Strong top ten results for Walker at Donington The Pr1mo Bournemouth Kawasaki Racing team were out in force at Donington Park at the weekend and although Chris Walker was unable to reach the top six Showdown in the British Superbike Championship, he notched up two strong top ten results to ensure he still has a great chance of securing seventh overall and the Rider’s Cup. Riding at his local circuit, the weekend got off to a steady start for Chris as he, like many other riders, struggled for grip whilst he was also experiencing a few set-up issues but he and the team continued to chip away and move their way up the practice leaderboard. Indeed, by qualifying, they were running similar pace to their Championship rivals and Chris was duly rewarded with 11th on the grid for the opening race 20-lap. A soild start saw him maintain his 11th place but just after half race distance, the red flag came out due to an oil spill and the race was re-started over just 7 laps. A better start this time around meant that Chris ended the first lap in ninth place and this became eighth when he overhauled Noriyuki Haga. With just two seconds covering eight riders from 4th to 11th, positions were changing hands all the time but Chris successfully kept his position to take eight hard earned points. The second race later in the day went the full 20 laps and again saw big battles throughout the field as the riders lapped at a similar pace. On this occasion, Chris had to settle for tenth place but the 14 points from the weekend saw him maintain his tenth in the Championship table, just 11 points behind seventh placed James Westmoreland For team-mate Gary Mason, it wasn’t as successful a weekend and he suffered throughout the three days with the set-up of his Kawasaki ZX-10R. Strong starts to both races saw the Lichfield rider running inside the points but as the laps were counted down, he slipped back and finished in 20th in the first race before retiring from the second. Third team member Kyle Wilks qualified in 22nd place for the Metzeler National Superstock 600cc race and gradually moved his way forward with the youngster working his way up to 16th. He was closing in on the riders battling it out for 12th place and a top 15 finish looked comfortably on the cards only for the red flag to come out and end the race early thus thwarting his valiant efforts. Speaking afterwards, team owner Pete Extance said; “I don’t want to say it’s been a mixed weekend again but that’s exactly what it’s been! It was very hard going, for both riders, to begin with as we carried on from where we’d left off at Cadwell with both Chris and Gary enduring issues with the front end. After each session, it was a case of two steps forward and one back but Chris dug in well in qualifying and got himself a decent place on the grid. In the first race, the stoppage certainly helped us and he was able to make a few changes to the bike that allowed him to move up the order and claim a good eighth place finish. In the second race, he set his fastest lap of the entire weekend mid way through and to end with two top ten finishes was very pleasing. The Showdown is out of the way now but Chris is only a few points off seventh and the aim between now and the end of the season is to keep improving the bike and take that position.” “Gary struggled with the set-up too and having missed a few rounds, he’s paying for a lack of time on the bike. He’s been playing catch-up which is never easy to do so we’ll all regroup and come back fighting at Assen. Kyle had a good weekend and made no mistakes at all so was unlucky not to score some points again. He was coming through the field strongly and I’m sure 12th could have been his had it not been for the red flag but we’re all really happy with both his performance and progress this weekend.” The series now moves to Assen, Holland for its first overseas trip with the meeting taking place on September 21-23. More, from a press release issued by John McGuinness’ publicist: McGuinness takes fifth at final World Endurance Championship round John McGuinness and the Honda TT Legends team took a strong fifth place finish at the final round of the 2012 World Endurance Championship at the weekend to end the year in fourth place overall. Competing at the historic Le Mans circuit in France, John and his team-mates Australian Cameron Donald and Frenchman Mathieu Gines put in an extremely consistent 24 hours of high-speed racing to ensure that the Honda TT Legends were one of only two teams to successfully complete every single round of this season’s Championship. The week got off to a steady start for John although qualifying didn’t quite go to plan and despite lapping quicker than what he had done in 2011, a best lap of 1m40.267s wasn’t quite what he’d hoped for whilst he was unable to lap any quicker in the final session due to an oil spill leaving the track in a tricky condition. Nevertheless, the combined times from John, Cameron and Mathieu meant they lined up in eighth on the grid and were well placed for the gruelling race. As has become the norm now for the team, they immediately moved up the order in the race and with John having the honour of starting the race, they soon found themselves running in fifth place. All three riders completed their stints with minimum fuss, lapping consistently at a pace that maintained their top five position. With no incidents at all for the team, the race was uneventful for the majority of the leading protagonists and so the top five positions remained, unusually, the same throughout. At the end of the punishing 24 hours, John, Cameron and Mathieu completed a staggering 828 laps to maintain their 100% finishing record, something that only the World Championship winning SERT Suzuki team also achieved. Speaking afterwards John commented: “It’s a fantastic achievement to not only finish fifth this weekend but finish every single race we’ve entered this year; that speaks volumes about the team and everyone involved. Qualifying wasn’t too bad for me and the fact that the top six teams tested at the circuit a few days before the event gave them quite a significant start. I lapped quicker than what I did 12 months ago but I wasn’t happy with my best time, especially as I was unable to improve in the second session. Mathieu and Cameron did great jobs though and, overall, we were in a decent starting position.” “The race was, unusually, pretty eventful for all of the top teams and normally you’d expect one or two of them to hit trouble but not this weekend – it was a great advert for the professionalism and skill of all of them. It’s just great to part of this team and we’ve worked brilliantly well wherever we’ve ridden whether it be the TT, North West 200 or here at the World Endurance events. We all ghave it 100% and whilst it is a little frustrating to end the season in fourth overall and not in the top three, the bike never missed a beat all year and so we’re all delighted with the result.” John now makes his annual visit to Oliver’s Mount, Scarborough for the International Gold Cup meeting where he will ride the Padgetts Honda’s on Sunday September 16th. More, from a press release issued by Marty Nutt’s publicist: Solid top ten finishes at Donington for Nutt Marty Nutt’s return to racing continued at the weekend with the Castlerock rider in action at Donington Park for the penultimate round of the Ducati 848 Challenge. And it proved to be another good meeting with Marty taking sixth and ninth in the two races. After qualifying in a solid sixth place, a sluggish start to Saturday afternoon’s opening 10-lap race saw Marty drop back to ninth but he was quickly up to sixth and closing in on the group ahead of him when the safety car came out for a period of three laps due to a crash. That allowed the field to bunch up and for the remaining five laps it was nip and tuck all the way. However, with the leading group matching each other’s lap times, positions remained unchanged and so Marty took the chequered flag in sixth place. Stil experiencing the clutch problems that had plagued him at Cadwell Park, Sunday’s 8-lap encounter saw Marty back down in 13th at the end of the first lap but two laps later, he was inside the top ten and advancing forward. Lapping a second a lap quicker