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It’s Definitely War As Clear Channel Announces 2003 Supercross Schedule

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Any doubt that AMA Pro Racing’s decision to dump long-time Supercross promoters Clear Channel Motorsports in favor of motorsports unknowns Jam Productions would lead to a sport-splitting battle ended today when Clear Channel announced its 2003 Supercross schedule.

The announcement means that, assuming Jam Productions can come up with dates for a 2003 AMA National Supercross Series to “compete” with Clear Channel, the sport faces at best an IRL vs. CART-type split.

And the 2003 Clear Channel schedule seems to put to rest AMA Pro Racing CEO Scott Hollingsworth’s claim that 2003 AMA Series events will be held in the same stadiums as the current series, since Clear Channel has exclusive contracts with its venues.

A press release from Clear Channel follows:


Clear Channel Entertainment Announces 2003 Supercross Series Schedule

AURORA, Ill. (November 13, 2001) – Clear Channel Entertainment’s motor sports division announced today its 2003 Supercross Series schedule. The 2003 schedule will once again commence at Anaheim’s Edison International Field on the first weekend of January and conclude in May at Las Vegas’ Sam Boyd Stadium. The 2003 season marks Clear Channel Entertainment’s 29th year of supercross racing.

Charlie Mancuso, President of Clear Channel Entertainment’s motor sports division said, “Let there be no doubt about Clear Channel Entertainment’s commitment to the sport of supercross. Supercross racing is the fabric and heritage of our company. We have been promoting and producing supercross racing events since the beginning of the sport. The experience, creativity and dedication of our team cannot be matched. In addition, the vast resources of our sister divisions at Clear Channel Worldwide, including Clear Channel Radio, Clear Channel Outdoor and Clear Channel Television give us unparalleled platforms to continue the rapid growth of the sport.”

The 2003 Supercross Series schedule follows:

Date Venue City
Jan 4 Edison International Field Anaheim, Calif.

Jan 11 Bank One Ballpark Phoenix, Ariz.

Jan 18 Edison International Field Anaheim, Calif.

Jan 25 TBA * TBA *

Feb 1 Edison International Field Anaheim, Calif.

Feb 8 Qualcomm Stadium San Diego, Calif.

Feb 15 Metrodome Minneapolis, Minn.

Feb 22 Georgia Dome Atlanta, Ga.

Mar 1 RCA Dome Indianapolis, Ind.

Mar 22 The Dome at America’s Center St. Louis, Mo.

Mar 29 Reliant Astrodome Houston, TX

Apr 5 Silverdome Pontiac, Mich.

Apr 12 Texas Stadium Dallas, TX

Apr 26 Rice-Eccles Stadium Salt Lake City, UT

May 3 Sam Boyd Stadium Las Vegas

* Clear Channel Entertainment will soon announce a new venue and city for its 2003 Supercross Series, representing the entry of the sport into this market. The date and time of a press conference to announce this news is expected shortly.

For more information visit www.pacesupercross.com

Stratton Benefit Held At Buttonwillow

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From an e-mail sent to Roadracingworld.com by Norbert Katona, regarding a benefit barbeque held at Buttonwillow on Saturday night, November 3, during the CCS California and Southwest Series double-points finale:

I held a BBQ trackside on the behalf of Stuart Stratton’s family, $5 per person which included a rafle ticket for some prize givaways. Music,
viewing of racing videos, and lots of bench-racing were all a part of the fun. We barbequed hamburgers, gourmet sausages, chicken, (and had) chips and dip, salad, condiments, refreshments, beer, champagne and a whole lot more. With
only about 40-50 people that attended, we still managed to raise $923 and the next day the turnworkers all pitched in and gave $122, which put us up to $1045. I would like to thank everyone who attended the event and donated, and I hope you all had a great time. Barbeque was donated by Spanish Flats Racing Team and Team Road Rage Racing.

For additional questions you may have, contact me at [email protected]

A Report From Ducati Testing At Valencia

From a Ducati press release:

WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP
Testing – Valencia (Spain)
Tuesday, 13th November, 2001

BAYLISS AND XAUS (DUCATI INFOSTRADA) BACK ON TRACK AT VALENCIA

Ducati Corse’s preparations for the 2002 World Superbike Championship season switched into top gear on the first day of a three-day test session at the Valencia circuit in Spain.

Testing duties were carried out on the Ducati 998 Factory bike, fitted with the ’02 engine for next season, by 2001 WSBK Champion Troy Bayliss (Ducati Infostrada), back in action for the first time since his crash at Imola, and his Spanish team-mate Ruben Xaus. Ducati L&M rider Ben Bostrom is still convalescing after a recent operation to put his shoulder right and will test the bike in Kyalami, South Africa at the start of December.

Troy Bayliss (Ducati Infostrada), who completed 77 laps of the 4.005 km circuit with a best time of 1:35.61, was one-tenth of a second off Corser’s qualifying time in March and said he was very happy to be back in action after such a long break. “It feels like a comeback after six weeks off the bike!”, he enthused, “so I’ve got to be really happy with my time, because on a proper race tyre I went much faster than qualifying here for the race. This time of the year we usually go faster but seeing as I’m a bit rusty, all things considered I’m pretty pleased. The new engine is working really well and has improved a lot since Mugello. The bike already feels smooth and easy to ride and the suspension is working well. We also tried a different front fork, which also worked good. This test is really good for me, because it’ll help me get back into top shape for next season”.

