San Marino and Rimini MotoGP™ debrief with Masao Azuma
Wednesday, September 16 2015
Bridgestone slick options: Front: Soft, Medium & Hard; Rear: Soft & Hard (Symmetric) & Medium (Asymmetric)
Bridgestone wet tyre options: Soft (Main), Hard (Alternative)
The 2015 San Marino and Rimini Grand Prix was subjected to variable weather resulting in almost the whole field changing bikes twice over the twenty-eight lap contest. In the end, Repsol Honda Team’s Marc Marquez won the race ahead of Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Bradley Smith in second place, and Marc VDS rider Scott Redding who claimed a maiden MotoGP podium by finishing in third place.
Sunday’s race started in dry conditions with light rain falling which soon intensified, creating wet conditions at which time the majority of riders swapped to bikes fitted with wet tyres. The rain soon abated, resulting in a dry line on the circuit at which time slick tyres became the preferred option which saw the riders undertake another bike swap. Despite the variable conditions Jorge Lorenzo set a new Misano Circuit Record Lap (1’33.273) on lap 4 of the race, with the Spaniard also setting a new Circuit Best Record (1’32.146) during qualifying on Saturday.
Q&A with Masao Azuma – Chief Engineer, Bridgestone Motorcycle Tyre Development Department
The big talking point at Misano last weekend was the new tarmac. How did your tyre allocation at this circuit perform over the weekend, and was the decision to bring two symmetric rear slicks justified?
“Traditionally at Misano we usually offer asymmetric rear tyres, but due to the new tarmac and the improved performance of the open class bikes compared to last year, we made some changes to the tyre allocation this year. The soft symmetric rear slick was offered as given the changes since last year, we needed more durability on the left shoulder of the rear tyre but still wanted to offer an option with soft compound rubber on the right shoulder. So instead of an asymmetric soft rear slick with extra-soft rubber on the left shoulder and soft rubber on the right, we decided to provide the symmetric soft rear slick at Misano this year. For the symmetric hard option, even though we had the new tarmac to contend we actually decided to make the right shoulder of this option softer than last year to make it a more attractive race option. I think if track temperatures were close to 50°C on race day some riders would have selected this option for the race as it proved to be quite consistent, with better durability on the left shoulder compared to the asymmetric medium rear. The decision to offer two symmetric rear slicks was based on data we received during private testing and given how our tyres performed at Misano last weekend, I think the provision of two symmetric rear slick options at Misano was justified, and indeed appreciated by the riders.”
Some riders that took part in private testing on the new Misano tarmac said that the grip level of the track was better in July than it was for the race, despite temperatures being hotter. Why do you think this was?
“The private testing at Misano took place a couple of months after the circuit was re-surfaced so I think that since then the grip level has returned to more normal levels. It also seems that the grip of the tarmac isn’t as sensitive to temperature as some other circuits. The new tarmac in the dry is still considerably better than the old surface, resulting in lap times being on average at least half a second quicker than the previous record pace. Misano sees a lot of use throughout the year which has probably polished the tarmac somewhat since private testing, so this could also account for the grip last weekend being lower than during testing. However, there is no doubt though that the surface is an improvement over last year with more grip and less bumps.”
What can you say about wet tyre performance during the race on the new Misano tarmac?
“It is hard to define just how the wet tyres performed on Sunday as the conditions were so changeable and there was no time to find a wet setup earlier in the race weekend. The feedback we received from riders varied greatly, some saying the grip level was poor, others said it was okay while other riders commented that the grip in the wet was quite good. This points to different bike settings and riding styles being better adapted to the changing conditions than others and makes it hard to reach a consensus on how this new tarmac behaves in the wet. What we can see is that the new Misano asphalt dries quite quickly so it has the potential to overheat wet tyres if there isn’t constant rainfall. However, analysing the rain tyres used after the race, the tread pattern was still clearly defined on the vast majority of tyres so durability on the abrasive tarmac was actually quite good. This is perhaps why some riders decided to continue circulating on wet tyres even after a dry line appeared, as the wet tyres gave good feedback on the drying asphalt.”
More, from a press release issued by BMW Motorrad Motorsport:
BMW S 1000 RR riders Roland Resch and Michal Prášek are crowned champions in the Alpe Adria Road Racing Championship – Resch regains the lead in the 2015 BMW Motorrad Race Trophy.
Great season finale for BMW Motorrad in the Alpe Adria Road Racing Championship: Roland Resch and Michal Prášek take the champions’ trophies and BMW riders claim three wins and a total of eight podium finishes in Slovakia – The BMW racers also step onto the podium in Malaysia.
