Scott Russell’s return to racing hinges on the healing of nerve damage in his left leg and arm. In a Bike Week TV show interview aired April 3, Russell revealed that he currently does not have any up-and-down movement in his left ankle and that he also has nerve-damage-related problems in his left hand.

If the nerve damage does not heal, and if full mobility in his ankle and hand don’t return, Russell said, his career as a motorcycle racer is over. Russell added that at age 36 he feels he has had a full career.

Russell was injured when he stalled his HMC Ducati on the grid during a restart of the March 11 Daytona 200, and was hit by other riders.

The California-based magazines Motorcycle Consumer News and Cycle World both bought into the AMA’s PR spin on the Edmondson vs. AMA court battle and proclaimed an Appeal Court ruling “good news” and a victory for the AMA.

A news item appearing in the May 2001 issue of Cycle World was headlined “AMA WINS APPEAL” and stated “The multimillion-dollar judgment award to former AMA Roadracing Manager Roger Edmondson in his 1998 suit against the AMA has been overturned on appeal.”

A news item appearing in the April 2001 issue of Motorcycle Consumer News stated “The AMA recently got some good news from the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia. Roger Edmondson, the AMA’s former roadracing manager…sued for non-renewal of his contract with the AMA…But the Court of Appeals reveres the lower-court ruling on two of the 10 points raised in the AMA’s appeal, and ordered the lower court to correct mistakes in four other areas, according to an AMA press release.”

Both magazines failed to mention the scheduled retrial on damages, in which the AMA’s already-determined guilt will not be an issue, and both referred to Edmondson as a “manager” and not the joint-venture partner the court found him to be. And both magazines failed to present Edmondson’s viewpoint to balance the AMA PR spin.

Details of the true situation in the case can be found in the roadracingworld.com breaking news archives, with related posts on February 8, February 6, February 3 and February 2.

Racer Matt Wait had to undergo additional surgery in California March 20 because doctors in Florida installed the wrong size plate in his arm, Wait said. Wait was injured during practice for the March 4 Formula USA Unlimited Superbike race.

In a FAX to Roadracing World, Wait wrote “My injuries were pretty bad from Daytona. I ended up breaking my left arm above the elbow in about seven places. I don’t remember anything from the practice session at all on the 929. The team said I went out and never came back.

“Witnesses said that it had just started to sprinkle as I went out. Everything looked fine up until the chicane where the accident occurred. They said I dipped into the chicane left-to-right. On the turn to the right the front started to tuck under, I recovered it only to be highsided right after; I landed hard, and slid right into the wall.

“Next thing I knew I was waking up in the hospital saying ‘What the hell happened?’ Next thing to happen I said to the doctor as I was all drugged up, ‘Call Dr. Ting, he’ll know what to do, he’s the best,’ making the doctors feel real good in Florida. Actually, they suck! Dr. Ting told them which size plate to put in my arm but they second-guessed him and decided the plate size was too big and opted for a smaller plate which as a racer was no good for me being that I need to be back on the bike as soon as possible.

“So I ended up staying on until the (Daytona) 200 in Florida, then returning to L.A. on Monday (March 12). Wednesday, Thursday, Friday were spent at USC having tests and things done to see if anything else was wrong with me. Tuesday went in for surgery again to put in the right-size plate.

“Surgery went well, my arm is healing fairly well. I had a nerve that was smashed from the bones in my arm getting broken. The nerve runs down my forearm and controls the strength of my fingers–it’s a little weak but is coming back nicely. The doctor had to take some bone out of my left hip to fuse in with some of the broken bone as well, so my hip is pretty damn sore as well.

“I’ll be at Willow (April 19-22) either way. Just the question is will I be able to race, that’s an unknown as of right now. So I’m keeping my fingers crossed and hoping I will be able to. It just depends on how fast I can heal.

“This is a tough sport as you know, one day you’re a hero and everybody loves you, then one day you’re down on your luck and everybody forgets your name.

“I love racing, that’s why I do it and I’ll keep on doing it until it’s not possible any longer. Thanks for your support and thank you to all my fans. Keep on racing!”

