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/128199
(] n U o o c that if I crashed again I could have big problems and ruin my future; this is too much of a risk that I don't feel like taking,' explained Casoli. '1 am very sad to leave in this way after 20 years of racing at the highest level. In 2003 I would have had a very fast Yamaha, new tires and the ambition to win the Supersport World Championship. I couldn't wait to face this challenge, But I have to think about my family, too; they are my main reason for life. I have a son, a wife and wonderful parents who would have worried too much knowing the risks I was taking. So I prefer to stop.'" AMA Pro Racing will debut an all·new motorcycle racing championship in 2003 based on the popular supermoto format, according to a release issued today by AMA Pro Racing. The series is scheduled to begin in late spring, and AMA Pro Racing plans a complete press conference and introduction during Daytona Bike Week in March. According to Scott Hollingsworth, CEO of AMA Pro Racing, the new series already has the support of the major OEMs as well as a number of national sponsors. "It's apparent that the marketplace is ready for this champion· ship, and AMA Pro Racing is pleased to take the leadership role in its development,' said Hollingsworth. "Supermoto, with its combination of road racing, motocross and flat track elements, is a fantastic platform for manufacturers to showcase new product and expand their marketing opportunities. Plus, there's no better way to demonstrate rider versatility. To succeed in this series, competitors will have to master several racing disciplines.' o o o o o o o o o Jamie Whitham. another 20-year vet· eran of racing, has also seen his career cut short by health concerns: this time glaucoma of the left eye. At the end of last season he first encountered slight vision difficulties and sought medical treatment. though the full impact of the problem has only now become evident. Jamie maintains near·normal vision for daily activities. but the impairment becomes more acute during the stresses of top·level competitive racing. and this has led to his decision to retire. Doctors have suggested that the cause of the problem may be the chemotherapy treat· ment that Whitham received in 1995 after being diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease· a form of lymphatic cancer. from which he made a full recovery. "I was aware of this problem at the end of last season and discussed it with the team," said Whitham. "I didn't notice it again during the first two winter tests when we were in the wet and riding quite slow. but it became a problem while I was testing at full speed in the dry last weekend. I just can't give that last 10 percent with any confidence . and confidence is what rac· ing is all about. I wouldn't want to put myself or anyone else in danger; plus the guys at Belgarda are more like a family than a team. and they deserve to have a rider who is lOO percent fit. I know the bike is going to be good - good enough to win the championship - so it's important that they have the best possible rider. It's been a really hard decision to make· I've been racing all my life. and all my friends are in racing. I know I've got be philosophical, but I'm really going to miss it.' c c c c c After a heavy fall off his Fuchs Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR on the first day of testing in Phillip Island, Australian Garry McCoy took the second day off in order to recover from heavy bruising and a mild concus· sion. Even though he didn't feel well enough to ride. McCoy showed up at the race track in the afternoon to visit his Kawasaki Racing Team and to observe the preparations of his bike with a new chassis that finally had been released by the Melbourne customs authorities. Teammate Andrew Pitt and test riders o o o o o 8 o A cross section of national caliber riders has expressed interest in competing in the series, including reigning AMA Progressive Insurance U.S. Flat Track Champion Chris Carr, two·time X-Games gold medalist/freestyle motocross star Mike Metzger, five-time Daytona 200 winner Scott Russell, and former World GP Champion Kevin Schwantz. Bringing riders together from differing racing backgrounds will ensure not only a good show but broad fan appeal as well. Races will run in conjunction with already-established AMA professional races or as stand-alone events in a number of major markets nationwide. One of the goals of the series is to offer as many riders as possible the opportunity to compete, the AMA says. Complete series details, inclUding class structure and rules will be announced in March. In the meantime, anyone interested in obtaining more information can contact AMA Pro RaCing's Andy Leisner at aleisner@amaproraclng.com. Akira Yanagawa and Alex Hofmann enjoyed a mainly sunny day with easing winds, and all three of them further improved their lap times. "With concussion, you normally need two days of rest and probably seven days without any sporting activities, which is why I preferred not to ride today." McCoy said on January 21. "I do feel a li~tle bit better, but obviously not 100 percent. and after spending the afternoon in the paddock. I'm now going back to my hotel room. I hope to have another good night's sleep, and we'll see how I feel tomorrow. If I don't feel too bad, I want to go out there afld do a few laps, just to have confi· dence in riding the bike again. The next test is about a month away, and I would like to leave thinking about other things than just this crash. It's the first time in my life that I have concussion. and I just want to forget about it and do some laps, even if I go slow. The other thing is that the new chassis that I wanted to use here didn't arrive until lunchtime today anyway. Not riding gave the guys