Rizla Suzuki MotoGP racer John Hopkins completed 2007’s first test at Sepang in Malaysia today with a simulated race distance, bettering his 990cc race time from 2006 by an incredible seven seconds.

The Yamaha Factory Racing Team rounded off their first test of 2007 in fine style today, with Valentino Rossi topping the unofficial time sheets after three days of testing. Both Rossi and his team-mate Colin Edwardsm ade more positive progress with Yamaha's new prototype 800cc machine and the team closed the test feeling confident about their level of performance at this stage of the season. Although they finished the day a little earlier than usual, both riders completed their full agenda of work, once again trying several new tyres for Michelin, with Rossi also concentrating on improving the balance of the bike when braking.

For the third time since the conception of the new technical
regulations of the Dakar the Yamaha WR450F has been victorious in the hotly
contested 450cc motorcycle class. David won the class in 2004 and
2005 and Helder Rodrigues came close in 2006 when he finished ninth
overall as best Yamaha rider. This year Rodrigues managed to clinch the
450 class title. The Portuguese Enduro star finished two and half hours
behind race winner Cyril Despres (KTM >450cc) to matchs
best performance in 2005 with a fifth position overall. Quad rider Josef
Machanek caused more reason for celebrations in the Yamaha camp with
his overall victory in the Quad category. The Czech proved the speed and
endurance of his Banshee YFZ350 by leading only five fellow competitors
from 13 starters over the finish line.

The country’s best riders converge to give motocross fans a big treat in the coming Mayor Freddie Tinga Cup Motocross set January 28 at the newly-inaugurated Fast Track Motorsports Park in Upper Bicutan, Taguig City.

Yamaha Factory Racing Team riders Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards got the new year off to a promising start at the first MotoGP test of the season in Sepang, Malaysia today, setting the third and fourth fastest times respectively. With all teams now running new 800cc prototype machines, in accordance with the new MotoGP engine capacity limits, the 20-strong field of riders enjoyed good weather throughout the day and Yamaha's two factory riders made the most of a full day of testing. Both riders had completed two tests on the new bike before Christmas and followed on from where they left off today, concentrating on double-checking the information they gathered during those tests and developing the set-up of the new bike, whilst also finding time to test some new Michelin tyres.

The first race of the 3rd SK Invitational opened the 2006 underbone roadracing season. Watched by the usual big crowd in the grounds of Ynares Center in Antipolo City, the racers composed of mostly beginners and novices attacked the street circuit for the first time since August 2006.

After the customary testing ban of just over one and a half months, MotoGP
returned to the track today for the resumption of 800cc development. It was
at the Sepang Circuit in Malaysia where fans had their first chance to see
who leads the way on the new generation of MotoGP bike, with the majority of
premier class teams testing from today until Wednesday.

Ivan Tedesco raced his RM-Z450 into eighth place after recovering from a slip-up at
Saturday night's Anaheim Supercross in California the third round of the AMA
Supercross series.

After a successful inaugural series in 2006 with 10 successful events held around Cebu which drew thousand of spectators, the MS Motosuit Motocross series is back this Sunday, Jan 21 in Liloan, Cebu. Last year’s Expert Rider of the Year Irwin Uypitching expects a tougher battle this year as the series gains momentum and following among fans and participants.

BAYLISS DESTROYS CIRCUIT BEST LAP ON DAY TWO On the second day of Pirelli tyre tests at Phillip Island Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) took a whole second off the previous best qualifying time, while running a 2007 spec rear and a prototype race front.
His time of 1'31.0 was set in the cooler conditions of the morning, and no other rider got within a second of his time, despite a great improvement in general lap times through the ten rider SBK attendance. Next closest to Bayliss was his team-mate, Lorenzo Lanzi, who scored a 1'32.1.

The 2007 calendar of the Superbike and Supersport World Championships will count 14 rounds, of which one is still to be announced. The calendar is the following :

The 3rd SK Invitational Race season will hold its first race on January 21 at the Ynares Center grounds in Antipolo City. The 2007 SK season will be a 9-leg series from Jan 21 to Sept 2 with all the races to be run at the Antipolo City venue. Now on its 3rd year, the series has generated a fan following among the local residents of Antipolo, Marikina, Cainta and Taytay. It is where a few of the new stars in racing got their first taste of racing.

Sonic boom will hold its first racing event on March 11 at the Kart Trak in Boomland. The event is strictly for all novice and stock bikes only.

IBCRG will be organizing the fourth SM City Marilao Motorcycle and Scooter show on Jan 27-28.

The event is sponsored b Shell Advance , SM City Marilao and Yamaha and supported by Motorstar and Tres scooters and motorcycles

Sonic boom will hold its first racing event on March 11 at the Kart Trak in Boomland. The event is strictly for all novice and stock bikes only.

Yamaha WR450F mounted riders have dominated the opening two stages that took the
caravan from the start in the Portuguese capital Lisbon to the ferry crossing
bound for Africa at the Spanish harbor of Malaga. Portuguese enduro stars Helder
Rodrigues and Ruben Faria won a stage each to lead the bike category into Morocco.

Reigning Champion Ricky Carmichael raced to second place at Saturday nights opening
round of the Ampd Mobile AMA Supercross Championship at Angel Stadium, Anaheim in California despite crashing on the 12th lap.

NAMSSA Year Ends Awards to fete the Philippine champions – as the national motorcycle Rider of the Year recently held at the Fast Track Circuit Clubhouse in Taguig, (L to R) Willy Villar - Taguig City Administrator, Macky Carapiet - President, FIM Asian Motocross Commission, Glen Aguilar of Caltex - Supercross Rider of the Year, Mayor Freddie Tinga of Taguig, Jolet Jao of Shell - Superbike Rider of the Year, Ken Falco - President NAMSSA and Vice Mayor George Elias of Taguig City. Not in photo are BJ Mendoza Underbone ROY & Yamaha X1 as Petron Ecofuel Champion of the Year for 2006, for more info check out www.namssa.org.

OZRacing Gear Bags was exclusively used by the 10-man Philippine Yamaha ASEAN Cup Team that competed in Indonesia last Dec 18.

Motorsports fans need not travel far down south to Batangas or up north in Subic or Angeles City for racing action with the construction of a five-hectare fenced off-road race track, the Fast Track Motorsports Park, in Upper Bicutan, Taguig City.