Latest News Articles from ACU.org.uk

Silverstone announces top class support race package for 2010 AirAsia British Grand Prix

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MOTOGP, the world’s premier motorcycle race series, returns to Silverstone on 18-20 June and the Northamptonshire Circuit has announced details of a top class support race package for the 2010 AirAsia British Grand Prix.

In addition to the three FIM World Championships - namely MotoGP, new Moto2 and 125cc classes - the AirAsia British Grand Prix weekend will feature two rounds of the ultra competitive Metzeler National Superstock 1000 Championship and a round of the 250GP ACU National Championship.

This year’s National Superstock Championship is gearing up to be one of the most hotly contested in history, boasting eight manufacturers – BMW, Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Ducati, Aprilia and KTM – and multiple British Championship winning riders, including Steve Plater, Glen Richards, John McGuinness, Karl Harris and Scott Smart. By virtue of the Championship’s position on the race programme, the 1000cc Superstock bikes will also be the first ever to compete on Silverstone’s new Grand Prix circuit.

The British Grand Prix programme will be completed by a round of the 250GP ACU National Championship, with a full grid of 250cc 2-strokes, celebrating the class which, in 2009, saw its final year as a World Championship category.

Richard Phillips, Managing Director of Silverstone Circuits Limited, commented, “In terms of quality on-track content, Silverstone is delivering the very best race package for fans. Everyone’s looking forward to seeing the likes of Rossi, Stoner and Lorenzo go head to head around the super-fast, technically challenging circuit here at Silverstone. In addition to MotoGP, the World Moto2 Championship will be making its UK debut, with Scott Redding flying the flag for the Brits, and there’s a great chance of British success in the World 125 GP, with Bradley Smith and Danny Webb leading the charge.

“Add to this, two rounds of the National Superstock 1000 Championship, featuring the cream of British Championship racing stars, and the 250GP ACU National Championship race, ensuring the distinctive sounds and smells of 250cc 2-strokes ring around Silverstone, and we have a fantastic offering for the fans.”
Tickets for the AirAsia British Grand Prix are on sale 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For further information, up-to-date availability and to purchase tickets visit www.silverstone.co.uk, or call 0844 3750 500.

For information on official hospitality packages, call 0844 3728 230.

Silverstone track works nearing completion

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WORK on the new Grand Prix Circuit at Silverstone is nearing completion as the Northamptonshire venue’s multi-million pound investment in a new track layout and improved spectator facilities remains on schedule to be finished by the end of March.

The new circuit will host a number of world class events in 2010, including the blue-riband MotoGP and World Superbike motorcycle races on 18-20 June and 31 July - 01 August respectively. The first major international event to test out the new circuit will be the Silverstone Supercar featuring the FIA GT1 World Championship, on 01-02 May.

Richard Phillips, Managing Director of Silverstone Circuits Limited, said, “Work on the circuit and venue is on schedule. The team has been working around the clock, through some pretty terrible weather conditions, to make sure the circuit is ready on time. The track works at Brooklands and Woodcote are now complete, including the new run-off area for the fast entry into Pits Straight, while the major new development – the new section of circuit from Abbey, up to the Arena Complex and round to the National Straight – is also coming along nicely.

“There is still a considerable amount of work going on at Silverstone, including the new elevated banks and spectator viewing areas, which will continue beyond March. Conference and hospitality buildings are also being built on the new Stowe Complex.”

Click on the following link to access the latest images, highlighting work that has been carried out at Silverstone (to date): http://www.flickr.com/photos/48246033@N08/sets/72157623578111068/detail.

ACU Business Development Manager Dave Luscombe said: “It is great to see Silverstone coming on so quickly and everything is on schedule for the MotoGP round in June. It is nice to be sharing the same venue as the British Formula One round and the facilities I am sure will be second to none for the bikes. Well done to Silverstone for listening to the bike racers and making the changes requested to turn it into one of the best motorcycle tracks in the world.”

Three Counties Funduro March 21st

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The Three Counties MX Off Road club will start the season at the Arncott venue near Bicester Oxfordshire OX25 1NZ on March 21st.

The event a Hare & Hounds will be over three hours duration and starts at 10.30am..

The event will be a good ride out for motocross and enduro riders and will also include sidecars and Quads if anybody is interested all entry fees will be £35

The contact to book in is Mrs D Deaney 50 Oxford Road, Stone Aylebury, Bucks HP17 8PB. 01296 748613 Mobile 07802 660871

250GP ACU National Championship & NG Cup preview

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This year the 250 National Championship will be held over 14 rounds, not to mention round 9 featuring as a support race for the Moto GP at Silverstone on 20th June. Despite the stresses of the global economy, and the well documented exit from the world stage at the end of 09, the series moves from strength to strength kicking off it’s 3rd year at Brands Hatch on 20th and 21st March with rounds 1 and 2. Read more

Supermoto - Welcome to 2010

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To read the latest news and information from the Supermoto championship please click here. ;

Changes to Scooter machine capacity restrictions for 2010

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THE Road Race Committee has approved a change to the machine capacity restrictions for riders of 11 yrs of age.

This change permits 11 year old riders to compete on up to 70cc automatic production based scooters with a restricted carburetor size of 19mm in addition to 125cc automatic production scooters.

Supermoto approval for “MVD” two piece suit

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THE Road Race Committee has given approval for the use of the “MVD” two piece leather suit at Supermoto meetings. These suits have been designed specifically for Supermoto and offer the rider the choice of a one-piece or two-piece suit.

This approval is specific to the “MVD” suit at this time. However other manufacturers of suitable two-piece suits may seek approval through the ACU Road Race department.

