Screamin’ Eagle Harley-Davidson’s Kyle Wyman took a convincing victory in MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers Race One Saturday at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
Defending Champion Tyler O’Hara held off several riders to score second on his Progressive Insurance/Mission Foods Indian Challenger.
Vance & Hines/Mission Harley-Davidson rider Hayden Gillim passed Bobby Fong on the final lap to take third.
Fong ended up fourth on his Sac Mile/SDI Racing/Roland Sands Design Indian Challenger.
Gillim’s teammate James Rispoli, the Championship point leader coming into the event, was a close fifth on his Road Glide.
Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW’s Cameron Beaubier took a significant victory in MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Race One Saturday at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
It was Beaubier’s 55th career Superbike race win, the 76th overall AMA/MotoAmerica race win of his career, and most importantly it was BMW’s first AMA/MotoAmerica Superbike race win since Harry Klinzmann won on his BMW at Loudon in 1978, according to racing historian Larry Lawrence.
Beaubier took the lead from two-time and defending MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Jake Gagne and his Progressive Fresh N Lean Yamaha YZF-R1 on lap seven and held on to win by 0.340 second.
Josh Herrin rode his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC Panigale V4 R to an impressive third-place finish just ahead of Gagne’s teammate Cameron Petersen (fourth) and Westby Racing Yamaha’s Mathew Scholtz (fifth).
Beaubier Wins In MotoAmerica Comeback Ride At Road Atlanta
Five-Time Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier Beats Defending Champion Jake Gagne In Thrilling Series Opener
Jake Gagne (1) leads Mathew Scholtz (11), Cameron Beaubier (6), Cameron Petersen (45) and the rest of the Medallia Superbike pack on Saturday at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
BRASELTON, GA (April 22, 2023) – Cameron Beaubier picked up where he left off three years ago today at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta with the five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion winning the first race of his comeback season in a straight fight with two-time and defending champion Jake Gagne.
Beaubier’s .340-of-a-second victory over Gagne marked the 55th AMA Superbike win of his career and his first on the Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW M 1000 RR. It was Beaubier’s first MotoAmerica race since his championship-winning 2020 season and his two years of competing in the Moto2 World Championship. Beaubier’s win was also the first in the Superbike class for the Tytlers team and the first AMA Superbike win for BMW in 45 years, dating back to Harry Klinzmann’s victory in 1978 at Bryar Motorsports Park in New Hampshire.
When Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha’s Gagne threw down his usual blindingly fast opening two laps and pulled a gap on the pack, which was led by Beaubier, it looked to be a case of déjà vu from the past two years: Gagne gets great start, Gagne pulls away, Gagne wins. But Beaubier had other ideas and he put his head down and went after his former teammate, closing the gap until catching and passing Gagne on the seventh of 19 laps.
From there the two ran in formation with Beaubier leading and Gagne tucked in behind and the battle went to the finish with five-time champ Beaubier beating two-time champ Gagne to the finish line by a scant .340 of a second.
Cameron Beaubier (6) passed Jake Gagne (1) on the seventh lap and went on to win his first MotoAmerica race since 2020 in what was his comeback ride in the series after spending two years in the Moto2 World Championship. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Behind them came a race-long battle between Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati’s Josh Herrin, in his Superbike debut for the team, and Gagne’s teammate Cameron Petersen – the South African returning to action after his horrific qualifying crash from Friday afternoon. Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz was also in the fight early on before eventually finishing fifth, 1.7 seconds behind Petersen, who was beaten to the line by Herrin by .206 of a second. The pair fighting for third actually closed in on the Beaubier/Gagne duel in the final laps with Herrin just 1.9 seconds behind Beaubier at the end of 19 laps.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante was sixth, some nine seconds ahead of his teammate Toni Elias in what was the Spaniard’s first race in over a year.
Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Corey Alexander was eighth with Wrench Motorcycles’ David Anthony and Disrupt Racing’s Hayden Gillim rounding out the top 10 finishers.
Josh Herrin (2) battled and beat Cameron Petersen (45) and Mathew Scholtz (11) to finish third in his first race on the Ducati Panigale V4 R. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Three riders failed to finish the race, including Tytlers Cycle Racing’s PJ Jacobsen who crashed early in the race. Aftercare Scheibe Racing’s Ashton Yates, meanwhile, failed to start the race after encountering mechanical problems with the team’s BMW.
Superbike Race One
Cameron Beaubier (BMW)
Jake Gagne (Yamaha)
Josh Herrin (Ducati)
Cameron Petersen (Yamaha)
Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha)
Richie Escalante (Suzuki)
Toni Elias (Suzuki)
Corey Alexander (BMW)
David Anthony (Yamaha)
Hayden Gillim (Suzuki)
Superbike Quotes…
Cameron Beaubier – Winner
“When I saw Jake (Gagne) riding away at the beginning, I was like, ‘Oh, man. It’s going to be a long race.’ I knew the guys behind us weren’t far off in practice and qualifying. Then I just kept my head down, kept pushing, kept pushing. Jake started coming back to me slowly. Honestly, the Tytlers’ BMW works really, really good on fresh rubber. I was just trying to utilize the strengths of the bike once I was able to get by Jake. That’s the power down the straightaway, and it brakes really good. It’s stable on the brakes. I was trying to do my best, but I was struggling so bad with grip there the second half of the race. I was doing everything I could just to keep Jake behind me. I was coming down the front straightaway and I was looking at Jake’s board and I saw the gap shrinking. I was like, ‘Man.’ I didn’t have anything left. I was riding as hard as I could. Same thing with me. I was pumping up a little bit in the first section. This place is a freaking handful on a big bike. But it feels so good to get this first win for Tytlers BMW. All those guys have been working so hard, sunup to sundown in Florida building the bikes, getting us ready to race for the season. Like I said, we didn’t know what to expect coming in, but at the same time, we’ve got to keep our feet on the ground. I know how good this guy is (Gagne). He’s incredible. He’s been stomping everyone the last couple years, and us all weekend until it came race time. I know his level. Just going to keep doing our thing. Hopefully, get some more grip out of this thing over race distance and just keep our heads down.”