Ruben Xaus (Ducati Infostrada), who totalled 64 laps with a best time of 1:36.05, was impressed with the improvement the bike had made since he tested at Sugo immediately after Imola. “The engine has improved a lot”, he declared. “The engineers have done a good job and have already found the right direction in which to work. The bike feels good, is more progressive and ‘clean’ and my quickest lap was much better than I did here in the Valencia race. I feel very relaxed, but I already desperately want to race. I think I’ve changed a lot since the start of this year and Ducati have helped me to make that change”.

Chief Engineer Corrado Cecchinelli declared: “We are really pleased with the test so far because both riders went quicker in race set-up than they did in the race last March. The times are positive especially considering the fact that the track was in far from perfect condition and the riders didn’t have the stimulus that comes during a race weekend”.

Team Manager Davide Tardozzi is absent from the Valencia test after being involved in a car crash on Sunday, in which he suffered a broken leg.

UNOFFICIAL TIMES (Qualifying record – Corser, Aprilia 1:35.504; Lap record – Corser, Aprilia 1:36.128); Bayliss (Ducati Infostrada) 1:35.61, Xaus (Ducati Infostrada) 1:36.05.

Michelin CEO Reinforces Company’s Motorcycle Racing Commitment After Ride On The Back Of A YZR500

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It’s not too often that you see a tire-company CEO on the back of a Yamaha YZR500.

But that’s exactly what fans saw when Michelin Group Chairman and CEO Edouard Michelin visited Valencia, Spain last September to witness Michelin’s 50th consecutive 500cc Grand Prix. Before the race started, Edouard Michelin took a two-lap ride aboard Marlboro Yamaha’s specially-equipped two-seat YZR500, with Randy Mamola at the controls.

“After the pre-ride briefing I knew I was in for something very special, because Randy (Mamola) only told me two signals – one to ask him to stop, the other to ask him to go slower, there’s no signal for ‘please go faster!'” Michelin was quoted as saying in a press release from the tire company. “I was worried how far we were away from the limit. The forces generated in braking, cornering and acceleration are unbelievable, so when Randy told me that our times were a wet-weather pace, it took my breath away. I’ll never forget that ride, and my thanks to everyone who made it possible.”

Michelin also got to see Telefonica Movistar Suzuki’s Sete Gibernau take his first 500cc Grand Prix win in a thrilling race with Alex Barros and Kenny Roberts on a drying track.

“This has been a very memorable day for me – motorcycle Grand Prix racing is a fantastic show,” Michelin, 38, was also quoted as saying in the release. “It’s all been a lot of fun, but obviously I didn’t come here to enjoy myself. I came here to remind everyone that we are totally committed to bike racing. Michelin is the most successful tire manufacturer in two-wheel and four-wheel motorsport, and while our return to F1 this year has generated huge interest, and perhaps even better results than we’d expected, we are still totally dedicated to our two-wheel work.

“Although racing is a marketing tool, most of all we are passionate engineers, that’s why we work so hard to create new technology and new tires. The improvement in lap and race speeds is down to the riders and the bikes, and we like to think we have also made a good contribution. We never stand still. Bike racing is very different from car racing. In cars, 99 percent of the drivers will choose the same tire, but in bikes there are so many different riding styles that riders need many different tires. That’s why we produce such a range.

“I have one regret – that we don’t have any competitors. But that will change next year when 990cc four-strokes enter the premier GP class. Of course, we’ve not been alone in 500s for long, only since last summer, and it’s true to say that none of the other tire manufacturers pulled out, it’s just that nobody asked them for tires.

“The new four-stroke GP class is another great technical challenge for us and we relish that. The bikes make more power and they’re heavier, so we’re looking at building bigger tires that can handle those demands, especially on faster circuits. We’ve already had some streetbike riders ask us for 16.5s and I think this shows the link between road and track is even closer in bikes than it is in cars.”

Chuck Sorensen Wins Deep South Classic Invitational XR100 TT

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Copyright 2001, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Two-time AMA 250cc Grand Prix Champion Chuck Sorensen qualified on pole and took first place on both days of the second annual Deep South Classic Invitational XR100 TT November 10-11 in Cullman, Alabama. Sorensen, a dirt track instructor with Advantage Racing School, beat a field of 25 including Brian Parriott, Josh Hayes, Aaron Yates, Bill St. John, James Lickwar, Thomas Montano, James Siddall and Keith Perry on an eighth-mile dirt course in Northern Alabama.

Organized by Project Monza/Cycle Specialties of Athens-sponsored racer Bill St. John, the for-fun race featured a highly-organized structure including technical inspection, a 90-minute practice session, a four-lap “Superpole” qualifying session, two 10-lap races for the top qualifiers and a 10-lap “Consolation Race” for the bottom half of the qualifiers. The rules mandated stock exhausts with stock baffles, 125cc maximum displacement including Yamaha TT-R125s, no knobbie tires and MX moto scoring to determine the overall winner of the Championship.

