RED BULL AMA U.S. ROOKIES BACK IN ACTION AT THE CORONA AMA SUPERBIKE FINALE Will the Rookies Steal the Show Again? MONTEREY, Calif. (September 22, 2008) The Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup, the series for the brightest young motorcycle racing stars return for a second time this year to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. This exciting series consisting of some of the most talented 13 to 16 year olds in North and South America, and the Caribbean, are joining the Corona AMA Superbike Finale on September 27-28. The Red Bull Rookies Cup first turned wheels in Europe in 2007. The basis of this series is identically prepared KTM 125 GP bikes and the selection process takes in young racers from around the world. The riders have an unbeatable opportunity to both learn and to demonstrate their abilities in nine races over eight weekends across the U.S. In their first appearance at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Benny Solis of North Hollywood, Calif., had an amazing weekend as he took his third and fourth Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup victories this past July. Solis’s third victory was a thrilling battle with Argentina’s Leandro Mercado and he won by a mere 0.0008 seconds after 17 exciting laps. Solis and Mercado bumped their way to the finish line, sending the AMA officials to the photo finish image for the second race in a row in the Rookies Cup. “Leandro was faster than me in some corners but I thought I could pass him in turn 11,” said Solis. “We bumped all the way back to the line and we had some elbows out. It was a great race and Leandro did a great job out there. Hopefully, we can put on another good show in September.” Hayden Gillim of Owensboro, Ky., earned his second podium result with a fine third place finish in the first of two Rookies Cup races on that weekend. In his second win at the track in July, Solis had to fight Gillim and Mercado for 17 hard laps to win the contest by just 0.927 seconds — a slightly larger margin than the past Rookies Cup races, which required photo finishes to determine the winner. Solis leads the series point race over Gillum with a 14-point margin with just one race to go. Gillim has risen to challenge Mercado for second place after two consecutive wins at Mid-Ohio and Virginia International Raceway and a second place finish at Road Atlanta. Gillim has a 11 point lead over Mercado. Local riders in the Rookies Cup include Joey Pascarella and Cameron Gish. Pascarella already has some experience on a factory motorcycle racing team, having ridden for the Husqvarna Supermoto team last year. He responded to the opportunity by winning 250 and 450 AMA/NASMOTO National Championships. Now the Vacaville, California resident also has an off-road background and he first raced enduro competition before switching to Supermoto. “I am interested in trying many different styles of motorcycle racing and my goal is to become a champion in all of them,” he says. Shingle Springs, California’s Cameron Gish has a dirt track and Supermoto background. The young motorcycle racer got the itch to begin racing after going to the track with his stepdad. He cites Nicky Hayden, Kenny Coolbeth and Kevin Schwantz as his heroes. Race tickets are available for the Corona AMA Superbike Finale Race by calling (800) 327-SECA or logging onto www.laguna-seca.com or www.ticketmaster.com. Race information is also available at www.redbullrookiescup.com. Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca was established in 1957. The world-renowned raceway has been operated since its inception by the Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (SCRAMP), a not-for-profit 501C(4) corporation. Each race season, SCRAMP donates its net proceeds to the volunteer groups that help put on the races. Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca’s world-class 2008 racing schedule includes the Corona AMA Superbike Finale September 27-28 and the Monterey Sports Car Championships featuring the American Le Mans Series October 17-19.