MotoGP is looking eastward. As the involvement and interest from and in Asia has continued to grow in recent years, the importance of the region – beyond the historic role that Japan has played in the series, that is – to both the MotoGP series and the manufacturers has become increasingly evident. With Yamaha riders Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies visiting the region a couple of times over the winter, and Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta hinting at more races in Asia in coming years, the Asian dimension in MotoGP is set to grow in the near future.

The addition of “Semakin di Depan”, the slogan used by Yamaha’s subsidiary in Indonesia, to the factory Yamaha M1s back in 2010 was the first sign of change, and Honda followed suit in 2011, with the addition of the “Satu Hati” slogan, used by Honda’s Indonesian subsidiary, to the factory Repsol Honda machines. Meanwhile, Yamaha’s factory riders have been making marketing trips to Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and other countries in the region on a regular basis since 2008.

Series owner Dorna also understands the necessity to look further abroad. At the recent Wrooom! event, where Ducati launched their 2012 MotoGP project, Carmelo Ezpeleta said that he expected to have races in India and in South Korea – both countries with F1-standard circuits, and a new track currently under construction in South Korea – in the near future. To make way for the new circuits, races are to be dropped in MotoGP’s traditional heartland. Spain will not have four races from 2013 on, Ezpeleta told reporters, and the race at Estoril is also likely to disappear off the calendar. Although a MotoGP season without Mugello is unthinkable, the same could not be said for Misano. And while Brno is a firm favorite with the fans, pulling massive attendance numbers, a lack of support from regional government makes its continued existence uncertain. An extra race in Austin, Texas is to be added in 2013, along with a race in Argentina. And only a lack of suitable facilities prevents Dorna from looking at other racetracks in Indonesia and Thailand.

With Yamaha playing such a high-profile role in opening up markets in Southeast Asia, we contacted Yamaha’s MotoGP team to ask them how important that region was to the Japanese manufacturer’s marketing strategy, and whether they had switched their attention away from Europe and the US, especially with the sportsbike market in strong decline – a fact underlined by Yamaha Europe’s withdrawal from the World Superbike series. Did Yamaha

It was not that Yamaha had stopped using their MotoGP team to promote the brand in Europe and the US, Yamaha told us, but that the MotoGP schedule itself dictated where Yamaha did its promotion. With the series spending so much of its time in Europe and visiting the US twice a year, promotional activities tended to be tied in with race events. With Assen, Laguna Seca, Misano and Mugello so close to Yamaha’s European, US and racing headquarters respectively, PR work for Ben Spies and Jorge Lorenzo tended to be scheduled in around the races.

As MotoGP spends so little time in Yamaha’s key Asian markets – Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam – promotion there had to be planned at other times of the year. The preseason tests at Sepang is an ideal time to organize PR events with the riders, as is the long winter break in December and January. That is why Jorge Lorenzo went to India earlier this month, and was joined by Ben Spies a few days later in Indonesia.

Yamaha’s MotoGP boss Lin Jarvis was keen to emphasize the importance of Southeast Asia to the factory. He said that there were several reasons for Yamaha to be in MotoGP. “Racing at the top level in a prototype category helps us ‘improve the breed,’” Jarvis said. “It gives us the platform to develop new technologies which can be applied both directly and indirectly to our future production bikes.” MotoGP as a technology platform was also important as a part of Yamaha’s training program, he added. “This same process also allows us to train our young engineers and to challenge and develop their engineering skills.”

But brand exposure and marketing in key regions was also a major part of Yamaha’s rationale for racing in MotoGP. “Another key reason to be involved in racing activities is to expose our brand name and promote our brand image around the world. In many of the developed and mature markets such as in Europe, the USA and Japan this process has been ongoing for many decades and our brand is firmly established and well known,” Jarvis explained.

The future lay elsewhere, in some of the emerging markets in Asia and South America, Jarvis added. “The exposure of the Yamaha name and promotion of our brand image in the developing markets is a high priority for the future.” While the current global recession meant that the mature motorcycle markets – particularly Europe and the US – were either flat or shrinking, emerging markets were different. “We still see significant growth opportunities in many developing markets,” Jarvis said. “In the past years we have put a lot of effort into SE Asian markets and we have seen a very positive benefit to our business by exposing our MotoGP activities to these markets.”

