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/127823
to trivia and other interesting items about the riders in AMA Pro Racing. Cost of ,the servi~e is 99 cents per minute. DATS Racing will used Bridgestone tires for the 1997 road racing season, according to a press release issued by the team. DA TS will race Suzuki GSXRs with support from Team Suzuki Sport. DATS Racing will consist of Dale Kieffer and Dax Snow, with Tim McArthur serving as crew chief. The Supersport World Series will begin in Misano, Italy, April 20, and will run in conjunction with several rouhds of the World Superbike Championship. The ll-round series is as follows: April 20 - Misano, Italy; May 4 Donington Park, England; June 8 Hockenheim, Germany; June 22 Monza, Italy; August 3 - Brands Hatch, England; August 17 - Osterreichring, Austria; August 31 - Assen, Holland; September 7 - Oschersleben, Germany; September 21 - Albacete, Spain; October 5 - Sugo, Japan; October 12 - Sentul, Indonesia. Thirty riders will be contracted witl, SBK International to run in each of the 11 rounds, with the other 14 entries for each round being filled by local participants given clearance by SBK and the FIM. The Evolution of Motocross Series will be split into two regions for the 1997 season with championships on the line in both series. The western region will run in conjunction with the AMA FourStroke MX Nationals, while the eastern region will be held in conjunction with events on the opposite coast. The schedules are as follows: West - April 6 (Phoenix, Arizona); May 3 (Sacramento, California); June 1 (Tyler, Texas); July 5 (Grand Junction, Colorado); July 20 (Boise, Idaho); August 16 (Washougal, Washington). East - March 3 (Reddick, Florida); TBA (Muddy Creek, Tennessee); August 31 (Raceway Park, New Jersey); September 27 (Hurricane Hills, Tennessee); October 19 (Red Bud, Michigan). Road racer Chuck Graves headed the Bnal list of money earners from the Willow Springs Motorcycle Club (WSMC) for the 1996 season. Graves earned $6,790, topping Curtis Adams, who pocketed $6,275. In 1996, WSMC -paid out a total of $69,715 in cash awards to its members. Yamaha is presenting Win a Day at the Races for the upcoming, January 18 ..round of the AMA Supercross Series at the Los Angeles Coliseum. 10 win a day with the factory Yamaha team, visit your local dealer and fill out an .entry form. Each participating Yamaha d.ealer will draw a winner and those winners will receive two complimentary race tickets, an early entry pit pass, a tour of the Team Yamaha semi, free gifts and the opportunity to meet Team Yamaha racers and mechanics. ' Marietta Motorsports will be the title ponsor of the WERA Southeastern Sportsman Series in 1997. The series will be known as the Marietta Motorports WERA Southeastern Sportsman Series. A public hearing will be held on Feb.mary 13 at 10:45 a.m. in Auburn, Calimia, to discuss the Roseville Supernoss Park with the Placer County Planning Commissio"n. Supporters of the park are looking for motorcyclists to come out in support. For more information, call Dave Matson at 916/7828511. Boise, Idaho-based USA Promotions has announced that it will get back in the race promotions business after getting away from motorcycle events to concentrate on mountain bike races in 1994. The company's first race will be the AMA National Hare & Hound in Oasis, Nevada, scheduled for November 1. USA Promotions is also working on bringing back the Sun Valley Grand Prix. For more information, call 208/342-3910. Pit Pro is offering a reward for information regarding the items which were stolen from the Pit Pro trailer on New Year's morning from their shop in Newhall, California. Although the stolen trailer was returned, its canopy and frame are still missi,ng. For more information, call 805/255-5101. Jereiny McGrath called us to remind Cycle News readers that his new 900' number is up and running. Following each round of the AMA Supercross Series and National Motocross Series, McGrath will - in his own words - give a brief summary and personal perspective within a few hours of the just-concluded race. The new McGrath hotline number is 1-900-680-FAST. In 1995, 125cc Grand Prix road racer Noboru Ueda had the dubious distinction of being the man in GP road racing with the most single crashes in a season with 15. In 1996, however, Ueda was replaced at the top of the crash chart by Italian Lucio Cecchinello, who fell from his 125 16 times during the IS-race 1996 season. The number one crasher in the 500cc class was Jeremy McWilliams, who stepped off his Roc Yamaha 13 times. Several 250cc riders tied for the top spot in that class with nine crashes - Luca Boscoscuro, Oliver Jacque, Renzo Laconi, Jamie Robinson and Jean-Philippe Ruggia. In all, 199 riders took part in the 1996 World Championship Road Race Series - 136 of them crashed and 63 of them never fell. According to data supplied by Two Wheel Promotions, the average number of crashes per race weekend is 40. The best don't crash dept: Three-time World Champion Michael Doohan crashed only once during' the 1996 Grand Prix season - on the final lap of the final 500cc. Grand Prix of the season when he was rear-ended by Spaniard Alex Criville, a six-time crasher in 1996. RESIGNED: Peter Jones, as