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/128157
] CJ Continued from page 3 Rumors of the slow process to get the deal for a Qatar Motocross Grand Pri" and Motocross des Nations finalized are true, but it's not all negative news. The questioning point is if there is a National Motorcycling Federation in Qatar. Actually it exists, but the FIM has not been infonmed yet of some recent changes and the process is still on its way to a quick conclusion. "There was already a Federation before the Qatar o o o o o ') U n U n LJ Tomllsz Gollob enjoyed one of the greatest nights of his life with a brilliant victory in the Pentel F1M Speedway Grllnd Prix of Pollind in Bydgoszcz on May 25. GolJob pulled off a senslltionlll win lIgainst his number-one rival Tony Rickardsson in the final, with Mark Loram third. Gollob admitted that he was very down after a poor perfonmance in the opening round of the 2002 SGP series in Hilmar, Norway, ellrIier this month but he hlld a smile liS wide as the Grand Canyon after this triumph. "This is a very special night for me; admitted an emotional Gol· lob afterward. "Tony is a very good and very fast rider, and to beat him makes me feel very good." In front of the biggest Grand Prix crowd in Poland for three years, and with most of the 25,000 fans cheering for their hometown boy, Gollob put his own world-title bid back on the right track. But defending champion Rickardsson was far from unhappy, and MX Challenge we organized at end of March, but it included also cycling, now they split and there is a new Federation only for motorcycles with a new president," Georges Jobe told Cycle News contributor Mario Marini. "This process takes a little while and the goal is to do o Arai makes helmets in a number of shape configurations, resulting in optimal fit and comfort. Consumers cite comfort and fit, style and color, and price as the top considerations when purchasing a motorcycle helmet, according to the release. "It's interesting that consumers list price a distant third behind comfort and style, in terms of considerations when buying a motorcycle helmet,' Crewdson said. "If you're going to ride a things the best way, as some adjustments are required to build a proper single federation. We prefer doing things a little slower to achieve it. We didn't infonm the FIM yet. but soon the FIM will get all the information they need so there won't be further worries." Jobe is also 1DO-percent confident that there won't be any surprise as the GP will be 8 o c n held. "There will be a GP in Qatar, no doubt," he said. motorcycle for hours at a time, you definitely want a helmet that's going to fit well and be comfortable to wear.' The 2002 Motorcycle Helmet Satisfaction Study is based on responses from more than 9000 purchasers of new 2001 model-year motorcycles. Those owners prOVided information about their most recent helmet-purchase experience and helmet use, offering insight on the shopping experience, process, price and product satisfaction. Headquartered in Westlake Village, California, J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services firm operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, consulting, training and customer satisfaction. A major sponsorship arrangement between Suzuki Canada and Coors Light Racing was announced at last weekend's opening round of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship at Shannonville Motorsport Park. Coors Light Racing has become title sponsor of the Fast Company Team Suzuki squad. The team will now be known as Coors Light Racing Fast Company Team Suzuki. Francis Martin will ride the Coors Light Racing Fast Company Team Suzuki GSX-R 1ODDs in the Parts Canada Superbike and International Motorcycle Supershow Open Sport Bike classes. LJ For the fourth consecutive year, Arai helmets rank highest in consumer satisfaction with motorcycle helmets, according to the J.D. Power and Associ- Australian road racer Mark Willis will ride the Rizla Suzuki GSX-R1000 in the British Superbike Championship at the next round at Snetterton on June 2 in ates 2002 Motorcycle Helmet Satisfaction Study that was released recently. Receiving the top score from five of the 11 drivers in helmet satisfac'~ tion, Arai ranks highest among the 18 \....I helmet brands included in the study. according to a release issued by Arai. Arai receives high marks for overall fit and comfort, ease of strapping on the helmet, ventilation, scratch resistance of the face shield and consumers' overall place of the injured Karl Harris, who is recovering from a broken left wrist. The 26-year-old has raced in Grand Prix and for Suzuki in the Australian Superbike Championship in the past. Willis, who competed for the Pulse GP team in 2001, but was without a ride in 2002, will possibly fill in for Harris at the following Brands Hatch and Rockingham rounds in the British series as well, while Harris battles back to race fitness. r LJ I' o o o o o o o c o n rating of their helmet. Shoei and Nolan follow Arai in the rankings. "Arai is doing everything right, from the design of their helmets to the sales process,' said Stephen Crewdson, researcher for J.D. Power and Associates. "They try to make every part of the helmet experience a positive one. 