Munich (DE), 16th September 2015. Two more titles, three wins and numerous podium finishes: it was another successful weekend for the BMW S 1000 RR. In the Alpe Adria Road Racing Championship (AARR) the titles in the Superbike and Superstock classes went to BMW racers, with Roland Resch (AT) being crowned SBK champion and Michal Prášek winning the STK title. The season finale at the Slovakia Ring (SK) saw three wins and a total of eight podium finishes for the BMW riders. Their fellow BMW racers in the Malaysia Superbike Championship (MSC) have also been successful on their outings in Sepang (MY). In addition, the BMW S 1000 RR was also in action in the US and Japan. Meanwhile, the battle for the top of the BMW Motorrad Race Trophy continues to be exciting, with Resch regaining the lead.
2015 BMW Motorrad Race Trophy.
The situation at the very top of the 2015 BMW Motorrad Race Trophy has changed once more. By claiming two podium finishes at the season finale of the Alpe Adria Road Racing Championship (AARR) at the Slovakia Ring (SK), Austrian Roland Resch (AARR SBK) regained the lead in the rankings. He now has 344.73 Race Trophy points to his name. The previous leader, Jordan Szoke (CA / CSBK PR), is now second with 341.67 points. Markus Reiterberger (DE / IDM SBK) is currently third with 299.52 points. It is a top-three of champions: all three have claimed the title in their individual championships this year. While Resch and Szoke have finished the seasons in their series, Reiterberger has one more round to go in the SUPERBIKE*IDM. However, the number of points for Resch and Szoke are not final, as at the end of the BMW Motorrad Race Trophy season the extra points for championship titles, pole positions and so on will be rewarded to all competitors (see full rankings below).
Alpe Adria Road Racing Championship at the Slovakia Ring, Slovakia.
A great finale to a successful season: at the final round of the 2015 Alpe Adria Road Racing Championship (AARR), the BMW racers have been in the spotlight once more. At the Slovakia Ring near Bratislava (SK) two of them were crowned champions, and there were three wins and a total of eight podium finishes for the BMW S 1000 RR. Roland Resch (AT / Reitwagen-Racing) had secured the title in the Superbike class (AARR SBK) at the penultimate round in August, and wrapped up his season with two more podiums in Slovakia. In the Superstock class (AARR STK), Michal Prášek (CZ / Rohac and Fejta motoracing team) claimed the title after also stepping onto the podium. The two Czech BMW riders Lukáš Pešek (BMW Motorrad Czech) and Michal Filla (BMW Sikora Motorsport) contributed to the successful weekend for BMW by securing race wins in Slovakia.
Pešek secured pole position for the first race of the Superbike class and took the win after a thrilling duel with Resch. Being runner-up over most of the distance, he took the lead in the final stages of the race and crossed the line with an advantage of two seconds. Resch finished second to complete the one-two result for the RR. A total of six BMW riders finished the first race in the top ten. Pešek’s team-mate Martin Choy (BG) finished fourth, directly followed by Ireneusz Sikora (PL / BMW Sikora Team) in fifth place. Miloš Cihak (CZ) crossed the finish line in seventh on the third RR in the race for BMW Motorrad Czech, Wolfgang Gammer (AT / heating factory) finished in ninth. Pawel Gorka (PL / BMW Motorrad Czech) in 11th, while István Bezzegh (HU / Superbike Raceteam) in 15th also rode into the points.
In race two, Pešek and Resch secured another double podium for the BMW S 1000 RR. They were fighting a nail-biting three-way-battle with Pawel Szkopek (PL) for the lead. After 11 laps, Pešek crossed the line in second only 0.073 seconds behind Szkopek. Resch, who set the fastest race lap with a new track record, was third on the podium. This time, six of the top eight spots went to the RR. Choy finished fifth, Cihak in sixth. Daniel Bukowski (PL) crossed the finish line in seventh on the BMW S 1000 RR of Zlotniccy Racing and Gammer rounded off the top eight in eighth place. Bezzegh and Bartlomiej Lewandowski (PL / Team LRP Poland) in 13th and 15th also picked up points.
In the Superstock class Filla won both races on his RR. On both occasions he was not the only BMW rider on the podium: in race one, Filla’s team-mate Bartlomiej Wiczynski (PL) finished third. In the second race Prášek claimed third on the podium to finally secure the championship title.
Malaysia Superbike Championship in Sepang, Malaysia.
The Sepang International Circuit near Kuala Lumpur (MY) hosted the third round of the 2015 Malaysia Superbike Championship (MSC) last weekend. In each category, three races were held – with the BMW racers claiming numerous podium finishes.
