DOUBLE PODIUM WEEKEND FOR DANE WESTBY AT ROAD ATLANTA M4 Broaster Chicken Suzuki’s Dane Westby rounded out a spectacular weekend at Road Atlanta by claiming a second AMA Pro Daytona SportBike podium result in as many days. ‘The Wolverine’ followed a similar script on Sunday as he did on Saturday, carving his way up from sixth to arrive in a podium position. With GEICO Suzuki’s Martin Cardenas again too far out front by the time Westby made his way to third, the Oklahoman turned his attention to defending the spot to the checkered flag. Westby again proved to be a demon on the brakes aboard his Suzuki GSX-R600, allowing him to narrowly secure third at the checkered flag, winning the final dash to the stripe by 0.040 seconds. “I saw the guys racing for the lead getting away again — it was going to be a repeat of yesterday’s race,” Westby explained. “I tried to get around everybody as quickly as possible but the pace was a lot faster today and it wasn’t quite so easy pickings. At that point, I knew it was going to be a battle the rest of the way for third. It was on. “It’s great to get on the podium again. The goal now is to race with Martin. I think I just need a little more experience and seat time to do so. I need to get better starts to I can hang onto him and see what the deal is.” SuzukiScoopFans SportbikeTrackGear.com M4 Suzuki’s Elena Myers was credited with ninth position in Sunday’s AMA Pro SuperSport race. Myers won a close on-track fight for eighth but was penalized one second for “repeatedly cutting the course,” which dropped her one position in the final standings. In reality, all she was doing was dropping her wheels off the track a few inches inside a corner in the esses, because doing so put less pressure on her wrist. So many riders were doing the same thing — including race winners in two other classes and the rider immediately behind Elena in her race — that there was no grass left in that area by the end of the weekend. Yet Elena was the only rider penalized. Still dealing with a mending wrist that was surgically repaired less than a month ago, Myers put in a gritty effort at Road Atlanta and will soon turn her attention to the West Region championship rounds. Team Venezuela’s Robertino Pietri and M4 Broaster Chicken Suzuki’s Chris Ulrich completed the Road Atlanta weekend in Sunday’s 20-lap AMA Pro Superbike final. The two finished one after the other on track with Pietri claiming 11th and Ulrich coming home 12th despite shoulder soreness from an old injury that flared up this weekend. The 2012 AMA Pro Road Racing season will pick back up in two weeks time as the series heads to Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA on May 4-6. More, from a press release issued by Michael Jordan Motorsports: MICHAEL JORDAN MOTORSPORTS BRINGS HOME TWO TOP-FIVE SUPERBIKE FINISHES AT ROAD ATLANTA BRASELTON, GA (April 22, 2012) The Michael Jordan Motorsports (MJM) team celebrated a successful doubleheader weekend at Round Two of the 2012 AMA Pro National Guard Superbike series at Road Atlanta in Braselton, GA this weekend. National Guard Jordan Suzuki rider Roger Hayden carded two impressive top-five finishes, while MJM teammate Ben Bostrom picked up a solid top-10 result. Hayden was the epitome of consistency at Road Atlanta. The Kentucky native shined during qualifying, coming in fourth and capturing a front-row grid position. Then, in both Saturday’s and Sunday’s races, Hayden battled for a podium position on his National Guard Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000 before bringing home two fourth place results. “Two fourths is a little disappointing after being on the podium twice at Daytona,” said Hayden. “At the same time, we made a run for the podium, we finished both races and we learned some stuff. Although fourth place isn’t where we want to be, I feel like I’m riding good and the National Guard Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000 is working great. Hopefully, we can move on to Infineon and get back on the podium.” MJM teammate Ben Bostrom also admitted to some disappointment this weekend, but still put in a commendable effort. In Saturday’s race, Bostrom gave 100 percent, getting a good start on his Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000 and clicking off 20 smooth laps to finish eighth. On Sunday, Bostrom got another good start but suffered a get-off early in the race and was out for the day. “It was really a tough weekend,” said