2/14/06 Guzzitech.com Seeks Funds For Moto Guzzi Racing ...
2/14/06 Guzzitech.com Seeks Funds for Moto Guzzi Racing Contingency Prizes
For those of you who I have not had the pleasure of meeting, please allow me to
introduce myself. My name is Ed Milich and, together with Todd Eagan, I am the co-creator and
owner of www.guzzitech.com, the largest collection of Moto Guzzi technical data on the internet.
I race a 1978 Moto Guzzi 850 Lemans with the American Historic Racing Motorcycle
Organization (AHRMA), Willow Springs Motorcycle Club (WSMC), and American Federation
of Motorcyclists (AFM). Last year, I took 2005 AHRMA West Coast Championships in Battle of
the Twins F3 and Vintage Superbike Middleweight.
I am assembling a contingency program for Moto Guzzi racers in the U.S. and I need
your help! This program will benefit Guzzi racers within the largest vintage racing motorcycle
organization in the US, AHRMA (www.ahrma.org), as well as the Southern California club
WSMC (www.wsmcracing.com). This program may be expanded to WERA, OMRRA, WMRRA
and possibly international clubs in the future. How does it work? If a participating racer rides a
Guzzi to 1st, 2nd or 3rd place in an AHRMA or WSMC event, he or she gets a check! It’s that
simple. You race. You place. You get paid! Note that AHRMA and WSMC race entries alone are
$60-100 per race, so these prizes are really just a drop in the bucket. Nevertheless, this small
contingency program will, provide some sorely needed motivation for current and future Guzzi
racers! Every other major motorcycle manufacturer puts up contingency money for racers of their
marques. Ducati U.S. just made $1 million (you read that right!) available to its AMA (pro) and
WERA (club level) racers. There are currently no contingency programs applicable to Guzzi
racers. We want to change this by forming a program from the grass roots!
I would like to provide the following contingency support to U.S. Moto Guzzi racers:
$100 first place, $50 second place, $25 third place, with a maximum of two contingency prizes
per racer per weekend event. Note that any wins must be on a Moto Guzzi to qualify for
contingency money. Riders of other marques do not qualify. In order to participate, racers will
need to fill out a contingency sponsorship form, which will be available at Guzzitech.com, before
they race. They will then need to provide official results and verification in order to receive their
contingency winnings. The forms will list the sponsors of this program, i.e. your dealership, if
you participate!
Guzzitech.com Racing Contingency Support Levels
$100 Basic Leve l: your dealership’s name will be listed on Guzzitech.com and on racer claim
forms as a contingency program sponsor
$200 Corporate Level: Above plus listing in all Guzitech.com contingency program press
releases and a link from the Guzzitech.com contingency program homepage to your dealership’s
website
more than $200: Let’s talk!
I need your help to get this program going! Any and all support is welcome! I know that
Guzzi dealerships are often an economic labor of love, but Guzzi guys have a long history of
helping their own, and a long history of supporting Guzzi racers. Heck, I’m even putting the first
$100 in the fund. For a corporate sponsorship level, above $200, I will provide your logo and a
link to your business or personal website from the sponsorship list page and include your name
with all official Guzzitech contingency program press releases. This should qualify as advertising
expense for your business tax purposes. I will also issue press releases within one month to
Roadracing World, Motorcycle.com, Motorcyclist Magazine (who just featured our
Guzzitech.com racing T-shirts in their “New Gear” section), the Moto Guzzi National Owners
Club magazine and other National and Southern California media outlets. Press releases will list
all corporate level contributors. If you can send a valid email address with your contribution, I
will keep you updated on the program.
All money raised in this program goes to support of Guzzi racers- any remaining funds
from 2006 will be extended in perpetuity until all donated funds are exhausted. Guzzitech and
myself, Ed Milich, receive no monetary benefit from this contingency program. I’ll even recuse
myself from qualification for the first year! This program has been initiated solely to support
current Guzzi racers and to attract more potential racers to Guzzis. Let’s see if we can encourage
some more racers to Go Guzzi in 2006!
Please send all donations for contingency support of Guzzi racing in the USA to:
Ed Milich/Guzzitech.com
1008 Felbar Ave
Torrance, CA 90503
(310) 710-4708
Or paypal to: ed@guzzitech.com and please include your email address, if possible.
In 2005, Guzzitech.com performed two separate fundraisers for Guzzi racers. The
first, for Los Angles Guzzi racer and Guzzi mechanic Sean Fader was an attempt to get
Sean and his team partner Josh James a performance cam, valve springs and associated
hardware to improve his race bike, a loop-framed 1972 Ambassador 750. Sean and Josh
are both devoted Guzzi guys and working stiffs and they are regularly driving to the track
after working 8 hours, sleeping in the back of their truck, and in general, racing on a
shoestring budget. They are winning trophies, though, so they have proven themselves in
competition. The $700 that was raised via contributions from individual internet Guzzi
riders was a great kick in the pants for Sean and Josh. The 2006 race season should be an
excellent one for them as a result of our efforts!
The second Guzzitech fundraiser of 2005 raised $1300 for Stan Friduss’s
Gainesville, Florida based Moto Guzzi racing team. Stan is a long time Guzzi racer and
Guzzi dealership owner. Heck, Stan himself raced at Daytona back when they ran the
races on the beach! The $1300 that was raised through individual contributions from
Guzzi guys via internet and MGNOC newsletter solicitations allowed Stan to participate
in the two late season west coast races in 2005, during the $3/gallon gas crunch. This
resulted in Stan taking two AHRMA national titles in 2005: BOTT F2, with rider
Andrew Cowell on a 1995 Sport 1100, and Vintage Superbike Heavyweight, with rider
Will Harding on a 1976 Lemans Superbike. In both of these cases, all funds raised by
Guzzitech.com were contributed by individuals and went directly to the racers.
Guzzitech.com supports Guzzi racing!
Now, for 2006, we want to take our support for racing one step further. We are
appealing directly to U.S. Moto Guzzi dealers for support of U.S. Moto Guzzi racing.
Guzzi guys and girls like Guzzi racers! They have proven this by generously opening up
their wallets to support them to the tune of over $2000 in 2005! I’m asking U.S. Guzzi
dealers to step up and do the same. We can provide participating dealers with photos and
Guzzi race results to use in their dealership promotional materials. You can also read
much more about Guzzi racing results in my monthly column, Ed Milich, The Mad
Scientist, in the Moto Guzzi Owners News magazine (info at www.mgnoc.com) and on
www.Guzzitech.com . Thanks in advance for your support and Go Guzzi in 2006!
Ed Milich
ed@guzzitech.com
www.guzzitech.com
About Guzziteh.com
Guzzitech.com is a website comprised of technical data of, by and for the Moto Guzzi riders of the world.
Guzzitech receives over 30,0000 hits per month from a worldwide audience, and is rapidly approaching 1
million hits after 5 years of existence.
