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Suzuki Press Release:
Photos available upon request:
HOPKINS TOP AMERICAN IN MOTORCYCLE GRAND PRIX OF SPAIN:
JEREZ, Spain - Suzuki\'s young GP ace John Hopkins, of Ramona, Calif., earned his best finish of the season by taking seventh at the Grand Prix of Spain in Jerez. Hopkins built on his reputation as a fast starter by running as high as third during the initial stages on his factory GSV-R. His seventh-place finish matches his best-ever result in Moto GP. He finished seventh last year, as a rookie, in Assen, Netherlands. Hopkins was the leading American finisher in Sunday\'s Grand Prix in front of 128,000 fans. Defending world champion Valentino Rossi won the race on a Honda.
\"I got a good start and ran up there with the Ducatis for awhile,\" Hopkins said. \"Then Rossi motored by my on the back straight and I tried to hang with him. That\'s when I had a problem with the rear-set on the bike. A bolt came out and it caused a problem shifting with the whole rear set flopping around. I lost positions while I was trying to figure out how to shift the thing. I\'ve ridden bikes that were broken before, so I just made it work.\"
Late in the race the Gauloises Yamaha of Shinya Nakano moved up to challenge Hopkins.
\"I knew Nakano was coming so on the last lap I just braked as late as I could and was able to stay ahead of him,\" Hopkins added.
Hopkins is now 10th in the world championship point standings after three of 16 rounds.
The Suzuki GP team now turns to testing this week in Barcelona to build on the successes of Jerez. \"We\'re getting some help from a lot of people in this coming test,\" Hopkins explained. \"It shows the commitment Suzuki has to continue improving on the GSV-R. I just want to keep moving up in the standings. This weekend showed what kind of potential we have.\"
