This weekend, the LCR Honda team will 'double up' its efforts at the Red Bull US Grand Prix at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, CA. LCR's Toni Elías will be joined by Michael Jordan Motorsports' Ben Bostrom, who will compete in the MotoGP race as a wild card. Bostrom will also race, as usual, in the AMA Superbike class.
A humble and excited Ben Bostrom spoke at today's MotoGP press conference about the opportunity, "It's a dream come true," explained Bostrom, who is no stranger to Laguna Seca and has experience riding all types of motorcycles on the famed California racetrack. Bostrom was quick to thank Michael Jordan Motorsports and American Suzuki for the opportunity to ride the LCR Honda in the premier class this weekend. The talented veteran rider has raced up to as many as three classes in one race weekend in years past, so he is confident the transition from AMA Superbike to MotoGP bike throughout the weekend should not be too challenging. "The difference won’t be too bad," explained Ben, "the most difficult part will be to get my brain up to speed with the faster (MotoGP) bike."
When asked about having another American rider join the MotoGP ranks, Nicky Hayden, who has known Ben from their dirt track days, said simply, "Ben’s pretty special at this track, hopefully he doesn’t show any of the regulars up."
Bostrom intends to put his Jordan Motorsports Suzuki on the top of the podium this weekend, and plans to get the LCR Honda "as close to the front as possible" during Sunday's MotoGP race.
The Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix gets underway on Friday at 10:10am local time, when the MotoGP bikes take to the 11-turn, 2.238 mile race course on California's central coast for the opening practice session of the weekend.
The Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix gets underway on Friday at 10:10am local time, when the MotoGP bikes take to the 11-turn, 2.238 mile race course on California's central coast for the opening practice session of the weekend.
