SPECIAL AMA PRO ROAD RACE ISSUE

Transcription

1 SPECIAL AMA PRO ROAD RACE ISSUE MARCH 2012

2 CONTENTS FOR DUNLOP VIDEOS PLEASE VISIT YOUTUBE.COM/DUNLOPTIRESCHANNEL 4 RACING TO THE FUTURE 6 DUNLOP PROFILE: SABASTIAN MINCONE 7 DUNLOP PROFILE: TONY ROMO 8 SHELINA MOREDA: FIRST WOMAN TO RACE A MOTORCYCLE AT INDY 10 DUNLOP SPONSORS BIG KAHUNA TRIPLE CROWN EVENTS 11 A MOVEABLE FEAST 12 WHY THE NATIONAL GUARD LOVES AMA PRO ROAD RACING AMA PRO ROAD RACING WRAP-UP: FIVE CHAMPIONS CROWNED 20 PROFILE OF A CHAMPION: JOSH HAYES 22 AMA HORIZON AWARD WINNER: JAKE LEWIS 24 SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST 28 DON SAKAKURA: MANAGING FOR SUCCESS 32 BY THE NUMBERS: THE DUNLOP TIRE SUPPLY STORY 34 OFF THE GRID 36 DUNLOP SPEC TIRES 38 RACE TIRE DEVELOPMENT 42 SUPERBIKE IN WOLF S CLOTHING: THE YAMAHA YZF-R1 46 HARLEY-DAVIDSON: XR1200 RACING TECH AMA PRO ROAD RACING SEASON PREVIEW 60 TRACKS IN REVIEW 62 MAGIC EYES ON THE COVER: The iconic corkscrew at Laguna Seca is a stretch of plummeting tarmac unlike anything in the world. Photo by Brian J. Nelson 2 Special thanks to Brian J. Nelson, whose amazing photography graces virtually every page of this magazine. Dunlop Download magazine is published for Dunlop by Vreeke & Associates. 3

3 RACING TO THE FUTURE BY MIKE BUCKLEY As we head into our fourth season as the official tire of AMA Pro Road Racing, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone in the AMA Pro paddock for the support and input we have received from you over the years. Racing at this level is core to Dunlop s strategy to develop and market our products. Our involvement in AMA Pro Road Racing has helped us progress our Buffalo race tire development program, and the 2011 introduction of the KR448F and KR449 slicks made in Buffalo are one example of that program. But it s not just about racing and development. We take our role as industry leaders seriously. We invest in sponsorships and promotions of racing events and venues, such as our longstanding relationship with Mid- Ohio and our new support for the 2012 Big Kahuna events. We hope our involvement helps the promoters enhance their events and bring a better show to the fans. Dunlop values our relationship with AMA Pro Road Racing, and all the teams in the paddock. We are excited about this next chapter with AMA Pro Road Racing and look forward to helping this exciting sport grow in the future. Mike Buckley is Vice President, Sales and Marketing, of Dunlop tires, and a respected industry leader. He is also a die-hard race fan. 4 5

4 DUNLOP PROFILE: SABASTIAN MINCONE SENIOR MANAGER, MOTORCYCLE ROAD RACING DUNLOP PROFILE: TONY ROMO ROAD RACING TIRE TECHNICIAN Question: Sabastian, what is your role with Dunlop and your specific responsibilities in terms of AMA Pro Racing? Sabastian Mincone: My job is to make sure that all goes Q: After every race, you and your team conduct a debriefing session; what goes on at that time? SM: At the end of every day, we have a meeting to compile the different data that we have collected during the day, Question: Tony, what is your role with Dunlop, and your specific responsibilities in terms of AMA Pro Road Racing? Tony Romo: My job title is Road Racing Tire Technician, and the tires to their limit. Competition is the true X-factor, and racers will always surprise you with how much they are willing to risk to win. From their first lap of the day, racers give us a stream of real-world data using current top-level well from the time we leave the office for a race to the time which helps us prepare for the next day s events. I help riders and teams get great performance from their racing motorcycles. The teams play a big role by having the we go back, as well as all that includes race tire production, We compare our data with previous data, track Dunlop tires at AMA Pro events as well as club events. I latest in suspension and electronic technology on board service, development, tech support and various projects that we have. I am also Dunlop s direct contact with AMA Pro Racing. temps, tire temps, etc. We analyze the used tires and start to think of what we need to do next to improve our products gather important data concerning tire wear and levels of performance during actual racing conditions, which I later share with our group of designers and engineers back at our factory in Buffalo, NY. I also keep tabs on our Dunlop their machines. This technology helps us to develop faster tires that can then be used at all levels of racing the world over. Q: Did you ever do any racing yourself? SM: I raced bicycles for a couple of years in my teens, but ever since I was young I ve always had a passion for tires most of my family in Italy are involved in the tire industry. Since I was six years old, I ve wanted to be a race tire technician. Q: Dunlop brings a large team to every AMA Pro road race; what does everyone do, and what does Dunlop gain from this interaction with racers? SM: We have tire designers, service engineers, tire fitters, stock control, a senior fitter and administrative people at Q: Besides logging lap times, pyrometer readings and other objective data, you also gather subjective input from racers. What kind of info do they pass on to you, and how does that help in the development of tires? SM: What a rider feels on the bike and the feedback they give is very important for us. The riders can feel sensations that not even the best telemetry available can record. That information can tell us which areas may need improvement, such as the tire compound, construction or profile. Q: How do you apply lessons you ve learned at the track contingency program as well as assist in finalizing our list of sponsored riders and their sponsorship requirements. Q: From the racing-tire development viewpoint, what does it mean for Dunlop to invest in a racing program such as AMA Pro Road Racing? TR: I can t think of a better fit for us. AMA Pro offers Dunlop a great platform to prove and develop our products for the U.S. and also for export. With AMA Pro you get professional racers on some of the most demanding racetracks in the world getting performance from our Dunlop tires. With the feedback from these top-level riders we can identify areas Q: With world-class pro racers pushing tires to the limit, what kinds of things do you see and learn? TR: To me, the main thing that stands out is how much more life the tire returns with riders and teams that have a good handle on their suspension. All AMA Pro racers are offered the same tires in their respective classes, yet we ll see situations where one rider on a given team has thrashed his tire in a handful of laps, while his teammate s tire looks great and is still turning fast laps after running the entire race distance. Q: How do you apply lessons you ve learned at the track to the products Dunlop makes for the average every race. All the tech team takes care to collect data from to the products Dunlop makes for the average where we can improve. street rider? various riders and team members. The fitting crew makes sure that we fit and balance tires for the racers in the most professional manner and in the shortest amount of time. In street rider? SM: After every race or test, we have meetings with all our R&D groups back at our headquarters located in Buffalo. Q: What kinds of things do you learn when you go racing, insights that you might not otherwise gain from TR: As one example, the many similarities between Dunlop s street-going Sportmax lineup and the GP-A racetire line demonstrate just how much technology is carried the end, we are there to take care of our customers the We review and discuss in detail elements such as a nonracing testing regimen? directly over. For sporting street riders who also want to use race teams. compounds, materials, construction and tire profile. Some TR: I think the biggest advantage in testing tires with pro their bikes for track days, the Sportmax Q2 is a great of this information is implemented in new development. The racers and their AMA Pro spec machines is that they push choice because it delivers good all-around sport transfer time of technology from a motorcycle race tire to an everyday road tire is much quicker than what it is for a car tire. performance along with great wear properties. In fact, it s such an effective tire we have had race teams use Sportmax Q2 tires for endurance racing with great success. 6 7

