The 2012 Yoshimura Suzuki Road Race Media Guide

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Written by Bryan Group

Wednesday, 22 February 2012 15:21

THE 2012 YOSHIMURA SUZUKI ROAD RACE MEDIA GUIDE

Domination is a state of being that Suzuki has become accustomed to. For more than half a century, Suzuki has dominated AMA Superbike racing – both literally and figuratively. No other manufacturer even comes close to approaching the extraordinary number of records that Suzuki has set within this genre of racing. From the number of championships captured, to the amount of races won, to the pole positions set, Suzuki is without peer.

No one is more qualified to help Suzuki continue its reign of AMA Superbike domination than returning rider Blake Young. Starting his fourth year with Yoshimura Suzuki, Young is ready, willing and able to fight for the title. He finished second overall in the Superbike points chase last year, thanks to an inspiring performance that included seven victories and multiple podium visits. Building on that momentum, Young is ready to take 2012 by storm and capture his first AMA Superbike Championship.

Partnered with Young is newcomer Chris Clark. The latest addition to the Yoshimura Suzuki squad, Clark is excited about the start of the 2012 season and eager to prove his mettle to his new team. Clark brings a host of novice and amateur championships to the proverbial table and is looking forward to racing with a team the caliber of Yoshimura Suzuki.

Just as Young and Clark’s respective experience levels create a complementary riding combination, so too does the new-for-2012 GSX-R1000 combine Suzuki’s proven Championship DNA with innovative technology geared to a new year and a new championship.

With this bike and this team, domination is not merely a possibility -- it’s the only option.

Blake Young

What a difference one year can make. Going into the 2011 AMA Superbike season, Blake Young was recently recovered from a debilitating back injury and had just celebrated his first-ever AMA Superbike victory. Now, heading into the 2012 season, Young is in a completely different place.

The Yoshimura Suzuki rider finished up second overall in AMA Superbike last year and captured an impressive seven victories. Furthermore, he picked up a pole position and five additional podium finishes en route to the end of the 2011 season. All of these experiences have combined to make the 24-year-old rider a veteran of the sport in which he was recently considered a mere rookie. The result is a smarter, more savvy racer who’s looking forward to the upcoming season like never before.

“Even though I was disappointed that we didn’t win the championship last year, my confidence is much better going into 2012,” said Young. “Last year, I changed my approach to racing… My goal was to finish every race and put in the best effort that I could. If that meant I was at the front, then great. But it was more important for me to finish the race than it was for me to be up front. By focusing on just finishing every race, I found myself in the championship hunt. That’s what I learned last year and that’s what I’m going to implement this year. That’s what you’ve got to do if you want to be competitive in the championship.”

Chris Clark

Yoshimura Suzuki’s new rider Chris Clark couldn’t be more ready for the 2012 season. Although this is Clark’s first year with Yoshimura Suzuki, he has several seasons of road racing under his belt and turned Pro in 2009. Since then, he’s shown tremendous talent, finishing an impressive eighth overall last year in AMA Superbike and notching nine top-10 finishes.

Like his Yoshimura Suzuki teammate Blake Young, Clark will be campaigning the AMA Superbike Championship on the new-for-2012 Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000. Because Clark is new to the motorcycle, he’s been trying to get as much seat time as possible prior to the season’s start.

“I’m really excited about this season and racing for the Yoshimura Suzuki team,” said 20-year-old Clark. “They have an amazing track record and I feel really fortunate to be riding for such a successful team. There’s a little bit of pressure to perform, but they’ve been great about slowly easing me into everything. I’m looking forward to being a part of the team.”

Don Sakakura, Race Director

The man behind the Yoshimura Suzuki team is and always has been Don Sakakura. He’s been in the motorcycle industry since the mid-1970s and with Yoshimura since 1980. He manages all of Yoshimura’s motorsports activities, which includes ATV and off-road programs in addition to road racing.

Most recently, Sakakura was the driving force behind Suzuki’s lengthy list of AMA championships. He was a major part of Mat Mladin’s record-breaking seven AMA Superbike Championships in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2009. He was a major contributor to Aaron Yates’ AMA Supersport Championship in 2002 and AMA Superstock Championship in 2005. He also was behind Ben Spies’ 2003 AMA Formula Xtreme Championship and three consecutive AMA Superbike Championships in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Now, he’s preparing to continue his support for Yoshimura Suzuki’s Blake Young and Chris Clark as they go into the 2012 racing season.

“As always, the goal is to support Blake and Chris to the best of our ability and help them to win,” he said. “Blake had a very good year last year and almost won the championship. I think he is more motivated than ever to win the Superbike title this year. Chris is new for us and there will be something of an adjustment period. But he has a lot of potential and I think will come into his own in 2012. We’re looking forward to the new season.”

Peter Doyle, Team Manager and Crew Chief, Blake Young

When it comes to winning Superbike championships, Yoshimura Suzuki’s Pete Doyle is The Man. Formerly crew chief for seven-time AMA Superbike Champion Mat Mladin, Doyle is now crew chief for Blake Young and he is also the team manager.

