BREA, Calif., (Dec. 5, 2006) – American Suzuki Motor Corp. (ASMC) announced today that Team Makita Suzuki Racing’s Ivan Tedesco suffered three broken bones in his left hand after competitor James Stewart landed on him during practice at round one of the Amp’d Mobile World Supercross GP at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada, on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2006. 

Tedesco underwent an X-Ray on Monday with his personal physician after returning to the United States.  Doctors said that in spite of the severity of the injury, nothing is displaced and the bones should heal naturally in approximately four weeks.  Currently, surgery is not an option due to extreme swelling and abrasions that could result in infection.

“I’m so disappointed,” said Tedesco.  “We’ve put so much time and work into getting ready for the Supercross season, just to have it taken away in the first practice session by a careless move.  But what’s done is done, and now I just hope I’ll be ready for Anaheim I in January.  The championship is what’s important and I don’t want to miss any races if I can help it.  Even if I’m not 100 percent, I’d still like to try to race so I can get as many points as I can.”

Added Makita Suzuki Team Manager Roger DeCoster:  “It’s too early to really speculate on exactly when Ivan will be able to race.  The doctors are going to wait until the swelling goes down and cast it and then he’ll need several weeks to recover.  We just need to give it some time.”

Tedesco, 25, won consecutive AMA Supercross Lites-class West Supercross Championships in 2004 and 2005.  He also captured the prestigious AMA Motocross Lites-class Motocross Championship in 2005 and then finished fourth overall last year in his rookie Supercross-class season.  For more information on Tedesco and Team Makita Suzuki Racing, please log onto www.teamsuzuki.com.