A TRIP TO MONZA FOR THE
FIRST OF THREE “HOME” RACES FOR THE DUCATI XEROX TEAM
 The
Ducati Xerox Team looks forward to the first of three “home” races on the
2008 Superbike calendar, to take place this weekend at the Monza park
circuit. A special track for both the Ducati Xerox riders, the weekend is
sure to be as thrilling as ever, with Troy Bayliss and Michel Fabrizio both
hopeful of being able to rely on the fantastic support that the Italian fans
and Ducatisti always provide.
Bayliss cites Monza as one of his preferred tracks and his results here over
the past years, which include six wins, speak for themselves. After his
double win at Assen a fortnight ago, Troy hopes for another successful
weekend here.
Team-mate Fabrizio underwent surgery ten days ago to resolve a painful case
of forearm flexor muscle compartment syndrome, otherwise known as arm-pump,
and has therefore spent the last days receiving further therapy in order to
be fit to race at the Milanese track this weekend.
Troy Bayliss
Troy has an impeccable record at the Monza track, taking the double win in
2001, 2002 and 2006 and two podium place finishes last season too.
"Monza is one of my favourite circuits. This weekend I will take it as it
comes really. I’m quietly confident about the races and although the
4-cylinders are undoubtedly going to go well, I don’t think we’ll be at a
big disadvantage regarding speed. Monza is a very special track for me and
the fans are amazing here too and always want to see me do well so I’d love
to come away with another couple of great results.”
Michel Fabrizio
In front of a home crowd, Michel hopes for two strong finishes, despite
recent medical problems having affected his riding.
"My arm is feeling much better, I have no problems regarding movement and I
can straighten my hand out completely, something I was unable to do before
the surgery. It all went as planned and now I'm concentrating on training
and getting further physiotherapy so as to be fit and ready to race. It'll
will be great to be at Monza, riding in front of the Italian fans, my "home"
crowd, as part of the Ducati Xerox Team."
Outlaws and Hell's Angels showdown on beach - Sent
By Reader
PANAMA CITY BEACH — A member of the Hell’s Angels motorcycle club was
selling T-shirts on Panama City Beach when he was confronted by members of
the Outlaw Motorcycle Club, deputies with the Bay County Sheriff’s Office
wrote in an incident report. The Outlaws consisted of three men on
motorcycles and a fourth man in a gold Lincoln. A woman wearing a property
of Outlaw vest was also with them, deputies wrote.
Each of the Outlaws pulled guns out of their pants while the Hell’s Angel
held a knife, the Hell’s Angel said. The Outlaws told the man to leave their
territory or they would kill him, the Hell’s Angel said. The Outlaws then
took the man’s shirts and left, deputies wrote.
The case is under investigation.
http://www.nwfdailynews.com/article/14239
SCASSA FOURTH AT ITALIAN SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP AT
MONZA - News release
After an exceptional performance in qualifying where Luca Scassa grasped a
hard-fought second place, and following a promising warm-up, Luca was forced
to retire during the second round of the Italian Superbike Championship at
the extremely fast Monza circuit. While battling for the lead with the
official Yamaha of Claudio Corti, Scassa was forced to stop for technical
problems. Maurizio Pratichizzo had a strong race, finishing fourth after
coming back from a poor start.
“I’m disappointed” explained Scassa, “we knew these long straights would
have made us suffer, but a second place finish was easily within our grasp.
I’m disappointed because I was riding really well and to watch the race from
track-side wasn’t fun at all. I hope I can come back stronger at Vallelunga.”
