AMA: Kawasaki and Muzzy team up to take on AMA/Prostar Drag Racing

27 November 1999

Irvine, Calif. -- Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A., and motorcycle racing's most famous engine building tuner, Rob Muzzy, have created a partnership that will se the two entities combine efforts in a commitment to winning the 2000 AMA/Prostar motorcycle Drag Racing Series.

The arrangement will have Muzzy tuning and transporting the Team Kawasaki Ninja motorcycles for the Pro Superbike, 600cc SuperSport and Streetbike Shootout classes to all eight rounds of the 2000 AMA/Prostar Motorcycle Drag Racing Series. Kawasaki will field a proven team of racers that will make the Muzzy crew's tuning efforts pay off on the victory stand.

"Kawasaki and Muzzy's will jointly field a team that we hope will combine to deliver more of the championships that have become so much a part of the history between Rob Muzzy and Kawasaki," said John Hoover, Team Kawasaki Drag Racing manager and Kawasaki's Director of Motorcycle Product Management.

The Muzzy/Kawasaki championship heritage dates back to the early '80's when Muzzy was the the tuner for Kawasaki AMA Superbike champions Eddie Lawson and Wayne Rainey. When Kawasaki re-entered the AMA Superbike Series in the late 80's it turned it's road racing program over to Muzzy and together they won four AMA Superbike Championships, one World Superbike title, three straight 750cc SuperSport crowns and one 600cc SuperSport championship. Muzzy has also modified the championship-winning Superbike engines for Rickey Gadson in the AMA/Prostar series.

Kawasaki was the first OEM to become directly involved in the AMA/Prostar Motorcycle Drag Racing Series when it supported a two-rider team of Gadson and Steve Rice in 1998. Kawasaki increased it's effort in 1999, adding Team Green Drag Racing riders Chip Ellis, Marty Ladwig and Chris Williams, and additional support for Team Kawasaki's Rickey Gadson in two other classes. In '99, Gadson won his third straight Pro Superbike Championship while Team Green's Marty Ladwig won the 600cc SuperSport championship.

The combined strength of Kawasaki and Rob Muzzy will help push the 2000 AMA/Prostar Motorcycle Drag Racing Series to new levels and promises to make the drag strip the place to be for performance minded motorcyclists.

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