SWIGZ.COM Pro Racing is Developing a TTXGP Electric Superbike for AMA Pro Rider Chip Yates to Race in the U.S.A. and Internationally in 2010
ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A. November 7, 2009 -- SWIGZ.COM Pro Racing announced today that the team will field an entry for American rider Chip Yates (AMA, FIM #89) to contest the TTXGP US Championship 2010 and also the TTXGP UK Championship 2010 as well as other FIM international and U.S.A. races yet to be announced. These two newly created electric motorcycle superbike championships will allow SWIGZ.COM engineers to develop and showcase proprietary racing solutions developed both in the USA and in the UK where the team plans to be co-located.
SWIGZ.COM Pro Racing has recently retained a program manager, several engineers and a 3D CAD designer from the helicopter and unmanned aircraft industries who are experienced in lightweight yet powerful electric drivetrains and advanced control systems. Additional staff and consultants will be required when the team plans to begin operations in the U.K. in the second quarter of 2010.
CHIP YATES: "My wife Julie and I are very excited to move part of the team to the U.K. to take on the best and brightest in this exciting race to develop high performance TTXGP superbikes. With Julie's parents both being British, getting dual citizenship is a simple process that's already moving forward and we're also studying shop locations around London as well as tax incentives and available green investment funding before we make the final decision."
Phase one of the development program is currently underway in the U.S.A. at SWIGZ.COM racing facilities in Orange County, California and will result in a fully functional racebike early in the first quarter of 2010. Phase two is scheduled to take place in the U.K. beginning in the second quarter of 2010 when a portion of the team plans to relocate and create a European base of operations to build duplicate backup bikes and to provide all FIM and ACU race support and logistics functions for TTXGP racing as well as for several wildcard rides in FIM Word Supersport.
As a mechanical engineer with a master's degree in business, rider Chip Yates is contributing to the development effort and is also keen to protect and leverage the intellectual property arising from the teamâ's electric drivetrain, kinetic energy recovery systems (KERS) and control solutions in order to provide a path for financial return to the program's "green" investors and stakeholders. Before turning pro, Yates was a Boeing executive in charge of transitioning advanced aerospace technology and patents to other industries such as automotive for racing and OEM applications. He personally holds 7 U.S. patents on automotive drivetrain and other technologies including inventions used in Gil de Ferran's IndyCar program and on 1999 and newer Jeep Grand Cherokees.
CHIP YATES: "This superbike program requires a much different approach from electric vehicles we've seen especially as it relates to weight and range. Our engineering strategy is to optimize the power, weight and range of the bike specifically around target laptimes for the tracks we will be competing on in the U.K., Europe, and in the U.S.A. Given the relatively short race distances, our simulations show us exactly what battery capacity and motor performance is needed to turn laptimes competitive to a 600cc internal combustion powered racebike. We understand and embrace the technical challenges and are prepared to do heavy lifting to advance the state of the art to meet our expectations for a legitimate lightweight and exciting superbike."
The team is working on an updated Website to be launched soon that will feature regular program news and updates as well as exciting videos from Chip's testing of the new bike and from his 2009 on-board footage of AMA and FIM World Supersport races at
www.chipyates.comCompanies or principals interested in participating in this unique, world level opportunity should contact: racing@swigz.com.
Early Sponsors of Chip's Electric Superbike Program Include: SWIGZ.COM Dual Hydration System (
www.swigz.com), Ohlins USA (
www.ohlinsusa.com), and Yoyodyne (
www.yoyodyneti.com).
About SWIGZ.COM: SWIGZ is the world's first dual hydration sports bottle allowing athletes to carry two drinks of their choice in a single bottle during workouts. SWIGZ sports bottles can be purchased at
www.swigz.com. For more details of the SWIGZ.COM Pro Racing team and exciting on-board videos, visit
www.chipyates.com and
www.youtube.com/chipyates.
TTXGP Official Websites:
www.egrandprix.com and
www.mavizen.comhttp://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=38649Picture:
http://egrandprix.com/news.php?id=13
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Topic: Chip Yates To Ride US and UK TTXGP Series (Read 1141 times)