Bostrom. “The Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000 is a lot better than I’ve shown at the first few races. I’ve crashed out of three of four races and that’s unheard of. I usually don’t crash all year, so I’m not doing the bike any favors. I got eighth on Saturday and that’s top 10, but it’s not where I want to be. I’m definitely looking forward to racing at Infineon. I grew up in that area and I like the racetrack, and I think our bike will be racing for first there.” In the 2012 AMA Pro National Guard Superbike Championship series rider points standings, Hayden is currently in third place and Bostrom is in 16th. The Michael Jordan Motorsports team’s next event of the 2012 AMA Pro National Guard Superbike Championship series is at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA, the weekend of May 4 – 6, 2012. ABOUT MICHAEL JORDAN MOTORSPORTS: Legendary NBA star Michael Jordan formed Michael Jordan Motorsports in 2004 as a result of his passion for motorcycle racing. His mission is to bring a new level of excellence and style to the motorcycle racing industry. For more information on MJM, please visit www.23race.com, www.twitter.com/23race and http://www.facebook.com/23race. ABOUT THE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD: The National Guard is the oldest military branch. Today, Citizen-Soldiers hold civilian jobs or attend college while training part time, staying ready to defend America in the event of an emergency. The National Guard serves both state and federal governments. During local emergencies, Guard units assist residents endangered by storms, floods, fires and other disasters. Guard companies deployed overseas may see combat, but are often found building schools and hospitals, training local peacekeepers or teaching local farmers more efficient techniques and better uses of their land. More, from a press release issued by American Suzuki: YOSHIMURA SUZUKI CAPTURES DRAMATIC VICTORY IN ROAD ATLANTA SUPERBIKE RACE Young brings home a win & a podium, teammate Clark notches two top-10s BRASELTON, GA (April 22, 2012) The Yoshimura Suzuki team tasted victory and then some at round two of the AMA Pro Superbike Championship series at Road Atlanta in Braselton, GA, this past weekend. The double-header event saw Yoshimura Suzuki’s Blake Young card a thrilling, come-from-behind win on Saturday and a well-earned podium finish on Sunday, while teammate Chris Clark earned two impressive top-10 finishes. Young came out of the gates swinging on his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000, qualifying in the second spot on the grid. In Saturday’s race, Young got an excellent start and was battling for the lead when he suffered a horrific crash that brought out a red flag. In the face of adversity, the Yoshimura Suzuki crew took immediate action and repaired Young’s badly damaged bike in time for the restart. “When I first hit the ground, I had the wind knocked out of me,” said Young. “But I wanted to get my bike back to the pits as quick as possible so we could get back to the race. The Yoshimura Suzuki guys did a great job putting the bike back together. When I got back on the GSX-R1000, it was”¦ perfect. This weekend definitely showed what our team is capable of under pressure.” Coming from the back of the pack on the restart, Young was ferocious in his charge through the field, gaining approximately 15 positions on the first lap. He went on to race his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 to victory on an awe-inspiring last lap. In Sunday’s race, Young was still recovering from the previous day’s crash and was a little more conservative. But he again got a great start and turned in consistent laps to bring home a solid second place. “This weekend was exciting and I had fun,” said Young. “I think we learned a lot. I was happy with my results and we need to take the confidence from this weekend’s performance to Infineon and get both wins there. Sonoma is a good track for us and I can’t wait to get back there.” Yoshimura Suzuki teammate Clark also enjoyed a successful weekend at Road Atlanta. After qualifying on the second row of the grid, he had solid launches on his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 in both Saturday’s and Sunday’s races. In the former, Clark got off the line clean but struggled midway through the race before taking ninth. In the latter, he ran as high as sixth before finishing 10th for the day. “I have