5 SHELINA MOREDA FIRST WOMAN TO RACE A MOTORCYCLE AT INDY 8 Headed into the 2012 season, Shelina Moreda has had a short but successful professional motorcycle road racing career, distinguished by a number of firsts. In 2011, the Petaluma, CA, native became the first female ever to race a motorcycle at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the 100-year history of the track. She was also the first woman to race in the AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 series aboard a Harley-Davidson and the first woman to race an electric bike at an international level in the FIM e-power series. Moreda started racing in 2009, and in her novice year placed third overall in the AFM Formula AFemme Championship. In 2011, Moreda raced as a Top Gun competitor in AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport at Infineon Raceway, finishing in 14th position. She bested that in 2011, earning a 13th at Miller Motorsports in AMA Pro SuperSport West. Moreda grew up around racing; her dad raced flat track, cars and dirt bikes. She got her first dirt bike at the age of 12, and from that moment on, she wanted to be a professional racer. In 2012 she will race in the AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport series with a new team, Gearzy.com, as well as compete in the FIM e-power series again with CRP Racing. 9

6 A MOVEABLE FEAST When Jay Leno s private plane landed in Indianapolis in 2009, he was a man with a plan. Scheduled to be grand marshal of the Red Bull Indy MotoGP event, the iconic host of The Tonight Show put in a quick promotional appearance for energy drink maker Red Bull and then was taken to the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. There, he walked through the infield, toured some of the paddock garages and then he set out, with his team of Big Dog Garage mechanics in tow, towards lunch. Surprisingly, he peeled past the MotoGP team hospitality offerings, where Italian chefs served food that they, in some cases, had imported just for the event. He strode by all of the GP sponsor lunch spots where men stare at sandwiches exactly like they gawk at scantily clad women. 10 DUNLOP SPONSORSBIG KAHUNA TRIPLE CROWN EVENTS For 2012, M1 PowerSports wants even more fans to get hooked on the thrill of road racing, so the company is bringing family-friendly extra attractions and entertainment to three AMA Pro Road Racing events. And Dunlop has hopped on board as a proud sponsor of the Big Kahuna Triple Crown events this season. The Big Kahuna Triple Crown events are scheduled for Road Atlanta on April 20-22, Homestead- Miami Speedway on September 21-23, and the season-closer at NOLA Motorsports Park in New Orleans, October 5-7. Dunlop will have a display at these events, and Dunlop-sponsored stunt rider Jason Britton will perform. Additional activities include parade laps, large expo areas with merchandise and displays, an open grid walk during opening ceremonies where fans can rub elbows with their favorite riders, free autograph sessions and more. Fans can also purchase the Big Kahuna Triple Crown Pass, which includes admission to all three 2012 Big Kahuna events, plus VIP parking, paddock access, official event programs and a special Big Kahuna souvenir from each event. The Big Kahuna Cabana Pass will grant access to a special hospitality area with closedcircuit televisions and complimentary beverages. You can get more information about these events and buy tickets by visiting M1 PowerSports Web site at m1powersports.com. Instead, Leno walked straight to the Monster Energy Graves Yamaha hospitality area, a large canvas structure known throughout the paddock for tantalizing and delicious grub. Leno arrived under the blue tent and was greeted by longtime Yamaha U.S. Racing Division Manager Keith McCarty. McCarty took Leno to the grill area, and helped him pick out a nice cut of meat. Leno shook some more hands, joked with the crew and then sat down at a table where his steak was presented to him. He reached for a saltshaker and dug in. One of the few full-on team hospitality areas left in the AMA Pro paddock, the Yamaha offerings are renowned as some of the best. Of course, there are others credible all including the efforts by Yoshimura Suzuki s team, and it s well-known that Larry Pegram s mom s cooking served under her son s racing tent is not to be missed if you can score an invite. How good is the food at Monster Energy Graves Yamaha hospitality? Well, Road America in Elkhart Lake, WI, is almost universally recognized as the best track food in the nation. National magazines, bloggers and media Web sites have been singing the praises of the food served at the stands in Elkhart Lake for more than three decades. Several local churches and other organizations prepare wonderful burgers, brats and other glee food, which the spectators, media and series regulars happily gobble up in record quantities. But you won t see many Yamaha crewmen or guests of the team standing in line at the St. John the Baptist stand at Road America. The food is that good under their own tent. Pat Muras and John Buanno, with help from a support crew some volunteers, some not assemble the hospitality unit and cook the delicious food at Monster Energy Graves Yamaha hospitality. What types of food do they offer the riders and teams who have meal pass privileges at Yamaha? It s not foie gras or anything as uptight as that. Think of the best neighborhood grill party you ve ever been to and the food offered there then turn two more clicks into the taste bud expectation level. Burgers, chicken, steaks, corn and plenty of Monster Energy drinks. Speaking of foie gras, well-known Frenchman Napoleon Bonaparte once said, An army marches on its stomach. That old phrase apparently also rings true on the battlefield that is AMA Pro Road Racing because Monster Energy Graves Yamaha has won the past two AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike Championships in a row. The food must have something to do with it. 11

7 WHY THE NATIONAL GUARD LOVES AMA PRO ROAD RACING The National Guard made its way into the AMA Pro Road Racing paddock in 2009 with the sponsorship of Geoff May as the rider of the number 54 Superbike for Michael Jordan Motorsports. The number 54 has significance as it represents the 54 states and territories where the Army National Guard serves as the community-based defense force for the nation. Since 2009, the National Guard has dramatically expanded its involvement with AMA Pro Road Racing. We asked them why. Why did the National Guard choose to get involved in AMA Pro Road Racing? The National Guard was attracted to the increased exposure and communication with the fan base of AMA Pro Road Racing and Michael Jordan Motorsports. Both the series and Michael Jordan represent the winning tradition inherent in today s National Guard. AMA Pro is a growing sport and attracts a demographic reflective of the modern soldier. What kinds of hopes and expectations were initially set for the National Guard team? The National Guard, like Michael Jordan Motorsports, is looking for a championship season that reflects the commitment and skill that each name brings to the American public. The same principles of personal drive and the employment of technology used by a race team apply to the successful military operations performed by soldiers and units of the National Guard. In what ways have these hopes and expectations been met? The National Guard and Michael Jordan Motorsports have been consistently competitive in the AMA Pro Road Racing series. We have never been in a better position for success than this 2012 season. What has the fan reception been like for the National Guard team? Exceptional! The general public has a very positive view of the military in general and especially their National Guard. People recognize the contributions their home town heroes have made toward national security. The affiliation with Michael Jordan Motorsports has been a win-win proposition and a key demographic is following the development of number 54 rider Roger Lee Hayden. What is the level of involvement for National Guard personnel, non-racing team members, that is, during a typical race weekend? National Guard units that are represented in the states where AMA Pro races are held use these venues to promote recruiting and retention activities. They also increase awareness of the National Guard as the only military component with dual roles supporting both the state and federal missions. Community involvement is central to the National Guard culture and the AMA Pro fan base offers an opportunity for the Guard to interact with a growing sector of the public

