Vonconcepts Performance Magazine

MSF Director of Training Systems Dr. Ray Ochs Receives SMSA

admin — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 22:38:44 +0000

MSF Director of Training Systems Dr. Ray Ochs Receives SMSA
Chairperson’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to Motorcycle Safety

IRVINE, Calif., August 26, 2010 - Dr. Ray Ochs, director of training systems for the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF), was honored at the annual conference for the National Association of State Motorcycle Safety Administrators (SMSA), held in Columbus, Ohio on August 20-22, 2010.

Dr. Ochs received the SMSA Annual Chairperson’s Award for his “Outstanding Contributions to Motorcycle Safety” in national rider education and training. It was presented by SMSA Executive Committee member Ken Kiphart from the Nevada Department of Public Safety pictured (left) and Dr. Ray Ochs. Photo courtesy of Miriam Romais.

Each year the SMSA recognizes an individual whose contributions to motorcyclist safety has moved motorcycle rider education and training forward by consistently providing outstanding work and support. The award is intended to recognize the individual’s commitment and contributions to motorcycle safety at local, state, and national levels. Nominations are voted upon by a committee composed of the current and former Chairpersons of the SMSA.

“Without fail Ray Ochs has served the needs of current and prospective motorcyclists across the country with great passion and expertise,” said MSF President Tim Buche. “His leadership and vision have been instrumental in bringing the MSF’s Rider Education and Training System to fruition, offering training and safety renewal opportunities for riders at all skill levels. Among his achievements, he has also been responsible for ‘training the trainers’ and has logged hundreds of hours leading professional development workshops for MSF RiderCoaches and RiderCoach Trainers. Currently Ochs is working with over fifty subject matter experts through the RETSDOT to sharpen the focus of MSF’s RETS and redefine MSF’s basic RiderCourse. His many contributions will benefit generations of riders to come, and we’re pleased that his achievements have been acknowledged by the SMSA Executive Committee with this prestigious award.”

Dr. Ochs has more than 40 years of experience in education, training and leadership functions and has been associated with MSF development programs since its inception in 1973. Ochs’s association with the MSF and the RETSDOT program continued in 1997 through a contract with the Traffic Safety Institute at Eastern Kentucky University. Ochs joined the MSF in a leadership position in 2002 where he develops and maintains national curriculum and training functions related to the MSF Rider Education and Training System. Ochs has owned multiple motorcycles in his 44-plus years on the road and currently rides a touring bike. He became an MSF-certified instructor in 1973 and a chief instructor in 1980, and has conducted motorcycle safety training programs and presented papers and presentations in 48 states and throughout the world supporting DOD safety programs and various International Safety Conferences.

Ochs began his career in 1970 as a high school teacher and baseball coach at LeBlond High School in St. Joseph, Mo. He entered academia as a graduate assistant at the Driver Education Instructional Demonstration Center at Indiana State University.

Upon graduating, he was appointed lecturer at Appalachian State University in North Carolina, where he taught undergraduate safety courses, managed laboratory functions for the traffic safety teacher preparation program, implemented a motorcycle safety workshop for driver education teachers and served as a consultant for the North Carolina Department of Education. In 1974, he became an instructor for the Driver Education Center at East Carolina University, where he taught undergraduate and graduate programs in driver and traffic safety education, expanded the university’s rider education curriculum and collaborated in the development of the state motorcycle safety program.

Ochs then joined the faculty of Eastern Kentucky University in 1976 as assistant professor at the Traffic Safety Institute, later to earn full professor rank and become the institute’s coordinator. Serving EKU for 27 years, he was responsible for expanding the undergraduate curriculum in driver and traffic safety education, implementing several new courses including a for-credit university course in motorcycle safety education, collaborating in the development of legislation for the state motorcycle safety program and serving as project director for several grant-funded state projects including the motorcycle rider education program and other traffic safety projects.

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation promotes rider safety through rider training systems, operator licensing tests and public information programs. The MSF works with the federal government, state agencies, the military, and others to offer training for all skill levels so riders can enjoy a lifetime of safe, responsible motorcycling. Standards established by the MSF have been internationally recognized since 1973.

