Semi-trucks for the Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki are already in the Pikes Peak area, in preparation for this weekend’s AMA National.

Two Honda semi-trucks were already parked at Pikes Peak International Speedway on Tuesday morning, while the Yamaha and Yoshimura Suzuki semi-trucks are parked at a nearby hotel.

Factory team representatives have claimed that Thursday practice should be eliminated because they need Thursday to park and set-up their semi-trucks, and that having to arrive and set-up on Wednesday is a needless expense.

There is no Thursday practice at Pikes Peak this year.

The Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki trucks arrived at Pikes Peak direct from testing at Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia.

Reigning Formula USA Unlimited Superbike Champion Grant Lopez crashed his Valvoline EMGO Suzuki GSX-R750 late Tuesday during testing at Pocono International Raceway and was helicoptered to Leheigh Valley Hospital in Allentown, Pennsylvania with a concussion.

Lopez had completed 56 laps on the Pocono Formula USA course during a ProMotion track day, in preparation for this weekend’s Formula USA National at Pocono.

If all had gone according to plan, Lopez would have completed the test session; flown to Colorado Springs Wednesday morning; practiced and competed in an AMA Formula Xtreme National at Pikes Peak International Raceway on Saturday; flown back to Pocono; and taken a provisional start in Sunday’s first Formula USA Unlimited Superbike race.

Lopez is third in AMA Formula Xtreme points and fourth in F-USA Unlimited Superbike points, 10 points behind with six races and 150 points still available in the F-USA Series.

The elaborate arrangements required for the ambitious plan to work are currently on hold pending news of Lopez’s condition.

This press release just in from Ducati:


Scott Russell to race again

Pompton Plains, NJ, August 21, 2001: Ducati rider Scott Russell has announced he will make his comeback to racing in the final round of the AMA Superbike Championship. After his five-month lay-off recovering from major injuries, the former World Champion will continue to ease his way back into the series by riding in Friday’s practice session at this weekend’s Championship round at Pikes Peak.

Both Ducati Superbike teams are combining resources to get Russell back in the saddle. His current team, HMC Ducati Racing, will supply an extra 996RS for this weekend’s practice. Competition Accessories Ducati will provide two Ducatis for Russell’s return to racing at the Championship’s final round in Virginia.

Still recovering from bone grafts, Russell returned to the racetrack earlier this month at the Virginia test, and took to it like a duck to water. After a staggering 50 laps, he finished the two-day test a promising 2.5 seconds off the fastest pace. The Virginia test sparked Russell’s determination, and he has since been working out religiously at the gym and riding his dirt bike and streetbike.

HMC Ducati team owner, Mitch Hansen is thrilled to have Scott back as a third rider to compete alongside Steve Rapp and Andy Meklau. It will mean some juggling for the team but Hansen feels it’s well worth the effort to see Scott Russell back on the racetrack.

“It’s great to see Scott back doing what he loves,” said Hansen. “It meant a lot to the team to have him back on the bike but it was truly awesome for him. No amount of money would replace seeing that huge smile he had after his first session at Virginia. It’s going to be great seeing him ride again at Pikes Peak and even better to see him racing at Virginia. He’s already won the race as far as we’re concerned.”

Founded in 1926, Ducati builds racing-inspired motorcycles characterized by unique engine features, innovative design, advanced engineering and overall technical excellence. Ducati has won eight of the last ten World Superbike Championship titles and more individual race victories than the competition put together. The company produces motorcycles in four market segments which vary in their technical and design features and intended customers: Superbike, Supersport, Monster and SportTouring. The company’s motorcycles are sold in more than 40 countries worldwide, with a primary focus in the Western European and North American markets. Ducati North America is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ducati Motor S.p.A.. For more information about the company, please visit the corporate website at www.ducati.com. Publicly traded on both NYSE and Borsa Italiana S.p.A as DMH.