8 The National Guard has expanded its commitment to AMA Pro Road Racing; tell us about that involvement and what motivated the increased commitment. One key component of the National Guard s commitment to the Michael Jordan Motorsports team has been the introduction of an Experienced Rider Course (ERC) through Jason Pridmore s STAR Motorcycle School for National Guard riders. Participation in the course meets the three-year requirement for rider sustainment training required by Army regulation. The National Guard recognizes that a large number of Guard members are attracted to the freedom and excitement of riding motorcycles. Reducing the probability of accidents through rider safety classes directly reflects on military readiness and quality of life for Army National Guard soldiers. Overall, how satisfied has everyone been with your AMA Pro Road Racing involvement? National Guard leaders have been pleased with the feedback generated by involvement with Michael Jordan Motorsports and AMA Pro Road Racing. Soldiers at home and abroad can rally around their team and that s an unexpected value that was and is a very welcome part of the relationship. What things are you looking forward to achieving with the team in the future? The team is poised for a highly successful 2012 season. We are looking forward to the expanded exposure the National Guard will incur throughout the season with the success of the riders. AMA Pro Road Racing attracts a key demographic of responsible riders and race fans that reflects the values of today s National Guard. Both organizations will continue to display a winning spirit and reflect the highest values of sportsmanship and citizenship both names represent in our country

9 JOSHHAYES 2011 AMA PRO ROAD RACING WRAP-UP: FIVE CHAMPIONS CROWNED 16 17

10 DANNYESLICK DAVIDGAVIRIA JAMESRISPOLI CHRISFILLMORE 18 The 2011 AMA Pro Road Racing series showcased incredible racing all season long, and in the end, five national champions were crowned. Josh Hayes clinched his second-consecutive AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike Championship; Danny Eslick was crowned the AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike Champion, while James Rispoli and David Gaviria won the AMA Pro Motorcycle- Superstore.com SuperSport East and West Championships, respectively, and Chris Fillmore took the AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Championship. Dunlop, the official tire of AMA Pro Road Racing, was along for the ride in each of these championships. Monster Energy Graves Yamaha s Hayes successfully defended his 2010 National Guard SuperBike crown, holding off Rockstar Makita Suzuki challenger Blake Young for the championship. Finishing on all but two podiums throughout the season, Hayes had a five-point lead over Young heading into the final round at New Jersey Motorsports Park held September 2-4. Drawing from his previous years experience in the class, Hayes extended his points lead after winning the opening race of the weekend. In the second, a terrific battle ensued between Young, Ben Bostrom (Jordan Suzuki), Steve Rapp (Cycle World Attack Performance Kawasaki), Tommy Hayden (Rockstar Makita Suzuki) and Hayes from the get-go. After 23 laps, Young got to the checkers first winning his seventh race of the season, while Hayes crossed the finish line in second only 0.05 second behind Young with Hayden crossing in third. Hayes runner-up result earned him his second-consecutive SuperBike crown, while Young finished second in the championship and Hayden rounded out third. GEICO Powersports RMR Suzuki s Eslick strung together a host of great finishes throughout the year en route to the 2011 AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike title adding this year s crown to the class title he earned in Finishing on eight podiums during the season, including wins at Barber, Mid Ohio and Laguna Seca, Eslick garnered enough points to secure the championship after finishing sixth in the opening race at the final New Jersey round. Monster Energy Graves Yamaha s Josh Herrin ended his season on a high note by winning the final race of the year and finished the series runner-up in points, while Tommy Aquino (Y.E.S./Pat Clark Sports/Graves Yamaha) rounded out third. AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport young gun Rispoli (ANT-Racing.com/STAR School) was the man to beat in the SuperSport championship and East Division after finishing on all but one podium heading into the final round. Winning race two at Infineon earlier in the year, and finishing runner-up in every race subsequent to Infineon, Rispoli capped off his stellar season with a win at New Jersey to secure both titles. LTD Racing Yamaha s David Gaviria had wrapped up the West Division title earlier in the season. Chris Fillmore (Bruce Rossmeyer Daytona Racing GEICO Revolution Performance) finished the AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 series in style by winning his fifth race of the season en route to the championship. Parts Unlimited s Steve Rapp was Fillmore s closest rival throughout the season, and he took second overall in the championship, while Tyler O Hara finished third. 19

11 PROFILE OF A CHAMPION: JOSH HAYES The son of a Gulfport fireman, Josh Hayes grew up in a small home in Mississippi with a dream of one day flying jets for the U.S. military. In the end, a wayward path and a great deal of patience has him riding a two-wheeled SuperBike jet for Yamaha U.S. today. There was a time when Josh Hayes, try as he might, could not get a SuperBike ride in America, and his plan B was to try to obtain one in Europe. He d been racing in the U.S. from the mid-1990s on, and was well-known as a very fast and stable young man who was entrenched in a journeyman-like program to learn the game of road racing. He raced all over the U.S. in his amateur and semipro career, winning WERA titles before being drafted into the U.S. Suzuki support system and then being hired by American Honda. In 2000 his perseverance was tested in a big crash at Daytona in the then 600 SuperSport race. The violent, multibike incident was bad enough that SuperSport rookie Nicky Hayden, who was involved in the incident, returned to the pits literally crying from the stress of seeing it all play out at 120 mph. Hayden made the restart, Hayes did not. The damage to his arm from the crash at Daytona came at a very pivotal time in his career, and it could have easily ended it. Luckily, it is now just an obscure incident, a footnote in the career of Josh Hayes. Yamaha U.S. saw Hayes as a talent with whom they d like to associate themselves. While Hayes was racing for a SuperSport World team in Europe, he learned that his manager had been able to come to terms with Yamaha for an AMA Pro SuperBike ride. Hayes finished the weekend, drove to Lisbon, flew home and has been a Yamaha rider ever since. His AMA Pro SuperBike career with Yamaha has been nothing short of remarkable. Hayes beat Mat Mladin before the all-time winningest AMA SuperBike champion retired, and Hayes has since won two AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike titles on Yamaha YZF-R1 machines. Tech 3 Yamaha MotoGP needed a fill-in rider for the final race of the 2011 MotoGP season, and Hayes drew the short straw for the ride. He did not disappoint, spending the weekend learning the machine s strong and weak points. By Sunday morning practice, he was fastest in the wet session and finished sixth in his first MotoGP race, an amazing performance. A great many motorcycle enthusiasts received their first motorcycle on Christmas. Someone once asked Josh Hayes if as a child he had come downstairs Christmas morning and seen his first motorcycle under the tree, waiting for him. His answer is insightful: Hayes said that the house he grew up in didn t have a second floor so, no, he didn t walk downstairs. Only rich folks houses had an upstairs, he said. That simple sentence may tell you more about Josh Hayes than 10 column inches. 20 Hayes SuperBike career has been remarkable, but he has never sought to capitalize on it or let it inflate his ego. He s pleased and grateful for the successes he and Yamaha have accomplished together. And despite his boyhood dream of flying jets with his head literally in the clouds, he s remained a very grounded individual. And that s a big reason why Josh Hayes is very much a fan favorite. 21

