AMA Pro Flat Track Announces JC Agajanian, Jr. as Grand Marshal for Pomona Half-Mile Season-Finale on October 13

Iconic Racing Personality JC Agajanian Jr joins the AMA Pro Flat Track Finals at the Pomona Half-Mile as Event Grand Marshal
 
Sent on behalf of the Promoters of the AMA Pro Flat Track Finals at Pomona Fairplex:

POMONA, Calif. (October 3, 2012) - One of America's best known racing personalities, JC Agajanian Jr., has been named Grand Marshal for the upcoming October 13th Law Tigers AMA Pro Flat Track Finals half-mile dirt track motorcycle race at the Historic Pomona Half-Mile at Fairplex in Pomona, California.

With a long history of affiliation in the promotions of AMA Motorcycle racing at Pomona and at Ascot Park, the Agajanian dynasty makes JC an excellent choice. Synonymous with motorcycle and auto racing, Indy 500 wins, the Turkey Night Grand Prix and most notably the owners and promoters of famous Ascot Park in Gardena, the Agajanians have had their hand in almost every significant motorsports event in the Southern California area at one time or another. Ascot Park, which opened in 1957 and closed in 1990, held a number of AMA Championship Races throughout the years. The Pomona 1/2 mile, host of this year's championship race, has hosted flat track races dating back to 1949.

"When Chris Morgan called saying they wanted to salute Ascot and my dad JC Agajanian, I was excited. Aggie was a pioneer in motorcycle racing. He was a promoter with generosity and class. His Friday night AMA Flat Track races at Ascot regularly had more rider talent then many of the national championships. Aggie paid a large amount of prize money which elevated motorcycle racing from what the public saw as a bunch of hooligans, to a high class sport on par with any of its four wheel counter parts. JC Agajanian will forever be remembered as the 'Dean' of American racing. I gladly accepted the position of Grand Marshal on behalf of my family. We will salute all Aggie has done for our great sport", said JC Agajanian Jr., when asked about being Grand Marshal of the Law Tigers AMA Pro Flat Track Finals.

 

 

JC Agajanian is shown with his sons at an Ascot event from the early-mid '70s.  Photo courtesy of AMA Pro Flat Track.

"JC and Ascot are American racing promotion icons and we are proud to be associated with their long and storied traditions in both the motorcycle and automobile racing dynasties. Ascot was a special place that many of us in Southern California hold dear to our hearts and all that ever walked in those gates have fond memories of the amazing events promoted there by the Agajanian Family . We are proud to carry this tradition on with the Law Tigers AMA Pro Flat Track Finals at the Pomona Half-Mile and are honored that JC accepted our invitation to be Grand Marshal at this year's event October 13th" said co-promoter Chris Morgan.

The Law Tigers AMA Pro Flat Track Finals October 13th presented locally by Glendale Harley Davidson and Pomona Valley Harley Davidson, is the final round on the AMA Pro Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com and Lucas Oil, and the only Southern California stop on the tour. Harley Davidson riders Jared Mees and Sammy Halbert are a close first and second in the championship and the Law Tigers AMA Pro Flat Track Finals will decide the champion.

As a special bonus, numerous events are included free to all fans in attendance, including the rider paddock area being open to all spectators at 5:30 pm to meet the riders and see the racing bikes. A special Motorcycle Racing Legends Autograph Meet & Greet, featuring some of the sports biggest stars including Eddie Mulder, Sammy Tanner, Tom Horton, Sunny Nutter, Jody Nicholas, Don Emde, Terry Dorsch, Nick Theroux, Rob Morrison, Ronnie Jones, Eddie Wirth, Jim Filice, Ralph White and more is scheduled to begin at 5:45 pm. In addition Southern California's own "Rockabilly" band "The Loveless" will be the musical talent at the event beginning their set at 4:30 p.m in a special concert appearance along with motorcycle vendors and bike displays.

Spectator gates at Fairplex in Pomona open at 4 p.m. with racing starting at 7:00 p.m. Tickets and information are available online at www.flattrackfinals.com or by calling the Flat Track Finals ticket line at 888-718-4253.

AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines. Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com.    For additional information contact: AMA Pro Racing Communications, (386) 492-1014, communications@amaproracing.com

AMA Flat Track: Crosley Radio/Howerton Motorsports Team Announces They Will Run Pomona Half-Mile Season-Finale on October 13

Rider Bryan Smith, lead mechanic Jeff Gordon & team owner Rick Howerton get ready to roll out the #42 Crosley Radio/Howerton Motorsports/Eaken Racing Kawasaki prior to the Springfield Mile II event on September 16, 2012. Bryan and the team won their second Grand National main event together at the two-week rain delayed event. Photo by Mike 'Stu' Stuhler/Stu's Shots.

 

 

AMA Pro Flat Track Crosley Radio/Howerton Motorsports Team Announces They Will Enter Their Kawasaki for Bryan Smith #42 at Pomona Half-Mile Season-Finale

 

Indianapolis, IN., October 3, 2012 – The Crosley Radio/Howerton Motorsports powered by Eaken Racing Team would like to announce that we are expanding our 2012 schedule in the AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season by one event as entering our pair of Kawasakis for team rider Bryan Smith to campaign at the 2012 Pomona Half-Mile season-finale round on October 13.

In it's first year of existence the Twins Series team has climbed heights and obtained goals that only the very best in The Rolling Thunder Show could aspire for in just five short events. Starting off out of the gate at the Springfield Mile I round over the Memorial Day Weekend, Smith and the team won their first points paying event of the day in the Dash for Cash event after having qualified in the first spot for the National main at the Illinois State Fairgrounds mile oval. By the end of the day we had stood on the podium at a Grand National event when Bryan took home a hard-fought 3rd-place finish.

Since that time the team has been blessed to have won two National main events (Sacramento Mile and Springfield Mile II) and have won three of the five Dash events (Lucas Oil Indy Mile and the Springfield Mile II rounds).

