There she was, the first African stage. And she was quite cruel. One of the
young Spanish matadors had to already give up today. Jordi Duran’s dream of
arriving in Dakar suddenly vanished in the Moroccan sand. Going high speed,
Jordi happened to fall really hard off his bike just before CP 1. He broke
his thigh and additionally has an open fracture in his forearm. Because of
this, he was flown to a hospital in Agadir right away.
It is a sad moment for Jordi who had planned so much more. Also a great
shock for his teammates Marc Coma, Isidre Esteve and Gio Sala. “It was a
typical Moroccan stage”, said Marc Coma later in the bivouac. “Stones
everywhere. If you don’t pay attention for one single moment, then this is
it. I know exactly how Jordi must feel now. Last year I dropped out after
falling badly as well. Not only am I really sorry for Jordi because he is my
friend but also because he is a great teammate. He has always livened things
up and always smiled. It is such a pity.”

Coma himself did great on the rocky track. He came in second in today’s
ranking. Only 3 seconds faster than him was the Australian Andy Caldecott.
Caldecott had been on a few top places in the previous year already. But
today he was quite surprised of his success. “Actually, I drove very
carefully due to the sharp stones. Additionally, there was an instruction in
the road book every couple of meters, therefore one needed to be very
concentrated. That’s why I really didn’t expect this result.” Andy Caldecott
had to give up the race after falling down and breaking his ankle a year ago
in Atar. This year he definitely wants to reach Dakar. “That’s my first
priority. And if everything goes well, I would like to be under the top 5.”

Alfie Cox was just as satisfied with his race as Andy Caldecott today.
Coming in almost six minutes behind Caldecott he ranks 4th place. But:
Everything still went well. My shoulder doesn’t hurt anymore which was most
important on this first real stage. I also had to slow down 40 km before the
finish line. The mousse in the back wheel was damaged.”

Scott Harden was fighting against the material- consuming- course, too. 160
km before the finish he had a stone flying into his back break disc. Thus,
he couldn’t use the break anymore. “That obviously was a huge drawback”, as
claimed by the American team manager. “I wasn’t able to risk anything
anymore and I lost almost half an hour.”

Although he came in third, Cyril Despres walked through the bivouac really
unsatisfied. His two trip masters played a trick on him and indicated
different data which didn’t quite facilitate the orientation on this rather
fast track. And then he felt he was put at a disadvantage by the organizers.
Claudia Patuzzi, team manager, explains: “Cyril claims to have been at the
CP 2 one minute before Marc Coma and to have gotten gas just as everyone
else. But the commissioners supposedly put him back on track together with
Marc. We will now check this on the basis of the course records.”

Nevertheless, due to his fast speed Marc Coma took over the lead in the
overall standing today. On the following places are Andy Caldecott (+ 0´43)
and Cyril Despres (+2´45).

Tomorrow there will be a very difficult and also long course of 492 km
waiting for the drivers. Zouerat, Mauritania, is the destination. Whoever
loves dunes and knows how to navigate quite well will love that challenge.
The others could be loosing a lot of time within the dunes…
…

Fans of MTV, custom cars and motocross will all have something to be excited about when they visit Moto XXX in the supercross and motocross pits in 2005. West Coast Customs (WCC)—the shop behind MTV’s “Pimp My Ride”—has signed on as a sponsor of the Honda-backed privateer team and will make a very visual impact. The Los Angeles-based outfit will apply their skills and artistic vision to a very large palate—the Moto XXX team transporter.

Initially, West Coast Customs will handle the semi’s exterior, wrapping it with graphics that reflect the cutting edge style that they and Moto XXX have in common. As the season progresses, modifications will continue. WCC has a new line of semi wheels being developed by Giovanna. They will be available toward the middle of the year and installed on the team hauler at that time. WCC’s signature line of audio equipment will be gracing the rig’s interior.