to thank the whole Yoshimura Suzuki team,” said Clark. “This weekend, we got out with some points and we’re not too far from my goal of fifth overall. The Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 is running great and we’re figuring out the best package for me to beat the guys in front of me, and hopefully come out of the season in the top five. Now, we have a few things we’re going to test and a few things we have better knowledge on. So I’m looking forward to going to Infineon and having a good race.” The 2012 Yoshimura Suzuki team’s next event of the 2012 AMA Pro Superbike Championship series is at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA, the weekend of May 4 – 6, 2012. Road Atlanta Superbike Results, Race 1: 1. Blake Young 2. Josh Hayes 3. Josh Herrin 4. Roger Hayden 5. Geoff May 6. Chris Fillmore 7. Steve Rapp 8. Ben Bostrom 9. Chris Clark 10. Danny Eslick Road Atlanta Superbike Results, Race 2: 1. Josh Hayes 2. Blake Young 3. Josh Herrin 4. Roger Hayden 5. Larry Pegram 6. Taylor Knapp 7. Chris Fillmore 8. Steve Rapp 9. Danny Eslick 10. Chris Clark 2012 Superbike Class Standings: 1. Josh Hayes 116 2. Blake Young 110 3. Roger Hayden 78 4. Josh Herrin 60 5. Larry Pegram 59 6. Steve Rapp 58 7. Chris Clark 49 8. Chris Fillmore 45 9. Robertino Pietri 42 10. Geoff May 40 About Yoshimura R&D of America: Yoshimura is “The Leader in Performance” and has been for more than 55 years. With unmatched skills, knowledge, and passion for racing, Yoshimura is on the forefront of the aftermarket exhaust industry. Yoshimura pipes are race bred and feature the same legendary performance, fit and quality that has been their trademark for more than five decades. To learn more about Yoshimura and view their wide variety of performance products, visit www.yoshimura-rd.com. Suzuki: Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) founded The Motorcycle and ATV Division of American Suzuki Motor Corporation (ASMC), Brea, CA, in 1963. ASMC markets motorcycles and ATVs via an extensive dealer network throughout 49 states. ASMC’s parent company, Suzuki Motor Corporation, based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer of motorcycles, ATVs, scooters, automobiles and marine engines. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, it has 120 distributors in 191 countries. For more information visit www.suzukicycles.com. More, from a press release issued by Öhlins USA: Top to Bottom, Öhlins Owns the AMA Superbike Podiums at Road Atlanta Braselton, Georgia: It was Öhlins all the way in AMA Superbike at Road Atlanta, with Josh Hayes, Blake Young and Josh Herrin sharing the podium in each of this weekend’s Big Kahuna AMA Pro Superbike races at the legendary Road Atlanta facility, located just outside Braselton, Georgia. Yoshimura Suzuki’s Young took the win on Saturday, after falling in an incident with Hayes in the fast downhill section of track between turns 11 and 12. Fired up from his fall and being forced to start from the back of the grid, Young ripped through three rows of traffic by turn one and was up to sixth place by turn six, catching the lead pack by turn ten of the first lap following the restart. His eventual pass into the lead, in turn ten, will forever be one of legend, going the long way around the outside as if it were natural, right and easy. Behind him Hayes took second and Herrin nabbed third. On Sunday it was payback from Graves Yamaha’s Hayes, who set an impossible pace with laps timing in below his pole-earning qualifying time from Friday, setting himself seconds clear of all competitors. Young ended up trading wins and second-place finishes with Hayes who won by a margin of more than five seconds, with Hayes’ teammate Herrin again taking third. With one win, pole position and laps-led bonuses, Hayes was the overall winner of the weekend. All told, it was one of the most exciting Superbike weekends, showing again the payoff of parity in racing with today’s AMA. In total, Öhlins riders took 12 of the possible 21 podium positions during the weekend, earning three times as many trophies as any of its competition. For those podiums Öhlins USA also congratulates SuperSport competitor Dustin Dominguez of the Castrol Latus Motors Triumph team, and Dane Westby of the M4 Suzuki team and Tommy Hayden of Yamaha Extended Service Graves Yamaha team, those last two in the Daytona SportBike class. Öhlins USA distributes and services the world’s leading performance suspension