Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki’s Tray Batey unofficially broke the track record for motorcycles during testing Talladega Gran Prix Raceway in Talladega, Alabama on Thursday, November 20. He rode a 1997 Suzuki GSXR750 Formula USA racebike.
Crew Chief Keith Perry and mechanic Jerry Daggett timed Batey at a 56.55-second lap in the clockwise direction on the 1.3-mile, 10-turn course and at 57.07 seconds in the counterclockwise direction. But while Batey went faster than the existing official lap records in both directions at Talladega, the figures are unofficial because they were not recorded by track representatives.
During the tests, Batey made a total of 102 laps and tried 12 suspension component changes, 25 suspension set-up adjustments and eight different tires. During the testing, ambient temperature ranged from 65 to 70 degrees F, under sunny skies.
