Friday, January 27, 2006

Bigger fields for AX series

From AirLand Entertainment

PARIS, ON – AirLand Entertainment has announced several rule changes approved by the Canadian Motorcycle Association (CMA) to be implemented for the 2006 CMA National Arenacross Series. The CMA also approved adding a freestyle jump competition during the intermission show.

The new rules include:
• A two-row start to be permitted on a trial basis for 2006.
• Number of Pro riders permitted on the track has been increased to 16 from 10.
• Number of Amateurs permitted on the track has been increased to 14 from 10.

The changes will allow for greater variation of track designs and the ability to safely start a greater number of riders on the track at one time.

“The new rule changes demonstrate the CMA’s commitment to Arenacross and to creating an exciting product for the fans,” said Joe Baird, promoter of the series. “In particular, the two row start was a huge stepping stone to take Arenacross in Canada to the next level. It should have wide appeal to racers, because it provides more opportunities to qualify for the main events.”

The CMA has also approved an intermission freestyle jump contest, open to Pro riders entered to race the event.

“The freestyle competition is something our fans really wanted as part of the show,” said Baird. “With the winner to be determined by the rider that can generate the most fan noise; this will create a lot of fan involvement and interaction with the riders.”

For information regarding the CMA National Arenacross Series including sponsorship opportunities, venues, tickets, and pro purse payouts, go to http://www.axcanada.com.

Friday, January 20, 2006

Michael rides Husky

From Husqvarna Motorcycles

Husqvarna Motorcycles has chosen a relatively unknown magazine test rider, Jason Michael to lead its return to Canadian MX racing circles. Eighteen-year-old Michael has been contracted to race the CMA National Arenacross Series and the CMRC Lites class at Gopher Dunes, Sand De Lee, and Walton aboard Husqvarna's impressive new TC250.

Michael, a Pro test rider for IMX and Inside Motorcycles magazines, took the machine to an arenacross facility in Ohio for a test session and was very impressed. "The bike is a perfect fit," he said. "I couldn't believe how comfortable and responsive it felt."

Husqvarna was impressed with Michael's patient approach to racing and bursts of speed last season that resulted in his qualifying for a national after just a few weeks in the Pro ranks. Jason was equally impressed with the bike. "We started negotiations almost immediately after I got home from testing," he said. "I hope I can live up to the qualities and potential this bike is showing and help Husky re-establish themselves in Canada.”

Endowment fund for FFB

From the Foundation Fighting Blindness

TORONTO, ON - The Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB) has announced its first-ever endowment fund for vision research, thanks to the generosity of Arthur and Sonia Labatt.

The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Endowment in the amount of $1,000,000 will bring new financial stability to meet vision research needs over the long-term. The principal of the Endownment will be held in perpetuity and invested. The Endowment earnings will be used primarily to support research in childhood blindness.

“Arthur and I have put a lot of thought into a focus for our donations and have the three criteria of education, health and research,” said Sonia Labatt. “Obviously the FFB fulfills all these categories.”

On the personal side, Mrs. Labatt has had some eye problems (a hole in the macula) and has experienced first-hand the anxiety that accompanies visual impairment and sight loss. When she was introduced to the Foundation Fighting Blindness, she was immediately receptive to its cause.

“The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Endowment couldn’t have come at a more exciting time, as researchers’ discoveries move from the laboratory to human trials,” said Sharon Colle, national executive director. “The Labatts' commitment to funding vision research means children and future generations will benefit from treatments and cures.”

The Foundation Fighting Blindness is the only organization in Canada whose sole mandate is to fund Canadian vision research. It is responsible for groundbreaking eye research being conducted in teaching hospitals and universities across the country. Its mandate is to support Canadian research directed at discovering causes, treatments and ultimately cures for eye diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration and related retinal diseases.

Thursday, January 19, 2006

Hayden and Sagan on fire

From Royal Distributing

Eagle River, WI -- Only a small mechanical problem unsurped what would have been another perfect weekend for Team Royal at the famed Eagle River Derby last weekend.

In Friday Night Thunder at the Derby, Pro Iain Hayden continued his winning ways, taking the checkered in both PRO OPEN and PRO 440. Hayden dominated the finals and at times had lapped the field to fourth place.

Semi Pro Joey Sagan continued to impress by bumping to Pro for the evening and ran fourth in PRO 440 and sixth in PRO OPEN finals.

In the Sunday Snowcross finals, Sagan went back to back to back in SEMI-PRO 600, SEMI-PRO 440 and SEMI-PRO OPEN, taking all three final wins. He is now perfect in his last nine SEMI-PRO finals south of border. Sagan also bumped up to PRO OPEN and stood on the podium, running a strong third against the Pros.

