Michael Jordan Superbike Report
Michael Jordan Motorsports celebrates scoring both the first pole and first race win in the team’s short history in the opening race of the 2010 AMA Pro National Guard American Superbike Championship season.
National Guard Jordan Suzuki’s Jake Zemke gave Michael Jordan Motorsports its first victory in team history in the opening race of the American Superbike season. In his first race for Michael Jordan Motorsports, Zemke led a tight pack to the line in a barnburner that had the top five riders taking turns leading the field. On the last lap, Zemke led into the chicane and maintained enough drive to hold off the field to the flag. It was Zemke’s fourth career Superbike win and his first win since 2006. Jordan Suzuki’s Aaron Yates finished just behind Zemke in fourth place.
Jake Zemke Speaks…
"The number one job for me was . . . okay, the bike doesn’t feel too bad," Zemke said. "I just want to hang with this lead pack and make sure I don’t get separated from them. I was there for a while and about halfway I thought, ‘I think I can get to the front of this thing.’ My National Guard Jordan Suzuki was working good and was really fast and that always helps. The guys have done their homework over the off-season and they build a great motorcycle and the team came together and gave me a bike I could ride in the race. Luckily, it worked out."
Jordan Suzuki’s Aaron Yates beat the field to the line to earn the first pole of the year. The Georgian posted a 1:38.324 in the final qualifying session to earn pole position on his Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki GSX-R1000.
Aaron Yates Speaks…
"We’re real happy to get the Jordan Suzuki up on pole position for sure – it’s the first time ever for the team in the Superbike class," Yates said. "Conditions weren’t ideal to get out there to go real fast, but we were working on setup the whole session, all the sessions, and just making real small adjustments and trying to get the bike as good as it can be for the race. We had our tire strategy worked out pretty good and it just worked out for us."
The 2010 Michael Jordan Motorsports team will be competing in today’s American Superbike Race 2 at Daytona International Speedway and its next event will be at the Suzuki Superbike Challenge at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, CA on March 26-28, 2010.
