From a press release issued by Clear Channel Entertainment, Motor Sports:

Privateer Test Days Scheduled For Anaheim 2 and Atlanta

AURORA, Ill. (January 14, 2002) – Clear Channel Entertainment’s Motor Sports division announced today that two privateer test days will be held throughout the 2003 season of THQ World Supercross GP and the AMA Supercross Series. The first session will be held on Thursday, January 16 at Edison International Field from 2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. and the second will be held on Thursday, February 18 at the Georgia Dome from 2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.

“Through our great relationship with Edison International Field and the Georgia Dome, we are offering the privateers competing in THQ World Supercross GP and the AMA Supercross Series an extra day of practice on an official supercross track,” said Todd Jendro, director of supercross, Clear Channel Entertainment – Motor Sports. “Clear Channel Entertainment will continue to work with the various venues on the schedule to make this opportunity available to privateers. Those dates will be announced once they are scheduled.”

Today’s supercross tracks present technical dynamics to privateer riders that demand precision, and the privateer test day will help the privateers hone their supercross skills.

“We (the privateers) do not have the luxury of training on the highly sophisticated supercross tracks that the factory guys do,” said Ryan Clark. “This test session helps close the gap between the privateers and factory riders, and I would like to thanks Clear Channel for this. Any extra time on the track helps us out.”

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Fastest Lap Times At Sepang, Tuesday, Malaysia Time:

1. John Hopkins, Suzuki GSV-R, 2:06.0
2. Kenny Roberts, Suzuki GSV-R, 2:06.5
3. Garry McCoy, Kawasaki ZX-RR, 2:06.6
4. Andrew Pitt, Kawasaki ZX-RR, 2:07.0
5. Akira Yanagawa, Kawasaki ZX-RR, 2:07.1
6. Alex Hofmann, Kawasaki ZX-RR, 2:09.1
7. Mat Mladin, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:08.8
8. Gregorio Lavilla, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:08.9
9. Aaron Yates, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:09.3
10. Ben Spies, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2:12.2



Note: The Suzuki MotoGP team is taking Wednesday off and will resume testing Thursday.

From a press release issued by Team Pro-Motion:

Announcing the Team Pro-Motion new website creation. Just released the Team Pro-Motion Sportbike club’s new website is a reflection of brand new programs that have come to development over the past seven years. “The sites main objective is to be clean and organized having a simple approach. Team Pro-Motion has reflected on what many of the members have commented on in past years and has brought to life the true essence of what really matters…the members and riders” says Glen Goldman, the Team’s owner.

Upon review of the new programs you’ll notice not only extremely reasonable track rates, but a whole new way to express yourself while participating. The all new GP Moto Cup Racing Series will be launched with Cosmopolitan Motors as its major sponsor. Over 20 80cc GP machines have been readied for competition as riders may opt to reserve one of the little screamers in an attempt to battle their friends to a first place victory. 10 races will be scheduled (schedule to be released shortly) to run during a regular team track event. Cosmopolitan Motors of Hatboro Pa www.cosmotor.com will be making the Rieju RS-1 motorcycle ready to compete and available for delivery should you feel the need to park one in your garage.

The whole package race ready should sell for just under the $3000 mark, making racing just that much better. Team Pro-Motion also is focusing on the young market making this racing event available for new riders of 14 years of age or more.

Last on the site the Advanced Rider Training school headed up by racer Michael Himmelsbach has now added a 2-day Pro school. The school will cover all the necessary facets that play a key role in rider personal development and is geared for an intermediate to advanced level of rider. ART-BASIC school taught by long time instructor Robert Lombardi will set his focus on bringing new riders into the track environment and seeing to it they get the right start.

Visit Team Pro-Motion Sportbike Club at www.teampromotion.com for all the details.

ph – 215-671-8660 ~ fax – 775-242-5720

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

QB Phase One, which won the Endurance World Championship in 1993 and in 2000, is seeking young riders with money for the QB Phase One Junior team.

A posting on the team’s website, www.phaseone.co.uk, states that the team is looking for riders under the age of 23 with an International (FIM) racing license and “backing.”

The Junior team will run a Suzuki GSX-R1000 like the QB Phase One team of Mike Edwards and Jason Pridmore with support from the same group of mechanics.

For more information, contact Phase One Suzuki Team Manager Russell Benney at Moxhill House, Comwich, Bridgwater, Somerset, TA5 2PN. Telephone/FAX 01278 652 439 or go to www.phaseone.co.uk.

From a press release issued by USGPRU:


The USGPRU announced initial sponsorship and contingency for the 2003 season today.

These include sponsorship renewals from 2002 sponsors GP Star Hollywood, Silkolene, VP Racing Fuels, Braking Italy, Motion Pro and CCS/F-USA.

New sponsors for the 2003 season include Bridgestone Tyres with committed payouts to 8th place at all USGPRU events and EBC Brakes.

Total payout and contingency for the 2003 16 race USGPRU 125GP National Championship has already passed US $30,000 with more sponsors being added every day.

The first race of the USGPRU 125GP National Championship is scheduled for February 1st & 2nd at Willow Springs International Raceway on the Streets of Willow Road Course.

Payouts for the 2003 season are as follows:

CCS/F-USA – Over $6000 in total cash awards Paying 1-3 at all US events

VP Racing Fuels – 1st – 10th All events

Bridgestone Tires – 1st-$75, 50, 40, 35, 30, 25, 20, 20 – All events

GPStar Hollywood – 4th-8th $50, 40, 30, 25, 15

Silkolene Lubricants – $30, 20, 10 ($100 Championship Bonus)

EBC Brakes – $30, 20, 10 ($100 Championship Bonus)

Braking Italy – Product Awards

Motion Pro – Product Awards

Additional information on the USGPRU and the US 125GP National Championship can be found on the official USGPRU web site at www.usgpru.org.

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.