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FYI
04-04-04

SOUTH BEND RACEWAY PARK HANDS OVER LEGACY TO MRP MOTORSPORT

South Bend, Indiana — Garry Lobaugh and MRP Motorsport recently announced the purchase of South Bend Raceway Park from previous owner, Mel McCallum this past weekend. The recent acquisition marks many new beginnings and directions for the facility while continuing the success and heritage that has come to be known from the South Bend area racetrack.

The staff has already been hard at work at preparing the facility for the racing season and property improvements are currently underway to ensure that the SBRP property remains a coveted facility to hold local, regional and national level events.

“We are going full speed ahead to continue the excellence that Mr. McCallum has started many years ago,” said MRP President, Garry Lobaugh. “We have many plans over the next few months and a fantastic group of people to make this new project a complete success. Thankfully we also have Mel McCallum to assist us in this transition as well.”

Patrons of the South Bend Raceway Park facility will likely notice a renewed investment in the facility and the area’s karting market. A retail outlet, MRP of South Bend, will also be added to provide customers with new and used chassis and a complete line of parts and accessories. The facility will also offer vendor agreements for the 2004 season to ensure that karting businesses can all satisfy the needs of potential customers during race events.

During peak racing season, SBRP will be staffed seven days a week to ensure that all needs of every patron are met, whether for practice, racing schools, corporate rental programs, product orders or general support and service.

“With all these new added features planned for SBRP, there will obviously be many changes taking place,” said Chad Hartzell, Director of Development, MRP of South Bend. “With change comes challenge, and our challenge is to ensure a smooth transition while we all work to a common goal of enjoying this sport in the manner that is most important to us on an individual, family and group level.”

With added resources, the facility will also host both group and private racing schools and facilitate Corporate and Group Entertainment programs to assist in growing the presence and knowledge of karting and SBRP. MRP will also make available many options of “arrive and drive” programs to expand the karting experience.

“This facility brings back many fond memories for myself and our family,” said Lobaugh. “SBRP has been an integral part of exposing karting to thousands of karting enthusiasts while having great marketing potential for our sport. We obviously want to expand on this foundation.”

More information regarding South Bend Raceway Park can be found on www.sbrp.com. The current site will be undergoing many enhancements to keep individuals informed of news and events regarding SBRP schedules and operations.

MRP Motorsport is the largest importer of Birel chassis and Freeline accessories in North America with over 40 dealers throughout the United States. With a retail location in Three Oaks, MI and a warehouse facility that stocks nearly $2-million in inventory, MRP ensures prompt and accurate customer support. For more information on the MRP Motorsport & MRP of South Bend, contact Garry Lobaugh at 269-756-9133 or via email @ garry@mrpmotorsport.com. Also check out the website @ www.mrpmotorsport.com.

SKUSA ADDS SOME NEW FACES
Dublin, Ohio — Shifter Kart USA (SKUSA) has added some new folks to their management lineup. They are as follows:

Howard Rice - New Regional Coordinator
Howard Rice has been a SKUSA racer and a member of the "A" Team that puts on the SKUSA National events since 1997. With SKUSA's new business structure and a commitment to give the regions more focus, we saw the need for someone to be in charge of this area. He can be contacted at howard@skusaonline.com

Paul Forte - New Canada East Regional Director
The job of resurrecting the "Canada East" region is now in the hands of Paul Fortier of Mount Albert, Ontario Canada. Paul has been operating as the regional director for some time. It was his wish to operate without the recognition of this position to allow the time and focus necessary to organize a 2004 SKUSA "Canada East" Series. With the structure of this series now in its final stages, complete details of this SKUSA "Canada East" Series will be announced over the next several weeks. If you are interested in running the SKUSA Canada East Region, you can contact Paul at: ppg.turf@sypatico.ca

Jason Ewers - New Marketing Director
If anyone is interested in learning more about SKUSA sponsorship programs available please call/email Jason @ 317-223-8935 Jason@skusaonline.com or Matt Fink at 614-760-9540 Matt@skusaonline.com

LEE CONTINUES TO PROVE HE CAN PEDAL
Syosset, NY — At the ripe age of 14, Matt Lee continues to demonstrate a level of maturity few at this early stage of their racing career posses. Matt approaches every race with the individual goal of becoming a more experienced driver, a stronger race technician, and a smarter competitor.

