From a press release:

HONDA RACING NEWS

HRC RC211V Test Phillip Island, Australia, December 19

Weather, morning, light rain – afternoon, sunshine; temperature, 25 degrees C; track
conditions, morning, damp – afternoon, good.

The second day of the HRC winter test at Phillip Island, Australia, was hampered by rain showers, and high winds, in the morning. Conditions, however, improved by lunchtime, the track top drying to give the riders, high winds apart, a fee run in the afternoon.

Team riders Valentino Rossi and Tohru Ukawa completed almost 100 laps of the 4.448 km circuit aboard their RC211V 5-cylinder 990cc Honda 4-strokes. Rossi was again fastest, slightly faster than yesterday at 1:32.20. Ukawa had the misfortune to crash in the windy conditions. He escaped unscathed but the RC211V was damaged restricting the number of laps he could put in. Despite the setback Ukawa was close to his time of Wednesday.

Honda Gresini rider, Daijiro Katoh, was another faller. The diminutive 250cc World Champion slid off his NSR500 braking for the hairpin. Katoh also escaped injury in the slow-speed crash and went on to better his time of yesterday by three-tenths of a second at 1:33.30.

Kanemoto Honda had team rider Jurgen v. d. Goorbergh testing their Bridgestone shod NSR500 in preparation for Bridgestone’s entry into the senior class of GP racing. HRC test rider Shinichi Itoh, himself a former GP rider, lent his considerable experience to the team’s tyre testing efforts, working together with Van der Goorbergh and team owner/manager Erv Kanemoto. Both riders circulated faster than on the opening day of the test.

Valentino Rossi: “Today I worked a lot on testing new tyres and suspension parts. I am beginning to understand this bike and my team start to understand how to set up the bike to solve potential problems. We still need to work to achieve the best from this machine but I’m quite satisfied. The bike is very, very fast.”

Tohru Ukawa: “This morning I went onto the grass and crashed. I was lucky but the bike was slightly damaged. I got caught by the strong wind at the end of the pit straight and lost the ideal line and went onto the grass. In the afternoon I got in some good times and I’m sure I’ll be even faster tomorrow.”

Daijiro Katoh: “Today I worked on suspension settings and tyres. In the morning I had a low speed crash at the hairpin. I lost grip and the bike slid away from me, without damage to myself or the bike. In general I’m satisfied with what we did today.”

Jurgen v. d. Goorbergh: “I’m good with the bike but I need more testing to fully understand the NSR500. Today we tested a lot of tyres and I worked on suspension. Everything is going well but I don’t want to break any records, just learn how to ride this bike.”

Lap times:

Valentino Rossi, RC211V, 1:32.20, 61 laps.

Tohru Ukawa, RC211V, 1:33.10, 48 laps

Daijiro Katoh, NSR500, 1:33.30, 46 laps

Jurgen v. d. Goorbergh, NSR500, 1:34.24, 61 laps

Shinichi Itoh, NSR500, 1:33.92, 58 laps

From a new press release issued by Willow Springs International Motorsports Park:

Free Practice Session to Include Cars, Motorcycles

Two Tracks Available; Bikes and Cars to Rotate Groups

Motorcycles, open-wheeled racing cars, and shifter karts will use both the 2.5-mile main road course and the 1.5-mile Streets of Willow during next week’s free practice sessions at Willow Springs International Motorsports Park. Automobiles and shifter karts of 125cc and above will be run on the New Streets of Willow. Motorcycles will share the 2.5-mile main road course with automobiles. The alternating sessions will be conducted and monitored by Willow Springs course control and cornerworking staff. The practice sessions will take place December 26-30, 2001. Depending on the turnout and level of interest, an informal race featuring the open-wheeled cars may be held on the New Streets of Willow Sunday, December 30, 2001.

Only currently licensed WSMC members will be allowed to participate in the free practice sessions for motorcycles. Motorcycle racers who have either a professional or expert-level license with another recognized racing organization, such as WERA, Formula USA, AFM, or AMA can obtain a WSMC racing license at the track. Novice licenses from organizations other than WSMC will NOT be accepted. Car and kart drivers will be required to have a current 2001 Willow Springs International Raceway Driver’s Card. Driver’s cards can be obtained at the raceway by drivers who would like to participate.

