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1. AMA ANNOUNCES DATES FOR AMA VINTAGE MOTORCYCLE DAYS 2007 (October 27, 2006)
PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) has announced that AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days 2007 will be held July 27-29 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. As in previous years, AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days will kick off a ten-day celebration of motorcycling at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, concluding with the AMA Honda Super Cycle Weekend presented by Dunlop Tire the following weekend, August 3-5.

AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days 2007, which will benefit the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, will include exhibits of classic motorcycles and memorabilia, the all-brands AMA Swapmeet, bike shows, a full slate of American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) racing, and other features to be announced in the coming months.

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2. AMA PRO RACING ANNOUNCES 2007 SUPERBIKE SCHEDULE
PICKERINGTON, Ohio (Oct. 26, 2006) AMA Pro Racing has announced its schedule for the 2007 AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited. For 2007, a second round at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca has been added.

The 2007 AMA Superbike Championship schedule is as follows:
March 7-10 / Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL, The Daytona 200 by Honda
April 20-22 / Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, AL (Superbike Doubleheader), Honda Superbike Classic
April 27-29 / California Speedway, Fontana, CA (Superbike Doubleheader), Suzuki Superbike Challenge
May 18-20 / Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, CA (Superbike Doubleheader), Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown
June 1-3 / Road America, Elkhart Lake, WI (Superbike Doubleheader), AMA Suzuki Superbike Doubleheader
June 22-24 Miller Motorsports Park, Tooele, UT (Superbike Doubleheader) Honda Summit of Speed
July 20-22 / Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, CA **, The Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix
August 3-5 / Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, OH, Honda Super Cycle Weekend, presented by Dunlop Tires (Superbike Doubleheader)
August 17-19 / Virginia International Raceway, Alton, VA, Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals, presented by Parts Unlimited (Superbike Doubleheader)
August 31-Sept. 2 / Road Atlanta, Braselton, GA, AMA Suzuki Superbike Showdown, presented by Makita (Superbike Doubleheader)
Sept. 15-16 / Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, CA, AMA Superbike Championship
Sept. 28-30 / Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, OH, AMA Superbike Championship Shootout
Total Events: 12, Dates and Locations Subject to Change

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3. ROOKIES OF THE YEAR ANNOUNCED
PICKERINGTON, Ohio (Oct. 26, 2006) Sam Halbert, Roger Lee Hayden and Ryan Villopoto have been named the 2006 AMA Rookies of the Year. Halbert earned the honor in AMA Flat Track racing, Hayden in AMA Superbike and Villopoto in AMA Supercross/Motocross. All three riders will be honored at the 32nd annual AMA Pro Racing Awards Banquet on Sunday evening, Nov. 19 at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

SAM HALBERT, 2006 RICKY GRAHAM AMA FLAT TRACK ROOKIE OF THE YEAR:
Halbert, the White's Harley-Davidson rider from Graham, Wash., had a solid performance in his first full season of pro racing. Halbert scored points in eight rounds of the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship, both Grand National Twins and Singles Championships.

One of the young up-and-coming riders of the series, Halbert is showing great promise at an early age. He just turned 19 the week before he was named Rookie of the Year. It feels good to know that my name will go down in the history books as this year's Rookie of the Year, Halbert said. Things started off great for me at Daytona then we had some problems and I learned a lot from that. It's been fun racing in the series with my brother. My family has been behind us all the way and I want to thank them and everyone else that helped me win this award.

Halbert started the season with a bang scoring a surprising second-place finish at the Daytona Beach season opener in March. He went on to score four top-10 finishes and completed the season ranked 11th in the AMA GNC Singles Championship. He was 20th in GNC Twins. Halbert follows in the footsteps of some of the greatest riders in AMA Grand National racing history who were named Rookie of the Year. Riders such as Jay Springsteen, Scott Parker, Bubba Shobert, Doug Chandler, Chris Carr and Nicky Hayden are past recipients of the honor. Halbert becomes the first rider from the state of Washington to win the award.

ROGER LEE HAYDEN, 2006 AMA SUPERBIKE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR:
Kawasaki's Roger Lee Hayden earned the 2006 AMA Superbike Rookie of the Year Award. Hayden won the award in spite of missing much of the Superbike campaign due to injury. Hayden scored five top-10 finishes in the AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited on the factory Kawasaki ZX-10RR with a season best sixth place coming late in the year at Road Atlanta.

