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/128354
Ducks Fly in Spain T he Ducati Marlboro Team ended its 2004 testing smiling as both Loris Capirossi and Carlos Checa lapped the Valencia Circuit in Spain quicker than both the 2004 pole time set by Makoto Tamada and the fastest lap of the MotoGP race in '04 set by Max Biaggi. The first day of the two-day test was pretty much a washout with rainstorms hitting the area, but on November 30, the team got down to some serious business, and the res ult was quick lap times by both riders. Capirossi set a best lap of I:32.67 on qualifying tires and turned 62 laps. The Italian rode the evolution version of the Desmosedici GP4, with changes to the frame and the new swingarm . He also test ed a variety of suspension and chassis setups . The Italian said that he was pleased with the results obta ined and motivated by the changes made to the bike and the new Bridgestone t ires. "I am really satisfied with what we have been able to achieve on the one day that the track was dry, but I wasn't sorry that I got a chance to test the Bridgestone wets yesterday, which proved to be extremely valid tires." Cap irossi said in a team re lease. "I'm pleased with the way things are going and the working method we are using. Today we did a lot of laps and tried a number of changes, obtaining some good times . It's as if we are about to start 2005, and I'm feeling confident already." Checa , with a total of 65 laps on the prototype Desmosedici GP5, was the quickest rider on the track with race tires , setting a time of I:33.09, according to Ducati. The Spaniard, who prefe rred to focus on race setup and not use qualifying tires, has adapt ed quickly to the numerou s changes he has encountered after signing for the Ducati Marlboro Team - bike, team and tires. World Superbike ride r Regis Laconi's period as Ducati Desmosedici test rider came to a positive end w ith a best time of 1:35.7Bs. Laconi's total of 44 laps also includ- ed a crash , but he was uninjured . The Frenchman focused on electronics and engine mapping work on the Italian V-four. The Ducati Marlboro Team's next testing session is scheduled for January 22-24 at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia. Loris Capirossi was fast at the Va lencia test o n his Bridgestoneshad Ducati. T hunder Class for Canada Three of the most famous names in motorcycle history will join the Parts Canada Superbike Championship on a regular basis beginning next year, according to series promoters. BMW Motorrad Canada, Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada '(t hro ugh its Buell brand) and Ducati North America have reached an agreement · with Professional Motorsport Productions to add the Thunder class to the national road racing series in 2005 and 2006. The Thunder series will run at all events on the Parts Canada Superbike tour in 2005. except for the rounds at Calgary's Race City Motorsport Park and the Montreal Molson Indy 5uperbike Invitational. The two-year agreement provides for the addition of a race in Polen Inducted Two- time Worl d Super bike Champ ion Doug Pole n was rece ntly'inducted into the Central Motorcycle Roadracing Association's Hall of Fame at its end-of-year award s banquet held in Fort Wort h, Texas. Polen, who was also the 1993 AMA Superbike Champ ion and 1997 and 1998 FIM World Endurance Champion , started racing with the Texas-based club in 1997, when it was st ill known as the CRRC. "This was great to be inducted by the CMRA Polen said. "I have bee n able to ," re minisce and see a lot of people here that I haven't seen in a long time . This club allowed me to do some thing early on that I loved to do, and that was to race motorcycles. O ne of the things that I benefited from is all of the peop le in this club that gave me support ove r the years, and that is so me- thing I w ill always rem embe r." Alsoinduc ted was Houston racer Ronnie Lunsf , w ho has been a dr iving force ord be hind the CMRA and Texas road racing since he wa s introduced to the sport in 1979. Over 400 guests attended the banque t, w hich culminated w ith a draw ing for a highly modified and race-ready Yamaha R6, valued at $ 18,000, which was donated by 5um of All Parts of Austin. Eve ryo ne who entered a CMRA race during the season was eligi ble (the more races you e ntered, the more times your name wen t into the hat). and the big winner was Jeff Robinson of Grossett, Arkansas. A pre banquet silent auction and raffle raised over $ 10,000, which w ill go into the CMRA's injured riders fund. 10 DECEMBER 15, 2004 • CYCLE NEWS Calgary in 2006. Thunder joins the Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike Championship and International Motorcycle Supershow Amateur 600 Sport Bike Championship as a national support category to the feature Parts Canada Superbike Championship chase. The Thunder division will run to national series standardsand feature guar- anteed prize money of $3000 per round. The organizingsponsor group is also looking into arranging a title sponsor to pro- vide a year-end points fund. Thunder is designed for air-cooled, twin-cylinder, production-based sport motorcycles. The series ran with selected national and regionai events in 2004 unde r the organization of Race Event Inc, with backingfrom Buell.The new national class 40th Ann iversary will run Pro and Amateur divisions, according to PMP. "The Thunder class will be an exciting add ition to the Parts Canada national tour," series producer Colin Fraser of PMP said. "All the sponsors and supporters of our series are looking forward to helping Thunder develop . Thunder will add a new element to the program, with a close-running field of bikes that look and sound different from our existing sport bikes." Buell, Ducati and BMW have agreed that a minimum of 25 machines will attend each event , and each constructor has specially-priced new models reserved for the series. BMW will offer the "Boxe r Cup " RI 1005 and Ducati its 10005S. Buell will apply the special pricing to any of its models eligible for the series. Existing models are also legal for the Thunder series under the revised 2005 rules, which will shortly be posted on the official Parts Canada Superbike website, www.cdnsuperbike.com. Minimum weight for Thunder machines will be 395 pounds , and the series will have a maximum horsepower of 95 horsepower. Weight and horsepower will be measured immediately after each race on the official series scales and Dynojet Dyno, respectively. The series will be administered by PMP staff under the guidance of event director Brian Williams and technical director Mark Orchard. The national event staff will be expanded to include dedicated Thunder management personnel, includingregistra- tion and tech officials.