The Central Motorcycle Roadracing Association, the CCS Southwest affiliate, has announced its tentative 2002 racing schedule.

2/16 Oak Hill Raceway, Henderson, TX Riders School Only

2/17 Oak Hill Raceway, Henderson, TX Advanced Riders School Only

2/23-24 Oak Hill Raceway, Henderson, TX

3/30-31 Texas World Speedway, College Station, TX

4/13-14 Oak Hill Raceway, Henderson, TX

5/4-5 Motorsports Ranch, Cresson, TX

5/18-19 Hallet Motor Racing Circuit, Hallet, OK

6/15-16 Texas World Speedway, College Station, TX

7/13-14 Oak Hill Raceway, Henderson, TX

8/10-11 Texas World Speedway, College Station, TX

8/31-9/1 Hallet Motor Racing Circuit, Hallet, OK

9/21-22 Texas World Speedway, College Station, TX

10/12-13 Motorsports Ranch, Cresson, TX

For more information, call the CMRA (800) 423-8736, FAX (281) 232-8602, e-mail [email protected], www.cmraracing.com.

Texas-based CMRA (Central Motorcycle Roadracing Association), the Southwest CCS affiliate, will be holding its annual awards banquet Saturday, November 24 at the Green Oak Hotel in Fort Worth, Texas. Tickets for dinner are $32-30 depending on selection of entrée. Advanced reservations are required. Call (281) 342-1902 or go to www.cmraracing.com for more information.

Copyright 2001, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

“Things are still kind of up in the air. We’re still trying to work out some details with Ducati and hopefully we’ll have something sorted out by the first part of the week,” HMC Ducati owner Mitch Hansen told Roadracing World in a November 21 telephone call from his dealership in Wisconsin.

“We’re still looking at a number of different options,” continued Hansen. “Obviously, I haven’t gotten everything secured with Ducati as of this moment right now. We’re still trying to figure out what kind of budget were going to have. You know, there’s still possibilities of a two-man team. It could be a one-man team. There’s so many options right now and so many variables that we just don’t know exactly where we’re headed yet, but we hope to have everything ironed out hopefully by the beginning of next week. The Daytona tire test is coming up and we certainly want to be part of that.

“If we put this deal together, we should be on the new equipment. That’s where we are working on the details is trying to figure out exactly how much involvement we’re going to have from Ducati. And that’s really going to lead to decisions on riders and things like that. Hopefully, next week we should know our budget, Ducati’s involvement and rider or riders.”

At the top of Hansen’s list is former Harley-Davidson pilot Pascal Picotte, but who else is on that list?

“Obviously Steve Rapp, and Andy (Meklau) somewhat,” said Hansen. “(Andy) wants to come back to America in the worst way now that he has got a taste of it. He’s starting to get to know the tracks and he’s a great guy to work with and work for.

“I was really pleased with how Steve and Andy did. You know considering we were basically on old equipment and old engines and the guys kept the stuff running. We certainly didn’t give our riders the best opportunity to win because we didn’t have the best equipment. We were on the old Vance & Hines stuff whereas Competition Accessories had the new 2001-spec bike. Although it wasn’t the ‘Testastretta’ stuff, it still was what Hodgson and those guys were running in the World Superbike.

What about Doug Chandler?

“We’ve also been talking to his agent, too,” revealed Hansen. “Again there’s just so much stuff up in the air right now, there’s nothing that I can tell you yet. We are most definitely considering Doug. Again it comes down to budget and stuff.”

What about Scott Russell?

“I spent the weekend with Scott,” said Russell’s last employer. “He was up here for the Packers versus Atlanta football game, him and his sister. I think Scott’s injuries…even if Scott wanted to come back, which I’m not sure that he does or not, I don’t think he’s healed up enough to compete at the level that he would want to compete at yet. He looked great, though, but he’s not strong yet. That’s my opinion, not his.”

Is Ducati talking to any other teams here in America? “That, I don’t know,” admitted Hansen. “They could be talking to other people. I’m not sure.”

From a press release:

Rich Oliver has announced the dates for his first 5-day, intensive, professional road racer training school called, “Mystery School”. The first 5 day “Mystery School” will be held in Auberry and Fresno, California, and will run from December 3rd thru the 7th, 2001.

The school curriculum has been in development ever since Rich first trained to ride the Yamaha factory Superbike in 1998.

Oliver comments, “I am one of the oldest currently competitive riders, I believe strongly that my training techniques are a major reason I can still win races at 40. I have refined them over the years with the help of my long-time trainer Sean Edin. This school is not for the faint of heart, it’s about doing what it really takes to improve your fitness for road racing on a National level. I call it the “Mystery School” because for years I have never talked about my training methods to anyone, but now I believe it’s time to work with a few select individuals to help them take the next step in their racing careers.”

