From a press release issued by Aprilia Racing Press Information:

Jerez de la Frontera (Spain)
Private Tests
2/3/4 December 2002

Tuesday 3 Dec 02

RS Cube put through second day of private tests at Jerez

Another very positive day of “winter” tests for the RS Cube from the Racing Department of Noale. Colin Edwards is still learning his way around the three-cylinder MotoGP bike from Aprilia and is making huge strides forward each day of testing. Today he sliced a second off yesterday’s fast-lap time, even though the aim of these tests is certainly not so much the fast lap as getting a perfect feeling for a bike the Texan has only just started riding. The entire Aprilia workgroup dedicated to the MotoGP project, and managed by Ing. Gigi dall’Igna, worked hard to complete today’s programme successfully. Stability and balance, and calibration of the suspension were the focus of attention, but considerable work was also carried out to optimise power delivery from an engine that Colin highly appreciates. He was able to take immediate advantage of the work carried out on his bike.

“We – and I personally – are making enormous progress” said a satisfied Colin Edwards. “Work’s going flat out and you can sure see the results. In such an intense and delicate period of work, it would be almost surprising if there weren’t at least one slide. I was trying out a different steering angle, but from the saddle I could see I wasn’t getting the feeling or the advantage I was expecting. And that’s when I went down – with no harm to myself or to the bike. No problem. Power delivery’s fine, and it’s already much improved since the first tests here in Jerez a few days ago. The bike’s adapting much better to my style of riding and the throttle’s extraordinarily smooth. It’s taking me rather long to get up to the right tyre temperature but it’s good to know that it’ll be hot when we come here for the race and I’ll have much more grip on the tarmac. After these first two days of tests, I feel I’m pretty sure I’ve still got some leeway: I’d say I’ve still got 4/5 tenths in my wrist, but I haven’t made use of it as I don’t know the bike perfectly yet, and what we’re really doing here at these tests is trying to get a perfect feeling for the Cube.”

Colin Edwards – Aprilia RS3 – 1:44.1

From a press release issued by AMA:

AMA GATHERS SUPPORT AGAINST FIM THREAT

PICKERINGTON, OHIO — The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) reports that it has received support from throughout the American motorcycling community after announcing last Tuesday that it had been threatened with expulsion from the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) by that organization’s president.

“We’re gratified that we’ve heard so many expressions of support,” said Robert Rasor, President of the AMA. “It’s clear that a great number of motorcycling enthusiasts, competitors, industry representatives, and journalists stand with us in our fight to preserve the integrity of American motorcycling.”

The FIM is the world-wide motorcycle sanctioning body based in Geneva, Switzerland, and the AMA is its sole U.S. affiliate. The threat to expel the AMA came from FIM President Francesco Zerbi in a November 20, 2002, letter to AMA President Robert Rasor. The letter was Zerbi’s response to AMA Pro Racing’s objection to the FIM’s efforts to unilaterally impose its authority, rules and sanction on 15 of the 16 events in the 2003 AMA Supercross Series.

In last Tuesday’s announcement, Rasor stated the AMA’s agreement with AMA Pro Racing’s objection to the FIM’s actions, as well as the Association’s support of AMA Pro Racing’s efforts “to use all necessary means to protect AMA Supercross from unwarranted interference.”

Later that day, in a related action, AMA Pro Racing announced that it had filed a lawsuit in federal district court, seeking an injunction to enforce an agreement stipulating that AMA Pro Racing has the exclusive rights to sanction 15 Clear Channel Motorsports’ events in the 16-event AMA Supercross Series. A hearing in the case has been scheduled for December 17, 2002.


A related press release issued by AMA Pro Racing yesterday:

HEARING DATE SET IN AMA PRO RACING CASE

PICKERINGTON, Ohio–Paradama Productions, Inc., d/b/a AMA Pro Racing, announced today that a hearing date has been set in federal district court for its case against Clear Channel Motorsports.

