Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

From an e-mail from Greg Esser:

“After 15 long weeks, I got this cast off July 23rd. So I will be at VIR to try to ride. I should have enough movement to shift and ride well enough to enjoy racing again.

“I used crutches the first day the cast was removed, but since then have been walking and riding my bicycle. As the day goes along, it does swell quite a bit. So I will have to be careful of that. By next week, it should be even better and that’s what I am hoping for.

“I’ll see you there on Thursday (August 8).

“Greg Esser”


Editorial Note: Esser, 42, crashed his Honda RS250 during the AMA event at California Speedway in April. Esser broke his left ankle badly, and doctors initially told Esser that he would never ride again.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The Clayton Memorial Foundation did not pay Scott Russell $20,000 toward his medical bills and did contribute money to the late Toby Jorgensen’s family despite specific rumors to the contrary, the Foundation’s Judy Klinger said.

Apparently unfounded rumors are flying about the Foundation’s activities prior to a fund-raising “Pit Daddy” racer beauty pageant scheduled for August 11 during the AMA National weekend at Virginia International Raceway.

Klinger said that the Foundation, which has non-profit status, has distributed over $300,000 to injured riders and their families since it was established.

More information is available from the Clayton Foundation at (714) 751-7433.


This just in from Clayton Memorial Foundation, Inc. Secretary/Treasurer Judy Klinger:

“Thank you for researching and verifying these recent rumors. Please find on the following pages a list of injured motorcycle racers that have received financial aid from the Clayton Memorial Foundation. The list is public information, but to protect the privacy of our recipients we do not publicize every time we help someone.

“Each injured racer has submitted an application to the Clayton Memorial Foundation and each application is reviewed by all Board Members. Every case is different and treated as such.

“On January 25, 2000, we did indeed help the Jorgensen family with the maximum amount allowed by our guidelines when a death occurs. Scott Russell did submit an application, his application was not approved for financial aid, but was approved as a loan. Scott never returned the contract. End of story!

“I also understand that there is a rumor going around that we denied help to the Will Davis family. That is also not true, there has never been an application submitted by his family. It is not the policy of this foundation to approach injured motorcycle racers. At that time, we do not know their financial/insurance situations, therefore, for their privacy we do not invade.

“The Clayton Memorial Foundation was established to help motorcycle racers that have unfortunately been injured while competing in a sanctioned event, sanctioned by a bona fide sanctioning body. We are a non-profit charity, classified as 501(c)(3). The tax identification number is 33-0269409.

“The Clayton Memorial Foundation Board of Directors are very proud of the financial aid we have given to 59 injured racers since 1992. To date the total amount disbursed is $301,586.91. The Board is also proud to say that almost 100% of all donations go directly to injured racers, we are very fortunate to have Cycle News cover all of our administrative expenses. Not many charities can say that.

“It is very unfortunate that some people in the motorcycle racing industry like to stir up trouble even for a charity.”


(Klinger included a printout detailing donations made to 59 injured racers, with $2000 distributed in 1992; $10,000 distributed in 1993; $2000 distributed in 1994; $5000 distributed in 1995; $5000 distributed in 1996; $24,500 distributed in 1997; $17,525 distributed in 1998; $86,232 distributed in 1999; $55,500 distributed in 2000; $35,829.91 distributed in 2001; and $58,000 distributed year-to-date in 2002.)

From a press release:

Kcraget Makes It 4 Straight Wins With Another Bullet At Virginia International Raceway in 125GP National

VIR Win Makes Kcraget the 2002 Eastern Regional Champion & Favorite for the 2002 USGPRU 125GP National Championship October 4-5 at Virginia International Raceway

Sunday July 28, 2002 – In true Rossi-esque style, Speedwerks & NESBA’s Brian Kcraget took his fourth-straight win in the Eastern region of the USGPRU 125GP National Championship. Brian rode his Phil Dodd-tuned Honda RS125 to a convincing win making him the undefeated 2002 Eastern Region Champion with 125 total points, the maximum possible in the USGPRU Regional Championship. With the National Championship Final scheduled for October 4-5 at VIR Brian could make this a storybook season with an undefeated record in ’02.

The fourth round of the USGPRU 125GP National Championship began with practice Friday morning at VIR. Many west-coast riders had trekked across the country to VIR to learn the track and prepare for the USGPRU Final scheduled for October at the same venue. Most were worn and tired from cross country flights or the long 3000+ mile haul, but by the afternoon nearly two-dozen 125GP machines were on the track preparing for the Sunday event.

