From a press release:

Willow Springs Motorcycle Club Starts 2002 With A Bang

Impressive Attendance, Limited Pit Space Mark Season Opener

The first round of competition for the Willow Springs Motorcycle Club began on an upbeat note this year, with strong attendance by both participants and spectators. While an exact figure was not available, it was conservatively estimated that well over 1,000 persons attended the opening round of racing at Willow Springs International Motorsports Park. The number who paid to enter the pit area, either to compete or to spectate, was 975. The remainder, who viewed the racing from the Turn Four “Budweiser Balcony” area, took advantage of the track’s program that allows spectators to watch the races at no charge.

“There were substantially more people here just to watch the racing than we would typically see for this time of year,” said a track spokesperson. “We noticed a good number of vehicles parked all the way around the Turn Four viewing area, quite a few more than normal. It looks like our free admission program is beginning to catch on.”

Pit space was also at a premium during this first round, leading more than one competitor to wonder whether pit areas will need to be assigned in the future. “There’s still plenty of room out here,” the spokesperson clarified. “If we need to juggle the rigs to be more efficient, that’s no problem.”

The free admission program, implemented by the park in December, 2001 was designed to help stimulate interest in the track’s many activities, as well as expose spectators to sponsors, whose contributions help keep motorsports alive and well. “This program was really designed to help people,” said track owner Bill Huth. “The economy needs a boost now, and this is our way of helping out.” The program is similar to one adopted by a major Los Angeles theme park, which is giving away a year’s free admission to anyone purchasing a single day’s pass. Huth wasn’t surprised that other businesses had adopted incentives. “It’s a good way to get things going again,” he added.

Willow Springs International Motorsports Park is a 600-acre complex of six racetracks embracing nearly every conceivable motorsports discipline. In addition to the historic 2.5-mile road course, the Willow Springs facility includes the Streets of Willow, a 1.5-mile, 14-turn multi-configuration road course ideal for testing, club racing and schools; two 1/4-mile paved ovals; a 3/8-mile clay oval; a .625-mile kart track; and the just-completed “Toyota Playpen,” a short course targeting beginning riders and drivers. The facility also has an off-road area for testing of off-road vehicles.

For more information on the Willow Springs Motorcycle Club or Willow Springs International Motorsports Park, please call 661-256-6666 or visit www.willowspringsraceway.com.

From a press release:

Honda Racing News

HRC Winter Test Sepang, Malaysia, January 23, 2002.

HRC Complete Successful RC211V Malaysian Test

The three-day HRC test session for the RC211V MotoGP machine at Sepang, Malaysia, ended today with a string of fast times on the one rain-free day of the three-day test. HRC Team Manager Noriaki Nakata returns to Japan satisfied with the results and the technical data recorded over the three days.

“We can be quite satisfied with the results of this three-day test. We tested everything we came here to test and ended with an endurance test, the results of which were very good. We will go back to Japan and work on the information we gained here. I must say development of the RC211V is going in the right direction, very encouraging,” said Nakata.

Despite sliding off the RCV Tohru Ukawa was again the fastest man around the 5.548km track with a time of 2:04.78 the best from his 54-lap stint on the 5-cylinder, 990cc GP machine he will race in 2002.

HRC test rider Shinichi Itoh was also faster than yesterday. The near-veteran, former Grand Prix rider, has worked tirelessly in support of Ukawa all week and today reeled off 70 laps aboard the RCV. His best time was 2:05.86.

Reigning 250cc World Champion Daijiro Katoh continues to impress riding the NSR500 2-stroke V-Four he will run in the MotoGP class in 2002. Honda Gresini team rider Katoh fired a warning shot across the bows of his MotoGP class rivals when setting a time of 2:04.86. The diminutive Japanese star has quickly adapted to the 185ps- plus power of the NSR500 and will pose his more experienced rivals considerable problems once the new season gets underway at Suzuka in April.

