Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

European magazines have obtained photos of what they are identifying as the new Ducati 999 street bike.

The photos show what appears to be a manufacturer prototype dressed in flat black bodywork with several stickers and duct tape as a disguise. The bike in the photos has stacked projector beam head lights bracketed by ram-air intakes in the front fairing and turn signals built into the rearview mirrors, similar in appearance to the MV Augusta F4. A trellis-style frame can be seen in the pictures, and the bike is reported to have an under-seat exhaust.

More details as they become available.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Red Bull Yamaha WCM has confirmed plans to run Honda V5 engines in Moriwaki chassis in the 2003 MotoGP series. Red Bull Team Manager Peter Clifford called Roadracingworld.com Tuesday and confirmed that his team plans to run the Honda/Moriwaki combination. “Nothing is cast in stone, but that is our plan,” said Clifford.

Red Bull’s 19-year-old sensation John Hopkins talks about the team’s future plans in his column, The GP Kid, in the September issue of Roadracing World, due out in early August.

After finishing seventh in the Dutch Grand Prix June 29, his best GP finish to date, Hopkins is 10th in the MotoGP World Championship standings. In addition, Hopkins is one of only two riders to have scored Championship points in every MotoGP round this season. The other rider is Valentino Rossi.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

A recent FIM press release announced that the Grand Prix Commission, consisting of Dorna Chairman Carmelo Ezpeleta, Calude Danis of the FIM, Sito Pons of IRTA, Takanao Tsubouchi of MSMA and Paul Butler, the Commission’s secretary, decided to amend the World Championship Grand Prix Regulations and put the new regulations into immediate action.

In a June 26 meeting held at Assen, the Commission unanimously approved the following:

Interruption of a race

1.25.4
If the results calculated show that two-thirds of the original race distance rounded down to the nearest whole number of laps have been completed by the leader of the race and by all other riders on the same lap as the leader, then for the 125cc and the 250cc classes the race will be deemed to have been completed and full Championship points will be awarded. For the MotoGP class, the race will be re-started with the laps and times of the two races added together to arrive at a final result. If it is found impossible to re-start the race, then the results will count and full Championship points will be awarded.


(The new rule enraged many riders, who knew nothing of the change to require a restart until the rule was announced, and who had not chance to offer any input.)

From a press release issued by Dan Murphy of RPM, the promoter of the combined World Superbike and AMA Superbike event scheduled for July 11-14 at Laguna Seca Raceway:


The World Superbike Commission announced today that the following six riders will be the wild card entries at the Laguna Seca round. These riders include: Nicky Hayden, Miguel DuHamel, Aaron Yates, Matt Mladin, Anthony Gobert and Doug Chandler. Eric Bostrom is already entered as a permanent rider in the WSBK series.

The top priority used in making these selections was the Commission’s judgment as to the rider’s ability to finish within the top 5 of each leg.

The Commission will now verify that all six entrants are still willing and able to ride at Laguna Seca. If a rider is not able to compete, a first alternate will be chosen between Pascal Picotte, Jamie Hacking and Kurtis Roberts.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

2001 World Superbike Champion and current point leader in the 2002 World Superbike Championship Troy Bayliss is the clear choice to ride the Ducati Desmosedici MotoGP bike in 2003, says a fan poll on Ducati.com. The poll asked fans to vote for who they would like to ride the Desmosedici in 2003 and gave a list of riders – some current Ducati World Superbike riders, some riders for other teams – to choose from.

Bayliss was the clear winner collecting 47 percent of votes. Current Yamaha factory MotoGP rider Max Biaggi, an Italian, collected 13 percent, while another Italian MotoGP rider, Loris Capirossi, earned 10 percent of the votes. American Ben Bostrom finished fourth in the poll with nine percent ahead of Ruben Xaus (8%), Noriyuki Haga (4%), Alex Barros (3%), Colin Edwards (3%), Carlos Checa (2%) and Kenny Roberts (1%). Valentino Rossi was not listed as a choice.

Ducati.com then followed up with another pole, which is currently running, asking fans to choose who they would like to see as Bayliss’ teammate on the 2003 Ducati.com MotoGP team. Currently, Capriossi is leading the voting with 28%. Biaggi and Bostrom are tied with 18% each, ahead of Edwards (10%), Xaus (9%), Haga (7%), Checa (7%), Barros (3%) and Roberts (3%).

In other Ducati news, the Ducati Desmosedici MotoGP bike will make its first public appearance outside of Italy July 12-14 when it will be displayed at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in Sussex, England.

