VOL. 51 ISSUE 40 OCTOBER 7, 2014 P23
American competing full time
next year on the Grand Prix cir-
cuit. He will be joined there by
18-year-old Thomas Covington
from Alabama. The former Team
Green Kawasaki amateur star
will compete in the MX2 class on
the Monster Energy Kawasaki
Team. Covington actually signed
with Kawasaki during the 2014
season, but will start the 2015
championship with intentions of
winning the title.
One of Covington's teammates
will be MX2 World Champion Jor-
di Tixier, who comes over from
the Red Bull KTM team. French-
man Dylan Ferrandis, who was
part of the winning Motocross
of Nations squad, returns for an-
other year on the Kawasaki MX2
team.
Ryan Villopoto plans to contend
the 2015 FIM MXGP World
Championship Series for Kawasaki.
"There's no question about how much
talent he has, but even off the bike he's
such a great guy to work with. I love his
style, his personality and I seriously think
he's the future of motocross and I'm glad
we're here to support him."
Ditto for co-owner Ricky Carmichael,
who knows a good rider when he sees one.
"I love Ken and what he represents and
I think it's great for the Suzuki brand,"
Carmichael said. "I'm happy to have him.
This kid grew up on a Suzuki so to have
him back here it's really special – not only
for Suzuki but for RCH Racing. We're ex-
cited. We see how much talent he has
and the rest is up to us to provide the
best race machine we can to go out there
and win not only races but also champi-
onships."
(From left to right) Ricky Carmichael,
Ken Roczen and Carey Hart were
popular visitors to Suzuki's dealer show
in Las Vegas last week.
WORLD SUPERS: NEW
BMW TEAM LAUNCHED
T
he JR Racing Team will take its place in the 2015
World Superbike paddock, running BMW machinery
in a two-rider set-up with former World Champion Troy
Corser appearing as the sporting and technical director.
The new team will feature support from the Dominican
Republic, and it is not a continuation of the proposed
Down Under Motorsports team that Corser had tried to
put together last year.
This will be a stand-alone team, with support, but not
any official status, from BMW. It will be based in the old
BMW workshops in Germany.
Gemma Voces Pons, a long time figure in the World
Superbike paddock, will be the team manager, with
Corser the Sporting Manager, both operating under the
JR Racing team umbrella. The main backing is coordi-
nated by Yocelyn Robinson, with the team named after
her father, Jose.
It appears this is the first stage of a project to have a
race circuit in the Dominican Republic, to improve not
only tourism but also the business profile of the Carib-
continued on page 24
