From a press release issued by organizers of the Superbike World Championship:

Yamaha will present the new race version YZF-R6 for 2003 at Imola, Enzo and Dino Ferrari Circuit on Saturday 28 September at 12:15 in the SBK Paddock Show.

Yamaha riders Paolo Casoli, Jamie Whitham, Jörg Teuchert and Christian Kellner will be in attendance for the photocall, plus information on racing kit parts will be made available at this time.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

After winning what may have been the largest cash purse ever in motorcycle road racing, WSMC Toyota 200 winner Jason Pridmore told reporters he plans on entering at least one Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) golf tournament.

“Didn’t I tell you? I’m on the PGA Tour next year. I’m not going to come back to race,” joked Pridmore when asked by a reporter about his 2003 plans. “I’m going to take some time off right now and play golf a lot over the next six months. I want to just train, and I’m probably going to play in some tournaments during the off-season. Maybe when I’m done racing in another year or two that will be something I will pursue because it’d be kind fun to see how competitive I could get at that. We’ll see how it goes.

“I’m going to go try and Monday–qualify for a Buy.com event here later in the year. All my friends are pushing me to do it, and they’re all really good players. I don’t put myself at their level yet, but the only way I’m going to find out what that level is is by getting out there and taking a look at it. I’m just going to go out there and just see what happens. It’ll be kind of fun, you know.”

Pridmore, age 32, said he plans to try and qualify for the Gila River Classic October 7-13 at Whirlwind Golf Club in Chandler, Arizona. The Buy.com PGA Tour event features multi-day coverage on the Golf Network and a $425,000 purse with $76,500 going to the winner.

Because he does not have a PGA Tour card, Pridmore will have to play in a qualifying round on the Monday before the tournament to earn an entry. Pridmore, a serious golfer since his teenage years, said that qualifying on Monday is a long shot, explaining “They only take two or three.”

After his off-season of golf, 2002 AMA Formula Xtreme Champion Pridmore looks forward to a continued relationship with American Suzuki, saying, “For sure, I want to be with Suzuki again. I think the year that we had is not going to hurt that opportunity at all. I want to stay with the team I’ve got because they’re the best ones out there.

“I mean, I was out riding around (Saturday, September 14) at 9:30 at night, coming back down from watching the Oscar De La Hoya fight up there in turn four (at Willow Springs), there was only one team in the paddock practicing pit stops and it was mine. They’re so dedicated to me, and they’re so dedicated to winning. I think Richard (Stanboli, Attack Suzuki team owner) would tell you the same. He’s had a long road, too, before winning anything. It’s something we can get used to.

“I think if we get to go testing this off-season, we’ll be even tougher to beat next year, once we figure out what the AMA’s doing with their rules, if they ever make a decision. Hopefully they’ll tell us before March, before Daytona comes along, because of the history those guys have got.

“I think it has to be said that Bill Huth (Willow Springs owner) stepped up to the plate and he ran an event (WSMC Toyota 200) that was worthy of what he wanted it to be,” continued Pridmore. “I think maybe he felt the AMA should have continued their relationship here, and they didn’t. And he wanted to show them that he could run an event on his own.

“I would’ve liked to have seen it better supported as far as the riders go. I think next year they’ll have a bigger spectator turnout than they did this year. It wasn’t horrible, but I know they could always use more people. I think a lot of times when you have a first annual event like this everyone doesn’t really know what to expect especially with the economy and stuff like that it probably scared a few people off.

“But he did a great job with the event. And to win $50,000 after spending $300 to get in the thing, that’s a pretty good return. We need more races like this. It makes you really wonder how we’re winning Superbike nationals and only getting paid $3500 or $4000. It’s an embarrassment, really. We’re professional athletes and this is what it should be about. Yeah, we’re not up there with the other top-dollar athletes. I get frustrated when I read about guys sitting out eight weeks with an ingrown toe nail and they’re getting paid their seven million. It pisses you off, but bottom line is I’m doing what I want to do for a living. I’m able to make a living doing it.”

