EBR riders have fun in the sun in California!

Danny Eslick and Geoff May both podium at Infineon round

East Troy, Wis. Team Hero and Amsoil/Hero Erik Buell Racing (EBR) riders had a great weekend in the third round of the AMA Pro Racing Superbike series this weekend at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA, with both riders each getting on the podium once.

In Saturday’s race Danny Eslick rode the Team Hero #69 EBR 1190RS from a first lap off-track excursion up to 3rd place, in a tightly fought battle with 2nd place finisher Blake Young on his Yoshimura Suzuki. Geoff May on the #99 AMSOIL/Hero EBR 1190RS had a bad start and was in 13th place initially, but fought his way back through a talented field to finish in 5th place.

On Sunday morning, Danny had a rough crash in practice, but rolled out to the grid Sunday afternoon, more than a little battered. But he hung in there, and when the checkered flag waved, Geoff was in 3rd, after being passed for second in the last corner by Roger Hayden, and Danny was in 6th, only .001 out of 5th place.

“The team did an amazing job this weekend,” said Erik Buell, “This is our first time to Infineon with the new EBR 1190RS, and the competition is fierce, but the riders and crew really got the bikes dialed in quickly. This track really rewards the handling and braking qualities of our bikes.”

“The Team Hero 1190RS and I are starting to get along just fine,” said Danny Eslick. “Saturday’s race just kept getting better as I got more laps on the bike, and Blake and I had a great race for second. On Sunday I was just grateful how easy the 1190 is to ride, because I was really hurting from my morning crash! But I still had fun, and can’t wait for the next race. I can’t say enough good things about my new team; these guys are fantastic.”

“I really enjoyed this weekend, and feel like we have made tremendous progress with getting the settings right on the bikes. Thanks to Hero’s sponsorship we have the extra crew members to allow us to get more done, as well as having a great team mate in Danny.” said Geoff May. “The 1190 motors never missed a beat – the AMSOIL lubricants allow us to run them to the limit all day. I was holding 2nd up to the last lap Sunday, but I knew Roger would likely make a move on me at the end since he had the time to watch my lines. I’m definitely looking forward to the next round at Miller.”

Geoff moved up to 6th in the rider standings, and Danny to 8th. EBR is now third in the manufacturer standings.

The next race for the EBR teams is in the twelve round AMA Pro Racing Superbike series is May 26-28 at Miller Motorsports Park in Utah.

More, from a press release issued by Dainese:

Blake Young wins again at Infineon Raceway with a new D-air Racing activation

Sonoma, CA- In the wake of dramatic race victories at Road Atlanta by Dainese and AGV riders Blake Youngand James Rispoli, including the first AMA activation of the D-Air Racing suit, the action resumed at Infineon Raceway for the West Coast Moto Jam this past weekend.

In his first visit to Infineon Raceway, defending SuperSport champion James “The Rocket” Rispoli made his mark early, qualifying third for Saturday’s race. As in Atlanta two weeks prior, James spent Saturday battling for first position on the notoriously technical course. Rispoli responded well in Race 1, securing a 2nd place finish and a class-leading 76 points in the AMA Pro SuperSport West Championship as he also fought to learn the track quickly

.

Starting from pole in Race 2, James got the hole shot and an early lead. On lap 4, with fellow Dainese-sponsored Y.E.S./LTD Racing’s Thomas Puerta stalking a few bike lengths back, he entered turn 9a turn too hot and ran off track loosing 3 positions. Not one to rest on his laurels, Rispoli struck back immediately to 2nd place when the race was red flagged. No sooner was the race restarted when it was red flagged yet again, but not before The Rocket snatched the lead back from Puerta. On the second restart Rispoli got lost in the mix. As a testament to his focus and determination, he fought back hard on the brakes against Puerta for his first victory at Infineon Raceway. Thomas Puerta earned his first trip to the podium for 2012 with a well-earned 3rd.

Before the first AMA SuperBike race-action was under way, Blake Young put his Dainese D-Air Racing suit to the test during qualifying for Race 2. Low siding his Yoshimura Racing Suzuki at the end of the session, the D-Air Racing system deployed helping prevent injury. Starting from the second row in SuperBike Race 1, Young hitched onto the back of Team Graves Yamaha’s Josh Hayes. The pursuit quickly changed dynamic as Hayes pulled away and Blake ran in second position unchallenged until lap 10. That all changed when he was joined by former teammate, Team Hero Moto EBR’s Danny Eslick. The pair ran tight for the rest of the race trading positions and capturing the crowd’s interest. When the checkered flag dropped though, it was Blake Young who fended off Eslick’s challenge and brought home a trip to the second step on the podium. Fellow Dainese-sponsored rider Team Graves Yamaha’s Josh Herrin ran a very consistent race, earning a 4th place finish.

Despite a great start from Young, SuperBike Race 2 looked to belong to Hayes yet again until a crash in turn 9a cost him the lead on lap 3. That mistake turned out to be the inspiration Blake needed to take the lead and go full gas. He wasn’t alone though, as National Guard Jordan Suzuki’s Roger Hayden and Josh Herrin were in the lead pack as well. The three ran consistent lap times when on lap 12 Hayden ran wide opening the door for Herrin. As the battle for 2nd ensued, Blake Young put his head down and checked out earning the victory and the top slot in the SuperBike standings with 166 points. Unfortunately for Herrin, his race for the podium ended with a mechanical failure on lap 17. Honorable mention to Dainese-sponsored Jordan Suzuki’s Ben Bostrom for battling a heated and steady race to a 4th place finish.

Dainese and AGV wish a prompt recovery for long-time sponsored rider Steve Rapp who suffered an highside during the TTXGP race.

More, from a press release issued by Celtic Racing/Orient Express:

Celtic Racing’s Rispoli Claims Second Pole And Race Two Victory To Extend AMA SuperSport West Lead

Celtic Racing arrived at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California with James Rispoli leading the AMA SuperSport West Championship, and team-mate Corey Alexander firmly in the top five of the East Championship despite crashing hard at Road Atlanta in race two. Rispoli guided his #1 Celtic Orient Express Racing Suzuki GSX-R 600 through a dense field of 51 riders to secure pole position; half a second ahead of his closest competitor. Alexander rode the #5 National Guard Fairhills Group Suzuki GSX-R 600 to qualify sixth and proved his mental and physical toughness, overcoming his shoulder injury and a nasty highside as well.

In Saturday’s race one, Rispoli lead early after a great start, but was passed by race winner Dominguez and missed the win by only 0.170″ at the flag. James Rispoli and Jake Lewis resumed the close racing seen at Road Atlanta, and extended a gap to the second pack of riders by several seconds. Corey Alexander fought off soreness and pain, and battled in a pack of six riders near the front, taking advantage of small mistakes ahead of him to improve his position through the race. Alexander eventually finished ninth – a great result despite difficult conditions.

