Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

[niNB A fter rnonths of speculation, and amid frumors tha! he wa5 leaving lhe European-based World Enduro Champ- ionship for the U,S. GNCC Series, four-time World Champion Stefan Merriman has con- firmed that he has re-signed to race in the Enduro 2 clars of the 2006 WEC Series for tfie UFO Corse Yamaha team. Speaking at the recent Genoa lnternational lndoor Enduro in laly, the Australian confirmed that he will return to the UFO Corse Yamaha teaun to lilce a spe- cial aluminum-frarned WR450, which will be prepared by Yamaha Europe, having signed a ohe-year contract with dte learn. "l'm really happy to be racing on a bike tiat I know and for a @am that I have worked well wkh in the past," l'{erriman said. "lt is a lirtle strange to be retuming to the team, but the only reason I wanted to race for another team was because I want- ed to race on a two-stroke €ain. I am real- ly looking forward to g€nin8 my n6w alu- minum-framed WR450 and startin8 training ready for the Woild Championship." After racing for the UFO CoEe Yamaha team for two season, claiming the Enduro I World ritle in 2004 and finishing a5 runner- up in the Enduro 2 class after an iniury- plagued season last year, Merriman wanted to return to 8vo-stroke machinery for '06. With Yamaha's ofrcial WEC-backed team an all four-stroke team, this meant looking for a deal elsewhere. "Ever since I started racing in Europe, I have never stayed with a team, or in the sarne class, for more than a couple of sea- sons," Merrirun said. "l had raced in the Enduro I and Enduro 2 class for the UFO Corse Yamaha tealll and was keen to return to a two-stroke. Because Yamaha only com- petei whh four-stroke machinery in the World Enduro Championship, i! meant that I had to look for a ride with another team. "Husqvarna was interested in me racinS on a 250cc two-stroke. and I was €lose to a8r€eint to ride lor th€m in '05. There were a few thints that were beint chang€d in the contract. and th€n I was told that the deal wes off. I still don't know exadly why they decided the deal was ofr. Because it look€d as if I was goint to rece for Hurgvarna, and because we had b€en negotiating fo. quite a long time, k vras late in the seaion, and I had to start looking fo. another deal." With l.'lerri.nads signature not on any contact a5 the '05 season rolled over into the start of'06, f.awasaki ltaly seemed to be where Merriman was heading after the col- lapse of the Husqvama deal. With Kawasaki not having a serious prEence in the WEC for many yearst it seemed that the ltalian Kawasaki importers wanted Merriman, mounted on a 250cc two-stroke. to lead Kawasaki's retum into the Enduro World Championship. "kwzsaki ltaly was inrerested in putting together a program that would allow me to compete on a 250cc two-stroke," Merriman said. ')Again, things were starting to get sort- ed out, but then that deal came to an end as well. lGwasali was hopinS to sign road racer Max Biaggi, who they hoped would bring carnel citarette money with him. That didn't happen, so it chanSed things- Then, iust before I wEs due to retum to Europe, I was told rhat the guy that had been organizing the deal was leaving Kawasaki. That ended any possible deal with Kawasaki- .one week b€fore leavin8 Australia, I called the UFO Cors€ Yamaha team to exphin to them what had happened. I had worked well with the team for ovo years, winning one World Championship, but because it was so late, they already had a full team of six r furs. But they were keen for me to ride for them a8ain, and the day after I returned to ltaty, I signed a orleyear contract with them to compete in the Enduro 2 class. "There were many rumors going around as to why I hadn't signed for Husq\,ama and that I wes goinS to race in the States in '05. There was a lot of imer€st in the U.S., but be(arrs6 h was so late, all the teams were full. I alll looking forward to reclng Ior $e UFO Corse Yamaha t€am this s€ason, and I wlll work had to win dre Enduro 2 Champlonshlp." lontl Edmund. Audrsliqn Stefqn Merrimon second frcm lefi) raums ro Yomohc - qrd Europ€. New Team ln Place At AMA The Al4A announced last week that a three-person team has been named to manate the day-to-day operationr of AMA Pro Racing on an interim basis. The management team, which will