CUSHING TAKES TWO SECONDS AT NHIS

(LOUDON, N.H. – June 15, 2002) – Battling rainy conditions and a fractured ankle, Brian Cushing of Manchester, N.H. went on to finish second in the 79th Annual Loudon Classic Amateur Open Super Sport and the Amateur 600 Super Sport races at New Hampshire International Speedway for Team Hooters Mountain Dew Suzuki.

“It was really good. I had a hard time seeing through my shield because it was fogging up so it was tough to pick a point on the track because it’s so technical but it was fun,” Cushing said of his run in the Amateur Open Super Sport, the first of his two races on the day, for Team Hooters Mountain Dew Suzuki.

His biggest moment came when he caught Dan Convertino to take over second place. “I didn’t know where I was because I couldn’t see the pit board coming up out of turn 12 and when I finally did I saw my mechanic, Mike Godin, give me the come on, come on signal”, he said. “When I caught him, I pushed it on a little more to get a good clean pass on him.”

Despite a stop and go penalty for jumping the start in the Amateur 600 Super Sport which pushed him back to fifth, Cushing worked his way back to take another second place podium finish.

“I started seeing Tom (Bibeau) again toward the end of the race and I didn’t know I was second behind him. I looked up and thought I saw 6 or 7 on the pole and said I am going to lay off but I probably could have caught him” he said.

Cushing finishes his weekend 6th in the Amateur Open Super Sport point standings and 3rd in the Amateur 600cc Super Sport. sponsors
HOOTERS, MOUTAIN DEW, AMERICAN SUZUKI, TORCO OILS,  PIRELLI, VANSON, DYNOJET, TI FORCE, TRAXXION DYNAMICS, PENSKE, SHARKSKINZ, LP, STREET & COMP, EBC, GP TECH, HAULMARK TRAILERS ,
ARGO CYCLES,RK CHAINS,ORIENT EXSPRESS.

Cushing was waiting for his chance to come back to racing and the timing was right when he hooked up with Team Owner Steve Decamp and the Hooters Team. Cushing had his first experience with road racing at loudon N.H in 1986 and always dreamed of racing there after many years he made his best effort and started racing with the help from some local business’s like Argo Cycles and Fat Cat screen Printing. An avid dirt bike racer Cushing began racing dirt bikes at an early age and got his first Street bike at the age of 17. “ I always loved motorcycle racing and always hoped to rejoin the road racing but never thought it would be to this extent, ” said Cushing. Cushing will be racing all the NHIS CCS events at Loudon N.H and is hoping to join the team as an amateur for the formula USA series at Loudon N.H, Pocono Penn, and the Daytona event in October.

Cushing entered 3 races his first weekend back at NHIS on his Hooters Mountain Dew Suzuki GSXR 600 and finished 10th in Heavy weight supersport out of 47 entries. His second race, 600 supersport he placed 7th out of 48 entries and his 3rd race, 600 Superbike he placed 2nd out of 37 entries, Cushing hopes to place at the F-USA series at NHIS and hopes for a good turn out this year in the rain or shine race weekend which was halted by rain the last 2 years.