BELGIUM BACK AT INTERNATIONAL SPEED - Zolder 8 HOUR RACE

Through the years, Circuit Zolder has established an outstanding reputation as a car, motorcycle and bicycle racing sports centre. In the last few years, motorcycling has been in the spotlight, not only for hosting and organizing the Motocross of Nations and the MXGP of Flanders but also for the activities of the Motorsportschool Zolder. The format Motorsportschool Zolder, started in 1998, is growing continuously, as are the Club MET runs that are held on Monday's during the season.

The Zolder circuit has now made an important move towards race bikes. During the visit of FGSPORT Managing Director Vincenzo Lamaro on Monday and Tuesday 21st of June, both parties concluded an exclusive contract. For the next 3 years, a heat of the FIM Endurance World Championship will take place at Zolder.

The provisional date set for 2006 is the weekend of the 16th/17th June, reserving the right for a possible change when the international calendar (Moto GP and Superbike World Championship) is finalized. This means that this 1000 Kilometre race will be held on the rebuilt circuit, as in March next year the entire track will be re-asphalted and 2 chicanes will be adjusted to obtain the latest FIA and FIM licences.

Jos Driessen, President of the Belgian Motorcycling Association and Clause Danis, FIM CCR President are very pleased to welcome World Endurance to Belgium. Danis was closely associated with the track transformations from the beginning.
"The International Motorsport Federation applauds the comeback of the Endurance World Championship in Belgium. Formerly, the 24H of Liege used to be a traditional heat of this championship. FGSPORT, the official promoter of this Championship on behalf of the FIM, was conscious of the popularity and history of Endurance in Belgium and a zealous advocate of this return. Zolder, the original location for the first 24H of Liege, is a self-evident choice. As a matter of fact, Zolder is the only circuit in Belgium that has decided to carry out the necessary safety works, thus obtaining the FIM homologation, which is a prerequisite to organise a World Championship heat.

The improvements to the circuit are planned in 2 stages. The first stage will enable the circuit obtaining the homologation for the Endurance World Championship; when the second is realized, the circuit should be able to gain homologation for the Superbike World Championship. The FIM follows the progress of the works and assists the circuit managers during development of the plans.
Road racing has a long history in Belgium. It was a true shame that Belgium no longer featured on the World Championship calendar. Now, Zolder is resuming the glorious past by offering the opportunity to live these prestigious races again."

The last Road Racing World Championship organized in Belgium were back in 2001, when the Liege 24H was run under the World Championship flag. The only Moto GP ever organized at Zolder was back in 1980, won by Randy Mamola. 26 years later, Zolder makes it's comeback to the top level of motorcycle racing.

Press Release: Diablo 666 will be racing at Suzuka 8hrs!

20th June 2005

Sensational news! Diablo 666 will be racing at one of the most famous races in the world, the Suzuka 8hrs on 31st July, less than two years after having been formed, racing against the best superbike and endurance machinery produced by the big four Japanese manufacturers, This is the one race that all the factories want to win. Win the race and sales of your motorbikes rocket in Japan.  

 Originally it had not been intended for the Team to be at this event but after the fantastic start made by the Diablo 666 Team to the start of the 2005 season, after two rounds the Team is currently lying 4th in the table, the Team just could not afford to miss out on the chance to score yet more championship points at this prestigious event.

The cost is astronomic but after many hours of negotiating, Team Principal, Miles Hutchins, has secured the necessary funding to enable the Team to ship the bikes and a skeleton screw out to the event. The flights are booked and paid for and the Team will be there!  The organisation of such an event is made even more complicated with the Oschersleben 24hrs being less than a fortnight later.

The rider line-up will be Diablo 666 regulars James Hutchins and Steve Mizera being joined by new Team recruit Gary Mason, well known to all British Superbike fans. (Editors' Note: Gary is a former schoolboy motocrosser who switched to track racing with immediate success in 1997 at Mallory Park.  But subsequent injuries slowed his career down before an assault on both the British Supersport and Superstock Championships, in 2001 finishing seventh and sixth respectively.  He graduated into Superbikes with Motopower Honda, then moved to the Yamaha team enjoying modest success during his two seasons with them.)

It doesn’t happen often, but here James Hutchins at Albacete is chasing the police! It was just a shame about the firemen (Sapeurs Pompiers).

The other mega good news is that partner Team, Bolliger Kawasaki, currently lying 2nd in the points table, will also be there! The combined Bolliger and Diablo 666 Kawasaki squads aim to score as many points as is possible against the might of the full factory teams and the other permanent teams making the trip to Japan. The Diablo 666 Team will now truly be mixing it with the big boys in only its second year in existence!

