This press release just in from American Honda:

“Honda Racing goes Hollywood as Universal Studios does a mummy-makeover on race
teams

“Honda Racing’s primary team sponsor, Universal Studios, will showcase their latest feature-length film, The Mummy Returns,with special bike and rider graphics at Las Vegas’s (sic) AMA Supercross and Sears Point’s AMA Superbike road race on May 5-6.

“The Mummy Returns, the latest in the series of motion picture adventures begun in the 1999 worldwide smash The Mummy,will be released in theaters nationwide on May 4, 2001.

“Team Honda’s Sebastien Tortelli and Miguel Duhamel will join in The Mummy Returns excitement. Tortelli’s specially designed uniform and CR250R–emblazoned with gold scorpions–will be the highlight at Round 16 of the AMA/EA Sports Supercross Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday, May 5. Road racing fans will enjoy Duhamel’s striking black and gold uniform and RC51 at Round 2 of the AMA/Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship at Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma, California on Sunday, May 6.

“The innovative, feature-length motion picture and motorsports promotion is one of several collaborations resulting from American Honda’s multi-year partnership with Universal Studios Consumer Products Group (USCPG). Announced in November 2000, the sponsorship agreement also features Universal Studios’ animated character Woody Woodpecker as Team Mascot for both the Honda Motocross Racing Team and the Honda Road Racing Team.

“With the launch of The Mummy Returns,Universal Studios becomes the primary theme sponsor for both the Sears Point Superbike road race and the Las Vegas Supercross. This is the first of four such sponsorships in 2001 and 2002 in which Universal Studios films will be showcased with special designs on the bodywork and uniform of a selected Honda motocross rider and road racing rider.

“Universal Studios represents the merchandising and promotional rights to the Honda Racing Team riders, including jointly developed designs, such as The Mummy Returns Honda Racing promotion.

“Later this summer, Jurassic Park III–the third chapter of one of the most successful film franchises in Universal Studios’ history–will be highlighted with special graphics for Nicky Hayden and his RC51 Superbike at Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, California and Ezra Lusk and his CR250R motocrosser at Red Bud, Michigan.”

By Glenn LeSanto

YZF-R6 Yamahas finished first and second in the Supersport World Championship race at Sugo, Japan Sunday, Paolo Casoli winning and Jorg Teuchert finishing second. Andrew Pitt was third on a Kawasaki.

Belgarda Yamaha’s Casoli topped off a perfect weekend with the win in the third round of the Supersport World Championship Series. Pole sitter Casoli led the race from start to finish, neatly avoiding the mayhem behind him, to close the gap on Championship leader, Pere Riba, to 11 points. Riba finished fourth on his Ten Kate Honda CBR600F4i, while Kevin Curtain, who had been tied with Riba on points going into the race, slipped into second place in the table after finishing down in sixth place.

The hapless Jamie Whitham was one of the days many DNFs, although this time he didn’t crash but was forced out of third place with an electrical problem. Reigning Supersport World Champion Teuchert’s second-place finish hauled him up the Championship table to fifth in points.

Several riders crashed, many of them on the exit of turn two, including Bontempi, who was running second when he fell on lap 13.

Australian Pitt finished third for the second time in two weeks and held onto his fourth-place in the Championship points. Second-place finisher at Phillip Island, Adam Fergusson, was unhurt when he fell on lap five.

Casoli was obviously pleased with his weekend’s work. “It’s been a great weekend and today has been fantastic,” said Casoli. “I got a good start and despite suffering from chatter from the front end I just got my head down and concentrated on winning the race.”

The riders now fly home to prepare for the next round, Casoli’s home race, in Monza on May 13.

Results follow:

1. Paolo Casoli, Italy, Yamaha
2. Jorg Teuchert, Germany, Yamaha
3. Andrew Pitt, Australia, Kawasaki
4. Pere Riba, Spain, Honda
5. Karl Muggeridge, Australia, Suzuki
6. Kevin Curtain, Australia, Honda
7. Fabrizio Pirovano, Italy, Suzuki
8. Fabien Fouret, France, Honda
9. Christian Kellner, Germany, Yamaha
10. Iain MacPherson, UK, Kawasaki

By Glenn LeSanto

Troy Corser took the Superbike World Championship points lead by finishing second in the first race at Sugo Sports Land, in Japan Sunday.

Corser finished second behind race winner Makoto Tamada and was the only non-Japanese rider in the top five.

Corser now leads Troy Bayliss in points, 112 to 99. Colin Edwards is third with 77, followed by Ben Bostrom with 61 and Gregorio Lavilla with 55 points.

Japanese wild card rider Tamada kept up the relentless pace he’s shown all weekend in Sugo with a win in race one. Meanwhile Corser, who grabbed the holeshot on his Axo Aprilia, only to be passed by Tamada on lap four, settled for second place and the Championship points lead. After a strong start, which saw him enter the first turn right on Corser’s tail, Ben Bostrom dropped back to finish in ninth. Ducati Corse’s miserable weekend continued as Troy Bayliss finished in 13th place and lost his Championship lead to Corser. The first Ducati home was the semi-privateer GSE Ducati 996RS ridden by Briton Neil Hodgson.

