JORDAN SUZUKI GEARED UP FOR MID-OHIO SPORTS CAR COURSE Aurora, IL Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki rider Aaron Yates, who earned the team’s first AMA Superbike podium finish at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca two weeks ago, looks to continue the momentum and revisit the podium when the Jordan Suzuki team travels to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, August 3-5, 2007. Of the four races remaining in the 2007 AMA Superbike championship, Yates recently said, “They’re all tracks I go really well at. The bikes have been getting better every weekend and hopefully, we can progress from here and finish up in the top three. Since we’re a privateer team, we get no support from factories. So we’re not stuck with parts from Japan to put on the bike (like the factory teams) and I really like that a lot. The Gemini crew is doing a great job in developing the bike. The neat thing about it is that we are open to try different variables. We have lots of options. The GSX-R1000 is an awesome motorcycle. I’m proud to be there, especially representing Michael Jordan’s racing team. It’s been a lot of fun this year.” Yates’ Jordan Suzuki teammate Jake Holden is also hoping for a podium finish. At Mid-Ohio in 2006, Holden earned two top-10 finishes in AMA Superbike, fifth place in AMA Superstock and won the Superbike consolation race in the season finale Superbike Shootout. He has earned two second place finishes this year and is currently 11th in AMA Superstock points. Additionally, Holden competes on his Superstock spec race bike in the AMA Superbike class, where he is 14th in overall points. “I’ve set a goal to win a race this year,” stated Holden. “I just need to put my head down and make it happen.” With two Superbike races and a Superstock race scheduled this weekend, both riders have the opportunity to reach the podium three times during their visit to Lexington, Ohio. Superbike race winners earn 36 valuable points toward the championship. Yates is currently seventh in overall points and only 34 points from the top three. He is also third in Superstock points, with three podium finishes, including the first win for his crew. The Mid-Ohio races will be broadcast on Speedtv.com. For more information on the team, visit the race team website at www.23race.com. 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. More, from a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing: HAYES LOOKING TO BECOME MID-OHIO FORMULA XTREME REPEAT WINNER PICKERINGTON, Ohio (August 1, 2007) Josh Hayes could turn a rare feat this Saturday, Aug. 4, at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Hayes has the chance to become only the second rider to win back-to-back Lockhart-Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Series presented by HMR races at the Lexington, Ohio circuit. After over a month break both the Formula Xtreme and AMA Superstock Series, riders will return to the track this weekend. Hayes, the defending Formula Xtreme champ who rides for Erion Honda, leads that championship comfortably over Attack Kawasaki’s Steve Rapp. Hayes, of Gulfport, Miss., clinched last year’s Formula Xtreme Series title with a victory in the October season finale at Mid-Ohio. He returns to the track this year with a 34-point lead in the series. He knows that having such a big lead can often lead to complacency and he doesn’t want that to happen to him. “A 34-point lead sounds like a lot, but it can go up in smoke in a single race,” Hayes said. “I’m still riding to win races.” Rapp comes into Mid-Ohio ranked second, but he’s feeling the heat from another Erion Honda rider, Aaron Gobert. Gobert took victory in the most recent round in Utah and moved to within 18 points of Rapp in the standings. Gobert became the third rider to win in Formula Xtreme this year, joining Hayes and Rapp. Ohio’s own Larry Pegram is a leading contender in Formula Xtreme. The rider from Pataskala is ranked fourth in the series and already has a podium finish to his credit. He thinks his factory Ducati 749R is perfect for the twisty Mid-Ohio circuit. “I’m going to Mid-Ohio to win, simple as that,” Pegram said boldly. If Pegram holds true to his promise it would mark his first Formula Xtreme victory and the first for Ducati. Yoshimura Suzuki’s Ben Spies, who made his pro debut at Mid-Ohio back in 2000, also has a solid series lead in AMA Superstock Series presented by Dynojet ahead of Graves Yamaha’s Ben Bostrom. Spies, has been nearly unbeatable in AMA Superstock competition this year aboard his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000. He comes into Mid-Ohio carrying a four-race winning streak in Superstock. The last time a rider won five in a row was in 1999 when Tom Kipp won five straight in the class then known as 750 Supersport. “I’m putting a lot of effort into winning Superbike so at most of the races I don’t have the time on my Superstock bike that I’d like to have,” Spies said. “The bike is working really well right now so it’s making it a lot easier to go out and do well. I know it’s going to be tough to keep winning with the way guys like Geoff [May], Aaron [Yates] and Ben [Bostrom] are riding. Spies tied the legendary Fred Merkel for seventh on the all-time AMA Superstock wins list at Utah. He could take sole possession of that spot with a victory this weekend. Bostrom took over second place in the standings with a runner up finish in Utah. “I’m going to keep plugging away,” Bostrom said. “My Yamaha R1 is incredible and we keep getting better each race, but it seems like Spies keeps stepping it up every time out as well.” Jordan Suzuki’s Aaron Yates will be another rider to watch at Mid-Ohio. He’s won the race twice before and is feeling especially confident after his outstanding Superbike performance at Laguna Seca. The Lockhart Phillips Formula Xtreme and AMA Superstock races are part of Mid-Ohio’s Honda Super Cycle Weekend presented by Dunlop Tire. This is the 25th edition of the popular race and it draws fans from all across the Midwest. The AMA Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Series presented by HMR and AMA Superstock Series presented by Dynojet races will be televised on Speed TV on Tuesday, Aug. 7, at 1:00 pm eastern. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling 1-800-MID-OHIO or go online to purchase them at www.midohio.com. More, from a press release issued by Team Hayes Racing: Taylor Knapp to race Team Hayes Racing Yamaha R6 at Mid Ohio Nineteen year old AMA regular Taylor Knapp will race a Yamaha YZF-R6 for Team Hayes Racing in the Formula Xtreme event at the Mid Ohio AMA National on 3-4 August 2007. Taylor scored a 12th place in the last round of the Formula Xtreme Championship at Miller Motorsports Park riding a Supersport spec Kawasaki ZX-6R and is looking forward to riding the full Formula Xtreme spec R6. Team Hayes Racing acquired the R6 from the Yamaha factory last month and this was one of the R6’s raced by the Yamaha team in the 2006 AMA Formula Xtreme championship. Taylor will be running 16.5” Pirelli tires on the motorcycle and will be supported by Ray C’s Extreme and Hotbodies Racing. Taylor scored a 10th place in AMA Supersport at last year’s Mid Ohio event and is looking forward to racing the FX bike at his favorite circuit. He will also be contesting the AMA Supersport event on his Kawasaki ZX-6R. For more information on Team Hayes Racing and the sponsors who support the team check out www.teamhayesracing.com