Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

o IJITJ (j{J)C9 C\XI r w r; The Zongshen Team (Suz) of Warwick Nowland and Stephane Mertens won the Brno 6 Hour, a round of the FIM World Endurance Championship, on Sobe Suzuki's Travis Pastrana suffered serious injury when he crashed his 2003 Corvette into a tree during the early morning hours of Tuesday, June lOin Davidsonville, Maryland, close to his home, Pastrana and a passenger, Matthew Scott Bigos, were both airLifted to local hospitals, with Pastrana going to Prince George's Hospital Trauma Unit where he was listed in serous but stable condition. Pastrana was later treated and released after undergoing surgery to repair his left hand, Bigos, meanwhile, was taken to Shock-Trauma ,Center at University Hospital in Baltimore, where he was also listed in serious but stable condition with cracked vertebrae and ribs. According to police and the local newspaper, Pastrana's Corvette went airborne on Rossback Road about 12:30 a,m. after cresting a hill. When it came down, the Corvette ran off the right side of the road, police said. Pastrana apparently then steered sharply to the left, causing the Corvette to spin while crossing the road, The car then went onto a steep embankment and struck a large oak tree. The force of the collis.ion flipped the Corvette, threw Pastrana from the vehicle and blew apart the engine, police said, The car landed upside down in the middle of Rossback Road, about 300 feet from where the driver lost control. "It hit so hard that the motor was thrown out of it," said Lt. Keith Williams, commander of the Traffic Safety Section. "You can't even tell what kind of car it is. It is just completely destroyed," American Suzuki, meanwhile, issued a statement on June 11 that said Pastrana was "on the road to making a full recovery following a serious car accident that occurred early on Tuesday, June 10,2003." Suzuki said the surgery on Pastrana's hand was to repair nerve damage in one finger and his left wrist, "We're so relieved that Travis is going to be all right," said SoBe Suzuki team manager Roger DeCoster. "Travis was already having a rough season before this accident happened. Certainly, the prayers and good wishes from everyone at Suzuki go out to Travis and his family." In an open letter from Pastrana that ran on RacerX Online, Pastrana wrote: "In the past month, without a set training schedule and without the excitement of racing, I have been waking up in the mid- June 15 in the Czech Republic. Sebastien Scarnato, William Costes and Christophe Guyot teamed to bring the L; GMT94 (Yam) home in second place, ahead of the Suzuki GB Phase One (Suz) team of Jason Pridmore, Olivier Four and Jimmy Lindstrom. The race was run in two three-hour sessions, with the result decided on aggregate time. C C C -., w II LJ Dane Nicky Pedersen won the British Speedway Grand Prix at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, England, on June 14, o o o topping Australian Jason Crump. Third place in England went to Tony Rickardsson with American Greg Hancock finishing fourth. Aussie Leigh Adams rounded out the top five. After three rounds of the championship, Rickardsson leads Pedersen, 56-53. Round four of the series will be held in o o o Denmark on June 28. Bryan Smith (Hon) topped Nick Cummings (Hon) and Logan Myers (Hon) to win the 11th annual Ben Campanale Laconia Half-Mile National in Rochester, New York. on June 14, round two of the K&N Filters Pro Series, 8 o bike Championship on his UnionBike o o o o Toby Mueller (H-D) set fast time of the day and won the Open Pro class at the Kettle Moraine Sportriders Father's Day Classic hillclimb at Little Switzerland Ski and Snowboard Area in West Bend, Wisconsin, on June 15. Mueller blistered the technical, 300-foot hill with a time of 8,07 seconds on his winning pass. Other winners included Jesse Janisch (Hon) in the 250cc Stock (l class, Jim Heilman (Yam) in the 600cc Stock class, Kirk Mueller in the 250cc Pro class (Hon) and 600cc Pro class (Kaw), Mike Dricken (Trll in expected to vie for wild card entry into the World Superbike round at Laguna Seca Raceway in July have backed out. with American Honda opting not to take part with Ben Bostrom. Kurtis Roberts and Miguel DuHamel. "We decided to bail on that," said American Honda's Ray Plumb on Monday, June 16, from the race shop in Torrance, California. "We're thinking about them all doing the 600 race there [at Laguna], but we have to talk to each of them to see what they want to do. Last year we did the World Superbike thing at Laguna to give Nicky [Hayden] some exposure, but it ended up being a lot of work to do that and the AMA race - not that we're against hard work. We did a re-think thiS time, and we've decided to concentrate on the AMA Series." With Honda opting out. the AMA and the FIM will have an easier choice on which riders to allow in. There were six spots up for grabs, and it now appears as though only four AMA regulars will seek entry: Yoshimura Suzuki is planning on fielding Mat Mladin and Aaron Yates, Kawasaki is entering Eric Bostrom, and Ducati Austin will likely field Giovanni Bussei. u o o o o o o the Open Stock class and Billy Vrana (AJS) in the Antique class, Australian Anthony Gobert has been fired by the Ducati Austin team and will be replaced by Italian Giovanni Bussei for the remainder of the AMA Superbike Championship. Bussei comes to the team at the recommendation of the Ducati factory in Italy, and he will be on the bike at the next round of the AMA/Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship in Brainerd, Minnesota, June 28-29. When contacted at his home in Temecula, California, Gobert refused to comment but said he would be doing so shortly, Calls to team owner Terry Gregoricka have gone unreturned. Gobert is currently 14th in the AMA/Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship. Bussei finished 12th and 12th in the two World Superbike races in Silverstone, England, on June 15 and o 8 8 o o currently sits 14th in the World Super- 2 JUNE 25. 