From an open letter on Katja Poensgen’s website, www.katja-poensgen.de:

Hi All,

I will start at the beginning: Einstein says that all things are relative! What a profound discovery … All characteristics are relative, and therefore I cannot tell if what I am about to report is eventually good or bad!

Eager to know :=)

The Plain Truth: I shall not be riding in the MotoGP.com this Year!!!

You have heard it alright! I have not found any sponsors for the 400,000 Euro to join a GP team.

It is already the beginning of February and NO TEAM, NO BIKE, NO TRUCK, und NO whatsoever … Only my loyal mechanic Gerd from last year’s season remains on my side.

What else is there to do than looking for a regular job? Racing is my life, and yet still while I see all the other important things of life as well, nevertheless BIKE = LIFE !!

One thing is for sure, that I cannot grasp certain business decisions at all.

I will from tomorrow on assemble a racing team for the Superstock IDM.

My personal sponsors will all continue to go with me what I wholeheartedly thank them for, since those people keep my dream of racing a reality !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Back to the roots: My new Baby is a Suzuki GSX-R1000 now.

I hope you all have no hard feeling against me when I say that I am also looking forward to this season.

Last year’s stress was great and this year kept on going on that very same high level.

My next objective is the GP1 class (new classifications) anyway and now I can already be working on just that with my Suzuki (in regard to 4 stroke engines) 🙂

I really tried all I could up to just today. But believe me, I am actually exhausted by having to go begging for cash over and over.

Last weekend I was on short notice in Italy. There was a chance to ride for a team 400,000 Euro to bring in sounds not that much but it is bloody (sorry!) much and in any case it is bloody (sorry again!) late for all general preparations to race in the 250cc class of www.motogp.com.

I had again not a single day of test driving from all the starting pilots while of course being expected to position myself in upper midfield at the 1st GP at Valencia, Spain. Who says that I am GENIE?

Off to bed is next in order to process all of this uneasy situation I am in to digest now…

I guess I should open up a relief fund since then at least I could go on vacation big time with the money for now 🙂

low rating joke, I know!

Kisses
Kat
btw Huz

-translated by founder-

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

AMA Pro Racing officials on hand at the multi-team test at California Speedway have several things on their agenda. In addition to finalizing the artificial sections of the Fontana facility’s 2.36-mile infield road course and further evaluating their new and improved electronic timing and scoring system, AMA officials are also testing a new audible warning device.

Made by a Morrison, Colorado company called Invader Technologies, Inc., the Audible Alert system was originally designed for use in oval track car racing. Invader Technologies Operations Manager Dave Groustra said that he was approached by AMA Pro Racing’s Ron Barrick during the 2001 AMA Superbike National race at Pikes Peak International Raceway to learn more about the system.

Groustra explained that the company developed the product with NASCAR Super Stock racers at Colorado National Speedway in Denver, Colorado and have had some success.

The system’s hardware includes a control box with the switches to activate the RF radio signals, receiver/transmitter units carried by the race vehicle and leads connecting the receiver/transmitter box to ear plugs worn by the rider.

Audible Alert has three different, two-second tones. For a yellow flag, riders will hear a solid, warning-style tone. For a red flag, riders will hear a more urgent beeping tone not unlike that of a cell phone ringing. When the racetrack returns to green or when the yellow is removed, a less urgent beeping is heard by the racer. In the case of overlapping, a yellow flag signal will automatically override a green flag signal, and a red flag signal will override both green and yellow tones.

Groustra said that the tones may be altered to better suit motorcycle racers and that a pace car tone may be added because, according to Groustra, Barrick relayed a story to him about a problem with a Pace car at one of their races at Daytona.

“Racers already have a visual overload going on during a race,” said Groustra. “With this system, every driver on the track knows the instant that there is a yellow or red flag.”

Groustra said that he planned to install his hardware on one of Yamaha’s bikes and test the system during the three-day AMA team test at California Speedway.

