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/128394
Pichon Goes Orange 30 years ago... September 9. 1975 Pu;:~;}l"".!1 A getting-fit Brad Lackey was featured on the cover 30 years ago. The multiple photographs of the soon-to-be World Champion lifting, running and stretching accompanied the first of a new series called "How To Tune Your Body with Brad Lackey..... "Sugar Bear" Billy Grossi was the star at the 500cc National Motocross in Ravenna, Ohio. The Suzuki rider went 2-1, while Brad Lackey. who won the first moto, crashed in the second... We interviewed 23-year-old road racer Gary Fisher. It was titled, "Never Say Die and Don't Forget Rock and Roll." i!0 Years Ago... September 11. 1985 Ricky Graham and Fred Merkel graced the cover of Cycle News 20 years ago. Graham won the Springfield Mile, while l Merkel wrapped up the Superbike Championship at Brainerd...We reported on the plane crash in South Carolina that killed two-time Daytona winner Dale Singleton and three others... Damon Bradshaw, Frankie Brundage and Lowell Thoma· son were the big winners at Loretta Lynn's. Jeff Matiasevich, Donny Schmit and Jeff Stanton were also winners that year... Scott Head dominated the National Trials held at Donner Ranch, California... In Switzerland, Dave Thorpe wrapped up the SOOcc World MX Championship over Andre Malherbe... Dan Smith and Brett Howell were the top riders at the Viewfinders European Scrambles in Barstow, California. 10 Years Ago... September 6. 1995 Jordi Torres got on , the cover 10 years ago for wrapping up his seventh World Trials Championship. We also featured the first orange KTM 250 SX model and the new Yamaha VZI25 ... Honda's Jeremy McGrath and Steve lamson won the 250cc and I25cc class, respectively, at the National MX in Binghamton. New York... Miguel Duhamel matched Wayne Rainey's record for consecutive race wins with six at the Sears Point Superbike National, and he also wrapped up the title. He also won the 600cc Supersport... At the 4H Fairgrounds in Indiana, Scott Parker cruised to victory in the GNC... Troy Croser and Cart Fogarty split wins in the World Supercross Championship at Sugo... Honda's Johnny Campbell took top honors at the 2000-mile Nevada Rally. He beat notable riders such as Stephane Peterhansel, Davide Trolli and Richard Sainct... American Trampas Parker won the Dutch MX Grand Prix over Joel Smets. The Red Bull KTM team lineup for the 2006 FIM Motocross World Championships has been bolstered by the addition of former double World Champion Mickael Pichon, who put pen to paper on a one year deal this week to race the MX I class for next season's campaign. Pichon will ride alongside fellow ex-World Champ Sebastien Tortelli. KTM's factory MX I entry will also include Spain's Jonathan Barragan and Holland's Marc de Reuver. "I'm happy with this new deal, because the last four or fIVe months have been quite hard," Pichon said. "I did not know what to do with my career, and I said that I would be prepared to go another year if I could find something serious. With KTM, I believe I have what I want and need. It is a factory team and many people think like I think and want to give their best. They treat their riders like they should, and they have a lot of power and resources for developing the bike. "I am happy also to work with Pit [Beirer], because in the past, he was a great rival but always a nice guy," the 29-year-old added. "I have a good feeling about the whole situation, and for sure I will find that motivation I need for 2006. Both KTM and I badly want to win the Championship. We all want to beat Stefan [Everts]!" "HaVing me and Sebastien [Tortelli] in the same team is quite special," he added concerning his countryman. "It is good he is coming back to the GPs. We both have two titles, and it is a top set of riders for KTM just after they have lost Ben Townley. Sebastien and I get along well, and we were teammates before in the United States. I think we will do good things for KTM." "Mickael [Pichon] deciding to join KTM is exactly what we needed," said Pit Beirer, one of KTM's Sport managers. "Our team and structure for next year was ready, but we were missing the two big riders needed for the MX I class; this is the title that is still not part of KTM history. With Sebastien and Mickael, we have the strongest team possible. We now have to organize the distribution of our six factory riders for MX I and MX2." ETC • AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At Hall's Harley-Davidson of Springfield in Springfield. Illinois, on Friday. Seplember 2 from 5-7 p.m. Dirt tracker Nichole Cheza is scheduled to appear. For more information, visit W'INW.hallsh-d.com. ACCEPTING: The Alloy motocross company is now accepting resumes for the 2006 race season. Resumes can be sent to Alloy Motocross. attn: SponsorShip, 24845 Corbil Place. Yorba Linda. CA 92B87: or e-mail to info@alloymxco.com. ACCEPTING: While Brothers Racing is now accepting resumes for the 2006 racing season. Resumes can be sent to White Brothers Racing. altn: Rider Support. 