repon to AIYA chief executive ollicer P.tricia DiPietro, .ccording to the AMA, is AMA Pro Racing vice president and director of communications Kerry Graeber, Al4A Pro Racing director of finance and administration Michele Rossi, and AMA Pro RacinS motocross and supercross series manager Steve "Kerry, Michele and Steve have the perlect combination of skills and expe- rience in manaSement. administiation and race operations to keep 4;Y4 P- Racing at the forefront of American motorcycle sport," said DiPietro. "Fans. competitors, and our industry partners allcan be conrident, as I am, in their leadership of Al'4A Pro Racint." The appointment of Graeber, Rossi and Whitelock follows the deparure of AMA Pro Racing CEO Scott Hollingsworth on ranuary 24. All other AMA Pro Racing manage- ment and staff will condnue in their current roles, with AMA Pro Racing senior staff reponing to AMA CEO DiPietro, according to the Al'1A. calls to Coolbeth were not returned. Coolbeth ioins the factory Harley team after scoring two Grand Nationalwins and finish- ing se.ond in the 2005 AMA Flat Track Championship. He finished third in the series in 2002, 2003 and 2004. Coolbeth first turned profes- sional in 1993 and was the AMA Grand National Pookie of thE Year in 1994 According to the Harley official, Coolbeth still h:s plans to contest any sinSles races on statement on Coolbeth's hiring on February 3. "This is a dream come true for me," Coolbeth said in the release. "l've wanted to race for the Harley-Davidson factory team since I was a kid." Besides Coolbeth and returning factory rider Rich King, Harley-Davidson also reponedly has plans to sign wvo more ride6 to factory support contractt, thus creatint two factory "dealer teams." y',ccordinS to the olficial we spoke to, Pennsylvania rider Jared l'1ees and MichiSan rider Brfan Smith have received those offers but have not been signed yet. Coolbeth foins Harley Factory Flat Track Team the AMA Flat Track schedule on his own equipment, with sponsors outside the factory walls. Harley-Davidson released an official Kenny Coolberh is Horley-Dovidront newest foctory flot- lrock teom m?mber. Knight Wins Again KTH'S reiSning Enduro f World Champion David Knitht, who won last year's Maxxis EnduroCross in t-as VeFs and the Red Bull t st l'4an Standing race in Texas. topped the s€cond runnin8 ofthe Genoa lmernational lndoor Enduro in Genoa, ltaly, on February 5. Finishing ahead of French rider.lohnny Aubert, on a Yamaha, and ltalian Simone Albertoni, aboard a Honda, in the six-lap main event, "Knithter" dominated both his qualifying and semifinal races before leadinS from start to finish during the night s final. Never challenSed, KniShter took the checkered flag 16 seconds ahead of his nearest comp€titor for his second win in Genoa. "l 8ot a perfect start, which really helped me in the final," Knight said. "l was a bikelength ahead out ofthe tate, so I cut across the other rid- ers and led into the first turn. I held my line in the first couple ofturns and then iust 8ot my head down and pushed as hard as I could for the first lap. I could s€e that I was pulling awa), from the other riders, so I ,ust rode sensibly for a couple more laps and then had some fun on the last lap. I couldn't have asked for a better race. The track was pretq/ technical and really good fun. Now I'm going to head back to tie lsle of Man and p.epare for the Hell's Gate Enduro." 6 FEBRUARYl5,?@6 . CYCLE NEWS T l t? @ rriman Returns To Yamaha @ tl i. D, o 5 Kenny Coolbeth of \ryhrren, Connecticut, has officially joined the Screamin'Eagle Harley-Davidson flat-track racing team, according to a Harley-Davidson official who spoke to Cycie News on.lanuary 31. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the Harley official confirmed that Coolbeth, 28, of Warren, Connecticut, was announced as an official team rider at Harley-Davidson s win- ter dealer rneetinS in Grapevine, Texas, on January 23. "Coolbeth is an official member of the fac- tory t€arn," the official said- "He is siSned, sealed and delivered, and he will ioin Rich King at the first twins rou.ld on the AMA Flat Track schedule. He has been here, and h€ has spoken with the team." Cycle Ners war aware of Coolbeth's imminent signing rwo week prior, but phone \' 47. I

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