Rapp Wins AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Race at Mid-Ohio Suburban H-D Rider Takes Over Series Points Lead with Third Straight Win Milwaukee (July 15, 2013) – Suburban Harley-Davidson’s Steve Rapp took his third straight win at the fourth round of the 2013 AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson series at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, but it was anything but a straightforward charge from the front of the field like his previous two wins. Rapp qualified his XR1200 motorcycle on the front row of the 21-rider field, but in a bizarre incident, had to change into a borrowed set of riding leathers on the starting grid when the zipper malfunctioned on his primary set. As the rest of the field completed the warm-up lap, Rapp changed into the new leathers and was able to start from his pole position, but running on cold tires, he fell back to fifth position on the opening lap. Rapp fought his way back into the lead on lap five, and from there waged a back and forth battle with Harv’s Harley-Davidson’s Travis Wyman, who led the first four laps of the 11-lap race. Wyman retook the lead on lap nine and the side-by-side action continued until the checkered flag, with Rapp barely taking the win, his third of the season, by a 0.173-second margin. “I thought, ‘Did I come all the way to Ohio for nothing?’ That was terrible. I’ve never had a zipper stick. That was as close as you can cut it,” Rapp said about his frantic wardrobe change on the grid. “It took me a couple of laps to get the tires up to temperature. Once Travis and I got together, I couldn’t really ride how I wanted to, as hard as I wanted to, and I was a little tentative in some of the corners. In the end it came down to whoever got the best last lap, [and was] in the right place at the right time. It worked out [for me].” Behind the leading duo, Tyler O’Hara (Eco Fuel Saver/Scrubblade), Benny Carlson (Suburban Motors H-D), and defending class champion Michael Barnes (Spyke’s H-D), fought a race-long battle for the third step of the podium, with O’Hara taking the podium spot after a coming out on top of a three-wide charge down the back straight on the final lap. Eric Stump (Fernet Insurance) finished sixth and Nicholas Hansen (Suburban Motors H-D) finished seventh at the head of a seven-rider battle for that position, with Josh Chisum, Hayden Schultz, and Shane Narbonne rounding out the top ten. The AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson series returns to action August 2-4 at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, UT. Barber Race Result: 1. Steve Rapp (Suburban H-D), 11 laps 2. Travis Wyman (Harv’s H-D), +0.173 second 3. Tyler O’Hara (Eco Fuel Saver/Scrubblade), +11.544 seconds 4. Benjamin Carlson (Suburban Motors H-D), +11.814 seconds 5. Michael Barnes (Spyke’s H-D), +11.914 seconds 6. Eric Stump (Fernet Insurance), +14.202 seconds 7. Nicholas Hansen (Suburban Motors H-D), +30.309 seconds 8. Josh Chisum (Eco Fuel Saver/Scrubblade), +30.345 seconds 9. Hayden Schultz (Happy Trails M/C Connection/Landers H-D), +30.643 seconds 10. Shane Narbonne (MOB Racing/Empire H-D), +30.753 seconds 11. David Estok (Thrashed Bike Racing), +31.016 seconds 12. Barrett Long (Longevity Racing), +31.331 seconds 13. Adam Raffe (Racing for a Wish/Pikes Peak H-D), +31.527 seconds 14. Ricky Parker (ChiliPepperRacing.com), +49.210 seconds 15. Darren James (Deeley Racing), +55.146 seconds 16. Brice Cooper (Aerostar Global Logistics/Suburban Motors H-D), +1:06.197 seconds 17. Paul James (Hoban Cycle/Spectro Oils), +1:15.475 18. Greg Hutcheson (Grand Rapids H-D/WFO Racing), +1:25.545 19. Shelina Moreda (Spyke’s H-D), +1:30.169 20. Aaron Borello (Air Ground Xpress), 10 laps 21. Dave Rhinehart (Rhinehart Development), 7 laps AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series Points Standings 1. Rapp, 94 2. Barnes, 79 3. O’Hara, 77 4. T. Wyman, 73 5. Carlson, 61 6. Long, 45 7. Narbonne, 40 8. Hansen, 40 9. Parker, 35 10. Chisum/Estok (tie), 33 Company Background Harley-Davidson Motor Company produces heavyweight custom, cruiser and touring motorcycles and offers a complete line of Harley-Davidson motorcycle parts, accessories, riding gear and apparel, and general merchandise. For more information, visit harley-davidson.com. More, from a press release issued by RPSraceteam.com: Kelsey completes race odyssey at Mid-Ohio RPSRaceTeam.com sponsored rider Danny S. Kelsey completed his fourth road race in five weeks at the historic and picturesque Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Kelsey and the team would continue to work to improve their competiveness in the AMA Pro National Guard Superbike class. Friday practice provided mixed results. With Kelsey shown in 18th place after a very tricky setup session, the team scrambled to make the improvements required by the Georgetown, Texas rider. With qualifying session one set to go, Kelsey appeared ready to make a move up the board. As qualifying began Kelsey took advantage of the changes made to the DP Brakes equipped Suzuki GSXR-1000, and as the session ended the team was now in 17th position. Not necessarily what the team was hoping for, but still an improvement. Kelsey would ultimately improve his qualifying time in qualifying session 2 with a 1:29.592, but still start from 17th position. The team and Kelsey still continued to struggle to find “the next step” in the setup. As race one prepared to get underway, last minute changes were hoped to give Kelsey the competitive edge he needed to move up the leader board. As the starting lights got the field underway, Kelsey put his head down and quickly put his Suzuki in the top 15 of the starting grid. Unfortunately the front end push at the beginning of the race prevented Kelsey from keeping up with the group battling for 12th position in front of him and he found himself in a solitary race. Kelsey was passed for 15th on lap 13, but the Texan quickly responded as the fuel load lightened and the Suzuki began to fall into an optimal handling state. As the checkered flag