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/128111
o A co o\X7u Bill !J'DK9 8 o proud of the great success obtained together with Ducati and it is with real enthusiasm that we have decided to renew our partnership for a further three years." "We are particularly delighted with the trust that lnfostrada has wished to confirm in us for the next three years. To be able to count on the support of such a motivated and enthusiastic partner will allow us to tackle future commitments in the best possible way," added Claudio Domenicali, Ducati Corse Managing Director on the renewal of the deal. Pro Honda Oils 600cc Supersport hunt, seven points behind points leader Eric Bostrom of Kawasaki with five of 11 races run. "We'll see how he feels and make a decision to see if he should ride all three classes or two or one," Halverson said. For Yamaha, the 600cc Supersport is the priority. "I'm sure he feels the priority would be World Superbike," Halverson said. Going into this season, Yamaha understood that they'd likely only have Gobert for one year and also understood that Laguna Seca would be his audition for a return to the world stage. Halverson said the team was still waiting to hear what restrictions the FIM will mandate for the AMA/WSB weekend. Kawasaki was told they'd have to designate one motorcycle for AMA and one for World Superbike, and that their riders would be asked to sit out half of Friday and Saturday's World Superbike free practice sessions. "We weren't planning on doing all the practices anyhow, even if he was going to ride two classes," Halverson said. But they were planning on running only one motorcycle. The major difference between the AMA and World Superbike rules is the World Superbike ban on leaded fuel. Yamaha will likely have to produce different ignition mapping for the two different fuels, with the leaded version being slightly less powerful. Halverson said he hoped that Gobert would be allowed to use only one R-7. Halverson also said Yamaha's Tommy Hayden decided not to enter the World Superbike races at Laguna Seca. Hayden, who originally intended to ride, decided around the time of the Sears Point National that it'd be best if he concentrated on the AMA series, rather than dilute his efforts with World Superbike. o o o o ~o Yamaha's Anthony Gobert won't know until days before the race whether he'll ride at the AMA/World Superbike weekend at Laguna Seca, according to Yamaha's Tom Halverson, though Yamaha is going forward with race preparations. "At this point. we're planning on him riding," Halverson said. Following his highside during Superbike qualifying at the Loudon round of the AMA/Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Series on June 15, Gobert sought the medical advice of Northern California surgeon Dr. Arthur Ting. In the crash, Gobert broke his left wrist, separated his right shoulder, lacerated his right elbow, and suffered a concussion. Originally, it was thought that he'd need surgery, but Ting thought otherwise. "Basically, he went to Ting [on Tuesday) and Ting deCided not to do surgery," Halverson said. "He broke the radius bone in his wrist like he had thought. There are four pieces in there. It didn't quite shatter, they're all in the place. It wasn't serious enough for him to go in and have surgery. He went home in a hard cast. He had some mobility with the wrist and he can still use it, it's just a matter of how much pain he can endure," Halverson said, adding there was no therapy other than rest. On the 2nd or 3rd of July, just prior to the July 5 start of AMA Superbike practice at Laguna Seca, Gobert will return to Northern California so that Ting can make a decision as to whether he'll race or not. "As long as everything is still in place, Ting said it wouldn't*be a problem, except that it's sore and painful," Halverson said. "His shoulder had a lot of trauma. It doesn't sound like he's going to be 100 percent." The next decision is which classes he'll ride. Currently he's out of the AMA/Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship, in 10th place - 104 points behind Yoshimura Suzuki's Mat Mladin - despite winning two races. But he's in the thick of the o o o o 6 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o As reported in last week's issue, Yoshimura Suzuki's Mat Mladin has been fined $5000 and penalized a Superbike Championship pole position point for detrimental conduct during a post-qualifying press conference at New Hampshire International Speedway on Saturday, June 16, according to a release issued by the AMA. The release is as follows: "When asked a question about his record-setting qualifying run, Mladin instead opened the press conference using profanity at times to criticize New Hampshire International Speedway, an AMA Pro Racing official, a newspaper reporter and fellow competitors. AMA Pro Racing deems Mladin's actions in the press conference as inex- cusable. The public form (sic) of a press conference is not the place to raise personal issues with AMA Pro Racing officials, newspaper reporters, fellow competitors or use foul language. Mladin leads the AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship with 230 points." Mladin is expected to appeal the decision. Honda Racing and Universal Studios Consumer Products Group are teaming up this summer to promote Universal