From a press release:

Japanese Grand Prix
Suzuka April 5/6/7 2002
MotoGP WELCOMES FOUR-STROKE BOOM

The much-awaited 2002 MotoGP World Championship roars into action at Suzuka this weekend with a whole new sound. Booming four-stroke machines are expected to be out front for the first time in a quarter of a century of GP racing, thanks to a new technical format which pitches all-new 990cc four-strokes into battle with the screaming 500cc two-strokes.

Marlboro Yamaha Team riders Max Biaggi and Carlos Checa are expected to be in the thick of the battle aboard their awesome YZR-M1s. Second and sixth in last year’s final 500 World Championship, the pair have been hard at work developing the M1 throughout the winter, and now they are ready to give the bike its race debut, taking on rival four-strokes from Aprilia, Honda and Suzuki, as well as a bunch of the latest 500s.

Suzuka is the first of 16 races counting towards the first-ever MotoGP World Championship. After Sunday the paddock crosses the globe to South Africa, before returning to racing’s European heartland for the start of the long European campaign. The 2002 season ends in Valencia on November 3, after another series of ‘flyaway’ races, including the Pacific GP at Japan’s Motegi circuit on October 6.


BIAGGI: READY TO ROCK
Max Biaggi rode a superb 2001 season aboard his Marlboro Yamaha Team YZR500, winning three GPs and fighting for the World Championship until the last few races. It was the Italian’s best 500 campaign since switching to the premier class in 1998 but now he faces a whole new challenge – racing and developing Yamaha’s YZR-M1 in its first MotoGP World Championship season.

Biaggi has never raced a four-stroke before but he’s had little difficulty adapting to the different demands of the M1 – coping with the four-stroke’s extra weight and extra engine braking into corners. “I like Suzuka but every track is like a new track with the four-stroke, it’s a new bike, with a new system,” says Biaggi, who holds the current lap record. “Riding the M1 is very different from the two-stroke, so I’ll need to do many laps in practice but I think the bike can be faster than the 500.”

During last weekend’s Suzuka IRTA tests Biaggi came within a fraction of his best-ever 500 time, even though rain prevented him from riding his traditional end-of-session hot lap. In recent weeks Yamaha has been working on various upgrade parts, including engine internals. “We’ve been working on horsepower parts to increase acceleration and top speed,” says M1 project leader Ichiro Yoda. “I think we should have something like an extra seven horsepower for Suzuka.”

Many of these new parts have been requested by Biaggi, who has been working hard to increase the M1’s performance both on the straights and through the corners. Like any racer, he wants his motorcycle to be the best on the grid, and problems encountered at slower, tighter tracks like Estoril and Valencia have kept both him and his Yamaha engineers very busy over the last two months.

“We’ve been trying to find out what we can do to make the bike work better,” adds Biaggi. “My biggest problem had been turn-in and mid-corner turning so Yamaha gave us a new chassis for last weekend’s tests. It turns better but I’d still like the bike to turn faster. We’re also working at improving the throttle-to-tyre connection because the engine hits too hard, and that loses me time on the corner exits. I’m positive but we also have to be realistic. I will try my best on the racetrack and expect the factory to respond soon with the parts we need.”


CHECA’S NEW ERA
Carlos Checa has been looking forward to the dawning of MotoGP’s new four-stroke age more keenly than most of his fellow former 500 riders. The Spaniard prefers the riding character of the new machines and was the first man to illustrate their enormous potential when he used a YZR-M1 to shatter lap and race records during tests at Brno last summer.

“The four-stroke engine gives more traction both on corner entry and exit, it helps to hug the bike to the ground into the corner,” he says. “And when you open the throttle the power is very smooth and progressive, so you can open the throttle earlier. That’s why I prefer four-strokes. And the four-stroke character really suits Suzuka, so I’m optimistic.”

Now he’s ready to give his Marlboro Yamaha Team M1 four-stroke its race debut at Suzuka. Checa has been a crucial part of the M1 development process and has been hugely impressed by Yamaha’s dedication to their latest GP bike project.

“This year this team has more resources and more interest to develop the bike around me and Max,” he says. “We have worked very hard at developing this bike, I’ve ridden more than 6000 kilometres since November, we made good progress during last weekend’s Suzuka tests and for sure we can keep improving. But I feel confident and comfortable with the M1, I can play with it and have fun, and that’s when you’re fast.”

