Richie Morris Racing’s Texter, Vanderkooi Ready For Busiest Week In American Flat Track Season

Sturgis, S.D. (2017 August 4) – Richie Morris Racing (RMR) is facing its toughest test of the American Flat Track (AFT) season, with three races over a span of eight days including a pair of challenging TT events. This stretch will be an important test for team riders Shayna Texter and Jarod Vanderkooi.

The run of races  begins with Sunday’s Buffalo Chip TT in Sturgis, part of the 77^th Sturgis Rally and the largest music festival in motorcycling. Two days later will be Tuesday evening’s Black Hills Half-Mile at Black Hills Speedway in Rapid City, S.D.

Then, it’s on to the 71^st annual Peoria TT, held at the Peoria Motorcycle Club on Sunday, August 13. A TT is a dirt track race that includes at least one right-hand turn and a jump.

“It’s a big week coming up, but every race is important,” said Texter, who rides the No. 52 RMR McElroy Packaging Honda CFR450R that also carries support from American Honda, Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda, Tucker Rocky, Performance Electronics, S&S Cycle, ProTaper and Roland Sands Design. “The TT tracks always are exciting. We get some time in the air and also turning to the right. The RMR guys and I have been working hard to get ready for these changes. We are set to attack the TT tracks like we do all the others.”

Shayna is a four-time winner in 2017 AFT Singles competition, with seven podium finishes in 11 races – despite missing out on the points in the TT rounds at Daytona and Springfield. She currently holds a 29-point lead in the standings with seven races remaining.

“Shayna is a great motorcycle racer, she’s been working extremely hard on her training and also testing on the bikes with James and Nick to build up our TT program,” said team principal Richie Morris. “We have made some changes to our setup since the Springfield TT and are now anxious to see how it all plays out at the Sturgis and Peoria TT events.”

Vanderkooi enters Sunday’s event with back-to-back seventh place finishes in the exhibition X Games Minneapolis and the AFT Twins race at Calistoga aboard the No. 20 RMR 750 Twin that is sponsored by McElroy Packaging, Tucker Rocky, Roland Sands Design, ProTaper, S&S Cycle and Performance Electronics.

“The Buffalo Chip TT is going to be interesting, because it’s a new racetrack for everyone and a real unique layout,” Vanderkooi said. “It will be a fair playing field, and I feel we’ve got as good a shot as anyone at winning. The team is moving forward, for sure. I believe we have our struggles behind us and we can now concentrate on what we do best, compete for wins in all the remaining events.”

Morris pointed out that Vanderkooi was running second to eventual winner Jared Mees throughout the season-opening Daytona TT before retiring with an electrical problem.

“Jarod did a great job at Daytona, and hopefully he’ll do the same at Buffalo Chip,” Morris said. “This race is going to be held in front of thousands of fans who are there for the Buffalo Chip and the concert. We’ll be right in front of the stage where all the bands play so hopefully we have a great show for the fans and come out with some strong results.”

Sunday’s program begins at 2 p.m. MT (4 p.m. ET), with the 15-lap AFT Singles Main Event at 8:10 p.m. MT, and the 25-lap AFT Twins presented by Vance & Hines feature race at 8:40 p.m. MT. Live coverage of all on-track activity can be viewed on FansChoice.tv.

Jarrod Vanderkooi Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jarodvanderkooi20/
Jarrod Vanderkooi Twitter: https://twitter.com/jbvanderkooi17

Shayna Texter Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shaynatexter/
Shayna Texter Twitter: https://twitter.com/shaynatexter

RMR Twitter: @RMorrisRacing
RMR Instagram: @RichieMorrisRacing
RMR Facebook: Richie Morris Racing

About RMR

RMR is a professional motorcycle race team. Having competed at the highest level in different genres of motorcycle racing, RMR has won four national championships in AMA Pro Road Racing. The team has scored numerous wins and podium finishes with many different professional riders. We believe in building a solid platform to win races and championships. In doing so, our mission being that of delivering value to our riders and partners.