Returning for his forth professional season aboard the Graves Motorsports prepared YZF-R6, Tommy Aquino improved upon his position in last season’s standing by finishing seventh in the highly competitive AMA Daytona Sportbike class. Qualifying on the pole position three times and finishing on the podium at the Infineon round of the series, Tommy has proved time and again he has the speed for a win on his R6. With his new Yamaha Extended Service/Pat Clark Sports/Graves Motorsports team solidly behind him, Tommy fully expects more pole positions and podium finishes in the 2011 season.
Tommy began his racing career at the age of 4 by racing motocross after receiving a PW Yamaha for his birthday. By the time he was 6 he was competing at the larger regional MX races and accomplishing his goal of top 10 finishes. By the age of 10 Tommy began the transition to road racing by riding a Yamaha YSR 50 while still competing in MX events.
In 2003 Tommy made the decision to concentrate on road racing since his father Tom was also a road racer. Later that year, he made his first international start at the World Mini Grand Prix in Valencia, Spain where he finished 7th in a field of 50 International riders.
In the 2004 and 2005 seasons Tommy raced with the CMRRA, the SOCAL Mini GP Club and the WERA West where he racked up many wins in the expert classes. He also competed in the AMA Supermoto Invitational where he finished fourth at the season ending event in Las Vegas.
In 2006 Tommy continued to hone his skills when he finished 2nd in the west coast USGPRU and 4th at the WERA Nationals after traveling to selected rounds of the series. By now working with Chuck Graves, he was instructed to focus on the 2007 WERA National Challenge where he won the 600 Expert Superbike Class and finished 2nd in the 600 Expert Superstock as well as winning both championships for those classes in the WERA West.
Anxiously awaiting the start of his professional career by finally obtaining his AMA license, Tommy made his AMA pro debut at Miller Motorsports Park in 2008 at the age of 16 years and 2 days. He finished a very credible 7th place and continued the rest of the season with top ten finishes, paving the way for his 2008 AMA Rookie of the Year award and his place on the Graves/Yamaha team.
