Team Suzuki Press Office – June 25.
Alex Martin – 250 Class – 7-6 for 6th Place
Kyle Peters – 250 Class – 40-14 for 17th Place
Kyle Chisholm – 450 Class – 15-22 for 19th Place
The JGRMX/ Yoshimura/ Suzuki Factory Racing Team ventured south to Florida’s WW Ranch at the weekend for round five of the 2019 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, where, in brutal heat, Suzuki RM-Z250 rider Alex Martin scored his best overall finish of the series.
RM-Z250 team-mate Kyle Peters logged his best single moto finish, while in the 450 ranks, Kyle Chisholm is gaining momentum in only his second event filling in for injured Justin Hill.
WW Ranch, located just outside Jacksonville, Florida, is the newest stop on the Pro Motocross series. Its heat index and rough sandy terrain played into Martin’s strengths as the RM-Z250 rider sliced through the pack in both motos to earn 7-6 moto scores for sixth overall. Martin currently sits in the top-10 in championship points and is seeking to move up in the standings.
“I’m happy with the end result from the Florida National,” said Martin. “After lots of testing and getting the bike dialed-in the last couple of weeks, I was able to get some solid motos in and focus solely on training leading up to Florida. I’m still not quite where I want to be, but I’m heading in the right direction. I’ll be upfront with some better starts.”
Peters was looking for a break-out ride on his RM-Z250. A crash in moto one derailed his efforts but he was able to rebound in moto two with a season high moto finish.
“Peters was feeling better than the previous weekend, but he had a crash in the first moto,” said Jeremy Albrecht, Team Manager. “He did have his best ride of the season in the second moto. I can’t wait for things to come together for Kyle because he’s putting in the work.”
Chisholm continues to anchor the JGRMX/ Yoshimura/ Suzuki Factory Racing 450 effort while Justin Hill recovers from injury. The native Floridian looked to score major championship points at WW Ranch until a crash slowed his progress. Although results improved, Chisholm is determined to grab a top-10 position at Southwick on his RM-Z450.
“The heat and track conditions took a lot out of me,” said Chisholm. “Despite that, I almost nailed the holeshot in the second moto. The Suzuki RM-Z450 is a rocket and it was nice being out front. I’m racing my way back into outdoor shape and looking forward to getting into the top-10.”
The JGRMX/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing Team will travel to the sands of Southwick, Massachusetts on Saturday, June 29th for the sixth round of the 2019 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship.
Alex Martin [250 Class, 7-6 for 6th Place]:
“I’m happy with the end result from the Florida National. After lots of testing and getting the bike dialed-in the last couple of weeks, I was able to get some solid motos in and focus solely on training leading up to Florida. I’m still not quite where I want to be, but I’m heading in the right direction. I’ll be up front with some better starts.”
Kyle Peters [250 Class, 40-14 for 17th Place]:
“I felt good going into the day. Then I swapped in the whoops in the first moto. It was early on in the race. I hit really hard and had to pull off. I probably broke a rib or two, but I came out for the second moto and dug deep. I got off to a really good start and wasn’t close to 100 percent. I survived and salvaged some points. I feel like if I was healthy I would have finished in the top ten. I’ll be ready for Southwick.”
Kyle Chisholm [450 Class, 15-22 for 19th Place]:
“The track and weather was very tough. I felt a little bit better after having a couple more days on the RM-Z450. I’m still not to 100 percent of my ability or race shape. Still, I made strides. I qualified in 14th position, which was decent. I got a good start in the first moto and struggled at the beginning, but I settled in and ended up in 15th. The top 15 was my goal for the weekend.
“The heat and track conditions took a lot out of me. Despite that, I almost nailed the holeshot in the second moto. The Suzuki RM-Z450 is a rocket and it was nice being out front. I made a mistake the first lap and lost a few spots after running third. Then I went down in a corner and dropped way back. I tried to get back into the top 15, but admittedly I was a little spent from the heat. I’m racing my way back into outdoor shape and looking forward to getting into the top ten.”
Jeremy Albrecht [Team Manager]:
“Alex Martin rode great all day. He was better than his results show. I’m happy the team has been working hard with Alex and got him feeling comfortable on such a rough and challenging track. Kyle Peters was feeling better than the previous weekend, but he had a big crash in the first moto. He did have his best ride of the season in the second moto. I can’t wait for things to come together for Kyle, because he’s putting in the work.
“Kyle Chisholm had better qualifying speed this weekend. He made big strides since High Point. His first moto earned him a hard-fought 15th place. He had great starts in both motos on the Suzuki RM-Z450 but fell in the second moto while running in 11th position. Florida had really hot weather and all of our guys persevered.”
