Ducati launches social media website

From Ducati North America

CUPERTINO, CA – Ducati North America has announced the Ducati Community, a cutting edge social media site for Ducati enthusiasts to come together and share their experiences via photo, video and written anecdotes.

The Ducati Community, being launched first in North America, was designed with the intent to connect Ducati enthusiasts from all over the world. With a passionate following unique to the Ducati brand, the new Ducati Community completes the previously unobtainable link between Ducati, its dealers, the Desmo Owners Clubs (DOC) and Ducati fans – all of which were previously separated by geographical boundaries.

The new Ducati Community transcends those boundaries by enabling Ducatisti to share photos, videos, text and more surrounding the enjoyment of their bikes and experiences. The site is capable of being synced with Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites, and follows a blog-type format for user friendliness. The addition of iPhone and Android applications in the coming weeks will allow for real time updates from the road, the dealership, a MotoGP race or any other location.

“We are beyond excited about the launch of the Ducati Community site. This new platform will keep us at the forefront of technology and current web media practices. Ducati owners can now share everything from a cell phone image of Nicky Hayden in the paddock to a lap of Willow Springs from their last track day. All of this can be done right from a cell phone and reach users around the globe instantly,” said John Paolo Canton, PR Manager for Ducati North America. “It is not just a website, it is a way to connect people and give them the full Ducati brand experience.”

In addition to the Ducati’s fan base, Ducati will regularly use the Ducati Community site in order to relay news, model unveilings, major events and unique promotions for all of North America. This will ensure that the brand’s most loyal followers will be the first to know what is new in the world of Ducati.

The Ducati Community can be found at www.ducaticommunity.com, where signing up is fast, easy and free.

Electric Superbike to tackle Pikes Peak

From Torque PR

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO -- The 89th Pikes Peak International Hill Climb will include the most powerful motorcycle to enter the historic event in history when it roars away on June 26.

Chip Yates of Aliso Viejo, CA will be racing his 240bhp, 365lb/ft electric superbike in an Exhibition PowerSport Division showing when America’s second-oldest motor sport event gets underway in Colorado Springs.

Yates’ bike is currently set up for conventional tracks, where he made history by placing second in a race against gasoline superbikes earlier this year. His entry on Pikes Peak this summer heralds a completely new challenge for Yates and his unbelievable motorcycle.

“We’re ecstatic to have been invited by Pikes Peak International Hill Climb officials to compete in this epic event,” said the 39-year-old Yates. “The course is almost completely paved, but I will be challenged by several miles of dirt in the middle of the climb and I’ll be calling on my previous SCCA Pro Rally driving experience to get safely through the lower grip sections. Our engineers are busy developing new traction control software and mapping that will automatically adapt based on my position on the mountain.”

Yates and his SWIGZ Racing team achieved the seemingly impossible in January at the Auto Club Speedway in California, with two podium finishes for their electric superbike during its global racing debut, competing against a competitive field of highly-developed gasoline-powered race machines, including Ducati 848s, NCR-Ducatis, Honda RC51s, and Suzuki SV650s.

Despite only six laps of pre-race testing, the privately owned and developed machine exceeded all expectations in its two race outings. Yates achieved an astonishing third place in the premier WERA Heavyweight Twins Superbike race, starting on the third row of the grid, and going one better in the WERA Heavyweight Twins Superstock race to finish second and post the fastest lap of the race at a 1:39.792.

“We are thrilled to have Chip on the Hill this year with his amazing bike,” said Hill Climb motorcycle referee Sonny Anderson. “Our Exhibition PowerSport Division is designed for new technology, and what he brings is exactly that. Our fans are in for something special.”

The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb includes powerful cars, trucks and motorcycles racing up a 12.42-mile, 156-turn course. Traditionally, supermotos or other dirt-capable motorcycles enter the race, with Ducati MultiStradas piloted by Greg Tracy and Gary Trachy winning titles last summer.

More information on Yates and the bike can be found at: www.chipyates.com.

Pedrosa to undergo surgery

From Repsol Honda

After several medical tests by Dr. Eusebio Sala Planell, a specialist in vascular surgery, Repsol Honda MotoGP rider Dani Pedrosa has been diagnosed with intermittent compression of the subclavian artery, causing numbness and lack of strength in his left arm.

Pedrosa, who underwent surgery last October to set a double fracture of his left collarbone after a crash in the Grand Prix of Japan, will undergo a new operation following his participation in the Grand Prix of Spain this weekend and will make the most of a month of relaxation offered by the calendar as a result of the postponement of the Grand Prix of Japan.

In the operation, the titanium plate and screws will be taken out of the collarbone in order to release the compression pressure. The Spanish rider will start rehabilitation immediately after and resume activity in Estoril for the Grand Prix of Portugal on May 1.

“It’s never nice to have an operation, but we've had a lot of time searching for an answer to the effects of this injury and I’m relaxed because I finally know what has happened," Pedrosa said. "Now, we are in Jerez and I want to concentrate on the race, working with my team in best possible way to prepare the Grand Prix. This race is special, the crowd is always there to give you an extra point and I hope it helps me, as always. I like the track, I’ve had always good results here and I face the weekend with an open mind, trying to do my best in my current condition."

Kahuna joins MV Agusta network

From MV Agusta Canada BOUCHERVILLE, QC -- MV Agusta Canada has announced the appointment of Kahuna MV Agusta in Toronto as an official Sales and Service dealership for MV Agusta Motorcycles in Ontario. Kahuna’s experience in the powersports industry, enthusiasm about the brand and their location close to the heart of Toronto made Kahuna a clear choice to represent MV Agusta in Canada’s largest metropolis. Kahuna Powersports first opened its doors less than a decade ago and within this period has expanded its retail capacity and product portfolio threefold. The addition of the Italian MV Agusta brand now fills the elite exotic performance gap within Kahuna’s assortment, offering an historic racing import line for Kahuna customers. “It’s incredibly exciting to add MV Agusta to the Kahuna Powersports community – and to be playing a key role in its integration into the Canadian market,” said Kahuna Powersports owner Joe Linardi. “We’re enthusiastic to be providing an extended opportunity to motorcyclists here in the Toronto region in order to enjoy a more elite and unique performance brand. "We see a promising future here at Kahuna with MV Agusta and look forward to watching the brand grow among Canadian motorcycle riders."

Canadian TdN team announced

From Waznie Racing

BRANTFORD, ON -- Two Ontario riders and a pair from BC will make up the Canadian team in the 2011 Trials des Nations, which will be held in Tolmezzo, Italy on Sept. 18.

Current CMA number one plate holder Jordan Szoke will be joined by fellow Ontario rider Jonathan English. Completing the rider line-up will be BC's Will Duggan -- winner of two national events last summer -- and Devon D'Argis. Jon Nelson will travel with the team as its Minder.

The Trial des Nations is the most important motorcycle trials competition of national teams organized by the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM). It has been held annually since 1984. Each team is composed of four riders in the male category and since 2000, three riders in the female category. The team with fewest total penalties is awarded the title.

The current major obstacle with sending a Canadian Trials Team to Europe is funding. Donations are accepted directly to the CMA <http://www.canmocycle.ca/> and sponsorship will be acknowledged on the CMA TDN Web Page <http://www.canmocycle.ca/content_frameset.cfm?pagechooser=souvenir_shop>. 

For more information on how you can help the Canadian TDN Team contact Bob Billyard at bob@ossacanada.ca.

MotoGP heads to Jerez

From motogp.com Jerez de la Frontera is the first European stop on the 2011 MotoGP World Championship calendar this weekend, as the famed Spanish circuit hosts the second round of the season. With crowds regularly in excess of 120,000 on GP race day at the Andalucian track, the Gran Premio bwin de España promises a weekend packed full of atmosphere and on-track entertainment. After victory on his Repsol Honda debut in Qatar, Casey Stoner is the early 2011 pacesetter having become the first Honda rider to win the opening round of the season since 2003. Stoner has however only stepped onto the podium at Jerez on one previous occasion across all GP classes (in 2009), and will have to contest with the might of defending World Champion Jorge Lorenzo and his own Repsol Honda team-mate Dani Pedrosa, both of whom will be fully focused on delighting a partisan home crowd. Lorenzo was the only non-Honda inside the top five across the finish line in Qatar, and the Factory Yamaha Racing rider achieved his first MotoGP win on Spanish soil at Jerez last year thanks to a last-lap pass on Pedrosa. Pedrosa will also hope that he does not experience as severe a reaction from his recovering collarbone as the one he did towards the end of the Qatar race, which prompted him to have a medical check-up last week following Round 1. Italian duo Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda) and Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini) have both experienced success on the track in the lower categories and will fancy their respective chances of pushing for a first premier class podium at Jerez this weekend, while Ben Spies (Factory Yamaha Racing) aims to build on a season-opening sixth place finish. Valentino Rossi is the most successful rider ever at the Jerez circuit having taken six premier class victories there, and the Italian kicked off his Ducati career with seventh in Qatar. Still undergoing a process of adaptation to the GP11 and contending with his recovering shoulder, Rossi and Ducati Team colleague Nicky Hayden will be concentrated on adding to Ducati’s sole podium finish in the 800cc era (Stoner, 2009) in the last season of the engine capacity limitation. Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) has finished on the podium at Jerez (2007) while team-mate Cal Crutchlow enters his second MotoGP race confident following a solid introduction at Qatar. Hiroshi Aoyama (San Carlo Honda Gresini) comes in off the back of a top-10 start to the season and has won at Jerez in the 250 class, while Héctor Barberá (Mapfre Aspar Team) and rookie Karel Abraham (Cardion AB Motoracing) will seek progress. Pramac Racing pair Loris Capirossi and Randy de Puniet will aim to put a disappointing opening round behind them, as will Toni Elías (LCR Honda) at a track on which he took Moto2 victory last year. Álvaro Bautista remains sidelined following surgery on the left femur he fractured during practice in Qatar. The Spaniard’s place on the Rizla Suzuki team will be taken by American substitute John Hopkins, who makes his first MotoGP appearance since the 2008 Valencia GP. After a pulsating opening round in Qatar in which Stefan Bradl won the first race of 2011, the Moto2 class arrives at the Jerez circuit in southern Spain for Round 2 of the campaign this weekend. Leading the way after Round 1 is Bradl (Viessmann Kiefer Racing), whose second Moto2 victory of his career came from his first ever pole position start at the Losail circuit. The German rider led Andrea Iannone (Speed Master) and Tom Lüthi (Interwetten Paddock Moto2) across the finish line in Qatar, with Alex de Angelis (JiR Moto2) and Yuki Takahashi (Gresini Racing) all putting forward early reminders of their ambitions to be challenging at the top this season in the ultra competitive category. Spanish rider Nico Terol will aim to build on a formidably strong start to the 125cc World Championship season on home soil following a dominant win in Qatar. The Bankia Aspar rider took victory in the first race of the 125 season by more than seven seconds at Losail, further underlining his status as title favourite this year. Last year he finished second in the race at Jerez, and Terol is the only rider from last season’s Jerez race top five who remains in the 125 class this season. Sandro Cortese (Intact Racing Team Germany) and Sergio Gadea (PEV-Blusens-SMX Paris Hilton) completed the podium in Qatar, while Efrén Vázquez (Avant-AirAsia-Ajo) and Jonas Folger (Red Bull Ajo Motorsport) both scored top-five finishes and will target further progress following their promising starts to the campaign.

