7:00 p.m. Bike Week (from Laguna Seca)
7:30 p.m. Rolling Thunder
8:00 p.m. AMA 600cc Supersport – Laguna Seca
9:00 p.m. AMA Formula Xtreme – Laguna Seca
10:00 p.m. FIM World Supersport – San Marino

All times Eastern Daylight Time.

People with non-traditional work schedules may have already watched coverage of both World Superbike races from Laguna Seca plus the 250cc and 500cc Grands Prix from Donington Park, aired earlier today.

AMA Director of AMA Sports Hugh Fleming has left his post and has taken another position within the AMA, according to Brenda Erichsen of AMA Human Resources. Fleming worked directly with the transportation and set-up of the newly-purchased Air Fence sections for AMA Pro Road Racing events. The AMA is now looking to fill Fleming’s position “as soon as possible,” according to Erichsen.

Roadracing World learned of Fleming’s departure when a reader alerted us to a want ad placed on the job search website www.monster.com. The ad placed on Monster.com reads…

“The American Motorcyclist Association, a 270,000-member organization with an unparalleled history of pursuing, protecting and promoting the interests of the world’s largest and most dedicated group of motorcycle enthusiasts is seeking a Director of Sports.

“Full-time position, based in Pickerington, Ohio.

“Qualified candidates should have demonstrated management abilities, solid verbal and written communication skills, and creativity in programming and problem-solving. Demonstrated knowledge and experience in one or more forms of motorcycle sport are essential. A working knowledge of the motorcycle industry and racing infrastructure is highly desirable.

“Qualified individuals should send resume with cover letter and salary requirements to:

“American Motorcyclist Association
“c/o Human Resources / Job Code EE127
“13515 Yarmouth Drive
“Pickerington, Ohio 43147”

Erichsen declined to comment on any details of Fleming’s transition, instead saying that she would have the head of Fleming’s department call us back. At post time, Vice President of Member Activities Bill Amick had not returned our call.

AMA 250cc Grand Prix racer Bruce Lind is in the Intensive Care Unit of Monterey Community Hospital with injuries sustained in a crash during a MBNA 250cc heat race Saturday July 7 at Laguna Seca.

According to reports, Lind highsided in turn three and his Yamaha TZ250 landed directly on top of him. Lind is being kept company in the hospital by his wife, Edie, along with racing friend and teammate Ed Sorbo. Sorbo’s wife, Catherine, e-mailed an update on Lind’s condition to Roadracing World Monday evening saying that Lind “is improving, yet Bruce is still in ICU. He has 11 broken ribs, some with multiple breaks. His ankle may or may not be broken, and he suffered some internal injuries (including a punctured lung) also but has not had to undergo surgery. Bruce is a hearty guy, so he should heal quickly.”

Contacted Tuesday, July 10, Catherine Sorbo said that Lind had taken a turn for the worse late Monday night, was put on a ventilator, and underwent surgery to remove his spleen Tuesday morning.

Fans who wish to send a Get Well message to Lind can do so at this address:
Bruce Lind, ICU patient
c/o Monterey Community Hospital
P.O. Box HH
Monterey, CA 93942

Messages can also be sent via e-mail, c/o Sorbo, to [email protected]

The hospital telephone number is (831) 424-7705. The number for the FAX machine in Patient Relations is (831) 625-4568.

Contrary to reports posted elsewhere, AMA Pro Racing Technical Manager Rob King said Yoshimura Suzuki’s Aaron Yates, not Jamie Hacking, was fined $600 for having a non-functioning thermostat in his GSX-R600 after the 600cc Supersport race held at Laguna Seca on Friday, July 6.

“I don’t believe they’re appealed the fine, and I don’t believe they will,” said King.

The fine was assessed against Yates–who does not prepare, tune or work on his racebikes–because mechanics and teams have no official standing in AMA competition.

Yates was injured when he crashed while leading the AMA Superbike race at Laguna Seca on Saturday, July 7. Yates suffered a broken arm just above a plate installed to repair an earlier injury.

Honda displayed a concept bike at Laguna Seca last weekend. A press release on the bike follows:

American Honda revealed a new concept bike at The Honda International Superbike Classic at Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, California.

Dubbed the New American Sports, this innovative exercise in design and styling takes direct aim at the over-arching theme that motivates the majority of motorcyclists everywhere: Gorgeous hardware.

According to Martin Manchester, project director at Honda R&D Americas, “This concept bike takes a new direction in motorcycling, a path that emphasizes the aesthetics in the execution and creation of a sport bike. Performance always takes a high profile in motorcycling, but we were looking to reinforce the emotional attachment that owners have with their bikes. We achieved that goal by placing a major emphasis on the exposed hardware on this machine, dressing it up rather than concealing it behind bodywork.

