Leandro Mercado Comes Aboard the Monster Energy Attack Kawasaki Team Irvine, Calif. Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. announced today that up-and-coming rookie Leandro Mercado will be riding for the Monster Energy® Attack Kawasaki team at the Daytona 200 this coming week. Mercado will join Jamie Hacking on the Kawasaki Ninja® ZX™-6R with hopes of defending the Kawasaki winning streak at the prestigious Daytona 200. Competing in the AMA Rookies Cup last year, the 17-year-old has already proven his talent with wins at Road America and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and four additional podium finishes. The Monster Energy Attack Kawasaki team will eventually support Mercado in the AMA SuperSport class, likely starting at Road Atlanta. “It’s great to see such immense talent at a young age,” said Mike Preston, Kawasaki road race manager. “Leandro definitely shows an understanding of the sport and I think he will fit right in with our team.” Due to the AMA’s new team entrant rules, Mercado will be running the number 95 during the Daytona 200. “I’m really looking forward to riding my first Daytona 200,” said Mercado. “The ZX-6R is very powerful and I know I can do well with this team behind me.” Mercado will be looking to benefit from Hacking’s experience in the Daytona 200. The now veteran rider stood on the podium during his rookie year at the historic race. More, from a press release issued by Leandro Mercado’s publicist: After several weeks of expectation, Leandro Mercado finally confirmed he will be a competing in the AMA Pro Road Racing Series this year as a factory rider of the Monster Attack Kawasaki team in the United States. At the moment, the young Argentinian has been required to make his debut this week in the Daytona SportBike class, although it will be announced soon if he should also do the SuperSport class (for riders aged between 16 and 21) the rest of the season. Mercado will take part of the classic Bike Week in Florida which normally gathers thousands of motorcycle fans in town and track. His official schedule starts next Wednesday with the practice sessions in the long course. Leandro’s bike is a brand new 600 c.c. Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R that the South American tested on Monday last week at Willow Springs (California) and that will carry number 66. “Tati” made contact with his new team last year after finishing a brilliant campaign in the Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup. He was invited to participate in a test that left Monster Kawasaki Attack owner and director Richard Stanboli as well as the engineers very pleased. Today (Monday) the circuit opens its gates, while tomorrow there will be a parade and a photo session tomorrow. On Wednesday, riders can practice twice, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. and from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. (U.S. East Coast time). Qualifying, on Thursday, will be divided in two groups that will hit the asphalt, respectively, from 9:00 to 9:20 a.m. and from 9:25 to 9:45 a.m. The fastest lot of competitors then go flat out for the SuperPole session, which will start at 6:30 p.m. Friday activities begin with a 30-minute Warm-Up session (2:45 – 3:30 p.m.) and, of course, the main event, due to start at 8:00 p.m.: the 68th edition of the famous Daytona 200 Miles (320 kilometres). Before the pre-season months, in the middle of the recent global financial crash, there were a few delays in taking decisions about how Mercado’s career would go on, but some days ago the chance to be a Kawasaki team member became true. Last week was quite a busy time for”Tati”. Besides the Willow Springs shakedown, there were contract issues to sort out and Alpine Stars suits and Arai helmets to rush through. Other possibility for Leandro was accepting a new offer by Red Bull to race in the European Rookies Cup with the same KTM RC125 he rode in 2008, in a championship whose calendar was reduced from eight to six rounds (the U.S. Rookies Cup was cancelled this year). “Tati”, who turned 17 on February 15, has two experienced guys as team mates. They are Roger Hayden and Jamie Hacking, who come from Superbikes, a class that disappeared due to high running costs. COMMENTS I am really pleased with the team’s professional approach as well as the technical skills of this Ninja, but mostly I am proud I have been given this chance by Kawasaki in such a difficult time these days. I tried a 2008 sample last December, but I must say that the new one has some positive changes. There is more power and you can also feel that you can use a wider output range. The ZX-6R is almost 10 kilos lighter than the other, so it has a better overall balance, particularly while turning. Of course it will take some time to get used to it and to the new Dunlop tyres now mandatory in this category. I had tested the Ninja with Pirelli rubber before. Until now, we focused on making some mileage, taking good care of the bike in the shakedown seven days ago because it was Hayden’s ride. Only in my last stint I was allowed to go for some faster laps. My personal coach, Leonardo Bagnis, has set a revised workout training for me, as this bike is more demanding and races are longer. The good thing about it is I did not get tired after 80 laps in California. Daytona will be a long event, for sure, so we will have to play tactics. Everything will be new to me, including the experience of racing in the night! CIRCUIT The 3.56 miles (5.710 metres) course is chosen for this traditional event that displays an interesting and complex mix of corners in the flat center of the circuit. These are linked to the banked turns of the oval track, where riders should reach impressive top speeds.