Chaparral Motorsports Announces Race Effort for 2003 Race Season with Team AMSOIL/Chaparral/Honda

LaRocco, Preston, Gosselaar, and Byrne gear up with Team Amsoil/Chaparral/Honda for a podium finishing 2003 season

Racing, competition and the endeavor for excellence has always been a part of the history that has made Chaparral Motorsports® the success that it is today. When Jeremy McGrath signed with Chaparral Yamaha Team in 1998, he not only regained his title, but he defended it for 2 consecutive years, making him the winningest Supercross rider ever in the history of the sport. With McGrath, Chaparral etched its name in the history books as the first 250cc Privateer team to win a Supercross Championship. Returning to the circuit for another shot at the title championship, Chaparral Motorsports® takes pride in announcing its newest racing endeavor, Team Amsoil/Chaparral/Honda.

Two-time AMA Motocross Champion and THQ U.S. Open championship winner, Mike LaRocco, 2002 West Coast 125cc Supercross Champion Travis Preston, podium-climber Chris Gosselaar, and the front-runner from Down Under, Michael Byrne join Team Amsoil/Chaparral/Honda for an exciting 2003 race season.

Mike LaRocco (5)
With a successful 2002 season behind him, LaRocco faces the challenges of the upcoming season. Finishing 6th in the AMA 250cc Motocross Series and 11th in the AMA 250cc Supercross Series, LaRocco's 2003 season will feature a hard-working, podium-finishing champion backed by a team with hard-working and podium-finishing history. LaRocco took eight podium finishes in the 2001 AMA 250cc Supercross series. In the 2001 AMA 250cc motocross series, LaRocco had five overall podium finishes. In 1999, LaRocco experienced his strongest race season since 1994. In 1999 AMA 250cc Supercross, he took seven podium finishes and two additional top-fives. He took the overall victory at the AMA 250cc National Motocross race at New Berlin, N.Y., and took five additional overall podium finishes. LaRocco was also a member of U.S. Motocross des Nations team.

Travis Preston (34)
Preston finished the 2002 AMA 125cc West Coast Supercross series in the No. 1 position. The 2002 West Coast 125cc Supercross Champion also finished 10th in the AMA US Motocross series, making it one of the most successful racing season for the Hesperia, CA resident. Preston, a former member of the Chaparral team, raced with their factory support team effort in the 1997 race season.

Chris Gosselaar (39)
The 2002 AMA 125cc Supercross series proved Gosselaar's talent with the rider finishing in 4th overall for the season. Gosselaar placed 14th overall in the AMA 125cc Motocross series. Gosselaar's best 2001 AMA 125cc East Region Supercross result was fifth-place at St. Louis. His best 2001 AMA 125cc motocross result was 22nd -place overall.

Michael Byrne (32)
This Australian-native finished the 2002 season in top placing standings. Byrne took eight, top-10 finishes in the 2001 AMA 250cc Supercross series. Byrne's consistency paid off for the 2001 season with his finish in 15th-place overall. The Aussie raced with Amsoil Honda team. Byrne was runner-up for the championships of both the 2000 Australian National 250cc motocross and Supercross championships.

News Contact:
Jeremy Meyer
Racing Coordinator
(715) 392-7101 ext. 220

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