Vital MX Press Releases

MotocrossMX1.Com Shows New Look

Sat, 10 May 2008 06:05:08 -0000

FUNCHAL (PORTUGAL), 9 May 2008 – The new version of the official website of the FIM Motocross World Championships MX1/MX2/MX3, motocrossmx1.com, was launched today and it features several innovative aspects inside an eye catching interface.

The look of the much more user friendly interface is distinguished by a black background, featuring the letters in a new white font. The homepage shows all the most recent news and offers an overview on the FIM Motocross series by featuring also the calendar and the links to the major partners.

The key features from the previous site have all been retained and include the latest motocross news, the full results of each event (including the live timing and the results of the European Championship events), the statistics, the links to the official Guide of the FIM Motocross World Championship and to online broadcaster Mediazone, the TV coverage and the media gallery.

Several improvements and new characteristics have been introduced, including:

-GRAND PRIX INFORMATION PAGES (coming soon)
Each Grand Prix will be dedicated a special page including the information on the venue and all its details
-RSS
Motocrossmx1.com will be fully covered by the RSS service
-IMPROVED MEDIA GALLERY
The new gallery includes more content, which is divided into albums; each user can search the content via the powerful integrated search engine. It will be possible to watch slideshows of the photos and to leave comments. Moreover the gallery includes a media reserved section featuring high resolution photos. The entire gallery will have images from the MX1/MX2/MX3 World Championships and European Championships
-DOWNLOAD AREA
A special download area gives access to the FIM Motocross World Championship brochures, calendars and TV Coverage. A restricted access part of the download area is dedicated to the organizers in order to provide them with all the necessary information, material and guidelines
-MORE VIDEOS AVAILABLE (coming soon)

The website content will see a lot of Motocross videos available for the users, with the features including action clips, interviews, fun clips and much more

Check the new website here: http://www.motocrossmx1.com/

Youthstream is the company that manages the exclusive television, marketing and promotional world wide rights of the FIM Motocross World Championship, the FIM Motocross of Nations, the FIM SuperMoto World Championship, the FIM SuperMoto of Nations, the FIM Snowcross World Championship, the UEM Motocross European Championship and the UEM SuperMoto European Championship.

www.MotocrossMX1.com

FIM Motocross Grand Prix of Bulgaria – Last Info

Sat, 10 May 2008 06:02:35 -0000

SEVLIEVO (BULGARIA), 9 May 2008 – The FIM Motocross World Championship is back to Sevlievo, the venue winner of the Best Organizer Awards of 2006 and 2007. Today was a rainy day in the area of Sevlievo, with the sun coming out only at mid afternoon and the track being currently wet.

Yamaha Monster Motocross’ David Philippaerts enters this fourth round with the red plate on his factory Yamaha; this is the first time the Italian has to defend the Championship lead and he will surely face a strong opposition, headed by current runner up and defending MX1 World Champion Steve Ramon of Teka Suzuki WMX1. The latter lost his third consecutive podium in Portugal as he was overtaken by Kiwi Joshua Coppins of Yamaha Monster Motocross, with Coppins moving up to third in the Championship eventually. CAS Honda’s Billy Mackenzie sits fourth in the Championship but proved to have the speed to win moto’s in Portugal, where Teka Suzuki WMX1’s Ken de Dycker lost his leadership as he rode with a blister in his throttle hand. The Belgian will see the comeback of Suzuki fellow rider Brad Anderson this weekend as Teka Suzuki’s Marvin van Daele will miss the event due to illness. GPKR’s Sebastien Pourcel will be back to action after his spectacular victory of the Portuguese GP, while team mate Kevin Strijbos is still out after his thumb operation and will be back only in Great Britain.