As far as the added race, "The team decided to run this one extra event to end the season," stated team owner and builder Rick Howerton. “Bryan's been asking me since mid-summer to run some of the other events, and although we originally were just going to run the five mile events this year, we decided to go ahead and help support Bryan in his effort in the Twins Series Championship (where he currently lies tied for the 2^nd place spot with Sammy Halbert, behind Zanotti Racing's Jake Johnson) and see what we could do on a half mile track, “ continued Howerton.“We have been really happy this year with the results, but know next year will only be harder" stated the long-time IndyCar, NASCAR and NHRA engineer and fabricator, "by running Pomona it will give Bryan more information for his half mile program next year."

 

 

One of the low points of the season was the loss of Skip Eaken, the teams engine builder and motorcycle mentor. “It was a rough time with Skip passing away last week, so we went into the Santa Rosa round wanting to win that one for him. I believe he was the second all time winningest mechanic in the sport, and we wanted to add one more for him. He could appear to most as being cold and grumpy, but once you got to know him he was just the opposite, “ stated Rick a few days after Eaken had passed away due to a heart condition. Howerton still thinks of the conversation him and Skip had after Springfield 1. He called a few days after that race and said "seriously Rick, I watched you guys all day and you guys really made me proud." That meant the world to me as Skip didn't give many compliments. "I will never forget that conversation."

“It has been real fun all year, as all of us on the team get along fantastic. Jeff and Dink are super mechanics, and even better friends. Having a rider with Bryan's capabilities on a mile and a bike like this the rest comes together well, and we're really proud of what we've been able to do in just one season, “ elaborated Howerton.

The team also added another 3rd-place finish to their season total at The Santa Rosa Mile on Sunday, September 30, to make their finishes in five events as two 3rd-place finishes to go along with their two wins and the 14th-place effort at Indy.

 

 

Crosley Radio is a company based out of Louisville, Ky. that specializes in modern retro-look sound and entertainment devices, and they are a first-time sponsor in the world of AMA Pro Flat Track's Rolling Thunder Show, bringing a new, bright and great sponsor to the series and to the new team. Having been friends with Rick, it was a great fit having the folks from Crosley on-board to sponsor them according to Crosley Radio president, Bo LeMastus.

The Crosley Radio/Howerton Motorsports team checks out the action on-track during round 13 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season at the Springfield Mile II, where they were able to take the win thanks to their potent Eaken Racing Kawasaki powerplant and the stellar riding ability of mile specialist Bryan Smith. During the fan-walk at all AMA Pro Flat Track events the team encourages the fans to come by and chat it up with the team, check out the bikes and listen to some of the great music playing in their pit area compliments of Crosley Radio's jukeboxes on-hand. Photo by Mike 'Stu' Stuhler/Stu's Shots.

“We are just thrilled with the job that Bryan, Ricky, Jeff and the rest of the team have done this first season, “ stated Crosley's Bo LeMastus, himself a long-time fan of flat track just like Rick, Jeff Gordon and the rest of the crew on the Howerton team. “It just felt right to go ahead and extend this season into a sixth event to not only help Bryan out with his Twins Series goal but to see what we could work for and towards in the upcoming 2013 season. We hope this will springboard us to be able to announce something in the near future about maybe running some more events for next season together.

 

 

“These guys work awfully hard but yet have such a great time together doing it, we're proud and happy to be a part of it and to showcase our products to the legions of Howerton Motorsports, Bryan Smith and AMA Pro Flat Track fans that pay their hard-earned money to come to these events and see the greatest racing in the world, and we open them to come by and visit at each of the events to check out the bikes and listen to some of the music playing from some of our Crosley Radio products,“ continued LeMastus.

 

 

The Crosley Radio/Howerton Motorsports powered by Eaken Racing Kawasaki team family celebrates their second win of the season at the Springfield Mile II round on September 16, 2012. Back row, from left include Joey Manns (transportation specialist), Bo LeMastus and Jeff Gordon. Middle row, from left Dink Glidden, rider Bryan Smith, team owner Rick Howerton and his wife Colleen, and Donnie Jones. Rick and Colleen's boys, Dillon and Jared grace the front of the Kawasaki 650R-based parallel twin AMA Pro Flat Track Twins Series' winning machine. Photo by Mike 'Stu' Stuhler/Stu's Shots.

With two rounds left in the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season at the Tucson Half-Mile on October 6 and the season-finale round at the Pomona Half-Mile, the time is now for you to get in on the great racing in The Rolling Thunder Show, and the Crosley Radio/Howerton Motorsports powered by Eaken Racing Kawasaki team hopes that you will all come out to enjoy the great show at round 16 of the season at the Pomona Fairplex and take the time to come visit us in the pits as we debut our efforts on a half-mile oval and look and listen to the future not far down the road.

Howerton Motorsports would also like to thank these sponsors for their help, support & efforts during our 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track season campaign:

Dreyer Motorsports, Tucker Rocky, Midwest Performance Hardware, Guts Wear, Carbonix USA and Freelance Graphics.

 

 

 

 

Team contacts:

Ricky Howerton

Howerton Motorsports/Howerton Racing Products

360 Gasoline Alley

Indianapolis, IN. 46222

(317) 696-2664

rick@howertonproducts.com

Bo LeMastus

Crosley Radio “Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow”

1220 East Oak Street

Louisville, KY. 40204

(502)387-5930

www.crosleyradio.com

bo@crosleyradio.com

 

 

 

 

 

Press release prepared by:

Mike 'Stu' Stuhler

Stu's Shots

Indianapolis, IN.

