Home boy Nicky Hayden was on top of the world at Laguna Seca with his first MotoGP win.

US Grand Prix Laguna Seca, USA July 8-10th 2005

America's Nicky Hayden On Top of the World
at Red Bull US Grand Prix - 53,900 Record Sold Out Weekend

Laguna Seca Raeway, CA, July 8-10th - It was only a matter of time before Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC211V) made his talent felt in the hard-fought arena of MotoGP racing. The young American shone at his home race with a maiden pole and a career-first win. Not only did the American star provide Honda’s President, Mr Takeo Fukui who attended this race, with a victory, but Hayden also gave his father an unscheduled lap of honour on his all-conquering Honda RC211V Grand Prix machine.

Nicky Hayden, Repsol Honda, 1st: “This is like a fairy tale. To come to your home GP and be fastest in nearly all the sessions and get pole and then win is just a dream come true. It s been a while since I won anything – except the dating game TV thing – and this feels amazing. For the race I put my head down and just rode my heart out the whole race. In the middle of the race I saw the time gap come down and I thought ‘oh no’. but I kept focussed. Getting Earl on the back at the end is a real dirt track thing. I owe my family everything. My Mum and Dad have given up so much for us all as a family. I remember the roof leaking as a kid when it rained as all the money we had went into racing. This win is for everyone in my team – for Honda in believing in me and for all the great fans around this track today who helped me so much . Every dog has its day and today it all just came together. I’m going to enjoy this moment for sure."

Reigning World Champion Valentino Rossi finished second, and current sixth-place points table position-holder Colin Edwards (both Yamaha) finished third. European riders were at a disadvantage here – and even the World Champion had no answer to the local expertise shown by Hayden and Edwards around the twists and turns of this tricky track. Hayden was magnificent at the challenging Laguna Seca circuit. Not only did he dominate qualifying, but the Stateside hero made the race his own too. From the lights, the former AMA Superbike Champion made the race his own as he led from the daunting uphill straight. The MotoGP World Championship returned to the USAafter an absence of over a decade as the red carpet was rolled out at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for the eagerly awaited Red Bull US Grand Prix. The Californian circuit had undergone a major winter facelift, including crucial safety updates, that has allowed the world’s premier motorcycle road racing series to return to one of its most spectacular circuits for the first time since 1994.

Hayden Clinches First Pole for His Home Grand Prix ahead of Rossi
Saturday July 9th - Nicky Hayden will start the Red Bull US Grand Prix from the front of the grid on Sunday after setting his first ever MotoGP pole position in today’s sell-out qualifying practice at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. The Honda rider dominated the morning free practice and set a scorching pace throughout the afternoon before knocking over a second off his best time with a stunning late lap of 1’22.670.

“It’s a great feeling after all these years to be first when it counts,” said Hayden. “It’s been a frustrating couple of years for me because I was used to being on pole and winning races before I arrived in MotoGP and since then it hasn’t happened. The weekend just keeps getting better and better and it’s great to give my people something to cheer about, I just hope it keeps going that way tomorrow. The whole team has done a great job and the bike feels so good. I’m not really worried about the race - I just want to enjoy it.”

Hayden’s effort left the rest of the field reeling, with reigning World Champion Valentino Rossi the only rider able to get close in the final stages but still some 0.354 seconds adrift of the 2003 MotoGP Rookie of the Year. Whilst Rossi’s late effort secured a place on the front row after spending much of the session outside the top five positions, Alex Barros made a similar charge to clinch third at the expense of his Honda team-mate Troy Bayliss. However, fourth place for Bayliss represents his best grid position so far this season and the Australian will start from the second row for the first time since the final race of 2004 at Valencia, when he also finished on the podium.

Yamaha Factory Racing riders Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards will start from the first and second rows respectively in the eighth round of the MotoGP World Championship, after finishing second and fifth fastest in today’s sell-out qualifying session at Laguna Seca. After lapping fifth and sixth quickest in the morning free practice, both riders were consistently on the pace in the afternoon heat and are confident of their chances in tomorrow’s Grand Prix, the first to be held on U.S. soil since 1994.

Riding at the Californian circuit for the first time, Rossi produced a stunning lap to gatecrash the top three at the end of the session and out-qualify ten riders with previous race experience at this circuit. The only man capable of lapping faster than Rossi today was local rider Nicky Hayden (Honda), who took his first ever MotoGP pole position with a time of 1’22.670. Edwards rode equally hard for a top grid position in front of passionate home support and is now targeting a second consecutive podium finish following his third-place in Assen two weeks ago.