Qualifying Results:
1. Corti (Yamaha) in 1’46.891; 2. Scassa (MV Agusta) in 1’48.314; 3. Mauri (Ducati)
in 1’48.600; 4. Conforti (Honda) in 1’48.882
SBK Finishing Order:
1. Corti (Yamaha); 2. Conforti (Honda) a 15.016; 3. Mauri (Ducati) a 15.630;
4. Pratichizzo (MV Agusta)
SBK Championship Standings:
1. Corti 50 (Yamaha); 2. Conforti (Honda) 31; 3. Mauri 26 (Ducati); 4.
Pratichizzo 26 (MV Agusta); 5. Scassa 20 (MV Agusta)
Northern California Riders Featured at Red Bull AMA
U.S. Rookies Cup in Sonoma - News release
The Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup Series will make its debut at Infineon
Raceway, May 17-18, as part of the Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown, and two
Northern California riders will be part of the action. The weekend is
presented by Supercuts.
The Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup, in its inaugural year, was created by Red
Bull as a platform for showcasing young road-racing talent between 13 and 16
years old at AMA Superbike weekends. Seven states and six nations are
represented amongst the 23 riders.
The Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup runs concurrently with the European-based
Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, now in its second year. This will mark the
second event of their nine-race calendar for 2008.
Two young local racers competing throughout the weekend are Shingle Springs’
Cameron Gish (13), who took 9th place at the season opener at Barber
Motorsports Park (Ala.), and Vacaville’s Joey Pascarella (15), who has
claimed two national championships in Supermoto.
Red Bull Rookies Cup practice gets under way at 11:10 a.m. on Saturday, May
17, followed by qualifying at 5:25 p.m. The seven-lap feature will take
place on Sunday, May 18, at 10:20 a.m. All times are Pacific.
The 2008 Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup will compete at select AMA Superbike
race weekends, as well as at the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix, on identical KTM
RC 125 bikes. For more information, visit
www.redbullrookiescup.com .
Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown:
WHAT: Big O Tires Racing Season Presents: Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown,
presented by Supercuts
WHEN: May 16-18
CIRCUIT: 12-turn, 2.22-mile road course
2007 SUPERBIKE POLE WINNER: Ben Spies (Suzuki)
2007 SUPERBIKE WINNER: Mat Mladin (Suzuki). Mladin won both ends of the
doubleheader.
NOTABLE: The race weekend will feature a doubleheader of AMA Superbike
racing, as well as Supermoto USA, Motocross and SB Freaks Street Freestyle.
TICKETS: $15-$35 single day/$60 weekend; 12-and-under FREE and parking FREE.
Discount tickets are also available at participating Kawasaki dealers.
INFORMATION: 800-870-RACE,
www.infineonraceway.com ,
www.ticketmaster.com
Minister's onetime partner
was potential target of Hells Angel kingpin, court papers show
Globe and Mail, Canada - MONTREAL AND OTTAWA —
Julie Couillard, who dated Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier recently,
was once a potential target of the Hells Angels kingpin Maurice (Mom)
Boucher, who considered ordering her killing, court testimonies indicate.
“At one point the suspicions were so high that there was a contract on her …
She was going to get it. She came close to getting it,” one of her former
partners, a biker turned informant, testified in 2003.
Ms. Couillard came to the public eye last August when Mr. Bernier brought
her to Rideau Hall the day he was sworn to the Foreign Affairs portfolio.
An example of how close a relationship they had forged came two weeks later
when Mr. Bernier applied to designate her as the person eligible to travel
with him on his MP's budget. He described her as “my spouse.”
Government officials said Mr. Bernier only found out about her past when the
news media began asking questions about her being romantically involved with
two characters in Quebec's 1990s biker turf war.
For months, her unusual background had been a source of gossip among
opposition politicians and news media in Ottawa.
The Prime Minister's Office referred the matter to a spokesman for Mr.
Bernier. The spokesman, Neil Hrab, said that the minister is no longer with
Ms. Couillard and that it was a “private matter.”
Mr. Bernier learned of her past relationships after they broke up, federal
officials said. “He was genuinely not aware until there was media interest,”
one official said.
Government sources said they broke up months ago.
But other sources said the pair remained close, with Ms. Couillard appearing
as the minister's date at the Politics and the Pen gala in February.