But after confronting his four-stroke rivals for the first time at last month’s IRTA tests at Catalunya he knows that winning won’t be easy. “From what we’ve seen (Valentino) Rossi will be the guy to beat at Suzuka, he’s consistent and fast. We need to improve but I’m optimistic. It’s going to be great at Suzuka – everyone’s been waiting for this first race of the new era, waiting to see how the four-strokes work against the 500s in a race situation. Many people think they know what will happen, but you never know until everyone goes racing.”

One of Checa’s main focuses in recent months has been improving the M1’s corner-exit performance. The bike has a lot of horsepower and its rear Michelin offers so much grip that Checa has had difficulty keeping the front wheel on the tarmac. “I can use a lot of throttle while leaned over and that causes rearward weight transfer which unweights the front tyre, which doesn’t help the steering.” This is a typical racing process: when you improve one aspect of performance, you must improve another.


WHAT THE CREW SAYS
Fiorenzo Fanali, Max Biaggi’s chief engineer
Few GP engineers have more experience than Fiorenzo Fanali, who has been working with Biaggi for the last two seasons. The Italian first began wielding spanners on the GP circuit in the late sixties when he worked for legendary Italian marque MV Agusta. Like Biaggi, he can’t wait to start the new season.

“For sure, I think the four-strokes will win at Suzuka, it’s a fast track and that should be good for them,” he says. “But, of course, every racetrack is a new story. Much will depend on the weather – it often rains at Suzuka and that could spoil the qualifying or the race. Max always wants his bike to be as easy handling as possible and that’s particularly true at Suzuka, where there are a lot of direction changes. So our focus will be to make the bike easy to steer and turn.”


Antonio Jimenez, Carlos Checa’s chief engineer
This is Antonio Jimenez’s first race as Checa’s engineer, even though he has known Checa for the past 12 years and worked with him in other capacities. A former Showa suspension technician, Jimenez is an expert at bike set-up and also knows how to get the best out of his rider.

“It’s great to be working with Carlos this year,” he says. “We’ve done a lot of testing together over the winter and our current priority for development is adjusting the balance of the bike to help keep the front on the ground under acceleration, to help him steer out of the corners. At the moment I’d say that Rossi is one or two steps ahead of us but I think our race pace is pretty good and anything can happen over 20 laps, so we’ve got to be optimistic.”

THE TRACK
Suzuka was constructed by Honda in 1962 as Japan’s first international-standard racetrack and still rates as one of the world’s best motorsport venues. The circuit staged its first World Championship rounds in ’63, ’64 and ’65 but those events only catered for the smaller classes and it wasn’t until 1987 that Suzuka hosted a 500 Grand Prix.

Since then the fast, varied and supremely challenging track has gained a reputation for serving up some of the closest, most thrilling GP encounters – Max Biaggi’s runaway win aboard his Marlboro Kanemoto Honda at the ’98 event was a rare event.

Suzuka is the longest track on the GP calendar and unique for its figure-of-eight layout which gives a good mix of left and right-handers through its 19 corners, varying from fast sweepers to the dead-stop chicane and hairpin. It is also one of the few current GP tracks where MotoGP riders can give their machines full rein.


Lap record
Max Biaggi (Marlboro Kanemoto Honda) 1998
2m 06.746s/166.556kmh

MAX BIAGGI DATA LOG
Age: 30.
Lives: Monaco
Bike: Marlboro Yamaha Team YZR-M1
GP victories: 37 (8 x 500, 29 x 250)
First GP victory: South Africa, 1992 (250)
First GP: France, 1991 (250)
GP starts: 149 (62×500, 87×250)
Pole positions: 48 (15×500, 33×250)
First pole: Europe, 1992 (250)
World Championships: 4 x 250 (’94, ’95, ’96, ’97)
Suzuka 2001 results. Grid: 3rd. Race: 3rd

CARLOS CHECA DATA LOG
Age: 29.
Lives: Great Ayton, England
Bike: Marlboro Yamaha Team YZR-M1
GP victories: 2 (500)
First GP victory: Catalunya, 1996 (500)
First GP: Europe, 1993 (125)
GP starts: 120 (92×500, 27×250, 1×125)
Pole positions: 1 (500)
First pole: Spain, 1998 (500)
Suzuka 2001 results. Grid: 12th. Race: 10th

From a press release:

AMA Pro Racing partners with TWI International for global television coverage of AMA Superbike

AMA Pro Racing, the leading sanctioning body for motorcycle sport in the U.S., announced today it has signed an international television rights agreement with TWI International, the television arm of International Management Group (IMG). Under terms of the partnership, TWI will formulate agreements with international television networks to telecast AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship races.

