LeoVince Sponsored Racers Excel in Daytona

DAYTONA, FL - March 29, 2011 - (Motor Sports Newswire) - LeoVince USA's talented group of sponsored racers excelled in the AMA Pro Flat Track and AMA Pro Roadracing rounds during the legendary Daytona Bike Week. They accounted for five top-five finishes in three different classes. In addition, freestyle rider Nick "Apex" Brocha took top honors at XDL's Daytona round.

"Jersey" Jake Johnson rode to two top finishes in the AMA Pro Flat Track double-header aboard the LeoVince-equipped Zanotti Racing Honda CRF450R. He was on the podium with a hard fought third place finish in round one and just missed the box finishing fourth in round two.

LeoVince riders also tasted success on the high banks of Daytona International Speedway. AMA Pro Racing's SuperSport class was also a double-header, and hot handed young gun James "Rocket" Rispoli earned third in race two on his Ant Racing/National Guard/Monster Energy Suzuki GSX-R600 and left Daytona second in points overall. The bike, which is fitted with a LeoVince SBK Factory R Corsa system, also carried him to a seventh-place finish in race one. About race two Rispoli states: "I put my head down and brought it home to a cheering crew, team and sponsors.  It was awesome!"

JD "Jiggy-Dog" Beach brought home a strong fourth-place finish after an exceptional performance in the Daytona 200. Even in a race marred by a shortened distance, tire issues, a nearly two and a half hour red flag delay and an incredibly convoluted finish he showed he had the speed to win in the Pro Daytona SportBike class. Beach competes on the Cycle World/Attack Performance Kawasaki ZX-6R, which benefited from the World Supersport developed LeoVince SBK Factory R Corsa system. "It was a great way to start the season, especially since it was my first time in the Daytona SportBike class," says Beach. "It was nice to be able to ride up front with the other top competitors in the series, and to learn from them."

That same LeoVince system helped propel Beach's teammate Eric Bostrom, riding a Kawasaki ZX-10, to a finish of eighth in the SuperBike race after also suffering front tire issues throughout the high banks of Daytona's famed racetrack. With a new surface and limited engineering time to develop new tires for this greatly changed race surface many riders struggled throughout the weekend to find front tire grip.

In addition to racing, Daytona Bike Week also featured the first XDL freestyle competition of the 2011 season. LeoVince rider Nick "Apex" Brocha picked up where he left off last season and took first in the competitive Individual Freestyle category powered by his LeoVince Unlimited exhaust. "I won the last round of 2010, so it's nice to continue things with another win," says Brocha. "I hope I can continue getting top results this season so I can win the championship for LeoVince."

Valeria's First Video Blog

Valeria Mollo is the daughter and granddaughter of Pietro and Gianni Mollo, the founders & owners of LeoVince. She's traveled to the United States to work at the US officies of LeoVince and learn about American culture. 


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Edwards and Crutchlow Make Positive Start in Qatar

The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team made a bright start to the 2011 MotoGP World Championship in Qatar, Colin Edwards and Cal Crutchlow finishing with points scoring finishes in the season opening night race.

Edwards made a blistering start from the 10th position on the grid and was looking to force his way into the fight for the top six when he lost time by running slightly off line at the second corner. Dropping back into 10th behind team-mate Crutchlow, he quickly moved up to ninth to launch a pursuit of 2010 team-mate Ben Spies.

He closely followed his compatriot for the opening five laps, the 37-year-old setting a consistently fast pace in the mid-1.56 bracket. He shadowed the fast starting Hector Barbera until lap nine when he moved into eighth position. But he'd lost too much time trying to overtake the Spaniard to maintain the pressure on Spies and he finished eighth.

Crutchlow made an impressive MotoGP debut at the 5.38km Losail International Circuit having started in front of Valentino Rossi and Edwards on the grid. Hampered again by the nasty left little finger injury he suffered during the pre-race test in Qatar less than a week ago, Crutchlow rose to the occasion brilliantly, fighting for the top ten for most of the 22-lap race.

He was right on the back of a group battling for ninth that was headed by Nicky Hayden, Hiroshi Aoyama and Barbera. But like Edwards earlier in the race, Barbera proved tough to overtake and Crutchlow lost contact with Hayden and Aoyama with three laps remaining. He was rewarded for his determined performance when he swept by Barbera on the final lap to finish a hugely encouraging debut in 11th.

