Rider Files

(News Release)

INDIANAPOLIS, Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2010 – 2006 MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden earned the Executive Director’s Award presented by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI) for his dedication and service to the Indiana Motorcycle Safety and Awareness campaign.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway Senior Vice President Mel Harder accepted the award on Hayden’s behalf from ICJI Executive Director T. Neil Moore at the 16th annual Operation Pull Over Awards Banquet on Nov. 19 in Carmel, Ind. The ICJI and Governor’s Council on Impaired & Dangerous Driving played host to the banquet.

“I’m honored to receive this award,” Hayden said. “It’s been great to work with everyone from the ICJI on this project. I know how great riding motorcycles can be when done the right way, and I’m happy to help increase awareness of safety for all riders in Indiana and everywhere.”

Ducati Team star Hayden lent his time and talent to endorse safe, sober riding by all motorcyclists across Indiana. He was featured in many radio and television spots warning against drinking and riding and speeding, and promoting motorist awareness and the use of a helmet and other safety gear. Hayden also was featured in the outdoor and print advertising portion of the popular campaign.

Hayden’s sincerity and enthusiasm helped the radio and TV spots from the campaign earn worldwide recognition by winning a Bronze Medal Award and Honorable Mention in several categories this fall at the 2010 International Safety Media Awards.

Hayden, from Owensboro, Ky., has produced two top-three finishes in the Red Bull Indianapolis GP MotoGP race since the event started in 2008 at IMS.

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2011 tickets: 2011 Red Bull Indianapolis GP tickets are on sale now.

To buy tickets, visit www.imstix.com, call the IMS ticket office at (317) 492-6700 or (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area or visit the ticket office at the IMS Administration Building at the corner of Georgetown Road and 16th Street. Ticket office and phone hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday-Friday.

The 2011 Red Bull Indianapolis GP is scheduled for Aug. 26-28 at IMS.

Race Day general admission tickets cost $40, with Friday general admission $10 and Saturday general admission $20. A three-day general admission ticket is $60. A Friday-Saturday general admission ticket is $20 if purchased before Sept. 13, 2010, $25 afterward.

Children ages 12 and under will be admitted free any of the three days of the event when accompanied by an adult with a general admission ticket.

Race Day reserved seat prices will start at $70.

(News Release)

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (November 24, 2010) – When the 2010 Motorcycle Hall of Fame Inductees were enshrined on Friday evening in Las Vegas, four people who have made great contributions to the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship over the years were among the honorees. Pro Circuit founder Mitch Payton, JT Racing founders John and Rita Gregory, and Eyvind Boyesen, the man behind Boyesen Engineering, were all honored in the ceremony at the Red Rocks Resort for their work in and around American Motocross.

MX Sports Pro Racing, organizers of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, as well as our partners at Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports, and the 12 race promoters that make up the National Promoters Group (NPG), wish to congratulate Payton, the Gregorys, and the entire Boyesen family on their respective honors.

Mitch Payton’s success in the motorcycle industry is a testament not only to his work ethic and perseverance, but also that of his family, his staff at Pro Circuit, and all of the racers and mechanics and team sponsors that have participated in his program over the years. Payton was an aspiring racer himself until a desert-racing accident left him in a wheelchair at 17 years of age. He then went into the aftermarket business, taking a small bike shop in Anaheim, Calif., and building it into the global motocross power that is Pro Circuit, now based in Corona, Calif. Along the way he has won numerous races and titles with lineups that have included the likes of Jeremy McGrath, Ricky Carmichael, Ryan Villopoto, Mickael Pichon, Grant Langston, Ivan Tedesco, Mike Brown and more.

