Motorcycle racing legend Jeff Ward will bring his considerable amount of racing and career experience to AMA Pro Racing as rider liaison and advisor.  Ward has nine AMA Pro Racing Championships in Motocross, Supercross and Supermoto.  He also has a number of other significant motorcycle wins and achievements as well as an impressive auto racing resume that includes a Ganassi Indy Car win, Rookie of the Year at the 1997 Indianapolis 500 and a second place finish in that iconic event in 1999.  Jeff is also in the Motorcycle Hall of Fame and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America.

Among other responsibilities, Jeff will be the rider liaison and will fully engage with AMA Pro Racing’s riders on the many issues that are important to or may cause concern from the rider’s standpoint.  “Jeff has the perspective of an experienced, champion rider and can understand the concerns and questions that only someone who has experienced it from behind the handlebars would truly understand,” said AMA Pro Racing COO David Atlas.  “And, having Jeff represent that part of our sport and be one of our key advisors will further our efforts to be as available and responsive to our riders and teams as we can.  From the time he was a child and was featured doing wheelies in the classic motorcycle movie ‘On Any Sunday’, Jeff has devoted his entire sports life to winning and he is now cultivating his own children’s successful motorcycle competition careers.  We felt that the spectrum of Wardy’s experience, his down to earth sincerity and unassuming nature could be very helpful to many in our paddock.”

Joining AMA Pro Racing Race Director David McGrath, who also has experience as a rider in the sport, Jeff and David McGrath provide AMA Pro Racing with a large baseline of firsthand racer experience that will greatly benefit the riders in AMA Pro Racing.

“I’m delighted to be joining the AMA Pro Racing series,” said Ward, “I personally know many of the riders and am looking forward to helping them have a positive influence in the future direction of the sport and the way in which they plan and pursue their training, successful strategies and careers.”

Jeff will begin his duties at the upcoming March 26-28th Auto Club Speedway AMA Pro Road Racing event in Fontana, CA and will be a very approachable  presence in the pits and paddock at the AMA Pro Road Racing events in 2010.  Ward will also advise AMA Pro Racing on motocross and flat track rider matters which it sanctions too, as well as assist AMA Pro Racing with its relations with the motorcycle manufacturers and parts suppliers.

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP completed the first day of a two-day night-time test held last night under the floodlights at Losail International Circuit in Qatar.

Loris Capirossi recorded a best time of 1’57.100 from his 40 laps of the Losail track to give him 11th place overall. He worked through only a small amount of his scheduled test program today because, unfortunately for Capirossi and the whole team, he had to finish the session early due to sickness.

Motourage favorite Alvaro Bautista found himself at the bottom of the time sheets after day one of testing at Losail

Alvaro Bautista (P17, 1’57.960, 56 laps), used the first day to acclimatize himself to riding a MotoGP bike at the 5,380m Qatari track under the strange atmosphere of artificial lighting. He started to find a rhythm with his Rizla Suzuki GSV-R as the test rolled on and is sure he can improve dramatically today.

The cooler track conditions were exactly what the team wanted, as it gave them a chance to evaluate the steps that have been taken this winter to improve the performance of the GSV-R in changeable conditions.
Rizla Suzuki has one final day at Qatar on Friday, which will then signal the end of pre-season testing for the MotoGP class, before the season begins – also at Qatar – early next month.

Loris Capirossi:
“I think that the bike is a bit better compared to last year’s, but I didn’t make many laps today because I don’t feel so good. This will now make tomorrow very important because we have some big things to try and some other bits to fix. I am really optimistic and think that the new bike is a step in the right direction and we have an opportunity to make an improved performance in the championship.”