I wish I would have had more time on the Superbike this year, but we made some good progress towards the end of the season, said Hayden, whose brother Tommy was the AMA Superbike Rookie of the Year in 1997. Now that we've got a full year of development on the bike hopefully I can come back strong next year and get some better results. Hayden was part of Kawasaki's return to AMA Superbike racing in 2006. He finished the year ranked 17th in the final standings. He and Tommy are the first brother combination to be named Rookie of the Year. The Haydens hail from Owensboro, Ky. Roger Lee is the youngest of the three racing Hayden brothers. Tommy also competes in AMA Superbike, while middle brother Nicky is a former AMA Superbike Champion and is now a leading rider in the MotoGP World Championship. Roger Lee has been an AMA pro rider since 1999. He's long been a standout in Supersport racing.

RYAN VILLOPOTO, 2006 AMA SUPERCROSS/MOTOCROSS ROOKIE OF THE YEAR:
The AMA Supercross/Motocross Rookie of the Year also rides for Kawasaki. Ryan Villopoto won the AMA Supercross/Motocross Rookie of the Year on the strength of winning the 2006 AMA Toyota Motocross Lites Championship. He also finished third in the Amp'd Mobile AMA Supercross Lites West Series. In addition, Villopoto was part of the winning Team USA Motocross of Nations squad.

Villopoto captured his Motocross Lites Championship with a convincing 1-1 victory in the final round of the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship Presented by FMF Sunday at Glen Helen Raceway Park near San Bernardino, Calif., in September. That victory was the sixth of the year for the 18-year-old from Poulsbo, Wash., who rides for the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki team. Villopoto also won a round of the AMA Supercross Lites West Series at Texas Stadium in April.

I'll never forget this season, Villopoto said. It started out with some ups and downs, but ending the year winning a motocross championship and then the Motocross of Nations with Ivan [Tedesco] and James [Stewart] was better than I could have hoped for. Earning the Rookie of the Year Award is just the latest accolade for Villopoto. He was also the AMA Horizon Award winner in 2005, presented annually by AMA Sports to the individuals who have been selected as the most outstanding rider in AMA amateur competition. Villopoto is planning on racing in the Lites division in both Supercross and Motocross in 2007. He hopes to add a Supercross title to his name and plans on defending his motocross championship. Villopoto puts his name alongside a prestigious list of those who've won the Supercross/Motocross Rookie of the Year Award including riders such as James Stewart, Ricky Carmichael, Travis Pastrana and Kevin Windham.

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4. CHAMPIONSHIPS ON THE LINE AT AMA SUPERMOTO FINALE
PICKERINGTON, Ohio (Oct. 25, 2006) All three AMA Supermoto Championships will be decided when the series moves to the Troy Lee Designs-promoted Duel at the Docks on Nov. 3-5 at the Queen Mary in Long Beach, Calif. The event is the final round of the 2006 AMA Supermoto Championship presented by Parts Unlimited.

Jeff Ward, the 2004 AMA Supermoto Champ, is looking to cap off a stellar 2006. Ward has won eight rounds leading up to the series finale and is control of his own fate with a 31-point lead. He needs only a third-place or better finish in the first round at the Queen Mary to clinch his second AMA Supermoto title. Earlier this summer Ward, a multi-time AMA Motocross and Supercross champ, as well as Indy Car standout, was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame. In August he also became the oldest male Gold Medalist in the X-Games by winning the Moto X SuperMoto competition.

Even though he's in a solid position going into the finale, Ward is taking nothing for granted. I've got a pretty good lead going into Long Beach, allowed Ward, who rides for Troy Lee Designs Honda. I'm going into the final round with the intention of doing the same thing I did in Nashville. I'll take what the race gives me. If I'm in a position to win I'll do what I can. Fortunately I'm in a position where I can take a second or third-place finish, so I have some options. The thing you worry about is having something strange happen, like it did last year in Reno. So that's what I'll be trying to avoid.