than some of the riders in front of him, Marty closed the gap but, try as he might, he was unable to overtake any more riders and so crossed the line in ninth place. Nevertheless, the two races saw him pick up 17 points for the weekend and maintain his 100% record of finishing inside the top ten in all of his completed races. Speaking afterwards, a pleased Marty said: “After being out for so long with injury, these last few rounds have all been about dialling myself back in and not doing anything stupid so to get two more strong finishes is really pleasing. The first race was very much a case of ‘steady away’ and having seen a few boys go down the last thing I wanted was to suffer a similar fate so I just kept it safe and stayed out of trouble. The pace of the top 7-8 riders is very similar so it’s hard to make a move but I was happy with sixth and it got the weekend off to a good start.” “We made changes to the clutch for the second race and it appeared to be fine but as soon as the lights went green, it didn’t grab like it should have done and I got mired in the pack. After that, I just had a safe, steady run and although I’m a bit disappointed with ninth, I’ve got to keep telling myself that these races are all about getting fully prepared for 2013. I’ve finished in the top ten in every race so far and am learning about the bike all the time so I’m happy enough. The next round’s at Silverstone, a circuit I love, so I’m really looking forward to racing there and climbing even further up the leaderboard.” The final round of the Ducati 848 Challenge takes place at Silverstone, Northants on September 28-30. More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki: Historic hat-trick for team Kawasaki SRC at Le Mans 24 Hours race Newsflash, 10 September 2012 Kawasaki SRC team has written history this weekend, winning the prestigious 24 hours race in Le Mans for the third consecutive time. Kawasaki is now the first manufacturer in ten years time to win this race three times in a row. Let alone winning the race, the team also set a new distance record, which is the icing on the cake. The battle ended only one hour before the end of the race, when the time advantage of Ninja ZX-10R number 11 became too big to be closed. For 23 hours the battle between the Kawasaki SRC machine and Suzuki SERT team was incredibly intense and by many aspects close to Superbike race pace. Despite some brake pads problems, Kawasaki riders Julien Da Costa, Grégory Leblanc and Freddy Foray were able to set a very strong pace and clinched the victory that they have really deserved. Gilles Stafler, team manager: ‘I can’t find my words. It’s a really beautiful day for Kawasaki for sure, but for my team, my mechanics and my riders too. We did something that we can call the perfect race, even though we’ve had brakes pad problems that we’ve never had before. I can’t believe it but yes for sure we did it! I’m very proud about the job done this year. We won the Bol d’Or, we are already French Supersport Champion with Grégory, we win here in Le Mans for the third time in a row, and next weekend Julien will for sure clinch the French Superbike title. As someone said: what else to expect?’ Julien Da Costa: ‘It’s a really sweet sensation. Of course I’m sore and tired but I like this feeling tonight. From the start of the race till the chequered flag we did it flat out ! We need to wait for next weekend for my Superbike crown but we absolutely will have a big party to celebrate this fantastic win and also a fantastic year. I would like to thank all the team and especially all mechanics for the superb job done.’ Grégory Leblanc: ‘What can I say ? It’s just like a dream and I’m sure it will take some time to realise what happened here. Like Julien, I’m really sore tonight and my back is really painful. But when you are in front of the crowd on the first spot of the podium you forget everything. I’m really proud to bring back the big trophy to Kawasaki. Now we won three times in a row, and we can keep it definitely!’ Freddy Foray: ‘I was a little bit nervous at the end of the race because it’s my first victory at Le Mans. It’s the perfect story for me. This year was my first ride for team Kawasaki SRC and I’ve won. Tonight I’m the happiest man on the earth!’ Superstock Not only in the Superbike class Kawasaki dominated the field, in the Superstock class team Louis Moto 33 – ran by a Kawasaki dealer – riders David Perret, Nicolas Salchaud and Nans Chevaux took Ninja ZX-10R number 33 to victory(after 810 laps and a final overall 8th position). More, from a press release issued by Splitlath Redmond: One day, two rebuilds and a top 20 busy times at Splitlath Redmond SPLITLATH Redmond rider Troy Herfoss bounced back from two crashes to take a 19th in the second MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship race at Donington Park. The team found themselves with a momentously busy day on their hands after the Australian series newcomer crashed his Aprilia RSV4 twice on Sunday, forcing them to work non-stop on two big bike rebuilds. After a crash during morning warm-up, the team rallied around to rebuild his machine in time for Race One, and Troy lined up 22nd on the grid and determined to make some big moves forward. But disaster struck at the end of the opening lap when he was tagged by another bike and crashed out. Having had just five minutes down time, the team were then forced to jump straight back into action with another rebuild to get the bike ready for Race Two later in the afternoon. Because he hadn’t managed to get a lap under his belt in the opening race, Troy was forced to start from the back of the grid in 28th spot. But he got a clean getaway and was able to make up a number of places to cross the line 19th. “We started with a crash in warm-up and the boys had to work hard to get the bike ready. I think we’d made some good progress over the weekend, so I was feeling positive that we could really move forward, but on the first lap of the first race something happened,” he said. “I came into the turn after McLeans and next thing I knew the bike was stood up and someone took my front brake out. I don’t know who it was. “I didn’t give myself the best opportunity by starting from 22nd. Nobody is to blame really, apart from my own bad qualifying. “I believe we could’ve made some good progress in Race One and got a good position for Race Two, but I had to start it from dead last and ended up coming from 28th to 19th. “I’m disappointed with that because as a racer I’m used to finishing a lot higher but I have to thank the team. The boys did an amazing job rebuilding the bike twice, and I am very grateful to the Splitlath Redmond crew for giving me this opportunity. “I’ve always believed BSB was racing at the very highest level and now I have even more respect for these guys. I hope to get another opportunity either with Splitlath Redmond or elsewhere. I’ve really enjoyed this weekend.” Team co-owner John Dimbylow said he was unable to praise his team of mechanics highly enough for their hard work during race day. “The crew have been unbelievable. They have had to rebuild Troy’s bike not once but twice today and just went about it with no panic, fuss or drama. They really are an awesome group of mechanics and they really deserve some recognition. “The bike had only just been put back together when it was smashed again five minutes later, but they went and did it all again. They were brilliant. “We’ve all had a great weekend with Troy. He’s a great guy and we’ve been able to see that he’s a great rider too. He arrived here with two days’ notice, no track knowledge, never ridden and Aprilia and new to these tyres. “He’s done a great job and while it has been difficult, he’s risen to every challenge thrown at him.” More, from a press release issued by Tom Tunstall Racing/Doodson Motorsport: Doodson Motorsport in the Points at Donington The continued progress of the Doodson Motorsport British Superbike Team was evident at the latest round with Robbin Harms scoring the first points for the team since switching back to Honda machinery. The Doodson backed team continue to work hard playing “catch up” since the mid-season switch of manufacturer and arrived at the latest round at Donington Park with