Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

California Speedway president William Miller summarizes it perfectly when he says, "It's going to be exciting. The rumor is gone and now it's a reaHty." It is the long-awaited road course at California Speedway, the rust-class racing facU'ity in Fontana, California, that plays host to both NASCAR and CART events annually. Previously just an oval, Califomia Speedway is currently undergoing can· stroction on a 2.36/2.81-rnile "Motorcycle Competition Course" that they hope will play host to AMA U.S. Superbike Series round In 2002. If they have their way, the round will be held sometime in February and will serve as the. kick-off to the 2002 AMA/Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Series - a month prior to the Daytona 200. The road course will feature 21 comers, a seven- to nine-foot elevation change and the possibility of elevated infield viewing. Owned by Intemational Speedway Corporation, Califomia Speedway opened its doors 1997 and has since played host to the CaHfornia 500 and the Marlboro 500 each year since then on its two-mile oval. Although the speedway still doesn't have a deal with the AMA, or an official an date, they are confident of the package coming together in the next 30 days or so. "We've been talking with the AMA," Miller said. "With Ron Barrick and John Farris. We'd 100Ie to have a date in the next 30 days. They have been very receptive." According to Miller, discussion regarding hosting a road rac~ at Fontana started two and a half years ago. "The Southem California market is desir· able," Miller said. "It's perhaps the largest motorcycle market in the world, and since Riverside closed down, there hasn't been any permanent racing facilities available. Our priority initially was to bring oval racing back to California. Now we want to make it the best overall racing facility we can. " Earth-moving equipment is already escavating the road course with an expected completion date in September. Initially, Erion Racing's Mark Miller and Jake Zemke rode on a portion of the course, helping the engineering crew with the transitions both on and off the banking, and they are hoping that other racers, including Doug Chandler, will visit the facility shortly to give input on the racetrack. MOTORCYCLE COMPETITION COURSE Race Tech's suspension experts will be on hand at the Ponca City, Oklahoma, NMA Amateur MX Nationals July 31-August 5. and at the Hurricane Mills. Tennessee. Loretta Lynn's AMA Amateur MX National Championship August 6-11, offering assistance with suspension setup. The Road 2 Recovery Foundation is selling Charity Drawing tickets on its Website for $10 each, or 11 for $100. The person with the winning ticket will win a new 125 or 250cc two-stroke . motocrosser of his or her choice. and other prizes will be awarded as well. The Road 2 Recovery Foundation is dedicated to providing financial, motivational, emo- tiona I and spiritual support to selected AMA-licensed members in the event of a career-ending injury. For more information. log on to www.road2recovery.com. Hundreds of enthusiastic - and damp motorcyclists braved powerful summer storms to raise a record $64,184 at the Minnesota Ride For Kids on Sunday. July 22, according to Honda. Formula USA announced today that the road race sanctioning body will take over all operations involved with the 125 Grand Prix and 250cc Grand Prix classes that Formula USA has hosted at its CCS and NRRS events in 2001 on behalf of Grand Prix Riders Asso- ciation (GPRAl. GPRA is unable to continue to provide purses and trophies for the remaining events due to non-payment of funds to them by their primary sponsor, according to F-USA. While continuing to license riders. process entries and run the events, Formula USA will now take over paying the riders the event purses and issuing trophies to the riders. "With GPRA's loss of funding by their primary sponsor. it was important for Formula USA to continue to support the 125 Grand Prix and 250 Grand Prix events that we began hosting with GPRA this season," said Bill Syfan, director of road racing for Formula USA. "The riders deserve to be able to continue to race for their championships and to feel confident that the support will be there from Formula USA." With the change will come a change in entry fees and purse payouts. Entry fees for both classes will now be $75 per event, and any GPRA, Formula USA or CCS license will be accepted, according to Formula USA. The purse for both the 125 and 250cc GP classes will remain at $1000. although the payout will change as follows: 1st - $350. 2nd - $250. 