Sessions will begin at 10:00 a.m. and will end at 3:00 p.m. each day. For safety reasons, the number of participants will be subject to limitation by Willow Springs staff. All motorcycles will subject to the same technical inspections and requirements as in a normal WSMC practice session.

Willow Springs International Motorsports Park, a registered California State Point of Historical Interest, is a 600-acre complex of six racetracks embracing nearly every conceivable motorsports discipline. In addition to the historic 2.5-mile road course built in 1953, 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; a 1/4-mile paved oval; a 3/8-mile clay oval; a .625-mile Karting track; and just-completed 1/4-mile testing and tuning circuit which has yet to be named. The facility also has an off-road driving and riding area for testing of off-road vehicles. The park is located about an hour north of Los Angeles, California near Lancaster. Official headquarters for this event will be at Lancaster’s Park Plaza, formerly known as the Essex House. Park Plaza can be contacted at 661-948-0961.

For more information on this event, or on lodging and accommodations, please contact Willow Springs International Motorsports Park at (661) 256-6666.

From a press release:

HONDA RACING NEWS

HRC RC211V Test
Phillip Island, Australia, December 19.

Weather, fine and sunny; temperature, 25 degrees C; track conditions, good.

Rossi and Ukawa on Lap Record Pace at Phillip Island

HRC winter testing of the RC211V 5-cylinder four-stroke machine they will enter in the 2002 World Championship. Team riders Valentino Rossi, the reigning 500cc World Champion, teammate Tohru Ukawa and test rider Shinich Itoh all put in a hard day on the 990cc V-5.

The first day of the test centered around tyres and suspension settings and the riders were happy with their day’s work. Rossi setting fastest time at 1:32.44. Three-tenths of a second under the lap record for the 4.448-km Australian circuit. Teammate Ukawa was not far off record pace.

The Honda Gresini team brought Daijiro Katoh to the test where he renewed his acquaintance with the NSR500 he will race in 2002. The 250cc World Champion put in a best time of 1:33.6.

Team Kanemoto Honda continued with their Bridgestone tyre testing programme at the HRC test. Team rider Jurgen v.d. Goorbergh gaining more experience of both machine and tyres.

Valentino Rossi: “Today it was a real pleasure for me to ride the bike here with beautiful weather and all the track only for us, I did a lot of laps and I tried many tyres, we found some good solution but we still need to work a lot on this bike. We took here the same motorcycles we tested in Spain and also here the bike is fast but of course need a lot of improvement. We will see tomorrow.”

Tohru Ukawa: “I did 82 laps and I tested many things , I am satisfied about this first test day where we spend some time to find the right suspension setting and to test the tires that Michelin brought here. For tomorrow I hope to make a better lap time and find good solution for the setting.”

Jurgen van der Goorbergh: “Here in Phillip Island I feel more comfortable with the bike in comparison with Jerez. I begin to understand better the NSR and its behaviour and I am sure that at the end of this test I can do better then today. Today we tested a huge numbers of new tyres from Bridgestone and for tomorrow we will continue to work on suspension and tyres.”

Daijiro Katoh: “Today at the beginning we worked on the riding position. I changed the handlebar position and we took a new shape fuel tank to fit better my body. After I spent my time to find the right setting and I did many laps to train myself to ride a 500. I have a good feeling with the NSR and of course we have a lot of work to do.”

Lap times:
Valentino Rossi, RC211V, 1:32.44, 59 laps

Tohru Ukawa, RC211V, 1:33.06, 82 laps

Shinichi Itoh, RC211V, 1:34.80, 61 laps

Daijiro Katoh, NSR500, 1:33.6, 62 laps

Jurgen van der Goorbergh, NSR500, 1:34.40, 67 laps

Copyright 2001, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Racer Lee Acree underwent compartment syndrome surgery on his left arm today.

Acree has the same surgery on his right arm earlier this year.

