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/128601
Prix Series, according to the AMA. MBNA was the title sponsor of the AMA Superbike Series in 1997, 1998 and 1999. MBNA will post a $10,000 bonus program for the AMA 250cc GP Series. The AMA has also announced that Dynojet is now the official dynamometer of AMA Superbike racing, and that Honda Pro Oils will continue its sponsorship of the AMA 600cc Supers port Series - for a 10th consecutive year. Frenchman Regis Laconi underwent surgery to his broken right tibia in Paris, France, last week after suffering the injury during a test-session crash in Sepang, Malaysia. The Red Bull Yamaha rider, however, vows to be ready for the opening round of the World Championship Road Racing Series in March. The Alstare Suzuki and factory Aprilia teams stayed on for more testing at Phillip Island in Australia on February 14, though Troy Corser only managed to get in 30 laps aher arriving late because of a traffic jam on the way from Melbourne to Phillip Island. Corser tested a new clutch and some different rear-suspension linkages on the factory V-twin. Pier-Francesco Chili, meanwhile, concentrated his efforts on testing new Dunlop tires. This test also marked the first test for the Alstare Suzuki World Supersport team of Stephane Chambon and Fabrizio Pirovano. Both Suzuki and Aprilia were scheduled to test until Wednesday, February 16. The Monterey County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a new concession agreement between Monterey County (California) and the Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (SCRAMP) on dent was another story. Everts again moved into the lead and after four laps the pain in Everts' forearms became too much. "I just got tired in the arms," Everts said. "I tried to ride smooth, but it was not working. In the end, I crashed really hard over the handlebars. I hit my head very hard on the ground and was dizzy for a while. That was it for my day." Three-time World Motocross Champion Smets also had a mixed day, winning the first moto, and then crashing several times in the second moto. He still salvaged second overall. Smets was more than happy with his first outing in the 2000 sea- Four-time World Motocross Champion Stefan Everts had a mixed debut on his new Husqvarna 570cc four-stroke machine at the Koersel track in Belgium, February 13. Everts led both motos of the season-opening International but was hampered by severe arm pump. The Belgian rider ended up crashing in both motos and eventually finished out the day with 4-DNF results. "We have worked on many things with the bike," Everts said. "[We've] changed the frame, the carburetor, and it works much better. After today, we will now work on some other things, including the suspension_ I did not expep; too much today. All 1 want is to be ready for the first Grand Prix." Everts looked brilliant early on, as he opened up a big lead in the first moto, built up a 10-second advantage on Joel Smets, and then the Husqvama ran off the track. "I started getting arm pump," Everts explained. "I knew I would from the four-stroke. Then I was riding a little too hard and hit a tree. I was lucky I did not hurt myself." While the first moto crash did little damage, the second race acciFebruary 8. The agreement, which carries a five-year minimum term and contains an extension provision to permit up to an additional 25 years, aliows the nonprofit organization to continue managing Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, California. SCRAMP had requested the long-term contract in order to obtain the necessary financing to fund infrastructure improvements at the facility. The improvement plan includes replacing temporary structures with permanent ones, including garages, luxury suites. bathrooms and a media center. "The intent of the improvement plan is to make Laguna Seca Raceway better, but not bigger," said SCRAMP general manager John Stornetta. "In order for us to retain sponsors, participants and spectators, we need to offer the same quality amenities they experience at other world-class facilities. These improvements will help Laguna Seca remain competitive with other premier son. "The opening moto was perfect, just what I expected," Smets said. "In the second race, I was a little wild. I look forward to the first Grand Prix in Australia though, I can win for sure on this bike (the KTM)." The winner in Koersel was Belgian Danny Theybers (KTM) who tallied 2-2 results, with Smets finishing second and Finland's Marko Kovainen rounding out the top three. Geoff Meyer racing venues throughout the country." SCRAMP built Laguna Seca Raceway in 1957 on property located on the former Fort Ord, which had been leased from the United States Army. In 1974, the Army transferred ownership of the raceway and its surrounding acreage to the Department of the Interior, and then to Monterey County. Subsequently, the land was turned into a county park. Despite the ownership changes, SCRAMP has always managed the racetrack, usually governed by five-year terms. vice officials in response to the agency's notice of intent to prepare an environmental-impact statement on Nationai Forest roadiess areas, which is the first step in instituting the Clinton proposal. The Forest Service plans to put the proposal in place by the end of the year. The AMA has dubbed the initiative "Wilderness Lite" because it could impose all the restrictions of an official Wildemess designation, including a ban on many fomos of recreation, without any debate in Congress, which has the power to designate lands under the Wilderness Act. The AMA has filed a series of objections to President Clinton's "Wilderness lite" plan that could eliminate nearly all off-highway vehicle use in National Forests, according