Colin Edwards

Colin Edwards
Nationality	American
Born	February 27, 1974 (1974-02-27) (age 37) Houston, Texas
Current team	Monster Yamaha Tech 3
Bike number	5
Website	www.colinedwards.com and www.texastornadobootcamp.com
Motorcycle racing career statistics MotoGP World Championship Active years 2003–present Manufacturers Aprilia, Honda, Yamaha Championships 0 2011 Championship position 9th (109 pts) Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points 152 0 12 3 3 1163 Superbike World Championship Active years 1995–2002 Manufacturers Honda, Yamaha Championships 2 2002 Championship position 1st (552 pts) Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points 175 31 75 15 23 2391.5

Colin Edwards II (born February 27, 1974 in Houston, Texas) nicknamed the Texas Tornado is an American professional motorcycle racer. He is a two time World Superbike champion and has competed in MotoGP since 2003, now riding for the Yamaha Tech 3 team in the 2011 season.

Early years

At the age of three, his Australian father, Colin Edwards Sr. (an amateur motorcycle racer himself), introduced him to a minibike, and Edwards entered his first motocross race at the age of four. Over the next ten years, Edwards became one of the top-ranked junior motocross competitors in the USA, winning dozens of races in the 50cc to 80cc categories in local, regional and national events.

In 1988 at the age of 14, Edwards stopped competing in motocross races, having become distracted by the normal demands of being a teenager. However in 1990, Edwards and his father attended a motorcycle road race event in north Texas, and this inspired him to attempt road racing.

In 1991 Edwards began competing in amateur road-racing events locally, but rapidly progressed to national events. He was undefeated in every amateur event he entered that year, and won numerous national amateur titles. His performance was sufficiently impressive for him to be offered a sponsored ride with South West Motorsports, and Edwards turned professional just before the commencement of the 1992 season.

Professional career

In his first professional season (1992), Edwards entered the AMA 250cc National Series.^[1] He won five of the nine races and the national title over second-place earner Kenny Roberts, Jr.. In 1993 and 1994 Edwards rode for Vance & Hines on a Yamaha in the AMA Superbike Championship, earning 6th and 5th place overall in those years.

Superbike World Championship

In 1995 Edwards was offered a factory position with Yamaha in the Superbike World Championship.^[1] His results in 1995 were disappointing as Edwards struggled to adjust to the demands of competing in a global competition, and he missed the last two meetings after team-mate Yasutomo Nagai perished in a crash at Assen. In 1996 he achieved a greatly improved sixth overall in the Superbike World championship.

1997 was a disappointing year for Edwards as he was forced to withdraw from competing due to injuries sustained in the fifth round of the Superbike World Championship. He was replaced in the Yamaha World Superbike Team and was unable to negotiate a position in the 500cc Grand Prix competition. Fortunately Edwards was able to conclude a deal with Honda to ride the RC45 motorcycle in the 1998 Superbike World Championship. Edwards finished fifth overall that year, and earned his first solo international victories with a double win at Monza followed by his 3rd win of the season at Brands Hatch.

In 1999, Edwards managed several more victories for Honda (including leading teammate Aaron Slight home twice at Brands Hatch, giving Honda a rare Double-1-2) and ended the season in second overall position, behind champion Carl Fogarty. In 2000, Edwards rode the new Honda VTR-1000 SP1/RC51 twin cylinder motorcycle to overall victory in the Superbike World Championship after Yamaha rider and points leader, Noriyuki Haga was disqualified for testing positive for a banned substance. Edwards came second to Ducati rider, Troy Bayliss in 2001 but reclaimed the title from Bayliss in 2002 in a dramatic fashion, clinching the championship in the final race of the season in Imola (Italy).^[1] Edwards also holds the record for the most points in a single season with 552 points in 2002 breaking the previous record of 489 points set by Carl Fogarty in 1999. Runner-up Troy Bayliss also broke the previous record with 541 points.

MotoGP World Championship

After winning his 2nd Superbike World Championship Edwards moved to MotoGP in 2003. He rode for the greatly troubled Aprilia team on the RS3 Cube, and his only notable accomplishment in that otherwise dismal year was avoiding serious injury when his machine caught fire due to an incorrectly fitted fuel cap at Sachsenring. Yet Edwards, known in all motorcycle paddocks as a great bike tester, tried to no avail to help lift the struggling team.

2004 saw Edwards riding for Telefonica Movistar Honda, and he achieved his first MotoGP podium position at Donington.^[1] Edwards finished the season in fifth overall position.