Corser managed to hold off an early challenge from the reigning All-Japan Superbike Champion Hitoyasu Izutsu on his factory Kawasaki ZX-7RR.

Afterward the race Corser declared himself satisfied with the result, particularly as it meant he took the Championship lead by a 13-point margin over Bayliss. “I got a perfect start,” explained Corser. “But then I missed a gear going into the chicane and that allowed Tamada-San the time he needed to get by me. After that I knew it would be crazy to try to keep up with him–he had much better drive than me out of the chicane where I was spinning the rear badly.”

Reigning world champion Colin Edwards had to endure being passed by young British rider James Toseland on the GSE Ducati. When asked what the problem was immediatly after the race, Edwards declined to comment, but his face said it all, as did his lap times–he wasn’t pleased! Toseland, on the other hand, was grinning from ear-to-ear as he got changed out of his leathers after the race. “I could see I was catching him fast and got my head down, I was determined to pass him,” beamed the 20-year-old from Yorkshire, England.

Later Edwards calmed down and said of his problems, “I made a mess of the start and ended up being boxed in at the first corner but after that I just struggled for rear grip. Getting any response from the rear of the machine was impossible. If I tried to turn into a corner the rear would come around, if I tried to get the power on the rear came around. All we can do is consider what changes we can make for the second race but I’m ready to do something drastic.”


Race results follow:

1. Makoto Tamada, Japan, Honda, 37:45.090
2. Troy Corser, Australia, Aprilia, 37:49.180
3. Hitoyasu Izutsu, Japan,, Kawasaki, 37:52.758
4. Shinichi Itoh, Japan, Honda, 37:57.207
5. Akira Ryo, Japan, Suzuki, 37:57.521
6. Gregorio Lavilla, Spain, Kawasaki, 38:03.769
7. Neil Hodgson, UK, Ducati, 38:04.181
8. Pierfrancesco Chili, Italy, Suzuki, 38:04.334
9. Ben Bostrom, USA, Ducati, 38:10.098
10. Wataru Yoshikawa, Japan, Yamaha, 38:10.397
11. James Toseland, UK, Ducati, 38:21.098
12. Colin Edwards, USA, Honda, 38:23.731
13. Troy Bayliss, Australia, Ducati, 38:24.575
14. Regis Laconi, France, Aprilia, 38:24.445
15. Stephane Chambon, France, Suzuki, 38:27.421

Cabin Honda’s Makoto Tamada continued his domination of the Sugo round of the Superbike World Championship again Saturday. So far he’s been fastest in all practice and qualifying sessions and he capped his performance with a faultless Superpole to claim pole for Sunday’s race.

Tamada-San was the only rider in Superpole to dip under the 1:29 second mark with a time of 1:28.797, a fraction slower than his qualifying session time of 1:28.658. After Superpole he modestly dismissed his performance, saying “The time is slower than the fastest lap here in the All Japan Superbikes last year, so it is not that good, really.” It might not have been fast enough to win an All Japan race but he’s on target for a World Superbike race win, or even a double, if his form continues on race day.

Second on the grid is last year’s double World Superbike winner at Sugo, Kawasaki rider Hitoyasu Izutsu, who turned a lap in 1:29.203 to edge out the fastest World Superbike regular, Troy Corser. Of course, Izutsu is a semi-regular; he’s already competed in both the Valencia and Phillip Island rounds. The All-Japan Superbike series is yet to start but Izutsu, who plans to do more rounds in the World Superbike series, admitted it will be hard competing in both.

Corser’s third on the grid came with a respectable time of 1:29.417 in Superpole and he was philosophical about the local domination of the meeting so far. “It’s been a long time since a non-Japanese rider has won here,” Corser pointed out. “Tamada-San is very fast but with other regular riders struggling I am happy to get as many points as possible here for the Championship.”

Ben Bostrom and Neil Hodgson dug Ducati out of what has been a difficult weekend so far by qualifying fourth and sixth respectively in Superpole. Tamada’s teammate Shinichi Itoh was fifth-fastest, with Akira Yanagawa seventh. World Champion Colin Edwards completed row two in eighth.

Title leader Troy Bayliss and Infostrada teammate Ruben Xaus both failed to make the Superpole cut, which is limited to the 16th fastest riders in regular qualifying. When asked about what is obviously an embarrassment to the factory Ducati team, manager Davide Tardozzi said, “It is a disaster! This is the first time the team has missed the Superpole. We are trying to understand what the problems are, which are mainly tire problems. We have a meeting later today (Saturday) to try and solve the difficulties. Troy Bayliss is half-a-second slower than last year, and that was his first year on the bike and on Michelin tires. The bike is better, Troy is better, so I can’t understand the problems.”

