CHINO, CA (January 21, 2013) – With the start of the 2013 AMA Pro Superbike Championship season quickly approaching, Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing is excited to welcome newest team member Martin Cardenas to its extremely successful ranks. Cardenas joins returning rider Chris Clark in contesting the championship-winning Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 in the premier AMA Pro Superbike class, starting with round one at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, FL, March 14 - 16.
Cardenas comes to Yoshimura Suzuki after securing the AMA Pro Daytona SportBike titles in 2012 and 2010 while riding for a Suzuki satellite team contributing to Suzuki’s sweep of the last three championships. Cardenas captured eight wins en route to the 2012 title, nine wins in 2010 and he holds the all-time win record in the class with 24. In between 600cc championships, Cardenas raced one year of Superbike, where he finished fourth overall in points and carded a rookie season victory. Now, Cardenas is looking forward to returning to the premier class, this time on the Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000.
"I am extremely happy to have the opportunity to race for one of the best, if not the best, Superbike teams in the U.S.,” said Cardenas. “It's really a dream come true to become part of the Yoshimura Suzuki team. I will give everything I have to try to obtain the best results for the team and for me. And hopefully I will be in the mix for the top spot in the championship."
The upcoming year marks Clark’s sophomore season with Yoshimura Suzuki. In 2012, Clark worked closely with his new team and familiarized himself with the Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000. Looking at the season as a learning curve, Clark picked up nine top-10 finishes and his best results were three seventh-place finishes. Clark missed the last few rounds due to illness, but wound up 12th in the overall championship points.
“I’m really excited to start my second season with Yoshimura Suzuki,” said Clark. “Last year was definitely a learning year for me; not only learning a new bike and team, but learning where I need to improve as a rider. I believe I showed some really good speed toward the end of the season, now I just need to translate that into good results. I’d like to thank everybody at Yoshimura and Suzuki for this opportunity, and I can't wait for Daytona and the rest of the season on my 2013 Suzuki GSX-R1000."
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.
About American 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 146 distributors in 198 countries/regions. For more information visit www.suzukicycles.com.