Avon Tyre rebate starts soon

From Avon Motorcycle Tyres North America

STOW, OH – Avon Motorcycle Tyres North America has announced a new consumer rebate program on Avon Cobra and Venom tires. From April 1 through May 15, simply purchase a qualifying Avon tire and receive a $25 rebate per tire on up to two tires.

The program is simple. Purchase Avon Cobra or Venom tires during the promotional period April 1 through May 15 and submit your invoice with a rebate form directly to Avon Motorcycle Tyres North America. The invoice must show that the purchase was made in a single transaction within the specified date range to be eligible. Avon will then issue a rebate in the form of an Avon Tyres MasterCard Gift Card for $25 for one tire or $50 for two tires depending upon the original purchase. The MasterCard Gift Card can be used virtually anywhere MasterCard debit cards are accepted. Please allow four to six weeks for processing. 

This rebate program is valid only in the U.S. and Canada, excluding Quebec, and certain terms and conditions apply. For more information, visit http://www.avonmoto.com/rebate, or call 800-624-7470.

Ducati announces Multistrada Travel Experience

From Ducati North America

CUPERTINO, CA – Ducati has announced the 2011 schedule for its Multistrada Travel Experience, an incredible series of motorcycle tours all over the world for passionate riders.

The incredibly successful “Multistrada Travel Experience” prepares for 2011 with an exciting choice of five different destinations, each offering an unforgettable exploration experience. Great routes through countries rich in culture combine with the Ducati Multistrada’s four-bikes-in-one character to provide the motorcycling holiday of a lifetime.

The arrival of the Multistrada 1200 with its Sport, Touring, Urban and Enduro Riding Modes set a new benchmark in motorcycling. The Multistrada 1200 also enabled the innovative “Multistrada Travel Experience” - a new way to experience the excitement of motorcycle travel. With the simple click of a button the four Riding Modes automatically combine Ducati MotoGP derived technologies such as optional engine mappings, electronic suspension settings and traction control. This enables a comfortable “go anywhere” motorcycle with enhanced safety and user-friendliness.

Organized by the long established Edelweiss Bike Travel company, the five adventures cover Australia, Austria, Italy, Germany, Morocco, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland via the following fantastic tours:

June
7-14, Italy (including World Superbike at Misano)
18-26, The Alps
July
1-8, Italy (including MotoGP at Mugello)
9-17, The Alps
August
27-4 (September), The Alps
September
18-26, Italy (including World Superbike at Imola)
October
8-23, Spain & Morocco
10-22, Australia
25-3 (November), Spain & Portugal

For more information about the Multistrada Travel Experience, please visit the Multistrada Travel Experience website <http://www.ducatiusa.com/multistrada_travel_experience/multistrada_travel_experience.do>. 

Melandri and Checa share Donington spoils

From Pirelli

DONINGTON PARK, UK - The two riders who won the World Superbike races at Donington Park on Sunday, Carlos Checa and Marco Melandri, are the two who leave at the head of the championship chase, with Checa now on 91 points and Melandri on 72.

Superpole winner Checa (Althea Racing Ducati) used his experience to change his rear tire choice for race two and improve from a third place to be a clear winner, while Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike Team) made two great recoveries from a third row start to post a win and a second place.

Jakub Smrz (Effenbert Liberty Racing Ducati) nearly won the first race, with the local fans having something to cheer about as Leon Camier (Aprilia Alitalia) went third in race two, to make up for a hard first round in Australia that was badly affected by illness. 2010 World Champion Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia) had his drama-laden weekend turn into a mini-crisis as he finished only seventh in race one, and was excluded from race two after jump starting and failing to come in for a ride-through penalty.

In the overall championship third place belongs to Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) on 53 points after two fourths on Sunday, while Biaggi has 49 points in fourth overall.

New World Superbike rider Melandri took only three races to record his first win, finally overhauling long time leader Smrz to take the first race by 2.455 seconds.

The last podium place went to Checa after he passed local hero Haslam with two corners to go.

Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda) scored fifth and Noriyuki Haga (Pata Racing Aprilia) was sixth, one place up on the factory bike of Biaggi.

A potentially great finish for Tom Sykes and his Kawasaki Racing Team Superbike machine ended in a crash at the redesigned Esses section.

“It has been an awesome race for me, very tough and at the start many guys were very aggressive,” said Melandri. “I kept my rhythm and when I got on my own I caught Camier and some others then it took some time to get to Haslam. After that it was only a few laps to go and 'Kuba' was pretty far ahead. I just kept the best pace I could and in the end Smrz’s pace was gone and I passed him. We missed a little bit of top speed but the package was very balanced, we won and I had a lot of fun.”

Checa controlled race two from the early laps and won by 3.397 seconds from race one victor Melandri. Camier was a contender for second for long periods, before Melandri upped the pace and left him behind.

Another Leon, this time Haslam went fourth for the second time, despite running off track at one point. Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Racing Team) was a great fifth on the new ZX-10R machine, despite not yet being at full fitness.

With Rea sixth for Honda and race one retiree Michel Fabrizio (Suzuki Alstare) seventh in race two there were seven different manufacturers represented in the top seven places, proving how competitive the 2011 season is after only two rounds.

“It is a fantastic beginning to the season, especially this victory in Donington, which is something special,” said Checa. “Basically we decided to put on a different tire with better grip at the beginning, so now I was stable and had good grip. At the end the tire dropped down a little but it was good enough. Everybody knows what happened here to me many years ago, when I lost something so now I’m quite satisfied to win at Donington!”

Yamaha ParkinGO riders Luca Scassa and Chaz Davies contested the win in the 22-lap Supersport race, with Davies 0.270 seconds down at the flag. Gino Rea took the final podium place for his Step Racing Honda team, as Robbin Harms (Harms Benjan Racing Honda) went fourth and Kawasaki Motocard.com rider Broc Parkes secured fifth place.

Superbike Race 1 Results
1. Melandri M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF-R1 34:33.189 (160.673km/h)
2. Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R +2.455
3. Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R +5.839
4. Haslam L. (GBR) BMW S1000RR +6.176
5. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR +9.039
6. Haga N. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 Factory +9.215
7. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory +9.960
8. Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory +14.860
9. Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000RR +14.877
10. Lascorz J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-10R +16.182
11. Guintoli S. (FRA) Ducati 1098R +25.820
12. Xaus R. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR +28.378
13. Badovini A. (ITA) BMW S1000RR +31.869
14. Rolfo R. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX-10R +40.015
15. Aitchison M. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX-10R +1:00.128

Superbike Race 2 Results
1. Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 34:21.537 (161.581km/h)
2. Melandri M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF-R1 +3.397
3. Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory +5.902
4. Haslam L. (GBR) BMW S1000RR +13.842
5. Lascorz J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-10R +14.253
6. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR +19.413
7. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +20.278
8. Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R +21.160
9. Badovini A. (ITA) BMW S1000RR +24.298
10. Xaus R. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR +24.907
11. Guintoli S. (FRA) Ducati 1098R +32.440
12. Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-10R +32.679
13. Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000RR +34.070
14. Laverty E. (IRL) Yamaha YZF-R1 +36.418
15. Rolfo R. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX-10R +44.037
16. Aitchison M. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX-10R +52.412

Pirelli Best Lap Awards:
SBK Race 1 – Noriyuki Haga (PATA Racing Team Aprilia), 1:29.137 (Lap 3)
SBK Race 2 – Carlos Checa (Althea Racing, 1:28.988 (Lap 8)

World Superbike Points
(after 2 rounds of 13)
1. Checa 91
2. Melandri 72
3. Haslam 53
4. Biaggi 49
5. Smrz 42
6. Rea 38
7. Camier 37
8. Fabrizio 27
9. Haga 26
10. Sykes 19

MV Agusta announces Ontario dealers

From MV Agusta Canada BOUCHERVILLE, QC -- MV Agusta Canada has announced the appointment of Royal MV Agusta with locations in Whitby, Guelph and Innisfil, ON as an official Sales and Service dealership for MV Agusta Motorcycles in Ontario. What inspired the appointment of Royal as a dealer was the fact that Royal will exclusively sell the MV Agusta brand. The willingness to dedicate their full attention to MV Agusta in Canada’s largest market is a huge commitment to the brand. Royal Distributing, founded in 1990 has evolved into Canada’s powersports leader with four retail stores in Ontario encompassing over 55,000 sq. ft. of retail space. These beautiful facilities are full of all the top powersports brand names. The ownership team of enthusiasts at Royal Distributing carries over 100 years of experience in the powersports industry in Canada. “We feel it will be a great addition to our current offering," said Scott Spark, president of Royal MV Agusta. "MV Agusta motorcycles are hand built with care just like the care and attention given to our facilities and clientele. We never wanted to carry many motorcycle brands – we just wanted one good one! This would be Royal’s contribution to help grow the motorcycle industry in Ontario.” If you require information from Royal MV Agusta please contact Scott or Mark at 519-822-6903.

