David Alonso won the Moto3 World Championship race Sunday at Mandalika International Street Circuit, in Malaysia. Riding his Gaviota Aspar Team CFMOTO on Pirelli control tires, the Colombian won the 20-lap race by just 0.085 second.
It was Alonso’s ninth win of the season, giving him a 97-point lead in the World Championship with just five races remaining.
Leopard Racing Honda’s Adrian Fernandez was the runner-up, and BOE Motorsports KTM’s David Munoz placed third.
The top six riders were covered by just 0.862 second at the finish.
Editorial Note: Americans Julian Correa and Joshua Raymond, Jr. finished fifth and 21st, respectively, in British Talent Cup Race One Saturday at Donington Park.
Ryde withstands pressure from Bridewell to win race one with three points in it
Kyle Ryde was victorious in the opening Bennetts British Superbike Championship race of the weekend at Donington Park, holding off Tommy Bridewell, as the OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing rider emerged victorious after withstanding the race-long pressure from the reigning champion.
Ryde launched into the lead on the opening lap ahead of Danny Kent and Josh Brookes with Bridewell in the mix, but the McAMS Racing Yamaha rider made a costly mistake at the Fogarty Esses and ran on, rejoining in twelfth place. He then had to fight back to finish in fifth place at the chequered flag.
At the front Ryde was constantly shadowed by Bridewell as he continued to pile on the pressure, but the local hero delivered an inch perfect performance to finally break his Honda Racing UK rival over the final laps to win his seventh race of the season and in doing so half the lead in the standings to just three points.
Glenn Irwin returned to the podium in third place for the Hager PBM Ducati team; he was holding fifth place over the opening laps, but soon made a move on Christian Iddon and Brookes to move ahead. In the latter stages of the race he was closely followed by brother Andrew on the second of the Honda Racing UK Fireblades, but he didn’t have enough to bridge the gap to his rivals ahead of him.
Kent was fifth after his comeback performance after making a move on Charlie Nesbitt with two laps remaining with Ryan Vickers, Lee Jackson, Brookes and Iddon all in the battling pack for top ten finishes.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Donington Park, Race 1 result:
Kyle Ryde (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing)
Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) +2.071s
Glenn Irwin (Hager PBM Ducati) +8.689s
Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing UK) +8.972s
Danny Kent (McAMS Racing Yamaha) +9.710s
Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda) +10.661s
Ryan Vickers (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) +11.796s
Lee Jackson (MasterMac Honda) +13.601s
Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team) +13.915s
Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +15.114s
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:
Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) 356
Kyle Ryde (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) 353
Glenn Irwin (Hager PBM Ducati) 309
Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 251
Danny Kent (McAMS Racing Yamaha) 250
Ryan Vickers (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) 240
Lee Jackson (MasterMac Honda) 217
Leon Haslam (ROKiT Haslam Racing BMW Motorrad) 212
Jason O’Halloran (Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki) 183
Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad) 178
For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com
Kyle Ryde
OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing
“Twenty laps around Donington Park isn’t easy at whatever speed you’re going at! I’ve had great speed all weekend through practice and qualifying and halfway through that race the pace was pretty good.
“The pit board said point two, point two, point two and I thought ‘well he’s not going to let off now’, so I just tried to keep doing what I was doing and I didn’t make a mistake. If he was going to come past, he was going to come past.
“I was really strong in a few points of the track. Stupidly enough I could hear where Tommy was and I was a bit in front every lap when I went into the hairpin, so I knew I was quite good through the chicane.
“I didn’t make any mistakes, but it was a great race and we have worked hard all of Friday and Saturday morning to put it all together.
“I mean I want to win two more races, but anything could happen – anything in BSB! Something will happen at some point, but I’m hoping nothing! I’m just going to ride exactly how I have done Friday and Saturday and hopefully we can win again tomorrow.
“We’re being consistent and when I’ve got the chance to win I’ve won, or been close to it, so now we have just got to do the same tomorrow.”
Avery Dreher won MotoAmerica Junior Cup Race One Saturday at New Jersey Motorsports Park, in Millville, New Jersey. Riding his Bad Boys Racing Kawasaki Ninja 400 on Dunlop control tires, the 2023 Champion won the 13-lap race by 4.966 seconds.
Newly crowned Junior Cup Champion Matthew Chapin took the runner-up spot on his BARTCON Racing Kawasaki.
New York Safety Track Racing rider Yandel Medina placed third.
Dreher’s 14-year-old sister Ella Dreher got fourth, just ahead of Chapin’s teammate Eli Block.
Rocco Landers won MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers Race One Saturday at New Jersey Motorsports Park, in Millville, New Jersey. Riding his RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Road Glide on spec Dunlop tires, the class rookie won the nine-lap race by a slim margin.
Troy Herfoss was the runner-up on his S&S Indian Challenger, 0.182 second behind Landers and nearly three seconds clear of third-place finisher Kyle Wyman and his factory Harley-Davidson.
This finish resulted in Herfoss leapfrogging Wyman in the standings and leading by two points heading into Sunday’s season finale.
Herfoss’ teammate Tyler O’Hara was fourth, right behind Wyman at the finish line.
Wyman’s teammate James Rispoli rounded out the top five finishers.
Josh Herrin won the 2024 MotoAmerica Steel Commander Superbike Championship in style Saturday at New Jersey Motorsports Park, in Millville, New Jersey. Riding his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R on Dunlop Sportmax Slicks, Herrin came from behind and held off a pack of challengers to win Race One by 0.403 second, giving him an insurmountable point lead.
Bobby Fong was the runner-up on his Wrench Motorcycles Yamaha YZF-R1.
Herrin’s teammate Loris Baz placed third, just 0.593 second behind Herrin.
Five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier finished a close fourth on his Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW M 1000 RR.
Richie Escalante took fifth on his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R1000R.
Cameron Petersen led early on his Attack Performance/Progressive Yamaha but faded to sixth.
Sean Dylan Kelly came home seventh on his EasyHealthPlans.com/TopPro Racing BMW.
Petersen’s temporary teammate Xavi Fores also led the race early on before slipping back to eighth.
Benjamin Smith was ninth, 0.6 second behind Fores, on his FLO4LAW Racing Yamaha.
Ashton Yates rounded out the top 10 overall finishers took first place in the Superbike Cup victory on his Jones Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP.
Herrin Takes 2024 MotoAmerica Superbike Title In Style
11 Years Later, Josh Herrin Earns His Second Superbike Championship To End Ducati’s 30-Year Title Drought At New Jersey Motorsports Park
Josh Herrin (2) leads Loris Baz (76), Bobby Fong (hidden) and Cameron Beaubier (6) in Saturday’s Superbike race. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
MILLVILLE, NJ (September 28, 2024) – Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati’s Josh Herrin won the second AMA Superbike Championship of his career on Saturday at New Jersey Motorsports Park, and he did so with the flair of a champion. Simply put, he won when he didn’t need to.
Herrin worked his way forward after crossing the line in fifth place on the opening lap and most expected him to stay there. After all, it would have been the easy way to wrap up the title But it wasn’t Herrin’s way. He kept pushing: Fourth on lap six, third on lap seven, second on lap nine and the lead on lap 11. But he was being hounded by Wrench Motorcycle’s Bobby Fong, who made a move on Herrin to take the lead for the first time on lap 15 of 20. Okay, so now Herrin would chill and take the title with a second-place finish.
Or not.
Herrin re-passed a feisty Fong with two laps to go and rode to a .403 of a second victory – his sixth of the year and the 16th AMA Superbike win of his career. And, more importantly, it resulted in his second Superbike title – 11 years after his first. The championship also ended a winless drought for Ducati that goes back 30 years to when Australian Troy Corser won the title on a Fast By Ferracci Ducati in 1994.
Fong held on for second, .190 of a second ahead of Herrin’s teammate and wingman Loris Baz, with the Frenchman earning his third podium of the season after leading seven laps of the race.
Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Cameron Beaubier ran in the lead foursome but ultimately had to settle for fourth as he suffered with a lack of corner-entry grip. He crossed the line 1.7 seconds behind race-winner Herrin.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante emerged from a five-rider battle to finish fifth, 1.8 seconds ahead of Attack Performance/Progressive/Yamaha Racing’s Cameron Petersen.
EasyHealthPlans.com/TopPro Racing’s Sean Dylan Kelly was seventh, hot on Petersen’s rear wheel and just .104 of a second behind the South African. Kelly, meanwhile, was just a fraction of a second ahead of Petersen’s fill-in teammate Xavi Forés, who in turn was just a tick over half a second ahead of FLO4LAW Racing’s Benjamin Smith in his best ride of the season.
Jones Honda’s Ashton Yates rounded out the top 10.
Notable non-finishers were Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Brandon Paasch and Tytlers Cycle Racing’s JD Beach with both riders crashing out in separate incidents.
With just Sunday’s race two left in the season, Herrin has an insurmountable points lead of 58 over Beaubier, 325-267. Fong is third with Kelly fourth and Baz fifth. Kelly leads Baz by just nine points, and Baz leads Petersen by just three points.
In the Superbike Cup, Danilo Lewis’ crash cost him the championship points lead with Yates now leading the Brazilian by 15 points going into tomorrow’s finale and the battle for the $25,000 winner’s check.
Quotes…
Josh Herrin – Winner
“At the beginning, it was getting hectic. Everybody was all over the place. I was just trying to be relaxed and calm, like I talked about. Like (Cameron) Beaubier did. Just trying to learn from that over the years and just be calm at the beginning, even when things aren’t going your way. I was able to do that today and then put my head down and start picking them away. I just felt so comfortable, and it looked like everybody else was so uncomfortable. When I was in the lead, I saw Bobby (Fong) behind me, and I just didn’t want to take any chances with him being there. So, I let him go by on the straight. I thought he was going by on the left, but he went by on the right. Then the last three laps I saw I had pace. So, I just wanted to get by with two to go and put my head down and see what I could, and we were able to get it done. I didn’t think this would ever happen. I thought I’d be finishing eighth or ninth today, for sure. I wanted to leave COTA by winning and win the championship by winning with Beaubier healthy there. I was able to do it today at a track that has never suited me on a Superbike. I believe this is my first Superbike win here when it wasn’t raining. It’s probably besides Barber the track that I have the least confidence at. So, for us to pull the win off here with the championship race is huge. To now have I think what should be a 62-point lead is crazy to me. Thank you to Loris (Baz) for honestly being the best teammate I’ve ever had, and for the team being the best team, and Joyce for always cooking us lunch and making sure that we’re taken care of, and Rachel for always taking care of crazy little Griffin whenever I’m at the races. I’m so happy that they were here to celebrate with us. Thank you to the whole Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati North America team. Ducati Corse, KYT helmets, Only Fans, Good Boy Vodka, GoPro, Alpinestars. The list goes on and on and on. Everybody that supports the team. Thank you so much. Thank you to MotoAmerica and everybody involved.”
