MotoGP World Championship leader Valentino Rossi made an early foray onto the Laguna Seca tarmac today, taking part in a Superkart exhibition alongside fellow Yamaha legends Kenny Roberts, Eddie Lawson and Wayne Rainey. The foursome made four laps in Superkarts powered by a specially-prepared Yamaha TZ 250 engines, which lap the 3.601km California circuit just a couple of seconds slower than the MotoGP bikes.

Valentino Rossi
“Honestly I was bit nervous about the Superkarts before because I know how fast these things are! I sometimes drive one in Italy with friends, just for fun, but I know that Kenny, Eddie and Wayne like to race and they’re quite serious! Also this isn’t the easiest track… Anyway, it was great fun and I enjoyed myself a lot. The kart is quite incredible; the gearbox is very good and in the hard braking areas it’s really impressive. It feels very fast and it’s possible to have a lot of fun. I’m looking forward to getting back on my bike tomorrow however!”


www.yamaha-racing.com

Timmy Weigand to replace injured Nathan Woods on Trophy Team Women's Trophy Team, Junior Trophy Team and club team members announced.

The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is pleased to announce the rosters for the U.S. Women's Trophy Team, the U.S. Junior Trophy Team and the members of the U.S. club teams that will carry the banner for American off-road racing honor at the 2009 International Six Days Enduro (ISDE) in Figueria da Foz, Portugal, Oct. 12-17

"We're thrilled that these world-class riders are joining the ISDE effort as part of Team USA," said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. "Campaigning the ISDE takes skill and dedication. It's not only six days of the toughest motorcycle racing on the planet, but months of preparation to get there. The AMA members who have stepped up to race for America at the 85th ISDE rank among this country's most-talented riders and we look forward to supporting them in Portugal this October.

"We're also happy to welcome Timmy Weigand to the U.S. World Trophy Team and wish Nathan a speedy recovery," Dingman added.

Weigand, who will be representing the United States at the ISDE for the first time, rides for Johnny Campbell Racing, primarily in the AMA-sanctioned World Off-Road Championship Series. The other members of the U.S. World Trophy Team, which was announced in March, include Destry Abbott, Kurt Caselli, Ricky Dietrich, Jimmy Jarrett and Nathan Kanney.

"Kurt called me a week and a half ago and said I was in the running, then Johnny (Campbell) called me the next day and said I was selected and that he would be fully supporting me," Weigand said. "This is going to be a lot of hard work, but a great experience and a great time. The team is solid. We got a podium last year, and we hope to do better than that. I'm the new guy, but hopefully I can ride smart. I have some good teachers in Kurt and Johnny."

Weigand says the focus right now is getting the bike ready to ship to Portugal.

"I'll be riding a Honda CRF250 in the E1 class," he said. "Right now it's a mad dash to get it ready. The bike has to be on the container in Portland in two weeks. As for setup, we're definitely going for reliability. The bike is going to be pretty much stock so it can last the entire six days without a ton of work. I'm just happy to be going. It's great to ride for your country at a major event like the ISDE."

The U.S. Junior Trophy Team fields four riders 23 years old or younger. Led by five-time ISDE veteran Team Captain David Kamo, the Junior Trophy Team also will include defending AMA/Rekluse National Enduro Champion Russell Bobbitt, Grand National Cross Country racer Cory Buttrick and WORCS racer Jamie Lanza.

"We have the team we wanted to have," said Kamo, who's currently leading the points for the 2009 AMA Racing National Hare & Hound Championship. "It's a strong team. We have an enduro racer, a WORCS racer, a GNCC racer and a desert racer. Russell is super fast, Jamie will never give up, and Cory, as well as he's going in the GNCCs this year, he deserves to be there. As for me, I'm just happy to be on the team and, honestly, I hope those guys ride so well that I'm our drop-out rider. If I'm the drop-out rider, that just means everyone else is riding strong."

Current plans call for Lanza to race the E1 class, which features 100cc to 125cc two-stroke and 175cc to 250cc four-stroke motorcycles; Bobbitt and Buttrick to race the E2 class, which features 175cc to 250cc two-stroke and 290cc to 450cc four-stroke motorcycles; and Kamo to ride the E3 class, which features 290cc to 500cc two-stroke and 475cc to 650cc four-stroke motorcycles.

The U.S. Women's Trophy Team finished second in Greece last year to the French team, a year after winning the Women's World Cup in Chile. The team will include veterans Maria Forsberg, Mandi Mastin and Lacy Jones.

"I am extremely excited to be going to Portugal this year representing the United States Women's Trophy Team," Mastin said. "This will be the eighth ISDE that I have competed in and the third since the Women's World Team was created. I consider it a great honor to be involved in the race and look forward to going to Portugal healthy and ready to bring home the trophy again this year. Maria proved last year in Greece that she has what it takes to compete with some of the fastest women in the world, and Lacy is also a returning member to the team with two ISDE experiences. The three of us plan on working as hard as we can to win the Women's World Trophy again this year."

While the Trophy Team, the Women's Trophy Team and the Junior Trophy Team are a critical piece of the U.S. effort, they are a small part of the entire U.S. contingent that makes the trek to the annual event. Dozens of club team riders will also represent the U.S. at the 2009 ISDE.

The following riders were selected as club team members: Toby Atkins, David Booth, Jordan Brandt, Joel Burkett, Billy Burns, Nick Fahringer, Jeff Fredette, Don Grahn, Nick Hamill, Fred Hoess, Zach Lipana, Brent Martell, Garrett Mayer, Shawn O'Leary, Ryan Powell, Ben Smith, Brian Sperle, Rory Sullivan, Troy Swettenam, Lars Valin and Chilly White.