Team West Honda Pons riders Loris Capirossi and Alex Barros both improved their lap times on the last day of the test. Capirossi was the faster of the two. He is in good form early this year and confirmed it with a time of 2:05.39. Teammate Barros slid off his NSR but escaped unscathed.

Team Kanemoto did not test, their NSR500 too badly damaged when team rider Jurgen v. d. Goorbergh crashed the machine on Monday.

Tohru Ukawa, RC211V, 54 laps, time 2:04.78

Shinichi Itoh, RC211V, 70 laps, time 2:05.86

Daijiro Katoh, NSR500, 46 laps, time 2:04.86

Loris Capirossi, NSR500, 53 laps, time 2:05.39

Alex Barros, NSR500, 50 laps, time 2:06.58


Tohru Ukawa: I’m happy with the machine, I have a comfortable feeling riding the RCV. This circuit has been very good for testing many things. High speed stability of the machine, stability under heavy breaking, and we tested tyres, all have improved. Altogether a good test but we still have work to do. Now I can get some rest while waiting for the next test, in mid-February.

Shinichi Itoh: I’m still quite fast, even at my age. I enjoyed this test, I really like the track. Now I’m a test rider my duties are different and I am helping the team, and Ukawa San, where I can. The machine is definitely improving with each test and I’m happy to be part of the team developing the RCV.

Daijiro Katoh: The test has been good for me. I’m getting used to the bike and beginning to feel comfortable and trying many things on set-up. The times are good but I still need much more experience on the 500. Luckily we have many more test days before the season starts.

Bidding for an AGV helmet autographed by most of American Honda’s 1999 racing stars currently stands at $346.01 with under 36 hours remaining in the sale, which will benefit the Roadracing World Air Fence Fund. “Sooty114”, the first person to bid in the auction last Thursday, holds the high bid at the moment, but “1oldgeorge”, “rageco” and “kmitch51” still remain active in the bidding. This auction is due to close at 5:11 p.m. Central Time Thursday, January 24.

For more information about the auction of this helmet to benefit the Roadracing World Air Fence Fund, look below for the original web posting, the pictures and the link that will take you directly to the auction.




1999 Team Honda Autograph Helmet On Auction Block For Air Fence Fund

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Donated by an industry executive who wishes to remain anonymous, this one-of-a-kind AGV R3 helmet would be very difficult to reproduce.

This brand-new, never-worn AGV R3 helmet was taken to an appearance in 1999 where it was signed by most of the members of American Honda’s race teams for that season. Autographs on the helmet include: Miguel Duhamel, Kurtis Roberts, Ezra Lusk, Kevin Windham, Mike Larocco, Johnny Campbell and Scott Summers.

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All of the autographs were made in gold paint marker and stand out well on the solid white shell. The size-Medium helmet comes with its original clear shield, helmet bag and box.

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“I hope this helps to raise money for the Air Fence Fund. Thank you for all that you have personally done to make it happen,” wrote the
helmet’s donor in a letter to Roadracing World Air Fence Fund founder John Ulrich.

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All proceeds from the sale of this helmet will go to the Roadracing World Air Fence Fund. The Roadracing World Air Fence Fund was established to raise funds to purchase and deploy inflatable Air Fence and Air Module soft barriers to protect crashed riders from hitting walls and other hard objects at racetracks. Air Fence is a trademark of Airfence Safety Systems of Australia.

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The auction is due to close at approximately 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time, January 24. More auctions of motorcycle racing memorabilia and collectibles to benefit the Roadracing World Air Fence Fund are scheduled to appear.

To go directly to the auction on eBay, click on the following link:

http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1064980241

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Blackmans Racing Team Manager Kris Bickford called Roadracing World to announce that Blackmans Racing will defend its Number One plate in the 2002 Formula USA National Road Race Series Unlimited GP class and will continue to pursue the F-USA Unlimited Superbike Championship with rider Mike Himmelsbach.