Plans are also in the works for an Audible Alert system with localized yellow flag tones where riders would only hear the warning as they approached a corner with a caution flag being displayed. Groustra said that this may be one or more years away as the localized system would require the incorporation of a global positioning system (GPS) to accurately relay the signal to specific areas. According to system developers, the localized warning system could be activated by a cornerworker at the scene of an incident or at a central location like Race Control.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Yamaha’s Anthony Gobert continued his rampage on California Speedway’s 2.36-mile infield road course by turning a new, unofficial motorcycle lap record of 1:26.113 on his Dunlop-equipped 2002 Yamaha YZF-R7 Superbike. Gobert’s time betters the previous best Superbike lap time of 1:26.97, turned by Honda’s Nicky Hayden during testing in January.

After turning one of the fastest unofficial 600cc Supersport times of the morning (1:29.25, matched by Kawasaki’s Tommy Hayden), reformed wild child Gobert switched to his new Superbike in the afternoon with equal success.

Halfway through the afternoon session, it appeared almost as if “Go Show” and Team Blimpie Yoshimura Suzuki’s Mat Mladin were battling for the pole position in a final qualifying session. Gobert and Mladin leapfrogged over each other on the timing monitors several times before Gobert began ripping off consistent 1:26s.

As Mladin’s times leveled off, Gobert’s times continued to fall to a best of 1:26.113 with a second best of 1:26.571.

“I always go quicker on the second day,” said the pierced and tattooed Aussie. “We’re dialing in my new suspension a little bit more, and I’m starting to learn the track better. Hopefully, Mat (Mladin) won’t go any quicker. He gets to spend all day with his bike. I only get to ride my Superbike in the afternoon. But I’ve been working really hard, my crew has been working and the results show.”

At the other end of the pits, Mladin calmly explained that he was still testing rather than looking for his race set-up. “We’re having a few general problems,” said Mladin, choosing not to be specific about his problems. “Right now we’re just trying to get the bugs ironed out. We’ll start looking for our race set-up tomorrow.” As he spoke, Mladin’s crew was working with his rear suspension and had three different shock linkages laid out on the pit wall.

When asked what the pole position time would be for the April Superbike double-header at California Speedway, Mladin stated, “If we had to qualify tomorrow, 25-flat.”

Wednesday also saw Kawasaki’s Eric Bostrom continue to shave tenths off his best California Speedway lap times, while Aaron Yates found himself right on pace despite a sticking problem with his Superbike’s front brakes in the afternoon.

Remarkably close to the factory Superbike lap times, Graves Yamaha’s Damon Buckmaster was the fastest of the four Formula Xtreme riders on the track Wednesday at Fontana. Even though he was riding last year’s bike, with no new parts, on last year’s Dunlops, Buckmaster turned a very quick 1:27.700 on his 2001 YZF-R1/R7 hybrid.

Buckmaster was also the first AMA rider to test the new Invader Technologies’ Audible Alert system and found positive results.

According to his Crew Chief Joey Lombardo, Tommy Hayden tied with Anthony Gobert for the fastest 600cc time of Wednesday morning and again turned the fastest 600cc Supersport lap time of the afternoon with a 1:29.403 on his Dunlop-equipped Kawasaki ZX-6R.

Even though Hayden has ridden at five different tests this off-season, Lombardo said that the team is just now starting to test new suspension parts for the ZX-6R because of bad weather at some of the previous tests. At some other tests, Lombardo said that Hayden just rode around without changing anything on the bike, to get a feel for his new machine.

Dirt on the track was not a problem Wednesday morning, and the turn one chicane remained configured as it was at the end of day one.

The test is due to end Thursday.

Unofficial Wednesday Afternoon Lap Times:

1. Anthony Gobert, Yamaha YZF-R7, 1:26.113
2. Mat Mladin, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:26.800
3. Eric Bostrom, Kawasaki ZX-7RR, 1:27.264
4. Aaron Yates, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:27.326
5. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha YZF-R1/R7, 1:27.700
6. Tom Kipp, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:28.324
7. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha YZF-R1/R7, 1:28.964
8. Josh Hayes, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:29.143
9. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki ZX-6R, 1:29.403
10. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:30.179
11. Jamie Hacking, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:30.556
12. Ben Spies, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:30.751
13. Tony Meiring, Kawasaki ZX-6R, 1:31.771
14. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:32.961

Best Front Straightaway Trap Speed:

