Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Er Yamaha has signed a new paftnership agreement with Spanish tourism company lntur Sports that will see the Japanese manufacturer's factory World ChamPi- onship motocross team known as Yamaha lntur Sports Motocross Team. lntur 5ports is a newly formed branch of the lntur Group, a family-owned enterprise dedicated to the tourist industry in Spain. The group owns six hotels in Spain, (hree of which are in the Benicasim area, approximately 175 miles south of Barcelona. The lntur Group network also includes restaurants, water parks, discos, etc. Belgian motocross legend Stefan Everts has used lntur sports'facilit:es for his winter training program for the past eight years and hosts his father Harry Everts'annual trainins schools in the area. The future of Monza as a world Superbike venue was cast into serious doubt when it transpired that a local ltalian iudge had upheld noise complaints. Even though the local motorcycle race scheduled for the same weekend as theJerez MotoGP event went ahead, there were local police on hand to keep an e),e on things, and the possibility remains that l'lonza will soon be gone, Though a team press release issued after his recent test at Barber Motorspons Park sounded upbeat, there has been no announcement ye! whether Kurtis Roberts will ride for Team M4 EMGO Suzuki when the AI4A series returns to a.tion in Barber, May 29-30. "l think it went really well," said Roberts in the release, "both lap-time-wise afld the over- all experience. The team is made up of a bunch of Sood gq/s that work hard and want to win. I thought the Pirellis were really fun to ride. They have different char- acteristics to some ofthe tires I've ridden on in the past, but they gave good feel. I had never ridden a production Suzuki of any kind before, and I enjoyed it, too." During the two-day test, Roberts, a former Birmingham Superbike race winner, saw his lap times comparable to those of the seaes regulars in Formula Xtreme. "Dur- ing both days, I was only on race tires; we drdn t make many suspension changes at all," said Kurtis. 'l iust rode it to get back in the rhythm since I hadn't ridden a road- race bike since November. The lap times were close to what it will take, so I'm quite happy. lf I was to race this bike for the team, a podium or win isn't out of the question, I don't think. Everything was pos- itive about the test. We ll just have to see how it goes as far as a deal to race the bike. I do know it was nice to be on a competitive motorbike aSain-" Glen Helen Raceway Park in San Bernardi- no, California, has announced that it will host the third annual Primm Prequel on l"lay l3 (the day before lt4other's Day) to give "the stars of the AMA National Motocross/Motocross Lites Championship an opportunity to hone their outdoor skills in a true racing environment without the risk of losing valuable points," The race will consist of two 30-minute motos. The Women's Motocross Association will also be participating on May I 3, with the open- ing round of its National Championship Series. For more information, visit www.glenhelen.com. The silent auction durinS the third annual Eri( Bostrom Racing 2 Save LiYes event will offer prospective bidders an opportu- nity to become a member of the Michael lordan Motorsports AMA Superbike team for a weekend. R2SL, a four-day fes- tival of track days and other activities to raise funds for children's charities, takes place April l3- l5 at the new Miller Motor- spons Park in Tooele. U(ah. A silent auc- tion of motorcycle racing memorabilia will be part of the event. Two of the lots on offer will provide a pair of fans with the chance to wotk side by side with the Michaellordan Motorsports Suzuki crew at the Miller l4otorsports Park AMA Super- bike weekend,june l5- 18. One fan will work as part oI the team's pit crew, while the other will be a member of the team's hospitality staff. Both fans will get a behind- the-scenes look at the team's inner work- ings, with full-access AMA credentials for the weekend, as well as an actualJordan Suzuki crew shirt. The winning bidders will be announced 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, APril 15, and on the organization s website at www.racing2savelives.orS. American Suzuki is invitinS all Suzuki own- ers to ioin the celebration of all things Suzuki at round three of the Al'1A S'rPer- bike Championship, the Suzuki Super- bike Challenge, at California Speedway rn Fontana, California, April 29-30. All Suzuki owners and their guests are welcome at the Suzuki hospitality tent, located at the Suzuki pavilion. The tent will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 29, and Sunday, April 30. Suzuki owners need only a Suzuki key to enter. ASI''1C will provide coffee, soda. water and light snacks, as well as VIP motorcycle parking and gear check. Cycle News contributor lamey M. Blunt has signed a deal that will make him the voice of AMA Supermoto. Blunt has been announcing Eddie f'lulder's west Coast Vin- tage Dirt Series and Don Caner's SfiARS Supermoto