AMA Flat Track: Kenny Tolbert Racing Reviews Daytona, Announces Twins Series Plans With Kawasaki, Bill Werner to Act as Technical Advisor to Team

Kenny Tolbert works on the finishing touches of final preparations on Chris Carr's #4 American Motorcyclist Assoc/DFW Honda/Arai/Phoenix Racing-sponsored H-D XR750s before the first round of practice at round 6 of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season at the Springfield Mile I on May 29.  Tolbert and Carr were one of the strongest teams to ever compete in The Rolling Thunder Show in their many years together, garnering seven championships along the way before Carr hung up his leathers from full-time racing at the end of the 2011 season, where he finished 5th in his last-full season in the final point standings.

Texan Tolbert is now making the move to the next level in AMA Grand National Championship racing, announcing over the off-season that he will be leading Kenny Tolbert Racing and '11 AMA Pro Flat Track Rookie of the Year Brad Baker into a new program with Kawasaki KX450Fs in the short track and TT Singles Series events, and with Kawasaki Ninja 650-based mounts for the half-mile and mile Twins Series events.  Long-time and 13-Time AMA Grand National Championship-winning tuner Bill Werner will be providing the team with technical support and equipment as the new venture proceeds into the new season ahead.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bill Werner is shown doing some final clean-up on the #33 Werner-Springsteen Monster Energy Kawasaki/Wossner Pistons/Millenium Technologies/Motion Pro-sponsored Ninja 650R-based mount of rider JR Schnabel, Jr. during round 11 of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season at the I-96 Speedway Half-Mile in Lake Odessa, MI. on July 23.  Shaun Russell's #28 machine sits just behind Werner in the shot.

It was officially announced over the weekend that the former Harley-Davidson factory wrench will be supplying equipment and technical advice to the new Kenny Tolbert Racing team for the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship season, with Tolbert working on rebuilding the 650R-based parallel twins around ROY Brad Baker for the upcoming Twins Series season, scheduled to kick-off with the Springfield Mile I round on May 27.

One of the worst-kept 'secrets' during the off-season, it was pretty well known that Baker would be teaming with Tolbert after announcing to his former team, the Lloyd Brothers Motorsports group, that he would be riding for him in the '12 season.  Baker had advised the LBM team late in the 2011 season his plans moving forward.  The last piece in the puzzle was 'unofficially' confirmed several months ago, with this roll-out of the team's plans coming as the 'official' word on their plans to operate with the Kawasaki-brand machines instead of the XR750 which KT has become so well-known over the years.

You can read the first official press release from Kenny Tolbert Racing below to catch up on the action ahead!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