America's motorcyclists can help support Team USA, and looking good while doing it, by buying an official Team USA ISDE T-Shirt. All proceeds support the massive effort to transport the riders, bikes and crew to and from Portugal. To buy a shirt, just visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com, click on Gear, then select Apparel.

For more information on the ISDE and Team USA, please see AMARacing.com.

TROPHY TEAM
Destry Abbott
Kurt Caselli
Ricky Dietrich
James Jarrett
Nathan Kanney
Timmy Weigand

JUNIOR TROPHY TEAM
Russell Bobbitt
David Kamo
Jamie Lanza
Cory Buttrick

WOMEN'S WORLD CUP TEAM
Lacy Jones
Mandi Mastin
Maria Forsberg

JAFMAR RACING (Laura Claypoole, manager)
Jeff Fredette
Chilly White
Don Grahn

MISSOURI MUDDERS (Jay Hall, manager)
Lars Valin
Toby Atkins
Billy Burns

TONY AGONIS (Bob Agonis, manager)
Fred Hoess
Nick Fahringer
Ben Smith

DESERT MC
Shawn O'Leary
Joel Burkett
Nick Hamill

GO FASTERS.COM (Steve Berkner, manager)
Brian Sperle
Ryan Powell
Jordan Brandt

NW CLUB TEAM
Rory Sullivan
Troy Swettenam
Zach Lipana

CLUB TEAM 2
Brent Martell
David Booth
Garrett Mayer

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 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 its Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, the AMA preserves the heritage of motorcycling for future generations.

Tony Stewart Racing’s Kinser Looks To Keep Bass Pro Shops Sprinter On the Podium as Outlaws Continue Summer Heartland Tour

Finding consistency is one key to long-term success in most sports. It’s certainly vital to surviving a racing schedule that includes more than 80 nights a season. Sprint car racing’s premiere series, the World of Outlaws (WoO), has one of the most demanding race schedules in motorsports and, during the Independence Day weekend, it’s full-speed ahead. Tony Stewart Racing’s Kraig Kinser will be looking to build on back-to-back podium finishes when he returns to action Friday night at Huset’s Speedway in Brandon, S.D., and then Saturday night at Eagle (Neb.) Raceway.

The weekend will open with Friday’s race at Huset’s Speedway, where Kinser has competed only three times previously. His best result was a runner-up finish in June 2005, which came only days after he scored his first career victory at Knoxville. He confidently heads back to the South Dakota 3/8-mile, high-banked dirt oval following another solid race at Knoxville. Last season, Kinser struggled at Huset’s, finishing 21st in June and 16th in July.

The Outlaws will celebrate the Fourth of July holiday on the high banks of Eagle Raceway in eastern Nebraska. Through the years, the Eagle Nationals have provided plenty of fireworks. The 1/3-mile dirt oval typically allows for some of the summer’s best side-by-side action. Kinser will be making his 17th appearance at the track. His best finish came in the 2003 Eagle Nationals, when he finished fourth. He has five top-10 finishes during his career. Last June, he finished 14th in the feature event.

After the first 32 WoO races of 2009, Kinser has eight top-five finishes and 16 top-10s. He currently ranks eighth in the WoO Sprint Series Championship standings with 4,097 points.

On Friday at Huset’s Speedway, the pit gates open at noon CDT, and the grandstands will open at 5 p.m. Qualifying is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. For more details, visit the official Web site of Huset’s Speedway, www.husets-speedway.com.

On Saturday at Eagle Raceway, the pit gates open at 2 p.m. CDT., and the grandstands will open at 4 p.m. Hot laps are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Tickets for the race can be purchased by calling Eagle Raceway at (402) 238-2595. For more information on the event, visit www.slspromotions.com.

Race fans unable to attend this weekend’s races can catch all of the action on DIRTVision.com. Fans can listen live as Johnny Gibson, “Voice of the Outlaws,” calls the action as he does at all WoO Sprint Series events on the DIRTVision.com cybercast, as well as on the DIRT Radio Network. Go to www.DIRTVision.com for more information on all the site features, including updated results from each night of racing, as well as a chat room to interact with other race fans.

Kraig Kinser, Driver of the No. 20 TSR/Bass Pro Shops/Chevy/J.D. Byrider Maxim:

The calendar has turned to July and you’re getting close to the halfway point of the season. Do you like where you guys are positioned?

“I’d say yes and no. We like the way we are running right now, but the early part of the year was really up and down. We’d like to have a couple of wins already and a few more top-five runs, but things are headed in the right direction. The Bass Pro Shops guys (Mike Cool, Steve Swenson and Bob Curtis) have done a great job of sticking behind me and working to keep us going in the right direction.

“For most of the early season, we were hit-or-miss on qualifying, and that pretty much sets up your night. Then, we got on a streak where we would make the heat inversion and get in the dash, but had a hard time moving forward at the end of the night. In the last couple of weeks, we’ve kind of put it all together. Qualifying better, running up front in the heats, and moving forward in the feature. If we can continue that, we’ll be able to have the results we were hoping for to start the season.”

Huset’s Speedway is a pretty unique dirt track. You’ve only raced there a few times, so what’s your game plan heading into Friday’s race?

“Well, racing at Huset’s can be pretty tough. The wall on the outside really makes it feel narrow getting out of the corners and heading down the straightaways. There are a lot of nights when you have to be right on that wall, so having a good-handling car is really key. It’s one of the things you have to have to succeed there.