“Most of the California racers arrived for Friday practice but the long haul created gremlins forcing everyone to work on their bikes [that morning], so by the time I got out [it was] for afternoon practice, we were all basically going out on the track for the first time together,” said John Rabasa.

Saturday practice began with two casualties when both Bill Clery and 16-year-old Joe Ford both crashed in separate incidents. Bill was out for the weekend with a broken left clavicle but Joe Ford’s spectacular end-over-end crash left him shaken but unhurt.

This week’s win was not without incident for Kcraget as he seized his engine in near-100-degree heat during qualifying and was high-sided mid-corner at high speed.

Second through sixth place had all qualified within 1 second of each other but despite the get-off Brian was on pole having put in the day’s fastest qualifying lap on the previous lap, he was the only rider to record times in the 1:35s. Phil and Brian worked furiously to re-assemble the bike in time and as final call was made Brian was there on the grid to try and extend his winning streak.

Unfazed by his crash in qualifying Brain took an early lead and was never challenged.

California rider John Rabasa recalls, “By the halfway mark [of the thirteen lap event] riders began to notice the heat and humidity. I’ve raced in heat before, but not this much humidity. I was breathing heavily under my helmet while under full tuck… breathing all that hot, humid air was not helping this old man! We pulled into the pits for the normal post-race weigh-in after [the race]. I parked, pulled my leathers down, collapsed on someone’s chair in the shade and watched another gallon of sweat dripping off my body. I WAS EXHAUSTED!.”

Second place was the battle of the day as Stewart Aitken-Cade, Ryan Andrews, Scott Moxie and Steve Genter fought throughout the race swapping positions more times than anyone could count.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Annandale Racing has announced a deal that will see the team race Hondas in the 2003 AMA Supersport and Formula Xtreme Championships.

“We submitted a proposal to Chuck Miller (American Honda Racing Team Manager) at Laguna Seca,” said Anna Johnston, the Anna in Annandale Racing, in a July 29 telephone call to Roadracingworld.com, “and he came back with a proposal for us at Mid-Ohio. The whole team has worked so hard for this. We’re very excited!”

Johnston said that Jeff Haney and Freddie Spencer were instrumental in making the contacts needed to put together the deal, which will result in American Honda providing enough bikes and parts for two riders, including current Annandale rider Ty Howard.

Howard is currently 11th in AMA Superstock and 12th in AMA Supersport point standings in his first full year of AMA racing.

Johnston’s team will now be known as Annandale Honda Racing. “But we’re still looking for an outside-industry sponsor,” said Johnston. “We’re hoping that our new factory support will help attract a sponsor that wants to replace the Annandale in the team name with their own.”

Johnston says that talks with all three major tire manufacturers – Pirelli, Michelin and Dunlop – and talks with current crew members are ongoing and will hopefully be sorted out by the end of the AMA season finale at VIR August 9-11.

Aside from impressive results for a privately-owned, rookie AMA team and running racebikes in bright orange colors, Annandale Racing’s main claim to fame has been the fact that the team employs four, full-time, female crew members. Johnston said that having an all-female crew was not a goal, but that the team will continue to offer opportunities to crew members new to the sport. Johnston also said ex-racer/team mechanic Ryan Landers and current racer/lead mechanic James Compton have been great assets to the team and are sometimes overshadowed by media attention on the women.

“James’ greatest talent is his ability to teach the other team members,” said Johnston, adding that Compton is being pursued by other AMA teams for the 2003 season. “The girls on the team are setting new goals for themselves over the winter, too. They want to learn how to ride the bikes and they want to learn how to build engines.”

Johnston ended her phone conversation with Roadracingworld.com by saying that she has heard Honda will introduce a new CBR600 at a dealer show in September.

In other Honda-related news, Bruce Transportation Group Honda Crew Chief Joey Osowski confirmed that the team will return to AMA racing “as big as ever” in 2003 despite rumors to the contrary.

Long time Roadracing World contributor Michael Ross has been promoted to the position of Curriculum Developer for the Motorcycle Mechanics Institute.

Ross, previously the Chief Instructor of Hontech, has been with MMI for 11 years. Ross will write curriculum for both the Phoenix and Orlando campus locations.

From a press release:

Team Stargel Aprilia Regains Championship Form

The ninth round of the AMA 250GP series at Mid-Ohio saw Team Stargel Aprilia return to their class leading ways.

Acknowledging the importance of the possibility of their first American championship, the Aprilia Race Department in Italy prepared a new engine for the team and delivered it, along with the assistance of former Valentino Rossi engine builder, Fausto Colombo. The new engine proved to be both fast and reliable as the team set the fastest time in Friday morning’s practice session.