Whatever Tardozzi and the Ducati team’s problems are, it seems Bostrom and Hodgson may already have sorted out theirs; Bostrom qualified for Superpole in 14th position so to take a front-row start was a great leap forward for him. The same applies to Hodgson, who was provisional ninth going into Superpole so improved by three places.

It will be a difficult race for the regulars on Sunday, but Troy Corser must be the favorite to break the local domination at the moment.

Final World Superbike Superpole times:
1. Makoto Tamada, Japan, Honda, 1:28.797
2. Hitoyasu Izutsu, Japan, Kawasaki, 1:29.203
3. Troy Corser, Australia, Aprilia, 1:29.417
4. Ben Bostrom, USA, Ducati, 1:29.510
5. Shinichi Itoh, Japan, Honda, 1:29.548
6. Neil Hodgson, GB, Ducati, 1:29.634
7. Akira Yanagawa, Japan, Kawasaki, 1:29.755
8. Colin Edwards, USA, Honda, 1:29.803
9. Tamaki Serizawa, Japan, Kawasaki, 1:29.880
10.Akira Ryo, Japan, Suzuki, 1:30.020

By Steve Reeves

Robbie Baird set the fastest time on a Radar’s Team Yamaha YZF-R1 to secure pole position for this weekend’s Yamaha Formula Xtreme event, held at Sydney’s Oran Park Raceway.

Baird set a best time of 1:11.729 around the 2.62-kilometer (1.63-mile) Narrellan circuit, 0.254-second second quicker than New Zealand’s Tony Rees on the Bikebiz Yamaha YZF-R1.

Yamaha YZF-R1s dominated qualifying and took the top five positions of the grid, with Damian
Cudlin (Bikebiz Yamaha, 1:12.217) and the Radar’s Team Yamaha pair of Jamie Stauffer (1:12.246) and Craig Coxhell (1:12.292), trailing the top two.

Baird, who currently leads the 2001 Yamaha Xtreme Tri-State Series, is quietly confident of increasing his points lead overall this weekend.

“I would have liked to have done a bit more testing and spent a bit more time on the bike before we got here, but so far things have worked out well,” said Baird. “The changes that they have made to the bottom of the straight where the new pits are going in has meant that the line and speed through turn one is much different to before. It will definitely make things interesting at that part of the track. For tomorrow, I’ll be looking for a good, clean start so that I can keep out of any trouble that may occur behind me and get the best results that I can to add to the points lead that I’ve got at present.”

Stauffer had an uneventful day, but made steady progress with the YZF-R1 and is looking forward to tomorrow’s four 9-lap sprints.

“It took a while to get the bike set up for this track as it is quite a bit bumpy in places, but I’ve got onto the front row, so that’s a better starting place than where I was at Eastern Creek in February,” said Stauffer. “The aim in qualifying was to get on the front row so that I could have every chance of being with the leaders from the start.”

Young Coxhell, 18, recovered from a fall in the opening qualifying session to finish with the fifth-fastest time for the Formula Xtreme class. He bruised his right foot and hip after highsiding at the tight right-hander before the run up onto the bridge, but will be fit for tomorrow’s racing.

“I’d been caught up with some slower riders and had just got a clear lap and was building up my speed when the rear just let go and flicked me over the top,” said Coxhell. “It was a pretty big crash, but I’m not happy that it happened so early in the session. I had to change over to the spare bike for the second session and I was happy with the time that I set, considering that I was trying not to make any more silly mistakes.”


Qualifying

1. Robbie Baird, Yamaha, 1:11.729
2. Tony Rees, Yamaha, 1:11.983
3. Damian Cudlin, Yamaha, 1:12.217
4. Jamie Stauffer, Yamaha, 1:12.246
5. Craig Coxhell, Yamaha, 1:12.292
6. Josh Brooks, Honda, 1:12.503
7. Graeme Morris, Suzuki, 1:12.653
8. Jay Taylor, Kawasaki, 1:12.754
9. Alex Gobert, Honda, 1:13.130
10. Luke Phillips, Honda, 1:13.410

According to a press release from the FIM, anti-doping control testing was carried out during the Grand Prix weekend at Suzuka, Japan. All the tested riders passed the test, with negative results for banned substances.

Those tested included 125cc riders Masao Azuma of Japan and Manuel Poggialli of Spain, along with 500cc riders Valentino Rossi of Italy, Kenny Roberts of the USA, and Shinya Nakano of Japan.

By Glenn LeSanto

Two teams dominate the front row for Sunday’s Supersport race in Sugo after a crash-infested final qualifying session Saturday afternoon, Japan time. Sharing the front row are teams Belgarda Yamaha and Ten Kate Honda. Pole sitter Paolo Casoli snatched his fastest time with 19 minutes of the session remaining, and was the only rider to dip below the 1:33 mark with a fastest lap at 1:32.913 on his YZF-R6 Yamaha.

