Ziki - The ZX7R Wiki |
http://www.deeknow.com/wiki/view.pl/TheKawasakiStory |
Index:
Wiki Links:
Team Muzzy |
DeeKnow's WikiWiki |
 |
Rob Muzzy developed his engined tuning expertise as a drag-bike and dirt-track engine builder, and took a role as lead-mechanic and crew-chief in 1981 on a team racing Kawasaki endurance engine powered KZ1000 machines in the AMA production superbike championship. Racing the machines, Eddie Lawson won the championship that year (ahead of Honda rider Freddie Spencer) and went on to win again in 1982 on a Muzzy (and Ken Funkhouser) tuned machine.
Rob Muzzy was offered the management role in a new Kawasaki factory USA race team for 1989, he accepted and formed what is now known as team Muzzy.
1989 Muzzy signs Doug Chandler at the time to ride the team ZX7s which took most of the '89 season to be made competitive thru setup mods and changes.
1990 Scott Russell and John Ashmead joined the team and with the bike performance much improved, Chandler easily took the AMA Superbike series, Russell finishing 3rd overall.
1991 Chandler leaves for Europe and was replaced by Jacques Guenette with Scott Russell becoming lead rider. The team was riding the all new ZX7R and Russell won 4 of the national events, not quite taking the AMA championship.
1992 the Muzzy tuned ZX7s were now performing well and Russell won the AMA championship with Muzzy teammate Thomas Stevens (the winner in 1991) finishing 2nd overall.
1993 the machines are putting out around 140HP, new team member Miguel Du Hamel finished 3rd overall in the championship and privateer Dale Quarterly running a Muzzy engine finished 2nd.
1994 The team performed well in 1994 with Russell winning two national events (Daytona and Atlanta) and Takahiro Sohwa riding consistantly to finish the AMA championship 3rd overall.
1995 Scott Russell won in style (after crashing) at Daytona then soonafter defected to Suzuki. Pascal Picotte and Canadian Steve Crevier raced the Muzzy ZX7's for the rest of the championship and after a demoralising and poor performing season the best placed rider was Picotte in 6th overall.
1996 Chandler returns to Muzzy and the AMA again and wins the series following wins at Monterey and Las Vegas, narrowly beating 2nd placed (and former Kawasaki rider) Miguel Du Hamel. Muzzy also represented Kawasaki in World Superbikes in 1996 with Anthony Gobert and Simon Crafar on board, Crafar finishing 7th overall after consistant finishes during the year, Gobert just behind him after a injury disrupted season and wins at Laguna Seca and Australia.
1997 A similar story where Chandlder beats Duhamel and takes another championship by a slender margin, this time after only winning one race during the year, at Monterey.
Links
See Also: K Index | Kawasaki Race Teams
