2006 PRE-SEASON REVIEW
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
 
This just in from Yamaha:
 
TEAM YAMAHA ROLLS INTO DAYTONA READY TO WIN
 
Daytona Beach, Florida, March 7, 2006?When the flag drops for the 65th Daytona 200, Yamaha hopes to add one more to its record number of 18 Daytona 200 wins. Following three days of fine-tuning the all-new YZF-R6 during last weekend's regional Championship Cup Series (CCS), both the riders and the team feel prepared. In fact, during the 600cc class CCS races, rider Jason DiSalvo on his race-tire equipped R6 was able to lower his fastest winter tire test time (made on a qualifying tire) to the low 1:41's. DiSalvo could become the first rider to break the 1:40 barrier in Thursday's pole qualifying.
 
Many believe the 22-year-old New Yorker is the early favorite for the 200 win, which would make him part of an elite Yamaha family: World Champions Kenny Roberts, Eddie Lawson, Scott Russell, Giacomo Agostini, Steve Baker, Johnny Cecotto, Graeme Crosby, and the late Jarno Saarinen all enjoyed victory in the March classic aboard Yamahas.
 
Also gunning for a win will be Eric Bostrom, a veteran of five Daytona 200s. Bostrom's best finish was a second in 2001, the year he won the Supersport Championship. Since then, the 29-year-old from Temecula, California has concentrated on the Superbike class. Now he's back on a 600, logging invaluable seat time to be ready for a return to the longest race on the American calendar.
 
Jamie Hacking, the third member of the team, will spearhead Yamaha's assault on the Supersport Championship, while joining his teammates in pursuit of the Superstock title. After he broke both of his elbows in a bicycle accident last year, cutting short his 2005 season, Hacking has worked his way back to near peak fitness. He'll certainly need it with Superstock and Supersport races running back to back on Thursday.
 
Here's what the riders and Team Manager Tom Halverson had to say:
 
Jason Disalvo, #40 It's been a big help to get out here and get laps and get comfortable with the place. The R6 is feeling really good. It was pretty close when we brought it here. So we just fine-tuned a little bit. For the CCS weekend, we didn't have our strong motors in. I'm running the oldest spec motor that we have available just because I wasn't gelling with the transmission that's on the stronger motor. We're going to pick up quite a bit of power coming into the AMA weekend. I ran in one CCS race with the big bikes and I passed almost all the 1000s. Our bikes are really fast. I'm excited, I can't wait, I wish it was tomorrow.
 
Eric Bostrom, #32 "Honestly, I want to win this race really bad...Yamaha wants to win this race really bad. It's just that we're on a new bike and, had we not been here at the CCS, we wouldn't be prepared for one week from now in the 200. I wanted to have one more test just to say, ?Yes, we're ready to go.' And this turned out to be it. We're going in the right direction. These R-6s are really potent on top speed."
 
Jamie Hacking, #2 "We're trying to sort out a set-up. We've been working on set-up with the 600 since it's a completely new motorcycle. It's been hard work, but every bit of track time we can get is valuable for the 600 race. Everybody knows the race is all down to who's got the fastest motorcycle. Other than this test, it's about getting seat time. And shaking things down.
 
"For me it's been a long off-season. It actually feels good to get back in the groove. When I tested here in December, I wasn't in that great shape. Since then, I've been training hard and I'm in excellent shape now."
 
Tom Halverson, Road Race Team Manager "It's been a long time since we've done the Daytona 200. Along with that, we've got a new motorcycle. But the new R6 has been an incredible tool to work with to get dialed in for this race. Doing the CCS races was a great opportunity to confirm a lot of things we've been working on the last couple of months.
 
"We know from experience that a team has to be very prepared for the 200. This place can bite you if you're not. It's a 200-mile race...everything has to go right, but then you've got to plan for everything to go wrong, because anything can in this race.
 
"I think we've definitely got the set-up more dialed in, especially when we get late into the session. You know what the tires are going to do, how the bike is going to react. I think the riders are more comfortable with that. This is going to be a great race and we are looking forward to it!"
 
3/6
Jason DiSalvo of Las Vegas NV & Stafford NY spent Friday, March 3rd through Sunday, March 5th at Daytona International Speedway preparing for the up coming AMA Daytona 200, by participating in the CCS-ASRA races. During practice and qualifying Jason posted times faster than the AMA pole position for last year in the FX class. With the race only a few days away the Yamaha team worked to improve handling of the new 600 R6. Jason's fastest time for the three days was 1 min.41.53 seconds, about a second faster than last years pole.
 