Ward led the championship going into last year's finale, but crashed and lost the title to German Jurgen Kunzel. Graves Yamaha's Doug Henry is the other rider with a shot at the title. Henry made an incredible comeback after suffering injuries in 2005 and missing the entire second half of the season. Henry has five wins to his credit and still has an outside chance of winning this year's championship. I 'm just going to try and do my best out there, Henry said after winning the most recent round in Nashville, Tenn. Some weekends it comes a little easier than others so I'm just taking it one race at a time. I'm going to go into Long Beach to try and get a good set-up. All I can do is try to win and go out happy with whatever happens in the championship knowing I did all I could. It's feels really good going into Long Beach with this momentum.

Ward's Troy Lee Honda teammate Cassidy Anderson is similarly in charge of the AMA Hot Wheels Supermoto Lites Championship. Anderson, of Provo, Utah, has won seven of the nine Lites races this year, but Graves Yamahas Brandon Currie kept his slim hopes alive with a dramatic come-from-behind win in Nashville. A 19th-place result or better will bring home the title to Anderson. It was disappointing to not wrap it up in Nashville, Anderson said. I've just got to focus on not making any errors at Long Beach. The team has worked so hard all year and we've had a great season. I'm looking forward to capping it off with a championship. Currie comes into Long Beach happy to still be alive in the championship. I know it's a long shot, he said. But at least we're taking it all the way to the final race.

Four riders are still in contention in the AMA 70/30 Racing Supermoto Unlimited class. Wisconsin's Ben Carlson leads Frenchman David Baffeleuf by four points coming into Long Beach. Promising teenager John Lewis and reigning champ Micky Dymond also come to the finale with an opportunity to win the 2006 title. Carlson, who rides with Team Red Bull KTM HMC, met his first goal of leading going into the season finale. The main thing is we stayed ahead of David and got the points, which are crucial, said Carlson, who has won three races this year. That's what we needed to do. We should have come out of Nashville with a win; I thought we could do it but sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. Long Beach ought to be a good race. The innovative track layout for Duel At The Docks features an array of crowd-pleasing obstacles, including a tunnel (an AMA Supermoto first) just after the dirt section, the 40-foot Honda skyshot bridge, and the Parts Unlimited Urban Cross jumps which will be utilized at the finish line.

The weekend's action begins on Friday, Nov. 3rd, with practice sessions that are open to the public. Saturday the 4th will feature amateur racing, the AMA Sports Supermoto Grand Championships, in association with NASMOTO (North American Supermoto). The Pro finals will take place on Sunday the 5th. Tickets are available at www.troyleedesigns.com and at participating Southern California Honda motorcycle dealers. Prices are $15/Friday, $25/Saturday, $35/Sunday, or $50 for the whole weekend. Kids age 12 and under get in free with a paid adult using a voucher available at Honda motorcycle dealers. A limited number of motorcycles will be able to park in the Queen Mary lot, while those in autos will park at the nearby Long Beach Convention Center and take advantage of a convenient stream of shuttle buses and watercraft to and from the racetrack.

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5. DUCATI XEROX TEAM CONFIRMS LORENZO LANZI ALONGSIDE TROY BAYLISS
Bologna (Italy), Wednesday 25th October 2006: Ducati Corse has completed its line-up for the 2007 World Superbike Championship with the announcement that Lorenzo Lanzi will remain with double WSBK champion Troy Bayliss for a second successive year in the Italian squad.
24-year-old Lanzi joined the Ducati Xerox Team at the start of 2006 and despite a difficult year in which he was unable to express all of his potential, Ducati Corse has decided to renew its confidence in the talented young Italian by confirming him for a second year.
"I am really happy to have been confirmed in the Ducati Xerox Team" declared Lorenzo. "I have to say that I really hoped it would happen because this year I have given 100%, even though things didn't go the way I expected. I have been with Ducati for three years, I know the team and all the guys and I aim to give my everything to get good results next season".
"We are pleased to renew our confidence in Lorenzo Lanzi by signing him up again in the Ducati Xerox Team" commented Paolo Ciabatti, Ducati Corse Superbike programme director. "This year has proved to be difficult for Lorenzo due to a variety of circumstances, but we are confident that in 2007 he will again be able to show the form he produced at the end of 2005 when he won two races on our factory 999 machine. We truly expect him to be a major challenger in next season's championship in his second year in the factory Ducati Xerox Team".
Following a clean sweep of Riders' and Manufacturers' titles in 2006, the Ducati Xerox Team will tackle the 2007 season under the sign of continuity with the confirmation of both riders and the renewal of the partnership with Xerox until 2008.
Bayliss and Lanzi will get their 2007 campaign underway with the first Pirelli test session at Valencia on November 14-15.
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6. AMA ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES ANNOUNCED
PICKERINGTON, Ohio (Oct. 24, 2006) The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) announced today several personnel and organizational changes within its racing staff.

