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/128353
Checa Impressive at Jerez Carlos Checa was fast in his firs t outing on the Ducati with Bridgestone tires. a rib 0 r 0 Ducati's Carlos Checa lapped under the lap record during MotoGP testing at M Valentino Rossi's qualifying mark set earlier this year at Jer ez . Checa's teammate Loris Cap irossi lapped on the same pace as Checa, setting a I:40.926 on qualifying tires and I:4 1.392s on race tires. "I am really pleased with these first tests w it h Bridgestone tires , It Capirossi said in a team release. "The fee ling with the front is already good , and this afternoon we did a 20-lap long-run, maintaininga constantpace. For the first time I also tried the qualifying tires, and for sure these have a great poten - tial, but I prefer not to take any risks for the moment. I can't w ait to get to Valencia on Monday to continue testing with the new tires and developingour bike." Regis Laconi joined the MotoGP pair at the track, the Frenchman setting a best Continued from poge T but also all of our loyal KTM customers. We are putt ing together a great program for the riders , and I am really looking forward to the 200S racing season. It will be fun be ing at the races with ou r riders again. I'llsee you out there!" but ion since the Sonoma chapter was of I:4 1.8S3. "We are really pleased with the way the tests went," said Filippo Preziosi, Ducati Corse's technical director. "The weather conditions were favorable and we were able to get through a lot of work in these three days and obtain some important results . The basis for the start of our new partnership with Bridgestone is exce llent. Now we have some good reference data wit h the new tires and confirmation that our bike adapts w ell to their characteris- As always in racing. there is still a lot of work to do , but our morale is high, we tics. are satisfied, and this certainly means w e are off to a good sta rt!" The team stayed over in Spain for tests at Valencia that we re set to begin on Monday, Novembe r 29, but poor weather hampered the open ing day of the two-day test. formed in 1996 and an increase of more than $ 100,000 over the chapter's 2003 total grant awards. The chapter's Board of Trustees recently approved the distribution of funds at its annual meeting . Speedway Children 's Charities is the primary charitable arm of Speedway Motorsports Inc, which owns and operates Infineon Raceway. The Sonoma County chapter has raised more than $ 1.2 million over the past four years . The money awarded in 2004 was generated through a combination of Infineon Raceway events, plus a donation by Sonic Automotive Corporation. This year's fund-raising events included the NASCARGrand Marshall's Banquet, Rock-n-Race Auction, NHRA Tour de Charity, Dancin' & Draggin', the Sonoma Valley Vintage Race Car Festival and the Classic Sports RacingGro up's Charity Challenge . S IGNED: The Progressive group of insurCO RRECT IO N: In Issue #43 (November 3), we incorrectly stated that Youthstream is the promoter of the Enduro World Cham pionship and the ISDE. That is not the case . While Youthstream is the promoter of the Motocross World Cham pionships, Supe rMoto World Cham pionship, Motocross of N at ions and Snow cro ss World Cham pionship, the French company A BC C o m m unicatio ns is t he promoter o f the Enduro eve nts. SIGNED: A two-year co ntract between M2R (Made 2 Race) helmets and Yamaha of Troy Racingthat will see Broc Sellards, Brett Metcalf, Kelly Smith and Danny Smith wearing M2R's Revelation-X2 helme t. CORRECTION: In Issue #47 (December I), we incorrectly credited Miguel Duhamel with only four Superbike wins in our Web Insite pole both online and in the Insideline section of Cycle News. Duhamel actually had six wins in Superbike and eight in Formula The 24th annual Cycle Worl d Int e m a t ional Motorcycl e Shows, presented by Toyota Trucks, willhit Southern Californiaon December 3-S, when it stops at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, California.Tickets for the event ane $12 for adults, $S for children 6- 11 and free for children S and under. Tickets ane available in ance companies recently signed on as offi- advance at www.motorcycleshows.com and cial product sponsor of the Cycle World International Motorcycle Shows presented by Toyota Trucks. Progressive 's sponsorship includes the series' new, web-based eticketing program that allows atte ndees to purchase tickets on the website. Fo r more information, visit WW'IN .motorcycleshows.com . ACCEPTING: Nolee n J6 is cur re ntly accep ting racer resumes for the 200S sea son . Resumes can be sent to Noleen J6, 17S2S Alder St. # I, Hesperia, CA 9234S, or via e-mail atnoleencj@aol.com. attn : Rider Support. ACCEPTING: Enjoy Manufacturing is currently accepting racer resumes for the 200S all motorcyclists, ATYers and others to contact their U.S. representalives to support the bill. The measure would bar health plans from de nying benefits to people injured while riding