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/128223
o~[i) G1J)('3EJ cD c\X7. . _ Q Continued from page 3 L C I L 1,-, L I Freestyler, SuperMotoer and road racer Mike Metzger is one of 50 top extreme athletes currently performing exhibitions at Disney's California Adventure from July 1 through August 10 in Anaheim, California, "The X Games are the pinnacle of action sports competition, So it's only fitting that it's under their guidance we've been able to contribute to the premier action sports demo ever produced, all leading up to X Games IX," commented Paul Taublieb, president of MXi, the company working under X Games and Disney's direction to stage and produce the unprecedented, almost six-week-Iong demo, "This effort is very much supported by the unmatched expertise, resources, support and enthusiasm of the extraordinary people at Disney, It's an unbeatable, incredible combination," Four times a day during every day of the run, six freestyle motocrossers will get airborne in a specially constructed freestyle moto-x arena, And on a vert ramp built over the waters of the renamed Halfpipe Bay in the heart of Disney's California Adventure, three skaters, three bike stunt riders and two aggressive in-liners will perform, After each session, the athletes will be shaking hands and signing autographs - letting fans get up close and personal. For additional information, a full list of athletes and performance schedules, log on the X Games Xperience area at www.disney.com. will not arrive until the Brno test the follOWing week, so that is something to look forward to. I've got some setup changes to try which hopefully will produce better steering response through the fast sections; that's where the ZXRR struggles at the moment. Dunlop tires go well at Donington, so hopefully the tire guys have got something special for us this weekend. ' Trials riders are clean. Drug tests were given by the FIM at the Individual World Trials Championship round at St. Julia de Loria, Andorra, on June 21-22 with Marc Colomer, Dougie Lampkin and Sam Connor passing the test. Moto Britalia, the southeast's largest European motorcycle dealership specializing in Aprilia, Ducati, Triumph, Moto Guzzi, Vertemati, TM and Husqvarna, is announcing a partnership with 911 Racing's Mike Smith to compete in the AMA Red Bull Supermoto Championship. Smith will ride the Team Motobritalia.com Yamaha YZ450F in the series. At a highly successful test during round three of the Superbikers2 National event at Road America's Briggs & Stratton Motorplex, Smith took Superpole with the best lap times of the weekend and wins in both the 450cc and Unlimited classes. "This result is very promising for our team, as this was our first race, and we are still testing the equipment." Smith said. "The new YZ450F has an awesome power range through and off the corners." The team will be competing in the six rounds that comprise the AMA Red Bull Supermoto Championship as well as select AMA Superstock events, according to the team. Troy Lee Designs' Jeremy McGrath and JeH Ward will take part in the LA Calendar Motorcycle Show's Russ Brown-sponsored SB2 National Supermoto weekend July 19-20 at the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California, according to event promoters, Also expected to race is Team SoBe Suzuki's Travis Pastrana, the promoters say, c [ The now annual Pit Daddy beauty contest, featuring many big name AMA racing stars, has attracted the attention of the Superbike World Championship community, according to event promoters. As the Laguna Seca round of the championship draws near, donations have flooded in from the likes of Troy Corser, who has donated some of his team wear, and the Ducati Corse team, which has promised a Ducati Team book signed by Neil Hodgson and Ruben Xaus. Ducati North America, together with Moto Euro, will donate a plaque signed by World Superbike and AMA riders. Aprilia will throw in a helmet signed by Colin Edwards for the raffle, and Proton KR team gear has been donated by Kenny Roberts. Freddie Spencer will donate a high-performance school for the second year, and last year's Pit Daddy spokesman, Kevin Schwantz, is donating a Suzuki school. Artist Tana Hays is also on the list of donors and will give away an autographed Ben Bostrom painting, while D&W Images is giving away four enlarged signed photographs of Eric Bostrom, Tommy Hayden, Jamie Hacking and Damon Buckmaster. For the chance to win these and other prizes, go Kawasaki'S Garry McCoy will have a new chassis to test on his ZX-RR MotoGP mount at the British round of the World Championship at Donington Park on July 13, One of McCoy's race bikes will be set up with the "softer" chassis that has been developed from recent test sessions and used to good effect in GPs by wild card Alex Hofmann, the team says, Immediately follOWing the Donington race, Kawasaki's race trucks will depart for the long road haul to Brno in the Czech Republic for a two-day test session July 16-17, Test rider Alex Hofmann will join Pitt and McCoy for the Brno sessions to evaluate the latest development parts from the factory, The midsummer test will also provide benchmark machine and Dunlop tire data in advance of round 10 of the MotoGP championship, the Czech GP, scheduled for Brno on August 17, "I'm pretty keen to move forward a bit, running at the back behind guys I am used to racing at the front is not where I want to be," McCoy said in a Kawasaki release. "But Donington might be a bit early because some of our new parts C C L C C I C C C 96 JULY 16. 