Matt Lee rolled into Jacksonville following an impressive showing in Daytona, where he posted three fast laps in three different classes and two wins, with something to prove. This weekend at the Winter Nationals, the MRP/Birel 44 Kart, sponsored by Twin Tooth Racing Apparel, was out to show Daytona was not just an anomaly. He delivered immediately on Saturday when he post pole at 33.030. When the checkers fell on the Prefinal Matt was P-1. During the final on Saturday Matt was passed on the last lap for the win by the #70 kart due to the draft on the straightaway.

When the sun came up on Sunday Matt was committed to not having the front stretch keep him from the top of the podium again. Matt took his MRP/Birel 44 Kart to an eye-popping 32.767 qualifying time taking the pole position for the Sunday race. When the green flag dropped, he left the field and checked out. In the first race he drove from the pole to take the checkers 10 karts ahead of the field. In the Sunday final the MRP/Birel 44 Kart never looked back in a hard fought race to the finish line for a 1st place win. The weekend culminated in Matt being on the podium four times in three classes.

“The tow,” Lee commented, “is really tough to avoid here. With a front stretch as long as Jacksonville and no help, you sometimes can’t avoid being dropped. It’s ironic to be out front all race and come to the stripe knowing you may wind up in P2.”

His 80cc Shifter performance this weekend showed he is continuing to grow as a driver. His times speak for themselves. On paper this kid can pedal and pedal fast. On the track he shows a level of respect for his competitors that did not go unnoticed. Matt drove out front in the 80cc Shifter pre-final all race long. On the final lap, on the last front stretch, Matt continued to hammer. When the checkered flag was thrown he was sitting in P2. Matt could have easily blocked and made life difficult for his competition, yet he chose not to resort to those tactics. Matt walked from the kart with his head held high just knowing. It’s refreshing to see a racer with respect for his competitors.

“For me racing is a passion,” said Lee.” “Every time I go out and push the kart I try to do a little better. I also know that I am going to be racing with this group for a while. It’s important for me to be clean racer. I know I can drive and I’ve been driving this MRP/Birel chassis for 2 years. It’s really fast. We are learning every time we show up to the track. I also know that I am getting more and more experience with every drop of the flag.”

Matt’s assault on the field continued in HPV Junior where he landed on the front row missing the pole by 7/100’s. From the front row Matt finished on the top of the podium in the pre-final. During the HPV Junior Final, Matt was victim to a race incident that left him standing on the podium in the third position.

Matt’s next stop is the Stars Race at Beaver Run May 7th.

For more information on Matt Lee and Twin Tooth Racing Apparel, log onto www.twintooth.com.

THAT’S RACING
New York City, New York — Whoever coined the phrase “That’s Racing,” the blanket explanation for the unexplainable whims of the racing gods, could well have had this race weekend in mind for the 2003 Red Bull Driver Search winners, who are now part of the Red Bull Junior Team in Europe.

Between penalties, spins, and bad tire selection, there was a lot to be learned for Scott Speed, Colin Fleming and Dominque Claessens this weekend at Monza for the first round of the Formula Renault Eurocup. But, that’s racing, and these three drivers will take what they learned this weekend, and look to turn it to their advantage next time they line up for a race in just under a month’s time in Spain.

Penalties and Poor Choices turn Double Poles into Double Disappointment…
At the end of Friday’s qualifying sessions, which saw Speed nab both pole positions with a comfortable margin, Scott commented that the only thing that would stand in his way of a sure victory was the weather changing.

Scott’s thoughts proved prescient as alas, race day brought grey skies, and morning showers changed the whole ballgame. The wrong tire choice for the race meant that Scott couldn’t keep up with race winner Maldonado, although he was still able to hold on and keep second place at the finish. Not a bad start.

