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MotoGP: Pedrosa claims the German GP over Lorenzo

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 06:00:00 GMT

The winning streak was finally broken, but not without a fight. Polesitter Jorge Lorenzo tried to hold off Dani Pedrosa for the German GP lead to extend his tally of consecutive victories but the Repsol Honda rider proved to be too determined to claim first place for himself. Even a red flag mid race could not stop the race long battle between the two Spaniards.

"This victory is even better than the one in Italy," explained Pesrosa, "because at Mugello I just went away in front and there was no battle with anybody, but here I was battling with Lorenzo in the first and second race, and finally beat him, so this is even more important. Also before the race we were not 100 per cent sure about what the weather would do, but it stayed clear and finally the weekend has ended perfectly."

At the start Lorenzo bobbled off the line and almost looked to be stuck in fourth before exiting out of turn one just behind the leader Pedrosa. Within a few laps the Fiat Yamaha rider was able to overtake his rival for the lead. Lorenzo would go on to keep the lead to lap nine, when the red flag came out for an accident involving three riders.

Randy de Puniet dumped his bike in the race line and neither Alvaro Bautista nor Aleix Espargaro could avoid running into it. De Puniet's bike burst into flame, much like Lorenzo's oil fire in qualifying, but the marshals were quick to respond and put the fire out. The race was red flagged for 25 minutes for cleanup while de Puniet was taken in for an examination which found he had broken his left leg. Per the rules of MotoGP, Espargaro and Bautista were not able to restart.

"It can't be worse than this!" lamented de Puniet. "I took a bad start from the third row but I was back to ninth and my race pace was pretty good. I could push for the sixth place despite my painful ankle after yesterday's crash in the qualifying. Suddenly I crashed at exit of turn 4 and one bike hit my left leg. I immediately realized that it was something serious and after the X-ray we discovered the truth."

With the race distance now shortened Pedrosa went on attack, trying to find a way past his fellow countryman. He made a move into turn 1 but Lorenzo was able to keep a tighter line and came out still holding the lead. Lorenzo was strong in the other prime passing spot going into turn 13 so Pedrosa had to make it stick coming off the front straight. On lap 12 he made the pass, setting a new track record as he did it. It was soon clear how much Lorenzo was holding back the Honda rider when Pedrosa started to pull a gap that would be over three seconds long by the end of the race.

WSBK Misano: Series Friday report

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Crutchlow leads the madding crowd at sun-kissed Misano

After the first day of intense practice action at a warm and sunny Misano circuit, Yamaha Sterilgarda rider Cal Crutchlow heads the qualifying sheets with a 1'36.288, putting him narrowly ahead of Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport). Late in the hour-long session Crutchlow ran off track trying to go even faster, but did not fall. Corser had been fastest in the unofficial morning practice session, making the most of improvements to his machine during recent Misano tests. Leon Haslam (Alstare Suzuki) started well to go third, with local hot shot Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) fourth. Four different types of machine - Yamaha, BMW, Suzuki and Ducati - filled the top four places. The top 11 riders were within the same second with one more session of qualifying and then Superpole taking place tomorrow.

Carlos Checa (Althea Ducati) was a late fifth, snatching that place from championship leader Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia). Seventh was 2009 race podium finisher Shane Byrne, Checa's team-mate, while Italian privateer Luca Scassa (Supersonic Ducati) was once more well in the mix in eighth. The second works Aprilia, ridden by Leon Camier, was ninth and the top ten was completed by James Toseland (Yamaha Sterilgarda), who also proved to be a late faller in the session. Top Kawasaki rider was to be Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) who ended his first day 14th. A Misano race winner in 2009, Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) was only 16th today.

The race lap record at Misano is a 1'37.135, making the top riders' times in the 1'36s, still on race tyres, impressive after only one day of practice.

World Supersport

Once more Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda) started his race weekend in good form, earning the top place in the first official qualifying session right at the end of the day, with a 1'39.469. He displaced fast regular Michele Pirro (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) to second, with local wildcard rider Roberto Tamburini (Bike Service Yamaha) going third, shortly before falling without injury on his last lap. Championship leader Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) was fourth, just edging out rookie rider Gino Rea (Intermoto Czech Honda) to fifth place. First Kawasaki rider was Joan Lascorz (Motocard.com) in sixth place and top ParkinGo Triumph BE-1 rider proved to be Chaz Davies, seventh. David Salom was right behind his team-mate Davies, while local rider, Massimo Roccoli was ninth on his Intermoto Czech Honda, partly due to a technical problem at a key time.

Superstock 1000...

MotoGP TT Assen: Yamaha preview

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Lorenzo leads championship to historic Assen for 80th TT

Jorge Lorenzo Having barely had time to catch their collective breath after Jorge Lorenzo's brilliant MotoGP win at Silverstone in the UK yesterday, the Fiat Yamaha Team arrives at Assen in the Netherlands today to set-up for the Dutch TT, which celebrates its 80th Anniversary this weekend. As tradition dictates the race is always held on the last Saturday in June, after which the paddock heads directly to Barcelona for the third race in this punishing triple-header.

Once again the team will be missing Valentino Rossi, with the Italian now entering his third week of recuperation at home in Italy following his accident at Mugello. Lorenzo however is doing a superb job of steering the ship single-handedly and he now holds a 37-point lead in the championship over Andrea Dovizioso. Three wins and two second places from just five races is impressive even when compared to Rossi's soaring standards and the imperious way in which the young Mallorcan won on Sunday is proof that he is running at the top of his game as the season heats up. The 23-year-old finished a strong second to his team-mate at Assen last year and has two 250cc and one 125cc wins there to his name as well, claiming it as one of his favourite tracks.

Assen has long been thought of as a somewhat magical track in the minds of Grand Prix racers and it remains a popular destination today, despite undergoing some drastic alterations a few years ago. It is still one of the most physically demanding circuits on the calendar and, with its constant twists and turns, is also one of the most technical. It was originally based around the public roads and the camber changes in some places still reflect that. These, added to the high-speed chicanes, traditionally favour the nimble Yamaha M1. The 80th Anniversary of TT racing at the track is the 62nd time it has formed a part of the Grand Prix World Championship and it remains the only track on the calendar that has held a race every year since the Championship's inception.

Jorge Lorenzo; "My favorite Track"...

British GP: Series preview

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Super fast Silverstone set for MotoGP return

A fantastic new Silverstone awaits MotoGP for round five of the 2010 World MotoGP Championship as the redeveloped circuit plays host to the AirAsia British Grand Prix from June 18th-20th, and the track has been widely noted as one of the fastest circuits on this year's calendar.

Championship leader Jorge Lorenzo will be looking to capitalize on the potential speed as he bids to further strengthen his hold on the top spot in the standings. The Fiat Yamaha rider, who has a 25-point lead heading into round five, will be facing the unknown however as he and his fellow premier class riders take to the track for the first time in its current form.

Now locked onto his fellow Spaniard and sitting in second place, Dani Pedrosa will be going for his first back-to-back premier class wins after victory at Mugello. Having finished ahead of Lorenzo in the last race the Repsol Honda man secured his ninth win in the elite category, but he will have to contend with team-mate Andrea Dovizioso who has also enjoyed a strong start to the campaign. The Italian won the British GP at Donington last year in a rain-affected contest -- his first and to date only premier class victory -- and has been on the podium in three of the four rounds so far in 2010.

Ducati Marlboro's Nicky Hayden will be aiming to bounce back from the disappointment of not finishing the race in Italy as he looks to close a 19-point gap to fourth-placed Dovizioso, whilst Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda) will draw on the inspiration of his British-based podium last year as he goes for consolidation as his status as the highest place private rider.

Marco Melandri (San Carlo Honda Gresini) will want to build on his best result of the campaign so far in the last round (fifth), and Casey Stoner (Ducati Marlboro) also scored his highest placement of the season yet with fourth in Italy. The Australian will be eager to get his first podium of 2010 and improve on his standing of eighth.

San Carlo Honda Gresini's Marco Simoncelli currently leads a group of three rookies that includes Ben Spies (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and Hector Barbera (Paginas Amarillas Aspar) and all will continue their education at Silverstone. Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech3), Hiroshi Aoyama (Interwetten Honda MotoGP Team), Aleix Espargaro (Pramac Racing) and Loris Capirossi (Rizla Suzuki) will all be targeting progressive points hauls, whilst Mika Kallio (Pramac Racing) and Alvaro Bautista (Rizla Suzuki) will hope their respective injuries do not hinder their early season progress any more than has already been the case...

MotoGP: Pedrosa dominates Italian GP for first 2010 win

Sun, 06 Jun 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Dani Pedrosa was on a mission today to convert his pole into his first victory of the year and he did it! The Spaniard powered up his Repsol Honda with a great start at the lights and took the lead in the first turn. From that point on it was his race to win or lose while he held off the challenge from the points leader Jorge Lorenzo.

The two battled recently at the Spanish GP with Pedrosa also on the pole but on the final lap, Lorenzo took the win. This time, his fellow countryman had no chance to slip past with Pedrosa earning the victory by over four seconds on the Mugello circuit.

"It's an unbelievable feeling to win again and I'm so happy for myself and the Repsol Honda Team," said Pedrosa. "We've been working really hard and we had some problems through the winter and in the first races, so I'm really delighted with this victory, especially after leading at Jerez for so long but not quite making it. It looks like we are back near where we need to be and the team deserves the victory."

Lorenzo, on the only Fiat Yamaha in the race, was able to notch down second and add points to his standings tally. The Spaniard now has 90 to Pedrosa's 65.

"Unfortunately my pace today wasn't as good as yesterday and I could only finish second," explained Lorenzo, "something happened and I couldn't ride in the same way but in the circumstances I am happy with my result. Anyway Dani had a perfect race today; he had an amazing pace and I don't know if I could have beaten him even if I had been as fast as yesterday! To take 90 points from 100 is great and I am leading the championship, so I cannot ask for more."

For the team, and for his injured teammate, Lorenzo wanted the win. Valentino Rossi will be out of action while he recovers from surgery to repair the damage to his right leg after a crash in Saturday morning's practice. With the champion missing events, he will slide down the standings and today, Pedrosa passed him by and Andrea Dovizioso is just three points behind.

"It was very strange today without Valentino, I am so glad the fans honoured him so well. I wanted to win to dedicate the victory to him but that wasn't possible so all I can do is say 'get well soon!" added Lorenzo.

WSBK Kyalami: Ducati preview

Tue, 11 May 2010 06:00:00 GMT

TWO DAYS AFTER MONZA, THE DUCATI XEROX TEAM TRAVELS TO KYALAMI FOR ROUND SIX

Kyalami (South Africa) Tuesday 11th May: Just two days after returning to base from Monza's fifth World Superbike round, the Ducati Xerox team repacks its bags and leaves for South Africa and the circuit of Kyalami.

The Ducati 1198 of the factory Ducati Xerox team proved itself a winner on the Kyalami circuit last season, with the red machines dominating a weekend that culminated in two triumphant race wins for Noriyuki Haga, and two second place finishes for team-mate Michel Fabrizio (who also registered a new lap record in the first race), with both Ducati Xerox men crossing the line more than eight seconds clear of the closest competition in Race 2.

With regard to the 2010 season, Noriyuki and Michel currently lie in sixth and eleventh position respectively in the general standings of what is turning out to be an extremely close championship, based on what we have seen during the first five rounds. Ducati is third in the manufacturers classification behind Suzuki and Aprilia. Last weekend at Monza, the first of the season's Italian Superbike events, the riders battled not only against the competition but also against the elements in what was a mixed weekend. At a track where Ducati was at more of a disadvantage compared to previous years in terms of top speed, aggravated by the extra weight and 50mm air-restrictors that limit the maximum power, both Haga and Fabrizio fought for as many points as possible, their best results being a sixth and seventh place finish respectively.

Noriyuki Haga (6th in championship, 100 points)

Returning to Kyalami after a six year absence, Haga scored a perfect double win here in 2009.

"I'm happy to go back to South Africa, a track where I did well last year. We'll see if any more security measures have been put into place after Regis's terrible accident last year; I hope so as I really like the track but it was pretty dangerous there last time. I'd like to think we'll be in a position to fight for the podium once more."

Michel Fabrizio (11th in championship, 62 points)

WSBK Assen: Rea takes his first ever Superpole win

Sat, 24 Apr 2010 06:00:00 GMT

The classic circuit of Assen once more played host to a tense period of practice and qualifying, with the new overall length of 4.542km making for new track bests in each class. Six of the seven competing WSBK manufacturers were represented in the top ten after three sessions of Superpole, with a new track best coming in the very final session, a 1'34.944.

TOP WORK FOR LOCAL TEAM: Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) won the first Superpole prize of his career at Assen, after setting a 1'34.944. Rea is the only rider to have gone under the 1'35 mark on the new Assen layout, although Jakub Smrz (Pata B&G Ducati) came close with his second place time of 1'35.062. Troy Corser starts from the front row on his official BMW, the first time a BMW has started this high up in WSBK. Leon Haslam went fourth for Suzuki Alstare, having spent most of practice working on race set-up, but having enough left to make a good job of Superpole.

THE OTHER LEON ROARS: Leon Camier made it five different makes in the top five on his Aprilia Alitalia RSV4, as he continues to strive to find a perfect set-up. Behind the leading handful of riders, the second row will be completed for Sunday's 22-lap Superbike races by Carlos Checa, his team-mate Shane Byrne and factory Ducati rider Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox). Each rider had perfect conditions to run in, on the modified Assen circuit, with the top riders getting more and more used to the new 4.542km layout, with a major change at Ruskenhoek and a minor one at the right of Hoge Heide.

YAMAHA RIDERS NEARLY THERE: Of the eight riders who did not make the final Superpole 3 shoot-out, Cal Crutchlow was closest to the final session, with his Yamaha Sterilgarda team-mate James Toseland just behind him and tenth on the grid. Struggling to deal with his machine at this round, Max Biaggi was 11th overall on his Aprilia, Ruben Xaus 12th and a late faller in the second Superpole session. Sylvain Guintoli (Suzuki Alstare), Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team), Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox) and Max Neukirchner (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) rounded out the top 16 places, and the fourth row of the starting grid.

VERMEULEN RETURNS AND IS READY: The tense and unpredictable nature of Superpole came to the fore again when Superpole started, with comeback rider Chris Vermeulen crashing his Kawasaki Racing Team machine by highsiding at a fast section of track, but escaping uninjured. He missed out on Superpole 2, as did Luca Scassa (Supersonic Ducati) who was 17th quickest, Lorenzo Lanzi (DFX Corse Ducati) and ECHO CRS Honda rider Broc Parkes (another comeback kid). Only two riders, Matteo Baiocco and Roger Lee Hayden did not make Superpole this weekend, qualifying 21st and 22nd respectively.

RIDER COMMENTS SUPERPOLE

M2: JiR interview with Mattia Pasini

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Qatar Grand Prix: interview with Mattia Pasini

Qatar's race was a big confidence booster both for riders and technicians in the JiR Moto2 squad. Mattia Pasini was at his competitive best, playing out a fascinating duel with Thomas Luthi and with his team mate Simone Corsi, ending the race in 6th position.

This was excellent payback for the huge amount of work that the mechanics put in over the grand prix weekend.

Mattia, after pre-season tests that were not so positive you managed to take 6th position in the race.

Yes, in tests in Spain things went slowly and this is to be expected as everything was new for all of us. We tried several solutions each one very different from the other that took us a lot of time but gave us lots of precious information. We arrived in Qatar full of optimism and our machines responded well to the modifications made after tests, even if we had some delay to see the results on the stopwatch. I enjoyed the race, I managed to get a good start and gain immediately some positions, but I couldn't catch the six leading riders. It was a pity because my lap times were similar to theirs, but the gap was too big to be pulled back. Luthi came up very fast and we suddenly started to fight, I tried to always keep in contact, without letting him lead for more than one or two corners and at the end I succeeded and beat him to the line.

What's your impression of this new category?

Well, the engines have enough horsepower and they pull hard enough down the straight. We, in particular, found the right set-up, but we still need to work on how we get maximum speed coming out of the faster corners. The good thing is that the engines are really equal for all teams so the Championship will be hard-fought.

Where will be the difference between teams and riders?

Engines are equal of course, but there is all the development around them: electronics but most of all the frame and suspension parts. It's different to the old 250cc two-stroke class, where you had 20 years of development, meaning there was no real room for any more important changes. Here in Moto2, everything is new so there are many more opportunities for variations and improvements.

So is it a good category?

WSBK Portimao: Series race report

Sun, 28 Mar 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Biaggi doubles up after winning two tight races

In front of 77.000 people, Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia) won each 22-lap race at Portimao today to go second in the championship rankings, behind the rider who took two second places, Leon Haslam (Alstare Suzuki). The margin of victory for Biaggi was 0.200 seconds in race one, and 0.191 seconds in race two, as Max took his career win total to six. He scored his first SBK double win today, having started the race second on the grid. Haslam now has 85 points, Biaggi 69.

"Back in Portimao after just five months allows for some incredible tyre developments, seen already in Race 1 when six riders on five different bikes quickened the lap record as much as 0.75 seconds and the final race time by 16 seconds. After just one year from the start of Aprilia's renewed SBK project, Biaggi has found the ideal tyre performances to take his first double win. All these impressive results come from Diablo Superbike SC2 front and SC1 rear tyres recently inserted in the Pirelli racing range, based on confirmed solutions from the previous season. The eventful races and diverse podiums filled by the four manufacturer's bikes of Aprilia, Suzuki, Honda and Yamaha were no surprise, as starting from the 2nd Superbike practice, the first 18 riders were seperated by only 1.27 seconds. The FIM Superstock 1000 was also notable as congratulations to BMW Motorrad Italia on their first win in the class, to Berger (Honda) who brought down the Lap Record by 1 second, and the final podium filled with three different manufacturers - BMW Honda Yamaha -" Giorgio Barbier, Racing Director, Pirelli Moto

Race 1

Max Biaggi held off Haslam for the race one win but only after a strong man-to-man fight throughout. Jonathan Rea went third for Hannspree Ten Kate Honda, when Cal Crutchlow fell off his Sterilgarda Yamaha late in the race, remounting to go 14th.

Carlos Checa (Althea Ducati) had to work hard to keep Leon Camier (Aprilia Alitalia) behind as he scored fourth place. Shane Byrne (Althea Ducati) rode through the pain of a big crash on Saturday to take sixth. Noriyuki Haga recovered from his fifth row start to take eighth and the first BMW Motorrad machine home belonged to Troy Corser, ninth.

Race 2

A close four-rider fight for the win went to Biaggi again, from Leon Haslam, who was not quite able to overtake Biaggi and make it stick, as Max used his superior drive out of the final corner to pass Leon when it mattered. Cal Crutchlow scored his second career SBK podium, and his first as a series regular, running his Yamaha to third. Carlos Checa was fourth - and only 1.015 seconds covered the whole top four after another tense race. In the championship Haslam leads with 85 points, Biaggi is second on 69 and Checa third with 60.

FOUR MANUFACTURERS IN EACH TOP FOUR

In each race today there were four different manufacturers in the top four - Aprilia, Suzuki, Honda and Ducati in race one, and Aprilia, Suzuki, Yamaha and Ducati in race two. The second race saw a vee-four, a conventional 'screamer' four, a cross-plane crankshaft four and a 1200cc vee-twin fill the top four places - all the engine configurations competing in SBK this year within a second of each other after 22 laps and almost 160km of close racing.

VAST IMPROVEMENT

It was only last October that the previous Portimao round was run, but in those short months the progress has been amazing. Race one today was 16 seconds faster than it's equivalent in October and race two was 13 seconds faster this year compared to last.

RIDER COMMENTS...

AMA: Pro Road Racing Daytona 200 event report

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 07:00:00 GMT

Herrin Wins the 69th Running of the AMA Pro Road Racing Daytona 200

DAYTONA BEACH, FL (March 5, 2010)- After losing out on the Daytona 200 victory in 2009, No. 8 Team Graves Yamaha YZF-R6 rider Josh Herrin secured his name in the history books by becoming the 69th winner of the Daytona Beach classic. Held for the second year in a row under the lights, Herrin battled a number of riders before pulling away after a super quick pit stop on lap 39. After that, he rode with tremendous composure and skill to take the checkered flag with a 7.964 second margin of victory on the historic 3.55 mile

Dane Westby and his No. 2 Project 1 Yamaha YZF-R6 took a well deserved second place and up until the last pit stop, it was a two man race. Westby showed his skill by running up front all night, trading the lead with Herrin several times over the course of the 57 lap race. Finishing third was 2007 Daytona 200 winner Steve Rapp on his No. 15 Team Latus Motors Racing Ducati 848. Rapp also ran up front all night and was one of five riders to lead during the race.

Leading the field off the line was pole winner Danny Eslick on the No. 1 GEICO Powersports RMR Suzuki GSX-R600 and as the field took the green flag from the standing start, fellow front row rider Martin Cardenas, riding the No. 36 Team M4 Monster Energy Suzuki GSX-R600, shot into the lead and led the field through turns one and two. In a heartbreaking moment, Cardenas had the front end slide out on him going into turn three and down he went, his race over. It was a devastating moment for what was clearly a big pre-race favorite. Further back in the lineup, a number of riders came together in the next turn, necessitating a red flag and immediate race stoppage and full restart from the original grid.

One rider, P.J. Jacobson, was transported from the scene to Halifax Hospital but was later released. Four other riders were examined at the infield care center and released and one rider, Bostjan Skubic, later complained of dizziness, was taken to Halifax for precautionary evaluation and was later released. After a brief delay, the race was restarted and this time the field had three riders go off in turn one but with no impact on the race. A tight group of 10 riders were drafting and swapping positions, with many changes every lap. Rapp, Herrin, Eslick, Team Graves Yamaha teammate Tommy Aquino, Kev Coghlan riding the Aussie Dave Racing Yamaha, Westby and more were all part of the action. Another front-runner was Brett McCormick on his No. 61 Picotte Racing Suzuki GSX-R600. He was slowed early by an excursion though the chicane but regained his momentum and began another race at the back of the lead group, fighting with Cory West aboard the No. 57 Vesrah Suzuki GSX-R600, Bobby Fong on the No. 30 Crozier Robinson Motorsports Ducati 848 and Jeff Wood on the No. 75 Vesrah Suzuki. The leaders were lapping in the one minute and fifty second range, which was just off the fastest qualifying times. Meanwhile, making strong but steady progress up from her 22nd starting position was Melissa Paris aboard the No. 13 MPH Racing Yamaha YZF-R6.

WSBK: Series Phillip Island test notes day two

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 07:00:00 GMT

Fabrizio leaves with top SBK time

After four tests sessions over two days, Michel Fabrizio posted the quickest time of all at the official pre-season tests at Phillip Island, a 1'31.650, set on the final morning on his Ducati Xerox machine.

Shane Byrne (Althea Ducati) was second quickest, on a 1'31.662, while Jakub Smrz (Pata B&G Ducati) was one of the riders to improve in the final session, taking his Ducati to third best time, only 0.030 seconds from Fabrizio.

Fastest rider on day one, Carlos Checa (Althea Ducati) was fourth overall, while the first of the four-cylinder riders, Jonathan Rea, was fifth in the combined rankings, having set his personal best time this afternoon on his Hannspree Ten Kate Honda.

The top ten on combined times was rounded out by Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox), Leon Haslam (Suzuki Alstare), Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia Racing), Leon Camier (Aprilia Alitalia Racing) and Max Neukirchner (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda).

Ruben Xaus was top BMW rider, 11th, and the fastest Yamaha man was James Toseland, 12th.

Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) proved quickest of the local riders on show, one place ahead of Lorenzo Lanzi (DFX Corse Ducati) who set 14th best time.

Sylvain Guintoli (Suzuki Alstare) was 15th in a field of 24, and top Kawasaki rider was local man Chris Vermeulen, who took his machine to 16th place.

The top 20 riders were within just over two seconds of each other.

Michel Fabrizio: "I'm satisfied with the lap times because we were consistently fast. I found good race pace with one of the tyre compounds in particular and this bodes well for the weekend, but the result will very much depend on the weather. There are several fast guys here, so it will undoubtedly be a tough race weekend, as well as a hard-fought championship. It's a difficult challenge but I'm ready to face it."

Shane Byrne: "We had a bit of a problem in the afternoon session but it was good to make a fast time this morning. It was a little bit disappointing to get pipped this afternoon. But it is only a test so it is not the end of the world. It's very positive for the team to have both riders high in the rankings going into next weekend. We can't be too upset to finish second today by only a small margin."

WSBK: Series Phillip Island test preview

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 07:00:00 GMT

SBK Top Guns set for final pre-season shoot-out

A virtually full grid of SBK competitors line up at Phillip Island for the final official pre-season test of the 2010 season, starting Sunday 21 and ending Monday 22 February.

Phillip Island is a classic circuit in any regard, and has always been a popular test circuit for European-based teams in the winter months. The Victorian track's 4.445km length contains virtually every kind of corner, but the emphasis is on fast cornering and changes of elevation.

It has been the scene of some all-time great SBK moments, with almost every rider including this track in his or her top three favourites for pure enjoyment. As a test of rider and machine, it has few equals.

All the top forces in the SBK class will be present for the Phillip Island tests, plus the vast majority of the privateer riders, in what should be an excellent indication of how race weekend may well turn out.

All seven competing manufacturers will have their highest calibre artillery and troops loaded in the breech at this test, with Aprilia's duo of Max Biaggi and Leon Camier leading the alphabetical run-down of SBK combatants. Tellingly, for the first time since arriving in WSBK racing in 2007, Biaggi starts one season with the same manufacturer he finished the previous season with.

BMW, with only two factory riders last year, have no fewer than four pilots on the BMW S1000RR. Returning official riders Troy Corser and Ruben Xaus, in the BMW Motorrad Motorsport team, are now joined by privateers Reitwagen BMW, with their pairing of Andrew Pitt and Roland Resch. The latter have been in Australia acclimatizing to their machines for some time now.

Six Ducati riders will show themselves at the Phillip Island tests, the factory Ducati Xerox pairing of Noriyuki Haga and Michel Fabrizio, the Althea duo of Shane Byrne and Carlos Checa, plus lone entries from DFX (with Lorenzo Lanzi) and Pata B&G racing (Jakub Smrz). All of these riders should be on podium capable machinery once again in 2010.

Honda is well represented at the tests, although the injured Broc Parkes (ECHO CRS Racing) will miss his home-circuit practice, and the race itself, after suffering a training injury.

Proven race winners Jonathan Rea and Max Neukirchner are both keen to test again for the Hannspree Ten Kate Honda team, while Vittorio Iannuzzo (Squadra Corse Italia Honda Garvie Image) takes his second year steps with Honda again.

Kawasaki will be at full strength, as the official Kawasaki Racing Team makes its way down under with Tom Sykes and local lad Chris Vermeulen. In addition, the Pedercini Kawasaki team will be present with Matteo Baiocco and US rider Roger Lee Hayden.

Two top level Suzuki riders are in town for testing as well, Leon Haslam and Sylvain Guintoli (Team Suzuki Alstare), with Haslam in particular having been outstandingly quick in previous test outings this winter.

Alphabetically last, but by no means least, Yamaha bring two top talents to testing as well, double World Champion James Toseland and current Supersport World Champion Cal Crutchlow...

MotoGP: Fiat Yamaha Sepang test report

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 07:00:00 GMT

Yamaha MotoGP Teams complete a successful second day of testing in Malaysia

Valentino Rossi led the way for the second day running in Sepang today, concluding the first test of the year on top of the standings. His Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo was also on the pace today, finishing the test third fastest behind Casey Stoner.

Rain this morning meant the track did not fully dry out until lunchtime and it was after one o'clock before Rossi left the garage on his 2010 YZR-M1. The World Champion, who turns 31 in ten days time, completed 32 laps and set a best time of 2'00.925, only half a second slower than the record pole time for the track, which he set last year. Lorenzo put in a few laps in the late morning but the track was still wet in places and so he, too, waited until after lunch to really get started. The 22-year-old made a big improvement from yesterday and felt much more comfortable on the bike, finishing third fastest in a time of 2'01.680 after 60 laps.

The team will return to Sepang at the end of the month for the second of three pre-season tests.

Valentino Rossi - Position: 1st Time: 2'00.925 Laps: 32

"After yesterday this second day has been very good as well, even though we lost a few hours to the rain, and the end we were still able to finish all our work. We worked on the new bike to find a better setting and I was happy to be the fastest overall - even though this is just testing this is important for me! At the next test we will have a few more new things but we're already happy because we're fast and strong. There is room to improve of course; Sepang is always a good track for the Yamaha so we will have to wait until Qatar to get a better understanding of our level, but we have made a great start."

Jorge Lorenzo - Position: 3rd Time: 2'01.680 Laps: 60

"I felt much better today and I was able to be fast straight away. It wasn't a big problem yesterday, it's just that after such a long break I forget how to ride a little bit! I need a bit of time, but it was much better today. I'm happy about my performance and about my feeling with the new bike. Yamaha have made good improvements without changing the best parts of the bike and this is the best way...

MotoGP: Rizla Suzuki Sepang test preview

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 07:00:00 GMT

Rizla Suzuki ready for opening test of 2010

The Rizla Suzuki MotoGP team is on the way to Sepang in Malaysia to resume its preparations for the 2010 season at the first of three tests scheduled before the season opener at Qatar in March.

Loris Capirossi and Alvaro Bautista will be riding their Suzuki GSV-R's for the first time since last November and both are eager to achieve as much testing as possible in readiness for the first race.

Capirossi has been training hard throughout the enforced winter break and the experienced Italian is in peak condition as he prepares to start his 21st season in top-flight motorcycle racing.

Bautista will be appearing at Sepang for the first time on a MotoGP machine since joining the Suzuki squad at the end of last season. So far, Bautista has completed two tests on the Suzuki GSV-R -- at Valencia and Estoril -- and is keen to continue his learning curve within the premier class after his transition from the 250cc championship. The Sepang test will also be the first time that Bautista will appear in full Rizla Suzuki livery.

Sepang is an ideal test track as it offers an enticing mix of tight turns, fast sweeping corners and - along with its two long straights and usual good weather - it makes for a near-perfect venue for MotoGP testing.

Following a shakedown test for factory test rider Nobuatsu Aoki on the 3rd of February, the official two-day test gets underway on Thursday 4th February, with the first race of the 2010 MotoGP season scheduled at Losail in Qatar on Sunday 11th April.

Loris Capirossi:

"It feels like a very long time since I was on the bike and just cannot wait to start riding again -- I am even having trouble sleeping because I am so excited about getting back to work! I know the guys at Suzuki have been working really hard this winter so we will hopefully be able to get on the pace -- or close to it - from day one at Sepang. We are looking forward to a good package and I am also going to the factory after the test to do some work with the guys in Hamamatsu to try and make the bike the best it can be in time for the start of the season. After 20 seasons, I am as focused coming into this year as I have ever been and still really enjoy everything to do with MotoGP. I certainly feel like I have unfinished business in racing and a few more milestones to reach, so this test is the start of my preparations to making them happen."...

WSBK: Ducati 2010 season preview

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 07:00:00 GMT

THE DUCATI XEROX TEAM DEFINES ITS NEW STRUCTURE FOR THE 2010 SBK SEASON

Bologna (Italy), Thursday 7th January 2010: just a few days before the 2010 Superbike season officially gets going with testing at Portimao from 22nd January, the Ducati Xerox Team confirms that it has undergone some significant internal reorganization.

With Noriyuki Haga and Michel Fabrizio both back on board their Ducati 1198s for 2010, a series of structural changes within Ducati have allowed for a certain degree of reorganization within the Ducati Xerox team.

Ernesto Marinelli is the newly appointed Ducati Xerox Team manager, and so stepping into Marinelli's shoes as technical manager of the squad is Marco Lozej who will also have the role of track engineer for Michel Fabrizio. With Ducati since 2000, Marco has most recently been responsible for the GP development team.

Japanese rider Haga also has a new track engineer in the shape of Luca Ferraccioli, who returns to the Borgo-Panigale factory after a four year stint as race engineer with the British GSE Racing outfit. Working alongside Luca, in the role of electronics engineer to Noriyuki, will be Marco Frigerio who moves from the factory MotoGP team to the Superbike side for the coming season. The final change on Haga's side is the appointment of a new tyre technician, Massimo Meneghin.

The final addition to the "new-look" team is Una Conway, Irish and in Italy for more than a decade, who comes on board as Team Coordinator and Hospitality Assistant.

"2010 will be a little different but I am extremely confident as well as optimistic", commented Ernesto Marinelli, the Ducati Xerox Team Manager. "Despite the important reorganization within the team, in reality most of the new members have already been working in Ducati for some time. Both Marco Lozej and Luca Ferraccioli have worked in Ducati for years and have a wealth of experience as well as great technical ability and personality...

AMA-SBK: Suzuki new on Blake Young

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Rockstar Makita Suzuki's Blake Young Talks About Upcoming Season

Brea, Calif. - December 16, 2009 - Rockstar Makita Suzuki is gearing up for another spectacular year racing the championship-winning GSX-R1000, and the team riders are talking about winning in 2010. Following his teammate Tommy Hayden's appearance on Pit Pass Radio two weeks ago, Blake Young was a guest on the show last night. Young, the 22-year-old from Madison, Wisconsin, talked about his rookie 2009 Superbike season, the upcoming 2010 season, former teammate Mat Mladin, and his new crew chief Peter Doyle.

Young started the interview by expressing his optimism for the 2010 Superbike season, as he and his crew are in preparations to dominate the series. "I think we've got something really good this year, and I'm really excited for it," Young said. "This year is going to be really, really good and I think we have one of the best teams if not the best team in the paddock. We're going to be pretty hard to beat."

With his rookie year behind him, Young is looking forward to the upcoming season and using the knowledge and skills he acquired in 2009. "Last year was a huge learning experience for me," Young explained. "This upcoming year I'm working with Peter Doyle, Mat's [Mladin] crew chief, and I have a lot of respect for him. The whole team puts us on the top of the box at the end of the day, but you need to surround yourself with the best people you can, and when it comes to crew chiefs, Peter's the best in the paddock."

Young also expressed his respect for former teammate Mat Mladin, who retired after winning the 2009 Superbike championship, the seventh of his spectacular career. "Someone as experienced as Mat, to learn from him, watch him, and see the things he does, it was a huge learning experience being his teammate. He's going to be missed. I wish I could've been his teammate for another year," Young said. "It's sad to see him go, but while he was there I definitely had my pen and paper out and was taking notes." Young also talked about his current teammate, Tommy Hayden, who placed third overall in the 2009 Superbike series. "Tommy is a really good teammate," Young explained...

WSBK: Yamaha Valencia test notes 2009-12-10

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike riders wrap a successful test in Valencia

The all British line up of Cal Crutchlow and James Toseland wrapped up a successful final day of testing in Valencia this afternoon. Both Crutchlow and Toseland had spent the two day test at the Ricardo Tormo circuit working through electronic and chassis settings on their R1 superbikes ahead of the 2010 season next year.

Day two saw big improvements from both riders as the times came down, covering some 60 laps each, despite neither of them getting the opportunity to take advantage of the faster tyres towards the end of the day. They will now head home for Christmas before joining up with their new team again in Portugal in January for the first test of 2010 at the Portimao circuit in the Algarve.

Cal Crutchlow, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team (1'34.0)

"Today was even better than the first day, we worked through a lot more settings in the sessions. I'm disappointed with my final time though as I think I could have been fastest at the end of the day but I didn't get a chance to use the fastest tyre. I'm happy enough with my overall pace and consistency. We've still more to do so I'm looking forward to getting back on the bike in January and keeping up the development."

James Toseland, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team (1'34.3)

"A really encouraging test for me, again I'm happy being on a track I know so I can concentrate on the bike set up. I feel we've come on quite a bit with the bike over the last two days. I didn't utilize the quick tyre to its full potential as I got held up which is a shame as I was quite confident of getting into the 33s. I ended up on 34.3, which was a good pace. I'm getting used to the way of riding the bike and getting confident with the team as well. I think if we had a race tomorrow we'd be in with a shout!"

Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team Manager

AMA: Suzuki announces 2010 racing plans

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 07:00:00 GMT

American Suzuki Motor Corp. Goes Boldly Into 2010

Brea, Calif. - December 7, 2009 - American Suzuki announced at the International Motorcycle Show in Long Beach, California on Friday, its significant racing agenda for 2010. The Rockstar Makita Suzuki racing efforts won an unprecedented six championships in 2009, dominating the Supercross, Motocross, Road Racing and ATV championship series, and Suzuki has committed to putting the Competition-crushing GSX-Rs, RM-Zs, and QuadRacer on top of the podium in 2010.

"Suzuki products are truly industry leading and we stand behind them 100 percent," Senior Advertising Manager Steve Bortolamedi explained. "We proved that last year with our six titles. For 2010, what better way to demonstrate this again than by putting our reputation on the line?"

Suzuki will commit to a larger racing effort along with returning sponsors Rockstar Energy Drink and Makita tools, which will be managed by long-time partner Yoshimura R&D of America. Yoshimura will house all of the Rockstar Makita Suzuki racing teams under one roof.

"Yoshimura will be managing Suzuki racing efforts in Supercross, Motocross, Road Racing, and ATV Racing," Yoshimura R&D Senior Vice President Don Sakakura said. "We hope to be able to showcase the performance of the Suzuki line of high-performance motorcycles and ATVs. Suzuki is proud of their products and is ready for the upcoming racing season. We at Yoshimura are equally looking forward to 2010."

Suzuki revealed its impressive roster of racers for the 2010 season.

Road Racing: Tommy Hayden and Blake Young are both returning to take the championship-winning GSX-R 1000 to the top of the AMA Pro Superbike class.

Supercross/Motocross: Racing phenom Ryan Dungey is returning to the team for 2010 aboard the unstoppable RM-Z450. Australian Matt Moss, who won the 2009 Australian National Pro Lites Championship as well as the Australasian Supercross Pro Lites Championship, will join Dungey in the 450 class. Rounding out the team will be Austin Stroupe, who's set to compete in the Pro Lites East series aboard the RM-Z250.

AMA Series 2009 championship banquet report

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Champions honored at the AMA Racing Championship Banquet,

Speedway racer Greg Hancock wins AMA Athlete of the Year award, headlines lineup of champions honored at the AMA Racing Championship Banquet, presented by KTM North America.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- A sell-out crowd of AMA Racing champions and their families, friends and fans joined the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on Friday, Dec. 4., to celebrate the successful seasons of some of the country's most-talented motorcycle and all-terrain vehicle (ATV) racers.

"All AMA Racers are born and bred with exceptional levels of dedication, talent and guts -- but only a few become champions," said AMA Director of Racing Joe Bromley. "At the Hard Rock this Friday night, many of our best were with us, and we turned the spotlight on them. Whether they are the very young or the not-so-very young, high-flying, bar-banging motocross racers or observed trials masters -- those magicians with two wheels and a motor -- they all got their due. It was our honor to recognize these incredible individuals for their successful seasons in 2009."

The AMA Racing Championship Banquet, presented by KTM North America, kicked off a two-day celebration honoring motorcycling's greats at Las Vegas' Hard Rock. On Saturday night, Dec. 5, the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame officially inducts its 2009 class.

Hundreds of top competitors, in disciplines ranging from land-speed racing to motocross to woods racing and everything in between, received their national championship trophies and No. 1 plates at the end-of-year gala banquet. A number of special awards also were presented to those who went above and beyond this season to make 2009 one of the most memorable in recent history.

The AMA Racing Athlete of the Year award was won by speedway racer Greg Hancock, from Costa Mesa, Calif. Hancock, the 2009 AMA Racing/USA Speedway National Champion, claimed an unprecedented eighth national speedway championship this year, surpassing the career total of the legendary AMA Hall of Famer Mike Bast.

Dave Joiner, promoter of Fast Fridays speedway events, which include AMA Racing/USA Speedway Nationals, accepted the award on Hancock's behalf.

MotoGP: Bridgestone 2009 season review

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:00:00 GMT

2009 MotoGP season review with Hiroshi Yasukawa, Director of Bridgestone Motorsport

The 2009 MotoGP season was the first for Bridgestone as the series' Official tire Supplier. This meant that rather than supporting seven teams and a total of thirteen riders by the end of last year, Bridgestone supplied tires and provided support to every team and rider on the grid. In total there were five race-winners, including the first MotoGP win for Andrea Dovizioso and the first on Bridgestone tires for Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa, and eleven different riders finished on the podium. The World Championship was won by Valentino Rossi and the Fiat Yamaha Team at the Malaysian Grand Prix, the penultimate round of the season.

Q&A with Hiroshi Yasukawa - Director of Bridgestone Motorsport

How can you summarize the first year for Bridgestone as MotoGP's official tire supplier?

"The challenges for Bridgestone this year were very different as it was our first in MotoGP without tire competition. We miss the tire competition and the lack of it does make it more of a challenge for us, but it presents new opportunities. In the past our objective was to provide tires that allowed the riders using them to be faster than the competition, whereas this year our role was much more involved, providing not just tires but support to every team and rider in the series.

"Whilst we had experience of working closely with all the involved motorcycle manufacturers in the past, adapting our infrastructure to fulfill our commitment as the Official tire Supplier was the first challenge, especially given the time frame we had in which to do so. Nevertheless we were ready for the start of the season, and I am proud of that achievement and of everything we have accomplished since. We have seen some thrilling racing, and our appointment as the sole tire supplier has been well received by teams, riders and of course Dorna and the FIM, for which I would like to thank them all."

This was a significant year for Bridgestone in the company's MotoGP history

"The 2009 season was an important one for us because it marked our move to the single tire supplier in MotoGP having only entered the sport in 2002. I am proud of the dedication and commitment that the whole team has shown to rise to this level so rapidly, and I also sincerely thank the support of everyone we have received during this time. Of course when we first started it was not easy but we worked hard to get it right, and I am very pleased that all that work has resulted in our current situation. Casey Stoner's victory at the Australian Grand Prix this year also marked the 50th premier class win on our tires from the 133 grands prix we had competed in by that point in the season. Importantly for us, 70 per cent of these wins came during the years of tire competition before 2009."

San Marino MotoGP: Bridgestone preview

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Bridgestone slick compounds available:
Front: Medium, Hard
Rear: Medium, Hard

In the fourth of the season's back-to-back races, Bridgestone's technicians and engineers travel directly to the Misano circuit for round 13 of the season which comes the weekend after the Indianapolis Grand Prix.

San Marino presents a much smoother circuit with much lower grip, necessitating softer compounds of slick tyre. Bridgestone have selected the medium and hard compound front and rear slicks and hard compound wet tyres. Even though the circuit's surface is smooth, the hard compound wets are used as the ambient temperature in the region is generally high and the hard compound offers better durability in these conditions.

The nature of the circuit is twisty and riders spend a lot of time on the brakes, meaning that braking stability afforded by the front tyre is crucial. As with every race since the Dutch Grand Prix at Assen in June, each rider can opt for an even split of four of each compound of front tyre or five of one and three of the other to better suit their individual riding and machine preference.

After a time away, MotoGP returned to Misano in 2007, but the circuit layout was changed slightly at turn three in time for last year, increasing the track's length to 4.226km. Appearing in various guises in past years, the circuit remains unchanged from last year, allowing Bridgestone to maximise their experience and success at the venue.

Bridgestone has a great track record in Misano since its return to the calendar in 2007. Ducati Team's Casey Stoner took pole and won in 2007 on Bridgestone tyres, and in 2008 the Australian grabbed pole again. The win was taken by Valentino Rossi for Fiat Yamaha, and the Italian set a new lap record on Bridgestone tyres in the process.

Hiroshi Yamada - Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Department

"We have a good record of winning performances in Misano with Casey in 2007 and with Valentino last year. A Bridgestone-shod rider has got pole position both years since the race returned in 2007, and that same year the top five riders were all on Bridgestone tyres which made it one of our best results.

"After Jorge's win in Indianapolis, the championship is still open with five races to go so I think we will see an exciting end to what has been an already exciting season. It has been a hugely competitive year and we have seen some intense battles and close finishes, and with many areas of heavy braking at Misano I am confident that we will see some more great competition this weekend."

Tohru Ubukata - Manager, Bridgestone Motorcycle Tyre Development Department

"The track surface at Misano is smooth and offers relatively low grip. The layout is basically twisty, but there are some long, high-speed corners. There are also a lot of slow and tight corners, and the main straight is not so long, so the focus will be on obtaining good braking stability and traction on corner exit.

MotoGP: Rossi snags pole for British GP

Sat, 25 Jul 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Valentino Rossi was able to take another pole this season over teammate Jorge Lorenzo at Donington Park, UK. The Fiat Yamaha riders are once again at the top, this time sandwiched by the Repsol Honda of Dani Pedrosa. Casey Stoner is unsurprisingly on the second row, the top four riders of the series were all faster than last year's record pole time. The top order promises to make the last MotoGP event at Donington Park one heck of a send off.

"I am quite surprised to be on pole today because we had a couple of problems this afternoon!" smiled Rossi. "We made some modifications and improved it a bit, then we made a few more and used the soft tire again and then we were very quick. Like that I could ride the bike how I wanted and it felt great, fast and flowing so this was a good job from the team. We need to do some work to improve our pace with the hard tire, and then we just have to wait and see what the weather does tomorrow. Whatever happens, we're starting from the front and this is the most important thing."

At lest weather wasn't a factor in today's qualifying, but this is the UK and the weather can turn wet anytime. Not that it would be anything new to the MotoGP riders this year, rain has seemingly fallen on every weekend so far.

Pedrosa's second here is confirmation the Spaniard is back in good form after really hurting himself earlier this season. The Repsol rider is always fast and consistant, so it's great to see him back mixing it up with the top three aces of the sport.

"We did a good job in both sessions today and I'm happy to qualify on the front row because, in reality, that's more important than taking pole position," explained Pedrosa. "On my last run at the end of the qualifying session I found some traffic on the circuit which caused me to lose my concentration and rhythm slightly, so I think I could have gone a little quicker. But still, the middle of the front row is OK.

"It's the last MotoGP race at Donington Park tomorrow and of course I'd like a good result to sign off with - preferably a win," added the Spainard.

A bit of irritation might be creeping on Lorenzo as yet again Rossi has out done him. At one point this year Stoner and Loernzo both had a shot at leading the title hunt but lately it's been their Italian rival collecting more points than either of them. If Lorenzo wants to win the championship in only his second season he'd better bring the fight to Rossi this weekend.

Yamaha Newsletter

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Yamaha dominates the racetrack with wins across the board

Yamaha Racing is shining across the globe as its star riders continue to bring success in an incredible number of championships and race series both on and off road.

In MotoGP both Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo are taking the points with consistent top three finishes and breath-taking race wins. Rossi leads the world championship closely followed by Lorenzo in second position, with the Laguna Seca GP round last weekend seeing them score their sixth double podium of the season.

The 2009 Yamaha YZF-R1, developed from the dominating M1 MotoGP machine, has also been showing its winning ways. In the World Superbike Championship Ben Spies is seeing incredible success, closing the championship lead with his third double race win of the season two weeks ago at the Donington round. He now sits just 14 points behind championship leader Haga and is determined to continue his winning streak.

In the FIM World Endurance Championship, the Yamaha Austria Racing Team (YART) have taken every victory of the 2009 season, three in total and are leading the championship after another flawless victory at Albacete last weekend, riders Steve Martin, Igor Jerman and Gwen Giabbani proving to be an incredible effective team. Joining them on the podium and making it a Yamaha one-two was the Yamaha Folch Endurance Team, taking the second spot with riders David Checa, Daniel Rivas and Jose Manuel Luis Rita.

The YZF-R1 is also dominating across Europe in national superbike championships, leading 5 of the 8 main superbike series currently active in Europe. Airwaves Yamaha riders Leon Camier and James Ellison are currently first and second respectively in the British Superbike Championship, winning 11 out of 12 races so far whilst in Germany Jorge Teuchert is also firmly on top of the table, continuing to lead in the German IDM Superbike Championship.

In the Netherlands the recent Dutch Open Superbike Championship saw R1 riders Gareth Jones, Raymond Schouten and Bob Withag complete the podium, Jones is currently leading the championship, closely followed by Schouten in second place. Further south in France Yamaha rider Sebastien Gimbert currently lies third in the French Superbike Championship and is fighting to close the 16 point gap and take the championship with 3 more rounds to come whilst the CEV Extreme Championship in Spain sees the full top four riders on board Yamahas this year: Carmelo Morales Gomez, Jose Luis Cardoso Lobo, Bernat Martinez Mas and Javier Del Amor Cueto are all making the R1 work hard for them to keep them at the top of their series.

In Eastern Europe the Czech rider Jiri Drazd�k is leading the AlpeAdria Superbike Championship after keeping all competition behind him in 3 of the 5 competed rounds.

The Yamaha R-6 is also proving to be a winning machine. In the World Supersport Championship British rider Cal Crutchlow claimed his fourth win of the race season in front of his home crowd in Donington last week, extending his championship lead and taking him closer to the 2009 title. In the European Superstock 600 Championship Italian Danilo Petrucci is leading the board, followed by 4 more Yamaha riders in the top 6.

MotoGP: Lorenzo fastest on home Catalunyan soil

Sat, 13 Jun 2009 06:00:00 GMT

There's no real surprise a Spanish rider snatched pole at the second of three planned MotoGP events in Spain this year. Jorge Lorenzo was able to trump teammate Valentino Rossi by just one hundredth of a second for the top spot in the final moments of qualifying. Casey Stoner will start on the outside of the front row, the Australian has traded fast times with the Yamaha pair all session.

Lorenzo and the rest of the riders had to deal with sweltering temperatures under a hot sun at Circuit de Catalunya, "The heat was incredible today and it's going to be very tough doing so many laps tomorrow without getting too tired!" said Lorenzo. "I'm so happy to be here on pole in front of my home fans at this track, which I really love. Tomorrow is going to be a very difficult race for everyone and I am expecting a very good fight with Valentino, who has a very strong pace. It looks like Stoner and Dovizioso will be there too so I hope it's an exciting race for the fans! I have a good rhythm here and I feel very comfortable on the bike so I am just going to stay focused and think about having a great race."

Rossi has had a good pace from the start of the weekend but all today it seemed he was busy trying to catch up to his younger teammate. The reigning champ was able to hold provisional pole until the final minutes when his teammate stepped up the ante. His answer to Lorenzo's best time fell just short before qualifying was ended.

"It's good to be back on the front row after three races off it," commented Rossi, "so we're happy about that. Of course I am sorry to miss the pole by such a tiny amount, but anyway we have an excellent pace and I am confident for tomorrow. We've been waiting for good weather for five races and now the temperature is maybe a little bit too much, but for sure it's better than rain for everyone!"

Stoner seemingly came out of nowhere after a less then stellar morning practice. The Aussie eventually sorted out the right setup to be able to pose a challenge to the Yamaha boys and Repsol Honda's Andrea Dovizioso. Stoner's teammate, Nicky Hayden very well might have been in the mix as well had a late session crash not kept him from setting his best lap.

Tomorrow Stoner looks to bring a fight to Lorenzo, "Nobody really knows what anybody is capable of in conditions like this because once the tyres start spinning it is going to be difficult for any of us to match the times we've been doing today. It is going to be a very interesting race and I think everybody is going to be sliding around a lot but the things we tried with the electronics this afternoon should help us in the later stages of the race. We'll see what we can do tomorrow but the idea is to dig in and work hard from the warm-up and hopefully we'll still be fighting at the end."

WSBK Monza: Series Saturday notes

Sat, 09 May 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Spies Takes Five for Yamaha in Monza Superpole

Ben Spies made it an impressive five Superpole triumphs in five races with a blistering lap in the decisive qualifying session at the Autodromo di Monza. The Yamaha World Superbike team's Texan rookie star, who received his Superpole trophy from Troy Bayliss, totally disintegrated the Australian champion's previous record mark of 1'44.931 to clinch the pole with a time of 1 minute 44.077 seconds. The only rider who was able to stay close to Spies throughout the 50 minute session was Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox), who had dominated qualifying, but who had to take second best by two-tenths. Third place on the grid went to Ryuichi Kiyonari (Ten Kate Honda), who is starting to come good again after a difficult start to the season. The Japanese rider, who almost won here twelve months ago, headed Max Neukirchner (Suzuki Alstare). The German was out of contention until a couple of minutes from the end, but he put in a last-minute effort to haul his GSXR into the fourth slot, making it four different makes, Yamaha, Ducati, Honda and Suzuki, on the first row of the grid.

Ben Spies: "It's been a really good weekend for us so far, we've had these poles this year but I definitely wanted to get this one for Yamaha at their home track. Congratulations to Michel and Kiyo, they did great laps, we've kind of been working under the radar this weekend, very quiet, but it looks like it's going to be a real dogfight tomorrow in the races."

Michel Fabrizio: "I wanted the Superpole at all costs but Ben did a great lap. Hopefully tomorrow I can fight with him for the first time because we have never been up against each other so far. We'll see what happens. In any case I have a much better feeling with this new Superpole formula, I didn't like the one-lap sprint at all."

Ryuichi Kiyonari: "Yesterday and today we tried to make the good setting and finally I could get the bike set up well to go fast. I hope I can get the same result as last year. Last year I almost won and I feel like I have a good chance to win tomorrow because my bike is very fast."

Max Neukirchner: "I really like Monza with all the fans here, it's a great atmosphere. My team did a very good job this weekend . I have a good race pace for tomorrow and hopefully I have made the right tire choice, but I am so happy to be on the front row."

The next rider up was Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox), who had to use his second allocated qualifier to save himself from the cut after the second run. Haga will be flanked on row 2 by Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda), Max Biaggi (Aprilia Racing), who set the all-time fastest ever speed recorded in Superbike at 325.8 km/h, and Yukio Kagayama (Suzuki Alstare). In row 3 can be found the first BMW of Troy Corser, with the leading Kawasaki of the still injured Broc Parkes. The first Superpole run saw the elimination of two top privateers, Leon Haslam (Stiggy Racing Honda) and Jakub Smrz (Ducati Guandalini), both of whom scored podiums at Assen but who will now start from row 5 at Monza.

Lorenzo heads Yamaha one, two in Japan

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 06:00:00 GMT

What a day for the Fiat Yamaha team and what a start to the season for all MotoGP motorcycle racing fans. It looked like the Japanese GP would be another rain delayed event but the clouds parted seemingly just for today's race. Valentino Rossi started on pole with Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo, the order decided by Friday practice times after qualifying was canceled due to the heavy rains. By the checkered flag it was Lorenzo that took the win, followed by teammate Rossi. Stoner was missing from the podium; the best he could earn was fourth.

The Fiat Yamaha team couldn't have asked for a better finish in their home country. For Lorenzo, this win is affirmation he is back in good health and ready to renew his title fight. At the start the Spaniard fell behind but was soon able to contend with Dani Pedrosa for second. Meanwhile Rossi was trying to pull a clean lead over their battle. However, the reigning champ wasn't able to escape his teammate's clutches once Lorenzo dispatched Pedrosa. The Yamaha riders had a good spar, with Lorenzo finally breaking free and leaving Rossi to defend for second. The Spaniard now leads the title fight, one point over Rossi and three over Stoner.

"First of all I just want to thank my team, my Mum, Dad and whole family, my friends and all the team workers," said the smiling Lorenzo. "Also Yamaha, as it is their home race, it was a difficult race because I didn't really get a very good start, I think I even finished the first lap in third or fourth. After that I began to catch up the pace. I passed Valentino and opened up a little gap, about a second and a half, and he was following me very hard. I had to ride the best I can to get the victory."

Rossi had the initial pace but as the laps wore on it was clear the Italian wasn't 100 percent happy with the bike. Once his teammate slipped past he had to fight hard to keep Pedrosa from following suit.

"It was a great race, long, very difficult and also physical," explained Rossi. "I got a really good start from the front row, but there was a part of the race that I wasn't quite able to ride like I wanted, there was some kind of problem and I wasn't fast enough to pull away.

"It's a good race, second place is not a victory but it's still twenty points for the championship. I think the championship will become very interesting now because we have four riders ready to battle for wins at the end," added the Italian.

Pedrosa made his Repsol Honda team proud today, as the Motegi Circuit is owned by Honda. While they couldn't beat the Yamaha riders they did at least podium on their own stomping grounds. The team is now second for the manufacturer's title. Both Pedrosa and teammate Andrea Dovizioso -- who finished fifth today -- are showing the new Honda package can take the fight to their rival teams.

"I'm very happy with this result," said Pedrosa. "I've had injury problems for a long time - since last October - and so to be on the podium in the second race of the season is fantastic for me, and really we didn't expect this so soon."

It's a rare occasion to see Stoner off the top three, especially when he started from the front row. Within the first lap it was clear the Australian was struggling, according to the team the streaming data showed a nasty vibration on his front end. Stoner fell to as low as sixth before methodically working his way to fourth. After dominating the Qatar GP the Ducati bike has shown a chink in its armor and allowed Lorenzo and Rossi to close into what will surely be a three-way battle for most of the season.

MototGP: Qualifying for Japan rained out, Rossi awarded pole

Sat, 25 Apr 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Qualifying for the Japanese GP, round two of the new MotoGP motorcycle season was canceled today on account of rain. If you followed round one, you must be feeling a tinge of deja-vu. The Qatar race was postponed a day after torrential downpours. It seems something this year is angering the rain gods, maybe it's going to s single tire supplier or perhaps the sky doesn't like Nicky Hayden wearing red for Ducati. Regardless the reason, the grid is now shaped by the three practice sessions that took place Friday and today. Valentino Rossi will start on pole, sharing the front row with rival Casey Stoner and Yamaha teammate Jorge Lorenzo.

With today's practice held in the wet the fastest times were set on Friday. Each driver was allowed to use his fastest lap to determine the order. Usually in practice the times can vary a great deal with normally fast bikes running slow as they work under a different program. However, this weekend it looks the usual suspects were on the pace early.

"We've been very unlucky in these two races and last year as well," mused Rossi, "because we've just had so much rain! This year has been worse though because first we had to delay the race in Qatar and now we've had to cancel qualifying here. I don't think it was such a good idea to come to Motegi in April! So now we're going into a race after just 45 minutes in the dry and 45 minutes in the wet, and I think maybe it will be one of the most uncertain races ever! We're lucky because we had a good session in the dry yesterday and so we're on pole, which is very important for the race here but it's still impossible to be at 100% after such a short time and with so little data. In the dry this morning our setting worked well also so I think we can fight whether it's dry or wet, and after all it's the same for everybody. Of course I would prefer it to be dry but above all I hope it's not half and half, I hope it's either fully wet or fully dry otherwise it will be even more difficult."

Stoner is just half a tenth off the Italian's time, it's clear the rivals are neck and neck on a dry setup. It would have been a great show during qualifying as they fought for pole, yet I wager it will be even better during tomorrow's race.

"It would be strange to go through a whole season and have one session that you can't ride in," commented Stoner, "so it's amazing that we've had this situation occur in each of the opening two rounds. It's unbelievable, the rain we've had, and I'd probably be feeling angry and frustrated right now if it wasn't for the fact we're on the front row! It is a difficult situation for everybody to have had so little track time here but we're all, almost literally, in the same boat!"

There is a double meaning being at Motegi for the Yamaha team. Not only are they running in the manufacture's home nation and have a strong local fan base but they are on a rivals turf, the circuit is owned by Honda. With both Fiat Yamaha bikes on the front row and the highest Honda is seventh placed Andrea Dovizioso it looks bragging rights will once again go to the boys in blue and white.

AMA-SC Seattle: Ryan Villopoto summary

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Villopoto Has a Monster Night in Thor's "Frankenstein" Gear
Seattle Winner Chats about Win, Rookie Season and Design Process

LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif. -- To say Ryan Villopoto had a monster night on Saturday would be an understatement. The 20-year old Washington native made a triumphant return to the series at his "home field" and brought the hometown crowd to its feet with his first career AMA Supercross motorcycle class victory at Seattle's Qwest Field.

To celebrate his return to the Northwest, Villopoto collaborated with the design team at Thor, his longtime apparel and helmet sponsor, to create custom gear for the Seattle round. Dubbed "Frankenstein" because of its purple and black color way, the Villopoto-inspired custom gear was designed off Thor's premier Core line of riding apparel and featured a vibrant yellow #2 on each leg to match the number on Villopoto's Monster Energy Kawasaki.

The Frankenstein Custom Core gear was the third and final custom collaboration of the season for Villopoto. He also wore custom designed Core gear at Anaheim 2, Atlanta, and Daytona.

The following is a brief interview with Villopoto to find out what he thought about his breakthrough victory, his rookie season and the Frankenstein gear.

Question: You were able to win coming back from an illness that took all of your energy away. Did it mean more to you to be able to come back after something like this, beat both James Stewart and Chad Reed, and get such a huge victory?

Villopoto: Yeah it was awesome. I was able to get a really good start while Mike (Alessi) got the holeshot. I stayed close and raced with Mike for about eight or nine laps. I caught up to him and was pretty close, but I hadn't made a pass on him yet so I was able to look at what he was doing. I calmed myself down a little bit and stopped making little mistakes and then really closed up on him and the pressure forced him to make a mistake and he slid out. I didn't hit him, but he was in the main line which allowed Davi (Millsaps) to get pretty close to me and I actually had to put on a pretty good charge the rest of the race to get a gap.

Now that the first win is out of the way and you've proven you have what it takes, what does it do for your confidence from here on out?

My year has been 'ok.' A little up and down and then I got sick and had to take some time off. But it was actually nice to not have to travel for a little bit outside of the actual part of being sick. It helped give me a little break that I needed and now I came back and came out feeling better than I have in a really long time. I'm going to finish out the last two (supercross races) and get ready for the outdoors. Hopefully with a little head start on the rest of these guys.

What went into the design of your gear this weekend?

Well, moving up into the (Supercross) class, you get a chance to wear some different things. When I was in the Lites class, we wore the same gear every week. So this year, Thor told me that we could wear three special sets. I had an orange set, another set that looked like it got hit by paint balls, and then (the Frankenstein) set. Those are the three I picked. Moe (Thor designer) actually designed 10 different sets of gear and I was able to go in and pick out the stuff I really like. It made it easy for me because I don't really have that kind of design background.

What was it about the Frankenstein gear that stood out to you?

It was just different to me. There hasn't been a lot of purple gear done before. I thought it was cool because it had a lot of purple in it as well as black and it really stood out with the fluorescent yellow mixed in.

It really ended up working out really great to have an special set with it being your comeback race, in your hometown, and even your first win. What was it like for you?

I love going back home whenever I can. There just isn't anything like it. I love the rain, the whole scene with all the green everywhere. And to be in front of all my hometown fans, its just something that's really cool. Doing well is always good, but winning my first race adds to it all and (obviously) makes everything that was going on even better.

WSBK Assen: Paul Bird Motorsports preview

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 06:00:00 GMT

ASSEN BECKONS FOR PARKES AND TAMADA

Following on from a superb performance at the third round of the 2009 World Superbike Championship in Valencia last time out, Paul Bird Motorsport Team riders Broc Parkes and Makoto Tamada are hoping to continue their good form for the Kawasaki World Superbike Racing Team when round four of the series visits the historic Assen circuit in the Netherlands next weekend.

Following the opening two rounds in Australia and Qatar which weren't as successful as they were hoping, Parkes rocketed to a superb tenth place finish in the opening race in Spain which Tamada backed up with his first points of the season despite still suffering from injuries sustained in testing.

As a result, the official factory Ninja ZX-10R riders, with backing from www.supercasino.com, Vent Axia and Kick Energy, are gradually getting to grips with the bikes and with new parts arriving and the Dutch track being similar in characteristics to the Valencia circuit, both 27-year-old Parkes and 32-year-old Tamada are confident going into the second of the European races.

Broc Parkes: "The bike is developing well and we've made some pretty good steps forward over the past few races. We have some new parts arriving ready for Assen and this will hopefully have a good effect to take us to Monza and then the flyaways. The championship is so tight though, anything can happen so it's possible to be in the top ten once more if things go right. I can't say I've had any major results before at Assen but I do enjoy the circuit and the atmosphere is always good."

Makoto Tamada: "There were some setbacks due to my injury during the Valencia races, but I am recovering fast and happy with my progress. I don't feel that I have been able to show anywhere near my full potential this season yet, but I am confident that I will do in the near future. I have a great new team behind me and I have full confidence in them and the goals we have set out to achieve together. I am hoping for a top ten finish at Assen."

Television Coverage...

MotoGP: Bridgestone Qatar GP debrief

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 06:00:00 GMT

New tire regulations and allocation procedure a success after first GP

tire compounds available: Soft, Medium

After a rain-delayed but nevertheless successful opener to the 2009 MotoGP season, and the first race for Bridgestone as the series' single tire supplier, Tohru Ubukata reflects on the extended race weekend.

Q&A with Tohru Ubukata - Bridgestone Motorsport - Manager, Motorcycle Race tire Development

How are you feeling after the first grand prix for Bridgestone as the series' sole supplier?

The Qatar night race was one of our most difficult tracks last year because of the cold night-time temperatures and the abrasive nature of the sandy track, so we came here this year knowing it would be challenging for our tires again. However I am happy with the way our soft and medium compound slicks worked this weekend and I believe the wider operating range of each tire offered a more consistent level of performance this time. Also I was encouraged that our tires coped well on this week's sandy conditions.

Did the higher temperatures this year affect tire performance?

Yes, because the conditions were about 10 degrees Celsius warmer than last year so all the riders favoured the medium compound. Our soft compound suffered graining on the sandy track with the heat and abrasion, but the medium compound worked better in these difficult conditions. Even with the medium compound tire we had no problems with warm-up performance which was our main problem last year, so it shows the work we have done on widening the operating range of this year's tires.

Do you think the new tire allocation process was successful in ensuring fairness to all teams?

We worked closely with the FIM to allocate the tires on the Thursday before the race. All the allocation was done by delegates from the FIM. We prepared all the tires for allocation and then the FIM delegates randomly marked tires for each rider and recorded each tire's bar code alongside the rider's name. The FIM delegates placed a sticker of the rider's number on each of their 20 tires, and we then fitted these to the wheels provided by the riders' team. I am quite sure about the fairness as there is no possibility for us to influence the tire choice for each rider. This is very important for Bridgestone.

Are you happy with the way the new tire regulations are working?

I am happy with the new regulations and I think they worked well in Qatar. I believe we made the correct selection of two compounds for this first race, and I believe that these options also were ok for the teams. With just 20 tires per rider, every team had sufficient to complete the race weekend, even though it was extended by one day, so I think new regulation is working ok.

Did the race's postponement until Monday cause any problems with tire allocation?

MotoGP: Stoner unchallenged for pole position in Qatar

Sat, 11 Apr 2009 06:00:00 GMT

The 2009 MotoGP season was officially underway with qualifying after sundown at the brightly lit Losail Circuit in Qatar. For the second time in a row the series kicks off their season with a night race at the desert track. Tomorrow, starting from pole, Casey Stoner will seek out his third win in a row in Qatar. On what is being billed as a great rivalry in MotoGP, Valentino Rossi will start in second, alongside the Aussie. Third goes to Jorge Lorenzo, who claimed pole here a year ago on his MotoGP debut.

After the session was completed it looked like either Stoner was sandbagging earlier or the Ducati rider found a way to hook up on the slippery surface while the rest of the field struggled. The Aussie was almost a half minute faster than Rossi. To put this in perspective, Rossi's second to Colin Edwards in sixth has less of a gap in time. If Stoner has the same advantage tomorrow, then round one of the heavy weight fight will belong to him, lucky for Rossi the track is ever changing so the setup tomorrow might favor the Italian.

"It rained a little bit at 'lunchtime' between the two practice sessions today but it was gone as quickly as it arrived and we were relieved that we were able to ride at all," explained Stoner. "There is a little bit of dust and dirt that seems to come down with the rain here so we knew the track conditions would be slick and the lap times wouldn't come down much.

"It's impossible to guess what could happen in the race but generally I'm happy with our set-up and the main thing for us at this early stage is to pick up points, keep working on our weaknesses and make sure we don't make the same mistakes as last year by getting to the middle of the season with problems to fix," added the Aussie.

Mixed with the good news of Stoner's pole there is some concern over his teammate Nicky Hayden after the American took a nasty spill during the session. It's not clear if Hayden will be fit to ride tomorrow, he is being taken to hospital for observation. On the surface Hayden was bruised badly and needed stitches for a cut on his chest. With luck, that's the worst of it for The Kentucky Kid.

"I don't feel like going for a jog right now, I can tell you that much!" joked Hayden. "It was a big crash and I'm in a lot of pain so we're going to get some more x-rays done and see what the score is."

Things went much better for the Fiat Yamaha squad with both of their riders on the front row. Rossi and Lorenzo both went on the softer compound to see how close they can close the gap onto Stoner. Tomorrow the two will need to work together and get around the red Ducati before they square off each other to earn team bragging rights.

"I am really happy to be on the front row here because we know that this isn't one of our best tracks," said Rossi. "We also knew that Stoner would be strong and, although this is definitely true, we're not too far off and the gap is closing all the time. Starting second is going to be very important here because there is a question mark over the tyres on this surface. The asphalt is still very dirty which is hard on the tyres and I think that the last few laps are going to be quite entertaining! Anyway, everyone is in the same position, with the same tyres, and it could make it quite fun; let's wait and see."

Last year Lorenzo was on Michelins but this year the series has only one tire supplier, Bridgestone. The Spaniard is now on equal rubber with Stoner and Rossi and therefore will suffer the same problems tomorrow.

"After being on pole here in my first MotoGP race last year, I am happy to be back on the front row at least!" mused Lorenzo. "It is going to be important I think because it will be a hard race. During the test here I was faster with the hard tyre but for some reason we have the opposite situation this time and I am much faster with the soft tyre. With the hard tyre we have a few issues still, which is a problem because this is the tyre we need to use for the race. Now we need to work hard to try to solve the problem tonight. Tomorrow I won't be thinking about winning, just about doing the best I can and taking as many points as is possible in the circumstances. Of course you never know what will happen in a race!"

MotoGP: Qatari GP Bridgestone preview

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 06:00:00 GMT

The opening round of the 2009 MotoGP season gets underway at the Losail International Circuit on 10-12 April, and the sixth running of this Qatari grand prix marks the first race for Bridgestone as the series' official tire supplier. Having worked with 12 riders and seven teams by the end of last year, the tire manufacturer will now support all 18 riders and 11 teams.

The off-season has been punctuated by rider changes, with only four teams retaining their 2008 line-up. The rider pairings of Fiat Yamaha, Rizla Suzuki, Monster Yamaha Tech3 and LCR Honda remain unchanged, whilst there are four new entries. The Pramac pairing of Mika Kallio and Niccolo Canepa step up from the 250cc championship and Ducati testing duties respectively, grand prix veteran Sete Gibernau makes a return from retirement with the new Grupo Francisco Hernando team, and Yuki Takahashi also graduates from the 250cc class. Marco Melandri will make the newly-formed Hayate Racing Team's competitive debut.

Also notable for his fight to regain fitness in time for the season-opener is Repsol Honda's Dani Pedrosa. The Spaniard crashed during the second evening of the pre-season night test at this circuit and aggravated a knee injury that sidelined him from the final pre-season test in Jerez.

The Qatar GP was the first ever MotoGP round to be run at night at the start of the 2008 season, and for a second year the MotoGP field will take to the track under the glow of floodlights. Ducati Team's Casey Stoner has won in Qatar for the last two years, and in 2008 was also the highest Bridgestone-shod qualifier. During March's pre-season night test the Australian once again set a dominating pace.

The grand prix last year was the scene of Jorge Lorenzo's stunning debut for Fiat Yamaha, snatching pole and finishing second in his first MotoGP race. It was also Valentino Rossi's first race since opting for Bridgestone tires.

Despite being in the desert, the conditions during the test were anything but predictable as proceedings were interrupted by rain and high winds, leaving the riders to hope that the race will be free of such interruptions. The cool night-time temperatures, coupled with the venue's sand-strewn tarmac, make Losail a unique challenge for Bridgestone's engineers and a stern test for its tires.

Hiroshi Yamada - Bridgestone Motorsport Motorcycle Sport Unit

"Now pre-season testing is over we are looking forward excitedly to the first race which is when we will really see how the title fight will develop throughout the year. Qatar has been a tricky event in the past for us because the whole race requires a different approach to deal with the cool night temperatures and the sand that litters the circuit, but Casey has taken the last two wins here on our tires so we are confident of the experience we can draw upon.

Road Atlanta: Series Saturday summary

Sat, 04 Apr 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Mladin and Rockstar/Makita Take 50th Straight AMA Pro National Guard American Superbike Win

Yoshimura Team Sets Record in AMA Pro Suzuki Superbike Showdown Opener at Road Atlanta

BRASELTON, Ga. (April 4, 2009) - Mat Mladin and the Rockstar/Makita Yoshimura Suzuki team scored a record 50th consecutive victory in AMA Pro National Guard American Superbike presented by Parts Unlimited competition Saturday at Road Atlanta in the first race of this weekend's AMA Pro Suzuki Superbike Showdown.

Mladin's victory gave him a perfect sweep of 2009's opening races in what was his most dominating performance of the season. The win also gave the Rockstar/Makita Yoshimura Suzuki team an unmatched streak of 50 consecutive victories by Mladin and former teammate Ben Spies that began with a win by Spies at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on July 22, 2006.

"The team is unbelievable," said Mladin, who is four-for-four in 2009 American Superbike races. "Obviously, the last few years, Ben (Spies) and I have been at the front of all of the races. This team is amazing. The team this year is really gelling well together. What can you say? Fifty in a row and nine championships in the last decade, it's a pretty good effort."

Starting from the pole on his No. 7 Rockstar/Makita Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000, Mladin briefly trailed teammate Blake Young (No. 79 Rockstar/Makita Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000) at the start but was well in front of the field by the end of Lap 1. He would go on to lead all 20 laps of the race and crossed the finish line a full 15.717 seconds ahead of his other teammate Tommy Hayden (No. 22 Rockstar/Makita Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000). Local Georgia rider Geoff May (No. 54 National Guard/Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000) finished third and Young finished fourth, duplicating the finishing order of American Superbike Race 1 at Auto Club Speedway last month.

"It was a good race for us, obviously," said Mladin, who also set the fastest lap (1:25.714) of the race on Lap 16. "I just got a reasonable start and got to the lead in Turn 1 and then just put our heads down. We've got the bike to a point now where we're starting to be able to push it like I did the Superbike last year. We had a little bit of a problem with the fork yesterday and we fixed it today, but it actually didn't work as well, so I need to go back to having a problem with the fork. We'll sort something out there for tomorrow so I can start getting into the turns a little bit quicker and a little bit deeper and see if we can't keep pushing tomorrow and get going."

Hayden finished second to his teammate for the third straight race but had to charge from seventh on the grid to do it after one of his trademark quick starts.

"I definitely knew it was going to be a little tougher today coming from the second row, but fortunately I was able to get a good start and I was up there pretty good on the first lap," said Hayden, who jumped from fourth to second on Lap 10. "It kind of took me a little while to work through the guys. I had to push to the end, but it feels good to stay up here and stay on the podium. I feel pretty good. After battling for the lead a little bit at Fontana, it's a little disappointing to run a distant second, but we'll try to learn something and be a little stronger tomorrow."

Third-place went to No. 54 National Guard/Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000 rider Geoff May who raced from sixth at the race's halfway point to capture the final podium spot. May hails from nearby Gainesville, Ga.

MotoGP: Bridgestone Jerez test summary

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Stoner fastest as Bridgestone concludes 2009 pre-season testing

Jerez, Spain - IRTA Test

The last pre-season test before the first grand prix in Qatar on 12 April saw both Spanish sunshine and heavy rain showers on the two days of MotoGP action, giving teams the opportunity to test the two compounds of slick tires that were selected for the test and the single compound of wet tire in the 2009 specification's first wet test.

Once Saturday's rain subsided, the Spanish sun dried the track by midday. As per 2009 regulations, Bridgestone brought two slick tire compounds to Jerez, plus a single wet compound. Front tires were available in medium and hard compounds, and rear tires offered in soft and medium compounds. Each rider received four sets of slicks on Saturday, and three sets on Sunday. In addition, each rider received four sets of wet tires over the two days.

Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo, who completed 25 wet laps, was fastest for Fiat Yamaha on the opening day, just over 0.3 seconds faster than the race lap record as set last year by Repsol Honda's Dani Pedrosa, who was replaced for this test by Kosuke Akiyoshi as he recovers from a knee injury. Valentino Rossi arrived after the rain to complete a Fiat Yamaha one-two whilst Casey Stoner was third for Ducati, the top three separated by just 0.11 seconds.

It was the Australian however who dominated proceedings during Sunday's 45 minute official practice session. Action was brought to a temporary halt with a short red flag period after James Toseland crashed in turn three, before another downpour cut the session short three minutes from the chequered flag. Stoner just beat the downpour to consolidate his control of the session, recording his fastest lap on number 12 of 13 to put himself 0.719 seconds clear of Rossi. Rizla Suzuki's Loris Capirossi completed the official test 0.39 seconds further adrift.

As free practice resumed, ten riders ventured on track to complete a handful of laps each as the rain lifted and the surface dried, before a final downpour at 1800hrs bode a final farewell to the pre-season testing period.

Hiroshi Yamada - Bridgestone Motorsport - Manager Motorcycle Sport Unit

"As the sole supplier our aim is to make each tire suitable for a much wider range of conditions than last year, and I think we have seen over the last two days that we have achieved this so I am very pleased with the result of the test. Casey again looks impressive and it is good to see both Suzukis running well, but I am also pleased for Mika Kallio who was sixth fastest in official practice in his rookie season. Now we have finished winter testing and team feedback on our tires has been good so we are looking forward to a good first race in Qatar in two weeks."

Bridgestone launches new tire with Puniet and Canepa

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 06:00:00 GMT

MotoGP riders help Bridgestone launch new Battlax BT-003RS hyper sports street tire

One week ahead of the final pre-season MotoGP test in Jerez, LCR Honda rider Randy de Puniet and Pramac Racing's Niccolo Canepa flew to the southern Spanish circuit of Almeria to support the media launch of Bridgestone's Battlax BT-003 Racing Street hyper sports tire.

The Battlax BT-003RS is designed to provide outstanding street and track-day performance for all sports motorcycles from 250cc on, giving riders of all abilities the chance to experience the grip performance of Bridgestone's MotoGP multi-layer compound technology.

A range of 2009-specification street bikes from MotoGP manufacturers Ducati, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha were fitted with the BT-003RS tires and used during the five days, alongside machines from BMW, Triumph and KTM.

In 2009 Bridgestone began the first of three seasons as the official tire supplier to the FIM MotoGP World Championship, and the Battlax BT-003RS is the latest in the company's line of high-performance street tires to draw upon successes in top-flight motorcycle racing.

Gunther Podevyn, Senior Manager Motorcycle tires, Bridgestone Europe: "The BT-003RS is a street tire that is also at home on the circuit. It is designed to work from very low temperatures, giving good performance and safety for the regular street user even in cold conditions, yet as Randy, Niccolo and the 89 attending media demonstrated, Bridgestone's MotoGP expertise means it is also a high-performing and consistent track-day tire. Both Randy and Niccolo gave very positive feedback about the BT-003RS and were very satisfied with the level of grip it delivered under braking, cornering and acceleration, so I am very happy and would like to thank them and their teams for their support."

Randy de Puniet, LCR Honda: "It was my first time with a street bike on the circuit; of course it was not a MotoGP bike but pretty fast anyway. Honestly I was really surprised about the grip level of the BT-003RS. I think this Bridgestone product will satisfy the customers' needs both in the performance field and safety one."

Niccolo Canepa, Pramac Racing: "Almeria has all kinds of corners - fast, slow, chicanes, everything so it is very good to test the tires here. I am surprised with the level of grip from the BT-003RS as it's not often I ride a road bike with road tires and the level is very high. You can lean the bike over very fast, and the lean angle is unbelievable for a street tire. The BT-003RS is very good - very progressive and you can feel the level of grip very well. You can also push very hard on them - the front tire especially is very good as you can enter corners very fast and the bike is very stable."

Rizla Suzuki head to Spain for final test

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP is on its way to Jerez in Spain for the final test in preparation for the 2009 MotoGP season.

Following two successful tests at Sepang in Malaysia and Losail in Qatar, Chris Vermeulen and Loris Capirossi will be planning to continue with the encouraging start to the year that has seen both riders near the top of the timesheets at both tests.

The Official MotoGP Test at Jerez will also see the launch of the Suzuki GSV-R in its new 2009 livery, following the announcement that Rizla will remain as title sponsors for this year.

The 4,423m long Jerez circuit is a regular test-track for MotoGP, and the southern Spanish venue will stage the first piece of competitive action of 2009 when the riders take to the track for a timed 45-minute session on the Sunday afternoon. The fastest rider in this allotted time will drive away with a brand-new car - both Rizla Suzuki riders will be aiming to get their hands on the keys!

Rizla Suzuki will complete its pre-season preparations at Jerez on 28/29 of March, before heading back to Qatar for the first race of the season. Vermeulen and Capirossi will begin their assaults on the championship with the series' one-and-only night race on Sunday 12th April.

Chris Vermeulen:

"The Jerez test can't come soon enough for me. After the first two tests, where we have made some good advances, it will be interesting to see what improvements the Factory has made after all the data we supplied from Sepang and Qatar - I am sure the technicians are doing all they can to find what we are looking for. The Jerez test will be interesting, as it will be the first time we've had a timed session - similar to a new qualifying session - with the single rule tyres. This will give us a good chance to gauge what we could possibly expect from qualifying in the coming season. This is our last test before the season starts so it will be very important for the whole team to get in as much work as possible and end the break from racing on a high!"

Loris Capirossi:

Glen Helen Motocross National title sponsor named

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 06:00:00 GMT

SOUTH POINT HOTEL & CASINO TO BE TITLE SPONSOR OF THE GLEN HELEN MOTOCROSS NATIONAL

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (March 17, 2009) -- Glen Helen Raceway Inc. President Bud Feldkamp announced last week that this year's Glen Helen National will be known as the "South Point Hotel & Casino Motocross National," the season-opening round of the 2009 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship. The top motocross riders from around the globe will kick off the chase for the world's most prestigious motocross title on Saturday, May 23.

"We at South Point are no strangers to motorsports," said Owner Michael Gaughan. "We are honored to support the 2009 Glen Helen Motocross National. These are the best motocross riders in the world competing for the biggest motocross championship title in the world. Southern California motocross fans deserve a high-quality show like this."

For the first time, the Glen Helen event will be televised with same-day coverage on SPEED.

"Glen Helen Raceway is honored to have Michael Gaughan, a long time off-road racer, and the South Point Hotel & Casino join us as the title sponsor for the 2009 Motocross National," stated Feldkamp. "I can't say enough about Michael and his incredible staff. My hope is that through this collaboration, some of our dedicated fans will take the opportunity to experience the South Point Hotel & Casino for themselves."

To get the "Holeshot" in Las Vegas, visit the South Point Hotel & Casino at www.southpointcasino.com

Suzuki and Rizla's MotoGP partnership keeps on rolling

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Suzuki Motor Corporation and Imperial Tobacco Group are pleased to announce that they have agreed terms for Rizla - the world's leading rolling papers - to continue to be the title sponsor of the Japanese company's MotoGP team for 2009.

Rizla has been the title sponsor of the Suzuki Grand Prix motorcycle race team for the past three seasons and a further one-year extension will see Suzuki MotoGP stars Loris Capirossi and Chris Vermeulen racing the distinctive 'Rizla blue' Suzuki GSV-Rs during this season's championship.

This is further positive news for Suzuki, following on from two successful tests in 2009 at Sepang in Malaysia and recently at Losail in Qatar. Capirossi and Vermeulen both had equally impressive tests as they were consistently inside the top six at both venues and showed big improvements at the two circuits compared to last year's performances. Both riders benefited from many new developments to this year's Suzuki GSV-R, including changes to aerodynamics, chassis, engine and suspension.

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP will next be in track action at Jerez in Spain at the end of March for the Official MotoGP test, which also includes a televised session. The first race of the year will be a night event, when Rizla Suzuki MotoGP return to Losail on Sunday 12th April.

Paul Denning - Team Manager:

"This is very positive news for Suzuki to continue our partnership with Rizla in today's current difficult climate. We have enjoyed a very close relationship, both on and off the track, with Rizla during the past three years and have certainly considered all the representatives of Rizla as part of the team.

"Our on track performance during the first two tests has also been very encouraging and shows how much hard work the Factory has put in during the off season. The Suzuki GSV-R has certainly come a long way since last year and we know there is still more to come - Chris and Loris were both very impressed with the new bike, but we know there is still a lot of work to do. The Suzuki team will continue to work hard to keep improving, and we are very positive about our prospects for 2009 in partnership with Rizla."

WSBK Qatar: Series pre-race notes

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 06:00:00 GMT

WSBK Magnificent 7 take to the water in offshore powerboats

The second round of the Hannspree FIM Superbike World Championship, due to take place in Qatar this weekend, had a watery prologue today as seven top riders took to offshore boats of the Qatar Powerboat Team around the Corniche bay area of the capital, Doha.

Noriyuki Haga (Ducati), Ben Spies (Yamaha), Max Biaggi (Aprilia), Max Neukirchner (Suzuki), Troy Corser (BMW), Jonathan Rea (Honda) and Broc Parkes (Kawasaki) were all invited by Sheikh Hassan Al Thani, Qatar Marine Sports Federation President and Class 1 offshore champion on board two Nor-Tech Mercury 36' catamarans for a different kind of speed trip, this time on water, in the build-up to this Saturday's WSBK round.

"It wasn't my first time onboard this kind of boat but it was quite exciting", declared Phillip Island race 1 winner Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox). "I'm thinking I want to buy this kind of boat but it's just to throw away for the money and I need to check with my wife first!. As for this weekend's race, Ducati have good experience and settings for here, now I have started the season well from the first round so we will see from here in the next races."

"We knew we had the pace to battle at Phillip Island, not necessarily to win, but it was important to get the first win out of the way" commented Ben Spies (Yamaha World Superbike). "I've kind of been like trying to prove myself on Superbikes for quite a long time, so my win in Australia felt like it had been a long time coming. Qatar is a track where I've never turned a wheel on, it seems OK, I'll just have to go out and learn it. 110 mph on water is a different feeling totally, but luckily we survived that and now I can go to work tomorrow!"

"Phillip Island was high performance on qualifying, nobody expected to see us on the front row and fighting for pole position until the end" said Max Biaggi (Aprilia Racing). "But something at the moment is still a bit 'raw' and we need to find the right conditions to make it 'well done' and explore different ways to go for development. At the moment we're in early stages. This morning was a completely new way to go for me, we went fast on the speedboats. It was interesting to see the steering round the buoy, they go very quick and this type of boat is very stable, almost double the speed on the tarmac!" On TV

Eurosport (pan-European): Sunday 15 March, 08.30 race 1 (delayed), 09.15 race 2 (delayed).

