Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

FIM Releases World Motocross, Supermoto Schedules ao YEAflS AGO--- Md,Eh 9. 1976 The FIM released the calendar for the 2006 FIM MXI/MX2 Motocross World Championship and 2006 FIM Supermoto World Championship schedules on February 22. The ls-round |'4XGP schedule runs from April throuth September, beginnint with the same season- opening venue as last year, Zolder, Belgium. The series will again venture off the European continent only twice, for the Japanese GP on May 2l and the South African GP on ,uly 16. Once atain, there is no round scheduled for the United States. Ditto for the Supermotoworld Championship schedule, which once again features nine rounds inter- rupted by a long break beween rhe luly 23 round in Sardinia and the September l0 round in Germany. The series is also briefly interrupted by the Supermoto of Nations, scheduled for Belfast, lreland, on October L 2006 Moto.roas oI Nations September 24 Winchester, Great Brtain We tested the brand-nqar Yamaha lT400C enduro bike, and it graced the cover of Cycle Nelvs 30 years ato. We said the big two-stroke entine was "...an €nduro 2006 FIM Sqpermoto World Championship Schedule April 30 - Castelletto di Branduzo, ltaly l\4ay 28 - Villa6-Sous-Ecot, France June 25 - l\4elk, Austia July 23 - Sassari, Sardinia September l0 - Sankt Wendel, Gemany october 8 - l\,lonte Cado, Monaco october 15 - latina, ltaly November 5' Athens, Greece 2006 Supermoto oI Nations october 1 , Belfast. lreland rider's deli8ht." But the bike was a little heavy, at 249 pounds... Tony Distelano and Bob Hannah took th€ 250- and 500c.-clas5 wins, respectively, at the Wnter-AMA Motocross Series in Cocoa 8each. Florida... We tested the new 250 and 370 Bultacos, which were nearly idehtical, and said, "The new Bul likes to 8o fast, the rear end stick like tlue in the corners while soaking shock waves like a sponge." Yup, that's what we said. BMW Continues MotoGP Safety Car Role With a collaboration dating back over six years to 1999, BMW will continue its support ofthe MotoGP World Championship with an aSreement to supply the safety cars for the s€ries fdr anothor four sea- sons. up to 2009. At the Je.ez circuit in southem Spain on Februan/ 21, the president of Bl'4W M, Professor Ulrich Bruhnke, signed an agreement with Dorna Sports CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta, as he handed over the keys to MotoGP's new vehicles. Each of l'4otocP's l7 evenrs will be esconed by a BMW fleet, consisting oI a BMW l''15 and BMW l''16. Furthermore, as in the previous two seilsons, BMW will suppon an additional level of competition in the MotoGP class with the Bi4W M Award. This award will see the fastest rider at the March 5 MotoGP official test at the Catalunya Circuit in Spain take home a brand-new BMW 24 M Roadster. Then, throu8hout the season, the rider who accrues the lowest qualifyint times total, includint his time from the oflicial test. will drive away with a BMW 24 M Coupe. Ai part of the link-up, BflW will also provide Dorna, the or8anizer and commerciel riShts-holder for the MotoGP World Championships, with a broader selecrion of BMW cars for organizalional purposes. T ZO WARS AED,.. MdtEh lZ. ,9f,6 Eddie Lawson, testinS his new F2750 Yamaha Superbike at a D4tona test ser- sion, was featured on the cover 20 years ago. He was preparing for the upcomint Da),.tona 200...We reported that Honda's Freddie Spencer would most likely sit out the upcominS Daytona 200 because of a "sinus infection"... Team Honda's Rick lohnson won the opening round of the 250cc National HX Series in Gainesville, Florida. Suzuki's George Holland won the l25cc class after trading moto wins with Erik Kehoe.., Mark Hyde won the first round of the AMA National Hare Scrarnbles Series in Louisiara,,. Mike rones won the National Arenacaoss in Columbur, Ohio. ETTEM ta 'O YEARS AGD-.- March 6, t996 Dirt Wulx To Build Daytona SX Track leremy Mccrath and lohn Dowd got top biliing l0 years ago for win- ning the Atlanta Sup€rcross. lt was McGrath's sixth straight win in rhe 250cc class, and Dowd's first in the l25cc East class... Kawasaki aider Ty Davfu was choden as our C/c/e Nel^,,s Rider of the Honth. ln the month of Februa4/, Davis won a National Enduro. a National Hare & Hound and three classes at the Adelanto GP.. lean- Mlchel Bay'e wes srcond fastest at fle Jerez IRTA tires tests on the Marlboro Yamaha... Casey Johnson was tops at the GFI Winter Se.ies MX at Gl6 Helen. Dirt Wurx USA president Rich Winkler announced to confirmed that Dirt Wurx will be the ofilcial track builder for this season's Da/tona round of the Amp'd Mobile AMA Supercross Series. Dift Wurx, which desitns and constructs the 15 other super- crors events produced and promoted by Live Nataon, was the first choice of the Aln{As race manager, Steve Whitelock, when it was determined that Daytona lnternational Speedway was in need ofa supercross desiSn and construction company for its supercross race scheduled for Friday, March 10. "l'm happy the series now has a consistent track builder for all the events," said Wtrtelock. "This was somethin8 l've spoke with the officials at Daytona on a number ofoccasions. So this year we'll have a joint effort bewveen the AMA, Daytona and Dirt Wurx and will work to move forward with having Rich and Din Wurx as our regular track builder at Daytona in the years to come." Winkler, who used to race AMA MX Nationalr as a pro back in the day, was excited about leadin8 his tiack-construction team onto the hallowed trounds of Daytona lnternational Speedway - the birthplace of supercross in the eastern United States. "Dafona will for sure be one of the more unrque supercross tracks we build all year," said Winkler "lt may not be as technical- ly difficult as putting a supercross track over a synthetic turf field inside a domed stadium in the middle of winter. but there are aspects of the design and construction that will be tough." Winkler explain€d that all of the other tracks on the Amp'd Flobile Supercross Series tour pretty much have a 160-detree viewing area. Daytona's setup doesn't even allow for 180 degrees of viewint. "That alone. when taking the fans' siSht lines into con- sideration," Winkler added, "will be somethingwe really need to sh down with the Al4A and Danona Speedway ollicials to f8ure out." But Winkler and his c.ew are up for the task. Though it's a bit dilferent than branging a motocross track into a stadium. there's still numerous issues the e"xperienced Dirt Wurx crew is expecting. "First ofl we'll be on time consraints due to the road-racint qualifiers," said \Mnkler "Then there's the issue of goint in over natural grass and the sprinklers and drainage system on Day(ona's infield. Bw rest assured we will do everything it takes to preserve the heritage of the Daytona Supercross, while at the same time adding that additional 'Dirt Wurx touch' to the track to make for a rpectacular evening of racing for the fans." CYCLE NEWS . MARCH 8, 2006 T 5 The FIM schedules are as follows: 2006 Fll.{ MX I /MX2 Moto

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