Suzuki Named An Official Manufacturer For MotoAmerica Series
Suzuki to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the GSX-R line in 2015
COSTA MESA, CA, APR. 8 – MotoAmerica has announced that Suzuki Motor of America has been named an Official Manufacturer of the 2015 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship. The announcement comes as Suzuki begins celebrating 30 years of GSX-R performance.
In addition to coming on board as an Official Manufacturer, Suzuki’s support of the series will include its fan-favorite Pit Stop events that will be held at special locations near scheduled MotoAmerica races. As part of the relationship, Suzuki will also host major displays of its motorcycles, scooters and ATVs at MotoAmerica events.
“The Suzuki guys were always the hardest to beat during my AMA career,” said MotoAmerica president and three-time 500cc World Champion Wayne Rainey. “The battles with those guys were always tough and they are ones I will never forget. I guess you could say we’ve come full circle as now they are our partners with MotoAmerica and the relationship is one I look forward to. The Yoshimura Suzuki team has always been strong and they are strong again this year. Also, big congrats to Suzuki on their 30th anniversary of the GSX-R.”
Suzuki scored its first AMA Superbike victory in 1977, and remains the all-time leader with 173 wins. The manufacturer earned its first of 13 Superbike Championships in 1979, and today no brand has earned more. Racing Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-Rs, Mat Mladin and Ben Spies earned the manufacturer seven consecutive Superbike titles between 2003 and 2009.
For the 2015 season, the Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing Team includes Roger Hayden and Jake Lewis riding Suzuki GSX-R1000s in the AMA Pro Superbike class. Team Hammer Racing has announced its riders will compete on Suzuki motorcycles for the 2015 MotoAmerica events. The team includes GEICO Suzuki’s Chris Ulrich, who will race a GSX-R1000 in the Superbike class, and M4 Racing’s David Anthony and M4 MPH Racing’s Melissa Paris, with the pair set to race Suzuki GSX-R600s in Supersport.
A natural partner with MotoAmerica, Suzuki’s support of road racing goes deeper than just the top pro ranks. For years, the manufacturer has provided millions of dollars of contingency support to road racers competing in scores of events nationwide.
“Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. has a rich road racing history in the United States and we look forward to our continued support of the sport through our partnership with MotoAmerica,” said Rod Lopusnak, Operations Head, Motorcycle/ATV Sales and Operations. “The launch of Moto America coincides with the 30th anniversary of the iconic Suzuki GSX-R so we look forward to celebrating that milestone though our commitment to racing as well as sponsoring the series.”
About MotoAmerica
MotoAmerica is the new North American road racing series created in 2014. MotoAmerica is an affiliate of KRAVE Group LLC, a partnership that includes three-time 500cc World Champion, two-time AMA Superbike Champion, and AMA Hall of Famer Wayne Rainey, ex-racer and former manager of Team Roberts Chuck Aksland, motorsports marketing executive Terry Karges, and businessman Richard Varner. For more information on MotoAmerica, visit www.motoamerica.com.
About Suzuki
About Suzuki: Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (SMAI) distributes Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Outboard Motors and Automotive Parts and Accessories via an extensive dealer network throughout 49 states. Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer of Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automobiles and Outboard Motors. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, SMC has 147 distributors in 201 countries. For more information, visit www.suzuki.com.