Joshua Coppins is starting to stand up after his foot injury of the season beginning

Winner of last year’s MX2 Grand Prix of Bulgaria, Antonio Cairoli of Yamaha Red Bull De Carli is still hungry for success after he had opened his 2008 winning account in Portugal with a brilliant double victory. Now the Italian leads the MX2 points standings from the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing duo made of Tyla Rattray and Tommy Searle, who completed last year’s podium in Sevlievo. Rattray is willing to come back up to the top of the standings, where he was sitting before Portugal courtesy of his fantastic beginning of the season, including the victory of round one in Valkenswaard. On the other hand Searle just collected his first podium of 2008 at Agueda to open up a gap from fourth placed Davide Guarneri of Ricci Racing Yamaha, who won the Spanish Grand Prix. Another Yamaha rider in the likes of Yamaha Red Bull De Carli’s Matteo Bonini is making his comeback to GP racing after a left shoulder injury, with other youngsters Suzuki Swift Motocross’ Jake Nicholls and SRS Racing ST’s Matti Seistola also coming back after the injury plagued beginning of the season. On the other hand Stephen Sword of Molson Kawasaki Racing is now fit and strong after two difficult seasons of injuries; the solid British is currently sixth in the Championship, sandwiched in between Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Rui Goncalves and Ricci Racing Yamaha’s Nicolas Aubin.

Tommy Searle will chase victory number one of 2008 this weekend

GORNA ROSITZA AND SEVLIEVO
The Gorna Rositza race track was built in 1959 and reconstructed in 2000; it is a top motocross facility, being a reason of pride in Bulgaria, which won the 2006 and 2007 Best Organizer Awards at Monte Carlo’s FIM Off Road Awards. The course has the shape of an amphitheatre, offering a spectacular view to the spectators attending the Grand Prix in crowds. With a strong support from the political authorities, the Bulgarian Grand Prix is one of the most important worldwide events happening in the country. The hard pack ground of Sevlievo hosted a very dry race in 2007. Coppins and Cairoli survived the heat to win the MX1 and MX2 class respectively at the end of an eventful day, as everyone expected it to be a wet GP after the muddy 2007 edition. The weather forecast predicts a cloudy weekend.

This track is located only a few kilometers outside Sevlievo, with the town being situated in northern Bulgaria close to the geographical center of the country, 178 km from the country’s capital Sofia and 283 km away from sea resort Varna and the Black Sea. Sevlievo was funded at the end of the 10th century and has a history over ten centuries old, which is evident throughout the town in its buildings, churches and fortified walls. Nowadays the town has developed its industrial side and enjoys to be part of the European community as the whole country entered the EU on the 1st of January 2007.

THE EVENT’S SCHEDULE
Saturday May 10: Women’s World Championship Free Practice 1 at 9:00 am; MX2 Free Practice at 10:00 am; MX1 Free Practice 1 at 11:00 am; MX2 Pre-Qualifying Practice at 12:00 am; Women’s World Championship Free Practice 2 at 1:15 pm; MX1 Free Practice 2 at 2:00 pm; MX2 Qualifying Race 1 at 3:00 pm; MX2 Qualifying Race 2 at 3:45 pm; MX1 Time Practice at 4:30 pm; MX2 Last Chance Qualifying Practice at 5:15 pm; Women’s World Championship Time Practice at 6:00 pm (local time).

Sunday May 11: Women’s World Championship Warm-up at 9:00 am; MX2 Warm-up at 9:30 am; MX1 Warm-up at 10:00 am; Women’s World Championship Race 1 at 11:10 am; MX2 Grand Prix Race 1 at 12:10 am; MX1 Grand Prix Race 1 at 1:10 pm; Women’s World Championship Race 2 at 2:10 pm; MX2 Grand Prix Race 2 at 3:03 pm; MX1 Grand Prix Race 2 at 4:03 pm (local time).

The Grand Prix will be broadcast live on:
EUROSPORT 2 (Pan Europe) : MX1 Race 1 at 12:00 CET
MOTORS TV (Pan Europe): MX2 Race 1 at 11:00 and Race 2 at 14:00 CET
SPORT ITALIA (Italy): MX2 Race 1 at 11:00 CET
BNT (Bulgaria): MX1 Race 1 at 12:00 and Race 2 at 15:00 CET
GALAXIE SPORT (Czech Republic): MX2 Race 2 at 14:00 CET
ART (Pan Middle East): MX1 Race 2 at 15:00 CET
SPORT TV (Slovenia): MX2 Race 1 at 11:00 and Race 2 at 14:00 CET
EUROSPORT WORLD (Pan Asia): MX1 Race 1 at 10:00 GMT
MEDIAZONE (Worldwide): MX2 Race 1 at 11:00 and Race 2 at 14:00; MX1 Race 1 at 12:00 and Race 2 at 15:00 CET
TRANS 7 (Indonesia): MX2 Race 1 at 11:00 and Race 2 at 14:00; MX1 Race 1 at 12:00 and Race 2 at 15:00 CET