VALENTINO ROSSI (2nd; 1’23.024 – 31 laps) “It was very important to make a good lap time today and to be on the front row and second place is very good. The team have worked so hard and there was a big difference in the bike between yesterday and today. This track is very particular compared to any other circuit in the world so the settings have to be very particular too. Now I have started to understand the track and I was able to do a fast lap, but I think I will discover some more secrets in the warm-up. It’s always difficult to win races in MotoGP but this time it’s even worse because there are more riders than usual with a chance of victory – Hayden is very fast, also Bayliss and Colin. The Americans have an extra motivation but we all want to win and that is what I am here for. We have a good position on the grid, now we need to improve the setting some more and choose the tyres. We’ll see what happens at the end of the race.”

COLIN EDWARDS (5th; 1’23.469 – 28 laps) “It took a big effort to set that lap and I’m actually quite lucky to be on the second row because we made a small mistake with the front tyre choice at the end of the session. Anyway, the important thing is that we’re on the second row and I’ve got a decent race pace. Nicky did a few laps in the 1’23 mark today, which looks to be the benchmark, and it will be tough to go with that but I’m confident we can do it. Laguna is a funny track and you never quite know what to expect on race day because a lot of things can happen, so we’ll just concentrate on the job at hand and go for it. The support here has been amazing all weekend and I can’t imagine what the atmosphere will be like tomorrow. Hopefully we can give them all something to shout about.”

Colin Edwards will start alongside Bayliss in fifth place as the pair chase a repeat of previous victories here in the World Superbike series, with the American also looking to score consecutive podium finishes for the first time in his MotoGP career after finishing third in the last round at Assen. John Hopkins joins Edwards and Hayden as the third home rider to qualify on the front two rows after lapping sixth fastest on the Suzuki.

With Marco Melandri qualifying eleventh fastest after crashing for the second time this weekend in this afternoon’s qualifying practice, Max Biaggi will be aiming to close the gap to second place in the championship as he starts from seventh. The Italian currently lies twenty points adrift of his compatriot and a further 63 points behind series leader Rossi.

Biaggi is joined on the third row of the grid by Ducati’s Carlos Checa and Honda rider Makoto Tamada, who was the fastest rider other than Rossi to have no previous race experience at this circuit - despite the fact that he underwent an arm operation just nine days ago. Shinya Nakano completed the top ten ahead of Melandri, Kenny Roberts and Sete Gibernau, whilst Loris Capirossi recovered from a bout of gastroenteritis to qualify fourteenth.

FRONT ROW:
1. Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda Team, 1’22.670
2. VALENTINO ROSSI (ITA) Yamaha Factory Racing 1’23.024
3. Alex Barros (BRA) Camel Honda, 1’23.312

SECOND ROW:
1. Troy Bayliss (AUS) Ducati Marlboro Team 1’23.358
2. Colin Edwards (USA) Yamaha Factory Racing 1’23.469
5. John Hopkins (USA) Red Bull Suzuki 1’23.493

THIRD ROW:
7. Max Biaggi (ITA) Repsol Honda 1’23.596
8. Carlos Checa (SPA) Ducati Marlboro Team 1’23.597
9. Makoto Tamada (JAP) Konica Minolta Honda 1’23.750
Full Qualifying Results Here

Hayden Completes Dream Weekend with Debut win at Laguna Seca
Sunday July 10th - Nicky Hayden joined a long list of American racing legends today as he became a MotoGP winner for the first time in his career at the Red Bull US Grand Prix. The 23 year old Honda rider led his home race from start to finish, bolting from pole position and leaving the rest of the 21-rider field trailing in his wake. With celebrities including Brad Pitt, Matt LeBlanc and Michael Jordan amongst the 57,932 sell-out crowd cheering him throughout 32 intense laps, Hayden established a two-second advantage over the chasing Valentino Rossi in the first part of the race and then held strong under late pressure from compatriot Colin Edwards to take a memorable first win.

“I can honestly say that this is a dream come true for me,” said Hayden, who admitted climbing over the Laguna Seca fences to witness the last Grand Prix here as a 12-year-old in 1994. “You spend your whole life rehearsing the speech for a day like this but now it has happened I can’t find the words to describe how I feel. It hasn’t been easy for me in MotoGP over the past two seasons but every dog has its day and this was mine. Hopefully it can be the start of bigger things from now on.”

