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/127831
ing the squad are Jake Zemke and Jody Hendley. John Kalaitzian will act as the team's manager. Harley-Davidson Motor Company announced that its 95th Anniversary Reunion will be held on June 13, 1998, at the Summerfest grounds of the company's hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Tickets for the reunion are $35 and will be available to members of the Harley Owners Group (HOG) beginning April 1. HOG members can purchase tickets through Hog Tales magazine, the 95th Anniversary Hotline (1-800-843-95TH) or via the Harley-Davidson Web site at www.harley-davidson.com. Tickets will be available to the general public beginning August 1. Shaun Kalos, who was recently released from his Team Next Moto contract so he could accept a factorybacked position at Husaberg, will still wear Next Moto team colors for the 1997 AMA National MX Series. The American Motorspoits Public Affairs Council Inc. (AM PAC) announced its support for H.R. 410, a bill that would protect the ability of tobacco companies to sponsor motorsports events. Introduced by Rep. Bart Gordon, D-Tenn., the legislation was drafted in response to new federal Food & Drug Administration (FDA) regulations that restrict the advertising of nicotine products at sporting events. "It is important to emphasize that this is not a smoking issue, but a First Amendment rigbts issue," AMPAC CEO James A. Kinders said. "When the government tells a business that it cannot advertise a legal product, a very disturbing precedent is established. Other types of businesses could be targeted next." He added that several members of Congress have already indicated they would like to see similar advertising restrictions imposed on the spirits and beer industries. AMPAC representatives visited with Rep. Gordon's staff in his Capitol Hill office last week to discuss the bill, which currently has 26 co-sponsors from both parties. The group has also sent out an alert to its members asking that they express their support for the legislation. Production of the much-delayed 1997 Montesa 315R - as ridden by World Champ Marc Colomer - is finally under way. Several glitches have beld the project up and it is understood. that slow delivery of aluminum frames from the Italian Verlicchi factory will hold back production from the expected peak levels. However, contrary to rumor, there is to be no maximum production run with machines being produced constantly at the Barcelona factory in order to fill heavy worldwide demand. The five-speed engine also is being built at a Honda plant in Italy, not Japan. KIM will be providing pit support for all KTM and Husaberg riders throughout the 1997 Best in the Desert Series. The opening round of the series is the Tonopah 300, set to get under way March 22, in Tonopah, Nevada. The service is available on a limited basis, and KTM says it cannot guarantee pit service to any last-minute entries. The KTM Pit Service will be coordinated by 'Francois Deroeux and all questions, contacts and entry information should be directed to him. Deroeux can be reached at 909/676-6366. Carlsbad Raceway and Racing Enter.prises Motorsports will combine effort to bost a two-day event on March 22-23 in Carlsbad, California. The event will feature a motocross on Saturday and a GP on Sunday. There will be plaques for both days plus overall trophies for the event. For more information, call 619/484-1441. Former Kawasaki motocross star Eddie Warren made an impressive c\ebut in the Australian Harley-Davidson Twin Sport Series at Wakefield Park in Australia on March 2. From 24 starters, the Detroit, Michigan, native grabbed pole position for the two races and went on to finish fourth behind seasoned Twin Sport runners Wayne Clarke, Peter Salmon and Robbie Hermans. Race two was canceled due to rain. .Kevin Schwantz had an eventful 5.0liter touring-car racing debut a t the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park on March 9. Filling in for an injured driver, Schwantz struggled in his uncompetitive V-8 Ford Falcon and qualified near the rear of the field. After spinning the car in the Saturday support race, Schwantz was black-flagged. Motorcyclists interested in touring parts of the United States are invited to participate in the Fifth Annual "Ride for AIDS Education," set to take to the highways over Memorial Day weekend on May 24-26, simultaneously on both coasts. The crosscountry trip benefits the' American Foundation for AIDS Research (AmFAR) and the American Red Cross. Riders interested in participating, must secure a minimum of $1000 in pledges. They may join the tour at any point along the cross-country route. For more information, contact Michael Keehan at 520/541-1385. Visitors at this year's Americade, the world's largest motorcycle touring rally, held annually in Lake George, New York, will have an opportunity to win a new BMW F650 or F650ST by participating in a three-day hole-inone contest benefiting the Pony Express Tour '98, a cross-country motorcycle tour benefiting the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. BMW of North America Inc. will give away up to one new F650 each day of the golf-shot contest, which will be held June 4-6 at Roaring Brook Ranch. A fourth F650 will be raffled at noon at the BMW Barbecue on Saturday. For more information, call 518/656-3696. Thunderhill Park, the 1.9-mile, nineturn road racing course in Willows, California, will again be offering special open track days in 1997. Under the program, the facility provides the course, a control person plus naggers, an ambulance and track equipment for a full day for a fee ranging from $1600 for eight riders to up to $3800 for 30 riders. All riders must have on-track experience and sign the necessary ':Vaivers. One rider acts as the coordinator and arranges for the group to assemble at Thunderhill Park. Track personnel take care of registration and handle the on-course activities. No racing is permitted. Anyone can