Daytona SportBike Daytona summary

Sat, 07 Mar 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Ben Bostrom Scores First Daytona 200 by Honda Win for Team Graves Yamaha Under the Lights
Thursday's Superpole Winner Leads 1-2 Yamaha YZF-R6 Finish with Teammate Josh Herrin

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 6, 2009) - Ben Bostrom took the lead from M4 Suzuki rider Jason DiSalvo on the run through Daytona International Speedway's tri-oval on Lap 53 and then joined young teammate Josh Herrin in scoring a one-two finish for Team Graves Yamaha Friday in the Daytona 200 by Honda AMA Pro Daytona SportBike presented by AMSOIL race.

Starting first on the grid on his No. 1s Yamaha YZF-R6 after winning the pole in Thursday's single-bike Superpole qualifying, Bostrom became the first rider since Miguel Duhamel in 2005 to win America's premier motorcycle road race from the top starting spot. He won his first career Daytona 200 victory in his fifth start and had a previous best finish of second in 2003.

"I've tried to win this thing," Bostrom said. "We have been on the pole here twice now and I have lost the race here by two-thousandths of a second. I know what it's like in the heart when you take second at Daytona. It hurts. Now I know what it's like to win."

Bostrom led from the start, lost the lead momentarily in the infield to Danny Eslick and the No. 9 Bruce Rossmeyer's Daytona Racing/RMR Buell 1125R on the opening lap, but then powered past Eslick to officially lead Lap 1. From there, Bostrom stayed in the lead pack for the entire race, frequently swapping the top spots with Eslick, Team Graves Yamaha teammates Herrin and Josh Hayes (No. 4 Yamaha YZF-R6) and M4 Suzuki teammates DiSalvo and Martin Cardenas.

"The race was really intense and under the lights it was really spectacular," Bostrom said. "When we started out, there were several of us going tooth and nail at the front. I loved every minute of it."

Bostrom crossed the finish line .554 of a second ahead of Herrin's similar No. 8 Team Graves Yamaha YZF-R6 while DiSalvo finished third on his No. 40 Team M4 Suzuki GSX-R600.

The race was slowed by two safety car periods, including the first on lap 36 due to a temporary lighting failure on the back straight. A red flag was shown a few laps later when the fourth Team Graves rider, Tommy Aquino (No. 6 Yamaha YZF-R6), went down after being hit from behind when the field jammed up while slowing behind the safety car. Aquino was examined and released from the infield medical center and the field was reformed for a single-file restart.

After a few warm-up laps, racing resumed only to see the safety car return a few laps later for the downed bike of Kris Turner (No. 3 Team M4 Suzuki GSX-R600). The race returned to green on Lap 49 for a dash to the finish with Bostrom, Hayes, Herrin and DiSalvo at the point. DiSalvo took the lead on Lap 52 as he battled with the three Graves Yamahas.

"The M4 Suzuki was running really strong up top out there," DiSalvo said. "I think if we could have been a little bit closer and had a little bit better preparation coming into the final lap we could have made a run. We could have got the double draft and I was sitting in third thinking this was going to work out, but it wasn't to be tonight."

After Bostrom took the lead for good, Hayes was in hot pursuit only to lose control of his Yamaha exiting the infield's east horseshoe section. Hayes was uninjured after the tumble but will have to wait another year for his next shot at what is becoming an elusive Daytona 200 victory. He led a race high 27 laps, Bostrom led 22 laps, Cardenas - who finished eighth - was in front for four laps and DiSalvo and Herrin each led a single lap.

Rookie Spies (Yamaha) spices up Superpole at Phillip Island

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Texan WSBK rookie Ben Spies (Yamaha World Superbike) powered to the first Superpole win of the season in an exciting opening round session at Phillip Island in Australia. The 24 year-old took the top slot on his YZF R1 machine with a time of 1 minute 31.069 seconds. In the new 'knock-out' formula, Italian Max Biaggi scored a second place grid slot, his best ever performance in Superpole, on the brand new Aprilia, the Italian manufacturer returning to Superbike after a seven-year break. The front row of the grid is completed by Britain's Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) and Jakub Smrz of the Czech Republic, top Ducati rider on a private Guandalini machine.

Spies, who had never even seen the Australian circuit before last week, set the first pole of his career in his first-ever WSBK race: "There was a lot of pressure on me today but first congratulations to these guys, I know how fast the lap time was and we all did a great job. The Superpole was really good, there was a lot of anticipation, a lot of nerves inside the pit box to get the first pole of the year. It's going to be hard tomorrow, with 7 or 8 guys up front and the real race will start 8 laps from the end. Luckily we have a good starting spot, that's all that matters and hopefully we can be there at the end. Just like Biaggi said, I was very surprised at how many people started doing 31s in the second session, we really had to grit our teeth in the last one and put together a good lap."

Max Biaggi (Aprilia Racing) commented : "It's a big sensation for me to come back after so many years to Aprilia with this new project, the bike is good already. We still have to see which is the best way to go but for now qualifying was very good and exciting . I don't know about race pace for tomorrow but this is an encouraging start. When I saw everyone going 31s, I thought 'wow, that is fast'. I had some trouble in the free practice before qualifying, we swapped bikes and it was not my favorite one but we made a great job."

Jonathan Rea, who will be racing in only his second WSBK event tomorrow, declared : "Superbike for me is getting more and more exciting all the time, a big thanks to the team for helping me make the transition from Supersport so easy. I've got a lot of learning to do but every time I jump on the bike it's getting better. The new structure of Superpole was really exciting, with everyone in the box thinking should I go or should I stay, but lucky for us we used the first qualifier in the second session and got into the top 8. I saw Ben's lap time in the session before and it left me with a 31.3 with one qualifier left. We made a little mistake in the last run but I don't think we can go much faster than that."

Jakub Smrz was also delighted with his Superpole performance: "For us it is a very good start to the season because we didn't test here like the other guys. Now I am very pleased with the bike especially because this morning we had some small problems, then in Superpole everything went better. It's very nice to be ahead of the factory Ducatis but it's only the start of the season and what is most important is to get a good result in the race."

WSBK Phillip Island: Series preview

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Expectation hits fever pitch as 2009 World Superbike season kicks off in Australia

The 22nd edition of the FIM Superbike World Championship gets underway this weekend at the Phillip Island circuit in Australia. Expectation is already at fever pitch over the start of this season, the first for many years without Troy Bayliss, one of the legendary names in Superbike history, who retired at the end of 2008 after winning his third world title in the production-based championship racing series. With Bayliss gone, the question is now who will write their name in the record books alongside the other legendary Superbike greats like Merkel, Roche, Polen, Russell, Fogarty, Corser, Kocinski, Edwards, Hodgson and Toseland.

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN: Superbike continues to show enormous potential and the 2009 edition of the championship organized by Infront Motor Sports will see a record seven manufacturers present on the grid (Aprilia, BMW, Ducati, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha). The result perfectly demonstrates the impressive growth of the category, which this year has also added quantity to quality, with a record number of 32 permanent riders in the 14 rounds that make up the 2009 calendar.

A QUESTION OF BALANCE: It is difficult to find a clear favourite in this year's championship, both amongst men and machines, and in particular after the various pre-season test sessions. Almost every manufacturer has at least one candidate for the title within their ranks. Ducati Xerox go aces high with top signing Noriyuki Haga flanking talented youngster Michel Fabrizio, who is called upon to make a quantum leap in quality this season. Yamaha World Superbike have totally revamped their squad with the arrival of the Anglo-American pairing of three-times AMA Superbike champion Ben Spies and Britain's Tom Sykes. All eyes are focused on the Texan, one of the most interesting names to emerge in the last few years. Hannspree Ten Kate Honda again have a three-pronged attack, with Carlos Checa as the focal point and Ryuichi Kyonari and Jonathan Rea on the wings, both capable of extraordinary feats. Suzuki Alstare have decided to go with the German flow of Max Neukirchner, last year's revelation, together with the reconfirmed Yukio Kagayama. The Kawasaki World Superbike Racing Team pairing of MotoGP and SBK race winner Makoto Tamada and Australian Broc Parkes also looks an interesting one as the Japanese manufacturer has decided to boost its investment in SBK.

THE CHALLENGERS: The 2009 season also marks the return of Aprilia and the entry of BMW, both global brands that add more prestige to Superbike. The Italian marque shows that it means business right from the start, with the signing of two top riders of the calibre of Max Biaggi and Shinya Nakano, while the same can also be said for the German company, who have snapped up double world champion Troy Corser and multiple race winner Ruben Xaus. Both teams are aiming for a place at the top, and quickly too.

PRIVATE AFFAIR: SBK is not just a battle between the top teams and riders. The aim has always been to have balanced technical regulations aimed at keeping costs down, so that private teams can take part in the championship and have the chance to emerge. This year once again therefore a handful of quality private teams are in a position to sign up quality riders, because they have competitive machinery available; all eyes therefore will also be on Shane Byrne and Leon Haslam, Roberto Rolfo, Jakub Smrz, Brendan Roberts and Regis Laconi, riders who are all capable of cutting a decent figure in a championship that promises to be electrifying.

Yamaha riders on the pace in the Australian sunshine

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 07:00:00 GMT

The Yamaha World Superbike team has enjoyed a successful final pre-season test at the Phillip Island circuit in Australia. The two day test was the final shakedown for the 2009 YZF-R1 in advance of the season opening race this coming weekend and was a valuable opportunity for both riders to get to know the track.

Three-time AMA Superbike champion Ben Spies ended the final day of testing with a quick 1.32"36 lap time, a mere 0.2 of a second off fastest rider Michele Fabrizio. Fellow Yamaha World Superbike team rider Tom Sykes had a crash on the start of the second day of testing and spent a large part of the day resting before going back out again for a final run. He too stepped up the pace and finished the day with an overall time of 1.32"10, a great result considering he missed most of the day's track time after his fall.

Ben Spies, Yamaha World Superbike team -- 1.32"36 (160 laps)

"It was a good test for me. We worked on a lot of race stuff, we had some tires to test and get through for Pirelli then we got up to speed on the track and did some longer stints getting the bike to work on race setup. We were looking good for race pace, we did a race simulation and it felt really good. For sure we only got two days testing on the track and the whole race weekend is going to add some adrenaline. I'm extremely happy with the bike and the team is working really well so I can't wait to get started."

Tom Sykes, Yamaha World Superbike team -- 1.32"10 (100 laps)

"I was more than happy with day one, having never seen Phillip Island before, I went out and pulled a 1.33"2, which wasn't too bad considering it's a new track for me. We worked on some minor adjustments and worked on getting a good base setting for the bike. I'm more than confident in its capabilities and set up, we're pretty much on the times. Going into day two I knew I could improve, but unfortunately on my first run, getting up to speed I had a fall. I wasn't even busting myself and not sure how it happened, got on it a bit too soon at the exit of turn 2, ran wide by two feet and where the tarmac ripples slightly the rear end low sided, I caught it then high sided the other way! Luckily I have no serious injuries so will be fighting fit and raring to go at the weekend. I went back out again at the end of the second day and found my pace again easily so am still confident to fight for the podium."

Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha World Superbike Team manager

"The test went well with the exception of Tom's crash. We didn't have so many problems and it was very important that the guys learned the circuit as it's a new one for them. By the end of the first day they were making good laps with great pace. By the end of the last day, Ben was up with the fastest riders, Fabrizio and Haga. Tom had a big crash in the morning of the second day, the doctor said to stay in the clinic until the afternoon to rest. In the late afternoon he came back out for one and a half hours time on track, it was impressive as with his last lap he made his fastest lap of the test. In the end the test was also a big running in for us as the bike is still new, we tried to find the best set up, and tried some different tires. We've answered all our questions and feel really good about going into the first race weekend in a few days time, we're ready to fight!" Yamaha World Supersport team get down to business

NEW SPORT BIKE RULES AS THUNDER SILENCED

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 07:00:00 GMT

TORONTO, Ont. (February 20) -- The Parts Canada Superbike Championship has announced major changes to the rules for its Sport Bike support divisions, opening the door for a range of new machinery to participate in the two classes.

Starting with the 2009 season, twin cylinder motorcycles from Buell and BMW will be allowed to compete in the Sport Bike classes, running to separate weight and horsepower limitations than their 600cc four cylinder opposition.

"Buell and BMW have both been great supporters of the national series and we think their presence in the Sport Bike classes will add excitement to two of the most competitive divisions on the tour," said Colin Fraser of Professional Motorsports Productions, which organizes the Parts Canada Superbike Championship.

In the Yoshimura Pro Sport Bike division, the twins must weigh at least 400 pounds and may deliver no more than 140 horsepower on the official series Dynojet Dyno. Minimum weight for 600cc fours is 350 pounds and maximum horsepower is 125.

In the Armour Bodies Amateur Sport Bike category minimum weight is also 400 pounds for the twins while maximum horsepower is 135 hp, as opposed to limits of 350 pounds and 118 hp.

Twins of 750cc and under and Triumph's 675 triple were already eligible for the Sport Bike classes.

The word "600" has been dropped from both class names to reflect these changes.

The Sport Bike rule changes have been made in conjunction with the termination of the Canadian Thunder and Sport Twins classes. A division specifically for twin cylinder motorcycles was launched in 2005 and its champions included Darren James for Buell/Harley-Davidson, who won the title twice, former Canadian Superbike champion Michael Taylor with BMW and Italian Valter Bartolini, who won last year for Ducati.

There are no plans to restart the class in the future.

"We were happy with the division's competition and the variety of machinery and riders it introduced to the national tour," Fraser said. "But sponsors have refocused their resources and we thought it would be prudent to make some changes to our Sport Bike classes to keep Buell and BMW involved in the series."

This Week in Monster Energy® Supercross: Atlanta

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Stewart/Reed Tied in Points Heading into Georgia Dome

AURORA, Ill. (February 20, 2009) -- With the AMA Supercross class points race tied at 152 between San Manuel Yamaha's James Stewart and Rockstar/Makita Suzuki's Chad Reed, the two front runners are essentially starting a new season as Monster Energy® AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, heads east and unfolds under Atlanta's Georgia Dome.

The action that has brought Stewart, of Haines City, Fla., and Reed, of Tampa, Fla., to this new beginning should not be overlooked. In the past six races, Stewart, the 2007 AMA Supercross class champion, has been victorious. Reed, the reigning AMA Supercross champion, turned in six consecutive second place finishes. The only other rider to win a race this season is JGRMX Yamaha's Josh Grant, of Riverside, Calif., and he did so at Anaheim 1.

"I'm looking forward to racing at the Georgia Dome," said Reed. "Going back East will be good, and I'm looking forward to sleeping in my own bed and doing my own program. Georgia's fun, I love it there. It's a nice, big stadium, and I think it will be interesting because James (Stewart) and I are tied in points after seven races and we're starting all over again, basically, and I'm OK with that."

Reed appeared to be the favorite heading into San Diego last weekend where he's won five races in the past six seasons, but Stewart stopped the momentum and moved into the points lead, erasing the 23-point deficit he faced after Anaheim 1. While Reed and Stewart are technically tied in points, if the season ended today Stewart would be crowned champion because he has more wins.

"To come back where we were at, 23-points back, it's just amazing," said Stewart. "San Diego is special to me - it gave me my first victory in 2002 so I've always had a soft spot in my heart for the city."

Mike Alessi, who rides for the Rockstar/Makita Suzuki team, picked up his best results of the 2009 season last weekend at the San Diego race. He earned the holeshot in his heat finishing third, and then he holeshot the main event and finished up in sixth position. He's looking forward to the upcoming race at the Georgia Dome.

"I've only raced at the Georgia Dome once and it was a very long time ago," said Alessi. "But I'm trying to go into this weekend with a good, realistic attitude and be right there, and finish in the top 10 again. I want to be smooth, steady and consistent every weekend and get the Rockstar/Makita Suzuki RM-Z450 out there on the holeshot."

Making his way back to racing is Rockstar/Makita Suzuki's Michael Byrne, who missed the first several races of AMA Supercross this year with a wrist injury. Byrne returned with a vengeance at last weekend's San Diego race. The Australian rider finished second in his heat race and eighth in the main. When stateside, Byrne lives in Newnan, Georgia, and he is excited to race at his "home track," the Georgia Dome.

"I think now that I've got my first race back out of the way, it makes me a little more prepared for next week," said Byrne. "I just want to go there and ride hard and try to get stronger. I think Atlanta will be even better than this last weekend at San Diego."

Nico Izzi started the 2009 Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites championship strong by picking up a podium position in the season-opening round in Houston. Izzi is hoping to better that third-place result this weekend in Atlanta.

Silverstone unveils dynamic modifications to circuit

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Silverstone Circuits Limited has unveiled provisional plans for a number of striking modifications to the track and spectator viewing areas at the UK's premier motor racing venue. The most significant addition to the circuit will be a new section of track running from the approach at Abbey corner to a spectacular 'Arrowhead' at the inside of Becketts. The Arrowhead will then join up with the existing National Straight. Additional sections of track will also be laid at Chapel and Club in anticipation of FIM MotoGP World Championship motorcycle racing at Silverstone.

Computer generated overview of track changes planned at Silverstone Circuit

The announcement follows the recent signing of a five year agreement between Silverstone and Dorna that will see MotoGP racing at the iconic Northamptonshire circuit from 2010. Several alterations are being made to make the circuit more bike-friendly. The alterations have already been extensively discussed with FIM and will be in accordance with their regulations and subject to final homologation. However, the new Arrowhead, and fast section of circuit leading up to it, are designed to be a stunning feature for riders, drivers and spectators alike.

The Arrowhead and its approach will provide a focal point for overtaking and will be surrounded by several new spectator areas. It will also be overlooked by the grandstand at Becketts, providing fans with an opportunity to see two sections of track from the one vantage point. Both MotoGP and British Superbike riders will also be pleased to see that the plans include the moving of grandstands and safety barriers at Woodcote. This will enable the circuit to build a new run off area at the fast entry to Pit Straight and dispose of the slow chicane, which is currently a necessity for safety purposes. The new plans form part of a GBP 5 million investment by Silverstone, with work set to be carried out between November 2009 and March 2010. In addition to changes to the track, improvements to spectator viewing facilities will include moving some of the existing grandstands to bring them closer to the track. Richard

Phillips, Managing Director of Silverstone Circuits Limited, commented, "Silverstone is one of the easiest circuits to get in and out of in the world, we have sizeable hard-standing car parks, and the facilities for teams, media and fans are second to none. We are happy with the infrastructure, but we now have an opportunity to make some exciting changes to the circuit and fundamental improvements to the viewing experience for fans.

Happy birthday, Valentino Rossi!

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Valentino Rossi turns 30 today, 16th February 2009. The Fiat Yamaha rider has had an immensely successful career to date, winning eight world championships, 97 races and becoming the most successful premier-class rider of all time. As he enters his 14th season in the world championship, his sixth with Yamaha, he is still the dominating force in the sport, having recaptured the title in typically exciting style last season.

Below is a collection of quotes from colleagues, fellow riders, family and a few of his more famous fans. Some are recollections of favorite moments with Valentino, whilst some are simply messages for him on the day he turns 30. All are different ways of saying 'Happy Birthday, Valentino!'

Davide Brivio (Fiat Yamaha Team Manager)

"I don't really have a favorite memory of Valentino, or at least it's difficult to choose the 'absolute best!' The first one that comes to mind however is just after the Welkom race in 2004, his famous first MotoGP race with Yamaha. Before Valentino finally joined Yamaha, during one of the meetings the previous September, he said that he wanted to win his first race with Yamaha! This immediately created a lot of pressure for me and for Yamaha, but anyway I promised him that we would all try all our best. Honestly at that time I felt that it was going to be a very difficult thing to achieve! During the final few pre-season tests the chances of doing it began to look better and better, but in a race itself anything can happen. Incredibly, he won that race in Welkom and just after it, after the technical meeting had finished, we were alone in his changing room. Somebody had left a bottle of wine in the fridge and we opened it and raised a toast to that day way back in September, when he had first said that he wanted to win this race. "We did it!" I said to him. It was a very emotional moment for me because it was the moment we achieved our very first target together. Happy Birthday!"

Cesare Cremonini (Singer and friend)

"Vale is a fighter, but armed with a smile. I've never seen him lose his humanity, even in the most difficult moments. One time I found him making gags and jokes as if he was at home with friends, when in fact he had just a couple of minutes to go before a decisive race. While he was putting on his leathers, ready to go out and challenge the world, he transmitted a joy for life, listening to a song on his ipod. "Ciao Ragazzi! See you later!" He said. Then came a sweeping victory at the limits of possibility and a long night of partying together! Happy Birthday, Vale!"

Tom Cruise (Actor and Rossi Fan)

"Valentino, You are a true champion. You keep raising the bar, relentlessly pursuing the next race, the next challenge, the next championship. I also know that the victories don't necessarily become easier. You have to dig deeper, work even harder, become more focused to overcome the distractions. That's what you do. And I, like countless others, know that when you're on that track anything is possible. It was my great pleasure to be there at Laguna Seca and see you take that victory. I can honestly say I've never seen anything like it! You certainly don't disappoint! Thank you for all the great races you have given us, and for all the great races yet to come. Happy Birthday."

Daniel-Day Lewis (Actor and Rossi Fan)

"Every race, every win, every championship! Vale the kid in the portaloo is an old favourite, always irresistible in victory and gracious in defeat (not that he had to prove it very often!) But the all-time favourite memory for me would be him at Laguna Seca going inside Stoner through the dirt. Death or glory; the whole race an answer to those daft enough still to have a question. And to have shaken the hand of that man - that I won't forget either."

Aldo Drudi (Designer and Rossi Fan)

Rick Ware Racing adds sponsor for 2009

Sun, 15 Feb 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Rick Ware Racing (RWR) is proud to announce that EPH Tools & Machining LTD. Has joined the organization as an associate sponsor for the 2009 season.

EPH TOOLS & MACHINING LTD. is a family owned Automotive Production Equipment Supplier mainly involved in the tube bending industry. EPH Tools was originally established in 1987 by present owners Ted & Phyllis Hayes and is located in Lion's Head, Ontario, Canada. The company has grown from a two-person operation to its current fifty-employee base and is the largest employer in this unique area of Rural Northern Ontario, Canada. EPH Tools is very well known in the Automotive Tube Bending Industry throughout North America, Mexico, and also does machines for Australia and other Global Markets as well.

"EPH has been involved in racing since 2002 and on behalf of all of us at EPH Tools; we wish Ware Racing a very safe and successful year in the NASCAR Nationwide Series", stated Ted Hayes.

"We are excited that EPH Tools has joined with us again. It's been a few years since our NASCAR days, but they are a great company and more so, great people and we are glad to be together again. EPH Tools will be featured on the AMA and NASCAR entries for RWR this season in 110 events.

CHRISTIE TO RACE WITH HONDA IN 2009

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 07:00:00 GMT

TORONTO, Ont. (February 13) -- Canadian Amateur 600 Sport Bike champion Jodi Christie will ride Honda motorcycles in his bid for the 2009 HJC Pro Rookie of the Year Award in the Parts Canada Superbike Championship.

The 16-year-old from Keene, Ont. will compete aboard a CBR600RR in the Yoshimura Pro 600 Sport Bike class and Parts Canada Superbike feature division with backing from the Honda Powerhouse Dealers of Ontario.

His equipment will be prepared by Ben Gartner and his Port Perry, Ont.-based ProStar Motorsports outfit.

"I am very happy to be teamed up with the Honda Powerhouse Dealers of Ontario and ProStar Motorsports," Christie said. "I am confident we have a solid team put together for my Pro rookie season. I am anxious to race with the other Pro riders and learn from this experience."

Christie burst onto the national racing scene last year by claiming the Armour Bodies Amateur 600 Sport Bike title in his first attempt with three wins in six races. He also earned pole position in qualifying for every round and set class lap records at three venues.

In Ontario, Christie won the Amateur Superbike and 600 Sport Bike titles in the RACE SuperSeries Championship based out of Shannonville Motorsport Park with eight race wins, nine podium finishes and four lap records.

After an impressive tryout last fall he was scheduled to compete in the AMA Red Bull Rookies Cup in the U.S. this summer, but that program was cancelled in mid-January.

"Although I am not riding in the Red Bull Rookies Cup any more I am excited to be back in Canada and riding under a great team," Christie added.

In addition to his Parts Canada Superbike Championship commitments, Christie will also race in the Pro Superbike and 600 Sport Bike classes of the RACE SuperSeries at Shannonville, using Pirelli tires on his Honda motorcycles.

Christie will make his Pro debut at the Parts Canada Superbike official preseason Pirelli tire test in Jennings, Fla. April 28-29.

Marco Melandri to join Speedcar in Qatar

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 07:00:00 GMT

MotoGP Champion Marco Melandri to make Speedcar debut in Qatar

MotoGP star Marco Melandri will be making his Speedcar Series debut at the Losail International Circuit on February 12-14, 2009.

The World Champion of the 2002 MotoGP (250 cc) will team up with Heinz Harald Frentzen driving for Team Lavaggi. The Italian biker will for the first time be racing a car on a permanent circuit having appeared in a touring car race at the Bologna Motor Show in 2006.

Melandri may be new to car racing but he is familiar with the Losail International Circuit having ridden on the track in the MotoGP. It will be of interest to see how his biking experience will help him in a Speedcar.

Fourteen drivers and seven teams will compete in Speedcar Series' first night race over the race weekend. The third leg of the season will also see 2 other new drivers, Qataris Ahamad Al Kuwari and Sheikh Fahad Al Thani join the fray.

The two local drivers will form the QMMF (Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation) team. Both drivers will have the advantage of having raced on the track before when competing in the Qatar National Road Racing Championship (QNRRCH).

MotoGP: Yamaha Sepang test summary

Sun, 08 Feb 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Fiat Yamaha Team riders Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo rounded off the first test of the 2009 season in strong style, with the Italian finishing second, less than one tenth off Casey Stoner. His Spanish team-mate was seventh and inside the lap record pace for the first time this week.

Rossi continued to focus mainly on electronics on the last day as he looked to fine-tune the 2009 M1 step-by-step. With the stitches in his hand and foot he decided not to attempt a long-run, but was able to improve on his time from previous days by half a second and recorded a best lap of 2'01.137.

Lorenzo had struggled to find confidence on the first two days of tests but on the final day found his rhythm with the new Bridgestone tires. He was delighted to complete a long-run of 22 laps and his best lap of the day, in a time of 2'01.907, was over a second quicker compared to previous times during this test.

The next stop for the team is a night test at Doha in Qatar on 1st, 2nd and 3rd February.

Valentino Rossi - Position: 2nd Time: 2'01.137 Laps: 43

"I am leaving this place feeling happy, because we've made a good start. Everything went well: my pain is less, the bike is good and I am feeling better and better. We finished everything we wanted to do on the bike and the setting and the rhythm is quite good. The lap time is fast so we have made a good start. We didn't do the long run, but actually we didn't need to. Without my injury maybe it would have been possible, but in this situation we decided to leave it. My injuries are getting better each day because they're only cuts and they're healing fast. I don't think that they made much difference to my speed here and by the Qatar test I will be back in perfect shape. I did the fastest lap today with the hard Bridgestone tire, so it means that the bike is good. For sure we need to improve some more but since this year we have less testing, this performance has been very important. The first test of the year is always difficult, even if you trained a lot in the winter, so I am happy! Qatar will be interesting, because last year we weren't strong there, but then last year the bike was not yet ready when we went to the first race in Doha. I am really looking forward to the next text there."

Jorge Lorenzo - Position: 7th Time: 2'01.907 Laps: 61

"I am very happy because I've seen how fast I can ride with the Bridgestone tires. Today has definitely been the best day for me at this opening test of the year. Also, we have been able to do a long run in hot conditions with 32 degrees (36 in the afternoon!), and I was able to finish 22 laps without stopping.I was tired when I finished but it was incredible; the rhythm was good and my best lap was right at the end, when I did a 2'01.9. This means that I have improved over a second since yesterday and we have made a big step forward. We need kilometres under our belt and we've got some week! All the team worked hard up until the last minute and now they will keep going so we can try to go even better in Qatar next month. We have to continue in the same way as today, improving all the time, because we don't have that much time until the first race!"

Bridgestone completes successful first test of 2009

Sat, 07 Feb 2009 07:00:00 GMT

The first test of the 2009 MotoGP season was successfully concluded today with all 17 riders in attendance using Bridgestone tires under the single tire ruling that has come into effect for this season.

After three days of uninterrupted running in the Malaysian heat, Ducati Team's Casey Stoner finished fastest, followed closely by Fiat Yamaha's Valentino Rossi and Rizla Suzuki's Loris Capirossi. With every machine equipped with the same tires, the top five riders were separated by just 0.5seconds.

As per the new single tire supplier regulations, Bridgestone brought two compounds of its slick tire to the test - medium and hard. Each rider was supplied with a total of ten sets of tires during the course of the three days, as well as an additional three tires (one front and two rears) for Bridgestone's testing purposes.

On the opening day of the test every rider was allocated two medium sets and two hard sets of tires. A further three sets of tires were provided per additional day with each rider selecting his combination of compounds.

The test gave Bridgestone an excellent opportunity to continue working closely with all this year's teams and riders and also to introduce two different specifications of extra hard compound rear tire, under development for races later in the season such as the Sachsenring and Phillip Island. Each rider was offered one of each specification, along with an additional hard compound front tire for the testing runs, and the performance of each closely monitored.

Tohru Ubukata - Bridgestone Motorsport - Manager Motorcycle Race Tire Development

"The test has been very successful for us as all the teams responded positively to the performance and durability of our tires, and we have gathered some valuable data relating to our extra hard compound rear tires. This will allow us to determine the best way to develop these for races later in the season. The test has also given us a lot of information that will allow us to ensure we select the correct tire compound choices for future hot races."

Hiroshi Yamada - Bridgestone Motorsport - Manager Motorcycle Sport Unit

Bridgestone MotoGP: 2009 tire supply

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 07:00:00 GMT

In 2009 Bridgestone begins the first of three seasons as the official tire supplier to the MotoGP World Championship. This will represent a very different approach for tire supply to motor cycling's premier sports category from its previous competitive tire supply environment. Hiroshi Yamada, Bridgestone Motorsport, Manager Motorcycle Sport Unit, explains some of the differences at of the start of pre-season testing in Malaysia.

Q+A with Hiroshi Yamada - Bridgestone Motorsport - Manager Motorcycle Sport Unit

How many specifications of tire will there be in 2009? We will have four different specifications of front tire and six different specifications of rear tire for the season.

How many specifications will there be at each race for each rider? There will be two specifications of dry front tire and two specifications of dry rear tire for use at every event. In addition there will be a single specification of wet tire.

How will Bridgestone determine the tire specifications for the season?

We will have to supply tires for all the circuits we visit from only four front tire specifications and six rear tire specifications, so it is clear that there is a change of approach from when we faced tire competition and we were always making new specifications. In determining our specifications we have to ensure our tire range can cover all of the circuits, and all of the likely temperature conditions. This means the operating range of the individual tire specifications is wider than we have seen previously.

How are the tire allocations determined for each event?

The choice of the two tire specifications for front and rear each race ultimately lies with Bridgestone. However we will make these decisions based on the data we have accumulated in conjunction with all of the manufacturers in 2008 and from races and tests in 2009. We have extensive knowledge of most of the circuits we visit so we are confident we can make good choices.

Different bikes and riders use their tires differently - how can you ensure fairness?

We have already worked with all of the current MotoGP manufacturers so we are familiar with the characteristics of their bikes, just as they are familiar with our tires. Even from the early stages of the end of 2008 tests we received very positive feedback. Also, as our tires are not developed during the season, the teams can develop their bikes to maximise their performance with our tires.

AMA-SC San Francisco: Series practice notes

Sat, 31 Jan 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Stewart and Dungey Post Fastest Practice Lap Times at Monster Energy® Supercross at AT&T Park

SAN FRANCISCO (January 31, 2009) -- At today's Monster Energy® AMA Supercross, an FI Motorcycle World Championship, at AT&T Park James Stewart, who rides for the San Manuel Yamaha team, and Ryan Dungey, who rides for the Rockstar/Makita Suzuki team, clocked the fastest practice lap times. Stewart, of Haines City Fla., posted a 49.477 lap time with Rockstar/Makita's Chad Reed, of Tampa, Fla., posting a 50.145 lap time. Dungey, of Belle Plaine, Minn., turned in a 49.819 lap time in the Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites class.

Honda 2009 Motorcycle Racing Plans

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 07:00:00 GMT

With its motorsports activities as the symbol of Honda's challenging spirit, the company has competed in a variety of races since the days of it's founding, aiming for the top level in the world. Constantly striving to fulfill big dreams and high aspirations, Honda has pursued the challenge of leading-edge innovation.

In 1954, Soichiro Honda, the company's founder, announced Honda's intention to take part in the Isle of Man T.T. Race, a Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix (WGP) race. Honda started competing in the WGP five years later in 1959. In 1961, only the company's third season, Honda succeeded in dominating the 125cc and 250cc classes of the Isle of Man T.T. Race, winning the top five positions in both classes. Honda also earned its first rider's and manufacturer's titles in both the 125cc and 250cc classes, titles the company had eagerly awaited. Since then, Honda has taken on challenges in a variety of motorcycle race categories.

A logo commemorating the 50th anniversary of Honda's participation in the WGP is attached to the machines and to the uniforms of the riders in each race.

For 2009, the 50th anniversary of the start of Honda participation in the WGP, the company has set its sights on recapturing the championship in the MotoGP class, the top WGP class. Honda will tackle this challenge by drawing on its advanced technologies. Honda aims to continue working on new endeavors with the know-how it has accumulated up to now, along with the spirit of challenge fostered through these motorsports activities, with the hope of sharing the dreams and excitement from these activities with its customers

FIM* Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix

MotoGP class
Honda has set its sights on recapturing the three championship titles of rider, manufacturer and team in the MotoGP class, the top class of the Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix (WGP), with a total of six riders competing, including satellite team members. Honda plans to race six RC212V machines, which have been further evolved with state-of-the-art technologies.

The Repsol Honda works team will compete with two riders: Dani Pedrosa, in his forth year in the MotoGP class, and Andrea Dovizioso, Pedrosa's new works team teammate. Yuki Takahashi moves up from the 250cc to the MotoGP class this season to compete as a satellite team member. As the only Japanese rider in the MotoGP class, expectations for his success in the series are high .
*1: FIM stands for Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme.

250cc class
In the 250cc class, Honda will field six riders from a total of four teams. Hiroshi Aoyama, Raffaele De Rosa and Ratthapark Wilairot will ride the RS250RW. Moving up to the world championship series this season for a greater challenge is Shoya Tomizawa, who until last year, competed in the GP250 class of the All-Japan Road Race Championship Series. Tomizawa, along with Bastien Chesaux and Toni Wirsing, will take part in the race on an RS250R.

FIM World Trials Championship Series

For the FIM World Trials Championship Series (WCT), Honda will run two Montesa COTA 4RTs equipped with highly competitive 4-stroke engines. With riders Toni Bou, champion for the last two years, and Takahisa Fujinami, the only Japanese rider competing in the WCT, Honda aims to capture the rider's title for the third consecutive year and its forth consecutive manufacturer's title.

Ama SC San Francisco: Round five preview

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Stewart Carries Three-Race Win Streak into AT&T Park Saturday Night

AURORA, Ill. (January 26, 2009) -- Team San Manuel Yamaha's James Stewart, of Haines City, Fla., brings a three-race win streak to San Francisco this Saturday night as the Monster Energy® AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, returns to AT&T Park. Stewart, the 2006 winner in San Francisco, trails defending AMA Supercross class champion and current points leader Chad Reed, of Tampa, Fla., by nine points. In the Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites class championship, Rockstar Makita Suzuki's Ryan Dungey, of Belle Plaine, Minn., carries a two-race win streak and the championship points lead into AT&T Park. Fans can take advantage of several discounts that are now available, including a $10-off coupon from participating Big O Tire locations, $40 off with purchase of the Fan Four Pack at participating Jack in the Box locations and free Extreme Value ticket vouchers are available at OTD Cycle Sports.

Last Saturday night at Houston's Reliant Stadium, Stewart picked up that third consecutive race win before 48,277 fans and moved into second place in overall points standings. Rockstar/Makita Suzuki's Mike Alessi, of Victorville, Calif., started the AMA Supercross class main event with the holeshot with Monster Energy Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto, of Poulsbo, Wash., and Team Yamaha's Josh Hill, from Yoncalla, of Murrieta, Calif., followed in second and third respectively. Stewart was fourth while Reed found himself mired in eighth.

By the end of lap one Stewart moved into second place and set his eyes on Villopoto who held down the lead. Villopoto didn't make it easy for Stewart to take over the lead, but on lap three thee Yamaha rider moved into the number-one position and rode on to victory. Further back in the pack Reed was working his way into the lead and by lap 12 he moved into second place where he finished. Villopoto held on to round out the podium in third.

"I felt good all day," said Stewart. "I knew it was going to come down to the start. I love it here in Texas so I would like to say thanks to all of (the fans). It was all good clean racing tonight, especially with Villopoto. I had a great line over in the whoops and it all just worked out tonight. Every week we get better and my San Manuel Yamaha is working great."

Despite having to wait yet another week to capture his first win of 2009, Reed still maintained the points lead after another valiant effort. He currently holds a nine point advantage over Stewart.

"That was tough those first few laps," explained Reed. "I had to be smart and keep it up. It was tough racing tonight. James (Stewart) is riding great and I wish I could get better starts to make it better for the fans.

"It was tough for me this weekend, I don't know why, so to get second is awesome. It was really a struggle all weekend. I didn't have the groove and I was pushing it, and I fell a few times in practice, so it wasn't for lack of trying. I'm happy that we didn't lose any ground this weekend, even though we struggled a bit."

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Christophe Pourcel, of Corona, Calif., won his second career AMA Supercross Lites class race to open the Eastern Regional Championship.

MotoGP: Bridgestone 2009 season preview

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Bridgestone looks forward to Official tire Supplier Status from 2009

Bridgestone is pleased to confirm that it has signed the final contract with Dorna to be the Official tire Supplier for the MotoGP class in the FIM MotoGP World Championship for a three-year period commencing with the 2009 season. This follows a tender process which took place in 2008.

The agreement covers the 2009, 2010 and 2011 seasons where all MotoGP competitors will exclusively use Bridgestone tires. Riders using Bridgestone tires have won the past two MotoGP seasons. In 2007 Ducati rider Casey Stoner was the first competitor to win the title using Bridgestone tires, whilst Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi won last season's title.

The opening round of the 2009 FIM MotoGP World Championship will take place at the Losail circuit in Doha, Qatar on the evening of April 12th.

Carmelo Ezpeleta, Chief Executive Officer of Dorna, said: "We're delighted to have secured Bridgestone as sole tire supplier for all teams in the MotoGP class of the FIM World Championship for the next three years. Bridgestone is a company with a fantastic reputation and they make an outstanding contribution to motorsport. We strongly believe that this new agreement is very positive as it will simultaneously reduce costs and increase competition in MotoGP."

Hiroshi Yasukawa - Director of Bridgestone Motorsport, said:

"Becoming the 'Official tire Supplier to the MotoGP World Championship' is a prestigious honour for Bridgestone and we await the start of the 2009 season with great anticipation.

"In these turbulent times of economic crisis, Bridgestone is delighted to be working positively with Dorna to make an exciting contribution to MotoGP. We are dedicated to our support of MotoGP and being chosen as the official tire supplier shows the high regard in which we are held by the sport in which we have been involved since 2002. Our participation in MotoGP is an important element of our position as the foremost tire supplier in motorsport.

"In supplying all MotoGP competitors we will treat manufacturers, teams and riders with fairness and to do this we can draw on our experience of supplying all of the teams in Formula One with our tires for the past two seasons. We hope that having all riders using our tires will mean exciting races in MotoGP for the next three seasons."

Bridgestone in MotoGP:

This Week in Supercross: Houston

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Opening Race for Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites Class Championship

AURORA, Ill. (January 23, 2009) -- Reliant Stadium will play host to the highly anticipated opening race of the 2009 Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites class championship tomorrow as Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, drops the gate in Houston for the 43rd time in history.

The Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites class championship will be headlined by last year's winner at Reliant Stadium, Austin Stroupe (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki), rookie Blake Wharton (Geico Powersports Honda), veteran Brett Metcalfe (GEICO Powersports Honda), sophomore Wil Hahn (MDK/KTM) and 2008 AMA Supercross Lites third-place finisher Nico Izzi (Rockstar/Makita Suzuki).

Wharton, who is from Texas, makes his professional AMA Supercross Lites class debut this weekend.

"I'm really looking forward to racing my first AMA Supercross Lites race this weekend," said Wharton. "I have put a lot of work into my starts because I've learned that a good start is everything in supercross racing. My plan is to be consistent because you can't afford to crash or fade with only 13 laps in a race. I have been practicing at the Honda test track in Corona everyday riding with the Honda riders, and I feel ready and prepared to race my first race for GEICO Powersports Honda this weekend in Houston."

At last weekend's race in Anaheim, defending, two-time AMA Supercross class champion Reed took over the championship points lead, thanks to a second-place finish. Prior to that, Reed had tallied two more podium results.

"I feel good about Houston," said Reed. "Houston is a lot like Phoenix for me; it's a race where I've kind of struggled over the last few years. I look forward to going there and putting in a solid ride on the Rockstar Makita Suzuki RM-Z450. The track at Anaheim last weekend was dry and slick and difficult to pass on, and I learned a lot about falling and when you need to dig deep and really go for it. I think Houston is going to be good, it's a stadium I enjoy, it's the new one and a football arena, so there are a lot more 180-degree turns, which I really enjoy."

Geico Honda's Kevin Windham is the defending winner of the Houston race. Last weekend in Anaheim he finished a season-best third place.

"It was great to be back up on the podium last weekend," said Windham. "Knowing the success I had in Houston last year, winning the event, I feel confident heading there again. The GEICO Powersports Honda team put a lot of work into each race and I am confident we will again be on the box this weekend. Since the start of the year I have been in California riding and training, and I'm really looking forward to seeing my friends and family again. I'm especially looking forward to seeing my wife and daughters--they always give me energy."

Honda Red Bull Racing's Ivan Tedesco, who missed this race last year due to injury, has finished sixth (Anaheim 1), fourth (Phoenix) and seventh (Anaheim 2). He's currently sixth overall in the AMA Supercross class standings.

"I just want to get on the box this weekend. I just want to put A2 behind me and move on to Houston. I didn't get to race Houston last year because I was out injured so I am keen to race in front of the Texas crowd again."

Honda Red Bull Racing's Davi Millsaps would rather forget the first three races of his 2009 season, finishing 12th (Anaheim 1), 12th (Phoenix) and 10th (Anaheim 2).

SUPERCASINO.COM TO BACK BIRD'S WORLD SUPERBIKE BID

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Hot on the heels of the recent announcement that loyal long-term sponsors Vent Axia and Kick Energy were to back Paul Bird's works Kawasakis in the 2009 World Superbike Championship, the team has secured another lucrative deal with gaming giants SuperCasino.com.

SuperCasino.com was launched in October 2008 and is the new home of Live Roulette, Live Blackjack and the other games. It is part of the NetPlay plc group of companies and is the latest brainchild of Martin Higginson who was the man behind Bird's long-term association with Monstermob.

After a couple of years away from the sport, the lure and excitement of the PBM team being awarded the official contract to run the works Kawasaki team in WSB meant Higginson saw an ideal opportunity to re-establish his association with the team that won three British Championships in his colours.

Higginson's association with Birdy's team has seen them achieve plenty of milestones over the years. They gave James Toseland his Superbike debut in 2000 on the Demon-backed Vimto Honda and won the British Superbike Championship with both the late Steve Hislop in 2002 and Shane Byrne the following year on the Monstermob Ducatis. Stuart Easton also sampled British Supersport Championship success as well as John McGuinness winning a number of TTs and the Macau GP for the pairing. But perhaps the crowning moment was when Shakey topped the podium twice as a wild card at Brands Hatch when he beat the best in the World Superbike Championship in 2003.

Now with the impressive new workshop facilities built and with riders Broc Parkes and Makoto Tamada enjoying a successful test at Almeria last week before the official WSB tests in Portugal this weekend, anticipation is high for the Cumbrian-based team.

"Paul's team will be a major player in this year's World Superbike Championship so the time was right for us to link up again. We wanted a professional and successful platform to continue the fantastic growth of our SuperCasino.com brand and I know Birdy's the man to do that for us in WSB. I'm delighted to be part of this and along with the other sponsors, I can't wait to go racing" said Higginson.

Bird is also very enthusiastic about the deal. "Martin and I have been friends for years and when he suggested coming on board, I leapt at the chance to work with him again. We haven't even discussed a budget yet but I'm sure that won't be a problem and we hope for this to be another long-term association as when he's with us, he brings us a lot of luck!"

AMA-SC Houston: Round four preview

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 07:00:00 GMT

A Tight Monster Energy® Supercross Chase Sets Stage for Excitement at Reliant Stadium; $10 Treadhead® Seats Still Available for Monster Energy® Supercross Race in Houston

AURORA, Ill. (January 20, 2009) -- While San Manuel Yamaha's James Stewart, of Haines City, Fla., is on a two-race win streak, Rockstar/Makita Suzuki's Chad Reed, of Tampa, Fla., takes over the points race as Monster Energy® AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, heads to Houston's Reliant Stadium this Saturday night. With tickets available for as low as $10, fans can watch this epic showdown in the AMA Supercross class and the opening race of the Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites class.

With three races completed, the hotly contested AMA Supercross class has seen two winners, JGRMX/Yamaha/Toyota's Josh Grant (Anaheim 1) and Stewart (Phoenix & Anaheim 2). Last Saturday night 43,009 Monster Energy® fans at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif., watched Stewart win his second consecutive race of the year and chipped away at the points deficient he was faced with after finishing 19th at the season opener.

Heading into Phoenix's Chase Field Stewart was 23 points out of the points race; his victory there moved him up to seventh place in the standings (18 points out of the points standings) and a win Saturday night in Anaheim moved him into fourth place, just 12 points behind Reed. A three-time winner in Houston, Stewart continues his quest to the top.

"I didn't get the greatest start," said Stewart. "It was a freight train out front, but I was able to get around Windham (Kevin) and Ryan (Villopoto). I came up short on the triple jump and lost my back brake for a few laps."

Reed knows something about comebacks as well. Starting in last place Saturday night in Anaheim, Reed used every lap of the 20-lap main event to claw his way into second place, which was good enough to take over the points lead from Grant. Reed, a two-time winner in Houston, races for his first win of the 2009 Monster Energy® Supercross season.

"I was somewhere in the top five off the start and someone took me out," said Reed. "I tried to play damage control tonight," added Reed. "It was a super difficult track to pass on. We have the points lead now, so I am so excited. Our team has been working their butts off, and I am confident. I tried to be smart for 20 laps. I knew these guys would get tired, so I kept my head down and charged hard."

The AMA Supercross class main event at Angel Stadium began with GEICO Powersports Honda's Kevin Windham, of Centerville, Miss., winning the holeshot and leading the first 10 laps before Stewart passed him for the lead.

The riders competing on the Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites class championship will take a break as the Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites class championship begins at Reliant Stadium. Rockstar Makita Suzuki's Ryan Dungey, of Belle Plaine, Minn., takes a six point lead into the break over Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Ryan Morais, of Murrieta, Calif.

Coming into Anaheim, Dungey enjoyed a two-point lead. In the main event, he passed Morais for the lead and rode off to his second consecutive race win of the season and extended his points lead.

"It was a great ride," said Dungey. "I heard the fans every step of the way. The track played out really good for us. This is really enjoyable. We have a two week break in the Lites class, so we can go back and work hard and show up prepared for the next race."

Supercross Anaheim II: Round three summary

Sun, 18 Jan 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Stewart Races to Second Win in a Row as Reed Moves into Monster Energy(R) Supercross Points Lead; Dungey Extends Lites Class Points Lead with Anaheim 2 Victory

ANAHEIM, Calif. (January 17, 2009) - Before 43,009 fans at Angel Stadium, Team San Manuel Yamaha's James Stewart, of Haines City, Fla., won his second consecutive Monster Energy(R) AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, race. Rockstar/Makita Suzuki's Chad Reed, of Dade City, Fla., moved into the AMA Supercross class points lead with a valiant come-from-behind race where he started in 20th and finished second. Rockstar/Makita Suzuki's Ryan Dungey, of Belle Plaine, Minn., won his second consecutive Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites class race.

GEICO Powersports Honda's Kevin Windham, of Centerville, Miss., led the AMA Supercross class through turn one as he picked up the holeshot award. Rockstar/Makita Suzuki's Mike Alessi, of Apple Valley, Calif., and JGRMX/Yamaha/Toyota's Josh Grant, of Riverside, Calif., followed in second and third respectively. Defending champion Reed started in 20th place after a first turn crash and Stewart was near the middle of the pack.

"I was somewhere in the top five off the start and someone took me out," said Reed.

After two laps, Stewart made his way into fourth place, and by lap six his was in third place. By lap eight Stewart held down second place and Monster Energy Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto, of Poulsbo, Wash., was third. Out front, Windham was unable to hold off Stewart, who made the pass for the lead on lap 10.

On lap 18 Reed moved into second place and chased down Windham on the last lap to finish second.

"I tried to play damage control tonight," added Reed. "It was a super difficult track to pass on. We have the points lead now, so I am so excited. Our team has been working their butts off, and I am confident. I tried to be smart for 20 laps. I knew these guys would get tired, so I kept my head down and charged hard."

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Ryan Morais, of Murrieta, Calif., jumped out of the gate to win the holeshot award in the AMA Supercross Lites class main event. Following in second and third place were GEICO Powersports Honda's Dan Reardon, of Menifee, Calif., and Dungey respectively.

Wrooom ice race report

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Wrooom: Shutting down on the track

Madonna di Campiglio, 16th January - The curtain fell on the 19th edition of the Wrooom meeting with the traditional race on the ice track at Madonna di Campiglio. A feverish Kimi Raikkonen and Marc Gene - who should have been in a test session with the F60 at Vairano, but which had to be canceled due to the bad weather conditions - were not present. Meanwhile the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro's drivers Felipe Massa and Luca Badoer, and a third driver, replacing Marc Gene, Massa's little brother Eduardo, sat behind the wheels. The Brazilian vice-champion ended the race in second place, after being overtaken on the penultimate lap by the Australian Ducati Marlboro Team driver Casey Stoner. His team-mate, the American Nicky Hayden, crossed the line third, ahead of Luca Badoer, Ducati Marlboro Team test driver Vittoriano Guareschi and Eduardo Massa.

CLAUDIO DOMENICALI REVEALS DESMOSEDICI GP9 SECRETS

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Madonna di Campiglio, Trento. The second day of the Wrooom - MotoGP Press Ski Meeting 2009 took place under light but constant snowfall today, forcing the presentation of the new Ducati Desmosedici GP9 to be put back until tomorrow, Thursday 15th January, when it will be unveiled against the spectacular backdrop of the Dolomite mountain range in Madonna di Campiglio. Today's programme was still a packed one, however, with Claudio Domenicali, CEO of Ducati Corse and General Director of Ducati Products, taking the chair in this morning's press conference. Domenicali answered questions from the international press about the technical updates on the GP9, commenting also on the major talking points of the coming season and last year's campaign.

"As always it's a pleasure to be here at Madonna di Campiglio for Wrooom 2009", said Domenicali, before briefly assessing the 2008 season for Ducati Marlboro Team. "Last season was certainly exciting, with some great moments for us and others that were obviously difficult. When you look at the numbers we won six races, set pole position on nine occasions and set the fastest lap in eight races. If it wasn't for probably the best Valentino ever, coming back from two difficult seasons and rediscovering the strength to have an exceptional season, those numbers would have surely added up to a successful defence of the world title. When you consider these excellent results and the fact that Casey (Stoner) is still only 23 years old, with plenty of potential to improve even more, once the disappointment is out of the way we can't be anything but satisfied with 2008 and confident about the season to come. For 2009 we have many new things, starting with the bike: the GP9 is characterised by a major change in the chassis, with the switch from the traditional Ducati steel trellis chassis with a carbon fibre frame that brings the upper part of the engine up to the level of the steering column. It is a change we have thought about and tested for a long time, firstly with Vittoriano (Guareschi), who is always our first point of reference. He gave his approval to the new system and then the official riders tested it at Barcelona. We won the MotoGP World Championship with the trellis frame so it clearly a very effective design but we have been looking to take another step forward that can help us overcome some of the problems we've had, specifically with the MotoGP bike. Amongst the other updates on the GP9 one of the most relevant is an evolution of the engine management system, with a new combination of airbox and mapping that should provide a flatter power curve and improve rideability, as well as improving outright power, which currently remains more or less the same as last year. Another new thing for 2009 is the arrival of Nicky (Hayden) to the team. He has been very amenable from the start and he is a rider who perfectly fits in with our motto of never giving up. We think he's the ideal team-mate for Casey and I'm sure they can develop a positive team spirit. He has started out with the right attitude because he had a tough first day at Valencia, more difficult than we had imagined, but he ended the December test just a couple of hundredths of a second off the third fastest lap time and that is very satisfying."

Silverstone to host MotoGP from 2010

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Silverstone Circuits Limited has announced that, following the signing of a five year agreement with Dorna Sports (the commercial rights holder for MotoGP), the world famous Northamptonshire circuit will host the British Motorcycle Grand Prix (MotoGP) from 2010. MotoGP is the pinnacle of two-wheeled racing and features the best riders and fastest race bikes in the world. Richard Phillips, Managing Director of Silverstone Circuits Limited, is thrilled to see top flight motorcycle racing back on the calendar at the Home of British Motor Racing.

Phillips commented, "Silverstone is the UK's premier motor racing venue and we are thoroughly looking forward to hosting the world's premier motorcycle racing event from 2010. We have worked closely with Dorna Sports to bring MotoGP to Silverstone and both parties are extremely excited about the opportunity to take this world-class event to another level.

"Silverstone is a unique UK race circuit; rich in heritage and unrivalled in terms of what we are able to offer fans, championships and teams. The Grand Prix circuit offers a combination of high speed straights and technical corners, presenting a real challenge to the riders, while the facilities for teams and spectators are second to none.

"The circuit is also recognised as being one of the most easily accessible in the world. All of these factors, along with Silverstone's vast experience of hosting world class international events, contributed to MotoGP coming to Silverstone."

Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports, commented, "We are delighted that the MotoGP World Championship is returning to Silverstone as of 2010. The venue has excellent facilities and a circuit with a great heritage, having hosted some superb Grand Prix racing in the 1970s and 1980s. We are sure that MotoGP's visits to the UK will continue to be highly successful when we make the historic move back to Silverstone next year."

Silverstone officials have been working closely with the FIM whose representatives have visited the circuit on several occasions. Alterations will be made to the circuit layout in order to comply with FIM regulations, while improvements to several spectator viewing areas are also planned. Full details of all track and venue changes will be announced in due course. Having hosted the FIM Road Racing World Championship (MotoGP) between 1977 and 1986, and rounds of the World Superbike Championship until 2007, Silverstone is no stranger to staging international two-wheeled events. Few who saw it will ever forget the classic battle between Barry Sheene and Kenny Roberts at Silverstone in 1979. The Northamptonshire venue has also been a regular host of rounds of the British Superbike Championship.

Welcome rest day in Chile for KTM's Dakar stars

Sat, 10 Jan 2009 07:00:00 GMT

After seven days hard riding the four KTM factory riders are resting up in Valparaiso on the Chilean coast before tackling the remaining six days of racing.

Riders still have plenty to occupy themselves during the day off and to prepare for the second half of the race. The first week of this South American Dakar was supposed to be a �gentle' warm up but has turned out to be as tough as any �African' Dakar that has gone before it. And it is certain that next week is going to be even tougher�

Marc Coma (Repsol KTM) 1st overall
"When people back home watch us on television and see the towns we pass through, the bivouacs we are sleeping in, I think they might get the wrong impression. Obviously the living conditions in South America are easier than in Africa, but let me tell you, out on the piste the Dakar spirit is very much there. It has been an extremely tough week - at least as hard as any other Dakar I have done before. My week has gone reasonably well, and for sure I am happy to be in the lead, but the situation with the rear mousse has been a big additional stress. All we can try and do is make the best choice for the day ahead and hope that it is the right one. I have been lucky that Jordi (Viladoms) and Gerard (Farres) have been so close behind me and that has helped reduce the problem - but for sure it is always in the back of my mind. The restart will see us heading into the Chilean desert and I am sure it will be very beautiful. I am also sure it will be very hard. Physically I feel strong and I think I am going to need all that strength!"

Cyril Despres (Red Bull KTM) 5th overall (at 1h35'23)
"It looks like Jordi (Viladoms) is going to get a 20 minute time penalty which means I will move up to fifth overall. That means that in one week I have moved up 17 places - though obviously the closer you get to the lead the harder those places are to take! Clearly in terms of pure speed Marc and I are pretty evenly matched, but the Dakar is an endurance race and we have seen before that anything can happen. Here in South American with the mousse �surprises' and the fact that we know the terrain much less that is even more the case. It is why I remain convinced that I still have a chance of final victory and why I will keep pushing all the way to the end. We haven't yet received tomorrow's road book, but looking at the profile of the stages to come it would seem that the next six days are going to be even tougher. The harder they are the better my chances of being able to pull back time."

Economy hits Kawasaki, riders left stranded

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 07:00:00 GMT

They may have finished last in the manufacturers' title fight last year, but their riders gave it their best shot. Now the downfall of the economy seems to have affected Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. with news that they have elected to pull the plug for the 2009 MotoGP season.

American John Hopkins, who has been with the team since 2008, and newly signed Italian rider, Marco Melandri, are now left without a ride for the 2009 season. It was reported that Kawasaki spent over $40 million US dollars annually to campaign in the top-level bike series. How much of that amount was paid to the riders is unknown.

Per the official press release from Kawasaki: "Amid quickly changing business environment, Kawasaki has been promptly taking countermeasures to cope with the situation. As the world economy is not likely to recover in a short period due to the major impact of the financial crisis, Kawasaki decided to suspend its MotoGP racing activities from 2009 season onward and reallocate management resources more efficiently."

The Californian rider Hopkins now lives in Miami, Fla., and after finding success in America with two AMA titles, he moved to Europe with Yamaha in 2002, taking on the world's best road racers. However one year later, he made the switch to Suzuki and over his five years with the team, he ended with one pole (his first and only in '06). His best season came in 2007, placing fourth in the overall standings with four podium finishes.

This past season, Hopkins signed with Kawasaki and his best finish was fifth at Portuguese Grand Prix. A heavy high-speed crash in qualifying for the Dutch TT sidelined the American rider for two races, including his home race at Laguna Seca while he underwent surgery to his left ankle. Ironically, both Kawasaki riders had a tough time at Assen as teammate Anthony West crashed out of the race.

On September 14, 2008, the Kawasaki Racing Team, signed Melandri to a two-year contract which was to begin this year. The 2002 250cc champion hails from Ravenna, Italy and landed his first ride in the faster MotoGP machines in 2002 with Yamaha.

Since his MotoGP debut, Melandri has amassed five victories and 19 podium finishes. Two years later, the Italian moved to the Tech 3 Yamaha satellite team, still searching for the elusive first win. After a rough start with a few podium finishes, Melandri and Yamaha parted ways. He ended up on a Honda and history was made when he earned two back-to-back grand prix events which was a first for Honda. The double victories moved Melandri to second in the 2005 final standings; his best overall finish to date.

Reed chasing first win for 2009 in Phoenix

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Defending AMA/World Supercross champion Chad Reed is aiming to steer clear of the chaos that shook up last weekend�s season opener and make his way to the top step of the podium at Phoenix�s Chase Field on Saturday.

The 26-year-old fought back to claim third at Anaheim 1 (A1) after a heated battle with a championship rival resulted in a spectacular crash before mid-race distance.

A race-fit Reed, fresh from dominating the Australasian Supercross Championship, was able to remount and push his Rockstar Makita Suzuki RM-Z450 through the field to salvage valuable points.

Reed said he was looking forward to another competitive showing in Phoenix.

�The team has been working really hard, it�s very early in the season but all signs are positive so far,� said Reed.

�My speed at Anaheim was good, the bike was awesome � the win was there for the taking but in the end I ran out of laps.

�Consistency will be important this season, we�ve got a very competitive field of riders capable of taking top points so it will be vital to stay fit and out of trouble.

�This was my first AMA Supercross race with the team and I really feel like I am fitting in well, these guys are passionate about what they do and determined to keep that number 1 on the bike.�

Reed�s third place at A1 saw him take 20 points and third place overall in the season standings.

The fast-paced, 17-round championship is a true test of physical and mental strength for the world�s top riders.

AMA News

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 07:00:00 GMT

American Motorcyclist Association announces 85th anniversary celebration at 2009 AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days; Historic motorcycle parade to headline the event

PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is pleased to announce that the Association will celebrate its 85th anniversary year in 2009 with a number of activities and events, culminating with AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, July 24-26, at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.

One eye-catching activity at AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days will be a motorcycle parade with bikes representing the more than eight decades the AMA has been protecting riders' rights, from 1924 through 2009. This distinctive collection of motorcycles will provide a physical and visual representation of the long and varied history of the AMA.

"We're excited about pulling together this rich symbol of the AMA's history, and assembling such a diverse collection of motorcycles will be no small feat," said Tigra Tsujikawa, AMA marketing and special events manager. "If any of our members would like to have his or her motorcycle considered for this special opportunity, I encourage them to call the AMA's Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum at (614) 856-2221 or e-mail us at 85thparade@ama-cycle.org for details."

Founded in 1924, the AMA quickly became a national voice for the growing number of motorcycle clubs and riders in the U.S., a legacy that the Association has carried forward ever since. Today the AMA is the country's leading advocate for the protection and promotion of the motorcycling lifestyle and -- with more than 300,000 members -- it has grown to become the largest motorcycling organization in the world.

"During our 85 years, the AMA has undergone numerous changes to meet the evolving needs of our membership," said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. "Currently, the AMA is positioning the organization to better serve all motorcyclists for the next 85 years and beyond. In 2009, we will recognize both this landmark anniversary and this exciting time of change with various events and activities, culminating at one of the year's can't-miss motorcycling events, AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days."

In addition to the 85th anniversary celebration motorcycle parade, the AMA is asking its members to help the Association tell its story.

"We want to know from AMA members, 'Why did you join the AMA? What does motorcycling mean to you? What events, bikes or people represent your most memorable motorcycling moments?'" said Tsujikawa. "Remember that a picture tells a thousand words, so please include photographs whenever possible."

AMA members can e-mail their memories to 85thmemories@ama-cycle.org.

AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, the proceeds of which benefit the AMA's Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, has grown to become America's grandest celebration of motorcycling heritage, and features numerous activities inspired by all eras. In addition to activities tied to the AMA's 85th anniversary, the weekend will be loaded with highlights, including the world's largest motorcycle swap meet, demo rides of current production bikes, motorcycling seminars, bike shows, stunt shows, the new product Manufacturers' Midway, club corrals that feature both marque and regional clubs, and guided rides through the rolling Ohio countryside.

Anaheim I: Round one summary

Sun, 04 Jan 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Rookie Josh Grant Wins First-Ever Monster Energy® Supercross Race at Angel Stadium; Weimer Opens Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites Championship with Huge Win

Anaheim, Calif. (November XX, 2009) -- JGRMX/Toyota/Yamaha rookie Josh Grant, of Riverside, Calif., won the first AMA Supercross class race of his career before 42,309 fans at the Monster Energy® AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, season opener at Angel Stadium. Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Jake Weimer, of Rupert, Idaho, won the opening race of the Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites class championship.

San Manuel Yamaha's James Stewart, of Haines City, Fla., picked up the AMA Supercross class holeshot as Grant and Rockstar/Makita Suzuki's Chad Reed followed in third. Reed, the defending Monster Energy® Supercross champion, quickly moved into second place and began his chase on Stewart.

On lap 2 Reed passed Stewart, the 2007 AMA Supercross class champion. Stewart answered back on lap six as he regained the lead, but just a few turns later Reed and Stewart collided, causing each of them to crash. Upon reentering the race, Stewart was hit by GEICO Powersports Honda's Kevin Windham. Stewart was unable to restart his bike and return to the race, while Reed reentered the race in third place.

Grant took over the lead and rode to a flawless win. Honda Red Bull Racing's Andrew Short finished second and Reed finished third.

"I don't know what to say right now," said Grant. "To get my first win out of the way is huge, and I am so pumped. I saw those guys (Stewart and Reed) on the ground and just raced hard to the win."

GEICO Powersports Honda's Dan Reardon, of Menifee, Calif., opened the Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites class main event with the holeshot, leading Weimer and KTM's Justin Brayton, of Murrieta, Calif., through turn one.

Defending class champion Jason Lawrence was involved in a massive pile-up that collected several riders, including defending Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites class champion Trey Canard, of Shawnee, Okla.

Weimer moved around Reardon on lap two and began to extend his lead. While riding in second and third place, respectively, Reardon and Brayton crashed into one another, losing several valuable positions. This allowed Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Ryan Morais, of Murrieta, Calif., to move into second.

Rockstar/Makita Suzuki's Ryan Dungey, of Belle Plaine, Minn., started tonight's race in 10th place and finished third. Morais finished second and Weimer scored the second AMA Supercross Lites class win of his career and leads the points race.

Supercross series announces 2009 television package

Sat, 03 Jan 2009 07:00:00 GMT

2009 Monster Energy® Supercross Television Package Announced; 2009 Season Kicks off Live on SPEED Saturday Night

AURORA, Ill. (January 2, 2009) -- Feld Motor Sports announced today the 2009 Monster Energy® AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, original-airing television schedule on CBS Sports and SPEED. Coverage of the 2009 season began with the season preview show on Saturday, December 27 on CBS Sports. Like the 2008 season, each Monster Energy® Supercross race in 2009 will be broadcast in HD.

SPEED will air the opening round of Monster Energy® Supercross live from Angel Stadium on Saturday, January 3 from 7:00-10:30 p.m. PST. The television team, consisting of pit reporter Erin Bates, analyst Jeff Emig and play-by-play announcer Ralph Sheheen, will deliver the live race call. SPEED will air a combined 28-plus hours of original programming throughout the 2009 season in addition to the repeat airings, which have yet to be announced.

CBS Sports will close out the season with a wrap-up show Sunday, May 3 recapping what is expected to be one of the most competitive seasons ever. In total, CBS Sports will carry nine hours of Monster Energy® Supercross coverage.

"Partnering with CBS Sports and SPEED once again gives supercross strong network and cable coverage to new and existing Monster Energy® Supercross fans," said Todd Jendro, senior director of supercross, Feld Motor Sports, Inc. "CBS Sports kicked off the year off with its annual Monster Energy® Supercross preview show that foreshadowed what could be one of the greatest seasons ever. Eight more hours of network coverage on CBS Sports will follow. SPEED will dedicate original and repeat airings of the AMA Supercross class and the AMA Supercross Lites class. Additionally, 2009 will be the first year that AMA Supercross Lites class racing will be next-day aired."

"We are looking forward to another season of supercross with our new partners at Feld Motor Sports," said Rick Miner, SPEED SVP of Production & Network Operations. "Our new long-term deal will ensure the continuing process of developing exciting and innovative coverage of some of the network's most popular motorcycle racing."

AMA-SC: 2009 teams announced

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 07:00:00 GMT

2009 Monster Energy® Supercross Teams Announced

AURORA, Ill. (December 30, 2009) -- The lineup for the 2009 Monster Energy® AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, season has officially been released, showcasing new faces in different places and a talented, deep roster of contenders. The 2009 season is shaping up to be one of the most competitive and exciting championships in history.

Leading the way as the top contenders for this season's title is reigning AMA Supercross champion Chad Reed and 2007 AMA Supercross class champion James Stewart. Ready for the challenges that lie ahead, former AMA Supercross Lites class champion and premier class rookie Ryan Villopoto is ready to take the next step while veteran Kevin Windham looks to break through with his first AMA Supercross class title.

In the AMA Supercross Lites class, defending regional champions Jason Lawrence (West) and Trey Canard (East) return to achieve the rare feat of multiple AMA Supercross Lites class championships. Fresh off a breakthrough season in 2008, Ryan Dungey is hungry to claim his first AMA championship while Brett Metcalfe, Austin Stroupe, and Jake Weimer look for success.

Monster Energy Kawasaki
2 Ryan Villopoto
15 Tim Ferry

San Manuel Yamaha
7 James Stewart
38 Kyle Chisholm

Rockstar / Makita Suzuki
10 Ryan Dungey
20 Nico Izzi
22 Chad Reed
26 Michael Byrne
800 Mike Alessi

Team Yamaha
8 Grant Langston
60 Broc Hepler
75 Josh Hill

Honda Red Bull Racing
9 Ivan Tedesco
18 Davi Millsaps
29 Andrew Short
101 Ben Townley

Spike Energy/Toyota Yamaha (Joe Gibbs Racing)
21 Cody Cooper
33 Josh Grant

GEICO Powersports Honda
14 Kevin Windham
24 Brett Metcalfe
39 Trey Canard
40 Daniel Reardon
61 Blake Wharton

Monster Energy / Pro Circuit Kawasaki
19 Jake Weimer
46 Austin Stroupe
116 Ryan Morais
377 Christophe Pourcel

Jagermeister/MDK KTM
11 Travis Preston
28 Josh Summey

Hart & Huntington Honda
59 Troy Adams
67 Josh Hansen

Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull Honda
47 Jimmy Albertson
63 Chris Blose
85 Sean Borkenhagen

MDK/Muscle Milk KTM...

Anaheim I: 2009 season opener preview

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Reed to Stage Title Defense as 2009 Monster Energy® Supercross Championship Begins at Angel Stadium

AURORA, Ill. (December 29, 2008) -- The 2009 Monster Energy® AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, kicks off at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif., this Saturday for the first of three races at the famed facility. AMA Supercross champion Chad Reed will defend his championship against the top racers in the world, including James Stewart, who returns from injury, Kevin Windham, who was runner-up last year and Ryan Villopoto, who is one of the world's top young racers.

Reed, of Dade City, Fla., dominated in Anaheim last year, winning all three races en route to his second AMA Supercross title. The three-race sweep marked the first time the Rockstar/Makita Suzuki rider had won at the legendary Angel Stadium since 2004. He joins former AMA Supercross class champion Stewart as the only riders to sweep all three races in Anaheim.

GEICO Powersports Honda's Windham, of Centreville, Miss., chased Reed to the final race of the season in 2008 and finished second overall in the standings. The veteran earned four main event wins and eight podium finishes, marking the third time in his career that he finished runner-up in the championship.

Team San Manuel Yamaha's Stewart, who missed most of the 2008 Monster Energy® Supercross season due to a knee injury, will challenge Reed for the number-one plate. On the way to winning his first AMA Supercross championship in 2007, Stewart, of Haines City, Fla., captured 13 wins and two additional podium appearances.

"Defending your championship is harder than winning because you have guys that are really hungry to take it from you," said Stewart."You have to work double-time just to stay ahead of the game."

Former AMA Supercross Lites class champion Villopoto, of Poulsbo, Wash., makes his AMA Supercross class debut at Angel Stadium. The Monster Energy Kawasaki rider is a three-time AMA Motocross Lites class champion and has the speed to run with the elite riders in this class.

"I don't think it's out of reach to win the championship, but it's definitely going to be tough," Villopoto added. "I might be asking a lot, though. You have to look at being consistent and that's what I want to do. If I can be consistent, I can maybe get second or third."

Also returning to the class in 2009 are Red Bull Honda's Davi Millsaps, of Cairo, Ga., who won main events at Atlanta's Georgia Dome and Detroit's Ford Field, and Factory Yamaha's Josh Hill, of Yoncalla, Ore., who won the main event at Minneapolis' Metrodome.

Rockstar/Makita Suzuki's Ryan Dungey, of Belle Plaine, Minn., was runner up in the 2008 Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites class and won two of the three main events in Anaheim last year. YOT, Boost Mobile, Monster Energy, AM/PM's Jason Lawrence, of Carlsbad, Calif., won the third and final race last year in Anaheim, eventually earning the class championship. Like it has shown in years past, this season's AMA Supercross Lites class is expected to be stacked with talent.

"The field is so deep in the lites class that I could probably name off a couple dozen guys that are going to be fast next year," said Dungey. "I'm just going to train this off season and work toward being 100 percent for the start of the season. We'll see who is lined up on the gate at that time."

The first AMA Supercross race was held in Anaheim on December 4, 1976, and Marty Smith won on a Honda. Ricky Carmichael and Jeremy McGrath share the all-time AMA Supercross class win record at Angel Stadium with eight wins each. In the Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites class, three riders have swept all three races at Angel Stadium: Villopoto, Ivan Tedesco and Ernesto Fonseca. Stewart, Windham and McGrath are the only riders in history to win in the AMA Supercross Lites class and AMA Supercross class at Anaheim.

2009 preview show airs on television

Fri, 26 Dec 2008 07:00:00 GMT

CBS Sports to air Preview Show of 2009 Monster Energy® Supercross Season

AURORA, Ill. (December 26, 2009) -- Feld Motor Sports announced today that CBS Sports will broadcast a one-hour preview show in HD of the 2009 Monster Energy® AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, Saturday, December 27 at 2:00 p.m. EST.

Looking ahead at the highly anticipated 2009 Monster Energy® Supercross championship, the preview show sets up the various storylines. CBS Sports gives viewers an in-depth analysis of the Chad Reed/James Stewart rivalry and weighs in on AMA Supercross Lites star Ryan Villopoto's move to the premier AMA Supercross class.

With a new season comes new changes, and two of the biggest changes are Stewart and Reed's new teams. The show will give an overview of the 2009 Monster Energy® Supercross team line-up.

"This is a great way to preview the 2009 Monster Energy® Supercross championship," said Dave Prater, director of supercross, Feld Motor Sports. "With the highly publicized team changes of Reed and Stewart, some of the other major team changes were overshadowed. The one-hour preview show will bring fans up to speed on who's racing where."

The stars of tomorrow will be illuminated with a close look at the AMA Supercross Lites class' top riders. Defending regional champions Jason Lawrence (West) and Trey Canard (East) will defend their championships against a host of hungry races looking to make their mark, including Ryan Dungey, winner of three main event and the Dave Coombs Sr. East/West Shootout and Austin Stroupe, who won a main event last year as a rookie.

CBS Sports will broadcast nine hours of Monster Energy® Supercross in 2008, which will include seven races, the preview show and a recap show Sunday, May 3 at Noon EST.

Somebody hasn't told Australian Harley buyers about any...

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 07:00:00 GMT

2008 motorcycle sales hit record numbers in just 11 months

Harley-Davidson Australia is celebrating another year of outstanding sales with the news today that 2008 sales results are the best on record ever in Australia.

In just 11 months of 2008 the iconic brand has sold 7,150 motorcycles, surpassing all previous yearly results with December, traditionally one of the best retail trading months of the year, still to be recorded.

The exceptional year-on-year sales increase highlights Harley-Davidson Australia as one of few companies prospering in a challenging economic environment.

A key strategy underpinning the growth is the diversity of appeal in the Harley-Davidson suite of motorcycles. In 2008 the Softail Fat Boy (FLSTF) remains the highest selling model with 874 motorcycles sold to date, continuing the 2007 trend. Strong sales performance is also recorded by the Night Rod Special (VRSCDX), part of the new �Dark Custom� range.

In 2007 Harley-Davidson introduced a new range of motorcycles collectively referred to as �Dark Custom�. The range is a distinct break from the classic chrome styling for which H-D is renowned. Dark Custom is instead defined by black monochromatic finishes and modern urban street styling.

Harley-Davidson Australia Managing Director, Peter Nochar, said �although our classic Softails continue to sell extremely well the introduction of �Dark Custom� has boosted our outstanding sales result. In addition, our Sportster range is on the rise thanks to fantastic new models and the sheer affordability. When you can buy the genuine article from as little as $10,995 + on-road costs why settle for anything less.�

2009 Int'l Women & Motorcycle news

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Harley-Davidson and Buell to be presenting sponsors of 2009 AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference

Harley, Buell and AMA Partner to Celebrate Women Riders

PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is thrilled to announce that Harley-Davidson and Buell are the Presenting Sponsors of the 2009 AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference. From August 19-22, women will celebrate the freedom and control that comes with taking to the open road on two wheels at the fifth AMA Women's Conference in scenic Keystone, Colo.

This will be the second time the Motor Company has been the Presenting Sponsor of the conference, which will offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for thousands of women riders to come together and enjoy the camaraderie, scenic roads and informational seminars during the conference.

According to the Motorcycle Industry Council, women now account for 12.6 percent of all motorcycle riders, a 29 percent increase since 2003. As a reflection of this trend, the AMA has seen an increase in conference attendance over the years and anticipates that it will double at the 2009 event with more than 2,200 participants.

"Harley-Davidson and Buell are excited to be very involved with this incredibly important -- and fun -- event that will bring together thousands of women riders," said Leslie Prevish, Women's Outreach Manager, Harley-Davidson Motor Company. "The Motor Company has been committed to encouraging women to ride for decades -- even marketing the 1920 Sport model as 'The Woman's Outdoor Companion.' Being the main sponsor of the AMA conference is another example of how Harley-Davidson continues to promote and support women in the sport of motorcycling."

"The AMA could not be more pleased to welcome Harley-Davidson and Buell as the presenting sponsors of the fifth AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference," said AMA Marketing and Special Events Manager Tigra Tsujikawa. "This highly anticipated event brings the very best of the motorcycling world to women motorcyclists. It's going to be a first-class conference, and we are excited to align ourselves with the world-class products and people of Harley-Davidson and Buell."

In addition to a wide range of daily workshops, conference attendees will have the opportunity to demo new bikes, shop for the latest gadgets and gear at the vendor marketplace, and enjoy after-hours social activities. The conference is not restricted to women only -- attendees are encouraged to register their spouses, partners, family and friends. Keystone is located just 90 miles west of Denver. With the picturesque Rocky Mountains as a backdrop, riders will be able to take advantage of the scenic riding opportunities in the area, including some legendary two-lane, off-road and dual-sport adventures.

Reserve Your Spot
The fifth AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference will be held at the Keystone Resort & Conference Center in Keystone, Colo., on Aug. 19-22, 2009. Lodging reservations can be made by calling (800) 258-0437; mention group code CZ0AMAW. Early in 2009, the AMA will provide conference registration information at www.womenandmotorcycling.com. Sign up for conference email alerts by e-mailing the AMA at info@womenandmotorcycling.com.

2009 Australian Racing Calendar / Provisional Draft 5

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 07:00:00 GMT

-- 2009 Australian Motorcycle Racing Calendar / Provisional Draft 5 (All dates and events subject to change)

January 2 - Speedway - Australian Solo Speedway Championship Qualifying - Gosford NSW
January 3 - Speedway - Australian Solo Speedway Championship Round 1 - Newcastle NSW
January 7 - Speedway - Australian Solo Speedway Championship Round 2 - Mildura VIC
January 10 - Speedway - Australian Solo Speedway Championship Round 3 - Gilman SA
January 17 - Speedway - Ron Johnson Memorial Speedway - Pinjar Park WA
January 18 - Speedway - Australian Under 16 Speedway Championship - Undera VIC
January 25 - MX/SX/Enduro - Dongara Arenacross - Dongara WA
January 31 - Speedway - Australian Under 21 Solo Speedway Championship - Gosford NSW
January 31 - MX/SX/Enduro - NSW Yamaha MX Cross Cup Rnd 1 Stadium MX - Orange Showground NSW
February 1 - Road Race - Vic Junior & Metrakit Road Racing Rnd 1 & Preston Race School - Broadford VIC
February 8 - Road Race - NSW FX Cup Series - Eastern Creek NSW
February 20 - MX/SX/Enduro - Summercross Junior MX - Coastal Park WA
February 21 - MX/SX/Enduro - Summercross Senior MX - Coastal Park WA
February 21 - Speedway - Chum Taylor Memorial Speedway - Pinjar Park WA
February 21 - MX/SX/Enduro - NSW Yamaha MX Cross Cup Rnd 2 MX - Clarence Lithgow NSW
February 22 - MX/SX/Enduro - ATV Maffra Sale Two Day Open - Maffra VIC
March 1 - Road Race - Australian SBK Rnd 1 (World SBK) - Phillip Island VIC
March 1 - MX/SX/Enduro - Arena Cross Invitational MX - Southern Cross WA
March 1 - MX/SX/Enduro - Wanneroo Junior MX Open - Pinjar Park WA
March 7 - Road Race - Australian Off Road Championship Rnd 1 & 2 - NSW
March 8 - Road Race - East Coast Road Race Series Rnd 1 - Broadford VIC
March 8 - MX/SX/Enduro - ATV Tri State Series Rnd 1 - NSW
March 15 - Road Race - NSW FX Cup Series - Wakefield Park NSW
March 22 - Road Race - MRRDA Rnd 1 - Oran Park NSW
March 22 - MX/SX/Enduro - Civil War of MX - Coastal Park WA
March 29 - Speedway - Australian Speedway Sidecar Championship - Mildura VIC
March 29 - MX/SX/Enduro - WA Tumbulgum Natural Terrain Motocross - WA Byford/Tumbulgum
April 5 - MX/SX/Enduro - Australian MX Championship Rnd 1 - Wodonga VIC
April 5 - Road Race - Australian SBK Rnd 2 - Symmons Plains TAS
April 5 - Road Race - Victorian Historic Road Race Championships - Broadford VIC - HMRAV
April 5 - MX/SX/Enduro - Australian Off Road Championship Rnd 3 & 4 - Wonthaggi VIC
April 5 - MX/SX/Enduro - WA Junior MX Open - Eric Walter Park WA
April 5 - Road Race -WA Club Race Day - MCRCWA - Wanneroo Raceway WA
April 5 - MX/SX/Enduro - ATV Polaris State 8 Series Club Day Rnd 1 - TBA
April 11 - MX/SX/Enduro - WA Junior MX Championship Rnd 1 - Esperance
April 12 - Road Race - Barry Sheene Classic - Eastern Creek NSW
April 12 - Road Race - Honda Broadford Bike Bonanza - Broadford VIC
April 12 - Road Race - Eastern Cup and Nationals BEARS - Mac Park SA
April 19 - MX/SX/Enduro - Australian MX Championship Rnd 2 - Canberra ACT
April 19 - MX/SX/Enduro - A4DE - Orange NSW
April 19 - Road Race - Victorian Road Race Championships Rnd 1 & Vic Junior Road Racing Rnd 2 - Broadford VIC - PMCC
April 25 - MX/SX/Enduro - Yilgarn Rallye Southern X Enduro - Southern Cross WA
April 26 - Road Race - East Coast Road Race Series Rnd 2 - Oran Park NSW - NSW Road Race Championships
April 26 - Road Race - WA Road Race Championship Rnd 1 - MCRCWA - Wanneroo Raceway WA
April 26 - MX/SX/Enduro - WA Motocross State Championship Rnd 1 - Coastal Park WA
April 26 - MX/SX/Enduro - ATV Thumb Pump 300 - Mildura VIC
April 27 - MX/SX/Enduro - WA Junior Motocross Championship Rnd 2 - Shrubland Park Bunbury WA
May 2 - MX/SX/Enduro - NSW Yamaha MX Cross Cup Rnd 3 Grass Track MX - Dunedoo NSW
May 3 - Road Race -MRRDA Rnd 2 - Broadford VIC
May 3 - MX/SX/Enduro - NSW Yamaha MX Cup Rnd 2 - Clarence Lithgow NSW...

WSBK: Carloia nominated as Permanent Race Director

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 07:00:00 GMT

FIM SUPERBIKE & SUPERSPORT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SUPERSTOCK 1000CC FIM CUP

New permanent Race Director

The FIM-SBK Permanent Bureau, composed of Messrs. Vito Ippolito FIM President and Maurizio Flammini, President of FGSport, unanimously decided to nominate Gian Franco Carloia as Permanent Race Director for all FIM Superbike/Supersport World Championships and Superstock FIM Cup events -- replacing Mr Alberto Fantini.

Gian Franco Carloia, 46 years old, who has been working for FGSport since 1993, holder of a FIM licence for Clerk of the Course since 2000, has been Assistant to the Race Director since 2001 and FGSport representative in the Race Direction as from 2004.

FIM Sports Director Ignacio Verneda said:

"For such an important task it is essential to have an experienced, capable person, and I am convinced that Gian Franco is the right person, as he has already gained a lot of experience in all these years working as assistant to Alberto Fantini and I have no doubt he will do an excellent job. On behalf of the FIM, I would also like to thank Mr Fantini for his very professional job as Race Director".

Paolo Flammini, CEO of FGSport declared:

"First of all, I'd like to thank Alberto Fantini for his invaluable contribution to the growth of the FIM Superbike World Championship since the very first event in which FGSport was involved. Now it's time for Gian Franco Carloia to take up this important heritage and responsibility. I'm sure that Gian Franco will do an outstanding job and I wish him the best possible success in his new position."