Third Place – Loris Baz
“Well, at the beginning I was comfortable. I was trying to understand what were the grip conditions first time with the dry conditions. So, we went out, and, unfortunately, I had a bad start. I could see everyone struggling in entry a lot. Beaubier almost highsided, (Cameron) Petersen, (Xavi) Forés. I was like, ‘that’s something strange.’ I was trying to figure it out but then I wanted to be in the lead and try to not go too fast and too hard on the rear tire because I didn’t know what to expect from the tire life. That race went on quick, to be honest. Then I saw Josh (Herrin) coming by, and I was like, okay, now things change. I wanted to stay behind him and (Bobby) Fong, but Fong was really close to him. I was just trying not to think too much but at the same time thinking a lot. I could see him looking behind. I was like, ‘he’s just trying to think as much as me.’ But then four laps to the end, five laps to the end, I look behind and I never do that. I thought it was Beaubier, so I just tried. I know it’s not someone crazy that’s going to dive-bomb and make three guys crash, but I was like, let’s just try to give us a small gap to Fong so he doesn’t dive to go for Josh. The last few laps I pushed again just so I was not in a position to be attacked. I was not going to try anything crazy on Josh, to be honest. I’m so happy and so proud of him. I never thought I could be happy for a teammate winning a championship and kicking my ass like this all season, but I’m really happy and proud of him.”
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Petersen and Forés Score Top-10 Finishes at NJMP
Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Cameron Petersen and Xavi Forés finish sixth and eighth, respectively, in Race 1 of the MotoAmerica Superbike season finale
MARIETTA, Ga. – September 29, 2024 – Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Cameron Petersen finished sixth in MotoAmerica Superbike Race 1 at the New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP) in Millville, New Jersey. In his second round with the team as a fill-in rider for Jake Gagne, Xavi Forés finished eighth.
Ever-changing weather at the final round of the season presented challenges for the teams and riders as they worked to come to grips with the new surface at the 2.25-mile track. Petersen qualified fifth in Friday afternoon’s mixed conditions and then topped the timesheets in Saturday morning’s qualifying, but it was Friday’s times in better conditions that set the grid. The sun came out for Race 1, and the South African got a great start from the second row, slotting into second behind his teammate and then passing him shortly after. The duo battled for the top spot, with Petersen leading three of the first four laps. As the race progressed, he was shuffled to fifth but continued to battle as multiple riders jockeyed for position, ultimately crossing the line sixth.
Forés qualified sixth in the tricky conditions and lined up next to his teammate on the second row. In just his second outing with the team aboard the Superbike, the Spaniard got a flying start to grab the holeshot. Although Petersen passed him shortly after, Forés reclaimed the lead on the following lap going into Turn 1 and was back in the runner-up spot on Lap 3. He tried to maintain a podium position but ultimately was shuffled to fifth. Forés kept fighting for a top-five result and would cross the line eighth.
The Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing team lines up again this afternoon at NJMP for the final MotoAmerica Superbike race of the 2024 season.
Richard Stanboli – Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing Team Manager
“We didn’t get much dry time, and our setup from last year did not work for the new pavement and harder tires. We will recalibrate for tomorrow.”
Cameron Petersen – Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing #45
“It’s been a super crazy weekend so far. The weather has been intermittent, and you don’t really know what you’re going to get. It dried up for the race, and we went into it with no dry track time, so we just kind of went in there blind. I got a great start and was able to lead the first couple of laps. Unfortunately we ran into some rear grip issues that hindered us from going with the front guys. It was a little bit disappointing, but we finished the day strong. Tomorrow, we’ll go get these guys.”
Xavi Forés – Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing #34
“It was a fun day, to be honest, especially the first part of the race when Cam and I were leading. Unfortunately, we faced some issues with rear grip and didn’t have the pace to stay up front. Cam and I have been struggling with this all weekend, but overall, it has been a way better weekend than COTA (Circuit of The Americas). I feel more competitive on the bike and have a better understanding of the bike and what I need to do to be more consistent. We’ll make a few changes for tomorrow and hopefully be able to fight for the top five and be close to the podium.”
More, from a press release issued by Ducati:
Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati takes the first AMA Ducati Superbike title in 30 years
Sunnyvale, Calif., September 29, 2024 — Josh Herrin wrote a significant piece of Ducati racing history today by clinching the 2024 Steel Commander MotoAmerica Superbike Championship title at New Jersey Motorsports Park. And, what’s more, he did it from the top set of the podium.
Herrin’s win in race one came after an intense 18-lap battle with Bobby Fong and Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati teammate Loris Baz, Herrin working his way to the front in the final laps to record a 0.403s victory over Fong. Baz made it a double celebration for the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati team by taking the final podium position in third.
The result ensures Herrin has an unassailable 58-point lead heading into race two on Sunday, September 29, over Cameron Beaubier.
Herrin’s title is his fourth AMA national championship with the 2013 Superbike, 2016 Stock 1000, and 2022 Supersport victories, and his second title for the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati team. He now has the record for the longest time between his first and most recent Superbike title wins (11 years) thanks to his six race wins and 13 podiums in 2024, with nine of those podiums coming consecutively.
Herrin’s place in Ducati racing lore is now secure, having taken the company’s first AMA Supersport title in 2022 and its first Superbike crown in 30 years after the great Troy Corser triumphed in the 1994 AMA Superbike Championship on a Fast by Ferracci Ducati 888.
Loris Baz also should not be discounted from race one. The flying Frenchman took a tremendous pole position and led much of the race until Herrin and Fong passed at three-quarters race distance. Still, Baz held on for a celebratory third place, making it a double podium delight for the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati team.
2024 MotoAmerica New Jersey Motorsports Park Race One Results
1. Josh Herrin (Ducati)
2. Bobby Fong
3. Loris Baz (Ducati)
4. Cameron Beaubier
5. Richie Escalante
2024 MotoAmerica New Jersey Motorsports Championship points (after race one)
1. Josh Herrin (Ducati) 325
2. Cameron Beaubier 267
3. Bobby Fong 233
4. Sean Dylan Kelly 217
5. Loris Baz (Ducati) 208
Josh Herrin (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati–#2)
“The support I’ve got from everyone in this team, from Ducati North America, Ducati Corse, the DeNaples, Bobby Shek, how much effort they put in, and how tight we are as a unit, is really special,” Herrin said. “I’m not taking anything away from the teams I’ve been on in the past, but this group is really amazing.
“Without Ducati North America’s and Ducati Corse’s support, none of this would be possible. My crew chief, Simone, is amazing. We have great respect for each other. He’s been a huge part of my success over the last three years. Thank you to everyone who had anything to do with this project, and you can bet we’ll be back next year ready to go for another title.”
Loris Baz (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati–#76)
“A massive congratulations to Josh, that’s the day’s highlight,” Baz said. “We knew how big this weekend could be for the team, and I never thought I could be so happy for someone else who beat me!
“I have been learning a lot this year. That pole position means I’m back, but I need to improve my race pace more. I was here at the beginning of this project with the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati team, and I know what it means for everyone. I’m so happy and proud of everyone.
“On my side, we made a big step and greatly improved from Austin. It isn’t easy to run two Superbikes, but we’ve grown a lot since Austin. Thanks to everybody, and we’ll come back fighting for the final race tomorrow.”
Bobby Shek (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati Team Manager)
“It’s been such a great season,” Shek said. “In 2024, we’ve proven the Ducati has no bad tracks. Our worst rack traditionally was New Jersey, and now we’ve got two bikes on the podium and one on the top step, and I can’t wait to do it all again next year. Josh’s goal was to win the title from the top step, and he did that; it just shows what a champion he is.”
Jason Chinnock (Ducati North America CEO)
“Josh Herrin’s performance on the Panigale V4 R this season has been phenomenal, and his victory in the 2024 Steel Commander MotoAmerica Superbike Championship marks a historic moment for Ducati. It’s been 30 years since a Ducati rider earned the US national Superbike championship —a testament to the talent, dedication, and unwavering work ethic of Josh and the entire Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati team. It’s exceptionally special to have Eraldo Ferracci contribute to the team’s spirit as we claim the #1 plate for Ducati again.
“This championship isn’t just a victory for Josh but a significant milestone for Ducati. Joining the roster of previous Ducati Superbike Champions, like Troy Corser and Doug Polen is an achievement that ushers in a new chapter in American superbike racing for years to come. We couldn’t be prouder of Josh, the team, along with the support from Ducati Corse. This victory fuels our passion for racing and commitment to the growth of Ducati in the US.”
The final race of the 2024 Steel Commander MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at New Jersey Motorsports Park will go green at 3:10 p.m. EDT on Sunday, September 29.
Adrian Huertas (99) won World Supersport Race One at MotorLand Aragon. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Having started from pole position the opening race of the weekend for the Supersport class was a lights to flag victory for Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team). The Spaniard was under pressure throughout but with four laps to go he opened a margin of one second to his pursuers
The scrap for second was a three rider fight for much of the race as they battled with each other in the closing stages Huertas opened his lead. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team), second in the championship standings, started from the second row of the grid and ran in second position until two thirds distance when the battle for second intensified
That battle saw Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) and Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) move ahead of Montella. The fight between Manzi and Debise for second was only settled on the run to the line with Manzi edging his rival by one tenth of a second
Manzi will start from pole position for Race 2 ahead of Debise and Montella. Huertas will start from fourth position on the grid
Key Points:
Pole position: Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team)
Race 1 winner: Adrian Huertas
Race fastest lap: Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) 1’52.797
More on worldsbk.com
P1 | Adrian Huertas | Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team
“Race 1 was really good. I couldn’t ask for much more because we had incredible pace today. We worked hard as a team and I think we managed the race perfectly. I believe we have even more margin for tomorrow, so let’s keep pushing and keep winning! It’s incredible to have 10 wins this season, on the Ducati, with this team. I hope to get a good start tomorrow and be in the fight with the leading group”
Blake Davis won MotoAmerica Supersport Race One Saturday at New Jersey Motorsports Park, in Millville, New Jersey. Riding his N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto Yamaha YZF-R6 on Dunlop control tires, Davis won the five-lap restart by 0.049 second. It was the 18-year-old’s career-first Supersport win.
