Thor MX Signs Marvin Musquin

EL CAJON, CA – November 21, 2012 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – Thor MX has strengthened its 2013 line-up with newly signed Marvin Musquin adding his talents to the Thor MX roster. The  accomplished Frenchman has two consecutive MX2 World Championships to his credit, and earned his first victory on American soil at historical Unadilla during the in 2012 AMA Motocross season.

(Photo: Frank Hoppen)

“I am very happy that Thor gave me the opportunity to represent them in 2013,” said Musquin. “I feel lucky to be a part of a championship-winning company and I’m really looking forward to great results next year.”

Musquin will start the 2013 season with increased confidence that came from a great 2012 campaign. In his first full year racing in the states, Musquin finished third overall in the Eastern Region AMA Supercross 250SX class and racked up a total of four podium finishes. He was also a threat in the highly competitive AMA Motocross Series 250 class, learning the US tracks quickly which enabled him to earn three top-qualifier awards throughout the season.

“Adding Marvin to our roster is very exciting for us here at Thor,” said Jim Gallager, Design Director at Thor MX. “He’s a young talent with many big accomplishments already to his name. We are excited to have him a part of our team as he continues to excel in his career.”

Musquin will make his Thor MX debut during the AMA Supercross Series.

About Thor Motocross
Thor is the originator of motocross apparel. When Torsten Hallman made his first U.S trip to race and promote motocross in 1966, he began developing T.H.O.R. (Torsten Halman Original Racewear) riding gear. Thor is a hardcore, grass roots company that is continued proof of what it takes to reach the top and more importantly, how to stay there. It is the only company with over 40 years of experience in the motocross marketplace.

Thor combines design and marketing, with superior distribution through Parts Unlimited to reach it’s thousands of dealers and consumers. Thor prides itself on key selling features like quality, strength and performance. Thor is more than a brand. It’s a lifestyle.

About Parts Unlimited
Parts Unlimited is the world’s largest distributor of aftermarket accessories in the powersports industry and is owned by LeMans Corporation headquartered in Janesville, Wisconsin. Parts Unlimited sells to over 12,000 dealerships world wide and continues to expand its market penetration with its sister companies, Parts Canada, Parts Europe and Drag Specialties.

Parts Unlimited continues to promote racing through its campaign WE SUPPORT THE SPORT®, helping to drive consumers to dealerships, while entertaining its dealers through hospitalities at the events it sponsors.

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Go Inside the Workings of a Grand Prix Motorcycle Engine with SAE International’s New Book

WARRENDALE, PA – July 24, 2012 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – SAE International offers a new book that takes readers inside engines of World Championship Grand Prix motorcycles, detailing the design concepts that make them work.

“Engine Design Concepts for World Championship Grand Prix Motorcycles” is developed especially for racing enthusiasts, focusing on the design of four-stroke engines for the MotoGP class. The book opens with general background on MotoGP governing bodies and a history of the event’s classes since the competition began in 1949. It then presents some of the key engines that have been developed and used for the competition through the years. Technologies that are used in today’s MotoGP engines are discussed.

A sidebar discussion on calculating brake, indicated, and friction performance parameters provides mathematical information for readers who like such technical details. Future developments of MotoGP engines, including the use of biofuels and recovery of thermal and braking energy, are presented. The introduction concludes with a chart that details the winners of the various classes of World Championship Grand Prix (WCGP) motorcycle racing since the competition began in 1949.

The bulk of the book consists of SAE International technical papers that were expressly chosen by Dr. Boretti to provide greater insight to the relationships between engine parameters and performance, namely the influence on friction and mean effective pressure of traditional spark ignited four stroke engines tuned for a narrow high power output.

The first paper provides the reader with a quick way to estimate the friction loss and engine output. The second paper discusses output and fuel consumption of multi-valve motorcycle engines. The third paper, published in 2002, compares WCGP engines developed to comply with the then-new FIM regulations that allowed four-stroke engines in the competition. The fourth paper examines specific power densities and therefore the level of sophistication and costs of MotoGP 800 cm3 engines. This paper shows the performance of these as well as the 1000cc SuperBike engines. The fifth paper presents four engine concepts including one for a MotoGP/Superbike with 2 and 3 cylinders. The sixth paper compares 3 and 4 in-line, V4, V5, and V6 layouts through 1-D engine simulations. The seventh paper considers the actual operation of 800cc MotoGP engines on the race track, where the percentage of the duration in fully open throttle is less than 20% of the race, but the partial throttle is used for as much as 80% of the race. The final paper in the compendium reports on the Honda oval piston engine concept.

