After the rumor that MotoGP could be heading to Chile in the near future, we now get the news that former world champion Kevin Schwantz has attended the official presentation of new circuit that is going to be built in the South American country.

Schwantz is one the people behind the Austin, Texas track and helped the promoters get it on the MotoGP calendar in 2013, and he’s now consulting on this proposed Chilean circuit that will be built by the famed Hermann Tilke, who has given us not only the new Circuit of the Americas, but also the Sepang and Motorland Aragon venues, but also Istanbul Park and the Shanghai International Circuit.

Called Motorpark, this new site is about 30km from the city of Santiago de Chile and will be 180 hectare development that will be designed to meet FIA and FIM homologation standards and not only include a race track but also a motocross and kart track and will take about 18 months to complete.

Source | crash.net

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Hold your horses, we sort of expected that MotoGP would be heading to the new Austin F1 track in Texas, especially after well connected Superbikeplanet.com revealed that it would be confirmed this week, but what we didn’t expect was that the Lone Star state will be hosting ten years of MotoGP races, starting from 2013 and we can thank the legendary #34, Kevin Schwantz, for making it happen.

This will probably be the first epic change to the racing calendar in the upcoming years, with another Middle Eastern country expected to be added (Abu Dhabi) as well as India and maybe a return to South America, but we could lose some classic European tracks like Estoril or Sachsenring, to make room for these new venues, if the recent rumors are true.

It is still unknown whether the Indianapolis round will still be around after this year, (Laguna Seca is confirmed until 2014), but the Speedway promoters are still working on an extension and they’ve even released their own hopeful statement after the announcement of the Austin GP deal.

Both press releases after the jump.

Continue reading: MotoGP fans put your stetsons on, because Texas here we come

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Last season Dorna renewed an only one year extension with the Indianapolis Motors Speedway with rumors saying that Indy would remain on the calendar for another season while the new F1 circuit in Austin, Texas is being built.

During every Vrooom event, Dorna’s CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta shows up for his own press conference, reporting on the state of affairs in MotoGP and what the future holds for the premier racing class. This year, besides talking about not taking any current legal action against Suzuki for running only one bike, that we will see 22 bikes on the grid (we’ve heard that one before), that he doesn’t give a shit (my word, not his) about Infront’s (Flammini’s WSBK series) complaints regarding what are prototypes and what aren’t, he also confirmed that he was in talks with both India and Austin regarding hosting GP racing in the new venues, however the Austin promoter has denied discussions with Dorna.

“MotoGP would be great for Texas and the fans but I haven’t had any discussions with him (Ezpeleta) about that,” said U.S. Grand Prix promoter Tavo Hellmund talking to website statesman.com “Everything is F1.”

We bet that the preliminary talks that Ezpeleta refers to, have probably been with Kevin Schwantz, who is a consultant and on the board of the new Texas track.

Source | autosport.com and autosport.com and autoweek.com

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When Dorna renewed an one year extension with the Indianapolis Motors Speedway, rumors immediately started up that the Grand Prix circus was keeping the Indy track on the calendar while the new F1 circuit in Austin, Texas is being built.

The 900 acre, $200m track that will be designed by circuit designer Hermann Tilke and financed by private investors, also sees motorycle legend Kevin Schwantz acting as a consultant to the USGPF1 organization.

With the Texan on board and advising on the requirements that are needed for motorcycle racing, we could actually see MotoGP races deep in the heart of Texas someday soon.

Source | crash.net and asphaltandrubber.com

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Stars and Stripes, this the livery that world famous graphic designer Aldo Drudi of Drudi Perfomance has come up for American Honda and their one off Moto2 effort at the 2010 Red Bull Indianapolis GP that takes place August 27th to 29th.

The team’s Moriwaki MD600 will see WSBK rider Roger Lee Hayden (check out his special leathers after the jump) racing the Moto2 bike and Kevin Schwantz managing the team and this entry is their effort to raise money the Ride for Kids program, and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation.

American Honda is also planning to have Drudi designed commemorative shirts and hats available to the public with all proceeds to benefit the Ride for Kids.

Team Manager Kevin Schwantz has a long history with Drudi, who first created Schwantz’s starbust helmet design in 1991 and designs all of Valentino Rossi’s helmets and several MotoGP teams, including Yamaha and Honda Gresini said:

To work with Kevin, who is a friend and a champion, on a project that American Honda is supporting, it was a given that I was honored to be asked to create the graphics. This assignment has been particularly special to me because for a long time I have wanted to create a theme that focused on the stars and stripes of the USA, which turns out to be the perfect match for this project. It is a very exciting opportunity and a project that will be of the highest level.”

