FB Corse Will Join MotoGP & Julian Simon Test Ducati Desmosedici GP10

FB Corse has been given approval to join the MotoGP Championship starting at the Jerez round - round 3 - with their incredibly talented rider Gary McCoy. Dorna representatives looked at the lap times (unreleased as of yet) and the make-up of the team and decided to let them join in the challenge. Given that Franco Uncini said that he would look at the overall picture, and not just lap times, we cannot say that the FB Corse machine is the equal of the other manufacturers but we should know that it is competitive - otherwise, it would not be in the series at all.

http://tinyurl.com/yfk8fyf

Ducati test rider Franco Battaini is injured, so the Ducati team asked if Julian Simon could take some test laps on the GP10 at Jerez for the marque. Well, it turns out that Simon seems made for the Ducati machine - or, maybe it seems made for him. He ran some 115 laps and actually came within 1.6 seconds of Valentino Rossi's lap record at the track!

http://tinyurl.com/yepxkxf

More Morning Moto News - XDL Championships, FB Corse & Colin Edwards

The XDL Championship Series was also running an event at Daytona Bike Week in Florida this week. The event went well even if the weather was not cooperating. They have even expanded the women's series of the Championship and put them right up there with the males in the sport. Another change was to the format - allowing two runs versus one in previous years. So, who won - well, none other than reigning champion Yamaha-mounted Bill Dixon. Dena Sodano took the win on the women's side.

http://tinyurl.com/y9stg73

The FB Corse MotoGP team will begin testing in a few weeks - in mid-March - with Gary McCoy. They will be at the Valencia circuit from 15 - 17 March. It has to show that it is competitive against the current MotoGP machines before it will be allowed to race alongside them. They had better get this test right...or, they will be in for a long fight to get into the Championship.

http://tinyurl.com/ydyt2c3

http://tinyurl.com/yf7h3tr

Colin Edwards is very happy with the current state of the Yamaha YZR-M1 machine. He believes that Yamaha is doing a good job of developing the machine to be competitive in the MotoGP series. They seem to have done him right for a change...the season will tell us more.

http://tinyurl.com/ye6vas3

More Morning Moto News - FB Corse MotoGP, CCS Series at Daytona & Jordan Szoke

The FB Corse MotoGP team has been told by the MotoGP Safety Commission that their FB01 must be competitive to be allowed to race in the MotoGP series this year. They will be taking the machine out for some testing and Safety Commmission delegate Franco Uncini will be along with them to determine if they meet the standard. They are worried that the new team may pose a safety hazard by not being fast enough around a track...so, we will wait to hear if they are given the seal of approval before we see them line up on the MotoGP grid.

http://tinyurl.com/yjxqlfr

We did get some early returns from the Championship Cup Series (CCS) motorcycle races held at Daytona over the weekend, but we were not able to see all of them in one post. Well, now I have a link here which will tell you every result in all 28 classes which were held at Daytona International Speedway. There are also some press releases form the series and some teams. If you want to know how it all went down, please take the link.

http://tinyurl.com/ygvjjqt

In the Canadian Superbike Championship it is shaping up to be a privateer's dream as only one factory has even committed to racing in the series for 2010. However, it was recently announced that Honda will likely support Jordan Szoke in the series next year. They say this is only 99% sure at this point, so that 1% could expand in the coming days...but, for Szoke's sake, I hope they do support him fully in 2010!

http://tinyurl.com/ylfxn4d

More Morning Moto News - AMA Pro Racing, FB Corse & Ducati Motologic

AMA Pro Racing (part and parcel of the Daytona Motorsports Group) has now hired a Race Director - David McGrath. He has over 25 years of experience with motorcycle road racing; he was a racer, team manager and then went on to work with many motorcycle-related companies. McGrath is well-positioned for the new job and we hope that he brings some consistency and stability to the sport...and, maybe, cleans up some of the current mess.

http://tinyurl.com/yd8u74q

Future MotoGP competitor FB Corse has released the three-cylinder MotoGP machine which they hope to use in the series. It is called the FB01 and was designed and built by Italian company Oral Engineering. They do not yet know if they will be able to contest any of the 2010 events, but we should find out as testing continues.

http://tinyurl.com/ykgyx7c

The Australian Superbike Championship bound Ducati Motologic team unveiled their new livery and their new rider, Jordan Burgess, at Phillip Island this past Monday. Jamie Stauffer will also be racing with the team and he was also present for the testing. This is the first time that both riders have tested together. Where will they end up at season's end? No one can even remotely guess at this point...take the link and see for yourself.