Biaggi leads Italian 1-2 at Donington

From worldsbk.com

Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia) scorched round the new-look Donington Park circuit in a blistering time of 1 minute 28.794 seconds on Friday to head off a challenge from Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike) as the World Superbike riders concluded their first qualifying session.

Biaggi's final advantage over Melandri was just a fraction, with the two Italians the only riders into the 1:28 bracket.

Carlos Checa was also on the pace, grabbing the lead in the middle of the session, but the Althea Racing man eventually ended up third, while Eugene Laverty (Yamaha World Superbike) completed the overnight front row.

The hard-fought session saw a series of surprises as both Leon Haslam and Troy Corser were up among the frontrunners for a while on their BMW S 1000RR machines, together with Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Racing Team), while two fallers today were Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia) and Michel Fabrizio (Suzuki Alstare).

Following his win in the opening World Supersport round of the season, Italian Luca Scassa (Yamaha ParkinGO) continued his excellent run of form by setting the provisional pole at the end of Friday afternoon's first qualifying session. His time of 1:31.232 was just a fraction quicker than Britain's Sam Lowes, in second place on the Parkalgar Honda machine.

The two Motocard.com Kawasaki ZX-6Rs were next up, with Australia's Broc Parkes ahead of Spain's David Salom.

Superbike Qualifying Results
(courtesy Yamaha)
1. Max Biaggi (Aprilia) ITA 1:28.794
2. Marco Melandri (Yamaha) ITA 1:28.841
3. Carlos Checa (Ducati) ESP 1:29.194
4. Eugene Laverty (Yamaha) GBR 1:29.379
5. Jakub Smrz (Ducati) CZE 1:29.397
6. Leon Haslam (BMW) GBR 1:29.472
7. Troy Corser (BMW) AUS 1:29.476
8. Ruben Xaus (Honda) ESP 1:29.613
9. Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki) ESP 1:29.637
10. Leon Camier (Aprilia) GBR 1:29.639
11. Noriyuki Haga (Aprilia) JPN 1:29.851
12. Maxime Berger (Ducati) FRA 1:29.851
13. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki) GBR 1:29.860
14. Sylvain Guintoli (Ducati) FRA 1:30.008
15. Ayrton Badovini (BMW) ITA 1:30.169

Hurst kicks off MCC webinar series

From the Motorcyclists Confederation of Canada

MARKHAM, ON -- Shake out the Mothballs and Get Ready to Ride! is the theme of world-class motorcycle racer and racing instructor Misti Hurst's webinar presented by the Motorcyclists Confederation of Canada (MCC) on Tuesday, April 19. This informative, interactive web conference - sponsored by BMW Motorrad Canada - will transform the way women motorcyclists prepare for each new riding season.
   

"Now is the perfect time for the growing number of women riders across Canada to get revved to create and enjoy their own riding experience," noted MCC's Women Riders Council Chair, Myra Abstreiter. "Misti will discuss what women riders need to know and do to get back on the road after the long winter break - she'll guide webinar participants through some of the mechanical, physical, mental and skills-related challenges women need to focus on and get in the right frame of mind to better enjoy their riding days." 

"Given our commitment to meeting the needs of female riders, BMW Motorrad Canada is keen to be part of this special event designed to help women acquire new riding skills and start the riding season with confidence," said Norm Wells, Director of BMW Motorrad Canada. "With the dramatic growth in women riders across Canada, BMW Motorrad will continue to provide a wide-range of equipment and apparel specifically developed for women." 

Register now by clicking the link below:

https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/261830166 <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=uil9lcbab&et=1104943347315&s=164&e=00155blV5r0QUWXQMAj80_yIQ4sglFkDYgVEqA4t9F1Ir-8zComDGvLVgyF50uUvie5qjP9AkKhHlNnNV6cKCkWDARx3-ma_AEPeMw_PXbC0ZUpnH7Gj52h0hMKSeRIGqwvpUeLPm7D9V50kw7uqSV5ug==>  

The webinar is scheduled for Tuesday, April 19 (9:30pm Newfoundland; 9:00pm Atlantic; 8:00pm Eastern; 7:00pm Central; 6:00pm Mountain; 5:00pm Pacific). This webinar is in English - a French-language webinar will be scheduled later.

Motorcycle Experience moves to Sunday

From Motorcycle Experience

Catch your Motorcycle Experience this Sunday, March 27 at 1:00pm on TSN and TSN-HD.

During this instalment of Motorcycle Experience Dave catches up with the Military Police National Relay Ride in Trenton, ON, Riding instructor Clint McBain shares his thoughts on panic attacks, Yamaha's Bryan Hudgin puts the barter system to the test during his Labrador adventure, Loyal ME viewer Mitch Guimaraes steps up to sample Aprilia's World Superbike spec RSV4, and the Ultimate Ride tour explores the Blue Ridge Pkwy in North Carolina and visits the tiny town of Old Fort.

Motorcycle Experience will be rebroadcast on TSN and TSN-HD on Monday, March 28 at Midnight and Wednesday, March 30 at 1:30pm. It will also be shown on TSN2 on Saturday, March 26 at 4:00pm, Thursday, March 31 at 3:30pm and Friday April 1 at 6:00pm.

All times are eastern.

Motorcycle Experience is created with the assistace of Honda Canada, BMW Motorrad Canada, Suzuki Canada, Yamaha Motor Canada and Motovan Corp.

Doohan to attend Isle of Man TT

From the Isle of Man TT

Former Grand Prix World Champion Mick Doohan, who won five consecutive 500cc World Championships in the late nineties, has confirmed that he will be visiting the Isle of Man for the 2011 TT Races.

His visit to the Isle of Man includes starting the Monster Energy Supersport 2 Race and presenting the trophies for the PokerStars Senior TT. He will also complete an Arai parade lap on a Honda Fireblade with five-time 2010 TT Champion Ian Hutchinson on Wednesday June 8 as well as being a VIP Guest in the hospitality suite. He will be meeting fans on Thursday June 9 as part of the 'Day of Champions'.

The popular Australian is widely considered to be one of the greatest motorcycle racers in the history of the sport. Only Giacomo Agostini with eight and Valentino Rossi with seven have won more World Championships.

Riding for Honda, he won his first 500cc world championship in 1994 and dominated the class until 1998, winning five consecutive championships. In 1997, his most successful year, Doohan won 12 out of 15 races, finishing second in another two and crashed out of the final race of the season at his home GP when winning by more than six seconds.

In 1999, following an accident in qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix, Doohan announced his retirement.

"I'm really looking forward to visiting the Isle of Man and seeing a race or two," Doohan said. "I'm a massive fan of all bike sport and the TT Races has a huge pedigree and is obviously world famous so I want to go and see what all the fuss is about. I have a great respect for what those guys do there - I've seen some YouTube footage and its looks mad. I'm sure when I'm sitting in someone's front garden with a beer or a cup of nice English tea it will look even madder."

Following his trip to the Isle of Man, Doohan will also be visiting Silverstone to see the British leg of the MotoGP Championship.

MotoGP unites to help Japan

From motogp.com

The MotoGP community has moved to do all it can to support those in Japan following the recent earthquake and its after-effects, and the 17 riders in MotoGP have put their signatures on a specially printed shirt with the message “We are for Japan."

The t-shirt will be available at a range of circuits on the World Championship calendar, as well as being available from the MotoGP official website at weforjapan.motogp.com. It can be purshased for €20.

The funds collected through this initiative will be presented to a humanitarian organization during the Japan Grand Prix, which is scheduled to take place on Oct. 2.

“We must give our maximum support to Japan at a moment such as this," said defending MotoGP World Champion Jorge Lorenzo. "Japan is already a strong country that has always demonstrated its ability to overcome adversity. A strong embrace to all Japanese people and fans of motorcycling who live there.”

Added Casey Stoner, winner of last weekend's season opener in Qatar, "We considered the floods in Australia at the beginning of the year a huge disaster, but after the events we've seen in Japan - it's beyond what we can comprehend. Having heard some of the stories from colleagues in Honda and seeing the coverage on the news, it's devastating to hear what they are going through and our hearts and thoughts are with everyone in Japan. I hope they can find the courage to keep fighting and get through this period to help rebuild their lives."

Ducati announces 'Diavel Night'

From Ducati North America

CUPERTINO, CA – Ducati North America has declared March 25 as 'Diavel Night,' an evening where showrooms across North America will host welcome events for the 2011 Ducati Diavel.

As the latest arrival in Ducati’s 2011 lineup, dealers will be throwing out all the stops with red carpet events to welcome the Diavel in style. Motorcyclists are encouraged to stop by their local Ducati dealer and see the Diavel up close and in person.

