AURORA, Ill. Sunday October 1st marked a new day in the career of Jason Pridmore when he officially announced his retirement from road racing for Michael Jordan Motorsports-Jordan Suzuki and his piloting of the Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000. Jason, who celebrated a birthday on Wednesday Oct 4, has had an illustrious 16 year career in the two-wheeled industry. He is the son of 3 time AMA Superbike Champion road racer Reg Pridmore, 2003 FIM World Endurance (Team) Champion, 2002 AMA Formula Extreme (1000cc) Champion, 1997 AMA 750 SuperStock Champion and in 1986 Jason co-rode a BMW K100RS to 5th place finish in the WERA 24 Hour Endurance Race. Jason is also the only American to ever stand on the podium of a World Supersport race, in 2003 he was the SuperProduction class winner at Suzuka Japan and placed 4th overall in the 8 Hours of Suzuka endurance race. Known as “The Professor” in the paddocks, and as the co-owner and chief instructor of STAR (Skills and Techniques for Advanced Riding) Motorcycle School, Jason has coached thousands of track day students, co-workers, friends and family members on techniques to improve their riding skills. Additionally, he has also mentored numerous road racers, including Nicky Hayden, Ben Spies, and Danny Eslick to name a few. Statistically, Jason Pridmore has claimed 21 AMA National Wins in his career, including 17 Superstock class wins, (second only to Scott Russell who scored 23), with 2 wins at Daytona, 2 wins at Mid-Ohio, 2 wins at Elkhart Lake’s Road America, 3 wins at Sear’s Point / Infineon Raceway, 2 wins at Brainerd, 2 wins at Loudon, 2 wins at Phoenix, and 1 win at each Colorado and Las Vegas. To add, Pridmore also recorded 4 class wins on the way to his 2002 (1000cc) Formula Extreme class Championship. As an accomplished amateur golfer, he has qualified for both the U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine National GC in Chaska, MN and for the 95th CGA Amateur Nationals in Pebble Beach, CA. And in September, Jason shot a 67 at the Hacienda Golf Club setting a new course record on his way to qualify for the U.S. Amateur. In fact, it is his connection to golf that helped him land his road racing job with Michael Jordan Motorsports. After Road America (2004), team manager Ken Abbott introduced Pridmore to team owner Michael Jordan, who invited him to play golf in Chicago, which led to a friendship which eventually yielded Jason a seat with the Jordan Suzuki team for the 2005 and 2006 seasons. When asked about a retirement speech, Jason stated that he “hadn’t really thought about it.” While many associate retirement as an opportunity to take a break, Jason will continue to coach young AMA riders, assist with SPEED’s television race commentary, consult for the Michael Jordan Motorsports race team and carry on his golfing momentum. On Friday night of the Mid-Ohio event weekend, Jason met individually with each of his crew members and the team’s general manager Ken Abbott, to personally explain his decision to retire. He also presented each with a specially framed photograph with a personal message and autograph. When asked about Jason’s retirement, crew chief Sean Storment said “I almost cried. JP is truly a class act and I’ll really miss working for him!” Ken Abbott, added, “while some racers will be considered ‘legends’ in our sport based on their race results, Jason will leave a ‘legacy’ for the contributions he has made to the sport of road racing and to everyone who has crossed paths with him during his career. He and Randy Renfrow are in a league of their own.” JASON PRIDMORE Birth date: October 4, 1969 Birthplace: Santa Barbara, California Residence: Ventura, California Height: 6′ Weight: 180 lbs. Turned Pro: 1990 Year-end AMA Ranking 2005 17th (SB), 19th (STK) 2004 11th (STK), 6th (FX) 2003 8th (SB), 90th (STK), 9th (FX) 2002 4th (SS), 1st (FX) 2001 48th (600SS), 28th (750SS), 10th (FX) 2000 12th (SB), 7th (600SS) 1999 6th (SB), 10th (600SS) 1998 24th (SB), 8th (750SS), 6th (600SS) 1997 33rd (SB), 5th (600SS), 1st (750SS) 1996 9th (600SS), 11th (750SS) 1994 6th (600SS), 3rd (750SS) 1993 7th (600SS), 4th (750SS) 1992 22nd (600SS), 2nd (750SS) 1991 20th (750SS) 1990 44th (750SS) Career Highlights 2006 Pridmore contested AMA Superbike and Superstock Championships. He recorded his best result of the season at Mid-Ohio (2) by finishing a solid fifth-place in his last AMA Superbike race of his career. 