Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Amateur Dirt Trackers To Daytona Amateur dirt track racing is set to return to Daytona Bike Week, following the announcement by AMA Sports of the 2004 AMA Winter Sho rt Track Nationals . T he inaugural AMA Winter Sho rt Track Nationals will ru n fro m Fe bruary 27 th rough March 2, with five events in as many days at t hree venue s. Action will begin o n Friday, Fe bruary 27, at Orange County Raceway in Orlando, followed by two days of racing at Daytona Municipal Stadium on February 28- 29 and another two events at Motorsports Mania of Ocala on March 1-2. There will be a full slate of ama teur classes at each venue, headlined by eight AMA Premie r classes. In add ition, selected classes fo r four-wheeled ATVs will be included at the Orlando and O cala events. The AMA:s Premier amateur dirt track classes for 2004 are as follows: 50cc Senior, ages 7-8 ; 65cc Mod ifie d, ages 7- 11; 85cc Modified, ages 7- 1I; 250cc Modified 2-Strokes, ages 12 and up; 250cc Modified 4-strokes, ages 12 and up; 450cc Modified, ages 14 and up; 505cc Modified, ages 14 and up; Open Veteran, ages 30 and up. "We are delighted to have this opportunity to work with the three promoters involved in this new series , said AMA Sports director Douglas Neubauer, "and we owe a special debt of gratitude to International Speedway Corporation for its support and encouragement . Fo r the first time in several years , AMA amateur racers will have a chance to kick off their season in Daytona and com pete o n the same track as th e stars of the AMA Progressive Insurance Flat Track Se ries." II Former Honda Man Erickson Dies Many road racers racers of the 1980s and Baja racers of the 1990s will be saddene d to learn that Dix Erickso n, the head of Ho nda' s Special Projects Div ision since its inception in 1972, passed away on january 3 following a long battle with cancer. Erickson was res po nsible for many eng ineering innovations tha t benefited the Honda Superbike team of Freddie Spencer, Roberto Pietri and Mike Spencer, including re fueling dump tanks first used at Daytona. My first camera bikes that were used in filming the Superbike races of the early I980s were eng ineered and fabricated by Dix and his special pro jects crew. For 10 years he provided his fabrication expertise for Honda's Baja-w inning bikes and supported them in Baja. Othe r notable successes included his engineering input for AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At Escondido Cycle Center in Escondido, California, on January 23 from 6:30 to 8 p.m . Team Suzuki's Sebastien Tortelli, Nick Wey, Sean Hamblin , Branden Jesseman and Brian Gray are scheduled to appear. For more information, call 760/745 -1615 . AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At Bert's Mega Mall in Covina , California, on January 30 from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m . Team Suzuki 's Sebastien Tortelli, Nick Wey, Sean Hamblin , Branden Jesseman and Brian Gray are scheduled to appear. For more information , call 626/974 -6600 . AUTOGRAPH SIGN IN G: At MotoWorld of EI Cajon in EI Cajon, California, on January 23 from 6 to 7 p.m. Factory Yamaha riders Chad Reed, David Vuillemin and Tim Ferry, Mach I MotorsportS ' Ezra Lusk and Heath Voss, and Yamaha of Troy's Mike Bro wn, Brock Sellards, josh Hansen , Kelly Smith and Danny Smith are scheduled to appear. For more information, call 619/442-0941. AC CEPTING: Carbone Lorraine Brake Pads is currently accepting race resumes for sponsorship of all U.S. road racing and super- Honda 's nat track efforts of Ricky Graham and Bubba Shobert. He was a key player in the 1971 land-speed record Hon da Hawk powered by two coupled 750 cc Hon da engines . This streamliner is currently on display at Ho nda's museum in Japan. Dix went on to many of Honda's car racing programs and was responsible for SCCA endurance and Acura NSX racing that brought Honda a mu ltitude of National championships. During his 30-year career at Honda, Dix was the man to whom everyone turned to solve a myriad of engineering and fabrication problems. He AMA Sports will recogni ze champions in all classes fro m the series , based o n points accumulation for the full five days of racing. The top three finishers in each class will receive custom champio nship number plates from AMASpo rts in addit ion to event awards from the individual race promoters. Additionally all Premier Class Champions , from the AMA Winter Short Track Nationals will be eligible for AHA Dirt Track Grand Championship Travel Incentives. The 2004 AHA Grand Championships willbe the highlight of the amateur racing season and are scheduled for June 27 - July4 in Springfield, Illinois. For more information on the events w ith- in the 2004 AMA Winter Short Track Nationals, call Lou Banka at 407/568-2271 for Orange Coun ty Raceway; Dave joine r of Fast Fridays Racing at 530/878 -722 3 for Daytona Municipal Stad ium; or 5teve Nace at 270/4427S32 for Motorsports Mania of O cala. touched the lives of many racers and gave them much needed sup port while "kee ping them honest" and foc used on the job at hand . He left an enviable legacy at Ho nda when he re tired