Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

the final offiCial World Superbike test before the season starts for real on April 2. Another former GP rider Haruchika Aoki also had his first outing of his new four-stroke career on his R&D Bieffe Ducati at Misano, recording a time of 1: 35.6. The surprise of the Misano test was former Ducatl World Superbike star Neil Hodgson, who placed third fastest on his Bntish Championship INS Ducatl. His best t.me of , :34.3 Fastest men of the two-day Misano tests were Colin Edwards and Carl Fogarty, each of whom set a best time of 1:33.7, according to Cycle News World Superbike contributor Gordon Ritchie. With no transponders available for what was a private test involving Aprilia, Honda and Ducati, the inaccuracies of manual readings prevent any greater split in the times. Edwards said, "I suppose this test wasn't about who was quickest but it helps if you can set a fast time. We're still heading the right way with the set-up of the new VTR. we've got a test in Spain next week then it's off to South Africa and round one - I'm ready to go." Fogarty was less enthusiastic "The engine has improved and the work done after the winter tests in Australia has sorted out the problems I had with the single injector system there. Now the bike is not as aggressive, it's close to perfection, and now I can appreciate the extra power.Fogarty's teammate, Ben Bostrom was getting more into the World Superbike swing of things at Misano, though he did have two crashes. "The track is like many of the ones in the States, so the feeling is good. ,. said the former AMA Superbike Champion. Ducati had new titanium exhaust cans and a four-pad brake setup on show at Misano, but highly conspicuous by its absence was the twin sided swingarm they had tested at Phillip Island a month before. "Ducati have said they're not going to use the twin-sided arm - at least to start the season. ,. Fogarty said. "Maybe there wasn't going to be much .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. '" difference between the single and twin sided units but it's out of my hands now.The Sidecar Cross World Championship round scheduled for Kallithea Elassona, Greece. on May 14 has been cancelled, according to the FIM. The senes Will now consist of 13 rounds. California Assemblyman Richard MDick" Floyd is falsely portraying motorcyclists as gang members who should be feared by the public in his bid to eam a state Senate seat, according to the AMA. In a campaign flier mailed to voters, Floyd has a photograph of motorcyclists meant to scare readers. The caption says: "We need someone who will stand up to their threats." The flier also makes unsubstantiated claims that Floyd is saving taxpayers millions of dollars every year in health care and hospital costs because of his support of a state mandatory helmet-use law. Starwest Motocross Park in Moreno Valley, Califomia, is holding a Drug-Free Student Motocross on April 2. There will be prize giveaways, classes for firsttime racers and huge trophies for best overall schools. Many classes will be offered at $30 a pop, but you can get a free entry if you bring your principal. The only catch is that in order to participate, you must be - you guessed it - a drugfree student. For more information, call 909/657-8845. TravelCraft is organizing another motorcycle expedition across the Himalayas. The summer ride will cross some of the highest passes in the world and participants should join the group holding the world's record for altitude by motorcycle - at 18,380 feet. The group will ride Enfield 500cc Bullets up the border of Tibet and the Buddhist monasteries of Ladakh. Hotels will be provided at the start of the ride, but after that the trip consists of camping in the wilderness . .... bringing the lon9 course up to 1.72 miles With up to 17 direction changes. with a support crew handling camp setup, cooking and bike repairs. For more information. call 800/241-1223. The Repsol Honda team had a miserable time of it during testing at the Welkom circuit in South Africa. March 1-3. As If thinas weren't bad enough with the absence of World Champion Alex Criville and Tadayuki Okada, Sete Gibernau was hampered at the test by two windy days with a dirty racetrack and finally a rained·out final day. "If it had been anoth· er track, we would have tested today, of course. - Gibemau said on March 3. "But under this circumstance. with all the dust. the track was incredibly slippery and it was impossible to ride. I feel very disappointed because we could have done more in this three-day testing. However, at least I've shown myself that I'm perfectly fit again and that the bike has great potential. You can tell all the hard work Honda·s engineers have gone through this winter. What we have been testing has gone well and we've also worked with Michelin, but not as much as we would have liked to. I only hope that the track is in better condition in 15 days time for the South African Grand Prix.