Honda To Return To Off-road Racing

Honda has announced its return to off-road racing after several years of absence, as the factory will be providing support for a new team in three separate racing series.

Returning for the first time in several years, Honda will be fielding teams in the Grand National Cross Country (GNCC), AMA EnduroCross and Off-Road Motorcycles and ATV (OMA) series. Honda has pledged sponsorship support for the GEICO JG/Off-Road team, which was previously running with Kawasaki.

The team, which consists of Ashley Crouch, Geoff Aaron, Kyle Redman, Jimmy Jarrett and Scott Watkins, will split up in order to tackle the three different series. Crouch will be solely dedicated to GNCC, where Jarrett and Watkins will also compete. However, Watkins and Jarrett will be splitting their time with OMA as well. Meanwhile, Aaron and Redman will team up in pursuit of the AMA EnduroCross championship.

"We are very pleased to have GEICO/JG Off-Road carrying the Honda banner at a large assortment of off-road events in 2011," added Ray Conway, American Honda's Motorcycle Sports Director. "This is a well-organized and proven team, and we're looking forward to what they will accomplish in the coming season."

The team will compete in its first race on opening day for the OMA series in Tuscumbia, Alabama, on February 20th.