Wait’s problem with plate size mirror problems encountered by Ryan Landers in 1998. Landers crashed at Daytona and broke his right upper arm, which was plated at Halifax Medical Center, the same hospital where Wait underwent surgery. The plate in Landers’ arm was too small and actually broke during physical therapy, forcing Landers to undergo more surgery to have the plate replaced with a larger plate. Complications related to the second surgery included a staph infection that almost cost Landers his arm. After weeks on IV antibiotics, Landers beat the infection.

The size plate used in Wait’s arm may work if the arm is immobilized for weeks and is not used to support or lift any weight. It is not suitable if normal activities are to be quickly resumed or if early physical rehabilitation is scheduled.

Besides the problem with the too-small plate being installed in his arm, Wait also had an undiagnosed injury involving stretched neck tendons which left several vertebrae without the proper support. That injury was diagnosed and corrected at USC Medical Center, where Wait’s arm was also repaired.

Copyright 2001 Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

AHRMA co-founder Rob Iannucci and his associates have filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court alleging that the AHMRA, the AMA and individual AHRMA trustees, officials and lawyers violated the Sherman Act, the Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and the California Business and Professional Code in denying AHRMA membership and race entries to Iannucci and his team.

According to the complaint filed by Iannucci and his associates, “The defendants, both corporately and individually, have systematically attempted to drive plaintiffs Team Obsolete and Robert T. Iannucci from the sport and business by a pattern of collusive, fraudulent and tortious acts specifically designed to deprive Team Obsolete and Iannucci of their ability to participate in, and derive an income from, the construction, maintenance, public display and racing of historic motorcycles….Essentially the entire resources of defendant AHRMA have been committed to drive plaintiffs Iannucci and Team Obsolete out of the organization that they founded.”

Plaintiffs in the suit included Iannucci and three corporations he controls (Team Obsolete Ltd., Team Obsolete Products Ltd. and Team Obsolete Promotions Inc.) as well as Team Obsolete riders Jim Redman, Don Vesco, Dave Roper, Lon McCroskey M.D., Erik Green and John Kain.

Defendants include the AHRMA, the AMA, former AHRMA Trustee Bob Barker, AHRMA Director of Communications Matt Benson, AHRMA attorney Ed Bendelow, AHRMA Trustee John Goodpaster, AHRMA Trustee Matt Hilgenberg, former AHRMA trustee Mike Kirby, AHRMA trustee Rusty Lowry, AHRMA Board of Trustees Chairman Fred Mork, AHRMA Trustee Beno Rodi, AHRMA Tech Inspector Pete Silfven, AHRMA Trustee and Corporate Treasurer and former Executive Director Jeff Smith, AHRMA Trustee Rob Stickler, AHRMA Executive Director Jack Turner and AHRMA Trustee Allen Wenzel. The suit also targets unidentified co-conspirators, stating “Defendants John Does 1-15 are as of yet unidentified members of the AHRMA Board of Trustees and/or AHRMA employees who participated in the course of conduct described herein.”

The complaint details a series of disputes between Iannucci and AHRMA, which, in January 1997, led to Iannucci being denied membership in AHRMA and being informed that AHRMA chose to no longer do business with Iannucci. Subsequently, all Team Obsolete riders were banned from AHRMA events. In January 1999, riders Roper, Erik Green, Yvon Duhamel, Mike Green and Peter Watson were notified by Jeff Smith that their entries for the March 1999 AHRMA event at Daytona were rejected because they listed Team Obsolete as a sponsor. In February, McCrosky and Kain’s entries were rejected by Jeff Smith for the same stated reason. The riders in this case were allowed to compete after intervention by officials of Daytona International Speedway. But the AMA, which sanctioned the Sears Point event, and Sears Point Raceway itself, refused to intercede when Erik Green and Dave Roper had their entries denied for the April, 1999 AHRMA race at Sears Point. Green, Roper, Cal Rayborn, McCroskey and John Kain’s entries were refused for the June 1999 AHRMA race at Mid-Ohio, and again the AMA and the racetrack did not intercede. Don Vesco was refused entry to the September 1999 AHRMA event at Park City, Utah, because he listed Team Obsolete as a sponsor.