“We are eagerly anticipating the arrival of the Diavel in showrooms across North America,” said Jason Chinnock, Director of Sales and Marketing for Ducati North America. “Our dealer network has a wide range of creative events planned, and we are ready to welcome the Diavel just in time for riding season.”

Built to have a commanding presence while remaining lightweight and agile like all Ducatis, the Diavel takes the man-motorcycle relationship to the next level in absolute comfort. For connoisseurs of technology, ABS, Ducati Traction Control and Ducati Riding Modes deliver a confidence-inspiring sophistication while stunning looks, 162hp and 456lb of authentic Ducati performance drives a comfortable sport lifestyle that could only be dreamt of before.

For more information about the Diavel Night and a list of participating dealers, please visit the www.ducatiusa.com homepage.

Vermeulen returns for Donington

From Paul Bird Motorsport

Kawasaki Superbike Racing Team rider Chris Vermeulen is planning on returning to action this weekend in round two of the World Superbike Championship at Donington Park.

It will be the first time the 28-year-old former World Supersport Champion will have raced since sustaining a serious knee injury at the opening round of last year's World Superbike Championship at Phillip Island in Australia.

The Australian MotoGP race winner had an operation to rebuild his knee last July and is now in the final phase of rehabilitation after such complex surgery but was forced out of his home race last month due to still not being 100 percent fit.

However this weekend, he aims to be back in action aboard the Paul Bird Motorsport-prepared Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R at the team's home round and at the circuit he knows well due to his British Championship experience.

Meanwhile team-mates Tom Sykes and Joan Lascorz will be determined to do well for their very own reasons going into Donington. Yorkshireman Sykes has fond memories of the Leicestershire track having nearly won a WSB race as a wild card in 2008 whereas the last time Spaniard Lascorz raced in the UK, he suffered a huge accident at Silverstone which ended his World Championship aspirations last year.

Both riders are hoping to improve on their performances in Australia a month ago with Sykes bringing the new bike home to a best result of eighth and coupled with the addition of Vermeulen, the team are hoping for a string of solid results.

"It's great to welcome Chris back into the team and hopefully he can give a good account of himself now he's back to somewhere near full fitness," said team owner Paul Bird. "This is an important race for the team and I'm expecting all three riders to be strong this weekend, there should be no excuses. We all have good memories of Donington Park over the years and this is our best shot in ages so we're looking to be at the cutting edge as we know this bike is good enough."

Saline Bird Concept Motorcycle

Saline Bird ConceptThis idea was designed for that pace record holders Les Triplettes de Bonneville. French designers from ISD of Valenciennes Charles-Edouard Berche, Ugo Spagnolo , Adrien Fuinesl, Frédéric Dobbelstein, and Jean-Philippe Paries built a motorbike driven by a compressed air engine. The Saline Bird characteristics carbon fibre frame that retains the air tanks. If you want, it is

CSBK to be powered by Mopar

From Frontline CSBK Inc.

TORONTO, ON - Frontline CSBK Inc., Canada’s premier road racing series organizer, has announced a new relationship between Chrysler Canada and the Canadian Superbike Championship by Parts Canada.

The winner of the 2011 Superbike Championship will be presented with a new Jeep Off-Road Camper Trailer from MOPAR valued close to $15,000. The unit will be on display at CSBK events throughout the season.

“This partnership with the Canadian Superbike Championship assists Mopar in expanding their marketing reach as a performance-based brand,” said Jim Kiritsis, Senior Manager Service and Parts. “The 2011 racing season will help us position Mopar with an enthusiast crowd that cares about performance just as much as we do."

As a show of support to Canada's future racing stars, Mopar will also award $500 in product to the winner of each Amateur Superbike national event final.

“This is a way to showcase the fact that our Mopar dealers carry a very wide range of products that are not just brand-specific,” said Jon Camilleri, Mopar Marketing Manager. “Most racers have tow vehicles and haulers, from oil filters to navigation units, we are guaranteed to have useful parts and accessories in our Mopar line-up that everybody can use.”

Beginning April 1 all CSBK membership holders will also be entitled to the Chrysler Advantage Plan, allowing significant savings in addition to most other current retail incentives when they purchase or lease any new Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge or Ram vehicle.

The 2011 Canadian Superbike Championship kicks off on May 20 with the Pirelli tire test at Calabogie Motorsports Park, which will be hosted by the Turn 2 Sportbike School. Round one will take place May 27-29 at Circuit ICAR near Montreal.

A complete list of Mopar accessories and performance parts is available at www.mopar.ca.

Subaru partners with Isle of Man TT

From the Isle of Man TT

Car manufacturer Subaru has reached an agreement with the Isle of Man Government Department of Economic Development to be the official car partner of the Isle of Man TT Races, fuelled by Monster Energy.

The three-year deal will see the company provide the latest Subaru models for use by the TT organization to help manage the running of the event including the course inspection and roads open and closed duties.

The Subaru brand sells a full range of models worldwide including the Legacy sedan, Outback, Forester and Impreza models. The brand has enjoyed significant sales success in recent years and in 2010 set a new global sales record. The brand is noted for its unique Boxer engine and all-wheel drive technology, which supports not only the brand's performance character but also its other strengths of safety, practicality and reliability.

As part of the sponsorship activation programme, Subaru will also be involved in a closed road demonstration lap around the iconic 37¾ mile Mountain Course at this year's TT. Tony Pond was the last driver to drive a closed road car lap of the course, in 1990.

Manx rally star, and official 2011 Subaru Rally Team USA driver, David Higgins will be the driver on the closed road car lap. He is a two time U.S Rally Champion as well as 2004 British Rally Champion.

"Having grown up on the Isle of Man I understand that the TT Races has a mythical status and an incredible heritage and I am looking forward to adding another chapter to its history," Higgins said. "The Mountain Course represents a stunning drive but for once I'm not going to have much chance to take in the views."

Stoner tops Spanish duo in Qatar

From motogp.com

Casey Stoner (Repsol Honda) had a titanic tussle with his Repsol Honda team-mate Dani Pedrosa at the Commercialbank Grand Prix of Qatar on Sunday, in the first round of the 2011 MotoGP World Championship to snatch 25 points on his debut ride with Repsol Honda.

Stoner finished 3.440 seconds ahead of second placed Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha Factory Racing).

"After a great pre-season, we came into this race weekend and everything kept getting better and better for us," Stoner said. "This morning in warm up we had a few issues getting a good feeling with the bike, carrying a full tank of fuel and this issue also affected us in the early part of the race. We knew though as the fuel level decreased and the tires aged, that our bike would come back to us.

"Dani came past and we decided to follow to see where he was strong and where I was weak. Then when I started to feel more confident with the bike and had more grip and better turning, we decided to push forwards and take advantage. Tonight the bike was fantastic, as it has been for all the sessions and I'm very proud to be racing for Repsol Honda and to take my first victory in the first race."

It had been eight years since a Honda rider won the opening round of the MotoGP season, the last rider to do so was Valentino Rossi in 2003 at Suzuka. Stoner has an impressive record at the Losail International Circuit after winning here in 2008 and 2009. The Australian claimed his 31st win of his career here and his 24th in MotoGP.

The 22-lap race was run in the best conditions of the weekend with fairly high temperatures and without the strong winds that had been feared. It produced a thrilling race with close encounters throughout the pack.

Pedrosa took the lead from the start of the race and then it was the reigning World Champion, Lorenzo who took up the mantle as race leader. What followed was fierce between the two Spaniards and Stoner, with the Repsol Hondas eventually pulling an advantage.

Stoner and Pedrosa swapped position for the lead on several occasions and at the midway point the polesitter increased his pace and set off for the chequered flag. This left the two championship rivals from 2010 dueling it out for second place and it was the Yamaha rider who picked up the 20 points.

“I think maybe I am more proud of that podium than a race victory, that’s how I feel tonight," Lorenzo said. "I feel very proud of myself and my team, who never gave up and worked to give me the best bike that they can.

"I put everything I have inside into my riding on the track for the race. From the start to the end, I was on the limit every lap. I almost crashed on one corner but I managed to stay on the bike and finished in second position which is the best that I could do.”

After the race Pedrosa complained of pain in his left arm.

"I'm disappointed, not for the race I had, but for the physical problems I had again with my left arm," he admitted. "Already in practice I felt something, but I was not sure if it could be that bad. At the end I couldn't grab the handlebar and in the last 7-8 laps I couldn't use the clutch at all. I was just holding the arm and I was suffering a lot.

"The bike was perfect all race, I had the chance to win but I had a very hard time, one of the toughest races of my life. I don't know what I can do because I should be OK after the rest I had this winter. I did the tests and everything was in order. I feel sorry for my team as well, because the bike was very good, fast, perfect also in the corners."

Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda) and Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini Team) were involved in a close battle for fourth place throughout the race and it was the Repsol Honda who took the first position off the podium. Dovizioso finished 5.942 behind Stoner.

There was much anticipation surrounding the debut of Valentino Rossi with the Ducati Team. The Italian finished seventh after racing Ben Spies (Yamaha Factory Racing), after swapping places with the American. The Yamaha got the advantage over the Ducati to take sixth place.

Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) was eighth, with Nicky Hayden (Ducati Team) and Hiroshi Aoyama (San Carlo Honda Gresini) completing the top 10.

Cal Crutchlow (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) managed to take 11th place on the last lap ahead of Héctor Barberá (Mapfre Aspar Team).

GP debutant Karel Abraham (Cardion ab Motoracing) was the final rider to pass the chequered flag and earned himself three points, with just 13 riders finishing the first race of the season.

It was not the MotoGP return that Toni Elías (LCR Honda) had been hoping for. After languishing in 14th place at the back, he suffered a strange crash towards the end of the race which cost him two points.