Rich goes on to say, “We will do a variety of activities, some that are in common use today, as in motocross and dirt track riding, gym work outs, nutrition guidance and cardio training. But mixed in with the usual are some very unusual routines that will really target and strengthen the mind, muscles and reflexes needed only for road racing, all packed into 5 grueling days.

“Sean and I will work with a maximum of 4 students per week, this is to give each student all the attention they will need to break free from their current limit. I supply all the training motorcycles and have a variety of groomed dirt tracks and a motocross tracks here on my property, so each student need only bring their riding gear and a steel shoe”.

The main goal of the school is to harden and toughen each student, to push them beyond their personal performance thresholds, to empower them to achieve a new higher internal limit. Then they will have built a foundation of confidence in their own physical conditioning. When they finish the week, they will know everything Sean and Rich know, and can then apply this knowledge to their own personal routine.

The first school has the 4th and last open slot available as of today, and there will be a second school week in January, 2002. For additional information and pricing, contact Rich Oliver at: [email protected]

Copyright 2001, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

SB Motorsports’ Alan Schwen won the Washington Motorcycle Road Racing Association’s overall 2001 Championship on Suzuki SV650s by winning three of the four WMRRA class Championships that he competed in during the season. Schwen won the WMRRA’s 450cc Superbike, 650cc Supersport Twins and Middleweight Grand Prix titles and finished fourth in the Formula Thunder class riding a Supersport-spec SV650 and a 94-horsepower SV650 Superbike.

“Winning the overall Championship was really a highlight for me,” Schwen said. “It came down to a last-race-day battle with John Dugan, the current overall #1 guy. He races the 750cc and Open classes on a GSX-R750 and GSX-R1000. He borrowed a SV650 to run my classes to keep me from winning the #1 plate but still couldn’t manage to keep us from winning it. It was close, we won by 8 points I believe.”

Schwen also co-rode with Karl Schenk and Jake Holden to the WMRRA Overall Endurance Championship by taking two overall wins and a second place in the 3-round series on a Dunlop-equipped Honda CBR929RR.

Schwen’s 2001 Championship season was sponsored by SB Motorsports, South Sound Honda, Alpinestars, Arai, Ricci Motorsports/Bardahl, Joe Rocket, Dunlop, MVR, Zlock Racing, Race Bodies, J Rock Painting and Wasco.

From a press release:

SUZUKI 4-STROKE READY FOR 2002 MotoGP SEASON

November 22nd 2001

Suzuki today announced that it would contest the new-format 2002 FIM World MotoGP Championship with its new 4-stroke-engined GP machine. Originally it was planned to develop the new machine throughout 2002 and launch it in 2003, but initial test results convinced Suzuki to bring the whole schedule forward by 12 months. The new 4-stroke grand prix machine will make its debut next year at the opening round at Suzuka in April.

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The machine will be all-new, but other vital parts of the official factory Suzuki team remain the same, with main sponsor Telefonica MoviStar continuing its successful partnership with Suzuki, Kenny Roberts Jr and Sete Gibernau. Other major technical sponsors confirmed for the new 4-stroke development program include MOTUL and DUNLOP.

The new 4-stroke engine project, code named XRE0, started in February 2000 and the phase-one targets were achieved and exceeded well ahead of schedule. The XRE0 engine was then installed in a modified RGV-r race chassis for the next stage of development.

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The XRE0 is an extremely light and compact 990cc, 60-degree, V4 configuration engine design with a single crankshaft, gear-driven DOHC and electronic fuel injection. Specific attention has been paid to the combustion design in the interests of obtaining maximum fuel efficiency and consumption.

Suzuki’s vast experience in designing and developing the legendary GSX-R factory Superbike race machines has helped to accelerate the XRE0 development program and the new engine produces exceptional low-to-mid range torque to aid controllability, as well as the high maximum power figures required to win the new MotoGP championship.

Much of the technology used to create the chassis of the year 2000 World 500cc Championship RGV-r machine has been incorporated in the new XRE0 machine, and its similar dimensions will feel comfortably familiar to riders Kenny Roberts Jr. and Sete Gibernau when they join the on-going test programme. The XRE0 development program will continue over the winter period with experienced Japanese test riders working with the Suzuki factory development team.

Kunio ARASE. XRE0 Project Leader: “Through the use of various advanced Suzuki technologies we have been able to accelerate the development program of the new XREO machine to enable us to enter the MotoGP series one whole year ahead of schedule.

“The new ultra-compact and lightweight XRE0 engine has exceeded our power and efficiency targets and by combining our successful Superbike and GP technologies we have a machine that we believe will be capable of winning the new MotoGP series.