317-373-0522

http://stusshots.blogspot.com

stuman714@yahoo.com

 

 

Geico Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing Previews Season-Finale Round at NOLA Motorsports Park October 5-7

GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing to Wrap Up 2012 Season at NOLA Motorsports Park with the Triumph Big Kahuna New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS, La. (October 3, 2012) - The 2012 GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing season concludes this weekend in New Orleans with the Triumph Big Kahuna New Orleans presented by Dunlop Tire and LeoVince. The series will conclude the season at a new track that the riders gave positive reviews after a test at the facility this summer. The finale, October 5-7, promises to be a thrilling conclusion to a hard fought season, one in which two champions have already been crowned but two more remain up for grabs.   This event, the third in the M1 PowerSports Triumph Big Kahuna Triple Crown, will have plenty of fun features for fans besides the racing. The weekend shifts into high gear on Thursday with the inaugural M1 PowerSports SuperKart Challenge, a team kart racing challenge that pits media, fans, military members and AMA Pro riders against one another in a winner-take-all battle at the country's newest Motorsports facility. Immediately following the SuperKart Challenge from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., fans are invited to join GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing teams and athletes at Mardi Gras World's beautiful downtown showroom for a Bike Night Kickoff Party.   The 2.75-mile, 16-turn NOLA Motorsports Park track will see AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike, AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike and AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport featured in the standard doubleheader format, with races for each class going off on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, while the AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series riders will take on the track in a winner-take-all final on Sunday afternoon.   SPEED will air the National Guard SuperBike and GoPro Daytona SportBike races in a set of back-to-back broadcasts. Saturday's race finals will begin at 2:00 p.m. ET/11:00 a.m. PT on Sunday, October 7 and Sunday's races will be broadcast beginning at 12:00 midnight ET/9:00 p.m. PT late Sunday night.   SPEED2 will stream the Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport and Vance & Hines XR1200 Series races live, fans can watch by logging onto http://www.speed2.com. SPEED2 is a broadband service available to customers of Time Warner, Bright House Networks, Cablevision, DISH and Cox. For more information and instructions on gaining access to all of this season's AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport and AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series races, please review the SPEED2 FAQ located at http://www.speed2.com/faq.   AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike   Josh Hayes (No. 1 Monster Energy Graves Yamaha R1) wrapped up the championship in Miami, so the third-time Champ returns to his home region as a conquering hero. Hayes, from Gulfport, Miss., has dominated the 2012 AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike season but saw his consecutive race win streak broken in Race 1 at Homestead-Miami Speedway last month. He responded by winning his 14th race of the year on Sunday. It has been a record-breaking season for Hayes, who has now claimed 30 National Guard SuperBike wins since 2009.  With the championship decided, Hayes can go for broke in New Orleans without concerns for managing a points lead. Yamaha's leading man was also fastest at the NOLA test, laying down a time of 1:39.282.  Blake Young (No. 79 Yoshimua Suzuki GSX-R1000) has won three races this year and finished on the podium numerous times and has nearly 100 points on the third place man in the championship, but the Wisconsin native is disappointed not to have beaten Hayes more this season after winning more races than his rival in 2011. Young will have two more chances to top Hayes this year in New Orleans and will no doubt be pushing very hard; he was second quickest at the NOLA test.  Josh Herrin's races in New Orleans are in doubt after the young rider injured himself in a training accident over the weekend. Herrin (No. 2 Monster Energy Graves Yamaha R1) hurt his shoulder and could miss the races, although there is no doubt he will want to ride to secure third place points for the year in his rookie SuperBike season.                               Jason DiSalvo on the #40 Latus Triumph will be looking to end the season on a high note, while Martin Cardenas #36 Geico Suzuki and Josh Hayes #1 Graves Yamaha have already sewed-up their respective titles for the 2012 season heading into the season-finale round at NOLA Motorsports Park this coming weekend.  AMA Pro Road Racing photo by Brian J. Nelson.     Roger Hayden (No. 54 National Guard Suzuki GSXR-1000) won in Miami for National Guard Jordan Suzuki, marking a significant triumph for a rider who has been trying for years to break onto the SuperBike winner's list. Hayden's Saturday win was the first for the Michael Jordan Motorsports team in 2012. The former AMA Pro champ will no doubt be looking to capitalize on his momentum in Louisiana. The Kentuckian joined Hayes and Young as the only riders able to break the 1:40 barrier at the test here earlier this year. One rider looking to put the bookend on a solid season is Team Amsoil/Hero's Geoff May. Riding the trick American-made EBR, May (No.99 Amsoil/Hero EBR 1190RS) is fifth in points and led in tough conditions in Miami. The Georgia-native earned a podium finish in Sonoma and will no doubt be looking to repeat that feat in New Orleans. A new father, May has confirmed that he will return to the EBR squad next season.  It has been a season of ups and downs for Ben Bostrom. Bostrom (No. 23 Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000) has ridden hard this year, but the results haven't always gone his way. He's earned the podium at each of the last two events, however, and the former series champ has shown signs of breaking through.  Foremost Insurance/Pegram Racing's Larry Pegram is just two points behind Bostrom in the standings. Pegram will no doubt be trying to take the spot from his longtime rival in New Orleans. Pegram (No. 72 Foremost Insurance/Pegram Racing BMW S1000RR) is the top BMW-mounted rider in the series and has scored points in every contest this year.  Danny Eslick scored second place in the Saturday race at Homestead, providing EBR 1190RS's best finish yet in AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike. The EBR team has three podiums this season, with the Oklahoman -- and two-time AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike champ -- Eslick (No. 69 Team Hero EBR1190RS) earning two of them on the American-made SuperBike.   