2003· cue I ers are two-time and current K&N Pro Series Dirt Track Champion Terry Poovey and AMA 2001 Rookie of the Three of the AMA Superbike riders o o o u motorcycles in both series. The team rid- GiMotorsports Yamaha R1. sanctioned by Formula USA. I) dIe of the night to go drive my car. I understand now what an idiot I have been, but at the time I didn't see the harm in driving fast on country roads that were desolate for miles on end. Every night I drove the same loop well shy of the speeds the car was capable, driving the speed limit through the few residential areas and never going out of my lane, It seemed impossible to me that I could ever be in a position to hurt someone, but I should have known better, and for this I am sorry, "My friends drove to my house late one night (they came in to stay with me for the week Ie.ading up to Budds Creek National, which is close to my house), They got me out of bed, and I made the huge mistake of not only deciding to drive, but also asking them if someone wanted to race around with me. It was the biggest mistake of my life, but everyone was so excited to drive around the country roads, it just didn't seem wrong at the time. "It was late but not late enough, as we passed a car about every five miles. On one abnormally long straightaway there is a hill that allows the car to come off the ground if you go fast enough. I was taking it extra cautious in the comers but didn't comprehend that something could go wrong on a straightaway. A deer jumped out of the woods, and I pankked, jerking the steering wheel to the oncoming lane and getting the car unstable. Right then I saw car lights coming over the hill. I yanked back into my lane as we crested the rise, The car wasn't in much of a slide, but I had no control to correct the swap" as the tires were not on the ground. "We were in the woods before I knew what had happened, and my friend is still in the hospital because I drove too fast. I never thought it would happen and still can't believe it did, but I have never been more sorry in my entire life. Matt is a good friend and a great person: If you have any beliefs, I hope that you will keep him in your prayers, "Everyone told me not to write a statement, but for those who care to know, I want them to know the truth. Matt is a great person. We weren't partying, we don't drink. we were out so late because I enjoyed driVing, and nothing more. I have never felt as sad or ashamed at any time in my Life as I do right now, Thanks for taking the time to read this,' e American Honda and 1 stRacing have announced a racing alliance to contest the K&N Pro Series Dirt Track Championship promoted by Clear Channel Entertainment and the AMA Red Bull Supermoto Series. As a Honda-backed team, 1stRacing will ride the CRF450R n e _ s Year, Bryan Smith. Dirt track rookie Expert Merle Scherb will also ride with the team. "We are excited about our association with American Honda, Dallas Honda and all of our associate sponsors," 1st Racing team manager Roy Plattel said in a press release. "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." American Honda's Gary Christopher welcomed the 1st Racing team to Honda in the release. "Honda is honored to have to top-notch experts Riding Red," Christopher said. "We are looking forvvard to adding more championship titles to the long winning More West Coast Flat Track Series news: Round three at Watsonville Speedway in Watsonville, California, has been changed from a short track to a TT. Rick Farren, promoter of Watsonville Speedway, requested thechange in response to the success of I the May event. "It was evident the IT ' was popular with the riders by the large turnout." Farren said. "The racing was fantastic. The fans want to see more of the IT.' The July 12 event will run concurrent with the World Superbike event at Laguna Seca. The n track will be improved with enhanced corners to promote more passing and excitement for the riders and fans. legacy of Honda motorcycles. Larry Bergquist, 69, a top cross country racer from the 1960s and '70s, died on June 6 after a long bout with throat cancer, Bergquist started racing in AMA D-37 desert races in the 1950s on a Puch 250. He was later sponsored Series promoter Gene Romero has by Milne Bros. of Pasadena, California, racing a variety of BSA Singles and • announced the return of the Classic Vintage 4-Stroke Twins Class at the upcoming round of the series at Placerville Speedway in Placerville, California, on June 21. "After its successful debut at the Watsonville TT, we've decided to bring the twins class back for twins. He was a top-10 finisher for several years with many overall and class wins to his credit, but the number-one plate eluded him until 1968. That was Bergquist's year. Switching to a Fergus & Griffin-sponsored Bultaco Pursang, he earned the number-one plate in the Placerville," Romero said. "The fans loved it. It was a rolling piece of history that all enjoyed, like turning on the way 250cc class. He also teamed up with Gary Preston that year to win the Baja 1000 overall on a 350 Honda. In the late back machine," Romero said that even more Classic Vintage events may be '60s and early '70s, Bergquist raced a Bultaco EI Bandido and consistently added to the schedule in the near future. For more information, call 714/529- placed top five, even as he neared the age of 40. He was scheduled to be filmed for the desert racing section of 6054. :>

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