Schwantz School Moves To Barber BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — The Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School is moving from Road Atlanta to Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama. Since its inception in 2001, the Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School has been based in the rolling hills of northeast Georgia at Road Atlanta. This year, the school with its all-star staff of instructors is moving its comprehensive, two-day riding program designed for motorcyclists of all skill levels to the 16-turn, 2.38-mile Barber facility. In addition, 1993 500cc World Champion Kevin Schwantz has created a new program, the Kevin Schwantz Super School, with backing from the Motorcycle Industry Council, Suzuki and Honda. “We at Barber Motorsports Park are pleased to add the Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School and the Super School program to the park lineup. We now have two world class schools here in Birmingham” Park representative Jeff Ray said. “Kevin’s program and the Porsche Sport Driving School make for first class factory supported two and four wheel operator education programs making Barber their home.” “Barber is recognized as the motorcycling Mecca of the United States,” Schwantz said. “It’s more than a racetrack; it’s a destination. The museum has the largest collection of motorcycles anywhere in the world and the largest motorcycle library. Students will not only become better motorcycle riders, they will learn more about the sport, as well. “Barber has a lot of different types of corners with decreasing radii and blind approaches,” he added. “Top speed is lower than on the back straightaway at Road Atlanta, and I think that’s going to make Barber an even better learning environment. “I want to thank Road Atlanta and its entire staff for eight great years,” Schwantz said. “It’s been an awesome place to conduct schools, and I have many friends there. My thanks go out to all who have been involved and supported us.” Curriculum for both schools will be identical. Schwantz feels that the program currently in place benefits everyone from beginning riders to aspiring racers. Suzuki will supply motorcycles for both schools; Honda will support the Super School. Other brands may be involved in the future. “Because of the current economy, some brands don’t have the ability to be involved in our program,” Schwantz explained. “But I would like to think that in the future we might have six, possibly eight, manufacturers involved and holding 10, 15 or maybe even 20 schools per year. We need to continue to push education and safety, and during times when budgets are tight, it makes sense for all of us to work together.” Dates will be announced Friday, January 9, at 11:00 a.m. EST. More information, including pricing, can be found at www.SchwantzSchool.com. School For sponsorship opportunities, contact [email protected]. Details on Barber Motorsports Park can be found at www.barbermotorsport.com Kevin Schwantz born June 19, 1964 (1964-06-19) (age 44) in Houston, Texas is an American former World Champion motorcycle road racer during the late 1980s and early 1990s. He was hugely popular for his aggressive, all-or-nothing riding style. Schwantz, whose parents owned a motorcycle shop, learned to ride at the age of four. He began his competitive career as a trials rider, following his father in that sport. From trials, he progressed to motocross in his teens, becoming a top regional MX racer. After a serious crash in qualifying for the Houston Supercross in 1983, he decided to quit motocross. At the end of the 1984 season, he was offered a test ride with the Yoshimura Suzuki Superbike team, who promptly signed the Texan to a contract. In his first race for Yoshimura, he won both legs of the 1985 Willow Springs AMA Superbike National. He would finish seventh overall in the championship despite only competing in half the races. He finished second to Eddie Lawson in the 1986 Daytona 200 on the new GSXR-750 Suzuki. Then, in what would become an all too common occurrence throughout his career, he broke his collarbone in a qualifying crash and missed several races. Once again he finished seventh overall in the Championship. The 1987 Superbike National Championship would be remembered by motorcycle fans as the beginning of Schwantz’ fiercely competitive rivalry with Wayne Rainey. The two battled throughout the entire season, often coming into contact on the track. Rainey eventually won the National Championship but Schwantz closed out the season winning five out of six races. So intense was their rivalry that they continued their battle during the 1987 Trans-Atlantic Match Races in which they were supposedly team mates competing against a team of British riders. Schwantz began 1988 by winning the season opening Daytona 200 in what would be his only win in that prestigious event. He then departed for Europe as Suzuki promoted him to its 500cc Grand Prix team where he made an immediate impact by winning the first Grand Prix he entered at the opening round in Suzuka, Japan. His arch rival, Rainey would join him in the GP wars, signing with the Team Roberts Yamaha squad. For the next six years, the two would continue their intense rivalry on race tracks all across Europe. The late 80’s and early 90’s are remembered as one of the most competitive eras of Grand Prix racing with a field rich in talent that included Rainey, Wayne Gardner, Mick Doohan, Eddie Lawson and Randy Mamola. He was often at a disadvantage in that his Suzukis never seemed to be as fast as those of his Yamaha and Honda mounted rivals. His sheer determination to win at all cost meant that he seemed to crash as often as he won. This trait made him a popular favorite among race fans the world over. His last lap pass of Rainey to win the 1991 German Grand Prix at the Hockenheimring, with his rear tire fish-tailing on the verge of control, typified Schwantz’ do or die riding style. He culminated his career in 1993 by winning his first and only 500cc World Championship. After suffering through a crash infested 1994 season, the injuries he had incurred over the years began to take their toll on him, as did the career ending injuries suffered by his rival Rainey, at the 1993 Italian Grand Prix that left him paralyzed from the chest down. Early in the 1995 season, after a conversation with Rainey, Schwantz decided to retire from motorcycle competition. Schwantz had accumulated 25 Grand Prix wins during his career, one more than his great rival, Wayne Rainey. This made him the second most successful American road racer behind Eddie Lawson. In a rare display of respect, the FIM retired his racing number (34) as a testament to his popularity. In the late 1990’s Schwantz ran a couple of seasons of the Australian NASCAR Championship before returning home to the USA where for several years he competed in the NASCAR Busch Series, running 18 races with 2 top tens, and touring car races. Schwantz was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999. The FIM named him a Grand Prix “Legend” in 2000.