FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Chip
Spalding, Team Manager
KWS
Motorsports
4657
Franchise Street
North
Charleston, SC 29418
Phone:
1-800-KWS-RACE
MILLENNIUM/KWS
SUZUKI BATTLE THE HEAT AT LAGUNA SECA FOR SOLID FINISHES
North
Charleston, SC – July 2006 -- Team Millennium/KWS Suzuki sponsored by Ron
Ayers Motorsports battled record temperatures and minimal track time to record
another round of solid finishes at Laguna Seca Raceway. This particular round
of the AMA Superbike Series is held in conjunction with the World Championship
MotoGP Series and presents a unique event that saw 140,000 motorcycle race fans
brave the heat to see the best riders on a world stage. However with the MotoGP
series headlining the event, the AMA Superbike series was only allowed
approximately one-third the track time it normally enjoys. This, along with temperatures
measuring over 100 degrees for most of the weekend, found the team challenged to
get the most out of their equipment and themselves.
In
Superbike qualifying, Matt Lynn and John Haner pushed the limits of their Pirelli
shod Suzuki GSX-R1000Õs and their bodies to arrive on the forth and fifth rows.
Haner qualified in the fifteenth position with a time of 1:27.037 and Lynn
qualified in the nineteenth position with a time of 1:29.267.
The
Superbike race started with a bang as both riders got excellent starts, each
moving up at least a full row before turn one. Unfortunately, Matt Lynn was
contacted by another rider which caused a four rider incident in turn two and
brought out the red flag stopping the race. Luckily, Matt was unhurt and was
able to make it back to the pits and jump on his back-up bike for the restart. Although
Lynn had to start from the back of the grid in the twenty-fifth position, he once
again got an excellent start and turned some of his fastest laps of the weekend
to ultimately finish in the fifteenth position. Haner got a great start as well
but retired early with brake problems on lap four. ÒI had two moments with the
brakes and I decided it would be safer for everybody out there if I just came
in,Ó said Haner. ÒWe had a great bike and the Pirelli tires worked great even
with the crazy heat, but everybodyÕs safety is more important.Ó
In
Superstock both riders qualified their Suzuki GSX-R1000Õs on the forth row. Lynn
qualified in the thirteenth position with a time of 1:28.850 and Haner
qualified in the fifteenth position with a time of 1:29.035. Both riders got
good starts and rode hard races despite the oppressive heat. Lynn finished just
outside the top ten in the eleventh position and Haner finished in the
sixteenth position. With his safe finish, Lynn was able to move up into the
seventh position in overall Superstock points.
Matt
Lynn – ÒLaguna
Seca should be commended for the safety improvements they made to the track,
but the changes made to the surface made learning the track difficult. Overall
the weekend was good and we moved up in the points, which is really important. I
really want to thank my mechanics Brian Stricker and Rick Matheny as well as my
Dad and Grant for working so hard in the heat.Ó
John
Haner – ÒMy
shoulder is feeling much better and I am really looking forward to the last
four races. We made a lot of
progress with the chassis even though the results donÕt show it. I really want
to thank my sponsors for coming out this weekend, Rock Star Energy Drink as
well as Komodo Leathers and HJC. I also want to thank everybody with the team. Those guys worked so hard through the
heat and limited track time and I canÕt thank them enough.
Kevin
Hunt – ÒThe
team did really well this weekend through a lot of adversity. Record heat,
limited track time, and a new surface all contributed to a long weekend for
everybody. Matt and John put in a
100% effort and the crew; Chip, Michael, Owen, Rick, and Brian worked really
hard and I want to thank them for it.Ó
Millennium/KWS
Suzuki is proudly sponsored by:
Millennium
Technologies, Ron Ayers Motorsports, American Suzuki, Pirelli Tires, Leo Vince
Exhaust, Pit Bull, VP Fuels, Catalyst Composites,
Vortex, EK Racing Chains, Chickenhawk, BG Lubricants, Webcams, Wiseco, APE,
K&N Filters, Zero Gravity, Dynojet, Thermosman Suspension, Worldwide
Bearing.
For Information: http://www.kwsracing.com
or
Contact: info@kwsracing.com
Phone: 1-800-KWS-RACE
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