Marcellino Lucchi led an Aprilia sweep of the top five positions in the first 250cc qualifying session at Mugello Friday, while Tony Elias topped the 125cc session on a Honda.

Fastest times follow:


250cc Qualifying Session #1:

1. Marcellino Lucchi, Italy, Aprilia, 1:54.939
2. Jeremy McWilliams, GB, Aprilia, 1:55.382
3. Tetsuya Harada, Japan, Aprilia, 1:55.636
4. Randy dePuniet, France, Aprilia, 1:56.081
5. Marco Melandri, Italy, Aprilia, 1:56.108
6. Daijiro Katoh, Japan, Honda, 1:56.141
7. Roberto Rolfo, Italy, Aprilia, 1:56.163
8. Roberto Locatelli, Italy, Aprilia, 1:56.229
9. Naoki Matsuda, Japan, Yamah, 1:56.339
10. Franca Battaini, Italy, Aprilia, 1:56.343
11. Klaus Nohles, Germany, Aprilia, 1:56.775
12. David Checa, Spain, Honda, 1:56.823
13. Sebastian Porto, Argentina, Yamaha, 1:57.111
14. Alex Debon, Spain, Aprilia, 1:57.132
15. Lorenzo Lanzi, Italy, Aprilia, 1:57.266



125cc Qualifying Session #1

1. Toni Elias, Spain, Honda, 2:00.605
2. Manuel Poggiali, San Marino, Gilera, 2:00.619
3. Youichi Ui, Japan, Derbi, 2:00.626
4. Lucio Cecchinello, Italy, Aprilia, 2:00.905
5. Gianluigi Scalvini, Italy, Italjet, 2:01.128
6. Mirko Giansanti, Italy, Honda, 2:01.345
7. Stefano Perugini, Italy, Italjet, 2:01.600
8. Steve Jenkner, Germany, Aprilia, 2:01.603
9. Andrea Ballerini, Italy, Aprilia, 2:01.610
10. Alex De Angelis, San Marino, Honda, 2:01.612

An appeals board has criticized AMA Pro Racing’s handling of a fuel sample and has reduced a penalty accessed against Jay Springsteen after the fuel from his dirt tracker failed a specific gravity test.

Historically, members of an appeal board, which is composed of volunteers assembled on a case-by-case basis, have not been asked back (to serve on another appeals board) if they do not rule in favor of AMA Pro Racing officials or if they criticize AMA handling of a case.

An AMA press release on the Springsteen case follows:

“PICKERINGTON, Ohio — Jay Springsteen was disqualified from his third-place finish in Houston on April 21 for having illegal fuel. Springsteen appealed the disqualification and an appeals board heard the evidence on May 24 and saw fit to modify Springsteen’s penalty. The penalty modification allows Springsteen to get eight of his original 16 championship points from the race reinstated and he has been assessed a fine of $500.

“The appeals board found that while the fuel collected from Springsteen’s race bike was below the minimum specific gravity, it was so by just two thousandths (the lower specific gravity limit is .715, Springsteen’s fuel was found to be .713). While the fuel was technically illegal, the board found no intent by Springsteen’s team to violate the rules. Further, the board found that AMA Pro Racing technical officials made an error in collecting the sample. This error, which involved not getting proper signatures on the sample, did figure in the board’s decision to modify Springsteen’s penalty. The board also felt that the fuel violation did not provide Springsteen with a significant performance advantage.

“In consideration of all the evidence the board came to its decision to assess Springsteen a $500 fine and a loss of half of the championship points he originally earned in the Houston round.
The board cautioned that future fuel violations would result in disqualification. It further recommended that AMA Pro Racing officials take steps to ensure that fuel sample handling procedures are beyond reproach.”

Honda’s Valentino Rossi turned the quickest lap and reached the highest top speed during the first 500cc qualifying session for the Gran Premio Cinzano d’Italia, at Mugello, Italy Friday.

Rossi’s quickest lap was a 1:52.838 and his bike reached 305.9 kph (190 mph). The second-quickest rider was Kenny Roberts at 1:53.151 but his bike was only eighth-fastest at 299.9 kph (186.357 mph).

