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/128219
Continued from page 3 '- Formula USA has several riders competing in both the national road race and dirt track series. giving race fans the opportunity to see many of the top riders in the country doing double-duty over the weekend. The 3/8 mile dirt oval is specifically designed for high-performance sprint car and motorcycle racing, n with state-of-the-art, television quality r lighting, 4500 permanent seats and 8500 seats for special events. The Pennzoil World of Outlaws, World of Outlaws Gumout Series, and the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts All-Star Late Model Series were special events that raced during the 2001 inaugural season. "We are looking to promote the largest motorcycle weekend in the L state," says owner Raymond Irwin. "The r doubleheader weekend of road racing and dirt track along with other motorcycle related activities will insure we have something special for everyone." Located in Topeka, Kansas. five miles south of Topeka off the Kansas Turnpike (1-470) on U.S. 75. adjacent to Forbes Field airport. the 750 acres of Heartland Park Topeka is a world-class venue. The versatile entertainment complex holds a 2.5-mile Grand Prix Road Course. 1.625-mile Club Course, a 1. 75-mile Stock Car Road Course. a state-of-theart quarter-mile drag strip, a 3/8 mile dirt ;=:. oval, numerous test track configurations and a paddock for 800 race cars. Gates will open at 4 p.m. with racing at 7:30 p.m. For event and ticket information, call 1-800-43-RACES or visit www.hpt.com. C C C C The organizers of the Yamaha R6 Cup have announced that the spec series has been confirmed as a support race to the MotoGP Championship when it visits Donington Park, July 12L.. 13. The Virgin Mobile Yamaha R6 Cup events have earned top slots in the proLJ gram, according to event promoters. I The first race will take place after ....J MotoGP qualifying on Saturday, with the ......J second follOWing immediately after the Grand Prix itself on Sunday. Virgin Mobile British Superbike team boss and former factory GP rider Rob McElnea devised the one-make series. which is in its inaugural year. The aim of the championship is to seek out the next British Champion while providing the wealth of --, young biking talent with the opportunity to launch their racing careers from a professional series. "It's great news for the r R6 Cup to be accepted as one of the support races," McElnea said. "All of our riders aspire to be the best and to race in the best company. This weekend will give them a chance to do exactly that. We also hope to be able to invite some of the GP riders over so that the R6 guys can meet them and have a chance to put their questions to some of the best riders in the world." The Virgin Mobile Yamaha R6 Cup is currently a c L [ (""l 124 JUNE 18.2003' c u e . . . support race to the British Superbike Championship. The following is a list of upcoming Women's School of Motocross classes: June 13-14 - Daniel Boone MX, London. Kentucky; July 19 - Carnegie OHV, Livermore. California; July 26 Elsinore Raceway. Lake Elsinore, California. For more information, call 949/837-2206. Ryan Capes, the 23-year-old worldrecord long-jumping freestyle motocross rider, has agreed to a performance on Thursday. September 18. as part of the inaugural Great American Motorcycle Experience 2003 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, it was announced today by GAME2003 officials. GAME2003 will be held Wednesday through Sunday (September 17-21). GAME2003 will include five days of seven styles of pro and amateur motorcycle racing, a long distance jump. custom bike competition and show, swap meet. vendors Village, street and dirt industry exhibits, vintage motorcycle museum. the ultimate demo ride experience, concerts and fireworks, laser and light shows. GAME2003 will use nearly all of the 1400 acres at the expansive Las Vegas Motor Speedway. "Signing Ryan Capils to participate in GAME2003 is a major deal," said Davey Hamilton, GAME vice president of racing operations. "Ryan is a great athlete and a great showman, who will definitely attract a crowd. When it comes to getting huge air. no one does it better than Ryan does. He is a world-class addition to our event and helps bring us even more instant credibility as a viable event." Capes currently holds the world record for distance (jumping from ramp to dirt) at 247 feet, according to event promoters. Tickets. including a special three-day "Super Pass." are on sale daily at the LVMS ticket office 800/6444444 and at TicketMaster at 702/4744000. For more information. call 866/202-8832 or visit www.great-motorcycle-exp.com. American Honda and 1 stRacing have announced a racing alliance formed to contest the recently announced AMAIRed Bull SuperMoto racing series and the K&N Pro Series Dirt Track Championship, promoted by Clear Channel Entertainment. As a Honda-backed team. 1stRacing will ride the CRF450R motorcycles in both series. The team riders will be two-time and current K&N Pro Series Dirt Track Champion Terry Poovey and AMA 2001 Rookie of the Year Bryan Smith. Dirt Track rookie expert Merle Scherb will also ride with the team. The team will contest all six rounds of the Red Bull Super Motard Series and the K&N Pro Series Dirt Track Events. Roy Plattel, 1stRacing's managing principal said: "We are excited about