fell, Kelsey found himself in 15th position after charging late and running strong in the last third of the race. Kelsey and crew chief Marcus McBain continued to discuss the setup and realized that with the stock Suzuki triple clamps and linkage, it was going to be difficult to get the bike to work properly. McBain made a big change before the start of race two which would mask the problematic trail numbers that the team had to work through. The drawback would be that Suzuki would likely begin to handle poorly the last few laps of the race. As the starting lights set the field into turn one for race two, it was quickly apparent the changes to the JRi Shock and GP Suspension equipped Suzuki GSXR-1000 were the right move. Kelsey was shown in P14 after 6 laps. Additionally, Kelsey posted his fastest lap of the weekend (1:28.964) in the opening laps. On lap 14, Kelsey made the move to 13th place. Kelsey maintained a very quick pace even as the fuel load lightened and the Suzuki began to steer slower and slower. Like the rest of the field, Kelsey battled tricky track conditions resultant from oil being put down during a promoter lapping event at the lunch break. On lap 19, the conditions got the best of Kelsey and he found himself back in 15th spot. Kelsey played it smart on the last lap and finished with another solid top 15 position, but most importantly he proved he was capable of running the pace needed to earn solid championship points despite a motorcycle that wasn’t working perfectly. DANNY KELSEY – LEAD RIDER “It has been a few years (2007) since I have been to Mid-Ohio, but I love the track and it was great to see all the fans that turned out for this event. I was a bit frustrated in Race one as I felt we just weren’t getting the setup that I know we are capable of. I was really pleased with race two. The guys I was racing with were definitely solid performers and to be running as high as 13th with our bike is really rewarding.” MARCUS MCBAIN – CREW CHIEF “This was the second of our two AMA Nationals that we were budgeted for. We realized that we had a tall task when we put the schedule together, but Danny (Kelsey) definitely showed he has the talent to perform at this level. I know what Danny accomplished on our Suzuki was really special and this race has really helped us tremendously with knowing what we are all capable of. We faced all of the issues all the other teams faced, but that didn’t stop the team from working to perform its best.” The team thanks their sponsors and supporters as they would not be able to compete at this level without the special efforts of KMC Controls, RS Taichi, Dynojet, Vortex, Motoliberty, South Central Race Center, Motopia, M4 Exhausts, DP Brakes, K’s Motorsports, GP Suspension, JRi Shocks, Lone Star Track Days, Shoei Helmets, Hotbodies Racing, Silkolene, WRW Racing, Barnett, Chicken Hawk Racing, Raceworx, and Racing Engine Services. Kelsey will resume CMRA competition in two weeks at Texas World Speedway. More, from a press release issued by KTM: Fillmore and Knapp Place Inside Top Ten at Mid-Ohio AMA Pro SuperBike Race Lexington, OH – KTM/HMC Factory Superbike Team riders Chris Fillmore and Taylor Knapp placed inside the top ten during the second day of racing at the fourth round of the AMA Pro SuperBike Racing Series held at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Fillmore had two solid practice sessions that placed him 7th overall heading into the race on Saturday morning. Knapp struggled with a few bike set-up issues and qualified 14th overall. On Saturday, Fillmore got out to a decent start and was sitting around 8th after the first lap. His teammate, Knapp, had an even better jump from his starting row and was able to move from 14th to 9th within the first two laps. Both riders charged forward for the next laps before an issue with the tires on the bike, which affected multiple riders in the race, caused them to slow down. Despite the issue, Fillmore was able to ride his bike safely to a 7th place result while Knapp finished 12th overall. “Unfortunately, the tire compound was too soft for Saturday’s race and the tire began to blister and deteriorate very quickly. Luckily, we were able to finish the race safely and will be given a new tire for Sunday’s race,” commented Fillmore after the race. Sunday was a better race day for both riders. Fillmore launched off the line to a 6th place start and began a battle that lasted more than three-quarters of the race for the 5th place position. Meanwhile, Knapp had a worse start than the previous race but set to work quickly to begin picking off riders. Fillmore was charging forward in 6th position when he hit a slick oil patch left from an earlier spill that caused him to have to run wide in order to straighten up his bike and avoid a crash with a few laps to go. This mistake cost him one position and dropped him back to 7th. He was able to hang strong in that position and finish the race with another 7th place finish. Knapp moved forward from his 14th place start to finish 10th by the end of the race. “We had experimented with some different set-up options for Sunday’s race,” stated Knapp. “It ended up being much better and I felt very comfortable during the afternoon race and was happy that I was able to work into the top ten.” Next Event: Monterey, CA – Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca – July 19-21, 2013 More, from a press release issued by Celtic Racing/Orient Express: Celtic Racing Riders Earned Valuable Points at Mid Ohio With Top Ten Finishes Celtic Racing’s James Rispoli and Corey Alexander earned solid results at Mid Ohio Sports Car Course, and rode at the front in all four races over the weekend. Rispoli qualified in fifth position aboard the #43 National Guard Celtic Racing Suzuki GSX-R 600 for the Daytona Sport Bike races. The beginning of race one on Saturday saw Rispoli rocket to the front with a great start and lead the field into turn one. Rispoli was able to stay at the front for the first third of the race, slowly sliding back to finish a strong seventh on