Elena Myers, the first female to win an AMA Pro Supersport race and the first female to win a Pro motorsports event of any kind at Daytona International Speedway, has chosen the Suzuki GSX-R1000 as the bike she will use to make her Superbike racing debut in the MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing series.
Myers previously announced her intentions to race in the Superbike class with her own team, Team21Motosport, and with support from sponsor McGraw Powersports, but she had not announced the brand of motorcycle she would use until Wednesday during the MotoAmerica test at Circuit of The Americas.
“Everything has been so last-minute this year,” Myers told Roadracingworld.com. “I didn’t even really know I was going to be racing until a month and a half ago when McGraw Powersports signed on. After that, I thought I was going to be doing something else with another team, and that didn’t quite work out. So then I was like, ‘OK, I need motorcycles.’ So I called Suzuki. I approached them late last year, and they said they could help.
“I got the bikes a week and a half ago Friday, just out of the crate. I got some support from Freewheeling Suzuki in Georgia, where I’m living now. I picked them up. I got pretty much everything on its way as far as parts are concerned.
“The reason I went with Suzuki is I’ve had a relationship with them before, I know they have a proven motorcycle and the parts are readily available. I knew everything was going to be last-minute, so I thought this would be a good choice. There was some help with motors, exhausts and some other components from Yoshimura, which was a plug-and-play kind of deal. And Woodcraft stepped up with tire warmers, stands, clip-ons, rearsets, case covers, everything. It was awesome that Eric Wood was able to help me out with that. I’ve got Maxima on board this year as well as Spiegler brake lines, Dynojet and a few others.”
Myers has also assembled a proven crew of mechanics she has previously worked with during her career: Crew Chief Carry Andrew, mechanic Joe Capelli and Carlos Neves, who tuned Myers’ 125cc GP bike when she was 12 years old.
Myers got her first taste of her new GSX-R1000 with a handful of laps on a damp course at COTA Wednesday morning, laps that she said were only useful for learning the circuit. Her first real experience with her new Yoshimura-powered Superbike will come Wednesday afternoon.
The challenge for Team Owner Myers continues, however, as she is still seeking the funding necessary to run the full 2015 season.
“The fact that I was able to start my own team and put everything together myself was a big leap for me, because I’ve never been the one to go after sponsors,” she said. “I have no real idea about mechanics and what all goes into a bike. Two weeks ago I was freaking out. There was so much to be done. ‘What do I do?’ It’s been very, very stressful, but I think it will all be worth it.
“We’re still looking for financial support, but I’m going to do the whole season no matter what. I have obligations to my sponsors that I really want to keep. If it means taking out a personal loan that’s what it is. I’m going to do whatever it takes to make it happen. I think once everything gets rolling and everyone sees what’s going on I think they’ll be more excited about it and willing to help.”