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/128196
transponders on each motorcycle. The updated. near-real-time lap-viewer will come in two formats: Flash and standard HTML. Both versions will be continually updated with lap information, and the data will be presented in an easier-toread and customizable format. This technology is the latest benefit from AMA Pro Racing' s relationship with the Indy Racing League, which uses the same transponder technology in its openwheel car racing series, the AMA says. "Our website visitors crave our @theWire LIVE! feature," said Matt Ringlien, AMA Pro Racing web content and development manager. "We tested the new @theWire LIVE! version at the Daytona Tire Tests, and it worked extremely well and was very reliable. We've come a long way with our web results-reporting technology in the last few years, and this latest step is significant." Ringlien added that the improved @theWire L1VEI lap-time viewer will also be used for the AMA U.S. Superbike and U.S. Motocross Championships this year. Bultaco Motorcycles, a.k.a. Hugh's Bultaco, will be featured on Speed Channel on January 14 at 7 p.m. (Eastern). according to Bultaco Motorcycles. Fastrack Riders Association (FRA) has announced its 2003 schedule. After a tremendously successful first year at California Speedway, FRA will continue its success at the speedway with 22 track day events. according to FRA. FRA will host an additional race event practice day at the speedway on April 3, prior to the AMA race. In addition. FRA has one weekend at Buttonwillow Raceway in April and is in the process of securing dates at additional tracks in the Southeast United States. The schedule is as follows: March 10th at California Speedway Infield Course: March 28, 29, 30 at California Speedway AMA Track: April 19, 20 at Buttonwillow Raceway: May 5 at California Speedway Infield Course: May 23, 24. 25 at California Speedway AMA Track: June 16 at California Speedway Infield Course: June 27, 28, 29 at California Speedway AMA Track; July 25, 26. 27 at California Speedway AMA Track: August 11 at California Speedway Infield Course; August 29, 30. 31 at California Speedway AMA Track: September 27, 28 at California Speedway Infield Course. Downtown hotel rooms for the Indianapolis Dealer Expo are currently available through Travelcraft. The city seems to be sold out otherwise, according to Travelcraft. For reservations, call 800/241-1223. John Ross of San Antonio, Texas is the first racer to sign up for the Team Hammer Talent Search Presented By Alpinestars. Ross started racing in 1987 and co-rode to the 2002 CMRA Overall Endurance Championship. with a finances-dictated break from racing in 1991-1997. "I've been watching Team Hammer win races for years," said Ross, when asked what motivated him to sign up for the Talent Search program. "I'm convinced there is much to be learned from these guys. I've always been a sponge when it comes to motorcycle technology. There's plenty of other advantages to being in the Talent Search as well. It's well worth the cost to me. Next year I'll be riding a GSX-R1000 in the CMRA rCCS] Series as well as a few Nationals. The bike is a two-time Suzuki Cup Finals winner, and I'm very excited about throWing my leg over it." Two finalists in the Team Hammer Talent Search Presented By Alpinestars will receive full rides in the 2003 Suzuki Cup Finals, including the use of a Team Valvoline EM GO Suzuki racebike. free tires, a mechanic and entry fees. The best-finishing finalist will take home a race-prepped GSX-R750. Information on the Team Hammer Talent Search Pre- sented by Alpinestars is available in the News section at www.teamhammer.com. Thomas L" Lindell passed away at the age of 65 after a 20-year fight with scleroderma. Lindell and his wife. Gail, worked the front gate at Gatorback Cycle Park for most of their races. He is survived by his wife. a son. Rick, and daughters Patti Jonas and Becky Comwell. The Lindells remain a fixture at southeastern motocross events. and Rick continues to race motocross locally in Georgia. The BentWheels Competition Club will be staging The Ultimate Off-Road 8 Hour Championship Hare Scrambles on Labor Day weekend. The event will take place in Rose City, Michigan on August 31. The eight-hour event is sanctioned by the AMA and will pay District 14 Hare Scrambles points. Team classes and an "Iron Man" solo class will be offered. For more information, contact club president Dr. Dale Morgan at DMorganDC@aol.com. Fast Company has announced it will not run Suzuki Canada's primary program in the 2003 Parts Canada Superbike Championship, bringing to a conclusion a successful and harmonious five-year relationship. The Fast Company Suzuki partnership reached its peak in the 2002 season. with Jordan Szoke's claiming the Parts Canada Superbike title and Francis Martin's earning the International Motorcycle Supershow Open Sport Bike crown. The Superbike crown was Suzuki's first since 1987, when Michel Mercier rode Mike Crompton-prepared GSX-R750s to the title. "Suzuki Canada has been a fantastic corporate sponsor." said Fast Company owner Scott Miller. .. They have always been supportive, in good times and bad. and above all highly enthusiastic at every level. It has been a pleasure working with them over the past five years." Clear Channel Entertainment's Motor Sports division has announced that the National