Checa early Silverstone leader

From the WSBK Pressoffice

Two Ducati bikes slotted in at the top of the World Superbike timesheets following Friday's first qualifying at the new-look Silverstone circuit. On a track that is more suitable on paper to four-cylinder power, points leader Carlos Checa (Althea Racing Ducati) led the way with a time of 2 minutes 05.477 seconds, four-tenths quicker than the surprise of the day, young Frenchman Maxime Berger (Supersonic Racing Team Ducati).

The pace on the first day was fast under overcast skies, with Checa's time on race tires close to lap record pace (set in race conditions), only 0.218 seconds from the Cal Crutchlow's official 2010 time of 2:05.259.

Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team Superbike) was the first Brit on the provisional grid, taking third place ahead of Leon Camier (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team).

After going quickest in the morning free practice session, the provisional second row was headed by American wild-card rider John Hopkins (Samsung Crescent Racing Suzuki), followed by a similar Suzuki GSX-R1000 machine, the Alstare version piloted by Michel Fabrizio. Hopkins has some WSBK racing experience and his wildcard pace gave evidence that he should be a factor at this recently revamped circuit.

Fast privateer Jakub Smrz (Effenbert Liberty Racing Ducati) was a strong seventh, with the top Yamaha World Superbike rider proving to be Eugene Laverty, eighth fastest. Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team) is currently down in ninth, a normal position for the Italian after Friday seeing as he prefers to focus on set-up work.

The top 10 was rounded out by local hero Leon Haslam, the fastest BMW rider on show so far.

James Toseland (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK) went 12th in his comeback ride, one place ahead of his team-mate Ayrton Badovini, while Troy Corser, Haslam's team-mate, was 18th in his comeback ride.

Gino Rea (Step Racing Honda) followed up his Brno race win with quickest time and provisional pole in the first qualifying session for World Supersport. Rea set a time of 2:09.362 to finish a couple of tenths ahead of Sam Lowes (Parkalgar Honda). Italian Luca Scassa (Yamaha ParkinGO Team) was back up at the front in this first day of action, another couple of tenths behind.

There were two more Honda machines in the next two places, the Hannspree Ten Kate version of Frenchman Fabien Foret ahead of the Harms Benjan CBR600RR of Denmark's Robbin Harms. Roberto Tamburini (Bike Service R.T. Yamaha) and another Brit, James Ellison (Bogdanka PTR Honda) took sixth and seventh.

Danilo Petrucci (Barni Racing Team Ducati) continued his impressive form in Superstock 1000 qualifying, setting the quickest time of 2:8.730. The Italian, who has been on pole in the last three races, was ahead of two of his compatriots, points leader Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing Ducati) and Lorenzo Zanetti (BMW Motorrad Italia STK Team).

Joshua Elliott (WMT Yamaha) set the provisional pole in Friday's first Superstock 600 qualifying session with a time of 2:13.688. The British rider was a full half-a-second quicker than the rapidly emerging Riccardo Russo (Trasimeno Yamaha), who confirmed his positive early morning form. Russo was ahead of the American Joshua Day (Revolution Racedays Kawasaki), Assen winner Michael VD Mark (Ten Kate Junior Team) from the Netherlands and Spain's Nacho Calero Perez (Orelac Yamaha).

World Superbike Times
1. Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 2:05.477
2. Berger M. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 2:05.870
3. Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-10R 2:05.899
4. Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 2:05.937
5. Hopkins J. (USA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 2:05.974
6. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 2:06.023
7. Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 2:06.029
8. Laverty E. (IRL) Yamaha YZF-R1 2:06.037
9. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 2:06.044
10. Haslam L. (GBR) BMW S1000RR 2:06.116
11. Guintoli S. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 2:06.176
12. Toseland J. (GBR) BMW S1000RR 2:06.316
13. Badovini A. (ITA) BMW S1000RR 2:06.647
14. Melandri M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF-R1 2:06.697
15. Lowes A. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 2:06.740
16. Aitchison M. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX-10R 2:06.752
etc.

Yoshimura Suzuki leads Suzuka qualifying

From Team Suzuki News Service

Yoshimura Suzuki Racing's Yukio Kagayama put in the only sub-2:08 lap during Friday's Suzuka world Endurance qualifying sessions in Japan, putting the GSX-R1000-mounted team at the top of the timesheets.

Kagayama clocked a lap of 2:07.884 in the first of three sessions to beat Honda FCC TSR's Kosuke Akiyoshi on 2:08.260 and Honda-mounted Musashi RT Harc Pro's Makoto Tamada with 2:08.962.

Kagayama's team mate Josh Waters finished third in his session with a time of 2:10.024 and third Yoshimura rider Nobuatsu Aoki claimed fifth in session 3 with a lap of 2:11.388.

Thanks to their Japanese rider Katsuyuki Nakasuga, Monster Yamaha YART was the best of the World Endurance Championship permanent teams with fourth place and a lap-time of 2:09.045 lap.

The Suzuka 8 Hours is the only round on the Qtel FIM Endurance World Championship calendar that incorporates special regulations: The best individual lap time determinates the starting grid - and not the average time from the teams' riders, as with other rounds of the series.

Suzuka also has a "Top 10 Trial" - a Superpole-style head-to-head session - where the two best riders from the best 10 teams go back on track to race for the final starting grid. The Top 10 Trial is scheduled for Saturday afternoon and Sunday's third-round World Championship Suzuka 8 Hour race begins at 10:30am local time.

Short WSB return for Muggeridge

From Castrol Honda SBK

Karl Muggeridge, who had been due to replace injured Castrol Honda rider, Ruben Xaus at this weekend’s ninth round World Superbike encounter at Silverstone in the UK, has been forced to withdraw from the event.

Currently on vacation with his family in northern Italy, Muggeridge was training on a mountain bike on Tuesday when he crashed and sprained his right wrist. While no fracture was sustained, Muggeridge and his German HPR Honda team had no alternative but to withdraw him from the Silverstone event.

The Australian is the reigning IDM German Superbike champion and currently lies second in the series with the next round scheduled for Aug. 7, just one week after Silverstone.

Despite the short notice, the Castrol Honda team has recruited Italian rider Fabrizio Lai to replace Muggeridge. The 32-year-old made his WSBK debut last season with the Echo CRS Honda team.

A former 125 and 250GP rider and podium finisher, Lai is currently competing in the Italian Superbike championship on a CBR1000RR for the Echo Honda squad, to whom the Castrol Honda team is very grateful for his release.

“We’re all very sorry for Karl, as we were really looking forward to working with him again this weekend," said Castrol Honda team manager, Ronald ten Kate. "However, we understand that he needs to be fit for the next IDM round to fight again for the title. So, we have a replacement for Ruben’s replacement, and we will make Fabrizio welcome and work hard with him to get the best result possible at Silverstone.”

V-Rod celebrates 10 years

From Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada

CONCORD, ON – Harley-Davidson Motor Company celebrates a decade of pavement-pounding performance with the V-Rod 10th Anniversary Edition motorcycle, one of three models in a 2012 V‑Rod line that also includes an updated Night Rod Special and the V-Rod Muscle.

Introduced as a 2002 model, the original V-Rod ushered in a new era of Harley-Davidson motorcycle performance. Its 1,130cc 60-degree Revolution V-Twin engine was the first Harley-Davidson production engine equipped with overhead camshafts and liquid cooling, and it came with a high-winding 9,000rpm redline. Inspired by drag racing bikes and monster-motor customs, the V-Rod debuted with aluminum disc wheels, a raked out chassis, fast-back seat and anodized aluminium bodywork – a new styling direction for Harley-Davidson.

In just 10 years, the Harley-Davidson V-Rod family grew to include a number of new models. The V-Rod went to the track as the basis for the 2007 Custom Vehicle Operations V-Rod Destroyer, an eight-second Factory drag racer. It was also the inspiration for the Harley-Davidson Screamin' Eagle/Vance & Hines V-Rod, a four-time world champion in Pro Stock Motorcycle professional drag racing. For 2012, Harley-Davidson V-Rod models continue to serve up explosive performance and urban-cool styling for riders seeking a singular power-cruiser experience.

All 2012 V-Rod models are powered by the latest version of the Revolution engine, a 1,250cc liquid-cooled V-Twin with dual overhead camshafts, four-valve cylinder heads, and Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI). The powertrain is equipped with an Assist and Slip clutch, five-speed transmission, and a high-performance carbon fibre drive belt. The tires are Michelin Scorcher radials, including a 240mm wide rear tire. Brembo triple-disc performance brakes are available with optional Factory-installed anti-lock braking system (ABS). ABS is part of the optional Security Package that also includes the Smart Security System with proximity-based, hands-free security fob.

The restyled Night Rod Special has a suggested Canadian Retail price of $16,789 and features a new tapered tail section, lighter-weight wheels, and improved ergonomics with reduced reach to both the rider footpegs and the handlebar. Inverted front forks and retuned rear suspension enhance ride comfort and handling. This is a blacked-out, dead-on power cruiser that is at home in a back alley.

A tribute to the original V-Rod that will be offered only in 2012, the V-Rod 10th Anniversary Edition's Brilliant Silver Pearl bodywork with colour-matched frame is exclusive in the V-Rod line. Extra chrome and polished surfaces dazzle on the engine, exhaust, and speed screen. This special edition (pictured) comes with a suggested Canadian Retail price of $17,559 and features all of the new additions made to the Night Rod Special for 2012.