Pictures' and Amblin Entertainment's Jurassic Park III, the third installment in the studio's most successful film franchise ever, scheduled for release on July 18, 2001, according to Honda. Jurassic Park III, with its breathtaking dinosaur effects, will prOVide a SUitably stunning backdrop for Honda Racing at two popular races in July. It shollild come as no surprise that Honda's race bikes and rider graphics will feature the voracious, Jurassic Parkinspired Tyrannosaurus Rex. Honda Racing's Ezra Lusk will be hunting down the competition on his Silver and red CR250R on Sunday, July 1 at Round 6 of the AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Motocross Championships at Red Bud Track-N-Trail in Buchanan, Michigan. Honda factory road racing star Nicky Hayden and his T-Rex emblazoned RC51 Superbike will be tearing up the field on Saturday, July 7 at Round six of the AMA/Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship at the Honda International Superbike Classic Presented By Dunlop at Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, California. In both races, Universal Studios takes the primary team sponsorship position on the race bikes with Jurassic Park III graphics. FollOWing the highly successful collaboration with The Mummy Returns, the record-breaking sequel that jump-started the summer movie season earlier thiS May, thiS is the second of four similar promotions in 2001 and 2002. With each effort, Universal Studios' films will be showcased with special designs on the bodywork and uniform of a selected Honda motocross rider and road racing rider. "The Jurassic Park franchise and Honda Racing are a perfect fit. They both deliver non-stop action that keeps you on the edge of your seat." said Elliot Lederman, vice president of licensing/sports, Universal Studios Consumer Products Group. "We have been very successful with the top teams in NASCAR, Formula One and CART and it was natural to expand our motorsports program with Honda Racing," said Lederman. Universal StudiOS also represents the merchandising and promotional rights to the Honda Racing Team riders, including jointly developed designs, such as the Jurassic Park III Honda Racing promotion. Announced in November 2000, the sponsorship agreement also features Universal Studios' animated character Woody Woodpecker as Team Mascot for both the Honda Motocross Racing Team and the Honda Road Racing Team. Dick Dickinson, a long-time BSA, Norton, and Moto Guzzi dealer, died on June 19. Dickinson was an early pioneer in motorcycling, riding on the road as well as in endurance runs, including the Jack Pine Enduro, IT, flat track and road racing events. Following his racing career, Dickinson sponsored and tuned for several up-and-coming riders. His last 20 years in the motorcycle business evolved from being a dealer, to a motorcycle shop where "Vintage" BSA. Norton and Triumph enthusiasts would gather to seek his vast knowledge. Several of these same enthUSiasts led his funeral procession riding BSA, Triumph and Harley-Davidson motorcycles. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Mabelle, twin sons, Gerald and Harold, daughter, Sandra, son, Jon, and many grandchildren and great grandchildren. If you like irreverent MX gossip, check out Dead Motocross Society, a weekly online radio show that airs every Wednesday from 9:00 p.m. to midnight, EST. Past guests have included TraviS Pastrana, Shae Bentley, Timmy Ferry, David Pingree, Ron Tichenor, Jason Thomas, Paul Currie, Matt Shue, Drake McElroy, Dustin Miller, Mike Mason, Andy Bell and Erin Bates (Miss FMX). In addition to discussion, the show features live prank phone calls to people in the phone book with names of famous motocrossers. To listen in, log on to www.practicetrack.net or www.racerxill.com and follow the links to the Dead Motocross Society. CDs of past shows are free with a subscription to Practice Track MagaZine. OPENED: Nelson Rigg's home page on the World Wide Web. The site can be found at: http://www.nelsonrigg.com. Perris Auto Speedway will host round seven of Gene Romero's E· moola.com West Coast Flat Track Series on Saturday night, June 30. In addition to the night of racing, the Trailblazers will hol.d the Lap of Legends, featuring notables such as Digger Helm, Skip Van Leeuewen, Paul Goldsmith, Keith Mashburn, Dick Hammer, Jody Nicholas, Bob Hansen, Kenny Eggers, Lee Harker and many more. Gates open at 5 p.m. with racing set to begin at 7:30 p.m. For more information, call 909/9400134. OPENED: Ceet Racing's home page on the World Wide Web. The site can be found at the following address: http://www.ceetracing.com. According to a press release issued by the company on Monday, June 25, Indi· :........•..............••••.....•••••..........•..••......•••.•..........•..........•.............•••.......•..•........••••........• · · · BORN: Brooke Simons, to MXer-turned-off-roader Willie Simons, and his wife Tina, in Mission Hills, California, on June 21. HIRED: Joe Root, former Manager of the Simi Valley Cycles race team, as the team manager for JMG Motorsports (formerly Dick Allen's), a HondalYamaha/KTM dealer in Southern California. · . .•..•......••••.••......••••••..•....•....... ........ ••.•.....••••••......•••••••...•....••.......••.••.•......•...•••......•••.•.•.. ~ 2 JULY 4, 2001 • cue I e n e _ s --------Continued on page 98