KurveyGirl.com brings you the results of this weekend’s events.
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World Supersport: Huertas Cracks Lap Record In Superpole Qualifying
WSS SP Qual
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Third pole for Huertas as red flag brings an early end to Superpole
Superpole Highlights
Mid-session spots of rain did little to deter Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) as the Spanish star claimed his third Superpole of the season with a lap record of 1’28.322
Until the final moments Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) had looked set to claim a second consecutive Superpole. The Italian ended the day just 0.063s slower than Huertas but his consistent pace will give him lots of confidence ahead of Race 1
Late crashes for Kaito Toba (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda), Piotr Biesiekirski (Ecosantagata Althea Racing Team) and Ondrej Vostatek (PTR Triumph) brought out the red flags at the end of the session and confirmed Huertas’ pole position with Stefan Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) claiming third position and the final spot on the front row of the grid
Tom Booth Amos (PTR Triumph) was the leading British rider. The 28 year old will start from Race 1 seventh position
More on worldsbk.com
P1 | Adrian Huertas | Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team
“This morning we had many problems, but in the end, the team worked hard to resolve all of them. I think it was a good lap time and it’s a good pole position for us because the morning was tough. The team worked a lot this morning and I want to dedicate this pole position to them. I don’t care too much about the pole position itself; what I care about is the feeling we had, that is the most important thing. The pole position is just for Saturday. The most important thing is that we have a good pace for the race, we feel really happy, and we have everything ready for tomorrow.”
MotoAmerica: Beaubier Back On Top In Superbike FP1 At Laguna
KurveyGirl.com brings you the results of this weekend’s events.
Cameron Beaubier was fastest in MotoAmerica Steel Commander Superbike Free Practice One (FP1) Friday morning at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, in Monterey, California. Riding his Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW M 1000 RR on Dunlop control tires, the five-time Champion lapped the undulating 2.2-mile track in 1:24.305.
Bobby Fong, the current Championship point leader, was second-best with a 1:24.506 on his Wrench Motorcycles Yamaha YZF-R1.
Josh Herrin, the current MotoAmerica Superbike lap record holder at Laguna Seca, was third with a 1:24.545 on his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R.
Cameron Petersen, a three-time race winner so far in 2024, was fourth-quickest at 1:24.766 on his Attack Performance/Progressive Yamaha.
Herrin’s teammate Loris Baz, who says Laguna Seca is one of his favorite tracks in the world, was fifth with a 1:24.862.
Remarkable rookie Sean Dylan Kelly completed the tightly packed top six with a 1:24.877 on his EasyHealthPlans.com/TopPro Racing BMW.
That’s just 0.572 second separating the top six riders.
Three-time and defending Champion Jake Gagne, Petersen’s teammate, was seventh with a 1:25.228.
Brandon Paasch was eighth with a 1:25.347 on his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R1000R.
Beaubier’s teammate JD Beach finished the session ninth with a lap time of 1:25.872.
Paasch’s teammate Xavi Fores rounded out the top 10 with a 1:26.513.
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WorldSBK: Razgatlioglu Rips During FP2 At Donington Park
Toprak Razgatlioglu led World Superbike Free Practice Two (FP2) Friday afternoon at Donington Park, in England. Riding his ROKiT BMW Motorrad M 1000 RR on spec Pirelli slicks, the Turkish racer covered the 2.5-mile (4.0 km) track in 1:26.013, topping the field of 23 riders.
As he was in Free Practice One (FP1), Danilo Petrucci was the best of the rest again with a 1:26.235 on his Barni Spark Racing Ducati in FP2.
Rookie sensation Nicolo Bulega was third-fastest with a time of 1:26.238 on his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R.
After posting the third-quickest time in FP1, American Garrett Gerloff slipped to 16th in FP2 with a 1:27.154 on his Bonovo Action BMW.