AMA Associate or Life members must request a ballot by mail to be able to vote in the ongoing election of AMA Trustees, because Associate and Life members are not sent copies of the official AMA magazine containing the ballot. Now that has turned into a problem, as racer and AMA member Clinton Whitehouse relates:

“What’s up with the AMA? The AMA has only one employee who can send out an associate member a ballot for the AMA Board of Directors Election, and she is out of the office until next year.

“This information was obtained from a phone call to AMA on 12/19/01 at 7:29 a.m. PST.

“By the time the AMA processes a request next
year, with 4 to 5 days in the mail and 4 to 5 days return mail, the deadline of January 15 for the receipt of ballots will have passed. Why can’t the AMA hire a temp to process the ballot requests?”


The obvious answer: They’re making it as hard as possible for members to participate in the democratic process, because they know that the fewer people vote, the more likely the incumbents will retain power and be able to continue to run the AMA the same way it has been run for the last 40 years, with no recourse for members.

Copyright 2001, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

At the International Motorcycle Show at Long Beach, California December 7-9, California Speedway had a small table set up to promote the upcoming AMA Superbike race in April. Bob Elia from the speedway’s promotions department was manning the booth, mainly distributing lists of ticket prices for the Superbike race, although Elia said tickets are not on sale yet.

Tickets for adults will range between $60 for a two-day General or Preferred Admission ticket to $70 for a three-day Preferred pass. Children under 12 will be admitted to General Admission free all weekend but will pay the price of an adult for a seat in the Preferred area. Elia said that the track would be putting up temporary seating for at least 10,000 fans in the new infield road course section.

The flyer Elia was distributing listed the weekend’s activities as:
Friday, April 5 – Practice
Saturday, April 6 – Sprint Races
Sunday, April 7 – Championship Series Race

California Speedway is listed on the 2002 AMA schedule as hosting a Superbike double-header. The program should include the normal double header format of a Superbike, a 750cc Supersport and a Formula Xtreme race on Saturday with another Superbike race, the 250cc Grand Prix and 600cc Supersport final on Sunday.

On another note, Elia said that they would have what may be a first-ever event during the 2002 season. Elia said that during one race weekend in 2002, California Speedway will have a Grand Am car race on the infield course and an IRL race on the Speedway’s oval the very next day.

For more information about tickets for the AMA Superbike race at California Speedway, call 1-800-944-RACE or got to www.californiaspeedway.com.

From a press release issued by the AMA:

EPA To Adopt California Streetbike Emission Standards

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — New road motorcycles sold nationwide will be required to meet strict emissions standards set by the state of California beginning in 2006 under rules being proposed by the federal Environmental Protection Agency, the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) reports.

While the EPA hasn’t released its final proposal for public comment, a draft proposal obtained by the AMA shows the EPA wants to adopt a two-tier standard already approved in California on a delayed basis.

The first tier of California standards will go into effect in 2004, with the second tier scheduled for 2008. The federal EPA is proposing to adopt the same standards but on a two-year delay, meaning tier one would take effect in 2006 and tier two in 2010.

Road motorcycles built before the 2006 model year would be unaffected by the new regulations and would remain legal to ride.

If adopted, the new federal emissions regulations are expected to result in an increased use of fuel injection and catalytic converters on new motorcycles.

Some current motorcycles sold nationwide already meet California’s strict 2008 standard. Honda’s 2002 Gold Wing, for example, meets the California standard with the use of an emissions control system that includes fuel injection and a three-way exhaust catalyzer to reduce emissions of hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide.

Besides tightening existing standards for street motorcycles, the EPA had suggested that the new rules might include requirements for specific components on motorcycles to meet the regulations, as well as stricter “anti-tampering” regulations, which could prohibit certain modifications to motorcycles.

The AMA asked federal officials to refrain from establishing such a list of technologies that manufacturers must use in making cleaner motorcycles. Instead, the Association recommended setting performance-based standards that would allow manufacturers the maximum amount of innovation in reducing emissions.

The advance copy of the proposed emissions regulations indicates that the EPA has taken that approach, leaving it up to the manufacturers to figure out how to meet the standards. The agency also provided an exemption for small manufacturers who may not have the resources to do the research and development needed to meet the proposed new national emissions standards.