For 2002, the Blackmans team will follow the lead of many American factory road race teams by slimming down to a one-rider effort. The one rider will be F-USA NRRS Unlimited GP National Champion Michael Himmelsbach, who will again ride an Aprilia Mille R RSV1000 with his father, Bill Himmelsbach, as Crew Chief.

Working full-time on the development of the Aprilia Mille in 2001, the elder Himmelsbach turned the 110-horsepower Mille streetbike into a 145-horsepower, 175-mph Superbike. That development has continued over the off-season, according to Bickford. “As you know, we reached the power levels that we needed for the class, but our bikes were still the heaviest in the field. Bill (Himmelsbach) has made good progress on putting the bike on a diet, and we expect to come to the opening round at Daytona 25 pounds lighter than we ended last season.” Bickford also said that the team has made additional progress in developing revised EPROM computer chips to improve the power and torque delivery of the Aprilia.

Blackmans had intended to field another two-rider team in 2002, but the team’s hard work and Championship did not net additional sponsorship for the coming season. “We still will have support from Blackmans Cycles, obviously, Pirelli and Tigcraft Japan, but we’ve lost Yuasa. We’re still excited about the new season, though,” said Bickford. “Mike’s a great rider, and this year we are racing at Summit Point, a track that Mike does really well at. Plus we are also going to Loudon, where I think our bikes will work very well.”

Bickford also said that a Blackmans Racing Stage Four high performance kit, which should make the Aprilia Mille produce over 150 horsepower, will be available soon.

From a press release:

Honda Racing News

HRC Winter Test Sepang, Malaysia
January 22, 2002

Record Times For Tohru Ukawa and RC211V

The second day of the HRC RC211V test at Sepang, Malaysia, saw Tohru Ukawa and the 5-cylinder Honda four-stroke circulating at lap record time. The daily monsoon rain held off until late afternoon allowing Ukawa and HRC test rider Shinichi Itoh a trouble free day of testing.

Ukawa made the best of the opportunity to set the fastest lap recorded at the 5.548km circuit by a grand prix motorcycle. His time of 2:05.39 was
0.228 inside the lap record, set by Valentino Rossi at the grand prix last October.

Itoh, on his first ever visit to the circuit, was not far behind Ukawa at 2:05.91.

Team Honda Gresini rider Daijiro Katoh was a shade faster than Itoh at 2:05.86 on the V-4, NSR500 two-stroke he will race against the mighty 990cc the four-strokes in the 2002 MotoGP World Championship.

After a shake down test yesterday Team West Honda Pons got down to serious work with their 2002 NSR500’s for the first time and were quickly on the pace. World number three Loris Capirossi (was) faster than team mate Alex Barros at 2:05.98.

Team Kanemoto Honda rider Jurgen v.d. Goorbergh did not test today following his heavy crash yesterday. The team’s NSR500 was too badly
damaged to repair in time.

Tohru Ukawa, RC211V, 71 laps, time 2:05.39

Shinichi Itoh, RC211V, 71 laps, time 2:05.91

Daijiro Katoh, NSR500, 47 laps, time 2:05.86

Loris Capirossi, NSR500, 50 laps, time 2:05.98

Alex Barros, NSR500, 44 laps, time 2:07.73

Tohru Ukawa: I’m very, very happy with today, and to break the lap record. Everything ran just fine. We were testing tyres and some small
modifications, I was not looking for a lap time. What is important here is to keep the development of the machine moving forward. The bike is good
here but we still have a lot of work to do.

Shinichi Itoh: Very happy, and very surprised. My lap times are very good, considering I have only had two days at this track. The bike has made it
easy, it works very well here. I’m pleased with the progress we’re making with the RCV.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

For winning the 2001 WERA National Endurance Championship, Vesrah Suzuki’s Mark Junge was invited to Suzuki headquarters in Hamamatsu, Japan for a celebration of the manufacturer’s 2001 Champions. Along with 23 of Suzuki’s World and National Champions, a large group of International media representatives attended the event, held January 19.

