Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Cycle News 2002 04 10

Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles

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o o rider's 2001 record of 2:04,777. As the track has had modifications since then, however, the times cannot be compared officially, but as the modifications are slight, it does offer a guide to the times made next weekend. The only other rider able to get within a second of Rossi was his Honda teammate on the four-stroke RC211V Tohru Ukawa, who was quickest in the shortened afternoon session. Having both completed most of their work on set-ups during yesterday and at their previous test here, the Honda riders were quite leisurely today, Ukawa racking up just 36 laps in total. "Things are looking good," Ukawa said. "Valentino [Rossi] made a good lap time and so did I: albeit a little bit slower, but I'm happy. Today we tested tires and fuel-injection settings, and I made consistent lap times, I so I hope I can keep it like this because I 'want to win here at Suzuka next week. " , More Honda riders followed the two HRC riders, with NSR500-mounted ,Daijiro Katoh proving he must not be discounted, as he finished third without improving his time from the previous day, just ahead of Loris Capirossi of the West Honda Pons team. Next fastest was Telefonica Movistar Suzuki's Kenny Roberts. on the Suzuki GSV-R four·stroke, which has made significant progress since it first got onto the track at the beginning of February. He was 1.464 seconds behind Rossi, with Marlboro Yamaha's Carlos Checa, wild card Shinichi Itoh and Suzuki riders Akira Ryo. Telefonica Movistar Suzuki's Sete Gibernau, and Yukio Kagayama trailing in his wake. Atlhough he balked at giving much in the way of details, AMA Pro Racing road racing manager Ron Barrick confirmed on March 26 that several factory teams were fined during the Day· tona 200 for pit-lane violations - most of which stemmed from breaking the "too 8 CJ R u o o o o Yamaha announced on Monday, April I, that they had signed Chad Reed (right) to a two-year contract that will see the Australian aboard factory Yamahas in the 250cc Supercross and 250cc National Motocross Championship beginning in 2003. "Chad's been amazing for the Yamaha of Troy team this year: said Keith McCarty, Yamaha's team manager. "He's holeshot and won, he's won from the back of the pack, and he looks smooth and aggressive simultaneously. The backside of triple-jumps could be made from glass and Chad wouldn't scratch the surface." Reed is currently on a five-race win streak while leading the way in the AMA 125cc Eastern Regional Supercross Series on a Yamaha YZ250F. "My goal is to win the 125 championships, gain even more experience, and be ready to win in the 250 class next year," said Reed. "I couldn't have scripted the start to this year any better, winning and signing with Team Yamaha. In the last few years alone, (John] Dowd, (Emesto] Fonseca, (Stephane] Roncada, [Kevin] Windham, (Doug] Henry and (Jeremy] McGrath have all won championships on their Yamaha YZs - I hope my name will be added to that list." many men over the wall" rule. Barrick said some of the teams were fined $500 for having too many men on the hot pit during pit stops in the 200, though one team was fined $1000 for "having a person from the cold pit lane actuating the jack." That team would be Kawasaki, though Barrick didn't confirm it. Yoshimura Suzuki was fined $500 for letting a tire roll into the pit lane. Honda was fined $500 when Dunlop tire technician Jim Allen "assisted" their crew by snatching Kurtis Roberts' shredded rear tire during his unscheduled pit stop early in the race. The rumors are apparently true. According to a 38-word press release issued on March 27 by the FIM, the 2002 Motocross des Nations will take place at the Competition Park, a local motocross circuit in San Jacinto, California, on September 29. The event will be run according to a new format, with each of a team's three riders allowed to choose any engine displacement they want. In addition, teams will qualify for a single final moto, in which all three of a team's riders will compete, with the best two scores counting. Team Chevy Trucks Kawasaki's James Stewart was examined on March 28 by a physician in Florida, who confirmed that he sustained fractures to the two outside toes on his right foot in that practice crash at the Houston Supercross. The injury will not require surgery or casting, and the doctor prescribed icing and elevation to eliminate the swelling