According the Mike Megdal, President of Marketing and Public Relations at West Coast Customs, getting involved with the motocross community was an easy decision to make. “People who race or go to the races will really enjoy what we do at West Coast Customs”, he says. “This is a great opportunity to cross promote. The motocross community will appreciate the work that we do in the shop and on “Pimp My Ride”. Similarly, our clientele and TV audience is made up of people who will love motocross once they’re exposed to it.”

The Moto XXX transporter is sure to be a big draw in the race pits this year, but WCC is upping the ante just to make sure that everyone comes by for a look. A genuine West Coast Custom car or truck will be parked alongside the semi at the Anaheim, San Diego, Phoenix, San Francisco and Las Vegas rounds of the THQ World Supercross series. Additional cities may be added to the schedule at a later time.

Any media members interested in touring the new rig at one of the upcoming races are welcome to contact Eddie Graveline by phone (559-259-0851), email (eddie@motoxxx.com) or in the pits on Fridays or Saturdays.

The success of Moto XXX would not be possible without the help of American Honda, Akrapovic, O’neal, Honda Genuine Parts, Sidi, Tag Metals, West Coast Customs, Polisport Plastic, Pro Honda Oils & Chemicals, Pro-X, Utopia Optics, N-Style, Lucky 13, Ready Filter, VP Fuels, Braking, Motion Pro, Hinson, Metaltek, Ogio, Dunlop, Fat Wreck Chords, RK Chain, Excel Wheels, Vortex, ARC, Ti Lube, Carbon Fiber Works, SDG Seats, Engine Ice, PPG, Asterisk, Lockhart Phillips, and V-Force.

AMA Pro Racing and Clear Channel Motorsports have announced that Friday practice for this weekend’s opening round of the THQ AMA Supercross Series in Anaheim has been cancelled due to inclement weather.

Steady rains have prevented crews from being able to load-in the dirt at Angel Stadium resulting in a delay in track construction.

While Saturday’s schedule, including practice and qualifying heats, is expected to run as planned, severe weather could impact the event schedule further.  Additional information will be issued if necessary.

About AMA Pro Racing

AMA Pro Racing is the leading sanctioning body for motorcycle sport in the United States. Its properties include the THQ AMA Supercross Series, the AMA Motocross Championship, the AMA Superbike Championship, the AMA Flat Track Championship and the AMA Supermoto Championship. For more information about AMA Pro Racing, visit www.amaproracing.com. Accredited media outlets can also access AMA Pro Racing’s online Press Room at www.amaproracing.com/pressroom.

CARMICHAEL AND MCGRATH TO RETURN AND STEWART TO DEBUT

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (Jan. 3, 2005) — Yamaha‚Äôs Chad Reed, the 2004 THQ AMA Supercross Champion, opens his title defense in the 2005 series opener at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif., on Saturday, Jan. 8. This year‚Äôs series, which concludes with round 16 in Las Vegas on May 7, is easily the most highly anticipated season in the history of AMA Supercross.

Reed’s title defense is just the beginning of the story of Anaheim I, which is the first of three rounds in 2005 at Angel Stadium. What makes Anaheim I so intriguing is the confluence of superstars of the sport finally coming together and meeting head to head for the first time. Chad Reed vs. Ricky Carmichael vs. James Stewart vs. Jeremy McGrath vs. Travis Pastrana vs. Kevin Windham vs. Mike LaRocco and so on.

“It’s one of those rare moments in racing where all the top riders will come together,” said Reed, who will be trying to win the Anaheim opener for the third straight year. “If I weren’t racing myself I would definitely be in the crowd watching. I’m honored to be mentioned as one of the top riders in this group.”

Stewart’s debut in the main 250 class is what many fans are looking forward to seeing. Kawasaki’s racing phenom broke nearly every conceivable record in the 125 class and he has goals to do the same someday in the 250s. In spite of the fact that many past AMA Supercross greats, including Ricky Carmichael, never even finished on the podium in his first season of AMA Supercross, the pressure and the hype surrounding the 19-year-old Stewart as he approaches his debut is tremendous.

