AMA: California Racers Going for Titles
3 April 1998
LAGUNA SECA RACEWAY, Monterey, California Over the past two decades, more motorcycles racers from California have won major national and world championships than opponents from any other state or country.Doug Chandler from Salinas is one racing here during the Honda Challenge of Laguna Seca on the weekend of April 17-19. The defending and 1996 National Superbike Champion is, currently, third in points. Contact: Michelle Pyle / tel: 714-770-0400 x2623.
Ben Bostrom began racing at the Lodi Cycle Bowl, about 90 minutes from here, when he was just eight years old. The 1992 AMA Rookie-of-the-Year is sixth in superbike points riding for Team Honda. Contact: Pete terHorst / tel: 310-783-3745.
The other California riders who are in the top 10 of AMA (American Motorcyclist Association) national championships are:
Rider Standing-Championship Home Phone contactPaul Harrell 2 - Formula Xtreme Canyon Country Steve DeCamp, Hooters 904-532-2226
Craig McLean 3 - Formula Xtreme Corte Madera 415-924-0326
Thomas Tucciarone 6 - Formula Xtreme San Francisco 415-824-1026
Mark Miller 7 - Formula Xtreme Long Beach 310-425-1086
James Lickwar 8 - Formula Xtreme San Francisco 415-863-0967
Charles Sorensen 1 - 250 Grand Prix Discovery Bay 510-634-5014
Roland Sands 3 - 250 Grand Prix La Palma 310-634-6532
Kurtis Roberts 6 - 250 Grand Prix Turlock Pete terHorst, Honda 310-783-3745
Jason Pridmore 1 - 750 SuperSport Ventura Carry Andrew, Hypercycle 5 - 600 SuperSport 818-988-8860
James Randolph 3 - 750 SuperSport Santa Rosa 707-537-1023
Eric Bostrom 4 - 600 SuperSport Granada Hills Pete terHorst, Honda 310-783-3745
Steve Rapp 8 - 600 SuperSport Lafayette 510-284-9377
Several of the 28 sidecar racing teams entered to date have Californian drivers and passengers, including:
Sidecar Job Name Home
27 Driver Ed Ramones Sacramento
Passenger Craig Evans Sacramento
69 Driver Kelly Bell Alameda, CA
Passenger Eric Rude Concord, CA
55 Driver Wade Boyd San Francisco, CA
Passenger Todd Sokol San Francisco, CA
99 Driver Ryan Buckner San Francisco, CA
Passenger Rory OConner San Francisco
17 Driver Wendy Epstein Vallejo
Passenger Mark Paget San Carlos
8 Driver Mark Bevans Fremont
Passenger Frank Bevans Hayward
16 Passenger Mitzi Saylor Truckee
For more sidecar team information, contact: Rick Murray / tel: 916-339-1778
Event/Ticket Information Call: 1-800-327-SECA www.Laguna-Seca.comMailing address P.O. Box 2078 Monterey, CA 93942
Events 1998
April 17-19 Honda Challenge of Laguna Seca featuring AMA National Superbike Championship Round 3
July 10-12 Dunlop United States World Superbike Championship
August 14-16 The Chrysler Corporation presents the 25TH Annual Monterey Historic Automobile Races Featured Marque - Porsche
September 11-13 Honda Grand Prix of Monterey featuring the Texaco/Havoline 300
October 23-25 Visa Sports Car Championships presented by Honda featuring the FIA GT Championship finale
HONDA is the official automobile & motorcycle of Laguna Seca Raceway
Budweiser is the official beer of Laguna Seca Raceway
Laguna Seca Raceway has been operated by the Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula since its opening in 1957. SCRAMP is a non-profit organization chartered to benefit local charitable and non-profit groups and to promote economic vitality.
Race events at Laguna Seca Raceway race have resulted in over $8 million being distributed to Monterey Peninsula and Central California groups for youth programs and community service projects, and they have generated more than $1 billion in revenue for area businesses.
Today, SCRAMP is the most important economic and charitable organization in Monterey County.