Breaking News Feb. 2, 5:45 p.m. EST Sources close to Dorna, promoters of the Grand Prix World Championship series, confirmed today that a promoting group is attempting to put together a U.S. Grand Prix at Barber Motorsports Park, near Birmingham, Alabama, in 2002. Although details were not available at post time, the proposed deal is believed to be for between 3 and 6 years. The track already has undergone one pre-homologation inspection by Franco Uncini, but FIM, IRTA, and Dorna officials have not seen the track with final asphalt laid on the road course. The uncertain status of the proposed deal was not enough to keep the would-be promoters from calling certain U.S. riders and discussing their potential wild card status for the event.

Arai Helmets is selling a very limited edition Joey Dunlop Replica helmet with all of the profits going to a fund benefiting the late Joey Dunlop’s family and favorite charities. To maximize the profit reaching the fund, Arai is selling the helmets online at www.araiamericas.com. The price is $600 and includes an Arai Quantum/f helmet in Dunlop’s distinctive yellow and black design, a letter of authenticity and a commemorative photo of Joey Dunlop. Orders must be placed by February 8, 2001.

Breaking News Feb. 2, 5:55 p.m. EST The US 4th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled today that the AMA was guilty as charged in the Edmondson v. AMA case, but ordered a new trial to determine the exact amount of damages. The only issue to be determined in the new trial is the value of Roger Edmondson’s share of a joint business venture he was involved in with the AMA. In other words, the court said that the AMA is guilty, but because the trial judge did not allow the jury to distinguish between tangible and intangible assets when it decided on the amount of damages, that issue must be re-tried. Legal sources familiar with the trial said that the new litigation could cost the AMA an additional $1 million or more in legal fees. The appeals court also ruled that the AMA’s conduct justified the application of North Carolina’s treble damages statutes. AMA offices were closed when Roadracing World learned of the decision, and AMA officials could not be contacted for comment prior to posting. Update, Feb. 3, 1:00 a.m. EST Sources close to AMA employees now say that the AMA views the ruling as a huge victory because the Appeals Court only confirmed about $240,000 in damages, set aside a punitive damages award, and ordered the retrial on the issues of additional damages and punitive damages. The appeals court also vacated the award of attorneys fees to Edmondson and ordered the trial judge to reconsider his order that the AMA pay Edmondson’s attorneys fees after a jury in the retrial determines a final damage award. Sources close to Edmondson’s legal team, meanwhile said the decision was a victory for Edmondson because his legal team could now “take another bite of the apple” with a chance to increase the damages awarded by the first jury. Those sources also said that the retrial could double the legal fees the AMA could have to pay, for its own lawyers as well as Edmondson’s lawyers, depending upon the final verdict and the trial judge’s decision. In a sense, both sides are claiming victory. But the fact that the AMA acted improperly and owes Roger Edmondson damages of at least $240,000 has been ruled on and confirmed by the Appeals Court. We’ll have to await the retrial to know the final bill that AMA members will pay for the entire affair. Read the Appeals Court decision yourself.

Young Gun Tony “The Tiger” Meiring, 17, says that he signed a contract with Corona EBSCO Suzuki on January 31. Meiring plans to compete in the AMA 750cc Supersport class on a GSX-R750 fielded by the team, which is sponsored by Corona Beer and EBSCO Media. Team owner Landers Sevier did not return a phone call asking him to comment on details of the team and the new deal with the youngster from Tracy, California. Roadracing World believes that the deal will make Meiring the youngest beer-sponsored rider in U.S. history.

American Kenny Noyes, 22, will compete on a Honda CBR600F4i fielded by Team Quersano in the Spanish Supersport Championship. The team plans to run Bridgestone tires in the series, which allows significant machine modifications along the lines of the Supersport World Championship Series. Noyes won the F-USA Pro Singles (dirt track) National Championship in 2000 aboard a Husaberg 400, and competed in selected local road races on a Suzuki GSX-R600. Kenny Noyes is the son of television commentator (and former racer) Dennis Noyes, who, in 1986, won two Spanish National Championships (600 and endurance) and finished second in Superbike. Dennis Noyes finished third in the final round of the 1986 Spanish Endurance Championship, a 24-hour at Barcelona, to lock up his title and become the oldest Spanish National Champion in history, at age 43.

Frustrated by a lack of dry test time at Laguna Seca last week and by no track time at Sears Point Sunday and Monday due to wet conditions, the Yoshimura Suzuki team heads to Spring Mountain Motorsports Park in Pahrump, Nevada today and tomorrow. The team hopes that their third try in two weeks to log meaningful test time will work out.