Doug Neubauer continues as Vice President, Racing and will oversee AMA's flat track, supermoto and off-road/cross country disciplines. Ken Rogers, formerly AMA Pro Racing Director of Timing and Scoring, has been promoted to Vice President, Racing. Rogers will oversee AMA's road racing, motocross and arenacross disciplines. Neubauer and Rogers will report to AMA CEO Patti DiPietro. Steve Whitelock, formerly Series Manager for AMA Supercross/Motocross, has been promoted to Director of Supercross/Motocross. Whitelock will manage AMA's supercross, motocross and arenacross disciplines and will report to Rogers.

According to DiPietro, these changes are the result of the AMA's recently announced restructuring plans. We're placing all AMA racing properties under one umbrella and staffing ourselves to serve this model, said DiPietro. The newly-formed positions of Racing VPs will each be responsible for directing a certain group of disciplines including both amateur and pro. This will not only help bring consistency and logic to each racing discipline but it will also ensure improved rider progression and overall series growth.

The changes follow on the heels of a number of sweeping changes made at the AMA with regards to rules making. Under the system announced earlier this year, separate rules making committees have been formed for each discipline. Additionally a standing racing committee has been created to oversee the strategic direction of AMA Championship Racing. The organization continues to be governed by a board of directors.

This has been an ambitious year for our company yet our goals remain high, added DiPietro. We've completely rebuilt the methodology for creating rules as well as how we manage our racing properties. These changes along with more to come, are all being made to better serve our members, racing fans, competitors, and sponsors. Rogers and Whitelock will relocate to AMA headquarters in Pickerington, Ohio.

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7. BILANSKY RIDES BUELL TO ASRA THUNDERBIKE CROWN AT DAYTONA
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Oct. 22, 2006) Hal's H-D/Buell-Hal's Speed Shop rider Dan Bilansky executed a perfect last-lap pass to win the American Sportbike Racing Association (ASRA) Thunderbike National Championship at the 23rd Annual Daytona Race of Champions at Daytona International Speedway. Bilansky, riding a Buell Firebolt XB12R, passed BMW rider Nate Kern to win the Thunderbike National race by about one bike length to claim the season championship by a single point. It was the third ASRA Thunderbike win of the season for Bilansky.
Bilansky, from Waukesha, Wis., arrived at Daytona for the eighth and final round of the ASRA Thunderbike season in third place, trailing Veatch Motorsports rider Dave Estok by 27 points and H-D/Buell of Frederick rider Bryan Bemisderfer by 16 points. To win the championship, 28-year-old Bilansky would need to win the Daytona race and have Estok and Bemisderfer fail to finish, a turn of events that seemed unlikely.

Qualifying for the Thunderbike National was cancelled due to scheduling problems on Saturday, which put points-leader Estok on the pole. At the start of the 10-lap national, Bilansky and Kern pulled away together, with Kern officially leading the first lap. Bilansky passed for the lead on lap two, but Kern passed the Buell rider back on lap three. Bemisderfer and Estok were not far behind, but both suddenly dropped out on lap four, Estok with a mechanical problem and Bemisderfer with a dead battery.

