Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

American Honda and Dunlop completed the final day of a three-day tire test at Daytona International Speedway at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Thursday.

Nicky Hayden said he, Kurtis Roberts and Japanese test rider Gaku Kamada–Miguel Duhamel’s substitute–only rode Honda 600s on the final day of the test. When asked if he rode the rumored 2003 Honda CBR600F5 at the test, Hayden said, “If it was here, I didn’t see it, honestly.”

Hayden said the purpose of the test was to gain data before Dunlop’s much larger, annual tire test at the Speedway in early December, and that the riders rode 2002-spec racebikes.

Hayden said he was flying home tonight before heading to California next week to shoot PR photos and TV commercials for Honda’s upcoming 2003-model-year dealer show.

From a press release:

Traxxion Dynamics, Inc. has been named an “Official Hypercoil Motorcycle Shock Spring Distributor.” Hypercoils are made in America (not to be confused with Hyperpro), and are the finest coil springs available anywhere. They are the O.E.M. spring on Penske Racing Shocks, as well as on the new custom-spec’d Fox Twin-Clickers available only at Traxxion.

Hypercoil Springs have been on every single Indy 500-winning car since the coil spring car was first introduced there 38 years ago. They are also the springs of choice for most top NASCAR teams. Hypercoils are available in an array of free lengths, i.d.s, and rates. For more information, visit www.traxxion.com or call (770) 592-3823.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Former Pirelli racing manager Dave Porter has completed Officer Candidate School (OCS) and has received a commission in the U.S. Navy.

According to an e-mail from Porter, “I am now in Flight School at NAS Pensacola until October and will then head down to NAS Corpus in Texas.”

No word on what brand of tires are used on the jets Porter is learning to fly.

From a press release issued by Robert Legault and Eddy Brunet, for the Diablo Performance Racing Team:

JEFF WILLIAMS: A CRAZINESS THAT SUITS US WELL!

The last round of the ASM Eastern Canada Championship took place last weekend, in St-Eustache, Quebec. There was no sign of Jeff Williams before or after the Pro 600 Supersport race.

We were starting to worry, when Jeff arrived, jumped out of his car (he drove from Kingston), onto his bike to win the Pro Open Supersport and the Pro Superbike races!

Of course, being late, he started at the end of the grid and did not practice. And, in both races, he passed a whole bunch of people, among whom are Mr. Frank Trombino, Benoit Pilon and Jean-François Cyr! Doing so, he got ahold of the title of ASM Eastern Canada (Ontario, Quebec and Maritimes) Pro Open Champion!

We expected good results from Jeff after Shubenacadie, where he took the 4th place in Pro 600 Sportbike (he qualified 4th, but lost 5 positions on the grid due to an excess of H.P.) and won the Pro Open Sport Bike, taking the command of the race before the first corner to stretch his lead until the end (he finished 7 seconds ahead of Michael Taylor); thus giving the team its first victory in a National Pro class.

Ugo Levert took the 6th place in Pro 600 Supersport, the 5th place in Pro Open Superbike and won the award of best rookie of the year!

We feel like all the pieces of the puzzle are falling into the right places, and at a right time, Shannonville is right around the corner!

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

This just in from reporter Dave Miller:

FORMER and two-time 500cc World Champion Barry Sheene is suffering from cancer.

On July 22, it was discovered that Sheene had contracted cancer of the stomach and esophagus.

Although tired, Sheene is in reasonable spirits and just yesterday picked up a brand new helicopter in Melbourne, Australia.

In his own inimitable style, Sheene said this morning: “This is a total pain in the arse, but I’m going to deal with it.”

Sheene, who is staying at his home on Australia’s Gold Coast, politely requests that no-one contacts him at this time.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

A new, three-mile road course is being constructed in a motorsports recreation area 30 miles East of Reno, Nevada and may be operational in time for the 2003 racing season. That’s the word from Richard Cable, owner of what he calls Reno-Fernley Raceway.

The road course, designed by Cable, National Auto Sports Association (NASA) Executive Director Jerry Kunzman and NASA driving school chief instructor Donny Edwards, is part of a 3000-acre “master plan project” described in promotional materials as being “Racing’s Field of Dreams.”

According to Cable and Kunzman, the road course has been cut into the earth, all necessary permits are in place and work is underway to acquire financing needed to begin paving before winter. Once the track is paved, Cable expects to host sports cars, motorcycles and go-karts 40 weeks out of the year.