Alberto Boretti is a research professor of mechanical engineering at the Missouri University of Science and Technology. After he received his PhD from the University of Florence, Italy, in 1988, he was a senior researcher and project and team manager in the automotive industry for 17 years. Within the FIAT group, he has been involved in many racing engine projects, mostly with Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, and Fiat Auto Corse. His last position in industry was manager of four-stroke engines for Aprilia racing in 2006. Within the university setting, he supports teaching and research in motorsport. During his career he has worked on many different racing engines, including F1, F3, super touring, rally car, and Superbike and MotoGP motorcycle engines.

Book details:

• Table of Contents
• Published By: SAE International
• Published: August 2012
• Pages: 134
• Binding: Softbound
• Product Code: PT-155
• ISBN: 978-0-7680-7799-5
• Price: $89.95 List, $71.98-80.96 SAE International Member

To request an electronic review copy of the book, email pr@sae.org . Forward published reviews to Shawn Andreassi at pr@sae.org  or SAE International, 400 Commonwealth Dr., Warrendale PA, 15096-0001, to receive a print copy of the book or another equivalent SAE International book.

Related titles from SAE International include:

• Engine Failure Analysis by: Ernst Greuter and Stefan Zima
• Hands-On Race Car Engineer by: John H. Glimmerveen
• Analysis Techniques for Racecar Data Acquisition by: Jorge Segers

SAE International is a global association of more than 133,000 engineers and related technical experts in the aerospace, automotive and commercial-vehicle industries. SAE International’s core competencies are life-long learning and voluntary consensus standards development. SAE International’s charitable arm is the SAE Foundation, which supports many programs, including A World In Motion® and the Collegiate Design Series.

- www.sae.org -

Contact: Shawn Andreassi, SAE International, via pr@sae.org or call 1-724-772-8522

SOURCE: SAE International

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New 17” Pirelli Diablo Superbike Tires First Test at Aragon with the Superbike World Championship Riders

ARAGON, SPAIN – June 27, 2012 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – Pirelli confirms the test day for Monday 2 July at the Aragòn circuit when all Superbike World Championship riders and their respective teams will be able to try for the first time the development solutions in the Diablo Superbike tires (currently produced in 16.5”) in the 17-inch size – the size that the Superbike World Championship will run on starting next year.

The day’s program has the riders try the 16.5” tires for a few laps, the same tire that they have available during the racing weekend, before moving on to the17″ tires of which Pirelli will take 4 front-wheel and 4 rear-wheel solutions. However, precisely not to falsify the test results and to prevent the riders from focusing on the difference between the two sizes, both the 16.5” tires and the 17” solutions will have the same compound, SC1. In this way, given the same compound, the riders will be able to correctly assess the differences between the tires they are currently using in races and those that they will use from the next season.

The radical decision to move to 17-inch tires was promoted and strongly desired by Pirelli and immediately accepted enthusiastically both by Infront and by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (the International Motorcycling Federation). Pirelli has already proposed solutions that have since been widely appreciated not only in the racing field but also in normal production and above all in the last three years has very much accelerated development to respond to the technical needs of users and of the new increasingly powerful bikes. In 1999, for example, Pirelli was the first tire manufacturer to introduce the 190/55 – R17 size in competitions and for about 5 years this size was adopted also in normal production for mounting on very powerful superbikes, in 2010 a new high-modulus carcass (a Pirelli Patent) was introduced and the compounds were improved and in 2011 the new 200/60 – R17 size was introduced.

Today, in various national championships (French, German, Australian, Canadian, etc.) 17” tires are already used for reasons of savings linked above all to the use of normal production wheels and Pirelli believes that this is the right moment to introduce it to the Superbike field because the motorcycle manufacturers and the market are ready for the change, some superbikes on sale already use larger tires and the market is ready to use high-performing 17” tires.

