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/127986
Helen will be held at Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, California, September 1O~11, and will feature a Pro
purse of $10,()()(). Pro teams will consist
of four-man teams with one bike, while
the Amateur portion will feature sixmqn teams with two bikes. The course
will be 10 miles long and the race will
run from 12 p.m. on Saturday to 12 p.m.
on Sunday. For more information, call
909 1880-3090.
According to an AMA Pro Competition
Bulletin released on February 18, road
race rules 2 (c) and (d) have changed to
read as follows: 2 c - For timed qualifying events in superbike and classes
requiring a Pro Expert license, a rider's
best lap time must be within 112 percent of the fastest qualifying rider's best
lap time in order to prequalify for one
of the available grid positions in the
final; 2 d - Riders in the top 10 in points
in a particular class, currently or at the
end of the previous season, and past
class champions, will be permitted a
total of one provisional start per season
in that class.
A Hodaka Homecoming will be held on
May 23 in Corvalis, Oregon, featuring
many of the original employees, engineers and minds behind the Hodaka
brand of motorcycles. The homecoming,
which will run in conjunction with the
Oregon Vintage Motorcycle Club event,
will also feature a swap meet and bike
show. For more information, contact
Strictly Hodaka at 401/364-3427.
The inaugural Eastern Fire and Police
Motocross Nationals will take place at
Broken Spokes Raceway in
ew
Philadelphia, Ohio, June 14-15. Over 20
classes will be represented and the event
is open to firefighters, police officers
and emergency-medical-services personnel. The event will benefit the MakeA-Wish Foundation and the bum unit of
Children's Hospital Medical Center of
Akron, Ohio. For more information, call
330/733-6896.
Sad but true dept.: Razing began on the
Santa Fe Speedway in Willow Springs,
Illinois, on March 4, with the famous
race place being demolished to make
way for a $70 million upscale housing
development.
Off-road racer Justin Bryant broke both
legs and a collarbone during a desert
race in Yerington, Nevada, on February
28. Bryant has had his legs pinned and
is currently recovering at his home in
Nevada. Contributions to help pay
Bryant's medical bills can be sent to the
Justin Bryant Special Account,
#6804727899, Wells Fargo Bank, 1542
Highway 395, Gardnerville, NV 89410.
The Moto Guzzi Corporation, a subsidiary of Trident Rowan Group Inc.,
has completed its merger with North
Atlantic Acquisition Corporation, and
the company will trade under the symbol GUZI, effective March 5. The deal
provides an initial $8.9 million in cash
equity and the possibility of up to $15
million more from the exercise of warrants, representing a major step in the
growth of Moto Guzzi.
AMA Pro Thunder road racer James
Lickwar had his spare leathers stolen
from the team trailer during the Pro
Thunder race at Daytona International
Speedway on March 7. He is offering a
reward for the return of his leathers. For
more information, call 415/863-0967.
Former World Speedway Champion
Corser quick
in Misano
W
ith just two weeks remaining before the
start of the World Superbike Championship, Australian Troy Corser and his
Ducati teammate, defending World Champion
Carl Fogarty, showed that they are more than
ready to begin the season after an impressive test
in Misano, Italy, March 9-11.
Corser led the time sheets, breaking the Misano
record with a lap of 1:32.94 - under Akira Yanagawa's lap record of 1:33.494 set during qualifying
for last year's race. Fogarty, meanwhile, circulated
at a best of 1:33.61.
Both riders tested the bikes they will ride in the
South African series opener on March 28, complete
with new Ohlins suspension.
"We have two different solutions for the fork - 42 and 46mm and both are good," Corser said. "I don't know if I will use one or
the other. ['II probably make different choices at different tracks."
In South Africa and Australia, the factory Ducatis will use the
'98 engines Witl1 three injection points in each cylinder and a long
injection inlet. Later in the season, Corser and Fogarty will get
the evolution motor with two injection points and a short inlet.
They believe this configuration will be better at the slower circuits, such as Albacete in Spain.
Although the Castrol Honda team wasn't on hand for the Misano test, the factory YamaI1as, Aprilias ami Suzukis were there along with a host of privateer Ducati riders, induding Doriano
Romboni.
Romboni ended up fifth fastest, behind the two factory riders
and the two British Superbike Championship riders, Neil Hodgson and Troy Bayliss. It was Romboni's first-ever test on a superbike and he was impressive, lapping at 1:34.20.
"I was out for 10 m9nths due to a right-hand fracture at the
GP of Malaysia," Romboni said. "I found very soon a good feeling with the Ducati. This superbike is incredible. The engine is'
very powerful, like a SODcc GP engine, and the bike is smooth to
ride. You can take a corner with the wrong gear and you can exit
fast anyway. With a 500cc GP bike, you have just 1()()() rev range;
with Ducati it is totally different. I never tested a four-stroke
before - I just have my big Harley for at home on the street. I'm
really happy. I know that I will be able to be satisfied with very
good results in World Superbike."
.
Billy Hamill will make his comeback
from his broken back on March 20 at the
1999 Coors Light Spring Classic at Costa
Mesa Speedway in Costa Mesa, California. For more information on the Spring
Classic, call 949/492-9933.
Speedvision is gearing up for its coverage of the 1999 road racing season. The
network will offer live coverage of the
AMA Superbike Series, beginning on
March 21 with the Phoenix round. In
addition, Speedvision will air same-day
coverage of both the World Superbike
and World Championship Grand Prix
Series. Those who aren't fortunate
enough to get Speed vision can call
888/22SPEED to request that the network
be added to their local cable system
According to a press release issued by
Motorsports Entertairunent Group, the
Albuquerque Arenacross, scheduled
for March 19-21 in Albuquerque, New
Mexico, is a nonsanctioned event. For
more information, ca1l602/833-1886.
Groundbreaking will begin on March 30
for Polaris Industries' new 130,000square-foot building in Medina, Minnesota. The new building is scheduled to
be completed during the first quarter of
2()()() at an estimated cost of $17 million.
Nicholas Scott Sampsell, 2, the son of
Scott Sampsell, a former District 6
'motocross champion, and his wife,
Kathy, died on February 19 from
injuries sustained in an accident. The
Sampsells have established a memorial
fund in Nicholas' name. For more information, Sampsell can be e-mailed at
ssampsell@pcslink.net.
According to a press release from the
Women's Motocross League, American
Suzuki will provide full. scholarships to
the 1999 WML Elite Rider Training Boot
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Although he has closed the gap slightly, Noriyuki Haga still
ended up over 1.5 seconds slower than Corser on the factory
YamaI1a R-7. The team is hoping to get new parts for the bike
from Japan prior to the season opener.
"The R-7 program started with a delay," team manager David
Brivio said. "We know that we will have powerful engines in
early summer. We are okay with chassis and suspension - we just
need more horsepower. We know we have the best rider in the
field and we are fully confident."
Suzuki is also a work in progress at the moment, with the
team testing a new rear-suspension linkage and evolution
engines at Misano. Pier-Francesco Chili led the team with a lap of
1:34.35.
"I must improve my feelings with everything - bike, tires, a
four-cylinder engine," Chili said. "I need a lot more horsepower,
but we aren't so far from the top. I'm confident, because I see a
lot of motivation in the Suzuki men and I think I have the top
team in the World Superbike scene. All the Alstare staff push
very hard to help me."
Aprilia had a new version of its V-twin at Misano, with more
top speed and acceleration than the package used at the previous
tests. Peter Goddard lapped at 1:34.90 prior to crashing on the
se