We have selected the six riders (the "Spartanburg Six") who will go on for testing at the BMW Performance Center on August 28 at BMW expense, to see which three (the "Tunisia Three") will go on to represent the United States for the International GS Trophy in October.

The "Spartanburg Six" are:

1. Jason Adams (Rosendale, NY)
2. Bill Dragoo (Norman, OK)
3. Kevin Harder (Paso Robles, CA)
4. Brad Hendry (Thornton, CO - he's the young guy on the right)
5. Jim Stoddard (Middlegrove, NY)
6. Brienne Thompson (San Diego, CA - standing)
All four judges have commented that the process was quite difficult and took a lot of time to determine. We not only had many excellent riders to chose from, but the criteria was complex - including not only riding ability and experience, but more intangible qualities like teamwork, personality, physical and psychological fitness and the capability to spread the BMW faith.

It would have been equally easy to end up with six other, equally deserving names. As a consolation, remember that there is always next year, when we will require new riders for the GS Trophy in Tunisia, or wherever it might be.

We thank all of you who participated in the GS Trophy and we ask all of you to continue to encourage these six as we now "torture test" them at Spartanburg in just two weeks.

All GS Trophy participants will receive a "consolation prize" in the mail in the next several days. It won't be enough to take the sting away, but you will have a reminder of the glory that could have been, and might still - next year.

Thank you again for your loyalty to the brand and especially your willingness to support our Aftersales Department by taking your bikes off-road under ridiculously inappropriate circumstances. More details on the next stage of the GS Challenge will follow next week, and of course, if any of our six riders bow out we will replace them with one of our core "Twenty Group".