This promotional push in emerging markets would continue, Jarvis told MotoMatters.com, and was crucial to Yamaha’s future in racing. “For the future we plan to continue these activities in SE Asia but we will also support other growth markets in South America and India etc. This is fundamental for the continuation of the MotoGP project within Yamaha.”

Those emerging markets were not just important to Yamaha, Jarvis explained, but also to the sport as a whole. In the future, it would take more than just PR events in countries such as India or Chile to sell bikes. Races would have to be organized there as well. “In my opinion we must also look to these developing markets to continue to develop the sport of MotoGP and to attract new investment and new commercial partners to secure the future of the sport.”

Formula 1 was an example that MotoGP needs to follow, Jarvis said, pointing to the fact that car racing’s premier series had gone from a calendar dominated by European events to a series where just 8 of the 20 races were set in Europe, while the 12 other races including key markets such as Korea, Singapore, India and the Middle East. “I would like to see a similar development for the future calendar of MotoGP,” Yamaha’s MotoGP boss emphasized, “and I believe we should be present in South America, India and Indonesia too, while still retaining a strong presence in Europe and the other global venues where MotoGP has always been present.”

The world was changing, Jarvis said, and MotoGP needs to change with it. “The development of the sport to move with the times and to be present in those markets and economies which are still evolving and expanding will be very important to secure its future prosperity.”

MotoMatters.com | Kropotkin Thinks

Jeff Leisk Victor Leloup Aigar Leok Tanel Leok Billy Liles

If you haven’t purchased your tickets for the British Supercross Championship final yet you better get on the phone or mobile and ring the The Ticket Factory at the NEC now. Tickets are selling extremely well for the LG Arena event scheduled for February 18th and for good reason.

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Jan.27 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen has admitted he will sideline his rallying hobby now that he has returned to formula one full-time.

Podium: Kimi Raikkonen and Kaj Lindstrom

Photo by: Citroën Communication

F1′s 2007 world champion moved to world rallying two years ago after losing his Ferrari seat.

In the meantime, Lotus (formerly Renault) struggled last season in the wake of lead driver Robert Kubica’s horror injuries sustained in a minor Italian rally.

The Enstone based team, having now signed Raikkonen, has insisted its drivers will not be covered in cotton wool, even though the 32-year-old recently hurt his wrist in a snowmobile fall.

“Kimi is Kimi and it will be difficult to change the way he lives,” said Group Lotus’ Dany Bahar last month.

Around the same time, Raikkonen’s former world rally co-driver Kaj Lindstrom said he hopes the Finn keeps rallying in 2012 “as a hobby”.

Kimi Raikkonen tests the 2010 Lotus Renault

Photo by: Lotus Renault GP

“If I could continue with rallying at the same time as competing in formula one, I would,” Raikkonen is quoted by Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat in Zurich this week.

“But I will have to wait a little while before I do some rallies again,” he admitted.

“These days the teams are always a bit nervous about these things,” said Raikkonen.

Motorsport.com – ALL – Stories

Mike LaRocco Jason Lawrence Ron Lechien Jeff Leisk Victor Leloup

A repeat performance is the aim for Yamaha teammates Josh Coppins and Darryll King at the 51st annual Honda New Zealand Motocross Grand Prix heldd at Woodville. Motueka’s Coppins and Hamilton’s King won the two main senior classes at Woodville last year, although with more than 700 riders expected to race over the weekend they’ll have a fight on their hands to defend those GP titles this time around.