2009 MotoGP Entry List

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 07:00:00 GMT

The FIM today released the provisional entry lists for the MotoGP World Championship 2009 as follows:

MotoGP
3. DANI PEDROSA, SPA, REPSOL HONDA TEAM
4. ANDREA DOVIZIOSO, ITA, REPSOL HONDA TEAM
5. COLIN EDWARDS, USA, TECH 3 YAMAHA
7. CHRIS VERMEULEN, AUS, RIZLA SUZUKI MotoGP
14. RANDY DE PUNIET, FRA, LCR HONDA MotoGP
15. ALEX DE ANGELIS, RSM, SAN CARLO HONDA GRESINI
21. JOHN HOPKINS, USA, KAWASAKI RACING TEAM
24. TONI ELIAS, SPA, SAN CARLO HONDA GRESINI
27. CASEY STONER, AUS, DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM
33. MARCO MELANDRI, ITA, KAWASAKI RACING TEAM
36. MIKA KALLIO, FIN, PRAMAC RACING
46. VALENTINO ROSSI, ITA, FIAT YAMAHA TEAM
52. JAMES TOSELAND, GBR, TECH 3 YAMAHA
59. SETE GIBERNAU, SPA, GRUPO FRANCISCO HERNANDO
65. LORIS CAPIROSSI, ITA, RIZLA SUZUKI MotoGP
69. NICKY HAYDEN, USA, DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM
72. YUKI TAKAHASHI, JPN, SCOT RACING TEAM MotoGP
88. NICCOLO CANEPA, ITA, PRAMAC RACING
99. JORGE LORENZO, SPA, FIAT YAMAHA TEAM

250cc
4. HIROSHI AOYAMA, JPN, SCOT RACING TEAM 250cc
7. AXEL PONS, SPA, PEPE WORLD PONS WRB
8. BASTIEN CHESAUX, SWI, RACING TEAM GERMANY
9. TONI WIRSING, GER, RACING TEAM GERMANY
10. IMRE TOTH, HUN, TEAM TOTH APRILIA
12. THOMAS LUTHI, SWI, EMMI - CAFFE LATTE
14. RATTHAPARK WILAIROT, THA, THAI HONDA PTT SAG
15. ROBERTO LOCATELLI, ITA, METIS GILERA
16. JULES CLUZEL, FRA, MATTEONI RACING
17. KAREL ABRAHAM, CZE, CARDION AB MOTORACING
19. ALVARO BAUTISTA, SPA, MAPFRE ASPAR TEAM
21. HECTOR BARBERA, SPA, PEPE WORLD PONS WRB
25. ALEX BALDOLINI, ITA, WTR SAN MARINO TEAM
28. GABOR TALMACSI, HUN, BALATON RACING TEAM 250cc
35. RAFFAELE DE ROSA, ITA, SCOT RACING TEAM 250cc
41. ALEIX ESPARGARO, SPA, CAMPETELLA RACING
48. SHOYA TOMIZAWA, JPN, TEAM CIP
51. STEVIE BONSEY, USA, APRILIA MADRID
52. LUKAS PESEK, CZE, AUTO KELLY - CP
58. MARCO SIMONCELLI, ITA, METIS GILERA
63. MIKE DI MEGLIO, FRA, MAPFRE ASPAR TEAM 250cc
75. MATTIA PASINI, ITA, TEAM TOTH APRILIA

125cc
5. ALEXIS MASBOU, FRA, LONCIN RACING
7. DOMINIQUE AEGERTER, SWI, AJO INTERWETTEN
8. LORENZO ZANETTI, ITA, WWC
11. SANDRO CORTESE, GER, AJO INTERWETTEN
12. ESTEVE RABAT, SPA, BLUSENS APRILIA
16. CAMERON BEAUBIER, USA, RED BULL KTM 125
17. STEFAN BRADL, GER, KIEFER RACING
18. NICOLAS TEROL, SPA, JACK & JONES PONS WRB
24. SIMONE CORSI, ITA, JACK & JONES PONS WRB
27. STEFANO BIANCO, ITA, CBC CORSE
29. ANDREA IANNONE, ITA, WWC
30. PERE TUTUSAUS, SPA, MATTEONI RACING
32. LORENZO SAVADORI, ITA, FONTANA RACING
33. SERGIO GADEA, SPA, BANCAJA ASPAR TEAM 125cc
34. RANDY KRUMMENACHER, SWI, DEGRAAF GRAND PRIX
38. BRADLEY SMITH, GBR, BANCAJA ASPAR TEAM 125cc
44. POL ESPARGARO, SPA, BELSON DERBI
45. SCOTT REDDING, GBR, BLUSENS APRILIA
60. JULIAN SIMON, SPA, BANCAJA ASPAR TEAM 125cc
66. MATTHEW HOYLE, GBR, MAXTRA TEAM
71. TOMOYOSHI KOYAMA, JPN, LONCIN RACING
72. MARCO RAVAIOLI, ITA, CBC CORSE
73. TAKAAKI NAKAGAMI, JPN, WWC
81. JASPER IWEMA, NED, KIEFER RACING
88. MICHAEL RANSEDER, AUT, MAXTRA TEAM
93. MARC MARQUEZ, SPA, RED BULL KTM 125
94. JONAS FOLGER, GER, WWC
99. DANNY WEBB, GBR, DEGRAAF GRAND PRIX
TBC. xx, BELSON DERBI

EASTON WINS 42nd MACAU GRAND PRIX ON DOOSAN HONDA

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Stuart Easton, riding the Doosan Honda 1000cc Fireblade, has won the 2008 Macau Grand Prix.

Starting from sixth position, on row two of the grid, the 24-year-old Scotsman from Hawick made a flying start and by the third corner had clawed his way up to third place behind multiple Macau GP winner Michael Rutter and race leader Cameron Donald.

On the second lap, Stuart got the better of Rutter and moved into second place behind the Suzuki of double Isle of Man TT winner Cameron Donald.

Easton increased the pressure on the Australian's TAS Suzuki with each passing lap around the 6.12km Circuito Da Guia and on lap five, Donald suffered a mechanical failure forcing him to retire leaving Stuart with a clear track ahead.

NW200 Ducati rider Rutter was chasing hard and by lap eight, both Stuart and Michael had broken clear of the following pack. By lap thirteen there was a twenty-second gap between the two front runners and third place man John McGuinness.

Rutter continued to pile on the pressure but Stuart was controlling the race from the front and held off the Ducati challenge to cross the finish line 2.722 seconds ahead of the six-times winner.

An elated Stuart said: "After qualifying, I told the team that I couldn't fault the bike and was feeling very confident about the race. I got a great start and by the third lap had settled in nicely behind Cameron. Unfortunately for him he retired leaving me with a three-second lead over Michael on the Ducati. I think it was fairly even between Michael and myself and during the mid-part of the race I have to admit I was feeling the pressure of leading. In the latter stages we had to clear groups of backmarkers which really focussed my mind and I realised I could win. I pushed hard during the last few laps I really dug deep and eventually finished almost three seconds ahead of Michael."

"I must compliment the team because without doubt that's the best race bike I've ever ridden. The team have worked so hard and the result speaks for itself."

"What a fantastic day for the team" said smiling Crew Chief Mick Shanley, "Right from the off Stuart didn't put a foot wrong and thoroughly deserves this, his first Macau GP win. The SMR team has been working so hard all season and Stuart has given myself and the lads that elusive victory and the perfect end to the 2008 season."

WSBK: Yamaha Kyalami test notes

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Spies and Sykes put the 2009 WSB Yamaha R1 through its paces in South Africa

2009 Yamaha Motor Italia Superbike riders Ben Spies and Tom Sykes have endured some serious heat on their three day test in Kyalami. The young riders have endured track temperatures approaching 50 degrees as they put the all-new-for-2009 Yamaha YZF-R1 through its paces on only its second outing on track.

Spies was second quickest on day one with an impressive best lap time of 1'41"599(46 laps) in the African sunshine. Team mate Tom Sykes was struck down with a mysterious bug, and he only managed to put in some laps prior to returning to the hotel.

Day two saw Spies fall in testing, so missing the final time on track, he still managed to improve on his day one times, finishing the day with a best lap of 1'41"049 (38 laps). Sykes managed to improve dramatically on day two with a best time of 1'42"933 (18 laps).

The final day saw Spies pull in his fastest time of the test, taking second fastest honours overall and only a mere 0.2s behind Michele Fabrizio and beating Noriyuki Haga to the second spot,making him one of only three riders to break the 1.40 barrier with a time of 1.39"978. Tom Sykes was getting back on form until an unfortunate crash curtailed his testing for the day, he again improved on his times in the limited laps run with a 1.41"562. The re-entered Aprilia squad took 8th and 9th and the new for 2009 BMW factory team finished 11th and 13th.

The new 998cc bike, featuring a high tech powerplant closely linked to the M1 MOTOGP bike, is currently at the very beginning of its development for the 2009 WSB season and is still relatively close to production specifications. The M1-derived crossplane crankshaft design and uneven firing interval, give very good traction to the bike and improved tyre life. The new chassis gives an unparallel feedback to the riders, improving stability and feeling out of corners. The WSB spec engine is being developed step by step, improving power output at each stage in the run up to the first race in 2009.

So far the team's minor modifications to the standard bike include a modified cam-shaft, an enlarged radiator for extra cooling and the addition of an oil cooler. The new bike has no rear sub-frame but incorporates a strengthened frame. The exhaust is unique, and was developed in partnership with Akrapovic. The standard fuel tank has also been replaced with an aluminum tank with increased capacity. The bike features the latest Magneti Marelli electronic systems. The new swing arm is also developed purely for the WSB race bike based on knowledge taken from the 2008 racing season.

WSBK Series: Kyalami test notes

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Fabrizio goes quickest on opening day of Superbike testing at Kyalami

Michel Fabrizio notched up the quickest time with his factory Ducati 1098F09 on the opening day of Pirelli tire development testing at Kyalami (South Africa). The winter tests are being used by almost all the top manufacturer teams in preparation for the 2009 FIM Superbike World Championship, which gets underway in Australia at the start of March.

The Italian powered to a superb time of 1 minute 41.204 seconds, a tenth of a second under the unofficial circuit record set by Colin Edwards (Castrol Honda) in 2002 during the last edition of the South African round, which returns to the calendar next year on May 17th.

"I'm really pleased because it's the first time I've lapped on this track", declared 23 year-old Fabrizio, who is about to embark on his second season with the Italian factory team. "I feel sure can go even quicker, I'll try and do so in the remaining two days."

Another major surprise was second place for Yamaha Motor Italia's American rookie signing Ben Spies, who ended up just a fraction behind. "I like this track; it's almost like some AMA tracks and it's not too technical, not that difficult to learn, but I was having a lot of fun riding on it. We were most interested in trying out the bike in hotter track conditions than in Portimao. The handling is good; the engine comes in really smooth exiting corners and it lays the power down well. Top end makes no difference in that situation and the engine really drives well from low down", commented the 24 year-old Texan, a new face on the Superbike scene in 2009.

It wasn't a particularly good start on the factory Ducati for Noriyuki Haga, ex-Yamaha, who crashed three times on his debut with the 2009-spec Italian machine: the first after colliding with Jonathan Rea, the others due to a couple of mistakes, but the Japanese rider did manage to set fourth quickest time.

Max Biaggi arrived in the circuit late at lunchtime, after the other riders had already had four hours of track time, due to a series of never-ending problems with his flight, which began on Monday evening and which lasted 36 hours instead of the scheduled 12. Despite this Aprilia's new signing however did manage to get up to seventh place, 1.2 seconds off the pace, and just behind his equally impressive team-mate Shinya Nakano. "I really like the RSV4, today we just got warmed up, we'll see where we can arrive in the remaining sessions", declared Biaggi.

NJMP releases 2009 schedule

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 07:00:00 GMT

New Jersey Motorsports Park Releases Schedule for 2009 Season Calendar Features Seven Major Spectator Events, Opening with Grand-Am Weekend

Millville, NJ -- December 8, 2008 -- New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP) announces the 2009 season schedule featuring a full slate of seven major spectator races over the course of its second season of operation. The Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series returns to NJMP this year as a marquee race, on April 30 -- May 3. A new highlight on the schedule this year will be the 2009 AMA Superbike Championship series, September 4 -- 6. In addition, NJMP will be booking over 400 club and driver school events, featuring some of the biggest names in amateur racing including SCCA, EMRA, Porsche Club of America, BMW Club of America and New York Sport Bike Club.

More than 100,000 spectators will visit the Millville, NJ-based complex over the course of the season, as the facility welcomes some of America's top racing series. Tickets for all Spectator Events as well as two types of Season Tickets will be available beginning Wednesday, December 10. The first type of Season Ticket, allowing access to Spectator Events only is $275. The second type of Season Ticket, allowing access to both Spectator Events and all Club Events is $350. Tent and RV camping passes are also available for purchase as are gift certificates in increments of $25. Visit http://njmp.com for details on how to order or call the NJMP Ticket Office at (856) 327-7217.

2009 New Jersey Motorsports Park Spectator Calendar

April 30 -- May 3 - Grand-Am - Thunderbolt Raceway
May 29 -- 31 - New Jersey Vintage Grand Prix Festival - Thunderbolt Raceway
June 12 -- 14 - Mazda Formula X - Thunderbolt Raceway
Sept 4 -- 6 - AMA Superbike - Thunderbolt Raceway
Sept 11 -- 13 - ARCA RE/MAX Series - Thunderbolt Raceway
Sept 18 -- 20 - Ferrari Challenge - Thunderbolt Raceway
Oct 1 -- 4 -- SVRA - Thunderbolt Raceway

Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series: April 30 -- May 3
Returning for a second season at NJMP, the Grand-Am Series looks to build on the excitement of 2008's race. Featuring two classes of prototype and production-based cars, the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series teams feature top-class Daytona Prototypes from teams including Chip Ganassi Racing, Penske Racing and 2008 winners Michael Shank Racing. The GT-class features production-based racers from Pontiac, Porsche, Mazda and others. Additionally, more than 100 competitors are expected in the KONI Challenge Series, and the Ford Mustang Challenge and Skip Barber Series will be in attendance as well.

AMA-SBK: Series Daytona Test, day three notes

Sun, 07 Dec 2008 07:00:00 GMT

AMA Pro Road Racing and Dunlop Tire Test at Daytona International Speedway: Day 3 Report; Yamaha and Bostrom Set Daytona SportBike Pace; Hodgson Hopeful with Honda

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (December 7, 2008) - A pair of final practice sessions for AMA Pro American Superbikes and AMA Pro Daytona SportBikes brought a successful three-day AMA Pro Road Racing Dunlop Tire test to a close Sunday at Daytona International Speedway.

Yamaha teams in both of AMA Pro Road Racing's premier classes showed up in full force and Ben Bostrom unofficially clocked the fastest Daytona SportBike lap of the overall test Saturday night in the final of two night practices. The three-hour night sessions were run in preparation for the season-opening Daytona 200 by Honda, which will be run under the lights at Daytona for the first time on Friday, March 6. Bostrom was stoked with not only the performance of his Yamahas but also with the idea of running at night in the Daytona 200 next spring.

"It was really fun at night," Bostrom said. "The bike seems to run good on the crisp air, which is kind of cool. More than that, you get a special feeling under the lights, you feel more like a rock concert ... like big time."

Bostrom will run for the 2009 AMA Pro American Superbike championship on a Factory Yamaha YZF-R1 in addition to competing in the Daytona 200 on a Graves Yamaha YZF-R6. Yamaha will field four entries in the inaugural Daytona 200 under the lights.

"The night practice was really exciting and there is a great vibe here at night," said Tom Halverson, Yamaha Road Race Team Manager. "We are really happy that Yamaha has made a real strong commitment to being here and being a part of this series. Yamaha has really shown that racing is a strong part of its heritage. They want to be here and have worked with AMA Pro Road Racing to get this whole thing off the ground. They really wanted to show a commitment here, and I think we have accomplished that."

HODGSON HOPEFUL WITH HONDA Among the American Superbike pacesetters was 2003 World Superbike Champion Neil Hodgson on an American Honda CBR1000RR. As the final Sunday afternoon session was winding down, Hodgson unofficially ripped some of the fastest American Superbike laps of the test on the 2.9-mile Daytona configuration.

Rossi rewarded for perfect partnership with Stobart

Sun, 07 Dec 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Rally GB has seen a relationship blossom this weekend between MotoGP superstar Valentino Rossi and the Stobart VK M-Sport Ford rally team. When the two-wheeled champion made the decision to contest the final round of the 2008 FIA World Rally Championship the Stobart squad were more than happy to accommodate and help his cause to raise funds for the Children in Need charity.

Stobart Group CEO Andrew Tinkler and COO William Stobart were delighted with the presence of the six-time MotoGP champion and the atmosphere he generated around the team's service area and indeed the entire event.

"The Stobart team has done a great job here on our home event. I am really pleased that Valentino came to drive one of our cars and we have both worked extremely well together; he is a fantastic draw for fans and spectators and we have had a massive interest in the team. Some of his splits and stage times have been really impressive.

"Valentino's run here has really raised the global and national media exposure for both the team and Stobart Group. To have the support of a motorsport legend for our home event is a real boost and is something really special to end off a great year in business for Stobart Group and a great year in motorsport for our rally team." said Tinkler.

Rossi also generated a phenomenal amount of publicity and media coverage and ramped up the global exposure the team already achieve through the World Rally Championship.

Fans too greatly enjoyed the presence of the champ who was more than happy to meet his supporters in Great Britain. The Italian thoroughly enjoyed his time with the entire Ford family and his time behind the wheel of the Stobart Ford Focus RS WRC.

"We have had a great time here with the Stobart team and everyone has worked fantastically well together," commented Rossi. "I have really enjoyed this rally, especially when we got some fast times today and hopefully we will get a chance to work again together with Stobart."

AMA-SBK: Series Daytona test, day one summary

Sat, 06 Dec 2008 07:00:00 GMT

AMA Pro Road Racing and Dunlop Tire Test at Daytona International Speedway: Day 1 Report; Dunlop Pleased With Feedback; Higbee and Buell First Out; Night Tests Begins

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (December 5, 2008) - A new era for the reorganized AMA Pro Racing and Dunlop Tire began Friday at Daytona International Speedway Friday where several AMA Pro American Superbike and AMA Pro Daytona SportBike teams and riders tested Dunlop's latest tires all day and for a few hours into the night.

Participating riders included Jake Zemke, Ben Bostrom, Josh Hayes, Neil Hodgson, Michael Barnes, Shawn Higbee, Chris Ulrich, Blake Young, Larry Pegram and several others with American Superbikes and Daytona SportBikes from Yamaha, Honda, Buell, Suzuki and Ducati all being put through their paces. American Superbikes are running on the 2.9-mile course while Daytona SportBikes are marking a return to the full 3.51-mile course.

The main focus of the three-day test, however, is on Dunlop which signed as the Official Tire of AMA Pro Road Racing just a little over a month ago. Around the clock work on both sides of the Atlantic made for a successful first-day debut, however, with teams and riders in both premier divisions delivering favorable feedback to Dunlop personnel on site at Daytona.

"The mission here is to deliver a tire that will do the distance, be safe and the same for everybody and give good performance," said Jim Allen, Dunlop Tire Senior Road Race Manager - Motorcycle. "It is interesting to hear some of the riders that have come off other brands of tires and the comments have been very favorable all the way through. Daytona is a very, very difficult track and you always have to pay attention when you are here. It has given us troubles in the past but what we saw today was all good, all positive from a mileage standpoint and from a grip standpoint. We are quite pleased with what we have seen so far."

While Dunlop and the AMA Pro teams and riders will surely benefit from the three-day session, the tire manufacturer's first real test was just having enough tires manufactured and delivered to Florida in time for this weekend's practice.

"The guys from Dunlop in England who were involved in designing and building the tires are here and they did a remarkable job," Allen said. "We had very little notice and had about two weeks to make the tires and another week to get them over here. We have a long history here and relied on that but it was still a challenge we had to meet. There is no place to test for Daytona except at Daytona."

WHO'S ON FIRST

AMA Series News: Women Riders

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 07:00:00 GMT

AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference: 2009 event celebrates women who ride

PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- Move over, guys. These days, more and more women are getting behind the handlebars in the motorcycling world. Thousands of them will celebrate their love of all things motorcycle at the fifth American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) International Women & Motorcycling Conference, Aug. 19-22, 2009, in the dramatic resort town of Keystone, Colo., just 90 miles west of Denver.

The AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference focuses on educating, encouraging, inspiring and mentoring women in the lifestyle and sport of motorcycling, according to AMA Marketing and Special Events Manager Tigra Tsujikawa.

"This event represents the best of both worlds for women motorcyclists," said Tsujikawa. "We will have the opportunity to connect with and learn from other women riders. And through seminars, activities and classes, we'll gain the knowledge and skills to ride where the road or trail leads next."

The AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference is well timed. According to the Motorcycle Industry Council, women now account for 12.6 percent of all motorcycle and scooter riders, a 29 percent increase since 2003.

As the number of women motorcyclists has risen, so has attendance at the AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference. The last conference, which was held in Georgia in 2006, drew more than 1,100 participants. The AMA anticipates that number will double at the 2009 event, which will feature prominent women riders, racers and industry leaders.

Among them is Genevieve Schmitt, founder of the online magazine, WomenRidersNow.com.

"For many years, women have been saying that the motorcycle industry is not paying attention to them," said Schmitt. "The AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference is the industry's response to that, and has been for the last four conferences. Each conference attracts more sponsors, more participation from manufacturers and vendors, and more participants. I see the 2009 conference, with its supremely scenic location in Keystone, Colo., as being the best yet. If you're a woman and you're a rider, this is the event you need to attend."

MOSPORT RELEASES 2009 MAJOR EVENT SCHEDULE

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 07:00:00 GMT

BOWMANVILLE, ON (December 1, 2008) - Mosport International Raceway's 2009 major event schedule, released today, will again feature the only Canadian stop in North America's premier sports car championship - the American Le Mans Series, along with two rounds each in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series and the Parts Canada Superbike Championship. Tickets for the six-event schedule are now on sale.

In making the announcement, Myles Brandt, president and general manager of the country's largest motorsports facility said that Mosport's 2009 race line-up will continue to emphasize quality, variety and value.

"We've put together the strongest and most diverse motorsports schedule in Canada, featuring a great blend of world class programs like the American Le Mans Series and the country's top stock car and motorcycle championships," said Brandt. "Also important to our fans is that we've held the line on ticket pricing. Our weekend SuperTickets range from $30 to $65, with children 12 and under admitted free. We believe this makes a weekend at Mosport one of the most affordable major sporting events in Canada."

All major race events at Mosport include these value-added benefits with paid admission:

* kids 12 and under admitted free (with a paid adult admission)
* free access to the Race Team Paddock
* free access to the Mosport Motorsports Expo and Marketplace
* free access to the Saturday Night Stock Car Racing at Mosport Speedway
* free parking

The green flag drops on Mosport's 49th season of racing May 15-17 with the Victoria Day SpeedFest, celebrating the summer's first long weekend.

Tickets and holiday gift certificates can be purchased online at mosport.com or by calling the Mosport Ticket Hotline (1-800-866-1072).

Since 1961, Mosport International Raceway has been Canada's Home of Motorsports, playing host to more than 400 event days a year. Located less than an hour east of Toronto, the 750-acre, multi-purpose facility is the only permanent motorsports complex in the GTA, with a world-renowned 4-kilometre road course, a 2.4 kilometre driver development centre with skid pad, a 1.4 km pro kart circuit and a half-mile paved oval.

MOSPORT'S 2009 MAJOR EVENT SCHEDULE

May 15-17 Victoria Day SpeedFest Weekend

The kick-off to Mosport's season features the Castrol Canadian Touring Car Series, the Sundown Grand Prix endurance racing classic and the GT Challenge. This long-weekend start to summer camping includes a Saturday night fireworks display.

June 12-14 Mosport High Octane Weekend

Drivers in Canada's top stock car championship will take on one the world's most challenging road courses as the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series makes its first of two stops at Mosport. Also on the race schedule are two U.S.-based championships, the Ford Racing Mustang Challenge for the Miller Cup and the F2000 Championship presented by Hoosier Racing Tires. The Castrol Canadian Touring Car Series returns for their second round at Mosport.

Bridgestone MotoGP: Jerez/Philip Island Tests Debrief

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 07:00:00 GMT

The final MotoGP tests of 2008 took place at the end of last week with eight teams enjoying a two-day test at Circuito de Jerez in Southern Spain and two teams testing at Australia's Philip Island Circuit over three days.

Reigning world champion Valentino Rossi ended the Jerez test as the fastest rider, setting a time of 1' 39.429s on the second day, edging out the Dani Pedrosa's first day fastest time of 1' 39.525s. The test took place over 26-27 November and fourteen riders took to the track over the course of the two days. On the final day, Pedrosa was second fastest to Rossi, whilst the third to sixth fastest riders, Jorge Lorenzo, Toni Elias, Alex De Angelis and Nicky Hayden, were separated by just 0.06s, illustrating the very close level of competition, even for those riders who have changed teams from the 2008 season.

Bridgestone brought the softest compounds proposed for the 2009 season, with two compounds available for each rider. It was the second opportunity for riders to evaluate the 2009 specification tyres, following the post race test in Valencia at the end of October. In particular, Bridgestone was assessing the tire working range, with Spain providing weather at the cooler end of the spectrum and Australia conditions at the hotter end. Overnight rain meant that no running took place in Jerez on Thursday morning, although significant amounts of running took place during the rest of the test.

At Philip Island, the Suzuki and Kawasaki teams tested, with harder tyres than those used in Jerez. Rain was also experienced here, limiting running, but it was far warmer than in Jerez. MotoGP now enters the test ban period with the next official MotoGP test scheduled for Sepang, Malaysia, 5-7 February.

Q+A with Tohru Ubukata - Bridgestone Motorsport - Manager Motorcycle Race Tire Development

What was Bridgestone's objective from these two tests?

"From our perspective we wanted to assess the suitability of these tyres for next year's races and in particular evaluate the tire working range. For this we tested in the relatively cool conditions of Jerez, where the ambient temperature was around 12o.C and the track temperature around 18o.C . In the cold, the main consideration is grip levels and warm-up time. Philip Island allowed us to look at the higher range of temperatures, as the ambient temperature was around 25o.C and the track temperature about 40o.C . Here the main consideration is heat durability. In both locations the tires worked well, so we are confident when we look ahead to 2009."

How big a change is the resurfaced track at Jerez?

"The new surface offers more grip and it is more aggressive on the tyres. Feedback from all the riders has been positive and our tires seem to work well here, even in the cold conditions and during the initial laps so we should be pleased with this."

2008 Awards Banquet Report

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 07:00:00 GMT

AMA Racing end-of-year awards banquet honors season standouts

PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- The stars of AMA Racing gathered at the stunning Barber Vintage Motorsports in Birmingham, Ala., on Saturday, Nov. 22, to celebrate the successful seasons of some of the country's best motorcycle and all-terrain vehicle racers.

Champions in disciplines ranging from land-speed racing to motocross to trials and everything in between were honored at the end-of-year banquet. In addition, a number of special awards were presented to those who went above and beyond this season to elevate 2008 to one of the most memorable in recent history.

The AMA Racing Athlete of the Year award was awarded to Ricky Dietrich, top American at the 2008 International Six Days Enduro in Serres, Greece, as well as the champion of the 2008 AMA Maxxis EnduroCross Championship Series. Dietrich, who wrapped up the EnduroCross title the same night of the banquet, led the Team USA Trophy Team to its best finish in years at the ISDE after an injury took overall leader and Team USA Captain Kurt Caselli out of the race.

Harold Goodman was honored with the ATVA (All-Terrain Vehicle Association) Athlete of the Year award. Goodman, who was competing in the Baja 1000 the night of the banquet, won four of the seven rounds of the Duro Extreme Dirt Track ATV National Championship Series en route to the title.

Destry Abbott was honored with the AMA Racing Sportsman of the Year award. Abbott demonstrated utmost sportsmanship when one of his competitive rivals, Josh Morros, was seriously injured and knocked unconscious in the next-to-last round of the AMA FMF Racing National Hare & Hound Championship Series. Abbott, who was racing for the title at the time, remained with Morros to aid the injured rider as best he could until medics arrived. Abbott ultimately continued and finished fourth in that round to clinch his fifth AMA Hare & Hound National Championship, tying the record held by Danny Hammel and Dan Smith.

"This is definitely a highlight for me. It's something I've never gotten before," Abbott said. "I've always tried to represent the sport well, and it's neat to be recognized for that. The important thing, though, is that Josh is doing a lot better. He has a tough road ahead, but he wants to be back on a bike. I told him he's welcome to come to Phoenix and train with me as soon as he's able."

The AMA Racing Female Rider of the Year was Leslie Porterfield. Porterfield became the official fastest female motorcyclist in America this summer at the International Speed Trials by BUB with a top speed of 232.523 mph.

"It was something that took a lot of determination and hard work," said Porterfield. "I had a really great crew and friends and family behind me. It's an honor to get this award."

Heather Byrd was honored as the ATVA Female Athlete of the Year. Byrd was the champion in the Pro-Am Women class in the ITP Moose Racing ATV National Motocross Series. She claimed the title in impressive fashion, winning all 10 rounds of the series.

"Racing just gets in your blood, and it becomes something that you just do," Byrd said. "People who leave the sport for whatever reason, always come back. I'm just proud to be part of the sport. You meet so many great people in AMA Racing and the ATVA. It's just great to be a part of it."

The AMA and ATVA Youth riders of the Year were Anson Maloney and Jesse Skvarek. Maloney, who moved up from the mini-bike ranks and topped the field in the 200 B class in the AMA Western Hare Scrambles Championship Series, scoring four wins in the five rounds he contested. Skvarek received the ATVA award for a performance that landed him the 90 CVT class in the ITP Tires/Moose Racing AMA/ATVA National Championship.

Other special awards were presented to Jeff Fredette, AMA Racing Vet/Senior Rider of the Year; Ken Marcou, ATVA Vet/Senior Rider of the Year; and Thomas Brown, ATVA Amateur Rider of the Year.

Rossi, Loeb: Seekers in the thrall of the F1 thrill

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 07:00:00 GMT

The funny thing is, Valentino Rossi was never particularly a Ferrari fan. As he wrote in his 2005 autobiography, "What If I Had Never Tried It," the Italian motorcycle racer who has won world championships at 125cc, 250cc, 500cc and five times in MotoGP was not a team devotee so much as a driver fan. "And as a boy, I had liked Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell and, later, Jacques Villeneuve," he wrote. "And, at the height of his career, Villeneuve was the archrival of (Michael) Schumacher, and therefore of Ferrari as well."

So maybe it's Ferrari who are fans. Because there Rossi was again this week, driving a Formula One F2008 with his chosen number, 46, airbrushed broadly across the nose. The Urbino native was at Mugello, familiar as a motorcycle venue. Just off a runner-up spot in the Monza Rally, the 2008 MotoGP champion tried the F2008 Thursday and Friday, setting a best time of 1 minute, 22.55 seconds, less then 2 seconds off F2008 times recorded by team drivers Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen. Rain put Rossi off course Friday, stopping a morning session then spinning him off again after 20 laps. In two days, Rossi drove just under 200 miles.

Rossi, 29, manages respectable, not record, times. Then he observes a certain protocol: He profusely thanks his Ferrari hosts -- starting with President Luca di Montezemolo. He praises mechanics and engineers. He extols the virtues of all.

"I'm really happy that I had this possibility, and I want to thank President Luca de Montezemolo and [Ferrari team director] Stefano Domenicali for it," Rossi said. "Driving a Ferrari Formula One car on a track like Mugello is something fantastic and incredible. It's great to work with people on such a high level, like those who were at the track with me today. We've done some pretty good work, very professional, and we tried to improve lap after lap."

Now and then, he teases.

"With a lot of work, I could have become a good F1 driver."

The funnier thing is, when Rossi drives a Ferrari F1 car, sages flock to keyboards to predict the date The Doctor, self-named to reflect the number of Italian medical practitioners called Rossi, will chuck two wheels for four. He reitereates his future is MotoGP, but speculation persists. Can there only ever be one Surtees?

As it is, Rossi has been not only vocal but active in his interest in rallying. He'll be at the wheel of a Ford Focus when Wales Rally GB rolls off Dec. 4 in aid of BBC charity Children in Need.

Ferrari and Rossi always call his F1 flings fun runs. While Rossi wrote that he was distressed over news of the first such making its way into media, the real benefit of these drives is public awareness -- to Ferrari and to the nation -- for holding up that an Italian champion and Ferrari do mix. No less than agencies Reuters and AFP carry the news.

The latest Rossi ride is hailed as an opportunity for two champions, a constructor and a rider, to celebrate. The sessions have been spearheaded throughout by then sporting director, now team boss Domenicali, one in good position to understand the value of an Italian champion driving an Italian champion as Ferrari looks to its roots in its post-Teutonic time of life.

Australian Super X Round Six - Reports

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 07:00:00 GMT

CDR Rockstar Yamaha rider, Jay Marmont, has kept his Super X championship hopes alive tonight when he took out world champion, Chad Reed, in the semi final of the first run man on man format at the penultimate round of Super X in Townsville.

The crowd of 10,000 saw everything from high action racing to crazy tropical rain and storms as well as witnessing the biggest upset of the season.

The man on man format carried out in the Open class final ran off a similar draw to a tennis grand slam, which pitted two riders against each other in a series of two lap races with heats, quarter finals, semi finals and the final.

It was in the semi final that the Super X one and two riders went up against each other with Reed and Marmont racing neck and neck on the first lap. It was in the second that Marmont took control riding a strong and fast race despite extremely difficult slippery and wet track conditions.

Marmont then went on to beat Woodstock Thor Honda�s Daniel McCoy in the final to be the first rider to finish first on the podium other than Reed.

�It was tough and fun racing tonight. The track was really slippery and there were huge puddles everywhere, but I just stuck to my race plan and got the win. The championship is still alive now and as we saw tonight anything can happen.
It�s pretty exciting that it all comes down to the final round in Brisbane next week.�

The King of Supercross, Jeremy McGrath, made his Super X debut treating fans to an epic battle against Australian veteran Cool Air Troy Carroll Racing�s Troy Carroll. The pair were swapping the lead right up until the finish line with McGrath only winning by a few inches.

McGrath then lined up against McCoy who caused the other big upset on the night taking out McGrath in the second semi final.

The battle for third was the race everyone expected to be the final with the two Supercross greats, Reed and McGrath. The pair raced side by side at the start of the race, but Reed went on to win comfortably to finish on the podium.

The Lites final once again provided a number of thrills and spills with Motorex KTM�s Tye Simmonds taking out his first win of the championship. The 16 year old rode a great race and managed to overtake series frontrunner Shift Motul Suzuki�s Matt Moss in the final stages of the race.

There was still celebration in the Moss team though with his second place putting him far enough ahead in points to wrap up the Lites series.

�I am just so stoked to win the championship. I have had such great support from my team, family and friends so this is for them too. I can�t wipe the smile off my face.�

Kawasaki Racing�s Luke George who was sitting in second position in the championship was not so fortunate with a bad crash in the opening stages of the final putting him out of the race and the final in Brisbane.

New Zealand�s Levi Sherwood made a return to the Australasian Freestyle Motocross Championship, once again busting
out never seen before moves to take the win. Kain Saul and Cam Sinclair tied for second.

The championship will now make its way to Brisbane�s QSAC stadium next Saturday to finish off the inaugural year of Super X.

-- Woodstock Honda

KING OF SUPERCROSS FACES OFF WITH WORLD CHAMP IN TOWNSVILLE

The King of Supercross, Jeremy McGrath raced to a strong fourth place in a crowd-pleasing, final one-on-one showdown with World Champion Chad Reed in Townsville (QLD), tonight.

Qualifying sixth fastest, the greatest supercross racer of all time took the holeshot in his heat race and streaked away to pull a gap on the field.

Hunted down by Honda team-mate Dan Reardon in the 10-lap heat, McGrath battled with the reigning Australian Supercross Champion before slipping back to second place.

With a comfortable buffer over third place, McGrath had fun showing off for the fans, treating them to his trademark nac-nac trick as he raced to the finish line 9.064 seconds ahead of third place.

Progressing easily to the SX Open main event, McGrath's first two-lap challenge was with Barry Surawski.

Sailing through to a clear victory over Surawski, McGrath edged into the quarter finals to take on multi-time Australian champion, Troy Carroll.

McGrath's second two-lap battle saw the American stretch a good lead, but a minor error had Carroll back in the action and fighting for the win.

Rizla Suzuki travels down under for final 2008 test

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP is on its way to Phillip Island in Australia to participate in its final test of 2008, as it further evaluates new parts and components for next season's Suzuki GSV-R.

Loris Capirossi and Chris Vermeulen will be visiting the 4,448m Australian circuit as part of a private test -- along with Kawasaki's MotoGP team -- while the remainder of the MotoGP paddock will be at Jerez in Spain. The Team has chosen to visit Phillip Island as it is a circuit which highlights any lack of engine performance or rear grip and any improvements found at the fast Australian track will certainly help at other venues on the MotoGP calendar.

The two Rizla Suzuki regulars will be joined by Factory Test Rider Nobuatsu Aoki for the three day test, where the experienced Japanese racer will be on-hand to assist with the assessment of prototype chassis and engine parts for the 2009 machine.

The trio of Rizla Suzuki riders will take to the track on Wednesday 26th November for the first of a busy three-day period which will see the team planning to make improvements and a good direction in readiness for its attack on the 2009 MotoGP World Championship.

Loris Capirossi:

"This will be a very important test for us as we will be able to see where we are at the moment for next year. Suzuki has been working really hard since the last test at Valencia and we will have lots of new parts to try out at Phillip Island. We have just done some wind tunnel testing in Japan and with the data we got there it will be interesting to see what the new aerodynamics will be like. We need to make the most of these three days as we don't have as many tests over the winter. It will also be good to have Nobu there to gives us some extra info and try out all the newest parts to see their durability and performance."

Battery powered seven second dragbike...

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Conversation concerning electric powered vehicles is normally the domain of green groups and eco warriors but more recently there has been talk of environmentally friendly motorcycles in drag racing circles.

The slightest mention of the words electric powered are normally enough to send just about any revhead into a slumber but a small group of American innovators are turning that around and leaving mouths agape wherever they go.

The subject of their passion is not some sort of uninspiring electric scoot that struggles to reach 60km/h but a truly awe inspiring creation they have dubbed the �KillaCycle�.

That aggressive name alone may not be enough to perk the interest of motorcycle enthusiasts, but mention these numbers and even the most skeptical will sit up and take notice: 0-100 in under a second and a standing quarter mile in 7.8 seconds.

And no that isn�t a misprint. The Killacycle can hit 100km/h from a standstill in under a second and the only thing to be heard is some tire and wind roar as this silent assassin disappears in to the distance. Dragstrips are never going to be the same again...

Denver based engineer Bill Dube� designed and built the KillaCycle as a private project largely funded by himself although as the rate of success increases a few minor sponsors have come onboard to lend a hand.

A123 Systems provided 1210 of their nanophosphate lithium-ion batteries that powered the machine to its first seven second pass last month at Pomona Raceway. The 85 kilograms of batteries hold enough charge to power the Killacycle to more than half a dozen 7 second passes.

And the running costs? Around ten cents worth of electricity is all it takes to refuel the Killacycle and the latest Manzanita Micro charger has the recharge time down to five minutes.

Picked your jaw up off the floor yet?

While the proven 7 second potential of the Killacycle is amazing, it is still a long way from the 5.7 second world record set by Larry McBride onboard a conventional Nitromethane powered Top Fuel motorcycle. But Top Fuel motorcycles have had many decades of development, need engine rebuilds between runs and cost thousands of dollars in fuel for each race meeting and those costs are continuing to escalate.

However in the field of battery power, costs continue to tumble and the rate of improvement continues to accelerate out of sight. That first 7 second pass was achieved not by a well funded major enterprise but is simply the backyard project of a guy that designs pollution measurement equipment for a living with an annual budget around $13,000 USD. That should give the drag racing fraternity a major fright and clearly signals the potential of battery vehicles should anyone put some serious money behind such a project...

Indianapolis Motor Speedway news

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 07:00:00 GMT

THE RACETRACK OF CHAMPIONS: 2008 IMS WINNERS SWEEP TITLES

INDIANAPOLIS, Monday, Nov. 17, 2008 -- When Jimmie Johnson crossed the finish line Sunday, Nov. 16 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, history was made 1,045 miles away, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

IMS further cemented its reputation as a racetrack of champions when Johnson clinched his third consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title, as all three winners of major events in 2008 at the Speedway -- Scott Dixon, Johnson and Valentino Rossi -- also captured their respective series crowns this year.

It's the first time this feat has occurred since IMS began to play host to three annual races in 2000.

Dixon won the 92nd Indianapolis 500 on May 25 in the No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara/Honda/Firestone for his first victory in "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing." He went on to clinch his second IndyCar Series title, as his first came in 2003.

"Obviously winning the Indianapolis 500 and a second IndyCar Series championship means a great deal to me and the whole Target team," Dixon said. "It has truly been an amazing year for the whole organization.

"I want to also congratulate Jimmie Johnson and Valentino Rossi on their championships. Although I wasn't at the NASCAR race this season to watch Jimmie win, I did have the pleasure of attending Rossi's incredible win at the first-ever Indianapolis GP. It's truly a great class to be a part of, and I'm sure Jimmie and Valentino are looking forward to duplicating those achievements as much as I am in 2009."

Johnson held off championship rival Carl Edwards to win the 15th Allstate 400 at the Brickyard on July 27 in the No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet. It was his second victory in the marquee NASCAR race. Johnson earned his third consecutive NASCAR season title this season, tying a record held by the legendary Cale Yarborough. Johnson's first Brickyard victory came in 2006, his first title season.

Rossi pulled away from American favorite Nicky Hayden to win the inaugural Red Bull Indianapolis GP on Sept. 14 on the No. 46 Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha/Bridgestone in torrential rain and high winds. The victory helped propel Rossi to his sixth career MotoGP World Championship.

The 2009 IMS Centennial Era season starts on track with the 93rd Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 24, continues with the 16th Allstate 400 at the Brickyard on Sunday, July 26 and concludes with the second annual Red Bull Indianapolis GP on Sunday, Aug. 30.

***

Stobart support Rossi's run for Children In Need

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Stobart Motorsport have backed MotoGP star Valentino Rossi's bid to raise funds for Children In Need on next month's Wales Rally GB. Rossi will drive a Ford Focus RS with full Stobart livery and incorporate the charity's logo and mascot Pudsey Bear.

In an effort to increase charitable donations for the Children in Need appeal the Stobart team are offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to one lucky person by putting up for auction a priceless item within the realms of world motorsport.

In keeping with all Eddie Stobart trucks, and the team's other rally cars, the five times MotoGP champ will sport a girl's name on the front of his car; and the choice of name will go the highest bidder in a charity auction. After the event, the name will then be transferred to one of the 1850 Eddie Stobart trucks where it will be cemented in the history books of the trucking Superbrand. The winner will also receive Stobart VIP hospitality for the event.

The auction will run from today until Friday 21 November and details on how to place your bid can be found at www.stobartmotorsport.com.

The 29-year-old Italian is attempting the Cardiff-based event for the second time in his career and will be in the safe hands of expert co-driver Carlo Cassina who has contested 24 WRC events in his career. Cassina's impressive resume includes one victory on Rally Portugal in 1988 beside the last and only Italian to win the World Rally Championship for drivers, Miki Biasion.

For decades the Eddie Stobart transport company has upheld an idiosyncratic tradition of identifying its many trucks by allowing their drivers to choose a female's name to adorn it. The fact that thousands of people are currently on the waiting list to name a Stobart truck demonstrates the popularity of the iconic UK-based logistics firm; now part of the newly-formed Stobart Group. This tradition has since been employed by its motorsport wing which has seen cars named by their drivers in the WRC, British Rally Championship, Production World Rally Championship and the Fiesta SportingTrophy.

Valentino Rossi said:

"If two wheels are the big love of my life, 4 wheels, and especially rally cars, are surely my big passion! Having the chance to race at the Wales Rally GB and having, at the same time, the possibility to raise funds for Children In Need is something really special and I am very proud and happy. I cannot wait to be in the car and to have a lot of fun!"

AMA-SBK: Jake Zemke nominated for Athlete of the Year

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 07:00:00 GMT

AMA road racer Jake Zemke nominated for 2008 AMA SPEED Athlete of the Year award

PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is proud to announce that newly crowned 2008 Formula Xtreme Series Champion Jake Zemke is the final nominee for the 2008 AMA SPEED Athlete of the Year award. The winner will be announced at the 2008 AMA Pro Racing Awards Banquet on Sunday evening, Nov. 23, at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Leeds, Ala.

Dating back to 1976, the AMA SPEED Athlete of the Year award is the highest honor bestowed on a professional motorcycle racer competing in AMA events. Past recipients of the award include such legendary names as Bob Hannah, Scott Parker, Kenny Roberts and Ricky Carmichael.

The nominees for the 2008 award are AMA Flat Track Champion Kenny Coolbeth, AMA Superbike Champion Ben Spies, AMA Motocross Champion James Stewart, ITP Tires/Moose Racing AMA/ATVA Pro Champion Dustin Wimmer, and Zemke.

Zemke, from Paso Robles, Calif., earned his nomination for this prestigious award by capturing the 2008 AMA Formula Xtreme Series Championship. Zemke's second-place finish at Road Atlanta clinched the title with one round to go.

"When I found out I was nominated, I was quite a bit surprised," Zemke said. "It's obviously an honor. Only five guys a year get nominated, and to have your name put up there as one of the five best out all of the racing disciplines that are represented, it's a pretty cool deal. When you look back on who has won this thing, it's a pretty impressive list -- not just the winners but the nominees."

The 2008 Formula Xtreme title is Zemke's first professional championship, yet the 12-year veteran of the AMA professional road-racing circuit has finished championships in the top five 11 times, the top three nine times, and has been runner-up five times. Zemke said that, despite this being his first title, he never anticipated anything less from himself.

"This is something that I've expected," Zemke said. "Being as close as I have before, I look at it as something that just didn't come together, for whatever reason, before this year. This has always been my goal. Of course, I had a great team behind me, and the Erion Honda team played a major role in my success. I couldn't have done it without them."

To see first-hand whether Zemke wins the AMA SPEED Athlete of the Year award, attend the AMA Pro Racing Awards Banquet, where AMA Pro Racing will honor its professional champions, joined by their families, friends, fans and industry leaders. Held at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum, the banquet will take place among a collection of more than 1,200 historic and popular motorcycles.

Yamaha sweeps Qatar 8 hour podium

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 07:00:00 GMT

After eight intense hours around the impressive Losail circuit in the Qatari desert the Yamaha YZF-R1 motorcycle claimed all three podium spots in the final round of six in the Endurance FIM World Championship. Yamaha Austria Racing Team, represented by Igor Jerman, Steve Plater and Steve Martin finished ahead of Yamaha Folch Endurance and Maco Moto Racing.

For Jerman and Martin it was a case of sweet revenge after narrowly missing out on victory in Losail twelve months previously. Their triumph, together with Plater on this occasion, gave YART their first set of winner's garlands in 2008 and confirmed their vice-champion standing in the '08 competition.

The team ended the meeting three laps ahead of Folch Endurance; the Spanish duo of Daniel Ribalta and Pedro Vallcaneras losing precious time to a rear wheel problem. The crew were nevertheless pleased to end their first season at world level with a decent third place overall in the championship.

Small problems impeded the progress of Maco Moto Racing but Jason Pridmore and Thomas Hinterreiter were joined by WSB runner Jakub Smrz for a final and memorable podium placing with the R1.

The Qatar event represented the third consecutive podium finish for YART as they took 2nd position at Oschersleben in August and 3rd spot at the Bol d'Or in France in September.

Capirossi tastes podium success in UK rally

Sun, 09 Nov 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP racer Loris Capirossi had a successful rally debut yesterday as he drove his Suzuki Swift to third place in the Swift Sport Cup, and ninth position overall in the two-wheel drive section of the Tempest Rally.

Capirossi started the day steadily in his Group N car as he came to terms with the demanding 80km of special stages held in the forests and Military training grounds around the Hampshire town of Aldershot in England. As the day progressed, Capirossi became more confident with the incredible performance and handling of the Swift and moved through the field before eventually getting into the top-three in the later stages. He pushed hard as darkness fell, but couldn't quite find the few seconds that he needed to progress further up the leader-board. With comprehensive assistance from experienced co-driver Craig Thorley, Capirossi brought his number 65 Suzuki Swift home in third place, just 14 seconds away from the eventual Swift Sport Cup rally - and championship -- winner Mark Gamble.

Capirossi's MotoGP Team manager Paul Denning was also competing in the rally, but he had a less successful conclusion than his Italian rider. Denning was in close touch with Capirossi and the leaders in the early stages, but a mistake at the end of a fast straight on stage four saw the Englishman slide off the road and into a ditch. He was unable to get his Suzuki back into the stage within the time limit and was disqualified. Denning and co-driver Jemma Bellingham did rejoin the rally for the four afternoon stages and restored some pride by recording some of the quickest times as the torrential rain and high winds battered the competitors.

Capirossi was on hand at the end of the rally to present the winners with their trophies and meet-and-greet his fellow drivers to discuss both the day's events and the demands of their respective motorsport disciplines. Capirossi and Denning will now prepare for Rizla Suzuki MotoGP's next winter test at Phillip Island in Australia later this month, when the evaluation of the 2009 Suzuki GSV-R will continue in readiness for next year's assault on the MotoGP World Championship.

Loris Capirossi:

"It has been a great day and it was really fun to do the rally. I took my time in the early stages as I got used to driving on the loose surfaces and in the forests, it was certainly very different from the wide-open tracks that I am used to in MotoGP! As I got more confident with the car my times improved and I was able to go a lot quicker and I think if we could have done a couple more stages I might have caught the leader, but I am really pleased with third in my first rally. It was a shame that Paul crashed out, because I think our times were very close and it would have been good to have had that extra bit of competition with him, but I think I would have beaten him anyway! I want to say a big thank-you to Craig for some great co-driving and to the organizers for putting on such a good day, plus thanks to Suzuki for inviting me to take part in the event and giving me this opportunity to drive the fantastic Suzuki Swift in a rally."

Daniel Reardon reports after Super X event at Parramatta

Sun, 09 Nov 2008 07:00:00 GMT

As you know, I injured my shoulder at the Geelong Super X round. I had a heap of scans and saw a bunch of specialists and it's come up pretty good.

The specialist told me that it was obviously dislocated, but it wasn't as bad as what it could have been, which is really good news.

There weren't any tears or anything like that in my shoulder, so I was actually really grateful and lucky to have come away with such a small injury. With the way it felt initially, I thought it was going to be much worse.

The Australian Supercross Motorcycle Championship is important to me because of what it is and also as part of my preparation for next year, so it's important for me to get back on feet as soon as possible. I wanted to be sure I did everything right and didn't risk doing myself damage.

I spent a week and a half off the bike just resting up and trying to get ready for this weekend's Super X in Parramatta.

My week was good coming into this round; at the end of it I did a little riding down at Mitch Hoad's place and felt reasonably comfortable.

Coming into tonight, I was still hurting, but I wanted to show that I could turn things around and put the pain aside.

Tonight was our first race under lights and the crowd and the atmosphere were awesome.

The track was definitely a little tough, being so tight, and the format was a little weird but hey, it was all good.

One thing is for sure, the format was definitely exciting - I think the people were a little surprised with the way things went.

Each race was a struggle because of the importance of getting a good start. For the majority of the time I got good starts, but there was once instance there when I didn't and I had to work hard to try and get through.

I finished second to Chad, which is alright, but I was a little disappointed with the end result - I'm not so much looking at a placing, but just the way I feel within myself. I felt that I rode way too tight tonight and that's maybe the result of not really having a full two weeks on the bike and feeling a little hesitant with my shoulder, but I'll work on it this week...

AMA at SEMA Show news

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 07:00:00 GMT

National OHV organizations hold land-use forum in conjunction with SEMA

PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- Leaders from the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) and other national organizations met in Las Vegas on Thursday, Nov. 6, to discuss a variety of land-use issues affecting off-highway vehicle (OHV) recreation. The meeting was held in conjunction with the annual Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) convention in Las Vegas.

In addition to the AMA and the AMA's sister organization, the All-Terrain Vehicle Association, stakeholder organizations represented included the American Council of Snowmobile Associations, Americans For Responsible Recreational Access, the BlueRibbon Coalition, the Motorcycle Industry Council, the National Motorcycle Stunts Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council, the Off-Road Business Association, the Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association, the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America, and Tread Lightly!

This is the third forum that the groups have held in 2008. This meeting focused on the recent federal election results and their impact on recreational access issues, as well as the priorities and challenges facing OHV recreation in the 111th Congress. Also discussed were strategies to address the upcoming Recreational Trails Program reauthorization, and the on-going U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management Route Designation process.

The organizations represented believe that it is useful to periodically discuss and explore areas where they share a common interest. Recognizing that each organization has a separate mission in representing its distinct membership, communicating with each other serves to strengthen advocacy efforts for OHV recreation.

"The AMA values its partnerships a great deal," said AMA Vice President for Government Relations Ed Moreland. "Working together is the only way the AMA and our partners can meet the public lands access challenges before us. Meeting and sharing ideas and resources helps us address these challenges with a united front, and it amplifies our collective voice when advocating for continued responsible access to public lands."

Loris Capirossi Tempest Rally preview

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Capirossi ready to rally this weekend

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP racer Loris Capirossi is swapping two-wheel stunts for four this coming weekend as he competes in the Suzuki-sponsored Tempest Rally in Hampshire, England.

Capirossi and Team Manager Paul Denning -- who will also be competing in the rally - completed a successful test of the Suzuki Swift "Sport Cup" rally car at Turweston Aerodrome in Northamptonshire, England on Tuesday, in preparation for this weekend's final round of the Swift Sport Cup one make series. The pair accumulated around 100 laps between them on the bespoke gravel circuit in both daylight and dusk conditions to get first-hand experience of the situations which the drivers will encounter on the 80km course through the forests and Military training grounds of Aldershot. Although both bring limited knowledge of rallying, the session also provided the chance for Capirossi and Denning to once again become accustomed to driving with pace notes, instructions detailing the road ahead, which will be given by co-drivers Craig Thorley and Jemma Bellingham respectively.

Capirossi and Denning were both given initial instruction in the Group N Suzuki Swift by one of Britain's hottest new rally prospects James Wozencroft. They were both taken for a number of demo laps around the gravel circuit to show the amazing handling performance of what is essential a road car. The Suzuki Swifts that that pair will be driving -- with Capirossi's car sporting his distinctive racing number of 65 - are based on a standard 1586cc, 123bhp Swift Sport with small changes made to the vehicle to cope with the rigorous of off-road driving, plus the addition of all the safety features needed to compete in a rally.

The Rizla Suzuki MotoGP duo will get underway in the 13 stage rally at 09.00hrs GMT on Saturday 8th November, when both will be looking to give a good account of themselves as they compete in their own rally within a rally for the glory of being the highest placed driver from the MotoGP team.

Loris Capirossi:

"It has been really good fun today and I have enjoyed the test day. The car is great fun to drive, and I'm really looking forward to Saturday. Today we only played, but at the weekend we will need to be careful because we have 13 difficult stages and it will be very different to the test we had today which was in a very controlled environment. It's completely different to what I'm used to, as this is the first rally for me on loose surfaces, but the car is very well set up and easy to control. I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to compete in the Tempest Rally, and I appreciate the support that Suzuki has provided to ensure that I have the best possible car and I want to say thank-you to them for giving me the chance to drive in the rally. We will have to see what happens on Saturday -- but for sure I want to beat Paul!"

Paul Denning -- Team Manager:

WSBK: Yamaha Portimao test summary

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 07:00:00 GMT

New R1 makes a great start for the 2009 Superbike season at Portimao

2009 Yamaha WSB riders Ben Spies and Tom Sykes enjoyed a successful two day test at Portimao with their new team. The riders used the time to develop both their relationships with their new team and also to make a start on the development of the all-new 2009 Yamaha YZF-R1 race-stunt bike.

Day one of testing was spent mostly riding the 2008 WSB machines, giving both riders the opportunity to learn the highly technical Portimao circuit which opened for the first time last weekend for the last round of the 2008 World Superbike Championship.

Day two saw the riders lapping on the all-new for 2009 Yamaha WSB R1. The new 998cc bike, featuring a high tech powerplant closely linked to the M1 MOTOGP bike, is currently at the very beginning of its development for the 2009 WSB season and is still relatively close to production specifications. However with the 2009 production R1 crossplane crankshaft engine and a unique uneven firing order giving linear torque and greater traction rider Ben Spies was able to come within two tenths of the race lap record set by Troy Bayliss during the inaugural race weekend two days previously.In a validation of the team's belief in the potential of the new bike both riders put in fast lap times, Ben Spies lapping consistently in the low 1.44s on the second day.

The Yamaha WSB team now move on to South Africa for the second test to take the next steps in the development of the bike.

Ben Spies (1'43.9)

"The whole Superbike weekend has been great for me.Having my own crew chief here from the US joining the team is good, he really understands me and it's great to see him working well with the Yamaha Motor Italia Technical Chief Silvano Galbusera. Getting out on Nori's bike we made a couple of changes and got going, it answered a lot of questions for me on the different tyre manufacturer and riding new circuits.The 2009 bike is at the beginning of its development, but for where it's at now compared to where we will be when we line up at Philip Island it's hugely exciting. The team worked really hard on the bike this weekend and it's just going to get better and better. I'm really looking forward to next year."

Tom Sykes (1'44.5)

"For me it's been a very good test. Having done two days I now feel fully part of the team. It was quite difficult arriving on Tuesday morning for the 1st day of the test, facing a new bike, a new circuit, and a new team. It was important to me to get it right from the start. We are developing well together and we have a good understanding. I was very happy with my time on the 2008 bike, and happy with a good race pace.For the 2009 bike, considering it's at a very early stage of development, I think it's a fantastic package.The feeling coming out of the corner is unbelievably smooth, the power is so controllable, the whole bike remains incredibly stable. There is still lots to be done but the outcome is already very good. All in all it was a great weekend for me, I was really happy to get started and learning, getting on with the new team and feeling part of it."

WSBK Portimao: Series weekend summary

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Troy Bayliss wound up his Superbike career, and the 2008 FIM Superbike World Championship, with a spectacular double win in the final round at the Portimao in Portugal in front of 91,000 spectators.

Race 1

The first race was totally dominated by Bayliss, who powered into the lead at the start and was never seen again. The triple world champion's margin over his pursuers was just over two seconds at the flag but it had been much wider throughout the race. There was a terrific scrap for the remaining podium places, the right choice of Pirelli tire making all the difference and in the end it was Checa who came on strong to take the runner-up slot from Corser. The outcome for fourth place was also uncertain until the flag, and it eventually went to Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda), making his WSBK debut. Fonsi Nieto (Suzuki Alstare) recovered well to finish fifth, ahead of another Spaniard, Gregorio Lavilla (VentAxia Honda) and Leon Haslam (HM Plant Honda). Max Neukirchner (Alstare Suzuki) crashed out while trying to reach the leading group, while Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) and Max Biaggi (Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati) both retired a few corners in after a clash.

Race 2

The second race saw another totally dominant win from Bayliss, who bows out after a season in which the Australian clearly proved to be the strongest rider out there. Ducati's triumphant day was completed with a second place for Michel Fabrizio while the final podium place went to Leon Haslam (HM Plant Honda) who got the better of Neukirchner in the final stages. Thanks to a sixth place behind Nieto, Corser finished runner-up in the championship, taking advantage of a ride-through penalty for Haga for a jump start. Regis Laconi (Kawasaki) scored a good result in tenth for Kawasaki, while Biaggi could only finish in thirteenth place.

FIM Supersport Motorcycle World Championship

Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) made a victorious return to the Supersport class. The Turkish rider, 2007 world champion, after a few laps settling in, took control of the race and went on to win by a wide margin over his future team-mate Andrew Pitt, who won this year's title. It was a terrific battle for third between Joan Lascorz (Glaner Motocard.com Honda) and (Parkalgar Honda), with the win going to the Spaniard in a sprint finish. Fifth went to Broc Parkes, best Yamaha to the chequered flag, while Gianluca Nannelli (Hannspree Honda Althea) finished sixth.

Superstock 1000 FIM Cup

The deciding race for the Superstock 1000 category proved to be an exciting one, as Brendan Roberts (Ducati Xerox Junior Team) powered to the win and the title. The young Australian also gained an advantage from a crash by points leader Xavier Simeon (Suzuki Alstare), which allowed him an easy run to the title. Second place went to another Australian Chris Seaton (Celani Suzuki) ahead of Maxime Berger (Hannspree IDS Ten Kate Honda), another of the stars of this season. Michele Pirro (Yamaha Lorenzini by Leoni) finished fourth, while Alex Polita (Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati) was out of luck in the title battle after starting from row 5.

World Superbike 2008 - Round 14 - Portimao (Portugal)

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Brendan Roberts was today crowned FIM 1000 Superstock Cup World Champion after defying the odds going from fourth in the Championship to take the overall win. The new Portuguese circuit, Portimao, was a tester for all the riders this weekend as the track was only finished a couple of weeks ago. Roberts dominated throughout the weekend and took the fastest lap, pole position and the overall race win to take the Championship title.

Disaster struck Roberts at the last round at Magny Cours, where the young Australian was unable to finish the race after a gear box problem, dropping him to fourth in the Championship table. The 23-year-old originally from Adelaide, Australia, knew that he had to win in Portugal this weekend and hope for the best, his dreams came true and Roberts secured the race win and the Championship title for the Ducati Xerox Junior Team.

Riding the Ducati 1098R Roberts was eager to show people his true colours and was on flying form throughout the weekend at Portimao. Roberts topped the time sheets in both qualifying sessions and was eager to fight off his opposition during the 12-lap race. After a last minute tyre change on the grid due to the changing weather conditions, Roberts got a great start and was leading into the first turn, but slipped back to third after the opening lap behind Chris Seaton and Championship leader Xavier Simeon.

Roberts got tied up in a battle for second position and also the Championship, with Simeon and the two battled with each other, swapping positions for a couple of laps, Roberts finally made the move stick and he began to hunt down fellow Australian Seaton for the lead. Making a comfortable pass on lap eight Roberts had to remain focused for the remainder of the race. Cutting down his lap times he stretched out nearly a three second lead at the chequered flag, winning the Championship by seven points after going into Portimao with a nine point deficit.

Parkes and Foret out to secure final 2008 prize

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Broc Parkes (Yamaha World Supersport Team) and Fabien Foret (Yamaha World Supersport Team) will be out to end the season on a high note at the Parkalgar circuit in Portugal.

Each rider has already scored a race win in 2008, Parkes in Losail and Foret in Monza, and for Parkes, currently fighting for third in the championship, there is only one ambition this weekend, to secure a victory for his team and himself in his last race for Yamaha.

Foret has recovered well from the serious head and spine injuries that ruined his mid-season push whilst sitting second in the championship. His comeback at Magny-Cours at the last round was impressive, as he posted an eighth place finish, despite his enforced lack of physical conditioning. Foret will return to the fray with Yamaha once again in WSS in 2009, alongside new signing Cal Crutchlow, who will test the YZF-R6 after the Portimao race.

Massimo Roccoli (Yamaha Team Italia Lorenzini by Leoni) is determined to march to a top ten finish overall after the Portuguese round. Currently he is 11th, albeit only two points from tenth.

Parkes, like most of the field, has not seen the all-new track on the Algarve up close yet, but expects to be on good form after a month of preparation and anticipation. "I've got to get a good result after the last round, when I got knocked off. So that means finding a good set-up for the race, concentrating on getting a better start, get the front early and then stay there. I normally learn tracks petty quickly and according to everyone who has seen it the new venue is really good. I'm just psyched to get out there and give it a go. I'll try to win my last race for Yamaha to say thank you to them for the past four years."

Foret sees the Portimao race as a good opportunity to boost his confidence before the winter testing begins shortly after race day. "I was very pleased with the way things went at Magny-Cours, even though I was very tired at the end of the race. I will be much stronger this weekend and I am very keen to see the new track, which should be fantastic."

Wilco Zeelenberg, the Yamaha World Supersport Team Manager, acknowledged that racing so late in the year, and at a new circuit, was slightly peculiar. "It is a little strange to be racing the final round of the championship on a track we have never been to and to be racing so late in the year, especially as the championship has now been decided. The new track layout looks challenging, there are lots of blind corners and those kinds of tracks are the most difficult to learn. Because the track is completely new, when the weather is nice all will be fine but it will be difficult if there is a lot of wind blowing dust across the track. We will start with our normal base set up and start working on finding the right gearing from the very start. It is our last race with Broc and I hope he will be able to take a good result."

Bridgestone begins 2009 preparations with Valencia tests

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Less than 24 hours after Casey Stoner took victory in the final race of the 2008 season, Bridgestone's preparations for the 2009 season got underway with a test at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia.

Bridgestone will be the sole tire supplier to the MotoGP championship from 2009 and the Valencia test marked the first occasion to evaluate new specification tyres with all teams and riders for next year. A total of 18 MotoGP riders participated in the test on Monday with some riders joining new teams and others enjoying their first taste of MotoGP machinery.

In accordance with the agreed tire restrictions for this test, Bridgestone supplied a total of 12 slick tires to each rider, consisting of two different front and rear specifications.

The introduction of the sole tire supply regulation for next season will see a reduction in the total number of tires available for each rider during the race weekend, so tyres will have to operate within a wider working range with a greater level of durability. Bridgestone has also reduced the maximum level of grip of the tires in a concerted effort to assist the sport's governing body in its drive for improved safety through reduced cornering speeds.

Monday's session was held in hot and sunny conditions with Casey Stoner resuming where he left off on Sunday, topping the timesheets with a best lap time of 1m32.464s using the new Ducati GP9 machine. Tuesday's session was curtailed by intermittent rain and by 14.00 no riders had ventured out on track.

Bridgestone will now use the data collated from this session in order to prepare tyres for the next test session which will take place at the end of November in Jerez.

Tohru Ubukata - Bridgestone Motorsport - Manager, Race Tire Development

"I am really very satisfied with the first trials of our new specification slick tyres which we were able to carry out in the dry conditions on Monday. Considering it is the first time that we are producing MotoGP tires for everybody in a sole tire supply situation, I think we have made a good start. We have used the foundation of our 2008 tires for these new specs but made some important alterations to ensure that the tires have a wide operating window and can work well for all teams and riders. We have reduced the overall grip level of the tires in order to accomplish this and the feedback from the riders has been encouraging. The track conditions on Monday were excellent and the lap times were also very competitive as a result. The most important thing for us is to know that our tires are durable because this will be one of the most fundamental things for us next season. Some riders put up to 40 laps on the same set of tyres with great consistency which was particularly impressive.

Fiat Yamaha Valencia test notes

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Rossi makes positive start on 2009 campaign in Valencia

One day after the final race of his victorious season, MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi began working towards the defense of his title with his first day's testing aboard the 2009 prototype M1. The Italian was third fastest in a time of 1'32.921, quicker than his best lap in yesterday's race.

Rossi made two runs of six laps each with his 2008 M1 in order to check some settings and also get a feel for the new tires, as today was the first day of the new mono-brand tire rule with Bridgestone now the official supplier for all riders. He then made five runs and a total of 28 laps on the new prototype, setting his best time on the second run.

Lorenzo started off on his 2008 M1 in order to get a feel for the different tires and to check some settings. He made ten laps with the old bike before climbing onto a test bike, which has some new prototype parts for him to try. He made five runs and 36 laps with the test bike, and despite a low-speed crash on the outlap of his third run he was able to make good progress and set a best time of 1'33.550.

Valentino Rossi - Position: 3rd Time: 1'32.921 Laps: 40

"Today we began work on 2009 and I was able to try the new bike for the first time. It is only the first prototype but my impression of it is very good and it seems they have done a good job. We are working on the engine in order to have more acceleration on the exit from the corner and there is a small change, not enough yet but in the right direction so this is important. We worked on the setting and the weight distribution and I was faster with the new bike so this is good!We need more time to understand the bike and more laps but this is only the first day and it is very positive. The other 'big' thing today of course is the

and I am really happily surprised. This is not the best track to try them at as we don't have so much data for here but anyway they feel very good. I was expecting less grip but we had a lot and everyone was fast today. The track conditions are a lot better today than they have been during the weekend so this makes a difference, but anyway we can already see that they are quite good. I think Bridgestone have done a good job but of course it will be hard to know for sure until we have been to some different tracks. We have to wait and see. For me they feel good even in comparison with my Bridgestone tyres from all of the season so I am happy so far. I have a special 'world champion' helmet now which I like a lot and which I will use throughout the winter testing. As for the number one...I will keep my 46 of course but I will put the number one on my back as I did in the past."

Jorge Lorenzo - Position: 7th Time: 1'33.550 Laps: 46

"I am really happy today because now everyone has the same tires. I tried a test bike with some new parts and today we were just working on collecting information and understanding the new things. I think it was a good day and I made some good laps, so I am quite happy. I had a crash in the afternoon which was my mistake, it was at turn twelve and I opened the throttle too much when the tire was cold, but I was not hurt and we were able to continue. Tomorrow we will try again with the new tyres and keep working and collecting information. Of course we need more time to be able to understand them and evaluate them properly, this is just the first day but we will go step-by-step. There is a long time before the new season but I am excited that we have started work already."

Stoner dominates at Valencian GP

Sun, 26 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Casey Stoner has won the Valencian GP, the final event in the 2008 MotoGP season. The Aussie led from start to finish, claiming his sixth victory this year. Stoner held off local rider Dani Pedrosa for the win while Valentino Rossi moved his way from starting tenth to finish third in the race.

Since 2003, Stoner hasn't won at Circuit de Valencia, Pedrosa is the rider that seems to fair well here in any class. Yet, today the Spaniard's luck ran out and the 2007 Champion was able to claim the both the first event in Qatar and now final race of the season. All that eluded him was a back-to-back championship; Rossi had already wrapped that up last month. The Ducati rider helped the bike maker finish second in the Manufacturers' title, with Honda settling for third.

"We couldn't really have asked for much more today," smiled Stoner. "To end a difficult season in this way is a fantastic feeling and it's a nice way to thank everybody at Ducati for their hard work. Once again my crew got it right, finding a good setting for the bike despite limited dry track time.

"This was the first time we've ridden in these conditions all weekend so there were still a few question marks before the race, so to go out and set the pace like that was a nice feeling. Now I'm really excited about testing the new bike tomorrow. It felt good the last time I rode it and I'm sure they've made it better, so hopefully we can have a good first session and go home for the winter full of optimism about next season," added the Aussie.

As Stoner said, most of the weekend was spent on a wet track but the weather stayed nice for the riders in today's race. Pedrosa had a bike that worked well in both conditions but couldn't match the pace of Stoner. For a fleeting second the Repsol Honda rider held the lead before the red Ducati pulled in front, never to look back. Pedrosa claimed eleven podiums, including two wins on his home soil. The hat-trick escaped him today but third in the championship should be a nice consolation.

The team celebrated Repsol's 40th anniversary in racing with special liveries based off the sponsor's first design in 1969. They close the season second to Fiat Yamaha in the Teams' Championship, Ducati Marlboro finished third.

"I am happy with second place today," said Pedrosa. "I pushed Casey as hard as I could but he had something a little extra and he managed the gap very well. We worked hard all weekend, so my thanks to my team and also to Repsol, the bike I rode today was one of the best-looking bikes I've ridden. The crowd was great, it was fantastic to see so many fans here, packing the grandstands and obviously really enjoying the spectacle and pushing us along.

"Overall, I am also happy with the last few races, because we were able to come back from a difficult period during the middle of the season. We changed tyres [switched to Bridgestone from Michelin] and I came in for some criticism, but finally we got back on the pace at the last few races, running close to the front in the wet and in the dry.

Pedrosa continued, "It hasn't been the easiest of years. I broke my right hand during preseason testing, I broke my left hand in Germany and I injured my left knee at Phillip Island. These injuries caused me to lose my rhythm and they interrupted our development work, while everyone else was racing and improving their bikes. I have had to push really hard to come back from all these injuries. Tomorrow we start testing for 2009 -- I am looking forward to it because things are going well now. I hope to have a good off-season and stay healthy."

Behind them, the 2008 Champion had quite a race on his own. Rossi wasn't as quick in yesterday's qualifying and found himself on the fourth row. The Fiat Yamaha team and their ace worked hard to find the right setup to charge through the field. By lap one he held onto seventh and it wasn't long before he fought his way to the final podium spot. Progress was halted from there on, Stoner and Pedrosa were just too far away. Still only a World Champ could dash to the front and make up seven positions in six laps.

Stoner takes season's final pole in Valencia

Sat, 25 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Casey Stoner has pole for the final grid of the 2008 MotoGP season. What a season it has been. From rookie to champions alike there have been high points and low moments. Valentino Rossi has already been crowned with this year's title and Stoner will be runner-up. Both these quick riders want to take the last win for themselves, while Spaniards Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo look for a home victory.

Today's pole for the Valencian GP was Stoner's ninth of the season. The Ducati rider started out front more times than anyone else on the field. Unfortunately, it wasn't always translated into a race win. The Aussie's injuries made it hard for him to keep the pace full distance. Next year he will be healed and the Ducati team will have a brand new bike to take on Rossi and the rest and tomorrow's race will be the litmus test.

The weather in Valencia has been wet for much of the on track activities. In the morning the track was soaked for the final practice. Qualifying looked to be a bit more promising but again storm clouds loomed overhead, throwing all the teams' programs out the window.

"That was a really strange session," explained Stoner, "because of the weather but the team did a good job to judge the conditions well and adjust the setting of the bike during the limited dry track time available. It seems this track isn't as demanding on my wrist as Sepang was because there aren't as many hard braking areas, although I went out without strapping today and that didn't turn out to be the best decision. We'll strap it up tomorrow but I don't think it will be a problem. It's important to be on the front row because it is so hard to pass at this circuit and it's also nice to take the final pole position of the season. Hopefully the weather stays dry - for us and for the incredible fans here."

The Repsol Honda teammates completed the front row with Pedrosa second and Nicky Hayden third. Pedrosa was less than a tenth off Stoner's winning time. The Spaniard is a local hero in Valencia, the third event held in Spain this season. Twice this year Pedrosa has won on home soil, he looks for the hat-trick tomorrow.

"Finally, it looked like we might get a dry session this afternoon," commented Pedrosa. "The hour started dry but then it started raining again, which spoiled the work we had planned focusing on trying different race tyres. I wanted to continue working with race tires, preparing for the race, but we made an early switch to qualifying tires to make sure of a good grid position for tomorrow, in case it started raining more heavily. Finally we made the front row, quite close to pole, and the front row is particularly important at this track. We were only able to try one race tire this afternoon, so we will need a good warm-up and then we will need to think very carefully about which tyres we will run in the race. I hope we can have a dry race tomorrow, not only for us but also for all the tens of thousands of fans who always pack the grandstands here."

Hayden was a tenth off his teammate's pace. In the last part of the season the American rider has been up near the top and another front row start today shows his potential for next year. For 2009 Hayden will switch camps to Ducati with Stoner as teammate. For now, the Kentucky Kid will enjoy his last race on a Honda.

"We were close but close don't count, I guess! We shouldn't be too bummed out though," said Hayden, "because we're on the front row. It was pretty obvious that we really wanted to be on pole, we've been fastest all weekend, the bike is working good and the team did a great job when it started sprinkling, getting one bike ready with qualifiers early on. It was quite a tough session, going to qualifiers and then back to race tyres.

2009 ACO calendar

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Keep these weekends free!

The Automobile Club de l'Ouest's 2009 season is going to be an intense one full of exciting events for 2, 4 and 6-wheel vehicles on the Bugatti track as well as on the big Le Mans 24-Hours circuit. Get out your diaries now -- weekends like these are not to be missed!

28th-29th March -- French Promosport Cups
An innovation in 2009: the season will kick off with the French Promosport Cups instead of the French Superbike Championship (put back till September). The meeting will include races for 125, 600 and 1000 cc motorbikes as well as the Honda Junior Cup, the Promo 500 Cup and the Makes Cup.

18th-19th April -- The Le Mans 24 Hours for Motorcycles
The 32nd Le Mans 24 Hours for Motorcycles is on the FIM Endurance World Championship Calendar, and will be a top-level event thanks to works involvement via professional teams. The Suzuki Endurance Racing Team based at Le Mans will be defending its title. 66 motorcycles are accepted for practice and 56 will start the race at 15h00.

22nd-23rd April -- Le Mans Series tests
Another 2009 innovation: All the teams will be welcome to the Le Mans Bugatti circuit between the first and second rounds of the 2009 Le Mans Series for two days' testing.

16th-17th May -- The French Motorcycle Grand Prix
The French Motorcycle Grand Prix will again be held on the Bugatti circuit, and in 2009 there will a French World Champion racing in front of his home crowd. Mike di Meglio won the 125 cc World Championship before the end of the 2008 season. His presence will attract the interest of French motorbike fans for the 125 and 250 cc championships and of course the highlight of the weekend, the top category Moto GP.

31st May -- The Le Mans 24-Hours test day
This will be shakedown day for the 55 entrants invited by the ACO to take part in the 2009 Le Mans 24 Hours. They will have the 13,629-km track all to themselves for 7 hours. So there will be no time to lose to prepare for the most mythic endurance race in the world, which will take place 2 weeks later. A third 2009 innovation: the test will be accompanied by a race to the delight of the spectators (30 000 people in 2008!).

13th-14th June -- The Le Mans 24 Hours
The 77th running of the greatest endurance race in the world is the first one under a new set of ACO regulations, which will come into force progressively between now and 2011. Its basic guidelines concern the future of the event in terms of sporting equality, safety, cost reduction and sustainable development. More than ever the Le Mans 24 Hours will be in tune with the concerns of its era. The sport will win and the on-track action will again live up to the spectators' expectations. The attendance record to be beaten is 258 500 (2008). In addition, a round of the Le Mans Formula, the new feeder formula championship created by the ACO and Oreca, will be held as a curtain-raiser to the 2009 Le Mans 24 Hours.

4th-5th July -- LM Story
Every odd year LM Story is back on the calendar with races on the Bugatti circuit for the delight of lovers of historic racing. In 2007, 350 cars took to the track for 17 races divided up into 9 groups. Clubs of historic vehicle collectors of all makes and types will be part of the 2009 programme as well as a large assortment of Alpines.

Fiat Yamaha riders head to Valencia with more records in sight

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

A record-breaking season for Fiat Yamaha reaches its finale this weekend as the Grand Prix of Valencia brings the curtain down on the 2008 MotoGP World Championship. The traditional season-ending Spanish fiesta sees Valentino Rossi arrive with the title already in his pocket and the all-time points record for a season within his sights, whilst Jorge Lorenzo will become the highest-placed rookie in four-stroke MotoGP history by scoring just four points.

In a season that has seen Rossi become MotoGP World Champion for the sixth time, breaking the record number of wins in the class and scoring his 150th Grand Prix podium on the way, he now needs just eleven points to break the record for the highest tally in a season. He currently stands on 357 points, meaning fifth place or above would take him above the benchmark he set in 2005, which was equaled by Casey Stoner last year.

Lorenzo currently lies fourth in the championship and whilst third is now a mathematically impossibility, Andrea Dovizioso would have to win the race and hope the Spaniard finishes no higher than twelfth to dislodge him. Dovizioso is also the only rider with any chance of denying Lorenzo the title of Rookie of the Year. It is a familiar scenario for the old rivals, who entered the final round of the 2006 season at Valencia battling for the 250cc title, which Lorenzo won with fourth place as the Italian finished seventh.

The 21-year-old from Mallorca has never won at the Ricardo Tormo circuit although he will be looking to set that record straight this weekend in front of the 130,000 race-day fans that will pack into the unique stadium-style surroundings of the track. The layout is characterized by a never-ending burst of tight corners, connected by short straights. The long penultimate looping left-hander and the fast entry to turn one contrast violently with the otherwise geometric flip-flop chicanes and slow speed corners of the infield.

Valentino Rossi Motorcycle Racer- "An account to settle"

"I have had two bad years at Valencia and I have some memories I would like to forget with a good result there this year - I have an account to settle! In 2006 I crashed and lost the championship and then last year I broke my hand and lost second place in the championship! It's not the best track for us but I won there with Yamaha in my first year with them and I would like to do the same again this weekend. It's been a fantastic season and the win on Sunday in Malaysia was great, but I am not finished yet and I want to reward my team, Yamaha and Bridgestone for a fantastic season with the best possible result on Sunday. Then we can all celebrate with a big party!"

Jorge Lorenzo - "Aiming to finish on a high"

"Sunday was really disappointing but I am not hurt and now we are looking forward to Valencia. It's the third 'home' race for me and since at the last one, in Barcelona, I couldn't race, I especially want to get a good result for all my fans. It will be a special race because it's the 10th anniversary of the Valencia circuit. Of course it is a little sad that I am no longer fighting for third in the Championship, but I can still be Rookie of the Year and this is what I am aiming for. It is really important for me and for all my team. I don't have the best record at Valencia, I've never won the race there, although I was second in 2005, but I do have great memories from winning the 250cc world championship there in 2006. It will be our last race with Michelin, who I won my first premier class race with, and more than anything I want to get a good result for them, for my tire technician Pierre, for Jean-Phillipe Weber and of course for my team."

Davide Brivio - "We want to win and party"

Rossi takes win under hot Malaysian sun

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Valentino Rossi may have already won the MotoGP championship this year, but that wasn't going to stop the Italian from taking more wins. In a day described by most teams as "sweltering", Rossi played it cool to win the Malaysian GP in Sepang. Polesitter for the race, Dani Pedrosa, crossed the line second. Andrea Dovizioso earned the first podium of the season for JiR Team Scot, better late than never.

The Penultimate weekend for MotoGP was wet at times, always humid and became extremely hot for the race. Circuit temperatures hit an astounding 60 C (140 F) and every degree was felt by the riders. At the start Pedrosa lead the field with Dovizioso making a brilliant leap into second. It wasn't long before the Italian was passed by fellow countryman Rossi. Soon the champ was after Pedrosa, making the pass about midway into the race. Behind them Jorge Lorenzo, teammate to Rossi, slid his Fiat Yamaha into the gravel, ending his chance for a podium finish.

Casey Stoner also had a tough day, the '07 champion was able to hang on to the end but his injuries made it an exhausting race. Sixth place was all he could get, but it was enough to secure the runner-up position in the title hunt, Pedrosa will end the season third.

On the track, Rossi crossed the line four seconds in front of Pedrosa, the Italian now ties Giacomo Agostini for total career podiums. Earlier this season Rossi had already surpassed the legend in total wins.

"I am so happy with this win today because all of the toughest championship of my career, including with Yamaha in 2004, have been won with nine victories," explained Rossi. "Of course that doesn't mean I don't want to win again next week, but for now I like this number! Today was incredibly hard because it was so hot. Once I got behind Dani I tried to pass many times but he was very fast and very consistent and I had a good battle to get by him.

"Anyway, it was important to win here because when we came here in the winter I did a very fast race simulation and I promised my new Bridgestone tire technician, Peter, that we would win the race! I took a gamble in February so I had to win today! Finally I want to congratulate my friend Marco Simoncelli for winning the 250cc World Championship today. I know how hard he has worked to get here and he really deserves it - I am very happy for him," added the Doctor.

Pedrosa had a solid Sunday, the Spaniard did his best to fend off Rossi but The Repsol Honda rider just couldn't match pace. The team is still learning a great deal about their new bike and Bridgestone combination. Their improvement is looking good; Pedrosa and teammate Nicky Hayden will be strong in the season finale at Valencia.

"It was a very tough race and I'm happy very about this result," said Pedrosa. "I want to thank my team, we have worked well, improving every session. On Friday morning we were only 17th, I think, then we started moving forward and yesterday we were able to get pole and today I finished second, so finally it has been a good weekend for me and my team.

Bridgestone appointed sole MotoGP tire supplier from 2009

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Bridgestone has today been officially appointed the sole tire supplier for the MotoGP World Championship for a three-year period starting from 2009.

The decision comes following an announcement in September from the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) that MotoGP will become a single-make tire formula from 2009, and after a subsequent tender process in which Bridgestone was the only tyre manufacturer to submit a proposal to FIM and Dorna.

The specific regulations pertaining to the single tire contract will be confirmed by FIM in due course.

Hiroshi Yasukawa, Director of Bridgestone Motorsport commented on today's announcement:

"Bridgestone is pleased that we have been appointed the sole tire supplier to the MotoGP World Championship for the next three seasons, starting from 2009.

"Although we were sorry to hear that tire competition would not continue in MotoGP, Bridgestone appreciates the importance of safety and cost in motorsport. We respect the decision taken by FIM and Dorna to impose a one-make tyre rule for next season and acknowledge the safety and cost reasons given for their decision.

"We submitted a proposal to FIM and Dorna in order to continue competing at the pinnacle of motorcycle racing, and to continue to be a part of the MotoGP community, of which we are proud to have been involved since the 2002 season.

"We have developed strong relations with manufacturers, teams, riders and personnel in the MotoGP world and are happy to be able to continue a high level of participation in the sport. Even in a single tire situation, however, we must also guarantee and increase our return on investment from a business point of view, something that we hope to achieve through a close working relationship with all our teams and with Dorna.

"Alongside safety and cost, fairness is another pillar of Bridgestone's involvement in motorsport and we are committed to servicing our teams fairly at all times. Having worked with all manufacturers in MotoGP this season, we believe that we are well placed to offer the fairest possible treatment across all teams.

"We have relished competing on a global motorcycle racing stage with our rivals over the last seven seasons and will miss the opportunity to showcase our technical capabilities against them. In this period of competition, we have improved our performance level step by step and have been immensely proud to have taken the world title for the last two seasons, firstly with Ducati and Casey Stoner in 2007, and this year with Fiat Yamaha and Valentino Rossi.

Malaysian MotoGP: Bridgestone preview

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

MotoGP is set for a frantic final flourish to the 2008 championship as the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia plays host to the penultimate race of this year's campaign before the whirlwind tour moves to Valencia next week for the season finale.

This weekend's event will be the tenth consecutive MotoGP race to be held at the Sepang International Circuit since the Malaysian GP event was moved there back in 1999. Alongside Shanghai and Catalunya, it is one of three circuits on this year's calendar that also holds Formula One races, so Bridgestone can boast a wide-ranging pedigree at the track.

On two wheels, Bridgestone has two Sepang victories, both with Ducati, with Loris Capirossi in 2005 and Casey Stoner in 2007. Valentino Rossi may already have wrapped up this year's riders' title, but there is plenty left up for grabs in these final two races.

Casey Stoner took a popular home win at Phillip Island two weeks ago to extend his grasp of second place in the table and will be hoping to capture his second consecutive Malaysian GP victory this weekend. Repsol Honda's Dani Pedrosa will be hoping to end his season with some strong results to consolidate his top three status in this year's championship.

Hiroshi Yamada - Bridgestone Motorsport - Manager, Motorcycle Sport Unit Stunts.

"This long and competitive season is building to a resounding end with two quite contrasting race venues in Malaysia and Valencia. Malaysia is traditionally one of the hottest of the season, while Valencia can be quite cool at this time of the year. We have a good history in Malaysia. It was the scene of one of the two victories we shared with Ducati in our debut season of collaboration in 2005 after a great ride from Loris. He followed that win up with second place in 2006 after a very exciting battle with Valentino. It was also a tightly-fought race last year and we emerged with a 1-2, Casey taking his tenth win of the season in style ahead of Marco in second on the Honda Gresini bike. The last few races have proven to be very close, and I expect something similar in Sepang this weekend."

Tohru Ubukata - Bridgestone Motorsport - Manager, Race Tyre Development

"Sepang is one of the longest circuits on the calendar with two very distinct straights, both of which are around 1km in length, interlinked by a tight hairpin. The track layout requires a lot of outright engine power and good braking stability from the machines as riders brake from speeds in excess of 300km/h. It is also one of the hottest tracks that we race at with track temperatures often in excess of 50 degrees Celsius. For this reason, we have to look carefully at the central part of the tire because of the pressure that it is placed under and the length of time that riders are upright over the lap. The circuit was resurfaced for last year's event which gave us a new challenge, but the race performance showed good pace and consistency across the entire field, and it was a highly competitive race. Sepang is also a much-used place for pre-season testing, so most teams will arrive at the track for Friday practice with a good idea of bike set-up, which in turn allows us to get to work quickly on tire evaluation for the weekend.

MICHELIN TACKLES TROPICAL CHALLENGE

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Michelin's MotoGP crew swaps the cool, breeziness of Phillip Island for the sweltering tropical heat of Sepang for the penultimate race of the 2008 MotoGP World Championship.