Yamaha Motor Company celebrated its 50th Anniversary with a double podium finish at Laguna Seca today, as Colin Edwards and Valentino Rossi took second and third place respectively in the United States Grand Prix. Both riders played a starring role in the eighth round of the MotoGP World Championship and enjoyed a thrilling battle for the final two rostrum positions that went to the last lap of a race won by Nicky Hayden (Honda). Whilst Hayden got an electric start from pole position, both Rossi and Edwards were baulked in their attempts to give chase on the opening lap.

Having started from second on the grid, Rossi made it back to the same position by the end of the first lap after a battle with Troy Bayliss (Honda), whilst Edwards was forced to fight his way through the pack after being forced back to seventh in a combative first-corner clash. With Hayden clear at the front, Rossi rode alone in second place until he was caught by his American team-mate on the sixteenth lap, when Edwards lined up an inch-perfect pass into the famous Corkscrew corner. After briefly closing down the gap to Hayden, Edwards suffered from tyre wear in the closing stages and was happy to settle for a second consecutive podium finish. Third place for Rossi extends his advantage at the top of the championship to 79 points over Marco Melandri (Honda), who crashed out on the first lap.

With Edwards having snatched second place from Rossi with a daring move in the Corkscrew corner at the halfway stage of the race, the American fans were able to celebrate a memorable home one-two in the first MotoGP race here for over a decade. With Edwards also celebrating consecutive podium finishes for the first time in his Grand Prix career, Rossi was equally delighted with a tenth straight rostrum in third place, which extended his series lead to a massive 79 points over Marco Melandri, who crashed out with Alex Barros at the end of a combative first lap.

COLIN EDWARDS (2nd; Race time – 45’17.315; Fastest lap – 1’23.915) “I made another bad start and ended up with two riders making a sandwich of me into turn one. They had my handlebars on each side and just carried me into the corner so I thought it was going to end in a big mess. Once I got clear of the group I got my head down and pushed as hard as I could to pass Valentino. At that point I still had something left to try and catch Nicky but every time I closed the gap he responded, so hats off to him. When the tyres went off I was just hanging on to finish the race. I knew I had an advantage of around two seconds over Valentino but on the last lap I looked at my board and it said 0.6. I guessed it must be a mistake but I then looked over my shoulder in turn two and he was right there! I thought “oh no, not on the last lap!” I gave everything I had left to hold him off and came close to crashing a few times so second place is really pleasing.”

VALENTINO ROSSI (3rd; Race time – 45’17.686; Fastest lap – 1’24.207) “I lost some time during practice trying to learn the circuit so the bike was not at 100% today, and also our tyre choice was not perfect. Anyway, Nicky rode very hard and it was impossible to catch him today. I knew Colin was coming but I didn’t realise how close he was and he caught me by surprise in the Corkscrew. I lost some time there but at the end he lost some of his rhythm and I tried to catch him. He turned around to look at me and I said: “Hello, I am here!” I thought maybe to attack on the last lap but then I had a vision of both Yamahas in the dirt so decided third place was okay, especially for the championship! Anyway, I am very happy because I expected this to be the hardest race of the season but I am the fastest European rider here and I fought with the Americans. I have learnt a lot to try and beat them next year! ”

As well as losing ground on Rossi in the championship Melandri is also coming under pressure for second place from Max Biaggi, who took fourth place today to close the gap to just seven points. Sete Gibernau is also looming a further five points behind Biaggi after a spirited ride today, when he charged from thirteenth on the grid to take fifth place in his first visit to the Californian circuit.

After initially fighting with Rossi for second place on the opening lap, Troy Bayliss progressively lost ground until becoming involved in an intense battle in the second half of the race for sixth place. The Australian eventually got the better of Makoto Tamada to record his best result of the season, with the Japanese rider taking an impressive seventh just ten days after undergoing surgery on an arm problem.

John Hopkins, Shinya Nakano and Loris Capirossi also joined in the skirmish with Bayliss and Tamada before eventually crossing the line in eighth, ninth and tenth respectively, whilst Rubén Xaus came home in a lonely eleventh. Further back, Toni Elías produced a determined performance on his return from a three-race absence through injury but eventually conceded twelfth place to Alex Hofmann on the line. Kenny Roberts Jr. and Shane Bynre completed the top fifteen, with Byrne picking up an historic first point for the KTM-powered Proton KR machine.

Rossi M1 Anniversary Screensaver 1224
Edwards M1 Anniversary Screensaver 1224

Yamaha Celebrates 50th Anniversary
at Laguna Seca with special MotoGP Livery

July 1st - Yamaha’s Factory MotoGP team goes to this weekend’s United States Grand Prix in celebratory mood, wearing the famous Yamaha USA colours of yellow, white and black.