in my team a bit ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ · . : : ment and marketing consulting organization. From 1982 to 2001. he held : numerous positions with Nissan Motor Corporation U.S.A.. most recent· : : : Iy as vice president and general manager of the Infiniti Division. He also : served as vice president of marketing with responsibility for both Nissan : and Infiniti brand advertising. promotions. research and pricing. : A o · · ~ : : o 'I · · BORN: A baby girl. Gracie Edwards, to two-time World Superbike u Champion Colin Edwards and his wife, AJyssia. in Conroe, Texas. on Jan· uary 22. NAMED: Bruce Hendel to the position of global sales manager for VP Ii ~ Racing Fuels; Steve Scheidker to the position of global marketing and communications manager for VP Racing Fuels, effective immediately. u n LJ C o o o o o o o· c NAMED: John Cardinale, who has managed public relations efforts at Infineon Raceway (Sears Pointl since 1998, has been named vice president of media and community relations. raceway officials have announced. Cardinale, a 37-year-old San Francisco native. is responsible AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At Montclair Yamaha in Montclair. Califor· nia. on January 31 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 all scheduled to appear. For more infonnation. call 909/628-4748. for all media communications originating from lnfineon Raceway and over- HIRED: Brad Woolsey. as Team Green field technician. Woolsey will be based out of Kawasaki's Dallas. Texas. sales office and service MOVED: Effective January 30, the Bridgestone/Firestone Motorsports tion. call 949/770·0400. Department has moved to a facility not far from its fonner location in Nashville, Tennessee. The new address is as follows: Bridgestone/Fire· stone North American Tire. LLC. 535 Marriott Drive, P.O. Box 140990. 10th Floor. Nashville, TN 37214 615/937-5000. OPENED: Champion Motorcycle in Davie. Florida. by racer Marco Mar- motocross and off~road events in the Midwest area. For more informa· AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At Excel Motorsports in Coon Rapids. Min· nesota. on February 14 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 and Ivan Tedesco are all scheduled to appear. For more information please con· tact Dan Petrin at 763/421·8701. tinez. Champion Motorcycle is located at 11850 South State Road 84, Suites A11·A12, Davie, FL 33325. For more information, call 954/2365559. RESCHEDULED: The venue for round two of the 2003 Southwest Vin· tage Racing Group Motocross Series. scheduled for February 2, has been moved from Cahuilla Creek MX Park to Perrs Raceway in Perris. California. For more information, call 714/694-0066 or visit \/IfINW.svrg.com. HIRED: Tom Orbe. as vice president. marketing. of Kawasaki. Orbe will, .. .. .. 1..-1 : OPENED: Ave" Suite 430. Anaheim, CA 92806. The phone number is 714/935. 0790.' sees the facility's various community initiatives. • through an intermediate transition period, report to Bob Shepard. execu• tive vice president. marketing group. of Kawasaki. Most recently, Orbe • was CEO and president of Marel, LLC. a Newport Beach·based manage- (, . . . . OMS Sports' West Coast headquarters at 2300 E. Katella RESIGNED: Rupert X Pellett, from MxAmerica. effective immediately. 2 'O 'O" FEBRUARV 5, 2003' OPENED: The Southern Enduro Riders Association's (SERA) home page on the World Wide Web. The site can be found at the follOWing address: http://www.sera.dirtrider.net. • . .. cue I e n e _ s of extra time to get the bike fully prepared for tomorrow! " McCoy was back in action on the third and final day of the test. doing 33 laps with a best time of 1:34.83. "Yesterday. I was still a bit giddy after my crash on Tuesday. I was not feeling too well. and I had headaches. But this moming. when I got up. I didn't feel too bad. I still had a slight headache, and onte I got out on the bike, I just took it easy for a few laps. I was still. how can I say, lost in my own mind about what was going on. because the team had been here for two days, and I had to start all over again. It was more or less like day one for me, and I had to get used to everything again. We had a different chassis, the one that had been held in customs, and we tried a few things. We didn't get very far though. The bike started to feel strange, and my mechanics found a small crack close to the lower engine mount." McCoy's teammate Andrew Pitt. meanwhile, had a successful test. lapping at a best of 1:33.70. The third and final day of testing at Malaysia's Sepang circuit for the Ducati Marlboro Team was hampered by the rain that had fallen on the night of January 21. As a result. the final session began late morning. with high temperatures and high humidity. Loris Capirossi and Troy Bayliss immediately went out onto the track as soon as conditions allowed in order to complete the Desmosedici work schedule. The day mainly revolved around the accumulation of data and information for a bike that is still in its development phase, for Bayliss, in particular, who has never seen many of the circuits on the MotoGP calendar. This was the first appearance at Sepang for the Desmosedici, and losing half a day due to rain unfortunately means the loss of vital track time. The tests, however, concluded with a positive balance sheet and evident satisfaction on the faces of the entire Ducati Marlboro Team. "Three days of tests in an extreme climate provided us with useful information for the development of the engine and the bike" declared Ducati Corse technical director Filippo Preziosi. "In particular, we obtained positive results regarding the engine reliability with high water temperatures. After this new experience, we can now continue with the development of the bike. trying to define the best settings Continued on page 86