January 2010 Newsletter

Jason Checks In
Welcome to the New Year! I am going into this 2010 STAR School season more excited than previous years. It was time to work on some new things – and with suggestions from our students this is the year.

To start, we created "A Taste of STAR". This is going to be a two day course that will have optional classroom sessions every 1.5 hours. I wanted to create a track day that wasn't a free for all, but wasn't a full-on school either. What I am hoping to do with these days is attract some of the people that haven't been to a STAR school. They can come and listen to our philosophies and decide if coming to a full STAR school is for them. We will run two groups and offer instruction still to those that would like it. If you choose to come to the classroom and get some questions answered you can. I also expect a lot of our past students to come out and continue learning in the safe and structured environment they rely on with STAR. A Taste of STAR will debut at two different tracks in 2010, Streets of Willow Springs and Chuckwalla Raceway.

Speaking of Chuckwalla Raceway, if you look at the schedule you will see that we have committed to a lot of dates at the new track in the desert east of Palm Springs. We have a few weekend dates for our regular schools but what I am really excited about is our new "1 on 1" schools in October, November and December. For many years now people have asked me to run more specialized schools. Well thanks to our good friend Micky Grana and SoCal Track Days we will be doing just that. STAR is going to offer a totally inclusive package: 2 days of instruction with lodging and food. Video at the track for each student, and two days to get the questions you want answered. The track remains open so track time will be plentiful, so be in shape and ready to ride.

Last season found a great new track in Colorado: High Plains Raceway. What a layout - a true challenge. As always the Colorado students were some of the best we see and the track personnel made being there that much nicer. We also made our first trip to Portland and were greeted with (what I was told is) typical Pacific Northwest RAIN. We had great students; I just wish the weather would have been a bit more cooperative. Maybe heading to Oregon Raceway Park in August will mean better weather, and maybe a bit more challenging and safer racetrack.

Sponsors

STAR is pleased to welcome three new sponsors for 2010. Dainese will be making a big presence at our school. I wore Dainese leathers last year in World Endurance and with the National Guard program and they are truly a world-class suit. Also, AGV helmets which are now owned by Dainese will be our helmets. Motorex Oil is now on board and will be keeping our bikes running and looking even better. Thank you to Suzuki, Dunlop, Two Brothers, and Motion Pro for your continued loyalty and for supplying us with the best products in the industry.

Racing

In 2009 I raced World Endurance with Maco Moto again. To say the teams luck was bad in an understatement. There were things that happened this year that I haven't seen in all my years of racing. A brand new sprocket coming apart while 2nd in Spain with 30 minutes to go, shift linkage failing while 3rd in Germany with one hour left, and Qatar where we qualified 3rd only to have a rear hub come apart and back the axle out. I will be back over with the team in 2010.

JP in action at Suzuka 2009

I will also be giving rides to Military, celebs and news media at all the AMA events again with the Jordan National Guard team. The team does a great job with their two-up program and I look forward to going to the races even though I’m not competing. To meet so many men and women in our armed forces was a true honor in 2009. Of course I will throw a few golf tournaments in along the way; I want to get serious about it again.

Instructors

I am sad to say that we have lost the services of instructor Damian Cudlin to the IDM series in Germany. Many of you commented on how much he helped STAR and for me personally, he was such a huge asset as we trained together and talked motorcycles. Due to the state of our National race series, Germany was his best option. We wish you the best Damo and get back over for a visit mate. We're working on his replacement - anyone know where we can get one of those tattoo shirts?

Gallardo won a Championship this past year. Who knew that while he has been teaching at STAR for the past 11 years, he was an expert car driver? Mark competed in a series that traveled to four different tracks and dominated the class he was driving in. I think Schumacher may need to look out; Gallardo is moving up the ranks. Congrats Big Man on a great accomplishment and becoming a grandfather for the first time.

For those of you who took rides and donated to Andrew Trevitt in 2009, thank you. Andrew is a true inspiration and I am looking forward to seeing him back at the track soon.

I just want to say thank you to all of you who have supported us for so many years. This includes my instructors, and everyone involved in STAR. We are working hard to make STAR even better. I look forward to seeing you all at the track and hope that you had a very Happy Holiday season.