The next race, run this time in the dry, was also a learning experience, as Speed was battling for the lead when a safety car period gathered the field. As the field came up to speed for the restart, Maldonado brake-checked Speed, who had to swerve to miss him, and in the process, crossed the finish line ahead of the leader, forcing him into the pits for a penalty.

“I was pretty sure what he had done was illegal, but it turns out it wasn’t, so lesson learned there. That’s racing!”

Sometimes you have to spin, to win…
Poor Colin Fleming. His first ever standing start in a race car, and he gets off the line well. His hopes undoubtedly soaring as he charges toward the chicane, he makes a pair of passes despite the fact that the spray from the other cars has quickly robbed him of visibility.

He still knows where his braking point is for the first corner, though, even if he can’t see it. But the guy behind him DOESN’T, and slams into Fleming’s car. The next thing Colin “The Cowboy” knows is that he has a first-hand look at the rest of the field speeding right at him as he spins off into the kitty litter.

“Tons were broken back there, wings, floor, all kinds of things. But the car kept going, so I did too. That’s racing.“

No, Colin didn’t win this one, motoring on to the finish several seconds off the pace, but is certainly planning on winning the next…

Qualifying is everything…
Claessens didn’t fare well in qualifying, and no doubt was ruing having to deal with traffic at literally every turn during the races. No one wants to be in 15th place, and they would do ANYTHING to be in 14th, so the fighting is fierce in this section of the field, and Dominique was rightly happy to move up some nine spots to take ninth place in the second race. That’s racing.

The boys are now on their way back to Austria, but not before a short trip to Milan for a little tourist activity as they begin to think about the race weekend, see what could be improved, and start planning for how to convert a pole into a win, or how to improve at the start or think about how the car is going to be in the draft, or learning more about the tires, or whatever its going to take to be the next American Formula One driver.

Monza Results
Race 1
Scott Speed – 2nd
Dominque Claessens – 16th
Colin Fleming – 24th

Race 2
Colin Fleming – 5th
Dominque Claessens – 9th
Scott Speed – 12th

For more info, see www.redbulldriversearch.com or Junior Team Website: www.redbull-juniorteam.com

MRP DOMINATES PODIUM AT SKUSA PROMOTO TOUR ROUND ONE IN JACKSONVILLE
Jacksonville, Florida — The 2003 ShifterKart Illustrated “Team of the Year”, MRP Motorsport, has picked up where they left off claiming eight podiums a six victories in the first round of the SKUSA (Superkarts! USA) ProMoto Tour. The team guided numerous drivers into the top five with their trackside assistance and knowledge of the Birel chassis line.

MRP Motorsport took a victory in every class throughout the weekend except SuperPro, where Johnathan Branam netted a 2nd place after sitting on pole earlier in the day.

“We have a very hard working bunch of drivers,” said Team Manager, Chris Lobaugh. “These guys worked their tails off to get these great results and we are proud of every driver on the team. As long as we can continue to grow each of their talents and give them what they need to improve, we are doing our job as a team.”

Saturday’s results saw Branam take the pole and heat win in SuperPro and begin to pull away in the final before an engine failure sidelined him. In other classes however, MRP nearly swept the entire top step of the podium with Timmy Megenbier, Jr. making a last lap pass to win 80Jr., Jordan Dick and Ron Joynt taking 1st and 2nd in Formula S1, Collin Lynn sweeping qualifying, heat and final in G1 and Kaitlin Mangham took 2nd after starting on the pole in the TaG Sr. class.

“We were very close to seeing a Birel driver on top of each podium today,” said Lobaugh regarding Saturday’s events. “I can’t be more satisfied with how the team works together under this tent.”