The MSF is a not-for-profit organization sponsored by BMW, BRP, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Piaggio, Suzuki, Triumph, Victory and Yamaha. For RiderCourse^SM locations, call (800) 446-9227 or visit www.msf-usa.org.

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Second, thrid and fourth for Yamaha in intesen Indianapolis heat

admin — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:26:57 +0000

RACE REPORT

30/08/2010

Second, thrid and fourth for Yamaha in intesen Indianapolis heat

Jorge Lorenzo

Jorge Lorenzo finished third at Indianapolis today and Fiat Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi fourth in a punishingly hot race won by Dani Pedrosa. Tech 3 Yamaha and future Factory Team rider Ben Spies finished second, his best result so far in his rookie MotoGP season.

Lorenzo dropped three places on his grid position at the start and finished the first lap in fifth with his team-mate close behind. On lap three of 28 the championship leader made it past home favourite Nicky Hayden and he set off in pursuit of Andrea Dovizioso, arriving within striking distance by the eighth lap. The Italian did not make it easy for Lorenzo however and it took the Mallorcan several more laps to pass him, which he did on the brakes into turn one on lap 12. By that time Spies was too far ahead for Lorenzo to make much headway on second place so he settled for third and 16 points to add to his already hefty season tally.

Rossi meanwhile had jumped from seventh to fifth at the start and looked more comfortable on the bike than he had all weekend, during which he had struggled for grip and rhythm. On the fourth lap he overtook Nicky Hayden and settled in fifth, a few tenths off the Lorenzo-Dovizioso battle. Once Lorenzo was past Dovizioso, the World Champion too began to close down his compatriot and with eight laps remaining he passed him for fourth place. By then however his lack of fitness following his injury had caught up with him in the searing heat and he was unable to push any more, coming home some six seconds behind his team-mate.

Lorenzo continues to sit comfortably at the top of the standings, with a 68-point lead over Pedrosa. Rossi remains fifth but has moved to within five points of Casey Stoner and fourth. The MotoGP paddock now has just a few days rest before it reconvenes at Misano in Italy for round 12 of the World Championship.

Jorge Lorenzo – Position: 3rdTime: +6.812
“Of course I shouldn’t be disappointed with third place but at the same time I’m not happy with my race today, I didn’t ride as well as I could have and I didn’t get a good start. The conditions were incredibly hard and I simply didn’t have the physical strength to push as hard or do the same times I did in practice; it was like a race in Malaysia! The track was so slippery and it was very difficult to use the tyres as you wanted to, I think honestly I’m quite lucky to have finished third today. The good thing is we took some points and now I have to concentrate on recovering before Misano because we don’t have much time.”

	Valentino Rossi

Valentino Rossi – Position: 4thTime: +12.633
“This was a good race for us after the weekend. Fourth is quite good in the circumstances but the important thing is that my rhythm in the race was strong and I felt much happier on the bike. I did some good laps and I wasn’t too far from the other Yamahas, but unfortunately I paid a lot for my lack of fitness in this heat and in the end I had to stop pushing because I didn’t have any strength left in my body. I’m happy though because we came back to a good setting and with me riding well, and if you consider I had three small crashes in the weekend, fourth isn’t so bad. Now we will look forward to Misano, my home race!”

Wilco Zeelenberg – Team Manager
“These were terribly hard conditions for the riders and considering this we have to be very happy with third. It was so hot and so easy to make a mistake so before the race we told Jorge to just try to bring it home on two wheels! Unfortunately he had a bad start which didn’t help because he then had a hard task to get past Dovizioso, but considering the conditions and the championship we’re just as happy with this as with one of our seven wins.”

Davide Brivio – Team Manager
“This was a really positive race for us and Valentino showed us that he could keep the pace of the front runners. Unfortunately he’s still not in peak condition after his accident and with the heat he wasn’t strong enough to keep the same pace for the whole race, but he fought at the top end, stayed close and showed us that he’s okay. It gives us confidence for our overall set-up and our package for the next races. We came out well from a difficult weekend so well done to everyone.”

Sensational Spies claims career best second at Indianapolis

Ben Spies treated a patriotic home crowd at the world famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway to an all-action display in today’s MotoGP race, the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider ending a fantastic weekend with a career best second position.

