High Drama Unfolds For Yamaha High In The Hills Of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

Monterey, CA All the world was the stage for the Yamaha U.S. Road Racing Teams as they joined their MotoGP counterparts at the storied Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in sun-drenched Monterey, California. The weekend was filled with drama and exciting racing during this, the second-to-the-last round of the AMA Pro Racing season.

Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha rider and defending American SuperBike Champion Josh Hayes picked up six more valuable and hard-earned points toward his successful repeat of the season title. Josh earned a point for capturing the pole position on his crossplane crankshaft YZF-R1®, as well as an additional point for leading the most laps in what was clearly the most action-packed and nail-biting race of the entire weekend.

Josh looked to have victory in hand for most of the race, but nothing is a sure bet in American SuperBike with such a competitive field of riders, teams, and motorcycles. The lead changed hands more than a couple of times on the final lap, and Josh nearly pulled out the win. With his closest championship challenger finishing 3rd, Josh is now just a scant five points out of the lead with New Jersey Motorsports Park looming as the final round and the final two races of season.

Commenting on the Laguna Seca battle and the upcoming final showdown, Josh said, “I wanted to win (the race) bad, and I tried really hard. I’m going to work my butt off in New Jersey, and try to win it all again. One thing’s for sure, it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Also in American Superbike, Yamaha Extended Service/Pat Clark Motorsports/Graves/Yamaha rider Chris Clark and his team worked through some teething problems with his R1 throughout the weekend, and the tireless efforts paid off. Chris finished a very promising 9th in the race, and he and the team are looking forward to closing out the season with strong finishes at NJMP.

The Daytona SportBike race was also action-packed and exciting, but not in the way that Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha rider Josh Herrin or his team had hoped for. With Josh on the gas and clearly in contention for the win, his YZF-R6® suffered an ultra-rare technical issue that forced him to slow, ultimately ending his day. Racing can sometimes be cruel and heartless, but the always-optimistic Josh reacted to the DNF with a positive attitude. Despite his chances to win the DSB season championship taking a serious hit, Josh said, “We’re going to New Jersey with both eyes open and looking to win the pole and both races. Then we’ll see where we end up in the championship. Anything can happen. I only wish the race was next weekend”¦or tomorrow. Bring it on!”

Following up his career-high 2nd-place finish at Mid-Ohio, Tommy Aquino, who rides an R6 in Daytona SportBike competition for the Yamaha Extended Service/Pat Clark Motorsports/Graves/Yamaha team, had another excellent result at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. His 4th-place finish keeps Tommy firmly in 4th place in the season points standings heading into New Jersey.

In AMA Pro SuperSport, LTD Racing/Y.E.S./Yamaha rider David Gaviria won the season championship in the West Division with a 4th-place finish in Saturday’s race, while his teammate Tomas Puerta, who is also R6-mounted. Tomas is also currently 2nd in the SuperSport East standings, and that championship will be decided on the weekend of September 2-4, at New Jersey Motorsports Park.

Look for the Yamaha Road Racing Teams as they travel from the West Coast to the East Coast and the final round of this exciting AMA Pro Racing season. Don’t miss it.

More, from a press release issued by Ohlins USA:

ohlins Fully Equipped Bikes Sweep Superbike, Win SuperSport and FIM/TTXGP at Laguna

Hendersonville, North Carolina: For ohlins it was three wins in the AMA Road Racing classes at this weekend’s combined AMA Pro Racing/MotoGP at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, located in Monterey, California, with Tommy Hayden taking the win in National Guard Superbike, Benny Solis in Motorcycle-SuperStore.com SuperSport, and Steve Rapp in the e-power FIM/TTXGP.

In Superbike, as reported in various media, Hayden’s Yoshimura Suzuki team has been experimenting this season with different shock brands, which is totally proper due to them not having an Ohlins contract — an Ohlins Racing AB’s policy of not sponsoring teams or riders. But since Hayden’s bike has recently been back on Ohlins, in both front and rear, he’s won the last two races — the final race at Mid-Ohio and this single race at Laguna Seca — dramatically improving his season points standing. With Josh Hayes taking second on the Graves Yamaha and Hayden’s teammate Blake Young earning third, it was a podium sweep in AMA National Guard Superbike for Ohlins.

In Motorcycle-SuperStore.com SuperSport, Benny Solis rode his Roadracingworld.com Honda CB600RR to a runaway victory, despite the rider taking a brief off-track excursion. In AMA SuperSport West, Solis has now recorded the most wins in the class and is ranked second overall, a mere seven points behind the championship leader.

The combined FIM/TTXGP race, for non-carbon-base fueled motorcycles, was dominated by the Mission R, piloted by Steve Rapp. During the weekend Rapp shattered the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca lap record for e-powered motorcycles, which was a record that Rapp set at a previous event at Laguna Seca earlier this summer. During Saturday’s qualifying, Rapp cut a lap at 1:31.376, nearly six-seconds faster than the second-fastest rider. For comparison, the MotoGP pole winner set a time of 1:21.202, and the AMA Superbike pole was at 1:24.480, putting the Mission R within ten seconds of the world’s best MotoGP bike. Second place in the FIM/TTXGP was taken by Michael Czysz on a Motoczysz E1PC, using an Ohlins shock. How cool is that to build a bike and then pilot it to a podium? Both the Mission R and Motoczysz suspensions were put together by Dave Behrend of Ohlins USA certified service center Fast Bike Industries (FBI).