Sunday was more of the same for the MRP Motorsport/Birel team. Jordan Dick once again dominated the S1 class with a pole, heat win and decisive victory (and fastest lap) in the final while Branam followed up his speed on Saturday with a fine 2nd place after starting from Pole. MRP SuperPro driver, Josh Schreiber had a great run to fastest lap before being collected by another driver’s misfortune. Lynn also continued his domination in G1 with a clean sweep of pole, heat and final while bringing home the fast lap honors. Kaitlin Mangham brought her Easykart Tag Sr. home to a win and fastest lap in the final as well.

The MRP Motorsport team will next travel to compete in the Stars of Today WEST series on April 16-18 at Moran after this past weekend’s WKA Manufacturers Cup National event in Jacksonville, FL.

For more information on the MRP Motorsport/Birel race program, contact Chris Lobaugh at 269-756-9181 or via email @ chris@mrpmotorsport.com. Also check out the website @ www.mrpmotorsport.com.

AAMA ANNOUNCES ITS INCREDIBLE LINE-UP FOR THE 2004 WINDY-CITY ANNUAL MEETING & DISTRIBUTOR COCKTAIL GALA
Chicago, Illinois — What's in store for 2004? The American Amusement Machine Association (AAMA) has unbelievable events lined up for its' Windy-City Annual Meeting. This year's meeting will be held in the heart of Chicago! Be our guest and experience unbelievable events, informative meetings, and fine dinning with great friends.

AAMA prides itself on serving our members as the central voice of the coin-operated amusement and interactive entertainment industry. The AAMA will host several meetings in an effort to discuss hot industry topics and issues that concern OUR INDUSTRY. We will provide a forum for all members to voice their concerns on industry issues that matter most.

The line up:
THURSDAY, JULY 22, 2004
AAMA Welcome Event: Chicago Cubs vs. Cincinnati Reds
AAMA Welcome Dinner: 7:30pm

FRIDAY, JULY 23, 2004
AAMA Government Relations Committee Meeting: 8:00am – 9:00am
AAMA Membership Committee Meeting: 9:00am – 10:00am
AAMA Foreign Business Development Committee Meeting: 10:00am – 11:00am
AAMA Industry Promotion Committee Meeting: 11:00am – 12:00pm
Chicago Tour
AAMA Distributor Cocktail Gala: 7:00pm

SATURDAY, JULY 24, 2004
AAMA Membership Meeting & Board of Directors Meeting: 9:00am – 12:30pm
Golf Outing
AAMA Wrap Up Dinner

The AAMA is providing yet another member benefit to our roster! The AAMA understands and have heard your concerns regarding the manufacturer distributor relationship. Thus, we are taking your concerns to the forefront. In an effort to build distributor involvement and strengthen the relationship between manufacturer and distributor, the AAMA is providing a cost effective medium for manufacturers to display their latest products to their respective distributors. We are proud to announce we will be hosting a Distributor Cocktail Gala on Friday, July 23, 2004 at the Wyndham Chicago.

Right about now you’re asking, what makes this Gala differ from the rest? We’re glad you asked. The AAMA feels that by getting back to basics in offering a less structured avenue to present your products, the manufacturer and distributor will benefit from this event in:
Cost Containment – unlike trade shows, members will enjoy incredible savings by previewing their products through a cocktail party type setting. You will not have to deal with logistical problems that may come up, i.e. carpet, electric furnishings etc.

Geographic Location – travel is a way of life in this industry and we certainly do not want to add much more to your packed schedules, however, the central hub for the coin-operated industry has been the Midwest. By hosting the event in the Chicago-land area, this may eliminate some of your travel you would normally conduct when visiting clients in this region.

Face Time – on a trade show floor, many times than none, you are running from meeting to meeting. The AAMA Distributor Gala gives you the time you’ve always wanted to discuss various other industry issues.

One Industry One Room – wouldn’t it be nice to have industry associates together in one room. That is what we will provide you. It will be difficult to miss this person and that person, when we’ve wrangled them up for you.

HAVE FUN – we are, in fact, part of the “entertainment” industry. Who said business had to be all work and no play? We’ve combined business with pleasure!

