Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127812
INTH~ WIND; , ' A record 4,000 entries competed in the 1996 AMA Worldsports Winter Olympics Motocross at the Gatorback Cycle Park in Gainesville, Florida, November 25-30 with Robbie Reynard (Hon) coming away with the Olympiad Championship in both the 125 and 250cc A classes. The annual industry-backed awards went to the following riders during the event: Keith Johnson (Kaw)Scott Golden Goggle Award; Anthony Pocorobba (Suz) - Dunlop Silver Tire Award; Justin Buckelew (Yam) - AXO Bronze Boot Award; Brett Racine (Kaw) - Arai Helmet Award; T.J. Rhonelli and, Jake Griffis - KTM America Awards; Robbie Horton (Kaw) - Ricky Joseph Sportsmanship Award. Lucky Strike Suzuki has finally made official its signing of Australian Anthony Gobert for the 1997 500cc World Championship Road Race Series. "I'm coming into GPs on a top factory 500, and though it'll be hard to win the title the first time out, I'm determined to win races in my first year and the championship after that," Gobert, 21, said in the Lucky Strike press release. "I've always wanted to try and race against the top riders in the top series. I'm aiming at Mick Doohan before he retires." Team manager Garry Taylor said: "Gobert's the most exciting arrival in GP racing since we brought in Kevin Schwantz. Kevin was also a little wild, but just bursting with natural talent and determination. He became not only World Champion but one of the greatest riders of all time. We see a lot of similarities. Gobert's bravery and his sheer talent are plain to see. His enthusiasm and ambitions are just what any team would love to have. Daryl (Beattie) is our experienced anchorman and title challenger. He has the experience to get the best out of next year's brand-new Lucky Strike Suzuki and go for the title win. Gobert takes care of the other end of the spectrum. He's an inspirational rider and whatever he does achieve in his first season, you,know he'll do it with maximum effort and excitement, We're expecting to have a lot of success and fun - not only for the team, but for the spectators, the TV fans, and for all of racing." \0 ~ ~ Daryl Beattie has hit out at the doomsayers who say he will not start the 1997 500cc World Championship due to his ongoing injury struggles which included a fractured skull and a perforated eardrum, reports Cycle News contribu tor Daryl Flack. Speaking through a team spokesman, the 26-year-old Australian said that he :will prove the rumormongers wrong once he starts testing the new Suzuki RGvSOO at Eastern Creek in January: Rumors about his racing career surfaced when Beattie's comeback to GP racing was cut short after he pulled out of the Catalunyan Grand Prix in September. Blaming the handling of the bike, he also encountered complications with the broken arm he sustained earlier in the year. According to a team spokesman, "Daryl's fully aware of the rumors about his future in racing, and it has only reinforced.his determination to come back stronger than ever. He's just s~arted an intensive fitness program with Anthony Gobert on the Gold Coast with his English trainer, and he's looking forward to getting back on the bike in the new year. But at the "moment, Daryl's not taking any calls from the media." Another official announcement comes from Troy Corser Racing which states that the current World Superbike. Cham- pion will indeed make the switch' to 500cc Grand Prix racing and he'll do so on a factory-backed Promotor Yamaha YZRSoo, The 25-year-old Corser recently completed a two-day familiarization session at the Yamaha test track in Japan. "It's been something I've dreamt of being able to do and I'm very excited about next season," Corser said. "I've always set my sights on racing 500cc Grand Prix machines. To be able to 'do so with the factory support from Yamaha and with my Promotor team members of the past two years is grea t. I think that we will have a very strong team next year and even though it will, be my first season on the 500, I'm sure we will be competitive." The Promotor team will get 1997 factory Yamahas and will run alongside Wayne Rainey's Marlboro team as part of Yamaha's official factory lineup for '97, according to Corser, The Promotor team will be made up primarily of members of his current World Superbike crew as well as Yamaha technicians, "The test went well and I had some very good discussions with the management of Yamaha afterward:', Corser said. "I think we have the basis of a very good working relationship. They were very happy with the outcome of the test and so was I. The Yamaha felt a whole lot different from the Ducati superbike that I've been riding for the past couple of years. They are worlds apart. The acceleration and braking power of the GP bike are awesome and the power comes on a lot stronger. I can't wait to spend more time on it." Corser's teammate and choice of tires have yet to be announced. Corser won the AMA Superbike National Championship on a Fast By Ferracci Ducati in , 1994 before heading to the World Superbike Championship on a Promotor Ducati in 1995, and winning the title with the same team in 1996. Suzuki has made it official that the company has signed Mike Hale and Jamie Whitham to ride factory GSXR750s in the 1997 World Superbike Championship. "Both James and Mike have the necessary combination of raw talent and experience which turns riders into racers and racers into winners:' team manager