In Saturday’s qualifying, Sorensen was fastest followed by Parriott and St. John but the final finishing order of the day was Sorensen, Parriott and Hayes. Hayes, along with Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki Crew Chief Keith Perry, rode Honda XR100s fitted with Penske shocks. According to Perry, there are only five Penske XR100 shocks in existence.

The winner of Saturday’s consolation race was Alabama-based photographer Louis Gagne.

The original program called for a Saturday-only program, but when Yoshimura Suzuki’s Aaron Yates showed up on Sunday, many of the competitors changed their flight plans and a second race program was added. In Sunday’s qualifying, Sorensen again took pole with Yates second ahead of Parriott. Sorensen then took the day’s overall win with Yates second ahead of St. John.

According to Race Director Lickwar, plans for the 2003 third annual Deep South Classic Invitational XR100 TT are already under way.

Picotte And Rapp Not Signed, Corona Suzuki Owner Sevier Now Says

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Copyright 2001, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Despite what he told Roadracingworld.com in a phone interview November 8, Corona Extra Suzuki’s Landers Sevier V now says that he hasn’t signed Pascal Picotte and Steve Rapp to ride for his team in 2002.

Landers sent an e-mail to Roadracing World on Monday, November 12 with copies going to Tim Saunders (another principal in the Corona Extra Suzuki team), Steve Rapp, Alan Labrosse (Picotte’s manager), Carry Andrew (Corona Extra Suzuki Crew Chief), American Suzuki’s Jeff Wilson, American Suzuki’s Pat Alexander and 1991 AMA Superbike Champion Thomas Stevens (Rapp’s manager).

The e-mail read:

“I want to clarify the statements made in our phone conversation last week regarding the status of Corona Extra Suzuki riders for our AMA/Solar Winds Tour 2002.

“Rapp and Picotte, as I stated, have both expressed interest and intent to ride our FX and 600s–provided their requests for compensation are met. They by no means are ‘done deals’. Both riders know our position and it is up to them to make their decisions. We do have several qualified guys (capable of producing AMA Championships) available to us (from overseas as well as here in the States) with whom we are keeping an open pipeline of communication should either Rapp or Picotte decide Corona Extra Suzuki is not the route they want to go for 2002. I think a decision will be made in the upcoming week.

“Jimmy Moore will, as we discussed, defend his 750SS Championship on Corona Suzukis as well as compete in 600SS and select rounds of Formula Extreme.

“Please make an effort to ‘correct’ the ‘Rapp and Picotte to Corona’ entry on the roadracingworld.com website. All other aspects of the conversation were published accurately. If you have any questions, please give me call.

“Landers Sevier, V”

Previously Unposted Weddings (Christensen-Moore, Hawks-Ward), Engagements (Smith-Lennon, Spilger-Roel), Birth: Amy Marie Conboy

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Racer Pete Christensen, co-winner of the 1999 WERA 24-hours West at Willow Springs, married Stasia Moore on September 16, in a private ceremony in Las Vegas. CCS California Region racer David Hawks married Ursula Ward October 21, in Long Beach, California. Racer Eoin Smith got engaged to longtime girlfriend Tina Lennon during the F-USA/CCS Race of Champions weekend, October 17-21 at Daytona, with the wedding date to be announced. CCS Southwest Region racer Peter Spilger is engaged to marry “pit boss” Renate Roel, with the wedding set for October, 2002, after the final race at Firebird. Racer Des Conboy and wife Finola had a daughter, Amy Marie Conboy, August 17 in Hackensack, New Jersey. (E-mail wedding, birth and other announcements to [email protected]; include your name and contact information, with daytime phone number.)

Racebikes Sought For Eyes On Design Display In Detroit

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Copyright 2001, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts


Roadracing World reader Tom Southworth is on a selection committee seeking display vehicles for the annual Eyes on Design exhibit of automotive and transportation art in Detroit, Michigan. The theme for this year’s exhibit is Performance Vehicles, and Southworth is looking for high-performance motorcycles and racebikes to display.

The show benefits the Detroit Institute of Opthamology and will run from June 14-16, 2002.

For more information, contact Tom Southworth at [email protected] or go to www.eyesondesign.com.

2002 WSMC Series

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1/19-20, Willow Springs Raceway, Rosamond, CA
2/16-17, Willow Springs Raceway, Rosamond, CA
3/16-17, Willow Springs Raceway, Rosamond, CA
4/13-14, Willow Springs Raceway, Rosamond, CA
5/18-19, Willow Springs Raceway, Rosamond, CA
6/15-16, Willow Springs Raceway, Rosamond, CA
7/20-21, Willow Springs Raceway, Rosamond, CA
8/17-18, Willow Springs Raceway, Rosamond, CA
9/14-15, Willow Springs Raceway, Rosamond, CA
10/19-20, Willow Springs Raceway, Rosamond, CA
11/16-17, Willow Springs Raceway, Rosamond, CA
12/14-15, Willow Springs Raceway, Rosamond, CA
For additional info, call (661) 256-1234, e-mail [email protected], online www.race-wsmc.com

2001 MRA Champions Honored At Banquet

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Copyright 2001, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The 2001 MRA Champions were honored at the Colorado organization’s annual awards banquet, held Saturday night at the Airport Marriott at Gateway Park, near Denver International Airport.

