Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Marlboro Ducati's Sete Gibernau might not take part in the Czech Republic Grand Prix on August 20 after undergoing surgery on his broken left collarbone on July 26 after discovering a problem with his shoul- der when he returned to Spain from the U.S. GP. After feeling weak in the Laguna Seca race, Gibernau went to Barcelona for a check-up and an X-ray revealed compli- cations, caused by a weakening of the plate itself. Following his surgery, Gibernau will be evaluated on August 2 and doctors will decide if he can race at Brno on August 20. Tommy Searle, a 17-year-old British motocrosser, has signed a two-year deal with KTM and will contest the 2007 World Motocross Championship in the MX2 class. "I am happy to have signed with KTM," Searle said. "You can see from their record of wins and championships that their factory team is one of the best. I am looking forward to working with them; KTM is where I want to be." American Suzuki has announced that Yoshimura Suzuki's Ben Spies has offered to match up to $15,000 in donations to the Roadracing World Action Fund. Spies' offer led to a flurry of contributions totaling more than $17,000. Spies, the current points leader in the AMA Superbike Cham- pionship, is the first factory rider in the AMA road-racing series to donate such a significant sum to the fund. "I've always been a big supporter of the Action Fund," said Spies. "The racetracks in the United States are working to improve safety in a lot of different ways. But these improve- ments can't happen overnight. The only safety-related change that can be made overnight is to install air fences. I think that's really important and I want to be a part of that." For more information on the Roadracing World Action fund, visit www.roadracingworld.com. Cycra Racing has announced that compa- ny representatives will be the Loretta Lynn's National, July 29-August 6, to sup- port its Amateur team members. Resumés will also be accepted at Loretta's for Cycra's 2006-2007 team. The AMA has announced a partnership with the National Enduro Promotions Group Inc. (NEPG) that will bring new ideas and greater excitement to the AMA/FMF National Enduro Series, accord- ing to the AMA. The NEPG is a group of enduro enthusiasts whose sole purpose is to improve and promote the series, the AMA says. The organization will be gather- ing comments from riders, clubs, promot- ers, sponsors, fans and others who care about the sport to determine the best ways to bring new excitement, greater participa- tion and enhanced accessibility to the AMA/FMF National Enduro Series. Among the ideas already being considered by the NEPG are the use of closed-course events that will allow sponsors to have greater promotional opportunities; adding closed- course youth events that will bring the next generation of competitors into the sport; simplifying and improving timing and scor- ing; increasing the uniformity of events; and other improvements. "We have seen impressive growth and popularity in many other forms of off-road motorcycle racing in recent years, and we want to bring that same excitement and momentum to the AMA/FMF National Enduro Series," said Alan Randt of the NEPG. "We have put together a committed and enthusiastic group of people who are going to do just that." The NEPG has assembled a board of directors along with an advisory board con- sisting of enduro enthusiasts who will guide the organization's efforts in coordination with the AMA. The AMA Sports division announced today its representatives for the 2006 FIM Junior Motocross World Champi- onships. The event will take place August 12-13 in Vantaa, Finland. Representing Team USA will be Blake Wharton from Pilot Point, Texas, and Eli Tomac of Cortez, Colorado. Both riders will be competing in the 80cc division on Suzukis. Team USA has a strong history of success while partic- ipating in the Junior Motocross World Championships. Former American World Champions include Broc Hepler (2001), Ryan Villopoto (2003) and Zach Osborne (2004). "AMA Sports is excited to have Blake and Eli representing America and the AMA in this year's race" says AMA Sports Motocross manager Ryan Holliday. "We're getting great support from various people and teams in Europe, as well as the riders' personal sponsors here in America. I'm confident that our riders are going to have all of the tools necessary to do well." For more information on the 2006 FIM Junior Motocross World Championships, visit www.juniormx2006.com. Ford Quality Checked Certified Pre- owned-backed Chris Carr, the current- Twins-division points leader on the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Champi- onship tour, took some time off last week to stretch his legs a bit - to the tune of 300-plus mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats. "It was unreal," said Carr, the seven-time AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship Champion. "It took us 2.6 miles to hit 300, then another mile and three-quarters to slow down." Carr's foray into the world of land-speed records began earlier this summer with the BUB team, actually towing the streamliner for the first few times out at 60 mph behind a truck just to get the feel of the unique ride. Since then Carr has been back to the Salt Flats on several occasions, gradually mak- ing his way up to NASCAR-like speeds before hitting 243 mph early in July. "This week we stepped it