Certainly been a crazy season for Team Yoshimura Suzuki, and it continued this week as the squad played a waiting game on primary riders Blake Baggett and James Stewart, with fill-in Matt Bisceglia waiting in the wings. On Thursday evening the team finally had its official lineup for this weekend's Red Bull Muddy Creek National: Baggett is back, Stewart remains out, Bisceglia gets his third race with the team.
Baggett broke his collarbone in the second moto of the season opener at Glen Helen, got it plated and showed up to race Glen Helen seven days later. It was an impressive effort, especially as he charged from last to 16th in the first moto at Glen Helen. He even earned the Deltran Battery Tender Ricky Carmichael Hard Charger award that weekend by passing the most riders of anyone! But by then the pain had set in, and he was out for moto two and the next two races at Thunder Valley and High Point.
Bisceglia, formerly of the MAD Racing/Yoshimura/Dirt Candy Suzuki 250 team, joined Yosh Suzuki on an RM-Z450 at Thunder Valley and put the bike in the top ten in both motos. He was top ten again in High Point's first moto before crashing out of moto two.
“It will be great to have Blake back with us in Tennessee,” said Mike Webb, Yoshimura Suzuki team manager in today's team statement. “And with Matt filling in again, the weekend will be full of activity taking care of two riders and that’s the way we like it.”
Stewart has missed races with an injured shoulder, but he's out this weekend due to more important matters: the press release explains that James will remain home in Florida with his wife for the pending birth of their baby.
Last year Baggett scored a fourth-place result at Muddy Creek in the 450 class. His presence on the gate will be welcomed considering the recent rash of injuries that has claimed Ryan Dungey, Trey Canard, Jason Anderson and Josh Grant.
