Larry Pegram To Yamahas For 2013
Cycle News Staff | February 8, 2013
Photography By: Andrea Wilson
If you can’t beat ’em, join em: Larry Pegram is parking his BMWs in favor of a pair of Yamaha R1s, the AMA Superbike rider announcing today that he’s done a deal with Yamaha to compete for the 2013 AMA Superbike Championship on similar motorcycles to those ridden to the title the past three years by Josh Hayes.
“It’s a homecoming for me,” Pegram said in a release issued by Yamaha. “My very first race bike was a Yamaha 50 that I competed on when I was five years old, and I also raced an R1 in Superbike and an R6 in Formula Xtreme back in 2004. I’m thrilled to be back in the saddle of a Yamaha for the upcoming season. The R1 has obviously been the best bike in the Superbike paddock over the past several years, and it’s great to join Josh Hayes and Josh Herrin in racing on a Yamaha.”
Pegram will continue to be sponsored by Foremost Insurance. Last year, Pegram rode his BMW to seventh in the AMA Superbike Championship.
Yamaha also announced today that it will continue to pair with Danny Walker’s RoadRace Factory team. Jake Gagne and J.D. Beach will be Yamaha R6-mounted in the AMA Daytona SportBike class while Tomas Puerta will race an R6 in the AMA Supersport class.
In addition to backing Pegram and the RoadRace Factory team, Yamaha is also the motorcycle of choice for RMR/Triple Crown Industries Racing with Bobby Fong set to ride an R6 for team owners Richie Morris and Dave Brite. In Supersport, that team will feature Stefano Mesa and Santiago Villa, as well as Supersport rookie Daytona Anderson.
Meen Motorsports will also field a Yamaha R6 team with AMA Supersport East Champion Jake Lewis and Wyatt Farris. Lewis is moving up to the Daytona SportBike Class with Farris set to take part in Supersport.