Michelin performed well at Phillip Island, with Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC212V-Michelin) scoring a superb podium result and all six Michelin men inside the top nine finishers. Hayden is currently sixth overall in the points standings, just behind fellow Michelin riders Jorge Lorenzo (Fiat Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin) and Andrea Dovizioso (JiR Team Scot Honda RC212V-Michelin) and just in front of Colin Edwards (Yamaha Tech 3 YZR-M1-Michelin).

Sepang is one of the most challenging events of the MotoGP season, with riders, motorcycles and tires pushed to the limit by the intense weather conditions, with temperatures sometimes edging towards 55 degrees and humidity at up to 80 per cent. The circuit also demands much from riders and their machinery, with a com bination of wide, sweeping corners and heavy braking. Sepang's testing layout makes it MotoGP's most popular off-season test venue, with some teams visiting the track several times during the sport's winter season.

"After Phillip Island, which is the toughest circuit for tires, Sepang is another big challenge for the tire companies," says Jean-Philippe Weber, Michelin's director of motorcycle racing. "But conditions are very different from those we experience in Australia, with much higher ambient and track temperatures. At Phillip Island we had to contend with a track temperature between 22 and 35 degrees; at Sepang it can be anything between 40 and 55 degrees, which makes it very tough for the tires. The layout of the Sepang circuit puts less stress into the tires than Phillip Island, which puts so much heat into the tires. In Malaysia it is the heat that demands so much from the tires.

"We expect the asphalt to be less demanding than it was last year, when the whole track had been resurfaced, because Sepang is used a lot for racing, testing and other activities. Riders use similar rear tire constructions as they used at Phillip Island, with different compounds adapted to suit these special conditions. Edge grip and traction are very important at Sepang, with quite a few long corners. The tires need to provide consistent performance through these corners during the race.

AMA Congress annual meeting summary

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

American Motorcyclist Association Congress convenes, passes new lower sound rules for motorcycle competition

PICKERINGTON, Ohio--The 2008 American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Congress gathered October 9-11 to consider numerous issues affecting amateur motorcycle competition and recreational riding in the United States. Rule changes passed by AMA Congress included the regulation of motorcycle sound levels at competitive events, motocross class advancement and new event types for road riders.

In all, AMA Congress considered 83 rule proposals at the 2008 annual meeting, 47 of which were passed or amended for possible ratification by the AMA Board of Directors. In deference to the needs of local AMA organizers, the AMA and original equipment manufacturers, most rules adopted by the 2008 AMA Congress will not take effect before 2010, at the earliest.

Most notably, the 2008 AMA Congress passed a 94 dB(a) standard for all amateur and Pro-Am motocross and off-road competition, effective in 2011. The new standard will not apply to land-speed racing, speed trials or drag-racing events.

The new level mirrors both the 2009 standard for professional motocross and Supercross racing in the United States, as well as the level mandated by the FIM (Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme), which governs international motorcycle competition. Currently, sound limits for amateur motorcycle competition are 99 dB(a) for closed-course competition and 96 dB(a) for cross-country racing.

"Few issues contribute more to misunderstanding and prejudice against the motorcycling community than excessively loud motorcycles, and this measure addresses the issue head-on," said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. "This standard is already in place for professional and international competition, making this one of the most cost-effective and easy-to-implement solutions to the sound problem. That said, AMA Congress understands that amateur competitors may need more time to adopt this new standard and wisely established a reasonable deadline for compliance."

Also at the meeting, AMA Congress passed revised advancement procedures for amateur motocross racers, which are designed to be more equitable to C-class riders poised to advance to the B level.

On the road-riding side, the AMA Congress considered several proposals, including two that develop new types of events. One is the Bonus Hunt, which is part scavenger hunt and part road enduro. The other provides a more detailed procedure for the popular Vintage Motogiro event, which gives owners of vintage and antique motorcycles a chance to meet and show off their unique machines.

US Open Saturday night summary

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Stewart Enjoys $100,000-Plus Payday at Rockstar Energy Drink U.S. Open

LAS VEGAS (October 11, 2008) -- L&M San Manuel Yamaha's James Stewart, of Haines City, Fla., won the Rockstar Energy Drink U.S. Open at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, taking home the $100,000 winner's pay check.

Stewart set the stage coming into tonight's main event, winning the superpole, which put him two steps away from claiming the $250,000 Trifecta bonus award. Rockstar Makita Suzuki's Chad Reed, of Dade City, Fla., stopped Stewart from winning the $250,000 when he won the holeshot award. Yamaha's Broc Hepler, of Kittanning, Pa., followed Reed through turn one and Stewart started in fourth.

Reed led the first 16 laps before suffering a major crash that allowed Stewart to move into the lead. Red Bull Honda's Andrew Short, of Smithville, Texas, moved into second place, where he finished. Reed finished third.

In the overall, Red Bull Honda's Ivan Tedesco, of Tallahassee, Fla., finished second and Rockstar Makita Suzuki's Ryan Dungey, of Belle, Plaine, Minn., finished third.

"I wanted to come here and do good for the team," said Stewart. "I was lucky that Chad made a mistake for me. It was a great night and I am glad that we put on a great race for the fans."

Jesse Nelson bounced back from a rough ride Friday night to win the Alpinestars 85cc Mini Invitational. While trailing Nelson, Joe Savatgy, who finished second last night, crashed the timing section, giving up his chase for the lead. Austin Politelli, who won last night's main event, finished second place tonight and won the overall.

Rockstar Energy Drink U.S. Open Overall Results
1. James Stewart, Yamaha (1-1)
2. Ivan Tedesco, Honda (5-4)
3. Ryan Dungey, Suzuki (5-4)
4. Andrew Short, Honda (9-2)
5. Justin Brayton, KTM (4-9)
6. Josh Hill, Yamaha (3-12)
7. Michael Byrne, Suzuki (7-6)
8. Chad Reed, Suzuki (14-3)
9. Thomas Hahn, Kawasaki (8-13)
10. Broc Hepler, Yamaha (6-11)

Alpinestars 85cc Mini Invitational Overall Results
1. A. Politelli, Suzuki
2. K. Kamm, KTM
3. J. Savatgy, Honda
4. J. Nelson, Honda
5. J. Owen, Suzuki
6. M. Maze, Suzuki
7. D. Epstein, Yamaha
8. M. Bisceglia, Yamaha
9. T. Stewart, Yamaha
10. C. Alldredge, Yamaha

Rockstar Energy Drink U.S. Open Saturday Night Results
1. James Stewart, Yamaha
2. Andrew Short, Honda
3. Chad Reed, Suzuki
4. Ryan Dungey, Suzuki
5. Ivan Tedesco, Honda
6. Michael Byrne, Suzuki
7. Dan Reardon, Honda
8. Thomas Hahn, Kawasaki
9. Justin Brayton, KTM
10. Nico Izzi, Suzuki

Troy Bayliss proves he is a master with third crown

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

At the age of 39, Troy Bayliss continues to ride the high waves in World Superbike competition, this past weekend in Magny-Cours, France, the Aussie wrapped-up his third world championship with one event (two races) remaining on the 2008 calendar.

"I'm extremely happy to have won my third world championship and to be able to say I have won on three different generations of the Ducati Superbike Motorcycle. I want to thank the entire team who have worked so hard and put a lot of trust in me. Together we have done a great job this season," smiled Bayliss.

Riding for the Ducati Xerox Team, he got the job done. Bayliss was third in the first race on Sunday but came back to land the victory in the afternoon on Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours on his Ducati 1098 F08.

Bayliss kick-started his world racing career in 1997 but took three years away from Superbikes. He returned in 2006 to land 12 wins out of 24 races plus five Superpoles to earn his second crown. His first championship came in 2001 with two Superpoles and six victories.

"These last years with Ducati, since 2000, have been a great experience for me," said Bayliss.

Ducati moved Bayliss into another world stage in 2003, '04 and '05. His debut in MotoGP was remarkable with three podiums and two front row starting positions. He ended sixth and missed the top rookie award by a mere two points.

Bayliss admitted he found MotoGP to be very tough and his second season in '04 was dismal but at the end, he found the podium in the season finale and simply said, "You probably haven't seen me smile like this for a while ... It's been a tough year for me and everyone at Ducati but the bike has come good in the second half of the season."

The Aussie and Ducati parted ways in '05 with Bayliss moving to Honda in MotoGP. "For me the switch from Ducati to Honda is a bigger change than coming from Superbikes to MotoGP," he said.

His move back to the Superbike World Championship with Ducati is now history.

Two races have yet to run and the Aussie no doubt will add to his impressive career stats. With 150 starts, Bayliss has to his credit 50 wins, 29 second place finishes and 13 on the final podium step, plus his 25 Superpoles.

This year's stats will end on November 2 in Portimao, Portugal on the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve circuit. Out of the 26 races thus far this season, the Aussie has nine wins and will be the first to admit, it has been a tight battle between himself, Noriyuki Haga and the "other Aussie", Troy Corser, both racing for the Yamaha Motor Italia team.

"This whole year has been up and done, with several riders remaining consistently fast. From half way through the season we became more confident and so there was a lot of pressure but I've done what I set out to do, I really wanted to win on the three different Ducati Superbikes," Bayliss said. "It's just a fantastic feeling. Now I have secured the title, I'm looking forward to enjoying the last round at the brand new track of Portimao, where I'm hoping I can finish the season on a high!"

WORCS to receive AMA sanction in 2009

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

American Motorcyclist Association announces agreement to sanction WORCS events for 2009

PICKERINGTON, Ohio--The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is proud to announce that it will sanction the World Off-Road Championship Series (WORCS) for 2009. In addition, the AMA and WORCS will also partner on several rounds of the AMA Western Hare Scrambles Series, which will lay the groundwork for future cooperative endeavors.

"Off-road racing is a unique area of motorcycle competition where both the country's top athletes and recreational amateur racers frequently compete in their respective classes at the same events," said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. "Thousands of our members are die-hard off-road racing enthusiasts, and the AMA remains steadfastly committed to this form of competition on all levels. As one of the premier series for off-road racers in this country, WORCS represents an excellent additional partner for the Association as we continue to grow and improve this area of competition."

With the addition of WORCS events, the AMA adds another of the country's top off-road series to its fold, which also includes the AMA FMF Racing National Enduro Series, the AMA FMF Racing National Hare & Hound Series, the Can-Am AMA Grand National Cross Country Series, the AMA/MAXXIS National Endurocross Series, the AMA/NATC National Observed Trials Series and the AMA Eastern and Western Hare Scrambles Series.

AMA Off-Road Director Chuck Weir added that the benefits of sanctioning WORCS will go beyond that series alone.

"The AMA is thrilled with the opportunity to sanction this world-class championship, and honor the WORCS champions with AMA recognition," Weir said. "In addition, by working with WORCS on the AMA Western Hare Scrambles Series, both programs will be elevated and better racing will result for the competitors and fans. This is a win/win relationship that will start paying dividends immediately."

Sean Reddish, CEO and founder of WORCS, said that he has long wanted to affiliate WORCS with the AMA, the world's largest motorsports sanctioning body and the leading advocate for motorcyclists' rights in the United States.

"WORCS has looked at partnering with the AMA for the last three years and now the time is just right," Reddish said. "With the growth of the WORCS series and the new direction AMA has taken in sanctioning, we knew that 2009 was the year to make it happen. Many positive things can be said of the AMA, and the one that I and WORCS consider the most important is the protection of our right to ride and race."

Reddish added that WORCS hopes to co-sanction three to four races with the Western National Hare Scrambles program in 2009.

ELLISON AND MARTIN ALL SET FOR BRANDS FINALE

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

The 2008 Bennetts British Superbike Championship concludes this weekend with the final round at the Brands Hatch Indy circuit whereby Hydrex Bike Animal Honda riders, James Ellison and Guy Martin, aim to round the season off in style.

When the series last visited the Kent track back in May, albeit on the full GP circuit, both riders came away with a decent points haul and the pair will be looking for a repeat of those performances for Shaun Muir's team.

28 year old Ellison from Kendal in Cumbria currently lies in seventh place in the standings, 34 points down on the experienced Michael Rutter, and but for his one and only indiscretion on his comeback season, when he slid off in the first race at Silverstone a couple of weeks ago, James could have been realistically challenging for a top six placing after claiming three podiums throughout the season.

For 26 year old Martin, the meeting offers the chance to rid himself of the bad luck that has plagued his entire season and the rider from Kirmington in Lincolnshire will be looking to add to his one and only top ten placing so far, which he scored at the very first round at Thruxton.

James Ellison: "I'm really looking forward to Brands Hatch to try to get around the problems we had at Silverstone. It's a bit of a short circuit and not much you can do there with settings so I reckon we'll be competitive. I'll just keep trying for this elusive win, I have two chances left and I'd like to get that top step of the podium for all the team, to pay them back for all their hard work."

Guy Martin: "It doesn't seem five minutes ago that the season was just starting, full of high expectations, but it's just not happened for me this year. I'm looking forward to getting some better results at Brands Hatch as we really need a tonic to carry us into the winter months. But come Sunday evening, it will be a case of 'win or lose, we'll have some booze.'"

The first of the thirty lap encounters is scheduled for 2pm with the second race getting underway at 4.45pm and as ever, the action will be shown live on British Eurosport with a Channel 4 highlights show to be aired during the following week, as well as motorcycle stunts.

Tommy Aquino is 2008 Road Race Rookie of the Year

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Graves Motorsports' Tommy Aquino is 2008 AMA Road Race Rookie of the Year

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida--AMA Pro Racing is proud to announce that Graves Motorsports Yamaha rider Tommy Aquino is the 2008 AMA Road Race Rookie of the Year. In his first full professional season, Aquino finished 14th overall in the Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship presented by Shoei.

AMA Road Race Rookie of the Year honors are awarded to the eligible rookie rider with the most points accumulated in one of the eligible AMA professional road-race classes, Superbike, Supersport, Formula Xtreme or Superstock.

"Tommy had an exceptional year in the AMA Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship, and we're happy to recognize those efforts with the AMA Road Race Rookie of the Year Award," said AMA Pro Racing Special Projects Manager Bill Syfan. "This young man put in a number of solid rides against some of America's best road racers, and established himself as a possible front-runner for 2009. We would like to congratulate Tommy, the Aquino family and Graves Motorsports on a successful season."

Aquino's closest competitor for the honor was Seth Starnes, who was competing in the AMA Superstock Series presented by Dynojet. Going into the last round at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California, Starnes has accumulated 121 class points to Aquino's 111. Aquino, however, wrapped up his year with a 7th in the Supersport race, while Starnes carded a 19th in Superstock. The additional points gave Aquino the edge he needed to claim the award by 2 points, 135 to Starnes' 133.

"It's exciting to win this award," said Aquino, who's from Woodland Hills, California. "I only completed seven races (because he turned 16 in May) and got top 10 in most of them. I knew everybody would be a lot better than me at first, but it worked out and was fun."

Aquino added that a big difference between the amateur and pro ranks was the motorcycle stunting intensity.

"I learned that in the pros, everybody up front is really aggressive, and I had to be aggressive to do well," he said. "You also have more confidence, though, because you know you're racing around people who know what they're doing, so close riding and aggressive riding isn't as dangerous."

Aquino had a successful amateur career before he made the leap to the pro ranks this year. Aquino was the 2007 WERA National Champion in the 600 Supersport class and finished second in 600 Superbike Expert last year.

Stoner wins home Australian MotoGP

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

For the second year in a row Casey Stoner his won at his home event, the Australian GP at Phillip Island. Last year's MotoGP champion started from pole and led every lap around the 4.445 km (2.762 miles) circuit. This year's title winner, Valentino Rossi, crashed in qualifying but was still able to move his way into second place. The Fiat Yamaha rider passed Nicky Hayden for the spot on the final lap. Hayden's third moved him up two places in the point standings.

Quick all weekend, Stoner was hungry for today's win. The Aussie shattered the track record to gain the top starting spot. In the race only Hayden could keep up, but eventually even the American fell six seconds away from the Ducati.

"This weekend has been a bit like the whole season - up and down! Thankfully it's finished on a high and it's a great feeling to win my home Grand Prix in front of all these wonderful fans, with my family here too," said Stoner. "That's largely down to the hard work of my team because we've had some issues with the bike here but today it felt great and I was able to push hard from the first lap. Sometimes at this track you can have the best pace but still get dragged into a battle but I was able to get away, even though Nicky chased me hard for a long time before eventually dropping off and giving me some breathing space. It's been a great year for me and even though we haven't won the title I feel proud of our achievements. If we can battle for the championship again next year that would be great but for now I'm just going to enjoy winning my home GP."

In contrast, Rossi had a terrible Saturday. The Italian looked quick during practice but a mistake in qualifying sent the Fiat Yamaha bike into the gravel. Rossi banged his head pretty good and wasn't able to place a competitive time before the end of the session. After a good night's rest the Doctor was ready to make up for his spill.

Starting twelfth on the grid the champ quickly dispatched a large chunk of the field before hanging onto the tail of his teammate, Jorge Lorenzo. Without losing his pace Rossi slipped past the sister Yamaha and then worked on James Toseland for third, the pair not giving an inch before Rossi finally made a pass stick. Rossi became a man possessed, with six seconds between himself and Hayden he gave his all to catch the Honda. When Hayden's rear tire faded away Rossi was able to make the pass on the final lap. Clearly Rossi won the hard charger award, gaining eleven positions on his quest for the best possible finish.

"That was a very exciting race for me, from start to finish!" smiled Rossi. "Unfortunately I made a small mistake yesterday and I paid a high price for it - both with my starting position and with my body! This morning my neck was okay but I had a lot of pain in my head, so I have to say thank you to Dr. Costa and the Clinica Mobile because they gave me a lot of massage and some medicine and I was in better shape for the race.

Stoner takes pole at his Australian home event

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Casey Stoner can only become the runner-up for this season's championship but the Australian isn't going to let anyone take away the win at his home event. A week after Valentino Rossi took the title in Japan the MotoGP series moved to a smaller island, Phillip Island, for the Australian GP.

In today's qualifying, Stoner went out as the session closed to grab pole away from Nicky Hayden, setting a new circuit record along the way. When the dust settled Jorge Lorenzo also managed to beat out Hayden for second place. In his own right Hayden's third is well earned. The American was also lightning quick, he set the first hot lap to break the old track record. All three drivers in the front row are separated less than a tenth of a second.

Doubts surrounded Stoner going into his home event. Many sideline tacticians were quick to speculate the 2007 champion's injured wrist is what made him lose to Rossi this season. Denying his old injury has anything to do with missing the title, the Aussie brushed aside all criticism and did what any professional rider does best, go faster than everyone else on the track. Tomorrow will be a challenging race for Stoner but it looks like the Ducati rider isn't worried, a win at his home race before his birthday is the extra juice needed to claim victory.

"This is actually the first time this season we've had three identical qualifying tyres and the first one ran out of grip in the final sequence of left-handers," explained Stoner. "With the last one I tried to preserve it a bit better by picking the bike up out of the corners earlier and even then it was do-or-die in those final three bends. I thought the lap time would be good enough for a front row start but we ended up on pole position so I'm surprised and extra happy today. This is my home race but there is no pressure on us and I just want to enjoy it. I hope the fans do too."

Lorenzo was an example of consistency today, earning him his seventh front row start of the season. Once the Fiat Yamaha team sorted out a dry weather setup, the Spaniard finished the morning practice third quickest. During qualifying the MotoGP rookie's pace increased every lap with his best and final a mere seven thousandths from Stoner. While a new comer to the premier class Lorenzo has a winning history here in 250cc.

"The weather was more complicated than it looked because the wind was very strong, but anyway my bike worked very well," said Lorenzo. "I am disappointed to miss out on the pole position by such a tiny amount but anyway I am happy to be on the front row and also to have such a good race pace. My rivals are fast too and we know that it is going to be a hard battle, but I am really looking forward to it. Yesterday we tried some practice starts, because this has been an issue for me lately, so now I hope I can get a good start tomorrow, stay at the front and try to fight. Thanks to my team and Michelin for getting us onto the front row again; the fourth race in a row!"

Australian MotoGP: Bridgestone Friday practice report

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Aussies lead the Bridgestone charge in wet and dry

Australian riders Casey Stoner and Chris Vermeulen were the top performing Bridgestone-shod riders in the opening two practice sessions for Sunday's Australian GP after a mixed day of weather conditions at Phillip Island.

Stoner led the way in this morning's dry and sunny session with a massive 0.670s advantage over his nearest challenger Fiat Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi. Rossi, who clinched the 2008 MotoGP crown with a win at Motegi last Sunday, was in turn three-tenths clear of San Carlo Honda Gresini man Alex De Angelis who completed an all-Bridgestone top three in the dry conditions.

As clouds gathered over the island, rain made yet another unwelcome visit to a MotoGP weekend this season in time for the afternoon practice session, which saw Chris Vermeulen take top Bridgestone rider honors in third position for Suzuki behind wet pace-setter Nicky Hayden and second-placed Andrea Dovizioso. It was very much a day of two halves but with six riders in the top ten in both sessions, Bridgestone's Australian GP preparations have started solidly.

The Phillip Island track is renowned for its technical complexity with the dominance of fast left-hand corners placing a firm emphasis on performance and durability on that side of the tire. Bridgestone hopes for improved track conditions for tomorrow's practice and qualifying session as it works to extract a performance level from its tires similar to that seen in last year's Australian event in which Ducati riders Casey Stoner and Loris Capirossi took a 1-2 finish.

Tyre Talk with Shinji Aoki - Bridgestone Motorsport - Assistant Manager, Motorcycle Race Tyre Development

What did Bridgestone look at in this morning's dry session?

"In this morning's dry session we got immediately to work looking at several different compounds for this track, and we could quickly find a good direction. This circuit is probably the most severe in the world for the left-hand side of the tire, so we must carry out some longer runs tomorrow to assess the durability. Today, the wear appearance from the motorcycle race tires was as expected but the heating process in the tire is different on non-consecutive runs. When the rider pits in, the tyre naturally starts to cool down, but when completing consecutive laps the heat is prolonged over a greater period of time and affects the tire much more. This is our main focus and challenge for this track, which is why an analysis over longer runs will be so important."

Are there any concerns over wet weather tire pace?

"The track's characteristics affect wet tires in exactly the same way as the slicks on the left-hand side of the tire. This afternoon, our wet weather tires generally need a few laps to reach the optimum temperature, but then showed a good level of consistency. We could of course try to find a better lap time by using softer specification wets, but we must consider the durability over the complete race distance. As typical for this season, the rain is following us wherever we go, but hopefully this will make way for better weather tomorrow and Sunday."

A look at eight-time champion Valentino Rossi

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Further information World Title Valentino Rossi

"I think it's difficult to say, but maybe this is even better than the first championship with Yamaha in 2004. In 2004 I arrived after three championships in a row; the change was very big and no one expected me to win then, not even us to be honest! But this year is great too because I didn't start as the number one favorite after losing for two years. The taste of this is something special.

"In 2006 I lost because of bad luck; I still won the most races and was the fastest on track for most of the time, but in 2007 Stoner was a lot faster than us and so we got to the end with a big of disadvantage. Winning this championship was very difficult but also very, very important.

"The decision to change to Bridgestone tires, which I took together with Jeremy, my team and all the Yamaha crew, was very important, as were the changes to the bike because the first 800cc M1 last year was not competitive enough. We spoke a lot during last season and I remember a strange meeting in Valencia last year, me with a broken hand, speaking with Furusawa about 2008. From then we started to work on the improvements for this season. It's also been important to have the right people in the right place and this year everything has been correct. It's been step-by-step.

"I think I have made a lot of good decisions this year and we have been competitive from the start. Qatar was the worst race of the season but I knew our potential was good so, although we were a bit worried at that point, we weren't desperate because we knew if we fixed a few problems we could try to win.

"I grew up a lot in the last two years, because at the end of 2005 I had a great career and I had won all the important targets so far. 125, 250 and then five titles in a row in MotoGP with two different bikes -- I felt unbeatable. But in 2006 and 2007 I learned to lose and this has been very important. I came out much stronger and my level of concentration and effort to win this championship has been higher than ever before.

"This season has had some different periods. At the beginning of the year we had some important results when Bridgestone wasn't the strongest: Jerez, Portugal and others, and in that period we took a big advantage from Stoner. After Barcelona Casey started to ride like a demon and dominated three races in a row, and then we went to Laguna which was the turning point of the season. Laguna was a real battle and from then on we have flown.

"The show after the race was one of my friends pretending to be a 'notary', signing and certificating the eighth championship 'deed'. It was very exciting to be planning the championship t-shirt and celebration once again with my friends and fan club and the one we came up with is funny I think, it says 'I'm sorry for the delay!'

"I am very content at Yamaha and this is why I signed for two more years. I had some good offers at other factories, but I already changed bike once and proved everything I wanted to and so there is no need to do that again. Also I am no longer 20 years old and I need a good atmosphere in my team in order to keep me focused and happy, and I have this at Yamaha. The atmosphere in our team, from the Japanese all the way down to the garage is fantastic and this is what makes me want to stay.

Rossi wins twice over, race and title both his in Japan

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Valentino Rossi clinched the 2008 MotoGP World Championship in total style at the Motegi circuit in Japan, his manufacturer's home track. The Doctor clinched his fifth consecutive win today, number 70 for his all time win record. The Fiat team and Yamaha can both proudly say they helped Rossi earn his sixth world title along with their own respective teams' and manufacturers' crowns. The Italian rider truly has become a legend from this generation of motorcycle racers.

Rossi started fourth on the grid and just needed to finish on the podium to wrap up this year's championship. His main rival, Casey Stoner was second and needed victory here to have any hopes of keeping his title chase mathematically possible. At the start it looked as if Stoner might get lucky when pole sitter Jorge Lorenzo slid down the order.

Meanwhile, Rossi dropped into fifth for a moment before putting his spurs on. He was soon past teammate Lorenzo and off after Dani Pedrosa and Stoner. Stoner's Ducati got around Pedrosa and Rossi quickly followed suit. The two rivals then engaged in their own personal battle at the front, a fitting visual representation to this season's epic fight between them.

By lap fourteen Rossi decided a podium wasn't good enough and flew past Stoner for the lead. By then the championship was already won but once Rossi is on a charge only a checkered flag can make him slow down. Stoner crossed the line next, two seconds behind. Pedrosa and Lorenzo were left to sort out third, and the pair of Spaniards fought hard, knowing precious points were at stake. Lorenzo made a bold move at the hairpin and almost collided with Pedrosa. The rookie lost enough ground trying to recover and Pedrosa was able to stretch out about one second over Lorenzo before the race was over, taking third place for himself and Honda.

Fittingly, Pedrosa is third in the championship while Lorenzo is fourth. Stoner will now have to fend off Pedrosa for second in this year's title; the gap is now only eleven points. But that's for later consideration, for now all eyes are on multiple-champ Rossi and the Fiat Yamaha team, 2008 World Champions in the sport's highest level of competition.

More to follow....

Lorenzo on Japan pole, Rossi close to sealing title

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Jorge Lorenzo, the Spanish rookie that turned so many heads in the first half of the MotoGP season has captured the Japanese GP pole position at Motegi, his first top spot since the Portuguese GP. Casey Stoner will start next to the Yamaha rider, fighting to keep his championship hopes alive. American Nicky Hayden completes the front row on the outside in third. Michelin and Bridgestone are both represented at the front. Yamaha and Honda's positions will make the Japanese crowd feel national pride, while Stoner's Ducati just couldn't help but add some Italian seasoning into the mix.

Fiat Yamaha rider Lorenzo lost momentum mid-season after a series of multiple crashes and injuries. Yet the youngster never gave up and today Lorenzo sends a clear message that he is ready to salvage this season. With the fastest time already his, the Spaniard went out one final moment to set a time of 1'45.543, breaking the track record by two-tenths of a second.

"I'm so happy for this pole position because this is how I started my season and it shows that we are returning to how we were," smiled Lorenzo. "It's the first pole since Portugal, when I won, and we have had a hard time since then until the last two podiums so this is a great satisfaction for me. I was able to ride so fast all day today, a big improvement from yesterday, and my Michelin tires worked so well all day so thank you to them. My team have done a great job to set the bike up and this is a fantastic qualifying for us. It's not the race so now we have to wait for tomorrow, but we're starting in the best place so I am looking forward to having a great race."

Ducati was looking fast on Friday and in the morning Stoner was able to find a tad more pace than Lorenzo but the Japanese manufacturer and young rider could not be denied the home pole. Even the local insects are out to keep an Italian bike from stealing the show, hitting Stoner's visor on his final hot lap in qualifying, wrecking his vision.

"For the race we're in quite good shape," explained Stoner. "We've still got a few things to improve for tomorrow but we're reasonably happy because we're running consistent lap times. I'm a little bit disappointed with qualifying. Of the three qualifying tires you always use the first one to try and get used to it and build from there but the second tire didn't work as we hoped and then on the third one I got a bug on my visor at the start of the lap! I couldn't get the rip-off visor off because I was trying to push but the bug distracted me and I couldn't see properly. It's a silly little thing but stuff just doesn't seem to be going for us at the moment! Anyway, second place is still good and tomorrow's another day. We're in good shape for the race and we'll do the best we can."

Japanese MotoGP: Bridgestone preview

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 06:00:00 GMT

The Twin Ring Motegi holds its tenth consecutive premier class motorcycle race this weekend, having made its debut on the calendar back in 1999. It is the only Japanese round of the championship and marks the home grand prix of many manufacturers, including tire supplier Bridgestone, whose technical centre is situated in Kodaira on the outskirts of Tokyo.

Bridgestone has a strong history of success at Motegi with three pole positions and four consecutive wins since 2004. Makoto Tamada took the first Bridgestone-shod Motegi win in 2004 aboard his Camel Honda, while Loris Capirossi has been the man to beat for the previous three seasons. He claimed the first ever Bridgestone-shod Ducati win at Motegi in 2005, laying an important milestone in Bridgestone's MotoGP history.

Capirossi was triumphant also the following year and in 2007 he led a Bridgestone 1-2-3 in a race that saw Casey Stoner secure the first ever championship title for Ducati and Bridgestone.Heading to this year's Motegi round, Valentino Rossi is at the helm of the championship with an 87-point cushion and in with a mathematical chance of taking the title with four race weekends still in hand.

Bridgestone will bring new rear construction and compounds to Motegi, tires that were tested with encouraging results in the post-Brno test, while harder compound front tires will also be made available to Bridgestone's riders, to combat the stop-go nature of the Motegi circuit. Bridgestone is supplying tires to 13 riders this weekend with the addition of Suzuki wildcard Kousuke Akiyoshi.

Hiroshi Yamada - Bridgestone Motorsport - Manager, Motorcycle Sports Unit

"The Japanese Grand Prix is a particularly important race for Bridgestone since our head office and technical centre are both located in Tokyo, so it is very much a home event for us. We have had some great results in recent years with four consecutive victories, including three in a row with Ducati and Loris, who has established himself as a real Motegi master. I will never forget the rush of emotions that we all experienced last year when Casey took the title, and for this reason Motegi will always have a special place in our MotoGP history. This year Valentino is in a commanding lead of the championship, so he also has a chance to take the title this weekend, but we must firmly focus on the race in hand. With such a high level of competition, success will not be automatically guaranteed this weekend, but we will enter the race weekend with the usual aim of providing our teams with tires capable of fighting at the front, with the ultimate goal of taking our fifth home win."

Tohru Ubukata - Bridgestone Motorsport - Manager, Race Tire Development

"Motegi is a high-grip, abrasive circuit with a particularly stop-go character. There are a lot of slower turns with medium length straights interlinking them, so there is a lot of emphasis on braking stability and acceleration out of the slower corners. We will be bringing new rear construction and new rear compound tires for Motegi based on data we obtained from the post-Brno test in August. The results from this test were quite promising and the new tires have been designed to give better edge grip, which will be beneficial to riders through these slower-speed corners. The stop-go nature of the course also demands a lot from the front tire, so we have had to prepare harder compound front tires for this purpose."

WSBK: Yamaha signs Cal Crutchlow for 2009

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Yamaha signs Cal Crutchlow for the 2009 World Supersport Team

The Yamaha World Supersport team has signed British Superbike rider Cal Crutchlow to partner Frenchman Fabien Foret for the 2009 World Supersport Championship. The 22yr old British rider is highly competitive and is no stranger to championship success.

In the current British Superbike Championship Crutchlow has scored a respectable ten podiums including two wins and three pole position starts. He is fourth in the standings on 265 points, chasing third place fellow Brit Tom Sykes, who also steps up to Yamaha next year as he joins the World Superbike team.

Crutchlow's career has been nurtured by Yamaha from the start, it was through The Virgin Mobile Yamaha R6 Cup that he first had the opportunity to showcase his talents, taking 2nd place in the 2003 competition, and getting the help up to premier British road racing, making it fitting that he now returns to the Yamaha family to continue developing his career. He moved on to race in the British Supersport Championship, finishing 10th in 2004 (Motorcycle Stunts), 3rd in 2005 and winning the championship in 2006. Championship wins have marked his career from the start, including 1st place in the 1999 UK Junior Challenge and 1st place in the 2001 Aprilia RS 125 Challenge.

Cal Crutchlow "I'm really looking forward to the experience. To go into what is in my eyes the top team in the World Supersport paddock and have the opportunity to challenge for a world title with Yamaha is very exciting. I'm really looking forward to next season, I can't wait!"

Wilco Zeelenberg (Yamaha World Supersport Team Manager) "We've been talking to many strong riders over the last couple of months and have beenfollowing Cal's progress this year in The British Superbike Championship, he's really impressed us. We're convinced that his riding style will suit our YZF R6 very well. He's a very good Supersport rider, we know that coming from Superbikes to Supersport riders don't have any issues with speed. The 2009 championship will be tough again and we have seen him prove on track that he is happy to get in the middle of the pack and fight for the win."

Utah MMP news on Noah Talley

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Local Supermoto Rider Invited to Red Bull Rookie Cup Tryouts

TOOELE VALLEY, UTAH (September 22, 2008) -- Noah Talley, a 13-year-old Supermoto racer from Elk Ridge, Utah, who is a regular competitor in the Plaza Cycle Utah Supermoto Championship at Miller Motorsports Park, has received a very prestigious invitation to participate in the Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup Tryouts next month.

Talley, who started riding in motocross at age 8, has been competing in Supermoto races for the past two years. He currently competes -- and is leading the points -- in the 450cc Intermediate, 250cc Expert and Asphalt Only classes in the Plaza Cycle Utah Supermoto Championship, in which he regularly competes against riders who are much older than he.

This year's Tryouts will take place October 4-6 at Barber Motorsports Park near Birmingham, Ala.

"It is an honor to have been chosen to participate in the Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup Tryouts," Talley said. "I'm really looking forward to seeing how I stack up against some of the best young riders in America, and I hope that I can make a big step up in my racing career."

Talley's task will be formidable, since the Rookies Cup is seeking road-racing talent and all of his experience has been in motocross and Supermoto motorcycle competition.

The Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup is a unique program for fostering motorcycle talent in promising young riders who compete on actual road racing circuits in front of raceday crowds, on identical bikes and under identical conditions. The program is designed to create a level playing field so that the best and the brightest emerge at the top and no young talent is overlooked due to a lack of financial resources or professional backing. Based on the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup in Europe, the AMA U.S. Rookies Cup focuses on seeking out North and South American racing talent between 13 and 17 years old.

For tickets or information regarding Miller Motorsports Park, call 435-277-RACE (7223) or visit the track's website at www.MillerMotorsportsPark.com.

WSBK Vallelunga: Series weekend summary

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Haga takes sensational double win at Vallelunga, Bayliss crashes out on last lap

Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia WSB) scored a sensational double win in the twelfth round of the HANNspree FIM Superbike World Championship at the Vallelunga circuit near Rome in front of 82,000 spectators. The Japanese rider, who hadn't won a race since Nurburgring, took the maximum points, while championship leader Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) wasted an opportunity to clinch his third title when he crashed out on the final lap of race 2, postponing the race for the title until Magny-Cours.

Race 1

Haga powered to his fifth win of the season, battling throughout the 24-lap race with an on-form Max Biaggi (Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati). The Italian tried everything to pass Haga but in the end had to settle for the runner-up slot. Third place went to Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia WSB), while Max Neukirchner (Alstare Suzuki) recovered from a poor start to grab fourth place from Carlos Checa (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) and Bayliss, who struggled after making a wrong choice of tyre. Seventh went to Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox), who ruined a good result in front of his home crowd with a poor start. Roberto Rolfo (Hannspree Honda Althea) stalled at the start but then was able to recover to finish eighth.

Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia WSB): "I'm really very happy because this weekend my feeling with the bike was very good even though on Friday I had a big crash, but no problem. Also my body is feeling much better now. It was quite a tough race, 24 laps here is very long and I had pressure from Max but my bike was good and thanks also to my team for the win."

Max Biaggi (Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati): "It was a nice race and a nice start and I tried to keep up with Haga in front and then when Corser arrived he was really trying hard. Then I got back to Nori, but he was riding very good and it was tough for me, I was always behind him, I couldn't attack because I lost too much time going out of the curve."

Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia WSB): "We made a change from the morning warm-up and the bike felt pretty good even though it was a bit of a gamble. In the infield section just before the last corner it jumped out of gear into neutral and I lost a bit of time. In the end I pushed as hard as I could to the two guys up front but it was too much to make up. I'm happy enough to get third because it's more points in the championship."

Race 2

After winning race 1 Haga then took the honors in the second encounter, but he had to work much harder this time around as Bayliss never let up for one instant. The race was decided at the hairpin on the final lap, when Troy crashed out at low speed. The Australian thus misses out on a chance to clinch the title with two rounds remaining, although now he needs just 21 points from the last four races to become champion for the third time...

Wet weather welcomes Yamaha riders to Rome

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Inclement weather was the backdrop of yet another opening day of WSS qualifying, as Broc Parkes (Yamaha World Supersport Team) and Eugene Laverty (Yamaha World Supersport Team) made their first qualifying times at Vallelunga.

Laverty set the 12th fastest time of the session relatively early, while Parkes built up confidence and speed to go 14th, despite the rain falling more heavily.

With the rest of the race weekend expected to be fully dry, warm and sunny, the team hopes to be able to move from a machine set-up based on their recent wet weather experiences at Donington to the strong base set-up they found in official tests at Vallelunga in July.

Massimo Roccoli (Yamaha Team Italia Lorenzini by Leoni) was only 17th fastest due to the rainy conditions and an early fall, while David Salom (Yamaha Spain World Supersport) went 31st. His team-mate Jason Crowe (Yamaha Spain World Supersport) was 27th.

Eugene Laverty (12th - 1'57.315 - Yamaha World Supersport Team)
"I was happy with the set-up in the wet and I set a quick time early on. Then it started hammering with rain and I didn't want to push too much. I should be dry tomorrow so I just wanted to set a decent time and find a good wet set-up just in case it is wet again. 12th position doesn't matter so much right now, because it should be dry and hopefully I will get some dry track time tomorrow before the second qualifying session. I just need some dry time on this bike! My injured foot caused me a bit of a problem in the morning but this afternoon we made some adjustments to my boot and now it is OK."

Broc Parkes (14th - 1'57.534 - Yamaha World Supersport Team)
"Today was OK. After Donington where we didn't do so well in the rain I had a lot better feeling with the bike here. It started to rain a lot harder near the end of the session but that's when I did my best lap, which shows we made progress. It will be dry tomorrow, so we will be looking forward to that. We have good dry information from our test here in the summer so it will be good to put that into action."

Road Race Grand Championships news

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 06:00:00 GMT

American Motorcyclist Association announces contingency, activities for AMA Sports Road Race Grand Championships

PICKERINGTON, Ohio--The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is pleased to announce numerous contingency commitments and additional off-track activities for the 2008 AMA Sports Road Race Grand Championships, set for September 19-21 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.

"The AMA Sports Road Race Grand Championships are more than just a race. It's an event, with something for everyone, whether they're competing on Mid-Ohio's world-class road course, enjoying the atmosphere of the racetrack or watching the racing action," said AMA Sports National Technical Manager Anthony Grilli.

The following companies have announced contingency payments for this year's event: Bridgestone, Dunlop, Michelin, Pirelli, Buell, Kawasaki and Suzuki. More companies are expected to be announced soon and they will be listed in the Racing section of www.AmericanMotorcyclist.com.

In addition to the action on the track, a Saturday night rider party will kick off approximately one half-hour after the day's last race. Complimentary pizza and beverages will be available for riders, crew, officials, friends and family.

Also, the @thletic Xpressions Communication Clinic will be offered at the AMA Sports Road Race Grand Championships. The clinic is a media skills development training program and is the same training provided to all athletes in the Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup. It will be held on the second floor of the Mid-Ohio Goodyear Tower on Friday, September 19 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Additional information is available by phone at (216) 244-1250 and also will be provided at the event.

Sanctioned by the AMA and run by the Championship Cup Series (CCS), the event will feature CCS classes, including youth classes. The program will operate under CCS rules and regulations, and CCS officials will be on hand to handle officiating duties.

To access a schedule and supplemental regulations for the AMA Sports Road Race Grand Championships, see the CCS website at www.ccsracing.us and the Racing section of www.AmericanMotorcyclist.com. Entries will still be accepted at the track as late as Friday morning.

To take in the exciting action at the event, race fans can purchase tickets from the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, either in person the day of the event or online at www.midohio.com.

Australian GP: Moto Australia announces wildcards

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Motorcycling Australia (MA) are happy to announce that five Australian riders have been granted wildcard entry into the 125cc MotoGP event to be held at Phillip Island from October 3 -- 5 2008.

Blake Leigh-Smith, Rhys Moller and Brad Gross have all been granted FMN wildcards by MA, while Jake Horne and Jed Metcher have been allocated wildcards from the FIM.

Leigh-Smith and Moller both competed at the 2007 MotoGP event, however neither made it past qualifying.

Leigh-Smith came off his bike on the opening lap of qualifying and was forced to witness the remainder of the 2007 event from the sidelines with a shoulder injury, while Moller missed out on qualifying for the final race after finishing more than seven and a half seconds behind the leading rider.

Aged 19, Moller is the oldest of the five riders and could prove to be a strong chance after recently recording a time of 1:42:50 in a club race on the Phillip Island circuit.

The wildcard entries are a fantastic opportunity to showcase young talent rising through the ranks of Australian motorcycle racing.

The event will provide the five riders with the chance to race at an international level in front of a passionate home crowd.

MA has not nominated any wildcard entries for the 250cc class of racing.

Toronto Motorcycle Show Gears Up For December

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Extreme Motorcyclists Jason Britton and Cody Ives to Appear

September 15, 2008 – Toronto, ON -- The Toronto Motorcycle Show, the Canadian motorcycle and ATV industries’ premier motorcycle, scooter and ATV event, announced today an exciting line-up of features and entertainment including the Extreme Globe stunt show featuring teenaged stunt riders Cody
and Kyle Ives. Extreme motorcyclist, Hollywood stunt rider and host of
“SuperBikes,” Jason Britton, will also be appearing at the show. The Toronto Motorcycle Show, one of seven Canadian motorcycle and ATV shows owned by the Motorcycle and Moped Industry Council (MMIC) and Canadian Off-Highway Distributors Council (COHV), will be held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre from Friday, December 12th until Sunday, December 14th, 2008.

“There are hundreds of thousands of Canadians who have a passion for riding, and with rising gas prices and the growing issues of traffic congestion and carbon emissions, there are even more people discovering the benefits of owning cost-efficient, fuel efficient and environmentally friendly two wheel vehicles like motorcycles and scooters,” said Darryl Bond, Show Manager.
“The Toronto Motorcycle Show is the industry-sanctioned official launch event for the MMIC’s seven city road show where their members will introduce their hottest new rides for the coming year.”

Bond added, “We are going extreme this year – we will feature the Extreme Globe stunt show, featuring Cody and Kyle Ives. We are also excited to have the amazing stunt motorcyclist Jason Britton, who will be available to talk to fans and sign autographs. Fans, riders and families have more things to see, hear and sit on at the show this year.”

Where: The Toronto Motorcycle Show

South Building, Metro Toronto Convention Centre

222 Bremner Boulevard

What: Extreme Globe: Three times a day, Cody and Kyle Ives will showcase their amazing motorcycle riding skills and defying gravity in the Extreme Globe steel cage. Cody, Kyle and their parents recently appeared as participants on the hit ABC Television reality series “Wife Swap” where Cody and Kyles “special talents” created some havoc for their host family.

Host of “SuperBikes” and Extreme Motorcyclist, Jason Britton: One of the most celebrated extreme stunt riders and Executive Director of 2Wheel Tuner Magazine, Jason Britton, will be available to talk to fans and sign autographs all weekend at the Parts Canada booth.

Yamaha Riding School for Kids: Yamaha Canada and Canadian Motorcycle Training Services present a free opportunity for kids aged 6 - 12 (certain conditions apply) to take a ride on the latest Yamaha TT-R off-road motorcycles.

Rossi sets winning record at wet maiden Indy race

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Valentino Rossi set two records at a wet and very windy Indianapolis Speedway today. The Italian won the inaugural race at the Brickyard and became the most winning rider in MotoGP history while doing so. The Doctor was tied with legendary Giacomo Agostini for most wins at 68 going into this weekend's event. Even the remains of Hurricane Ike couldn't stop Rossi from earning win 69.

"This is fantastic because it's been a long time since I won in the rain and even longer since I won four in a row!," beamed Rossi. "To win the first race here at Indianapolis is a great emotion and to beat Agostini's record is also incredible, now I hope my record will stand for 30 years like his! It was an amazing race and, once I was able to pass Stoner, I knew I had the chance to win so I pushed very hard. I had a great race with Nicky; he was really hard to pass so congratulations to him. When the wind and rain came it became very hard, I think I could have kept going for another eight laps okay but there were things flying through the air -- beer cans, plastic glasses -- so really I think it was the right decision to stop the race!

"Sincerely I don't think I've ever ridden in conditions like these and I was lucky because I was far in front and therefore didn't have to take any big risks. It's been a perfect weekend for us despite the weather because we made the pole position, the fastest lap and we won, so I want to congratulate my team once again for a fantastic job, today and all year. Also thanks to Bridgestone because my tyres were very good today. I've really enjoyed racing here in Indy and I am looking forward to coming back next year. Now we have a big advantage and it would be great to win the championship in Motegi, but it's not over yet so we will keep our concentration and keep working! Finally I want to dedicate this victory to my Grandfather Dario, who sadly died today at aged 82," added the Italian.

Speaking of the number 69, Nicky Hayden's Repsol Honda bearing that number lead a fair part of the race before it was cut short due to worsening conditions. The Kentucky Kid fought off Jorge Lorenzo in the final laps to score second place in front of his home crowd. Hayden started in a soft wet compound which launched him into the lead but as the track started to dry the tread pattern wore down. As the rain flared back up the Honda driver found himself just struggling to hold on with a bare rear tire.

"Man, it felt really good to be in the lead and I felt quite comfortable. It's been a long time," admitted Hayden. "I was thinking 'this only happens in the movies': your home race, missing the last two and coming back to win. I was able to stay focused but Valentino came past and he had a little more speed, especially in section three. Then when he touched the line onto the back straightaway I was able to make up a little more ground and I thought maybe I was okay. But when it started raining heavy I was in trouble because when it had dried I'd used up a lot of the left side of the tyre, so it got pretty gnarly with all the water.

"Sure, you dream about winning your home race, but honestly I shouldn't be too greedy with how things have been," continued the Repsol rider. "I'll take this second and enjoy it. I'd just like to say a big thanks to my team, all my guys, my friends, my family, everyone who's stuck with me through tough times. Also, thanks to Indy and everyone for making this race happen. It's a great feeling to be able to race so close to home, I enjoyed it."

Rossi takes inaugural Indianapolis pole

Sat, 13 Sep 2008 06:00:00 GMT

A dry day greeted the MotoGP riders at the Indianapolis Speedway, a change from yesterday's wet practice. The jury is still out if it was a turn for the better, grip levels switched; the older part of the circuit became green where the slippy new section from Friday was much better today. Valentino Rossi found the best away around the Indy infield, the points leader will start on pole for tomorrow's inaugural race. Casey Stoner's streak of poles was broken but the Aussie is still on the front row in second. Fiat Yamaha sees both of their riders at the top, Jorge Lorenzo will start third.

After the morning practice it was clear the usual suspects were back at the front, except Stoner who was a low seventeenth. The Ducati team lost some time sorting out a gremlin from the bike. All teams worked feverishly to find the right setup for the magic lap. With rain almost a certainty for tomorrow getting a good grid position could make the difference between victory and failure.

Rossi quickly found a dry track setup that suited his style and was able to fend off the pole from Stoner's last charge. The Doctor ended up less than a tenth of a second quicker than his rival. The pair will continue their fight for the title tomorrow. If Rossi wins then he will be the lone holder for the most wins in MotoGP history.

"I'm very happy to get the chance to ride on this circuit in the dry," said Rossi, "it's a great track and I had a lot of fun today. It's technical and difficult, which I like, and it seems to suit our bike and tires well. There are places to pass, especially turn one and turn ten, and the grip of the new asphalt is much better in the dry. If it's like this tomorrow, then we can have a great race! Unfortunately this seems unlikely so we will have to wait and see what the situation is tomorrow at race time. If it's 'normal' rain then we will be okay, if it's like yesterday then we have to take a decision all together about racing. I am really happy with the work we did today, we found a great setting for the qualifying tires this afternoon and I made some good laps, especially the last two. I knew I could try for 1'40 and I was able to do 40.7. Whatever the weather tomorrow, this pole position will be very important."

After Stoner and the Ducati team had the bike in working order the reigning champ pushed hard to equal the Yamaha in front of him. Stoner was the only other rider to break the 1'40 barrier, if he had more time in practice he might have been even faster.

Indianapolis MotoGP: Repsol Honda preview

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Dani Pedrosa makes his debut with his Bridgestone tires this weekend. Nicky Hayden, in front of his compatriots again, hopes to put in a good race after recovering from his injured right heel

The legendary track of Indianapolis in the USA, makes its first ever appearance in the World Motorcycling Championship calendar this weekend. A legendary circuit because of its oval shape, one which normally witnesses spectacular Nascar races, will this weekend be converted into the setting for the 2008 season" 13th race.

After this race in the USA the teams and riders will go to Japan in just a few weeks -- Motegi, then Australia -- Philip Island and Malaysia -- Sepang -- to bring the season to a climax in Valencia at the end of October.

Indianapolis will be a big challenge for the riders in the three categories, above all because of the peculiar characteristics of the American track, and because all the teams know absolutely nothing about it. It is located inside an oval, there are a couple of narrow, very slow curves that the riders will have to take special care on this weekend

This will be a very special weekend for two members of the Repsol Honda Team. Nicky Hayden will perform in front of his compatriots, in fact he will race the first time since he did so at the end of July at Laguna Seca. Since then an injury on his right foot while training on a supermotard bike has prevented him from riding in the Czech Republic GP and at Misano. For Dani Pedrosa the race in Indianapolis will be very important, since he will ride competitively with Bridgestone tyres for the first time, and it is probable that he will also use the new engine with pneumatic valves. The day of practice that the Repsol rider had at Misano with the new engine, on the Monday after the race, was very satisfactory and so everything points to Dani using this option at Indianapolis.

THE YOUNG REPSOL RIDERS, SEEKING A PODIUM FINISH IN AMERICA

Julian Simon in the Repsol KTM Team 250cc, as well as Esteve Rabat and Marc Marquez in the Repsol KTM 125cc team, will once again be seeking a podium finish at Indianapolis, something that has eluded the first two of them so far this season. Julian Simon, the rider in 250cc. has improved in the last few races and can see the podium clearer than ever, while young Marquez and Rabat, in the tough 125cc category, were both fighting for the podium positions in the recent San Marino GP.

Marquez finished 4th but Rabat was further back in Misano. The two previous motorcycle stunts riders saw how they were able to keep up with the fastest riders in the category in San Marino though. Marquez has already been on the podium this year; in his first season in the World Championship the young Repsol rider finished in third position, in the recent British GP.

Quotes

MotoGP

Dani Pedrosa

"Indianapolis will be a very important weekend for us, but it's hard to say much about the track because we know so little about it. My first test with Bridgestone went well. After leaving Misano we have worked with the data in order to make the best possible start at Indy.

We only have four hours of practice on a completely new circuit, with new tyres and a new machine, so we will have to work very hard to make sure we get the best out of the package on race day. I have heard that the track isn't very grippy and it seems like there are quite a few tight and slow corners, so handling of the machine will be important. Anyway, we will do our best as always. And it will be good to ride in front of the American fans after I had to pull out of the Laguna GP due to the injuries I got in Germany."

Indianapolis MotoGP: Bridgestone preview

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Bridgestone is hoping to continue its competitive run of form at this weekend's inaugural Indianapolis Grand Prix, the second race to be held on American soil this season.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a world renowned racing venue and has played host to a multitude of four-wheeled events over nearly a century, but this weekend's race opens a new chapter in the circuit's impressive history.

A two-day MotoGP test took place at the Speedway back in July for tire manufacturers to get to grips with the complex new 16-turn circuit layout and asphalt. The session was open to non- regular GP riders only, so Bridgestone worked alongside Niccolo' Canepa (Ducati), Olivier Jacque (Kawasaki), Ben Spies (Suzuki) and Wataru Yoshikawa (Yamaha) in order to obtain initial data.

It has been less than two months since MotoGP last visited the US. In the two races since Laguna Seca, Fiat Yamaha's Valentino Rossi has taken a maximum fifty points to extend his lead of the championship to 262 points. Ducati's Casey Stoner still retains second in the classification to keep two Bridgestone-shod riders at the head of the championship with five races of the season to go.

Bridgestone will supply a total of 13 riders this weekend with the addition of Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa and Rizla Suzuki wildcard Ben Spies. It will be Spies's third race of the season after replacing Loris Capirossi at Donington and participating as a wildcard at Laguna Seca. For Pedrosa, it will be his first race weekend using Bridgestone tyres after just one day of testing after Misano.

Hiroshi Yamada - Bridgestone Motorsport - Manager, Motorcycle Sport Unit

"We are all excited at going to Indianapolis for what promises to be a fantastic weekend of motorcycle racing. Bridgestone is very well acquainted with the Speedway from our four-wheeled racing activities, including Formula One and the IndyCar Series. We naturally hope that our success at the Speedway on four wheels continues on two wheels with the inaugural Indianapolis MotoGP this weekend. We have enjoyed a lot of success this season, in particular with Valentino and Casey who have taken ten victories between them, but our rivals took a notable step forward in Misano and will be looking to keep up that momentum. We will be supplying tires to 13 riders this weekend with our 11 regular riders joined by Ben Spies as a wildcard for Suzuki and Dani Pedrosa who will be making his debut race appearance on Bridgestone tires. It will be a learning curve for everybody but new circuits are always an enjoyable challenge and usually produce interesting and unexpected results."

MOTOGP SET TO MAKE HISTORIC DEBUT AT INDIANAPOLIS

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 06:00:00 GMT

On Friday 12th September, with an extended free practice session of an hour and a half, the MotoGP World Championship will take to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the very first time. The mere mention of the legendary venue, built back in 1909, stirs the passion of fans all over the world, who consider it a temple of speed and a theater of motorsport dreams made famous by the Indy 500-mile car race.

The popularity of MotoGP in the USA is on the rise and it is no coincidence that, alongside Spain and Italy, America is one of only three countries to host more than one Grand Prix over the course of the season. Circuit organizers are predicting weekend crowds of over 150,000, amongst which will be Ducatisti representing the 60 Ducati Clubs & Motorcycle Stunts across America. They will make their presence felt at Indy, taking over an entire grandstand to show their support for Casey Stoner and Marco Melandri

The Australian travels on the back of two disappointing races, in which he has once again demonstrated his undoubted speed but has been unable to turn it into a solid result. However, Stoner remains as competitive as ever and he is determined to prove it over the final five races of the season - starting at Indy.

Marco Melandri has shown improvements over the past few weekends and has set himself the target of a better starting position as he looks to consolidate his progress with a top race result this weekend.

LIVIO SUPPO, Ducati MotoGP Project Director

"Just to walk into the legendary Indy circuit for the first time will be a huge emotion. Casey has an incredible ability to adapt to new things so I think he can do really well on a circuit that is unknown to everybody. We're hoping that the problems he had with his wrist at Misano don't prevent him from riding at his maximum this weekend. Casey underwent a CAT scan last week, which showed that the scaphoid he fractured and had operated on back in 2003 has never completely healed. With the support of a pool of doctors over the next few weeks, Casey will decide if another operation is going to be necessary. Marco has improved his feeling with the Ducati over the past few races so I hope this trend continues until the end of the season."

CASEY STONER (Ducati MotoGP Team) 2nd overall on 187 points (-75)

"Obviously I'm not happy with the results of the last few races. We have proved that we are consistently fast but that clearly isn't enough. I know that I have got the support of a great team and a bike I have a great feeling with. I'm going to try to enjoy riding it over the final few races, which all take place at circuits I like a lot. I also have to think about the scaphoid that we thought had healed back in 2003 but is still giving me problems. For the time being I have to deal with it but we're talking to the doctors about what to do with it in the future. I can't wait to go back to America and race at Indianapolis, a circuit nobody knows but where I am sure our bike and tires will work just as well as they have done at the last few races."

MARCO MELANDRI (Ducati MotoGP Team) 14th overall on 48 points (-214)

Indianapolis MotoGP: Michelin preview

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Michelin's MotoGP crew travels to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway aiming to follow up its strong showing at the recent San Marino Grand Prix with another good result. At Misano three Michelin men finished in the top six, Jorge Lorenzo (Fiat Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin) taking a brilliant second place.

Indy will be a new challenge for the Michelin's MotoGP motorcycle riders. The historic ‘Brickyard circuit' has never hosted a motorcycle World Championship race, though the tyre companies got to know the track during an official two-day MotoGP test session on July 1 and 2. Testing restrictions forbid full-time MotoGP riders from taking part in such pre-event tests, so Michelin was represented by its test riders Erwan Nigon (Honda RC212V-Michelin) and William Costes (Yamaha YZR-M1-Michelin).

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a racetrack with a long and illustrious history. Indy opened for business in 1909 when the circuit was paved with bricks, hence the nickname. The venue is most famous for its speed oval car races, most notably the Indy 500, the world's biggest motorsport event, which is why the city has been christened ‘Racing Capital of the World' . The venue's first bike GP uses a new track layout constructed through the infield section that leads onto the oval's main straight where bikes will reach 320km/h, around 200mph.

Following Indy, MotoGP continues its out-of-Europe tour with trips to Japan, Malaysia and Australia before returning to the Continent for the season finale at Valencia, Spain, on October 26.

MICHELIN AND THE TECHNICAL CHALLENGE OF INDIANAPOLIS

"The Indy MotoGP circuit is unusual, with a fast main straight, heavy braking into the first turn and then a lot of slow corners," says Jean-Philippe Weber, Michelin's director of motorcycle racing. "As a MotoGP track it is very atypical and more complex than we expected. The Turn One fast left-hander isn't too grippy, so after the tests there were discussions about regrinding the surface but it was decided to leave the track unchanged.

WSBK Donington: Series qualifying report

Sat, 06 Sep 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Bayliss notches up sixth Superpole win of the year at Donington Park

Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox powered to his sixth Superpole of the year in the Bennetts European Round at Donington Park in a wet 50-minute, 12-lap session. For the Australian rider, who as a result wins the Alfa Romeo Superpole Award, it was his third Superpole in a row and the 24th in his career. Bayliss looked particularly quick in the final part of the 4.02 km circuit, and is certainly one of the candidates for the wins in tomorrow's eleventh round of the championship.

The only rider capable of matching Bayliss's performance was Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia WSB), but he crashed at the final hairpin on his quick lap right at the end and had to settle for eighth quickest time. Alongside Bayliss on the front row are the Hannspree Ten Kate Honda pairing of Brands Hatch winner Ryuichi Kiyonari and Carlos Checa.

Ruben Xaus (Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati) made a major improvement today to take the final front row grid slot, while wild-card James Ellison (Hydrex Bike Animal Honda) took the first place on row 2 ahead of Max Biaggi (Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati). The British wild-cards who had made all the running in the first two days were out of luck; Tom Sykes (Rizla Suzuki) crashed into the gravel, as did Cal Crutchlow (HM Plant Honda).

Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia WSB) could only manage a place on the third row, while Max Neukirchner (Alstare Suzuki), who has failed to shine so far this weekend, is one row behind.

Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox): "It's been a difficult situation this weekend, wet right from the start but for sure tomorrow it's going to be dry and that will throw a spanner into the works as far as tire choice goes! I'm very happy today, but these other guys were riding really hard, Kiyonari especially. I don't think anyone can match my poles this year so for sure it's nice to win an Alfa!"

Ryuichi Kiyonari (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda): "Today was very difficult conditions but we tried many different settings and finally I found a good one. For wet conditions we are OK but I do not know if it is dry. For me however, either is OK for tomorrow."

Carlos Checa (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda): "It was quite a hard job because today at Donington was not the best conditions, but we've been working quite well during the weekend and have got good settings for tomorrow if it is wet. We are very satisfied with the front row and quite ready and comfortable about these conditions tomorrow."

FIM Supersport World Championship

Matthieu Lagrive (Intermoto Czech Honda) will start the tenth round of the Supersport championship from pole position for the second race in a row following on from Brands Hatch. Next to the Frenchman will be Britain's Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda), who will be looking for his third win in a row tomorrow, Barry Veneman (RES Software Suzuki) of the Netherlands and Australian Joshua Brookes (Hannspree Stiggy Motorsport Honda). The difficult weather conditions brought forward a number of riders not usually seen at the front of the grid, in particular Belgium's Didier Van Keymeulen (RES Software Suzuki), Finland's Vesa Kallio (Benjan Honda) and South African Hudson Kennaugh (Raceways Yamaha)...

Capirossi and Vermeulen to continue with Suzuki

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Capirossi and Vermeulen to continue with Suzuki in 2009

Suzuki Motor Corporation are pleased to announce that Loris Capirossi and Chris Vermeulen have both agreed terms to continue riding for the Japanese company's MotoGP squad for a further season.

Capirossi joined Suzuki at the end of 2007 and has shown throughout the 2008 season that his energy and enthusiasm for racing are still as high as ever. Indeed, his desire to compete for Suzuki at the highest level of motorcycle racing has seen him race this season with serious injuries that would have side-lined many other riders. Capirossi's wealth of knowledge and experience has been invaluable to the development of the Suzuki GSV-R during this year, both in a racing and developmental role, and he is determined to turn Suzuki's 800cc prototype machine into a race-winning bike during the remainder of 2008 and through 2009.

Capirossi comes from Bologna in Italy and began Grand Prix racing in 1990. He has won World Championship titles in both the 125cc class (twice) and the 250cc categories. He still holds the record for becoming the youngest ever World Champion and also the record for the longest winning career in Grand Prix racing, a time-span of over 17 years from his first victory (125cc -- Great Britain, 1990) to his most recent (MotoGP -- Japan, 2007). He has also just broken the record for the most starts at Grand Prix events, an amazing 277 races. Capirossi has achieved 99 podiums and 41 pole positions in all categories throughout his career -- totals he is determined to add to whilst riding with Suzuki.

Vermeulen joined Suzuki at the Valencia test in 2005 -- having finished as runner-up in the World Superbike Championship that year -- and made his racing debut at Jerez in 2006. He achieved his first pole-position in Turkey that year and followed up with his debut podium in Suzuki colors at his home Grand Prix in Australia later that same season. Vermeulen then created history for Suzuki by becoming the first winner for the famous Japanese marque in the four-stroke era, when he raced to a stunning wet-weather victory at Le Mans in France in 2007 -- a season that also saw him take three further podiums, one pole-position and two front-row starts. So far in 2008 Vermeulen has had back-to-back podiums in Germany and America and currently sits in sixth place in the riders' championship.

Vermeulen hails from the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia. The 26-year-old Australian races with the crossed number seven on his bike, a number made famous by the late Suzuki great Barry Sheene. Vermeulen began road-racing in 1998 -- after winning a number of Dirt Track championships similar to motorcycle stunts-- where he was soon spotted by Sheene who persuaded Vermeulen to leave his home and race in the UK in 2000. Vermeulen spent two years racing Superstock and Supersport classes in Britain before moving to the World Supersport Championship, a title that he won in 2003. Since making the switch to MotoGP, Vermeulen has become a very popular member of the Suzuki team and a highly respected rider amongst his peers and fans alike.

Loris Capirossi:

"I am delighted to be staying with Suzuki for another season. I have really enjoyed my short time here and know we are making progress and can be on top again. The management has shown faith in me - even though I have not been at my best due to my injuries - and now I must start to re-pay them for their belief in me and to committing to me a further season. I have enjoyed working with Paul and my whole crew has been fantastic all season, whatever I have asked for they have delivered and they are probably the hardest working guys in the paddock. I still have unfinished business in MotoGP and on the Suzuki, I still have podiums, pole positions and race wins in me and I believe that I can achieve that with this team. I want to finish my career with Suzuki and I want to do that in style!"

Chris Vermeulen:

"I'm extremely happy to be staying with the Suzuki team, it is a factory and squad that I know well and respect enormously. Over the last three years there has been big progress with both the machine and with my level as a rider. Suzuki was my entry into Grand Prix racing, I have been here for three years and won a GP - and been on podium many times -- so I am really pleased to be continuing this relationship. I had offers from other teams, but I always felt that I wanted to stay with Suzuki if we could get the terms agreed so that everyone was happy. Luckily we were able to do that, so now I can get on with trying to win more races and help Suzuki get to a World Championship challenging level."

Bridgestone San Marino MotoGP debrief

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Q+A with Tohru Ubukata

The San Marino and Riviera di Rimini Grand Prix gave Fiat Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi his sixth race win of the season and third in a row as he extended his lead of the world championship to 262 points with just five races remaining. The win represented the 30th MotoGP victory on Bridgestone tires and took Rossi to 68 premier class triumphs, equaling Giacomo Agostini's record.

For the second race in a row, Alice Team's Toni Elias fought comfortably towards the front of field to claim a well deserved podium finish. His third place in Misano means that the Spaniard has taken 36 points from a possible 50 in the last two events.

It was a weekend of close competition for MotoGP's tyre manufacturers with a 50-50 split in both qualifying and the race. It was, however, Bridgestone-shod riders who took top honors with Rossi winning Sunday's race and Ducati's Casey Stoner storming to an impressive seventh straight pole position on Saturday afternoon.

Other notable performances from the Rizla Suzuki duo of Chris Vermeulen and Loris Capirossi made it another strong weekend for Bridgestone, but with such renewed competition from its rivals Bridgestone has vowed to continue its tyre development as the championship slowly edges towards its culmination.

Q+A with Tohru Ubukata - Bridgestone Motorsport - Manager Motorcycle Race Tyre Development

How was the San Marino and Riviera di Rimini GP from Bridgestone's point of view?

"It was a competitive weekend from a tire perspective with both manufacturers quite evenly matched over the entire weekend. From Friday practice, we could see that our rivals had returned to their usual high performance level, and there was a very balanced split on all three days of the weekend. Ambient and track temperatures were very high, more so than last year, so the consistency of the tires over the race distance was quite pleasing. Naturally, Valentino's win was an excellent result for us and our tenth win of the season, but our rivals were not far behind." Did you notice an improvement in qualifying tire performance?

"On the whole, we have been a bit behind in terms of qualifying results this season, even if Casey has taken pole for seven races in a row. Whenever he has a good feeling from his bike in race trim, he can usually find a similar competitiveness on qualifying tires. His race tire pace in Misano was so strong that his fastest lap on race tires in qualifying would still have been good enough for the second row. It was an exciting qualifying session and it was our strongest all round performance of the season with three riders in the top five, which will hopefully lead to further improvements in coming races."

Road Atlanta: Slednecks Racing race report

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Privateer Team, Slednecks Racing, Experiences a Tough Ending to what was Otherwise an Outstanding AMA Season

September 2, 2008, Braselton, Georgia: Slednecks Racing will end their debut AMA season a little early after a string of tough luck hit riders, Josh Galster and Misti Hurst.

During Sunday's AMA Supersport race at Road Atlanta, Galster suffered a bad crash that has left him with a severely broken wrist and left hand, as well as a fractured C2-vertebrae in his neck. Also known as a "hangman's fracture," this type of break in the neck could have easily resulted in full or partial paralysis.

Galster will be fitted with a halo to stabilize the neck before flying out to California where he will undergo surgery for his wrist and where they will make the final decision of whether or not to perform surgery on his neck. He is expected to make a complete recovery and is in good spirits. "I want to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers." He said. "People have been so supportive and awesome. Thanks."

The weekend was a difficult one for Galster who was in the running for the Rookie of the Year award. Chasing bike problems for the last three weekends in a row, the team spent most of the practice sessions working out the main issues and had little time left over to set up the bike and suspension before the start of the Supersport Race.

Qualifying in 28th position with a time of 1:32.4, Galster got a poor start and was left pushing his way through the pack when the race was red flagged due to a crash that involved several riders.

"The second start was much better." Said Galster. "I was feeling really good, the bike was running awesome and I was gaining on some guys." Galster dropped his times down to a 1:31.7 and was running as high up as 20th place when suddenly he lost the rear coming out of turn 5 and was launched high into the air.

"I flipped a bunch of times," He explained from the hospital, "people almost ran over me, and I jumped up and walked off the track, yelling at the corner workers and telling them NOT to red flag the race, that I would walk back to the pits. I knew my hand was bust because my ring finger was pointed to my thumb, and my neck hurt a bit. It wasn't until they did the CT Scan and X-Ray that I found out it was actually broken."

Galster's teammate Hurst, who withdrew from the race at VIR and was not in attendance at Road Atlanta due to unexpected circumstances, was relieved to hear that Josh was fairing OK. "I was watching the race on Live Timing when I saw that he went down. It is a helpless feeling to not know what is happening and I was on the phone immediately waiting to hear the news. I'm just glad that he is alright."

San Marino GP: Gresini Racing Misano test summary

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 06:00:00 GMT

NAKANO AND DE ANGELIS WORK ON BRIDGESTONE QUALIFERS AT MISANO TEST

Team San Carlo Honda Gresini were back on track at the Misano circuit yesterday for a test session with both riders, who concentrated principally on Bridgestone's qualifying tires.

Shinya Nakano completed 53 laps and was the faster of the two, ending the day second on the overall time sheets. The Japanese rider declared himself happy with the work done together with the team and after gathering plenty of data he is confident that the hard work will bear fruit in the next race at Indianapolis.

Alex De Angelis also worked closely with the motorcycle team and Bridgestone with the objective of improving his qualifying performances, an area he feels has plenty of room for improvement.

#56 Shinya Nakano (53 laps -- 1'35''446)

"Yesterday's work was focused on testing different types of qualifying tires and I'm happy because we've found the right direction to follow. I'm sure we've given Bridgestone useful information for the next Grand Prix. We had a few problems in the last race so we completed a few laps on a variety of race tires and the situation improved. Obviously we'll have to adapt our findings to the conditions we find in the USA for the race at Indianapolis but either way I'm sure the data we've gathered will help us to improve."

#15 Alex De Angelis (41 laps -- 1'36''120)

"Yesterday we focused on qualifying tires and practice starts because at the moment they are the two areas we need to improve on the most and where we need to work. I have to say that with regard to the tires Bridgestone gave us we found a better feeling and the bike performed better. We definitely have to keep working and I'm sure that the data we've given Bridgestone will allow them to come up with new material that should help us even more. I'm also happy with the practice starts -- they were probably my best of the season."

MotoGP:�Honda and Kawasaki make progress during Misano test sess

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa had an intensive day of testing at Misano today, making his debut with Bridgestone tyres and testing Honda’s pneumatic-valve RC212V. He enjoyed a positive feeling with the tyres and set a fast pace at the end of the day using the pneumatic-valve machine.

Pedrosa rode from 13.30 to 18.15, starting out with the spring-valve RCV that he used during the weekend’s San Marino GP. The Spaniard began the process of adjusting bike set-up to suit the Bridgestones and got on well with the tyres. He rode a best lap of 1m 35.555s, then later in the day switched to the pneumatic-valve RCV and clocked a 1m 34.652s, learning more about his new tyres and gaining valuable data for ongoing machine development. Conditions were once again hot and sunny, with ambient temperature at 34 degrees and track temperature at 42 degrees.

Pedrosa’s first day with Bridgestone was very encouraging. Now his team will analyse what they’ve learned today to prepare for the next MotoGP round at Indianapolis on September 12/13/14.

Dani Pedrosa, fastest lap: 1m 34.652s (81 laps)
“I’m happy starting this new challenge and I would like to thank Bridgestone. Today we also made an important step forward in developing the 2009 bike, but now my first priority is to be fully competitive again. Of course, there is a lot of work to do but I am determined to win again this year. Today we worked hard on bike set-up. The feeling with the new tyres on my RC212V is different, both for settings and for riding style, but I just tried to follow my feelings and adjust the set-up accordingly.

“Today was only the first day of this new challenge but I am happy. I also tested the pneumatic-valve engine. The engine character is different, the power delivery is a bit more aggressive, but the engine has some good points. I have no experience on this latest bike, so I had to test many new things today. This has been an important test. Now we will analyse all the data and we look forward to the next race at Indianapolis.”

Kazuhiko Yamano - Team Manager
“Today’s test session was important and Dani’s feeling with the Bridgestone tyres was positive. He started the session with the valve-spring engine and then switched to the pneumatic-valve engine. The character of these two bikes is different but Dani was faster with the pneumatic-valve engine, his lap times improved a lot. Of course, there are positive and negative points with the engine which we will now analyse.”
FREE PRACTICE LAP TIMES
1. Pedrosa (Spa-Honda) 1'3”652 (81 laps)
2. Nakano (Jap-Honda) 1'35”446 (53)
3. Hopkins (Usa-Kawasaki) 1'35”879 (70)
4. De Puniet (Fra-Honda) 1'35”972 (48)
5. West (Aus-Kawasaki) 1'36”101 (77)
6. De Angelis (Rsm-Honda) 1'36”120 (41)

KAWASAKI CONTINUES DEVELOPMENT AT MISANO

Kawasaki's John Hopkins and Anthony West (featured in motorcycle stunt clips) returned to the Misano circuit today for a one-day post-race test, to continue development of their upgraded Ninja ZX-RR race machines.

Hopkins was keen to make up for track time lost recently to his Assen and Brno injuries, and spent the five hours on track running through an extensive test programme, concentrating particularly on improving the front-end stability of his machine.

The 25-year-old Anglo-American worked mainly on enhancing his set-up to accommodate a newer specification Bridgestone front tyre option that many of the MotoGP front-runners now use. This brought a new direction for the team, but with only a short time out on track today, he will not be able to add it to his tyre allocation without further set-up development of his Ninja ZX-RR. The Kawasaki pilot spent the last few hours refining the chassis setting of his machine using his current tyre options, and ended the day confident of improvements.

Rossi wins, Stoner doesn't finish redux at Misano

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 06:00:00 GMT

This weekend's MotoGP San Marino GP at Misano proved that lightning can strike twice. Valentino Rossi took the win as Casey Stoner retired, eerily mirroring the Czech GP which was held two weeks ago. This time around Fiat Yamaha has a fantastic day, not only did their points leading driver take first, but rookie teammate Jorge Lorenzo returned to the podium in second place. Toni Elis made Alice Team proud by finishing in third place, scoring his second podium finish in as many races. Dani Pedrosa was fourth, he started sixth and at one time was in second before the Yamahas and Elis picked him off.

Rossi couldn't have asked for a better day. The Italian won at his home track and made the local fans go crazy in typical fashion. What wasn't typical was which race win this was in Rossi's career. This was his 68th victory in MotoGP, tying him for the most wins in the series with Giacomo Agostini, another Italian. One more win and Rossi will set the record and most likely will be immortalized as a Motorcycle legend.

"Today is a truly fantastic day," smiled Rossi, "and I can't believe that I have matched Agostini's record! He was one of my heroes so it's quite incredible to have made it to 68 wins. This was quite a difficult weekend for us from the start and there has been the added pressure of a home race, which makes it harder to concentrate because there is so much distraction!

"I got a good start but then Dani came past me very fast and I then lost a lot of time getting past him and had to take some big risks -- I had a big slide! Once I was past him I could see Casey, although I have to admit that today I wasn't as confident as I was in Brno that I could win. Anyway I kept pushing because it's not in my nature to ride for second place and I think it still could have been a battle; I was very fast once I found my rhythm. Then I saw Casey slide out. I'm sorry for him once again but this is very good for our championship so I am happy for our team.

"We have 75 points," reminded the Doctor, "which is a lot, but there are still five races and I will ride to win at every one, as I always have done throughout my career. Thanks to my fantastic Yamaha team, to Bridgestone and of course congratulations to Jorge as well, he kept pushing me today and I wasn't able to relax even for one minute! It is a great day for us all."

After his latest spill, which happned at Laguna Seca in America, Lorenzo had been slowly coming back up to speed. At one time this rookie was the points leader before multiple injuries from more than one race kept him down. The Spaniard never gave up and today's second tells Rossi and the rest of the riders that Lorenzo is back.

"Seeing the party Valentino's fans were making for him around the track today reminded me how much I want to start winning again," admitted Lorenzo, "but as a start this second place is fantastic for us! I lost some ground at the early on but then I took my rhythm, passed Dani and started to push, and then I kept pushing until the end. To be one and two on the podium again, like in Le Mans, is wonderful and after four months of problems I am enjoying this moment very much -- it's perfect. Since the Brno test and with the improvements that Michelin have made here my confidence has being going up all the time and my riding style has improved as well, so I want to say thank you to them. I hope the situation is the same at the next races, then we can continue to be strong like this. Thanks to all of my team and congratulations to Valentino and Toni."

The hand Stoner broke last year was bothering him here in Italy. The Ducati rider was on a mix of pain-killers and antibiotics for the weekend. Even feeling ill the Aussie was fastest on both Friday and Saturday. With another pole Stoner looked to finally end Rossi's winning streak. Unfortunately, the front got away from him and he was off into the gravel on lap six while he was in the lead. Rossi was closing in so the pressure was on and Stoner knew it. It was a bitter end to a strong weekend when the reigning champ watched Rossi drive off in the distance.

Stoner likes the top, takes San Marino GP pole

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Even with an old injury back to haunt him, Casey Stoner cannot be kept off the pole for the San Marino GP. The reigning MotoGP champ beat Valentino Rossi by half a second to earn his seventh consecutive pole. The rivalry between the two will stay intense as they fight off the front row. Joining them will be Jorge Lorenzo, the rookie is back to his fast ways after healing from his latest of multiple injuries.

Stoner has been fast all weekend and was the favorite for pole today. The Aussie did not disappoint, only needed two sets of qualifying shoes to lock down the top spot. His hand his causing him a great deal of discomfort but it's obviously not bad enough to restrain the red Ducati.

"The hand wasn't too much of a problem today although I didn't want to risk working it too hard," admitted Stoner. "There is a bit of bone floating around in there and when my wrist gets into a certain position in some of the corners the nerves get trapped and I get a shooting pain up my arm. I can deal with that though and we have an important job to do this weekend."

Amazing Stoner thinks he had more under him, "the lap time could have been better but all in all I'm delighted to be on pole again. It's going to be a long, tough race tomorrow but I'm looking forward to it."

This is Rossi's home track and the Italian tried his best to get pole. The bike wasn't suited for the hot and dry temperatures but throughout the day the Fiat Yamaha team dialed in his bike. By the end of qualifying Rossi had picked off his teammate for the second spot. The bike and the rider will no doubt be ready for an assault on Stoner. A few more precious points for Rossi and Stoner will be feeling miles away for the championship.

"This weather is amazing, but I think maybe it's better if you're at the beach than at the track; we're in the wrong place! I definitely prefer this to rain though so after the recent races, when we have never been sure about the weather, this is great," Rossi said. "I'm happy about our work because we did a good job with the qualifying tyres this afternoon and we were able to improve with each one, which is important."

Lorenzo is happy to be back to the front of the field. He was looking strong on his motorcycle for the whole session. What remains to be seen is if the Spaniard can keep the pace all full race distance before his injuries start complaining.

"It feels really good to be back on the front row again and I am very happy today," said Lorenzo. "It is clear that to stay with Stoner and Valentino is going to be very hard, but the important thing is that we have been able to compete with them today and we're in a good position to try again tomorrow. I'm still not thinking about results but I will just do my best, try to take a good rhythm and try to put on a good race for all the fans!"

The second row will be made up of Randy De Puniet for LCR Honda in fourth, Toni Elias qualified strongly for Alice Team again in fifth and Repsol Honda's Dani Pedrosa will start sixth. Pedrosa is third in the title hunt and used to being on the front row. Unfortunately his crash at the German GP has taken some wind from his sails.

Stoner sets searing pace in Misano practice

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Reigning motorcycle world champion Casey Stoner kick-started the San Marino and Riviera di Rimini Grand Prix in style on the opening day of action at the Misano World Circuit today, topping both free practice sessions and ending the day four-tenths-of-a-second quicker than his nearest challenger.

The Misano circuit has been slightly modified for this year's event, extending the overall lap to 4.226km. The new layout has rendered all existing lap records obsolete, but Stoner's best practice lap today was still just 0.2s slower than the fastest lap in last year's race, which he himself set.

The Ducati rider's best lap of 1m34.806s made him the only man to dip under the 1m35 mark today with Fiat Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi in second place and Rizla Suzuki's Loris Capirossi right behind in third.

Chris Vermeulen, who scored a podium at last year's Misano race, was in sixth place at the end of the day after another encouraging performance for the Rizla Suzuki team, while San Carlo Honda Gresini riders Alex de Angelis and Shinya Nakano set the eighth and ninth fastest times of the day.

Competition for the top positions is tough with five different teams represented in the top five in the combined practice standings and a closely-matched performance from both tyre manufacturers.

Tyre Talk with Tohru Ubukata - Bridgestone Motorsport - Manager, Motorcycle Race Tyre Development

Were you pleased with the performance in today's practice?

"We have had two trouble-free sessions with some excellent weather conditions, so it has been a positive day's work. I am quite pleased with the level of our tyre performance and happy to see such a close competition throughout the field. We knew from last year's event that we would have to work on improving some problems with graining and initial results today suggest this is less of an issue. The slight modifications to the track layout do not really affect tyre performance and we were able to have a solid day of work, following our usual method of tyre evaluation."

What tyres did Bridgestone evaluate over the day?

"We tested a range of compounds from soft, medium and hard tyres over the course of the day. We looked at harder compound tyres in this afternoon's session due to the higher track temperatures which reached over 40 degrees Celsius. Temperatures are similar to what we expected heading into this race weekend, but we hope to carry out longer runs tomorrow to assess the durability of our tyres. Casey has again shown a very competitive pace right from the start and there are other Bridgestone riders who have set good lap times today. A lot of riders set their quickest times towards the end of the afternoon session, and I am sure there is more performance to be found tomorrow."

Weather:
Session 1 / Dry - Air 28C, Track 30-35C (Bridgestone measurement)
Session 2 / Dry - Air 31C, Track 45C (Bridgestone measurement)

Road Atlanta: Round 11 doubleheader preview

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Suzuki Superbike Showdown presented by Rockstar

PICKERINGTON, Ohio - The AMA Superbike Championship heads to Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia on August 29-31 for the penultimate round of the 2008 season. The weekend could very well have the feel of a finale, due to the strong likelihood of one or more title races being decided a round early.

The AMA Superbikes first challenged Road Atlanta in June of 1980, where the legendary Eddie Lawson claimed the first win at the circuit. However, the venue didn't become a mainstay on the calendar until 1998 when it kicked off the current trend of weekend Superbike doubleheaders.

AMA SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY PARTS UNLIMITED

Post-Race Drama Following VIR
While Rockstar Makita Suzuki's Mat Mladin dominated on the track at VIRginia International Raceway, crossing the finish line first for the fifth and sixth consecutive races, the drama didn't end there.

Following the post-race technical inspection, Mladin's crankshaft was deemed illegal and he was disqualified, stripping him of two victories.

The six-time AMA Superbike champ has appealed the decision, the final outcome of which could play an extremely important role in series history. If denied, the Australian will not be in contention to claim a record-setting eight AMA Superbike race wins in a row at Road Atlanta, and even more importantly, it will pave the way for his teammate, Ben Spies, to clinch his third-straight AMA Superbike title with a safe ride on Saturday.

The Numbers
If Mladin's DQ stands, Spies needs just 12 points -- a 19th-place effort -- to lock up the crown. Should he manage that, he'll join Reg Pridmore, Fred Merkel, and Mladin as the only riders in AMA Superbike history to win three consecutive titles.

Even if Mladin's appeal is successful, Spies will still be solidly in control, although his road to the throne won't be quite as simple. He'd need to continue finishing in the top two in the season's final three races to assure him a third championship.

Road Matlanta
While Mladin has done his fair share of winning at just about every circuit the series has visited during his illustrious career, he has been particularly dominant at Road Atlanta. The former Cagiva 500GP pilot has won eight of the last nine Superbike races at the venue and 11 in all.

Suzuki has won the most recent ten AMA Superbike races at Road Atlanta.

However, two-time defending champion Spies has yet to claim a Superbike victory at the circuit -- a track he's logged many miles on over his career. Despite his strong title position, Spies claims he'll be out to change that this weekend. If he clinches the championship on Saturday, he'd be free to go all out on Sunday in his quest for the win.

After the Fact Double Podium
Yamaha Factory Racing's Eric Bostrom enjoyed his strongest outing of the season at VIR, crossing the line in fourth both times out. Those results got even stronger following the decision to disqualify Mladin, elevating the Californian's finishes to a pair of thirds, his first two (podium-less) podiums of the year on the YZF-R1 Superbike.

AMA PRO HONDA OILS SUPERSPORT CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY SHOEI

Another Shot at an Early Title
Graves Motorsports Yamaha's Ben Bostrom has been the leading player in the Pro Honda Oils Supersport title race all season long.

If he can score his seventh win of the season -- and do so in perfect fashion as he's done three times already this season -- Bostrom will put the pressure on second-ranked Erion Honda's Jake Zemke, who currently trails the Californian by 28 points (299-271). Zemke would need to finish on the podium in that case, otherwise Bostrom would already be celebrating his championship season by the time the series traveled back to one of his best tracks, Laguna Seca, for the season finale.

The Return of Hayes
While Bostrom and Zemke have been the headliners much of the season, Erion Honda's Josh Hayes reminded everyone why he won more races than any rider in the class last year, dominating the Supersport race at VIR. Another outing like that from the Mississippian could help keep his teammate in the points race for another weekend.

Herrin Back on the Box
Meanwhile, Bostrom may get some help of his own, as teammate Josh Herrin showed a return to form at VIR as well. The rising star finished third, his first podium since opening the year with three podium results, including a win at Barber Motorsports Park.

AMA FORMULA XTREME

On the Verge
While Zemke is just hoping to stay alive in Supersport, he's on the verge of his taking the Formula Xtreme title.

