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/1542396
[trirffi Former two-time 500cc World Champion Umberto Maseftidied on May 29 in ltaly at the age of 80. l4asetti was born on May 4, 1925, in Parma, ltaly, and he started hrs Grand Prix ra(ing career in 1949, in the l25cc class. ln 1950, Masetti won the 500cc World Championship on a Gilera. He finished third in 195 I and won the title again in 1952. He ended the 1955 season thrrd rn the championship and was sixth in 1955, riding an MV ASusta. Masetti won a total of six Grand Prix races - all in the 500cc class. He also competed in the other GP classes, riding in the 250cc class until the 1960s. Three-time Australian Superbike Cham- pion Shawn Giles suffered a broken foot and a laceration to his arm in a heavy crash during round two of the 2006 series at Barbagallo Raceway, Western Australia, on May 28. The Suzuki star crashed while leading as a result of oil left on the track by a backmarker who had crashed only moments earlier. Left with nowhere to go, Giles' GSX-R1000 hit the oil. and the 35-year-old war sent skidding feet-first into the sand. The battered and bruised Giles was taken to the hospital with initial fears of two broken ankles. Currently with his right foot in plaster and six stitches in his arm, he also has very sore ankles and hips as a result of the impact. The Team Suzuki rider has returned to New South Wales and is now recuperating at home with his family and has not yet been ruled out of next week- end's Australian Superbike round at f'lal- lala in South Australia. Look for more Buell XBRRS to roll out for the Road America AMA Formula Xtreme race on June 3. Wirh production ramping up, there should be at least three more of the purpose-built V-twins in Elkhart Lake. Canadian Steve Crevier, a nonfinisher in Daytona, will ret!rn on the Delley H-D/ Euell Canada entry Mike Hale, who raced an XB l2R at Barber l"lotorsports Park, will upgrade to an XBRR backed by Classic H- D/Buell. Mrllville H-D/Buell. and lnnovanve Motorcycle Research. Fans attending the 2006 Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, July 2l-23, are not likely to go away hungry ac(ording to the racetrack. Con- cession stands for this year's race have been increased from the nine that were available last year to 54 locations for the 2005 motorcycle extravaganza. track offi- cials say. ''We are doinS eveq,rthins we can to upgrade the experience for the large and loyal group of fans who wall attend the 2006 Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix," said Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca CEO/general manager Gill Campbell. "lncluded improvements will address food conces- sions, souvenirs, rest rooms and traflic flow Feedback from fans in attendance has been and will continue to be an important factor in our continuing improvements to one of the premier road-racing venues in the world.'' ln addition to the increased number ol food concession stands, there will be more concession distribution points and a better system in place to restock each new concession center. Many more and better-placed poftable restrooms will be on site for spectators during the 2006 event, ln addition, Mazda Raceway LaSuna Seca and the Corkscrew Clothing Co.. the official souvenir store of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, will open an 8000-square- foot souvenir store during the 2005 Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix. The store, locared in the Yamaha l4arketplace vendor expo area, will sell both 2005 and 2006 Red Bull U,5. Grand Prix merchandise, as well as Mazda Raceway laguna Seca 50th Season of Racing merchandise. Kawasaki drag racer Rickey Gadson suf- fered wvo broken bones in his right hand, a sprained right wrist and a mild concussion when he was highsided from a ZX-6 on l'lay 22 at lnfineon Raceway in Sonoma, California- Gadson was taking part in a Kawasaki-sponsored ride day at the facility when he hi8hsided on the exrt of the chi- cane. After a trip to the hospital, Gadson was back at the track in the afternoon- helping with the drag-strip portion ofthe rade day. Chase Borders, an I8-year-old motocrossei suffered paralfzing iniuries in a practice crash at the Monster Mountain MX Park rn Tallassee, Alabama. on Satur- day,l4ay 27 - the day after he gradua(ed from Tallassee High School. Borders crashed on a high-speed jump down the gO-foot hill known as ''The Monster." The crash broke both of Borders' collarbones, his right femur and his C-5 venebra. Bor- ders' father, former Over 40 Loretta Lynn's National Champion Johnny Borders, repo.ts that Chase is awake, aleft, is speaking, and is breathing on his own after a four-hour surgery on l*4ay 28 at the Unr- versity of Alabama in Birmingham Medical Center. The fracture ofthe C-5 has left Borders paralyzed from the midchest down. Those wishing to send an e-mail to Borders and his family can do so through Tom Brinkman at tom_brinkman@char- ternet. C,,cle News test rider and former three- time Al4A 250cc GP Champion Chuck Sorensen won the AFM Formula Pacific class on Sunday, f4ay 28, at lnfineon Race- way in Sonoma, California, on his Flunroe Motors MV Agusta F4- 1000. Buell Riders Adventure Group (BRAG) will host its annual Homecoming Rally in East