Graves Motorsports Signs Champion Josh Herrin for AMA Supersport

Graves Motorsports, with assistance from Yamaha Motor Corporation, has signed on to sponsor 15-year-old champion road racer Josh Herrin to compete in the AMA Supersport series for 2006. Herrin will race in the WERA National Challenge Series until May 23, when he turns 16 and becomes eligible to compete in the AMA Pro Racing National Series, aboard an all-new 2006 Yamaha YZF-R6, prepared by Team Graves Yamaha.

Herrin won the 2004 USGPRU 125 national title at the age of 14. The year prior to that, Herrin raced mini bikes and YSR 50s and was invited to compete in the World Mini GP Festival at the Valencia, Spain circuit, riding a mini GP bike that hit over 100 mph on that track’s front straight. Herrin finished the double event with a sixth and thirteenth and as the top-scoring American.

In 2005, Graves Motorsports supported Herrin’s championship season in WERA. Herrin took his Graves-prepared YZF-R6 to the 600 Superstock and C Superbike expert titles at the WERA GNF. On his way to those championships, Herrin won more than two-dozen races and set a class lap record at Nelson Ledges, Ohio. Herrin also competed in the 2005 AMA Grand Nationals at Mid-Ohio, finishing third in 600 Superstock and 600 Supersport.

Graves Motorsports principle Chuck Graves said, “Josh’s results are already beyond our expectations. He’s not only fast, he’s immediately fast at every track. It’s rare for a rider, especial at Josh’s age, to learn new tracks so quickly. The kid has us all excited to see how far he can go in his career as a racer and we’re lucky to be there at the right time to help him.”

The Dublin, Georgia tenth-grade racer Herrin said, “I grew up in California watching my father [Phil Herrin] road race, so his support has been core to my successes ever since I started racing when I was seven. We’re used to being a family at the track and now I feel as though I just have a bigger family behind me with Chuck’s team and Yamaha and everyone else helping out.”

For updates on Josh Herrin’s racing season visit www.gravesport.com.