Starting from pole position for the first time in his premier class career, Spies made a blistering start and streaked away from the field in the early stages with a succession of fast laps as he looked at ease leading a MotoGP race for the first time.

Such was Spies’ phenomenal early speed that he was a second clear after just three laps, the reigning World Superbike champion leavin g his illustrious rivals trailing in his wake. Only Dani Pedrosa was able to get close to matching his rhythm as a crowd of over 62,000 fans roared the Texan on.

Spies was producing heroics to keep Pedrosa at bay but the Spaniard made a decisive attack on lap seven to move into the lead. Spies produced a super human effort in gruelling heat and humidity to try and keep the pressure on Pedrosa before he eventually eased off to secure a richly deserved second.

The 26-year-old’s performance received a huge ovation from the appreciative Indianapolis crowed with Spies celebrating being top Yamaha rider for the first time in his career. And marking his career best result in front of his home fans shortly after confirming his 2011 move to Yamaha’s factory team only made his accomplishment even more special.

Colin Edwards had a tough afternoon after he was one of only four r iders to select the hardest compound Bridgestone rear tyre available for the 28-lap race. With temperatures and humidity higher than at any stage during the weekend, Edwards hoped his choice would enable him to mount a strong showing in the second half of the race.

But he opted to change to the softer compound tyre at the end of lap 11 and while his lap times instantly improved, the 36-year-old retired on lap 17.

Ben Spies

Ben Spies – Position: 2nd Time: +3.575
“I’m really happy to have got my best result in MotoGP in front of the American crowd and at a track as famous as Indianapolis. I always said I wanted my best result in my home race, so it’s mission accomplished. After the pole position I got a great start and it felt good to be out front for the first time in MotoGP. But I didn’t have the pace for Dani today and he rode a great race. I’m happy because I didn’t make too many mistakes when I was out in front and I was consistent for the whole race. When Dani passed me I knew I couldn’t follow him, so I let him go and concentrated on keeping a gap to Jorge in third and that’s what I achieved. I can’t complain because it was a great weekend and to be top Yamaha rider when you look at who else is on that bike is pretty satisfying. It hasn’t sunk in yet that I’ve finished second in my home race. But I’ll enjoy it before I hop on a plane and try and do it again in Misano next weekend.”

	Colin Edwards

Colin Edwards – DNF
“I went for the hard tyre because I’d done a 41.6 on that tyre on Friday and felt pretty comfortable and confident. I’d not been able to make the soft tyre last close to race distance. I’d started to have a problem after eight or nine laps with it, so with the temperature and humidity coming up I was getting excit ed about using the hard tyre. But I had a problem with edge grip from the start and I was having an issue turning. I was riding on the limit but way off the pace so I pulled in for the softer tyre and did a few laps and my lap times were immediately better. The tyre choice cost me today but congratulations to Ben. He’s just riding at an amazing level and second in this field is something to be proud of.”

Herve Poncharal – Team Manager
“That was a fantastic weekend from Ben and he delivered an unbelievable performance for the American fans. We could not have hoped for more and he showed why we are so sad to see him leaving us to join Yamaha’s factory team next season. But I’m happy for him though because clearly with the factory team he will be with the top four. His pole position yesterday was incredible when you consider how tough it is to achieve that against such a h igh level of competition. He got an incredible start and he was very strong at the beginning of the race. Only Dani could match him and pass him but Ben rode immaculately and it never looked like Jorge was going to catch him. It wasn’t the race Colin was expecting and unfortunately his decision to run the hard tyre didn’t pay off. Conditions were very demanding but it was clear when he switched to the softer tyre that he had the pace to have scored possibly his best result of the season.”