And in late March, Mr. Bernier and Ms. Couillard were seen by several MPs
dining at the popular restaurant Hy's with Public Safety Minister Stockwell
Day and his wife, according to a Parliament Hill source. When contacted by a
Globe and Mail reporter last month, Ms. Couillard made no allusion to the
end of her relationship with Mr. Bernier.
“Everyone who is with a minister has to undergo a security check. Was there
a security check?” Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe said to reporters
yesterday. “Did the minister know? Did the RCMP check? Was the Prime
Minister aware? I think it's very important.”
Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion said the fact that Mr. Bernier holds a
sensitive cabinet position made the issue even more acute.
“Mr. Bernier needs to explain [himself] because we want to know if there
were any matters of national security involved,” Mr. Dion said.
CTV reported last night that Ms. Couillard accompanied Mr. Bernier on a trip
to the Middle East.
An RCMP spokeswoman said the Privy Council Office is in charge of background
checks.
PCO spokesperson Myriam Massabki confirmed that according to protocols put
in place in the late 1980s, the Privy Council conducts security checks – but
only on prospective cabinet ministers before their appointment.
“Background checks are conducted only on candidates to cabinet. It is not
done on spouses or immediate family,” she told The Globe and Mail.
Ms. Couillard once was the girlfriend of Gilles Giguère, who was killed in
1996 before facing trial for firearms and drugs possession.
By 1997, Ms. Couillard was to marry Stéphane Sirois, a member of the
Rockers, a puppet gang of the Hells Angels.
In a 2003 trial, Mr. Sirois testified that Mr. Boucher told him he had to
choose between the gang and Ms. Couillard because the biker boss didn't
trust her.
“He thought it was her who pushed Giguère to work with the police, that she
worked with police. There were suspicions floating around,” Mr. Sirois
testified.
He later added that, “The exact words said by Maurice Boucher were that at
one point the suspicions were so high that there was a contract on her too.
She was going to get it. She came close to getting it.”
Mr. Sirois testified that after they married he confided to her about Mr.
Boucher's suspicions. She was skeptical and began asking questions of a
confidant of Mr. Boucher, the loan shark Robert Savard, the court heard. Mr.
Sirois said the situation forced him to offer the police his help.
The 38-year-old Ms. Couillard, who works in real estate and lives in the
Montreal area, was labelled “mysterious” and “the talk of the town” in news
reports when she first appeared with Mr. Bernier.
Mr. Bernier's request to make her his designated traveller was endorsed by
Conservative Whip Jay Hill on Sept. 24 and passed on to the Speaker of the
House. A source said the request was accepted by the Commons board of
internal economy.
Contacted yesterday, Ms. Couillard said Mr. Sirois, whom she divorced in
1999, was an unreliable witness.
“What Stéphane Sirois said about me, as far as I'm concerned, has no
credibility,” she said. “Some people are after Maxime Bernier and it's my
name that'll be dragged in the mud,” she added before refusing to comment
further.
Ms. Couillard has no criminal record.
In December, 1995, when she lived with Mr. Giguère, the Wolverine anti-biker
police squad took the couple into custody. She filed a complaint with the
Quebec Police Ethics Commission about the way a police squad burst into the
couple's bedroom and cuffed them.
She also gave an interview in the lurid crime tabloid Allô Police, which ran
under inch-high headlines: Arrested In The Bedroom! The Spouse Of The
Mobster Gilles Giguère . . . The Actress Julie Couillard Condemns The
Wolverine!
Mr. Giguère and two other men with ties to the Hells Angels, including Mr.
Savard, were charged in connection with an extortion case. Ms. Couillard was
released and was not charged.
By February, 1996, the case collapsed for lack of evidence. Two months
later, Mr. Giguère was the victim of a gangland slaying, his body discovered
in a flooded ditch by the side of the highway.
Rock show axed over police fears
BBC News, UK - Organisers of a Derbyshire rock
music festival have withdrawn their application for a licence amid fears of
violence after a biker's death.