'Crewdson adds that. while most manufacturers make one shape of helmet in various sizes, 112 JUNE 5,2002' cue I _ Sherco factory trials rider Debbie Evans·Leavitt was the reCipient of two Taurus World Stunt Awards recently. Her work in The Fast and the Furious was nominated in two categories for Best Driving and Best Overall Stunt By A Stuntwoman. Presenters and guests included Charlton Heston, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jackie Chan and n __ s even said he was delighted for Gollob. "I know what it is like to win in your own country, But I have never won a GP in Bydgoszcz, and at this stage of the championship second place was a very good result for me." Loram had his best Grllnd Prix since he clinched the World title at this same Bydgoszcz track in 2000. Jason Crump, hotly tipped to relieve Rickardsson of his crown this year, came fourth for the sec· ond GP running but he is still very much in contention with the third round at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff less than a fortnight away, Australians RYlln Sullivan and Leigh Adams were fifth and sixth, respectively, while Billy Hamill and Norway's Rune Holta also reached the top eight. However, a disappointed Greg Hancock could only muster four points and finishing in 17th place on the night. After just two rounds, Hancock rests in 11th place, with Hamill in eighth position. John Hipkiss Sylvester Stallone. The World Stunt Awards is a red-carpet, black-tie affair that will air on worldwide television and is paid for by Deitrich Maneshitz, the CEO. and founder of Red Bull Energy Drinks. The World Stunt Awards air on ABC at 8 p.m. on Friday, May 31. The 16th annual Wegman Benefit Fund will be held on July 20 at Blackhawks Fanms Raceway in South Beloit. Illinois. The benefit fund will be held in conjunction with the Championship Cup Series road race with all auction proceeds going to help seriously injured motorcycle road racers across the country. For more information, call 414/3212338. Hare & Hound will run. The race is scheduled for June 15 in Nevada. Days after announcing that Kurt Caselli and Doug Chiapuzio would team together for the Nevada 1000, Price Racing announced that Chiapuzio had broken his jaw and will not compete. Price Racing is currently looking for a replacement to team with Caselli on the team's KTM 520. Though not many details are yet being released, TSO has unveiled the countries to be visited in its 2003 Dakar Rally. The event, which has a new Spanish title sponsor in Telefonica (French company Total was the previous sponsor), will start on January 1 in The day after the May 26 High Point National MX, the mainstream press reported on an incident that occurred at the Mt. Morris, Pennsylvania, facility the night and morning before the race. According to the reports, 41 people were arrested and one man (Nathan Tice, 24) was stabbed in the distur· bance. State police were not clear on what sparked the violence, which reqUired 22 security officers and 65 state troopers over four hours to quell, but most of the arrests involved underage drinking, trespassing and drug use. "It was the first weekend of the summer, and a lot of kids used the race as an excuse for graduation festivities," said Racer Productions' Davey Coombs. "We got snaked. The one year we finally get good weather, a bunch of local high schoolers ruin it for everyone. Had it not been for a bunch of rowdy campers on Saturday night, it probably would have been the best High Point National ever. Next year, weather permitting, it will be.' To help insure that, Racer Productions took immediate action by banning alcohol at its races (Racer also promotes the Steel City National in Delmont, Pennsylvania). Other Nationals that do not permit alcohol include the rounds in Washougal. Washington; Millville, Minnesota; and New Berlin, New York. asking that donations be made to The Contrary to rumors that have been circulating lately, the Wells to Jackpot Evangelical Alliance Mission (att: Carl and Diane Long), P.O. Box 969, Wheaton, IL 60189-0969. eN France and visit Spain, Tunisia and Libya before finishing in Sharm el Sheikh on the banks of the Red Sea in Egypt on January 19. The race will not visit its namesake city of Dakar, the capital of Senegal. The rally will include 15 special tests, 13 of which will be in Africa. Two marathon stages will be featured, along with one loop stage and two stages in which GPS will not be allowed. Bob Lancaster, 80, the president and founder of Torco Racing Oils, died on May 19. Lancaster played an integral part in the progression of lubrication technology and was considered by many to be one of the industry's leading engineers. Lancaster founded Torco Racing Oils in 1950 after two years of working for his father's lubricant company, L&W Oil Company. During his career, Lancaster invented more than 100 lubrication technologies to solve oil-related failures in countless racing and industrial applications. Lancaster is survived by his wife, Connie; sons, Rob, Dan, Steve and Ned; nine grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. A memorial celebration is planned for June 1 at 3 p.m. at the Whittier Hills Baptist Church in Whittier, California. In lieu of flowers, the family is