“It’s funny because when most riders come into the 250 class it’s cool even if they make the main and just have a decent race,” Stewart said. “Now everyone is expecting me to either win or crash my brains out. I’ve never said anything about where I expect to finish. I’m not hyping myself. I’m just excited to be racing in the top class against the best riders. By listening to people you’d think my entire career depends on how I do at Anaheim I, but I’d be pumped if I have a good race and finish on the podium. It would still be better than almost anyone has ever done in their first race.”

Carmichael is returning to AMA Supercross competition after the three-time series champ sat out last season recovering from knee surgery. The one stat that stands out with Carmichael is that the 25-year-old Floridian has never lost a title defense in his eight-year pro career. He’s anxious to win back the title he vacated after 2003. If he does so he would bring Suzuki its first AMA 250 Supercross Series championship since Hall of Famer Mark Barnett scored the title on a yellow bike in 1981.

“This is a very exciting time for me,” said Carmichael, who was recently named the AMA SPEED Channel Athlete of the Year for a record tying third time. “I’m looking forward to working with my new team and going for a fourth supercross championship.”

If the opportunity to watch the Big Three of Carmichael, Reed and Stewart race together for the first time is not enough, there’s also the return of Jeremy McGrath to consider. The former King of Supercross is coming back in a limited return two years after he announced his retirement at the Anaheim opener. It’s fitting that Anaheim marks the race where McGrath makes his comeback. He considers the Big A his home track and it is the place in 1993 where he won the first of his record 72-career victories and began his unmatched run of seven AMA Supercross Series championships. McGrath will also be reunited with Honda, the team he rode for during the prime of his career in the 1990s.

“I’m realistic about this,” McGrath said of his return. “I’m not calling it a comeback. It’s just that I want to race and want to have fun. It’s never going to be like it was. I just want to have a good time with it and not put too much pressure on myself and enjoy it this time around. I am in a really unique position. Not many guys can call their own shots and just race half the season like I’m doing.”

Among others who could emerge from the shadows of the big stars and score a surprise victory at Anaheim include riders such as Honda’s Kevin Windham and Mike LaRocco. Windham is considered one of the most naturally gifted riders in the history of the sport and finished runner-up to Reed in the series last year. LaRocco was the third ranked rider in 2004. The Hoosier native, who turns 34 in February, is hoping to extend his career a few years by racing only AMA Supercross full time. He competed in only a single AMA Motocross event last summer so he should be fresh for the AMA Supercross season.

Travis Pastrana, the oft-injured X-Games hero, is planning on returning to AMA Supercross competition at Anaheim. The Suzuki rider does not expect to be fully fit for the race however as he is just coming off a wrist injury. Nick Wey and David Vuillemin are two other riders expected to be among the front-runners in the opener.

Anaheim I will receive next-day coverage on ESPN2 starting with the AMA 125 West Supercross race at noon and the main 250 race at 1:00 pm Eastern.

A Media Day is scheduled on Thursday, Jan. 6, from Noon to 2 pm. All teams are scheduled to appear at this press conference. Local, national and industry media are invited to take photographs and interview riders in action.

Doors open to the public Saturday at Angel Stadium at 12:30 pm and the main event starts at 7:00 pm. A Pit Party is planned so the public can meet the racers from 12:30 to 5:30. Tickets are available at the Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, all participating Yamaha Dealers or charge by phone at 213-480-3232 or 714-740-2000.

About AMA Pro Racing

AMA Pro Racing is the leading sanctioning body for motorcycle sport in the United States. Its properties include the THQ AMA Supercross Series, the AMA Motocross Championship, the AMA Superbike Championship, the AMA Flat Track Championship and the AMA Supermoto Championship. For more information about AMA Pro Racing, visit www.amaproracing.com. Accredited media outlets can also access AMA Pro Racing’s online Press Room at www.amaproracing.com/pressroom.

France’s David Fr?©tign?© (Yamaha WR450F - Yamaha MF Gauloises Ipone) put in a strong performance in the seventh stage, winning the longest special of the 2005 Dakar between Zou?©rat and Tichit. Fr?©tign?©’s third win, after Barcelona and Grenada, sees him moving to sixth overall. The gap between him and Marc Coma, the new leader in provisional standings is now 8′09.