Saturday. Alexander would start from sixth position on the grid in SuperSport on his #5 National Guard Celtic Racing Suzuki GSX-R 600. In Saturday’s race one Alexander would finish seventh, and also move into the lead in the SuperSport East points race. Sunday’s race two saw both Celtic Racing riders take advantage of chassis geometry changes to make significant improvements with Rispoli taking a fifth place finish, and Alexander a fourth. Rispoli was aggressive from the start of the shortened race, and enjoyed race long battles with the front of the Daytona Sport Bike field. Rispoli ran as high as second as the race opened, and would fight hard in the five rider lead group before finishing fifth and also holding his fifth place in Daytona Sport Bike points. Alexander also had a great race on Sunday, finishing fourth in a close battle for the final podium sport with Miles Thornton. Alexander extends his lead in the AMA SuperSport East series with the results this weekend at Mid-Ohio. Alexander made some strides forward and is looking forward to the next race at Laguna Seca just four days from now. Corey Alexander stated that although the “weekend didn’t go as well as planned, we developed some more confidence in the bike. We tried a completely new geometry setup going into the weekend that had some things that we needed, and worked out some others. By Sunday’s race I was pretty confident in the potential of the bike. It really took riding behind those top guys, and learning from what they were doing, while also having the bike to do so. I’m very happy overall with the progress we made as a team, more than the race results from the weekend. It was a valuable weekend in terms of points as well as learning in general. Thanks to my guys Mike and Tim for working super hard all weekend, as well as to Chris from K-Tech Suspension for being heavily influential in the progress we made. I hope to continue with what we’ve learned and raise the bar at Laguna next weekend. Thanks to my personal sponsors Arai Helmets, Spidi Leathers, XPD Boots, AMMO NYC, Hudson Valley Motorcycles, and everyone else for their support – thanks for sticking with us!” James Rispoli was excited after riding up front and challenging for the lead, stating that “the weekend ended on an awesome level. The whole team has been working countless hours to find a setup that works for me, and I feel really good on the bike. We finally got the feeling I was looking for in morning warm up, and I was really excited going into the race on Sunday. Overall I think we now have a really good setup that will work and we can start tweaking that to get on the podium. It was really cool to run with the top guys the whole race and to keep learning. Thanks to all my fans and supporters, especially my personal sponsors AGV Helmets, Dainese Leathers, Monster Energy, Techmounts, and Spider Grips. See you at Laguna!” Celtic Racing is proud to partner with: Army National Guard, Michael Jordan Motorsports, Orient Express Racing, Hudson Valley Motorcycles, American Suzuki, Armour Bodies, Bazzaz, Chicken Hawk Racing, DesignStar3, D.I.D. Chain, FMF Exhaust, Full Spectrum Power, Galfer, GB Racing, K-Tech Suspension, Maxima Racing Oils, Motion Pro, Pit Bull Products, Saddlemen, Signs Ink, Star Motorcycle School, Vortex Racing, and Zero Gravity. CELTIC RACING Celtic Racing was established in 2001 by Barry Gilsenan, and over the past 12 seasons has established itself as a premier privateer racing team. Development of riding talent began with two-stroke 125cc, and 250cc machines competing in professional and regional championship events. More recent Celtic Racing efforts have focused on AMA Pro Road Racing in the Daytona SportBike and SuperSport classes with Ducati, Honda, Suzuki, and Yamaha four stroke motorcycles. Gilsenan’s talent for coaching racers of all ages and abilities has brought Celtic Racing worldwide attention and recognition, with many former Celtic Racing riders now competing on World Championship levels. Please join Celtic Racing on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CelticRacing . ARMY NATIONAL GUARD The National Guard is the oldest military branch. Today, Citizen-Soldiers hold civilian jobs or attend college while training part time, staying ready to defend America in the event of an emergency. The National Guard serves both state and federal governments. During local emergencies, Guard units assist residents endangered by storms, floods, fires and other disasters. Guard companies deployed overseas may see combat, but are often found building schools and hospitals, training local peacekeepers or teaching local farmers more efficient techniques and better uses of their land. Please visit http://www.nationalguard.com to find out more. ORIENT EXPRESS Established in 1973, Orient Express is celebrating it’s 40th year as a high performance motorcycle parts distributor and race shop. Orient Express offers engine and motorcycle building services, precision machine work, suspension servicing, and dyno tuning services. Orient Express has an extensive history of racing, including support of both professional and amateur race series and individuals. For more information regarding Orient Express, or to find out what Orient Express can do for your racing success, please call 800.645.6521 or 631.231.9552 (NY/International), visit http://www.orientexpress.com or join them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/OrientExpressRacing . More, from a press release issued by LeoVince USA: LeoVince USA Riders Victorious in SuperBike, SuperSport at Mid-Ohio Richmond, Calif. – LeoVince USA riders accounted for four wins during round four of the AMA Pro Road Racing season at Mid-Ohio. During the weekend of July 12-14, riders utilizing LeoVince exhausts and Dion Device brake lever protectors earned two SuperBike and two SuperSport wins. SuperBike In SuperBike, Dion Device riders earned a total of ten top-ten finishes during the two Mid-Ohio races. Josh Hayes earned his fifth consecutive win during race one on Saturday, taking over the points lead