Alvaro Bautista:
“The first day here has not had the same feel for me as I had on the last day in Sepang, this is because it is a new track for me on a MotoGP bike with new reference points and I don’t feel 100% yet. The problem I have is in the exit of corners, I can keep a good line and go out through them, but it is difficult to get it right every time and enjoy it. We’ve tried different solutions, but I don’t have a good feeling. We decided to stop a bit early because it has been a long day and my body is not feeling the changes we are making to the bike. Tomorrow we have another day and I hope to be 100% and to enjoy riding the bike and to go much better.”

Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden ended the first of two nights of testing in Qatar with the second and eighth fastest times respectively, the Ducati MotoGP Team riders working throughout a sticky evening to get their GP10 machines to grips with a particularly slippery track surface. The high levels of humidity experienced tonight are also expected for the first race of the season, which takes place here on the 11th April.

Casey Stoner (Ducati MotoGP Team) 2nd fastest:  1’55.717 (48 laps)
“We tried a few different set-up solutions but the main focus tonight was the tires. I used the same set for thirty laps and set some of my best lap times towards the end, so we are satisfied with that. We have also worked on the balance of the bike because the conditions here are very different to Malaysia and I prefer the bike to be more rigid. So far so good.”

Nicky Hayden (Ducati MotoGP Team) 8th fastest:  1’56.855 (77 laps)
“Things went well for the first half of the session then we kind of got stuck. The general feeling of the bike is quite good but I would like to be a step closer to the top guys. The biggest problem is that we’re not able to get the most out of the soft tire – we can’t seem to get it working at the right temperature so I have to keep using the harder compound. It happened in Malaysia and we’ve struggled with it again today at a circuit where the conditions are very different, so it is important we work out the reason.”

Circuit Record:
Casey Stoner (Ducati – 2008), 1’55.153, 168.193 Km/h

Best Pole:
Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha – 2008), 1’53.927, 170.003 Km/h

Unofficial lap times – Thursday, March 18
1. V. Rossi (Yamaha) 1’55.402
2. C. Stoner (Ducati) 1’55.717
3. B. Spies (Yamaha) 1’55.954
4. C. Edwards (Yamaha) 1’56.540
5. R. De Puniet (Honda) 1′56.588
6. A. Dovizioso (Honda) 1’56.811
7. J. Lorenzo (Yamaha) 1’56.838
8. N. Hayden (Ducati) 1’56.855
9. M. Kallio (Ducati) 1’56.923
10. D. Pedrosa (Honda) 1’57.047
11. L. Capirossi (Suzuki) 1’57.099
12. M. Melandri (Honda) 1’57.605
13. H. Barbera (Ducati) 1’57.822
14. H. Aoyama (Honda) 1’57.888
15. M. Simoncelli (Honda) 1’57.891
16. A. Espargaro (Ducati) 1’57898
17. A. Bautista (Suzuki) 1’57.960

The 2009 ASBK privateer champion, CJC-Bisley Racing’s Craig Coxhell, is looking forward to his 2010 debut at round two of the Viking Australian Superbike Championship on board the team’s all new BMW S1000RR. Aiming to follow on from last year’s successful debut with Bisley Workwear, the team has found another exciting new partner in Southbank BMW and look forward to get back into the action.

Rob Coxhell and the CJC team make the move from Honda to BMW for the 2010 ASBK season

Craig Coxhell:
“We had a great first year last year and are looking forward to getting to terms with the exciting new S 1000 RR. Gary House is preparing the bikes as we speak and we’ll be able to give them a shakedown and some preliminary testing prior to Darwin, where we’ll be running the stock engine. That shouldn’t be an issue – from all reports and the feel from when I rode one earlier this year that should be enough to get us in the ballpark. The stock motor seriously rips. We’ve also been able to secure Dave Cullen to help us out with suspension and setup this year, so we’re looking forward to working with Dave again. We have a successful history together and it’s a pleasure to be alongside Dave again.”

