PRO MOTORCYCLE ROAD RACING RETURNS TO ROAD AMERICA FOR THE HONDA SUPERBIKE SHOWDOWN OF WISCONSIN JUNE 3-5

ELKHART LAKE, Wis., May 26, 2016 – America’s fastest production-based road racing motorcycles return to America’s National Park of Speed June 3-5, as the MotoAmerica (AMA/FIM) series comes to Road America for the HONDA Superbike Showdown of Wisconsin.

The fast and flowing 4-mile road course at Road America is one of the most exciting and challenging tracks on the MotoAmerica schedule and will serve as the field of battle for round five of the 2016 MotoAmerica campaign. This year, all eyes will be on four-time Superbike Champion Josh Hayes.

For the past six years, “The Mississippi Madman” has won a whopping total of eight Superbike races at Road America. And every single one of those victories has been aboard the all-conquering Yamaha YZF-R1 Superbike, albeit in two dominant iterations of the iconic machine.

Hayes has won at least one of the two Superbike races at Road America every single year, starting with his breakthrough Saturday victory in 2010. And he also swept both Road America Superbike races for two years in a row, in 2012 and 2013.

So, what is it about Road America? Why is Road America’s 4.05-mile, 14-turn natural road course one of Josh Hayes’ all-time favorite racetracks? “It’s like home to me,” Hayes says. “I’m really comfortable there. It’s got everything I love about racing a motorcycle: top speed, changes in elevation, and hard braking. I like long tracks and fast tracks, and Road America is it for me. I love the place.”

The feeling is mutual. Among a lot of Wisconsin’s motorcycle road racing fans, the always-likeable Hayes is an honorary Cheesehead. In the land of the Green Bay Packers, it’s obvious that people like winners, and Hayes is the Bart Starr, the Brett Favre, and the Aaron Rogers of motorcycle road racing, all rolled into one. He’s a true hero in every way.

While Hayes tops the charts for Yamaha riders who have won at Road America, numbers two and four on the list have all done something that even the all-conquering Hayes has not done at famed circuit. While Hayes has notched all eight of his victories aboard the Yamaha R1 Superbike, Jake Gagne and Cameron Beaubier have each won races aboard both the Yamaha R1 and Yamaha’s middleweight-class road racing overlord, the YZF-R6.

In 2015, Jake got the double-win aboard his RoadRace Factory/Yamaha R1 in MotoAmerica’s Superstock 1000 class, while Cameron won Saturday’s Superbike races at Road America in successive years: 2015 and 2014. Both riders raced the R6 to victory in recent years, as well. Jake carded a double win in AMA Pro Racing’s Daytona SportBike class in 2014, and Jake and Cameron split the victories at Road America in 2013’s two Daytona SportBike races.

Road America’s winningest Yamaha R6 rider is Josh Herrin, who won Saturday’s MotoAmerica Supersport race in 2015, got the double win in AMA Pro Daytona SportBike in 2011, and also won Saturday’s DSB race aboard his R6 back in 2010. Two-time race winners at Road America include Yamaha R6 riders JD Beach (MotoAmerica Supersport in 2015 and AMA Pro Racing SuperSport in 2010) and Travis Wyman (MotoAmerica Superstock 600 in 2015 and AMA Pro Racing SuperSport in 2011).

Four other Yamaha road racers have tasted victory at Road America over the past six years, including last year’s Sunday Superstock 600 race winner Joe Roberts; Stefano Mesa, who won Sunday’s AMA Pro SuperSport in 2012; David Gaviria, who was victorious in Saturday’s SuperSport race in 2011; and Huntley Nash, who won Sunday’s SuperSport race in 2010.

It’s been quite a six-year stretch at Road America for road racers competing aboard Yamaha machinery, and, all indications are that the Yamaha string of success will continue. As the saying goes, success breeds success, and in Wisconsin, Road America bodes well for Yamaha.

The on-track action gets underway at 9 a.m., on Friday, June 3, with practice and first qualifying sessions throughout the day. Final qualifying will take place on Saturday morning starting at 8:30 a.m. The afternoon’s races begin at 1 p.m., and the day will conclude with the KTM RC Cup race at 4 p.m.

Sunday’s schedule starts with warm-up sessions at 8:30 a.m., and the Dunlop Fan Walk/Autograph Session that begins at 10:50 a.m. Sunday’s races start at 12:30 p.m. and the day’s action will conclude at approximately 5 p.m. For detailed race times and a full event schedule fans are encouraged to check out www.roadamerica.com

Off the track, the Road America Motorplex will be open for public karting and stunt rider Bill Dixon will also be performing throughout the weekend in the paddock. Zip Lining is also available at $20 for the first ride and $10 for the second consecutive ride. Anyone interested in encouraged to sign up at the landing tower near Turn 14.

In addition to the racing action, fans with motorcycles are encouraged to pre-register for a unique ‘Salute to Cycles’ on-track riding experience. The Salute to Cycles provides participants with the rare chance to ride the Road America circuit and develop a true appreciation for the undulating road course where pro racers battle it out for glory and fame.

Fans can also check out Suzuki Demo ride opportunities, Family Fun and Strider Adventure Zones, Mini Moto Demo Zones plus the Dairyland Classic flat track races will take place on Friday night in nearby Plymouth, Wis. A detailed Fan Activities schedule is located on the Honda Superbike Showdown of Wisconsin page at www.roadamerica.com

Gates will open to the public each day at 7 a.m., and admission is $90 for the 3-day weekend, $30 Friday, $45 Saturday and $45 Sunday. Anyone 16 years old and under are free with a paying adult at the gate. Any student can show their ID at the gate and get $10 off the ticket price. All races will run rain or shine. A tentative event schedule is available online at www.roadamerica.com

About Road America: Established in 1955 as the first permanent road racing course in the United States, Road America is located midway between Milwaukee and Green Bay in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. The world’s best racers have competed at this legendary four-mile, 14-turn road circuit for over 60 years. The 640-acre, park-like grounds offer amazing viewing opportunities, fantastic concessions and high-speed excitement to hundreds of thousands of spectators each year. In addition to public race weekends, Road America offers a variety of group event programs, the Road America Motorplex for karting and supermoto, and the Road America Motorcycle and Advanced Driving Schools. For more information, visit www.roadamerica.com Follow Road America onwww.facebook.com/RoadAmerica and on Twitter: @roadamerica or call 800-365-7223.