Jake Gagne – Second
“No doubt. It was different,” Gagne said. “My first couple laps were hot. I saw my gap growing a bit, and then I knew it wasn’t going to last long. It was just fun. I don’t know Cam (Beaubier), maybe six or seven laps in, I think he came by me. Then I was like, ‘All right, I’ll sit here and chill out and see what he’s doing.’ Right then, I saw my gap and it was like four seconds and then all of a sudden it was dropping and dropping and dropping. Hats off to Josh (Herrin). I wasn’t sure who was behind me. I thought maybe it was my teammate or Matty (Scholtz). So, he stepped it up big. Just goes to show, you never know what’s going to happen come race time. But this Yamaha was really, really working good. I was struggling big time after a few of those laps. But I’m happy. We got some points and finished the first race, which hasn’t happened in these last two years. We got to take the positives. The bike is good. I’ve just got to figure some of my stuff out.”
Josh Herrin – Third
“I’m ecstatic. Like I said on the podium, we got this bike a week and a half ago. It’s not like it’s a completely different motorcycle than last year, but there’s a lot of different things and I only got to ride that bike one day before we got this bike. I came into this race with the mindset of let’s set some goals, let’s try to get the podium, then let’s try to get a second and then we’ll worry about getting wins, just because Jake (Gagne) is so fast. I think that really changed my attitude going into the race. Roger Hayden is somebody I’ve been working with this year, and we talked about it a lot yesterday. I think it was a good move, and I feel good. So right now, I’m happy to be here, especially because at the end of the race, we were able to close the gap by I don’t know how many seconds, but what I was seeing was them go through the kink on the back straight as I was coming over the hill in the back. Then by the end of the race they were maybe two seconds ahead of me. So, I’m pumped on that. The Ducati is like the V2 was last year. It just maintained the pace the entire race and didn’t drop off. Obviously, there’s faster laps being done at the beginning of the race than I was doing, so I need to take that into consideration, but I’m happy to at least know that the bike is consistent on tires, like the one last year was. Just got to put our heads down and keep working and hopefully we can get closer to these guys. If you had asked me yesterday, when I talked to you, I was really nervous about even getting a top five. So, that was not a gimme race. We earned it. Just got to give a big hats off to the entire team. Hats off to all of Ducati Corse for all the support that they give us. Huge thanks to Paolo Ciabatti and everybody for believing in us and believing in me and allowing me to race this bike this year. Thank you to all the DeNaples family and Bobby (Shek) for believing in me also. Hats off to Jake and Cam on his first one back. I know it probably feels good to get it, especially on a bike that hasn’t won. I’m happy and motivated for tomorrow.”
More, from a press release issued by Westby Racing:
Scholtz Finishes Fifth In MotoAmerica Superbike Race One At Road Atlanta
Josh Herrin (2), Mathew Scholtz (11), and Cameron Petersen (45) battle during Superbike Race One. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Westby Racing.
Braselton, GA – April 22, 2023 – Mathew Scholtz and his Westby Racing team came into the opening round of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship with a well-tested Yamaha YZF-R1 and some upgrades to the bike’s electronics, engine, and suspension.
Mathew qualified fourth on the grid, got off to a good start and was in third place after the first lap. He lost a position on lap two, then one more position on lap three and stabilized in fifth place for the remainder of the 19-lap race.
For some teams, that’s a decent result. But, for a team that’s the caliber of Westby Racing, it didn’t set well with them.
“The race wasn’t what we were hoping for,” Mathew said. “We came to Road Atlanta thinking we had made a lot of progress, but it seems like the settings we came up with from our preseason testing program didn’t work out well at this track today. We’re kind of chasing our tails a little bit. I really feel like we have a lot of potential with our 2023 package, but we weren’t able to get there yesterday and today. Finishing fifth, I think we were only three-and-a-half seconds off the winner, which isn’t bad. But I know what the Westby team and I are capable of, so we’ve got a lot of work to do tonight. I know the guys will have us ready to come out swinging for the second race tomorrow. I’m really strong in some sections of the track, but we’ve got to fix the weak points, and I don’t see why we can’t be battling with Jake (Gagne) and Cam (Beaubier) up front. Myself, (Josh) Herrin, and Cam Petersen actually closed up to them from the midway point on, so we know that we have something to build on. The potential’s there, and I know we can fight at the front.”
For all the action from Road Atlanta, as it happens, subscribe to MotoAmerica Live+, which is MotoAmerica’s live streaming and on-demand service.
Meet Mathew, Get An Autographed Poster, And More
Mathew will be available for autographs during the Dunlop Hot Pit Walk & Autograph Session, scheduled for 11 to 11:40 a.m. Sunday on pit lane at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. He and the team will be handing out free posters and T-shirts, so don’t miss it.
Check Out The Westby Racing Sponsor Showcase
Superbike Unlimited and Suter Racing Products are the featured team sponsors on display in the Westby Racing paddock area this race weekend, so be sure to stop by to say hello and learn about some of the companies that support the team.
For more updates about Westby Racing, including news, photos, and videos, visit www.WestbyRacing.com
Also, follow “Westby Racing” on your favorite social media sites.