San Marino MotoGP: Bridgestone preview

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Misano was a frequent destination for premier class motorcycle racing in the 1980s and early 1990s with a total of ten events held at the venue until 1993. After a fourteen-year sojourn, MotoGP made a welcome return to the track last season at a new-look and extended circuit, in the guise of the San Marino and Riviera di Rimini Grand Prix.

Further modifications have been made to the circuit for this year's event which sees the track length increase from 4.180km to 4.226km, Misano's longest configuration yet. As a result, all existing circuit records, held by last year's winner Casey Stoner, will be invalidated by first practice on Friday.

Bridgestone had a highly competitive MotoGP debut at the Misano circuit last year with a sensational podium clean sweep and securing the top five positions in the 28-lap race.

Bridgestone heads to Misano this year following five consecutive wins on its tyres in Donington, Assen, Sachsenring, Laguna Seca and Brno with 12 podiums from a possible 15 taken by Bridgestone-shod stunt riders in the last five events.

With his win in Brno, Fiat Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi extended his grasp of the championship to 50 points with 150 left to play for, while last year's Misano victor Casey Stoner still holds second place.

Hiroshi Yamada - Bridgestone Motorsport - Manager, Motorcycle Sport Unit

"After the wet German race, the cool Laguna Seca weekend, and the resurfaced Brno, we now move to Misano which will hopefully be a more typical race weekend for everybody. Misano was anything but typical last year with extremely heavy rain that restricted track time on Friday, so I think we all hope for a fully dry weekend this year. We had a good first trip to Misano with Casey winning the race and the top five riders all on our tyres. However, success is not automatically transferable from one season to the next and I am sure our rivals will be back in contention this weekend. We carried out extensive tyre testing in the post-race test at Brno which will form the basis of our race preparations for the final six events of the year, and which we hope will help keep Bridgestone riders at the top of the championship by the end of the season."

Tohru Ubukata - Bridgestone Motorsport - Manager, Race Tyre Development

"The character of the asphalt at Misano is quite slippery, and we suffered from quite bad graining over longer runs in the race, so we have to accommodate for that this year by producing stronger tyres. The circuit itself has been extended slightly for this year's race with changes to the third corner which increase the overall lap slightly to 4.226km. This should not have any real effect on tyre performance. There are a lot of slow and tight corners, and the main straight is also not too long, so the focus will be on finding good braking stability and traction over the lap. We will bring updated race specification tyres to Misano with compound adjustments made to counter the demands of the track. We also have new qualifying tyres for this weekend in a bid to get our riders as high up the grid as possible, since overtaking is not particularly easy at Misano."

BSB: Bike Animal Cadwell qualifying report

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 06:00:00 GMT

SIXTH ROW START FOR MARTIN AT CADWELL AS ELLISON WITHDRAWS

Hydrex Bike Animal Honda riders James Ellison and Guy Martin qualified in sixteenth and seventeenth place respectively following on today's historic new F1 style knock-out qualifying at round nine of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship held at Cadwell Park today.

Now segregated into three qualifying sessions, the pair made it into Q2 but couldn't progress any further for various reasons.

Ellison, who has scored in every round of the Championship to date had been previously injured in a training accident and was suffering with torn ligaments in his right wrist meaning he spent a minimal amount of time on the Shaun Muir Racing Honda Fireblade and despite bravely battling on, had to settle for sixteenth at the end of the session.

Meanwhile Guy Martin showed a resurgence of short circuit form to qualify for Q2 and at one point was running on the verges of the final ten Q1 positions, but by the end of the session he had slipped to seventeenth and will line up on the sixth row of the grid.

However, Ellison will take no further part in the weekend's proceedings as he has been declared unfit to race so will now concentrate on getting fit for the next round at Croft in three week's time.

Ellison's withdrawal now means that Martin is left to uphold honour whereby the rider from nearby Kirmington is hoping to impress at his local circuit.

In the Metzeler Superstock 1000cc category, Kieran Clarke qualified 21st for tomorrow's race whereby he will be looking to add to his points tally from his last two outings.

James Ellison: "I injured my hand when I was training in Spain last week and whereas I thought it would be OK, having ridden the bike around a demanding track as Cadwell, it's proving to be a bit of a problem and it's just getting worse and worse. I wanted to get into the top ten and then I could have made a decision tomorrow. But really the only way I can get ready for Croft is by resting it and hopefully it should be healed in around 7 to 10 days. I have to think about the rest of the season, and I'm chasing third in the Championship so I don't really want to miss a round, it's just really disappointing. The guys in the team have worked so hard and I'm just disappointed for them too."

Guy Martin: "The weather hasn't helped the job, I've still got loads of harvesting to do and my combine blew up last night! I'm happy on the bike side of things though. We're at the point where we're making just a little change each time and we're getting faster each time so it's building my confidence up with the team and with the bike. We're finding that the settings are more like a TT stunt bike now. I don't think we'd be cheeky in asking for a couple of top ten places tomorrow, that would be mint."

Shaun Muir (Team Owner): "We have taken the decision to withdraw James so he won't be riding tomorrow so I'm just disappointed really, especially for the team who have all worked so hard. BSB is our priority so we need to consider the bigger picture and get James back up to full fitness in time for Croft. We need Guy to pull a rabbit out of the bag for us now so we're looking for him to score a good result for us, like we are Kieran in the Superstock race."

The first of the two 18-lap Bennetts British Superbike races gets underway at 1.45pm on Sunday with the second at 4.30pm. The Metzeler Superstock 1000 race is scheduled for 5.20pm. The British Eurosport 2 live broadcast window is 1.30pm to 6.30pm.

JiR Team Scot interview with Pietro Caprara Part 2

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 06:00:00 GMT

The concluding part of the Pietro Caprara interview - Chief Technician for JiR Team Scot in MotoGP and Andrea Dovizioso's crew chief - addresses topics such as what work goes on in the pits and how the bike is set up in testing and practice.

What has the transition from 990cc to 800cc been like?

"With the advent of the 990cc machines, this was initially greeted with many uncertainties related to the competitiveness of the machines, but soon we saw an escalation of the dizzying performance, which led to a reduction in engine capacity - all in the name of safety of the riders, as the power looked as if it was going to be difficult to manage. Since the switch, you watch the stopwatch and now the times are equaling the 990cc machines, but the intervention of important electronics has helped here. Security and safety is a factor to which the team, riders, Dorna and IRTA have given more and more attention."

Engine, tires and suspension are the three parameters that must be balanced with each other to the needs of the riders. Can you identify a priority among these elements?

"Certainly suspension and tires hold a crucial role and must work in 'balance', with each other. And - particularly in the light of the benefits that we have with today's tires - the set up of the bike has to be made very carefully. It is no less important the role of an engine, but with the advent of the four-strokes, the electronic management is the core in order to maximize the performance of the bike tires and suspension."

We often hear that there is no such thing as the perfect bike, but instead a rider must adapt to the machine to influence the results.

"Yes, it's true, but you can reach a good final compromise. In general we try to develop a balanced motorcycle, whose base is exploitable on all circuits. For sure, it is better to have a bike, which is adaptable, than one, which gives 100% but only under certain conditions. A rider of talent is an element that integrates into this context and he may be able to cover any gaps in the bike and ride around problems."

During practice, in the final twenty minutes riders are battling together and locked in the frenzy of using qualifying tires. In just one lap the rider must give his maximum. How do you adapt the bike for this and how much comes from the rider himself?

"The preparation of the bike does not change too much, as you might think, with regard to the overall geometry of the bike. The suspension is used as it would be for the race, but possibly 'hardened' up a little to exploit the qualifying tire a little more, which is only usable for one lap, sometimes only a lap and a half. Instead, it's more the rider who tends to change his style of riding to exploit the increased grip, which is often disproportionate to the rubber used in the race. Think about it, if in any corner the rider can make up a tenth of a second on qualifying rubber and the circuit has ten corners, then a perfect lap would mean you're a whole second faster. The rider who can better exploit this advantage of qualifying tires takes pole - in theory!"

JiR Team Scot interview with Pietro Caprara Part 1

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Pietro Caprara, born in 1967, is the Chief Technician of JiR Team Scot in MotoGP. He has extensive experience in world competition, which began in 1996 with the Yamaha YZR500 in the Blue Riband class before moving to MotoGP with Team Yamaha and then Aprilia where he spent three years in the 250cc category.

His extensive experience makes for an interesting interview as to how things have changed over the years from 500cc two-strokes to the MotoGP four-strokes and what a technician can do to put their rider in a position to win.

Pietro Caprara
Chief Technician, JiR Team Scot

Since the mid-seventies, two-strokes dominated the 500 class, before the four-strokes came along at the end of 2001. What are the characteristics and differences between the two technologies?

"The differences between the two types of motors have both construction implications and mechanical, environmental, how the motorcycle is driven, as well as construction and maintenance cost issues. Mechanically the two-stroke engine is simple, the piston, with its alternating motion, opens and closes the ports of the intake and exhaust from which the mixture of air/petrol and oil and exhaust gases enters and leaves.

In comparison, the four-stroke motor is complex and heavier than its two-stroke equivalent. The upper part of the engine is the 'head', which holds the intake and exhaust valves, driven by camshafts. Engine power comes from petrol shot into the engine via injectors.

The lubrication of the two-strokes engine, crankshaft and connecting rods, is entrusted to the fuel. The power is normally governed by a carburetor that has a mechanical operation typically controlled by the depression created by the movement of the piston.

The lubrication of the various mechanisms of the four-strokes is entrusted to oil and this can be collected in a reservoir, built in the lower part of the engine called a sump, which can either be a �dry' or �wet' sump depending on whether the oil is collected in a separate tank."

How have these differences changed the way you work in the pit garage?

"The maintenance and alteration of a two-stroke is very different from a four-stroke and can be carried out completely in the field, given the simple nature of its construction. Historically these changes used to be made by the team, even in satellite squads.

The maintenance of the four-stroke is complex and only factory technicians are entrusted to work on the engine, while mechanics from satellite teams are only allowed to do maintenance that doesn't involve opening up the engines."

So, with these two very different technological characteristics with these powerplants, what are the different feelings for the rider using them?

"The peculiarity of the two-stroke engine, in principle, is that it produces very little torque low down in the rev range but lots at high revs. In 500ccGPs maximum torque was very close to that of maximum power on the rev counter, but in modern MotoGP the release of both torque and power is more linear and more progressive and so is more exploitable and has wider powerband than that of a two-stroke. To give the two-stroke more flexibility exhaust powervalves were adopted to broaden where the power and torque came in, giving more drive when you opened the gas. The differences on the track were that riding the two-strokes smoothness on the throttle and through the corner was the best way to ride and the bike had almost no engine braking and the weight of the machine was lower too. In MotoGP you can break the smooth trajectory through the corner as you've so much torque and power, you can accelerate away out of the turn. With a 500, the acceleration phase was the most delicate operation, because the violence with which the power came in meant that rider error would lead to sudden loss of adhesion of the rear tyre and a subsequent classic high-side. The two-stroke motorcycles required sensitivity from the rider: especially on the throttle. With the four-strokes, the relatively large amount of power is offset by the electronic management and traction control system. This year for example, beginners in the MotoGP class coming from the 250cc two-stroke category have adapted quickly, getting good results in the race, although they are generally the riders who have been the best in the category they have just left."

AMA Toyota Motocross Enters Penultimate Round in Southwick

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 06:00:00 GMT

AMA Toyota Motocross Championship Heads to New England for Kicker Audio Southwick Motocross National

SOUTHWICK, Mass. (August 19, 2008) -- Motocross 338, New England's pro motocross facility, welcomes the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship Presented by FMF for the penultimate round of the 2008 season with the Kicker Audio Southwick Motocross National. On August 23-24, the world's best riders will tackle the "Sandbox" for round 11 of the 12-race championship.

Moving from its traditional mid-season date, the circuit's only sand track will present new challenges for the competitors with weather conditions expected to be at their warmest ever. Since hosting its first AMA Pro National in 1976, Motocross 338 has seen many of the sports greatest riders grace the winners circle. However, no rider has been more dominant at Southwick than Ricky Carmichael, whose nine overall victories are five more than any other rider. For the first time since 1999, a new face will sit atop the podium.

Monster Energy Kawasaki's James Stewart and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto have been the men to beat in the AMA Motocross and AMA Motocross Lites classes and both riders clinched their respective championships last weekend in Millville, Minn. For Stewart, it was his first career AMA Motocross title while Villopoto claimed AMA Motocross Lites crown number three. Heading into Southwick, Stewart is just four moto wins away from being the second rider in history to complete a perfect season while Rockstar/Makita Suzuki's Ryan Dungey guns for his third consecutive victory in AMA Motocross Lites.

Track manager Ralph Pittello has made significant strides to make the 2008 event at Southwick available to more fans, expanding the track's VIP area as well as adding a large, yet limited number of bleacher seating free for those in attendance.

In addition to the excitement of the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship, the AMA/WMA Women's National Motocross Championship Presented by Kawasaki competes in round five of its six-race season. Points leader Ashley Fiolek will lead the way while Massachusetts local Katlyn Crowley will have the hometown crowd on her side.

KAWASAKI DEVELOPMENT CONTINUES AT BRNO

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 06:00:00 GMT

The Kawasaki Racing Team brought to a conclusion a successful two-day test at the Brno circuit today, where perfect testing conditions allowed Anthony West and Olivier Jacque to work their way through an intensive evaluation programme aboard their Ninja ZX-RR machines.

As Kawasaki's test and development rider, it was Jacque who shouldered most of the testing duties over the course of the two days. The former 250cc world champion completed a total of 87 laps of the 5.403km Brno circuit, as he worked with his crew to further refine the same upgrades on his Ninja ZX-RR that helped West to a career best fifth place finish in Sunday's Czech Republic Grand Prix.

The two Kawasaki pilots also evaluated chassis settings which, when combined with a different front tyre option to that run by both West and Hopkins in Sunday's race, gave both riders improved feeling from, and more confidence in, the front end of their Ninja ZX-RR machines.

John Hopkins made a brief appearance on track during the first day of testing, but decided to sit out the remainder of the test after struggling with a minor, but painful, injury sustained in a practice crash on Friday. The 26-year-old Anglo-American displaced an intercostal muscle in his rib cage (often happens doing motorcycle stunts), which was affecting his breathing on the bike.

With Misano just ten days away, it was decided that Hopkins would withdraw from the test in order to give him maximum recovery time ahead of the next race.

Anthony West - #13 - 65 Laps - 1'59.010

"I didn't test yesterday because Olivier was evaluating various different parts on my machine, however we have managed to achieve quite a lot during today's track time. We focused mainly on setting up the bike to suit a front tyre option that we've not used so much but has been put to good use by a few other Bridgestone riders recently. Previously we've not been able to make this tire work effectively, but with the changes in chassis set-up we've made, it is now a viable option for us to use. In the race this weekend I had to push hard every lap to be fast, but with the advances we've made at this test, the bike feels much more rideable. I'm now really looking forward to furthering our improvements next time out."

Jacque - #19 - 87 Laps - 1'58.483

"The last two days have been very useful to us and we've gathered a lot of data. We firstly worked with our base chassis setting to see where we could make adjustments to improve the stability and balance of the machine. We also had a new swing-arm and some electronic components to test today, which have both brought interesting results. This track is quite grippy so it's difficult to see exactly where this puts us with regards to some of the other circuits, but I am confident that we've made many forward steps. We now need to spend time reviewing the data to assess fully everything we've evaluated in the last two days."

Ducati Brno Test Notes

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 06:00:00 GMT

DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM STAY AT BRNO FOR FIRST DAY OF TESTS

The Ducati Marlboro Team completed the first of two days of post-race testing today at the Brno circuit in the Czech Republic, with the warm sunshine returning to make for much higher temperatures than during the Grand Prix weekend.

Casey Stoner completed 55 laps on race tyres, carrying out a variety of positive set-up and tyre tests and maintaining a consistently quick pace - well inside the circuit record he set in Sunday's race.

Marco Melandri also worked on his set-up, completing 71 laps as he looked to continue improving the feeling with his machine as he has done over the past few races.

Casey Stoner (Ducati Marlboro Team): 1'56.261 (race tires)

"It has been a really positive day. We didn't have too much to test - a couple of new tyres and that's about it - but we managed to find a new setting to improve on what was already a very good situation. I managed to drop my lap times by almost a second on yesterday and that's really positive. Unfortunately my physical condition on Friday and the rain on Saturday meant that we didn't head into the race in the best possible shape. In any case I'm happy because the things we've improved today will be useful for the upcoming races. Hopefully the weather's good to us again tomorrow so we can finish the job off with Bridgestone"

Marco Melandri (Ducati Marlboro Team) 1'58.325: (race tyres)

"Today we worked mainly on trying to understand why I struggled so much at the start of the race yesterday. My pace hasn't been particularly fast but I'm happy that it was consistent on both new and used tyres. We've taken a step forward and we'll work hard tomorrow to take another one. We'll probably modify the weight distribution a little to improve the overall feeling. We're working well and I can say that today has been a good day of tests."

Rossi wins Czech MotoGP, Stoner doesn't finish

Sun, 17 Aug 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Valentino Rossi walked away stronger than ever with victory at this weekend's Czech GP ar Brno. Casey Stoner, Rossi's main rival for the title, was leading the race when he went off into the gravel. Stoner is now fifty championship points down on the Italian. Second instead went to Toni Elias, Alice Team's best finish so far. Rizla Suzuki's Loris Capirossi rounded out the podium places.

Rossi is now one race away from Giacomo Agostini's record of all time wins in the MotoGP. With five races to go and the streak the Italian seems to be on this record might become his before the season is over. Rossi and Stoner were running away from the rest of the field when Stoner went off the track, giving Rossi's Fiat Yamaha a clean and clear path to the checkered flag.

"I lost about half a second getting past Hopkins at the start and Casey was incredibly fast at that stage," explained Rossi, "like he'd already done ten laps! For a short time I was worried but then, after two laps, I understood that my bike was working very well and that I was fast enough to try to catch him. I had closed a little bit already and gradually the red bike was becoming a bit bigger in front of me, and I think this is when he started to push harder and made his mistake. I was anticipating a very hard battle if I did catch him, so when I saw the red bike slide out I could hardly believe it - this made things a lot easier for me! After that I just enjoyed riding my bike; my Bridgestone tyres worked very well until the end and my M1 felt very good.

"Of course I can't count this as a complete victory because Casey fell, and I am sorry for him, but this is racing and I have to be happy with this result. We are 50 points clear which is a lot and I am very excited to be going to Misano in this situation. However we know that 50 points is still not always enough when you have someone as strong as Casey and so we won't relax," added the Italian.

Fifty points certainly is a lot of ground to make up with only five races to go. Stoner was strong the entire weekend and the crash was uncharacteristic of the reigning champ. In fact, Stoner had finished the last thirty consecutive races, ever since he started with Ducati Motorcycles in 2007. The streak ended here today, and so might have his hopes for a back-to-back championship.

"The crash came out of the blue, that corner was an easy one but I lost the front and it happened very quickly, very suddenly and I didn't manage to save it," admitted Stoner. "It's a hard one to explain and we will look at the data but sometimes this kind of crash happens at this level of racing and it was my mistake! We knew that we needed to win this race - and more - in order to close down Valentino's advantage so this makes the championship very difficult for us. Anything can happen in racing but fifty points is a big gap against such a strong and consistent competitor. Anyway I never throw in the towel, nor does anybody at Ducati, and we will keep fighting until the end. Misano is a home race for the factory and there will be lots of Ducatisti there, so my main thought now is to stay positive and bounce back with a good show for them in two weeks' time."

Stoner claims sixth consecutive pole at Brno

Sat, 16 Aug 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Rain and feeling sick couldn't keep Casey Stoner away from grabbing his sixth consecutive pole. The Ducati worked perfectly in combination with the Bridgestone tires to put the reigning champ right where he wanted to be for the Czech GP. His chief rival, Valentino Rossi, was a full second off Stoner's pace, and the rest of the top ten were separate by just tenths of a second. Lining up on the outside of the front row will be John Hopkins, a great recovery from his injury a few races ago.

"We went out at the start and tried to basically put a good few laps together because we still didn't really know what weather was going to do," explained Stoner. "It looked like it might clear up but it actually did the opposite. I still wasn't totally happy with the set-up so I came in to make some changes but when we went back out there was two or three inches of standing water in some places and the bike was aquaplaning everywhere. We knew that as long as the rain kept coming as it did then nobody was going to be able to go much quicker because the track conditions were so difficult.

"The points are not dished out until tomorrow and anything can happen," added the Aussie, "especially in the wet, so we'll just stay focused, stay relaxed, and hope the weather stays dry!"

Rossi dodged the accumulating puddles on his Fiat Yamaha around to score another front row start. In the morning the Italian was only fifth fastest on the damp track but things looked better has the weather looked worse. The session was effectively over half-way when standing water made it impossible to improve.

"I hope that we are in good shape for tomorrow," said Rossi, "if it's wet or dry. For sure though, like everyone else, I hope it will be dry because the conditions today were really terrible! After twenty minutes this afternoon there was too much water and it was impossible to improve the setting of the bike or the time, so I am glad I was able to do some good laps at the beginning. I think I can be more competitive in the dry, because also we have a few modifications to try, so hopefully it will be dry all day tomorrow to give us the best chance. Let's keep hoping and see how we go!"

Tomorrow calls for the chance of more rain which can play into Rossi's favor even though wants a dry track. Stoner isn't feeling well and a full race distance might be too much for him. Rossi, on the other hand, is feeling 100% for tomorrow's race at Brno.

The American rider John Hopkins had to sit out his home race at Leguna Seca before the short summer break. Now he is back and looking to make up some lost ground but his knee is still sore after the surgery. Hopkins took a chance that the weather was going to get worse and headed out with soft tire on his Kawasaki to set fast times right away. His tactic was the right one and put him on the front row for the first time since 2007.

An ill Stoner stays fast for Czech MotoGP

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 06:00:00 GMT

After a bit of a summer break the MotoGP riders have crossed the pond back to Europe to try their hand at the newly resurfaced Brno circuit for the Czech GP. A few riders used the time off to mend broken bones and sore joints, trying to get ready for the back-half of the season. All teams took the time to test and evolve their bikes, with the season this competitive no one can afford a lazy summer day.

Rain clouds loomed overhead as the bikes took to the track, their tire evaluations would have to be completed as fast as possible before the rain made it impractical to collect any worthwhile data. More showers are forecasted tomorrow during qualifying. Proper setups will be hard to come by; the team that's quick on their feet will gain the upper hand.

For today the two top riders were not surprisingly Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner. The rivals traded fast laps with Stoner setting the better time in the second practice. Rossi was quickest in the morning and a mere tenth of the Aussie's afternoon fast lap. Stoner isn't feeling well this weekend but that hasn't stopped him from pushing his Ducati hard to keep Rossi behind him. Yet not everything looks good for the reigning champ, he is having a hard time staying out for long periods of time, his race pace will suffer if he can't keep his strength the full distance.

"Unfortunately I've not been feeling well for a few days and I felt very weak today - I even felt sapped of energy just putting my gloves on. I can deal with a bit of tiredness but this afternoon I could only ride a handful of laps before I started to feel cramps in my stomach," explained Stoner. "The guys improved the bike every time I came in so it was frustrating not to be able to put it all together with a long run. We still have a lot of work to do so hopefully I'll feel better tomorrow and the weather holds out for us."

Things are looking a lot more optimistic in Rossi's Fiat Yamaha camp. The Italian has a decent points lead after Stoner's falter at the US GP. Both riders are on Bridgestone tires, the hard compound provided by the manufacturer seems to be the best choice for the new surface.

"I've had a good holiday but it's fun to be back on the bike again! Today has started very well and I am very happy with my bike and with our tires, it seems the Bridgestones are working very well here so far," said Rossi. "The new asphalt is good, much better than last year and the grip improved throughout the day so I think that they have done a good job."

Loris Capirossi was a half second slower than the faster pair. The Rizla Suzuki rider seems to have recovered from his injury sustained at Assen this June. Capirossi is also running on Bridgestone tires, the Michelin boys better find a way to get back into the top three.

"My lap-time is not too bad, but I think we can improve on that," admitted Capirossi, "we have the power and I need to work on my rhythm a bit. One of the best things today is that I am nearly at 100% after the injury, my condition is great and this weekend I want to give the team something good because after recent races they really need it!"

Gresini Racing's Shinya Nakano was third fastest in the morning and ended today with the fourth fastest time. The Japanese motorcycle rider was just a little faster than teammate Alex De Angelis who had an accident today. It would seem the Gresini Honda team has found a bit of speed over the break on their new RC212V bike.

"It has been a positive day and I can say that Shinya has started out really well with the new bike," said Team Manager Fausto Gresini. "He is very happy with it and with this being only the first day he still needs more time to get used to it. Obviously we will keep working to make more improvements and there is certainly margin for that. Alex did well today and despite the crash he was fast all afternoon, once again showing his great potential."

An update on a few injured riders, John Hopkins is back in his Kawasaki saddle after sitting out the Sachsenring and Laguna Seca races. The American had a spill in both practice sessions today but reports that his knee is staying strong and the evolved bike looks good. He set the eighth fastest time today and looks to improve for qualifying.

MOTO-ST: Heartland Park Topeka doubleheader preview

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Touring Sport Ducati Ready to Go for Another Doubleheader Victory

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 13, 2008) - Fresh from a doubleheader triumph at Barber Motorsports Park, Touring Sport Ducati has every intention of making it two-in-a-row when the SunTrust MOTO-ST Series thunders into action, August 16-17 at Heartland Park Topeka.

Running in the Buell Motorcycle Company SuperSport class (SST) and the BMW GrandSport Twins class (GST) class, Touring Sport Ducati sits in second place in both classes.

"We are currently seven points out of the lead in SST and one point out of first in GST," explains team manager Frank Shockley who, along with teammates Brad Phillips and Peter Friedland, earned the GST title last season. "Winning at Barber was a huge morale booster for all of us and really got us going. Now we're ready to do it all over again at Heartland Park."

Piloting the team's No. 75 Ducati 848 in the SST Class will be Ryan Gordon of Clemson, S.C. and two-time World Superbike and World Endurance Champion Doug Polen.

"I'm looking forward to Heartland Park," says Polen, who lives in Camarillo, Calif. "It will be my first time on the track and my first time running with Gordon. It will all be new and that will make it fun. I'm pretty much used to adapting to anything so I don't foresee any problems. I missed running at Barber due to a prior commitment, so it was Gordon and Elleby who took the win. I know I better have my act together as everyone on the team will definitely give me a bad time if I make a mistake."

"Doug always does an excellent job for us," continues Shockley. "He and Ryan (Gordon) are going to make a good pair. I've known Ryan for a few years. He actually burst on the scene in 2004 and immediately began winning. He rode here and in Europe and then two years ago he retired for awhile. Now, he's back and riding for us."

Leading the charge for GST points will be Frank Shockley and Brad Phillips aboard the team's No. 77 Ducati PS1000LE.

"This time out Peter Friedland has a prior commitment and will unfortunately miss this round," explains Shockley. "So it is all up to me and Brad. We definitely want to put our Ducati on the top of the Podium again. We like being there so that is our plan. One of the good things about this race is that we have a promoter's practice day on Friday. This will give us ample time to set up our bikes and learn the track which is cool. I have ridden there before and I really like the track layout. All in all, this is definitely gong to be a fun event."

There is literally no other form of motorsports that can be compared to the spectacle of this type of professional team two-wheeled competition. It is unique. It is fast and unbelievably exciting. Unprotected by metal or heavy roll bars, knee-dragging riders wrestle heavy machines about corners, leaning over at impossible angles, then rocket down straights at speeds over 150 mph, sometimes so close that they trade the paint off their fairings. It is definitely team road racing at its very best...

Czech MotoGP: Repsol Honda preview

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Repsol Honda RC212V riders Dani Pedrosa and Nicky Hayden roar back into action at Brno following MotoGP's traditional three-weekend summer break. The Czech Grand Prix commences the crucial second part of the MotoGP season, with just seven of 18 races remaining, three in Europe and four outside Europe.

The sport's 25 day recess between the US and Czech GPs is no real holiday for the riders -- Pedrosa, Hayden and their rivals have all been working through much of the break. Pedrosa has been recuperating from the fractured left wrist and fractured left index finger he suffered at last month's German GP which prevented him from competing in the US GP. Hayden meanwhile has been training back home in Kentucky, USA, working to keep in prime physical condition. The 2006 MotoGP champ also took part in the Supermoto event at the X Games (Including lots of Motorcycle Stunts) in Los Angeles. Hayden hurt his right heel when he made a heavy landing during practice for the event on Friday August 1 but is hopeful the injury won't prevent him from riding at Brno. Further details will be released as soon as they are available.

Brno has been part of the World Championship calendar since the mid 1960s, when the nation's grand prix was staged around a 10.92km/6.785 mile street circuit on the outskirts of the city. Mike Hailwood won the 1966 and 1967 500 GPs there on his Honda RC181 four, but eventually the circuit was deemed too dangerous and hosted its last premier-class GP in 1977. It took a decade before the current Brno circuit was completed. Honda has enjoyed great success at this fast, undulating circuit which features many tricky downhill corners that require a perfect chassis set-up. Wayne Gardner, Mick Doohan, Tadayuki Okada, Valentino Rossi and Sete Gibernau have all won races with Honda at the modern Brno venue.

The Repsol Honda Team will remain at Brno for crucial post-race tests, during which Pedrosa is likely to try the pneumatic-valve RC212V engine that Hayden been using since June's British GP.

Dani Pedrosa

"The holiday period gave me a good chance to relax and recover, so I hope I will be fine for Brno. When I returned from Laguna Seca my doctor told me I needed a week and a half of complete rest. I couldn't train so I spent an enjoyable few days in Mallorca, disconnecting from everything and resting both my hand and foot. I had the stitches removed from my hand in Barcelona and then I started rehabilitation. The hand still hurts but the wrist has good mobility and the fingers are no longer swollen. The foot is still taped, just to avoid rough movements. I started training last week, mostly on my bicycle. I hope I can have a good race at Brno to start the second part of the championship in the best possible way. Brno is a good circuit, with some interesting uphill and downhill sections, very much in the style of the classic circuits. The track is medium speed to very high speed with some good corners and fast straights. It's the kind of circuit that demands a gentle, fine riding style, you don't need to be aggressive when taking the corners. It has just been resurfaced, so we will have to wait and see what the grip is like. The atmosphere is always great, with a big and enthusiastic crowd on race day. Getting the set-up right for this track is always a delicate operation, aiming to get the best compromise between cornering ability and braking stability."

Czech MotoGP: Bridgestone preview

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 06:00:00 GMT

With batteries recharged after three weekends of no racing action, MotoGP makes a welcome return in Brno where the fierce battle for this year's thrilling championship will recommence.

Brno is the second most visited city in premier class history with a total of 31 events held since 1965. 11 races were held on the old road course which was used until 1977. After a ten-year break, a new-look 5.4km Brno circuit was introduced to the championship, where, with the sole exception of the 1992 season, it has remained ever since.

The track has been resurfaced for this year's event, which will offer tyre manufacturers a new challenge, but Bridgestone can draw from several seasons of success at the Czech track. Loris Capirossi was victorious for Ducati in 2006, taking pole position and the fastest lap of the race, while Casey Stoner repeated the feat one year later, leading a Bridgestone 1-2 with John Hopkins taking a career-best second place for Suzuki.

Bridgestone heads into the final third of the season with two of its riders at the head of the championship classification. Valentino Rossi's win in Laguna Seca extended his lead of the series to 212 points, while Casey Stoner continued his championship revival to claim second in the table.

Hiroshi Yamada - Bridgestone Motorsport - Manager, Motorcycle Stunts Sport Unit

"Brno is a track that has been quite favourable for Bridgestone in recent years, and we have celebrated victory there for the previous two seasons with the Ducati team, first with Loris Capirossi in 2006 and again last year with Casey Stoner. We have two very formidable riders at the top of the table with Valentino and Casey, but there are still 175 points available over the next seven races, so the championship is far from over. This weekend's race has the added complications of a new track surface, but I am sure we will see a competitive battle at the front, especially with our rivals more determined than ever to renew their championship challenge."

Tohru Ubukata - Bridgestone Motorsport - Manager, Race Tyre Development

"Brno has been resurfaced since last year's event so we have had to revise our approach to the weekend. Even if we have been competitive in recent seasons, we have had to produce different tyre compounds for this year's event compared to the usual Brno-spec in order to adapt to the new surface. In accordance with the sporting regulations, and thanks to IRTA, tyre manufacturers were permitted to test at the circuit for two days back in June, and this allowed us the chance to acquire data from this new asphalt, which appears less grippy than before. The track itself is renowned for its elevation changes, which put a real focus on bike set-up and rider confidence, so all elements of the bike-rider-tyre package will be put to the test this weekend."

CSBK Atlantic I: Series race report

Sat, 09 Aug 2008 06:00:00 GMT

SZOKE EDGES MCBAIN AT AMP

SHUBENACADIE, N.S. (August 9) -- Two-time defending Parts Canada Superbike champion Jordan Szoke edged Clint McBain for a dramatic victory in the fifth round of the series at Atlantic Motorsport Park on Saturday.

Riding his Canadian Kawasaki Motors Kawasaki ZX-10R, Szoke passed McBain heading into turn one on the final lap of the 22-lap race and held on to beat the Acceleration Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000 by just 0.055 seconds.

Calgary's Chris Peris took third on his Team Suzuki / Blackfoot / Picotte Racing Suzuki GSX-R750.

"He [McBain] fought me hard to the end," said Brantford, Ont.'s Szoke after his third victory of the season. "He didn't give it to me. When we got down to the last couple of laps I thought, 'I'm going for it. This is my win.'"

The victory was Szoke's 26th career Canadian Superbike triumph, tying him with Steve Crevier for the most all-time wins.

"It's an amazing feat to match Steve," Szoke said. "He was so dominant in the '90s. I feel like I still have a good 10 years left in me and I can extend that run."

Szoke also stretched his lead in the Parts Canada Superbike point standings. He now has 250 points to the 193 of Cochrane, Alta.'s McBain with two races remaining in the seven-race season, including Sunday's second half of the doubleheader weekend.

Kevin Lacombe, who came to AMP second in the Superbike standings, finished 10th on Saturday on his Team Toyota Yamaha / Fast Company Racing Yamaha YZF-R1 after sustaining a suspected broken wrist in a fall earlier in the day. The Granby, Que. racer is now third in the standings with 180 points.

Szoke and McBain traded the lead throughout the race. After Szoke got the lead from the start McBain grabbed the top spot entering the hairpin on lap four. Three laps later Szoke got inside the Suzuki rider in turn two and the pair ran side-by-side up to corner three before Szoke took control.

Szoke stayed in the lead until lap 21, when McBain passed him in turn two, setting up Szoke's final lap heroics.

"I thought I had it," McBain said. "I was tight into turn one but Jordan found some room. I thought I could get him again at the end of the backstraight but I didn't have quite enough. We came up just a wee bit short today, but we'll try again tomorrow."

Peris ran close behind Szoke and McBain for the first half of the race before slipping off the pace.

After starting from his first career pole position 16-year-old Brett McCormick of Saskatoon finished fourth on the other Canadian Kawasaki Motors Kawasaki ZX-10R.

Next up were the Team Suzuki / Blackfoot / Picotte Racing duo of Francis Martin and Matt McBride, with Martin finishing just ahead of his teammate.

Right behind them was Truro, N.S.'s Brian Blaauwendraat (T.R. Petroleum Enterprises / Lougheed's Heating Oils Honda CBR600RR) in seventh. Maple Ridge, B.C.'s Steve Crevier placed eighth on the Deeley Harley-Davidson / Ruthless Racing Buell 1125R and Ross Millson of Hamilton, Ont. took ninth aboard his RMP Motorsports Suzuki GSX-R1000.

In other action at AMP, Andrew Nelson (Nelson Racing Yamaha YZF-R6) scored his first Yoshimura Pro 600 Sport Bike win of the season while Szoke took a major step toward clinching his third straight class title.

Nelson took the lead when Peris (Suzuki GSX-R600) crashed on lap 11 of the 18-lap race and beat Szoke (Kawasaki ZX-6R) by 2.387 secs.

Szoke extended his championship lead to 66 points over Lacombe, who crashed his Yamaha YZF-R6 out of second place on lap nine.

McCormick (Kawasaki ZX-6R) finished third.

Valter Bartolini of Bologna, Italy extended his lead in the Canadian Thunder class with a convincing victory on his NCR-Ducati 848. Bartolini finished 9.748 secs. ahead of the KTM Canada KTM Super Duke R 990 of Beaconsfield, Que.'s Michael Leon, with Michael Ferreira of Kitchener, Ont. third on a BMW Motorrad Canada BMW HP2 Sport.

CSBK Atlantic: Series qualifying report

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 06:00:00 GMT

MCCORMICK CLAIMS FIRST CAREER POLE

SHUBENACADIE, N.S. (August 8) -- Brett McCormick of Saskatoon claimed his first career pole position in the Parts Canada Superbike in qualifying for the fifth and sixth rounds of the series at Atlantic Motorsport Park on Friday.

The 16-year-old took his Canadian Kawasaki Motors Kawasaki ZX-10R around the 2.56km (1.6-mile) track in one minute, 7.728 seconds during the Pirelli SuperPole session to lock up the $500 Inside Motorcycles Pole Position Award.

"I did corner two well, I was able to carry great corner speed," said McCormick, whose previous best qualifying effort was second at last year's season finale. "We made a couple of changes to the front end just before the session. It was a gutsy call by my crew chief Jeremy Sharrard but the bike felt fine."

Kevin Lacombe of Granby, Que. qualified second on the Team Toyota Yamaha / Fast Company Racing Yamaha YZF-R1 with a time of 1:07.766 and series points leader Jordan Szoke of Brantford, Ont. qualified third with a 1:07.772 on his Canadian Kawasaki Motors Kawasaki ZX-10R.

McCormick was forced onto teammate Szoke's back-up bike after crashing his Kawasaki in the morning prequalifying period.

"I have to give a big thanks to Jordan and the rest of the Canadian Kawasaki team," McCormick said. "We just swapped my settings over to the 'B' bike. The team worked really hard to get things ready for me."

Lacombe was the last rider to take to the track during the single bike session after setting the pace during Saturday morning's prequalifying but was unable to match his earlier time of 1:07.510.

"I made two mistakes that lap," said Lacombe, who has won the Inside Motorcycles Pole Position Award twice this year. "I missed my exit out of the hairpin and I had a big wobble on the backstraight. But I know we have a good set-up for the race tomorrow."

Lacombe did manage to gain a point on Szoke in the Parts Canada Superbike Championship standings. He now has 161 points to the 198 of Szoke heading into this weekend's pair of races. A race win is worth a maximum of 52 points and there is one round remaining after this weekend, Aug. 29-31 at Shannonville Motorsport Park.

Szoke said he almost crashed exiting turn two on his qualifying lap.

"I almost highsided," said the two-time defending Parts Canada Superbike champion. "The tire spun up and I was thrown up in the air. We're lucky we got what we did. But we have a great bike for the race. I just wanted to be on the front row.

Clint McBain of Cochrane, Alta. completes the front row for the Superbike races after turning a lap of 1:07.880 on the Acceleration Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000.

The second row consists of Calgary's Chris Peris (Team Suzuki / Blackfoot / Picotte Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000), Truro, N.S. rider Brian Blaauwendraat ((T.R. Petroleum Enterprises / Lougheed's Heating Oils Honda CBR600RR) and Francis Martin of Sherbrooke, Que. (Team Suzuki / Blackfoot / Picotte Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000).

Blaauwendraat turned a sensational lap on his three-year-old Honda in his first appearance in the Pirelli SuperPole session. The 23-year-old privateer is a contender for the HJC Pro Rookie of the Year award on the national tour.

MotoGP: Yamaha mid-season review

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Mid-season Review with Masao Furusawa - Executive Officer, Engineering Operations for Yamaha Motor Company

1 -- What's been the biggest change to the M1 this year?

"We have made many changes to the 2008 M1 compared to the 2007 version and we have improved it a lot; Valentino is satisfied with our work so far. Of course the biggest change for us has affected Valentino's side only -- the change of tyre manufacturer. After the switch we had a hard time learning how to get the best performance from the new tyres and of course we had no data. Last however year Valentino predicted that changing would be the right thing for him and he was right, although of course we weren't able to predict how differently the tyre would behave."

2 -- What else have you changed on Valentino's bike?

"We have had to work a lot on the chassis setting and we have also changed the geometry of the bike in order to get a good balance with the tyre character. Since we moved from 990cc to 800cc higher corner speed is needed in order to get faster lap times and to win. Therefore we have tried many different chassis settings in order to find out the best of bike geometry, centre of gravity, rider position, wheel-base length, chassis stiffness and so on."

3 -- Do you think that your development since the start of the season has been a success?

"MotoGP bikes are not production bikes and that's why I always say that Valentino, Jorge and all MotoGP riders are not human beings! Valentino has become more and more satisfied race by race and we have been able to find an ideal set-up for him that enabled him to win three races in a row. Since then, Casey Stoner and his team have found new solutions that have allowed them to make a big step forward and now of course we know that the remaining races will be tough, although we are still leading by 25 points after the excellent win in Laguna Seca."

4 -- What is the aim for the rest of the season regarding bike development?

"Our competitor's great performances is a big push to all of us to improve our M1 further, maybe even more than we did during last winter. I would especially like to progress the electronic control system and the engine power. At the moment there is no need to work more on the chassis, although this is something we will have to consider for next season. Lately we have been experiencing some problems with acceleration on the exit of the corner, so we need to work to find better bike geometry and chassis setting alongside the development of the engine control system."

5 -- What is your opinion about the electronics in MotoGP or Motorcycle Stunts now? Do you think the rules need to be changed?

"This is a popular discussion at the moment and we are looking at the overall situation; do we need to change the rules? It's true that many riders have crashed this year, including Jorge, who had a very bad series of crashes, and also Dani Pedrosa. The question is if these crashes have something to do with the current bike technology. We moved from 990cc to 800cc to have safer bikes, but the new bikes have a higher cornering speed and this might present a danger for some riders. I think that we need to do something and the biggest issue is the electronic control system. In any case, it is clear that we at Yamaha will have to develop a better and better ECS, in order to beat our rivals. I still think that the M1 is best bike out there, although Casey has had a string of very impressive results."

6 -- Valentino has re-signed for two more years and has cited his relationship with you as one of the main reasons he will continue with Yamaha. How do you feel about you relationship with him?

Czech MotoGP: Rizla Suzuki preview

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Rizla Suzuki is refreshed and ready to race

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP travels to Eastern Europe next weekend fully refreshed from the mid-season break and with all the team ready to attack the second half of the season with confidence.

Chris Vermeulen heads to the 5,403m Brno circuit in the Czech Republic as very much one of the in-form riders in the MotoGP paddock. Vermeulen went into the break with back-to-back podiums in Germany and America and will be giving his all to get a hat-trick at a circuit where he performed well last year. Vermeulen finished fifth at Brno in 2007 following a race-long battle for that position with present team-mate Loris Capirossi and current World Championship leader Valentino Rossi.

Capirossi will equal the record for racing at Grand Prix events -- currently held by Alex Barros - when he starts Sunday's race. It will be his 276th start since his debut in 1990. The vastly experienced Italian has an incredible record at the Brno circuit during his career with five podiums, including a win in 2006 and 10 front-row starts including three pole positions. Capirossi has only finished a race at Brno outside the top-six on one occasion from his 17 races there, and is currently the lap-record holder. Although he is still feeling the after-effects of the injury he sustained at Assen in June, he is 100% focussed and prepared to give it all he has got next weekend to add to the impressive results he has already achieved at Brno.

Brno is situated in the south-east of the Czech Republic, in close proximity to Austria, Hungary and Poland, and it is this location that enables Brno to be one of the best attended races of the season. Up to -- and possibly in excess of - a quarter-of-a-million fans are expected to pass through the gates over the weekend and if recent races there are anything to go by they will be treated to a great spectacle and motorcycle stunts.

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP takes to the track on Friday 15th August for the first two free practice sessions, with another hour of practice on the following morning. Saturday afternoon will see the all-important qualifying session where grid places will be decided for Sunday's 22-lap race. Round 12 of the 2008 MotoGP World Championship gets underway at 14.00hrs local time (12.00hrs GMT) on Sunday 17th August.

Chris Vermeulen:

"I have had a good break and am now ready to get back into the saddle and start riding again. We finished the first-half of the season with good rewards from our efforts and I am sure we can continue that momentum at Brno. I got a good result there last year after a hard battle with Loris, and the Suzuki GSV-R was on the podium as well with John on board, so it all looks good for a strong performance from the whole garage. We also have a test after the race when we have a new bike featuring chassis and engine developments, we have a lot of confidence and high hopes for the changes, and I'm looking forward to see how all our thoughts and ideas will translate on the track, but the main thing is the race and I am fully focused on keeping my podium run going!"

CSBK Atlantic: Series spotlight - Jordan Szoke

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 06:00:00 GMT

SZOKE NEARS FIFTH TITLE AT AMP

HALIFAX, N.S. (August 6) -- There will be plenty on the line for Jordan Szoke when the Parts Canada Superbike Championship makes its penultimate stop of the 2008 season at Atlantic Motorsport Park in Shubenacadie, N.S. this weekend.

The 29-year-old from Brantford, Ont. is closing in on a possible third straight national Superbike title, and fifth in his career. He comes into this weekend's doubleheader round 38 points clear of Kevin Lacombe in the standings with three races remaining. A win is worth 50 points.

Szoke would be the first rider since Steve Crevier in the early 1990s to win three straight championships, and a fifth title would move Szoke to within one of Crevier's record total of six.

The Canadian Kawasaki Motors factory rider also has more immediate goals available to him. A Superbike win at AMP would tie him with Crevier for top spot in all-time victories with 26, and a sweep of the doubleheader would put Szoke alone at the top.

But it will not be clear sailing for Szoke this weekend, as he battles one of the deepest fields in the history of the Canadian national championship.

His closest rival in the point standings, Lacombe has been the most successful racer at AMP over the last few years, with victories in 2004, 2005 and 2006. The 25-year-old from Granby, Que. hasn't won yet this season on the Team Toyota Yamaha / Fast Company Racing Yamaha YZF-R1 but he has two pole positions to his credit.

Third in the standings and the only racer besides Szoke to win this year is Cochrane, Alta.'s Clint McBain. The rider of the Acceleration Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000 is only eight points behind Lacombe despite missing the opening round of the series with a separated shoulder.

Also worth watching at AMP will be the trio of Team Suzuki / Blackfoot / Picotte Racing entries of Francis Martin, Chris Peris and Matt McBride.

Martin, a two-time Canadian champion, stood on the podium at the most recent event at Mosport International Raceway and the 34-year-old from Sherbrooke, Que. has grown to enjoy the tight and twisty, 2.56km (1.6-mile) AMP circuit.

Peris, a 21-year-old from Calgary, comes to Nova Scotia fifth in the Parts Canada Superbike point standings while Mississauga, Ont.'s McBride, 23, qualified on the front row for the most recent event at Mosport.

Szoke's Canadian Kawasaki Motors factory teammate Brett McCormick will be looking to get back on track after missing the previous round due to injury. The 16-year-old from Saskatoon is the defending HJC Pro Rookie of the Year.

A real wildcard this weekend will be Maple Ridge, B.C.'s Crevier on the Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada / Ruthless Racing Buell 1125R. The 42-year-old finished third in the season opener and the AMP track will suit the twin-cylinder bike.

Additionally, Crevier is a seven-time Superbike winner at AMP, which includes victory in last year's race.

CSBK Atlantic: Series spotlight - Francis Martin

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 06:00:00 GMT

MARTIN GAINING MOMENTUM

HALIFAX, N.S. (August 5) -- After a slow start, the 2008 Parts Canada Superbike Championship season has been getting better and better for Francis Martin, and he expects the momentum to carry into this weekend's key doubleheader at Atlantic Motorsport Park in Shubenacadie, N.S.

The rider of the Team Suzuki / Blackfoot / Picotte Racing Suzuki GSX- R1000 is coming off his best weekend of the year in the previous event at Mosport International Raceway, where he scored third and fifth place finishes in the two races.

"For sure I'm pretty confident coming into Shubie," says the two-time Canadian Superbike champion from Sherbrooke, Que. "I think I can definitely get two podiums."

The 34-year-old Martin comes into this weekend fourth in the Parts Canada Superbike Championship standings, 25 points behind third place Clint McBain. And he has been one of the most consistent riders this season, finishing in the top six in all four rounds of the series so far.

Martin battled illness to salvage a fourth place finish when the 2008 national tour opened at Calabogie Motorsport Park at the end of May, holding off Steve Crevier for the final podium spot until the closing laps of the race.

"I'm not sure what it was at Calabogie," he says, "but I think I only slept about five hours the whole weekend. I had a lot of difficulty concentrating when I was on the track."

In the following round at Calgary's Race City Motorsport Park, Martin finished sixth, again losing a spot in the late going, but had been part of a four-bike scrap for third for most of the race.

Next up was Mosport's doubleheader weekend, the halfway point in the seven-race Canadian championship. Martin scored an excellent third in the first race and was running fifth in the other when rain starting falling just after half distance and the race was stopped.

"I think I would have had another shot at the podium if we had gone the full race," he maintains.

It's not that long ago Martin dreaded the annual visit to Atlantic Motorsport Park, instead of looking forward to it. But that all changed in 2005, when he and his crew chief at the time, Patrice Goyette, came out east early and Martin spent time racking up the laps.

"Me and Patrice, we tested two weeks before the race in '05," Martin explains, "and I really started to enjoy the track. And after that I've had some strong results there."

AMP also hosted a doubleheader in 2005 and Martin finished third in both Superbike races, on his way to his second Canadian national crown.

He improved to second in the Superbike race in 2006, but crashed in last year's race due to what he describes as a front tire problem and crossed the line in 14th.

Martin has also been pleased with the pace of development of his Suzuki GSX-R1000 this year. The bike is now in its second year of service, meaning the Team Suzuki / Blackfoot / Picotte Racing squad has a good idea of what set-ups will suit it at each stop on the national tour.

"It makes things a lot easier," Martin says. "At Mosport, for example, we already had a good base set-up to work with and we just had to make little changes from there. It's a lot easier to go through a weekend when you have that."

CSBK Atlantic: Round five, six preview

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Rounds 5 and 6 of the 2008 Parts Canada Superbike Championship will be held at Atlantic Motorsport Park in Shubenacadie, N.S. Aug. 8-10. The doubleheader weekend will feature the fifth and sixth of seven races for Canada's premier motorcycle road racing series.

Classes: The Parts Canada Superbike Championship consists of seven classes for Pro and Amateur racers. The headline Pro division is Parts Canada Superbike, for motorcycles up to 1000cc in capacity.

Other classes include the Yoshimura Pro 600 Sport Bike Championship for motorcycles up to 600cc and the Canadian Thunder and Canadian Sport Twins categories for twin-cylinder motorcycle stunts.

The Armour Bodies Amateur 600 Sport Bike Championship is the top class for Amateur racers in the series.

The Suzuki SV650 National Cup and Honda CBR125R Challenge are starter classes designed for up and coming racers.

The Track: Atlantic Motorsport Park is a 2.56km (1.6-mile), 11-turn road course. This weekend's races will be the 23rd and 24th Canadian Superbike events at the track.

Favorites: Riding for the Canadian Kawasaki Motors team, Jordan Szoke of Brantford, Ont. currently leads the Parts Canada Superbike Championship standings with two wins and two runner-up finishes to his credit in the first four races. He is trying for his fifth national Superbike title and his third in a row.

Kevin Lacombe of Granby, Que. (Team Toyota Yamaha / Fast Company Racing) is second in the series standings, 38 points behind Szoke. Lacombe has won the Superbike national at AMP three times.

Clint McBain of Cochrane, Alta. (Acceleration Racing Suzuki) has two wins to his credit this season and currently lies third in the series standings, just eight points behind Lacombe. McBain is the defending AMP track champion.

Steve Crevier of Maple Ridge, B.C. finished a superb third in the season opener in the debut of the Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada / Ruthless Racing Buell. Crevier is a six-time Canadian Superbike champion.

Defending HJC Pro Rookie of the Year Brett McCormick of Saskatoon is considered one of Canada's most exciting up and coming racing talents. Still only 16 years old, McCormick is Szoke's teammate on the Canadian Kawasaki Motors team.

Local Stars: Brian Blaauwendraat of Truro, N.S. currently lies ninth in the Yoshimura Pro 600 Sport Bike standings and is second in the chase for the HJC Pro Rookie of the Year. The 23-year-old Honda rider won last year's Amateur 600 Sport Bike national at AMP.

Also from Truro, Andrew Dunlap is eighth in the Parts Canada Superbike standings and is coming off a season high seventh place finish on the Fundy Power Sports Kawasaki ZX-10R in the previous round at Mosport International Raceway.

Frankie Horwath of Dartmouth, N.S. is fifth in the Armour Bodies Amateur 600 Sport Bike standings riding the Freedom Cycle/Vicious Cycle Kawasaki ZX-6R.

Other Stories: Montreal's Marie-Josee Boucher is the only female competing in the Pro ranks. Riding for the Excel Moto Honda team, the 27-year-old is fourth in the Pro Rookie of the Year rankings.

The engine in Steve Crevier's Buell 1125R was designed by the Austrian firm Rotax, which is a subsidiary of Canada's Bombardier Recreational Products. Buell is a division of The Harley-Davidson Motor Company.

Crevier, a six-time Canadian Superbike champion, also has more national Superbike wins at AMP than any other rider with seven to his credit.

WSBK Brands Hatch: Series weekend summary

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Kiyonari grabs sensational double win in World Superbike round 10 at Brands Hatch

Ryuichi Kiyonari (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) crowned a triumphant week of racing with two sensational wins in the tenth round of the HANNspree FIM Superbike World Championship at Brands Hatch in front of 97,000 spectators, just a few days after winning the Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race in Japan. The 25 year-old, reigning BSB champion, got the better of Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) in race 1, before completing a day of triumph with a second win over Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia WSB) in race 2.

Race 1

Bayliss led for most of the race with Kiyonari right behind but the Honda man passed the points leader on lap 22 and held on for the win. Second place went to Bayliss and third to Max Biaggi (Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati), who was the fastest rider on the track in the final stages after making up more than 3 seconds on the leaders in eight laps. At the flag Kiyonari, Bayliss and Biaggi were separated by two-tenths. Two Suzukis were next up, with Yukio Kagayama fourth and Fonsi Nieto fifth, while Max Neukirchner finished seventh after being passed by Carlos Checa (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) towards the end. It was a disappointing race for the factory Yamaha team, with Troy Corser only managing eighth and Noriyuki Haga crashing out while fighting for the top positions. British wild-card Tom Sykes (Rizla Suzuki) was also running well but had to retire with a holed radiator while in third. It was a disappointing race for Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) in twelfth, while Ruben Xaus (Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati) was weakened by flu and failed to take the start.

Ryuichi Kiyonari (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda): "I am very happy today, I started badly in the early laps but my bike had a really good set-up so I could keep lapping in 1m26s laps. Then I pushed and pushed and finally I got the win."

Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox): "I was feeling quite comfortable for most of the race and everything was working quite well, but I haven't actually spent much time racing with Kiyonari and wasn't sure how it was going to pan out. He was very strong on the first split and when he came past I would have been very happy for second, but when he did I realized he was in the same trouble as me. Then I saw Max coming so fast and had to push really hard and it became a bit of a dogfight towards the end."

Max Biaggi (Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati Motorcycle Stunts): "I'm quite satisfied with the result. I started good then went backwards as some other riders came through. The first laps were very hard, then I got into a good rhythm and overtook one by one. At the end I couldn't believe I came close to these two guys, but there was not enough time to try and take Troy or Kiyonari, but it was a good race."

Race 2

The second race also had a Japanese flavour about it as Kiyonari powered ahead to win from Haga after a race-long battle. The final podium slot went to Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia WSB), who ran a steady race but was unable to challenge the top pair, while Neukirchner scored a good result in fourth. The German finished ahead of his team-mate Nieto, who passed Fabrizio on the last lap, while Sykes this time managed to hold off Checa for seventh. Bayliss was out of luck after changing to a different compound for race 2 and could only finish eleventh, one place ahead of Biaggi, who dropped down to 28th position in the early stages after an off-track excursion.

WSBK Brands Hatch: Ducati qualifying report

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 06:00:00 GMT

BAYLISS TAKES FIFTH POLE OF THE SEASON AFTER A "WET" SUPERPOLE AT BRANDS

Brands Hatch (UK): After mixed conditions throughout the day it came as no real surprise when this afternoon's Superpole was declared "wet". Rain ceased almost immediately however which meant that all of the sixteen participants adopted the same strategy, waiting until the final fifteen minutes of the fifty minute session before exiting on what had already become a drier track.

The strategy worked perfectly for Troy Bayliss, whose final three laps were also his fastest, thus awarding him his fifth pole position of the season. It is the third year running that Troy has taken pole at Brands, and tomorrow will also see the fiftieth front row start of his World Superbike career. Joining him on tomorrow's front row are Haga, Kiyonari and Smrz.

Troy's Ducati Xerox team-mate Michel Fabrizio had a more difficult day, qualifying for Superpole in sixteenth place. He did however make up several places during the Superpole and will start tomorrow's races from the third row of the grid, in twelfth place.

Troy Bayliss 1m25.6s

"I'm very happy to take pole today in such mixed conditions. The wet Superpole meant we had twelve laps available during the fifty minute session. We decided to wait until the end of the session when the track would have had chance to dry out a bit, and then I went out and did one lap to take a look at the track before going out on a qualifier, with which I did three laps, the last of which was my fastest and just fast enough to take pole. We're looking good on the race tyre for tomorrow so I'm pretty confident. I'd like tomorrow to be dry of course, it would make for great racing, motorcycle stunts and be good for all the fans and hopefully we can get a good result!"

Michel Fabrizio 1m26.8s

"Today I had a few problems. I was never totally confident with the front of the bike and at two corners in particular I wasn't able to control it. We worked with two different tyres and changed a few different things during the session but it didn't make a lot of difference and I just never felt completely comfortable really. We hope to do much better tomorrow, in fact we are confident we will do so, though I also hope it will be dry for the races."

Ducati Mugello Motorcycle test notes

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 06:00:00 GMT

SETE GIBERNAU ENDS THE DUCATI TESTING SESSION AT MUGELLO

Sete Gibernau finished a two-days testing session he was taking part in at Mugello together with the Official Testers Vittoriano Guareschi and Niccoli Canepa that will continue tomorrow for the final day.

The Spanish rider, back in action for the third time after retiring almost two years ago, kept up an excellent pace, lapping consistently in around 1m50.5 with race tire. Despite the difficult climatic conditions, with scorching air and track temperatures, Gibernau clocked an impressive fastest lap time in 1'48.9 with qualifying tires. A motorcycle stunts crash around the end of the day, luckily without consequences, has nevertheless suggested to end the test early given the good job already made during two days.

"It has been great trying again a qualifying tires after almost two years," said a smiling Gibernau, "But the most important thing is that the feeling with the bike in race trim was perfect almost straight away. Despite the crash it has been a very positive test. I wish to thank again Ducati for the chance of riding again the MotoGP. We will see together whether and how there will be the chance to continue our cooperation. Today I have experience again the 'thrill' of a crash and.. I'm fine. I have decided together with Filippo not to ride tomorrow just because we are satisfied already with the good job we did in two days."

"A special thanks again to Sete who was as usual very helpful," echoed Filippo Preziosi. "I have been impressed with him getting on pace straight away and lapping on very interesting times both with race and qualifying tires. We are evaluate together the chance to cooperate again and I hope we will be able to find an option interesting for everybody."

The testing session will end tomorrow with Vittoriano Guareschi and Niccoli Canepa, who has been very quick and consistent also. Today he didn't try qualifying tyres but concentrated on the bike in race attire with which he lapped several times under 1'51 with a personal best lap time of 1'50.2. Tomorrow he has a race simulation on schedule.

Rizla Suzuki rolling out for the fans

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP rolling out for the fans

Loris Capirossi and Chris Vermeulen will be back in action this weekend as they travel to Assen in The Netherlands to attend the Rizla Racing Day.

While the rest of the paddock is on a mid-season break, Capirossi and Vermeulen will be taking time out of their well-earned holiday to entertain the thousands of fans expected at the Assen circuit on Sunday 3rd August.

The Rizla Suzuki MotoGP racers will demonstrate the awesome power of the Suzuki GSV-R around the 4,555m Dutch circuit during two five-lap sessions. This will give the army of Rizla fans at trackside the chance to experience the sight - and especially the sound - of Suzuki's MotoGP machine.

The Rizla Racing Day is supported by Suzuki and is an annual event held every August at the Assen TT circuit. It is unique in that it features many forms of motorsport during the same day including karts, motorcycle stunts, supercars and a round of the ATS Formel-3-cup.

The all-day long event gets underway at 10.00am local time with Capirossi and Vermeulen taking to the track at 12.10 for the first of their two runs. Admission to Rizla Racing Day is free for all, with tickets and more information available online at www.rizla.nl

Loris Capirossi:

"I am really looking forward to this event as I have heard many good things about it. It will be great to see all the cars and bikes that are there and be able to witness them out on track. I have had a couple of weeks off the bike now and my arm is a lot better so this will give me a chance to see how well it is recovering -- I know it is only a demonstration but I will give the bike a good run to show all the fans what it can do!"

Chris Vermeulen:

"This is the second year that I have attended the Rizla Race Day and I am really looking forward to going back -- I am even flying back from Australia so I can participate in the day! We got a great reception there last year, especially from people who had never seen or heard a MotoGP bike and I'd like to think we converted them into not only MotoGP fans, but Rizla Suzuki fans as well. I'll certainly be putting on a show for all the people there and make sure they leave with a positive experience of what a MotoGP bike is all about."

Bayliss and Webber sign up for 2009 Race of Champions

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 06:00:00 GMT

First Australian team confirmed for end-of-season spectacular.

Double Superbike World Champion signs up to take on Michael Schumacher, Jenson Button, Andy Priaulx and more.

Webber becomes third current F1 star to be announced.

The Race of Champions will feature an all-Australian team for the first time when the spectacular event returns to Wembley Stadium on December 14, with Ducati's Double Superbike World Champion, Troy Bayliss, partnering Red Bull Racing F1 driver, Mark Webber.

The 'Duo from Down Under' will go head-to-head with competitors from the world of Formula 1, World Rally, Le Mans and motorbike racing, as they battle in identical cars on a specially-built circuit inside Wembley Stadium. Names already confirmed include seven-times F1 World Champion, Michael Schumacher, and triple World Touring Car Champion, Andy Priaulx.

Bayliss last entered The Race of Champions when the event took place in Gran Canaria in 2001, when he was part of an All-Star team that reached the finals of The ROC Nations Cup. This will be the first time a Team Australia has been entered, however, and Webber is relishing the challenge.

"I've been watching The Race of Champions for the last few years and have always been really keen to do it, as the concept looks great," said Webber. "This year I can, so flying the flag for Australia will be loads of fun - especially with a two wheel legend in Troy as my team-mate. I'm sure there will be some laughs on the night for both of us!"

Bayliss, who currently leads the Superbike Stunts World Championship as it heads to Brands Hatch this weekend, is also looking forward to the chance to fight for his country.

"I am really excited to be part of the Australian team alongside Mark Webber this year at The Race of Champions," said Bayliss. "It's the first time there has been an Aussie contingent so we will be looking forward to having a good time there."

Bayliss isn't the only bike racer to have tackled the event before -- MotoGP stars Valentino Rossi and James Toseland have both competed in the past, while Motocross ace and eight-times X Games Champion Travis Pastrana has fought against -- and beaten - many stars from the world of four-wheel racing over the past three years.

Washougal: Saturday practice notes

Sat, 26 Jul 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Kawasaki Riders Stewart and Villopoto Pace Saturday Practice at The Motosport.com National from Washougal

WASHOUGAL, Wash. (July 26, 2008) -- AMA Toyota Motocross Championship Presented by FMF class points leaders James Stewart, of Monster Energy Kawasaki, and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto set the pace on Saturday for practice and qualifying at The Motosport.com National at Washougal Motocross Park Presented by Yamaha and Scott USA.

Stewart jumped to the top of the board in the AMA Motocross class early in the first session of the day and stayed there throughout both sessions. His time of 2:16.263 was two seconds faster than Red Bull Honda's Andrew Short at 2:18.349.

"It's a little slick out there," said Stewart. "I think it will be a little better tomorrow. I'm just going to stay within myself. All season I've taken it one moto at time and I'm just going to keep that mindset tomorrow."

Rockstar/Makita Suzuki's Michael Byrne followed Short in third at 2:18.594.

In the AMA Motocross Lites class, Villopoto's top time of 2:16.868 from the first practice session set the tone, edging out Geico Powersports Honda's Trey Canard at 2:17.366.

"The track is in good shape," said Villopoto. "It's always good to race near your house and I've already seen a lot of signs cheering me on. I just need to get a good start, so I can get my first overall win at my home race."

Rockstar/Makita Suzuki's Ryan Dungey rounded out the top three with a time of 2:17.872.

Sunday's main event action for The Motosport.com National at Washougal Motocross Park Presented by Yamaha and Scott USA kicks off at 1 p.m. ET. Live audio coverage of the event can be heard on live.motocross.com. SPEED will televise the action for the AMA Motocross class on August 2 at 10 p.m. ET and the AMA Motocross Lites class on August 6 at 2 p.m. ET.

Chris Walker to race for Paul Bird Motorsport

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 06:00:00 GMT

WALKER TO RACE IN WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP FOR PAUL BIRD

Paul Bird Motorsport wishes to announce the signing of British rider Chris Walker to race for the Vent Axia VK team for the rest of the 2008 Hannspree World Superbike Championship.

The 36 year old from Nottinghamshire will join existing rider Gregorio Lavilla in the team for the remaining five rounds commencing at Brands Hatch over the weekend of August 1/2/3rd.

Walker, four times a runner-up in the British Superbike Championship, has been racing in the World Supersport Championship this season but hasn't enjoyed the best of luck on his Kawasaki so the rider who has 138 WSB races and twelve podiums under his belt is relishing the opportunity of racing a superbike again.

After a successful test at Oulton Park yesterday aboard the team's recently built 1000cc Honda Fireblade, both Walker and team owner Paul Bird were delighted to shake on the deal which will see 'The Stalker' as the only permanent British rider in the series.

"When I set off on the bike, it very nearly pulled my wig off and it reminded me of just what I've been missing in Super Bikes!" said Walker. "It's a massive opportunity for me and one which I don't intend to waste. Everyone knows this team has pedigree and they build awesome bikes so I know it will be competitive. I nearly signed for Birdy a few years ago and didn't so now I'm really looking forward to working with the team and also Greg whom I have a lot of respect for. I love Brands and Donington and my aim is to give the crowds something to cheer about so make sure you come along and support me!"

Team owner Paul Bird commented: "Running a second bike was always in the plan but we felt it best to help concentrate on giving Greg the best package possible. But now we have a couple of races at tracks both he and the team know, the time is right to introduce Chris who like Greg, knows his way round Brands and Donington. The plan thereafter is to go to the final three rounds brim full of confidence and get some results abroad that we know the bike and riders are capable of. It's important for the organisers that we bring a British rider to the series and I'm delighted to have Chris on board."

Name: Chris Walker
DOB: 25/03/1972
Lives: Newark, Notts

2002: 9th World Superbike Championship
2003: 6th World Superbike Championship
2005: 7th World Superbike Championship
2006: 6th World Superbike Championship

US MotoGP: Bridgestone Germany/USA debrief

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Germany/USA GP Debrief: Q+A with Tohru Ubukata

Bridgestone heads into the traditional three-week summer break on the back of its most competitive race weekends of the season with podium clean sweeps in both the wet Sachsenring and dry Laguna Seca GPs.

In the German event, Casey Stoner continued the dominant form that took him to victory in Donington and Assen. He claimed Friday free practice honours, Saturday's pole position and Sunday's wet race win, clawing back valuable ground in the world championship. Valentino Rossi finished second and, with championship contender Dani Pedrosa crashing out and not scoring points, Rossi reclaimed the lead of the world championship. Chris Vermeulen finished third to take his and Suzuki's first podium of the season.

Stoner's unbeaten pole position run was extended to an incredible five in Laguna Seca, but it was Valentino Rossi who took the victory on race day, after a thrilling 32-lap race. The Sachsenring and Laguna wins take the total number of Bridgestone-shod wins this season to eight from a possible eleven and Rossi's Laguna success extends his lead of the championship to 25 points. Stoner's second place in the USA enabled him to jump to second in the championship with a 16-point lead over third-placed man Pedrosa. For the second successive race, Vermeulen completed the top three to make it another Bridgestone 1-2-3, which was also the second consecutive all-Bridgestone podium at Laguna Seca.

Q+A with Tohru Ubukata - Bridgestone Motorsport - Manager Motorcycle Stunts Race Tyre Development

How would you review the back-to-back German and US race weekends?

"I have drawn a lot of confidence from the last two races, not only because of the results we have achieved with our teams and riders, but because our tyres have shown a good performance level in a wide range of conditions. Sachsenring and Laguna Seca are both tracks which we traditionally expect to be warm, but this year they presented us with very different weather conditions. The Sachsenring race was held in wet conditions, the first fully wet race of the year so far, while Laguna was a lot cooler than we have become used to in recent years, especially in the mornings."

How was the wet tyre performance in Sachsenring?

"Although we have had a few wet races in recent seasons, we have not had a wet race at Sachsenring in the time Bridgestone has been in MotoGP since 2002. The track itself is quite severe on the left-hand side of the tyre, because of the large number of left-hand turns, so we were unsure of the performance of our wet tyres over the full race distance. Although the tyres took a few laps to get up to temperature, I was pleased with the consistency of the tyres over 30 laps. From a results point of view, it was our best race of the year with the top four riders on Bridgestone tyres, and five of the top six. We also accumulated more valuable wet race data which we hope will further enhance our wet tyre development."

How did you combat the cooler temperatures at Laguna Seca ?

Road Race Grand Championships changes announced

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 06:00:00 GMT

AMA Sports Announces Changes for 2008 Road Race Grand Championships

PICKERINGTON, Ohio--The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) announced major changes to the 2008 AMA Sports Road Race Grand Championships, set for September 19-21 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, intended to provide more track time, a streamlined class structure, better value and easier signup.

"Everything from simplified signup to faster tech to better result reporting will greet our riders," said AMA Racing Senior Director Bryan Cohn. "Most important, all competitors will have more chances to circulate the world-class Mid-Ohio track. We've also restructured our program to better serve our core group, those competing on today's most-popular racing motorcycles, to give them even more opportunity to ride."

With a tighter program, riders can expect as much as 1 hour, 55 minutes, of track time on their motorcycle during the two race days of the event for each class they enter. In addition, a Friday practice will offer additional sessions, allowing for up to three times the track time compared to previous years. A new class structure also makes it easier for riders on the most popular bikes to sign up for additional classes.

Another positive development is the elimination of gate fees for the 2008 AMA Sports Road Race Grand Championships. This year, an entry fee is good for up to four additional attendees (crew, friends or family) for each rider. Cohn said that another big draw this year is the program is entirely and exclusively AMA sanctioned.

"Before, the AMA Sports Road Race Grand Championships have been affiliated with other sanctioning bodies," Cohn said. "That approach worked OK, but it also created some confusion regarding the nature of the No. 1 plates being won. This year, the event is fully independent, allowing racers to compete for AMA amateur national championships in all classes on a level playing field."

- credit: ama

US MotoGP: Tech 3 Yamaha race report

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Toseland fights hard for ninth, disappointment for Edwards

Tech 3 Yamaha rider James Toseland made a welcome return to the top ten this afternoon with a determined ride to ninth place in the American GP.

In sunny but cool conditions, the British rider made a fantastic start from the second row and found himself fourth at the first corner. But while cautiously waiting for his Michelin tires to reach optimum working temperature, he slipped down to eighth at the end of the first lap .

Toseland moved back into sixth by lap six to engage in a long battle with Frenchman Randy de Puniet. He slipped back to seventh on lap 12 but reeled off a consistent pace in the 1.23 bracket to maintain constant pressure on de Puniet. His pace saw him get tantalizingly close to the battle for fourth place, but in the final stages of the 32-lap encounter, he lost two more places and finished ninth.

It was a disappointing race for Colin Edwards in front of his home crowd as he ended down in 14th. Sporting a special one off livery for his home race, the Texan briefly threatened to break into the top ten, but front-end issues prevented him from running his usual consistent pace.

The Tech 3 team now starts a deserved summer break before the world championship resumes in Brno on August 17.

James Toseland - Position: 9thTime: +0'43.019

"I'm pretty disappointed with that because I feel have put in a lot of effort and done my best to finish only ninth. I got a fantastic start and was fourth but unfortunately it was a tough race after that and I had to ride more defensive than I wanted to. With the harder compound tires I knew I'd have to wait to get some temperature into them and that cost me a few places early on. Once I got into my pace in the 23s I was pretty happy because I'd hoped that would be good enough for a top six finish looking at the times from earlier in the weekend. I had a good long battle with de Puniet but our lap times were almost identical and I tried everything I could to close him down. At the end I was just trying to block people from passing me but Spies and Elias got me late on and that is a bit frustrating. On paper ninth doesn't look like a great result, and it doesn't feel like much of a reward for the effort that I have put in with my team this weekend. But I really couldn't have done anything else and I feel I got the best out of the package I had today. We'll hopefully be able to come back much stronger after the summer break and be fighting to be back in the top six again where we belong."

Colin Edwards - Position: 14th Time: +1'02.380

"I don't think I need to say that this race was well below what I expected. I've had a lot of great support from Yamaha US, the American fans and my family this weekend and they haven't got the result I wanted to give them. My guys at Tech 3 have worked tirelessly all weekend too but nothing really went for us. To be honest I was struggling from the start with the harder compound front tyre I had. I'd have some moment on the brakes while I was trying pass someone and I'd lose a load of time and a bunch of places. I'd gradually work my way back through only for it to happen again and it was frustrating. I just didn't have any confidence in the front and everybody knows I am a front-end guy. It has been a difficult week with the crash in Germany too,...

Rossi takes US MotoGP as Stoner stumbles

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 06:00:00 GMT

It was a monumental duel, with the full edge-of-the-seat quotient for the capacity crowd at Laguna Seca and TV viewers alike, as Valentino Rossi battled Casey Stoner for the lead of the US Grand Prix, the 11th round of the MotoGP World Motorcycle Championship. In the end Rossi prevailed by 13 seconds over Stoner, but that figure alone describes little about the race.

"It's the first time that I've been able to win here, and it was an unbelievable race," Rossi said. "The crew made some modifications and I was able to take a much better pace. I had a good start, then a great battle with Casey, which was a lot of fun."

The two riders both started from the front row, with Rossi taking the lead into the first corner from Stoner, who had dominated most of the weekend's sessions on his Ducati, including yesterday's qualifying. Meanwhile, Rossi's Yamaha teammate, rookie MotoGP rider Jorge Lorenzo, had a breath-taking highside accident, landing on the track and sliding to the gravel trap.

Lorenzo appears to have survived the incident with just a broken bone in his left foot -- -- a fractured third metatarsal in his the big toe -- based on the initial reports, and may be back as soon as the next race.

In the meantime, the gloves were off for Rossi and Stoner. While 'Il Dottore' would cross the start-finish line fractions of a second ahead of Stoner each lap, there were countless passes and counterpasses each lap. Stoner might power ahead into the first turn, only for Rossi to retake the lead on the uphill or in the corkscrew.

"I enjoyed a lot of the race, but I felt that some of the passes a bit too much for me," Stoner said, not as thrilled at the fans at some of the moves. "I've been racing for a lot of years and have come through a lot of different ranks, and for me just a couple of passes were a little too much. I would have liked to have had a little bit of a cleaner battle, but anyway we are happy with the result. We're still at the front of the championship and not too far off."

Around the one-quarter point of the race, Stoner appeared to take a more cautious approach. Still shadowing Rossi's blue-and-white Yamaha, he appeared to be waiting for 'The Doctor' to make a mistake -- or at least to avoid big risks until the final laps. He did get his chance to pass on lap 13, but Rossi would retake the lead again on the next lap.

Behind the two leaders, the pack was falling away quickly, not able to keep up with the duo's torrid pace. Dani Pedrosa, who might have been able to be the third rider in the mix, had to skip the race because of the hand injuries he suffered in the German Grand Prix a fortnight ago.

Front-row starter Nicky Hayden headed the rest of the field for some time, but on lap 9, Chris Vermeulen, who had started in eighth, made his way past the Repsol Honda rider. Once past, Vermeulen gradually disappeared into the distance, the Australian clearly determined to put paid to the rumors that Suzuki might be dropping him for the 2009 season.

"It was difficult starting from the third row, and (Rossi and Stoner) got away early," Vermeulen recounted. "I had a bit of a battle with Hayden and (Andrea) Dovizioso for a few laps, and once we got past them then we had more pace than everyone else."

Stoner fastest man for tomorrow's US MotoGP

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Casey Stoner and Valentino Rossi have brought their championship fight to Laguna Seca in the first of two MotoGP series events in America. For now Rossi holds the title lead, boosted to the top spot after a three-race winning streak. Sitting third in the points tally, Stoner too has just clinched his own hat-trick of victories in Germany; moving the Aussie from having just an outside chance to being a full blown threat to Rossi. That threat level moved up a color today when Stoner took his fifth consecutive pole position. Rossi will line up alongside him with local hero Nicky Hayden on the outside. The stage is set for an extreme drag race to the Andretti Hairpin.

The reigning champ hasn't been in a sharing mood all weekend, insuring his red Ducati motorcycle was the fastest bike around the circuit near Monterey, California. Staying one stop ahead of Rossi and the rest of the field, Stoner's mid-season resurgence is making everyone up and down the paddock think a back-to-back championship is almost certain in the ace's future.

"I'm happy with how we're looking in race trim and with the fact we're on pole again," said Stoner. "I didn't manage to get the most out of the first two qualifiers because the front tyre, which is working perfectly with the race rear, was a bit too soft for the qualifying and I wasn't confident enough push it 100%. With the third one I gave it my best shot and we've come out with another pole."

Dani Pedrosa, who was second in points, has decided to sit out this race after his injuries from Germany caused too much discomfort during Friday. With Pedrosa out Stoner will easily slip into second, making this championship a battle between two strong MotoGP Champions. For Pedrosa the chance for a title is still there, but like the former points leader from earlier in the season, George Lorenzo, an injury can lead to a big drop in the order with this competitive field.

After Friday Pedrosa was sore and still weighing his options, "I'm feeling a lot of pain and this race is really long and tough, so we still need to evaluate if it's worth racing. This morning I went out just to see how I felt on the bike and to see if I could ride. I felt incredible pain, so we decided to use an anti-pain infiltration for the second session. In the afternoon I was two seconds faster, even though I still felt a lot of pain after doing a short run of laps. This track is extremely demanding, with many left-handers and a lot of ups and downs. The downhill sections are particularly difficult as there's more pressure on the hands which makes it even more of a struggle. I can stand the pain from my right ankle when I'm on the bike, but I have to use a crutch to walk."

That leaves the Repsol Honda flag to be carried by the American Hayden and he's doing a good job already by starting on the front row. The Kentucky kid is a bit of a legend around this track, it's no surprise the former AMA (American Motorcycle Association) Champion is quick here.

US MotoGP: Bridgestone Friday notes

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Bridgestone riders make solid start at Laguna Seca

Ducati's Casey Stoner continued his recent impressive form in today's opening free practice sessions at the Laguna Seca raceway, lapping under his pole position time from last year by almost half-a-second using Bridgestone race tyres this afternoon.

Stoner, winner of the last three races, was quickest in both of today's sessions by a notable margin, and led a quintet of Bridgestone-shod riders in the morning practice hour. In the afternoon, with track temperatures considerably higher, he set his quickest lap of the day on his final tour of the 3.610km Laguna Seca track.

Several other Bridgestone riders frequented the upper half of the classification today with Fiat Yamaha's motorcycle rider Valentino Rossi in third place overall. San Carlo Honda Gresini duo Alex De Angelis and Shinya Nakano were fourth and sixth, sandwiching Rizla Suzuki's Chris Vermeulen in fifth. Alice Team's Toni Elias and Vermeulen's team-mate Loris Capirossi rounded out the top ten in ninth and tenth respectively.

Bridgestone is supplying tyres to a total of twelve riders for this weekend's US Grand Prix with the addition of Ben Spies as a wildcard at Rizla Suzuki, and Jamie Hacking replacing the injured John Hopkins at Kawasaki. The only other MotoGP race for which Bridgestone supplied so many riders was last season's Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi.

Tyre Talk with Tohru Ubukata - Bridgestone Motorsport - Manager, Motorcycle Race Tyre Development

Was today a standard free practice day?

"We adopted our standard Fridayprocedure with evaluation of the different types of tyre that we have prepared for this weekend's race. Thankfully, we have had no need to use wet weather tyres, but the weather conditions were surprisingly chilly in this morning's practice. We have looked at the full range of tyres from soft to hard specification with each of our teams in order to understand the performance of these tyres in the varying conditions. In the first session, with lower track temperatures, we tested soft to medium specifications, but this afternoon's session was held under sunny skies and with warmer track temperatures, which allowed us to look at harder compounds. We yielded quite promising results with all specs and have different options depending on the track temperatures that we will face."

Were any riders able to conduct longer runs today?

Budds Creek: AMA-M Series post-race report

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 06:00:00 GMT

BUDDS CREEK, Md. (July 14, 2008) -- In front of an enthusiastic crowd, the second half of the 2008 AMA Toyota Motocross Championship Presented by FMF officially began on Sunday, July 13, with the Monster Energy Budds Creek Motocross National. A reverse direction layout provided unique challenges for the world's best riders, but in the end Kawasaki's James Stewart and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto extended their respective points leads with convincing victories.

Rockstar/Makita Suzuki's Ryan Dungey grabbed the BTOSports.com Holeshot Award in the opening moto for the AMA Motocross Lites class, his second of the season, but Geico Powersports Honda's Trey Canard made his way around the Suzuki rider a short time later to take the early lead. Dungey's teammate Nico Izzi followed Canard into second. Series points leader, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's motorcycle stunts Ryan Villopoto was in fourth. Geico Powersports Honda's Josh Grant was way back after he had trouble trying to start his bike, just getting it fired as the gate dropped. His teammate Jake Weimer was in fifth. The opening laps saw some frantic passing with Villopoto and Izzi getting by Dungey. Izzi was on the move and went around Canard on lap two by railing the outside of a turn to take the lead. Villopoto worked his way around Canard by out-braking the rookie on a downhill and set out to work on Izzi. MDK/KTM teammates Ryan Sipes and Martin Davalos were both in the hunt as well in sixth and seventh. Izzi was charging hard in the lead for two laps. DNA Energy Drink/BTOSports Honda's Kyle Cunningham was having his best race of the season in ninth. On the fourth lap, Villopoto passed Izzi and began to stretch out his lead. The action behind him was fierce as Izzi, Dungey and Canard would exchange places, with Canard eventually grabbing second, Dungey third, and Izzi dropping to fourth. Sipes and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Brett Metcalfe slowly closed in on Izzi. Metcalfe was able to get by Izzi going into the back by out-jumping the Suzuki rider. Izzi would eventually finish eighth. Sipes and Metcalfe were neck and neck until Sipes overshot a corner, allowing Metcalfe to get away. Villopoto took moto one followed by Canard and Dungey.

AMA Motocross series leader, Monster Energy Kawasaki's James Stewart crossed the stripe first in moto one for the BTOSports.com Holeshot Award. He was followed by Rockstar/Makita Suzuki's Michael Byrne and Red Bull Honda's Andrew Short. Another Red Bull Honda rider, Davi Millsaps, bounced back from a shoulder injury from last week to settle into fourth off the start. Stewart's teammate Tim Ferry was fifth. Stewart would begin to check out and ride away from the field while Short established himself in second. Ferry would get by Millsaps at the finish line and "scrub" Henry Hill to make his way past Byrne into third. Factory Yamaha's Josh Hill was in his best position of the season in sixth followed by MDK KTM's Nick Wey and Moto XXX Honda's Jeff Alessi. Suzuki City Biloxi MS/OTSFF Suzuki's Cody Cooper was in 10th and quickly moved his way up through the pack, getting by Alessi and Byrne in consecutive corners and work his way forward. Ferry closed in and went to work on Short. He would battle with Short for the rest of the moto before moving into second in front of the mechanics area. Cooper continued his charge, passing Wey and moving into fifth. North Racing Inc./Factory Connection Honda's Jimmy Albertson was in the top 10 as well, making him the second privateer battling with the factory riders. Hill finished a AMA Motocross career-best fourth in the moto with Short third, Ferry second and Stewart well ahead in first.

Stoner sails in the wet to Germany victory

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Casey Stoner is on top of the world as he continues his march up the MotoGP standings for the 2008 crown. The defending champion started the year with the win in Qatar but it took seven competitions before he found his way back to the top step of the podium.

"It's nice to close the championship down a little bit more and once again I owe a huge 'thank you' to the team, who have adapted the bike to virtually any condition here. This win is dedicated to them," smiled Stoner.

On the Sachsenring Circuit in Chemnitz, Germany, the Aussie landed his third consecutive victory, having won in Donington Park and TT Assen. Notching today's win in the German Grand Prix, round ten on MotoGP calendar, was not simple task even if the outcome might appear that way. The heavy rain was a concern for all the riders.

Stoner held the pole but it was Dani Pedrosa who had the best start on his Repsol Honda with Michelin tires, leaving others behind with the early lead. JiR Team Scot rider, Andrea Dovizioso, followed Pedrosa, placing his Honda ahead of the Ducati of Stoner.

"I saw Dani ride off into the distance and I thought 'fair play' - there was no way I could keep that pace in those conditions at that time. We definitely needed a bit more time to get the tyres up to temperature and Dani just kept edging away," Stoner said.

It took the Aussie two laps to find his way around Dovizioso and then luck came his way. With 5 laps completed and a gap of seven seconds to his nearest rival, Pedrosa was heading into Turn 1 and lost control of his bike, taking him out of the race, scoring no points with his DNF and a broken finger.

"After a few laps I was coming down the main straight and I could see his [Pedrosa] motorcycle bouncing around in the gravel at turn one," Stoner said. "It's a shame for him but even though he crashed he was still very impressive today."

That opened the door for Stoner but he soon learned he had to contend with the charging Fiat Yamaha Team rider, Valentino Rossi.

"From then on it was a case of keeping my concentration but that wasn't easy because I've been a little sick all weekend and I wasn't feeling at all good during the race," continued Stoner. "Also, we went with quite a hard rear tyre compound and I had quite a few small moments that made me nervous but kept me on my guard. I kept pushing where I could and managed to keep opening out the advantage with every lap, then kept it upright to the end."

While Stoner ran away from the rest of the field, looking to gain the points with the leader in the standings out of picture, Rossi had moved from seventh on the grid with the added realization that a top finish could land him the points lead and by then the ninth lap, the Italian was in second giving chase. The five-time MotoGP champion and the reigning champion put on quite the show in the appalling conditions.

