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/674407
IN THE WIND P38 CHRIS ULRICH STEPPING BACK R oad racer Chris Ulrich says he's calling it a career due to injury. Ulrich sat out the two Super- bike races at Road Atlanta two weeks ago Sunday after aggra- vating a shoulder that has been injured multiple times during the last decade, most recently when he crashed during pre-season testing at COTA. At age 36, Ulrich has been racing for 23 years, including 18 years in the professional ranks with AMA Pro and MotoAmerica. "My shoulder really both- ered me at Road Atlanta and I couldn't wrestle the bike through the esses and into the corners quickly enough to turn the lap times I've done before," Ulrich said. "To make things worse, my arm was fatiguing after five laps and I was getting behind on the steering. "It isn't just the injuries. My heart just isn't in it anymore. The added responsibilities that I have taken on with Team Hammer and the M4 SportbikeTrack- Gear.com Suzuki program have made it more and more difficult to concentrate on racing a Su- perbike. It became very clear to me that as much as I have loved racing since I was a kid, it just isn't something that I need to be doing right now. "My racing future is in team management. What I need to do now is help my family's team continue to focus on what it has always done well: Building fast Superstock and Supersport bikes and scouting, recruiting and developing talented young riders to put those bikes on the podium." Ulrich has won AMA Pro National races, finished in the top five in points, and stood on Pro podiums 10 times, as well as co-riding to the overall WERA National Endurance Champion- ship four times. CN ELIAS IN FULL TIME F ormer Moto2 World Cham- pion Toni Elias will ride the remainder of the 2016 Moto- America Superbike Champion- ship after coming to terms with Yoshimura Suzuki. The deal will see the still injured Jake Lewis, whom Elias was originally substituting for and now replaces at Yoshimura Suzuki, move to the Team Ham- mer M4 Suzuki outfit in place of the retired Chris Ulrich, but his focus will now switch to the Superstock 1000 category. Elias has been sensational in his American racing series de- but so far, taking three straight wins to sit second in the series behind Yoshimura Suzuki team- mate, Roger Hayden. "I'm very happy for the op- portunity to continue racing with Yoshimura Suzuki," Elias said. "I've gotten to be good friends with everyone on the team and we work together very well. I'm also happy for Jake to be able to continue racing with Suzuki on the Team Hammer Suzuki. Jake was so kind to help me in any way he could as I filled in for him. I look forward to seeing him back on the track." CN Chris Ulrich announced his retirement from racing. Elias will now be a real force for the title with a full time gig at Yoshimura Suzuki. PHOTOGRAPHY BRIAN J. NELSON PHOTOGRAPHY BRIAN J. NELSON