John and Rita Gregory founded JT Racing together as motocross in Southern California was just taking off some 40 years ago. Together they built a riding-gear empire, leading the way in motocross fashion for nearly two decades. Along the way they worked with a long line of AMA Motocross Champions and future Hall of Famers, including Marty Smith, Bob Hannah, Broc Glover, Danny LaPorte, Chuck Sun, Donnie Hansen, David Bailey, Rick Johnson, Ron Lechien and more. In fact, many of those riders were in attendance at the ceremony, including Glover, who came out dressed in the exact same JT Racing gear he wore in the mid-eighties to introduce John and Rita into the Hall of Fame.

Eyvind Boyesen has long been one of the most respected men in motocross. A former racer from Norway, he emigrated to America in the 1960s to work on rocket engines for NASA, then started his own namesake company, Boyesen Engineering, in 1972. Based in Lenhartsville, Pa., Boyesen’s innovations include reed valves, carburetion, two-stroke and four-stroke engines, water pumps, and more. Boyesen held more than 40 patents in the motorcycle aftermarket industry. He continued to be an active racer himself until this past year, as well as a sponsor of countless motorcycle racers. Sadly, Eyvind Boyesen passed away on the eve of his induction into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame after a long battle with leukemia. He was 68 years old.

MX Sports Pro Racing, Alli Sports, and the NPG all wish to congratulate Mitch Payton, John and Rita Gregory, and everyone in the Boyesen family on the prestigious honor of being inducted into the Motorcycle Museum Hall of Fame. Congratulations also go out to dirt-track racer Don Castro, sidecar road-racing champion Larry Coleman, off-road rights activist Clark Collins, AMA 250cc Roadrace Champion David Emde, and desert racing legend and team manager Bruce Ogilvie were also part of the Class of 2010 for the Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

For media information about the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, please contact media coordinator Brandon Short via email at brandon@mxsports.com or by telephone at (949) 365-5750.

(News Release)

Jeremy Toye celebrates his podium finish at the legendary Macau Grand Prix last weekend.

Dayton, OH (November 23, 2010) — Brock’s Performance, the exclusive North American distributor for BST Wheels, would like to congratulate Jeremy Toye on his podium finish at the legendary Macau Grand Prix last weekend. Toye, racing the Lee’s Cycles Racing BMW S1000RR, emerged on top in a furious battle for third place at the famed street race on board the Roadracing World project bike.

Toye, competing in his sixth Macao Grand Prix, became the first American to finish on the podium at the Macau Grand Prix in 10 years. “I don’t even know where to start, I’m so happy,” said Toye. “With the competition here, any weaknesses in your program will show. All weekend, we were near the top of the board. With the open rules for this race, we tried to build a Learjet on two wheels and the team put together a great bike for me. Being able to run with guys like (Stuart) Easton and (Michael) Rutter was amazing. To be able to do lap times in their realm was almost as good as getting the podium.”

After a red flag, Toye found himself in third place once again, but some technical issues caused him to play it safe for the middle portions of the race. Toye had to concede a position, but he was able to rally and close on third in the final laps. On the final time around the 3.8-mile circuit, the 39 year-old made a pass and he was able to hold the position to the line. “This is one of those places were you can’t go into the boxing ring and start swinging if you have a problem. I lost third, but the gap settled down. I really concentrated and tried to see what I could do. I got smoother and smoother and built on it. The lap times came down and so did the gap. I was able to make a move on the last lap. I was so, so wide going into Lisboa. I used every dirt track skill and motard skill I had to hold it together. In the race, I did the best lap I’d ever done here by a wide margin and that was important to me.”

Toye was the top-finishing BMW rider in the race.

“We know how much the race meant to Jeremy,” said Brock Davidson of Brock’s Performance. “The thing that really got me was seeing a photo of him on the podium as they were hoisting the American flag. He’d raced there before and you could really see the sense of accomplishment on his face. The competition was very formidable in Macau with race teams from all over the world there to give it their best. Congratulations go out to Jeremy and his crew and everyone involved with the program for a fine performance.”