The featured speaker at the AMA-affiliated club’s banquet was Roadracing World’s John Ulrich, who spoke about his life as a racer and as the father of a racer; his efforts to fund AirFence deployment and improve rider safety, including examples of riders hitting AirFence at Daytona and Road Atlanta; his experiences racing with MRA in the 1970s; the societal benefits of road racing; his theories of effective racing organization and race event management; his experiences working with teen phenom John Hopkins; and his campaign to be elected to the AMA Board of Trustees as part of the Take Back The AMA slate, which also includes Kevin Schwantz and Jeff Nash.

Racer Peter Hofmann also spoke, and compared racing in the European 125cc Series to racing in the United States.

MRA President Connie Kassel announced that the organization has raised over $10,000 and is buying five sections–about 150 feet–of Alpina Air Module for deployment at MRA events in 2002. The sections were originally part of a rental deal funded by the Roadracing World Air Fence Fund, which saw 20 sections deployed at the Pocono, Portland and Daytona F-USA races as well as at the WERA Grand National Finals/Suzuki Cup Finals at Road Atlanta. The new MRA deal to purchase the five sections includes an inflation blower, repair kits and training.

The top 10 racers in MRA’s Race of the Rockies class are awarded the top 10 MRA numbers for the following year, and veteran racer Ricky Orlando won the Race of The Rockies Championship and the MRA #1 plate for 2002.

Top finishers in each MRA class follow:

Race of The Rockies 1. Ricky Orlando 2. Dan Turner 3. Doug Vickery 4. Marty Sims 5. John Carver 6. Mark “Nude” Nudelman 7. Dennie Burke 8. Rob Christman 9. Greg Glennie 10. Ron Curry

Solo Open Endurance 1. Rob Christman 2. Jason Kingham 3. Rob Fitzgerald 4. Jeff Ahner 5. Chris Ulrich

Solo Heavyweight Endurance 1. Michael Applehans 2. Jim Brewer 3. Rich Lundeen 4. Erik Schnackenberg 5. Eric Haugo

Solo Middleweight Endurance 1. Terry Skogen 2. Bob Seymour 3. Ben Fox 4. Trinity Huffman 5. Elton Curry

Solo Lightweight Endurance 1. Nicky Wimbauer 2. Sil Trujillo 3. Stephen Husbands 4. Sharan Maitland 5. Scott Beltinck

Amateur GTU 1. Sean Fey 2. Gregg Algazi 3. David Lambert 4. Dean Delturco 5. Thomas Hinton

Amateur GTO 1. Sean Fey 2. David Lambert 3. Marv Rosencrans 4. Gregg Algazi 5. Jeff Hetzler

Modern Vintage GTU 1. David Gallant 2. Sil Trujillo 3. Chuck Shettsline 4. Stephen Husbands 5. Alice Palmer

Modern Vintage GTO 1. David Gallant 2. Jay Yarrington 3. Gregg Algazi 4. Karl Frakes 5. Don Medina Jr.

SuperTwins GTU 1. Sil Trujillo 2. Jurgen Wimbauer 3. Stephen Husbands 4. James Comstock 5. Anthony Viera

Supertwins GTO 1. Pedro Bravo 2. Jim Brewer 3. Jurgen Wimbauer 4. Ben Fox 5. Terry Benson

Middleweight Supersport 1. Rob Christman 2. Marty Sims 3. Greg Glennie 4. Andrew Drattlo 5. Alex Zinaich

Middleweight Superbike 1. Rob Christman 2. Greg Glennie 3. Marty Sims 4. Leslie Gerber 5. Andrew Drattlo

Heavyweight Supersport 1. Dennie Burke 2. Michael Applehans 3. Terry Teske 4. Robert Christman 5. Andrew Drattlo

Heavyweight Superbike 1. Rob Christman 2. John Carver 3. Michael Applehans 4. Jon Glaefke 5. Jim Brewer

Open Supersport 1. Ricky Orlando 2. Marty Sims 3. Dennie Burke 4. Michael Applehans 5. Brian Thomsen

Open Superbike 1. Ricky Orlando 2. Dan Turner 3. Doug Vickery 4. Marty Sims 5. Travis Graham

Formula II 1. Russell Strobridge 2. Sil Trujillo 3. Mark Erickson 4. Norman Dehm 5. John Burbach

Formula III 1. Tracy Schram 2. John Hjelm 3. David Tippie 4. Nicky Wimbauer 5. Robert Johnston

Lightweight Superbike 1. Jurgen Wimbauer 2. Tracy Schram 3. Nicky Wimbauer 4. David Tippie 5. Stephen Husbands

Formula Colorado 1. Tracy Schram 2. Nicky Wimbauer 3. David Tippie 4. Robert Johnston 5. Chuck Shettsline

Novice GTO 1. Jeff Hetzler 2. Sean Fey 3. Thomas Hinton 4. Eric Truman 5. Crash Lowe

Novice GTU 1. Sean Fey 2. Dean Delturco 3. Thomas Hinton 4. David Lambert 5. Troy Miller

It’s Definitely War As Clear Channel Announces 2003 Supercross Schedule

Any doubt that AMA Pro Racing’s decision to dump long-time Supercross promoters Clear Channel Motorsports in favor of motorsports unknowns Jam Productions would lead to a sport-splitting battle ended today when Clear Channel announced its 2003 Supercross schedule.

