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/128139
r
U Elm G'lJ:lGEI [i]dJ
\X/
o
o
o
Continued from page 3
Italy. Castiglione del Lago; June g - Austria. Karntenring; June 23 - Bulgaria.
Sevlievo; July 7 - Sweden. Uddevalla;
August 4 - Belgium. Genk; August 18 Germany, Gaildorf; September 1 Czech Republic. Loket; September 15 Russia. Sorochany (Moscow).
Recovery has reported that: "We've had
great support from every team and company we have contacted. The Road 2
Recovery Foundation is here to help riders through our trackside medical assistance program, as well as to offer help
and support after an injury like Justin's.
Sending our thoughts and prayers to the
Smith family is only the beginning, We
hope that the financial support achieved
through
the
efforts
of
the
www.road2recovery,com auction will
help ease their burden." All proceeds
from this auction, which includes racing
gear and memorabilia donated by the
other riders involved in the sport. are tax
deductible and will directly benefit Justin
Smith. according to the release. For
more information on the Justin Smith
Charity Auction. as well as the Road 2
Recovery Foundation, log on to
www.road2recovery,com or call 866-68
MOTOX.
o
b
b
o
o
Silverstone in England, an all-new World
Superbike venue for 2002, was the
backdrop for the GSE Racing team's
launch, although track work prevented
much in the way of action for the 100 or
so guests to enjoy. World Superbike
rookies last season. the GSE Racing
team took the opportunity to announce a
three-year deal with new title sponsor
(and one of their existing 2001 backers)
HM Plant. This sponsorship, thought to
be in the region of $1.5 million per season, alleviates the financial pressure the
team had to endure last year. when a
title sponsor proved to be elusive,
according to Cycle News contributor
Gordon Ritchie.
o
o
o
o
fI
According to sources close to Larry
Pegram. the Ohioan will contest the
Formula USA Road Race Series riding a
pair (no pun intended) of Hootersbacked Suzukis. Additionally, Pegram
will ride Suzukis in the Formula USA dirt
track series in an attempt to win what is
basically a revival of the Grand National
Championship, which will be won by a
combination of dirt track and road racing
results in 2002. Pegram will race both
the 600cc Sportbike and the Unlimited
Superbike class on GSX-Rs and will also
>=<
The Alstare Suzuki factory team, comprising Gregorio Lavilla on Superbike
and Stephane Chambon and Katsuaki
Fujiwara on 600s. has foregone the pleasures of attending the official Phillip
Island tests. in favor of two sessions at
Almeria and Valencia over the same
period. The team is still receiving updat....I ed parts for the GSX-R750. and as a
team spokesman has said, "We can test
twice as much here in Europe in the time
that it take to get packed up. transported and back from Australia,"
J
il
C
n
CJ
CJ
o
o
o
o
o
o
It's Not All Bad
The recent sharp downturn In the smaII-eapacity scooter market ill
Italy, which under:pJn& the profitability and even the very existence of
firms such as ApriIla, Piaggio, MalagutJ and BenelIl. is rumored to be
causing many headaches.
Apriliel's lIIDSOId stock of scooters Is allegedly In eX<:es& of 50,000
units, and Pla. Is repl.ltedIy so mapped for cash thlIl. it cannot
complete the proposed merger with MY Agusta which to was agreed
back in the summer. A 43 percent reduction in sales of 50cc scooters over the first ba1f of the year· to just 115,000 units against
353,000 12 months previously, has sounded plenty of alann bells In
whllt Is Europe's largest market for powered two-wheelers, even if
motorcycle sales had a correspondingly healthy Increase over the
same period, up 28 percent over 1999.
