Historic Queen Mary Will Host Unique, Action-Packed Motorcycle Racing Championship November 3-5

LONG BEACH, Calif., Oct. 24, 2006 -- The long tradition of groundbreaking motorsports events in Long Beach continues on the first weekend of November when Troy Lee's "Duel At The Docks" supermoto race presented by Honda roars onto the Queen Mary pier. It will be motorcycle racing like most people have never seen before, as racers from around the globe vie in the U.S. championship final of the AMA (American Motorcyclist Association) Supermoto series, where the competition takes place on hybrid tracks that are part dirt -- like motocross -- and part pavement, as in road racing.

"This city has embraced motorsports events for many years," said Felton Hyche, VP of Special Event Sales and Promotions at The Queen Mary. "But this race is truly unique. Troy Lee and his track designers have made very creative use of the space, and race fans who have come to expect great events in Long Beach will definitely not be disappointed."

The innovative figure-eight course layout includes a narrow tunnel -- a supermoto track first -- and a 40-foot bridge that will catapult riders high into the sky. The track borders the Long Beach Harbor waterfront, with the downtown city skyline and the giant ship itself as a picturesque backdrop.

The action begins on Friday, Nov. 3rd with practice sessions that are open to the public. Saturday the 4th will feature pro qualifying rounds and amateur racing in the NASMOTO (North American Supermoto) championship. The main event is on Sunday the 5th, as the top points-getters from this season's AMA pro supermoto series -- like Jeff Ward and Doug Henry -- fight for this year's national title alongside invited superstars from other motorcycle racing disciplines, such as freestyle hotshots Mike Metzger, Ronnie Renner and Carey Hart; dirt-track champion Johnny Murphree; road racers Danny Eslick and Josh Hayes; and speedway legend Billy Hamill.

Supermoto racing is enjoying a renaissance in North America, having been invented in 1979 in Southern California as a TV special for "ABC's Wide World of Sports" to determine the world's best overall motorcycle racer among the champions of roadracing, motocross, and dirt-track. TV ratings were huge for what became an annual showdown for several years. After its U.S. debut, supermoto racing exploded in Europe as a world championship sport in its own right, ultimately making its way back home to be sanctioned again by the AMA in 2003.

"Spectators will be amazed by these supermoto racers," said Gavin Trippe, the original creator of supermoto in 1979 and a consultant to this championship event. "In a single lap, they catch tremendous air over jumps, battle it out through banked dirt turns, then reach speeds of over 100 mph on a pavement straightaway. There's something exciting happening during every second of every race."

"We wanted to create a first-class event for these incredible racers," said "Duel at the Docks" promoter Troy Lee, whose custom-painted racing helmets have been worn by hundreds of the world's fastest racers for over 25 years, and who is a supermoto team owner and racer himself. "It's going to be an unbelievable weekend of racing, not unlike the original 'ABC Superbikers' event at Carlsbad Raceway that started it all back in the day."

Tickets are available at participating Southern California Honda motorcycle dealers, and on the web at www.TroyLeeDesigns.com. Prices are $15/Friday, $25/Saturday, $35/Sunday, or $50 for a 3-day ticket. Honda dealers also have vouchers that allow kids 12 and under to attend the event free with a paid adult. A limited number of motorcycles may park in the Queen Mary lot, while those in autos will park in downtown Long Beach and take advantage of a convenient stream of shuttle buses and watercraft to and from the racetrack. Up-to-the-minute event details can be found at www.TroyLeeDesigns.com.

Photos and video footage available upon request