The unique Macau Grand Prix features both two- and four-wheel racing. Beginning in 1954 with cars, motorcycles were added to thebill in 1967. Racing luminaries such as Kevin Schwantz, Carl Fogarty, and Steve Hislop have won the event in the past.

Brock’s Performance has sponsored Toye and the Lee’s Cycles racing team with BST carbon fiber wheels this season. “Jeremy is a die-hard racer and every ounce of performance matters to him. The stock BMW wheels are one of the lightest out there, but Jeremy is able to use the seven-pound difference with BST wheels and tune his suspension to his advantage.”

“Brock’s Performance stepped up huge after we’d crushed a bunch of their product and gave us the really nice carbon fiber wheels with the ceramic bearings,” said Toye.

“Before the race at Macau, Jeremy had an unfortunate crash that damaged a set of his BST wheels. BST wheels are totally repairable and we’d sent his set out to be fixed but they hadn’t returned yet,” continued Davidson. “Jeremy flat-out told me, ‘I don’t even want to go without a backup set of BSTs.’ I think that speaks for itself on the quality our product and we sent him a new set so he’d be prepared as possible.”

BST wheels are available directly from Brocksperformance.com and are also sold through Tucker Rocky dealers in the United States.

About Brock’s Performance

Home of six current AMA Dragbike World Records and countless national titles, Brock’s Performance leads the way in sportbike innovation for acceleration addicts. From exhaust systems to wheels, this championship-winning company designs, builds and sells more than 1000 products that make it easier and safer for racers and street riders to reach record-breaking results through a never-ending process of research, development and track testing. For more information, go to BrocksPerformance.com.

About BST

Based near Johannesburg, South Africa, BST engineers and manufactures the world’s finest carbon fiber motorcycle components–from wheels and frames to fuel tanks and fenders–to the highest international standards. On the world stage, BST wheels have been proven at every level of FIM Grand Prix roadracing competition and have won 12 national championships. For more information about BST wheels, visit BlackstoneTek.com.

(News Release)

Celtic Racing will once again compete with the talented P.J. Jacobsen in the AMA Pro Racing Daytona SportBike class in the 2011 season. The team will race Ducati 848EVO machinery with support from legendary Ducati tuning house Fast By Ferracci.

Jacobsen and Celtic Racing enjoyed a successful 2010 season, with the young New Yorker building tremendous momentum as the year went on. P.J. and Celtic Racing increased their competitiveness throughout the campaign, scoring a notable fourth place in Virginia and registering an impressive performance in New Jersey in which P.J fought for victory in the lead pack to the checkered flag. Armed with the quick and reliable Celtic Racing-prepped equipment, Jacobsen earned nine top ten finishes in AMA Pro’s most competitive class.

Eraldo Ferracci, PJ Jacobsen and Barry Gilsenan form the new Celtic Racing relationship with FBF.

“2010 was a good year for us and I’m glad to be back with Celtic Racing once again,” said the 17 year-old who has earned success in both dirt track and roadracing thus far in his career. “We made a lot of progress and the team worked really hard. I’m excited about our program for 2011. The Ducati 848EVO is going to be a great bike and to have support from Fast By Ferracci is really positive.”

Since the team’s inception in 2001, Celtic Racing has taken a professional approach and delivered solid results in several AMA Pro classes. Celtic Racing’s riders have earned the podium in AMA Pro Superbike, Formula Xtreme, and the XR1200 series along the way. The alliance with Fast By Ferracci holds with Celtic Racing’s desire to take the next step in competitiveness.

“We’re delighted to have re-signed P.J. to ride the Ducati 848EVO with backing from Fast By Ferracci,” said team owner Barry Gilsenan. “We have the right rider, the new Ducati 848EVO, and Eraldo’s knowledge and passion for racing on our side. It’s a good combination and we’re really excited about next year. We’re looking to build on our past successes and take it even further to get to the top steps of the podium. The program will be a success on the track and while that’s the most important thing, I think with the personalities we have involved with our program there will be plenty of fun as well.”