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Thursday 250cc Grand Prix Qualifying Results:

1. Toni Elias, Aprilia, 1:54.312
2. Marco Melandri, Aprilia, 1:54.328
3. Fonsi Nieto, Aprilia, 1:54.823
4. Sebastian Porto, Yamaha, 1:54.962
5. Randy De Puniet, Aprilia, 1:55.063
6. Roberto Locatelli, Aprilia, 1:55.349
7. Alex Debon, Aprilia, 1:55.743
8. Franco Battaini, Aprilia, 1:55.923
9. Emilio Alzamora, Honda, 1:55.942
10. Roberto Rolfo, Honda, 1:56.044
11. Casey Stoner, Aprilia, 1:56.063
12. Naoki Matsudo, Yamaha, 1:56.164
13. David Checa, Aprilia, 1:56.876
14. Haruchika Aoki, Honda, 1:57.001
15. Jay Vincent, Honda, 1:57.083


More, from a press release issued by MS Aprilia:

Marco “Macio” Melandri on front row: second quickest time in Rio qualifying session.


Marco Melandri brought out his claws during the closing stages of the session. Leading the provisional ratings until just 13 seconds from the end, Marco finally lost the top spot to Elias (Aprilia), who today came away with provisional pole. In the final rush, Marco made a slight skid and hit the front fairing with his helmet, sending a conspicuous piece of plexiglass flying. Working hard on details, Macio managed to find an excellent set-up for his Aprilia RSW 250 and declares he’s feeling quite relaxed about Saturday’s race, even if the weather decides to change. Three Aprilia 250s on the front row, in the following order: Elias, Melandri, Nieto


# 3 Marco Melandri – (MS APRILIA RACING) – 2nd – 1’42.106


“We did some really good work in the afternoon and made some good progress. The bike’s going like a bomb and I can say I’m pretty pleased. It’s very hot here and after a few laps the tyres start slipping, but of course it’s the same for everyone. I’m pleased with the settings we’ve managed to work out for the bike on the first day of practice because, if it decides to rain tomorrow (as they’re forecasting) and then we find ourselves racing in the dry on Saturday, I should be ok as from now. I was very fast today in the third and fourth intermediates – and these are really crucial points as far as the Rio track’s concerned.”

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Earlier this week it was officially announced that Loris Capirossi and reigning Superbike World Champion Troy Bayliss would ride the Ducati Desmosedici in the 2003 MotoGP series.

In the September 18 entry of his online diary, Bayliss said that he had felt in the past that it would be too difficult to switch from Superbike to Grand Prix. “I figured that maybe it would be too strange to change from riding a Ducati to a 500 two-stroke,” wrote Bayliss on www.troybayliss.com. “I was happy enough to stay in the World Superbike Championship but as soon as I heard that Ducati were building a MotoGP bike my mind has been in that place.

“I’m pretty keen to ride it, but before I do, I’ve got one more small, little obstacle to get over and that’s the showdown at Imola.”

Bayliss went on to say his recent test at Mugello got the bad taste of his Assen crash out of his mouth and helped him regain a feel for his bike that he had been lacking in recent World Superbike rounds.

From a press release issued by Suzuki Canada:

SUZUKI SWEEPS CANADIAN SUPERBIKE SERIES
THE Suzuki Slogan – “Own the Racetrack” rang true in the 2002 Canadian Superbike Championship Series, with Coors Light Racing Team Suzuki riders bringing home the Championship in all three Pro classes and numerous other Suzuki riders showing strong performances.

Although Jordan Szoke had already secured the #1 plate in the Superbike class, he was intent on extending his winning streak at the Shannonville final round. It looked like his plan was on track when Jordan went out in qualifying and recorded the Pole setting time after just two laps.

Teammate Francis Martin qualified his GSX-R1000 in fourth, putting two Suzukis on the front row. As it turned out, Jordan’s race was a short one when he lost traction and slid off the track.

But the Superbike victory podium belonged to Jordan when he was presented with the “Canada Cup” and his #1 Plate in front of a capacity filled grandstand. Congratulations again to Scott Miller of Fast Company and his hard working crew for their outstanding effort with Jordan’s GSX-R1000 Superbike and the championship quest.

The Pro 600 Sportbike title was still up for grabs entering the final round with Coors Light Racing Team Suzuki rider Clint McBain leading the series by 6 points over Kevin Lacombe. Clint had led the series right from the first round and was not about to see his efforts go un-rewarded. To add to the drama, Jordan Szoke and Andrew Nelson had also entered the race and, back from an early season injury, veteran Steve Crevier was looking to prove his abilities.

