From a press release issued by Benelli:

After a month-long break the Benelli Sport Superbike team is back in action with the Tornado Superbike this weekend at Oschersleben, near Magdeburg in Germany. The team is already making steady progress, despite never having been to the track before.

“For every race it’s the same situation for us at the moment,” commented rider Peter Goddard. “Each track is completely new to us and this leaves us at a disadvantage compared to most teams, who have been here before and have set up data to work from. This means we spend the first sessions finding a base setting to work from, and that means Saturday’s final qualifying comes around all too quickly. But that’s how it is and we knew it would be like this, so we have to try learn as much as we can so we can start from a better level next year.”

Team members haven’t been idle since the last race a month ago at Brands Hatch in England. “We’ve been working to get both our bikes up to the same level,” explained Team Manager Max Zani. “We won’t be doing anything that involves big changes to the bike before the end of the season, we’ve concentrated on reliability for now. But when the season ends we have many new parts and engineering solutions to try, but these things need time and that’s what we don’t have so much of at the moment. When we have more time we can test everything thoroughly and we hope to make some big gains in performance for next season. We already have lighter wheels and radial brakes to try, but we haven’t used them yet.”

Both bikes have run perfectly so far this weekend, so it looks like the hard work during the recess has paid off. But the pressure is on the team to perform; Goddard scored points in both of the last two meetings so the racing world is looking for a continuation of that form. “That puts a lot of pressure on us all,” said Goddard. “If we go away without scoring more points people will think we’re slipping!”

The weather at Oschersleben has been changeable, with the track being wet for free practice in the morning but dry for qualifying. “I’d prefer it to stay dry,” said Goddard. “The track feels very slick when it’s wet.”

The Benelli Tornado was 20th-fastest in timed qualifying with a time of 1:29.768. Goddard finished only 0.256-second outside of a provisional place in the Superpole.

This just in:


AMA OBJECTS TO KRAFT ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA), prompted by inquiries from a number of its members, has asked Kraft Foods to reconsider its portrayal of motorcyclists in a current Nabisco advertising campaign. The
following article, entitled “The Devil, Prison…and Motorcyclists?” was published today on the Association’s website, AMADirectlink.com.

If you ride a motorcycle, then you just may be keeping some pretty interesting company, at least according to Nabisco and Kraft Foods. Nabisco’s `Corn Gone Wrong’ promotion, hoping to give its Cornnuts snacks a new image, shows cartoonish characters in three `hardcore’ scenes: as the devil, as criminals in jail, and in one more example of something `gone wrong’: on motorcycles.

After a number of AMA members contacted us to voice their objections, the AMA spoke with Nabisco officials. Nabisco is part of Kraft Foods, a company that markets everything from Maxwell House coffee to Oreo cookies, Kool-Aid and
Jell-O. Elisabeth Wenner, speaking for Kraft Foods, said this in a written statement: “We certainly did not mean to offend anyone with this ad. The intent of the ad was to celebrate the independent spirit and freedom of motorcyclists
and was in no way intended to discourage motorcycling.”

The motorcycling ad features three tough-looking cartoon characters riding down the road on choppers, while a wide-eyed rabbit flees being crushed under the front wheel of the lead bike. The tag line reads: `Surprisingly hardcore…in
seven mean flavors.’ The other two `Corn Gone Wrong’ ads feature a character dressed as the devil, and another of several of the characters in jail.

“Kraft and Nabisco have targeted a young market with these ads, in magazines like Teen, Spin, Marvel Comics and others,” said Tom Lindsay, the AMA’s public information director. “We’re concerned about the message this sends to kids,
and we find Kraft’s explanation sorely lacking.

“We suggest motorcyclists go to http://www.cornnuts.com/cn_cgw.htm and see for themselves,” Lindsay continued, “and then send a polite e-mail expressing their opinion to Michael Mudd, Senior VP for Corporate Affairs at Kraft Foods ([email protected]). We hope that Nabisco and Kraft will reconsider their decision to include motorcyclists in this promotion, and any future campaign that equates motorcycling with `going wrong.'”

By Glenn Le Santo


Round 11 of the World Superbikes has started at Oschersleben in Germany after a one-month summer break in the series. Australian Troy Bayliss goes into the round leading the Championship by 53 points, ahead of the reigning World Champion Colin
Edwards.

Bayliss has been the most consistent rider this season; he’s finished in every race and taken five wins on his Infostrada Ducati.