Bilansky rode the last six laps of the race glued to Kern's tail and in position to attempt a drafting pass on the long final straight leading to the finish. He timed the pass perfectly and beat Kern to the line for the win. Kern was later disqualified for failing to report directly to tech inspection following the race. Bimota rider Chris Boy officially finished second, followed by Ducati rider Tommy Eckfeldt in third. Appleton Buell/Hoban Brothers Racing rider Jeff Johnson was fourth on a Buell Firebolt, followed by Buell riders Joe Rozynski (Sound Waves/Hal's Speed Shop) and Andrew Hamblin (Custom World.com/Hal's Speed Shop), and Ducati rider Rhiannon Lucente in seventh position. Buell riders Sam Rozynski (Sound Waves/Hal's Speed Shop), Tim Hall (Jim's H-D/Buell) and Anthony Caligiuri (Liberty H-D/Buell) rounded out the top ten.

Bilansky ends the season with 199 Thunderbike points, one point ahead of Estok and 11 points ahead of Bemisderfer. Sam Rozynski is fourth with 159 points, followed by Kern with 134 points. The ASRA Thunderbike title is the first national championship for the 28-year-old Bilansky, who finished second in Thunderbike points in 2005.

Because of the points situation, we really didn't come to Daytona trying to make anything happen, said Bilansky. During the race I didn't realize that Estok and Bemisderfer were out, and I didn't know I needed to win to take the championship. My Buell was performing flawlessly today, and I was just going for one more win to end the season. While he won three races in 2006 and finished on the podium at two others, Bilansky also failed to finish three Thunderbike events, including two in a row in the middle of the season. That was a discouraging stretch, but our problems were really just racer's bad luck, said Bilansky. We bounced back and won the last two races of the year. But I might not have made it to Daytona without some generous last-minute financial support from my family, friends and some local businesses. My dad even drove my truck down here for me. Bilansky also won the five-lap CCS Expert Thunderbike National Championship on Friday at Daytona in a battle of CCS regional winners.

Buell Team on MOTO-ST Podium
On Oct. 21 at Daytona International Speedway, James Gang Racing (Paul James, John Fox and Greg Avello), sponsored by Hal's Speed Shop/Bruce Rossmeyer's Daytona Buell/Kegel Motorcycle Co., raced a Buell XB12R Firebolt to a second-place finish (182 laps, 21st place overall) in the Grand Sports Twins (GST) class during the inaugural SunTrust MOTO-ST Series 8 Hours At Daytona endurance event. The class was won by Team Ducati Toronto (Pat Barnes, Robert Trottier and Matt McBride) aboard a Ducati (207 laps, 14th overall). Buell is the presenting sponsor of the MOTO-ST SuperSport Twins (SST) class and offered $10,000 of contingency support to privateer Buell racers aboard XB and XBRR model motorcycles at the inaugural Daytona event.

To learn more about Buell motorcycles, visit your local Buell dealer today and experience the pure streetfighter attitude, style and performance only found on board a Buell. For the Buell dealer nearest you, pull into www.buell.com.