The trip for the Champions included a tour of Suzuki’s factory. According to Junge, Suzuki GSX-R1000s were being made on the assembly line that he inspected on Friday, January 18. “The bike goes from a bare frame to a complete motorcycle in just 15 minutes,” said Junge. “It was amazing. I mean, it went so fast that I missed the engine being put in and had to go back to see how they did it.”

Junge said that every Champion was allowed to bring their significant other to the celebration, and that a good time was had by all.

The hardest part of the entire experience for Junge was enduring the extremely long travel day getting home. Junge said that he and his wife Nancy left Hamamatsu by train around noon on Sunday, January 20 and arrived in Chicago around 4:00 p.m. Central Time on Sunday, January 20 with 18 hours of travel time in between. “We were served five meals along the way,” said Junge. “And they were all lunches!”

From a press release:

2002 Aprilia Cup and Contingency Rules Clarification

Woodstock, GA Tuesday, January 22, 2002 Aprilia USA wishes to clarify specific rules regarding the 2002 Aprilia Cup and Aprilia racing contingency program as announced on 1/15/02.


Mille/Mille R National contingency rules changes:

Regarding Aprilia Mille/Mille R contingency for Formula USA Unlimited Superbike.
1) Posted contingency is based on results for race two on the FUSA weekend.
2) Rider must start race one and two to be eligible for posted contingency.


Aprilia Cup eligibility rules changes:

Regarding Aprilia Cup rule stating “No AMA Pro licenses”; the eligibility for the Aprilia Cup is further defined as:
1) No AMA Superbike license holders for 1999 – 2002. Other AMA licenses accepted, except as defined below.
2) Any AMA rider finishing in a top 3 position in 1999 – 2002 in the following AMA classes is also ineligible for the Aprilia Cup; 250 Grand Prix, 750 Supersport, 600 Supersport, Pro Thunder, Formula Xtreme.
3) To be eligible for the Aprilia cup race, rider must compete in 3 contingency paying races in 2002.


Aprilia Cup mechanical rules changes:

Regarding the rules for Aprilia Cup machines in the final Aprilia Cup event:
1) Polishing of cases is legal, however changing port shape beyond polishing is not allowed. No other case modifications are allowed.
2) The horsepower limit has been lowered to 65.0 for the final Aprilia Cup event.


Please note that these changes have been included on the updated Aprilia Contingency schedule attached, which must replace any prior posting of the 2002 Aprilia Contingency Program.

Aprilia USA anticipates no further revisions for the 2002 Contingency schedule or Aprilia Cup rules.


Aprilia USA, Inc. is a subsidiary of Aprilia S.p.A., a privately owned Italian motorcycle design and manufacturing company employing over one thousand people and recording annual sales in excess of 300,000 units. As such, Aprilia USA Inc. is the exclusive importer of Aprilia brand motorcycles, scooters, apparel and accessories. For more information, consumers can visit Aprilia’s web site at www.aprilia.com.

From a press release:


A letter from Carlo Di Biagio, CEO, Ducati Motor Holding

DUCATI APPOINTS NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF U.S. OPERATIONS

I am delighted to announce that we have appointed Joseph Piazza as Chief Executive Officer of Ducati North America. Joseph is 36 years old and will fill the position left vacant by Michael McMahon who left the Company in December 2001. The appointment is effective as from February 4, 2002, and Joseph will report directly to Nicola Greco, Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing at Ducati Motor Holding.

Joseph brings to Ducati North America over ten years of experience of the motorcycle industry and is the third generation in his family to be involved in the motorcycle world. He has worked in sales, marketing, product strategy, operations and finance for a number of leading motorcycle-related companies in the US. During his career, he has been General Manager of Tucker Rocky and Helmet House Inc., the largest motorcycle helmet, leather apparel and accessories distributor in the US. Most recently, and for the last four years, Joseph held the position of Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Global Motorsport Group/Custom Chrome, the largest independent manufacturer and distributor of after-market parts and accessories for Harley Davidson and Japanese motorcycles.

