IRVINE, Calif. - Team Green™, the amateur racing support program created by Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A., announced the lineup of racers who will compete under the Team Green banner in a variety of national amateur motocross, Arenacross, off-road and ATV events in 2004.
Team Green Manager Reid Nordin said the 2004 lineup brings some fresh new faces to Kawasaki's racing efforts.
"This year, we have a good mix of young riders with a lot of talent and some highly experienced veterans who have what it takes to win championships," said Nordin. "We're confident they'll do well in 2004."
Competing in the U.S. National Arenacross Series will be Team Green racers Darcy Lange of Courtenay, British Columbia; Shawn Clark of Montgomery, Ind.; and Jeff Northrop of Concord, Calif. All three riders will compete in the 125c Pro class aboard Kawasaki's new four-stroke KX250F motorcycle. They will also compete in the 250cc Pro class aboard Kawasaki's venerable two-stroke KX250 motocross bike.
In AMA Amateur Motocross, Nordin says Team Green will represented by more than 55 riders nationwide. Leading the charge are team members Matt Boni of Oviedo, Fla.; Kyle Chisolm of Seminole, Fla.; Ryan Sipes of Vinegrove, Ky.; and Ryan Villopoto of Poulsbo, Wash. While Chisolm, Boni and Sipes will compete on Kawasaki KX125,KX250F and KX250 motocross bikes, Villopoto will ride Kawasaki KX85 and KX100 motocross bikes.
Team Green's off-road racing efforts will be spearheaded by racing veterans Destry Abbott of Peoria, Ariz.; Jeff Fredette of Beecher, Ill.; and Chuck Woodford of St. Clairesville, Ohio. For 2004, they are joined by multi-time hare scrambles and enduro champion Steve Hatch of Scottsdale, Ariz. Abbott will compete in the AMA National Hare & Hound Series and the World Off-Road Championship Series (WORCS) aboard a variety of Kawasaki motorcycles, including the new KX250F. Hatch and Woodford will compete in the Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) series aboard KX250 and KX250F motocross bikes, while Fredette will pilot a KDX220 and KX250F in the Parts Unlimited Series and other select off-road events.
In GNCC ATV racing, 2003 Utility Stock ATV champion Mike Penland of Rabun Gap, Ga., returns to defend his title aboard a Kawasaki Prairie® 700 4x4 ATV. He is joined by 2003 Utility Modified ATV champion Scott Kilby who will also race a Prairie 700 4x4. Team Green ATV racer and 2003 Vet class champion Bryan Hulsey returns for 2004 to compete in the Vet A class aboard a Kawasaki KFX®700 V Force™ ATV, while new team member Bryan Baker of Knob Noster, Mo., will race a KFX700 V Force in the Open A class.
In addition to fielding race teams, Team Green also provides regional support vehicles and highly trained technicians at more than 100 other events, offering technical information and assistance to those who race Kawasaki products. Kawasaki also offers a comprehensive contingency program for amateur and professional riders who place well at designated events.
Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A., (KMC) markets and sells at wholesale Kawasaki motorcycles, ATVs, JET SKI® watercraft, MULE™ utility vehicles, power products and small engines. These product lines are sold through a network of more than 1,500 independent retailers. KMC and its affiliates employ nearly 2,400 people in the United States, with approximately 400 of them located at the Irvine, California headquarters.
Kawasaki's heritage of creating high-performance recreational vehicles and its tagline, "Let the good times roll™", are recognized worldwide. With its illustrious history of breaking performance barriers with such product lines as the world-renowned NINJA® sportbikes and JET SKI® personal watercraft, Kawasaki is aggressively carrying this heritage of pioneering leading-edge design and performance products into the 21st century.
Information about Kawasaki's complete line of recreational products and Kawasaki affiliates can be found on the Internet at www.kawasaki.com.