Circuit Length: 4186
Temp: 35
Weather: Dry

Fastest Lap Ever: 1’39.730 (Daniel Pedrosa, 30/08/2009)
Last Years Winner: Jorge Lorenzo

2010 MotoGP Indianapolis – Indianapolis 30/08/2010

Race 1 – 28 Laps

Pos.	Rider	Manu.	Nat.	Total Time
1	Daniel Pedrosa	Honda	ESP	47’31.615
2	Ben Spies	Yamaha	USA	0’03.575
3	Jorge Lorenzo	Yamaha	ESP	0’06.812
4	Valentino Rossi	Yamaha	ITA	0’12.633
5	Andrea Dovizioso	Honda	ITA	0’21.885
6	Nicky Hayden	Ducati	USA	0’35.138
7	Marco Simoncelli	Honda	ITA	0’36.740
8	Alvaro Bautista	Suzuki	ESP	0’36.825
9	Aleix Espargaro	Ducati	ESP	0’44.905
10	Hector Barbera	Ducati	ESP	0’51.368
11	Loris Capirossi	Suzuki	ITA	0’55.386
12	Hiroshi Aoyama	Honda	JPN	0’57.903
13	Randy De Puniet	Honda	FRA	1’04.139

Rider Standings

29/08/2010

Pos.	Rider	Manu.	Nat.	Points
1.	Jorge Lorenzo	Yamaha	ESP	251
2.	Daniel Pedrosa	Honda	ESP	183
3.	Andrea Dovizioso	Honda	ITA	126
4.	Casey Stoner	Ducati	AUS	119
5.	Valentino Rossi	Yamaha	ITA	114
6.	Ben Spies	Yamaha	USA	110
7.	Nicky Hayden	Ducati	USA	109
8.	Randy De Puniet	Honda	FRA	78
9.	Marco Simoncelli	Honda	ITA	63
10.	Marco Melandri	Honda	ITA	61
11.	Colin Edwards	Yamaha	USA	57
12.	Hector Barbera	Ducati	ESP	54
13.	Loris Capirossi	Suzuki	ITA	41
14.	Aleix Espargaro	Ducati	ESP	39
15.	Alvaro Bautista	Suzuki	ESP	33
21.	Wataru Yoshikawa	Yamaha	JPN	1

Manufacturer Standings

29/08/2010

Pos.	Manufacturer	Points
1.	Yamaha	260
2.	Honda	220
3.	Ducati	159
4.	Suzuki	56

Smith Gives Kawasaki Their First AMA Pro K&N Filters Grand National Championship Win at Indy Mile

admin — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:24:47 +0000

AMA Pro Racing News Release

Smith Gives Kawasaki Their First AMA Pro K&N Filters Grand National Championship Win at Indy Mile

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (August 28, 2010) – History was made on the fabled Indiana State Fairgrounds mile oval as Kawasaki / Monster Energy / Werner-Springsteen Racing’s #42 Bryan Smith captured the first AMA Pro K&N Filters Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com Twins Main event in a hard fought, twenty five lap battle.

Lancaster Harley-Davidson / Dallas Fort Worth Honda’s Chris Carr grabbed the early lead from series points leader #3 Joe Kopp on his Latus Harley-Davidson / ENI USA R&M backed Ducati, then repeated the feat as the race was red flagged on lap three, when Stevie Bonsey fell in turn three.

Carr picked up where he left off, but now Smith and Zanotti Racing’s #5 Jake Johnson were right behind. On lap six Smith took control, but White’s Harley-Davidson / SNIP’s Matt Weidman was up high on the cushion and flying to the front. Unfortunately for Weidman, when the high line went away, he backed up as fast as he had come forward.

As the race reached the mid-point it became a two rider race. Smith and Carr went back and forth several times, but as the laps wound down Smith took control. The race would end with Carr just over a tenth of a second out. “I’ve been dreaming about this all year,” said Smith. “And it wasn’t a nightmare either. I was sure, as soon as we got to these tracks with long straight-aways, the Kawasaki’s power was let us finally win one.”

“I just couldn’t draft him (Smith),” said Carr. “I could get close, but he just had too much power.”
Harley-Davidson Motor Company’s Kenny Coolbeth brought his #2 Harley-Davidson home third over two seconds off the lead.

Johnson took control of fourth and rode home a lonely three seconds off the pace. King’s Kustoms / KK Motorcycle Supply’s Sammy Halbert finished an uneventful fifth as Joe Kopp made a late race pass of Rookie of the Year front runner, Moroney’s 1-800fasthog.com’s #99B PJ Jacobsen.

Defending Series Champion # 1 Jared Mees work his way up to fourth before sliding back to an eighth place finish. It was another eight seconds back to Matt Weidman.

