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/128165
motorcyclists than the people who ride. It's good to see that - at least in this case - the feds recognized it was none of their business." Illinois U.S. Rep. John Shimkus also praised the decision. "The TREAD Act was passed to increase safety on our roadways." he said. "It was not passed to restrict what a motorcyclist could wear... The AMA has announced the riders who have accepted invitations to participate in the 2002 AMA National Championship Speedway Series. They are as follows: Bart Bast, 35, Auburn. California; Scott Brant, 33, Riverside. California; Eric Carrillo, 18. Newark, California; Eddie Castro, 43, Ojai, California; Mike Faria, 45. Reno, Nevada; Ryan Fisher, 18, Norco, California; Billy Hamill, 32. Monrovia, California; Greg Hancock. 32. Balboa Island, California; Bobby Hedden, 31, Folsom, California; Gary Hicks, 33, Riverside, California; Billy Janniro, 22, Vallejo, California; Josh Larsen. 30. Monrovia, California; Chris Manchester. 29, Reno. Nevada; and Bobby Schwartz. 45. Costa Mesa. California. "We're extremely excited about the quality of the field for the 2002 AMA National Championship Speedway Series," said AMA Vice President Bill Amick. "This series came together qUickly. so the selection process was difficult and had to be subjective. Still, we believe the rider field will be the strongest assembled for any Speedway racing event in the United States since the World Finals came to Los Angeles 20 years ago." The series kicks off on Wednesday. August 14, at Arrowhead Speedway at the Orange Show Fairgrounds in San Bernardino. California. Fourteen of 16 available spots have been filled for the opener. and another eight riders will be named later this month to take part in pre-qualifying heats to complete the field. AMA Sports will accept entry applications from First Division speedway riders up until July 28 to take part in pre-qualifying on August 14, which will decide the final two riders in the field and select two reserve riders. The 2002 AMA National Championship Speedway Series. which offers purse awards of $31.200. includes three events: Wednesday, August 14 at Buell American Motorcycles pulled the wraps off its new-for-2003 Lightning XB9S at its Milwaukee dealer show on July 16. The Lightning XB9S is the second in the series of Buell's utilizing the company's radically redesigned twin-spar alumJnum chassis. which holds the fuel in the frame and the oil in the swingann - same as the Firebolt XB9R. It utilizes the same drivetrain. the heartbeat of which is supplied by the short-stroke, 984cc, 45-degree V-twin with Dynamic Digital Fuel Injection that was introduced on the Fireboll last year. Designed to "resurrect the spirit of the groundbreaking Buell Lightning SI.- the Lightning XB9S features a more upright seating position and short-coupled styling that includes a wind deflector over the new dual-beam headlight package_ Suggested retail price for the Lightning XB9S is $9995. For more information. see your local Buell dealer or check out www.buell.com. mulated. or to purchase a raffle ticket, visit http://www.cyclenews.com/pitdaddy. Tickets to the pageant will be on sale for $15 at the Cycle News booth at Virginia International Raceway, or at the door. Arrowhead Speedway. Orange Show Fairgrounds, San Bernardino. California; Friday. August 16 at Fast Fridays Speedway, Gold Country Fairgrounds. Auburn. California; and Friday, September 20 at Fast Fridays Speedway, Gold Country Fairgrounds, Auburn, California. Herman Verboven Racing and Hooters Suzuki are joining forces for the 8 Hours of Suzuka endurance race in Japan. At the 8 hours of Suzuka. Verboven Racing will ride in Hooters Suzuki colors with Mike Ciccotto. Tripp Nobles and a Japanese rider the team has yet to name, according to the release. Italian helmet manufacturer Suomy has become the Pit Daddy Beauty Pageant's official helmet sponsor. donating seven replica helmets through their national importer. Gearbox International. and each helmet will be personally signed, according to event promoters. World Superbike riders Troy Bayliss, Ben Bostrom and Ruben Xaus, relieved that they will be on another continent while the AMA road racers strip for the Pit Daddy beauty contest after the Virginia round of the AMA Superbike Series on August 11. happily signed their replica helmets for the raffle. Three more helmets. belonging to the Gobert brothers. will be signed on the evening, and a gold edition Screaming Chief helmet will be signed by Scott Russell. The price of the raffle tickets, meanwhile, has been cut from $10 to $5 with those who have already purchased tickets for $10 getting another entry placed in the barrel. The raffle will be drawn after the season's final race at Virginia International Raceway on August 11. with all proceeds going to th'e Clayton Memorial Foundation. For a list of the prizes already accu- : " The AMA has named former World Speedway Champion Sam Ermolenko as captain of 2002 Speedway World Cup Team USA. Joining Ermolenko will be Billy Hamill and Greg Hancock. also former World Speedway Champions. The 2002 Speedway World Cup, considered to be speedway motorcycling's premier competition for national teams. will take place August 4-10 at several racing venues in Great Britain. Team USA placed fifth in 2001 . Also named to Team USA were Ryan Fisher, 18, and Billy Janniro. 