In the Superbike category (MSC SBK), Colin Butler (CA) finished third overall on the podium on his BMW S 1000 RR in race one. He was fourth overall in the other two races. These were also his results in the classification for the Superbike A class. In the Superbike B class BMW racers clinched a total of six podium finishes. Gavin Macdonald (GB) was second in the class on all three occasions (ninth, seventh and eighth overall). Fellow BMW rider Mohd Najuib Bin Alias (MY) was third on the podium in the first two races (both times tenth overall). In race three RR rider Ahmad Abas (MY) was third (tenth overall). In the Superstock class (MSC STK) the best BMW rider was Nasarudin Mat Yusop (GB) with two fifth places. Hansur Rizal Nur Sastra (MY) also claimed a fifth position on his RR.
MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Series in Millville, USA.
The final round of the 2015 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Series (AMA) took place at the New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville (US) last weekend. Steve Rapp (US) was the best-placed BMW rider. He finished the two races in 11th and eighth overall (seventh and fifth in the Superstock class). Newly-crowned champion of the Canadian Superbike Championship (CSBK), Jordan Szoke (CA), made a guest appearance in New Jersey on his BMW S 1000 RR. He came home 15th overall and ninth in the Superstock class (AMA STK) in race one, but crashed in race two. Jeremy Cook (US) finished the first race 23rd overall and 16th in the STK class, but was also not classified in race two.
MFJ Superbike All Japan Road Race Championship in Autopolis, Japan.
The fifth race of the season in the Superbike class of the MFJ Superbike All Japan Road Race Championship (MFJ) was held in Autopolis (JP) last weekend. The best-placed BMW rider was Daisaku Sakai (JP), who came home 14th on the BMW S 1000 RR run by the CONFIA Flex Motorrad39 team. His team-mate Shinya Takeishi (JP) followed him over the finish line in 15th place. Koji Teramoto (JP) finished 16th on the Tras135HP team’s RR.
2015 BMW Motorrad Race Trophy – Current Standings.
In 2015 the BMW Motorrad Race Trophy comprises a total of 19 international and national championships. Participants in the BMW Motorrad Race Trophy can compete in multiple championships. The points scored in the different championships are calculated separately for each individual race series. The current standings only include points from the race series in which the participant has scored the most Race Trophy points. You can find all the information on the 2015 BMW Motorrad Race Trophy online at the BMW Motorrad Motorsport website:
www.bmw-motorrad-motorsport.com
Status: 16th September 2015
| Pos. | Name (Nat.) | Series / Class | Points |
| 1 | Roland Resch (AT) | AARR SBK | 344.73 |
| 2 | Jordan Szoke (CA) | CSBK PR | 341.67 |
| 3 | Markus Reiterberger (DE) | IDM SBK | 299.52 |
| 4 | Matthieu Lussiana (FR) | MT1GP STK GP | 294.81 |
| 5 | Michal Prášek (CZ) | AARR STK | 269.67 |
| 6 | Alastair Seeley (GB) | BSB STK | 266.18 |
| 7 | Pekka Päivärinta / Kirsi Kainulainen (FI) | SWC | 250.67 |
| 8 | Florian Brunet-Lugardon (FR) | FR EU | 242.46 |
| 9 | Lukáš Pešek (CZ) | AARR SBK | 218.18 |
| 10 | Roberto Tamburini (IT) | STK1000 | 212.00 |
| 11 | Cyril Brunet-Lugardon | FR EU | 211.69 |
| 12 | Hudson Kennaugh (ZA) | BSB STK | 205.09 |
| 13 | Michal Šembera (CZ) | AARR STK | 203.33 |
| 14 | Michel Amalric (FR) | FR EU | 182.15 |
| 15 | Lee Johnston (GB) | BMW RRC | 181.33 |