190 bikes left in Zou?©rat for 669 km, and no less than 660 km of special in the first ‘marathon’ stage of the Dakar. Because of the extremely poor
visibility conditions, keeping nine helicopters grounded, the organization decided to cut down on the length of the stage. Some learn quicker than others and this goes certainly for the 33-year-old Fr?©tign?© in what is only his second Dakar participation. Until now David was mostly known for his dominance in the short super-specials, but in the longest special of the 2005 Dakar he confirmed his stunt from last year in Ayoun-el-Atrous.
Fr?©tign?© rode a smart and calculated race, leaving the lead in the first half of the race to newcomer Kellon Walch. However the young American could not keep this elevated rhythm during the second half finishing 20 minutes behind Fr?©tign?©. The last 263kms, being extremely technical, took even the best riders more than 4 hours. The soft sand of Mauritania was an ideal playground for David Fr?©tign?© finishing with a 3′31 advantage on Coma and 5′22 on Despres.

The Spaniard Coma takes the leadership in the overall with only sixteen seconds on Despres. Halfway through the Dakar rally, the bike event is a
real thriller with the first six riders (Coma, Despres, Caldecott, Cox, Meoni and Fr?©tign?©) all very close.

“Today was really crazy”, said Fr?©tign?© after a 600 exhausting kilometers, “to end the day winning was something I did not even dare to dream. “The stage was long and physically demanding. Until 400 km we were close together with seven riders. We did 300 km together, and when I stopped for fuel I saw that Meoni and Depres were still there. I quickly calculated how long I had started after them and I then realized that I had not lost a lot of time on them. I immediately started attacking after that on a camel track of 100 kilometers. I did the last 50 kilometers out of breath just pushing myself to finish. I gave it everything I had and in the end I took more than 4 minutes on Coma. This was the longest stage of the rally and I’m very happy that I won it. My bike behaved perfectly and I did and extensive check of all the parts in the bivouac but everything is fine.”

Because of the extreme sandstorm in the seventh stage (Zouerat-Tichit), and many participants arriving in the bivouac extremely late, the organizers decided to cancel the specials of the Tichit-Tidjikja stage. On Friday morning 10 o’ clock only 96 bikes, 59 cars and 27 trucks left for Tichit.

The 11th day of the Dakar rally was one of deep sadness after the tragic death of Fabrizio Meoni. Meoni died after a crash at km 184.85 of the stage between Atar and Kiffa. At 10.15 David Fr?©tign?© (Yamaha WR450F - Yamaha MF Gauloises Ipone) was the first at the place of the crash, and immediately activated his emergency beacon. A helicopter arrived at 10.36 and doctors and the doctors treated the champion for 45 minutes. However, the two-time Dakar winner, aged 47, died of his injuries at 11.11. The Dakar rally has been deeply affected by the death of Fabrizio Meoni.

Riders have expressed the wish not to compete on stage 12 between Kiffa and Bamako, and the rally organization has therefore decided, in accordance with the riders, to cancel the special and to take by airplane the competitors and their bikes to Bamako. Coma won yesterday’s stage before Despres en Esteve. Fr?©tign?© came home 11th. Dutch privateer Bas Verhoeven (Yamaha WR450F) rode to an excellent seventh. Courageous Belgian Jeroen Ramon still leads the production 1 class on his trusty WR250F. Provisional standings remain unchanged at the top with Depres leading, Coma is second at 14′50, Esteve is third and Fr?©tign?© is fifth.

David Fr?©tign?© was understandably unavailable for comments after the race, but Jean-Claude Olivier, managing director of Yamaha Motor France and himself a former Dakar rider said: ‘At the same time I’m lost for words and shocked, but this is unfortunately the hard reality of racing. Of course my condolences go to the family and friends of Fabrizio. Meoni was a great champion, a charismatic and talented rider who will keep a special place for all who love the Dakar.”