CONTACT INFORMATION: Jake Klingensmith | The Creative Works | 714-501-6549 | jake@thecreativeworks.com

After being a single-rider squad for the previous two seasons, in 2015 Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing will be an expanded team with the addition of new team member Blake Baggett riding alongside James Stewart. Stewart is starting his third full season with the squad. Both riders are slated to race the potent Suzuki RM-Z450 in AMA Supercross and Motocross.

With Baggett joining Stewart on the Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing team, the squad should be able to increase its R&D capabilities with both riders testing and sharing information and development feedback.

After being one of the elite riders in the 250cc class over the last couple of years, Blake Baggett is moving up to the 450cc class for the first time as well as joining Yoshimura Suzuki. To date in his young career, Baggett’s most impressive highlight was winning the 2012 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship.

Yoshimura Suzuki Team Manager Mike Webb returns this year to continue the building heritage of the team. Webb has already led Suzuki to 22 major Off-Road Championships as that team’s longtime manager and he is eager to add Supercross and Motocross titles to his lengthy and impressive resume.

As Suzuki’s Supercross/Motocross team continues to evolve, Stewart, Baggett and the rest of the crew benefit greatly from their extensive partnership with Yoshimura, the performance giant behind Suzuki’s series-leading 13 championships in AMA Superbike racing.

From the moment that James Stewart first joined the Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing Team in an unprecedented 2012 mid-season move, there was no holding him back.

In the 2014 AMA Supercross Championships, Stewart turned in a stellar performance on the Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450 and achieved several career high points. The most impressive of these was when he became the first rider in 450 Supercross history to win at least one Supercross main event in 10 consecutive seasons. In addition, Stewart scored five AMA Supercross victories, matching his best tally in seven years.

Stewart also raced his Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450 to overall victory at the High Point National. Now, Stewart is looking forward to again aggressively campaigning the premiere 450 class in both 2015 AMA Supercross and Motocross aboard the Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450.

There are a lot of milestones that James Stewart has reached in his life. After racking up a record-breaking 11 AMA Amateur National titles, Stewart was named 2002 Rookie of the Year in his debut pro season. In 2004, he won both the AMA 125 East Supercross Championship and the AMA 125 Motocross National Championship, and four years later, in 2008, he became the second rider in history after Ricky Carmichael to complete a perfect motocross season – 24 wins in 24 races – after coming back from knee surgery, no less. He capped off his perfect season with the 2008 AMA Speed Athlete of the Year award.

Now, Stewart faces yet another challenge. He’ll be 29 and racing at an age when many riders have already hung up their helmets. Having joined the Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing Team mid-season in 2012, now he is preparing to race the 2015 AMA Supercross season on the new Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450 for the first time with the support of a new teammate in Blake Baggett. Stewart has helped develop the new Suzuki and he’s excited about the upcoming season. But more than anything, he’s looking forward to racing again for the sheer joy of the sport.

Number: 7 Turned Pro: 2002 Nickname: Bubba Date of Birth: 12/21/85 Hometown: Haines City, FL Height: 5’ 7” Residence: Haines City, FL Weight: 150

Blake Baggett is stepping up to the 450cc class with Yoshimura Suzuki after a successful four-year run racing 250s, which included winning the 2012 AMA 250cc Motocross National Championship. Baggett returns to Suzuki, the manufacturer he raced with and earned his inaugural victory in his first full season as a professional in 2010, with Rockstar Energy Suzuki.

Baggett is reinvigorated by the opportunity to race in the premier 450cc class this season. “I’m super excited to be on the Yoshimura team,” Baggett said. “They have a great staff and a team built on racing and winning races, and that’s the goal. My teammate is going to be James [Stewart], so that’ll be awesome to work together. We rode all of 2013 outdoors together down at his house, and we’re good buddies. Just work together and try to put the two yellow bikes up front.”

At a wiry, but strong 135 lbs., Baggett understands the challenge facing him aboard the powerful Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450. He describes riding the potent 450 compared to the 250cc machines he’s raced his entire career as “lighting a match on a rocket.”

Baggett also carries a big responsibility of wearing the No. 4 on his Yoshimura Suzuki, the same number the great Ricky Carmichael ran when he was with Suzuki. “I’m just going to represent it the best I can and go out there and try to be known for Blake Baggett as the rider on bike number four,” he said.

Now with Yoshimura Suzuki Baggett begins the next chapter in his career. He leaves the 250 class having reached the top-10 (tied for seventh) in all-time AMA 250cc Motocross wins. He now hopes to build a similar legacy in the premier class.