World Endurance Championship Positions after Assen & Albacete:-

1. Suzuki – Castrol Team – 55 points (25+30)
2. Bolliger Kawasaki – 36 points (20+16)
3. Yamaha Austria – 30 points (11+19)
4. Diablo 666 Kawasaki – 26 points (16+10)
5. Yamaha Phase 1 Endurance – 26 points (13+13)
6. Folch Endurance 23 – 24 points (0+24)
7. Shell Endurance Academy – 20 points (9+11)
8. No Limits 44 – Team Marchetti – 13 points (5+8)
9. Sapeurs Pompiers 18 – 12 points (0+12)
10. Team Fagersjo-else – 10 points (10+0)

Bob Copare
Diablo 666 Bolliger Kawasaki

YOSHIMURA SUZUKI WINS "ROAD TO 8 HOURS" SUZUKA 300 ENDURANCE - 12th JUNE 2005

Team Yoshimura Suzuki's Atsushi Watanabe and World Superbike Championship contender Yukio Kagayama raced their GSX-R1000 to victory in the Suzuka 300km Endurance race in Japan on Sunday.

Watanabe started the 52-lap race in a lowly 20th position but carved through to fifth place by lap eight, passing SERT Suzuki's Keiichi Kitagawa just before pitting for tyres and a rider change at half distance.

Kagayama took over the Yoshimura Suzuki holding fourth position, more than 30 seconds down on leader Tohru Ukawa (Honda).

But on lap 28, a big accident forced the pace car onto the circuit after one of the machines crashed and caught fire. The incident cost the SERT squad dearly and team rider Vincent Phillipe lost more than a minute which they were unable to claw back when the race resumed.

Kagayama moved from fourth to second and then into the lead on lap 44 which he held until the flag.

Said Kagayama: "The Yoshimura Suzuki is very different to my Alstare World Superbike but myself and Watanabe got the machine set up in a very short space of time. All the Yoshimura parts worked very well and the machine ran very fast throughout the event. Last year, we were beaten by the Honda factory squad so this year we wanted revenge!"

Fujio Yoshimura added: "This was a very exciting race and we are very pleased to beat Honda for the win! Today, Watanabe missed the start but raced at 100% and never gave up. Kagayama's performance was also fantastic and he did a great job for our team."

Suzuka 300km Endurance Results:
1 Atsushi Watanabe/ Yukio Kagayama (Yoshimura Suzuki)
2 Tohru Ukawa/ Ryuichi Kiyonari ( Factory Honda)
3 Noaki Matsudo (Moriwaki Honda)
4 Takeshi Tsujimura (TSR Honda)
5 Shin-ichi Nakatomi/ Wataru Yoshikawa (Factory Yamaha)
6 Keiichi Kitagawa/ Vincent Phillipe (SERT Suzuki)
7 Norihiko Fujiwara/ Nobuyuki Osaki (Yamaha)
8 Chojun Kameya (Honda)
9 Tatsuya Yamaguchi/ Kazuki Tokudome (Factory Honda)
10 Hiroki Noda/ Takuma Yamamoto (Honda)

All in all, it seems he's living up to the tag "The Next Big Thing"

WARWICK NOWLAND'S JUNE NEWSLETTER

I have just read through my last newsletter which was in October last year! That’s a bit sad!!!That seems like 10 years ago! Life is a bit more settled now!

In the past 6 months I have moved into a new house in Australia and moved into a new apartment in London. My partner Kris and I have decorated and furnished both places. It’s good fun but I’m over it for a while!

People still ask me why I live in London and as I look out the window, I think that’s a good question! Well… it’s great, except for the weather! But, I’m positive about the weather, it will get better soon! London has so many cool things to do, I’ve made good friends here and it’s still the most convenient place to commute from.

Racing this year is not so bad. I’m happy to be competitive again and both teams I am riding for are a pleasure to be with. Seeing my name at the top of the timing monitor again is the best feeling. Albacete was a good kick start!

The Endurance World Championship is not the same as 2003. It’s just as competitive but whilst FGSport are re-establishing Superbike, Endurance will suffer. There is so much talk about what’s going to happen but there is talk every year!

I am looking forward to the next 2 races more than anything. Both Phase One teams will be racing at Suzuka, the senior team and the junior team. The junior team are a lot of fun and they will enjoy the experience. Everyone is working hard and there is a lot of enthusiasm within the team. We are planning a 2 day test at Oschersleben in the next few weeks. I will know more tomorrow.

I have been speaking to the organisers of the Oschersleben 24 hour/Speedweek festival and this year is going to be very special. They are not holding a round of the Superbike World Championship this year due to political reasons so the 24 hour Endurance race will be their main event. They are expecting between 80,000 and 100,000 spectators this year. The carnival of racing, music, food and drink is one to see. If you can get there you won’t be disappointed.

Trying to get back into SBK is another part of everyday life! There are a few opportunities in Supersport but not a lot in SBK. I don’t have a clear direction at the moment but there are a few rumours floating around for next year and I am ready to pounce!

This month I will be at Misano continuing my commentary with Jonathon Green. It’s good fun although I was a bit unsure at my first race in Valencia. I think it came across ok. On Saturday afternoon during Superpole I got a bit excited and Jonathon told me after the broadcast, “it’s not your bloody show Warwick”!!! Ok, now I know I’m the co-commentator!

That’s about all for now, take care out there.
Warwick.