The Custom Rock and Blues Festival was scheduled to take place at Catton
Hall in south Derbyshire in August.
But police feared some people may have used it for "high-profile"
retaliation over the death of Hells Angel Motorcycle Club member Gerard
Tobin.
The 35-year-old from south London was shot dead on the M40 last August.
'Significant opportunity'
Police objected to the four-day event because they said there was an
unacceptable risk to local people and the event's 15,000 visitors.
Intelligence suggested a clash between rival biker gangs over the death of
Mr Tobin who was shot dead leaving a bikers' festival on the M40 in south
Warwickshire.
Seven men are currently awaiting trial for Mr Tobin's murder.
Police said the organisers had made a sensible and pragmatic decision to
call off the event.
In a statement, events organisers One Percent Entertainments Limited said:
"We have not received threats of any kind about this event.
"However, we have a duty to customers, employees and the general public to
take very seriously any representations made by the police based on
intelligence which they have, no matter how sensationalised we believe it to
have been..."
The stage line-up included Glenn Hughes and Friends, Molly Hatchet, Fastway,
GMT, Blackfoot, Magnum, Hanoi Rocks and Budgie.
Ironhorse cancellation may bring lawsuit
Pioneer Press Online, IL - A class action
lawsuit may be filed against the Village of Grayslake after the abrupt
cancellation of the Ironhorse Motorcycle Roundup event led to lost income
for organizers and vendors.
"We are considering a class action lawsuit to explore the legal remedies and
recover hundreds of thousands of dollars lost by all the parties," said Pete
Naylor, an attorney with Hupy and Abraham in Gurnee. "It is just flat out
discrimination."
Motorcycle club members from Lake and McHenry counties enter the Grayslake
Village Hall Tuesday evening to protest the abrupt cancellation of the
Ironhorse motorcycle rally on Sunday.
Bikers want answers Dan Harper holds a Widow's Sons Motorcycle Club vest as
he addresses the Grayslake Village Board Tuesday evening to protest the
cancellation of the Ironhorse motorcycle rally.
The Ironhorse Motorcycle Roundup had been planned by Austin's Saloon and
Eatery in Libertyville and 95 WIIL ROCK in Kenosha since January. Over 120
vendors were scheduled to attend from across the country until the show was
canceled.
Naylor, a biker himself, said he represented Austin's, the vendors and 95
WIIL ROCK.
"Many families come to these bike shows today, especially now with higher
gas prices," Naylor said. "The excuse for closing the Grayslake event is the
type of baseless rumor that our Constitution protects against."
Grayslake Mayor Tim Perry and Grayslake Police Chief Larry Herzog both said
the level of the threats left the village with no other option but to
cancel.
"I could not be assured that any problems would not spill over into the
surrounding areas," Herzog said.
Many bikers, however, are still outraged. About 25 bikers showed up to the
Grayslake Village Board meeting Tuesday, and a handful asked questions.
"If these people were not motorcyclists and you expected 30,000 people here,
would you have shut this down?" asked Michael Greenwald of Burlington, Wis.
"Just because people ride motorcycles doesn't mean they're all bad people,"
he added. "I would estimate that there is less than 100 bad apples among the
entire group of 30,000 riders. You can have more than that in a church."
Dan Harper, state legislative coordinator for ABATE Illinois, a group
representing motorcyclist interests, said bikers support many charities such
as Shriners Hospitals and Toys for Tots.
"Because you heard that a certain group was coming, you discriminated
against a whole class of people," Harper said. He filed a Freedom of
Information request for details of the actual threat.
Perry released a statement Tuesday explaining his rationale. He said he had
received information mid-day Friday from the Illinois State Police Statewide
Terrorism and Intelligence Center and from federal law enforcement agencies
warning of possible violence between two motorcycle gangs planning to attend
the Ironhorse.
The decision was made to cancel the permit for the show at 4:15 p.m. Friday,
Perry said. Village officials then notified the Lake County Fair Association
and later met with a representative from the fair association and from
Austin's Saloon, he added.
