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Yamaha Extended Service/Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha Miller Dynojet Pro Sportbike Recap

Yamaha Extended Service/Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha Miller Dynojet Pro Sportbike Recap

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From a press release release issued  by Yamaha Extended Service/Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha:

Tandem In Tooele As Garrett Gerloff Wins Pro Sportbike Championship With A Race Win At Miller Motorsports Park; Teammate JD Beach Finishes Second In Race, Third In Championship

Tooele, UT – May 25, 2014 – They say you never forget your first professional championship, and for Yamaha Extended Service/Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha rider Garrett Gerloff, his first Pro Sportbike title came at the young age of 18. Garrett won today’s 20-lap race at Miller Motorsports Park in dominant fashion, stretching out a lead of more than 11 seconds by the time he took the checkered flag to wrap up the Pro Sportbike Championship in the GEICO Motorcycle Superbike Shootout Presented By Yamaha.

Garrett’s teammate JD Beach had his best finish of the Superbike Shootout series. He got a great start off the front row of the grid and led for part of the first lap until Garrett passed him. JD remained safely in second place for the remainder of the race.

After the win and wrapping up the championship, Garrett said, “I thought I got a good jump at the start, but JD got by me on the first lap. I really wanted this championship, and I worked hard to build a lead so that I didn’t have to fight so hard towards the end of the race. I’m excited to win my first pro national championship for my team. They’ve worked tirelessly to give me the best bike out there.”

“Race starts have always been a strong point for me because of my dirt track background where the starts are critical,” JD commented. “I knew that Garrett was going to be fast, so I knew I needed to get a good start and try to stay up front. Garrett got past me, and I just tried to stay with him as best I could. To finish second is a great feeling, and I have to thank my team so much for all their hard work.”

Next weekend, the Y.E.S./Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha team will be back in action as the AMA Pro Road Racing season resumes with the Subway SuperBike Doubleheader at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.

Tune In To MAVTV For The Arai Pacific Nationals Pro Sportbike Race

Today’s Pro Sportbike race was taped for airing later on MAVTV. Log on to www.MAVTV.com for the exact time and channel, and don’t miss it!

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Chris Ulrich

Zemke, Ulrich Ready To Race At GEICO Motorcycle Superbike Shootout In Utah

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From a press release issued by GEICO Motorcycle Road Racing:

TOOELE, Utah (May 24) — Road racing veteran Jake Zemke will contest the third and final leg of the GEICO Motorcycle Superbike Shootout from the No. 6 spot on the Pro Sportbike starting grid after qualifying with a best lap of 1:31.963 Saturday at Miller Motorsports Park.

Chris Ulrich, Zemke’s teammate on the GEICO Motorcycle Honda team, one-upped his friend with a fifth-best time of 1:29.385 in Pro Superbike.

It was a decent result for the team, considering both riders had less track time than they had hoped as morning rain and cool temperatures kept everyone in the pits during a scheduled early-morning practice session. In the end, most riders used just one practice period to prep for the lone qualifying round.

“We certainly were a bit limited by time today,” Zemke said. “No one even went out this morning because it was wet, and that probably hurt all of us a bit. I know for us qualifying really didn’t quite work out like we had hoped. We took a couple steps back, actually, after making some changes to the rear shock that didn’t pan out.

“We didn’t get our best run in there today but we’re still on the second row for the race, and I think we’re going to be OK. It’s not like we’re a mile behind the guys in front of us. We’ll work on the bike tonight and try to improve it for race day. We do have one more practice session in the morning and although it will probably be a bit cooler, we’ll be able to work on some things. I’d personally like to have the bike turn a little better. I have complete confidence in the guys. They’ll have this thing ready to race.”

Ulrich tempered his enthusiasm after qualifying inside of Row 2, pointing out that a few of the tour regulars had skipped this race to prep for next weekend’s AMA Pro event at Road America. Still, he was very pleased with the progress of his team’s efforts.

“It’s encouraging because we closed the gap on a lot of really good bikes that had put time on us in the first two rounds of the GEICO Motorcycle Superbike Shootout,” Ulrich said. “We went home and found some thing with the forks that needed changing and it’s helped quite a bit. I have a lot more confidence with the front of the bike.