Just a note of mention for clarity: since all machines in MotoGP use Ohlins suspension, that race win, podium positions, and all places, combine for a clean-sweep by Ohlins too.

Ohlins USA distributes and services the world’s leading performance suspension for automobiles, motorcycles, ATVs, and snowmobiles. Öhlins develops its proprietary and innovative suspension components 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. www.Ohlinsusa.com.

More, from a press release issued by Vesrah Suzuki:

SUCCESSFUL WEEKEND FOR VESRAH SUZUKI WITH A PODIUM FINISH FOR COREY ALEXANDER AT LAGUNA SECA.

Corey Alexander qualified on the front row for the AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Stefano Mesa joined the team for this event and was able to qualify on the second row in his first visit to the facility. Corey diced at the front of the pack battling for second place and brought his 2011 Suzuki GSX-R 600 home on the podium in 3rd place. Stefano matched his qualifying position ending the race in 6th place. With the wrap up of the Supersport West championship Corey has a top 3 finish in his first full year competing with AMA Pro Racing.

After struggling in qualifying, Vesrah Suzuki’s Cory West and Taylor Knapp finished 5th and 8th in the AMA Pro Racing Daytona Sportbike Race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, CA. Cory remains in 5th place in the 2011 Daytona Sportbike championship and Taylor is in 8th place.

Mark Junge Team Owner Vesrah Suzuki

“While we would have liked a couple more podium finishes, the team having finishes that were within the top 8 in both classes with the limited practice time available is great. All of my riders did an outstanding job as well as my crew with the hectic schedule and I have to thank the Rockstar Makita Suzuki team for sharing hot pit space and resources this weekend. Stefano Mesa really impressed me this weekend coming to a track he had never ridden on a motorcycle he had also never ridden before and getting a 6th place finish.”

Cory West Vesrah Suzuki #57

“I got a great launch in the race today and was pretty close to the leaders early from a third row start. I struggled a little with drive grip coming out of the slower corners and that seemed to be the only place the guys in front were making time. The bike worked really well right off the truck this weekend and it was nice to keep the leaders in sight. I’m happy with 5th place but the race was pretty anti-climatic after suck a long weekend. It’s a bummer that the race had to end under a red flag but I’m glad that we came out with a pretty good result and progressed from last year. Thanks to my crew, Tony and Sean, and the rest of the Vesrah Suzuki team for a good weekend. I’m looking forward to a fun finale at New Jersey.”

Taylor Knapp Vesrah Suzuki #44

“It was definitely a crazy race and a lot happened in a short period. To start the weekend off I had a really hard time in qualifying which was made even worse as for this event there were only 3 grid spots per row instead of our usual 4. After the restart I knew I had to make up ground so I passed a bunch of people in turn 1 and then just started picking people off. My bike was working really well in the race and it is unfortunate that the race was cut so short as I think I could have gotten the 3 riders in front of me based off of the times we were turning. I have to thank James Lickwar, Mark, and the whole Vesrah crew.”

Corey Alexander Vesrah Suzuki #5

“I’m pretty satisfied with how my weekend went. Right out of the box my GSX-R 600 felt great. After qualifying 1 I knew we had the potential to put down a fast time given the right circumstances. Thankfully in qualifying 2 the pieces came together and I was able to lay down a time that put me on the front row. Unfortunately I didn’t get the greatest start and had some ground to make up. I thought I’d be able to run with the leader if I was up there but I wasn’t. After making my way up to second I made a few mistakes and I couldn’t pull away. It ended up being a great battle and I’m glad I could hold onto third and so close to second. I’m also glad I could put my Vesrah Suzuki up front. I’d like to give a special thanks to my Uncle Richie, Ben Bostrom, Jason Pridmore and everyone at the Star Motorcycle School for all of the help, it’s really paying off.”

Stefano Mesa Vesrah Suzuki #37

“My race weekend was great, one of the best of the whole year. I started out a little bit nervous because it was my first time ever at Laguna Seca and on a Suzuki GSX-R as well as under a big canopy. For the first free practice I just went out and learned the track. After the practice I said this was my new favorite track. For provisional qualifying I just got set and got behind someone fast and just hang with them and thanks to that I went 3 seconds faster ending up in 6th. For final qualifying we tried some changes but did not improve and ended up gridded 6th for the final on the second row.” “The race was awesome, I had a blast and loved the Vesrah Suzuki. My start wasn’t perfect and I lost 2 places but after the second lap I was back in 6th and the front pack had pulled away so I just put my head down and tried to follow them and was getting closer. When I was about 1 second away we started to hit lapped riders and after getting held up I held my position to the finish. I have to thank Mark and Vesrah Suzuki for the opportunity to ride for them, my crew chief Don for all of his hard work and my Mom and Dad for making this happen for me along with my personal sponsors – Bell Helmets, Leo Men’s Underwear, Addict by Bosi, Motoprimo & Studio 299.”