our association with American n .. _ s Honda. Dallas Honda and all of our associate sponsors. We will be announcing exciting partnerships with additional sponsors in the near future. We feel we have a winning combination and are honored to be representing our sponsors as we compete in over 20 venues across the country. " In the sweltering heat of Mugello, Italy, the first Pramac Cup (a five-a-side, four-team soccer tournament) was won by the MotoGP riders. Three games. with no half-time. were played together with a 15-minute final - press journalists. riders, TV journalists and the Riders for Health team were pitted against each other for the final victory. The" dream team" of Max Biaggi, Roberto Locatelli, Roberto Rolfo, Pablo Nieto and others managed to beat the team of TV journalists in the final shootout. 4-2. The main purpose of the first Pramac Cup was to give active assistance to Riders for Health with the actual amount donated by Pramac to the humanitarian association being established by the total number of goals scored - which turned out to be 27. Since there were so few goals. thanks to the brilliant work of the four goalkeepers. the founder of Pramac. Mario Campinoti. decided to double the value of each goal and thus make the donation to the English association that much more substantial. A further contribution came from the team of Riders for Health supporters as they had all paid considerable amounts of money in order to take part in the tournament, according to Pramac. The AMA has launched a website to support "Ride Straight." a national campaign to educate motorcyclists about the dangers of drinking and riding. The new website, www.ridestraight.com. features a wide range of educational and informational resources, as well as links to other motorcycle-safety programs. The site also includes public-service advertisements that can be downloaded for use in print publications. "The AMA is proud to take the lead in addressing the issue of impaired riding," said Robert Rasor, president of the AMA. "We believe that ridestraight.com can be a valuable tool in raising awareness about the risks of combining alcohol and motorcycling." In light of statistics showing that 41 percent of the fatally injured motorcycle riders in 2001 had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 gldl or greater - the legal limit of impairment in many states - last September the AMA announced that it had joined forces with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to produce Ride Straight. FollOWing the statement made by FIM president Francesco Zerbi during the press conference held in Geneva, Switzerland, on May 21, the Commis- sions of the two Road Racing World Championships - Grand Prix and World Superbike - will have separate meetings in June to discuss proposals for possi· ble changes in the rules of the respective championships in the near future, according to the FIM. The main subjects to be discussed concern technical and safety rules. the FIM says. As suggested by the president. some adjustments may be needed concerning the power. high speed and technology of the Grand Prix prototypes in relation to safety aspects. but without holding back the technical evolution. the FIM release states. On the other hand, the release continues, the World Superbike machines, derived from the production series. need to be technically" more simple" and also less expensive, for example follOWing the rules in force in the United States, Japan or Great Britain. After having received the reports of both meetings, the FIM president will then meet with representatives of MSMA and of both promoters. Dorna and FGSport, in order to study these proposals and make short, medium and long-term decisions. This meeting will be held in Geneva on July 9, according to the FIM. Rizla Suzuki riders John Reynolds and Yukio Kagayama, regulars in the British Superbike Championship. will race as wild cards in the British round of the World Superbike Championship on July 15 at Silverstone, England. In order to make their GSX-R 1OOOs legal for the series. the team has added 13.2 pounds to bring the weight up to the World Superbike minimum of 369.6 pounds. The bikes will also use a 32.5mm air restrictor for each of the engine's four cylinders. "This is a fantastic opportunity for us to race against some of the best riders in the world and show what we can do.' said Reynolds. the winner of a World Superbike round at Brands Hatch in 2000. "There is no doubt our bike will be competitive and we have a strong enough team to compete in the World Superbike arena. I haven't ridden the long circuit at Silverstone before, but I have a feeling it will suit the bikes with more horsepower. and that suits us! I'm looking forward to racing against some of myoid mates." Kagayama is also looking forward to the opportunity. "I like Silverstone. and racing in British Superbike on the short track brings me good memories. I got my best result there with a second-place finish at the first race of the season. I hope I can repeat that sort of performance this weekend. Racing in World Superbikes is important for me. I want to race against the best riders in the world and show them that I can run with them. I think the bike is fast enough and I am keen enough. I don't mind if the first race I win in the UK is World Superbike or British Superbike, but I do want eN to win soon."