Kyle Rapport FMF Cup Round 3 Finals at 2010 Indianapolis XDL

Second in championship points and ready to race on home soil this coming weekend at Motorland Aragon, Round 13 of the 2010 MotoGP Championship, Dani Pedrosa spent Thursday entertaining hundreds of fans in Aragon.
On Thursday morning, the sixth floor of El Corte Inglés department store located in the center of Aragon capital Zaragoza was turned into a mock up of the Repsol Honda team box. Pedrosa was on hand, signing autographs next to his 2007 Honda RC212V just 24 hours before the practice sessions begin in Spain.
Dani Pedrosa says: "I'm really happy to be back in Zaragoza. It's a city where the fans always treat me really well. We were here with the Repsol people a couple of years ago for the 2008 Expo Zaragoza and, during our visit, they made us ambassadors of the city. Now we're back for the Aragón Grand Prix and today, I've been able to enjoy the hospitality of the Aragon people again."
"I think it was a great idea to meet them in my ‘office' so they were able to see close up the environment I work in during the Grand Prix weekends. I would have liked to stay with them longer, answering all their questions, but the weekend has already begun for us and we have a lot of work to do now at the circuit. I hope they all come this weekend to support us because it's an important extra help to us over the weekend."
While visiting Pedrosa in the team box, fans were able to experience what it is like being on the inside of a MotoGP team's competition box, where racers and teams do all their work at MotoGP events.
Repsol Honda says of the boxes, "like in an operating theatre, the cleanliness and order are fundamental inside the box as it is there where the teams handle the highest technology to get the fastest motorbikes on the planet out onto the track."
The Aragon Grand Prix is the third of four races in Spain, the most of any country on the 2010 MotoGP schedule. Pedrosa trails the championship leader, Fiat Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo, also of Spain, by 63 points.

Dan Jackson FMF Cup Round 2 at 2010 Indianapolis XDL

2011 Kawasaki ZX-10R
The next step in the evolution of the Kawasaki Racing Team's 2011 ZX-10R took place at high speed in Valencia this week, with impressive times being set by WSBK riders Tom Sykes and Katsuaki Fujiwara.
The Spanish track offered good conditions for the test, but high afternoon temperatures made it hard - if ultimately rewarding - work.
Despite the heat and busy schedule the new Ninja ZX-10R machinery ran faultlessly throughout. Fujiwara's test bike had only recently arrived from KHI in Japan, to give the team two machines to work with from now on.
On the second day lap times fell to the mid 1:34s on fresh race tires. Real world pace is already in the mid 1:35s after race simulations were carried out.
Effective new geometry and Showa suspension settings were found in what was only the second European test for the new bike, which is still very much at the start of its final development program.
The next test will be the first public one for the new Ninja ZX-10R, to be held at Magny-Cours, after the final race of the current World Superbike season.
Tom Sykes says: "A very positive test for us overall. It is very early days but I think we have already achieved quite a lot. Knowing where we are at now, and where we can eventually arrive at, there is still big potential there. So to be where we are now, in such good shape, is an extremely nice starting point."
Paul Risbridger (KRT Team Manager) says: "With the delivery of our second 2011 spec Ninja ZX-10R at Valencia we were able to plan a very full programme for the two days of testing. On the back of a great result in Nürburgring, our baseline runs with the 2010 racebike at Valencia showed immediately the progress we have made with the current Ninja but by the end of the first day we felt we had already made real progress on the new 2011 bike."
"The team tested several geometry options and worked on the general chassis balance on what was our 2010 nominated test circuit. By mid-morning on day two we had achieved our target 1:34 second lap. The speed and consistency of the all new Ninja ZX-10R has given the team a real buzz, and whilst we have a lot of work ahead of us during the winter we feel we are currently right on schedule in our preparations."

Aragon MotoGP:

Proceedings were different today at the Grand Prix of Aragon as the Friday morning practice session, scrapped at the end of the 2008 season, was reinstated temporarily as a trial ahead of a potential permanent return next season.
Riders not only sampled the Motorland Aragon circuit for the first time on their 800cc MotoGP machines, but they also got to run in both the dry in the morning and the wet in the afternoon session.
Spaniard Dani Pedrosa was fastest in the dry using the softer option front and harder rear slicks, favored for their greater durability in the dirty track conditions, ahead of Nicky Hayden and Jorge Lorenzo.
Hayden was the only rider in the top five to set his best lap on the softer option rear slick at the end of the session.
The afternoon's free practice session was wet for the duration, giving riders and teams a good opportunity to develop their wet setups after a distinct lack of wet running this season.
Casey Stoner finished the 45-minute session fastest, over 0.5seconds clear of Jorge Lorenzo with Nicky Hayden third.
In the morning the track was dirty because it hasn't been used a great deal recently and the surrounding area is very dusty, and whilst it cleaned throughout the morning sessions, the rain in the afternoon prevented the track conditions from improving further as the rain made the surface greasier still.
Tohru Ubukata (Manager, Bridgestone Motorcycle Tire Development Department) says: "In the morning we could evaluate our softer option slicks, but the track was very dirty and that led to slight graining especially of the rear tires."
"When a track is dirty this is to be expected though, and as it cleaned throughout the session wear appearance was getting better. It didn't completely clean in the 45 minutes, and with the rain not helping in the afternoon the track will still have to be cleaned more tomorrow. The harder option rear slicks worked well even in the morning's cooler conditions which I am pleased about."
"This afternoon's session was wet throughout and our wet tires performed consistently, even in the dirty conditions,so I am happy with their performance. Overall, after the first two sessions I can say that all our tire specs seem to be well suited to this circuit."