Rob Coxhell:
“We’re treating this year as a development year – obviously the bikes have only just arrived and we’ve missed the first round, but we’re hoping to get up to speed fairly quickly with some great support from BMW, particularly Chris Bussenschutt and the team at BMW Southbank. We’re also extremely pleased to be continuing our relationships with Bisley Workwear and the guys from Ankermann and the support from our partner suppliers such as Sportsbike tire warmers. It’s a pretty amazing year really in the ASBK this year; with the inclusion of the all new S 1000 RR there will be 8 manufacturers going for it which makes for exceptional racing and when you throw in Darwin as a new track – anything could happen. We know there are a lot of very excited BMW riders out there who are keen to see the bikes on track and we’ll do our best to put on a great show.”

Rossi continues pre-season domination as Lorenzo makes his return

Reigning World Champion Valentino Rossi continued his domination of the pre-season testing program in Qatar today, finishing the opening day of the final test 0.3 seconds ahead of Casey Stoner. His team-mate Jorge Lorenzo made a welcome return from injury to finish the day a creditable seventh, and with Ben Spies third and Colin Edwards fourth, it was four Yamahas in the top seven.

Fiat Yamaha teammates Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi chat during the rider photo shoot in Qatar

Testing began at 6pm under the floodlights at the desert track and Rossi was in command from the start, finding yet more improvement in the 2010 M1 at what is not generally one of his best tracks. A break for dinner saw both Stoner and Spies better his time but the Italian was determined to finish the day on top and improved again on his last run to regain first place.

Lorenzo missed the last test after breaking his hand and he was unsure how much strength he would have today, but the 23-year-old Spaniard was happy to find himself in better shape than expected and he steadily improved all night. He found the hard braking areas the most difficult but he was able to ride well enough to continue with his interrupted testing regime, and he is hopeful of further improvement tomorrow.

Valentino Rossi – Position: 1st, Time: 1′55.402 Laps: 64
“I am so happy today because this isn’t one of our best tracks and to come here and be fastest shows what a great job Yamaha has done with this new M1. To start with the track was quite slippery but anyway we were still fast, and as the track started to improve I felt better and better. We are quite competitive and this gives me a good feeling, and I was happy to make this quick lap right at the end. We still have to decide the right tire and the best setting for it, and we will keep working on the electronics but the most important thing is that we’re faster than last year! Tomorrow we will continue with our work and try to finalize everything before the race.”

>> Continued…

Suzuki Canada has agreed to a reduced role in the 2010 Parts Canada Superbike Championship that will see its motorcycles remain eligible for the national road racing series. This will be the 30th year of national Superbike racing in Canada and the 10th season of Parts Canada’s title sponsorship of the series.

Under the terms of the new deal, Suzuki Canada will pay a small homologation fee to allow its GSX-R1000 and GSX-R600 equipment to run in the feature Parts Canada Superbike and Yoshimura Pro SportBike divisions in 2010.

The arrangement precludes the manufacturer from providing direct support for ‘A’ teams in either class, however it leaves the door open for privateers and dealer supported competitors to ride Suzukis in the national series. Suzuki’s GSX-R1000 is particularly popular among smaller racing teams.

“Everyone understands the current financial challenges in the motorcycle industry, and it was important to provide some flexibility to Suzuki Canada so that it could continue to play a role in the Parts Canada Superbike Championship,” said Colin Fraser of Professional Motorsports Productions, which administers the series.

“Our four partner manufacturers agreed that keeping the GSX-R out of the series would have a detrimental effect on the national championship, and we think we have found a good compromise that can work for all parties. We appreciate Suzuki’s willingness to find a way to make this happen.”

The move is also based on Suzuki Canada making an early commitment to the 2011 Parts Canada Superbike Championship. The company will continue to pay contingency to riders on board its motorcycles.

“This is going to be a challenging summer and we’ve had to make concessions in a number of areas,” Fraser added. “But we are confident that by taking these steps for 2010 we can ensure a strong and prosperous national championship for the 2011 season and beyond.”

