COMPETITION LEAVES DAYTONA GREEN WITH ENVY Randy Robison, President of Robison’s Inc., owner of the Joe Rocket motorcycle apparel brand is thrilled to extend a hearty “congratulations” to the Rocket Racers who performed exceptionally during Bike Week’s 2007 road race events. While Bike Week revelers, race fans, and Rocket Nation enthusiasts roll home, toward their varied destinations throughout North America, there are likely very few who feel as good leaving Daytona Beach as two select riders of the Rocket Racing Team. Steve Rapp, an Attack Kawasaki pilot and native to Manhattan Beach, Ca. rode his Kawasaki ZX-6R to victorious glory in the 60th running of the Daytona 200 by Honda. When the starter’s light went green, Rapp found himself locked in a vicious dogfight with Daytona legend and fellow Rocket Racer Miguel Duhamel. Jake Zemke and Emgo Suzuki’s Michael Barnes were also involved, doing the drafting dance, each hell-bent on breaking away from the pack to blaze a trail up front; alone. It was on lap 23 that Rapp finally broke free from his entangled pursuers. With the Attack Kawasaki crew executing lightning fast pit-stops, Rapp was able to increase his lead with every lap until the checkered flag triumphantly waved for him as he crossed the finish line after 200 grueling miles. This is a self proclaimed “dream come true” for Rapp and race fans around the globe are excited to see the genuinely admirable, hard charging veteran win the Daytona 200 for the first time in his illustrious career. Indulging in the spoils of victory at Daytona for the 2nd time in his career was Roger Lee Hayden after winning a bar banging battle with Kawasaki USA teammate and fellow Rocket Racer Jamie Hacking. Thrilling fans with their aggressive racing, Hayden and Hacking left the others in the dust while the two of them seemed to get faster and more daring with every lap. In the end, Roger Lee made it to the checkers first. This marks his 2nd consecutive SuperSport victory at Daytona International Speedway. Look for the Rocket Racing Team when they return to action at Barber Motorsports Park, April 20-22, 2007. More, from a press release issued by AGV: Top ’07 Daytona 200 Podium Daytona Beach FL – An AGV helmet coming across the finish line first in a major motorcycle road race? No big deal. Happens all the time. Except it’s usually the melone of Valentino Rossi under that helmet. This time, in a shocker, the wearer was 35-year-old veteran Steve Rapp, whose cool AGV TiTech Evolution-shod head was certainly a factor in his upset win at the 2007 Daytona 200. As his surprise victory became imminent, “I backed off so much on the last few laps,” reported Rapp after the race. His conservative approach at the end of the race paid off, as he piloted his No. 15 Attack Kawasaki ZX-6R to first place by almost 22 seconds over teammate Ben Attard. Winning a big one may be a rare treat for Rapp, but it’s been standard fare for the AGV camp for 60 years. From Agostini to Sheene to Roberts to Rossi, AGV continues to earn its legendary status as the lid of champions. “This year was a big change for me,” said Rapp, who just moved over to the Attack Performance Kawasaki team and also began wearing the AGV TiTech thanks to the late Marcel Fortney, who until his recent passing handled AGV’s U.S. marketing and was a strong Rapp supporter. “I’m glad to reward (my sponsors) with the first big win of the year,” continued Rapp after his huge upset at Daytona. “It’s unbelievable. This is the biggest day of my life!” More, from a press release issued by R-Tech: R-TECH FUELS ATTACK KAWASAKI’S STEVE RAPP TO DAYTONA 200 WIN Attack Kawasaki rider Steve Rapp took his R-Tech Racing Fuels powered ZX-6R to dominating victory in the Daytona 200. The Daytona 200 was the first race that matched Attack Kawasaki with R-Tech’s latest generation of racing fuels. “I can not get over how excited I am for Attack Racing and riders Steve Rapp and Ben Attard. I have always admired the work ethic and performance of Richard Stanboli and the Attack Racing crew. This is our first season to work with them and what a way to start,” said Gary Ricci owner of R-Tech Racing Fuels. “I’m delighted that the benefits the team realized in off season testing of the AMA legal Pro v.1 fuel assisted in the results of the Daytona 200.” This was a first time win on a number of fronts, the first 200 victory for a ZX-6R, the first time an R-Tech fueled bike won the Daytona 200, and it was Rapp’s first win with his new team. “The bike was fast, the tires were good, and the team pulled out some great pit stops,” said Rapp. “To win at Daytona, that’s what you need. It feels great to not only win, but to be able to reward your team for the time they invest in you. You need sponsors like