Series for the last six years and will continue in that capacit/ as well. The AMA Supermoto series ki€ks off the 2006 searon at California Speedway on April 29. The Road 2 Recovery Foundation's seventh annual "Slots of Golf" Supercross Celebriq,/ Golf Classic at the Badlands Golf Course in Lrs Vegas on l''lay 5 will benefit Ernesto Fonseca. The Road 2 Recovery Founda- tion will partner with the Women's Motocross & Supercross Foundation to help Fonseca. The event will be held in conjunction with the Amp'd Mobile AMA Supercross Series, which concludes in Las Ve8as on May 6. For more information, call Jenny Coombs at 480/250-4446. lce racing in Puerto Rico? That s right. The Manufacturers World Cup ICE Racing Championships Grand Finale will take place April 22-21 in the Coliseo de Pueno Rico. Johnny Hurphree and Shaun Russell are locked in a points battle for the overall World Championship. For more informa- tion, visit www.coliseodepuenorico.com or call 877 /26547 36. Triumph Motorcycles is donating a motorcycle from Tom Cruise's upcoming movie Missionr ,mpossible ill for auction at Legend of the Motorcycle: lnternational Concours d'Elegance. The 2006 Scrambler 900 is one of rwo custom-modified bikes used in filming and, compared to the stan- dard Scrambler, features curtom paint, cus- tom exhaust and more a8gressive knobby tires. Auctioneers and official sponsor Bon- hams & Butterfields will auction the /V13 Triumph for charity on Concours day. with the proceeds benefiting Special Olympics, Roots lnitiative and Boys & Girls Clubs of America. For the bike's future owner, sponsor FedEx Passport Auto Transport will donate one-way shippang ofthe motor- cycle to anywhere within the continenbl United States. Those interested in biddinS on the MI3 Scrambler may reSister on site ar the Concours. To buy tickets for the Concours or for more information, visit www.legendofthemotorcycle.com. EFg THE IND Lafferty Gets First Win of '06 KTI*l's Mike Laflerty claimed his tlrst National Enduro win of the year in Port Elizabeth, New Jersey, on April 2. Lafferr), topped the previous-round win- ner KTH rider Russell Bobbitt, by frve points. 36-41. Third place went to laff€rty's brother fuch, who rode his KTM to a 46-point score, Fourth place went to Kawasaki rider Blair Bersano and fifth place to KTM pilot Tony Geraci, lafferty came out with tuns blazinS, openinS up a three-point edge after jurt the first loop of the three-loop enduro. ln the more-open second loop, Lafferty gained another point on his rivals, including Fred Hoess and Stephen Edmondson, who both burned a check in that loop. The third loop, like the first, \/as a8ain a tight one, which played into Lafferty's hands The seven- time Enduro champ gained another point to ensure the victory Sixth place went to Yamaha rider Ryan Rodgers, followed by Gas Gas pilot Leonard Keen, Edmondson, and Gas Gas riders John Barber and Dale Sweigart. After three rounds, Lafferty enjoys an eiSht-point lead over gobbitt. AMA Motocross Back To OLN AMA Pro Racing has announced that the AHA Toyota Motocross ChamPionshiP Presented by FMF will return to OLN with improved airtimes and shorter tumaround coverage. The telecasts oI the premier class - AMA Motocross - wlll take place on the Saturday followinS each raae, with the co,/erage of the Motocross Utei class to air on the Monday arter that, accordinS to Al'1A Pro RacinS. Two events - Red Bud and Unadilla - will air on the following Sunday due to OLN's coverage of the Tour de France. ?MA Pro Racing is pleased to have OLN back on board with AMA Motocross for 2006," said AMA Pro Racing vice presidem, director of commercial development, lohn Farris. "OLN recognized the improvements that needed to be made to the telecast schedule and stePped uP to the chantes- Plus, with OLN'5 .ommitments to other marquee sports properties lik€ the NHL and Tour de France, the network is well po6itioned for con- tinued Srowth and expects to b€ in nearly 70 million homes in 2006." Farris rays that global coverage of AMA Motocross has also continued to expand, adding that AHA Motocros! is shown in neaaly 100 territories a.ound the wo.ld, reaching mlllions of households in key markets- The announcin8 team lor lhe races will be made up of Eran Bates, Brian Drebber and Rocer X /i/ustroted s David Pingree. "This is a solid announcinS team that will add tremendous value to the telecasts." noted Farris. "Brian is a seasoned molorsports presenter with a wealth of experience, and Erin will brint her usual flarr and insrght (o the shows. We re parnc- ularly happy to add David's voice to our coverage this year 'Pin8,' as his fans know him, is a former professional AMA l.4otocross and AMA Supercross rider and has transitioned nicely to his role as a motocross journalist- We're confi- dent he'll add a unique perspective thanks to his connection to the racinS communit/." 8 APRIL 12,2006 . CYCLE NEWS J .{ E. Defending Notionol Enduro €hompion Mike Lofferty recorded his first win of in hi5 home Jtote ,/ { I ts-i ,! ,.ry the of

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