The announcement means that, assuming Jam Productions can come up with dates for a 2003 AMA National Supercross Series to “compete” with Clear Channel, the sport faces at best an IRL vs. CART-type split.

And the 2003 Clear Channel schedule seems to put to rest AMA Pro Racing CEO Scott Hollingsworth’s claim that 2003 AMA Series events will be held in the same stadiums as the current series, since Clear Channel has exclusive contracts with its venues.

A press release from Clear Channel follows:


Clear Channel Entertainment Announces 2003 Supercross Series Schedule

AURORA, Ill. (November 13, 2001) – Clear Channel Entertainment’s motor sports division announced today its 2003 Supercross Series schedule. The 2003 schedule will once again commence at Anaheim’s Edison International Field on the first weekend of January and conclude in May at Las Vegas’ Sam Boyd Stadium. The 2003 season marks Clear Channel Entertainment’s 29th year of supercross racing.

Charlie Mancuso, President of Clear Channel Entertainment’s motor sports division said, “Let there be no doubt about Clear Channel Entertainment’s commitment to the sport of supercross. Supercross racing is the fabric and heritage of our company. We have been promoting and producing supercross racing events since the beginning of the sport. The experience, creativity and dedication of our team cannot be matched. In addition, the vast resources of our sister divisions at Clear Channel Worldwide, including Clear Channel Radio, Clear Channel Outdoor and Clear Channel Television give us unparalleled platforms to continue the rapid growth of the sport.”

The 2003 Supercross Series schedule follows:

Date Venue City
Jan 4 Edison International Field Anaheim, Calif.

Jan 11 Bank One Ballpark Phoenix, Ariz.

Jan 18 Edison International Field Anaheim, Calif.

Jan 25 TBA * TBA *

Feb 1 Edison International Field Anaheim, Calif.

Feb 8 Qualcomm Stadium San Diego, Calif.

Feb 15 Metrodome Minneapolis, Minn.

Feb 22 Georgia Dome Atlanta, Ga.

Mar 1 RCA Dome Indianapolis, Ind.

Mar 22 The Dome at America’s Center St. Louis, Mo.

Mar 29 Reliant Astrodome Houston, TX

Apr 5 Silverdome Pontiac, Mich.

Apr 12 Texas Stadium Dallas, TX

Apr 26 Rice-Eccles Stadium Salt Lake City, UT

May 3 Sam Boyd Stadium Las Vegas

* Clear Channel Entertainment will soon announce a new venue and city for its 2003 Supercross Series, representing the entry of the sport into this market. The date and time of a press conference to announce this news is expected shortly.

For more information visit www.pacesupercross.com

Stratton Benefit Held At Buttonwillow

From an e-mail sent to Roadracingworld.com by Norbert Katona, regarding a benefit barbeque held at Buttonwillow on Saturday night, November 3, during the CCS California and Southwest Series double-points finale:

I held a BBQ trackside on the behalf of Stuart Stratton’s family, $5 per person which included a rafle ticket for some prize givaways. Music,
viewing of racing videos, and lots of bench-racing were all a part of the fun. We barbequed hamburgers, gourmet sausages, chicken, (and had) chips and dip, salad, condiments, refreshments, beer, champagne and a whole lot more. With
only about 40-50 people that attended, we still managed to raise $923 and the next day the turnworkers all pitched in and gave $122, which put us up to $1045. I would like to thank everyone who attended the event and donated, and I hope you all had a great time. Barbeque was donated by Spanish Flats Racing Team and Team Road Rage Racing.

For additional questions you may have, contact me at [email protected]

A Report From Ducati Testing At Valencia

From a Ducati press release:

WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP
Testing – Valencia (Spain)
Tuesday, 13th November, 2001

BAYLISS AND XAUS (DUCATI INFOSTRADA) BACK ON TRACK AT VALENCIA

Ducati Corse’s preparations for the 2002 World Superbike Championship season switched into top gear on the first day of a three-day test session at the Valencia circuit in Spain.

Testing duties were carried out on the Ducati 998 Factory bike, fitted with the ’02 engine for next season, by 2001 WSBK Champion Troy Bayliss (Ducati Infostrada), back in action for the first time since his crash at Imola, and his Spanish team-mate Ruben Xaus. Ducati L&M rider Ben Bostrom is still convalescing after a recent operation to put his shoulder right and will test the bike in Kyalami, South Africa at the start of December.

Troy Bayliss (Ducati Infostrada), who completed 77 laps of the 4.005 km circuit with a best time of 1:35.61, was one-tenth of a second off Corser’s qualifying time in March and said he was very happy to be back in action after such a long break. “It feels like a comeback after six weeks off the bike!”, he enthused, “so I’ve got to be really happy with my time, because on a proper race tyre I went much faster than qualifying here for the race. This time of the year we usually go faster but seeing as I’m a bit rusty, all things considered I’m pretty pleased. The new engine is working really well and has improved a lot since Mugello. The bike already feels smooth and easy to ride and the suspension is working well. We also tried a different front fork, which also worked good. This test is really good for me, because it’ll help me get back into top shape for next season”.