two years ago . Godspeed, my friend. Peter Starr moto series . Resumes can be sent to Carbone Lorraine Brake Pads , 42387 Avenida Alvarado # III , Temecula, CA 92590 , 909/308-6447 (fax). California, on January 16 from 6;30 to 7;30 p.m . Team Moto XXX and the Metal Mulisha are scheduled to appear. For more informa tion, call 714/563-1700. AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At Chaparral Motorsports in San Bernandino, California, on january 14 from 6 to 8 p.m. Factory Yamaha riders Chad Reed, David Vuillemin and Tim Ferry, Mach I Motorsports' Ezra Lusk and Heath Voss, and Yamahaof Troy's Mike Brown, Brock Sellands, Josh Hansen, Kelly Smith and Danny Smith are scheduled to appear. For more information, call 909/889-2761 . MOVED : Troy Lee Des igns to IS55 East Rincon Street, Corona, CA 92879 , 909/371 5219,909/371 -5272 (fax). AUTOGRAPH SIGN ING: At Casey Cycle City in Newport News, Virginia, on January 24 from 10;30 to I I;30 a.m. Shogun Yamaha Arenacross riders Josh Demuth and Tom Hofmaster are scheduled to appear. For more info rmation, call 757/595-9721. MOVED: The business offices of NMA (Na tional Motosport Association) to P.O. Box 4305 , Mission Viejo, CA 92690, 949/768-2810. For more information, visit; www.nmamx.com. AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At Hahm Motorsports of Anaheim in Anahe im, MOV ED: Factory R&D to 23192 Verdugo Drive, Suite B, Laguna Hills, CA 92653 , 949/206-0894 . CORRECTION : In Cycle News Issue # I (January 14, 2004) , the story titled "Tea m Colorado Takes 125cc Open" was mistakenly credited to F.H. Leghorn . Gary T. Ober contributed the story. We regret the error. BOOK SIGNING: At Fun Bike Center in San Diego, California, on Friday, january 23, from 6:30 to 8 p.m . Seven-time AMA Supercross Champion Jeremy McGrath will be signing his new book , Wide Open - A Ufe In Supercross . For more information, call 858/278 -6635 . OPENED: The official website for the 2004 1 5DE. The site can be fo und at the following address: http ://www.isde2004.pl. -www.cy clen ews .com Briefly... road crossing posts, and numerous othe r positions. Desert Vipers will dona te $ 100 per day, pe r volunteer to an off-road organ izatio n or legitimate off-road cause of the volunteer's cho ice in return for the ir help. Fo r mo re informati on , call Daniel Turne r or TC Turner at 909/887-3754. TAM Communications is slated to launch Am erican Iron Retailer, a bimonthly magazine for retailers of American motorcycles and the industry they serve , in August, according to TAM. The magazine will be sent to Harley-o riented motorcycle sho ps and select memb ers of the indust ry. 'Y\s the publisher of American Iron Magazine, we've bee n active in the Harley side of the business since 1989," publisher Buzz Kanter stated . "We feel this is the right time to extend our brand into a trade publication. " Kawasaki Moto rs Corp., U.S.A., has announced several personnel changes within the com pany's marke ting group. According to Tom Orbe, vice president, marketing, "The co mpany is actively involved in the long-term process of broadening and adding depth to the already strong capa bilities of our marketing team, and shiftingresponsibil ities of key individuals within our existing system brings a new and promising approach to our product devel opment and outreach efforts. " Patrick Kelly was recently promoted from product manager to directo r, product management, and will oversee developmen t in all prod uct categories. He is replacingJohn Hoover, who last month announced his retirement after a 20-year career with Kawasaki. Vince Iorio assumes responsibility as U.S. produce manager, all terrain vehicle (ATV) and utility vehicle (UV) model lines, following a transit ional assignment as national marketing manager. Assuming the duties of national marketing manager is Chris Brull, who is making the move to Kawasaki from Foo te Co ne & Belding Wo rldwide , Kawasaki's national advertisi ng agency. Jim Williams, another veteran Kawasaki marketing staffer, will step into the position of national retai l marketing manager. American Suzuki Motor Co rp. has announced that it will begin a new frve-year relat ionship with the retail services subsidiaries of House hold Inte rnatio nal, Inc., a subsidiary of HSBC Holdings pic (NYSE; HBC). Ho usehold's retail services group will handle all consumer financing of motorcycle, ATV and marine outboard mo tor sales at the dea lership level. Using the new credit program, Suzuki's customers will benefit from spe cial financing options on their Suzuki prod uct, accessory and service purchases, according to Suzuki. The partnership between ASMC and Household will beg in o n Fe bruary I w ith the marine division, and with the mo to rcycle/ATV division on April I. "Household is a leader in the finance industry, and we 're very excited about this endeavor," said ASMC vice president of Motorcycle/ATV Division Mel Harris . "Our dealers are enthusiastic about this as well and will benefit enormously. We at Suzuki are looking fo rward to a lo ng and mut ually beneficial re lationship with Ho usehold." CYCLE NEWS • JANUARY 21,200 4 13

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