Press Release

Yoshimura Backed Teams Tackle The Competition At Atlanta SX

Chino, CA (February 27, 2012) – Yoshimura-backed
teams topped the podium and pulled home solid results at round eight of
the AMA/FIM Supercross Series at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA, on
Saturday night. The Honda Racing teams, Yoshimura Suzuki team and
Rockstar Energy Racing Suzuki team pulled out all the stops and put
their Yoshimura products to work in order to dominate the Georgia Dome.


Yoshimura-backed GEICO Honda’s Justin Barcia, who is also the
defending Lites East Champion, made it two wins in a row in the the
second round of the East Lites class, while teammate, Justin Bogle,
finished third. Team Honda Muscle Milk’s Justin Brayton finished fifth
and replacement rider Cole Seely finished in sixth place in the
Supercross class in Atlanta.


Current Lites East points leader and defending Lites East Champion
Barcia posted the second-quickest qualifying time of the night and
finished second in his heat race. In the main, Barcia dominated the
field aboard his Yoshimura-equipped CRF250R, grabbing the holeshot and
never looking back.

“The night went really good for me,” said Barcia. “I had good practices
and a decent heat race, but I knew I could be up front in the main. The
Yoshimura-equipped GEICO Honda CRF250R was running great and I felt
awesome. I got the holeshot in the main and ran my own race. With two
wins under my belt, I am ready to head into next weekend and make it a
third.”


Yoshimura-backed GEICO Honda’s newest rider Justin Bogle made his
podium debut, finishing in third place in the Lites main. “The track was
really good, a lot more technical than Arlington, which I think suits
my riding style better,” said Bogle. “I got a sixth-place start and was
able to make some passes and capitalize on some mistakes. It was a great
night and I’m excited for the rest of the season.”


Yoshimura-backed GEICO Honda’s Kevin Windham hit a milestone in his
career with Atlanta marking his 200th Supercross start. Windham showed
impressive speed with a fifth-place-overall qualifying time in practice,
and a fourth-place finish in his heat. Unfortunately, a bad start in
the main left Windham towards the back of the pack. He rode a noteworthy
race, making his way up to eighth place.


“I knew as soon I came off the line I knew that it was going to be a
long night,” said Windham. “Although it left a lot to be desired out
there I am really focused on my accomplishment of being able to stick
around this long. With such a competitive Supercross class it is hard to
go out there and get a podium when you are up against a bad start. I am
happy and grateful for everyone who has helped get me to this 200th
start.”


It was a frustrating start to the day for Yoshimura-backed Team Honda
Muscle Milk’s Brayton, who is still recovering from his crash in San
Diego. Brayton qualified eighth in practice but grabbed a sixth-place
finish in his heat race. In the main, Brayton got a mid-pack start and
battled the entire 20 laps, finishing a respectable fifth place.


Seely had a noteworthy ride aboard his Yoshimura-equipped CRF450R.
After making a minor bike adjustment during practice, Seely was ready
for the night. In the main he impressed everyone by grabbing the
holeshot and leading the pack for the first seven laps. After falling
back a few positions, he was still able to finish a solid sixth place.


“I felt confident with my performance going from the heat race into
the main,” said Seely. “In the main I got the holeshot and expected to
see someone’s front wheel within the first few laps but it didn’t happen
and I was able to lead for a while. I tried to hold a decent pace for
as long as I could but I got a little tired and some of the other guys
got by me. This race was good for me to see where I am in the Supercross
class and it gives me more confidence going into next weekend.”


Also in the Supercross class, Yoshimura Suzuki’s Brett Metcalfe
enjoyed a positive start to the weekend by capturing an impressive
third-place finish in his eight-lap heat race. With an aggressive jump
off the gate, he nailed the holeshot on his Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450 and
led for several laps before finishing third. In the 20-lap main event,
Metcalfe got a good start and was running in seventh for several laps
before eventually finishing ninth.


“I was looking forward to this race, but it was a tough day,” said
Metcalfe. “I didn’t feel comfortable in practice, and it was a tough
track for me. That was a bummer because it was a technical track and
normally that’s good for me. We had some positives, though; I got some
good starts on the Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450, but I just wasn’t able to
ride to my potential. I just need to go back and regroup for St. Louis. I
haven’t been to St. Louis for quite a while and I’ve never raced the
Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450 there, so this is something new. Also, it’s
another round for me to improve, so I’m just going to keep working hard
and try to make some progress in all areas.”


Yoshimura-backed Rockstar Energy Racing’s Blake Wharton was
definitely the hero for the night in Supercross Lites. After getting a
great start in his six-lap heat race, Wharton battled for the lead for
most of the heat before a small mistake saw him finish fourth. In the
main event, Wharton again got a good start and was running in a podium
position for most of the 15-lap race before finishing fourth.


“I put myself in a pretty good position in the main,” said Wharton.
“I had some little problems, but everyone’s going to have problems. In
the heat race, I was doing well, but then I crashed. I’ve just got to go
and work at it some more. I like St. Louis; I won there in 2009. That
sure would be nice, to go there and throw down and take the win.”


Yoshimura-backed Rockstar Energy Racing teammate Hunter Hewitt also
turned in an impressive performance in Supercross Lites. Like Wharton,
Hewitt had a good showing in his heat race, carding a fourth-place
finish. In the main event, Hewitt put in a smart, consistent ride,
coming from behind to bring home an eighth-place result.


“We made some big improvements in Atlanta,” said Hewitt. “I wanted to
set a goal and achieve it, and I did that. I got a 15th-place start in
the main event, but I was able to work my way up to eighth place. This
was an improvement and I’m excited to carry that momentum over to St.
Louis.”


All the Yoshimura-backed teams are looking forward to their next
event, the ninth round of the 2012 AMA/FIM Supercross Championship on
Saturday, March 3rd, at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, MO. You can
meet the Yoshimura Suzuki and Rockstar Energy Racing Suzuki riders on
Friday, March 2nd from 6 to 7 PM at Big St. Charles Motorsports, 3830
West Clay Street, St. Charles, MO 63301.


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.


Yoshimura products are designed, manufactured, intended, and sold
for use on vehicles that are operated only on closed course racing
circuits unless otherwise noted. Use of these products on public roads
or lands is strictly prohibited and may be a violation of local, state,
or federal laws. Products intended for use on vehicles operated on
public roads or lands are clearly so indicated.

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