The Championship battle ended quickly when Clint’s closest rival, Kevin Lacombe crashed in the second lap. Knowing the #1 plate was his; Clint rode to a safe 5th place finish. Further up the field, Ugo Levert scored a 2nd place finish on his Diablo Suzuki GSX-R600 and secured the HJC Pro Rookie of the Year Award with Jordan Szoke finishing 3rd after letting Ugo by in a very sportsmanship like gesture to ensure Ugo’s high placing.

The Pro Open Sportbike title would also be decided at the Shannonville round with Coors Light Racing Team Suzuki rider Francis Martin holding an 11-point advantage over Clint McBain and his Blackfoot GSX-R1000. The outlook was promising as it looked like a Suzuki would wear the #1 plate, but which rider was still unknown. With traction being a concern as the track surface was becoming slippery as the day progressed, Francis knew he had to ride smartly and stay upright for the Championship to be his. Closest non-Suzuki rider to have a shot at the title was J-F Cyr who would have to finish well ahead of Francis and just ahead of Clint if he was to have any chance. For the Suzuki riders, position would be key as well as finishing the race. The race itself was a test of nerves for the crews as positions juggled back and forth and all the “what if” scenarios played out. In the end, Coors Light Racing Team Suzuki rider Francis Martin brought his Fast Company prepared GSX-R1000 home to a safe 5th place finish and secured a Championship Victory.

Adding to the Suzuki Sweep, the Inside Motorcycle “Tuner of the Year” award was presented to Blackfoot Suzuki Racing’s Chuck Downie. Chuck and his Team did an outstanding job all season long on Clint McBain’s GSX-R600 and GSX-R1000.

With all three #1 plates in Canadian Pro racing being awarded to the Coors Light Racing Team Suzuki riders, the Suzuki GSX-R has definitely proven the “Own the Racetrack” slogan is more than just words.

From a press release issued by HM Plant Ducati:

Get the kit!

HM Plant Ducati’s official website, hmplantducati.com is offering visitors the chance to own a piece of SBK history.

Neil Hodgson and James Toseland have each donated a set of their own custom-made Axo Sport race leathers, boots and gloves. Included in the list are the riders’ two Suomy Gunwind helmets. These items, which have been seen in action by millions during the 2002 Superbike World Championship, will go to the successful bidders in an exclusive charity auction currently taking place on the team website.

All proceeds from the sale of this priceless collection of HM Plant Ducati memorabilia will be donated to the Bishop Auckland Children’s Hospice, registered charity number 1044816. This is the official charity of GSE Racing’s title sponsor HM Plant, so not only will the highest bidders be getting their hands on some historic kit, they will also be donating much-needed funds to an extremely worthy cause.

Riding like Neil and James may only be a dream, but looking like them could easily become a reality. These items are not replicas and cannot be purchased anywhere other than at hmplantducati.com.

Bidding is underway now and will continue until midnight on 5 November.

Log on to www.hmplantducati.com and click on the banner on the top right of the page when it flashes up the auction details.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

REDUC Sportbike Association has organized a raffle to benefit seriously injured racer/motojournalist Papa Thiam.

A $25 entry earns a chance in a random drawing for a grand prize package valued at over $4000. The package consists of a set of Kushitani leathers courtesy of Kneedraggers.com, Sidi racing boots donated by Sidi, Teknic racing gloves provided by Teknic, an Arai Quantum helmet from REDUC’s Bob Buchsbaum, one free set of Pirelli tires donated by Pirelli and a free, 2003 REDUC membership with unlimited REDUC track days during 2003. Entries must be received by Friday, September 27 for the drawing, which will be held September 28 at a REDUC track day at Pocono International Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. Winners need not be present to win.

To enter, send a check or money order payable to Papa Thiam with your name, address, phone number, e-mail address and any other necessary contact information on a business card or business-card-sized piece of paper or index card via U.S. mail to:

Papa Thiam
P.O. Box 1180
Forked River, NJ 08731-6180

Multiple entries should include one piece of paper with contact information for each entry.

All proceeds from the raffle go to Papa Thiam.

Thiam suffered spinal injuries in a crash at Summit Point Raceway in Summit Point, West Virginia Sunday, June 9 during a WERA Regional weekend and was paralyzed from the neck down. Thiam, 30, fell during a race and hit a tire wall in front of a dirt embankment in turn three, suffering damage to his C4 and C5 vertebrae. Thiam, originally from Senegal, is a financial analyst for an airline and is based in Washington, DC. His writing has been published in Roadracing World, Sport Rider and the now-defunct American Roadracing. Thiam was also very active with the REDUC track day club.