Another rider with momentum is Steve Rapp of the Attack Performance team. Rapp charged through the field in Sunday's difficult conditions at Homestead-Miami Speedway to earn second place. It was a high point in a season that has seen Rapp (No.15 Attack Performance Kawasaki ZX10) race in AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike as well as compete as a wild card in the American MotoGP rounds on a machine built by Attack Performance.  Chris Clark has put in a solid season in his first year with his team. Clark (No. 6 Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000) has seen his lap times improve as the young rider continues to learn the ropes on the large bore machines. He was ill at the last two races, missing both Homestead finals due to a lung infection he developed while battling bronchitis in New Jersey. Clark hopes to compete in Louisiana.   The Triumph Big Kahuna New Orleans presented by Dunlop Tire and LeoVince will take place this weekend, October 5-7, 2012. The AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike class will take to the track for their first practice session on Friday, October 5 at 11:00 a.m. and will be featured in a set of 18-lap sprint races on Saturday, October 6 at 3:15 p.m. and Sunday, October 6 at 3:30 p.m. local time. GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing's National Guard SuperBike and GoPro Daytona SportBike divisions will be featured on SPEED in a set of back-to-back broadcasts, scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. ET/11:00 a.m. PT on Sunday, October 7 and 12:00 midnight ET/9:00 p.m. PT late Sunday night.   AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike Point Standings (After Round 10): 1. Josh Hayes (Gulfport, MS) - 517; 2. Blake Young (Waunakee, WI) - 401; 3. Josh Herrin (Glendale, CA) - 307; 4. Roger Hayden (Owensboro, KY) - 293; 5. Geoff May (Gainesville, GA) - 259; 6. Ben Bostrom (Malibu, CA) - 240; 7. Larry Pegram (Hebron, OH) - 238; 8. Danny Eslick (Broken Arrow, OK) - 212; 9. Steve Rapp (Hawthorne, CA) - 191 10. Chris Clark (Las Vegas, NV) - 167.   AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike Martin Cardenas (No. 36 GEICO Suzuki GSX-R600) secured his second-career AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike crown last time out at Homestead-Miami Speedway. As a result -- while there is still some championship jockeying to be done through the top ten -- the New Orleans season finale is primarily about pride.  Colombian Cardenas worked up a mammoth lead early in the season on the strength of six victories in the year's opening eight races. However, he's only won a single race since as he carefully managed his championship lead. While thrilled to have accomplished his goal for 2012, Cardenas has expressed some degree of frustration at now being able to let loose and push for victory in his typical, trademark fashion. With the title already taken care of, look for Cardenas to race at the maximum in pursuit of the checkered flags this weekend.  Dane Westby (No. 5 M4 Suzuki GSX-R600), meanwhile, may be looking over his shoulder just a bit. Currently ranked second in the points and aiming to secure a final runner-up ranking in the season's tally, Cameron Beaubier (No. 6 Y.E.S. Graves Yamaha YZF-R6) has been coming on fast. Westby has a fairly comfortable 22-point advantage for the position heading into NOLA Motorsports Park, but Beaubier's stunning form over the season's second half makes that padding feel somewhat less comfortable than it otherwise might. The youngster has been the revelation of 2012, powering to six victories in the last nine races. If Beaubier manages to double again this weekend, he'll steal the honor of claiming the most wins in the class this season away from Cardenas.  While Beaubier's championship challenge effectively ended early in the season when he was forced to sit on the sidelines following an off-track injury, his teammate, Tommy Hayden (No. 8 Y.E.S. Graves Yamaha YZF-R6), has been on the shelf more recently. The decorated ace is still on the mend after suffering a concussion and injuring his shoulder in a dramatic early-race crash at New Jersey Motorsports Park.  Jason DiSalvo (No. 40 Latus Motors Racing Triumph Daytona 675) would like to end an uneven season on a high note. After making a stirring charge to the podium in the season opener at Daytona and scoring a head-turning win in Sonoma, DiSalvo would like to go into the offseason by serving the paddock a reminder of the vast potential of both himself and his 675cc triple.   Outside of the usual suspects of Cardenas, Westby, and Beaubier, the most impressive GoPro Daytona SportBike rider over the campaign's season half might just be Bobby Fong (No. 50 Meen Motorsports Yamaha YZF-R6). After a year away from the sport, Fong is now back up to speed, harassing the established frontrunners on a regular basis while notching up three podium finishes in the most recent six races.  JD Beach (No. 95 RoadRace Factory/Red Bull Yamaha YZF-R6) and Jake Zemke (No. 98 Ducshop Ducati 848) may be on opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of career GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing experience, but they find themselves in virtually identical positions this weekend. Ranked seventh and eighth, respectively, and separated by just two points, both riders have a realistic shot of fighting their way into the 2012 class top-five with a particularly strong weekend in New Orleans.  Rounding out the top ten heading into the season finale are Joey Pascarella (No. 52 Riders Discount Vesrah Suzuki GSX-R600) and Cory West (No. 57 Riders Discount Vesrah Suzuki GSX-R600). Pascarella will look to bookend his 2012 season with another highlight to pair with his incredible DAYTONA 200® victory, while West will look to regain the form he regularly demonstrated in 2011 in order to build momentum with an eye on 2013.   The AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike riders will take to the track for their first practice session on Friday, October 5 at 12:00 p.m. and will be featured in a set of 18-lap sprint races on Saturday, October 6 at 2:00 p.m. and Sunday, October 7 at 2:15 p.m. local time. GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing's National Guard SuperBike and GoPro Daytona SportBike divisions will be featured on SPEED in a set of back-to-back broadcasts, scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. ET/11:00 a.m. PT on Sunday, October 7 and 12:00 midnight ET/9:00 p.m. PT late Sunday night.   AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike Point Standings (After Round 10): 1. Martin Cardenas (Medellin, Colombia) - 415; 2. Dane Westby (Tulsa, OK) - 339; 3. Cameron Beaubier (Roseville, CA) - 317; 4. Tommy Hayden (Owensboro, KY) - 250; 5. Jason DiSalvo (Batavia, NY) - 225; 6. Bobby Fong (Stockton, CA) - 222; 7. JD Beach (Philpot, KY) - 215; 8. Jake Zemke (Paso Robles, CA) - 213; 9. Joey Pascarella (Vacaville, CA) - 189; 10. Cory West (Eureka Springs, AR) - 181.   AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport The AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport races in New Orleans will determine three different tiles - the Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport West and East division winners, and the overall Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport Champion, will be crowned here this weekend. The races are a combined event, meaning riders in both divisions will score points. The National Champ will be the divisional rider with the highest point total at the end of the weekend.   James Rispoli (No. 1 Orient Express/Celtic Racing Suzuki GSX-R600) is knocking on the door of his second overall crown. Rispoli leads by 60 over Hayden Gillim (No. 69 RoadRace Factory/Red Bull Yamaha YZF-R6) and needs just three points to clinch the West crown. The New Yorker will likely clinch on Saturday, as he has a 50-point lead over closest East division rival Dustin Dominguez (No. 68 Latus Motors Racing Triumph 675R).  Third place Elena Myers (No. 21 Suzuki SportBikeTrackGear.com), Ryan Matter (No. 121 Gearzy Yamaha YZF-R6) and Tyler Linders (No. 48 Rotobox Yamaha YZF-R6) are all inside the top five in West points headed into the finale.  Things are much more certain in the East. Dominguez leads Jake Lewis (No. 85 Riders Discount Vesrah Suzuki GSX-R600) by eight points with the two races in New Orleans to go. Lewis led the way early, but Dominguez found more speed and consistency as the summer heated up. The East title would be a big accomplishment for either up-and-coming racer.  Stefan Mesa (No. 37 Kneedraggers.com Yamaha YZF-R6) has scored victory once this season and is third in points. He's coming off a strong charge in Miami - second place on Saturday without the luxury of a face shield for several laps. Tomas Puerta (No. 12 RoadRace Factory/Red Bull Yamaha YZF-R6) earned the podium both times out in Miami. Corey Alexander (No. 5 National Guard Fairhills Group Celtic Racing GSX-R600) will miss the race after a training injury.   Saturday's 15-lap final for the AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport division will be the first race of the weekend, set to go green at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 6, followed by Race 2 on Sunday, October 7 at 1:15 p.m. Both races will be streamed live on SPEED2, for more information, please visit http://www.speed2.com/.   AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport East Division Point Standings: 1. Dustin Dominguez (Newalla, OK) - 229; 2. Jake Lewis (Princeton, KY) - 221; 3. Stefano Mesa (Boca Raton, FL) - 212; 4. Tomas Puerta (Medellin, Colombia) - 192; 5. Corey Alexander (Carmel, NY) - 161.   AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport West Division Point Standings: 1. James Rispoli (Attica, NY) - 279; 2. Hayden Gillim (Owensboro, KY) - 219; 3. Elena Myers (Discovery Bay, CA) - 169; 4. Ryan Matter (Rancho Cucamonga, CA) - 104; 5. Tyler Linders (Mission Viejo, CA) - 93.   AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series   The AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series championship comes down to one final shootout, and if the season-long lead-up to this weekend has provided any indication, the title will likely still be in question as a group of riders battle out of the final corner and make their last lunge to the checkered flag in 2012.  Just two points separate the top two in the XR Showdown with third only another six points back.   Michael Barnes (No. 34 KLR Group/Spyke's Harley-Davidson) made his move at his home race last time out, scoring a dramatic, last-lap victory at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The clutch win allowed 'Barney' to leapfrog from fourth in the standings to first with just the finale to be waged.  Tyler O'Hara (No. 29 Bartel's Harley-Davidson) is a close second. In fact, the title race between the two is so close the difference might as well be considered nonexistent; if either man wins this weekend's finale, he will be named the champion no matter where the other finishes or how the bonus points shake down.  Benjamin Carlson (No. 45 Suburban Harley-Davidson) has made a big push for the title since the opening of the XR Showdown at Indianapolis and is still in with a real shot heading into New Orleans. Eight points out of first, the former AMA Supermoto national champion need just a bit of help to secure the title. But in this unpredictable class, it wouldn't take too much of an upset for Carlson to sneak in and steal the crown away from Barnes and O'Hara.  Michael Corbino (No. 15 Rossiter's Harley-Davidson of Sarasota) is the final competitor who still has a mathematical possibility of walking away with the XR Showdown triumph although the odds are stacked heavily against him. The weekend may be more about consolidating fourth place for Corbino with Travis Wyman (No. 24 Harv's Harley-Davidson) breathing down his neck, only two points back.  Wyman raced to his first podium of the year at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the absence of his brother, Kyle Wyman (No. 33 KLR Group/Spyke's Harley-Davidson). Kyle was one of the class' stars all year long, matching O'Hara for most wins to date at four and leading the XR Showdown at one point before a pair of concussions put an early end to his promising campaign.   The AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series riders take to the track for their 9-lap season finale on Sunday, October 7 at 12:30 p.m. local time. The race will be streamed live on SPEED2, for more information, please visit http://www.speed2.com/.   AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series Point Standings (After Round 9): 1. Michael Barnes (Boca Raton, FL) - 1090; 2. Tyler OHara (Petaluma, CA) - 1088; 3. Benjamin Carlson (West Bend, WI) - 1082; 4. Michael Corbino (Sarasota, FL) - 1064; 5. Kyle Wyman (Macedon, NY) - 1062; 6. Travis Wyman (Macedon, NY) - 1062; 7. David Estok (Daytona Beach, FL) - 1049; 8. Josh Chisum (Bakersfield, CA) - 1042; 9. Gerry Signorelli (Colorado Springs, CO) - 1018; 10. Darren James (Deep Cove, Canada) - 1000.   AMA Pro Live Streaming Video Experience, Live Timing & Scoring and Social Media Channels AMA Pro Live, the online streaming video experience launched earlier this season, will be broadcasting views from around the track this weekend. Tune in at http://www.amaprolive.com.   GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing Live Timing & Scoring presented by Cortech offers fans real-time access to results from on-track sessions at http://live.amaproracing.com/rr/.   Between the races, stay connected with GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing at www.twitter.com/AMAProSBK and www.facebook.com/AMAProRoadRacing. Event Features   In addition to the GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing action, there will be family-friendly entertainment located in every turn. Event promoter M1 PowerSports will be bringing motorcycle stunt rider Jason Britton, a variety of New Orleans culinary concoctions, a 4x4 Monster Ride Truck, the always-popular Big Kahuna Bikini Girls, a kid's corral full of fun for the Little Kahunas and dozens of vendors. Motorcycle parking is free and tickets start at just $20 for Friday admission.

AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines. Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com. For additional information contact:   AMA Pro Racing Communications, (386) 492-1014, communications@amaproracing.com

AMA Flat Track: Sammy Halbert Takes Santa Rosa Mile for 4th Win of the 2012 Season

Sammy Halbert took his #7 South East H-D/The South Ass/Mo Vaughn Transport/LZ Racing-sponsored XR750 to the win yesterday at round 14 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season at the Santa Rosa Mile in Sonoma, California.  Halbert ran down early leader Bryan Smith on the #42 Crosley Radio/Howerton Motorsports/Eaken Racing/Dreyer Motorsports-sponsored Kawasaki after Smith's line went away on the track.  Smith held on to 3rd-place at the end of the 25-lap National main to secure his tie in the Twins Series standings with Sammy Halbert just nine points behind Twins points leader Jake Johnson. 

Finishing in an astounding 2nd-place was current overall points leader Jared Mees on the #9 Rogers Racing/Blue Springs H-D/Saddlemen/National Cycle-backed XR after being forced to run the semi (and take the win) and starting in the 13th-place spot on the third row.  The Jammer and Jake Johnson on the #1 Zanotti Racing XR hooked up early in the race as both were forced to start at the back and work their way through the field, and both missing out on valuable Dash points, especially after Slammin' Sammy also scored the Dash win to add to his overall total.  The three head to Tucson on Saturday, October 6 with Mees recovering from what could have been a disaster for his season leading the overall standings with 262 points, Halbert now holding down second with 248 and Johnson now in the third spot with 246 points.

Brad Baker on the #12 Dodge Brothers Racing/Perry's H-D XR was another rider who put in a spirited performance at Santa Rosa.  After breaking early in the day, The Bullet also missed the cut in the semi and was forced to take a provisional to start on the fourth row in the 19-rider field.  Baker fought like the true rider and champ he is to work his way through the field and bring home a very strong 7th-place finish.

Henry Wiles on the #17 Lloyd Brothers Motorsports/Foremost Insurance Group/ENI USA-sponsored Italian 'L'Twin earlier in the day ran away from the pack in his heat race while also getting a 3rd-place in the Dash.  Henry fought the good fight in the National main to bring it home in the 6th-place spot for his and the team's third top-10 of the season.

Brandon Robinson on the #44 Werner-Springsteen Racing/Big Dawg Racing-backed Kawasaki had an off-day for how he has turned his and the Werner/Springsteen team's season around, finishing in the 16th-place spot five laps down after earlier getting second in his heat behind Bryan Smith and carding a 4th-place in the Dash.  Robinson heads to Tucson this Saturday tenth in the overall standings.

One rider of note not in the shot above (taken at the re-start of round 10 of the 2012 season at the Lucas Oil Indy Mile on August 18, the first of Sammy's two mile wins this season and his career!) was Rob Pearson on the #27 Memphis Shades XR.  Bugs fought through after a 3rd-place in his heat behind winner Halbert and runner-up Matt Weidman #20 on the Scott Powersports Kawasaki (18th in the main), to take home his second top-5 of the season with a hard-earned 5th-place finish, and his fourth top-10 of the year in the Twins Series.

Stevie Bonsey (seen above on the #80 Werner-Springsteen Kawasaki) was on the Goodwin Racing XR yesterday and came home in the 14th place spot.  And Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. on the #2 Screamin' Eagle/Harley-Davidson Motor Co/Fox/Arai Helmets-sponsored factory XR750 solidiered home to an 8th-place finish.

Jeffrey Carver, Jr. on the #23 Kiesow Racing XR and Briar Bauman on the #10Z Rod Lake Racing Suzuki rounded out the top-10. 

Check out the press release below thanks to AMA Pro Flat Track and stay tuned for the final two rounds of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season at the Tucson Half-Mile on October 6 and the season-finale round at the Pomona Half-Mile on October 13!

Halbert Wins Santa Rosa Mile In Front of Packed House

 

SANTA ROSA, Calif. (September 30, 2012) - In a blazing end to a hot Santa Rosa Mile, Bryan Smith (Crosley Radio/Kawasaki) let a five-second lead slip and Sammy Halbert took full advantage during the 25-lap race at the Somona County Fairgrounds.

 

On lap 20 of Sunday's AMA Pro Harley-Davidson Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com and Lucas Oil main event, Halbert slammed the throttle and stole the lead from Smith, notching his fourth win of the season. The final laps brought the crowd of 12,000 to their feet in what proved to be an absolute thriller between some of the best flat track talent in the world.

"In the beginning, I was playing cat and mouse with Bryan (Smith)," said Halbert. "Once I passed him, I just kept looking back and saw the guys catching me but I adapted and overcame it. It was a great win. I loved coming out here to Santa Rosa and really want to thank all the great fans. I also want to thank my mom, dad, girlfriend and all of my sponsors."

 

 

Sammy Halbert on his #7 South East H-D XR750 took the win at the Santa Rosa Mile yesterday for his series' leading fourth win of-the-year in 2012.  AMA Pro Flat Track photo by Dave Hoenig.

Smith took the holeshot right from the start and was looking as if he was about to cruise to his second consecutive mile-track victory. With 10 laps to go, Smith opened up his biggest lead of the race at 4.9 seconds but it didn't last. Halbert turned on the jets and Smith seemed to lose significant time on the corners causing him to lose his lead.

Jared Mees looked very impressive as he came all the way back from 13th position to finish 2nd in the race. Though Smith dropped the ball at the end, he was able to salvage a podium finish as he barely nicked fierce competitor Jake Johnson by .18 seconds for a third place finish. Johnson andRobert Pearson rounded out the top five finishers, respectively.

AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com Pro Singles

Michigan product Stephen Vanderkuur (Parkinson Brothers/Honda) had no mercy on the field today as he was the clear-cut winner by almost a full 10 seconds over second-place finisher Rodney Spencer Jr. (831 Pinnit/Honda). Vanderkuur started from pole position and increased his lead every lap on his way to claiming his second victory of the year.

