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/128228
o c ning season in 2001. "This has been an interesting project. and I think the book will do a decent job for the promotion of the sport when they are so few titles in the shops," remarked Dobb. "The 2002 season was a really strange one. Hard is the first word that comes to mind, but it was also a year in which I won a GP wearing the number-one plate, and that had been my dream ever since I started racing. When the KTM started to become a bike capable of podiums at the end of the season, all the injury pain, self-doubt. last-lap breakages and crashes seemed worth it. The book tells quite a story. With my 2001 championship and other racing memories, I hope people will find something that interests them." The book, 256 pages long with a color photo segment consisting of 16 pages and 39 shots, all by photographer Ray Archer, is being published by Tempus Publishing. C Continued from page 3 n U After a midsummer break, the AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Motocross Championship gets back under way on August 17 at Spring Creek Motocross Park in Millville, Minnesota, This year marks the 20th anniversary of AMA Motocross racing at Millville, according to the AMA. Honda's Ricky Carmichael comes to Millville leading the 250 series standings after eight of 12 rounds, The 23-year-old Floridian will try to become the first rider to win four 250cc-class races at Millville, Carmichael is the defending and threetime winner at the scenic Minnesota circuit. In the 125cc class James Stewart hopes to continue his winning streak. The young Kawasaki rider is trying urgently to get back in the 125 championship hunt after missing the series' first four rounds. Carmichael appears to be on his way to becoming the first rider in AMA Motocross history to win four AMA 250cc Motocross titles. He's won six of the eight rounds this year and holds a 47-point lead over Factory Connection Honda rider Kevin Windham. However, it's Windham who is the hottest rider on the circuit coming into Millville. Windham broke Carmichael's AMA record-winning streak in New Berlin, New York, last month and began a winning streak of his own in Washougal, Washington, three weeks ago. Windham hopes to close the gap on Carmichael in the remaining four rounds and take a shot at winning his first AMA title after coming out of an injury-induced semi retirement. Carmichael is looking to get back into the win column at Millville. He considers Spring Creek Motocross Park as one of his favorite tracks. "I look forward to racing at Millville," said Carmichael, who, in addition to his three-straight 250 wins, also won the 125 class twice at Millville. "It's a very challenging track, and a lot of riders don't look forward to racing there because it's a tough little sandy motocross track, but the more technical it gets, the better I like it." c C n G o o o o Cosmopolitan Motors will hold its "giant vintage parts yard sale" September 20-21. Cosmo will be selling its 50year-old accumulation of Italian motorcycle parts and accessories, according to the company. There is a $20 fee for each shopper and papers that need to be filled out before shopping can begin, Cosmo says. There is also an $80 preregistration form for those who would like to enter the facility an hour and a half earlier than the other shoppers. Cosmo and UPS will offer packaging supplies and shipping at reasonable rates for those who will be flying home. Doors will open at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday and will close at 5 p.m. The same hours will apply for Sunday. If you're preregistered, the opening time is 8 a.m. on both days. For more information, email Joe@cosmotor.com or by regular mail to Joe Purshock, c/o Cosmo, 301 Jacksonville Rd. Hatboro, PA 19040. 8 c o n u C [ ~ Flatcat Productions of Calistoga, California, and CyciePro of Santa Rosa, California, will present round three of the Supermoto USA Nor/Cal Series at the Sonoma Airport in Sonoma, California, on October 5. All of the usual classes will be run, according to the promoters. For more information, call 707/527-8888 or visit www.supermotousa.com. c Former 125cc World Motocross Champion Jamie Dobb will launch his book Jamie Dobb: A season in the life of a Motocross World Champion on August 14, according to a release from his publicist. The book, a season-diary/autobiography revealing behind-the-scenes events, thoughts and emotions along with action from all 12 of the Grand Prix events during the 2002 FIM Motocross World Championships, aims to give an insight into the dedication, pain, glory and heartache of being a professional off-road racer in one of the world's most exciting motorcycle disciplines, the publishers claim. The story uses each GP as a chapter and explores themes originating from the races to reveal highlights, low points and various anecdotes of Dobb's 16-year career competing at the very top of motocross and supercross, including a four-year spell spent living and competing in the American motocross/supercross series. The book also charts Dobb's championship-win- 104 AUGUST 20. 