Hero’s Homecoming For Three-Time SuperBike Champ Josh Hayes This Weekend At NOLA Cypress, CA October 3, 2012 After winning his third-consecutive AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike Championship a little less than two weeks ago at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Florida, Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha’s Josh Hayes will undoubtedly receive a hero’s welcome at NOLA Motorsports Park in New Orleans, Louisiana, this weekend. NOLA is about a 90-minute drive from Gulfport, Mississippi, which is Josh’s hometown, and the new venue will host the 12th and final round of the GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing season on its 16-turn, 2.75-mile natural road course. Along with an army of family and friends from the area, Josh will be joined by the rest of the Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha team, as well as all the riders and crewmembers from the Yamaha Extended Service/Graves/Yamaha team. MONSTER ENERGY/GRAVES/YAMAHA: HAYES & HERRIN Other than Josh Hayes’ homecoming, the biggest news for the Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha team going into this weekend–and it’s not good news–is the unfortunate absence of Josh’s rookie SuperBike teammate Josh Herrin. As was previously announced, Josh injured his left shoulder when he crashed a dirt tracker while training this past Saturday. He suffered a third-degree separation of the AC joint in his shoulder, which was precisely the same injury that Tommy Hayden sustained to his right shoulder in his crash at New Jersey. Josh had surgery on Tuesday to repair and stabilize the joint, and he is unable to make the trip to New Orleans. He’s resting comfortably but is understandably disappointed that he won’t be racing his #2 Yamaha YZF-R1 this weekend. Josh said, “We had a good test here in June, and I was really looking forward to racing at NOLA, especially since it’s our first AMA Pro race at the track. But, I just had the surgery on my shoulder on Tuesday, and I don’t want to risk doing any further damage. I hate that my rookie season was cut short by one round. I wanted to finish out the season on a high note and keep myself in the top three in points. Plus, the fans at the NOLA test in June were so great, and I really wanted to come back and race for them.” And so, Josh Hayes will go it alone in Cajun Country as he tries for his 11th pole position of the season followed by his 15th and 16th race wins on the year. “This is the closest track to home for me on the AMA Pro Road Racing schedule,” Josh said. “There are a bunch of people from the Gulfport area who are coming out to see me race. The last thing I want to do is disappoint them or my team, so I’ll be trying hard to put on a good show for them and come away with both wins. There’s no let up in me at all, that’s for sure.” YAMAHA EXTENDED SERVICE/GRAVES/YAMAHA: BEAUBIER, HAYDEN & GERLOFF Cameron Beaubier, the 19-year-old sensation who has captivated the AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike series this season, will be looking to add another two wins to the six victories that he’s notched in his last nine starts. Aboard his #6 Y.E.S./Graves/Yamaha YZF-R6, Cameron has been on the podium in all 12 of the DSB races he’s finished this season, so he’s looking forward to keeping that streak alive this weekend. As for Cameron’s teammate Tommy Hayden, there’s very good news to report on the likable Kentuckian. Tommy has been rehabbing like a man possessed since suffering a concussion, broken foot, rib injuries, and a third-degree separated shoulder in Sunday’s DSB Race Two at New Jersey Motorsports Park a little less than a month ago. Miraculously, he’s fit and will be back aboard his signature #22 Y.E.S./Graves/Yamaha R6 this weekend as he looks to finish strong in the final two races of the season. Garrett Gerloff, the third member of the Y.E.S./Graves/Yamaha team, will be competing in the AMA Pro Motorcycle-SuperStore.com SuperSport series aboard his #96 Y.E.S./Graves/Yamaha R6. Garrett is looking forward to making the relatively short trip up to New Orleans from his home in Katy, Texas, in order to race on the new circuit. TUNE INTO SPEED TV NOLA is your last chance of the season to catch AMA Pro motorcycle road racing live and in person, so don’t miss it. However, if you can’t make it to New Orleans this weekend, be sure to watch all the exciting racing action on Speed TV. For the exact days and times of the telecasts, check your local listings, or go to www.SpeedTV.com for more information. FOLLOW THE YAMAHA U.S. ROAD RACING TEAMS ON FACEBOOK For news, results, and other team info, be sure to check out Yamaha’s Facebook page.