It was a nightmare start for the Pramac Racing team after Randy de Puniet had a nasty highside on lap one. His team-mate Loris Capirossi was hit by the Frenchman’s bike, crushing his hand and therefore had to retire from the race.

The riders observed a one minutes silence in honour of the victims of the Japan earthquake ahead of the MotoGP race.

Stefan Bradl (Viessmann Kiefer Racing) roared to the second Moto2 win of his career, after starting from his first pole position. The German rider led from the start of the race and eventually won by a large margin of 4.330 seconds.

Andrea Iannone (Speed Master) grabbed the second spot on the rostrum and gained his 14th podium of his career. After starting down in 16th place, the Italian clawed his way up to ninth place at the end of lap one and was up to second place by lap nine.

Thomas Lüthi (Interwetten Paddock Moto2) finished third after equalling his best ever qualifying starting from third position. Yuki Takahashi (Gresini Racing) was overtaken by Alex de Angelis (JiR Moto2) on the last lap and dropped to fifth place.

Nicolas Terol took the top spot in the 125cc season opener at the Losail International Circuit. The Bankia Aspar rider won the race here in Qatar in 2010 and his victory in the 2011 opening round takes his victory tally to six in this class. Terol was never headed from the start and made an early getaway, winning by a large margin of 7.710.

The fight for the podium was hotly contested amongst a group of four riders, but it was Sandro Cortese (Intact Racing Team Germany), making his 100th Grand Prix start, who clinched second place. The the final podium position went to the experienced rider Sergio Gadea (PEV-Blusens-SMX Paris Hilton) who won the first ever Qatar Grand Prix back in 2008. He edged out Efrén Vázquez (Ajo Motorsport) and Jonas Folger (Red Bull Ajo Motorsport).

MotoGP Race Results
1. Casey STONER (AUS) Repsol Honda Team 42:38.569
2. Jorge LORENZO (SPA) Yamaha Factory Racing +3.440
3. Dani PEDROSA (SPA) Repsol Honda Team +5.051
4. Andrea DOVIZIOSO (ITA) Repsol Honda Team +5.942
5. Marco SIMONCELLI (ITA) San Carlo Honda Gresini +7.358
6. Ben SPIES (USA) Yamaha Factory Racing +10.468
7. Valentino ROSSI (ITA) Ducati Team +16.431
8. Colin EDWARDS (USA) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 +26.293
9. Nicky HAYDEN (USA) Ducati Team +27.416
10. Hiroshi AOYAMA (JPN) San Carlo Honda Gresini +28.920
11. Cal CRUTCHLOW (GBR) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 +34.539
12. Hector BARBERA (SPA) Mapfre Aspar Team MotoGP Ducati +34.829
13. Karel ABRAHAM (CZE) Cardion AB Motoracing Ducati +37.957
Not Classified
Toni ELIAS (SPA) LCR Honda MotoGP
Loris CAPIROSSI (ITA) Pramac Racing Team Ducati
Randy DE PUNIET (FRA) Pramac Racing Team Ducati

MotoGP Point Standings
1. Casey STONER (Honda) 25
2. Jorge LORENZO (Yamaha) 20
3. Dani PEDROSA (Honda) 16
4. Andrea DOVIZIOSO (Honda) 13
5. Marco SIMONCELLI (Honda) 11
6. Ben SPIES (Yamaha) 10
7. Valentino ROSSI (Ducati) 9
8. Colin EDWARDS (Yamaha) 8
9. Nicky HAYDEN (Ducati) 7
10. Hiroshi AOYAMA (Honda) 6
11. Cal CRUTCHLOW (Yamaha) 5
12. Hector BARBERA (Ducati) 4
13. Karel ABRAHAM (Ducati) 3

Kruger bounces back in China

By John Hopkins

Canadian road racer Dan Kruger survived a rough start to the 2011 Pan Delta series at the Zhuhai International Circuit in China last weekend, rebounding from a crash in the opening race of the doubleheader on Saturday to finish third in the second race on Sunday.

After qualifying second the Team BG Motorsport / Titanic Kawasaki Hong Kong rider, making his debut in the premier class on a ZX-10R, fell in turn four on the opening lap of Saturday's race, which was held in very wet conditions.

"Although it was a simple low side, it was in the rain so the bike spun around 180 degrees and I actually made contact with my helmet immediately and then somehow flew over the bike and made much harder impact with my helmet on the asphalt and then the bike hit me as well," Kruger said in an email.

Kruger suffered a badly broken baby finger, a broken bone in his wrist and a broken thumb in the fall and his status for Sunday's race was questionable. The Kawasaki was badly damaged but the BG Motorsport mechanics worked through the night with a back up bike to get things race ready for Sunday.

Kruger elected to take part in the second race with his hand heavily taped, although he was relegated to the back row of Sunday's race grid due to his fall. The Montrealer worked his way up to second before his shifter fell off and he was stuck in fourth gear, but he managed to hang on for a third place finish.

"Looking back on the weekend, I guess I came out of it OK," Kruger added. "Kawasaki and BG are happy and for all the incidents that took place this weekend with me, I am happy to fly out tomorrow with a podium."

Kruger's season continues at the Chendu Circuit at the end of April.

Stoner on Qatar MotoGP pole

From motogp.com

After dominating all of the practice sessions, Casey Stoner (Repsol Honda) clinched the first pole of the 2011 season at the Losail International Circuit on Saturday, making it his 27th pole of his career.

Of the seven MotoGP races held in Qatar, only one has been won from pole position and it was the Australian on a Ducati back in 2009. This is only the second pole position in Doha for Honda in MotoGP, the previous one being Stoner again, back in 2006.

The MotoGP class were presented with higher temperatures in Qatar with less wind compared to earlier in the week in the hour long qualifying session.

"We can't ask for a much better weekend, everything has gone well," Stoner said. "The team have made all the right steps and gradually improved the bike, as the weekend progressed. Tonight I was able to achieve good, consistent lap times again on the hard tire and this is important for the race tomorrow."

Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) was the only man who could compete with Stoner’s brilliance and took provisional pole off him during the session, but ended up 0. 205 behind when Stoner blitzed his lap time with a pole position lap of 1:54.137. Pedrosa will now make his first ever front row start at the Losail International Circuit.

”The weekend has been very good for us so far," Pedrosa said. "I've been running at the top in every session and I'm very happy to be on the front row in Losail for the first time. Nevertheless, we have to focus on the race. Casey is running very fast, also Lorenzo is improving very quickly, so we have to focus, making no mistakes tomorrow."

The final place on the front row went to Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha Factory Racing) who finished 0.810 behind Stoner. The riders on the front row were the only ones able to achieve a lap time in the 1:54s.

The Spaniard also has the satisfaction of getting the better of his team-mate, Ben Spies (Yamaha Factory Racing), who finished qualifying in fifth place.

"There were some really impressive lap times out there tonight in the session," Lorenzo said. "We are still quite far behind the front, but our goal is to finish on the podium and that is in my mind for tomorrow. My race pace is pretty good; I think I can keep running 1:55.7s or maybe 1:55.8s. We will finalize our set up in warm up and try to achieve that tomorrow.”

Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini Team) was the surprise of the session with a great lap to finish fourth fastest, just four hundredths slower than the current MotoGP World Champion.

The top Ducati was yet again Héctor Barberá (Mapfre Aspar Team), who was sixth fastest, 1.086 off the time set by Stoner.

Monster Yamaha Tech 3 again produced a good showing with the sole British representative Cal Crutchlow (Monster Yamaha Tech) managing a stunning eighth place on the grid in his first MotoGP race, despite the awkward injury to his finger. His team-mate Colin Edwards was in 10th position.

It was a disappointing showing for Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda) compared to his team-mates and after his form in the previous practice sessions. The Italian, not known for strong qualifying compared to race results, could only manage seventh with a deficit of 1.092 off the leading Repsol Honda.

Valentino Rossi (Ducati Team), still struggling with the shoulder injury in his debut race weekend for Ducati Team was ninth quickest, while his American team-mate Nicky Hayden was down in 13th.

There will be just 16 riders on the grid for Sunday’s race after the accident for Álvaro Bautista (Rizla Suzuki), as there will be no replacement rider.

Stefan Bradl (Viessmann Kiefer Racing) set the first pole position of the 2011 Moto2 season in the Commercialbank Grand Prix of Qatar.

Bradl brought his excellent practice form into qualifying and set the fastest lap time of 2:00.168 and in turn secured his first ever pole position.

Reigning 125cc World Champion Marc Márquez (Team CatalunyaCaixa Repsol) will join the German on the front row after finishing 0.207 seconds behind. Thomas Lüthi (Interwetten Paddock Moto2) will join them on the front row.

Nicolas Terol (Bankia Aspar) took pole position for the opening round of the 2011 125cc World Championship, after leading every practice session of the weekend.

Terol snatched the fastest time of 2:06.605 after a battle with German rider Sandro Cortese (Intact Racing Team Germany), who ended up second with a margin of just 0.090 separating the two.

The new format for 2011 means three riders per row on the grid instead of four, so the front row is completed by Efrén Vázquez (Ajo Motorsport) who finished 1.046 behind the Bankia Aspar rider.

