Team Suzuki Press Office – January 5. The Autotrader/ Yoshimura/ Suzuki Factory Racing Team kicks-off the 2018 Monster Energy AMA/ FIM World Supercross series at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California this weekend.
Suzuki’s new Factory squad, operating out of two semi haulers – one designated for the 450 riders and the second for the 250 riders – will house Justin Bogle and Weston Peick in the 450 class, and the other, defending Monster Energy AMA 250 West Supercross Champion Justin Hill and veteran Phil Nicoletti, who will race in the 250 West series. Jimmy Decotis and Kyle Peters will also line up for the 250 East series, that begins in February.
Said Peick: “I’m really looking forward to the 2018 season and starting the year off strong at Anaheim 1. The 450 class has a deep field, but I’m confident that I can get the 2018 Suzuki RM-Z450 up in the mix. I’ve had a solid off-season, splitting my time between California and at JGRMX in North Carolina. The all-new bike is phenomenal. We have a really good base setting heading into Anaheim.”
The team’s new 450 recruit, Bogle, shared his thoughts on the upcoming season:
“The off-season for me has definitely seen some highs and lows. The highs being that we started working on the new 2018 RM-Z450 early to get some good base settings, and the lows with some unfortunate injuries that simply were bad luck.” Bogle will miss the opening round of the Supercross series due to a practice crash that has kept him off the bike for an extended period of time. He added: “At this point it’s about getting back to where we were a few weeks ago and building off that. I have a great team around me at the Farm with Jeannie and RC, and a great team up in Charlotte at the JGRMX race shop. We are all working hard, and I expect 2018 to be a great year.”
Defending 250 West Supercross Champion Hill is eager to run the number one plate: “I know that I have a target on my back. Many champions have said that it’s harder to retain the title than win it for the first time. The class is stacked, but I have the utmost confidence in my abilities and my team. I know what it takes to win, and I feel at home on the Suzuki RM-Z250. The team has made several major advancements with the bike in the past month and I’m looking forward to getting out front and setting the tone for the series.”
Nicoletti returns for another shot at the 250 West Supercross series: “I’ve put in a ton of hours on the Supercross test track. With the help of [assistant team manager] Buddy Antunez I’ve been able to turn weaknesses into strengths. I’m much further ahead in my preparation compared to last year.”
Autotrader/ Yoshimura/ Suzuki Factory Racing Team Manager, Jeremy Albrecht, likes what he has witnessed from his riders during the off-season. He said: “Excited is a word I would use to describe how the crew feels heading into the new season. Thanks to the support of our great partners and the collaborative effort with Suzuki, we expect to make our presence known on the track and in the pits.”
2018 AMA/ FIM SUPERCROSS SCHEDULE:
Jan. 6: Anaheim, Calif. – Angel Stadium (West)
Jan. 13: Houston, Tex. – NRG Stadium (West)
Jan. 20: Anaheim, Calif. – Angel Stadium (West)
Jan. 27: Glendale, Ariz. – University of Phoenix Stadium (West)
Feb. 3: Oakland, Calif. – Oakland Alameda County Coliseum (West)
Feb. 10: San Diego, Calif. – PETCO Park (West)
Feb. 17: Dallas, Tex. AT&T Stadium (East)
Feb. 24: Tampa, Fla. – Raymond James Stadium (East)
March 3: Atlanta, Ga. – Mercedez-Benz Stadium (East)
March 10: Daytona Beach, Fla. – Daytona Intl. Speedway (East)
March 17: St. Louis, Mo. – The Dome at America’s Center (East)
March 24: Indianapolis, Ind. – Lucas Oil Stadium (East/West)
April 7: St. Seattle, Wash. – Century Link Field (West)
April 14: Minneapolis, Minn. – U.S. Bank Stadium (East)
April 21: Foxborough, Mass. – Gillette Stadium (East)
April 28: Salt Lake City, Uta. – Rice-Eccles Stadium (West)
May 5: Las Vegas, Nev. Sam Boyd Stadium (East/West)
