Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Dema Elgin and Allan Lockheed are presenting an Engine Performance Seminar April 6-7 at Pete’s Harbor in Redwood City, California.

The seminar will focus on the development of multi-valve high-rpm engines, including tailoring the power curve to the application; exhaust design; balancing airflow, cylinder filling versus airflow and velocity, velocity/port sizes for powerband; air flow requirements vs. rod length, engine speed, cylinder size and stroke length; cam design; airflow and compression ratio versus cam events; valve seating velocity; cam lobe and tappet problems; valve spring design; and other related topics.

More information is available from D. Elgin Cams at (650) 364-2187 or Allan Lockheed & Associates at (303) 238-2414.

From an e-mail:

I saw your piece (posted 03/10/02) on how much money was available at Daytona. My total winnings for the 1972 race with all contingency money included was $13,200. I think these guys deserve a raise.

Don Emde

This just in:

My spectating at Daytona was courtesy of the Speed Channel, who (finally) aired all the speedway races live. I thought their coverage was excellent, especially the work of Dave Despain and Dave Sadowski.

What became very apparent during the course of the racing action was the number of times the Air Fences were impacted. I’ve raced Daytona and I’m well aware of impact zones, the walls and the guardrails. I have to say I was very pleased and impressed that the major impact zones had been identified and protected with the Air Fence.

From my assessment it appears that the Air Fence saved several lives and prevented some rather serious injuries. Thanks to the efforts of John Ulrich (and the Roadracing World Air Fence Fund*) road racing and road racers alike are alive and well today. Nothing dampens the growth of a sport more than the loss of a competitor. Though the announcers didn’t (couldn’t) go in to much detail about the Air Fence, a summary of incidents, estimated impact speeds and sustained injuries would be an interesting study. In my opinion it was rather evident that the Air Fence was well worth the expense and the efforts to improve the overall safety of the sport.

Dave Back

*Air Fence is a trademark of Airfence Safety Systems of Australia.

From a press release:

DAVID GARCIA: THE PROTON CONNECTION

Reigning European 250 champion David Garcia joined Proton Team KR this year, as tester and back-up rider. The 23-year-old Spaniard from Almeria will not only test the continual stream of developments from the team’s engineering base in England, but hopes also to race as a wild card entry at some GPs.

David will also run a full Spanish 600 Supersport championship campaign – a class where technical regulations have been liberated this year in line with the new four-stroke MotoGP class. The production-based bikes will be allowed to race on full slick racing tyres, with race-spec brakes and suspension.

Garcia has a unique asset – his father developed and owns the Almeria racetrack in Andalucia, so that he has private test facilities available on his own doorstep seven days a week.


Q: You are lucky to have a family motor sport background. How much difference does it make?
A: My father was always involved – in karting and in rallying. When I was growing up, he owned a go-kart track, and I played on it a lot. My first race was when I was 10 – I took the place of another boy, and won first time. I had a lot of success in karts, but the first time I tried riding a motorcycle round the kart track, I had a big crash – but I was hooked. From then on, motorcycles came first.


Q: Did your family support your motorcycle racing.
A: Yes – but my studying had to come first. I was racing just as a hobby, on 80cc clutchless bikes. But whether I could race depended on my results at school. No results, no racing that weekend. Later when I got more serious about racing, I agreed with my father to try also to continue studying. I started at university, but I didn’t finish the first year. I was only thinking about motorcycles and racing, and I realised to be successful in racing, you have to give it 100 percent of your attention.


Q: What was the path of your career?
A: I always had support from BP, when I was karting and also on motorcycles, and they continued as my sponsor in the 80cc championship, although I was still racing as a hobby. In 1996 I started to compete seriously in championships, and I won the Spanish championship on the 125cc GP class.

Then came a difficult year, in 1997. I was very fast, but also very dangerous. I was racing 125s in Spanish and European championships. Six times I was leading the race and crashed out on the last lap!

In 1998 I moved to the 250 class for the first time, and had a good season. I finished third in the Spanish championship, behind Luis d’Antin and Jose Cardoso, both of them Grand Prix riders. So I was the first national rider in the championship.

After that year, d’Antin had the Antena 3 Yamaha GP team, and he hired me and Fonzi Nieto as riders. Most of the time I was ahead of Fonzi, but the bike that year was very uncompetitive, and we didn’t get any good results.


Q: You didn’t stay with the team in 2000. What happened?
A: It was a question of money. Fonzi could bring backing, and d’Antin found another rider who could do the same. I couldn’t bring any backing, so I lost the ride. But I have no complaints about the way d’Antin treated me. If I had been in his position, I would have done the same thing.

