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/128119
horrific starting-line accident at the March Daytona 200, said he'd only ride practice, "I'm not going to ride the race. just practice," Russell said as he prepared to move his training base to Colorado for a month. Russell said he was going to ride the practice sessions, but wasn't sure if he'd ride the qualifying sessions also. "Get more time on it. We'lI see how it goes. We'lI see what they want to do. I'd like to ride every session I can get. I'd like to get out there and get with it. I'm still not really ready to race. The more time I can be on it the better." Severe injuries to Russell's left side continue to impede his riding, though he's been riding near his home outside of Atlanta and he recently rode at the Kevin Schwantz Suzuki Riding School earlier this week, "I'm still weak from them," Russell said of his injuries... Mainly just getting side to side on the bike, Putting my [left] leg in a crunch position. it's hard to put the weight on it. My [left] arm could be a little stronger, My [left] foot could be better too as far as shifting the bike. I still can't pull my toes off the ground very far. Downshifting's kind of strange. It's getting a lot better quick." As much as anything, Russell still needs to get acclimated to the Ducati that he has relatively little time on. "I just wanted to get on the bike again. really. because I still really don't have a great feeling for that Ducati yet." The plan is for Russell to spend a month in Colorado training, including a stint at the American Supercamp in Mead, Colorado. all with an eye to racing in the final round of the AMA series at Virginia Intemational Raceway. "That's really my whole point in doing that," he said, "Going to Colorado to train up there to get in shape for one, and then just do that [American Supercampl while I'm out there. that kind of worked. Forget Willow, I'll be back at Virginia, I'd better be able to, That's my whole point of this exercise, 1'/1 be ready, I got a lot of work to do, but I've got a month and a half to do it. work hard. and we're fixing to hit the gym right now again. We're on the program." Russell recently rode his HMC Ducati during the VIR test and got more seat time at Road Atlanta at the Schwantz School. "I went up and rode around with /XJffJ!JiJiJ DD[t]@W@C!!JDD@]~ D fP @[jJ@@@\!A!7ffJJ2...J.-.---=-@--CAmerica's Billy Hamill bounced back from his recent Grand Prix woes to win the fourth round of the Speedway Grand Prix Series in Prague, Czech Republic, on August 18. Current leader of the championship Tony Rickardsson of Sweden was second (20 points) with Australian Jason Crump (18 points) and Poland's Tomasz Gollob (16 points) third and fourth, respectively. Approximately 20,000 fans packed the atmospheric Marketa stadium to witness the fourth round of the series and the world number three's return to form. Hamill was understandably ecstatic afterward. "This is a personal victory for me," Hamill said. "I've had a very bad start to the series so far and it's been difficult to get back amongst it. But it's a fantastic feeling tonight to beat Tony and Jason, as they are the two best riders in the world at the moment." Hamill's win takes him to ninth place in the championship table, but he is a long way off current leader Tony Rickardsson. Despite not winning the event the Swede was pleased with his own result. "It was so hot out there tonight and I rode very well until the final, when I made a mistake at the start, but if someone had given me second place before the meeting tonight I would have been delight- o J o o o o Cameron Gray [of Speedvisionl. Called [Kevin] Schwantz and he said, 'Yeah, come on out.' I did one day cruising around with him [on both the Suzuki GSX-R750 and 600sJ. That was fun. That was easy, that was nice. On the streetbike, it wasn't very hard to ride that at all. " 8 o o n o o After his time in Colorado, Russell will fly to Milan for the Intermot show where he'll debut his line of Screaming Chief clothing and accessories. The debut is planned for September 18 with the goods available on www.screamingchief.com, as well as through dealerships. Hap Jones and possibly others will handle the Russell line, and the clothing is already available at a Tokyo dealership. Russell's sister, Sheri, an account executive with Cycle News in Atlanta, is working closely with Scott on the product line. "There are 35 pieces in the collection and it starts at a basic T· shirt to a full replica suit," Sheri Russell said. "We tried to appeal to every level of consumer. It starts out with a $20 shirt and goes up to $1100 replica suit. There are several different riding jackets as well, nylon and leather. All of them are going to have the 'Chief' on them." Sheri Russell said there are sweatshirts and polo shirts, leather jackets and rac· ing leathers, both one and two-piece. o o o o ~o o o LJ ffJu ©~@@DD _ ed," Rickardsson said. "I'm a happy man." John Postlethwaite. Chief Executive, Benfield Sports International, rights owners