improvements to both engine spec and electronics mapping of the CBR1000RR Fireblades. Joining Tom Tunstall once again Danish rider Robbin Harms was more accustomed to the fast and flowing nature of the 2.48 mile Leicestershire track having scored a podium finish there in the World Supersport Championship. After a crash during practice and chassis set-up issues in qualifying, Harms was placed 24th on the grid, but he was back on target by race day morning warm up, posting 13th quickest time and more confident on the bike. Tunstall made big improvements throughout the practice and although he didn’t match his best time in qualifying ending the session 26th, he was happy with the feeling from the bike and looking forward to the 20lap races. Race one saw Harms start to charge his way up the field and was still lapping faster than the riders ahead when the Red Flag came out on Lap 11. Tunstall who’d also made ground was chasing down last year’s Supersport champion Alistair Seeley when the Suzuki rider’s engine exploded just in front of the Yorkshire man down the fast Craner Curves section. Tunstall was very lucky to stay aboard his bike after losing the front end on the oil and following a trip through the gravel trap returned to the pits as the red flag gave chance for the circuit to be cleaned. Over seven laps, the restarted race saw Harms maintain his advance and he took a well earned 15th place at the flag – taking his and the team’s first points on the Doodson Honda. Tunstall who’d been held up on the restart took 23rd. Robbin’s impressive pace earned him a third row start with the 12th fastest time of race one. Although the second outing managed to run the full 20 lap distance it wasn’t to be for Harms as a sensor failure forced him to retire on the second lap. Tunstall ran a consistent pace and improved by two places over race one coming home in 21st. Harms summed up his weekend: “The team and I made a big step forward having a positive progress. I am very pleased with scoring a point for the team and starting on third row in race 2 where I was aiming for some more points. But unfortunately a technical problem forced me to enter pit in the opening laps. I like to thank the team for helping me bringing my first BSB point in house and I’m looking forward to more points to come.” Tunstall was also upbeat; “Donington has been a positive weekend for us. We’re still making significant steps forward with the bikes and our potential is starting to show. Robbin scoring points was testament to this and for me I’ve still got work to do on the bike but my feeling is getting better. Robbin, myself and the whole team are very much looking forward to continuing the good work at Assen” The next round takes place at Assen in Holland over the weekend of the 21st 23rd September. More, from a press release issued by Yamaha Racing: Yamaha Take Third in World Endurance Championship After Le Mans 24HR The Yamaha GMT94 Michelin Yamalube Team secured third place in the FIM World Endurance Championship final standings after yesterday’s Le Mans 24HR race. Rider Matthieu Lagrive had dominated the final of three qualifying sessions with his YZF-R1, delivering a best time of 1’37.802 to give the team a third place start for the race. Lagrive, along with riders David Checa and Kenny Foray had been running as high as second and battling for first place with the leading group mid way through the race before finally dropping to fourth after losing seven minutes in the pit. As a result the team ended just off the podium in fourth position, taking 24 points and bringing their season total to 98. Monster Energy Yamaha YART endured yet another tough, incident filled race to wrap up their difficult season. After a fall by Gwen Giabbani in the first hour followed by a fuelling and an electrical issue later in the race, riders Steve Martin and Igor Jerman had fought back to sixth place when another electrical problem required German to push his YZF-R1 back to the pits. After losing valuable time the team rejoined and were able to take a hard earned seventh place at the flag, scoring 17 points. Despite two DNFs during the season the final result puts the 2009 world champions sixth in the final Championship standings with a total of 59 points. The Yamaha Folch Endurance Team and Superstock favourites DG Sport Herock were both forced to retire from the race after suffering technical issues, the first after 264 laps, and the second after 13 laps. The result leaves Yamaha Folch Endurance in eighth place in the final standings and DG Sport Herock fifth in the Superstock class with 66 points. “Of course we’re a little disappointed,” said Christophe Guyot, Team Manager, Yamaha GMT 94 Michelin Yamalube. “Victory was definitely possible today. In the end we can be proud of our performance. We had our run with three machines ahead of us, showed good speed but unfortunately had to settle for fourth after losing time following a suspected holed radiator. That’s how it ends today, but I’m already looking forward to the 2013 Bol d’Or with our YZF-R1. ‘ “My riders and pit crew have done a great job this weekend,” commented Mandy Kainz, Team Manager, Monster Energy Yamaha Austria. “They should be proud of their performance. We have shown that we have given our best to the end at every race this season.” More, from a press release issued by KTM North America: KTM/HMC Superbike Race Team Report New Jersey Motorsports Park Millville, NJ KTM/HMC Superbike rider Chris Fillmore collected a pair of 8th and 10th place results at the tenth round of the AMA Pro SuperBike Race Series held at New Jersey Motorsports Park. This race marked Fillmore’s first race back since injuring his hand earlier in the season. Despite his injury, Fillmore had a decent qualifying session and was able to qualify 12th into Saturday’s race. At the start of the race on Saturday, Fillmore started in the 12th spot and quickly moved up through the pack. By the end of the race he had passed into 8th place. “I had a really solid ride during Saturday’s race and was happy with the bike set-up and am excited to break into the top ten on my first race back.” Sunday did not start as well for the KTM/HMC Factory rider, as he suffered a small crash in the early morning qualifying. His team quickly set to work to repair the bike while Fillmore regrouped and returned to the line for the start of the second race. Fillmore again started in the 12th spot and moved into the top ten early in the race. Unfortunately, he suffered some pain in his injured hand mid-way through the race that caused him to fall back slightly. At the end of the race he was able to dig deep and increase his pace to catch the pack of riders battling for 7th. He eventually finished the race in 10th place to earn two top ten finishes for the weekend. “My hand is getting stronger every day and the most important thing for me to focus on is getting it to 100%. I have two weeks until the next race and I hope to return stronger and improve my results closer to the top five,” stated Fillmore. More, from a press release issued by Kuryakyn Racing For A Wish: KURYAKYN RACING FOR A WISH TEAM’S HARD WORK BRINGS BITTERSWEET FINISH AT NJMP Mechanical Failure Minutes Before Race Sends Team Into Survival Mode During an grueling travel and coaching schedule between the Indy XR1200 Round and this past weekend’s New Jersey Motorsports Park XR1200 round, Signorelli and the team’s sponsors worked to get a running motor back into the “B” bike. Logistics panned out and the team started Sunday’s race day at the AMA XR1200 Round 10 with two running bikes, albeit the “B” bike had not been brought fully up to the “A” bike’s standards yet. With less than five minutes before the race, the “A” Bike had a mechanical issue and the HD electronics kept the bike from running. The crew acted fast to send Signorelli out on the second bike. Unfortunately with old tires and suspension, controls, and a clutch that had not been brought up to racing standards again yet after rebuilding, Gerry was forced to focus on earning a solid finish rather than fight for a podium. He ended the race solidly in 11th place and putting the team in good shape to prepare fully for the Miami round in two weeks. Gerry Signorelli – “This weekend took a toll on our emotions! Its