Lester Harris said. "We are delighted to have secured their services for our crucial second season in the series." According to reliable sources, I-BOOCOLLECT may end up pulling its sponsorship of the Team Honda factory motocross effort before the upcoming 1997 AMA Supercross and National Motocross Series because the company is unhappy about the lack of signage presently being allocated by the team. Apparently, I-BDO-COLLECT is unsatisfied with the size and presence of its corporate logo in comparison to other sponsorship logos that appear on Honda equipment, riders and motorcycles. Stay tuned. Teams contesting the 1997 World Superbike Championship will be banned from testing on any circuit which hosts a championship round, with the exception of a single, nominated test track for each squad. The rule will be introduced once th,e season is under .way, allowing teams to test at any circuit prior to the March 23 kickoff in Australia. The new rule is aimed at assisting the privateer teams that cannot afford an extensive test schedule and also at further reducing the costs of competing in the World Superbike Championship. "On paper it seems to be a step in the right direction," Castrol Honda team manager Neil The complete schedule · MX,and SX The following is the complete IS-round AMA Supercross and 13-round' AMA Motocross National Championship schedule, tentative as of December 2, 1996. January 11 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California Supercross (125 Wesll January 18 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California Supercross (125 Wesll Supercross <125 Westl Sun Devil Stadium, Phoenix, Arizona January 25 Supercross (125 West) February 1 Seattle Kingdome, Seattle. Washington Supercross <125 East) February 15 RCA Dome, Indianapolis, Indiana Supercross (125 East) February 22 Georgia Dome. Atlanta. Georgia National Motocross Gatorback Cycle Park. Gainesville, Florida March 2 Daytona Intemational Speedway. Daytona Beach, Florida Supercross <125 East) March 8 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota Supercross (125 Wesll March 15 Supercross (1 25 West) March 22 Houston Astrodome, Houston, Texas Supercross (1 25 Easll March 29 Citrus Bowl, Orlando, Florida Supercross (125 Easll Trans World Dome, St. Louis, Missouri AprilS Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan Supercross (125 Easll April 12 Supercross (125 East) April 19 Charlotte Motor Speedway, Charlotte, North Carolina Supercross (125 Wesll April 26 Texas Stadium. Dallas, Texas National Motocross May 4 Prairie City SVRA Park, Sacramento, California Glen Helen Raceway Park, San Bemardino, California National Motocross May 11 Supercross (125 ShootouO May 17 Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, Nevada High-Point Raceway, Mount Morris, Pennsylvania National Motocross May 25 Budds Creek Motocross Park, Budds Creek, Maryland National Motocross June 15 Motocross 338, Southwick, Massachussetts National Motocross June 22 National Motocross July 6 Red Bud Track-N-Trail, Buchanan, Michigan Unadilla Valley Sports Center, New Berlin, New York National Motocross July 20 Kenworthy Motocross Park, Troy, Ohio National Motocross July 27 National Motocross August 3 Spring Creek Motocross Park, Millville, Minnesota Washougal Motocross Park, Washougal, Washington National Motocross August 17 National Motocross August 24 Broome·Tioga Sports Center, Binghamton, New York National Motocross August 31 Steel City Raceway, Delmont. Pennsylvania Tuxworth said. "The rule still allows teams to test at any circuits which do not host a round, and they will be allowed to test on those tracks which do host a round once' the event has passed." The other exception to the rule is when a new track is introduced to the series calendar. In 1997, the Zeltweg circuit in Austria will be new and·teams will likely test there in late June or early August before the August 17 race date as part of an official test. With Larry Pegram apparently headed to the Yoshimura Suzuki team for the 1997 AMA Superbike National Championship, Gerald Rothman Jr. is the man being tipped as Pegram's replacement on the Fast By Ferracci Ducati team. Rothman is scheduled' to attend the Michelin tire test at Daytona International Speedway with Ferracci's team, joining number-one rider Mat MIadin on the team's Ducatis. "He's been invited to test:' Larry Ferracci said Monday, December 2. "We've obviously tested (Alessandro) Gramigni and he's still open. The problem right now is that we only have one new motorcycle in addition to the ones we had. We've invited Gerald to Daytona and if we go out again with another rider it will be at a smaller track." Ferracci says Ducati's plans for 600cc Supersport racing with the 748 are still pending. "There's talk of it, we'll just have to see how it works out. There's nothing yet." The current factory team roster for the 1997 AMA Superbike National Championship looks like this thus far: Muzzy Kawasaki - Doug Chandler; Tommy Hayden, Todd Harrington (600cc Supersport); Yoshimura Suzuki - Aaron Yates, Pascal Picotte, Larry Pegram; Team Yamaha - Tom Kipp, Rich Oliver (60Occ Supersport); Smokin' Joe's Honda Miguel DuHamel, Steve Crevier; Zero Gravity Honda - Ben Bostrom; Fast By Ferracci Ducati - Mat Mladin, Gerald Rothman Jr.; Harley-Davidson - Chris Carr, Thomas Wilson. Road racer Jason Pridmore has inked a deal that wUl see him aboard Cycle Motion Suzukis in the 1997 AMA 750