components for automobiles, motorcycles, and ATVs. Öhlins develops its proprietary and trend-setting suspension components, steering dampers and oils, at the highest levels of racing from open-wheel car racing, to Moto GP, to off-road competition on two and four wheels. Öhlins USA also provides training for service centers and dealers. Öhlins USA can be contacted at: 828-692-4525; www.Ohlinsusa.com More, from a press release issued by LTD Racing: HUNTLEY NASH BUILDS MOMENTUM AT ROAD ATLANTA FOR LTD RACING Braselton, GA (April 23, 2012) LTD Racing’s Huntley Nash earned two top ten results at Road Atlanta in what was his best weekend yet in the Daytona SportBike class. The AMA Pro SuperSport race winner finished eighth on Sunday to go along with his seventh place on Saturday and ninth in qualifying, showing more promise for the 19-year old. “I had a good weekend at Daytona before we had a mechanical issue in the race, so I assumed I’d be in the same type of position at Road Atlanta fighting with a good group of riders closer to the front,” said Nash. “It felt good to be able to be competitive and I’m happy with it.” “I was consistently in the top ten and only a second or so off pole. I was glad to be near the front. Last year I wasn’t near the top ten. It was a new opportunity for me and I wasn’t able to take full advantage due to an injury that didn’t get fixed until the end of the year,” he continued. Nash broke his ankle in a training accident last winter and raced the season with a metal rod that limited his mobility. The injury, combined with jumping up to DSB, made it hard to duplicate his 2010 form that saw him win three races, lead 58 laps, and take four lap leader bonus points in SuperSport. “I could only move it 20 degrees as opposed to 60 degrees, so when I got the metal taken out I got a lot of the motion back. I could ride the bike better and train harder,” said Nash. “We’re already looking way better.” Sunday saw Huntley start well to get away near the front and he had some good battles inside the top ten. “It was a good race. I was at the tail of the lead pack and racing with some good guys like Jake Gagne and Cory West. At the very end, I had some arm pump so I had to nurse it so I possibly could have done a little better. I think we can be at the front once I fix that.” Nash hopes to continue progressing through the next AMA Pro rounds. “The last time I had a good year, I carried the momentum I got from Road Atlanta and Infineon and then built on that to get some wins, so I’m hoping to qualify on the first and second row at Infineon Raceway and then be competitive in the races and top this one,” he said. Nash’s teammate David Gaviria had improved on his 20th qualifying position and ran in 12th on Sunday before a mechanical issue ended his race early. Sam Nash raced SuperSport for LTD Racing at Road Atlanta as part of his limited schedule. The law school student skipped class on Friday and finished 23rd and 22nd out of the 43 entries. Huntley, David, and LTD Racing will return at Infineon Raceway May 4-6. More, from a press release issued by American Suzuki: TEAM SUZUKISCOOPFANS’ ELENA MYERS GETS IT DONE AT ROAD ATLANTA Myers rallies after surgery to bring home two top-10 finishes BRASELTON, GA (April 23, 2012) Team SuzukiScoopFans SportbikeTrackGear.com Suzuki rider Elena Myers bounced back from surgery last month to turn in a remarkable effort at round two of the AMA Pro SuperSport series at Road Atlanta in Braselton, GA, this past weekend. Although Myers is still on the mend, she nevertheless managed to race her SuzukiScoopFans Suzuki GSX-R600 to two eighth-place finishes during the double-header weekend. Myers injured her wrist last year and finally had surgery to repair the damage a week after she won the 2012 season-opening AMA Pro SuperSport race at Daytona International Speedway in March. Although Myers was somewhat hampered by being on the road to recovery, she still gave it her all in both Saturday’s and Sunday’s races at Road Atlanta. “Overall, the wrist wasn’t giving me pain,” said 18-year-old Myers. “But it didn’t have any strength in it either. So I was having a real hard time getting through the S turns, the fast switchbacks and stuff like that.” With two more full weeks of recovery time in front of her, Myers and the SuzukiScoopFans team are looking forward to improving their performance at the next round. Myers said she’s looking at the Road Atlanta weekend as a learning experience