One Italian scooter manufacturer successfully swimming against
8
o
o
To cast your vote, lag an to
....---tbtlp:11 ww.cydell,ews.c
1'"'"\
-.J
1'"'"\
r
,
o
LJ
64
JANUARY
30, 2002'
cue
The January 19 edition of the Orange
County (California) Register featured an
interesting news story on the current
AMA/Clear Channel supercross
split in which Clear Channel gives a
few details that have yet to be published
elsewhere, For one, the story (penned
by the Register's motor;ports writer
Damian Dottore) points out that
Dorna/Clear Channel's FIM
World Championship Supercross
Series will consist of 19 rounds in
2003 - with just three of those taking
place outside the United States, If this is
accurate. it means that Clear Channel's
planned series for 2003 will be the
World Championship - including the
series opener on January 4 at Edison
Field in Anaheim, California, Since the
FIM is behind the series and the AMA is
a federation within the FIM, the FIM can
force the AMA to sanction Clear Channel's World Championship rounds that
are held in the U.S. (in this case. 16 of
19 rounds), The FIM code also says that
its Federations are prohibited from sanctioning races on the same day in which a
World Championship round is being held
in that Federation's country - so the FIM
can also stop the AMA from sanctioning
its planned opening round on January 4
in Los Angeles and any other AMA
rounds that conflict with the Clear Channel Series. "AMA officials have to
•
In light of the recent brain injury suffered
by Justin Smith of the SharklPlano
Honda team. the Road 2 Recovery
Foundation (501 c-3 charitable tax ID#
86-0996104) has organized an industrywide charity auction benefiting the 18year-old Supercross rider. according to
a release, In a statement. Foundation
co-founder Bob Moore said. "The Road
2 Recovery Foundation wishes to thank
the motorcycling industry for its overwhelming response to the Smith family's
time of need. We at Road 2 Recovery
are pleased to be able to channel that
outpouring of support through our online auction," Jimmy Button, a member
of the Board of Directors for Road 2
LJ
compete in four rounds of the AMA 600
and 750cc Supersport classes.
•
e
n
e
_
os
decide if they want to continue being a
part of the FIM or break away and
become an outlaw series," Clear Channel's Ken Hud'gens told the Register,
Hudgens also revealed that during negotiations with the AMA Clear Channel
offered to triple what it pays the AMA
for its sanction fee and would have also
allowed the AMA to keep all the revenue
from licenses and entries - an amount
Hudgens said would have exceeded $10
million. The Register also talked to AMA
Pro Racing CEO Scott Hollingsworth.
who said: "When we were negotiating a
contract to replace the one that expires
at the end of the 2002 season. we just
couldn't find a way to work with Clear
Channel in a manner in which we were
comfortable. The two companies have
very different philosophical differences
regarding the roles each should play in
taking the series to new and higher levels." Hudgens also told the Register
that the door hasn't been completely
closed on further negotiations with the
AMA,
Round one of the 2002 FMF/District
37 Big 6 Championship GP
Series kicks off at Los Angeles County
Raceway in Palmdale. California. February 2-3. If you did not receive an entry
form, or if you need one. send SASE to
Dirt Diggers M/C. P.O, Box 922092,
Sylmar, CA 91392-2092. For more information, call 818/367-4516.
eN
the tlde of desPondency is Italjet. wpose 32,OOO-unlt annual production has always been replete with niche-rnarket IlOlAilltles Ilke the
DragsteT and Jet·Set. Owner Leopolclo Tartarlnl's two latest brain.
waves debuted lit the Milan Show last Septerllbel', and wlII be available In 50<:<: two-stroke ard 12Scc or 150cc four-stroke guise from
June onwards, powered by Plaggio motors - the 125 .Atnaocord,
dubbed a 'scootermoto' forillltwist-'n'·go convenien<:e added to the
«ynamlc ~ qualities of a proper motorcycle, ard the threewhee1er Scooop
wI1Ic:b
lltabIIity ill b.lm& thlInks to !tie twln
front wheels steered by a ~, yet a9o'Jrs the rider to !ellll .irito
curves on the pMlting reef ~ of the vebIl;Ie - It'U be lnteresting