From a press release issued by Tory Bayliss’ publicist, Steve Reeves:

BAYLISS CHASES ENGLISH SUCCESS AT BRANDS HATCH

Kent, England (Thursday, July 25) – The historic Brands Hatch Circuit plays host to the European round of the Superbike World Championship this weekend (July 27-28) with defending champion Troy Bayliss eager to add to his tally of fourteen race wins for the 2002 season.

After winning the British Superbike championship in 1999, Bayliss has always enjoyed racing in front of the huge English crowds that Brands Hatch attracts and this weekend will be no different for the likable Australian.

“I like winning in front of the English people,” said Bayliss. “I’ve got a lot of fans in England, but for some reason I just want to go there and win. I would love to go there and get the double. It’s the busiest round of the year for us. It has the most spectators and there’s a lot of work to be done both on and off the track. Hopefully the weather will be a lot better than what it was at Silverstone.”

The Infostrada Ducati rider arrives in England still nursing his lower back as a result of the crash during practice for the previous round of the championship at Laguna Seca. As a result his training program has been modified to include additional swimming and less work in the gym in an attempt to allow the injury to heal, while maintaining his fitness.

“I’ll be giving it everything that I’ve got this weekend as after that we’ve got a month off before the next rounds, which will be good as I can spend that time to get myself fully fit,” added Bayliss. “Obviously I did well there at Laguna, but my lower back was quite sore. It’s not going to affect me at Brands, but that month off will allow me to get into my best shape for the final three rounds.”

The undulating 4.22km Brands Hatch circuit will see a number of riders in contention alongside Bayliss. Of the British riders, Neil Hodgson has been the best performed this season on his HM Plant Ducati and will be out to impress his home fans. The main focus for Bayliss will once again be arch rival Colin Edwards. The two shared the wins at Laguna Seca less than two weeks ago and with the championship entering the business end of the season, Bayliss will be looking to increase his points margin over the Texan. Bayliss currently heads the championship points table with a 53-point break over Edwards, while Hodgson holds down third overall.

“It’s going to be a lot faster than last year. My Infostrada Ducati 998F-02 is working extremely well at the moment as are the Michelin tyres. As has been the case all year I’ll be keeping a close eye on Colin (Edwards). Last year we had a few problems in qualifying and that put us behind the eight ball all weekend, but I’m sure we’ll be better prepared this time around.”


BRANDS HATCH, SWC FAST FACTS

Circuit Length: 4.221km

2001 Superpole: Neil Hodgson (GSE Ducati) 1:26.769

Lap record: Ben Bostrom (L&M Ducati) 1:26.884 (2001)

2001 Race Results:
Race 1/10 laps
1. Ben Bostrom (L&M Ducati)
2. Colin Edwards (Castrol Honda)
3. Neil Hodgson (GSE Ducati)
5. Troy Bayliss (Infostrada Ducati)

Race 2/15 laps
1. Neil Hodgson (GSE Ducati)
2. Ben Bostrom (L&M Ducati)
3. Troy Bayliss (Infostrada Ducati)

2002 World Superbike championship points (after 9 of 13 rounds):
1. T Bayliss 405; 2. C Edwards 352; 3. N Hodgson 221; 4. B Bostrom 184; 5. N Haga 182;
6. R Xaus 172; 7. J Toseland 124; 8. C Walker 108; 9. P Chili 90; 10. G Lavilla 84.

From a press release issued by Team Hammer, Inc.:

Josh Hayes and Team Hammer, Inc., racing as Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki, have reached an agreement which will see Hayes leave the team following the AMA National at Virginia International Raceway August 9-11.

The team and Hayes have negotiated a settlement of his contract.

“We think the world of Josh and wish him the best in everything he does,” said team owner John Ulrich. “We regret that we were not able to provide Josh with the combination he needed to fulfill his potential, and his expectations, in 2002.”

From a press release issued by Rich Miller:

Jonah Miller has announced his seperation from Veloce Racing and team owner Spiros Gabrilis.