16. Eeki Kuparinen (FI/CEV AM/179.20), 17. Martin Choy (BG/AARR SBK/178.91), 18. Iván Silva (ES/CEV PR/171.20), 19. Janez Prosenik (SI/AARR SBK/158.55), 20. Emeric Jonchière (FR/FSBK STK/157.54), 21. Peter Hickman (GB/BMW RRC/152.89), 22. Lance Isaacs (ZA/RSA SBK GP/143.28), 23. Krasen Kanchev (BG/AARR STK/142.89), 24. Pepijn Bijsterbosch (NL/IDM STK/141.71), 25. Uwe Gürck/Manfred Wechselberger (DE/AT/SWC/140.27), 26. Florian Drouin (FR/FR EU/134.15), 26. Madjid Idres (FR/FR EU/134.15), 28. Dominik Vincon (DE/IDM STK/133.71), 29. Mike Roscher/Anna Burkard (DE/SWC/132.93), 30. Marek Szkopek (PL/AARR STK/120.56), 31. Tommy Bridewell (GB/BSB SBK/119.62), 32. Adrián Bonastre (ES/CEV PR/115.20), 33. Nasarudin Mat Yusop (MY/MSC STK/114.96), 34. Michael Laverty (GB/BSB SBK/112.00), 35. Fabrizio Perotti (IT/CIV/108.80), 36. Alessio Corradi (IT/CIV/107.20), 37. William Dunlop (GB/BMW RRC/106.67), 38. Bartlomiej Wiczynski (PL/AARR STK/105.33), 39. Matej Smrz (CZ/IDM SBK/103.62), 40. Michael Leon (CA/CSBK PR/100.00), 41. Miloš Cihak (CZ/AARR SBK/96.00), 42. Nicholas Kershaw (ZA/RSA SBK GP/90.97), 43. David Johnson (AU/BMW RRC/88.89), 44. Marco Nekvasil (AT/EWC STK/86.00), 45. Pedro Vallcaneras (ES/EWC SBK/84.00), 46. Michal Fojtik (CZ/AARR STK/81.22), 47. Ireneusz Sikora (PL/AARR SBK/77.09), 48. Hayato Takada (JP/EWC STK/74.00), 49. Dominic Usher (GB/BSB STK/71.27), 50. Lucy Glöckner (DE/IDM STK/70.86), 51. Billy McConnell (AU/BSB SBK/69.33), 52. Léon Benichou (FR/FR EU/68.92), 53. Denni Schiavoni (IT/CIV/64.00), 54. Gareth Jones (AU/EWC SBK/60.00), 55. Michael Rutter (GB/BMW RRC/56.89), 56. Wojciech Wrobel (PL/AARR STK/56.00), 57. Ryuichi Kiyonari (JP/BSB SBK/53.33), 57. Guy Martin (GB/BMW RRC/53.33), 59. Sebastián Porto (AR/MT1GP STK GP/51.56), 60. Lee Jackson (GB/BSB SBK/51.05), 61. Stephen Mercer (GB/EWC STK/48.00), 62. Marc Neumann (DE/IDM STK/46.86), 63. Bastien Mackels (BE/IDM SBK/46.57), 64. Nicolas Pouhair (FR/FSBK SBK/45.85), 65. Wolfgang Gammer (AT/AARR SBK/43.64), 66. Laurent Aymonin (FR/FR EU/39.38), 67. Luca Oppedisano (IT/CIV/38.40), 68. Daisaku Sakai (JP/MFJ/38.00), 69. Marco Muzio (IT/CIV/35.20), 70. Marco Marcheluzzo (IT/CIV/32.00), 71. Marcel Irnie (CA/AMA STK/31.42), 72. Johannes Hoffmann (DE/IDM STK/29.71), 73. Martin Jessopp (GB/BMW RRC/27.43), 74. Jeremy Cook (US/AMA STK/27.33), 75. Barry Burrell (GB/EWC STK/24.00), 75. Stefan Cappella (GB/EWC STK/24.00), 75. Gary Mason (GB/EWC STK/24.00), 78. Emilien Jaillet (FR/FSBK STK/22.15), 79. Shinya Takeishi (JP/MFJ/22.00), 80. Camille Hedelin (FR/FSBK STK/20.92), 81. Mike Wohner (AT/AARR SBK/18.91), 82. Richard Balcar (CZ/AARR SBK/16.00), 82. Mark Albrecht (DE/IDM STK/16.00), 82. Pawel Gorka (PL/AARR SBK/16.00), 85. Koji Teramoto (JP/MFJ/14.00), 86. Thomas Hainthaler (DE/IDM STK/13.71), 87. Luca Conforti (IT/CIV/12.80), 88. Yuuta Kodama (JP/MFJ/12.00), 89. Sabine Holbrook (DE/AARR SBK/10.18), 90. Jean Foray (FR/FR EU/9.85), 91. Johannes Kanzler (DE/IDM STK/9.14), 91. Chris Schmid (DE/IDM STK/9.14), 93. Bartlomiej Lewandowski (PL/AARR SBK/8.73), 94. Mika Höglund (FI/CEV AM/6.40), 95. Stefan Dolipski (DE/AMA STK/6.00), 95. Fabio Marchionni (IT/STK1000/6.00), 97. Federico D’Annunzio (IT/STK1000/4.00), 97. Eric Vionnet (CH/STK1000/4.00), 99. Michael Truchot (FR/FR EU/3.69), 100. Maria Costello (GB/BMW RRC/3.56), 101. Noriyuki Tsujimoto (JP/MFJ/2.00), 102. Tatsuya Noda (JP/EWC SBK/0.00), 102. Mohamad Syahnas Shahidan (MY/MSC SBK/0.00), 102. Sandra Stammova (SI/RSA SBK GP/0.00)
More, from a press release issued by Suzuki Factory Racing PR:
BREA, CA (Sept. 14, 2015) – It was the final weekend of action for Team Suzuki riders who contest the MotoAmerica Championship here in the U.S., while MotoGP continued with round 13 of 18 in Misano, Italy.