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Gagne Takes Runner-Up Finish at MotoAmerica Superbike Opener
Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne and Cameron Petersen finish second and fourth, respectively, in the first race of 2023 at Road Atlanta
MARIETTA, Ga. – April 22, 2023 – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne kicked off the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike season with a runner-up finish in today’s Race 1 at the Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia. His teammate Cameron Petersen also had a solid start to the opening round, narrowly missing the podium with a fourth-place finish.
Gagne set the pace early, topping both sessions on Friday and taking the first pole position of the season. From there, the defending Superbike Champion got the holeshot and worked on building a gap up front. Unfortunately, he started to have issues with arm pump early in the race, and the competition was able to close the gap, passing him on the back straight before the start of Lap 8. The Colorado rider rode a smart race and tried to pass the leader but would finish second to score some valuable points early in the title chase.
Petersen had a rough start to the weekend with a big get-off on Friday but still qualified third to join his teammate on the front row. The South African got a solid start in fourth and was shuffled to fifth on the first lap. He made his way back to fourth on the next lap and was locked in a three-rider battle for the final podium spot. As the race wore on, it was a two-rider battle for third, with Petersen right on the heels of the competition. He tried to make a pass but ultimately finished shy of the podium in fourth.
The Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing Team lines up again tomorrow for Race 2 of the opening round of the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship, on Sunday, April 23, at the Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
Richard Stanboli – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing Team Manager
“Our R1s were working great. Unfortunately, Jake had some arm pump which he hasn’t had a problem with in the past. The last two years, Jake didn’t finish the first race, so we’re off to a good start in the points. Cameron was still getting back to his pace after that big crash in QP1 yesterday. He feels pretty good for tomorrow, and the bike is good. We’re going come back stronger and get back on top.”
Jake Gagne – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing
“It’s the first race of the year, and I got off to a good start. The bike was working really well, and I was happy to put in some solid first couple of laps. I just really struggled with arm pump, which I haven’t really dealt with in the last couple of years. By Lap 3, I was so pumped up I really couldn’t squeeze the lever any harder. When Cam (Beaubier) came by me, I figured I’d try to chill behind him and see if I could try and make a move, but, yeah, it was just tough from there on out. In the last two years, we didn’t get any points at the first race, so it’s still a good start to the season. We brought it home and got some points, and we’ve got another one tomorrow.”
Jake Gagne (1). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Yamaha.
Cameron Petersen – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing
“Yeah, it was a good first race at Road Atlanta. I got off to a fairly decent start, but those first few laps I rode around a little bit tentative after the get-off yesterday. Unfortunately, I just kind of got stuck where I was, but I felt great towards the end of the race and felt like I had some decent pace. All in all, it was just a positive day, especially with how the weekend started. I’m looking forward to Race 2.”
Cameron Petersen (45). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Yamaha.
About Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA
Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA (YMUS), is a recognized leader in the outdoor recreation industry. The company’s ever-expanding product offerings include Motorcycles and Scooters, ATV and Side-by-Side vehicles, Snowmobiles, WaveRunner Personal Watercraft, Boats, Outboard Motors, Outdoor Power Equipment, Power Assist Bicycles, Golf Cars, Power Assist Wheelchair Systems, Surface Mount Technology (SMT) and Robotic Machines, Unmanned Helicopters, Accessories, Apparel, Yamalube products, and much more. YMUS products are sold through a nationwide network of distributors and dealers in the United States.
YMUS has a corporate office in California, two corporate offices in Georgia, facilities in Wisconsin and Alabama, and factory operations in Tennessee and Georgia. Additional U.S.-based subsidiaries include Yamaha Marine Systems Company (YMSC) with divisions Bennett Marine (Florida), Kracor Systems (Wisconsin) and Siren Marine, Inc. (Rhode Island), Skeeter Boats (Texas), with division G3 Boats (Missouri), and Yamaha Precision Propeller (Indiana).
Spaniard Xavi Fores rode his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC Panigale V2 to victory in his debut MotoAmerica Supersport race Saturday at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
Fores fended off four-time AMA Superbike Championship Josh Hayes for most of the way and then withstood a late-race charge from 17-year-old Tyler Scott to secure the win by 0.041 second.
Scott scored second place on his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R750, Hayes was just 0.3 second behind Scott in third on his Squid Hunter Racing Yamaha YZF-R6, and Stefano Mesa was a very close fourth on his Tytlers Cycle Racing Kawasaki ZX-6R. Michael Gilbert rounded out the top five on his Michael Gilbert Racing Suzuki GSX-R750.
First Time Winners Headline Saturday At Road Atlanta
Ezra Beaubier, Avery Dreher and Xavi Fores Wins MotoAmerica Races For The First Time At Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta
BRASELTON, GA (April 22, 2023) – It was a day of firsts at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta on Saturday with the first three races of the day featuring riders winning their first career MotoAmerica races.
Orange Cat Racing’s Ezra Beaubier got things started with his victory in the Stock 1000 race and that was followed by Bad Boys Racing’s Avery Dreher’s debut win in the Junior Cup race. The third first-time MotoAmerica race winner was Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati’s Xavi Fores, with the Spaniard scoring his first series win in Supersport. It wasn’t until the fourth race of the day, Medallia Superbike, that the winner had won before. In this case it was the more famous of the Beaubier brothers, Cameron, winning the 55th AMA Superbike race of his career.
Stock 1000 – No One Better Than Ezra
Ezra Beaubier (16) was one of three riders to win their first career MotoAmerica races on Saturday at Road America with the Californian taking victory in the Stock 1000 class. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Ezra Beaubier had never finished on the podium in any of the MotoAmerica classes he’d dabbled in. Not KTM RC Cup, not Stock 600, not Supersport. Last year, Beaubier raced in Superbike and Stock 1000 with a best finish of fifth in Stock 1000.