250cc Class

Jason DiSalvo, USA, Honda
Norman Rank, Germany, Honda
Vladimir Castka, Slovakia, Yamaha
Henrik Voit, Germany, Honda
Gabor Rizmayer, Hungary, Honda


125cc Class

Tobias Kirmeier, Germany, Honda
Vaclav Bittman, Czech Republic, Honda
Igor Kalab, Czech Republic, Honda
Tomas Miksovsky, Czech Republic, Honda
Matej Smrz, Czech Republic, Aprilia

From a press release issued by Tom Shields of RPM Racing, Inc., the Texas-based WERA affiliate:

At Round 5 of the RPM/WERA series, John Haner broke the Hallett Motor Racing Circuit Oklahoma record. One month later, Haner decides to show he is the man in the Texas region. John Haner broke the Texas World Speedway 2.9 mile course (Sunday, August 19) by almost 2 seconds, rounding the track at 1:42.85. Haner rode his Stubbs Cycles/H&H Motorsports Suzuki GSX-R750 in the A/Open Superstock class and on lap 2 blistered the record. John Haner is currently the top rider in Region 5 Suzuki points.

Copyright 2001, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

AMA Pro Racing CEO Scott Hollingsworth’s vision for the future includes transforming the organization from a sanctioning body into a race promoting company independent from the parent AMA, with fewer classes at AMA Nationals.

Hollingsworth heads Paradama, Inc. (a.k.a. AMA Pro Racing), the for-profit subsidiary of the non-profit American Motorcyclist Association. Paradama was formed circa 1994 to compete head-to-head with Roger Edmondson’s NASB. Paradama promoted two of its own National races, suffering heavy losses, as part of a successful attempt to prevent Edmondson, the AMA’s former joint venture partner, from getting his rival NASB Series off the ground. The actions of the AMA and Paradama led to a lawsuit filed by Edmondson, which was recently settled when AMA and AMA Pro Racing paid Edmondson $3 million.

In the meantime, Paradama has served the same race-sanctioning function as Pro Racing did when it was a department within the non-profit AMA, instead of a for-profit subsidiary.

But there’s a limit to how much money a sanctioning body can charge traditional race promoters for a sanction, and to realize his vision for AMA Pro Racing, Hollingsworth must increase the company’s revenue dramatically.

Hollingsworth’s desire to increase AMA Pro Racing revenues has led to a bitter dispute with Clear Channel Motor Sports (formerly SFX Motor Sports and before that PACE Motor Sports), which promotes the wildly successful AMA-sanctioned Supercross Series.

Clear Channel executives have asked the question, “What is the Paradama? Is it a sanctioning body or a race promoter?” In their minds, the role of Paradama should remain what it always has been, that of a sanctioning body charging a reasonable sanctioning fee and providing a sanction and officials for races organized and promoted by companies like Clear Channel or by racetracks themselves.

Similar disputes with AMA road racing promoters may be on the horizon.

Race promoters like Clear Channel on the Supercross side and companies like Speedvision Productions–which puts on the Laguna Seca and Road Atlanta AMA Nationals–pay a sanction fee to the AMA and cover all the costs of holding a race, and keep the proceeds of race sponsorship sales and spectator ticket sales.

A promoter’s potential return from a successful race is far greater than the sanction fee currently collected by the AMA. But with that greater potential return comes greater potential risk. When AMA Pro Racing promoted its own Nationals and lost money, the parent AMA bailed out the company with serious injections of cash. And any time Paradama has needed money for any reason, it has gone to the AMA Board of Trustees for help, as in the case of paying its share of the Edmondson judgement.

Hollingsworth is looking for what he calls a “strategic partner” to provide the capital needed to promote races directly and to allow Paradama to split completely from the AMA.

The question of what will become of the established promoters of hugely successful AMA races like those at Daytona International Speedway, Road Atlanta, Road America, Mid-Ohio and Laguna Seca remains unresolved. In the case of races promoted by racetracks–like the events at Daytona, Road America, Mid-Ohio and Brainerd–it’s unknown if the track managers will allow the AMA to rent their facilities to promote a race instead of merely selling the track a sanction to promote its own race. If the track managers do allow their tracks to be rented, the rental fee is likely to increase dramatically.

Hollingsworth has no experience in motorcycle race promotion (or any race promotion), and has earned a reputation at AMA headquarters for ignoring advice from veteran AMA staffers. Instead, current and former AMA staffers say, Hollingsworth is quick to point out that he has an MBA degree while discounting their advice, and prefers to consult with people involved in various car-racing series.

Hollingsworth has also chafed under the supervision of the AMA Pro Racing Board of Directors, which is chosen by the AMA Board of Trustees, and seeks complete independence from the parent AMA and the accompanying “meddling” of Trustees.

