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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128089
most in charge of track inspection and
safety, on February 7. It will be Danis'
second visit to the facility, though Barrick said there'd been no talks about a
Grand Prix, "There's been no discus-
museum that will overlook the track,
The Barber Vintage Motorsporst Muse-
move of some sort to make the weekend less hectic had been in discussion
um and vintage race team shop are currently housed as part of the Barber
dairy complex, Barrick said the motorcy-
for some time. Speculation had been
that one or more classes would be eliminated from the entire series, but for
sion of a GP,' Barrick said. "This is just
because they [Barberl want the track to
be suitable for a World Championship
event, at least by today's standards, so
c1e collection numbered 760 and owner
George Barber had begun collecting
Formula One cars, The top floor will be
available for functions.
2001, at least, that isn't the case.
Instead, it's the twins riders who will be
missing from Road Atlanta, Road America, and Mid-Ohio. To make up for the
that if that option comes along down the
road, they'll be ready, They wanted to
In a move aimed at making the Super-
missed races, Barrick said the AMA was
working on a plan, as yet unannounced,
make sure the track would be safe,'
The lay-out was designed by Allen WiIson, who also designed the road cours-
bike doubleheader weekends more manageable, the AMA has eliminated the
Pro Thunder class from the three
to proVide purse-paying events at WERA
Nationals. He said there may even be
additional races for the Pro Thunder rid-
es at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and
Pike's Peak International Raceway, as
doubleheader races, according to AMA
Road Race Manager Ron Barrick, The
ers, depending on whether or not the
AMA can provide purse-paying events.
from the 2001 machine, and very
focused on helping the technicians to
find it. "
well as Gingerman Raceway, and
numerous other facilities, "It's going to
be a layout that riders enjoy riding, It
looks like a lot of fun," Barrick said.
added Superbike race puts extra pressure on an already crowded schedule
and the AMA felt the need to streamline
the weekend. "That's really exactly the
The AMA is aware that the competitors
and their sponsors need to know where
and when they'll be racing and said the
AMA was working with WERA officials
The AMA Chevy Trucks U,S, Superbike
calendar could have a new venue for
Barrick was at the track just before
Christmas and said that the first layer of
asphalt is down on the track surface,
issue," Barrick said. "We're dealing with
more live television starts and any problems in the program make it more diffi-
to get the calendar clarified and hoped it
would happen soon, "We'll have to ere·
ate a deadline on some of these people
The paddock is graded out and they
were preparing it for asphalt and waiting
for a break in the weather to pave, All of
cult and you start juggling things around.
No one likes these schedule changes.
Certainly we don't. We need to stick
we're dealing with to get it resolved," he
said. Barrick also said that the Pro Thunder class will run at Daytona in 2001,
the site-development work, the grading,
drainage, and underground conduits, are
in place. The purpose of this visit, Barrick said, was to check on curbing and
with a written schedule from the get-go
for the teams and spectators,' Though
nothing has been made official, Barrick
said that the entry fornns for the Super-
though the Speedway has verbally
agreed to run Formula Xtreme in 2002.
"This year, one of the reasons stated
was that they hadn't had the opportunity
corner marshal positions, He also said
he'd be contacting some AMA riders to
bike doubleheaders don't include the
Buell Pro Thunder class, "People have
to announce it and put in there advertising," Barrick, who discussed the moved
see if they'd be willing to make the trip
and offer their advice. The final phase of
construction will include the paddock
called and we're not going to lie to anybody,' Barrick said. With Superbike
races on both Saturday and Sunday, the
with the Speedway back in September,
said. "They work on their advertising
well in advance as far as brochures and
bUildings, including a new four-floor
schedule is extremely crowded, and a
Both riders ran last year's machine as
well as the prototype of the new version, Using the 2000 bike gave continuity for suspenSion and other tests, while
the prototype established the value of
various possible directions of development. These were our first tests of the
year before the season begins in Japan
on April 8. We knew that the weather in
Malaysia can be bad at this time of
year, so we booked more time in Phillip
Island as a back-up. In the end, we completed the program in spite of the bad
conditions. Kenny was pleased to get
back on a GP bike, but the same as
ever - very clear about what he wants
2002 if everything goes according to
plan, AMA Road Race Manager Ron
Barrick said, The new track would be
the Barber Motorsports Complex
in Birmingham, Alabama, where work
continues on a new FIM-approved road
course that Barrick hopes will some day
host a round of the AMA championship.
"I would like to see it on the AMA calendar next year, but I can't say that we
have anything lined up," Barrick said.
Barrick will visit the site with Claude
Danis, president of the Road Race
Committee of the FIM and the official
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posters."
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The
site can
be lound at
the lollowing address:
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-- ~~!!?~:~.??~~~:.~~
. . . . ..
elew, Nathan Ramsey and Nick Wey are scheduled to appear.
http://www.racegates.com.
· c==~:::::::=======:.::::1
For more infonmation, call 626/974-6600.
AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At Dreyer Cycles in Indianapolis,
SIGNED: Team Husqvarna R&D, to wear Diadora boots for the
Indiana, on February g from 6:30 to 7:30 p,m. Team Suzuki's
2001 Supercross and motocross seasons, The team consists of
Travis Pastrana and Kevin Windham are scheduled to appear.
Steve Lamson, Jason Thomas, Travis Preston, Damien Plotts,
Chris Gosselaar, Bryan McGavran and David Kratz.
.
ELECTED: Winnie Feken, as preSident 01 the Illinois MotorcyHIRED: Fernando Belair, as national sales manager of Nelson-
Rigg, effective immediately. Belair's primary responsibilities will
include distributor and OEM relations, increasing public aware·
ness of Nelson·Rigg products, and advancing the scope of the
Nelson-Rigg product line, according to Nelson-Rigg.
RETURNED: Drew Lien, the founder of 100% Products, to
manage the product development and marketing of 100%,
which is now owned by Fox Racing. For more information, call
CORRECTION: In our list 01 Jeremy McGrath's impressive
AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At Kelly's Kawasaki in Mesa, Ari·
zona, on January 26 Irom 7 to 8 p,m. Team Chevy Trucks
Kawasaki's Ricky Canmichael and Stephane Roncada as well as
Team SplitFire/Pro Circuit's Shae Bentley and Casey Lytle are
scheduled to appear. For more information, call 480/969-9610.
dale, Arizona, on January 26, Irom 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Team
sponsorships for 2001, we failed to mention PJ-l Oils.
AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At Metro Motorsports in Glen-
Suzuki's Kevin Windham, Travis Pastrana, Danny Smith and
Rodrig Thain are scheduled to attend.
ACCEPTING: Freedom Cycles IS currently accepting racer
818/340·7619.
HIRED: Paul Seredynski, as Kawasaki's World Superbike team
press officer, effective immediately. Seredynskl, a fonmer Cycle
• World magazine associate editor, will serve as the team's offi·
ciaI spokesperson.
SIGNED: Freestyle motocrosser Mike Cinqmars to a contract
·
cle Dealers Association