The Grand Prix will be broadcast delayed on:
EUROSPORT 2 (Pan Europe) : Sunday May 11; MX1 Race 2 at 17:45; Monday May 12, MX2 class at 17:00 CET
SPORT ITALIA (Italy): Sunday May 11; MX2 Race 2 at 16:30, MX1 Race 1 and Race 2 N/A CET
BNT (Bulgaria): Sunday May 11; MX2 Race 1 (summary) at 16:00 and Race 2 (summary) at 16:10, Women World Championship Round 1 (summary) at 16:20 CET
VRT (Belgium): Sunday May 11; MX1 Race 1 at 13:00 and Race 2 at 16:15 CET
EUROSPORT WORLD (Pan Asia): Sunday May 11; MX1 Race 2 at 18:30; Monday May 12, MX2 class at 17:00 and at 21:00 GMT
AMERICA ONE SPORTS (USA): Second Tuesday after the GP; MX2 Race 2 at 21:00; MX1 Race 2 at 22:00 USA Eastern Time
GAORA (Japan): MX2 Race 1 and Race 2; MX1 Race 1 and Race 2; N/A CET

LINKS
Youthstream
FIM
BMF- Bulgarian Motorcycle Federation

Information, photos and results are online at www.motocrossMX1.com, the official website of the FIM Motocross World Championships.

MediaZone Moto is the leading global online broadcaster of Motocross and SuperMoto events. Fans worldwide can watch the thrills from this and every race of the 2008 FIM Motocross & SuperMoto World Championships LIVE and On Demand exclusively at www.MediaZoneMoto.com.

www.MotocrossMX1.com

FIM Motocross World Championship Guide Available Online

Sat, 10 May 2008 00:25:41 -0000

FUNCHAL (PORTUGAL), 9 May 2008 – The new FIM Motocross World Championship guide is now available for download at the renewed website motocrossmx1.com.

The 2008 guide features all the key information for the fans and the workers inside the FIM Motocross series, including riders’ and venues’ information (also Women’s World Championship and Veterans’ World Cup riders), World Championship TV coverage and statistics, regulations of the series and much more.

The guide can be downloaded by clicking on the corresponding icon appearing on the motocrossmx1.com homepage.

The direct link to the guide is here.

www.MotocrossMX1.com

Team Pirelli Puts Final Touches on 2008 Monster Energy Supercross

Sat, 10 May 2008 00:23:13 -0000

Rome, Ga. – The finishing touches of Pirelli’s newest venture into professional off-road racing were placed on the 2008 Monster Energy® Supercross championship Saturday night at Las Vegas’ Sam Boyd Stadium marking their commitment to off-road racing. RWR/Bad Boy Energy’s Tyler Bright qualified for the main event after finishing seventh in his heat race. Bright finished 17th in the main event while Moto XXX/Hooter’s Eric Sorby transferred to the main where he earned 20th place.

Sorby, of Lake Elsinore, Calif., earned top honors for Pirelli’s AMA Supercross class efforts finishing 15th overall on the season with 84 points. He finished a season-best ninth at Daytona and earned the Progressive Holeshot Award at Detroit’s Ford Field.

Jake Marsack, of Berlin, Mich., also enjoyed a banner season, scoring 18th overall. He finished on the podium at the Daytona Beach stop and fourth at San Francisco’s AT&T Park.

“Our commitment will continue to grow year after year, but this season provided a great starting point for our commitment to off-road racing,” said Josh Whitmire, Pirelli’s MX Manager. “We opened the season in Anaheim by unveiling our upgraded support efforts, including a full semi to the sponsored riders and teams competing in AMA Supercross.”

In AMA Supercross Lites class racing, SVM Honda’s Billy Payne, of Simi Valley, Calif., came out of retirement and led Pirelli’s field of Lites class racers. Payne finished 10th overall in the Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites class championship.