“The other key is being in the right position. You have to qualify in the right spot. Passing can be tough early in the night, so you have to be either one of the fastest two cars in qualifying or be on the front row of a heat.”

Saturday’s Eagle Nationals is another short-track race where there almost always seems to be a lot of action. Do you enjoy the smaller tracks more than the bigger ones?

“I think the beauty of this sport and the Outlaw series is that we are challenged every night with something different. No two dirt tracks are the same, and the dirt itself is always different. The big tracks produce high-speed races, and the short tracks make us really work our way through traffic.

“I like them all. Eagle is one of those places where the race can really change as it goes on. When you get 24 cars on that track and we go for 15 or 20 laps without a yellow, it can get pretty crazy. Hopefully, we can get ourselves started up front and lead the way through traffic or be right there with the leaders. Things can obviously change quickly in the last five laps or so. Like I said, we’d just like to be in the hunt at the end and take our chances. The guys have been doing a really good job and I’d like nothing more than to get a win this weekend for everyone involved with this Tony Stewart Racing team.”

For complete WoO Sprint Series results from Huset’s Speedway and Eagle Raceway, log on to www.worldofoutlaws.com/sprint. For information regarding TSR, Bass Pro Shops, J.D. Byrider, Chevy or Kinser, log on to www.tonystewartracing.com, www.basspro.com, www.byrider.com, www.chevy.com or www.kraigkinser.com.

-TSR-

In less than three decades, Bass Pro Shops has grown from a small display in Springfield, Mo., into the nation’s leading retailer of premium outdoor gear. Bass Pro Shops has established itself as a cutting-edge innovator in the highly competitive world of outdoor retailers. Now totaling 53 locations nationwide, and planning to add up to two more stores in 2009, Bass Pro Shops have become destination locations for over 80 million consumers each year with their unique combination of entertainment, outdoor education and conservation appreciation. Bass Pro Shops has won the prestigious “Trendsetter of the Year” award, as well as Chain Store Age’s “Retailer of the Year” award and Sporting Goods Business' “Specialty Retailer of the Year” award. Bass Pro Shops and brand founder, Johnny Morris, also won “2008 Retail Innovator of the Year” from the National Retail Federation. The company also has been named the #1 Outdoor Retailer in America by Sporting Goods Business magazine for the past two years. For more information regarding Bass Pro Shops, store locations and racing involvement, log on to www.basspro.com.

Full Weekend Includes AMA Pro American Superbike, Daytona SportBike, SuperSport Races

Highlighted by back-to-back races for AMA Pro National Guard American Superbike presented by Parts Unlimited and AMA Pro Daytona SportBike presented by AMSOIL that will cap three full days of action at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, AMA Pro Road Racing will share the world-stage spotlight this weekend with MotoGP at the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix, July 3 - 5.

Daytona SportBike Back on the Big Stage

As the featured class of the Daytona 200 By Honda, AMA Pro Daytona SportBike presented by AMSOIL competitors have already stepped into the international spotlight once this season. The Daytona opener marked Bostrom's only Daytona SportBike start of the year and he promptly went out and scored his first victory in America's premier motorcycle road race.

Both Bostrom and teammate Hayes will be moonlighting in Daytona SportBike again this weekend at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca as Team Graves Yamaha has prepared a pair of its YZF-R6 bikes for the American Superbike regulars. Bostrom (No. 1s Team Graves Yamaha YZF-R6) and Hayes (No. 4 Team Graves Yamaha YZF-R6) will join Yamaha's primary Daytona SportBike riders Josh Herrin (No. 8 Team Graves Yamaha YZF-R6) and 16-year-old teammate Tommy Aquino (No. 6 Team Graves Yamaha YZF-R6). Herrin finished second to Bostrom in Daytona and earned another runner-up showing in Race 2 at Road Atlanta. Aquino turned in a season-best finish of fourth in the Sunday final at Infineon.

Yamaha's ramped up assault will no doubt be targeting Daytona SportBike championship leader Martin Cardenas (No. 36 Team M4 Suzuki GSX-R600) who has won six of the last eight races to lead the series. He has 255 points atop the standings, a full 51 points clear of Jamie Hacking (No. 88 Monster Energy Attack Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R) and 56 points ahead of third-ranked rider Danny Eslick (No. 9 GEICO Powersports/RMR Buell 1125R).

Cardenas' impressive run includes four wins in a row, which he did by sweeping both the Infineon and Barber weekends. His victory in Race 1 at Road Atlanta was the first Daytona SportBike victory of his career and he also won the most recent race in the Sunday final at Road America.

Although still looking for a 2009 win, Hacking may be one of the most consistent riders in AMA Pro Road Racing and has finished out of the top five just four times in 11 races this season. Hacking's teammate Roger Hayden (No. 95 Monster Energy Attack Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R) - Tommy and Nicky Hayden's younger brother - made his first start of the year at Road Atlanta and promptly went out and finished second to Cardenas in Race 1. He scored another runner-up showing in Race 1 one event ago at Road America and is worth watching at Mazda Raceway. The third Monster Energy Attack Kawasaki rider is young Argentinean talent Leandro Mercado (No. 92 Monster Energy Attack Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R), who is also a top threat in AMA Pro SuperSport competition.