Vesrah Suzuki wants to thank all of their sponsors for their support for the 2011 season Vesrah, American Suzuki, Rockstar Energy Drink, Nielsen Enterprises Suzuki, Penske Racing Shocks, Traxxion Dynamics Fork Components, Yoshimura, Catalyst Racing Composites, Sudco Int., Bazzaz, Factory Pro, Maxima Racing Oils, Vortex, DID Chain, GPR Stabilizers, Trek Bicycles, GP Tech, Active, Pilot, Suzuka Tire Warmers, Pit Bull & Road Rage Designs

More, from a press release issued by American Suzuki:

DOUBLE-PODIUM FOR TEAM ROCKSTAR MAKITA SUZUKI AT LAGUNA SECA SUPERBIKE RACE!!!

Tommy Hayden wins & Blake Young finishes third, maintains points lead

MONTEREY, CA Team Rockstar Makita Suzuki pulled out all the stops at the AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike race on Sunday at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, CA. In one of the closest AMA Pro SuperBike races this year, Tommy Hayden took the win by 0.232 of a second and teammate Blake Young made the pass for the final podium spot right at the line. This is Hayden’s third victory of the season, while Young’s result allows him to maintain the lead in the overall points standings.

Because the AMA paddock joined the Red Bull U.S. MotoGP at Laguna Seca, there was only one AMA Pro SuperBike race this weekend, as opposed to the usual two. Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider Hayden made the most of the single race. Hayden qualified in the second spot on the grid and got off to a great start in the 23-lap race. He made no mistakes on his Yoshimura-prepared Rockstar Makita Suzuki GSX-R1000, and was biding his time in second place for most of the race. Then, with just a few laps remaining, Hayden made a pass for the lead and brought home the win.

“From the beginning, the race went really well,” said Hayden. “I got a great start and the Rockstar Makita Suzuki GSX-R1000 was working really good. Josh (Hayes) came by on the first or second lap, we went back and forth a couple times and then he got into his rhythm, I settled in and followed him around for a little while. We were going pretty fast, it definitely wasn’t an easy pace, but we seesawed around the track a little bit he had some places where he was fast, I had some places where I was but overall the gap stayed within a couple bike-lengths the whole way. But eventually, I was able to find a place where I could make my move… and I got in the lead. The last lap was obviously pretty intense”¦ but it’s been a pretty fun weekend, I’ve enjoyed myself and it’s great to top it off with this win.”

Meanwhile, Rockstar Makita Suzuki teammate Young also got a good start on his Rockstar Makita Suzuki GSX-R1000. Young was right behind Hayden in third place for the first 15 laps of the race before getting passed and moving into fourth. From there, he stayed right with the rider in front of him and took back the podium spot as they crossed the line with the checkered flag.

“It feels pretty good to be leading the points,” said Young. “I’m trying not to put too much pressure on myself and remember the important things, like I’m here to have fun. My number one goal at Daytona was to stay on the motorcycle for every race this year and put in a decent effort toward winning the championship for the Rockstar Makita Suzuki team. I feel like I’ve had the pace in the past, but injuries have taken me out of the hunt. Today, I wish I’d been able to fight for the lead on the Suzuki GSX-R1000, but I’m happy to be on the podium and looking forward to focusing on the last race.”

The 2011 Rockstar Makita Suzuki team’s next and final event of the 2011 AMA Pro SuperBike Championship series will be at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, NJ, on September 2 – 4, 2011.

Laguna Seca SuperBike Class Results:

1. Tommy Hayden 2. Josh Hayes 3. Blake Young 4. Roger Hayden 5. Ben Bostrom 6. Larry Pegram 7. Steve Rapp 8. Martin Cardenas 9. Chris Clark 10. Geoff May

2011 AMA Pro SuperBike Class Standings:

1. Blake Young 311 2. Josh Hayes 306 3. Tommy Hayden 263 4. Martin Cardenas 200 5. Larry Pegram 169 6. Ben Bostrom 168 7. Roger Hayden 163 8. Chris Clark 132 9. Steve Rapp 122 10. Geoff May 114

About 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. Follow Suzuki Scoop on facebook for exclusive team content www.facebook.com/suzukiscoopfans.

More, from a press release issued by American Suzuki:

MICHAEL JORDAN MOTORSPORTS FINISHES A STRONG FOURTH AND FIFTH PLACE AT LAGUNA SECA RACEWAY

Monterey, CA Michael Jordan Motorsports (MJM) riders Roger Lee Hayden and Ben Bostrom finished fourth and fifth in the AMA Pro Superbike race on Sunday in front of thea largest crowd of the year at Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, CA. Hayden fought hard forover the third- place podium position throughout the race, while Bostrom rode to an uncontested fifth place in the penultimate round of the 2011 AMA Pro National Guard Superbike Championship.