The 16.5″ tires, currently used in the World Superbike Championship and also in endurance, BSB and CIV, were the reference size up until now. In fact, until 2004, the World Superbike Championship did not have a sole tire supplier and Pirelli adapted to the sizes which the other suppliers provided. Now, to remain faithful both to the basic Superbike philosophy which envisages that whatever is proposed for racing can also be sold on the market, and to its own philosophy, that is to bring sporting competitions and solutions developed in the racing field closer to the daily lives of all motorcyclists, Pirelli has decided to replace the current 16.5” tires with the 17” tires which have already won many national Superbike Championships.

Thanks to this decision, even more than before, Pirelli will be able to make available to every motorcyclist, road products with technology and development closely derived from the most important World Championship for production bikes, where Pirelli is the sole supplier. The World Superbike Championship will be a precious training and testing ground which will allow Pirelli to study and better develop 17″ tires which are more and more in demand, thereby remaining faithful to its motto “We sell what we race, we race what we sell”and continuing to provide bikers with extremely high quality products, developed and fine-tuned with the assistance of the great Superbike champions.

Pirelli Tire North America designs, develops, manufactures and markets tires for passenger vehicles in both the original equipment and replacement markets as well as markets and distributes tires for motorcycles and motorsports. Located in Rome, Georgia, Pirelli’s Modular Integrated Robotized System (MIRS) employs state-of-the-art technology to manufacture tires for both export and domestic markets.  For more information please visit www.us.pirelli.com.

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Prolific world championship winning tuner Derek ‘Nobby’ Clark inducted into AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame

PICKERINGTON, OH – June 11, 2012 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – The American Motorcyclist Association Motorcycle Hall of Fame is pleased to announce the third member of the induction class of 2012. World championship tuner Derek “Nobby” Clark, whose bikes claimed 17 FIM world titles in multiple displacements from the 1960s through 1980, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame as part of the 2012 AMA Legends Weekend at the Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas, Nev., Nov. 16-17.

“I first saw Nobby Clark in 1967 at the Grand Prix of Canada,” said Don Rosene, chairman of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame selection committee and a member of the board of directors of the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation, which raises funds for the Hall of Fame. “He was tuning for the Honda factory team and Mike Hailwood and Jim Redmond, a couple of the greatest roadracers of all time. The list of greats Nobby worked with is long, including Kenny Roberts. All great racers need great tuners. Nobby was, and is, the tuner of World Champions. We welcome him into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.”

For 25 years, Clark was one of the world’s leading motorcycle race mechanics. In addition to 17 FIM Grand Prix world titles, earned in classes ranging from 50cc to 500cc, he won three Daytona 200s, one Daytona 100, four Imola 200s and eight Italian championships working with some of the greatest motorcycle racers in history.

“This was a great surprise,” Clark said. “It’s a great honor to be inducted. With many of the guys I worked for already in the Hall of Fame, all I can say is I know I’m in good company.”

Clark not only excelled at the highest level, tuning for some of history’s greatest racers, but also worked with racing’s most memorable personalities, including Hall of Famers Hailwood, Giacomo Agostini and Roberts.

“Of course they all loved to race,” Clark said. “Mike, especially, loved to race and more than Kenny and more than Ago, the money didn’t come into it with Mike. He just loved to race. If he could have raced seven days a week, he would have done that. Mike also was the best at racing around problems with the bike. He would still try to win, and think he could win, no matter what.

“Kenny, I respect him for coming in from America and winning,” Clark continued. “It was different in every way, a different league, a different culture. Even the dogs, when you whistled at them, they would look at you and say, ‘I don’t understand that kind of whistle.’ But Kenny adapted and progressed and he represented the vanguard of American riders coming to Europe.”

Clark was born Sept. 29, 1936, in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia). He studied engineering at Bulawayo Technical High School and did his apprenticeship for Rhodesia Railways. As a vibrant motorcycling counter-culture developed in Zimbabwe, Clark’s high-school friend, Gary Hocking, built a reputation first on the streets of Bulawayo then on local racetracks. Hocking’s exploits ultimately took him to Europe, and he encouraged Clark to follow.

In 1960, Hocking got a ride with MV Agusta and hired Clark as his tuner. That year, Hocking was runner up in 125, 250 and 350cc FIM World Championships. In 1961, he won the 350 and 500cc titles on bikes tuned by Clark.