The year's only other race winners are Eslick and Canadian rider Chris Peris (No. 10 Erion Racing Honda CBR600RR). Eslick has three victories after sweeping the Auto Club weekend and winning the Sunday final at Road Atlanta. His teammate is veteran rider Michael Barnes (No. 34 GEICO Powersports/RMR Buell 1125R) who scored a season-best finish of fifth in the Sunday final at Barber. Peris won Race 1 in the rain at Road America and also has a third-place finish at Road Atlanta to his credit. Peris teams with top California rider Jake Zemke (No. 1x Erion Racing Honda CBR600RR) who helped make Erion's Road America weekend a memorable one in total with a season-high finish of second in the Sunday final. It was Zemke's first podium finish of the season.

Cardenas teams with the equally quick Jason DiSalvo (No. 40 Team M4 Suzuki GSX-R600) who has won the pole at the last four races. He finished third in the Daytona 200, Race 1 at Auto Club and one race ago in the Sunday final at Road America in addition to season-high second-place finishes behind Cardenas in the Saturday final at Barber and the Sunday race at Infineon. DiSalvo is fourth in the championship with 179 points while Herrin rounds out the top five with 152 points.

Chaz Davies (No. 57 Factory Aprilia /Millennium Technologies Team Aprilia RSV1000R) is the main Aprilia threat and a pair of fourth-place showings at Barber and Infineon has kept the former Daytona 200 winner in the championship top 10. Steve Rapp (No. 48 Bazzaz/Pat Clark Motorsports Yamaha YZF-R6) is another past Daytona 200 winner who is hitting his stride after taking his first podium of the year at Infineon with a third-place finish in the Saturday final.

A solid entry of 51 Daytona SportBikes is heading to Mazda Raceway and it includes the debuting No. 394 Tri-Valley Moto KTM 990 Super Duke of Eric Gulbransen. The Austrian-built KTM was recently approved for Daytona SportBike competition and the all California combination of Gulbransen and Tri-Valley will be the first to run such a bike in top level AMA Pro Road Racing competition.

SuperSport Showcase

The emerging riders of the AMA Pro SuperSport presented by Shoei division will have the opportunity to impress a paddock full of international onlookers at the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix weekend. The class is divided into East and West Championships and the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca event is Round 5 of the Western division.

Tyler Odom (No. 46 Erion Racing/Pro Honda Oils & Chemicals Honda CBR600RR) won Daytona's season-opening dual division race and finished fourth in Round 2 at Auto Club to stay on top of the standings all season. He heads to Mazda Raceway with 74 points, 17 ahead of nearest challenger Clint Shobert (No. 26 American Honda/Pro Honda Oils & Chemicals Honda CBR600RR), who has a season-best finish of third at Auto Club. Shobert is the son of AMA Hall of Famer Bubba Shobert.

It appeared early in the season that SuperSport West would be decided between Odom and Shobert, but that was before Ricky Parker (No. 96 Team Graves Yamaha YZF-R6) won in his West debut at Infineon. Parker backed it up with a second-place finish in the dual division event one race ago at Road America and now prominently factors into the championship despite missing half of the year's first four Western races. He is 18 points behind Odom and just one point back from Shobert.

Bryce Prince (No. 74 Clawson Motorsports/Arai/NJK Leathers/Cycle Gear Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R) is fourth in the championship with 49 points and, after missing the Daytona opener, has three straight top-ten finishes including fifth at Auto Club, fourth at Infineon and sixth at Road America.

Chris Clark (No. 48 Bazzaz/Pat Clark Motorsports Yamaha YZF-R6) and Garrett Willis (No. 80 Mach 1 Motorsports/Arai Yamaha YZF-R6) could also mount SuperSport West title bids but need to put on dominant performances this weekend. Clark is fifth in the championship with a pair of sixth-place finishes in the opening rounds while Willis - who has also made only two starts - is sixth in points after finishing second at Auto Club and fifth at Infineon.

Several riders who are not officially competing in the SuperSport West championship could be among the favorites for the victory at Mazda Raceway. Mercado (No. 92 Monster Energy Attack Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R) leads the SuperSport East standings with a pair of victories at Road Atlanta and one race ago at Road America. Russ Wikle (No. 5 Roadracingworld.com Suzuki GSX-R600) is another interloper from the East who could be in the hunt for the win at Laguna Seca. Wikle is second in the SuperSport East standings behind Mercado. California rider Joey Pascarella (No. 25 LTD Racing Yamaha YZF-R6) is yet another SuperSport East entrant who could factor into this weekend's race.

A true spoiler on all fronts could be stalwart AMA Pro Flat Track crossover James "The Rocket" Rispoli (No. 71 Roadracingworld.com Suzuki GSX-R600) who is making a one-off appearance with the proven Roadracingworld.com team. Riding for another group, Rispoli finished fourth at Road America in his only previous SuperSport start of the year. In addition to being a top AMA Pro Grand National Singles Championship rider, Rispoli also showed his road racing talent in SunTrust Moto-GT competition last year.

A proving ground series, SuperSport is reserved strictly for up-and-coming riders between the ages of 16 and 21 who compete on 600cc sport bikes that are only minimally modified from what you will find at your local Suzuki, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Honda or other motorcycle dealerships.

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. From its Daytona Beach headquarters, the organization operates and manages AMA Pro Road Racing, which includes AMA Pro American Superbike, AMA Pro Daytona SportBike, AMA Pro SuperSport and AMA Pro SunTrust Moto-GT. AMA Pro Racing also manages and works closely with the day-to-day operational organizations of the AMA Pro Flat Track Championship and the AMA Pro Supermoto Championship Series in addition to other two-wheel and ATV series. Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com.

Four-time and reigning Pro Stock champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. will join a star-studded roster of celebrity players participating in this year's Michael Redd Foundation Charity Golf Tournament. The event begins at 10 a.m., Monday, July 6, at New Albany Country Club in the suburbs of Columbus.

