May Wins AMA Superstock class; Yates Second 

Braselton, GA (September 5, 2008) - Michael Jordan Motor Sports Suzuki riders Geoff May and Aaron Yates finished first and second, respectively, in Sunday’s AMA Superstock race at Road Atlanta.  This is May’s second AMA National win in the Superstock class.  

May, who qualified his Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000 for the front row in third place, returned to the winners’ circle in Sunday’s 13-lap AMA Superstock main event.  At the start, May remained in third for the first three laps, when a red flag caused officials to stop the event.  On the restart, May shot into second position, took  the lead from teammate Aaron Yates on lap eight and narrowly edged out (by only .044 seconds) the hard charging Yates at the finish line.  “I just tried to stay calm and be patient,” said May.  “I was able to get by Yates and then I just tried to ride really defensively and not make any mistakes.”  

A rookie with Jordan Suzuki, May has earned four Superstock podium finishes, including his first AMA National win earlier this season.  “On Friday we put a label on the dash of May’s bike that read, ‘You Must Win,’” said Geoff Cesmat, May’s crew chief.  “May never said anything about it, but he got the message.  I think Laguna’s results will be the same.”  In this weekend’s event, May also earned one additional point for most laps led.  He is currently third in overall points in the AMA Superstock championship and only 14 points from second place.  

Entering the event in first place in the championship points race, Yates, who qualified for a second place start, earned his ninth consecutive podium finish of the season and clinched the 2008 AMA Superstock Championship, with one round remaining.  “Road Atlanta is my home track, a place I go well at, so I’m excited to win a championship here,” said Yates. 

In Saturday’s Race 1 of the Superbike doubleheader, qualifying for the second row in seventh position (1:25.226), Yates rode his Suzuki GSX-R1000 to a fourth place finish.  Yates ran strongly in the sixth place position for 10 laps, before moving into fifth with 15 laps remaining.  A battle with the fourth place Yamaha rider yielded Yates the position at the checkered flag.  May, who races in the premier class on a production-based Suzuki GSX-R1000, qualified 11^th for the two Superbike races (1:26.570) and earned an eighth place finish. 

After competing in Sunday’s Superstock event, Yates and May finished eighth and 10^th respectively in the final Superbike race.   On his Superbike, Yates, has earned a third place podium, five top five finishes and an additional five top eight finishes so far this season.  He is currently 10^th in overall AMA Superbike championship points.   May has earned 14 top 10 finishes in the Superbike class, placing him eighth in the points standings

The Jordan Suzuki team will visit Monterey, California’s Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca September 27-28 for the 2008 AMA Championship season finale.  For more information on the Jordan Suzuki team or to purchase team gear, visit the race team website at www.23race.com. 

Legendary NBA star Michael Jordan formed Michael Jordan Motor Sports in 2004 as a result of his passion for motorcycle racing.  His mission is to bring a new level of excellence and style to the motorcycle racing industry. 

The 2008 Michael Jordan Motor Sports Suzuki team is proud to partner with:  Jordan Brand (a division of Nike), American Suzuki, Upper Deck, Hanes, Gatorade, Boost Mobile, Bazzaz Performance, MMI - Motorcycle Mechanics Institute, Vortex Racing Components, Dunlop Tire, Oakley, Yoshimura R&D, Gemini Racing, Ancra Tie-downs, Attack Race Bodies, Attack Performance, Chicken Hawk Racing Tire Warmers, DID Chains, Factory Pro Dyno, Maxima Oils & Lubricants, NGK Spark Plugs, Ogio Bags, Performance Friction Brake Pads, Roclun International, STAR Motorcycle School, StompGrip Traction Pads, VP Racing Fuels, Zero Gravity Windscreens, with transportation provided by Eastside Trucking. Yates; HJC Helmets, Sidi Boots, Teknic Leathers and May; Arai Helmets, Sidi Boots, Dainese Leathers 

Milledgeville’s Union-Recorder newspaper wrote about their local resident, Aaron Yates!

http://www.unionrecorder.com/archivesearch/local_story_248001847.html

Check out the note Teknic sent to their dealers this morning!

A big thanks to Teknic for being a part of Aaron’s 2008 AMA Superstock Championship!

Visit Teknic at www.teknicgear.com

Photos from Brian J. Nelson -

AMASuperbike.com’s Chris Martin posted a good story on Sunday’s Road Atlanta AMA Superstock race.  A 13-lap event where Geoff May won his second AMA National event and his teammate, Aaron Yates, earned the Championship title.

http://www.amasuperbike.com/article.php?UID=HMQPJYwDlpMuCiiQtkKHhEnLmrezxr&sc=1120&aid=12301

Suzuki GSX-R1000’s finish 1-2-3 at Road Atlanta’s AMA Superstock event!

Geoff May, Aaron Yates and Blake Young

Pre-championship jitters caused a few of the Jordan Suzuki crew members to forego shaving until Aaron Yates earned the number 1 plate for his Suzuki GSX-R1000.  

Thanks to team photographer Brian J. Nelson for capturing the superstition on film!  And thanks to Yates for wrapping up the championship at Road Atlanta…now go shave guys!!!

