Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Jordan Rides Ducati MotoGP! "They were going to come in a lap before ," Edwards said, "and Kenny turne d aro und to him and he was like, 'O ne more, one rnore. ?' The GP is the first fo r Jordan , who arrived o n Thursday in his pr ivate plane. Along for t he ride were, among others, Jaso n Pridmore, Richie Alexander, Charles Oakley, Montez Stewart and Ahma d Rashad. (From left to right) Colin Edwords, Sete Gibernau, Kenny Roberts Jr., Michael Jordan and Thursday was spent relaxing, an d on Friday, Jo rdan , Kurt is Roberts ham it up for cameras. Jordan rode the Ducati MotoGP two-seater for four laps at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Spain. Pridmor e and Rashad played golf at a near by course with aways were no prob le m, but I was trying to ichael Jo rdan electrified the MotoG P Spanish golfing lege nd Seve Ballast eros . world in a way never be fore seen by find the markers for the comers, then I had "It was like being at a PGA tour event for th ese other guys riding alongside tapping me piloting th e Ducati Des moseclici two-seater for fou r laps around Valen cia's Ricardo on the leg. These things have so muc h power. I was trying to pull a w hee lie , but in the en d I Torma Circuit with an elite escort. Telefo nica MoviStar Hon da's Co lin was a bit too afraid, so I just sta rted waving. I Edwards and Set e Gibe m au , jo ined by the guess you could say I nee d a bit more time to get used to all that power." Robe rts bro thers, Kurtis on the Prot on KR and Kenny Jr. on a Suzuki GSX-R I000, Both Kenny Rob e rts Jr. and Edwards esco rted the six-t ime N BA champion were impressed wit h his riding, especially arou nd the circuit to the delight of fans, how dee p he got into tu m one at the end of teams an d media. Jo rd an had be en the long fro nt stra ight. ap proached to ride on the back of the two"We we re just out the re cru ising, we sea ter with Randy Mamola, but a previous were just piaying arou nd," Edwards said. "We tho ught f'&%ing hell - he was in there experie nce do ing the same w ith Jaso n pretty deep." Pridmo re convinced him he wan ted to be at the controls himse lf. Roberts Jr., who was riding a Suzuki GSX"It was Sete who talke d me into it ," RI000 for the first time, said, "He ro de rea lly well. He used all the right lines and everyJord an said with a wide grin afte r his fo ur thing. He's obvio usly had some schooling." laps. "That was fun, but I only got it up to The plan was to do two laps, the n three, fourt h gear. I can't imagine what these th ings are like wide open in sixth. The straightand Jor dan wanted a fou rth. M Woods Clinches WORCS Title Nathan Woods clinched his first WORCS title following a win in Texas. Mo ntclair Y amaha's Nath an Woo ds nabb ed the ove rall win at rou nd 13 of the Wo rld O ff-Road Champio nship Se ries in Decatur, Texas, on O ct ob er 3 I, and in doing so, wrapped up the 2004 title with o ne ro und rem aining on the sched ule. No less than five ride rs too k a turn at the lead position befo re Woods finally to ok control of the race at abou t the midwa y po int and maintained a strong pace to the finish, to pping Team Green Kawasaki's Bo bby Bonds by 30 seconds fo r the win. WO RCS newco me r, Matt Karlsen, fro m Colorado, finished a st rong thir d on his factory -backed KTM after leading ear ly in the race , w hile Lance Smail, also an early leader, suffered severe arm pump , wh ich forced the Team Green rider to back off the pace and settle into fo urt h. "It's a big weig ht off my sho ulders," Woo ds said after the win. "I am rea lly happy fo r Yamaha and Zip Ty Raci ng. I want to thank Ty Davis, Kenny Parry, my wife and everybody else; they all put fo rt h a big effort towards my program this yea r. I especially want to thank Ty and his w ife; they used so me of thei r ow n sponso rship mo ney towards my program and I wo uldn't be he re without them. T here is one other person I wo uld like to thank, and that is my wife. She is there th rough th ick and thin , and she is the one wh o ge ts me up in the morn ing to go train." T he series will wra p up with the final round in Idaho on Nove mbe r 19-21 , where defending cham p Davis and Russ Pearson will decide the runner up position in the championship. After the Texas event, Davis holds a 16-point margin over Pearson . Shan Moore 6 NOVE MBER 10, 2004 • CYCLE NEWS 40th Anniversary me because I had so many peop le clicking cameras , and I was so nervou s Ithought might not be able to pullit back," Pridmore said. W ith all the suites at the track booked, a garage was converted where Jo rdan and his team cou ld relax . A steady stream of riders paid a visit, with all the Haydens stopping by, as well as Max Biaggi. Jordan also met Marlboro Ducati riders Loris Ca piross i and Troy Bayliss, as well as Randy Mamola. Gauloises Fo rt una Yamaha's Valentino Rossi took Jordan fo r a lap of the circuit in a BMW M-S. After a tire -sco rching, sideways dr ifting slide ou t of the final corne r, Jordan said o ne lap was eno ugh. "That was cool ," Edwards said. "That's awesome fo r Ducati just to let him ride the two-sea ter." Henny Ray Abrams Tommy Hayden Re-Signs With Kawasaki Newly crowned AMA Supersport Champion Tommy Hayden has inked a contract to remain with Kawasaki for the 2005 AMA season, though the team has yet to announce exactly which classes Hayden will compete in. "We are proud of Tommy and really pleased that he recognizes the value of continuing his relationship with Kawasaki," Bruce Stjernstrorn, Kawasaki's director of professional racing . said in a press release. "It has been a collective effort that has proved to be very successful for everyone involved." The Supersport crown was the first AMA road racing title for the 26-year-old from Owensboro. Kentucky, the oldest of the three racing Hayden brothers. "Without a doubt. Tommy showed the type of mental sha rpness and racing perseverance that makes champions stand apart from others on the circuit," said Mike Preston, Kawasaki's road racing team manager. "We're sure that this is just the beginning of what will continue to be an outstandiog. championship-winning career."

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