Indy XDL Freestyle: 'Duke' iReport

Motorcycle Freestyle
In this iReport, Luke "Duke" Emmons gives you the inside scoop from the fifth and final round of the XDL Sportbike Freestyle Championship in Indianapolis, Indiana.
For the past two years it has poured at XDL in Indianapolis. On top of that I have always had bad luck at that venue.
The first year I couldn't hook up a stoppie to save my life due to the slick surface, and didn't even qualify after coming from a win at the previous XDL. Last year I qualified third in the rain, hit a k-rail and finished seventh.
I usually don't learn from my mistakes, but if you want to be a top pro then you have to. The two days before I left for Indy it poured in CT and I rode for three hours each day just completely miserable and shaking my fist at the sky.
This put all of my personal Shift protective gear, and my Racing 905 bike protective gear to the real test. Both passed with flying colors. I also sectioned off the size of the venue at my spot and dialed in to a smaller area.
It was a nice and (relatively) short ride to Indy being 900 miles from door to pavement. My first practice session felt horrible, my bike seemed totally different so I checked my tire pressure. Due to environmental influences my tire had increased almost 10 PSI!
After that I felt good enough to lay down a second-place qualifying run in front of Bill D and behind Nick Apex. The next day I couldn't believe that there was sunshine.
I won round one with my qualifying run; round two I finished second. Nick and I were tied with both of us having a high score of 74.5. I decided to go for broke in round three and started out with a 50/50 180 wall park stoppie that I had won the sickest trick event with and bobbled. That one bobble was enough to put me in second on the day.
I may have won if I had used the run I did well with in round one, but I guess you can never regret going for it!
I won the battle against Bill in this round but he won the war being the 2010 XDL champ.
Fellow Shift rider Dena Sodano won the women's cup as well as the series. Ernie Vigil took the circle challenge. Shift rider Brian Bubash won the burnout competition by blowing his tire off.
Team road hazards won the Team event with a sick 4 up circle wheelie that had everyone in tears from hysterical laughter. Finally Eric Petit was the proud new owner of a new Aprilia SXV 450 for winning the all star challenge.
This wraps up the 2010 XDL Championship. I finished third in the series and am pleased with my first series podium. I am going to keep working hard to be number one and believe that it is within reach.
Only problem is there are 20 other very capable riders vying for the same goal. Thanks to everyone for getting me this far!
, Racing 905, Dave's Cycle works, Hindle Exhaust, Sparx Helmets, HEL brake lines, Gabriel Racing, Port of Worcester Tattoos, HT Moto, Amsoil, Shinko Tires, Thrust Co, Bike Styles, Stuntride.com, and Hohey Designs - thank you all.