been nonstop work since Indy focused on getting a running motor back into our “B” bike and repairing the “A” bike after crashes in Indy all while traveling around the country to coach for the California Superbike school and drive the Kuryakyn rig from location to location. We got to race day at NJ in good position qualifying faster than we have ever been at that track and having two running bikes. I was blown away when our “A” bike didn’t start when we needed it for the race. We have a system of checks and protocols worked out in the team’s procedures to avoid these mishaps, but this was one of those moments that even with the correct preparations, this still went down. We quickly got the “B” bike going, but since rebuilding that bike we hadn’t quite gotten it up to a race standard yet. I went out on old tires, a soft clutch, and a chassis setup that wasn’t good and tried to get us to the end. This one hurts cause I work relentlessly to avoid situations like this. Two races left though and I can’t wait to get on the bike in Miami and go for it again!” The team invites all fans to make it to the next round at Homestead-Miami Speedway on September 23rd. Or tune in on Speed2.com for race coverage of the entire 2012 XR1200 season. More information can be found at www.racingforawish.com or www.amaproracing.com. For more information about Signorelli, the Kuryakyn Racing for a Wish Team, and their charitable cause, find them at www.racingforawish.com or www.kuryakyn.com as well as on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media outlets. Racing for a Wish markets sponsors’ brands in the thrilling world of motorsports. Racing for a Wish is a motorcycle road racing program that donates to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Colorado as it supports Gerry Signorelli’s development towards becoming an internationally competitive racer. The team is currently racing in the full AMA XR1200 Pro Series. More, from a press release issued by Harley-Davidson: Narbonne Wins AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Race at New Jersey Wyman’s Last-Lap Crash Blows XR Showdown Standings Wide Open Milwaukee (September 10, 2012) Shane Narbonne (Teterboro Rams LLC) emerged victorious at the end of a frenetic last lap Sunday to claim his first AMA Pro road racing victory in the Vance & Hines XR1200 series race at New Jersey Motorsports Park, but it was a late crash by championship contender Kyle Wyman that really shook up the series standings with just two races to go in the 2012 season. A seven-rider pack battled for the lead throughout the 12-lap race, with XR Showdown contenders Wyman (KLR Group/Spyke’s H-D), Tyler O’Hara (Bartels’ H-D/Scrubblade), Benjamin Carlson (Suburban Motors H-D) and polesitter Michael Barnes (KLR Group/Spyke’s H-D) in the mix along with Narbonne, Jake Holden (MOB Racing) and Travis Wyman (Harv’s H-D). Just when Kyle Wyman appeared to be perfectly positioned to make a late drafting pass on Narbonne on the final lap to claim his fifth win of the season, he fell victim to a vicious high-side crash just before the main straight that ended his race in spectacular fashion. “That’s the worst wreck I’ve ever had and maybe one of the worst I’ve ever even seen,” Wyman said. “The rear tire folded. That just never, ever happens. I just can’t believe this is the outcome.” Wyman’s misfortune opened the door not only for Narbonne to claim his first career AMA Pro victory, but also threw the race for the XR Showdown wide open, with the top four riders in the standings now separated by only four points with two races remaining in the season. “I didn’t even really know what lap it was, I just went to the front. I didn’t see the white flag, I just went,” said Narbonne. “It’s good to win at my home track. I’ve been working hard for this.” As the highest placed finisher among the championship contenders, Barnes may have been the biggest beneficiary of his KLR Group teammate’s misfortune, as he jumped to fourth in the Showdown standings and narrowed his point gap to leader Carlson to four points. “What a battle,” Barnes said. “So much passing going on and I even lost track of the laps for a minute. I dropped back to sixth at the start of the last lap. I caught Holden pretty quick and just put my head down. When Kyle wrecked it opened a door. I was in fifth place and had a little more time to assess the situation in front of me. Benny and Tyler had to jump on their brakes sooner. That gave me the momentum to get past them.” The AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 series returns to action September 22-23 at Miami-Homestead Speedway. More, from a press release issued by Celtic Racing/Orient Express: Celtic Racing Celebrates Race Win And Podium Finish At New Jersey Motorsports Park Celtic Racing’s James Rispoli secured a race win in Saturday’s intense AMA Pro Road Racing SuperSport race. Rispoli’s start from second position on the grid propelled him to victory after a long battle at the front of the pack with Dustin Dominguez. Corey Alexander started from pit lane after a strong third place qualifying effort, and used all of his skill and talent to claw his way up to a very respectable thirteenth position on his #5 National Guard Fairhills Group Suzuki GSX-R 600. In Sunday’s race, James Rispoli rode his #1 Celtic Orient Express Racing Suzuki GSX-R 600 hard to claim the lead, but a 16th lap red flag ended the race early, leaving him with a second place finish. Alexander had a much stronger race on Sunday, and was battling for a podium finish with Jake Lewis when the red flag came, pushing him back to his previous complete lap position of fourth. James Rispoli stated “It was a good race today, we made a great change in the morning practice which was a big help for the race. I knew today this was my race to lose. Every time I went past Dustin he would fire back at me. Finally I pressured him enough and made a pass stick. I put a good lap together, and finally I didn’t hear the jaws Triumph triple behind me and I thought he crashed. So I went down the front straight and looked back and saw I had a gap. I went by some lapped traffic and put my head down, but then I got to turn two and saw the red flag. Second time this year I missed out on a double win due to a red flag. Can’t complain — had a blast riding for my team and seeing smiles on my crew’s faces. Today was a great day. Many thanks to all the fans and supporters who came out to see the races, and especially to my personal sponsors AGV Helmets, Dainese Leathers, Monster Energy, and Techmounts.” Rispoli continues to lead the AMA SuperSport West series by 60 points over his nearest competitor. Corey Alexander showed the drive and determination needed all weekend, but a bad start after the first red flag meant he had to do battle with fewer laps in reserve. Looking forward, Alexander said “After yesterday’s misfortune and having to come from far back to get thirteenth, I hoped to have my National Guard Fairhills Group Suzuki fighting for the win today. Unfortunately, after the first red flag, I got a bad start and had to work my way through some fast guys. I tried splitting away from them but they stayed right on me. Jake got by for one lap and it happened to be the lap before the second red flag that cut the race short. We should have had third and a podium but that’s racing. I’m happy to bring home a top five for my guys. Thanks to my National Guard Fairhills Group crew and everyone supporting us.” Corey would like to thank Fairhills Group, Hudson Valley Motorcycles, Spidi Leathers, XPD Boots, and Arai Helmets for all their help and encouragement. Corey’s hard work this weekend means his fifth place in the SuperSport East standings remains secure, and he is within close reach of third and fourth as the season winds down. Celtic Racing travels to Homestead-Miami Speedway in less than two week’s time for the penultimate event of the season September 21-23. For video coverage of this weekend’s races, as well as all the season’s previous events, please visit http://www.speed2.com where you will be able to view the races on your computer. Both Celtic Racing Suzuki GSX-R 600’s showcase the best in road racing technology. Product support for both machines comes from: Michael Jordan