But Mark Khayat, owner of Austin's Saloon and Eatery in Libertyville, said
when he tried to meet with village officials Friday, the only information
given was Herzog reading the two paragraph press release that cited public
safety concerns.
"Bikers get stereotyped," Khayat said. "They are judges, attorneys, a local
pastor. I just think it was done in bad taste. If (Mayor Perry) had a huge
concern, why didn't talk to me?"
He estimated he lost well over $100,000 due to the late cancellation.
"It was so deliberate to cancel at 4:20 p.m. Friday. I think it is
profiling," Khayat said. "It was a shock. We received no explanation. It's
the biggest event that never happened."
He said the cancellation was devastating financially for the vendors.
Dave DeYoung, president of the Lake County Fair Association, said he had no
concerns about the safety of the people attending the event.
"Knowing Mark Khayat and the type of events that he runs and the control
that he maintains, we thought it was a first-class type of show and we
sought and received a permit," DeYoung said.
He was then shocked by the sudden cancellation and wanted more information.
"We also had an antique car show on the same day, but nobody was worried
about that," DeYoung said. "If there was a threat, we should have been given
information. We didn't know what to expect."
Motorcycle enthusiasts who attended the Grayslake meeting spoke with passion
about their hobby.
"This really caused a lot of consternation among the clubs," said Dave White
of Pleasant Prairie, who attended with his wife, Paula. "Many of us donate
to charities every year. This move painted all these clubs as full of bad
people. It was a terrible thing to do. This will take years to undo the
damage. My Lake County Motorcycle Club does charity events every year. It is
devastating for us. To assume that people would be automatically
irresponsible is a slap in the face."
House Committee Passes Bill That Would Repeal Motorcycle Helmet Law
KLFY, LA - A house committee voted Tuesday that
Louisiana should get rid of a law requiring adult motorcycle riders to wear
helmets. The bill would require bikers under age 18 to wear helmets, but not
adults.
Some people argue that helmets can contribute to crashes, by limiting
biker's vision.
The committee's approval moves the bill to the house floor. Louisiana is one
of 20 states that require all motorcyclists to wear a helmet, a statute that
safety activists say saves lives in accidents.
Seminole Hard Rock's Sturgis '08 Lineup
MotorcycleUSA.com, OR - The Seminole Hard Rock
Roadhouse will once again make its home at Thunder Road during Sturgis Bike
Week 2008. In keeping with Thunder Road's reputation as "the custom capital
of Sturgis," this year's Seminole Hard Rock Roadhouse line-up will feature
some of the industry's best custom bikes, builders and special events.
The Seminole Hard Rock Roadhouse wouldn't be complete without top name
custom bike builders and their bikes. Christian Clayton of Sucker Puch
Sallys will unveil Sucker Punch Sallys' Hard Rock Bike, and he and other
builders will make appearances throughout the week to meet fans and sign
autographs. The Roadhouse will also feature bikes and merchandise from the
following:
- Gard Hollinger & L.A. County Choprods
- Paul Cox & Paul Cox Industries
- Russell Mitchell & Exile Cycles
- Billy Lane & Choppers Inc.
As always, the Seminole Hard Rock Roadhouse has added some fresh features to
its line-up. New this year are the following events:
- "The Next Great American Builder" TV Show - Hosts Billy Lane and Paul Cox,
along with other celebrity builders, will be on location at the Roadhouse
filming episodes for the show. Amateur bike builders can apply to be on the
show and 13 will be selected to live and work together for about three
months in New Orleans.
(http://www.greatamericanbuilder.tv)
- First Annual Hard Rock Spotlight Series - Hosted by Rick Fairless of
Strokers Dallas and Kim Suter of KC Creations, these live and light-hearted
rap sessions will provide motorcycle enthusiasts with an opportunity to hear
about the motorcycle world's hottest topics from some of the industry's
biggest names. The series will feature a syndicate of motorcycle gurus,
custom builders and industry leaders, will let attendees really know how
they really feel about timely motorcycle topics. Audience participation will
be encouraged.