Corey Alexander was the runner-up on his Rahal Ducati Moto w/Roller Die + Forming Panigale V2.
PJ Jacobsen placed third on his Rahal Ducati Moto x/XPEL machine.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Tyler Scott took fourth.
And fifth place was enough for Strack Racing Yamaha’s Mathew Scholtz to clinch the 2024 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship.
Davis Nabs First Supersport Win, Scholtz Takes Championship
King Of The Baggers Title Chase Headed To Final Race Of The Year At New Jersey Motorsports Park With Herfoss Vs. Wyman
Corey Alexander (23) got the jump on the Supersport pack into turn one at NJMP on Saturday. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
MILLVILLE, NJ (September 28, 2024) – It was a bit of a numbers game in the second-to-last race of the 2024 Supersport Championship as Strack Racing’s Mathew Scholtz came into the weekend at New Jersey Motorsports Park with a 39-point lead over Rahal Ducati Moto’s PJ Jacobsen.
For Jacobsen, his mission was to win the race, which would yield him maximum points and possibly keep his title hopes alive till Sunday’s final race. N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto’s Blake Davis had other plans, and he was out to win the first MotoAmerica Supersport race of his young career.
With Davis starting 18th on the grid, he began a spirited march towards the front until a red flag stopped his progress. No matter, because, on the restart, the 18-year-old from Tennessee picked up right where he left off and put his Yamaha YZF-R6 in the lead.
With Jacobsen in second and not quite able to match Davis’ pace, Jacobsen’s teammate Corey Alexander took over second, relegating Jacobsen to third. Meanwhile, championship leader Scholtz was riding a controlled race and keeping himself in position to clinch the title.
At the checkered flag, it was Davis winning his first-career Supersport race with Alexander finishing as runner-up and Jacobsen completing the podium. Scholtz maintained fifth position all the way to the finish line, and that was enough for the 2017 MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 Champion to clinch his second MotoAmerica title, this time in Supersport.
“At first, when the red flag came out, I was a little disappointed,” said race winner Davis. “I just put in a lot of work. I came from 18th up to third. Once I realized I’d be starting from third and had a better shot at it, I was happy that these guys were going to be a lot closer to me and not the big gap that they had. I got one of my best starts of the season. I’ve struggled launching the R6 all year, so got up in front of Corey (Alexander). I thought I had a little bit better pace than I did after the red flag. I struggled with some rear grip, but I was able to do what I needed to do, put in some fast laps, and kind of just rode a little bit of defense on that last lap and was able to take the win.
“Tomorrow, I’m starting from 18th again. Hopefully, I’ll have even better pace than I did today and can maybe get a little bit closer to these guys, not expecting a red flag. I would like to thank N2, Yamaha, BobbleHeadMoto, KYT, Dainese, Sunstar, SBS, and everybody that helps me out. Shiloh and Chris. It’s been four years on their team, and it’s been amazing. Thank you a lot.”
For newly crowned Supersport Champion Scholtz, it was a feeling of relief.
“This race was weird for me,” Scholtz said. “I just didn’t have a good feeling from the first corner. I nearly highsided. Tipped into corner two and nearly highsided again, so I just did not have a good feeling. The first part of the race, PJ (Jacobsen) and Corey (Alexander) left me. I had nothing for them. Fifth place was probably the best I could have done today. I wasn’t riding around in fifth place because I was just chilling. I was riding as quick as I could. So, I definitely have to figure out something for tomorrow. But, overall, it’s just a big deal getting this championship. There’s been pressure the past couple of rounds and there’s been crashes and rain and red flags, and this and that. Now I’m just happy that I can go into Sunday’s race and just focus on going as quick as I can.”
Kyle Wyman (33) leads Troy Herfoss (17) and Rocco Landers (hidden) while Hayden Gillim (1) crashes in the background. Landers took the win over Herfoss and Wyman. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Mission King Of The Baggers – Herfoss’ Turn At The Top
S&S/Indian Motorcycle’s Troy Herfoss came into Saturday’s Mission King Of The Baggers Championship trailing Harley-Davidson Factory Racing’s Kyle Wyman by two points. After Saturday’s race, that points lead was flipped with Herfoss leading Wyman by two points. It was almost like Saturday didn’t happen.
Well, it certainly happened for RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson’s Rocco Landers with the 19-year-old controlling the race from the front and holding off a determined Herfoss by a scant .182 of a second to win his second race of the year and his seventh podium in a row.
For Herfoss the race was a success because he came out on top of Wyman, but the gap is just two points, and it will still come down to a winner-take-all (or a second-place-takes-all if Landers has anything to say about it) for the championship on Sunday.
Wyman finished third after missing the set-up on his Road Glide due to the fact that Saturday’s race was actually the first time the Baggers took to a dry racetrack.
Fourth place went to Herfoss’ teammate Tyler O’Hara with O’Hara hounding Wyman to the bitter end and coming up just .060 of a second.
Wyman’s teammate James Rispoli was fifth after coming out on top of a scrap with SDI/Roland Sands Racing/Indian Motorcycle’s Bobby Fong.
“My crew chief worked so hard, and we’ve got such a good base setup that we really don’t have to tweak the bike a whole lot,” Landers said. “So, once I went out, I felt like the track was definitely a bit green. I will say that. I felt worse than I did yesterday in qualifying, even though it was half wet, half dry. I don’t think I really went much faster in that race. But a lot of people will say I tend to over-ride and slide maybe a little bit too much, and normally I disagree but that race was sketchy as hell. I was sliding everywhere. I felt like I was kind of on the edge. So, we might need to make a few small tweaks, just to make the thing hook up a little better and give us that confidence on corner entry. With that being said, I’ve said it a million times, these guys are such an honor to race against. It was an honor at the beginning of the year. They gave me so much advice. They’ve helped me a lot and helped me grow as a rider. To be able to battle with them is so sick for me. I really enjoy it. It’s like a dream.”
Hayden Gillim (1) won the Stock 1000 race at New Jersey Motorsports Park on Saturday to extend his championship points lead heading into Sunday’s final race of the year. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Stock 1000 – Gillim In A Thriller ‘Em
You won’t see a much better two-rider fight with a championship on the line than the Stock 1000 race on Saturday at NJMP between Hayden Gillim and Jayson Uribe. It was one where it’s really not fair to have just one winner.
Gillim, the leader of the championship by seven points going into race one of the finale, grew that lead in the title chase to 12 points going into tomorrow’s finale. The Real Steel Motorsports-backed Kentuckian looked to have things in control early in the race, but Uribe and his OrangeCat Racing BMW M1000 RR had different ideas. Uribe turned it up mid-race and started to reel Gillim in.
With just a few laps to go, Gillim and his Honda CBR1000RR-R SP had a huge moment coming out of the last corner where he went up on the curb, hit a wet spot and somehow saved what looked to be a certain highside. Uribe made him pay for the mistake and moved into the lead.
But Gillim wasn’t done. He fought back and was on Uribe’s tail section on the final lap, ultimately making a pass in a spot where not many have tried – the inside of the final corner.
He crossed the line just .026 of a second ahead of Uribe. Tomorrow the title will be decided with Gillim leading Uribe by 12 points.
FLO4LAW Racing’s Benjamin Smith ended up a lonely third after knocking Jones Honda’s Ashton Yates off track. Yates ended up eighth and those two are now tied for third in the championship going into tomorrow’s finale.
Team Brazil’s Danilo Lewis and Visit Indiana/Tom Wood Powersports’ Nolan Lamkin rounded out the top five.
When asked how he made that last corner pass on Uribe, Gillim admitted, “I have no idea. The bridge had a little wet spot under it, and I was a little nervous going that low. Somehow made it stick. Unfortunately made myself have to work a little harder with the little almost get-off. That hurt the hand a little bit, but it’s good. I’m happy. The team’s happy. It’s incredible to be back up on the top with Steel Commander Honda, Comstock Energy. That was a tough race. Jason (Uribe) was riding really good.”
Avery Dreher (1) won Saturday’s Junior Cup race at NJMP. Dreher’s sister Ella (22) finished fourth. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Junior Cup – Dreher!
BARTCON Racing’s Matthew Chapin, who clinched the 2024 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship at the previous round at Circuit of The Americas, had plans to win Saturday’s Junior Cup race one. The only issue was his start. He left just a little before the light went out and was ultimately penalized five seconds.
Defending Junior Cup Champion Avery Dreher took the checkered flag first aboard his Bad Boys Racing Kawasaki, and Chapin was right behind Dreher. With the time penalty tacked on, Chapin still was credited with second place, and New York Safety Track Racing’s Yandel Medina finished third.
“This is as good as it gets,” Dreher said. “Going into the race, I didn’t know how good the grip was going to be because, to be honest, this was our first dry session. So, I just wanted to get out front and lead as much as I could. I tried to manage the pace. I was in the low 30s most of the time. I kept losing my brakes. I wasn’t sure what was going on, so I was just trying to be careful and stay in the low 30s to try to manage the pace up front. I’ve got to give a huge shout-out to John, Dale, my brother Brady, Darwin, and everyone out here who has supported me. I want to dedicate this one to my dad. I know he’s watching me from up above. This one was for him.”
More, from a press release issued by Rahal Ducati Moto:
NEW JERSEY MOTORSPORTS PARK RACE 1
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2024 | QUALIFYING 2 & RACE 1
With Qualifying 2 kickstarting the day, the riders solidified their starting positions for today’s Race 1 and tomorrow’s season finale. Corey Alexander led the team to take the green flag from the third position. PJ Jacobsen and Kayla Yaakov lined up just behind the front row, starting in fourth and fifth, respectively.
When the green flag flew, Alexander and Jacobsen saw their Ducati machines leap to the front and eventually take a six-second lead over the remainder of the field. Yaakov, struggling with grip issues, fell to eighth. With Jacobsen needing to win the race and championship leader Mathew Scholtz needing to finish sixth or below to keep the team’s championship hopes alive, the race was playing in the team’s favor until the red flag came out for a competitor who crashed on track.