Arenacross Series and the IFMA Freestyle Motocross Series will be featured on the Outdoor Life Network (OLN) with an all-new, one-hour program highlighting both series. The program will feature highlights from more than 75 IFMA Freestyle Motocross and National Arenacross events. The new show will also feature personality profiles on the worldclass athletes of both arenacross and freestyle. It will be hosted by longtime motocross enthusiast Robby Floyd and will air Sunday at 6 p.m. Eastern and on Friday at 3:30 p.m. Eastern. beginning January 5. There will be 104 total hours of motocross and arenacross action including 26 hours of original programming. "This presents tremendous opportunities to give arenacross and freestyle motocross the exposure both series deserve." said Ken Hudgens, vice president marketing, Clear Channel Entertainment - Motor Sports. "Delivering the excitement of arenacross racing and the physics-defying spectacle of FMX via 104 hours of original programming over 52 weeks to OLN's 51 million-pius customers is exactly what the riders and industry that support FMX and arenacross deserve. The new televiContinued all page 75 .............. .. HIRED: Stateside French joumalist Stephan Legrand, by Moto Verte and Mx Magazine (the two leading motocross publications in France) as their exclusive and offiCial U.S. correspondent. Legrand had been the U.S correspondent for Moto Joumal since 1998. AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At Casey Cycle City in Newport News, Virginia, on January 25 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Shogun Yamaha Arenacross riders Tom Hofmaster, Phil Lawrence and deFending champion Josh Demuth are scheduled to appear. For more information. call 757/595-9721. MARRIED: PJ Jackson and Emie Frisby. on December 20 in Asheville, North Carolina. Jackson has worked for CCS. WERA and the AMA and can still be found at a racetrack or two. AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At East Bay Motorsports in Hayward, Cali- fomia, on January 24 from 6 to 7 p.m. Factory Yamaha riders Tim Ferry, Chad Reed and David Vuillemin, Mach One Motorsports' Heath Voss and Nick Wey, and Yamaha of Troy's Brock Sellards. Ivan Tedesco, Craig Anderson and Josh Hansen are scheduled to appear. For more infonmation. call 510/889-7900. Miller joined forces with Suzuki Canada for the 1998 racing season, and Neil Jenkins gave the program its first win in the Yoshimura 600 Sport Bike race at Mosport International Raceway. Jenkins finished third in the final class standings that year and placed seventh in Superbike points. In 1999 Jenkins improved to fifth in Superbike and took seventh in the 600 Sport Bike ran kings. Linnley Clarke joined the Fast Company Suzuki team in 2000 and scored another 600 Sport Bike victory at Mosport on his way to fourth in points. Clarke was fifth in the Superbike standings. Martin hooked up with the Fast Company Suzuki team in 2001, and the squad enjoyed its most successful season yet. Riding Suzuki's new GSX-R1000, Martin won three Open Sport Bike rounds to take second in points. In Superbike. the 1999 series champion was runner-up to Steve Crevier, standing on the podium at six of the seven series races. Martin capped the campaign with a victory at the season finale, giving Suzuki its first win in the feature class since 1991. Last year Fast Company Suzuki was the most dominant team in the Parts Canada Superbike Championship. Szoke joined the squad after the first race and reeled off five straight Superbike wins on the GSX-R 1000 on his way to his second national title. Szoke set new lap records at three venues on the Miller-prepared GSX-R 1OOOs. Martin added the Open Sport Bike crown to the 2002 trophy haul and picked up a win at the Autodrome St-Eustache event. He was third in the Superbike point standings. ACQUIRED: Performance Motorsports. Inc., a subsidiary of Dover Corporation. has announced that it has acqUired Chambon S.A. of Saint Etienne, France. Chambon is an englneenng and manufacturing company that produces crankshafts for OEM customers and for the European automotive race market including Fonmula One, F-3000, World Rally and other venues. Perfonmance Motorsports is an intemational group of premier companies in the motorsport industry including JE Pistons, Wiseco Piston. Carrillo Industries of the U.S. and Vertex Pistons (Italy). Perfect Bore Ltd. (U.K.l and ProX Inter BV. (Netherlands). The group currently designs and manufactures internal engine components including pistons. connecting rods and cylinder liners for the automotive and powersports markets worldwide, according to Perfonmance Motorsports. BORN: Grayson Marlow. on December 16. 2002. to off-road racer Russ Marlow and his wife. Vicki. in Huntington Beach. California. ACCEPTING: AGV Sports Group is currently accepting racer resumes for the 2003 racing season. Resumes can be sent to AGV Sports. P.O. Box 378, Buckeystown. MD 21717. AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At Spectnum Motorsports in Irvine. Califor- nia. on January 31 at 6:30 p.m. Team Honda's Ricky Carmichael and the Factory Connection team are scheduled to appear. For more information. call 949/859-3186. CORRECTION: The website address for the Los Ancianos MC was incorrect in our last issue. The website is as follows: http://www.losancianos.com. c u e ' .. n .. _ S • JANUARY 15. 2003 3 LJ o o o o J J ] -;