2010 Yokohama/ACU British FII Sidecar Championship and Swan Combi Challenge

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A TOTAL of 33 teams have registered for this year's Yokohama/ACU British FII Sidecar Championship and the entries feature a number of past champions along with teams previously seen on the World Superside tracks. The six-round championship, as last year, has two rounds at BSB meetings, at Thruxton in mid-April and at Mallory Park in July.

These two meetings also form part of the Swan Combi Challenge – a five round extra championship, taking in the BSB meetings at Brands Hatch, Snetterton and Silverstone – a wonderful bonus for the FII teams with at least one of the races at these five meetings being televised on the BSB Extras programme on Eurosport 2. The season begins with round one of the Challenge over the Easter weekend at Brands Hatch.

Reigning champions, John Holden and Andy Winkle, head the entries with last year's runner-up Simon Neary and Paul Knapton and third-placed Gary Bryan and Robert Bell out to claim the number one spot. There are also previous champions Tony Elmer, Ian Bell and Roy Hanks along with last year's FII Cup champions, Dean Henry and Ian Smith, but they will all face stiff competition from 14 times TT winner, Dave Molyneux with Gary Partridge in the chair, while Sean and Mark Hegarty, and Andy Percy and Dave Hallett will be keen to make their mark on the FII class.

Within the British Championship runs the FII Cup for the less experienced teams and this competition, now in its ninth season, has proved to be an excellent incentive to attract new teams striving to establish themselves on the national scene. Five new pairings will join last year's runners-up Stephen Kershaw and Robin Wilson and in total, 14 of the 32 registered teams are eligible to score points in the Cup. Full list of Registered Teams:

No. Driver Passenger Grade

1 John Holden Andy Winkle Super
2 Simon Neary Paul Knapton Super
3 Gary Bryan Mark Sayers Super
4 Roy Hanks Dave Wells Super
7 Ian Bell Carl Bell Super
8 Dean Henry Ian Smith Super
9 Dave Molyneux Gary Partridge Super
10 Tony Baker Fiona Baker-Milligan Super
11 Pete Alton Michael Highton FII Cup
12 Tony Elmer Darren Marshall Super
13 Matt Dix Shaun Parker Super
15 Conrad Harrison Lee Patterson Super
17 Howard Baker Mike Killingsworth Super
18 Dave Lillie Lee Watson FII Cup
21 Dean Lindley TBA FII Cup
22 Dave Kimberley TBA Super
23 Wil Smith TBA Super
24 Tony Thirkell Nigel Barlow Super
25 Carl Fenwick Dipash Chauhan FII Cup
26 Robert Atkinson Simon Dawson FII Cup
28 Russ Pearce Rod Pearce FII Cup
29 Stephen Kershaw Robin Wilson FII Cup
30 Nigel Mayers Vicky Cooke FII Cup
31 Nick Dukes Mike Aylott FII Cup
32 Richard Lumley Paul Skinner FII Cup
33 Sean Hegarty Mark Hegarty Super
34 John Saunders Barry Stone F2 Cup
42 Miles Bennett Kevin Perry FII Cup
45 Dave Atkinson Jane Wheatcroft FII Cup
46 Andy Percy Dave Hallett Super
57 Dave Wallis Steve Wareham Super
60 Paul Rogers Melvin Gasson FII Cup
86 Paul Sanderson Stephen Sanderson FII Cup

Selection Success for ACU U23 Enduro Squad Member

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THE UEM recently announced that it would be initiating a “Team UEM Enduro” promotion for the 2010 European Enduro Championship.

In partnership with Husqvarna and UFO Plast, support will be given to three riders to contest the four round series.

This support will consist of access to Team mechanical workshop, race truck and covered areas at all rounds, as well as spares, technical assistance tyres and mousse for every event. A team race van for assistance will also be at each event.

The selected Team riders will be provided with a Husqvarna Training machine, and another race prepared machine.

Federations were invited to nominate interested candidates and submit their CV’s and the ACU after due deliberation nominated ACU U23 Enduro Squad member Neil Chatham as the UK’s choice.

A final short list of 15 riders was drawn up from the 14 Federations who submitted applications and a Special Selection stage was organised on Feb 19/20th at Possagno – Treviso, Italy.

The selection event included physical and psychological evaluation as well as nutritional and medical assessments.

Neil Chatham travelled to Italy and reported an excellent weekend and a valued experience.

The ACU has today received confirmation that Neil has been selected as one of the three riders who will form the 2010 UEM promotional team.

We offer our congratulations on his selection and wish him success in the 2010 Championship.

Clarification of Classes for the 2010 ACU Sammy Miller Products Championship

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1 – PRE-UNIT RIGIDS - EASY ROUTE
2 – PRE-UNIT SPRINGER - EASY ROUTE
3 - 2 STROKE - HARD ROUTE
4 – UNIT 4 STROKE - HARD ROUTE
5 – PRE-UNIT SIDECAR - EASY ROUTE
6 – UNIT SIDECAR - EASY ROUTE
7 – TWINSHOCK SIDECAR - EASY ROUTE
8 – TWINSHOCKS - HARD ROUTE
9 – BRITISH REPLICAS & PRE-UNIT SPRINGER - HARD ROUTE
10 - OPEN EASY CHAMPIONSHIP FOR CLASSES 3, 4, 8 & 9 & TRAIL BIKES WHO WISH TO RIDE AN EASIER ROUTE - EASY ROUTE

If any rider has already entered the West of England or South Birmingham rounds in the incorrect class, please let the Organisers know asap.

Thankyou.

Trials & Enduro Committee
04/03/10