PEGRAM LOOKS TO MAINTAIN MOMENTUM IN VIRGINIA Alton, VA (August 13, 2009) — Foremost Insurance Pegram Racing and Larry Pegram are back in action this weekend at Virginia International Raceway for the Big Kahuna Nationals. Pegram will strive to duplicate his last race meeting, one that saw him win pole position and both AMA Pro American Superbike races on his Ducati 1098R at Heartland Park Topeka in what was an incredible three days for the veteran racer. Pegram has emerged victorious three times in 2009 and his hot streak has seen him rise to third place in the series points. With just four races left in the 2009 AMA Pro American Superbike season, Pegram and his Ducati team have already exceeded expectations in their first season back in American Superbike racing, but Larry and the team want more. “We’re looking to carry the momentum from Kansas,” said Pegram. “VIR is a nice track and the fans are great. It should be a good weekend for the team. The track is a fairly tight circuit and the layout has some good passing spots. We’re hot right now and the way things are going, we feel we can do very well at all the tracks. I think all the tracks are suited to my bike and that’s a good feeling. The Ducati 1098R is an incredible motorcycle and we continue to make progress with it from when we got it from the dealership earlier this year until now. I’m really comfortable with the bike and feeling healthy and the team is really firing on all cylinders, too. I think we have a great chance to get some more good results and I can’t wait for the weekend to get started.” The scenic VIR circuit in Alton, Virginia, has been a popular stop on the tour over the past decade. The challenging circuit is combined with a country club atmosphere. Qualifying will be held on Friday, with same-day coverage of both races (Saturday and Sunday) on Speed. For more information on Team Foremost Pegram Racing please visit www.pegramracing.com. To learn more about Ducati’s line of racing inspired motorcycles; and the 1098R that Larry piloted to victory at Road America and Kansas, please visit www.ducatiusa.com. More, from a press release issued by Team Higgins Powersports/Roadracingworld.com: Higgins Powersports / Roadracingworld.com’s Jeff Wood returns to AMA competition at VIR after taking 5 of 7 during WERA’s Cycle Jam the weekend prior Team Higgins Powersports / Roadracingworld.com (HP/RRW), headed by Massachusetts-based rider Jeff Wood, returns to AMA Pro Racing competition for Round 10 this coming weekend at Virginia International Raceway (VIR). Due to the limited budget of running a private program Wood is only able to enter a few select AMA rounds per season and in 2008 visited the pro paddock at Daytona International Speedway (9th SStk) and VIR (7th FX, 10th SS) and walked away with three impressive Top 10 finishes on true privateer equipment. For 2009, now riding under the Higgins Powersports / Roadracingworld.com banner, Wood lined up for Round 1 of the National Guard American Superbike series and though stricken with bronchitis, soldiered his GSX-R1000 home in 11th place. With three Top 10’s in the past four AMA races entered the defending ASRA Superstock, Superbike, and Sportbike champion will look to once again shake up the established running order over the August 14th – 16th weekend by entering his #19 2008 Suzuki GSX-R 1000 in American Superbike competition. Round 10 of the AMA Pro Racing championship will mark the third consecutive National-level weekend of competition for the determined Wood. Team Higgins Powersports / Roadracingworld.com swept three of three over the July 31st weekend with the WERA National series at Summit Point and immediately followed that up with five wins in seven classes entered at the WERA Cycle Jam August 7th – 8th. The WERA Cycle Jam event is known as one of the most-competitive non-AMA events in the country with multiple AMA-regulars lining up for the four days of racing action. For 2009 the WERA Cycle Jam took place at VIR just one week ahead of the AMA Pro Racing Big Kahuna National and as a result the series saw incredible competition as riders prepared for the upcoming pro races. Jeff Wood didn’t let the opportunity pass and, though having to start as far back as the 7th row in most of his races, took full advantage of the event and won a notable five races on both his 2009 Kawasaki ZX-6’s and 2008 Suzuki GSX-R1000. Jeff Wood “I feel like I’ve been racing everyday for the past two weeks!” said Wood. “Even so I’m exciting about racing the AMA National at VIR as it’s always fun to be out there with some of the best guys in the world. VIR is one of my favorite tracks and we just had a good weekend at the WERA Cycle Jam. I was happy to get five wins last weekend when the caliber of riders we had plus the 97 degree heat meant I really had to work for it. Both my Kawasaki 600’s and Suzuki 1000 were working really well and we’ll be running the 1000 for the AMA National. It’s honestly the best 1000 I’ve ever been on but even so it’s real tough to just jump into the AMA paddock. These guys are out here banging bars every weekend with each other but I’m hoping we can get out there and compete a bit. I had some good success here last year during the AMA weekend on my 600 and I think gunning for another solid Top 10 isn’t too unreasonable.” About Jeff Wood: Jeff Wood is a second-generation road racer based out of the New England region. From 2005 to 2008 Jeff won an astounding and unprecedented 11 National American Sportbike Racing