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/128345
Merriman Takes World Enduro Title FO Corse Yamaha rider Stefan Merriman claimed the 2004 Enduro I World Championship in style in round seven of the series held in Serres, Greece, October 2-3, by topping the E1class res ults on both days. The title is the fourth for the Australian and his first with Yamaha. Merriman won day one by 49 seconds be fore winning day two by 29 seconds . On day one he was followed home by his UFO Corse Yamaha team mate Bartosz Oblucki, with Honda-mounted Italian Simone A1bergoni claiming a close third . On day two, however, Albergoni moved one place higher in the EI-class U Continued from page 9 perform at the legendary "Best Party Anywhere." The Buffalo Chip - wh ich has called Sturgis, South Dakot a, home for the past 24 years and is making its debut during Biketoberfest inside the Speedway infield- will serve mot orcy cle ent husiasts with a variety of activities, including overnight parking and entertainmen t. The Buffalo Chip's events will culminate each night with concerts. To purchase tickets to the Buffalo Chip, visit www.buffalochipdaytona .com or call 605/723-0039 or 605/892-410 I. Dailyadmissions to the Buffalo Chip start at $20 . Moto-XReport .com has anno unced the 2004 Bailey Award . This award, named after Gary and David Bailey, will be pre sented to the Gulf Coast area rider of the year in motocross/supercross on Saturday, October 23, following the first day of motos at the seco nd annual Parts Unlimited/Thor U.S. Dealers Challenge at 3 Palms Extreme Sports Par k in Conroe, Texas. Gary Bailey will be on hand to present the award . A Jim Gibson Motocross School will be held in the Bend, Oregon , area at the Madras Moto Cross Park on Friday, O ctober 29-3 I. For more information , call 503/86 0-0888 or 909/698 -9272 or visit www/jgmx t.com . results as he claimed the runner-up spot, while a poor final lap from O blucki meant that Italian Alessandro Be lometti claimed his first-ever World Enduro podium with O blucki fourth. Merriman's title also marks the fourt h consecutive World title for the WR250F - and the UFO Corse Yamaha Team, after Stephane Peterhansel won the world title in 200 I and Peter Bergvall scored back-to -back titles on the bike. BlueRi bbon Coalition founder Clark Collins has stepped back into the executive director position he held since the organiza- tion's founding until january of this year. Former public lands director Bill Dart, who was promoted to the executive director positio n in january, resigned on September 24. "I have resigned as executive director of the BlueRibbon Coalition, effective immediate ly," Bill Dart stated. "I have thoroughly enjoyed serving BlueRibbon members and urge cont inued support of Merriman was obviously relieved . "The World Championship has been bett ing closer and closer to me for the past few races , but I honestly didn't know if I wou ld be able to get to the end of the race this wee kend because I was feeling that bad," Merriman said. "With the changes made to the points sco ring system this year, it has resulted in me having to push right up until the end of BlueRibbon's mission 'to preserve our natural resources for the public instead of from the public.''' jack Welch, BlueRibbon pres ident , accepted Dart's res ignation on behalf of the BlueRibbon Board. Collins, the co-founder of BlueRibbon who presently serves as its director of development and se rved as executive director between 1987 and 2003, will act as BlueRibbon's interim executive director pending further action by the 81ueRibbon Board of Directors. the season. "I'm really happy to win the World Championship here in Greece because it has been a really tough weekend for me. I had some prob lems with my stomach during the days leading up to the race . I was in a lot of pain, and on day one I was riding feeling only 50 percent as good as I normally do . Thankfully on day two I have been feeling much better. . There have been some great races this year. I'd like to thank my girlfriend Lexy, my mechan ic Guliano, Vito Conso loni from UFO and Pippo, who has been so passionate all season, the UFO Corse Yamaha team manager. This year has been a real team effort and now we Briefly... have the resu lt that we have worked so hard all year to achieve. I still have day bonuses to win, so I'm going to push hard to win at the next round of the champions hip in Germany. I'm now able to relax a little and enjoy the Eddie Mulder will hold a dirt track at the Willow Springs banked oval, October 23-24, in Rosamond, California. Riders already confirmed for the race are Joh nny Murphree , Sha un Russell and track record holder Jim my Wood. For more information, call 661/268- 0105. race ," In the Enduro 2 class, Finnjuha Salminen and his factory KTM proved simply too fast for his classmates as he easily won on both days. The e ighth and final round of the championship takes place at Zschopau, Germany, October 16- 17. BORN: A baby girl, Kylee jordan, to cyclenews .com site manager Kory Klinger and his wife, Andria, on October 2 in Laguna Niguel, California. BORN : A baby girl, August Raetyn, to Cycle News/MotoKids/ Personal Wotercraft Illustrated advertisingsales manager Forrest Hayashi and his Wife, Evelyn, on September 24 in Long Beach, California. OPEN HOUSE: Triumph Motors in Newnan, Georgia , will hold an "Open Day" at its facility on Saturday, October 16 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. In addition to demo rides, there will be live music, a motorcycle stunt show, a Pirelli tire sale, tech advice and a vintage and custom bike show. APPOINTED: Mike Cimino as chairman of the board for the 200S Falken Tire Pikes Peak Inte rnational Hillclimb, the second-oldest motorsports event in the U nited States. C imino previously served as first vice chairman of the event. Cimino is general manager/partner of Phil Long Dealerships . www.cyclenews.com Second -year road racer Brandon Pa r rish won the STAR Motorcycle School 600cc Superstock Novice race at the WERA National Challenge Series weekend at Barber Motorsports Park on September 26. By winning, Parrish gets the opportunity to attend a STAR Motorcycle School free of charge within the next year. Parrish also won the first STAR Motorcycle School 600cc Superstock Novice event of 2004 at the WERACycle jam at Virginia International Raceway on May 23. He attended the STAR School at Barber Motorsports Park on August 30-31 , '~tte nd i ng the STAR Schoo l at the end of August at Barber definitely he lped my win in the 600 5uperstock class," said 22-yearold Parrish, of Louisville, Kentucky. "The lines and the pointers given by the instructors and jason [Pridmore] really helped a lot. I can't say enough good things about the STAR School, and I can't wait to head out for the next school." Brande n Jes sem an will debut a PeK Performance! ConceptHaulers.com/SoCal/ DGY Honda at the U.S. Open in Las Vegas, Nevada, O ctober 8-1 O. The 22-year-old 2003 AMA 125cc East Coast SX Champion has confirmed that he will be ready to go in Las Vegas. Suzuki public relations man Mark Ree se broke his left wrist and right shou lder in a streetbike accident on Friday, October I. Reese was scheduled to undergo surgery on his wrist on October 4. C Y CLE N EWS • OCTOBER 13, 200 4 11