“I think it’s the most progressive track design out there today,” said an enthusiastic Kunzman from NASA’s Richmond, California headquarters August 21. “There has been a tremendous amount of detail and thought put in to it, and Rich (Cable) has been very receptive to our ideas.” Kunzman said that he requested that Cable make the track wide, and as a result, the track will have a minimum width of 40 feet and a maximum width of close to 100 feet on the pit straight.

Kunzman said the course can be divided into multiple configurations, some tighter and more technical than others, but most racing will probably take place on a 2.1-mile “horsepower” circuit with a front straight “longer than Thunderhill’s” and several elevation and camber changes. There are no plans for any negative camber corners, however, “because most racers don’t like them,” said Kunzman.

No one from the motorcycle industry was involved in the design phase of the track, but Kunzman says there shouldn’t be too much concern. “There’s nothing out there, nothing to hit unless we put something out there,” said Kunzman when asked about run-off areas. “This one embankment may come into play, but there’s only the one spot.”

The Reno-Fernley Raceway project started in 1998 when Cable transformed natural terrain into a 3/8-mile clay/dirt car racing oval. Now, the oval hosts close to 100 racecars each weekend and is said to be the fastest clay oval on the West Coast. But RFR is more than just the clay oval and the upcoming road course.

Cable currently operates a paint ball park, an off-road course for ATVs and a pistol and rifle firing range on his expansive property. A skate park and a “rock crawl” course for off-road vehicles will open next month, after which construction will begin on a BMX track and an RV park. An outdoor amphitheater is also currently under construction and expected to be finished next spring. A planned half-mile paved oval is “about two years away” and a planned hotel and casino is “about three years away,” said Cable. Originally, the site plan included a motocross track and will again in the future; Cable said he hopes to attract the X Games, Gravity Games or other action sports competitions in the future.

Cable also owns Tiger Field, a private air strip adjacent to the Reno-Fernley Raceway site, and a residential development area north of the motorsports complex and airport. Cable said he plans to extend the airport’s main runaway from 4000 feet to 5500 feet in 2003 and add a commercial airpark with hanger facilities and industrial land plots with taxiway access. Cable’s master planned residential community calls for half-acre single-family, one-acre equestrian and five-acre mini-ranch homesites, some with taxiway access, some built on an 18-hole golf course.

Model homes, commercial buildings and corporate hangers have already been built.

For more information about Reno-Fernley Raceway, call (775) 575-7217, FAX (775) 575-7214, e-mail [email protected], www.reno-fernleyraceway.com.

For more information about Tiger Field, call (775) 575-7050 or go to www.fernleyhills.com.

Wilson Motorsport’s new website is at www.wilsonmotorsport.com

From a press release:

HONDA RACING INFORMATION

2002 MotoGP 500 World Championship, round 10
Czech Grand Prix, Brno
August 23/24/25 2002

MotoGP LEADER ROSSI FACES EXTRA RCV RIVAL AT BRNO

The MotoGP circus reconvenes at Brno this weekend, commencing the second phase of the 2002 World Championship after a five-week midseason break. Round ten of this year’s 16-race campaign, the Czech GP is a crucial event for all concerned. With a month’s rest behind them (track testing was banned during the August recess), all riders will be anxious to get back up to speed as quickly as possible, not least MotoGP dominator Valentino Rossi (Repsol Honda Team RC211V).

Rossi ruled the first half of the season, taking eight wins from the first nine races, and will be determined to maintain his reign of supremacy despite growing opposition. So far the only man to have beaten him in 2002 is team-mate Tohru Ukawa (Repsol Honda Team RC211V). The two riders have also scored lap records at all nine tracks and pole positions at eight of the nine venues. In other words, the all-conquering RCV V5 four-stroke is the bike to have in the new MotoGP World Championship. But from Brno onwards there’s be another RCV rider with whom Rossi and Ukawa must contend. Brilliant MotoGP rookie Daijiro Kato (Fortuna Honda Gresini RC211V) has been promoted from the NSR500s he’s used so far and will be equipped with RCVs for the remainder of the season. And there will be another RCV in the mix for the final four races, when HRC supply a bike to the West Honda Pons squad.

“I’m expecting more competition as more RCVs arrive on the grid,” says Rossi. “That’s why I can’t relax just yet. Our results have been great so far, which is a credit to my team and the bike, but now we’ve got to keep working.”

Nonetheless, Rossi’s situation at Brno is less tense than this time last year when he was involved in a tense battle for the last-ever 500 World Championship with arch-rival Max Biaggi (Yamaha). The pair went into the Czech GP separated by just ten points, Biaggi leading the early stages, only to fall to earth, allowing Rossi to cruise to another win. “I think Brno is the masterpiece of my career because the mental situation was so difficult before the race,” reveals Rossi. “Though after Biaggi crashed it wasn’t very much exciting. This year’s race will be different for me, a different kind of pressure.”