On Saturday at Road Atlanta that all changed as Beaubier didn’t resemble a first-time winner as he withstood constant pressure from the likes of Travis Wyman and Geoff May to win his first career MotoAmerica race on his Orange Cat Racing BMW M 1000 RR without putting a wheel wrong.
Beaubier, who made a break for it when the lead trio encountered traffic, bested Wyman by 2.7 seconds with May another half a second behind in third at the end of the 13-lap race.
Junior Cup – Dreher’s First
The Junior Cup race gets started at Road Atlanta. The race was won by Avery Dreher (99) by 0.612 of a second over Max Van (48). Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
The Junior Cup race featured your typical Junior Cup race with a horde of racers battling to the bitter end. This one was a bit different than last year’s version in that the names were mostly different as a new class of youngsters settled in at the front with last year’s best moving on to other classes.
Avery Dreher was the best of the new crop on Saturday with the Bad Boys Racing Kawasaki-mounted 16-year-old besting SportbikeTrackGear.com’s Max Van, a three-time winner in 2022, by .612 of a second. Bicknese Racing’s Hayden Bicknese, a one-time podium finisher last year, was third and just .348 of a second behind Van
Supersport – Fores’ First
Xavi Fores (12) won his first MotoAmerica Supersport race on Saturday with a close victory over Tyler Scott (70) and Josh Hayes. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati’s Xavi Fores raced at Road Atlanta in 2004 in a Suzuki World Cup race as a 16-year-old. Nineteen years later, Fores was back on the top step of the podium with a scintillating victory over 17-year-old Tyler Scott by a scant .041 of a second after a thrilling 18-lap battle.
For the majority of the race, it was a battle between Fores and Squid Hunter Racing’s Josh Hayes, but Scott moved into contention in the closing laps and almost beat Fores to the line. Hayes, meanwhile, held on for third, just .315 of a second from victory as he searches for what would be a record-setting 87th AMA victory.
Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Stefano Mesa and Michael Gilbert Racing’s Michael Gilbert rounded out the top five finishers.
Mission King Of The Baggers – Wyman!
Kyle Wyman (33) leads Bobby Fong (50) and Tyler O’Hara (1) on the opening lap of the Mission King Of The Baggers race at Road Atlanta on Saturday. Wyman earned the victory. Photo. by Brian J. Nelson.
H-D Screamin’ Eagle’s Kyle Wyman was unstoppable in the first of two Mission King Of The Baggers races at Road Atlanta on Saturday. After botching his line and shift points in the opening laps, Wyman settled in and pulled away from his pursuers to take his second win of the season and his seventh career King Of The Baggers victory.
At the end of the eight-lap race, Wyman was 3.908 seconds clear of defending champion Tyler O’Hara, the Indian Motorcycle/Progressive/Mission Foods-backed Challenger rider holding off the advances of Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson’s Hayden Gillim and Sac Mile/SDI Racing/Roland Sands/Indian’s Bobby Fong at the finish line. O’Hara beat Gillim by .137 of a second with Fong just another .177 of a second behind.
REV’IT! Twins Cup – Davis Barely
Defending REV’IT! Twins Cup Champion Blake Davis (1) won his first race of the season with a victory over Gus Rodio (96) at Road Atlanta. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
The final race of the day on Saturday was REV’IT! Twins Cup and it marked the first victory of the season for defending class champion Blake Davis, the N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto-backed rider besting championship points leader Gus Rodio by .276 of a second after 11 laps.
Davis and Rodio, on the Rodio Racing – Powered By Robem Engineering Aprilia battled for the duration with some six seconds in hand over the battle behind them that went to Cycle Tech’s Hayden Schultz over Track Day Winner/Blackmon Racing’s Jackson Blackmon.
Schultz was fortunate to be racing as he was taken out in a crash on the warm-up lap but was able to get back to the pits for repairs in time for the restart.
After three races, Rodio leads Davis by 14 points in the championship, 65-51. Blackmon is third with 49 points.
Quotes…
Ezra Beaubier – Stock 1000 Winner
“A lot has changed. New team. New bike. And just a new mindset, really. Just happy with where I’m at. Everything was just clicking. Yesterday I surprised myself with pole. I definitely did not expect that at all. To go out and win today, that was another huge shocker. I did not expect it to come that easy. I know these guys are fast. Last year I left everything I had out on the track and sometimes, a lot of times, ended up on my head. My main goal for the year was I just wanted to see every checkered flag. Last year I had so many DNFs, that I just want to be there until the end. To come out of the box swinging like this, it’s a dream come true. That was the easiest race of my life, literally. Everything was clicking and working. I wanted to lead, especially coming into the lappers, just because if you’re the first guy through the lappers, you usually are able to get through them a little bit cleaner. Even when Geoff (May) passed me, I wanted to go straight back past him because I wanted to be at the front. I knew I had a little bit more in the tank if needed. I just kept hitting my marks. Everything was just clicking. It was like a dream out there. It was just butter.”