The K&N Filter’s dash for Cash saw Chris Carr dominate as points leader Joe Kopp suffered a blow to his points total when he couldn’t get his Ducati to fire and he received no points. Sammy Halbert and Bryan Smith rounded out the podium as all three received “Special Edition, Nicky Hayden watches.”

When JD Beach announced he was moving up to the Expert ranks for the Labor Day races in Springfield he said he wanted to win the Peoria, IL TT and the Indianapolis, IN Mile before taking on the challenge.

Impressively Beach accomplished just that as he led the last eleven laps of the Motorcycle-Superstore.com Pro Singles Grand National Championship main on his #95C Red Bull / Top 1 Oil backed Honda. Price Truck Line / Kennedy Wheels’ #22L Michael Toon and Van’s Yamaha / Woody Kyle Racing’s #24P Jeffery Carver finished a very close second and third.

Carver’s points lead continues to grow in the Motorcycle-Superstore.com Pro Singles Grand National Championship. Carver now leads defending Champion Brad Baker by 31 points with James Rispoli another thirty six points back.

The K&N Filters Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com points standing are still being le by Joe Kopp, but Sammy Halbert and Jake Johnson are closing in, just twelve and fourteen points back respectively.

INDIANA STATE FAIRGROUNDS
INDIANAPOLIS, IN
RESULTS: August 28, 2010

GNT DASH FOR CASH (4 laps; 6 riders): 1. Chris Carr (H-D); 2. Sammy Halbert (H-D); 3. Bryan Smith (Kaw); 4. Jake Johnson (H-D); 5. Stevie Bonsey (H-D); 6. Joe Kopp (Duc).
Time: 2:37.318

AMA PRO MOTORCYCLE-SUPERSTORE.COM PRO SINGLES MAIN (12 laps; 18 riders): 1. JD Beach (Hon); 2. Michael Toon (Hon); 3. Jeffery Carver (Yam); 4. Mike Avila (Hon); 5. James Rispoli (Hon); 6. Brad Baker (Hon); 7. Mike LaBelle (Hon); 8. Zakk Palmer (Hon); 9. Corey Crawford (Hon); 10. Kurtis Lee (Hon); 11. Cody Johncox (Yam); 12. Jake Cunningham (Suz); 13. William Cato (Hon); 14. Tony Davila (Suz); 15. Jake Shoemaker (Suz); 16. Brian Tapp (Hon); 17. Brandon Laursen (Hon); 18. Jeremy Hamilton (Hon).
Time: 8:02.297

AMA PRO MOTORCYCLE-SUPERSTORE.COM PRO SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP POINT STANDINGS (After 12 of 17 rounds): 1. Jeffery Carver (227 pts / 4 wins); 2. Brad Baker (196 / 3 wins); 3. James Rispoli (160); 4. Mike Avila (143); 5. JD Beach (118 / 4 wins); 6. Mike LaBelle (101); 7. Mike Martin (99); 8. Chaz Springsteen (81); 9. Jake Shoemaker (66); 10. Michael Toon (57 / 1 win); 11. Gerit Callies (48); 12. Zakk Palmer (47); 13. Tyler O’Hara (44); 14. (TIE) William Cato / Wyatt Maguire (43); 16. Jeremy Hamilton (38); 17. (TIE) Brandon Laursen / Shayna Texter (35); 19. (TIE) Stephen Vanderkuur / Corey Crawford / Adam Bushman (31).

AMA PRO K&N GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED by MOTORCYCLE-SUPERSTORE.COM MAIN (25 laps; 18 riders): 1. Bryan Smith (Kaw); 2. Chris Carr (H-D); 3. Kenny Coolbeth (H-D); 4. Jake Johnson (H-D); 5. Sammy Halbert (H-D); 6. Joe Kopp (H-D); 7. PJ Jacobsen (H-D); 8. Jared Mees (H-D); 9. Matt Weidman (H-D); 10. Willie McCoy (H-D); 11. JR Schnabel (H-D); 12. Larry Pegram (Duc); 13. Luke Gough (H-D); 14. Brandan Bergen (H-D); 15. Rob Pearson (H-D); 16. Shawn Baer (Tri); 17. Steve Murray (H-D); 18. Jethro Halbert (H-D); 19. Stevie Bonsey (H-D).
Time: 22: 59.491 –RED FLAG–

