Racing Info
Blake Young began riding and racing motorcycles when he was only 4 years old. His father owned a motorcycle dealership in Madison, Wis., and used it to help many younger riders – including Blake and his older brother – enjoy the local dirt track motorcycle racing scene. Year after year, Young graduated up a size in motorcycles, eventually becoming a road racer at age 14. He became an AMA pro road racer at 16 years of age, as a member of Team KWS aboard a Suzuki GSX-R600. This is Young’s first year on the Rockstar Makita Suzuki Racing team.

Biography
Blake Young has been racing motorcycles for most of his life. Still, the 2009 season is the one he’s been anticipating for many years. The 21-year-old Wisconsin native joins the Rockstar Makita Suzuki Racing team and will compete in the AMA Pro American Superbike class. “Sure, I’ve been racing motorcycles as long as I can remember,” said Young, “and since I turned Pro at 16, all I’ve wanted to do is race Superbike; now I have that chance and I’m going to make the most of it.” Through his years as a motorcycle racer – from dirt track as a child to a full-time road racer at age 15 – Young has continually been looking for the best competition. “When I was 14 and 15 years old, I never really stuck to one race series,” said Young. “My dad Steve’s idea was to chase the fastest racers around, no matter what series they raced – whether CCS or WERA or whatever.” And as a professional racer in the AMA ranks, Young did much the same, testing the competition in Supersport, Superstock and Formula Xtreme classes in the last three years of racing. “Every year I set some new goals for myself,” said Young. “Last year, I set them pretty high and worked very hard to accomplish them.” In the 2008 season, Young raced his Suzuki GSX-R1000 to his first pro victory in the Superstock class, along with earning four podium finishes. And he closed the season with another pro victory on his Suzuki GSX-R600. “Now that I’m with Rockstar Makita Suzuki Racing and competing in Superbike,” said Young, “I still have high goals for myself, but I know I have a lot to learn, too.” Young is not the only new guy on the Rockstar Makita Suzuki team. His crew chief, Chuck Warren, is also new to the squad for 2009. “It can be a difficult situation being the new guy,” said Young, “but with both Chuck and me being new to the team, it will be easier. We had some good pre-season testing time together, and we worked on communication, too.” With Mat Mladin and Tommy Hayden as teammates, Young has excellent role models from which to learn. “For professionalism and success in racing, no one can match Tommy and Mat,” said Young. “I will watch and learn from them both on and off the track.” Though he’s tried several race classes and entered many different series, Young has consistently raced Suzuki GSX-R motorcycles throughout his pro career. “Suzuki is a great company that is really more like a family to me,” said Young. “And it has an amazing racing record, too.” In 2009, Blake Young may be the one that young riders are looking to chase around the race track.