Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

According to F-USA and CCS Road Race Operations Manager Kevin Elliott, American Honda has notified Clear Channel Entertainment–Motor Sports that it will not continue to sponsor the F-USA Sportbike class but will post contingency in 2003.

“Honda just called and said they would be putting contingency up for both the F-USA and the CCS Series,” said Elliott from his office in Ft. Worth Monday. “They wanted to make sure we knew it since they have declined to come back in and sponsor the Grand National (combined road racing and dirt track series) and the Sportbike class.”

Asked how losing the Honda sponsorship would affect the Sportbike class, Elliott said “It makes it tougher for us, because now we have to find an additional seven or eight associate sponsors or seach for a class sponsor when everybody has already spent their budget.

“The purses will remain the same. The Sportbike points fund is fine. The team owner program will remain the same. We had hoped to build it up with some points funds for the other classes, and now that’s in question.”

From a press release issued by BMW North America:

BMW NA MOTORCYCLES – DECEMBER SALES 2002: BMW MOTORCYCLES POSTS SIXTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR OF RECORD SALES

December Sales Rise 40 Percent

Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey…BMW of North America, LLC, the importer and distributor of BMW motorcycles in the United States, posted sales of 13,507 units in 2002. This marks the sixth consecutive year of record sales in the US and represents nearly a four percent increase over the previous year. December sales reached an all-time monthly high at 1,625 motorcycles, showing a 40 percent gain over last December.

The top-selling model for 2002 was, once again, the R 1150 RT. The next best-selling bikes were the popular K 1200 LT luxury tourer and the R 1150 GS adventure tourer. States reporting the highest number of BMW motorcycle sales included California, New York, Florida, Texas, and Colorado.

“The United States continues to be the world’s largest export market for BMW motorcycles,” commented Thomas J. Plucinsky, General Manager for BMW of North America, Motorcycles. “Our sustained success speaks volumes about the strength of the brand as we enter our 80th anniversary year.”

According to Mr. Plucinsky, the growth in BMW motorcycle sales can be attributed to balanced strength across the entire model range, with the new Boxer Cup replica — which revved up sales of the R 1100 S up 21 percent — at the top of the batting order.

“There’s no doubt that the Boxer Cup bike was a home run for us,” observed Mr. Plucinsky.

The company also launched four new models in 2002 – the F 650 CS, R 1150 GS Adventure, R 1200 CL and the K 1200 GT – and became the first motorcycle manufacturer to offer a Certified Pre-Owned Motorcycle Program.

Commenting on the introduction of the Certified Pre-Owned Program, Mr. Plucinsky stated, “We thought that the time was at hand to offer value-conscious motorcycle buyers the same opportunities that we offer value-conscious automobile shoppers – the opportunity to purchase a premium vehicle with the latest safety and technological features at an affordable price.”

BMW’s authority motorcycle sales were up nearly 69 percent in 2002 due to continued partnerships with the California Highway Patrol and dozens of other law enforcement agencies around the country that have BMW R 1150 RT-P police motorcycles in their fleets. 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 140 law enforcement agencies use BMW police motorcycles.


BMW GROUP IN AMERICA

BMW of North America has been present in the United States since 1975. Since then, the BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales and financial service organizations for the BMW and MINI Brands; a South Carolina manufacturing operation; DESIGNWORKS/USA, an industrial design firm in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country. The BMW Group is represented in the U.S. through networks of 340 car, 327 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle, 148 BMW Motorcycle retailers and 69 MINI car dealers. BMW US Holding Corp., the Group’s headquarters for North, Central and South America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

Information about BMW products is available to consumers via the Internet at http://www.bmwusa.com, http://www.bmwmotorcycles.com and http://www.miniusa.com.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The lap-time spread between the latest version of the Suzuki GSV-R MotoGP racebike on Michelin tires and a Yoshimura GSX-R1000 Superbike on Dunlop tires at Sepang is 3.5 seconds.

At least that is the time difference so far between the fastest Suzuki MotoGP rider and three-time AMA Superbike Champion Mat Mladin, who was the fastest AMA Superbike man at Sepang, as of Tuesday morning.

John Hopkins’ best lap on the GSV-R was 2:06.0 versus Mladin’s 2:09.5, both on Tuesday morning (local time) at Sepang.

Various motorcycle racing pundits had speculated that Mladin and his GSX-R1000 Superbike teammates would go as fast as or faster than the Suzuki MotoGP men at the week-long test in Malaysia.

Hopkins’ teammate, former 500cc World Champion Kenny Roberts, was in the 2:07s Tuesday morning, as was Garry McCoy on the Kawasaki MotoGP bike.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By Beth Wyse

John Haner won all three races he entered Sunday at the Church of Speed’s Grand Bayou Festival of Speed at No Problem Raceway in Louisiana. Haner’s sweep continued his domination of the event–he broke the track record during qualifying a day earlier.

Haner won the first Heavyweight Expert race from the pole, leading all 20 laps and pulling a huge gap over the rest of the field on his Suzuki GSX-R750. Vincent Haskovec and Greg Moore, who were also riding GSX-R750s, were left to battle for second. Moore held onto the spot until the final turn of the last lap, when Haskovec took advantage of a small opening to pass, relegating Moore to third.

In the Middleweight Expert class, Heath Small got the holeshot, but was passed by Haner on the sixth lap. Haner held on for the win on his Yamaha YZF-R6, but was challenged several times by Moore, who finished second on his Suzuki GSX-R600. Small wound up third, also riding a Yamaha YZF-R6.