AMA PRO K&N GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED by MOTORCYCLE-SUPERSTORE.COM POINT STANDINGS (After 12 of 17rounds): 1. Joe Kopp (221 pts / 3 wins); 2. Sammy Halbert (209 / 1 win); 3. Jake Johnson (207 / 2 wins); 4. Jared Mees (198); 5. Henry Wiles (188 / 4 wins); 6. Kenny Coolbeth (179); 7. Chris Carr (135); 8. Bryan Smith (127 / 1 win); 9. Johnny Lewis (82); 10. (TIE) Matt Weidman / Rob Pearson (81); 12. Mick Kirkness (73); 13. Jethro Halbert (58); 14. Stevie Bonsey (47 / 1 win); 15. JR Schnabel (39); 16. Luke Gough (38); 17. Brandon Robinson (35); 18. Shaun Russell (33); 19. PJ Jacobsen (31); 20. Chad Cose (26).

AMA PRO K&N GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED by MOTORCYCLE-SUPERSTORE.COM TWINS POINT STANDINGS (After 7 of 11 rounds): 1. Sammy Halbert (136 pts); 2. Jake Johnson (131 / 1 wins); 3. Joe Kopp (129 / 3 wins); 4. Kenny Coolbeth (113); 5. Jared Mees (108); 6. Chris Carr (99); 7. Bryan Smith (86 / 1 win); 8. Henry Wiles (75 / 1 win); 9. Matt Weidman (56); 10. Rob Pearson (51); 11. Stevie Bonsey (46 / 1 win); 12. Mick Kirkness (34); 13. (TIE) Luke Gough / PJ Jacobsen (31); 15. Brandon Robinson (15); 16. JR Schnabel (20); 17. (TIE) Willie McCoy / Larry Pegram (17); 19. (TIE) Chad Cose / Jethro Halbert (15).
AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines. Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com.

-end-

COOLBETH AND HARLEY TEAM BATTLE TO THIRD AT THE INDY MILE

admin — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:21:47 +0000

COOLBETH AND HARLEY TEAM BATTLE TO THIRD AT THE INDY MILE

Season Points Race Tightens as Kopp Finishes Sixth

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (Aug. 28, 2010) – Harley-Davidson® Screamin’ Eagle® factory rider Kenny Coolbeth placed third in the Grand National Twins main at the Lucas Oil Indy Mile at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. The 12th round of the AMA Pro K&N Filters Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com was won by Bryan Smith on a Kawasaki.

Smith was the fast qualifier for the main and finished third in the four-lap Dash for Cash bonus race behind Lancaster Harley-Davidson rider Chris Carr and King Kustoms/KK Motorcycle Supply rider Sammy Halbert, also on a Harley-Davidson.

Carr led the field at the start of the 25-lap main event, with American Agip/Lloyd Brothers Ducati rider Joe Kopp and Zanotti Racing rider Jake Johnson in second and third positions. Coolbeth finished the first lap in seventh place. The race was stopped for a crash by Steven Bonsey on lap three, and Carr again took the lead on the re-start, with Smith in second and Johnson in third. Smith got past Carr on lap six, and the pair of veteran riders began to open a gap on the rest of the field. Coolbeth worked his way through traffic and passed Johnson to take third place on lap 11, with Carr now holding a slim lead over Smith. Now more than a second behind the leaders and with no drafting help available, Coolbeth was stuck in third place. Smith and Carr continued to battle, with Smith taking the official lead on lap 17 and then holding off the seven-time champion Carr in the closing laps. Coolbeth finished the race 2.398 seconds behind Smith. Johnson was fourth, Halbert finished fifth and Kopp, the Grand National Championship points leader, finished in sixth place.

“Once I got up to third I was pushing hard to catch Carr and Smith,” said Coolbeth. “I was hoping they’d get caught up in their own battle and slow each other down. But my bike started to lose power on about lap 20 and that was it. I guess the factory Harley-Davidson and I both gave it all we had tonight. We’ve just got to stay determined and try to win some races now.”