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8. Honda to sponsor BooKoo Arenacross Championship Series
Torrance Ca. (October 20, 2006) American Honda announced today that it will be a title sponsor of Mike Kidd Entertainment Group’s (MKEG) BooKoo Arenacross Championship Series
This year’s 10 race BooKoo Arenacross Championship Series will feature a new Honda CRF150R class, open to riders 12-15 years of age, competing on Honda CRF150Rs during the professional program Friday and Saturday nights. Guaranteed awards will be paid for 1st through 8th place both nights with heat races and main events run just like other BooKoo pro classes. "The opportunity to showcase the amazing new CRF150R in this prestigious championship series is a great opportunity for Honda, the racers and the fans," said Ray Blank, Senior Vice President of American Honda’s motorcycle division.
The BooKoo Arenacross Championship Series opens November 3-5 in Fresno, California and concludes at the U.S. Open of Arenacross on February 9-11 at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT. For more information, go to racearenacross.com
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9. American Honda announces 2007 AMA road racing teams
Torrance, CA: American Honda has finalized its plans for the 2007 AMA road racing season. In the factory truck will be eight-time National champion and five-time Daytona 200 winner Miguel Duhamel and 2006 Daytona winner Jake Zemke.
Zemke started the 2006 season by winning his first Daytona 200, and then posted his first Superbike win of the year at the new Miller Motorsports Park. Duhamel, meanwhile, finished the Superbike season third overall in the final point standings. For 2007, both riders will once again compete on Honda's CBR1000RR for the AMA Superbike championship. Additionally, they will have a new weapon in their arsenal the all-new CBR600RR. Watch for this super-light, MotoGP inspired machine to defend Honda's unbroken streak of 600cc-era Formula Xtreme Daytona 200 victories in 2007 in the hands of Duhamel and Zemke.
American Honda will continue to support the Erion Racing Team once again in 2007 for the 14th consecutive season. The team will put Honda's new CBR600RR to the test in defense of Josh Hayes' hard-fought 2006 Formula Xtreme title. The title was the Erion team's fifth Formula Xtreme championship, and a record seventh Xtreme crown for Honda. The Xtreme number one plate will be defended by Hayes along with teammate Aaron Gobert. Adding to the excitement in 2007 will be Erion Honda's return to the Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship after a three-year absence. Honda machines have dominated this class in the past, so watch for the Erion squad to return the 600-class
championship cup to the Honda mantle.
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10. Industry Leaders and Legends Inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame
PICKERINGTON, OHIO- The Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum inducted nine new members into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame during an evening ceremony on October 7, 2006. The new Motorcycle Hall of Fame members are Doug Chandler, Alfred Rich Child, Wally Dallenbach, Sr., Denis Manning, Heikki Mikkola, Burt Munro, Cook Neilson, Roger Sodie Soderstrom, and Melbourne J. Mike Wilson.
The Motorcycle Hall of Fame honors those individuals whose passion and accomplishments have taken our sport and our industry to a higher level," Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum Executive Director Mark Mederski said during the induction ceremony's opening remarks. Famed Harley-Davidson tuner Bill Werner served as master of ceremonies for the evening. He presented each inductee, or the representatives of those who could not be present, with a distinguished gold Hall of Fame medal.
After accepting his medal Doug Chandler commented, "All my life racing bikes, I never dwelled on what I've done in the past. I always look forward. Just having my name on the wall among those others it really feels good, and it's a great honor." Chandler is one of only four riders to ever accomplish what is known as the "Grand Slam", winning races in five different disciplines: the half-mile, mile, TT, short-track and road racing.
Over four hundred people gathered at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, located on the campus of the American Motorcyclist Association in Pickerington, Ohio, for the induction ceremony. With families, industry peers, friends, past Motorcycle Hall of Fame inductees and media present for the event, it was an emotional celebration. Noted Cook Neilson, former Cycle magazine editor and top AMA Superbike rider in the 1970s, This room holds everyone I love, and everyone who loves me.
The induction ceremony was preceded by the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum's Fifth Annual Concours d'Elegance. The event featured over 100 of the country's finest motorcycles. The Jim Davis Best of Show award at the 2006 Concours d'Elegance was given to Bobby Sullivan's 1966 Triumph Thunderbird. In conjunction with Concours d'Elegance inductee Denis Manning displayed his BUB Enterprises streamliner. The streamliner was ridden by Chris Carr to a new FIM motorcycle land speed record of 350.884 in September 2006. Throughout Hall of Fame weekend Manning and Carr captivated fans with details of the record run. Next year the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum's annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony and Concours d'Elegance will take place on October 5 and 6, 2007.
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11. AMA 'JUSTICE FOR ALL' ROLLS INTO CALIFORNIA
PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) has announced that California has enacted a law supporting the goals of the AMA's "Justice for All" campaign. California SB-1021, which was signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on September 30, imposes additional fines when a motorist is convicted of a traffic offense that causes "bodily injury" or "serious bodily injury" to another person. The new law also mandates that the California Driver's Handbook and the curriculum of traffic-violator schools include information about "respecting the right-of-way of others, particularly pedestrians, bicycle riders, and motorcycle riders."
"California's new law shows what can be accomplished when lawmakers and motorcyclists work together," said Nick Haris, AMA Western States Representative. "Riders nationwide have embraced the goals of 'Justice for All' to get laws passed, state by state, and we believe that this momentum will continue to build."
The AMA recognizes the legislative leadership shown by bill sponsor Senator Debra Bowen (D-28) and co-sponsor Assembly Member Bonnie Garcia (R-80), along with the activism of ABATE of California, in achieving this victory. California joins 15 other states in passing legislation that supports the goals of Justice for All: Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
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12. DUCATI CORSE WORLD SUPERBIKE TEAM EXTENDS XEROX SPONSORSHIP