Motorsports, American Suzuki, Armor Bodies, Chicken Hawk Racing, DesignStar3, Dynojet, FMF Racing, Full Spectrum Power, Hudson Valley Racing, Galfer Brakes, GB Racing, K-Tech Suspension, Maxima Oils, Motion Pro, Pit Bull, Riviera Country Club, Saddlemen, Star Motorcycle School, Vortex Racing, and Zero Gravity. Celtic Racing was established in 2001 by Barry Gilsenan, and over the past 11 seasons has established itself as a premier privateer racing team. Development of riding talent began with two-stroke 125cc, and 250cc machines competing in professional and regional championship events. More recent Celtic Racing efforts have focused on AMA Pro Road Racing in the Daytona SportBike and SuperSport classes with Ducati, Honda, Suzuki, and Yamaha four stroke motorcycles. Gilsenan’s talent for coaching racers of all ages and abilities has brought Celtic Racing worldwide attention and recognition, with many former Celtic Racing riders now competing on World Championship levels. Please join Celtic Racing on Facebook: ~http://www.facebook.com/CelticRacing~. ARMY NATIONAL GUARD The National Guard is the oldest military branch. Today, Citizen-Soldiers hold civilian jobs or attend college while training part time, staying ready to defend America in the event of an emergency. The National Guard serves both state and federal governments. During local emergencies, Guard units assist residents endangered by storms, floods, fires and other disasters. Guard companies deployed overseas may see combat, but are often found building schools and hospitals, training local peacekeepers or teaching local farmers more efficient techniques and better uses of their land. Please visit ~http://www.nationalguard.com~ to find out more. ORIENT EXPRESS Established in 1973, Orient Express is a high performance motorcycle parts and accessories warehouse distributor; offering dyno tuning, engine building services and precision machine work. Orient Express has an extensive history of racing, including support of both professional and amateur race series and individuals. For more information regarding Orient Express, or to find out what Orient Express can do for your racing success, please call 800.645.6521 or 631.231.9552 (NY/International), visit http://www.orientexpress.com or join them on Facebook at ~http://www.facebook.com/OrientExpressRacing~. FAIRHILLS GROUP Fairhills Group is a New York based alternative investment management firm that manages capital for the Bronson family and other high net worth individuals and wealthy families. Fairhills was established in 2002 for the purpose of providing public companies with alternative forms of financing, eventually becoming one of the most active investors in structured equity transactions. Fairhills has since grown to provide financing solutions to companies globally and recently has opened its doors for the first time to external investors, with a full range of alternative investment fund offerings. For more information on Fairhills, please visit ~http://www.fairhills.com~. More, from a press release issued by K-Tech Suspension/Orient Express: K-Tech Suspension Weekend Report K-Tech Suspension equipped racers scored multiple victories and podium finishes in all major classes this weekend in AMA Pro Road Racing, BSB British Superbike, and World SuperSport. In the AMA Pro Road Racing SuperSport class, 2011 champion and #1 plate holder James Rispoli kicked the weekend off with a second place qualifying effort on Friday at New Jersey Motorsports Park on his Celtic Orient Express Suzuki GSX-R 600, with teammate Corey Alexander close behind in third position aboard his National Guard Fairhills Group Suzuki GSX-R 600. Recent K-Tech convert Miles Thornton qualified fourth, making three out of four riders on the front row equipped with K-Tech Suspension. Rispoli would take his machine to the front of the field for the race win on Saturday, and a second place result on Sunday with Alexander finishing fourth. Both riders use K-Tech 20DDS front fork cartridges and 35DDS rear shocks for maximum grip, precision control, and enhanced confidence. In the AMA Pro Road Racing XR1200 class, Shane Narbonne took his first AMA Pro Road Racing win in an exciting race, ahead of Michael Barnes and K-Tech equipped Tyler O’Hara who finished third. Both Narbonne and O’Hara’s machines feature K-Tech IDS front fork cartridges and MT35 dual rear shocks, a combination that has proved successful all season. Overall, six of the top ten finishers in the XR1200 class used K-Tech products, and occupied two of three podium positions at the end of the race. Jordan Suzuki rider Ben Bostrom qualified in fourth position for the AMA Pro Road Racing Superbike races, and was able to bring home a second place finish on Saturday on his #23 Jordan Suzuki GSX-R 1000. Bostrom finished fifth in Sunday’s race, in a close battle for fourth. Teammate Roger Hayden piloted the #54 National Guard Jordan Suzuki to a third place finish on Sunday, and had qualified third. Both Jordan Suzuki riders use K-Tech 20DDS cartridges and 35DDS shocks. Bobby Fong continued to shine aboard his Meen Motorsports K-Tech equipped Yamaha YZF 600 R6 in the extremely competitive Daytona SportBike class, with a great fourth place finish in Saturday’s race, and a even better podium finish in Sunday’s event where he finished third after leading several laps of the race. Moving to the BSB British Superbike event at Donnington Park, Tyco Suzuki’s Josh Brookes earned double victories aboard his K-Tech equipped Suzuki GSX-R 1000, starting from pole position and taking his second and third wins of the season! Brookes is now just ten points shy of the championship leader and is gaining further momentum by setting the fastest lap in both races! American PJ Jacobsen impressed many at Donnington by qualifying on pole for the BSB 1000 SuperStock race and taking a close win with his Tyco Suzuki GSX-R 1000 using K-Tech Suspension 20DDS fork cartridges and a 35DDS rear shock. This amazing success came in only his third BSB SuperStock event. Jack Kennedy rode his K-Tech equipped Yamaha YZF 600 R6 to win the first BSB SuperSport event at Donnington Park, with a strong second place finish in Sunday’s race. Glen Richards claimed victory in Sunday’s SuperSport race on his Triumph Daytona 675R, and recorded the fastest lap as well. Both Richards’ and Kennedy’s machines feature 20DDS fork cartridges and 35DDS rear shocks. At the famous Nurburgring, the World SuperSport event saw another podium finish for K-Tech, with veteran racer Fabien Foret claiming third place aboard his Intermoto Step Racing Kawasaki ZX-6R. Foret moves into third place in the SuperSport championship, using K-Tech 20DDS fork cartridges and a 35DDS rear shock. K-Tech Suspension offers a complete range of high performance suspension solutions for your street, track, or racing motorcycle. For more information regarding K-Tech, please contact Orient Express, the exclusive North American importer and distributor. Dealer inquiries welcomed. Please visit ~http://www.orientexpress.com~, email [email protected], or call 800.645.6521 or 631.231.9552 (NY/International) and ask what K-Tech can do for your success! More, from a press release issued by BYR/FOGI Racing Development Team: MILLVILLE, NEW JERSEY – SEPT. 10, 2012 – AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike rookie Ben Young capped off a challenging weekend at the American Red Cross Devil’s Showdown presented by Team Pro-Motion with a 14th place finish at New Jersey Motorsports Park. With almost seven weeks since the 8th round of the GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing series at the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca the Thornbury Ontario-based rider was raring to get back aboard his #86 BYR/FOGI Racing Yamaha YZF-R6. Although the young Scottish-Canadian had previously competed at New Jersey Motorsports Park in the AMA Pro Road Racing Motocycle-Superstore.com SuperSport class in 2011, the team knew that getting his 600 setup correctly was going to be a work in progress. Young used the session to focus on reacquainting himself with the track and working with the team to develop a base-line setup to use for the remainder of the weekend. Young took to the track for the first qualifying session of