Founded in 2006 by NBA All-Star Michael Redd and his wife, Achea, an accomplished public speaker and educator, the Michael Redd Foundation partners with schools, families, and governmental bodies to enhance the profile, value, and relevance of academic excellence. The Foundation exists to advance a culture of achievement by providing academic and practical tools necessary for success in life for youth.

"I'm really looking forward to this event and I hope we can help Michael and Achea reach their fundraising goals this year," said Coughlin, the most prolific professional drag racer on the NHRA tour this year with six wins. "Our family shares the Redd family's enthusiasm for helping our young people become first-rate citizens, both in the business world and as human beings that belong to a larger community.

"I will definitely put some time in at the driving range this weekend to try and tune up my game a little. I love to play golf but don't have a chance to play as much as I would like to. My son, little Jeggie, likes to play also and I need to stay sharp to keep up with him as well, so this tournament couldn't come along at a better time for me."

The Michael Redd Foundation is registered as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.

With the 2009 Festival of Speed now just days away (3-5 July), excitement is growing as Goodwood puts the finishing touches to what promises to be the largest motoring extravaganza in the world this year.

Throughout the Festival weekend a number of significant Williams Grand Prix cars and exteam drivers will be present, culminating on Sunday 5th with a gathering of all of the cars and drivers in the Goodwood F1 Paddock Assembly Area as tribute to Frank.

Formula One favourite Murray Walker will say a few words about Frank’s remarkable career in motor sport with the main man present. Also in attendance will be a number of former Williams team drivers, including Damon Hill, Alan Jones, David Coulthard and Jacques Laffite.

A gathering of 13 important Williams F1 cars will be at the Festival, ranging from the 1970 De Tomaso-Cosworth Tipo 505, right through to the recent Williams-Toyota FW29. The 1980 F1 World Championship-winning Williams-Cosworth FW08 of Alan Jones and Damon Hill’s successful 1996 Williams-Renault FW18 will also be present and can be seen in action on the challenging 1.16-mile Goodwood hillclimb over the Festival weekend.

Commenting on his visit to Goodwood, Sir Frank Williams said, “It will be great for me, and for all of the people that have been a part of Williams, or supported the team over the years, to be there to see a broad selection of our cars, past and present.”

AT&T Williams race driver Nico Rosberg, who drove at the 2008 Festival for the team, added, “The Festival of Speed is a very special event for us. It has a great atmosphere and I really encourage people to go along and witness one of the greatest motor sport spectacles of the year!”

A short video highlighting previous Williams F1 cars in action at the Festival of Speed, as well as commentary from senior personnel within the AT&T Williams team, can be viewed at http://www.attwilliams.com/multimedia/video/101

Admission to the Festival of Speed is by advance ticket only. Tickets can be obtained from the Goodwood Ticket Hotline:
Telephone: +44 1243 755055
Fax: +44 1243 755058
Email: bookings@goodwood.co.uk
On-line: www.goodwood.co.uk

For media enquiries, please contact Gary Axon or Janet Bradley in the Goodwood Motor Sport Press Office:
Telephone: +44 1243 755109
Fax: +44 1243 755115
Email: speed@goodwood.co.uk or gaxon@goodwood.co.uk
Website: www.goodwood.co.uk/fos

You will find the latest news of the Goodwood Festival at: www.goodwood.co.uk

As the 2009 season reaches its halfway point, Red Bull F1 is making a change to its nominated reserve driver for Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso. With effect from the German Grand Prix, this role is now being taken on by Jaime Alguersuari, who replaces fellow Red Bull Young Driver, Brendon Hartley. The 19 year old Spaniard, who became the youngest ever British F3 champion last year, is currently competing in the World Series by Renault.

TRG Motorsports is ready for some Daytona redemption in the July 4th running of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway.

"We went to the 500 with an amalgam of TRG Motorsports people from our truck team and some help from Richard Childress Racing," Buckler said. "After we didn't make the show, we really needed to rethink how we were going to continue. We needed to get "TRG" people who shared the passion, 24/7. Richard was a big help in getting us to first base in the NASCAR Series and continues to be a confidant of mine on all things related to the sport, but we had to immerse people in the TRG secret sauce. We hired David Gilliland and we were able to get Slugger (Richard "Slugger" Labbe) as our crew chief. With those important hires everything else followed. Slugger brought in a crew he could work with and we reintroduced the team at California. Since then we have qualified for 15 races and have become a new team success story in the series."

Slugger Labbe was the crew chief for Mike Skinner, who also missed the 500. Driver David Gilliland did not have a ride for the February classic. The team is headed back on a mission with a strong super speedway car.

"We are going back to where it all started for TRG Motorsports," Gilliland said. "I think the whole team has something to prove going back. I remember watching the race from the pits. Everyone on the team is ready. I feel really good about the car we have, the motor package and the whole program for this weekend. The car turned out really well from the repairs following Talladega. It was a great car at Talladega and it should be this weekend as well."

The team will use the car that ran eighth at Talladega before being wrecked.

"The car had great speed at Talladega. It is an ex-DEI car that we got a couple of weeks before that race and we didn't have time to do much with it. Slugger has a great track record on the super speedways. He has been able to massage on the car a little bit more for Daytona. I feel real confident in the car and the program going into the 400."

Gilliland, having qualified on the pole for the Daytona 500 in 2007, now has to make it into the Coke Zero 400 on speed as TRG Motorsports is a go-or-go-home effort. The cars will also be impounded after qualifying, so no adjustments can be made prior to the drop of the green flag at 8:00 p.m. Saturday evening. Slugger Labbe is a past Daytona winner as crew chief on Michael Waltrip's 2003 winning effort at DEI.