“We are continuing to test the machine both on and off the track and rider feedback gives us great confidence that we will have a very competitive machine at the start of the 2002 MotoGP season.”

Specification of the XRE0
Engine: Liquid cooled 4-cycle V4 DOHC 4-valve
Capacity: 990cc
Max power: 210 PS + / 14,000 rpm+
Frame: Aluminum twin spar
Fuel tank capacity: 22l
Weight: 145kg

Copyright 2001, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

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WERA Novice motorcycle road racer Bill Conger finished 13th in the Pork The Other White Meat 400 ARCA car race at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday, November 17. Conger qualified eighth on Thursday, November 15 and was fourth-fastest in Friday’s “Happy Hour” session.

In Saturday’s race, Conger ran as high as second until pit stops dropped him back in the order. Conger then had a tire go flat and an exhaust bolt sheer off. Repairs to Conger’s loose exhaust system cost him three laps; the race was won by Kerry Earnhardt.

Conger ran a large “WERA Motorcycle Roadracing” decal on the hood of his 2001 Ford Taurus; Conger is sponsored by Crescent Trucks of New Orleans.

Conger received quite a bit of air time during the race’s live broadcast on TNT.

Conger plans to return to race with ARCA at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March of 2002.

Rumors that Carl Fogarty was considering a split from Ducati to run his own World Superbike team with another brand appear to have come true.

From a Ducati press release:

DUCATI AND FOGARTY TO PART WAYS

Ducati Motor Holding and Carl Fogarty wish to announce that they have decided to go their separate ways and dissolve their long-term relationship.

Fogarty, who officially retired from racing at the end of the 2000 season after a crash at Phillip Island, Australia brought an end to his racing career, was in the first year of a three-year agreement as ‘ambassador’ for the Italian manufacturer.

He recently made a specific request to Ducati for the relationship to be dissolved so that he could concentrate on other projects, incompatible with his role, and Ducati, which has always had the highest regard for the British champion, decided that it was right to allow Carl the possibility of embarking on a new adventure.

Carl Fogarty is the most successful World Superbike racer of all time. The 36-year-old from Blackburn, England won four World Superbike titles with Ducati in 1994, 1995, 1998 and 1999. He took part in 219 races, winning 59 (55 for Ducati), a total that included 15 double wins. He finished on the podium 108 times and set 21 pole positions (all Ducati) and 31 fastest laps (all Ducati).

The ultra-successful Fogarty-Ducati partnership started off in 1992, with the Englishman finishing ninth overall in the World Superbike Championship. He scored the first of 55 wins in front of his home crowd at Donington in 1992 with a Ducati 888 and won his first WSBK title in 1994, following this up with title number 2 in 1995, both on a Ducati 916. After a one-year break away from Ducati he returned to the red twin-cylinder bike in 1997, finishing runner-up, and then clinched his third and fourth titles in 1998 and 1999 on a Ducati 996. Carl’s final race on a Ducati was the Australian Round of the 2000 season, when he crashed out and broke his upper left arm.

Carl Fogarty’s name will always be synonymous with World Superbike in general and Ducati in particular.

Ducati would like to offer its sincerest thanks to Carl Fogarty for all the successful years spent together and wish him all the very best for the future.

Bologna, 21st November 2001

From a press release:

Clear Channel Entertainment Announces Championship Cup Series Schedule

AURORA, Ill. (November 21, 2001) -Clear Channel Entertainment’s motorsports division proudly announced today the 2002 initial event schedule for the prestigious Championship Cup Series (CCS). The Championship Cup Series offers 45 various classes of motorcycle road racing competition at each event, catering to all sportsman racers, from the beginner to the veteran. The majority of CCS events also offer road racing schools, where beginners can start their transition to expert racer.

“We are going into Formula USA’s third year of sanctioning CCS road racing with a record number of licensed riders and race entries. Last year’s total entries exceeded 46,000 with more than 5100 licensed riders competing in our series, marking the third straight year of double-digit increases. Our 2002 Streets of Willow opener kicks off the 19th season of the Championship Cup Series featuring the staggering 71 events announced today” said Kevin Elliott, Road Race Manager of CCS.

“In the next 12 months, the CCS program is going to experience explosive growth in ridership. We will expose more riders to thrill of the on-track experience than ever before, in cooperation with facility partners and new rider programs we will announce soon,” added Elliott.

The 2002 Championship Cup Series (CCS) follows:


Feb 2-3 Streets of Willow * Rosamond, Calif

Feb 9-10 Homestead * Homestead, Fla.

Feb 23-24 Oak Hill Raceway Henderson, Texas

Feb 28-Mar 3 Daytona Intl Speedway Daytona Beach, Fla.

Mar 9-10 Firebird East Chandler, Ariz.

Mar 16-17 Moroso Motorsports Park West Palm Beach, Fla.