Celtic Racing approached Sunday’s race two with the desire to improve on Saturday’s results, and both riders succeeded – James Rispoli rode hard and took his third win of the season ahead of Dominguez, Puerta, and Lewis. This marks back to back double podium’s for Rispoli in addition to the pole position, and cements his SuperSport West lead at 44 points ahead of Meyers. Corey Alexander showed his determination and strength, leading the second pack of riders and finishing seventh, two positions forward of his result on Saturday.

James Rispoli was really happy to report that “Another race win feels great, and we picked up valuable points going to Miller. Qualifying was tough, but the bike felt great and was working good all weekend – great to start from Pole especially at Infineon. I couldn’t get my rhythm going Saturday and had to settle for second place, but we had a race winning machine – hats off to my Celtic Orient Express crew – William, Eric, and Justin. Sunday was awesome, and I had a great battle at the front of the pack with those guys. It was a crazy race with all the red flags, and the tires go off a little each time which made for a slick race. On Sunday I wasn’t going to let anyone lead, especially after the third red flag. We got the bike working great, and I had the bike to win all weekend. I wanted the most laps led and the race win, it was good to give my crew another win. I have to thank Jason Pridmore and Mark Gallardo from the Star Motorcycle School for really working with me and getting me groomed right.” James Rispoli would like to thank all his personal sponsors whose support has made all this success possible, including: AGV Helmets, Dainese Leathers, Monster Energy, and Techmount.

“During Sunday morning’s warmup my crew got my National Guard Fairhills Group GSX-R 600 feeling better so I decided to give the race a shot. Overall I’m glad we did and I’m happy to come out of this weekend with a decent result under these circumstances. I really have to give a huge thanks to everyone involved for staying behind me and especially my guys Barry, Tim, and Mike. They worked really hard this weekend and I appreciate it tremendously. Many thanks also to Jason Pridmore for his coaching on and off the track, it make a huge difference for me this weekend. We will be back to the front at Miller for sure!” stated Corey Alexander. Corey’s personal sponsors include: Fairhills Group, Hudson Valley Motorcycle, Spidi Leathers, XPD Boots, and Arai Helmets.

Both Celtic Racing Suzuki GSX-R 600’s showcase the best in road racing technology. Product support for both machines comes from: Michael Jordan Motorsports, American Suzuki, Armor Bodies, Chicken Hawk Racing, DesignStar3, Dynojet, FMF Racing, Full Spectrum Power, Hudson Valley Racing, Galfer Brakes, GB Racing, K-Tech Suspension, Maxima Oils, Motion Pro, Pit Bull, Riviera Country Club, Saddlemen, Star Motorcycle School, Vortex Racing, and Zero Gravity.

Celtic Racing was established in 2001 by Barry Gilsenan, and over the past 11 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.

FAIRHILLS GROUP

Fairhills Group is a New York based alternative investment management firm that manages capital for the Bronson family and other high net worth individuals and wealthy families. Fairhills was established in 2002 for the purpose of providing public companies with alternative forms of financing, eventually becoming one of the most active investors in structured equity transactions. Fairhills has since grown to provide financing solutions to companies globally and recently has opened its doors for the first time to external investors, with a full range of alternative investment fund offerings. For more information on Fairhills, please visit http://www.fairhills.com.

ORIENT EXPRESS

Established in 1973, Orient Express is a high performance motorcycle parts and accessories warehouse distributor; offering dyno tuning, engine building services and precision machine work. 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.orientexpress.com

More, from a press release issued by Garrett Willis’ publicist:

Team Footwork-GWR (Garrett Willis Racing) would like to thank all of our sponsors who helped us to contest the AMA Great Clips West Coast Moto Jam May 4-6th at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California.

After a 2 year lay off from roadracing , former WERA and AFM class champion Garrett Willis made a return to the AMA and rode to a hard fought 5th and 8th place finish after qualifying 13th in the stacked AMA Supersport class at Infineon this past weekend. With only 9 days after the decision to prepare for this race and literally a day and a half of track time at Thunderhill Raceway , Garrett made a seamless transition back into the sport where he so rightfully belongs.

Team Footwork-GWR would like to thank the following sponsors whom made this past weekend possible: Leo Vince USA, Dr. David Benkle Optometry, B.A.R.F. Racing, Arai Helmets, Dainese, Super Moto USA, KH Coaching, BrakeTech, Captive Collars, Oakley, Eric Hinkey Construction, CrossFit Eschelon, Chris Hinkey, Colin Jurczak, and the Willis Family. For Sponsorship opportunities for Team Footwork-GWR, please contact Daniel or Garrett at [email protected]. Thank you and see you at the track!

More, from a press release issued by Ohlins USA:

Ohlins Sets Up Erik Buell Racing for First Ever Superbike Podium, in a Sweet Sweep

Hendersonville, North Carolina: The “Advanced Suspension Technology” of Ohlins was proven again this weekend at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California, with the Erik Buell Racing 1190RS ridden to the company’s first ever AMA Pro Superbike podium, piloted by racer Danny Eslick.

To assist Eslick’s team, Ohlins USA technician Brad Stokes was assigned to work closely with them, immediately showing with results that a competitive suspension is more than just dampers, having as much to do with the symbiotic relationship of rider, team and Ohlins USA technician. Eslick connected with confidence and earned third-place on his Team Hero EBR 1190RS in Saturday’s Superbike Race One, joining the fellow Ohlins riders of race-winner Josh Hayes on his Monster Energy Graves Yamaha, and second-place finisher Blake Young on his Yoshimura Racing Suzuki, for a Superbike podium sweep.

Both Superbike races were Ohlins wins with Blake Young earning the prize in Sunday’s race, and the points lead for the season.

This top-three sweep and historic first Superbike podium for the EBR 1190RS, with its Ohlins fitment, was complemented by a podium sweep in Sunday’s GoPro Daytona Sportbike race, where Team Latus Motors Racing’s Jason DiSalvo took his first win of the season on the Triumph Daytona 675. DiSalvo was followed by Tommy Hayden of the team YES Graves Yamaha Racing, with Joey Pascarella taking third for SGA Racing Yamaha Champions Riding School; each of them on a YZF-R6. DiSalvo also earned a second-place finish in Saturday’s Daytona SportBike race, with Cameron Beaubier stepping up to third on his Ohlins equipped Yamaha.

Another win for Ohlins at Infineon was Dustin Dominguez taking the checkered first in Saturday’s Motorcycle-Superstore.com SportSport race for Team Latus Motors Racing. Dominguez backed up his win with a second-place finish on Sunday.

