From a press release issued by Proforma:

EMPIRE RACING SUZUKI POWERS UP FOR FONTANA

Empire Racing Suzuki heads into round two of the AMA Chevrolet Superbike Championship at California Speedway in Fontana, CA this weekend with confidence after their solid performances in three different classes during Bike Week at Daytona. After running essentially stock production motorcycles at Daytona, the team has had almost a full month of bike development on their 2004 Suzuki GSX-R600s and GSX-R1000s, which will help riders Opie Caylor and Lee Acree be even more competitive at the front of the fields. Team engine builder Grant Matsushima is well-known for producing class-winning performance.

“I can’t wait to get back to Fontana,” said Caylor, who has qualified on the front row of the Superstock class at California Speedway the last two years. “I went out and tested at Fontana earlier in the month, and it went really well. Grant and I were able to get a lot of things sorted out for the race weekend, like gearing, tires and stuff. Plus, I’ve been training like crazy since I got back, so I’m ready to go!”

“The bikes were good at Daytona, but they’re gonna be so much better at Fontana,” said Acree. “We’ve had a chance to catch our breath and really focus on engine and chassis development. My 600 was showroom stock at Daytona, so I’m looking forward to having a full-tilt motor from Grant in there for Fontana. I think our 1000s were pretty conservative for Daytona as well, so Opie and I should be right there at the front on those, too.”

Both Lee and Opie will ride their GSX-R1000s in the Repsol Superstock class, as well as in both rounds of the Superbike class, where they currently sit fifth and eight in points, respectively. Lee will also compete in the Pro Honda Oils Supersport event, where he finished 12th at Daytona.


More, from another press release issued by Proforma:

HAS/SHOGUN BACK ON TRACK AT FONTANA

After separating his shoulder at Daytona a month ago, HAS/Shogun Racing rider Heath Small is fit and ready to race at round two of the AMA Chevrolet Superbike Championship at California Speedway in Fontana, CA this weekend, April 2-4. Heath will compete in both the Pro Honda Oils Supersport and Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme classes over the three day event on the team’s Yamaha R6 machines.

“I’d say my right shoulder is about 85 to 90 percent, but it’s getting better every day'” said Small. “I’m pretty familiar with this injury, actually, because I’ve separated my left shoulder three times in the past when I played football, but this is the first time for my right one. I’ve been rehabbing it myself and riding my bicycle a lot. I’m ready”.


More, from yet another press release issued by Proforma:

MILLENNIUM TECHNOLOGIES SUZUKI HEADS WEST TO CALIFORNIA

With solid results at the first round of the AMA Chevrolet Superbike Championship in Daytona, Millennium Technologies Suzuki riders Shawn Higbee and Danny Eslick head to California Speedway in Fontana, California this weekend, April 2-4, for round two of the series. Higbee finished 11th in the Repsol Superstock final at round one in Daytona, and is looking to better that result at Fontana, while also competing in both rounds of the Chevrolet Superbike class at the event on his Suzuki GSX-R1000. Eslick comes to Fontana after a 16th place finish at Daytona in his first-ever Pro Honda Oils Supersport class competition.

“I’m really looking forward to riding Superbike at Fontana,” said Higbee of Big Bend, Wisconsin, who finished sixth in the 2003 AMA Superbike Championship and earned the 2003 AMA Top Superbike Privateer award. “We’ll get more track time, which will help a lot. We just weren’t able to work through everything we wanted to try at Daytona. I know we can make the bike better at Fontana, plus we’ll be on regular tires, compared to Daytona. I’ve been working out, doing some light fitness at my home gym, plus I’ve been doing some snowmobiling, that really helps.”

Eslick will also pull double duty at Fontana, competing in the Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme class as well as Supersport. “Fontana was my first-ever AMA National last year, so I’m looking forward to going back,” said Danny, the 17-year-old from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. “I’ve been hanging out with Jason Pridmore for the last week. I did a STAR School at Laguna, then I caddied for Jason at a golf tournament in Ventura that he ended up winning. Jason shot a 67 the second day, so I guess he could teach me some golf stuff as well as motorcycle racing! We’ve been going to the gym and riding bicycles, it’s been a lot of fun, but I’m ready to go racing!”