This special livery marks Yamaha’s 50th Anniversary and acknowledges the significant contribution made by American riders to the marque’s racing history. The Yamaha Motor Company was founded on July 1st 1955, just two weeks before the factory’s first bike, the YA1, won its first race, the Mount Fuji Ascent race. Since then three American riders have won nine premier-class World Championships with Yamaha – ‘King’ Kenny Roberts, Eddie Lawson and Wayne Rainey, each taking three crowns across three decades, the 70s, the 80s and the 90s.

The livery that Yamaha Factory Racing YZR-M1 riders Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards will wear at Laguna Seca was first used by Yamaha USA in the late 1960s and won global renown when Roberts scored his World Championship hat-trick.

Masao Furusawa, Senior General Manager of Yamaha’s Engineering Operations, finds that this is a perfect time for the company to celebrate its first half-century. “This is a moment of which we can be proud,” he said. “We will be celebrating our 50th Anniversary at Laguna as the reigning World Champions, while our factory MotoGP team leads the riders’, manufacturers’ and teams’ World Championships, so it’s great that we can celebrate in style.”

Lin Jarvis, Managing Director of Yamaha Motor Racing, explains the thinking behind the yellow, white and black colour scheme of the YZR-M1 50th Anniversary US Edition. “We chose to race in Yamaha USA’s historic colours as a tribute to the American riders who have played such an important part in Yamaha’s history,” he says. “It is also right that we should celebrate the return of Grand Prix racing to the USA, which is great for the American fans and also very important for the future of MotoGP.

“Of course, this isn’t the first time that our YZR-M1 has carried the yellow, white and black colours. Some of you may have noticed the seat graphics on Valentino’s M1, which since last year have featured his dog Guido wearing an old-school Yamaha USA T-shirt! It will be fantastic to see Valentino racing in yellow, which is his favourite colour. And this is also a big weekend for Colin, his first US Grand Prix, plus he is the first American GP rider in 25 years to race in Yamaha USA’s traditional colours. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our 2005 title sponsor Altadis for their cooperation in permitting Yamaha to race in Yamaha-only livery for this special event.”

Rossi’s and Edwards’ one-off livery is only one aspect of a busy weekend of 50th Anniversary celebrations during the US GP. The fun starts with a Friday night party for media and VIP guests at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

"It was a fun race," said a jubilant Bostrom, also a winner at Pikes Peak this year. "Everyone was unsure with what the tires would end up doing because no one was able to do race distances (in practice). The whole race strategy was a question mark. Usually, around halfway, you can guess where the set-up is going to go for the rest of the race, but I didn't know if I was going to finish the race in the 1:29s or the 1:25s. Everything stayed consistent with the Ducati 999 and it worked out really well."

Bostrom's only challenge of the race was when series champion Mat Mladin tried to pass Eric in the slow turn 11 early in the race. Mladin was not able to keep Eric behind him on the exit. "He wasn't able to quite stick to the inside so I was able to square him up and get him right back," said Eric after the race.

From that point, Bostrom expertly controlled his Ducati 999 through the corners to pull out his winning margin over the next 25 laps.

"We couldn't be happier! It feels fantastic for the entire team when we are winning races," said Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin team owner Terry Gregoricka. "With the time issues this weekend because of the limited practice, there was a lot of pressure on every member of the team to get things done quickly. It was great for Eric to win in front of all the Ducati fans at the track today. It's a shame Neil's day ended early because he might have been right up there with Eric."

Neil Hodgson saw his race last only half a lap when another rider knocked him out of the event at the Corkscrew. "I'd cycled thousands of miles between the races getting ready for today ... it's so frustrating. The team had put in so much effort to get ready for the race. We'd been having a few problems this weekend and we'd just gotten through them and we were looking forward to having a good race, like Eric's. We felt confident. I tipped it into the Corkscrew on the first lap and then it was out of my hands."

Hodgson said he felt no ill effects from the crash apart from a sore ankle. Bostrom, Hodgson, and Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin will race next at Mid-Ohio on July 22-24.

Superbike Race Results (28 laps) - 1. Eric Bostrom (Ducati), 2. Mat Mladin (Suzuki); 3. Aaron Yates (Suzuki); 4. Ben Spies (Suzuki); 5. Jake Zemke (Honda); 6. Miguel Duhamel (Honda); 7. Kurtis Roberts (Honda); 8. Steve Rapp (Suzuki); 9. Jacob Holden (Suzuki); 10. Jason Pridmore (Suzuki) .

