- Racing - Road Racing
TYLER SCOTT WINS 100TH LOUDON CLASSIC FOR VISION WHEEL M4 ECSTAR SUZUKI
BREA, CA – June 22, 2023 – Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki star Tyler Scott’s precision, patience, and perseverance paid off in the form of victory in this past weekend’s 100th Loudon Classic.
A massive combined $250,000 purse attracted a field stacked with some of the nation’s elite racers, among them Scott and teammates Teagg Hobbs and Richie Escalante, the three of them armed with next-generation Suzuki GSX-R750 Supersport racebikes.
Tyler Scott (70) leading fellow Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki riders Teagg Hobbs (79) and Richie Escalante (54) at the 100th running of the Loudon Classic.
Unfortunately, inclement weather made for a chaotic contest marred by numerous red flags before the race was ultimately called complete. Scott was awarded the victory at that point, becoming the youngest winner at 17 years old, of this historic race, while collecting the $55,000 purse paid to the winner in the process.
Hobbs and Escalante were among the race’s many victims, both suffering crashes during the race. However, both remounted and soldiered on. Hobbs was credited with eighth position and Escalante 16th.
The accomplishment is the latest in a long list of achievements for the teenager. Scott previously finished third in the ‘22 MotoAmerica Supersport championship as a class rookie on the strength of a win and nine podiums, dominated the ‘21 Junior Cup series, competed in the Red Bull Rookies Cup and the FIM CEV European Talent Cup, and racked up countless honors and titles as an amateur dirt track star.
Scott said, “The race was exciting, with a ton of restarts and red flags. We were on pole and got to practice our starts a bunch. Off those starts, I’d get good launches but the rear wheel would spin over the paint on the track. I usually got into first or second going into turn one about 75% of the time. We led around five laps in the portion that won us the race and led a lot of laps overall. We were in the right place for much of the race and when it counted the most.
Winning again was cool and the prize was $55,000. It was our first win of the year against a very tough field. The Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki team did a great job in a difficult race and really prepared a great bike. We developed the bike when it was dry, and I got to work on my skills in the wet when it was raining”
Chris Ulrich, Team Hammer Vice President of Operations, said, “Taking on Loudon was a big challenge for the team and riders. Tyler had a mature ride and kept his head in a race held in extremely challenging conditions. Teagg and Richie were caught out by the difficult track surface and suffered crashes. Fortunately, they were unhurt and the crew was able to get them back on track so they could finish. I’m really proud of the job the team did at the race. I also want to thank the NEMRR for putting on the race. It’s a bold idea that brought top-level talent. It was a shame about the weather,” added Ulrich.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki will now head to Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, Washington, on June 23-25, for this weekend’s round of the 2023 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing championship.
ABOUT TEAM HAMMER
The 2023 season marks Team Hammer's 43rd consecutive year of operating as a professional road racing team. Race bikes built and fielded by Team Hammer have won 129 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National races, have finished on AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National podiums 347 times, and have won 11 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National Championships, as well as two FIM South American Championships (in Superbike and Supersport.) The team has also won 137 endurance races overall (including seven 24-hour races) and 13 Overall WERA National Endurance Championships with Suzuki motorcycles, and holds the U.S. record for mileage covered in a 24-hour race. The team also competed in the televised 1990s Formula USA National Championship, famously running "Methanol Monster" GSX-R1100 Superbikes fueled by methanol, and won four F-USA Championships.
ABOUT VISION WHEEL
Founded in 1976, Vision Wheel is one of the nation’s leading providers of custom wheels for cars and trucks, and one of the first manufacturers of custom wheels and tires for ATVs, UTVs, and golf carts. Vision Wheel looks beyond the current trends and to the future in developing, manufacturing, and distributing its wheels. Vision’s lines of street, race, off-road, American Muscle, and Milanni wheels are distributed nationally and internationally through a trusted network of distributors. Vision Wheel also produces the Vision It AR app to allow users to see how their wheel of choice will look on their vehicle before purchase and installation. For more information on Vision Wheel, visit www.visionwheel.com.