JANESVILLE, Wis. (March 15, 2011) - The 2011 AMA Superbike series kicked off this past weekend at the famous Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. Team Rockstar Makita Suzuki compiled a stellar duo of racers in Blake Young and Tommy Hayden, and also welcomed Parts Unlimited onboard as one of the team's primary supporters for the 2011 series.
"We are very pleased to be associated with the Yoshimura team," said Greg Blackwell, VP of Sales for LeMans Corporation. "We have been a vendor of Yoshimura's quality products for many years and this association further strengthens our relationship and our We Support The Sport philosophy. The Team Rockstar Makita Suzuki Team is one of the strongest, most professional teams in road racing and we look forward to sharing many podiums with them."
With the team and sponsors set, attention turned to the newly resurfaced racetrack and the first event of the weekend. Both Young and Hayden were engaged in a battle for the lead throughout Friday's 15-lap event and it would come down to the wire as the teammates made an all-out sprint to finish. When the checkers flew, it was Young edging out Hayden by .026 of a second to take the first win of the season!
Saturday's event saw some more intense racing action as riders jockeyed for the prime position to take advantage of the illusive Daytona Draft. As the race drew to a close, Young again made his move to the front and took over the lead on the final lap. He would take the checkers for his second win in as many tries. Hayden also put in a strong ride to round out the podium.
With his impressive 1-1 result, Young holds an 11-point advantage over his closest competitor in the championship standings. Hayden sits just three points off of second place and will no doubt be looking for a win when the series heads to Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California, on May 13 - 15, 2011.