Ohlins USA distributes and services the world’s leading performance suspension components for automobiles, motorcycles, and ATVs. Ohlins develops its proprietary and trend-setting suspension components, steering dampers and oils, at the highest levels of racing from open-wheel car racing, to Moto GP, to off-road competition on two and four wheels. Ohlins USA also provides training for service centers and dealers. Ohlins USA can be contacted at: 828-692-4525; www.Ohlinsusa.com

More, from a press release issued by KTM North America:

Fillmore Finishes 5th and Nebel Debuts at Infineon AMA Pro Superbike Race

Sonoma, CA KTM/HMC rider Chris Fillmore topped his career best finish after he placed 5th overall at the second day of racing at Infineon Raceway while his teammate Stefan Nebel joined him on the circuit for his first outing in the AMA Pro Superbike Racing Series.

This round was the third round of the series but the first time in the history of AMA Pro Superbike Racing that two KTM race machines had been present in the Pro Superbike racing class.

During Saturday’s race, both riders were feeling great and were eager to get started. Fillmore had a great jump off the line from the third row and was able to sit 7th after the first lap. Nebel had to start toward the back of the pack and was 16th at the end of lap one.

Fillmore continued to turn impressive lap times and was able to move up two positions passing Steve Rapp for 5th place. He held that position until the final few laps when he had an issue with his brakes that caused him to crash. Unfortunately, his crash caused him to not finish the race and he was credited with 16th for the day. Meanwhile, Nebel had charged from the back of the pack up to 12th place where he finished for his first-ever AMA Pro Superbike race.

The team went straight to work to prep both bikes for the second day of racing. Nebel had to return to the pits after the warm-up lap to fix a mechanical issue and had to start the race from the pit area and was 17th after the first lap. Meanwhile, Fillmore got off to a great start and was 8th at the end of lap one. Both riders moved up one position on the next lap when the current leader, Josh Hayes, went down.

On lap eight, Fillmore set his fastest lap time and two laps later he did it again. At the halfway mark Fillmore was still secure in 7th place while Nebel had climbed to 13th. With six laps to go, Fillmore continued to pass riders making a pass on Danny Eslick to takeover 5th place. With two laps to go, Fillmore ran wide in a turn which allowed Danny Eslick to catch and pass him. With one lap remaining, Fillmore was determined to get his 5th place result. He stayed right on the tail of Eslick and in the final corner made an inside block pass to grab the position. Both riders pushed neck and neck to the finish with Fillmore able to edge out Eslick for the position by .001 seconds.

“It feels so great to get a 5th place finish,” remarked Fillmore. “The entire KTM/HMC team has been working hard for a top five result and it is great to finally earn one for the team. My bike worked great at this track and I felt confident all weekend. We are really looking forward to the rest of the series.”

Nebel was able to finish the second day with another 12th place result. His consistent 12-12 results were a great start to his season in his first AMA Pro Superbike race. Nebel will remain with the series through the next few rounds and is hoping to break into the top ten when the series heads to MillerMotorsportsPark for the fourth round of the series.

“I had a very enjoyable weekend in my first AMA Pro Superbike race,” remarked Nebel. “Everyone from my team to the people at the AMA welcomed me with open arms and it was a great first experience. This was a difficult track to learn and each time I made a lap I turned a quicker time. I was very comfortable on my bike and happy to have two consistent results during the weekend. Fillmore and I both made a lot of passes in our races and showed the potential the KTM RC8 has in Superbike racing. I am looking forward to learning another track and improving upon my results at the next race.”

More, from a press release issued by Bel-Ray:

Bel-Ray Weekend Racing Wrap-Up””May 7, 2012

For decades, professional racers have experienced the performance advantages that Bel-Ray powersports lubricants provide. This past weekend, Bel-Ray’s professional racers raced around the world in various types of competition.

MotoGP

The Bel-Ray sponsored Power Electronics Aspar team of Aleix Espargaro and Randy DuPuniet were the top CRT riders this weekend at the Estoril circuit in Portugal. Espargaro was 12th and was the top CRT racer for the second race in a row, while DePuniet finished 13th. DePuniet overcame the pain from a crash that occurred during the weekend’s qualifying session to finish right on the heels of his teammate.

Espargaro was very pleased with his results and he spoke about it following the race. “I am very happy. I was riding well on the ART and delighted to be part of this Power Electronics Aspar team. We have improved so much since Qatar and Jerez.” Teammate DePuniet spoke about overcoming his pain to score a respectable finish. “This was a very difficult race because of the pain that I have on my left side from yesterday’s crash. I haven’t broken anything, but even breathing hurts me at the moment.”

After this weekend’s racing , Espargaro is ranked 12th and DePuniet 13th in the World Championship point standings. The series continues in Le Mans, France on May 20th.

Moto2

The 2012 Moto2 championship series continued this weekend in Portugal with good races for Bel-Ray backed Mapfre Aspar team of Nico Terol and Toni Elias. Starting from 9th on the grid, Elias was able to race with the second pack of racers competing. This group of competitive racers was just out of sight of the lead pack trying to gain track position. When the checkered flag flew, Elias was in 7th place. Teammate Terol had to overcome a first lap melee that saw him move up to 26th place by the end of lap 4 and up to 16th by the end of the race.

Elias is in 8th and Terol is unranked in the 2012 series’ point standings. The series continues in Le Mans, France on May 20th.

Moto3

The Estoril circuit in eastern Portugal hosted the 3rd round of the 2012 Moto3 World Championship Series. The Bel-Ray sponsored Bankia Aspar team of Hector Faubel and Alberto Moncayo raced in this very competitive class. Faubel started the race well and attempted to latch on to the lead pack. He came in contact with another rider, which forced him off the racing line and allowed the lead pack to get away. Out of sight of the leaders, he raced with those around him to an eventual 12th place finish. He spoke about the race following the checkered flag. “I did not have a good start, remaining in the same position as I had taken on the grid. I was up with the frontrunners for eight laps, but then Fenati made contact with me and that pack escaped. I was then part of a second group, which had many more battles for position and slower times as a result. If I were to have broken free, I would have gone two seconds a lap faster. I am angry, because I think that this result could have been a lot better.”

Teammate Moncayo started from a 17th place grid position and struggled with the bike setup during the race. He spoke about the difficulty he experienced during the race and how he plans to regroup for the next event in France in 2 weeks time. “That was a difficult race. My start wasn’t great and it was hard for me to pick up the pace. This is becoming difficult because we are not developing the potential that we had in preseason. We are going to try a few things and will arrive at Le Mans with more hunger, ready to fight for better positions.”

After the first 3 rounds, Faubel is 10th and Moncayo 11th in the series’ points standings. The series continues in Le Mans, France on May 20th.

World Superbike

The 4th round of the 2012 World Superbike Championship series took place in Monza, Italy this weekend. Mother nature played a big part in the weekend’s results as rains caused dangerous track conditions and the cancellation of the first race of the event. Round 2 began under better conditions, but was red-flagged and cancelled half way through the scheduled distance. Bel-Ray’s racers, Carlos Checa and David Giugliano, were both within the top 10 in competition when the race ended. Checa was 7th and Giugliano was 8th. Since only half the race was completed, only half points were awarded by the sanctioning body.