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When the 2012 FIM X-Trial World Championship rolls into Marseille for tomorrow’s third round two-day clash, it will be the eleventh consecutive time that the Palais des Sports has staged a top level competition. Present in the calendar as far back as 2002 it was Marc Freixa – Sherco who was the victor on that occasion, which was to mark the start of a decade plus of Trial action in this French port city. Adam Raga – Gas Gas was then to make this event his own over the next five years, winning all five on the bounce from 2003 to 2007 inclusive on route to him claiming his four FIM Indoor Trial World Championships. Runners-up to Raga over that period included Dougie Lampkin on a Montesa, Takahisa Fujinami – Repsol Montesa, Albert Cabestany – Sherco and Jeroni Fajardo who was then Gas Gas mounted. Although Toni Bou – Repsol Montesa was to dominate the sport from 2007 onwards, ironically Marseille was to prove a bogey venue for the Repsol rider as he was defeated three times in a row by Cabestany from 2008 through to 2010 inclusive. So Bou had to wait until late last January to record his first triumph in the Palais des Sports, and will want to add to that tally starting with a solid qualification tomorrow evening.
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TRG Rolls Out Strong for the 50th Running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona

#68 TRG Porsche GT3: Chris Cumming, Kevin Estre, Damien Faulkner, Carlos Gomez, Ben Keating, #67 TRG Porsche GT3: Steven Bertheau, Marc Goossens, Wolf Henzler, Spencer Pumpelly

Photo by: Eric Gilbert

Daytona Beach, FL (January 25th, 2011) – The Racer’s Group (TRG) arrived in Daytona five cars strong, 24 drivers deep, and prepared to battle 45 of the best GT cars in the world for 24 hours straight. The team returns fresh off of two very strong tests, looking for its fifth win at this historic running of one of the world’s most famous races, the 50th Anniversary of the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

Having won this event in 2002, 2003 (overall), 2009 and 2011, TRG is no stranger to the top step of the Daytona podium. Returning as defending champions, places a huge target on TRG’s back.

The team shares its successes with its manufacturer of choice, Porsche, who has elevated itself to the winningest manufacturer in the 49-year history of the event. Racing five identically prepared 2011 and 2012 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars, TRG feels more than adequately equipped to do battle come the drop of the green flag on Saturday afternoon.

“We are ready!” exclaims TRG team owner Kevin Buckler. “In every sense of the word- we are ready. The whole team has come together, day-after-day, long-night-after-long-night. Countless hours of work on the cars, on the computers, livery, pit equipment with the drivers and all of the folks on the business, marketing and PR end of TRG. They say that there’s no such thing as luck in racing. I believe you make your own luck. We certainly can’t predict the future, but we can go in confident knowing that we have done absolutely everything in our power to prepare for this race… our signature event, The Rolex 24. We are ready to defend our 2011 victory!”

TRG’s lineup of drivers will include defending champions, current veterans, Porsche Factory drivers and more. According to team owner Kevin Buckler, this is the strongest five-car team TRG has ever fielded.

In early December, the team put all five Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars through the tests on the high banks of the Daytona International Speedway in preparation for the Rolex 24, leading nearly all sessions in the GT category. TRG returned January 6-8th for The Roar Before the 24, where they backed up their initial findings and again led nearly all of the sessions.

The 2011 GT champions, No. 67 Sargent & Lundy/TRG Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, will be driven by TRG regulars Spencer Pumpelly and Steven Bertheau alongside Porsche factory driver Wolf Henzler, Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Champion Jeroen Bleekemolen and prototype veteran Marc Goossens, who recently celebrated four wins in the 2011 Belgian GT Championship. The No. 67 was at the top of the charts in both of the official test weekends and will certainly be in contention in the Rolex 24 with this driver lineup.

Pumpelly and Bertheau who each started 2011 with the Daytona 24 victory, had career seasons in 2011. Pumpelly celebrated three ALMS wins (among seven podiums), two GRAND-AM wins and a trip to Le Mans for the 24-hour European race. Bertheau had a break-out GRAND-AM season with two wins in the GT Category in his inaugural season.

The TRG No. 64 car will be driven by Formula One veteran, Eliseo Salazar, who will be sharing driving duties with TRG regular and Venezuelan touring car champion, Emilio Di Guida and his Venezualean co-driver Gaetano Ardagna. They will partner with Salazar’s fellow Chilean racer Eduardo Costabal and Columbian native Santiago Orjuela, making the No. 64 an all South American entry. Salazar looks to make history, by being the only driver to compete in Monoco F1, Dakar Rally, The Indianapolis 500, Le Mans and The Rolex 24 at Daytona.

