plus 4, Mine That Bird enjoys rejuvenation - ESPN.com

Mine That Bird enjoys rejuvenation - ESPN.com
MV Agusta Introduces New F4 - RoadracingWorld.com
Infineon Raceway's 9th Annual Thanksgiving Food Drive Now Under Way - RoadracingWorld.com
Hines Takes Vegas - Cycle News
WSBK - A new class for 2010 - Auto123

Mine That Bird enjoys rejuvenation - ESPN.com

Posted: 02 Nov 2009 03:55 PM PST

ARCADIA, Calif. -- A few weeks in California, and look how well Mine That Bird and Chip Woolley are moving. Mine That Bird, the Kentucky Derby winner, has progressed since running sixth in the Goodwood Stakes last month, and completed his preparation for Saturday's $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic with a five-furlong work at Santa Anita on Monday morning that had Woolley beaming.

"He really looked smooth," Woolley said.

Woolley himself is moving a lot better, too. He has finally been able to ditch those ever-present crutches, made necessary by the horrible motorcycle accident that left him with a badly broken leg earlier this year. The black cowboy hat is still affixed, but without the crutches, Woolley has lost part of the signature look he has had since he became an overnight sensation on the first Saturday in May.

Woolley is hoping another 1 1/4-mile race, on the first Saturday in November, proves just as satisfying.

"He's really improved," Woolley said. "No doubt about it, he's progressed a lot since he's been out here. He was a little flat going into the Goodwood. He did a lot of traveling. He was at such a peak for the Travers, and he didn't get to run, which was detrimental, and then he really dropped off. But three or four days after the Goodwood, he started to bloom."

The Classic will be the 14th, last, and richest Breeders' Cup race to be run at Santa Anita's Oak Tree meeting on Friday and Saturday. Final entries for those races were to be submitted, and post positions drawn, on Tuesday.

This marks the fifth time Santa Anita has played host to the Breeders' Cup. It also marks the first time the Breeders' Cup has been held at the same site in consecutive years.

From a weather standpoint, conditions figure to be spectacular. It was a stunning morning at Santa Anita on Monday, with absolutely no haze to block a magnificent view of the San Gabriel Mountains, and a training-time temperature of about 60 degrees. Out of town horsemen and visitors were marveling at the scene. According to Weather.com, the high temperature each day through Friday here will be in the low to mid-80s, then dip to an ideal 78 on Saturday. The chance of rain is zero percent.

Mine That Bird was a 50-1 outsider in the Derby, and while he won't be quite that high a price on Saturday, he likely will be a longshot. Mine That Bird has not won a race since the Derby, and this Classic is particularly deep, with the likes of Colonel John, Einstein, Gio Ponti, Girolamo, Quality Road, Regal Ransom, Richard's Kid, Rip Van Winkle, Summer Bird, and, of course, the unbeaten mare Zenyatta all scheduled to participate.

Mine That Bird was timed by Daily Racing Form in 1:01.49 Monday with jockey Joe Talamo aboard. Calvin Borel has the mount on Saturday.

Woolley said Mine That Bird will need a strong pace, like he had in the Derby, to have his best chance in the Classic. The likelihood of a legitimate pace increased on Monday, when Godolphin Racing decided to run both Girolamo and Regal Ransom in the Classic. Those colts had been pre-entered in both the Classic and the Dirt Mile. The Classic was their first preference, and Godolphin stuck with it. Godolphin has both Midshipman and Pyro for the Dirt Mile.

According to Rick Mettee, the North American-based assistant to Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor, both Girolamo and Regal Ransom trained well enough over Santa Anita's Pro-Ride surface to warrant taking a shot in the Classic.

"We couldn't eliminate either one based on works," Mettee said. "The intention with both of them is if they run well in this race you could justify taking them over to Meydan and point for the Dubai World Cup."

Meydan, the new track in Dubai, will utilize the synthetic Tapeta surface. The old track in Dubai, Nad Al Sheba, had dirt.

Girolamo has never raced on a synthetic surface, beyond one mile, or around two turns. He is 3 for 3 this year, and enters the race off a victory in the Grade 2 Jerome, a one-turn mile at Belmont Park.

"Girolamo has a lot to overcome," Mettee said. "Two turns, synthetic, and a mile and a quarter for the first time."

Regal Ransom comes off a gate-to-wire victory in the Super Derby. He was eighth in the Kentucky Derby in his only try at 1 1/4 miles.

Regardless of how Mine That Bird does on Saturday, Woolley said he will get a well-deserved rest.

"He'll be turned out in New Mexico," Woolley said. "He's been up all year. He needs a little rest, 45 to 60 days off. Then we'll see what to do in the spring."

Two other Classic runners - Colonel John and Richard's Kid - also completed their preparations on Monday morning.