1. Bostrom, 167.787 mph
2. TIE, Buckmaster/Aaron Gobert, 167.205 mph
3. Hayes, 166.340 mph
4. Mladin, 165.769 mph
5. Anthony Gobert/Yates, 165.484 mph
6. Kipp, 163.521 mph
7. Ulrich, 154.364 mph
8. Tommy Hayden, 151.546 mph
9. Meiring, 150.276 mph
10. Spies, 149.577 mph
11. Hacking, 148.427 mph
12. Pridmore, 147.519 mph

Best Split Time Section Number One (Front Straightaway To Infield Straightaway):

1. Anthony Gobert, 0:56.250
2. Mladin, 0:56.498
3. Yates, 0:56.876
4. Bostrom, 0:56.905
5. Buckmaster, 0:57.322
6. Kipp, 0:57.535
7. Hayes, 0:58.077
8. Aaron Gobert, 0:58.154
9. Tommy Hayden, 0:58.217
10. Spies, 0:58.520
11. Hacking, 0:58.595
12. Pridmore, 0:58.988
13. Meiring, 0:59.685
14. Ulrich, 1:00.810

Best Split Time Section Number Two (Infield Straightaway To Front Straightaway):

1. Anthony Gobert, :029.863
2. Mladin, 0:30.096
3. Buckmaster, 0:30.192
4. Yates, 0:30.324
5. Bostrom, 0:30.359
6. Kipp, 0:30.733
7. Aaron Gobert, 0:30.784
8. Hayes, 0:30.973
9. Tommy Hayden, 0:31.186
10. Hacking, 0:31.742
11. Pridmore, 0:31.781
12. Spies, 0:31.897
13. Meiring, 0:31.969
14. Ulrich, 0:32.151

All timing information supplied by AMA Pro Racing Timing and Scoring.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

The Yoshimura Suzuki road racing team will now be known as Team Blimpie Yoshimura Suzuki, in accordance with a new sponsorship deal.

In announcing the biggest motorcycle road racing sponsorship news in recent memory, Suzuki’s Morgan Broadhead, speaking at California Speedway, said, “We have come to terms with Blimpie, and the new name of the team for the rest of the (2002) season is going to be Team Blimpie Yoshimura Suzuki.

“It’s a very exciting deal that we’ve put together. Obviously, we’re very excited to have Blimpie as part of the team. An out-of-the-industry sponsor means a lot, and of course just having a good name like Blimpie in with the Suzuki program means a lot to us.

“I can’t comment on what the terms of the deal are obviously, but it’s a pretty good-size sticker.”

When asked about how the deal came together, Broadhead answered, “I just learned about it yesterday (Tuesday, February 12), and just found out it was official this morning. To the best of my knowledge, it started with Mel (Harris – Vice President of American Suzuki), but I don’t know more than that.”

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The first bikes went on course at California Speedway at 10:20 a.m., following a delay while track workers cleaned dirt off the track surface; the dirt was deposited by recent wind storms, with gusts reaching 100 mph according to local news reports. Blowing dust and dirt is a major problem in the area surrounding the Speedway.

Curbing replaced cones previously used to define the turn one chicane, but riders reported that the chicane layout is different than it was during the last tests they attended at the Speedway, and is tighter.

The Yoshimura Suzukis showed up at California Speedway wearing stickers from Blimpie’s (a sandwich chain). According to Team Manager Don Sakakura, “They’re a potential sponsor. From the size of the sticker it looks to be a pretty big deal, but I don’t know any dollar amounts. All of the negotiations are through American Suzuki but it’s an outside-of-the-industry sponsor, so that’s nice.”

Andre Espaillat placed the winning bid of $1325 for a made-to-order set of Barnacle Bill leathers in an auction to benefit the Roadracing World Air Fence* Fund. Espaillat could not be reached at the close of the auction Friday, February 8 because he was away from home doing what racers do, running his Honda RC51 at Texas World Speedway in College Station, Texas.

Upon his return home, Espaillat wrote to roadracingworld.com via e-mail saying, “The Air Fence Fund is a life-saving effort by an exceptional group of individuals and companies. It’s a shining example of what makes the sport of road racing so great. It demonstrates our willingness to put our money where our mouths are and spend our hard-earned cash to protect our fellow sportsmen and women. Surely, none of us contributes because we intend to use the Air Fence ourselves!

