Temple of VTEC Rumors and News - Official Lineup Of Factory Road Race Team Members For 2006; Erion Team Riders For Coming Season

American Honda Is Pleased To Officially Announce Its Lineup Of Factory Road Race Team Members For 2006, As Well As The Roster Of Erion Honda Team Riders For The Coming Season

TORRANCE, Calif. 03/10/2006 --

Team Honda's Red Riders are led by 12-year Honda veteran Miguel Duhamel, a man whose accomplishments are legendary; his 86 career AMA wins make him the winningest road racer in AMA history. Joining Duhamel on the factory squad is teammate Jake Zemke. Zemke moved up to the factory Honda team in 2005, having a strong year aboard the factory Honda-tuned CBR1000RR Superbike and a CBR600RR in the Formula Xtreme series. Zemke proved to be a title contender in his second full Superbike season, and he continues to be a front-runner at every venue.

For 2006, the American Honda team will commit its racing efforts almost exclusively to the Superbike championship assault. With the exception of the Daytona 200, in which American Honda will field two CBR600RR Formula Xtreme machines in the hands of Duhamel and Zemke in defense of its 2005 victory, Team Honda will focus all of its energies on returning the Superbike championship to the Honda fold by way of the newly revamped 2006 CBR1000RR.

Another familiar face returns to the American Honda team in 2006 as Team Manager-Ron Heben. Heben is an industry veteran who worked in Honda's road racing program in the early 1990s. In his new role, Heben will oversee the day-to-day operation of the team and guide the ongoing in-house R&D program at American Honda. Beginning in 2005, American Honda took on a more active role in co-developing the big CBR along with HRC (Honda Racing Corporation) and this program continues in 2006 with ongoing performance enhanced racing parts support from HRC to assist American Honda in developing machines purpose-built to the AMA's Superbike racing guidelines.

As American Honda focuses its efforts on the AMA Superbike championship chase in 2006, Erion Racing will fly the Honda Wing in defense of Honda's two consecutive Formula Xtreme titles with two proven winners: former AMA Superstock champions Josh Hayes and Aaron Gobert. Both men will ride modified CBR600RR race bikes in the Formula Xtreme class, and both will compete in the Superstock class on the thoroughly revised 2006 CBR1000RR.

Four men, three classes; look for Honda to show everyone the way to the checkered flag in 2006.

Honda would like to thank its team sponsors in 2006, including Universal Studios, HRC, Jardine, Dunlop, Honda Pro Oils, Joe Rocket, VP Fuels, Honda Rider's Club of America, D.I.D. and Renthal.

The AMA season begins in Daytona Beach, FL during Motorcycle Speed Week, March 8-11, 2006.

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