Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

use the Red Rider Rewards card anywhere Visa is accepted. For complete details on events included. eligibility and payout schedules visit www.hondaredriders.com. It appears as though longtime AMA f1attracker Kevin Atherton will have a ride for the 2003 season after all. In our U.S. Flat Track Championships preview (Issue #8). we reported that Atherton was seeking out interesting parties to purchase the trio of XR750s that he rode for Tony Dodge Racing with Saddlemen backing in 2002. We have since learned that Kersting Cycle of Indiana has teamed up with Perry Harley-Davidson to purchase the bikes from Dodge. Atherton will ride them, and Jay Springsteen/Shaun Russell motor builder Jim Kelly will continue to handle the engine work. Saddlemen Racing is once again aboard as an associate sponsor. as are several other companies. Additionally. Atherton is receiving two Yamaha VZ450Fs for use in the singles events. The machines are being supplied by Yamaha Motor Corporation through Kersting Cycle. Speaking of Yamaha. Atherton isn't the only one who will be supported by the company in '03. At the recent Dealernews International Powersports Expo in Indianpolis. it was announced that Memphis Shades/Parts Unlimited rider J.R. Schnabel would also be receiving support from Yamaha Motor Corp. for the AMA singles races. The deal. which includes bikes and parts. was confirmed by Yamaha racing director Keith McCarthy. "We feel that the Yamaha YZ450F is a great machine for flat track use." McCarthy said. "In the hands of someone like J.R. Schnabel. it will be that much better. We're looking forward to seeing what happens with the YZ450F in the flat track arena. " SuperBikers2. LLC and MotoMaster USA have teamed up to produce the 2003 Primedia US Supermotard National Championship Series. SuperBikers2. LLC has announced that the eight-round series will feature Primedia as its title sponsor. The series. which will kick off in March. will crown champions in two different classes in October. Headlining the series will be the Open Supermoto Extreme class featuring the open displacement. big bore thumpers that have made this sport what it is known for today. The equally impressive 450X class will feature a 450cc displacement limit that will showcase the latest machines from many manufacturers. Supermotard USA, SuperMoto USA, Mile High Motard and SuperBikers2. LLC will hold regional races to run as support classes in conjunction with the national event for their host weekends. "The supermotard racer is one who has talents in various types of racing environments: motocross racing. dirt track racing and road racing are all key ingredients to a successful supermotard racer." series organizer Glenn Curtiss said. "With over 600 members within the regional organizations and many riding backgrounds. the action should be intense. Having a strong rider base is key to making this series grow. By joining with the many regional groups. we have the critical ingredient for great racing action for our spectators to see. Add in some top level racing facilities. and you have a great time. for both spectator and racer." SuperBikers2. LLC will be showcasing supermoto at major events including the Phoenix Bike Fest and the Mikuni Calendar/LA Motorcycle Show to bring supermoto racing to the racing public. For more information on the rules. schedule. sponsors and more. check out www.superbikers2.com. or call 920/9 12-3009. According to a release from Mat Mladin Motorsports. the three-time AMA Superbike National Champion is raring to go for the 2003 season. "We are definitely going in the right direction with the new Suzuki GSX-R1000: said Mladin. "I think we've got a motorcycle that can be very competitive this year. The way the rules have been. we had a motorcycle that we were always playing catch-up with. and if you didn't get it set up 100 percent on the day. it made it very hard. I think we have a chance to be very strong. and we should do well this year." Since the announcement by the AMA late last year regarding the rule changes to the class. Mladin's team has been busy preparing brand new machines from the ground up and undertaking a testing program that included time at Daytona. California Speedway in Fontana. Laguna Seca and a four-day test at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia. "We've done a fair bit of testing since Christmas. with a couple of days at Fontana. followed by four in Malaysia and then at Laguna Seca last week. " Mladin said. "It's not a huge amount by any means in the way of days tested. I think we would need double the amount that we have done. but what we did do was very productive. It rained at the Daytona test before Christmas. and then it rained again last week at Laguna. so who knows where we would have been if we didn't go to Malaysia. The four days that we had there proved to be very good for us. Any time you can have as much if not more horsepower than people that have had more than you in the past. is certainly encouraging. Besides the horsepower. the bike works well. It feels very good to me. I'm very