AMA Superbike Points Standings (After 11 of 17 races) - 1. Mat Mladin, Suzuki 358 2. Ben Spies, Suzuki 327 3. Aaron Yates, Suzuki 294 4.ERIC BOSTROM, PARTS UNLIMITED DUCATI AUSTIN 999 268 5. NEIL HODGSON, PARTS UNLIMITED DUCATI AUSTIN 999 249 6. Miguel Duhamel, Honda 229

Fast Dates Calendar Motorcycle Roadracing News. Complete coverage of the SBK World Superbike, AMA National Superbike and MotoGP World Championship. Fast Dates Calendar and Umbrella Girls. Max Biaggi, Valentino Rossi, Ben and Eric Bostom, James Toseland, Regis Laconi, Loris Capirossi, Troy Bayliss, Troy Corser, Noriyuki Haga. Ducati 999 Monster Multistrada, Yamaha R6 R1, Honda CBR600RR CBR1000RR, Kawasaki ZX6 ZX6RR ZX10, Suzuki GSXR600 GSXR750 GSXR1000, Aprilia Mille, MZ Agusta F4 Brutale

World Superbike Fast Dates Calendar model Rockin' Robin Cunningham hosts the
LA Calendar Motorcycle Show
July 16-17th!

The Biggest Streetbike Show in America!
Special Sportbike Classes!
July 16-17th 2005
$70,000 in Awards!
• World Record Jardine Dyno
• 2-Wheel Tuner Sportbike Class
MotoCreations.com Ducati Class
• AMD World Championship of Bike Building Qualifying Round
Exhibitor Information

Hollywood Celebrities
expected at
LA Calendar Bike Show
Being the world's hottest motorcycle show located in Los Angeles has the tendancy to drawing some of Hollywood's hottest TV and movie stars. Expected or Rumored to be attending the July 16-17th Show Weekend are motorcycle enthusiasts Leonardo DiCaprio (Titanic), Tom Cruise (War of the Worlds) and Vince Vaughn (Wedding Crashers, Mr. & Mrs Smith).

Confirmed TV celebrity bike builders appearing at the Show both days are Discovery Channel's Great Biker Buildoff and Buid or Bust stars Russell Mitchell, Jessie Rooke and Chica who are also featured in the new 2006 Iron & Lace Calendar which will have its Live World Premier at the Show.

Meet World Superbike Girl and FastDates.com Calendar Angel Andra Cobb at the Show!

2006 FastDates.com Calendars World Premiers!
Here On Line July 1st!
And Live with the Angels...
LA Bike Show July 16-17th
Brands Hatch SBK Aug 7th

Exclusive Early Preview!
Get a full look NOW of all the 2006 Calendar photos in the Members Corner Calendar Gallery

World Superbike Girls!
Our official SBK Fast Dates World Superbike girls are featured in
Member's Corner!
Includes FREE Access with to
Paddock Garage

BRNO ANOTHER CHALLENGE FOR THE SBK MASSES

A NEW WALK DOWN AN OLD STREET: Brno is not a new circuit on the SBK calendar, as the venue was used for top-level Superbike racing in 1993 and most recently in 1996. The circuit is acknowledged worldwide as a modern classic, with its seemingly geometric modern outline revealing little of its complex and challenging nature. The succession of chicanes is taken at high speed, and the frequent climbs and drops along the circuit’s length make Brno a wonderful riding experience for competitors in any class of racing.

HISTORY UPDATED: There is a long and proud history of racing at the Brno circuit and it has been updated and modernised many times, the last renovation, in 1987, being the most radical. The current circuit is a child of the old communist times, but a blessed one, with extensive facilities and a truly glorious spectator venue, with numerous corners visible for spectators despite their choice of vantage point.

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE: Such is the long period of time since the last Brno SBK experience, several teams took the opportunity to nominate Brno as a test track, and thus the likes of the factory Ducati squad has tested at Brno recently. Single make tyre suppliers to the championship, Pirelli, thus have a good working knowledge of the Brno surface, and lap times are expected to be particularly keen from the first session to the final race on Sunday.

CORSER HAS HAPPY BRNO MEMORIES: The 1996 season was a momentous one for current championship leader Tory Corser (Alstare Corona Extra Suzuki). Riding for Ducati in his championship-winning year, he took both wins at Brno in 1996, and thus he has good reason to look to the Czech race as a potential venue for another race win. Currently 73 points in the lead, with exactly half the season completed, Corser is in an enviable championship position, but the knowledge that he has not won a race since the opener at Monza, way back in May, has given his main competitors a ray of hope.