12 AMA ROADRACE HORIZON AWARD WINNER: JAKE LEWIS 22 Established in 1997, the AMA Horizon Awards are presented annually by American Motorcyclist Association to the most outstanding riders in the AMA Roadrace Grand Championship, the AMA Dirt Track Grand Championship and the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship. The awards were created to recognize young riders poised to enter the professional ranks and who demonstrate great promise for a successful pro career. Jake Lewis, a 16-year-old roadracer from Princeton, KY, was the winner of the 2011 AMA Roadrace Horizon Award at the Grand Championships held this past October at central Indiana s Putnam Park. My goal all year was to win the AMA Roadrace Horizon Award, said Lewis, who also won the AMA Racing No. 1 plate in the Open SuperSport Expert class aboard a Yamaha YZF-R6. I couldn t have done it without Earl s help. He s sponsored me all these years. Earl is Earl Hayden. Yes, that Earl Hayden, father of Tommy, Nicky and Roger Lee Hayden. Incidentally, Nicky won the very first AMA Dirt Track Horizon Award in 1997, and Roger Lee also won the AMA Dirt Track Horizon Award the very next year. Jake is a third-generation dirt tracker, and Earl actually competed against Jake s grandfather for more than 20 years on the pea-gravel ovals and blue grooves throughout Kentucky and the Midwest. Earl has been mentoring Jake for years, and his young protégé has already won numerous championships and honors in both dirt track and roadracing. Last season, right after winning the AMA Roadrace Horizon Award at Putnam Park, Jake won multiple races and championships at the year-ending WERA Grand National Finals at Road Atlanta. He added the 600 SuperBike National Championship, as well as three regional Sportsman Championships to his list of achievements in He had already clinched both the WERA 750 SuperBike and 750 Superstock championships earlier in the season. One of the things that Earl is most proud to point out about Jake, other than his abundant talent on a motorcycle, is his performance in the classroom. According to Earl, Jake s a straight-a student. He has to be, or else his parents won t let him race. So you can bet he keeps his grades up. As an AMA Roadrace Horizon Award winner, Jake is in very good company. He joins former Horizon Award winners Nicky and Roger Lee Hayden, Blake Young, Hayden Gillim, Jason DiSalvo and three-time AMA Pro SuperBike champion, 2009 World SuperBike champion and MotoGP winner Ben Spies. Jake will make his professional roadracing debut on the high banks of Daytona in March 2012, where he ll compete in the AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport series aboard the number 85 Suzuki GSX-R600 sponsored by Riders Discount Vesrah Suzuki. Mark Junge, team owner of Riders Discount Vesrah Suzuki, said, Having Jake join the Riders Discount Vesrah Suzuki team is great. I ve been keeping an eye on him for several years and, last year, I was able to get a first-hand look at him on track while riding against him in the WERA Nationals. We re really looking forward to this season. No doubt, Earl Hayden with his trademark clipboard and phalanx of stopwatches always at the ready will also be continuing to keep an eye on Jake. You ll want to keep an eye on Jake, as well. 23

13 SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST MIGUEL DUHAMEL REVEALS HIS TIRE MANAGEMENT SECRETS 24 25

14 To garner some insights into tire management at the racetrack, we posed a few questions to Miguel Duhamel, one of the winningest riders in AMA Pro history, a racer who often competed on 600cc and 1000cc bikes during the same weekend. Miguel won all his titles on Dunlop tires, both slicks and DOT-type. Now retired, Duhamel a hardcore cyclist splits his spare time between the golf course and the motocross track, waxing the locals. 26 Question: Miguel, during your racing career you were known as an extremely smart and aggressive rider; when it comes to tires, how do you balance out those two traits? Miguel Duhamel: The process of racing a motorcycle is always a very delicate balance, but you always have to keep in mind that tires are a perishable commodity. You have to stay mindful of what you re doing so that you have enough left in your tires to make a go of it at the end of the race. Nowadays, in the era of traction control to reduce wheel spin, it doesn t take as much thought or finesse, but that idea of the balancing act still applies. Q: In general, what kinds of strategies did you have in mind at the start of the race regarding your tires? MD: I always wanted to make sure I had enough left in my tires to make a strong finish, so I always worked at taking care of my tires. I remember one race at Loudon where the weather and track were real hot, I decided to go with the hardest tire, knowing it would last until the end of the race. At the start of the race, I knew I had to let the leaders get away, but after the halfway point, I could begin to reel them in and pass them. It s hard to let guys leave you behind, and you also have to believe and trust in your tires while being smart and patient. Q: The best-laid plans for choosing or saving your tires don t always work out; what happens then? MD: Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and bring it home the best you can. I remember another race at Laguna Seca in the pre-traction-control days; the weather was coming in with fog and a light drizzle but we decided it would quit soon, and so we chose slick tires. Well, it didn t blow over, so there I was on full slicks on a wet track, passing guys on rain tires that was insane! Q: What kinds of techniques do you employ to save your tires during a race? MD: You can never get a perfect setup; everything s always a compromise. Sometimes to reduce the amount of heat in the tires you go to a point-and-shoot technique, where you stand the bike up before getting on the throttle fully, to try to not create too much heat while the bike is leaned over. Q: At what point in the race do you decide to just go for it? MD: That depends on the length of the track, but the rule of thumb is to go for it in the last five laps. Q: Since you raced both SuperBike and SuperSport classes, often in the same weekend, how did tires differ between the two bikes? MD: Actually, I preferred the feel of the Dunlop DOT tires on the 600cc bike. It gave better feedback, didn t flex the entire chassis as much and it would feel better the bike would talk to you and give you tons of notice before it did anything and it would react in a very deliberate way. The SuperBike had more power and more weight, and it would be much easier to overheat the tires. The SuperBike chassis and the slick tires were stiffer and would give less feedback; you had to push it much harder and faster before it would give you feedback like a 600. Q: You enjoyed a long and prosperous career; talk about the more recent race tires compared to tires you had when you first started racing. MD: I raced at the highest levels in the U.S. for more than 20 years and I enjoyed a lot of success as a racer, but I also gained a lot of satisfaction by being part of the process to develop new and better Dunlop tires. I like to think that I was a forward thinker and I voiced requests for things like a multicompound tire for use at Daytona. When Dunlop first brought multicompound tires to Daytona that was a huge step forward, and now that construction is the standard for not just racers but it s also available in street tires. So in working with Dunlop we improved the comfort level for racers and street riders, and we also beat all the other tire companies in those days of open-tire competition. And that s pretty cool. 27

15 DON SAKAKURA MANAGING FOR SUCCESS Don Sakakura is the most successful team manager in the AMA Pro paddock. A direct understudy of the fabled Pops Yoshimura and his son Fujio, Sakakura has deftly carried on the Yosh tradition of winning AMA Pro championships. We had a chance to sit down with Don and talk about his remarkable career. Q: When did you first step into the AMA paddock, and what responsibilities did you have at that time? Don Sakakura: I was hired at Yoshimura R&D in January of 1980 as a general mechanic. This was the very first opportunity I had to experience race-machine preparation. During this period, I had the good fortune to work alongside Pop Yoshimura, Fujio Yoshimura and Suehiro Watanabe [Nabe]. The requirement to learn multiple skills, such as engine building, metal fabrication and suspension tuning, was necessary. In time, I developed a keen interest in engine development, cylinder-head profiling, fuelmanagement systems, performance simulators, etc. Q: You ve had an incredible amount of racing success over the years, but it wasn t always like that; tell us about the tough going in those early years. DS: The tough years... definitely. We had a long period where positive results were hard to come by. Very frustrating times. It s hard to pinpoint the exact cause of the long, dry spell. But as a team, we performed quite poorly! Q: What are some of the tough lessons you learned the hard way in those early years that carry on with you to this day? DS: A few very basic lessons we all learned as we matured as a team: Preparation is crucial. Inevitably, problems will occur on many levels. The ability to overcome these problems swiftly and efficiently improves with solid preparation. The other one is Keep it simple. Don t overcomplicate matters. Q: Over the years Suzuki relinquished more and more responsibility for its racing to Yosh. What is Suzuki s current involvement? How much technical independence do you have? DS: Currently, Yoshimura Racing is fully responsible for the operation of American Suzuki s SuperBike and Motocross factory-supported programs. AMA Pro SuperBike equipment development is 100 percent our responsibility. Over the course of many years, we ve had the privilege to work closely with Suzuki Motor Corporation [Japan] and 28 29