Miller won the 125 OMRRA championship last season riding the Aprilia 125 for Veloce Racing, and this year has seen limited riding opportunties with appearances at the Sears Point AMA 250 race and recently the Laguna Seca AMA 250 support race where mechanical failures kept him from a respectable finish.

We would like to thank Spiros for all of his effort on Jonah’s behalf over the past two seasons. Jonah is weighing his options now, but can be contacted @ 541-760-5411.

From Ducati Corse:

WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP

Round 10 – Brands Hatch (UK), 28 July 2002

PREVIEW – EUROPEAN ROUND

After some of the most spectacular racing seen all year at Laguna Seca, World Superbike returns to Europe for the most popular event on the calendar at Brands Hatch. The Kent circuit, on the outskirts of London, offers exciting racing and unparalleled viewing for the 100,000 plus crowd that is expected to turn up to see whether or not Troy Bayliss (Ducati Infostrada) can continue his extraordinary run of success.

The reigning world champion, winner of 14 of the 18 races so far this season, needs just three more wins to reach the all-time record held by Doug Polen (Ducati) in 1991. The Australian’s success story continued last week in the USA, where he shared the wins with eternal rival Colin Edwards (Honda), increasing his championship lead to 53 points over the Texan, with four rounds remaining and 200 points still left on the board.

“I came away from Laguna feeling sad and sorry for myself after a couple of crashes, and on Sunday I was a lot sorer than what it looked like on the bike. So basically I’ve just been at home since then getting ready for this race” commented Troy. “Physically I feel at 90% but on the bike it’s completely different and you can be sure I’ll be going out there aiming to win. I enjoy coming to Brands Hatch, it’s a place I’ve raced at a lot, and I’ll be planning to get some good results this weekend. I don’t really have to worry so much, because although the championship is very important I’ve got a points cushion of a couple of races over my closest rival Colin”.

Ruben Xaus (Ducati Infostrada) had an up-and-down weekend at Laguna with a superb second place in race 1 before crashing out in the second race. The young Spanish rider currently lies sixth in the table with 172 points. “I really hope to do well this weekend so I can go to the summer break with a lot more points on the board and get close to third place in the championship” declared Ruben. “I’m feeling a bit under the weather with ‘flu at the moment so my aim is to get better in half-a-day to be ready for first qualifying tomorrow. I like all the circuits on the WSBK calendar but Brands Hatch is one of my favourites. There’s always a good crowd here and the atmosphere around the track is simply fantastic”.

Twelve months ago Ben Bostrom (Ducati L&M) won both races with a superb display of riding around the Kent track. The Californian is fourth in the championship on 184 points. “I’m really excited about the Brands round because it’ll be good to get back on the bike after the big disappointment of Laguna. I will only be satisfied with winning here because that’s the only true satisfaction. Brands Hatch is an interesting circuit, it’s like any other track with its ‘goods’ and ‘bads’. It’s a weird track, you ride around thinking you’re going fast but you’re not, and then on the next lap something just clicks and it works and that’s what makes it so interesting”.

THE BRANDS HATCH CIRCUIT

Motorsport at Brands Hatch dates back to 1926 when a group of enthusiasts used the venue for grass track racing. The surface was asphalted in 1950 and soon became a popular venue for car racing as well. Circuit length was increased to 2.65 miles (4.24 kms) making it ideal for hosting top international races. World Superbikes first came to Brands Hatch in 1993 and every year since 1995 it has hosted the European Round at the start of August. The event has grown massively in popularity over the years and in 2001 a record crowd of 122,000 spectators crammed into the Kent circuit for the World Superbike round.

CIRCUIT RECORDS

Lap record: Bostrom (Ducati) 1’26.884 (2001); Superpole: Hodgson (Ducati) 1’26.381 (2000); Qualifying: Haga (Yamaha) 1’26.235 (2000). Race distance: 2 x 25 laps/105.525 kms.

2001 RESULTS

Race 1: 1. Bostrom (Ducati), 2. Hodgson (Ducati), 3. Edwards (Honda). Race 2: 1. Bostrom (Ducati), 2. Hodgson (Ducati), 3. Bayliss (Ducati).