Hayden qualified his National Guard Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000 on the front row of the grid, and latched onto the leaders from the start, pressuring fellow Suzuki rider Blake Young for third place. With eight laps remaining, Hayden made the pass on Young, but Young stayed glued to Hayden and passed him on the final run to the flag, taking the last podium position by only .045 of a second. Hayden retains his seventh- place position in the championship points race.

“It was a pretty good weekend at Laguna Seca,” said Hayden. “We were pretty much on pace from the time we unloaded. The GSX-R1000 felt good, though it took me a little bit of time for me to get comfortable. We had a strong qualifying session and got in the front row with third, which is important at Laguna because of the MotoGP grid with a three to a row. I got a pretty good start I was behind Blake (Young) and I was trying to get around him as quick as possible because I felt like I had a little more pace than he did and I could see the leaders getting away. About seven laps to go, I made a pass and I really tried to hold him off to the finish, but he was able to nip me at the line. It’s disappointing to miss the podium there at the end, but my Michael Jordan Motorsports team is getting really stronger every weekend and I really want to thank them and the National Guard and my crew because they’ve been working really hard for me all year.”

Following his ride in the day’s earlier MotoGP race, Jordan Suzuki’s Bostrom went with teammate Hayden and the leaders from the start of Sunday’s AMA Pro Superbike race, but lost touch with the group and finished a strong fifth place ahead of the field. Bostrom holds onto sixth place in the championship.

“Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki was well capable of winning,” said Bostrom. “But the rider bit off more than he could chew this weekend. My apologies to the team and sponsors. I really look forward to putting the bike in its proper position in New Jersey. A huge thanks to MJM and American Suzuki for the opportunity to ride the GP bike.”

The Michael Jordan Motorsports team’s next event of the 2011 AMA Pro National Guard Superbike Championship series is the season finale at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, NJ on September 2-4, 2011.

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 http://www.facebook.com/23race.

Michael Jordan Motorsports is proud to partner with: Jordan Brand (a division of Nike), National Guard, American Suzuki, Upper Deck, Hanes, Gatorade, Bazzaz, MMI – Motorcycle Mechanics Institute, Vortex Racing Components, Gemini Racing, K-Tech Suspension-Orient Express Racing, Maxima Racing Oils, K & N Air Filters, Dainese Leathers, AGV Helmets, Ancra Tie-downs, Chicken Hawk Racing Tire Warmers, Armour Bodies, DID Chains, FMF Racing Exhaust, Factory Pro Dyno, Roclun International, Hannspree, STAR Motorcycle School, Motion Pro Tools, Zero Gravity Windscreens, with transportation provided by Eastside Trucking.

More, from a press release issued by Mission Motors:

MISSION MOTORS WINS AT U.S. GRAND PRIX

Mission R wins TTXGP / FIM e-Power race at Lagnua Seca, sets another electric vehicle track record

Monterey, Calif. Yesterday at the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Mission Motors won the TTXGP / FIM e-Power International Championship Race. The company’s Mission R electric superbike completed the 8-lap race 39.9 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher.

The win capped off a flawless weekend that also saw rider Steve Rapp pilot the Mission R to pole position in qualifying with a 1:31.3 lap, breaking all electric vehicle lap records at Laguna Seca. Had the Mission R been competing in the weekend’s gasoline-powered AMA Pro Supersport category, it would have qualified in 5th place.

“Today marks an important milestone for Mission Motors,” said Mission CEO Jit Bhattacharya. “Our company is working hard to close the gap between EV technology and combustion engines. This marked a big step on the way to that goal.”

“The performance that we demonstrated this weekend is a testament to the electric powertrain technology that we have developed,” Bhattacharya continued. “Everything we learned and achieved on the track this weekend translates into powertrain improvements that we can offer to our partners who are using our technology.”

The Mission R is Mission Motors’ development and demonstration platform. First unveiled in December 2010, the Mission R features the latest production-focused E.V. powertrain components and software intelligence that Mission provides to vehicle manufacturers of all types.

Mission Motors Racing is made possible by our sponsors and partners: Texas Instruments, Pro Italia Motorcycles, Solid Concepts, EIG, Dunlop, SpeedyMoto, Ohlins, Cosworth, GoPro, BST Wheels, Zero Gravity, Motonium, Kosman and RADD.

Event images are available at ~http://www.flickr.com/photos/MissionMotors~. Learn more about Mission Motors at ~http://www.ridemission.com~.

About Mission Motors: Mission Motors is an electric vehicle company developing leading EV powertrain technology. The company offers energy storage, drive systems, software intelligence and system integration to vehicle manufacturers, tier one suppliers and fleet managers.

Mission Motors earned its reputation for powerful, intelligent and efficient technology through the development of the world’s highest performing electric motorcycles. Their latest vehicle, the 160-mph Mission R, is an all-electric racing motorcycle features the company’s newest technology.

Headquartered in San Francisco, California, Mission’s elite team of engineers draw from expertise in the automotive, powersports, robotics, battery and software industries to develop technologies that maximize the potential of the electric drivetrain. Learn more at ~http://www.ridemission.com~

More, from a press release issued by American Suzuki:

TEAM SUZUKISCOOPFANS’ ELENA MYERS FINISHES AMA PRO SUPERSPORT SEASON WITH STYLE

Myers brings home fifth in the Laguna Seca race & fifth in the West Coast Championship

MONTEREY, CA Team SuzukiScoopFans rider Elena Myers celebrated the end of the AMA Pro SuperSport West Division season with a solid performance at Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, CA, on Saturday. The 17-year-old Californian captured a top-five finish in the race and also finished up in fifth place overall in the West Division.