The V-Rod Muscle is a brawny beast for performance enthusiasts who crave power and control, with a dash of intimidation. Tagged with a suggested Canadian Retail price of $16,459, its styling features include a wide airbox cover, side cover air scoops, and dual exhaust in satin chrome with fat, turn-out mufflers. An abbreviated tail section and chopped rear fender expose the 240mm wide rear tire. A deep seat holds the rider firmly in place against the thrust of the Revolution V-Twin engine.

Infront and Pirelli renew contract

From the WSBK Press Office

ROME, ITALY – Infront Motor Sports has announced that Pirelli will continue to be the official tire supplier for the FIM Superbike World Championship for a further three years following the end of the current contract, which as a result will now be extended from 2013 through to the end of 2015.

The agreement, as has been the case since the start of the collaboration between the two companies in 2004, will also include the exclusive supply of tires for the FIM Supersport World Championship, the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup and the UEM Superstock 600 European Championship.

This additional renewal follows on from the 2010-2011-2012 agreement between the two parties and above all it is testament to the outstanding technical and working relationship that has been established over the years, which has proved to be mutually beneficial to both partners.

“We are delighted to be able to renew the contract with Pirelli until the completion of the 2015 season," said Paolo Flammini, CEO of Infront Motor Sports. "Eight years of working together have provided results that go way beyond our highest expectations. Once again we can count on a tire supplier, whose commitment to the product, service and development is second to none.

The presence of seven manufacturers in World Superbike and full grids in all four classes requires a supplier who can guarantee total excellence from all points of view, and Pirelli have fully respected those guarantees, providing stability to the championships and contributing enormously to their success. We would like to thank them for their commitment and support and look forward once again to a long-term future together.”

The FIM Superbike World Championship has benefitted from stability, quality, competitiveness and fairness, and the one-make supply is fully in line with the philosophy lying behind the four championships, which is to give all competitors the same level playing-field regarding performance, service and costs, while Pirelli’s ongoing R&D in collaboration with the world’s leading production-based racing championships has led to its constant developments in advanced racing technology being transferred to its products for everyday use on the road. Other important factors in the supply renewal were Pirelli’s working methods, tire performance, reliability and durability and top-level service quality.

“Pirelli is very happy to be chosen again as Official Tire Supplier to World Superbike, the production-based world racing series which remains close to passionate fans. Our Diablo tires’ performance and quality were key elements in helping Infront to again select us,” stated Uberto Thun, Managing Director, Motorcycle Division for Pirelli Tire. “This new contract confirms our dedication to WSBK, to the sport’s competitiveness, and to a flexible but continued tire development guaranteeing the best racing tires are made available.”

Harley Switchback mixes touring with cruising

From Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada

CONCORD, ON – The new Dyna Switchback motorcycle from Harley-Davidson Motor Company is a quick-change artist.

With colour-matched hard saddlebags and a fork-mounted windshield in place, the Switchback motorcycle is a custom touring motorcycle. But in seconds, the detachable saddlebags and quick-detach windshield can be removed without tools. Now the Switchback motorcycle is a custom street cruiser with a gleaming headlamp nacelle, five-spoke cast-aluminium wheels, and a mini-ape handlebar. When it is time to head out for a long weekend, simply reinstall the saddlebags and windshield and the Switchback motorcycle is ready to roll.

The Switchback is powered by a muscular Twin Cam 103 V-Twin engine that delivers strong performance on the boulevard and on the highway. The Switchback is the lightest custom touring motorcycle in its displacement category. At 718 pounds it is ready to ride and 94 pounds lighter than a Harley-Davidson Road King. New front-end geometry, premium suspension components, and a low-profile front tire give the Switchback a plush ride and responsive handling at a suggested Canadian retail price of $17,559.

“The new front end geometry, wheel and tire specs, and cartridge fork are engineered to work together to produce steering that’s light to input and immediately responsive,” states Brian Scherbarth, Harley-Davidson Product Engineer. “A demo ride will reveal that [the] Switchback is a capable touring motorcycle that’s also really fun to ride.”

Designed to look great with or without its saddlebags, the Switchback is styled to evoke a classic proportion and clean straight lines, from its 4.7-gallon fuel tank to the sweep of its full-coverage rear fenders. The bend of the mini-ape handlebar and its pull-back riser, full-length rider footboards, and two-up touring seat offer most riders all-day comfort.

The Twin Cam engine with 103 cid (1,690cc), rubber-mounted within the frame, is rated at 100 ft. lbs. of torque at 3,500 rpm. The engine is equipped with Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI) and is mated to a six-speed Cruise Drive transmission. The 2-in-1 chrome exhaust with straight-cut muffler is tuned for a deep exhaust tone.

The advanced suspension is tuned for comfort and precise handling. The nitrogen-charged, mono-tube rear shocks have preload-adjustable, dual-rate springs. A 41.3mm front fork with a 20mm cartridge delivers enhanced damping performance, handling, and rider comfort.

The low-profile Dunlop 130/70B18 front tire and specific front-end geometry provide reduced steering effort, enhanced steering response and confident low-speed manoeuvring.

The colour-matched detachable hard saddlebags have a combined luggage capacity of 30 pounds. The saddlebag locks are common to the ignition key, and external latches do not interfere with packing and reduce usable bag volume.

The Security Package option bundles Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) and the Smart Security System, with a proximity-based, hands-free security fob.

Three-way battle hits Silverstone

From the WSBK Press Office

The FIM Superbike World Championship arrives at the revamped Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit in the UK this weekend for round 9, the last one before the summer break.

In 2010 the historic airfield layout underwent major modifications that brought several curves up to modern-day car and bike racing standards. The circuit infrastructures were also upgraded in 2010 and this week the Superbike riders will be greeted by the spectacular and brand-new Silverstone Wing pits complex building between Club and Abbey curves, which will also comprise the new start-finish line and pit entry-exit lanes.

The Silverstone circuit, one of the cornerstones of British motorsport, will be the venue for yet another enthralling duel, or rather now a three-way battle, between points leader Carlos Checa (Althea Racing Ducati) and his closest adversaries Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team) and Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike Team). The Spaniard has a 30-point advantage over the 2010 World Champion and 53 over the former 250cc World Champion, and is called upon to face up to another race that on paper does not seem favourable to his Ducati. For his part Biaggi has never won a Superbike race at the British track, while Melandri is taking part in his first race with the R1 on the new layout.

Last year the races saw a total triumph for British riders, who occupied all the podium slots on both occasions. Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha) scored a double win, while Jonathan Rea, Leon Haslam and Leon Camier shared the remaining podium places. With Crutchlow now having moved on and Rea (Castrol Honda) out with injury, the hopes of the British riders lie in a small group made up of Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport), still searching for that elusive breakthrough with the German machine, Camier (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team), podium man at Aragon, and Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing), who is on the up in this phase of the championship.

Silverstone will also see the return of James Toseland (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team) – race 2 winner in 2005 – while the Castrol Honda team will be all-new for this round. It will be made up of Alex Lowes, who has the unenviable task of replacing the injured Rea, together with Karl Muggeridge, who has been called in for Ruben Xaus, the Spaniard still recovering from his Brno crash. One man to certainly keep an eye on will be Eugene Laverty (Yamaha World Superbike Team), currently lying fourth overall, and anxious for a repeat of his Monza champagne-tasting victories.

Michel Fabrizio, fourth last year in race 1, is working wonders on the singleton Suzuki Alstare machine, and so is the increasingly convincing Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Italia), while another man with a fourth place at Silverstone to his name in 2007, Roberto Rolfo (Pedercini Kawasaki) will be aiming for his best result of the year.

Expectation is also high over the appearance of two wild-cards, American John Hopkins, who returns to WSBK for this one-off event, and Britain’s John Kirkham, who currently race with for the Suzuki Samsung Crescent Racing team in the British Superbike Championship.

All new CVO offering from Harley

From Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada

CONCORD, ON – Harley-Davidson Custom Vehicle Operations (CVO) emphasizes exclusive styling and inspiring performance with four limited-production motorcycle models for 2012. Decked out with bold paint, gleaming chrome, high-output audio, and the most powerful V-Twin engines offered in production Harley-Davidson motorcycles, each CVO model is a rolling object of desire for the discerning motorcyclist.

Each 2012 CVO model is powered by the fuel-injected Twin Cam 110 V-Twin engine – the largest displacement engine offered in a Harley-Davidson motorcycle and rated at up to 122 ft. lbs. of torque. This engine is only available from the Factory in CVO models. CVO motorcycles are customized using premium accessories and paint treatments combined with numerous items from the Harley-Davidson Genuine Motor Accessories Catalogue. The CVO Program is often used to introduce new custom components and techniques before they are offered as individual accessories. Harley-Davidson CVO motorcycles are backed by a two-year, unlimited mileage warranty.

Harley-Davidson Motor Company is offering an all-new CVO model for 2012, the Road Glide Custom (pictured). This hot-rod bagger combines a distinctive shark-nose, frame-mounted fairing with a road-hugging, slammed profile for a look that is sure to turn heads. A high-output, amplified Harman/Kardon Advanced Audio radio features CD/AM/FM/WB and delivers 100 watts per channel to five-by-seven-inch fairing-mounted speakers and two-inch dash-mounted tweeters. An included 8 GB Apple iPod Nano connects via an interface and holder located in the right-side saddlebag.

