Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

ll@fiJfJffDo 0 0 Ricky Carmichael, Tim Ferry and Ryan Hughes have been selected to represent the United States at the 2003 Motocross des Nations as Team USA Chevy Trucks. The event will be held on October 5 in lolder, Belgium. The team was selected by AMA Pro Racing through a collaborative process involving team managers and the riders. "We're thrilled that Ricky, Tim and Ryan have agreed to race on behalf of the United States and will receive full factory support from Honda, Yamaha and KTM," said Duke Finch, AMA Pro Racing's motocross/supercross manager. "These riders and their teams recognize what a tremendous honor it is to represent their country in this event, and each of them is committed to bringing home the trophy." The United States last fielded a team in 2000 when the event was held in France. The U.S. team won that event. Historically known as the "Olympics of Motorcycling," the pres" tige and luster of the event have diminished in recent years. which has caused many in the motorcycle industry to question the value of sending and supporting a team, According to AMA Pro Racing vice president of commercial development, John Farris Jr., many things need to change in order for the United States to continue to be able to send a top level team. "For the riders, teams and AMA Pro Racing to justify supporting the event, the organizers will have to look at providing better value and U,S. exposure for all involved," said Farris. "For example, right now the Motocross des Nations isn't even televised in the United States. American motocross fans deserve to at least see their team on television, and, so far, the organizers have been unwilling to provide us with that." Continued from p'!Xe 3 L r =' The Women's School of Motocross (WSMXl will hold classes on the following dates and locations: August 16 Southern California: August 23 Carnegie SVRA, Livermore, California: August 29 - Cedar City MX, Cedar City, Utah: September 13 - Jolly Roger, Lempster, New Hampshire: September 20 Berthod, Colorado: September 26-27 Steel City, Delmont, Pennsylvania. For more information, contact WSMX at 949/837-2206 or visit www.dmsoprtswsmx.com. Ducati Corse has announced that it has signed a sponsorship agreement for Ducati Fila with Italian company Stayer, a leading group in the design, manufacture and distribution of power tools. Founded in Ferrara, Italy, in 1958, Stayer manufactures a wide range of electrical tools, from sophisticated professional machines to light, simple devices for highlevel hobby work, according to Ducati. "We are delighted to be involved with such a dynamic and prestigious company as Ducati Corse, with whom we do not only share geographical roots," declared Stayer general manager Michele Martucci. The Stayer logo will be visible on the side fairings of Neil Hodgson's and Ruben Xaus' Ducati 999 Factory Superbikes, while the company will provide Ducati Corse with some of its products for use in the pit garage and the racing workshop. Leisner. "This is evident even in the gear worn by the participants. Most racers wear motocross boots, while some favor more of a road racing-style boot. The synergy to the various products in the Sidi line is ideal." The AMA Red Bull Supermoto Championship is comprised of six events running from July through November. The championship finale will take place on November 21 in Las Vegas in connection with the AMA Awards Banquet. For more information about the series, visit www.amaproracing.com. Sidi Boots has agreed to be a sponsor of the AMA Red Bull Supermoto Championship. According to Andy Leisner, AMA Pro Racing vice president, the agreement will provide Sidi with significant on-site exposure as well as "exclusive boot sponsor" status. Bill Berroth, president of Motonation, the American distributor of Sidi products, is looking forward to his company's involvement with the series. "Sidi was founded in 1960 and has always led the industry in terms of innovation," said Berroth. "The technology that goes into every Sidi product is evident in both the comfort and deSign of our boots. We have a number of products that appeal to the Supermoto fan and racer, so it's a natural for us to be involved with the series." Leisner added that Sidi's involvement in this series is particularly fitting because of the wide variety of racing backgrounds that the riders bring to this championship, "With motocrossers, road racers and dirt trackers competing in the AMA Red Bull Supermoto Championship, everyone approaches it a little differently," said L r Pro Taper handlebars and American Suzuki have announced that they have extended their relationship through the 2006 racing season. Pro Taper has been the only handlebar factory Suzuki has used since 1992. "We have all the confidence in the world in the Pro Taper product," team manager Roger DeCoster said in a Pro Taper release. "I feel there is not a better bar on the market. Pro Taper handlebars are superior to anything else out there. " Team Suzuki will endorse Pro Taper handlebars, grips and throttle tubes through the 2006 racing season. "We are exited about the relationship with team Suzuki. The 2004 racing season will mark the 12th year that the Factory Suzuki team has been using Pro Taper: that alone speaks volumes," said Erick "Big E" Bartoldus, Pro Taper's marketing manager. Registered owners of the Colin Edwards replica Aprilia RSV Mille can enjoy a day on the track with Edwards courtesy of Aprilia USA. The event will It now looks certain that there will not be a United States Grand Prix at the Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama, at least according to Dorna Sports, the promoters of the MotoGP World Championship. Doma has, however, kept the door open on the possibility of the race being held at the facility in 2005. "There have been talks about the possibility of having a Grand Prix in the United States in 2004, more specifically in Birmingham, Alabama," Doma Sports CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta said in a release issued by his company, "Although the feelings were very positive, unfortunately the present situation makes it impossible for it to be included in the MotoGP World Championship calendar from next year. We will keep the discussions open with Barber Motorsports Park in the near future, and hopefully everything can be ready and tied up for 2005." Bruno Event Team, a