Rockstar Energy/Suzuki/Canidae Pet Foods Team Set to Open 2010 Supercross at Anaheim

CANIDAE® All Natural Pet Foods is a proud sponsor of the Rockstar Energy/ Suzuki/ CANIDAE Pet Foods team for the 2010 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship Series, and the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship Series. The 2010 Supercross season will kick off on January 9, 2010 at Anaheim, California.

Riders Tommy Hahn and Hunter Hewitt return in 2010 to manager Bill Keefe's Pro Motocross/Supercross team. Along with new sponsors Rockstar Energy and Suzuki, Keefe's team will also bring aboard three new riders: Ryan Morais, Jake Moss and Blake Bagget to open up an exciting race season covering both coasts for the Supercross series and the full Motocross schedule starting in May.

Coming off of his first professional outdoor championship in 2009, #10 Tommy Hahn will be back battling on his Suzuki 450 for the team. Bagget #66 and Hewitt #126 will ride the West Coast Lites and Moss #40 and Morais #116 will be the Lite riders in the East.

Commenting on this year's new team and sponsorships, Keefe said, "CANIDAE has been great. They have a rich history in motor sports and wanted to continue their successful relationship with the team going forward. They also understand the importance of Rockstar coming on board and the changeover to Suzuki and worked to accommodate us with that. If it wasn't for Rockstar Energy, Suzuki and CANIDAE along with all of our other great sponsors we wouldn't be here today. This is a strong team we've put together and we will be very competitive in the upcoming year."

"CANIDAE Pet Foods was founded out of love for pets, the importance of family, and the belief in having fun and enjoying life," said sales manager, Robert Bemis on behalf of CANIDAE. "Our ongoing partnership as a sponsor of the Rockstar Energy/Suzuki/CANIDAE Pet Foods team presents a great opportunity for us to continue what we started in 2009. We're excited to be able to share with the passionate fans of Supercross and Motocross racing our philosophy of “Responsible Pet Ownership” through proper nutrition and care featured at www.canidae.com and on our racing site at www.canidaeracing.com.”

At CANIDAE Pet Foods we are committed to providing our valued customers and their pets with the highest standard of excellence for product quality, palatability and customer satisfaction. We stand behind the guaranteed analysis of each and every one of our products and invite supercross and motocross fans everywhere to discover the benefits of feeding their pets CANIDAE and FELIDAE All Natural Pet Foods.

CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki Heads to the Pacific Northwest

By now, the motocross industry has become accustom to the abilities of the CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki team at the Outdoor Nationals. At the beginning of the series, Tommy Hahn was a “surprise” but has consistently become a “contender” and most racers are beginning to expect him to run up front as they now have to plan their attack to include him. Kyle Cunningham has also been improving his results steadily as his health nears 100% and if Cunningham manages to get a good start, watch out! This week the series moved to the scenic Pacific Northwest at the ever-popular Washougal MX in Washington and the crowds came out to enjoy the great racing, perfect weather and improved track. Nobody went home disappointed.

First up was the 450’s featuring CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki rider Tommy Hahn. Hahn again jumped out to a great start and would finish lap 1 in 3rd place. Just ahead of Hahn was the # 34 of Matt Goerke but only for a few corners as Hahn wasted little time getting around the #34 bike and setting his eyes on the race leader, Chad Reed. Reed tried as he might to get away early and gap the rest of the field but Hahn would have none of that, running most of the moto right on Reed’s rear fender. At one point Reed opened up a small 5-second lead while the two riders fought their way through lapped riders but Hahn would make a charge and close the gap to only 1.5 seconds at one point before running out of time at the end of Moto # 1. This is a huge accomplishment and just a glimpse of what this CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki rider is capable of. If Hahn could have a solid second moto, he would secure a top 3 overall finish for the day or even a win.

Moto # 1 for the 250 riders was up next and CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki riders Kyle Cunningham and PJ Larsen would get good starts as they charged into the first corner inside the top ten. Cunningham would finish lap 1 in 6th place and Larsen 8th. Kyle started the 2009 season injured and has been battling all series long to get healthy with results that reflect his improving health. Cunningham jumped and raced his way to the front following Dungy through the pack until the two were well out in front. Cunningham was almost able to take the lead, late in the moto as Dungy would falter but the gap was too great and when the checkered flags flew, Kyle would find himself on the podium in second place with his best finish of the year! Washougal was the first for Larsen since breaking his wrist at round 3 in Wortham, TX, it was obvious that he was not quite 100% as he struggled to keep the lead pack in sight and would finish in 15th place. Certainly not a bad return for the impressive rookie and a great start on the day for Team CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki!

The excitement was obviously high in the CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki pits was for the 2nd Motos. As the 450’s shot out of the gate, Hahn’s # 48 Kawasaki would once again head for the first turn towards the front of the pack. As the riders set up for the left hand turn, the orange #114 bike of Justin Brayton would come in way too hot and slam into the CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki rider, sending him to the ground, ending his day and sending him to the Asterisk Medical Unit to be checked out for internal injuries as well as his back and leg. Such a disappointment for Hahn and the team, which had been making such great strides for that first win. Hahn will rebound and will be better than ever when the series returns in 3 weeks in NY.

Moto #2 for the 250 riders would get underway and Kyle was hungry to repeat his first moto result. As the racers rounded the first turn, both Cunningham and Larsen would be outside of the top 10 and have their work cut out to make it to the front. When the first lap ended, Cunningham would cross the line in 12th place and Larsen in 18th. Cunningham would charge hard until he was unfortunately involved in a huge crash that left the CANIDAE rider trapped under his bike for some time and the bike unrideable, ending his day. Larsen would move up as the moto continued as he fought for a hard-earned 14th spot, a gritty performance for this tough kid.