Exclusive custom features include a smoked Wind Splitter windshield, a two-piece custom seat with removable pillion and colour-coordinated stitching and cover, and a colour-matched, low-profile fuel tank console with illuminated CVO graphic insert. A 19-inch contrast chrome Agitator custom front wheel leads this beauty down the road. The Canadian suggested retail price for this premium motorcycle is $33,689.

Three CVO models return for 2012 with new paint schemes and features.

The CVO Street Glide is a high-performance bagger with a fork-mounted bat-wing fairing. The CVO Street Glide has enhanced audio performance with a two-amp/eight-speaker system that includes speakers in the fairing, fairing lowers, and now also in the saddlebag lids. Also new is a low-profile solo touring seat with an embossed insert pattern, detachable passenger pillion and backrest pad, and diamond cut charcoal engine cover inserts and instrument faces. Three new colour combinations are available for this model, which comes with a suggested Canadian price tag of $35,879.

Detachable compact fairing, saddlebags, passenger pillion, and backrest make it possible to transform the CVO Softail Convertible from touring to cruising format in minutes. For 2012, a redesigned windshield significantly reduces turbulence to the rider and integrates a Road Tech zūmo 660 GPS Navigator with an MP3 player. Turn-by-turn voice commands play over the two-speaker audio system. The detachable leather saddlebags match the seat and passenger backrest in either distressed brown leather or black leather with reptile inserts. A welded mini-ape handlebar adds a custom touch. Electronic cruise control, keyless ignition, and an Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) provide touring functionality. Available in Canada with a suggested retail price of $32,589, this model comes in three new colour combinations.

The CVO Ultra Classic Electra Glide is ready to take on the most challenging touring assignments with style. New features for 2012 start with BOOM! Audio High Performance BOOM! Bagger Speakers plus new BOOM! Audio Bass Booster Ports in the Tour-Pak bottom liner. These are all powered by an amplifier tuned to match the dynamics of the speakers and the motorcycle environment. An 8 GB Apple iPod Nano and iPod interface completes the audio package. The CVO Ultra Classic rolls on new mirror chrome chisel custom wheels with matching brake rotors, and the King Tour-Pak features new chrome LED brake/tail lamps. The suspended, dual-control heated, two-up seat and adjustable passenger backrest have a Harley-Davidson Bar & Shield monogram and pebbled pattern texture. Electronic Throttle Control (ETC), cruise control, and ABS are standard equipment. Three new colour combinations are available for this model, which has a suggested Canadian retail price of $40,869.

Injured Xaus to miss Silverstone

From Castrol Honda SBK

Castrol Honda World Superbike Team rider Ruben Xaus has been forced to withdraw from this weekend’s ninth round of the championship at Silverstone in the UK due to injury.

Xaus will be replaced by Australian rider Karl Muggeridge, who last rode for the team in 2006. Muggeridge will join Alex Lowes, who is himself standing in for the Castrol Honda team’s other injured rider Jonathan Rea.

Spaniard Xaus sustained leg and back injuries in a first lap crash in race one at Brno in the Czech Republic just over two weeks ago. Although initial scans did not reveal any major injury, continual pain in his back prompted Xaus to seek further medical advice last week, which revealed a fracture to vertebra L3. He expects to be fit for round 10 of the series at Nurburgring in Germany in early September.

Muggeridge won the World Supersport championship in 2004 with the Castrol-supported Ten Kate Honda team and he contested the World Superbike championship with the squad in 2005 and 2006.

More recently, the 36-year-old from Australia’s Gold Coast has been racing a Honda CBR1000RR in the IDM German Superbike championship. He is currently lying second in the series in which he became champion on his debut last season.

"I was actually on holiday with the family in Italy when the call came through from Ronald, but I’m really happy to get this opportunity to join the team again," Muggeridge said. "I actually rode for the Castrol Honda British Supersport team way back when, so it’s good to be back with that iconic racing name again, too. The World Superbike paddock is a place where I feel completely at home, but there’s definitely a big job ahead for the weekend. I don’t want to set any unrealistic targets, and I’m not going to Silverstone to re-invent the wheel. I’ll just aim to work hard and ride strong all weekend and hopefully get a couple of decent finishes in the races."

After competing in the Brno round as a replacement for Rea and scoring his first World Superbike championship point, Lowes completed a two-day test at Assen last week on the Castrol Honda CBR1000RR.

The 20-year-old from the UK completed 119 laps on the first day and, although day two was affected by rain, Lowes was delighted to have an opportunity to spend more time on the bike in preparation for the Silverstone round this weekend.

Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi is a Go

The Japanese MotoGP Grand Prix will go ahead as planned in Motegi on October 2, 2011 in a statement issued by the FIM early this morning. The announcement came following the completion of the 10th round of the MotoGP series which took place at Mazda Laguna Seca Raceway this past weekend.

Following concerns about radiation levels at the Motegi circuit, which is located 120km from the Fukushima nuclear reactor, the FIM and Dorna commissioned an independent study between the period from July 10, 2011 to July 23, 2011 to investigate radiation levels in the air, soil, food and beverages at the race circuit. The final conclusion of the report found that "based on the estimate dose it can be said with no doubt that the radiation risk during the race event is negligible."

The event, which was originally scheduled to take place in April was rescheduled to October following the tsunami that affected the region in March. Riders and teams have voiced strong concerns over travelling to the affected area and a number of riders, including Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo expressed that they were unwilling to travel to the region under any circumstances. Riders began to voice their concerns at Mugello earlier this month, and a meeting was held at Laguna Seca this past weekend, where riders seemed slightly more open to attending the event.

It is expected that a number of MotoGP, Moto2 and 125 teams will attend Motegi; the question remains how crew, journalists and other support workers feel about attending.

The preliminary report can be found on the FIM website.

Eslick extends SportBike series lead

From AMA Pro Racing

MONTEREY, CA - When the AMA Pro Daytona SportBike light went green at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on Sunday, Team Latus Motors Racing's Jason DiSalvo seemed on a mission to obliterate all memory of recent lackluster results. But while the Ducati rider held the front-runner position through the majority of the race, it was GEICO Powersports RMR Suzuki's Danny Eslick who blazed through a red-flag-strewn event to take ultimate victory.

"I got off to a little bit of a rough start," said Eslick. "For some reason it took me a few laps to get in a good rhythm and start hitting my marks. But being basically a 15-lap sprint race [after the restart], we didn't have much time to mess around -- I had to get up there and get up to speed. Race wins definitely help the championship ... and this place has a special spot in the motorcycle world, so it's pretty neat."

Eslick's fortunes proved vastly different from Monster Energy Graves Yamaha pilot Josh Herrin's, who was running a very aggressive chase from second before being forced to retire mid-race with a smoking bike. The resulting loss of points will be enough to crush the Yamaha rider's championship hopes, as there remains but one double-header round at which to strike back.

DiSalvo, having earned the pole position in Saturday qualifying, sliced past Herrin off the line for the first start to claim the lead heading into Turn 1. With a red flag throw moments later, as Jake Holden (JHR/RidersDiscount.com) and Paul Allison (Triple Crown Industries) went down in Turn 2, the 20-rider field again prepared to launch from the three-rider-wide, MotoGP-style grid. Dominating the restart, DiSalvo headed the field for the majority of the race, with Herrin, Eslick, and an increasingly aggressive Cameron Beaubier (JHR/RidersDiscount.com) giving chase from behind, until Herrin's mechanical misfortune signaled a shake-up in running order.

With clear track ahead, Beaubier suddenly dove into the lead, leaving DiSalvo and Eslick to wage side-by-side pursuit just behind. Eslick wasn't content to let the 18-year-old hold the prestigious spot for long, though, and took over the front position with just a handful of laps remaining. While Herrin was consoled by Yamaha team members on the sidelines, Eslick rode the wheels off his Suzuki to stay out of the grasp of Beaubier, while DiSalvo lost several bike-lengths to the front-runners.

Suddenly, a second red flag emerged, as Raul Alzate (LTD Racing Y.E.S. Yamaha) crashed out at the top of the Corkscrew, his bike sliding down the steep feature and coming to rest in the impact zone of a lower turn. With only five laps remaining, the red flag deemed the race complete and the checkers were taken up by Eslick, who rode his victory lap primarily on one wheel and was careful to give props to young Beaubier following the race.

"Hopefully he moves on pretty quick," said Eslick, laughing, "so I don't have to keep racing him too long."

"At the beginning of the season, I didn't know what I was doing with myself because the level was so much higher," said Beaubier, who stepped up to Daytona SportBike from the Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport class for 2011. "But I kept progressing through the season, learning a little more each race from the top guys, and now I'm running with them, so it's a really good feeling.

"It was a really good race -- Danny made some awesome passes on me and Jason, and I made some passes earlier in the race that felt pretty good. It was great, and I'd just like to thank my whole team."

"It's been a while since we were on the box," said DiSalvo, who added that had the race gone the distance, he felt he would have been able to reconcile himself with some of the places in which he struggled. "We had a rough run in the middle of the season, but we're finally starting to come back, and I feel like I'm getting full-strength again. I'm excited about going to the next round; I want to give the guys on the Latus crew another victory to pay them back for all the hard work they've given me."