http://tinyurl.com/ykotnqu

More Morning Moto News - BMW @ MCN Show & Mark Gardiner

BMW is quite pleased to be announcing that they will have their concept and new motorcycle models at the MCN London Motorcycle Show, which is coming up 4 - 7 February 2010. They have put out a press release with a list of bikes they will bring, and what else they will have going on at the show. If you are attending, you will want to read this link...

http://tinyurl.com/ycdumc7

Mark Gardiner has given us yet another inside look at racing. In the RoadRacer X column, 'AGV Backmarker', he covers the strange goings-on with the Triumph World Supersport teams. He delves into the situation with Jason DiSalvo and Gary McCoy. It was an interesting soap opera which left McCoy without a seat, and DiSalvo taking his place - both were completely ignorant of the machinations going on at the time. It is well worth a read - especially if you are interested in the politics of motorcycle road racing.

http://tinyurl.com/yhka7hp

More Saturday Moto News - Jason DiSalvo, Ryan Capes & SpongeBob

Jason DiSalvo has no problem with Gary McCoy, even after taking his slot on the ParkinGO BE1 Triumph World Supersport team. McCoy and the BE1 team had some problems and their negotiations broke down, so they simply went to find a replacement. They picked up DiSalvo from the US AMA Pro Racing series. I get the impression that DiSalvo is glad to be back in a real racing series.

http://tinyurl.com/yjqe4ak

Ryan Capes has broken the dirt-to-dirt long distance motorcycle jump record - and he did it with very little fanfare. It is an official Guinness World Record and he set it on a Pro Circuit-tuned Monster Energy Kawasaki/Service Honda KX500 at Jeremy McGrath's ranch in California. There is even a video of it after the link.

http://tinyurl.com/yc6t5ub

And, I had to post this one. Are there any fans of SpongeBob SquarePants? If so, you can now get a motorcycle helmet to show your support of the character. Ateliers Ruby has released the 10th anniversary tribute and will only make 200 of the - only to be sold in the US and Europe - and they cost - wait for it - US$1200!

http://tinyurl.com/ydwk86e

Late Morning Moto News - Gary McCoy, ASBK & Broc Parkes

Gary McCoy was shafted by his World Supersport team, Triumph ParkinGO BE1 Racing. So, he is hoping to gain a ride in the Moto2 series. He has some interest from a builder, but nothing has been decided yet. Given his ability to put a bike on track and fight for a win, McCoy deserves to get a seat with some team and soon!

http://tinyurl.com/yd9vunj

He was stunned at being dumped: http://tinyurl.com/yezsjex

The Australian Superbike Championship - Motorcycling Australia - has announced practice days at Phillip Island. They will be 28 - 29 January 2010. For the details, take the link.

http://tinyurl.com/ybjzewv

Broc Parkes has made his debut on the Honda CBR1000RR with the Italian Echo-CRS Honda team. He will be competing in the 2010 World Superbike Championship, so his practice time on the new machine is critical. It turns out that he had a good test and all went well. This will be the first season in WSBK for the team, but not the rider...

http://tinyurl.com/yd4684q

Monday Morning Moto News - Triumph and Althea Ducati

Triumph has announced their European competition plans. They will contest the World Supersport Championship with Gary McCoy and Chaz Davies. The other main announcement was the Triumph ParkinGO European Series, which is an all-European race series which does have full World Championship status. The release is a bit confusing, but I am sure you can figure it out. Though, it is not 'world' in the truest sense of the word.

http://tinyurl.com/ybof6ba

Over the weekend, the Althea Ducati team was officially introduced to the world's press. They will contest the World Superbike Championship in 2010 with riders Carlos Checa and Shane Byrne. They will be off to practice at Portimao in a few days and look to be situated for success. Take a look...

http://tinyurl.com/ydaqkrd

Friday Morning Moto News - Racing News

Starting out on today's news is the story of the Triumph BE1 Racing team and their signing of Chaz Davies and Gary McCoy for the 2010 World Supersport Championship. They certainly know how to get some talent! And, another rider leaves the DMG / AMA Pro Racing world to race somewhere else...the bleeding continues.

http://tinyurl.com/ya3r2l6

http://tinyurl.com/yj4r4no

Now we have news that Aprilia will be racing in yet another series - the Australian Superbike Championship. In 2010, Trinder Brothers Racing will be taking the RSV-4 to the tracks to compete for the title. Given the success of Max Biaggi at the World Superbike level, this should indeed be interesting.

http://tinyurl.com/yedqxxg

Looks like I have run out of tag room...on to part 2.