3rd $175, 4th - $125, 5th· $100. Remaining events on the schedule include the Formula USA NRRS events at Pocono Raceway on August 23-26. Portland International Raceway on September 69, and Daytona International Speedway on October 18-21. For more information. contact Formula USA at 817/332-4822. . . . . . . . . . . . . . It It "" Eddie Mulder. founder of Eddie Mulder's West Coast Vintage Dirt Track Series, along with Mark Gibson and Mike Zbrozek of the Vintage Dirt Track Racing Association, have finalized plans to bring the V.D.T.R.A. out west by hosting three Pro Vintage classes from their program to be run Saturday at the West Coast Vintage Dirt Track Series Vintage Del Mar Mile on Saturday, October 6, during the Del Mar Motorcycle weekend. Original plans for two days of racing in Boise, Idaho. were changed by WCVDTS after negotiations for multiple-year terms with Clear Channel Motor Sports. One of the terms involved bringing both the SFX National Dirt Track Series and the West Coast Vintage Dirt Track Series to Boise next year. AMA Pro Racing has made it official: Starting in 2002, the Progressive Insurance U.S. Flat Track Championship series will make a much-anticipated transition in format. as the SuperTracker Series is integrated into Grand National Championship racing. This integration plan first began to take shape in 1997. The dirt track community gathered together to develop a five-year plan that later became known as Project 2000. with the expressed goal of bringing more manufacturers and teams into dirt track racing at the Grand National level. In January of 1999, the new class specifications and requirements were formalized, and the AMA SuperTrapp SuperTracker Series, was launched. "At that time, we made a three-year commitment to adhere to the existing standards for both the SuperTracker and Grand National series, and that has been fulfilled," said Merrill Vanderslice, AMA Pro Racing director of competition . "Many people have invested considerable amounts of planning, effort and expense over this time period. and these combined efforts have brought us to this point of transition. Now. we are right on schedule for the next step, one that had been discussed and planned from the outset. As we prepare to integrate the The AMA has announced that the third AMA Women & Motorcycling Conference will be held June 29 through July 3. 2002, at West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon, West Virginia. "The AMA is pleased to once again host the Women & Motorcycling Conference," said Robert Rasor. President of the AMA. "Based on the success of our two previous conferences, we're confi- : OPENED: Canyon Dogs' home page on the World Wide Web. The site can be found at the follOWing address: http://www.canyondogs.com. . James Bruce Berry. 81, of Sun City, California, died in his home on July 25. Berry was the owner of Award Motors, the Honda/Yamaha/Bultaco/Triumph dealer in Costa Mesa, California, from 1967-1983, and was active in all forms of motorcycle competition during that time before selling the dealership to Champion Motorcycles. Berry was a life member of the AMA. He is survived by his wife. Nancy, son, Jim. daughters. Dianne and Debbie, and two grandchildren. The Over The Hill Gang has added a 45-plus class for riders 45 years of age and older. Initially. the class will be divided into two ability categories: A Riders, combining experts and intermediates, and B Riders, combining novices and beginners. The next events are scheduled for August 12 at Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, California: August 26 at Competition Park in San Jacinto, California; and September 9 at Starwest in Moreno Valley, California. For additional information, visit www.overthehillgang.or9· ................................................................................................................................................................ "" • OPENED: 29 Dreams Motorcycle Resort and Campground's home page on the World Wide Web. The site can be found at the follOWing address: http://www.29dreams.com. The motorcycle-only campground is located just outside of Birmingham, Alabama, close to the new Barber Motorsports Complex. dent that the 2002 event will be a valuable experience for all who attend." The first two AMA Women & Motorcycling Conferences were held in 1997 and 2000. More than 700 women and men attended the 2000 conference. from 46 states. Sweden. Australia and Canada. Married: Off-road racer Matt Stavish to Nancy Ronhovde, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. July 21. Stavish rides for Gas Gas North America and is their Midwest regional dealer sales representative. It cue . . . - - - - - - - Continued on page 110 .. I e n e _ 50 • AUGUST 8. 2001 3 CJ J J o o o o o o o o o o CJ J CJ o CJ "I ...J '1 L, o o c o n o o o o o o o o d o o o o o o o

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