Beaubier and DiSalvo, who finished second and third, respectively, were followed across the line by Tommy Aquino (Y.E.S./Pat Clark/Graves Yamaha), Cory West (Vesrah Suzuki), Dane Westby (M4 Suzuki), Kev Coghland (ADR Team 2), Taylor Knapp (Vesrah Suzuki), Fernando Amantini (Team Amantini) and Tyler Odom (Don Odom Racing). Celtic Racing's PJ Jacobsen crashed out mid-race, but rose as high as fifth before doing so.

With Eslick's victory and Herrin's DNF, the former has extended his championship lead to 244 over 199. DiSalvo sits third with 196.

When Saturday's Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport class launched off the line, Roadracingworld.com's Benny Solis immediately began to gap the rest of the furiously hard-charging field. The lead the 16-year-old Californian eventually built was big enough to survive near-catastrophe in the race's closing stages, and to deliver him to victory in front of the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix crowd.

"I think I was just a little bit too nervous when I was coming up to the lappers," said Solis, who sailed into the gravel run-off at the top of the Corkscrew just prior to the white flag. "I didn't want to make any mistakes, but I wanted to get by them quickly, so I ended up moving my brake marker way too far. I knew I was going to tuck it if I braked any harder, but then I almost dropped it in the gravel and it really freaked me out. [Once I got back on track], I looked back and saw I still had something of a margin, but it definitely scared me."

Remarkably, Solis' close call wasn't the most dramatic part of the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca contest, as the final laps' battle between Vesrah Suzuki's Corey Alexander and LTD teammates Tomas Puerta and David Gaviria culminated in a breath-taking photo-finish, the three side-by-side riders mere inches apart. And while Gaviria missed the final spot on the podium by just .001 seconds, his result earned the Colombian rider the 2011 West Division Championship.

The AMA Pro Road Racing Championship next travels to Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Red Bull Indy GP Aug. 27-28, where the AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 class will represent the series. For AMA Pro's remaining classes, the season will culminate at New Jersey Motorsports Park Sept. 2-4, where the AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike, Daytona SportBike and Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport East Coast Division Championships will be decided.

AMA Superbike Barn Burner goes down to the wire

Story and photos by Vicki Schouten

The AMA Pro Superbike racers took to the grid at Mazda Laguna Seca raceway Sunday to put on what ended up being the show of the day. Monster Energy Graves Yamaha's Josh Hayes led the majority of the race, but not without Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider Tommy Hayden pacing Hayes' every move. Hayes set a blistering pace, leading 18 of 23 laps of the race and earning valuable points for leading most laps. However, with 4 laps remaining, Hayden was able to make the move on Hayes and into first position. Not ready to settle for second, Hayes passed Hayden back to maintain the lead. What transpired was 4 laps of bar-to-bar racing action as the two veterans swapped positions. The race came right down to the wire, with Hayden coming out on top by 0.233 seconds.

According to Hayes, Laguna is not an easy track for him. Midway through the race his arms started to tire, and then he felt a burning sensation in his ankle, which turned out to be a bee sting. Hayes, always a hard worker, pressed on and put up a strong and exciting fight. When asked about the overall championship, Hayes asserted that the team was going to put up a fight at the final round in New Jersey and that if current points leader Blake Young is to win the championship, he was going to have to work for it.

Hayden's team mate, Blake Young, came in third place to maintain a lead in the championship.

The final round of the AMA Pro Superbike series takes place at New Jersey Motorsport Park September 2-4, 2011.

Harley-Davidson streamlines customization

From Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada

CONCORD, ON – Any motorcycle is more enjoyable when its fit, function, and style are a perfect match to its owner. To help customers achieve this goal, Harley-Davidson Motor Company offers H‑D1, a comprehensive set of customization tools that can be used by those purchasing a new Harley-Davidson motorcycle, and by riders who wish to update a Harley motorcycle they already have on the road.

Available in Canada online at harleycanada.com/HD1bikebuilder.com <http://www.harleycanada.com/HD1bikebuilder.com>, and at authorized Harley-Davidson retailers, H-D1 offers almost unlimited opportunities to turn a Harley motorcycle into a custom one – a motorcycle that is truly personalized to its owner.

H-D1 is an umbrella title for the exclusive parts, processes, and people that make it easier than ever to personalize a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. H-D1 consists of these main tools:

Fit Shop: This service, available at Harley-Davidson retailers, uses a real motorcycle to adjust the position of the seat, suspension, and controls to best fit the rider's body size, and then applies that fitment to the customer's motorcycle.

Genuine Motor Parts & Accessories: There are more than 500 new items for 2012 and more than 10,000 total listings, found in print and in online catalogues, of top-quality options that add style, fit, performance, and function. Genuine Motor Accessories Custom Seat and Custom Paint programs offer further custom options.

Bike Builder: An online tool to help visualize thousands of custom possibilities for specific Harley-Davidson motorcycle models.

Retailer Consultation: Experienced professionals offer individual guidance to help customers to build their dream bikes, which will turn heads every time they leave the garage.

Factory Customization: Offered exclusively for the 2012 Sportster 1200 Custom motorcycle.

Introduced mid-year 2011, H-D1 Factory customization allows customers to build a Sportster 1200 Custom, for the first time, with options that are installed as the motorcycle is assembled by Harley-Davidson Motor Company. More than 2,600 combinations of Factory-installed options are available through H-D1 Factory customization. By choosing from different wheels, paint, and engine finishes the customer can dramatically alter the look of a motorcycle. Different combinations of foot-control location, seat, and handlebar choices can be selected to adjust the fit of the motorcycle to the rider's stature.

By using the Bike Builder online at harleycanada.com/HD1bikebuilder.com <http://www.harleycanada.com/HD1bikebuilder.com>, customers can view the Sportster 1200 Custom they are creating as different Factory-installed and Retailer-installed options are selected. The customer can then print out a description of their bike and bring it to a Harley-Davidson retailer to review the motorcycle with trained staff, select any additional accessories to be installed by the retailer, and then place an order.

Customers can expect to be riding their new bike in as little as four weeks from the time the order is placed with an authorized Harley-Davidson retailer. Delivery timing may vary depending on demand, and will be communicated to customers at the time of order. H-D1 Factory customization is available exclusively through Harley-Davidson retailers in the United States and Canada.

Lorenzo Puts in Commanding Effort at Laguna.

Story and photos by Vicki Schouten.

He highsided to the moon on Saturday morning and wasn't sure he would be able to race for the remainder of the weekend, however defending MotoGP World Champion Jorge Lorenzo still managed to set pole position on Saturday afternoon. Sunday's race win belonged to the Factory Yamaha rider, or so one might think.

However it wasn't meant to be on this sunny afternoon in central California. With a great launch from pole position, Lorenzo led the majority of Sunday's MotoGP race, with several Honda riders including Respol Honda team mates Dani Pedrosa and Casey Stoner hunting him down every step of the way. Stoner managed to get around his team mate on the 18th lap of the 32 lap race and then went to work on the leader. According to Stoner, he struggled at the beginning of the race, but as the fuel level lowered, the bike got easier to handle and he was able to increase his pace and catch Lorenzo. Once he caught up to the leader, Stoner waited for his opportunity to pass, taking the lead with 6 laps remaining. The Repsol Honda rider then checked out on his competition to take the checkered flag.

Dani Pedrosa completed the podium in third place. Still recovering from previous injuries, Pedrosa found himself tiring about halfway through the race and was pleased overall with a third place finish.

American favourite Ben Spies put on a good show for local fans as he first went to work Ducati's Valentino Rossi, eventually overtaking the famous Italian and moving his way up to pass Repsol Honda's Andrea Dovizioso to finish in 4th position overall.

Dovizioso crossed the line in 5th position, ahead of Ducati team mates Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden who were 6th and 7th respectively.

Ben Bostrom's day ended early when he rode off the track in lap six and decided to retire early.

Marco Simoncelli, Cal Crutchlow and Alvaro Bautista also did not finish.

The MotoGP series takes a short summer break before returning to Brno, Czech Republic August 12-14, 2011.

Lorenzo Pushes the Envelope at Laguna; Sets Pole Position

Story and photos by Vicki Schouten

It takes more than a massive highside crash to phase Factory Yamaha MotoGP rider Jorge Lorenzo, who set pole position in this afternoon's qualifying session at Laguna Seca. Hours earlier, the reigning World Champion had experienced a nasty crash during the morning's free practice session. According to MotoGP.com, Lorenzo had forgotten to hit a switch that overrides the launch control system and engages the traction control during a practice start, thus launching himself into the air and across the gravel when he put the throttle at full stick. While the crash looked rather spectacular, Lorenzo was able to get up on his own free will while corner workers assisted him off the race track. "I thought my weekend was over," explained Lorenzo following the crash.

Yamaha Factory rider Jorge Lorenzo before his spectacular fall Saturday morning

However, the Yamaha rider didn't seem to be bothered by the crash by the time Qualifying rolled around. He set the fastest lap time within the first fifteen minutes of the session, and bettered that time towards then end of the session to set pole position with a time of 1:21.202; his second pole position of the season.

Jorge Lorenzo accepts the Tissot Pole Position Award following Saturday's Qualifying

Repsol Honda's Casey Stoner was second in Qualifying and continues to struggle with the set up of his motorcycle. The team hopes to make some improvements this evening in time for Sunday afternoon's race.

Dani Pedrosa completed the front row with a time of 1:21.385. He explained that he couldn't get the best drive with the soft tire, however the team was very pleased with a front row start. They hope to make some improvements and get a better drive from the rear tire in order to be competitive on Sunday.