After completing a masters degree in Business Administration at Pepperdine University, California, Joseph began his working career as an accountant at Ernst and Young.

“I have been a passionate motorcyclist all my life and cannot wait to take on this role for one of the world’s most exciting motorcycle companies,” he told me. “There are huge opportunities for Ducati in the US, and I look forward to exploiting them with my lifetime of experience of the motorcycle industry and understanding of the US market.”

Joseph is exactly what we need to build Ducati into the leading performance motorcycle brand in the US. I am confident that his broad experience and enthusiasm for motorcycles are a perfect combination to build up this hugely important market for Ducati. I trust you will all join me in welcoming him to Ducati and will give him the support and friendship he needs to achieve our ambitious goals for the future.

Best wishes,

Carlo Di Biagio

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Freelance public relations and promotions consultant Dorina Groves married racer and race tuner Shane Clarke in Las Vegas, Nevada December 29, 2001. Groves has taken her new husband’s last name and will go by Dorina Clarke effective immediately. Groves has also changed her office phone number, to (913) 764-0533.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Anthony Gobert, the lone Yamaha factory Superbike rider, continued to earn his large paycheck Tuesday by clocking the fastest lap time on day two of the AMA test at Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca with a 1:26.313. Riding a Yamaha YZF-R7 on Dunlops, Gobert was fastest of the test Monday with a 1:26.788 and posted his quick time Tuesday well before the end of the frigid day on the Central California Coast.

Gobert seems happy and relaxed, frequently smiling as he climbs off his racebike.

Riders have given the latest Dunlop slicks rave reviews. The new tires use previously-existing compounds but are larger than the tires they will replace.

American Honda’s Nicky Hayden was fourth-fastest Monday with a 1:28.073 lap time despite mechanical glitches with the two different RC51 Superbikes he rode. Hayden rebounded late Tuesday with several fast laps but came up just short of Gobert’s best time with a 1:26.316.

Kurtis Roberts was the third and last Superbike rider to turn a 1:26 lap time Tuesday with a 1:26.905 on a day that barely reached 50 degrees Fahrenheit at its peak.

Eric Bostrom’s Kawasaki ZX-7RR seems to be working better at Laguna Seca than it did during off-season tests at at Daytona and California Speedway. Bostrom has been in the low-1:27 range over both days of the test thus far and ended Tuesday as the fourth-fastest Superbike rider at 1:27.271.

Miguel Duhamel improved his lap time from Monday’s 1:28.320 to a fifth-fastest time of 1:27.832 on Tuesday.

Bruce Transportation Group’s Jake Zemke was the fastest of the four Formula Xtreme riders Tuesday with a 1:29.056, but Zemke went quicker on Monday with a 1:28.437.

Although he was the slowest FX rider Tuesday, young Alex Gobert displayed his familiarity with a Formula Xtreme Honda by lapping just 0.8-second slower than Zemke. Alex Gobert raced in an Aprilia Cup event at Laguna Seca in 1999, his second-ever road race, and raced Honda CBR929RR Formula Xtreme bikes in Australia last season.

Aaron Gobert recorded the fastest 600cc Supersport time Tuesday with a 1:30.023, but crashed at the top of corkscrew in the afternoon.

Other crashers on Tuesday included Mike Hale, who fell in turn four, and Roger Hayden, who fell following Hale in an incident that was either caused by something on the track or by something leaking from Hale’s Erion Honda, depending upon the source.

Behind Aaron Gobert, most of the 600cc testers have recorded very similar times. On Monday, the top five 600cc riders’ best lap times were separated by 0.3-second. On Tuesday, the top three riders (Aaron Gobert, Damon Buckmaster, Tommy Hayden) were separated by 0.15-second.

The AMA tests at Laguna Seca are scheduled to last through Thursday, January 24.