Hayden continued to dominate and easily won PRO 440 and had a comfortable lead in PRO OPEN when a faulty rad-hose took away the win. He ended up in fifth place.

Tuesday, January 10, 2006

World Supersport for Peris

By Colin Fraser

TORONTO, ON -- On Jan. 6, Team Bikers’ Days-Yamaha-Moto1 World Supersport squad manager Renaud Lamarque announced that Calgary’s Chris Peris would ride for the team in 2006. Newly crowned European Superstock 1000cc champion Didier Van Keymeulen has already signed to lead the works supported team fielding the brand new 2006 Yamaha R6.

Peris becomes the first Canadian to ever contest the World Supersport series, for production based 600cc class sport bikes. In 2005, the Topline Printing-backed Yamaha pilot was the top privateer in AMA 600cc class action. He also netted third in Hindle 600 Sport Bike class National competition in Canada. Although Peris missed two of eight 2005 Parts Canada National rounds, he was in line to take the runner-up honours before skipping the series final to attend a U.S. event in Atlanta.

At the Canadian doubleheader at Mosport International Raceway in July, Peris earned pole, set the fastest lap and won both parts of the doubleheader, one in the dry, the other in the wet, after crashing.

The 19-year-old is currently competing in the New Zealand National Championship, riding a GSX-R750 in Open Superbike but concentrating on the 600 Supersport class with a GSX-R600. The main goal of the Peris “down under” program is to gain experience with the World and Canadian series mandated Pirelli rubber, having spent 2004 on Michelin tires and last year with Dunlop.

Monday, January 9, 2006

Simons and Allard join field

From WPSA

SHAKOPEE, MN — Ryan Simons and Dave Allard earned spots in the Winter X Games 10 field by finishing first and second, respectively, in the non-points, invitational event during Saturday’s WPSA PowerSports Snowmobile Tour Minnesota State Regional event at Canterbury Park. This was the final Winter X Games 10 invitational event of the 2005-2006 season.

Simons (Arctic Cat) and Allard (Ski-Doo) are now eligible to compete in Winter X Games 10, being staged in Aspen/Snowmass, CO Jan. 28-31. The event’s Snocross competition will be telecast live each day of Winter X Games 10, and will feature riders from the Tour.

The next national event for the PowerSports Snowmobile Tour is scheduled for next weekend, Jan. 14-15, at Canterbury Park.

Lange fifth in Anaheim

By John Hopkins

ANAHEIM, CA -- Richmond Kawasaki's Darcy Lange finished fifth in the opening round of the Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites series in Anaheim Saturday night.

The Courtenay, BC rider actually grabbed the holeshot for the main event before giving way to fellow Kawasaki rider Ryan Villipoto by the end of the opening lap.

Andrew Short grabbed the lead from Villipoto on lap 9 and went on to win the race on his Honda. Villipoto settled for second and Billy Laninovich was third on a Honda.

Kawasaki's James Stewart carried his Canadian success over to California by winning the Supercross main event from Yamaha rider Chad Reed and Ricky Carmichael on a Suzuki.

Friday, January 6, 2006

Lack of snow hits schedule

From WPSA

WHITE BEAR LAKE, MN — The PowerSports Snowmobile Tour Snocross race, scheduled for Jan. 21-22 at the Grand Traverse Resort in Traverse City, MI, has been canceled due to lack of snow at the venue. The event has been relocated to Park X of Quadna in Hill City, MN on the same dates and will be renamed the Polaris Park X National.

“We’re disappointed to announce the cancellation of the Polaris Grand Traverse Resort national event,” said Scott O’Malley, PowerSports Entertainment president. “What makes this most unfortunate is the Resort and the community were so supportive going into this event. The venue staff, in particular, went well out of their way to ensure the success of this event. Their cooperation should be commended. Unfortunately, you can control everything but the weather. Western Michigan remains an important market for the PowerSports Snowmobile Tour and our sponsors, and we hope to return there in the future.”

Thursday, January 5, 2006

Live the Experience!

By John Hopkins

TORONTO, ON -- Whistlestop TV and TSN have released the initial broadcast schedule for the 2006 season of Motorcycle Experience.

The 12-episode season premieres Saturday, Feb. 4 and continues most Saturdays until May 6. The show runs from 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon on TSN.

Following the Feb. 4 debut, subsequent episodes run Feb. 11, Mar. 4, Mar. 11, and on consecutive Saturdays from Mar. 25 to May 6.

Re-airing times and dates for each episode have not been released yet.

Wednesday, January 4, 2006

Martin takes a pair

From WPSA

HILL CITY, MN — Defending WPSA PowerSports Snowmobile Tour Pro Open Champion Steven Martin won both the Pro Open and Pro Stock finals during last Sunday’s WPSA regional events at Park X. Martin (Dodge/Ski-Doo) swept all three rounds of qualifying for the Pro Open event, while finishing second in the first two qualifiers and first in the third qualifying round for Pro Stock final.

