From an FIM press release:

“Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix
Decisions of the Grand Prix Commission

The Grand Prix Commission, composed of Messrs. Carmelo Ezpeleta (Dorna, Chairmnan), Claude Danis (FIM), Sito Pons (IRTA), Takanao Tsubouchi (MSMA) and Paul Butler (Secretary), convened in a meeting on Saturday 22 September at the circuit of Valencia (Spain). The following proposals were unanimously approved (application date: 1.1.2002):

Super License
Riders in the 500cc class must be in possession of a “FIM Grand Prix Super License”. To qualify for a Super License, the rider must fulfil one of the following conditions:

– Have finished in the top 15 places of the FIM 500cc World Championship in either of the previous two seasons.

– Have finished in the top 5 places of the FIM 250cc World Championship in either of the previous two seasons.

– Have finished in the top 3 places of the FIM 125cc World Championship in either of the previous two seasons.

– Have finished in the top 3 places of the FIM Superbike World Championship in either of the previous two seasons.

– Be approved by the Grand Prix Commission for a full season Grand Prix Super License.

– Be approved by the FIM/TWP/IRTA for a one-event Grand Prix Super License.
FIM Manufacturers’ License

All manufacturers must be in possession of the appropriate FIM Manufacturers’ License.

Substitution of riders

No substitution or replacement of the entered rider may be made after 17h30 on the first day of the event (technical control), except in the case of the 500cc class where substitutions may be made, in the case of injury or force majeure only, up until 12h00 on the second day of practice (i.e. prior to the final qualifying session).

Restrictions of materials

Engine materials: the basic structure of the crankshaft and camshafts must be made from steel or cast iron. Pistons, cylinder heads and cylinder blocks may not be composite structures which use carbon or aramid fibre reinforcing materials.

Brake calipers: all brake calipers must be made from aluminum material with a modulus elasticity no greater than 80 GPa.

All parts materials: no parts of the bike or engine may be made from metallic materials which have a specific modulus of elasticity greater than 50 GPa (g/cm3).”

From a press release issued by Ducati North America:

DUCATI UNIVERSITY: THE FASTEST SEAT OF LEARNING

Pompton Plains, NJ, October 3, 2001: Almost everything you could want to know about Ducati motorcycles will be covered over the two days of Ducati Revs America, in Las Vegas, October 26-28. Ducati North America is flying in some very special guests to give lectures at the Ducati University, covering topics ranging from the history of Ducati to the design of the new MH900e.

Interviews normally reserved for the pages of motorcycle magazines will be given direct to the public. DRA participants can find out first hand the development process of new Ducati motorcycles in a lecture given by motorcycle testing director Andrea Forni; or quiz Ducati’s design director, Pierre Terblanche, about the development of the MH900e; and what better person to deliver the 75 year history of Ducati than Livio Lodi, the curator of the Ducati Museum in Bologna. Art of the Motorcycle exhibition’s curatorial advisor, Ultan Guilfoyle, will also be talking about the Art of the Motorcycle exhibit at the Guggenheim Museum, which will be on display at The Venetian Hotel during the DRA weekend.

You can interview our new World Superbike Champion Troy Bayliss or American World Superbike hero Ben Bostrom yourself in the 30 minute Q&A with Ducati’s World and National Superbike riders, or speak directly with Ducati Corse director Paolo Ciabatti and learn more about the world of Superbike racing.

Ducati Desmo Owners Club and World Ducati Week managers will be available to answer questions, and there is also a one-hour Women and Motorcycling lecture covering topics from beginner to race level.

For the full schedule of lectures and DRA activities, log onto http://www.ducati.com and plan your Ducati Revs America weekend.

Teknic is offering cash contingency in certain CCS classes for the rest of the 2001 racing season. Riders must use either a Teknic leather suit or Teknic boots and gloves in order to be eligible to receive the contingency awards. Also riders must display Teknic stickers on both sides of their bike and must list Teknic as a sponsor. There is no minimum rider field required and there are no contingency forms to be filled out.