Fastest laps and top speeds follow:

1. Valentino Rossi, Italy, Honda, 1:52.838
2. Kenny Roberts, USA, Suzuki, 1:53.151
3. Alex Barros, Brasil, Honda, 1:53.694
4. Loris Capirossi, Italy, Honda, 1:53.842
5. Norick Abe, Japan, Yamaha, 1:54.247
6. Noriyuki Haga, Japan, Yamaha, 1:54.247
7. Shinya Nakano, Japan, Yamaha, 1:54.411
8. Max Biaggi, Italy, Yamaha, 1:54.946
9. Alex Criville, Spain, Honda, 1:54.946
10. Sete Gibernau, Spain, Suzuki, 1:55.140
11. Tohru Ukawa, Japan, Honda, 1:55.242
12. Carlos Checa, Spain, Yamaha, 1:55.568
13. Jurgen v.d. Goorbergh, Holland, Proton, 1:55.568
14. Chris Walker, GB, Honda, 1:55.910
15. Jose Luis Cardoso, Spain, Yamaha, 1:56.415
16. Haruchika Aoki, Japan, Honda, 1:57.060
17. Jason Vincent, GB, Pulse, 1:57.099
18. Johan Stigefelt, Sweden, Sabre, 1:59.341

(Did not qualify under 107% of pole time, or 2:00.736)
Barry Veneman, Holland, Honda, 2:00.953
Anthony West, Australia, Honda, 2:01.275
Vladimir Castka, Slovakia, Paton, 2:12.261
Mark Willis, Australia, Pulse, 2:27.539




Top Speeds:
1. Rossi, 305.9 kph
2. Ukawa, 304.8 kph
3. Capirossi, 303.8 kph
4. Biaggi, 302.7 kph
5. Criville, 302.7 kph
6. Haga, 301.3 kph
7. Gibernau, 301.1 kph
8. Roberts, 299.9 kph
9. Walker, 299.8 kph
10. Checa, 299.0 kph
11. Abe, 298.7 kph
12. Nakano, 298.5 kph
13. Barros, 297.4 kph
14. Cardoso, 296.1 kph
15. v.d. Goorbergh, 289.8 kph
16. Stigefelt, 286.9 kph
17. Vincent, 285.4 kph
18. Aoki, 278.8 kph
19. Veneman, 272.9 kph
20. West, 269.7 kph
21. Castka, 266.5 kph
22. Willis, 248.6 kph

According to a press release issued by the American Motorcyclist Association, it is seeking recognition as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) by the United Nations so it can provide input to the U.N.’s World Forum on the Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations, a group set up to propose global vehicle standards.

The United States is one of the countries that helped create the forum, which could set policy in the areas of energy efficiency, safety, emissions, and theft prevention. America’s involvement establishes the possibility of
the international standards being implemented here in the U.S. The AMA seeks recognition in order to officially participate by contributing the views of American motorcyclists.

The United Nations Economic and Social Council has recommended that the AMA be recognized as a NGO. The AMA’s status as an NGO is anticipated to take effect in July. A request for similar status by the U.S.-based Motorcycle Riders Foundation has been defered but is expected to be granted next year, according to the AMA.

For more information, contact the AMA at 1-800-AMA-JOIN or go online to www.ama-cycle.org.

About 130 feet of Air Fence Bike will be assembled and deployed at Texas World Speedway for use by CMRA and RPM racers, during the second week in July. The Air Fence Bike sections will be deployed in the turn that claimed the life of CMRA and WERA racer Ryan Smith in 1999, and will be positioned in front of an existing steel barrier and tire wall outside the corner.

The new Air Fence Bike will be in position for CMRA/CCS races at Texas World July 21-22 and October 27-28, and for an RPM/WERA race August 18-19.

The deployment of the Air Fence Bike at Texas World is being funded by the Roadracing World Air Fence Fund.

Details of a cooperative deployment agreement and provisions for storage of the Air Fence Bike when it is not being used remain to be worked out with RPM and CMRA, although representatives from both organizations have agreed in basic principle to the arrangement.

Assembly and installation of the Air Fence Bike sections will be supervised by Andy Coffey, Managing Director of Air Fence Safety Systems (Australia).

Air Fence Bike is a non-inflatable version of Air Fence which is designed to stay at a track instead of being transported from track to track. Each unit measures about 6.5 feet long x 4.0-feet tall x 3.25 feet deep. The deployment at Texas World Speedway will involve 20 sections purchased at a cost of $11,000 including freight. The deployment will bring Roadracing World Air Fence Fund disbursements to a total of $115,000.

About $130,000 has been pledged to the Roadracing World Air Fence Fund but several people and companies have not actually sent in their pledged money yet. Actual collections to date total about $97,000 with the shortfall to date being covered by Roadracing World Publishing, Inc. on a temporary basis.

A list of persons and companies who have pledged but not actually paid will be posted in the near future. Further disbursements cannot be made until more pledges are made good.

Coffey will travel to the Texas track immediately after the World Superbike races at Laguna Seca July 8 and will need the help of two or three workers from the Texas race clubs to assemble and position the Air Fence Bike. Volunteers are being solicited and can contact Coffey via e-mail at [email protected].

