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/128154
o o o CJ Chris Carr (Vor) scored his second Formula USA National Dirt Track Series win in as many weekends aboard his Italian-made machine. this one coming at Devil's Bowl Speedway in Mesquite. Texas. on May 4. Terry Poovey (Rtx) finished second. repeating his effort at the Houston series opener. Kenny Coolbeth (KTM) was third. o o o o o o o o Lonnie Pauley (W-R) stormed to victory in the Open Pro main event at round two of Gene Romero's West Coast Flat Track Series on the California Mid-State Fairgrounds in Paso Robles. California. on May 4. John Hlebo III (Yam) finished second. and Tony Souza (CCM) was third. Rod Spencer (Yam) won the Open Vintage main for the second consecutive year. His nephew. Bradley Spencer (Yam). won the Suzuki 250cc Novice class. 8 ~ n w Angelle Savoie (Suz) and the CVEC Suzuki Racing Team put the finishing touches on a perfect weekend by scoring a thrilling Pro Stock Bike win in the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway in Commerce. Georgia. on May 5. Facing rival Matt Hines (Suz) in the final round. Savoie matched Hines' near-perfect reaction time and powered away for the win with an elapsed time of 7.162 seconds and a top speed of 187.91 mph. C C CJ o o c o Parts Canada Superbike Championship officials have announced the cancelation of the third round of the 2002 season. which had been scheduled for Edmonton's Namao Airport. June 1516. The Namao facility is a working Canadian Armed Forces base and security issues following the September 11 terrorist attacks made it extremely difficult for event and series organizers to stage the races. -It's a real disappointment," said Colin Fraser of Professional Motorsports Productions, which organizes the Parts Canada Superbike Championship. "We respect the efforts of Simon Hughes and the Edmonton Motorcycle Roadracing Association and appreciate the difficult circumstances they're in. It's very important for us to have events in western Canada." PMP is proVisionally planning to replace the Edmonton event with a doubleheader at Calgary's Race City Motorsports Park. The venue has hosted similar" Big Kahuna" style events in the past. Race City is slated to stage the second round of the series June 8-9. The 2002 season opens at Shannonville Motorsport Park. near Belleville. Ontario, May 18-19 with Maple Ridge. British Columbia's Steve Crevier trying to score his third straight series title and seventh overall. o o o o o o o o o ~c o o o o o o o o A $57,000 Pro Privateer Performance Award Program has been renewed and expanded by the U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company for the 2 MAY 15, 2002' cue • • @@B IlDDf?®r270 W@@ffbBfJD@ @E!PfiJ[Jf§J.-t--Clear Channel Entertainment, the promoter of the AMA/EA Sports Supercross Series, hosted its traditional season-ending awards banquet at The Joint in the Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sunday, May 5. The gala event pays tribute to the series champions and recognizes the accomplishments of high-achievers - on and off the track - of the just-concluded series. Team Honda's Ricky Carmichael (pictured) was, of course, the featured star who concluded the ceremony with the acceptance of his 250cc class first-place trophy. Carmichael's acceptance speech was an emotional one for the two-time Supercross Champion, as he fought back tears of joy. In fact, host Art Eckman offered Canmichael his own - used, mind you - handkerchief. (Eckman was awarded the Walker Garrison Special Industry Recognition Award earlier in the evening and he choked up as well.) East Coast and West Coast 125cc Regional Champions Chad Reed (Boost Mobile/Yamaha/Troy Racing) and Travis Preston (Amsoil/Dr. Martens/Honda) were presented their first-place trophies, and Preston pretty much stole the show with his unique sense of humor. Preston had the large crowd buckied over in lau~hter more than once during his acceptance speech, just like he has done many times from the tracks' podiums throughout the year. Many of those in attendance were already nominating Preston to be next year's banquet commentator. Scott Goggles' Bevo Forti said from the stage that he knew Preston was especially funny when he saw even Mike LaRocco cracking up. Team Yamaha's David Vuillemin and Bud Ught Yamaha's Jeremy McGrath were awarded their second- and third-place series trophies. But that wasn't all. Vuillemin was also presented the Comeback Rider of the Year Award, after injuring his shoulder before the Daytona Supercross, and was presented the $25,000 check from Vans for winning the Vans Triple Crown Series. McGrath was also presented the 100% Award for his work in bringing outside sponsors into the sport of supercross. Team Chevy Trucks Kawasaki's James "Bubba" Stewart Jr. was awarded the Dave Coombs Sr. I 25cc East/West Shootout trophy for winning the previous night's 125cc main event at Sam Boyd Stadium. Stewart's mechanic, Jeremy Albrecht, accepted the award for Stewart, who did not attend the event. Mota XXXjDGY's Nick Wey had a profitable evening - and season. Wey earned $25,000 for being the O.