WSBK FP2
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Toprak tops the times on the opening day at Donington Park
Superbike Free Practice
After rain overnight the day started with damp patches around the 4.023km Donington Park started. Rain stayed away for the rest of the day and conditions improved throughout with lots of track action across multiple classes
Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) led the way in both sessions. His fastest time was 1’26.013 and the championship leader put little doubt on his status as the favourite for this weekend. An early save at the final corner in FP2 was the only time he seemed flustered throughout the course of 34 laps
Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) was second fastest in both sessions. The Italian continues to recover injuries sustained in a training crash in April but looked very comfortable today. Petrucci completed 32 laps today despite staying in his pit garage for the first 15 minutes of FP2
It was a difficult day for the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati pair of Nicolo Bulega and Alvaro Bautista who finished the day third and sixth fastest. Bautista crashed at Redgate while his teammate ran off the track on two occasions
Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) was the leading British rider at his home round. The Kawasaki rider ended the day 0.283s slower than Razgatlioglu
More on worldsbk.com
P1 | Toprak Razgatlioglu | ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team
“I was feeling very positive coming here because I remember last year I was losing time in some corners and sectors due to the bike setup. I love the engine braking with the BMW and it’s working well. The bike stops easily and turns efficiently. We are very strong, especially in the last sector, but I’m not feeling 100% confident in the last two corners. We are trying to improve there. In all sectors, we are strong, but I feel like I am losing in some areas. I need to improve in those areas and I think tomorrow we can ride better than today.”
P2 | Danilo Petrucci | Barni Spark Racing Team
“Today was good. It’s always good fun to ride on this track. It’s one of my favourite circuits. I especially like the first part of the lap because it’s so fast and exciting every time. After Misano, I spent two weeks resting and not using my right arm and shoulder because after the race the inflammation was very difficult. During the last two weeks we have worked on the shoulder but I couldn’t train properly. The situation is a little bit better compared to Misano, but I still lack a lot of power. It’s good to be here and to be fast.”
P4 | Alex Lowes | Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK
“It’s been quite a good day honestly. Last year when we came to Donington it was a brand new surface and the track was quite abrasive. I was pretty fast on both compounds of tyres. Donington Park is a great circuit and everybody loves it and the lap times are always really close. It’s not the longest lap so you’ve got to be on it and be consistent. The bike was working well and I enjoyed it, it’s great to see a good crowd here already on Friday and I’m looking forward to the weekend.”
MotoAmerica: Uribe Heads Stock 1000 FP1 At Laguna
MotoAmerica: Jacobsen Quickest In Supersport FP1 At Laguna
KurveyGirl.com brings you the results of this weekend’s events.
PJ Jacobsen topped MotoAmerica Supersport Free Practice One (FP1) Friday morning at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, in California. Riding his Rahal Ducati Moto w/XPEL Panigale V2 on Dunlop control tires, Jacobsen lapped the 2.2-mile course in 1:27.477 to lead the field of 39 entries.
Blake Davis was the best of the rest with a time of 1:27.727 on his N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto Yamaha YZF-R6.
Championship point leader Mathew Scholtz was third at 1:27.774 on his Strack Racing Yamaha.
Maxi Gerardo turned a fourth-fastest 1:28.409 on his EasyHealthPlans.com/TopPro Racing Suzuki GSX-R750.
David Anthony was fifth with a 1:28.479 on his Wrench Motorcycles Suzuki.
Tyler Scott filled out the top six with 1:28.554 on his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki.
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Australian Superbike: Allerton Leads Practice Friday At Morgan Park
FP1 + FP2 + FP3
More, from a press release issued by ASBK:
Allerton lights it up in Morgan Park Superbike practice
Veteran Glenn Allerton has produced a late burst of speed to set the fastest time in practice for round four of the 2024 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul (ASBK) at Morgan Park Raceway in Queensland.
The 43-year-old three-time Australian Superbike champion, who won his first title way back in 2011, turned back the clock as he set himself up for his most productive round of the season after being held back by injury in the early part of the year.
The Superbike cohort was joined on track today by the Michelin Supersport, Race and Road Supersport 300, ShopYamaha R3 Cup and bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup classes. And with times extremely tight across the board, the circuit’s rich tradition for producing hair-raising battles is set to continue into 2024.
Friday results: www.computime.com.au
With glorious weather forecast across the weekend, there will also be plenty of fun to keep the whole family entertained, including pit walks, ‘Mini Moto come and try’ sessions for the kids, the ASBK Trade Alley and autograph sessions with riders and ASBK ambassadors Garry McCoy, Chris Vermeulen and Steve Martin.
To purchase tickets for Morgan Park Raceway, click here. Tickets will also be available at the gate.
Alpinestars Superbike
Allerton made his way to the sharp end in qualifying after uncorking a 1m12.917sec in the final session.