For additional information on the REDUC raffle for Papa Thiam, call REDUC at (215) 413-3825, e-mail [email protected] or go to www.reduc.com.

From a press release issued by Honda:

UKAWA HOLDS KEY TO ROSSI’S RIO TITLE BID

Honda hero Valentino Rossi (Repsol Honda Team RC211V) heads to South America this week ready to secure his fourth World Championship in just seven years. The remarkable 23-year-old has dominated this year’s first-ever MotoGP series, winning nine of the first 11 races, and carries an 89-point advantage into Saturday’s Rio Grand Prix. If he wins the race, with sole title rival Tohru Ukawa (Repsol Honda Team RC211V) fourth or lower, Rossi will be crowned World Champion.

The Rio omens are good for Rossi. The Italian has been victorious on his last four visits to Jacarepagua, in fact he’s only once failed to win at the circuit, during his debut 125 GP campaign way back in 1996. He won the ’97 Rio 125 GP on his way to that year’s 125 World Championship, he won the ’99 250 GP to clinch that year’s 250 crown, he scored his first dry-track 500 success at Rio the following year and last November he won the season-ending Rio 500 GP, having already wrapped up to the last-ever 500 title. So he obviously gets on well with the bumpy and slippery track.

“For sure it would be good to win the title in Rio because it’s a great place to party!” smiles Rossi, who enjoyed a riotous title-winning celebration at a Rio yacht club after his 250 victory three years ago. “But the only important thing is to win the title, ‘when’ doesn’t matter. I think we can have a good weekend because we sorted a few problems at Estoril two weeks back. Since Brno we’d been having some braking trouble, it was difficult to get the bike stopped but that’s fixed now, so I’m enjoying riding the bike again.”

Rossi’s overall Honda record is phenomenal. Since joining the marque at the start of the 2000 500 season, he has won 22 premier-class GPs from 43 starts. But winning again on Saturday may not be enough to hand him the title with the Pacific, Malaysian, Australian and Valencia GPs still to go. Team-mate Ukawa is also pretty handy at Jacarepagua, situated close to the South Atlantic coastline 20km outside the city of Rio de Janeiro, and if the Japanese finishes in the top three, Rossi will have to wait a few weeks longer for his coronation. Ukawa took pole position for last year’s Rio 500 GP, when, like Rossi, he was riding a Honda NSR500, though he crashed out of the race. And he’s finished on the Rio 250 GP podium on three occasions, in 1999 and 2000, when he finished second, and in 1997, when he was third. Also, Ukawa is on fine form at the moment, finishing third at the last three GPs, despite suffering the effects of two big accidents.

“I want to continue the good podium run I’m having at the moment,” says Ukawa who is most concerned with defending second overall from Max Biaggi (Yamaha), who is just 12 points further back. “My third place at Estoril increased the gap between me and Biaggi and I need to keep it that way for the rest of the season. I like the Rio track, I’ve had three 250 podiums there and last year I scored my first-ever 500 pole at the circuit. This year I must make sure I don’t crash again, I can’t afford to lose the points.”

If Rossi’s focus is aimed at securing the MotoGP title, Brazilian Alex Barros (West Honda Pons NSR500) is concerned only with winning his home GP for the first time. Barros has been contesting World Championship events in Brazil since 1988, scoring his first home-country points the following year when he finished tenth in the Brazilian 250 GP, then held at Goiania. In ’92 he took eighth in the Brazilian 500 GP at Interlagos. And two years ago he came within 0.970 seconds of winning his home GP when he chased Rossi over the line at Jacarepagua. But the 32-year old from Sao Paulo knows that he will have a difficult job trying to stay with Rossi’s RCV V5 four-stroke.

“It will be another difficult race for us, because Rio is a fast track,” says the top two-stroke MotoGP rider who hopes to have his first race on an RCV at the Pacific GP on October 6. “The four-strokes are much faster than the 500s in a straight line, there’s no way we can even hold their slipstream, so they’ll have a big advantage down the main straight. I think we can be faster through the curves, I know I’m really quick through the final section of the circuit, and I know I’m very strong on the brakes, which is useful at the end of the big straight. But it’s a case of weighing up the time we gain and the time we lose, and overall the four-strokes will be faster. The only time we really have an advantage is on Friday, when the four-strokes are starting from zero on set-up, because this is their first time at the track.”

