Kenny Roberts Jr Biography

Number: 10
Nationality :American
Birth place: Modesto, California
Birthday: 25.07.1973.
Team: Kenny Roberts Jr in action
Residence: Modesto, California
Height: 170cm
Weight: 67kg
Championship points(2009): 0

Kenny Roberts Jr-250ccm
Kenny Roberts Jr made his racing debut in 1988, but on motocross bike. Year later, in 1989, Roberts got first taste of road racing on Mini Bikes. Once Kenny Roberts Jr got on the tarmac, he continued racing on it until these days. In 1990, he raced full season in Willow Springs, riding in 250cc category and managed to take 5 victories.

In following season, 1991, Kenny Roberts Jr contested WERA Formula II championship on Yamaha, and finished this season in 2nd place. Being American, Roberts had to try his skils in AMA 250cc GP championship, again with Yamaha, and manages to finish 1992 season in 4th place.

In 1993, Roberts gets first taste of MotoGP championship, as he gets wild card ride at Laguna Seca for Yamaha Team Roberts, and finishes this race in 10th. In this year, he also contests Spanish Ducados Open 250cc championship, where he finishes in 2nd place.

In 1994 Kenny Roberts Jr rode last four races of the season, finishing three of them and scoring 23 points, which was enough to finish season in 18th place overall.

In 1995 Roberts stayed with Marlboro Team Rainey, this time full season, and finished season in 8th place. Best result for Kenny Roberts in this season was 4th place in Germany.

Kenny Roberts Jr-500ccm
In 1996, Kenny Roberts moved to royal class, riding for team owned by his father: Marlboro Yamaha Roberts. In this season, Roberts started racing from third race, and managed to gather points to finish season as 13th overall. Not bad result for rookie season.

In 1997, Roberts Senior decides to build his own bike, KR3, and was joined by his son Jr in this adventure. Despite fact that he rode brand new bike, Roberts managed to finish this season in 16th, picking up 37 points. Kenny stayed with same team in 1998, this time picking up 59 points. More points was not result of improved machine but Kenny's consistency, which put him to 13th place in championship.

Suzuki offered competitive ride to Kenny in 1999, who didn't think twice and accepted offer which made his career rise balistic. From the start of the season, Kenny Roberts started hard, winning first two races in front of dominating Criville-Doohan duo. Until end of the season, Roberts won 4 races in total, but at the end finished season in 2nd place.

In 2000, Kenny Roberts won his first MotoGP title with Suzuki, scoring 4 victories and 9 podium finishes. His greatest rival in this season vas Valentino Rossi, who made MotoGP debut in this season. However, Kenny's conistency was the key for the title, as he managed to gather 258 points and bring another title in Roberts family.

After best ever season, Roberts started series of dissapointing results in 2001, which lasts until these days. In 2001, when he should defend his title, Roberts barely managed to make one podium result. In this season, Roberts picked 97 points, which placed him to 11th place in championship.

Kenny Roberts Jr MotoGP
Suzuki prepared GSV-R racer for 2002 season, which was outpaced by Honda and Yamaha, but has shown some promissing performance as Roberts picked one 4th place and one 3rd, and gathered 99 points to finish in 9th place in the MotoGP championship.

In 2003 season, Suzuki GSV-R project has not made any progress, and fact that team sponsor Telefonica Movistar left the team did not help either. With best result of 9th in Australia, Roberts finishes this season demoralized in 19th place, with only 22 points.

Suzuki stayed unreliable in 2004 season, in which Roberts was able to finish only 6 of 16 races and pick 37 points, enough for 18th place in the championship. Despite beeing team first rider, Kenny Roberts Jr was shadowed by promissing performance of the John Hopkins, young American team-mate. In off-season, some reorganization is done in the Suzuki MotoGP team, which led to promissing results in testing.

In 2005, Kenny stays in Suzuki, but in off season friendly warning wrapped in sweet words was issued to him that he must find motivation in this season. So far, Roberts finished 2 of 4 races and lays in 18th place in championship, 2 places behind team-mate. Scenario of Suzuki's failure stayed the same in 2005 so far: early lead in opening laps, soon followed by engine troubles...