By cutting ties between Paradama Inc. and the AMA, Hollingsworth would also be able to head off any attempts to change the direction he is taking Paradama through the election of reform-minded AMA Trustees. On the other hand, independence would also cut Paradama off from the periodic convenient financial bail-outs it has enjoyed as a subsidiary of AMA.

Hollingsworth’s plans ultimately call for AMA Nationals consisting only of Superbike and 600cc Supersport classes, because those are the classes that attract factory team involvement. Speaking of his plan at Daytona, Hollingsworth told one team owner, “I can’t help you if you’re not racing in Superbike or 600cc Supersport.”

While the full line-up of existing AMA classes is likely to be continued through 2002, the 250cc Grand Prix class will be eliminated for 2003, insiders say, with Pro Thunder, 750cc Supersport and Formula Xtreme also on the hit list.

Hollingsworth’s plans are likely to have a devastating effect on the AMA paddock, eliminating many independent riders and teams unable to compete successfully with factory-backed Superbike and 600cc Supersport teams. Such teams now compete in other support classes where they have a chance of success and an opportunity to develop riders, machines, mechanics and a sponsor base.

The elimination of the support classes would complete a recently accelerated AMA Pro Racing trend toward focusing on factory teams at the expense of the paddock at large.

For example, AMA Pro Racing officials have said that they want to eliminate the Thursday practice used by independent riders and teams to set up their bikes and get up to speed, in favor of using Thursday to park factory semi-trucks at AMA Nationals.

For another example of the shift of Paradama attention to factory teams, in recent weeks Hollingsworth visited factory teams and manufacturer headquarters to gather input. No such effort was made by Hollingsworth to gather any input from independent teams or riders.

A press release from Kenny Leroy Roberts’ GP team:

The Czech Republic GP at the sweeping Brno circuit marks an important anniversary for Dutch rider Jurgen van den Goorbergh and the lightweight three-cylinder Proton KR3.

One year before, on the day after last year’s Brno race, Jurgen rode the three-cylinder lightweight for the first time in a private test session.

The tests went brilliantly, with the new combination achieving very competitive lap times at the first attempt. The eventual result was that Jurgen joined the Proton team for 2001, forming an alliance that has seen the bike and rider combination score points in every race so far this year.

That was in the 11 rounds leading up to the five-week summer break. This year, when the flag falls to signal the end of the mid-season holiday, Jurgen and Proton Team KR expect to be ready to step up their challenge to the established factory four-cylinder machines.

Preparations had already started over the last two races, with the introduction of a new “Big Bang” close-firing-order engine, intended to improve throttle response in the corners to maximise the nimble KR3’s existing corner speed advantage by allowing Jurgen to open the throttle earlier while still leaned hard over.

A first version was tested in practice for the British GP; a revised engine made its debut at the Sachsenring in Germany. And though there were niggling teething problems, the overall potential for improvement was enough for rider and team to decide to race the new engine, in the interests of further development.

The break gave the England-based Malaysian-backed independent team the chance not only to iron out the first-run problem areas with intensive further development on the dynamometer, but also to test the new application fully without also dealing with the high pressure of a race weekend.

The engine offered clear advantages. The problems were a puzzling loss of top-end speed over the course of the weekend. Since only the firing intervals had been changed, the team were confident they could track down the reasons, and then perform back-to-back tests of the conventional engine against the new Big Bang at Mugello. There will be no more unknown quantities by the time they get to Brno.

The Brno circuit–long, fast and sweeping–has been good in the past for both machine and rider. As well as last year’s fast lap time achieved with the current Mk3 version of the bike, the earlier Mk2 machine achieved a front-row qualifying position in 1997, ridden by Jean-Michel Bayle–proof that the lightweight concept works well through the long high-gear corners and tricky descents and ascents of a very technical circuit.

Van den Goorbergh also has his special Brno memories–including qualifying on pole position on the four-cylinder MuZ there in 1999.

The Czech Republic GP is the tenth of 16 rounds, and marks the start of the busy close to the 2001 season. Two more races in Europe–the Valencia and Portuguese GPs–are followed by four flyaway rounds, with the GP circus visiting Japan, Australia, Malaysia and Brazil in an intensive five-week period.


