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/128222
bids based on 2002 performance criteria that were announced prior to the 2002 series. AMA Spor.ts invites additional riders to bring the rider field to 14, and the two riders advancing from the Elimination Round complete the 16-rider field. In the Qualifying Round, there are 20 heats. Each rider races five times and beginning at 9 p.m. "The auto programs have performed well for us in the weekend morning time slot, and we want to be more aggressive in serving that section of our viewing audience," Liberatore said. '''Wind Tunnel' is a program that we believe in and want to profile as one of our signature shows. Dave does a faces each of the other riders once and great job of engaging our passionate only once. Each heat pays points on a 3-2-1 basis. Based on points earned in viewers in discussions on everything from their favorite race series to their the Qualifying Round riders are seeded into D, C, B and A Main events, and the favorite muscle car." NASCAR TV, which includes the popular "Inside Win- National victory goes to the winner of the A Main. National Championship ston Cup" and "Trackside," will anchor the prime time lineup, airin9 from 6 to 8 points are paid only in the Championship Round and accumulate throughout the p.m. ET Monday through Thursday and all night on Friday. The 10 p.m. to mid- three-race series. These 12 riders have received automatic bids to the 2003 ni9ht block will be dedicated to racing. "Our new lineup is a reorganization of AMA National Championship Speedway Series: Bart Bast, Scott Brant, Eddie Castro, Mike Faria, Ryan Fisher, Billy Hamill, Greg Hancock, Bobby Hedden, our existing programming with more emphasis on our highest-rated programs," Liberatore said. "We also have created a lineup that facilitates more Billy Janniro, Josh Larsen, Chris Man- effective promotion of those programs. chester and Cam Rafferty. The final two We have not dropped any racing series, rounds of the 2003 AMA National Championship Speedway Series, pre- as racing remains a critical component of Speed Channel. To make room, we sented by Progressive Insurance, are scheduled for September 24 (location to be announced) and September 26 in Auburn, California. removed several race replays that simply weren't performing well enough to be part of Speed's prime time lineup. " The Speed Channel issued a press release on June 24 outlining its future plans - which include shifting its primetime lineup Monday through Thursdays, beginning August 4. "This is something we have been working on for some time," said Speed Channel president Jim Liberatore. "Much of our first year was spent developing relationships with multiple race series and accumulating additional programming. The new schedule is the next step in Speed's natural evolution. We think this new lineup is a more attractive mix of some of our stronger programs and bette~ defines the network moving forward." As part of CMC's annual Trans-Cal Motocross Series kicks off in August, with three regions' racing leading up to a final series shootout. The North region events start on August 16 at Riverfront Park in Marysville, California: the Pacific Northwest regional events start on August 24 at Albany SX Park in Albany, Oregon: and the South region events start on August 31 at Racetown 359 MX Park in Adelanto. California. The Final Showdown event for the series will be October 25-26 in Albany. For more information, call 949/367-1141 or visit the website at: www.cmcmotocross.com. Due to overwhelming response, AMA the new schedule, Speed Channel will Pro Racing will no longer accept post- create a one-hour, prime time block of auto-enthusiast programming Mondays entries for the July 11-13 Dunlop Supermoto Classic. the inaugural through Thursdays beginning at 8 p.m. ET, including "Car Crazy." "American Muscle Car," "AutoWeek," "Dream Car Garage," "Hot Rod TV," "MotorWeek," event of the 2003 AMA Red Bull "My Classic Car" and "Two Guys Garage." In addition, Speed Channel's Friday night viewer call-in program, "Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain," will now go live four nights a week in prime time, running Monday through Thursday Supermoto Championship. However, to accommodate riders who AMA Pro Rac- r !Xlff]ffDg)@ffiJ U@ !X1G!JffD U@ff][JiJD fJITJTi:JJ LJ Mitch Hansen didn't know until recently that he'd be running the KTM factory assault in the inaugural AMA Red Bull Supermoto Championship. "It wasn't until about a week ago: he said in a phone conversation from his Corse Superbikes dealership in Saukville, Wisconsin. Since then it's been a whirlwind of activity, with the goal of announcing the team toward the end of next week, possibly July 3, barely a week before the season begins. "We hope to have everything put together as soon as possible." The first order of business is choosing riders, with a variety of racers trying out the team's trio of KTMs at the Briggs & Stratton Motorplex' at Road America. Larry Pegram and Doug Chandler, both of whom recently lost their AMA road race rides, tested on June 23-24, along with a pair of teenagers, dirt tracker Ben Carlson, 18, from West Bend, Wisconsin, and 16-year-old Chris Fillmore. Anthony Gobert, recently released from the Ducati Austin team, was also scheduled to test, but logistics kept that from happening, so he'll be in Elkhart Lake at the beginning of next week, joined by the returrung Ben Carlson. KTM's Kurt Nicoll will make the trip from England to assess the talent and put in a few laps himself. The fmal makeup of what's likely to be a four-rider team will be made jointly by Hansen and KTM USA's John Zolikoff. Hansen said there'd be three permanent riders,with the fourth slot filled by visiting members of KTM's European Supermoto team. Pegram, in