TEAM SUZUKI STANDS OUT IN COLORADO, WISCONSIN, AND SPAIN
June 7, 2016
RACE WEEKEND AT A GLANCE
Suzuki racers scored another outstanding weekend in this 2016 season, adding to a rich performance resume with victories and top results across the globe from Colorado to Catalunya. Highlights:
- Ken Roczen scoring a commanding 1-1 performance on his Soaring Eagle/Jimmy Johns/Suzuki Factory Racing RM-Z450 to earn victory in Lucas Oil Pro Motocross in Lakewood, Colo.
- M4 SportbikeTrackGear.com Suzuki’s Valentin Debise earning the win in MotoAmerica Supersport action in Elkhart Lake, Wis.
- Roger Hayden and Toni Elias both grabbing 2nd-place MotoAmerica Superbike finishes in Wisconsin.
- A victory for Obermeyer/MCS Racing Suzuki’s Ricky Russell in the Crossroads Racing Series.
- Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing’s fill-in rider Matt Bisceglia making his 450 Pro MX debut and earning a solid top-10 result.
- Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Maverick Viñales scoring a strong fourth in MotoGP at Catalunya.
- Three Suzuki amateur motocross racers punched their tickets to Loretta Lynn’s.
Roczen & Suzuki RM-Z: A Mile High in Colorado
RCH Suzuki’s Ken Roczen has now scored five victories in six motos in the 2016 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship on his race-winning Suzuki RM-Z450. His perfect 1-1 this weekend at the Thunder Valley National in Lakewood, Colo., gave him his second overall victory of the season and a 12-point lead in the 450 Class Championship.
"My day was great. I grabbed an awesome start in the first moto and never looked back. I just rode a smooth race with minimal mistakes," said Ken Roczen. "We went into the second moto with a strong mentality. Going 1-1 is a great thing headed into the off weekend. I'm really excited for the rest of the season."
Yoshimura Suzuki Fill-in Bisceglia Scores Strong Debut
Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing’s replacement rider Matt Bisceglia made a strong debut in his first 450 class national by earning a solid eighth overall aboard the Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450 in Lakewood.
“I couldn’t be happier with my day,” Bisceglia said after the races. “I had to fight for both finishes. It was my first race on a 450 since my amateur days, so it was great to get eighth overall my first time out. I can’t thank the team enough for giving me this opportunity.”
Debise Scores Supersport Victory on Suzuki GSX-R600
Frenchman Valentin Debise broke through Sunday in Supersport race two at Road America to earn his first MotoAmerica Supersport victory on the M4 SportbikeTrackGear.com Suzuki GSX-R600. His teammate Cameron Petersen also grabbed a podium finish in race one.
“My plan was to stay in second for most of the race,” Debise explained. “At the end I knew I had a place to overtake at the beginning of the lap, so I did it. Then I pushed hard to make a gap so he could not pass me before the finish line. My plan worked well and I got this first win, so thanks to Suzuki and my team.”
Hayden, Elisa, GSX-R1000 on Podium at Road America SBK
Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing’s Roger Hayden and Toni Elias came away from Elkhart Lake, Wis., each having earned podium finishes aboard their Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000s. Hayden finished second in race one and Elias did the same in race two. Both riders are still very much in the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship hunt.
“Both races went really good,” Hayden said. “The team gave me a great bike for the races. I was up there battling for the win in both and I’m happy with that. I can’t remember the last time we had four riders battling for a Superbike win.”
“I fought in the final meters and took second," said Elias after the race and his strong bid for the lead on the final lap. "It was good for the points. We are alive in the championship and I think we are working really well.”
Great MotoGP Result for Team Ecstar Suzuki's Vinales in Spain
Maverick Viñales turned in yet another strong outing by finishing fourth aboard the Team Suzuki Ecstar GSX-RR in round seven of the MotoGP World Championships at Catalunya. Viñales is currently ranked fifth in the world championship standings.
“I’m happy with the final result of the race,” Viñales said. “We still have room for improvement, but overall I can say I’m happy with this fourth place; it’s a good way to remember my friend Luis Salom who passed away on Friday.”
Russell Wins on Obermeyer/MCS Racing RM-Z450
With the off week for the GNCC Series, Ricky Russell wanted to keep sharp and entered and won the Crossroads Racing Series event in Bedford, Ky., on his Obermeyer/MCS Racing Suzuki RM-Z450.
“The track conditions were very challenging,” Russell explained, “but my Suzuki RM-Z450 was able to make it up the hills without any issues."
Suzuki Amateur MX Racers in Action
Suzuki Amateur MX racers Ashton Hayes (pictured above), Nikko Capps, Crockett Myers and TJ Rios all had excellent weekends of racing. Hayes, Capps and Myers all punched their tickets to the Amateur National MX Championship at Loretta Lynn’s with strong performances aboard their RMs and RM-Zs. Rios competed in the Florida Georgia Series in the Supermini Class and went 1-1 for 1st overall.
Coming up:
Team Suzuki riders will be back in action next weekend with MotoAmerica heading directly to Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Ala., on June 10-12, while the GNCC Series gets back underway in Odessa, N.Y. The Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship will observe its first break of the 2016 season next weekend before returning to action on Saturday, June 18 in Mt. Morris, Pa.
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