With the points tallied, Checa is in 2nd while Giugliano is 10th in the series’ standings. The series continues at Donington Park in England this upcoming weekend.

AMA Supercross

The 2012 AMA Supercross series concluded on Saturday night in Las Vegas, Nevada and Sam Boyd Stadium was the sight of all of the action. As the series finale, Las Vegas would host 3 separate Lites class races as well as the finale in the supercross class.

Bel-Ray sponsored Team Rockstar Energy Racing Suzuki ended their Supercross season on a high note in the evening’s competition. The East Coast region final saw Blake Wharton score another top 5 finish with a 5th place, while teammate Hunter Hewitt had one of his best rides this season with a 7th place finish. The West Coast Region final saw both riders in the top 5 at the checkered flag. Martin Davalos was 4th and teammate Jason Anderson was 5th. Davalos backed up this result with his second podium in as many races and was 3rd place in the Dave Coombs Sr. East West Shootout. When the final points are added up, Wharton was 3rd and Hewitt 15th on the East Coast and Anderson was 5th and Davalos 8th on the West Coast. The team will enjoy a one week break before racing resumes in Sacramento, California for the AMA National Motocross series.

The Dodge/ Sycuan Casino/ Hart & Huntington/ Bel-Ray Racing team comes to their home race in Las Vegas this past weekend looking to put their troubled season behind them, which was marred with injuries that took out all 4 of the teams original riders. Kyle Regal and more recently Tyler Bowers have filled in, performing well and putting the team into the main event. After a 10th place finish last week in Salt Lake City, Tyler Bowers had hoped to improve on that result on Saturday night. It was not to be as Bowers clipped another rider early in the main event and went down. He remounted and charged through the field to an eventual 15th place finish. Teammate Kyle Regal was also looking to improve on his previous results, but a crash that saw him clip a tuff block and end up off the track sealed his fate. He was unable to recover and finished 20th place. The team will regroup this off-season and come back strong for the 2013 Supercross series.

World Enduro Championship

The second round of the 2012 FIM World Enduro Championship series took place this past weekend in the Euskadi region of Spain. The Bel-Ray supported TM Factory racing team took part in the competition. In E1 class racing, Antti Hellsten scored a 12th on day 1, but retired from competition on early on day 2. In E2 class racing, Aigar Leok put in top finishes on both days with a 5th and 6th place result for his efforts. The team’s entry in Junior class competition is Italian racer Nicolo Mori. He had a 17rh place finish on day 1 that he improved upon during day 2 with a strong 12th place finish. After 3 rounds in the series, Hellsten is 13th, Mori 14th and Leok 4th in the series’ standings in their respective classes. The series continues this upcoming weekend in Portugal for the GP Polisport Portugal.

British Motocross Championship

The third round of the 2012 ACU Maxxis British Motocross Championship took place this past weekend at the Cadders Hill track in Lyng, Norfolk, England. The Bel-Ray backed Route 77 Energy MVR-D Honda race team had mixed results during the competition. MX1 competitor Gert Krestinov scored 3 excellent results during the event to earn a 5th overall for the event. MX1 teammate Jason Dougan scored 2 top 10 results in the first 2 motos and scored 12th overall for his efforts. Krestinov is currently in 5th and Dougan 12th in the overall series’ standings after 3 of 8 rounds. The series continues on May 27th at Milton MX Park in Northampton.

ATV Motocross Championship

The third round of the 2012 ATV Motocross Championship series came to Budd’s Creek Motocross in Mechanicsville, Maryland this past weekend. Bel-Ray backed Josh Upperman again put the Baldwin Motorsports Honda in the front of the first moto. He earned the SSi Decal Holeshot award and put in consistent laps on his way to a 3rd place finish in moto 1. The second moto again saw Upperman near the front, where he held on for a 5th place finish. His 3-5 moto finishes were good enough for 5th place overall. He is still 3rd in the season’s points standing. The series continues on May 19th and 20th at Sunset Ridge MX in Walnut, Illinois.

Follow all of Bel-Ray’s racers in action each week on www.belray.com and www.belray.com

More, from a press release issued by Team Rotobox/Nexx:

New Team Rotobox/Nexx team member Linders makes a solid impression in his AMA Pro Racing debut at Infineon Raceway. Bryce Prince in the GoPro Daytona Sportbike class picks up important points after a high-side in the opening laps of race 2. Team owner, manager, and rider, Luke Lucky Huff hits his goals and beats a drag race out of the final corner to the finish to score in the top 20.

Tyler Linders may only have a few months on a 600cc machine, but you’d never know that watching him race. Linders turned 16 years old after the opening round of AMA Pro Racing at Daytona International Speedway in March. Infineon was his first opportunity to compete in the AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com Supersport West series and he took it head on. Having recently linked up with Team Rotobox/Nexx just weeks ago, Tyler has been training extensively with Yamaha Champions Riding School aboard his Yamaha YZF-R6 with YCRS’ Ken Hill and Nick Ienatsch. Tyler had only seen Infineon Raceway 2 times previously during track day testing. The AMA Pro Great Clips West Coast Moto Jam was not only his first AMA Pro event, but also his first race event at Infineon. Linders has assistance in the paddock from his lead mechanic, the renown Carry Andrew of Hypercycle and AMA fame.

In Supersport Linders immediately proved he wasn’t intimidated by the deep field of professional racers and worked his way up to 11th by lap 6 after starting 20th on the grid. Racing on the softer compound tire option, Linders faded a bit in the second half of the race as riders on the medium compound still had a considerable amount of grip left. Crossing the line in 14th place in his first AMA Pro event, Tyler was pleased with the result but knew he could do better with the medium rear and some minor set up changes. In Sunday’s race he had his head down and put in more consistent laps with the harder rear tire. He made progress throughout the race moving from 20th up to 12th finishing just .004 seconds behind 11th!

Huff started his Saturday race from 23rd on the grid and worked up to 18th place by lap 5. With everything coming together nicely, Luke Lucky wasn’t so lucky and missed a shift headed up the hill into turn 2 where he carried too much speed and ran wide into the grass. As Huff tried to redirect the bike back onto the track to minimize time lost, he lost grip and the bike dropped breaking the right side foot peg rendering his race over. Luckily though, the damage to the bike was minor and the only damage Lucky sustained was to his ego. Race 2 on Sunday was an opportunity for redemption. Feeling confident in the morning warm-up, Luke Lucky got a good start but an early red flag stopped the race. On the re-start, the bike first bogged, then wheelied allowing a hoard of riders through. After completing just one lap, another red flag came out which sent Huff further back on the 2nd re-start to 25th. The final re-start to now just a 10-lap sprint race went smoother and Luke battled his way back up to 21st at the white flag. On the final lap he ran down the 2 bikes ahead of him and won a drag race to the line picking up another position to finish 20th.

