The Rider Files

John Kocinski races the Cycle Tech Racing Suzuki GSXR750 through a turn in the woods at Blackhawk Farms in South Beloit, Illinois, during a WERA National Endurance race in August of 1985. Kocinski was a little known 17-year-old from Little Rock, Arkansas, who was consistently the fastest rider in the WERA National Endurance Series that season. He came in as a replacement rider for Wes Cooley, who was injured in an AMA Superbike race at Sears Point (now Infineon Raceway) early in the season. Kocinski, along with Joey Osowski and David Aldana, ultimately won the 1985 WERA Endurance Championship on a GSXR, a year before the motorcycle was available in the U.S. Kocinski went on to become a two-time world champion – once in 250cc Grand Prix with Marlboro Yamaha in 1990 and then in World Superbike with Castrol Honda.

John Kocinski races the Cycle Tech Racing Suzuki GSXR750 through a turn in the woods at Blackhawk Farms in South Beloit, Illinois, during a WERA National Endurance race in August of 1985. (Larry Lawrence photo)

(News Release)

Team M4 Monster Energy Suzuki’s Martin Cardenas registered a brilliant performance en route to his sixth victory of the season at Laguna Seca today. The calculating ride saw him make major headway in an increasingly intense 2010 AMA Pro Daytona SportBike championship fight.

Cardenas orchestrated a remarkable come-from-behind effort on Sunday, dropping down to seventh following a hectic opening lap before steadily and patiently working his way back into contention.

The Colombian settled into fifth place and waited for just the right moment to strike. With the early leader more than three seconds ahead of him at half-distance, Martin made his move, deftly slicing up to second and then tracking down first position with two blistering laps.

Martin showed a wheel of his GSX-R600 around the outside of Turn 2 and his rival crashed out under pressure, opening the door for Cardenas to run free to the checkered flag.

Martin now boasts 252 points, just 12 short of the championship lead with three doubleheaders left to determine the ‘10 SportBike king.

Cardenas was thrilled to have finally won at Laguna Seca. He explained, “Since I came here the first time in ‘07, it’s been my favorite track so I wanted to win here very badly. I’ve felt fast since I came here the first time but for some reason it was never possible to win until today.

“The race was very tough. I didn’t make a great start and lost some positions. To pass here can be difficult. You have to really plan your moves because there are not a lot of places to pass. My bike was working really good. I was in like sixth and worked my way up to second and saw the leader was a couple seconds ahead of me. I put my head down, tried to do some quick laps, and caught him. He lost the front and from then on it was a lonely race for me. It was difficult to maintain the pace and the concentration because the rear tire was sliding.

“I really want to say big thanks to all our sponsors and my crew who worked very, very well this weekend.”

Team M4 Monster Energy Suzuki was a major contender in the day’s American Superbike contest as well with Jake Holden backing up his stellar qualifying form by running up front in the race. Starting from the third slot on the front row, Holden immediately moved into second position and then took over the lead aboard his GSX-R1000 on the race’s second lap.

However, repeated struggles in Turn 11 prevented Jake from running the pace he desired, relegating him to a still fine fourth place finish in the end.

The ride was the last scheduled for the Washington state-native with Team M4 Monster Energy Suzuki and he showed constant improvement aboard the team’s Superbike, moving scoring two sevenths, a sixth, a pair of fifths, and ultimately today’s fourth-place ride during his time with the squad.

“I’m not completely thrilled,” Holden admitted. “I would have rather been spraying some champagne with a podium finish, but the team worked really hard and we made a big improvement from the last three rounds. I got myself way more comfortable with the motorcycle. We got in the lead today and I kind of settled it in, but I had trouble with the last corner. But fourth place is fourth place and I matched my best finish in the Superbike class. It’s good but we would have liked to come home with a trophy.”

Chris Ulrich was unable to capitalize on his strong Laguna Seca form, crashing out on the third lap while running in eighth position. The miscue put to a halt a ten-race streak of top-ten finishes for the Californian who still sits seventh in the championship race with 150 points.

Team M4 Monster Energy Suzuki will return to action at Virginia International Raceway on August 13-15.

Team M4 Monster Energy Suzuki uses and endorses fine products from M4 Performance Exhaust, Monster Energy, Suzuki, Geico Powersports, Arai Helmet, Dainese Leathers, GPR Stabilizers, Hotbodies Racing, Vortex, Bazzaz Performance, Galfer Brakes, DID Chain, Roadracingworld.com, and Chicken Hawk Racing.

(News Release)

Team M4 Monster Energy Suzuki is anticipating a strong race day performance tomorrow at Laguna Seca in front of a huge MotoGP/AMA weekend crowd following an outstanding team effort during qualifying on Saturday.

Jake Holden and Martin Cardenas continued their Friday form by securing positions on the front row for Sunday’s AMA Pro American Superbike and Daytona SportBike races, while Chris Ulrich earned a second row Superbike qualifying result of his own.