Cheers and ride safe.

JP

July 2009 Newsletter

STAR is just back from our first school at the greatest track you've never heard of - High Plains Raceway in Colorado. Our Colorado students patience has paid off. If you have a chance to ride there before the snow-drifts start again, do it!

Instructors at the Racetrack

Jason and Instructor Damian Cudlin are both at Suzuka for the 8 Hours this weekend. Pridmore's best finish is a 4th in 2003, while Damo finished 13th in 2008. You can follow Jason's Tweets on the STAR site - as expected Damian has a, um, colorful Twitter feed also.

Jason waits while teammate Dani Ribalta steps off and heads for the Ferris Wheel

Jason was at Mid-Ohio with his many hats, this time as co-announcer for the Speed broadcast in addition to his standard tasks of giving 2-up rides to the National Guard Michael Jordan Motorsports Racer Experience.

Pridmore and OTTs David Williams at Mid-Ohio

Trevitt Headed Home!

Instructor Andrew Trevitt is headed home for good this week. GetWellTrev!

Lower Prices for Streets of Willow and Thunderhill
STAR has lowered its prices for Thunderhill and Streets of Willow Schools. Thunderhill is now $250/day, and the Streets is $195/day. Still the same world-class instruction and 2-group format.

Snowed Out Pahrump Rescheduled
Our friends at SoCal Trackdays were kind enough to reschedule our snowed-out February Spring Mountain School for October 10th/11th.

Group and Individual Discounts Available

Checked out the SuperSTAR Discounts? You should, its free money.

That's all for now. Ride Safe,

STAR

Google Alerts turns up the strangest things

June 2009 Newsletter

Low Low Low Prices!
STAR has lowered its prices for Thunderhill and Streets of Willow Schools. Thunderhill is now $250/day, and the Streets is $195/day. Still the same world-class instruction and 2-group format.

Snowed Out Pahrump Rescheduled
Our friends at SoCal Trackdays were kind enough to reschedule our snowed-out February Spring Mountain School for October 10th/11th.

Instructors at the Racetrack

Jason was back in action at the Road America AMA races, coaching riders and giving 2-up rides to the National Guard with the Michael Jordan Motorsports Racer Experience.

Pridmore back in action - Road America 2009

Instructor Damian Cudlin experienced the high highs and lows of racing, crashing while leading the Oschersleben round of the FIM World Endurance Championship but rebounded with his best finish of the season in AMA Daytona Sportbike - 5th place at Road America in race 2.

Pridmore and Cudlin are headed to Albacete on July 4

Oschersleben featured the first podium for American ex-pat and STAR student Will Gruy on the Amadeus X One team. Congratulazioni Will!

Instructor David Stanton is finally starting to come to grips with his new R1 - Stein put it on the podium in the Formula Pacific race at the last AFM event at Infineon Raceway.

Jimmy Wood finished 4th in the Larry H. Miller Superbike Challenge GTU Race At Miller Motorsports Park during the World Superbike weekend. Congratulations to all the STAR students in the field: Robertino Pietri, Michael Beck, David Lewis, Royce Mclean, Elena Myers, and Jim Davis. Elena qualified 6th!!

Jimmy Wood on his way to 4th place in the Larry Miller Superbike Challenge GTU race. Photo by Latebraker Photography.

Congratulations to student Aaron Colton on a top 15 in his first AMA Supersport race!

Group and Individual Disounts Available

Checked out the SuperSTAR Discounts? You should, its free money.

That's all for now. Ride Safe,

STAR

Jimmy redux - featured in his hometown paper. We don't call him the Paper Boy for nothing!

May 2009 Newsletter

We're just back from two perfect schools at Miller and the Streets, and have a few weeks off before heading to the excellent Motorsports Park Hastings in Nebraska on June 13th and 14th. As we mentioned in 2008 after our return from MPH, track owner George Anderson truly built a Field of Dreams out in the middle of a cornfield. World-class pavement, a great layout, condos, garages, and showers. It's a destination, but worth it. Take a lap around Motorsports Park Hastings with Jason

After MPH we make our first trip to the new High Plains Raceway in Colorado July 13th and 14th. Our Pueblo students said they would follow us to High Plains, and we hope they do!

