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/1542356
Happenings in MotoPcgcllng Kawasaki held a special event for is employees and the media, inviting its road- race team to the company's lrvine, California, headquarters for an introduction party prior to the California Speedway round ofthe AMA series. Famed sportscaster R lph Sheheen was the Euest emcee for the event. Factory rider Tommy Hayden was on hand, as was the Attack Kawasaki team of Damon Buckmaster and Ben Attard. Tommy's younger brother and teammate, Roger Lee, was scheduled to anend, but was unable to make it as he was in Nofthern Califomia rehabilitatinS the broken ankle he suffered during a run in with a lapped rider at the pervious round at Barber l''lotorsports Park in Birming- ham, Alabama- Sheheen interviewed all the riders about their tenure at Kawasaki and their thoughts on the season thus far, but it was Australian Attard stealing the show with his off-the-wall superstition story "Well, it's kind ofgross, but I have been wearing the same pair of jock shorB for the past three years," laughed the Attack rider. "They are these orange things, but don't worry I wash 'em. lf things don't get going a little better pretty soon here, I think I might need to find something else and retire the jocks-" But the main event was Kawasaki USA president Scott Kiyama presenting Tommy Hayden with a diamond ring, celebrating his Al'14 Supersport Champi- onship last season. Hayden was stoked, to say the least. "lt's a really cool deal that Kav/asaki does," said Hayden. "Coming lrom dirt track, I ve alwa;,s looked up to guys like Doug Chandler, who has done a lot for Kawasaki, and it is a realty cool thing for me to be a part o[ They made the ring for my first championship and now added another diamond for last season." mond ring commemororing his lost reoson. Hayden was fresh off an up-and-down weekend in Superbike action at the pre- vious round at Barber. He finished fifth in the first race at Alabama, and was run- ning a strong second in the second race when Suzuki rider Aaron Yates got into him on the last lap, pushing him off the t.ack briefly. He came back on to flnish seventh. Tommy didn't have much to say about the run-in with Yates, but he seemed confident going in the California Speedway races. "l'm looking forward to Cal Speedway this weekend," Tommy said. "We have been coming along well with the Superbike, and I'm looking for a couple podiums this weekend." Attack riderc Attard and Buckmaster were con{ident as well, both also looking for their first podiums of the season at California Speedway. Designed as a way fo. Kawasaki employees to meet thei. team riders and be more involved in the sport, the event featured several raffle giveaways, as well as a Kawasaki spirit contest, rewarding the best Team Green costumes with gifu. yvinning the spirit contest was their legal depaftment (rumor has it the),/ threat- ened sue if they didn't win). And to top it off, after the event Kawasaki treated everyone to food and drinks. SEve Allos 106 MAY ]O,2006 . CYCLE NEWS Fomed TV Rolph guell emaee [: :r f ri .it' z r\ Lr { I I 't &, ? (- - ?, I -t -I n 1 I I I u 1l t A ,l E-l- l---'---= I I I I I-.- .} t- i'/. a7 ', a )1 l a : 7 l.a 7 w!/_ E:I -t r,P e I th* q