AMA Supercross Class Season Standings
1. Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Yamaha, 365
2. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda, 352
3. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda, 281
4. Davi Millsaps, Cairo, Ga., Honda, 278
5. Joshua Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Yamaha, 228
6. Tim Ferry, Largo, Fla., Kawasaki, 218
7. Nathan Ramsey, Menifee, Calif., Yamaha, 173
8. David Vuillemin, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki, 169
9. Nick Wey, Dewitt, Mich., KTM, 159
10. Paul Carpenter, Ithaca, N.Y., Honda, 145
15. Eric Sorby, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Honda/Pirelli 84
18. Jake Marsack, Berlin, Mich., Honda/Pirelli, 66
20. Jeff Gibson, Blacklick, Ohio, Kawasaki/Pirelli, 52

Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites Class Season Standings
1. Jason Lawrence, Carlsbad, Calif., Yamaha, 157
2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki, 154
3. Austin Stroupe, Corona, Calif., Kawasaki, 131
4. Brett Metcalfe, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki, 126
5. Tommy Hahn, Alvord, Texas, Kawasaki, 117
6. Justin Brayton, Murrieta, Calif., KTM, 100
7. Dan Reardon, Murrieta, Calif., Honda, 95
8. Broc Hepler, Kittanning, Pa., Yamaha, 79
9. Wil Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Yamaha, 73
10. Robert Kiniry, LaFayette, N.Y., Kawasaki, 72
14. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Suzuki/Pirelli, 62
17. Michael Willard, Thornville, Ohio, Honda/Pirelli, 41
19. Michael Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Suzuki/Pirelli, 33

Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites Class Season Standings
1. Trey Canard, Elk City, Okla., Honda, 147
2. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 137
3. Nico Izzi, Saint Clair., Mich., Suzuki, 99
4. Branden Jesseman, New Brighton, Pa., Kawasaki, 94
5. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Honda, 91
6. Tyler Bowers, Danville, Ken., Yamaha, 86
7. Ryan Morais, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha, 84
8. Ryan Sipes, Vine Grove, Ken., KTM, 84
9. Martin Davalos, Cairo, Ga., KTM, 73
10. Billy Payne, Simi Valley, Calif., Honda/Pirelli, 71
16. Jimmy Albertson, Ozark, Mo., Suzuki/Pirelli, 33
19. Ricky Renner, Mulberry, Fla., Kawasaki/Pirelli, 21
20. Justin Sipes, Vine Grove, Ken., Suzuki/Pirelli, 21
22. Willy Browning, Rushville, Ohio, Suzuki/Pirelli, 17

Pirelli Tire North America specializes in manufacturing and marketing high-performance tires for passenger vehicles, motorcycles, ATV’s and motorsports. An industry leader in technology and quality, Pirelli operates its highly advanced Modular Integrated Robotized System (MIRS) in Rome, Georgia, to better serve the American OEM and Replacement markets. For more information please visit: www.us.pirelli.com.

2008 AMA Toyota Motocross Championship Souvenir Yearbook Offers History Lesson on the Sport, NPG

Sat, 10 May 2008 00:17:44 -0000

LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif. (May 8, 2008) – The start of the 2008 AMA Toyota Motocross Championship Presented by FMF is a little over two weeks away and the National Promoters Group (NPG) is putting the finishing touches on what promises to be one of the most competitive and decorated season’s in sport’s 36-year history.

Each year, in coordination with the NPG, the staff at Racer X Illustrated produces the official Souvenir Yearbook of the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship Presented by FMF. Available for $5 at each race, the Souvenir Yearbook is the ultimate fan guide, packed with 164 pages of articles, rider bios, photos, event information, series stats and records.

The following is an article from the ’08 Souvenir Yearbook, written by Supercross LIVE! announcer Jason Weigandt:

The AMA Toyota Motocross Championships have been in existence since April 16, 1972. That’s the day a motocross track outside of Atlanta held the first stand-alone AMA National, with a couple of New Yorkers on CZ motorcycles—Barry Higgins and Sonny DeFeo—captured the 500cc and 250cc classes, respectively. The race barely registered a blip on the international motocross scene, as the Europe-based Grand Prix tour was far and away the leader in talent and prestige.