"Being an impound race it can definitely affect us. First and foremost we need get into the race. I was talking to Slugger about where we should run the front splitter, in the race we want one adjustment and for qualifying another. If we were locked in we really wouldn't worry about qualifying, because it doesn't really matter. But we have to get in on speed, so we need to see where we are at with the speed when we unload. If we are fast off of the trailer that will help. If we are not, we will have to adjust on it to make sure we make it into the race."

Kevin Buckler is ready to right the early season wrong.

"Our Daytona 500 effort was a bit humbling," Buckler said. "It made us sit back and really evaluate what we were getting into and how. This team has done some absolutely amazing things this season, qualifying for every race since California on what is a pittance of a budget compared to most teams on the grid. We have asked David to race conservatively because we don't have the inventory of cars like the other teams and he has done everything we have suggested. Slugger and the crew is putting a quality car on the track every weekend with the same five guys that are working on the cars at the shop as well as crewing the cars on weekends - dedication. Our only major hurdle, since Daytona, has been trying to find that magic partner and sponsor for this great little team. We have our resources aligned to do that, but we need that special sponsor that is ready to reap the rewards of being involved with a great little effort and all that NASCAR has to offer."

Buckler will pull double duty this weekend and drive with Spencer Pumpelly in the Grand-Am Rolex Series Brumos 250 in one of TRG's four Porsches entered in the race. Buckler has a strong history as a driver at Daytona having won the 24 Hour GT race in 2002, overall in 2003, and as a car owner this past January. The Rolex race will run at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday on the Daytona's modified road course.

The Coke Zero 400 will be televised live on TNT with the broadcast beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET.

TRG Motorsports is based in Mooresville, North Carolina. Currently the team fields a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series entry as well as a Camping World Truck Series effort and an ARCA RE/MAX Series team. The Racer's Group was founded in 1993 and has been competing at the top level of sports car racing. TRG's Porsche sports car program is run out of the company's headquarters in Petaluma, California. The team has the most wins of any team in the Grand-Am Rolex Series with 28, including the 2005 and 2006 Rolex Series GT championship trophy to go along with wins in the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona (three) and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

For more information please contact Kyle Chura at (248) 821-0468 or chura@aol.com, Detailed team info can be viewed at www.trgmotorsports.com and www.theracersgroup.com .

Three time Rolex 24 winner Buckler back behind wheel

TRG is returning to Daytona International Speedway for the July 4th running of the Grand-Am Rolex Series Brumos 250 to be run on Saturday afternoon prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup race. Kevin Buckler, team owner, and three time Rolex 24 winner will return to driving, partnering with Spencer Pumpelly in the No. 66.

The Brumos 250 from Daytona International Speedway will be televised live on the SPEED Channel starting at 2:00 p.m.

TRG was founded in 1993 and has been competing at the top level of motor racing ever since. The team has the most wins of any team in the Grand-Am Rolex Series with 26, including the 2005 and 2006 Rolex Series GT championship trophy to go along with wins at the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

TRG is a manufacturer and distributor of high-performance racing parts. The group specializes in engine and chassis tuning as well as full service professional race car preparation. The company also provides electrical and mechanical engineering services, driver development and arrive-and-drive opportunities. TRG is based in Petaluma, Calif., near its home track of Infineon Raceway in Sonoma. The company's NASCAR operation is based in Mooresville, North Carolina and a new state-of-the-art facility is coming on-line at New Jersey Motorsports Park in late 2009.

For more information please contact Kyle Chura at (248) 821-0468 or chura@aol.com. Detailed team info can be viewed at www.trgmotorsports.com or www.theracersgroup.com.

Strong Support for Same-Day Format That Begins This Weekend at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

This weekend's premier AMA Pro Road Racing events at the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca will be the first races to air on SPEED in a new, same-weekend programming format that was announced last month. SPEED's decision to return to same-day or same-weekend coverage of AMA Pro Road Racing has been welcome news for series competitors, promoters and, most importantly, motorcycle road racing fans.

Telephone messages and emails of support have poured into AMA Pro's Daytona Beach headquarters over the last month while several AMA Pro Road Racing stakeholders have gone on record in full support of SPEED's recent decision.

Rick Miner - SPEED SVP Production & Network Operations:
"Plain and simple, this move was a reaction to the fans ... naturally, they wanted to see the races as close to real time as possible. As the longtime television destination for motorcycle racing in North America, we will continue to work very hard with AMA Pro Road Racing and other sanctioning bodies at all levels to move through the current economic challenges in a collective effort to deliver great racing to the fans."

Tim Saunders - Corona Extra Honda Racing Principal:
"It's great news that AMA Pro American Superbike races will be broadcast by SPEED on the same day. Like most fans, I think, I want to see the races as soon as possible in order to enjoy the excitement that comes from not knowing the result. The same day is almost as good as live! I am sure this will boost interest in the sport and draw more fans to the track too. Thanks to all who put this together."

James Casmay - Michael Jordan Motorsports General Manager:
"AMA Pro Racing and SPEED continue to demonstrate their commitment to making any and all changes necessary to further improve AMA Pro Road Racing. Same day television coverage will greatly assist Michael Jordan Motorsports in delivering superior sponsorship value to Jordan Brand, National Guard, Suzuki and all other team partners."

Geoff May - No. 54 National Guard Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000:
"I'm excited to hear that our races will now be on TV immediately after we race. It's always nice to know the fans can catch the action and participate in the post-event discussions even if they couldn't make it out to the track."