that can be applied to the next event at Infineon Raceway. “We can take some of the things that we learned here to Infineon, which is in a couple of weeks,” said Myers. “They’re pretty similar tracks and I got my first AMA Pro SuperSport win at Infineon in 2010. Overall, the SuzukiScoopFans Suzuki GSX-R600 was running good this weekend and two eighths isn’t too bad, but it’s not how I wanted to come back after a win at Daytona. But I’m still healing and looking for better results at Infineon.” The Team SuzukiScoopFans SportbikeTrackGear.com Suzuki’s next event of the 2012 AMA Pro SuperSport season is at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA, the weekend of May 4 – 6, 2012. About Suzuki: Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) founded The Motorcycle and ATV Division of American Suzuki Motor Corporation (ASMC), Brea, CA, in 1963. ASMC markets motorcycles and ATVs via an extensive dealer network throughout 49 states. ASMC’s parent company, Suzuki Motor Corporation, based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer of motorcycles, ATVs, scooters, automobiles and marine engines. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, it has 120 distributors in 191 countries. For more information, visit www.suzukicycles.com. Follow Suzuki Scoop on facebook for exclusive team content www.facebook.com/suzukiscoopfans. More, from a press release issued by Celtic Racing Orient Express: Rispoli Battles From Pole Position To Finish Second In SuperSport Race Two At Road Atlanta James Rispoli rode his Celtic – Orient Express Racing #1 Suzuki GSX-R 600 to finish in second place in Sunday’s AMA Pro SuperSport race two. Road Atlanta marks two podium finishes and a pole position for Rispoli, in what must be described as a strong weekend despite a red flag that cut short Sunday’s SuperSport race. In a repeat of Saturday’s race one, Rispoli led the large SuperSport field and exchanged the lead repeatedly around the Road Atlanta circuit with the eventual race winner Jake Lewis. The 2012 season now moves west where Rispoli will be able to earn points towards the 2012 AMA Pro SuperSport West championship, and a defense of his 2011 title. National Guard Fairhills Group #5 Suzuki GSX-R 600 rider Corey Alexander’s race ended early on Sunday, when he went down on lap two in the race after getting tangled up with another rider. Alexander suffered some injuries to his left shoulder and has some pain, but has good motion at this stage. With time before the next race in two weeks, everyone remains confident that Alexander will heal quickly and settle back into the front of the SuperSport field where he was at the season opening event at Daytona a month ago. Enthusiasm cannot be tempered by a red flag for Rispoli, he stated “I really had a fun race two battling with Jake. The team did a great job getting me back out there on a new motorcycle after a warm up incident. The #1 Celtic – Orient Express Racing bike was really good, I had just a couple moments during the race but was able to ride a comfortable fast pace. I had just passed for the lead and set my personal fast lap before the red flag came out! Many thanks to my team and crew for doing such a great job all weekend so I could be on the podium twice!” James Rispoli would like to thank his personal sponsors, including: AGV Helmets, Dainese Leathers, Monster Energy, and Techmount. Corey Alexander is already looking ahead to round three at Infineon and said that “Overall this weekend was not what I hoped for. My crew Barry, Mike, and Tim all worked hard to give me a great bike. I felt like we finally got the National Guard Fairhills Group Celtic Racing GSX-R 600 dialed in for Sunday, but got the short end of the stick after a bad start. Hopefully everything checks out and we will be at Infineon.” Corey Alexander’s personal sponsors include: Fairhills Group, Hudson Valley Motorcycle, Spidi Leathers, XPD Boots, and Arai Helmets. Celtic Racing travels to Infineon Raceway in Sonoma California for the third round of the AMA Pro season May 4th-6th, a circuit that is a challenging road course with technical challenges and tremendous history. Celtic Racing was established 2001 by Barry Gilsenan, and over the past 11 seasons has established itself as a premier privateer racing team. Development of riding talent began with two-stroke 125cc, and 250cc machines competing in professional and regional championship events. More recent Celtic Racing efforts