Jacobsen took the restart from first place, with Alexander in second and Yaakov in eighth. Jacobsen quickly took the lead, but was passed by eventual race winner Blake Davis. Alexander ultimately finished second with Jacobsen rounding out the podium and solidifying second in the championship. Yaakov took home eighth.
With one final race remaining on the schedule, Rahal Ducati Moto looks to close out the team’s inaugural season the way it started – with a win. The crew will assess data tonight to give all three riders the best chance to step on the podium one final time in 2024.
Catch the action tomorrow with a morning warm-up session followed by Race 2 at 2:10 pm EST on MotoAmericaLivePlus.com and follow along on our social media with @RahalDucatiMoto for updates throughout the day.
COREY ALEXANDER
No. 23 ROLLER DIE + FORMING DUCATI PANIGALE V2
STARTED: 3rd
FINISHED: 2nd
CHAMPIONSHIP: 6th (160 pts)
WHAT HE’S SAYING: “I had to be very cautious if I was going to make a pass, knowing Mathew had to get sixth or better to win the championship, which seemed likely. I felt that I had a little bit of pace on PJ before the red flag, but I wasn’t going to make a move. I wanted to help him out as much as possible to get championship points. We got a great start after the red flag, and I saw PJ was struggling a bit with grip. I wasn’t going to risk it and make any moves, but I got a great run out of the last turn and drafted by him. Congrats to Mathew on getting the championship. He rode impressively all year. I didn’t expect him to jump off the Superbike and adjust to the 600, just like me – we are big guys. Nonetheless, I’m excited for tomorrow. Everyone can really take their gloves off and go for it.”
PJ JACOBSEN
No. 15 XPEL DUCATI PANIGALE V2
STARTED: 4th
FINISHED: 3rd
CHAMPIONSHIP: 2nd (306 pts)
WHAT HE’S SAYING: “The race was pretty hard today. I don’t understand why we’ve been struggling with grip. It was difficult to make my way to the front. I feel as though I had the same grip from the start of the red flag. The red flag messed things up, because I was in P1 and Corey was right behind me, but after the red flag I knew Blake Davis rider would end up being right there because he had similar lap times as us. It was a very difficult day for me, and it’s hard for me to be happy with the result, but we have one race left tomorrow. I’d like to win tomorrow on my XPEL Ducati and have a good close to the season for the team.”
KAYLA YAAKOV
No. 19 XPEL DUCATI PANIGALE V2
STARTED: 5th
FINISHED: 8th
CHAMPIONSHIP: 7th (142 pts)
WHAT SHE’S SAYING: “We qualified pretty well this morning, which was surprising to me. I was able to get on the second row, which was a goal of mine this weekend, so that was a positive. For the race, we lacked a bit – it’s unfortunate. Corey had struggled on Friday, possibly with with a bad tire, and we got pretty unlucky with the race. We did what we could with what we had, and I trust the bike under me and the guys on our team to fix the bike for me tomorrow. If we are able to get it to where we know we can, I feel like I have the pace to run up front like I know we can. I’m feeling happy and ready to go into the last race of the season. I’ll do the best that I can to try and get up front with the rest of these guys. ”
BEN SPIES
TEAM PRINCIPAL
WHAT HE’S SAYING: “It was a pretty decent race today. With Corey finishing second and PJ on the podium, we can’t complain about results. Kayla also rode a great race given some issues with grip that she was struggling through. It’s unfortunate for PJ that we couldn’t close out the championship, but congratulations to Mathew Scholtz, who rode great all year, on winning the title. We feel for our guys, and we wanted to win it, but that’s the way racing goes. Hopefully, we can make some changes to our bikes and find some speed for tomorrow. We’re going to get up there and try to get a win and get a podium sweep to end our season.”
Hayden Gillim won MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Race One Saturday at New Jersey Motorsports Park, in Millville, New Jersey.
Gillim, the defending Champion and current point leader, led from the first lap on his Real Steel Motorsports Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP. Meanwhile, Jayson Uribe, Gillim’s primary title rival, worked his way up from eighth on the grid to catch pole-sitter Gillim by lap 10 of 14.
On lap 11, Gillim ran out onto the wet exit curbing at the final corner and nearly crashed coming onto the front straightaway. Gillim saved the near-crash, but it allowed Uribe and his OrangeCat Racing BMW M 1000 RR to power into the lead.
Gillim was able to dig deep, catch back up to Uribe, and make a bold pass on the final lap to take the victory.
With the win, Gillim’s lead in the Championship points went from seven to 12, meaning he doesn’t have to beat Uribe in Race Two to claim the crown.
Uribe pushed to the end but came up 0.026 second short at the finish.
Benjamin Smith, riding his FLO4LAW Racing Yamaha, came back from contact with Ashton Yates and an off-track excursion to place third.
Danilo Lewis converted the holeshot into fourth place on his Team Brazil BMW.
Nolan Lamkin rounded out the top five finishers on his Visit Indiana/Tom Wood Powersports BMW.
Hayden Gillim won the MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers Challenge Race Saturday at New Jersey Motorsports Park, in Millville, New Jersey. Riding his RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Road Glide on Dunlop control tires, the defending Champion won the three-lap sprint by 0.054 second, earning the $5,000 winner-take-all prize for first place.
Even though he has the Championship on the line and the non-point-paying race was run in wet-but-drying conditions, S&S Indian’s Troy Herfoss pushed Gillim to the checkered flag but ended up second.
Gillim’s teammate Rocco Landers recovered from a poor start to finish third.
Editorial Note: According to MotoAmerica COO Chuck Aksland, the Daytona 200 will remain a non-point-paying race for Next Generation Supersport motorcycles using any brand of tire for the foreseeable future.
MotoAmerica And Daytona International Speedway Ink Three-Year Deal For Daytona 200
Multi-Year Deal Is Good News For Fans With The 83rd Daytona 200 Set For March 6-8, 2025
MILLVILLE, NJ (September 28, 2024) – MotoAmerica, North America’s premier motorcycle road racing series, and Daytona International Speedway are pleased to announce that the two entities have reached a three-year agreement that will see MotoAmerica continue to promote the historic Daytona 200 through to the 2028 edition.
The 83rd running of the “Great America Motorcycle Race” will be held March 6-8, 2025, with Josh Herrin attempting to win his fourth Daytona 200 after winning his third in 2024, which tied him with legends Dick Klamfoth, Brad Andres, Roger Reiman, Kenny Roberts and Mat Mladin.
MotoAmerica has successfully promoted the Daytona 200 since 2022.
“MotoAmerica is excited to extend our agreement with Daytona International Speedway, continuing our role in overseeing and operating the Daytona 200 for an additional three years,” said MotoAmerica COO Chuck Aksland. “Our partnership with the Speedway has grown stronger with each event, and we’ve seen tremendous success and momentum year after year. From day one, our focus has been to continue to grow the Daytona 200’s prestige, and it’s truly an honor to be part of its iconic history. Interest in the race continues to rise globally, with more riders, teams, and manufacturers eager to take on this one-of-a-kind challenge. We look forward to seeing everyone at Daytona in March.”
“The collaboration between MotoAmerica and Daytona International Speedway has elevated the Daytona 200 over the past three years, and we couldn’t be more excited to announce a three-year extension to the partnership,” said Daytona International Speedway President Frank Kelleher. “The Daytona 200 is one of the marquee events on our calendar and riders, fans, and partners from around the world travel to the World Center of Racing for the opportunity to be a part of an historic racing event. We’re proud to be such an instrumental part of the MotoAmerica schedule.”
The history of the Daytona 200 is unmatched in American road racing. It all began in 1937 with the 200 being held on a 3.2-mile beach course on the sand of Daytona Beach. In 1961, the raced moved to the high banks of the newly constructed Daytona International Speedway. The track, with its 31-degree banking, is unlike any other racecourse that MotoAmerica competes on, and the Daytona 200 is the only race in the series that features pit stops for fuel and tires.
The event has been won by many of the greats, including 15-time World Champion Giacomo Agostini, three-time World Champion Kenny Roberts, MotoAmerica President Wayne Rainey, 2006 MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden, and “Mr. Daytona” Scott Russell, the only rider to win five Daytona 200s.
Mandalika International Street Circuit, in Lombok, Indonesia. Photo courtesy Dorna.
David Alonso won the Moto3 World Championship race Sunday at Mandalika International Street Circuit, in Malaysia. Riding his Gaviota Aspar Team CFMOTO on Pirelli control tires, the Colombian won the 20-lap race by just 0.085 second.
It was Alonso’s ninth win of the season, giving him a 97-point lead in the World Championship with just five races remaining.
Leopard Racing Honda’s Adrian Fernandez was the runner-up, and BOE Motorsports KTM’s David Munoz placed third.
The top six riders were covered by just 0.862 second at the finish.
Kyle Ryde (77) leads Tommy Bridewell (1) Saturday at Donington Park. Photo courtesy MSVR.
Editorial Note: Americans Julian Correa and Joshua Raymond, Jr. finished fifth and 21st, respectively, in British Talent Cup Race One Saturday at Donington Park.
Ryde withstands pressure from Bridewell to win race one with three points in it
Kyle Ryde was victorious in the opening Bennetts British Superbike Championship race of the weekend at Donington Park, holding off Tommy Bridewell, as the OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing rider emerged victorious after withstanding the race-long pressure from the reigning champion.
Ryde launched into the lead on the opening lap ahead of Danny Kent and Josh Brookes with Bridewell in the mix, but the McAMS Racing Yamaha rider made a costly mistake at the Fogarty Esses and ran on, rejoining in twelfth place. He then had to fight back to finish in fifth place at the chequered flag.
At the front Ryde was constantly shadowed by Bridewell as he continued to pile on the pressure, but the local hero delivered an inch perfect performance to finally break his Honda Racing UK rival over the final laps to win his seventh race of the season and in doing so half the lead in the standings to just three points.
Glenn Irwin returned to the podium in third place for the Hager PBM Ducati team; he was holding fifth place over the opening laps, but soon made a move on Christian Iddon and Brookes to move ahead. In the latter stages of the race he was closely followed by brother Andrew on the second of the Honda Racing UK Fireblades, but he didn’t have enough to bridge the gap to his rivals ahead of him.
