2012 Monster Energy/Graves Yamaha Video
When the 2012 AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike Championship wrapped up at NOLA Motorsports Park in Louisiana last month, the Monster Energy/Graves Yamaha team topped off a historic season.
How historical? It’s pilot, Josh Hayes, finished 2012 with 16 wins, the most attained in a single season during the 30+ year of the series, including his double win at NOLA.
Besides this record, Hayes also took the most consecutive wins (10), tied the record for most poles in a season (10). Hayes is also tied in second for most SuperBike titles (three), and has surpassed Miguel DuHamel to grab sole possession of second-place on the all-time SuperBike wins list (33).
At Nola, with teammate Josh Herrin out of action due to a training injury, it was solely up to the Mississippi Madman to bring it with authority. And, bring it, Josh did. To the tune of earning both the provisional and overall pole positions, leading every lap in both races, winning both races, and winning the coveted surfboard trophy for being The Big Kahuna of the event.
It was the perfect weekend for Josh, who seemingly knew everyone in attendance by name. And, despite the obvious commitments and responsibilities, he was not the least bit distracted from his primary job: to win aboard his #1 Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha YZF-R1.
Josh clinched the 2012 SuperBike championship–his third such title in a row–at the previous GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing round in Homestead-Miami Raceway, so the Gulfport, Mississippi, native was literally riding for pride at NOLA.
And, with his father Kurt, his mother Marsha, a throng of aunts and uncles, his manager Gina, his neighbors, the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick-maker apparently all making the short 90-minute trip down from Gulfport to New Orleans, Josh did not disappoint anyone in attendance.
Attached above is a video that looks back at the final weekend of the Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha team’s season, highlighted by Josh Hayes’ epic performance.
You’ll meet Keith McCarty, who is the Motorsports Racing Division Manager for Yamaha and has been with the company for more than 35 years. Keith talks about the U.S. Road Racing Teams’ important relationship with Monster Energy. You’ll also meet Jeff Myers, who has been with Yamaha for over 15 years and is one of the masterful technicians responsible for the #1 Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha R1. Jeff talks about Yamalube and how the racing team relies on Yamalube products to not only win races, but also three SuperBike championships in a row.