of the Series, said: "I'm delighted with the continued growth of the GP Series which resulted in the biggest crowd yet seen at the Marketa Stadium. The organization of the event was excellent, and I am looking forward to coming back here for many years to come." Rickardsson now leads the series with 86 points, 11 points ahead of Poland's Tomasz Gollob (75 points) with Jason Crump third on 63 points. riding pants, and backpacks. Russell's HMC Ducati crew will be outfitted in Screaming Chief clothing for Friday's practice at Pikes Peak International Raceway. The invitation list has been finalized for the Pro Circuit Mini Invitational race to be held in conjunction with the 2001 THQ U.S. Open at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on October 12. Some of the fastest 85cc racers on the planet have been handpicked from the entry list at the prestigious AMA Amateur Motocross Nationals at Loretta Lynn's in Tennessee to take part in the Pro Cir· cuit Mini Invitational. "Loretta' s Amateur Nationals is the proving ground for the top amateur riders in the world." said Tim Clark, Director of the THQ U.S, Open. "We go there each year to select the riders that will participate in the Pro Circuit Mini Invitational. This race has really grown in popularity, and by providing an opportunity for these kids to showcase their talents inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena, has helped launch several professional careers." Indeed, as promising professionals Jonathan Shimp (1998) and James Stewart (1999) are former winners of the Pro Circuit Mini Invitational. Last year's winner, Kyle Chisholm, will retum to defend " .................................................••................................•.•••.............................................." · . · . · · . · " . · . · 6 · . · . " . · . · · BORN: A baby girl, Grace Elizabeth James, to Harley-DaVidson Motor Huntsville. Alabama. APS now owns seven dealerships, including . : : : Company's Paui James and his wife, Amy, on July 21 in Milwaukee, Woods Fun Center in Austin, Texas, San Diego's House of Motorcy- : · Wisconsin. : c1es in San Diego, California, MotoPro in Oceanside. California, and . : · . : Central Texas Harley-Davidson in Austin, Texas. : U r-.. H d o o o· o·· " : OPENED: Canadian Motorcyclist's home page on the World Wide : : Web. The site can be found at: http://www.canadianmotorcyclist.com. : : ACQUIRED: America's PowerSports CAPS). a dealer network with : headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee, has acquired Yamaha-Suzuki of ACCEPTING: Moose Racing is currently accepting racer resumes for the 2002 race season. All resumes must be received no later than October 15 and must include what series the rider races in, class and current winnings/series standings. Send resumes to Moose Racing, . . . : Texas and Yamaha-Suzuki West in Texas. and KC Powersports in attn: Roxane Erickson, P.O. Box 5222, Janesville. WI 53547-5222. : o : : : : : .....•.......••••..•......•.............•..•.....•••.•...........•.••....................•.••......•..••...........•..•.......••••....: 8 2 AUGUST 29. 2001 • II: Y II: I • n e _ :IS his title against a strong field that includes Jason Lawrence, Ryan Villopo· to, Justin Sipes, Mitchell Dougherty, Chase Revell, Justin Keeney. Matt Boni, Patrick Massie, Adam Chatfield, Cody Gilmore, Corey Slavick and Cole Boutwell. The promoters have selected the 13th rider, Brady Sheren of Canada, as this year's international participant. Tickets for the THQ U.S. Open can be purchased online at WWW.ussx.com. through the MGM Grand box office, or by calling Ticketmaster at 702/4744000. Outdoor motocross riders and fans liVing in Orange County, California. can look forward to the sport's return to the area for the first time in 16 years when CMC's 20th annual White Brothers Trans·Cal Motocross Nationals take place at an all-new outdoor facility near the old Saddleback Park on September 9. There will also be a practice scheduled there on Saturday, Septem· ber 8. The CMC facility is located just seven miles from the legendary Saddleback Park, which closed its gates in 1984. Incidentally, CMC ran the first and last events ever held at the old fac~ity. "We're really upbeat about this," CMC's Sondra Peters said. "It's a new track, in Orange County, This is really positive for the sport. Our phones have been ringing off the hook." But it gets even better than that as the race won't be the only activity at the track. One of the new owners of Saddleback Motorsports Park, Brad Etter said, "CMC is running a race the weekend after Labor Day on a temporary track at a different part of Irvine Lake than our Saddleback Motorsports Park tracks. which are also on Irvine Lake, but our facility is permanent. We will have three tracks - a main track, vet track and pee wee track - and all of them are being designed and built by Dirt Wurx. We are tremendously excited about this. It is a dream come true for us, Also, our sight is actually less than one mile from the - - - - - - - Continued on page 112