Corser’s 2005 team-mate Yukio Kagayama has slipped up in the championship race recently, and the full-time SBK rookie now sits fourth overall, 106 points behind his team-mate.

VERMEULEN SECOND OVERALL SO FAR: Winston Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR rider Chris Vermeulen moved into second position in the overall championship chase at the previous Misano round, thanks to a brace of second places which brought his total of podium finishes this year to six. With an uphill struggle on his hands to catch the fleeing Corser, he nonetheless pegged back some points at Misano. Karl Muggeridge, a rookie in the 2005 season but World Supersport Champion in 2004, is Vermeulen’s team-mate and despite some problems at the start of the year he has now entered the top ten.

An impressive Honda line-up of talent in 2005 sees Pierfrancesco Chili (Klaffi Honda CBR1000RR) eighth in the championship, his prodigiously talented team-mate Max Neukirchner 12th.

DUCATI REGAINS UPPER ECHELONS: 2004 Champion James Toseland (Ducati Xerox 999F05) and 2004 runner-up Regis Laconi (Ducati Xerox 999F05) have battled their way through some rough patches this year, but have now taken back their share of the high ground in the championship. Laconi has been particularly impressive at the last two rounds, having taken three wins from four attempts, while Toseland has recovered from being tenth overall at one stage to a fighting fifth on the eve of Brno. Lorenzo Lanzi and Fonsi Nieto (both SC Ducati 999RS) are another two high class Ducati entries worth watching, with each having scored an individual best of a fifth place in their rookie SBK seasons.

YAMAHA COMING BACK: An often traumatic 2005 season for the Yamaha teams in the championship sees the highest-placed R1 competitor Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia) the only Yamaha man in possession of a podium finish, one third place at Silverstone. Norick Abe (Yamaha Motor France IPONE) and his recently injured team-mate Sebastien Gimbert have put a lot into their rookie seasons, but with little by way of individual glory to show for it.

KAWASAKI PUSH HEADED BY WALKER: Chris Walker (PSG-1 Kawasaki ZX-10R) has been the top ZX-10 runner this year, taking a podium finish at Valencia and making progress when the opportunities arise. His team-mate Mauro Sanchini sits inside the top 15 places, while another Italian rider, Giovanni Bussei (from the Bertocchi squad), sits in an impressive 13th place.

PETRONAS GOING FORWARD: Steve Martin and Garry McCoy have had expectedly difficult 2005 season races on the somewhat outgunned 900cc Petronas three-cylinder machines, but the more recent races have been occasionally more productive for them. Martin rode into the top 20 overall after the Misano round, while his Aussie countryman McCoy had his best race meeting of the year at Valencia, scoring three championship points in one race.

Super Star
Movie star Brad Pitt scored a VIP all access pass for the Laguna Seca MotoGP and was hanging out on the start line and pit lane up for the TV cameras during Sundays' race. Brad sent word over to Rossi's pit that Valentino could have the pleasure to come over where Brad was and meet the TV star. Valentno sent word back to Brad that he had Val's invitation to come over to the Yamaha pits meet the World Champion. The two worlds never meet.

MotoGP holds one minute’s silence for London bombings victims on the grid of the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix
One minute's silence to honour the victims of this week’s London bombings will be observed at the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix at Laguna Seca on Sunday July 10th.

The one minute's silence will be observed at approximately 13:50 (local time). The World Championship's top riders, together with local and international dignataries, will stand in front of the starting grid immediately before the beginning of the MotoGP race, round 8 of the 2005 World Championship.

Beautiful Roads
Every mile of road on our trip through the Alps of southern France was breathtakingly beautiful and perfectly maintained. Not a crack or bump in the pavement, not a spec of loose gravel anyway.

We might come across a road crew in the middle of nowhere every 20 miles maintaining the road. We might see another car one an hour. The riding, the roads, the weather was unbelievably perfect.

Crazy at the Crazy Horse
It the most incredible burlesque performance club in the world and no trip to Paris can be complete without it, particularly if you love beautiful women like we do. Each girl is a trained balerina, had picked for purfectly matching bodies. They perform a 2 hour show of choreographed dance and strip sets as their bodies are bathed in colored and textured lighting designs against a musical sound track unlike anything you've ever seen before.