along the way. Hayes and his Monster Energy Graves Yamaha YZF-R1 have been dominating lately, while Hayes’ teammate Josh Herrin was the runner-up in the opening Mid-Ohio race. In race two, things looked just the same at the checkered flag. However, Hayes was penalized five seconds for jumping the start, which gave the win to Herrin. It is Herrin’s second win of the season. Other top tens for the Dion Device included Geoff May, who earned a pair of fifths on his Team Hero EBR 1190RS. Aaron Yates was sixth in both races on board his own Team Hero entry. A ninth from Larry Pegram on the Pegram Racing Yamaha YZF-R1 and a tenth for Cory West on the Motorsport.com EBR 1190RS completed the top ten dominance for Dion Device. Daytona SportBike Jake Gagne and JD Beach continued to be among the front-runners in Daytona SportBike. Their RoadRace Factory Yamahas are equipped with both LeoVince exhausts and the Dion Device, and both riders brought home two podiums at Mid-Ohio. In Saturday’s race one, Gagne finished second, with Beach following in third. The roles were reversed on Sunday, when Beach took second, just 0.655-second behind the race winner. Gagne completed the Daytona SportBike podium with his third-place finish. SuperSport Tomas Puerta’s mastery of the SuperSport class continued with race one on Saturday, as he brought home the win on his RoadRace Factory Yamaha YZF-R6. Hayden Gillim gave Team 95 a spot on the podium with second. A red flag interrupted race two, and after the restart a fierce battle broke out for the lead. Gillim emerged as the rider to beat, making a last-lap pass for first. Puerta, who gave chase early on, was sidelined with mechanical issues, but Gillim had plenty of other competition to deal with. He crossed the finish line with a narrow lead of only 0.184-second. Puerta and Gillim, whose bikes have LeoVince exhausts and Dion Devices, are still closely linked in series points. Gillim took over the second points spot with his race two win, but Puerta sits a mere five points back in third. LeoVince USA riders are now preparing to head West to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, where round five of the AMA Pro Road Racing series will run this weekend, July 19-21, in conjunction with the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix. For more information about sponsored teams and the LeoVince line of performance products, visit the LeoVince USA website at www.leovinceusa.com. To keep up with the latest product and racing news from LeoVince, be sure to like them on facebook at www.facebook.com/leovinceusa. More, from a press release issued by Galfer USA: Puerta, Gillim Lead the Way with Galfer USA Success at Mid-Ohio Oxnard, Calif. – Galfer USA riders had a great weekend at Mid-Ohio, where round four of the AMA Pro Road Racing season continued the competition on the track and in the points standings. Tomas Puerta and Hayden Gillim each walked away with a SuperSport win, while Galfer USA riders earned a total of 20 more top tens. SuperBike KTM/HMC Racing represents Galfer USA in the SuperBike class, and Chris Fillmore and Taylor Knapp earned a total of three top tens at Mid-Ohio. Riding his Galfer-equipped KTM RC8R, Fillmore scored back-to-back sevenths. Knapp finished 12th in race one, but on Sunday he brought home tenth. Daytona SportBike RoadRace Factory has kept Galfer at the top of the Daytona SportBike results this season, and Mid-Ohio was no exception. Jake Gagne and JD Beach each earned two podium finishes. Gagne finished second during race one on Saturday, while Beach completed the podium with third. On Sunday, Beach finished second, and his Yamaha YZF-R6 was a mere 0.655-second behind the leader at the checkered flag. Gagne followed in third. Jake Lewis also had a successful weekend, riding his Meen Motorsports Yamaha YZF-R6 to fourth in race one and sixth in race two. James Rispoli and Dane Westby earned top tens in both races, as well. Rispoli was seventh and fifth on his National Guard/Celtic Racing Suzuki GSX-R600, while Westby put his GEICO Honda CBR600RR in sixth and seventh. SuperSport Galfer USA rider Hayden Gillim was the top points-earner in SuperSport. He finished second in race one on his Team 95 Yamaha YZF-R6, then followed it up with the win in race two. Tomas Puerta won race one on his RoadRace Factory Yamaha YZF-R6, but a mechanical problem in race two forced him into the pits. Despite the setback, Puerta still has a solid lead in SuperSport West points. Galfer USA riders earned four more top-ten finishes during the Mid-Ohio weekend. In race one on Saturday, Corey Alexander was seventh on his Celtic Racing Suzuki GSX-R600, and Wyatt Farris was sixth on this Meen Motorsports Yamaha YZF-R6. Sunday’s racing included a fourth for Alexander and fifth for Stefano Mesa, who was riding the Motorsport.com Yamaha YZF-R6. Harley-Davidson Series Spyke’s Harley-Davidson rider Michael Barnes finished fifth at Mid-Ohio during the Harley-Davidson Series main event. Although it marked a solid finish for the XR1200 rider, Barnes dropped to second in the points. He is two points ahead of the third-place rider, and will be aiming for some wins to reclaim the top spot in the championship. The Galfer USA riders have just a short break because round five of the AMA Pro Road Racing season kicks off this weekend, July 19-21, at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. It marks the first of two rounds this season that are run in conjunction with MotoGP. To learn more about Galfer performance brakes for racing, street and off-road applications, visit www.GalferUSA.com. More, from a press release issued by Yoshimura Suzuki: YOSHIMURA SUZUKI FACTORY RACING CELEBRATES DUAL PODIUM FINISHES AT MID-OHIO Yoshimura Suzuki’s Martin Cardenas brings home two third-place results in AMA Pro Superbike LEXINGTON, OH – Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing’s Martin Cardenas turned in a consistently impressive performance at this weekend’s 2013 AMA Pro Superbike Championships at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, OH. The