Kent was fifth after his comeback performance after making a move on Charlie Nesbitt with two laps remaining with Ryan Vickers, Lee Jackson, Brookes and Iddon all in the battling pack for top ten finishes.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Donington Park, Race 1 result:
Kyle Ryde (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing)
Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) +2.071s
Glenn Irwin (Hager PBM Ducati) +8.689s
Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing UK) +8.972s
Danny Kent (McAMS Racing Yamaha) +9.710s
Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda) +10.661s
Ryan Vickers (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) +11.796s
Lee Jackson (MasterMac Honda) +13.601s
Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team) +13.915s
Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +15.114s
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:
Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) 356
Kyle Ryde (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) 353
Glenn Irwin (Hager PBM Ducati) 309
Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 251
Danny Kent (McAMS Racing Yamaha) 250
Ryan Vickers (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) 240
Lee Jackson (MasterMac Honda) 217
Leon Haslam (ROKiT Haslam Racing BMW Motorrad) 212
Jason O’Halloran (Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki) 183
Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad) 178
For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com
Kyle Ryde
OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing
“Twenty laps around Donington Park isn’t easy at whatever speed you’re going at! I’ve had great speed all weekend through practice and qualifying and halfway through that race the pace was pretty good.
“The pit board said point two, point two, point two and I thought ‘well he’s not going to let off now’, so I just tried to keep doing what I was doing and I didn’t make a mistake. If he was going to come past, he was going to come past.
“I was really strong in a few points of the track. Stupidly enough I could hear where Tommy was and I was a bit in front every lap when I went into the hairpin, so I knew I was quite good through the chicane.
“I didn’t make any mistakes, but it was a great race and we have worked hard all of Friday and Saturday morning to put it all together.
“I mean I want to win two more races, but anything could happen – anything in BSB! Something will happen at some point, but I’m hoping nothing! I’m just going to ride exactly how I have done Friday and Saturday and hopefully we can win again tomorrow.
“We’re being consistent and when I’ve got the chance to win I’ve won, or been close to it, so now we have just got to do the same tomorrow.”
Avery Dreher won MotoAmerica Junior Cup Race One Saturday at New Jersey Motorsports Park, in Millville, New Jersey. Riding his Bad Boys Racing Kawasaki Ninja 400 on Dunlop control tires, the 2023 Champion won the 13-lap race by 4.966 seconds.
Newly crowned Junior Cup Champion Matthew Chapin took the runner-up spot on his BARTCON Racing Kawasaki.
New York Safety Track Racing rider Yandel Medina placed third.
Dreher’s 14-year-old sister Ella Dreher got fourth, just ahead of Chapin’s teammate Eli Block.
Rocco Landers won MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers Race One Saturday at New Jersey Motorsports Park, in Millville, New Jersey. Riding his RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Road Glide on spec Dunlop tires, the class rookie won the nine-lap race by a slim margin.
Troy Herfoss was the runner-up on his S&S Indian Challenger, 0.182 second behind Landers and nearly three seconds clear of third-place finisher Kyle Wyman and his factory Harley-Davidson.
This finish resulted in Herfoss leapfrogging Wyman in the standings and leading by two points heading into Sunday’s season finale.
Herfoss’ teammate Tyler O’Hara was fourth, right behind Wyman at the finish line.
Wyman’s teammate James Rispoli rounded out the top five finishers.
Josh Herrin won the 2024 MotoAmerica Steel Commander Superbike Championship in style Saturday at New Jersey Motorsports Park, in Millville, New Jersey. Riding his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R on Dunlop Sportmax Slicks, Herrin came from behind and held off a pack of challengers to win Race One by 0.403 second, giving him an insurmountable point lead.
Bobby Fong was the runner-up on his Wrench Motorcycles Yamaha YZF-R1.
Herrin’s teammate Loris Baz placed third, just 0.593 second behind Herrin.
Five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier finished a close fourth on his Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW M 1000 RR.
Richie Escalante took fifth on his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R1000R.
Cameron Petersen led early on his Attack Performance/Progressive Yamaha but faded to sixth.
Sean Dylan Kelly came home seventh on his EasyHealthPlans.com/TopPro Racing BMW.
Petersen’s temporary teammate Xavi Fores also led the race early on before slipping back to eighth.
Benjamin Smith was ninth, 0.6 second behind Fores, on his FLO4LAW Racing Yamaha.
Ashton Yates rounded out the top 10 overall finishers took first place in the Superbike Cup victory on his Jones Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP.
Herrin Takes 2024 MotoAmerica Superbike Title In Style
11 Years Later, Josh Herrin Earns His Second Superbike Championship To End Ducati’s 30-Year Title Drought At New Jersey Motorsports Park
Josh Herrin (2) leads Loris Baz (76), Bobby Fong (hidden) and Cameron Beaubier (6) in Saturday’s Superbike race. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
MILLVILLE, NJ (September 28, 2024) – Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati’s Josh Herrin won the second AMA Superbike Championship of his career on Saturday at New Jersey Motorsports Park, and he did so with the flair of a champion. Simply put, he won when he didn’t need to.
Herrin worked his way forward after crossing the line in fifth place on the opening lap and most expected him to stay there. After all, it would have been the easy way to wrap up the title But it wasn’t Herrin’s way. He kept pushing: Fourth on lap six, third on lap seven, second on lap nine and the lead on lap 11. But he was being hounded by Wrench Motorcycle’s Bobby Fong, who made a move on Herrin to take the lead for the first time on lap 15 of 20. Okay, so now Herrin would chill and take the title with a second-place finish.
Or not.
Herrin re-passed a feisty Fong with two laps to go and rode to a .403 of a second victory – his sixth of the year and the 16th AMA Superbike win of his career. And, more importantly, it resulted in his second Superbike title – 11 years after his first. The championship also ended a winless drought for Ducati that goes back 30 years to when Australian Troy Corser won the title on a Fast By Ferracci Ducati in 1994.
Fong held on for second, .190 of a second ahead of Herrin’s teammate and wingman Loris Baz, with the Frenchman earning his third podium of the season after leading seven laps of the race.
Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Cameron Beaubier ran in the lead foursome but ultimately had to settle for fourth as he suffered with a lack of corner-entry grip. He crossed the line 1.7 seconds behind race-winner Herrin.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante emerged from a five-rider battle to finish fifth, 1.8 seconds ahead of Attack Performance/Progressive/Yamaha Racing’s Cameron Petersen.
EasyHealthPlans.com/TopPro Racing’s Sean Dylan Kelly was seventh, hot on Petersen’s rear wheel and just .104 of a second behind the South African. Kelly, meanwhile, was just a fraction of a second ahead of Petersen’s fill-in teammate Xavi Forés, who in turn was just a tick over half a second ahead of FLO4LAW Racing’s Benjamin Smith in his best ride of the season.
Jones Honda’s Ashton Yates rounded out the top 10.
Notable non-finishers were Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Brandon Paasch and Tytlers Cycle Racing’s JD Beach with both riders crashing out in separate incidents.
With just Sunday’s race two left in the season, Herrin has an insurmountable points lead of 58 over Beaubier, 325-267. Fong is third with Kelly fourth and Baz fifth. Kelly leads Baz by just nine points, and Baz leads Petersen by just three points.
In the Superbike Cup, Danilo Lewis’ crash cost him the championship points lead with Yates now leading the Brazilian by 15 points going into tomorrow’s finale and the battle for the $25,000 winner’s check.
Quotes…
Josh Herrin – Winner
“At the beginning, it was getting hectic. Everybody was all over the place. I was just trying to be relaxed and calm, like I talked about. Like (Cameron) Beaubier did. Just trying to learn from that over the years and just be calm at the beginning, even when things aren’t going your way. I was able to do that today and then put my head down and start picking them away. I just felt so comfortable, and it looked like everybody else was so uncomfortable. When I was in the lead, I saw Bobby (Fong) behind me, and I just didn’t want to take any chances with him being there. So, I let him go by on the straight. I thought he was going by on the left, but he went by on the right. Then the last three laps I saw I had pace. So, I just wanted to get by with two to go and put my head down and see what I could, and we were able to get it done. I didn’t think this would ever happen. I thought I’d be finishing eighth or ninth today, for sure. I wanted to leave COTA by winning and win the championship by winning with Beaubier healthy there. I was able to do it today at a track that has never suited me on a Superbike. I believe this is my first Superbike win here when it wasn’t raining. It’s probably besides Barber the track that I have the least confidence at. So, for us to pull the win off here with the championship race is huge. To now have I think what should be a 62-point lead is crazy to me. Thank you to Loris (Baz) for honestly being the best teammate I’ve ever had, and for the team being the best team, and Joyce for always cooking us lunch and making sure that we’re taken care of, and Rachel for always taking care of crazy little Griffin whenever I’m at the races. I’m so happy that they were here to celebrate with us. Thank you to the whole Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati North America team. Ducati Corse, KYT helmets, Only Fans, Good Boy Vodka, GoPro, Alpinestars. The list goes on and on and on. Everybody that supports the team. Thank you so much. Thank you to MotoAmerica and everybody involved.”
Third Place – Loris Baz
“Well, at the beginning I was comfortable. I was trying to understand what were the grip conditions first time with the dry conditions. So, we went out, and, unfortunately, I had a bad start. I could see everyone struggling in entry a lot. Beaubier almost highsided, (Cameron) Petersen, (Xavi) Forés. I was like, ‘that’s something strange.’ I was trying to figure it out but then I wanted to be in the lead and try to not go too fast and too hard on the rear tire because I didn’t know what to expect from the tire life. That race went on quick, to be honest. Then I saw Josh (Herrin) coming by, and I was like, okay, now things change. I wanted to stay behind him and (Bobby) Fong, but Fong was really close to him. I was just trying not to think too much but at the same time thinking a lot. I could see him looking behind. I was like, ‘he’s just trying to think as much as me.’ But then four laps to the end, five laps to the end, I look behind and I never do that. I thought it was Beaubier, so I just tried. I know it’s not someone crazy that’s going to dive-bomb and make three guys crash, but I was like, let’s just try to give us a small gap to Fong so he doesn’t dive to go for Josh. The last few laps I pushed again just so I was not in a position to be attacked. I was not going to try anything crazy on Josh, to be honest. I’m so happy and so proud of him. I never thought I could be happy for a teammate winning a championship and kicking my ass like this all season, but I’m really happy and proud of him.”