JURGEN VAN DEN GOORBERGH: “For sure I am looking forward to this race. It’s one of my favorite tracks, and though we won’t have been testing there like some other teams, it will be the first track where I have ridden the bike before, and we will have tests at Mugello instead to make sure we are fully ready, rather than trying new things as at the last round in Germany.

“Last year already the steering and handling of the KR3 felt really good there. Since then, we’ve made a lot more improvements, and I’m convinced that we will still have that advantage over the V-4s. It counts for a lot, because the track is mainly long, fluid corners in third or fourth gear, with the bike leaned on its side for long periods. Those are conditions where we are definitely faster than the heavier four-cylinders.

“You also need horsepower at Brno, especially for the long climb at the end of the lap. I know that the engineers will be working hard to get the Big Bang engine so it is at least equal to the conventional engine at the top end. It has other advantages–with a nicer pick-up, and less vibration, making it easier to ride as well as potentially faster out of the corners.

“I’m not expecting an easy race, though. The latest 16.5-inch tires give better traction to all the bikes, helping the four-cylinder corner speed, and I expect lap times will be quite a bit faster than last year. I still think that we could get a good result there to show the full potential of the KR3”.


CHUCK AKSLAND, Team Manager: “We’ll be using the break to find out why the Big Bang lost top-end power in Germany. It was fine in England, but the second version in Germany seemed to get slower through the weekend. We need to track down the reason why, and make sure we can eliminate it. The last couple of races have been difficult, with Jurgen going back-and-forth from one type of engine to the other. That makes it very hard to build up the rhythm you need over the race weekend. We will do that sort of testing at Mugello the week before the Brno race. Whichever type of engine we decide to race there, we will have both bikes the same so that Jurgen can concentrate on getting set for the race”.

Copyright 2001, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Chuck Graves returned to his home track of Willow Springs International Raceway August 18-19 and won each of the six Willow Springs Motorcycle Club (WSMC) races he entered, including the premier Toyota Cup Formula One Unlimited Grand Prix, on his Dunlop-equipped Yamahas.

Ken Chase, Vincent Haskovec, WSMC Operations Manager Kenny Kopecky and Bryan Kovarick also collected wins during the hot race weekend in the Mojave Desert.

A small mid-season break in the AMA National racing schedule allowed Graves Motorsports Yamaha team owner Graves the opportunity to come out and have some fun of his own, after not racing for the last several months while attending to his team’s and shop’s business. Once on the track, Graves didn’t waste a single moment. Graves started the weekend by winning the Solo GTO race on his Yamaha YZF-R1/R7 hybrid Saturday, on probably the hottest race day of the 2001 WSMC season, with ambient temperatures reaching 107 degrees F.

On Sunday, Graves picked right up where he left off by winning in 600cc Superstock, Graves Motorsports 650cc Superbike, and Hyperclub/WSMC Formula Two on Damon Buckmaster’s YZF-R6. Graves used his own personal YZF-R1/R7 hybrid Superbike to score victories in Performance Machine Open Superbike and the Toyota Cup Formula One Unlimited Grand Prix.

In the Formula One race, Graves got a small advantage before the riders even took to the grid. Chase, Haskovec and Kovarick were forced to start at the back of the grid for missing all or part of the Sunday-morning riders’ meeting. When the green flag waved, Graves grabbed the holeshot, pulled way with a 1:22.83 on lap two, and steadily added to his lead to win the 12-lap race by eight seconds. Lee’s Cycles’ Jeremy Toye took a lonely second on a Yamaha YZF-R1 Superbike. (Toye also finished runner-up to Graves in Open Superbike.) White Tip Racing’s Chase came from behind to pass Haskovec and then Kovarick, despite running a used Dunlop D208 DOT-labeled rear tire that blistered during the feature race. Kovarick took fourth on his Marina Yamaha YZF-R1 ahead of Haskovec on a Hypercycle Suzuki GSX-R750.

Graves, Kovarick and Haskovec went at it again on their Yamaha YZF-R6s in Hyperclub/WSMC Formula Two. Kovarick got out in front early only to watch Graves come by on the brakes for turn three on the second lap. Graves, Kovarick and Haskovec circulated nose-to-tail in the low 1:25s until lap seven, when Haskovec on his Hollywood Motorcycles-sponsored Yamaha made his move. Haskovec pulled up beside Graves and Kovarick as the trio went three-wide into turn nine, and the Czech immigrant emerged with the lead. Graves passed Haskovec right back in turn one, however, and the three riders continued to race in a tight group. A few corners later coming through turn five, Graves accidentally hit his handlebar-mounted kill switch. Haskovec ran into the back of Graves and crashed. Kovarick took to the dirt to narrowly miss running over Haskovec. Graves got his Yamaha running again in time to hold his lead, but Jacob West passed Kovarick. Graves won by three seconds over West, Kovarick and Kopecky.