Yamaha Motor Canada will not officially participate in the 2010 Parts Canada Superbike Championship. The company made its decision to withdraw last November. As a result, the YZF-R1 Superbike has been excluded from the national series, along with any 2010 Yamaha models. Yamaha YZF-R6 motorcycles from the 2009 model year and earlier are still permitted in the Sport Bike class.

“We all hope, however, that Yamaha will return to the Parts Canada Superbike Championship in the near future,” Fraser added.

The Parts Canada Superbike Championship is overseen by Professional Motorsports Productions along with partner manufacturers Canadian Kawasaki Motors, Honda Canada, BMW Motorrad Canada and Deeley Racing.

The 2010 season opens May 28-30 at Circuit ICAR in Mirabel, Que.

2010 Pirelli/WERA Sportsman Series
Virginia International Raceway
March 19-21
Northeast and Mid Atlantic Regions

This weekend, VIR opens its spectator event season with the 2010 Pirelli/WERA Sportsman Series round 1.
WERA motorcycle road races bring out large crowds of entrants, making its events exciting for competitors and spectators alike.  If the schedules allow, pro racers compete, getting more time on the track for their next event.

Tickets start at $10 and may be purchased HERE.

Weekend Schedule

Friday

7:00-11:00am & 12:00-2:00pm Registration Open
7:15-11:00am & 12:00-2:15pm Tech Open
9:00-11:30am Practice Groups as follows:
1) 750cc and Up Novices
2) 750cc and Up Experts
3) Lightweight Novices and Experts
4) 600cc Novices
5) 600cc Experts
11:30am-12:30pm Lunch Break
12:30-5:00pm Practice Groups as follows:
1) 750cc and Up Novices
2) 750cc and Up Experts
3) Lightweight Novices and Experts
4) 600cc Novices
5) 600cc Experts

Saturday

7:00am – 9:30am Registration Open
7:15am – 9:45am Technical Inspection Open
8:30am – 11:30am Practice – Groups as follows:
1) 750cc and Up Novices
2) 750cc and Up Experts
3) Lightweight Novices and Experts
4) 600cc Novices
5) 600cc Experts
6) Vintage 1 – 4
7) Riders School
11:30am – 12:30pm Lunch Break
11:45am Riders Meeting – Tech Shed
12:30pm Solo 16 and Vintage (6 laps)
1) V5, V3
2) Mediumweight Novice Solo
3) Mediumweight Expert Solo
4) V2, 500 GP, 250 GP
5) Lightweight Expert & Novice Solo
6) Formula 500, V1, 350 GP
7) Heavyweight Novice Solo
8) Heavyweight Expert Solo
9) V6 LW, Formula 2-Stroke, V4
10) Riders School Mock Race (4 laps)

Sunday

8:00am – 9:30am Registration Open
8:15am – 10:00am Technical Inspection Open8:30am – 11:00am Practice Groups as follows:
1) 750cc and Up Novices
2) 750cc and Up Experts
3) Lightweight Novices and Experts
4) 600cc Novices
5) 600cc Experts
11:00am – 12:00pm Lunch Break
11:10am Riders Meeting – Tech Shed
11:40pm Chapel Service – Classroom first floor of tower
12:00pm Pirelli/WERA Sportsman Series Races – 6 Laps each
1) C Superbike Ex, HWT SS Ex & Nv
2) C Superbike Novice
3) Formula 1 Expert & Novice
4) LWT SS, DSB, ESS Ex & Nv
5) B Superbike Expert. V7 HW
6) B Superbike Novice
7) LWT SB, DSS
8) A Superbike Expert & Novice
9)125cc GP, Clubman
10) A Superstock Ex & Nv
11) WSS, HWT SB, V6 HW, V7MW
12) C Superstock Expert
13) C Superstock Novice
14) Formula 2 Expert & Novice
15) Senior Superbike Ex & Nv
16) B Superstock Expert
17) B Superstock Novice

Available Contingencies:

Bridgestone**, Continental Tires**, Dunlop Tires, EBC Brakes, Hotbodies, Michelin*, Pirelli*, Pit Bull*, Powerstands, Silkolene, Vortex,

Some forms are not available at the track but are online.
* Requires sign-up on their website
** Requires a once a year form

WERA Sponsors:

Bridgestone National Endurance Series
Michelin National Challenge Series
Pirelli Sportsman Series
Lucas Oil in WERA West

For more information, visit www.wera.com

The AMA Suzuki Superbike Showdown just five weeks away.