R-Tech to get on the top step, they really came through for the team.” Rapp’s teammate Ben Attard finished a close second with an impressive performance, giving R-tech and Kawasaki their first ever one two finish in the Daytona 200. In a race where fuel consumption and dependability is at the core or any team’s race strategy Attack Performance owner and team manager Richard Stanboli added, “Our mileage was spot on and our bikes were fast! We were able to run the R-Tech fuel leaner and save mileage compared to the guys that used the other fuels. Furthermore, the fuel has been really easy on our engines and fuel pumps. This is what we needed to win an extended race like the Daytona 200.” To locate an R-Tech reseller near you head over to http://www.r- techracingfuel.com More, from a press release issued by Pro-Line/Team Embry: Pro-Line/Embry Team has excellent debut at Daytona Key Personnel in key positions helped the entire Pro-Line/Embry supported Team Cyclespace.com racing succeed at Daytona International Speedway last week. Exceptional finishes at all levels made for an exciting first round. Clint McBain finished 11th in AMA’s Superstock race aboard his 2007 GSX-R 1000 after starting 20th. In the 66th running of the Daytona 200 by Arai Keith Marshall finished 13th after starting 23rd! Skip Salenius finished 22nd after starting back in 52nd. Everyone who knows racing knows Daytona comes up quick. Pro-Line Race Prep’s Vinnie Devita worked for weeks straight prepping the team’s motorcycles; between working with sponsors, team transporter maintenance, and the motor building and bike preparation process it was a dauniting task. But the at track crew help from team technicians Jerry, Robbie, Yamin, and Bill along with riders Keith Marshall and Skip Salenius, the whole team chipped in and delivered stunning results. Qualifying proved difficult for all, especially Canadian Clint McBain as his new GSX-R 1000 came together with growing pains on the racetrack. The new machine blew out a counter shaft seal dumping the oil onto the rear wheel. Luckily Clint managed to get the bike safely off the course and was not hurt during this mishap. Vinnie Devita went to work quickly and managed to repair the motorcycle just in time for Clint’s Superstock Qualifying effort. In his first trip to Daytona and with limited track time Clint still put in a great run to qualify for the Superstock race. Keith Marshall showed quick practice lap times to put him qualifying with the AMA front runners, this was the first goal he had for the weekend, his second was to qualify toward the front of the pack, running his quickest lap times to day Marshall got it right and at the end of the timed session was sitting on the 6th row in 23rd for the Daytona 200! Team Crew Chief Vinnie Devita discussed the weekend: “We really had a short week here, by having to leave to equipment every night and with the late release of the 2007 GSX-R1000 it really put us behind; but we came out of Daytona on top. Strong finishes by each rider shows how the Pro-Line package really does work. The Cyclespace.com guys, Mike Embry, and ALL of our amazing product sponsors really have given me the help to run a great team here. I am just so thrilled with how this entire weekend played out” In the AMA Superstock race on Thursday Clint McBain got a great jump of the line and by the end of the first lap Clint managed to get by a few people quickly. He held his own throughout the 18 lap battle, smart decisions, quick lap times, and hard work put Clint towards the front finishing in 11th place in his first trip to the famed high banks of Daytona International Speedway. The Daytona 200 sponsored by Arai proved to be the best Daytona yet for 3rd year Pro Keith Marshall. With a promising qualifying position Marshall was determined to finish inside the top 20 for the prestigious 68 lap 2 & ½ hour race. Marshall got a good start off the line and stayed very consistent for the first 1/3 of the race, staying in a pack with Hooters Suzuki sponsored rider Crozier and the two Safety first Suzuki sponsored riders before pitting for fuel on lap 21. After the pit stop the laps clicked by, at lap 41 Marshall thought about his next pit stop: “Our strategy was to go about 20-21 laps per tank of fuel, when my gas light wasn’t on at lap 41 I got excited thinking if I could just stay out 4 or 5 more laps I could make it on only 2 fuel stops! Well right when I thought that the gas light came on, so I went two laps and it changed from flashing to steady, I went one more lap and pitted on lap 45. I knew that was exactly what I needed!” Indeed, Team Cyclespace.com had a flawless pit stop, completely filling the fuel tank and slamming in a new rear tire as Marshall took in some fluids, and was