This agreement will continue to build a greater global following of the U.S. Superbike Championship brand of racing, arguably the most competitive continental road-racing championship in the world. TWI has already signed agreements with Dubai Radio & Television and British broadcaster BskyB to show AMA Superbike races in the UK & Eire. British Sky Broadcasting is a leading provider of sports, movies, entertainment and news whose channels are received by over 10 million households in the UK and Eire.

Additional deals are in the works and will be announced soon.

AMA Superbike riders, teams, sponsors and OEMs will benefit greatly from the exposure to a much larger and broader international fan base.

“We know many of our top Superbike athletes have a devoted overseas following, and now those race fans can enjoy a Superbike battle between Mat Mladin and Nicky Hayden from the comfort of their own living rooms,” said Chris Bradley, AMA Pro Racing associate vice president of commercial development.

“We are extremely pleased to have this relationship with AMA Pro Racing,” said Peter Smith, senior international vice president, TWI International. “The U.S. Superbike Championship already has a very positive reaction from international buyers. The future of U.S. Superbike racing is strong and we look forward to expanding its popularity into the overseas markets.”

AMA Pro Racing CEO Scott Hollingsworth said, “We are very happy to have TWI as a partner in the development of our international television rights. Our goal is to not only grow the sport here, but also expand its exposure on a worldwide scale, increasing value for all stakeholders.”

The AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship and support classes are followed by millions of fans around the world, at race events, on television broadcasts and the Internet. Last year, 375,000 fans attended Superbike races, with an average attendance of more than 34,000 per event, an 11.5 percent increase over the 2000 season.

The AMA U.S. Superbike Championship traces its roots back to 1934, when the AMA first organized motorcycle road racing in the United States. In 1976, the AMA created the U.S. Superbike Championship to provide an affordable, level playing field for professional race teams, and as a platform for motorcycle manufacturers to showcase their production sport-performance models.

Today, the AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship stands as the world’s premiere national Superbike championship, and tours with the AMA Pro Honda Oils U.S. Supersport Championship and four additional top-caliber bike classes: Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock, MBNA 250 Grand Prix, Lockhart Phillips Formula Xtreme and Buell Pro Thunder.

About TWI
TWI is the largest independent producer, packager and distributor of sports programs in the world and produces 6,000 hours of original programming each year for distribution to more than 200 territories. It is the program making arm of Mark McCormack’s IMG and has production centers in London, Hong Kong, New Delhi, New York, Seoul and Sydney plus over 40 sales offices around the globe.

TWI’s sports news agency collaboration with APTN, SNTV, serves 200 broadcasters world wide with a reach of 850 million and TWI produces web sites for international brand names like the Brazilian national Football Team, Manchester United, the Chinese Premier League and the Indian Cricket Team.

TWI’s Features & Documentaries Division has a wide range of international successes under its belt including Century, a 13-part co-production with British Pathe, and the multi-award winning The Second World War in Colour, which has sold throughout the globe, and its documentary series Britain at War in Colour won the British Academy Award for Best Factual Series [BAFTA] in 2001.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Lap Times From March 30-31 IRTA MotoGP Testing At Suzuka, Japan:

1. Valentino Rossi, Repsol Honda, Honda RC211V, Michelin, 2:04.343
2. Tohru Ukawa, Repsol Honda, Honda RC211V, Michelin, 2:04.493
3. Daijiro Katoh, Fortuna Honda Gresini, Michelin, Honda NSR500, 2:05.540
4. Loris Capirossi, West Honda Pons, Honda NSR500, Michelin, 2:05.782
5. Kenny Roberts, Telefonica Movistar Suzuki, Suzuki GSV-R, Dunlop, 2:05.807
6. Carlos Checa, Marlboro Yamaha Team, Yamaha YZR-M1, Michelin, 2:05.821
7. Shinichi Itoh, Honda Racing Corporation, Honda RC211V, Michelin, 2:05.931
8. Akira Ryo, Telefonica Movistar Suzuki, Suzuki GSV-R, Dunlop, 2:06.065
9. Sete Gibernau, Telefonica Movistar Suzuki, Suzuki GSV-R, Dunlop, 2:06.085
10. Yukio Kagayama, Telefonica Movistar Suzuki, Dunlop, Suzuki GSV-R, 2:-6.130
11. Max Biaggi, Marlboro Yamaha Team, Yamaha YZR-M1, Michelin, 2:06.296
12. Norick Abe, Repsol-YPF Yamaha d’Antin, Yamaha YZR500, Michelin, 2:06.784
13. Alex Barros, West Honda Pons, Honda NSR500, Michelin, 2:06.858
14. Garry McCoy, Red Bull Yamaha, Yamaha YZR500, Dunlop, 2:06.939
15. Jeremy McWilliams, Proton Team KR, Proton KR3, Bridgestone, 2:07.098
16. Shinya Nakano, Gauloises Yamaha Tech 3, Yamaha YZR500, Michelin, 2:07.128
17. Olivier Jacque, Gauloises Yamaha Tech 3, Yamaha YZR500, Michelin, 2:07.290
18. Nobuatsu Aoki, Proton Team KR, Proton KR3, Bridgestone, 2:07.322
19. John Hopkins, Red Bull Yamaha, Yamaha YZR500, Dunlop, 2:07.373
20. Jurgen van den Goorbergh, Kanemoto Honda, Honda NSR500, Bridgestone, 2:07.638