AAMA President, Mike Rudowicz states, “As an association, it is our responsibility to recognize industry concerns and do what we must to better the situation. By providing an industry forum through our annual meeting; the communication lines are open to discuss, evaluate and implement problem-solutions through our membership and for our membership. We hope that by hosting an AAMA Distributor Gala, whereby our member distributors may have the chance to preview some of the features and benefits such new products may provide them; this will help in the planning stages of the actual fall product line release.”

All AAMA members are welcome to attend both the meetings and events we have in store for you this year. However, this exclusive event will be by invitation only to AAMA Member Distributors and their invited guests. Manufacturers, if you would like to display your newly designed and classic products at this year’s event, please contact the AAMA at 847.290.9088. Don't miss out on the GRAND EVENT!

This year's headquarter hotel is the AAA Diamond Award Winner; the Wyndham Hotel. The Wyndham Chicago is an oasis of comfort and style in the heart of Chicago's Magnificent Mile. It is just one block off Michigan Avenue in a neighborhood full of world-class restaurants, shopping, museums and galleries. Reservations are now being accepted. Please call 1.800.996.3426 Group Name: AAMA. Personal on-line registration is coming soon! Visit us on the web for up dates at www.coin-op.org. See you in July!

AUSTIN GRAND PRIX
Austin, Texas — The AUSTIN GRAND PRIX will take place on June 4-6, 2004 at the Highland Hall, 6001 Airport Blvd, Austin, TX. This is going to be a kick-a$$ event on the level of the Supernationals! So mark your calendar now to attend Austin Grand Prix 2004 – the first SKUSA Regional Race ever held in Austin, Texas. Conducted by the SKUSA “A” Team using the SKUSA Tecpro barrier system, this race will be free to the viewing public and heavily promoted in the local and regional media. Thousands are expected to attend.

June 4, 5 and 6, 2004, about 100 superkart race teams will gather at Highland Mall to compete in one of the fastest motorsports in the world. The race is a harbinger of the opening of Austin’s first superkart club and track, Iron Rock Raceway, in 2005.

Austin Grand Prix is sponsored by SKUSA, Iron Rock Raceway, Roger Beasley Porsche, Highland Mall, Speedlab, Pit Stop, Speedwerx, Intrepid Champion, Kam Karting, Margay Bridgestone, RPM Indoor Raceway, Laser Quest — and of course, KartWeb.com. SKUSA Red River region is organizing the race. KartWeb.com will be videotaping the race.

The Austin Grand Prix course will be a temporary course covering10 acres and including a .65-mile track with 11 turns. Racers will compete in 13 professional and amateur superkarting classes, including 125 Stock, Novice and Expert; TAG (Touch & Go 125cc automatic clutch ) Junior, Senior and Master; Novice 60/80; Jr1 2-Cycle; 80 Junior, Pro Formula K1, G1 (125cc shifter karts for drivers over 35 years of ago) and Kid Karts. The race also will feature an exhibition “Super Can” (100cc clutch karts) race run to IKF Rules.

The Expert 125cc shifter class will compete for $2,000 1st place, $1,000 2nd place and $500 3rd place purses.

Entry Fees
Each race day event - $65 (Kid Karts $45)
Pit pass (per driver/crew member) - $25
Friday practice - $25
Pit space $25

Driver team sign in will begin Thursday, June 6 at 12:00 pm. Pit spaces can be claimed as of Thursday morning, June 3.

In all but the Expert 125cc class, there will be a limit of one new set of tires for both race days. There are provisions allowing emergency replacements with USED tires. The Expert 125cc class will be allowed to run with new sets of tires for the Saturday and Sunday race.

For the Austin Grand Prix race schedule and format, visit www.kartweb.com. For information on entry fees, contact Rodney Berryhill (SKUSA Red River) at Champion Kart Shop 405-579-5278 or Rich Phillips at Iron Rock Raceway: 512/617-6408 or 512/657-8911. If you are interested in receiving more information on Iron Rock Raceway, please contact rich@ironrockraceway.com.

Don’t miss the action and the exposure — we’ll see you there!

END

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