Suzuki's Mladin to be Inducted into Infineon Raceway Wall of Fame
SONOMA, Calif. (April 6, 2007) - Six-time AMA Superbike champion Mat Mladin will be honored at the upcoming Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown weekend at Infineon Raceway, May 18-20, by being inducted into the Infineon Raceway Wall of Fame.
Mladin, who rides for Suzuki, becomes the third motorcycle rider to be inducted into the Wall of Fame, joining Miguel Duhamel (Honda) and Rich Oliver, who were inducted last year. A public ceremony will be held in May in the Wine Country Winner's Circle. The announcement was made during a Yamaha-sponsored test session on Friday at Infineon Raceway.
"Mat has had a phenomenal run in the years he's raced this track and we're delighted to recognize that record of success," said Steve Page, president and general manager of Infineon Raceway. "Mat has also been a tireless advocate for rider safety, and over the years, he's translated his strong opinions about our track into the kind of practical guidance that has helped us make Infineon Raceway a vastly improved venue for motorcycle racing."
Mladin has been the most prolific rider in the history of Superbike competition at Infineon Raceway, which spans 23 years. Mladin holds the record for career Superbike wins in Sonoma with six, most recently sweeping the doubleheader in 2005. He is also the only AMA rider to three-peat at Infineon Raceway, sweeping the doubleheader in 2003 and winning in 2004.
"I am honored to be joining the Wall of Fame and look forward to coming back here in May for the official ceremony," said Mladin, who has placed no lower than fourth in eight Superbike races in Sonoma since 2003. "We've had a lot of success here and I've always appreciated just how physically demanding this racetrack is, and also all of the improvements the people here have made. This is a great honor for me."
Mladin is also being recognized for his philanthropic efforts at Infineon Raceway. In 2006, during the off-season, Mladin took time to fly to the raceway for a charitable event for Vincent Haskovec, who was injured during an AMA event at Infineon Raceway in 2005. Moreover, Mladin also donated a new GSX-R750 for the event, and it generated nearly $24,000 in raffle sales.
The day, overall, generated $100,000 for Haskovec, who is rehabilitating in Arizona.
Mladin will be presented with a granite plaque etched with his likeness during the ceremony in May. The plaque will be on display at the Wall of Fame, which is located behind the main grandstand and is accessible to the public.
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