This weekend’s results are brought to you by 6D Helmets.
20_11_LAGUNA_JRC_R1_points
© , Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.
MotoAmerica: Liqui Moly Junior Cup Race One Results From Laguna
20_11_LAGUNA_JRC_R1_points
MotoAmerica: HONOS Superbike Race One Results From Laguna (Updated)
This weekend’s results are brought to you by 6D Helmets.
20_11_LAGUNA_SBK_R1_points
More, from a press release issued by MotoAmerica:
Beaubier Takes Race One At WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
Perfect Race For Five-Time Champ As Elias Grabs Second
MONTEREY, CA (October 24, 2020) – If this is the last weekend in Cameron Beaubier’s MotoAmerica career then he seems determined to make it one he won’t soon forget. Beaubier got his weekend off to a bang on Saturday, the five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion turning in a perfect 20 laps to take victory in the first of three HONOS Superbike races at the GEICO Motorcycle Superbike Speedfest at Monterey.
Beaubier demolished the competition, leading from pole position over the hill and into turn two with the lead and he never looked back. The Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha rider slowed in the final corner, did a stand-up wheelie over the finish line and still won by 10.734 seconds for his 14th win of the season – just a day after announcing that he will be leaving the MotoAmerica Series to pursue the Moto2 World Championship.
“To be honest, when I was sitting on the grid all that stuff kind of goes away,” Beaubier said. “You’re just thinking about in the moment and you just want to go do the best you can in the race. Yesterday started off the weekend knowing that my time has come to an end with Yamaha here in the States and I’m starting a new adventure next year. Obviously, everything was going through my head. I’m nervous, excitement, just all this stuff. I’m glad I could give my guys a win today. My bike has been so good all weekend so far. Like I’ve kind of said all year, it’s just pretty exciting going to all these tracks because, yeah, I’ve been riding the R1 for the past five years or whatever, but it feels like I have a new bike every track we go to because of the electronics system, the way Richard (Stanboli, his team owner and crew chief) runs it. It’s so advanced. My bike’s just working so good. I’m just having pure fun on this thing. I’m just going to enjoy the rest of the weekend and hope to put in some strong racing again tomorrow.”
Beaubier topped the man he has battled for most of his Superbike career – Toni Elias. Elias, who announced this week that he will not race a Suzuki in next year’s championship, battled through after a rough start to finish second for just his second podium of the season.
“We are getting closer, but I can’t change the situation,” Elias said. “It is what it is. It’s not good, but in this case, I was struggling when we were battling. I’m very happy. I struggle a lot the first 10 laps. Then I saw Bobby (Fong) and Jake (Gagne) slow down little by little. Then, there was still seven laps. I just try for the last few laps. I could pass him (Gagne), but I didn’t want to. Tomorrow is going to be another two races.”
Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati New York’s Lorenzo Zanetti also struggled in the opening laps in his first race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, but once the tires came in, he moved forward, passing Beaubier’s teammate Jake Gagne in the closing stages to finish third. Gagne looked to have second in the bag after M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Bobby Fong crashed out of their battle. But Gagne ran into fueling issues that ultimately dropped him to fourth.
“Obviously, the podium is unexpected today,” Zanetti said. “I come from the first row so it’s not bad, but the base is not really consistent. So, it’s difficult for me to be at the front. Yesterday I just see Cameron (Beaubier) and I think I learn some trick, but honestly the pace of Cameron is too fast.”
Gagne held on for fourth place, some four seconds clear of Ducati Richmond/KWR Ducati’s Kyle Wyman, with Wyman barely beating Westby Racing stand-in rider Niccolo Canepa at the finish line by just .054 of a second.
Scheibe Racing BMW’s Josh Herrin bested Altus Motorsports’ Cameron Petersen, the South African wrapping up the MotoAmerica Superbike Cup with his eighth-place finish and will earn $25,000 for his efforts.
Rock and Sons Racing’s Jayson Uribe rode his Honda CBR1000RR to ninth with Ride HVMC Racing’s Corey Alexander rounding out the top 10.
The final two HONOS Superbike races will take place tomorrow at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. If Beaubier were to win both, he would match the 16-win season record set previously by his former teammate Josh Hayes.
More, from a press release issued by Westby Racing:
Westby Racing’s Canepa and Wyman Take “Route 66” On Saturday At WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
Monterey, CA – October 24, 2020 – On the penultimate day of the 2020 MotoAmerica season, Westby Racing’s pair of riders—Niccolò Canepa aboard the #11 Yamaha YZF-R1 Superbike and Cody Wyman aboard the #34 Yamaha YZF-R3 Junior Cup machine—got their kicks on Route 66 when they each finished sixth in their respective races.
For Niccolò, Saturday’s race was a big learning experience, especially because he usually races and tests on a different brand of tires in Europe. Going a full race distance on the Dunlop tires gave him and the team a lot of information that they can use to their advantage in tomorrow’s two season-ending races.
Starting from seventh on the grid based on Friday’s qualifying results, Niccolò knew that launching from the third row was going to be a challenge. He lost a couple of positions in the opening laps, but then, he regrouped and started moving forward. Battling with Kyle Wyman for pretty much the entire race, Niccolò took the checkered flag in sixth to improve by one position over where he started the 20-lap race.
“I’m quite happy about today’s race, but I’m not fully happy about the result because I wanted to be closer to the front,” Niccolò said. “It was very, very important to do the 20 laps in a row in order to understand about the tires and the bike, and when we have a drop in the tire, whether I have to change my riding style. We learned a lot and understand now how to ride the bike better with these (Dunlop) tires. Also, we understand what we need to do with the setting for tomorrow’s two races. So, we will change the bike for tomorrow, and I think I will change my riding style. Our results are going to be better, for sure. I saw (Lorenzo) Zanetti, and I think we can race with him. Cameron (Beaubier) is on another level this weekend. He’s doing great. But, I believe we can be closer to the front tomorrow, and I am ready for it. I enjoyed today’s race, especially the last few laps racing with (Kyle) Wyman. That was good fun, but tomorrow, I want to be more in front.”
Superbike race two starts on Sunday at 11 a.m. Pacific, and race three is also on Sunday, at 3 p.m. Pacific. Both races will be broadcast LIVE on FOX Sports 2 (FS2) and Eurosport in addition to being streamed live and also available on Video On Demand through MotoAmerica Live+.
