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/128342
Fergusson Takes Aussie Superbike Title Zemke Re-Ups With Honda A Ithough there were still some legal matI""\r.ers to be taken care of, Jake Zemke agreed to terms with American Honda last week on a one-year deal that will see him return to the AMA Superbike Championship in 2005 on a CBR IOOORR. ''As far as both parties are concerned, it's a done deal ," Zemke said on Thursday, September 9. "We 've all made the necessary changes to the paperwork and now it's just a matter of tying things up." Zemke, who is currently second in the AMA Superbike Championship with two races remaining, will definitely be in the Superbike class again next year, though everything else is still up in the air. In fact, Zemke said there's always the chance that he'll race Superbikes only in 2005 . "It's a one-year dea l, 2005 only," Zemke explained. "I've always done one-year deals until the one I'm on now. I'm fine with that. I'm happy with Honda and everything they 've done and this leaves my options open. If I con - Ho nd a CBR IOOORR-mou nted Adam Fergus son wrapped up th e Aust ralian Superbike Championship on September 12 at Phillip Island, the former AMACorona Suzuki rider finishing third in the first race and win- tinue my learning curve the way it's been going, hopefully I can look at my options again at the end of 'OS." Zemke was at the Ho nda dealer show in Nashville, Tennessee, but was headed back to his Paso Robles, California, home for the weekend. As for his teammates, Zemke will definitely be joined on the team by Miguel Duhamel, though at press time it was still uncertain as to whether or not Ben Bostrom would return to the team. Paul Carruthers ning the second. Shawn Giles rod e his Suzuki GSX-RI000 to victory in race one over the Yamaha of Shannon Jo hnson, with Fergusson ending up third . In race two, Fergusson topped Johnson and Giles. Race three went to Johnson over Jamie Stauffer and Giles. Fergusson was a non finisher. Fergusson ended the series with 344 .5 points to John son's 306 and Giles' 291. Fergusson also ended the season as the Australian Supersport champion. Smith Wins in Kentucky The win is a huge boost to Smith's drive fo r a fifth GNCC title , as the veteran from California stretches his points lead from five to 14 points over Raines, w ho was third o n the day. "It was real tough tod ay," said Raines. "Rig ht w hen I blinked they w aved the green flag and I got a horri ble start. I crashed my brains out today, and I just tried to regroup. I thought it was going to be worse than it Four months ago , the Kentucky round of the AMA Grand National Cross Cou ntry Series was cancelled d ue to heavy rain. But at the make-up race in the same place, GNCC points leader Rodney Smith ke pt his championship forecast bright by taking victory on September 12. Smith overcame a serious challenge from Am Pro Yamaha's defending GNCC Champ Barry Haw k and Jason Raines, who finished second and third , respectively. "I had a good summer break and came back st rong," Smith said. "Barry rode a great race and I had fun battl ing out there. The other guys race all summer long and maybe they get a little burned out, but I had a good break. I'm ready to stay up front for these last three rounds." "It was a lot of fun out there today," Hawk said. "I got into the lead, and Rodney was hounding me, and he picked a better line in the only mud ho le they had out the re . I was right on him on the last lap, but with about three miles to go I washed out in a cre ek bed and lost him. I charged and charged to try to get back up, and then I just had some brain fade and we nt too fast over a hill. I locked up the brakes and got it wedged into a tree. Rodney rode awesome today." 6 SEPTEMBER 22, 2004 • was." After dominating the pre vious GNCC in Oh io two months ago, Raines w as unable to capitalize on his momentum, and he barely he ld off Parts Unlimited/Moose/ Honda's Scott Summers down the stretch. Heavy rains fo rced the cancellation of the original Spartan GNCC o n May 2, as the pits and parking area had become impossible to negotiate even for four-wheel drive trucks . Thi s version of the race was comple tely dif- ferent, as the facility narro wly missed the remains of Hurricane Frances and stayed dry all week. Dust , in fact , could be found in the open secti ons of the trac k. FMF Suzuki's four-time AMA National Motocross Champion Mike Kiedrowski had a rough day in Kentucky. Kiedrowski had drawn right o nto the re ar-wheel of his teammate Smith and was challenging for the lead when he tagged a tree at high speed and knocked himself out. He emerged from the crash bruised and battered but apparently not broken. Kiedro wski's teammate Fred Andrews missed the race due to a bout with shingles. T hrottlehead.com Kawasaki's Steve Hatch battled a sore thumb and the loss of his front brakes to card 11th overail. CYCLE N EW S Reynolds Perfect in BSB Rizla Suzuki's John Reynolds won both races in the penu ltimate round of the 2004 British Superbike Championship at Oulton Park, extending his championship lead and securing the manufacturers title for Suzuki in the process. Command ing both races from the front, Reynolds won his sixth and seventh races on the season and now holds a 43point lead over Honda's Michael Rutter, with only 50 points left to score at the final round of the series at Doningt on Park on September 19. The double was Reynold'sfirst of the year. In the first race, Reynolds topped Rutter and his RizlaSuzuki teammate Yukio Kagayama. In race two, Reynolds did it again with Rutter and Kagayama, again fin- ishing second and third, respectively. "We needed that today," Reynolds said in a team release. "I don't want to win this championship by finishing fifth or sixth and hanging on to a slender lead . I want to win it from the front like a true champion. Well done to Rizla Suzuki and my team for takIng the manufacturers championship. I hop e I can add another title to that next weekend. Thanks to my entire RizlaSuzuki team for all the hard work that has been put in. Yuki [Kagayama] was brilliant defending my lead in the second race and I owe him a beer. A special thanks goes to Dunlop for providing me with two brilliant race tires, and finally, thank you to all the fans who cheered me round the circuit - I heard you!" Seattle I 00 a Success The Ne phCure Foundation and 2Fast Motorcycle Track Days and Instruction have announced that the Renton Motorcycles Seattle 100 raised don ations of more than $70 ,000 - a 500 percent increase in the donations total of the first Seattle IDO, which took place in 2003 . Proceeds from the Renton Motorcycles Seattle 100 will benefit the NephCure Foundation (www.nephcure.org), an organization ded icated to the cure of glomerular kidney diseases that affect both children and adults diseases w hich have no known cure to date. "I couldn 't be happier about the results of this year's Seattle 100," said Brian Orton, the director of the Seattle I00 and the co-owner of 2Fast . " Not only did we reach our fundraising goal, part icipants in the 100 had a great time on Wednesday and raved about how much they enjoyed themselves. This morning 40th Anniversary I found my e-mail inbox full of thank yous from Seattle I00 riders, and every one of them had the same three things to say: They had a great time, they want a spot again next year, and they plan to raise even more money next time. T hat pretty much says it all." Among the special guests who participated were AMA road racers Jason Pridmore, Josh Hayes, Jake Holden and Tony Meiring, and Speed TV's Greg White. "The Seattle 100 was such a coo l thing to be a part of, and I'm re ally pleased that the guys from 2Fast asked me to attend," Pridmore said. "It was well organized, very professional, and 2Fast put on a very well run track day. Myself,Josh , Jake , Tony and Greg we all would like to be back next year." For more information regarding Seattle IDO, visit www.nephcure .org . www.2-fast .org the or