Morris and GEICO team up for AMA

From Richie Morris Racing

ELKHART LAKE, WI -- Richie Morris Racing has announced the signing of a three-year contract with GEICO Powersports to sponsor its team in the 2009 AMA Pro Road Racing Series.

"We are definitely thrilled to have formed a partnership with this outstanding company," Morris said. "It is an honour for us and for the entire motorcycle industry to have the backing of a company of their caliber and we are looking forward to a great season."

"We are excited to be working with Richie Morris Racing again as they compete in the AMA Daytona SportBike class," said Eric Vaden of GEICO Powersports. "We were involved with Richie Morris and the Bruce Rossmeyer's Daytona Harley-Davidson SunTrust Moto-ST team last season and they did an outstanding job for us. This is a great opportunity with a winning team and we are very pleased with how well this all came together."

Flying the GEICO Powersports colours aboard the Buell 1125R will be top-ranked riding ace Michael Barnes. A resident of Boca Raton, FL Barnes comes to the team with a long list of credits and accolades, including podium finishes in AMA Superstock, Supersport, Superbike and Formula Xtreme.

In 2007 Barnes raced a limited season, but earned a podium finish in the Daytona 200 AMA Formula Xtreme race. The year prior (2006) he earned five podium finishes in AMA Supersport and also competed in AMA Formula Xtreme, taking seven top-five finishes.

Just back from the Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix where he took fifth, Barnes also raced for the Bruce Rossmeyer's Daytona Buell team in the SunTrust MOTO-ST Series taking the win at Heartland Topeka and a third at the 8 Hours At Daytona.

"This is awesome," said Barnes. "I can't wait for the season to get started. Richie runs a great team and the 1125R is an incredible bike. I'm really honoured to be carrying the GEICO Powersports banner and am eager to show their colours on the podium."

Morris has been involved in motorcycle racing since he was eight years old. A familiar name at many local and regional motocross and dirt tracks, Morris moved into road racing in 1991 and began carving a name for himself. In 1994 he signed with Bruce Rossmeyer's Harley-Davidson, the largest Harley-Davidson dealer in the world. Flying the Rossmeyer colours, he continued to race until a horrific crash in 2004 forced him to retire from competition.

"While I knew I couldn't compete anymore, I had no intention of retiring from the motorcycle industry itself," explained Morris. "When I heard that Roger Edmondson and the France family were starting a new series, the SunTrust MOTO-ST Series, I immediately began talking to Bruce about putting together a team."