Colombian rider raced his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 to two podium finishes on the scenic, rolling course. In Sunday’s race, Cardenas was one of four Suzuki racers celebrating a top-10 finish in the premier class. This weekend’s double-header saw Yoshimura Suzuki’s Cardenas turn in 100 percent effort throughout the event. Despite qualifying fifth, Cardenas got good starts on his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 in both 21-lap races. On Saturday, he slotted into a podium position almost immediately and ran in second place for most of the race before encountering lapped traffic on the last lap and finishing third. On Sunday, Cardenas maneuvered through the competition to take over a podium spot halfway through the race and again brought home third. “Overall this was a good weekend,” said Cardenas. “I’ve struggled at Mid-Ohio in the past, so I was expecting a tough weekend. So to get two podiums for the Yoshimura Suzuki team was really good and it was the best that we could do. The next few races are at tracks that I really like and where I’ve done well, so we’ll keep trying and see what happens.” Yoshimura Suzuki teammate Chris Clark struggled this weekend but saw improvements as the racing progressed. Although he was unfamiliar with the challenging Mid-Ohio track, Clark gave it his all on Saturday before suffering some bad luck and finishing 14th. On Sunday, he got a good start and ran in the top 10 before retiring from the race early. “The first race we had a bit of a struggle,” said Clark. “I got a bad start, I had some tire problems, and I ran off track. But you almost can’t get mad at days like that, you just have to write them off and move on to the next one. Sunday, I got a pretty decent start on the Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 and was running in 10th when I had some issues and had to pull out of the race. But now I’m looking forward to having some success as we go to the tracks that I really like. Our next race is at Laguna and that’s one of my favorite tracks so I’m excited about that race.” The Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing team’s next event of the 2013 AMA Pro Superbike Championship series is at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, CA, the weekend of July 19 – 21, 2013. Mid-Ohio Superbike Results, Race 1: 1. Josh Hayes 2. Josh Herrin 3. Martin Cardenas 4. Danny Eslick 5. Geoff May 6. Aaron Yates 7. Chris Fillmore 8. Roger Hayden 9. Larry Pegram 10. Cory West Mid-Ohio Superbike Results, Race 2: 1. Josh Herrin 2. Josh Hayes 3. Martin Cardenas 4. Danny Eslick 5. Geoff May 6. Aaron Yates 7. Chris Fillmore 8. Roger Hayden 9. David Anthony 10. Taylor Knapp 2013 Superbike Standings: 1. Josh Hayes – 191 2. Josh Herrin – 187 3. Martin Cardenas – 186 4. Roger Hayden – 133 5. Danny Eslick – 130 6. Larry Pegram – 118 7. Chris Fillmore – 107 8. Geoff May – 92 9. David Anthony – 85 10. Aaron Yates – 84 About Yoshimura R&D of America: Yoshimura is “The Leader in Performance” and has been for more than 55 years. With unmatched skills, knowledge, and passion for racing, Yoshimura is on the forefront of the aftermarket exhaust industry. Yoshimura pipes are race bred and feature the same legendary performance, fit and quality that has been their trademark for more than five decades. To learn more about Yoshimura and view their wide variety of performance products, visit www.yoshimura-rd.com. About Suzuki: Suzuki Motor Corporation founded Suzuki Motor of America Inc. (SMAI), Brea, CA, in 2013. SMAI markets motorcycles, ATVs, scooters, Outboard Engines and Automotive Parts and Accessories via an extensive dealer network throughout 49 states. SMAI’s parent company, Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer of motorcycles, ATVs, scooters, automobiles and marine engines. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, it has 147 distributors in 201 countries. For more information, visit www.suzukicycles.com. Like Suzuki on Facebook for exclusive team content www.facebook.com/suzukicycles. More, from a press release issued by Michael Jordan Motorsports: MICHAEL JORDAN MOTORSPORTS BRINGS HOME TWO TOP-FIVE FINISHES AT MID-OHIO SUPERBIKE RACE MJM’s National Guard Celtic Racing Suzuki captures points lead in AMA Pro SuperSport East LEXINGTON, OH – The Michael Jordan Motorsports team wrapped up a solid weekend of racing at the AMA Pro National Guard Superbike Championships at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, OH, this weekend. Jordan Suzuki’s Danny Eslick celebrated some of his best results this year with two fourth-place finishes, while National Guard Jordan Suzuki’s Roger Hayden picked up two respectable eighth-place finishes. Jordan Suzuki’s Eslick started the weekend by qualifying on the front row of the grid. In Saturday’s race, he got a good start on his Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000 and turned smooth, consistent laps to finish fourth. On Sunday, Eslick got another good launch and, once again, did what he had to do to bring home fourth. These results moved him up in the overall championship points and marked Eslick’s best performance since the season-opening round. “The weekend started pretty good,” said Eslick. “The Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000 was fast right out of the box and helped me get the weekend off on the right foot. Both my races were pretty much the same. I got good starts and was able to hang with the lead guys. It was tough to keep up with them but I was doing it, and then I made a few mistakes and lost some time. But this was the best weekend I’ve had as far as feeling comfortable with the bike and getting my confidence up. So now, we’ll head for Laguna Seca and hopefully talk about winning next weekend.” National Guard Jordan Suzuki teammate Hayden also enjoyed a good showing in qualifying and picked up the second spot on the grid. In both races, Hayden got excellent starts on his Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000 and ran in a podium position. Unfortunately, he