Suzuki highlights for this weekend’s racing at New Jersey and Misano included:
Yoshimura Suzuki’s Roger Hayden scoring two podiums in the MotoAmerica/AMA Superbike races in New Jersey.
Roger Hayden earning a front-row start in New Jersey, qualifying second in Superpole.
M4 SportbikeTrackGear.com Suzuki’s David Anthony scoring a solid fourth-place result in MotoAmerica Supersport action in New Jersey.
Norwegian Champion Caroline Olsen making a strong return to racing in America with a sixth in Superstock 600 action riding with support from Loxy M4 Suzuki.
Aleix Espargaró scoring a top-10 result in the Grand Prix at San Marino with Team Suzuki Ecstar MotoGP.
Hayden Closes Strong at New Jersey Motorsports Park
Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing’s Roger Hayden, riding a special red and black GSX-R1000 to commemorate 30 years of GSX-R performance, closed out the 2015 MotoAmerica/AMA Superbike season with a pair of podium finishes at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, New Jersey. Hayden was third in race one and runner up in race two, missing the victory by just 44-100ths of a second aboard his Suzuki GSX-R1000.
The final event results gave Hayden a remarkable record of 15 podium finishes in the 18-race series. He finished the year ranked third in the MotoAmerica/AMA Superbike standings. Hayden also qualified on the front row in New Jersey.
“It’s a little frustrating to have been so close so many times this season and coming up just short,” Hayden said. “But I also take a lot of positives with me from this season. My guys on the Yoshimura Suzuki team made the bike better all year and we were right there in nearly every race, especially in the second half of the season. I’m really looking forward to next season.”
Hayden’s rookie Superbike teammate Jake Lewis crashed in the first race and was out for the weekend with a separated shoulder. Lewis had an outstanding first season aboard the Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superbike that included five podium results, including a runner-up finish at Road Atlanta. Lewis was the highest finishing rookie in the series.
“I learned a lot and at times we had the speed to be right there with the leaders,” Lewis said. “I hope to step up my training program in the off season and now that I have a full year of Superbike experience I think next year gives me an opportunity to be going strong and confident right out of the box at the first race.”
Good News Out of the M4 Suzuki Camp
M4 SportbikeTrackGear.com Suzuki’s David Anthony locked up an outstanding fourth place in the final Supersport championship standings at this weekend’s MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Championship season finale at New Jersey Motorsports Park. In addition to Anthony’s notable result, the M4 Suzuki squad also hosted former Norwegian road racing champion Caroline Olsen in her return to racing in America. Olsen turned in a solid ride, taking sixth in Sunday’s Superstock 600 final on her Loxy M4 Suzuki GSX-R600.
Anthony reflected on his overall ’15 campaign, a season in which he racked up ten top-fives that were highlighted by a pair of podium results. He said, “Overall, it was a really strong season for us. I’m proud of the whole team and the effort we put forth.”
Despite his status as a class newcomer, the Australian established himself as a Supersport frontrunner in the 2015 season opener and backed that status up with regularity as the year played out.
Curtis Murray also scored a top-10 Superstock 600 result on his 180 Racing Suzuki GSX-R600.
Aleix Espargaro Earns Another Top-10 in Misano
An amazing crowd of 92,000 fans watched a topsy-turvy MotoGP race in Misano, Italy, that saw conditions go from dry to wet to dry again, all in the course of the 28-lap race. In the end, Team Suzuki Ecstar rider Aleix Espargaro overcame the challenging conditions to finish tenth on the factory Suzuki GSX-RR MotoGP machine. It marked Espargaro’s eighth top-10 result this season.
Look for Team Suzuki riders to be back in action in the final months of the 2015 racing season.
More, from a press release issued by Perimeter Racing:
Steele Secures WERA Open Superstock National Championship!
Perimeter Racing’s Chris Steele finished third in this past Sunday’s WERA Open Superstock race at Road Atlanta, in Braselton, Georgia. Under normal circumstances, a podium finish is always a solid result, but this finish was accomplished in far from “normal” circumstances. A week after undergoing medical treatment– and after long discussions with family and friends– Steele arrived at the track Sunday morning knowing what he had to do to protect himself from further harm and possibly clinch the WERA Open Superstock National Championship in the process!
Sunday morning dawned to beautiful blue skies, but surprisingly cool temperatures. As Steele went out for practice he quickly realized that the cold morning practice would only be beneficial for getting familiar with the track layout, not for fast lap times. A subsequent red flag for a crash in Turn Two involving the racer immediately in front of Steele confirmed that today was more about finishing rather than overall speed. Once practice resumed, Steele stayed clear of trouble and completed the abbreviated session. Now it was time to focus on the race.