16 MAT S AN INCREDIBLY DRIVEN INDIVIDUAL! IN MY OPINION, HIS UNDERSTANDING OF HOW TO MAXIMIZE THE TOTAL MACHINE S PERFORMANCE WAS UNRIVALED. American Suzuki Motor Corporation s race and production engineering groups. Their insight and knowledge of American racetracks and racers have been instrumental in our team s successes. Naturally, with our current SuperBike technical regulations, many production [OEM] components are utilized. So support levels have substantially been reduced the last couple of years. Our internal team of technicians has done very well maintaining competitive AMA Pro SuperBikes. Q: Tell us about the jumps you made to crew chief and then team manager; what felt like the biggest step, and why? DS: As crew chief your primary responsibilities are to produce the best possible results for your assigned rider. Typically, this involves coordination with a small group of team members and suspension and tire technicians. Mat Mladin and Ben Spies challenge over several years was memorable. The satisfaction of multiple victories and championships was extremely rewarding, and very often challenging as team manager. As you may expect from [two] champion racers, the spirit of competition between riders occasionally created complex situations. Both Mat and Ben s competitive nature elevated our program to new heights. Q: Not all of the satisfaction you gain comes from the trophies; tell us about other aspects of your job and the sport that you feel make it all worthwhile. DS: I believe our performance development may eventually influence production motorcycles sold to consumers. This brings enormous satisfaction and justification to our racing efforts. Equally important to Yoshimura, we utilize our racing projects to develop and improve our commercially available products that are sold worldwide. The team manager responsibility involves internally positioning staff who complement each other s technical strengths, personalities and working habits. It has been very rewarding over the past several years; I truly believe team chemistry is tremendously valuable. Each and every team member has specific responsibilities: team coordination, chassis technicians, engine development, engine and data acquisition staff, truck driver, etc. Recently, I have passed this responsibility along to Peter Doyle, who is very qualified based on his history of building championship programs. Q: At some point did you feel like you turned the corner in your racing career? DS: I honestly can t say I ve had a personal turning point in my career. The learning-education process is never-ending. Q: You worked with Mladin for many years. What was it about Mat that made him so dominating? DS: Mat s an incredibly driven individual! In my opinion, his understanding of how to maximize the total machine s performance was unrivaled. He always had the ability to extract 100 percent-plus performance from his machine and his technical team. Mat s machine-like ability to consistently lap racetracks certainly influenced the Suzuki GSXR s development curve. I always appreciated and accepted his frankness and honesty. He was a great champion. Q: Do you see any up-and-coming riders with that level of determination and talent? DS: I m sure there are several. Regretfully, due to our current economic climate, seats are very limited. But I m certain we will take notice of young talent in the near future. 30 Q: You ve had an enormous amount of success; what are some of your favorite highlights from all the winning you and the team have accomplished? DS: My career highlights have to be the string of consecutive wins our team was able to accomplish! The Q: After all these years, do you still feel the butterflies flutter around inside when the season opens at Daytona? DS: Absolutely. I still very much enjoy the challenge to maintain our competitiveness. 31

17 BY THE NUMBERS: THE DUNLOP TIRE SUPPLY STORY As the old proverb goes, the longest journey begins with a single step. But if you re providing tires to the entire AMA Pro Road Racing paddock all season long, you d better be packing along plenty of stuff because that s one long journey. And just what kind of stuff and how much of it? That s a good question, so we posed it to the Dunlop road race tire crew. In response, they gave us some pretty interesting little factoids and also a glimpse into the harried lives they lead. The Dunlop RR crew performs from 1300 to 1500 tire changes over a given weekend, depending on weather conditions. Dunlop has three trucks dedicated to the road race program, and they traveled from 35,000 to 50,000 miles each during the 2011 season. Over the course of the entire season they perform a total of approximately 18,000 tire changes. The racers use approximately 10,000 tires throughout the season for both races and testing. The Dunlop crew spends about 40,000 to 50,000 miles per person per year on airline flights. Multiply that figure by 16 people, and that s a total of between 640,000 to 800,000 miles. And just think that latter number represents 32 trips around the world! 32 At the Buffalo, NY, production facility, Dunlop builds slicks and D211 GP-A tires every day. There are a number of machines dedicated to the production of race tires. For one AMA Pro season, Dunlop builds tires with over 10,000 miles of fabric (kevlar, nylon, etc). In total, 16 people eight on the fitting crew, four tire techs, two tire designers and two administrative personnel comprise the Dunlop track crew. Each crew member spends up to 110 nights away from home; 150 nights if you are one of the truck drivers. To spend all day in the paddock, the day starts with a big breakfast in the morning; there s not much time to eat during the day. Chips, peanut butter and jelly and a lot of coffee are always available. The crew typically drinks about 100 liters of fluids each race weekend, between water, Gatorade, Coke and Sprite. Most important fact: The Dunlop road race crew loves what they do. 33

18 OFF THE GRID DUNLOP TALKS ABOUT CLUB SUPPORT WHERE TOMORROW S AMA PRO CHAMPS ARE BEING GROOMED 34 Dunlop has recently stepped up its efforts to support club racing with the new KR448F and KR449 racing slicks. While they were still being tested last year, the BEI Racing Team used the racing slicks and managed to win the 2011 WERA National Endurance Series. We talked to Dunlop s Tony Romo about the company s support of amateur road racing in the U.S. Question: Was it a surprise to win the WERA title with tires still in development? Tony Romo: It was a big surprise for a lot of reasons, and it s also a great story. In December of 2010 while the development-spec version of the first KR449 tire was being tested with our own test team at the Jennings GP track in Florida, we also asked pro riders Larry Pegram, Roger Hayden and Ben Bostrom to try them. All three riders tested the soft compound and gave it good reviews, with all of them turning low 1:14 lap times; the track record at the time was a 1:13.7, so those results were impressive. We knew the new U.S. tires had speed, but we still needed to determine whether or not they had the durability needed for endurance racing. The only way to answer that question was to use them in an endurance race. Fortunately, round one of the WERA National series was soon approaching. I flew to that event hand-carrying four U.S. KR449 mediumcompound tires, and BEI Racing was fielding one of our Dunlop-sponsored riders, Tim Bemisderfer, who was willing to give the tires a tryout. He enlisted the help of another Dunlop-sponsored rider, Brian Stokes, and off they went for four hours using the tires for the entire race without ever practicing on them. They took the lead on lap one and won the race. From that beginning, BEI went on to win the 2011 WERA National Championship using a mixture of U.S.- development tires and UK tires. At the final event, in Atlanta, GA, they used a production medium-compound KR448 front and a medium-compound KR449 rear tire to win the race and the overall championship. Q: What are the advantages the KR448F and KR449 hold for club racers? TR: These tires give top-level winning performance at an affordable price. Also, both the KR448F and KR449 can be used to win Dunlop contingency prizes to help racers stretch their budgets. And they re made in America. Q: What are the differences between the KR448F-KR449 and the AMA Pro SuperBike slicks? When and why should a racer select one over the other? TR: The racing slicks used in AMA Pro Road Racing are made in England and are considered by many to be the gold standard in racing tires, but all this performance comes at a price. The KR448F and KR449 are made in our plant in Buffalo, NY, using the same technologies employed by Dunlop UK to make tires for Moto2, thus resulting in a lower cost to the rider. We have found that many riders can race either the U.S. or UK tires with virtually identical lap times, leaving the final determining factor to be the price advantage of the KR448F and KR449. Q: Tell us about the level of Dunlop technical support that will be available at select club racing events in TR: Club racers are not just customers; they are part of the Dunlop family. In addition to the great support provided by Race Tire Service for Dunlop riders at all club races, our Buffalo development crew will attend select club race events with our 18-wheeler on both the east and west coasts. At those events, Dunlop staff will be available to answer questions and gather data to service the needs of our riders. 35