Alongside him for tomorrow’s race will be Ten Kate rider Fabien Foret on his CBR600F4i with a time of 1:33.184. Third-fastest, and surprise front-row man was James Whitham, also on a Belgarda Yamaha. Not normally a good qualifier, Whitham headed the first half of the session and recorded a fastest lap of 1:33.194. Completing the front row is Foret’s Ten Kate Honda teammate –and current joint Championship points leader– Pere Riba. He finished the session with a best time of 1:33.337.


The session was peppered with crashes, many of them spectacular highsides, and was red-flagged three times. The first red flag was waved after Iain MacPherson’s Kawasaki blew up early in the proceedings, dumping oil onto the circuit. Then Italian Antonio Carlacci highsided his DFX Racing Ducati 748 causing the red flag to be waved again. The qualifying session was stopped for a third time when Japanese rider Osamu Deguchi also highsided, was hit by his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R600 and lay dazed on the track for a moment.

Fabrizio Pirovano was another faller late in the session, also highsiding his GSX-R600 and also being hit by his machine, although this time the red flag stayed down. While Pirovano and Carlacci escaped with cuts and bruises Japanese wild-card entrant Deguchi was detained in the medical center while doctors decided if he needed to be moved to the hospital for X-rays as this report was filed.



Supersport Final Qualifying times
Sugo, Japan


1. Paolo Casoli, Yamaha, 1:32.913

2. Fabien Foret, Honda, 1:33.184

3. James Whitham, Yamaha, 1:33.194

4. Pere Riba, Honda, 1:33.337

5. Pier Bontempi, Yamaha, 1:33.507

6. Fabrizio Pirovano, Suzuki, 1:33.514

7. Kevin Curtain, Honda, 1:33.523

8. Katsuaki Fujiwara, Suzuki, 1:33.623

9. Christian Kellner, Yamaha, 1:33.654

10. Jorg Teuchert,Yamaha, 1:33.768

With our Air Fence fund up over $104,000 and with negotiations with AMA in full swing over cooperative deployment, it’s time to designate new donations from this point on towards Air Fence for use at non-AMA races.

All contributors will still be listed in the contributor list, but additional donations pledged (as a result of our website postings) after 9:00 a.m. PDT Friday, April 27 will not be used for the purchase, transport, maintenance and deployment of Air Fence at AMA races. Instead, the additional money will be used to obtain and deploy Air Fence for the protection of racers at non-AMA events.

Many of the riders who compete at AMA races also compete in, for example, Formula USA races and WERA National Challenge races as well as at their home tracks.

And, as Metzeler/Pirelli’s Andreas Bronnen, himself a racer, points out, we need to protect all our racers and try to prevent all serious injuries, because “For me there is no difference if some guy gets killed in an AMA or CCS race,” such an event is equally tragic no matter what the sanctioning body.

So we’re continuing the Air Fence fund for the overall good of our racers nationwide, no matter what their sanction or affiliation.

Our first additional project will be to fund four sections of Air Fence for use in the turn at Texas World Speedway where Ryan Smith died two seasons ago, with use of the sections to be shared by CMRA and RPM when the Texas-based organizations hold races at Texas World.

Anyone who has already mailed a contribution we have not yet received, and who objects to the continuation of the Air Fence project with funds directed at non-AMA races and venues, should contact us for a complete refund. All funds received prior to this announcement will go towards the use of Air Fence at AMA events or at AMA-sanctioned events, or at events at which AMA officials wish to deploy Air Fence.

Direct questions/comments to [email protected]

By Glenn LeSanto

The Japanese round of the World Superbike Championship has one feature in common with the
British rounds, the local wild-card riders have their strongest showing of the year in both countries. Friday’s first timed practice sessions were true to this form with local hero Makato Tamada leading the charge on his Cabin Honda V-Twin. Makato, who was third in last years All-Japan Superbike series, headed the pack with a time of 1:28.658, a full second ahead of fellow
Japanese rider and Cabin Honda teammate Shinicho Ito, whose fastest lap was 1:29.650. The lap record for Sugo stands at 1:29.996, set by Hitoyasu Izutsu last year so Tamada is not hanging about. Ito was the All-Japan Superbike
champ in 1998 and won the Suzuka 8-Hours race the same year.

Upholding the honor of the World Superbike regulars is Troy Corser, third-fastest on Friday
afternoon at 1:29.666. The Australian might be disappointed to see that his Axo Aprilia, normally the bike to beat on top end, was trailing nearly 10 kph (6.2 mph)behind Tamada’s Honda. Corser’s top speed for the session was clocked at 226.6 kph (140.8 mph) against Tamada’s 230.2 kph (143.0 mph). Gregorio Lavilla, Colin Edwards, Neil Hodgson and Pierfrancesco Chili all made it into the top 10, which consisted of five regular and five wild-card riders.