the weekend where he achieved a best lap time of 1:26.5 which earned him 19th on the provisional grid. With Young’s feedback the team decided to make some changes that included gearing changes and tire choice. Warm and humid unsettled weather that had been forecasted for the area presented additional challenges for all the teams during Saturday morning’s second and final qualifying session. Due to a wet track with dry sections Young opted to take out his ‘B’ bike, which was set up for wet weather, was unable to fully test the changes made to his primary bike. Young determined that the track was too dry for rain tires and too damp for DOT tires and was likely not going to better his times from the first qualifying session. Still looking for a competitive edge the team chose to make an additional gearing change prior to the first race of the weekend. Young started from 19th on the grid however the changes to bike would only allow him to earn an 18th place finish in first race of the doubleheader weekend. “We gambled on the gearing for Saturday’s race and it was clearly the wrong choice. Ben did an outstanding job to maintain the pace he did and to move up to finish 18th.” admitted team manager Scott Young. “Prior to Sunday morning’s practice we made some additional changes to gearing and rear suspension and Ben went faster and seemed more comfortable on the bike.” Once again Young started from 19th the grid for Sunday’s AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike feature race. The young pilot got off the line well and began to move up through the field however an accident triggered by water seeping onto the track brought out the Red Flag. After the riders involved in the accident were attended to and the track was cleared of the standing water the field was re-gridded for the restart. Starting from 16th on the grid Young continued to battle hard. “It was a bit of a lonely race for me once it got going. I put my head down to try and catch a pack of riders ahead of me but today’s pace was more than what our current set up would allow me to do.” said Young. Young who moved up to 13th was eventually passed by 2012 Daytona 200 winner Joey Pascarella going into the first corner with only three laps to go. “I stuck on his back wheel but with our gearing I just didn’t have enough to get the position back. Overall we made great progress on the setup over the weekend” said Young Batting right to the end Young put in his fastest lap of the weekend during the final lap of the race earning him a 14th place finish. This latest result is another personal best for Young in his 2012 AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike rookie season. Ben Young Racing (BYR) and the Fogi Racing Development Team would like to thank the following outstanding companies for their support; Scotbuild Developments, Arai Helmets, GP Tech LLC, Tim Hortons – Sudbury, K&N Filters, EBC Brakes, Arlen Ness Racing boots, Armour Bodies, BCL Motorsports Pit Kit, Vortex Racing, Akrapovic Exhaust Systems, RS Taichi Leathers, The Graphix Factory, The North American International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW and Liquid Performance. To keep up-to-date on Ben Young and the Fogi Racing Development Team, visit www.fogi.us, www.facebook.com/BenYoungRacing and on Twitter @86BY. More, from a press release issued by Bel-Ray: World Superbike The twelfth round of the 2012 FIM Superbike World Championship series took place this weekend at the Nurburgring race track in Nurburg, Germany. The Bel-Ray backed Althea Ducati race team of Carlos Checa and Davide Giugliano experienced mixed results for the afternoon. Checa started well in the first race of the day and was quickly into third place early in the competition. Unfortunately, two laps later, the defending champion found himself on the ground and rejoined the race in last place. Giugliano was also the victim of an early crash. His crash however, damaged the bike too much to continue and he was forced to the garage with a DNF. Checa charged through the field and by the end of the race scored a respectable twelfth place finish. The second race of the day offered a bit of redemption for the team as both racers scored top-ten finishes with Checa in sixth and Giugliano in seventh. A ninth-place start forced Checa to charge to the front, setting the fastest lap of the day along the way. Following the race, Checa spoke about the day’s events. “The crash is just one of those things we were doing what we needed to do, pushing hard to stay with the frontrunners. It was a shame because I had made a great start and had good pace. Once I got back on track I got back into my rhythm and was able to pass several riders throughout the race. It wasn’t easy because I had lost my foot pedal in the crash but I think I rode a good race from last position, and in the end was able to take a few points. The second race went better as far as the result was concerned but we cannot fight with the others who get away in acceleration it’s an unbalanced game right now as far as I’m concerned. We need to continue fighting and doing what we can with what we have, pushing our package to the limit and seeing what comes of it.” Giugliano reflected on his mixed results from the weekend. “Unfortunately when you’re pushing hard, crashes can happen. To be with those in front, I was giving it my all and at a certain point I just lost the front. In the second race we at least managed to finish in seventh. Seeing as Carlos was sixth, I think that shows that the bike’s potential was more or less that, today we gave 100% but to do any more than we did was not possible. A difficult day after a fairly positive weekend. Anyway, we still have two more rounds and I would like to conclude my first Superbike season with some more positive results.” With only two rounds remaining, Checa is currently fourth and Giugliano tenth in the overall series standings. The series will enjoy a short break before resuming on September 23rd in Portugal. Follow Bel-Ray’s racers and teams all season long on www.belray.com and their racing only site www.belrayracing.com Bel Ray Company Inc was founded in 1946 and is a privately held, woman-owned business serving the lubrication needs of powersports, industrial and mining customers worldwide. Bel-Ray is recognized as the leader in the specialty lubricants industry for setting high standards of quality and performance with products formulated for the motorcycle, automotive, aviation, energy, food, marine, military, mining, OEM, Industrial steel, and textile industries. “Flex Your Engine” with Bel-Ray’s superior Powersports line that delivers top quality Made-in-the-USA products to motorcycle and recreational vehicle enthusiasts around the world. Bel-Ray products are available at powersports dealers worldwide. Visit Bel-Ray.com for a complete dealer listing. Like us on www.Facebook.com/BelRay or follow us on www.Twitter/Bel_Ray More, from a press release issued by Speedcell Technologies: SPEEDCELL EQUIPPED RIDERS CONTINUE WINNING WAYS AT NEW JERSEY September 10, 2012 (Las Cruces, New Mexico)– Monster Energy Graves Yamaha rider Josh Hayes rewriting AMA record books on his Speedcell equipped R1 with pole number eleven and victories twelve and thirteen on the season. Speedcell equipped riders continue to dominate qualifying sessions and the victory podium in both premier classes at New Jersey Motorsports Park. Speedcell equipped riders performance at NJMP: Superbike- Superbike Race 1- 1. Josh Hayes (Yam YZF-R1) Monster Energy Graves Yamaha 3. Blake Young (Suz GSX-R1000) Yoshimura Suzuki Racing 5. Josh Herrin (Yam YZF-R1) Monster Energy Graves Yamaha 11. Chris Ulrich (Suz GSX-R1000) M4 Suzuki 15. Chris Clark (Suz GSX-R1000) Yoshimura Suzuki Racing (pit stop) 20. Steve Rapp (Kaw ZX-10R) Attack Performance Racing (DNF, crash) Superbike Race 2 1. Josh Hayes (Yam YZF-R1) Monster Energy Graves Yamaha 2. Josh Herrin (Yam YZF-R1) Monster Energy Graves Yamaha 4. Blake Young (Suz GSX-R1000) Yoshimura Suzuki Racing 6. Steve Rapp (Kaw ZX-10R) Attack Performance Racing 11. Chris Ulrich (Suz GSX-R1000) M4 Suzuki 12. Chris Clark (Suz GSX-R1000) Yoshimura Suzuki Racing Superbike Qualifying 1. Josh Hayes (Yam YZF-R1), 1:20.776 2. Steve Rapp (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:21.521 5. Blake Young (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:21.762 9. Josh Herrin (Yam YZF-R1), 1:22.409 11. Chris Clark (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:22.447 14. Chris Ulrich (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:23.352 Daytona Sportbike- DSB Race 1- 1. Cameron Beaubier (Yam YZF-R6) Y.E.S. Graves Yamaha 2. Martin Cardenas (Suz GSX-R600) GEICO Suzuki 3. Dane Westby (Suz GSX-R600) M4 Suzuki 5. Tommy Hayden (Yam YZF-R6) Y.E.S. Graves Yamaha 8. Jake Gagne (Yam YZF-R6) Roadrace Factory RedBull Yamaha 9. JD Beach (Yam YZF-R6) Roadrace Factory RedBull Yamaha 10. Aaron Gobert (Yam YZF-R6) Full Tuck Racing DSB Race 2- 1. Martin Cardenas (Suz GSX-R600) GEICO Suzuki 2. Dane Westby (Suz GSX-R600) M4 Suzuki 5. Jake Gagne (Yam YZF-R6) Roadrace Factory RedBull Yamaha 8. JD Beach (Yam YZF-R6) Roadrace Factory RedBull Yamaha 22. Tommy Hayden (Yam YZF-R6) (crashed out) Y.E.S. Graves Yamaha 23. Cameron Beaubier (Yam YZF-R6)(crashed out) Y.E.S. Graves Yamaha 24. Aaron Gobert (Yam YZF-R6) (crashed out) Full Tuck Racing DSB Qualifying- 1. Martin Cardenas (Suz GSX-R600), 1:23.522 2. Tommy Hayden (Yam YZF-R6), 1:23.549 3. Cameron Beaubier (Yam YZF-R6), 1:23.571 6. Aaron Gobert (Yam YZF-R6), 1:24.529 9. JD Beach (Yam YZF-R6), 1:25.272 12. Jake Gagne (Yam YZF-R6), 1:25.544 13. Dane Westby (Suz GSX-R600), 1:25.672 SuperSport- SuperSport Race 1 2. Garrett Gerloff (Yam YZF-R6) Y.E.S. Graves Yamaha 3. Tomas Puerta (Yam YZF-R6) Roadrace Factory RedBull Yamaha 4. Hayden Gillim (Yam YZF-R6) Roadrace Factory RedBull Yamaha 8. Elena Myers (Suz GSX-R600) Suzuki SportbikeTrackGear.com SuperSport Race 2 5. Garrett Gerloff (Yam YZF-R6) Y.E.S. Graves Yamaha 7. Tomas Puerta (Yam YZF-R6) Roadrace Factory RedBull Yamaha 8. Elena Myers (Suz GSX-R600) Suzuki SportbikeTrackGear.com 9. Hayden Gillim (Yam YZF-R6) Roadrace Factory RedBull Yamaha SuperSport Qualifying- 5. Elena Myers (Suz GSX-R600), 1:25.752 6. Garrett Gerloff (Yam YZF-R6) 1:25.766 8. Hayden Gillim (Yam YZF-R6), 1:26.182 10. Tomas Puerta (Yam YZF-R6), 1:26.477 About Speedcell Technologies Speedcell Technologies, a division of Navitus Group, was established in 2008 to create a lightweight lithium battery alternative to original equipment lead acid batteries. Speedcell engineers design and build all batteries in-house, in the USA. Speedcell builds OEM battery replacement and custom battery solutions for specific applications. Speedcell also works with various cell chemistries and builds battery management systems. Speedcell supplies batteries to the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy. Speedcell is a proud supplier to Attack Performance Motogp, Monster Energy Graves Yamaha, Yoshimura Suzuki Racing, Attack Performance Superbike, GEICO Suzuki, M4 Suzuki, Y.E.S. Graves Yamaha, Roadrace Factory RedBull Yamaha, Suzuki SportbikeTrackGear.com. Speedcell also supplies batteries to the Factory Yamaha Snowmobile team. More, from a press release issued by KMR Kawasaki: KMR Kawasaki and Hamilton end Irish road racing season with more success KMR Kawasaki ended the 2012 Irish Road Racing season on a positive note on Sunday when 21-year old Jamie Hamilton posted some of his best results of the year at the Killalane meeting. Having his second outing at the 3.6-mile venue, Hamilton notched up wins in the Supertwins and Moto 450cc races and took third in the Grand Final on the orange and black KMR Kawasaki machines, backing up his earlier fifth in the Open race. With good, dry conditions all around the course, first up for Jamie was the Open race where he opened his account for the day with a solid fifth place, less than a second behind the vastly experienced Adrian Archibald and he immediately followed this up with 2nd overall in the 125cc/Moto 450cc race where he was having his first outing on a 450cc machine. After a race long battle with the 125 Honda of Sam Wilson, Jamie came out on top, also being the first 450cc past the chequered flag. His penultimate race was the 4-lap Supertwins event which he led from the start and although he came under pressure from Michael Sweeney in the closing stages, Jamie rode an impeccable race to keep his rival firmly at bay for another road race victory. Last up was the Grand Final and having made a few suspension changes to the ZX-10R, Jamie was hopeful of improving his result, which was exactly what he did. Despite being back in eighth on the second lap, he steadily moved his way through the pack and sealed third and the final podium spot on the last lap after a good pass on Brian McCormack. Recently retired team owner Ryan Farquhar also attended the event, and marked the occasion by completing a tribute lap on the machine of his late uncle, Trevor Ferguson. Speaking after the meeting, Jamie commented: “It’s been an emotional day for everyone connected with KMR Kawasaki given recent events so I’m really pleased to have given everyone in the camp some good results today. It was a hard day but I kept calm throughout, used my head and am really happy with how the day went. We made a few changes to the big bike so the Open race was more about getting dialled in but I was happy enough with fifth and felt that I could give a better account of myself in the Grand Final. We made some suspension changes and although I was back in eighth on the second lap, I stayed relaxed and kept calm and began to move through the pack. With two laps to go, I could see I was pulling Brian in and on the last lap, I went by and managed to open a gap by the end of the race.” “I got a big bike podium at the Bush but this was a ‘proper’ one as conditions were perfect and everyone was out on their big bikes so it was a great result for me and the team. The Supertwins race saw me get a good win and although I wasn’t comfortable with the bike initially, I rode a steady race and it was only on the last lap that I realised Michael was on my back wheel! I just concentrated really hard on hitting all my apexes and braked as late as I dared going into the final corner so knew Michael wouldn’t have any room to get by me. The 450cc race was a new experience and something different and although Sam’s 125 was quicker, I rode my own race and it paid off, ending up just a couple of seconds behind William Dunlop for 2nd overall and the first 450cc bike.” “It’s been a real difficult couple of weeks for the team so I’d like to thank them for their continued support and dedicate my success today to Trevor.” Jamie now heads to the International Gold Cup at Oliver’s Mount, Scarborough whilst Ryan will also attend the meeting where he hopes to complete a parade lap with some of his fellow racers. More, from a press release issued by Yoshimura Suzuki: YOSHIMURA SUZUKI CELEBRATES 14th SUPERBIKE PODIUM OF SEASON AT NEW JERSEY Yoshimura Suzuki’s Blake Young cards 3rd in Saturday’s race MILLVILLE, NJ Team Yoshimura Suzuki racked up yet another podium finish in the 2012 AMA Pro Superbike Championship series this past weekend at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, NJ. Rider Blake Young raced his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 to a commendable third-place finish in Saturday’s race. With this result, Young handed Yoshimura Suzuki its 14th AMA Pro Superbike podium finish of the season so far. On Saturday, Yoshimura Suzuki’s Young turned in what can only be called an inspiring ride in the first of the weekend’s two Superbike races. Young got a good start on his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 and immediately owned second position. He went on to battle for a podium spot for all 23 laps before finally finishing third. On Sunday, Young overcame a lackluster start to finish fourth. “I really haven’t been doing myself any favors in qualifying,” said Young, who qualified fifth this weekend. “On Saturday, I got off to a good start on my Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 and got into second. But I was never able to settle in and feel comfortable. The weekend’s been pretty frustrating for me and I know it has to be tough on my guys. The Yoshimura Suzuki team has been around for a long time and they deserve to win, so I need to perform better at Homestead in a few weeks.” Yoshimura Suzuki teammate Chris Clark struggled with