Cupertino, Calif (29 June, 2009) - Back for its thirteenth consecutive year, Ducati Island continues its tradition of being the premier race destination at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

Carmelo Ezpeleta's world came crashing down during the off-season. During the winter, Kawasaki announced they were abandoning the MotoGP grid for cost reasons.inline_mediumwraptextrightMotoGP rightsholders Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta was forced to make an emergency trip to Japan after Kawasaki announced that it was pulling out of MotoGP due to cost reasons. He just managed to broker a deal that saw Kawasaki return to the grid, albeit in a much-reduced role.18444943/features/146_0906_motogp_series_in_crisis146_0906_05+motogp_in_crisis+carmelo_ezpeleta.jpgTrue

(Lake Forest, CA June 22, 2009) Proving you can't have too much of a good thing, the engineers at Scorpion Sports have revamped the original Venom version of their race-spec glove to create the all-new Klaw. In keeping with Scorpion's goal of providing ExoSkeletal protection, upgraded goatskin leather is combined with "PowerStretch" panels across the knuckles and a protective plate over the back of the hand. The result is an expanded range of flexibility and a perfect fit, without sacrificing protection.

There’s no question the face of American road racing changed dramatically when the Daytona Motorsports Group took over leadership of the AMA. In the beginning there was a whirlwind of ideas for classes and directions for the “new” AMA to take. In the end, after endless battles with manufacturers, four classes—American Superbike, Daytona Sportbike, Supersport, and MotoGT—have become the playing fields for this country’s fastest racers.inline_mediumwraptextrightHere you can see just how much space the front fairing of the 1125R takes up--but it works great in a tuck.18810064/bikes/2010/146_2009_Buell_Daytona_Sportbike_1125RBuell 1125R DSB.JPG.jpgTrue

When Suzuki announced that they were going to commence production of the sensational B-King concept bike that was displayed at the 2001 Tokyo Motor Show, the public was anticipating the first forced-induction production motorcycle (the concept B-King featured a supercharger) since the turbo bikes of the late 80s. In 2008 when the concept finally became a reality, the market was handed a naked bike based on the Hayabusa engine, but the boost was gone. Instead, we got a naturally-aspirated 160-horsepower streetbike with styling that was not exactly eye candy.inline_mediumwraptextright16588433/bikes/146_0906_velocity_racing_suzuki_b_king146_0906_01+suzuki_b_king+right_view.jpgTrue

More than three months after my accident (Wheelspin, March '09), I've finally left the hospital and am now at a transitional living facility. Here the focus is on rehabilitation and learning how to cope with my disability on an everyday basis. The expected stay is two to three months, so I've still got some work to do, but this is the last stage of my journey. Overall, it's going well so far. One of the setbacks I had in the hospital was a nasty bed sore, which required surgery and a three-week stay flat on my back in a special sand-filled bed. That gave me lots of time to think about my situation and how I ended up here. It was either that or count the holes in the ceiling tiles (I only got as far as 100-and-some-odd before I gave up on that).inline_mediumwraptextrightTaking a break on one of my last rides. Street riding can be fun, safe and just as satisfying as riding at the track if you learn the specific skills necessary and ride to the best of your abilities to reduce the risks involved.18445975/features/146_0906_dangers_of_street_riding_safety_first146_0906_02+street_riding+checking_bikes.jpgTrue

Odd as it sounds, sometimes the most beneficial riding practice takes place between your ears with your eyes shut and the ignition switch turned off. Mental visualization is used in many sports, and I actually picked it up from a coach while shooting small-bore rifle competition in college. The benefits were immediate and obvious, so I quickly applied it to my roadracing as well.

In Ama Pro Racing, World Superbike And MotoGP there's been a shift in riding styles. From the days of '80s and '90s heroes like Kevin Schwantz and Mick Doohan who were forced to wrestle powerful, unruly beasts to their will, a younger generation of riders typified by Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner took over, rising from the high-corner speed ranks of 125cc and 250cc Grand Prix machinery to the more refined, better-behaved MotoGP bikes of today with their complex engine-management software and traction control. Actually Rossi's career dates from the final days of fire-breathing 500cc two-strokes (he won the last 500CC World Championship in 2001, then piled up consecutive MotoGP championships from 2002 to 2005), which likely contributes to making him the most versatile and perhaps most talented roadracer of all time.