Xavi Fores – Supersport Winner
“Well, honestly, I was struggling all the weekend in that part, especially because our bike is quite stiff with no chassis device. It’s quite stiff. On what is a bumpy area, the bike struggles a little bit. So, one of the laps Josh (Hayes) overtook me and he was first there. He pulled some meters away from me. I said, ‘Well, if I don’t pass him and I defend my position, it will be hard to fight for the win because there I was losing that much.’ Especially every single lap when I was putting the bike into turn one, I could hear the bikes behind me really close to me. So, I said, ‘Okay, this is not my sector. I have to defend that sector and I was quite strong on the brakes.’ The second and third split, I was quite fast and consistent. That was my target. To keep defending my position all the time because I had no more pace to go away and put meters. It’s impossible. Josh has a lot of experience. Also, Tyler (Scott) is really fast. It was impossible. The main thing for me was try to stay always first. Try to defend the position. Tyler passed me on the last lap on the back straight before the chicane. I was lucky that I didn’t lose that much on the draft with him and I could pass him on the brakes. But I was really scared in the last corner because we got the lapped rider and I had to go over the grass because I had no space to pass him. I was afraid to lose the victory. But anyway, the long, dry laps I did on the weekend because yesterday we had some electrical problems and have been forced to stay in the garage most of the time. I’m really happy to have the first victory and a good start to the season, even if it’s quite long and we have to be ready for the race tomorrow.”
Avery Dreher – Junior Cup Winner
“Coming into this season, I had high hopes of getting into the top three in the championship. Been working pretty hard. The race was tough. Just tried to play it smart. It sucks that we had the restart, but there was a little bit of contact in there. At the end of the race, I got shuffled back a little to fourth, and then clawed my way back up into third which was where I anticipated being. Just went by Max (Van).”
Kyle Wyman – King Of The Baggers Winner
Definitely felt like I kind of found another gear this morning. Dug deep for some into the 30s. I did a 30.4 this morning. I kind of backed it up with a 30.5. I felt like I could do that pace. During the race, I made a really clean first lap, and then second and third lap I kind of spaced a couple things, made some mistakes. I lost a half second on the back straightaway with some weird shifting. Kind of waited too long to get a shift, got rev limiter, upshift, had to backshift and upshift again. I had to gather it up a little bit in the first two or three laps. Then just kind of settled into that kind of mid to high 30 pace. I thought that that would grow the gap. It kind of stayed a little bit constant, so I kind of dug one out and put together a 30.3 with a few laps to go. That kind of finished it to where I had enough of a gap where I could relax. It’s really cool that I’m in a position with the bike where I can ask a little bit more out of it at times, and it will respond well. There was a long time with these bikes where you get a little bit greedy with it, and it’ll put you on the ground. I’m getting really comfortable on the bike, and I think it’s showing. There’s definitely some things that we can clean up for tomorrow because I kind of struggled in a few areas. So, I think we’ll be even quicker tomorrow.”
Blake Davis – REV’IT! Twins Cup Winner
“I figured Gus (Rodio) was going to just draft by me and out-brake me into turn ten. I ran a really defensive line coming through the kink, turn nine. Just was able to stay out front. Then also I was kind of scared going into turn twelve. I didn’t know if he was going to make a last-minute dive bomb. Definitely gets a little crazy down in there sometimes. It was definitely a great race. We were going back and forth the whole time. I felt like I was really good on the brakes. Gus had his strong points also. I’m not going to give away too many secrets. It was definitely a lot of fun battling with Gus.”
More, from a press release issued by Suzuki Motor USA, LLC:
TYLER SCOTT A CLOSE SECOND IN ATLANTA SUPERSPORT OPENER
Suzuki GSX-Rs Continue to Dominate the Top Ten
BREA, CA – April 23, 2023 – The MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing championship arrived at Road Atlanta for the first points-paying round of the 2023 season in both Superbike and Supersport following March’s Daytona 200 opener. Suzuki Motor USA and Team Hammer kicked off their twin title campaigns with a trophy-winning Saturday.
Race Highlights:
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki
Supersport
Tyler Scott fought back aboard his next-generation GSX-R750 following a poor start to finish a close second, best among the six Suzuki-mounted riders who finished inside the top ten.
Teagg Hobbs registered a steady ride to sixth after qualifying in the same position.
Superbike
Richie Escalante picked up a couple positions early and held his ground to finish sixth.
Former MotoAmerica and Moto2 champion Toni Elias made his return to competition with a seventh-place performance.
Tyler Scott (70) battled for the Supersport win, finishing second at Road Atlanta Saturday. Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Tyler Scott earned the pole for the MotoAmerica Supersport race. However, he was still forced to fight his way forward on his GSX-R750 after a less-than-ideal start saw him running an early fifth with a sizable gap to the leaders. Undaunted, Scott was calculating in his comeback, arriving on the lead group at mid-distance before making a double pass from third to first with two laps to go. Scott made another pass for the lead on the final lap before losing the position with just a couple corners remaining. He attempted one final pass for the lead at the flag, but his attempt for the win came up 0.041 seconds short.
“I got a horrible start to begin with,” Scott said. “The launch was good, but I just didn’t let the clutch out soon enough. So I had a long way to work from the back, just chipping away. I tried to follow them for a few laps and put together a strategy. I thought if I could pass them at the right spot on the back straight I might be able to have enough of a gap for it to work out. Big thanks to the whole Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki team. We’ve made so much progress since the beginning of last year. The bike’s settings are better and the whole program is better. I’m super excited for tomorrow.”
Teagg Hobbs (79) earned a strong sixth-place result at Road Atlanta. Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Teagg Hobbs qualified in sixth on his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R600 and stayed in that position from green light to checkered flag. He made a push to pick up a position late, but ultimately finished 0.350 seconds off a top-five result.
“It was a great first points-paying race of the year for me in MotoAmerica Supersport,” said Hobbs. “I learned more in those first 30 or so minutes than I have in my entire career to this point. The guys in the front group are all very fast and experienced. I spent 18 laps watching them. I made a few mistakes throughout the race and lost touch, and then I just brought it home for the points. We will make a few small changes for tomorrow, but I am looking forward to giving it another shot to see if I can improve.”