2005 Pridmore contested a limited AMA Superbike Championship season due to injury, his best Superbike result a sixth-place at Barber Motorsports Park”¦ Also raced in AMA Superstock, earning a podium finish at Daytona Intl Speedway”¦ Raced with Jordan Suzuki team. 2004 Pridmore raced in the AMA Formula Xtreme Championship, taking podium finishes at California Speedway and Mid-Ohio”¦ Contested the AMA Superstock Championship, earning his season-best result of fifth-place at Pikes Peak Intl Raceway”¦ Raced with Star School Suzuki team. 2003 Pridmore earned second-place in both of the AMA Superbike races at Mid-Ohio”¦ In AMA Formula Xtreme, he scored third-placed finishes at Mazda Laguna Seca Raceway and Mid-Ohio”¦ Raced with Attack Suzuki team. 2002 Pridmore won the AMA Formula Xtreme championship, taking wins at Pikes Peak Intl Raceway and Road America, and earning four additional series podium finishes”¦ He also contested the AMA U.S. Supersport series, his best result a third-place at Virginia Intl raceway”¦ Raced with Attack Suzuki team. 2001 Pridmore contested the AMA Formula Xtreme series, taking victory at Sears Point and Pikes Peak Intl raceway… He entered the Daytona Intl Speedway round of the AMA 750 SuperStock series, taking victory there for the second time in his race career… Raced with Attack Suzuki team. 2000 Pridmore just missed the AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike podium with a fourth-place finish at round one of the Road Atlanta “Big Kahuna” doubleheader… Took his season-best AMA Pro Honda Oils 600 SuperSport finish of fifth-place at Pikes Peak Intl Raceway… Raced with Yoshimura Suzuki. 1999 Pridmore took third-place in the AMA Superbike race at Mid-Ohio…Also competed in Pro Honda Oils 600 SuperSport, best result was sixth-place at Laguna Seca… Raced with Yoshimura Suzuki. 1998 Pridmore took four Teamline 750 SuperSport wins and was in contention for the championship, but withdrew from the series after a string of technical penalties were leveled against his team…Took the podium at the Pro Honda Oils 600 SuperSport race at Phoenix Int’l Raceway… Raced with HyperCycle Suzuki/Team Suzuki Sport. Entered the Pikes Peak Int’l Raceway MBNA Superbike race aboard a Vance & Hines Ducati, taking third-place. 1997 Won the Teamline 750 SuperSport title, winning all but two races of the season, where he placed second… Raced in Pro Honda Oils 600 SuperSport, taking podium finishes at Mid-Ohio, Sears Point and Las Vegas… Rode for HyperCycle Suzuki. 1996 Had an excellent year, returning from leg injuries that sidelined him for an entire year… Scored six top-five finishes in 600 SuperSport… Took five top-10 750cc SuperSport finishes… Rode for Kinko’s Kawasaki… Best finish of the season was second in the 600cc SuperSport final at Las Vegas… Signed to ride with Hyper Cycle Suzuki in 1997. 1995 Suffered a badly broken leg in a motocross accident and sat out the entire season. 1994 Five podium finishes in 750 SuperSport, including a second at Daytona… Best 600 SuperSport finish was third at Sears Point… Rode for Kinko’s Yamaha. 1993 Won the final two rounds of the 750 SuperSport Series (Mid-Ohio and Sears Point)… Best 600 SuperSport finish was third at Sears Point. 1992 Burst onto the AMA Pro Racing scene with a 750 SuperSport win over Scott Russell at Brainerd, his first AMA victory… Followed up with another victory over Russell at Road America in 750 SuperSport…Finished second in the 750 SuperSport Series, a career-high ranking. 1991 Scored two top-10 750 SuperSport finishes, ninth at Loudon and eighth at Road America. 1990 Earned his first AMA road race points with a 13th-place 750 SuperSport finish at Daytona. AMA National Wins 2001 March 9 Daytona Beach, FL Suzuki 750 Supersport 1998 Feb. 15 Phoenix, AZ Suzuki 750 Supersport 1998 May 3 Sonoma, CA Suzuki 750 Supersport 1998 June 14 Elkhart Lake, WI Suzuki 750 Supersport 1998 June 21 Loudon, NH Suzuki 750 Supersport 1997 Feb. 15 Phoenix, AZ Suzuki 750 Supersport 1997 March 7 Daytona Beach, FL Suzuki 750 Supersport 1997 June 14 Loudon, NH Suzuki 750 Supersport 1997 June 28 Brainerd, MN Suzuki 750 Supersport 1997 July 19 Lexington, OH Suzuki 750 Supersport 1997 Aug. 16 Fountain, CO Suzuki 750 Supersport 1997 Aug. 30 Sonoma, CA Suzuki 750 Supersport 1997 Oct. 4 Las Vegas, NV Suzuki 750 Supersport 1993 Aug. 7 Lexington, OH Kawasaki 750 Supersport 1993 Aug. 28 Sonoma, CA Kawasaki 750 Supersport 1992 June 13 Brainerd, MN Kawasaki 750 Supersport 1992 June 27 Elkhart Lake, WI Kawasaki 750 Supersport 2002 June 1 Fountain, CO Suzuki Formula Xtreme 2002 June 9 Elkhart Lake, WI Suzuki Formula Xtreme 2001 May 5 Sonoma, CA Suzuki Formula Xtreme 2001 Aug. 25 Fountain, CO Suzuki Formula Xtreme