From an e-mail:

Thursday practice? I’m still trying to get up to speed after missing all of last season – and trying to learn how to ride these big four-cylinders. For me, I wish there was a Wednesday practice at this point in the learning curve! My guy who helps me couldn’t come down for both weekends, so I didn’t get anything done other than learning the track (at Fontana on Saturday). There won’t be any continuity between the two weekends. 

Compared to some of these other teams that are testing here – I have it pretty good. It’s only seven hours. But it forces the guys from the other coast like Chris Pyles and Opie Caylor to come out a week early for the club weekend. How expensive is that? And the tables will be turned when the series heads to Road Atlanta and VIR.

It’s interesting that the teams like Attack Suzuki who have already tested here this winter in the AMA tests are back here for FTA. I’m sure they would rather show up a day early next week.

Even after riding on Saturday, I am undecided about coming back next weekend for the National because of the limited track time.

From a press release:

FIRST PICTURES OF THE NEW DUCATI FOR THE MOTOGP CHAMPIONSHIP

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The bike will be presented to the world’s press during the Italian GP at Mugello on May 30.

Bologna, April 1, 2002 – The development of the Ducati prototype bike for the new MotoGP championship is continuing on schedule. Wind-tunnel testing has been taking place over the past few months and an aerodynamic configuration offering extremely high performance levels has already been obtained, despite the shape undergoing constant development. The final version will only be defined after track tests and the intense wind-tunnel testing programme have been completed.

“Thanks to the freedom our engineers were given in the design of a new bike and a new engine at the same time, we were able to apply the concept of integration to the full”, declared Claudio Domenicali, Ducati Corse Managing Director, who is in charge of the MotoGP project. “In particular the engine has been designed in line with the demands of the bike, and everything in function of the position of the rider. The result is a very compact bike, one that has been created around the rider giving him maximum freedom of movement through corners as well as allowing him to take up an extremely aerodynamic straight-line position with minimum physical effort.

“Extensive 3D CAD design has allowed us to analyse the layout and perfect the interaction between every component in a virtual mock-up modelled around the shape of the rider, obtaining unprecedented integration between all components.

“No aspect has been neglected in such a demanding and important project for our company. We have therefore also given particular attention to the search for an extremely low aerodynamic drag, which we view as vitally important because regulations based on fuel consumption reward the most efficient designs. The excellent wind tunnel results have also been obtained thanks to the compact nature of the Desmosedici engine, which has enabled a bike to be designed around it with the rider placed in an aerodynamically efficient position”.

The tubular steel trestle frame and the exhausts pipes under the tail fairing, together with the desmodromic system and the L-shaped layout of the engine, maintain intact some of the characteristics typical of Ducati’s sportsbike models.

“The tubular trestle frame was a natural choice”, continued Domenicali. “Our victories in the World Superbike Championship confirm that this is an excellent technical design. The MotoGP prototype however has been built around an innovative structure, which by exploiting the layout of the L-shaped Desmosedici engine to the full, uses it as a stress-bearing member and reaches the required levels of stiffness with a substantial reduction in frame weight and dimensions.

“The decision to place the exhausts under the tail, which gives the bike a ‘family feeling’, in line with Ducati’s road-going sportsbikes, was made above all because of its aerodynamic advantage.