Colonel John, with exercise rider Yuttah Lang aboard, covered five furlongs in 59.22 seconds for trainer Eoin Harty. He was second in the Goodwood in his last start.

"He worked really well," Harty said. "He worked like he normally does."

Richard's Kid, third in the Goodwood last time out after scoring an upset win in Del Mar's Pacific Classic, was timed by Daily Racing Form working five furlongs in 1:01.11 with ex-jockey Joe Steiner aboard.

"He went nice," trainer Bob Baffert said. "He finished up on his own. I think he's a lot better now than he was for the Pacific Classic. His last race, I didn't do a lot with him because he ran so hard in the Pacific Classic. But it's a tough race. You need a lot of luck."

Twice Over, who arrived over the weekend from Europe, got out of quarantine and went to the track for the first time, and merely walked Monday morning.

- additional reporting by David Grening and Mike Welsch

This content has passed through fivefilters.org.

MV Agusta Introduces New F4 - RoadracingWorld.com

Posted: 02 Nov 2009 04:10 PM PST

From a press release issued by MV Agusta:
Varese, 2nd November 2009 – MV Agusta launches the new F4 and revolutionizes the legend of Italian supersport motorcycles, redefining the meaning of beauty and performance.
"The launch of the new F4 builds upon the success that started with the new Brutale and will lead MV Agusta to write new pages full of tradition and victories" Enrico D'Onofrio, Managing Director of MV Agusta commented. "The F4 was born from a completely new project with the single-minded goal of improving upon perfection and increasing the synthesis between the art of design and supersport performance. We will continue to invest in the design and development of new models in the future in order to increase the product range of our extraordinary motorcycles."
The new F4 is a project that follows in the footsteps of MV tradition and will keep alive the dream of having the most unique supersport motorcycle in the world: a motorcycle that is true in its origins, built to the highest levels of engineering excellence and offering incredible performance. Pure perfection.
The engine has been revolutionized: the ultra compact in-line 4-cylinder 998cc engine is capable of reaching 186 hp at 12900 rpm. The highest level of engineering technology have been coupled with the most advanced electronic controls including: twin fuel injectors per cylinder, variable length intake system, slipper clutch and the TC MK II traction control system which has 8 levels of adjustment. These advancements along with the uniqueness of the radial valve system attribute to the fact that this engine is the most sophisticated and evolved on the market.
The chassis has also been engineered to unheard of levels of compactness, the new single sided rear swingarm has been lengthened while at the same time its weight has been reduced along with the fully adjustable suspension which are all factors that contribute to making the new F4 unique.
The bike that originally revolutionized the world of supersport motorcycles has become even more beautiful, sleeker and modern while maintaining the unmistakable design "Made in MV". The new xenon headlight and the new super light fairing are factors that contribute to the incredibly narrow cross-sectional area and the new pipe organ exhaust system with a restyled 4-in-1 silencer are all distinctive elements identifying F4 as the most exclusive motorcycle in the world.

More Breaking Headlines | Next Article | Home

This content has passed through fivefilters.org.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Infineon Raceway's 9th Annual Thanksgiving Food Drive Now Under Way - RoadracingWorld.com

Posted: 02 Nov 2009 04:10 PM PST

From a press release issued by Infineon Raceway:
SONOMA, Calif. (Nov. 2, 2009) – Infineon Raceway will again join forces with the public this holiday season for its 9th annual Thanksgiving Food Drive, Nov. 2-20.
These are incredibly difficult times, making this year's drive extremely important — all of the non-perishable food items collected will be given to Friends in Sonoma Helping (FISH) in Sonoma and the Salvation Army Vallejo Food Pantry.
The annual food drive has generated more than 12,000 pounds of food since its inception in 2000, including 3,000 pounds in 2008.
"We feed 250 families every month, and with costs going up it makes it difficult," said Leona Shipley, FISH central manager and food room volunteer. "So far we've been able to do it with the help of the people in the valley, including Infineon Raceway, and with the holidays coming, we want to be able to give as much as we always have."
"We're happy to join with other local businesses in supporting FISH and the Salvation Army," said Vince Albano, chief operating officer of Mary's Pizza Shack, which has participated in the food drive since 2002. "My grandmother Mary never wanted anyone to be hungry, so this is a great way for us to honor her by supporting two great programs."
Those who would like to donate to the food drive can drop off non-perishable food items to the following locations:
· Mary's Pizza Shack restaurant locations in Sonoma, Boyes Hot Springs, Petaluma and Novato, www.maryspizzashack.com.
· Vallejo Convention and Visitors Bureau, 289 Mare Island Way, Vallejo, CA 94590, (707) 642-3653, www.visitvallejo.com.
· Destination RKA, 930 Shiloh Rd, Bldg 41-C, Windsor, (707) 836-7659. www.rka-luggage.com.
· Santa Rosa BMW Triumph Motorcycles, 800 American Way, Windsor, CA 95492, www.santarosabmw.com, (707) 838-9100.
· Infineon Raceway Front Office, 29355 Arnold Dr., Sonoma, CA 95476. 800-870-RACE or www.infineonraceway.com.
· Food items can also mailed to: Jennifer Imbimbo, Infineon Raceway, Highways 37 and 121, Sonoma, CA, 95476.