Bologna, Italy, October 11th 2006 - The Ducati Corse World Superbike team is extending its title sponsorship of Xerox for a further two years. The renewal comes at the end of a remarkable season for the Ducati Xerox Team, which saw Australian Troy Bayliss crowned World Champion at Imola in Italy on 1 October 2006. Victory in the World Manufacturers' Championship was secured a week later at the final round at Magny-Cours in France on 8 October 2006. The partnership between Xerox and Ducati began in 2005 and will now see the dynamic red and white livery of the Ducati Xerox Team continue until at least 2008.
Paolo Ciabatti, Ducati Corse Superbike Program Director, declared: "We are delighted to be able to continue our partnership with Xerox as it gives us the opportunity to expand and capitalize on our successful relationship. We can now look forward to our future in the World Superbike Championship with renewed vigor and in what promises to be two exciting and challenging seasons ahead. In our second year with Xerox we have won both the Riders' and Manufacturers' titles and we are sure that we will obtain further success together."
"We are very excited to see our partnership with Ducati continue," said Anthony Hyde, head of brand and marketing communications, Xerox Europe. "Our shared objectives of delivering outstanding performance, providing world class technology, and sustaining leadership make this partnership a perfect fit both on and off the track. The 2006 results speak for themselves, and we have every intention to maintain the enterprising and vibrant nature of this partnership."
Over the past two years the Ducati Xerox Team has claimed more race victories than any other team in the World Superbike Championship, with James Toseland (UK) and Regis Laconi (France) in 2005 and Troy Bayliss (Australia) and Lorenzo Lanzi (Italy) in 2006. In both 2005 and 2006 the World Superbike Championship involved 12 rounds and 24 races across three continents with approximately 1,000,000 race spectators, a TV audience of more than 2 billion worldwide viewers (cumulative) and live broadcast on 94 networks covering 173 countries.
"Through the sponsorship, Xerox has benefited enormously from a direct association with one of the world's most stylish and iconic brands, branded TV exposure to millions of viewers, an extensive hospitality program, technology showcases at race tracks around the world and the creation of an exciting marketing platform focused on customer engagement," added Hyde. "And in 2007, the Ducati Xerox Team can proudly display No. 1' on its bike again!"
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13. DUCATI SPORTCLASSIC FAMILY EXPANDS FOR 2007
New Sport 1000 S model highlights improved line up of classic motorcycles
Cupertino, CA (October 10, 2006) The 2007 Ducati SportClassic Family was unveiled today at the Intermot Motorcycle Show in Cologne, Germany. The SportClassic family, which uses retro styling inspired by the Classic Ducati models of the 1970's, will continue to broaden its appeal with the addition of the new Sport 1000 S, as well as numerous additional improvements to the existing range.
The Sport Classic family utilizes the renowned Ducati 1000cc air-cooled L-Twin engine in all models. This engine is the perfect choice for the family as it marries the original design of the 1970's with modern features and performance. Fuel injection, electronic engine control, Desmodromic valve actuation and a dual spark head ensure this engine has plenty of torque and reliability. For 2007, the venerable motor receives the addition of a wet clutch, which will result in decreased clutch lever effort and improved longevity.
Brand new for 2007 is the Sport 1000 S Biposto, which is the spiritual successor to the limited edition Paul Smart 1000LE. This model comes with several unique features including a solid red frame, swingarm and bodywork as well as black aluminum Excel wheels. The Sport 1000 S has a MSRP of $11,995.
The 2007 Sport 1000 receives the addition of taller clip-on bars and a lower footpeg position, which significantly improves rider comfort. The Sport 1000 is also available only as a Biposto with seating for a passenger and a removable tail cowling to retain the solo seat look. The Sport 1000 Biposto has a MSRP of $11,495 and will be available in three color choices of yellow, red or black.
The GT 1000 is updated with a brand new two tone color scheme in addition to its traditional colors of red and grey. The new livery of the two tone metallic black and cream faithfully recalls the original design of this classic Ducati Grand Tourer.
These models will be arriving in dealer showrooms by November 2006 throughout the US and Canada. For more information and detailed specifications, please visit www.ducatiusa.com.
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14. AMA CREATES 'COMPETITION MEMBERSHIP' JUST FOR RACERS
PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) has announced the creation of the "AMA Competition Membership," offering benefits specifically for racers, along with a new annual liability release that will cover an AMA Competition Member's racing for an entire year.
Available to renewing AMA members beginning with notices mailed October 15, the AMA Competition Membership will be offered at the standard annual membership rate of $39. Members applying for the AMA Competition Membership must complete the annual liability release enclosed with the renewal notice and have it notarized.
Once the AMA receives a member's renewal, release, and payment, an AMA Racing Credential will be issued. The credential card will have the AMA Competition Member's information embedded on a magnetic stripe that can allow entry into an event by swiping the card through a reader (where available).
"As the leading sanctioning body for professional and amateur motorcycle competition, we're pleased to recognize this elite class of members, our racers, with the AMA Competition Membership," said Patricia DiPietro, AMA Chief Executive Officer. "We believe that providing more benefits to racers and event organizers will help build a stronger racing community, ensuring that the world's best motorcycle racing will continue to thrive."
The new AMA Competition Membership is the first of a series of new AMA Racing benefits and services. Others under development include online pre-race registration and results, national advancement tracking, and expanded card-reader capabilities. The first AMA Racing Credentials will be mailed beginning October 30.
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15. AMA CONSIDERING ADDITIONAL AMA SUPERBIKE EVENT, FEWER CLASSES AT RED BULL U.S. GRAND PRIX
PICKERINGTON, Ohio (September 29, 2006) -- Officials from the AMA and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca announced today that they are exploring the possibility of adding a stand-alone AMA Superbike event in 2007. The companies are also considering reducing the number of AMA classes involved with the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix from four to two.