In Saturday’s Junior Cup race, ironically, Cody also started on the third row in seventh position. But, unlike his teammate, he immediately went forward. At the end of the first lap, he moved all the way up to fourth. And then, at the end of lap two, he got shuffled back to sixth where he engaged in a race-long battle with Ben Gloddy. The pair shuffled back and forth between fifth and sixth, and across the finish line, Cody had to settle for sixth, just .054 of a second behind Gloddy in fifth.
“I got a great launch and made moves to get into fourth place on the opening lap. It felt pretty good to have the leaders right there for a few laps. Then, we lost touch, and I settled into a race for fifth place with Gloddy. Honestly, it felt pretty awesome to not be in a mess of a group, where riders are passing each other and slowing each other up. I was glad to get into the 37’s early in the race, and I just waited until the last lap and last corner to make a move. I tried to slow us both down at the apex, but I lost the drag race to the line and ended up sixth.
“Overall, it’s been a decent weekend so far. I got held up this morning in final qualifying, but I was happy to be able to battle through some other riders on my Yamaha. Now, it’s down to the final race of the season. I’m looking forward to trying some changes in the morning, and I can’t wait to grid up on Sunday. Let’s finish the 2020 season off strong.”
Sunday’s Junior Cup race two is at 2:10 p.m. Pacific, and it will be streamed on MotoAmerica Live+. FOX Sports 2 (FS2) will broadcast both of the weekend’s Junior Cup races via tape-delay on Tuesday, October 27th starting at 6 p.m. Pacific.
For more updates about Westby Racing, including news, photos, and videos, follow “Westby Racing” on your favorite social media sites. Also, visit https://www.WestbyRacing.com
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Beaubier Flawless in Race One at MotoAmerica Season Finale
Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha Racing’s Cameron Beaubier put on another dominant performance in Saturday’s Superbike race one of the MotoAmerica season finale at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. His teammate Jake Gagne was battling for a podium position but unfortunately, a technical issue had him crossing the line in fourth.
Fresh off of securing his fifth MotoAmerica Superbike title, Beaubier hit the ground running, securing his seventh pole position in Friday’s afternoon qualifying session. When the lights went out, the Californian got off to a great start and grabbed the holeshot. He then went on to build a healthy gap, crossing the line over 10-seconds ahead of the competition for his 14th win this season.
Gagne also showed speed early, topping Friday’s practice session and lining up alongside his teammate on the front row of the grid. At the start, he slotted in behind Beaubier and was holding down second. Five laps into the race, the battle for second heated up. Gagne was able to hold off the competition for a while but was eventually passed in Turn 2 after going a bit wide. Around the halfway mark, he was able to reclaim the runner-up position after the rider ahead crashed out of the race. Unfortunately for Gagne, a technical issue made it difficult to hold off subsequent challengers and he was shuffled back to fourth in the final laps of the race.
The Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha Racing team return to action for Sunday’s doubleheader at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca looking to finish the 2020 MotoAmerica season on a high note.
Richard Stanboli – Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha Racing Team Manager
“Our Yamaha’s have always worked really well at Laguna and with Cameron at the controls the combination is unstoppable. Even though it wasn’t the result we were looking for with Jake in race one, he is in a good position to capture second place in the championship in race two. To ultimately finish 1-2 in the championship would be a great accomplishment for the team.”
Cameron Beaubier – Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha Racing
“My bike is working so great around this place. I’m just having a lot of fun. The championship is behind us, so I’m just riding free and enjoying this weekend knowing that it is going to be my last one with Yamaha. Tomorrow’s going to be a tough one with two races, so I’m going to enjoy this one tonight and come back ready for it.”
Jake Gagne – Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha Racing
“Today’s race was a bit rough. I got off to a good start behind Cam and our first few laps we’re pretty good. Unfortunately, we ran into an issue that caused us to keep losing power. Luckily we were able to bring it home in fourth and salvage some points. The track heated up more than we had thought it would after a cold few days, but we were able to learn a bit about how the tires held up. I’m ready and excited for two races tomorrow and to finish off the year strong.”
MotoAmerica: Supersport Race One Results From Laguna (Updated)
This weekend’s results are brought to you by 6D Helmets.
20_11_LAGUNA_SSP_R1_points
More, from a press release issued by MotoAmerica:
O’Hara Wins Baggers Debut At Laguna Seca
Sean Dylan Kelly Takes Supersport Victory On Day One
MONTEREY, CA (October 24, 2020) – The debut of the Drag Specialties King of the Baggers event didn’t disappoint at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on Saturday as those in attendance won’t soon forget the sight and sounds of the big V-twins scratching and clawing their way around the iconic racetrack on the Monterey Peninsula in a manner that most couldn’t have predicted.
The victory went to S&S Indian’s Tyler O’Hara, the pre-race favorite. But it was not without drama as the Challenger-mounted Californian battled back from an off-track excursion in turn two to beat Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson’s Hayden Gillim by 1.9 seconds in the eight-lap introduction to the class at Laguna. Third place went to Indian-mounted Frankie Garcia with the Roland Sands Design-backed rider bouncing back from a painful crash during practice on Friday.
“Three or four laps in, I was going into (turn) two and I didn’t have any moments going into turn two the whole weekend and just ended up tucking the front,” O’Hara said of the off-track excursion that allowed Gillim to take the lead. “I saved it and then actually went all the way off into turn two. Actually, at the start Frankie (Garcia) was telling me my bike was smoking and I was like, ‘You’re full of it. What are you trying to psych me out?’ But he was serious. I looked at the bike and looked down and I saw a little brake fluid on the pipe. I said, ‘Okay, well we can figure this out. Don’t pull me out of here. We’re just going to figure it out.’ We didn’t have any rear brakes at all either, so that was a little interesting. We just did our homework and I was very fortunate that I was able to keep it on two wheels in the sand. Hayden was riding really good, and same with Frankie. It’s just so fun, like you said, being able to be part of this whole King of the Baggers. I haven’t seen people that excited about motorcycle racing in a long time. People were jumping up and down and hooting and hollering. It was just fun to put on a show with these guys. My hats off to everybody who rode a bagger this weekend because some of the bikes out there didn’t look too fun to be on. So hats off to the team.”
With the exception of Richie Escalante, those who have won the most in 2020 won again at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on the opening day of the GEICO Motorcycle Superbike Speedfest at Monterey.
