Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By Gabriel Trench

Reigning AMA 250cc Grand Prix Champion Jimmy Filice has decided that he will not compete in any more AMA 250cc races, instead concentrating all his available resources on his 600cc Supersport effort.

Filice showed up at California Speedway with both his ZX-6R Supersport bike and a TZ250. But after exploring the viability of campaigning two bikes, Filice has now decided to ride the 600 only.

Filice says that he rode the 250 at California Speedway for several reasons, all to do with his desire to produce exposure for long-time sponsor Corbin. “It’s hard when you are the owner and rider of the team. You have to look at the business side,” Filice said. “I’m trying to give back (to Corbin) as much as they have given me. I thought if I rode the 250 at Fontana and got results I could get them some exposure.” Filice DNF at Fontana, with a mechanical problem.

Ironically, it was a lack of sponsorship exposure that motivated Filice to give up his title defense and go 600 Supersport racing in the first place.

And James Siddall, who ran Filice’s 2001 250cc Championship effort and who planned to transition into four-stroke racing with Filice, decided to leave Filice’s program.

“James (Siddall) is a good guy, but he lacks experience with the 600s. He’s more into the 250s,” Filice said regarding the split up. “I’m more in the business end of the sport and the 600 class gets more publicity.

“We have been testing at Buttonwillow, and should be competitive by mid-season. But, I really want to expose myself to the 600s and gain experience,” continued Filice. “I need to understand them so I can try to build a team. I’d like to work with younger riders and give them some of the opportunities that I got. I’m talking with a couple riders now.”

Meanwhile, Siddall, the man behind the last three AMA 250cc Grand Prix Championships with his World Sports team, wasted little time getting back into 250cc racing and as of Monday morning, became the 250cc program manager for Team America Grand Prix Racing and rider Jason DiSalvo.

Team America GP racing’s owner, Jim DiSalvo, said that adding Siddall to the program is “a step in the right direction,” and that Siddall’s experience in winning three successive 250cc Championships–two with Chuck Sorensen and one with Filice–will “bring a whole new concept to the team.”

“My heart is in 250 racing and I wanted to get back to doing what I love, which is running a 250 program with winning potential,” said Siddall.