The 2007 Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix featuring the MotoGP World Championship and AMA Superbike Championship will be held at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on July 20-22, 2007.

Kerry Graeber, AMA Pro Racing Vice President, Director of Communications said the conversations are very preliminary at this point but that the AMA and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca would like to see both initiatives happen.

We're excited about the possibility of adding a stand-alone AMA Superbike event at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, said Graeber. I also think everybody agrees that trying to run all four AMA classes at the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix is overly optimistic. Featuring two classes instead of four is better from a logistics standpoint and will result in a better overall show. It will also benefit our competitors with increased track time for practice and qualifying sessions.

Gill Campbell, CEO/General Manager of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca echoed Grabber's thoughts. We want to continue showcasing AMA road racing alongside the MotoGP World Championship while simultaneously creating a new AMA weekend for later in the season. We see this as the best of both worlds for competitors participating in the AMA Superbike Championship.

No date for the separate AMA event has been determined but Campbell confirmed that the companies are looking at September. There are a couple of weekends in September that work from our perspective, said Campbell. The AMA is finalizing its 2007 schedule right now and determining how those two options work overall. A final decision on both issues is expected within the next two weeks.

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16. American Honda announces factory motocross race team members for 2007.
The roster begins in championship form with Davi Milsaps, the 2006 Eastern Regional Supercross Lites Champion. In 2007, Milsaps will ride a CRF450R in both the Supercross and outdoor motocross series. Joining him in both classes will be the accomplished Red Rider Andrew Short. Short will also ride a CRF450R, but unfortunately he will miss the first portion of the Supercross season as he recovers from knee surgery.
The 2007 season also sees Tommy Hahn moving onto the Team Honda squad after spending three seasons on the Honda-supported Factory Connection Racing Team. Hahn will compete in Supercross Lites (West Region) and Motocross Lites. Eight-time AMA Supercross/motocross champion and Hall of Fame rider Jeremy McGrath returns to Team Honda in 2007, where he continues to lend his considerable expertise to the team’s ongoing testing and development work, and he will also once again serve as a racing mentor to the younger riders. With a compelling roster of superb athletes, you can bet the Honda Red Riders will be at the front of the pack all year long. The whole Honda team will be on hand at the 2007 Supercross season opener at Anaheim signing autographs and meeting the Honda race team fans.
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