In 2005, Edwards moved to Gauloises Yamaha factory team as the teammate to the world champion Valentino Rossi.^[1] His best result for 2005 was a second position at Laguna Seca, behind compatriot Nicky Hayden. He finished the season fourth overall.

2006

For 2006 Colin Edwards continued riding for the Camel Yamaha factory team on board the YZR-M1 with teammate and good friend Valentino Rossi in the MotoGP championship. The factory Yamaha team had a troubling start to their racing year with "chatter" problems and tire wear issues.

The factory team built a new chassis for the 2006 spec YZR-M1 to combat the aforementioned problems. Rossi took to the new chassis quickly and rode to victory at his home race of Mugello for the fifth consecutive time since 2001. Edwards did not have the time to "gel" with the new chassis early in the season, which resulted in him sticking with the older version for the Mugello race. He finished 12th.

At Assen he took the lead at the start, and led until Nicky Hayden passed him on the penultimate lap. He caught back up to his countryman on the last lap, and managed to pass him a few corners from the end. When Hayden attempted to pass him again in the final chicane, Edwards ran across the AstroTurf and lost control of his bike, which briefly continued on without him. He remounted to finish 13th. Hayden, who ran across the gravel on the final chicane himself, managed to keep control of his bike and won the race.^[1] At his home race, the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix, Edwards finished ninth suffering tire problems in the scorching heat like his teammate Valentino Rossi. At Estoril he qualified second and finished fourth in one of his most competitive showings of the season.

2007

2007 brought great prospects early on. Colin entered his second of a two year deal with Yamaha factory team, now known as Fiat Yamaha riding the new Yamaha YZR-M1 800cc. Yet after starting second on the grid in Istanbul, a first lap crash caused by Olivier Jacque took him out. At Le Mans Colin took pole position, but made a slow start and gambled on switching to wet tyres in damp conditions. He did this too early, and by the time it was wet enough his tyres had shredded, forcing him to pit again and finish at the back of the field.

Fiat Yamaha was having problems with the M1 and the Michelin tires, Edwards along with teammate Valentino Rossi both struggled to find competitive set up nearly the entire season to run up front.^[1] Edwards best result of the season was 2nd (equaling his career best in MotoGP) at the wet British Grand Prix at Donington Park.

2008

For the 2008 season, Colin Edwards continued in MotoGP, this time for the satellite Tech 3 Yamaha team alongside fellow Superbike World Champion James Toseland. A series of solid performances left him 5th in the overall standings after nine rounds, never qualifying lower than 6th on the grid and finishing on the podium twice. After qualifying 6th for round 9 at Assen, he was delayed by Rossi's early crash and was in next to last place at the end of the first lap (in front of only Rossi, who was able to rejoin the race), however he then fought back to snatch 3rd from Nicky Hayden at the final corner after Hayden ran out of fuel, gaining a measure of revenge for the 2006 race at the track.^[2] Colin Edwards results started to suffer after a crash in Germany.^[3] In the next four races Edwards failed to break the top ten and his best result since the podium at Assen was a sixth place at the final round of the season at Valencia.^[4]

Edwards confirmed that he had signed for Tech 3 for yet another season. "It is no secret that I had agreed with Yamaha to finish my MotoGP career at the end of 2008 and continue my racing career with them in America, but as soon as I began working with the Tech 3 team I instantly formed a great relationship with my guys." ^[5] Therefore, Edwards will once again be riding for Tech 3 Yamaha in 2009 as he searches for his first MotoGP victory.

2009

Edwards at the 2009 Dutch TT.

Edwards once again demonstrated consistent form in the 2009 MotoGP season, establishing himself as the strongest satellite rider in the championship. He secured a second place finish in the British Grand Prix at Donington Park.

After being caught in a crash at the San Marino Grand Prix, Edwards directed typically outspoken criticism towards Alex de Angelis, claiming: "We are in Italy and occasionally you have to deal with an Italian rider who wants to be a hero and today that was De Angelis. De Angelis is the guy who needed to be wearing Valentino’s donkey helmet." (in reference to a special edition helmet being worn by Valentino Rossi.^[6]

2010

On 1 October 2009 Edwards announced that he had signed a one-year contract extension that would see him ride for Tech 3 Yamaha in the 2010 season. His teammate will be fellow American Ben Spies.^[6]

2011

On 19 September 2010, Edwards signed a one-year contract extension to ride for Tech 3 Yamaha in the 2011 season, partnering Cal Crutchlow.^[7]

