Solid 2023 Results Lead to Continued Racing and Marketing Success
BREA, CA, September 18, 2023 — Suzuki Motor USA, LLC is pleased to announce its continuing partnership with HEP Motorsports through the 2025 season as Suzuki’s premier SMX race team. With HEP Motorsports' solid success in 2023, the partnership continues with both racing and joint marketing initiatives including Suzuki’s RM Army Boot Camp events among other things.
In 2023, HEP Motorsports’ Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki squad featured elite racer Ken Roczen on the Suzuki RM-Z450. With Roczen, HEP carded a solid and consistent season, winning the Indy Supercross in thrilling style and earning several podium results and third in the Championship. HEP Motorsports also earned consistent results in the outdoor motocross season with several top-ten finishes.
Suzuki and HEP Motorsports celebrate their first win together at the Indy Supercross.
With the 2023 post-season progressing to crown the inaugural SMX World Champions, HEP Motorsports and Roczen achieved second overall in rounds one and two of the SMX playoff format. With this strong showing, HEP Motorsports’ lead rider is now ranked third overall for the 2023 SMX World Championship going into the final round at the L.A. Coliseum and a shot at the SuperMotocross World Championship.
The HEP Motorsports 2023 squad also fields the Twisted Tea Suzuki Presented by Progressive Insurance effort with veteran riders Kyle Chisholm and Fredrik Noren. Chisholm is currently ranked 18th, and Noren 14th in the SMX post-season rankings. The HEP Motorsports 2024 rider lineups will be announced later in 2023.
“We are excited to challenge for the 2024 SMX World Championship with Suzuki. Our program and partnership successes with Suzuki continue to evolve for 2024 and beyond. With this partnership we are in the best position to continue to have successful results,” said HEP Motorsport’s team principal and Pipes Motorsports Group executive, Dustin Pipes. “It is an inspiring time to be a Suzuki Racing fan as we continue to discover new advances in the team’s mission to excel in the SuperMotocross format and we are eager to demonstrate our team’s continued strengths to the RM Army."
In 2023 saw HEP Motorsports and Suzuki expand their partnership by jointly hosting multiple RM Army Boot Camp events throughout the United States. These Suzuki ride day events were held at premier racetracks for hundreds of Suzuki RM and RM-Z riders to enjoy. Each event allows the RM Army attendees to interact with, learn from, and hang with HEP Motorsports riders and team technicians at these fun, exclusive, yet friendly events. Based on the Boot Camp events’ 2023 successes, 2024 Suzuki RM Army Boot Camp event planning is underway, and the 2024 calendar will be announced soon.
“Suzuki is immensely proud of the 2023 race season and the partnership with HEP Motorsports. The team has grown into a podium and race-winning program, and we are excited to continue building the partnership with a multi-year extension,” said Chris Wheeler Motorsports Manager at Suzuki Motor USA, LLC. “Having a dedicated and fun team for fans to rally behind while also providing value for Suzuki customers with innovative projects like the RM Army Boot Camps, makes it very rewarding and motivating to continue pushing forward.”
“Having the opportunity to come on as Team Manager for the HEP Suzuki team and go racing in the premier class this season was very exciting for me,” said Larry Brooks, Team Manager for HEP Motorsports. “Getting to the top of the podium with HEP and Suzuki was such a cool feeling and it's great knowing we are continuing for 2024 and beyond. Testing and development is going well on Suzuki’s rock-solid RM-Z450 and I’m looking forward to continuing going into battle with my team.”
Suzuki’s RM-Z450 and RM-Z250 are poised for more SMX competition excitement in 2024 and beyond, as the Suzuki and HEP Motorsports partnership continues to pay dividends and results. Suzuki is excited to continue its successful racing heritage as it competes in the 2024 SMX World Championship and looks forward to seeing the entire RM Army continuing enthusiasm and loyalty.
The 2024 SMX League season debuts in January 2024 at Angel Stadium for Anaheim 1.
Cool, I would love to see them add Ferrandis to the team.
Glad to see you the Yellow Monster still racing. Says the 2024 rider roster will be announced at a later date.
Hope to see KR,DF and Chiz on 2024.
I wonder if they will keep the 250 partnership for 2024.
Great news.
This is interesting, now I get the contract is with Suzuki USA (which has little influence on multi generation product plans), but you would hope Suzuki Japan provided some encouragement here in the form of - We are staying in the MX business and will have a new RMZ coming soon..
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Very cool news...
Man, i love Suzuki and the little push happening. Hopefully…. They can do some smart improvements to the OEM bikes and get back after it
How about Suzuki's multi-year committment to MotoGP? I know corporate Japan and USA may be different, but they can not be trusted.
This is great news but goddamnit just give DF a ride
I'm guessing/hoping that's what this sentence means;
"The HEP Motorsports 2024 rider lineups will be announced later in 2023."
Is Roczen on a factory bike? Based on pics looks like more of a support team bike with high end aftermarket stuff.
That’s what it is. Technically it is the factory Suzuki though
I hope Suzuki are paying Ken well, he has really reignited the brand. If he continues having success next year I don't see how they couldn't update the bike.
What's Tyler's opinion on this Suszuki news?
That is the only opinion that matters.
Great news here!!!!
How about a 250 squad?
This is good news.
I was honestly thinking Suzuki were going to pull the plug and discontinue their MX line, especially after the pull out of MotoGP and the cut back of their Road Bike line up.
But we can assume that if nothing else they will continue to release bikes to 2025 and beyond. Now lets hope they give the RMZ's some updates!
I read all the updates on riders going to different teams and who left and where they might be going. Hep never mentioned Brandon Hartranft, who was seriously injured during the offseason. I don’t know if he intends to ever race again, but should be mentioned as a former team rider. He did finish 8th overall in Supercross for the team.
Pit Row
Dylan will be fine.
Good point. I ran across this interview where he talks about the aftermath of the crash (bike locked up on a jump):
https://racerxonline.com/2023/04/04/between-the-motos-brandon-hartranft
He was on pulp Monday. Said he’s done racing
No its not a factory bike. Suzuki doesnt have a "factory bike" at this time. HEP bikes are all production based they do there own testing and are free to pretty much run whatever they want. Such as suspension if they want to run Showa up front and KYB in back or vise-versa they have there own suspension guy and Twisted Development is building the motors. there is pretty much nothing on KRs bike that is "factory" hell even his hubs are oem. maybe Brake calipers are factory. Kindo goes to show you how good that bike can be.
Ya ya ya Bla bla bla kiss kiss kiss. Now that all the butt kissing statements are made. WHEN IS THERE GOING TO BE A NEW BIKE??? I love my 2020 its a great platform in my opinion but lets do a Estart may be a refined rear shock. (i got mine working great after some valving and spring and PC link) and a lil diet maybe some cool Teck??? I would be happy to see that.
Dylan to me seems like high maintenance, they may not have the budget.
I wonder how this bike compares to his RCH one. and if any of those parts still apply.
Pretty funny I stopped competing after 2016 and back then only ktm had the electric start I believe and in 6 years you're a dinosaur not having one ^^
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