Big Bill Spencer, a noted race announcer, television broadcaster and magazine columnist died yesterday, May 30, of a heart attack.

Friends said they thought he was in his late 50s.

Spencer lived in Mountain View, California.

More details will be posted as they become available.

A press release just in from Dunlop’s agency, Vreeke & Associates, points out that Dunlop swept the World Superbike and World Supersport podiums at Donington Park last weekend, and also at the earlier race in Sugo, Japan. Dunlop has factories and race tire development shops in England and in Japan.

The text of the release follows:


“Dunlop Fills Record Breaking 9 Podium Positions at World Superbike events at Sugo and Donington.

“Buffalo, NY. National fervor swept the air as local boys made good at both the Japanese and British World Superbike Championship rounds at Sugo and Donington Park. A clean sweep by Dunlop Tires—-nine out of nine podium positions at each of the two events—-made the two days of racing all the more memorable.

“Every year racers know both the Japanese and British rounds of the World Superbike Championship series will be fiercely contested. A whole flock of talented and aggressive local riders turn out for the Sugo and Donington WSC events. They know this is their chance to show off in front of the home crowd, and just perhaps impress a team manager from a larger team with more and better resources.

“Sugo, especially, becomes a high-stakes game that gives up-and-coming riders a chance to launch their world-level racing careers. Since 1996, every round has been won by Japanese riders, and this year was no different as Japanese wild card rider Makota Tamada wrapped up a double victory aboard his Cabin Honda. Tamada took the checkers over runner-up Troy Corser, a WSC regular riding with Aprilia, and third-place Japanese rider Hitoyasu Izutsu (Kawasaki) in Race One. Tamada again bested Izutsu and another Kawasaki rider from Japan, Tamaki Serizawa, in Race Two. Even though the riders who made it to the podium for both races were from four different teams, all chose to ride on Dunlops—-a telling statistic!

“Meanwhile, in the 600cc World Supersport support race at Sugo, Italy’s Paolo Casoli topped fellow Yamaha rider Jorg Teuchert, and Kawasaki-mounted Aussie Andrew Pitt filled out the podium—-again, all on Dunlop tires.

“At Donington, nine more Dunlop hats were needed for the top-three finishers in both WSC legs and the 600 World Supersport round. Brit wild card rider Steve Hislop started the weekend by taking Superpole on his Ducati, then finished third behind Suzuki’s Pier-Francesco Chili and winner Neil Hodgson, also Ducati-mounted, in the first Superbike race. Tire choice was crucial on the wet-but-drying track surface, as evidenced by the podium. Hodgson almost pulled off a double victory in Race Two, but Chili snatched the lead two laps from the checkered flag. Aprilia’s Corser took third spot. Just as in Japan, four different teams captured podium positions, but with a single brand of tire.

“The story remained the same in the World Supersport race at Donington. Casoli took his second victory of the season, and consolidated his championship points lead. Suzuki’s Karl Muggeridge came home in second, followed by Teuchert. Three teams, three bikes, three riders—one tire.

“Nine out of nine podiums at two venues is quite a feat. But the way 2001 is shaping up, don’t be surprised to see a repeat performance soon—-by Dunlop.”


FYI: Dunlop is a contributor to the Roadracing World Air Fence Fund, pitching in $2900.

This just in from RPM, the WERA affiliate in the South-central region:

“On Friday, June 1st between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m., RPM will be on a LIVE REMOTE broadcast with KLOL 101.1FM in Houston morning show.

“The star of the show will be WERA #8 Expert, Pete Martins. Pete will be on FM1960 with his full race Gixxer and full gear at the LIVE broadcast. WHO knows what might happen with Greggo, Pruett, and the Boner Show (TM)? The Mouth of the South (Alan Blair) will be on hand. Alan help put this deal together, so support the broadcast if you are in the Houston area.”

By David Swarts

Weather, engineering and drainage problems have caused further construction delays at Rausch Creek Motorsports Park near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, according to a track spokesman.

After pushing back the grand opening and canceling events once already, Rausch Creek Motorsports Park issued a May 15 press release predicting a June 23 opening. But Rausch Creek General Manager Andrew Stutzman said that further delays are now anticipated.

“We’re gonna shoot for the first CCS race of July,” said Stutzman, reached on his cell phone while on the construction site at Rausch Creek May 29. “Again that’s hoping that everything goes well putting the pipes in. That’s what we’re shooting for, the middle of July.”

Pushing the opening back again will force the cancelation of only one additional motorcycle-related event. “I spoke with Reg (Pridmore) at CLASS, and we’re going to re-schedule that (June 23-25) for October,” said Stutzman.