Meanwhile, Japanese regular Tady Okada could only manage 12th-fastest on his Castrol Honda.

Tamada was obviously pleased with his performance today, and said “My time is almost one second faster than my previous best lap but we still have more work to do on set-up and we need to choose a tire for the race. I enjoy riding with the WSB riders although I find them a little wilder than the riders in the All-Japan championship.”

Cabin Honda team manager Nobuo Ono promised there
was more to come, “The All-Japan Championship hasn’t started yet,” explained Ono. “So this is our first race this year. For the Superpole the riders will show what they have done during the off season.”

British rider Neil Hodgson recorded the highest absolute top speed at 232.2 kph (144.3 mph) on his GSE Ducati, identical to the speed set by wild-card Akira Ryo on his GSX-R750. Colin Edwards was a fraction down on the pair at 231.7 kph (143.9 mph).

In sharp contrast to last weekend’s Phillip Island round, the weather at the track owned by Yamaha was perfect for racing, full-on sunshine with a cooling breeze.

Results
Timed Practice First Session (Friday):
1. M. Tamada, Japan, Honda 1:28.658
2. S. Ito, Japan, Honda 1:29.650
3. T. Corser, Australia, Aprilia 1:29.666
4. T. Serizawa, Japan, Kawasaki 1:29.738
5. G. Lavilla, Spain, Kawasaki 1:29.935
6. C. Edwards, USA, Honda 1:30.035
7. W. Yoshikawa, Japan, Yamaha 1:30.126
8. A. Ryo, Japan, Suzuki 1:30.151
9. N. Hodgson, GB, Ducati 1:30.164
10. P. Chili. ITA. Suzuki 1:30.176

New donations for our expanded fund-drive to raise money to deploy Air Fence at non-AMA races brought our grand total so far to $106,451.

When our Air Fence fund got up over $104,000 and with negotiations with AMA in full swing over cooperative deployment, we figured it was time to designate new donations towards Air Fence for use at non-AMA races.

All contributors will still be listed in the contributor list, but additional donations pledged (as a result of our website postings) after 9:00 a.m. PDT Friday, April 27 are not being used for the purchase, transport, maintenance and deployment of Air Fence at AMA races. Instead, the additional money is being used to obtain and deploy Air Fence for the protection of racers at non-AMA events.

Many of the riders who compete at AMA races also compete in, for example, Formula USA races and WERA National Challenge races as well as at their home tracks.

And, as Metzeler/Pirelli’s Andreas Bronnen, himself a racer, points out, we need to protect all our racers and try to prevent all serious injuries, because “For me there is no difference if some guy gets killed in an AMA or CCS race,” such an event is equally tragic no matter what the sanctioning body.

So we’re continuing the Air Fence fund for the overall good of our racers nationwide, no matter what their sanction or affiliation.

Our first additional project will be to fund four sections of Air Fence for use in the turn at Texas World Speedway where Ryan Smith died two seasons ago, with use of the sections (we hope) to be shared by CMRA and RPM when the Texas-based organizations hold races at Texas World.

Anyone who has already mailed a contribution we have not yet received, and who objects to the continuation of the Air Fence project with funds directed at non-AMA races and venues, should contact us for a complete refund. All funds received prior to April 27 at 9:00 a.m. PDT will go towards the use of Air Fence at AMA events or at AMA-sanctioned events, or at events at which AMA officials wish to deploy Air Fence.

Direct questions/comments to [email protected]

And now, on to new donations, headed up by $500 from Bob Holcomb, the father of Aprilia Cup Challenge racer Gus Holcomb. Donations of $200 came from Mostro.org/Jeffrey Fillmore, Jeff Bowis, Rich & Lynda Alexander/In Memory of Dirk Piz, and Nils Menton. A donation of $101 came from Chris Normand/Firestorm Racing, with $100 donations coming in from Chris Link/CMRA/In Memory of Jamie Bowman, Josh Steinberg, Broad Squad/CCS NE, Logan Young, and Bob & Sherrie Young. Racer Vito Dionisio/WERA BBS donated $75, Erica B. Smith & John F.X. Walsh together donated $55, Anthony D’Augusta donated $50 and Mike Henry donated $25.

That brings our new total to $106,451 raised in nine business days.

Erica B. Smith wrote with her donation:
“You are doing a wonderful thing. My husband and I decided we would rather spend the money on Air Fence than on renewing our AMA memberships. So the check’s in the mail for $55, the amount of my full AMA membership and my husband’ associate membership.”

Catherine Sorbo, wife of racer Ed Sorbo, wrote (with her previous donation):
“Hello! I am writing this memo to give you little feedback, from a racer’s wife’s vantage point. As a matter of courtesy I am copying this memo to Ron Barrick, Roadracing World and Ed Sorbo (my husband/racer).