“We applied a great deal of forward-looking technology plus distinctive styling touches throughout, and lavished a huge amount of detail work on this bike. Because every bit of hardware on this machine has been designed for aesthetic appeal, the New American Sports purposely transcends the compromises typically dictated by production, function and cost issues.”

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With a super abundance of eye candy (carbon fiber, titanium, machined billet aluminum) all rolled into one package, it becomes difficult to list the highlights on this forward-think exercise. Centralizing the mass around the engine played a key role in the original design, and the front and rear ends are purposely left with a light and airy appearance. A carbon fiber/aluminum mono-arm front suspension with a massive steering head and integrated steering damper certainly draws attention, as do the organically shaped billet wheels and aluminum frame. The single floating rim-mounted front brake is likewise startling in appearance, and then you notice that the handsomely finished liquid-cooled V-Twin engine appears to lack a radiator–it’s actually hidden away beneath the bodywork in the abbreviated tail section!

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Exquisitely formed carbon-fiber skinwork abounds, and the single-sided Pro-Arm swingarm incorporates a skeletonized structure. Four projector beam headlights lend to a compact nose, and the Indiglow instruments along with the compact controls and switches add to the clean, Spartan look.

As Martin Manchester summarizes, “We set out to re-create the sports category using the inherent beauty of well-executed motorcycle hardware. This concept should attract the serious enthusiasts, those who appreciate the high-tech, finely turned-out elements in a motorcycle.”

Take one look at the New American Sports, and you’ll surely agree. But then, what else would you expect from an all-out effort by Honda R&D Americas?

A videotape made by rider Mark Miller of parts of a confrontation involving New Hampshire International Speedway’s Bob Bahre and Gary Bahre, AMA’s Ron Barrick and Merrill Vanderslice and various riders makes the best case for never returning to the track, long-time track critics say.

The tape was made on Sunday, June 18 at the Loudon, New Hampshire racetrack and came into roadracingworld.com’s possession on Monday evening, July 9.

Miller caught the controversial action while making a momento tape for his friends of pit scenes at the races. The majority of the tape shows various riders sitting around the paddock and talking among themselves and to cameraman Miller. The copy of the tape that roadracingworld.com obtained was originally made as a gift for roadracingworld.com-sponsored Chris Ulrich, who frequently trains with Miller. Miller did not make the tape as any kind of political statement.

In a section of videotape which will be posted on RoadracingWorld.com, Gary Bahre calls Barrick a “little coward” and an “a–hole” and says that the riders are in control and asks of Barrick, “why do we even have you?” On the tape, the Bahres repeatedly tell Barrick to order the riders to take to the track, which had been artificially dried using jet blowers after hours of rain. At no time on the tape are the Bahres seen showing anything but contempt for rider concerns in the situation.

On the tape, when rider Grant Lopez attempts to mediate the dispute between riders who were unsure of track conditions and the combined track and AMA forces, Bob Bahre angerly tells Lopez “there’s no water anywhere” as he points at the pavement, ignoring the plea from Lopez, who desperately wanted to ride, for “10 minutes of practice to check it out.”

“I’m sure there’s water somewhere” on the track, Lopez says, trying to make the case for the short warm-up session he and other riders were asking for.

Vanderslice stands near both Bahres in the videotape and is seen speaking but hiw words were not caught on the videotape.

The abusive dialog directed at riders and AMA officials and caught on the tape stands in stark contrast to the relatively mild comments that led AMA officials to fine AMA Superbike Champion Mat Mladin $5000 and dock him a point, for, among other things, according to an AMA press release, “using profanity at times” and criticizing “an AMA official” as well as other riders and the racetrack itself.

At post time Monday night, roadracingworld.com was unable to reach any AMA officials to ask about the dual set of standards apparently being applied to riders vs. track owners. A phone call to AMA Media Relations Contractor Larry Lawrence had not been returned when this item was originally posted.

But in a Tuesday-morning e-mailed response, Lawrence wrote:

“I don’t know what to tell you about the abuse that AMA officials took at the hands of the Bahres at Loudon. I wasn’t aware of the situation.

“Why can they use so much profanity and Mladin can’t?

“For one thing Mladin an AMA licensed racer and our two-time champion. He is a spokesperson for our series. The Bahres are not.

“For another, the Bahres were speaking to Barrick and Vanderslice in a non-public forum. The fact that someone taped the incident does not mean that it was meant to be public.

“Heated discussions at a meeting on a starting grid are very different from a press conference.