- Seminole Hard Rock Main Stage - As always the Seminole Hard Rock will be
the center of all the action inside the Thunderdome. Features this year will
include raffling off three Steven Tyler-signed Redwing guitars and awards
for the custom bike shows that are happening all week at Thunder Road.
- H2Ocean Art Fusion Experiment - This event will match up several
nationally acclaimed tattoo artists who will each draw for three minutes and
then switch to complete one another's drawings. The result will be a truly
collaborative piece of art that will be auctioned off to benefit Soldier's
Angels.
"We've added a lot to this year's Seminole Hard Rock Roadhouse line-up,"
said Carrie Repp, event coordinator for the Roadhouse and owner of R&R
Promotions. "We'll still host the industry's biggest names and hottest
bikes, but most importantly, our benefit events will give the entire biker
community a chance to come together to support our troops."
With all the scheduled events, the Seminole Hard Rock Roadhouse at Thunder
Road will once again be the place to see and be seen during Sturgis Bike
Week 2008. For additional information, please visit:
www.hrroadhouse.com
www.thunderroadsturgis.com
Ouch! Biker banged up on Gaffney Drive pothole
Newswatch 50, NY - Repairs to Watertown's
Gaffney Drive can't come soon enough for 18 year old Michael Gilligan.
The teen lost control of his motorcycle on one of the numerous potholes on
the street about mid-morning Wednesday.
Gilligan was treated on scene for a hand abrasion.
Just this week, the Watertown City Council firmed up plans to repair the
street after taking it over from a private owner.
Up until now, city crews would fill in the potholes as they developed. But
the city was precluded from making major repairs because of the ownership
issue.
MOTORCYCLIST
died after his bike collided with a car.
Lancashire Telegraph, UK - Scott Campbell, 35,
from Rishton, was treated by paramedics in Accrington Road near Read for
multiple injuries.
But he never regained consciousness and died at the scene.
Police have launched an investigation into the crash which happened at
3.30pm on Saturday.
Mr Campbell was heading towards Great Harwood on his red and white Yamaha
motorbike, having travelled down the A59 and turned right at the roundabout
with the A671.
His vehicle was in collision with a silver Peugeot 306 being driven by a
43-year-old man from the Hyndburn area, by the entrance to Read Garden
Centre.
The Peugeot had been travelling in the opposite direction from the
Accrington area.
Police closed the road at the junction with Martholme Road while an
investigation was carried out, causing heavy traffic congestion.
Sgt Mick Young from the road policing unit said: "We are currently
investigating this tragic accident and I would appeal for anyone who
witnessed the collision or saw either vehicle travelling in the area prior
to the collision to contact us with any information they may have."
Police said Mr Campbell's next of kin had been informed but that they were
too distraught to comment at present.
Officers said they planned to speak to the driver of the Peugeot in the
coming days.
Anyone with information should contact police on 01254 353210.
Tulelake to Host Patriotic Motorcycle Rally
Total Motorcycle.com, Canada - [TULELAKE], —
The Tulelake City Council and the Tulelake-Butte Valley Fairgrounds have
agreed to host a large motorcycle rally in Tulelake over Labor Day weekend
this year. The event will take place from Thursday, August 28th through
Monday, September 1st at the fairgrounds and is expected to bring between
2,000 and 5,000 motocyclists to the region.
The City Council voted unanimously to support the event at a special meeting
held on Thursday evening. The promoters were on hand to explain the details
of the event to the council, law enforcement agencies and residents. Among
the main concerns was how security would be handled at the venue. Tulelake
Police Chief Tony Ross along with Siskiyou County Sherrif Rick Riggins
explained that they will work with the event promoters’ security team as
well as other regional law enforcement agencies to ensure appropriate
security will be in place. Sheriff Riggins has worked with the promoters
over the past 15 months and stated that when they make a commitment they
follow through.