Colin Edwards 8th – 8-points

"That was the best I could do and I'm happy with the way I rode and my guys at Monster Yamaha Tech 3 gave me a good bike as always. A top eight is pretty good considering the speed of the guys in front of me and I was pretty much where I thought I'd end up based on practice. I got a good start and thought the only way I've got any chance of getting a top six is to take a few early risks. I went round the outside at the first corner and made up a couple of places. But I had a couple of moments, one when I nearly ran into Ben, which wouldn't have been a good move. I thought I might have had something for Valentino early on but even when he's not 100 per cent he can still ride pretty good. I'm never happy with eighth but we got some decent points and we can move on to Jerez with confidence."

Cal Crutchlow 11th – 5-points

"I'm pretty happy with that and honestly I'd have liked to have got a top ten after how well qualifying went. I couldn't keep up with the group that included Nicky and Aoyama because it was tough to pass Barbera. They passed Barbera and I then overtook him to chase them, but he got me back immediately and let them get away because his pace dropped off quite a bit. But he's got a fast bike and that makes it hard to make a pass and stay in front of him. I was happy to be in the fight for the top ten for as long as I was and the experience gained is invaluable to help me progress in MotoGP. I wanted to finish and get a race under my belt, so it was mission accomplished. The next couple of races will be tough because I don't know the circuits but I'll be doing my best for the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 squad."

Herve Poncharal – Team Manager

"Colin had a really good start and it was really interesting for the first few laps as he tried to battle with Ben and Valentino. When you look at the final position he was the best non-factory rider and in this field that is a big achievement. It is clear the top seven are really fast but Colin did his maximum with the package we've got. I am also very pleased with Cal. We didn't know what to expect because of his inexperience and the finger he damaged in the test was a bad injury. But he was able to battle with Aoyama and Hayden, who are world champions. It was a good pass on Barbera too, who has a lot more experience than him and that result that will give him more confidence for the next race. In Jerez his finger will be a lot better and I'm sure he can learn the track quickly, so we are looking for another positive result."

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Crutchlow Dazzles in Qatar Qualifying

MotoGP Rookie Cal Crutchlow lit up the Losail International Circuit in Qatar tonight with a stunning debut qualifying performance.

The British rider lapped faster than nine-times world champion Valentino Rossi and a host of more experienced riders to produce the performance of the night on board the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 YZR-M1 machine.

Crutchlow built up his confidence and speed throughout tonight's session, the big progress he's made in mastering the braking technique in MotoGP evident with fast and consistent pace.

He made major steps in improving front-end feel in the fast sections of the 5.38km Doha circuit and finished less than 0.5s away from the top si x, despite still riding in constant pain from the nasty left finger injury he suffered in a testing crash on Monday night. He was a massive 2.2s faster than his best pace at the two-night test earlier this week and he's confident he can fight for a top ten finish in his MotoGP debut tomorrow night.

Colin Edwards will kick off his ninth premier class campaign from 10th position, the experienced American finishing just over 0.060s behind Crutchlow.

Edwards was happy with his performance on the hard compound Bridgestone rear tyre he will use in the 22-lap race tomorrow night. But he was unable to significantly improve his pace on the soft tyre on his way to clocking a best time of 1.55.647

Cal Crutchlow 8th 1.55.578 – 23 laps:

“It feels great to have qualified eighth when you look at the ca libre and record of some of the guys behind me, but I'm not going to be getting ahead of myself. It is just a shame it is not the four-rider per row formation because that would be a second row! But to be on the third row, I'm happy enough with that. A qualifying session like that is not like Superpole in World Superbikes at all. I'm normally used to the intense pressure and being hyped up for one lap, so to have an hour where you build up pace a bit slower felt a bit strange. But I'm really happy and my fastest lap wasn't a perfect one. I made a couple of mistakes but I think that's because I'm having a small issue with the front-end in the fast corners. But I still managed a 55.5 and I never would have imagined doing that pace a few days ago at the test when I was doing high 57s. I'm not going to make a prediction for the race. I'd be happy to get a few points and have a strong race. It will be tough to finish where I've qualified but with the help of my Monster Yamaha Tec h 3 crew, it has been a really positive weekend so far."

Colin Edwards 10th 1.55.647 – 24 laps:

“I definitely feel like I'm riding a lot better than tenth position, but that shows how competitive MotoGP is this year. As good as I'm riding, I feel like I should have been on the second row because all week I've been around sixth and seventh position. I just wasn't able to lap as fast as I needed to be on the soft tyre. It looks a bit like last year in that when the Honda has a soft tyre in they can drop the lap time by a big chunk. We improve but not by a big margin and that's something we need to work on in the future. But I'm really confident with the hard rear tyre and we've got the bike working great in race trim. I'm fast and consistent but I couldn't do anything more, I'm definitely getting the most of the bike.”