From SPEED:

2:00 p.m. FIM 125cc GP, Catalunya
3:00 p.m. FIM 250cc GP, Assen

7:00 p.m. Bike Week
7:30 p.m. Motorcyclist
8:00 p.m. AMA Superbike, Brainerd
9:00 p.m. AMA Supersport, Brainerd
10:00 p.m. FIM MotoGP, Assen
11:00 p.m. Corbin’s Ride On
11:30 p.m. American Thunder
12:00 a.m. Bike Week
12:30 a.m. Motorcyclist
1:00 a.m. AMA Superbike, Brainerd
2:00 a.m. AMA Supersport, Brainerd
3:00 a.m. FIM MotoGP, Assen

All times are Eastern Daylight Time.

From a press release:

Thanks to the efforts of the AMA, Central Roadracing Association and The Colonel’s Brainerd Int’l Raceway, $1725 was raised for the Wegman Benefit Fund over the AMA Pro road racing weekend at BIR.

Spectators were offered a track ride on both Saturday and Sunday plus a t-shirt for a $25 donation to the Wegman Fund.

The Wegman Fund is a non-profit corporation that raises money to assist seriously injured road racers pay medical and related expenses from road racing accidents.

From a WERA press release:

WERA Sportsman Series Presented by Akins Ford Brings Local Racers to Road Atlanta

BRASELTON, Ga.- Road Atlanta will host some of the southeast’s best motorcycle road racers when the WERA Sportsman Series Presented by Akins Ford visits July 6-7.

The weekend of racing will get underway on Saturday, July 6, with the WERA National Vintage Series and the Sportsman Series Solo 20 races. The Vintage Series sprint races are all six laps and feature vintage race bikes ranging from 30 to five years old.

The Solo 20 races are mini-enduros and will include Lightweight, Mediumweight and Heavyweight races, with bikes being divided according to engine size.

On Sunday, July 7, the WERA National Sportsman Series sprint races will entertain fans with close racing and plenty of action. There will be 16 races, with bikes divided according to engine size and the amount of modifications made to the bike.

Akins Ford, presenting sponsor of the weekend, will have a display of their current Ford and Dodge vehicles for fans to see, with a spotlight on the broad range of pickup trucks that they have to offer. The dealership is located near Road Atlanta in Winder. This is the second year that Akins Ford has sponsored the WERA Sportsman Series at Road Atlanta.

Tickets are available for the weekend for just $20 or $15 for the sprint races on Sunday. Camping is also available in Road Atlanta’s infield for $25 for the weekend. More information can be found on Road Atlanta’s website at www.RoadAtlanta.com or by calling the track at 1-800-849-RACE.

Fans will be hearing about the WERA Sportsman Series Presented by Akins Ford event on Star 94, 96 Rock and 96.7 The Buzz. Each station will also have opportunities for fans to win free tickets for the weekend.

WERA Motorcycle Roadracing has been one of the top road racing organizations in the United States since 1971. The series is a breeding ground for many future motorcycle road racing stars that move on to compete in series such as AMA Superbike, World Superbike and Grand Prix. More information about WERA, including the season schedule and complete results from each round, can be found on WERA’s website at www.WERA.com.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

West Honda Pons MotoGP rider Loris Capirossi will miss the British Grand Prix July 12-14 and is in doubt for the MotoGP event at Sachsenring July 19-21 after suffering broken bones in a crash in the MotoGP race at Assen June 29, says a release from West Honda Pons.

According to the team, Capirossi suffered a “double-fracture in his right forearm” as the Italian rider tried to hold on to his bucking NSR500 while racing with the lead pack last Saturday. Capriossi was third in the MotoGP World Championship point standings before the Assen race and now slips to sixth.

On a happier note, Capirossi’s teammate Alex Barros took a battling second place in the Dutch Grand Prix, his first podium finish of the 2002 season, and moves into fifth in the Championship standings, one point behind Carlos Checa.

From a press release:

AMA CLUBS & PROMOTERS RAISE OVER $5.8 MILLION FOR CHARITY

PICKERINGTON, OHIO — The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) has announced that its chartered clubs and promoters reported raising $5,816,999 for charitable causes in 2001.

The most generous AMA-chartered promoter in 2001 was the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation of Asheville, North Carolina, reporting a total of $2.8 million. The top AMA-chartered club, New York City’s chapter of the Harley Owners Group
(HOG), reported raising $160,000.

“When it comes to giving, no other group can match the generosity of American motorcyclists,” said Robert Rasor, President of the AMA. “We’re pleased to recognize the good works of our clubs and promoters.”

Total donations reported in 2001 represent an increase of more than $1 million over the previous year.