The New South Welshman was the only rider to dip into the 12-second bracket around the 2.96km 12-turn circuit – the lap record is 1:12.251 – with the balance of the Superbike sharp-shooters all in the 13-second range, starting with Cru Halliday (Yamaha Racing Team) ahead of a resurgent Arthur Sissis (Stop and Seal Yamaha), Morgan Park lap record holder Mike Jones (Yamaha Racing Team), Broc Pearson (DesmoSport Ducati) and championship leader Josh Waters (McMartin Racing Ducati).
Anthony West (Addicted to Track Yamaha), Max Stauffer (Penrite Racing Yamaha), Bryan Staring (MotoGP Yamaha) and Cameron Dunker (Penrite Racing Yamaha) saw out the top 10 in the 18-rider field.
Halliday was fastest in the first two practice sessions, while former junior speedway star and Moto3 campaigner Sissis – who has a new lease of life after a mid-season team switch – threatened to upstage everyone before dropping back to third.
Final practice will be held on Saturday morning before afternoon qualifying and two 16-lap races on Sunday.
Michelin Supersport
There was a fair bit of carnage in the Michelin Supersport paddock at Morgan Park Raceway today, with a number of riders going down, a messy oil leak for last-start winner Archie McDonald (Yamaha) and a couple of red flags.
After three sessions, two-time Australian Supersport champion Tom Toparis Racing (Yamaha) was fastest, ahead of series leader Jonathan Nahlous (Yamaha), 2023 Morgan Park pole man Hayden Nelson (Kawasaki), 2023 Morgan Park race winner Olly Simpson (Yamaha), Jack Favelle (Yamaha) and Tom Bramich (Yamaha).
McDonald and Jake Farnsworth (Yamaha), who both went down today, were seventh and eighth.
The riders and teams will now regroup ahead of qualifying at 9:30am tomorrow.
Race and Road Supersport 300 and ShopYamaha R3 Cup
It was a case of catch me if you can for Valentino Knezovic (Yamaha) in Race and Road Supersport 300 practice, as he led every session to take a heap of confidence into the business end of the round.
Knezovic is part of a runaway trip in the championship, just behind Kawasaki duo Josh Newman and Harrison Watts. But today it was New Zealander Jesse Stroud (Yamaha) who was the second fastest as his 2024 ASBK Championship baptism of fire continues: learning new circuits at every round!
Casey Middleton (Yamaha) was third fastest, with Will Nassif (Yamaha), Watts and Newman next.
Knezovic also dazzled in ShopYamaha R3 Cup practice, as the series makes its first ASBK appearance for the year. Nassif, Stroud and Jordan Simpson (Yamaha) were next.
Qualifying is tomorrow for both classes, followed by the first of three races.
bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup
It was a Hunter – Charlett and Corney – benefit in practice for the Yamaha YZF-R15 juniors, followed by Rossi McAdam and Ethan Johnson.
Charlett was clearly the fastest – by nearly a second – but the pressure gauge will ramp up tomorrow as the stars of tomorrow give it their all.
MotoAmerica: O’Hara Tops Super Hooligan FP1 At Laguna
KurveyGirl.com brings you the results of this weekend’s events.
Tyler O’Hara was quickest in MotoAmerica RSD Mission Super Hooligan Free Practice One (FP1) Friday morning at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Riding his S&S Indian FTR on Dunlop control tires, the defending Champion lapped the historic 2.2-mile road course in 1:30.689 to lead the field of 32 entries.
Cory West was second-best with a 1:31.452 on his Team Saddlemen Harley-Davidson Pan America, and Cody Wyman was third at 1:31.475 on his KWR Harley-Davidson Pan America.
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MotoAmerica: Larry Pegram Racing In Supersport At Laguna Seca
Editorial Note: During recent one-off rides, Larry Pegram, 51, finished fourth in Super Hooligan Race Two at COTA in 2023, fourth in Super Hooligan Race Two at Laguna Seca in 2023, and fifth in Superbike Race Two at Road America in 2022.
EasyHealthPlans.com/Top Pro Racing, already the largest race team in the MotoAmerica paddock, has added one more rider for the Superbike Speedfest at Monterey. Veteran rider Larry Pegram is a wild card entry, and will be aboard the #172 Suzuki GSX-R750 this weekend. The announcement was made by Alex Arango, team owner of TopPro Racing.
Pegram joins Maximiliano Gerardo in Supersport, and the team also includes Steel Commander Superbike riders Sean Dylan Kelly, Arango, and team co-owner Agustin Sierra. Along with Superbike, Arango and Sierra also compete in MotoAmerica’s Stock 1000 class.