After logging the top time in Saturday morning’s practice, Team Stargel Aprilia hoped to capture pole position in the afternoon qualifying session. Turning three laps in the 1:31 range, Chuck Sorensen looked to secure the pole, only to have it snatched away by .07 of a second on the last lap.

Sunday’s race began with Sorensen getting a lackluster start that found him in fourth place going into turn one. He moved into second place to start lap two and immediately set his sights on the leader. On lap three, Sorensen passed for the lead and led the next four laps. After being repassed, Sorensen began to encounter lapped traffic and unfortunately was dealt with some unlucky breaks. The gap from first to second quickly grew to about two seconds and Sorensen wisely brought his Aprilia home to finish second and secure 32 championship points.

It is worth noting that on lap seven Sorensen posted a time of 1:31.141 seconds. This proved to be the fastest lap of the 250GP race.

Recently, the AMA has decided to discontinue the 250GP race effective immediately after the 2003 race season. As for factors in making this decision, they cited a lack of fan support and poor competitiveness of the class. Upon comparing lap times, you will see that Sorensen’s best race lap was a full half-second faster than any lap turned in either the 600 supersport race or the 750 superstock race. In regards to the seeming lack of fan support, Team Stargel Aprilia only wished that they had brought more posters, hats, and t-shirts to Mid-Ohio as hundreds were gobbled up by eager, well-wishing fans.

As the tenth and final 2002 AMA 250GP race at Virginia International Raceway beckons, Team Stargel Aprilia holds a 31 point lead in the championship with 267 points. The team will make every effort to win their fifth race of the season and help Sorensen to claim his third career AMA 250GP title.

Team Stargel Aprilia would like to thank the supporters who make their efforts possible: Aprilia USA, Aprilia Italy, FGF Corse, Dunlop, Performance Powersports, VP Racing Fuels, Castrol, EBC Brakes, Shoei, Helimot, Held Gloves, Daytona Boots, Fox Racing, Smith Sport, TC’s Specialized Graphics, Regina Chains & Factory Pro Tuning, Mr. Fausto Colombo.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

This just in from Jim DiSalvo:

I received the AMA schedule for VIR which does not indicate a practice on Thursday, August 8, 2002. In speaking with Jack Abbott at VIR there in fact is a track practice from noon until 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 8th. $150.00 for AMA riders with one bike and $50.00 extra for each additional bike.

Jack also asked if you would post on your breaking news that water rationing is in effect and would advise all race teams to wash their vehicles prior to arriving at the track.


(Editorial note: This information should have been included in the AMA Pro Racing mailer for the race. The fact that it was not is another example of AMA Pro Racing’s continuing inability to effectively communicate with AMA race promoters and with AMA members who hold AMA Pro Racing licenses.)

From a press release:

Spanish-based American Kenny Noyes, the 2000 Formula USA Pro Singles Dirt Track Champion, made his first podium appearance on July 28th at Cartagena, Spain, when he finished third on his Cibertel Honda CBR954RR in round four of the Superseries National Championship for production 1000cc bikes running on Superstock engine regulations and spec DOT Dunlop tires.

Kenny started poorly from the second row and was seventh, four seconds back from the group of four fighting for third, after five laps. The track temperature was a sizzling 117 degrees and as the machines began to slide around Noyes began a charge that could eventually take him to third, just 0.082 back of second-place finisher and reigning National Superseries Champion Alex Sirera on his Ducati 996.

Race winner Isaac Martin (R1) won his third race of the season to extend his points lead over Sirera after other top runners, Enrique Rocamora and Victor Carrasco (both on Suzuki GSX-R1000s) crashed out. Noyes, who is now fifth in the points table, had a previous best result of seventh place at Valencia.

“This is the first time I have really ever felt I was getting near the limits of the Honda,” said Kenny. “I ride this same bike but with different preparation and on Michelin slicks in the National Formula Xtreme series and I’m looking forward to the next round of that Championship in Albacete to try and keep building on this result.

“I was on a 600 last year and never felt comfortable but this big Fireblade always has enough power to break the rear loose. I feel more in control when the bike is moving around, but sometimes it gets so hooked up on the slicks that I’m just not sure where the limit is. Our season runs into late November, so I’ve got plenty of races and plenty of time to get on the pace in Xtreme and try to win one in Superseries.

“This was my first podium since Del Mar in 2000 and I haven’t won one since the Phoenix half mile that same year. I’m finally starting to feel on the road racer like I used to feel on the dirt tracker, but it has been a long, hard year-and-a-half.”