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Petersen and Forés Score Top-10 Finishes at NJMP
Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Cameron Petersen and Xavi Forés finish sixth and eighth, respectively, in Race 1 of the MotoAmerica Superbike season finale
MARIETTA, Ga. – September 29, 2024 – Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Cameron Petersen finished sixth in MotoAmerica Superbike Race 1 at the New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP) in Millville, New Jersey. In his second round with the team as a fill-in rider for Jake Gagne, Xavi Forés finished eighth.
Ever-changing weather at the final round of the season presented challenges for the teams and riders as they worked to come to grips with the new surface at the 2.25-mile track. Petersen qualified fifth in Friday afternoon’s mixed conditions and then topped the timesheets in Saturday morning’s qualifying, but it was Friday’s times in better conditions that set the grid. The sun came out for Race 1, and the South African got a great start from the second row, slotting into second behind his teammate and then passing him shortly after. The duo battled for the top spot, with Petersen leading three of the first four laps. As the race progressed, he was shuffled to fifth but continued to battle as multiple riders jockeyed for position, ultimately crossing the line sixth.
Forés qualified sixth in the tricky conditions and lined up next to his teammate on the second row. In just his second outing with the team aboard the Superbike, the Spaniard got a flying start to grab the holeshot. Although Petersen passed him shortly after, Forés reclaimed the lead on the following lap going into Turn 1 and was back in the runner-up spot on Lap 3. He tried to maintain a podium position but ultimately was shuffled to fifth. Forés kept fighting for a top-five result and would cross the line eighth.
The Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing team lines up again this afternoon at NJMP for the final MotoAmerica Superbike race of the 2024 season.
Richard Stanboli – Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing Team Manager
“We didn’t get much dry time, and our setup from last year did not work for the new pavement and harder tires. We will recalibrate for tomorrow.”
Cameron Petersen – Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing #45
“It’s been a super crazy weekend so far. The weather has been intermittent, and you don’t really know what you’re going to get. It dried up for the race, and we went into it with no dry track time, so we just kind of went in there blind. I got a great start and was able to lead the first couple of laps. Unfortunately we ran into some rear grip issues that hindered us from going with the front guys. It was a little bit disappointing, but we finished the day strong. Tomorrow, we’ll go get these guys.”
Xavi Forés – Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing #34
“It was a fun day, to be honest, especially the first part of the race when Cam and I were leading. Unfortunately, we faced some issues with rear grip and didn’t have the pace to stay up front. Cam and I have been struggling with this all weekend, but overall, it has been a way better weekend than COTA (Circuit of The Americas). I feel more competitive on the bike and have a better understanding of the bike and what I need to do to be more consistent. We’ll make a few changes for tomorrow and hopefully be able to fight for the top five and be close to the podium.”
More, from a press release issued by Ducati:
Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati takes the first AMA Ducati Superbike title in 30 years
Sunnyvale, Calif., September 29, 2024 — Josh Herrin wrote a significant piece of Ducati racing history today by clinching the 2024 Steel Commander MotoAmerica Superbike Championship title at New Jersey Motorsports Park. And, what’s more, he did it from the top set of the podium.
Herrin’s win in race one came after an intense 18-lap battle with Bobby Fong and Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati teammate Loris Baz, Herrin working his way to the front in the final laps to record a 0.403s victory over Fong. Baz made it a double celebration for the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati team by taking the final podium position in third.
The result ensures Herrin has an unassailable 58-point lead heading into race two on Sunday, September 29, over Cameron Beaubier.
Herrin’s title is his fourth AMA national championship with the 2013 Superbike, 2016 Stock 1000, and 2022 Supersport victories, and his second title for the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati team. He now has the record for the longest time between his first and most recent Superbike title wins (11 years) thanks to his six race wins and 13 podiums in 2024, with nine of those podiums coming consecutively.
Herrin’s place in Ducati racing lore is now secure, having taken the company’s first AMA Supersport title in 2022 and its first Superbike crown in 30 years after the great Troy Corser triumphed in the 1994 AMA Superbike Championship on a Fast by Ferracci Ducati 888.
Loris Baz also should not be discounted from race one. The flying Frenchman took a tremendous pole position and led much of the race until Herrin and Fong passed at three-quarters race distance. Still, Baz held on for a celebratory third place, making it a double podium delight for the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati team.
2024 MotoAmerica New Jersey Motorsports Park Race One Results
1. Josh Herrin (Ducati)
2. Bobby Fong
3. Loris Baz (Ducati)
4. Cameron Beaubier
5. Richie Escalante
2024 MotoAmerica New Jersey Motorsports Championship points (after race one)
1. Josh Herrin (Ducati) 325
2. Cameron Beaubier 267
3. Bobby Fong 233
4. Sean Dylan Kelly 217
5. Loris Baz (Ducati) 208
Josh Herrin (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati–#2)
“The support I’ve got from everyone in this team, from Ducati North America, Ducati Corse, the DeNaples, Bobby Shek, how much effort they put in, and how tight we are as a unit, is really special,” Herrin said. “I’m not taking anything away from the teams I’ve been on in the past, but this group is really amazing.
“Without Ducati North America’s and Ducati Corse’s support, none of this would be possible. My crew chief, Simone, is amazing. We have great respect for each other. He’s been a huge part of my success over the last three years. Thank you to everyone who had anything to do with this project, and you can bet we’ll be back next year ready to go for another title.”
Loris Baz (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati–#76)
“A massive congratulations to Josh, that’s the day’s highlight,” Baz said. “We knew how big this weekend could be for the team, and I never thought I could be so happy for someone else who beat me!
“I have been learning a lot this year. That pole position means I’m back, but I need to improve my race pace more. I was here at the beginning of this project with the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati team, and I know what it means for everyone. I’m so happy and proud of everyone.
“On my side, we made a big step and greatly improved from Austin. It isn’t easy to run two Superbikes, but we’ve grown a lot since Austin. Thanks to everybody, and we’ll come back fighting for the final race tomorrow.”
Bobby Shek (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati Team Manager)
“It’s been such a great season,” Shek said. “In 2024, we’ve proven the Ducati has no bad tracks. Our worst rack traditionally was New Jersey, and now we’ve got two bikes on the podium and one on the top step, and I can’t wait to do it all again next year. Josh’s goal was to win the title from the top step, and he did that; it just shows what a champion he is.”
Jason Chinnock (Ducati North America CEO)
“Josh Herrin’s performance on the Panigale V4 R this season has been phenomenal, and his victory in the 2024 Steel Commander MotoAmerica Superbike Championship marks a historic moment for Ducati. It’s been 30 years since a Ducati rider earned the US national Superbike championship —a testament to the talent, dedication, and unwavering work ethic of Josh and the entire Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati team. It’s exceptionally special to have Eraldo Ferracci contribute to the team’s spirit as we claim the #1 plate for Ducati again.
“This championship isn’t just a victory for Josh but a significant milestone for Ducati. Joining the roster of previous Ducati Superbike Champions, like Troy Corser and Doug Polen is an achievement that ushers in a new chapter in American superbike racing for years to come. We couldn’t be prouder of Josh, the team, along with the support from Ducati Corse. This victory fuels our passion for racing and commitment to the growth of Ducati in the US.”
The final race of the 2024 Steel Commander MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at New Jersey Motorsports Park will go green at 3:10 p.m. EDT on Sunday, September 29.
Adrian Huertas (99) won World Supersport Race One at MotorLand Aragon. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Having started from pole position the opening race of the weekend for the Supersport class was a lights to flag victory for Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team). The Spaniard was under pressure throughout but with four laps to go he opened a margin of one second to his pursuers
The scrap for second was a three rider fight for much of the race as they battled with each other in the closing stages Huertas opened his lead. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team), second in the championship standings, started from the second row of the grid and ran in second position until two thirds distance when the battle for second intensified
That battle saw Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) and Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) move ahead of Montella. The fight between Manzi and Debise for second was only settled on the run to the line with Manzi edging his rival by one tenth of a second
Manzi will start from pole position for Race 2 ahead of Debise and Montella. Huertas will start from fourth position on the grid
Key Points:
Pole position: Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team)
Race 1 winner: Adrian Huertas
Race fastest lap: Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) 1’52.797
More on worldsbk.com
P1 | Adrian Huertas | Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team
“Race 1 was really good. I couldn’t ask for much more because we had incredible pace today. We worked hard as a team and I think we managed the race perfectly. I believe we have even more margin for tomorrow, so let’s keep pushing and keep winning! It’s incredible to have 10 wins this season, on the Ducati, with this team. I hope to get a good start tomorrow and be in the fight with the leading group”
Blake Davis won MotoAmerica Supersport Race One Saturday at New Jersey Motorsports Park, in Millville, New Jersey. Riding his N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto Yamaha YZF-R6 on Dunlop control tires, Davis won the five-lap restart by 0.049 second. It was the 18-year-old’s career-first Supersport win.
Corey Alexander was the runner-up on his Rahal Ducati Moto w/Roller Die + Forming Panigale V2.
PJ Jacobsen placed third on his Rahal Ducati Moto x/XPEL machine.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Tyler Scott took fourth.
And fifth place was enough for Strack Racing Yamaha’s Mathew Scholtz to clinch the 2024 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship.
Davis Nabs First Supersport Win, Scholtz Takes Championship
King Of The Baggers Title Chase Headed To Final Race Of The Year At New Jersey Motorsports Park With Herfoss Vs. Wyman
Corey Alexander (23) got the jump on the Supersport pack into turn one at NJMP on Saturday. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
MILLVILLE, NJ (September 28, 2024) – It was a bit of a numbers game in the second-to-last race of the 2024 Supersport Championship as Strack Racing’s Mathew Scholtz came into the weekend at New Jersey Motorsports Park with a 39-point lead over Rahal Ducati Moto’s PJ Jacobsen.
For Jacobsen, his mission was to win the race, which would yield him maximum points and possibly keep his title hopes alive till Sunday’s final race. N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto’s Blake Davis had other plans, and he was out to win the first MotoAmerica Supersport race of his young career.
With Davis starting 18th on the grid, he began a spirited march towards the front until a red flag stopped his progress. No matter, because, on the restart, the 18-year-old from Tennessee picked up right where he left off and put his Yamaha YZF-R6 in the lead.
With Jacobsen in second and not quite able to match Davis’ pace, Jacobsen’s teammate Corey Alexander took over second, relegating Jacobsen to third. Meanwhile, championship leader Scholtz was riding a controlled race and keeping himself in position to clinch the title.