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LeoVince USA Expands SBK Line with New LV One Exhausts

RICHMOND, Ca.—The SBK line of sportbike exhausts from LeoVince USA has grown with the introduction of the LV One. Designed as an entry-level SBK system, the LV One draws heavily from the technical solutions developed on the top-of-the-line Factory R designs.

Style, materials and durability—all without sacrificing performance—were the driving forces for LeoVince’s engineers. Time-tested internals are coupled with a completely new outer design, including an ovoid silencer constructed of TIG-welded stainless steel. In addition to the sand-blasted stainless steel finish, a carbon fiber sleeve is also available.

The LeoVince LV One represents the perfect relationship between quality and pricing, with features that include:

• A new LVHT Technopoly endcap for lighter weight and heat resistance.
• A redesigned, tapered inlet sump for better aerodynamics and style.
• A carbon fiber silencer strap, which is also used on the LeoVince SBK Factory and Factory R exhausts.
• Vertical (side-mount) and undertail applications.
• The option of a stainless steel or carbon fiber silencer.

As always with LeoVince products, all link pipes and silencers are specifically designed for each engine model in order to enhance torque, maximum horsepower and style.

To learn more about the LeoVince SBK LV One, email sales@leovinceusa.com.

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Rider Profile: Nick “Apex” Brocha

He says no one can beat his Grandma’s cherry pie, and that his motorcycle of choice is his 2004 Kawasaki 636. Freestyle phenom Nick “Apex” Brocha also says we’ll be seeing a lot more of him in 2011.

Nick is a member of the LeoVince family, and he’s kind of like that crazy cousin who you can always count on to do outrageous things at family reunions. For Nick, that means crazy stunts or going wheel-to-wheel against a car in a friendly drift battle.

Nick has done a lot of winning over the past five years, but he’s partial to the summer of 2008, when he won SuntWars and XDL rounds in a two-week stretch. He won the XDL National Championship that year, and his huge collection of first-place trophies include Individual Freestyle, Sickest Trick, Circle Challenge and Team Event categories.

This year, the Las Vegas boy promises he’ll be making more videos to keep us entertained when we should be working. It’s only fitting: Nick used to own his own production company. He was an avid rider, but didn’t care about freestyle riding. After producing two freestyle releases that went mainstream, Nick wanted in on the action, too. As he says, “I stopped being behind the camera so much and started riding more.”

Movie star aspirations aside, Nick’s travel schedule is as insane as always (a 30-hour drive for one event isn’t unusual for Nick), but for 2011 he’ll be doing more shows and less competing.

Whether he’s competing, riding in a show, or starring in the latest viral video online, Nick “Apex” Brocha is one to watch.

Read more about Nick on his site: http://site.nickapexfreestyle.com/

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A Family Affair: BTOSports.com/BBMX/Palmetto Suzuki

It’s typical for a race team to say, “We’re a family,” and BTOSports.com/BBMX/Palmetto Suzuki is a family in the true sense of the word. Founded and managed by the Butler brothers, team owner and manager Forrest Butler recently gave us a look inside this professional AMA Supercross and Motocross team.

The team’s origins stem from 2002, when Forrest and two of his three brothers raced as privateers. They started the official team in 2004, and one year later made racing their business by founding Butler Brothers MX.

Currently, Butler Brothers MX fields Michael Byrne and Jason Thomas in the 450 class of AMA Supercross competition. Byrne and Thomas ride Suzuki RMZ450s equipped with LeoVince full systems.

Forrest says there have been a lot of ups and downs since the team began, “but here we are in 2011 focusing on being a high-profile 450 premier-class team with one of the best privateers in the world, Jason Thomas, and one of the highest-profile elite riders in the world, Michael Byrne.”

The 2011 Supercross season hasn’t been without its trials. Last November, Byrne broke his wrist and was unable to return to competition until the San Diego round in February. Thomas went through a string of bad luck, but is showing a lot of growth as a rider.

“Overall, he is much faster than he was last year and is riding excellent against arguably the deepest field of 450s in history,” Forrest says. “He fired off at the opener in Anaheim with a 15th and I think you will see him get even higher when the series moves back east.”

That 15th-place finish at Anaheim is a highlight of the season so far, though there are plenty of rounds left. For the privateer BTOSports.com/BBMX/Palmetto Suzuki squad, it represents a solid privateer effort against the toughest field of the season to date.

