On the road to Daytona – Mladin talks planes, trains and motorcycles February 16, 2006 – Chino, CA – Mat Mladin, six-time AMA Superbike Champion, has a lot on his plate right now. As he heads towards the Superbike Opener next month, he is busy juggling being a father to his 2-1/2 year old daughter, Emily; running a couple of business ventures Down Under; and anxiously awaiting delivery of his Pilatus P-12 turboprop. Aside from the pressures of racing, business and family, Mladin, who has been a pilot for a couple of years, is looking forward to spending this season traveling from race to race in his new executively configured airplane. “I’ve got a lot of things going on in my life right now. I’m going to be 34 next month and I’ve been riding motorcycles for 30 years and life isn’t a short road. I’ve got some good years left ahead. Things have been good for us.” As far as racing goes, Mat will be riding the 2006 edition of Suzuki’s GSX-R1000. Suzuki’s newest liter-bike has an updated engine and new suspension. Mladin had little chance to ride the completed bike before testing began in Fontana earlier this month. There, he topped the charts in lap times – which bodes well for an exciting season ahead for Mat and the new bike. Even though it is a different configuration, Mladin isn’t fazed. “I look at racing a little differently than my peers… it’s my job to get out there and go fast and get the most out of the motorcycle. You can’t use the excuse that it’s a new bike or that this is a new part or that is a new part. Suzuki has given me great motorcycles to ride for many years now, it’s my job to do what you have to do to get the most out of it.” Mladin is known to be an excellent test rider. His feedback to his crew and ability to get the correct set-up quickly are keys to his success. “Right now we’re testing and fine-tuning the new motorbike for the first race in Daytona. After Daytona we have five weeks off from racing and in that time we have five different venues in about three weeks that we test at… for a total of ten days testing and then the grind of the season starts as we prepare to rush around the country until October where the final race of 2006 will take place in Ohio. With the 200 no longer a Superbike race, Daytona is not the way it used to be. “Now, it’s just the first race of the championship,” Mladin says. “It is a very dangerous track and the way I look at Daytona is different than other riders: Get in, try and win it, but make sure you get as many points as possible and then get back out of it.” As far as the year ahead, Mladin is looking forward to it and hopefully winning an unprecedented 7th AMA Superbike Championship. “I love racing here in America. I live to grind out the Championship. It is what I do best.” And he does.