I got a 250 GP ride with another team – PR2, but there were a lot of problems, mainly money again, and I did not finish the season with them.

That was a very bad time for me. My confidence had gone, I was just 20 years old, with no manager and no sponsors, trying to do everything for myself. I picked up my coat and went looking for sponsors, but at the end of that year I decided it was hopeless, and I more or less decided to quit racing.

Danny Amatriain somehow heard about my position, and called me. The same day I was on a plane to Barcelona, and signed a contract with him as my manager. He was a racer before, and now he had many connections, with sponsors and with the Monlau Fortuna team … Monlau is a training school for racing mechanics.

From that day, everything changed again. It felt as though I had a new life!


Q: And a new title – winning the European Championship on 250s. Was that a direct result of signing with Danny?
A: Yes. I raced a TSR Honda 250 for Monlau Fortuna, and with the right backing I was able to achieve the results I always felt I was capable of.


Q: Now you have a new connection with Proton Team KR. What is the importance of that?
A: My goal is to race in the MotoGP class. I hope this will be a step in that direction.

My confidence is very high now. I feel that I can win anything. I am racing again with Monlau Fortuna, in the Spanish 600cc championship. That is for me a preparation for MotoGP, because of the new regulations for slick tyres and racing brakes and suspension.

I will also be testing the Proton KR3, and I hope racing it – also getting MotoGP experience. It is a fantastic team, and Kenny Roberts is an inspiration for many riders, including myself, so I am very pleased with this opportunity to prove myself.


Q: Some personal questions – what are your hobbies, away from bike racing?
A: Karting, and I am very interested in car motor sport. I have a track-racing Renault Clio in the back of my truck, with almost 400 horsepower! I am able to use that on the Almeria circuit. I am also buying a CBR600 Honda, to practice there as well.


Q: Do you have a girlfriend?
A: I have a very nice girlfriend for the past two years – Reyes. She understands that at the moment motorcycle racing comes first for me.


Q: How about music?
A: All sorts, but I supposed pop-Latin is my favourite. The last CD I bought was Enrique Iglesias.



DAVID GARCIA – CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Born: Almeria, Spain – September 5, 1978

First Race: 1988 (kart)

First Motorcycle Race: 1990

1995: Spanish 80cc championship

1996: Spanish 125cc GP championship – First

1997: European and Spanish 125cc championship

1998: Spanish 250cc championship – Third

1999: 250cc World Championship – Yamaha

2000: 250cc World Championship – Aprilia, part season only

2001: 250cc European Championship – Honda – First

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Former racer Jeff Haney has left OMS, Ltd., the agency that represents racers Ben Bostrom, Rich Oliver, Larry Pegram, Jake Zemke, Tony Meiring, Lance Isaacs and Chris Carr along with former racer Freddie Spencer.

Haney’s departure from the firm was confirmed by OMS spokesperson Pat Schutte.

The list of OMS-represented riders originally provided to roadracingworld.com by Schutte did not include Isaacs or Spencer, and we updated the list after hearing from Haney.

Haney said, “Don’t forget Lance Isaacs, the former Ben Bostrom teammate from the NCR Ducati team. Before I left I secured a ride for Lance with the No Limits team owned by the Curtis family, and Jason Curtis will be the other rider.”

Haney said that OMS wanted him to continue but at a different level of commitment and that would have interfered with his other business ventures, not to mention his role as an instructor at the Freddie Spencer High Performance Riding School.

Haney will still attend the AMA rounds and possibly coach riders and teams such as Team America’s Jason DiSalvo and Annandale Racing out of Texas. Haney said, “See ya at the races!”

Yet another update, in the form of an e-mail from OMS:

Just quick note and follow-up on the Jeff Haney/OMS issue. I just want to make it plain to your readers that Jeff Haney no longer being with OMS Ltd. should not reflect negatively on Jeff as an individual or his abilities as a coach or trainer in the sport. If I had a son involved in the sport of road racing and needed a coach, I would not hesitate to go to Jeff. We wish Jeff the best with his future endeavors and thank him for his efforts while at OMS.

Fred Bramblett
Mgr. Dir.
OMS Ltd.

From a press release:

Pacific Track Time Announces Aprilia Mille Rental Program

Pacific Track Time announced today a rental program featuring the 2002 Aprilia Mille. Milles may be rented at Pacific Track Time events in both the Beginner and Intermediate riding groups. Rental fees are $275 per day with a $1500 damage deposit.

“We want to thank Aprilia USA for making this program possible” says Todd Robinson, Sales & Event Director. “With Aprilia choosing us as their West Coast track day partner for the 2002 season it really opened up some great opportunities for riders to enjoy the Mille firsthand in the bike’s natural environment…the racetrack”.

