Road Racer X's Speed Dating & Morais Filling In for Parkes

For this week of March we have a number of important dates in the weekly Road Racer X Speed Dating column. Celebrating birthdays this week are Danny Webb, Andrea Dovizioso, Roberto Rolfo, Al Ludington, Steve McQueen, Keiichi Kitagawa, Raffaele De Rosa, Harald Eckl, Chris Walker, Burt Munro, Sebastien Charpentier, Toni Elias, Christian Sarron, Bill Bagnall, and Katsuaki Fujuwara. Unfortunately, it is also the anniversary of the death of Mike Hailwood...Please take the link to learn more...

http://tinyurl.com/yfh76yc

In the World Superbike Championship series, Echo CRS Honda rider Broc Parkes sustained a broken leg in a preseason training injury and had to give up his seat to Josh Brookes at Phillip Island. For the Portimao round (and, quite possibly for Valencia as well), the faster Sheridan Morais will be substituting for Parkes on the Honda. Morais has been able to out-ride Parkes before, so this may be the beginning of something or just a quick trip to the majors for Morais...

http://tinyurl.com/yh6pmnt

Tuesday Morning Moto News - SA Superbike, Masterbike & Thundersport GB

They actually refer to it as the 2010 South African Motorcycle championship, but it is the premier motorcycle road-race series in South Africa. This coming weekend will mark races three and four at the Western Cape Killarney circuit. Currently, Sheridan Morais and Lance Isaacs are tied in the points for first in the Superbike class. In Supersport 600 racing, Ronan Quarmby has the overall lead. For all the details, you know what to do!

http://tinyurl.com/ye6cncv

The BMW S1000RR has wiped the rest of the competition off of the circuit at the annual Masterbike shootout which takes place in Spain every year. The BMW went up against all of the top liter-class sportbikes from Europe and Japan as well as the 1200cc V-Twins - and it smashed them all. For more details, check your usual motorcycle rag as they are bound to cover it.

http://tinyurl.com/yeazcwc

The Thundersport GB season kicks off this coming weekend (12 - 14 March 2010) at Mallory Park in the UK. Many of the teams were out practicing this pas weekend at the same venue - as well as racing on Sunday in a local series. The F1 Sidecar series will start at the second round at Pembrey along with the first races of the British Supermono Championship and the Aprilia GP450 series. For all the news, please take the link.

http://tinyurl.com/y8djcfv

Sheridan Morais Will Ride Aprilia in South African Superbike Championship

Morais won the South African Superbike Championship in both 2008 and 2009 - plus, he won the 600c.c. Supersport in 2009 as well - and he rode for Paul Bird Motorsport in the final event at Brands Hatch in BSB. All of that was done on a Kawasaki, but he has now signed to ride and Aprilia in the South African Superbike series for 2010. He simply likes his chances on the Aprilia and will work with his father on the EmTek Racing team. Makes sense to me...

http://tinyurl.com/ykpv32q

Kawasaki World Superbike Team has New Rider and New Sponsor

Paul Bird Motorsport, now one of the two Factory Kawasaki representatives in World Superbike, will field a South African rider to replace the injured Makoto Tamada. Sheridan Morais, who also subbed for Tamada at the Kyalami round, will be riding in the Brands Hatch Bristish Superbike Championship round this coming weekend on Tamada's machine.

Additionally, a new sponsor has signed on to support the team. Henley's, one of the UK's most innovative fashion brands, will be sponsoring the team through the rest of the 2009 season..and, possibly, beyond.

Read it all here: http://tinyurl.com/