Because the AMA paddock joined the Red Bull U.S. MotoGP at Laguna Seca, there was only one AMA Pro SuperSport race this weekend, as opposed to the usual two. Myers started the weekend strong by qualifying fifth and getting herself a starting position on the second row of the grid. In the 18-lap race, she got a great launch on her SuzukiScoopFans Suzuki GSX-R600 and was in contention for a win or a podium for most of the race. Myers ran as high as second place before finishing fifth.

“I started from the second row and got a pretty good start on my SuzukiScoopFans Suzuki GSX-R600,” said Myers. “I battled for a podium spot for about three-quarters of the race, but during the last little bit we struggled some. So I dropped back a little bit, but I stayed pretty consistent after that and crossed the line in fifth.”

Although Myers has contested the entire AMA Pro SuperSport schedule, she was only officially competing in the West Division. This weekend’s Laguna Seca event was the final round for the West Division and saw Myers finish up in fifth overall, despite missing two rounds early in the season due to injury.

“Missing two of the races, it was pretty hard to really be a contender in the championship, so I ended up fifth,” said Myers. “But next year, I definitely want to go for the championship. Hopefully, I’ll stay healthy and everything will go well.”

The 2011 SuzukiScoopFans team’s next and final event of the 2011 AMA Pro SuperSport season will be at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, NJ, on September 2 – 4, 2011.

About 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. Follow Suzuki Scoop on facebook for exclusive team content www.facebook.com/suzukiscoopfans.

More, from a press release issued by Yoshimura Suzuki:

YOSHIMURA-BACKED TEAMS DOMINATE THIS PAST WEEKEND’S AMA PRO MOTOCROSS AND AMA PRO SUPERBIKE EVENTS!!!

CHINO, CA (July 26, 2011) Yoshimura-backed teams showed their dominance in the dirt and on the asphalt at the 2011 AMA Pro Motocross Championships at the Washougal National in Washougal, WA and the AMA Pro Superbike races at Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, CA this past weekend. The Rockstar Makita Suzuki, Rockstar Energy Suzuki, and American Honda Racing teams put their Yoshimura products to the test against the competition in Washougal and Monterey.

Team Rockstar Makita Suzuki absolutely dominated round eight of the 2011 AMA Pro Motocross Championship at the Washougal. Not only did Ryan Dungey take the overall victory on his Yoshimura-equipped Rockstar Makita Suzuki RM-Z450, he was also joined on the podium by his teammate, Brett Metcalfe, who finished third. This result was Dungey’s third victory of the season and puts him just one point shy of the lead in the overall championship points standings. Meanwhile, this result marks Metcalfe’s first AMA Pro Motocross podium of the year.

Reigning AMA Pro Motocross Champion Dungey celebrated a stellar day at Washougal. In the first moto, he got a great launch on his Rockstar Makita Suzuki RM-Z450 and slotted into second position. He dogged the leader for most of the 30-minute moto and then tried to reel him in with just three laps left. Dungey made a pass for the lead in the outside of a turn but lost the rear and went down. He quickly remounted and finished up in second place. In the second moto, Dungey again got a good start, but a crash resulted in a red flag early on. When the moto was re-started, Dungey got the holeshot and rode a flawless race, to takinge the moto win and the overall victory.

“The weekend was good,” said Dungey. “Practice went well, though we made some changes to the Rockstar Makita Suzuki RM-Z450 going into the first moto that worked out. We got off to a good start and settled in pretty good. T, then I was trying to make a pass for the lead and made a mistake and had to settle for second. In the second moto, I got off to a good start and was able to put down some good laps and open up a bit of a gap. With that, we took the moto win and the overall for the day. The track was tough, slippery, and challenging, so you had to be really patient with throttle control. But the RM-Z450 was working awesome a lot of traction, handled well, and the Rockstar Makita Suzuki team did a great job as well. Now we’ve got a little bit of a break;, we’re going to take some time off this week and get ready to get at it for Unadilla. I like that track — I, it takes a lot of finesse and throttle control., Iit gets really rough and choppy, and I always look forward to going back there.”

Teammate Metcalfe also left Washougal in a celebratory mood. In the first moto, he got a good start, put his head down, and rode his Rockstar Makita Suzuki RM-Z450 from sixth place into fourth. At that point, he kept it consistent and smooth, and finished fourth. In the second moto, Metcalfe got a good launch after the re-start and was running in fifth. But he rode his Suzuki aggressively, and slowly but surely charged through to third place in the moto. These two solid moto results handed Metcalfe third place overall for the day.

“This first podium feels awesome,” said Metcalfe. “In moto one, I got a pretty good start on the Rockstar Makita Suzuki RM-Z450 and I was up in the top five, and I went into the second corner and took a bad line and got pushed wide and slipped back to eighth. But I was able to make some moves and get up there and I finished in fourth.

