Tommy Hayden Hoping To Race In 2012–Even If It’s Without Yoshimura Suzuki

Tommy Hayden Hoping To Race In 2012–Even If It’s Without Yoshimura Suzuki

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Tommy Hayden has won eight AMA Pro National Guard Superbike races and logged 26 podium finishes during the last two seasons, finishing second in the 2010 Championship and third in the 2011 Championship. But it appears that not even those results were good enough to extend his five-year stint with Yoshimura Suzuki, which has been racing as Rockstar Makita Suzuki since 2008. Yoshimura Suzuki Team Manager Peter Doyle told Roadracingworld.com on Monday that the team was still working on sponsorship deals and had not yet finalized its 2012 season plans. But Doyle also said that the team was only planning to take Blake Young, the 2011 AMA Pro Superbike Championship runner-up, to next week’s Dunlop tire test at Daytona International Speedway. That situation has led Tommy Hayden to shop his services elsewhere. But so far, the results have not been encouraging, Hayden told Roadracingworld.com in a phone interview Monday. “As of today I don’t really have a lot going on, really,” said the 31-year-old rider from Owensboro, Kentucky. “I’m talking to a few people, but everyone’s trying to get their budgets together and deciding what they’re going to do. So nothing real exciting to report. “People are calling and I could race if I want to, but if I don’t think I have a deal that I can win with then I’d rather not do anything, honestly. That’s the biggest thing I’m looking for. I want something somewhere where I can compete for wins,” Hayden said. “I still feel like I’m improving. I don’t feel like I’ve ridden any better in my life,” continued Hayden. “It sucks to be in this position, but I realize I had a lot of good years. I’m not gonna get too bummed out. I’m glad I’m not a 20-year-old kid right now trying to make a career out of it.” Chris Clark may replace Hayden on the Yoshimura Suzuki team for 2012. In 2011, Clark rode for Pat Clark Motorsports, a team owned by his father, Las Vegas beer distributor Pat Clark. Riding a factory-prepped Yamaha YZF-R1 Superbike, Chris Clark logged eight top-10 finishes and a personal best finish of sixth. According to reports, Pat Clark has been working on a deal that will put Chris Clark on the Yoshimura team for 2012. Doyle said he could not confirm those reports and referred Roadracingworld.com to Yoshimura R&D of America Senior Vice President Don Sakakura, who did not immediately return a phone call Monday. At post time, Chris Clark had not returned a phone call seeking comment.

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