The eligible CCS classes include Lightweight Supersport Amateur, Middleweight Supersport Amateur, and Unlimited Grand Prix Expert. At normal CCS events, Teknic pays $40 for first, $25 for second, and $10 for third. At the Race of Champions at Daytona International Speedway October 17-21, Teknic will pay $75 for a win, $50 for a second, and $25 for a third.

For more information on the Teknic CCS contingency program, call Teknic/Specialty port Ltd. at (616) 866-3722, FAX (616) 865-1119, or www.teknicgear.com.

AMA Pro Racing Director of Competition Merrill Vanderslice solicited spec-tire proposals from the three tire manufacturers involved in AMA Grand National Championship dirt track racing, Goodyear, Continental and Maxxis.

Continental has submitted a proposal, as detailed in a September 29 post on roadracingworld.com, and Goodyear either has or plans on submitting a proposal. Maxxis is apparently not planning on submitting a proposal.

The fact that AMA Pro Racing solicited spec tire proposals for dirt track could indicate that the organization may consider a similar spec tire program for one or more road racing classes.

Spec tire programs require all competitors to buy and use a single brand of tires, and eliminate traditional tire manufacturer support of riders and teams, which may include free tires and performance incentives.

Tire manufacturers currently involved in AMA Pro road racing competition with rider and team support programs include Dunlop, Michelin, Metzeler/Pirelli and Bridgestone.

Creating a spec tire in any given class will grant one brand a monopoly, with guaranteed sales and with all riders and teams paying for their tires. The elimination of tire support would greatly increase costs for teams.

Asked what impact a spec-tire program could have on his team, using as an example a deal that saw Dunlop declared the spec tire for 750cc Supersport, Arclight Suzuki’s Chuck Warren said, “The immediate impact is that we wouldn’t be able to participate. Secondarily, maybe I don’t understand the situation well enough, it always seems to me that a spec tire deal is a way for the sanctioning body to generate funds for themselves. It seems to me they get an up-front fee for the tire company to use their tire, and then they get a percentage of each tire sold. It seems to me that they’re taking the money directly out of the racers’ pockets and putting it into their pockets and the pockets of the tire manufacturer.

“This team has built up a relationship with Metzeler/Pirelli over the last eight years and we don’t want to see that relationship artificially ended.”

Copyright 2001, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

In a October 4 press release, Erion Honda’s Mark Miller made official what he told many people at VIR – that he is retiring from AMA Pro Racing competition. “I may come back for a one-off deal for fun or fill in for somebody that gets injured, but I’m done,” said Miller.

According to the release, 29-year-old Miller considers himself “the luckiest man on the planet to be able to achieve a boyhood dream of being a full-time, paid professional road racer for six years. Additionally, I’ve been fortunate to have worked in a motorcycle racing community with some of the most incredible and interesting people in the world.”

Miller’s release continued, “In light of the recent WTC disasters, my final race weekend at VIR will be especially memorable to me not only as my final pro race, but because it was our first pro race back since the attacks of September 11.

“While being lucky enough to put on our show from the east to the west coasts of the United States, we in this racing circus are given a particular and intimate perspective into how special and unique each city and town really is. Then to imagine 6000 people, 6000 fans, vanishing out of their neighborhoods is, simply numbing.

“Last weekend at VIR, us in the paddock and all in the stands were ready to mindfully celebrate life once again, the spirit of competition, and a new sense of community. Pretty cool feeling.”

Miller caught the road racing bug while studying aeronautical science at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Arizona. With a student credit card, Miller bought his first racebike, a 1986 Honda VFR750 Interceptor, and won his first Novice-class race. The following year, Miller finished with his studies and went racing full-time.

Highlights of Miller’s career include placing 6th in the 1996 AMA 750cc Supersport series and 13th, the top privateer, in the Superbike series that same year. In 1997, Miller again finished the AMA 750cc Supersport campaign in 6th in addition to a 19th-place season finish in 600cc Supersport. In 1998, Miller finished third in the AMA Formula Xtreme Championship including one race win at Pikes Peak, finished 4th at the Macau Grand Prix and 10th in the AMA Pro Thunder Championship on a Buell. In 1999, the Arizona native took another fourth at Macau and fourth in the AMA Formula Xtreme Championship while setting class track records at Road Atlanta, Sears Point, Loudon and Laguna Seca. Miller spent 2000 earning 15th in the AMA 600cc Supersport Championship, 7th in the Formula Xtreme Championship and taking third at the Macau GP while setting the fastest lap ever by an American at Macau. Miller finished the 2001 season seventh in the Formula Xtreme Championship.