Aside from a crashed 600, Haskovec went home with a win in L&L Motorsports 750cc Superbike; second-place finishes in 600cc Superstock, 750cc Modified Production and Maxima Oil 750cc Superstock; and a fifth in the Formula One race.

Kovarick won in Open Modified Production; took thirds in Formula Two, 600cc Superstock and Open Superbike; and finished fourth in Formula One.

Ken Chase collected wins in 750cc Modified Production and 750cc Superstock and took a third in Formula One on his Michael Cox-built GSX-R750.

Kopecky won Saturday’s Solo GTU and Sunday’s Formula 40 Lightweight races, took second place in 650cc Superbike and Barnett Clutches 600cc Modified Production, and finished fourth in Formula Two, all on his Air-Tech-sponsored Yamaha YZF-R6.

Willow Springs International Raceway has posted a $2000 winner-take-all purse for a Fastest Wheelie Contest to be held during the Willow Springs AMA Superbike National weekend September 15-16. Participants, who must hold a current WSMC Novice or Expert racing license, will attempt to record the fastest, controlled wheelstand down Willow Springs’ front straightaway while being measured by a radar gun at the start/finish line. Each participant will get two attempts. Any motorcycle may be used but motorcycles may not use wheelie bars, extended rear fenders, gyroscopic devices, or “any other method of wheelie assistance.” Riders must wear full race protective gear. There is no charge to enter the contest.

Finalists will be determined at qualifying events during WSMC race weekends. On Saturday, August 18, Josh Gooding, Tyler Paulson, Tommy McComas, Joe Bucaro and Janin Carlson advanced to the finals. Gooding was the fastest qualifier with a 101.7 mph wheelie down the front straightaway of Willow Springs on his Honda CBR929RR.

The next, and last, qualifying event will be held during the lunch break of the WSMC race weekend on Saturday, September 8. Each of the top five qualifiers earn $50. WSIR officials may also add riders to the finals at their option as the AMA race promoter.

But WSMC frowns on wheelies in their races. After winning his first race in 501cc-650cc Novice, Jason Britton celebrated with a wheelie across WSIR’s finish line. Britton was docked one position as a penalty. Britton is best known for his stunt riding appearances in X-Factor Videos such as “All Twisted and Pucked Up” and “Urban Assault.” Britton’s X-Factor video co-star and teammate David Sanders also won his race, 651cc to Open Novice. Britton and Sanders say that they will be back to race again with WSMC and to compete in the Willow Springs Fastest Wheelie Contest.

A press release from Jason DiSalvo’s team:

WILD CARD DISALVO AIMS FOR CZECH GLORY

Following his fourth-place finish in the 250cc European Championship race after setting pole position at the Most circuit last month, Cruise America Grand Prix Racing Team rider Jason DiSalvo returns to the Czech Republic this coming weekend eager to compete against the world’s best 250cc riders once again.

The 17-year-old from Batavia, New York will be contesting the 250cc Czech Grand Prix at Brno on Sunday, August 26th, having been awarded a wild-card entry following his impressive performances in the Czech Championship this season and according to the teenager, he’s looking forward to the race.

“I really enjoy racing in the Czech Republic and feel confident after racing there this season. My main aim is to score some points so I’ll be doing my best to put in a solid performance on the Honda,” said Jason.

The race will be DiSalvo’s third Grand Prix wild-card ride of the season which in itself is a record along with the fact that he is the youngest-ever American to race in 250cc Grand Prix. Jason retired due to the changeable weather conditions when well placed at the Dutch TT in June before taking a well-deserved 22nd place at the British Grand Prix a week later, emerging as best of the wild-card riders.

The 250cc Czech Grand Prix race will be shown live extensively in Europe, mainly through the Eurosport and British Eurosport networks while American viewers can catch the action through a delayed Speedvision broadcast starting at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Sunday, 26th August.