The event, “The Shasta Salute to America Motorcycle Rally” is the brainchild
of South Bay Biker Productions owners Jeff Kraus and Debbie Johnson who have
spent years attending and making films of motorcycle rallies across the
country. “We wanted to create an event for bikers by bikers,” said Jeff,
President of South Bay Biker Productions. “Just as importantly, we wanted to
use this venue to honor our country’s veterans and active military service
personnel, Tulelake is a perfect location for that because of it’s rich
veterans’ history.” he added.
“The Shasta Salute to America Motorcycle Rally” will have a great event
schedule including terrific vendors, motorcycle rodeo contests and nightly
national act concerts. Live music will include a headliner performance on
Saturday evening (August 30th) featuring Heidi Newfield, the former lead
singer with Trick Pony. Other entertainment will include The Grass Roots,
The Charlie Brechtel Band, James Invtveld, National Dust, Wild Child (a
Doors cover band), Skynnyn Lynnyrd, Thunderherstruck and more. The event
will be open to adults 18 and older.
To honor our nation’s military and veterans, the event will feature the
American Veterans Traveling Tribute which includes memorials to WWII,
Vietnam, 911, as well as other poingnant tributes. The traveling tribute
will be displayed at the entrance to the Tulelake-Butte Valley Fairgrounds
and will be free and open to people of all ages 24 hours a day throughout
the event. More details about the event and the traveling tributes can be
seen on the event webpage;
www.shastasalutetoamerica.com .
The motorcycle rally was initially planned to be held in Yreka California,
however when that venue became unavailable promoters were enticed to
Tulelake. “County Supervisor Jim Cook and I have been working with Tulelake
on enhancing tourism efforts here for some time,” said Stephanie Bailey of
Innovative Market Strategies. “When this opportunity arose, it made perfect
sense to locate it in Tulelake,” she added. “I think it was important to
keep this event in Siskiyou County, the economic benefits to Tulelake and
the county will be enormous.” added Cook.
South Bay Biker Productions, Compton, CA Phone: 877-688-4229
www.shastasalutetoamerica.com
“Stephanie contacted us to see if we were interested in relocating the
event, so we did some soul searching and decided we would pursue the idea,”
said Debbie Johnson, Vice President of South Bay Biker Productions. Johnson
noted that they felt it is important for our military and bikers to know
that we value our freedom and the right to ride. “We want to create an
annual event on the west coast that allows bikers to camp out for 4 days and
get to know each other and share their interest in riding. We also want to
give back to those who fight for our freedom that allows us to ride our
motorcycles where ever we want in our great country and to have this type of
event.” she added.
Motorcycle rallies have been taking place for years all over the country
including Sturgis, South Dakota which is the largest motorcyle rally in
America and began 68 years ago. “It began in a city with only 600 residents,
the city is still small but the event is huge. We think that Tulelake and
the small towns around it will see the same kind of positive economic impact
that has been seen in Sturgis,” noted Jeff. The promoters are impressed with
how accepting the area has been and noted that bikers will want to go where
they are welcome.
For questions or to purchase tickets go to
www.shastasalutetoamerica.com or call 1-877-688-4229.
Motorcyclist Seriously Injured In Bradenton Hit-And-Run
Tampa Tribune, FL - A van struck a stationary
motorcycle at U.S. 41 and 56th Avenue West in Bradenton at 9:10 p.m. Tuesday
and fled, seriously injuring the biker, according to the Florida Highway
Patrol.
Martin Christ, 27, of Bradenton, was on southbound U.S. 41 and stopped for
traffic when a Ford van struck him from behind, according to the highway
patrol.
Christ, who was wearing a helmet, was taken to Manatee Memorial Hospital
with serious injuries, investigators said.
The van fled north on U.S. 41.
Anyone with information should call Trooper Todd Bergman at (941) 751-7647,
Ext. 415. |