Stoner continues domination in Germany

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Casey Stoner continued to dominate at the German Grand Prix, round 10 on the MotoGP series calendar, with Saturday's run for the pole. The Ducati rider notched his fourth-consecutive 2008 pole position on the Sachsenring Circuit in Chemnitz, Germany.

"Qualifying never used to be a strong point of ours but now we seem to be turning it into one and that is a credit to the team, but also to Bridgestone, who have worked relentlessly on this aspect," expressed Stoner. "We have to be thankful to them for that and to have enjoyed four consecutive pole positions together is fantastic for everybody."

The only on-track activity that the Aussie did not sit at the top of the timesheet was this morning's practice. Stoner missed out by 0.034 seconds to the points leader, Dani Pedrosa. Not too bad considering his hard crash at the end of the final practice on Friday. When it came to whom would grab the top spot in qualifying, Stoner did not hesitate by laying down a flying lap of 1:21.067, besting Pedrosa by 0.353 seconds with a new track qualifying record.

"It has been a good weekend so far but not perfect because of the crash yesterday, which dented my confidence a little bit. The feeling with the front through that corner was good today though, which means I could get on the attack again today. I was struggling a little bit with the rear spinning up in T4 and I didn't expect my final lap to be enough for pole but we made up enough time in T3 to pull it off and I'm delighted," smiled Stoner.

It appears that the 2007 champion is definitely making up ground lost after his victory in Qatar -- the season opener -- with his win in Great Britain which he repeated at Assen (Netherlands), Stoner aims for more valuable points in tomorrow's race as he looks for fourth win of the season.

"We have a decision to make on the race tyre depending on the weather because track temperature today was about 15 degrees less than yesterday so the hard compounds we were using just struggled a little bit today," explained Stoner. "We couldn't do quite the same lap times although I wasn't pushing as hard either, so it would make the decision easier if the sun comes back out tomorrow! We're trying our best to chase down this championship and we'll see if it will be possible."

Repsol Honda rider Pedrosa will start on the front row with his best lap time of 1:21.420. As long as he continues to notch podium finishes, the Spaniard will remain the man to beat for this year's title with eight competitions remaining after tomorrow's race.

Stoner leads the way on Friday in Germany

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Casey Stoner is definitely back in the championship hunt, after landing the win in Qatar, his on-track performance took a downward slide but the defending MotoGP champion is making up ground. Coming off his third win of the season in Assen, Netherlands, today the Aussie is already laying down the challenge for tomorrow's run for the pole as he hope to notch the threepeat: British GP, TT Assen and perhaps the German GP pole.

Of course, he might pull a triple come Sunday for his fourth victory in 2008, allowing him to gain on current points leader Repsol Honda's Dani Pedrosa and second in the title chase, Valentino Rossi.

In the two practices held today on the Sachsenring Circuit in Chemnitz, Germany, Stoner laid down a flying lap in the morning at 1:22.318 and then went even faster in the afternoon with a time of 1:21.582, under the pole record. The Ducati Marlboro Team rider ran both session on race tyres so one wonders what he will do on the Bridgestone qualifying tires tomorrow afternoon.

However, today did not end well when Stoner crashed at the end of practice two. "We got reasonably lucky today with the crash - my right ankle is a little sore but it's nothing major. I hadn't had any warnings from the front end that it was going to try and flick me off down there so I really wasn't ready for it. At that point of the circuit the bike isn't at maximum lean and you don't normally expect to lose the front, so I certainly didn't see it coming and I didn't even have chance to dig my knee in and try to save it.

Stoner continued, "It was a bit strange but anyway sometimes it goes like that and there are plenty of positives to take from today. This morning we were struggling with front tyre life but we completely changed the bike around for the afternoon, fixed that particular problem before then focusing on making the bike faster and more comfortable to ride. We managed to do that and the bike was working really well."

The Aussie was not the only rider who went down today. Kawasaki's only rider with John Hopkins recovering from surgery is Anthony West. In the morning, the Australian rider was pulling off consistent laps before he crashed hard at Turn 6. West sustained injuries, mainly to his back and left arm but he did return to the activity in the afternoon.

"We had some problems with braking stability this morning, but the biggest problem was the crash right at the end of the session. When I hit the gravel trap something must have dug in, because I started tumbling and that's what damaged my back," explained West. "I will get some treatment on my back tonight, and I'm pretty sure it won't be an issue tomorrow. This track is really difficult to pass at, so qualifying in the top ten is essential tomorrow afternoon."

The surprise of the day belonged to the San Carlo Gresini Racing Honda team with Alex De Angelis second quickest in both practices. His best time of 1:21.993 was over four-tenths off the pace of Stoner's best lap.

Yamaha had the third and fourth best combined session times with Tech 3 Yamaha rider Colin Edwards a notch faster than Rossi on his Fiat Yamaha.

Buchanan: Kawasaki event summary

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Monster Energy Kawasaki Sweeps Second Jewel of Triple Crown

Monster Energy Kawasaki Sweeps Second Jewel of Triple Crown Monster Energy Kawasaki riders James Stewart and Ryan Villopoto earned a little extra money from their primary sponsors this weekend as they swept the second leg of the Monster Energy Kawasaki Triple Crown of Motocross at Red Bud Motocross USA in Buchanan, Mich. Both Stewart and Villopoto went 1-1 on the way to their respective overall victories. In the AMA Motocross class Timmy Ferry finished 23-2 for eighth overall. In the AMA Motocross Lites class Brett Metcalfe continued to recover from a shoulder injury, finishing 11-10 for ninth overall. For the Motosport Xtreme Kawasaki team, Andrew McFarlane and Kyle Chisholm earned top -10 finishes. Austin Stroupe and Branden Jesseman did not compete.

Still Perfect

Stewart ran his perfect season to 12-straight moto wins and six overall victories as he cruised to the top of the podium at Red Bud. Stewart continued his domination, leading 18 of the 19 laps on Sunday.

"It feels good to get another victory," said Stewart. "It is special because it's been a while since I won here. The last time I got an overall win at Red Bud was in the motocross lites class."

A Streak of his Own

Stewart isn't the only one on a winning streak as Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Villopoto has reeled off 11 straight moto wins and five-straight overall victories. With his 1-1 finish, Villopoto increased his series lead to 95 points.

"Everything is going good for us this year," said Villopoto. "The motos went well today. It was unfortunate for my competition because they had some bad luck and I gained a lot of points on them. I have a 95 point lead right now so I've got a nice cushion there. That's what I want and now I need to play it safe to keep my mistakes to a minimum."

A Class of its Own

The Kawasaki KX™250F has taken the overall win in 17 of the last 18 outdoor nationals. The dominating bike was in its element at Red Bud, a demanding track for both the bike and the rider.

"Red Bud is always a very good track," said Villopoto. "It is a technical track that is probably the roughest one all year. My Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki handled great all weekend. You can't ask for more."

Reeeddddd Buuuuuudddddd

Known not only for a challenging track, but also its spectacular fans, Red Bud is always a favorite for riders. Large crowds cover the hills and show their enthusiasm throughout the weekend cheering the riders on.

"The fans are awesome in Michigan," said Stewart. "A lot of them came out here for the Fourth of July weekend and I wanted to give them some fireworks. They put on a great event here at Red Bud and I was able to show my style on the last lap."

American Hopkins out of action, has surgery

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 06:00:00 GMT

MotoGP rider John Hopkins has to undergo surgery due to the injury he sustained in his crash at TT Assen Circuit. The two events that the Kawasaki racer will sit out includes his home event in the United States of America.

Hopkins' incident occurred in qualifying at The Netherlands venue at a high-speed section of the challenging circuit. According to Kawasaki, Hopkins was traveling at 230km/h (142.9 mph) on his Ninja NX-RR at Ramshoek corner. Hopkins "slid across the track and through the gravel trap before colliding feet first with the tyre wall on the outside of the turn".

He was treated at the Assen medical center. It appeared that Hopkins had re-fractured his left leg plus a probable fracture of the ankle. Hopkins flew home to California for a further evaluation with Dr. Art Ting.

Today, Kawasaki Racing confirmed that Hopkins will be out of action after successful surgery was performed. According to the team, Dr. Ting discovered, beyond the original discovery of the tibia and lateral malleolus fractures, Hopkins bone scan showed "a tibial plateau fracture just below the knee, and damage to the meniscus (cartilage)".

Hopkins will follow up the surgery, when allowed, with "extensive rehabilitation therapy" which could last up to eight weeks, putting him out of action for the German Grand Prix and the US Grand Prix at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. He hopes to return to action for the MotoGP event in the Czech Republic on August 17. With two grand prix events in the USA this year, the American fans will have a chance to see Hopkins race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on September 14.

"I am sorry for John, as I know he was looking forward to racing in front of his home crowd at Laguna Seca, where he always enjoys a lot of support," said Michael Bartholemy, Kawasaki competition manager. "But it's just not possible; he has had surgery to fix the injuries he sustained at Assen, and now he needs sufficient recovery time to ensure that he's fully fit before he makes his racing return."

Cudlin takes first win in German IDM Supersport Championship

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Australian Damian Cudlin scored his first win in the German IDM Supersport Championship, snatching victory on the last lap in a thrilling race at the Salzburgring on the weekend.

Starting from 4th on the grid, Cudlin made the most of his first front row start of the season, surging to 3rd place on the opening lap. Wedged in an eight bike freight train for the first 7 laps, Cudlin swiftly moved into the lead at the halfway point, attempting to make a break on the pursuing pack.

Lifting the pace, Cudlin stretched a small gap over his rivals, shaking off the advances of Tode and Diss. However experienced team mate Rico Penzkofer matched Cudlin’s every move and stormed into contention with a strong pass for the lead with 5 laps to go.

From then on it was formation flying for the SKM/Bike Promotion Yamaha squad, as Cudlin and Penzkofer rode within inches of each other through the 280kph Stein Curve, battling for supremacy.

Trailing Penzkofer on the final lap, Cudlin set up a last lap lunge in the final complex section, sliding underneath the German under brakes and holding his nerve to steal victory by 0.018 of a second.

“This feels unreal” Cudlin beamed at the finish.

“Penz and I had a great fight at the end of the race, but I put myself in the right place on the last lap to make my move on the brakes into the complex. I knew if I didn’t make a mistake in the last turn I’d win the race, thankfully it all worked out.”

Cudlin’s win came at a perfect time, as championship leader Arne Tode struggled to a 6th place finish. The young Aussie now sits just 29 points adrift of the German in the title chase.

World MX - Round Nine - Grand Prix of Sweden, Uddevalla

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 06:00:00 GMT

The Grand Prix of Sweden was held on a wet Sunday, with the weather being drizzly all day long.

Jonathan Barragan took victory number two of his career from Steve Ramon and series leader David Philippaerts. In the MX2 class Tony Cairoli came back to victory, topping the podium from KTM fellow riders Tyla Rattray and Shaun Simpson.

MX1
Winning heat one and settling for second in heat two, AXO KTM Silver Action’s Jonathan Barragan wrapped up the overall for the second time this year after Mallory, which marked his first career win. Defending MX1 Champion Steve Ramon of Teka Suzuki WMX1 was second on the podium to mark his comeback to the rostrum after his last appearance at Bellpuig, the venue of his maiden MX1 win this year. Series leader David Philippaerts of Yamaha Monster Motocross took third overall from moto two winner Max Nagl and Billy Mackenzie.

MX1 RACE 1
Boniface took the holeshot and led the first part of heat one before dropping down to an eventual sixth. After a solid start, Barragan attacked and passed the Frenchman to secure the victory from a strong De Reuver. Ramon rounded off the top three with Philippaerts pushing him in the final laps, when both moved past Boniface. Desalle rounded off the top five while Mackenzie dropped down to seventh after riding the opening laps in second. Pourcel and Coppins ended 11th and 13th respectively after crashing in the opening lap.

MX1 RACE 2
Nagl dominated the final heat from the start to the flag, leaving a wise Barragan behind in second which was enough for the Spaniard to secure the overall win. Ramon took another third place ahead of Philippaerts with Coppins rounding off the top five courtesy of a last lap move on Mackenzie, sixth. De Reuver crashed twice and dnf’d while Pourcel remained blocked on the start gate due to a machine’s problem.

MX2
Yamaha Red Bull De Carli’s Antonio Cairoli took the overall win after a two GP absence from the top step of the podium. The Sicilian was first from KTM fellow riders Tyla Rattray (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Shaun Simpson (KTM UK). Rattray won heat one but settled for the points in moto two and kept the red plate. Simpson was third and second to finish third ahead of Tommy Searle and Steven Frossard, who rounded off the top five.

MX2 RACE 1
Simpson led the group for the first half of the heat then Rattray moved past to win the moto from Cairoli; the latter worked his way up after a difficult start, moving past Simpson despite the Brit fought tooth and nail for the runner up position. Simpson was third ahead of Frossard and Aubin. Searle was sixth, as he crashed after a close overtaking move Cairoli made on him.

MX2 RACE 2
Simpson was again the quickest to jump out of the gate and Rattray followed from second with Searle completing a KTM top three after moving past Cairoli. The latter waited until mid race distance then made his moves on Searle and Rattray. Cairoli chased Simpson for first and eventually passed to take the win. Simpson defended the runner up spot from Rattray, who ended third from Searle and Tarroux.

IN THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS STANDINGS
Philippaerts overtook the 300 point barrier and still leads the points standings; the new runner up is Ramon with Coppins dropping to third after a difficult Swedish weekend. De Dycker and Pourcel round off the top five with Barragan being sixth and very close to Pourcel.

Rattray will take the red plate home to South Africa in two weeks while Cairoli has moved up to second in the points, overtaking Searle-now third. Simpson and Goncalves round off the top five.

Buchanan: Round six preview

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 06:00:00 GMT

BUCHANAN, Mich. (July 4, 2008) -- The 4th of July weekend will be full of on-track fireworks as the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship Presented by FMF approaches the halfway point of the 2008 season at the 35th Annual Monster Energy/Kawasaki Motocross National Presented by Scott USA from RedBud on July 5-6.

Last weekend, the series competed in the first-ever AMA Toyota Motocross Championship night race in front of thousands of Mile High faithful at Thunder Valley Motocross Park in Lakewood, Colo. Continuing the season trend, Monster Energy Kawasaki's James Stewart and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto garnered the historic overall victories.

After cruising to an easy moto one victory, Stewart overcame a bit of adversity in the final moto, recovering from a less than perfect start to grab the lead and then retain the top spot after a late race fall to bring his 2008 moto record to 10-0. He carries a 51-point lead into RedBud, where he took second overall last season.

"I want it to be tough," said Stewart. "I want it to be rough so we can see how the training has been going. It was cool and smooth in Colorado, so its time for it to get harder. I'm really excited about RedBud, it is one of my favorite tracks and I just want to keep this going."

Teammate Tim Ferry missed out on the podium yet again this week, but has continued to ride strong throughout the 2008 season. Last year in Michigan, he compiled a pair of fourth place moto finishes for fourth overall.

"RedBud is my favorite track," stated Ferry. "I always like going there to race. It has some of the best atmosphere and the crowd is always into the race. I'm riding good right now and its time to get another podium finish."

In the AMA Motocross Lites class, Villopoto continued his recent dominance, but had to overcome some adversity and a new competitor in Geico Powersports Honda's Josh Grant in the second moto in order to grab his fourth overall victory. With a 58-point lead, Villopoto's goal is to simply keep the momentum going.

"The track is good at RedBud," said Villopoto. "I like the track. It should be hot there so it will be more like an outdoor national should be. I just need to keep riding good and keep building my points lead."

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki teammates Austin Stroupe and Brett Metcalfe both enter RedBud after tough weekends in Colorado. After showing a lot of strength early in each moto, Stroupe suffered race-ending crashes to eliminate him from point contention. Metcalfe raced in survival mode after a hard practice crash set his physical well-being back. But after salvaging a 12th place overall finish and another week of recovery, he will be ready for action in Michigan.

TT Assen: Michelin Indianapolis test summary

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 06:00:00 GMT

MICHELIN MEN GET TO KNOW INDY

Michelin's MotoGP test team visited the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the first time on July 1 and 2 to test tires in readiness for the inaugural Indy MotoGP event scheduled for September 14.

The two day session between the Dutch and German MotoGP rounds was scheduled thanks to new regulations which allow tire manufacturers to test at tracks which haven't previously featured on the World Championship calendar. "These tests are a good thing," said Jean-Philippe Weber, Michelin's director of motorcycle racing. "They allow us to get an initial feeling for the track. They also allow us to better understand the track and they give us an idea of how the race weekend will go."

Weber was accompanied to the tests by two Michelin tire technicians, two fitters and two Michelin test riders: Frenchman Erwan Nigon aboard a Honda RC212V and compatriot William Costes aboard a Yamaha YZR-M1. Two hundred development tyres were sent to the tests from Michelin's Clermont-Ferrand base.

Nigon and Costes had the honor of being the first men to ride Michelin-equipped MotoGP bikes at the celebrated 'Brickyard' circuit which will celebrate its centenary in 2009. The Frenchmen mostly compete in Europe, so these tests gave them the chance to get to know a slightly more exotic race venue. "This track is very American, like the tracks used in the AMA Superbike championship which I follow on television," explains Nigon. "You skim past walls, and you cross bands of bitumen and white lines."

For Costes, it's the rhythm of the circuit that is its main characteristic. "The first corner is very fast, and difficult due to a lack of grip," he says. "After that the grip improves but the speed decreases with a succession of slower corners which are quite tricky to get right."

Following this first test session the unusual Indy MotoGP circuit will undergo further improvements, most notably to the start/finish straight where speeds should nudge 320 km/h.

The weather during both days, on the eve on Independence Day, was good, despite a strong wind on day two. The tests went off without incident, apart from one small crash on the second day, Wednesday.

"We've had good weather, with a track temperature of 50 degrees on the first day and 47 degrees on the second," added Weber. "We expect conditions to be not too dissimilar in September, when the temperature will be slightly less, which will be compensated by the faster pace during a race weekend. Both our riders have worked very hard. Thanks to them we have been able to pretty much complete our test programme which was quite ambitious. William was able to complete his tests with an endurance run, while Erwan managed a long run. We have now got plenty of data to analyse and information to verify."

World: South African teams German GP summary

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 06:00:00 GMT

RATTRAY IS ON TOP OF THE WORLD

South African motocross star Tyla Rattray is back on top of the world after winning the MX2 category at the German Grand Prix in Teutschental yesterday.

Rattray, on the factory Red Bull KTM, took the overall win on a count out from reigning champion Antonio Cairoli, of Italy, on a factory Yamaha. The young South African and the Italian exchanged wins in the two races with Cairoli winning the first heat and Rattray taking the second.

And, just to make it more interesting Rattray set the fastest lap in race one and Cairoli the fastest lap in race two. The result saw Rattray back on top of the world championship standings ahead of Red Bull KTM team-mate Tommy Searle, of Britain, who lost ground by finishing ninth in the second race.

Cairoli won the first moto by a six second margin with Rattray holding off Searle. Fourth was Steven Frossard, of France, on a Kawasaki, with Briton Shaun Simpson fifth on another Red Bull KTM.

With Rattray and Cairoli swapping roles in the second moto it was Portugal's Rui Concalves, on yet another Red Bull KTM, who took the remaining spot on the podium. Fourth went to Frossard -- enough to give him third overall for the day - with fellow Frenchman Martin Musquin fifth on a Honda.

Rattray, Cairoli and Searle have been playing musical chairs at the top of the championship table. Rattray now leads Searle by 11 points with Cairoli a further five points adrift in third place . Simpson, in fourth place is 101 points behind Cairoli - an indication of how the top three have dominated this season. Concalves is fifth in the standings and trails Simpson by 11 points.

In the MX1 category New Zealander Josh Coppins, on a Yamaha scored a double. Coppins won the first moto from Belgian Steve Ramon (Suzuki) and Italian David Philippaerts on a Yamaha.

In the second race Coppins came in ahead of Ken de Dycker (Suzuki) with the Belgian holding off German Max Nagle on a KTM.

Casey Stoner dominates at TT Assen

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 06:00:00 GMT

The whole weekend belonged to Casey Stoner. Practically every session the Aussie was leading the field, and the tough race held today was icing on the cake. The reigning champ's first back to back wins in the season sees him close the gap to Valentino Rossi and Dani Pedrosa in the points battle. Stoner and Ducati now head to Germany to make it three wins in a row.

The rain stayed away for the MotoGP race at Assen in the Netherlands. Pedrosa started second and finished second, only holding the lead for a brief moment at the start. Rossi started in third but a rare mistake saw the Italian bobble on the first lap. He was able to get going, although in last place, twenty seconds back from the field. He finished in eleventh, moving Pedrosa back into the points lead. Stoner is just that much closer in third.

"We knew we had the pace to win today," said Stoner, "but sometimes coming into race day that can make you even more nervous because you know the only thing that can go wrong is yourself!"

"I'm sorry Valentino crashed because this isn't necessarily the way I wanted to recover points on him, but at the end of the day we've had our fair share of bad luck this year too and racing is an unpredictable game. Now it seems fortune is favouring us but more than that I've really got to take my hat off to Ducati and to my team. They've been doing such a good job over the past few races to get us back on the pace again and make us consistently competitive, so I want to say 'thank you' to all of them," added the reigning champ.

Pedrosa knew his Repsol Honda couldn't catch Stoner but the strong second place finish was enough to make this Spaniard the championship leader at the halfway point of the season.

"I'm happy with this result because it was a difficult race and I'm happy to be in the World Championship lead once again," explained Pedrosa, "the 20 points we got here are very important. We've struggled a little bit during practice here, but my team have worked really hard, so a big thanks to all of them. Yesterday I was able to qualify on a MotoGP front row for the first time at Assen. Today I did my best in the race but unfortunately we couldn't go with Casey because he was so fast. Now we need to keep working hard because we must try to close the gap over the next few races. Sachsenring is next. We had a great win there last year and we will try to the same again this year."

The hard charger of the day award goes to Collin Edwards, who hands down but in the best show. The Tech 3 Yamaha rider started in sixth but ended up in the back of the field when trying to avoid the tangle of Rossi and Randy de Puniet. The American put his head down and by lap ten he was back in seventh, soon he found himself in a battle for fourth. When he was done picking off riders one by one Edwards was fourth in the last lap,...

Capirossi to return to Rizla Suzuki for Dutch GP

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Capirossi to return to Rizla Suzuki for Dutch Grand Prix

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP will be pleased to welcome Loris Capirossi back from injury for this weekend's Dutch TT at Assen in The Netherlands.

Capirossi was an enforced spectator at the last round in Britain following an accident at Catalunya earlier this month, which sidelined the Italian star with a broken hand. The injury has still not completely healed, but Capirossi is determined to get back on his Suzuki GSV-R this weekend and continue with the bike's development and to demonstrate the will to succeed that he has shown so far this year. His replacement at the last round -- Ben Spies -- will also be supporting the team at Assen and later in the season will return to the GSV-R for wildcard rides at both American MotoGP rounds.

Chris Vermeulen is confident of continuing with the improvement of the GSV-R and believes that the progress made at the recent Catalunya test and during the race weekend at Donington will translate into better results at forthcoming races - starting with Assen this weekend. Vermeulen will be traveling to his ancestral home, as his family name hails from The Netherlands, and he always enjoys plenty of Dutch support when he races there.

Assen is unique on the MotoGP calendar for being the only race to be staged on a Saturday, and also because it is the only venue that has staged a Grand Prix every season in the 60-year history of the sport. The track is located in the north of The Netherlands, near the town of Groningen. The 4,555m circuit has undergone some changes in recent seasons to improve safety and that has taken away some of the old magic from the famous racetrack, but there is no denying it is still one of the favorite places to visit on the calendar for riders and fans alike.

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP will take to track on Thursday this week for the first practice session, followed by another practice and qualifying on Friday. The 26-lap race gets underway at 14.00hrs local time (12.00hrs GMT) when the both riders will be hoping to give title-sponsor Rizla something to shout about in one of its most important territories.

Loris Capirossi:

"I'm 100% certain that I am able to ride and I just can't wait to get back on my bike again. It was really difficult watching at the last race, but I want to say well done to Ben as he did a good job in his first GP. It certainly felt very strange seeing him working with my crew and sitting in my chair in the garage! I missed the test in Catalunya because of the injury, but I know Chris made some improvements to the bike so I will be looking at those and seeing if they will help me. I need to carry on from where I left off and continue to make the bike better and I know that top result is just around the corner."

Chris Vermeulen:

Resurgent Stoner takes British GP in style

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Casey Stoner started the 2008 MotoGP championship season as the title favorite, coming off his 2007 championship, and starting the season with a victory in Qatar. It was all coming apart, though, but the Australian put paid to any doubts about his form today, taking a convincing victory at the British GP in Donington.

"This weekend, we have been fast right from the first practice session, and we have been competitive in both dry and wet conditions," said Stoner. "It is a great feeling to be back on the top step of the podium. I have to thank the mechanics because they have been working hard to solve the problems we have been having, and I hope this is something that will be equally beneficial for the future races. Thanks also to Bridgestone, we were able to set fast and consistent lap times all weekend, and also be very strong with the wet tires."

Having taken the pole by six tenths of a second from arch rival Valentino Rossi, Stoner convincingly rode his Ducati off into the distance in the race. At the finish, Rossi was 5.789 seconds adrift, or nearly two tenths of a second per lap.

Rossi, who had started his Yamaha second, had his hands full early on defending his position against the approaches of Andrea Dovizioso, riding a JiR Team Scot Honda. Dovizioso, who had started on the outside of the front row, made a lightning start to attach himself to Rossi's rear wheel on the first lap.

Behind them, Dani Pedrosa recovered from his mid-pack starting position, moving to fifth on the first lap. He then picked off his works Honda teammate Nicky Hayden on the fourth lap, and then Dovizioso another four laps later.

Pedrosa attacked Rossi and succeeded in passing him near the halfway mark, only for Rossi to retake second from him. In the closing laps, Rossi pulled away as Pedrosa lost time through some minor mistakes. Still, third place was much better than his teammate Nicky Hayden's seventh -- prompting Pedrosa to think carefully about switching to Honda's new pneumatic-valve engine, which Hayden was using today.

Colin Edwards took a solid fourth place for the Tech 3 Yamaha satellite team, just ahead of Dovizioso, who had to settle for fourth after winning the race in the 250cc class last year, and Jorge Lorenzo on the second works Yamaha.

British MotoGP: Capirossi to attend race

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Capirossi to attend Donington MotoGP race

Loris Capirossi is on his way to join the Rizla Suzuki MotoGP team for this weekend's British Grand Prix at Donington, despite being sidelined with a broken hand and not being able to race.

The experienced Italian broke the fifth metacarpus of his right hand at the Catalunya GP just 10 days ago and has undergone intense physiotherapy since then to repair the injury. Capirossi is now demonstrating his professional attitude and passion for the Rizla Suzuki MotoGP team by joining his crew and the rest of the squad for the team's home Grand Prix, even though he knows he will just be a spectator and not a competitor.

Capirossi will be at trackside for Sunday's race and will be available to offer any advice and assistance to regular team-mate Chris Vermeulen and replacement rider Ben Spies -- who will be deputising for Capirossi and making his MotoGP debut at the English circuit.

Following the Donington race Capirossi will join Vermeulen at the team's UK headquarters at the Crescent Suzuki Performance Centre in Verwood near Bournemouth, Dorset for the 'Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Open Evening' on Monday 23rd June where both riders will be available to meet and greet fans. Capirossi will then travel to Assen in The Netherlands with the aim of being able to race in the Dutch TT on Saturday 28th June.

Loris Capirossi: "I'm incredibly disappointed that I'm coming to a MotoGP and not racing! But it is a pleasure to come and support the team and continue with all the promotional events surrounding the team's home Grand Prix. I know what an important event this is to everybody and I will be around to help out as much as I can and supporting both the guys...

British MotoGP: Ducati Mugelle test notes

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 06:00:00 GMT

FIRST OUTING FOR SETE GIBERNAU WITH VITTORIANO GUARESCHI AND DUCATI TEST TEAM AT MUGELLO

A three-day session for the Ducati Test Team began today at Mugello, where factory test rider Vittoriano Guareschi was joined for the first time by Sete Gibernau.

Gibernau clocked up twenty laps with the Desmosedici GP9, recording a best time of 1'53.7 before the session was interrupted by rain. Despite a long absence from the sport and the opportunity to complete only a handful of laps today, the Spaniard's first contact with the GP9 was a positive one.

"It has been a really exciting day," commented Gibernau. "It's like jumping back in time almost two years - as if the months that have gone by since the last time I was on track never even existed. Racing motorcycles was my whole life for so many years and now I've rediscovered that feeling I feel really good, like I'm home again. The instinct for riding came back straight away, even though I obviously need to get back into the habit of going fast. I've realised how tiring it is to grab the brakes and move the bike around where I want it but I'm sure that's just the rust from not riding for so long. I managed twenty laps on the GP9 before it started to rain and the feeling was good. It is a Ducati in every way - precise but demanding, it requires a physical riding style and it instantly reminded me of the GP7 I tested at Motegi towards the end of 2006. As well as getting my confidence to ride back, today we did a little bit of work on the electronics, in particular the engine braking, because I prefer a different calibration to Vittoriano. I want to say a huge 'thank you' to Ducati for this wonderful gift. For now I'm just going to enjoy the next two days of testing,...

WSBK: Nurburgring Series qualifying report

Sat, 14 Jun 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Neukirchner powers to Superpole in home round at the Nurburgring

Max Neukirchner (Alstare Suzuki) powered to a second Superpole win of the season in his home round of the HANNspree FIM Superbike World Championship at the Nurburgring. The 25-year-old from Stollberg in the former East Germany, set an incredible time of 1 minute 55.471 seconds around the 5.137 km circuit on his Suzuki GSX-R1000. The remainder of the front row was made up of riders from three different manufacturers; Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) was three-tenths of a second down in second place, followed by Carlos Checa (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) and Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia WSB), who ten days ago was undergoing surgery on a broken collarbone.

Max Neukirchner: "It was an unbelievable lap, I was really fast. I'm so happy for my team, they did a great job this weekend for my home race and to help me get my second pole position of the season. I hope the weather will be fine tomorrow and a lot of fans come here with the German flag and say 'go go go, Max!"

Troy Bayliss: "All the practices have been going quite well for us, when I saw Carlos's time I was pretty surprised and I thought that's around where my limit is going to be. I didn't expect Max to do such a good job, that was incredible the lap he pulled out. We're hoping that it's going to be a nice day tomorrow because the conditions have been quite mixed already. Although we're looking good in those situations, we'd love it to be a dry track because I think there's going to be a really good turn-out here. The Nurburgring is a lovely place with a great atmosphere so I'm looking forward to it."

Carlos Checa: "Here we didn't find the grip we had in America but we've been working on the bike to find more mechanical feeling with these tyres and finally it worked a bit better. I was confident with that feeling even with the qualifying tyres and on my Superpole lap the time came very good, then of course Troy and especially Max did a great lap time. We are on the first row and it's very positive, I think we'll catch up the pace and we'll be looking good for tomorrow."

Fifth place went to Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox), just a fraction away from another front row start. The young Italian was ahead of Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia WSB), Lorenzo Lanzi (RG Ducati) and Max Biaggi (Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati) whose second row start still gives him a chance of fighting for the win.

Ninth quickest time was clocked by Karl Muggeridge (DF Racing Honda), while Japan's Yukio Kagayama (Suzuki Alstare) had to miss the Superpole session after crashing out in the afternoon's free practice session and being taken to hospital with concussion.

FIM Supersport World Championship

Broc Parkes (Yamaha World Supersport) clinched his third pole position of the season for the Supersport race at the Nurburgring with a lap time of 2 minutes 00.015 seconds . The 26-year-old Australian, after clocking quickest time on the opening day, repeated the performance today to see off Britain's Craig Jones (Parkalgar Honda) by almost half-a-second. Australian riders also made up the rest of the front row, with Joshua Brookes (Hannspree Stiggy Motorsport Honda) and Andrew Pitt (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) in third and fourth. On the second row can be found the surprise of the weekend, Mark Aitchison (Triumph Italia BE1) with Matthieu Lagrive (Intermoto Czech Honda) and German wild-card Arne Tode (G-Lab Racing Triumph), while Tommy Hill (Hannspree Honda Althea),...

Catalunyan MotoGP: Bridgestone debrief

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Italy/Catalunya GP Debrief: Q+A with Tohru Ubukata

The first set of back-to-back races in this season's enthralling MotoGP championship saw Bridgestone-shod riders secure four podium positions from a possible six with Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner making podium trips in both Mugello and Catalunya.

Rossi took his third consecutive win of the season in Mugello, but had to push hard right up to the chequered flag to fend off a competitive Stoner, who set the fastest lap of the race on his way to second place ahead of Dani Pedrosa. In Catalunya, it was Pedrosa who took race win honours, but Rossi and Stoner enjoyed another closely-fought battle, with Rossi taking second and Stoner third.

Bridgestone enjoyed one of its most competitive weekends of the season so far in Mugello with strong race performances also from Honda Gresini's Alex de Angelis, who stormed to fourth place. Rossi also took the first Bridgestone-shod pole position of the season at the Italian track. Stoner then claimed his first pole position of the year the following weekend with an impressively quick lap, the fastest ever lap by a motorcycle around the Circuit de Catalunya.

Q+A with Tohru Ubukata - Bridgestone Motorsport - Manager Motorcycle Race Tyre Development

How would you assess the back-to-back races in Mugello and Catalunya

"We enter a tough period of the season with lots of back-to-back races at circuits where our rivals have traditionally been competitive, so the results of Mugello and Catalunya were quite satisfying. Mugello is one of the few tracks where we have never seen a rider on our tyres take victory, so the fact we could enjoy our first one-two of the season with Valentino winning and Casey in second was a great result."

What influence did the weather have on race weekend preparations?

"It seems that the rain is following MotoGP this season!Both Mugello and Catalunya race weekends were affected by rain, which made tyre choice for the race more difficult. We had limited dry running in the practice sessions, which prevented us from carrying out the usual longer runs with the preferred tyre specification. When we do not have the chance to assess the tyre performance over medium-long runs in practice, there is always a question mark for the race, so I was particularly pleased with the performance over the full race distance in both events."

High Point Motocross

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Monster Energy Kawasaki Beat the Heat and Everyone Else in Texas

Monster Energy Kawasaki's James Stewart and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto completed a perfect weekend at Freestone County Raceway in Wortham, Texas by winning all of their motos in temperatures near 100 degrees. Villopoto's teammate Austin Stroupe finished 3-3 for third overall in the motocross lites class and Brett Metcalfe finished eighth overall. Timmy Ferry finished 7-3 in the motocross class which earned him fourth place overall. Branden Jesseman did not race after crashing during the second Sunday morning practice.

Three Straight Wins

Stewart made it six for six in motos this season, sweeping both motos at Freestone County Raceway. Stewart grabbed the lead in the first moto, but fell on the first lap and dropped back to fourth. After quickly recovering, he made a charge back to the lead on the seventh lap. Once he was back in the lead, Stewart pulled away to a 17 second win. The second moto wasn't nearly as eventful for Stewart as he grabbed the lead on the third lap and rode to his sixth moto victory of the season.

"I went down on the first lap and I guess I should have been more patient," said Stewart. "It was a simple crash and made the moto kind of fun. It was fun chasing those guys down. It was good today. It felt like I had some good lines and the bike was working well so it all worked out. It feels good to keep winning."

Victorious Villopoto

Villopoto's day was nearly a mirror image of Stewart's as he had an uneventful first moto, followed up by a drama filled second. In the first race, Villopoto went wire-to-wire for the victory. In the second moto, he got caught up in first turn and worked his way up to third before he fell in one of the slippery turns. Villopoto kept the bike running and got up quickly, making a charge for the leaders. Once he got the lead on lap eight, he continued to push despite the hot conditions and built a 16-second gap over second place by the checkered flag. The overall win was Villopoto's second of the season as he has won five of six motos in 2008.

"The first moto was good, it went pretty flawless for me," said Villopoto. "I got the holeshot and led the whole races so not much to really talk about. My bike was really good. In the second moto I got hung up in the first turn and didn't get the start I wanted so I had to work my way up. I had just passed for third and then I fell in a turn and lost that spot. I got up quickly and wanted to catch the leaders. Once I got into the lead I wanted to get as big of a gap as I could as quickly as I could."

Back on the Podium

Stroupe looked good all weekend at Freestone County Raceway as he never ran lower than third. He was being pushed hard in both races and stood up to the challenge, as well as the sweltering heat to get back on the podium. In the first three races of the season Stroupe has put his Kawasaki KX�250F on the podium.

"I got a good start in the first moto and came out third," said Stroupe. "I battled with (Ryan) Dungey and maybe used a little too much energy. In the second moto I got a great start and had the lead. I was riding well and just hit the wall. From there it was tough and I did my all to hang on for third."

Rough Ride

Ducati Barcelona test notes 2008-06-09

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 06:00:00 GMT

POSITIVE DEBUT FOR DESMOSEDICI GP9 WITH CASEY STONER

The day following the Grand Prix of Catalunya gave the MotoGP riders the chance to start a two-day test, with the Ducati Marlboro Team bringing forward a first outing for the Desmosedici GP9 - which was originally scheduled for Casey Stoner tomorrow. With uncertain weather forecasts for tomorrow, Stoner and test riders Vittoriano Guareschi and Niccolo Canepa put the machine through its paces, whilst Marco Melandri spent the day focusing on his GP8 and will test it tomorrow.

It was a positive debut for the machine in the hands of the World Champion, so much so that the Australian set the best time of the day with a 1'41.533 on qualifying tyres.

CASEY STONER (Ducati Marlboro Team)
Best lap on race tyres - 1'42.632; on qualifiers - 1'41.533

"I'm happy with the way today has gone. The objective was to understand whether this new chassis concept has potential and I'd say that for now it looks to be the case. We were quickly into some decent times using the same set-up as the GP8. We barely changed anything to adapt it to the characteristics of the GP9 and I immediately felt an improvement so that is positive. I'm sure that with more time to work on it we can go much faster, although that is not the current brief. We'll have time to test it in the winter. Tomorrow we'll get back on my GP8 because we have some important tyre testing to do. There is still a lot of the 2008 season left and we want to be competitive."

MARCO MELANDRI (Ducati Marlboro Team)
Best lap on race times - 1'44.326

"We have done a lot of tests with the electronics, set-up and tyres. I've found a rear tyre that gives me a better feeling but we're still a long way from where we need to be. We still need to find something to get back to the kind of feeling I had in China."

FILIPPO PREZIOSI General Manager Ducati Corse

"We took the decision to allow the factory riders to test the GP9 because it would have been more difficult at a later stage of development and eventually we'd have had to go backwards in certain areas. There are some things that are possible to analyse with data such as in the engine or the cycle part but other areas where it is absolutely essential to have the riders' opinions. So it was important to get their feedback to understand if the choices we've made have been the right ones and to get their suggestions.

Pedrosa can't be beat in Spain, takes Catalunyan MotoGP

Sun, 08 Jun 2008 06:00:00 GMT

For the second time this year Dani Pedrosa sipped champagne in his home country of Spain. After winning the Spanish GP earlier this year the Repsol Honda rider dominated at the Catalunyan GP, led start to finish to the frenzied cheers of his fans that made it to the race regardless of a transportation strike. Now Pedrosa can look for a Spanish hat-trick by winning the final event of the year at the Valencian GP, a place he won at in 2007.

Pedrosa jumped Casey Stoner at the start and never looked back. Setting fastest lap and overall race records the local hero at one time in the race had close to an eight second lead. Second place was left to be contested between Stoner and Valentino Rossi, who started from the third row. Rossi went on a tear to catch Stoner and eventually made a pass stick over the Aussie, minimizing the points loss to Pedrosa. The Italian still leads the championship, but only by seven points. Stoner's bike wasn't handling like it was in qualifying when he snatched the pole. Still the reigning champ did his best to bring the Ducati in third.

"I'm very happy about this win, my thanks to all the people around me," said Pedrosa. "Today was also very important for the championship, I am now five points closer to the lead, but there are still many races ahead of us, so we need to keep pushing and be consistent. We had a few issues in practice here, so my team was thinking what they could do and they made a small adjustment before the race that improved the bike and helped me to run that pace. Once again, a big thanks to them. I couldn't believe the fans, it seems like every year there are more and more. I'm very happy they were here because I know it was difficult to get into the track today. I was all alone, pushing to go faster and faster and I could see everyone cheering me on. At one point I lost a bit of concentration, but I got my focus back and kept pushing. Now we have two days of tests which will be very important for the next few races."

The Fiat Yamaha Team turned around what looked like a bad weekend. Rossi and the team worked overnight to sort out the bike for today's race. After only qualifying ninth on the grid the points leader set the fastest time in the warm up, gaining confidence that the team did their job and a podium was in the cards. Out of the box Rossi starting picking off riders, using the brake zone into turn one coming after the famous long straight as many times it took to gain position. By lap nine he was past Stoner, but their battle was just starting. Later in the race the Stoner retook second from the Yamaha rider and the two ran close lap after lap. With two laps to go Rossi made the final move, crossing the line half a second up on the Aussie.

Stoner back on top in Catalunya

Sat, 07 Jun 2008 06:00:00 GMT

The powerful Ducati motor pulled Casey Stoner around Circuit de Catalunya for a record setting lap that put the Aussie on pole for his first time this season. The reigning MotoGP champ shut out local hero Dani Pedrosa for the top spot by less than one tenth of a second. The Repsol Honda team had a great qualifying session; both their riders will start from the front row with Pedrosa's teammate, Nicky Hayden in third. Yamaha is the team with bad luck this weekend, points leader Valentino Rossi could only manage ninth while Jorge Lorenzo will watch from the sidelines after a nasty crash during Friday practice.

Catalunya's long straight accounts for a large chunk of time as the bikes stay hard on the throttle. Few other places require the power and top speed demanded here. Ducati is known for having a strong bike in both regards. What makes this track special is how much handling in the backfield matters as well, a trait more suited for Honda and Yamaha. It is usually a trade-off between the two but this weekend Stoner and his team seem to have found the magic balance.

"If I'm honest I really didn't expect to be on pole today," admitted Stoner, "it's a big surprise! Practice has been going well and we've been getting gradually better on race tyres. The guys have worked really hard and come up with two different set-ups that I'm happy with on two different machines. At the moment we're torn between which one we're going to use in the race but that's a nice problem to have! When we put the final qualifying tyre in I thought we were going to be lucky to be on the front row but I was able to keep it smooth - the lap itself didn't actually feel all that fast but the time was great and in general we couldn't have asked for more from the session. Over the past four races we've been able to iron some things out, work out why we weren't as fast as we perhaps could have been at the start of the season and things are getting continually better. This pole position hows that we're going in the right direction so hopefully that trend can continue through to the race tomorrow."

Pedrosa worked hard for second on the gird today. The Repsol rider was plagued with electrical gremlins at the start of the session. Once he switched to a backup bike the Spaniard tried to play catch up as others had already banked fast laps. The passionate fans watched while he put it all together and nailed a solid time for another front row start in his home country. With Lorenzo and Rossi essentially out of the picture Pedrosa looks poised to add a few more points to his championship hopes.

Pedrosa fastest, Lorenzo crashes in Barcelona

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Dani Pedrosa sat the fastest time in Friday's opening two practices on his hometrack in Barcelona, Spain. Riding his Repsol Honda to a time of 1:43.017 in the second practice runs, Pedrosa bested Loris Capirossi by only 0.006 seconds.

The Catalunyan GP is one of the toughest events that the MotoGP series encounter each year and today, after the rains overnight left a still wet track, the circuit bit one of its own homeland riders, Jorge Lorenzo.

After clocking the third best time in practice one behind Pedrosa and Valentino Rossi, the rookie took a nasty fall in the early portion of the afternoon practice. The Spaniard lost the front of his Fiat Yamaha M1 at Turn 11, skidding into the gravel.

The rookie whose year started off on a high note, with three poles and his first MotoGP victory, has seen a downturn in his luck. After leading the standings, Lorenzo has had surgery (arm pump), crashed in China breaking and bruising his ankles. Now today's accident has taken him out of his home race.

After being taken to the track medical clinic, Lorenzo was transported to a local hospital due to losing consciousness where he had a CAT scan and an MRI. His ankles were not affected by the fall, the main injuries were to his right hand.

Doctor Xavier Mir of the University Institut Dexeus in Barcelona commented: "I can confirm that Lorenzo will not be able to compete this weekend after the tests done here at the Institut Dexeus have confirmed the following injuries: He [Lorenzo] suffered head trauma and lost consciousness. We made a neurological examination with a CAT scan and an MRI scan and from this we can confirm that there is no cranial hematoma or hemmorhage.

"However, he now needs to stay under observation for between 48 and 72 hours to see how this develops. He sustained an injury to the 4th and 5th finger on the right hand, where he has lost some skin. He also has an abrasion of the extensor tendon. We need to see how this develops but it could be possible that he needs a small skin graft."

Catalunyan MotoGP: Bridgestone preview

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 06:00:00 GMT

With the sensational 1-2 finish from Mugello still fresh in its mind, Bridgestone heads to the Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona for the seventh round of the 2008 MotoGP world championship. Valentino Rossi leads the classification by 12 points after three consecutive wins in China, France and Italy.

Second-placed man from Italy, Casey Stoner, scored one of his ten wins in 2007 at the Circuit de Catalunya after an epic cat and mouse battle with Rossi and Dani Pedrosa right up to the chequered flag. The Ducati champion won the 25-lap duel from Rossi by a marginal 0.069s with third placed Pedrosa just 0.390s adrift making it the closest podium of the season. It was the first time that a Bridgestone-shod rider had even finished on the podium in Catalunya.

The hectic run of European races demands an equally aggressive rate of technical development for tyre manufacturers. Bridgestone has sent several hundred tyres from the technical centre in Tokyo, and from its European warehouse in Germany, to Barcelona, including some new specification rear race tyres that were successfully tested after the grand prix in Le Mans just a few weeks ago.

Hiroshi Yamada - Bridgestone Motorsport - Manager, Motorcycle Sport Unit

"The last few races have seen a gradual improvement in our general competitiveness which has left me quite pleased. It has been great to see the last three races won on our tyres, but the Italian GP also saw several teams challenge for the podium with Valentino winning, Casey in second and Alex fourth, truly excellent performances. We can not take anything for granted in this sport, though, and we expect a real challenge from our rivals again this weekend. Casey won here last year, which was the first time a Bridgestone rider had even finished on the podium in Catalunya, so I hope we can draw from this experience and get another good result this weekend."

Tohru Ubukata - Bridgestone Motorsport - Manager, Race Tyre Development

JiR Team Scot announces partnership with Cotonella

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 06:00:00 GMT

JiR Team Scot and Cotonella together in a partnership to unite sport, fashion and style

JiR is pleased to announce a new partnership with Cotonella the new Official Supplier of JiR Team Scot.

Cotonella is a well-known Italian brand involved in the production of underwear for men, women and children. The company was born in 1972 in the area of Bresciana and has been a very fast-growing brand ever since, reaching the production figure of 90,000 pieces of clothing a day, creating a very strong network of distribution and a strong area of export. A key target of Cotonella marketing is their participation as a main sponsor since 1996 to Miss Italia - the most prestigious national beauty contest in Italy.

MotoGP represents a sport, which is spectacular and which provides a maximum level of media visibility and sponsorship opportunity that Cotonella has decided to explore, a new arena which is inline with its own philosophy.

The partnership between JiR Team Scot and Cotonella began at the fantastic event of the Grand Prix of Italy last week at the Mugello circuit, where in the pit garage and on the starting grid the two riders Andrea Dovizioso and Yuki Takahashi were accompanied by Silvia Battisti, Miss Italia 2007, Federica di Bartolo, Miss Elegance Cotonella and Federica Nargi, Miss Cotonella.

At some of the European rounds of the MotoGP series, such as at the San Marino Grand Prix at Misano Adriatico, there will be more examples of how the power and grace of a motorcycle will be joined with a touch of beauty and elegance courtesy of JiR and Cotonella.

At the next round of the MotoGP championship at the Catalunya circuit near Barcelona, there wlll be two more Cotonella girls in the JiR Team Scot pit, who’s names are to be announced.

Utah: Miller Motorsports Park weekend summary

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Checa and Spies Double Up in Superbike Action at Miller Motorsports Park

TOOELE VALLEY, UTAH -- Carlos Checa powered to a sensational double win in the StriVectin-SD USA round of the HANNspree FIM Superbike World Championship at Miller Motorsports Park on Sunday. The race, watched by the largest crowd of spectators in the track's history, marked World Superbike's return to the United States for the first time since 2004.

Checa, riding for Hannspree Ten Kate Honda, scored the first double win of his career and set fastest lap in both races to add to his Superpole win on Saturday, and in so doing gave Honda their 100th victory in the Superbike World Championship. With today's wins, Checa has reduced the gap to leader Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) in the championship standings to 28 points after the Australian left the USA with zero points after a crash in today's first race and a technical problem in the second.

The first race was reduced by one lap after a problem for Ducati Xerox's Michel Fabrizio on the grid and a subsequent restart. Rookie Checa took his first SBK win after starting from pole, moving into the lead on lap 4 and having an untroubled run to the flag. Second place went to an on-form Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia WSB), who had not finished on the podium since the Spanish round at Valencia in early April, while Fabrizio powered his way up to third after concluding the opening lap in 14th place. The Italian passed Max Neukirchner (Alstare Suzuki) three laps from the end. Fifth place went to Fonsi Nieto (Suzuki Alstare) ahead of the surprising Jakub Smrz (Guandalini Ducati) and Karl Muggeridge (DF Racing Honda). Max Biaggi (Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati) could only finish ninth. The Italian, third at the end of the opening lap, went off the track after contact with Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia WSB) and lost time. Championship leader Bayliss had a nasty crash on lap 5 at the final turn while battling for second, and so did Haga, who was racing with a broken right collarbone.

"This is a fantastic moment," said Checa. "We've been looking for it for so long. It was not easy because when I went out with the first bike, there was some problem; then I changed to the other bike, which worked well, and I'm completely satisfied. I've felt quite comfortable with this track all weekend, the bike and the tires have worked well,...

Rossi wraps up hat-trick in Italy

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Valentino Rossi completed the hat-trick of victories this season at his home race, the Italian GP. Starting the Fiat Yamaha from his fiftieth career pole the "Doctor" earned his 91st race win, breaking the tie for second for most wins in the MotoGP. The local fans went into a frenzy as their man with his special crazy helmet took a seventh consecutive win at the Mugello circuit. The current points leader fell back at the start but was soon past Casey Stoner to stretch out a lead to the checkered flag, giving Bridgestone their first win here. Rossi is now twelve points ahead of Dani Pedrosa for the championship title, a good start to his eighth MotoGP crown.

"After winning the championship, winning at Mugello is the next best thing for me and once again today it was like a dream," smiled Rossi. "There is no way to describe the feeling I have standing on the podium in front of all of my fans here and I am so happy that I could win once again today. To win for the seventh time running at my home track is amazing but I felt quite a lot of pressure about this, so it's a relief as well because I didn't want to disappoint everyone! It's been a hard weekend for everyone because of the bad weather and the lack of dry track time, but my crew have done a fantastic job with the bike and my M1 was wonderful today. Once I got to the front I was able to make a gap from the others but towards the end it was unbelievably hot and it became quite hard to ride. I wanted to ease off a bit but Casey was pushing hard behind so I had to keep going.

"Thanks to all of my team, to the engineers and of course to Bridgestone! I'm really glad that I've been the one to give them their first win at this track and they did a great job today because my tyre worked virtually the same from start to finish. It's been a fantastic day, it's always one of the best moments of the year for me and now we've made a bit more of the gap at the top of the championship so things couldn't be better," he added. "Honestly after this weekend I think I would like to go to bed for five days but now we have to go straight to Barcelona!"

Stoner started his Ducati on the second row but was soon up front in a battle with Pedrosa for the lead. As the two diced their way around the track Rossi was able to catch and pass the pair, leaving them to squabble for second. For the first time at Mugello the reigning champ was able to finish on the podium. His efforts bring him closer to the top three in the championship.

No place like home for Rossi at Italian MotoGP

Sat, 31 May 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Valentino Rossi is on a roll on his Fiat Yamaha. Coming into his home race, the Italian GP, Rossi had clamed back-to-back wins. First in taking the top spot in China after a seven race winless streak before earning his 90th career win in France, tying for second in the record for most wins with the great Angel Nieto, the Doctor's momentum can not be stopped; second place will soon exclusively be his. In his own backyard this weekend the legend rider scored his 50th career pole after almost a year of missing the honor, and his heavily favored to win tomorrow, much to the delight of his passionate Italian fans.

Sporting a unique helmet for the event Rossi is beside himself with joy, "This is a great, great qualifying because it's been a long wait to be on pole position again, almost one year exactly! Now for sure we will try to win tomorrow. To be honest I was quite worried after practice this morning because we had a few problems with the set-up and I couldn't find my rhythm, but I want to say thank you to all my team because they made a great job during lunch, we did some important modifications and then this afternoon I had the feeling and the speed that I wanted.

"It's good as well to have two Italians on the front row and now I hope we have a lot of people here tomorrow and that we can make a big party once again! I have to be honest about my helmet, it was Aldo Drudi's idea this time but I think it's one of the best ever! It's not a drawing," he explained, "it's a real picture of my face at the braking at the end of the straight here and I think it's very funny!"

Second on the grid sits Dani Pedrosa, who is tied for second in the title hunt with Fiat Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo, just a few points away from Rossi's lead. Rain yesterday kept the Spaniard from posting on of the top five fastest times but in today's morning practice his Repsol Honda was right up to speed, with the best time of the session. Pedrosa almost took the pole for himself, Rossi just edged from the top spot by a mere 0.167 seconds.

"Conditions weren't so good this morning, the track was dirty after all the rain, so it wasn't easy to work on set-up," explained Pedrosa. "This afternoon the track was completely dry and better, so we were more focused in our work. We still need to improve, so the warm-up session will be very important. We still haven't decided which tyres to run,...

Italian MotoGP: Bridgestone preview

Wed, 28 May 2008 06:00:00 GMT

With two victories on its tyres in succession at the recent Chinese and French Grands Prix, Bridgestone continues its European tour with MotoGP's much anticipated visit to the Mugello circuit in Italy this weekend.

One of the most technically demanding race tracks on the MotoGP calendar, Mugello is revered by teams, riders and fans alike. Located in the heart of the Tuscan countryside, the track is one of the longest and fastest of the season, often producing a thrilling racing spectacle for the passionate crowds in attendance.

Bridgestone has never seen a rider on its tires win at Mugello and, with numerous Italian manufacturers, teams and riders all wanting to fight at the front in their home grand prix this weekend, the pressure to perform will be on.

Of the current crop of MotoGP riders, only two have won in the premier class with Loris Capirossi back in 2000, and Valentino Rossi, who has an unbeaten run in Mugello dating back to 2002. A Bridgestone-shod Ducati rider has scored a podium result each year since 2005 with Loris Capirossi in 2005 and 2006, and Alex Barros taking his Pramac d'Antin to third place in 2007.

Ducati riders have taken pole position for the last two seasons with Sete Gibernau in 2006 and Casey Stoner, using Bridgestone wet weather tyres, in last year's unpredictable rain-hit session, which was his and Bridgestone's first pole of the season.

Hiroshi Yamada - Bridgestone Motorsport - Manager, Motorcycle Sport Unit

"Mugello is a fantastic race track and it is always a pleasure to contribute to such a special event with the hugely passionate Italian crowd. We have never experienced a race win in Mugello, but we hope to rectify this situation this weekend. We have many teams and riders who have their home grand prix this weekend with Ducati, Honda Gresini, Alice, Fiat Yamaha, as well as Italian riders Valentino Rossi, Marco Melandri and Loris Capirossi all wanting to do well in front of their home fans. This will naturally raise the pressure on us to provide competitive tyres, and following improved performances in recent races, I hope we can rise to this challenge."

Italian MotoGP: Michelin preview

Wed, 28 May 2008 06:00:00 GMT

The Italian Grand Prix is one of the most keenly anticipated races on the MotoGP calendar. A superb, high-speed racetrack in a beautiful Tuscan valley that throngs with a vast and enthusiastic crowd makes Mugello an irresistible event for riders, teams and fans.

This year’s Italian GP marks the one-third stage of the MotoGP World Championship, which currently features three Michelin riders in the top five: Jorge Lorenzo (Fiat Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin), Dani Pe drosa (Repsol Honda RC212V-Michelin) and Colin Edwards (Yamaha Tech 3 YZR-M1-Michelin). Mugello 2008 also marks the home-tarmac MotoGP debut of Italy’s newest MotoGP hotshot Andrea Dovizioso (JiR Team Scot Honda RC212V-Michelin).

Michelin has a great record at Mugello, the French tyre brand having won the last 15 premier-class GPs staged at the track. The circuit lap record is three years old, largely due to the track surface that has become increasingly bumpy in recent years.

FIM to observe World Environment Day in Utah

Tue, 27 May 2008 06:00:00 GMT

FIM to Observe World Environment Day at Miller Motorsports Park

TOOELE VALLEY, UTAH (May 27, 2008) --The Federation International De Motocyclisme (FIM), the international sporting body for motorcycle racing, in conjunction with the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), will observe World Environment Day during the HANNspree Superbike World Championship� StriVectin-SD� USA Round and Honda Summit of Speed AMA Superbike Championship weekend at Miller Motorsports Park.

The UNEP has launched a worldwide tree planting campaign. Under the Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign, people, communities, business and industry, civil society organizations and governments are encouraged to enter tree-planting pledges online with the objective of planting at least one billion trees worldwide each year. This program has successfully completed its first wave and the goal was recently updated to plant 7 billion trees by 2009. This would achieve the UNEP's worldwide goal of one tree per person.

"Without a doubt, one of the main characteristics or our century is the increasing global awareness towards the World Environment," said FIM President Vito Ippolito. "From all parts of the world, innumerable private and public institutions are trying to elevate environmental consciousness. Our planet's welfare depends on each and every one of us whether it's a small daily task, or the development of a complex technology geared towards the same goal.

"The FIM has its undivided attention focused on the unfolding evolution of ideas to solve this global problem, and calls upon all its followers and stakeholders to contribute with all of our efforts towards the preservation of the World Environment."

As part of the FIM's observance of World Environment Day, six ash trees will be planted in a circular pattern on the lawn adjacent to the new Administration Building just inside the Main Gate at Miller Motorsports Park at 5:15 pm MT on Friday, May 30. Top World Superbike riders Troy Bayliss, Carlos Checa and Max Neukirchner are scheduled to attend the ceremony, along with officials from Miller Motorsports Park, FIM and FGSport, the organizers of the HANNspree Superbike World Championship. Fans, riders, team members and media are invited to attend.

WSBK: Miller Motorsports Park Utah news

Mon, 26 May 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Rain Will Not Affect Superbike Races at Miller Motorsports Park

TOOELE VALLEY, UTAH (May 26, 2008) -- Although it is raining this morning in Northern Utah, and the forecast shows a possibility of rain later in the week, officials at Miller Motorsports Park remind fans that rain will not affect this weekend's HANNspree Superbike World Championship® StriVectin-SD® USA Round and Honda Summit of Speed AMA Superbike Championship events.

"Superbike riders are accustomed to racing in the rain," said Miller Motorsports Park CEO/General Manager Alan Wilson, "and our track is designed to accommodate them. Besides, when you're banging handlebars at 190 mph, adding in the rain just makes it all the more exciting!"

Series staff, television crews and race teams will begin setting up today for the weekend's events, and the first bikes will hit the track on Wednesday for a promoter's practice day open only to AMA privateer teams. Official AMA practice begins on Thursday, along with qualifying for the AMA Formula Xtreme Series. Qualifying and practice for both the HANNspree Superbike World Championship and AMA Superbike Championship follows on Friday, along with the AMA Formula Xtreme Series race. Qualifying continues on Saturday, with the first of two AMA Superbike Championship races, the AMA Superstock Championship race and the Superpole session for the HANNspree Superbike World Championship in the afternoon. The AMA Supersport Championship race, the second AMA Superbike Championship race and both HANNspree Superbike World Championship races will take place on Sunday. All events will run rain or shine.

Ducati Desmosedici RR wins another USA award

Fri, 23 May 2008 06:00:00 GMT

DUCATI DESMOSEDICI RR WINS CYCLE WORLD'S "BEST SUPERBIKE" AWARD

Cupertino, CA - Ducati North America is proud to announce that its Desmosedici RR MotoGP replica has been awarded "Best Superbike" for 2008 by Cycle World Magazine. This honor for the bike comes the same week as winning the Robb Report's "Best of the Best" award for 2008.

Cycle World, the world's largest motorcycle magazine, publishes its "10 Best" on an annual basis in May; encompassing the ten major categories of motorcycling. The Superbike category honors the top echelon of Sport Bike technology, a niche the Italian company specializes in. Ducati has now been the fortunate recipient of this award for the past two years; winning it for the breathtaking 1098 Superbike in 2007, and again this year for the Desmosedici RR; the Bologna manufacturer's road going evolution of its Grand Prix machine.

Unveiled at the Italian Grand Prix in 2006; the Desmosedici RR can be considered the most exotic performance motorcycle on the planet. With 200 horsepower on tap and such precious materials as magnesium, titanium and stainless steel encased in carbon fiber bodywork; it represents the epitome of what a sport bike should be: fast, lightweight and aerodynamic.

"Simply outrageous best describes Ducati's Desmosedici RR, a modern marvel of moto tech that defies all rules of logic. Sure, this Moto GP refugee represents complete and total overkill for the street, but even more astounding is the fact this bike need not even exist. With no homologation rule within the sport's premier class, the D16RR provides 200 horses of heart-pounding proof that the storied Italian manufacturer truly is fuelled by passion in its pursuit of performance excellence. We called it "magic in the streets" and "a masterpiece with a warranty." How could we not consider the world's first street-legal MotoGP replica to be anything less than the years best Superbike?" said Cycle World.

Ducati Desmosedici RR "Best of the Best"

Wed, 21 May 2008 06:00:00 GMT

DUCATI DESMOSEDICI RR WINS COVETED "BEST OF THE BEST" AWARD

Cupertino, Ca - Ducati North America is honored to announce that it has won the prestigious Robb Report "Best of the Best- Sport Bike" award for the second year in a row.

The Robb Report "Best of the Best" awards are given to objects of desire on an annual basis; with the Sport Bike category highlighting the pinnacle of performance motorcycle technology. Ducati has been the proud recipient of this honor for two years running; with the award going to the ground breaking 1098 S Superbike in 2007, and now the Desmosedici RR - the world's first Moto GP derived production bike.

Unveiled at the Italian Grand Prix in 2006; the Desmosedici RR can be considered the most exotic performance motorcycle on the planet. With 200 horsepower on tap and such precious materials as magnesium, titanium and stainless steel draped in carbon fiber bodywork; it represents the epitome of what a sport bike should be: fast, lightweight, and aerodynamic. The June issue of Robb Report reports: "As a complete package of desirability, the Desmosedici RR is without peer."

"The Desmosedici RR is that rare thing; an extraordinary fantasy made real." Says Michael Lock, CEO of Ducati North America. "The Best of the Best is a fitting title for this Italian creation and we are proud to be able to bring it to life."

Utah: Miller Motorsports Park news

Tue, 20 May 2008 06:00:00 GMT

U. S. Representative Bishop (R-UT) Introduces Resolution Highlighting World Superbike Event in Utah Scheduled for May 29-June 1

Washington, D.C., May 15, 2008 - Congressman Rob Bishop (R-UT) has introduced a resolution (H. Res. 1121) commending Miller Motorsports Park, the County of Tooele and the State of Utah for hosting the first FIM Superbike World Championship race on American soil in four years. The races will be held May 29-June 1 and will feature the teams and riders from one of the top three international racing series. The resolution, H. Res. 1121, also salutes the riders and teams that compete at a professional, world-class level in the FIM Superbike World Championship.

The resolution notes that the race weekend will be the biggest international sporting event in Utah since the Olympic Winter Games in 2002, and the most significant racing event in the history of the State. Bishop commented, "As stated in the resolution, I am confident that Tooele will be an excellent host to the teams, riders and spectators who will attend the event, and I am pleased that motorcycle racers and race fans from home and abroad will have the opportunity to enjoy all that Utah has to offer including remarkable natural scenery and premier outdoor recreation."

Miller Motorsports Park CEO/General Manager Alan Wilson stated, "It is a distinct honor to be recognized for our efforts in bringing the FIM Superbike World Championship to Miller Motorsports Park, marking the series' return to

North America for the first time in four years. It is quite an achievement for us, as well as for Tooele County and the State of Utah that the series organizers have chosen to bring this event to our facility. We very much appreciate the Motorcycle Industry Council's efforts on our behalf, and we look forward to a very successful event."

World Superbike Utah: Series preview

Mon, 19 May 2008 06:00:00 GMT

BACK IN THE USA!

The history of the Superbike World Championship is linked inextricably to the USA and the return of the USA Round to the calendar, this time in the state of Utah, has aroused major interest in Europe and the rest of the world. The date of June 1st 2008 is destined to become another milestone in Superbike history.

The new home for the USA Round of the Superbike World Championship is the fantastic Miller Motorsports Park near Salt Lake City, a circuit that the European Superbike regulars have been viewing with growing interest since its date first appeared on the 2008 calendar. In the run-up to the sixth round of this year's championship, we take a look back at the history of World Superbike racing in the United States of America.

The Brainerd Years

The Superbike World Championship landed on American soil on June 11th 1989. It is a historic date because that was the day that SBK, which became a motor sport phenomenon in the USA at the end of the '70s and the start of the '80s, returned to its spiritual home. It was also the first match-up between the American legends and the European specialists who were making their name in the World Championship that had been created by the FIM just one year before in 1988.

The race was held at the Brainerd circuit in Minnesota. The European riders were amazed at the track which had a 1.8 km straight ending in a blindingly fast fifth-gear corner. The first USA Round also saw a first double win for Ducati in the hands of Raymond Roche of France. At the time this win brought fame and incredible prestige for the small Italian company in the country that represented the most important market in the world for streetbikes.

Rossi earns 90th win while at French MotoGP

Sun, 18 May 2008 06:00:00 GMT

The Doctor is back on top with today's French GP victory at Le Mans. Valentino Rossi took one more step up the record books when he crossed the line for his 90th win on the historic front straight of Circuit de la Sarthe. He is now tied with Angel Nieto for second in most MotoGP wins. In celebration Nieto took the handle bars of Rossi's bike, letting the Italian sit on the back of his own Yamaha and soak in the moment. Rossi now targets the ultimate record of 122 wins set by legendary Italian Giacomo Agostini. As icing on the cake the former champ takes hold of this season's title hunt.

"To arrive at 90 wins like this and equal Angel's record is a dream for me," said Rossi, overjoyed with his new record. "I had quite a lot of pressure because Angel was waiting with the special leathers to join me on the bike, so I really needed to win! It was great to ride with him - I think maybe with some practice he can be as fast as us! 180 victories together on one bike is quite impressive I think!"

Rossi lost one position on the start but quickly regained the lost ground. One by one he passed the front runners before catching onto the back end of the leader Casey Stoner. By lap eight the Italian was free and clear of the Aussie and in the lead. Soon the weather turned sour but just when the teams were preparing their wet weather bikes the skies cleared up and the riders were able to finish in the damp conditions. It's been a while since Rossi has taken a back-to-back win, with China and now France out of the way he looks for the hat-trick at his home event, the Italian GP.

"Honestly I didn't expect to be so fast today but together with Jeremy and my guys we decided to make some small modifications this morning and in the race my M1 and my Bridgestone tires worked brilliantly from start to finish," added Rossi. "When is started to rain a little bit I thought "oh no!' and so I steadied a bit and tried to ride very sweetly; I had such a good rhythm and I really didn't want to have to change bikes. Luckily the rain soon stopped and I was able to continue in the same way. It's great for Yamaha to have the first three and I want to congratulate Jorge especially for doing such a good job in his condition. Thanks to everybody in the team; the job that Yamaha has done in three months is incredible. I enjoyed myself so much today,...

Pedrosa claims pole at French MotoGP

Sat, 17 May 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Dani Pedrosa is back to his pole position ways for the French GP at the historic Le Mans circuit. The Repsol Honda rider was fastest out of the box this weekend; the Spaniard goes into the fifth MotoGP round as points leader and will probably leave with a greater gap to rival Jorge Lorenzo. Colin Edwards will start second here, he might have had pole but another rider got in his way during his magic lap. Casey Stoner put his Ducati on the outside of the first row, sitting fourth in points the Aussie needs a strong finish to catch up.

The weather has been sporadic with bits of sunshine giving way to clouds and rain. It's possible tomorrow's race will be held under wet conditions, making qualifying that much more important. Through it all Pedrosa has been at the top in all practices, the Honda/Michelin combination works well around the Le Mans track.

"I'm very satisfied with today's result, said Pedrosa. "It's my first pole position of the season and that's especially good at this track because it's very important to have a good grid position here.

"I didn't expect to get pole with my fourth qualifying tyre but I did, so we're very happy. As far as race pace goes, I'm quite satisfied but there are a lot of strong riders going very fast here and the lap times are all very close, so I hope we can make another step forward for tomorrow. The other question mark is the weather. It's been very changeable and we still don't know what to expect for the race," added the points leader.

Throughout the season Edwards has been qualifying strongly but the American finds it hard to keep up during the race. In round four the team radically changed the bike's setup and it seemed to work when he caught the pole. Still, Edwards could only manage seventh by the checkered flag. This weekend Edwards and the team feel much better about their race pace, the American has a good shot at his first win this season.

"With our chassis and the way the bike handles the bike works like a dream in the last section, so I was confident that I'd have made up some time in that last part," explained Edwards. "I was certainly going to give it a go. I'm still happy to be on the front row,...

French MotoGP: Bridgestone preview

Thu, 15 May 2008 06:00:00 GMT

A frenetic run of six European MotoGP events in two months gets underway at the Bugatti Circuit in Le Mans, France this weekend, round five of this year's 18-race championship.

The French Grand Prix has been a fixture on the world championship calendar since 1951 but it has changed venue repeatedly. Albi hosted the debut event while Rouen, Reims, Clermont-Ferrand, Paul Ricard, Nogaro, Magny-Cours and Le Mans have all held French GP status over the years. With 19 races held to date, Le Mans remains the most visited for the French GP, but the circuit also played host to 1991's 'Vitesse du Mans' round.

Bridgestone had a hugely successful French GP in 2007 in torrential wet conditions, scoring its first ever wet weather win, courtesy of an impressive Chris Vermeulen and his Suzuki team. Marco Melandri and Casey Stoner completed an all-Bridgestone podium in second and third places for Honda Gresini and Ducati Corse respectively. Loris Capirossi also claimed a podium result for Ducati at Le Mans back in 2006 finishing less than two seconds from the race winner, so Bridgestone will be hoping for another strong performance after its Chinese successes a fortnight ago.

The Bugatti circuit has been slightly modified for this year's event with a larger run-off area at turn eight increasing the overall length of the circuit by five meters to 4.185km.

Hiroshi Yamada - Bridgestone Motorsport - Manager, Motorcycle Sport Unit

"Last year's result at Le Mans was a breakthrough performance for Bridgestone because it was the first time one of our riders had taken victory in the wet. It was also our second podium clean sweep of the season after Turkey and one of our standout performances of the year. The competition has been very close in the first four races of the year so far, so I think we can expect another close battle at Le Mans. It is the home race for our rivals,...

Michelin recaps first 4 MotoGP races

Sun, 11 May 2008 06:00:00 GMT

MICHELIN'S MotoGP MEN MAKE FAST START TO 2008

Pedrosa and Lorenzo placed first and second after first four races

Michelin's MotoGP riders have made a superb start to the 2008 season. After the first four rounds of this year's World Championship, Michelin men Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC212V-Michelin) and Jorge Lorenzo (Fiat Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin) are first and second in the points chase with a win apiece. In total Michelin riders have scored four pole positions, won two race victories and filled seven of 12 podium places at the first four events of the 18-round series.

Spaniard Pedrosa took the series lead with a superb home GP victory at Jerez, while dazzling rookie Lorenzo went equal on points when he took his debut MotoGP win at Estoril, Portugal. Lorenzo has been the find of 2008 - the double 250 World Champion made history by scoring pole position at each of his first three MotoGP events and may have continued that form if he hadn't crashed during Chinese GP practice, breaking a bone in his left ankle and wrenching his right ankle. Lorenzo proved his mettle by riding through the pain barrier to take fourth at Shanghai while Pedrosa retook the series lead with a fine ride to second place.

Other star Michelin performers at the first four races have been long-time Michelin man Colin Edwards (Yamaha Tech 3 YZR-M1-Michelin) who took pole in China, rookie James Toseland (Yamaha Tech 3 YZR-M1-Michelin) who qualified on the front row for his very first MotoGP race in Qatar and another rookie Andrea Dovizioso (JiR Team Scot Honda RC212V-Michelin) who has also showed serious speed and great promise for the future.

Michelin's big step forward into the 2008 season has been the talk of the paddock. During the off-season Michelin's MotoGP chemists and engineers focused on three main performance factors: edge grip, warm-up and operating range...

WSBK: Monza: Ducati qualifying report

Sat, 10 May 2008 06:00:00 GMT

TROY BAYLISS AND THE DUCATI XEROX TEAM TAKE THEIR SECOND POLE POSITION OF THE SEASON AT MONZA

Monza (Italy): Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) was the only rider to lap in under 1m45 in this afternoon's Superpole, a result that rewarded the Australian rider with his second pole position of the season for tomorrow's races at the Monza Autodromo, one of his preferred tracks. The hard work that the Ducati Xerox Team put in during the preceding sessions paid off and Troy, having qualified eighth for Superpole, was able to complete a flying lap on board his Ducati 1098 F08.

A more problematic day for Michel Fabrizio and his team who had difficulty finding the right set-up for Sunday's races. Losing valuable tenths at certain points of the track, such as the Parabolica curve, continued to be an issue today and the team will make further modifications to the Italian rider's F08 machine in preparation for tomorrow.

Troy Bayliss 1m44.9s

"It's been a mixed weekend, and we've struggled a little bit but now it's all come good today after a lot of hard work and we're going much more consistently fast. I feel good riding with the race tyre and I was pretty happy with my Superpole lap time today although I thought that Nori and Max may have gone a little faster than they did. I made a tiny mistake, as did they,...

Chinese MotoGP: Bridgestone debrief

Thu, 08 May 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Chinese GP Debrief: Q+A with Tohru Ubukata

Bridgestone saw the hoped-for return to winning ways at the Shanghai International Circuit in China last weekend with Fiat Yamaha Team rider Valentino Rossi scoring an impressive first victory of the season and his first using Bridgestone tyres. Rossi set the fastest lap of the race, a record-breaking 1m59.273s, on lap 18 of 22.

Ducati's Casey Stoner also made a solid return to the podium with a third-placed finish, making it the second Chinese Grand Prix in succession with two Bridgestone-shod riders on the podium.

A total of six riders on Bridgestone tyres were able to claim top ten results in Bridgestone's most competitive showing of the season so far. Other notable performances came from Marco Melandri, who finished fifth for Ducati, Toni Elias in eighth for Alice Team, Loris Capirossi in ninth for Suzuki and Shinya Nakano tenth for Honda Gresini.

Q+A with Tohru Ubukata - Bridgestone Motorsport - Manager Motorcycle Race Tyre Development

Were the Chinese GP race results a good morale boost for Bridgestone?

"We have always been able to enjoy strong results in China, even though the track itself is very challenging. We never head to a grand prix venue expecting to get podiums or victories because the competition is very tough, but Valentino's win, Casey's third place and top ten results from several of our other teams certainly showed that our tyres worked well in Shanghai again. After a couple of difficult races, it was nice to see our riders in competitive form right from the very first practice session and able to be on the pace throughout the entire weekend."

Were you surprised by the lap times in the race?

"The lap times of Valentino and Dani were very fast in the final part of the race, and even quicker than the practice times. I was pleasantly surprised that our tyres were able to perform so strongly right up to the end of the race, and this is a testament to the work of our development engineers in Japan. In the fastest lap classification, Valentino was quickest, but with Casey third for Ducati, Toni fifth for Alice Team and Loris sixth for Suzuki, we were able to see competitive lap times by many of our teams."..

Kawasaki season finale summary

Tue, 06 May 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Villopoto Finishes Supercross Season with Runner-up Finish

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto finished second in the season finale Dave Coombs Sr. Memorial Lites Shootout at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas. Villopoto's teammates Brett Metcalfe and Austin Stroupe finished seventh and tenth while Branden Jesseman did not race after crashing during the first practice. Monster Energy Kawasaki's Travis Preston led teammate Timmy Ferry to the finish line at the supercross class finale finishing eighth with Ferry ninth.

Nearly Perfect

Villopoto shot out of the starting gate to earn the holeshot for the East/West shootout and led 14 of the 15 laps in the main event. From the beginning, Villopoto rode a tremendous race building a large lead over the entire field with the exception of one of the riders. On the final lap, Villopoto came up on lapped traffic and had to change his line, taking him out of the lead and relegating him to a second-place finish.

"When he got close there were only two laps to go," said Villopoto. "I made a couple of mistakes and he got really close and then we caught up to a lapper. I had to take a different line. I just rolled it on the outside and he passed me right before the finish line. It was a good race, and it's disappointing to finish second."

-credit: kmc-usa

BSB: Bike Animal Oulton Park summary

Mon, 05 May 2008 06:00:00 GMT

PODIUM JOY FOR ELLISON AT OULTON

Hydrex Bike Animal Honda rider James Ellison recorded his and the team's best result with a superb second place at the Bennetts British Superbike Championship meeting held at Oulton Park today.

The 27 year old from Kendal in Cumbria qualified on row three of the grid and after weather conditions intervened in the opening race causing a red flag, he eventually posted eighth position to add to his two sevenths at Thruxton in the previous round.

But with a completely dry track for the second race in front of yet another massive bank holiday crowd, Ellison circulated with the leading pack in the opening stages as he battled with Leon Haslam, Cal Crutchlow and Tom Sykes and looked set to claim a good top five position.

However on lap eleven Haslam and Sykes collided leaving Ellison to climb the order and when Crutchlow crashed as well that elevated him to second position and as a result he maintains his fifth position in the Championship with the runner up placing.

For team mate Guy Martin it wasn't such a good weekend and after falling off in qualifying injuring his wrist he managed twelfth in race one, but in race two he encountered a problem which caused him to retire on lap seven leaving him in fourteenth position in the Championship.

The next round of the Championship takes place next weekend at Brands Hatch on 10th and 11th May.

James Ellison: "I'm really happy. We've worked hard all weekend and just got better and better and we've now reached that extra level. We plugged away and we improved in certain areas and we put it all together in the race. I still have some small problems which we'll get ironed out for Brands. When Shakey passed me he dragged me back up so I think I definitely had the pace to finish second. It was nice to finish where we did and I'm looking forward to Brands Hatch as the bike is working well."...

American Colin Edwards claims Chinese GP pole

Sat, 03 May 2008 06:00:00 GMT

For the first time this season someone other than Jorge Lorenzo has taken a MotoGP pole. The American Colin Edwards put in a blindingly fast lap at the Shanghai Circuit to clinch the top spot for Tech 3, continuing Yamaha's perfect record for pole positions in 2008. Lining up alongside him are rivals Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner. As seen in the first three rounds Michelin has a slight edge over Bridgestone in qualifying, claiming four consecutive honors at the head of the pack. Lorenzo will start fourth on the second row, a remarkable effort considering his broken ankle from yesterday's nasty spill during practice.

For Edwards the pole position comes as a just reward for all his qualifying efforts already seen this season. The Texan seemed off the pace Friday but after the team got their heads together, a new radical setup was created that obviously seemed to give the Yamaha a needed edge. Edwards hasn't been able to translate a front row start into a podium yet for the year but the magic eight ball says his outlook in China looks good.

"We made a big change to the bike to get some weight on the rear and it worked," explained Edwards. "It was a great team effort and it definitely worked because when I went out this morning I was a second faster instantly. And it felt easy because I had no issues from the front like yesterday and my comfort level went up from 50 per cent to 95 per cent.

"Everything was pretty calm and collected and the Michelin qualifier is awesome. It is going to be a tough race. I haven't done a 59 yet on a race tyre and Casey and Valentino look to be doing consistent 59s. I just got to get a good start and hang in there," added the Texan...

Lorenzo injured in first practice in China

Fri, 02 May 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Jorge Lorenzo took a nasty flip during the opening practice in MotoGP's fourth round of competition. Tied in the points standings, the Spaniard lost control of his Fiat Yamaha 800cc on the Shanghai International Circuit in this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix. He had clocked an early lap of 2:02.480 prior to sailing through the air as the bike did a free-fall on its own, landing not far from Lorenzo.

What started as a dream season for the twice 250cc champion for his debut in the top pinacle MotoGP series could be over with a possible fractured ankle when he landed on the ground feet first. With three poles and one race win, the 20-year-old may now miss Sunday's race.

Lorenzo was transported to a local hospital for further medical evaluation and possible treatment. Some riders can wear a splint and still compete, the decision will be made after further tests are taken to the extent of his injuries.

The incident started when Lorenzo moved from the right to the left in the chicane exiting the first turn when the rear wheel of his Yamaha M1 appeared to lose grip, launching him. After his flight which included a somersault ended, he appeared to hit the ground feet first.

"It's a great pity this has happened, right at the start of Jorge's weekend; we were focused on his arm following his recent operation and we were quite confident that he could ride as usual," said Fiat team manager Danielle Romagnoli. "It was a very bad crash and it is not clear yet what happened because we lost all the data when the equipment was damaged at the time. As far as we can see from the TV,...

2007 Suzuki GSX-R1000 - Canyon Killer

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 06:00:00 GMT

A Proper street sleeper is a bike that appears stock at first glance but ultimately shows that it's anything but when the wick is turned up. A blue and white 2007 Suzuki GSX-R1000 is nothing unusual, but how about one that's had some serious engine and suspension work done specifically to make it a stronger street runner? That's right-you might not initially notice because there aren't any fat tires or turbo dump pipes to grab your attention. Instead, there are insanely lightweight wheels, a sick brake set-up from top to bottom, and a fuel-management system that would make World Superbike racers envious. Over the next several months, SSB will show you how to transform your stock ride into a true street killer using high-performance parts that add an element of bling no piece of chrome or airbrushed plastic can compete with. This month the motor gets a boost with Bazzaz Performance's ultra-trick fuel-management, tractioncontrol and quickshift system partnered with a full exhaust from Micron.

To handle the GSX-R's sophisticated fuel injection we chose the only system we could find that was capable of controlling all eight fuel injectors independently-the Bazzaz Performance Z-FI TC. The Z-FI TC is Bazzaz's flagship product, and we found out that it's far from simply a fuel-control box. The full system includes traction control and a quickshifter that are both tunable per gear, rpm and throttle position. Although quickshifters are nothing new, traction-control technology is a first for us street riders and starting to become a necessity with power levels nearing the 200-hp-per-liter mark.

You say traction control on the street is pointless? Say that after a coldmorning wet spot spits you off or a dirty corner causes a highside. Traction control is a "smart" device and can help eliminate the dangers of these unforeseen obstacles.

We spent a day at Bazzaz Performance to get the Gixxer set up with the Micron Serpent header and MotoGp Ti cans, the Z-FI TC and a BMC air filter. A quick run on the dyno for some stock hp and torque numbers gave us a baseline, then off came the stock parts. Installing the pipe and filter was pretty straightforward,...

WSBK Assen: Bayliss does the double again!

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) powered to his second double of the year with two convincing wins at the Assen TT Circuit in the Netherlands in the fourth round of the HANNspree FIM Superbike World Championship front of 75,000 spectators.

Race 1: Bayliss powered to his fifth win at Assen in the opening race after a mistake by early leader Kagayama (Alstare Suzuki) on lap 12 left him with a gap at the chicane. The Australian then increased his lead over the following riders in the final laps to win by a margin of 2 seconds. Carlos Checa (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) took the runner-up slot, in a sprint to the finish with Max Neukirchner (Suzuki Alstare). Kagayama took fourth from Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia WSB), both riders holding off a late charge by Jakub Smrz (Ducati Guandalini). Seventh and eighth went to Kiyonari (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) and Tamada (Kawasaki PSG-1 Corse), who faded after a good start. Tenth went to Max Biaggi (Sterilgarda Ducati). A clash in the opening laps eliminated two potential winners, Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia WSB) and Ruben Xaus (Sterilgarda Ducati).

Troy Bayliss: "I'm very happy with the way it turned out of course, but all the other guys were riding really well today. I made a really good start, pushed reasonably hard but Yukio was riding good and when he passed me, I thought I'd follow him for a while. He made a little mistake finally and I thought it was time to put my head down. I was turning round a bit, more than normal, but just wanted to keep an eye on how fast Carlos was coming through basically."

Carlos Checa: "I thought many times about Valencia and didn't want to make the same mistake twice, but Max slowed down a little before the end and when I saw clear road I passed him. He was behind and it was very close but it was nice to fight until the end and get onto the podium."

Max Neukirchner: "It's been a long time since I've been on the podium, the last time was in 2005 and I'm so happy right now to ride for the Suzuki factory team and it's a fantastic podium for me. I did a good job for this race, and also my team, and we worked really hard for this result...

Assen: Parkes Takes Pole With New Track Best

Sat, 26 Apr 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Broc Parkes (Yamaha World Supersport Team) set a new track best at the 4.555km Assen circuit to take his first pole of the year, despite riding with a broken metacarpal bone in his left hand, sustained after a first day practice crash. Parkes set a 1'40.895 in what was a close final qualifying session, with a further 10 riders within one second of his new track best.

Parkes' team-mate Fabien Foret will line up on the front row also, having set fourth best time in the last qualifying session, only 0.293 seconds from Parkes. Foret had reverted to his pre-Assen testing set up to earn his best time of the weekend, with a 1'41.188. Both Yamaha World Supersport team riders have now set pole positions on the all-new Yamaha YZF-R6 machine, with Foret taking his pole prize at the opening round in Qatar.

Should raceday rain appear at Assen, all 36 riders in the WSS class will have some idea of the settings to use in wet conditions, as the unofficial practice session proved to be wet this morning. Massimo Roccoli (Yamaha Team Italia Lorenzini by Leoni) was the next best placed R6 rider, pushing his machine into the top ten, even though he was not completely confident in his front end set-up during the dry final qualifying session.

Yamaha Spain riders Angel Rodriguez and David Salom were 12th and 13th respectively, with Rodriguez now on the third row of the grid and Salom the fourth.

Broc Parkes (1st - 1m 40.895 - Yamaha World Supersport Team)

"I was happy to be on top yesterday and today it is a bonus again. The team had the bike absolutely right so I just rode it as well as I could. Tomorrow will be a different story maybe, as I have to do 21 laps with a broken hand, but we will see how it goes. I know I can ride,...