The hearing, scheduled for December 17, will consider AMA Pro Racing’s request for an injunction, pending arbitration, to enforce the Supercross Sanctioning Agreement signed by both parties in March. In order for Federal District Court Judge James L. Graham to grant an injunction, he will have to consider the likelihood of success based on the merits of AMA Pro Racing’s case.

“We’re confident in our case and look forward to obtaining an injunction in court,” said Scott Hollingsworth, CEO of AMA Pro Racing. “From comments recently made by Clear Channel Motorsports, it’s obvious to me that they are in favor of allowing the FIM (Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme) into the AMA Supercross Series in the role of a sanctioning body. Not only would this violate our agreement, it is not in the best interests of the series. One only need look at the recent debacle of the Motocross of Nations to see what that could lead to.”

Clear Channel Motorsports issued a statement last week indicating that the case was between AMA Pro Racing and the FIM, and did not involve Clear Channel. “That is incorrect,” said Hollingsworth. “This case absolutely involves Clear Channel. Our contract with Clear Channel Motorsports recognizes AMA Pro Racing’s exclusive sanctioning rights to the series.”

When AMA Pro Racing objected to the FIM, it threatened the AMA with expulsion, even though neither the FIM nor the AMA are parties to AMA Pro Racing’s contract with Clear Channel.

“After our extraordinarily successful management of the AMA Supercross Series for 29 consecutive years, we will not accept being summarily edged aside,” Hollingsworth added. “The behavior of Clear Channel is unacceptable, and we are asking the court to force the company to uphold its contractual responsibilities.”


Clear Channel’s Statement, issued last week:

AURORA, Ill (November 27, 2002) – In response to the AMA’s recent press releases and subsequent lawsuit, Clear Channel Entertainment – Motor Sports today released the following statement.

The statement released by Ken Hudgens, Clear Channel Entertainment’s vice president of marketing.

“Clear Channel Entertainment — Motor Sports is the promoter of the AMA Supercross Series and the THQ World Supercross GP Series of which the U.S. championship events are a part.

“AMA Pro Racing acknowledged and agreed to this ‘series within a series’ concept from the outset of our new contractual relationship with them last spring – in the contract itself, in our many discussions with them, and in their statements to the press.

“AMA Pro Racing apparently now has a dispute with the FIM, the international sanctioning body of which it is an affiliate, over whether AMA recognizes FIM’s ultimate authority over the conduct of motorcycle racing sanctioned by its affiliates when such events are part of a world championship. That is not Clear Channel Entertainment – Motor Sports’ dispute, and it will have no effect on the upcoming supercross season, which kicks off in Geneva, Switzerland on December 7, 2002.”

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

KWS Motorsports’ Kevin Hunt reports that he and other high performance race shop operators have been defrauded by customers using counterfeit checks and money orders, and Hunt wants to warn other business owners.

According to Hunt, con artists are ordering big-ticket, high-performance motorcycle parts from several shops and paying for the deliveries with what appear to be counterfeit checks and money orders. Hunt was taken for a $5500 big-block engine and says that he believes at least three other businesses he deals with have been hit by criminals using the same method of operation. In fact, Hunt says he and one other business were contacted through the same e-mail address.

“Obviously, they know how the system works and are using it to take advantage of us,” said Hunt.

Hunt says the criminals pose as typical customers, almost always order parts for Suzuki Hayabusas and want the parts shipped UPS, COD (collect on delivery) overnight to be delivered by 10:30 a.m. to addresses on the east coast, which usually turn out to be motels or large apartment complexes. This way the criminals only have a small window of time to wait for the UPS delivery truck to arrive. The criminals then meet the driver in common areas, so as not to be traced to any specific residence or room; pay for the parts with the counterfeit check or money order, which include legitimate financial institution names but numbers and coding that do not make sense to those institutions; and receive the delivery of parts. UPS accepts the checks and money orders, but, according to Hunt, UPS’s delivery policy specifically eliminates UPS’s liability to the businesses/shippers.

“UPS has a manual that’s about half-an-inch-thick,” said Hunt. “I’ve had a lawyer go over it, and UPS does not have any liability.”