Holden, a past Superstock race winner at Laguna Seca, is aiming to pilot the team’s GSX-R1000 to a podium result before handing it back over to former Grand Prix star John Hopkins. Working diligently with the team to cure front-end feel issues that have plagued him on the bike, Holden enters Sunday’s 23-lap race confident after clocking the third best time in Superbike qualifying at 1:24.612.

“This matches my best ever Superbike qualifying result,” Holden said. “It feels pretty good doing it at the MotoGP round at Laguna. This track has always been one of my favorite tracks.

“We made quite a few changes there at the end — a shock change and we went out on a used tire and still did some high ’24s, so I’m feeling pretty good for the race. We’ve got the bike set up pretty close to what we’re looking for and the M4 Monster Energy Suzuki guys have been working hard the last two or three rounds to get me a little bit more front-end feel on the bike and I think we’re set pretty good.”

Cardenas is similarly confident about his race set-up on the team’s GSX-R600 SportBike racer. The Colombian also ranked third best in qualifying, posting a 1:27.482.

Martin, who started from pole position at Laguna Seca last year, commented, “The session went pretty well. I was trying to get pole again this year but it wasn’t possible. The top two guys were very fast today; I tried my best but I couldn’t do it, but I think for the race we have a really good set-up. We’ve already decided what tires we’re going to use. Tomorrow morning we might try something a little different to see if we can go a little faster, but I just hope for a good race and we’ll go for the podium.”

Ulrich also put in an impressive qualifying performance on Saturday, registering the eighth fastest time despite facing what is likely the most competitive field of the ‘10 AMA Superbike season.

Chris will start on the outside of the second row on the strength of his 1:25.720 lap time.

The 50-mile Daytona SportBike race will take place at 10:25am local time Sunday morning with the 50-mile American Superbike final rounding out the combined MotoGP/AMA weekend on Sunday afternoon at 3:45pm.

One place you might not think of, but will be a good source for features on Laguna this weekend is the The Herald of Monterey County. Click here.

(News Release)

Road Race Grand Championships also name top Youth, Vet and Novice riders

Hayden Gillim (Photo courtesy AMA)

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — Hayden Gillim, a 15-year-old roadracer from Philpot, Ky., earned the prestigious American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Roadrace Horizon Award at the AMA Racing Road Race Grand Championships, July 12-14, at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.

Gillim won three races and finished second in another to earn the coveted award, which is given to the amateur roadracer who shows the most promise for a successful professional roadracing career.

“Hayden was impressive all week, taking every challenge and, just as importantly, conducted himself as a professional would,” said AMA Director of Racing Joe Bromley. “We expect big things from this young man’s talent on the professional roadrace circuits, and this award represents our confidence that Hayden can deliver on those expectations.”

Gillim had his sights set on the Horizon Award from the first day of the three-day event. He was elated to see his dream come true.

“I feel amazing. I feel great,” he said. “It’s a hard award to get. I had to work for it. Garrett Gerloff gave me a hard time.”

Gillim, who is the cousin of 2006 World MotoGP Champion Nicky Hayden, is also a talented dirt-track racer and is currently vying for the AMA Dirt Track Horizon Award at the AMA Racing Dirt Track Grand Championships in Du Quoin, Ill.

Other special awards were also presented at the AMA Racing Road Race Grand Championships. Garrett Gerloff, 14, of Trussville, Ala., earned the AMA Youth Rider of the Year Award, Nemo Cockrell of Oklahoma City, Okla., earned the AMA Roadrace Top Novice Award, and Gene Burcham of Plainfield, Ind., took home the AMA Vet/Senior Roadracer of the Year Award.

Gerloff, who was Gillim’s toughest competition for the Horizon Award and battled with the older racer throughout the event, said he was pleased to earn the AMA Youth Rider of the Year Award.

“This is awesome. I get to go to Las Vegas,” Gerloff said, referring to the AMA Racing Championship Banquet set for Nov. 21 at the Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas, Nev. “I’m really excited. And I’m really happy for Hayden. He really deserves it. He beat me three times straight up.”

Gillim began roadracing as a Novice in 2006 and earned his Expert license in 2007. He finished second in the AMA Red Bull Rookies Cup Championship in 2008, and was chosen to compete in the MotoGP Red Bull Rookies Cup Series in 2009. He also has earned 10 AMA Racing Dirt Track Grand National Championship No. 1 plates.

The AMA Racing Road Race Grand Championships award AMA Racing national championships in a number of roadracing classes for both expert- and novice-ranked riders. Not only do riders get ample track time and an opportunity to race against the country’s fastest amateur racers, but the best compete for the AMA Roadracing Horizon Award, which goes to the rider showing the most promise for success in the professional ranks.

Past winners of the AMA Roadracing Horizon Award have included Ben Spies, Blake Young, Jason DiSalvo and Miles Thornton. Other awards at the event include the AMA Racing Top Novice Award, the AMA Racing Youth Award — presented to an outstanding racer under the age of 16 — and the AMA Racing Vet/Senior Award, presented to a standout rider who is 30 years old or older.

Complete event results are available at AMARacing.com, while event photography is now available at Gallery.AmericanMotorcyclist.com.