- According to Sears Point Raceway, the track will host the first round of the Thousand Oaks Honda/HRC '25cc National Championship as part of its Progressive Insurance AMA Superbike Challenge, May 5-7. The Sears Point race will be the first in a five-race West Coast schedule for the 125cc Grand Prix Riders Association. Reg Pridmore's CLASS Motorcycle Schools has posted its 2000 school schedule and is now taking enrollments. Along with its normal schedule of classes across the country, CLASS has three Premier Executive Schools scheduled for Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, California. For more information, call 805/933-9936 or visit the CLASS Website at www.c1assrides.com. Motocrosser Greg Rand is now home after surgery to repair his broken leg, suffered at the New York round of the Arenacross Series. Randy will be out of action for the remainder of the Arenacross season but will return for the AMA National Motocross Series. Former 500cc World Champion Kevin Schwantz will be the guest instructor at the Southwest Sportbike School at the Sandia Motorsports Park in Albuquerque, New Mexico. April 29-30. For more information, call 877/777-8585. According to the AMA, professional racers can collect over $11 million in bonus awards by racing in AMA Pro Racing Championship events in 2000. A total of 54 companies have signed up for the AMA Pro Racing bonus awards program, with total postings of $11.041.305. Glen Helen Raceway and Chaparral Motorsports will host the Glen Helen/Chaparral Charity Golf Tournament on Wednesday, May 10 to benefit emergency trauma care at Loma Linda University Medical Center in Loma Linda. Califomia. The tournament will take place at Shandin Hills Golf Course in San Bernardino, California. and will serve as the official press day of the AMA 1 25/250cc National Motocross opener at Glen Helen on May 14. Confirmed players include Jeremy McGrath and a horde of factory motocross and road racing stars. For more information, call 909/889-2761. ext. 480. Formula USA Champion Mike Sullivan will defend his championship in the new PACE-run series with the Zlock Racing team. Former Formula USA Champion Michael Barnes will join Sullivan on the Kawasaki ZX-9-mounted team. The Streets of Willow Springs is now half a mile longer, thanks to an addition that includes three new corners, . .. SIGNED: A multi-year agreement between the AMA and MX Sports Aprilia's Grand Prix team had a private test session in Mugello, Italy. on March 6, with Jeremy McWilliams leading the team with a 1 :54.95 . almost a second quicker than his 500cc teammate Tetsuya Harada. Marcellino Lucchi was the qUickest of the 250cc testers. lappin9 at 1:56.20. ahead of both Franco Battainl and Marco Melandn. Umited that will see the continuation of the AMA Amateur Motocross Nationals each August at Loretta Lynn·s in Hurricane Mills. Tennessee. OPENED: Bieffe lbenca·s home page on the World Wide Web. The site can be found at the following address: http://www.bieffe-iberica.com. AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At Chesterfield Power Sports in Chester- field. Missoun. on March 17 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Team FMF Honda is scheduled to appear. OPENED: GSX-R·s Only's home page on the World Wide Web. The OPENED: K & N Englneering·s power sports site on the world wide CORRECTION: We were supplied with misinformation in a recent item web. Sign on to www.knpowersports.com. that gave the new address for the Gravity Agency. The correct address IS as follows: 1785 Pomona Road, Unit A. Corona. CA 92880. site can be found at the following address: http://www.gsxronly.com. Twisted Clothing is now accepting race resumes for extreme athletes via mail. Forward all resumes to Twisted: Rider Support. 12457 Gladstone Ave., Suite K. Sylmar, CA 91342. For more information about Twisted, sign on to www.twistedclothing.com. OPEN HOUSE: At Santa Cruz Buell in Santa Cruz, California, on April 2. For more information, call 831/421·9800. CHANGED: Eaglemark Financial Services Inc., to Harley-Davidson Financial Services. Inc .. to better associate the company with its primary AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At JMP Cycle in Wood River. Illinois, on business of Financing and insuring Harley-Davidson motorcycles. March 17 from 7 te 8 p.m. Team Chevy Trucks Kawasaki's Ricky Carmichael. John Dowd and Larry Ward. and Team SplitFire/Pro Circuit are scheduled to appear. For more information. call 618/255·6116. SIGNED: A sponsorship agreement between Laguna Seca Raceway CORRECTION: An advertisement recently gave an Incorrect date for the CRC Bandido Gran Pnx in Palmdale. California. The correct date is March 12. For more information. call 661/272-8889. and Yahoo! Inc as the official Internet services sponsor for the 2000·rac· ing season. Graves Motorsports is posting $77 ,900 in contingency awards for road racers participating in the AMA 600cc Supers port and Formula Xtreme and in the Formula USA Sporbike and Unlimited Superbike classes. For more information, call 818/902-1942. HIRED: Danny" Magoo" Chandler by the California Motocross Association, to coordinate safety and promotional programs. starting with this SIGNED: A multi-year lease and management contract between MotoSports president Allen Smith and the Lake Whitney MX Park in Whitney, Texas. Moto-Sports will promote the Houston Spring National Championship and 2000 Millennial Pro Women's World Challenge at Lake Whit· ney, March 22-26. For more information, call 281/469-4607. year's Pacific Coast Pro-Am Series. For more information, call 209/6738080. SIGNED: A personal services agreement between NASCAR racer Kyle CORRECTION: In our coverage of the Pontiac. Michigan, Supercross in Issue # 8. we didn't include Michael Craig in our list of that race's qual- Petty and Victory Motorcycles. Petty will represent Victory on and off the track. with the Victory Motorcycles logo appearing on his helmet and driving SUit for the next five season - the length of the contract. MOVED: Provalve Motocross Race Service, to 1281 Logan Ave., Unit G. Costa Mesa, CA 92626. The phone number Is 7141708-2583. The opening round of the Formula USAsanctioned Wrenchead.com National Road Race Series will be televised ifying riders who had ever won a Supercross. Craig won in Tampa, Florida. in 1994. ... u ... I ... n e _ s Continued on page 82 3 MARCH 15,2000 J '-

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