Ruben Xaus (Ducati Infostrada), who totalled 64 laps with a best time of 1:36.05, was impressed with the improvement the bike had made since he tested at Sugo immediately after Imola. “The engine has improved a lot”, he declared. “The engineers have done a good job and have already found the right direction in which to work. The bike feels good, is more progressive and ‘clean’ and my quickest lap was much better than I did here in the Valencia race. I feel very relaxed, but I already desperately want to race. I think I’ve changed a lot since the start of this year and Ducati have helped me to make that change”.

Chief Engineer Corrado Cecchinelli declared: “We are really pleased with the test so far because both riders went quicker in race set-up than they did in the race last March. The times are positive especially considering the fact that the track was in far from perfect condition and the riders didn’t have the stimulus that comes during a race weekend”.

Team Manager Davide Tardozzi is absent from the Valencia test after being involved in a car crash on Sunday, in which he suffered a broken leg.

UNOFFICIAL TIMES (Qualifying record – Corser, Aprilia 1:35.504; Lap record – Corser, Aprilia 1:36.128); Bayliss (Ducati Infostrada) 1:35.61, Xaus (Ducati Infostrada) 1:36.05.

Michelin CEO Reinforces Company’s Motorcycle Racing Commitment After Ride On The Back Of A YZR500

It’s not too often that you see a tire-company CEO on the back of a Yamaha YZR500.

But that’s exactly what fans saw when Michelin Group Chairman and CEO Edouard Michelin visited Valencia, Spain last September to witness Michelin’s 50th consecutive 500cc Grand Prix. Before the race started, Edouard Michelin took a two-lap ride aboard Marlboro Yamaha’s specially-equipped two-seat YZR500, with Randy Mamola at the controls.

“After the pre-ride briefing I knew I was in for something very special, because Randy (Mamola) only told me two signals – one to ask him to stop, the other to ask him to go slower, there’s no signal for ‘please go faster!'” Michelin was quoted as saying in a press release from the tire company. “I was worried how far we were away from the limit. The forces generated in braking, cornering and acceleration are unbelievable, so when Randy told me that our times were a wet-weather pace, it took my breath away. I’ll never forget that ride, and my thanks to everyone who made it possible.”

Michelin also got to see Telefonica Movistar Suzuki’s Sete Gibernau take his first 500cc Grand Prix win in a thrilling race with Alex Barros and Kenny Roberts on a drying track.

“This has been a very memorable day for me – motorcycle Grand Prix racing is a fantastic show,” Michelin, 38, was also quoted as saying in the release. “It’s all been a lot of fun, but obviously I didn’t come here to enjoy myself. I came here to remind everyone that we are totally committed to bike racing. Michelin is the most successful tire manufacturer in two-wheel and four-wheel motorsport, and while our return to F1 this year has generated huge interest, and perhaps even better results than we’d expected, we are still totally dedicated to our two-wheel work.

“Although racing is a marketing tool, most of all we are passionate engineers, that’s why we work so hard to create new technology and new tires. The improvement in lap and race speeds is down to the riders and the bikes, and we like to think we have also made a good contribution. We never stand still. Bike racing is very different from car racing. In cars, 99 percent of the drivers will choose the same tire, but in bikes there are so many different riding styles that riders need many different tires. That’s why we produce such a range.

“I have one regret – that we don’t have any competitors. But that will change next year when 990cc four-strokes enter the premier GP class. Of course, we’ve not been alone in 500s for long, only since last summer, and it’s true to say that none of the other tire manufacturers pulled out, it’s just that nobody asked them for tires.

“The new four-stroke GP class is another great technical challenge for us and we relish that. The bikes make more power and they’re heavier, so we’re looking at building bigger tires that can handle those demands, especially on faster circuits. We’ve already had some streetbike riders ask us for 16.5s and I think this shows the link between road and track is even closer in bikes than it is in cars.”

Chuck Sorensen Wins Deep South Classic Invitational XR100 TT

Copyright 2001, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Two-time AMA 250cc Grand Prix Champion Chuck Sorensen qualified on pole and took first place on both days of the second annual Deep South Classic Invitational XR100 TT November 10-11 in Cullman, Alabama. Sorensen, a dirt track instructor with Advantage Racing School, beat a field of 25 including Brian Parriott, Josh Hayes, Aaron Yates, Bill St. John, James Lickwar, Thomas Montano, James Siddall and Keith Perry on an eighth-mile dirt course in Northern Alabama.

Organized by Project Monza/Cycle Specialties of Athens-sponsored racer Bill St. John, the for-fun race featured a highly-organized structure including technical inspection, a 90-minute practice session, a four-lap “Superpole” qualifying session, two 10-lap races for the top qualifiers and a 10-lap “Consolation Race” for the bottom half of the qualifiers. The rules mandated stock exhausts with stock baffles, 125cc maximum displacement including Yamaha TT-R125s, no knobbie tires and MX moto scoring to determine the overall winner of the Championship.