Supersport – Kelly Gets It Done
Supersport race one had a somewhat familiar start and a surprise conclusion as 2020 class champion Richie Escalante survived some early skirmishes with M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Sean Dylan Kelly and Celtic HSBK Racing Yamaha’s last-round replacement rider JD Beach, who got the holeshot in the race, but later crashed out of second place.
Escalante got into the lead on lap two and held onto it till lap eight when Kelly took the point and Escalante was shuffled back to second. And then, disaster struck for Escalante when his HONOS Kawasaki experienced a technical problem, which ended his day.
CV28 Racing’s Cory Ventura, competing in Supersport for the first time this season, moved up to second and battled for position with Escalante’s new-for-this-weekend HONOS teammate Brandon Paasch, who switched from a Yamaha to a Kawasaki for the final round of the season.
At the checkers, it was Kelly taking the win, with Paasch finishing second over Ventura in third.
“Every race weekend for me, I’m 100% determined to go out there and give it everything,” Kelly said. “I was especially determined this weekend to not leave this place without a win. Really happy to get a win today. Happy to have the opportunity to make it two wins tomorrow because of this. In general, the race was really good. It started with a couple passes back and forth. I think JD (Beach) and I passed five times just the first lap alone. It was impressive to see how fast he is in his first weekend back on a race bike after I don’t know how long. So really nice to be fighting up there. I was a bit worried about him (Richie Escalante) doing the same as always and being able to gap us, but I saw that wasn’t the case this time. I was able to get by after a few laps and had a little bit of a gap to Richie. I gave it 100 percent. I told myself that it was either win or end up in the gravel. If I ended up in the gravel it was okay. I wasn’t going to accept a second place behind Richie again. So, I gave it all I had. I realized I was catching up. It wasn’t easy to catch up. I was already destroying my rear tire with twelve laps to go, but I really didn’t care. I just wanted to get by the guy. I got by with maybe 12 laps to go or 10 laps to go. After that he just maintained behind me. It’s weird when someone is so close to you, especially being Richie, because you expect him to fight back really quick or if he’s sitting there it’s because he’s comfortable, and he knows that he’ll have it the last four laps. I just stayed with my own rhythm, gave it 100 percent. I was really happy with my lap times throughout the last half of the race, until I saw +12 on my board and I knew that something had to be a little bit off. So, I double-checked and made sure there was some gap behind me. After that it was just the longest four laps of my life, probably. Just really happy to finish off the race with P1, finish off already a weekend with another victory. I do hope that tomorrow everyone stays on board and we can give a big fight to the last lap, last corner.”
Liqui Moly Junior Cup – Landers’ 14th Win
Two-time Liqui Moly Junior Cup Champion Rocco Landers kept his momentous season going strong on Saturday, winning his 14th race of the season. It was not easy for the Norton Motorsports/Ninja400R/Dr.Farr//Wonder CBD Kawasaki rider, though. He was hounded throughout the 13-lap event by BARTCON Racing’s Dominic Doyle, who moved up quickly from his fourth place starting position on the first lap, got into second place, and maintained his position all the way to the checkers.
Third place went to Celtic HSBK Racing Kawasaki rider Sam Lochoff, who was in a race-long battle with Liam Grant for the final step on the podium. Lochoff got by Grant on the final lap and made it stick to secure third place.
“After the first two laps, I knew it was going to be a fight between me and (Dominic),” said Landers. “I saw Sam and, I think, Liam behind us. So, I was just trying to push the whole race and see what would happen, maybe capitalize on any mistakes made. I knew that Dominic was going to make no mistakes. So, when I saw it was seven more riders, I assumed possibly they would trip each other up maybe and I could pull away. Dom rode a great race, though, and so did Sam, so I had to push the entire way.”
Stock 1000 – Petersen Rolls On
In Saturday’s Stock 1000 race, which was the season-concluding event for the class, Altus Motorsports Suzuki rider Cam Petersen, who clinched the 2020 class championship at Indianapolis Motor Speedway two weekends ago, added another victory to his resume with his eighth win of the season in another dominant performance for the South African rider.
Second place went to Ride HVMC Racing Kawasaki’s Corey Alexander, who recorded his 10th podium result on the year and completed what was a remarkably consistent season for the New Yorker. Procomps Racing BMW’s Danilo Lewis rounded out the top three, and the Brazilian was overjoyed to notch the first MotoAmerica podium of his career.
“I think every racer’s goal is to put their head down the first few laps and make a break for it,” Petersen said. “If you can make a break for it, it makes your life quite a lot easier. It was definitely part of my strategy to put my head down and give it everything I had for the first two laps. Then I just kind of let the race play out from there.
“What a season. I’m super, super happy. I’ve been wanting this my whole life. We made it happen. It means a lot to me and my family. We’ve sacrificed our lives pretty much to come to America. I think this means a lot to us. I’m going to cherish this one for a little bit. Now it’s time to go focus on the Superbike races. Hopefully, I’ve got something for them. For right now, I’m just doing everything I can. Let’s go have some more fun.”
More, from a press release issued by Team Hammer:
KELLY WINS LAGUNA SUPERSPORT FOR M4 ECSTAR SUZUKI AND TONI ELIAS EARNS A SUPERBIKE PODIUM
Team Hammer opened the race action at the 2020 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing season finale in tremendous form, scooping up another Supersport win and Superbike podium at Laguna Seca.
M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Sean Dylan Kelly (SDK) stole the show on Saturday despite being pitted against the current Supersport champion along with a returning, multi-time Supersport king.
SDK diced back and forth with his decorated rivals on the opening laps aboard his agile GSX-R600. He forced a mistake from one of them after making a pass for second on lap five and then threatening to leave his rival in his wake via his superior pace.
He then ate up the gap to his other primary rival and made a move into the lead on lap nine of 19. Once again, he pushed his opponent past the breaking point and escaped to build a mammoth, 15.792-second margin of victory.
“I’m super happy to get this win,” Kelly said after scoring his fourth win and 14th podium of the year. “Honestly, I came into this final weekend of the season saying I wasn’t going to leave here without at least one win and hopefully two. I’m really happy knowing I have a chance to make it a double.