At the Catalan Grand Prix, Edwards broke his right collarbone during second practice, which successfully had a plate added.^[8][9] Nine days later, and in his first race since injury, Edwards took a third place finish at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, having been promoted to a podium placing after accidents for Jorge Lorenzo and Marco Simoncelli. It was his first podium finish since a second place result at the 2009 British Grand Prix at Donington Park.^[10] On 3 September, Edwards announced that he would leave the Tech 3 team, to ride for Forward Racing in 2012.^[11]

On October 23, along with Valentino Rossi, Edwards was involved in the accident that tragically killed Marco Simoncelli at the Malaysian Grand Prix, injuring his left shoulder and ending his season. Josh Hayes will replace him for Valencia.^[12]

Suzuka 8 Hours

In 1996, Edwards teamed with Noriyuki Haga to claim victory in the Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race riding a Yamaha, his first international victory. Edwards won the 8 Hours two more times: in 2001 with Valentino Rossi, and in 2002 with the late Daijiro Kato, both times with Honda.

Other racing activities

Edwards has twice represented the United States in the Michelin Race of Champions Nation's Cup, first in 2000 and again in 2002 when the US team won the event. The competition involves a national team that includes an automobile racer, a rally/off-road driver and a motorcycle racer. The 2002 US team included former off-road racer and NASCAR rookie Jimmie Johnson as the rally driver, and four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon in the automobile category.

Texas Tornado Boot Camp

Edwards announced in August 2010 that he is building a motorcycle training facility on a 20-acre (81,000 m²) plot of land near Lake Conroe. It is going to be a premier training facility for those new to racing, motorcycle enthusiasts, as well as professionals looking to polish up on their skills. In addition to the normal training classes and track time Edwards is offering the "Colin Edwards Experience". This will give participants the opportunity to spend 4 days with Edwards. This will include Classroom time, track time, and hanging out with Edwards racing RC cars, and playing paintball with the man himself.

The camp is slated to open in February 2011 and it's been noted that reservations will begin soon.

Training Facilities

The camp is going to include a 0.125 mi (0.201 km) dirt oval, covered TT track with lights for night riding, Paint Ball Course, 500 yard gun range, Mini Bike MX Track, and a 5,000-square-foot (460 m²) bunk house and classroom facility.

The Facilities as of August 1, 2010

• 

  5000 Square Foot Bunk House and Classroom Under Construction

• 

  1/8 Mile Dirt Oval Under Construction

• 

  500 Yard Gun Range Under Construction

• 

  Mini MX Dirt Track Under Construction

• 

  Paintball Course at Under Construction

• 

  Lighted Covered TT Track Under Construction

Career statistics

Superbike World Championship

By season

Season	Moto	Races	Wins	Pod	Pole	FLaps	Pts	Pos	WCh
1995	Yamaha	20	0	2	0	1	141	11th	–
1996	Yamaha	20	0	7	2	0	248	5th	–
1997	Yamaha	8	0	1	0	1	79	12th	–
1998	Honda	24	3	6	0	0	277.5	5th	–
1999	Honda	26	5	10	2	3	361	2nd	–
2000	Honda	26	8	12	6	6	400	1st	1
2001	Honda	25	4	12	0	4	333	2nd	–
2002	Honda	26	11	25	5	8	552	1st	1
TOTAL		175	31	75	15	23	2391.5		2