Rossi has already enjoyed great success at Brno. He scored his first-ever GP victory at the epic track in 1996, in the 125 class, and added a 250 win in 1999 before completing the triple crown last August. The 23-year old is a big fan of the track that sweeps majestically across wooded hillsides which give riders the added complication of multiple elevation changes and numerous negative-camber corners.

“We tested at Brno in June and I think this will help us at the GP, because we have a good base to start from,” he adds. “During the tests we tried some new suspension links and a selection of Michelin tyres, working to improve traction and edge grip. I think we’ve made big steps since then, so I think we can be quite fast in the race.”

Ukawa is currently second in the MotoGP title chase, 96 points down on his team-mate. Badly battered from a crash during qualifying for the British GP in mid-July, the Japanese ace bravely rode to a third-place finish at the German GP the following weekend, then headed home to Japan to complete his convalescence. He had been expected to compete in the big Suzuka Eight Hours endurance race earlier this month, but decided to skip the event.

“The summer holiday came at the right time for me to get fully fit, I was disappointed not to do Suzuka but it was important to focus on GPs, so I can give my best,” says Ukawa. “I’m now very keen to maintain my position in the championship. Six podiums and two lap records is the best start to a season I’ve ever had but I think there will be more pressure from now on as teams develop their bikes.”

The omens for Kato’s four-stroke MotoGP debut are good. Although the reigning 250 World Champion has no four-stroke GP experience, he’s already proved his speed on four-strokes, most recently winning the Suzuka Eight Hours race on August 4, riding a Honda SP-2 Superbike in partnership with former World Superbike champ Colin Edwards. SP-2s filled the first three positions.

“That win was great for my confidence!” he smiles. “Now I face a big change in my GP career and I’m looking forward to it. The RCV is obviously an incredible motorcycle, but I expect it will take me a little time to get fully accustomed to the machine. We don’t have much time to get the bike right for me at Brno, so we must work hard, keep our focus and make steady progress during the last seven races.”

West Honda Pons riders Alex Barros (West Honda Pons NSR500) and Loris Capirossi (West Honda Pons NSR500) will have to wait a while longer to get their hands on an RCV, and in the meantime will continue with their NSR500s. The Brazilian and Italian have been the fastest 500 riders of 2002 so far, though Capirossi has been out of action for the past two months, after breaking his right wrist at Assen in late June. He returns to action at Brno fully fit and a married man, after tying the knot with long-time girlfriend Ingrid Tence earlier this month.

“I’ve been waiting a long time to start riding again, but the wrist seems good and strong,” says Capirossi. “The worst thing about the injury was that I missed the two tracks where the 500s had a real chance of winning Donington and Sachsenring and now I’m returning at Brno, where the four-strokes will be difficult to beat. But that won’t stop me trying. I’m looking forward to this race because I’ve missed riding.”

Barros had less holiday than most of his MotoGP rivals. The veteran GP star was part of the Honda line-up that totally dominated the Suzuka Eight Hours on August 4. Barros started the race from pole, set the fastest lap and finished third, partnering Yuichi Takeda on a Honda VTR SP-2.

“I always enjoy the Eight Hours and think it’s good for your riding,” say Barros, currently fourth overall behind Biaggi. “I’ve only been off a race bike for three weeks, while many of the other guys haven’t ridden for five weeks. But Brno is a fast, wide circuit which will favour the more powerful four-strokes, plus I’ve got to readapt to the 500, so I’m not expecting an easy weekend. My aim is to finish top two-stroke in this year’s championship and we’re looking good for that, though there’s still a long way to go.”

Winner of last year’s Czech 250 GP, Tetsuya Harada (Pramac Honda NSR500)can’t wait to get back in the saddle of his NSR500 at one of his favourite tracks. “The Brno layout is good for me,” says Harada. “And our machine package gets better every race, so this could be a good one for us.”

Jurgen van den Goorbergh (Kanemoto Racing Honda NSR500) has high hopes for the latest batch of Bridgestone tyres due at Brno. “Bridgestone have been working hard in the break, so we hope we’ll have another big improvement,” says the Dutchman. “The tyres keep getting better, though during the race in Germany I was still having understeer problems, with oversteer on gas. It will be interesting to see what I can do with the latest tyres.”

