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SUZUKI NEW ZEALAND LIMITED- Press Release:
Website- SuzukiNZ.Com
SUZUKI’S GSX-R1000 KEEPS ON WINNING!
WHEN Suzuki wheeled out its expanded line-up of GSX-R sports models a few years ago, it launched them under the banner: “Own The Racetrack”.
While the GSX-R600 and GSX-R750 models immediately lived up to that name, it is the GSX-R1000 that has gone on to underline the Suzuki slogan in the most emphatic manner.
In virtually every country embracing the racing of open class sports motorcycles, the big Suzuki has been the bike to beat, amassing a staggering tally of wins since its release in late 2000.
It was Hawera’s Shaun Harris who got the ball rolling, scoring the Suzuki’s world début win at the annual Wanganui street races on Boxing Day, 2000 in the Chris Daws Masters.
The roll call of wins since then is impressive. The long list includes World Endurance Championship in 2001 (winning seven out of eight races); World Endurance Championship in 2002 (again winning all but one of the rounds); Master of Endurance 2003; World Endurance Championship 2003; AMA Formula Xtreme Championship 2002 and 2003 and Australian Production Superbike Championship 2002 and 2003.
In addition, the 990cc Suzuki reached new heights at the 2002 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy meeting in June, taking out the Formula One, Open Production and Senior TTs in the hands of the late David Jefferies.
In the process, Jefferies established a new outright TT lap record 17m 47.0s – a staggering one lap average of 127.29 mph.
That made the GSX-R1000 the fastest motorcycle ever around the daunting public roads TT course.
Tragically, Jefferies was denied the opportunity of extending that record when he hit oil in practice at this year’s TT meeting and was killed in the ensuing high speed crash.
However, after scoring that world début win for the bike on the streets of Wanganui two and a half years earlier, Shaun Harris stepped up to the plate and did the honours in the I000 Production race, winning from fellow Kiwi Bruce Anstey and setting fastest lap, 123.55 mph.
Just as the GSX-R1000 Suzuki is the tool of choice in the World Endurance Championship, so too by far the majority of privateers at the Isle of Man voted to race the model, with a staggering 71 per cent of the 1000 Production TT finishers on Suzukis this year.
Following the TT, the GSX-R1000’s ability on public roads was further underlined when Formula One and Senior TT winner Adrian Archibald scorched to another double at the Dundrod 150 Road Races in Ireland. He also set a new course record at 128.504 mph, becoming the fastest road racer in the British Isles in the process.
Across the English Channel in France, the most important race on the calendar is the legendary Bol d’Or 24 Hour. And here again the Suzuki GSX-R1000 has been the dominant force, winning for the past three years in succession.
In addition it has also taken out the European Superstock Championship two years running.
And now the icing on the cake for Suzuki is victory in the AMA Chevvy Trucks Superbike Championship in the USA where Australian Mat Mladin scored an unprecedented and historic fourth title.
Going into the final round of the 16 race series, Mladin held a 37-point lead over Yoshimura Suzuki teammate Aaron Yates. The Australian added a further point to his tally by qualifying fastest in the series first visit to the newly completed Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
With the AMA title his to lose, Mladin sensibly rode for points in the two races, scoring a fourth and a third to finish the season with a record 550 points, with Suzuki team-mate Yates second with 519 points.
What is remarkable about Mladin’s championship win is that he had to overcome tyre problems caused in large part by the Suzuki’s massive mid-range torque. Indeed, in one race earlier in the season he narrowly averted disaster when his rear Dunlop blew out completely.
Mladin is a tough cookie though and he battled back into the points lead in subsequent rounds. However, even with the championship virtually assured, Mladin had to endure two red flag stoppages in that final race of the season.
As Suzuki Team Advisor, former World 500 Champion Kevin Schwantz, later observed: “That final seemed to take forever, with all the red flags.”
But in the end, Mladin’s third place finish was more than enough to secure the title for Suzuki.
Not a bad effort considering the Yoshimura team had really not intended racing the GSX-R1000 until the last minute, initially planning to stick with the tried and tested GSX-R750.
As Yoshimura Team Manager, Don Sakakura, put it: “We only decided to race it to get a head start on the competition for the 2004 season. Obviously, it turned out well for us.”
FINAL AMA CHEVVY TRUCKS SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS:
1. Mat Mladin (Suzuki GSX-R1000), 10 wins 550 points
2. Aaron Yates (Suzuki GSX-R1000), 3 wins 519 points
519 points
3. Kurtis Roberts (Honda VTR1000 SP-2), 2 wins 474 points
4 Ben Bostrom (Honda VTR1000 SP-2) 462 points
5. Miguel Du Hamel (Honda VTR1000 SP-2), 1 win 417 points
6. Shawn Higbee (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 396 points
7. Eric Bostrom (Kawasaki 830cc ZX-7RR) 350 points
8. Jason Pridmore (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 339 points
9. Vincent Haskovec (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 285 points
10. Jordon Szoke (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 283 points