organize and schedule an open test day for motorcycles by calling Thunderhill at 916/934-5588. AMA/District 38 is looking for clubs, riders and volunteers to help get the district up and operating again. Meet- ings are being held on the third Wednesday of every month in San Diego, California. For more information, call 619/449-9648. The Bank of America, Business Lending Service, has joined the list of sponsors for up-and-coming teenage Formula three 125cc GP road racer, Team Roy Al Racing's Jbhn Hopkins. Pyramid Power Products will be holding a grand opening for it first "Moto-Trainer" facility in Stanton, California, on Saturday, March 22. The facility will be introducing its new moto-trainer, "a stationary motocross bike designed to work the muscles you need strong for racing motocross and desert," PPP's Jennifer Young says. The new facility will feature six mototrainer exercise cycles, rowing machines, stair climbers, a juice bar and more. PPP claims its moto-trainer exercise cycles are "the world's one and only training apparatus designed and patented to aid development of the muscles, balance, and stamina needed for the serious motocross racer or part-time enthusiast." For more information, call 714/897-9684. The AMA held a press conference at Daytona International Speedway on March 8 to announce its plans to hold the inaugural Vintage Motorcycle Days West at Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma, California, on August 22-24. The inaugural VMD will open Sonoma Fest at Sears Point and, combined with the AMA/MB A Superbike Series round the following weekend (August 29-31), will provide enthusiasts with 10 days of motorcycle-related entertainment opportunities. Two-time AMA Grand National Champion Dick Mann has been named Grand Marshall for AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days '97 and the new Vintage Motorcycle Days West. The.July 11-13 Vintage Motorcycle Days will take place at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. AMA 250cc Grand Prix competitor Mark Foster suffered a broken hand, wrist and ankle on his right side and two broken fingers and a broken foot on his left side, as well as nerve and tendon damage to his ankle when he was hit by a runaway bike during the 250cc GP heat race at Daytona International Speedway last week. Foster flew to his home in Southern California and his prognosis for a fuil recovery is excellent. Foster is hoping to raise money to repair his battered Yamaha T2250 by taking donations for autographed pictures. For more informatiOn, call 714/249-8746. The foursome of Jason Pridmore, Thomas Stevens, Mark Mitchell and Russ Mattson won the inaugural Cycle News Clayton Foundation Golf Tournament at the Indigo Lakes golf course in Daytona Beach, Floric\a, on March 4. Led by Pridmore, who later won the. AMA 750cc Supers port final at the Speedway, the foursome shot a 60 in the scramble-format tournament with proceeds going to the Clayton Foundation. In addition to the charity, the big winner on the day was AMA superbike racer Mat Mladin who went home with $1000 (donated by PACE Motorsports) for winning the closest to the pin competition. The Australian also won the longest drive contest, taking home a variety of prizes dona ted by Speedvision. AUTOGRAPH SIGNI G: At Joel Bianco Kawasaki Suzuki in VaHey Park,· Missouri, on April 4 from 6 to 7 p.m. Members of Team Suzuki's mo tocross tea m are expected to appear. For more information, call 314/225-5600. AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At Stubb's Cycle, in Houston, Texas, on Friday, March 21, 6-7 p.m. Team Suzuki MX riders are scheduled to appear. For more information, call 713/644-7535. OPENED: Pro-Action Inc., in Dade City, Florida. The company's new suspension franchise will be opera ted by former pro motocrosser Kenny Keylon and Ron Monk. For more information, call 352/588-4661. FORMED: Race Tires West (RTW), the Western Race Tire Distributor for Pirelli and Metzeler Motorcycle Tires of America, in Balboa, California.· The business is responsible for all Western race-tire sales to road racers. RTW can be reached at 714/675-0100. PURCHASED: California Sportbike Racing (CSR), by the company's general manager, Robert Lindsay. CSR, located in Costa Mesa, California, will continue to serve race and street riders for high-performance parts and services. CSR can be reached at 714/6420104. PROMOTED: Scott McLemore, to senior vice president of program production for the Atlanta, Georgiabased Seals Cornrnun ica tions Corporation (Sealsco). Some other Sealsco promotions include: Scott Dewey to vice president, marketing group; Todd Thompson, to vice president, production group; Gary Wilkins, to manager, production facilities; and Jason Sharman to senior producer for Sealsco's MotoWorld series on ESPN2. RESIGNED: Logan Hirsh, as supervising producer at Seals Communications Corporation in Atlanta, Georgia. Hirsh produced the Sealsco flagship program MotoWorld, in addition to its sister program MotoWorld 2 for ESPN2. He will continue to live in Atlanta and is already working steadily as an independen t television producer. He can be reached at 404/8160962. PROMOTED: Chris Morton, to national sales manager, at Xtreme Designs Inc. Morton can be reached at 619/630-6370. NAMED: The Holiday Inn-Waldorf, Maryland, and the Holiday InnSolomons Island, Maryland, as the official race headquarters for the Budds Creek AMA 125/250cc Pro Motocross Nationals, on June 14-15. Special rates are now in effect for race teams, officials and fans at both hotels. For reservations at the Waldorf Holiday Inn, call 301/645-8200; at the Holiday !nn-Solomons, call 410/326-6311. Mention the Budds Creek Nationals for the special rates. OPENED: Action Group's home page on the World Wide Web. Action Group says that one hour after each Gran'd Prix Motocross event, it will have information, final results and photos on the web. The site can be found at the following address: http://action-group.com. eN "5 !-< ..gl ~ 3