24845 Corbit Place, Yorba Linda. CA 92887: 714/692-1784 (fax). or e-mail to ridersupport@whitebrothers.com. Briefly... Conrinued from poge 9 Texas World Speedway on October 2. Select events will also be identified where kids aged 12 and older will be allowed to participate in the 2006 season. According to series president Stewart Aitken-Cade, "By lowering the age minimum, we're giving these rising superstars the opportunity to further develop their racing skills that much sooner. There are lots of kids that are ready to move to the next level now. We welcome them to our race series as a place to continue developing their skills on their way to the top." Kids wishing to participate in these events will need to provide proof of former racing experience in other racing disciplines such as supermoto, dirt track or mini-motos before they will be allowed to enter, Each rider's abilities will be scrutinized on a case-by-case basis, according to USGPRU. For more information, visit www.USGPRU.net. MotoGP has secured a new television deal with a major terrestrial network in Turkey, according to Dorna, the rights holders of the series. The new agreement with NTV means that, starting at the recent Alice Motorrad Grand Prix of Gennany, all the events in the World Championship will be shown live through this national free-to-air network, vvith the premier MotoGP class always broadcast live alopgside highlights of the 125cc and 250cc races - and all the races live for the Grand Prix of Turkey. The contract between NTV and Dorna Sports will last for 2 1/2 years, through the end ofthe 2007 season, and follows the inclusion of Turkey in 2005 in the MotoGP calendar for the first time. The Grand Prix of Turkey will take place in the brand-new circuit in Istanbul on October 23. With this new addition, the TV distribution list for MotoGP's live broadcasts (or same-day delayed on the different time zones) includes no less than 48 TV networks, covering more than 200 countries in all five continents, according to Dorna. Dorna says the average TV audience for each race is over 300 million viewers worldwide. Sarah Whitmore is the latest racer to sign up to participate in the sixth annual golf benefit to help raise funds for the Emergency Trauma Care Center at Loma Linda University Medical Center in Loma Unda, California. The benefil is scheduled for Thursday, September 8 at jurupa Hills Country Club in Riverside, California, with a shotgun start scheduled for 9 a.m. For more information, call 951/685-7214 or visit .www.lomalindagollbenefit.com. The Tony D, Motocross School has added another session to its schedule at Muddy Creek Raceway in Tennessee on September 12 - the day after the Suzuki U.S. Amateur National MX Series. For more information, call 40 1/635-6916. Advanstar has announced that Suzuki will post its "largest factory contingency program ever offered for Arenacross" as it supports the upcoming BooKoo Arenacross Championship Series Presented by K&N Filters. Suzuki has posted nearly $2S0,OOO, accord- ing to Advanstar. ':Adding Suzuki to our long list of industry supporters is a great way to demonstrate appreciation to our racers, fans and sponsors." said' Mike Kidd, Arenacross race director for Advanstar. "Suzuki is com· mitting to the largest contingency they've ever offered the sport and its riders, and that's a testament to their dedication and belief in the Advanstar program across the country and throughout the year" The Road 2 Recovery Foundation has announced its inaugural celebrity poker tournament at MGM Grand in Las Vegas to be held Thursday, October 6. The tournament coincides with the U.S. Open of Supercross held October 7-9 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The tournament will allow partidpants to sit at a table with a celebrity or a Supercross hero and compete for a spot in the 2006 World Series of Poker. Additional prizes will be awarded through 20th place. Celebrities scheduled to appear include Jeremy McGrath, Chad Reed and Travis Pastrana. Space in the tournament is limited to 220 players on a firstcome, first-served basis. The entry fee is $250 per person, and event and table sponsorships also are available. For additional information on tournament participation or sponsorships, go to www.road2recovery.com. Clear Channel Entertainment's Motor Sports division has announced the rider list for the KTM Jr. Supercross Challenge (KJSC) at this year's U.S. Open in Las Vegas at MGM Grand Garden Arena, October 7-9. The KTM Jr. Supercross Challenge at the U.S. Open will feature the winners of each race during the 2004-0S KJSC season that ran in conjunction with THQ World Supercross GPfTHQ AMA Supercross Series, It consists of 7- and B-yearold boys and girls from allover North America vvith a 3.0 or better grade point average in school. "This event is a dream come true for the participants in this year's U.S. Open," said Todd Jendro, senior director of operations for Clear Channel Entertainment's Motor Sports division. "On the same night, same track that supercross stars Ricky Carmichael and Chad Reed compete on, the winners of the KJSC at the THQ AHA Supercross Series will put on a show that is equally exciting." "We are excited to be back in the MGM to run the KTM Jr. Supercross challenge," said Selvaraj Narayana, vice president of racing and event promotions for KTM North America. "We look forward to making these young riders' dreams come true at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, the most prestigious race ever held in the U.S." 2005 U.S. Open KTM Jr. Supercross Challenge Invited Riders include: Steve Anderson, Toronto, Canada; Tron Cathcart, Vancouver, Canada; Jake Willis, Anaheim (I), California; Drake Dunlap, Phoenix, Arizona; Brandon Jones, Anaheim (II), California; Jerem; Williamson, San Francisco, California; Jose Flores, Anaheim (III), California; Bailey Stelka, Indianapolis, Indiana; Garrett Kinsler, San Diego, California; Donny Brown, Atlanta, Georgia; Darian Sanayei, St. Louis, Missouri; Joshua Lambert, Orlando, Florida; Chase McCullers, Irving, Texas; Dillon Cloyed, Pontiac, Michigan; Nicholas Uzick, Seattle, Washington; Cade Moore, Houston, Texas; Brandon Leith, Las Vegas, Nevada. CYCLE NEWS • SEPTEMBER 7, 2005 13