up," said Carr of his 300-mph effort. "The record's 323 mph and, ultimately, this BUB streamliner has the potential to run in the 330s (mph)." For more information on the Sept. 3-7 FIM Motorcycle International Speed Trials by BUB, link to: www.speedtrialsbybub.com The Terry Poovey art auction raised $5543 for Poovey and his family, according to JB Norris. Karl and Kim Klement of Karl Klement Ford in Decatur, Texas, bid $1543 to win the re-auction of Norris' Terry Poovey fine-art piece. The original high bidder paid $4000 for the eBay auction and said he wanted to re-auction the Pullin' for Poovey art piece so more money could be raised for the Pooveys. The auction fea- tured number one in a limited series of flat-track fine-art pieces of Poovey racing at the May Springfield Mile - the site of the accident that left him in a coma. To donate to the Pooveys, visit the Aid to Injured Rid- ers website www.air-fund.com. The Orange County Dualies Motorcy- cle Club has announced that on Wednes- day night, August 16 at 8 p.m., they will host a viewing of the 1980 Peter Starr motorcycle movie Take it to the Limit. This showing will benefit the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation and the Prostate 90 Foundation and all proceeds will be donated to the two charities. The movie will be shown at the Newport Big 6 in Newport Beach, California, the largest the- ater west of the Mississippi River. With seating for over 1000 enthusiasts and pro- jecting on an 80-foot screen, the Big 6 is located at the Newport Beach Fashion Island Theater Complex. The 1980 Dolby Stereo Film received a Gold Award from the Chicago International Film Festival and a Silver Award from the Houston Interna- tional Film Festival, setting the standard for modern motorcycle films with footage of the likes of Kenny Roberts on his TZ700 dirt tracker, Russ Collins on his twin-engine Sorcerer drag bike and Steve Baker, Amer- ica's first-ever road-racing World Champi- on. Also, Mike Hailwood takes viewers on an onboard ride around the Isle of Man. For more information on the movie, visit www.takeittothelimit.tv. Team Makita Suzuki has announced that Ryan Dungey has signed a two-year con- tract with the team. The 16-year-old Min- nesotan will contest the rest of the AMA Motocross Lites series and the 2007 Supercross Lites series aboard a Suzuki RM-Z250. Dungey is slated to make his AMA Pro debut at Millville in Minnesota. The AMA recently announced the 2006 ISDE Teams. The U.S. Trophy Team con- testing the 2006 International Six Days Enduro in New Zealand will be comprised of Ron Schmelzle, Fred Hoess, Jimmy Jar- rett, Paul Neff, Aaron Kopp and Eric Bailey. The U.S. will also field the Junior Trophy Team of Kurt Caselli, Ricky Dietrich, David Pearson and Russell Bobbitt. Randy Robison, president of Joe Rocket, has announced an expanded licensing agreement with American Suzuki. The pro- gram calls for Joe Rocket to produce a col- lection of co-branded Suzuki motorcycle and Replica Team Gear. "Our agreement with Joe Rocket is a natural progression of their sponsorship of Team Yoshimura Suzu- ki and their long-term relationship with team riders Ben Spies and six-time AMA Superbike Champion Mat Mladin," said Mike Clark, senior accessory manager at American Suzuki. "As the brand leader in motorcycle apparel, Joe Rocket will bring tremendous expertise to our program." "The new 2007 Joe Rocket Officially Licensed by Suzuki apparel will be a reflec- tion of both companies' commitment to performance," said Robison. "We expect to take our success on the racetrack and extend it to Suzuki fans everywhere." AUGUST 9, 2006 • C Y C L E N E W S 8 Colin Edwards and the Yamaha Blue Racing team was forced out of the Suzuka 8 Hours after the bike lost power on lap five. The race started poorly for Edwards. The engine was slow to fire on the LeMans start and Edwards joined the race around 15th position. "I thought, 'Okay, no problem - we'll push it a little bit and we'll catch the guys easy. We've got the pace to do it.'" Then Edwards collided with Honda-mounted Chojun Kameya at the hairpin and fell. "I came into the hairpin and passed the number-nine Honda, and I was easily well past him," Edwards explained. "He then turned into me and hit me in the right foot-peg. Maybe he was blind in his left eye or something, because I wasn't doing anything stupid. It was completely strange accident." Edwards remounted and finished the first lap in 52nd position. Edwards had worked his way up to 28th when the engine stopped run- ning at Spoon Curve. "The bike was fine and I passed 22 guys in two laps," the Texan said. "Then it stopped running, at all. Just boom. I don't know why." Edwards looked down to see if the bike was leaking vital fluids, and then pushed the Yamaha behind the Armco wall just 12 minutes after the start of the race. It was the worst possible location to have the problem as the dis- tance back to the pits is almost one mile. "It's very disappointing," said Edwards' teammate Noriyuki Haga. "We were doing really well this weekend. I wanted to run in front of my Japanese fans at least once. I feel really sorry that I couldn't. Seeing how the race went, I think if we had not retired we would have had a good result." The race was the first time that Edwards and Haga had teamed together since their win for Yamaha in the 1996 Suzuka 8 Hours. Tracy Hagen No Luck For Colin

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