Aaron Yates - No. 23 Brand Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000:
"It's good that the fans feedback is taken in and listened to. We have some of the best fans in motorsports and it's awesome to know they got what they asked for and can see the Jordan Suzuki team on TV the same weekend we were on the track."

Chris Ulrich - No. 18 Roadracingworld.com Suzuki GSX-R1000:
"The new TV package put together by AMA Pro Racing and SPEED featuring same-day coverage is great news for everyone involved in the sport of motorcycle road racing. I am especially excited for the die-hard racing fans who have stuck with the series through the transition. This will make the great racing we've already seen in 2009 more accessible and hopefully will be the shot in the arm that will energize our great fan base and grow the series."

Michael Barnes - No. 34 GEICO Powersports Buell 1125R:
"I'm very excited to hear our races will be returning to same-day coverage. The fans and our families will appreciate it the most. As for myself and my GEICO Powersports Buell team, whose jobs are to represent our sponsors, we are happy we didn't have to wait until 2010. Thanks to AMA Pro Racing and SPEED!"

Gill Campbell - Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca CEO/General Manager:
"This is great news for our fans and sponsors. It's perfect that the new SPEED coverage starts with the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix as we have three AMA Pro Road Racing classes running that weekend."

Cameron Gray - M1 Entertainment President/CEO:
"I think this is a big win for motorcycle racing in America. There has been fantastic racing all year and now fans can watch the action same day, in addition I can bring in all Jumbotrons for our Big Kahuna event to give our fans racing action all around the track. So hats off to SPEED and AMA Pro Racing."

Kevin Wittman - New Jersey Motorsports Park General Manager:
"With AMA Pro Road Racing making its inaugural visit to New Jersey Motorsports Park, the move to same day coverage on SPEED is great for our race. People in the Mid-Atlantic region are educating themselves to motorcycle road racing, and the television coverage is important in the build-up to the season finale. Naturally, we're happy to be able to showcase our facility and our sponsors to the rest of the motorcycling community soon after the checkered flag."
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. From its Daytona Beach headquarters, the organization operates and manages AMA Pro Road Racing, which includes AMA Pro American Superbike, AMA Pro Daytona SportBike, AMA Pro SuperSport and AMA Pro SunTrust Moto-GT. AMA Pro Racing also manages and works closely with the day-to-day operational organizations of the AMA Pro Flat Track Championship and the AMA Pro Supermoto Championship Series in addition to other two-wheel and ATV series. Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com.

When the dust settled on the 41st annual SCORE International Baja 500, a Beta Motorcycles dealer-sponsored team won the series’ premier Open Pro Motorcycle class on a Beta 450 RR.

With this victory, the ultra-versatile Beta 450 RR has now gained international acclaim from the Baja Peninsula to the woods of Finland, where Mirko Gritti recently rode to a podium finish in the FIM World Enduro Championship series.

The Threat Racing team consisted of Baja veteran Craig Smith, 35, and teenage brothers Cameron, 18, and Kyle Corfman, who is just 16 years old. Kyle was flabbergasted with the trio’s results. “At first,” he said, “I didn’t believe that we won. Then, a billion text messages came in and my phone started ringing.”

Smith, who started racing long before either of his teammates was born, also won the Baja 500 in 1995. His latest south-of-the-border adventure went according to plan. “Other than staring down a cow in the middle of a fireroad at 50 mph, things went real smooth,” said the alfalfa farmer from Brawley, Calif.

American Beta’s 2008 Dealer of the Year, Threat Racing is a family-owned shop doing business for more than a decade in the desert community of El Centro, Calif., just 10 miles from the Mexican border. Shop owner Chip Corfman took on Beta last year as the dealership’s first motorcycle franchise. His rationale was simple: “We used to compete on other bikes, but I didn’t like it when we’d race on Sunday, do well and prospective customers would go buy a bike somewhere else on Monday.”

Tim Pilg, American Beta’s founder, stressed that it was Beta dealers’ personalized, old-school service that sets the company apart from other brands: “My experience in motorcycle dealerships taught me that American distributors focused on how many units they could sell instead of ways to improve customer service. While we also concentrate on sales, we are ultimately focused on giving our customers the personalized attention that keeps them coming back.

“We’re proud of Threat Racing’s Baja 500 performance and look forward to more success in competition and on the showroom floor.”

ABOUT AMERICAN BETA MOTORCYCLES
In the United States, American Beta is the exclusive U.S. distributor of Beta’s California Green Sticker-approved off-road bikes and 50-state-legal dual-sport motorcycles.

Founded in 1904, Beta is one of the world’s oldest family-run motorcycle businesses. Based near Florence, Italy, the company holds seven FIM World Trials championships and six Indoor World Trials titles in international competition. It employs 111 people and produces 17,000 vehicles annually. Beta’s 40-model 2009 domestic lineup covers the motorcycling universe with everything from 50cc trials bikes and scooters to 525cc Supermoto racers.

For more information, log on to www.AmericanBeta.com.

The Fiat Yamaha Team arrives in the United States this week in stunning form with Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo lying first and second in the championship, separated by just five points. Rossi, who clinched his 100th career victory in Assen on Sunday, has three wins to his name so far and Lorenzo has two, while both riders have finished on the podium in six out of seven races this season to leave Fiat Yamaha leading the Teams' standings and Yamaha the Manufacturers'. The Italian and the Spaniard will make a short stopover in Los Angeles for a visit to Yamaha US on Wednesday before heading north to the coastal town of Monterey and the spectacular Laguna Seca track.