“Thanks to the commitment of the team headed by Ducati Corse Technical Director Filippo Preziosi, everything is continuing according to plan, and today we are in a position to announce the date when the definitive version of the bike will be presented to the world’s press”, concluded Domenicali. “The bike launch will be Thursday 30 May, during the Italian GP at Mugello. Ducati fans will also have an exclusive opportunity to see the bike during WDW2000 (World Ducati Week, Misano Adriatico, June 14–16), the event held every two years that brings thousands of ‘Ducatisti’ from all over the world to Italy to celebrate with us their passion for our bikes”.

According to an AMA Pro Racing press release, Rich Oliver used to be Chuck Sorensen’s protege. We think they meant “mentor”; Sorensen used to be the junior member of Oliver’s team. The release follows:

HAYDEN HOPES TO BREAK AMA SUPERBIKE RECORD AT CALIFORNIA SPEEDWAY

PICKERINGTON, Ohio – Honda Racing’s Nicky Hayden comes to rounds two and
three of the AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship in Fontana, Calif., as the unquestionable rider to beat. The 20-year-old racing prodigy from Owensboro, Ky., is on the verge of matching, and possibly breaking, a seven-year record held by his teammate Miguel Duhamel. Hayden is riding a five-race winning streak coming into the Yamaha Superbike Challenge at California Speedway on April 5-7.

His winning streak began last July at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and continued through the opening round of this year’s championships at Daytona Beach, Fla. If Hayden manages to win the first race of the Superbike doubleheader weekend he will tie Duhamel’s record of six AMA Superbike wins in a row. If he wins both rounds in Fontana, Hayden could leave Fontana with the longest winning streak in the history of the series.

Fontana will also mark the return of three-time and defending AMA Superbike Champion Mat Mladin. The No. 1 Blimpie Yoshimura Suzuki rider injured his left elbow in practice for last month’s Daytona 200 and missed the opening round. Despite coming into Fontana with no points, Mladin is confident that he can get back in the hunt for an unprecedented fourth title with 15 of the 16 races still to be held. He’s looking to start his comeback with a strong showing at Fontana.

Mladin’s Blimpie Yoshiumura Suzuki teammate Jamie Hacking finds himself second in the series standings after another great Daytona performance. The South Carolinian took second to Hayden with a last-lap pass on Yamaha Factory Racing’s Anthony Gobert. Hacking sees his fast start as a springboard to a solid and consistent AMA Superbike season. Hacking feels it’s his time to show that he can be a true contender for the U.S. Superbike Championship, especially considering he’s never finished the season ranked higher than eighth in his four years as a factory Superbike rider.

Aussie Anthony Gobert has to be considered one rider at Fontana who can stop the Hayden onslaught. Gobert showed true grit by getting out of a hospital bed the day before the Daytona 200 and riding to an amazing third-place on his factory Yamaha R7. Gobert should be fully recovered from the injuries he suffered in the Pro Honda Oils Supersport race at Daytona. He was
consistently the fastest rider in pre-season testing at Fontana.

Fontana will also witness the return of three-time AMA Superbike champion Doug Chandler. Chandler, of Salinas, Calif., will be racing the HMC Ducati having just completed a deal that brought him to the team just two weeks before this race.

The Pro Honda Oils U.S. Supersport Championship is more competitive than ever. The third Blimpie Yoshimura Suzuki rider Aaron Yates comes into next weekend’s race leading the points race after a surprising win at Daytona. Yates and teammate Hacking are expected to be the top contenders for the title this year, but look for Yamaha’s Anthony Gobert putting on a hard charge to get back in the championship race after crashing out of round one in Daytona.

His teammate and fellow Australian Damon Buckmaster turned in a strong performance at Daytona, finishing sixth, and has said a factory ride would be the key to him becoming a top rider in the series.

Erion Racing’s Mike Hale plans on coming back and mixing it up with the established stars of the Supersport Championship after a seven-year absence from the series. Texan Hale was one of the leading AMA Supersport racers in the mid-1990s, finishing runner-up to Miguel Duhamel in 1995.

The Kawasaki camp is led by Tommy Hayden, oldest of the three racing Hayden brothers. Hayden was caught up in the Daytona crash that took out Anthony Gobert and his brother Aaron and will be coming into California Speedway intent on making up lost ground.

Corona Extra Suzuki’s Jimmy Moore had a successful kickoff in defense of his No. 1 plate in Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock. Moore, who won Daytona over new teammate Jordan Szoke will face one of the most talented filled (Maybe they mean “one of the most talented fields…Ed.)of Superstock riders ever in the history of the class.

