Ten Aussies for 8-hour action
The iconic Suzuka 8-hour world endurance race in Japan has attracted a healthy field of high-flying Australians, both locally and overseas basedAustralia has a strong chance of snapping a 12-year winless drought in the iconic Suzuka 8-Hour world endurance race when the 2014 event is held from July 24-27.
Ten Australians will be in action across six separate teams, and one of the strongest outfits is the factory Monster Energy Yamaha with YSP machine of New South Welshmen Broc Parkes and Josh Brookes, who will combine with Japanese gun Katsuyuki Nakasuga.
Meanwhile, Josh Waters returns to Yoshimura Suzuki in 2014 and he’ll be joined by Frenchman Randy de Puniet – making his 8-hour debut – and Japan’s Takuya Tsuda in what should be another red-hot combination.
Briton Jonathan Rea and Ryuichi Kiyonari (F.C.C TSR Honda) are also among the 8-Hour top brass.
Meanwhile, 1993 world 500 GP champion Kevin Schwantz, who came out of retirement when he finished third in last year's event, will again be braving the extreme heat and humidity in the Suzuki 'legends' team. Schwantz, who recently turned 50, will be joined by Suzuki MotoGP test rider Nobuatsu Aoki and former All Japan superbike champion Satoshi Tsujimoto.
The other Aussies competing are:
- Wayne Maxwell and Rick Olson for Monster Energy Yamaha YART;
- Jamie Stauffer and Troy Herfoss for Dream RT Sakurai Honda;
- Gareth Jones for Team R2CL (Suzuki);
- Josh Hook for Idemitsu Honda Team Asia; and
- Damian Cudlin for the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team.
Brookes (2013) and Waters (2011) have finished second in the event in past years, with the latter a particularly potent force on the Yoshimura Suzuki in 2011 and 2012. Last year Waters teamed with Parkes to finish eighth on a Yamaha.
Meanwhile, it will be the first 8-Hour for both Olson and Herfoss.
The Suzuka 8-Hour has been won by six Australians: Mick Cole (1979), Tony Hatton (1979), Wayne Gardner (1985-1986, 1991-1992), Kevin Magee (1987-1988), Mick Doohan (1991) and Daryl Beattie (1992).
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