comfortable on the bike. and I'm riding a lot more relaxed than I have over the past couple of years. I had to change the way I rode the bike in the past two years to a point where I wasn't comfortable For more information. call 314/427 -1204. APPOINTED: Dan Kopf to the position of manager. aftermarket programs. of the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC). effective immediately. For more information. call 949/727-4211. AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At Honda of Houston in Houston. Texas. on March 28. beginning at 6:30 p.m. Team Honda and the Amsoil/Chapparal/Factory Connection race team are scheduled to appear. RESIGNED: Dan White from the position of senior director of client operations for OMS Sports LLC. effective February 21 . APPOINTED: Larry little to the position of chairman of the board of the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC). little is vice president and publisher of Cycle World magazine and most recently served as vice chairman of the board for MIC. The vacancy on the board was created when Kawasaki's Bob Moffit retired. NAMED: John Wong as manager. vendor displays and special events. at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma. California. Wong will be responsible for building vendor display business at Infineon Raceway's major events during the season. as well as eventday execution of marketing programs and trade shows. AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At Dreyer Kawasaki in Indianapolis. Indiana. on February 28. from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Team Chevy Trucks Kawasaki's Ezra Lusk and Team Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Mike Brown and Justin Buckelew are scheduled to appear. For more information. call 317/243-2203. AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At Donelson Cycles in St. Ann. Missouri. on March 21. from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Factory Yamaha riders Tim Ferry, Chad Reed and David Vuillemin. Mach One Yamaha's Heath Voss and Nick Wey. and Yamaha of Troy's Brock Sellards and Ivan Tedesco are all scheduled to appear. RESCHEDULED: The Southern Enduro Riders Association (SERA) and AMA National Enduro (round 2) in Acadiana. Louisiana. to March 23. The event was rained out with more than four inches of rain before the scheduled date. For more information visit www.sera.dirtrider.net cycle anymore. Mistakes started to creep into my riding. just because I wasn't silting on the bike the way I wanted to. but it was the only way we could get the bike to turn. I really did love the GSX-R750 that I won the championship on in 1999 and 2000. and the new GSX-R1000 feels a lot like that. " The 2003 edition of the Tecate (Mexico) Hare Scrambles is fast approaching on March 30. With all the recent rains the course is looking good. and entries are piling in. according to event promoters. For more info log onto www.losancianos.com or call 619/281-1400 (days) or 760/726-0119 (evenings). Clear Channel Entertainment's motor sports division has announced the preliminary 2003 CCS Road Race Contingency Program after topping $5 million. While only two-thirds of the 2002 contingency sponsors had renewed for the 2003 season. the CCS contingency postings have been drastically increased from previous years. according to CCS. prior to confirming the motorcycle manufacturer listings such as Suzuki. Kawasaki. Honda. Yamaha. and Aprilia. The Championship Cup Series offers 45 various classes of motorcycle road racing competition at each event. catering to all sportsman racers. from the beginners to the professional veterans. The majority of CCS events also offer road race schools. where beginners can start their transition to expert racers. This "Zero to Hero" program. as is has been named. has been sponsored by Lockhart Phillips USA since its inception and whose contract continues through the 2004 season. Kevin Elliott. competition director of sport bike properties for Clear Channel stated: "We are very proud that the Championship Cup Series' 20th season has started off with such success. CCS is proud to have such a strong relationship with the industry manufacturers and distributors and that they can profit from their relationship with our road race properties." With race entries increasing 60 percent in purse-paying classes in 2002. CCS is confident that the 2003 season will again see a double digit increase in entry numbers and licensing. For the latest information on events. weekend schedules. news or information. visit FormulaUSA.com or CCSracing.com. AMA Supersport and Superbike racer Robert Jensen will race the Tul-aris in the Formula USA Unlimited GP class on Sunday. March 2. at Daytona International Speedway. Regular Tul-aris rider Steve Johnson cannot attend Daytona due to a work conflict. the team says. Since this will be the first time that Jensen has ridden the bike. the team arranged a test that was slated to be held at North Florida Motorsports Park on Monday. February 24. - - - - - Conti/wed on page 88 neVils MARCH 5. 2003 3 J CJ j ] ] "I

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