Austin Howell Making Pro Debut this Weekend

-Suzuki’s Austin Howell will make his 2010 AMA Pro Motocross debut this weekend at Unadilla.
-Howell is coming off his second-place finish in the 450 A class at the 2010 AMA Amateur National Motocross Championships at Loretta Lynn’s and won the 450 Mod Pro title at the World Minis this year.
-Howell will make his debut aboard the Rockstar Energy Suzuki RM-Z450 on Thursday at Media Day prior to the Unadilla National.

Brea, Calif.  – Austin Howell, the 18 year old amateur motocrosser from Red Bluff, Calif., is set to make his AMA Pro Motocross debut on Saturday at the legendary Unadilla National in New Berlin, New York. Howell has just completed a successful amateur season aboard his Rockstar Makita Suzuki RM-Z450, finishing second in the 450 A class at Loretta’s this past week. Now Howell is set to make his Pro debut on the Rockstar Energy Suzuki RM-Z450 under the guidance of both Brian Noah, Suzuki’s Amateur Motocross Support Specialist, and Bill Keefe, Team Manager for Rockstar Energy Suzuki.

Howell planned ahead, getting his pro license this year in hopes that he would be racing the remaining AMA Motocross races after finishing up the Amateur season at Loretta’s. He’s also planning on making his AMA Supercross debut in 2011, making a smooth transition from his Suzuki amateur career to the pro ranks. "It’s been a tough year for the Rockstar Energy Suzuki team due to injuries and they had a great opportunity to fill a spot with Austin," Noah said. "Austin has showed he is capable all year long and has worked hard to make this transition, and I am glad we have a spot for him on a Suzuki. He will be among the first of many in the coming years to successfully move from our Suzuki amateur team to the Suzuki supported Rockstar Energy pro team and I can not be more happy for him."

Howell will fill out the roster of the Rockstar Energy Suzuki team that has fluctuated this year due to illness and injury. Team Manager Bill Keefe is excited to give Austin a ride in the pro ranks. "Rockstar Energy Suzuki is fortunate that Suzuki’s championship-winning amateur program has such a large group of talented riders to draw from," Keefe said. "We are excited to provide Austin a ride aboard our Rockstar Energy Suzuki RM-Z450 for Unadilla."

Austin will be at Media Day on Thursday, which features the Rockstar Energy Suzuki team. He’s excited and anxious to get out on the track and see where he stands in the highly competitive 450 class. No stranger to battling hard and winning races, Austin took home the 450 Mod Pro title at the 2010 World Mini Grand Prix. "I am excited for this opportunity and I am going to do the best I possibly can. I have been working hard all year long and I know I am ready. Hopefully the next couple races go well for me so that I can show Bill and the rest of the team what I am capable of" stated Austin Howell. "I would also like to thank all my amateur sponsors who have all supported me to ultimately get to this level. They are Rockstar, Makita, Suzuki, Fox Racing, Boyesen, Braking, Cometic Gaskets, CTI2, Dunlop, Excel rims, E-Z Up, Hinson Racing, Hotcams, Lightspeed, Matrix Products, Maxima Lubricants, Millennium Technologies, Motion Pro, Moto Tassinari, One Industries, Pivot Works, Pole Position Raceway, Pro Circuit, RK Racing Chain, Sunline Components, TagMetals , TCR Wheel Lacing, Team Associated, Thor, Twin Air, Vortex Ignitions, Vortex Racing Components, VP Race Fuels, and Wiseco."