19 DUNLOP SPEC TIRES WHAT AMA PRO ROAD RACERS WILL ROLL ON IN 2012 Okay, let s exercise your imagination: try to visualize what 10,000 motorcycle road racing tires look like, all in one pile. That s a thought that truly boggles the mind. But that s exactly what the Dunlop race crew is looking at for the 2012 AMA Pro Road Racing season; by the time all the racing and testing comes to an end, they will have cycled through about 10,000 tires in all. And that 10,000 figure encompasses quite a variety: 11 different specs for AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike, eight for the AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike and AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport classes, plus five more for the AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 series a host of variations to suit all the tracks visited during the 2012 AMA Pro Racing Calendar, from the season opener at Daytona International Speedway to the final event at NOLA Motorsports Park in New Orleans. The race tires for 2012 also represent a jump forward compared to tires used during the 2011 season. For example, all classes racing at the ultra-high-speed Daytona International Raceway will use next-generation versions of Dunlop s very specialized Daytona-only tires, featuring new compounds and construction to help cope with the new surface and high-load demands at this track. For the rest of the season Dunlop will introduce a new front compound for the American SuperBike class, and Daytona SportBike Supersport racers will use the recently introduced, new-profile 190/60ZR17 D211 GP-A. The XR1200 class will also be able to run tires with the new 5436 front and rear compound. Even casual race observers will note that Superbikes run slick tires while the other classes use treaded, DOT-approved racing tires, but many fans do not fully realize that in today s racing there is no longer a big difference between the slicks and the DOT-approved tires. In fact, the D211 GP-A serves very well as an intermediate tire for Superbikes in damp/mixed track conditions and the differences in lap times are very small. Also, in 2012 the Daytona SportBike and SuperSport classes will be running the same tires, while the XR1200 class will use one of the same front tires available for Daytona SportBike and SuperSport (the 5436 compound) and on the rear they will run the 190/55ZR17 D211 GP-A. The only notable difference here is that the heavier Harleys typically run tire pressures that are 4 to 5 psi higher than the average pressures used in the other two classes, which predominantly feature 600cc sport machines. And perhaps best of all, these very same race tires are available to all consumers through the Dunlop race tire distributors, for use in club racing or track-day use

20 RACE TIRE DEVELOPMENT IN AMA PRO ROAD RACING For the past three years, Dunlop has served as the official tire of AMA Pro Road Racing, a relationship recently renewed for three more years. This responsibility demands that development work continues at a rapid pace and encompasses efforts worldwide. So here s a peek behind the scenes as the Dunlop crew and top riders develop the next generation of race tires, through the eyes of Sabastian Mincone, Dunlop Senior Manager, Motorcycle Road Racing. Q: Where did you conduct testing in the U.S. in 2011, and why did you choose these tracks? SM: We tested at various race tracks around the country, including Miller, Las Vegas, Chuckwalla, Indianapolis, Homestead, Jennings, Willow Springs and three test sessions at Daytona. All of these tracks have different characteristics that affect tire grip, wear and running temperatures; it s important to test in many different environments. We tested three times at Daytona Question: How many test sessions did Dunlop conduct in AMA Pro racing in 2011? Sabastian Mincone: In 2011 we performed eight tests in the U.S.A., and we also tested at many racetracks in Australia; both the Australian Superbike Championship and the Formula Extreme series run U.S.-made race tires. because having been repaved with new asphalt, Daytona is now a different track than what it was in 2010 much faster, heavier on braking and there are much higher G forces generated on the banking. That being said, the asphalt is still only a few months old and still changing, and, therefore, it is very important for us to collect a lot of data. For sure, the track conditions will be different after the Daytona 500 race

21 Q: What kinds of advances in race-tire development were you looking for in 2011? SM: In 2011 we developed a new front compound for the D211 GP-A and a new rear profile that we released for sale a month ago the 190/60ZR17 D211 GP-A, which will be used in the AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike and AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport classes. Every day when we come to work or we go testing or racing, we always look for ways to improve our tires. Like I ve said in the past, our development program is the same as what we had when the series was an open-tire competition. It is very important for us to develop new products and technologies, because this is the same technology that we transfer to our road products that get used by everyday motorcyclists. Q: What kinds of improvements were gained in lap times? SM: We saw improvements of 0.5 second to more than 1.0 second per lap, depending on the track and the weather conditions. Q: What kinds of subjective comments did the riders give you? SM: Their comments focused on side grip, drive grip, change of direction and more. We pay attention to every detail the riders report to us; any and all information they can give us is useful because this is the kind of information you can t get in a test lab. Q: What new tires have been developed using this process? SM: All our D211GP-A and KR448F -KR449 share the same philosophy, technology and processes. Q: Were specific riders used to test, and if so why were they chosen? SM: No specific riders were chosen; we have tested with many AMA Pro racers as well as club racers in several different classes. Their feedback was very important for us; we are glad to work with such talented, worldclass motorcycle racers

22 SUPERBIKE IN WOLF S CLOTHING: THE YAMAHA YZF-R1 The Yamaha YZF-R1 SuperBikes that two-time defending champion Josh Hayes and his teammate Josh Herrin compete on in AMA Pro Road Racing are based on those that can be found right on the showroom floor at your local Yamaha dealership. With back-to-back SuperBike Championships to its credit, the Yamaha YZF-R1 is a proven winner. Let s take a closer look at how the bike has evolved over the past 14 years. THE EVOLUTION OF THE R1 The YZF-R1 originally debuted in 1998, and it featured a compact, innovative fivevalve Genesis engine with stacked crankshaft and gearbox input and output shafts. The dramatically shorter engine design enabled a shorter wheelbase for quicker handling and optimized center of gravity. The bike was an immediate game-changer. In 2002, the R1 received a newly developed Deltabox III frame with Controlled-Fill diecast construction that reduced the number of frame welds and improved frame rigidity by 30 percent. In 2004, the bike was redesigned with a new underseat twin exhaust system and a new engine design with a separate top crankcase and cylinder block. For 2007 the R1 saw the dawn of a whole new era, as the five-valve Genesis engine was replaced by a completely different design with four valves per cylinder. Other new features included a Yamaha Chip Controlled Intake (YCC-I ) electronic variable-length intake system and a Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle (YCC-T TM ) fly-by-wire throttle system. In a prime example of trickle-down technology, the 2009 R1 adapted engine characteristics from the YZR-M1 MotoGP bike with its radical crossplane crankshaft. Unlike typical inline four-cylinder engine designs where the two outer and two inner pistons move together in pairs at 180-degree intervals, the crossplane crankshaft in the R1 s engine puts each connecting rod 90 degrees from the next, with a unique 42 43