Number: 4 Turned Pro: 2009 Nickname: El Chupacabra Date of Birth: 1/31/92 Hometown: Grand Terrace, CA Height: 5’ 7” Residence: Grand Terrace, CA Weight: 135

There is no one more qualified to lead the Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing Team than Mike Webb. As former team manager for American Suzuki’s off-road program, Webb secured 22 major titles. Since taking over the Supercross and Motocross reins, Webb has led the Yoshimura crew to a combined 17 Supercross and Motocross victories, as well as the prestigious Monster Energy Cup Championship. Going into 2015, Webb believes that the team’s greatest accomplishments remain ahead of them.

“Everyone at Yoshimura Suzuki is excited about the start of 2015,” said Webb. “For the last couple of years we had a little bit of a learning curve, but now with the addition of Blake we’ve really come together as a team. We’re looking forward to taking the team to the next level this season. Between James’ unparalleled talent, Baggett’s gritty determination and Suzuki’s championship-winning DNA and Yoshimura’s unbeatable expertise in racing, we definitely have a lot to be excited about.”

An accomplished off-road racer himself, Webb is a former Vet World MX Champion and still rides regularly. Yoshimura Suzuki has amassed 17 Supercross and Motocross victories under Webb’s direction. His hands-on experience with the RM-Z450 has already proven extremely helpful not only during the racing season but also in testing and overall bike set-up. Webb’s passion for racing is strong and his years of experience at Suzuki add up to a great recipe for success.

The RM-Z450 continues to evolve for 2015, delivering a higher level of performance while maintaining the great balance of the previous model. The 449cc 4-stroke liquid-cooled DOHC 4-valve fuel-injected engine along with new performance upgrades straight from the factory is the reason why champions choose Suzuki.

The championship-winning Suzuki RM-Z450 has a slew of technical features that keep it on the leading edge of technology. Some of those features include:

The Suzuki Holeshot Assist Control (S-HAC), a selectable launch mode system derived straight from the factory race bike to help riders launch from the starting gate... The SFF-Air suspension is an evolution of the SFF system with no coil spring, reduced weight, increased inner tube diameter, and increased damper rod/piston size… Engine start has been improved with a longer kick-starter lever for easier operation… A redesigned frame increases rigidity and reduces weight… Cooling performance has been enhanced with the radiator hose connection being changed from a T-shaped to a Y-shaped design for more equal water flow… gear shift feel has been improved with a revised gear shift cam for a more precise operation.

About Yoshimura R&D of America: Yoshimura is “The Leader in Performance” and has been for more than 55 years. With unmatched skills, knowledge, and passion for racing, Yoshimura is on the forefront of the aftermarket exhaust industry. Yoshimura pipes are race bred and feature the same legendary performance, fit and quality that has been their trademark for more than five decades. To learn more about Yoshimura and view their wide variety of performance products, visit www.yoshimura-rd.com.

About Suzuki: Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (SMAI) distributes Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Outboard Motors and Automotive Parts and Accessories via an extensive dealer network throughout 49 states. SMAI’s supplier, Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer of Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automobiles and Outboard Motors. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, SMC has 147 distributors in 201 countries. For more information, visit www.suzuki.com

2015 SX SCHEDULEJanuary 3 Angel Stadium Anaheim, CA

January 10 Chase Field Phoenix, AZ

January 17 Angel Stadium Anaheim, CA

January 24 O.co Stadium Oakland, CA

January 31 Angel Stadium Anaheim, CA

February 7 Petco Park San Diego, CA

February 14 AT&T Stadium Arlington, TX

February 21 Georgia Dome Atlanta, GA

February 28 Georgia Dome Atlanta, GA

March 7 Daytona Int’l Speedway Daytona, FL

March 14 Lucas Oil Stadium Indianapolis, IN

March 21 Ford Field Detroit, MI

March 28 Edward Jones Dome St. Louis, MO

April 11 NRG Stadium Houston, TX

April 18 Levi’s Stadium Santa Clara, CA

April 25 MetLife Stadium E. Rutherford, NJ

May 2 Sam Boyd Stadium Las Vegas, NV

2015 MX SCHEDULEMay 16 Hangtown Motocross Classic Sacramento, CA

May 23 Glen Helen National San Bernardino, CA

May 30 Thunder Valley National Lakewood, CO

June 6 Tennessee National Blountville, TN

June 13 High Point National Mt. Morris, PA

June 27 Budds Creek National Mechanicsville, MD

July 4 RedBud National Buchanan, MI

July 18 Spring Creek National Millville, MN

July 25 Washougal National Washougal, WA

August 8 Unadilla National New Berlin, NY

August 15 Utah National Tooele, UT

August 22 Ironman National Crawfordsville, IN