“It was a fun race. It was a good scrap at the beginning with the three of us there fighting. The leader had a bit of a gap on me, but I knew I was strong enough and fast enough to catch up and that’s exactly what I did. I’m really happy to be here. I have to give a big thank you to everyone with the M4 ECSTAR Suzuki squad. We’ll be back out there fighting again tomorrow.”
Kelly’s Supersport teammate Lucas Silva added to his season-long streak of top-10s by finishing in sixth.
Meanwhile, in the premier Superbike class, 2017 MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Toni Elias guaranteed himself a proper send off in his final weekend with Team Hammer and Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. After his M4 ECSTAR Suzuki teammate Bobby Fong crashed out of second place while powering away from the rider he had passed to take the position, it was up to Elias—who had been in fourth before Fong fell–to uphold the team’s fortunes.
Elias did better than that, reeling in the new second-place rider from a considerable distance back and reclaiming the position for the team with just three laps remaining.
The runner-up finish was Elias’ second podium result of the season. Afterward, he said, “We made a big step forward from yesterday. I’m happy — it’s a podium and we haven’t gotten too many this year. I’m very happy for myself and my team and family. These are our last races together and everyone is working so hard. It’s great. Of course I want more — I want to win — but we’ll make some changes tonight and work hard tomorrow.”
Rising stars Alex Dumas and Rocco Landers performed well on the day, too. Landers qualified second aboard the SportbikeTrackGear.com Suzuki SV650 for Sunday’s Twins Cup finale. Landers, who has already locked up the title, will now look to convert the front-row starting position into his eighth consecutive victory to close out the 2020 MotoAmerica season on a high note.
Meanwhile, Dumas challenged for a podium aboard his M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R1000 in the season’s Stock 1000 finale before finishing a close fourth. Also in that race, Altus Motorsports’ Cam Petersen won his eighth race of the year on his Team Hammer-built Suzuki GSX-R1000. “This is everything,” said class champion Petersen. “I have been working towards this my whole life. To win again, is such a great feeling. It’s been a great season.”
About Team Hammer
The 2020 season marks Team Hammer’s 40th consecutive year of operating as a professional road racing team. Racebikes built and fielded by Team Hammer have won 106 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National races, have finished on AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National podiums 287 times and have won nine AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National Championships, as well as two FIM South American Championships (in Superbike and Supersport.) The team has also won 137 endurance races overall (including seven 24-hour races) and 13 Overall WERA National Endurance Championships with Suzuki motorcycles, and holds the U.S. record for mileage covered in a 24-hour race. The team also competed in the televised 1990s Formula USA National Championship, famously running “Methanol Monster” GSX-R1100 Superbikes fueled by methanol, and won four F-USA Championships.
MotoAmerica: Miller Fastest Again In Heritage Cup FP2
MotoAmerica: Stock 1000 Race Results From Laguna Seca
This weekend’s results are brought to you by 6D Helmets.
20_11_LAGUNA_STK_R1_points
MotoAmerica: McDonald Captures Twins Cup Pole At Laguna
This weekend’s results are brought to you by 6D Helmets.
20_11_LAGUNA_TWN_Q2_rescomb
MotoAmerica: O’Hara Tops Bagger Warm-Up At Laguna
MotoAmerica: Escalante Earns Supersport Pole Position At Laguna
This weekend’s results are brought to you by 6D Helmets.
20_11_LAGUNA_SSP_Q2_rescomb
Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup: Race One Results From Aragon II
Ortolá is the Acosta beater in Rookies Cup Race 1 of Aragón 2
Iván Ortolá charged from the 4th row to take Race 1 victory in the second weekend at Motorland Aragón. Points leader Pedro Acosta saw his run of Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup victories stopped at 6 as the two 16-year-old Spaniards sorted it out at the final corner.
David Alonso, the 14-year-old Colombian, was in that final turn sort out as well and flashed across the line 3rd to maintain 2nd in the championship chase at the Grand Prix of Teruel.
It was another incredible 15 lap encounter and Acosta couldn’t pull off his intended repeat of last Sunday’s lights-to-flag domination. Ortolá had caught him by the end of lap 2 and the rest followed.
For the first 10 laps 7 riders battled at the front, swapping places fiercely. They were then joined by another pack that included Alonso and from there it was talented madness all the way to the finish.
Ortolá jumped from P10
“It was my best start ever and in 2 laps I caught Pedro. We were pushing very hard and I thought that we would break away in front and together open a gap to the group. It didn’t happen and it was a very big group.”
“I had to work so hard at the beginning because yesterday, Qualifying was a disaster, I was in a long group and I didn’t know how to manage the situation. It always happens in Qualifying and I have to learn how to do it better.”
“I am very happy with the bike, we didn’t touch anything after last weekend. The problem is not the bike, I need to qualify better and start from the front 2 rows,” concluded Ortolá who finished 3rd in both races at Aragón 1.
Acosta not phased
“That’s OK, I am happy enough. Every race I do here at Aragón where I am in a group I lose on the back straight on the last lap. So 2nd is not bad. The other riders were very aggressive today and these points are very important for the championship.”
“I’m happy with the bike, the setting is good so we will change nothing and see what happens tomorrow. Iván was so fast today and I couldn’t break the group.”
Alonso with a great ride from P9
“I am very happy because we got on the podium but the race was so hard for us and in the last laps we were tired, the bike was sliding and we need to make a step forward tomorrow both in the setting of the bike and my riding.”
“I need to be more relaxed in the group, the start was not so good so I need to improve that also and how to overtake the other riders. There is a lot we can improve but the last 2 laps I did very well and that is a positive thing.”
David Muñoz 4th from Pole
“I’m very happy for the race,” stated the 14-year-old Spaniard. “But by the end of the race the bike was sliding and chattering and I could not do more on the last lap. Tomorrow I want to do better so we will look at improving the settings and see what we can do.”
Salvador felt good
“This weekend I am very happy because yesterday we really made a step forward with the bike,” enthused the 16-year-old Spaniard. “For the first time this year I finally have a good feeling with the bike like I had last year.”
“The race is very difficult because the group is crazy,” he laughed. “Finally 5th position, that is not the place I wanted but today I am happy mainly because of the feeling I found on the bike. I didn’t have that last week.”
Broadcast
This weekend’s Rookies Cup races can be seen live on www.redbull.tv and on TV stations around the world.
Race 2 is on Sunday at 16:00 CET, the show starts 10 minutes before the race.
