New Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing rider Blake Baggett made the most of his first-ever race on the Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450 and premier 450 class debut at the 2014 Monster Energy Cup at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday with a respectable 10th-place overall finish.
“On the whole, we’re really happy with Blake’s performance,” said Yoshimura Suzuki Team Manager Mike Webb. “He felt comfortable on the Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450 and he was very competitive, which is pretty impressive considering he was racing a new bike, with a new team and stepping-up to the 450 class – all in one event.”
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Baggett looked strong from the get-go in the prestigious, one-off Supercross, qualifying fifth for the day. In the first of the evening’s three 10-lap races, he got a good launch off the gate and turned smooth, consistent laps to finish a commendable fifth. In the second race, Baggett got a solid top-10 start and was again the picture of consistency, finishing eighth. In the night’s third and final race, however, Baggett came together with another rider off the start and was unable to finish.
“The night was definitely a good learning experience,” Baggett said. “I had some fast lap-times in practice and I felt good in the first race. I was able to get a feel for what I need to work on and I was able to keep it nice and steady. In the second race, I felt a little more comfortable on the Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450 and tried to push it a little and catch the guys up front. We had a bit of a mishap in the third race, but all-in-all it was a good weekend and I learned a lot that I can use as we head into Anaheim 1.”
Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing’s next race is the season-opening round of the 2015 AMA/ FIM Supercross Championships on Saturday, January 3 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California.
2014 Monster Energy Cup Overall Results:
1. Davi Millsaps (Kawasaki)
2. Eli Tomac (Honda)
3. Trey Canard (Honda)
4. Ryan Dungey (KTM)
5. Malcolm Stewart (Honda)
6. Justin Hill (KTM)
7. Jason Anderson (Husqvarna)
8. Jake Weimer (Kawasaki)
9. Justin Barcia (Yamaha)
10. Blake Baggett (Yoshimura Suzuki)
via Team Suzuki Press Office
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