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It has been officially announced that the MONSTER Energy YAMAHA - YART* team will enter the 35th "Coca-Cola Zero" Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Road Race that will be held at Suzuka Circuit in Mie Prefecture July 26-29, 2012.
Katsuyuki Nakasuga, a rider currently competing for the YAMAHA YSP Racing Team in the pinnacle JSB1000 class of the All Japan Road Race Championships, will join forces with Noriyuki Haga (Japan) and Tommy Hill (U.K.) of the Swan Yamaha Team.
Competing in the Suzuka 8 Hours for the 10th time, Haga is a well-known rider in Europe and is putting his sharp riding skills to the test in the British Superbike Championship this season. Joining him as the youngest member of this "dream team," 2011 British Superbike Champion Tommy Hill will be competing in the Suzuka 8 Hours for the first time.
*YART=YAMAHA AUSTRIA RACING TEAM
MONSTER Energy YAMAHA - YART Team Manager Mandy Kainz
"I'm very proud and happy for YART to bring together the best of the best YZF-R1 riders as a 'dream team' for the Suzuka 8 Hours race. Our expectations are quite high, but the most important thing for YART was to bring the Yamaha family closer together. To have Katsuyuki, Nori and Tommy on one bike will make the whole historical Suzuka race more exciting. I can't wait for the race to start."
Katsuyuki Nakasuga
"Personally, I want to finish the race at the top for YART as we were not able to finish last year. We have two excellent riders in Tommy Hill and Haga this year. We all have great ability and strong personalities, but I feel like I can lead them as one of the fastest riders on a YZF-R1. The Suzuka 8 Hours is a team battle, so good teamwork between the riders is important as well. I think we'll perform well as we have a good balance between an experienced rider like Haga, and a young rider like Tommy. Please look forward to the race!"
Noriyuki Haga
"Machine trouble took us out of the race and let down many fans at my last Suzuka 8 Hours in 2006. This time, we're here to make up for that performance and looking at our rider lineup, I think we have a good chance to aim for the top and show the fans our determination. Now the only thing left to do is wish for good luck!"
Tommy Hill
"To race at Suzuka for Yamaha is great news for me! It is to represent the Yamaha racing brand as well as compete in the British Superbike Championship. This will be my first time competing at the Suzuka Circuit, but I am very much looking forward to racing there and hopefully push for success for Yamaha and myself."
| Katsuyuki Nakasuga |
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| Born: August 9, 1981 in Fukuoka Prefecture |
| Racing team: YAMAHA YSP Racing Team |
| Suzuka 8 Hours Record |
| 2006: DNF (paired with Shinichi Nakatomi) |
| 2007: DNF (paired with Nobuyuki Osaki) |
| 2008: 5th (paired with Yuji Sato) |
| 2011: DNF (paired with Igor Jerman, Gwen Giabbani) |
| Noriyuki Haga |
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| Born: March 2, 1975 in Aichi Prefecture |
| Racing team: Swan Yamaha Team |
| Suzuka 8 Hours Record |
| 1993: DNF (paired with Junichi Matsushita) |
| 1994: DNF (paired with Masaya Hirayama) |
| 1995: 22th (paired with Yasunori Kondo) |
| 1996: Won (paired with Colin Edwards) |
| 1997: 17th (paired with Kensuke Haga) |
| 1998: 6th (paired with Simon Crafar) |
| 1999: 4th (paired with Reis Laconi) |
| 2000: 18th (paired with Wataru Yoshikawa) |
| 2001: DNF (paired with Anthony Gobert) |
| 2006: DNF (paired with Colin Edwards) |
| Tommy Hill |
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| Nationality: British |
| Racing team: Swan Yamaha Team |
| Race Career |
| Competing in the British Superbike Championship since 2004 |
| 2011: British Superbike Champion |
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