"Now more than ever, during these tough economic times, there are a lot of people in our community who could use a helping hand," said Roger Declercq, director of operations at Sonoma Gourmet, an annual donor to the food drive. "Every year, Infineon Raceway, FISH and the other groups involved put a tremendous effort into this food drive, and all of us at Sonoma Gourmet are very proud to be part of it."
FISH has been helping Sonoma Valley residents in times of need since 1970. For more information, call (707) 996-0111. The Salvation Army Vallejo Food Pantry will put together more than 300 food boxes for the neediest families in Vallejo throughout the holiday season. For more information call (707) 643-8621.
For more information on the food drive, please contact Jennifer Imbimbo at (707) 933-3981 or jennifer@infineonraceway.com.

More Breaking Headlines | Next Article | Home

This content has passed through fivefilters.org.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Hines Takes Vegas - Cycle News

Posted: 02 Nov 2009 09:36 AM PST

The following is from Harley-Davidson...

Screamin' Eagle/Vance & Hines rider Andrew Hines rode a Harley-Davidson V-Rod to his third NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle event win of the season, and his 18th career win, at the Las Vegas NHRA Nationals at the Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Hines won in the final round of eliminations when Buell rider Hector Arana fouled at the starting line.

Screamin' Eagle/Vance & Hines rider Eddie Krawiec, who came to Las Vegas in second place and 28 points behind Arana in the NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Countdown to the Championship, lost to the series points leader in the semi-final round. Krawiec, the defending Pro Stock Motorcycle champion, is now 54 points back with one event left on the schedule, Nov. 12-15 at Pomona, Calif. Only Arana and Krawiec remain in contention for the championship.

"We certainly are not done," said Krawiec. "We have to go to Pomona and be quick right off the trailer. We can't be giving up points in qualifying. If we can keep it to a two-round deficit and I do my job, anything can still happen."

Arana was the top qualifier for the Las Vegas event with a 6.979-second elapsed time, and gained six bonus points on Krawiec in the Friday and Saturday qualifying rounds. Hines was the number-two qualifier with a 6.990 pass. Krawiec qualified fourth at 7.023.

In Sunday eliminations, Krawiec got a free pass in round one when Suzuki rider Jim Underdahl fouled at the start. Krawiec defeated Karen Stoffer in round two to set up a show-down with Arana in the semi-finals. Arana got the hole-shot win with a 0.016 reaction time and 7.039 ET to Krawiec's 0.032/7.028 performance.

Hines roared through the elimination rounds with wins over Ember/Clay Smith Cams Suzuki rider Freddie Camarena, Doug Horne on the Horne Racing Buell, and Nitrofish.com Suzuki rider Matt Smith, setting the quickest ET of the day with a 6.992 pass in round three. In the finals, Arana left the start 0.144-seconds early to hand the win to Hines.

"I had a good bike all weekend and knew I had the motorcycle that could win today if I raced well," said Hines. "I changed my starting-line routine a little this weekend and it helped me focus better. I'm happy for the team to get a win, and glad we could salvage some points for Eddie and keep the Screamin' Eagle team in contention for the championship."

After four of five events in the 2009 Pro Stock Motorcycle Countdown to the Championship, Arana leads with 2525 points. Krawiec is second with 2471 points. Hines moves up from fifth to third with 2372, followed by Smith with 2334.

The next and final Pro Stock Motorcycle event on the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series schedule is the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals, Nov.12-15 at Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, Calif.

Screamin' Eagle Performance Parts are inspired by and built in the spirit of the raw adrenaline and power of motorcycle racing. Screamin' Eagle Pro parts are specifically designed for race-use applications, while Screamin' Eagle parts offer street-use performance options for the Harley-Davidson motorcycle owner. Visit www.harley-davidson.com for more information.

The Screamin' Eagle/Vance & Hines Pro Stock Motorcycle team is sponsored by Matco Tools, Dunlop and S100.

This content has passed through fivefilters.org.

WSBK - A new class for 2010 - Auto123

Posted: 02 Nov 2009 10:05 AM PST

A new one-make motorcycle series will be presented next year, the "ParkinGO World Series". ParkinGO is the largest owner of parking lots at Italian airports, and owns the Triumph BE1 Racing Team, who ran Daytona 675 bikes in the 2009 Supersport World Championship.

ParkinGO World Series races will be held in conjunction with seven WSBK rounds: Valencia, Assen, Monza, Misano, Brno, Donington and Nürburgring.

The make and model of the bikes will be announced shortly.

This content has passed through fivefilters.org.