American Ben Spies qualified in 4th position with a time of 1:21.578. The Yamaha Factory rider set the crowd on fire when he jumped to the top of the leader board briefly during qualifying. He was not able to hang onto pole position, however, and settled for a respectable 2nd row start.

Wildcard rider Ben Bostrom continues to improve his lap times on the LCR Honda and qualified in 18th position with a time of 1:25.191.

Riders take to the grid at 2pm local time on Sunday for 32 laps of fast-paced racing action at Mazda Laguna Seca Raceway in central California.

Lorenzo on Top; Ducati Struggles After Friday Practice

Story and photos by Vicki Schouten

While Repsol Honda's Casey Stoner was the man to beat during Friday morning's first free practice session, it was Yamaha Factory Racing's Jorge Lorenzo who set the fastest lap of the day with a 1:22.056 at Mazda Laguna Seca raceway today. Not pleased with his set-up, changes are expected in the Repsol Honda camp as Stoner intends to return to the top of the leaderboard on Saturday. With a time of 1:22.231 Stoner is close, but with the top 6 riders all within less than one second of one another this afternoon, Stoner will have his work cut out for him.

Lorenzo was fastest on Friday afternoon

The story of the day was Ducati team riders Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden, who were testing the new Ducati GP11.1 during the free practice sessions. Rossi chose to ride the GP11.1 all day, while Hayden took his initial run on the GP11 before doing a comparison between the two versions and choosing the GP11.1 in the afternoon. Hayden and Rossi completed Friday afternoon's free practice session in 10th and 11th position respectively.

According to Hayden, "We're just trying to evaluate it (the GP11.1) and it definitely has some pluses. The gearbox is really nice, so Ducati has done a great job with that." The team is trying to decide which bike will give them the better opportunity on Sunday.

Nicky Hayden was testing the new GP11.1

Meanwhile, Valentino Rossi felt the team started the weekend off a little better than past races and Rossi used only the GP11.1 today. "We started with one bike that had the Sachsenring setup which has a significant change to the weight distribution, while the second bike had a standard setup." explained Rossi, who prefers the bike with the setup from Germany. While rear grip remains an issue, Rossi said he is pleased that Brigestone brought some soft tires, which he claimed worked well in the cool temperatures this morning. He went on to say that he still prefers the harder compound in warmer conditions, "I felt better with the hard when the conditions were warmer in the afternoon. If race conditions are like this, that's what I'll use".

Ben Bostrom was enjoying a dream come true on his MotoGP debut aboard the LCR Honda. While Bostrom took the first free practice to familiarize himself with the motorcycle, he was closing the gap by the afternoon posting laptimes of 4.1 seconds from leader Jorge Lorenzo. Bostrom, who is doing double duty this weekend in MotoGP and AMA Pro Superbike, posted a best time of 1:26.159 on the MotoGP bike and a 127.073 on his Jordan Motorsports Suzuki in the AMA Pro Superbike practice which immediately followed the MotoGP Free Practice 2.

Ben Bostrom living the American dream with his MotoGP debut

Bostrom gives a quick debrief before heading out for AMA Superbike practice.

MotoGP and AMA racing action continues tomorrow as Qualifying takes place for both classes Saturday afternoon at Mazda Laguna Seca raceway.

Positive first half for Ducati

From Ducati North America

CUPERTINO, CA - Ducati North America has announced an excellent close to the second quarter of 2011, with sales up 61 percent for the quarter and Year-to-Date sales up 63 percent over the first half of 2010.

This year's sales have been exceptional in the US, Canadian and Mexican markets, with total North American growth surpassing the 60 percent mark in the first half of the year. Over 5200 bikes were registered in the first two quarters, and Ducati plans to continue posting strong sales figures as the year continues.

This year’s sales growth has been realized across the entire model lineup, with several particular models proving to be an outstanding success. The game-changing Multistrada 1200 continues its strong sales momentum, soon to be joined by the new Multistrada 1200 S Pikes Peak Special Edition. The newly-released Diavel has also proven a strong seller, joining the 848EVO Superbike and Monster 796 as top sellers in Ducati’s lineup.

"We are very satisfied with our half year results, which are an exceptional growth over 2010,” said Cristiano Silei, CEO of Ducati North America. “We are extremely excited about our potential for the rest of 2011 with the Monster 1100EVO [pictured] joining our formidable product line-up as summer hits full swing. In light of this continued success we will be strengthening our organization for the 2012 model year.”

For more information about Ducati and its range of performance motorcycles, please visit www.ducatiusa.com.

ARL and Kartbahn join forces

From the Atlantic Roadracing League

HALIFAX, NS -- The Atlantic Roadracing League and Kartbahn have announced they will be hosting a public karting event and meet and greet with riders from the CSBK Canadian Superbike Series and the ARL Atlantic Championship from 7:00-9:00pm on Aug. 3 at Kartbahn Indoor Karting in Bayer’s Lake, Halifax.

Many top riders from the CSBK Canadian Superbike Championship including Alex Welsh, Michael Ferreira and Andrew Nelson will be in attendance along with riders from the ARL Atlantic Championship. Various members of the press will be present and all race fans are invited to come out and meet and race karts against their favourite riders.

Entrance to the event is free but any of the public wishing to participate in the karting will be asked for a $10 donation per session, which will be given to the Injured Racers Association of Atlantic Canada.

For directions please visit http://www.kartbahn.ca. Information on the Injured Racers Association can be found at http://www.injuredracers.com and information on ARL can be found at http://www.atlanticroadracing.com.

Hopkins and Rizla Suzuki re-unite

From Rizla Suzuki

John Hopkins will race for the Rizla Suzuki MotoGP team in the Czech Republic round of the MotoGP World Championship at Brno on Aug. 14.

Hopkins will make his second appearance of the season for the Rizla Suzuki squad, this time as a team-mate for Álvaro Bautista rather than as a replacement. Hopkins deputized for the injured Spaniard at Jerez and scored a creditable 10th place at the Spanish Grand Prix, due to Bautista's inability to ride following the broken femur he suffered in Qatar.

The Anglo-American racer last rode at Brno for Rizla Suzuki in 2007 and recorded his best-ever finish in a MotoGP race by bringing his Suzuki GSV-R home in second place - a result that went some way to seeing Hopkins secure fourth place in the championship that season.

"It's a real thrill to get the opportunity to ride at Brno and I'm really looking forward to it," Hopkins said. "I'm very pleased that we have been able to achieve it because it is something we have been working on for a long time. To be honest it couldn't be at a better track for me either; I had my best result in my MotoGP career at that track and I'm really pumped that I am going there again.

"As far as the Suzuki goes, I think it's a great bike and the package is a lot better than when I last rode it in 2007. I think that in comparison to what I was able to do in Jerez, I believe I will be able to perform a lot better because back then I hadn't been on a bike in a competitive environment for six or seven months. I got thrown in at the deep-end in Spain, but this time I will have a lot more race-craft.

"It's also a huge benefit for me to be riding alongside Álvaro instead of riding in-place of him, so that will be really good, not just for me but for the whole team. With the two of us we can help develop the bike and share the extra data to get the best out of the GSV-R. It will be better to be riding with him in the team instead of replacing him, because nobody likes to see a rider injured and having more bikes on the grid is always better for everyone."

Hopkins is currently in second place in the British Superbike championship onboard a Suzuki GSX-R1000 with the Samsung Crescent Racing team. His next event is at Silverstone in England, when he gets a taste of World Championship motorcycle racing as he competes in the WSB series on July 29.

Harley announces new Custom

From Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada

CONCORD, ON – Harley-Davidson Custom Vehicle Operations takes bagger swagger to a new level with the 2012 CVO Road Glide Custom motorcycle – a chrome-drenched, shark-nosed beauty that snarls with Screamin’ Eagle authority.

This limited-production motorcycle features the most-powerful V-Twin engine offered by Harley-Davidson Motor Company, an exclusive multi-coloured paint scheme, a new high-output sound system, and a host of fresh custom components.

CVO motorcycles are customized using exclusive components and paint treatments combined with premium accessories from the Harley-Davidson Genuine Motor Accessories Catalogue. The CVO Program is often used to introduce new custom components and techniques before they are offered as individual accessories. Harley-Davidson CVO motorcycles are backed by a two-year, unlimited mileage warranty.

The CVO Road Glide Custom features a distinctive frame-mounted fairing, which offers a lighter steering feel than a fork-mounted fairing, and incorporates dual headlamps and a cockpit-style instrument display. Its Harley-Davidson Touring chassis has a single-spar rigid backbone frame and a two-piece swingarm designed to deliver responsive manoeuvrability and long-haul durability. Chassis geometry and suspension are calibrated to deliver confident handling and comfort. Hand-adjustable hydraulic rear shocks accommodate variable passenger and luggage loads. An Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) and cruise control are standard equipment.

The CVO Road Glide Custom will be offered in three custom colour schemes, each with a gloss black powder-coat powertrain; colour-matched inner fairing and speedometer/tachometer housing; and colour-matched upper fork sliders, licence plate light cover, and rear fender strut covers. The combinations are White Gold Pearl and Starfire Black with Real Smoke graphic (black seat with gold stitching); Maple Metallic and Vivid Black with Real Smoke graphic (black seat with grey stitching); Candy Cobalt and Twilight Blue with Real Smoke graphic (brown seat with gold stitching)

The 2012 CVO Road Glide Custom has a suggested Canadian Retail price of $33,689. Production will be limited to approximately 2,100 units.