In the premiere 600cc class, GoPro Daytona Sportbike, Prince started 13th on the grid. In race 1 on Saturday Bryce got a great launch but was pushed wide in turn 7 on the first lap as he crossed the start back in 16th position on lap 1. Steady progress and consistent lap times allowed him to keep his pace quick and wrap up race 1 in 12th place. Race 2 had more turmoil similar to the Supersport race mentioned above. Prince had a high-side in the turn 9 chicane which damaged the bike and his right wrist. There was a red flag on the course due to another incident and with the bike back in the pits, the team stripped away the damaged parts and got his bike back in top form just in time for the field to go back out for the re-start. Bryce was determined to do his best for the team who just worked so hard to get him back out in time. He struggled through the hard braking areas on the track with the wrist injury but still finished the race in 14th making us all proud.

As the team prepares for the next round of racing at Miller Motorsports Park, we also are negotiating a deal with another potential new rider. With this new addition, Team Rotobox/Nexx may be considered the newest and most rapidly growing team in the AMA paddock!

The team would like to thank our sponsors: Rotobox Wheels, Nexx Helmets, Graves Motorsports, NCompass International, Motoyard.com, Adopt-A-Pet, Dunlop, Tuned Industries, Dynojet, Catalyst Racing Composites, SBK Paint, Icon Screening, EF Signs.com, Cycle Pirates, Pit Bull, HT Moto, Zero Gravity, Racing Batteries, R. Tillery Powersports, Superbike Chassis LLC, GOLDfren Brakes, Walter’s Mercedes Benz, & Lucky Management.

Follow us on Facebook here: www.facebook.com/TeamRotoboxNexx

More, from a press release issued by Bridgestone:

Estoril MotoGP™ debrief with Shinji Aoki Round 3: Portuguese MotoGP™ – Post-race debrief Circuito do Estoril, Tuesday 8 May 2012 Bridgestone slick compounds available: Front: Soft, Medium. Rear: Medium, Hard (Asymmetric). Bridgestone wet compounds available: Soft (Main), Hard (Alternative). Portugal’s Circuito do Estoril hosted round three of the 2012 MotoGP™ championship with Sunday’s race seeing defending champion Casey Stoner steer his Repsol Honda RC213V to a first ever victory at the circuit. Second place went to Jorge Lorenzo on the Yamaha Factory Racing M1 while Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa kept his perfect podium record for 2012 intact by placing third. Weather conditions at Estoril were variable but improved over the course of the weekend with wet periods on Friday replaced by mainly sunny skies and track temperatures in the mid to high 30°C range for Saturday’s qualifying session and the race on Sunday. Q&A with Shinji Aoki Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Tyre Development Department At Estoril every rider selected the medium compound for both the front and rear slick tyres for the race. How did the weather conditions this weekend affect tyre choice? “All the slick tyre options we brought to Estoril were used at some point in the weekend as conditions from Friday to Sunday changed substantially. Grip levels for Friday practice were poor due to rain earlier that morning with some riders trying out wet tyres to start but as the track started to dry, the softer option front and rear slicks were chosen due to their better warm-up performance and initial grip in the variable conditions. For FP3 and qualifying the weather improved and so did grip levels, at which point riders switched to the medium compound front slick tyre for its greater stability and durability, in combination with the medium compound rear slick tyre. “The harder rear slick tyre that we made available was used during the weekend during practice and qualifying but as track temperatures before the race were not as high they could’ve been due to some cloud over the circuit, all racers selected the medium rear compound. If track temperatures for the race were toward the mid 40°C range than I believe we would have seen some riders select the harder rear slick tyre.” Estoril was the second competitive outing for the new specification front slick tyre. How did it perform at a track that is vastly different from Jerez? “At Jerez we offered the new specification front slick tyre in the hard compound while at Estoril it was offered in the medium compound and once again the appraisal from riders this weekend was very encouraging. Apart from the improved warm-up performance it offers, the feedback from riders was that the new specification front slick was particularly good through the bumpier sections of the Estoril circuit as its less rigid structure is better at absorbing irregularities in the track surface. This was a contributing factor to why two-thirds of the riders selected the new specification front slick tyre for the race.”

More, from a press release issued by Hasten Media Group on behalf of SGA/KATRA/YCRS:

Pascarella Fights His Way to a Podium Finish at Infineon Ninth- and third-place finishes despite shoulder injury

Bloomington, Ind., May 8, 2012 — Joey Pascarella and the SGA/KATRA/Yamaha Champions Riding School (YCRS) team fought their way through another challenging AMA Pro Racing GoPro Daytona SportBike Championship event this past weekend at California’s Infineon Raceway.

The 19-year-old Californian, riding the No. 52 SGA/KATRA/YCRS Yamaha YZF-R6, suffered a crash in Friday’s practice session at the Great Clips West Coast Moto Jam. The accident did serious damage to Pascarella’s shoulder, which not only caused him excruciating pain but limited his ability to hang on to the motorcycle. Despite the crash, Pascarella qualified third on the grid. In Saturday’s race, lap times fluctuated while Pascarella worked through the pain of his shoulder injury and a field of 27 riders to finish in ninth place. Sunday’s Race 2 provided better results for the non-factory SGA/KATRA/YCRS team, as Pascarella delivered a stunning display of heart and determination that resulted in a third-place finish and a spot on the box in a land of giants.

With 14 races left in the season and multiple ways to score points, only 25 points separate Pascarella and the SGA/KATRA/YCRS team from leading the AMA Pro Racing GoPro Daytona SportBike Championship standings, making them a serious contender in the championship fight.

Joey Pascarella: “We didn’t change anything from (Saturday); I just dug deep, and did everything I could to stay right there with the guys. I gave it my all, pure heart. I was really upset from (Saturday), so I went for it. Tommy (Hayden) got around me and pulled a bit. I gave it a couple of laps and reeled him back in a little, then Martin (Cardenas) showed up but tossed it away. When I saw +11 on my pit board, I just wanted to stay consistent and finish the race because I know we’re still in the hunt for this championship. I hung in there as long as I could. I think I did pretty good for not being 100% healthy. I can’t thank the SGA/KATRA/YCRS team enough, especially Charlie, Kat and the whole crew, for giving me a bike that I feel comfortable on.”

Charlie Grannon, SGA/KATRA/YCRS Team Co-Owner: “Joey was hurt in a practice round on Friday where he really messed up his shoulder. It took a young man to be an old man, to be mature, to go through what he did. He was a man today. I know that he was hurting as much when he was in ninth, but he came in third and I love him for it. I can’t thank Danny Anderson and the team enough for what they did. I’m so proud and emotional about this podium, and I want to dedicate it to my grandchildren – Sophia, Graham and Alec Freund. They are the reason why you see a Zebra, Tiger and Giraffe in the SGA logo; they are the spirit of this team, and this one goes out to them.”