“I’m speaking in generalities since I wasn’t around and didn’t hear or see the incident. I’m sure if it was as you described then some serious discussions will be taking place between AMA Pro Racing and the Bahres.”

Relevant portions of the videotape will be posted on roadracingworld.com.

From an AHRMA Press Release Issued Monday, July 9:

AHRMA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ANNOUNCES RESIGNATION

Citing personal reasons, Jack Turner has announced his resignation as executive director of the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association. Turner asked that his contract not be renewed when it expires in October, and he pledged to work closely with his successor to ease the administrative transition.

Turner was hired as executive director of the 5000-member organization in August 1999 after serving as director of AHRMA’s national road racing program since 1991.

“We regret but understand Jack’s decision and thank him for his fine work on behalf of the association,” commented Fred Mork, chairman of the AHRMA Board of Trustees.

Mork explained that AHRMA’s Executive Committee has appointed a Search Committee to evaluate applicants for the executive position. The committee is made up of three AHRMA trustees, chaired by Rob Stickler of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, along with Rusty Lowry of St. Marys City, Maryland, and Jeff Smith of Wausau,
Wisconsin. The committee will make a recommendation to the full board, which in turn will make the final selection.

The Search Committee is seeking applicants with a motorcycle sports background plus strong business, administrative and communications skills. Resumes and cover letters should be directed to the AHRMA national office, P.O. Box 676, Shawnee Mission, KS 66201.

Turner intends to continue to be involved in a leadership position with AHRMA. “The Executive Committee is delighted by Jack’s interest in continuing in some capacity with the organization,” Mork said, pointing to Turner’s role in the growth and success of AHRMA’s roadrace program through the 1990s.

Turner, 57, is a former trials and scrambles competitor, and is a founder and past president of the Kansas City-based Heart of America Motorcycle Enthusiasts. His wife, Jacki, serves as AHRMA administrative assistant.

(Editor’s note: Turner, along with AHRMA Trustees and various other AHRMA officials, is a named defendant in Rob Iannucci’s pending lawsuit against the organization. The suit stems from a series of disputes between AHRMA and original AHRMA founder Iannucci, culminating in the association revoking Iannucci’s membership and banning his Team Obsolete from participation in AHRMA races. The team does compete at Daytona, because Daytona International Speedway officials make the team’s participation a condition of allowing AHRMA to race there.)

John Hopkins and his girlfriend are scheduled to fly from San Diego to Vienna today for a Red Bull Yamaha WCM test session at Brno, Czech Republic, where Hopkins will ride a YZR500 for two days.

Hopkins, who turned 18 in May, may also test with a winning World Superbike team in the fall and has been fielding multiple AMA Superbike offers.

Last year Hopkins tested with Red Bull Yamaha WCM at Brno and after one day–his first time on the bike, at the track and using carbon-fiber brakes–turned times that would have put him 19th on the grid for the Czech Grand Prix.

Factors leading to World Championship factory team interest in Hopkins include the fact that he has won on a Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki GSX-R1000 in AMA Formula Xtreme and that he has extensive experience on Michelin slicks.

This Just In, in the form of a press release from Benelli:

Peter Goddard took the Benelli Tornado Superbike to a 15th-place finish at Laguna Seca Raceway in the USA to score the team’s first Superbike World Championship point.

Andrea Merloni, the owner of Benelli, was very pleased with the result, saying “This means we are now in the manufacturer’s standings, a great result after only two meetings on a brand-new bike. Our aim today was to get our first finish, so getting into the points is very satisfying.”

Despite the success he still has his feet firmly planted on the ground, “We know we have a lot
of work to do before Brands Hatch as everyone is going to expect us to improve for that meeting.”

It almost didn’t work out for Goddard, though. He had passed Broc Parkes late in the race to move into the championship points but then missed a gear losing so much time that Parkes was able to retake the position. “I’d been having trouble with the gearshift for most of the race,” said Goddard. “It had a lot of play in the lever and must have cost me five seconds in the race because I kept getting false neutrals.”

When it looked like the Benelli team would have to wait longer for that all-important first championship points finish, Giovanni Bussei made a mistake in the last turn of the final lap and crashed out. Goddard managed to avoid Bussei’s fallen machine to cross the line in 15th and score one championship point. “Now we have
our first point, one of many more to come I hope.”

Team Manager Max Zani joined in the celebrations but was overcome by the achievement. “I am speechless,” he said shortly after the race. “We’ll have a big party tonight!”

Now the team have to pack the two Tornado Superbikes and all the equipment away and head home to the team’s San Marino headquarters to prepare for the next challenge at Brands Hatch on July 29th.