YOSHIMURA SUZUKI RACING AVOIDS CATASTROPHE TO PULL OFF AN EIGHTH-PLACE FINISH IN ARLINGTON
February 19, 2012
ARLINGTON, TX (February 19, 2012) – Team Yoshimura Suzuki was proud to bring home a safe and solid top-10 finish in round seven of the 2012 AMA/FIM Supercross Series at Cowboy Stadium in Arlington, TX, on Saturday night. Australian Brett Metcalfe realized that discretion was the better part of valor after what could have been a catastrophic crash. In the end, he was able race his Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450 to a respectable eighth-place finish.
Going into the weekend, the Yoshimura Suzuki squad was more than ready to race. Metcalfe concentrated on his starts during the previous week and he was feeling good about his chances on the tight, technical Texas track. Unfortunately, a crash during the afternoon qualifying practice set him back a little. Despite this, he rallied and finished an impressive fourth in his eight-lap heat race.
“I was feeling pretty good coming into Dallas,” said Metcalfe. “We had some positive practice sessions, but then I crashed in practice and that kind of shook me up. I’m still a little bit sore from that. But we got through practice and then qualifying went well. In the heat race, I caught a really good start – that’s something I’ve been working on and the Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450 has been gaining well – and in the heat race, I ended up fourth. I was happy with that, because I had a good ride going.”
Looking back at the start of the 20-lap main, Metcalfe regretted his gate pick. He came off the line and got a little sideways, winding up at near the back of the pack. Trying to pick his way through the tight and twisty field, he launched over the triple jump only to narrowly miss landing on another racer. Although contact was made, both riders resumed racing. For Metcalfe, the contact resulted in a bent shift lever that was stuck in second gear. Regardless, the Yoshimura Suzuki rider was still able to manage an eighth-place finish.
“That first lap was just really, really crazy,” said Metcalfe. “The track’s tight and there were bikes jamming up everywhere. I hit the triple and I nearly landed on somebody, and it really scared me. Then, I realized that my shifter had gotten bent so I was stuck in second gear. Luckily, this was the kind of track where you could get away with using one gear for the whole lap, so it wasn’t so bad for me. After that, I backed it down because I just wanted to finish the race. That was really it for me for the night. I’m just happy I got through it.”
Always looking forward, the Yoshimura Suzuki rider is already focusing on next weekend’s race in Georgia. Said Metcalfe: “I think everyone loves to go to Atlanta, because the dirt’s really good and the track’s always fun. I just want to have a solid week of practice, get some rest and get ready for Atlanta.”
Team Yoshimura Suzuki Racing’s next event is the eighth round of the 2012 AMA/FIM Supercross Championship on Saturday, February 25th, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA. You can meet Team Yoshimura Suzuki Racing’s Brett Metcalfe on Friday, February 24th from 6 to 7 PM at Mountain Motorsports, 899 Iris Drive S.E., Conyers, GA 30094.
Arlington Supercross Class Results:
1. Ryan Villopoto
2. Ryan Dungey
3. Jake Weimer
4. Mike Alessi
5. Josh Hansen
6. James Stewart
7. Kevin Windham
8. Brett Metcalfe
9. Justin Brayton
10. Kyle Chisholm
2012 Supercross Class Standings:
1. Ryan Villopoto – 158
2. Ryan Dungey – 145
3. Chad Reed – 128
4. James Stewart – 116
5. Jake Weimer – 92
6. Kevin Windham – 92
7. Brett Metcalfe – 88
8. Mike Alessi – 81
9. Justin Brayton – 80
10. Josh Hansen – 8
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.
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.
Team Yoshimura Suzuki is grateful for the support of their sponsors: Yoshimura R&D, Dunlop, Motorex, Vortex, ONE Industries, Showa, Renegade Fuels, Pro Taper, Hinson Clutch Components, D.I.D, Twin Air, Works Connection, Thor, Excel, Mechanix Wear, CP Pistons, Matrix and NGK.
Back to News