But with other proposed opening dates already missed, exactly where in the construction process is Rausch Creek?

“We’re putting the pipes in right now to get the drainage just right,” an out-of–breath Stutzman said, sounding as if he had been personally installing the plumbing. “The current line of the track is in final grade where it needs to be. The
next step is to finish the pipe for the drainage. Then we are ready to put the stone (base) down. We had a little bit of rain these last couple of days from last week left over, but we’re back working full crews again starting today. Things are coming along again.

“What happened over the winter time, it would freeze, then it would rain a little bit and thaw, then freeze again. What it did was turn everything into this wonderful little mud soup. The problem was, we could move it around, but we couldn’t gain the levels of compaction that we needed to put it down as the base. It wasn’t holding its shape basically. There is a lot of clay in this soil, and clay doesn’t compact ideally the way that you would like it. So we’ve had to move some earth around, pull some earth out and put some different material in. When that clay gets wet there, it doesn’t hold its shape like it needs to.

“So we had to kind of wait and sit. It was about four weeks that they actually couldn’t do anything. That was at the end of March–beginning of April. Once it dried out and we were able to get everything where it needs to be as far as the compaction, we started rolling along again. We’re probably about two weeks away from putting the stone bed down which is the first step toward the asphalt.” Once the paving starts, the wear layer will be applied in one, continuous, 24-hour paving to prevent having more than one seam in the asphalt, Stutzman said.

But before things got rolling full speed again, a drainage problem had to be solved. “The problem is when you draw up all the run-off area, off of the track will continue the same grade as the track surface itself,” said Stutzman. “Now what happens when you do it that way, which the FIM and the FIA and pretty much everybody really likes because you continue that same grade when you go off into the run-off area, the only problem is for the water for the drainage. Of course, the water wants to run down and right over the track surface then. That’s the problem with the engineering. If you get the drainage just right and to also make sure you can continue the run-off area the same degree as what you come off the track so there’s no big drop or sudden uphill. That’s always the problem is finding that compromise between the two of those conditions. It’s the hardest thing to do.”

The timing between the latest construction delay and Rausch Creek’s press release saying that they were seeking “major track sponsorship” led some concerned parties to wonder if the privatly-funded track had run into financial difficulties.

“Basically what the sponsorship, or equity partner whomever that may be whether it’s a company or an individual, is basically gonna get us a jump start on getting the hotels and getting the garage building built,” said Stutzman. “Basically, we’re set with the funds that we have to put the track in itself and the paddock area. What I would like to do, because we are a little behind now because of the construction and things, I would like to get some of that money together to get the building built, get the control tower in, run as short a period of time as we can with the temporary buildings, and get the permanent things up and ready to go. We’ll be okay with the track surface itself and the paddock area, but with the possibility of an AMA Superbike race next year, it would be nice to have some more of the ammenities in place right away. That’s what we’re searching for.

“Also, another part of it is we’re looking to build…we’re considering the main racing circuit here the North track. We want to build a South track that would connect to the North. Because there’s so much interest in this area for motorsports, we could easily book two tracks at the same time on different track days and such. We’re just looking at the quicker we can get that South track built, the more revenue we can bring in right away. With the amount of different bike clubs and car clubs and everything else that’s around there’s definitely demand out there for a two-track system you know kind of like VIR (Virginia International Raceway) has. You can connect it all as one, if you ever wanted something that large, or you have the one
circuit that’s your primary racing circuit then your other circuit is your track day, lapping day kind of thing.

“We’ve briefly been speaking with an organization, I guess you could call them a broker, that goes out and searchs. They match up companies with sponsors and put deals together. This one group we’ve just started to look at, they do a lot of NASCAR packages. So that’s intresting. Not that we’re looking for any kind of NASCAR events here, but as far as marketing goes, NASCAR has done the best job of anybody in the motorsports business of the last 10 or 20 years getting together what they’ve got going right now. I can’t name (the organization) as of yet. We haven’t signed the agreement to officially start together. But hopefully we’ll get that nailed down, and they can start going through the contract negotiations so that we can get that hammered out. They are a company that’s been very active in NASCAR. We’ve taken a look at that, and it’s kind of unparalleled.

“Pirelli has shown some interest in getting on the bridge. We’re going to have a pedestrian bridge here. So we’ve kind of just started to get some interest back on that. I was excited to see Pirelli, being I guess their local office is here in Pennsylvania, so that’s nice to see local companies take interest in it.”

Stutzman added that he will racing his Honda CBR600F4i in the WERA National Endurance race at VIR Friday, June 15. “I don’t get out to race very much anymore. So when I go, I’m going to get all of the track time that I can,” said Stutzman.