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co. Pro Privateer Challenge and CE Altman Top Privateer winner. Wey was one of only five riders who qualified for all 16 250cc main events this year, and the other four were factory riders: Ricky Carmichael, Jeremy McGrath, Ezra Lusk and Stephane Roncada. Last year's winner of the Team Manager of the Year Award, Suzuki's Roger DeCoster, presented Team Honda's Erik Kehoe with this year's award. This is Kehoe's first year as team manager for Honda. Once again, mechanics were recognized at the banquet. Last year's recipient of the Mechanic of the Year Award, Chad Watts, invited every mechanic in attendance to join him up on the stage, at which point all were recognized for their behind-the-scenes and often unappreciated hard work. Walts presented this year's award to David Vuillemin's tuner Craig Monty, who had no idea he was about to be singled out for the award. For the second time, the transport drivers of the series were recognized, and this year's recipient was Shark/plano Honda's team driver Derek Uttlejohn. There was plenty of celebrating at the Blackfoot Racing/Honda team dinner table as they were awarded Team of the Year. The team from Canada was represented in just about every 250cc main event _ throughout the course of the year, thanks to team riders Heath Voss and Jean-Sebastien Roy, with the pair finishing out the year in 10th and 15th, respectively. In other awards, CTi's Jim Castillo was presented the Road 2 Recovery Humanitarian of the Year Award, Travis Pastrana earned the Fans' Choice Rider of the Year Award, the AMA's Duke and Sonnie Finch were recognized for their hard work, Edison International Field of Anaheim was voted Venue of the Year, and every 125 and 250cc PowerAde Holeshot Award winner and privateer who qualified for a 250cc main event were recognized. As mentioned earlier. supercross television announcer and the evening's host Art Eckman received the Walker Garrison Special Industry Recognition. While accepting this honor, Eckman announced that he would no longer be doing supercross commentating for television, as he has decided to take on a new job, though he says he hopes to remain in the supercross industry. Kit Palmer 2002 AMA 125/250cc U.S. Motocross Championships, according to a release the motorcycle industry and motorcyclists, according to a release issued by not only would have hurt the Harley Davidson Motor Company. but coul have made Harleys too expenSive fo European enthUSiasts. issued by the National Promoters the AMA. Lamy earlier threatened to Group. The revised Pro Privateer Challenge includes a $54,000 program for the top two finishing adult. non-factory privateers at the individual events. and a include Harleys, Tropicana orange juice. textiles and steel products on a list of goods that could be subject to heavy European tariffs to retaliate against tar- $3000 contribution to the AMA's Outdoor National Communications Fund. iffs recently placed on imported steel by the United States. The AMA worked with European motorcycling interests to The AMA has applauded the European Union for backing down on a threat to hit Harley-DaVidson motorcycles with a help convince the European Union to stiff tariff in a trade war with the United Swedish importer of Harley-Davidsons States over steel. Pascal Lamy, trade commissioner of the 15-member European Union. decided against including Harleys on the list of products targeted sent a note to the AMA thanking the Association for its help. "There was no reason for motorcycles to be caught up for high tariffs after consulting with various European officials and hearing from n • _ s drop the idea of tariffs on Harleys. And once the decision was announced, the in this trade war." said Edward Moreland. AMA vice president for government relations. He noted that high tariffs AMA Pro Racing has announced that y another new event has been added t the 2002 AMA Progressive Insu ance U.S. Flat Track Champ; onship schedule and another even that was slated to be a first-time AM Grand National has been canceled. Th addition to the series is being dubbe the Tunica Indoor Short-Track Nationa to be held on Saturday, September 1 at the Tunica Arena. The venue is loca ed 25 minutes south of Memphis in Tun ca, Mississippi. Quality Checked Cert fied Pre-Owned Ford, Memphis Shade and FedEx are sponsoring the indo