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/128346
Motorcycle Hall of Fame Inducts Class of '04 A capacity crowd gathered Saturday /""\evening, October 9, at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum to honor this year's inductees, which included such notables as nat track legend Steve Morehead, motocross champion Jeff Emig and longtime motorcyclist rights activist Dal Smilie, "It's great to see such a group of enthusiasts gathered here tonight (0 honor the class of 2004, " said museum director Mark Mederski. "Afte r all, these heroes are the reason why we're here - their hard work helped pave the way for motorcycling as we know it today." The event, hosted by Kevin Smith, editorial director of the Primedia motorcycle and automotive group of magazines, headlined a weekend of activities that included a motorcycle fashion show and reception on Friday, and the third annual Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum Concours d'Elegance on Saturday afternoon, All the inductees had stories to tell, but inevitably they revolved around the other enthusiastic and fascinating people they had met through their involvement with motorcycles, whether they raced them, built them, sold them or just spread the word of the joy of riding, "Tru ly, over the years. it was all about the fans and the relationships with all the people we met along the way," said Morehead, "I'll take some of those rela- tionships to the grave ." As the youngest member of this year's class of inductees, motocross and Supercross fan favorite Jeff Emigsaid he was a little awed by the years of work his fellow honorees had devoted to motorcycling. "To be part of the history of motorcycling and to be recognized for that , it blows me away," he said. "It's beyond me." And while every inductee gave thanks for joining the ranks of the Hall of Fame, former Superbike racer Wes Cooley used the opportunity to acknowledge another debt. When his career was ended in 1985 by a serious crash at Sears Point, Cooley's medical bills were covered by the thousands of donations sent in by fans. Two for Ducati in AMA Superbike next year, one w ith Eric according Nominations are being accepted through November 30 for the Motorcycle Hall of Fame's Class of 2005. Troy Co rser will not be returning to the Foggy PETRO NAS Racing tea m fo r the 2005 5upe rbike Wor ld Championship campaig n, t he team has announce d. The 33-year-old Australian has informed team owner Carl Fogarty that he has decided to seek new o pportunities afte r three years with the FPR project, whic h co nsisted of building and racing the Pet ro nas FP I, the first Malaysian supe rb ike . This season Co rser claimed two pole positions on the FP I as we ll as finishing Bostrom and the other with an overseas rider, Among others accepting awards were Steven duPont, accepting for the late E. Paul duPont, and Motor Maids president Brenda Thatcher, who accepted the award for the late Linda Dugeau. The I I inductees in this year's class join the 297 other racing champions, industry leaders and motorcycle pioneers currently enshrined in the Hall of Fame in the Columbus suburb of Pickerington, Ohio. It's Official: Corser's Leaving FPR Duc ati Austin will run two facto- ry bikes "I never had a chance to say thanks for that," he said. So, Saturday night, he did. to Paolo Ciabbatti , Ducati's World Superbike and AMA chief . Cia bbatti said his target for nam ing the second rider was the end of next week. manufacturer standings in just its second "As soon as everything is in place with World Super bike [the season in t he Champ io nship. team lineup could be secon d in the first race at M isano in Italy. H e finished the season ninth in the ride r standi ngs, w ith a total of 146 po ints, and helpe d Petr o nas clinch thir d spo t in the World Supe rbike con - C orser has been w ith the project since Some in the pits be lieve the the launch of the team in 2002 and was instr umental in helping to develop race firmed ]," he said. second ride will go to Lorenzo Lanzi , w ho rode t he and road bikes that were mere conce pts just three years ago. H is first season of Du cati Austin to a fo urth -place finish in r ace one befor e racing saw him finish 12th in th e 2003 rider sta ndings, with a total of 107 po ints. Cr ose r, the 1996 World Supe rbike Cham pion, said, "My time involved with the projec t has bee n fantastic. Altho ugh it mechanical troubles knocked him ou t of race two at VIR. But th e young Italian cou ld jo in Jame s Toseland on the Fila Ducat i team . Fren chman Regis Laco ni left has been frustrating at times I canno t think of any other project that has achieve d so Virg inia Int ernati onal Raceway much in mot orcycle racing in such a short time. on O cto ber 10 for Italy, w here he was to test the MotoGP De smose d ici on Tuesd ay, October 12, a possible tryout for the 2005 season, tho ugh he 'll likely end up on a satellite team . "I know tha t the bike will still improve , but I want to ride a pro ven bike next year, Du cati team. Whichever decl ines to give myself the best possible chance of anot he r shot at a Wo rld title at th is stage of my career. I have don e three years with the project, and I have got the bike to w here I wanted it to be - it's ce rta inly good enough to achieve po le positions. But now I am look ing fo r a new cha llenge , and my next cha llenge will be with another team in World Superbikes. "It has been a real team effort th rough some good times and so me toug h time s, and we have made a lot of friends. O ne of my lasting impressions w ill be the pro motiona l tour we did for Pet ronas in Malaysia and seeing how much goo d work they do with th e co mm unity and scho o lchildre n. I have never been involved with a big corporatio n that has that attitude." Naturally, Fogarty isn't please d to see his sta r rider go. cou ld be a candidate for the se cond AMA job, sources say. Cia bba tti said t he factory that we have to lose him," Fogarty said. "He probab ly st ill feels that he is as fast as anyo ne out there and feels th at he can still w in the Wor ld Championship o n Rising Italian star G ianluca Nannelli will tes t the F04 5uperbike at the same time . D'Ant in Ducati 's Ne il Hodgso n and Marlbo ro Ducati's Troy Bayliss have both been offered the open jo b o n the Fila "Troy has done a goo d job for us in our two years o f racing, and it is a shame would co ntinue its affiliation with the Ducat! Au stin team. "We 're happy with everything," he said. Henny Ray Abrams 8 oaOBER 20, 2004 • CYCLE NEWS Will Lorenzo Lanzi be Ducati's number-twa AMA rider? 40th Anniversary another bike. It is now up to us to prove him wrong." Foggy Petro nas Racing is curr ently pursuing a num ber of option s to r eplace Corser, the tea m said. An annou ncement on his own future is expected in the near future.