Daijiro Kato (Fortuna Honda Gresini RC211V) aims to get back on track at Rio after recording a no-score at the Portuguese GP two weeks ago. Racing an RCV V5 for only the second time, after he’d finished a brilliant second in his Brno debut, Kato slid out of the rain-lashed GP. “I want it to be dry for Rio!” smiles the reigning 250 World Champion who won last year’s damp Rio 250 GP. “Estoril was difficult for me because I’ve had so little time on the bike, it was wet for much of the second day of practice and then it rained heavily for the race. If the conditions are better at Rio I believe I can fight up front, just like I did at Brno. Rio is never an easy track because it’s slippery even when it’s dry, especially if the weather is hot. Riding the RCV there will be very interesting!”

Barros’ team-mate Loris Capirossi (West Honda Pons NSR500) also tumbled at Estoril and he too hopes to be back in the points at Rio. “But I think we will have trouble staying with the four-strokes,” says Capirossi, who has only once finished on the podium in Brazil, when he took third place in the 1999 Rio 250 GP. “Maybe the weather may intervene like last year, because the confusion could help us close the gap on the four-strokes.”

Tetsuya Harada (Pramac Honda NSR500) expects a challenging weekend at a track that has never been kind to him. The Japanese finished outside the top ten in his two previous premier-class outings at Rio, in 1999 and 2000, and never did better than second in his various 250 rides at the track. “Much will depend on the conditions, sometimes Rio is very slippery, other times it’s just a little bit slippery,” he says. “This will be my first time there with a V4 500 and we’ll need all the set-up time we can get, so I hope the track isn’t too dirty when we start practice on Thursday, and I hope it stays dry.”

Jurgen van den Goorbergh (Kanemoto Racing Honda NSR500) had been hoping for his best result of the year in the rain at Estoril but he was sidelined by a quickshifter problem after running third in the early stages. “That’s sometimes how things turn out you’re all set for your best result, then something tiny goes wrong,” says the Dutchman. “Rio will be interesting for us because it’s got a strange surface, but Bridgestone have been making some good strides forward, and I’m sure they’ll have something good for the conditions.”

In the 250s, Robby Rolfo (Fortuna Honda Gresini NSR250) plans to put the memory of a miserable Portuguese GP well and truly behind him. The Italian was given a stop-and-go penalty for allegedly jumping the start, but came back superbly to finish fourth, just 23 seconds down on winner Fonsi Nieto (Aprilia). Without the controversial penalty, he would surely have won the race. “I was robbed, there’s no way I jumped the start,” says Rolfo. “For Rio I want to get the best-possible result to erase that memory. I need maximum points, though it’s going to be tough for me to catch Nieto in second overall.”

Rolfo’s team-mate Emilio Alzamora (Fortuna Honda Gresini NSR250) had a great race in Portugal, taking sixth place in his comeback ride following surgery to correct ‘arm pump’ problems. “The surgery seems to have worked really well,” says the Spaniard. “So now I’m just looking forward to getting back to riding like normal. Rio is always a complicated weekend because the asphalt is in poor condition, but it’s the same for everyone, of course. If we can work well during the first two days of practice, I’m confident I can get a good race result.”

Daniel Pedrosa (Telefonica Movistar Jr Team Honda RS125R) comes to Rio holding third overall in the 125 World Championship, just five points behind second-placed Manuel Poggiali (Gilera) and a further 23 behind series leader Arnaud Vincent (Aprilia). The 16-year old took a brave tenth-place finish at Estoril, despite a mid-race fall, but had hoped for better after taking pole position for the fourth time this year. “We got the bike perfect for the dry but then it rained for the race, that’s the second time that’s happened this year!” he smiles. “Rio is quite difficult because it’s so bumpy, but we got the bike working well at Estoril. It’ll be an important race because I’ve not given up on the title yet. I just hope it doesn’t rain again because I don’t like riding in the rain.”

Team-mate Joan Olive (Telefonica Movistar Jr Team Honda RS125R) is chasing a place in the World Championship top ten. A no-scorer at the past two GPs, Olive knows he needs a good points haul at the next few races. “Luck was against me again at Estoril, maybe it’ll be better at Rio where I had one of my best rides last year,” says Olive.

GP racing stays out of Europe for the next month, with the Pacific GP at Motegi, Japan, followed by the Malaysian and Australian GPs on the following two weekends. The 2002 season concludes back in Europe, at Valencia in Spain, on November 3.