At the checkered flag, it was Davis winning his first-career Supersport race with Alexander finishing as runner-up and Jacobsen completing the podium. Scholtz maintained fifth position all the way to the finish line, and that was enough for the 2017 MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 Champion to clinch his second MotoAmerica title, this time in Supersport.
“At first, when the red flag came out, I was a little disappointed,” said race winner Davis. “I just put in a lot of work. I came from 18th up to third. Once I realized I’d be starting from third and had a better shot at it, I was happy that these guys were going to be a lot closer to me and not the big gap that they had. I got one of my best starts of the season. I’ve struggled launching the R6 all year, so got up in front of Corey (Alexander). I thought I had a little bit better pace than I did after the red flag. I struggled with some rear grip, but I was able to do what I needed to do, put in some fast laps, and kind of just rode a little bit of defense on that last lap and was able to take the win.
“Tomorrow, I’m starting from 18th again. Hopefully, I’ll have even better pace than I did today and can maybe get a little bit closer to these guys, not expecting a red flag. I would like to thank N2, Yamaha, BobbleHeadMoto, KYT, Dainese, Sunstar, SBS, and everybody that helps me out. Shiloh and Chris. It’s been four years on their team, and it’s been amazing. Thank you a lot.”
For newly crowned Supersport Champion Scholtz, it was a feeling of relief.
“This race was weird for me,” Scholtz said. “I just didn’t have a good feeling from the first corner. I nearly highsided. Tipped into corner two and nearly highsided again, so I just did not have a good feeling. The first part of the race, PJ (Jacobsen) and Corey (Alexander) left me. I had nothing for them. Fifth place was probably the best I could have done today. I wasn’t riding around in fifth place because I was just chilling. I was riding as quick as I could. So, I definitely have to figure out something for tomorrow. But, overall, it’s just a big deal getting this championship. There’s been pressure the past couple of rounds and there’s been crashes and rain and red flags, and this and that. Now I’m just happy that I can go into Sunday’s race and just focus on going as quick as I can.”
Kyle Wyman (33) leads Troy Herfoss (17) and Rocco Landers (hidden) while Hayden Gillim (1) crashes in the background. Landers took the win over Herfoss and Wyman. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Mission King Of The Baggers – Herfoss’ Turn At The Top
S&S/Indian Motorcycle’s Troy Herfoss came into Saturday’s Mission King Of The Baggers Championship trailing Harley-Davidson Factory Racing’s Kyle Wyman by two points. After Saturday’s race, that points lead was flipped with Herfoss leading Wyman by two points. It was almost like Saturday didn’t happen.
Well, it certainly happened for RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson’s Rocco Landers with the 19-year-old controlling the race from the front and holding off a determined Herfoss by a scant .182 of a second to win his second race of the year and his seventh podium in a row.
For Herfoss the race was a success because he came out on top of Wyman, but the gap is just two points, and it will still come down to a winner-take-all (or a second-place-takes-all if Landers has anything to say about it) for the championship on Sunday.
Wyman finished third after missing the set-up on his Road Glide due to the fact that Saturday’s race was actually the first time the Baggers took to a dry racetrack.
Fourth place went to Herfoss’ teammate Tyler O’Hara with O’Hara hounding Wyman to the bitter end and coming up just .060 of a second.
Wyman’s teammate James Rispoli was fifth after coming out on top of a scrap with SDI/Roland Sands Racing/Indian Motorcycle’s Bobby Fong.
“My crew chief worked so hard, and we’ve got such a good base setup that we really don’t have to tweak the bike a whole lot,” Landers said. “So, once I went out, I felt like the track was definitely a bit green. I will say that. I felt worse than I did yesterday in qualifying, even though it was half wet, half dry. I don’t think I really went much faster in that race. But a lot of people will say I tend to over-ride and slide maybe a little bit too much, and normally I disagree but that race was sketchy as hell. I was sliding everywhere. I felt like I was kind of on the edge. So, we might need to make a few small tweaks, just to make the thing hook up a little better and give us that confidence on corner entry. With that being said, I’ve said it a million times, these guys are such an honor to race against. It was an honor at the beginning of the year. They gave me so much advice. They’ve helped me a lot and helped me grow as a rider. To be able to battle with them is so sick for me. I really enjoy it. It’s like a dream.”
Hayden Gillim (1) won the Stock 1000 race at New Jersey Motorsports Park on Saturday to extend his championship points lead heading into Sunday’s final race of the year. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Stock 1000 – Gillim In A Thriller ‘Em
You won’t see a much better two-rider fight with a championship on the line than the Stock 1000 race on Saturday at NJMP between Hayden Gillim and Jayson Uribe. It was one where it’s really not fair to have just one winner.
Gillim, the leader of the championship by seven points going into race one of the finale, grew that lead in the title chase to 12 points going into tomorrow’s finale. The Real Steel Motorsports-backed Kentuckian looked to have things in control early in the race, but Uribe and his OrangeCat Racing BMW M1000 RR had different ideas. Uribe turned it up mid-race and started to reel Gillim in.
With just a few laps to go, Gillim and his Honda CBR1000RR-R SP had a huge moment coming out of the last corner where he went up on the curb, hit a wet spot and somehow saved what looked to be a certain highside. Uribe made him pay for the mistake and moved into the lead.
But Gillim wasn’t done. He fought back and was on Uribe’s tail section on the final lap, ultimately making a pass in a spot where not many have tried – the inside of the final corner.
He crossed the line just .026 of a second ahead of Uribe. Tomorrow the title will be decided with Gillim leading Uribe by 12 points.
FLO4LAW Racing’s Benjamin Smith ended up a lonely third after knocking Jones Honda’s Ashton Yates off track. Yates ended up eighth and those two are now tied for third in the championship going into tomorrow’s finale.
Team Brazil’s Danilo Lewis and Visit Indiana/Tom Wood Powersports’ Nolan Lamkin rounded out the top five.
When asked how he made that last corner pass on Uribe, Gillim admitted, “I have no idea. The bridge had a little wet spot under it, and I was a little nervous going that low. Somehow made it stick. Unfortunately made myself have to work a little harder with the little almost get-off. That hurt the hand a little bit, but it’s good. I’m happy. The team’s happy. It’s incredible to be back up on the top with Steel Commander Honda, Comstock Energy. That was a tough race. Jason (Uribe) was riding really good.”
Avery Dreher (1) won Saturday’s Junior Cup race at NJMP. Dreher’s sister Ella (22) finished fourth. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Junior Cup – Dreher!
BARTCON Racing’s Matthew Chapin, who clinched the 2024 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship at the previous round at Circuit of The Americas, had plans to win Saturday’s Junior Cup race one. The only issue was his start. He left just a little before the light went out and was ultimately penalized five seconds.
Defending Junior Cup Champion Avery Dreher took the checkered flag first aboard his Bad Boys Racing Kawasaki, and Chapin was right behind Dreher. With the time penalty tacked on, Chapin still was credited with second place, and New York Safety Track Racing’s Yandel Medina finished third.
“This is as good as it gets,” Dreher said. “Going into the race, I didn’t know how good the grip was going to be because, to be honest, this was our first dry session. So, I just wanted to get out front and lead as much as I could. I tried to manage the pace. I was in the low 30s most of the time. I kept losing my brakes. I wasn’t sure what was going on, so I was just trying to be careful and stay in the low 30s to try to manage the pace up front. I’ve got to give a huge shout-out to John, Dale, my brother Brady, Darwin, and everyone out here who has supported me. I want to dedicate this one to my dad. I know he’s watching me from up above. This one was for him.”
More, from a press release issued by Rahal Ducati Moto:
NEW JERSEY MOTORSPORTS PARK RACE 1
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2024 | QUALIFYING 2 & RACE 1
With Qualifying 2 kickstarting the day, the riders solidified their starting positions for today’s Race 1 and tomorrow’s season finale. Corey Alexander led the team to take the green flag from the third position. PJ Jacobsen and Kayla Yaakov lined up just behind the front row, starting in fourth and fifth, respectively.
When the green flag flew, Alexander and Jacobsen saw their Ducati machines leap to the front and eventually take a six-second lead over the remainder of the field. Yaakov, struggling with grip issues, fell to eighth. With Jacobsen needing to win the race and championship leader Mathew Scholtz needing to finish sixth or below to keep the team’s championship hopes alive, the race was playing in the team’s favor until the red flag came out for a competitor who crashed on track.
Jacobsen took the restart from first place, with Alexander in second and Yaakov in eighth. Jacobsen quickly took the lead, but was passed by eventual race winner Blake Davis. Alexander ultimately finished second with Jacobsen rounding out the podium and solidifying second in the championship. Yaakov took home eighth.
With one final race remaining on the schedule, Rahal Ducati Moto looks to close out the team’s inaugural season the way it started – with a win. The crew will assess data tonight to give all three riders the best chance to step on the podium one final time in 2024.
Catch the action tomorrow with a morning warm-up session followed by Race 2 at 2:10 pm EST on MotoAmericaLivePlus.com and follow along on our social media with @RahalDucatiMoto for updates throughout the day.
COREY ALEXANDER
No. 23 ROLLER DIE + FORMING DUCATI PANIGALE V2
STARTED: 3rd
FINISHED: 2nd
CHAMPIONSHIP: 6th (160 pts)
WHAT HE’S SAYING: “I had to be very cautious if I was going to make a pass, knowing Mathew had to get sixth or better to win the championship, which seemed likely. I felt that I had a little bit of pace on PJ before the red flag, but I wasn’t going to make a move. I wanted to help him out as much as possible to get championship points. We got a great start after the red flag, and I saw PJ was struggling a bit with grip. I wasn’t going to risk it and make any moves, but I got a great run out of the last turn and drafted by him. Congrats to Mathew on getting the championship. He rode impressively all year. I didn’t expect him to jump off the Superbike and adjust to the 600, just like me – we are big guys. Nonetheless, I’m excited for tomorrow. Everyone can really take their gloves off and go for it.”
PJ JACOBSEN
No. 15 XPEL DUCATI PANIGALE V2
STARTED: 4th
FINISHED: 3rd
CHAMPIONSHIP: 2nd (306 pts)
WHAT HE’S SAYING: “The race was pretty hard today. I don’t understand why we’ve been struggling with grip. It was difficult to make my way to the front. I feel as though I had the same grip from the start of the red flag. The red flag messed things up, because I was in P1 and Corey was right behind me, but after the red flag I knew Blake Davis rider would end up being right there because he had similar lap times as us. It was a very difficult day for me, and it’s hard for me to be happy with the result, but we have one race left tomorrow. I’d like to win tomorrow on my XPEL Ducati and have a good close to the season for the team.”