Clark went to work for the factory Honda team and Jim Redman following Hocking’s death in a Formula One car crash in 1962. He stayed with Honda, where he worked with Hailwood, and then joined a Yamaha satellite team in 1971. The following year, he moved to the Yamaha factory team.

Clark is the third member of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame class of 2012 to be announced. He joins the late Rod Bush, KTM North America president and industry visionary, and pioneering female motocrosser Sue Fish. The rest of the 2012 inductees will be announced in random order in the coming weeks.

The class of 2012 will officially be inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame on Nov. 16 as part of the AMA Legends Weekend. The weekend also includes the 2012 AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Dave Mungenast Memorial Concours d’Elegance on Saturday, Nov. 17, featuring many of the country’s most impressive original and restored classic motorcycles.

In addition to the current class, the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame induction ceremony shines the spotlight on two previously inducted members of the Hall of Fame, reminding the motorcycling community of the amazing careers of these Motorcycle Hall of Fame Legends. For 2012, the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Legends will be 1998 inductees Malcolm Smith, a pioneer in off-road motorcycling and a star in the motorcycle documentary “On Any Sunday,” and Mert Lawwill, the 1969 AMA Grand National Champion whose title defense was the central theme of the timeless film.

Tickets for the AMA Legends Weekend are now available through this online registration form: http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e5r7zy8ea4316694&llr=vw9ldxbab or by calling (800) 342-5464.

The AMA Legends Weekend will be held at the Las Vegas Red Rock Resort, a world-class spa, hotel and casino, featuring a range of entertainment, dining and family-friendly attractions. The facility’s expansive ballrooms provide a stunning backdrop for the AMA Legends Weekend. Room reservations are available now at a special group rate by calling (866) 767-7773 and referencing group code RCIAME or AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST. Online room reservations are available at www.redrocklasvegas.com.

More information about the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame can be found at www.motorcyclemuseum.org.

About the American Motorcyclist Association
Since 1924, the AMA has protected the future of motorcycling and promoted the motorcycle lifestyle. AMA members come from all walks of life, and they navigate many different routes on their journey to the same destination: freedom on two wheels. As the world’s largest motorcycling rights organization, the AMA advocates for motorcyclists’ interests in the halls of local, state and federal government, the committees of international governing organizations, and the court of public opinion. Through member clubs, promoters and partners, the AMA sanctions more motorsports competition and motorcycle recreational events than any other organization in the world. AMA members receive money-saving discounts from dozens of well-known suppliers of motorcycle services, gear and apparel, bike rental, transport, hotel stays and more. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, the AMA honors the heroes and the heritage of motorcycling for future generations. For more information, please visit www.americanmotorcyclist.com.

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Formula 1 and Circuit of The Americas Ready to Roll

10-Year Race Contract Brings F1™ Back to the U.S. in 2012; Construction to Resume Immediately

AUSTIN, TX – December 8, 2011 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – Circuit of The Americas announced today they have reached an agreement with Formula One Management that ensures the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix remains on the FIA Formula 1 World Championship race calendar.

Red McCombs, chairman of McCombs Enterprises and founding partner of Circuit of The Americas stated, “Mr. Ecclestone received his check today. We want to thank the fans supporting us, the local officials and businesses that have encouraged us, the State of Texas, Circuit of The Americas’ staff and Bernie himself. I want to thank and commend Bobby Epstein for getting us across the finish line. Bobby’s perseverance and leadership kept the project on track despite unfair and unfounded criticism.”

“Our investors have believed all along that this project has tremendous benefit for our region, and provides a strong economic engine for the future,” stated Epstein, founding partner of Circuit of The Americas. “We remain committed to reaching our goal of being valuable community partners as we establish a platform for sports and entertainment. We’re glad that Tavo’s vision of bringing F1 to the people of Texas will become a reality.”

Engineering and construction teams working on the track will resume immediately, ensuring completion for the 2012 race date.

“We have a substantial number of fans who have expressed interest in buying tickets and hospitality, so today is a win for all of them as much as it is for Circuit of The Americas,” said Steve Sexton, president of Circuit of The Americas. “We encourage everyone to visit our website and register for information. Registered fans will receive the first communication regarding ticket sales plans. In a matter of weeks we will have more exciting news as we unveil our full calendar of world class
events.”

