The following is from Jake Johnson’s publicist…
Grand National Flat Track racer Jake Johnson will continue riding the Harley-Davidson brand under a new team for 2010. His switch from Suzuki last year to the SuperTrapp/Mike Hacker backed ride had been favorable in his results finishing within the top ten overall and two impressive wins at Hagerstown and Springfield. His first twins’ race in Springfield, Illinois during Memorial Day weekend will feature Jake with Zanotti Racing.
Zanotti Racing came from inspiration provided by Mario Zanotti. He created Zanotti Enterprises in the 1970’s and was the master bike builder behind Steve Eklund. Steve and Mario made an extraordinary team, winning the Grand National Championship in 1980, a substantial feat in beating the Harley Davidson factory team and Jay Springsteen.
Dave Zanotti carries on the family tradition as team owner and bike builder. With his latest selection of Jake Johnson, the team will have a very good chance for podium finishes as well as championship status.
Zanotti Racing is truly a passion driven team. Hard work and determination is what makes Zanotti stand out from the rest. Rich in family history, Dave carries on in the shop in preparation for the 2010 race season. He delegates key people for the daily operations which are instrumental in the teams overall success. Ted McDermitt, Crew Chief; “Ted lives motorcycles and he’s a cornerstone of our racing success. He’s responsible for the meticulous preparation, maintenance and tuning for our stable of racing bikes and handles our transportation. Ted’s responsibility also includes the team’s XR750 engine building and maintains the half mile and mile bikes. It takes special talent to build a fast a reliable Harley motor and Ted delivers.Tens of thousands of miles and countless hours of bike preparation are expended by Ted to make our dream happen,” notes Dave Zanotti.
Jake Johnson comes with a vast resume. Noted more so as the pilot for the American Suzuki/ Parts Unlimited race team; he captured two Grand National single Championships under the AMA Pro Racing’s series. Out of the gate and the inception of his career, Jake rode for Moroney’s Harley-Davidson out of Newburgh New York. His 2009 overall finishes include a seventh in the twins and a fifth in the singles. Jake’s program will also feature long time friend and racer, Mike Hacker, who will continue to mentor Jake and bring sponsorship to the team. She Loves Racing will continue branding Jake for the season through media exposure.
