YOSHIMURA SUZUKI’S BLAKE BAGGETT CARDS TOP-10 RESULT AT MONSTER ENERGY CUP DESPITE CRASH
October 20, 2014
LAS VEGAS, NV – New Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing rider Blake Baggett made the most of his first-ever race on the Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450. Making both his Yoshimura Suzuki and premier, 450 class debut at the 2014 Monster Energy Cup at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, NV, on Saturday, Baggett captured a very respectable 10th-place overall finish. Yoshimura Suzuki teammate James Stewart, who won the event last year, did not race.
“On the whole, we’re really happy with Blake’s performance,” said Yoshimura Suzuki Team Manager Mike Webb. “He felt comfortable on the Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450 and he was very competitive, which is pretty impressive considering he was racing a new bike, with a new team and stepping up to the 450 class – all in one event.”
Baggett looked strong from the get-go in the prestigious, one-off Supercross, qualifying fifth for the day on his Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450. In the first of the evening’s three, 10-lap races, the new Yoshimura Suzuki rider got a good launch off the gate and turned smooth, consistent laps to finish a commendable fifth. In the second race, Baggett got a solid top-10 start and was again the picture of consistency, finishing eighth. In the night’s third and final race, however, Baggett came together with another rider off the start and was unable to finish.
“The night was definitely a good learning experience,” Baggett said. “I had some fast lap times in practice and I felt good in the first race. I was able to get a feel for what I need to work on and I was able to keep it nice and steady. In the second race, I felt a little more comfortable on the Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450 and tried to push it a little and catch the guys up front. We had a bit of a mishap in the third race, but all in all it was a good weekend a I learned a lot that I can use as we head into Anaheim 1.”
Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing’s next race is the season-opening round of the 2015 AMA/FIM Supercross Championships on Saturday, January 3 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, CA.
2014 Monster Energy Cup Overall Results:
1. Davi Millsaps
2. Eli Tomac
3. Trey Canard
4. Ryan Dungey
5. Malcolm Stewart
6. Justin Hill
7. Jason Anderson
8. Jake Weimer
9. Justin Barcia
10. Blake Baggett
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.
About Suzuki: Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (SMAI) distributes Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Outboard Motors and Automotive Parts and Accessories via an extensive dealer network throughout 49 states. SMAI’s supplier, Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer of Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automobiles and Outboard Motors. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, SMC has 147 distributors in 201 countries. For more information, visit www.suzuki.com
Team Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing is grateful for the support of their sponsors: Yoshimura R&D, Suzuki Motor of America, Dunlop, Motorex, Showa, Renthal, D.I.D., Excel, Seven, Hinson Clutch Components, Works Connection, Vortex, Matrix, Twin Air, NGK, Mechanix Wear, RG3, Shorai, GET, Moto Tassinari, N-Style, Renegade Fuels, and Renegade Rentals.
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