Association (ASRA) Championship titles and is current National #1 plate holder for the Championship Cup Series (CCS). Wood is also the co-owner of the Penguin Roadracing School, the United States’ oldest motorcycle roadracing school. For more information on Jeff Wood please visit: ~http://www.facebook.com/jeff.wood.racing~ More, from a press release issued by Paradigm Racing: August 13, 2009 (Braselton, GA) – Paradigm Racing is returning to action at the historic Virginia International Raceway for Round 10 of the 2009 AMA Pro Racing Daytona SportBike Championship. The Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals will be held at the picturesque track from August 14th-16th. The team is looking to capitalize on the success of the previous round, which saw the debut of rider Bobby Fong. Fong was able to secure a top five and top ten finish during the event weekend’s two races. Fong was also able to secure a SuperPole appearance with no previous experience with the team or the Paradigm Racing Yamaha R6. He secured an 8th place starting position for the weekend’s races despite the lack of familiarity. “I think we had a good weekend in Topeka. We were able come away with some solid results and we can use that momentum going forward. VIR is a great track and I’m really looking forward to getting back out there and mixing it up,” said Fong. Crew Chief Perry Melneciuc was equally pleased with the round’s outcome. “Despite being new to the team Bobby came in and really gelled with the team. It was a completely new deal for him; new track, new bike, new team. However, he came up to speed quickly and put the bike in SuperPole. He secured a solid starting position and put it all out there for Saturday’s race. Sunday also went really well and we made a lot of progress. We plan on continuing that progression and building on the momentum at VIR,” Melnecuic said. For more information on Paradigm Racing please visit www.paradigmracing.net or follow the team throughout the weekend on Twitter at www.twitter.com/paradigmracing. More, from a press release issued by Michael Jordan Motorsports: CHICAGO, IL (August 13, 2009) Michael Jordan Motorsports (MJM) rolls into Alton, Virginia with just two rounds remaining on the AMA Pro Racing calendar, but plenty of action to be found on the track. MJM-riders Aaron Yates and Geoff May will take to the 2.25 mile circuit over the August 14 – 16 weekend at the Big Kahuna Nationals looking to finish out their seasons strongly and place their Suzuki GSX-Rs firmly on the Big Kahuna podium. The scenic track, a favorite among riders, mixes a rolling, flowing road-course layout inside of country club-style grounds. On-track action begins Friday, August 14 with practice, qualifying, and Superpole kicking off at 9:40 a.m. The National Guard American Superbike races then take place on both Saturday and Sunday, with same-day coverage broadcast on SpeedTV. Jordan Suzuki #23 Aaron Yates comes off a mixed weekend at Round 9 in Topeka, where the team captured a solid top five finish in Race 1, followed by a rare, non-points scoring result in Race 2. The #23 rider and team are coming into the final two rounds of the season with one common goal: placing the Jordan Suzuki on the podium in each of the remaining four races. With Yates riding his new Suzuki 2009 GSX-R well and enjoying a second-half hot streak, the veteran Superbike rider will be one to watch as the season comes to a close. Yates currently sits seventh in the championship with 214 points. “VIR is a fun track and one the Jordan Suzuki goes pretty good at,” said Yates. “Our bike was working well at Topeka, and though we weren’t able to capitalize fully on that, I think this weekend we’ll be right back in the hunt for a podium. The romoters always do a good job of making it enjoyable for the fans and I’m hoping they will be making some noise for the #23 Jordan Suzuki.” National Guard Jordan Suzuki #54 Geoff May and the #54 National Guard Jordan Suzuki team have had this weekend circled on the 2009 calendar since Round 1 back at Daytona. The Virginia track is one of May’s favorites of the season and is one that the Georgia rider describes himself as having “ridden thousands of laps around” going back to his non-professional days. With two rounds remaining in the year, the National Guard Jordan Suzuki team is keen to recapture the early season magic that saw the #54 on the podium three times in the first five races. While the team hasn’t visited the podium recently, it has shown it has the speed to be there and will be working hard to place its Suzuki GSX-R back on the box at the Big Kahuna Nationals. May currently has 212 championship points, placing him in eighth position, just two points shy of seventh. “It’s good to be back at VIR,” said May. “I’ve always liked riding here. The layout is good, the racing is always close and the fans always come out to support the round. This is the 10th year of the Big Kahuna Nationals and I’m ready to go out there and put the National Guard Jordan Suzuki back where it belongs – on the podium.” 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 ABOUT THE NATIONAL GUARD: The National Guard is the oldest component of the Armed Forces of the United States and one of the nation’s longest enduring institutions. The National Guard operates in all 50 states, four territories (Puerto Rico, Guam, Samoa and the Virgin Islands) and the District of Columbia. For more information, visit the National Guard’s Web site at www.NationalGuard.com