The following is from RCH/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing, regarding the substitution of Matt Bisceglia for the injured Broc Tickle at the La Crescent Wine & Spirit Spring Creek National and for the remainder of the 2017 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship:
CHINO, Calif. (July 20, 2017)–RCH/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing will pair 2013 AMA Horizon Award winner and former 250 Class standout Matt Bisceglia with Justin Bogle at this weekend’s Lucas Oil Pro Motocross La Crescent Wine & Spirit Spring Creek National in Millville, Minn.
Bisceglia, a native of Weatherford, Texas, will also campaign the No. 43 Suzuki RM-Z450 for the remainder of the outdoor season in place of Broc Tickle who was injured two races ago at RedBud, forcing him to miss the final six races of the year.
The 22-year-old rider made seven 450 Class starts in 2016 for Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing where he finished eighth three times while earning four top 10s.
“Obviously, I’m bummed for Broc,” said Bisceglia. “I never want to see anyone get hurt, especially someone I know and consider a friend. At the same time, it’s definitely a good opportunity for me. I raced the RM-Z450 last summer so it’s something I’m familiar with. The last time I raced outdoors was on a 450 so when the opportunity came up, I was more than happy to say yes and be able to work with these guys and ride a Suzuki for the rest of the summer. I’m really excited for it.“
Meanwhile, Bogle comes into Round 8 sixth in the championship tally following a 10th-place overall result two weeks ago at Southwick. Bogle trails fifth-place Dean Wilson by 15 points with five races remaining on the 2017 calendar.
In three previous professional Spring Creek starts, all coming in the 250 Class, Bogle calls a sixth-place overall finish a career best. The Cushing, Okla., rider was sidelined for last year’s annual visit to southeastern Minnesota after an injury at Southwick left him unable to compete for the remainder of the 2016 season.
“Spring Creek is an amazing race track,” commented Bogle. “I haven’t had the success there that I’d like to so it definitely feels like I have some unfinished business this weekend. We had an ok race at Southwick and I spent the time off working hard trying to pull everything back together for the final five rounds. I feel good so I think we’ll be fine. As much as we’re all bummed for Broc, it’s going to be a lot of fun to have Matt racing with us. We know each other really well and have spent a bunch of time together. We were teammates in the past so it’s good to have him on a Suzuki with RCH for the rest of the season.”
“I’m excited,” added Bisceglia. “We were teammates for a year or two back in our Honda days. Beyond that, he was from Oklahoma and I was from Texas. We grew up together and raced each other a lot before we turned pro. It will be cool. Justin and I get along so I’m looking forward to racing out of the same tent with him this weekend and the rest of the summer.”
After suffering a broken leg in a practice crash at Glen Helen in February, Bisceglia has spent the last several months on the outside looking in, all the while recovering and preparing for his return.
“I’ve been hurt for a while so I haven’t raced yet this summer,” explained Bisceglia. “I was planning on coming back this weekend regardless and then obviously I got the call to ride the RM-Z450 for RCH. My fitness feels good. I’ve been doing long motos during the week but obviously nothing compares to race pace. Throughout the injuries and everything else I’ve dealt with this year, I’ve done my best to stay in shape off the bike no matter what I’m doing. That’s definitely helped with all that. It’s a big confidence booster knowing that I’m on a bike that is capable of winning races and being under the tent with a team that can win. That does a lot for your confidence. I’m confident in the bike, too, so I’m excited to get some time on it and then show up and see what we can do at Millville.”
In 2006, RCH co-owner Ricky Carmichael added his famous signature to the legendary Minnesota racetrack when he became the first and last competitor in AMA history to lap the entire field.
Since then, Carmichael’s 2006 assault on the competition – under extremely sloppy conditions – has gone down in the annals of Pro Motocross as one of the single greatest accomplishments the sport has ever seen.
“That was a great race for me in the mud,” explained Carmichael. “To this day, it’s still hard to believe that I actually did it and what a significant accomplishment it was. But, looking back on it now, it was something special.
“Millville is always a fun race. It was a favorite for me because the dirt is very similar to my place so, personally, it made me very comfortable. The Martins (Spring Creek Motorsports Park track promoters) always do a great job with track prep and with making small changes each year to add a new twist. It’s never the same old thing. The fans are always incredible so it really makes it a fun weekend for the riders and teams.”
The first moto from the La Crescent Wine & Spirit Spring Creek National will be televised live on MAVTV Sat., July 22 at 2 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, 11 a.m. Pacific. Coverage for the second moto will be televised later that day on a tape-delayed basis on NBCSN beginning at 11 p.m. EDT, 8 p.m. Pacific.
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