MotoGP Qualifying Results
1. Casey STONER (AUS) Repsol Honda 1:54.137
2. Dani PEDROSA (SPA) Repsol Honda 1:54.342
3. Jorge LORENZO (SPA) Yamaha Factory Racing 1:54.947
4. Marco SIMONCELLI (ITA) San Carlo Honda Gresini 1:54.988
5. Ben SPIES (USA) Yamaha Factory Racing 1:55.095
6. Hector BARBERA (SPA) Mapfre Aspar Team MotoGP Ducati 1:55.223
7. Andrea DOVIZIOSO (ITA) Repsol Honda 1:55.229
8. Cal CRUTCHLOW (GBR) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1:55.578
9. Valentino ROSSI (ITA) Ducati Team 1:55.637
10. Colin EDWARDS (USA) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1:55.647
11. Randy DE PUNIET (FRA) Pramac Racing Team Ducati 1:55.656
12. Hiroshi AOYAMA (JPN) San Carlo Honda Gresini 1:55.724
13. Nicky HAYDEN (USA) Ducati Team 1:55.881
14. Loris CAPIROSSI (ITA) Pramac Racing Team Ducati 1:56.323
15. Karel ABRAHAM (CZE) Cardion AB Motoracing Ducati 1:56.665
16. Toni ELIAS (SPA) LCR Honda MotoGP 1:57.992

Hopkins to replace Bautista at Jerez

From Rizla Suzuki

Rizla Suzuki will not be able to replace the injured Álvaro Bautista in Sunday's Qatar Grand Prix MotoGP World Championship event, after exhausting all possible scenarios to get the Rizla Suzuki GSV-R on the grid.

The two riders most likely to replace Bautista – who broke his femur on Friday - are both unavailable, with John Hopkins in America and unable to get to Qatar in time and Nobuatsu Aoki in Japan where travel is very difficult due the terrible earthquake and tsunami tragedy that struck his country last week. The Suzuki management also made tentative approaches to several Moto2 riders that have MotoGP experience, but none of these riders were available due to commitments to their respective teams for the first race of the season.

Hopkins will join the team for the next round of the season at Jerez in Spain as a replacement for Bautista - while the Spaniard continues on his road to recovery.

Bautista is comfortable in hospital following the surgery to pin his left femur Saturday morning. He plans to return to Spain early next week to begin his recuperation with a view to being back in MotoGP as soon as possible.

"The reason for the crash was quite simple - pushing too hard in this section without enough temperature in the new tire – very similar to Rossi's accident in Mugello last year," said team manager Paul Denning. "But the real reasons behind that - maybe feeling some pressure after losing track time on Thursday night with the arm pump, wanting to get back into the top group of lap-times as soon as possible – are more complex and unfortunately Álvaro paid a heavy price. This sport is very extreme, and the edge between success and disaster is very small.

"With regard to the Qatar GP, we really wanted to find a suitable rider and have the Rizla Suzuki on the grid tomorrow but the logistics for John or Nobu simply didn't allow it. Also, the Moto2 teams who have riders with MotoGP experience, that we discussed the option with, were understandably reluctant to release a rider at the first round of the championship.

"John isn't happy with what happened to Álvaro, but I know he will do a solid job for us in Jerez, and we are hoping to arrange a shakedown test beforehand. Álvaro's comeback timing isn't clear, and John has BSB commitments that clash with Estoril and Le Mans, so we need to wait a while before any decisions for those races are made."

Stoner stays on top in Qatar

From motogp.com

Casey Stoner (Repsol Honda) achieved the fastest time in the final practice session for the Commericalbank Grand Prix of Qatar.

At the Losail International Circuit, the Australian again dominated practice Friday evening. He recorded the best time of the weekend with a 1:55:035.

"We spent most of the second session tonight on used tires to get a better understanding of where we are with them," Stoner said. "We did a quick lap on race distance with these tires, so we're really happy with this. In addition we completed around 30 laps on the front tire, which also worked well. We played around with the tire pressure a little, but in general they seem to be very consistent from start to end.

"Today we had a few more things to try, in the first session we didn't make many improvements from yesterday and then in the second session we made a big step forward. I'm really happy at the pace we're running, the way I'm riding and the bike set-up."

It was a Repsol Honda one-two-three, with Dani Pedrosa second and Italian Andrea Dovizioso third. The Spaniard was only 0.158 off Stoner’s quickest lap, while Dovizioso was a further 0.705 behind.

"We did a good job today, especially in FP3," Pedrosa explained. "We concentrated on doing a good lap at the beginning and then we were focused on the pace. I'm happy about how is everything going - even if there are still some places where we know we can do better and improve some tenths. We need to keep our concentration to do that tomorrow."

There was a marked improvement for the current World Champion, Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha Factory Racing) as he got the edge over his team-mate Ben Spies (Yamaha Factory Racing) for the first time this weekend. He claimed the fourth quickest time and was very close to the lap time set by third placed Honda,

The top Ducati rider was Héctor Barberá (Mapfre Aspar Team) who again produced a very strong performance in practice, finishing sixth. Ducati Team rider Valentino Rossi was eighth quickest while his team-mate Nicky Hayden was down in 14th.

Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) again was comfortably within the top 10, recording the seventh quickest time. Randy de Puniet (Pramac Racing) was ninth quickest. Loris Capirossi (Pramac Racing) produced a late surge to push his way into 10th place.

Rizla Suzuki’s Álvaro Bautista suffered a broken left femur from a fast crash in the closing stages of Friday's third practice session. The accident immediately ended his participation in this weekend’s season opener.

Cal Crutchlow (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) was just outside the top 10, in 11th place. The top 14 riders were all covered by 1.551 seconds.

Stefan Bradl (Viessmann Kiefer Racing) set the fastest time in the final Moto2 practice for the Commercialbank Grand Prix of Qatar.

In the third practice session, some riders improved on their times from Thursday, the quickest one being German rider Bradl, who recorded the fastest time in FP1 and again in FP3. He improved on the best time set on Thursday with his lap time of 2:00.882.

Marc Márquez (Team CatalunyaCaixa Repsol) made big improvements from his second practice to jump from sixth to second, He was 0.872 off Bradl’s time. Italian Andrea Iannone (Speed Master) was third fastest.

Nicolas Terol (Bankia Aspar) made it three in a row, taking the top spot in FP3 at the Losail International Circuit for the final practice session before qualifying on Saturday.

In the 40-minute session, the riders were battling against strong headwinds but the Spaniard was in a class of his own. Terol was the only rider able to set a lap time in the 2:06s, his fastest time being 2:06.957. His lap in FP3 was quicker than his fastest in both practice sessions on Thursday.

Efrén Vázquez (Ajo Motorsport) was 0.931 seconds off the pace setter in second place, four places higher than his FP2 performance. Sandro Cortese (Intact Racing Team Germany) was consistent in third after leading FP3 for a large time.

Deeley H-D partners with AW

From Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada

CONCORD, ON -- Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada has announced a new promotional partnership with A&W Food Services of Canada, one of the fastest-growing restaurant chains in Canada. The co-promotion will run from March 19 to May 29, 2011.

This co-promotion consists of three fully integrated components. First, an online contest will be hosted on www.aw.ca featuring a 2011 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy motorcycle as a grand prize as well as a trip for two to the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series event taking place in Vernon, BC from July 21 to July 24.

Second, customers will receive poster vouchers at approximately 600 A&W restaurants across Canada and can redeem these for one of five double-sided free limited edition posters at a local H-D Retail Store.

Third and finally, customers will also be able to experience the Harley-Davidson brand through organized rides, displays and simulators at select A&W-hosted 'Cruisin’ the Dub' two-wheel events.

“We are excited about this promotional partnership with Harley [Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada]," commented A&W Director of Marketing, David Waterfall. “In 2010 we held over 4,000 ‘Cruisin’ the Dub’ events at A&W restaurants across Canada. As we look to the 2011 Cruisin’ season, we are particularly excited about being able to connect with the amazing Harley community in Canada so that there are more and more motorcycle and Harley-themed Cruisin’ events this summer.”

For general information, please refer to www.harleycanada.com. For information regarding the online contest and A&W events, please refer to www.aw.ca.

Kruger second for Chinese opener

By John Hopkins

Dan Kruger has qualified second for this weekend's opening round of the Pan Delta road racing series at the Zhuhai International Circuit in China.

Kruger turned a lap at 1:40.1 on the BG Performance Kawasaki ZX-10R. He is making his series debut in the premier class after placing second in last year's Super Sport division on a Kawasaki ZX-6R entered by BG Performance. In an email Kruger said the top 12 on the grid are covered by less than two seconds and the top five are within a second of each other.

"Yesterday in a open practice I came together with two other riders and we had a big impact at 180km/h," Kruger added. "I was in the middle and had bike damage but managed to stay on the bike. The other two crashed and one is getting surgery on his arm today. Very close call for me."

There will be two races for the Pan Delta competitors this weekend, in what is the first of three championship events at Zhuhai. The series is sponsored by Red Bull and Audi.

Yamaha back in Canadian Superbike

From Frontline CSBK Inc.

TORONTO, ON – Frontline CSBK Inc., organizer of Canada's National motorcycle road racing series, has announced the official return of Yamaha Motor Canada to the Canadian Superbike Championship by Parts Canada.

Yamaha will join the CSBK field with homologation of the YZF-R6 and YZF-R1 models. These sport machines will be among the top models in the Superbike (1000cc for the R1) and the Sport Bike (600cc for the R6) classes of the Championship Series, in both the Amateur and Pro divisions.

"We are very pleased to make this announcement and looking forward to welcoming Yamaha back into our ranks," explained Kevin Graham of Frontline CSBK. "Competitors want to race these motorcycles and the loyal blue fans want to see them on the grid. This is a win-win situation, and we are looking forward to a great season of competitive racing in all classes on a national level."

"Yamaha are thrilled to be back road racing in Canada," confirmed Tim Kennedy, Marketing Manager of Yamaha Motor Canada. "We felt that after a short absence, it was time to come back and be part of a series that we strongly believe in. We know that the CSBK series is headed for great things, and we want to not only support, but be an active part of it." 