KAYLA YAAKOV
No. 19 XPEL DUCATI PANIGALE V2
STARTED: 5th
FINISHED: 8th
CHAMPIONSHIP: 7th (142 pts)
WHAT SHE’S SAYING: “We qualified pretty well this morning, which was surprising to me. I was able to get on the second row, which was a goal of mine this weekend, so that was a positive. For the race, we lacked a bit – it’s unfortunate. Corey had struggled on Friday, possibly with with a bad tire, and we got pretty unlucky with the race. We did what we could with what we had, and I trust the bike under me and the guys on our team to fix the bike for me tomorrow. If we are able to get it to where we know we can, I feel like I have the pace to run up front like I know we can. I’m feeling happy and ready to go into the last race of the season. I’ll do the best that I can to try and get up front with the rest of these guys. ”
BEN SPIES
TEAM PRINCIPAL
WHAT HE’S SAYING: “It was a pretty decent race today. With Corey finishing second and PJ on the podium, we can’t complain about results. Kayla also rode a great race given some issues with grip that she was struggling through. It’s unfortunate for PJ that we couldn’t close out the championship, but congratulations to Mathew Scholtz, who rode great all year, on winning the title. We feel for our guys, and we wanted to win it, but that’s the way racing goes. Hopefully, we can make some changes to our bikes and find some speed for tomorrow. We’re going to get up there and try to get a win and get a podium sweep to end our season.”
Hayden Gillim won MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Race One Saturday at New Jersey Motorsports Park, in Millville, New Jersey.
Gillim, the defending Champion and current point leader, led from the first lap on his Real Steel Motorsports Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP. Meanwhile, Jayson Uribe, Gillim’s primary title rival, worked his way up from eighth on the grid to catch pole-sitter Gillim by lap 10 of 14.
On lap 11, Gillim ran out onto the wet exit curbing at the final corner and nearly crashed coming onto the front straightaway. Gillim saved the near-crash, but it allowed Uribe and his OrangeCat Racing BMW M 1000 RR to power into the lead.
Gillim was able to dig deep, catch back up to Uribe, and make a bold pass on the final lap to take the victory.
With the win, Gillim’s lead in the Championship points went from seven to 12, meaning he doesn’t have to beat Uribe in Race Two to claim the crown.
Uribe pushed to the end but came up 0.026 second short at the finish.
Benjamin Smith, riding his FLO4LAW Racing Yamaha, came back from contact with Ashton Yates and an off-track excursion to place third.
Danilo Lewis converted the holeshot into fourth place on his Team Brazil BMW.
Nolan Lamkin rounded out the top five finishers on his Visit Indiana/Tom Wood Powersports BMW.
Hayden Gillim won the MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers Challenge Race Saturday at New Jersey Motorsports Park, in Millville, New Jersey. Riding his RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Road Glide on Dunlop control tires, the defending Champion won the three-lap sprint by 0.054 second, earning the $5,000 winner-take-all prize for first place.
Even though he has the Championship on the line and the non-point-paying race was run in wet-but-drying conditions, S&S Indian’s Troy Herfoss pushed Gillim to the checkered flag but ended up second.
Gillim’s teammate Rocco Landers recovered from a poor start to finish third.
MotoAmerica and Daytona International Speedway (DIS) have reached a three-year agreement that will see MotoAmerica continue to promote the historic Daytona 200 through to the 2028 edition. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Editorial Note: According to MotoAmerica COO Chuck Aksland, the Daytona 200 will remain a non-point-paying race for Next Generation Supersport motorcycles using any brand of tire for the foreseeable future.
MotoAmerica And Daytona International Speedway Ink Three-Year Deal For Daytona 200
Multi-Year Deal Is Good News For Fans With The 83rd Daytona 200 Set For March 6-8, 2025
MILLVILLE, NJ (September 28, 2024) – MotoAmerica, North America’s premier motorcycle road racing series, and Daytona International Speedway are pleased to announce that the two entities have reached a three-year agreement that will see MotoAmerica continue to promote the historic Daytona 200 through to the 2028 edition.
The 83rd running of the “Great America Motorcycle Race” will be held March 6-8, 2025, with Josh Herrin attempting to win his fourth Daytona 200 after winning his third in 2024, which tied him with legends Dick Klamfoth, Brad Andres, Roger Reiman, Kenny Roberts and Mat Mladin.
MotoAmerica has successfully promoted the Daytona 200 since 2022.
“MotoAmerica is excited to extend our agreement with Daytona International Speedway, continuing our role in overseeing and operating the Daytona 200 for an additional three years,” said MotoAmerica COO Chuck Aksland. “Our partnership with the Speedway has grown stronger with each event, and we’ve seen tremendous success and momentum year after year. From day one, our focus has been to continue to grow the Daytona 200’s prestige, and it’s truly an honor to be part of its iconic history. Interest in the race continues to rise globally, with more riders, teams, and manufacturers eager to take on this one-of-a-kind challenge. We look forward to seeing everyone at Daytona in March.”
“The collaboration between MotoAmerica and Daytona International Speedway has elevated the Daytona 200 over the past three years, and we couldn’t be more excited to announce a three-year extension to the partnership,” said Daytona International Speedway President Frank Kelleher. “The Daytona 200 is one of the marquee events on our calendar and riders, fans, and partners from around the world travel to the World Center of Racing for the opportunity to be a part of an historic racing event. We’re proud to be such an instrumental part of the MotoAmerica schedule.”
The history of the Daytona 200 is unmatched in American road racing. It all began in 1937 with the 200 being held on a 3.2-mile beach course on the sand of Daytona Beach. In 1961, the raced moved to the high banks of the newly constructed Daytona International Speedway. The track, with its 31-degree banking, is unlike any other racecourse that MotoAmerica competes on, and the Daytona 200 is the only race in the series that features pit stops for fuel and tires.
The event has been won by many of the greats, including 15-time World Champion Giacomo Agostini, three-time World Champion Kenny Roberts, MotoAmerica President Wayne Rainey, 2006 MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden, and “Mr. Daytona” Scott Russell, the only rider to win five Daytona 200s.
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Accessibility Statement
www.roadracingworld.com
July 3, 2025
Compliance status
We firmly believe that the internet should be available and accessible to anyone, and are committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience,
regardless of circumstance and ability.
To fulfill this, we aim to adhere as strictly as possible to the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) at the AA level.
These guidelines explain how to make web content accessible to people with a wide array of disabilities. Complying with those guidelines helps us ensure that the website is accessible
to all people: blind people, people with motor impairments, visual impairment, cognitive disabilities, and more.
This website utilizes various technologies that are meant to make it as accessible as possible at all times. We utilize an accessibility interface that allows persons with specific
disabilities to adjust the website’s UI (user interface) and design it to their personal needs.
Additionally, the website utilizes an AI-based application that runs in the background and optimizes its accessibility level constantly. This application remediates the website’s HTML,
adapts Its functionality and behavior for screen-readers used by the blind users, and for keyboard functions used by individuals with motor impairments.
If you’ve found a malfunction or have ideas for improvement, we’ll be happy to hear from you. You can reach out to the website’s operators by using the following email
Screen-reader and keyboard navigation
Our website implements the ARIA attributes (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) technique, alongside various different behavioral changes, to ensure blind users visiting with
screen-readers are able to read, comprehend, and enjoy the website’s functions. As soon as a user with a screen-reader enters your site, they immediately receive
a prompt to enter the Screen-Reader Profile so they can browse and operate your site effectively. Here’s how our website covers some of the most important screen-reader requirements,
alongside console screenshots of code examples:
Screen-reader optimization: we run a background process that learns the website’s components from top to bottom, to ensure ongoing compliance even when updating the website.
In this process, we provide screen-readers with meaningful data using the ARIA set of attributes. For example, we provide accurate form labels;
descriptions for actionable icons (social media icons, search icons, cart icons, etc.); validation guidance for form inputs; element roles such as buttons, menus, modal dialogues (popups),
and others. Additionally, the background process scans all the website’s images and provides an accurate and meaningful image-object-recognition-based description as an ALT (alternate text) tag
for images that are not described. It will also extract texts that are embedded within the image, using an OCR (optical character recognition) technology.
To turn on screen-reader adjustments at any time, users need only to press the Alt+1 keyboard combination. Screen-reader users also get automatic announcements to turn the Screen-reader mode on
as soon as they enter the website.
These adjustments are compatible with all popular screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA.
Keyboard navigation optimization: The background process also adjusts the website’s HTML, and adds various behaviors using JavaScript code to make the website operable by the keyboard. This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys, operate dropdowns with the arrow keys, close them with Esc, trigger buttons and links using the Enter key, navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys, and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally, keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus, available at any time by clicking Alt+1, or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard. The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear, and not allow the focus drift outside it.
Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Disability profiles supported in our website
Epilepsy Safe Mode: this profile enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode: this mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode: this mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode: this mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode: this mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
Keyboard Navigation Profile (Motor-Impaired): this profile enables motor-impaired persons to operate the website using the keyboard Tab, Shift+Tab, and the Enter keys. Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Additional UI, design, and readability adjustments
Font adjustments – users, can increase and decrease its size, change its family (type), adjust the spacing, alignment, line height, and more.
Color adjustments – users can select various color contrast profiles such as light, dark, inverted, and monochrome. Additionally, users can swap color schemes of titles, texts, and backgrounds, with over seven different coloring options.
Animations – person with epilepsy can stop all running animations with the click of a button. Animations controlled by the interface include videos, GIFs, and CSS flashing transitions.
Content highlighting – users can choose to emphasize important elements such as links and titles. They can also choose to highlight focused or hovered elements only.
Audio muting – users with hearing devices may experience headaches or other issues due to automatic audio playing. This option lets users mute the entire website instantly.
Cognitive disorders – we utilize a search engine that is linked to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, allowing people with cognitive disorders to decipher meanings of phrases, initials, slang, and others.
Additional functions – we provide users the option to change cursor color and size, use a printing mode, enable a virtual keyboard, and many other functions.
Browser and assistive technology compatibility
We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers).
Notes, comments, and feedback
Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs. There may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to