"I was just riding my own race," said Vanderkuur. "I knew I had to get ahead early and I did just that. This is a big accomplishment for my team as far as the point standings go. I have to thank my team and sponsors for all their support, without them I would not be here. I also want to give a shout-out to the great fans here in California."

The best race on the track was the battle for third. Cole Anderson (Diesel Minnesota/Honda) edged out Jake Shoemaker (Montgomeryville Cycle Center/Honda) by .26 seconds for an impressive third-place finish after starting from eighth on the grid. Less than a second was the difference between finishing in third place and finishing in seventh.

Next Up

AMA Pro Flat Track heads to Tucson, Ariz. for the Tucson Half-Mile, scheduled for October 6, 2012 at the Tucson International Speedway.

AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines. Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com.  For additional information contact: AMA Pro Racing Communications, (386) 492-1014, communications@amaproracing.com

Thanks to AMA Pro Flat Track for this link to the complete results from yesterday's round 14 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season at The Santa Rosa Mile:

http://results.amaproracing.com/live/results/pdfresults/ft/2012/F1270/default.aspx


And a big thanks to AMA Pro Flat Track photographer Dave Hoenig for this gallery of shots from yesterday's race at Santa Rosa:

http://amaproracing.com/ft/multimedia/gallery.cfm?gid=7652

2012 eni SBK World Championship Season Final Round Magny-Cours Preview

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

         

          

 

Superbike face-off at Magny-Cours for Biaggi, Sykes and Melandri

 