Suzuki GSX-Rs continued their dominance of the top ten finishing positions at Road Atlanta. A mix of next-generation Suzuki GSX-R750s and GSX-R600s captured 60% of the top ten Supersport finishing positions Saturday, continuing last year’s consistent and strong race performance for the iconic Suzuki GSX-R.
Richie Escalante (54) captured a solid sixth-place Superbike result on Saturday. Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Richie Escalante returned to his regular ride aboard the Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R1000R in the premier Superbike class after a highly impressive one-off return to a Supersport bike for the Daytona 200. The Mexican ace made a smooth transition back to the more powerful machine, gaining a couple of positions early for a sixth-place finish.
“I am pretty happy with my pace during the race,” said Escalante. “After the first few laps, I lost touch with the front group. I was able to pass Toni, and, after that, I worked on my rhythm. Our pace was pretty good, but the key will be to be aggressive on the start to be closer to the leading group. We are still looking for about half a second per lap and will try some changes in the warm-up. It may be in the right direction for us or maybe not, but we will know more about the direction we should take to improve.”
Toni Elias (24) returned to Superbike with a respectable seventh-place at Road Atlanta. Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
MotoAmerica and Grand Prix legend Toni Elias came out of retirement and showed relatively little rust with a strong return to action that hinted at even bigger things to come. The Spaniard made a late-race overtake to battle his way to seventh in his first race back with the Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki squad.
“I was disappointed with how the first race turned out,” Elias admitted. “The result was not what I was expecting, and we were not able to run a pace to contend for the podium. The good thing is we have ideas on how to improve and we will have big changes for tomorrow. So let’s move forward. The goal right now is to run a stronger pace.”
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki will be back at it tomorrow to close out this weekend’s MotoAmerica round at Road Atlanta.
Suzuki Motor USA, LLC. (SMO) distributes Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automotive Parts, Accessories, and ECSTAR Oils & Chemicals via an extensive dealer network throughout 49 states. Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer of Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automobiles, Outboard Motors, and related products. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, SMC has business relations with 201 countries/regions. For more information, visit www.suzuki.com.
ABOUT TEAM HAMMER
The 2023 season marks Team Hammer’s 43rd consecutive year of operating as a professional road racing team. Race bikes built and fielded by Team Hammer have won 129 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National races, have finished on AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National podiums 346 times, and have won 11 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National Championships, as well as two FIM South American Championships (in Superbike and Supersport.) The team has also won 137 endurance races overall (including seven 24-hour races) and 13 Overall WERA National Endurance Championships with Suzuki motorcycles, and holds the U.S. record for mileage covered in a 24-hour race. The team also competed in the televised 1990s Formula USA National Championship, famously running “Methanol Monster” GSX-R1100 Superbikes fueled by methanol, and won four F-USA Championships.
ABOUT VISION WHEEL
Founded in 1976, Vision Wheel is one of the nation’s leading providers of custom wheels for cars and trucks, and one of the first manufacturers of custom wheels and tires for ATVs, UTVs, and golf carts. Vision Wheel looks beyond the current trends and to the future in developing, manufacturing, and distributing its wheels. Vision’s lines of street, race, off-road, American Muscle, and Milanni wheels are distributed nationally and internationally through a trusted network of distributors. Vision Wheel also produces the Vision It AR app to allow users to see how their wheel of choice will look on their vehicle before purchase and installation. For more information on Vision Wheel, visit www.visionwheel.com.
Avery Dreher rode a Bad Boys Racing Kawasaki Ninja 400 to his career-first MotoAmerica race win in Junior Cup Race One at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. SportbikeTrackGear.com’s Max Van was the runner-up, and Bicknese Racing’s Hayden Bicknese completed an all-Kawasaki Ninja 400 podium in third.
Ezra Beaubier, the younger brother of Cameron Beaubier, took his career-first MotoAmerica race win in Saturday’s Stock 1000 race. Beaubier piloted his Orange Cat Racing BMW M 1000 RR to victory ahead of Travis Wyman on the Travis Wyman Racing BMW and Geoff May on the Geoff May Racing Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP.
Tyler O’Hara, riding his Progressive Insurance/Mission Foods Indian Challenger, won the three-lap MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers (KOTB) Challenge dash for cash Saturday at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
The KOTB Challenge doesn’t pay any points but the winner earns $5,000.
Vance & Hines/Mission Foods Harley-Davidson’s James Rispoli finished second, just 0.137 second behind O’Hara and less than 0.2 second ahead of Rispoli’s teammate Hayden Gillim.
O’Hara’s teammate Jeremy McWilliams did not finish, while pole-sitter Kyle Wyman and Bobby Fong did not start.
Screamin’ Eagle Harley-Davidson rider Kyle Wyman lowered his own lap record again and claimed pole position in MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers (KOTB) Qualifying Two (Q2) Saturday morning at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
Wyman did a lap time of 1:30.427 in Q2, improving on the lap record of 1:30.941 he set in Q1 on Friday, which had eclipsed his All-Time and Race Lap Record of 1:31.789 from 2022.
Also earning spots on the KOTB front row were Progressive/Mission Foods Indian’s defending Champion Tyler O’Hara (1:31.092) and Vance & Hines/Mission Harley-Davidson’s Hayden Gillim (1:31.366).
Progressive Fresh N Lean Yamaha rider Jake Gagne, the two-time and defending Champion, will start the MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike races at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta from pole position.
Gagne was fastest in Qualifying One (Q1) on Friday afternoon, and when overnight rain left the 2.5-mile circuit with damp patches during Qualifying Two (Q2) on Saturday morning, Gagne’s lap time of 1:23.453 held up to earn him pole position.