Races by year

Year	Make	1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		11		12		13		Pos	Pts
		R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2
1995	Yamaha	GER 7	GER 5	SMR Ret	SMR Ret	GBR 18	GBR 12	ITA 3	ITA 5	ESP 10	ESP 11	AUT 9	AUT Ret	USA 8	USA 9	GBR 5	GBR 2	JPN 6	JPN 10	NED Ret	NED 6	INA	INA	AUS	AUS			11th	141
1996	Yamaha	SMR 11	SMR 7	GBR 6	GBR 4	GER 3	GER 5	ITA 3	ITA 5	CZE 6	CZE 7	USA 4	USA Ret	GBR 4	GBR 3	INA 5	INA 4	JPN	JPN	NED	NED	ESP 2	ESP 3	AUS 2	AUS 3			5th	248
1997	Yamaha	AUS Ret	AUS 2	SMR 6	SMR 8	GBR 5	GBR 6	GER 7	GER 5	ITA	ITA	USA	USA	GBR	GBR	AUT	AUT	NED	NED	ESP	ESP	JPN	JPN	INA	INA			12th	79
1998	Honda	AUS 7	AUS 7	GBR 6	GBR 7	ITA 1	ITA 1	ESP 5	ESP Ret	GER 2	GER 2	SMR 3	SMR 4	RSA 9	RSA 4	USA 11	USA 10	GBR 1	GBR 4	AUT 7	AUT 9	NED 5	NED 4	JPN 13	JPN 13			5th	279.5
1999	Honda	RSA 5	RSA 4	AUS 3	AUS 3	GBR 3	GBR 1	ESP Ret	ESP 1	ITA 2	ITA 2	GER Ret	GER 4	SMR 6	SMR 7	USA 4	USA 5	GBR 1	GBR 1	AUT 1	AUT 8	NED 5	NED 5	GER 4	GER 5	JPN 9	JPN 9	2nd	361
2000	Honda	RSA 1	RSA 1	AUS 5	AUS 5	JPN 5	JPN 3	GBR 1	GBR Ret	ITA 2	ITA 1	GER 4	GER 2	SMR Ret	SMR 10	ESP 5	ESP 4	USA 2	USA 4	GBR 10	GBR 6	NED 1	NED 5	GER 1	GER 1	GBR 8	GBR 1	1st	400
2001	Honda	ESP 6	ESP 4	RSA 1	RSA Ret	AUS 1	AUS C	JPN 12	JPN 13	ITA 2	ITA 2	GBR 5	GBR 6	GER 1	GER 3	SMR 3	SMR 11	USA 6	USA 6	GBR 3	GBR 5	GER 1	GER 2	NED 3	NED 10	ITA 3	ITA Ret	2nd	333
2002	Honda	ESP 4	ESP 3	AUS 2	AUS 2	RSA 2	RSA 3	JPN 1	JPN 2	ITA 3	ITA 2	GBR 1	GBR 2	GER 2	GER 2	SMR 2	SMR 2	USA 3	USA 1	GBR 1	GBR 1	GER 1	GER 1	NED 1	NED 1	ITA 1	ITA 1	1st	552

Grand Prix motorcycle racing

By season

Seas	Class	Moto	Team	Race	Win	Pod	Pole	FLap	Pts	Plcd	WCh
2003	MotoGP	Aprilia RS3 Cube	Aprilia	16	0	0	0	0	62	13th	–
2004	MotoGP	Honda RC211V	Gresini Racing	16	0	2	0	2	157	5th	–
2005	MotoGP	Yamaha YZR-M1	Yamaha-YMR	17	0	3	0	1	179	4th	–
2006	MotoGP	Yamaha YZR-M1	Yamaha-YMR	17	0	1	0	0	124	7th	–
2007	MotoGP	Yamaha YZR-M1	Yamaha-YMR	18	0	2	2	0	124	9th	–
2008	MotoGP	Yamaha YZR-M1	Tech 3	18	0	2	1	0	144	7th	–
2009	MotoGP	Yamaha YZR-M1	Tech 3	17	0	1	0	0	161	5th	–
2010	MotoGP	Yamaha YZR-M1	Tech 3	18	0	0	0	0	103	11th	–
2011	MotoGP	Yamaha YZR-M1	Tech 3	15	0	1	0	0	109	9th	–
Total				152	0	12	3	3	1163		0

By class

Class	Seas	1st GP	1st Pod	1st Win	Race	Win	Pod	Pole	FLap	Pts	WCh
MotoGP	2003–Present	2003 Japan	2004 Britain	N/A	152	0	12	3	3	1163	0
Total	2003–Present				152	0	12	3	3	1163	0