The complaint also states that Team Obsolete lost financial sponsorship from Megacycle Cams, Red Line Synthetic Lubricants and Vanson Leathers as a result of the ongoing problems Team Obsolete riders had getting into AHRMA events.

According to the complaint, the Defendants acted “intentionally and maliciously…for the express purpose of destroying the business and good will of Team Obsolete and Iannucci, preventing them from participating in Vintage motorcycle racing and eliminating Team Obsolete as a competitor….The acts of the Defendants constitute unreasonable restraints upon interstate trade and commerce and have crippled Team Obsolete’s and Iannucci’s business by depriving them of a substantial portion of their income.”

The complaint also alleges that “the defendants engaged in an unlawful conspiracy in restraint of previously mentioned interstate commerce in violation of…the Sherman Anti-Trust Act.” The complaint further alleges that “the Defendant AHRMA acting in concert with the AMA and acting through” Trustees “as well as other agents and employees acting outside the scope of their employment, engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity in violation of…the RICO Act.”

The complaint asks the court to force the defendants to pay triple damages “for the defendants willful and malicious acts,” order the reinstatement of Iannucci’s AHRMA membership, issue an injunction restraining the defendants from similar conduct in the future, and require the defendants to pay all legal costs and fees incurred by the plaintiffs.

The complaint was filed March 12, 2001 in United States District Court, Eastern District of New York.

Roadracing World was unable to contact AHRMA Executive Director Jack Turner and AMA Chairman of the Board of Trustees Rick Gray prior to post time. Roadracing World was able to contact AHRMA Trustee Matt Hilgenberg, but Hilgenberg said he had not yet been served with the complaint and could not comment.

In a telephone interview, Iannucci said that he had no choice but to file the lawsuit to end his mistreatment by AHRMA officials, and that he remains “willing to meet with responsible people of goodwill from AHRMA and AMA to attempt to bring this litigation to a just, fair and speedy end.”

In an April 3 phone call to Roadracing World, Greg Huth of Willow Springs Raceway said that enough sponsorship has now been lined up to make the AMA National originally scheduled for September 14-16 viable. The problem now is that AMA officials will not return phone calls or confirm the date on the AMA Superbike schedule, Huth said, adding that the track was determined to see the race happen even if it had to co-promote the event with Hansyllan Motorsports.

“I called to see if you can find out what is going on,” said Huth. “AMA won’t talk to anybody about anything. They will not return phone calls, FAXes or letters. I’d like to get a real word on it.

“Everything is lined up for the race to happen,” Huth continued. “But Hansyllan can’t get confirmation on the date.”

Hansyllan Motorsports’ Steve Rethmeier could not be reached at his office in Anaheim, California prior to post time. AMA Superbike Operations Manager Ron Barrick had not returned a phone call to his office in Virginia prior to post time.

Team Pro-Motion, an organization that holds open track days in the eastern United States, and Aprilia, an Italian motorcycle manufacturer, have teamed up for a special opportunity. Aprilia is making RS250 Challenge Cup racebikes and RSV Mille R streetbikes available to rent for one session, one half day, or a full day’s worth of riding at Team Pro-Motion track days. For an extra fee beyond the cost of the track day, riders can get the GP experience from the 62-horsepower, two-stroke RS250 or can emulate Troy Corser on the Ohlins-suspended V-Twin Mille R four-stroke.

Team Pro-Motion will also host three Aprilia track days where Aprilia demo rides and special instruction classes will be offered. All motorcycle brands will be welcomed on the track ride days, which are scheduled for April 16th at Pocono International Raceway, May 4th at Summit Point Raceway, and May 21st at Carolina Motorsports Park. A fourth date at Virginia International Raceway (North course) on July 2nd may be added.

For more information, contact Team Pro-Motion’s Linda Rabb at (215)675-5080 or any area Aprilia dealer, which can be located by calling Aprilia USA at (770) 592-2261.