Yoshimura: Dungey MX Pala Report

AMA Motocross Results
Yoshimura R&D of America finished off an impressive 2010 AMA Pro Motocross series on Saturday at Pala Raceway in Pala, Calif., with two convincing victories.
Ryan Dungey capped off his astounding rookie year with 1-1 moto wins, earning his 10th overall victory of the season and putting him in the record books as the most successful rookie ever in motocross.
Dungey secured the 2010 AMA Pro Motocross Championship at Round 10 of the series, giving him his second championship of the year after earning the 2010 AMA Supercross title in May.
Another phenomenal Yoshimura racer, Ashley Fiolek raced with amazing heart and speed at Pala and ended her year in the WMX with a first-place finish for the day and second overall in the championship run.
Round 12 at Pala Raceway marked the first time the series has visited the track, and with its pleasant weather and proximity to the hub of the motocross industry in Southern California the track was packed with fans of racing.
The wait to get into the race was worth it as the 450 moto kicked off with Andrew Short taking yet another holeshot with his Yoshimura-powered Honda CRF450. Short took the initial lead, but Dungey wasn't far behind. Though Short tried to keep Dungey at bay, by the third lap Dungey and his RM-Z450 that's fully loaded with unstoppable Yoshimura power took over the lead.
From there, Dungey methodically put time between him and the rest of the racers and checked out. Short meanwhile tried to keep a firm grip on second, but ended up battling with another racer for the spot.
Short wanted to finish well so he could earn enough points to take second overall in the championship, and though he made a great effort, he crossed the finish line in third. His teammate Kevin Windham jumped across the finish line in seventh place after a long battle with the rough track and fierce competitors for the entire 30-minute moto.
The second moto of the 450 class was just as thrilling as the first. Short again made full use of his Yoshimura power and grabbed the holeshot. Andrew had a lot of racers bearing down on his rear tire, but he kept his mind clear and raced well.
Dungey didn't have as good of a start as he would've liked, and ended up coming through the first turn in about eighth position. Despite the fact that Dungey already had the championship sewn up, he never backs down from a challenge.
He set his sights on getting himself to the front of the pack. Dungey picked great lines on the rough track and used the Yoshimura power of his Suzuki to propel him past the racers ahead of him. Dungey eventually passed Short and took the lead by the midway point in the race and never backed down.
Dungey scored another moto win for a perfect way to end his incredible season. Short finished right behind Dungey for second, giving him second overall for the day and third in the championship for 2010. Kevin Windham had another solid moto and he placed eighth, putting him in seventh overall at Pala.
Though Windham was filling in for the injured Davi Millsaps, he definitely left his mark on the series winning Round 11 and giving him his first motocross victory since 2007. Windham finished 14th in the series, impressive seeing that he only raced six of the 12 races on the circuit.
In the WMX series, reigning champ Ashley Fiolek had a big mountain to climb with her Yoshimura-equipped Honda CRF250. She went into Pala second in points and 22 points back from the leader in the series. Fiolek showed her fans and the other racers in the class that though she probably wouldn't be able to keep the No. 1 plate on her bike, she wasn't going to just coast through the race.
In moto 1, Fiolek set her sights on winning. She picked great lines but was unable to get herself in the front of the pack when the checkered flag waved. She finished second in the moto, but knew she had one last chance to prove that she is a true champion.
Ashley didn't let anything hold her back in the second race of the day, and even though the track was really rough from the entire day of racing, she kept the power flowing and he bike gliding over the bumps and jumps. She was victorious and took the overall for the day, and she finished second overall in the championship points chase.

Ducati North America:

Ducati Sales
As other motorcycle manufacturers continue to show positive sale numbers for the month of August, Ducati North America reported an impressive 24-percent increase in sales last month.
Ducati says these numbers display "a significant growth in a declining market for the second month in a row."
The Italian manufacturer credits their North American sales increase due to the new Monster 797 and the Multistrada 1200 S, which continues to be one of the industry's best sellers, and the arrival of the 848EVO Superbike.
Ducati says this lineup confirms that the motorcycling market wants "innovative, quality performance models."
Jason Chinnock (Sales and Marketing Director for Ducati North America) says: "We are pleased with the hard work put forth by our dealer network, which allowed us to achieve these positive results. With the launch of the Fall Oppor2unity Sales Promotion and the renewed support of our dealer partners we are cautiously optimistic for the remainder of the season."
This month, many of the pre-ordered 848 EVO Superbikes will arrival in North America, and Ducati will continue delivering the Monster 796 ABS and Multistrada 1200 S, which will ensure "strong sales for Ducati as the fall season kicks off."

Kawasaki & Chad Reed Separate

AMA Motocross / AMA Supercross News
The year 2010 was simply not a positive year for Chad Reed on a motorcycle, although his personal life was blessed with the birth of his son Tate. The Australian was injured in the AMA Supercross season, and suffered from a virus in the AMA Motocross series.
And on Saturday, it was reported that Monster Energy Kawasaki and Reed have "mutally agreed to end their relationship." This news came a week after it was reported that Thor MX and Reed were parting after a nine-year relationship.
Kawasaki says: "Monster Energy Kawasaki would like to thank Chad Reed for being a part of our team for the 2010 AMA Monster Energy Supercross, an FIM Championship and the Lucas Oil AMA Motocross Series."
"Reed was a valuable member of our program scoring one win and multiple podium finishes aboard his Monster Energy Kawasaki KX450F. We wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors."
The 28-year-old Australian pulled out of Supercross after breaking his hand during a crash at round 2 in Phoenix with his rival, San Manuel Yamaha rider James Stewart. He would return at Round 13, and finish fourth.
Reed came back to defend his AMA Motocross title and began the season on a positive note, taking the overall win in Round 1 a Hangtown with a 1-3 moto finish. But his season would descend, and he would eventually pull out due to suffering from the Epstein Barr Virus.
Regardless of 2010, Reed remains one of the most competitve riders in the dirt. So now the question is where will Chad Reed be in 2011?
With his former Suzuki boss Roger DeCoster signed to the US KTM team next year, this seems like the most viable move for the two-time Supercross Champion; expect an announcement of Reed's 2011 plans soon.