In Saturday’s qualifying, Sorensen was fastest followed by Parriott and St. John but the final finishing order of the day was Sorensen, Parriott and Hayes. Hayes, along with Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki Crew Chief Keith Perry, rode Honda XR100s fitted with Penske shocks. According to Perry, there are only five Penske XR100 shocks in existence.

The winner of Saturday’s consolation race was Alabama-based photographer Louis Gagne.

The original program called for a Saturday-only program, but when Yoshimura Suzuki’s Aaron Yates showed up on Sunday, many of the competitors changed their flight plans and a second race program was added. In Sunday’s qualifying, Sorensen again took pole with Yates second ahead of Parriott. Sorensen then took the day’s overall win with Yates second ahead of St. John.

According to Race Director Lickwar, plans for the 2003 third annual Deep South Classic Invitational XR100 TT are already under way.

Picotte And Rapp Not Signed, Corona Suzuki Owner Sevier Now Says

Copyright 2001, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Despite what he told Roadracingworld.com in a phone interview November 8, Corona Extra Suzuki’s Landers Sevier V now says that he hasn’t signed Pascal Picotte and Steve Rapp to ride for his team in 2002.

Landers sent an e-mail to Roadracing World on Monday, November 12 with copies going to Tim Saunders (another principal in the Corona Extra Suzuki team), Steve Rapp, Alan Labrosse (Picotte’s manager), Carry Andrew (Corona Extra Suzuki Crew Chief), American Suzuki’s Jeff Wilson, American Suzuki’s Pat Alexander and 1991 AMA Superbike Champion Thomas Stevens (Rapp’s manager).

The e-mail read:

“I want to clarify the statements made in our phone conversation last week regarding the status of Corona Extra Suzuki riders for our AMA/Solar Winds Tour 2002.

“Rapp and Picotte, as I stated, have both expressed interest and intent to ride our FX and 600s–provided their requests for compensation are met. They by no means are ‘done deals’. Both riders know our position and it is up to them to make their decisions. We do have several qualified guys (capable of producing AMA Championships) available to us (from overseas as well as here in the States) with whom we are keeping an open pipeline of communication should either Rapp or Picotte decide Corona Extra Suzuki is not the route they want to go for 2002. I think a decision will be made in the upcoming week.

“Jimmy Moore will, as we discussed, defend his 750SS Championship on Corona Suzukis as well as compete in 600SS and select rounds of Formula Extreme.

“Please make an effort to ‘correct’ the ‘Rapp and Picotte to Corona’ entry on the roadracingworld.com website. All other aspects of the conversation were published accurately. If you have any questions, please give me call.

“Landers Sevier, V”

Previously Unposted Weddings (Christensen-Moore, Hawks-Ward), Engagements (Smith-Lennon, Spilger-Roel), Birth: Amy Marie Conboy

Racer Pete Christensen, co-winner of the 1999 WERA 24-hours West at Willow Springs, married Stasia Moore on September 16, in a private ceremony in Las Vegas. CCS California Region racer David Hawks married Ursula Ward October 21, in Long Beach, California. Racer Eoin Smith got engaged to longtime girlfriend Tina Lennon during the F-USA/CCS Race of Champions weekend, October 17-21 at Daytona, with the wedding date to be announced. CCS Southwest Region racer Peter Spilger is engaged to marry “pit boss” Renate Roel, with the wedding set for October, 2002, after the final race at Firebird. Racer Des Conboy and wife Finola had a daughter, Amy Marie Conboy, August 17 in Hackensack, New Jersey. (E-mail wedding, birth and other announcements to [email protected]; include your name and contact information, with daytime phone number.)

Racebikes Sought For Eyes On Design Display In Detroit

Copyright 2001, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts


Roadracing World reader Tom Southworth is on a selection committee seeking display vehicles for the annual Eyes on Design exhibit of automotive and transportation art in Detroit, Michigan. The theme for this year’s exhibit is Performance Vehicles, and Southworth is looking for high-performance motorcycles and racebikes to display.

The show benefits the Detroit Institute of Opthamology and will run from June 14-16, 2002.

For more information, contact Tom Southworth at [email protected] or go to www.eyesondesign.com.

2002 WSMC Series

1/19-20, Willow Springs Raceway, Rosamond, CA
2/16-17, Willow Springs Raceway, Rosamond, CA
3/16-17, Willow Springs Raceway, Rosamond, CA
4/13-14, Willow Springs Raceway, Rosamond, CA
5/18-19, Willow Springs Raceway, Rosamond, CA
6/15-16, Willow Springs Raceway, Rosamond, CA
7/20-21, Willow Springs Raceway, Rosamond, CA
8/17-18, Willow Springs Raceway, Rosamond, CA
9/14-15, Willow Springs Raceway, Rosamond, CA
10/19-20, Willow Springs Raceway, Rosamond, CA
11/16-17, Willow Springs Raceway, Rosamond, CA
12/14-15, Willow Springs Raceway, Rosamond, CA
For additional info, call (661) 256-1234, e-mail [email protected], online www.race-wsmc.com

2001 MRA Champions Honored At Banquet

Copyright 2001, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The 2001 MRA Champions were honored at the Colorado organization’s annual awards banquet, held Saturday night at the Airport Marriott at Gateway Park, near Denver International Airport.