Two-time MBNA 250 Grand Prix Champion Chuck Sorensen comes to Fontana hoping to start a winning streak that will lead him to a third title. Sorensen’s Team Stargel Aprilia had plenty of speed on the high banks of Daytona last month and that should serve him well at California Speedway. Watch for Sorensen to face a tough challenge from former protégé Rich Oliver, who is planning on racing at Fontana despite breaking his hip and losing part of a finger in a Daytona accident.

Young Jason DiSalvo is another rider that should be a top contender at Fontana. The 18-year-old former top AMA amateur challenged Sorensen at Daytona before making a rookie mistake and crashing out of the race while battling for the lead.

For ticket information of the Yamaha Superbike Challenge contact California Speedway at (800) 944-7223 or visit the website at www.californiaspeedway.com.

AMA Pro Racing is the leading sanctioning body for professional motorcycle sport in the United States.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Pascal Picotte has reached a deal to ride a Ducati Superbike for the Austin Bleu Bayou team, which campaigned Harley-Davidsons with Jordan Szoke last year. That’s the word from former racer Alan Labrosse, who manages Picotte.

The team may be on Michelin tires.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Despite AMA Pro Racing’s insistence that, in addition to needing Thursdays to set up their infrastructure and equipment, not having Thursday practice days will save competitors money, AMA regulars attending the FasTrack Association (FTA) track day/race event at California Speedway March 31 said otherwise. Roadracingworld.com asked several of the privateer AMA regulars at the new Fontana, California venue Sunday, March 31 if it cost them more money to come to an AMA track a day early for Thursday practice or to come to a club race at an AMA venue prior to the National event.

“It costs a lot more to come to a club day versus a Thursday practice day,” said 250cc Grand Prix racer Chris Pyles. “From this weekend, the entry fees for two practice days – I mean you got a lot of (track) time – but it’s double the cost. But then you’re taking off an extra week of work to come out here, whereas coming to a Thursday practice, you’re only have to take off an extra day. I’d say it costs more money to do a practice day versus a Thursday practice day.”

“I would say it probably cost us $10,000 to come this weekend. It would have cost us another $500-600 to come to a Thursday practice,” stated Annandale Racing’s Ty Howard, a Supersport and Superstock competitor. “We have to fly out here and fly back tonight (Sunday) to get back to work. Then we have four or five days of food and lodging, just all the added expenses of coming an extra weekend versus coming a day early to practice.

“For some of the people that can’t make the club races and have never been to this track and have to come ride on Friday, they get two practice sessions to learn the track, in the 750 (Superstock) class before qualifying. If I had to come here and not get this weekend as practice, I wouldn’t even make the field. It’s a safety issue with people coming in and not knowing the track. Every corner on this track has to flow together perfect, and it’s very hard to learn. It just doesn’t make any sense not to have a Thursday practice.”

“I would rather go to a Thursday practice,” said Marietta Motorsports Chris “Opie” Caylor, a Superstock racer. “The fact is, we showed up to a new track. I needed the time here because I want to do really well. It forced me to have to come out a week early. Between the extra hotel fees and the extra food fees, yeah, I would rather have a Thursday practice big time compared to having to come to a club day. I think it makes a lot more sense to have a Thursday practice.

“We ended up having to leave Wednesday (March 27) to get out here in time to be able to ride Friday (March 29). So yeah, I ended up having to take almost an extra week off (from work). On top of that, my mechanic had to take off work himself to be able to come out and to help me during the club days. If it were a Thursday through Sunday deal, I think it would be a lot more effective, a lot less costly and, like I said, it just makes a lot more sense.”

“Actually, it costs you more when you figure your extra travel costs in,” says Team America Grand Prix Racing owner Jim DiSalvo, father of 250 GP and Superstock racer Jason DiSalvo. After two years of learning new tracks while racing in Europe, DiSalvo knows the need for extra track time. “It would be nice to just have the track day the day before. That’s the optimum as far as we’re concerned. Practice days in the European and Spanish Championships, they always have a practice day before the race weekend event, whether it’s a promoter’s practice day or a school practice day. Generally speaking, you get on the track on Thursday, then you have your normal practice day on Friday. Without that extra day, you can’t get your bike set up if you haven’t been to the track before. And without this weekend here, we would not be ready for the AMA race next weekend.

“Overall, it’s like going to another race. Instead of us having 10 races this year, we have 17 because on seven other weekends we’re going to be at a track (for extra practice). It’s just like adding seven races to the schedule. It’s a big cost. Coming in on Thursdays would probably save 20% of the (annual) budget easily, probably $120,000.”