MotoAmerica: Beaubier Quickest In Superbike FP3 At Laguna
MotoAmerica: Liqui Moly Junior Cup Race One Results From Laguna
This weekend’s results are brought to you by 6D Helmets.
20_11_LAGUNA_JRC_R1_points
MotoAmerica: HONOS Superbike Race One Results From Laguna (Updated)
This weekend’s results are brought to you by 6D Helmets.
20_11_LAGUNA_SBK_R1_points
More, from a press release issued by MotoAmerica:
Beaubier Takes Race One At WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
Perfect Race For Five-Time Champ As Elias Grabs Second
MONTEREY, CA (October 24, 2020) – If this is the last weekend in Cameron Beaubier’s MotoAmerica career then he seems determined to make it one he won’t soon forget. Beaubier got his weekend off to a bang on Saturday, the five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion turning in a perfect 20 laps to take victory in the first of three HONOS Superbike races at the GEICO Motorcycle Superbike Speedfest at Monterey.
Beaubier demolished the competition, leading from pole position over the hill and into turn two with the lead and he never looked back. The Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha rider slowed in the final corner, did a stand-up wheelie over the finish line and still won by 10.734 seconds for his 14th win of the season – just a day after announcing that he will be leaving the MotoAmerica Series to pursue the Moto2 World Championship.
“To be honest, when I was sitting on the grid all that stuff kind of goes away,” Beaubier said. “You’re just thinking about in the moment and you just want to go do the best you can in the race. Yesterday started off the weekend knowing that my time has come to an end with Yamaha here in the States and I’m starting a new adventure next year. Obviously, everything was going through my head. I’m nervous, excitement, just all this stuff. I’m glad I could give my guys a win today. My bike has been so good all weekend so far. Like I’ve kind of said all year, it’s just pretty exciting going to all these tracks because, yeah, I’ve been riding the R1 for the past five years or whatever, but it feels like I have a new bike every track we go to because of the electronics system, the way Richard (Stanboli, his team owner and crew chief) runs it. It’s so advanced. My bike’s just working so good. I’m just having pure fun on this thing. I’m just going to enjoy the rest of the weekend and hope to put in some strong racing again tomorrow.”
Beaubier topped the man he has battled for most of his Superbike career – Toni Elias. Elias, who announced this week that he will not race a Suzuki in next year’s championship, battled through after a rough start to finish second for just his second podium of the season.
“We are getting closer, but I can’t change the situation,” Elias said. “It is what it is. It’s not good, but in this case, I was struggling when we were battling. I’m very happy. I struggle a lot the first 10 laps. Then I saw Bobby (Fong) and Jake (Gagne) slow down little by little. Then, there was still seven laps. I just try for the last few laps. I could pass him (Gagne), but I didn’t want to. Tomorrow is going to be another two races.”
Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati New York’s Lorenzo Zanetti also struggled in the opening laps in his first race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, but once the tires came in, he moved forward, passing Beaubier’s teammate Jake Gagne in the closing stages to finish third. Gagne looked to have second in the bag after M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Bobby Fong crashed out of their battle. But Gagne ran into fueling issues that ultimately dropped him to fourth.
“Obviously, the podium is unexpected today,” Zanetti said. “I come from the first row so it’s not bad, but the base is not really consistent. So, it’s difficult for me to be at the front. Yesterday I just see Cameron (Beaubier) and I think I learn some trick, but honestly the pace of Cameron is too fast.”
Gagne held on for fourth place, some four seconds clear of Ducati Richmond/KWR Ducati’s Kyle Wyman, with Wyman barely beating Westby Racing stand-in rider Niccolo Canepa at the finish line by just .054 of a second.
Scheibe Racing BMW’s Josh Herrin bested Altus Motorsports’ Cameron Petersen, the South African wrapping up the MotoAmerica Superbike Cup with his eighth-place finish and will earn $25,000 for his efforts.
Rock and Sons Racing’s Jayson Uribe rode his Honda CBR1000RR to ninth with Ride HVMC Racing’s Corey Alexander rounding out the top 10.
The final two HONOS Superbike races will take place tomorrow at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. If Beaubier were to win both, he would match the 16-win season record set previously by his former teammate Josh Hayes.
More, from a press release issued by Westby Racing:
Westby Racing’s Canepa and Wyman Take “Route 66” On Saturday At WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
Monterey, CA – October 24, 2020 – On the penultimate day of the 2020 MotoAmerica season, Westby Racing’s pair of riders—Niccolò Canepa aboard the #11 Yamaha YZF-R1 Superbike and Cody Wyman aboard the #34 Yamaha YZF-R3 Junior Cup machine—got their kicks on Route 66 when they each finished sixth in their respective races.
For Niccolò, Saturday’s race was a big learning experience, especially because he usually races and tests on a different brand of tires in Europe. Going a full race distance on the Dunlop tires gave him and the team a lot of information that they can use to their advantage in tomorrow’s two season-ending races.
Starting from seventh on the grid based on Friday’s qualifying results, Niccolò knew that launching from the third row was going to be a challenge. He lost a couple of positions in the opening laps, but then, he regrouped and started moving forward. Battling with Kyle Wyman for pretty much the entire race, Niccolò took the checkered flag in sixth to improve by one position over where he started the 20-lap race.
“I’m quite happy about today’s race, but I’m not fully happy about the result because I wanted to be closer to the front,” Niccolò said. “It was very, very important to do the 20 laps in a row in order to understand about the tires and the bike, and when we have a drop in the tire, whether I have to change my riding style. We learned a lot and understand now how to ride the bike better with these (Dunlop) tires. Also, we understand what we need to do with the setting for tomorrow’s two races. So, we will change the bike for tomorrow, and I think I will change my riding style. Our results are going to be better, for sure. I saw (Lorenzo) Zanetti, and I think we can race with him. Cameron (Beaubier) is on another level this weekend. He’s doing great. But, I believe we can be closer to the front tomorrow, and I am ready for it. I enjoyed today’s race, especially the last few laps racing with (Kyle) Wyman. That was good fun, but tomorrow, I want to be more in front.”
Superbike race two starts on Sunday at 11 a.m. Pacific, and race three is also on Sunday, at 3 p.m. Pacific. Both races will be broadcast LIVE on FOX Sports 2 (FS2) and Eurosport in addition to being streamed live and also available on Video On Demand through MotoAmerica Live+.