Kat Zimpel, SGA/KATRA/YCRS Team Co-Owner: “I knew we put up a good machine this weekend, because Joey was happy. Despite the crash, he still managed to put down some great laps and qualify on the front row. Endurance was a big question, as his shoulder was failing. Today he definitely stepped up his game! I am so proud of him! The team did a great job, and we are happy to get a podium and keep going for the next round. It’s a long series, with many races left in this season.”

More, from a press release issued by Shannon Moham’s publicist:

MRA Racer Shannon Moham Brings Home 8 Race Wins at High Plains Raceway!

The MRA opened its season this past weekend in Byers, CO at High Plains Raceway with great attendance. Highlighting the event was Number 945, Shannon Moham, bringing home 8 race wins. Moham, MRA’s Clubman Class Champion, is known for his “ironman” tactics during the race season. It isn’t uncommon for Moham to compete in 8-12 races in one race weekend, but wining eight of them is extraordinary for anyone!! Moham states, “It’s not the first time I’ve run so many races, but it is the first time I’ve won all but one and I’m pretty proud of that”! Saturday’s wins included Lightweight GP, LW Endurance, and HW Endurance. Come Sunday, Moham came in first in Middleweight Superbike, Modern Vintage GTU, Supertwins GTU, Heavyweight Superbike, and the premier class Race of the Rockies GTU!

With approximately 10 years of racing under his belt, he can find his way around a track. Racers like Shannon Moham know that it’s the sponsors who make all the difference in a race season– “I couldn’t have done it without the support of all my amazing sponsors. Race Tech has been a huge part of my success in racing. They build an amazing shock and their suspension is the best around. Huge thanks go out to Sydney and Michelle at Race Tech for taking such great care of us”. Moham also noted, “We made a change to Dunlop tires this year, and I have to say, it seems to have been the right move. They make an exceptional tire that held up extremely well the entire weekend, and I want to give a big shout out to Steve Mils for helping us. I’m energized to be on Dunlop tires and to see where we go this year”. “Special thanks to Mark with Renegade Fuel,” says Moham. “He set us up with their top of the line fuel, SX4 and SX4 Plus, and it makes a difference. Renegade definitely gives you that extra horsepower.”

Shannon also sends out sincere appreciation to the following: Nordic Nursing, Woodcraft, Vortex, GPR Stabilizer, Galfer, Lockhart Phillips, Silkolene, Ogio, Pit Bull, 35 Motorsports, Rex at Tri City Cycle, Vickery Motorsports, K&N, Bazzaz Performance, Motonation, Rocky Mountain Photo, Racing Batteries USA, Worldwide Bearings, Pit Posse, his wife Segren, daughter Denver, Mom, and the Papajohns.

Next up is Round 2 at PPIR in Fountain, CO, May 19th and 20th. Shannon Moham plans on being there and, has obviously set the bar high!

More, from a press release issued by Rockstar:

ROCKSTAR ENERGY’S JORGE LORENZO RETAINS UNBROKEN PODIUM STREAK IN ESTORIL

LOS ANGELES, CA Yamaha Factory Racing rider Jorge Lorenzo continued his unbroken podium record at Estoril today. Starting from fourth on the grid he was quickly into second at the first corner and held the position to the line after a determined effort to stay with race leader Casey Stoner. The Rockstar Energy rider’s consistent lap pace meant Stoner was never more than one second ahead until the final lap and at times just 0.2 seconds in front. Lap three of the race saw Lorenzo deliver a new fastest lap record for Estoril of 1’36.909. He now heads to Le Mans in two weeks time just one point adrift of the Championship lead.

“I’m happy with this second position because I was expecting to fight for third or fourth and not the victory,” said Rockstar Energy’s Lorenzo. “The bike improved a lot from the practices so it was possible. I had two problems, at the start I used a lot of clutch and burnt it so for two or three laps it was burning and I lost a lot of distance from Casey. Also at the end Casey was very strong. After this everything was working well and I made a fastest lap, which is not very common for me. We are just one point behind Casey, hopefully we can improve something on the bike tomorrow and be in front again.”

The next event for Rockstar Energy’s Jorge Lorenzo is round four of the 2012 MotoGP Championship in Le Mans at the Grand Prix of France on May 20th.

About Rockstar: ROCKSTAR is the world’s most powerful Energy Drink. Enhanced with the potent herbal blend of Guarana, Ginkgo, Ginseng and Milk Thistle, ROCKSTAR is formulated to provide an incredible energy boost for those who lead active and exhausting lifestyles – from athletes to rock stars. ROCKSTAR Energy Drink is available in nineteen amazing flavors and worldwide in 25 countries. For more information visit www.rockstar69.com.

More, from a press release issued by Yoshimura Suzuki:

YOSHIMURA SUZUKI CELEBRATES AMA SUPERBIKE VICTORY AT INFINEON

Yoshimura Suzuki’s Blake Young captures his first-ever Infineon Superbike win & takes over series points lead

SONOMA, CA It was the Yoshimura Suzuki team’s time to shine in the AMA Pro Superbike Championship at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA, this past double-header weekend. Yoshimura Suzuki’s Blake Young not only raced his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 to his first Infineon Superbike race win on Sunday, he also took over the lead in the championship points. This result marks Young’s third victory out of six races so far in the 2012 AMA Pro Superbike season.

In Sunday’s 22-lap race, Young started strong by getting a good launch on his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000. Then, he simply put his head down, turned consistent laps, created a healthy gap and took the win at the checkers. The day before, Young also got an impressive launch and was with the front-runners immediately. From the runner-up position, he made constant bids for the win before finishing second on Saturday.

“The Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 has been great all weekend,” said Young. “We struggled a bit on Saturday and got second. Then on Sunday, I just tried to concentrate and focus. At this track, it’s pretty easy to get excited and find yourself going backwards. So I knew I needed to just mellow out and ride my own race. I just want to thank my Yoshimura Suzuki crew and the GSX-R1000 for my first win at Infineon. I’ve struggled here in the past and I did better than I expected.”

Yoshimura Suzuki teammate Chris Clark came to Infineon with a minor injury, but still made the best of the weekend. As he continues to gel with his new team, Clark made significant progress with his race performance between Saturday and Sunday. In the weekend’s first AMA Pro Superbike race, Clark finished 14th; but by Sunday, he’d bettered that result to 11th.

“I admit it was a pretty disappointing weekend,” said Clark. “I had a pinched nerve in my shoulder, so I could only put a few laps in before losing most of the strength in my right arm. Add that to the fact that Infineon is not my best track and the results suffered. But we made it out with some points and now we just need to put this behind us and focus on the rest of the season. My favorite track is next, so I’m really expecting a good result for myself and hopefully that will set the tone for the rest of the season.”

