HOME COOKIN’ FOR TEAM FOREMOST PEGRAM RACING DUCATI AT MID-OHIO SPORTS CAR COURSE This weekend’s AMA Pro American Superbike event at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is the home race for Ohio-based Larry Pegram and the Foremost Insurance backed Ducati team. When partnered with his Ducati 1098R Superbike, the Baltimore, Ohio native has been remarkably competitive in 2009, from running at the front in the season opener in Daytona to qualifying on the front row at the last event at Laguna Seca. Pegram, a winner at Road America last month, is excited to return to action at the 2.4-mile circuit near Lexington, Ohio. “Hey, it’s my home race so Mid-Ohio is always important to me and the team. Everyone that supports us is going to be out there rooting for us so of course we want to put on our best performance,” said Larry. “I always seem to do pretty well at Mid-Ohio and it’s a good riders’ track, for sure. We’re also disappointed about how the Laguna Seca race went. We could have done really well but I got taken out on the first lap. My leg should be 100% for Mid-Ohio, though. After the win at Elkhart, our confidence is high and we’re really excited for the races at Mid-Ohio.” Pegram showed his mettle in the Laguna Seca race when he was knocked down by another rider’s crash on the first lap. Despite a leg injury and being forced to start at the rear of the field, Larry charged back to tenth place and more valuable points. In their first season back in Superbike racing, Pegram and his Ducati team are a solid fourth in the season’s point standings. There will be a 21-lap, 50-mile race on Saturday and Sunday. More, from a press release issued by Celtic Racing: Celtic Racing and OrientExpress.com Anticipating Strong Results Winter Garden, Florida ( July 16, 2009)–Worldly recognized Celtic Racing is bound for the Honda Super Cycle weekend presented by Dunlop Tires at Mid Ohio race course July 17-19. The team will be well supported through Orientexpress.com. Known for bringing international talent to the series, Celtic Racing’s owner Barry Gilsenan is more than satisfied with Irishman Michael Laverty thus far. Most recently, the team celebrated a second place finish at Road America during the first race of the double header weekend. “Right from the start, I was pleased with Michael’s performance. His talent has made the series full of surprises for our team, for which I am elated,” adds Barry Gilsenan Although Laverty is a past British Supersport champion, his experience in the states is not plenty. He has however had the opportunity to test the track prior to race day, providing some experience before show time. ” This is the first American race that I have had some seat time prior to the event. I am hoping that may help in the feature. The track is a bit more tight than that of the previous race, but at least I will know where I am going. I am anticipating a good finish,” notes Michael Laverty. Celtic Racing partnered with Orientexpress.com this year, and focused their efforts on the East Coast rounds including Daytona, Barber, Road America, and now Mid Ohio. Laverty will also enter the following three rounds at Topeka Kansas, Alton Virginia, and Millville New Jersey under the Celtic banner in hopes to end their season in the top ten point’s series. More, from a press release issued by Paradigm Racing: Paradigm Racing is returning to the track for Round 8 of the 2009 AMA Pro Racing Daytona SportBike Series. Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is the scene for the Honda Super Cycle presented by Dunlop Tires. The weekend kicks off this Friday, July 17 and wraps up on Sunday, July 19. The upcoming event weekend will feature the debut of a new rider for the team. Current and two time AMA Moto-GT National Champion Ty Howard has made the move to the team and is excited by what the future may hold. “I’m really looking forward to working with Perry and the rest of the Paradigm crew. They have proven in 2009 to be a very professional team with the ability to be really competitive on a consistent basis,” Howard said. Howard brings with him a new, outside of the industry, sponsor to the team by partnering with Comedy Defensive Driving School. “We are really excited at having a rider the caliber of Ty joining the team. Ty is a veteran with a lot of experience and a good bit of seat time at Mid-Ohio. On top of that he really enjoys the track so we are all looking forward to this weekend’s races,” said Melneciuc. Rider Damian Cudlin is eager to get back on the Paradigm Racing Yamaha R6 following a bit of time off. Cudlin is looking for another solid weekend despite being completely new to the track. “Racing at Mid-Ohio will be another new challenge for me, but I’m excited to get out there on the Paradigm R6 and get amongst it,” Cudlin said. For more information about Comedy Defensive Driving School please visit: www.comedydefensivedriving.com For more information on Paradigm Racing please visit: www.paradigmracing.net or follow the team on Twitter at www.twitter.com/paradigmracing More, from a press release issued by Ridersdiscount.com: RidersDiscount.com Previews AMA Mid-Ohio Honda Super Cycle Weekend RidersDiscount.com heads to Mid-Ohio with newly-signed World Supersport rider #83 Russell Holland for his first entry into AMA American Superbike aboard the RidersDiscount.com 2009 Yamaha YZF-R1. The 25-year-old Australian has only seen three tracks so far in the United States, two of which, Barber and Road Atlanta, were during his 2004 Suzuki World Cup campaign where he won in the 750 class. Having only recently tested in the WERA National at Grattan Raceway the previous weekend, the team still has a lot of work to do so Russell can ride at his best. The 2006 Australian Superbike runner up (and first privateer) is looking forward to developing the R1 into a potent racebike at yet another track he’s never before seen. To help, Dwayne McCracken from Moto Edge Performance will head up Russell’s effort as crew chief for the team, bringing his years of AMA and World Superbike experience with him. RidersDiscount.com will provide the YZF-R1, equipment and support crew for the weekend. Russell Holland: “I’m excited to ride another new track though I’m a little bit nervous about the competition because I haven’t any idea of where we’re going to be. Coming from Grattan, we have a lot of work to do to find that comfortable feeling with the bike – to feel at home on it. This weekend will definitely force us to get things sorted out quicker and seeing other competitors on different bikes should help us out too. As far as my approach to the weekend goes, I’m going to try to make the most of every single lap just to see what we can do. I’ve got a totally open mind about the whole thing. By the end of the weekend, I’d like to be challenging some factory bikes.” Russell Holland would like to thank OGK Helmets, Berik Race Suits and W2 boots for their continued support at Mid-Ohio. Kent Gormat, President RidersDiscount.com: “We’re doing this to show our level of commitment to roadracing by bringing in some fresh talent and having some fun while we’re at it. Before starting RidersDiscount.com, we competed for many years in AMA 250 GP and 600 Supersport classes. We really missed the challenge of racing, so we decided to put a team together and see what we could do.” About RidersDiscount.com – Founded four years ago by former AMA pro racers, RidersDiscount.com is a motorcycle apparel, parts, and accessories store that provides Taylor Knapp and Russell Holland with equipment and crew support at various WERA and AMA events for the 2009 season.