The TRG No. 65 will be piloted by experienced racer and owner of one of the Northeast’s largest tuning shops, Spencer Cox; Mike Hedlund, who recently earned his first GT3 Challenge win and showed his strength in the early tests; Jack McCarthy, a PCA standout who’s enjoying a bit of family rivalry with his cousin who is in one of the team competitors’ rides; Jim Michaelian, sports car veteran and President of the Long Beach Grand Prix, who just competed in the 24 hours of Nurburgring finishing 36th of 160 teams; and Dr Joe Castellano, returning to TRG and a veteran of over 20 major endurance races and just finished running the 24 Hours at Dubai in preparation. All of these drivers have been working extremely hard in the off season preparing for this years event.

TRG’s famed No. 66 Porsche will be driven by Viper Cup Champion Ben Keating, Dominik Farnbacher, Allan Simonsen and Porsche factory driver Patrick Pilet. Farnbacher and Keating shared the pole-sitting GT car at Daytona last season, and anticipate another strong attack. Keating, who recently announced plans to run the GRAND-AM Endurance Championship, has been very strong in the official test sessions. He earned the 2011 Dodge Viper Cup Championship and had an impressive drive at the 2011 Petit Le Mans with TRG.

Keating will run not one, but two entries in this year’s race, sharing the seat of the No. 68 911 with 2011 GT3 Challenge Series standouts Carlos Gomez and Chris Cumming, Kevin Estre, 2011 Rookie Champion of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, and one of Ireland’s top International racing drivers, Damien Faulkner. The No. 68 showed that it certainly has the speed to compete in this years endurance race. This group will be one to watch to contend for the podium at this year’s historic event.

TRG’s full driver lineup:

Car 64: Gaetano Ardagna, Eduardo Costabal, Emilio Di Guida, Santiago Orjuela, Eliseo Salazar Car 65: Dr Joe Castellano, Spencer Cox, Mike Hedlund, Jack McCarthy, Jim Michaelian Car 66: Dominik Farnbacher, Ben Keating, Patrick Pilet, Allan Simonson Car 67: Steven Bertheau, Jeroen Bleekemolen, Marc Goosens, Wolf Henzler, Spencer Pumpelly Car 68: Chris Cumming, Kevin Estre, Damien Faulkner, Carlos Gomez, Ben Keating

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2012-01-25 00:49
Babbitt?s Monster Energy/Amsoil Kawasaki?s Tyler Bowers collected his astonishing eighth win of the AMA Arenacross Series on Saturday night at Nutter Center in Dayton, Ohio. After a fifth-place start, Bowers cautiously made his way to the front of the field on the rutted, technical track. Bowers would get handed the lead after the leader crashed, giving Bowers his eighth win of the season and a comfortable 15-point lead in the points standings. Bowers? teammate, Chad Johnson could only manage ninth in the main event, but remains third in the points standings with two wins.

Taking Advantage
Bowers is known for hunting down the leaders by pushing the limits, but Saturday night?s track did not allow for that. The dirt in Dayton, Ohio was very soft which made for a very rutted track that was difficult to pass on. Bowers got off to a fifth-place start and slowly made his way to the front of the field. There is a fine line between going fast and going out of control as showed with the technical track claiming riders every lap. Once into second, Bowers was happy with his position until the leader lost the front end in one of the corners, handing Bowers the lead.

?The track was really fun this weekend, but it wasn?t the easiest to race on,? said Bowers. ?I got a good start around fifth and wanted to make my way to the front, but it was difficult to find a spot to make a pass due to the ruts. The rhythm sections and corners were so rutted that you had to be on your game or you would end up on the ground. I didn?t want to risk pushing it and jeopardize my points lead, but the leader ended up pushing too hard and going down, handing me the win.?

Taking the Punches
After last week?s win in Topeka, Kan., Johnson was ready to carry the momentum into Dayton, Ohio and put his Kawasaki KX?250F back on the podium. A prepared and confident Johnson hit the track for practice, but quickly found himself on the ground in one of the rhythm sections. In the heat race, he would crash in the same rhythm lane which gave him a poor gate choice for the main. Bruised and sore, but never defeated, Johnson pushed through the main event and ended the night in ninth place. Johnson struggled with the track all night, but still sits third in the points and looks forward to next weekend.