The featured speaker at the AMA-affiliated club’s banquet was Roadracing World’s John Ulrich, who spoke about his life as a racer and as the father of a racer; his efforts to fund AirFence deployment and improve rider safety, including examples of riders hitting AirFence at Daytona and Road Atlanta; his experiences racing with MRA in the 1970s; the societal benefits of road racing; his theories of effective racing organization and race event management; his experiences working with teen phenom John Hopkins; and his campaign to be elected to the AMA Board of Trustees as part of the Take Back The AMA slate, which also includes Kevin Schwantz and Jeff Nash.

Racer Peter Hofmann also spoke, and compared racing in the European 125cc Series to racing in the United States.

MRA President Connie Kassel announced that the organization has raised over $10,000 and is buying five sections–about 150 feet–of Alpina Air Module for deployment at MRA events in 2002. The sections were originally part of a rental deal funded by the Roadracing World Air Fence Fund, which saw 20 sections deployed at the Pocono, Portland and Daytona F-USA races as well as at the WERA Grand National Finals/Suzuki Cup Finals at Road Atlanta. The new MRA deal to purchase the five sections includes an inflation blower, repair kits and training.

The top 10 racers in MRA’s Race of the Rockies class are awarded the top 10 MRA numbers for the following year, and veteran racer Ricky Orlando won the Race of The Rockies Championship and the MRA #1 plate for 2002.

Top finishers in each MRA class follow:

Race of The Rockies 1. Ricky Orlando 2. Dan Turner 3. Doug Vickery 4. Marty Sims 5. John Carver 6. Mark “Nude” Nudelman 7. Dennie Burke 8. Rob Christman 9. Greg Glennie 10. Ron Curry

Solo Open Endurance 1. Rob Christman 2. Jason Kingham 3. Rob Fitzgerald 4. Jeff Ahner 5. Chris Ulrich

Solo Heavyweight Endurance 1. Michael Applehans 2. Jim Brewer 3. Rich Lundeen 4. Erik Schnackenberg 5. Eric Haugo

Solo Middleweight Endurance 1. Terry Skogen 2. Bob Seymour 3. Ben Fox 4. Trinity Huffman 5. Elton Curry

Solo Lightweight Endurance 1. Nicky Wimbauer 2. Sil Trujillo 3. Stephen Husbands 4. Sharan Maitland 5. Scott Beltinck

Amateur GTU 1. Sean Fey 2. Gregg Algazi 3. David Lambert 4. Dean Delturco 5. Thomas Hinton

Amateur GTO 1. Sean Fey 2. David Lambert 3. Marv Rosencrans 4. Gregg Algazi 5. Jeff Hetzler

Modern Vintage GTU 1. David Gallant 2. Sil Trujillo 3. Chuck Shettsline 4. Stephen Husbands 5. Alice Palmer

Modern Vintage GTO 1. David Gallant 2. Jay Yarrington 3. Gregg Algazi 4. Karl Frakes 5. Don Medina Jr.

SuperTwins GTU 1. Sil Trujillo 2. Jurgen Wimbauer 3. Stephen Husbands 4. James Comstock 5. Anthony Viera

Supertwins GTO 1. Pedro Bravo 2. Jim Brewer 3. Jurgen Wimbauer 4. Ben Fox 5. Terry Benson

Middleweight Supersport 1. Rob Christman 2. Marty Sims 3. Greg Glennie 4. Andrew Drattlo 5. Alex Zinaich

Middleweight Superbike 1. Rob Christman 2. Greg Glennie 3. Marty Sims 4. Leslie Gerber 5. Andrew Drattlo

Heavyweight Supersport 1. Dennie Burke 2. Michael Applehans 3. Terry Teske 4. Robert Christman 5. Andrew Drattlo

Heavyweight Superbike 1. Rob Christman 2. John Carver 3. Michael Applehans 4. Jon Glaefke 5. Jim Brewer

Open Supersport 1. Ricky Orlando 2. Marty Sims 3. Dennie Burke 4. Michael Applehans 5. Brian Thomsen

Open Superbike 1. Ricky Orlando 2. Dan Turner 3. Doug Vickery 4. Marty Sims 5. Travis Graham

Formula II 1. Russell Strobridge 2. Sil Trujillo 3. Mark Erickson 4. Norman Dehm 5. John Burbach

Formula III 1. Tracy Schram 2. John Hjelm 3. David Tippie 4. Nicky Wimbauer 5. Robert Johnston

Lightweight Superbike 1. Jurgen Wimbauer 2. Tracy Schram 3. Nicky Wimbauer 4. David Tippie 5. Stephen Husbands

Formula Colorado 1. Tracy Schram 2. Nicky Wimbauer 3. David Tippie 4. Robert Johnston 5. Chuck Shettsline

Novice GTO 1. Jeff Hetzler 2. Sean Fey 3. Thomas Hinton 4. Eric Truman 5. Crash Lowe

Novice GTU 1. Sean Fey 2. Dean Delturco 3. Thomas Hinton 4. David Lambert 5. Troy Miller

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