Noriyuki Haga began racing when his father brought him home a pocket-bike from a local discount store, and the Japanese star has never looked back. In 1992 he finished 2nd in the 250cc Kanto Road Race Championship and contested the next 6 seasons in the All Japan Road Racing Championship, with the highlight of his career thus far coming in 1997 with victory in the Suzuka 8-hour. In 1998 he moved to WSB and finished 6th with five victories while making a wildcard appearance in the World Championship in the 500cc class, finishing third. Haga joined MotoGP full time for 2001 with the Red Bull Yamaha WCM team, but struggled to adapt to the two-stroke. He returned in 2003 aboard the factory Aprilia RS Cube, finishing the year in 14th.