Fast By Ferracci has a glorious racing history, winning both the World Superbike Championship and the AMA Pro Superbike Championship in the 1990s. Eraldo Ferracci is one of the preeminent Ducati tuners and the proprietor of a successful aftermarket performance business. As a long time Ducati dealer, Eraldo was convinced to go racing again upon examining the shop’s first 848EVO and its class potential.

“I’m excited about this and I know we can have success,” said Eraldo Ferracci. “Barry has been my friend for a long time and he runs a very good team. I’ve seen P.J. race over the years and am impressed. I’ve followed his career and have wanted to work with him. He’s a fast guy that has judgment and focus. I was impressed how he is not just out there trying hard. He has a strategy and knows when to make a pass and where. He’s talented and smart.”

“I have worked with Ducatis for more than half my life and I know them well and believe in them,” he continued. “The Ducati 848EVO is going to be a new machine but our goal is to make the combination of P.J.’s skill and the machine work. I think we can run with the leaders in Daytona SportBike. I have a lot of confidence.”

Steve Aseltine celebrates after winning one of the most exciting Daytona Short Track races ever over Chris Carr in 1989, the first year at Municipal Stadium. (Courtesy DIS)

Steve Aseltine shocked everyone with his performance at Daytona in 1989. The 19-year-old Canadian was nearly flawless winning the first AMA Grand National at Daytona’s Municipal Stadium. It was even better than that though. Aseltine also won the regional Expert event and AMA 600 National the two nights previous the national to sweep the major Daytona Short Track races. That was three in a row, almost unheard of in the rough and tumble world of Short Track racing.

So impressive was Aseltine’s performance, Harley-Davidson factory rider Chris Carr was trying to line up a big bike ride for him afterwards.

“I think coming down here and winning three straight races against the best riders in the country ought to be reason enough for somebody to put him on a good bike for the half-miles and miles,” said Carr, who finished third, second and second again in the three Municipal Stadium races.

In the Saturday night national Aseltine faced an incredibly talented field that included Carr, then defending GNC champ Scott Parker, three-time Grand National champ Jay Springsteen, veterans like Steve Morehead and Ronnie Jones and young up-and-comers like Kevin Atherton and Dan Ingram.

Carr got front early in the national and set sail. Then Aseltine chipped away and when Carr made a slight bobble with about five laps to go Aseltine really started applying pressure.

“I didn’t think I could catch Chris because he had such a good line,” Aseltine said. “But then he made a couple mistakes and I thought just maybe I had a chance.”

Coming into turns three and four Aseltine made his move on the final lap, but Carr slammed the door and looked to have it won. Aseltine didn’t give up. He regrouped, stayed on the gas, got a killer drive out of four and came around the outside onto the front straight and drafted past Carr at the checkered flag by six inches. It was arguably the best performance ever turned in at Daytona.

It proved to be a singular moment of glory for Aseltine. In spite of being an enormous talent, he never won another Grand National.

Mark Schledorn may be one of the few racers I know who went from racing motorcycles to perhaps an even more risky profession. This photo is Schledorn racing his Suzuki RG500 Gamma at Talladega Grand Prix Raceway in a WERA race during that track’s opening weekend. Mark went on to become a rider for Solmax Racing, one of the leading WERA National Endurance teams of the late 1980s, where he was teammate for a time with Scott Russell. So what did Mark decide to do for a living after racing? He’s a pilot who does aerobatics for fun and his day job is doing aerial inspection of power lines. So he regularly runs a wingtip away from 50,000 volts!

Mark Schledorn racing his Suzuki RG500 in a WERA regional sprint race at Talladega Grand Prix Raceway in 1986. (Larry Lawrence photo)

(News Release)

St. Louis and Salt Lake City Supercross Races Added to Fundraising Schedule

AURORA, Ill. (November 23, 2010) – Feld Motor Sports℠ announced today plans to expand the partnership between Monster Energy® AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, and MX for Children, a leading North American Supercross charity. In 2011, MX for Children’s Inside Line Experience will offer fundraising opportunities for children’s hospitals in North America and an behind-the-scenes experience at Monster Energy Supercross in St. Louis on April 9 and Salt Lake City on April 30. These additional events complement the existing Inside Line Experience events at Houston, Toronto and Seattle.