Races by year

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

Year	Class	Bike	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	Pos	Pts
2003	MotoGP	Aprilia	JPN 6	RSA Ret	SPA 14	FRA 10	ITA 9	CAT Ret	NED 7	GBR 10	GER 14	CZE 12	POR 14	BRA 13	PAC 17	MAL 13	AUS 16	VAL 8			13th	62
2004	MotoGP	Honda	RSA 7	SPA 7	FRA 5	ITA 12	CAT 5	NED 6	BRA 6	GER 5	GBR 2	CZE 7	POR 9	JPN Ret	QAT 2	MAL 11	AUS 4	VAL 8			5th	157
2005	MotoGP	Yamaha	SPA 9	POR 6	CHN 8	FRA 3	ITA 9	CAT 7	NED 3	USA 2	GBR 4	GER 8	CZE 7	JPN 6	MAL 10	QAT 4	AUS 6	TUR 7	VAL 8		4th	179
2006	MotoGP	Yamaha	SPA 11	QAT 9	TUR 9	CHN 3	FRA 6	ITA 12	CAT 5	NED 13	GBR 6	GER 12	USA 9	CZE 10	MAL 10	AUS Ret	JPN 8	POR 4	VAL 9		7th	124
2007	MotoGP	Yamaha	QAT 6	SPA 3	TUR Ret	CHN 11	FRA 12	ITA 12	CAT 10	GBR 2	NED 6	GER 4	USA 11	CZE Ret	RSM 9	POR 10	JPN 14	AUS 9	MAL 10	VAL 13	9th	124
2008	MotoGP	Yamaha	QAT 7	SPA Ret	POR 4	CHN 7	FRA 3	ITA 5	CAT 5	GBR 4	NED 3	GER Ret	USA 14	CZE 14	RSM 10	IND 15	JPN 7	AUS 8	MAL 8	VAL 6	7th	144
2009	MotoGP	Yamaha	QAT 4	JPN 12	SPA 7	FRA 7	ITA 6	CAT 7	NED 4	USA 7	GER 9	GBR 2	CZE 7	IND 5	RSM Ret	POR 5	AUS 5	MAL 13	VAL 4		5th	161
2010	MotoGP	Yamaha	QAT 8	SPA 12	FRA 12	ITA 13	GBR 9	NED 8	CAT 11	GER Ret	USA 7	CZE 7	IND Ret	RSM 7	ARA 12	JPN 5	MAL NC	AUS 7	POR 7	VAL 12	11th	103
2011	MotoGP	Yamaha	QAT 8	SPA Ret	POR 6	FRA 13	CAT DNS	GBR 3	NED 7	ITA 9	GER 10	USA 8	CZE 8	IND 7	RSM 13	ARA 13	JPN 8	AUS 5	MAL C	VAL	9th	109

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} Motorcycle-USA Staff. Colin Edwards Bio. Motorcycle-USA.com. Retrieved on 2009-06-19.
2. ^ Waheed, Adam. MotoGP 2008 Assen Results. Motorcycle-USA.com. Retrieved on 2009-06-19.
3. ^ Madson, Bart. MotoGP 2008 Sachsenring Results. Motorcycle-USA.com. Retrieved on 2009-06-19.
4. ^ Madson, Bart. MotoGP 2008 Valencia Results. Motorcycle-USA.com. Retrieved on 2009-06-19.
5. ^ Colin Edwards signs for 2009
6. ^ ^{a b} "Edwards and Hayden slam "stupid" De Angelis". Insidebikes. http://www.carolenash.com/insidebikes/bike-sport/edwards-and-hayden-slam-stupid-de-angelis.htm. 
7. ^ "Tech 3 confirm Edwards for 2011". motogp.com (Dorna Sports). 2010-09-19. http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2010/Tech+3+confirm+new+Edwards+deal. Retrieved 2010-09-20. 
8. ^ "Edwards injured in Catalunya". MotoGP.com. http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2011/Edwards+injured+in+MotoGP+FP2+in+Catalunya. Retrieved 4 June 2011. 
9. ^ "Edwards injury plated during successful surgery". Crash.net. http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/169899/1/edwards_injury_plated_during_successful_surgery.html. Retrieved 4 June 2011. 
10. ^ Young, Colin (12 June 2011). "Heroic Edwards Beats The Odds". SpeedTV.com (Speed). http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/motogp-heroic-edwards-beats-the-odds/. Retrieved 13 June 2011. 
11. ^ "Colin Edwards confirms he will leave Tech 3 team at end of the season". BBC Sport (BBC). 2 September 2011. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motogp/14769419.stm. Retrieved 3 September 2011. 
12. ^ "Josh Hayes Will Race MotoGP In Place Of Injured Edwards At Valencia". Roadracing World (Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.). 28 October 2011. http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?lnk=rss&article=46499. Retrieved 29 October 2011. 

External links

• ceracing.com Official website
• Colin Edwards – MotoGP Rider Bios at Motorcycle-USA
• Texas Tornado Boot Camp Texas Tornado Boot Camp Motorcycle Training Camp

Sporting positions
Preceded by Aaron Slight (1993–95) Tadayuki Okada (1995)	Suzuka 8 Hours Winner 1996 (with Noriyuki Haga)	Succeeded by Tohru Ukawa (1997–98) Shinichi Itoh (1997–98)
Preceded by Tohru Ukawa Daijiro Kato	Suzuka 8 Hours Winner 2001 (with Valentino Rossi), 2002 (with Daijiro Kato)	Succeeded by Yukio Nukumi Manabu Kamada
Preceded by Fernando Alonso Jesús Puras Rubén Xaus	Race of Champions Nations' Cup 2002 with: Jeff Gordon Jimmie Johnson	Succeeded by Cristiano da Matta Fonsi Nieto Gilles Panizzi

Persondata
Name	Edwards, Colin
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	February 27, 1974
Place of birth	Houston, Texas
Date of death
Place of death