While the CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki team had some bad luck in Washington, it was obvious to see that the team is a legitimate front-runner. Come out to the fabled Unadilla Valley Sports Center in Upstate NY on August 15th for the next exciting round of motocross action. Stop by and say “hi” to the CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki team before they hit the track. See you there!

Jason Cobb

CANIDAE Continues to Roll in the Lone Star State at Freestone Raceway!

The CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki team has been the talk of the motocross world with great performances in both the 250 and 450 classes for the first 2 rounds. Tommy Hahn has been flying around the California tracks and has consistently the top finishing non-factory rider in the class. PJ Larsen and Kyle Cunningham have also shown signs of front running speed in the always tough 250 class. Nothing changed when the series moved outside of California to Wortham, TX. 

First race up was Moto #1 for the premier class where CANIDAE rider Tommy Hahn would continue to battle the biggest names in the sport. Tommy would blast out of the gate mid-pack and finish lap 1 in 20th position. Hahn would move up four spots into 16th place by the end of the second lap before Hahn found himself on the ground after a hard crash in a tricky section of the Texas track. Hahn would remount quickly and begin to charge towards the front, feeling the urgency to regain valuable points. Hahn would push the limits too far and while going for a pass for position, Tommy would crash violently ending his first moto only 6 laps in. Certainly a tough break for the rider from Decatur, TX. 

Moto #1 for the Motocross Lites riders was next and CANIDAE riders PJ Larsen and Kyle Cunningham would jump out of the gate to a good start with Larsen in 10th and Cunningham in 17th. Larsen would move up as high as 8th place before he crashed in a high-speed turn and lost several positions on the track, not to mention the abuse to his body. With adrenalin high, Larsen would dig deep and finish in 12th place for the moto. Cunningham, who has been battling a broken finger and 13 stitches in his forearm, somehow manages week after week to block out the pain. Kyle would charge hard and make it all the way up to 13th place at the end of the moto, a nice finish for both riders. 

Moto #2 for the 450 guys was underway and it was not looking good early on for Tommy Hahn. After his first moto crash, Hahn was extremely sore and rounded the first corner at the back of the pack. Tommy, who earned the “Ricky Carmichael, Hard Charger Award” at last week’s race in Hangtown, put his head down and went to work. Hahn would pass at least 10 riders before completing the first lap in 17th place and another five more on the second lap. As Tommy moved up in the standings, the riders got harder and harder to pass. By the halfway point of the race, Hahn was well inside the top ten in 8th place but not finished with his charge. Hahn would get all the way to 5th place when the checkered flags flew and his great ride in Moto 2 would earn Hahn a 12th place finish overall for the day. 

Moto #2 for the 250 riders was next and PJ Larsen knew he was in trouble during his sight lap. Always one to battle, PJ would line up for the start but only make it a few turns before pulling into the pits, ending his day. Cunningham, the only CANIDAE rider left on the track, would jump out to a good start and finish lap 1 in fifth place. Trying to concentrate with his incredible pain may have caused the young rider to make a few mistakes during the moto and drop back as far as 12th place but Cunningham would dig deep and finish the moto in 10th place giving him a great 10th place overall for the day! 

CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki has proven to be top-notch performers and as tough as anyone on the track. The series heads to Mt. Morris, PA next week so make sure to stop by and say hi. See you there!

Jason Cobb

AMA Motocross Season Opener at Glen Helen Kicks off Outdoor Season with a Bang!

When the 2009 Outdoor National Season shot out of the gate at Glen Helen Raceway in Southern California this past weekend, nobody knew what to expect. The CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki team had been working overtime to get ready for the grueling series and it showed!

First race up was Moto #1 for the 450MX class where CANIDAE rider Tommy Hahn would face off against 40 of the toughest riders in the world. Tommy would enter the famous “Talladega Turn” inside the top 10 and finish lap 1 in 8th place. Hahn would battle with Chad Reed and Mike Brown for most of the race and take the checkered flag in 7th place. A great ride for Hahn and CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki.

Moto #1 for the 250MX riders was next and CANIDAE riders P.J. Larsen and Kyle Cunningham would take their shot at the fast and rough track. Cunningham would only make 7 laps due to a broken finger he obtained while testing for the event just days before the event. Larsen, who suffered from a poor start showed his speed while coming through the pack even with a rear flat tire that he suffered in the first 10 minutes of the race. P.J. would crash while pushing it to the limits in a fast, soft corner sending the bike all the way off the track. Somehow, the rookie rider pulled the bike back onto the track, under the banners and fences and remounted to finish a remarkable 18th place. 

Moto #2 for the 450 guys was almost a replay of the first with Hahn jumping out to a great start and holding his place inside the top 10 for the exhausting 30 minutes + 2 laps moto. Mixing it up for most of the race with the factory “Red Riders” Hahn would improve on position from the first moto and finish in 6th place which would net him a 6th place finish overall, a fantastic way to start the new season. 

Moto #2 for the 250 “Lites” riders was exciting and the CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki riders bounced back to show they will be riders to contend with all season long. Cunningham would fight through the severe pain to finish 13th on the extremely rough SoCal track. Larsen would finish just outside the top 10 in 11th place, a great finish for this rising star. 

CANIDAE is extremely proud of the team, riders and their wonderful efforts. Please join us as we head to The Hangtown Classic outside of Sacramento, CA May 30th. See you there!

Jason Cobb