Round 9 – AMA Superbike Series, Race 1
Topeka, Kansas
Heartland Park Topeka
July 31 – August 2, 2009
Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Blake Young celebrated his fourth AMA Superbike podium finish of the season after capturing third place in Saturday afternoon’s race at the series’ return to Heartland Park Topeka in Topeka, Kansas. This was the series’ return to the Kansas track after an almost 20-year absence and Young made the most of the first race of the double-header weekend. The rookie Superbike rider got a good start on his Rockstar Makita Suzuki GSX-R1000 and ran in second place for several laps before settling into third. Rockstar Makita Suzuki teammate Tommy Hayden followed his teammate home in a very close fourth place. The Kentucky rider got off the line in eighth place and charged hard on his Rockstar Makita Suzuki GSX-R1000 and moved up into fourth. He proceeded to battle with his teammate for the final podium spot for the last several laps of the 20-lap race. In the end, though, it was Young in third and Hayden in fourth. Finally, Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Mat Mladin opted to sit out the Kansas race. In spite of this, the six-time AMA Superbike Champion Mladin still leads the overall championship points standings in the premier class.
Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing will race again tomorrow in the second of two Superbike races at Heartland Park Topeka in Topeka, Kansas.