YOSHIMURA-Backed Teams Dominate Again at Spring Creek MX

CHINO, CA (July 19, 2011) –
Yoshimura-backed teams once again showed their dominance and the
performance advantage of their Yoshimura products Saturday during the
seventh round of AMA Pro Motocross Championship at the Spring Creek
National in Millville, MN. The Rockstar Makita Suzuki, Rockstar
Energy and Honda Racing teams put their Yoshimura products to work in
their conquest at Spring Creek.

Team Rockstar
Makita Suzuki showed its true championship-winning colors at
Millville. Minnesota native Ryan Dungey powered his
Yoshimura-equipped Suzuki RM-Z450 to the overall win on his local
track, while Rockstar Makita Suzuki teammate Brett Metcalfe carded a
solid sixth-place result.

Despite heavy rains the day before, the
Spring Creek soil was in good condition for the first 30-minute moto.
Local favorite, Dungey, and his Rockstar Makita Suzuki RM-Z450 put on
a good show for the fans, with Dungey getting a good start and
powering into the top three early on. By the time the moto was over,
Dungey had notched an impressive second-place finish. In moto two,
Dungey got another good start on his Rockstar Makita Suzuki RM-Z450
and was running firmly in second place before reeling in the leader
to take the win and the overall victory. This result is Dungey’s
second overall victory of the season and his fourth win in a row at
Spring Creek. Additionally, he’s now just one point shy of second
and seven out of first place in the overall championship standings.

"Coming in, I didn’t really know
what to expect,” said Dungey. “With the mud, it was kind of a
weird deal. We got a lot of rain the night before and I didn’t know
how the track was going to be. The first two practices were a little
sloppy, but in the first moto, I got off to a really good start on
the Rockstar Makita Suzuki RM-Z450. But I wasn’t able to make
passes as quickly as I wanted to, and I ended up second. In the
second moto, I also got a good start and was in third. Then, I got
into second and was able to close up the gap, make the pass for the
lead, and get the overall. Obviously, being here at Millville and
having the hometown crowd is great; it’s always a treat to be back
here because I love the track and the fans are great. I grew up with
a lot of people who came out today, so that was an extra bonus.
Finally, I’m glad to get another win for the Rockstar Makita Suzuki
team – This is a good step in the right direction for the
championship.”

Teammate Metcalfe struggled a bit at
Spring Creek but still put in a strong performance overall. He got a
good start in the first moto but then had to overcome a mid-race
get-off in order to finish up in sixth place. In the second moto, his
start wasn’t ideal, but he put his head down and rode a smart,
aggressive race to pick up a solid top-five finish. Metcalf finished
up sixth overall.

"It was a tough day for me, but I
felt like my riding was good today,” said Metcalfe. “I got a good
start in the first moto. I was up there in fifth and I was trying to
get around into fourth, but it was difficult to pass. I was sitting
there for a few laps – That sort of cost me because I was searching
for a different line and that’s what took me down. I went into the
outside in a corner and it was too muddy and I lost the front end.
That was a mistake that dropped me back to sixth, and then I was too
far behind to make a charge for fifth. But I still felt like overall
I rode pretty good. In the second moto, I didn’t get the best of
starts, but I was able to make some really good moves in the first
couple of laps and I felt aggressive and charged through to fifth. It
was a good day for us; the Rockstar Makita Suzuki RM-Z450 was working
awesome for me and everybody on the Suzuki team has been putting in a
big effort. I really want to get up there and get top three for these
guys.”

American Honda Racing’s Trey Canard
made a stellar return to racing, finishing third overall in the 450
class and Honda teammate Ashley Fiolek finished runner-up in the
Women’s class in Millville.

Canard made an impressive return to
racing after injuring his leg earlier in the year. A rookie in the
450 class, Canard excelled at his Motocross Championship debut.
Getting great starts in both motos aboard his Yoshimura-equipped
Honda CRF450R, he nabbed fifth in moto one and finished third in moto
two for third overall. Teammate Kevin Windham finished 11-10 for 10th
overall.

“Man, I am so happy to be on the
podium at my first-ever 450-class Motocross event,” said Canard.
“It feels awesome to be back racing with everyone. I got good
starts in both motos and was third out of the start gate each time.
In moto one the heat really got to me, and I dropped a couple of
spots during the race. In moto two I maintained third place from
start to finish, which I am really happy with. I definitely picked
tough weather conditions to make my return to racing. It was so hot
out there. Unfortunately, I don’t have the fitness and sheer speed
of the lead riders, yet. That will all come, though; give me a few
more races to get up to speed.”

In the Women’s class, Fiolek came out
on top in moto one and finished runner-up in moto two aboard her
Yosh-equipped CRF250R for second overall. Fiolek has an eight-point
lead in the championship with three rounds to go.

Team Rockstar Energy Suzuki celebrated
a top ten overall finish in Millville. Jason Anderson, who’s been
out since the High Point National, returned to racing and carded an
impressive 10th-place overall finish in the 250 class. Teammate
Martin Davalos finished just behind Anderson with an 11th overall,
while Nick Paluzzi and Les Smith finished 18th and 21st,
respectively.

In the first moto, Anderson was still
trying to get his rhythm back. Although he struggled at the start, he
was able to put his head down and pilot his Yoshimura- equipped
Rockstar Energy Suzuki RM-Z250 through the field and take a
14th-place finish. In the second moto, Anderson was feeling a bit
more comfortable and it showed in his start. After the 30-minute moto
concluded, Anderson had taken an 11th-place finish. The combined
results handed the Rockstar Energy Suzuki rider a solid, top-10
overall result.

“This was my first weekend back,”
said Anderson, “and I felt pretty good. I felt like my speed was
better than where I finished. I just need to keep my laps consistent
and, also, it was really hot today, so I think that’s what we
struggled with a little bit. But now we’ll go home, keep working
hard, and come out swinging for Washougal, which is a track I like;
the layout is awesome and I like the dirt there. It’s a little bit
slick, and that suits me on the Rockstar Energy Suzuki RM-Z250
because I’m good at sliding.”

The Yoshimura-backed team’s next
event is the eighth round of the 2011 AMA Pro Motocross Championship
on Saturday, July 23rd, at the Washougal National in Washougal, WA.
You can meet the Rockstar Makita Suzuki and Rockstar Energy Suzuki
riders on Friday, July 22nd, from 6 to 7 PM, at Pro Caliber
Motorsports, 10703 NE Fourth Plain Blvd. in Vancouver, WA.

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,
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operated only on closed course racing circuits unless otherwise
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