“We are happy to have Larry riding with us this weekend,” Arango said. “We are looking forward to what we can learn from someone with so many years in the paddock and with so much experience around a motorcycle. Having Larry aboard one of our Suzuki GSX-R750 Supersport bikes is an honor for us, and we’re proud to have a team of five riders representing our sponsors and us at this round.”
“I just want to have fun and see all my old friends,” commented Pegram. “I love racing, and I especially love racing at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. I’m thankful to have this opportunity with Alex, Agustin, and TopPro Racing.”
Last year, Pegram was a wild card rider at both WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and Circuit of The Americas in the Mission Super Hooligan National Championship. In recent years, he also raced in Stock 1000 a couple of times at Road America.
For the full 2024 MotoAmerica schedule and to purchase tickets for MotoAmerica events, click HERE
For information on how to watch the MotoAmerica series, click HERE
American Honda Adds Real-Time Dealer-Inventory Search To Website
Honda Enhances Real-Time Dealership-Inventory Website Feature
- Feature enables quick, transparent access to dealer inventory
In a move aimed at improving the shopping experience for retail powersports customers, Honda has enhanced the real-time dealership-inventory feature on its consumer site, enabling shoppers to quickly and easily determine where they can purchase new models. Now, when researching a specific motorcycle, ATV or side-by-side at powersports.honda.com, customers can instantaneously check which nearby dealers have that particular model in stock. They can then request additional information, or simply visit the dealer in person.
Using the enhanced real-time dealer-inventory feature is easy. From any model page at powersports.honda.com, customers can simply click on the “Search Inventory” button, which links to a list of nearby dealers who have the model in stock. The dealer’s name, address and phone number are all provided, along with the driving distance. There’s also an option to email the dealer via a form.
“We all know the feeling of excitement that comes with deciding upon an important purchase like a brand-new powersports vehicle,” said John Stevens, Director of Powersports Operations at American Honda. “At those moments, it’s important for customers to be able to quickly and conveniently take the next step. The enhanced real-time dealership-inventory feature on Honda’s consumer website makes shopping hassle-free and transparent, by seamlessly connecting two of American Honda’s most important assets: our customers and our dealers. We’re pleased to support both with this improved feature.”
MotoAmerica: Kyle Wyman Tops Baggers FP1 At Laguna
World Supersport: Huertas Cracks Lap Record In Superpole Qualifying
WSS SP Qual
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Third pole for Huertas as red flag brings an early end to Superpole
Superpole Highlights
Mid-session spots of rain did little to deter Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) as the Spanish star claimed his third Superpole of the season with a lap record of 1’28.322
Until the final moments Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) had looked set to claim a second consecutive Superpole. The Italian ended the day just 0.063s slower than Huertas but his consistent pace will give him lots of confidence ahead of Race 1
Late crashes for Kaito Toba (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda), Piotr Biesiekirski (Ecosantagata Althea Racing Team) and Ondrej Vostatek (PTR Triumph) brought out the red flags at the end of the session and confirmed Huertas’ pole position with Stefan Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) claiming third position and the final spot on the front row of the grid
Tom Booth Amos (PTR Triumph) was the leading British rider. The 28 year old will start from Race 1 seventh position
More on worldsbk.com
P1 | Adrian Huertas | Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team
“This morning we had many problems, but in the end, the team worked hard to resolve all of them. I think it was a good lap time and it’s a good pole position for us because the morning was tough. The team worked a lot this morning and I want to dedicate this pole position to them. I don’t care too much about the pole position itself; what I care about is the feeling we had, that is the most important thing. The pole position is just for Saturday. The most important thing is that we have a good pace for the race, we feel really happy, and we have everything ready for tomorrow.”
MotoAmerica: Beaubier Back On Top In Superbike FP1 At Laguna
KurveyGirl.com brings you the results of this weekend’s events.
Cameron Beaubier was fastest in MotoAmerica Steel Commander Superbike Free Practice One (FP1) Friday morning at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, in Monterey, California. Riding his Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW M 1000 RR on Dunlop control tires, the five-time Champion lapped the undulating 2.2-mile track in 1:24.305.
Bobby Fong, the current Championship point leader, was second-best with a 1:24.506 on his Wrench Motorcycles Yamaha YZF-R1.
Josh Herrin, the current MotoAmerica Superbike lap record holder at Laguna Seca, was third with a 1:24.545 on his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R.
