VOL. 52 ISSUE 30 JULY 28, 2015 P23
LAGUNA SECA CRASH RULED RACING INCIDENT
T
he multi-rider accident that took the lives of
Spanish road racers Bernat Martinez and
Dani Rivas on Sunday, July 19, in the second
MotoAmerica Superbike/Superstock 1000 race
at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey,
California, has been ruled a racing incident by the
Monterey County Sheriffs Department.
"The Monterey County Sheriff's Department
have said that the incident was a racing accident
and they will not be doing any further investiga-
tion," said MotoAmerica communications manager
Paul Carruthers. "All of us here at MotoAmerica
are shocked and deeply saddened by the acci-
dent and our thoughts and prayers remain with the
family and loved ones."
While it has shaken the road racing commu-
nity, the accident has also brought the tightly knit
group together. Szymon Dziadzia, owner of Keig-
wins@theTrack Motorcycle School and the spon-
sor of Superstock 1000 racer Cory Call, set up an
official GoFundMe to help the Rivas Family with
their travel and funeral expenses. The account
has raised $6,097 of the requested $10,000 in
seven days. To help contribute: visit http://www.
gofundme.com/zss5mk
Andrea Wilson
FORWARD
RACING TO MISS
INDY MOTOGP
T
he Forward Racing team will not
compete at the upcoming Red Bull
Indianapolis MotoGP round on August
9 following the arrest of team owner
Giovanni Cuzari and the freezing of team
assets and funds by Swiss authorities.
Cuzari is under investigation for tax
evasion and other financial impropriety,
with the immediate future of the team is
now in serious jeopardy.
A statement released on the team's website
said the following: "In the aftermath of the arrest
and the charges against Giovanni Cuzari, director
and owner of Forward Racing, the Team, through
its closest collaborators, has returned to work im-
mediately to stem the possible consequences of
this situation, in order to continue its sport activity
and to end the current season, following also the
desire of Giovanni.
"Unfortunately, the reaction of the sponsors,
the main source of income of an independent
team, was immediate and resolute. Inevitably
some of them canceled the existing contracts and
interrupted payments, creating further financial
troubles that could jeopardize completely the
survival of the team."
Forward Racing team manager Marco Curioni
went a step further, saying, "Only in the last hours
we have glimpsed the real possibility to overcome
this situation. I hope to have Giovanni—who until
proven to the contrary he is correct to assume
innocent—soon with us and available to find a so-
lution. In this dark moment, several 'partners' and
'friends' have understandably distanced himself
from the team and then for this reason I want to
thank those who are helping us." CN
The future of the
Forward Racing team is
still uncertain as team
owner Giovanni Cuzari
(left) remains in jail.
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
GOLD
&
GOOSE