“In the case of the Barnacle Bill custom suit, I know I’ll be protecting myself while helping protect others. I want to thank Barnacle Bill and Roadracing World for putting together a win-win package.”

Andre Espaillat
RPM/WERA Rider’s School Instructor
RPM/WERA #6
CMRA #6


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

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Even though Attack Suzuki team owner Richard Stanboli was not at California Speedway for the start of a three-day AMA team test Tuesday morning, the 600cc Supersport and Formula Xtreme team had some very qualified new hands at the test.

Crew Chief for 2001 European Superstock Champion James Ellison, Jack Russell has joined the Attack Suzuki crew through Daytona. “I was visiting some of my sponsors here in America and met up with Richard (Stanboli),” said Russell on pit lane Tuesday. “We got to talking and he offered me a job. I wanted to take it, but I had already made commitments to race in Europe in 2002. So I’m only going to be here through Daytona. Even then, I will be missing the first round of the Euro series at Valencia.”

Returning to the European Superstock series (1000cc production bikes), Russell said that he will be working with Chris Miller, a young up-and-comer from Scotland, in 2002.

Russell also said that he is currently trying to obtain new Ohlins cartridge fork kits for the Attack Suzuki GSX-R600 Supersport bikes. The kits are said to cost between $2000 and $4000, depending on the application, but provide the performance of a Superbike fork while staying within Supersport rules.

Factory-run AMA Supersport racing teams, most noteably Erion Honda and Kawasaki, have used aftermarket suspension internals for several years.

According to Attack’s Stephen Rezmer, Stanboli will come to Fontana on the last day of the test with the team’s newly-built Formula Xtreme GSX-R1000s.

“I’m not too concerned with Formula Xtreme right now,” said Attack rider Jason Pridmore. “I’m more concerned in getting everything ready for Daytona.”

Pridmore, along with new teammate Ben Spies, recently tested alongside the Yoshimura Suzuki riders in Pahrump, Nevada. According to members of the Attack team, Pridmore shared the fastest 600cc time of that three-day test with Yoshimura’s Jamie Hacking, at a 1:38.6.

From an AMA press release:

Motorcyclists have picked up support from U.S. Rep. C.L. “Butch” Otter (R-Idaho) for their campaign to keep the federal government out of the business of regulating motorcycle apparel, the AMA reports.

During a hearing before the U.S. House Highways and Transit Subcommittee, Otter spoke out against a federal proposal to report clothing defects to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

During the hearing, Otter told NHTSA Administrator Jeffrey Runge that “It was never the intent of Congress to regulate motorcyclists clothing under the TREAD (Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation)” Act.

“I urge the administration to reconsider this rule and focus our limited resources on highway safety instead of intrusive bureaucracy,” Otter added.

The proposal is part of a package the federal government has drafted that would, if approved by Congress, require motor vehicle manufacturers and their suppliers to report customer satisfaction and other information to the federal government to help the NHTSA identify defects related to motor vehicle safety.

The AMA had previously told NHTSA officials that including motorcycle rider apparel in the reporting requirements appears to go beyond what Congress intended in approving the TREAD Act, and that such a requirement appears to be “impractical and unworkable.” Although the AMA supports improvements in rider-safety apparel, the Association notes that bringing federal bureaucracy into the marketplace could cripple an industry that has, on its own, made tremendous advances stretching back several decades.

Otter’s office is working with the AMA to have rider apparel deleted from the proposed reporting requirement. Otter’s office said the congressman adopted the position in response to numerous constituent calls from motorcyclists.

Edward Moreland, AMA vice president for government relations, added, “We look forward to working with more elected officials like Rep. Otter to ensure that federal traffic safety officials seriously consider the concerns of motorcyclists on this issue.”

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

AMA teams testing at California Speedway in Fontana, California today, Wednesday and Thursday include:

Yamaha Motor Corp.

Graves Yamaha

Yoshimura Suzuki

Kawasaki Motor Corp.

Attack Suzuki

Valvoline EMGO Suzuki