Autotrader/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing Team Report: Ironman National Motocross

Multi-time champion Chad Reed grabs a holeshot on his
Suzuki RM-Z450 and finishes inside the top ten

BREA, CA  – August 27, 2018 – (Motor Sports Newswire) –  The Autotrader/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing Team ventured to the Ironman National in Crawfordsville, Indiana, for the final round of the 2018 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship. Mother Nature wreaked havoc on race day, dumping several inches of rain in the morning. The conditions didn’t prevent former National Champion Chad Reed from rising to the occasion in his fill-in ride on the Suzuki RM-Z450. The Australian secured the second moto holeshot, finished inside the top-five in the first moto, and wrapped up the day eighth overall. Unfortunately, the miserable conditions dealt Suzuki RM-Z250 riders Enzo Lopes and Jimmy Decotis a poor hand, as the two failed to qualify.

Chad Reed tested the Suzuki RM-Z450 at JGRMX prior to the Unadilla National and was impressed with the bike. With Weston Peick out due to hand surgery, “Speedy Reedy” stepped up and volunteered to race the Ironman National. In his first National in over three years, Reed exceeded expectations as he is inclined to do. After qualifying seventh, he was as high as third place in the first moto before the sloppy track slowed his advance. Reed brought his #22 RM-Z450 home in fifth and lined up to the far inside on the gate for the second moto. The veteran nailed the start and led the field through the first turn. Reed crashed on the first lap, but recovered to cross the finish line eighth in the moto for eighth overall on the day.

The morning deluge at Ironman Raceway resulted in a single qualifying session for each group. With the 250 seeded practice scheduled for the second practice, the track conditions were very poor. In fact, only 13 seeded riders out of the 40-rider field qualified for the motos. Enzo Lopes and Jimmy Decotis were close to qualifying on their RM-Z250’s, but came up just short.

Chad Reed [450 Class, 5 -8 for 8th Place] – “My immediate feeling on the Suzuki RM-Z450 brought back so many positive feelings. It instantly changed my thoughts on motocross. I have been working on my off-bike strength and fitness over the past month, so I knew I could handle some suffering. Riding fitness is so unique to our sport, so I was really quite nervous and unsure in that area. Not having raced a National in three years, my number-one goal was to smile and enjoy a day of racing my dirt bike for one of the best teams in the paddock. The day was a success on all levels.”

Justin Hill [450 Class, 10-32 for 15th Place] – “I had a good ride in the first moto, but the track was pretty tough. I struggled in the second moto and pulled into the pits for a bit, but went back out and crashed. With all of that said, I was happy to get my feet wet in the 450 class before moving up full-time in 2019. I’m excited for what’s to come.”

Enzo Lopes [250 Class, Did not qualify] – “I can’t believe that 27 guys qualified from the unseeded 250 practice. Almost ten factory bikes were out of the race. That’s because the track was flat and without ruts. It didn’t help that I’m dealing with a knee injury, as the mud was very difficult on it. I’m going to head home to Brazil, get my knee looked at, take some time to rest, and come out swinging at the Motocross of Nations.”

Jimmy Decotis [250 Class, Did not qualify] – “Unfortunately, the weekend didn’t go as planned. The group A practice times were much slower than the unseeded riders. It’s too bad MX Sports didn’t have a consolation race to allow the group A riders to race for the last four spots. However, I didn’t do a fast lap that put me in the top-ten in the seeded group, which would have put me in the motos. It was a tough situation, but it’s on me as a racer. I’m really thankful to the Autotrader/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing Team for being so supportive in these tough situations.”

Jeremy Albrecht [Team Manager] – “Chad Reed was the highlight of the weekend. It was cool to have him under the tent. He had a great attitude and loved the Suzuki RM-Z450. He did what we were hoping for. The fifth place in the first moto was better than I expected. Justin Hill rode well in the first moto, but he had bad starts. The muddy track made it tough on all of the guys. We have a Suzuki factory test coming up September 3-16. I’m glad that Hill got through the weekend safe, because he’s an integral part of that test. All of the Suzuki engineers are coming out to the JGRMX Supercross track in North Carolina to help with testing. The 2019 Supercross series is right around the corner.”

This concludes the 2018 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship series. Please visit www.jgrmxraceteam.com for more team news.

450 Final Points Standings:

Weston Peick – 8th
Justin Hill – 12th
Justin Bogle – 27th

250 Final Points Standings:

Enzo Lopes – 20th
Jimmy Decotis – 26th

Photos by Brown Dog Wilson.

Press Contact: Avery Innis
Suzuki Motor of America, Inc.
PR Manager
(714) 996-7040 x2241
[email protected]

Press Contact: John Basher
Autotrader/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing Communications Manager
(704) 274-3426
[email protected]

About JGRMX:

Joe Gibbs Racing Motocross (JGRMX), based in Huntersville, NC, was founded in 2007 by Coy Gibbs, son of NFL Hall of Fame head coach and multi-time NASCAR Championship winning team owner Joe Gibbs. JGRMX competes in both the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship series as well as the Monster Energy Supercross series with support from Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. aboard Suzuki RM-Z250 and RM-Z450 race machines.

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 has 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 Autotrader:

Autotrader is the most visited third-party car shopping site, with the most engaged audience of in-market shoppers. As the foremost authority on automotive consumer insights and expert in online and mobile marketing, Autotrader makes the car shopping experience easy and fun for today’s empowered consumer looking to find or sell the perfect new, used or Certified Pre-Owned car. Using technology, shopper insights and local market guidance, Autotrader’s comprehensive marketing solutions guide dealers to personalized digital marketing strategies that grow brand, drive traffic and connect the online and in-store shopping experience. Autotrader is a Cox Automotive™ brand. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises. For more information, please visit www.press.autotrader.com

About Suzuki:

Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (SMAI) distributes Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Outboard Motors and Automotive Parts and Accessories via an extensive dealer network throughout 49 states. Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer of Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automobiles, Outboard Motors and related products. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, SMC has business relations with 201 countries/regions. For more information, visit www.suzukicycles.com.

Source: Suzuki Motor of America, Inc.

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