Cameron Petersen, a three-time race winner so far in 2024, was fourth-quickest at 1:24.766 on his Attack Performance/Progressive Yamaha.
Herrin’s teammate Loris Baz, who says Laguna Seca is one of his favorite tracks in the world, was fifth with a 1:24.862.
Remarkable rookie Sean Dylan Kelly completed the tightly packed top six with a 1:24.877 on his EasyHealthPlans.com/TopPro Racing BMW.
That’s just 0.572 second separating the top six riders.
Three-time and defending Champion Jake Gagne, Petersen’s teammate, was seventh with a 1:25.228.
Brandon Paasch was eighth with a 1:25.347 on his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R1000R.
Beaubier’s teammate JD Beach finished the session ninth with a lap time of 1:25.872.
Paasch’s teammate Xavi Fores rounded out the top 10 with a 1:26.513.
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WorldSBK: Razgatlioglu Rips During FP2 At Donington Park
Toprak Razgatlioglu led World Superbike Free Practice Two (FP2) Friday afternoon at Donington Park, in England. Riding his ROKiT BMW Motorrad M 1000 RR on spec Pirelli slicks, the Turkish racer covered the 2.5-mile (4.0 km) track in 1:26.013, topping the field of 23 riders.
As he was in Free Practice One (FP1), Danilo Petrucci was the best of the rest again with a 1:26.235 on his Barni Spark Racing Ducati in FP2.
Rookie sensation Nicolo Bulega was third-fastest with a time of 1:26.238 on his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R.
After posting the third-quickest time in FP1, American Garrett Gerloff slipped to 16th in FP2 with a 1:27.154 on his Bonovo Action BMW.
WSBK FP2
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Toprak tops the times on the opening day at Donington Park
Superbike Free Practice
After rain overnight the day started with damp patches around the 4.023km Donington Park started. Rain stayed away for the rest of the day and conditions improved throughout with lots of track action across multiple classes
Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) led the way in both sessions. His fastest time was 1’26.013 and the championship leader put little doubt on his status as the favourite for this weekend. An early save at the final corner in FP2 was the only time he seemed flustered throughout the course of 34 laps
Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) was second fastest in both sessions. The Italian continues to recover injuries sustained in a training crash in April but looked very comfortable today. Petrucci completed 32 laps today despite staying in his pit garage for the first 15 minutes of FP2
It was a difficult day for the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati pair of Nicolo Bulega and Alvaro Bautista who finished the day third and sixth fastest. Bautista crashed at Redgate while his teammate ran off the track on two occasions
Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) was the leading British rider at his home round. The Kawasaki rider ended the day 0.283s slower than Razgatlioglu
More on worldsbk.com
P1 | Toprak Razgatlioglu | ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team
“I was feeling very positive coming here because I remember last year I was losing time in some corners and sectors due to the bike setup. I love the engine braking with the BMW and it’s working well. The bike stops easily and turns efficiently. We are very strong, especially in the last sector, but I’m not feeling 100% confident in the last two corners. We are trying to improve there. In all sectors, we are strong, but I feel like I am losing in some areas. I need to improve in those areas and I think tomorrow we can ride better than today.”
P2 | Danilo Petrucci | Barni Spark Racing Team
“Today was good. It’s always good fun to ride on this track. It’s one of my favourite circuits. I especially like the first part of the lap because it’s so fast and exciting every time. After Misano, I spent two weeks resting and not using my right arm and shoulder because after the race the inflammation was very difficult. During the last two weeks we have worked on the shoulder but I couldn’t train properly. The situation is a little bit better compared to Misano, but I still lack a lot of power. It’s good to be here and to be fast.”
P4 | Alex Lowes | Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK
“It’s been quite a good day honestly. Last year when we came to Donington it was a brand new surface and the track was quite abrasive. I was pretty fast on both compounds of tyres. Donington Park is a great circuit and everybody loves it and the lap times are always really close. It’s not the longest lap so you’ve got to be on it and be consistent. The bike was working well and I enjoyed it, it’s great to see a good crowd here already on Friday and I’m looking forward to the weekend.”
MotoAmerica: Uribe Heads Stock 1000 FP1 At Laguna
MotoAmerica: Jacobsen Quickest In Supersport FP1 At Laguna
KurveyGirl.com brings you the results of this weekend’s events.