In the second moto, I was able to get a much better start and I made a few moves and got in fourth. I had to close the gap up on third and I made a move, and finished that moto in third, and that was good enough for third overall. I want to thank everyone at Rockstar Makita Suzuki and especially Yoshimura; the RM-Z450 was really fast out there. Now, I’m really looking forward to Unadilla. I love racing there;, it’s a really good track and I’ve done well there. We’ve got the Suzuki figured out, I’m comfortable, and I can start to attack and be aggressive and try and push and battle for some wins now.”

Trey Canard was the sole rider for the American Honda Racing squad at Washougal, and after making an impressive return to racing last weekend by finishing third overall at Spring Creek, Canard had reason to be confident heading into his second Motocross event of his shortened season. He got a good start in moto one on his Yoshimura-equipped CRF450R and was among the front-runners as he settled into third position on the opening lap. He maintained that position from start to finish to score his second podium in two rounds. Unfortunately, after getting a great start in moto two, Canard crashed hard while in third place and injured his leg, which drew out the red flags for the race. Unable to continue racing, he was taken to a local hospital for medical attention and released later that evening.

“Unfortunately, I suffered a new fracture to my left femur in the crash,” said Canard. “It’s definitely disappointing to get hurt, especially as I was feeling so good and loving the Washougal track. I guess the positive in the situation is that, I’m glad it happened now and not later in the season, as I have five months to make a full recovery and return to racing for the start of the 2012 Supercross Championship.”

Team Rockstar Energy Suzuki brought home another solid, top-10 result in Washougal in the 250 class. Rockstar Energy Suzuki teammate Jason Anderson followed in 15th place, while Nick Paluzzi finished 19th.

In the first moto, Davalos struggled a bit and had some contact with another rider. Even so, Davalos was running as high up as sixth place before finishing in 13th. In the second moto, he put his head down and rallied. Davalos got a decent start on his Yoshimura-equipped Suzuki RM-Z250 and charged hard right from the start. He went on to pick off competitors left and right to finish fifth in the moto. The combined results gave the Rockstar Energy Suzuki rider a solid eighth-place finish overall.

“My weekend at Washougal was pretty good,” said Davalos. “We started out with a pretty good lap time on the Rockstar Energy Suzuki RM-Z250 of second overall. That gave me a lot of confidence going into the motos. In the first one, I got a pretty good start and I was around seventh or eighth, and then I got together with another rider and I fell, and that took me back. I got a little frustrated and rode a little tight, and finished 13th. In the second moto, I wanted to turn things around. I started in around 14th place but worked my way into fifth, and I feel like I rode really strong. My mechanic, myself, and my whole Rockstar Energy Suzuki team , we’re all really happy. Now, we’re going into a break and we’re working on a couple of things to try and get on the podium before the season is over. But this weekend definitely gives us something to build on for Unadilla.”

On the road race side, Team Rockstar Makita Suzuki pulled out all the stops at the AMA Pro SuperBike race on Sunday at Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, CA. In one of the closest AMA Pro SuperBike races this year, Tommy Hayden took the win by 0.232 of a second and teammate Blake Young made the pass for the final podium spot right at the line. This is Hayden’s third victory of the season, while Young’s result allows him to maintain the lead in the overall points standings.

Because the AMA paddock joined the Red Bull U.S. MotoGP at Laguna Seca, there was only one AMA Pro SuperBike race this weekend, as opposed to the usual two. Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider Hayden made the most of the single race. Hayden qualified in the second spot on the grid and got off to a great start in the 23-lap race. He made no mistakes on his Yoshimura-prepared Rockstar Makita Suzuki GSX-R1000, and was biding his time in second place for most of the race. Then, with just a few laps remaining, Hayden made a pass for the lead and brought home the win.

“From the beginning, the race went really well,” said Hayden. “I got a great start and the Rockstar Makita Suzuki GSX-R1000 was working really good. Josh (Hayes) came by on the first or second lap, we went back and forth a couple times, and then he got into his rhythm;, I settled in and followed him around for a little while. We were going pretty fast I, it definitely wasn’t an easy pace, but we seesawed around the track a little bit. Hhe had some places where he was fast, I had some places where I was, but overall the gap stayed within a couple bike-lengths the whole way. But eventually, I was able to find a place where I could make my move … and I got in the lead. The last lap was obviously pretty intense,”¦ but it’s been a pretty fun weekend;, I’ve enjoyed myself and it’s great to top it off with this win.”

Meanwhile, Rockstar Makita Suzuki teammate Young also got a good start on his Rockstar Makita Suzuki GSX-R1000. Young was right behind Hayden in third place for the first 15 laps of the race before getting passed and moving into fourth. From there, he stayed right with the rider in front of him and took back the podium spot as they crossed the line with the checkered flag.

