The following is from Miller Motorsports Park:TOOELE VALLEY, UTAH (May 26, 2011) – After weeks of suspense and speculation, the team line-ups for the Inaugural BigM Weekend Superbike Super Celebrity Mega Kart Showdown at Miller Motorsports Park are announced.The Inaugural BigM Weekend Superbike Super Celebrity Mega Kart Showdown is a celebrity go-kart race to kick off the Memorial Day Weekend event featuring the FIM Superbike World Championship and AMA Pro Road Racing, plus two concerts and a major military tribute. There will be 15 teams comprised of a racer from World Superbike or AMA Pro Road Racing, a military member from one of Utah’s military installations, a media celebrity and a fan. Fans were chosen from a drawing of all ticket-holders on May 8. There will also be a Wild Card team with special guests and executives that will race but will be ineligible to win any prizes or trophies.The entrants will assemble at the Miller Kart Track at noon on Friday, May 27. Following practice, a drivers meeting and opening ceremonies, the big race is scheduled to take the green flag at 2 p.m. Following the race at 3 p.m., there will be an autograph session with the participating racers. The event is open to the public at no charge.The race will be conduced in four five-lap heats, with each driver required to complete one heat. Lap times will be recorded, and each driver’s fastest lap will be the lap of record. Following the final heat race, each team’s four fastest lap times will be added up and the team with the lowest cumulative (four-) lap time will be declared the winner. The top three teams will receive trophies and the military member and fan on the winning team will receive a three-day grandstand pass to the 2012 BigM Weekend, plus a guaranteed seat in the 2012 BigM Weekend Superbike Super Celebrity Mega Kart Showdown as defending champions.The teams are as follows:Team Biaggi:
Max Biaggi, No. 1 Aprilia Italia Racing Team, Aprilia RSV4 Factory, reigning World Superbike Champion
Angie Larsen, News Anchor, KTVX-4 ABC, Salt Lake City
Col. William E. King IV, Dugway Proving Grounds
L. Whalen, Pocatello, IdahoTeam Checa:
Carlos Checa, No. 7 Althea Racing Ducati 1098R, World Superbike
Rod Decker, Repoter/Talk-Show Host, KUTV-2 CBS, Salt Lake City
SSG Gail Breeland, Dugway Proving Grounds
K. Marsh, Omaha, Neb.Team Rea:
Jonathan Rea, No. 4 Castrol Honda CBR1000RR, World Superbike
David Swarts, Associate Editor, RoadRacing World
SPC John Emch, Dugway Proving Grounds
R. Gregger, Layton, UtahTeam Fabrizio:
Michele Fabrizio, No. 84 Team Suzuki Alstare Suzuki GSX-R 1000, World Superbike
Matteo Cavadini, Photographer, Alex Photo (World Superbike)
SPC William McRaney – Dugway Proving Grounds
J. Johnson – Salt Lake City, UtahTeam Sykes:
Tom Sykes, No. 66 Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX-10R, World Superbike
Rod Zundel, Sports Anchor, KSL-5 NBC, Salt Lake City
SFC Eric Royal, Deseret Chemical Depot
R. Foley, Grants Pass, Ore.Team Corser:
Troy Corser, No. 11 BMW Motorrad Motorsport BMW S1000 RR
Rick Aaron, Sports Anchor, KSTU-13 FOX, Salt Lake City
Ryan Whitehouse, Deseret Chemical Depot
K. Birch, Rexburg, IdahoTeam Laverty:
Eugene Laverty, No. 58 Yamaha World Superbike Team Yamaha YZF R1, World Superbike
Julian Thomas, Press Office Manager, World Superbike
SrA Cathrina Bailey, 729th Air Control Squadron, HAFB
J. Appel, Riverton, UtahTeam Hayes:
Josh Hayes, No. 1 Monster Energy Graves Yamaha R1, Defending AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike Champion
Craig Bolerjack, Sports Anchor, KJZZ-TV, Salt Lake City
SSgt. Austin Webb, 729th Air Control Squadron, HAFB
L. Danielson, Loveland, Colo.Team Paris:
Melissa Paris, No. 13 HT Moto Yamaha YZF-R6, AMA Pro Daytona SportBike
Sean O’Connell, KZNS The Zone 1280-AM Radio, Salt Lake City
TSgt James Gosselin, 729th Air Control Squadron, Hill Air Force Base
D. Stokes, Littleton, Colo.Team R. L. Hayden:
Roger Lee Hayden, No. 54 National Guard Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000, AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike
RJ, KZZQ The Blaze 97.5-FM Radio, Salt Lake City
MSgt Kirk Fisher, 729th Air Control Squadron, Hill Air Force Base
J. Vanderstigone, Seal Beach, Calif.Team T. Hayden:
