Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

nal programming, including six stand alone one-hour shows and two half-hour highlight/lifestyle shows from the 2001 season. Each show will air at least twice on ESPN, including at least once in prime time, and then re-air at least three times on ESPN2 for a total of over 35 hours of freestyle motocross programming. Maxima Racing Oils has signed as the title sponsor of the DM Sports 200 1 Women's World MX Championship Series with over $4000 in product and championship bonuses available to women participants of the series, according to DM Sports. Motocross 101, a motocross riding school presented by Danny UMagoo" Chandler, will be held in 2001. For more information, call 530/626-0877. Screamin' Eagle Performance Parts, a division of Harley-Davidson, has announced its increased commitment to the IHRA Screamin' Eagle Nitro Harley·Davidson class. Beginning with the 2001 season, the class will be known as Screamin' Eagle Nitro HarleyDavidsons. The commitment creates the biggest, most lucrative motorcycle drag racing competition program in the United States, according to Harley-Davidson. "We are very excited to continue our long-term relationship with the IHRA." said Anne Paluso, Screamin' Eagle Marketing Manager. "Screamin' Eagle is proud to increase our support of these professional racers and help IHRA put on one of the greatest shows in motorsports." IHRA's partnership with Screamin' Eagle includes a $19,000 purse at each of 11 Nitro-Harley Davidson national event races and a $90,000 season-ending championship points purse that guarantees $35,000 to the World Champion. New to the program is the $22,000 Screamin' Eagle Nitro Harley Shootout at a yet undetermined location. The Shootout pays $8000 to win, with $5000 awarded to the runnerup. "Screamin' Eagle and Harley-Davidson are one of the most recognized brands in the world," stated IHRA vice president of sales and marketing Aaron Polburn. "We are pleased that Screamin' Eagle thinks enough of IHRA to make Screamin' Eagle Nitro HarleyDavidson's the largest and most competitive drag racing motorcycle series in the world.' more about the bike. The bike feels perhaps even better than the [Hondal Vtwin I rode last year in the corners which is where I had to make up time. And for sure it is a lot more powerful and faster - a lot more. I think it can make a very competitive lap time against the V-fours - and we're all looking forward to the IRTA tests at Jerez [in midFebruaryJ. where we get our first chance to compare directly with all the other factory V-four bikes and riders.' The team spent three days at Almeira, with van den Goorbergh and factory tester Nigel Bosworth. With a number of detail developments to be tested, as well as the finalized 2001 chassis and some aerodynamic experiments, the team was glad of clear weather to be able to complete a busy schedule, as well as getting some Michelin tire testing done. "We're in the best shape we've ever been at this time of year,' said a satisfied team manager Chuck Aksland. For the first two days, the riders concentrated on chassis testing, with a number of suspension and geometry variations to try, as well as a new carbon-fiber swingarm. They were also able to test both 17-inch and 16.5-inch Michelin front tires. Strong winds struck the third day, but even this was something of an advantage, since they were testing new, more aerodynamic bodywork developed in the wind tunnel by the England-based team. Pauline Hailwood, for the estate of Mike Hallwood, announced the appointment recently of Lloyd Jassin, as the estate's exclusive licensing agent, according to a press release. In commenting upon Jassin' s appointment, Mrs. Hailwood, said: "Lloyd brings a wealth of media, merchandising and entrepreneurial experience to the Mike Hailwood organization.' Jassin has held various business and legal affairs positions in the television, publishing, licensing and advertising industries, working with such "evergreen' properties as "The Honeymooners," "Mighty Mouse," "The Twilight Zone," and "Mobil Travel Guides." "Mike Hailwood remains motorcycle racing's most durable and revered legend," said Jassin, noting the 20th anniversary of Mike the Bike's death. The estate is currently in negotiations to bring licensed apparel. calendars, posters, and other Mike Hailwood and Mike the Bike properties, to retailers. The Mike Hailwood Story has recently been optioned for a full-length motion picture and a special memorial is being planned for the Isle Man TT this summer. Simultaneously with this announcement, the estate has unveiled its redesigned website: www.mikethebike.com. According to the press release, the words Mike Hailwood, Mike the Bike, MH and the phrase, "For the love of the sport' are trademarks of the estate of Mike Hailwood. The likeness, name, and voice of Mike Hailwood are valuable property rights owned by the estate, in the United States, England, Spain and elsewhere. Use of any of the estate's trademarks without permission is strictly prohibited by law, the release states. After three days of testing at the Almeira circuit in Spain fast week, Proton Team Roberts' Jurgen van den Goorbergh is convinced that the latest refinements to the Mk3 version of the lightweight three-cylinder KR3 show that the machine has reached a high pitch of development. and he's more than ready to measure those improvements against the heavyweight V-four opposition. "In our first test, we were making big changes,' the Dutch road racer said in a release from the team. "At these tests, just small changes. And all the time going in a good direction. We went faster again than last time, and tested a lot of different things to find out even ............................................ •••••••.....••••••.•..................•••••... . multi-time World Championship-winning crew chief and team owner confirmed that he'll be running a test team for Bridgestone tires, with an eye toward Bridgestone entering the 500cc World Championship in 2002. "They want to develop a 500 tire so we're basically doing the testing for them,' said Kanemoto, who signed a one-year contract, during a telephone interview from his race shop in Belgium. "Hopefully over the course of this year we can get a competitive tire.' For most of his career, Kanemoto has worked closely with Michelin on his way to winning 500cc World Championships with Freddie Spencer and Eddie Lawson, and with Dunlop on the 250cc World Championship-winning machinery of Luca Cadalora and Max Biaggi. He last raced in 1999 with John Kocinski, on Michelins. Kanemoto skipped the 2000 campaign because there were no attractive opportunities. Instead, he spent the season exploring the long-term viability of his team. Though he has only a one-year contract. this deal may be one that takes him into the future. For the test team Kanemoto has hired former 500cc riders Nobuatsu Aoki, who last year partnered Kenny Roberts Jr. on the Telefonica Movistar Suzuki team, and Shinichi Itoh, a former 500cc rider who's been riding in Japan the last few years. The team is using the same 2001 Honda NSR500s that the satellite teams, like Honda Pons and Shell Advance, will be using. The Bridgestone team recently made its debut, completing a rain-plagued fourday test at the Jerez circuit in southem Spain. Kanemoto said the results were encouraging, given the circumstances. "On the first day it rained. The second day we tried to get a machine setting. The riders hadn't ridden since last year. On the second day of testing Aoki did a 45.9. Qualifying last year was 42.9 and last year's race time was 44.1. " The opening round of the Motocross World Championship, scheduled in Bellpuig, Spain - a town located some 80 miles from Barcelona - will be held on March 18 instead of March 11. In addition, the second round in Valkenswaard, Holland, has been rescheduled for April 1. The schedule is as follows: March 18 - Spain (Bellpuig); April 1 - Holland (Valkenswaard); April 15 - Australia (Broadford); April 29 - Belgium (Genk); May 13 - Germany

• Cover