Fans interested in receiving information about tickets for next year’s Formula 1 United States Grand Prix can register their contact information at www.CircuitofTheAmericas.com. Ticket sales information will be communicated to those registered prior to general public notification.

About Circuit of The Americas
Circuit of The Americas will be a world-class destination for performance, education and business. It will be the first purpose-built Formula 1 Grand Prix facility in the United States designed for any and all classes of racing, from motor power to human power.

The master plan for Circuit of The Americas features a variety of permanent structures designed for business, education, entertainment and race use. Its signature element will be a 3.4-mile (5.5-km) circuit track. Other support buildings will include a medical facility, 14 executive meeting suites, a conference center, and a banquet hall, as well as an expansive outdoor live music space. Future proposed amenities include a driving/riding experience, a motorsports driving club, kart track, grand plaza event center and tower, and a trackside recreational vehicle park.

For more information and downloadable video, audio and photos, visit:
www.CircuitofTheAmericas.com

Media Inquiries:
Jeff Hahn
Representing Circuit of The Americas
Office: 512-344-2017
jhahn@hahntexas.com

Ali Putnam
Circuit of The Americas
Office: 512-301-6600
ali.putnam@circuitoftheamericas.com

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Bel-Ray Announces Relationship with CLS Monster Energy Kawasaki Pro Circuit

FARMINGDALE, NJ – November 18, 2011 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – Bel-Ray Company, Inc. – the leading USA-based lubrication manufacturing company is pleased to announce their partnership with Team CLS Monster Energy Kawasaki Pro Circuit for the 2012 and 2013 World Motocross racing seasons.

Bel-Ray will be the official lubricant supplier to the team in the MX1, MX2 and EMX2 classes as they compete for the World Championship. For 2012 the team consists of French racers Christophe and Sebastien Pourcel in the MX1 class and English rider Tommy Searle and Belgian Joel Roelants in the MX2 class. French racer Maxime Desprey will complete for the team in the EMX2 class. The riders are all considered to be favorites for world championship victories during the 2012 season.

“We are very happy to begin this 2 year partnership with Bel-Ray for our 3 teams MX1, MX2 and EMX2. We do our maximum to have the same partners for our 3 programs. Bel-Ray has always been prestigious with a big involvement in competition. It does correspond exactly to the image we want to keep for us. We are really sure that we will continue to grow together and thanks to this synergy, win race,” said team owner Jean Jacques Luisetti.

Bel-Ray’s long history of supporting world championship motocross racing is extended this season by this partnership. As the premier team in the world championship series they will gain an even greater performance advantage using Bel-Ray’s complete line high performance lubricants in their Kawasaki machines.

“We are very excited about this partnership with Team CLS. As the premier team in World Championship motocross racing, all 5 of the teams racers can win on any given day and the performance advantages Bel-Ray provides will certainly help them attain the top step of the podium.” Said Bel-Ray Chief Operating Officer Jennifer Liquori. “We are continually improving our products and only by testing under the most extreme conditions of professional racing can we improve our already high performance line of powersports lubricants. We are thrilled to be working with the CLS team.” she added.

The team will be using the complete line of Bel-Ray high performance lubricants including the popular Thumper Racing Works 4T Engine Oil, Blue Tac Chain Lube and 6 in 1 Multi Purpose Lubricants during the 2012 season in all of their racing and test bikes.

Source: Bel-Ray Lubricants

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Bushell makes History with BRP’s New Sea-Doo PWC T3 Hull

LAKE HAVASU CITY, AZ – October 26, 2011 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – BRP Sea-Doo personal watercraft racer, James Bushell claimed two of the most prestigious World Championship titles in all of personal watercraft (PWC) racing winning both the Pro Open and Pro GP classes at the recent IJSBA World Finals.

Bushell’s Sea-Doo Centre backed RXP-X* featuring the all new T³ hull design outclassed fields filled with the biggest names in the sport to collect his double championship. The combination of the Sea-Doo T³ hull, Australian tuner/builder Les Cooke’s abilities to bring the new Sea-Doo RXP-X* innovations to the racetrack and Bushell’s skill left no question to onlookers which watercraft was the most dominant on the water and what was in store for the future from Sea-Doo RXP-X* watercraft racers.