Meanwhile, Edwards had reliability problems with his Honda VTR/RC51 early in the season but insists he’s still in with a chance to retain his title. “I won both races here last year and the track really seems to suit the VTR Honda,” said Edwards before the weekend, “so I’m hopeful of a repeat of that. As far as the Championship goes, well, there’s little more I can do other than win as many of the last six races as possible, hopefully starting on Sunday.”

Unlike his Ducati-riding competitors, Edwards has spent the last month hard at work–he co-rode to victory in the pretigious Suzuka 8-hours with Valentino Rossi on the VTR/RC51.

Ben Bostrom, winner of the last five World Superbike races, can’t be discounted, even though he hasn’t swung a leg over his bike all month. “I’m gonna be a little rusty,” said the talented American, “but I’ll soon get dialed back in and I am confident I am in with a chance to win the title.” Bostrom’s incredible run of success recently has turned him from an also-ran to a genuine title contender. He’s now 56 points back from Bayliss and only three points behind fellow American Edwards.

British fans have still got something to shout about, despite the retirement of Carl Fogarty. Neil Hodgson’s form has been good all year and recently the World Superbike series has become the Ben and Neil show with Bostrom and Hodgson entertaining the crowds with some classic racing duels at the front of the pack. Hodgson, riding a year-old Ducati 996, stands fifth in the title and is rapidly catching fourth-place man Troy Corser, the Australian whose form has deteriorated recently after tire troubles on his Aprilia.

Hodgson, riding for the British GSE Ducati Team is the highest-placed privateer in the series, and is ahead of many factory riders in the title chase, including veteran Pierfrancesco Chili. Hodgson’s teammate, the young Yorkshireman James Toseland, is the second-highest privateer, back in 13th in the title. The GSE pairing have scored more points between them than the factory Suzuki pairing of Chili and Stephan Chambon, which speaks volumes for Hodgson and Toseland’s talents, as well as the professionalism of the GSE team.

By Glenn Le Santo

Australian Adam Fergusson has taken provisional pole with a solid performance in the opening timed qualifying session at the Oschersleben
round of the World Supersport Championship.

Fergusson hasn’t had the best season so far and needs a good result this weekend as the end of the season, and contract renegotiation time approaches. “I need to turn a few heads this
weekend,” admits Fergusson, “otherwise I’ll be out of a job for next season.”

Fegusson currently rides a Honda CBR600F4i for the Alpha Technik Team. The team tested here earlier in the month, Fergusson admitted, telling a reporter, “Testing here has helped me as I’ve never ridden here before so I’ve been able to learn the track before this weekend. Now we are concentrating on getting the settings right for the conditions. There’s not much rubber down so the track’s not as grippy as it was, but as the weekend passes and the rubber gets laid down that should change.”

There was heavy overnight rain, which served to ‘clean’ the track as well as giving the riders the chance to select some wet settings when
they went out for free practice this morning on the still-wet track.

The Ten Kate teamsters, Fabien Foret and Pere Riba, don’t have Fergusson’s job worries. They’ve both already been re-signed to contest next season
aboard the CBR600F4i with the Dutch-based Ten Kate Honda team. “I am very happy to be riding with Ten Kate again next year,” said Riba. “I had some offers from non-factory teams to ride in WSB but I would rather stay here with a team I know where I can ride for wins, rather than have to start again with a privateer Superbike team.”

Foret was also pleased to have his next season
secure already, saying “I can concentrate on my job, which is to win races.”

The two Ten Kate riders get on well together, an advantage for both them and the team. “Working another year with Pere Riba is great, I couldn’t wish for a better colleague,” said Foret. “Pere is the most experienced Honda rider in the Supersport scene, and we work together perfectly.”

Foret and Riba were second and third in the qualifying session, respectively.

Brands Hatch winner Jorg Teuchert struggled in the session. The championship points leader is suffering from an injury he picked up in practice at Brands and can’t wrestle the bike through the final chicanes as hard as he needs to stay on the pace. He finished ninth in the session. His teammate Christian Kellner was fourth with Piergorgio Bontempi in fifth.