PJ Jacobsen topped MotoAmerica Supersport Free Practice One (FP1) Friday morning at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, in California. Riding his Rahal Ducati Moto w/XPEL Panigale V2 on Dunlop control tires, Jacobsen lapped the 2.2-mile course in 1:27.477 to lead the field of 39 entries.
Blake Davis was the best of the rest with a time of 1:27.727 on his N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto Yamaha YZF-R6.
Championship point leader Mathew Scholtz was third at 1:27.774 on his Strack Racing Yamaha.
Maxi Gerardo turned a fourth-fastest 1:28.409 on his EasyHealthPlans.com/TopPro Racing Suzuki GSX-R750.
David Anthony was fifth with a 1:28.479 on his Wrench Motorcycles Suzuki.
Tyler Scott filled out the top six with 1:28.554 on his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki.
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Australian Superbike: Allerton Leads Practice Friday At Morgan Park
FP1 + FP2 + FP3
More, from a press release issued by ASBK:
Allerton lights it up in Morgan Park Superbike practice
Veteran Glenn Allerton has produced a late burst of speed to set the fastest time in practice for round four of the 2024 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul (ASBK) at Morgan Park Raceway in Queensland.
The 43-year-old three-time Australian Superbike champion, who won his first title way back in 2011, turned back the clock as he set himself up for his most productive round of the season after being held back by injury in the early part of the year.
The Superbike cohort was joined on track today by the Michelin Supersport, Race and Road Supersport 300, ShopYamaha R3 Cup and bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup classes. And with times extremely tight across the board, the circuit’s rich tradition for producing hair-raising battles is set to continue into 2024.
Friday results: www.computime.com.au
With glorious weather forecast across the weekend, there will also be plenty of fun to keep the whole family entertained, including pit walks, ‘Mini Moto come and try’ sessions for the kids, the ASBK Trade Alley and autograph sessions with riders and ASBK ambassadors Garry McCoy, Chris Vermeulen and Steve Martin.
To purchase tickets for Morgan Park Raceway, click here. Tickets will also be available at the gate.
Alpinestars Superbike
Allerton made his way to the sharp end in qualifying after uncorking a 1m12.917sec in the final session.
The New South Welshman was the only rider to dip into the 12-second bracket around the 2.96km 12-turn circuit – the lap record is 1:12.251 – with the balance of the Superbike sharp-shooters all in the 13-second range, starting with Cru Halliday (Yamaha Racing Team) ahead of a resurgent Arthur Sissis (Stop and Seal Yamaha), Morgan Park lap record holder Mike Jones (Yamaha Racing Team), Broc Pearson (DesmoSport Ducati) and championship leader Josh Waters (McMartin Racing Ducati).
Anthony West (Addicted to Track Yamaha), Max Stauffer (Penrite Racing Yamaha), Bryan Staring (MotoGP Yamaha) and Cameron Dunker (Penrite Racing Yamaha) saw out the top 10 in the 18-rider field.
Halliday was fastest in the first two practice sessions, while former junior speedway star and Moto3 campaigner Sissis – who has a new lease of life after a mid-season team switch – threatened to upstage everyone before dropping back to third.
Final practice will be held on Saturday morning before afternoon qualifying and two 16-lap races on Sunday.
Michelin Supersport
There was a fair bit of carnage in the Michelin Supersport paddock at Morgan Park Raceway today, with a number of riders going down, a messy oil leak for last-start winner Archie McDonald (Yamaha) and a couple of red flags.
After three sessions, two-time Australian Supersport champion Tom Toparis Racing (Yamaha) was fastest, ahead of series leader Jonathan Nahlous (Yamaha), 2023 Morgan Park pole man Hayden Nelson (Kawasaki), 2023 Morgan Park race winner Olly Simpson (Yamaha), Jack Favelle (Yamaha) and Tom Bramich (Yamaha).
McDonald and Jake Farnsworth (Yamaha), who both went down today, were seventh and eighth.
The riders and teams will now regroup ahead of qualifying at 9:30am tomorrow.
Race and Road Supersport 300 and ShopYamaha R3 Cup
It was a case of catch me if you can for Valentino Knezovic (Yamaha) in Race and Road Supersport 300 practice, as he led every session to take a heap of confidence into the business end of the round.
Knezovic is part of a runaway trip in the championship, just behind Kawasaki duo Josh Newman and Harrison Watts. But today it was New Zealander Jesse Stroud (Yamaha) who was the second fastest as his 2024 ASBK Championship baptism of fire continues: learning new circuits at every round!