Yamaha has a strong history on the Canadian national road racing scene, dating back to the 1970's with riders including Yvon Duhamel, Steve Baker and Jim Allen. The advent of the 1000cc category-defining YZF-R1 model in the late 1990's led to dominant performances by star racers including Pascal Picotte, Steve Crevier and Kevin Lacombe. Granby, QC based Picotte returned from the U.S. racing tour to win back to back overall Canadian crowns for Yamaha in 2003-2004. Picotte rose to fame as a Yamaha protégé in the late 1980s, riding iconic Yamaha sports models including the RZ350, FZR400, FZR600 and the Superbike platform OW01.

The 2011 Canadian Superbike Championship presented by Parts Canada opens on May 20 with the official Pirelli tire test at Calabogie Motorsports Park, hosted by the Turn 2 Sportbike School. Round One of the Championship is set for the ICAR Circuit at Mirabel, QC on May 27-29.

IM's Schouten on Motorcycle Experience

From Motorcycle Experience

Catch your Motorcycle Experience this Saturday morning, March 19 at 11:00am on TSN and TSN-HD.

During this instalment of Motorcycle Experience Dave looks at American Cycle magazine's featured hard tail custom, Slimmy, riding instructor Clint McBain offers up some big city riding tips, Yamaha's Bryan Hudgin loses his tent during the first leg in his Labrador adventure, Inside Motorcycles columnist and Pro road racer Vicki Schouten samples BMW's race track ready S1000RR, and The Ultimate Ride tour explores the Blue Ridge Pkwy and stops in Little Switzerland.

This episode will be rebroadcast on TSN and TSN-HD on Monday, March 21 at 1:00am and Tuesday, March 22 at 1:30pm. It will be shown on TSN2 on Thursday, March 24 at 3:30pm and 6:00pm and on Saturday March 26 at 1:30pm. All times are Eastern.

Motorcycle Experience is created with the assistance of Honda Canada, BMW Motorrad Canada, Suzuki Canada, Yamaha Motor Canada and Motovan Corp.

Stoner fastest in first MotoGP session

From motogp.com

Casey Stoner (Repsol Honda) delivered the goods in the first practice session for the Commercialbank Grand Prix of Qatar at the Losail International Circuit on Thursday.

The Australian brought forward his superb form from the pre-season tests, to the start of the Qatar race weekend and produced the quickest lap time of 1:55.752. This was over 0.610 secs. quicker than his nearest rival.

"We started of where we left on Monday and used more or less the same set-up," Stoner said. "The wind is a little stronger than we had in the test but the track condition feels pretty good.

"We need to improve rear edge grip. This is an area we've struggled with a little, so we need to improve that, which will give us better turn in and exit from the corner. I'd say we're about 80 percent complete on the bike package. We have a few main areas we can improve, but this is always the case. I did the whole session with the same rear hard tire and I was happy with it from the beginning to the end. This is good for the race."

Honda dominated the session with Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) second fastest, but the surprise of the session was Héctor Barberá (Mapfre Aspar Team MotoGP), setting the third quickest lap of the 45-minute session.

"I had a problem with the rear tire that we need to understand," Pedrosa said. "It's the first issue we've had this winter with the tires, so I hope it's an exception to the rule. We started the practice very well, we were fast in the first exit and then we stayed with the same tire, the softer compound, for the whole session.

"Even if I used the same compound during the winter test without any problem for several laps, today already in the second round I felt it dropped down a lot, and in the third and last one it was even worse. With only 45 minutes practice, the rounds are very short and you don't have much time to make changes. Maybe the tire had a problem, maybe it dropped down a lot because with 125cc and Moto2 bikes on track the conditions were very different comparing with the test of few days ago. We don't know exactly.”

All eyes were on the debut of Valentino Rossi (Ducati Team) riding on his Desmosedici GP11 for the first time in a competitive session. After some disappointing performances in pre-season testing he finished fifth, just being edged out by fellow Italian Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini Team).

Current World Champion Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha Factory Racing) was 0.834 secs. off the fastest time set by Stoner and was one place behind fellow Yamaha Factory Racing team-mate Ben Spies.

The gap between second and eighth was just 0.230 secs., showing how close the competition is throughout the field in MotoGP.

The third Repsol Honda was Andrea Dovizioso, who was eighth quickest and next, the Frenchman Randy de Puniet (Pramac Racing) in ninth position, who was making his debut for the team.

The final place in the top 10 went to American Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3).

MotoGP rookie Cal Crutchlow (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) finished in 14th after a difficult pre-season test where had suffered a nasty injury to his finger.

Japanese rider Yuki Takahashi (Gresini Racing) set the fastest time of the second Moto2 session. Takahashi grabbed the quickest time of the session in the dying moments of FP2, beating Scott Redding (Marc VDS Racing) by just 0.053 secs. Redding looked set to claim top spot in the session, however a fall on his last lap cost him the chance of attempting to improve his time.

Takahashi’s lap of 2:01.695 was faster than the best time of FP1 set by Stefan Bradl (Viessmann Kiefer Racing). Bradl was still consistently quick though, recording the third fastest time of FP2.

The second practice session of the day for 125cc saw Nicolas Terol yet again top the timesheets at the Losail International Circuit. The Bankia Aspar rider’s fastest lap was 1.7 secs. quicker than the quickest time set in FP1 earlier in the evening.

Sandro Cortese (Intact Racing Team Germany) produced another good lap to progress from third quickest in FP1 to second in FP2. Jumping up from seventh in FP1, Héctor Faubel (Bankia Aspar) was third quickest in the second session.

MotoGP Practice Results
1. Casey STONER (AUS) Repsol Honda 1:55.752
2. Dani PEDROSA (SPA) Repsol Honda 1:56.362
3. Hector BARBERA (SPA) Mapfre Aspar Ducati 1:56.421
4. Marco SIMONCELLI (ITA) San Carlo Gresini Honda 1:56.441
5. Valentino ROSSI (ITA) Ducati Team Ducati 1:56.479
6. Ben SPIES (USA) Yamaha Factory Racing Yamaha 1:56.493
7. Jorge LORENZO (SPA) Yamaha Factory Racing Yamaha 1:56.586
8. Andrea DOVIZIOSO (ITA) Repsol Honda 1:56.592
9. Randy DE PUNIET (FRA) Pramac Ducati 1:56.790
10. Colin EDWARDS (USA) Monster Tech 3 Yamaha 1:56.879
11. Nicky HAYDEN (USA) Ducati Team Ducati 1:56.910
12. Hiroshi AOYAMA (JPN) San Carlo Gresini Honda 1:56.987
13. Loris CAPIROSSI (ITA) Pramac Ducati 1:57.366
14. Cal CRUTCHLOW (GBR) Monster Tech 3 Yamaha 1:57.429
15. Karel ABRAHAM (CZE) Cardion AB Motoracing Ducati 1:57.821
16. Alvaro BAUTISTA (SPA) Rizla Suzuki 1:58.528
17. Toni ELIAS (SPA) LCR Honda 1:59.087

Szoke returns with Parts Canada

From Parts Canada

Parts Canada and Jordan Szoke have reunited for the 2011 season as Szoke charges for his sixth consecutive Canadian Superbike Championship riding the new Kawasaki ZX-10R.

"As Canada’s largest national distributor of motorcycle parts and apparel, Parts Canada is pleased to be supporting Jordan’s efforts in holding his #1 plate in the CSBK Championship by Parts Canada," the company said. "Having had success with Jordan in previous seasons made the decision to work along side such a tremendous Canadian talent an easy one. We are confident that Jordan will be the fastest racer out there and look forward to seeing him up on the podium throughout the season and for the championship.

"Szoke has set the standard for road racers nationwide, and Parts Canada is proud to have Alpinestars and HJC showcased at this highest level."

Moto2 rider Noyes teams with Lean Angle

From Lean Angle Canada

OTTAWA, ON – Steve Reed, president of Lean Angle Canada, has announced that American-born Moto2 GP World Championship rider Kenny Noyes will be the first rider on the world stage to use and represent the TechSpec Gripster Grip Pads and the Medical Information Carrier System (MICS) for helmets.

Noyes is campaigning the 2011 Moto2 GP World Championship with Barcelona-based BQR team, on the FOGI Racing/FTR M211 machine provided by Canadian-based FOGI Racing owner, Angus Borland.

American Geoff Maloney, of GP Tech, who worked with Borland in 2010, managed to bring Noyes and BQR together with FOGI Racing. FOGI Racing is a road racing development team that is quite successful in both Canada and the United States through its support of up-and-coming riders like 17-year old Canadian Ben Young, who is racing in the AMA Pro SuperSport Class this season.

Noyes, aboard his FTR M211 bike in Avintia-STX colours, will once again be the only US rider in the Moto2 GP class. This will be a homecoming for Noyes as he began his road racing career in Spain with BQR back in 2001.

In 2010, Noyes was one of 10 "true rookies" among the full-time riders in the 40-bike Moto2 GP field and his two seventh place finishes were the two best individual results achieved by a first-time GP rider in the new Moto2 class. Noyes’ highlight of the season was when he took the pole at Le Mans, one of 14 new tracks that he had to learn over the 17-race Moto2 GP season.

Noyes is getting a grip on his new FOGI Racing/FTR M211 machine with a set of TechSpec Gripster Grip Pads. The tank pads are engineered to improve control, enhance body positioning, reduce fatigue, and protect the rider’s tank and bodywork without damaging the rider’s leathers or man made fabrics. TechSpec Gripsters feature a proprietary “releasable and reusable” adhesive allowing a rider to fine tune the location of the grip surface or to temporarily remove them when tank repairs may be required.

The two by one inch MICS that Noyes is wearing this season, on his HJC helmet, provides paramedics and other trained emergency personnel with potentially life-saving information about the rider's identity and critical medical details. On the outside of the pouch, in bold text, is a warning to non-medical good Samaritans to not remove the downed rider’s helmet and to leave that critical task to trained medical responders. Improper helmet removal is a leading cause of collateral paralysis and death and should only be undertaken by trained EMS or medical staff.