A poor start left Steele positioning himself to make an outside pass around several riders as the field entered Turn One. Now with warmer temperatures and a fresh set of Dunlop tires, Steele was able to use the increased traction to sweep around three riders and move into third place. As the race progressed, Steele used a calculated, methodical approach to stay clear of other riders and completed the race in third position!
Chris commented on the race: “Except when I messed up the start, the race went pretty uneventful. I made a good move to get to the outside of turn 1 and moved into third place. Once I got there, I just watched the signals from the team to manage the gap behind me. I really didn’t have another issue during the race, except for constantly thinking: don’t run-off in the chicane, don’t miss the break markers for turn 12, and don’t mess up, those kinds of thoughts…”
Knowing that a fourth place or better result would mathematically clinch the championship, Steele and the entire Perimeter Racing Team, was relieved that a roller-coaster season had now come to a successful conclusion: Chris Steele was now the 2015 WERA Open Superstock National Champion!
Chris gave his thoughts on the season: “This was a crazy season. From starting the year on the Kawasaki ZX-10R to getting the Yamaha R1M in April. Then winning my first National on the R1M in New Orleans back in May. Then getting a big points lead when Mark Junge had some medical issues. Then to see Mark go on a streak and cut into the points gap. Then to having Dr. Kandzari tell me I needed a procedure that would end my racing season. Then to make the decision to ride today. We’ve been through a lot… I’ve never won an Expert National Championship, so it feels great to be able to wrap this up today!”
Chris Steele and Perimeter Racing would like to thank the following for their support: Yamaha Motor Corporation- Southeastern Headquarters: Kenny Spurlock & Robert Orr; Dunlop Race Tire Service: Paul Von Ounoutha; Thermosman Suspension: Mike Fitzgerald; Riders Discount; Pit Bull; Vortex; Chuck Deez Painting; Triple R Racing: Mike Reed, Matt Reed; Perimeter Door: Michelle Steele, Tayler Boswell, Parker Steele, and Aaron Steele. Event results and point standing can be found at www.wera.com.
More, from a press release issued by Kyle Wyman Racing:
Millennium Technologies-sponsored Wyman brothers go out with a bang in New Jersey
MILLVILLE, N.J. (Sept. 16) — The Wyman brothers capped off the inaugural MotoAmerica road racing season with a bang this past weekend at New Jersey Motorsports Park, earning podiums and career-best finishes for the Millennium Technologies/KWR team.
Oldest brother Kyle finished 2nd and 4th in Superstock 1000 races one and two respectively, in only his first ever full race on a 1000cc machine.
“I’m just beside myself with joy on today’s result,” Kyle said. “It’s been a long, tough season racing in the 600 Supersport class and we really took a gamble switching to the ‘big bike’ for the last round of the season. My crew did an amazing job to prep this new Yamaha YZF-R1 and I couldn’t be happier. To finally get a podium finish this season is a great feeling.”
The success of Sunday’s races didn’t come without some struggles during the weekend, where electrical woes and setup issues plagued the team during Superpole.
“We had some really great pace in the dry practice sessions which guaranteed us a spot in Superpole,” Kyle said. “Unfortunately we missed the rain setup during a drenched 15-minute Superpole session and had to start 12th on the grid. We were really hoping for better than that after running as high as 5th overall in practice.”
For Sunday’s first Superbike/Superstock 100 race, Kyle got off to a strong start, running sixth in class. Mid-way through the race the rain started coming down, and the red flag was thrown. The race would be restarted with nine laps remaining.
“On the restart I got the start of my life,” Kyle said. “I was fourth overall into turn one. All that was in front of me were factory superbikes. I just put my head down as hard as I could knowing it was a short sprint to the end. I was able to hold the Superstock lead for a few laps until Jake Gagne went by, then the rain came again and the red flag yet again.”
The shortened race was then called with two laps remaining, and Kyle earned his first career Superstock 1000 podium finish in his first full race on the Yamaha R1. In race two a hard-fought battle from the back of the field to a respectable fourth place finish would cap off the day, and the 2015 race season.
“To get that podium finish, and to back it up in race two with a fourth place, I couldn’t be happier,” Kyle said. “It was my first podium on anything but a Harley-Davidson XR1200, so it was a special day for me and the Millennium Technologies crew. They deserve the reward for a tough season full of hard work.”
As for the Superstock 600 class, younger brothers Travis and Cody made waves in what were two quasi-wet races with low grip and a high rate of attrition. In race one it was all about Cody, who came home with a career-best finish of 5th place. Travis ended the day 23rd following a first-lap crash out of second place.
