Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Cycle News 1999 05 19

Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles

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Shane Watts (KTM) won round six of the Grand National Cross Country Series in Manahawkin, New Jersey, on May 9. Rodney Smith (Suz) finished second, followed by Paul Edmondson (Suz), Fred Andrews (Kaw) and Jim Jarrett (Kaw). S.B.R. Semoff Bros. Racing (Yam) was the overall winner at round two of the WERA National Endurance Series, held at Gingerman Raceway in South Haven, Michigan, on May 8. Second in the sixhour race - 3'1, of which was rain-soaked was Arclight Racing Suzuki (Suz), With Army of Darkness (Suz) third. According to a release from the Buell Motorcycle Company, they have issued a voluntary recall of models built between 1994 and 1999 to correct "several components." The release states that "the voluntary recall will effect no more than 18,637 motorcycles, of which 12,400 were sold in North America." Affected components include motor mounts, battery cables, rear-brake lines, side-stand switches, fuel-tank retention systems, fuel-tank vents, swingarms and shock eyes. "The safety of Buell riders is of utmost importance to all of us at Buell," said Jerry Wilke, the chief executive officer of Buell "These recalls were declared voluntarily pursuant to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regulations. Erik Buell, our chairman and chief technical officer, and I will be working closely with our employees and dealers to update these motorcycles quickly so our riders can continue to enjoy their motorcycles and riding season." The United States Tobacco Company will increase its support of motorcycle racing in 1999, through an agreement with the Clayton Memorial Foundation. U.S. Tobacco will contribute 33 cents for every ticket sold at each of the AMA National Motocross Series events in 1999, up to a maximum of $70,000. "The Gayton Memorial Founda tion is there long after the race is over, helping injured riders when they have nowhere to turn," said Andy Hoefer, manager of marketing promotions for U.S. Tobacco. "It is an honor to be associated with this excellent organization and give back to those athletes who provided excitement and entertainment to thousands of race fans each year." In addition, U.S. Tobacco will increase its Pro Privateer Challenge by more than 25 percent, awarding prize money at each of the 12 outdoors to the top two privateers in both the 125 and 250cc classes. This year's program will award $1000 to the top finishing privateer and $500 to the runner-up. Additionally, year-end awards of $5000 and $2500, respectively, will be awarded to the season's top privateer in each class, bringing the total amount of the fund to $51,000 for '99. 10 I Ii III I!II II lit n .. i! l5i ;. - Speedvision Productions has announced that CBS Sports will broadcast coverage of the Toyota World Supercross, scheduled for the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on November 20. The'race will air on December 11 from 1 to 2 p.m. Eastern time. Speedvision will reair the event on December 21 from 8 to 9 p.m. Eastern time. The Rose Bowl event will be the U.S. stop on the four-race. World Supercross Championship calendar. Jeremy McGrath, Jeff Emig, Larry Ward, Ezra Lusk and Robbie Reynard have already committed to the series, according to Speed vision Productions. In addition, Toyota has signed on as the official title sponsor of the race. :; Barona Speedway Park, near San Diego, ~ California, is under new management 2 and has been completely renovated. Fast Doohan injured ·in 5 sin H alfway into Friday's qualifying session for the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez on May 7, five-time 500cc World Champion Mick Doohan was high-sided when he ran up on the white paint lining the outside of a l20-mph, third-gear left, crashing spectacularly and ending any chance he had of a sixth consecutive 500cc World Championship. It was only the fourth lap of the session, which he sat out of until it was a third over since rain had fallen just prior to the start and the track was partially wet. - On the previous lap, his third complete lap, Doohan had dropped down into the 1:46 range, still well off the 1:44 that was the mark he'd set in the morning session, but had had a scare when he hit the paint in a different section of the track. He got away with that one, but this time the NSRSOO cartwheeled destructively and Doohan was thrown from the bike into a trackside barrier. He was taken to the infield medical center, then transferred to· the Virgen Del Rocio Hospital in nearby Seville. A statement released at the hospital said that he suffered a "fracture of the external part of the right collarbone, a slight contusion and hematoma of the right shoulder, a left-wrist radio fracture, a tibial plate fracture of the right knee, and multiple contusions and abrasions with no serious consequences." It was the same leg he grievously broke in his crash at the Dutch Grand Prix in 1992. The leg and wrist were both put in casts. Treated separately, none of the injuries are considered serious. As it is, Doohan's crew chief, Jeremy Burgess, said that Doohan might return for the Czech Grand Prix at the end of the long summer break on August 22nd. "I don't know if this accident will reinforce his decision on whether to retire at the end of the year or not," Burgess said. "He's said all along that he'll continue racing as long as he's enjoying it." In a statement released by the Shell Advance 250cc GP team, which he partly sponsors, Doohan said: "Grand Prix racing is not going to see me leaving in an ambulance. I'll be back." Burgess, who spoke to Doohan after the accident and again after he went to the hospital, said he was in good spirits and aware of how the. crash happened. "I've been lucky many times in the past and I've often managed to avoid serious crashes, so I'll just have to accept what happened yesterday," Daohan said in a statement released by his team. "I now expect that Alex Criville will be able to fight Kenny Roberts Jr. for the championship." Doohan was flown in his private jet to London's Heathrow Airport on Saturday morning, where he transferred to a flight to San Francisco. He had a preliminary examination after landing on Saturday and was going to see doctors again on Sunday to determine the next course of action. An operation was possible as early as Sunday. The consulting physicians are Dr. 