250cc Grand Prix ($300 Cash Purse)
1st $150.00
2nd $100.00
3rd $50.00

Superbike ($500 Cash Purse)
1st $300.00
2nd $150.00
3rd $50.00

Formula Xtreme ($300 Cash Purse)
1st $150.00
2nd $100.00
3rd $50.00

Suzuki Cup Finals
GSX-R600, GSX-R750, GSX-R1000 Classes ($300 Cash Purse Each Class)
1st $150.00
2nd $100.00
3rd $50.00


*Eligibility Requirements:

– Rider must be a “full” 2003 WSMC member (reciprocal and one-weekend membership holders are not eligible)
– Rider must display WSMC patch on front of suit or sleeve of leathers throughout all event weekends.
– Rider must clearly display WSMC logo decal on each side of bike throughout all event weekends.
– Rider must list “WSMC” as a sponsor – to be verified by official AMA or Suzuki Cup Finals results listings.
– Rider must provide WSMC with a copy of official AMA or Suzuki Cup Final race results.
– Rider must provide WSMC with photographic evidence of National podium showing display of WSMC patch on leathers and WSMC logo decals on bike.

Failure to meet any of the above eligibility requirements will result in loss of eligibility for posted WSMC cash awards.

www.race-wsmc.com

From a press release issued by Infineon Raceway:

Ticketmaster AND INFINEON RACEWAY SIGN
MULTI-YEAR TICKETING AND NEW TECHNOLOGY AGREEMENT

SAN FRANCISCO (IMMEDIATE RELEASE) ¯ Ticketmaster, the world’s leading ticketing company, and Infineon Raceway have announced the signing of a multi-year ticketing and new technology agreement.

Ticketmaster will now sell and distribute tickets for all Infineon Raceway events, as well as install Ticketmaster’s Architected Ticketing System (Ticketmaster Archtics), which will deliver extensive season and single ticket functionality to Infineon Raceway fans.

“It is with great excitement that we team-up with Infineon Raceway,” said Ann Mooney, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Ticketmaster San Francisco. “These technologies present exciting new options for the raceway and will result in greater ease and convenience for consumers.”

Fans can purchase tickets for Infineon Raceway events, including the Dodge/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Winston Cup and NHRA FRAM Autolite Nationals, at any of the 115 Northern California ticket centers including Tower Records, Wherehouse Music and select Save Mart Supermarket grocery stores. In addition, tickets will be available online at www.ticketmaster.com and www.infineonraceway.com or by phone at 415.421.TIXS, 408.998.TIXS, 510.625.TIXS, 707.528.TIXS or 916.649.TIXS.

From a press release issued by Honda Racing:

HRC Winter test Phillip Island, February 27, 2003.

HRC Complete Successful MotoGP Test Phillip Island

The HRC three-day MotoGP test at Phillip Island ended today with the Honda engineers and rider’s content with the results achieved and the data gathered during the test session. The teams and riders left the track more than happy with the new RC211V, and the progress HRC have made over the winter. The final day of the test was interrupted by a thunderstorm that left the track wet for short period, restricting dry running time but the teams were able to dedicate some of their time on valuable wet weather settings for the new RCV.

Repsol Honda teammates, MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi, and American Superbike Champion Nicky Hayden, worked hard with the time available to them. Rossi and Hayden worked on machine and suspension settings, with Hayden also taking advantage of the conditions to get in wet weather practice on his RC211V five-cylinder 990cc four-stroke.

Valentino Rossi: “Basically a good three days at Phillip Island working on the new bike and finding the solutions for the best set-ups. The weather was not so good this morning and it was not possible to make the best time. The number of laps was down as I was in and out of the box making many changes and adjustments. It was a very heavy workday. HRC have worked very well to develop the bike and the technicians will go back to Japan with a huge amount of data. I’m very happy we decided to test in Sepang and Australia because I hear the weather in Europe has not so good. We did the right choice. I now go back to London and get some rest. I’m looking forward to Catalunya which will be a very important test because for the first time we are all together with the new entry.”

Nicky Hayden: “Today was good. The weather was kinda’ iffy this mornin’ and I went out and did about 20 laps in the damp which was good experience. The bike felt good and I was real comfortable. In the afternoon we did some longer runs looking at the tyres. The coolest thing was that I got to get behind Valentino for a few laps and knocked off like a second from my lap time. He was cool enough to let me sit behind him, which was fun because I’ve been testing here for three days and basically been ridin’ around here by myself. Not only did I learn some stuff by watchin’ him I also saw the areas that I need to improve in. I’m pretty excited about goin’ home now and getting to Daytona even though I don’t get to race there. I’ve been goin’ to Bike Week since I was a little kid so for me it’s a real fun week. Then over to Catalunya in March for the next tests. I like the track and they’ll be a lotta riders there. Should be interesting.”

The rain shower was not a totally negative event for the Pramac Honda team. Bridgestone test rider Shinichi Itoh took his RC211V out to test a range of wet tyres for Bridgestone. Makoto Tamada worked on finding the best machine and suspension settings for the wet conditions, data that will be invaluable to him at some point during his MotoGP debut season. Both riders embarked on race distance simulation test but conditions brought that to an end before the riders had completed the distance.

Shinichi Itoh: “The day was not lost to the weather, we did get the chance to test some of the rain tyres Bridgestone had brought with them. The performance was encouraging, like most of what we have done here. I go home for a rest now, it’s been hard work on the last two tests. In all we have tried some 300 tyres in recent testing. That will give Bridgestone enough data to work with.”

Makoto Tamada: “We finished the test and I’m quite happy with the work we have done. I feel a lot more comfortable on the bike now and the tyre testing has gone very well. It’s a pity about the weather today, it didn’t allow me to try for a faster time than yesterday. We will see how we go at Catalunya next month.”

The Honda MotoGP teams will now take a two week break before recommencing testing at the IRTA test at the Montmelo circuit, close to Barcelona, on March 15 – 16.

Valentino Rossi, ITA Repsol Honda 1:32.2, (52 laps)

Nicky Hayden, USA Repsol Honda 1:32.47,(62 laps)

Shinichi Itoh, JPN Pramac Honda 1:32.9, (39 laps)

Makoto Tamada, JPN Pramac Honda 1:33.3,(38 laps)