Within a generation, that would change. Since those humble beginnings, the series has grown by leaps and bounds. With a huge assist from the American invention known as Supercross (which coincidentally was born on July 8 of that same year in the Los Angeles Coliseum) the motocross industry in this country is far bigger and more prestigious than that of any other country or continent in the world.

The credit goes to the great riders—from Bob Hannah to Ricky Carmichael—who have led the way, as well as the enthusiastic fans and motocross industry that supports AMA Toyota Motocross. And then there are the organizers of the series, a collective group of 12 race promoters known as the National Promoters Group (NPG). Since 1998, these promoters have worked together with the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) to present a unified series, with a consistent look and feel to all of the races while also preserving what makes each event unique.

Before 1998, the series worked well, but not with the same consistency it has now. The calendar of events was subject to change every weekend, and the learning curve was steep, as new promoters and race tracks came in and out of the loose fold. For example, of the eight rounds that were on that inaugural 1972 schedule, only one—the Hangtown Motocross Classic—is still on the schedule, though the Dirt Diggers Club now holds the race at a different location outside Sacramento, CA.

Now there is great consistency to the series, but not without some changes. In the last four years both Colorado and Texas – two states that held AMA Motocross races in the seventies and eighties 1980s – returned to the schedule (and word has it that the Southeast, sight of that very first national 36 years ago, will also be back on the schedule within the next year or two). David Clabaugh’s Thunder Valley, on the side of a mountain in Lakewood, Colorado, and Tony Miller’s Freestone County MX below Dallas have both been welcomed with open arms by the riders, the industry, and their new associates in the NPG.

Looking at the 2008 schedule, you obviously see some big changes as far as dates are concerned. For instance, Glen Helen jumped from being the grand finale in September all the way to being the series-opener in May, and the new race in Texas went from being towards the end of the schedule to the very beginning. After 30 years High Point Raceway moved off it’s Memorial Day weekend date to Father’s Day in June, which traditionally meant Budds Creek in Maryland.

Why all of the changes? Working together with the teams and the AMA, the NPG decided to work on the travel pattern, making it easier and less expensive for the teams; they also hoped to shorten the length of time it takes to get all 12 races in, as everyone is already taxed by the grind of the 17-round Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series, which is squeezed in between the first Saturday of January and the first of May.

Beyond that, each of the 12 tracks have spent the last couple of years on upgrade mode, trying to make the experience of attending the AMA Toyota Motocross Championships as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. The series not only has the best motocross racers in the world, but the best fans as well. And the next few years promises even more changes as the AMA welcomes the Daytona Motorsports Group (DMG) to all of their AMA Pro Racing disciplines.

All of the members of the NPG are loyal members of the AMA, some from Day One, like the Robinson family at Unadilla, the Ritchies of Red Bud, the Huffmans at Washougal, the Coombs family (High Point and Steel City), and the Motocross 338 club of Southwick—all of whom also host a considerable amount of local and regional events at their national facilities. Others, like Jonathan Beasley (Budds Creek), Bud Feldkamp (Glen Helen) and John & Greta Martin of Spring Creek in Millville, MN, have been working hard to produce quality motocross since they joined the series.

Add up all of the members of the NPG and you have a solid group of proud, competitive promoters who enjoy trying to one-up the rest every year, whether it’s adding new amenities to their facilities or cool new track features to challenge the riders. They work at outdoing one another, while also working closely together by attending their fellow promoters’ events and pitching in wherever they might be needed (so don’t be surprised to see Tim Coombs out working on lights in Colorado, or Southwick’s Ralph Pettillo out on the infield at Spring Creek). That collective desire of the NPG members to work together and move AMA Toyota Motocross forward is what makes this the best motocross series in the world—and they’re just getting started!

The 2008 AMA Toyota Motocross Championship Presented by FMF begins on May 24-25 in San Bernardino, Calif.

For more information on the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship, presented by FMF, log on to www.amamotocross.com for live timing and scoring at @theWireLIVE!. Racer X Illustrated will host a new and improved webcast on www.motocross.com, with live racing action hosted by Jason Weigandt. The Racer X Motocross Show on Motocross.com has also been added on Saturday night of each race weekend, featuring practice footage and interviews taken earlier in the day.

