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| #7
Joe Byrd continues on Red for 2011 after
signing with Honda to race the TRX 450R
in the 2011 AMA Pro ATV Motocross Series |
Torrance, CA (12/02/2010) - Joe
Byrd Racing returns for its sixth season as
the official support team for Honda in the 2011
AMA Pro ATV Motocross National Championship.
Representing Honda in the Pro, Pro Am and Production
A classes, the team has won multiple titles
over the years and will continue racing Honda’s
TRX450R in the ATV competition.
"I’ve
really enjoyed working with Honda over the years
because we share the same professionalism and
work ethic toward winning on and off the track"
said Joe Byrd, champion Honda racer and Joe
Byrd Racing Team Owner. "Honda has treated
me like family since day one, and I couldn’t
see myself riding anything else. I look forward
to 2011 and another exciting year of racing"
American Honda is pleased to welcome Trey Canard
and Josh Grant to the Honda Racing team for
2011 to contest both the AMA Supercross Championship
and AMA Motocross Championship aboard Honda
CRF450R race machines.
For 37 years Honda has amassed an unparalleled
record in AMA Supercross and Motocross, winning
more championships than any other manufacturer.
Canard added to that tally in 2010 by winning
the 250 Motocross Championship.
"Both Trey and Josh have shown great speed
in the 450 competition" said Erik Kehoe,
Honda Racing Team Manager. "Trey demonstrated
his ability on the Honda CRF450R last year when
he filled in for an injured rider and finished
with five consecutive podiums. Josh has also
shown huge potential in the 450 class since
graduating from the 250 class, where he rode
with the GEICO Powersports Honda team in 2008.
We know he can win, as he has recorded wins
in both 250 and 450 Supercross and Motocross
classes, and we look forward to seeing what
he can do aboard a Honda Racing–prepared
CRF450R"
Since turning professional in 2007, Canard
has enjoyed much success aboard his GEICO Powersports
Honda CRF250R, winning the 2008 AMA Supercross
Lites East Championship and 2010 AMA 250 Motocross
Championship. Last month, Canard added Motocross
of Nations Team Champion to his list of stellar
career achievements, and he helped Team USA
take the victory at the 2010 FIM Motocross of
Nations in Lakewood, Colorado.
"As an amateur racer riding for the Factory
Connection amateur team, it was my dream to
one day make it onto the Honda factory team,
and to be given this opportunity now is a real
honor" said Canard. "I’ve been
a part of Honda’s racing program for a
long time in both my amateur and professional
careers. I’m pumped to be able to continue
that relationship into the big-bike class"
After racking up multiple Supercross and Motocross
Lites wins aboard his Honda CRF250R, including
winning the U.S. Open of Supercross, Grant transitioned
well to the big-bike class, winning the 2009
Anaheim Supercross opener. He went on to earn
two more podiums and finish fourth in the series
points, as well as take two podiums and an overall
win in 450 Motocross competition that year.
Hindered by injuries during 2010, Grant bounced
back to score a Motocross race win and secure
his first-ever X Games Supercross gold medal.
"It feels really good to be back on a
Honda, the brand that I started my amateur and
professional careers with" said Grant.
"I’m ready to get started working
with the Honda Racing Team as we prepare for
the 2011 Supercross series"
Two-time Women’s Motocross Champion Fiolek
finished runner-up in the 2010 WMA Championship,
and for 2011 will be back to contest the WMA
championship on a Honda.
"I’m so happy to be a part of the
Honda family for the third year" said Fiolek.
"The support I receive from everyone at
Honda is awesome, and I love riding the CRF250R.
Last year the women’s competition really
stepped it up and the racing was tough every
week. I look forward to stepping it up even
further in 2011 and going for that third title"
Official SX/MX Honda support teams for 2011
include GEICO Powersports Honda and Troy Lee
Designs Honda. The GEICO Powersports Honda team
experienced tremendous success in both the 2010
AMA Supercross and Motocross series, winning
the 250 Motocross Championship and finishing
runner-up in the Supercross and Supercross Lites
East Championships. Returning to the team’s
starting lineup to contest the AMA Supercross
Championship and select Motocross events aboard
his CRF450R is Honda racing veteran Kevin Windham.
Justin Barcia, Blake Wharton, Eli Tomac and
Wil Hahn will contest both the 250 Supercross
and Motocross competitions aboard their CRF250Rs,
while talented amateur racer Justin Bogle makes
his professional debut with the team in the
Motocross Championship, also racing a CRF250R.
Troy Lee Designs Honda took the runner-up spot
in the Supercross Lites West Championship and
enjoyed multiple podium finishes in the 450
Motocross class before finishing the season
fourth in the points. Cole Seely returns for
his second season in the 250 competition with
the team aboard Honda’s CRF250R, and joining
him in the 250 class are team newcomers Travis
Baker and Christian Craig, also racing CRF250Rs.
Honda welcomes multiple AMA Supercross and
AMA Motocross Champion Chad Reed and his newly
formed TwoTwo Motorsports team to the Honda
fold in 2011. With the support of Honda’s
industry-leading Red Riders Reward program,
Reed will contest the 2011 Supercross competition
aboard Honda’s CRF450R. "For me Honda
makes the most sense" said Reed. "It’s
what I would call a racer’s bike in that
it is very light and very nimble, and it just
fits my style very well. I’m excited to
be riding Honda motorcycles and to have Honda’s
support with the program"
Honda continues its support for off-road racing
powerhouse team Johnny Campbell Racing (JCR)
in 2011. Aboard Honda CRF450X and CRF450R race
machines, JCR riders dominated the competition
in 2010, winning the AMA National Hare &
Hound title and AMA District 37 Championship
along with all three SCORE Baja events—the
250, 500 and Baja 1000. "JCR is excited
to continue its partnership with Honda"
said 11-time Baja 1000 champion Johnny Campbell,
JCR team owner. "2010 was a very successful
year for JCR with the team winning a number
of off-road racing titles and also Honda’s
14th Baja 1000 victory, and we look forward
to another winning season in 2011 with Honda"
Contingency Support
In 2011, Honda will continue its industry-leading
contingency program. The Red Rider Rewards program
will support racing all across the United States
by offering contingency payouts to a wide range
of Honda-mounted professional and amateur racers
during the 2011 race season.
www.honda.com