an interview at Brainerd Intemational Raceway, was optimistic about his chances, a feeling Hansen validated. "He should feel optimistic," Hansen said. "We're pretty high on Larry [Pegram)." Hansen said he'd been watching Carlson's progress for the past three years and that he had a very European riding style. "He backs it in very well: Hansen said. ""ve seen him a number of times, and I thought it was worth bringing him in. We've been keeping our eye on him. At the test, he did very, very well. On the big bike (the 660) he was the fastest." Fillmore is more a diamond in the rough, though with the same dirt tracking style as Carlson. "With a little bit of coaching we can bring him along quite rapidly: Hansen said. "\ know KTM wants to keep him in the fold." Hansen said he believed KTM chose him because they "realized what kind of team I could put together" He also said that he didn't believe Jeremy McGrath's defection to Honda, after an initial alliance with KTM, had any bearing on KTM's decision. When Hansen left the Superbike scene at the end of last year, he said he didn't expect to be gone from racing for long. With that in mind, he wanted to retain the core group of technicians. After a detour to the No Limits Motorsports team, Chandler's crew chief Gary Medley is back on Hansen's team, re-joining Austrian technician and engine builder Charlie Putz. Elliott Cho, Pegram's crew chief at Dream Team Ducati, has also joined the team. Spike Neph, a member of the 2001 HMC Ducati team, has also retumed. The team will certainly have its hands full. Pegram said there were 22 factory machines at the test, six 660s, eight 525s and eight 450s. Hansen said that, at the moment, the KTM team didn't have an outside sponsor. "We're working on that also. We're trying to put so much together in such a short period of time," Hansen said, the season opener at Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca looming in just two weeks. "Obviously, there are a lot of things to be sorted out before we can finalize everything." . Henny Ray Abrams Team Participation Agreement are avail· Motocrosser Chris Wheeler suffered able online at www.amamproracing.com. a serious neck injury on June 15 at the In order to expedite the entry process, first Canadian Outdoor National. Wheel- ail forms (except riders applying for their er was airlifted from Abbotsford, British first AMA Pro License), can be submit- Columbia, to the Harbor View Medical ted via fax to 614/856-1924. "We are Center in Seattle, Washington, after suf- extremely excited to debut AMA Super- fering damage to his C-5/C-6/C-7 verte- moto to such a large audience of race brae in his neck and T-2 in his back. At fans," said AMA Pro Racing associate this time, Wheeler has feeling in both ing knows are planning on attendin9, the director of commercial development arms and legs. Friends of Wheeler are event's pre-entry deadline has been extended. All pre-entry paperwork must be received at AMA Pro Racing's Pick- Chris Bradley. "With Laguna Seca being putting together a benefit Ride Day for Chris to raise some money for his erin9ton, Ohio, headquarters by Monday, June 30. Pre-entry forms as well as ensure the quality of the race program the required License Application and to delivering ... an action-packed schedule. we needed to cap the number of entries to remains at the level we're accustomed AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At F&S Suzuki in Dayton. Ohio. on July 11 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Team SoBe Suzuki's Stephane Roncada, Sean Hamblin. Branden Jesseman and Mathieu Lalioz are scheduled to appear. For more information, cali 937/898-7703. come, and an auction and raffle will be Wheeler by Blackfoot Honda. OPENED: CK Moto X Racing Products home page on the World Wide Web. The site can be found at the foliowing address: http//www.ckmo· The AMA has announced that Kyle BORN: A baby boy, Lane Michael Hale, to road racer Mike Hale and his wife. Kim. in Texas on June 24. Lane Michael is the Hales' second child. tax.com. BORN: A baby boy, Kalanie Gray Corser, to former AMA Superbike and World Superbike Champion Troy Corser and his girlfriend, Sam. in OPENED: Twisted Grip Cycle Sports in Placentia, California. For more information, call 714/985-4775. Monaco. on June 24. According to Corser, Kalanie means .. chief" in . .......................................................................................... ,. "" . .. Hawaiian. " .. "" cue I e '.....J J ~ o o o o ~ r u C 'I -...J " j o o o o o "I J ~ held at EI Cajon MX Park on Monday, July 7, from 3 to 8 p.m. Everyone is welheld with prizes being donated. All pro- ACQUIRED: Honda. Suzuki. Yamaha, KTM in Goleta, by Santa Bar· bara Motorsports. The multiline dealership wili now be calied Santa Barbara Motorsports. For more information, cali 805/967-9898. o o r medical expenses. The ride day will be ceeds will go to the fund set up for REOPENED: Champion Motor Speedway. formerly known as Silver State Raceway. in Carson City, Nevada, is now open for practice on Wednesdays until the end of August. In addition. Friday night races wili be held. For more information, cali 775/829-7265. J o U Petty is the latest recipient of the AMA Hazel Kolb Brighter Image Award. The presentation took place on June 24 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The award, presented to Petty for his commitment to a wide range of charitable causes, is the AMA's highest honor for activities that generate positive publicity for motorcycling. An avid motorcyclist. Petty is best known as the driver of the #45 Georgia-Pacific/Brawny Dodge in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. In 1995. he founded the Kyle Petty Charity Ride Continued Oil page 108 n e _ S • JULY 9, 2003 3 J J ] ] ] o o ~J