About the National Promoters Group (NPG)
The National Promoters Group (NPG) comprises 12 individual promoters of the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship Presented by FMF which sanctions outdoor motocross events throughout the United States, and remains the Nation's premier outdoor motocross championship series. NPG's mission is to raise awareness of motocross racing through the production of professional championship racing events nationwide.

About AMA Pro Racing AMA Racing is the competition arm of the American Motorcyclist Association and is the leading sanctioning body for motorcycle sport in the United States. Its professional properties include the Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series, the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF, the AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship, the AMA Supermoto Championship and the AMA Pro ATV Championship. In amateur and pro-am competition, AMA Racing sanctions over 4000 events in 24 different disciplines and supports over 110 thousand active members. For more information about professional racing, visit www.amaproracing.com.

Prumm Injures Knee Before First WMX-GP

Sat, 10 May 2008 00:14:38 -0000

The fourth round of the FIM Motocross World Championship will take place at one of the best circuits on the calendar this weekend as the visit to Sevlievo not only kicks the series back into life after a two week break but also initiates the first meeting of five in the first ever Women’s World Championship. Van Beers Yamaha’s Katherine Prumm, a double Women’s World Cup winner, is struggling for full fitness after rupturing her right ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) while practicing this week.

Prumm has been based in Holland since mid-March and even attempted several meetings against male opposition as part of her preparation for this weekend. The news is a bitter blow to her ambitions although the lack of swelling means she will endeavour to compete at Sevlievo with a special brace and sufficient taping.

“Everything had gone really well recently and I could not have been better prepared for the first Grand Prix,” she said. “I was three laps away from finishing my practice moto when I lost traction on the ramp of a jump which put me at 90 degrees. I came down at strange angle and my right leg was off the pegs and took most of the impact. I felt something go ‘pop’ and I knew pretty much right away what had happened. I could ride back but when I stopped I had some pain and could not straighten the leg.”

“A scan revealed the broken ACL, thankfully it is not as bad as my left knee which I injured in 2006 but at the end of the season I will need a reconstruction,” she added. “Obviously it is not the way I wanted to start the world championship but I will try and do my best at the weekend and see what happens.”

The Yamaha Monster Motocross Team – currently holding 1st and 3rd positions in the premier MX1-GP category thanks to their riders David Philippaerts and Josh Coppins respectively – will travel to the venue where they sampled victory with Coppins in 2007 and will also be following the progress of MX2-GP World Champion Antonio Cairoli after his dominant win in Portugal a fortnight ago and now who leads the class.

World championship leader Philippaerts – the first Italian to head the MX1-GP series since its inception in 2004 – has been using the recent good weather in his native country to steadily train through the hiatus and claims that he will enjoy wearing the ‘red plate’ this weekend for the first time in his career.

“We are only three rounds into fifteen so it does not mean much to lead the championship at this stage, but it does mean that we are competitive and it is always nice to look at the bike with the red plate on!” he said. “I’ve been riding in Italy and physically I feel fantastic, my confidence is good and I’m very pleased with how things are going.”

Philippaerts finished 5th and 3rd last year at Sevlievo, which was his first encounter with the track on a 450cc machine. “It has similarities to some Italian tracks and has been hard and dry in the past,” he remarked “normally it is quite fun to race there and the riders are close in the times; it should be a good GP.”

Coppins has spent the time after the Grand Prix of Portugal, where he seized third place and his first podium of the season by passing world champion Steve Ramon on the last corner of the final lap of the second moto, at his Belgian base recovering from a bout of flu.

“I felt the flu coming thought it would disappear in a few days so I kept on riding and doing some training, which perhaps wasn’t the smartest move as the virus stuck around a bit longer, but I am more or less back to normal now,” he said. “Obviously I’m happy after the podium in Portugal and, more than just the result, the progress of my race fitness; to be strong like that at the end of the motos was really encouraging.”

“I like the track, it’s fast and jumpy; my kind of place,” he added about Sevlievo. “I won last year and have also taken another podium a few years ago. The weather forecast is not the best so I really hope the rain stays off for us.”