Supersport first qualifying
Friday, August 31, best times:

1. Adam Furgusson, Australia, Honda, 1:30.894
2. Fabien Foret, France, Honda, 1:31.005
3. Pere Riba, Spain, Honda, 1:31.128
4. Christian Kellner, Germany, Yamaha, 1:31.265
5. Piergorgio Bontempi, Italy, Yamaha, 1:31.411
6. Andrew Pitt, Australia, Kawasaki, 1:31.520
7. James Whitham, Great Britain, Yamaha, 1:31.613
8. Cristoph Cogan, France, Yamaha, 1:31.688
9. Jorg Teuchert, Germany, Yamaha, 1:31.719
10. Katsuaki Fujiwara, Japan, Suzuki, 1:31.749

It has continued to rain this afternoon at Memphis Motorsports Park, with few riders braving the tricky dragstrip-and-return-roads course during practice for this weekend’s WERA National Endurance Series and National Challenge Series races.

Riders are routed through the drag-strip staging lanes, turn sharply onto the dragstrip, and then must stay within four or five feet of the near wall to avoid the ultra-slippery rubber built-up on the drag strip.

Among the few brave men currently on track is Shane Clarke, who is in the process of making his return to road racing after nearly a season off working as a race mechanic and engine builder.

Clarke is riding a GSX-R1000 carrying number 119.

Paddock rumors are flying to the effect that Yamaha may fold up its AMA Superbike program at the end of the 2001 season.

The decision may hinge on whether or not Yamaha can sign Anthony Gobert for the 2002 season.

Yamaha is expected to continue its AMA Formula Xtreme program with Graves Motorsports, however. The company may also continue with its 600cc Supersport program.

Factory team involvement in AMA Superbike has historically been cyclical. Typically factory team involvement builds up to an expensive peak, followed by periods of little or no factory involvement. The last time most of the factories bailed out–in the mid-1980s–only American Honda continued racing in the entire AMA series.

The discovery of Kevin Schwantz–and his success in a few one-off rides on a Yoshimura Suzuki– pulled Suzuki back into AMA racing in 1985. Kawasaki and Yamaha followed Suzuki back into AMA racing later in the decade.

From an AMA press release:

“AMA OBJECTS TO KRAFT ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN

“PICKERINGTON, Ohio — The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA), prompted by inquiries from a number of its members, has asked Kraft Foods to reconsider its portrayal of motorcyclists in a current Nabisco advertising campaign. The following article, entitled ‘The Devil, Prison…and Motorcyclists?’ was published today on the Association’s web site, AMADirectlink.com.

“If you ride a motorcycle, then you just may be keeping some pretty interesting company, at least according to Nabisco and Kraft Foods.”



There was no “following article” included in the e-mailed press release, and no attachment. More information may be available at the AMA website.

This report just in from Ed Siccardi of Eyeball Engineering:

I just got back from a day ride to Rausch Creek Raceway to check out the progress they’re making on the new racetrack. A year ago they said they wanted to open in the spring of 2001 and we all know they were delayed but I figured they must be pretty far along by now. Boy, was I surprised!

THERE’S NOTHING GOING ON AT THE SITE! Not only is there no asphalt down, the grading doesn’t seem to be complete and the site looks like it did in their website pictures a year ago! The most surprising thing was there was no-one around and there was no equipment of any kind in sight – no earth-moving equipment, no trucks, no dozers, no tractors, nothing.

The construction office/trailer was buttoned up tight and looked like no one had been there for some time.

It looks like all work stopped several months ago and the site has just been weathering this past spring and summer. I think I can safely predict, based on what I saw today, that the track won’t be opening this year or next year, either.

Four of the remaining factory AMA Superbike teams are testing at Willow Springs this week, in preparation for the upcoming AMA National at the Rosamond, California racetrack.

Yoshimura Suzuki started testing Wednesday, along with the Yamaha Superbike team and Graves Yamaha.

On Thursday, Honda joined Yoshimura Suzuki and Yamaha, and, on Friday, Kawasaki will test.

The teams are at Willow Springs now to avoid the AMA restrictions on pre-event testing for riders who are in the top 10 in Superbike and 600cc Supersport points.

The Willow Springs National is scheduled for September 14-16, following a Team Hammer School and Track Ride day on Wednesday, September 12 and a Team Hammer Pro Practice on Thursday, September 13.

Reached by phone on Thursday, August 30, Team Kawasaki’s Al Ludington–Crew Chief for Eric Bostrom–confirmed that Kawasaki planned to test on Friday.

Ludington also commented on the recently announced news that Kawasaki and Suzuki had formed a strategic alliance, saying, “We’ve requested Mat’s set-up notes, but we haven’t heard back from Suzuki yet.”