POINTS (after 9 of 13 rounds): Riders – 1. Bayliss 405; 2. Edwards 352; 3. Hodgson 221; 4. Bostrom 184; 5. Haga 182; 6. Xaus 172, etc. Manufacturers – 1. Ducati 415; 2. Honda 357; 3. Aprilia 182; 4. Kawasaki 157; 5. Suzuki 101, etc.

TV COVERAGE

Eurosport (pan-European): Sunday 28 July, Race 1 1245 CET (live), Race 2 2315 CET (delayed). BBC (UK): Sunday 28 July, Race 1 1145 BST (live), Race 2 1520 BST (live). La7 (Italy): Saturday 27 July, Superpole, 1655 CET (live); Sunday 28 July, Race 1 1255 CET (live), Race 2 1755 CET (delayed).

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

According to a press release issued by the involved companies, TBT Racing will now be located in the service department of Eastside MotoSports, a Yamaha, Suzuki, Ducati, Cagiva, MV Agusta and Bimota dealership located in Bellevue, Washington.

Travis Flateau of TBT Racing, (aka Tuning By Travis) will provide machining, engine tuning and suspension set-up services.

More information is available from TBT Racing at (206) 718-8637 (online at www.tbtracing.com) or from Eastside MotoSports at (425) 882-4300 (online at www.eastsidemotosports.com).

From a press release:

MOTORCYCLE HALL OF FAME MUSEUM ADDS FOUR TO CLASS OF 2002

PICKERINGTON, OHIO — The Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum has announced the addition of four members to its Motorcycle Hall of Fame Class of 2002:

Sylvester Roper — This motor-vehicle pioneer is credited with creating the first American motorcycle. His 1869 steam-powered bicycle preceded U.S.-made gasoline-powered machines.

Bessie Stringfield — In the 1940s, “The Motorcycle Queen of Miami” broke down barriers for women and African American motorcyclists at the same time, completing eight solo cross-country tours and serving as a U.S. Army motorcycle dispatch rider.

Adeline and Augusta Van Buren — These sisters’ 1916 cross-country ride proved to the U.S. military that women were fit to serve as dispatch riders. The Van Burens were the first women to make the transcontinental journey on two solo
motorcycles.

The Motorcycle Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to motorcycling, including those known for their contributions to road riding, off-road riding and all categories of racing, as well as those who have excelled in business, history, design and engineering.

The 16-member Class of 2002 will be inducted on October 19, during ceremonies at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, located on the campus of the American Motorcyclist Association in Pickerington, Ohio. The new inductees will join 269 others already enshrined in the Motorcycle Hall of Fame on the Museum’s lower level. The Motorcycle Hall of Fame features a plaque recognizing each inductee, along with related motorcycles, photos and memorabilia.

Any motorcycling enthusiast may submit a person to be considered for induction into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame; complete biographical information should accompany the submission. Inductees are chosen by six committees consisting of Hall-of-Famers and independent experts in various disciplines.

From a press release:

Ted Norton, an CCS/LRRS Racer and President of Norton Enterprises, Inc., a Computer Products Dealer and IT Solutions Provider in Boston Massachusetts, for the past 2-1/2 years has run a Contingency program at each LRRS event.

Top finishers in selected races have won prizes such as digital cameras, color printers, scanners, MP3 players and other sorts of PC accessories. 1st place finishers, 2nd place and even 3rd place finisher positions were awarded.

This year the program is really attracting more enthusiasm among skilled racers to compete for these prizes, which are usually presented at the awards ceremony at the end of the day’s event. Competing for prizes outside of the industry!

We’re hoping this type of program could spark an interest for other out-of-industry corps to support this sport.

Our support for road racing is recognized by racing officials including Jerry Wood at Loudon and Kevin Elliot of CCS.

Scott Greenwood, Eion Smith and Des Conboy are some of the riders awarded prizes for their performances.

More information is available from Ted Norton of Norton Enterprises, Inc., 358 Chestnut Hill Ave., Boston, MA 02135, (617) 566-6043.