American Honda is pleased to officially announce its lineup of factory motocross team members for 2006, as well as the full roster of Factory Connection-officially the SoBe/Samsung Mobile/Honda Racing Team in 2006-riders and a wealth of additional satellite team Honda racers. The seven satellite teams for 2006-including such top riders as Tim Ferry and David Vuillemin-demonstrates Honda's unparalleled commitment to the sport of Supercross/motocross in the United States.
American Honda's factory team begins with a man synonymous with winning: Eight-time AMA Supercross/motocross champion and Hall of Fame rider Jeremy McGrath returns aboard the omnipotent two-stroke CR(r)250R. McGrath will contest six west coast Supercross events beginning with Anaheim 1, and he also lends his considerable expertise to the team's ongoing testing and development work.
Next, Ernesto Fonseca comes off his best-ever third-place finish in the 2005 outdoor motocross season. Riding both Supercross and motocross this year, Fonseca switches from a two-stroke to the mighty CRF450R four-stroke. Travis Preston and Andrew Short likewise return to Team Honda in 2006. Preston will race Supercross and motocross on the CRF450R while Short wields Honda's all-new four-stroke CRF250R in Supercross Lites (West Region) and Motocross Lites, the AMA's new class names for 125cc two-stroke and 250cc four-stroke equipment.
Filling out the big Honda Racing rig is the newest Red Rider, 17-year-old Davi Millsaps. In his first ride for Honda, he won the Supercross Grand Prix Lites class at the opening round in Canada-sending a clear message to the world that he and his CRF250R are a force to be reckoned with in the 2006 Supercross Lites (Eastern Region) and Motocross Lites classes.
There's plenty more firepower to be found within the Honda-supported Factory Connection Racing Team. For 2006, this team heads into the season with the addition of two significant sponsors, SoBe Beverages and Samsung Mobile.
The SoBe/Samsung Mobile/Honda Racing Team once again stars Kevin Windham and Mike LaRocco. Windham takes the fight to the competition aboard Honda's mighty CRF450R in both classes, while LaRocco makes the switch from two-stroke to four-stroke, competing aboard Honda's CRF450R in the 2006 Supercross series.
The team fields a strong five-man contingent aboard Honda's thoroughly updated four-stroke CRF250R. Billy Laninovich will contest Supercross Lites in the West Region and Motocross Lites along with 17-year-old rookie sensation Jake Weimer, a six-time national amateur champion. Josh Grant will compete in Supercross Lites (East Region) and Motocross Lites joined by Joaquim Rodrigues and Tommy Hahn.
This impressive list of riding talent extends throughout a number of additional Honda satellite teams including:
MotoSport Outlet Honda:
Paul Carpenter-CRF250R
Danny Smith-CRF250R
Kelly Smith-CRF250R
Bob Kiniry-CRF250R
Moto XXX /Unbound Energy Honda:
Kyle Lewis-CRF450R
Tim Ferry-CRF450R
Juss Laansoo-CRF450R
Josh Sumney-CRF250R
Subway/Coke/Honda:
Jeff Gibson-CRF450R
Jason Thomas-CRF450R
Keith Johnson-CRF450R
Team BooKoo / Holigan Honda:
David Vuillemin-CR250R
Steve Boniface-CRF250R
Justin Keeney-CRF250R
Team MDK / Unbound Energy Honda:
Nick Wey-CRF450R
Team Solitaire:
Ryan Clark-CRF450R
Justin Buckelew-CRF250R / CRF450R
With a compelling roster of the sports greatest legends and a pride of young lions eager to make their mark in one of the most competitive sports in the world, you can bet it will be easy to find the Honda Red Riders this year: Just look to the front of the pack.
For more information on Honda's 2006 Motorcycle Sports programs, contact Stacey Jones, Vreeke & Associates, 619/302-2940.