Italian 250 firebrand Robby Rolfo (Fortuna Honda Gresini NSR250) also hopes for better things at Brno, and throughout the second phase of the 250 season. Rolfo currently holds third overall in the 250 series, largely thanks to three brilliant runner-up rides, but he has yet to win a race. “The bike keeps getting better at every GP and my team is working really well,” he says. “But we need to keep working at getting the right feeling for this race. Also, speed is important at Brno, which could be a concern for us.”

Teammate Emilio Alzamora (Fortuna Honda Gresini NSR250) won’t race at Brno because he recently underwent surgery for ‘arm pump’, a common racer’s condition which had been hampering his riding for some while. His place will be taken by fellow Spaniard David Garcia.

Daniel Pedrosa (Telefonica Movistar Jr Team Honda RS125R) hopes for a return to the podium at Brno, five weekends after a troubled ride to seventh at the German GP, his worst dry-weather result of the year. “I think the Sachsenring was the most difficult weekend of my career, so I hope Brno will be very different,” grins the teenager, who’s currently third in the 125 points chart. “We need some good results at the next few races if I am to stay in contention for the title.”

The Grand Prix season continues with the Portuguese GP, at Estoril, on September 6/7/8. Then the circus embarks on a five-week, four-event trip outside Europe, with races in Brazil, Japan, Malaysia and Australia. The year ends at Valencia on November 3.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

From an e-mail:

My 2 cents worth,

I’ve been a police officer for 9 years and have also handled my share of motorcycle accidents. I understand both sides of the coin because I have ridden streetbikes for many years and have been racing for a year and half.

I think a lot of the accidents come down to how fast we mature from our youth to adults. When I was in my early 20s, I, too, thought that I was immortal and nothing was going to happen to me. I ripped around on my sportbike in college wearing nothing but shorts and a T-shirt without ever wearing a helmet. When I lived in Chicago, I used to rail on daily basis through a 15 mph turn at over 50 mph telling myself how cool I was, thinking I was the next Chandler. It didn’t matter to me that there was gravel in the turn and a steel guardrail 2 feet off the road. If I had ever crashed from my boneheaded ways, I would have certainly died.

When I reached my upper 20s, I got smart and started spending my money wisely on riding schools such as Starmotorcycle and Visionsports. I became a much smarter/safer rider. I transitioned from driving 10 hours to ride in the mountains of NC to doing trackdays. I finally decided to pursue a dream of mine and jumped into racing and haven’t looked back since.

In my second year of racing, I have achieved goals beyond what I had imagined in large part because I didn’t try and go out and just twist the throttle and throw myself down the track. Taking a much more calculated and progressive approach to getting faster has helped immensely in my learning curve. I guess that’s one advantage of starting racing later in life–you think about your mortality and making it to work Monday morning.

I’ve tried to get younger guys to quit racing through the city limits and start doing trackdays and road racing. So far I’ve been able to help 2 guys get started racing and they now see how much safer it is than racing on the street.

Guys, when you crash on the street without wearing any protective gear there are such things as curbs, cars and trees that tend to do damage to your body. I’ve been to enough autopsies in my career that I don’t want to see anymore.

I’m 32 years old now and it’s funny how we start to sound like our parents. Hopefully wisdom comes with age and some of us learn sooner than others. Please ride safely out and there and try doing some trackdays.

Detective Kevin Hanson
Champaign Police Department
Champaign, IL
CCS #65

From a press release:

Honda Riders Continue Tire Testing At Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., (Aug. 21, 2002) – Dunlop officials and a trio of Honda riders participated in their second day of a three-day tire test on Wednesday at Daytona International Speedway in preparation for the March 9 Daytona 200 By Arai Helmets.

Defending Daytona 200 champion Nicky Hayden, who captured the pole in March for the Daytona 200 in record fashion with a lap of one minute, 47.174 seconds (119.581 mph), said he posted lap times on Wednesday in the one minute, 50 second range.

Conditions in August at the Speedway aren’t as favorable for faster speeds like the conditions during Daytona 200 Week in March and Hayden’s bike wasn’t completely dialed in.

“Obviously with the weather, we haven’t got as much done as we would like,” Hayden said during the lunch break. “We’ve learned a few things and we’ve definitely made some progress. Hopefully, we can get some more time in this afternoon.”

Testing will conclude on Thursday at the Speedway and a section of the Oldfield Grandstand is open to the public with free access through the lobby of DAYTONA USA.

The next time motorcycles will take to the track will be on Oct. 17-20 for Fall Cycle Scene. Tickets, including a $35 advance ticket, are available online at
http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling the Speedway ticket office at (386) 253-7223.