“James and Les’ efforts showed the world that BRP’s innovations on the new Sea-Doo RXP-X* work better than any other design on the race,” said Yves Leduc, vice president – general manager, North America division. “BRP is extremely proud of James Bushell’s double world championship winning performance on the new Sea-Doo T³ hull.”

Bushell, co-owner of the BRP dealership 158 Performance in Stamford of the UK, claimed both Pro Open and Pro GP Sea-Doo titles aboard his watercraft featuring the new T³ hull design that stands for tight,-turning, T-hull and offers true lean-in handling and tracks straighter in choppy conditions. Riders benefit from this design as they can utilize the power more efficiently in all areas of high performance riding minimizing fatigue, cornering faster and seemingly shortening the racetrack compared to the competition.

“This was the first race for the new Sea-Doo RXP-X T³ hull design and it claimed the world’s most prestigious championship.  This clearly shows that BRP continues with the Sea-Doo brands to offer trend-setting products that set us apart from our competitors”, said Chris Dawson, vice-president and general manager of the International division.”The T³Hull design is an example on how BRP always strives to push the limit and confirms that innovation is part of our DNA.

The new 2012 Sea-Doo RXP-X watercraft will be available starting in January of 2012. For a more detailed look at the new T³ hull, Ergolock system and stunning flowing facet design, visit www.sea-doo.com for more information.

Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP), a privately-held company, is a world leader in the design, development, manufacturing, distribution and marketing of motorised recreational vehicles. Its portfolio of brands and products includes: Ski-Doo and Lynx snowmobiles, Sea-Doo watercraft and boats, Evinrude and Johnsonoutboard engines, Can-Am all-terrain and side-by-side vehicles and roadsters, as well as Rotax engines. BRP products are distributed in more than 100 countries.

* Model names may differ for international markets.

www.brp.com

Sea-Doo, Ski-Doo, Lynx, Evinrude, Johnson, Can-Am, Rotax, RXP-X, T³, and the BRP logo are trademarks of Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. or its affiliates. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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Pirelli Honours Italy’s 150 Years of Unity with Tricolore Diablo Superbike Tyres for Monza WSBK

Coloured stripes and sidewall labels identify Superpole tyres dedicated to Italy’s national unification, a date just one decade before Pirelli’s own founding

MONZA, ITALY – May 5th 2011 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – The first Italian round of the 2011 World Superbike season and the season’s home race for Pirelli Moto at the historic Autodromo Nazionale Monza occurs as Italy celebrates its 150th anniversary of unity. To honour this occasion, the Diablo Superbike qualifying tyres used during the Superpole sessions at this weekend’s race will feature three stripes coloured green, white and red along with personalized sidewall labels with the words “150th Italy” as symbols of this Italian unity. These stripes and tyre labels will be used to identify the Diablo Superbike qualifiers, new for 2011 and also for the Monza racetrack, from the available race tyre solutions. The personalized sidewall labels are an optional feature of Pirelli’s Rosso Generation, available via www.pirelli.com and applicable to the WSBK technology-filled tyres such as the Diablo Rosso Corsa and more recently introduced Diablo Rosso II.

Monza is among the most challenging circuits of the World Championship, with its Curva Parabolica and Curva Biassono high-speed turns, and intense braking sections through Variante Ascari and even moreso at end of the main straight. These conditions demand unique tyres from Pirelli, namely multi-compound rear tyre solutions with more durable centre and shoulder areas to manage the lateral forces and guarantee race-distance tyre life under these extreme conditions. Three front tyres are available: a mid-soft option along with two harder compound tyres offering greater braking stability and line-holding consistency in the curves.

Max Biaggi (Aprilia) registered a new Best Lap during last year’s event with a lap time 1m42.12s during which he exceeded 330 km/h on the main straight, the fastest top speed for a World Superbike machine around the Monza circuit since the series first raced here in 1990. Like all the 20 Superpole participants, Biaggi set this fast time on Diablo Superbike qualifying tyres, last year designated by yellow Pirelli markings.