His background is extensive and impressive. Doyle started off in the motorcycle industry in Australia, working for a manufacturer for more than two decades (he started in the parts department as a teen). By the early 1980s, Doyle was a World Grand Prix and motocross mechanic, and from there he moved up to being a road race team manager and motocross team manager in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In his time as a manager in Australia, Doyle collected 11 road race championships, a Suzuka 8 Hour win, nine motocross championships and four Supercross Masters titles. Mladin asked Doyle to come Stateside to be part of his crew in 2000, and Doyle’s been part of the legend since then.

Going into 2012, Doyle looks forward to continuing his relationship with Young as well as overseeing the entire team. “I’ve enjoyed working with Blake,” said Doyle. “He has come a long way as a racer and last year he learned some difficult lessons. Our goal for Blake, and also for the entire team, for 2012 continues to be simple: to win.”

Daisuke Hashimoto, Crew Chief, Chris Clark

As Daisuke Hashimoto enters his first year as crew chief for Yoshimura Suzuki’s new rider, Chris Clark, he is excited about the potential of the 2012 season. A former suspension technician with Showa Racing, Hashimoto is originally from Saitama, Japan, and brings plenty of bike set-up experience to the table. But he also has the advantage of working with multiple riders and so is flexible in how he deals with his crew.

“This season, everything is new,” he said. “I have a new rider with Chris and we all have a new bike with the 2012 Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000. But there are still some basic things that stay the same. As in the past, my goal is for everybody to have the same vision in order to give Chris the best scenario to succeed. If we can all come together with one goal, we will be more successful.”

Rich Doan, Team Coordinator

For Yoshimura Suzuki, the man who keeps everything running smoothly is Team Coordinator Rich Doan. With Suzuki for more than 15 years, Doan started out as a road racer but then turned to wrenching on bikes. He worked with multiple privateer teams, and even did a stint with World Superbike before landing at Yoshimura in 1996.

According to Doan, his job is to take care of the every-day details that occur at Yoshimura and that have to do with the team. Whether it’s booking hotel reservations and airfare, coordinating the paint schemes for the team semi and the race bikes, or ordering canopies for pit lane, Doan is on top of it.

“We’re a team, a collaborative effort,” said Doan. “The hope we all share and the goal we’re all working toward is to win races and win a championship. That’s what we’re here for. And it’s my job to make sure that everybody has everything they need to get the job done.”

SUZUKI GSX-R1000

Simply put, there is no other motorcycle quite like the Suzuki GSX-R1000. From Mat Mladin’s unprecedented seven AMA Superbike Championships to Ben Spies’ impressive three consecutive AMA Superbike titles – the Suzuki GSX-R stands alone. It was on a Suzuki GSX-R that Mladin took every AMA Superbike pole position in a season, and set the records for most career AMA Superbike pole positions, most AMA Superbike race wins in a single season and the most AMA Superbike career victories. Indeed, the last 10 out of 13 AMA Superbike titles have been won on a Suzuki GSX-R.

And now, Suzuki has done what most had deemed impossible: improve upon the GSX-R1000. Reaffirming the legendary motorcycle’s claim to fame are improved throttle response, increased power and acceleration at mid-range engine speeds, and better fuel economy. Refinements range from a new stainless steel 4-2-1 exhaust system to completely redesigned pistons. The chassis, suspension and braking systems have also been refined for enhanced performance and a weight reduction of more than four pounds.

The new GSX-R1000 lets everyone know at a glance that it’s the latest generation of the championship-winning machines that have dominated racetracks around the world. The GSX-R1000 offers incredible engine performance from idle to redline, smoother suspension performance, even more responsive handling and superior braking performance — exactly what you need to Own The Racetrack.

2012 AMA SUPERBIKE SCHEDULE

March 15 -- 17 Daytona International Speedway Daytona Beach, FL

April 20 – 22 Road Atlanta Braselton, GA

May 4 – 6 Infineon Raceway Sonoma, CA

May 26 – 28 Miller Motorsports Park Tooele, UT

June 1 – 3 Road America Elkhart Lake, WI

June 22 – 24 Barber Motorsports Park Birmingham, AL

July 13 – 15 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Lexington, OH

July 27 – 29 Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca Monterey, CA

September 7 – 9 New Jersey Motorsports Park Millville, NJ

September 21 – 23 Homestead-Miami Speedway Homestead, FL

October 5 – 7 NOLA Motorsports Park New Orleans, LA

About Suzuki: Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) founded The Motorcycle and ATV Division of American Suzuki Motor Corporation (ASMC), Brea, CA, in 1963. ASMC markets motorcycles and ATVs via an extensive dealer network throughout 49 states. ASMC's parent company, Suzuki Motor Corporation, based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer of motorcycles, ATVs, scooters, automobiles and marine engines. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, it has 120 distributors in 191 countries. For more information, visit www.suzukicycles.com. Follow Suzuki Scoop on facebook for exclusive team content www.facebook.com/suzukiscoopfans.

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 have 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.

Team Yoshimura Suzuki is grateful for the support of their sponsors:

Yoshimura R&D, Suzuki, Parts Unlimited, Dunlop, Motorex, Renthal, BMC Air Filter, Zero Gravity, Catalyst, RK Racing Chain, Motion Pro, Chicken Hawk Racing and Speedcell.

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