Precision Track Days brings you the results of this weekend’s events.
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The first Superbike qualifying session began at 2:50 p.m. on Friday and ended 40 minutes later with an all-out war to see who would end up on provisional pole heading into Saturday’s Q2 and race one at Circuit of The Americas. With temperatures flirting with the 95-degree mark, the session was just as hot with the top six covered by less than a second.
When all was said and done, it was Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati’s Josh Herrin who came out on the top, with the defending MotoAmerica Superbike Champion lapping at a best of 2:08.034.
Herrin’s best was just .140 of a second ahead of Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Cameron Beaubier with the five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion lapping at 2:08.174.
Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Bobby Fong ended up third and less than a half a second behind Herrin despite two crashes in the session.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante ended up fourth-fastest to lead the second row, provisionally. Escalante was just .077 of a second ahead of his teammate Sean Dylan Kelly, who in turn was only .119 of a second ahead of Fong’s teammate Jake Gagne – the last rider on the same second as Herrin.
Jones Honda’s Ashton Yates, BPR Racing Yamaha’s Bryce Kornbau, FLO4LAW’s Benjamin Smith and Thrashed Bike Racing’s Max Flinders rounded out the top 10.
Beaubier’s lap record of 2:06.559 was still standing at the end of the day with Herrin’s best on Friday 1.4 seconds off the record mark.
“On the cool-down lap, I found myself… I didn’t tear up, but I got emotional,” Herrin said. “I was just, ‘please let it hold, let it hold.’ It felt good. I just felt like I was back. It’s only two bad weekends at Virginia and Mid-Ohio, but it felt like the whole year. I think what the difference was just coming here… as much as I thought I wasn’t thinking of the championship, I think I was, too much. And I can tell looking back at how Fridays were. I was always just so stressed on Fridays, and it shouldn’t be like that. Today is the easiest day and I was more stressed on Fridays than the other days. I’m kind of surprised but I just got back to what’s important and that’s just riding instead of over-thinking everything.”
Motovation Supersport – Q1 To Scholtz
Strack Racing’s Mathew Scholtz struck first in Motovation Supersport as he earned provisional pole position while his championship rival, Rahal Ducati Moto w/XPEL’s PJ Jacobsen, ended the day fourth – 1.07 seconds behind.
Scholtz lapped at a best of 2:12.511 to better Celtic/Economy Lube+Tire/Warhorse HSBK Ducati’s Cameron Petersen’s 2:12.946, with the two South Africans the only riders to break into the 2:12s.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Tyler Scott ended the day in third, .625 of a second off Scholtz’ best and almost a half-second faster than Jacobsen.
Strack Racing’s Blake Davis was fifth-fastest, just a smidgen ahead of Rahal Ducati Moto w/XPEL’s Kayla Yaakov.
3D Motorsports’ Brandon Paasch, Altus Motorsports’ Torin Collins, BPR Racing Yamaha’s Josh Hayes and Altus Motorsports’ Jake Lewis rounded out the top 10.
Parts Unlimited Talent Cup By Motul – Di Mario’s Day
Friday was already going swimmingly for Alessandro Di Mario as it was announced that the Parts Unlimited Talent Cup By Motul Championship leader will be racing a Rahal Ducati Moto Panigale V2 in next year’s MotoAmerica Supersport Championship. Di Mario made a good day even better by snagging provisional pole position for this weekend’s two Talent Cup races.
Warhorse HSBK/American Racing’s Di Mario lapped at 2:26.955 to best Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Hank Vossberg by almost half a second. Jones Honda’s Bodie Paige was third-quickest, 1.3 seconds off Di Mario’s best.
Yamaha BLU CRU Estenson Racing’s Sam Drane ended day fourth-fastest with Team Roberts’ Kody Kopp rounding out the top five heading into tomorrow morning’s Q2 session at Circuit of The Americas.
Stock 1000 – Yates, Barely
Friday’s Stock 1000 Q1 saw a pair of Hondas at the top of the timesheets at COTA with Jones Honda’s Ashton Yates edging out Real Steel Honda’s JD Beach on a red-hot afternoon in Texas.
The two were separated by just .160 of a second heading into Saturday’s Q2 and race one, with the Stock 1000 season coming to a close on Sunday afternoon.
Following the pair of Hondas were a pair of BMWs with OrangeCat Racing’s Jayson Uribe and championship points leader Andrew Lee third- and-fourth-fastest, respectively. Uribe was .450 of a second off Yates’ best with Lee .740 of a second off the top spot.
RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki’s Rocco Landers had his best Friday in a while with the fifth-fastest time to round out the top five.
Mission King Of The Baggers – Step One For Wyman
Kyle Wyman took his first step toward his second Mission King Of The Baggers Championship by earning provisional pole position on Friday afternoon at Circuit of The Americas.
Wyman, who needs just three championship points to wrap up the title, narrowly edged RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson’s Hayden Gillim by just .005 of a second to take the top spot.
Wyman’s best lap was a 2:13.797 with Gillim coming out of the session with a best of 2:13.802.
Wyman’s teammate James Rispoli ended up third-fastest, a little over half a second behind. Rispoli, meanwhile, was just .137 of a second ahead of SDI Racing’s Cameron Petersen. S&S/Indian Motorcycle’s Tyler O’Hara rounded out the top five.