“We made another change between practice and qualifying today and it didn’t feel as good but we were quicker. We closed right up on the guys in front of us and even passed a few, so we’re encouraged by that, not only for this race but for next weekend and beyond.

“I think we can make this latest configuration more comfortable and stay just as quick. I’m a comfort rider; I like to feel good when I’m riding. If I feel good I’m able to push harder.”

The Dynojet Pro Sportbike race will begin at 2:25 p.m. MT, Sunday, immediately followed by the RaceFuelZ Pro Superbike race at 3:10 p.m. Both races are slated for 18 laps each.

Triumph's Fong Tied For Dynojet Pro Sportbike Championship Lead Heading Into Finale Of GEICO Motorcycle Superbike Shootout

Triumph’s Fong Tied For Dynojet Pro Sportbike Championship Lead Heading Into Finale

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From a press release issued by Triumph Motorcycles America:

Pro Flat Track at Springfield Mile; Pro Road Racing at Miller Motorsports Park

ATLANTA (May 22, 2014) – Race fans have a lot to cheer about this Memorial Day weekend with a full schedule of Pro Flat Track and Pro Road Racing action. The AMA Pro Flat Track series’ Grand National division begins its season at the Illinois State Fairgrounds’ Springfield Mile while the GEICO Motorcycle Superbike Shootout holds its final round at Tooele, Utah’s Miller Motorsports Park.

Shayna Texter, the first female to win an AMA Pro Singles main event, makes her Grand National debut with the #25A Latus Motors Racing/Castrol/Triumph team. Former Grand National Champion Joe Kopp, 13th on the all-time Grand National win list, is her Team Manager.

“Our pre-season tests went well and I can’t wait to race the Triumph,” said Texter. “I love going to Springfield. It’s a fun high speed track and a great place to start the season.”

MIkey Martin returns for his third year with the #91 Bonneville Performance/Castrol/ Triumph, fully recovered from a broken left leg at the year’s first Singles race at Daytona.

“I’m fully healed and ready to race,” said Martin. “Breaking my leg at Daytona made me more determined and focused than ever before.”

Both teams will appear at a Friday, May 23, Meet-and-Greet at Motoworks Chicago Triumph from 5:00pm to 8:00pm. The Triumph dealership will then host a group ride on Saturday, May 24, to Springfield for Sunday’s races. To participate, arrive at the Motoworks Chicago at 9:00am for a 10:00am departure.

Texter and Martin also will participate in the filming of the new “On Any Sunday, The Next Chapter” movie. Filmed by director Dana Brown, son of director Bruce Brown who helped create the original 1971 “On Any Sunday” movie, the new feature film aims to give the same insider look at motorcycle racing as the original by sharing the heartfelt stories and passions of real-life riders.

Bobby Fong and the #50 Latus Motors/Castrol/Triumph pro road racing team will arrive at Miller Motorsports Park tied for the lead in the GEICO Motorcycle Superbike Shootout’s DynoJet Pro Sportbike class. Fong won the opening round of the three-race Shootout from the pole at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif. Fong, and finished second in a hard fought battle at the Arai Pacific Nationals at Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, Calif.

“The Latus Motors team has great momentum going into the final round of the Shootout,” said Fong. “We have one goal, and the team feels really good going into this weekend.”

The Superbike Shootout series is modeled after the successful British Superbike series. Event organizers work with AFM, WERA Motorcycle Roadracing, Utah SBA, and Fastrack Riders to host each race weekend.

About Triumph

Triumph Motorcycles is the British motorcycle marque that produces a wide range of sport, cruiser, adventure and touring motorcycles. From the storied Bonneville to the class-leading Speed Triple and Daytona 675R, Triumph offers a blend of design, character and performance that result in truly distinctive motorcycles. First established in 1902 and now located in Hinckley, Leicestershire, England, Triumph has always set the pace for category-winning machines. The company is solely owned by Bloor Holdings Ltd., and its North American operations are based in Atlanta. To see the full range of Triumph motorcycles visit TriumphMotorcycles.com.

Jake Zemke

Zemke, Ulrich and GEICO Motorcycle Team To Build On Sonoma

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SALT LAKE CITY (May 21) — After a crash in Sonoma, GEICO Motorcycle Honda SportBike rider Jake Zemke is looking for redemption when he makes his way to the third round of the GEICO Motorcycle Superbike Shootout at Miller Motorsports Park, May 24-25, in Salt Lake City.