motorcycles, ATYs, horses, snowmobiles, skiing, or engaging in other legal recreational or transportation activ ities. The Infineon Raceway Chapter of Spe e dw ay Children's Charities willdistribute $4S8 ,Ooo to 36 nee dy you th organizations in Sono ma County, California, for the 2004 season, according to the racetrack. The figure re pr ese nts the largest single-year distri - t he Jerez circuit in Spain on November 2S, the Spaniard riding the Bridgestoneshod Des mosedici for the first time w ith the Japanese rubber. Checa lapped at I:40.06S on qualifying tires on the third of three days at Je rez - almost .8 of a second quicker than . Briefly... on-site at the box office, or call the InfoUne at 800/331-S706 or 218/723-9130 for more informat ion. "Last year we had a great turnout in Long Beach, and we're loo king forward to another exciti ng year," show director Jeff D'Entremont said. "Familiesand enthusiasts will be able to mee t JeffWard , 2004 AMA Supermoto Champion, as well as the Troy Lee Design Supermoto team. They'll also be able to check out new features like the Kid's Cycle Ce nter, the Toyota Tacoma O ff-Road De mo with Ivan Stewart and Ducati Monster Challenge. We're also happy to introduce our new web-based e-ticket program because it will be more convenient for attendees to get the ir tickets online from home and skip the lines at the show:' Acting in the w ee hours of the morning on November 21. the Senate approved the bill by unanimous consent. ':Americans who en joy recreational or transpo rt atio n activ ities such as riding motorcycles should have the right to the same health insurance protection whether they are injured on their bike or in their home," said U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine), who co-authored the bill. "I than k the Amer ican Motorcyclist Association for their support as I drafted this legislalion, which more clearly defines hea lth insurance reg ulations to ensure that people part icipating in legal recreational and transpo rt atio n activi ties are covered under an equal standa rd of protection." U.S. Senator Russ Feingold (D-Wisconsin), who also coaut hored the bill, agreed . "If Americans want to enjoy legal transportation and recreational act ivities, the thought of being refused medical coverage shouldn't stop them," Feingold said, "That 's why I have been fighting alongside U.S. Senato r Susan Collins to pass this bill givingpeople the protection they deserve while taking part in activities like motorcycling, which 50 many people in my home state of Wisconsin enjoy:' Edward Moreland, AMAvice pres ident for government relations, and AHA Washington Repre sentat ive Patrick Holtz were elated that the Senate passed the billbut noted that more work needs to be done . "We can't let up," they said. "We need to get this passed in the House." In the House , U.S. Representative Ted Strickland (D- Ohio) plans to work for passage of the bill."I am pleased that the Senate has taken action to end the discrirnlnation in healthcare cove rage against those participating in recreational and trans porta- tion activities," Strickland said. "I am looking forwar d to working with my colleagues in the House to pass [the bill to close up the ] unfair HIPAA loo phole that allows this discrimination," In 1996, Congress passed the Health Insurance Portabilityand AccountabilityAct (HIPAA), which pro hibits com panies from deny ing access to em ployer- sponso red health insurance for moto rcyclists and those who participate in othe r recreatio nal activities. H ow ever. federa l regulato rs creat- ed a loophole that allows the de nial of benefits under various conditions . ufacturing, 167S EnsleyAve., Safety Harbor, IL 3469S, attn: Rider Support. Extreme. Duhamel won race two at Infineo n Raceway, race two at Barber, both races at BO RN: A baby boy, RyanThomas, to GForce Strategic Marketing's Scott Goodwin and his wife, jenifer, on Novem ber 8 in Aliso Viejo, California. Road America and both at Virginia International Raceway,and he finished second to Mat Mladinin the final points standings. SIGNED: Suzuki's Davi Milsaps to a contract with EVS Sports for 2OOS. ATVers has cleaned the U.S. Se nate . The measure, S. 42 3, now goes to the House for Southem Califomia Motorcycle Gathering is hosting a "Day Cru ise" and is invitingall motorcyclists, no matter what kind of bike they ride , "to help progress friendships and riding activity in the community." SCMG is asking for a $20 donat ion at the start of the ride , with proceeds benefiting the Corona Chapter of the YMCA. The ride will start at cons ideration. AMA Government Relations season. Resumes can be sent to Enjoy Man- Corona Yamaha o n Pomona Road in Corona, Department officials hope the House will give final approva l to the measure and urge California, on January 8 at 9 a.m. For more information , call 9S11738-8 111. The AMAand All-Terrain Vehicle Associalion report that a bipartisan billto end healthcare discrimination against motorcyclists and www.cy clenews.com CYCLE NEWS • DECEMBER 8, 2004 9