“I understand everyone is concerned about safety issues, and everyone wants to make things better, yet it seems there is a standoff between some folks. You see, I look at the AMA, racers and Roadracing World as organizations, made from groups of individuals, instead of the big picture, as individual people vote/make decisions, not organizations or their icons. I want to stress my understanding that rider safety is a highly emotional subject with strong feelings on all sides, as I would never want to entertain the thought that decision-makers would compromise safety, to save a dollar; or use rider safety in a barter for some other idea that one would want to see to fruition. I believe you can make things happen, when everyone on a team has the same goal.

“Personally, if I were the leader of a team and safety was a priority, only individuals with safety as a priority would be on my team, as anyone with an agenda differing would ultimately be voting to harm someone. I am correct in assuming that safety is a priority, right?

“I know that individuals can become the ‘whipping boys’ when problems and concerns arise. I believe you could all accomplish a great deal more if you kept personalities and personal feelings out of the way (if there are differences). Issues and concerns must not become grudge matches or opportunities to take cheap shots at someone. It should be an opportunity to increase safety awareness and embrace the spirit of camaraderie within the racing organization (the amount of money raised for Air Fence, in such a short time, speaks volumes!).

“The communication breakdown is not between organizations, it is between individuals; and this breakdown is affecting the safety of the men and women, who get on the tracks to race; and most of all depend on the wise and thoughtful decisions of individuals, to ensure the safety of all racers. I know the AMA, as an organization, places a great deal of importance on the relationship it has with its racing members, yet somehow it seems to not be working very well. In the light of this situation it is easy to forget the times you have worked hard to solve a problem or deal with a concern, taking the guff from whoever, yet continuing to do your best, as I know you will concerning this issue (I understand your position because mine is similar, yet on a much smaller scale).

“When racers become upset, they will first complain about the programs and services they are (not) receiving, then they quit depending on the AMA for assistance, then they start forming associations outside of the AMA and try to get things done, which will further weaken the relationship, thus the relationship becomes very adversarial. Judging by the number of people who have donated to the Air Fence Fund, one can clearly see the priority of motorcycle racing fans and racers versus the AMA organization.

“I know that John Ulrich/Roadracing World created the Air Fence Fund out of frustration, compassion and concern, with rider safety as his number one priority, nothing more. John Ulrich/RW kept his nose to the grindstone and he did what he needed to do, to get this program going. Besides raising enough money, it has generated many conversations concerning safety; and maybe within one of those conversations a rider learned a lesson or two regarding safety, thus preventing a mishap down the road.

“We should all be thankful that John Ulrich/RW took action and got the program going. I, for one, am grateful beyond words. This could be a wonderful opportunity for all concerned and chance to work together, towards a great relationship, benefiting all sides. I also know that the AMA has had to deal with a lot of Bull (uh, droppings?) from RW, at times, yet it has always been in an effort to try and make things better for those at risk of losing something needlessly. This can be a good thing, because if someone cares enough to speak up about important issues, you can get honest perspectives, rather than people-pleasing answers. Then you can get a team together to work toward possible solutions. To me, this is how business is done, looking at all sides, even the uncomfortable and not so fun sides of an issue, then learning and growing, together. Everyone and their opinion is valuable and I do my best to incorporate everyone’s ideas and concerns, even if they seem a bit outlandish at first. To me, it not who had the idea first, or who did the best job getting it done, it’s the benefits of the end result. I’ll bet you a nickel that is how the AMA organization started.

“Please, please, please understand that the above is my personal opinion, based on the fact my husband is a racer and I want him to be as safe as humanly possible to enjoy his passion, with the least amount of frustrations. I am motivated to voice my concerns because Ed’s safety is my number one priority, because before he is Eddie the Racer, he is Eddie the Husband! If there is anything you can humanly do to increase his safety, I know you will get beyond the ‘politics’ and get things done. Thank you very much, in advance, for taking care of all the riders and the people who love them and the people who come out and watch them.

“Kindest regards, Eddie the Racer’s wife,
“Catherine Sorbo

“PS: Plus, the more people see racing with the AMA as the safest way to go, then more racers will race, then more people will watch, then more people will join, then more people will buy products, then the bottom line just becomes bigger, with less effort, then everyone is happy! Okay, I will get off my soapbox and go to work. 🙂 Thank you again for taking the time to read this memo/novel. Guess it is obvious how much this racer’s wife cares! Of course we are donating to the Air Fence Fund, $150.”