“We really struggled in qualifying, so it was tough going off 21st on the grid,” Cody said. “There were mixed conditions with the rain and I really felt comfortable with the track. I was able to make some passes and fight my way in to a top five. It feels amazing to get my best finish of the year at the last round and be happy going into the off-season.”
Travis’ first lap crash put him nearly a lap down, but the battered middle brother fought hard through the pain of bruised ribs and more for the 19-lap race.
“The first race didn’t go as planned,” Travis said. “I got a little impatient on lap one and ended up going down in turn five. It took me a minute or so to gather myself back up and catch my breath but I remounted and got back out there in an attempt to score some points. I only made it to 23rd but I gave it my all.”
For Sunday’s Superstock 600 race two, Travis an Cody nearly swapped roles with Travis coming away with his seventh podium result of the season in 2nd place. Cody finished a very respectable 16th after some pre-race drama included a failed tire-swap.
“The rain was teasing us before the race,” Cody said. “We did the sighting lap on dry tires, then switched to wets as the rain fell, then just before the race it started to dry back up. My crew only had time to change the rear tire and I was forced to run the whole race with a Dunlop rain tire on the front, in the dry.”
Cody’s debacle didn’t stop him from nearly finishing in the top-15 on the wrong tire.
“We were able to salvage 16th, which is good considering the scenario,” Cody added. “I want to thank Millennium Technologies and the whole KWR crew for all of their hard work this season.”
A strong podium result for Travis was just what he needed for redemption over Saturday’s crash.
“I got off to a good start in the tricky conditions,” Travis said. “I got out front and tried to put my head down but once the track dried up it was Bryce’s (Prince) race. So we came home second. I’m happy to finish off the year with another podium for the team, and I’m looking forward for what might be in store for 2016!”
Kyle Wyman Racing would like to thank Millennium Technologies and all of it’s sponsors for a successful 2015 MotoAmerica road racing season.
Stay up to date with KWR through the off-season by visiting www.kylewymanracing.com
To get the same Millennium Technologies products and services used by KWR, visit www.mt-llc.com for more information.
About Millennium Technologies:
Millennium Technologies is a premier supplier of high performance engine services and parts for many types of vehicles, notably in the powersports market. Starting in 1997 as a Nickel-Silicon-Carbide cylinder relating and servicing company, Millennium Technologies has branched out into complete service for cylinders, heads, crankshafts and top-ends and also supplies relevant parts such as pistons, gaskets, camshafts and more by working with OEMs, dealers, race teams and weekend mechanics. Millennium Technologies is also the parent company of its extended branches Revolution Performance, Xport CNC Services, Ballistic Performance Components and Forward Motion. For more information visit www.mt-llc.com
About Kyle Wyman Racing:
Kyle Wyman Racing (KWR) was formed in 2011 as a motorcycle road racing team focusing on healthy sponsorship opportunities for companies within and outside the motorcycle industry. KWR is the 2012 AMA Pro Harley-Davidson series championship winning team and current partner with Millennium Technologies family of companies. For more information visit www.kylewymanracing.com
More, from a press release issued by New Jersey Motorsports Park:
Touted by MotoAmerica as “The Thrilla in Millvilla” The stars of pro racing didn’t disappoint in the MotoAmerica Championship of New Jersey
Cameron Beaubier takes the Superbike Championship over teammate Josh Hayes by four points!
MILLVILLE, N.J. Motorcycle racing fans flooded New Jersey Motorsports Park this past weekend to witness the “Thrilla in Millvilla”. The riders had to contend with the weather both Friday and Saturday but the skies broke and Sunday proved to be a great day not only weather wise but on the track as well. With stunt shows by Jason Britton and Team No Limit throughout the weekend, the excitement filled the paddock and track making MotoAmerica’s first visit to New Jersey Motorsports Park one to remember.
Josh Hayes won both Superbike races on Sunday but Cameron Beaubier took the Superbike championship inching out his teammate by four points for the season. Beaubier finished second and third in the two races but easily earned the points need to take the championship.
Jake Gagne also earned a title on Sunday, the RoadRace Factory Orion Yamaha rider sweeping to his 12th and 13th wins of the season in the Superstock 1000 class to wrap up the championship earning him the Superstock 1000 crown.
In the final championship standings, JD Beach took the Supersport championship ending the season with 310 points. Josh Herrin beating Gerloff by just five points, 255-250. M4/SportbikeTrackGear.com’s David Anthony ended up fourth in the final standings with Roadrace Factory’s Tomas Puerta fifth, besting Latus Racing Triumph’s Bobby Fong, who sat out Sunday’s race with a concussion, by a single point.
