Suzuki’s A4DE Team
Australian international off-road racing heroes, Glenn Kearney and Josh Strang will contest this weekend's Australian Four Day Enduro at Coffs Harbour for Suzuki.
Australian international off-road racing heroes, Glenn Kearney and Josh Strang will contest this weekend's Australian Four Day Enduro at Coffs Harbour for Suzuki.
The pair race with factory team FMF/Suzuki in the American Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) series, and will each ride a Suzuki RM250 in Class 2 (over 220cc, two-stroke) at Coffs Harbour.
26-year-old Kearney is a former Australian Off-Road Champion and established GNCC front-runner, while Strang, 19, is in his rookie US season, having taken the 220cc, two-stroke class win and fifth outright in the 2006 Australian Four Day Enduro.
Kearney and Strang will both also represent New South Wales in the teams component.
The 2007 event will be Suzuki's first involvement in the challenging enduro, providing Kearney and Strang with motorcycles and parts. Suzuki will also sponsor the event.
GLENN KEARNEY
"I am stoked to be representing Suzuki in the Australian Four Day Enduro and showing Australian racers how well Suzukis work off-road.
"The Suzuki RM250 two-stroke is the weapon of choice in the GNCC, and I think it will be a great machine for the Australian Four Day Enduro. It is such a reliable bike and has the complete package; I wouldn't want to race anything else.
"So far this season I've had a reasonable run in the GNCC. I had a virus through the first few rounds and I've only had one podium so far, but with consistent results I'm still fifth in the points and well within reach of the podium, so the championship is far from over.
"In events like the Australian Four Day Enduro, the real challenge is in the special tests, and trying to be as fast as possible. Four days on a bike is a long time too, especially if the weather is bad.
"The event is about working as a team. I'm really looking forward to representing New South Wales and continuing to work with Josh [Strang]. He's a good kid, very switched on for his age, a great rider and we work together well.
"I always love coming home, especially in Coffs Harbour which is a beautiful part of the country, so I can't wait to be back and I will be out there looking to achieve a great result for Suzuki."
JOSH STRANG
"This will be my third Australian Four Day Enduro, and my first on a Suzuki, so I'm really excited about competing in the event. I moved out of home for the first time and overseas in January, so to be able to come home and race with Suzuki Australia is fantastic.
"Things have been a bit up-and-down in my first GNCC season. I have had some really good results, but a couple haven't been so great. I'm having fun and the team is happy with my progress.
"Being on a Suzuki RM250 this weekend that's nearly identical to my GNCC machine will be great and I should feel comfortable straight away. Most of the top guys still race two-strokes, and it will put us in a good position to race for outright honours.
"I think the hardest thing in the Australian Four Day Enduro is trying to settle down on the first day and remember that there are three more days to come – the race can't be won on the first day but it can be lost. It's a tough event.
"Working with Glenn [Kearney] has been awesome, he is a great trainer and we are both very competitive so whatever we do we're both trying to beat each other. We have been doing a lot of motocross practice to help with speed, so I'm pretty sure we'll both be competitive straight away.
"Obviously finishing is the first priority, but I'm keen to win Class 2 again, along with trying to finish in the Top 3 outright and win the final moto."