and inflammation in the area. Stewart is expected to rest the foot this week and begin riding after the swelling has gone down. The injury is timely in that the 125 Western Region Series has the next three weekends off and will not resume until April 20 in Dallas. Stewart still holds a 10-point lead (115 to 105) over Amsoil/Dr. Martens/Competition Accessories' Travis Preston in the stand· ings, with two rounds remaining. The 125cc Western Region Supercross finale is set for Salt Lake City on April 27. J J Lockhart Phillips USA and the Ed Bargy Racing School have inked a deal that will see the two join forces to promote the school, according to a release issued by Bargy. For more information on the schools, call 770/345-6474 or visit their Web site at www.edbargyracingschool.com. WERA kicks off its National Endurance and National Challenge Series, April 6-7, at No Problem Raceway Park's Grand Bayou Circuit - Louisiana's newest racetrack. The four-hour WERA/GMD Computrack National Endurance Series race gets the green flag on Saturday at 12:30 pm. At the top of the field, Vesrah Suzuki will be defending their 2001 championship on a Suzuki GSX-RI000. Vesrah competes in the Heavyweight Superbike class, though four other classes are also featured. The National Challenge Series races will take place on Sunday. Each sprint race will consist of 10 laps around the 1.8-mile, 14-turn Grand Bayou Circuit. The 12 races on Sunday are divided up according to each class of bike and novice and expert racer groups. The third round of the AMA Western Four-Stroke National Motocross Series will be held on April 7 at the Owhyee MX Club in Boise, Idaho. For more information, call 208/384-5512. Team Dual Dogs will hold the 13th annual Dog Run Dual-Sport Ride on April 21 starting at Dave Bertram's Cycle Gear in Newhall, California. Sign up is from 7 to 9 a.m .. For more information. call 661/823-0396. I: · AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At Rice Motorsports in La Puente, California, on April 4. Team Honda's Nicky Hayden, Miguel DuHamel and Kurtis Roberts are scheduled to appear. For more information, call 626/917-7423. AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At Spectrum Motorsports Bike Night at Spectrum Motorsports in Lake Forest. California, on April 9 from 6 to 8 p.m. Erion Racing's Kurtis Roberts is scheduled to appear. For more information, call 949/859-7660. • AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At Chaparral Motorsports in San Bernardino, California, on April 4 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Road racers Mat Mladin, Jamie Hacking, Aaron Yates, Anthony Gob'. ert, Damon Buckmaster, Josh Hayes, Tom Kipp, Chris Ulrich, Jimmy Moore, Steve Rapp, Jordan Szoke, Jason Pridmore, Ben Spies, Tommy Hayden, and former 500cc World Champion Kevin Schwantz are scheduled to appear. For more information, call 909/889-2761. · ........................................................................................ ,. The Road 2 Recovery Foundation's Celebrity SX 'Slots of Golf' Tournament has been scheduled for Thursday, May 2 at the Badlands Golf Course in Las Vegas, Nevada. The tournament teams each foursome with a Supercross star. For information, pricing and sponsorship opportunities, visit www.road2recovery.com or call 866/68-MOTQX. OPENED: Cummings Harley-Davidson's home page on the World Wide Web. The site can be found at the following address: http://www.cummingsharleydavidson.com. OPENED: Cool Skunks' home page on the World Wide Web. The site can be found at the follOWing address: http://www.coolskunk.com. AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At C&C Sports in Brighton, Michigan, on Friday April 12 from 6 to 7 p.m. Jeremy McGrath, David Vuillemin, Tim Ferry and Yamaha of Troy riders Chad Reed and Greg Schnell are scheduled to appear. For more information, call 810/227-7068. Vic Fasola, the crew chief for Yoshimura Suzuki's Aaron Yates, thinks front-tire wear will decide the outcome of the Yamaha Superbike Challenge at California Speedway. "I think everyone's going to struggle hard with that," he said. "They [Dunlop] only have one hard compound there. The only benefit of that is that the Hondas will probably chew • CORRECTION: Last week we printed the wrong address for. Berg Racing USA's new home page on the World Wide Web. The correct address is www.bergracingusa.com. . . " a U a I • Continued on page 92 n e _ S • APRIL 10, 2002 3 a 8 o c c o o o o o 8 o o o 8 o o o o o o c 8 8 o o

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