'Arthur Ting and Dr. Kevin Louie. Dr. Ting had recommended Dr. Louie to Doohan when Doohan needed to be fitted with the IJizarov birdcage (an external fixator device) that Doohan utilized during the off-season in 1993, following his crash at Assen in 1992. Depending on the severity of th,e break to the leg, the bone co~ld be left in plaster or Track Enterprises has expanded the track to a slightly-banked quarter-mile. Racing will· take place on sevE:n different Saturday nights, beginning on June 5, with Open Pro, Sportsman, Vintage and Quad classes scheduled to run on a IT track. For more information, call 619/669-1303. The weekend of May 21-22 will see the grand opening of Orange County Harley-Davidson, the largest HarleyDavidson and Buell dealership in California and the eighth largest in the United States. The 25,OOO-square-foot facility is located in Irvine, just off the 405 Freeway. On Monday, May 3, Excelsior-Henderson Motorcycle Manufacturing Company announced the closing of a private placement of $10 million of Series D Convertible Preferred Stock with two institutional investers. The conversion price of the Series D Preferred Stock is $7.65, a lo-percent premium over the recent market price, and is fixed for at least the first 12 months after closing. Excelsior-Henderson trades on . NASDAQ under BIGX. Team Race Against Cancer 4 Kids' Joe Cubbage called to clarify what happened further surgery could be recommended. Grand Prix medical officer Dr. Claudio Costa said the break was badly fragmented" which virtually ensures the need for surgery. What isn't known is how much collateral damage was done to the knee. Ligament damage would require a more strenuous course of rehabilitation and might delay his return to racing. He is expected to remain in the San.Francisco area for some time. The track was especially treacherous at the time of Doohan's crash. Moments earlier, Suzuki's Kenny Roberts Jr. had crashed on a white line and Marlboro Yamaha's Max Biaggi was nearly brought down, miraculously surviving a colossal "flying W." Team Suzuki's Roberts made it clear that Doohan's absence was felt by the rest of the 500cc class, and that he was the standard of excellence. "I'm not trying to take anything away from the other guys "Ve're the fastest motorcycle riders in he world," Roberts said. "That's why we're doing this. But for me it was something to train for and something that hadn't changed the last five years. So you get that in your mind and you get motivated in that direction. I'm not riding any different. My mental outlook is to try to be as consistent as possible and try and finish on the podium in every race, which I think we have a good chance of doing. I'm sure Alex (Criville) feels the same, Max (Biaggi) as well. It's just something that we wanted to beat Mick (Ooohan), and we wanted to do it on a level playing field and if he's not here, it doesn't mean that I don't want to win on Sunday. It's the same for everybody else. It takes a little bit out of it." Marlboro Yamaha Race Team's Carlos Checa said, "Not having Mick around is like having an orchestra without a conductor." Teammate Max Biaggi added, "We all feel very sorry for him; he's the greatest rider around and now he's ou~ of the championship." Contrary to early reports, Repsol Honda won't have to replace Doohan, according to Burgess. Burgess explained that teams normally have two races to replace an injured rider, but that's only if the team had just one rider and was in jeopardy of not fulfilling its contract with IRTA. Since the Repsol Honda team is still wellrepresented by Tadayuki Okada, Alex Criville and Sete Gibernau, the team won't replace Doohan. Burgess pointed out the difficulty of replacing a rider of Doohan's stature. "Who are we going to get?" Burgess asked. One name that popped up was Australian Daryl Beattie, who's looking to make a return to racing after more than a year and a half away from the sport. to him when he crashed while leading the AMA 250cc Grand Prix race at laguna Seca, held May 2. Cubbage said that he had already passed the lapped rider entering tum seven, and that upon entering turn eight, the actual reason for his fall was a 2-foot-by-3-foot patch of dirt, a hazard he says he wasn't warned about by the corner workers. "Yes, it's· true that I did hoot, holler and scream at the corner workt;rs, but it was so that they would use the flags, and then to use the broom to try to clean it up," Cubbage said by telephone on May 6. "I feel like I was robbed of the win. What upset me was that the corner workers didn't do their job. We're just trying to move ahead and put this behind us." PACE Motor Sports held its annual supercross banqu.et on Sunday, May 2, in Las Vegas, Nevada, and handed out the following awards: Vans Triple Crown Award, Ezra Lusk; Transport Driver of the Year, George Ellis; AMA Special Recognition Award, Duke and Sonnie Finch; 1oo-Percent Award, Mike LaRocco; C.E. Altman Top Privateer Award, Tim Ferry; Mechanic of the Year Award, Randy Lawrence; Lifetime Achievement Awar~, Keith McCarty; Dave Coombs Sr. 125 Shootout Award, Nathan Ramsey. According to the Californian Motorcycle Dealers Association, the California Department of Motor Vehicles began issuing "Red Stickers" - a new category of off-highway proof of registration - on April 22. These stickers identify the vehicles to which they were affixed as noncompliant with California's new offhighway engine-emission standard that went into effect on·January 1, 1997. Motorcycles and ATVs with red stickers can be legally used in public off-highway recreational areas in designated months when the ozone levels are the lowest. These usage periods will vary from area to area, although about onethird of California, in mainly rural areas, .will be open to use by red-stickered offhighway vehicles year-round. The USCRA/AMA Vintage Motorcycle Grand Prix, scheduled for June 14 at New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire, will feature Dick Klamfoth Day, with Klamfoth serving as guest of honor. Klamfoth, a three-time Daytona 200 winner

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