Ups & Downs

Ups & Downs

ROUNDUP

UP: To KTM, for producing its racing-inspired sports car called the X-Bow. The 240-horsepower, Audi-powered machine was run up the car-show flagpole earlier this year as a concept (Roundup, May), and reaction was so overwhelmingly positive that the Austrian company went ahead with production. Unfortunately for stateside fans of the $65,000 XBow, a street-legal version won’t be available, although the car can be purchased for track use only. Visit www.ktm-x-bow.com for more information.

DOWN: To the gods of world championship racing, for denying us the proposed Barber Motorsports Park round of the World Superbike championship in 2008. The Birmingham, Alabama, track hopes to come to an agreement with WSB promoters FG Sport for a 2009 round. The plus side is that MotoGP is still visiting Laguna Seca Raceway and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and World Superbike is back in the U.S. with its June 1 race at Miller Motorsports Park in Utah.

UP: To Honda Racing Corporation, for celebrating its 25th birthday this past September. Big Red’s racing efforts prior to 1982 were handled by the Racing Service Center established nine years earlier and before that in Honda’s regular factory. HRC’s first President was Shoichiro Irimajiri, legendary engine designer for the championship-winning RC-166 250cc Six ridden by Mike Hailwood and project leader on the CBX streetbike, among his other accomplishments.