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Yoshimura Suzuki’s Toni Elias Completes an Impressive 2016 Superbike Racing Season
Yoshimura Suzuki’s Toni Elias Completes an Impressive 2016 Superbike Racing Season
20 Jan 2017
Elias (on bike 24) will join Hayden on team Yoshimura again in 2017
Toni Elias will undoubtedly remember 2016 as a very good year. At the age of 33, the veteran road racer experienced a career rejuvenation of substantial proportions.
The former MotoGP Moto2 World Champion seemingly had no racing opportunities heading into 2016 when he was contacted to do some limited testing for K&N-sponsored Yoshimura Suzuki. As it turned out, Elias surprised everyone, including himself, with his speed on the Yoshi Suzuki GSX-R1000. He was signed to race in place of Jake Lewis who was injured prior to the season, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Elias garnered six first-place finishes in the 2016 MotoAmerica Superbike season, and secured an impressive third place finish in the overall standings. He finished a single point out of second place and just 7 points out of first. Clearly, American Superbike racing suits the Spanish rider. Elias was amazingly quick in adapting his frenetic riding style to the Superbike class.
Elias tweaked his riding style to find success in the Superbike class
Not surprisingly, Yoshimura Suzuki enthusiastically pursued Elias’ return for the 2017 season. When MotoAmarica resumes in March with the official testing for the series, Elias will be piloting one of the totally redesigned GSX-R1000s alongside teammate Roger Hayden. “We are very happy to have both Roger and Toni back with Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing,” said Pat Alexander, Suzuki Motor of America Race Support Manager.
Senior Vice President for Yoshimura Research and Development of America, Don Sakakura echoed Alexander’s enthusiasm on the makeup of the team. “After a very competitive season last year, we are excited to have these two great talents back for another year of racing,” said Sakakura. “Roger and Toni made great progress with the team last year, and we are hopeful that the new GSX-R1000 will prove to be a winning combination for them in 2017.”
Elias roosted his flat track bike to a podium finish in the Superprestigio (photo MotoAmerica)
You would think a top three finish in his rookie season in MotoAmerica Superbike would be the end of the 2016 story for Elias. That is hardly the case. Elias traded his GSX-R road racer for a flat track bike to compete in the 4th invitational Superprestigio in Barcelona, Spain in December. Again showing his acute ability to adapt to different racing styles, Elias charged to an impressive second place in the competition while rubbing elbows with some of the biggest names in racing.
K&N is excited to again be a part of the continued resurgence of Yoshimura Suzuki. Toni Elias is certainly going to be a huge part of what looks to be an exciting time in MotoAmerica Superbike with the partnership of Yoshimura Suzuki and K&N Engineering.