23 firing order of This design gives the engine a more linear power delivery with the low-end torque of a twin and the acceleration of an inline four for awesome power and traction out of the corners. As an added bonus, the sound of the R1 is unlike any other inline four-cylinder bike in the paddock. Its precise and throaty exhaust note is both distinctive and awe-inspiring. For 2012, the YZF-R1 received yet another benefit from MotoGP technology: a seven-level traction control system that was developed specifically so the rider doesn t feel any unnatural or harsh intervention from the system. The tractioncontrol system also helps to reduce tire wear due to less wheel spin. Coupled with a three-level D-Mode electronics throttleresponse control, riders have 21 different choices available to tailor the R1 to their individual riding preferences and styles. PREPARING THE MONSTER ENERGY GRAVES YAMAHA YZF-R1 FOR THE TRACK The Monster Energy Graves Yamaha SuperBike team starts with stock R1 machines. But in the fiercely fought AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike class, modifications are the name of the game. So top-notch racing components like Öhlins front and rear suspension, OZ magnesium wheels, Braking USA wave rotors, Brembo calipers and brake pads, and other closed-coursecompetition parts are used to increase performance and reduce weight. The engine is meticulously modified for performance, and Magneti Marelli ECU and engine management, NGK Racing spark plugs, and a Graves Motorsports underseat twin exhaust system are added. Sharkskinz lightweight bodywork, Zero Gravity windscreen, Graves Motorsports rearsets and handlebars, Dynojet quick shifter, Speedcell battery, Vortex sprockets, D.I.D 520ERV3 chain, Dunlop spec racing slicks, and Yamalube performance lubricants round out the SuperBike performance package

24 HARLEY- DAVIDSON XR1200 RACING TECH The rules that are in place for the AMA Pro Road Racing Vance & Hines XR1200 series differ slightly from the other AMA Pro Racing classes. The XR1200 series is a spec class, so rules are designed and enforced in order to keep all machines on a nearly level playing field. The successful series returns in Using the same XR1200 platform as the base motorcycle, participants are allowed to add a Vance & Hines race kit, and also change suspension and controls. The kit, supplied by Vance & Hines, includes a Vance & Hines exhaust system, race bodywork and seat, steering damper, Fuelpak fuel system, a 17-inch front wheel and fender and a relocation kit for the oil cooler. The kit costs $3500. In addition, there is a spec fuel for the class Sunoco and spec tires from Dunlop. Participants in the XR1200 series are allowed to personalize their setup with suspension, handlebars and controls. With a near 60-inch wheelbase, though, they won t be making an XR into anything like a CBR600RR without a Pentagon-level budget. When a modified XR1200 is rolled to the grid, it weighs pounds and looks a lot like a 1970s Superbike or XR750 dirt track bike, with wide bars, an interesting profile and scant bodywork. The engine isn t hidden behind plastic panels on an XR1200 it s right there. With kit parts in place, the XR1200 will boast 85 horsepower and pump its pushrods to around 7000 rpm

25 What results is close racing. While no XR1200 will set the highest trap speed for an event (an XR1200 race bike will top out at around 130 mph) the class rules and diligent enforcement prevent any one motorcycle from sprinting away to a huge margin of victory. If that does happen, it s because the rider of the bike was able to ride his way to an advantage. As with any spec bike race class, the participants are usually pushing rules interpretation right to the boundaries set up by the sanctioning body. Technical bulletins covering items such as pulleys, control location, number plate modifications and gearing have been issued. There are 18 pre-entries for the Vance & Hines XR1200 class at Daytona. Clearly AMA Pro Road Racing is trying to appeal to a spectator who may not normally consider an AMA Pro road race as a potential weekend activity with the Vance & Hines XR1200 series. Last year at the Red Bull Indy GP, the XR1200 series ran alongside the Grand Prix bikes as a support class. This event saw the highest number of entries in the class all season, with over 30 bikes on the grid for the Indy XR1200 race. Ironically, the Indy XR1200 class was very popular with persons who are used to seeing carbon fiber used in just about any application, where a rider s pet may sometimes fly first class with the Grand Prix paddock. In many of the GP garages, the XR1200 race was on the flat panel television, with a small crowd watching the very American, outwardly very simple form of motorcycle racing. When one of the bikes was parked in the GP paddock for a few minutes, several European GP elite walked over and posed for a personal photo with the bike

26 2012 AMA PRO ROAD RACING SEASON PREVIEW 50 51

27 BLAKEYOUNG JOSHHAYES The 2012 season of AMA Pro Road Racing is about to kick off with an impressive group of riders and teams returning to the series. In addition, the series boasts three new rounds for 2012, including one classic track, one new facility and one that the series has not visited since the 1990s. For Herrin, preseason testing has been both comfortable and surprising. He s at home on the SuperBike, and many seem surprised that Herrin is almost as fast as his two-time championship-winning teammate. Both are quick to point out that testing is testing, and racing may well be another matter. In AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike, the two main protagonists return from 2011, and both riders are certainly looking forward to the rematch. Two-time series champion Josh Hayes will again be astride his number 1 Monster Energy Graves Yamaha YZF-R1 SuperBike, and Hayes archrival and championship numbertwo man, Blake Young, will be back in the saddle of the number 79 Yoshimura Suzuki. Both riders get new teammates for Hayes will be joined on the signature blue Yamaha squad by Georgian Josh Herrin, who moves up to the big bike after his multiyear tour of duty racing a YZF-R6 in AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike. Herrin is a complete National Guard SuperBike rookie and will start his first-ever SuperBike race at Daytona in March. It s a new man across the tent for Blake Young, as well. Former Yamaha man Chris Clark joins Young on the Yoshimura Suzuki SuperBike team. On the Michael Jordan Motorsports sponsored Suzuki squad, both riders that Michael fielded in 2011 are back in Former SuperBike series champion, ex-world SuperBike rider and easily one of the most popular riders in the championship today, Ben Bostrom returns for another season on the Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000, while his 11 teammate, Roger Lee Hayden, an ex-wsbk rider himself and former AMA SuperSport Champion, returns to the sister bike to Bostrom s, the National Guard Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000. As for new faces on the National Guard SuperBike grid for 2012, perhaps it is ex-supermoto rider Chris Fillmore who tops that list. Michigan-native Fillmore rode a limited 2011 schedule on the KTM RC8R SuperBike, prepared by HMC, but 2012 sees him back for a full season. Erik Buell Racing will again enter its EBR 1190RS in the SuperBike class with Geoff May returning to the team, and 52 53