suffered some issues midway through both races but still managed to bring home two top-10 finishes. “It was a tough weekend,” allowed Hayden. “We struggled a bit at first but the team worked hard and gave me a good bike with the Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000. I was able to run with the leaders in Saturday’s race until we had some tire problems midway through. So we switched tires on Sunday and I was able to keep up with the frontrunners until I made a mistake with a false neutral. I feel bad for my guys because they worked hard and made my bike really good after we struggled on the first day. Now I’m glad we only have a few days off before we get another chance at it. Laguna Seca has always been a good track for me and I’m looking forward to that race.” Representing MJM’s 600cc contingency, National Guard Celtic Racing Suzuki’s Corey Alexander took over the championship points lead in AMA Pro SuperSport East after finishing seventh in Saturday’s event and fourth in Sunday’s race. National Guard Celtic Racing Suzuki teammate James Rispoli also celebrated two solid finishes in AMA Pro Daytona SportBike, finishing fifth on Sunday and seventh the day before. In the 2013 AMA Pro National Guard Superbike Championship series rider point standings, Hayden sits in fourth place while Eslick moved up to fifth. In AMA Pro Daytona SportBike, Rispoli is fifth, while Alexander leads AMA Pro SuperSport East. The Michael Jordan Motorsports team’s next event of the 2013 AMA Pro National Guard Superbike Championship series is at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, CA, the weekend of July 19 – 21, 2013. About Michael Jordan Motorsports: Legendary NBA star Michael Jordan formed Michael Jordan Motorsports in 2004 as a result of his passion for motorcycle racing. His mission is to bring a new level of excellence and style to the motorcycle racing industry. For more information on MJM, please visit www.23race.com, www.twitter.com/23race and www.facebook.com/23race. About the Army National Guard: The National Guard is the oldest military branch. Today, Citizen-Soldiers hold civilian jobs or attend college while training part time, staying ready to defend America in the event of an emergency. The National Guard serves both state and federal governments. During local emergencies, Guard units assist residents endangered by storms, floods, fires and other disasters. Guard companies deployed overseas may see combat, but are often found building schools and hospitals, training local peacekeepers or teaching local farmers more efficient techniques and better uses of their land. Michael Jordan Motorsports is proud to partner with: Jordan Brand (a division of Nike), National Guard, Suzuki Motor of America, Inc., Hanes, Gatorade, Bazzaz, Vortex Racing Components, FMF Exhausts, Gemini Racing, K-Tech Suspension-Orient Express Racing, Maxima Racing Oils, K & N Air Filters, Chicken Hawk Racing Tire Warmers, Armour Bodies, DID Chains, Pro-Bolt, Oakley, Roclun International, STAR Motorcycle School, Motion Pro Tools, Zero Gravity Windscreens, Motorcycle Mechanics Institute, Designstar.com, with transportation provided by Eastside Trucking. More, from a press release issued by RFC: AN AMAZING SHOW OF SUPPORT FOR AMA PRO SUPERBIKE RIDER RYAN KERR AT HIS HOMETOWN TRACK; MID OHIO SPORTS CAR COURSE Johnstown, Ohio (July 16, 2013) Ryan Kerr and the Ryan Kerr Racing Team were ready to get back on the track this weekend at the Mid Ohio Sports Car Course. An Ohio native, Kerr was excited for his first SuperBike race at his hometown track in front of several family and friends. Kerr states, “Since receiving my SuperBike license a few months ago, I have learned a lot about what it takes to ride at this level. The riders who surround me on the track are the most talented in this business and I will continue to learn from them.” The weekend began with some struggles in practice and qualifying times for Ryan Kerr and the Ryan Kerr Racing Team. Kerr expressed concerns, “Unfortunately at the last AMA event at Barber Motorsports Park, I was involved in a crash which caused some bike damage and some injuries which I am still healing from. My team and I pushed through the challenges and I started off the grid in the 18th position. Unfortunately on Saturday I was unable to complete the race due to a mechanical issue with the bike.” A devastated Kerr explains, “The bike was running good and I was happy with my 14th place position when I lost power and was unable to finish the race. It’s sure not the way I wanted Saturday to end but Sunday offered a new day of racing with better results.” On Sunday, Ryan Kerr and the Ryan Kerr racing team finished the weekend with a 16th place finish. The turnout of fans was amazing to show support to their hometown rider. Kerr was greeted with a field of fans wearing bright green who offered loud cheers of support with every lap! An excited and grateful Kerr states, “It’s always a great racing event and I appreciate the support of my family and home town fans. I truly want to thank all of the people who took the time to come out and spend the day and support my dream. Each of you motivated me and gave me the extra strength that I needed to push through the challenges this weekend!” Finally, Ryan Kerr would like for all of his fans to join the team! Become a member of the Ryan Kerr Fan Club by checking out his website at www.Flyinryankerr.com. Also, take the time to like the Ryan Kerr Racing facebook fan page to get the latest information about Ryan and his racing career. Ryan Kerr is sponsored by RFC, Best Book 1, Yoshimura, Sunstar, Suzuki, Arai, 614Paintworks, EBC, Brembo, D/I Held, Ballistik, In The Sky Apparel, Mid Ohio School and Bazzaz. More, from a press release issued by Meen Motorsports: Meen Motorsports charges to the front at Mid-Ohio Campbell, CA (July 16, 2013) – Meen Motorsports’ Jake Lewis and Wyatt Farris continued to make positive progress at the Buckeye Superbike Weekend in Mid-Ohio for the fourth installment of the GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing series. In AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike, Jake Lewis had another consistent qualifying race weekend, claiming grid position three on Friday, yet reluctantly moving back into the second row on Saturday. Maneuvering the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course’s, during the opening lap proved tricky set-backs for Lewis who got shuffled mid-pack in both races. On Saturday, Lewis impressively worked his way through the competitive Daytona SportBike rider group, asserting a solid 4th place finish. Sunday gave Lewis a bit more challenges to contend with. After coming into contact with GEICO Motorcycle Honda’s Dane Westby in the keyhole, costing him to loose the front pack, Lewis once again weaved his way back up into a top ten finish in 6th place. “This past weekend was a step in the right direction for the team and I. We started off the weekend strong and had a really good race pace. Yet in both races I got a bad start, so I had a lot of work to do. Honestly the results don’t show the effort everyone put in and how the weekend went. I cannot wait to get back on the bike this weekend at Laguna and keep working hard for that podium finish,” comments Lewis. In AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport, Wyatt Farris rode two steady races, keeping pace with the leader’s times, placing 6th and 11th. “Once again we had positive growth, in the right direction, throughout the weekend at Mid Ohio. Every time I went on track I went faster. I had some bike issues while in 6th on Sunday that made me pull of the track, but I was able to get back going again and salvaged a points paying finish. I look forward to my seat time in the last two races to carry my momentum into Laguna, a track that will actually count towards the west coast Supersport championship.” The Meen Motorsports team will be heading next to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix to race July 19-21, 2013. Kick-off the weekend with the Meen Team at their official autograph signing party, at San Jose Yamaha, 776 N 13th Street, in San Jose, California on July 18th. Raffle includes a pair of MotoGP tickets and exclusive Meen Team gear. Meen Motorsports would like to thank the following team sponsors for 2013, Yamaha, Graves Motorsports, South Valley Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, San Jose Ear And Sinus, Hawaiian Ola, San Jose Yamaha, Yamaha Generators, Yamalube, Radiomedics, G Squared, DID, Mot Y Designs, Galfer, Vortex, Sharkskinz, Zero Gravity, Apex Mfg, Roclun Int’l (Lewis) and Jon Block Group Sports (Farris). Meen Motorsports is a professional motorcycle racing team established in 2012 formally known as GP Bike Parts Racing (2011). If interested in being a partner/sponsor of Meen Motorsports please contact [email protected]. For more about the team please visit, www.meenmotorsports.com. Become a Facebook Fan, search Meen Motorsports. Follow the team on Twitter and Vine @meenmotorsports, as well as on Instagram @meenmoto. More, from a press release issued by Harv’s Harley-Davidson: A PAIR OF PODIUM FINISHES FOR HARV’S HARLEY-DAVIDSON RACING MACEDON, NEW YORK – JULY 15th, 2013 – Harv’s Harley-Davidson Racing had a short drive to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, for the Buckeye Superbike Weekend. The closest round to home for Travis and Cody Wyman. Travis, 21, was a front-runner in each race, leading laps, and battling for wins. Which earned him forth and second in AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport races, and a hard earned second place finish in the AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series. Cody, 19, fought through early struggles, by finishing in the points at eighteenth and fifteenth. Qualifying went great for Travis as he had a front row starting position in each of the classes. In SuperSport Race one after leading laps mid race, Travis nearly high-sided which lost his shot at the win. That did turn into a heated duel for the final podium spot, which was awarded to Miles Thornton. Cody had a fifth row starting spot which put him into a five-rider battle that he led from cross flags to the checkers. Sunday was the day for Travis, as he fought for the win with Hayden Gillim in SuperSport Race two. After just narrowly losing the top spot on the last lap, a respectable second place finish. This was initially considered a sixth place finish for Travis, as AMA Race Officials said that he overtook a rider under a waving yellow flag in turn six. After the race, the call was overturned due to the previous corner station not showing a stationary yellow flag, resulting in Travis’ first podium of the year. Cody missed the sighting lap to SuperSport Race two due to an unexpected brake problem, but was fixed in time to start from last place on the grid. After a good start picking off riders, he won another three-rider battle for fifteenth place, his best finish since Round one at Daytona. Cody unfortunately dropped to twelfth in points standings and Travis jumped up to fifth. The AMA Pro Harley-Davidson Race was pushed to the end of the day due to an extended oil clean up prior to the AMA Daytona Sportbike Race. During the clean up, the Harv’s Harley-Davidson team heard a faulting noise in the engine of Wyman’s A XR1200. The team owes a big thank you to Kyle Wyman Racing, so they could use their suspension on KWR’s XR1200. The major delay in fact helped the team transfer parts from Travis’ bike to a working motorcycle. Travis jolted to an early lead for the first two laps. Current points leader Steve Rapp caught and passed Travis, setting lap record in the process, as the two riders left the field by an eleven-second margin. The bar banging fight for the win went to Rapp, who finished just .173 seconds ahead of Wyman. Steve Rapp has won the past three races, the first two were solo runaway finishes, but Travis showed the first threat to Rapp this year, and ketp him honest the entire race. “I’ve been struggling since Road America with confidence in the front-end, and today was a big step