22. along with Brent Werner, 28. a veteran of the British Speedway League. Ermolenko won the title of World Speedway Champion in 1993. Hamill in 1996, and Hancock in 1997. The U.S. has won the Speedway World Cup five times since 1982. At age 41. Ermolenko is ,. " ,. : day. August 8 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Factory Yamaha and Team Graves .. Yamaha road racers Anthony Gobert. Aaron Gobert and Damon Buck- • master along with Team Oliver Yamaha's Rich Oliver and Perry Melneci· : uc are all scheduled to appear. For more information. call 434/799-8000. 6 • . • • HIRED: Philip Davidson, by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSFJ as project manager, effective immediately. For more information, call 949/727-3227. AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At Pro Caliber in Vancouver. Washington. on Friday. July 26 from 7 to 8 p.m. Team Chevy Trucks Kawasaki's Ezra • Lusk, Stephane Roncada and James Stewart Jr. and Team Pro Circuit/KawasakI/Chevy Trucks' Mike Brown. Matt Walker. Bobby Bonds and Eric Sorby are scheduled to appear. For more information. call • 360/892-3030. • NAMED: Jim O'Connor as program services coordinator for the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSFJ. effective immediately. For more information. call 949/727-3227. MOVED: Unlimited Sports. to P.O. Box 783606. Winter Garden. FL 34778-3606,352/243-5173, 352/243-8975 (fax). PROMOTED: Lon9-time Cycle News contributor and road racer Michael Ross from his position as HonTech Chief Instructor at the Phoenix Campus of the Motorcycle Mechanics Institute to Curriculum : Developer. Ross' duties will include developing curriculum for both the Phoenix and the Orlando campus. APPOINTED: Wyn Kern. as general manager of Unlimited Sports. effective immediately: Lee Martin. as race director of Unlimited Sports. effective immediately. Unlimited Sports promotes the Annual Florida • State AMA Motocross Championship Gold Cup Series events. The changes do not affect Jerry and linda West, who remain in charge of Unlimited Sports. • NAMED: Helmet House Inc., as exclusive U.S. distributor of all Shoei products to the motorcycle aftermarket. effective immediately. • AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At Olde Dominion Motorsports on Thurs- · MOVED: Enzo Racin9. to 1420 South Ritchey Street. Santa Ana. CA 92705,714/541-5218.714/541-5219 (fax). • . •••••••• " •• " ••••••••••••••••••••• " ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• e •••••••• 2 JULY 31, 2002' cue I • n e ..... s Team USA's elder statesman. He was a member of Team USA's Speedway World Cup-winning efforts in 1990, 1992, 1993 and 1998. A serious wrist injury, the result of a July 13 crash at an intemational meeting at Italy, has sidelined the former champion. relegating him to a nonriding role as captain of the 2002 team. "Sam has been in excellent form recently and his injury is a blow to our team's hopes." said Richard Child, serving as Manager of Team USA for the second time. "But even in a non-riding role, his leadership will be vital to the squad." Hamill. 32, has ridden on four Speedway World Cup-winning teams; Hancock, also 32, aided Team USA's 1992, 1993 and 1998 winning efforts. They're the only American riders qualified to take part in the exclusive Speedway Grand Prix Series, where they currently rank among the world's top 10 motorcycle speedway racers. In addition to Ermolenko, Hamill. Hancock. Fisher, Janniro. and Werner all of whom are based in Europe - the AMA also named four U.S.-based riders to Team USA. Eric Carrillo. John Cook. Josh Larsen and Chris Manchester will be available if called upon to ride, and all have experience in international competition. Five riders from each team. selected by the manager 24 hours before a match, will compete in each of the Speedway World Cup's four events. Team USA's first appearance will be on August 6 in Eastbourne, where it will face Poland. Russia and Slovenia. The winning team will advance to the August 10 final round in Peterborough. Anti-doping tests were done by the FIM at the Individual Motocross World Championship round held In Sevlievo, Bulgaria, on June 23. All the samples tested showed the absence of any banned substances. according to the FIM. The riders who were tested are as follows: Patrick Caps. Alessandro Puzar, Jeff Dement. Marnicq Bervoets, Joel Smets. and Alessandro Zanni. Asian Motorcycle Adventures has announced a new tour coming in the spring of 2003: the IndoChina Motorcycle Expedition. The 80-day Indochina motorcycle tour. with over 6200 miles of riding, will visit the follOWing countries and regions: Thailand. Burma/Myanmar. Laos. Cambodia, Angkor Wat, and North Vietnam. For more information on the tour. visit their Web site at http://www.asian- - - - - - - - Continued on page 126