Casey Middleton (Yamaha) was third fastest, with Will Nassif (Yamaha), Watts and Newman next.
Knezovic also dazzled in ShopYamaha R3 Cup practice, as the series makes its first ASBK appearance for the year. Nassif, Stroud and Jordan Simpson (Yamaha) were next.
Qualifying is tomorrow for both classes, followed by the first of three races.
bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup
It was a Hunter – Charlett and Corney – benefit in practice for the Yamaha YZF-R15 juniors, followed by Rossi McAdam and Ethan Johnson.
Charlett was clearly the fastest – by nearly a second – but the pressure gauge will ramp up tomorrow as the stars of tomorrow give it their all.
MotoAmerica: O’Hara Tops Super Hooligan FP1 At Laguna
KurveyGirl.com brings you the results of this weekend’s events.
Tyler O’Hara was quickest in MotoAmerica RSD Mission Super Hooligan Free Practice One (FP1) Friday morning at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Riding his S&S Indian FTR on Dunlop control tires, the defending Champion lapped the historic 2.2-mile road course in 1:30.689 to lead the field of 32 entries.
Cory West was second-best with a 1:31.452 on his Team Saddlemen Harley-Davidson Pan America, and Cody Wyman was third at 1:31.475 on his KWR Harley-Davidson Pan America.
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MotoAmerica: Larry Pegram Racing In Supersport At Laguna Seca
Editorial Note: During recent one-off rides, Larry Pegram, 51, finished fourth in Super Hooligan Race Two at COTA in 2023, fourth in Super Hooligan Race Two at Laguna Seca in 2023, and fifth in Superbike Race Two at Road America in 2022.
EasyHealthPlans.com/Top Pro Racing, already the largest race team in the MotoAmerica paddock, has added one more rider for the Superbike Speedfest at Monterey. Veteran rider Larry Pegram is a wild card entry, and will be aboard the #172 Suzuki GSX-R750 this weekend. The announcement was made by Alex Arango, team owner of TopPro Racing.
Pegram joins Maximiliano Gerardo in Supersport, and the team also includes Steel Commander Superbike riders Sean Dylan Kelly, Arango, and team co-owner Agustin Sierra. Along with Superbike, Arango and Sierra also compete in MotoAmerica’s Stock 1000 class.
“We are happy to have Larry riding with us this weekend,” Arango said. “We are looking forward to what we can learn from someone with so many years in the paddock and with so much experience around a motorcycle. Having Larry aboard one of our Suzuki GSX-R750 Supersport bikes is an honor for us, and we’re proud to have a team of five riders representing our sponsors and us at this round.”
“I just want to have fun and see all my old friends,” commented Pegram. “I love racing, and I especially love racing at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. I’m thankful to have this opportunity with Alex, Agustin, and TopPro Racing.”
Last year, Pegram was a wild card rider at both WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and Circuit of The Americas in the Mission Super Hooligan National Championship. In recent years, he also raced in Stock 1000 a couple of times at Road America.
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American Honda Adds Real-Time Dealer-Inventory Search To Website
Honda Enhances Real-Time Dealership-Inventory Website Feature
- Feature enables quick, transparent access to dealer inventory
In a move aimed at improving the shopping experience for retail powersports customers, Honda has enhanced the real-time dealership-inventory feature on its consumer site, enabling shoppers to quickly and easily determine where they can purchase new models. Now, when researching a specific motorcycle, ATV or side-by-side at powersports.honda.com, customers can instantaneously check which nearby dealers have that particular model in stock. They can then request additional information, or simply visit the dealer in person.
Using the enhanced real-time dealer-inventory feature is easy. From any model page at powersports.honda.com, customers can simply click on the “Search Inventory” button, which links to a list of nearby dealers who have the model in stock. The dealer’s name, address and phone number are all provided, along with the driving distance. There’s also an option to email the dealer via a form.
“We all know the feeling of excitement that comes with deciding upon an important purchase like a brand-new powersports vehicle,” said John Stevens, Director of Powersports Operations at American Honda. “At those moments, it’s important for customers to be able to quickly and conveniently take the next step. The enhanced real-time dealership-inventory feature on Honda’s consumer website makes shopping hassle-free and transparent, by seamlessly connecting two of American Honda’s most important assets: our customers and our dealers. We’re pleased to support both with this improved feature.”