Get ready for heart pounding excitement as the country’s best riders attack Road Atlanta’s 2.5 miles of swooping hills and thrilling turns at speeds as fast as 190 mph.

Your favorite riders – Aaron Yates, Larry Pegram, Ben Bostrom, Tommy Hayden, Jake Zemke, John Hopkins, Danny Eslick, Blake Young, Taylor Knapp and more – on your favorite bikes – Suzuki, Kawasaki, Yamaha, Honda, Ducati and more – in your favorite classes – American Superbike, Daytona Sportbike and SuperSport.

DISCOUNTED TICKETS

2010 ticket prices discounted another 10%–20% from last year’s already discounted prices.
Saturday and Sunday single-day tickets are only $33 (down from $40 last year) and a two-day weekend ticket, which now includes FREE admission to Friday afternoon practice, is only $55 (down from $60 last year). It’s the perfect time to come and see the thrilling excitement for yourself. Remember, kids 12 and younger are free, so bring the entire family.

Buy your tickets today online at roadatlanta.com or call 800.849.RACE (7223).

Road Atlanta is located at 5300 Winder Highway, Braselton, Georgia 30517

Fiat Yamaha Team rider Jorge Lorenzo will take part in this week’s MotoGP test in Qatar, four weeks after breaking a bone in his right thumb during a training incident.

The 22-year-old has spent the time recuperating at home in Barcelona and he has now been given the all-clear by his doctor to get back on his bike. The recovery has gone well and the hand is no longer swollen, but he needs to continue with physiotherapy in order to keep repairing the muscle around the break.

His doctor has confirmed that there is no risk to the broken bone from riding, but he will need to wait until testing starts in order to ascertain if he will be able to ride and use the brake at full strength.

This week’s test takes place on Thursday 18th and Friday 19th of March under the Qatar floodlights, the last test before the season starts in April.

Jorge Lorenzo
“Today we are leaving for Qatar for the last winter test. I think that it is important that we are there. The fracture happened less than five weeks ago, but we could not have missed this last test because it would have been negative for our preparation; we are not far from the first race of the season! The doctor has made a special carbon fiber protection and Dainese have modified my glove, in order to further protect the fracture, so we will see how we get on.”

Wilco Zeelenberg
“We are happy that Jorge will be back for this last pre-season test at Qatar! Of course we have had to miss a whole test but we are confident that we can make up for lost time because the 2010 bike has proved to be very competitive from the first time we have used it. We will have to wait to see how Jorge’s hand feels when he starts riding, but we do not take anything for granted. The doctors have prepared a special brace for the thumb, Dainese have prepared special gloves and also a modified handlebar grip has been produced. Yamaha will give him all the support and time he needs to return to full strength.”

The first worldwide sighting of the new 2010 Rizla Suzuki GSV-R will be revealed exclusively on the Rizla Suzuki MotoGP website on Friday, March 12, 2010.

Images of the new Rizla Suzuki machine in its Troy Lee Designs-inspired livery will be available to view and download in hi-res from the team’s website – ahead of the GSV-R’s first sighting on-track at Qatar next week.

So make sure you log on to www.rizla-suzuki-motogp.co.uk from 10.00hrs GMT (5am Eastern Time) on Friday to see the bike that Loris Capirossi and Alvaro Bautista will be riding during their assault on this season’s MotoGP World Championship.