A call seeking clarification on UPS’s policy concerning method of payment on COD deliveries, delivery policies and shippers’ liabilities had not been returned by UPS’s media relations department at post time.

“I just want to get the word out, as a courtesy, so no one else has to take a $5500 hit,” said Hunt.

Hunt recommends businesses ask overnight, COD customers for references of other businesses they have dealt with and checking the references, doing “reverse look-ups” to verify customers’ shipping addresses and phone numbers with AT&T’s directory website www.anywho.com or by simply asking the customers to pre-pay and waiting for the payment to cash or clear before any parts are shipped.

The case is currently being investigated by the Charleston, South Carolina Police Department as felony fraud, but Hunt is trying to get the case investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) based on the facts that the crime occurred across state lines and that the Internet was used in the commission of the crime.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Three-time AMA Superbike Champion Doug Chandler plans to race a Gary Medley-prepared No Limits Motorsports Honda CBR954RR in the 2003 Daytona 200 on Michelins.

“We’re building a 954 for Superbike,” Chandler told Roadracingworld.com Monday. “So we’ll be for sure at Daytona, and we’ll have to wait and see how it goes and go from there. I think we’ll only stick to two (classes). It all depends. If Daytona goes good and we’re in the middle of things, maybe we’ll just do Superbike and 600. If not, we’ll do (Formula) Xtreme and certain places Superbike too.

“In race trim, the thing makes the power the Superbikes are making and the weights are going to be the same. I think it’s got a chance,” said Chandler when asked if the Honda CBR954RR would be competitive in AMA Superbike.

Asked for his thoughts on his switch to Michelins after riding on Dunlops for the last eight consecutive seasons, Chandler said, “I’ve been with Dunlop for a long time, but the team…it’s what kind of deal they are able to get. And they were able to get a better deal for both riders rather than just me on the Dunlops. They went ahead and went the Michelin route. It should make it better all the way around – give the Dunlop guys a bit of competition, hopefully, and, hopefully, the Michelin guys will have some pretty good stuff for us.”

And what of Chandler’s memories of Michelins on the 500cc Grand Prix bikes he campaigned in the early 1990’s? “No problems. They were a little different, a little less feeling in them, but a good tire,” said Chandler.

Chandler and teammate Jason Curtis are currently waiting for their 2003 Honda CBR600RRs before starting their off-season testing program.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

2002 Superbike World Champion Colin Edwards will make his first U.S. appearance for Aprilia Friday, December 6 at the International Motorcycle Show at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, California. Edwards will be available for autographs and photos at the Aprilia booth from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. (Pacific Time) Friday only, reports Aprilia USA’s Robert Pandya.

The Aprilia RS3 Cube MotoGP bike will not be on display at the show, but Aprilia product planners will be on hand to gauge consumer interest in the RSV1000 Tuono and the Noriyuki Haga Replica RSV-R Mille.

For additional information on the International Motorcycle Show, go to http://show.motorcycleshows.com/IMSBrandManager/V33/index.cvn

Edwards has been very busy since winning his second Superbike World Championship and signing to race in MotoGP for Aprilia. Edwards raced in and won the Michelin Race of Champions Nations’ Cup November 29-30 in the Canary Islands; is currently testing at Jerez in Spain through Wednesday, December 4; will appear in Long Beach Friday, December 6; and will fly to Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, December 7 to be inducted into the CMRA Hall of Fame at the Texas-based racing organization’s awards banquet.

From a press release issued by Ducati Corse Press Information:

Jerez de la Frontera (Spain) Monday 2 December 2002

CAPIROSSI, BAYLISS AND GUARESCHI GET DOWN TO MORE TESTING WORK AT JEREZ WITH THE DUCATI DESMOSEDICI

Ducati Corse’s non-stop testing session in preparation for the 2003 MotoGP championship is continuing at Jerez de la Frontera today, for the second time in two weeks, as development work on the Ducati Desmosedici continues until Wednesday.

The two 2003 MotoGP riders Loris Capirossi and Troy Bayliss are present at the Andalusian circuit, as well as team test rider Vittoriano Guareschi.