Mathew Piche (Arctic Cat), Jeff Arsenault (Ski-Doo), Jesse West (Arctic Cat), and Chad Bauerly (Ski-Doo) completed the top five in the Pro Open final. Mike Schultz (Polaris), DJ Ekre (Arctic Cat), Arsenault, and Paul Bauerly (Ski-Doo) followed Martin in the Pro Stock event.

Dan Ebert (Arctic Cat) won both the Semi-Pro Open and Semi-Pro Stock events, while Wesley Selby (Arctic Cat) finished first in the Semi-Pro Stock 600 final. Sport Class winners were: Sport Open: Seth Brede (Arctic Cat); Sport Stock: Trevor Schmitt (Ski-Doo); and Sport Stock 600: Brad Richardson (Polaris).

Other winners were: Women’s Stock: Martene Herbert (Ski-Doo); Pro-Am Women: Jolene Bute (Arctic Cat); Plus 45 and Plus 40 Class Finals: Dan Richardson (Polaris); and Karl Christian (Arctic Cat) won both the Plus 30 and Plus 25 events. Kory Fasnacht (Polaris) won both the Novice Stock 600 and Novice Stock 500 events, while Tony Engelstad (Arctic Cat) topped the Novice Open field.

Two more earn X Games spots

From WPSA

HILL CITY, MN — Justin Tate and Jeff Arsenault earned spots in the Winter X Games 10 field by winning their respective non-points, invitational events during last Saturday’s WPSA PowerSports Snowmobile Tour Minnesota State Regional event at Park X. Two Winter X Games 10 invitational events were held Saturday with only the winners advancing.

Pro rider Tate (Pirtek/Polaris) and Semi-Pro runner Arsenault (Ski-Doo) are now eligible to compete in Winter X Games 10, being staged in Aspen/Snowmass, CO Jan. 28-31. The event’s Snocross competition will be telecast live each day of Winter X Games 10, and will feature riders from the Tour.

Tuesday, January 3, 2006

Munroe makes comeback!

From the Alberta Mini Roadracing Association

CALGARY, AB -- The AMRA is set to host Canada's only official Indoor Mini Roadracing Series January with three full days of racing in both Calgary and Edmonton.

The action will feature three of the top four Parts Canada Superbike Championship racers:

Francis Martin -- Parts Canada Superbike champion in 1999 and 2005

Clint McBain -- 2002 Canadian National 600 series champion

Jordan Szoke -- Parts Canada Superbike champion in 1998 and 2002

The field will also include Don Munroe, a two-time Parts Canada Superbike Champion in 1995 and 1997 and winner of five straight Canadian National 600 titles from 1994 to 1998.

These noted racers will be dicing it up with AMRA members all weekend long.

More information is available at www.amra.ca.

Superbike tire supply set

From Professional Motorsports Productions

TORONTO, ON -- Tire options and allotments have been finalized for the 2006 Parts Canada Superbike Championship as the national tour begins a three-year association with Pirelli as its control tire supplier.

The Parts Canada Superbike feature class will have the most flexibility, with three options for both front and rear slicks at each series round. Competitors in the headline division will enjoy an allotment of 17 tires for a single series round, and 20 tires for a doubleheader.

“It was important for us to strike a balance between availability and affordability,” said Colin Fraser of Parts Canada Superbike series promoter Professional Motorsports Productions. “Following discussion and input from manufacturer reps, tuners and racers involved in the series, we think that this arrangement best suits the needs of our competitors.”

Racers in the Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike class will have a choice of two front and two rear treaded DOT tires from Pirelli. The International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike, Canadian Thunder and Suzuki SV650 National Cup will all be limited to a single Pirelli DOT tire option.

All five national classes will be supplied with a single rain compound.

Like the Superbike racers, riders in the Pro 600 Sport Bike class will have an allotment of 20 tires for a doubleheader weekend but only 13 tires for a single round.

Amateur 600 Sport Bike competitors will have a total of five tires at their disposal on each race weekend, not including rains. Six tires will be available for the Thunder class and four tires for the SV Cup division.

All competitors will be allowed one set of rain tires per session (practice or qualifying) with unlimited rain tires available after noon on raceday.

“This is a major step forward for the Parts Canada Superbike Championship,” said Kevin Graham of Orion Motorsports, which will be the exclusive trackside supplier of Pirelli tires in 2006. “Racing in this series has been some of the most competitive in the world, and this new control tire formula should guarantee even closer competition over the next three years. We’re excited to be a part of this important new chapter for Canadian road racing.”

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