Pirelli Moto’s Racing Director, Giorgio Barbier added: “The first three races of the 2011 season left many obstacles for our tyre development, namely the humidity in Australia and unfavorably cold conditions in England. Pirelli worked hard to made available new solutions through its high-level tyre development which parallels the competition environment of the World Championship. Whether colouring a qualifying tyre or introduce new performance compounds, our goal is always to make for more thrilling and faster racing, demonstrated through overall race time, new lap records and most importantly through reliability of our Diablo Superbike tyres on a wide variety of front-running machines. Monza is known worldwide as a circuit of extremes, high heat, fast braking, quick transitions and high speed turns, and the SBK and SSP riders of the World Championship will be able make the most of the excellent performance of our tyres have unique characteristics.”

For further information please contact:
Kevin Allen +39 335 133 5842 - kevin.allen@pirelli.com
Francescopaolo Tarallo +39 334 684 4307  – francescopaolo.tarallo@pirelli.com

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BRP Becomes Official Supplier of Team Lotus & Team Airasia

LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND – April 12, 2011 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – BRP becomes official supplier of Team Lotus, the Formula 1 racing team, during the 2011 FIA Formula One World Championship, as well as Team AirAsia for the 2011 GP2 Series. BRP has supplied the teams with top of the range Can-Am vehicles. This is the first time BRP has entered into such an agreement with Team Lotus and Team AirAsia.

Each team will be equipped with a Can-Am Outlander Max 800 Limited which will sport their respective team’s colours: green and yellow for Team Lotus and red and white for Team AirAsia. BRP’s state-of-the-art ATV (quad) will be at race events throughout the season, as well as other shows and events, and will be used to tow equipment between the pits and the garages.

Riad Asmat, CEO of Team Lotus and Team AirAsia Team Principal commented: “We are delighted to welcome BRP into both teams and are very pleased we have the opportunity to showcase the Can-Am Outlander Max 800 Limited in the F1 and GP2 environments, and improve our logistical capabilities on track as a result.”

“The FIA Formula One World Championship and GP2 Series attract motor sports enthusiasts. We believe that our Can-Am products clearly set the benchmark when it comes to the world of powersports and performance fitting perfectly in this environment,” said Bernard Leblanc, Vice President & Regional General Manager – Western Europe, Middle-East and Africa.

BRP will also be providing one of its signature vehicles, the Can-Am Spyder RS roadster, the ultimate three-wheeled ride with the Y-shaped footprint. It will be made available to these motor sports professionals throughout the season, catering to Team Lotus’s love of tarmac and high performance vehicles, so they can experience the Y-factor for themselves.

Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP), a privately-held company, is a world leader in the design, development, manufacturing, distribution and marketing of motorised recreational vehicles. Its portfolio of brands and products includes: Ski-Doo and Lynx snowmobiles, Sea-Doo watercraft and boats, Evinrude and Johnson outboard engines, direct injection technologies such as E-TEC, Can-Am all-terrain and side-by-side vehicles and roadsters, as well as Rotax engines. BRP products are distributed in more than 100 countries.

www.brp.com

Sea-Doo, Ski-Doo, Lynx, Evinrude, Johnson, Can-Am, Rotax, E-TEC and the BRP logo are trademarks of Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. or its affiliates. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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Texas Lands MotoGP for 2013

10-year Deal Signed for Austin’s Circuit of the Americas™ Includes All Three Classes of the FIM Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix

AUSTIN, TX – April 12, 2011 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – Dorna Sports, S.L., 3FourTexasMGP, L.L.C. and Full Throttle Productions, L.P. have signed a 10-year contract to bring MotoGP to the new Circuit of the Americas beginning in 2013. The agreement includes the three categories of the Championship, the MotoGP class – the pinnacle of motorcycling, Moto2 and Moto3. The 10-year MotoGP deal is coupled with the already scheduled ten-year deal to host the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™, for which the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas is currently under construction.

“We are delighted to be adding the Circuit of the Americas to the MotoGP calendar. It is an honor to expand our Championship to Texas, which has a rich history of producing World Championship riders,” said Mr. Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports, S.L. “We have had a wonderful and special relationship with Kevin Schwantz for twenty years and often talked about a mutual dream of increasing the popularity of MotoGP in the U.S. and raising our already successful worldwide profile. Now, with what Tavo Hellmund is doing in Austin, we have realized that situation and are looking forward to this new venture together. The 10-year agreement is a sign of our confidence and commitment to the future success of MotoGP racing in Austin.”