French MotoGP at LeMans
A motorcycle race in Europe has to be experienced to believed.
LeMans is just about 90 miles from Paris, we drove there easily by car on Sunday morning, enjoyed the race day, then were back in Paris by train and at our hotel at 6pm. More than enough time to shower, change, and make our 8pm dinner show reservations at the Crazy Horse.
I made our reservations online two months earlier to assure us a reserved front row table.

More of Our
Ultimate Vacation HERE

No Reprive for Superbike Racing in America
AMA Class Structure Remains Unchanged from 2006 - 2008
Despite the fact they have effectively killed the sport of professional roadracing in America, they have been critized universally in the media, and ignored the pleas of all the factory teams to consolidate their duplicate classes and to get all the factory teams back into the premier 1000cc Superclass for better racing, the AMA Pro Racing Board has annojced in will make no clanges to the class rules for 2006. Read our previous Editorial HERE.

The current class structure and rules in AMA racing has effectively killed the sport here in America, with spectator attendance at Nationals dropping from highs of 20-30,000 people back in the 1990's to as low as 1,000 spectators per race weekend today at venues like California Speedway and Pikes Peak International Raceway

. The bike technical rule sturchture and race scheduling also prevented American riders from competing in the SBK World Superbike Championship when it came to America, causing a corresponding drop in attendace at the Laguna Seca race weeknd last year to just 4,000 people, resulting in America droping its World Superbike round in 2005 as Laguna Seca switching to MotoGP. - Editor

AMA Pro Racing Press Release June 17, 2005 - AMA Pro Racing confirmed today that the 2006 Daytona 200 will again feature Formula Xtreme motorcycles and that the class structure for the AMA Superbike Championship remains unchanged.

The class structure for 2006 is as follows:
Superbike: 901-1000cc four-stroke, two or more cylinders
Supersport: 0-600cc four-stroke, multi-cylinder
Formula Xtreme: 450cc-600cc four-stroke, multi-cylinder; 595cc-750cc four-stroke, liquid-cooled, twin-cylinder; 850cc-1350cc four-stroke, air-cooled, twin-cylinder
Superstock: 745cc-1000cc four-stroke, multi-cylinder

AMA Pro Racing announced on May 26 that 1000cc motorcycles will remain in AMA Superbike through the 2008 racing season. Rules adding 1000cc motorcycles to the class were announced in 2002 for the 2003 racing season. As noted above, current AMA Superbike rules feature 901-1000cc four-stroke engines with two or more cylinders, exclusively.

“The feedback over our announcement regarding 1000cc machines remaining through 2008 has been very positive,” said Scott Hollingsworth, AMA Pro Racing CEO. “This stability as well as that in the support classes is designed to encourage greater rider and team participation across the board.”

Formula Xtreme machines are used for the Daytona 200 because of the unique demands placed on equipment specifically at the Daytona International Speedway course. As part of a major infield renovation completed at the facility prior to the beginning of the 2005 racing season, the infield road course was also reconfigured. These changes, coupled with switching the 200 to Formula Xtreme equipment, were made in the interest of improving safety at the track.

AMA Superbike remains the premier class within the championship with AMA Supersport, AMA Formula Xtreme and AMA Superstock serving as support classes.

Technical rules for each class will be announced at a later date.

Pit Lane News
Contents
• The Pit Board
  • News Index • Editorial
  • Mail • 2004 Race Dates
  • 2003 Race Coverage
• Sportbike Features   Tests, Specifications
• Sportbike Links 
  Teams, Riders,
   Clubs, Manufacturers
• Fast Dates News
   SBK Superbike Girls
• Iron & Lace News   Sexy Centerfold Models
• Calendar Girls News
  Garage Girls Play Dirty
• Meet the Models
  Our Calendar Angels

More News...
2 months ahead of print!
RETURN: FRONT PAGE

• July 2005 Page 5 News
• Jun 2005 Page 1 News
• Jun 2005 Page 2 News
• Jun 2005 Page 3 News
• Jun 2005 Page 4 News
• Jun 2005 Page 5 News
• May 2005 Page 1 News
• May 2005 Page 2 News
• May 2005 Page 3 News
• May 2005 Page 4 News
• Apr 2005 Page 1 News
• Apr 2005 Page 2 News
• Apr 2005 Page 3 News
• Apr 2005 Page 4 News
• Mar 2005 Page 1 News
• Mar 2005 Page 2 News
• Mar 2005 Page 3 News
• Mar 2005 Page 4 News
• Feb 2005 Page 1 News
• Feb 2005 Page 2 News
• Feb 2005 Page 3 News
• Feb 2005 Page 4 News
• Jan 2005 Page 1 News
• Jan 2005 Page 2 News
• Jan 2005 Page 3 News