“It feels pretty good to be leading the points,” said Young. “I’m trying not to put too much pressure on myself and remember the important things, like I’m here to have fun. My number one goal at Daytona was to stay on the motorcycle for every race this year and put in a decent effort toward winning the championship for the Rockstar Makita Suzuki team. I feel like I’ve had the pace in the past, but injuries have taken me out of the hunt. Today, I wish I’d been able to fight for the lead on the Suzuki GSX-R1000, but I’m happy to be on the podium and looking forward to focusing on the last race.”

The Yoshimura-backed team’s’ next events are the ninth round of the 2011 AMA Pro Motocross Championship on Saturday, August 13th, at the Rockstar Energy Unadilla National in New Berlin, NY and next and the final event of the 2011 AMA Pro SuperBike Championship series at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, NJ, on September 2 – 4, 2011.

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. Yoshimura products are designed, manufactured, intended, and sold for use on vehicles that are operated only on closed course racing circuits unless otherwise noted. Use of these products on public roads or lands is strictly prohibited and may be a violation of local, state, or federal laws. Products intended for use on vehicles operated on public roads or lands are clearly so indicated.

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

K-Tech Suspension Congratulates The First 2011 AMA Pro Road Racing Champion David Gaviria

K-Tech Suspension equipped riders enjoyed great success this past weekend at the combined MotoGP and AMA Pro Road Racing event at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in California. Excellent conditions and a challenging track made competition fierce in every class throughout the weekend.

The amazingly close racing in the AMA Pro Motorcycle SuperStore.com SuperSport class carried on at Laguna Seca, with blistering rides from all the K-Tech Suspension equipped riders. A hearty congratulations to David Gaviria for winning the AMA SuperSport West 2011 Championship aboard his K-Tech equipped and Gary Medley tuned LTD Racing Yamaha YZF 600 R6 machine! Gaviria qualified in fourth and rode a smart race to finish fourth and secure the first 2011 Championship. LTD Racing team-mate Tomas Puerta qualified on the front row in third position on his K-Tech equipped Yamaha YZF 600 R6, and would go on to finish on the podium in second place – a great weekend for LTD Racing and K-Tech in SuperSport!

In AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike, Roger Hayden continued to improve with a close fourth place finish, just 0.045″ off the podium. Roger rode his National Guard Jordan Suzuki GSXR 1000 equipped with K-Tech 20DDS fork cartridges and 35DDS rear shock hard all weekend, qualifying on the front row in third position beside his brother. Ben Bostrom aboard the Jordan Suzuki GSXR 1000 qualified sixth, and improved to fifth place just behind his team-mate Roger at the end of the race.

In AMA Pro Daytona SportBike, young gun Cameron Beaubier aboard the Riders Discount Yamaha YZF 600 R6 was smoking fast all weekend. Beaubier qualified in third on the front row, and battled for the lead with the other front runners all race long to eventually finish on the podium in second place, less than a quarter second behind the winner. Cameron set the fastest race lap at 1:28.516, which marks the fourth race in a row that Beaubier has set fastest lap. Congratulations on a great weekend and continued success!

Orient Express is proud to be the exclusive North American importer and distributor for the full line of high performance K-Tech Suspension components. For more information regarding K-Tech Suspension, or to place an order for your machine, please call 800-645.6521 or visit ~http://www.orientexpress.com~. Since 1973 Orient Express has been your source for high performance parts, engine building, and service.

More, from a press release issued by Team Ridersdiscount.com:

Team RidersDiscount.com & Jake Holden Racing Leave Laguna Seca with Mixed Fortunes

Holland, Michigan 26 July 2011

In what was shaping up to be a fantastic weekend for Team RidersDiscount.com and Jake Holden Racing, it was a truly mixed bag of fortunes. Cameron Beaubier vindicated his bad luck from last year with a second place finish in Daytona SportBike while Jake Holden required a stay in the hospital. The weekend started off well for both riders in the Daytona SportBike class. Cameron put his Yamaha YZF-R6 at the head of the second row in qualifying while Jake’s Ducati 848 EVO was less than a second off pole with the sixth fastest time. Holden had his work cut out for him doing double duty for his highly anticipated return to the American SuperBike class on the RidersDiscount.com BMW S1000RR. And even with his limited experience riding the bike, the team was able to give Jake a setup that was good enough for eighth fastest overall late in qualifying.

In Sunday’s Daytona SportBike race, it all came apart for Jake Holden. A close pass by Dane Westby in the Andretti Hairpin put Jake on the ground where he was run over by another rider who had no where to go. The crash red-flagged the race and Jake required a trip the hospital with two broken ribs and a lacerated spleen. Doctors noted that, thanks to Jake’s excellent physical condition, there would likely be no long-term issues as a result of his injuries. Worst of all, Jake didn’t get a chance to run in the American SuperBike class at Laguna.

In an odd twist, it was this crash that gave teammate Cameron Beaubier the break he needed to redress the bad start he got on the first green flag. Cameron took full advantage of the restart where he soon hounded first, race leader DiSalvo and then made his way to the front. But he was only able to lead one lap before Danny Eslick and took the lead. With the laps winding down, Cameron planned on biding his time but then a second red flag ended the race before he wanted to make his attack, forcing him to a second place finish.