storming out of the pits quickly. Crew Chief Vinnie Devita was just beginning to prep for the next fuel stop when he learned that Marshall said he is not coming in for another fuel stop! What a change in plans, but Devita knew with the gas mileage they had just received they should be able to make it to the end. Marshall’s calculation was right and by lap 67 he had worked his way up to 14th. He saw a rider in front of him as he took the white flag lap and showed what it takes to be a winner as he moved in closely on the brakes. On his 67 lap Pirelli front tire he managed to close in and run his fastest infield segment 2 lap split of the entire race! As he put a pass on the rider in turn 4 and moved up to 13th overall. Followed with a great run the final time out of the chicane Marshall was able to hold onto 13th in a dramatic last lap pass. Marshall discusses his Daytona 200 experience: “What a race, what a team, what a crew! I am just so thrilled to put my Cyclespace.com Pro-Line/Embry sponsored bike this far up front in a race like this, I mean that last lap pass just shows the quality of the Pirelli tires!. I trained so hard in the off season for this, working with my trainer Charlie Morris; owner of Charlie Morris Fitness, I was never tired on the bike all day, which is just what I needed. We built the motor to last the weekend so we knew we would sacrifice on the banking, but the crew did such a good job prepping this bike, I cant say enough about the crew and crew chief Vinnie Devita, the pit stops could not have gone better for both Skip and myself. This is a great Team to be with, Clint makes the pits so enjoyable and I learn more every day having him around. Skip has such a love of the sport it helps remind me exactly why we are all here. We are making it more and more fun every day”¦ And the results are there, I know they will improve every weekend!” Skip Salenius had a difficult time in qualifying but that showed no problem for the Roswell, GA rider as he moved up 30 positions in the 68 lap race. Skip kept his focus and showed determination as he slowly worked his way through traffic, stayed out of trouble, had great pit-stops and steadily moved to 22nd place at the conclusion of the Daytona 200! Salenius commented on the race: “First of all, I want to thank my team. Vinnie from Pro-line and his helpers, the guys from cyclespace.com, Mike Embry and my close friend Joseph Buffa. None of this could’ve happened without their help. I have waited 20 years to do this race; on my checklist of things to accomplish in my life, this is right there at the top. I can finally check it off, to finish 22nd is just icing on the cake for me. It was big to me just to finish the race. The last time i sat on a bike was here at the R.O.C. in October, I left the track with 7 broken bones. I needed to beat that track(daytona) for myself. I just hope to build on my finish from this past weekend and carry that momentum throughout the rest of the season. I’m glad the season is underway. It’s time to play! Team Cyclespace.com Racing will be in Savannah, GA for Round 1 of the WERA National Challenge Series Friday March 16th through Sunday March 18th. More, from a press release issued by Harley-Davidson: HARLEY-DAVIDSON FUNDRAISING EFFORTS RAISED $150,000 FOR MDA DURING DAYTONA BIKE WEEK MILWAUKEE — Harley-Davidson’s fundraising efforts for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) raised more than $150,000 during 2007 Bike Week at Daytona Beach, Fla. Harley-Davidson employees, MDA organizers and event volunteers participated in various activities to raise dollars during the event March 3-10. Harley-Davidson sponsored activities for MDA at Bike Week included the “Bankers Auction” hosted by Harley-Davidson, Inc. Chief Executive Officer Jim Ziemer and Vice President and Treasurer Jim Brostowitz, the Willie G. Davidson pledge ride to Daytona, the Harley-Davidson Ride-in Show and MDA public auction held at the Daytona Beach Ocean Center. Harley-Davidson and MDA volunteers also sold event pins and raffle tickets for a 2007 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy® Motorcycle customized by Willie G. Davidson with special Daytona graphics. As an added feature the motorcycle was fully accessorized with Genuine Motor Accessories™ installed by Harley-Davidson technicians on the Daytona show floor. Jimmie Gore of Pleasantville, LA won this one of a kind motorcycle. Harley-Davidson has been a national sponsor of the Muscular Dystrophy Association since 1980 and the family of dealers, riders, suppliers and employees has raised more than $60 million for MDA. The funds raised support life-saving research, comprehensive medical care for children and adults with neuromuscular disease and MDA summer camps.