Like the rest of the racers in the class, Tilley Buell’s Tripp Nobles didn’t learn about the Pro Thunder class being excluded from three AMA Superbike double-header weekends and moved to three WERA National Challenge Series events until he was told about it by a friend the night before the 2001 Supercross opening round at Anaheim, California on January 5. But Nobles is not outraged by the move, which AMA Pro Racing CEO Scott Hollingsworth has revealed is the first step in a plan to eliminate the class entirely from AMA Pro weekends. “The biggest mistake they (the AMA) made was that they waited until the middle of January to do this,” said Nobles in a telephone call to Roadracing World. “If they could’ve done this in November, that would’ve been more sound and realistic. And instead of taking it all, all three events, from one class, I wish they would have distributed it evenly. Like take one away from 250cc GP, one race away from Pro Thunder, and one race away from 750cc Supersport. I hate to single out anybody else, but come on, fair is fair.” About the three Pro Thunder rounds being run with the WERA Series, Nobles said “I don’t mind at all. WERA, PACE, CCS, whoever, I don’t care. Just give us more races. Granted we won’t have the bigger crowds, but maybe we can bring a bigger crowd to WERA. It would be cool if WERA was to make us the Premier class and that the AMA would promote it. I’m all for it. I’ve raced with WERA for a number of years. I’ve always been treated good by them. Evelyne (Clarke, CEO and President of WERA) puts on a good, strong event every weekend that I’ve raced with them. So I have no problems with it at all. I hate that it (Pro Thunder) gets taken away from the crowds that come to the AMA events. (But) If there’s anything that I can do, as far promoting it for the AMA or WERA and Evelyne and them, I’m game for it.”

Former Superbike World Champion and AMA Superbike Champion Doug Polen will be signing autographs in the Ducati area during the Advanstar Cycle World Motorcycle Show at the IX Center in Cleveland, Ohio Friday through Sunday. Polen won the Superbike World Championship in 1991 and 1992. Polen won the AMA Superbike Championship in 1993. All Polen’s Superbike titles came aboard Ferracci Ducatis.

Speaking at a media day held at a go-cart track in Malaysia, the CEO of Proton announced the company’s continued involvement with three-time 500cc World Champion Kenny Roberts’ Grand Prix motorcycle team. DRB-Hicom, a Malaysian conglomerate, owns the car brand Proton and the motorcycle/scooter brand Modenas (as well as the Lotus car company). Roberts’ V-3 racebike had been labelled a Modenas from the start of his affiliation with DBR-Hicom five years ago. Roberts’ team will now be officially known as Proton Team KR. The media day and announcement was held at Fastrack Speedzone in Sungei Pencala, Malaysia. A press release issued February 1 quoted Proton CEO Tengku Tan Sri Mahaleel Tengku Ariff as saying “Proton is continuously increasing its technical involvement in the area of providing design and rapid prototyping support to the race equipment. This is not just a straightforward sponsorship deal–it is a smart partnership where both parties will benefit apart from the immediate brand leverage Proton will gain. Right from the very beginning, our aim is to learn as much as possible in the area of engine and chassis development, and there is much to learn from Kenny and his team.” According to the release, “Roberts Senior, who was also at the go cart event, said that the KR3 was his contribution to the evolution of motorcycle racing, where it had to establish its own engineering infrastructure like Formula 1 had, if it is to continue to grow.” Roberts, whose full name is Kenny Leroy Roberts, is the father of 2000 500cc World Champion Kenny Lee Roberts. The release also stated “This year, PROTON Team KR will have a new rider, Jurgen van den Goorbergh , who will debut on the much refined Mk3 version of the lightweight three-cylinder Proton KR3. The new bike combines compact dimensions, light weight and agile handling with an improved and more powerful version of the proven V-3 engine, and made its racing debut in the sixth race of the 2000 season. Several different riders took the new KR3 through the early stages of its development, and it demonstrated its potential by consistently finishing in the points. Van den Goorbergh, in recent tests, was pleased with the agility and power of the lightweight V-3 engine, and believes it will give the established factory V-4s a run for their money. He had expressed confidence that the bike, with the support of the team will surprise a few people and get much better results in the season ahead. “It is this professionalism of the team, in developing the engine and motivating its riders and team personnel that PROTON hopes to learn from. PROTON hopes that the expertise and technology used to develop the KR3 will further enhance the knowledge and technological know-how of its already state-of-the-art Research and Development facilities in Shah Alam.” The release ended by quoting Mahaleel as saying “We have seen how the factory-based machines were adapted specifically for race conditions. Perhaps we will now see a full cycle where an engine developed specifically for racing will evolve into factory machines catered for the lucrative Superbike market, perhaps in the very near future.” It is thought that Mahaleel meant that evolutions of racing engines could be used in production streetbikes in the future.