towards getting back up in the top ten. Sunday I had to start last but got up into the top ten early, but just didn’t have the pace to run up there. Lenny Albin has been working really hard to get me back on track, and I think we’ll be further towards the front in New Jersey.” –Cody Wyman “Overall I had an awesome weekend. Three top fives and two podiums. This was the most comfortable I have felt on my bikes and I can’t thank my team enough for all their hard work.” -Travis Wyman Special thanks to Harv’s Harley-Davidson, Long Pond Auto Body, Arai, Held USA, Hotbodies, Bazzaz, Bickle Racing, ACT Racing, Vortex, Shorai, MotoOption, GPTech, Dynojet, Lenny Albin, Justin Hoestery, and Kyle Wyman Racing. www.wymanbrosracing.com www.harvsharley.com Super Sport East Standings 1. Alexander, 151 points 2. Gillim, 142 3. Mesa, 137 4. Thornton, 110 5. Travis Wyman, 109 6. Blevins, 80 7. McFadden, 52 8. McDonough, 50 9. De Keyrel, 38 10. Mark Miller Jr., 33 11. Curtis Murray, 30 12. Cody Wyman, 28 Harley-Davidson Racing Series 1. Rapp, 94 points 2. Barnes, 79 3. O’Hara, 77 4. Travis Wyman, 73 5. Carlson, 61 6. Long, 45 7. TIE, Narbonne/Hansen, 40 9. Parker, 35 10. TIE, Chisum/Estok, 33 More, from a press release issued by J.D. Beach: Team 95 (Hayden Gillim) and Red Bull RoadRace Factory (JD Beach) Mid-Ohio Recap After a great weekend of racing at Barber Motorsports Park a couple weeks ago, JD Beach and Hayden Gillim were back in action at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, OH. Hayden was able to end the weekend with incredible results, coming home with 2nd on Saturday and winning the SuperSport class on Sunday! JD had his best weekend ever in the Daytona SportBike class with 3rd on day one which he improved to finish 2nd on Sunday. Next weekend JD and Hayden will be heading to Laguna Seca deep in the heart of wine country in the rolling hills of Northern California. JD will be racing once again in the Daytona SportBike division while Hayden will have a break in his SuperSport class and is going out to visit his sponsors and watch the incredibly close racing. Hayden had a great weekend at Barber and was looking forward to getting things started at Mid-Ohio. Mid-Ohio is one of Hayden’s favorite tracks and he always seems to really get things going there. With the same crew behind the wall as he had at Barber Motorsports Park, Hayden knew that his bike was going to be the best it could be and could really challenge for the win. Team 95 Hayden Gillim (2nd and 1st) “Wow what a weekend we had at Mid-Ohio! After such an up and down season, with few races to go, it was nice to be back on top of my game. Getting my first win of the year feels great. I can’t thank my crew and team enough. We all have been working so hard and to finally get that “W” feels so good. After such a great weekend we are working really hard to try and get enough money together to go to Miller Motorsports Park in Utah.” “Mid-Ohio is just one of those tracks that has always just clicked for me. I have ridden there a lot as an amateur and raced the Rookies Cup there. It’s just one of those tracks that I expect myself to do well at. Going into the weekend I really expected myself to do well. I needed a weekend to really turn my season around and I think this did it. My crew worked so hard to have my bike as perfect as possible as soon as we spun our first lap on Friday. Both races where a lot of fun and we had some great battles. Both races came down to the last few laps to be decided, so it was exciting for everyone. It’s great that everyone is really picking it up, it’s only going to make us all faster. I’m going out to Laguna next weekend to watch the MotoGP and see some sponsors then hoping to get the funds together to make the trip out to Miller.” Red Bull/RoadRace Factory JD Beach (3th and 2nd) After having a great weekend at Barber, JD was really looking forward to arriving at Mid-Ohio. It’s a track he really likes and has done well there in the past. His crew knew he could have a great weekend and worked very hard to get the bike the best it could be. “With each race we keep getting stronger and stronger. Scott (Jensen) and Danny (Anderson) always work so hard to give me the best bike possible every weekend. After a lot of talking with Scott we really felt like the bike was going to be great for the weekend. I just needed to do my part and be fast as soon as we got on the track for the first session on Friday.” “We ended up 3rd after the first session but because of a little bad planning in qualifying we ended up 7th. I knew I just needed to get a good start and I could run up front. In the first race I got off the line good and was sitting 2nd. Jake (Gagne) was leading until Cameron (Beaubier) got by both of us and we were able to gap 4th. It was a three way battle until the last few laps and we all got spaced out. We learned a lot for the second race however and were ready to improve. The second race was shorted to 15 laps after an hour delay because of oil on the track. AMA Pro Racing did the best they could to make it safe but it just took a lot of time. I was able to get into the lead before the end of the first lap and lead 5 of the laps. It felt really great to lead a race again. Looking out of my Bell Helmet and not seeing another bike ahead of me is the best sight in the world! Cameron got by me, but I was able to stick I right to his back wheel waiting for that perfect opportunity to pass him back. After I made a very slight mistake I was still able to bring it home in 2nd and pick up my best SportBike finish of my career.” With just a few days between the Mid-Ohio and Laguna Seca rounds, there isn’t a lot of time to make many changes in our program. JD will be heading out West on Wednesday and Hayden is already on his way. While Hayden won’t be racing this round because it isn’t a points paying round in his division, he is hoping to be able to race Miller Motorsports Park in a few weeks. JD is really looking forward to Laguna, it’s a very difficult track for him but he is looking forward to the challenge.