Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Friend for Off-Roaders Brief'Y··· ccording to the California Off-Readers Coalition, the California Off-Readers Coalition for Bush and Bill Jones made a significant impact at the AMA Na tional Motocross Finals at Glen Helen Raceway the weekend of Septe mber I 1-12. "Work ing out of a booth under the auspices of the California League of Off-Road Voters (CLO Ry), directly below the Former SOOccWorld Champion Kevin Schwantz will ride Suzuki's new RM-Z4S0 in its American racing debut at the Reno round of the AMA Supermoto Champ ionship on Saturday, October 2, according to AMA Pro Racing. This will mark Schwantz's first AMASupermoto race of the season. Suzuki is introd ucing its RMZ4S0 four-stro ke motocro ss racer for the 200S season, and Schwantz will give U.S. fans a preview of the new machine in its supermoto guise. "It's going to be fun to debut the new RM-Z here in America," Schwantz said. "It should make a great supe rmoto bike." Schwantz recen tly made his re turn to road racing by competing in the prestigious Bol d'Or 24 Ho ur Endurance race . O ne of Schwantz 's teammates cras hed the team's bike in the second hou r and they later retired, but not be fore the 40-year-old Schwan tz managed to show he still has plenty of skills by riding the bike from 18th to filth place during his stint . "Riding the Bol d'O r was goo d prep aration com ing into the Reno Supennoto race ," explained Schwantz . "I've been riding my motocross bike and putting in miles on my bicycle to get ready as well." Schwantz said he would get his first taste of the RM·Z4S0 Supermoto bike this week. "I'm going to Californiathe last week of this month to do some testing with the bike," he said. "I'm sure I'll build up some major calluses on my hands before it' s all said and don e." While Schwantz will deb ut the new Suzuki, he isn't the only rider hoping to get his hands on the RM-Z4S0 in AMASuper moto competition. Forme r AMA Motocross and X-Game s champ Travis Pastrana said he 's hope ful his Cernic's Racing Suzuki squad will have the new bike by the end of the season. Pastrana made a successful AMA Supermoto debut ear lier this mo nt h in Nashville, Tennessee , riding a highly modified Suzuki DR-Z400-based machine. The race is Iree to the public. A $ 10 paddock pass can be purchased . For additional information on the Reno event, visit WW'N.amasupennoto.com or contact 303/377- 3278. A announcer's tower, Coalition voluntee rs spe nt tw o days handing out 'O ff-Re aders for Bush' and 'Off-Roaders for Bill Jones' bumper stickers, registeri ng off-readers to vote and educating them abo ut the impor tance of vot ing - and voting wisely - in the No ve mber elections," the re lease says. '~p proxi mately 2SOO of each sticker, along with a BillJones pamp hlet, we re handed out during the course of the weekend. "The Coalition was also instrumental in getti ng Bill Jones, candidate for U.S. Senate from California running against Barb ara Boxer, to appear in person at the event. Jones was given a tum at the microphone in the announce r's tower before the first race and had so me stirring th ings to say. Jones appeared at the Hangtown race earlie r this year and was well receiv ed there also. "But Bill Jones was largely an unknown to many of th ose attending th e [Glen Helen] race. It wasn't until we ex plained that Jones is running for U.S. Sen ate from California against Barbara Boxer that folks' eyes wide ned and they grabbed for more (Off-Roaders for Bill Jones) bumper stickers. Seems everyone knows who Boxe r is. To thos e who didn't , we explained how S21, the California Desert Protectio n Act, Bill Jones, candidate far U.S. Senate from California, his wife Maurine, and Jan McGarvie a"ended the Nationa l motocross at Glen Helen. languished for years until Boxer and fellow libe ral Demo crat Senator Dianne Feinstein took office . They were able to push the bill through Co ngress and it was subsequently signed by then -Preside nt Clinton, resulting in the closure of over seven milli on acres of California Desert to wildern ess. ' ~n d Boxe r will not voluntarily give up her land grab inclination. Last yea r she tried but failed to convert an additional 2.S million acres in California to wilderness. This year she is trying the timeworn tr ick of the extreme environmentali st: Having failed at her attem pt to grab the whole enchilada, she is going for a bite at a time, beginning with the Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilde rness Act. This wou ld only close a mere 300,000 acres to wilderness. "Her opponent, BillJones, has repeated ly and publicly state d his support for OH V recreation , fo r re t urning so me sens e and reason to the Endangered Species Act and against unre asonable increase in wildern ess. "If you want to help the OHV co mmu nities make a difference in Novem ber. contact Jim or Jan McGarvie, statewide cocha irs 01 the Off-Readers Co alition, at 619/S61 -3877 or Jim@McGarvie.US, or go to the Coalit ion we bsite at www.OffRoadVote.com ... Kagayama Called Up British Super bike Series star Yukio Kagayama has been called up to ride the Suzuki GSV -R MotoGP bike in the Qatar Grand Prix on October 2, fil ling in for the injured Kenny Roberts Jr. Roberts dislocated his left elbow and suffered burns to the right side of his body when he was caught up in a multi-rider crash at the last rou nd of the championship at Motegi in Japan on Se ptember 19. Roberts was ruled out of racing at Qatar, leaving the doo r open for Kagayama. Kagayama finished third in the British Superb ike Championship on his Rizzla-backed Suzuki, win ning fou r rounds. The l O-year-old is thrilled to have the o pport unity to ride the GSV-R. "I feel sor ry that Kenny cannot race at Qatar and I hope he makes spee dy recove ry," Kagayama said in a tea m release. " I am honored to be taking his place in the Suzuki team for this race, and I w ill do my best to get a good res ult for him and my Suzuki tea m. This is not first time on the GSV In 2003 , -R. I was test rider and enjoyed some wildcard entri es and good batt les with MotoGP riders. I think the GSV is fast ·R improving and is good bike to ride. All ride rs go to Qatar with no circuit expe rience , and maybe this is a smalladvantage to me . I have raced in British Supe rbikes for tw o years where I have had to learn tr acks quickly to be comp etit ive and I am used to this sort of pressure. I am much excited . John Hop kins put the GSV-R on front row at last race in Japan and I think the pot en tial for a goo d result is maybe okay. "I have enjoyable season with Rizla Suzuki and now I have big chance to race on the biggest stage in the world . I hope my British Superbike fans will be watching and cheering me on. British Superbikes is high-level series and I wa nt to prove we can race against riders like Valentino Rossi and Max Biaggi. I want to finish top British rider in the race!" AMA Pro Racing will hold its 30th annual AMA Pro Racing Awa rd s Banquet on Sunday evening, November 14, at Paris Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada . The top three riders from AHA Supercross, Motocross. Flat Track, Superbike and Supermoto as well as the champions of Hillclimb and Drag Racingwill be honored. Additionally, the AMA Pro Racing Speed Channel Athlete of the Vear will be crowned . Last year's recipient of the cove ted award was multi-time AMA Flat Track champion Chris Carr. "O ur banquet team is working hard to create another e njoyable evening," AMA Pro Racing's Scott Hollingsworth said. "In addition to all the great things regu lar attendees have come to expect, we'll be adding a couple of surprises. We 'r e going to make the evening mo re visuallyimpressive and ramp up the pace of the banquet. It will be a great time for all." The banquet is being Continued on page 9 www.cyclenews.com CYCLE NEWS • OaOBER6,2004 7

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