28 JOSHHERRIN Danny Eslick is joining him on the Wisconsin-built machinery. Buell made news in the preseason by announcing a sponsorship package with Hero MotoCorp, an Indian concern. Ohio-native and veteran rider Larry Pegram will again be racing the BMW S1000R SuperBike, sponsored by Foremost Insurance in AMA Pro Racing SuperBike events. Other veterans like Shawn Higbee, also aboard an EBR 1190RS, and Taylor Knapp, who is racing a Suzuki GSX- R1000, will make SuperBike starts at Daytona. Beyond those names, there is no shortage of rumors of riders who may pick an odd race here or there to spice things up. Eric Bostrom, Jake Zemke and a host of others are rumored to be working on SuperBike rides for In the AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike class, perhaps the biggest off-season news is that former series champion Martin Cardenas will return to the GoPro Daytona SportBike class for Cardenas is pegged by many as one of the best riders racing in the United States, and his return to the GoPro Daytona SportBike class means his rivals will have to work just that much harder. Two late entries for the Daytona 200 weekend are former 200 winners Steve Rapp and Jake Zemke. Rapp will be back aboard an Attack Kawasaki in the SuperBike class, while Zemke will be on a Ducshop Ducati 848 in the 200. Where have they been of late? Zemke set pole for the 2011 Daytona 200 while Rapp put in several stirring performances on a variety of different motorcycles in 11. Both are welcome additions to the Daytona event, and say they are confident they will race the entire season. Behind Cardenas is a horde of riders encompassing a wide swath of talent and experience. Rookies? Cameron Beaubier, Garrett Gerloff, Jake Gagne, Benny Solis, David Gaviria and others. Veterans? Dane Westby, JD Beach, Tommy Aquino, Ricky Orlando, Cory West, and the Sadowski brothers, David Jr. and Matt. What s more, Daytona 200-winner Jason DiSalvo will return to GoPro Daytona SportBike in 2012, but will be on a Triumph Daytona 675 instead of a Ducati 848. CHRISCLARK 54 55

29 BENBOSTROM With Josh Herrin and Danny Eslick moving up to SuperBike, the next generation of American racing stars will certainly be produced from the action in the Daytona SportBike class. In addition, Elena Myers will return to her Suzuki ride in the AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport class for the third straight year. Among the biggest news for the series is the addition of more races in new venues. Billed as a series within a series, the Big Kahuna Triple Crown encompasses three exciting, new race weekends sponsored by Dunlop that have been added to the 2012 AMA Pro Racing schedule. On the weekend of April 20-22, 2012, AMA Pro Racing returns to the 2.55-mile circuit in the hills of Braselton, GA, for the Big Kahuna Atlanta. The track is located just 35 miles outside of Atlanta and has a rich history with AMA Pro Road Racing dating back to Eddie Lawson s 1980 AMA Pro SuperBike victory. After the New Jersey Motorsports Park round, AMA Pro Road Racing will head south for the inaugural Big Kahuna Miami, scheduled for the weekend of September 21-23, 2012, at Homestead-Miami Speedway, which is located south of Miami in Homestead, FL. ROGERLEEHAYDEN 56 CAMERONBEAUBIER Two weeks later, the AMA Pro Road Racing season will come to a close at America s newest racetrack, with the Big Kahuna New Orleans, scheduled for the weekend of October 5-7, This will be the first professional motorsports event to be held at NOLA Motorsports Park. The track is located just 20 minutes from the historic French Quarter area in downtown New Orleans, LA. 57

30 CHRISFILLMORE MARTINCARDENAS GARRETGERLOFF 58 59

31 TRACKS IN REVIEW BARBER MOTORSPORTS PARK JUNE ROUND 6 Race Course: 2.4-mile, 15-turn natural road course barbermotorsports.com If you think professional racing sounds like an easy life, you ve obviously never tried to make a living by circulating at speeds approaching 190 mph and more over undulating and challenging racetracks, while a host of very fast guys try to take your paycheck away from you. And, by the way, in 2012 you ll have to have no less than 11 tracks memorized, down cold, every turn. Here s a brief look at what that all entails. MID-OHIO SPORTS CAR COURSE JULY ROUND 7 Race Course: 2.55-mile, 12-turn natural road course midohio.com DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY MARCH ROUND 1 Traditional Motorcycle Course: 3.51-mile, 12-turn speedway road course Short Course: 2.90, 12-turn speedway road course daytonainternationalspeedway.com MAZDA RACEWAY LAGUNA SECA JULY ROUND 8 Race Course: mile, 11-turn natural road course mazdaraceway.com ROAD ATLANTA APRIL ROUND 2 Race Course: 2.55-mile, 12-turn natural road course roadatlanta.com NEW JERSEY MOTORSPORTS PARK SEPTEMBER 7-9 ROUND 9 Race Course: 2.25-mile, 14-turn road course njmp.com INFINEON RACEWAY MAY 4-6 ROUND 3 Race Course: 2.32-mile, 12-turn natural road course infineonraceway.com HOMESTEAD-MIAMI SPEEDWAY SEPTEMBER ROUND 10 Race Course: 2.21-mile, 14-turn speedway road course homesteadmiamispeedway.com MILLER MOTORSPORTS PARK MAY ROUND 4 Race Course: 15-turn, 3.06-mile natural road course MillerMotorsportsPark.com NOLA MOTORSPORTS PARK OCTOBER 5-7 ROUND 11 North Track: Long Course: 2.75-mile, 16-turn road course nolamotor.com ROAD AMERICA JUNE 1-3 ROUND 5 Race Course: 4.05-mile, 14-turn natural road course roadamerica.com CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE INFO ON THESE TRACKS 60 61

32 MAGIC EYES Images capture a moment in time, and often the most compelling images never make it into publication. Which is why we like photo essays. They give you the freedom to publish images for reasons other than story content, which opens the door for something special. When it comes to shooting road racing photography, nobody s eyes are as magic as Brian Nelson s. A long-time veteran of the AMA Pro trenches, Brian can likely tell you precisely what time of day will give you the best light on every corner of every track on the AMA Pro circuit. He also has an encyclopedic knowledge of AMA Pro road racing, as well as every decent diner between Daytona and Laguna Seca. The following pages contain some of our favorite Nelson shots from the year

33 THE ENTIRE FIELD OF XR1200 RACERS KISS THE SACRED BRICKS AT THE HALLOWED INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY

34 DAVID GIVIRIA 2011 AMA PRO SUPERSPORT WEST CHAMP, AT SPEED IN UTAH BENNY SOLIS WINS AT BARBER, BUT ELENA MYERS IN THIRD BEATS THE BOYS WITH THE FASTEST RACE LAP. GIVIRIA LEADS THE SUPERSPORT START IN UTAH 66 JOSH HERRIN LEAVES THE 600S BEHIND FOR A SUPERBIKE RIDE IN

35 JOSH HAYES ENJOYS THE CHAMPIONSHIP SPOILS AND A KISS FROM HIS WIFE AND FELLOW RACER MELISSA

36 SUPERBIKE RACE AT INFINEON; THE HUNTERS AND THE HUNTED

37 JASON DISALVO AT SPEED AT INDY

38 CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE IMAGES DANNY ESLICK CELEBRATES HIS 2011 DAYTONA SPORTBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP IN NEW JERSEY

39 2012 Dunlop P. O. Box 1109, Buffalo, New York dunlopmotorcycle.com