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/128397
Briefly... Italy Sweeps ISDE Supermoto racer Michael Johnson is scheduled to be returning home after sus- A fter a long week of count/"\Jess hillclimbs and descents, stream crossings and rain, Italy emerged at the top at this year's running of the International Six Days Enduro in Povazska Bystrica, Slovakia, September 12-18. Italy's team of Alessandro Botturi (KTM), Alessandro Belometti (KTM), Simone Albergoni (Honda), Alessandro Sanni (Hon), Alessio Paoli (TM) and Guiliano Falgari finished out the week with an overall time of 25 minutes and 22.40 seconds. The pre-race favorites, the Finnish Trophy taining serious injuries in a mid~August dirt- track racing accident. The 13-year-old rider remains paralyzed from the stemum down. "We are praying and hoping the swelling goes down and he will get some feeling back," Johnson's father, Tim, explained. "As a family, we are doing everything we can to get through. We have made adjustments to the house so he can come home and start out patient rehab." Johnson was the 2004 Supermoto Canada National Champion in his age class and had already scored enough points at the time of his accident to win the Championship again in 2005. Michael Johnson and his family can be contacted at tjf@ccslinknet.com. team, took second overall with a time of 26:34.37, while the next-best team, from Sweden, ended up with a 36:03.81. The U.S. World Trophy team, made up of Kurt Caselli (KTM), Jimmy Jarrett (Gas Gas), Fred Hoess (Gas Gas), Aaron Kopp (KTM), Jason Dahners (KTM) and John Barber (Gas Gas), finished out the week in 10th place with a time of 1:32:05.38. Caselli and Hoess earned gold medals, while Jarrett, Kopp and Dahners earned silver medals. Barber did not finish. Britain's David Knight won the individual overall title, the KTM rider topping all 27 special tests en route to the E3-c1ass victory. Australia's World Trophy team rider and last year's individual overall ISDE Champion, UFO Corse Yamaha's Stefan Merriman, took runner-up honors but won the E2-c1ass title. Merriman's fel- Byrne To Honda Shane "Shakey" Byrne will get a second chance in MotoGP this season - thanks to Camel Honda. The team has hired the Englishman to replace the injured Troy Bayliss for the following two races in Malaysia and Qatar, and possibly for the rest of the season. This reversal of fortune came out of the blue after the low point in Byrne's year. "If somebody had told me in Brno, when it was all going horrendously wrong, that I'd be riding a Honda for two races, I'd have belted them," he said. Byrne had gotten the short end of the stick when KTM withdrew engine support from Team Roberts prior to the Czech GP at Brno. Because he was contracted to KTM and not Team Roberts, he was left in the lurch and could only watch as he was replaced on the Proton KR V-five by fellow Englishman Jeremy McWilliams. "Four days ago, I was unemployed, and now I'm riding a Honda RCV," Byrne said. "'t's hard to imagine how it's got to this. I was just going to be spending the next couple of weekends in Spain, cycling and running to keep myself in shape just in case an opportunity came up." Byrne is realistic about his chances. "I'm under no illusions about how difficult it low UFO Corse Yamaha rider Bartosz Oblucki, of the Polish Trophy team, captured the EI-class victory. Caselli was the top American finisher in Slovakia, completing the week in 13th overall and sixth in the E2 class. Caselli ended up six minutes and 3 I.71 seconds behind Knight and more than four minutes behind Merriman. In the four-rider Junior Trophy team division, Italy was again victorious, beating France by more than seven minutes. Finland finished third, a little under two minutes behind Finland. The U.S. Junior Trophy team of Wally is going to be," he said. "I've got to learn the bike first of all, and its been 18 months since I rode at Sepang, and I've never even seen Qatar. It's not like I've got this bike for Donington or Mugello that I know really well. There is going to be a whole load of expectation and pressure on me, because people will say, 'Well, he's got a Honda now.' I've got to be patient and be professional and have some creditable performances. There will be a lot of eyes on me. I might just get on the thing, ride it to the end of pit lane, hand it back and say, 'Thank you very much.' I will go there dreaming of winning, but one thing I am is realistic." Byrne said the twist of fate hasn't sunk in. "It probably will when I walk in the garage and see my numbers on the bike," he said. "I'll be like a kid in a sweet [candy] shop. It's such a big opportunity for me. All I can do is go and give it 100 percent and enjoy it. I just think I'm the happiest boy on the planet at Palmer (Gas Gas), Russell Bobbitt (KTM), Ryan Powell (KTM) and Cody Mastin finished in eighth place. The three-rider U.S. club team of Brandon Johnson (KTM), Teddy Hahn (KTM) and John Yates (KTM) finished 19th overall in the Club Team division. During the closing ceremonies, Team USA was presented the Watling Trophy. The ISDE International Jury awards the prestigious trophy to the country that puts forth the best effort under adverse conditions, showing the true spirit of the event. Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is offering motorcycle fans an opportunity to own a piece of history while at the same time donating to a good cause. Ten 3-foot-by-8foot banners that lined the City of Monterey's Fremont Street during the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix will be available for bid in a blind auction. Each of the banners have been personally autographed by race winner Nicky Hayden. The proceeds from the auction will be donated to the Wegman Benefit Fund to assist with the medical costs and care of AMA racer Vincent Haskovec. Bids will be taken exclusively at www.laguna-seca.com. The minimum bid is $750, and the 10 highest bids will win the banners. In a blind auction, bidders are unable to see other participants' bids. The auction will run from Wednesday, September 21, through Wednesday, September 28. Steve Berkner There's. no word yet on any penalties certain to be handed out in the Mike A1esslllvan Tedesco/Matt Walker incident at the final round of the AMA 12Scc National Motocross Series at Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, California, on September I I. According to a release from AMA Pro Racing, the sanctioning body is investigating the incident and will soon announce the results of its findings. Clear Channel has announced that both nights of the eighth annual U.S, Open will be webcast live on WWW.US5X.com from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, October 7-8, starting at 7:30 p.m. Pacific time. In addition to the live race cov- the moment." Bayliss broke his wrist in a motocross erage, the pre- and post-race press conferences will also be webcast live. In a similar format to the Supercross shows, host Jim Holley (alongside a soon-to-be-announced guest) will call the race action for both nights of event. On Thursday, October 6, from noon to 2 p.m., the pre-race press conference, featuring 13-time AMA National title winner Ricky Carmichael and twotime regional 12Scc AHA Supercross Series champ James Stewart, will be webcast live training accident near his home. Corrective on WWW.ussx.com to preview the week- surgery, his first of any kind, inserted plates in the wrist, but the full extent of the injury isn't known. Japanese rider Tohru Ukawa stepped in for Bayliss in Motegi but has testing commitments for the next two races. Henny Ray Abrams end's activities. Tickets for the 2005 U.S. Open are on sale now and available through www.ticketmaster.com. by calling 702/474-4000, or at the MGM Grand Garden Arena box office. Continued on page I I CYCLE NEWS • SEPTEMBER 28,2005 9