Hayden to run laps prior to Indy 500

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 06:00:00 GMT

2006 WORLD CHAMP HAYDEN TO RIDE AROUND IMS OVAL ON INDY 500 RACE DAY

INDIANAPOLIS, Friday, April 25, 2008 -- 2006 World Champion Nicky Hayden will ride on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval shortly before the start of the 92nd Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 25, demonstrating to a huge crowd the exciting MotoGP machinery that will compete at IMS for the first time in September.

Hayden, from Owensboro, Ky., and the rest of the elite MotoGP field will race in the inaugural Red Bull Indianapolis GP on Sunday, Sept. 14 on the new 2.620-mile road course at IMS.

Approximately one hour before the start of "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing," Hayden will ride around the famous 2.5-mile IMS oval aboard the 2007 Repsol Honda RC212V/Michelin on which he competed in the 2008 season-opening Grand Prix of Qatar on March 9. The Indianapolis 500 is the world's largest single-day spectator sporting event.

"What an opportunity for the sport, my sponsors and most of all, for me!" Hayden said. "This is going to be cool, to do a lap in front of such a huge audience live and on TV on what is arguably the most famous track and race in the whole world. I hope the fans like what they see and hear, and hope they plan on coming back in September when the bikes roll out at IMS for the first time in a long time.

"I just need to get it straight with the officials that I don't mind rolling round in second gear waving to the fans, but when I come off Turn 4, the Pace Car needs to hold its line because as I head toward the bricks, I plan to open that baby up a little and blow out the cobwebs a little."...

The Starboyz Rock Big $ Custom Stuntbikes

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 06:00:00 GMT

The Starboyz stunt team has been the face of the stunt world since a couple U.K. mags put the stunt scene in the public's eye. Their first DVD, rebelliously named FTP, hit the shelves in 1997 and sparked a revolution in the way sportbikers treat the streets.

What started as a gang of reckless riders from Ohio throwing it down on clapped-out beaters has evolved into a clever group of businessmen with ventures in stunt schools and entertainment.

Throughout their storied history, the Starboyz have received both praise and hate from the motorcycle community. Many of their rivals have told them that they'd never make it-that stunting will never take off and that there's no way to make a living pulling wheelies. Starboyz' Scott Caraboolad recalled, "After Kevin (Marino) and I were first featured in magazines I'd get phone calls and e-mails about how beat up our bikes were. Nothing about what we were doing, just how shit our bikes were. It was frustrating as hell."

But those sentiments didn't discourage the Starboyz; rather it lit a fire under their asses and gave them a reason to step up the game-a reason to show the world, especially the haters, that the Starboyz are legit.

They've gone beyond merely proving their critics wrong; they went big this year and got one of the most respected names in custom bikes to trick out their Chicago Cycles-sponsored Suzuki GSX-R1000s. McCoy Motorsports of Pikeville, Kentucky, has been pumping out some of the sickest bikes around for years, and though the McCoys are best known for their wild Yamahas they can make damn near anything pop. The Starboyz' Suzukis are another rolling demonstration of McCoy Motorsports' supreme customization skills.

The Starboyz have turned the redheaded stepchild of motorcycling into a profitable business while maintaining their roots,...

SBK Fontana: Round three doubleheader preview

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 06:00:00 GMT

AMA Superbike Championship: Suzuki Superbike Challenge, Auto Club Speedway

PICKERINGTON, Ohio - Just one week following the second round of the 2008 AMA Superbike Championship at Barber Motorsports Park, the series resumes at the third stop of the season on April 25-27 with the Suzuki Superbike Challenge at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif.

California Speedway Gets a New Name

In February of this year the circuit announced a new partnership with the Automobile Club of Southern California, the nation's largest member of the AAA federation, and unveiled a name change from California Speedway to Auto Club Speedway.

Home Track

Considering that many of the Superbike teams' race shops are located nearby in Southern California and that Auto Club Speedway is one of the favorite testing venues on the tour, it's not surprising that the Fontana round is viewed by many as their home round.

Location, Location, Location

Auto Club Speedway is located in Fontana, Calif., about 50 minutes east of Los Angeles. The region is one of the largest sportbike markets in the world.

The track is just 10 minutes from Ontario International Airport, which makes it easy to access even for fans flying in from across the nation.

AMA SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY PARTS UNLIMITED

On a Roll

Rockstar Makita Yoshimura Suzuki's Mat Mladin has scored the maximum number of points in the season's first three races, claiming three race wins, three points for most laps led, and both poles. The six-time AMA Superbike champion has looked dominating while doing so, boasting a combined margin of victory of over 27 seconds in the first three races of the year.

Dating back to 2007, the Australian has won nine of the last ten AMA Superbike races.

His rivals shouldn't expect him to back off now; Auto Club Speedway is one of Mladin's best tracks on the tour as he's won a full half of the AMA Superbike races ever held there, winning six times in 12 contests, including the most recent race held in 2007.

Role Reversal...

Supercross Seattle: Round 16 preview

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Windham Closes in on Reed's Points Lead as Monster Energy® Supercross Heads To Seattle's Qwest Field

AURORA (April 21, 2008) -- In one of the most dramatic Monster Energy® Supercross, an FIM World Championship, seasons in history the fate of Chad Reed's championship season hangs in the wind as he battles injury this Saturday at Seattle's Qwest Field Saturday. In the Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites class a champion will be crowned this weekend.

The AMA Supercross will air on SPEED Sunday, April 27 at 6:00 p.m., and the AMA Supercross Lites class race will air on SPEED Saturday May 3 at 3:00 p.m. EST.

Last weekend at St. Louis' Edward Jones Dome, Torco Fuels Honda's Kevin Windham, of Centerville, Miss., picked up his third main event win of the season and tightened the championship race between he and Team San Manuel Band of Mission Indians' Reed in the before a crowd of 48,698.

Reed, of Tampa, Fla., took over the lead on the opening lap but would give way to the hard-charging Windham, who steadily pulled away for the win.

Windham, who entered tonight's race trailing Reed by 16 points, cut the deficit to 13 points with two races remaining. Reed, who is riding with a cracked shoulder blade, turned in a valiant ride to earn second. Red Bull Honda's Andrew Short, of Smithville, Texas, finished third.

World Superbike - Round Four - Assen - Preview

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Bayliss ready for another surprise party

Runaway world Superbike leader Troy Bayliss is banking on another “pleasant surprise” when the championship reconvenes at the iconic Assen circuit in Holland this weekend.

The Australian, who holds a whopping 48pt lead after just three rounds, has already benefited enormously from the all-new and torquier Ducati 1098 in 2008, and he hopes the bike will continue to hold its own at “The Cathedral”, one of the truly great motorcycle racing circuits.

“The (old Ducati) 999 always went well at Assen, and so far the 1098 has been consistently better than the 999, so I hope we’ll have a pleasant surprise at Assen,” said Bayliss.

The dual world champion is a big fan of the technical and twisty Assen layout, although it does leave precious little room for error, as evidenced by a number of high-speed crashes over the years.

Assen was originally over 7km long, but recent alterations, which included removal of the “Northern loop”, have brought it back to 4.555km. Bayliss is a fan of the shorter layout.

“I like the track how it is now. Before it was more flowing and a lot more physical, and this track now is less so, so I can say I actually prefer it now,” said Bayliss. “I don’t normally mind a hard workout but hey, maybe that’s me getting older!

“Assen has always made for great racing, on the old and new track. I’ve had some good battles there. It’s also a track where tyre issues come into play. You can afford to sit back and wait but it depends on the day,...

Australian Superbike 2008 - Round 2 Mallala (SA) - MV Agusta Rep

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 06:00:00 GMT

TBR - MV Agusta Racing Team has continued its 2008 Australian Superbike and Nakedbike Championship chase with mixed results at round 2 of the Australian Superbike Championship, held in fine and warm conditions at South Australia�s Mallala Raceway April 17 -20.

Riding the 2008 MV Agusta F4 1000 R 312 Superbike, Kevin Curtain had a hectic meeting, with the team making major changes to the bike setup from Friday right through to the second race on Sunday. This was mainly due to the new forks and shock that have been fitted to the bike since round 1 at Eastern Creek.

Race 1 saw Curtain sitting comfortably in 7th but unfortunately some suspension issues prevented Curtain from being able to push any harder.

Race 2 was a similar story with Curtain pushing as hard as he could to finish a very creditable 8th position right on the back of a freight train of factory team regulars.

Curtain clocked a 1:07.215 sec lap time in race 2 which is only .9 of a second behind the fastest lap of the race.

�It�s hard to come to a track we have never been to on the MV and expect to be competitive straight up against the other factory team�s who have been coming here for years and have good base settings to work with. The team has been working really hard to improve the bike with the new suspension we have fitted since Eastern Creek. But it seems until Qualifying session 2 we were not really improving the bike that much, as we corrected one problem it created another. Anyway that�s development and I feel we are definitely are going forward all the time and that�s so important. I was really happy to be able to run right with the front guys for a few laps in the second race, it goes to show things really are heading in the right direction. I am confident that if we continue to improve the bike as quickly as we have so far, we will be running right up the front in no time flat...

British Superbike 2008 - Round Two - Thruxton

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Shane Byrne and Cal Crutchlow were the race winners as the Bennetts British Superbike Championship began for real at Thruxton, and with them each taking a second place, they left the Hampshire circuit as the joint leaders of the series, ahead of the rejuvenated Michael Rutter who took a brace of third placings.

Byrne, riding the Airwaves Ducati, had repeated the pole starting ride of the snow aborted Brands Hatch opening round, but he was out-started by Leon Haslam and Michael Rutter, before Cal Crutchlow swooped ahead to lead at the end of the opening lap.

The Coventry rider, who had joined the HM Plant Honda team this season, held off the early challenges of his team-mate Haslam, before Byrne moved into second and began to challenge. Crutchlow held him at bay until the thirteenth lap when Byrne found a way through at Seagrave.

Once through, Byrne dictated terms from the front, winning comfortably by over two seconds, and he reflected: “We’ve come a long way to get running, and Cal was really going for it but I got through and it all worked out. The team has done a great job, but we had to look at what everyone else was doing and then do it for ourselves.”

Crutchlow was equally delighted: “Shane was keeping me on it – I just kept plugging away but when he came past, I couldn’t match him but it was a good race.” Rutter, who had started from the front row for the first time in two years, the podium finish aboard the NorthWest 200 Ducati, enthused: “Brilliant, I couldn’t dream of this. It is like Christmas again.”...

ROW FOUR FOR ELLISON AT DAMP THRUXTON

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 06:00:00 GMT

For the second meeting in succession the weather played a vital part in qualifying for round two of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Thruxton in Hampshire today.

After the weather-affected first round at Brands Hatch two weeks ago, everyone was hoping for dry conditions but yesterday's cool and blustery weather gave way to showers and heavy rain, none more so than just before the important fifty-minute qualifying session this afternoon.

With some radical changes and alterations to both of the HRC-backed Hydrex Bike Animal Honda Fireblades, riders James Ellison and Guy Martin were hopeful going into the session but at the end, just as the track dried up, Ellison's best time put him on row four of the grid with Martin joining him one row further back.

However, with drier and warmer conditions hopefully forecast for tomorrow, the team is hopeful of a good result in both twenty-lap races.

James Ellison: "It's turning into a difficult weekend again. We're still trying to find a good setting and I'm not comfortable on the bike just yet but we're not too far away. It's a fast pace out there so we need to be on the money to get some good results. I'm hoping for a dry race tomorrow as we've still got a lot of work to do with the settings, but we're getting there."

Guy Martin: "I'm still struggling with the front end and I've got not a lot of confidence in the bike at the moment, especially in the wet. We're trying to get a better feeling in the forks but we can't do anything drastic. We missed the first session on Friday due to a misfire but good things come to those who wait and it will come."...

Portuguese MotoGP: Bridgestone debrief

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Portuguese GP Debrief: Q+A with Tohru Ubukata

The third round of this season's 18-event championship took place at the Estoril Circuit in Portugal last weekend with Fiat Yamaha's Valentino Rossi scoring a second consecutive podium result on Bridgestone tires, finishing in third place after a tough 28-lap grand prix.

Other strong performances from John Hopkins and reigning world champion Casey Stoner made it three Bridgestone-shod riders in the top six, but it was not an easy weekend for the tire manufacturer, with uncharacteristically unsettled Portuguese weather adding to the difficulties over the three days.

All eleven Bridgestone-supported MotoGP riders stayed on for one day of intensive post-GP testing on Monday and obtained positive results from qualifying and race tyre evaluation which will now be transferred into tyre development for the next championship round, the Chinese Grand Prix, which will take place in Shanghai at the beginning of May.

Q+A with Tohru Ubukata - Bridgestone Motorsport - Manager Motorcycle Race Tire Development

Were you disappointed with the overall results from the Portugal weekend?

"I think the end results from Portugal were actually better than we expected at a circuit that has not been favorable to us in recent years. However we are not satisfied with the performance level of our tires, especially in comparison to that of our rivals, so we must work harder. Valentino, John and Casey did a great job on Sunday to salvage some strong results from the tough weekend with Valentino taking his second consecutive podium on our tires."

Was the weather a contributory factor?...

Supercross: St. Louis' Edward Jones Dome Round 15

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Points Leader Reed Fights Through Pain to Salvage Monster Energy� Supercross Championship

St. Louis' Edward Jones Dome to Host Round 15 This Saturday

AURORA, Ill. (April 15, 2008) -- The Monster Energy� Supercross, an FIM World Championship, story line took an interesting turn last Saturday night at Detroit's Ford Field, and this Saturday night St. Louis' Edward Jones Dome could play host to the most influential race of the season.

AMA Supercross class points leader Chad Reed, of Tampa, Fla., suffered a horrific crash in practice, forcing him to use an AMA Provisional, which allows for a rider within the top 10 in points to advance directly to the main, where he would eventually finish in 12th place. Coming into the race Reed, who has eight wins this season, had a 27-point lead over Torco Fuels Honda's Kevin Windham. Heading into St. Louis Reed is now only 17 points ahead of Windham.

The Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites class also took an interesting turn as points leader Trey Canard, of Elk City, Okla., came into Detroit with a 17-point lead over Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto, of Poulsbo, Wash., and after finishing 10th-place in the main event, his points lead dwindled down to just three points. This weekend is the culminating round of the Eastern Regional AMA Supercross championship, and a champion will be crowned...

Ace rookie Lorenzo recovering from surgery

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Fiat Yamaha Team's rookie star Jorge Lorenzo is recovery from surgery performed Monday on his right arm. The current co-points leader in MotoGP has completed in three events this year, landing all three poles and one win, and never complained of the pain to the press or the fans.

"I was a little bit scared before the operation but today I'm very happy because it seems that everything has gone as well as we could have hoped! It was a hard decision to make but I think it was the best one for us because China is close, but not too close and we have time to recover," said Lorenzo at today's press conference. "I have had pain at all three races, including Portugal, and at times it was very hard to ride the bike at the maximum, so we knew that the operation was the right course of action."

At the age of 20 and with two 250cc championships under his belt, he had what is commonly referred to as "Arm Pump" which affects the muscles most used by riders in competition.

Compartmental syndrome is a condition that affects the muscle(s) when the thick tissue (fascia) that surrounds the bones. The tissue lifts away from the bone and encircles a muscle while at the same time lifting back down to the bone. It is common for athletes and those who are physical active. It causes swelling and pain...

Ducati Estoril test summary

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 06:00:00 GMT

DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM END PORTUGUESE VISIT WITH A DAY OF TESTS

The Ducati Marlboro Team ended a four-day spell at the Estoril circuit today with a testing session that took place in warm and sunny conditions, with track temperatures reaching 40C. Stoner worked hard all day and ended the session satisfied with his progress after setting a consistent pace in the 1'37s on race tires and concluding an intense program of development in positive fashion. The World Champion now returns home to Australia for a well-earned rest before heading on to China for the fourth Grand Prix of the season on May 4th.

Melandri also spent a long time on track today, making the most of the time available to work on his GP8 and choosing not to try out any qualifying rubber as he focused exclusively on improving his race setting.

Casey Stoner (Ducati Marlboro Team), fastest lap on race tires: 1'37.613; fastest lap on qualifying tires: 1'37.333 (77 laps)

"I'm happy with the work we've done today. We modified a few things that made the bike a little less nervous over the bumps and allowed me to lap in 1'37s with more consistency than I managed yesterday. We also tried a few new tires and found some interesting things. At the end of the day I tried two qualifiers but I preferred not to try a third one because it had been a long day and it was pointless taking risks when I was tired...

Lorenzo clinches first MotoGP win in Portugal

Sun, 13 Apr 2008 06:00:00 GMT

The maiden victory for Jorge Lorenzo has been expected since the pre-season testing. The rookie for the Fiat Yamaha Team in the MotoGP series has been hot since he first jumped from the 250cc bikes to the powerful 800cc ones. His learning curve was impressive and in the first three rounds on the 2008 calendar, he has snatched the pole from the MotoGP veteran riders. Today, on the Estoril circuit, he scored his first career victory in the Continental Circus.

"I feel like I'm in heaven! First of all I have to say thank you to Yamaha and to Fiat because without their confidence in me I wouldn't be here now," exclaimed a very happy winner. "I can't believe it and it's really impossible for me to describe my feelings, I'm so happy for everyone!"

The 250cc champion had never landed the pole or the win in Portugal but that changed with his impressive run in the Portuguese Grand Prix. Lorenzo has now tied Daniel Pedrosa in the championship standings with 61 points each. The two Spaniards have, thus far, been the show of the new season.

"I'm so proud of everyone, to be here after just three races and at the top of the championship as well is something that I could never have even dreamed of," Lorenzo said. "We can't afford to relax now however because Pedrosa and Rossi are here as well and they are two very fast and clever riders. I had some pain again in my arms today so tonight we will make a decision about whether or not I will have the operation before China, but for now I'm just going to enjoy this moment!"

Lorenzo had his best start, the only thing that has been a bit harder to come by for the rookie this year. Alongside him on the front row was Repsol Honda's Pedrosa and Valentino Rossi,...

Lorenzo pulls the triple for Estoril pole

Sat, 12 Apr 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Fiat Yamaha's rookie is fast becoming the qualifying star in this year's MotoGP competition. The young lad again snatched the pole away from the veteran riders. Jorge Lorenzo flew around Circuit Estoril with a hot lap at 1:35.715, nipping Dani Pedrosa by 0.233 seconds.

It was the Spaniard's third career pole in the hotly-contested Continental Circus, and also only the third round on the 2008 calendar. It is an impressive start for Lorenzo after moving up as the 250cc champion to make his debut in MotoGP.

"Each pole position has felt like a dream and I can't believe I am here again! I am very proud to have a record like this and in fact I'm especially happy to have qualified in front here because this track has always been quite difficult for me and I've never been on pole at it before," expressed Lorenzo.

The weather today was vastly improved over Friday with plenty of sunshine, allowing the riders to learn what setup they needed and what times they expected after the morning practice. Lorenzo is fast, there is no denying that fact, but he has yet to get off to a good start. The standing start needs to be not only clean but powerful to allow him to land his first win.

Tomorrow he will again have two experienced riders next to him on the front row, with one being his teammate. With two podium finishes, Lorenzo may taste the possible victory but he also shows the maturity and patience, realizing that points are more important. Obviously, the win will come in due time.

Portuguese MotoGP: Bridgestone Friday notes

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Unsettled weather makes for tricky start in Estoril

Fiat Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi was the highest placed Bridgestone-shod rider in today's free practice sessions at the Estoril Circuit. Rossi finished the day in second place just 0.040s from lead rider Dani Pedrosa, as unsettled weather conditions interrupted initial preparations for Sunday's Portuguese Grand Prix.

Three further Bridgestone riders frequented the top ten in this afternoon's classification with Ducati's Casey Stoner in seventh, Honda's Gresini's Shinya Nakano in eighth and Kawasaki's John Hopkins in tenth position.

The morning practice was held in damp conditions after early morning rain, but continued to dry throughout the hour, as eight Bridgestone users made the top ten using wet weather tyres. Track conditions were still tricky for riders this afternoon as they carried out an initial evaluation of the slick tyres at their disposal for Sunday's race. With limited dry practice time today, Saturday morning's hour-long session will be important for riders to hone their bike set-up and to conduct more detailed analysis of the tyre specifications.

Track temperatures were significantly lower than last year's Estoril practice, which was held in September, and lap times were accordingly slower with Pedrosa and Rossi's leading pace today six-tenths slower than last year's practice best, and a full second off 2007's fastest race lap. Estoril has been one of Bridgestone's most challenging race venues in recent years since the partial resurfacing of the track back in 2006.

Portuguese MotoGP: Alice Team preview

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 06:00:00 GMT

ELIAS WANTS TO WIN AGAIN AT ESTORIL AFTER HIS 2006 VICTORY. GUINTOLI IN PORTUGAL FOR THE SECOND TIME .

Great anticipation for the third round of the MotoGP World Championship at the Estoril circuit in Portugal. Situated just a few kilometers from the Portuguese capital, Lisbon, and not too far from the Atlantic coast, the circuit is characterized not only by a long straight and wide turns, but also from the varying weather conditions. In fact, also for this weekend of racing, the weather forecast seems to foresee rain until Friday morning, sunshine for the qualifying day and, again, some stormy clouds for Sunday. The circuit, today called Fernando Pires da Silva, was built in 1972 and has been part of the MotoGP World Championship since 2000.

The Alice Team is looking for redemption after the first, not too exciting, two rounds in Qatar and in Jerez de la Frontera. The Portuguese circuit hasn�t brought much luck to the Italian-Hispanic Team last year, as both riders on the Ducati GP7 Sat couldn�t finish the Grand Prix. Instead, Spanish rider Toni Elias, has great memories related to this track. In 2006 he managed to finish in front of everyone Valentino Rossi after an exciting battle in the last turns with a gap of two thousandths of a second. Second appearance for the other rider of the Alice Team, Sylvain Guintoli, who, after becoming a father for the second time last Friday, can completely focus on improving his Ducati Desmosedici GP8 Sat with Bridgestone tires. At his first appearance in the premier class on the Estoril circuit, the French rider concluded the race in fourteenth position.

Portuguese MotoGP: Bridgestone preview

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 06:00:00 GMT

It has been just over half a year since the Estoril circuit last played host to a MotoGP world championship event but significant improvements in bike, tyre and riding performances over the winter will make for an even more competitive Portuguese GP this weekend.

Anticipating the race to April gives Estoril a spring-time calendar slot for only the second time since its first MotoGP race back in 2000, the last occasion being back in 2005. This year's event will be the ninth Portuguese GP, a race weekend that has traditionally not been easy for Bridgestone, although Makoto Tamada took pole position and scored a podium finish in 2004, which marked the first European podium result for a rider using Bridgestone tyres.

Improvements were also seen in last year's race with Ducati champion-in-waiting Casey Stoner taking a well deserved third place, crossing the line just 1.5s from the race-winner. Fellow Bridgestone users Marco Melandri and John Hopkins also took impressive top six results in 2007 for their respective Honda Gresini and Suzuki teams.

Estoril is one of the most technically demanding circuits on the calendar, putting all aspects of the bike-tyre-rider package to the test. At this earlier time of the year, the weather could also play a contributory role with conditions likely to be cooler and more unsettled than last season...

How to Stunt a Motorcycle Part Four

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Lastly, this is the fourth part on �How to Stunt a Motorcycle� and features even more variations of the wheelie to help you out:

5. Frog
This is for experts only. This is similar to High Chairs but you sit like a frog. You get on the tank and clutch the bike up. You also need to be smooth when pulling the bike up since your weight is in front, and you are not holding on to anything. This might make your body fall back and cause you to squeeze on the handlebars which may make you give more throttle. The toughest part on the Frog is to let your bike down because your weight will be thrown forwards and you have to maintain balance to avoid tank slapper and crashing.

6. No-Hander
In a Standup No-hander, you are standing up the bike at 12 o�clock poition with your feet on the pegs. Your idle is turned up enough to have the bike run smoothly by itself in first gear, and you only got your feet to balance the bike since your hands are up in the air. You control the height with the front tire and by modulating the rear brake.

Sit-down No-handers are harder because there is no leverage on the foot to balance the bike. Here, the idle is also turned up. You get the bike up to around 11 o'clock by letting go of the bars and leaning back. You control the height of the front tire with a combination or rear brake and leaning back...

WSBK Valencia: Yamaha Teams weekend summary

Sun, 06 Apr 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Haga wins and Corser scores a podium

Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team rider Noriyuki Haga could not have had two bigger contrasts in his raceday at Valencia, taking a superb win in the second 23-lap contest, but crashing out of the opener at high speed. His team-mate Troy Corser was rewarded for a consistent first race ride with a podium finish in third, and then went on to score a fighting fifth in race two.

Corser's podium came in a race where 20 riders finished and there were many high profile incidents. Corser was a lonely third eventually, some seven seconds from the win. Haga crashed out of race one, losing the front at the first corner on lap four as he tried to make up for qualifying 10th in Superpole.

In race two Haga led for the second half of the race, and his margin of victory over championship leader Troy Bayliss was 1.551 seconds. Corser, who had been pushing hard throughout and got tangled up with Ruben Xaus for some time, found it impossible to keep his early pace and finished eight seconds from his team-mate.

Shinichi Nakatomi secured a fine 11th place in the incident-strewn first race, then finished 16th in race two. David Checa (Yamaha GMT94) followed up his qualifying place of 14th with a point for 15th place, while his team-mate Sebastien Gimbert (Yamaha GMT94) was involved in a three rider crash on lap two of race one and did not start race two, as he only had one machine at his disposal here.

WSBK Valencia: Ducati weekend summary

Sun, 06 Apr 2008 06:00:00 GMT

BAYLISS AND THE DUCATI XEROX TEAM TAKE SECOND PLACE TWICE OVER IN VALENCIA

Australian Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) increased his championship lead today in Valencia after taking an impressive second place finish in Race 1 and then repeating that performance again in Race 2. Towards the end of Race 1 Troy was lying in fourth place but due to the unexpected crash between frontrunners Neukirchner and Checa in the very final stages, he took a very useful 20 points. In Race 2, a strong start put Bayliss immediately ahead of the pack but a hard battle against Haga ensued and ultimately Bayliss relinquished the win to the Yamaha rider.

Race 1 proved more difficult for team-mate Michel Fabrizio who, after a less than perfect start, quickly managed to move up several places but then pushed too hard in his efforts to pass Biaggi and came off in lap four, unable to get back on track. Fabrizio subsequently completed Race 2, fighting hard throughout, but had difficulty moving up through the ranks and problems with grip which meant he ultimately finished in thirteenth place.

Bayliss, the current championship leader, now has 128 points and a 48 point advantage over second-placed Nieto while Fabrizio lies in ninth place with 37 points...

WSBK: Valencia: Ducati qualifying report

Sat, 05 Apr 2008 06:00:00 GMT

BAYLISS SECURES FRONT ROW START FOR TOMORROW'S RACES AT THE RICARDO TORMO CIRCUIT IN VALENCIA

Valencia (Spain): Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) faced stiff competition in this afternoon's Superpole in Valencia but succeeded in snatching a place on the front row of the grid for tomorrow races. Bayliss will start from third place while team-mate Michel Fabrizio also fought hard to take eleventh place. With many riders all lapping within a second of each other, it was not an easy day for the Ducati Xerox Team who have had to work hard on both riders' 1098 F08 machines in order to optimize the bike set-up ready for the races tomorrow afternoon.

Troy Bayliss 1m33.9s

"I have to say it was very competitive out there today with the first ten riders all within a second of each other. I was pretty satisfied with my Superpole lap but it has been a bit of a struggle over the last two days. We have had a few little problems which we've had to try and resolve by trying different things and we'll continue to work before tomorrow's races in order to hopefully be a bit more consistent in competition. There are a lot of strong riders starting from the front couple of rows tomorrow so it will be difficult but I'd say there's a very good race in store for the crowd."

Michel Fabrizio 1m34.7s

Spanish MotoGP: Bridgestone debrief

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Spanish GP Debrief: Q+A with Tohru Ubukata

The second race of the 2008 MotoGP world championship took place in front of a rapturous 130,000 strong Spanish crowd at the Circuito de Jerez last week. Fiat Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi scored his first ever podium using Bridgestone tyres with a competitive second place, trailing race winner Dani Pedrosa by just 2.8s and clear of his third-placed team-mate Jorge Lorenzo by 1.5s.

A further three Bridgestone-equipped riders finished in the top ten with Loris Capirossi superbly guiding his Suzuki to fifth place, John Hopkins in seventh for Kawasaki and Shinya Nakano in ninth for Honda Gresini.

Most riders stayed on in Jerez for a post-race test session on Monday with Suzuki and Kawasaki also spending an extra day at the track on Tuesday. As Bridgestone spent time evaluating rear race rubber, as well as new qualifying tyres, there were encouraging performances as Bridgestone prepares to tackle another of its more traditionally challenging circuits in Estoril, Portugal next week.

Q+A with Tohru Ubukata - Bridgestone Motorsport - Manager Motorcycle Race Tyre Development

Were you satisfied with the outcome of Sunday's Spanish GP in Jerez?

How to Stunt a Motorcycle Part Three

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Behold the daddy of the daddies of all street freestyle stunts...the wheelie! Now, with the wheelie, you can perform the simplest to the most complex tricks. The basic sit-down wheelie, the high chairs and no handers are just some of the tricks you can try to do. Here are some how to's on doing wheelies.

1. Basic Sit-Down
The basic sit down is one of the easiest to do but hard to explain since different techniques can work well for different riders. There are two kinds of wheelies, the power-up and clutched wheelie. With the power-up wheelies, the bike's motor is used to get the front wheel up. You rev up near the bike's peak torque and twist the throttle to get your front up. With power wheelies, you deal with more power and there is higher possibility of looping your bike.

On the other hand, clutched wheelies require you to pull the clutch in just enough to get the rpm to rise up to the peak of the torque and quickly let it go. Then pull the clutch in slightly. When the revs rise for a split second, drop your clutch and back off the throttle when your front starts to come up. Remember that the higher your front wheel is , the less throttle you will need to keep it up. Either way, keep your arms stiff, jam your legs on the tank and cover the rear brake.

How to Stunt a Motorcycle Part Two

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Here is a continuation of the stunts discussed in the previous article:

3. One-Hander
First step is to do a normal endo and when you reach your balance point, let go of your left arm while keeping your right arm stiff on the handlebar to prevent steering on any place. The key here is to make sure that your right arm is straight stiff and will not move or else. Aside from this, you should use your lower body to support your body weight since your arms cannot really do this at the moment. To do this, move all your weight to the tank and lock your knees into the tank to hold you up.

4. High chair
This is for experts only. The hardest part of this is getting up on the tank and moving your feet to the front of the bike. They key is to move into position as quick as you can. You can do this by putting one hand on the windscreen, then jump straight up and forward then kick your legs out as you come across. Your one hand on the windscreen will be the gauge on how far forward you can jump. Once you're up and about, hold on to the handlebars and settle on the tank and brace yourself against the windscreen.

You need less initial brake to pull this off since the back end comes up quicker. All your weight is already in the front wheel so no worries on weight transfer. Your balance point will be lower for the high chair. Feet-over-the-front endos are shorter in distance because of the harder steering of the back end. You always want to have a little speed left to not stall while rolling back...

How to Stunt a Motorcycle Part One

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 06:00:00 GMT

There's nothing more spectacular and sensational than seeing people perform stunts that we deem impossible for the human body to do. What's more amazing is how people use machines to further enhance their stunt skills. Undoubtedly, you can't help but let your jaw drop when you see pro stunters do motorcycle stunts. Stoppies, endos and wheelies are the most popular motorcycle stunts out there today.

We can usually see these stunts performed in street freestyle competitions. Not only will you be in awe when you see such stunts, but you will surely feel the adrenaline rush just through watching them. We all know how dangerous these stunts are and just watching them can make our stomachs cringe in anxiety as to what will happen. For all the motorcycle stunts enthusiast out there, this article will share the how to's in motorcycle stunting. Just make sure to practice with complete safety gear and caution. Otherwise, enjoy and good luck!

1. Basic Stoppie
The most important thing to remember in basic stoppie is to keep your body at the dead center of the bike with your head straight, arms stiff and shoulders squared. Placing your body at the center is what will cause the back wheel to kick up. Now, once you have speed and your body properly placed, pull the clutch in and brake. The initial break should be about 80% of a full brake. While doing this, make sure you transfer your weight to the front of the bike with your arms stiff so there won't be any unintentional steering.

Motorcycle Stunt Riding Facts and More

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Motorcycle stunt riding is a growing sport in the United Kingdom and the United States. However, United States law prohibits "stunting" motorcycles on public roads and it can even get you in jail quickly.

If you're buying a second-hand motorcycle, check if the bike has been stunted. Check for flat spots on the front tire which shows you that the bike has done some wheelies and also check for scratches which could have resulted from a crash. Stunting can trash engines, transmissions and the suspension, so beware unless you intend to use your bikes in the same way, as a stunt bike.

Robert Craig Knievel, Jr. is probably the most famous American motorcycle daredevil. Now considered as both an icon and a legend, he started his career as an entertainer somewhere in the late 1960s. He performed numerous motorcycle jumps which are televised in the entire country. His attempt to jump the Snake River Canyon located at Twin Falls, Idaho back in 1974 was among the most watched (it ranks number 4) event in ABC's Wide World of Sports up until this date. He died last year, November 30 at age 69.

Some Motorcycle Stunts & Drill Teams in the US include the South Florida Bike Crew, D-Aces Stunt Riders Motorcycle Team (Wasau, Wisconsin), TenNinety6 (Kalamazoo, MI) and the Hardly Angels (a Women's Motorcycle Drill Team).

Bob Duffey, a professional Motorcycle Jumper was dubbed as "The Fastest Man on Two Wheels Backwards". He's got an ET of 11.71 seconds and a trap speed of 122 mph. The man is untouched on the dragstrip riding backwards. This record was done on a 1979 stock Kawasaki Z1R-TC, his favorite bike, at an IDBA (International Drag Bike Association) sanctioned event.

The New Age of Motorcycling riding Fast versus High

Sun, 23 Mar 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Motorcycle Riders or simply "bikers" has come a long way from being associated as the road's "bad boys". Gone are the days that guys in bikes are seen as "show-offs" and tagged as notorious gang members. After-all, history has proven that those stereotypes are total products of purely exaggerated minds.

But now that those reel images are starting to fade from the public's general perception, it seems that a new generation of riders had emerged on the motorcycle scene, fueling a new height of sometimes what is considered a public nuisance, so as many people say. Just as any stereotype, sports bikes now represents danger and terror in two wheels.

At any rate, there are only a few of the so called "riders" who are what we now refer to as rebel bikers. Often, these riders are composed by young and aggressive individuals powered by the mile high rush of adrenaline and the toughness of their steel steed. They maneuver in and out of traffic, steering dangerously close to other road vehicles. Not only that, they also often do public performance of mean & equally dangerous motorcycle tricks referred to as motorcycle stunting or simply "stuntz" by the younger crowd. High powered and high speed, riders perform the wheelie, coasters, flamingo and standie, all of which are foreign,...

Motorcycle Stunting 101

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 06:00:00 GMT

So you have a motorcycle and driving it the normal way is not "cool" enough for you? You discovered that there's a daredevil spirit inside you that's been screaming to get out. Your need for adventure is getting harder and harder to contain. You consider Evil Knievel as one of your heroes and you see it as a tragic loss now that he's gone from this world. Well, welcome to the world of motorcycle stunting! If you are wondering whether you are built for this kind of thing, you should seriously consider following these points first:

1. Stunting is not for the faint of heart. Many people attempted to do all kinds of stunts but few were able to do so, successfully. Its a no-brainer that safety should always be the number one priority, otherwise, you may be gone even before you had the chance to perfect your choice of stunt. Invest in some good quality safety equipment. Leathers from head to toe will be a good idea. Make sure that you have spine protector and most of all get the best helmet your money can afford. You'll be needing motorcycle gloves, boots and also a fire resistant equipment if you will be venturing into any kind of fire-related stunts.

2. Practice in dirt. It hurts less to fall on dirt than on pavement. Do your routines first in this kind of environment.

3. Don't do everything by yourself, especially if you are a novice. Get supervision from an expert on this field, something like a mentor, if you want to call it that way. Not only that you can ask them for proper tips, you are also set in improving yourself more. And if you are really serious about motorcycle stunting,...

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP ready to roll in Jerez

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP is on its way to Jerez in Spain for the first European Grand Prix of the 2008 MotoGP World Championship, looking to put the tough opening round in Qatar firmly behind it.

Loris Capirossi fought to a well-earned eighth place at Losail earlier this month, whilst team-mate Chris Vermeulen was forced to pit and finished just outside the points. The two Rizla Suzuki racers will be planning to try to emulate Capirossi's performance at the Spanish GP in 2006, where the experienced Italian won the race after starting from pole position.

Jerez is the first of three rounds held in Spain during the championship, but the only one that carries the name "Spanish Grand Prix". The huge, passionate crowd at trackside makes this race one of the events of the year and is regarded by many as the 'real' start to the season. Nearly a quarter-of-a-million fans crammed around the 4.4km circuit over the event's three days last year, making the Jerez GP one of the highest attended of the season, and a similar -- if not larger -- crowd can be expected this year. The Jerez track is one of the best spectator circuits on the calendar due to its numerous grandstands providing near perfect viewing facilities over its undulating layout, so fans get the chance to see the riders go through a series of hard-braking corners, endless camber changes and high-speed straights.

So you want to be a Stunt Rider?

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 06:00:00 GMT

What does Evil Knievel, Antonio Carlos �AC� Farias, Jason Britton, and Anthony D'Orsi have in common? Well, apart from the fact that the four of them are all high-testosterone pumping members of the male community, they are also some of the highly successful motorcycle stunt riders the industry has come to know. But what does it really take to be a good stunt-rider? Why are they willing to risk their lives & limbs just to make everything happen? For only a few seconds of glory, are the perks worth it?

Often times, in order to perfect your abilities in the world of motorbike stunt racing, you have to sacrifice most of what you have; your time, your money and most of all your relationships (even when sometimes you don't want to). Interviews with popular stunt riders concluded time and again that most if not all of them suffered the same painstaking losses, not to mention the excruciating physical, emotional & mental bruises they've dealt with at the beginning of their careers.

If it is such, then why do these people chose to go on with it, to think that most of the populace don't even consider motorcycle stunting a valid kind of sport and just a mere form of displaying someone's machismo. It�s not even a venue for generating loads of money since money-making stints are reserved for very few exceptions. Now we question, what drives these people to keep on going with the game? Here are some of the most popular answers:

Freestyle Motocross: The Tricks and Treats

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Freestyle Motocross is also known as FMX. In FMX, riders perform jumps and stunts to impress judges. They go on a series of jumps and perform tricks alphabetically. Although these tricks are the bread and butter of FMX riders, they are sure treats to the eyes of astonished watchers. Watching FMX is heart raising and gut quenching. This article will provide you a list of FMX tricks & stunts to help you identify what they are and how to do them.

1. Can Can: The trick consists of getting one leg to go over the other side of the bike. End result will have both legs on one side. Higher points are given when riders land on a Can Can position.

2. Cliffhanger: The rider stands up straight in the air with toes on the underside of bars. Hands are above the head like a roller coaster position.

3. Coffin: Legs are extended below the handlebars and rider lies on the seat as far as possible.

4. Lazy Boy: Similar to the coffin, but arms and legs are extended more for higher points.

Bridgestone launched a new tire at Jerez

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 06:00:00 GMT

MotoGP Riders Help Launch Bridgestone Hypersport Tyre In Jerez

Six Bridgestone-shod MotoGP riders took an active role in launching Bridgestone's latest sporty road tyre, the Battlax BT-016, at the Circuito de Jerez last week after performing demonstration laps with the new tyre in front of some 130 attending journalists from all over the world.

Fresh from his Qatar GP win, Ducati's Casey Stoner and his team-mate Marco Melandri both attended the week-long event on Wednesday, Kawasaki's Anthony West joined Suzuki's Loris Capirossi on Thursday, while Honda Gresini's Alex de Angelis and Alice Team rider Toni Elias attended on Friday, all in all representing one-third of the grid from Qatar just over one week ago.

Each of the riders got a first-hand taste of the BT-016 under the guidance of former GP rider Jeremy McWilliams, who was working for Bridgestone during the week to set up the bikes at the track, and all seemed impressed with the agility and handling of the new Hypersport tyre, which uses tyre technology derived from MotoGP.

The BT-016 is an advanced Hypersport tyre designed to maximise the performance of sport bikes on the road. Bridgestone has combined MotoGP construction technology with its latest multi-compound technology to produce a tyre that gives high-level grip performance in braking,...

The World of Motorcycle Jumping

Sun, 16 Mar 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Motorcycling, for its many enthusiasts, is considered to be one of life's many pleasures. It also launched the careers of men and women, many of which are now part of the motorcycling world's hall of fame. This article will feature some the sport's most famous people and their claim to fame.

Robert Craig Knievel or better known as Evil Knievel. Who could ever forget this so called legend, the "King of the Daredevils". He became the world's most famous motorcycle jumper and has inspired too many people to follow the road he's taken. He began his career in the late 1960s and had set multiple entries in the Guinness Book of World Records in the entire duration of his career. He passed away November 30, 2007.

Roger Lidell of Martinsville, Indiana a.k.a. Mr. Backwards. His claim to fame would be backward motorcycle jumping. Doing this earned him a spot at the Guinness Book of World Records and was even featured on the hit television show "Ripley's Believe it or Not�. His latest world record was jumping across six cars backwards.

Super Joe Einhorn claim to fame: jumping his Triumph 650 over 20 cars back in 1971. He suffered many accidents during his career but the one that triggered his retirement was a terrible accident back in 1976 which left him partially brain damaged.

World Superbike 2008 - March Test - Valencia

Sat, 15 Mar 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Valencia, Friday 14th March 2008
MUGGERIDGE SETS RECORD TIME FOR DF RACING HONDA AT VALENCIA TEST

Record times were set in two days of official SBK testing at Valencia in preparation for the third round of the championship here on April 6th. Australian Karl Muggeridge surprisingly took the top slot on his DF Racing Honda CBR1000RR machine, leaving the unofficial circuit record at 1’34.252, a fraction quicker than the mark set yesterday by Ruben Xaus (Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati), who was not present today.

"This bike has got a lot of potential " said a delighted Muggeridge, former World Supersport champion. “I didn’t go as well in race set-up but for the Spanish Round we’ll have some new electronic parts so I’m feeling confident. The DF Racing guys are doing a great job and I think we’re going to get some good results this season”.

In the absence of Ducati Xerox’s Bayliss and Fabrizio, the Ducati attack was in the hands of Xaus yesterday and Lorenzo Lanzi, who was quickest for much of today. "We sorted out the problems that slowed us at Phillip Island", said the RG Team rider "and now we’ve got an improved engine I can be up there with the other guys."

Minneapolis Supercross preview

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Monster Energy� Supercross Returns to Metrodome for the First Time Since 2004

AURORA, Ill. (March 11, 2008) -- Monster Energy� Supercross, an FIM World Championship, returns to Minneapolis' Metrodome for the first time since 2004 this Saturday. During the 11 races inside the Metrodome, spanning from 1994-2004, the event averaged 50,000-plus fans. The supercross fan four pack -- four $20 tickets all for just $45 at www.Ticketmaster.com has been added this year.

Media day will be held on Thursday, March 13 from Noon-2:00, featuring Monster Energy Kawasaki's Tim Ferry and Travis Preston as well as Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto and Branden Jesseman.

The AMA Supercross class race will air on SPEED Sunday, March 16 at 6:00 p.m. The AMA Supercross Lites class race will air on SPEED Saturday, March 22 at 6:00 p.m.

Last weekend at Daytona International Speedway, Torco Fuels Honda's Kevin Windham, of Centerville, Miss., made history when he passed Team San Manuel Yamaha's Chad Reed, of Tampa, Fla., on the race's last lap for the AMA Supercross class win. It was Windham's first race win at Daytona International Speedway.

"Tonight was definitely a race of different elements with the rain and what not, but it still lived up to the brutal Daytona deal," said Windham. "I think it was the most brutal race I have been in in my entire life."

Daytona Speedway: Misti Hurst race report

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 06:00:00 GMT

*Canadian roadracer Misti Hurst First Woman to Qualify and Race AMA 600 Supersport at Daytona International Speedway *

March 6th 2008, Daytona International Speedway- Canadian roadracer and California Superbike School coach Misti Hurst enjoyed an outstanding debut race at Daytona International Speedway last Thursday during the AMA 600 Supersport race.

According to all available sources, Hurst made history during qualifying on Wednesday when aboard her Slednecks Racing, Etechphoto supported Kawasaki ZX6, she became the first and only woman to ever make an AMA 600 Supersport Grid at the famous Daytona International Speedway. After only an hour of practice on the track she qualified 44th out of 51 riders with a time of 1: 48.93. "I'm so stoked that I qualified!" said an excited Hurst "With all that has gone wrong this week, this is amazing! Thank you to EVERYONE that helped out."

Hurst arrived at Daytona Feb 26th in order to get some practice time on the unfamiliar Daytona speedway during the local CCS races. Unfortunately, after only three sessions her connecting rod broke, pierced the starter, and destroyed her motor. She was on the banking doing approximately 160 mph.

Australian Superbike 2008 - Round One - Preview

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Can anyone including MV Agusta mounted Kevin Curtain stop Jamie Stauffer and his potent blue Yamaha Racing Team YZF-R1 from making it three Australian Superbike titles in a row in 2008?

That’s the question race fans are asking as the opening round of the 2008 Australian Superbike Championship gets ready to blast off at Sydney’s Eastern Creek Raceway on March 14-16.

If the season-opening non-championship Australian Superbike support races at the recent Phillip Island SBK round on March 1-2 are any guide, then there are challengers aplenty in 2008.

There’s certainly enough talent in Australian Superbike ranks to stop Stauffer’s run - and enough variables and factory involvement to make for an intriguing season ahead.

At the SBK meeting the three Superbike races were decided by a combined winning margin of just 0.159sec, with Team Joe Rocket Suzuki rider Shawn Giles taking two wins (by 0.134sec and 0.011sec) and Stauffer the other (by 0.014sec).

Toyota AMA Arenacross: Finale preview

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Toyota AMA Arenacross Series' Final Round Heads to Green Bay's Resch Center

Wisconsin native Chad Johnson (Rhinelander) is leading the points and favored to win the overall Toyota AMA Arenacross Championship at the Resch Center

Local Wisconsin pro motocross racer Chad Johnson (Bad Boy/TUF/Honda) enters the final round of the 2007-'08 Toyota AMA Arenacross Series with a commanding 30-point lead in the overall title points chase and will look to clinch his second Toyota AMA Arenacross Series title this weekend at Green Bay's Research Center (March 14-15).

"I can't think of a better situation -- having the points lead and the support of my home state fans," said Johnson, who won the 2005-'06 Toyota AMA Arenacross Series title. "I'm really looking forward to the racing next weekend in Green Bay. There's a lot at stake and I know the competition's going to be fierce, but the Bad Boy/TUF/Honda team has put together a great season of racing and we're confident we can meet our goal of winning the title at the Resch Center."

What: 2007-'08 Toyota AMA Arenacross Series final round of the season.

Stoner wins historic night race in Qatar

Sun, 09 Mar 2008 07:00:00 GMT

It didn't take long for Casey Stoner to get his Ducati back at the top of the podium. The 2007 MotoGP champion claimed round one of the new season at the first night race in series history. The floodlights around the Losail Circuit in Qatar lit the path for the Aussie to make his way to the front after starting in the second row. The rookie Jorge Lorenzo who started on the pole had a great race but wasn't able to keep a veteran like Stoner behind him. Still Lorenzo was able to keep his Yamaha in second, showing the world he can keep his quick pace going for a full race distance. Dani Pedrosa finished third after starting in eighth, a nice surprise to the Repsol Honda team.

Hanging back for a bit after the start, Stoner watched as riders around him banged into each other for position. He just needed to hold on until his Bridgestone tires got warm enough to grip in the low night temperatures. Once the bike was stable the champ was looking for the perfect opportunity and sprang into action the moment an opening came into view. Stoner was then able to control the rest of the race to the checkered flag, setting the fastest lap along the way.

"That was a fantastic race and I really enjoyed it," exclaimed Stoner, "it was like being back in 125s! The first few laps were really hectic, there were guys bashing fairings and I just tried to stay out of the way. When I got my chance to get through I took it and from there I just focused on setting my pace. Jorge rode brilliantly - it wasn't an easy race by any means, especially at the start...

Rookies Lorenzo and Toseland: Qatar front row

Sat, 08 Mar 2008 07:00:00 GMT

It's two rookies on the front row after the MotoGP teams qualified tonight under the lights at the Losail Circuit, in Qatar, for the first round of the 2008 season. The riders have had plenty of laps after testing here a week ago and three practice sessions this weekend. Reining champ Casey Stoner looked strongest in practice, but it was the fastest man from last weekend, Jorge Lorenzo, that laid down the flying lap for tomorrow's pole. This rookie is certainly fast, tomorrow the world will see if he can translate that into his first MotoGP victory.

"Only in my dreams did I imagine being on pole at my very first MotoGP race," beamed Lorenzo, "I can't believe it! This is something great for all of Yamaha; there are three Yamaha riders on the front row and this shows how hard they have been working. Tonight my M1 was working very well and with the Michelin qualifying tires it was excellent, but also our race pace is very good.

"Tomorrow will of course be very difficult; it's my first MotoGP race so there is a lot to think about, but I am excited and of course we will try to do our best and see what happens! The team and Michelin have done a great job over the winter so this is a thank you to them. I will try to get a good start and I will have to concentrate very hard on the first lap when the tyres are cold, and then we'll see what happens...

Stoner fastest under Qatar lights

Fri, 07 Mar 2008 07:00:00 GMT

The 2008 MotoGP season officially started tonight, under floodlights at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar. The weekend makes history as the first night event for the series, 5.4 million watts worth of lighting turned night into day as the teams prepared their new bikes for qualifying tomorrow. Temperatures dropped as the sun set, by the second practice grip levels were low but most riders shaved off a few tenths from their earlier runs.

At the top after day one sits reigning champ Casey Stoner. In testing Stoner wasn't always the fastest man out but when it counts, the Aussie is showing he is still the man to beat. Dominating the time charts in both sessions he looks ready to put his new Ducati on pole for this year's first event. Stoner, the team and Bridgestone will use tomorrow's practice before qualifying to dial in the bike for the low grip.

"Finally the first race is here and it feels good to get out there and see what everybody is really capable of," said Stoner. "I've been looking forward to today for a while because to be honest I've got a bit sick of testing. Anyway, it was good to get going - the bike itself felt good from the start but for some reason the overall feeling wasn't as good as it was at the test and I'd put that down to the slightly different track conditions.

Major Improvements Underway at Road Atlanta

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 07:00:00 GMT

BRASELTON, GA - Road Atlanta has undertaken a major improvement project that will create an Auxiliary Turn 12 primarily for motorcycle competitors offering a safer and slower transition to the start-finish line straightaway.

[turn-12-sm.gif] In addition, the project includes paving a new section of asphalt on rider's right at the entry into the Esses, creating a 200-foot long chicane that results in a different line and additional runoff room.

"We are excited about making these improvements to preserve our long-standing place on the AMA Superbike Championship Series calendar and our position within the top levels of motorcycle racing," says Road Atlanta President Geoff Lee. "The Road Atlanta doubleheader has been a favorite of riders and fans for many years. We expect these changes will not only improve rider safety but will also offer some new challenges and create even more exciting racing."

Designs for the new Auxiliary Turn 12 and improvements in the Esses were made with the input of two engineering firms that have designed numerous improvements at Road Atlanta, along with AMA officials and representatives from the Rider Safety Council.

KAWASAKI READY FOR THE START OF A NEW SEASON

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 07:00:00 GMT

The first round of the 2008 MotoGP World Championship takes place this weekend and the Kawasaki Racing Team is ready to launch itself in to the new season with a new rider and an updated Ninja ZX-RR.

Qatar's Losail circuit will host the inaugural round on Sunday 9th March and will do so, historically, at night. The track got the go ahead last year to erect a lighting system the likes of which the sporting world has never before seen and, when the whole circuit is illuminated, it uses up a mammoth 5.4 million watts of power to light its 16 corners.

All the teams spent two days last week testing in preparation for the forthcoming race and Kawasaki's John Hopkins and Anthony West are ready for the challenge, despite a few setbacks.

Hopkins, who will be racing the 800cc Ninja ZX-RR for the first time, is still suffering the after-effects of a crash at Phillip Island last month. Muscle damage in his groin is still causing the 24-year-old Anglo-American some discomfort but he's making a rapid recovery now and is sure he'll be fit enough to give it his all come Sunday night.

West, meanwhile, has been making great headway on his newly-updated machine but has doubts about the effect the cold, desert night conditions may have on his Bridgestone tyres. The 27-year-old Australian was one of many crashers during last week's test as temperatures at the circuit drop considerably as evening falls,...

Qatari MotoGP: JiR Team Scot preview

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Gentlemen start your engines! JiR Team Scot is ready for the new 2008 season!

The 2008 Grand Prix season starts this weekend on the 9th March with the Grand Prix of Qatar in which JiR Team Scot is involved in two classes: the premier MotoGP class and 250cc GP. In the premier class, JiR Team Scot is running Italian talent Andrea Dovizioso on a Honda RC212V and in the quarter litre class is the Japanese rider Yuki Takahashi on a Honda RS250RW. This will be a season rich in emotion in which JiR Team Scot wants to be a major player and challenge for both titles. It is a gruelling 18-round calendar this year with a second race in the USA at Indianapolis making its debut, in addition to the established Laguna Seca round. The 2008 season will be a long one, in which the team will be absolutely focussed on each and every event, and determined to succeed. For the first time in the history of a motorcycle World Championship the desert race in Losail will take place at night under floodlights making this a unique event in MotoGP's 60-year history.

Gianluca Montiron - Director JiR Team Scot

"This is the beginning of an exciting championship! We want to be competitive from the very start and we have grown together in the premier class. We've dedicated all our winter time to building up our two teams, which are especially focussed around our riders. Andrea and Yuki will both reap the benefits of this. We have a team,...

Qatari GP: Ducati preview

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 07:00:00 GMT

FIRST NIGHT RACE IN MOTOGP HISTORY OPENS 2008 SEASON IN QATAR

Just a few days after completing their preseason testing schedule in Qatar, the Ducati Marlboro Team return to the Losail International Circuit this weekend to begin their defence of the MotoGP World Championship. Sunday 9th March 2008 will go down in history as the date that a Grand Prix took place at night for the first time ever.

The riders have already had the opportunity to get accustomed to the peculiar conditions that will greet them at the circuit thanks to two days of tests at the end of February, when they rode their MotoGP machines under artificial lighting for the first time. Casey Stoner adapted quickly to the unusual surroundings whilst Marco Melandri made small but constant steps to improve his feeling with the bike and circuit.

The same could be said for the entire winter testing programme for the Ducati Marlboro Team, with the defending World Champion on top form and satisfied with the job done on the GP8 and with the Bridgestone tyres in all conditions at all of the circuits in Malaysia, Australia, Spain and Qatar. Melandri, meanwhile, has been focused on finding his own way forward, concentrating on setting a consistent pace on race tyres as opposed to worrying about a hot lap on soft rubber. He now feels confident that he is ready for the start of the season.

Michelin Qatar test summary

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 07:00:00 GMT

MICHELIN MEN SHINE IN COOL, MOIST NIGHT TEST

Michelin riders completed MotoGP's first-ever night-time test session on top in Qatar on Friday and Saturday, with rookies Jorge Lorenzo (Fiat-Yamaha Team-Michelin) and James Toseland (Yamaha Tech 3 YZR-M1-Michelin) first and second fastest, just ahead of established MotoGP star Randy de Puniet (Honda LCR RC212V-Michelin). Colin Edwards (Yamaha Tech 3 YZR-M1-Michelin), Andrea Dovizioso (JiR Team Scot Honda RC212V-Michelin) and Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda Team RC212V-Michelin) confirmed Michelin's strength in depth by setting the fifth, sixth and seventh fastest times.

Conditions were tricky -- with a cool and moist track surface -- which highlighted the recent progress made by Michelin in tyre warm-up and operating temperature range.

"The tests were certainly different," said Jean-Philippe Weber, Michelin's director of motorcycle racing. "Fortunately the track wasn't so bad when we started the tests, because we were a little concerned about sand blown on to the surface. During the tests we had to deal with track temperature falling as the evening went on. To start with the temperature was about 23 or 24 degrees, but by the end of the session at midnight it had cooled to only 18 degrees. Also, the moisture level changed a lot...

MOTO-ST: Daytona round one race summary

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Aprilia USA Wins SunTrust MOTO-ST Series Season Opener at Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Aprilia USA/Lloyd Brothers Motorsports remains the team to beat in the SunTrust MOTO-ST Series following their second straight victory in the Daytona 300 at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday.

Ty Howard of Weatherford, Tex. and Mike Himmelsbach of Quakertown, Penn. rode the No. 1 Aprilia Tuono 1000R to a 4.573-second victory over the No. 75 Touring Sport Ducati 848 of Camarillo, Calif.'s Doug Polen and Columbia, S.C. racer Peter Friedland in the 108-lap race around Daytona's 2.90-mile road course.

The Aprilia USA/Lloyd Brothers Motorsports team won the Buell Motorcycle Company SuperSport Twins (SST) Team championship in last year's SunTrust MOTO-ST Series. Although the team also won the Daytona season opener, Howard was not part of the winning crew.

"I've been here so many years and it seems I've always been the fastest guy, but I never seem to finish up front," Howard said. "It's great to finally be here in victory lane."

The No. 4 BMW Motorcycles of Atlanta BMW R1200 of Englishman Richard Cooper and Marietta, Ga.'s Nate Kern finished third overall and in SST.

WSBK Phillip Island: Series Superpole report

Sat, 01 Mar 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Troy Bayliss grabbed his first Superpole of the year at the end of an eventful day for the 38-year-old Australian at Phillip Island. The Ducati Xerox rider crashed three minutes before the end of the morning Q2 session after setting the quickest time, earning himself eight stitches in his left elbow in the process, then he smashed the circuit record at the end of second free practice. Finally in Superpole he shaved a further three-tenths off that time to take the pole away from his fellow Aussie Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia WSB), leaving the mark at 1 minute 31.493 seconds. Young Italian Michel Fabrizio was next up for the Ducati Xerox Team, edging out Carlos Checa (HANNspree Ten Kate Honda) for the final front row slot.

"It has been a bit eventful but I'm sitting here on pole and that makes me feel good about tomorrow's race" declared Bayliss. "Deep down I knew Troy was the man who I was going to have to beat. We always end up fast here and it was pretty close and I'm sure it's going to be a good race tomorrow. I did a long-run yesterday and planned to do another one today but the crash put paid to that. I did quite a few laps and I'm reasonably happy with the tyres and I feel sure the first few laps will be decisive up to about lap 8 and then it's definitely going to get slower and a lot harder for the rest of the race."

Lorenzo flys in final test in Qatar at night

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 07:00:00 GMT

The opening race for the 2008 MotoGP Continental Circus will be a first, the riders will compete for the first time at night under floodlights on the Losail International Circuit in Doha, Qatar on March 9th.

On Thursday and Friday night, the final preseason tests for the series were held at the same venue to allow the world's top riders acclimate themselves to the conditions they will face next weekend.

Fiat Yamaha Team's rookie Jorge Lorenzo has already proved his skills over the Winter testing but tonight, he topped the speed charts to set the fastest time overall. The Dutchman was clocked at 1:54.552 on the 5.4 km (3.375 mile) circuit.

"I am very happy because we have done two days of testing with a very good rhythm throughout. Our performance has been consistent, which is very important after the trouble we had at the last test and this makes me confident for the first race," said Lorenzo.

Lorenzo's time was faster than the 2007 pole time set by his teammate Valentino Rossi (1:55.002), the first year of the 800cc bike. Modifications were made over the off-season by the MotoGP teams and obviously Lorenzo was pleased with the performance with his Yamaha M1.

Phillip Island: Series round two preview

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 07:00:00 GMT

MORE ACTION EXPECTED AT PHILLIP ISLAND FOR SUPERBIKE ROUND 2

The second round of the 2008 HANNspree Superbike World Championship takes place this weekend at the Phillip Island Circuit in Australia, just one week after a spectacular start to the season in Qatar.

Thrilling racing was seen in both World Superbike and World Supersport and more of the same is expected this weekend for round 2. Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) took the first win of the year at Losail, and the first win for the Ducati 1098, after an exciting battle with Max Biaggi on an identical Sterilgarda Go Eleven machine, while Fonsi Nieto swept to his maiden Superbike win on the powerful Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 in race 2. In Supersport Fabien Foret gifted the win to his Yamaha World Supersport team-mate Broc Parkes after running out of fuel on the final lap.

With plenty of Australian riders fighting for contention in both categories, above all Bayliss and Corser in Superbike, a large partisan crowd is expected this weekend at the splendid Phillip Island track.

Form Guide

The first race winners of the season were Ducati's Troy Bayliss and Suzuki's Fonsi Nieto. The two riders' respective team managers Davide Tardozzi and Giacomo Guidotti, gave their view on the opening races.

WSBK Phillip Island: Yamaha Teams preview

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Corser comes home as Haga heals

Only a week after the 2008 World Superbike season kicked off at Losail with a podium for Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italy WSB Team) the second round approaches at Corser's home circuit, Phillip Island (PI), this coming weekend. After the Saturday race in the Middle East, normal Sunday service will be resumed from this weekend, with raceday at PI coming on March 2.

Both Corser and his team-mate Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italy WSB Team) have taken part in a successful pre-season test at the 4.445km circuit, setting faster lap times on their YZF-R1s than they had ever done before in Australia Corser is not only a double World Champion and the most experienced rider ever in World Superbike, he is something of a virtuoso performer at Phillip Island, having won six races in front of his adoring home fans; the most recent was in race one, 2006. Based in Europe for most of the racing season, Corser relishes putting on a show in his native country and will be all out to add to his Qatar podium - ideally with his first WSB race win in Yamaha colours.

Haga is nursing a battered and bruised body in the run up to the Australian round, after one heavy fall in qualifying at Losail and another in race one, but he is determined to ride at his normal level this weekend to get his championship challenge back on track. He has won with Yamaha at the Phillip Island circuit before, way back in 1998 on a YZF750SP; one of his 26 total career wins so far.

Rizla Suzuki heads into the night for Qatar test

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP is on its way to Losail in Qatar for the first running of MotoGP bikes under floodlights during the two-day IRTA test later this week.

The 5,380m long Losail International Circuit will be illuminated by thousands of high-tech light bulbs as Loris Capirossi and Chris Vermeulen take the track for the last test before the start of the 2008 MotoGP World Championship -- at the same venue - next month.

Capirossi has already experienced riding at the desert circuit under floodlights, as he was one of the chosen MotoGP stars to test out the feasibility of racing at night when he tested the new system last year on a Suzuki road-bike.

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP still has some important work to conduct during the two-day test to ready itself for the first race a week later, and will be hoping that Capirossi and Vermeulen will get up to speed and adapt to the totally new conditions quickly.

The Losail track will also provide a lot of new set-up questions for both the crews and for Bridgestone, as they try to come to terms with the colder night-time temperatures that can be experienced in the desert of Qatar.

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP begins its test at 17.00hrs local time (14.00hrs GMT) on Thursday 28th February, with both days of testing going on until mid-night local time.

Arenacross: Greensboro summary

Sat, 23 Feb 2008 07:00:00 GMT

TEDDY MAIER TAKES THE WIN IN GREENSBORO
Kurtis Mccabe wins the Lites class

AURORA, Ill. (February 23, 2008) -- Teddy Maier rode his Team TiLube/MotoXXX Honda flawlessly as he took the win in the Arenacross class at the Greensboro Coliseum tonight. Tommy Hofmaster jumped out to an early lead taking the Toyota Certified Used Vehicles holeshot, but was quickly reeled in and passed by both Maier and Bad Boy Power Drink Honda rider, Chad Johnson. Hofmaster held it together and finished nicely in third.

Teddy Maier said about his win, "I was hoping for a better start, but I just put my head down and I just wanted to do consistent laps... I felt good and want to thank my whole Team TiLube/MotoXXX crew."

Chad Johnson had this to say, "I felt really good out there, my Bad Boy Energy Drink/Tuf Racing/Thor Honda was running great, you know Teddy rode awesome and so did Tommy. I got off to a pretty decent start and just put my head down and started charging."

In the Lites class, Kurtis Mccabe made it a Team TiLube/MotoXXX sweep as he took the top spot on the box. Shane Sewell ran well finishing 2nd and Kyle Smith took advantage of a fall by Dave Ginolfi to finish third.

CORSER GRABS 41ST SUPERBIKE CAREER POLE IN QATAR

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia) powered to the 41st pole position of his career in the opening round of the 2008 HANNspree Superbike World Championship at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar but he had to work hard to hold off the challenge of Ruben Xaus and Max Biaggi, second and third respectively. Corser's time of 1'58.053 was four-tenths of a second quicker than the circuit's best lap, which the 36-year-old Australian set for Yamaha last year. Xaus and Biaggi, both on Ducati 1098 RS08 machines from the private Sterilgarda Go Eleven squad, were heading for a sensational 1-2 before Corser put in his quick lap. Alongside them on the grid for the two races tomorrow will be Alstare Suzuki's young German rider Max Neukirchner.

"I really like this track and the Yamaha seems to work well round here" declared Corser."Last year was a good result but now I feel more relaxed and at ease with the team. I've got to thank all the guys, they worked really hard in the tests which helped us a lot but now I've got to keep my head down and be consistent. We actually struggled a bit in the last free practice after making a few small changes but we went back to we know what works well and hopefully now we can go for the win tomorrow".

"The team is working very well, I was here testing and was really focused on this race" said Xaus. "The bike worked perfect, the team is incredible, Max Biaggi next to me has given me really more motivation and also more focus so what can I say? Second and third and front row for the team is fantastic!"

WSBK Qatar: Ducati Thursday notes

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 07:00:00 GMT

BAYLISS AND FABRIZIO BATTLE AGAINST THE ELEMENTS AT THE LOSAIL INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT

Losail (Qatar): Bayliss and Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) faced difficult climactic conditions today as the 2008 World Superbike championship officially got underway. Winds of up to 40 km/h meant that riders were unable to record any particularly fast laps and the morning practice session was instead used to check the settings of the new Ducati 1098 F08 machines. The afternoon qualifying session went ahead in similar conditions at the Losail International Circuit with both riders attempting to improve on the times recorded in the morning.

Troy Bayliss 1m59.8s

"I'm reasonably happy with how it went today but we all found it tough and every lap had to be ridden in a different way simply due to the conditions. The wind meant that I was never completely comfortable and there is only so much we can do to change the settings of the bike because conditions may be different again tomorrow. Looking at this weekend's entry list I reckon it's going to be a very competitive championship this year, we're a strong field and I'm looking forward to the competition!"

Casey Stoner wins Dawn Fraser Award

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 07:00:00 GMT

The accolades for Australian MotoGP sensation Casey Stoner continue to mount, after he was awarded the Dawn Fraser Award in the 28th Australian Sport Awards which were announced today.

The Dawn Fraser award is the top award handed out by the Confederation of Australian Sport (CAS), and was given to Stoner in recognition of his outstanding international achievements and his contribution to Australian sport.

The award had previously been won by the likes of Pat Rafter (Tennis), Karrie Webb (Golf) and Grant Hackett (Swimming), and Stoner became the first motorcyclist to gain CAS recognition since Michael Doohan in 1987.

After he was crowned Young Australian of the Year on Australia Day, Stoner continues to be recognised for his 2007 efforts, which saw him become the second youngest rider ever to clinch the FIM Road Racing World Championship.

The Dawn Fraser award was announced via a special online video presentation in conjunction with media partner SBS Television, and video presentations of the Gold Award winners can be viewed from today on both the Australian Sport Awards website - www.australiansportawards.com.au, and the SBS website - www.sbs.com.au.

MOTOST: Go Big Racing Suzuki returns for 2008

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 07:00:00 GMT

No Quitting the SunTrust MOTO-ST Series for the Canadians

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The Go Big Racing Suzuki team had every excuse to throw in the towel during last year's SunTrust MOTO-ST Series -- budget concerns, injuries, schedule conflicts. But the plucky Canadians persevered and their reward was second place in the Sport Twins team standings.

The team will aim to go one better when the 2008 season opens with the Daytona 300 at Daytona International Speedway on March 2.

Although Go Big Racing only came into existence in 2006 and had no experience of motorcycle endurance racing prior to its SunTrust MOTO-ST Series debut, the squad finished on the Sport Twins (ST) podium in all but one of the six events in last year's title chase. The Suzuki outfit managed to take the title battle down to the last race at Daytona but came up just seven points short to the Pair-A-Nines Kawasaki effort led by veterans Jay Springsteen and Jimmy Filice.

Bridgestone Jerez IRTA test - Ubukata debrief

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 07:00:00 GMT

The penultimate pre-season test came to a conclusion at the Circuito de Jerez in southern Spain on Monday afternoon after three days of intermittent track activity courtesy of unusually turbulent Spanish weather.

Rain and wind prevented teams, riders and tyre manufacturers from conducting uninterrupted running over the entire three days, including a damp official practice on Sunday in which Ducati's Casey Stoner was fastest. A dry final day offered some meaningful running with more useful information collated by Bridgestone's engineers.

A flurry of late qualifying runs shuffled the timesheets on the final afternoon of practice with Valentino Rossi ending the session as the fastest rider on Bridgestone tyres with a time of 1m39.568s. Several other Bridgestone riders were present in the top ten over the course of the test with some solid performances on race tyres. However, the final timesheets show that Bridgestone's qualifying performance still needs to be further improved ahead of the season start in Qatar in three weeks' time.

Q+A with Tohru Ubukata - Bridgestone Motorsport - Manager Motorcycle Race Tyre Development

What has Bridgestone managed to achieve over these three days with the mixed weather conditions?

"It was a difficult test for everybody with tricky track conditions over all three days. After the dry first day,...

FOUR MICHELIN MEN ON TOP AT JEREZ

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Michelin riders topped the timesheets during this penultimate test session at Jerez, with the fastest four riders and five riders in the first top six. 2006 World Champion Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC212V-Michelin) was the fastest man over the three days, recording his best lap on qualifiers at the end of the final day, his best lap half a second inside the pole position pace at last year's Spanish GP. The weather was very changeable throughout the three days with cool, windy and rainy conditions.

Hayden was four tenths ahead of impressive MotoGP rookies Jorge Lorenzo (Fiat Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin) and Andrea Dovizioso (JiR Team Scot Honda RC212V-Michelin), while new Michelin man Randy de Puniet (Honda LCR RC212V-Michelin) was fourth. Colin Edwards (Yamaha Tech 3 YZR-M1-Michelin) was sixth and James Toseland (Yamaha Tech 3 YZR-M1-Michelin) seventh. As is usual, most riders used qualifying tyres to set their fastest laps during the tests, though Michelin's seven MotoGP riders also did some impressive runs in race trim.

"This test has been quite good for us," said Jean-Philippe Weber, Michelin's director of motorcycle racing. "We already had some useful information from the first day in dry conditions and yesterday we were able to do some good work with wets...

Stoner leads IRTA hot laps for BMW prize

Sun, 17 Feb 2008 07:00:00 GMT

2007 MotoGP champion Casey Stoner did not lose his hot-streak over the off-season, today the Aussie not only set the pace but he earned the coveted BMW prize awarded on the second day of the official IRTA test on Circuito de Jerez.

"This is fantastic," expressed Stoner. "Last year we did an amazing job in all the qualifying sessions during the season and I was able to take a car at the end of it so to start out 2008 in the same way is great."

The weather in Spain played havoc for the riders today, after yesterday's sun, the awaken to heavy rain for today test runs as the teams and riders prepare for the first race in 2008 with their new 800cc bikes.

During the qualifying contest held on day two, Stoner flew to a fast time of 1:49.263 on his Ducati GP8 on his fifth flying lap of the today's shootout. The rain had ceased before the early end to the scheduled 40-minute session that would see who this year would earn the BMW prize.

However, the track after the morning deluge was still damp but high winds brought cooler temperatures and combined with the slippery track, the officials ended the hot laps early. Stoner had turned nine hot laps to best his rivals and take possession of his new BMW car.

Lorenzo Makes Impressive Return to Home Soil in Jerez

Sat, 16 Feb 2008 07:00:00 GMT

New Fiat Yamaha Team rider Jorge Lorenzo completed a promising first day of testing at the Official MotoGP tests in Jerez today. Although he rode the Yamaha here last November, today is the first time the 250cc World Champion has ridden on home soil in Fiat Yamaha colours as an official Yamaha rider, and the rookie marked an impressive day by finishing third fastest overall.

Lorenzo started from the base setting he found here last November and spent the day developing his race set-up and testing both front and rear Michelin tyres, with positive results all round and some excellent times on race tyres. At the end of the day the 20-year-old put in an impressive lap on a qualifying tyre, setting a time of 1'39.528 on his 94th lap.

Jorge Lorenzo - Position: 3rd Time: 1'39.528 Laps: 94

"This morning things didn't start so well and I had a few problems, especially with the wind, but step-by-step we made some changes and I started to improve and feel better and better. We made some good changes to the bike and the chassis and finally we started to make improvements with the front end in the braking areas. We made a big step with the engine as well today, and we have some more power now.I have gained confidence today and I think in the end it's been my best day so far...

DE PUNIET IN GOOD FORM AT JEREZ

Sat, 16 Feb 2008 07:00:00 GMT

LCR Honda MotoGP Team rider Randy De Puniet was in sparkling form today with the second fastest lap time at Jerez de la Frontera for the first day of testing at the Spanish track. The premier class riders were able to go about their business throughout the whole day thanks to the sunny skies with a temperature of 18. Today's frontrunner Nicky Hayden set the pace with a 1'39.200 lap time whilst the Frenchman aboard the Michelin-shod Honda RC212V nr. 14 clocked impressive times on race tyres.

De Puniet completed 82 laps working on tyres testing and new 2008 engine regulations and, at the end of the day, he came out on qualifiers with very good results (1'39.444). Randy's tomorrow "to do" list will include also rain tyres testing as he is expecting bad weather.

Rizla Suzuki Jerez test preview

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP heads to Spain for first 'official' test

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP is on its way to Jerez in Spain to attend the opening IRTA test of 2008, an event that will also see the first competitive action of the season.

Chris Vermeulen and Loris Capirossi will be onboard their new Rizla Suzuki GSV-Rs in Europe for the first time this year during the three-day test. The Jerez IRTA test will not only give the two riders and their machines a tough workout over the 4.4km Spanish circuit, but will also feature a televised 40-minute against-the-clock qualifying type session, where the fastest rider will walk away with a brand new BMW car.

Vermeulen and Capirossi will be making their first appearances on the newly liveried 2008 Rizla Suzuki GSV-R - and in their latest riding apparel -- and it will also be the first time the duo have tested in Europe this season following two tests in Malaysia and Australia. The Jerez circuit in Andalucia, Spain is certainly a track to test the 800cc machine to its limit, with fast, medium and slow corners over its undulating layout, providing many hard-braking areas both up and downhill, plus countless camber changes throughout its 13 challenging bends.

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP will be in action from Saturday 16th February, with the televised session getting underway at 14.05hrs local time (13.05hrs GMT) on Sunday. The Team will then travel to Losail in Qatar for the second IRTA test on the 28th of February in readiness for the first round of the season...

Rizla Suzuki takes pride in 2008 GSV-R

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 07:00:00 GMT

The Rizla Suzuki team took great pride in unveiling their 2008 GSV-R today, the team based in Dorset, England showed off their next generation MotoGP contender. The very blue bike comes close to matching the eye color of new team rider Loris Capirossi.

"I have been with Suzuki a short while but for me they are very switched on and are trying their hardest to make the bike the best it can be for the new season," said Capirossi. "I still feel like I have a new toy!"

The Italian joined the team at the end of the 2007 season, while his teammate Chris Vermeulen finished sixth in the championship for the team last year. Capirossi, driving for Ducati, was one slot down in seventh. The duo will be handling a racing machine that has a 800cc four-stroke water-cooled V4 engine which has an estimated top speed of 330km on a twin spar aluminum alloy frame. The total weight of the GSV-R is 148kg.

"We have developed this year's bike with the clear aim to improve its acceleration as our main target and this has been achieved with various improvements to its engine, chassis and electronics," said Fumihiro Oonishi, team race group leader.

Reed Wins Fourth Consecutive Monster Energy® Supercross Race

Sat, 09 Feb 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Lawrence Moves Into Lites Class Points Lead

SAN DIEGO (February 9, 2008) -- Team San Manuel's Chad Reed, of Tampa, Fla., won his fourth consecutive Monster Energy® AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, race of the season at Qualcomm Stadium before 64,251 fans. Yamaha of Troy's Jason Lawrence, of Carlsbad, Calif., won his third consecutive Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites class race and advanced into the championship points lead.

Red Bull Honda's Davi Millsaps, of Cairo, Ga., jumped out to an early lead as he won the $1,500 Progressive Holeshot Award. Reed followed Millsaps through turn one in second place and moved into the lead a few turns later. Millsaps struck back and held the lead until lap three when Reed secured the number-one position.

On lap 12, Reed crashed in turn one and Millsaps once again held the number-one position. Reed remounted and chased down Millsaps until lap 16 when he made the pass for the lead and rode off to his fifth win of the season and his fifth win at Qualcomm Stadium.

"I am so happy to get this win," said Reed. "I knew I needed to catch Davi after I fell. I have never won all of the races in California, and with this win tonight,...

Bayliss a certainty for World Superbike opener in Qatar

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Australia’s Troy Bayliss will definitely take his place on the grid in the opening world Superbike round in Qatar on February 23.

The dual world champion, who will campaign Ducati’s all-new 1098cc twin in his final year of international competition, has been recuperating at home in Monaco following a crash at Phillip Island early last month, which saw him “splinter” the collarbone near the sternum.

“After I broke the collarbone in 2001, it healed really strong and the bone got pushed across and punched the sternum causing the splinter,” said Bayliss. The doctors told me there was enough to time to heal naturally without plating it, and they advised me to stay off a motorbike for 21 days.” said Bayliss.

“The first week I couldn’t do anything and was in quite a bit of pain. I spent most of it in bed – I’ve never been in bed so much in my life! I don’t like healing as it feels like a waste of time, but I’m trying to get back as fast as possible so am doing what’s necessary.

Sepang Test - Day 3 - Bridgestone Report

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 07:00:00 GMT

With barely time to regroup after last week’s test in Australia, Bridgestone Motorsport was back in action at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia this week with three of its teams completing useful work in anticipation of the forthcoming 2008 season, which gets underway in Qatar in precisely one month’s time.

After opting to skip the previous test at Phillip Island, the Fiat Yamaha team returned with Valentino Rossi conducting only his third test using Bridgestone tyres. The Italian has quickly adapted to his new rubber and set a quick pace on all three days with impressive performances using race and qualifying tyres.
His two quickest times of the week – 2m00.3s on Tuesday and 2m00.472s on Wednesday set using qualifying tyres – were quicker than the existing track record from 2006, 2m00.605s, which Rossi himself holds.

The San Carlo Honda Gresini team continued their relentless pre-season testing campaign with rookie Alex de Angelis and new team rider Shinya Nakano both getting up to speed with their machines and latest specification Bridgestone tyres.

Bridgestone MotoGP: Sepang Test Debrief

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 07:00:00 GMT

With barely time to regroup after last week's test in Australia, Bridgestone Motorsport was back in action at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia this week with three of its teams completing useful work in anticipation of the forthcoming 2008 season, which gets underway in Qatar in precisely one month's time.

After opting to skip the previous test at Phillip Island, the Fiat Yamaha team returned with Valentino Rossi conducting only his third test using Bridgestone tyres. The Italian has quickly adapted to his new rubber and set a quick pace on all three days with impressive performances using race and qualifying tyres. His two quickest times of the week - 2m00.3s on Tuesday and 2m00.472s on Wednesday set using qualifying tyres - were quicker than the existing track record from 2006, 2m00.605s, which Rossi himself holds.

The San Carlo Honda Gresini team continued their relentless pre-season testing campaign with rookie Alex de Angelis and new team rider Shinya Nakano both getting up to speed with their machines and latest specification Bridgestone tyres.

The Kawasaki test team was also busy over the three days with Olivier Jacque and Tamaki Serizawa on machine testing duties. Ducati, who have shown strong pace at the previous two test sessions, Suzuki, Alice and Kawasaki Racing teams were not present in Malaysia this week, in accordance with their testing plans.

Arguably the highest profile pre-season test of the year takes place at the Jerez Circuit in southern Spain next weekend where 2008 season development continues over three days,...

Rossi Continues Strong Form on Second Day in Sepang

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Fiat Yamaha Team rider Valentino Rossi continued his impressive form on the second day of testing in Sepang today, topping the time sheets again with another very quick lap on qualifying tyres. The Italian, who turns 29 in ten days time, was also fast throughout the day on race tyres, lapping consistently in the 2'01s.

Rossi had a busy day, continuing his tyre testing programme with Bridgestone, working on suspension and electronic mapping as well as trying a new cowling and putting in some practice starts. His time of 2'00.472 was set on the penultimate lap of 70 and was a fraction slower than his time from yesterday, although still inside the existing circuit pole record, which he himself still holds from 2006.

Valentino Rossi - Position: 1st Time: 2'00.472 Laps: 70
"Today was another very good day and I had a good pace and rhythm all day. We tested some different Bridgestone tyres before again trying the one I prefer, which confirmed that this is the best one for us and so we will use it for the long run tomorrow. We worked a little bit on the suspension and also on the electronic mapping and we also tried a lot of practice starts, maybe as many as ten, and we need to improve a bit in this area. I also tried a new cowling which is aimed at improving the cooling system and this had a good result. Finally I tried a qualifying tyre again and, although I made a small mistake on my lap because I was quite tired by then, it was again very positive."

Rossi Feeling Positive After Impressive Times in Sepang

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 07:00:00 GMT

The second Fiat Yamaha Team test of 2008 began in Sepang, Malaysia today, with Valentino Rossi picking up just where he left off at the same track 12 days ago. After several teams opted to test at Phillip Island last week, it was a somewhat depleted MotoGP field on track today and Rossi and new team-mate Jorge Lorenzo shared the track with just seven other riders.

Rossi topped the time sheets today with a blistering best lap of 2'00.300, over 0.3 seconds faster than the existing best lap of Sepang, which the Italian set himself back in 2006. Rossi set today's time on a Bridgestone qualifying tyre on his 62nd of 64 laps, but he also recorded improvements in his times with race tyres as he continues development with his new tyre manufacturer. Team-mate Lorenzo chose to stick to race tyres today and posted the fourth fastest time with a lap of 2'02.654

Valentino Rossi - Position: 1st Time: 2'00.300 Laps: 64
"Today was a positive day for us and I really enjoyed myself. We started to work more on the bike and to adjust the suspension and balance to suit our tyres. I have a very good feeling and the lap times have improved compared to last time, both with race tyres and with the qualifying tyre. It's a big deal changing tyres -- not as big as changing bikes but...

AMA Toyota Motocross Series releases 2008 schedule

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Exciting Competition, Increased Exposure and Improved Schedule On Tap for 2008 AMA Toyota Motocross Championship

MORGANTOWN, W. Va. (Dec. 5, 2007) -- With the recent schedule released by AMA Pro Racing of the 2008 AMA Toyota Motocross Championship Presented by FMF, fans of the venerable outdoor motocross series can now expect a season filled with close competition, excellent marketing and television exposure, as well as an improved racing schedule.

The new schedule features a more condensed and travel-friendly circuit and is a result of communication with teams, riders and sponsors. The 2008 series will include all 12 returning venues repositioned to create better travel patterns with less down time and potentially improved weather. The start of the series has also been pushed back two full weeks in an effort to allow teams and riders additional time to prepare for the switch from supercross to motocross.

"We're really looking forward to some of the new changes in store for next year, especially the new schedule," explained National Promoters Group (NPG) Director of Operations John Ayers. "The recent changes and improvements are a direct result of our relationship with AMA Pro Racing,...

Anaheim III: Pirelli race report

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Sorby Leads Pirelli Riders Through Final Race at Angel Stadium

As the Monster Energy Supercross tour finishes the third and final race at Anaheim's Angel Stadium, Team Pirelli boasts eight riders in the enviable top positions. Led by MotoXXX/Tamer/Hooters/Honda's Eric Sorby, of Lake Elsinore, Calif., Team Pirelli heads to San Diego's Qualcomm Stadium next weekend.

In the AMA Supercross class main, Pirelli riders Sorby, Jeff Gibson and Antonio Balbi positioned themselves in the main event and helped their overall point standings. Sorby finished eighth and is 19th overall. Cernic's Kawasaki's Jeff Gibson finished fourth in his heat and 17th in the main. Brazilian native Antonio Balbi bounced back after last week's race in San Francisco to earn a 19th-place finish in the main.

Michael Willard, of Thornville, Ohio, worked his way into the Lites class main events by finishing seventh in his heat race. The Team Cycra rider finished 12th and now sits in 19th place overall. Chris Blose raced his Fun Center Suzuki to 14th place in the main and is 14th overall. SVM/Bud Selct Honda rider Jeff Northrop, Murrieta, Calif., won the Asterisk Medic Card as he missed making the AMA Supercross Lites class main by one position.

Josh Waters takes the wins at A1 GP but Judd Greedy hot...

Sun, 03 Feb 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Team Joe Rocket Suzuki has started 2008 on the best possible note, with Josh Waters taking a clean sweep in the A1 Grand Prix Supersport Cup races at Eastern Creek Raceway last weekend.

In the team's first outing under the new Team Joe Rocket Suzuki banner, Waters was in sensational form aboard his Suzuki GSX-R600, signaling his intentions for the Supersport season ahead.

Having set the second-fastest time in qualifying, Waters took out races one and two on Saturday after race-long duels with Judd Greedy.

A week after his 21st birthday, Waters completed a hat-trick of wins on Sunday.

Rounding out the successful weekend, the Victorian also set the fastest lap of each race.

Team Joe Rocket Suzuki now turn their attention to the non-championship World Superbike support races at Phillip Island on 29 February - 2 March, where Shawn Giles and Craig Coxhell will also contest the Superbike class.

Bridgestone MotoGP: Phillip Island Test Debrief

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Preparations for the 2008 MotoGP World Championship have continued apace for the majority of Bridgestone Motorsport's line-up of teams and riders at the demanding Phillip Island circuit this week.

A three-day test session drew to a close at the Australian circuit today (Friday) with reigning world champion and last year's Australian GP winner Casey Stoner once again staking his claim to the top of the timesheets with an exceptional time of 1m28.777s. The circuit best lap at Phillip Island stands at 1m29.002s, set by Nicky Hayden in 2006.