Ben Bostrom Ready for Double Duty at Laguna

Story and photos by Vicki Schouten

This weekend, the LCR Honda team will 'double up' its efforts at the Red Bull US Grand Prix at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, CA. LCR's Toni Elías will be joined by Michael Jordan Motorsports' Ben Bostrom, who will compete in the MotoGP race as a wild card. Bostrom will also race, as usual, in the AMA Superbike class.

A humble and excited Ben Bostrom spoke at today's MotoGP press conference about the opportunity, "It's a dream come true," explained Bostrom, who is no stranger to Laguna Seca and has experience riding all types of motorcycles on the famed California racetrack. Bostrom was quick to thank Michael Jordan Motorsports and American Suzuki for the opportunity to ride the LCR Honda in the premier class this weekend. The talented veteran rider has raced up to as many as three classes in one race weekend in years past, so he is confident the transition from AMA Superbike to MotoGP bike throughout the weekend should not be too challenging. "The difference won’t be too bad," explained Ben, "the most difficult part will be to get my brain up to speed with the faster (MotoGP) bike."

When asked about having another American rider join the MotoGP ranks, Nicky Hayden, who has known Ben from their dirt track days, said simply, "Ben’s pretty special at this track, hopefully he doesn’t show any of the regulars up."

Bostrom intends to put his Jordan Motorsports Suzuki on the top of the podium this weekend, and plans to get the LCR Honda "as close to the front as possible" during Sunday's MotoGP race.

The Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix gets underway on Friday at 10:10am local time, when the MotoGP bikes take to the 11-turn, 2.238 mile race course on California's central coast for the opening practice session of the weekend.

Tight SuperBike battle heads to Monterey

From AMA Pro Racing

DAYTONA BEACH, FL - When the spectacular Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix makes its annual stop at Monterey, CA's Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca this weekend, AMA Pro Racing's National Guard SuperBike, Daytona SportBike, and Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport racers will be lining up with something to prove.

Highlighting the AMA Pro portion of the weekend will be the premier National Guard SuperBike class, in which a championship battle is currently raging between reigning champion Josh Hayes (Monster Energy Graves Yamaha) and Rockstar Makita Suzuki teammates Blake Young and Tommy Hayden. Young currently leads Hayes by just 11 points, and while the 23-year-old, six-race winner is experiencing his best year yet in AMA Pro SuperBike, Hayes hasn't eased up for a moment -- the Yamaha rider has captured two wins and five consecutive pole positions while putting himself in contention for every win this year. Hayden has likewise been a consistent factor, and he boosted his title chase with a timely victory at last round's Mid-Ohio event.

Also of note in the class are M4 Suzuki's 2010 AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion Martin Cardenas; National Guard Jordan Suzuki's Roger Hayden, who took his first AMA Pro SuperBike podium last round; and Roger's Jordan Suzuki teammate, Ben Bostrom, who not only won last year's Laguna SuperBike race but will be fielding the LCR MotoGP machine as a wildcard in weekend action.

Adding to the intrigue is new machinery such as the Chris Fillmore-piloted KTM RC8R and the Geoff May-steered EBR 1190RS, as well as a host of other talented riders determined to vie for top honours.

Daytona SportBike action, meanwhile, extends the offerings of can't-miss action, having kept fans on the edge of their seats since Round 1 with non-stop passing and 10-rider freight trains that frequently run three- and even four-wide.

The class has seen four different winners thus far, with a total of eight riders having proven themselves capable of podium finishes. GEICO Powersports/RMR Suzuki's Danny Eslick (2009 class champion) currently holds the overall lead, but fellow winners Josh Herrin (Monster Energy Graves Yamaha), Jason DiSalvo (Team Latus Motors Ducati) and Dane Westby (M4 Suzuki) are joined in the hunt by a number of young, lightning-fast competitors.  

The AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport class -- a proving ground for the series' youngest professional racers -- has likewise seen a huge diversity of winners. Results have boasted eight victors thus far in the class' two divisions, as the field counts down to the $25,000 Motorcycle-Superstore.com Year-End Points Fund.

In West Division standings, LTD Racing/Y.E.S. Yamaha's David Gaviria leads the pack, heading Roadracingworld.com's Benny Solis and Vesrah Suzuki's Corey Alexander. Other riders to watch include Gaviria's teammate Tomas Puerta, SuzukiScoopFans Racing's Elena Myers, and Dustin Dominguez (Latus Motors Racing), who took his Triumph to SuperSport victory last round.

For those fans unable to attend this weekend, broadcasts of Laguna Seca's AMA Pro action will begin at 8:00pm PST/11:00pm EST Sunday on SPEED. Those lucky enough to be at the Red Bull USGP will enjoy not only non-stop, on-track action, but a host of additional fan activities including Red Bull Air Force performances, demonstration laps by GP legend Kenny Roberts, a stunt show by Bill Dixon, a live concert by The Dirty Heads, ongoing fun in the Yamaha Marketplace and Ducati Island, and much more.

For Red Bull USGP tickets and information, visit www.mazdaraceway.com or call (800) 327-7322.

Taylor fourth at Leamington

From Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada

LEAMINGTON, ON – It has been a long time since Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada-sponsored dirt track racer Donald Taylor finished a Canadian race off the podium. One could certainly not expect him to feel good about it, but that was the case at the half-mile held last weekend in Leamington, ON.

Taylor took a close fourth place after starting in last position in the main event.

“It was kind of frustrating,” Taylor explained. “We had carb problems with the XR750 in practice and still hadn’t sorted it out by the time the heat race came up, and I ran last in that qualifier. That put me on the back row of three for the final.”

In the 15-lap final, Taylor got a good start and worked his way quickly into fourth place; he was on the move when the red flag came out for a fallen rider. On the restart, Taylor was sharp again and got a very good launch, only to have it negated by yet another red flag for a rider jumping the start. On the third start, Taylor was not at his best and got caught in the pack on a dry, slippery, and dusty race track.

“It was tough,” the six-time champ admitted. ”It was really hard to pass, and dangerous; really hard to see. I kept passing guys until I caught up with Chris Evans (American Harley-Davidson on a D XR750 bike), and we started to race each other. It was a great dice and it was a lot of fun. Then, late in the race, I found a good line and got rid of Evans and started after the leaders. I was closing on them, but there just wasn’t enough laps left in the race.”

Taylor noted that a fourth place finish was acceptable considering his luck of the day and the fact that he faced a full field – 17 quality riders – with many mounted on the XR750 Harley-Davidson motorcycle, and a strong contingency from the AMA Pro Series in the states.

“A front row start would have made all the difference,” he simply stated. “Coming back from last place and almost getting a podium was good, and we know it’ll get better. We never had a chance to get the XR on the dyno and, as you know, [we] had some issues, but we will have everything sorted out by Belleville, [ON].”

Taylor retains his points lead in his quest for his seventh CMA dirt track number one plate, and will race at the Niagara Motorcycle Raceway in Welland, ON this weekend. He will be on the Harley-Davidson XR750 motorcycle once more when the series visits the famed Belleville half-mile on Aug. 6.

For further information on dirt track racing and results, please refer to www.canmocycle.ca.

Allen rebounds with win

From Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada

ASHCROFT, BC – The V-Rod Destroyer racers ran round four last Sunday at the Sturgis North Nitro Nationals event at Eagle Motorplex in Ashcroft, BC. The Western Series continued to evolve with Redline Harley-Davidson-sponsored racer Nick Allen scoring an important win to regain a tenuous control in the west.

In the first round of eliminations of the Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada-sponsored V-Rod Destroyer Drag Race Series, Allen did what he had to do with a bye and single pass down the Eagle Motorplex drag strip, running a very average ET of 9.764 and a top speed of 136.57 mph.

Next up was Edge Harley-Davidson-rider Jamie Moench paired off against Redline Racing & Volution Tune-sponsored Chris Perkins. Moench got off a great jump at the tree and Perkins had an uncharacteristic slow run, with an ET of 10.028, relegating the young Allen protégé to the sidelines.

Rick Adams then had a good battle with Mike Evanyshyn, barely beating him out, and allowing Adams, the second Edge Harley-Davidson-rider, to move on.

Shaun Rude had his hands full with Kelly McCuaig, but when the lights flashed at the finish it was Rude with a narrow margin of victory, over the Harley-Davidson/Buell of Prince George rider.

In round two of eliminations Allen lined up against new upstart, Edge Harley-Davidson rider Moench, and this time Allen made no mistake, edging Moench out with a creditable 9.654 ET and a top speed of 137.13 mph.

Adams had to pull out all the stops in his semi-final match against Heritage Harley-Davidson and Harley-Davidson/Buell of Grand Prairie-sponsored Rude. In one of the closest battles of the day, Adams beat out a hard-charging Rude with an ET of 9.741, against Rude's 9.731, earning Adams a chance to unseat the reigning champion, Allen.

In the final run of the event, the unflappable Allen faced off against Adams. Both riders charged off with almost identical reaction times, but Allen made the better drive down the track to take the win with an ET of 9.657 and a top speed of 137.93 mph, against Adams' 9.714 and 135.44 mph. With this win, Allen looks likely to regain control of the series.