In Saturday’s Junior Cup race, ironically, Cody also started on the third row in seventh position. But, unlike his teammate, he immediately went forward. At the end of the first lap, he moved all the way up to fourth. And then, at the end of lap two, he got shuffled back to sixth where he engaged in a race-long battle with Ben Gloddy. The pair shuffled back and forth between fifth and sixth, and across the finish line, Cody had to settle for sixth, just .054 of a second behind Gloddy in fifth.
“I got a great launch and made moves to get into fourth place on the opening lap. It felt pretty good to have the leaders right there for a few laps. Then, we lost touch, and I settled into a race for fifth place with Gloddy. Honestly, it felt pretty awesome to not be in a mess of a group, where riders are passing each other and slowing each other up. I was glad to get into the 37’s early in the race, and I just waited until the last lap and last corner to make a move. I tried to slow us both down at the apex, but I lost the drag race to the line and ended up sixth.
“Overall, it’s been a decent weekend so far. I got held up this morning in final qualifying, but I was happy to be able to battle through some other riders on my Yamaha. Now, it’s down to the final race of the season. I’m looking forward to trying some changes in the morning, and I can’t wait to grid up on Sunday. Let’s finish the 2020 season off strong.”
Sunday’s Junior Cup race two is at 2:10 p.m. Pacific, and it will be streamed on MotoAmerica Live+. FOX Sports 2 (FS2) will broadcast both of the weekend’s Junior Cup races via tape-delay on Tuesday, October 27th starting at 6 p.m. Pacific.
For more updates about Westby Racing, including news, photos, and videos, follow “Westby Racing” on your favorite social media sites. Also, visit https://www.WestbyRacing.com
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Beaubier Flawless in Race One at MotoAmerica Season Finale
Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha Racing’s Cameron Beaubier put on another dominant performance in Saturday’s Superbike race one of the MotoAmerica season finale at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. His teammate Jake Gagne was battling for a podium position but unfortunately, a technical issue had him crossing the line in fourth.
Fresh off of securing his fifth MotoAmerica Superbike title, Beaubier hit the ground running, securing his seventh pole position in Friday’s afternoon qualifying session. When the lights went out, the Californian got off to a great start and grabbed the holeshot. He then went on to build a healthy gap, crossing the line over 10-seconds ahead of the competition for his 14th win this season.
Gagne also showed speed early, topping Friday’s practice session and lining up alongside his teammate on the front row of the grid. At the start, he slotted in behind Beaubier and was holding down second. Five laps into the race, the battle for second heated up. Gagne was able to hold off the competition for a while but was eventually passed in Turn 2 after going a bit wide. Around the halfway mark, he was able to reclaim the runner-up position after the rider ahead crashed out of the race. Unfortunately for Gagne, a technical issue made it difficult to hold off subsequent challengers and he was shuffled back to fourth in the final laps of the race.
The Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha Racing team return to action for Sunday’s doubleheader at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca looking to finish the 2020 MotoAmerica season on a high note.
Richard Stanboli – Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha Racing Team Manager
“Our Yamaha’s have always worked really well at Laguna and with Cameron at the controls the combination is unstoppable. Even though it wasn’t the result we were looking for with Jake in race one, he is in a good position to capture second place in the championship in race two. To ultimately finish 1-2 in the championship would be a great accomplishment for the team.”
Cameron Beaubier – Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha Racing
“My bike is working so great around this place. I’m just having a lot of fun. The championship is behind us, so I’m just riding free and enjoying this weekend knowing that it is going to be my last one with Yamaha. Tomorrow’s going to be a tough one with two races, so I’m going to enjoy this one tonight and come back ready for it.”
Jake Gagne – Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha Racing
“Today’s race was a bit rough. I got off to a good start behind Cam and our first few laps we’re pretty good. Unfortunately, we ran into an issue that caused us to keep losing power. Luckily we were able to bring it home in fourth and salvage some points. The track heated up more than we had thought it would after a cold few days, but we were able to learn a bit about how the tires held up. I’m ready and excited for two races tomorrow and to finish off the year strong.”
MotoAmerica: Supersport Race One Results From Laguna (Updated)
This weekend’s results are brought to you by 6D Helmets.
20_11_LAGUNA_SSP_R1_points
More, from a press release issued by MotoAmerica:
O’Hara Wins Baggers Debut At Laguna Seca
Sean Dylan Kelly Takes Supersport Victory On Day One
MONTEREY, CA (October 24, 2020) – The debut of the Drag Specialties King of the Baggers event didn’t disappoint at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on Saturday as those in attendance won’t soon forget the sight and sounds of the big V-twins scratching and clawing their way around the iconic racetrack on the Monterey Peninsula in a manner that most couldn’t have predicted.
The victory went to S&S Indian’s Tyler O’Hara, the pre-race favorite. But it was not without drama as the Challenger-mounted Californian battled back from an off-track excursion in turn two to beat Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson’s Hayden Gillim by 1.9 seconds in the eight-lap introduction to the class at Laguna. Third place went to Indian-mounted Frankie Garcia with the Roland Sands Design-backed rider bouncing back from a painful crash during practice on Friday.
“Three or four laps in, I was going into (turn) two and I didn’t have any moments going into turn two the whole weekend and just ended up tucking the front,” O’Hara said of the off-track excursion that allowed Gillim to take the lead. “I saved it and then actually went all the way off into turn two. Actually, at the start Frankie (Garcia) was telling me my bike was smoking and I was like, ‘You’re full of it. What are you trying to psych me out?’ But he was serious. I looked at the bike and looked down and I saw a little brake fluid on the pipe. I said, ‘Okay, well we can figure this out. Don’t pull me out of here. We’re just going to figure it out.’ We didn’t have any rear brakes at all either, so that was a little interesting. We just did our homework and I was very fortunate that I was able to keep it on two wheels in the sand. Hayden was riding really good, and same with Frankie. It’s just so fun, like you said, being able to be part of this whole King of the Baggers. I haven’t seen people that excited about motorcycle racing in a long time. People were jumping up and down and hooting and hollering. It was just fun to put on a show with these guys. My hats off to everybody who rode a bagger this weekend because some of the bikes out there didn’t look too fun to be on. So hats off to the team.”
With the exception of Richie Escalante, those who have won the most in 2020 won again at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on the opening day of the GEICO Motorcycle Superbike Speedfest at Monterey.