to the AMA. The AMA did a point-by-point analysis, noting specific objections. Rob Rasor, the AMA's vice president for government relations, sent the letter to Forest Ser- The AMA plans to brief powers port industry officials on President Clinton's "Wilderness lite" initiative at the Dealernews International Powers ports Dealer Expo in Indianapolis, Indiana, February 19-21, according to the AMA. According to England's Trials & Motocross News, reigning 500cc World MX Champion Andrea Bartolini recently broke his collarbone in a crash while testing his new 2000 Yamaha thumper in Italy. The publication reported that Bartolini would be back in action for the February 20 international MX season opener in Beucaire, France, February 20. That race (which is not a GP) should also feature former 250cc World Champion Stefan Everts on an open-class Husqvarna four-stroke. Colby Effler & Partners and tre Petersen Publishng motOl"C}>de group. For more .,formation. call 31 0/379-1799. PROMOTED: Kerri Gunderman. to national sales manager for Speedvision Productions, effective immediately. For more information, call 303/377-32778. CORRECTION: We regret that there was an error regarding a photo in the Jim Davis memorial box ("In the Wind". Issue 6J. While the photos were actually supplied from Davis' personal archives. the rider in the main photo was misidentified as Davis when in fact it is Ray Weishaar. The photo used over the "Jim Davis Records" portion of the memorial is actually a shot of Jim Davis. BORN: Maeka Marie Mesecher, to Hi-Torque Publications' Rob Mesecher and his wife, Jill, on January 18 in Woodland Hills, Califomia. STOLEN: The Donnie Hansen Motocross Academy box trailer and seven motorcycles, from the parking lot of ProCircuit in Corona, California, on February 7. The trailer and five of the bikes have been recovered. The two missing bikes are a 2000 Yamaha VZ250 (VIN# JYACG08C6YA002229J and a 2000 Yamaha YZ80 (VIN# JYACB01 C1 YA007220J. Anyone with any information can contact Hansen at 719/495-2624. NAMED: The start-finish line at Summit Point Raceway as the" AI Wilcox Start-Finish Line" in honor of longtime WERA starter' Airborne" AI Wilcox, by the Mid-Atlantic Roadracin9 Club, in conjunction with Summit Point. Wilcox, 81, has been flagging races for over 47 years and has been the • starter for hundreds of AMA and WERA events, including the WERA Grand National Finals. RESIGNED: Broc Glover, from PJ1, to pursue other interests. Glover formerly held the position of brand manager and director of motorsports for the company. APPOINTED: Carson Wilkinson, Road America's safety director. to the National Fire Protection Association's Technical Committee for Motor • Sports Venue Safety, according to Road America president George Bruggenthies. HIRED: Scott Gooc!vvin, by Smith, Smith & Smith as account directorlpartner for tre advertising agency k:x:ated in Manhattan Beach, California. Scott was previously with ....................................................................... "" · OPENED: HFM Engineering, by former SuperTrapp/Kerker research and development manager Hans Luenger, in Cleveland, Ohio. For more information, call 216/631-6980. HIRED: Alex Rossborough, as business and sales manager of HMF Engineering. Rossborough was a racing coordinator at SuperTrapp/Kerker. For more information, call 216/631-6980. NAMED: Henry Schimberg, as the executive chairman of the Indian Motorcycle Company, by the board of directors of the Indian Motorcycle Company, effective immediately. Schimberg recently retired as the president and CEO of Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. HIRED: Jim White. to the U.S. sales staff of American Kenda Rubber Industrial Co.. effective immediately. For more information, call 614/8669803. HIRED: Frank Stacy, to the design. research and development team for American Kenda Rubber Industrial Co .. effective immediately. For more information. call 614/866-9803. RESCHEDULED: The GFI Winter Series 2000 North-South Showdown. to April 2 at Oatfield Raceway in Oatfield, California, due to poor weather conditions. co y co I e n CJ CJ J J J CJ o J J o o o o o n u o o o o J J [] o 8 J The Steve Lamson deal we mentioned a few weeks ago is beginning to take shape. In a recent phone conversation, Lamson confirmed that Honda will n support him with equipment to contest the 2000 AMA Chevy Trucks 125cc 'National Motocross Championships, and he'll be responsible with coming up with his own additional sponsorship. To that end, Lamson has secured the services of , -, Works Connection's Eric Phipps as a team manager, and Troy Lee is also working on bringing in an outside sponsor. Lamson will be running out of Mike LaRocco's old truck, which belongs to and is being driven by Kenji Satoh. "It's kind of last minute," said Lamson. "I'm not going to have a big, fancy 18-wheeler or anything, but I don't need that to win ... [Team Honda managerl Cliff White told me he wouldn't be helping me out if he didn't think I could win, and I told him I wouldn't be doing it either if I didn't think I could win." CN J J AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At MotoSports Kawasaki in Conyers, Georgia, on February 25 from 7 to 8 p.m. Team Chevy Trucks Kawasaki's Ricky Carmichael. John Dowd and Larry Ward, and Team SplitFire/Pro Circuit's Nathan Ramsey. Shae Bentley and Nick Wey are scheduled to attend. For more information. call 770/761-9040. AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At Moore & Sons in Santa Cruz, California, on February 18 from 5 to 8 p.m. Team KTM's Shane Watts. Mike Lafferty, Brian Garrahan and Patrick Garrahan are scheduled to appear. For more information, call 831 1475-3619. "" J . . e In The Wind continued on page 76 _ s FEBRUARV 23, 2000 3 o J