The next event for the Western contingent of the Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada-sponsored V-Rod Destroyer Series will be held on Aug. 6-7 at the MHDRA Drag Strip in Medicine Hat.

For further information on Canadian Drag Racing, please refer to www.cmdra.com.

Red hot Thomson wins again

From Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada

GRAND BEND, ON – The Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada-sponsored V-Rod Destroyer Drag Race class made a guest appearance at the IHRA Mopar Nationals for round three of the Eastern Series Drag Race season, and although this is primarily a car series, the V-Rod Destroyer motorcycles were a popular attraction for fans, young and old alike.

In Saturday's qualifying sessions, Rocky's Harley-Davidson-sponsored Pete Thomson continued to have a stranglehold on the series, besting the field with an impressive best low ET of 9.517 and a top speed of 141.47 mph. However, Thomson had company at the top of the ladder, with Chris Fox of Fox Harley-Davidson/Buell in Owen Sound, ON. Motosport Plus of Kingston rider, Mitch McCallum struggled early on but looked to challenge later, posting an ET of 9.599 and a top speed at 138.46 mph. Paul Guerrieri, sporting a unique pair of new riding boots, enjoyed a great qualifying day with consistent runs in the 9.7 range.

In Sunday's first elimination round, top qualifier Thomson, had a bye run but, instead of taking an easy one, Thomson threw down the gauntlet, besting his qualifying time by 0.013 of a second for an ET of 9.504.

"I probably could have done better but the air is really thick right now and I think that was all I could get out of the motor," commented Thomson.

Next up it was McCallum against Guerrieri. In a surprise upset, the surging Thunder Road Harley-Davidson-mounted Guerrieri defeated McCallum to earn a chance to enter the final. Fox then sent Ray Philp to the sidelines with a good run at 9.623 seconds and a top speed of 134.75 mph, despite having to wrestle the big V‑Rod motorcycle most of the way down the track.

With Fox earning a bye in the semi-finals, Guerrieri had his chance and lined up beside Thomson. Thomson left nothing to chance and unleashed a great pass at 9.460 and a top speed of 138.30 mph. Despite a poor jump at the line, Guerrieri made it close at the finish line with a top speed of 136.88 mph.

The final challenge of the day turned into a marathon wait as the IHRA ran every class to the finals before the V-Rod motorcycles could take the track for their final. An overheated and tired pair of riders lined up at the tree with current champ, Thomson getting lane choice against Fox. As the tree finally counted down, Thomson had a marginally better jump and that was enough of an advantage to set off the white light at the finish line in his lane. Thomson's last run netted him an ET of 9.500 and a top speed of 139.21 mph. Fox gave it his all and actually shot over the finish line with the best top speed of the weekend at 143.02 mph.

With the win, Thomson now enjoys a healthy lead in the Eastern V-Rod Destroyer series.

Fox remained positive after the final, saying, "I don't mind losing that way. I did all I could do and I left nothing out there."

The next stop for the eastern V-Rod Destroyer motorcycle racers will be July 30-31 at the Napierville Dragway in Napierville, QC.

For further information on Canadian Drag Racing, please refer to www.cmdra.com.

AMA will not replace VIR event

From AMA Pro Racing

DAYTONA BEACH, FL - The 2011 AMA Pro Road Racing Championship has coalesced into a nine-round series that will culminate at New Jersey Motorsports Park, Sept. 2-4, with a season banquet in Atlantic City immediately following. Despite intense and ongoing efforts, AMA Pro Racing was unable to secure a replacement for the Virginia International Raceway round, cancelled by the venue just weeks before the scheduled event, and hopes for a 10th round did not manifest.

"We recognize that the 2011 season calendar is not ideal," said AMA Pro COO and Managing Member David Atlas, "but I assure our paddock and fans that a great deal of hard work went into trying to create a schedule that was. We'll finish the season strong -- delivering more of the exciting, head-to-head racing AMA Pro is known for at each of our three remaining rounds -- then look to 2012 and an exciting, comprehensive calendar of race events."

AMA Pro Racing will seek to minimize the revised schedule's effect on divisional East and West Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport competition by implementing the following changes: Championship points will not be awarded for West Division qualifying at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, as was previously announced; in East Division racing at New Jersey Motorsports Park, points will be awarded both for race results and for qualifying. These modifications will give West and East Division contenders nine points-earning opportunities each, keeping the field level for those seeking overall championship honors.

The AMA Pro Road Racing Championship will be in action this weekend at Monterey, CA's Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

Ben Bostrom gets MotoGP shot

From motogp.com

This weekend, the LCR Honda team will 'double up' its efforts at the Red Bull US Grand Prix at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, CA. LCR's Toni Elías will be joined by Michael Jordan Motorsports' Ben Bostrom, who will compete in the MotoGP race as a wild card. Bostrom will also race, as usual, in the AMA Superbike class.

The decision to invite Bostrom, a former World Superbike rider, to compete in MotoGP on one of the Honda RC212Vs is a result of the excellent relationship between the LCR Team and the management of Michael Jordan Motorsports, which is owned by the legendary NBA superstar Michael Jordan. MotoGP is gaining popularity in the United States and the Laguna Seca race is one of two MotoGP stops in the United States this season.

"Words can't express how excited I am to get this amazing opportunity to race on my home track in front of the whole world," Bostrom said. "I have to thank Michael Jordan Motorsports and American Suzuki for allowing this to happen. The collaboration between Lucio, LCR and the MJM team has been terrific. I'm going to get on the GP bike and put it as close to the front as possible. Then I'm going to hop on my Jordan Suzuki bike and try to create even more magic."

As in 2010 when the LCR Team gave Roger Lee Hayden the opportunity to ride the team's bike in the MotoGP race after Randy de Puniet broke his left leg in the race at the Sachsenring, Germany, Lucio and the team's partners are taking the opportunity to experience another MotoGP race in the United States with an American rider.

"Considering that some of our partners are operating in the American market, we thought that we should organize a special event before the summer break," explained team owner Lucio Cecchinello. "Because of the great relationship between the LCR team and Michael Jordan Motorsports, we decided to invite one of Laguna Seca's most successful riders to compete for us in the race: Ben Bostrom. Ben will ride with one of our RCVs as a 'wild card' rider for only one race, while also taking part in the AMA Superbike race for Michael Jordan Motorsports. I'd like to offer many thanks to the Michael Jordan Motorsports team for the great collaboration and the amazing support."

Calgary considers race track options

By John Hopkins

Work is progressing to create a Calgary area motorsports facility once Race City Motorsport Park closes for business at the end of this season, according to an update from the CMRA, which organizes road racing events at the track.

According to a posting on the CMRA website (www.roadracing.org) the MARCS committee has been meeting regularly with Calgary city officials regarding the plans for developing a venue to replace Race City. The MARCS group consists of Rick Coutts, Calgary Alderman Shane Keating, former Calgary City Alderman Rick McIver, and Ryan Oakey, president of Cardel Homes.

There has reportedly been increased support in Calgary city council for the development of a new facility, either in a reconfigured form at the current Race City site or in an alternative location. One such option is a newly propsed cargo airport development near Airdrie, just north of downtown Calgary.

"In the past, the issue of a facility that included motorsports was polarized – people were either for or against it," said the CMRA website report. "Now there seems to be general support for the concept, the quality of dialogue with the city has improved, and there has been a positive change in the tone of the discussions.

"One of Alderman Keating’s key messages is that this type of facility should receive the same kind of support as other recreation, arts, sporting, and community related facilities. Although there is no will to provide financial aid, it is clear that that support will be stronger for a not-for-profit organizing body (similar to the not-for-profit Calgary Stampede board) rather than a for-profit business venture."

It appears certain that the existing Race City road course cannot be maintained, as the city's work toward converting the land into a storm water retention area has moved too far along and there remains political opposition to maintaining the race track.

But Alderman Keating has presented a "notice of motion" in city council requesting the city develop a list of lands that could accommodate a race track. The Airdrie location is considered quite promising as it is considered unlikely to arouse opposition from residents.

Pedrosa wins German GP battle

From motogp.com

Dani Pedrosa emerged victorious from a three-way race long battle for first in Sunday's MotoGP World Championship event at the Sachsenring, with Jorge Lorenzo stealing second from Casey Stoner on the last corner.

Repsol Honda's Pedrosa had his usual great start, taking the holeshot ahead of Lorenzo (Yamaha Factory Racing) and Stoner (Repsol Honda) at the start of the eni Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland MotoGP race in what was to be a 30-lap fight to the finish. The Spaniard's win is his fifth Grand Prix victory at the Sachsenring circuit and only his second race after returning from surgery for his broken collarbone.

"It's an incredible feeling to be back and win a race so early," Pedrosa admitted. "I didn't expect it, but this circuit has been always very good for me and I made it happen. I was already surprised yesterday with second position in qualifying and to finish the weekend in this way is amazing, a huge relief for me after a very hard time with injuries.

"Here I suffered less than in Mugello because of the layout, but in the race today I had a strange feeling, something I've never had before. At the beginning of the race I wasn't feeling great on the bike, I was fourth but I didn't get nervous or worried because I'm still not mathematically out of the Championship battle, but I know it's almost impossible. So, I just let the laps pass and in the middle of the race, with less fuel in the tank and when the tires started sliding, I decided to step it up a little and it worked perfectly."

