YOSHIMURA SUZUKI FACTORY RACING WELCOMES FORMER SUPERSPORT CHAMPION ROGER HAYDEN
Hayden, Martin Cardenas and Chris Clark round out Yoshimura Suzuki’s 2014 Superbike line-up
CHINO, CA – Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing heads into the 2014 AMA Pro Superbike season with an undeniably talented three-rider line-up. Former AMA SuperSport Champion Roger Hayden is the newest member of the championship-winning team and will race the Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 in AMA Superbike. Hayden will race alongside returning Yoshimura Suzuki teammates Martin Cardenas and Chris Clark in the premier class.
Prior to joining Yoshimura Suzuki, Hayden raced the GSX-R1000 for one of Suzuki’s satellite teams. He picked up his first-ever AMA Pro Superbike victory in 2012 before finishing third overall in the series. He followed up that performance by finishing on the podium six times and fourth overall in 2013. Additionally, Hayden raced as a wild card entry in the 2013 World Superbike round at Laguna Seca Mazda Raceway and finished eighth.
“To be on a factory team is a great feeling,” said Hayden. “Especially a powerhouse team like Yoshimura Suzuki that’s won so many championships. I got the chance to ride the Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 last year and the test went really good. I was fast on the bike and worked well with the team. I have to thank Suzuki and Yoshimura for making this happen. I’m really looking forward to the 2014 season. Daytona can’t come soon enough.”
This year marks the second season that two-time AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion Cardenas has raced for Yoshimura Suzuki. Last year, his debut was more than impressive with the Colombian winning two AMA Superbike races and finishing on the podium an additional nine times. Yoshimura Suzuki teammate Clark is on his third season with Yoshimura Suzuki and, after starting strong with a top-five finish at Daytona last year, looks forward to getting on the podium in 2014.
“Everyone at Yoshimura Suzuki is looking forward to this season,” said Race Director Don Sakakura. “Our goal is always to support our riders to the best of our ability and we are fortunate to have so much talent to work with. We’re very excited to have Roger with us, what with the potential he showed riding for one of Suzuki’s satellite teams. And Martin had a great first year with us last year and we’re eager to help him take his racing to the next level. And Chris continues to work hard and get stronger with every season. Our team is better than ever and we can’t wait to go racing.”
Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing will campaign the championship-winning Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 in the 2014 AMA Pro Superbike Championship series, which kicks off March 13 – 15 with round one at Daytona International Raceway in Daytona Beach, FL.
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.
About Suzuki: Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (SMAI) distributes Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Outboard Motors and Automotive Parts and Accessories via an extensive dealer network throughout 49 states. SMAI’s supplier, Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer of Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automobiles and Outboard Motors. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, SMC has 147 distributors in 201 countries. For more information, visit www.suzuki.com.
Team Yoshimura Suzuki is grateful for the support of their sponsors: Yoshimura R&D, Suzuki, Parts Unlimited, Motorex, Dunlop, Shorai, Renthal, K&N Performance Filters, NGK Spark Plugs, RK Racing Chain, Pilot, Zero Gravity and Chicken Hawk Racing.