Established as a World Championship by the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) in 1949, MotoGP is now in its 63rd year. Its Grand Prix events have taken place in every corner of the world and in 2010, more than 2.2 million people came through the gates of the world circuits to watch a weekend of world-class motorcycle racing.

Kevin Schwantz, Manager of 3FourTexasMGP, L.L.C. and the 1993 FIM MotoGP World Champion, stated, “For me this is a dream come true, that the FIM MotoGP World Championship will be in my home state of Texas. I am such a believer in the sport and know how popular motorcycling is in Texas. I am sure that this will be a resounding long term success.”

During his racing career, Schwantz accumulated 25 Grand Prix wins and he won the 1993 MotoGP World Championship. After his retirement from racing in 1995, the FIM, in an unprecedented gesture of respect, retired #34, his racing number. In 2000, the organization declared Kevin a Legend, their highest honor, as a testament to his popularity with fans and fellow drivers alike.

“We are extremely pleased to add the best motorcycle World Championship to our annual schedule,” said Tavo Hellmund, Managing Partner of Full Throttle Productions, L.P. “This is a fantastic opportunity for the State of Texas and this region and I believe it is the first time in American Motorsports history that both the cars and motorbikes world championships are held at the same facility annually. We are very proud of becoming the United States international facility for motorsports.”

Construction of Circuit of the Americas is progressing well and is scheduled for completion sometime in mid 2012, in time for the first Formula 1 United States Grand Prix.

“Kevin and I have been close friends for a long time and I enjoy a great relationship with Carmelo.  I respect so much what they and the FIM have done for MotoGP globally.  It’s going to be great for the state, the product is fantastic and you never know, we may even have a reigning Texan in Ben Spies as World Champion for our first event…that would be icing on the cake,” concluded Mr. Hellmund.

World-Class Riders

Ben Spies from Longview, Texas is considered among a small field of favorites to challenge for the 2011 title. He was the 2010 MotoGP Rookie of the Year and recently finished sixth in the Qatar Grand Prix, the inaugural MotoGP race of the 2011 season.

The 2010 MotoGP World Champion is factory Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo, originally from Palma, Spain. Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) from Catalonia, Spain finished runner-up behind Lorenzo last year with seven-time World Champion Valentino Rossi from Urbino, Italy placing third.

Race Weekend Schedule

A Grand Prix event takes place over three days with total attendance nearing 200,000 fans. The first two days of the Grand Prix are set aside for practice and qualification for each class. In each category the three fastest qualification-time riders take positions on the first row of the grid, with the rest lining up in rows of three behind. Traditional race days begin with the 125cc contest with the Moto2 class following and finally the premier MotoGP event. Races vary in length between approximately 60 and 80 miles and normally last 40 to 45 minutes.

About MotoGP

The MotoGP World Championship is the world’s premier motorcycling championship, with a season of 18 Grand Prix in 14 countries, across four continents, bringing together the world’s top motorcycle manufacturers and an elite crop of riders from every corner of the globe. The sport is a spectacular show, featuring the most technologically advanced, high-speed racing machinery being ridden by the most fearless and skillful riders on the planet. For more information, visit www.motogp.com.

About Circuit of the Americas

Circuit of the Americas will be a world-class destination for performance, education and business. It will be the first purpose-built Grand Prix facility in the United States designed for any and all classes of racing, from motor power to human power, and be the U.S. home to both the Formula 1 and MotoGP Grand Prix World Championships.

The Circuit of the Americas master plan features a variety of permanent structures designed for business, education, entertainment and race use. Its signature element will be a 3.4-mile circuit track with capacity for 120,000 fans. Other support buildings will include a medical trauma and care training facility, 14 executive meeting suites, a conference center, a banquet hall as well as an expansive outdoor live music space. Future proposed amenities include a driving/riding experience, a motorsports driving club, kart track, grand plaza event center and tower and a trackside recreational vehicle park.

For more information, visit www.CircuitoftheAmericas.com

SOURCE: Circuit of the Americas

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