More information is available from Pacific Track Time at (877) 809-2170 or on the web at: http://www.pacifictracktime.com

PTT Sponsors include Arai, Sidi, Arrow, Bohn Body Armor, NJK Leathers, Ferodo, Pit Bull, Wood-Ease, Sharkskinz, and Evoluzione.

From a press release:

AMERICAN HONDA ANNOUNCES NEW LICENSED APPAREL

Torrance, CA — As a result of a unique motorsports marketing partnership with Universal Studios, American Honda is pleased to announce an exciting new brand building program. American Honda and Universal Studios as Co-Licensors, have finalized plans with Dynasty Apparel – a Miami-based manufacturer of high quality sportswear with over 20 years experience in manufacturing licensed apparel for major league sports.

An exclusive assortment of these new licensed apparel products will debut at Gadzooks. Dallas-based Gadzooks is a specialty retailer of casual apparel and related accessories for young men and women principally between the ages of 14 and 18. Established in 1983, Gadzooks currently operates over 425 mall-based stores in metropolitan and middle markets in 40 states.

“We are very excited about this new licensing opportunity,” said American Honda Motorcycle Division Vice President Ray Blank. “With this new line of apparel we can bring Honda Racing to a whole new group of customers.

“Our plans include driving these new enthusiasts to Honda dealers to fulfill their ultimate dream of owning, riding and enjoying our great family of powersports products” Blank continued. “Stay tuned for other exciting opportunities to promote the Honda Racing brand.”

Authentic Honda Racing/Woody Woodpecker gear and apparel can still be purchased at Honda dealerships and other industry retailers.

American Honda joined forces with Universal studios late in 2000, with a multi-year agreement to utilize Honda’s professional Motocross and Road Racing teams in conjunction with Universal’s Woody Woodpecker character, to create a distinctive sports property for brand building beyond their core audience.

“The Honda Racing/Woody Woodpecker line features some of the coolest styles in extreme sports.” said Timothy Rothwell, senior vice president, merchandising and marketing, USCPG, “Gadzooks is the perfect specialty retailer to launch our line since their consumer is on the cutting edge of teen fashion.”

From a press release:
Team Suzuki News Service

SUZUKI’S NEW FOUR-STROKE MEETS THE RIVALS

Team Telefónica MoviStar Suzuki riders Sete Gibernau and Kenny Roberts and factory colleague Akira Ryo met the new four-stroke opposition for the first time at the Catalunyan GP circuit–and their brand new GSV-R motorcycle showed a fine turn of speed at only its fourth test outside of Japan.

The new 990cc V4 MotoGP machine posted impressive top speed figures, with Ryo running at 308.2 kph (191.5 mph) on the kilometer straight, fourth fastest time out of the 23 four-stroke and two-stroke machines at the final European IRTA tests.

Ryo also posted the fastest lap time of the trio, placing tenth, with Gibernau one position and less than two-tenths slower, and Roberts 15th overall, another four tenths down.

Suzuki’s four-stroke project is still at an early prototype stage, having been put forward by a full season to join the first year of the new 990cc MotoGP class. Originally, Suzuki had planned to release the new racer for the 2003 season.

SETE GIBERNAU: 11th Position, 1:46.243:
“It’s difficult to compare our bike with others who are a year-and-a-half in front of us in terms of development, but the team and the Suzuki factory have been working day and night, and we need to know how much more improvement is required. My motivation is high, and I’m physically ready. I hope we can get everything together so we can try to win races later this year. At this stage, we need to get better, and as long as we keep doing that race by race – closing the gap on the fastest bikes every time – then we can be satisfied we can keep that target. I can accept where we are with such a new bike, and I know Suzuki understand that we need to keep pushing hard. I will always try my hardest to make the best of what we have got.”

KENNY ROBERTS: 15th Position, 1:46.625:
“We came here to understand where we are at with this bike, and to see what we need to improve. Our position is as we anticipated, and we need to improve every aspect of the motorcycle and the tyres. There is a lot of work to be done to make this bike competitive. At the same time, the bike has run for only 14 days, and we have lost almost half that time to bad weather and other problems. We need to keep working hard.”

KUNIO ARASE – Project Leader:
“Since our earlier tests in Malaysia and Australia, we have refined the fuel injection map, and reduced the mechanical losses with a major internal change to the engine. Our next goal is to refine the exhaust system, to give more power and a better power curve. We are developing all the time.”

GARRY TAYLOR – Team Manager:
“It’s been a baptism of fire. We learned a lot – including that the bike is on target at still a very early stage. The team worked well together, and got through a huge amount. We have no illusions about the fact that there is still a lot of work to be done before the bike is fully competitive.”