After 12 events in the AMA Pro K&N Filters Grand National Championship, Kopp has 221 points and leads the series by only 12 points. Halbert is second with 209 points, and Johnson is third with 207 points. Blue Springs Harley-Davidson rider Jared Mees, who finished eighth at Indianapolis, is fourth with 198 points, followed by KK Motorcycle Supply/Mike & Eddie Adkins rider Henry Wiles with 188 points and Coolbeth in sixth with 179 points.

The AMA Grand National Twins will next race September 5 on the Springfield Mile at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Ill.

Screamin’ Eagle Performance Parts are inspired by and built in the spirit of the raw adrenaline and power of motorcycle racing. Screamin’ Eagle Pro parts are specifically designed for race-use applications, while Screamin’ Eagle parts offer street-use performance options for the Harley-Davidson motorcycle owner. Visit www.harley-davidson.com for more information.

The Screamin’ Eagle Flat Track team is sponsored by Matco Tools.

Ben Spies to join Factory Yamaha Team

admin — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:57:33 +0000

News

Ben Spies to join Factory Yamaha Team for 2011 27/08/2010

Ben Spies to join Factory Yamaha Team for 2011

Lin Jarvis and Ben Spies

Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd is delighted to announce that current Yamaha Tech 3 rider Ben Spies will move to the Factory Team for the 2011 MotoGP season.

The 26-year-old American, who won the World Superbike Championship with Yamaha in 2009, is enjoying an impressive first season in MotoGP. He is currently the leading rookie and the top satellite rider, lying seventh in the championship.

“We’re delighted that Ben will join the Factory Team for next season,” said Lin Jarvis, Managing Director of Yamaha Motor Racing. “Ben has shown great promise in his first ten MotoGP races. He has learnt rapidly and recorded strong results, including a well-deserved podium finish at Silverstone – impressive for someone in their first full season.

	Jarvis, Spies and Poncharal

“We believe that Ben will be a future title contender and that he will be a good fit with our team. His mission next year will be to continue learning, consistently challenge for podium places and try to win some races. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Herve Poncharal and the Tech 3 Team for taking care of Ben this season and for giving him such good training for the years ahead. I hope that he will repay them by getting some more podium results in the second half of this season and helping them to secure top satellite team status at the end of this year.”

Spies added “My first year in MotoGP has been a great learning curve and for that I have to thank Herve Poncharal, all the team at Tech 3 and especially my American mechanics who have stuck by me throughout this great journey so far. Having previously been to only four of the ten tracks to date, I have to be pleased with where I am and with having achieved my first podium so soon. I’m especially pleased that Yamaha have recognized the potential in me and given me the opportunity to step up to the Factory Team so early in my GP career. I believe that by working closely with the Yamaha staff and my mechanics we will be able to help develop the M1 and make the next step of challenging for regular podiums, followed by future championships.”

Second Annual MRO Food Drive to be held at AMA Pro Road Racing event at Virginia International Raceway

admin — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 06:06:18 +0000

Second Annual MRO Food Drive to be held at AMA Pro Road Racing event at Virginia International Raceway

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 5, 2010) – The Second Annual MRO VIR Food Drive to benefit God’s Storehouse in Danville, Va. will be taking place at the Suzuki White Lightning AMA Pro Superbike Nationals, to be held August 13 – 15, 2010 at Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Va.

As last season, the food drive will be held on both the WERA and AMA Pro weekends, August 6 – 8 and 13 – 15, 2010, respectively. Riders, teams, fans, officials and everyone who attends are invited to bring non-perishable food items to donate to the Storehouse. Last year the combined weekends raised over 400 pounds of food which were distributed to the needy in the Danville, Va. area.

There will be marked gray bins throughout the paddock and vendor areas for donations to be dropped off. Any AMA Pro teams who have unopened food left over on Sunday are invited to request a bin and MRO Chaplain Tim Burleson will see to it that you have one so your leftover food can be donated.

For more information, contact Chaplain Tim at gracingfuelministry@yahoo.com. God’s Storehouse can be contacted via their website godsstorehouse.org or by calling 434-793-3663. Motor Racing Outreach’s website is go2mro.com.

Please visit www.virclub.com for ticket and event information and www.amaproracing.com for series information.

AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines. Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com.

