The following is from Team Hammer…
AMA Pro standout Elena Myers has signed a contract renewal with Team Hammer, Inc. that will see her compete for the 2012 AMA Pro SuperSport title with title sponsorship from American Suzuki’s SuzukiScoopFans page on Facebook and from SportbikeTrackGear.com.
“I’m really excited to be back with Team Hammer and all of our partners this year,” said Myers. “There’s no question that we have an excellent program and we’re looking forward to continuing the relationships we’ve built. The bike will be fast and look great.”
Myers burst onto the AMA Pro scene as a 16-year-old rookie in 2010, becoming the first woman to win an AMA Pro sprint race with a victory at Infineon Raceway. She finished as the SuperSport West Region Championship runner-up in 2010 while impressing with her balance of measured tactics and well-timed aggression.
Myers, from Discovery Bay, California, finished fifth in the 2011 AMA Pro SuperSport West Region Championship with a combined five top-five finishes across both regions, including a podium finish at Barber Motorsports Park.
“The past few years, I’ve had a lot of expectations about wanting to win a championship and I think we’ve continued to develop toward that goal,” Myers continued. “I’ve got great backing. If I can stay healthy, we’ll go hammer-down. This will be my third year in AMA Pro SuperSport. I’ve been working on an intense training program this off-season and I’m really looking forward to getting to Daytona. There are more rounds this year and I am certainly happy about that, too.”
Myers, now 18, will race a 2012 Suzuki GSX-R600. Eric Gray will lead her crew with assistance from returning mechanic Phillip Doyle.
“An opportunity to work with Elena is really exciting for me,” said Gray. “She’s a previous winner and a proven front-runner. Working with a different rider in the team last year, I got to see her approach to racing and saw that she has an exceptional work ethic. She’s entering her third year, so she has some experience even though she’s still at a young age. The team learned a lot about the Suzuki GSX-R600 last year and we have a good baseline setting.”
“We’re excited to continue her development with the team and see where that takes her,” said Team Hammer General Manager Keith Perry. “The team felt she learned a lot in the second half of the season and she sharpened her skills with each race and especially at the CCS races we ran last fall. Elena has a lot of promise and clearly she has a lot of natural talent and ability and we’re committed to helping her continue to improve. We will have Eric Gray working with her next year and he has a good record with young riders so we are all excited.”
“Suzuki is happy to be working with one of the fastest women on the planet in Elena Myers. It’s good to have her representing American Suzuki and SuzukiScoopFans,” said American Suzuki’s Pat Alexander. “She’s worked with us for a few years and she’s done well by winning at Infineon Raceway in 2010 and fighting through injury to produce good results last tear. Elena is a good ambassador for our brand and she has all the potential to come out on top for the 2012 season.”
“We are very proud to be supporting Elena Myers and working with the SuzukiScoopFans program and Team Hammer in 2012,” said Brian Van of SportbikeTrackGear.com. “Elena is a real talent as I discovered first hand when she passed me like a mailbox on the roadside in AMA Supersport Practice at Barber in 2011. 2012 is going to be a great year for sure!”