KENNY TOLBERT RACING FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Team Manager: Kenny Tolbert Technical Advisor: Bill Werner Mechanic: Bubba Bentley Mechanic: Sammy Sweet Expert Rider: Brad Baker Daytona Short Track Grand Nationals Daytona International Speedway March 15-16 Brad Baker Podium DECATUR, TX (March 23, 2012) The 2012 AMA Pro Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Series presented by Motorcycle-Supserstore.com kicked off with back to back Short Track Nationals that was full of action, side by side racing, explosive fireworks and plenty of drama during the 71st annual Daytona Bike Week at the Daytona International Speedway. Kenny Tolbert Racing made their debut as a new team, new rider, new Kawasaki motorcycles and after two nights of bar banging short track racing came away with a 5th, 3rd and sitting 6th overall in the GNC points standings. Just two days before loading the truck for the trip to Florida, Kenny and Brad picked up their new 2012 Kawasaki to begin converting the motocross bike to a championship caliber flat tracker. "The stock 2012 450cc Kawasaki was very impressive right out of the box," said Kenny Tolbert. "We lowered the bike, put a D&D exhaust, played with the electronics, threw it in the truck and went to Daytona." With Daytona the first race on a Kawasaki and the opportunity to work with Kenny, Brad had plenty to say, "I am so impressed with this team. Kawasaki is new to both Kenny and I so we struggled a little in the beginning but kept working together on different combinations. Kenny understands so much it is easy to communicate." Next Race: May 26-27 Springfield, IL DAYTONA VIDEO: BRAD BAKER INTERVIEW AMA PRO ROUND #1 PRESS RELEASE: Thursday, March 15th AMA ROUND #2 PRESS RELEASE: Friday, March 16th   PHOTOS COURTESY: JGPHOTOWERX   Development Bryan Smith towing a train of XR750 Harley-Davidson's at the 2010 Springfield Mile Kawasaki 650cc Twins     Bill Werner & Kenny Tolbert are two of the most dominant names in Grand National Flat Track racing. Not as riders, but as the men behind the machines that have won a combined 22 AMA Pro Grand National Championships and over 200 wins! Four years ago Bill Werner took on the challenge of building something outside the box of GNC racing, which has been the XR750cc Harley-Davidson. Bill's choice of engine, the Kawasaki Ninja 650cc. The result, back to back wins at the Indianapolis and Springfield Miles in 2010 with Bryan Smith as the rider. Kenny Tolbert will continue to use and develop the Kawasaki Ninja 650cc with technical support from Werner. The team will begin a series of test on the Kawasaki 650cc by early April as they prepare for the Springfield Mile on May 27th. "We have ordered a new frame along with a custom seat and tank to build this bke around Brad," said Tolbert. "Bill has provided a lot of parts and technology to get us pointed in the right direction. We know our work is cut out, but we already have a good starting point." KENNY TOLBERT   RACING 1259 Heritage Creek Drive Rhome, Texas 76078 817-454-1775 2012 AMA PRO GNC SCHEDULE 3/15 Daytona Beach, FL (ST) Daytona International Speedway 3/16 Daytona Beach, FL (ST) Daytona International Speedway 5/26 Springfield, IL (TT) Illinoiis State Fairgrounds 5/27 Springfield, IL (M) Illinoiis State Fairgrounds 6/30 Lima, OH (HM) Allen County Fairgrounds 7/7 Hagerstown, MD (HM) Hagerstown Speedway 7/14 Lake Odessa, MI (HM) I-96 Speedway 7/28 Sacramento, CA (M) Cal Expo 8/4 Castle Rock, WA (TT) Castle Rock Race Park 8/12 Peoria, IL (TT) Peoria Motorcycle Club 8/18 Indianaopolis, IN (M) Indiana State Fairgrounds 9/1 Springfield, IL (ST) Illinois State Fairgrounds 9/2 Springfield, IL (M) Illinois State Fairgrounds 9/8 Knoxville, IA (HM) Knoxville Raceway 9/30 Santa Rosa, CA (M) Sonoma County Fairgrounds 10/6 Tucson, AZ (HM) USA Raceway 10/13 Pomona, CA (HM) LA County Fairplex     (ST) 1/4 Mile Short Track (TT) Steeplechase (HM) Half Mile (M) Mile   AMA PRO RACING     RACE TEAM SPONSORSHIP AVAILABLE Let Kenny Tolbert Racing brand and promote your product through an aggressive racing campaign on the AMA Pro Grand National Flat Track Series. To request sponsorship opportunties; Click Here

Take the time to check out their sponsors and sign-up for updates on Facebook and with the team.  You can also submit directly off of the release in the lower right corner to become a sponsor with the team.  Very impressive, interactive and great looking release from KT!  Press release courtesy of Kenny Tolbert Racing.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AMA Pro Flat Track official race announcer Barry Boone talks with semi-winner Brad Baker at round 16 of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season at the Springfield Mile II on September 4.  Baker had just taken the win on the #12 Lloyd Brothers Motorsports/TeamHurtByAccident.com/Foremost Insurance/NickyHayden.com-sponsored Italian V-Twin over Shaun Russell #28 and Steve Murray #51 to punch his ticket to the National main event, where he eventually finished in the 8th spot for the day.

After ending the season ranked in the 6th overall spot in the championship standings and taking the coveted Saddlemen AMA Pro Flat Track Rookie of the Year Award, The Bullet is now teamed up with Chris Carr's former tuner, Kenny Tolbert for the 2012 season.  Starting off the season on a very strong note, Baker scored finishes of 5th and 3rd at the season-opening rounds at the Daytona Short Track to put himself in the 6th spot in the 2012 standings with the two-month break before round 3 at the Springfield TT on May 26.

The new pairing with Tolbert has already proved to be very fruitful.  Baker and his new Kawasaki KX450F scored their initial win at the Volusia Short Track round of bike week, and ran very strong at Daytona.  The team has been testing in Texas and looks to be ready to hit the ground running when the season starts full swing at the end of May.  And with Baker's talents in the saddle paired with KT's talents spinning wrenches and help from Bill Werner, this should prove to be a very strong venture for the rest of the competitors that campaign the greatest racing show on wheels in the world. 

Stay tuned as this season is getting ready to rock 'n roll and it's going to be a great one again!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------