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/128212
o o o o [ Continued}rom paKe 3 Spy Optic, Inc.l1as announced the addition of Kevin Windham to its motocross team. Windham will make his retum to racing in the opening round of the AMA 250cc National Motocross Championship at Glen Helen Raceway in San Bemardino, California, on May 11. Says Jason McCormick. Spy motocross team manager, '1 am very excited to have Kevin Windham join Spy's talent-rich motocross team," said Jason McCormick, Spy's motocross team manager. "With the outdoor Nationals starting LJ right around the comer, I wish Kevin the r> best of luck and look forward to his strong results." Windham joins Spy Optic's motocross roster of Jeremy McGrath, Travis Pastrana, Damon Bradshaw, Stephane Roncada and Steve Lamson. 'I LJ c C '1 u " King Juan Carlos of Spain has accepted the FIM's invitation to be the President of Honor at the FIM Rally that will take place in Benalmadena, Spain, June 11-14. The Royal House has confirmed to the Spanish Motorcyclist Royal Federation that the King has accepted the invitation. Chaparral Motorsports will hold its annual Fan Appreciation Event prior to the AMA National Motocross Championship series opener at Glen Helen. The event will take place at the San Bemardino, California, dealership on Friday, May 9 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. with an autograph signing slated for 6 to 8 p.m. Among those scheduled to appear are: Ricky Carmichael. Emesto Fonseca, Travis Preston, Mike laRocco, Michael Byrne, Chris Gosselaar, Ryan Mills, Larry Ward, Clark Stiles, Troy Adams, Kyle Lewis and Damon Huffman. For more information, call 909/889-2761. Motorcycle Riders Foundation president Nathan "Buck" Kittredge, 56. was killed on April 20 in a single-vehicle motorcycle accident less than 10 miles from his home in Wisconsin, according to the MRF. Kittredge is survived by his wife, Carolyn, and his two sons. Jesse and Travis. Tom Wyld. MRF vice president of government relations, echoed the sentiments of the entire motorcyclists' rights community upon hearing the tragic news. "We are all numb, grief-stricken and in utter disbelief at this unfathomable loss, and our hearts are one with Carolyn and the rest of the Kittredge family. We will carry on, as Buck would have us do, guided by this wonderful man's spirit and his unflagging devotion to his family, to his cause and to each and every one of us." In lieu of Rowers, the MRF asks that you please forward contributions to the Buck Kittredge Memorial Fund, c/o Wells Fargo Bank, 225 E. Central Avenue, Oconto Falls, WI 54154. Since 1966, Kittredge had ridden his various motorcycles through 49 states from his home base in Wisconsin. He first became involved with motorcyclists' rights when he became a life member of the AMA. He was heavily involved with ABATE of Wisconsin starting in 1985. served as executive director of ABATE of Wisconsin from 1994-2000, and was well known for his lobbying efforts for motorcyclists' rights and safety in Washington D.C. beginning in 1991. He began his service on the Motorcycle Riders Foundation Board of Directors as 122 MAY 7,2003' eye I Ilt Supporting State Motorcyclists' Rights Organization board member in 1995 when Mark Buckner was MRF president. "The Motorcycle Riders Foundation, and all of biker's rights, has lost a great leader," said Buckner. "Buck was a good friend and a better man. I'll miss him dearly. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Carolyn and the Kittredge family." Kittredge served two years as vice president before taking over as MRF president at the Meeting of the Minds in Lansing, Michigan last September. MRF vice president Chuck Coulter has stepped in as interim president. The 36th annual Mammoth Motocross will be held June 21-29 in Mammoth Lakes, California. For race schedules, sign up and historical information, visit www.mammothmotocross.com. X-Factor will be hosting a premiere party for the movie Urban Assault 2, King Of The Streets on May 7 at the liquid Lounge in Westminster, California. For more information, call 949/235- 1171. Sam's Town in Tunica, Mississippi, will host the second annual Sam's Town 2003 Motorcycle Festival presented by Steel Dreams, May 2-4. The event will feature manufacturer shows and performances by live bands, including Molly Hatchet on Friday, May 2. For more information, call 901/525- 1515 or visit www.samstowntunica.com. The fourth annual Glen Helen/Chaparral Golf Tournament is set for May 7 at the Jurupa Hills Country Club in Riverside, California, with many of the sport's stars set to compete. The tournament is to kick off the opening round of the Chevy Trucks/Giant RV. Racing.com AMA 125/250 MX National at Glen Helen in San Bernardino, California, May 9- 11. Among those slated to participate are: Rick Johnson, Danny laPorte, Mike Healey. Broc Glover, Nathan Ramsey, Grant Langston, Mike Brown, Shae Bentley, Brock Sellards, Billy Laninovich and Phil Lawrence. Sponsorships and donations are greatly needed and most appreciated, according to event promoters. Proceeds from the tournament will benefit the Loma linda University Emergency Trauma Care Center. For more information, visit www.glenhelen.com. Formula USA has announced a rule change. According to a release from the racing organization, Formula USA intends to utilize a 3.5-horsepower-toweight ratio in the Thunderbike class starting at Mid-America Motorplex, May 23-25. The 2003 Formula USA Rule Book states (pg. 39, section 6.14) that a "Proposed horsepower-to-weight limit of 3.5 pounds per horsepower may take effect by June 1." This rule will first be effective at Mid-America Motorplex on May 23-25 for round two of the Formula USA Championship Series event in Glenwood, Iowa. The rule is intended to make the various brands of machinery in the Thunderbike class equally competitive, according to Formula USA. Fans of the AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship will enjoy an n e uv s abundance of television coverage during the 2003 season, according to the AMA. Over 100 hours of AMA