“I have supported MX for Children over the past four years because it is a great cause.” said Andrew Short, of Team KTM. “Seeing kids raise money to help sick kids and what these hospitals do for kids is very rewarding as a rider and a parent.”

The two new MX for Children’s Inside Line Experience stops, which present an exclusive backstage pass to Monster Energy Supercross for top fundraisers, will benefit Children’s Hospital of St. Louis and Primary Children’s Medical Center in Salt Lake City.

MX for Children has raised more than $500,000 for children’s hospitals in North American since it was founded in 2006. Fundraisers are motivated to help children by advancing research for hydrocephalus — the #1 cause of brain surgery for kids. MX for Children supported hospitals, recognized as some of the world’s foremost pediatric health-care institutions, are dedicated to advancing children’s health through the integration of patient care and clinical research, in several cities on the Supercross circuit.

Please visit http://www.mxforchildren.org/ to learn more on how to participate in the MX for Children 2011 Inside Line Experience events.

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For more information on the Monster Energy® AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, please log on to www.SupercrossOnline.com. For all media requests, please contact Denny Hartwig dhartwig@feldinc.com or 630-566-6305.

You’ve heard the old adage – You can take a boy out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of a boy? Well this is motorcycle racing’s version of that saying. Here Mert Lawwill betrays his flat track roots as he corners his Harley-Davidson foot down in the popular Anglo-American Transatlantic Match Races at Mallory Park in 1973. Following Lawwill is Gary Fisher on Doug Sehl’s Harley-Davidson. Sehl had broken his collarbone and let Fisher borrow his bike. Fisher apparently also had to borrow one of Barry Sheene’s helmets. This photo is another in the series by legendary British photographer Jim Greening.

Mert Lawwill betrays his flat track roots as he corners his Harley-Davidson foot down in the popular Anglo-American Transatlantic Match Races at Mallory Park in 1973. Behind Lawwill is Gary Fisher racing with a helmet borrowed from Barry Sheene. (Jim Greening photo)

(News Release)

SONOMA, Calif. (Nov. 22, 2010) – Infineon Raceway distributed more than 10,000 pounds of non-perishable food items to Friends in Sonoma Helping (FISH) and the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano on Monday during the raceway’s 10th annual Thanksgiving Food Drive.

The amount marked the most Infineon Raceway has distributed in one year since the inception of the food drive in 2001. In total, The raceway has distributed more than 28,000 pounds of non-perishable food items to area food banks over the last 10 years.

“Our donations have been down, so every can (of food) helps,” said Sherman Bielfelt, a FISH volunteer. “You can be sure that every can of food will feed somebody, or a bunch of somebodies. We know that the Infineon Raceway donation will make a difference.”

FISH has been serving needy Sonoma Valley residents since 1970, while the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano has been serving the community for 35 years, providing food to more than 132,000 hungry people in need every month through a network of 200 charitable agencies.

“As far as donations go, it’s been a good season, but the need is way up this year,” said Lisa Sherrill, community relations manager for the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano. “We’re up 35 percent over where we were two years ago, in terms of requests for food. This donation from the raceway will be very helpful, that’s for sure.”

Infineon Raceway was not alone in its efforts. It was joined in the food drive by Innerstave; Pedroncelli Motorsports; tenants of the Infineon Raceway Motor Sports Industrial Park and Destination RKA in Windsor. Sonoma Gourmet of Cotati also made a generous donation of eight pallets of gourmet food items.

For more information about Infineon Raceway community events, call 800-870-RACE or visit www.infineonraceway.com.