Yamaha Motor Canada has announced its 2020 bLU cRU Canadian Superbike Championship program, to be spearheaded by former two-time Canadian Liqui Moly Pro Sport Bike champion Tomas Casas and bLU cRU Factory Ride Award winner Jake LeClair. Defending Pro Sport Bike champion Will Hornblower will be supported through Yamaha Financial Services to round out a stout three-rider lineup for 2020.
Casas is ready to make a full run at the Mopar CSBK Pro Superbike championship after re-signing with Yamaha Motor Canada for the 2020 season. The 20-year-old will contest the entire season exclusively on a YZF-R1 in the headlining Superbike class.
“I am extremely happy to continue my partnership with Yamaha Motor Canada for the 2020 season,” said Casas, who will park his R6 program in order to fully focus on the Superbike effort. “After a successful rookie season in Superbike, we will concentrate all our efforts toward the R1 this year. I’m really excited to see what we will be capable of in the feature class this year.”
Casas breathed plenty of excitement into the Superbike class during his first season on the R1, finishing an impressive 4th overall and running with the class-leading veterans on multiple occasions. The former Yamaha VR46 Master Camp student will be bolstered in 2020 by increased support from Yamaha Motor Canada.
“I have been on a Yamaha every year since my 2014 amateur title and have grown my relationship with them year over year,” said the Colombian-born Casas, who calls Peterborough, ON home. I am truly grateful for Yamaha’s support, because it’s allowed me to reach the top level of Canadian racing.”
Additional support for Casas comes from include Parts Canada, ITraink9, Pro 6 Cycle, Dunlop Tires, GBRacing, Brooklin Cycle Racing, Hindle Exhaust Systems, Flexiglass, Bickle Racing, J. J. Stewart Racing, Vortex, DP Brakes, Human 2.0, Peterborough Cycle Salvage, trackdayhub.com and DeWildt Marine & Powersports.
LeClair, age 19, finished 2nd overall as a rookie in Parts Canada Amateur Sport Bike last season, his first on a full-sized race bike. He will move up to the Pro ranks this year, replacing Casas as the lead rider in the 600-based Pro Sport Bike division on a bLU cRU YZF-R6. Like Casas before him, LeClair attended the VR46 Master Camp in Italy this past fall where he had a chance to meet Valentino Rossi and train with VR46 Riding Academy instructors.
Hornblower, who stood on the podium at each race in 2019, will carry the No. 1 plate into 2020 with new livery thanks to support from Yamaha Financial Services. Ben LeClair, the 2019 bLU cRU Factory Ride Award winner and CSBK Motorcycle Experience Amateur Lightweight Sport Bike champ, will move up to Amateur Sport Bike.
From a press release
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