road racing action will be shown on Speed Channel, including over 20 hours live. The AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship will be the featured series, with Pro Honda Oils U.S. Supersport presented by Shoei and Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme races also being shown. Viewers will also see highlights from the MBNA 250 Grand Prix and Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock Series. "We're pleased with Speed Channel's continued emphasis on our AMA Superbike property," said John Farris, AMA Pro Racing vice president of commercial development. "The championship has become a mainstay for the network, and the popularity of the series on television has proven that motorcycle racing delivers a large and loyal audience. In addition to being a great way for fans to follow the championship, our television package provides a strong benefit to participating teams and sponsors." This year marks the eighth season for the AMA U.S. Superbike Championship on Speed Channel, and like event attendance, the television ratings continue to grow, according to the AMA. "Our partnership with Speed Channel is a testament to the power of live TV and its ability to accelerate the growth of a sports property," added Farris. Ten of the 11 venues on this year's Superbike calendar will feature live coverage. The Superbike race at Barber Motorsports Park will be shown on a same-day, tape-delayed basis. Six of the Supersport Championship events will also be covered live. For current listings visit Speed Channel's website at www.speedtv.com. The 2003 Sooner Cup will be held April 26-27 at the NEOn Riding Grounds just north of Tulsa, Oklahoma. This annual event is an observed trials motorcycle competition that draws participants from across Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas and Texas. The Sooner Cup is organized by the Northeastern Oklahoma Trials (NEOTl) team which has promoted observed trials in Oklahoma since the 1970s. For event details or more information on NEOn, visit: www.neott.com. Unless you've been living under a rock, the changes the AMA made to its 2004 Superbike rule package shouldn't have come as a surprise. What did come somewhat as a surprise was what the sanctioning body has opted to do with the Formula Xtreme class. The basic package for that class now reads as follows: "6oocc four-stroke, four cylinders; 750cc four-stroke, twin cylinders; 250cc330cc two-stroke. All highly modified." Kevin Erion's Erion Honda team has been racing Formula Xtreme since its inception in 1997, and his motorcycles have won the title four times in the sixyear history of the class. We figured it was appropriate to get Erion's views on the proposed Formula Xtreme class for 2004. "I think the bottom line is that they [the AMAl were down to three classes, and they felt that three wasn't enough." Erion said today from his business in Anaheim, California. "They needed to create a fourth class. and that's what they came up with. So does Suzuki look at that class and put a Corona team there? Does Yamaha put a Graves team there? I guess time will tell if that class will have any value." One thing Erion is certain of is the fact that a 600cc four-cylinder will be the bike to beat. "Absolutely - a 600, " Erion said. "I still think an inline 600 will be better than a 750cc twin. And a 250... no way. If you look at Rich Oliver's lap times, they are slower than 750cc Superstock. While there could be a huge platform to make a 600 better, he [Oliver] can really only move his power up a little bit. You could get 145 horsepower out of a 600 - maybe 150 horsepower." As for Erion's plans for 2004, it's much too early to make any, he says. He has a strong relationship with Honda, and the pairing will sit down at some point and evaluate which direction they want to go. "It's really too early to answer," Erion said. "I do what I'm requested to do, and if it makes sense then I do it. This sport is marketing driven, and it's the players who determine the value of the market. It's a case of who shows up for the first dance. From a business standpoint, highly modified parts are no longer being sold. We don't sell cams, pistons and stuff like that anymore because the sportbike aftermarket has changed. So am I excited about that class because it will create new customers? No. Time will tell if the class has any value. Right now if you asked me, 'Do I want to participate in that class?' I would say that given the three other classes that are there, that [Formula Xtremel would be my fourth choice. The other three classes are more desirable to me at this point." Clear Channel Entertainment - Motor Sports announced a record payout to riders participating in the National and Regional Arenacross series. Riders competed for over $2.6 million throughout the season in contingency money, performance-based bonuses and the series end points fund, making arenacross the largest indoor motor sports series in the world. For the 2002-2003 season, the amount of money posted from all contingency sponsors doubled last year's total. This year a total of $2.2 million was posted for the National and Regional Series from a record number of sponsors, paying out over $431,885 to amateur and professional riders. Record high payouts were made by two of the largest motorcycle manufacturers. Kawasaki paid out a total of $106,000, while Suzuki paid out an astonishing $124,180 to both professional and amateur riders on the season. Plans are under way for the Great American Motorcycle Experience (GAME) at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, Nevada, September 17-21. GAME will include five days of everything to do with motorcycles. Racing events will include dirt track (Eddie Mulder Vintage Dirt Track Series), motocross, road racing, grands prix, record breaking distance jumping, extreme motorcycling, speedway and drag racing. It will host hundreds of vendors for demos, accessories, everything motorcycling can offer, along with concerts and fireworks. For more information, go to www.greatmotorcycle-exp.com. eN