And we just added a date at Heartland Park Topeka on August 31st and September 1st. The AMA has scheduled a race there this season, I'm sure Instructor Jimmy Wood's onboard from Topeka will be getting lots of play before the National!

Instructors at the Racetrack

Jason and Damian Cudlin both had a rough go at the LeMans 24 Hour, with Cudlins's team suffering a mechanical early in the race and Pridmore crashing out of the battle for 5th at the halfway point in horrendous conditions. Jason had to make a trip to his old friend Dr Ting but should be in fighting shape for Albacete on July 4th.

Calm before the storm - Le Mans 2009

Damian landed on his feet in AMA racing after his original team lost sponsorship and wasn't able to keep him on competitive equipment. Damian made his debut with Paradigm Racing at Barber Motorsports Park, put in in Superpole in his first weekend on the bike (and at Barber) and finished 8th in Sunday's race. He backed that up with an 11th/10th at the just concluded AMA round at Infineon Raceway. The hound has been blooded, as Damo would say!

Instructor Angie Loy won the inaugural all-female AFM Formula AFemme race in her first race ever at Infineon. Rock on Pony!

In his defense of the AFM #1 plate, Instructor David Stanton is still coming to grips with his new 2009 R1. (We don't understand, as Spies seems to be doing ok on his :)) Dave made some progress during AMA Promoter practice at Infineon, and hopes to up the ante at Round 3 of the Championship. He spent the AMA Infineon weekend filling in for Pridmore in his 2-up ride duties with the Michael Jordan Motorsports Racer Experience. Damian Cudlin was entrusted with the task at the Barber AMA Round.

Are you sitting down? Pridmore gives a 2up ride at DAYTONA

Group and Individual Disounts Available

Checked out the SuperSTAR Discounts? You should, its free money.

That's all for now. Ride Safe,

STARSTAR Instructor Richie Alexander debriefs Jordan Suzuki's Aaron Yates after an Atlanta Superbike Podium

April 2009 Newsletter

STAR is heading out to the World Class Miller Motorsports Park on April 27th and 28th. Too far to drive? We have 2009 GSX-R600s for rent. That will be as close to channeling Max Neukirchner as most of us will ever get! Take another lap around Miller with Jason
May is a busy month for STAR with our various racing commitments, just one school scheduled on May 11th and 12th at the Streets of Willow. April 15th has come and gone like Y2K. Come out and ride!

Thunderhill was Amazing!
STAR had three unbelievable days at Thunderhill. Sunny skies, 2009 Suzukis on our truck, bored (but alert!) cornerworkers and medical personnel, and great students. We're thinking about expanding our sold-out Pro School an extra day next time, as the end of the day always comes too soon. Special thanks to STAR student Aaron Coulton for servin' it up for us at lunchtime!

Jason and Damian at Le Mans

Jason's 2009 season in the Endurance World Championship starts this weekend with the Le Mans 24 Hour. His team BK Maco Moto was not able to attend any of the preseason testing, but were able to qualify 12th (just out of Superpole) for one of the most grueling races in the world. Look for Pridmore to move up during the race.

JP giving it the berries - Le Mans 2009

New STAR Instructor Damian Cudlin is also racing at Le Mans with his team Phase One. We sure scored when Damian and his wife Amy traveled from Australia to Jason's house for winter training and decided to stay. Damo's been racing all over the world for several years, with podiums in various National Championships and the World Endurance Championship (and a 13th in the Daytona 200 this year in his first visit). He has motorcycle teaching experience in several countries, has been a development rider for motorcycles like the Kalex AV1, and didn't even flinch when Gallardo suggested jumping on an SV to work on body position. He might look PG-13, but the Tin Man has a heart. Look for Damian at a STAR school near you.

You can follow the boys in the race on Le Mans live timing and scoring. Jason is also doing updates on Twitter.

As Stanton would say - Cudlin looks to be having a "Nice Time"

STAR In Ultimate Motorcycling
Mike Quindazzi from Ultimate Motorcycling came out to the Streets and spent two days with us. You can read his review of STAR on their excellent site here.

Group and Individual Disounts Available

Checked out the SuperSTAR Discounts? You should, its free money.

That's all for now. Ride Safe,

STAR