Supersport – Kelly Gets It Done
Supersport race one had a somewhat familiar start and a surprise conclusion as 2020 class champion Richie Escalante survived some early skirmishes with M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Sean Dylan Kelly and Celtic HSBK Racing Yamaha’s last-round replacement rider JD Beach, who got the holeshot in the race, but later crashed out of second place.
Escalante got into the lead on lap two and held onto it till lap eight when Kelly took the point and Escalante was shuffled back to second. And then, disaster struck for Escalante when his HONOS Kawasaki experienced a technical problem, which ended his day.
CV28 Racing’s Cory Ventura, competing in Supersport for the first time this season, moved up to second and battled for position with Escalante’s new-for-this-weekend HONOS teammate Brandon Paasch, who switched from a Yamaha to a Kawasaki for the final round of the season.
At the checkers, it was Kelly taking the win, with Paasch finishing second over Ventura in third.
“Every race weekend for me, I’m 100% determined to go out there and give it everything,” Kelly said. “I was especially determined this weekend to not leave this place without a win. Really happy to get a win today. Happy to have the opportunity to make it two wins tomorrow because of this. In general, the race was really good. It started with a couple passes back and forth. I think JD (Beach) and I passed five times just the first lap alone. It was impressive to see how fast he is in his first weekend back on a race bike after I don’t know how long. So really nice to be fighting up there. I was a bit worried about him (Richie Escalante) doing the same as always and being able to gap us, but I saw that wasn’t the case this time. I was able to get by after a few laps and had a little bit of a gap to Richie. I gave it 100 percent. I told myself that it was either win or end up in the gravel. If I ended up in the gravel it was okay. I wasn’t going to accept a second place behind Richie again. So, I gave it all I had. I realized I was catching up. It wasn’t easy to catch up. I was already destroying my rear tire with twelve laps to go, but I really didn’t care. I just wanted to get by the guy. I got by with maybe 12 laps to go or 10 laps to go. After that he just maintained behind me. It’s weird when someone is so close to you, especially being Richie, because you expect him to fight back really quick or if he’s sitting there it’s because he’s comfortable, and he knows that he’ll have it the last four laps. I just stayed with my own rhythm, gave it 100 percent. I was really happy with my lap times throughout the last half of the race, until I saw +12 on my board and I knew that something had to be a little bit off. So, I double-checked and made sure there was some gap behind me. After that it was just the longest four laps of my life, probably. Just really happy to finish off the race with P1, finish off already a weekend with another victory. I do hope that tomorrow everyone stays on board and we can give a big fight to the last lap, last corner.”
Liqui Moly Junior Cup – Landers’ 14th Win
Two-time Liqui Moly Junior Cup Champion Rocco Landers kept his momentous season going strong on Saturday, winning his 14th race of the season. It was not easy for the Norton Motorsports/Ninja400R/Dr.Farr//Wonder CBD Kawasaki rider, though. He was hounded throughout the 13-lap event by BARTCON Racing’s Dominic Doyle, who moved up quickly from his fourth place starting position on the first lap, got into second place, and maintained his position all the way to the checkers.
Third place went to Celtic HSBK Racing Kawasaki rider Sam Lochoff, who was in a race-long battle with Liam Grant for the final step on the podium. Lochoff got by Grant on the final lap and made it stick to secure third place.
“After the first two laps, I knew it was going to be a fight between me and (Dominic),” said Landers. “I saw Sam and, I think, Liam behind us. So, I was just trying to push the whole race and see what would happen, maybe capitalize on any mistakes made. I knew that Dominic was going to make no mistakes. So, when I saw it was seven more riders, I assumed possibly they would trip each other up maybe and I could pull away. Dom rode a great race, though, and so did Sam, so I had to push the entire way.”
Stock 1000 – Petersen Rolls On
In Saturday’s Stock 1000 race, which was the season-concluding event for the class, Altus Motorsports Suzuki rider Cam Petersen, who clinched the 2020 class championship at Indianapolis Motor Speedway two weekends ago, added another victory to his resume with his eighth win of the season in another dominant performance for the South African rider.
Second place went to Ride HVMC Racing Kawasaki’s Corey Alexander, who recorded his 10th podium result on the year and completed what was a remarkably consistent season for the New Yorker. Procomps Racing BMW’s Danilo Lewis rounded out the top three, and the Brazilian was overjoyed to notch the first MotoAmerica podium of his career.
“I think every racer’s goal is to put their head down the first few laps and make a break for it,” Petersen said. “If you can make a break for it, it makes your life quite a lot easier. It was definitely part of my strategy to put my head down and give it everything I had for the first two laps. Then I just kind of let the race play out from there.
“What a season. I’m super, super happy. I’ve been wanting this my whole life. We made it happen. It means a lot to me and my family. We’ve sacrificed our lives pretty much to come to America. I think this means a lot to us. I’m going to cherish this one for a little bit. Now it’s time to go focus on the Superbike races. Hopefully, I’ve got something for them. For right now, I’m just doing everything I can. Let’s go have some more fun.”
More, from a press release issued by Team Hammer:
KELLY WINS LAGUNA SUPERSPORT FOR M4 ECSTAR SUZUKI AND TONI ELIAS EARNS A SUPERBIKE PODIUM
Team Hammer opened the race action at the 2020 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing season finale in tremendous form, scooping up another Supersport win and Superbike podium at Laguna Seca.
M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Sean Dylan Kelly (SDK) stole the show on Saturday despite being pitted against the current Supersport champion along with a returning, multi-time Supersport king.
SDK diced back and forth with his decorated rivals on the opening laps aboard his agile GSX-R600. He forced a mistake from one of them after making a pass for second on lap five and then threatening to leave his rival in his wake via his superior pace.
He then ate up the gap to his other primary rival and made a move into the lead on lap nine of 19. Once again, he pushed his opponent past the breaking point and escaped to build a mammoth, 15.792-second margin of victory.
“I’m super happy to get this win,” Kelly said after scoring his fourth win and 14th podium of the year. “Honestly, I came into this final weekend of the season saying I wasn’t going to leave here without at least one win and hopefully two. I’m really happy knowing I have a chance to make it a double.
“It was a fun race. It was a good scrap at the beginning with the three of us there fighting. The leader had a bit of a gap on me, but I knew I was strong enough and fast enough to catch up and that’s exactly what I did. I’m really happy to be here. I have to give a big thank you to everyone with the M4 ECSTAR Suzuki squad. We’ll be back out there fighting again tomorrow.”