Jake Holden “I was super excited to ride the RD BMW S1000RR at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca after testing it with the RidersDiscount.com guys. First session out, I was seventh quickest, right behind Larry Pegram on what was, pretty much a stock BMW compared to his! The Ducati 848 EVO was feeling pretty good and though we qualified in sixth, I had more in me for sure. Right before qualifying, we threw some new forks in the RidersDiscount.com BMW and picked up six-tenths on the track, so that put us in eighth overall. That placed us right next to the Foremost Insurance BMW which was the only S1000RR that was faster than us.

As it turned out, Sunday was just not my day. We had some small issues with the motorcycles that left me with no warm up time. I knew my Ducati could put me on the podium on the race track where I had my first AMA career win. I got a good start running around fifth place. And then going into turn two I was clipped on the inside by another racer and that put me on the pavement. After that, another racer ran into the back of my body.

Now, I have two broken ribs and a small puncture in my spleen. There’s also a little fluid in my left lung. It’s been a year of highs and lows but I have to thank my crew, all my sponsors and RidersDiscount.com for sticking with me. Everyone has been working so hard to make things happen and with all this support, it’s helped us keep up the fight!”

Cameron Beaubier “We were struggling in Friday practice with a number of things, but the team got it worked out for qualifying where we finished fourth fastest overall. I had a bad start but we got another chance after Jake’s unfortunate red flag. In the second start, we shuffled around a bit on the first lap and then made a push to get up there with DiSalvo. I passed Herrin and then got DiSalvo going into the last corner but then Eslick made a pass on me going into the second corner. I hung on the back of Eslick and we pulled away a little from DiSalvo. I just wanted to wait for the laps to wind down to make a move but then another red flag came out. I am super happy with second place here though, and I can’t thank everyone at Jake Holden Racing and RidersDiscount.com enough! Now I’m just looking forward to the last race at New Jersey Motorsports Park in September.”

Breeann Poland, team owner – “This season has been an interesting one to say the least. First, we lost our title funding and through the help of our fans, existing sponsors and RidersDiscount.com – we’ve been able to keep going. Unfortunately, luck hasn’t been on Jake’s side this year. I was hoping that this weekend would be different. After some minor adjustments on both Jake’s and Cameron’s bikes, we looked as though we could’ve had some good results for both of our riders. Jake’s crash was a hard one for him and everyone rooting for him throughout the paddock. I was excited to see him ride the RidersDiscount.com BMW S1000RR in the American SuperBike class but it just wasn’t in the stars for us. I am hoping for a speedy recovery for Jake and maybe he will get the chance to race at the final round in New Jersey! Cameron is looking for a win now that he has the team and sponsors like RidersDiscount.com behind him. I am sure that it can happen!”

Brian Gibson, owner RidersDiscount.com “It was a challenging weekend for the entire team on two fronts. First, we are ecstatic to see Cameron on the box yet again and at the same time, saddened to see Jake’s weekend spoiled before the first lap of the DSB race was completed. He didn’t even get a chance to run in American SuperBike, but at least he has a lot of time to get back to fitness for the last race of the year at New Jersey Motorsports Park. It was a blast watching Cameron hound Eslick and it looked as though we had something for Danny but the red flag again cut it all short for us. Still, we couldn’t be happier with his performance on the track. Now we’ve got a few weeks to go before the last race of the 2011 AMA season where Cameron has a chance to finish third overall in his first year in DSB. And after the way Laguna worked out for Jake, we want him to have another crack at the throttle so he can cap off a roller coaster year with some good results.”

With a long lay off between Laguna Seca and the final race of the year, Jake Holden Racing and Team RidersDiscount.com have plenty of time to analyze everything that happened last weekend in preparation for the next event. At this time, it’s up to Jake to see if he’s ready to ride in time for NJMP. Cameron, on the other hand wants another shot at getting his first DSB win in New Jersey. For updates on the team, Jake’s recovery and other news, check out facebook.com/ridersdiscount and facebook.com/jakeholdenracing

Cameron Beaubier would like to thank his sponsors: Red Bull, RidersDiscount.com, Kevin Schwantz Motorcycle Riding School, Alpinestars Apparel, Bazzaz Performance, Top 1 Oil, Leo Vince Exhaust, Specialized Bicycles, Catalyst Reaction Suspension Tuning, Jesse Koeller, Penske Shocks, Moto Wheels, Corsa Dynamics, TAW Performance, Brembo, Militant Moto, Stockton Optometry, CRG, TechSpec USA

Jake Holden would like to thank RidersDiscount.com, FMF Exhaust, Motul, Shoei Helmets, Cortech Apparel, Sidi, Held, Motion-Pro, Liquid Performance, Vortex Racing, Bazzaz Performance Design, SharkSkinz Bodywork, Zero Gravity Windscreens, Vicci, Goodridge Brake Lines, Speedy Moto, K & N Engineering and Penske Shocks

About RidersDiscount.com:”RidersDiscount.com is a retailer of quality powersports gear, apparel and accessories. A company run by racers, you can draw on our experience on and off the track for anything you need. RidersDiscount.com ships equipment for every riding style to customers worldwide, backed by expert sales and superior customer service.