Team Hammer And Suzuki Announce 2026 MotoAmerica Lineup
Fresh Livery, Strong Riders, and a Return to Twins Cup Mark New Season for Suzuki and Team Hammer
2026 is here and everyone at Suzuki Motor USA and Team Hammer are counting down the days to the start of the season at Daytona. Team Hammer, racing as M4 ECSTAR Suzuki, is thrilled to kick off the 2026 MotoAmerica season with a fresh look, exceptional riders, and the drive and determination to compete at the highest level.
Team Hammer will field Suzuki motorcycles in three premier categories including Superbike, Supersport, and a welcome return to the Twins Cup class.
Superbike: Experience Meets Speed
Leading the charge on the Suzuki GSX-R1000R Superbikes will be perennial front-runner and 2020 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion Richie Escalante alongside two-time Daytona 200 winner Brandon Paasch.
Hailing from Tizayuca, Mexico, Escalante finished sixth in the 2025 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship with strong, spirited rides and podium finishes at Road America, Virginia International Raceway and New Jersey Motorsports Park. For 2026, Escalante looks to contend for the championship and push toward the front of the field.
Brandon Paasch returns to M4 ECSTAR Suzuki on the GSX-R1000R in the Superbike class full of energy and motivation. The two-time Daytona 200 winner will bring his experience and speed to the GSX-R with hopes of delivering strong and consistent performances throughout the year. Adding to the excitement, M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R machines will sport the stunning 40th anniversary GSX-R livery in the classic Suzuki blue and white color combination for the 2026 season.
“I am glad to be back for a fifth year,” said Escalante. “I am super excited to continue with Suzuki and the team and our sponsors, so thanks to everyone for making it happen for 2026. We have proven we are competitive and the goal is to keep improving. We have fought for the podium for the last few years in Superbike and we are always trying our best to get even better results. The team has improved the bike again and we also want a top spot in the championship. I have trained hard to be ready for our first race of the year in Daytona, where we will race a Suzuki GSX-R750 in a different class. We have been very fast in the previous Daytona 200s and set a qualifying lap record last year. As for Superbike, my emphasis will be on qualifying and getting up to speed in the early laps. We’ve proven we can finish on the podium, now we want to be even faster and more consistent.”
“I’m excited to be joining the team again,” said Paasch. “I was bummed I didn’t race with the team last year but it was clear the team had moved in the right direction with the bike and found some solutions we had been looking for in 2024. I enjoyed riding the bike earlier this year at a test and think we can fight for podiums. I’ve been training hard at the gym and the practice track. I think I am a more mature rider now, having gained more life experience and it has refocused me. I am hungrier for success than I have ever been. I know the class is stacked but I have more confidence in myself than ever. I was also impressed with the team. I can tell they have worked hard to be even more streamlined and organized so we all can really focus on success.”
Supersport: Proven Winner Returns
Riding the Suzuki GSX-R750 for Team Hammer, Tyler Scott will once again line up against the top riders in the MotoAmerica Supersport class. Scott brings a track record of race wins and fast laps and is sure to be at the front of the pack when the Daytona 200 kicks off in early March.
An impressive talent in MotoAmerica competition, Scott has proven his speed with thrilling race wins despite his young age. Scott is sure to once again be a championship contender for Suzuki in 2026.
“This year is looking very good to me, so of course I am excited to get underway,” said Scott. “We are very prepared and I think that gives me an edge. The team has done a great job this off-season and I feel we are ready to go. I have been training in Florida this winter to be ready. I have some good experience in the class and we have a history of winning and being competitive. It will never be easy, but I like where we are as a team. I feel really comfortable with the bike.”
Twins Cup: The Return of the GSX-8R
M4 ECSTAR Suzuki returns to the MotoAmerica Twins Cup class in 2026 on the race-winning GSX-8R sportbike. The Team Hammer 8Rs will be in good hands with two teenagers who are locked in and ready to go.
Matthew Chapin will make his debut on the Team Hammer GSX-8R and has already proven to be a race winner and championship contender with multiple race wins on the 8R.
New to the team is two-time AMA Horizon Award winner and two-time AMA National Champion Bodie Paige, from Australia. M4 ECSTAR Suzuki is excited to welcome Bodie to the team and give him a strong boost to his professional road racing career with Suzuki.
“I am very excited to be on a M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-8R in 2026,” said Chapin. “I feel the experience that (team manager) Chris Ulrich and (team owner) John Ulrich have in the paddock will help me continue to grow as a racer. Our families have a lot in common. I am also excited with the crew that the team assembled for me. We will definitely be ready to go fast right out of the gate.”
Paige said, “It will be great to race for Team Hammer this season on the Suzuki GSX-8R. It’s honestly a dream come true to come over here and race with a top team in America. It’s something I’ve worked hard toward for a very long time. The whole team has been amazing so far, and I’m ready to get the season started.”
“Team Hammer’s 46th consecutive season features an ambitious program,” said Team Hammer’s Chris Ulrich. “We have five riders spread across three classes. In Twins Cup, we have had success before and this season we have two really talented riders we believe can demonstrate the abilities of the Suzuki GSX-8R. Ty Scott is back in Supersport. He can make some good things happen and we expect a focused Ty to run at the front. Richie Escalante is back in Superbike, along with Brandon Paasch. We developed some good momentum last year in Superbike and over the winter, we’ve made some further improvements we feel good about.”
The 2026 racing season kicks off for Team Hammer March 5-7 at Daytona International Speedway. Suzuki Motor USA wishes everyone on the team the best of luck in the 2026 racing season.
About Suzuki
Suzuki Motor USA, LLC. (SMO) distributes Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automotive Parts, Accessories, and ECSTAR Oils & Chemicals via an extensive dealer network throughout 49 states. Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer of Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automobiles, Outboard Motors, and related products. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, SMC has business relations with 201 countries/regions. For more information, visit www.suzuki.com.
About Team Hammer
The 2026 season will mark Team Hammer’s 46th consecutive year of operating as a professional road racing team. Racebikes built and fielded by Team Hammer have won 135 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National races, have finished on AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National podiums 382 times, and have won 11 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National Championships, as well as two FIM South American Championships (in Superbike and Supersport). The team has also won 137 endurance races overall (including seven 24-hour races) and 13 Overall WERA National Endurance Championships with Suzuki motorcycles and holds the U.S. record for mileage covered in a 24-hour race. The team also competed in the televised 1990s Formula USA National Championship, famously running “Methanol Monster” GSX-R1100 Superbikes fueled by methanol and won four F-USA Championships.
