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/128169
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Defending BOOcc National Champion
Walter "Tiger" Strank Jr. (Yam)
edged 540 and BOOcc points leader
Dave Watson (Hon) by .006 of a second to win the Poags Hole National Hillclimb in Dansville, New York, on August
lB. Phil Libhart (H-DJ finished third.
Libhart (Tri) won the 540cc class to
close on points leader Watson, who finished seventh. Greg Williams (Kaw)
took the runner-up spot in the 540cc
class (Kaw) with Anthony DeHart
(Hon) finishing third.
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It now appears almost certain that Colin Edwards, the 2000 World
Superbike Champion and a longtime Castrol Honda rider, will be a
Ducati rider in 2003. After having dallied with the idea on previous
occasions, it looks as though the Texan has finally taken the plunge
to join the most successful World Superbike manufacturer in history
- Ducati.
Edwards has agreed to ride for the ltalilln manufacturer after five
seasons as the number-one man in the Castrol Honda World Superbike team. The 28-year-old. the only man who can still catch current
championship leader Troy Bayliss (currently on a Ducatl), has been
reported to have signed a letter of intent to ride for the full-factory
team just after the Suzuka 8-Hour race, which he won in conjunction
with MotoOP star Daijiro Katoh.
Although the move will likely see him on the World Superbike
team, there is also a chance that Edwards could end up on the
Ducatl MotoGP team jf a big-name MotoGP star isn't signed (like
Max Biaggl), ac:cordlng to sources close to the team. More likely,
though, is Edwards completing the Ducatl World Superblke rider
lineup for 2003, joining Hodgson on the all-new fuD-factory 999 rllCe
bikes, plus Chris Walker and James Toseland on this year's full fac·
tory 998 F02s.
A Honda representative refused to comment on the stoIy, lII'Id
Ducati oflkials were not avalJable for comment at presstime - thus
keeping the news of Edwards' move very unoIIIc:iaJ.
Always frustrated by his lack of opportunity to race in MotoGP,
Edwards has many motivations for leaving the largest manufacturer
in the world. The wrong nlltiona1ity to be allowed to rllCe in MotoOP,
even after winning consecutive Suzuka 8-Hour races, Edwards may
see Duc:ati as a way into that class in the near future, even if he has
to walt for Bayliss to do his proposed two-yetlJ' stint in MotoOP on
the new four-cylinder Ducati. He commented from his home in
Texas: "That's one thing that kind of annoys me about all this. Don't
get me wrong, because Honda has paid weD to keep me where I'm
at but I reaDy would Uke to have an opportunity [to go MotoOPI and I
think I'm the next guy in line. But everybody thinks they are the next
guy in line. It doesn't really matter what dues you payor how many
8-Hours you win for them, if you don't have the right passport you
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Little-known fact: When Nicky Hayn on August lB,
the victory marked the first for Honda
since Bubba Shobert won the famed
n twice in 1987. Since 1987, the (est
of those victories (most of which were
by Chris Carr) have been won on Rotaxbased equipment.
den won the Peoria
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School of Champions, the Rick
Johnson Motocross School, will hold
three sessions in September in Lake
Elsinore, California. The first of those
will be held on September 6, followed by
a special four-stroke school on September 20. Johnson and co-instructor Mercedes Gonzalez will then retum to Lake
Elsinore on September 26 before traveling to Cedar Raceway in Utah, October
2-3, for a two-day camp. For more information, call 949/713-6051.
Two-time AMAlEA Sports Supercross
Champion, and three-time AMAlChevy
Trucks U.S. Motocross Champion
Ricky Carmichael is the latest to sign
on to AMA Pro Racing's official merchandise program. Carmichael joins a
growing list of AMA racing superstars
who have reached an agreement with
AMA Pro Racing's new merchandising
partner, Wateree Sports Group, that
allows fans to purchase their gear at
AMA events and online. "The signing of
Ricky Carmichael is tremendously exciting for us, and for all motorcycle racing
fans," said Jeff Reeves, vice president
of Wateree Sports Group. "Having Ricky
on board, as well as Nicky Hayden,
means the current AMA Motocross,
Supercross and Superbike Champions
are both participating in our program." -I
am very excited to launch my own line of
official AMA Pro Racing gear," said
Carmichael. "It will be great to see all·the
fans out there supporting me and supporting motorcycle racing in general by
wearing official gear with my name and
number on it." Race fans can find the
new line of official AMA Pro Racing products at multiple distribution points,
including all AMA U.S. Motocross and
U.S. Superbike events, as well as several top AMA U.S. Flat Track Championship rounds. At the races, products
will be for sale under the roof of
Wateree's newly created, lB-wheel interactive merchandise tractor-trailer. Products can also be purchased online via
amaproracing.com, 1800FlatTrack.com
and USMotocross.com.
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American Honda has announced its
participation in an unprecedented adven-
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AUGUST 28, 2002'
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ture called American Frontiers: A Public
Lands Journey. The project is a joint
effort by the Public Lands Interpretive
Association (PLlAJ, with the backing of
the Federal Government and the National Geographic Society, to increase
nationai understanding and appreciation
for America's public lands legacy and
the wide range of benefits public lands
proVide, according to Honda. "We are
proud that we could take part in this
event as the official vehicle supplier,"
said Ray Blank, Vice PreSident of American Honda's Motorcycle Division. "Educating Americans about our public lands
and how we can enjoy them responsibly
is important to all of us here at American
Honda." The two teams started the
Journey on July 31 - one starting on the
US/Canadian border and the other from
the US/Mexican border - and will travel
until they meet in northern Utah on
National Public Lands Day, September
28. Jointly, over an eight-week period,
each team will traverse more than 1300
miles through some of the most spectacular lands of the west. Participants
will be utiliZing Honda vehicles exclusively based on the regulations for that specific route. On routes designated for offhighway vehicles, the trekkers will be
using Honda ATVs and Honda motorcycles. On backcountry roads, the all-new
Honda Pilot and all-new Honda CR-V will
be the vehicles of choice. Honda fourstroke marine engines, along with
Honda's new 4-stroke personal watercraft, the AquaTrax, will see duty on
Lake Powell and other waterways where
appropriate. Honda generators will contribute by running all computers and
other electronic devices along the route.
In non-motorized areas, trekkers will be
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may as well piss off. It's
all sponsors. When
you've got sponsors
from Spain and Italy all
paying the bills, an
American doesnit have a
shot."
The lack of decisiveness on the behalf of
Honda with regard to Its
racing plans for 2003
and beyond, even at this
stage. is another uncertainty Edwards has had
to mull over in recent
weeks.
"That's cIeftnlteIy a factor," confirmed Edwards.
• Are they going to be
there? Are they going to
have money? Are they not
going to have money? It's
kind of a crapshoot to sit on your ass and walt for them, so I have to look
at aD the options that are avallable. There are still a couple of lh8lgs to be
wai