illness at the New Jersey event but remains optimistic. In Saturday’s race, Clark got a top-10 start on his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 and ran in the top five for several laps before pulling into the pits due to nausea. He re-entered the race to salvage points and finished 15th. On Sunday, Clark was still ill but managed to finish 12th. “I caught some sort of bug last week,” said Clark. “I tried to shake it before the race weekend but wasn’t able to. I got a good start in the first race and found myself in fifth, but it was tough to string good laps together and I ended up sick before the end of it. By Sunday, I was feeling pretty drained and didn’t have much strength or mental clarity left. I knew what I was doing wrong, I just couldn’t do anything about it. But overall, I felt like I showed some good speed, and now I just need to get well and show up strong in Miami.” Team Yoshimura Suzuki Racing’s next event of the 2012 AMA Pro Superbike Championship series is at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, FL, the weekend of September 21 – 23, 2012. More, from a press release issued by Michael Jordan Motorsports: MICHAEL JORDAN MOTORSPORTS TEAM PODIUMS TWICE AT NEW JERSEY SUPERBIKE RACE WEEKEND MILLVILLE, NJ The Michael Jordan Motorsports (MJM) team returned to AMA Pro National Guard Superbike racing with a vengeance this weekend following the series’ six week mini-break. MJM’s Ben Bostrom and National Guard Jordan Suzuki’s Roger Hayden both raced to Superbike podium finishes during the double-header race weekend at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, NJ, in Saturday and Sunday events. In Saturday afternoon’s 23-lap race, MJM’s Bostrom rallied after a poor start and charged hard on his Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000 to finish a well-earned second. On Sunday, Bostrom again struggled off the line but remained undaunted and made his way through the field to a fifth-place finish. Saturday’s result marks Bostrom’s first podium of the year, as well as his best finish of the season so far. “Saturday’s race started out a bit rocky for me,” said Bostrom. “But overall it was a really fun race. It wasn’t the most productive race, but it was really enjoyable. I could see the frontrunners battling and that allowed me to catch up to them. My Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000 was running great, and I felt like I had a lot of horsepower and speed out there. Now, we’re just looking forward to racing at Homestead in a few weeks and getting back on the podium.” In Sunday’s race, it was National Guard Jordan Suzuki’s Hayden’s turn to visit the box. After finishing ninth on Saturday, Hayden was determined to put his Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000 on the podium, and he was not denied. The Kentucky native rode a smart race and took advantage of the events unfolding in front of him to pick up a hard-fought third-place result. This Superbike podium is Hayden’s sixth so far this year. “My start wasn’t that good,” admitted Hayden. “But I worked my way up through the pack and got going pretty good. I was reeling in the front-runners on my Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000 when two guys came together”¦ and the podium was maybe a gift today. Overall, I’m happy with the podium and my pace was a lot better than Saturday, but we need to improve the gap before the next race.” In the 2012 AMA Pro National Guard Superbike Championship points standings, Hayden sits in fourth place while Bostrom moved up to seventh. The Michael Jordan Motorsports team’s next event of the 2012 AMA Pro National Guard Superbike Championship is at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, FL, the weekend of September 21 – 23, 2012. ABOUT MICHAEL JORDAN MOTORSPORTS: Legendary NBA star Michael Jordan formed Michael Jordan Motorsports in 2004 as a result of his passion for motorcycle racing. His mission is to bring a new level of excellence and style to the motorcycle racing industry. For more information on MJM, please visit www.23race.com, www.twitter.com/23race and http://www.facebook.com/23race. ABOUT THE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD: The National Guard is the oldest military branch. Today, Citizen-Soldiers hold civilian jobs or attend college while training part time, staying ready to defend America in the event of an emergency. The National Guard serves both state and federal governments. During local emergencies, Guard units assist residents endangered by storms, floods, fires and other disasters. Guard companies deployed overseas may see combat, but are often found building schools and hospitals, training local peacekeepers or teaching local farmers more efficient techniques and better uses of their land. Michael Jordan Motorsports is proud to partner with: Jordan Brand (a division of Nike), National Guard, American Suzuki, Hanes, Gatorade, Bazzaz, Vortex Racing Components, FMF Exhausts, Gemini Racing, K-Tech Suspension-Orient Express Racing, Maxima Racing Oils, Mechanix Wear, K & N Air Filters, Dainese Leathers, AGV Helmets, Ancra Tie-downs, Chicken Hawk Racing Tire Warmers, Armour Bodies, DID Chains, Factory Pro Dyno, Roclun International, Cardo Scala Rider, STAR Motorcycle School, Motion Pro Tools, Zero Gravity Windscreens, with transportation provided by Eastside Trucking. More, from a press release issued by American Suzuki: SUZUKI SPORTBIKETRACKGEAR.COM’S ELENA MYERS BATTLES IT OUT AT NEW JERSEY Myers brings home eighth-place results in AMA Pro SuperSport Races MILLVILLE, NJ Team Suzuki SportbikeTrackGear.com rider Elena Myers and her Suzuki GSX-R600 were armed and ready for battle at this weekend’s double-header race event at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, NJ. Myers felt good and it showed in her consistent performances in both Saturday and Sunday’s races at the 2.2-mile, 14-turn course. In the first of the weekend’s two 19-lap AMA Pro SuperSport races, Myers got a great start on her Suzuki GSX-R600 and ran in a podium position for more than half the race before a slight error resulted in an off-track excursion. Despite this, she still managed to finish a respectable eighth. “I think this weekend was very solid for the Suzuki SportbikeTrackGear.com team,” said Myers. “I put myself in a good starting position for both races but, unfortunately, I didn’t get the results I wanted. In race one, I ran third for almost the entire race until I made a minor mistake and ran off the track. I came back on and mustered an eighth-place finish, but I was really hoping to redeem myself in race two.” In the second race of the weekend on Sunday, Myers again got a great start and slotted into third when a downed rider caused a red flag. On the re-start, Myers got off the line in sixth and wound up finishing eighth again. “On Sunday, I got a great launch and was right with the two leaders in the first few laps,” said Myers. “A red flag came out and, for the restart, I was on the front row. I got a decent launch, but the rider next to me drifted into me and I had to let up, and the whole row behind me got an advantage going into turn one. From there, third through ninth was a super-tight pack and I was in the middle of it. We all ran consistently fast laps, so it was tough to make passes and I ended up with eighth again. Overall, I’m happy with how everything went and can’t thank my crew enough for giving me a solid bike in the Suzuki GSX-R600 all weekend.” The Suzuki SportbikeTrackGear.com team’s next event of the 2012 AMA Pro SuperSport season is at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, FL, the weekend of September 21 – 23, 2012. About American Suzuki: Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) founded the Motorcycle and ATV Division of American Suzuki Motor Corporation (ASMC), Brea, CA, in 1963. ASMC markets motorcycles and ATVs via an extensive dealer network throughout 49 states. ASMC’s parent company, Suzuki Motor Corporation, based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer of motorcycles, ATVs, scooters, automobiles and marine engines. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, it has 146 distributors in 198 countries/regions. For more information visit www.suzukicycles.com.