have focused on AMA Pro Road Racing in the Daytona SportBike and SuperSport classes with Ducati, Honda, Suzuki, and Yamaha four stroke motorcycles. Gilsenan’s talent for coaching racers of all ages and abilities has brought Celtic Racing worldwide attention and recognition, with many former Celtic Racing riders now competing on World Championship levels. Please join Celtic Racing on Facebook: www.facebook.com/CelticRacing. Both Celtic Racing Suzuki GSX-R 600’s show-case the best in road racing technology. Product support for both machines comes from: Michael Jordan Motorsports, American Suzuki, Armor Bodies, Chicken Hawk Racing, DesignStar3, Dynojet, FMF Racing, Full Spectrum Power, Hudson Valley Racing, Galfer Brakes, GB Racing, K-Tech Suspension, Maxima Oils, Motion Pro, Pit Bull, Riviera Country Club, Saddlemen, Star Motorcycle School, Vortex Racing, XT Racing, and Zero Gravity. ARMY NATIONAL GUARD The National Guard is the oldest military branch. Today, Citizen-Soldiers hold civilian jobs or attend college while training part time, staying ready to defend America in the event of an emergency. The National Guard serves both state and federal governments. During local emergencies, Guard units assist residents endangered by storms, floods, fires and other disasters. Guard companies deployed overseas may see combat, but are often found building schools and hospitals, training local peacekeepers or teaching local farmers more efficient techniques and better uses of their land. Please visit www.nationalguard.com to find out more. FAIRHILLS GROUP Fairhills Group is a New York based alternative investment management firm that manages capital for the Bronson family and other high net worth individuals and wealthy families. Fairhills was established in 2002 for the purpose of providing public companies with alternative forms of financing, eventually becoming one of the most active investors in structured equity transactions. Fairhills has since grown to provide financing solutions to companies globally and recently has opened its doors for the first time to external investors, with a full range of alternative investment fund offerings. For more information on Fairhills, please visit www.fairhills.com. ORIENT EXPRESS Established in 1973, Orient Express is a high performance motorcycle parts and accessories warehouse distributor; offering dyno tuning, engine building services and precision machine work. Orient Express has an extensive history of racing, including support of both professional and amateur race series and individuals. For more information regarding Orient Express, or to find out what Orient Express can do for your racing success, please call 800.645.6521 or 631.231.9552 (NY/International), visit www.orientexpress.com or join them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/OrientExpressRacing. More, from a press release issued by Ducshop Racing: TRIUMPH BIG KAHUNA ATLANTA Braselton, GA (April 23, 2012) Ducshop Racing’s Jake Zemke earned two solid 4th place finishes in Round 2 of the AMA Pro GoPro Daytona Sportbike Series in the Big Kahuna Atlanta at Road Atlanta. After this round, Jake is firmly holding 5th place in the Championship with fifty-one points. Jake qualified the Ducshop Ducati 848 with a 1:29.601, putting him in a great spot on the outside of Row 1 in 3rd position. He made the best of his qualifying spot by taking the holeshot in Race 2 and leading the first laps. Jake Zemke Jake said, “The crew did a great job this weekend, and we are making progress every time we go out. This added weight issue really hurts us, so hopefully the AMA will consider taking a look at it. In race one I had a clutch issue; got a rough start and shuffled back a little”¦had a good battle going with Dane, and then Cory. I told the guys if they could make some adjustments for race two, I knew I could get the hole shot. Dane and I battled it out again and he just edged me at the line by .040. I am really looking forward to Infineon where the Ducati should go good and hopefully we can run closer to the front.” Mark Sutton Crew Chief, Mark Sutton, said, “Jake did a great job throughout the weekend, especially considering he has had no official testing. In addition, AMA regulation requires us to maintain a minimum weight of 380 pounds without fuel. This definitely puts us at a serious disadvantage against the inline 4’s, but we will continue to do everything we can to give him a bike he can take to the front.”