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/128132
Continued from page 3 Industry/Legends race scheduled for Friday, December 7. Also running in conjunction with WORCS final round will be a monster truck show and freestyle exhibition. For more information, call Hamel at 702/837-2498. Speaking of the World Off-Road Championship Series, Cross Roads Adventures has announced its schedule for the 2002 WORCS Series. It is as follows: January 11-12, Phoenix, Arizona (Speedworld MX); March 16-17, Price, Utah (Price County MX); May 25-26, Roseburg, Oregon (Clarksbranch MX); .J June 8-9, Washougal, Washington (Washougal MX Park); TBA. Mammoth Lakes, California, Mammoth MX; August ~ 30/September 1-2, Gorman, California (Gorman MX); and November 9-10. Milford, California (Honey Lake MX Park). California Vintage Motocross (CVMX) will be hosting its premier race, the CZ World Championships, at Carlsbad Raceway on Saturday December 1. All Vintage and GP bikes (up to model year 1980 are welcome. CVMX will be offering several classes, including four CZonly World Championship classes at this round. Gates open at 7 a.m., with racing starting at 10 a.m. Entry fee is $20 per class. For more information, check out the CVMX web site, www.calvmx.com. or call 760/451-0056. Riding Cycle News' Yamaha YZ426F test unit, reigning Vet MX World Cham· pion Doug Dubach set a one-lap record of two minutes, 12.34 seconds at the all-new Honey Lake Motocross Park in Milford, California, on November 15. Now, Honey Lake MX promoters Larry and lise Wosick have placed a $200 bounty on Dubach's head. During scheduled events at the track, riders wishing to challenge Dubach's record can put up $20, which will be added to the existing pot. If a rider successfully' beats Dubach's time, he scores the dough. If not. the pot will continue to grow until the record is claimed. For more information on the bounty or the track itself, call 530/827-2639, or fax 530/827 -2158. Speaking of Honey Lake MX, Libby Mott, 12, of Lemon Valley, Nevada, won a brand-new Honda CR80R in the track's volunteer drawing. The drawing is held among the 45-60 volunteers who assist at the Milford, California, facility during its practice and racing events. Volunteers receive one ticket for each day worked, with the drawing taking place at the final motocross race of the season. According to promoter Larry Wosick, Mott plans to give the bike to her brother for Christmas. If you're interested in getting involved in motocross at Honey Lake, call 530/827-2639, or fax 530/827-2158. • Aprilia In A Crunch? Aprilia's current cashflow squeeze has caused the company to take some hard-headed business declsions - not however including (yet?) putting ownership of either Moto GUZZI or Laverda back for sale in the markdplace. as the Milan Show rumor mill openly projected. Aprdia figurehead Ivano Beggio will find it hard to baulk at spending the bil ons of lire needed to tum Guzzi around, if only for reasons of pride and prestige, and Aprilia's success in equalling Ducat;'s U.S. market share in what is effectively its first fuJI year of operation in America is certain to convince his bankers that the company is a gilt-edged risk. worthy of support - the fact that Aprilia paid back its last significant line of credit five years early, back in 1996, will also ensure its high credit rating. But some immediate economic moves have been necessary. starting with the decision to wind down factory Involvement in the 250cc GP class In 2002 to just a single works bike for Marco !i3[J@r!A!l[JiJ !X1®@®D\!l®~ §@D~@[JiJ @rz® [ijr!A!lCiJrl@ Film producer Bruce Brown (center) was honored with the Edison Dye MX lifetime Achievement Award at the White Brothers World Vet MX Championships on November 4. The award acknowledges the person, or persons that have made the biggest contribution to the growth of motocross in America. Brown's legendary 1971 movie, On Any Sunday was the first to present motorcycling to the mainsteam public in a positive way. The film was nominated for an Academy Award, and it has since provided inspiration for generations of motorcyclists. Brown (center) was joined at the presentation by Mert LawwHl (second from right), the 1969 AMA Grand National Champion; and Malco 1m Smith (left), eight-time ISDE gold medalist, six-time Baja 1000 winner. Both men had starring roles in On Any Sunday. Tom White (second from left) with the assistance of Ms. Glen Chaparral and San Bernardino, California's Glen Helen Raceway are once again teaming up to put on the sixth annual U.S. AMA Pro/Am Championships December 28-30. The top 100 AMA pros have been invited to race Saturday's $20,000 purse stadiumcross event, which combines 125 and 250cc riders in a shootout. There are also three days of amateur racing and an Melandri, in what is likely to prove a contributory factor to the death of the class at Grand Prix level. A similar slimm;ng-down operation may take place in World Superbike, too - though here Beggio's stated acceptance of the importance of Superbike racing as a vehicle to project ApriUa into the top rank of manufacturers may tell against this, and Aprilia's recent signing of Noriyuki Haga to the World Superbike team seems to bear that out, The company's entry into MotoGP next season with the three-cylinder four-stroke it has under development is also not in question, although racing boss Jan Witteveen- is certain to have to work within strict cash limits in doing this. However, the most visible signs of Aprilia's troubles are, firstly, the resignation of the company's CEO Leo Mercanti, Beggio's righthand man for the past 10 years, and its decision to layoff the workforce at its newly-constructed San Marino engine plant, the future of which is now in serious doubt. In addition, Aprilia has also closed down permanently the San Marino-based R&D operation headed by former Bimota chief engineer Pierluigi Marconi, which under his guidance produced the RST 1000 Futura sports tourer launched one year ago, that has both cemented the company's reputation for growing expertIse in big-bike product development, and found its place in the market. Marconi and his team of largely ex·Bimota engineers have been let go, rather than reassigned to R&D duties at Aprilia's home base in oale. Helen, Paula Hensel (right) presented the award to Brown. Bud Feldkamp, owner of Glen Helen Raceway also honored Brown and past award winners Roger Decoster, Rick Johnson, Edison Dye, and Torsten HaUman with permanent granite tablets to be displayed on vendor walk at Glen Helen. Future award winners will also be honored with granite tablets. amateur grand prix. For more information or to pre-enter, log on to www.glenhelen.com, or call 909/880-3090. AMA Travel & Tours has announced its annual getaway package to Daytona Bike Week, March 3-10 in Daytona Beach, Florida. The excursion offers enthusiasts an insider's view of one of American motorcycling's biggest events, and includes a full week of accommodations at a beach-front resort hotel in the Main Street district, plus passes to a selection of events - from flat track to supercross and the Daytona 200. In addition, guests will enjoy exclusive pit and paddock tours, technical discussions with AMA Pro Racing officials, and opportunities to meet top racers. Guests have the option of shipping their bikes to Florida or haVing a rental motorcycle waiting for them when they arrive, at discounted rates from EagleRider Motorcycle Rental. For more information, call 800/262-5646 x1196. Race Tech will offer rider support at the Champion Cycle pit area during the Florida Winter Olympics in Gainesville, Florida, at Gatorback Cycle Park, November 19-24. eN TD cast YDur vDte, IDg Dn tD http://www.cyclenews.cDm. w 8 cyclenews.com reader poll question of the weel< Q 8 o A. Jeff U[hitken" MaliaSeV'ii!C~f::=~=ll:;~=~~~ H. NDtii [i. All Df the abDve n 84 NOVEMBER 28, 2001 • cue I e De"",. E. RDn lechien F. Jei!m-Michel Bilyle