Under that exemption, motorcycle manufacturers with sales of fewer than 3000 bikes a year, and having fewer than 500 employees, would have until the 2008 model year to meet the tier one national emissions standard. Those manufacturers wouldn’t be required to meet the tougher tier two standards.

New motorcycles sold in California beginning with the 2004 model year must emit no more than 1.4 grams per kilometer of hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides, and 12 grams per kilometer of carbon monoxide. The proposed federal standard would be the same, but would go into effect in 2006.

The California standard gets tougher in 2008, with a limit of 0.8 grams per kilometer of hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides and 12 grams per kilometer of carbon monoxide. The proposed federal standard would be the same, but would go into effect in 2010.

Currently, the federal emissions standards for on-road motorcycles are 5.0 grams per kilometer of hydrocarbons and 12 grams per kilometer of carbon monoxide.

Meanwhile, the EPA is also in the process of finalizing emissions standards for off-road motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles.

For more information, go to the AMA’s website at www.AMADirectlink.com and click on the “Protecting Your Right to Ride” button.

Copyright 2001, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Newly-crowned 2001 WSMC 125cc Grand Prix Champion Chris Peris took part in a tryout for the Red Bull Honda British 125cc Championship team November 29-30 at Mallory Park in England. Peris, 16, caught wind of the opportunity from Tony Bell, husband/tuner/team owner for 125cc GP racer Vicky Jackson-Bell.

The Red Bull team solicited applications from riders aged 14-18 before a total of 50 were selected to take part. On each day of the two-day test, 25 riders took to the track. After the tryouts, the 50 riders were narrowed down to 10 finalists before the two new riders for the team were to be hand picked in mid-December.

Red Bull Britain’s Mark Forsythe, one of the program’s organizers, said that Peris recorded the second-fastest lap time of the test and that he was “massively impressed by (Chris’) attitude and ability on a bike he’s never ridden, on a track he’d never seen, in conditions which couldn’t have been much worse (or alien). Both Robin (Appleyard, Red Bull Honda Team Manager) and myself were particularly impressed that he attacked the place harder than anyone else.” After the cold, rain-soaked test, Peris was informed the he did not make the cut of 10 finalists.

Forsythe added that “Peter Clifford (Red Bull Yamaha MotoGP Team Manager, on hand for the test) was also suitably impressed”. Forsythe told Peris that he would work on arranging a few “wild card” rides for him in the 2002 British 125cc Series. “I have pushed for him over here and would really like to see him visit us next season, perhaps doing a couple of wild-card rides in the British 125cc Championships. I’m convinced he’s got what it takes,” wrote Forsythe to Peris’ father, Fernando.

A series of Video Nights starts tonight, Wednesday, December 19 at the new RKA luggage and accessory shop, 1423-A Grove Street in Healdsburg, California, near San Francisco. The December Video Night will feature on-board camera footage from recent track days as well as a Joey Dunlop movie.

Starting in January, the shop’s Video Nights will be held on the first Wednesday of the month, and will feature racing videos and movies shown on a big-screen TV, as well as food and refreshments, prize giveaways and occasional guest speakers and technical seminars.

Owner Richard Battles also said that the shop is open every Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. to serve as a gathering spot for motorcyclists. RKA serves free coffee and pastries to riders who stop by and also provides maps of the many nearby riding roads.

For additional info, call Richard Battles at RKA Luggage, (707) 433-3727.

David K. DeLong died of cancer Tuesday, December 18 at the Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah, Georgia. According to an obituary appearing in the Savannah Morning News today, DeLong, 71, was a teacher and artist as well as a motorcycle road racer. DeLong, a native of New York, started road racing in the 1960s with AAMRR, then WERA and was racing his Yamaha TZ250 as recently as 2000 in Vintage events.

DeLong’s motorsports-themed artwork had been displayed in art shows in New York City, Washington, D.C. and Dallas, Texas and is said to be highly sought after. In Savannah, DeLong worked with Kim Iocovozzi and John Tucker Fine Arts.

DeLong is survived by his wife Harriet, his son Mark, brother James and mother Mary Olds DeLong. Memorial services will be held Thursday, December 20 at 11:00 a.m. at the Fox & Weeks Island Chapel in Savannah, Georgia.