2003' cue I e neVIl's on-line to www.pitdaddy.com to purchase raffle tickets. All proceeds go to the Clayton Foundation to aid injured racers. The annual Mammoth Motocross could be in jeopardy thanks to land-use issues that threaten the event. according to promoters. For more infonmation on the dilemma, visit http://www.fs.fed.us/rS/inyo/maynews/mo tox.html. Fans of the event are also being encouraged to send e-mails to Mike Schlafmann at mschlafmann@fs.fed.us to let him know of your positive experiences with the event. Promoters are asking that your comments and memories remain on a professional level, as each letter is a direct representation of the motocross industry. The Gary Semics Motocross School has a new franchise instructor in Utah. For more information, call Kris Papworth at 714/883-8120. The list of trained and certified Gary Semics Motocross School instructors is as follows: Cory Young, Dean Olsen, Jeff Sanford, David Kilgore and Kris Papworth. For more information, call the headquarters at 330/424-9295 or visit www.gsmxs.com. Provalve has announced that it will be providing trackside suspension setup and technical assistance every Wednesday at the Lake Elsinore Motocross Park in Lake Elsinore, California. For more information, call 714/708-2583. Clear Channel Entertainment - Motor Sports has added the Parts Unlimited Superbikers sponsored by KTM during the K&N Del Mar Mile Weekend on Saturday, October 4. The Parts Unlimited Superbikers sponsored by KTM will be unique in that the format will be very similar to the original ABC Superbikers run at Carlsbad Raceway from 1979-1985. Riders from each category - motocross, dirt track, road race and off-road will compete head to head on a track of both pavement and dirt. The racing will be a mixture of speed, sliding, roosting, grinding and jumping on each and every lap. Fans will witness racing that will be competitive, accessible and fan-friendly at the beautiful Del Mar Fairgrounds in Del Mar, California. The track will be constructed along the main grandstands and other portions of the fairgrounds, giving fans comfort and top-rated amenities. Invites will be sent to 12 riders in each category (MX, DT, RR, OR) for a total of 48 of the nation's top-level professional riders. Heat races and semis will be run in each category, qualifying only the top 20 riders, setting up an epic main event showdown of motocross. dirt track, road race and offroad riders to find out who was the best athlete aboard a motorcycle. "It's been long enough, and we have the venue," says Mike Kidd of Clear Channel Motor Sports. "With the recent surge of SuperMotard-type racing, it is now time for the return of the Superbikers. As a former competitor of the original ABC Superbikers, I can remember the excitement and challenge of that single event. Our intent is to bring back that excitement to a wide variety of spectators." Special discount tickets are available which will allow spectators to the Superbikers race, Concours d' Elegance, Swap Meet and Motorcycle Expo. For ticket information and the weekend's schedule, visit www.dirttrack.com or call 817/332-4822. Glen Helen Raceway and Maxxis Tires have teamed up to bring Stadiumcross back to Glen Helen in San Bernardino, California, with night racing slated for August. Amateur classes of all bike sizes and skill levels will race on a specially designed track on Friday nights, beginning on August 1. Practice will start at 6 p.m. with racing at 7:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.glenhelen.com or www.stadiumcross.net. Harry Cone, 76, a north Texas motorcycle dealer for 57 years, died on June 13. Cone opened Cone's Motorcycle Sales in 1946, becoming an Indian motorcycle dealer as well as carrying other brands. He was also a Yamaha dealer for 43 years. Cone is survived by his wife of 53 years, Gail, sons Mike and Johnny and daughters Sandi Skidmore and Jackie Kirby. The family will continue to own and operate Cone's Motorcycle eN Sales in Sherman, Texas. The organizers and promoters of the 2003 Rally In The Rockies Motorcycle Rally, and the United Veterans Council of Southwest Colorado, have announced that The Moving Wall, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, will visit Durango August 26-31 as part of this year's weeklong motorcycle events. Former Air Force Chief-of-Staff General Ronald R. Fogleman, USAF (retired), will be the featured guest speaker at special memorial ceremonies to be held from 10-11 a.m. on Saturday, August 30. at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. "The Moving Wall" is a replica of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington DC. Measuring 252.83 feet, it is approximate half the length of the original. Built with donations from private citizens in 1982, the memorial is dedicated "In honor of the men and women of the Armed Forces of the United States who served in the Vietnam War. The names of those who gave their lives and of those who remain missing are inscribed in the order they were taken from us." General Fogleman, a Vietnam combat veteran, retired in September 1997 after 34 years of distinguished service in the United States Air Force. Ride To Work Day is Wednesday, July 16 (it is always the third Wednesday in July), so get on your motorcycle and ride to work. For more information, visit www.ridetowork.org.