“The last round of the Superbike Shootout was a tough pill for us to swallow,” Zemke said. “As a team we really felt like we were making progress and moving in the right direction. Accidents happen and I know that. It’s just hard to be in such a great position and then have the day end, not only early but with a wrecked bike as well.

“Sonoma is in the past though. The entire GEICO Honda team has worked nonstop to get us ready and competitive for the last round in Salt Lake City. I feel like we have a great chance to go out there and redeem ourselves. That’s all I can really ask for at this point.”

While Zemke’s teammate, GEICO Motorcycle Honda American SuperBike rider Chris Ulrich, had a better weekend in Sonoma, he really wasn’t satisfied with his overall performance and is ready to try his luck on a track he has seen before.

“It’s going to be a fun event,” Ulrich said. “The race is on a little bit different course than most of the guys are used to, but I’ve been there before in the past, which should help. The racetrack has some of the faster, more fun sections included, which should make for some good racing. I definitely would like to not only improve on my finishing position from Sonoma but work on decreasing the gap between the leaders as well.

“We found some things on the bike after Sonoma that just weren’t right and caused us problems all weekend. We think we have that figured out now, and I’m ready to get on a bike again and make progress from there. I look forward to finishing out the Superbike Shootout Series with a strong effort and then move on to the rest of the AMA Road Racing Series season.”

Racing action in Salt Lake City begins May 24 with a full day of practice and qualifying for both pro classes starting at 2:30 p.m. PT. Road racing continues on May 25 with practice at 9:35 a.m., followed by the Dynojet Pro Sportbike race at 1:25 p.m. and the RaceFuelZ Pro Superbike race at 2:10 p.m.

Brian Childree

Brian Childree To Race In Dynojet Pro Sportbike at Arai Mountain Nationals

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From a press release issued by BC49 Racing:

Director of the Utah Sport Bike Association’s New Racer Experience Brian Childree will make his Pro Sportbike debut during the Arai Mountain Nationals Superbike Shootout at Miller Motorsports Park on May 24-25 2014.

Childree won five UtahSBA Class Championships in 2013 and is excited to have the opportunity to race against the fastest Pro Sportbike racers in the country, and race with the UtahSBA on the same weekend.

“It’s been a lot of work for the Superbike Shootout and the UtahSBA to make this happen, and racing in a Professional event in front of my local family and friends will be the payoff”, Childree said. It’s great exposure for our club, and for the New Racer Experience. I want to  help as many new riders as possible to get involved in the sport I love. What better way than to race with the best?”

BC49 Racing would like to thank Honda Suzuki of Salt Lake, Apex Trackdays, Nitron Suspension, Kabuto Helmets, Spidi, Vortex, Galfer, Proformance Motorcycle Dyno Tuning, Chicken Hawk Racing, and XT Racing.

Tickets for the May 24-25 2014 Arai Mountain Nationals at Miller Motorsports Park are $6 per day for adults and are available at the gate, with kids 12 and under admitted free of charge; and parking is free.

America’s top professional Superbike and Sportbike riders will be competing at Miller Motorsports Park this weekend in the GEICO Motorcycle Superbike Shootout presented by Yamaha, which will be part of the Utah Sport Bike Association’s (UtahSBA) Vortex Masters of the Mountains series

Top Pro Riders To Compete In Arai Mountain Nationals

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From a press release issued by Miller Motorsports Park:

Nation’s Top Superbike and Sportbike Riders Competing at Miller Motorsports Park This Weekend
Pro classes added to Utah Sport Bike Association event

TOOELE VALLEY, UTAH (May 20, 2014) — America’s top professional Superbike and Sportbike riders will be competing at Miller Motorsports Park this weekend in the GEICO Motorcycle Superbike Shootout presented by Yamaha, which will be part of the Utah Sport Bike Association’s (UtahSBA) Vortex Masters of the Mountains series.