Troy, Wisconsin, June 2-4. Buell Toyota's support of the AlrlA Motocross Championship will break new ground in rhe world of motorcycle racinS sponsor- ship, according to AMA Pro Racing's vice president of commercial development, John C. Farris Jr. "Far from a traditional sponrorship package, Toyota's entire approach is structured to deliver direct benefits to riders and fans," Farris said. Toyota has entered into a long-term agree- ment with AMA Pro RacinS to be the exclusive title sponsor of the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship p.esented by FME The pannership was announced last November at AMA Pro RacinS's annual year-end Championship Awards Banquet. Along with product displays at eveD/ round, Toyota and Al4A Pro Racing will be coordinating on-site and pre-event promo- tional activities, includrng a sweepstakes, and Toyota will also be supporting the series with a television commercial pack- age in the OLN telecasts. The Honda Rider's Club of America has a very special deal for all fans ofthe movie On Any Sundoy.ln coniunction with the l3th annual Honda Hoot in Knoxville, Tennersee, a special showing of rhe classic motorcycle movie will take place at the recently restored Tennessee Theatre on .lune 22, Malcolm Smith, grand marshal of the Hoot, will be present for the movie screeninS, which is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. The admission price also includes a concert on the lhealre's com- pletely restored 1928 14i8hty WurliEer Organ. The concen begins at 6 p.m. Tick- ets for the event willgo on sale at the Ten- nessee Theatre box office on Friday, li4ay 25. Admission is $8 per person. Do you rememberJohn Kitsch, Brian Swink, Jefl Matiasevich, orJason l'lccormickl Ever wonder what they are doing now? So does Team Green. That s why Kawasaki's amateur trackside support program is looking for information on for- mer Team Green riders. lf you were part ofthe history ofTeam Green, Kawasaki would like to hear from you. Contact Kawasaki at 949/770-0400. ext. 2226, or fax information to 9491460-5612, or e-mail teamgreen.rider@kmc-usa.com with "25 years" in the subiect line. Deadline for sending information isJtrly l. Pascal Haudiquert is no longer Youth- strearm's press coordinator, accordinS to a release issued by the rights holders for the World f4otocross and World Supermoto Championships. "Youthstream is growing, and we needed Pascalto work full time for Youthstream in this strate8ical place to communicate," explained the president of Youthstream Giuseppe Luongo. "Unfortu- nately, Pascal cannot work full time for Youthstream, and together it has been decided to find other solution. We thank Pascal for the great iob done during these years. for his passion and professionalism." Representatives of Saxon Motorcycle Company have announced a partnership between Saxon and Lucas Oil. The pan- nership will ensure that all Saxon Motorcy- cles will have Lucas Lubricants throuShout the drivetrain upon leavin8 the factory Lucas Oil and Saxon f4otorcycles have also agreed to a comprehensive co-marketing campaign, according to a release from Saxon. Some changes have been made to the FIM Freestyle Hotocross World Champi. onship. The rounds in Athens, Greece, will take place September 9- l0: the round scheduled in Cologne, Germany, will be held on October l4; the rounds scheduled for Poland in October have been canceledi and a new round has been added -it will take place in Hamburg, Germany, on November IL The Hart and Huntington Tattoo Com- pany has agreed to sponsor an AMA Sup€rmoto team that will feature freestyle motocross star Carey Hart. The team will also consist of Doni Wanat, Steve Drew and Cole Walsdorf, with Hart joining the team at select events. Wanar will race in the Unlimited class, while Drew and Hart will compete in the 450cc class. \rValsdorf will compete in the Lites class. Custom Chrome has announced a new strate8ic design partnership with legendary European motorcycle builder Fred Kodlin. Kodlin willioin designers such as Rick Doss a.d.lohn Reed to create new pans and accessories for twin cam model motorcy- cles to be manuf&tured and distributed globally by Custom Chrome. For more information. visit www.customchrome.aom or www.motorcyclestuftcom- 6 JUNE 7, 2W6 . CYCLE NEWS motorcycle owners will travel from all over the country to enjoy a weekend surround- ed by other Eluell enthusiasts. The week- end will kick off at Hal's Harley- Davidson/Buell in New Berlin. Wisconsin, with a breakfast from 8 a.m. to l0:30 a.m. Enthusiasts will have the opportuniry to meet Hal's Thunder Eagle Race Team and check out the NHRA Pro Stock Buell motorcycle that will be on display. During the course ofthe weekend, Bi.rell owners will also have the opportunity to spend time wirh Erik Buell, charrman and chie' technical officer of Buell Motorcycle Com- pany, along with other Buell engineers. Buellwill be available to sign autographs on Friday,,une 2, from I p.m. to 2 p.m. Own- ers can watch the step-by-step process of a Buell motorcycle being built during a self- guided facrory (our rhrough Buell's East Troy facility from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Two service seminars and lunch with Buell employees will also be available to BRAG members on Friday,lune 2.