Lorenzo was a Laguna Seca first-timer last year and a promising showing during practice came to nothing when he high-sided on the first lap. The 22-year-old went on to taste American success later in the season with a podium in Indianapolis and he is determined that he will get to grips with the tricky Laguna track this time around. The youngster has had a brilliant season to date and will undoubtedly be in the mix once again this weekend as he seeks to better his team-mate with a return to the top of the podium.

Laguna Seca is an all-American track where the intense dry heat, unpredictable asphalt and anti-clockwise layout reward the loose and aggressive riding style of the US dirt-trackers. The track boasts some of the most dramatic elevation changes on the world championship circuit as well as fast, sweeping corners, the most notorious of which is the world-famous 'Corkscrew'. Machine set-up is relatively straightforward, with throttle connection a much more important factor than top-end power and a well balanced chassis the key to those elevation changes and diverse corners.

Valentino Rossi - "Back to normal!"
"The wonderful memory of the 100th win is still fresh, but now we have just a few days to recover before the next race, which is hard for everyone. We have to try to relax as much as possible and recharge the batteries a little, because Laguna is always a tough weekend and often very hot. Last year I had a great battle with Stoner and for me it was for sure one of the turning points of the championship and a very important win; I have some good memories. I think this year it will be hard again because Lorenzo is in brilliant form and I am sure Stoner will also be back to his best. Laguna is a great place to race and an exciting track, I also have a little trip to Los Angeles and Yamaha US first which I am looking forward to. The championship is very open at this point so we need to keep focus, get back to normal after Assen and try to get another good result this weekend."

Jorge Lorenzo - "Looking forward to the challenge"
"Last year Laguna wasn't good for me but I don't think about this. It's the only time I've been there but I don't see that as a problem - until 2008 I'd never won in Portugal before and I won my first race there in MotoGP, and then again this year I won in Motegi where I'd never won before, so I don't consider any track 'bad' for me - the past doesn't matter. We are feeling very strong after the last races and everyone is very motivated to continue in the same way so I am looking forward to the challenge and learning more about the track. I will do my best and hopefully that will mean we can run at the front again."

Davide Brivio - "Focus on the championship"
"We still have great memories from Laguna Seca in 2008 and we're happy to be arriving there after two wins and leading the championship. It's a great place to race and the American fans are always brilliant so we hope we can give them another good show! Our package is working well everywhere now so hopefully the case will be the same again this weekend. Now that the 100 target has been reached we can focus on the next target - the championship! Now we race for that."

Daniele Romagnoli - "A consistent package"
"After the last great race in Assen this is a very short break for everyone but we have to move straight on to the US for the next round! The high motivation in our team continues after another strong performance from Jorge and we are looking forward to having the chance for another good result. This year our package is much more consistent and we know that we can put up another good fight, despite Jorge's inexperience at Laguna. Everyone in the team enjoys going to Laguna - it's a great place - so we're looking forward to another exciting weekend."

Valentino Rossi : Information
Age: 30
Lives: Tavullia, Italy
Bike: Yamaha
GP victories: 100 (79 x MotoGP/500cc, 14 x 250cc, 12 x 125cc)
First GP victory: Czech Republic, 1996 (125cc)
First GP: Malaysia, 1996 (125cc)
GP starts: 217 (157 x MotoGP/500cc, 30 x 250cc, 30 x 125cc)
Pole positions: 53 (43 x MotoGP/500cc, 5 x 250cc, 5 x 125cc)
World Championships: 8 Grand Prix (1 x 125cc, 1 x 250cc, 1 x 500cc, 5 x MotoGP)

Jorge Lorenzo: Information
Age: 22
Lives: Barcelona, Spain
Bike: Yamaha
GP victories: 24 (3 x MotoGP, 17 x 250cc, 4 x 125cc)
First GP victory: Brazil, 2003 (125cc)
First GP: Jerez, Spain, 2002 (125cc)
GP starts: 118 (24 x MotoGP, 48 x 250cc, 46 x 125cc)
Pole positions: 33 (7 x MotoGP, 23 x 250cc, 3 x 125cc)
World Championships: 2 (250cc, 2006/7)

Laguna Seca: Record Lap
C. Stoner (Ducati) 2008, 1'21.488

Laguna Seca: Best Lap
C. Stoner (Ducati) 2008, 1'20.700

Grand Prix Results: Laguna Seca 2008
1. V. Rossi (Yamaha) 44'04.311
2. C.Stoner (Ducati) +13.001
3. C.Vermeulen (Suzuki) +26.609

. J. Lorenzo (Yamaha) NF

www.yamaha-racing.com

TRG Motorsports together with Circle B Motorcars of Texas will debut the No 71 Circle B Motorcars Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 GT car in the SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge GT Series at Autobahn Country Club in Joliet, Illinois on July 26.

Tri-Valley Moto and Eric Gulbransen to Debut KTM 990 Super Duke at Mazda Raceway

The AMA Pro Daytona SportBike presented by AMSOIL class is already one of the most diverse divisions in major league motorcycle road racing, but the competition is going to get even more interesting beginning with this weekend's Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki had a dominating performance at Thunder Valley Raceway in Lakewood, Colo. as Jake Weimer earned his first career 250 class overall win with his teammate Christophe Pourcel finishing second. Tyla Rattray finished ninth overall. In the 450 class, Canidae/Motosport/Kawasaki's Tommy Hahn earned his first career podium finish while Monster Energy Kawasaki's Ricky Dietrich was seventh overall and Timmy Ferry was 17th.