"I'm proud to be the first global ambassador for the Medical Information Carrier System," said Noyes. "With the sheer number of people riding motorcycles around the world you know that there are many instances where unfortunate outcomes would be avoided if riders had only had a MICS on their helmets. I want to help get the word out so that street riders know about MICS and ask their local bike shop to stock them.

“I look forward to leveraging the full benefits of the TechSpec Gripster Grip Pads. Everyone is extremely competitive these days and the Gripsters will help me gain additional control on my bike.”

Lean Angle Canada and Tech Spec USA encourage motorcycle enthusiasts to follow Noyes’ season at www.kennynoyes.com, on Facebook, on Twitter at http://twitter.com/KennyNoyes and at www.leanangle.ca. You can also pick up a copy of Roadracing World magazine to read Noyes’ upcoming column.

TechSpec Gripster Grip Pads and MICS are available at an ever expanding network of powersports dealers across North America. MICS will soon be available at dealers and retail locations throughout Europe. MICS are a mandatory safety device at the Canadian Superbike Series.

AMA Pro Racing addresses Daytona issues

From AMA Pro Racing

DAYTONA BEACH, FL - Last weekend's opening round of the 2011 AMA Pro Road Racing season featured some of the most intense, unforgettable action the series has seen yet. It also featured difficult decisions, outright failures, and confusion and dismay among fans and participants.

As is common knowledge at this point, AMA Pro Racing's spec-tire partner, Dunlop, saw evidence of front-tire overheating in the aftermath of many Daytona 200 riders' first pit stops. Once a conclusion was reached, they immediately notified AMA Pro officials that in the interests of rider safety, the Daytona 200 would need to be stopped long enough to allow all participating riders to mount a fresh front tire, and the red flag was thrown within 10 seconds of that communication. The length of the downtime that followed has led to significant speculation about several aspects of the day's events; the actual facts are detailed below.

Initially, Dunlop advised AMA Pro that riders would need to swap their current fronts for fresh versions of the same tire before continuing the 200, and the paddock was instructed to do so. Once riders were pitted under the red flag, however, Dunlop reassessed the situation and decided, again in the interests of safety, that all riders would need to be fitted with entirely new-spec backup fronts then stored in Dunlop's garages. The execution of both Dunlop decisions were complicated (and lengthened) by the fact that many teams had neither extra fronts (relating to the first set of instructions), nor extra rims. 

The length of the downtime that followed the first red flag was wholly and solely dictated by the amount of time it took to get each of the 38 Daytona 200 competitors re-fitted with new-spec tires that were warmed long enough to be safely raced on. The downtime included the paddock's attempts to comply with original instructions, the communication to the paddock of Dunlop's revised assessment, the process of getting the entire field's front rims re-fitted with new-spec rubber, and the time it took to safely warm new tires.

Dunlop's new-spec re-fitment process was non-stop. During this period, AMA Pro re-set the Daytona 200 re-start time several times based on communication with Dunlop about their progress. LTD Racing's Huntley Nash was the last rider in the class to receive a new tire, and in consultation with Nash's crew chief, Gary Medley, it was decided that 20 minutes was the minimum amount of time his tire needed to warm. The three-minute board for the race's re-start was set for 20 minutes from that time.

Because Team Latus Racing used the significant red-flag downtime to repair eventual race-winner Jason DiSalvo's Ducati machine, speculation has given rise to two rumours: 1) That the red-flag hold was extended to give Latus time to re-enter the race; 2) That the Latus machine was out of AMA Pro's control at points during said downtime.

The most straightforward response to Item 1 can be found in the above paragraphs detailing how the red flag and restart occurred and were handled. In short, the length of the red flag was solely dictated by the time it took to safely address the tire problem. AMA Pro is fiercely dedicated to treating all of its participating teams and manufacturers equally and fairly, and further, that the matter of dwindling live TV time was also of great importance. There was no benefit to AMA Pro in a red track; only in a green one. 

Once pitted, Latus staff asked AMA Pro officials the approximate length of the red flag. As the extent of the tire problem was not clear at that point, they were told 10 minutes. AMA Pro grid official Mike Lagenfeld asked the Latus team to move DiSalvo's machine from pit lane to behind the wall, as it was deemed to be in an unsafe position for the then-impending restart. From that point on, the Latus machine was at no time out of Mr. Lagenfeld's sight; Lagenfeld also periodically monitored both team and machine for 3- to 5-minute intervals. When Lagenfeld informed the Latus team that the delay would be a lengthy one, they requested clarity on the rules and were told that as long as the original frame was used, the rules permitted them to regrid. With an AMA Pro staff member on-site the entire time, Latus made all necessary repairs and were gridded and inspected by tech staff, who also confirmed that proper procedure for removal from pit lane and AMA Pro custody had been followed.

Due to the last-lap red flag triggered by Dane Westby's and Taylor Knapp's crashes, an incident in which Josh Herrin was also involved, some confusion exists about how Daytona 200 finishers were scored. The explanation, as per AMA Pro rules, follows: Because the first five riders crossed the finish line prior to the red flag, their race was ruled complete. Once the red flag was thrown, however, the results of those remaining riders reverted to the previous lap. The exception to this is riders involved in a red flag, if fault is not then assigned. Those riders are moved to the back of their respective lap-groups, which put Herrin behind the four who'd already crossed the line, and put Knapp and Westby behind a group that had not yet taken the checkers (but in front of everyone a lap down).

AMA Pro Racing has carefully reviewed footage of the closing stages of the Daytona 200, together with other pertinent information, and has regrettably found one rider's on-track actions to have been unacceptably dangerous to other riders. Notification and explanation of penalty will be mailed to the rider in question; once received, the details of that ruling will be shared publicly by AMA Pro.

The decision to restart and conclude the Daytona 200 as a 15-lap sprint was influenced by two factors: 1) All involved parties were entirely confident the new-spec tires could safely do 15 laps under DIS' unique conditions; 2) Several of the teams' and riders' strategies involved running the entire race on a single front tire, and thus many participants were absent the back-up rims required for a pit stop tire-change. Keeping both the competitors' and the tires' capabilities in mind, AMA Pro officials strongly felt a 15-lap race was the only acceptable conclusion relative to rider safety.

Ducati Corse Iphone App launched

From Ducati North America

CUPERTINO, CA - To celebrate the start of the 2011 MotoGP season, Ducati has released the official Ducati Corse Iphone App via the Apple App Store and iTunes.

Discover everything you need to know about the Ducati MotoGP Team with Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden and hold all the secrets of the Ducati Desmosedici in your hand. The new app is free and full of info direct from the Ducati MotoGP Team pit garage and factory in Bologna.

Receive rapid updates on races, results and championship standings right in the palm of your hand. All of this comes in addition to all the latest trackside news and a wealth of additional information from the world of Ducati.

The Ducati Corse app is compatible with iPhone (3G or later), iPod Touch and iPad. It requires iOs 4.2 or later. For more information, please visit www.ducatiusa.com.

CVMG rally returns to Paris, ON

From the Canadian Vintage Motorcycle Group

If the sights and sounds of vintage motorcycles appeal to you then the Paris Fairgrounds is the place to be for the Father’s Day weekend of June 17-19 as the Canadian Vintage Motorcycle Group (CVMG), Canada’s premier vintage motorcycle club, will once again hold its annual rally.

The Fairgrounds are located on Silver Street on the northwest side of Paris, ON.

Founded by a small group of enthusiasts over the winter of 1968-69 the CVMG, or Group as it prefers to be known, has grown to a club comprised of approximately 2,200 members with 29 sections across Canada. As membership grew in the early years, the CVMG decided to organize its first vintage rally in 1973. In 1990 the Group chose the Paris Fairgrounds as the venue and has returned each year since.

With CVMG members owning in excess of 5,000 machines, vintage motorcycle enthusiasts can expect to see a wide variety of American, British, European and Japanese makes and models. While most of these will date from the late 1940s, there are usually a few from the early years of the 20th century. The vast majority have been lovingly restored and maintained with many being ridden regularly by their owners.

The featured motorcycle for this year’s rally is the single overhead cam Honda CB750. First unveiled at the 1968 Tokyo Motor Show, the CB750/4 astonished the motorcycle world with its advanced, oil-tight four-cylinder engine, electric start, five-speed transmission, and front disc brake. With a top speed of 125 mph, the CB750 is generally considered to be the first modern superbike. There will be a display of these classic Japanese machines on the Saturday from 10:00am to noon.

The Rally is open to anyone wishing to attend as either a registered Rallyist or a Day Visitor. You need not ride, or even own, a vintage motorcycle to attend and take part although Day Visitors will not be permitted to take vehicles into the rally area. Adequate free parking is available on the grounds.

Registration, which will cost $30 for CVMG members or $40 for non-members will be open from noon on Friday, June 17 and will allow registrants and their vehicles access to the rally grounds, participation in rally events including a free breakfast on Sunday, and free camping for the weekend. The entrance fee for Day Visitors will be $5 per person per day and will admit the visitor to the rally until dusk but will not allow for participation in rally events other than as a spectator.

Rally events will include a swap meet running from Friday noon to Sunday noon offering vintage parts, restoration projects, and restored motorcycles for sale. Other Rally events open to registrants include a vintage reliability run, seminars, a vintage trials demonstration, Trials for Tykes open to young riders, a show and shine, and a dinner banquet (at additional cost) on Saturday, and a judged concours d’ elegance on Sunday morning.

There will also be flat track and speedway racing (also at additional cost) Friday night at the Paris Speedway adjacent to the rally site.