The GEICO Motorcycle Superbike Shootout presented by Yamaha is a three-race series created by John Ulrich, longtime publisher of Roadracing World magazine and racing team owner, to provide race teams and their sponsors additional exposure in the western United States after AMA Pro Road Racing’s 2014 six-race schedule included only one event in the west. The first two events in the series were held in California, on April 26-27 at Auto Club Speedway and May 3-4 at Sonoma Raceway. This weekend’s event, dubbed the Arai Mountain Nationals, will be the final event in the series. All three Superbike Shootout events will be televised on a tape-delayed basis on MAV TV starting in June. The UtahSBA races will be televised live online at www.IgniteMedia.com.

“We are really looking forward to the GEICO Motorcycle Superbike Shootout this weekend,” said John Larson, General Manager of Miller Motorsports Park. “We know our fans will enjoy having the country’s best motorcycle road racers back in Utah, and we appreciate the hard work among John Ulrich, the teams and the Utah Sport Bike Association in bringing this event to Miller Motorsports Park.”

“We owe it to road racing fans to have national-level professional events here in the west,” Ulrich said. “Our series of three Pro Superbike races and three Pro Sportbike races held in conjunction with three existing regional events fits neatly into a five-week time frame and finishes with UtahSBA at Miller Motorsports Park. You couldn’t ask for a better racetrack and a better racing group to work with, and thanks to both for helping this effort to rebuild our sport in the United States.”

“Sharing a weekend with some of the best professional racers and teams in the world is a unique opportunity,” said Dana Wilson, Treasurer of the UtahSBA, “and our volunteers and racers couldn’t be more excited. Alongside the pros, we have club racers from all over the west and Canada battling for championships. We’ll see some great racing action, and it looks like we’ll have beautiful weather, too.”

The Utah Sport Bike Association will add two classes – the RaceFuelZ Pro Superbike class and the Dynojet Sportbike class – to their normal roster of classes for this weekend, which will be Round 2 of their 2014 championship. All the top professional teams have competed in the first two rounds with the top names in American motorcycle road racing – including three-time AMA Superbike champ Josh Hayes, 2013 AMA Sportbike champ Cameron Beaubier (now in the Superbike class), Garrett Gerloff, Jake Zemke, Martin Cardenas, Roger Hayden, Chris Clark, Chris Ulrich, J.D. Beach and young phenom Joe Roberts.

Also on the schedule for this weekend are Round 3 for the sports cars of the National Auto Sport Association’s Utah Region and Round 3 of the Utah Kart Championship. The Masters of the Mountains will be competing on MMP’s West Course on both Saturday and Sunday, while NASA Utah will be racing on the East Course. The UKC event will take place at the Miller Kart Track on Saturday only.

Of particular note for fans is the fact that, since this weekend was originally conceived as an amateur racing weekend, ticket prices will be only $6 for adults, with kids 12 and under admitted free of charge.

“I’ve been involved in professional motorcycle racing for decades,” said Ulrich, “and I can assure you that it has been many, many years since fans were able to see the country’s top motorcycle road racing teams for only $6 a day. This is an unbelievable deal, and I hope the fans will recognize that and take advantage of it.”

For more information about Miller Motorsports Park, call 435-277-RACE (7223) or visit the track’s website at www.MillerMotorsportsPark.com. For more information about the GEICO Superbike Shootout presented by Yamaha, visit their website at www.SuperbikeShootout.com. For more information on the Utah Sport Bike Association, visit their website at www.UtahSBA.com. For more information on the Utah Region of the National Auto Sport Association, visit their website at www.NASAUtah.com.

About Miller Performance

Miller Performance oversees three operational units: Miller Motorsports Park, a state-of-the-art motorsports facility for automobiles, motorcycles, karts and off-road vehicles located 35 minutes from Salt Lake City in Tooele, Utah; the Ford Racing School, the world’s only Ford-sponsored driving school that includes the Boss Track Attack, Raptor Assault and ST Octane Academy programs, plus a Teen Driving School and Highway Safety School; and Oneiro, a logistics company specializing in automotive driving programs. For more information, visit www.MillerPerformanceUSA.com.

Miller Performance is part of Miller Sports Properties, which includes the NBA Utah Jazz; MiLB Triple-A Salt Lake Bees; EnergySolutions Arena; KJZZ 14 Television; The Zone Sports Network (97.5 FM, 1280 AM, 960 AM); the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah men’s professional cycling race; and All-Star Catering.