Kelly’s Supersport teammate Lucas Silva added to his season-long streak of top-10s by finishing in sixth.
Meanwhile, in the premier Superbike class, 2017 MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Toni Elias guaranteed himself a proper send off in his final weekend with Team Hammer and Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. After his M4 ECSTAR Suzuki teammate Bobby Fong crashed out of second place while powering away from the rider he had passed to take the position, it was up to Elias—who had been in fourth before Fong fell–to uphold the team’s fortunes.
Elias did better than that, reeling in the new second-place rider from a considerable distance back and reclaiming the position for the team with just three laps remaining.
The runner-up finish was Elias’ second podium result of the season. Afterward, he said, “We made a big step forward from yesterday. I’m happy — it’s a podium and we haven’t gotten too many this year. I’m very happy for myself and my team and family. These are our last races together and everyone is working so hard. It’s great. Of course I want more — I want to win — but we’ll make some changes tonight and work hard tomorrow.”
Rising stars Alex Dumas and Rocco Landers performed well on the day, too. Landers qualified second aboard the SportbikeTrackGear.com Suzuki SV650 for Sunday’s Twins Cup finale. Landers, who has already locked up the title, will now look to convert the front-row starting position into his eighth consecutive victory to close out the 2020 MotoAmerica season on a high note.
Meanwhile, Dumas challenged for a podium aboard his M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R1000 in the season’s Stock 1000 finale before finishing a close fourth. Also in that race, Altus Motorsports’ Cam Petersen won his eighth race of the year on his Team Hammer-built Suzuki GSX-R1000. “This is everything,” said class champion Petersen. “I have been working towards this my whole life. To win again, is such a great feeling. It’s been a great season.”
About Team Hammer
The 2020 season marks Team Hammer’s 40th consecutive year of operating as a professional road racing team. Racebikes built and fielded by Team Hammer have won 106 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National races, have finished on AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National podiums 287 times and have won nine AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National Championships, as well as two FIM South American Championships (in Superbike and Supersport.) The team has also won 137 endurance races overall (including seven 24-hour races) and 13 Overall WERA National Endurance Championships with Suzuki motorcycles, and holds the U.S. record for mileage covered in a 24-hour race. The team also competed in the televised 1990s Formula USA National Championship, famously running “Methanol Monster” GSX-R1100 Superbikes fueled by methanol, and won four F-USA Championships.
MotoAmerica: Miller Fastest Again In Heritage Cup FP2
MotoAmerica: Stock 1000 Race Results From Laguna Seca
This weekend’s results are brought to you by 6D Helmets.
20_11_LAGUNA_STK_R1_points
MotoAmerica: McDonald Captures Twins Cup Pole At Laguna
This weekend’s results are brought to you by 6D Helmets.
20_11_LAGUNA_TWN_Q2_rescomb
MotoAmerica: O’Hara Tops Bagger Warm-Up At Laguna
MotoAmerica: Escalante Earns Supersport Pole Position At Laguna
This weekend’s results are brought to you by 6D Helmets.
20_11_LAGUNA_SSP_Q2_rescomb
Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup: Race One Results From Aragon II
Ortolá is the Acosta beater in Rookies Cup Race 1 of Aragón 2
Iván Ortolá charged from the 4th row to take Race 1 victory in the second weekend at Motorland Aragón. Points leader Pedro Acosta saw his run of Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup victories stopped at 6 as the two 16-year-old Spaniards sorted it out at the final corner.
David Alonso, the 14-year-old Colombian, was in that final turn sort out as well and flashed across the line 3rd to maintain 2nd in the championship chase at the Grand Prix of Teruel.
It was another incredible 15 lap encounter and Acosta couldn’t pull off his intended repeat of last Sunday’s lights-to-flag domination. Ortolá had caught him by the end of lap 2 and the rest followed.
For the first 10 laps 7 riders battled at the front, swapping places fiercely. They were then joined by another pack that included Alonso and from there it was talented madness all the way to the finish.
Ortolá jumped from P10
“It was my best start ever and in 2 laps I caught Pedro. We were pushing very hard and I thought that we would break away in front and together open a gap to the group. It didn’t happen and it was a very big group.”
“I had to work so hard at the beginning because yesterday, Qualifying was a disaster, I was in a long group and I didn’t know how to manage the situation. It always happens in Qualifying and I have to learn how to do it better.”
“I am very happy with the bike, we didn’t touch anything after last weekend. The problem is not the bike, I need to qualify better and start from the front 2 rows,” concluded Ortolá who finished 3rd in both races at Aragón 1.
Acosta not phased
“That’s OK, I am happy enough. Every race I do here at Aragón where I am in a group I lose on the back straight on the last lap. So 2nd is not bad. The other riders were very aggressive today and these points are very important for the championship.”
“I’m happy with the bike, the setting is good so we will change nothing and see what happens tomorrow. Iván was so fast today and I couldn’t break the group.”
Alonso with a great ride from P9
“I am very happy because we got on the podium but the race was so hard for us and in the last laps we were tired, the bike was sliding and we need to make a step forward tomorrow both in the setting of the bike and my riding.”
“I need to be more relaxed in the group, the start was not so good so I need to improve that also and how to overtake the other riders. There is a lot we can improve but the last 2 laps I did very well and that is a positive thing.”
David Muñoz 4th from Pole
“I’m very happy for the race,” stated the 14-year-old Spaniard. “But by the end of the race the bike was sliding and chattering and I could not do more on the last lap. Tomorrow I want to do better so we will look at improving the settings and see what we can do.”
Salvador felt good
“This weekend I am very happy because yesterday we really made a step forward with the bike,” enthused the 16-year-old Spaniard. “For the first time this year I finally have a good feeling with the bike like I had last year.”
“The race is very difficult because the group is crazy,” he laughed. “Finally 5th position, that is not the place I wanted but today I am happy mainly because of the feeling I found on the bike. I didn’t have that last week.”
Broadcast
This weekend’s Rookies Cup races can be seen live on www.redbull.tv and on TV stations around the world.
Race 2 is on Sunday at 16:00 CET, the show starts 10 minutes before the race.
MotoAmerica: Beaubier Quickest In Superbike FP3 At Laguna