The first day of testing was held on a track that was still not in perfect condition following last night’s rain. Several damp patches accompanied the riders throughout the day despite sunny conditions right from the morning start.

Today’s workload revolved mainly around the search for the best possible set-up, suspension settings and mapping of the engine, which was used by all three riders in ‘Four Pulse’ mode.

Loris, who knows the Jerez track well, continued to get to grips with his new bike and at the end of the day his best time was 1:44.4 in a total of 48 laps.

Troy, present at Jerez for only the second time in his career, completed a total of 56 laps, with a best time of 1:45.4.

Vittoriano concentrated chiefly on race simulation and the Italian rider’s best time was 1:46.8 in today’s 55 laps.

Ducati Corse Track Technical Director Corrado Cecchinelli expressed satisfaction at the outcome of the first day of testing: “Today went really well because we managed to make up for the time lost two weeks ago, when the weather conditions were dreadful. Hopefully we’ll have another couple of days of good weather so our riders can complete their set-up work on the Desmosedici. Today there was no point going for really quick lap times, because of the track conditions, but despite this we managed to get a lot of work done on reliability and set-up.”

N.B. Ducati Corse is unable to supply any images or rider comments of Loris Capirossi until the end of 2002.

From a press release issued by Honda Racing Information:

HRC winter test Valencia, December 2, 2002.

Changeable Weather Conditions for HRC RC211V Test at Valencia

The first day of the two-day HRC winter test at Jerez got underway in less than ideal conditions at the 4.005km Ricardo Tormo Circuit, close to Valencia. The test, the first of two scheduled for Spain this month, was scheduled to evaluate recent development work on the Honda RC211V five-cylinder 990cc four-stroke machine, which ran away with the 2002 MotoGP World Championship.

Japanese MotoGP stars Tohru Ukawa and Daijiro Kato were joined at the tight and demanding track by American Superbike Champion Nicky Hayden, who was riding at a European circuit for the first time. Lap times became irrelevant as track conditions prevented direct comparisons with the lap times set by RC211V riders at the grand prix.

What hampered the riders today was a less-than-ideal track surface. Formula One teams held both wet and dry tests at Valencia last week, the cars coating the corners in rubber in less than ideal places. All three riders commented that the track was very slick in the morning, but became progressively more adhesive.

Hayden was impressive on his first outing considering the conditions, and that he hadn’t ridden at the track or on this motorcycle. Hayden had tested the Honda RC211V twice previously, once at Motegi and last week in cold, wet, and windy conditions at Suzuka, Japan. Both times he rode test motorcycles. The technical specifications of the RC211V he tested today closely match the set-up HRC riders raced with at the recent grand prix.

Hayden, who completed 80 laps today, said. “It’s quite a bit different than Motegi and Suzuka. We tested a couple of tyres, a little bit of suspension stuff, a little bit of offsets, shock specs. HRC have a bit of a plan. They had a couple of different engine parts to test.

“It’s pretty good for the first day on a new track with a new bike. I’m making up time just everywhere. There’s not just one spot. I like the wicked left-hander in the back. The traction control is new for me. I used it pretty much all day. It just mellows it out,” concluded Hayden.

While Hayden was getting used to a new track and new bike, Ukawa was comparing modifications made since the last race of the 2002 season, Valencia in early November.

“Basically we tried some suspension settings, and gearbox settings,” Ukawa said. “On some parts of the track it was better, on some parts it was worse. It was a little bit of an improvement, but my lap times were a little bit slow.”

Daijiro Kato, testing suspension, chassis and engine parts on his Gresini Honda RC211V, had much the same experience. “The conditions are not perfect,” Kato, who also hadn’t ridden since the end of the season, said. “Normally this track, is very slippery on the first day. Not so happy, not so angry.”

The test continues on Tuesday with the teams moving south next Monday for a three-day test at the Jerez Circuit, where they will be joined by MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Rumi Honda is considering racing a Honda CBR954RR in the 2003 World Superbike Championship. That’s the word from Roadracingworld.com’s European correspondent Glenn LeSanto.