2003' G U G The Toma Foundation's Ride For Burned Kids will take place in Toronto, Canada, on September 28, starting at 10 a.m. For more information, visit www.fondtomafound.org. John Shires has announced the opening of J-Five Motocross, the only outdoor nationals-style motocross track in New Mexico, according to Shires. The track is located on 47 acres in San Ysidro, 35 minutes northwest of Albuquerque on Hwy 550. Ryan Clark, the owner of Team Solitaire, assisted in the design and will be in attendance and available for autographs at the grand opening races scheduled for September 13-14. • Annandale Honda rider Craig Connell continues on the road to recovery following a broken right arm sustained in a crash at Brainerd International Raceway on Friday, June 27. Connell had surgery n e _ s III on June 30, with Dr. Arthur Ting inserting a rod in his right humerus (upper arm bone) as well as screws and two wires to stabilize the bone, which was broken in three places. Connell flew back to see Dr. Ting for a check-up on July 28. "The two ends of the bone are starting to knit together, so that's good," said Connell. "Dr. Ting was pretty happy with how it looked. He modified my splint so that I can start getting some movement back in my elbow, exercising it a bit." In the meantime, Connell says he is continuing to train and exerciSE the parts of his body not affected by the broken arm. "All I can do is the lower half of my body, so I do about 15 miles on the stationary bike, then I do the rest of my leg routine," said Connell. "I do this every second day as to give them a bit of recovery time. Nothing too bad, but enough to keep the body and mind going." Though not able to race yet, Connell hopes to join the Annandale Honda team at the Virginia International Raceway round of the series. Connell's return to racing will be determined during his next visit to see Dr. Ting, scheduled for August 19. The Bushwackers MC in Roseville, California, has announced its plans for holding the Furnace Hare Scramble at Prairie City OHV park near Sacramento, California. What makes this announcement unique is that it is an entire race day dedicated to youth and women cross country riders, according to event promoters. The race will be an AMAsanctioned event, and the club expects to draw riders from all over Northern California, Nevada and Oregon. Interested sponsors can contact the club through youthend@ama-d36.org. Flyers and rider information are available at www.AMA-D36.org. Chaparral Motorsports in San Bernardino, California, has launched its updated" user-friendly" website at www.chaparralmotorsports.com. The site markets and sells motorcycle, ATV and rider accessories and products. Chaparral Motorsports incorporated a website to its sales efforts three years ago to benefit the consumer by centralizing all motorcycle and ATV needs into one site. Since the initial launch, Chaparral Motorsports has redesigned its website to create a better online shopping experience for its customers, according to the dealership. Yamaha has signed Cedric Melotte to race in the Motocross GP class for its 2004 factory motocross team. The 24year-old Belgian will join fellow countryman and six-time World Champion Stefan Everts on the Michele Rinaldi-run team. This year, Melotte has produced a string of podium finishes aboard a privately entered Honda in the 650cc class, and he won his first GP in his hometown of Namur. In doing so, he became the first rider to beat Joel Smets in the class all season. Commenting on his decision to join Yamaha. Melotte said: "I have been waiting a long time for a factory ride, and right now I still can't believe it. This is a dream move for me because I know that Michele can make me a champion one day. I will work hard to satisfy him and repay the faith that Yamaha has placed in me. For next year I aim to be in the top seven at every race and to score some podiums, but for sure I will be trying my hardest at all times. " Yamaha has also announced that it has re-signed road racer Jurgen van den Goorbergh for the 2004 season. The Dutchman will continue to race for the Yamaha Belgarda Team in the Supersport World Championship. The Monaco-based 33-year-old - originally from Breda in The Netherlands - joined the Italian distributor's team on the eve of the 2003 campaign and is currently second in the World Championship after eight rounds of the 11-race series. It is van den Goorbergh's first season of Supersport competition and his firstever on a four-stroke. Commentin9 on the contract extension, Van den Goorbergh said: "Before the start of this season I wasn't sure how things would go. After all, I had no experience of fourstrokes, and I would be working with an Italian team, which was also new to me. But I have been really surprised. We are fighting for the championship in my first season, and off-track I really enjoy life in the Supers port paddock and working with the Belgarda team. They are such a professional bunch of guys, and they have welcomed my brother Patrick, who is my mechanic, and me into the team. There was no reason for me to look elsewhere. The R6 will not be new to us next year, and the development work we have carried out over the season, particularly to the fuel injection mapping, means that we should go into 2004 with a stronger package than our rivals and a big chance of winning the title ... Actor and motorcycle enthusiast Perry King will return to his native Ohio on October 4-5 to host this year's Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction, an annual celebration honoring the motorcycle industry's living and past legends. This year's attendin9 inductees range from sports icons like Jeremy McGrath and Jay Springsteen to industry insiders like Debbie Evans, recent stunt star of The Matrix: Reloaded and fresh off the set of Spiderman 2. The annual Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction ceremony takes place at 2 p.m .. Sunday, October 5, at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, on the grounds of the AMA. just a few minutes east of Columbus, Ohio. The ceremony is the highlight of a two-day celebration that starts with a Saturday, October 4, evening reception at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, which is open to the public (RSVP reqUired). A new round counting for the Sidecar World Championship will take place in Assen, Holland, on September 7, according to the FIM. There will now be two sidecar events at Assen, one on Saturday and the newly added round on Sunday. The GFI Fall Series opener is scheduled for August 17 at Perris Raceway in Perris, California. GFI has also announced that the Elsinore Grand Prix will be held November 8-9. For more information, call 909/341-8062. eN