FIM e-Power entrants for this weekends race at Laguna Seca

This weekend FIM's e-Power electric motorcycle series will be run at Laguna Seca. There had previously been some doubt and negotiations over whether it would be allowed. A couple weeks ago it was finalized. The following table comes from a press release posted by FIM on July 16, 2010.

3 CZYSZ, Michael MotoCzysz USA MotoCzysz E1pc
8 SCHLESS, Ely Pro Moto Racing USA Proto Moto
15 HANNAS, Mike Electricracebikes.com USA EGP
17 AMENDT, Christian Epo-Bike.de GER Epo-Bike.de Honda
18 REM, Zoe Pril Motors USA Kawasaki ZX600e
19 GOBERT, Aaron Brammo Racing AUST Brammo Empulse
22 DE RIDDER, Thijs Crystalite Europe.com Racing BEL DR Motors
38 BETTI, Luciano Betti Moto ITA Betti Moto Torpedine
49 HIMMELMANN, Matthias Münch Racing Team GER Münch Team
89 CHIP, Yates SWIGZ.COM Pro Racing USA SWIGZ.COM Pro Racing
96 KLUGE, Kenyon K Squared Racing USA Zero S
115 BETTI, Thomas Betti Moto Italy Betti Moto Torpedine Evo

There have been a few changes since then which I am aware of.

SWIGZ.com Pro Racing Out For Seca, Shooting For VIR
http://plugbike.com/2010/07/20/swigz-com-pro-racing-out-for-seca-shooting-for-vir/

Chip Yates (aka SWIGZ.com) made an announcement last winter about an electric motorcycle and big plans for racing in both the US and Europe. They brought a completely unfinished motorcycle to the TTXGP at Infineon and basically haven't been able to get things together to race. They will not be at Laguna Seca. They might be at the TTXGP in August at VIR. Who knows.

http://www.examiner.com/x-14333-Green-Transportation-Examiner~y2009m12d1-SWIGZCOM-and-CRP-Racing-announce-they-will-participate-...

There's an unreleased bit of news about an entrant not named there. This is the Lightning Motors team. While we were at Mosport, Richard Hatfield said several times they would go to the Laguna Seca race. And indeed it would be very exciting to see the Lightning Motors and Motoczysz bikes race one another. Those two are the proven major contenders in electric motorcycle racing at this moment and it would be golden to see them on the same track in the same race.

I believe Richard is getting some paperwork together but of course we won't know until probably tomorrow or else on Saturday whether or not he'll be able to get the bike to the track. The reason I say that is - the e-Power schedule is for a practice round on Friday afternoon, then a practice/qualifying round on Saturday. The race will be on Sunday at 11ish.

http://www.examiner.com/x-14333-Green-Transportation-Examiner~y2010m7d11-Lightning-strikes-in-Canada-with-Lightning-Motors-win-a...
http://www.examiner.com/x-14333-Green-Transportation-Examiner~y2009m10d12-Lightning-Motors-has-second-fastest-electric-motorcycl...

Last entry of interest is the Empulse from Brammo. That was announced last week and they'll have an official unveiling on Saturday and race on Sunday. It's supposed to be a 100+ miles/hr motorcycle. That may mean it will give Motoczysz and/or Lightning Motors a run for their money. Or maybe not. Motoczysz hit a 96 miles/hr average speed on the Isle of Man and IIRC was clocked at around 135 miles/hr at one of the speed traps. The Lightning Motors bike has been tested at Bonneville salt flats at 166 miles/hr and ran at a 91 miles/hr average speed at Mosport and I witnessed a Dyno test of that bike but think Richard would not appreciate revelation of the numbers. Basically whether the Empulse is competitive against those two depends on whether they goose the bike for race ready performance levels, and how far above 100 miles/hr that '+' goes.

http://www.examiner.com/x-14333-Green-Transportation-Examiner~y2010m7d19-Brammo-introduces-the-Empulse-a-new-high-performance-el...

There is an entry of interest which isn't mentioned at all. That's the Roehr motorcycle also announced last week. One would think that they've got one ready to race and have someone to run it in a race. And one would think their announcement just before the Laguna Seca race would coincidentally be convenient for showing the eRoehr bikes at Laguna Seca. But.. maybe they're in a position of getting in paperwork and will show up at the track. Won't know until tomorrow or Saturday.

http://www.examiner.com/x-14333-Green-Transportation-Examiner~y2010m7d16-Roehr-announces-their-electric-ready-to-race-superbike-...
http://www.examiner.com/x-14333-Green-Transportation-Examiner~y2010m1d8-Roehr-Motorcycles-introducing-a-line-of-electric-sport-a...

Other plausible entries that's surprising for not being there is Electric Motorsport, Volt Motorcycles, Thunderstruck Motors, ...