The impressive Sevlievo circuit has a copious hard-standing paddock, immaculate facilities and grandstands within the natural amphitheatre. The government-backed racecourse provides one of the premium examples of 21st century motocross. The track itself has a wide and fast layout with plenty of jumps and steep uphill and downhill drags; forging a lap-time of almost two minutes. The hot and sunny conditions of 2007 are likely to give way to a cooler Grand Prix for the 2008 edition (the third year in succession the world championship has visited Bulgaria) with even rainfall predicted on Saturday.

TV Coverage Of The FIM Motocross Grand Prix Of Bulgaria

Sat, 10 May 2008 00:11:57 -0000

SEVLIEVO (BULGARIA), 8 May 2008- The FIM Motocross Grand Prix of Bulgaria, to take place in Sevlievo on May 11th, will be broadcast live and delayed according to the attached schedule. The event will also host the first round of the FIM Women’s Motocross World Cup.

GORNA ROSITZA AND SEVLIEVO
The Gorna Rositza race track was built in 1959 and reconstructed in 2000; it is a top motocross facility, being a reason of pride in Bulgaria, which won the 2006 and 2007 Best Organizer Awards at Monte Carlo’s FIM Off Road Awards. The course has the shape of an amphitheatre, offering a spectacular view to the spectators attending the Grand Prix in crowds. With a strong support from the political authorities, the Bulgarian Grand Prix is one of the most important worldwide events happening in the country. The hard pack ground of Sevlievo hosted a very dry race in 2007. Coppins and Cairoli survived the heat to win the MX1 and MX2 class respectively at the end of an eventful day, as everyone expected it to be a wet GP after the muddy 2007 edition. The weather forecast predicts a cloudy weekend hit by rain on Saturday.

This track is located only a few kilometers outside Sevlievo, with the town being situated in northern Bulgaria close to the geographical center of the country, 178 km from the country’s capital Sofia and 283 km away from sea resort Varna and the Black Sea. Sevlievo was funded at the end of the 10th century and has a history over ten centuries old, which is evident throughout the town in its buildings, churches and fortified walls. Nowadays the town has developed its industrial side and enjoys to be part of the European community as the whole country entered the EU on the 1st of January 2007.

THE EVENT’S SCHEDULE
Saturday May 10: Women’s World Championship Free Practice 1 at 9:00 am; MX2 Free Practice at 10:00 am; MX1 Free Practice 1 at 11:00 am; MX2 Pre-Qualifying Practice at 12:00 am; Women’s World Championship Free Practice 2 at 1:15 pm; MX1 Free Practice 2 at 2:00 pm; MX2 Qualifying Race 1 at 3:00 pm; MX2 Qualifying Race 2 at 3:45 pm; MX1 Time Practice at 4:30 pm; MX2 Last Chance Qualifying Practice at 5:15 pm; Women’s World Championship Time Practice at 6:00 pm (local time).

Sunday May 11: Women’s World Championship Warm-up at 9:00 am; MX2 Warm-up at 9:30 am; MX1 Warm-up at 10:00 am; Women’s World Championship Race 1 at 11:10 am; MX2 Grand Prix Race 1 at 12:10 am; MX1 Grand Prix Race 1 at 1:10 pm; Women’s World Championship Race 2 at 2:10 pm; MX2 Grand Prix Race 2 at 3:03 pm; MX1 Grand Prix Race 2 at 4:03 pm (local time).

LINKS
Youthstream
FIM
BMF- Bulgarian Motorcycle Federation

Information, photos and results are online at www.motocrossMX1.com, the official website of the FIM Motocross World Championships.

www.MotocrossMX1.com

Sherbet Awarded $20,000 MMI Jeremy McGrath Scholarship During 2008 Monster Energy® Supercross Finals

Sat, 10 May 2008 00:06:15 -0000

AURORA, Ill. (May 8, 2008) – Live Nation Motor Sports, Inc., announced today that Tyler Sherbet, of Starr, S.C., won the Motorcycle Mechanics Institute (MMI) Jeremy McGrath Scholarship that runs in conjunction with Monster Energy® AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship.

