Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1086032
IN THE WIND P28 Cose, Suzuki Dialed In For AFT Singles C had Cose says he's set for the 2019 AFT Singles Championship with backing from Suzuki Motor of Ameri- ca, Inc. Cose, who finished sixth in Twin points standings last year, will now focus on the Singles championship aboard a Suzuki RM-Z450. Suzuki currently offers the larg- est monetary contingency commitment of any manufacturer to date for the upcoming season. This generous offering influenced Cose's deci- sion to commit to racing aboard a Suzuki. "It's no secret that Suzuki has a really impres- sive contingency program for the AFT Singles class," said Cose. "It definitely carried weight when it was time to make a decision on my 2019 plans and what bike in particular I'd be on, but ultimately winning races and winning a championship is my only goal. I feel Suzuki provides the right tools for the job. Fortunately when I reached out to Pat Alexander from Su- zuki about putting something together he was gracious enough to give me some support to go racing in 2019." While it is a drastic program change for Cose, his team will remain largely unchanged. Tom Englehart will again serve as crew chief, a combi- nation that proved to be successful in 2018 as he tuned for Cose during his first professional podium at Texas Motor Speedway. The two share a special chemistry, and plan to use that to their advantage while tackling this new venture. "We had a great year in the AFT Twins class in 2018—nobody did more with less," said Englehart. "We narrowly missed out on the top five in points, fast qualified several rounds and led main events on multiple occasions which had us feeling like we were doing the right things to get a win. Even though in 2019 it's a different class on a different brand than we competed on last year, neither of us are new to the 450cc single-cylinder bikes, and we have shared success on a 450 in the past. I have kept up with the current advancements and latest trends in engine and suspension management as well. My focus will be making the Suzuki work in a way that Chad can ride to 100% of his ability". Cose acknowledges that transitioning to the AFT Singles class will be a tough task, but a task he is excited to take on and a team behind him that will provide what is needed to be successful. "I believe the 450 suits my style very well," added Cose, "and I'm excited to get out there and show what we can do on a 450. I couldn't be hap- pier to be riding a Suzuki and bringing with me my core group of partners Ritchie Reynolds Racing, Rod Lake, G&G, RASE and Vance & Hines." CN Chad Cose will ride a factory- backed Suzuki RM-Z450 in the 2019 AFT Singles Championship.