Former 500cc Grand Prix World Champion Kevin Schwantz, former AMA Supersport and Superbike Champion Jamie James, former WERA National Endurance Champion Michael Martin and a fourth instructor from the Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School (KSSS) will enter the WERA National Endurance series finale October 14 at Road Atlanta.

Schwantz and his team considered riding a GSX-R750 from the Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School fleet, as he and James did in the WERA National Endurance race at the 2004 WERA Grand National Final, but decided to borrow Vesrah Suzuki’s Championship-winning 2004 GSX-R1000 endurance bike for Friday’s race.

“Because it’s a ready-to-go endurance bike,” said Schwantz, when asked about his choice of machinery. “Plus, we really wanted to run 16.5s (-inch wheels), so we can run Michelin’s latest stuff. Actually, Michelin wants us to run 16.5s so we can run their latest stuff.”

Schwantz said the fourth rider on his team will most likely be newly-crowned Triumph Thruxton Challenge Champion Ted Cobb, not Harry Vanderlinden, the KSSS instructor who came up with the original endurance team idea last year.

Considering his machinery and rider line-up, Schwantz was asked if he was under any team orders from Vesrah Suzuki, which is in a tight Championship points battle with Team Velocity Racing.

“They said it’s got a radio on it, and if we hear ‘slow down’…Nah, we’ll be starting at the back of the grid, so we don’t think we’re going to be a threat to the overall race win,” said Schwantz. “But we’re going to get as close to the front as we possibly can and have fun.”