By the final race of the day, the 25-lap Heavyweight Expert feature, a light rain was falling and the cold, damp conditions resulted in a slower pace and smaller starting grid. Haner took his time working up to the front, taking the lead on lap 10. Haskovec and Moore did not let Haner run away like he had before, with both of them challenging for the lead. Moore passed Haskovec in the final turn just before the white flag came out and held on for second. Haskovec finished third.

Bradley Champion took a convincing victory in the Lightweight race, winning by more than half-a-lap on his Suzuki SV650. Martin Musil ran by himself in second place for most of the race, finishing in that spot while Craig Montgomery, who finished third, fought to reel him in. Musil and Montgomery were also on Suzuki SV650s.

The number of participating racers was smaller than Church of Speed officials had expected, with the largest field consisting of 20 bikes. The Lightweight class, which combined Expert and Novice racers, had only eight competitors. The fan turnout was small, as well, mostly due to the rain and temperatures in the 40s. Many of the spectators were the participants in the stunt show held as a part of the weekend’s events.

Race organizers were unable to supply complete results.

Heavyweight Race 1, 20 laps
1. John Haner, Suzuki GSX-R750
2. Vincent Haskovec, Suzuki GSX-R750
3. Greg Moore, Suzuki GSX-R750
4. James Compton
5. Marc Gifford

Heavyweight Race 2, 25 laps
1. John Haner, Suzuki GSX-R750
2. Greg Moore, Suzuki GSX-R750
3. Vincent Haskovec, Suzuki GSX-R750
4. Marc Gifford
5. Shannon Ball

Middleweight Race, 20 laps
1. John Haner, Yamaha YZF-R6
2. Greg Moore, Suzuki GSX-R600
3. Heath Small, Yamaha YZF-R6
4. Bradley Champion, Suzuki SV650
5. Brett Champagne, Suzuki SV650

Lightweight Race, 20 laps
1. Bradley Champion, Suzuki SV650
2. Martin Musil, Suzuki SV650
3. Craig Montgomery, Suzuki SV650
4. Shannon Silva, Aprilia RS250
5. Jason Jenkins, Suzuki SV650

From a press release issued by Foggy Petronas Racing:

Carl Fogarty’s sporting knowledge will be demonstrated when he appears on next week’s Question of Sport quiz programme, to be broadcast on BBC1 at 7.00pm on Friday 17 January.

Foggy’s sense of sport was put to the test when he joined Everton Manager, David Moyes and team captain Ally McCoist, to battle out their sporting trivia supremacy against the trio of Andy Cole (Blackburn Rovers and former Manchester United and England striker), Matt Dawson (Northampton Saints, England and British Lions scrum half) and team captain and former champion jockey, Frankie Detorie.

Filmed in Manchester last month, Foggy commented on the longest running sports quiz show in the world, “Being on the show was just great fun and Sue Barker and all the lads in the teams are great people. I’ve been on the panel and also their mystery guest a few times before but it’s still fun.

“You have the audience around you but you forget you’re actually being filmed as it’s all so relaxed. We rattled through the programme and hardly had to do any re-takes during the filming, which goes to show how professional, relaxed and confident everyone is.

“You could really feel the competitiveness though and I was desperate to win as I can’t stand losing, but I guess everyone will just have to wait until next Friday to find out if we did win or not!”

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By Beth Wyse

John Haner set a new track record at No Problem Raceway in Belle Rose, Louisiana, during Saturday qualifying for the Grand Bayou Festival of Speed, an independent racing event produced by the Church of Speed. Haner ran a 1:12.926 in the first half of Heavyweight Expert qualifying on his Suzuki GSX-R750.

After getting a late start, the day’s schedule was further delayed when a rider crashed on cold tires exiting pit lane during the first Expert practice. The rider was initially unconscious, and an airlift was called in, but he was awake by the time he was transported.

In Heavyweight Expert qualifying, Haner’s record lap time put him on the pole. Vincent Haskovec was second-fastest with a time of 1:14.006, but he crashed his AMA Superstock Suzuki GSX-R750 and ended the qualifying session with a red flag. Haskovec was uninjured, but will have to race on his Superbike-spec GSX-R750.

Greg Moore, who is running his first race as an Expert this weekend, qualified third in Heavyweight with a time of 1:14.409 on his Suzuki GSX-R750.

In Middleweight Expert, Moore took the pole on his Suzuki GSX-R600 with a lap time of 1:15.196. Haner was second on a Yamaha YZF-R6, running a 1:15.461, while Dave Ebber ran a 1:16.816 on a Suzuki GSX-R600 to qualify third.

Bradley Champion ran a quick time of 1:16.193 on a Suzuki SV650 to take the pole in Lightweight Superbike. The Lightweight field consisted of only six qualifiers. Martin Musil, another new Expert, was second-fastest with a time of 1:18.632. Chris Normand qualified third with a lap time of 1:20.169. Musil and Normand were also on Suzuki SV650s.

The races on Sunday will consist of 20-lap Expert and Novice races for Lightweight, Middleweight and Heavyweight classes. There will also be a second Expert Heavyweight race that is 25 laps in length and has a slightly higher payout than the other races.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The Kawasaki MotoGP team is joining Suzuki for a five-day test at Sepang in Malaysia. The test reunites former Red Bull Yamaha WCM teammates Garry McCoy (now riding for Kawasaki) and John Hopkins (now riding for Suzuki).

Also attending the test are the Suzuki World Superbike and AMA Superbike teams, with Gregorio Lavilla, Mat Mladin, Aaron Yates and Ben Spies riding GSX-R1000s.

The trip to Malaysia is Spies’ first long plane ride. The youngster has said in the past that he doesn’t like to fly. As a result, Spies has driven to every AMA race he has competed in, travelling in a pickup truck/RV combination with his mother.