With two days of rest before the AMA races Jason and the team are going to continue to work on pit stops and handling.
 
The SuperStock race will be televised live on Thursday, March 9th at 2:30 PM and the Daytona 200 Formula Xtreme race will be live on Saturday, March 11th at 1:30.
 
2/17
Jason DiSalvo of Stafford NY and Las Vegas NV completed testing at Mazda Laguna-Seca raceway Wednesday, February 15th and Thursday, February 16th with the factory Yamaha team and the Kawasaki factory and support teams.
 
Wednesday was cold and windy by California standards and kept the crew and riders a little off balance. Jason spent most of the day working on the 600 R6 Formula Extreme bike ultimately posting a time of 1 min 27.77 seconds, besting last years 600 SuperSport pole time.
 
On the 1000 SuperStock R1, Jason and the crew continued to improve the handling of the bike trying a number of new suspension changes. By early afternoon Jason put the R1 at the top of all bikes in the test with a time of 1 min 26.37 seconds, just 1 tenth of a second off last years pole time. With the R1 starting to come around to his liking Jason and the crew decided to spend the balance of the day practicing pit stops on the Formula Extreme R6. By days end all felt the team made good progress for the up coming season opener at Daytona, March 9th through March 11th.
 
The team will head to Daytona March 2nd to take advantage of the CCS races in preparation for the Daytona 200 which Jason will be running in for the first time. Television coverage for the race weekend will be live, with the SuperStock class starting at 2:30 on Friday, March 9th and the Daytona 200 at 1:30 PM on Saturday March 11th.
 
With a little over two weeks to the big race, Jason is spending time training in Las Vegas. As AMA was not timing at Laguna all times are unofficial.
 
 2/10
Jason DiSalvo of Stafford NY and Las Vegas NV spent Tuesday Feb 7th and Wednesday Feb 8th at Cal Speedway in Fontana CA winter testing with Yamaha and other Factory teams. The weather was good, although a little windy and all teams were preparing for the up coming season. The new R6 was Jason's first day program trying to workout the kinks from the winter lull. With many different components to test and only one day to accomplish most changes it was non stop ride come in make changes and go back out, trying to improve on each laps time. At days end Jason posted the fastest FX (Formula Extreme) time on the all new Yamaha 600cc R6 with a blistering 1 min. 26.07 seconds placing him 6th overall for the day with only 5 superbikes ahead him.
 
On Wednesday Jason concentrated on the Graves Yamaha R1LE 1000cc superstock again trying various setups with in and out rides always looking for better handling and faster times. Quickly coming up to speed Jason was fastest overall for the early morning, giving way to the superbikes by days end. With the closing minutes Jason went out and set the fastest time in the superstock class posting 1 min 25.58 seconds placing him 5th overall for the day.
 
Jason's comments summed up the test as he explained "We made some good improvements to both R6 and the R1, but we still have a ways to go, possibly running with two base set ups on the R1."
 
The team travels to Monterey CA to test at Laguna Seca next week Wed. and Thurs. Feb. 15th and 16th.
 
 12/05
Jason DiSalvo of Stafford, New York participated in the annual AMA/Dunlop Tire Test at Daytona International Speedway December 10,11,12th . With most of the factory teams and some support teams present it was that time of year where all are preparing their new race bikes for the season. Dunlop had brought trailers full of new tires to be tested. With a late morning start on Saturday all of the teams were making changes every three or four laps. As the day progressed, it was apparent that Jason on his new R6 Yamaha was going to be the man to beat in the FX class. At the end of the day, having only ridden the R6, he had bettered the existing track record with a blistering 1:41.740.
 
With anticipation of spending Sunday on the new Yamaha R1 all were quite surprised to wake up Sunday morning with a steady rain. Expecting it to clear in the afternoon Jason spent the morning going over the previous days testing with his various crews. By noon it was apparent the rain would not stop and the track officials considered the track not ride-able.
 
With Monday arriving very chilly by Floridian standards us Western New Yorkers considered it just a pleasant morning. By missing Sunday's testing there was a lot more to be accomplished on Monday. Everyone seemed to pick up the pace to try and makeup for the lost day. It was hectic but good with Jason riding both the R1 and R6 logging in close to 100 laps. At day's end Jason had posted the fastest time in the 600 FX class and the 1000 SuperStock class both times being under the current track record. Jason's comments were promising as he explained how well the R6 performs and how much promise it had for future testing. He said "the R1 was still in need of improvements but strides were made in the right direction with a definite plan for the next test".

Jim, Connie, Jeff Haney, Jason, Kassi and his crews wish you all a
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!