managing director of Moto Point, the North American importers of Bimota motorcycles, effective immedia tely. According to Jones, Team Pearls, its personnel .and Jones no longer have any affiliation with Moto Point. CHANGED: The date for the Golden State MX Series round scheduled for Marysville, California, February 2. The date has been changed to February 9. APPOINTED: American Cycle Supply of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, as SpectrO Oils of America's newest distributor. CORRECTION: American Suzuki has not homologated the 1997 TLI000s for use in the North American Sport Bike/Formula USA Series. Suzuki has homologated the GSXR600, GSXR750 and GSXRllOO. Peterhansel still leads Dakar at halfwa oint · D akar legend and four-time winner Stephane Peterh,!nsel still leads the 19.97 DakarAgades-Dakar Rally after putting in his most impressive performance ever. "I feel good," Peterhansel said. "With the rally starting in Africa this year it is much hotter than previous years, it's taking it out of everyone, but apart from a few little accidents and getting lost, I feel in control." In second place, more than an hour behind Peterhansel, is Spanish rider Jordi Arcaron's (KTM) with Spanish charger Oscar Gallardo (Cagiva) holding down third, some two hours and 11 minutes behind the leader. The performance by American Jimmy Lewis (KTM), who holds down fourth place, is steadily improving. "In this type of event, you first must crawl before you can walk," Lewis said. "The pace the leaders are setting is incredible, but don't forget, these guys are doing these things aU 'the time. I'm learning a lot, though." . . If Lewis is taking it easy, then the opposite must be said of the leader. Peterhansel has a bigger lead at the halfway point than Edi OrioH had at the end of his victory last year, and the opposition is worried. Former World MX Champion Danny LaPorte (KTM), who was one of the outspoken riders after Peterhansel's quick start, has retired from the race after mjuring his shoulder. "Man, I was riding ·ful1· throttle day in and day out to keep with him (Peterhansel)," LaPorte said. "It's the fastest Dakar I have ever done." LaPorte is not the only other rider suffering from the Peterhansel performance. Thierry Magnaldi (KTM) broke his motor as he chased the leader. '11's madness, but he must know what he is doing," Magnaldi said. "My bike was running as quick as I could ride it and still Stephane was making me eat his ~rt." , Heinz Kinigadner (KTM) is also out, his injuries from a huge crash he had in Australia in August proving to be too painful for him to continue. "Hopefully my eyes and bac.k will get better," said the 1984 and '85 World Motocross champ just hours before his retirement. "I spent a lot of time standing up and it's making me very tired." It is only Arcarons who will not commit the sin of applau,ding Peterhansel, but the Spaniard has finished second to the Frenchman in four Dakars and no doubt is keeping his thoughts to himself. Geoff Meyer OPENED: WERA's home page on the World Wide Web. The site can be found at http://www.wera.com. AMA Supercross Series. The site can be found at the following address: http://www.supercross.cyclenews.com. HIRl'D: Professional personal watercraft racer Brent Flambures, by Mission Yamaha in Mission Viejo, California. Flambures will work in the race-tech department. For more information, call 714/582-0351, ext. 3. . BORN: Andrew George Vandenberg to Dirk Vandenberg, manager of motorcycle product evaluation at American Honda, and his wife Donna, manager of motorcycle market research at Honda R&D, in Newport Beach, California, November 7,1996. APPOINTED: Hap Jones International, as a distributor for Galfer products. For more information, call 800/685-6633. RETA:INED: Competition Direct, the trackside product and technical support service, by Boye en to provide' Boyesen and Twin Air products and service throughout the 1997 race season at all AMA National and Supercross events. For more informa tion, call 800/441-1177 or 610/756-6818. HIRED: Mike Toole, as director of technical and riders' support for the 1997 racing season, by Boyesen. OPENED: Ke'ith Code's California Superbike School's home page on the World Wide Web. The site can be found at http://www.superbikesschool.com. MOVED: Uni Filter Inc., to 1468 S. Manhattan A venue, Fullerton, CA 92831, 714/535-6933, 714/535-6927 (fax). • OPENED: The official home page of the BORN: Gavin Lee Moore, to former 12Scc World Champion Bobby Moore and his wife Becky in Cave Creek, Arizona, December 17, 1996. RESIGNED: Rick Hutchins as Bartels' Harley-Davidson's crew chief on November 19, 1996. Hutchins will be running a program with bikes provided by Don Tilley and Earl Smalls in the AMA SuperTwins and NASB TwinSport series, as weU as Buells in the NASB Buell Lightning series. STOLEN: A red, 1950 Vincent HRD Rapide, engine number FI0-ABI256, California license number I1H4480 from Acton, California, January 2. A $5,000 reward has been offered for the return of or information leading to the return of this motorcycle. Contact Burr Dean at 818/846-2505 days. PROMOTED: Vince Iorio, from media relations manager to public relations manager of Kawasaki Motors Corporation USA effective immediately. (N 3