sports marketing company based in Birmingham, Alabama, has been hired to manage spectator events at h102 AUGUST 13, 2003' cue • e nevvs Farris a.lso pointed out that the state of professional motocross racing has evolved, making it increasingly complicated to put together a top-level team to represent the United States. "Right now, the two most important championships in the world are the AMA Supercross Series and the AMA U.S. Motocross Championship," said Farris. "It has become increasingly difficult for riders and teams to justify jeopardizing their chances of winning these championships; especially for an event that provides virtually no exposure to their U,S. fans. The bottom line is that riders, teams and AMA Pro Racing are supporting the Motocross des Nations for sentimental reasons. If we're going to be expected to continue involving ourselves with this event, the organizers will have to create an environment that delivers value, too." The rights to the Motocross des Nations will change hands beginning in 2004, and Farris is hopeful that a more agreeable arrangement can be reached moving forward. "The honor and prestige for a rider being selected to represent the United States remains great," allowed Farris. "However, the realities of scheduling, logistics and cost are such that, unless U.S. team supporters see some tangible value from their investment, it will be nearly impossible to continue our support at this high level." Finch added that five-time World Champion Roger DeCoster will manage the 2003 team, "Roger is without a doubt the best choice for this important role," said Finch. "His experience and familiarity with fielding a top Motocross des Nations team is unmatched. These riders represent tremendous hopes for a top U,S. finish, and Roger is the ideal guy to bring it all together," take place on August 31 at Spring Mountain Motorsports Park in Pahrump, Nevada. There are limited supplies of the 50 Colin Edwards replicas still available in dealers, according to Aprilia. "We have extended the invitation date to August 29 due to our later-than-expected announcement of this track day," said Aprilia USA public relations man Robert Pandya. "Getting a hold of Colin for any time in the U.S. is tough with his heavy testing and racing schedule - we do know he's looking forward to spending some time in the States - and especially with the C.E. Replica owners, So we extended the purchase date to allow more buyers to join us. Jason Pridmore's pair of secondplace finishes at the Mid-Ohio doubleheader of the AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship last weekend on his Attack Suzuki marked the best finish in the series for a nonfactory team since Dale Quarterly's second on a Ducati in 1995 at Laguna Seca. Pridmore's success highlights what has been a very good year for privateer teams in the championship - four nonfactory riders are in the top lOin the series standings. New AMA Superbike rules allowing 1000cc, four-cylinder machines have proven it possible for the first time in many years for nonfactory riders to be competitive at the top level of motorcycle road racing in the United States, the AMA says. Pridmore, son of three-time AMA Superbike Champion Reg Pridmore, earned his best-ever AMA Superbike finish at Mid-Ohio. Pridmore is a 13-year Barber Motorsports Park, According to Gene Hallman, Bruno Event Team president: "We have had discussions with MotoGP regarding a 2004 U,S. Grand Prix. While everyone involved clearly believes that the Barber Motorsports Park is the best circuit for a U.S, Grand Prix, we have concluded that this brand-new facility will need to first operate through 2004 before hosting an event of this magnitude. "This additional time will give the Barber Motorsports Park another year of operational experience and allow us to have the park's landscaping and museum in world-class condition prior to hosting this event. We are continuing discussions with MotoGP regarding a 2005 event and anticipate having these discussions concluded by the fall of 2003," Barber will host an AMA Superbike doubleheader round on September 20-21, AMA racing veteran. "I think this is what we need," said Pridmore of the new AMA Superbike rules. "I think next year if we can get Kawasaki and Yamaha and some of the other manufacturers involved in the new formula then things will really get moving in the right direction for many of the privateer and support teams in Superbike." Shawn Higbee is another leading AMA Superbike rider who feels he is benefiting from the new rules. Higbee raced as a factory Ducati rider in 1996 and is matching or bettering this season the performances he had on a factory bike. "The new Superbike formula has definitely brought the field closer together," said Higbee, who rides for Kaufman Trailers/Millennium Technologies Suzuki. "The gap has closed between the privateer and factory teams. The biggest difference is the cost. Before, even if you could buy the parts, it was very expensive to field a competitive Superbike. That left the smaller teams to race 750 Superstock machines, and they had nowhere near the horsepower to be competitive. With the new rules a team can buy a bike and do fairly light modification and have trap speeds within a few miles per hour of the factory bikes," In addition to the competitiveness of the nonfactory teams, the new rules have led to very close racing in 2003, according to the AMA. This season Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki have each earned victories in the Superbike class, and Ducati' has made the podium, Up to the Mid-Ohio round, the championship race was one of the closest in years with just six points separating the top two riders and the top six riders all within reach of the championship. Several of the races have been decided on the final lap with close battles at Daytona, Road America and Mid-Ohio. To help promote the upcoming X Games in Los Angeles, the Anaheim Angels invited Mike Metzger to throw out the first pitch at the August 1 Angels vs. Toronto Blue Jays game at Edison Field in Anaheim. Metzger relied on his previous minor-league experience when he threw out the first pitch at a Lake Elsinore Storm game earlier this year. This time, he hopes to get it over the plate. "I can't believe a big league club is going to give this honor," Metzger said. "It really shows how far action sports have come toward being part of our culture. " eN

• Cover