Rome (Italy), 1 October 2012 – Three riders and three different manufacturers will be facing off on Sunday in the final showdown at Magny-Cours for the 2012 eni FIM Superbike World Championship titles. Not for the first time will the French circuit play host to the championship’s grand finale, which this time sees two Italians, Max Biaggi (Aprilia Racing Team) and Marco Melandri (BMW Motorad Motorsport) and a British rider, Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team), currently second in the standings, mathematically still in with a chance of winning.   The last round in Portugal, which produced a number of surprises and upsets, saw Max Biaggi gain ground on his rivals and the 41-year-old from Rome now has 347 points, against 316.5 for Sykes and 308.5 for Melandri. The 30 year-old from Ravenna was involved in a crash that eliminated him from race 1 and he cracked a couple of ribs in the process, but since then he has embarked on an intensive recovery programme in order not to miss out on the final encounter.   The current standings show that Biaggi can easily win the sixth world title in his career, his second in Superbike, with just two sixth places. Even if Sykes takes a double win (50 points), Biaggi just needs 20 to take the title. Judging from his previous form there, the title is within easy reach: he has raced eight times at Magny-Cours and has always finished in the top 6, with four podiums to his name and a win in 2010 when he got the better of Cal Crutchlow in a ferocious duel after he had already clinched the title.   Tom Sykes on the other hand has never finished higher than eighth, with three crashes to his name. The Kawasaki has improved massively throughout the season however and Sykes has taken three of his four race victories in 2012. Marco Melandri only raced at Magny-Cours last season, twice finishing runner-up after two terrific recoveries.   In twenty-five editions of the Superbike World Championship this will be the 15th time the title is assigned at the final round. Magny-Cours has been decisive on three occasions: in 1991 Texan Doug Polen took his first title with three rounds remaining, while in both 2004 and 2007 the championship went right down to the wire, with Britain’s James Toseland getting the nod on both occasions – the first when he beat home favourite Règis Laconi, the second against Noriyuki Haga.   The Manufacturers’ battle is also at stake: Aprilia lead the way with 422.5 points, against BMW on 394 and reigning champions Ducati on 375. As well as Max Biaggi the Italian manufacturer can count on excellent support from Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team) and Chaz Davies (ParkinGo MTC Racing Aprilia), two youngsters who have already celebrated their first win on the RSV4 in the last two rounds this year, respectively at Portimao and Nurburgring. If they manage to win this title, for Aprilia it would mean a 50th title conquered in Superbike, Grand Prix Road Racing and Off-Road.   At the final round of the 25th edition of the FIM Superbike World Championship, numerous other riders will be aiming to finish off the season with a podium place or a result that may modify the outcome of the title. These will undoubtedly include the outgoing champion Carlos Checa (Althea Racing Ducati) who began testing with Ducati’s new 1199, which will be fielded in 2013, after the Portimao round. Team-mate Davide Giugliano, at 22 years of age one of the revelations of this year, also took part in the testing.   All eyes will also be on Jonathan Rea (Honda World Superbike Team) following his double experience in MotoGP with Honda HRC. The 25-year-old from Northern Ireland has never really had much luck at Magny-Cours but one year ago he did manage to score the Tissot-Superpole.   Expectations are high for the FIXI Crescent Suzuki team following some great recent performances. The Japanese manufacturer has never won on this track, but it does have six second places to its name, so maybe Leon Camier, who went well at Portimao, will manage to buck this trend.   The final round will define the remaining top positions with Sylvain Guintoli (Pata Racing Ducati) currently holding onto the eighth place he has conquered with two wins and some other great races, while another Frenchman Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) is also looking to finish his debut season, with one win and three podiums to his name, on a high note: the 19-year-old is currently 12th overall and will be racing in front of his home fans. Two last-minute changes see the Effenbert Liberty team declare themselves absent from the final round completely, while one of the team’s former riders Maxime Berger lines up for Red Devils Roma in place of the injured Niccolò Canepa.   Points (after 13 of 14 rounds): 1. Biaggi 347; 2. Sykes 316,5; 3. Melandri 308.5; 4. Checa 278.5; 5. Rea 255.5; 6. Laverty 241.5; 7. Haslam 189; 8. Guintoli 172.5; 9. Davies 156.5; 10. Fabrizio 133.5; etc. Manufacturers: 1. Aprilia 422.5; 2. BMW 394; 3. Ducati 375; 4. Kawasaki 356.5; 5. Honda 270.5; 6. Suzuki 130.5.   World Supersport   Magny-Cours will see celebrations all the way for Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Lorenzini), who took the title at the previous round in Portugal, the 27-year-old from Turkey clinching a third crown after the ones he won in 2007 and 2010. It was great satisfaction also for the team run by Vanni Lorenzini, who won his first world title despite the repercussions of the earthquake in Emilia that seriously damaged the Mantova base of the Italian outfit, which was forced to work for some time in its trucks.   Sofuoglu’s toughest rival throughout the season has been Jules Cluzel (PTR Honda), the 23-year-old Frenchman who came from GP racing and who in his debut Supersport season has already scored three wins. On his home track he will have a chance of increasing his success rate and consolidate second place in the championship. The battle is also on for third, with another Frenchman, Fabien Foret (Kawasaki Intermoto Step) now ahead of his British rival Sam Lowes (Bogdanka PTR Honda).   Points (after 12 of 13 rounds): 1. Sofuoglu 218; 2. Cluzel 185; 3. Foret 160; 4. Lowes 152; 5. Parkes 135; 6. Morais 94; 7. Baldolini 86; 8. Quarmby 84; 9. Iannuzzo 60; 10. Leonov 52; etc. Manufacturers: 1. Honda 262; 2. Kawasaki 257; 3. Triumph 115; 4. Yamaha 102; 5. Suzuki 6.   Superstock 1000   Magny-Cours will be the decider for the entry-level categories which are reserved for tomorrow’s champions. In the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup Frenchman Sylvain Barrier (BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet) grabbed the lead back from Eddi La Marra (Barni Racing Team Italia Ducati) but they are separated by just three points. There is still a small mathematical chance for Australian Bryan Staring (Kawasaki Pedercini) who has to hope for a win with the other two riders picking up DNFs. In the previous nine rounds Barrier has won four times, Staring three and La Marra once. The under-26 Cup is also a technical challenge between BMW, Ducati and Kawasaki. Barrier will have the advantage of racing in front of his home crowd, but La Marra and Staring still have their last remaining cards to play.   Points (after 9 of 10 rounds): 1. Barrier 133; 2. La Marra 130; 3. Staring 111; 4. Guarnoni 98; 5. Savadori 91; 6. Reiterberger 85; 7. Bergman 78; 8. Massei 71; 9. Coghlan 68; 10. Baroni 56; etc. Manufacturers: 1. Kawasaki 168; 2. Ducati 165; 3. BMW 161; 4. Honda 71; 5. Aprilia 17.   Superstock 600   The final round of the UEM European Superstock 600 Championship for under-22 year-olds sees a clash of two talents who have dominated proceedings since the start of the season: Dutchman Michael van der Mark (EAB Ten Kate Junior Team Honda) and Italian Riccardo Russo (Team Italia FMI Yamaha), both 19 years of age. Van der Mark has won five rounds, and the other four have gone to Russo who now has seven points to make up on his rival. The situation is slightly in favour of the Dutchman who can even afford to finish second if Russo proves to be unbeatable. On the other hand, the Italian has to beat van der Mark and hope that someone finishes in between. The last round will be held on Saturday evening at 6pm.   Points (after 9 of 10 rounds): 1. Vd Mark 194; 2. Russo 187; 3. Duwelz 91; 4. Nestorovic 74; 5. Vitali 66; 6. Schacht 65; 7. Morbidelli 63; 8. Calero Perez 59; 9. Gamarino 58; 10. Chesaux 50; etc.   KTM European Junior Cup   The KTM European Junior Cup gets its grand finale as well, with the entry-level category organized by Racedays for under-19 year-olds coming to an exciting conclusion. The battle will be on identical KTM Duke 690 machines supplied directly by the Austrian manufacturer. Magny-Cours will have two rounds, one of which on Saturday will make up for the cancelled race at Monza in May. With 50 points still up for grabs, eight riders are still in with a chance of winning the title. The standings are led by Austrian Lukas Wimmer (95 points), who is being chased by Spain’s Gaston Garcia, Javier Orellana and Christian Vidal. They are followed by Poland’s Artur Wielebski, Jamie Patterson from Northern Ireland, another Pole Adrian Pasek and France’s Jean-Francois Demoulin.   Points (after 6 rounds of 8): 1. Wimmer 95; 2. Garcia 78; 3. Orellana 75; 4. Vidal 64; 5. Wielebski 59; 6. Patterson 57; 7. Pasek 54; 8. Demoulin 48; etc.   Alfa Romeo launches the Mito-SBK at the Paris Motor Show   A special Superbike version of the Alfa Romeo Mito – the Mito SBK – has received its official unveiling at the Paris Motor Show – which is currently being held in the French capital from 27 September to 14 October. This is the first time in the history of World Superbike that a company of such global importance and notoriety has chosen to activate such a close association with the product.   On display at the Paris Show are a Superbike Limited Edition 170 hp, a special 85hp Superbike 1.9 Turbo Twin Air, the “Safety Car” version used in the 2011 Superbike World Championship and a version with Sporting Pack. The Alfa Romeo stand also contains an Aprilia RSV4 Factory machine which Max Biaggi is racing in the championship, as well as highlights videos of the races and Alfa Romeo’s involvement.     This season is the sixth successive year of official collaboration between Alfa Romeo and the FIM Superbike World Championship: the Italian brand has in fact been Top Sponsor and Official Safety Car for the production-based series since 2007, sharing the same values of sport, technology and safety.   For further information:   Julian Thomas Press Office Associate Manager Cell. +39 340 0993623 Email: julian.thomas@infrontsports.com   Nino Barra Press Office & PR Italia Cell. +39 339 4688138 Email: nino.barra@infrontsports.com   Valentina Conti Sponsorship & Int’l PR Associate Manager Cell. +39 388 3032059 Email: valentina.conti@infrontsports.com   In 2011 the FIM Superbike World Championship achieved the following: - A worldwide TV audience of 462 million - Live broadcasts on 95 television networks covering 173 countries - 3,106 broadcast hours - Approximately 1,000,000 race spectators - 3,779,237 contacts on the official website www.worldsbk.com