Miller says that his next short-term project will be to release a home video production called “Superbike Life.” The video, which Miller says is “a insider’s look at motorcycle road racing”, is set for a March 2002 release. In between shoots at VIR, Miller told Roadracing World that his next big goal is to become involved in the production of full-length feature films.

Miller’s release ended with thanks to “Bill Syfan, Richard Stanboli, Steve Blakeney, Henry DeGouw, Kevin Erion and Rick Hobbs, Chuck Graves, Jeff Chann, Nick Haymen, Tom Houseworth, Pete and Carol Swetish, Andre Castanos, Tim Lee, Chuck Yu, Mel Blaney, Mom and Dad, Mid-Cities Honda, AMA Pro Racing staff, tire guys, sponsors, Speedvision staff, print/web media, photographers, the fans and especially the beautiful Miss Tammi.”

From a press release received Wednesday morning, October 3:

YAMAHA ANNOUNCES 2002 FACTORY ROAD RACE TEAM

Yamaha riders in Superbike, 600 Supersport and Formula Xtreme

CYPRESS, Calif., October 2, 2001 – Yamaha announced today that it will field a three rider factory team in 2002. The talented and fan favorite, Anthony Gobert will return to Yamaha to make an assault on both the Superbike and 600 Supersport championships. Joining him in the 600 Supersport class will be his younger brother Aaron Gobert and Damon Buckmaster. The deal will also see Buckmaster and Aaron Gobert riding the Formula Xtreme class under the Graves’ Motorsports banner.

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Anthony Gobert

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Gobert, who finished a close second in the 600 Supersport championship series, will ride race-proven Yamaha YZF R-series motorcycles and be the sole factory Yamaha Superbike rider in 2002.

“Both the Yamaha R7 and R6 were very competitive,” Anthony Gobert said. “And despite the bit of bad luck early on with my injuries, I think that overall I rode very well. I feel really good about coming back strong next year.”

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Aaron Gobert

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Aaron Gobert and Formula Xtreme runner-up Damon Buckmaster will compete in 600 Supersport on factory prepared Yamaha YZF-R6 motorcycles run out of the factory Yamaha transporter. The pair will continue to compete in Formula Xtreme on the all-new fuel injected 2002 R1 powered motorcycles for Graves’ Motorsports.

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Damon Buckmaster

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“We’re happy to be working with Graves’ Motorsports,” Yamaha race team manager Keith McCarty said. “The team exemplifies professionalism and they put a lot of themselves into their program.”

As for the 2002 team, McCarty said, “It’s a strong line up. I think Anthony Gobert speaks from himself, and we expect to see good things from his brother Aaron who quickly got up to speed in his first year. Buckmaster’s exciting last turn pass for the win at Laguna Seca this year and his strong second place finish in the Formula Xtreme series prove that he’s got what it takes. It will definitely be an exciting season next year.”

From a press release:

Sidi boots is very happy to announce that…Team Castrol Honda’s Colin Edwards renewed his Sidi boot contract for another two years. Although approached by other boot manufacturers Colin, being the Texan that he is, said it was an easy decision to remain what he calls “A Sidi guy”.

“I’ve used Sidi for many years now, the company has always been there for me and with the development of the Vertebra Race boot I feel my career will be enhanced by using Sidi boots. That thing is so damn strong I never even think about foot or ankle injuries any more!” Colin said over the lip of a margarita at Sidi’s headquarters in Maser, Teviso, Italy.

Look for Colin to…begin preparations for an assault on the 2002 World Superbike Championship. Continuing into 2003 Colin has his sights set on the new GP1 class.

For more information on the Sidi Vertebra Race or any other quality Sidi boot please visit www.motonation.com