Mar 23-24 Gateway Intl Raceway * Madison, Ill.

Mar 30-31 Texas World Speedway College Stations, Texas

Apr 6-7 N. FL Motorsports Park Jennings, Fla.

Apr 6-7 Blackhawk Farms South Beloit, Ill.

Apr 13-14 Oak Hill Raceway Henderson, Texas

Apr 13-14 Virginia Intl Raceway Danville, Va.

Apr 13-14 Firebird Intl. East Chandler, Ariz.

Apr 13-14 Thunderhill Park Willows, Calif.

Apr 20-21 Moroso Motorsports Park West Palm Beach, Fla.

Apr 26-28 Road America** Elkhart Lake, Wis.

Apr 27-28 New Hampshire Intl. Speedway Loudon, N.H.

Apr 27-28 Las Vegas Classic Course Las Vegas

May 4-5 Motorsports Ranch Cresson, Texas

May 4-5 Carolina Motorsports Park Kershaw, S.C.

May 11-12 Summit Point Summit Point, W. Va.

May 18-19 Blackhawk Farms South Beloit, Ill.

May 18-19 Hallett Racing Circuit Hallet, Okla.

May 18-19 New Hampshire Intl. Speedway Loudon, N.H.

May 18-19 Firebird Intl. East Chandler, Ariz.

May 26-27 Moroso Motorsports Park West Palm Beach, Fla.

Jun 1-2 Blackhawk Farms South Beloit, Ill.

Jun 1-2 Rausch Creek Valley View, Pa.

Jun1-2 Streets of Willow Rosamond, Calif.

Jun 8-9 New Hampshire Intl. Spdwy Loudon, N.H.

Jun 15-16 Texas World Speedway College Stations, Texas

Jun 15-16 Roebling Road Raceway Faulkville, Ga.

Jun 22-23 Homestead Homestead, Fla.

Jun 22-23 Buttonwillow Buttonwillow, Calif.

Jun 29-30 Mid-America Motorplex Glenwood, Iowa

Jul 6-7 New Hampshire Intl. Speedway Loudon, N.H.

Jul 13-14 Oak Hill Raceway Henderson, Texas

Jul 13-14 Gateway Intl Raceway Madison, Ill.

Jul 13-14 Summit Point Summit Point, W. Va.

Jul 20-21 Moroso Motorsports Park West Palm Beach, Fla.

Jul 20-21 Blackhawk Farms South Beloit, Ill.

Jul 20-21 Roebling Road Raceway Faulkville, Ga.

Jul 27-28 New Hampshire Intl. Speedway Loudon, N.H.

Jul 27-28 Virginia Intl. Raceway Danville, Va.

Aug 3-4 Mid-America Motorplex Glenwood, Iowa

Aug 10-11 Gingerman Raceway South Haven, Mich.

Aug 10-11 Texas World Speedway College Stations, Texas

Aug 10-11 Thunderhill Park Willows, Calif.

Aug 17-18 New Hampshire Intl. Speedway Loudon, N.H.

Aug 24-25 Blackhawk Farms South Beloit, Ill.

Aug 24-25 Moroso Motorsports Park West Palm Beach, Fla.

Aug 24-25 Blackhawk Farms South Beloit, Ill.

Aug 30-Sep 1 Hallett Racing Circuit Hallet, Okla.

Aug 31-Sep 1 New Hampshire Intl. Loudon, N.H.

Aug 31-Sep 1 Roebling Road Faulkville, Ga.

Sep 7-8 Blackhawk Farms South Beloit, Ill.

Sep 7-8 N. FL Motorsports Park Jennings, Fla.

Sep 7-8 Summit Point Summit Point, W. Va.

Sep 7-8 Las Vegas Classic Course Las Vegas

Sep 14-15 Gateway Intl Raceway Madison, Ill.

Sep 21-22 Rausch Creek Valley View, Pa.

Sep 21-22 Texas World Speedway College Stations, Texas

Sep 21-22 Moroso Motorsports Park* West Palm Beach, Fla.

Sep 28-29 Gingerman Raceway South Haven, Mich.

Sep 28-29 New Hampshire Intl. Speedway Loudon, N.H.

Oct 5-6 Gateway Intl Raceway * Madison, Ill.

Oct 5-6 Thunderhill Park* Willows, Calif.

Oct 5-6 Virginia Intl. Raceway Danville, Va.

Oct 5-6 Firebird Intl. Raceway Chandler, Ariz.

Oct 12-13 Motorsports Ranch Cresson, Texas

Oct 12-13 Shenandoah Circuit* Summit Point, W. Va.

Schedule may be subject to change. For the latest information, visit
ccsracing.com.

* Double points rounds
** Twin Sprints Weekend