The first ever Riders for Health Day at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca proved to be a massive success, raising $35,000 (£17,000) for the charity. People that bought tickets to this special event received full VIP treatment at the circuit, an exclusive tour of the paddock, including a look round the MotoGP pit-boxes, and lunch with racing legends Randy Mamola and Wayne Rainey. There was also a motorcycle tour of the back-roads of the beautiful Monterey County, all culminating in 3 laps of the famous Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca track and a photo opportunity at the top of the famous Corkscrew. The finale of the day was an auction of MotoGP memorabilia. Entry to the auction was free and attracted people from the campsites who wanted to get their hands on some pieces of MotoGP history. They also got to experience the excitement of a Riders for Health MotoGP auction. Fans at the auction got the chance to see some of the MotoGP riders, as American stars John Hopkins, Colin Edwards, Kurtis Roberts and Kenny Roberts Jnr, joined Carlos Checa and Sylvian Guintoli, at the auction. Fans couldn’t wait to get their hands on some of the great items on sale and the auction raised a fantastic $20,000 (£10,000). The great items that were available included: * Signed Valentino Rossi Paddock Jacket * Signed Carlos Checa Helmet * Hospitality tickets for the 2007 USGP including paddock passes The money raised will support the official charity of MotoGP, Riders for Health. Riders is an international organisation that provides healthcare workers in Africa with access to reliable motorcycles and the means to maintain those bikes so they can reach even remote villages with the kind of regular, reliable health care that most of the world takes for granted. Co-founder and joint chief executive of Riders, Andrea Coleman said: “This is the first time we have organized something like this is the USA, and we are thrilled it was such a success. We are so pleased that Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca have given us the opportunity to let American race fans get close to the stars of MotoGP. “Thanks to the support of everyone that came along we will be able to reach even more of the world’s most isolated and vulnerable people in the Gambia, Zimbabwe, Nigeria and Kenya, and we can build on the 10.8million people that we are already reaching.” Riders co-founder and former GP rider Randy Mamola said: “It’s always great to be able to raise money for Riders, and having the chance to do an event here in the US has been extra special. Motorcycling has taken me all over the world, but it’s been great to be able to come back home and raise the money which will help us so much in our work. Thanks to the support of everyone who came today we can make sure that the thing that has given me so much, the motorcycle, can carry on saving lives in Africa.”