The KTM RC 390 Cup Series wrapped up Sunday with New Jersey’s Anthony Mazziotto III making up for Saturday’s close loss by turning the tables on Gage McAllister. Mazziotto and his Jimmy Winters Motorsports-backed RC 390 beat McAllister to the finish line by just 0.029 of a second. Brandon Paasch finished third with Xavier Zayat and Hayden Schultz rounding out the top five.
The top five finishers in the KTM RC 390 Cup will be rewarded with the opportunity to head to Silverstone to battle an international field of RC Cup racers in the British Superbike Championship round. Those riders are: McAllister, Mazziotto, Braeden Ortt, Hayden Schultz and Justin McWilliams.
The final Bazzaz Superstock 600 race of the season went to Tuned Racing’s Bryce Prince, the Californian beating Wyman Racing’s Travis Wyman and Mach 1 Motorsports’ Wyatt Farris in winning his first race of the season. When all was said and done, Wyman narrowly missed out on finishing second in the championship (Joe Roberts wrapped up the title at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca) by just three points to Richie Escalante, who was a non-starter in Sunday’s race.
The race coverage will air on CBS Sports Network September 20th at 5pm EST.
Here is a complete list of the race results for the weekend:
SUPERBIKE/SUPERSTOCK 1000 RACE 1: 1. Josh Hayes (Yamaha); 2. Cameron Beaubier (Yamaha); 3. Roger Hayden (Suzuki); 4. Jake Gagne (Yamaha); 5. Kyle Wyman (Yamaha); 6. Josh Day (Yamaha); 7. Taylor Knapp (Yamaha); 8. Danny Eslick (Aprilia); 9. Shane Narbonne (Yamaha); 10. Geoff May (Honda).
SUPERBIKE/SUPERSTOCK 1000 RACE 2: 1. Josh Hayes (Yamaha); 2. Roger Hayden (Suzuki); 3. Jake Gagne (Yamaha); 4. Taylor Knapp (Yamaha); 5. Joshua Day (Yamaha); 6. Cameron Beaubier (Yamaha); 7. Kyle Wyman (Yamaha); 8. Danny Eslick (Aprilia); 9. Chris Ulrich (Suzuki); 10. Chris Fillmore (KTM).
SUPERSPORT RACE 2: 1. Josh Herrin (Yamaha); 2. Joe Roberts (Yamaha); 3. Garrett Gerloff (Yamaha); 4. JD Beach (Yamaha); 5. Cameron Petersen (Yamaha); 6. Corey Alexander (Yamaha); 7. Benny Solis Jr. (Honda); 8. David Anthony (Suzuki); 9. Ben Young (Yamaha); 10. Hayden Gillim (MV Agusta).
BAZZAZ SUPERSTOCK 600 RACE 2: 1. Bryce Prince (Yamaha); 2. Travis Wyman (Yamaha); 3. Wyatt Farris (Yamaha); 4. Brayan Sola (Yamaha); 5. Nick McFadden (Yamaha); 6. Caroline Olsen (Suzuki); 7. Casey Tobolewski (Yamaha); 8. Jayson Uribe (Yamaha); 9. Conner Blevins (Kawasaki); 10. Michael Gilbert (Yamaha).
KTM RC 390 CUP RACE 2: 1. Anthony Mazziotto III; 2. Gage McAllister; 3. Brandon Paash; 4. Xavier Zayat; 5. Hayden Schultz; 6. Ashton Yates; 7. Braeden Ortt; 8. Brandon Altmeyer; 9. Justin McWiliams; 10. Alejandro Gutierrez Mejia.
The race coverage will air on CBS Sports Network September 20th at 5pm EST.
About MotoAmerica:
MotoAmerica is the new North American road racing series created in 2014. MotoAmerica is an affiliate of KRAVE Group LLC, a partnership that includes three-time 500cc World Champion, two-time AMA Superbike Champion, and AMA Hall of Fame Inductee Wayne Rainey, ex-racer and former manager of Team Roberts Chuck Aksland, motorsports marketing executive Terry Karges, and businessman Richard Varner.
About New Jersey Motorsports Park:
Sitting on more than 500 acres in Millville, N.J., New Jersey Motorsports Park is the premier motorsports entertainment complex in the Northeast. NJMP is conveniently located near Philadelphia and New York City, offering diverse and dynamic attractions both on and off-track. The park includes three world-class road courses, Thunderbolt, Lightning, and Tempest Raceway, a motorsports country club membership program, one of the top outdoor karting complexes in the U.S., 10 acres of paintball fields, concert and festival space, overnight accommodations, and real estate development opportunities. Also on the property, a clubhouse features meeting space, bar/restaurant and built-in pool.