Tommy Hayden, No. 22 Rockstar Makita Suzuki GSX-R1000, AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike
Jake Jensen, KUDD The Mix 107.9-FM Radio, Salt Lake City
SPC Rod Warr, Utah National Guard
C. Moore, Edmund, Okla.Team Bostrom:
Ben Bostrom, No. 23 Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000, AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike
Mark Waldi, KRSP The Arrow, 103.5-FM Radio, Salt Lake City
MAJ DeAnne Trauba, Utah National Guard
S. Gimby, Pocatello, IdahoTeam Pegram:
Larry Pegram, No. 72 Foremost Insurance BMW S1000RR, AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike
Mark E, KZHT 97.1-FM Radio, Salt Lake City
SGT Guy Mellor, Utah National Guard
R. Ryan, Hartland, Wis.Team Myers:
Elena Myers, No. 21 Suzuki Scoop Fans Suzuki GSX-R600, AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport
Kevin Cruise, KUUU U92, 92.5-FM Radio, Salt Lake City
CPT. Tyler Jensen, Utah National Guard
S. Whitworth, Pocatello, IdahoTeam Young:
Blake Young, No. 79 Rockstar Makita Suzuki GSX-R1000, AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike
Jonathan Green, television announcer, SPEED TV (“the International Voice of World Superbike”)
SSG Travis Smith, Tooele Army Depot
M. Paul, Burlington, Wash.Wild Card Team
Scott Russell, television announcer, SPEED TV; 1992 AMA Pro Superbike Champion; 1993 World Superbike Champion; “Mr. Daytona” with five AMA Daytona 200 wins, Conyers, Ga.
Greg Miller, CEO, Larry H. Miller Group, Salt Lake City, Utah
John Larson, General Manager, Miller Motorsports Park, Salt Lake City, Utah
Paolo Ciabatti, Director, Superbike World Championship, Rome, ItalyFollowing the Inaugural BigM Weekend Superbike Super Celebrity Mega Kart Showdown on Friday evening at 6 p.m., the official pre-race party will take place at Honda Suzuki of Salt Lake, located at 2354 South State Street in Salt Lake City. World-renowned stunt rider Jason Britton will perform and a number of motorcycle racers will be in attendance.The on-track activity begins on Saturday morning. There will be five different series racing: The FIM Superbike World Championship, AMA Pro National Guard American SuperBike, AMA Pro Daytona SportBike, AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport and AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200. There will be practice and qualifying on Saturday, then more qualifying and races for the AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport and Vance & Hines XR1200 series on Sunday. The two feature races for the Superbike World Championship and single races for the AMA Pro National Guard American SuperBike, AMA Pro Daytona SportBike will take place on Memorial Day Monday.Two concerts are scheduled to take place during the weekend. On Saturday night, Dierks Bentley, Sawyer Brown and Reckless Kelly will perform, and Sunday night will feature Creedence Clearwater Revisited and Blue Oyster Cult. Both concerts will start at 7 p.m. Saturday’s concert will also include a fireworks display at 10 p.m.The military will be a big part of the weekend, with a Tribute Field of 2,011 American flags erected in the track’s infield, the Zions Bank Military Acre featuring interactive displays from all branches of the military and a flyover of an Air National Guard KC-135 Stratotanker during opening ceremonies on Monday. All current and veteran military members are eligible for a 50-percent discount on event tickets, this weekend and every weekend.In addition, there will be a myriad of activities for families to enjoy, including karting at the Miller Kart Track, rides on MMP’s new Zip Line, Jeep rides on MMP’s rock-crawling course, a paddock party/autograph session prior to Saturday’s concert, pit walks, vendors, other musical performances, stunt bike demonstrations from Britton and BMW Motorrad’s Chris Pfeiffer and Chris “Teach” McNeill, carnival rides, numerous vendors and plenty of good food.To obtain tickets for or information about The BigM Weekend presented by Lucas Oil, visit the event-specific website at www.BigMWeekend.com or call 435-277-RACE (7223). For information regarding Miller Motorsports Park, visit the track’s website at www.MillerMotorsportsPark.com.