• 2004 Pit Lane News

New Sport/Race Bikes!
Tests & Reviews

Sportbike INDEX
• Aprilia Index
• Ducati Index
• Foggy Petronas
• Honda Index
• Kawasaki Index
• KTM RC8 Superbike
• MV Agusta
• Poggipolini Millona
• Poggipolini Nera
• Suzuki GSXR Index
• Yamaha Index

Editorial, Bike Tests
News Features
• Edelweiss Bike Trip to   France and Western Alps
• Marco Melandri MotoGP's    hottest new star!
• Ducati Multistrada S
   2005 Bike of the Year
• AMA Pro Racing and the
  Decline of US Roadracing
• 2005 SBK Superbike   Season Preview
• Pirelli 2005 Calendar
• MV Agusta F4-1000
   Rockin' Robin's 1st test
• Pirelli Calendar 2005   Supermodels get naked   in Rio de Janero
• Who is Ten Kate?   
  Private Hondas Kick Ass
• Ducati Factory & Museum
• Ducati 999R05 First!
  Rockin' Robin tests it!
• 2004 LA CalendarShow
  Now World Class!
• Ducati Corse Race Shop
  Exclusive Visit!
• World Ducati Week2004
  Sportbike Heaven
• Ducati 04 Desmosedici
   D16 GP4 MotoGP Bike
• Torque Movie Review
   with our Jaime Pressly
• British Sportbike
   Magazine Review
• Neil Hodgsen Interview    Superbike Champion
• Aprilia 2004 RSV1000R
   First USA test!
• AMA Superbike Rules
• Valentino Rossi
  Biography of a Champ.
• SBK Fast Dates Girls   
  Our offical Ducati Corse   umbrella girls at Laguna
• Paris Motorcycle Show
  Well Worth the Trip

Sportbike Mags &
Pinup Calendars
A Very Revealing Expose!
• Pirelli Calendar 2005
• Pirelli Calendar Review
• Bike Calendar Review
• Buy Pinup Calendars
• Brit Sport Mag Review

Chicks That
Kick Ass!
Bring them home to mom.
• Jessica Biel
• Kristen Bell
• Maria Sharapova
• Mila Jovovich
• Kate Beckinsale
• Fast Dates Girls

RACE COVERAGE
2005 SBK Superbike
Preview 2005 SBK Season
Feb 26 Qatar Doha Losail
April 3 Phillip Island AU
April 24 Valencia Spain
May 8 Monza Italy
May 29 Silverstone GB
June 26 Misano Italy
Aug 7 Brands Hatch GB
Aug 17 Bruno Czech Rep
Sept 4 Assen Netherlands
Sept 11 Lausitzring DM
Oct 2 Imola italy
Oct 9 Magny-Cours FR

2005 MotoGP
Preview MotoGP 2005
April 10   Spain Jerez
April 17   Portugal, Estoril
May 1     China Shanghai
May 15   France Le Mans
June 5   Italy Mugello
June 12 Catalunya
June 25 Assen NL
July 10  LagunaSecaUSA
July 24 DoningtonParkGB
July 31  Sachsenring DM
Aug 28  Brno Czech Rep
Sept 18 Motegi Japan
Sept 25 Malaysia Sepang
Oct 1     Doha Qatar
Octr 16  Phillip Island AU
Oct 23 - Turkey, Istanbul
Nov 6 -  Valencia, Spain

2005 AMA Superbike
March 10-12 Daytona FL
April 22-24   Barber AL
Apr 29-May 1 CA Spdway
May 13-15   Infineon CA
May 21-22   Pikes Peak
June 3-5      Road America
June 25-26  Brainerd MN*
July 8-10      Laguna Seca
July 22-24    Mid-Ohio OH
Sept. 2-4      Road Atlanta
Sept. 17-18  VIR VA
• Track Website Links

2005 British Superbike
Preview 2005 BSB Season
Mar 26–28   Brands Hatch
Apr 8–10     Thruxton
Apr 22–24   Mallory Park
May 1–2      Oulton Park,
May 13–15  Mondello Park
Jun 3–5       Croft
June 24–26 Knockhill
July 8–10    Snetterton
Aug 19 -21  Silverstone,
Aug 2 -29    Cadwell Park
Sept 9–11   Oulton Park
Sept 23–25 Donington
Oct 7–9       Brands Hatch

Additional Racing
• Isle of Man TT 2004

2004 Race/News Index