Team owner Oscar Rumi has had discussions with Brit Mark Heckles to return to the team to ride a 954 next season, reports LeSanto. Heckles campaigned a Honda RC51 for Rumi Honda in 2002.

With only two true factory teams committed to the 2003 World Superbike Series(Infostrada Ducati and Foggy Petronas), private teams see this as a big opportunity to score podium finishes in races and to finish well in the Championship, results which could be parlayed into more support from sponsors.

According to LeSanto, Heckles describes the situation as “back to the future” because World Superbike started as being private-team-based, not factory-based.

From a press release issued by Aprilia Racing Press Information:

Jerez de la Frontera (Spain)

Private Tests

2/3/4 December 2002

Monday 2 Dec 02

Second session of winter tests at Jerez for the RS Cube

The Aprilia RS Cube from the Racing Department of Noale has been through its second session of winter tests, again at Jerez de la Frontera. Out on the track today were Colin Edwards and Marcellino Lucchi, with Noriyuki Haga not taking part in this session as yesterday he was celebrating his wedding in Japan – he will be back on the saddle of the three-cylinder from Noale in mid December. Since the track was not in perfect condition – damp until mid-day and made slippery by traces of oil left by recent motor-racing tests, the riders first went out onto the circuit only in the early hours of the afternoon. Even so, works rider Colin Edwards, for the first time out on the test track in conditions that were close to ideal, and Aprilia test rider Marcellino Lucchi managed to complete today’s work schedule. A whole series of other tests are slated to be carried out on the team bikes over the coming days.

After his initial sorties to fine tune power delivery the way Edwards needs it, the Texan rider then turned his attention to the set-up of the bike, completing a number of laps in less than 1:46 and making the best afternoon time of 1:45.1.

The programme also included tyre tests, with Michelin race tyres being subjected to distance testing of about 20 laps: Colin again made lap times very similar to those of all the laps in the session. Marcellino Lucchi went for a harmless slide, without causing any damage either to himself or to his bike. Marcellino’s schedule included engine and set-up tests on the RS Cube from the Racing Department of Noale.

Testing will carry on until Wednesday.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

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Photos courtesy Michelin Sport.

Team USA’s Jimmie Johnson, Colin Edwards and Jeff Gordon won the fourth Michelin Race of Champions Nations’ Cup at the Circuit Ciudad Deportiva Islas Canaries in Telde, Gran Canaria (of the Canary Islands) Saturday, November 30. Team USA beat out Team Italy’s Marco Melandri (FIM 250cc Grand Prix Champion), Fabrizio Giovanardi (2002 European Touring Car Champion) and Renato Travaglia in the final round, three heats to two.

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Having raced at the Michelin ROC in years past, Edwards drew on his experience to win both of his final heats, Gordon beat Giovanardi head-to-head, and Johnson came second to Travaglia by a small margin in the final round to earn Team USA the Nations’ Cup.

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A field of 36 drivers (including 16 current or former World Champions) of auto “circuit” racing, auto rally/off-road racing and motorcycle racing from nine different countries faced off, head-to-head, in Peugeot 206s, SEAT Cordobas, Mitsubishi Evo VIs and Honda CBR1100XX-powered buggies on parallel 1.6-mile asphalt/gravel courses.

Colin Edwards replaced original Team USA selection Travis Pastrana.

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In addition to Edwards and Melandri, other motorcycle road racers in the Michelin Race of Champions included Britain’s James Haydon (Foggy Petronas Racing, World Superbike), Spain’s Carlos Checa (Fortuna Yamaha, MotoGP) and Brazil’s Alex Barros (Galouises Tech 3 Yamaha, MotoGP).

2002 CART Champion Cristiano da Matta (Brazil) and fellow CART racers Dario Franchetti (Britain) and Kenny Brack (Sweden) also participated in the event.

2002 World Rally Champion Marcus Gronholm (Finland) won the Michelin Champion of Champions contest, to determine the fastest individual driver, on Sunday, December 1.