In a phone call to Roadracing World, Willow Springs Owner Bill Huth said April 3 that he is determined to have an AMA Superbike National at his racetrack and will promote the event himself, if he can get AMA officials to return his phone calls.

“I’ll do the thing myself if I have to. I’m keeping the date, I want the date,” said Huth, adding that Hansyllan Motorsports gave up on the event because they could not get a straight answer on date confirmation from AMA officials. The race was originally scheduled for September 14-16.

But Huth added that he had been unable to get in touch with anybody at the AMA, and asked if the AMA phone number he had was the right one. (It was.)

Huth also said he is considering discussing co-promotion of the event with Doug Gonda, the promoter who sold Formula USA to SFX Motor Sports at the end of the 1999 season.

Vesrah Suzuki’s Mark Junge starred in both WERA National Challenge Series races he entered at Texas World Speedway on Sunday, running away with the Open Superstock win on a GSX-R1000 and holding off a charging Larry Denning to win in 600cc Superstock on a GSX-R600.

Denning won the Formula One race on a YZF-R1, while Scott Harwell won the 750cc Superstock and Heavyweight Twins races on his Suzukis. In Heavyweight Twins, Harwell beat John Branch on a Honda RC51 and Bill St. John on a Ducati.

Young Gun Jason Peters won the 125cc Grand Prix race and finished a close second in the Formula Two race. In Lightweight Twins, Bradley Champion won with St. John second and David Yaakov third.

Junge, Denning and Harwell all ran on Metzeler or Pirelli tires.

The Texas World round of the WERA National Challenge Series was hosted by RPM, a WERA affiliate.

Shogun Motorsports Owner Brooks Gremmels said April 2 that injured rider Ryan Landers will be replaced on the Shogun Motorsports team, adding that Landers will have some role in the team’s operations as long as he wishes to.

But as far as Landers’ riding career goes, Gremmels said, “It’s over. That part is over. It has to stop.”

Landers was injured during a CMRA/CCS Regional at Motor Sports Ranch in Cresson, Texas on Sunday, April 1.

Prior to talking to Roadracing World, Gremmels placed a post on the CMRA message board (www.cmraracing.com) that read “Yesterday, following his win in the Shogun Shootout, Ryan Landers was injured while racing in the Unlimited SuperSport race. Ryan fell and was struck in the head by another rider in an unavoidable accident. Ryan was transported to Harris Hospital in Ft. Worth. He was diagnosed as having a severe concussion.

“Ryan is nationally known for his riding talents but his reputation for having a heart bigger than Texas, is even greater. If it was left up to Ryan, he would be on the grid for his next scheduled race at Willow Springs on April 20. Instead, his parents, Johnny and Patti Landers, his team manager, Chuck Giachetto and his sponsors have joined in asking Ryan to retire from road racing. Ryan is a bright young man with a wonderful future ahead of him on whatever path he chooses. Those of us who have had the good fortune to be involved with Ryan want to thank his CMRA family for their support throughout his career.

“Should you wish, Ryan can be contacted by email at [email protected].”

Gremmels said that Landers lost the front end while passing a slower rider on the inside of a sweeping corner, crashed and slid in front of the other rider, who ran over Landers’ head. Landers was released from the hospital Sunday night after a CAT scan but was still suffering the effects of his seventh concussion.

Observers on site thought that Landers, who initially was not moving and not breathing, had died in the incident. He started breathing again and was transported to the hospital.

Landers has had a star-crossed career marked by bad luck and serious injuries, including severe damage to one elbow and arm.

The GPRA 125cc Grand Prix race that was aborted due to darkness during the Daytona Formula USA weekend will be run at Road America on Saturday, April 28.

According to GPRA’s Chris Wallace, “GPRA will in fact hold a make up race at Road America on Saturday, April 28 to allow those racers who were at Daytona and on the grid for the first start of the race to compete for the full purse and
points. There will be no additional fee for this make-up as fees were paid for Daytona. The normally scheduled round two of the Eastern region will take place on Sunday and is open to all GPRA licensed competitors.”

More information is available from www.gpra.org