At the end of lap one, Lorenzo was in the lead ahead of the three Repsol Hondas of Pedrosa, Stoner and Andrea Dovizioso, who fought amongst each other for second until the Australian made his attack on lap 5 to take the lead, only to have Lorenzo regain the lead status a few laps later. The Mallorcan then tried desperately to defend his line, until lap 21 when Pedrosa got a huge drive out of the last corner to launch himself into the lead for the last time.

"It has been a fantastic race today," Lorenzo said. "From the middle of the race I got very tired in my left hand so I didn't know where I could find the strength to push and keep pushing to the end. Then Casey stopped the bike a lot two corners from the end so I took advantage of it, opened the throttle full stand in the last corner I went for it. It was a miracle pass."

"We knew today would be a hard race," Stoner conceded. "We found a good set up yesterday in qualifying but we had an issue with the rear tire and the temperatures getting too high, with it spinning too much.

"We took it easy in the early part of the race and thought we'd try to preserve the tire and warm it up slower than we did in Mugello. After a few laps I decided to make a move to the front to see what we could do and we were able to pull a small advantage, but too small compared to the effort we were putting in so I backed off on my pace a little and tried to stay as smooth as possible and see what happens. They came past me and Dani was riding so strong and was able to get past Jorge before I got there, he built a small advantage and by the time I got past Jorge and I struggled to chase him down.

"I made a few small mistakes and that left just Jorge and I for the last few laps. I tried everything I could, riding the cleanest lap possible and trying to block my line, but Jorge came up on the dirty part of the track and I thought it would be too high a risk but he made it stick and I have to settle for third place. I'm still leading the Championship and I'm thankful for the points here today."

Meanwhile a three-man battle for fourth ensued behind the leaders between Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini Team), Dovizioso and Ben Spies (Yamaha Factory Racing), out of which Italian Dovizioso crossed the line first, two tenths of a second in front of American rider Spies and four tenths ahead of fellow countryman Simoncelli.

Another intense fight starred Álvaro Bautista (Rizla Suzuki) and the two Ducati Team riders Nicky Hayden and Valentino Rossi. Bautista crossed the line seventh with Hayden less than a tenth of a second behind the Spaniard and Rossi just six thousands behind the American, with of Colin Edwards (Tech 3 Yamaha Monster) following the trio in 10th.

Héctor Barberá (Mapfre Aspar) had an off-track excursion in the early stages of the race but then staged a great comeback from the back of the pack to finish 11th, in front of Karel Abraham (Cardion AB Motoracing).

Stoner leads the championship with 168 points, just 15 points ahead of Lorenzo. In third is Dovizioso with 132 points.

Marc Márquez took his third consecutive win at the eni Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland Moto2 race, ahead of local star Stefan Bradl, and Alex de Angelis in third.

Bradl (Viessmann Kiefer Racing) had the holeshot off the start, but pole man Márquez (Team CatalunyaCaixa Repsol) quickly took the lead on the first lap of the Sachsenring race, scrapping for the lead with the German until the Spaniard regained the lead on lap 22 of the 29 lap race to take the win.

De Angelis (JiR Moto2), who started from the second row, pressured Bradl throughout the race, followed by Aleix Espargaró (Pons HP 40) and fourth row starter Yonny Hernández (Blusens-STX), until Espargaró and Max Neukirchner (MZ Racing) collided on lap five, ending the race for both of them. De Angelis wasn't able to make a move on Bradl, with the Italian finishing the race in third, half a second behind the German.

Randy Krummenacher (GP Team Switzerland Kiefer Racing) made his move on fellow countryman Thomas Lüthi (Interwetten Paddock Moto2) on the second to the last lap to grab fourth place after the two had sparred with de Angelis for third. Sixth place went to Hernández.

A dead heat to the finish line between Johann Zarco and Héctor Faubel gave the Spaniard his first 125cc World Championship win of the season after a photo finish determined a tie between the two, requiring the fastest lap of the two to be the deciding factor in who was the victor.

A breathtaking last lap battle between Faubel (Bankia Aspar), Zarco (Avant-AirAsia-Ajo) and Maverick Viñales (Blusens by Paris Hilton Racing Team) saw Frenchman Zarco make a move Faubel outside of the last corner, crossing the finish line at the exact same time at the Spaniard. A video image finish determined a tie between the two, therefore based on the rules the win goes to the rider who had the fastest lap, thus giving Faubel his first Grand Prix win of the season and Zarco a miss at his first victory.

Alan Techer, the 16-year-old Frenchman, scored his first Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup victory in the second race of the German Grand Prix weekend at the Sachsenring. Chasing him across the line were two Germans, 15-year-old Florian Alt ahead of 13-year-old Willi Albert, who was on the podium for the first time in his debut season.

MotoGP Race Results
1. Dani PEDROSA (SPA) Repsol Honda Team / Honda 41:12.482
2. Jorge LORENZO (SPA) Yamaha Factory Racing / Yamaha +1.477
3. Casey STONER (AUS) Repsol Honda Team / Honda +1.568
4. Andrea DOVIZIOSO (ITA) Repsol Honda Team / Honda +10.513
5. Ben SPIES (USA) Yamaha Factory Racing / Yamaha +10.719
6. Marco SIMONCELLI (ITA) San Carlo Honda Gresini / Honda +10.923
7. Alvaro BAUTISTA (SPA) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP / Suzuki +27.451
8. Nicky HAYDEN (USA) Ducati Team / Ducati +27.510
9. Valentino ROSSI (ITA) Ducati Team / Ducati +27.576
10. Colin EDWARDS (USA) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 / Yamaha +33.491
11. Hector BARBERA (SPA) Mapfre Aspar Team MotoGP / Ducati +38.944
12. Karel ABRAHAM (CZE) Cardion AB Motoracing / Ducati +39.148
13. Randy DE PUNIET (FRA) Pramac Racing Team / Ducati +39.415
14. Cal CRUTCHLOW (GBR) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 / Yamaha +39.477
15. Hiroshi AOYAMA (JPN) San Carlo Honda Gresini / Honda +54.516
16. Toni ELIAS (SPA) LCR Honda MotoGP / Honda +1:12.335
17. Sylvain GUINTOLI (FRA) Pramac Racing Team / Ducati +1 Lap

MotoGP Point Standings
1. Casey STONER (Honda) 168
2. Jorge LORENZO (Yamaha) 153
3. Andrea DOVIZIOSO (Honda) 132
4. Valentino ROSSI (Ducati) 98
5. Dani PEDROSA (Honda) 94
6. Ben SPIES (Yamaha) 85
7. Nicky HAYDEN (Ducati) 85
8. Marco SIMONCELLI (Honda) 60
9. Colin EDWARDS (Yamaha) 59
10. Hiroshi AOYAMA (Honda) 57
11. Hector BARBERA (Ducati) 49
12. Karel ABRAHAM (Ducati) 41
13. Alvaro BAUTISTA (Suzuki) 39
14. Toni ELIAS (Honda) 35
15. Cal CRUTCHLOW (Yamaha) 34
16. Loris CAPIROSSI (Ducati) 22
17. Randy DE PUNIET (Ducati) 15
18. John HOPKINS (Suzuki) 6
19. Kousuke AKIYOSHI (Honda) 3

Rookies Cup prepares for the future

From the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup

The Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup is enjoying its fifth season and as the selection process is now open for the 2012 series the partnership is very pleased to announce its plans extending through 2013.

Dorna, KTM and Red Bull will continue in the partnership that has provided the world's teenagers with a truly fantastic stepping stone into Grand Prix racing and makes the transition into the four-stroke Moto3 era with a brand new machine provided by KTM for the 2013 Cup.

Over the past five years the Cup has become the natural route for riders to take who wish to enter MotoGP. The Cup's status as the entry point into MotoGP for the aspiring talents from around the globe is further enhanced by the announcement that the best rider from the 2012 Cup will be offered a place in a Grand Prix Moto3 Team for 2013 by Red Bull.

“We put 'MotoGP' in the series title for a reason and it has become the main stream for riders coming to Grand Prix," said Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta. "We will continue to work with our partners Red Bull to increase the already impressive world-wide television coverage and status of the Rookies Cup so that everyone knows the key role that the Rookies Cup plays in developing Grand Prix racing talent.”

KTM has similarly been an essential part of the Cup since its inception and after six years on the competitive circuit, the RC 125 KTMs currently being used will be replaced in 2013 by KTM’s entirely newly developed four-stroke Moto3 machine.

“The Rookies Cup perfectly matches our company philosophy,” said Stefan Pierer, KTM CEO. “Just as the RC 125 was closely related to our factory Grand Prix machine, the Rookies Cup Moto3 machine will be very similar to the bike that we will race in the Moto3 World Championship next year. They are part of our latest range of tarmac models, also represented by the 125 Duke. These provide riders with an introduction to street bike riding just as the Rookies Cup is the road to Grand Prix success.”

Riders supply information about themselves including their racing experience enabling the panel of experts to select around 100 who are invited to a Selection Event to be held in early October. From this annual Selection Event normally 10 to 15 riders are chosen to be invited to take part in the following season's Cup. They race and learn alongside those retained from the previous season as part of a grid of up to 25 teenagers between the ages of 13 and 17.

The exact schedule for the 2012 season has yet to be finalised but is likely to be very similar to the 2011 Cup which is being contested over 14 races at eight GPs in Europe. The races can be seen on over 40 television stations around the world and are webcast live on www.redbull.tv.