The updated list of contributions now reads:
Erik Buell/Buell Motorcycle Company $5800
Trent Thompson/Paramount Racing $5000
Anonymous $4725
Dynojet Research $3200
Steve Brubaker/Race Tire Service $3000
John Ulrich/Roadracing World $2900
Aprilia USA $2900
American Suzuki Motor Corp. $2900
Ducati North America $2900
Jonathan Glaefke $2900
Susie and Bruce Meyers/BCM Racing Ducati $2900
Wegman Benefit Fund/Gordon Lunde Sr. $2900
Performance Machine $2900
Dunlop Motorcycle Tire Co. $2900
Max McAllister/Traxxion Dynamics $2900
Wendell Phillips/Lockhart Phillips $2500
Advanced Motor Sports/In Memory of Dirk Piz $2000
L.A. Bikers/labiker.org $1810
Dennis Smith/Sport Tire Services $1500
Marc Salvisberg/Factory Pro Tuning $1450
Bob Dragich/Roadracing World $1450
Fred Renz/Yoyodyne $1450
WERA Motorcycle Roadracing $1450
Bob Blandford/N.E. Sportbike Assn. $1100
Chuck Warren/Arclight Suzuki $1000
Jim Rashid/4&6 Cycle $1000
Scott Willock $1000
Don Emde/In Memory of Cal Rayborn $1000
Jason Pridmore’s Star Motorcycle School $1000
Mark E. Dobeck/Techlusion Performance Group $1000
G.M.D. Computrack Network $1000
California Superbike School $1000
Tachyon Racing/Tachyon Sports Injury Research Foundation $1000
Intrepid Café Racers $775
Yoshimura Racing $750
Team Daemon Racing $600
Don Lemelin/Scuderia West $500
Kevin Erion/Erion Racing $500
Pinky’s Pizza of Walnut Creek $500
Doug Gonda $500
Jerry Wood/Penguin School $500
Mike Canfield/Chandelle Motorsports $500
Jim Davis/J6 Racing/In Memory of Dirk Piz $500
Brooks Gremmels/Shogun Motorsports $500
Jim Di Salvo/Alien Racing $500
Dale Kieffer/Racers Edge Performance $500
The Plummer Menapace Group $500
Bill St. John/Project Monza $400
Jon Rust $400
Jerry Jirkovsky $330
Richard Hood/Reptillian Racing $300
Edward S. Siccardi, Jr. $300
Dan Fischer/Copier1.com $300
David Finniff $300
Marietta Motorsports $300
Brendan Guy $300
Dean Scarpa $300
Anonymous $300
Kurtis Roberts $300
James Siddall/World Sports/Corbin Grand Prix $300
Scott Fisher/Fisher Technical Services $250
Chris Pyles & Beth Walters $250
Peter Hively $250
Brian Mitchell $250
Al Ludington $250
Tim Simpson $250
Spectrum Motorsports/VJB Racing $250
David Roy, Ducati N. America $250
Debbie Roy/Frenotec $250
Joshua Hayes $250
Gina Nadeau $250
Jeannne Pyles $250
John Ross/Ross Racing $250
Papa Thiam/WERA BBS $200
Bill Capshaw/ICE Motorsports $200
Scott Decker $200
Terry Embury $200
Jim “Dutch” MacKenzie/WERA BBS $200
Scott Jenkins/Desmoto-sport $200
Cliff Nobles $200
Aaron Yates $200
Jodie York/RPM Cycles Ventura/WSMC #11 $200
Mostro.org/Jeffrey Fillmore $200
Jeff Bowis $200
Rich & Lynda Alexander/In Memory of Dirk Piz $200
Nils Menton $200
MZ Scorpion Cup Racers $175
Chris Kelley/California Cycleworks $150
Robb Mc Elroy $150
Tim Chin/Team Bandit $150
Ed & Catherine Sorbo $150
Damon Buckmaster $150
Chris Hamilton/Grand Prix Direct $150
Jim Williams/13x.com $125
David Boosales/WERA BBS $125
Mike Brown/Team 222 $125
Chris Normand/Firestorm Racing $101
Pat Stricker $100
Gary Rand $100
Michael Roberson/WERA BBS $100
Sean Jordan/WERA BBS $100
Army of Darkness $100
Stuart Gregg $100
Pinky’s Pizza/Lippman Racing $100
Bob Szoke $100
TyrSox $100
Ron West/Omzig Productions $100
Joe Facer $100
Preston Rash $100
Geoff Maloney/GP Tech $100
Melissa Berkoff/Neighbor Of The Beast $100
Caesar Gonzales/WERA BBS $100
Dorina Groves $100
Dorina Groves $100/In Memory of Jamie Bowman $100
Philip Rusin/RC51.net $100
Allen “Spence” Spencer $100
Matt Wadsworth $100
Dean N. De St. Croix $100
Tony Tugwell/TZ250.com $100
Bart Fuqua/Team LGC $100
Brian Stokes/Marietta Motorsports $100
Chris “Opie” Caylor/Marietta Motorsports $100
David McElvain/NEDoD $100
Ned “Peanut” Brown/NESBA/TPM $100
Vance Hacecky $100
Patrick Mee $100