?I was excited coming off last week?s win,? said Johnson. ?But first thing in practice I went down in a rhythm section and in the heat race I threw myself on the ground again. The track was really rutted and slippery, which made it tough to keep your line in the corners and jumps. I was disappointed there wasn?t much for whoops because I like to make a lot of my passes there. You had to capitalize on other rider?s mistakes in order to make a pass.?

Tricky Conditions
The track at the Nutter Center was well received by the riders even though it made racing difficult. The soft, rutted dirt became slippery as the night went on which meant riders had to have their bikes dialed and pay close attention to line choice.

?The track was tricky enough to ride by yourself,? said Johnson. ?Making passes was pretty sketchy because the ruts on the jump faces would send you from one side of the track to the other, which made it difficult to say the least. Most of the passes happened when riders made mistakes, so I just tried to stay flawless. A lot of guys struggled with the soft dirt, but my KX250F was a rocket ship out there and pulled so hard in ruts.?

Back to the West
Next weekend, the AMA Arenacross Series heads from the East coast back to the West coast at Cedar Park Center in Cedar Park, Tex., for a double-header weekend. Bowers is looking to stretch out his 15-point lead and tack on another win to his tally, while Johnson will be looking to bounce back to the front of the field and challenge his teammate for the win.

Results
AMA Arenacross Series
Nutter Center ? Dayton, Ohio
January 21, 2012

Arenacross Class Results
1. TYLER BOWERS, DANVILLE, KY., BABBITT?S MONSTER ENERGY/AMSOIL KAWASAKI
2. Jeff Gibson, Blacklick, Ohio, Honda
3. Nathan Skaggs, Chillicothe, Ohio, Honda
4. ZACH AMES, PROSPECT, OHIO, KAWASAKI
5. Cole Siebler, Emmett, Idaho, Honda
6. Kevin Johnson, Spring, Texas, KTM
7. Kelly Smith, Ludington, Mich., KTM
8. Cory Green, Nowata, Okla., Suzuki
9. CHAD JOHNSON, RHINELANDER, WIS., BABBITT?S MONSTER ENERGY/AMSOIL KAWASAKI
10. Willy Browning, Pleasantville, Ohio, KTM

Arenacross Class Points
1. TYLER BOWERS, DANVILLE, KY., BABBITT?S MONSTER ENERGY/AMSOIL KAWASAKI, 260
2. Jeff Gibson, Blacklick, Ohio, Honda, 245
3. CHAD JOHNSON, RHINELANDER, WIS., BABBITT?S MONSTER ENERGY/AMSOIL KAWASAKI, 218
4. Kelly Smith, Ludington, Mich., KTM, 186
5. Nathan Skaggs, Chillicothe, Ohio, Honda, 173
6. ZACH AMES, PROSPECT, OHIO, KAWASAKI, 164
7. Willy Browning, Pleasantville, Ohio, KTM, 128
8. JOSH DEMUTH, NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TEXAS, BABBITT?S MONSTER ENERGY/AMSOIL KAWASAKI, 127
9. Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., KTM, 101
10. Cory Green, Nowata, Okla., Suzuki, 86

Source: KMC

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Could Joel Roelants be the 2012 MX2 underdog of the year? Lets wait to Valkenswaard to find out.

In the meantime here’s cool video of Joel out testing his Pro Circuit Kawasaki ready for the new season.

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Anyone who saw what happened with Trey Canard and Ryan Morais at Dodger Stadium Saturday night knows that it was a horrendous crash. Nobody likes to see that. Unfortunately that?s part of our sport, and crashes do happen.

I?ve heard opinions from everybody about how it could have been prevented. What it comes down to is that two guys were trying to occupy the same space at the same time and wound up going down very hard. It was a scary crash – it affected a lot of people in addition to the two riders.

What I would like to talk about is how Feld Motorsports, the AMA, track personnel, and the Asterisk medical crew handled the whole situation.

RJ Says… – Supercross.com

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