Continue reading: Red, White and Blue for Roger Lee Hayden's Moriwaki Moto2

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We sort of knew that the Kevin Schwantz and Valentino Rossi were friends, and they often exchanged text messages and Rossi got the legendary #34 to come over to Italy to ride in his Motocross dei Campioni charity event last year.

Now Kevin Schwantz has announced that Italy’s VR46 (Valentino Rossi’s official merchandising company) will exclusively produce and market the updated BRAND 34 apparel line. Who’ll be the designer? Naturally Aldo Drudi of Drudi Performance, who else.

The line of Brand 34 apparel runs illustrated screened hats, sweatshirts and T-shirts featuring Schwantz’s signature number 34 and will be available at VR46 vendor booths at all European rounds of the MotoGP world championship, as well as online at various sites, including VR46.it, brand34.com and schwantzschool.com.

“To have a premiere brand such as VR46 producing and marketing BRAND 34 and Schwantz School products worldwide is an amazing opportunity,” said Schwantz, the 1993 500cc world champion. “VR46 has a great management team that maintains the highest quality standards, just like I strived for my entire racing career and we continue to strive for at the Schwantz School.”

Source | nieuwsmotor.nl

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A couple of days back American Honda had announced that it would field a Moto2 wild card at the 2010 Red Bull Indianapolis GP (August 29th), using the Moriwaki Engineering MD600 for their entry and today they’ve confirmed that their rider will be Roger Lee Hayden.

The team will be run by Erion Honda and managed by the legendary Kevin Schwantz and Hayden who currently races in the World Superbikes championship on a Kawasaki for Team Pedercini, will get a chance to test and race the popular Moriwaki Moto2 bike during the five week summer break in the WSBK calendar.

Source | cyclenews.com

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From 1985 to 1995, this two part video highlights the golden and legendary era of the 500cc Grand Prix racing where you can re-watch those fantastic riders and legends that go by the names of Kevin Schwantz, Wayne Rainey, Eddie Lawson, John Kocinski, Mick Doohan and Wayne Gardner and many others.

Watch the joys and pains of those who brought us such magnificent racing on those mean machines, so hit the play button.

Part 2 after the jump.

Continue reading: Memory Lane: 500cc Racing from 1985 to1995

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Last year Dainese and AGV launched the Italian Legendary Tour for 40 lucky winners who had a marvellous three day riding adventure throught the Italian Dolomite Mountains with Giacomo Agostini, Marco Lucchinelli and Max Biaggi.

Following the success of last year, Dainese is again launching the new Italian Legendary Tour, to discover one of the most beautiful regions in Italy, Tuscany. This year the project also has the precious collaboration of Fondazione Sistema Toscana and turismo.intoscana.it, the portal set up by the Tuscany Region to valorise and promote its territory.

Through this partnership, the group of lucky winners will have the opportunity to experience the best of Tuscany, having fun motorcycling on Ducati, MV Agusta and Triumph motorcycles through gorgeous scenery in the company of some of the greatest motorcycle legends from past and present: Valentino Rossi, Kevin Schwantz and Giacomo Agostini will participate at different stages during the tour .

Continue reading: Rossi, Agostini and Schwantz in 2010 Dainese Legendary Tour

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The Armed Forces are really taking to heart the safety of their personnel who ride motorcyles after statistics revealed that more servicemen are dying in motorcycle related accidents than soldiers killed by enemy fire in Iraq.

They’ve had MotoGP’s 2006 World Champion Nicky Hayden promote safe riding and the Department of Defense also called in legendary 500cc World Champion Kevin Schwantz at the third annual National Capital Region Joint Services motorcycle safety event that was held at the Pentagon in Washington, DC., because the military’s Joint Service Safety Council identified motorcycle safety and training as the number one non-combat safety concern across the services.

The Marines have commissioned Semper Ride to educate riders on a wide variety of motorcycle disciplines containing an overall responsible riding theme, instructional material, and mentoring from some of the motorcycle industries most talented riders.

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Arai has launched its new full face helmet, the Kevin Schwantz replica. The replica helmet uses the colours from the world champion’s 500cc, 1993 season, adapting the Arai Chaser model to a replica.

The new little gem will be available in coming weeks on the English market in two different colours (fluoro and normal), with the number 34 in full view on the back. Sizes available range from XS to XXL in two colours, at a price of about 590 pounds (around 657 euros).

Continue reading: Arai launches Kevin Schwantz Replica

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Watching Kevin Schwantz ride back then was always pure excitement, but this pass between two riders on the straight is incredible.

Thanks to Edu for the tip.

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