The Yoshimura Suzuki team’s next event of the 2012 AMA Pro Superbike Championship series is at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, UT, the weekend of May 26 – 28, 2012.

Infineon Superbike Results, Race 1:

1. Josh Hayes 2. Blake Young 3. Danny Eslick 4. Josh Herrin 5. Geoff May 6. Steve Rapp 7. Ben Bostrom 8. David Anthony 9. Larry Pegram 10. Roger Hayden

Infineon Superbike Results, Race 2:

1. Blake Young 2. Roger Hayden 3. Geoff May 4. Ben Bostrom 5. Chris Fillmore 6. Danny Eslick 7. Josh Hayes 8. David Anthony 9. Robertino Pietri 10. Larry Pegram

2012 Superbike Class Standings:

1. Blake Young 166 2. Josh Hayes 162 3. Roger Hayden 114 4. Josh Herrin 84 5. Larry Pegram 82 6. Geoff May 77 7. Steve Rapp 73 8. Danny Eslick 71 9. Chris Fillmore 66 10. Chris Clark 66

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.

Suzuki: Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) founded The Motorcycle and ATV Division of American Suzuki Motor Corporation (ASMC), Brea, CA, in 1963. ASMC markets motorcycles and ATVs via an extensive dealer network throughout 49 states. ASMC’s parent company, Suzuki Motor Corporation, 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 120 distributors in 191 countries. For more information visit www.suzukicycles.com.

More, from a press release issued by American Suzuki:

MICHAEL JORDAN MOTORSPORTS ON THE PODIUM AT INFINEON AMA PRO NATIONAL GUARD SUPERBIKE RACE

SONOMA, CA The Michael Jordan Motorsports (MJM) team celebrated their best results so far this season in the 2012 AMA Pro National Guard Superbike series at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA, this past weekend. National Guard Jordan Suzuki’s Roger Hayden put in a tremendous ride to bring home a spectacular second-place finish, while MJM teammate Ben Bostrom carded an impressive fourth-place result.

For National Guard Jordan Suzuki’s Hayden, the weekend at Infineon was all about turning his season around. He did just that, notching his best result of the year with Sunday’s second-place finish. In the 22-lap race, Hayden got a great start and clicked off aggressively consistent laps to put his National Guard Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000 on the box. This podium result was made even sweeter, considering Hayden struggled on Saturday and endured a small off-track excursion before finishing 10th.

“It was a good weekend,” said Hayden. “On Sunday, I got a pretty good start on the National Guard Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000, and I tried to stay with the guys in front. I was riding on the edge, trying to keep up, and I was starting to slide all over the place and go back a little bit. When another rider came by me, I hung on with him and tried to wait for the last few laps and we had a fun battle on the last half of the track. We missed the podium in Atlanta and we struggled earlier this weekend, so it was nice to finish up the weekend on a good note.”

MJM’s Bostrom also made noticeable gains between Saturday’s and Sunday’s races. This improvement might be attributed to the fact that the Infineon course is Bostrom’s home track and one on which he is particularly comfortable. The weekend’s first AMA Pro National Guard Superbike race saw Bostrom get a good start on his MJM Suzuki GSX-R1000 and finish a respectable seventh. But on Sunday, Bostrom pulled out all the stops and pushed hard to finish just shy of the podium.

“I’ve been on the ground in three of four races this year, so it’s not been the greatest start to the season,” said Bostrom. “But thankfully, my MJM crew found the problem and fixed it. Also, I grew up around here and Infineon has always been one of my favorite tracks. It’s a rider’s track, and there aren’t a lot of straightaways. It’s one of the better tracks to go to for me.”

In the 2012 AMA Pro National Guard Superbike Championship series rider points standings, Hayden is in third place and Bostrom just moved up to 12th. The Michael Jordan Motorsports team’s next event of the 2012 AMA Pro National Guard Superbike Championship series is at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, UT, the weekend of May 26 – 28, 2012.

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.23race.com,

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, American Suzuki, Hanes, Gatorade, Bazzaz, Vortex Racing Components, FMF Exhausts, Gemini Racing, K-Tech Suspension-Orient Express Racing, Maxima Racing Oils, Mechanix Wear, K & N Air Filters, Dainese Leathers, AGV Helmets, Ancra Tie-downs, Chicken Hawk Racing Tire Warmers, Armour Bodies, DID Chains, Factory Pro Dyno, Roclun International, Cardo Scala Rider, STAR Motorcycle School, Motion Pro Tools, Zero Gravity Windscreens, with transportation provided by Eastside Trucking.

More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service:

WATERS PODIUMS AT BARBAGELLO SBK

Team Suzuki Press Office – May 8.

Team Suzuki’s Josh Waters narrowly missed out on a third consecutive round win in the 2012 Australian Superbike Championship by just half a point when a red flag forced an early stoppage of race two in Western Australia’s third round at Barbagallo Raceway at the weekend.

Contesting round three of this year’s ASBK series in the first two-plus-four event of the year alongside the V8 Supercars, Waters raced his 2012 Suzuki GSX-R1000 to the Motul Superpole before finishing the pair of Superbike races with 2-1 results respectively. That result would usually amount in an overall victory for the 2009 ASBK Champion, but a premature conclusion near the halfway point of race two meant that half points were awarded, forcing Waters to settle for second overall and just half a point shy of arch-rival Wayne Maxwell.

Maxwell snatched the opening race win from Waters in the dying moments as the nation’s top Superbike riders put on a breathtaking display of wet weather riding, making an aggressive manoeuvre stick into the final turn. Race two was all Waters though, before Suzuki team mate Robbie Bugden came unstuck, which prompted the early finish.

Said Waters: “It was a really good weekend because last year I was overseas on World Superbike duties, so didn’t get to race at Barbagallo. I was a bit nervous coming in, not knowing how I’d go. I started off the first session fastest, which was a surprise, and then I qualified on Pole.

“In the first race it was a close one in difficult conditions, but Wayne got me, and then in race two in the dry I had a good battle with Robbie on the opening lap. I was getting away from them and almost stretched my lead out to two seconds, but then unfortunately Robbie Bugden crashed. That meant we only got half points for race two, but a Pole and first and a second is pretty good. We’re only at round three so it’s very early in the season, so we just need to keep our heads down and keep the ball rolling.”

Waters now enjoys a handy 33.5-point lead in the series over Maxwell with four rounds remaining, vying for his second career premier class title for Team Suzuki in Australian road racing.

Experienced team mate Ben Attard was a consistent fifth overall at Barbagallo despite a trying weekend, struggling in the damp conditions during race one before an electrical gremlin struck him in race two. The Queenslander now sits fifth in the Championship standings.