The MMI Jeremy McGrath Scholarship is designed for students with a passion for working with motorcycles to submit an application and a two-minute DVD expressing why they should receive the scholarship. One winner is selected and awarded $20,000 toward his/her program of choice at MMI campuses in Phoenix, Ariz., or Orlando, Fla. MMI is a provider of technical educational training for students seeking careers as professional motorcycle technicians.

“Programs like the MMI Jeremy McGrath Scholarship help secure the future for thousands of people who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity to pursue their dreams and achieve their potential,” said Veronica Meury, director of UTI Foundation. “Not only is this announcement thrilling for Sherbet but all of us within the MMI and Universal Technical Institute family are delighted to have such a dedicated, passionate student attend our school.”

The MMI Jeremy McGrath Scholarship enters its fifth season in association with Monster Energy® Supercross. Last year, Matthew Langham, of Kissimmee, Fla., was awarded the scholarship and has since enrolled at MMI’s Orlando campus. Former winners also include Eric Salava (2004), Todd Hunn (2005) and Mary Morgan (2006).

As part of the application process, McGrath personally reviewed the 10 semi-finalist DVDs and then conducted phone interviews with four finalists before selecting Sherbet.

For more information on the Monster Energy® AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, please log on to www.SupercrossOnline.com.

FMF Racing’s Paul Carpenter Finishes Top Privateer

Sat, 10 May 2008 00:02:59 -0000

May 08, 2008 – FMF Racing’s Paul Carpenter had a year to remember as he finished top privateer of the AMA Supercross Series. Using FMF Racing’s elite 4.1 Muffler and Megabomb header, Carpenter captured four top ten finishes on his way to finishing tenth in the Supercross class.

Carpenter’s consistency throughout the series paid off. He rode a smart race at Las Vegas to finish twelve, which secured him the Top Privateer check of a cool $25,000. Carpenter commented on his FMF exhaust after the race saying, “FMF has proven to be the most durable system I have ever worked with and given the Atomic Honda the power to stay on top.”

FMF Racing would like to congratulate Paul on a great season and look forward to more to come. Look for Carpenter at the opening round of the AMA Outdoor Nationals May 25th in San Bernardino, CA.

Teka Suzuki Set For Bulgaria MX1

Sat, 10 May 2008 00:01:23 -0000

Team Teka Suzuki WMX1 riders Steve Ramon and Ken De Dycker will be looking for good results at this weekend's Grand Prix of Bulgaria held at the spectacular Sevlievo circuit during round four of the FIM MX1 World Motocross Championship.

Currently sitting second in the MX1 series, just six points behind the leader David Philippaerts, is reigning MX1 World Champion Steve Ramon. After winning last year's World Championship without winning a single moto, Ramon has been on much better form in 2008 and totally dominated in the muddy conditions of Bellpuig on his factory Suzuki RM-Z450 to win his maiden MX1 GP overall.

With rain forecast for this weekend's race, conditions could be similar to those seen at Spain although come rain or shine Ramon feels ready to excel on the Sevlievo circuit.

"It's a fast hard track and I like to ride there. It's a nice track with many big hills, it's fast and there are lots of jumps also - it's a fun track to ride for sure," claims Ramon. "Every year I have good results in Bulgaria and this year I'll be going there wanting to win but of course there are other fast riders like Sebastien Pourcel who excel on that kind of circuit also. My aim is to win but a podium result will also be okay."

Ken De Dycker entered the last round of the championship at Agueda in Portugal as MX1 series leader after putting in great rides in both Valkenswaard, Holland and Bellpuig, Spain. Unfortunately for De Dycker and the Teka Suzuki WMX1 team a forgettable day saw the lanky Belgian rider slip to fifth in the standings as crashes and blistered hands hampered his performance.

"I was disappointed to lose the championship lead in Agueda but also just about having a bad day," he says. "It was my own fault because maybe I wasn't well enough prepared. I've been working hard since then because I've not done so well in Bulgaria because it's a hard-pack circuit with no bumps. I need to have two very good heats there and I'm very motivated to do the very best I can do at this race and every race after this."

Suzuki still leads the manufacturer's championship by six points thanks to the combined efforts of both Ramon and De Dycker so far this season.