Last year, Kevin Schwantz rode in the AMA Formula Xtreme race at Road America in place of friend and Schwantz Suzuki School instructor Chris “Opie” Caylor, who could not attend the race due to the impending birth of his first child. Although the weekend ended with a harmless crash in the wet race, it was Schwantz’s first AMA race appearance since the 1988 Daytona 200. The retired former 500cc Grand Prix World Champion was back in action again Thursday, riding a Matsushima Performance Suzuki GSX-R600 during promoter practice at Road America, Blake Young’s Supersport bike, to be exact. But Schwantz is not planning to race this weekend. “I just wanted to go out and ride for fun, without the pressure of having to race,” Schwantz told Roadracingworld.com. “Plus, it gives me an opportunity to watch some of the Suzuki support guys ride first-hand.” Schwantz works as a mentor and riding coach to American Suzuki’s AMA support riders. The Matsushima Performance Suzuki team also benefited because it needed the new engine in Young’s Supersport bike broken in.