-end-

Troy Corser Signs with SIDI Boots.

admin — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:23:23 +0000

Troy with the Shiny Whites

AMA Pro Racing and National Guard Team Up with Cell Phones for Soldiers for 2010 AMA Pro Road Racing Events

admin — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 16:07:39 +0000

AMA Pro Racing and National Guard Team Up with Cell Phones for Soldiers for 2010 AMA Pro Road Racing Events

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 15, 2010) - With the National Guard supporting the AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike series and also the Jordan Motorsports team of Jake Zemke, Brett McCormick and Aaron Yates, AMA Pro Racing is announcing their support of the Cell Phones for Soldiers program.

Cell Phones for Soldiers raises money through the collection of gently used mobile phones and a drop-off box will be located at the National Guard Jordan Motorsports trailer for the remaining five AMA Pro Road racing events in 2010.

Cell Phones for Soldiers, a non-profit organization started in 2004 by 12- and 13-year-old siblings Robbie and Brittany Bergquist with just $21 of their own money, raises funds through the collection of gently used mobile phones, which are then refurbished or recycled. Each year, more than 130 million cell phones are decommissioned in the United States alone.

Once collected, the phones are processed by ReCellular, the world’s largest recycler of used mobile devices, and the phones are either refurbished and sold, or recycled under strict EPA guidelines. Cell Phones for Soldiers then utilizes the money from reselling the devices to purchase pre-paid calling cards to benefit the more than 200,000 troops stationed at military bases around the world. Over the last six years, Cell Phones for Soldiers has provided more than 1 million pre-paid calling cards and 60 million minutes of calling time to soldiers overseas.

Robbie and Brittany Bergquist began Cell Phones for Soldiers after they saw a news story on television about a soldier stationed overseas who had run up a $7,000 phone bill by calling his family. Robbie and Brittany took $21 out of their piggy banks and suggested that their friends donate their snack money to help the soldier.

Fans not able to attend a race can visit www.CellPhonesForSoldiers.com for information on how to donate at one of 3,000 collection points nationwide or to download a pre-paid, pre-addressed mailing label.

AMA Pro Flat Track Event at Beulah Park Canceled

admin — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 19:51:53 +0000

AMA Pro Flat Track Event at Beulah Park Canceled

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 13, 2010) – Due to new ownership at Beulah Park, the AMA Pro K&N Filters Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com mile motorcycle race scheduled for August 14th to be held at Beulah Park in Grove City, OH has officially been canceled.

“Beulah Park has been sold and new ownership officially took over on July 1st. Due to the timing of the acquisition and the event, I am sorry to say that we have had to cancel this year’s race,” said Michael Weiss, Executive V.P. of Beulah Park. “My sincere apologies to all; however, I truly hope this great race can be back on next year’s schedule.”

The AMA Pro K&N Filters Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-superstore.com now moves west with Calistoga, CA the destination on July 31.

Valentino Rossi completes test at Misano

admin — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 17:02:36 +0000

News

08/07/2010

Valentino Rossi completes test at Misano

Fiat Yamaha Team rider Valentino Rossi today rode a motorcycle for the first time since breaking his right leg at Mugello on 5th June. He rode a total of 26 laps at Misano on a YZF-R1 WSB machine, provided by the Yamaha World Superbike Team, and recorded a best time of 1’38.200. Rossi did an initial run of 11 laps at 18.30 CET with a best time of 1’41.000, then a second run of 15 laps at 19.45 CET with a best time of 1’38.200 (unofficial times).

The reigning World Champion was able to ride well but he had some pain in his leg and his shoulder. He will now continue with an updated rehabilitation programme and make a decision within the next week as to whether he will ride at the German Grand Prix at Sachsenring, in ten days time.

“We made this test in order to understand how we must work from here and to see more or less how I can ride the bike,” said Rossi. “The test was positive, because I can at least ride, but there is a lot more to a MotoGP race than to a test like this one. I had some pain in the ankle, the knee and the shoulder, but above all I lacked strength in the shoulder and a bit of movement in the ankle. I would really like to come back at Sachsenring, but it is still too early to say. We still have twelve days and we must wait and see how much we can improve my condition in the next few days. The Superbike today was good and great fun to ride! I really would like to ride at Sachsenring, but we must wait another week before making a decision.”