Dave and Jason Parker $100
Paul Kingsburgh/RC45.net $100
Lucky Deleoni $100
Tom Drumm $100
David Brown $100
Steve Moonitz $100
Jake Swan $100
Chris Story $100
Chris Eklund $100
Randy Ball/WERA BBS $100
Mark Hellvig $100
Gary Schilling/On Time Racing/WERA BBS $100
Steve Sumner $100
Laura Granato/WERA BBS $100
Norm Viano/Lawdog Sports Mgmt $100
Kevin Jordan/Jordan Motorsports $100
Val Gregory/In Memory of Dirk Piz $100
Dave Gess $100
Rob Berlind $100
Paul Black $100
Steve Hewitt $100
Mike Ciccotto $100
Tripp Nobles $100
Scott Rehl $100
Steve & Lorraine Aledort $100
Jeff Rozycki/29dreams.com Racing $100
Chris Ulrich/In Memory of Russ Paulk And Toby Jorgensen $100
Giorgio Milesi/Galfer Brakes USA $100
Al Lyons/CMRRA $100
Linda Hopkins $100
John Hopkins/In Memory of Jamie Bowman and Toby Jorgensen $100
Vicky&Michael Menard $100
Silvia Salenius/Ducati.net Online $100
HG Racing/AMA Pro Thunder $100
Red Fox Racing $100
Greg Ruffin $100
John Donald/PTC Racing $100
Larry Pegram $100
Pamela Skaff/WERA BBS $100
J.D. Hord/Meccanica Corse Racing $100
Mark Sutton $100
Steve Scott/LRRS#47 $100
Eric Putter $100
Jim Doerfler $100
Ira Englebardt $100
Joe & Nancy Fenech $100
Earl Hayden $100
Chuck Sorensen $100
D&D Thrush Farms $100
Jeff Wilson/American Suzuki $100
Adam Vella/Webcrush Racing $100
Chuck Gault/Motobama $100
Gary Longren $100
Stephan Hottenrott $100
David Kunzelman $100
C.R. “Critter” Gittere/WERA BBS $100
John Light/Lightsmith Racing $100
Ken & Arlene Block (Ed Sorbo’s Mom) $100
Chris Link/CMRA/In Memory of Jamie Bowman $100
Josh Steinberg $100
Broad Squad/CCS NE $100
Logan Young $100
Bob & Sherrie Young $100
Tyson Kamp $75
Vito Dionisio/WERA BBS $75
Erica B. Smith & John F.X. Walsh $55
Max Buxton/NEDoD $50
Nelo Hakola $50
Tyler Sandell $ 50
David J. Kopfinger $ 50
Aaron Loyd $50
Martin Voelker $50
Steve Hopkins $50
Louis DeBlois $50
Leigh Taunton/EMGO $50
Randy Sinisi $50
Danny Hull $50
Team Skidmark Racing $50
Ryan Meskimen/WERA BBS $50
Erik Astrup $50
Paul Zavada $50
James Greeson/WERA BBS $50
Victor Mokler $50
Steve Clark/J. Guthridge/Tight Squeeze Racing $50
Nate Olsen $50
Anthony Moey $50
Dustin Miller $50
Jim Frost/NEDoD $50
Steve Martinez $50
Jason Temme/Serpent Racing $50
Mike Hodgson/WERA BBS $50
Chris Borre/Motorcycleroadracer.com $50
Richard Barker/AIM/In Memory of Dirk Piz $50
Mike Reish/Reish Dot Net $50
Kenyon Kluge/K2 Racing $50
Darin Nichols/Team Unit $50
Richard Davis $50
Allen Lyon/Ducati.net Online $50
Eric H. Mathy $50
Steve Breckenridge $50
Jim Race/Speaksy Racing $50
James Aragon $50
James Hayton/Kochenbaulz Racing/WERA BBS $50
Anthony D’Augusta $50
Don Moody $35
Lindsey Leard $30
Dave Deggendorf/WERA BBS $30
Steve Sturm/Squidvision Racing $30
George Gervasi/Projekt9 Racing $30
Bob Elam $30
The Heidepriems/WERA BBS $30
Kimberly Scheffel/rider/race fan/pit keeper $30
Greg Gabis $29
Ripley Howe $29
Mark Hatten/Meccanica Corse Racing $29
Ted Angle $25
Susanne Hopkins $25
Nolan Ballew $25
Josh Loberant $25
Charles Tomes $25
Jon DeMent $25
Timothy Wilson $25
Mark Novak $25
Rene Ferron $25
Sean Patrick Brisini $25
Richard Korol $25
Eric and Christine Loranger $25
Dee Moses $25
Kyle Kirschenmann/Bayou Riders of Louisiana $25
Marc Asmus $25
Mike Henry $25
S.C. Pittman $20
Jamieson D. Yonker $20
Garret Swearingen $20
Darrin Zumbaum $20

To pledge a contribution, call Roadracing World at (800) 464-8336 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time, when operators will be standing by. Credit cards accepted. Pledges can also be made by e-mailing [email protected]. Make checks payable to Roadracing World. Money raised will be used for buying Air Module/Air Fence sections, as well as for deployment expenses and for shipping, tax and import duties.