With Ducati, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Honda Gresini and Alice teams all participating in the test, it has been a busy week for Bridgestone and its on-track crew of engineers and fitters, whose focus has been on validating the results gathered from last week's Sepang test in Malaysia.

In excess of 2,000 combined laps have been tallied by all Bridgestone riders over the course of the busy three days, which will give valuable data to Bridgestone's engineers for further improvements to the latest generation of tyres. As per their testing plan, Yamaha and Valentino Rossi did not test in Australia this week.

Q+A with Shinji Aoki - Bridgestone Motorsport - Assistant Manager Motorcycle Race Tyre Development

How has work at this week's Phillip Island test differed from Sepang last week?

Ducati Team Phillip Island test notes

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 07:00:00 GMT

STONER GETS EVEN FASTER AS MELANDRI CONTINUES TO ADAPT

The second day of MotoGP tests at Phillip Island started out in wet conditions today, with intermittent light showers continuing until lunch at one o'clock. Both Ducati Marlboro Team riders took the opportunity to try different things, Stoner completing 11 laps on the damp track to confirm the performance of his latest engine spec in these conditions whilst Marco Melandri enjoyed positive feedback from the GP8 as he rode it for the first time in the wet, completing 35 laps.

The sunshine dried the track in the afternoon and the test continued with Stoner in great form, the World Champion breaking the 1'30 mark on race tyres - some four tenths inside the circuit record set in 2005 by a 990cc machine - despite the cold and imperfect track conditions. Melandri was able to resume work on his set-up, concentrating principally on weight distribution as he continues his adaptation to the GP8.

Weather forecasts are better for tomorrow, the final day of the session.

Casey Stoner (Ducati Marlboro Team), best time: 1'29.938 (45 laps)

"Today I set my fastest lap on tyres that had 22 laps on them and that is really positive because it means that the modifications we tried on the set-up have had the desired effect,...

Ducati Team Phillip Island test notes

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 07:00:00 GMT

PERFECT START TO PHILLIP ISLAND TEST FOR STONER AND MELANDRI

Bright sunshine and 25 degrees celsius temperatures provided perfect conditions for Casey Stoner and Marco Melandri as they took to the Phillip Island circuit for the first of three days of testing alongside the majority of MotoGP teams in Australia.

It proved to be a positive day for both Ducati Marlboro Team riders, who recorded impressive lap times on a race setting. Stoner racked up 29 laps in 1'30 whilst experimenting with set-up and tyres, giving highly encouraging feedback on the new Bridgestone rubber. The World Champion is also continuing to regain strength in the shoulder he injured at Jerez towards the end of November, so much so that today he was able to complete a total of 73 laps.

Marco Melandri was also satisfied after completing just shy of 100 laps, making good progress with the base setting of his GP8 in both the cycle part and engine. He did not try the Japanese tyre manufacturer's latest offerings today but will start to do so tomorrow.

Rizla Suzuki Phillip Island test preview

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP plan to continue with good start

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP heads to Phillip Island for its second pre-season test of 2008, planning to continue with the promising results achieved last week in Malaysia.

Chris Vermeulen and Loris Capirossi return to the 4,448m Australian track for the second time on the 2008 Rizla Suzuki GSV-R following a behind-closed-doors test last November, although this time the two riders will be using the definitive new machine, rather than the 2008 prototype, that showed impressive potential first time out at Sepang earlier this month.

Phillip Island is one of the favoured test tracks on the Grand Prix tour due to its fast, flowing nature and it is a real test of both man and machine. The high average speed, rather than outright top speed, is the key to fast, consistent laps and the high speed corners make the circuit especially hard on tyres. Suzuki and Bridgestone will conduct thorough evaluations of the latest generation of tyres to access their performance around the demanding circuit and use the data collected to produce the best combination of tyres, not just for Phillip Island, but for other circuits as well.

Bridgestone Sepang test summary

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 07:00:00 GMT

A busy three-day test session came to a close at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia on Thursday with the entire complement of Bridgestone-shod teams and riders in action at this opening MotoGP test of the 2008 season.

Work was centred on initial development of Bridgestone's latest generation tyres, including an exhaustive programme of front and rear tyre evaluation, as well as testing of qualifying rubber, and race simulation runs, all of which has left Bridgestone's Japanese technicians with valuable data at this comparatively early stage of the season.

The quickest time of the week was set by Honda's Nicky Hayden, a 2m00.326s recorded on the final day, just ahead of reigning champion Casey Stoner who got his year underway in style with a 2m00.660s on qualifying tyres and an impressive 2m00.964s on race tyres, 1.2s quicker than his official lap record from last year's Malaysian GP.

Many riders made their first appearances in 2008 liveries with Marco Melandri in Ducati red and Loris Capirossi in Suzuki blue, while the newly-named Alice Team also made its debut. New to Bridgestone tyres in 2008 are Alice Team rider Sylvain Guintoli, Yamaha's Valentino Rossi and Honda Gresini debutant Alex de Angelis,...

MICHELIN MEN ON TOP AT FIRST 2008 TESTS

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Hayden rides fastest-ever Sepang lap, four Michelin riders in top five

Michelin kicked off its 2008 MotoGP testing programme at Sepang this week with a mightily impressive performance to end the three-day session with four of the fastest five riders on its tyres. 2006 World Champion Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC212V-Michelin) topped the tests with a lightning-quick lap on qualifiers -- 1.551 seconds inside the 2007 Malaysian GP pole position time -- and backed that up with his best-ever Sepang lap on race tyres. Dazzling MotoGP rookie Jorge Lorenzo (Fiat Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin) was third fastest, Randy de Puniet (Honda LCR RC212V-Michelin) fourth and Colin Edwards (Yamaha Tech 3 YZR-M1-Michelin) fifth.

Michelin's other two MotoGP rookies also put in very promising performances, Andrea Dovizioso (JiR Team Scot Honda RC212V-Michelin) was eighth and James Toseland (Yamaha Tech 3 YZR-M1-Michelin) ninth. 2007 MotoGP runner-up Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team RC212V-Michelin) set the early pace on day one but fell in the afternoon, breaking his right hand. The injury was screwed and plated in Barcelona yesterday.

"The general feeling about this test is quite good," said Jean-Philippe Weber, Michelin's director of motorcycle racing. "I'm happy with the consistency of our latest tyres,...

AMA Board of Directors election results

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 07:00:00 GMT

AMA announces results of Board of Directors election

The American Motorcyclist Association has announced the results of its recent elections for the AMA Board of Directors. In the Southeast Region, incumbent Carl Reynolds of Danville, Virginia, was re-elected. In a special election in the Northeast Region to fill a Board vacancy, Joseph W. Bromley of Warrington, Pennsylvania, was elected.

In addition to his experience as a dealer and promoter, Mr. Reynolds has been active in the AMA for more than 30 years. He first joined the AMA Board of Directors in 1991 and previously served as chairman.

In 2007, the AMA Board made changes to stagger the terms of Board members. To implement these changes, Mr. Reynolds was elected to a one-year term as Southeast Region representative. An election will be held in the Southeast Region in 2008 for a full three-year term.

Broc Parkes ready to fire in 2008 after topping the timesheets..

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Australian motorcycle racer and World Supersport Championship runner up, Broc Parkes has struck the first blow in the race for the 2008 title by topping the time sheets at the recent shakedown for the series at Phillip Island.

Parkes and the Yamaha World Supersport Team were second in 2007 and will go into this year�s championship with a new Yamaha R6. The bike is already proving to have what it takes to be competitive in a race setting with the 26-year-old from the Hunter Valley setting the fastest time during the three day test being 1:34:06.

�The lead up to the 2008 championship has been going well. A month ago we also tested at Qatar and the new bike was good straight out of the box when usually it takes a bit to tune it all in,� Parkes said.

�At the [Phillip] Island we had the new bike with suspension from Őhlins and we ended up with the best lap time each day.

�The new bike has come a fair way in chassis and engine development and we�ve had a few changes to the Yamaha World Supersport Team with a new team manager and suspension guy. We�ve had to learn each other and now I think we are a lot more relaxed and organized, which is already showing on track.�

Arenacross: Dayton summary

Sat, 19 Jan 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Brock Sellards Dominates Dayton Toyota AMA Arenacross
Travis Sewell Wins Lites Again

AURORA, Ill. (January 19, 2008) -- The Nutter Center on the campus of Wright State University played host to Toyota AMA Arenacross tonight. Brock Sellards dominated the field in front of a nearly sold out home state crowd. Sellards jumped out to an early lead, on his Monster / Babbitts Online Kawasaki, receiving the Toyota Certified Used Vehicle Hole Shot award. Rockstar Suzuki rider Robbie Reynard and Fiberwise Pasta / Rock River Yamaha rider Tommy Hofmaster came out of turn one in second and third respectively. Kelly Smith and Chad Johnson started out in the top five early on. Smith worked his way through the field to challenge Reynard for second when they got together. As a result Reynard went down and Smith moved to second. Reynard was unable to regain his momentum and finished 10th.

Late in the race Badboy Power Drink / Honda rider, and points leader, Chad Johnson contested Kelly Smith for second. Johnson passed Smith, moving Johnson to second and Smith to third.

Fiat Yamaha is out to win

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 07:00:00 GMT

The Fiat Yamaha partnership enters its second year for the 2008 season. Hoping to raise the bar in MotoGP the team unveiled the new YZR-M1 bike in Turin, Italy. The media presentation took place in the Lingotto building, Fiat's old factory which was actively used up to the mid 80's. A most interesting feature of the historic site would be the test track on top of its roof. A scenic workplace for any crash test dummy.

For today the excitement happened under the track as Valentino Rossi and new teammate Jorge Lorenzo launched their campaign against the rest of the MotoGP field. Alongside their star drivers the team is convinced this year's title belongs to them.

"We're very pleased to be continuing our strong partnership with our title sponsor Fiat. Meanwhile, the most important change to our team is the arrival of Jorge Lorenzo as Valentino Rossi's new team-mate, said Lin Jarvis, Managing Director of Yamaha Motor Racing. "Our aim is to recapture the title and, as our most experienced rider, this is Valentino's clear mission. However we also expect Jorge to be fighting at the front as he gains experience. We have two multiple World Championship winning riders in our team and we believe we have optimum chance to realize our ambitions."

Anaheim II: Round three preview

Tue, 15 Jan 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Stewart Answers Back with Big Win in Phoenix and Sets the Stage for Anaheim This Weekend

Throwback Prices for Throwback Night at Angel Stadium

AURORA, Ill. (January 14, 2008) -- Monster Energy® Kawasaki's James Stewart, of Haines City, Fla., scored his first win of the season at Phoenix's Chase Field last Saturday, knotting the score between arch rival Chad Reed, of Team San Manuel. Tied at 47 points, Stewart and Reed will square off once again at Round 3 of 17 this Saturday at the Monster Energy® AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, race at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif. This Saturday Monster Energy® Supercross will pay tribute to the epic '80's era. The night will honor the '80's era with a nostalgic look back at the racing that helped launch supercross to one of the world's top motorsports.

World Famous KROQ, which is based in Los Angeles, has jumped on board for the throwback night by offering fans upper deck tickets for $10.67. This incredible value is almost a $20 savings on each ticket. Fans can purchase the tickets by logging on to www.Ticketmaster.com and typing in the password "KROQ."

Media day will be held on Thursday, January 17 inside the Diamond Club at Angel Stadium from Noon-2:00, ...

Vermeulen in seventh heaven

Tue, 15 Jan 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP's Australian star Chris Vermeulen will run a new racing number on the front of his machine in 2008, using the number seven made famous by Suzuki's double World Champion Barry Sheene.

Vermeulen will have the iconic crossed seven on his Rizla Suzuki GSV-R from the start of the forthcoming season and will be hoping that the new number will spur him on to similar success as that enjoyed by his hero and mentor Sheene.

The 25-year-old Queenslander came to Europe to race in 2000, following the advice of Sheene, and he has always had an ambition to run the number seven on a Suzuki as a tribute to the 1976 and 1977 500cc World Champion, who lost his life to cancer in 2003. He has used 71 on his race machines in his first two seasons of MotoGP racing with Suzuki and when the chance came to change to seven -- following Carlos Checa's departure from the Championship -- Vermeulen jumped at the opportunity.

Castrol New Zealand Superbike Championships R.1

Sun, 13 Jan 2008 07:00:00 GMT

A fantastic day�s racing was witnessed by a big crowd at Ruapuna Park today at the New Zealand Motorcycle Grand Prixs, round one of the Castrol New Zealand Superbike Championships.

The crowd sat in the blistering Canterbury sun watching the cream of New Zealand�s road racers do battle with the young pretenders from Australia and the USA... The racing was hard and fast with many taking excursions into the unknown.

The Superbike Grand Prix started with a roar and young Aucklander Sam Smith took his Yamaha R1 to the lead, unfortunately luck was not on his side and within a few laps he was down and out of contention.

The restart saw a battle form between the Australian duo of Robbie Bugden (Suzuki) and Gareth Jones (Yamaha) and this to was short lived when Bugden slowing pulled away to be almost the length of the front straight in front at the end.

Yamaha Phillip Island Winter test notes

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Haga and Corser move forward at Phillip Island

Noriyuki Haga and Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team) completed a tough but successful three day test at Phillip Island in conditions which varied from relatively cool to exceptionally hot, finding real improvements while using Yamaha's YCC-I variable intake system in full race trim. Noriyuki Haga (Position: 6th -- Best time: 1'32.4)

"It's gone very well. We spent the days testing new parts, the results are good so now I am just waiting for the race. I've tried new suspension, new swing arm linkages and many tyres and the variable inlet trumpets. Before coming to Phillip Island I tested the variable inlet trumpets for two days in Japan and the feeling is very good. We can see from the power curve that it is better and as a rider it gives me a better feeling. It gives us increased adjustment and for sure we will use this from now on."

Haga's personal best time of 1'32.4 was only 0.3 seconds from the best over the three days of testing, while Corser set a 1'32.7, both concentrating their efforts on finding good race settings and tyre options in the constantly changing track conditions.

Arenacross: Baltimore preview

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 07:00:00 GMT

1st Mariner Arena Ready to Rock This Weekend with the Toyota AMA Arenacross Series Rolling Into Town!

AURORA, Ill. (Jan. 10, 2008) -- The Toyota AMA Arenacross Series returns to Baltimore's 1st Mariner Arena this weekend, Jan. 11-12, for two nights of professional indoor motocross racing with the world's top arenacross-style racers competing in the country's premier arenacross series.

Fans of the Toyota AMA Supercross Series can purchase kids tickets for both nights of racing for just $8. Cycle World, located at 5810 Ritchie Hwy in Baltimore, is offering discount tickets for this weekend's race. For more information on Cycle World, log on to www.cycleworldbaltimore.com.

"The Toyota AMA Arenacross Series always delivers a great show at 1st Mariner Arena," said Jayme Dalsing, director of Toyota AMA Arenacross. "Last year Baltimore was a turning point event for the series, with Friday night winner Robbie Reynard making up a bunch of ground on eventual Toyota AMA Arenacross Series winner Danny Smith. We fully expect the 1st Mariner Round to be just as exciting and as crucial towards the overall points chase as it was last season."

Ducati Team Phillip Island test notes

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 07:00:00 GMT

BAYLISS INJURED WHILE FABRIZIO CONTINUES TO IMPROVE ON THE FINAL DAY OF TESTING AT PHILLIP ISLAND.

Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) fractured his collarbone this afternoon after high-siding while attempting to pass French rider Regis Laconi. Bayliss was taken to hospital in Melbourne for further assessment. New signing Michel Fabrizio continued to show great progress, concluding the final session with the third fastest time of 1m32.3s, just one tenth off the pace of his team-mate.

Troy Bayliss 1m32.2s

CLAUDIO DOMENICALI REVEALS DESMOSEDICI GP8

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Yesterday, Casey Stoner and Marco Melandri unveiled the Desmosedici GP8 in its new livery and today, Claudio Domenicali, Ducati Corse CEO and Ducati Motor Holding Product Director, revealed the technical details of the new bike. Two hundred journalists from all over the world gathered at Madonna di Campiglio to attend the Wrooom - MotoGP Press Ski Meeting 2008 and meet the Ducati Marlboro Team riders and management.

In addition to explaining the 2008 technical innovations, Domenicali also briefly analysed the 2007 Ducati championship and commented on the most interesting aspects of the new championship.

"It is very exciting to be here," began Domenicali. "This event has become traditional over the years, but I must say that it feels different this year. The very special feeling created in 2007 between our rider and our bike and tyres resulted in a fantastic season for all of us. I could sum it up by saying that Casey was able to perfectly interpret our GP7, which had been impeccably built and maintained high levels of competitiveness and excellent reliability throughout the season. The Bridgestone tyres also took a step forwards in terms of performance consistency, thanks to our successful joint efforts which had begun in 2005 and allowed us to basically close the gap with Michelin."

Shell renews partnership with Ducati until 2011

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Shell today extended its technical partnership with Ducati - both with Ducati Corse in MotoGP and WSBK, and Ducati's road bike division. The new agreement extends the present contract though to the end of 2011. Additionally, the new contract is a corporate Shell technical . . .

Ducati and Enel announce new partnership

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 07:00:00 GMT

On the day before the official Ducati MotoGP Team launch, the Borgo Panigale manufacturers and Enel have officially entered into a new, top-level partnership agreement. The biggest electric company in Italy, and second listed utility company in Europe by installed capacity, has decided to link its trade mark and corporate image with Ducati, the 2007 MotoGP World Champions famous for their own winning 'power'.

According to the two-year agreement, the Enel brand will feature on the Desmosedici GP bikes as well as the leathers and helmets of both Ducati MotoGP Team factory riders, the reigning World Champion Casey Stoner from Australia and Italian Marco Melandri, who makes his Ducati debut this year on the Italian four-cylinder machine.

"It is not just a sponsorship agreement," commented Gabriele Del Torchio, CEO of Ducati Motor Holding. "Ours is a partnership between two major industrial concerns which - through their innovation, productivity and knowledge - typify Italian excellence and winning strength in sport and in business. This partnership, like all the other prestigious agreements that support us in the highly demanding MotoGP challenge, ...

Anaheim I: Pirelli race summary

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Pirelli Teams and Riders Open 2008 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Season in Anaheim Placing 8 Riders in the Main Event LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif. (January 5, 2008) -- Pirelli Tires opened the 2008 Monster Energy Supercross season at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif., by unveiling their . . .

Reed Races to Monster Energy® Supercross Victory in Anaheim

Sun, 06 Jan 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Dungey Jumps out to Western Regional AMA Supercross Points Lead with Opening Race Win

AURORA, Ill. (January 5, 2008) -- Former AMA Supercross class champion Chad Reed, of Tampa, Fla., won tonight's Monster Energy® Drink AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship race at Angel Stadium. Suzuki's Ryan Dungey, of Belle Plaine, Minn., won the opening round of the Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites championship, marking the fifth Lites victory of his young career.

Yamaha's Grant Langston, of Clermont, Fla., scored the $1,500 Progressive Holeshot Award, leading Suzuki's Mike Alessi, of Victorville, Calif., and Reed through turn one in the AMA Supercross class. Defending AMA Supercross class champion, James Stewart, of Haines City, Fla., crashed in turn one and started in last place.

On the opening lap, Reed passed Langston and on the same lap, he stalled his bike, allowing Langston to assume the lead. Reed, who won his heat race earlier in the night, regained the lead on lap four. Reed led the next 16 laps and earned his fourth victory in Anaheim.

Reed wants AMA and World SX Titles in 2008

Fri, 04 Jan 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Since 2002, the AMA Supercross Series and the FIM World Supercross GP have run jointly, with two separate titles awarded at the series finale each year. From 2008, these two championships will be combined, with all results counting towards a single World Championship.

Having previously won both of these titles, Australia’s Supercross star Chad Reed now wants to add this combined title to his long list of achievements and is primed and ready for the opening round of the newly formed 2008 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series, at Anaheim’s Angel Stadium on Saturday 5th January (Sunday 6th January AEDST).
.
Putting the disappointments of an injury plagued 2007 season behind him Reed, who has won more races than anyone else in the field, acknowledged he has enjoyed the ideal preparation for the start to this year’s series with some successful testing of the new 2008 Yamaha YZ450F following his clean sweep of the Bercy Paris Supercross...

MOTO-ST: A letter from Roger Edmondson

Thu, 03 Jan 2008 07:00:00 GMT

TO: All SunTrust MOTO-ST Series Teams,

I am quite sure that by now anxiety must be running high in our community, due to our going "off the air" for such an extended period of time. I can only apologize and ask you to maintain your confidence in us and our efforts to grow this sport into the property it can be. For several weeks now, we have been engaged in negotiations with a third party on a project that will dramatically change the face of our sport and elevate SunTrust MOTO-ST to the forefront of American motorcycle sports. All of this has taken longer than expected and all of this is covered by a non- disclosure agreement, which means I cannot tell you anything about it at this time.

What I can tell you is that the first two races of the year will take place as planned. The opening round at Daytona will run with CCS, as it did in 2007, and the second round of the series will be at VIR, using the full course and sharing the weekend with the Rolex Daytona Prototypes. We have published a provisional schedule and that is the correct terminology.....provisional. The 2008 schedule will consist of between seven and ten total races. I cannot confirm the dates today, but will be able to do so by the time we get together at Daytona.

Arenacross: Nathan Skaggs - series interview

Wed, 02 Jan 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Toyota AMA Arenacross Series Tuesday Interview: Ohio's Nathan Skaggs

AURORA, Ill. (Jan. 2, 2008) -- One of the surprises running up front during this year's Toyota AMA Arenacross Series races has been Ohio's Nathan Skaggs. After taking the AMA Arenacross Lites class victory on the opening night of Des Moines (Iowa), Skaggs hasn't let up a bit, challenging every weekend for both Lites class and AMA Arenacross class wins. Skaggs is currently in 10th place overall in the Toyota AMA Arenacross Series standings and has accumulated 51 points towards his AMA Supercross Lites class license.

A true holeshot artist, Skaggs, running the Spinechillers Racing Honda CRF250R, has tapped on his late-season Buckeye State Motocross Championship Series expertise and parlayed it into what's turning out to be a fine upstart year on the Toyota AMA Arenacross Series.

We caught up with Skaggs to give us his take on the Toyota AMA Arenacross Series season thus far.

Live Nation: Nathan, you've stepped up and have been running well on the Toyota AMA Arenacross Series against one of the toughest fields the series has seen in years. What gives?

Red Bull Las Vegas special show notes

Tue, 01 Jan 2008 07:00:00 GMT

AUSTRALIAN RULES
Maddo Breaks World Record on New Year's Eve in Las Vegas

Las Vegas, Nevada (January 1, 2008) -- Australian motocross superstar Robbie Maddison literally leapt into the pages of the Guinness Book of World Records by jumping his motorcycle 322 feet 70x00bd inches over the length of a regulation football field to shatter the previous record of 277 feet at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The jump was the first-ever Red Bull Experiment, which involves world-class athletes attempting world-first athletic achievements.

Telecast live on ESPN's New Year, No Limits program shortly after the ball dropped in Times Square signifying 2008, Maddison hit the take-off ramp at 94 miles per hour on his Honda CR 500, reaching a height of more than 60 feet, and soared into history.

"I came here to jump a football field," said Maddison. "Conditions weren't perfect, but I'm happy with the result. Yesterday in rehearsal, I went 350 feet and I knew 360 feet was achievable. We did all we could, but the winds played a bigger factor than we planned...

Arenacross: Grand Rapids, Kansas City events preview

Mon, 31 Dec 2007 07:00:00 GMT

Double Race Weekend for Toyota AMA Arenacross Series
Grand Rapids and Kansas City Host Top Racers

AURORA, Ill. (Dec. 31, 2007) -- The Toyota AMA Arenacross Series returns to Grand Rapids' (Mich.) Van Andel Arena for two nights of pro indoor arenacross racing action beginning this Friday, Jan. 4, and running through Saturday, Jan. 5. Kansas City's Kemper Arena will host one night of arenacross racing Saturday, Jan. 5 on another double race weekend. Honda's Chad Johnson holds the current points lead 130-127 over fellow Honda rider Josh Demuth.

Featured in the racing line up in Grand Rapids is Michigan's own Kelly Smith (Ludington). Sponsored by a local motorcycle shop, Babbitt's Sports Center (Muskegon), Smith is currently 3rd overall in the Arenacross point standings.

"I'm pumped to be racing back in Michigan," said Smith. "I grew up here, still live here and am raising my family in Ludington. I plan on doing well at Van Andel Arena the first weekend in January. I'm thinking we'll have a real good turnout. Van Andel always rocks when arenacross is in town -- bringing out the dirt bikers and snowmobilers from all over the Grand Rapids region."

FIM, AMA unify Supercross title for 2008

Fri, 28 Dec 2007 07:00:00 GMT

MONSTER ENERGY� AMA SUPERCROSS, AN FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, UNIFI ED RACING CHAMPIONSHIP DETAILS ANNOUNC ED

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (December 28, 2007) -- The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) and the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) are pleased to announce the Monster Energy� AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship. The 2008 championship, for the first time ever, will combine both the AMA sanctioned Supercross Series and the FIM sanctioned World Supercross GP programs into a single, consolidated championship and will crown one supercross champion.

Since 2002, the AMA Supercross Series and the FIM World Supercross GP have run together at stadiums across the United States, with two separate titles awarded at the series finale each year in Las Vegas, Nev. Beginning in 2008, these programs will now be combined, with all of the races counting towards one single world championship.

In 2008, Monster Energy� AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, will include one race outside the United States when the championship returns to the Rogers Centre, in Toronto, Ont., on March 29th. The remaining 16 rounds will be conducted at stadiums across the United States. For 2009, ...

WSS: Yamaha Spain Team ready for 2008

Sat, 22 Dec 2007 07:00:00 GMT

2008 will be the Yamaha Spain World Supersport Team's second season in World Supersport, being a newcomer last year and having successfully contested the Spanish Supersport Championship for the past five years. David Salom, will remain with the team and will be joined by highly experienced fellow Spaniard David de Gea.

Based in Barcelona, the Yamaha Spain World Supersport Team is managed by the veteran Dani Devahive, who has taken the team to national championship success three times since 2002; in 2004, 2005 and 2006, before finishing 2007 in fourth. Taking into account three second place finishes; in 2002, 2003 and 2004 - the Yamaha Spain squad is the most successful team in the Spanish Supersport Championship to date. With one season of World Supersport experience under their belt and a brace of experienced national and international technicians in the team Dani is confident of making a next step upwards in their second year in the WSS championship.

Ducati tribute to Terblanche

Fri, 21 Dec 2007 07:00:00 GMT

Acclaimed motorcycle designer steps down as Director of Design for Ducati Motor Holding, Bologna, Italy. December 2007.

* Tribute to Pierre Terblanche *
By John M. Rossi

Our sincere thanks to a friend and respected colleague, Pierre Terblanche for shaping Ducati motorcycles praised around the world for nearly two-decades. Terblanche is one of the most influential motorcycle designers of our time. Terblanche stepped down as Director of DUCATI Design to pursue a world of new opportunity that awaits him. We applaud the design talent you bring to the profession and all of your work - completed and much anticipated.

*Time Well Spent.*

First, learn how to think, build, and communicate. Though now famed for his motorcycle design, Pierre Terblanche was born in South Africa in 1956 and exposed to building in his father's wood working shop at an early age. He began his career in advertising working on the Ford Motor Account with Young Rubicam in Cape Town.

*Wheeled Design Moves the Body and Soul.*

Yamaha GMT94 moves up to World Superbike

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 07:00:00 GMT

After having contested in the World Supersport Championship for the last two years, the Yamaha GMT94 team will move up to the World Superbike Championship in 2008. In addition to this and following on from their Bol d'Or win in 2007, Yamaha GMT94 will continue to enter the world's two most demanding Endurance races -- the Le Mans 24 Hours and the Bol d'Or 24 Hours.

The Guyot Motorcycling Team was founded in 1992 by Christophe Guyot - himself a former rider and passionate sportsman - with the aim of making motorcycle racing more accessible to the young people of France. In 2003, the team linked up with Yamaha Motor France to become a more professional concern and has since gone from strength to strength, including becoming Endurance World Champion in 2004. Now known as the Yamaha GMT94 team, the squad operates a strategy focused on two very different road race classes -- sprint racing and endurance racing.

For 2008, the team is moving into the World Superbike Championship, although they are continuing with the current team line up of David Checa and Sebastien Gimbert. 2004 Endurance World Champion David Checa, aged 27, has raced in World Supersport with the Yamaha GMT team for the past two seasons. The younger brother of Carlos Checa,...

Lavilla Laps It Up At Jerez

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 07:00:00 GMT

Paul Bird Motorsport rider Gregorio Lavilla concluded a successful three day test at Jerez by racking up close on 200 laps despite varying weather conditions at the Spanish track.

The 34 year old from Tarragona quickly adapted to his first ride on the Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade as the team worked on all aspects of the machine throughout the test and despite no official timing being recorded, telemetry showed that Lavilla was on the pace of World Superbike regular, Lorenzo Lanzi aboard the SBK-spec 1098 Ducati.

Lavilla, the 2005 British Superbike Champion, is making a return to the World Superbike Championship with the team that won BSB in 2002 and 2003 and was delighted with his progress so far:

Gregorio Lavilla

"This was a very good test to do as it is over two months since I last raced and I am very happy with the way things went. The team, as I expected, is very professional and there is already a great atmosphere so the transition is working well. On the first day, ...

Kiwi Chris Birch reflects on the 'Last Man Standing' experience

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 07:00:00 GMT

A world war two cannon was the official starter for the 2007 Red Bull Last Man Standing motorcycle enduro challenge in Bulcher Texas, where up to 130 competitors from around the world including New Zealand’s Chris Birch took to the toughest terrain USA had to offer.

Before having to pull out of the race with a hole in his oil tank, Chris Birch had his Motorex KTM in fourth position and zoning in on the lead.

Commenting on his most extreme enduro to date, Chris Birch said, “The KTM 300 EXC was my chosen motorcycle because it can take a beating and keep on going. Most of the competitors in the race chose to ride a KTM for that reason, but this time the terrain got the better of me and my bike.

“I have never ridden on such extreme terrain before, and it was awesome fun, especially the way I was moving through so many of the American competitors to get New Zealand up to the front runners.

BMW MEGAMOTO REVIEW

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 07:00:00 GMT

BMW has been making a massive effort of late to shrug off their reputation as a somewhat staid manufacturer and they are doing a damn good job of it.

The R 1200 S was a revelation, and BMW's move into the dirtbike arena with the G 650 X model series and the coming G 450 X hard core enduro machine take the company in new directions.

The announcement of a factory backed team to contest the 2008 World Enduro Championship and the production of a 1000cc four-cylinder Superbike to enter World Superbike in 2009 signals BMW’s intent to hit the market with a sportsbike that will be playing on even terms with the established Japanese hotshots.

In the light of all these developments it would be fair to say that BMW have their sights set on massive expansion and the German company has recently signed deals with component manufacturers in China and Taiwan to raise their manufacturing capabilities in order to cater for that expansion...

Kiwi Chris Birch reflects on the 'Last Man Standing' experience

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 07:00:00 GMT

A world war two cannon was the official starter for the 2007 Red Bull Last Man Standing motorcycle enduro challenge in Bulcher Texas, where up to 130 competitors from around the world including New Zealand�s Chris Birch took to the toughest terrain USA had to offer.

Before having to pull out of the race with a hole in his oil tank, Chris Birch had his Motorex KTM in fourth position and zoning in on the lead.

Commenting on his most extreme enduro to date, Chris Birch said, �The KTM 300 EXC was my chosen motorcycle because it can take a beating and keep on going. Most of the competitors in the race chose to ride a KTM for that reason, but this time the terrain got the better of me and my bike.

�I have never ridden on such extreme terrain before, and it was awesome fun, especially the way I was moving through so many of the American competitors to get New Zealand up to the front runners...

CANADIANS AIMS TO RULE THE RACETRACK WITH NEW SPORTS ATV

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 07:00:00 GMT

Can-Am already has in their armoury the world�s most powerful ATVs. Their Outlander and Renegade 800 models are accomplished tools for work or play and are without doubt the most highly appointed and capable ATVs on the market.

However the lack of brand recognition amongst the buying public in comparison to the established Japanese brands has dampened the sales success that they might otherwise have enjoyed in the marketplace.

The Canadians next attempt to stamp their brand on the forefront of buyers� minds involves conquering the racetrack with a sports weapon that will act as a flagship image builder for the brand as a whole.

That machine is the all new Can-Am DS450 and I was lucky enough to recently sample the only machine in existence outside North America.

A 450cc race quad needs a quick revving engine that makes plenty of power matched to a manual foot operated gearbox and hand operated manual clutch.

A lightweight, agile chassis and top shelf suspension components along with premium brakes and slim ergonomics are also mandatory to round out a truly competitive race machine.

Honda claims bike of the decade award (if there was one)

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 07:00:00 GMT

If one were to hazard a guess as to the best selling, best performing and most useful motorcycle of the past ten years, Honda’s humble CT110 Postie Bike may not be the first to come to mind. However, there is no disputing the longevity and reliability of this amazing . . .

Reed and Mladin inside Australian sporting earnings top ten

Sat, 15 Dec 2007 07:00:00 GMT

Australian Supercross sensation Chad Reed has been ranked by Business Review Weekly Magazine as the sixth highest Australian sporting earner for the second year in a row, taking home $8 million AUD in 2007.

Reed is in the top echelon of local personalities who have made it big on the international stage in a range of sporting pursuits.

Only Formula 1 driver Mark Webber ($8.4m) is ranked higher than Reed in the field of motorsport, sitting in fourth place. Reed polled ahead of AMA Superbike star Mat Mladin ($7m) and MotoGP champion Casey Stoner ($4.4m).

His earnings could have potentially skyrocketed well above Webber's total had he not opted to sit out the entire season of the AMA motocross series to focus on fitness and Supercross preparation.

His most recent success came at the Bercy International Supercross France, which he won convincingly.

In addition to this, Reed is the only Australian motorsport megastar to actively commit to competing in and raising the profile of his sport in his home country.

BMW stuntman Chris Pfeiffer will stunt at Race of Champions even

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 07:00:00 GMT

BMW Motorrad�s Chris Pfeiffer has been invited to perform his stunt show at the world famous Race of Champions event, which takes place over the weekend of 15-16 December at the new Wembley Stadium in England.

The one billion pound (close to $2.5 billion) stadium was built by Australia�s Multiplex., and will feature BMW World touring Car Champion driver, Andy Priaulx, competing against other luminaries from the world of Motorsport, including Michael Schumacher, David Coulthard and Jenson Button, triple Champ Car Champion S�bastien Bourdais and World Rally Champions Marcus Gr�nholm and Petter Solberg.

The Race of Champions (ROC) was created in 1988 with a simple premise: using identical equipment and track, drivers can prove themselves based on talent alone. The drivers compete in a series of knockout heats in their own division to determine their class champion, then compete in a shoot-out to determine who is the �master of motorsport�.

BMW World Stuntriding Champion Chris Pfeiffer will have the crowd on their feet with his amazing bike control.

2008 AMA FLAT TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 07:00:00 GMT

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (December 10, 2007) -- AMA Racing has announced the tentative schedule for the 2008 AMA Flat Track Championship.

2008 season highlights include a return to the Indiana State Fairgrounds' legendary Indy Mile on Sept. 13 for an event to be held in conjunction with the 2008 Red Bull Indianapolis GP at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Additionally, visits to the mile track at Vernon Downs in Vernon, N.Y., on May 31 and Bedford Speedway's half-mile oval in Bedford, Pa., on June 27 are also planned.

The schedule features 23 total events, 14 of which are GNC Twins races and seven GNC Singles events. Two events are classified as TBD at this time and will be announced later.

The 2008 season will kick off during Bike Week at Daytona Beach, Florida's Municipal Stadium for a two-night GNC Singles double header on March 5 and 6. The series then moves out West to USA Race Park in Tucson, Ariz.,...

Lavilla to ride Fireblade for Paul Bird Motorsport in 2008 WSBK

Fri, 07 Dec 2007 07:00:00 GMT

Following on from their announcement last month regarding the team contesting the 2008 World Superbike Championship, Paul Bird Motorsport have confirmed that they will field a single ride on board factory-supported Honda machinery in the fifteen round series.

2005 British Superbike Champion, Gregorio Lavilla is the rider who has been entrusted to ride for the Cumbrian businessman and the Spaniard will return to the World Championship full time after a four year break.

Bird has secured the necessary backing from his sponsors, although it has yet to be decided as to what branding Lavilla’s bikes will run when the opening round gets underway in Qatar on February 23rd and an announcement will follow in due course.

Paul Bird:
“It’s back to our tried and tested formula of a one rider team and that’s where we’ve had most of our successes in the past. The team will be geared around Greg and he’ll get everything he needs to make sure we have the best chance possible. It’s a new venture for us but it’s one that the whole team is very excited about and we aim to start testing very soon in readiness for the opening round in Qatar.

BREMBO IS ONCE AGAIN THE CHOICE OF CHAMPIONS!

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 07:00:00 GMT

Another Record-Breaking Season for Brembo Brakes

ORLANDO, Fl., Dec. 6, 2007 -- If the headline is familiar to you, then you remember last year's press release for the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Show. Only the date has changed. At Brembo -- where technology is ever-changing, always improving-- one thing never seems to change. Year in and year out, Brembo seems to always be the choice of Champions! Brembo and its racing subsidiaries are a fascinating success story just 30 years in the making.

Although founded in 1961, Brembo began racing in 1975 when Enzo Ferrari entrusted the Bergamo-based, high-performance brake manufacturer with the task of fitting its most prestigious Formula One car. Since then, Brembo has been at the forefront of the motorsports arena, winning over 150 world championships, a record that is unprecedented in the industry.

The reason for the company's success is fairly simple: Brembo's constant innovation involving new technologies, materials and state-of-the-art products results in the most comprehensive line of high-performance braking systems and components in the world...

Aussie youngster wins Asian Supercross round on borrowed stock..

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 07:00:00 GMT

Emerging Yamaha Motocross talent Matt Ryan, a product of the Yamaha Development Team in Victoria, has taken victory at the final round of the 2007 FIM Asian Supercross Championship.
A last minute call-up to the team, Ryan stepped in to replace factory regular Ford Dale, who had been injured during training at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra.
With less than a week to prepare and travel, Matt arrived in the town of Yigo, Guam, just in time for the opening practice session of the international event.
It would be a tough start to the weekend, with technical problems preventing him from completing a single sighting lap.

Russell Holland to DFX Bertocchi Honda official

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 07:00:00 GMT

Sydneysider Russell Holland will contest the 2008 Superbike World Championship with DFX Bertocchi Honda.

"I expect next year to be the toughest I’ve had and I look forward to the challenge immensely." Commented Holland after spending some time getting to know the team in Europe. "I am most looking forward to experiencing the new circuits and competitors.

"I feel that this is the right time to make this move and that it’s a natural progression from the terrific grounding I’ve had in the Australian Superbike Championship with Honda."

Holland also made mention of the recent paperwork errors that led to his being sanctioned by the FIM for the use of his prescription asthma medication.

Arenacross: Rockford Saturday summary

Sat, 01 Dec 2007 07:00:00 GMT

Josh Demuth Wins Toyota AMA Arenacross Series stop in Rockford, IL.

AURORA, Ill. (December 1, 2007) -- The Toyota AMA Arenacross Series occupied the MetroCentre for its second night in a row. Although the Rockford area was hit with a winter storm, thousands of Arenacross fans were treated to an exciting night of racing.

Yamaha's Kevin Johnson earned $750 by winning the Toyota Certified Used Vehicle Hole Shot Award ahead of Team Babbitt's Monster Kawasaki's Kelly Smith. Smith gained the lead just after the first turn and led 11 laps before allowing Honda's Josh Demuth to pass. Demuth never looked back to win the main event. Kelly Smith challenged Demuth on the final lap in the woops, but lost control dropping him to fourth. Kevin Johnson and Honda's Chad Johnson passed Smith finishing second and third respectively.

MICHELIN MEN END 2007 ON A HIGH NOTE

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 07:00:00 GMT

Michelin's MotoGP riders finished 2007 with a rousing performance at Jerez, taking the first four places in the final test session of the year and putting them in confident mood for 2008. Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC212V-Michelin) topped the times with a scintillating lap, 0.84 seconds inside his pole position lap at last March's Spanish GP, with Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC212V-Michelin) a close second, just ahead of impressive MotoGP rookies Jorge Lorenzo (Fiat Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin) and Andrea Dovizioso (JiR Team Scot Honda RC212V-Michelin). All four riders rode their best times on qualifying tyres but also performed impressively with race tyres, thanks to improved compounds and constructions from Michelin.

"We brought a lot of new tyres to Jerez because this test was so crucial -- the data we got here is vital because it helps us to keep working during the winter break," said Jean-Philippe Weber, Michelin's director of motorcycle racing. "We tried new constructions, new compounds, new fronts and new rears, both 16.5 inch and 16 inch.

Ducati Team, Jerez MotoGP test notes day two

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 07:00:00 GMT

STONER UNLUCKY AT JEREZ, MELANDRI HAPPY WITH HIS DAY

Ducati Marlboro Team riders Casey Stoner and Marco Melandri continued testing at Jerez today but the team's day was marred by a crash involving Stoner. The World Champion fell heavily at turn three, sustaining suspected ligament damage to his left shoulder. He was treated by Clinica Mobile staff who put his left arm in a sling, he then returned to his hotel to rest.

Melandri worked hard all day on chassis and suspension set-up, using only race tyres. By the end of the day he was happy with the set-up his crew had dialled into his Desmosedici. Tomorrow the Italian will focus on tyre testing.

Casey Stoner, 1m 40.833s (32 laps)

"Everything was going very well today. We were focusing on tyre testing, as we had planned, when I crashed at turn three. I hit the ground pretty heavily with my left shoulder. Straight away the injury was really...

Ducati Team Jerez MotoGP test notes day one

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 07:00:00 GMT

DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM BEGINS FINAL TEST OF 2007 WITH NEW GP8

The Ducati Marlboro Team commenced its final test session of the year at Jerez today, deploying the factory's new Desmosedici GP8 in the hands of World Champion Casey Stoner and new team-mate Marco Melandri

Conditions were warm and sunny, with temperatures around 22 degrees, allowing teams to make the most of this first day of a three-day session. Stoner was immediately very fast on the GP8, gaining a very positive impression of the new bike. The Australian went on to top the day's lap times, despite a fall in the afternoon that left him unscathed. Melandri focused on chassis set-up, finding a good direction towards the end of the day.

Casey Stoner, best lap 1m 40.221s (35 laps)

"This first day with the GP8 was really positive for us. I immediately felt at home on the bike because it's pretty similar to what we rode last season. Today we were quite a bit faster than we were when we raced here back in March, which is very important because we have improved at a track that used to be a bit difficult for us. We found a very good set-up which could also be good at other circuits. We used 2007 spec tyres today, tomorrow we will start with Bridgestone's new tyres. The only bad moment of the day was the crash, but these things can happen. I'm okay though, so everything is fine."

Headland and Waters take out FIM Speedway Sidecar Gold Trophy at

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 07:00:00 GMT

Over 4,000 spectators witnessed local Mick Headland take out the 2007 FIM Track Sidecar Gold Trophy 1000cc at Wayville in South Australia on Saturday night.

Riding with passenger Paul Waters, Headland managed to rack up 13 points over his five contested heats to force a race-off showdown with Queenslander Gary Moon and his passenger, Duane Dennis.

Headland earned the coveted inside starting gate having won a coin-toss to decide positions, and he shot to the lead at the first corner which he never really looked like surrendering.

The event was delayed on several occasions between heats two and four due to a mechanical failure with the starting tape which had a big bearing on the overall proceedings.

Final selection for the 2008 Red Bull Rookies Cup

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 07:00:00 GMT

Final selection for the 2008 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup at the Circuit Paul Ricard HTTT

Forty four of the world's best teenage racers have been reunited at the Circuit Paul Ricard HTTT on November 22nd and 23rd for the Final Selection Event for the 2008 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup.

Coming from all over the world from nineteen nations, the forty four aged from 13 to 16 years old all have the hope of being seen as future World Champions. The finalists following initial selection events in Germany and Italy were invited to the Paul Ricard HTTT during these two days for the final selection.

Teknic Honda recruits blood their new mounts at Phillip Island E

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 07:00:00 GMT

Two of Teknic Honda’s newest recruits made an impressive appearance at last weekend’s Phillip Island round of the East Coast Road Race Series (ECRRS).

Although new to the Superbike ranks after wrapping up the Australian Supersport title earlier this year, 20 year old Jason O’Halloran looked like a dyed-in-the-wool veteran aboard his 2007 CBR1000RR.

The NSW based rider qualified fastest and then went on to sweep comfortably through all three races on Sunday.

“It was great to get out there and find a good direction to go in for next year,” O’Halloran said.

2007 Pro Racing awards banquet report

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 07:00:00 GMT

AMA PRO RACING CHAMPIONSHIP AWARDS BANQUET HIGHLIGHTS 2007 RACING SEASON
Villopoto named 2007 AMA Pro Racing SPEED Athlete of the Year

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (November 20, 2007) -- AMA Motocross and Supercross racer Ryan Villopoto walked away with the most prestigious award Sunday night at the 33rd Annual AMA Pro Racing Championship Awards Banquet held at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Villopoto, the 19-year-old Monster Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider from Poulsbo, Wash., earned the 2007 AMA Pro Racing SPEED Athlete of the Year Award.

Villopoto's naming as Athlete of the Year was the highlight of the annual awards banquet, which also featured the honoring of several other prominent award winners and champions from each of the AMA's professional motorcycle racing disciplines.

The Award of Mechanical Excellence was awarded to Mitch Payton, team owner of Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki. Under Payton's leadership Pro Circuit has become the most successful satellite team in the history of AMA Motocross and Supercross. Just this year alone, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki riders won the AMA Supercross West and East Lites Series titles as well as the AMA Motocross Lites Championship. The team swept the Lites podium in both Supercross and Motocross events this season.

Michelin MotoGP Sepang test summary

Sun, 18 Nov 2007 07:00:00 GMT

MICHELIN MEN KEEP MOVING FORWARD

Six of Michelin's 2008 MotoGP riders attended the penultimate test session of 2007 at Sepang, ending the three-day outing happy with latest developments from Michelin and confident of further improvements in the run-up to the 2008 World Championship which commences in Qatar on March 9.

Michelin man Nicky Hayden (Repsol HondaTeam RC212V-Michelin) ended the session fastest, using qualifying tyres on the final day. Hayden's best lap was a stunner -- almost 1.3 seconds inside the pole position pace set by team-mate Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team RC212V-Michelin) at October's Malaysian GP. Colin Edwards (Yamaha Tech 3 YZR-M1-Michelin) also lapped inside Pedrosa's pole time using qualifying tyres, but even more impressively was inside the lap record on race tyres.

Michelin also used the session to get to know four new Michelin MotoGP riders: Andrea Dovizioso (JiR Team Scot Honda RC212V-Michelin), Jorge Lorenzo (Fiat Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin), Randy de Puniet (Honda LCR RC212V-Michelin) and James Toseland (Yamaha Tech 3 YZR-M1-Michelin).

Kawasaki Racing Sepang test summary

Sat, 17 Nov 2007 07:00:00 GMT

THREE SUCCESSFUL DAYS IN SEPANG FOR KAWASAKI

The Kawasaki Racing Team head back to Europe today, after concluding three successful days of development testing at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia.

John Hopkins, riding the Ninja ZX-RR for only the second time at this test, was pleased to finish the final day an impressive third fastest overall, after quickly getting to grips with both the circuit and the characteristics of Kawasaki's MotoGP racer.

Hopkins identified a number of areas where the Ninja ZX-RR could be better matched to his distinctive riding style during his inaugural test aboard the bike immediately after the season ending Valencia Grand Prix. With less than a week between the Valencia and Sepang tests, the Anglo-American was impressed to discover that Kawasaki's engineers in Japan had already made improvements to the bike based on his initial feedback.

Yamaha Tech 3 announces world champion driver line-up

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 07:00:00 GMT

World Champions Colin Edwards and James Toseland join forces with Yamaha Tech 3 Team

It is with great pleasure that the Yamaha Tech 3 team wishes to announce the signing of two world champions to contest the 2008 MotoGP World Championship.

American rider Colin Edwards, will be joined by Brit, James Toseland with both riders bringing a wealth of riding experience to the Yamaha Tech 3 Team.

Texan Edwards, after four years in the elite class and winning two World Superbike Championships in 2000 and 2002, possesses an invaluable amount of development knowledge while Toseland is the recently crowned 2007 world superbike champion after first claiming his first world title in 2004.

In another exciting development for the vastly experienced French team both riders will compete on Michelin tyres as well as commencing the season on the latest version of the Yamaha M1.

Toyota AMA Arenacross Series Tuesday Interview: Albany, N.Y.

Wed, 14 Nov 2007 07:00:00 GMT

Arenacross Class Winner Tyler Bright

AURORA, Ill. (Nov. 13, 2007) -- North Carolina's Tyler Bright (Foremost Insurance/Carolina Xpress/Suzuki) burst onto the national stage of the Toyota AMA Arenacross Series this past weekend at the Times Union Center in Albany, N.Y., winning his first-ever AMA Arenacross class main event.

The win came as a bit of a surprise to some in the industry, including those close to the Toyota AMA Arenacross Series. Bright is fast and proved that last year with a number of podium finishes in AMA Arenacross Lites class racing. However, at 17-years-old and with not-so-resounding amateur racing accolades, many felt Bright was still a ways off before he could challenge the likes of defending Toyota AMA Arenacross Series champion Danny Smith, along with former champions Chad Johnson and Robbie Reynard.

Sentiments shared by most, but not Bright's teammate/team owner and mentor, Jim Neese.

KTM and Yamaha the dominators after day one at ISDE

Wed, 14 Nov 2007 07:00:00 GMT

American Kurt Caselli onboard his KTM 300 emerged victorious on day one of the ISDE Six Days Enduro in La Serena Chile.

The gruelling annual event sometimes call the "Olympics" of Enduro motor sport tests the endurance of both man and machine over a range of challenging terrains. After the first day, the lead in the coveted World Trophy team competition went to France followed by Finland and Italy in the minor places.

Caselli (E3) completed day one with a 13.222 advantage over Frenchman Johnny Aubert (E2) with E1 world champion and KTM Enduro Factory Team rider Juha Salminen (E2) in third place overall, 13:786 behind the leader. Salminen is the defending champion. Top E1 rider on day one was Spanish rider Cristobal Guerrero.

Major players in British Superbike Championship readying for 200

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 07:00:00 GMT

It’s all change in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship as three of the major players confirm their riders for the 2008 campaign which looks all set to be the best ever with an intriguing mix of youth and experience chasing the honours.

Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne is fully geared to regain the crown that he won back in 2003 as he links up with the Airwaves Ducati team aboard one of their all-new 1098R machines in the new look action which permits the 1200cc twins into the action.

“The last time I was on a Ducati I was pretty successful,” said Byrne who after winning the title moved into MotoGP for two years before returning to domestic action riding first for Suzuki and then Honda. “I’m delighted to be with them and it is exciting to be riding with this team and I want to win the title again.”

Yamaha Racing Valencian test summary

Thu, 08 Nov 2007 07:00:00 GMT

Yamaha begins a new chapter with Jorge Lorenzo in Jerez

Day one - Reigning 250cc World Champion Jorge Lorenzo, who will ride for the Fiat Yamaha Team in 2008, got his first taste of the YZR-M1 today as he tested with Yamaha for the first time in Valencia this afternoon. Valentino Rossi, who will partner Lorenzo next season, has returned home for further treatment on his right hand, which he broke during qualifying last Saturday.

20-year old Lorenzo, who hails from the Balearic Island of Mallorca, completed 52 laps throughout the afternoon as he took the time to get acquainted with his new machine. He finished a creditable tenth in the unofficial lap times with a best lap of 1'34.320, and will complete another full day of testing tomorrow.

Jorge Lorenzo (10th, 1'34.32, 52 laps)

AMA SUPERMOTO CHAMPIONSHIP FINALE WILL CROWN CHAMPIONS

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 07:00:00 GMT

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (November 6, 2007) -- Troy Lee's Supermoto Mayhem at the Morongo roars into the Morongo Casino Resort and Spa in Cabazon, Calif., on Nov. 9-11.

This year's event marks the first time the AMA Supermoto Championship has visited California's Palm Springs desert area.

"We are very excited to promote the Supermoto Mayhem at the Morongo," commented Troy Lee. "This year we have moved the race to Morongo and I am very happy with the response and how everything has gone so far. This event will cap off one of the most thrilling and exciting AMA Supermoto Championships in history. On Sunday we will be crowning three series champions. The event area has given us an opportunity to make a large track, which will provide top notch racing all weekend."

The Morongo venue offers unique capabilities and elements sure to provide excitement and great racing action. Fans will witness up-close racing that utilizes unique obstacles, such as the Parts Unlimited UrbanCross jumps. An international field of racers will be competing during the prestigious season finale.

The adventure of JiR Scot Team begins

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 07:00:00 GMT

JiR and Kopron Team Scot announce an important new collaboration to race in the 2008 Motorcycle World Championship in the MotoGP and 250cc categories. The joint announcement is made by Gianluca Montiron, the owner of JiR MotoGP Team, Cirano Mularoni - currently team manager of Kopron Team Scot - and the president of Scot Group, Giovanni Torri. The program involves a common development of a sporting and commercial activity starting from the lower categories and aims to create a project for talented young riders and a route to the highest class in motorcycle racing. All parties have expressed mutual satisfaction with the agreement achieved, meaning a strategic partnership that will see the debut of emerging ace Andrea Dovizioso in the premier class and the renewed recruitment of the Japanese rider Yuki Takahashi in the 250cc category, both running on Honda machines.

MICHElIN LOOKS FORWARD TO 2008

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 07:00:00 GMT

Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC212V-Michelin) and Valentino Rossi (Fiat Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin) have secured second and third places in the 2007 MotoGP World Championship for Michelin. And although the renowned French brand has lost this year's crown, after scoring an unprecedented 15 . . .

Spain's Pedrosa ends year on high note at home

Sun, 04 Nov 2007 06:00:00 GMT

In the final race of the MotoGP season Dani Pedrosa succeeded in pulling off a miracle: three times in a row, he had earned the pole in Valencia, only to watch someone else take the sweet victory. Today the Spaniard showed he had the speed and just needed to put everything together for the race win. The question on everyone's mind was whether he could get it right before the season came to a close.

This weekend the MotoGP teams traveled to Spain for the final race. Again Pedrosa snatched the pole, an accomplishment enhanced by being in front of his home fans. In the points battle he moved near an almost impossible chance of taking second place from Valentino Rossi. What Pedrosa needed to advance was not only the win but to have Rossi score no points at all, something the Italian rarely did.

Suddenly, Rossi had just such a rare slip in qualifying, fracturing three bones in his hand and showing far down on the grid when the session was over. The former world champion found himself having to race hard when injured to notch even one point while Pedrosa fought to finally win from pole. With Stoner already crowned champion second place in points became the best battle in the series.

Pedrosa on pole in Valencia, Rossi crashes

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 06:00:00 GMT

Dani Pedrosa took the MotoGP season's final pole position at the valencian GP today, setting a time of 1:31.517 with just seconds remaining in the qualifying session. The Repsol Honda rider's time was enough to drop the Casey Stoner, the already-crowned 2008 MotoGP champion, down to second place on the starting grid.

"The practice was positive this afternoon and I was able to go fast on race tyres as well," the Spaniard said. "The Michelin qualifiers also worked very well again and I was able to improve on my second lap by quite a lot -- which was just enough for pole position. The weekend has gone well so far and I hope I can make a good start and challenge for the win tomorrow."

While the championship is Stoner's, Pedrosa still has a slim chance of taking second place in the 2008 points standings: he is currently 24 points adrift of Valentino Rossi, and a victory, combined with a non-finish for Rossi, would put him one point ahead.

Valencian MotoGP: Honda LCR preview

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 06:00:00 GMT

CHECA TO BID A FOND FAREWELL AT VALENCIA GRAND PRIX

The final race of 2008 in Valencia this Sunday will be a very special race for Honda LCR rider Carlos Checa. The popular Spaniard will be making his 192nd, and final, grand prix start in the premier class after a distinguished 13 seasons in 500cc and MotoGP competition.

In 2008 Checa will race in the World Superbike Championship but he hopes to finish his season with LCR squad on a high note. Checa made his 500cc debut on a Honda in the 1995 British GP and both his victories at the elite level came before adoring fans in his home country -- in the Catalunya GP (Barcelona-1996) and the Madrid GP (Jarama-1998).

Checa has raced in the 500cc two stroke class and both the 990cc and 800cc eras of four-stroke MotoGP. He was fourth in the 1998 world championship.

Valencian MotoGP: Bridgestone preview

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 06:00:00 GMT

The longest MotoGP championship in history comes to an end this weekend as the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Cheste plays host to the Community of Valencia GP, round 18 of the 2007 season. Valencia will mark the one hundredth MotoGP race participation for Bridgestone since their debut in Suzuka 2002. In that time, riders on Bridgestone tyres have accumulated 20 race victories, 20 pole positions, a total of 55 podium finishes and, courtesy of Casey Stoner and Ducati Corse, the first MotoGP world championship title on Bridgestone tyres.

Valencia, like the previous race in Sepang, made its debut on the premier class calendar at the end of the last Millennium when Frenchman Regis Laconi took his only premier class victory from pole position. In total, there have been seven different winners of the Valencia event in just eight premier class GPs to have been held at the circuit up to and including last year's surprise dominant winner, Troy Bayliss, aboard a Bridgestone-shod Ducati.

Valencian MotoGP: Ducati Team preview

Tue, 30 Oct 2007 06:00:00 GMT

DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM AIMS TO END HISTORIC SEASON ON HIGH NOTE

The Ducati Marlboro Team goes into the season-ending Valencia Grand Prix aiming to complete this momentous, historic season in the best way possible.

World Champion Casey Stoner has already won ten races and a total of 14 podiums so far this year while Loris Capirossi has scored a victory and three further podiums, their efforts aboard their remarkable Desmosedici GP7 machines securing the triple crown of riders', constructors' and teams' World Championships for the Borgo-Panigale -based factory and team.

LIVIO SUPPO, Ducati MotoGP project director

"Valencia is a very special place for us because we scored our first one-two there last year. We go there hoping to end this incredible season in the best way possible. Going into this final race of the season I want to say a big thank you to everyone involved in this project: our technical partners Bridgestone and Shell V-Power, all our sponsors and everyone at Ducati Corse. There is a little bit of every Ducati Corse worker in this year's success, it's not just the people on track every weekend who help us to win, everyone has done an amazing job this year."

Arenacross: Des Moines - Utah riders spotlight

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 06:00:00 GMT

Utah's Finest Motocross Racers Team Up For Toyota AMA Arenacross Season With Team Triple Effect

2007 Des Moines Arenacross Lites podium placer Gray Davenport and '07 Toyota AMA Arenacross Series' western region champ Beni Williams headline the Utah-based team

AURORA, Ill. (Oct. 29, 2007) -- The Toyota AMA Arenacross Series is pleased to announce another top-flight team that is joining the 2007-'08 competition season that begins in few short weeks at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa.

Team Triple Effect will feature four racers from the motocross-friendly state of Utah and is led by #916 Gray Davenport (Lehi, Utah), last year's 3rd place finisher in the Toyota AMA Arenacross Series' Western Arenacross Lites division, and his friend and fellow competitor, Beni Williams (No. 92) from Hooper, Utah, who won the overall Western AX Lites regional title.

FT: Screamin' Eagle team Coolbeth summary

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 06:00:00 GMT

COOLBETH ALREADY LOOKING FORWARD TO DEFENDING AMA FLAT TRACK TWINS CHAMPIONSHIP IN 2008
Screamin' Eagle Wrecking Crew Riders Take Final Podium Positions

MILWAUKEE (Oct. 26, 2007) -- For the second consecutive season Kenny Coolbeth is spending his AMA Flat Track Twins offseason with the No. 1 plate. The Harley-Davidson Screamin' Eagle factory rider won the Twins championship again this season and he once more has earned the honor of having the No. 1 plate attached to his Harley-Davidson.

Coolbeth may have done all the riding on the track, but he's quick to hand out the credit to his team.

"We communicated so much better this season and I think our team wanted it more than any other team out there," said Coolbeth, a Warren, Conn., native. "It takes an amazing group of people to do what we did this season. Winning the second championship feels just as good as the first one. Our team wants to keep doing this and we've already put our focus on next season."

Malaysian MotoGP: Yamaha Tech 3 race report

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 06:00:00 GMT

Malaysian malaise for Dunlop Yamaha Tech 3

The Malaysian Grand Prix held in stifling conditions at the Sepang circuit near Kuala Lumpur did not provide the results the team was expecting. After travelling from the cold climes of southern Australia in early spring to the humidity of the tropics, Casey Stoner continued his dominant form in 2007 with another victory. As has been the case many times this year, variable weather conditions in practice combined with problems associated with a newly laid surface guaranteed that the weekend would be far from plain sailing. For the first time this season neither of the Dunlop Yamaha Tech 3 Team riders, Sylvain Guintoli and Makoto Tamada were able to score any championship points. Makoto Tamada - Position: 18thTime: +59.596 That was a very hard race and it has been a very hard weekend to find something but we never could get there. Friday and Saturday were very difficult but we seemed to find something this morning that we thought would work but again we were wrong. During the race the grip level was very low and didn't seem to improve during the race.

Stoner doesn't share, takes 10th win in Malaysia.

Sun, 21 Oct 2007 06:00:00 GMT

Casey Stoner might have already won all three possible MotoGP Championship titles for himself, the team and Ducati but it seems he won't be resting on his laurels for the finishing races this year. Stoner is yet again sipping champagne after another brilliant run in what surely has become as common a sight as bikes lined up three abreast for the start.

This time the Australian celebrated under a hot and humid sun at the Malaysian Grand Prix in Sepang. Today's victory didn't come easily to Stoner; the pace was quicker than last year by three seconds, meaning no rest in the exhausting conditions.

Pedrosa grabs Malaysian pole in last-second effort

Sat, 20 Oct 2007 06:00:00 GMT

Dani Pedrosa pushed his Repsol Honda MotoGP 800cc in a final last ditch effort to notch his third consecutive pole in the MotoGP series. The Spaniard flew around the Malaysian Sepang circuit in the final seconds of the 60 minute qualifying session to lay down a lap at 2:01.877.

"It's great to have three pole positions in a row and gives us a good chance for the start tomorrow, but of course the only important thing is the race result because there are no points for pole position," Pedrosa said. "The qualifying laps went quite well and I improved by 0.8s on my second fast lap which was just enough to take pole position."

Taking his fourth pole of the season was not easy, especially beating the 2007 champion Casey Stoner; the gap between the two was 0.041 seconds. Pedrosa has one victory under his belt -- the only one for Honda this year -- at the German GP. He is searching for his second one.

Malaysian MotoGP: Bridgestone Friday notes

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 06:00:00 GMT

De Puniet impresses as Bridgestone gets to grips with resurfaced Sepang

Kawasaki's Randy de Puniet set a searing pace under cloudy skies at the Sepang International Circuit this afternoon to lead the opening day of practice in preparation for Sunday's Malaysian GP with an impressive time of 2m02.917s.

2007 MotoGP World Champion Casey Stoner was right on De Puniet's tail at the end of the second session, just 0.011s slower than the Frenchman aboard his Ducati. De Puniet and Stoner's best times today were just 0.8s slower than the best race pace set by Loris Capirossi on a Bridgestone-shod 990cc Ducati in last year's event.

Malaysian MotoGP: Michelin preview

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 06:00:00 GMT

MICHELIN MEN SET FOR GP IN THE TROPICS

Michelin's MotoGP crew comes to Sepang determined to fight back after a tough race day in Australia last weekend. Valentino Rossi (Fiat Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin) set the fastest lap of the race at Phillip Island but could only manage a third-place finish, just ahead of Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team RC212V-Michelin) who had started the race from pole position.

This weekend Michelin will continue working with its new construction 16.5-inch rear slick and hopes to further development of its brand-new 16-inch rear slick, which was used in a race for the first time last weekend by Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda Team RC212V-Michelin). The 2006 World Champion showed an impressive pace with the tyre before he was sidelined by machine problems.

Malaysian MotoGP: Ducati Team preview

Tue, 16 Oct 2007 06:00:00 GMT

The Ducati Marlboro Team travels to Malaysia on the back of two unforgettable races, aiming to maintain the momentum all the way to the end of this historic season.

In Japan last month Casey Stoner wrapped up the factory's first MotoGP riders' crown while Loris Capirossi won the race. In Australia last weekend Stoner won the race, his ninth victory of the season, while Capirossi finished second to help secure the constructors' title for Ducati and the team's title for the Borgo-Panigale-based squad.

LIVIO SUPPO, Ducati MotoGP project director

"We go to Malaysia in very good mood after two unforgettable races and we hope we can maintain our momentum at Sepang, where we've had some great results. Two years ago we scored our first double podium result there and last year Loris fought for victory until the last lap,...

Lemans circuit 2008 schedule

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 06:00:00 GMT

The Automobile Club de l'Ouest is hard at work preparing the 2008 season with what promises to be an exceptional action-packed programme. Note the dates:

29th & 30th MARCH FRENCH SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP

This is the start of the motorbike season on the Bugatti circuit and also the first event in the 2008 French Superbike Championship. The 125ccs, Mono Challenge, Supersports, 1000ccs and side-cars will be the first to race on the new layout of the Garage Vert corner. Even if the design of the corner is identical to the previous one, it has been shifted eastwards and together with its enlarged run-off areas will lead to new track records.

19th & 20th APRIL THE 24 HOURS FOR MOTORCYCLES

Pedrosa pips Rossi, Stoner for Australia pole

Sat, 13 Oct 2007 06:00:00 GMT

It was a tight contest for the pole of the Australian Grand Prix today on Phillip Island Circuit near Melbourne. The three top factory team riders in the Moto GP series standings were fighting it out during the qualifying runs under dry track conditions.

While many expected Casey Stoner to notch his home pole, five other riders were looking to best the newly crown champion even though he sailed to the fastest time in the morning "wet" practice session.

"Considering how complicated the sessions have been prior to this afternoon, it's a relief that this one went smoothly," commented Dani Pedrosa. "We really needed some consistent dry track time and that's what we got at last. I was able to improve my speed quite a lot from the first qualifying lap to the second one and I think I got just about the maximum from Michelin's qualifying tyres, so I'm very pleased."

Magny-Cours: Steve Martin race report

Tue, 09 Oct 2007 06:00:00 GMT

Riding for the Celani Suzuki team at the final round of the World Superbike Championship last weekend, Steve Martin took the chequered flag in 16th position in race one after an on track incident lost him his strong 9th position, but came away from race two with a broken metatarsal in his right foot following a high side crash.

Having made improvements to the GSXR1000's set-up and lap times over the weekend, Steve qualified in 15th place to make Superpole, where he was able to improve on his position to take the 13th spot on the grid.

Commenting on race one Steve said, "I had a good start off the line but saw Lanzi flying in the air at the first corner so had to cut across to the inside in order to avoid being caught up in that. I'd been strong through the first sector all weekend and just held the bike flat out to make my way up to 9th by the end of the first lap.

WSBK Magny-Cours: Steve Martin race report

Tue, 09 Oct 2007 06:00:00 GMT

Martin, Metatarsals and Magny Cours Riding for the Celani Suzuki team at the final round of the World Superbike Championship last weekend, Steve Martin took the chequered flag in 16th position in race one after an on track incident lost him his strong 9th position, but . . .

Australian MotoGP: Bridgestone preview

Mon, 08 Oct 2007 06:00:00 GMT

Phillip Island once again promises exhilarating MotoGP action against a breathtakingly picturesque postcard backdrop this weekend as the uniquely demanding 4.448km track hosts its 13th premier class motorcycle event. Casey Stoner, one of three Bridgestone-shod Australian riders, heads to his home GP as 2007 MotoGP world champion after clinching the crown aboard his Bridgestone-shod Ducati in Japan a fortnight ago. Suzuki's Chris Vermeulen and Kawasaki's Anthony West will also be looking to use a home advantage with the rest of the championship still wide open with just three races of the season remaining.

Championship winning Ducati 999 bike retired

Sun, 07 Oct 2007 06:00:00 GMT

END OF THE LINE FOR THE DUCATI 999

The final round of the 2007 World Superbike Championship at Magny-Cours also marked the end of the line for one of the most successful racing machines ever built by the Borgo Panigale manufacturer.

Since it made its triumphant debut in the opening round of the 2003 championship at Valencia with a 1-2 finish for Neil Hodgson and Ruben Xaus, the 999 has won three of the last five Riders' titles, with Neil Hodgson (2003), James Toseland (2004) and Troy Bayliss (2006).

In that period Ducati also won three WSBK Manufacturers' titles in the same years, although in 2003 and 2004 points for this particular title were also earned by the venerable 998, with wins on five occasions for Toseland, Shane Byrne and Pierfrancesco Chili.

Magny-Cours: Ducati WSBK Saturday notes

Sat, 06 Oct 2007 06:00:00 GMT

LANZI AHEAD OF BAYLISS AS DUCATI XEROX MEN LINE UP ON ROW 2 OF MAGNY-COURS GRID FOR FINAL ROUND

Lorenzo Lanzi and Troy Bayliss will line up on the second row of the grid for the Ducati Xerox Team after a relatively below-par Superpole qualifying session at the Magny-Cours circuit. James Toseland (Honda) took the pole ahead of Max Neukirchner (Suzuki), with the other two title contenders Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha) and Max Biaggi (Suzuki) in fourth and sixth respectively.

Magny-Cours: Ducati Friday notes

Fri, 05 Oct 2007 06:00:00 GMT

DUCATI XEROX TEAM MEN FIRST AND SECOND IN OPENING QUALIFYING SESSION AT MAGNY-COURS

Ducati Xerox Team men Lorenzo Lanzi and Troy Bayliss set the pace in today's opening qualifying session for the final round of the World Superbike Championship at Magny-Cours in France.

2005 winner Lanzi went three-tenths quicker than his team-mate in the rain-affected hour, the Italian clinching provisional pole in a time of 1m40.962s, despite the track being wet for half the session due to a sudden downpour. Troy, winner here last year, was second ahead of Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha) and Fonsi Nieto (Kawasaki).

Australian GP: Vermeulen honors Barry Sheene

Wed, 03 Oct 2007 06:00:00 GMT

Suzuki-MotoGP: Latest News 03 October 2007 Vermeulen goes 'back in time' to pay tribute to Barry Sheene at Phillip Island

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP is set to 'go retro' with Chris Vermeulen at his home Grand Prix in Australia, as the hometown hero pays tribute to his hero and mentor, Suzuki's legendary 1976 and 1977 World Champion Barry Sheene.

The 25-year-old Queenslander will be riding a one-off Rizla Suzuki GSV-R inspired by Barry Sheene's Suzuki XR-14 Grand Prix bike of the mid-seventies. The 2007 800cc GSV-R will have an individually designed Rizla blue and white paint-scheme that will also feature a tribute to Sheene's famous crossed seven, set within Vermeulen's 71.

Suzuki's Grand Prix winning Australian will also be sporting a retro style race-suit to match the bike and a helmet inspired by Sheene's iconic style.

Magny-Cours: Team Alstare Suzuki preview

Tue, 02 Oct 2007 06:00:00 GMT

MAX READY FOR THE FINAL PUSH.

After his superb win and second in the last round in Vallelunga, Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra rider is ready to attack series leader James Toseland in the final round of the championship at Mangy-Cours this weekend. Although Toseland holds a healthy 29-point lead, any slip-up by the Briton could give Max a chance of taking the title. Max had his first ever outing on the GSX-R1000 at Magny-Cours at the end of last season, so is no stranger to the track, but since then the bike has developed a lot, so Max will have to work hard to find a good set-up in practice and qualifying. Nonetheless he and the team are ready for the challenge and hoping to end the season on a high. Max's team mate Yukio Kagayama is travelling to the French circuit, but does not know if he will be able to race there this weekend. His injured right hand and knee caused him to pull out of last weekend's race at Vallelunga, but the Japanese rider is determined to race at Mangy-Cours if he feels he can. He will go out on Friday morning practice and see how his injuries hold up before making a decision.

Vallelunga: Yamaha Racing race report

Sun, 30 Sep 2007 06:00:00 GMT

In a day of dramatic racing, Yamaha came away with both their rider and manufacturer championship still hopes alive. Haga came third and fourth in today's races with Corser finishing in fifth in the second race after a DNF in race one.

Race one had a spectacular start as Corser lost the front and crashed out on the first lap while Haga almost crashed but managed to move into third in front of Toseland. He then proceeded to take the fastest lap three times to catch Bayliss and Biaggi who were battling for first. Having caught Bayliss, Haga tousled and swapped places with him many times before Bayliss made it stick on lap 17. The battle up front had given Toseland the chance to catch up and challenge Haga for third position; a challenge which he eventually won.

Vallelunga: Ducati Saturday notes

Sat, 29 Sep 2007 06:00:00 GMT

BAYLISS (DUCATI XEROX) BLASTS TO HIS SIXTH SUPERPOLE OF THE YEAR AND HIS 18TH ALL-TIME AT VALLELUNGA

Vallelunga (Italy), Saturday 29 September : Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) became the only rider to set a sub-1m36s lap this weekend at Vallelunga as he powered to a sixth Superpole of the year. The two-times World Superbike champion will start tomorrow's two races of the penultimate round of the championship ahead of his fellow Aussie Troy Corser (Yamaha), Ruben Xaus (Ducati Sterilgarda) and Max Biaggi (Suzuki). Ducati Xerox team-mate Lorenzo Lanzi also put in a good performance and lines up in sixth place on row 2 behind Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha)

Foggy Racing abandons 2008 WSBK plans

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 06:00:00 GMT

Foggy calls time on race team plans

Team Foggy Racing, the motorcycle racing team owned by Carl Fogarty, has been forced to abandon plans to compete in next year's World Superbike championship following an unsuccessful search for sponsorship.

TFR, based in Burton-on-Trent, England, had intended to operate as the factory team of Italian manufacturer, MV Agusta.

Carl, the four-times World Superbike champion, said: "Everyone knows that this is a difficult time for motorcycle sponsorship. However, we hoped that the combination of my team with an iconic brand such as MV Agusta would have been an attractive proposition for potential sponsors both in the UK and abroad.

FIVE AUSSIE WILDCARDS FOR MOTOGP

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 06:00:00 GMT

Five Australian riders have been granted Wildcard entries into the prestigious 125cc class of racing at the upcoming Australian MotoGP at Phillip Island.

MA announced last month that Blake Leigh-Smith, Glenn Scott and Rhys Moller had been given MA approval to appear at the event, which will take place from October 12-14.

They have now been given the green light from the FIM.

As well as these three riders, Brent Rigoli and Jackson Leigh-Smith -- Blake's younger brother, have also both been granted Wildcard rides from MA which have been approved by the FIM.

Japanese MotoGP: Bridgestone - Yamada debrief

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 06:00:00 GMT

Q+A with Hiroshi Yamada - Bridgestone Motorsport - Manager Motorcycle Sport Unit

Ducati's Loris Capirossi led a 1-2-3 for Bridgestone-equipped riders in the Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi last Sunday. Randy de Puniet took his first ever podium on Bridgestone tyres and the first for Kawasaki this season finishing the chaotic race in second place, while Toni Elias finished third for Honda Gresini, his second podium of the season. Capirossi's win marked the tenth of the 2007 season on Bridgestone tyres and the podium clean sweep took Bridgestone's podium tally to 27 this season and 51 overall.

A sixth place result for Casey Stoner was enough to secure him a debut MotoGP World Championship as he finished ahead of his nearest championship challenger, Valentino Rossi, to take his overall points total to an unbeatable 297. It is the first MotoGP championship scored on Bridgestone tyres in the company's sixth MotoGP season after 97 races.

Capirossi takes Motegi, Stoner the championship

Sun, 23 Sep 2007 06:00:00 GMT

It may have been the home race for MotoGP's Japanense manufacturers -- Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki and Bridgestone -- but the Ducati Marlboro Team painted the Motegi circuit red, with Loris Capirossi taking the victory in the Japanese Grand Prix, and, more importantly, his teammate Casey Stoner clinching the Riders' Championship title.

This success is the best demonstration of Ducati excellence, a triumph of Italian intelligence, talent, competence and the warmth that is one of our country's most vital assets," said Gabriele del Torchio, the CEO of Ducati. "It's an important and remarkable achievement, 34 years after the premier-class World Championship was last won by an Italian factory. It is a dream come true!"

Pedrosa takes Japanese GP pole in hot Motegi

Sat, 22 Sep 2007 06:00:00 GMT

Dani Pedrosa continues to heat up the Twin Ring Motegi circuit, after leading the two MotoGP practices on Friday, and clinched pole position with ease in the qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix.

"It's been a good weekend so far," Pedrosa said. "But we still have to do the race, and it's the most important part of the weekend. We'll just try for a good start and hope for a good race, too."

The Spaniard did not waste any time putting down fast laps again today, setting the fastest times in the hot conditions in the first half of the qualifying session.

As times dropped near the end of the session, Randy de Puniet led the challenge to Pedrosa, the Kawasaki rider clocking a time of 1:46.643 to move to the top of the timesheets. Valentino Rossi would have none of it, though, and set a scorching lap time in the dying minutes, four tenths (0.388 seconds) faster than de Puniet.

MICHELIN KEEPS WORKING TO BUILD ON PORTUGUESE MotoGP WIN

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 06:00:00 GMT

Michelin's MotoGP crew joins the rest of the MotoGP paddock in dashing from Portugal to Japan this week, boosted by a brilliant one-two finish at Estoril last Sunday. Valentino Rossi (Fiat Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin) and Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team RC212V-Michelin) dominated the race, while fourth-place finisher Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda Team RC212V-Michelin) took pole position and the lap record.

The Portuguese GP success was a well-deserved reward for the intense development work undertaken by Michelin's technicians in recent months. Now Michelin is working to build on that performance, refining a new profile front tyre and new construction rear, both of which should feature at Motegi this weekend.

MICHELIN AND THE TECHNICAL CHALLENGE OF MOTEGI

Japanese MotoGP: Shinichi Itoh to drive for Pramac d'Antin

Wed, 19 Sep 2007 06:00:00 GMT

SHINICHI ITOH TO RIDE THE PRAMAC-DANTIN DUCATI IN THE GRAND PRIX OF JAPAN.

Japanese pilot, Shinichi Itoh, will race for Pramac-Dantin this weekend at the Japanese Grand Prix aboard the Ducati GP7 formerly ridden by Alex Hofmann, who was let go from the Team. The Team Management of the Italo-Spanish group has decided that the former official Bridgestone test rider would make an excellent addition to the Team for this race.

Japan MotoGP: Konica Minolta Honda preview

Mon, 17 Sep 2007 06:00:00 GMT

Konica Minolta Honda and Shinya head home to Japanese Grand Prix

This weekend sees the 15th round of the MotoGP championship at the Twin Ring Motegi complex in Japan. The race is a very important one for the entire Team. Not only because their rider Shinya Nakano is Japanese, but the Honda RCV212V machinery and Konica Minolta title sponsor also come from the Land of the Rising Sun. Konica Minolta Honda's results at Motegi have previously been excellent, with Makoto Tamada taking a third-place finish there in 2005 for the Team. Shinya Nakano's own results there have been good too, with the 29-year-old rider taking a third-place finish at Motegi in 2004 in the MotoGP class. The Twin Ring Motegi circuit was built by Honda in the 1990s and opened its doors to the public in 1997. Set in the Hakko mountain chain, the 2.98mile circuit is surrounded by forest, with the Nakagawa river flowing by. The name itself indicates two racing courses: the Super Speedway - an American-style oval course - and a European-style road course. The track has hosted a Grand Prix round since 1999, although initially the race was called the 'Pacific GP' while the Japanese round was still at the Suzuka race circuit. Since 2004, only the Twin Ring Motegi circuit has been used to host a GP in Japan.

Rossi edges Pedrosa in Portuguese MotoGP thriller

Sun, 16 Sep 2007 06:00:00 GMT

The slow and bumpy Circuito do Estoril may seem like an unlikely place for the revival of excitement in MotoGP, but Valentino Rossi's 0.175-second victory over Dani Pedrosa had all the thrills one could ask for, perching fans on the edges of their seats as the two battled through the final corner and to the finish line.

"This is a very important victory for us in every way, it's the fourth one of the year so the numbers are starting to look a little bit better," said Rossi, who had been shut out of the podium since his victory at TT Assen in June. "It's a great, great emotion to win again after so long without even a podium. Today my Yamaha and my tyres worked very well. Our new engine is better and today I was able to keep in the slipstream of the Honda and the Ducati on the straight, and even to go alongside them at some points, so this is very important."

Hayden returns to pole at Portuguese MotoGP

Sat, 15 Sep 2007 06:00:00 GMT

Nicky Hayden, the defending FIM Road Racing (MotoGP) champion, took his first pole since Australia 2006 in today's qualifying session in Estoril, Portugal. The American nipped the championship leader, Casey Stoner, by four one-hundreths of a second, stymieing Stoner's quest for a fifth consecutive pole position.

"I knew I just had to go for it because I had nothing to lose," Hayden beamed. "It was so good to return to pit lane and see everybody smiling again. I want to lead into the first turn tomorrow and have some fun."

Sharing the front row with with the defending champion and the championship leader is Valentino Rossi, the perennial MotoGP champion, with five MotoGP titles to his credit. Rossi was not quite able to mix it up with Hayden and Stoner, though, finishing the qualifying session 0.275 seconds off the pole position.

Portuguese MotoGP: Ducati Marlboro Friday notes

Fri, 14 Sep 2007 06:00:00 GMT

DAZZLING STONER KEEPS DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM ON TOP AT ESTORIL, CAPIROSSI SEVENTH SO FAR

Ducati Marlboro Team rider Casey Stoner continued his dazzling form in Portugal today, leading both morning and afternoon practice sessions around the tortuous and bumpy Estoril circuit. Team-mate Loris Capirossi ended the day in seventh spot, half a second behind the Australian.

World Championship leader Stoner, who has topped practice and qualifying at the last four MotoGP events and won the last three races, worked with his usual precision to achieve an impressive pace, his best run averaging low 1m 38s. His closest rival today was Makoto Tamada who used a qualifying tyre to get within 0.039 seconds of Stoner, who used race tyres throughout the day.

AMA SUPERSPORT TITLE TO BE DECIDED AT SEASON FINALE

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 06:00:00 GMT

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (September 11, 2007) -- After a season of some of the closest action in AMA professional road racing, the 2007 AMA Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship presented by Shoei comes down to the final race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, in Monterey, Calif., this Sunday, Sept. 16. Monster Energy Kawasaki teammates Roger Hayden and Jamie Hacking, along with Erion Honda's Josh Hayes are all within reach of the coveted championship.

Just 11-points separate the leading trio.

Hayden has been on the verge of winning the AMA Supersport Championship several times in his career, but something always happened to prevent him from earning the same title both of his older brothers have won. Going into Sunday's finale Hayden stands on the threshold of his first professional AMA road racing championship. He'll have to fight for it though since Hacking and Hayes are close enough to come in and steal the crown. If Hayden can finish second or better he will assure himself the No. 1 Supersport plate.

Portuguese MototGP: Fiat Yamaha Team preview

Sun, 09 Sep 2007 06:00:00 GMT

Fiat Yamaha Team ready to put up western front

The Fiat Yamaha Team make the Mediterranean road trip from the east coast of Italy to the west coast of Portugal this week aiming to put their biggest disappointment of the season behind them after a home Grand Prix to forget at Misano. Valentino Rossi's retirement from that race was his fourth non-podium finish in as many races - his worst run since 2000 - whilst tyre problems returned to haunt Colin Edwards in a race that saw Casey Stoner take his eighth victory of the season.

Lausitz: Ducati Xerox Team Saturday notes

Sat, 08 Sep 2007 06:00:00 GMT

BAYLISS (DUCATI XEROX) GRABS THIRD PLACE IN WET LAUSITZ SUPERPOLE

Lausitz (Germany), Saturday 8 September : Troy Bayliss grabbed third place on the grid for tomorrow's German Round of the World Superbike Championship in an exciting Superpole session held in poor weather conditions at the EuroSpeedway. Troy will start the two races from the front row behind surprise poleman Fonsi Nieto and Regis Laconi. Team-mate Lorenzo Lanzi lines up on the third row of the grid in eleventh place.

Everyone went out on slicks in the first four dry minutes of the session, but the only riders to complete a full lap before the rain fell were the Kawasaki duo. Bayliss stalled his 999 at the end of the pit-lane before setting off on his dry lap, which as a result he was unable to complete, but he then made up for it by being the quickest rider on rain tyres.

Yamaha Raring to go after Summer Break

Wed, 05 Sep 2007 06:00:00 GMT

This weekend sees the return of the World Superbike Championship after the traditional summer break and the Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team are fired up and raring to go. With Haga in second place and 66 points behind the current championship leader, the team has worked hard during the weeks since the last round at Brands Hatch to ensure that the fight for the title will go right to the wire this weekend at the German circuit in Lausitz.

The Eurospeedway circuit is Germany's youngest track and was built in Lausitz to help rejuvenate the old mining area following the closure of many coal pits. Although the circuit was first conceived in the 1980s building work didn't start until 1998. Development of the circuit was dogged by financial crises as well as local petitions both for and against the track but it was finally opened in August 2000 in front of an 110,000 strong crowd. The circuit is built on 370 hectares, which is almost twice the size of Monaco and features seven different track layouts.

Lausitz Preview: TEAM ALSTARE REFRESHED

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 06:00:00 GMT

After a five week break, Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra are refreshed and ready for the eleventh round of this year's Superbike World Championship at the Eurospeedway Lausitz. The 4.3 kilometre long track is part of one of the biggest and modern racetracks in the world and only opened for business in 2000. Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra riders tested at the track in June this year, so at least this is one circuit that Max Biaggi will not be seeing for the first time. His team mate Yukio took a superb win in the first race last year and a fine fourth in the second and will be hoping for more of the same this year.

FT: Screamin' Eagle Springfield summary

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 06:00:00 GMT

WRECKING CREW RIDERS TAKE TWO SPOTS ON COVETED SPRINGFIELD MILE PODIUM
Screamin' Eagle Factory Rider Coolbeth Leads Pack with Second Place Finish

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (Sept. 3, 2007) --Screamin' Eagle Harley-Davidson factory rider Kenny Coolbeth didn't win the AMA Flat Track race this weekend. But the defending AMA champion did the next best thing.

Not only did Coolbeth finish in second place at the historic Springfield Mile at the Illinois State Fairgrounds but he increased his points lead too.