“The round wasn’t great for me, but fifth overall is a good result considering,” said Attard. “I finished fifth on track in the wet and then moved up to fourth when another rider got handed a jump-start penalty. In the last race we had an electronic issue and finished eighth, which was the best we could do. It wasn’t a great weekend, but heading back to Phillip Island hopefully my run of bad luck is over with. We’ll just keep trying and hopefully move forward.”

The WA round saw Team Suzuki Supersport regular Brodie Waters make his anticipated Superbike debut aboard a third factory-supported Phil Tainton Racing-prepared GSX-R1000. He raced to a calculated eighth overall via 8-7 results gaining valuable seat time in race conditions for the weekend.

“I would have liked to have gone better, but the conditions didn’t help me out,” said Waters. “After a wet weekend I was a little tentative in the opening laps in the dry, but just kept plugging away and the experience was good for me. Hopefully it will help later in my career and I’ll definitely be aiming to keep improving at Phillip Island.”

Four-time and current New Zealand Superbike Champion Robbie Bugden again continued his impressive form since stepping onto the 2012 model GSX-R1000 before his weekend came to a crushing halt. The Queenslander took seventh in race one after qualifying third, but crashed out of race two while challenging for a podium position.

“We had some pretty good speed in the dry and I got the holeshot, dropped back to third, and then climbed back up to second,” Bugden reflected. “I was just starting to find my rhythm, posted the quickest lap of the race trying to run down Josh, and then going into turn one I just selected the wrong gear and it threw me over the handlebars. It was a silly little mistake and the bike was feeling really good, I really felt we could have taken it to Josh, but it wasn’t to be. We’ll have to wait another day and hopefully my wrist is okay so we can continue on the form at Phillip Island in a couple of weeks.”

Bugden’s demise was a bonus for Western Australian local Ben Henry, who made it two GSX-R1000s on the overall podium with a satisfying third place overall for the round with the Australian Outdoor Living-backed Cube Racing Suzuki team.

The Superbike championship will continue with another two-plus-four round alongside the V8 Supercars at Phillip Island in Victoria on May 18-20th. Australian Supersport will be back in action at Queensland Raceway on June 1-3rd.

Superbike Results:

1. Wayne MAXWELL 34 2. Joshua WATERS (Team Suzuki) 33.5 3. Ben HENRY (Cube Racing Suzuki) 25.5 4. Glenn ALLERTON 25 5. Ben ATTARD (Team Suzuki) 23.5 6. Cameron STRONACH 21.5 7. Jamie STAUFFER 20.5 8. Brodie WATERS (Team Suzuki) 20 9. Scott CHARLTON (Suzuki) 19 10. Lubomir SAFRANEK 14.5

Superbike Championship Standings:

1. Joshua WATERS (Team Suzuki) 130.5 2. Wayne MAXWELL 97 3. Glenn ALLERTON 96 4. Jamie STAUFFER 87.5 5. Ben ATTARD (Team Suzuki) 85.5 6. Robert BUGDEN (Team Volvo Group Suzuki) 83 7. Ben HENRY (Cube Racing Suzuki) 80.5 8. Scott CHARLTON (Suzuki) 62 9. Chris TROUNSON 26 10. Chris McMILLAN 24

More, from a press release issued by K-Tech/Orient Express:

K-Tech Suspension Equipped Racers Capture 5 Of 21 Podiums At Infineon

K-Tech Suspension is proud to celebrate a successful weekend at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California! With two race wins, a Pole Position, and five podium finishes across seven race events in the rolling hills of northern California, K-Tech Suspension provided confidence and improved competition in all classes. K-Tech Suspension technicians provided track side service and support all weekend, helping racers adapt to the demanding Infineon Raceway circuit.

AMA Pro Road Racing SuperSport West Championship leader James Rispoli rode his K-Tech Suspension equipped Celtic Orient Express Racing Suzuki GSX-R 600 to claim Pole for the second race weekend in a row. Corey Alexander would take his #5 National Guard Fairhills Group Suzuki GSX-R 600 to qualify sixth. Both Celtic Racing riders Rispoli and Alexander ride K-Tech equipped machines with 20DDS front fork cartridges and 35DDS rear shocks. Rispoli battled for 18 laps on Saturday to finish second, just 0.170″ behind the race winner, with Alexander finishing ninth despite a lingering shoulder injury. Sunday’s race included three red flag incidents which could not prevent the Celtic Racing duo from improving their results – Rispoli would take his third win of the season, and Alexander would finish a very respectable seventh. Overall, K-Tech Suspension equipped racers took four of the top ten positions on Sunday, with Meen Motorsports racer Travis Ohge finishing ninth on his Yamaha YZF 600 R6, and Colter Dimick finishing tenth on his Gearzy Yamaha YZF 600 R6.

The Vance & Hines Harley Davidson XR1200 race saw Bartel’s Harley-Davidson rider Mike Barnes ride his #34 XR1200 to victory over teammate Tyler O’Hara in a close fought race. Team owner and Bartel’s teammate Josh Chisum finished a respectable sixth on his #10 XR1200, a steady improvement from his seventh place start on the grid. All three Bartel’s Harley-Davidson XR1200 machines feature K-Tech Suspension 25IDS front fork cartridges, and MT35 rear shocks. Barnes’ win at Infineon marks his first AMA Pro Road Racing victory in 16 seasons of competition – hearty congratulations Barney! O’Hara now leads the standings by six points over Barnes ahead of the race at Miller in three weeks.

In AMA Pro Superbike, Roger Hayden brought his #54 National Guard Jordan Suzuki GSX-R 1000 to the grid in second position during qualifying, with his teammate Ben Bostrom close behind in fourth position on the #23 Jordan Suzuki GSX-R 1000. Hayden and Bostrom would both improve on their results from Saturday with Roger finishing on the podium in second place on Sunday, and Ben holding firm in fourth just off the box. Both Jordan Motorsports teammates ride K-Tech Suspension equipped Suzuki GSX-R 1000’s featuring 20DDS front fork cartridges and 35DDS rear shocks. Hayden now has a healthy 30 point lead over fourth place and heads to Miller third in the points.

The incredibly competitive Daytona SportBike class includes Meen Motorsports’ Bobby Fong, riding the K-Tech Suspension equipped #50 Yamaha YZF 600 R6. Fong made the transition to the Daytona SportBike class in 2009, and was able to move forward in both races from his tenth place qualifying position. Fong finished race one on Saturday in seventh place, and was able to improve his results Sunday with a sixth place finish. Bobby’s Meen Motorsports Yamaha YZF 600 R6 features 20DDS front fork cartridges and a 35DDS rear shock.

Orient Express is pleased to be the exclusive North American importer and distributor for K-Tech Suspension products from the U.K. For detailed information, technical assistance, or for information regarding where you can purchase K-Tech Suspension products please contact your local authorized K-Tech service center or Orient Express at 800.645.6521 or visit our website http://www.orientexpress.com. Orient Express has provided riders and racers with the finest equipment, service, parts, and performance since 1973.