 Ryan, Sean, Richie, Karl, Ron, Boyd, Neel and DJ (Left to right)

Michael Jordan Motor Sports Suzuki celebrates on the podium with the 2008 AMA Superstock Champion, Aaron Yates! 

Congratulations to Aaron, crew members, Michael, team sponsors, friends and family!

August 31, 2008 - Georgia boys Yates and May both earned top 10 finishes in today’s AMA Superbike race 2 at their home track, Road Atlanta.   Yates crossed the checkered flag in eighth place with May rounding out the top 10. 

Both riders also competed in the AMA Superstock race earlier today where May won and his teammate Yates took second place and the AMA Superstock Championship title for 2008.

Race results are provided by www.amasuperbike.com 

Yates Claims Third Superstock Championship; Fifth AMA National Title

Braselton, GA (August 31, 2008) - Michael Jordan Motor Sports Suzuki’s Aaron Yates today earned his third AMA Superstock championship and his fifth overall AMA National Championship.  Arriving at his home track with a lead of 36 points, the Georgia native needed only three points over the second place competitor to solidify the championship this weekend at Road Atlanta. 

“I’m really excited to give Michael and his Jordan Suzuki team their first championship,” said Yates.  “My guys Rich, Karl, Pete, Ryan, DJ, Jesse, Chris W. and the rest of the crew have all been great, my Suzuki GSX-R1000 has been awesome and we’ve had a blast!” 

A five-time AMA National champion, Yates, 34, has won titles in the 1000 cc Superstock (2 times), 600 cc Supersport, 750 cc Supersport (Superstock) and SuperTeams classes.  He has earned 46 AMA National career victories, nine AMA Superbike wins, 12 AMA Supersport wins, 17 AMA Superstock, including five 750 Supersport (Superstock), wins and four wins each in AMA Superteams and Supertwins.  

Under the watchful eye of his father, Luckey, Yates turned pro in 1993, earning his first AMA National win in the Supertwins class on Father’s Day in 1994.  In 1995, Aaron co-rode in the Superteams endurance class, where he won four races, including his first AMA National Championship (Superteams).  In his rookie year with factory Suzuki in 1996, Yates won five races, finished on the podium in every event entered except one and earned his second AMA National Championship (750 Superstock).  In the same year, after earning the pole position, he also claimed his first race win in the premier AMA Superbike class at Sears Point.   

In the next several years of racing with factory Suzuki, Yates racked up numerous wins in the AMA Supersport (600 cc) and AMA Superbike classes.  In 2002, he earned seven Superbike podium finishes, and after earning four pole positions, five race wins and three additional podium finishes, Aaron won the AMA Supersport (600 cc) championship, his third AMA National title.  With three Superbike wins and seven additional podiums, Yates finished second in the 2003 AMA Superbike championship.    

In 2005, with five wins and three more podium finishes, Yates won the AMA Superstock Championship for the second time in his career, his fourth AMA National Championship.   He also claimed a race win and nine additional podiums in the Superbike class, solidifying fourth place overall in the year end standings.  While defending his Superstock championship in 2006, Yates earned two race wins and seven more podium finishes before ending the season in second place overall.  

Yates joined the Jordan Suzuki team in 2007, quickly earning the four year old squad its first pole position and Superstock race win at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama.  Yates followed this success with four additional podium finishes in the next seven events.  In the AMA’s premier Superbike class, he earned four front row starts, the team’s first-ever podium finish at Mazda Laguna Seca Raceway and two additional third place podiums before the season’s end.  With his new team, Yates finished in third and fourth place in Superstock and Superbike overall points, respectively.  

In nine outings this season, Yates has enjoyed success with four pole starts, four wins and five second place finishes; he has also led the most laps at two events.  “Road Atlanta is my home track, a place I go well at, so I’m excited to win a championship here,” said Yates.  

Yates resides in Georgia and is married with two children.  His hobbies include dirt bike riding and jet skiing, as well as building and racing high performance Mopar cars at his local drag strip.  To date, his father, Luckey, has only missed two of Aaron’s races. 

Legendary NBA star Michael Jordan formed Michael Jordan Motor Sports in 2004 as a result of his passion for motorcycle racing.  His mission is to bring a new level of excellence and style to the motorcycle racing industry. 

The 2008 Michael Jordan Motor Sports Suzuki team is proud to partner with:  Jordan Brand (a division of Nike), American Suzuki, Upper Deck, Hanes, Gatorade, Boost Mobile, Bazzaz Performance, MMI - Motorcycle Mechanics Institute, Vortex Racing Components, Dunlop Tire, Oakley, Yoshimura R&D, Gemini Racing, Ancra Tie-downs, Attack Race Bodies, Attack Performance, Chicken Hawk Racing Tire Warmers, DID Chains, Factory Pro Dyno, Maxima Oils & Lubricants, NGK Spark Plugs, Ogio Bags, Performance Friction Brake Pads, Roclun International, STAR Motorcycle School, StompGrip Traction Pads, VP Racing Fuels, Zero Gravity Windscreens, with transportation provided by Eastside Trucking. Yates; HJC Helmets, Sidi Boots, Teknic Leathers