Sponsors like Leo Vince USA play a big role in keeping a privateer team like BTOSports.com/BBMX/Palmetto Suzuki racing. “The sponsors are huge; they are the bloodline of the team’s income and how we go racing. Sponsors could put all their money into magazine or web advertisements if they wanted to, but racing is a different core group of fans,” says Forrest. “And the sponsors that back the teams that fans love win the hearts of the fans.”

 There is plenty to keep the Butler brothers busy away from the race track. Filling the role of both team owner and team manager adds an extra level of stress to the daily routine for Forrest. “The owner side is tough because the puck stops on me: if the money isn't coming in, the team isn't racing.  Luckily we have very good big sponsors and the team is doing very well thanks to them,” says Forrest.

Racing is held on the weekends, which leaves Monday through Thursday for taking care of team business. Forrest says, “My brother Karsten is the other team manager and he handles all the logistics for the team travel-wise. Dan Truman is our head technician and he handles the technical side of the team. Then of course each individual on the team does their own job and then some, and at the end of the day, my job is a lot easier and a lot less stressful because I have such a solid team behind me.”

While Forrest and his brother Karsten focus on running the team, the rest of the team is facing a never-ending stream of mechanical work. Rebuilds, new parts, and constant tuning for optimum performance are ongoing tasks.

“Our sport is progressing too quickly to ever take a break.  As far as I am concerned, we are always trying to improve in any way we can,” Forrest says. “This year we made a big step with adding Byrne, but we did it for the growth of the team. It was time to go to the next level and hopefully by the end of Supercross, we will have achieved stuff we have yet to do thus far.”

Keep up with the constant progress of BTOSports.com/BBMX/Palmetto Suzuki online at www.butlerbrothersmx.com or at your local AMA Supercross round.

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LeoVince Introduces Ti-Tech X3 for Off-road and SBK LV One for Street

RICHMOND, Ca.- Already sporting the widest range of exhaust products globally the LeoVince family of products has expanded again with the introduction of the new X3 Ti-Tech exhaust, a full system for off-road racing, and the new LV One, a high quality entry-level priced SBK street system.

LeoVince Ti-Tech X3

The Ti-Tech X3 is a race-inspired full system that boasts quality construction, weight reduction and increased horsepower. The fully stepped race headers and silencer body are entirely constructed of premium-quality AISI 304 stainless steel and are TIG welded for reduced weight, improved balance and incredible durability, even under the toughest motocross and off-road racing conditions. The entire system weighs just 1.5 pounds more than LeoVince’s full titanium race exhaust which is a class leader. Ted Campbell LeoVince USA’s National Race manager and fourteen year Supercross veteran states: “Globally we race in Supercross &off-road at every level but given the current state of the economy we wanted to offer riders all the power of our full Ti race systems in a more durable and affordable package. The Ti-tech exhaust does just that with equal performance, light weight and a higher level of durability starting at just $599.00.”

The LeoVince Stainless and Titanium Ti-Tech X3 Full System is the same system used globally by LeoVince-powered racers and features:

• Substantial weight savings over stock
• Horsepower boosts across the entire RPM range
• CAD/CAM design for a precise fit
• DuraPaq™ packing material designed to last 50 hours before repacking, even under severe racing conditions
• Machine-specific tuning to work with stock fuel settings

LeoVince LV One

The LV One was designed as a high quality, entry-level priced SBK system. Tim Calhoun Executive V.P. of LeoVince USA states: “The driving force for LeoVince’s engineers when designing this was to offer affordably & style without any compromise in quality, materials and durability as these are the mainstays of all LeoVince products. Harder yet was to develop this with the level of performance we are known for. One of the ways we accomplished this was by blending time-tested internal designs and coupling them with a completely new outer design, including an ovoid silencer constructed of TIG-welded stainless steel and a brand new LVHT (High Temp) TechnoPoly end-cap.” Calhoun also notes “In the LV One we feel we have built a class leading, entry level priced exhaust anyone would be proud to mount on there motorcycle.”

The LeoVince LV One represents the perfect relationship between quality and pricing, with features that include:

• A new LVHT Technopoly end-cap for lighter weight and increased heat resistance
• A redesigned, tapered inlet sump for better aerodynamics and style
• A Moto GP derived carbon fibre silencer strap, also utilized on the top-end Factory R exhausts
• Vertical (side-mount) and undertail applications
• The option of a stainless steel or carbon fibre silencer

As always with LeoVince products, all link pipes and silencers are specifically designed for each engine model in order to enhance torque, maximize horsepower and allow you to install your exhaust and ride with no or little fuel setting adjustments.

To learn more about the Stainless and Titanium Ti-Tech X3 Full System and SBK LV One slip-on from LeoVince, email sales@leovinceusa.com.

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