Gagne will share the front row with Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW’s Cameron Beaubier (1:24.381) and Gagne’s teammate Cameron Petersen (1:24.542).
Westby Racing Yamaha’s Mathew Scholtz came close to improving his lap time in Q2 but his 1:24.666 from Q1 was good enough for fourth on the grid. Scholtz will line up next to Beaubier’s teammate PJ Jacobsen (1:24.972) and Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC rider Josh Herrin (1:24.999), who improved his best lap time in Q2.
Lining up on row three of the grid will be Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki teammates Richie Escalante (1:25.512) and Toni Elias (1:25.785) along with Corey Alexander (1:25.900) on a third Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW.
Aruba.it Racing Ducati rider Nicolo Bulega rode his Panigale V2 to victory in World Supersport Race One Saturday at TT Circuit Assen, in The Netherlands.
Marcel Schrotter was the runner-up, 4.017 seconds back, on his MV Agusta F3 RR 800.
Glenn Van Straalen got third, just 0.107 second behind Schrotter, on his EAB Racing Team Yamaha YZF-R6.
Former MotoAmerica regular Valentin Debise was fourth, just 0.107 second behind Van Straalen, on his GMT94 Racing Yamaha.
Stefano Manzi rounded out the top five finishers on his Ten Kate Racing Yamaha.
Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering Aprilia rider Rocco Landers will start the MotoAmerica REV’IT! Twins Cup races at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta from pole position.
Landers, age 18, was fastest in Qualifying One (Q1) on Friday afternoon, and when overnight rain left the Georgia circuit damp-but-drying for Qualifying Two (Q2) on Saturday morning, Landers’ lap time of 1:31.907 (an new All-Time Lap Record) held up to earn him pole position.
Landers will start on the front row alongside Optimum Performance Motorsports Aprilia’s Jody Barry (1:32.857) and N2/BobbleHeadMoto Yamaha’s defending class Champion Blake Davis (1:33.213).
Landers was also the fastest in Q2’s mixed conditions with a 1:35.795.
Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. Photo by David Swarts.
Screamin’ Eagle Harley-Davidson’s Kyle Wyman took a convincing victory in MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers Race One Saturday at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
Defending Champion Tyler O’Hara held off several riders to score second on his Progressive Insurance/Mission Foods Indian Challenger.
Vance & Hines/Mission Harley-Davidson rider Hayden Gillim passed Bobby Fong on the final lap to take third.
Fong ended up fourth on his Sac Mile/SDI Racing/Roland Sands Design Indian Challenger.
Gillim’s teammate James Rispoli, the Championship point leader coming into the event, was a close fifth on his Road Glide.
Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. Photo by David Swarts.
Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW’s Cameron Beaubier took a significant victory in MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Race One Saturday at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
It was Beaubier’s 55th career Superbike race win, the 76th overall AMA/MotoAmerica race win of his career, and most importantly it was BMW’s first AMA/MotoAmerica Superbike race win since Harry Klinzmann won on his BMW at Loudon in 1978, according to racing historian Larry Lawrence.
Beaubier took the lead from two-time and defending MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Jake Gagne and his Progressive Fresh N Lean Yamaha YZF-R1 on lap seven and held on to win by 0.340 second.
Josh Herrin rode his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC Panigale V4 R to an impressive third-place finish just ahead of Gagne’s teammate Cameron Petersen (fourth) and Westby Racing Yamaha’s Mathew Scholtz (fifth).
Beaubier Wins In MotoAmerica Comeback Ride At Road Atlanta
Five-Time Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier Beats Defending Champion Jake Gagne In Thrilling Series Opener
Jake Gagne (1) leads Mathew Scholtz (11), Cameron Beaubier (6), Cameron Petersen (45) and the rest of the Medallia Superbike pack on Saturday at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
BRASELTON, GA (April 22, 2023) – Cameron Beaubier picked up where he left off three years ago today at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta with the five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion winning the first race of his comeback season in a straight fight with two-time and defending champion Jake Gagne.
Beaubier’s .340-of-a-second victory over Gagne marked the 55th AMA Superbike win of his career and his first on the Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW M 1000 RR. It was Beaubier’s first MotoAmerica race since his championship-winning 2020 season and his two years of competing in the Moto2 World Championship. Beaubier’s win was also the first in the Superbike class for the Tytlers team and the first AMA Superbike win for BMW in 45 years, dating back to Harry Klinzmann’s victory in 1978 at Bryar Motorsports Park in New Hampshire.
When Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha’s Gagne threw down his usual blindingly fast opening two laps and pulled a gap on the pack, which was led by Beaubier, it looked to be a case of déjà vu from the past two years: Gagne gets great start, Gagne pulls away, Gagne wins. But Beaubier had other ideas and he put his head down and went after his former teammate, closing the gap until catching and passing Gagne on the seventh of 19 laps.
From there the two ran in formation with Beaubier leading and Gagne tucked in behind and the battle went to the finish with five-time champ Beaubier beating two-time champ Gagne to the finish line by a scant .340 of a second.
Cameron Beaubier (6) passed Jake Gagne (1) on the seventh lap and went on to win his first MotoAmerica race since 2020 in what was his comeback ride in the series after spending two years in the Moto2 World Championship. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Behind them came a race-long battle between Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati’s Josh Herrin, in his Superbike debut for the team, and Gagne’s teammate Cameron Petersen – the South African returning to action after his horrific qualifying crash from Friday afternoon. Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz was also in the fight early on before eventually finishing fifth, 1.7 seconds behind Petersen, who was beaten to the line by Herrin by .206 of a second. The pair fighting for third actually closed in on the Beaubier/Gagne duel in the final laps with Herrin just 1.9 seconds behind Beaubier at the end of 19 laps.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante was sixth, some nine seconds ahead of his teammate Toni Elias in what was the Spaniard’s first race in over a year.
Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Corey Alexander was eighth with Wrench Motorcycles’ David Anthony and Disrupt Racing’s Hayden Gillim rounding out the top 10 finishers.
Josh Herrin (2) battled and beat Cameron Petersen (45) and Mathew Scholtz (11) to finish third in his first race on the Ducati Panigale V4 R. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Three riders failed to finish the race, including Tytlers Cycle Racing’s PJ Jacobsen who crashed early in the race. Aftercare Scheibe Racing’s Ashton Yates, meanwhile, failed to start the race after encountering mechanical problems with the team’s BMW.
Superbike Race One
Cameron Beaubier (BMW)
Jake Gagne (Yamaha)
Josh Herrin (Ducati)
Cameron Petersen (Yamaha)
Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha)
Richie Escalante (Suzuki)
Toni Elias (Suzuki)
Corey Alexander (BMW)
David Anthony (Yamaha)
Hayden Gillim (Suzuki)
Superbike Quotes…
Cameron Beaubier – Winner
“When I saw Jake (Gagne) riding away at the beginning, I was like, ‘Oh, man. It’s going to be a long race.’ I knew the guys behind us weren’t far off in practice and qualifying. Then I just kept my head down, kept pushing, kept pushing. Jake started coming back to me slowly. Honestly, the Tytlers’ BMW works really, really good on fresh rubber. I was just trying to utilize the strengths of the bike once I was able to get by Jake. That’s the power down the straightaway, and it brakes really good. It’s stable on the brakes. I was trying to do my best, but I was struggling so bad with grip there the second half of the race. I was doing everything I could just to keep Jake behind me. I was coming down the front straightaway and I was looking at Jake’s board and I saw the gap shrinking. I was like, ‘Man.’ I didn’t have anything left. I was riding as hard as I could. Same thing with me. I was pumping up a little bit in the first section. This place is a freaking handful on a big bike. But it feels so good to get this first win for Tytlers BMW. All those guys have been working so hard, sunup to sundown in Florida building the bikes, getting us ready to race for the season. Like I said, we didn’t know what to expect coming in, but at the same time, we’ve got to keep our feet on the ground. I know how good this guy is (Gagne). He’s incredible. He’s been stomping everyone the last couple years, and us all weekend until it came race time. I know his level. Just going to keep doing our thing. Hopefully, get some more grip out of this thing over race distance and just keep our heads down.”
Jake Gagne – Second
“No doubt. It was different,” Gagne said. “My first couple laps were hot. I saw my gap growing a bit, and then I knew it wasn’t going to last long. It was just fun. I don’t know Cam (Beaubier), maybe six or seven laps in, I think he came by me. Then I was like, ‘All right, I’ll sit here and chill out and see what he’s doing.’ Right then, I saw my gap and it was like four seconds and then all of a sudden it was dropping and dropping and dropping. Hats off to Josh (Herrin). I wasn’t sure who was behind me. I thought maybe it was my teammate or Matty (Scholtz). So, he stepped it up big. Just goes to show, you never know what’s going to happen come race time. But this Yamaha was really, really working good. I was struggling big time after a few of those laps. But I’m happy. We got some points and finished the first race, which hasn’t happened in these last two years. We got to take the positives. The bike is good. I’ve just got to figure some of my stuff out.”
Josh Herrin – Third
“I’m ecstatic. Like I said on the podium, we got this bike a week and a half ago. It’s not like it’s a completely different motorcycle than last year, but there’s a lot of different things and I only got to ride that bike one day before we got this bike. I came into this race with the mindset of let’s set some goals, let’s try to get the podium, then let’s try to get a second and then we’ll worry about getting wins, just because Jake (Gagne) is so fast. I think that really changed my attitude going into the race. Roger Hayden is somebody I’ve been working with this year, and we talked about it a lot yesterday. I think it was a good move, and I feel good. So right now, I’m happy to be here, especially because at the end of the race, we were able to close the gap by I don’t know how many seconds, but what I was seeing was them go through the kink on the back straight as I was coming over the hill in the back. Then by the end of the race they were maybe two seconds ahead of me. So, I’m pumped on that. The Ducati is like the V2 was last year. It just maintained the pace the entire race and didn’t drop off. Obviously, there’s faster laps being done at the beginning of the race than I was doing, so I need to take that into consideration, but I’m happy to at least know that the bike is consistent on tires, like the one last year was. Just got to put our heads down and keep working and hopefully we can get closer to these guys. If you had asked me yesterday, when I talked to you, I was really nervous about even getting a top five. So, that was not a gimme race. We earned it. Just got to give a big hats off to the entire team. Hats off to all of Ducati Corse for all the support that they give us. Huge thanks to Paolo Ciabatti and everybody for believing in us and believing in me and allowing me to race this bike this year. Thank you to all the DeNaples family and Bobby (Shek) for believing in me also. Hats off to Jake and Cam on his first one back. I know it probably feels good to get it, especially on a bike that hasn’t won. I’m happy and motivated for tomorrow.”
More, from a press release issued by Westby Racing:
Scholtz Finishes Fifth In MotoAmerica Superbike Race One At Road Atlanta
Josh Herrin (2), Mathew Scholtz (11), and Cameron Petersen (45) battle during Superbike Race One. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Westby Racing.
Braselton, GA – April 22, 2023 – Mathew Scholtz and his Westby Racing team came into the opening round of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship with a well-tested Yamaha YZF-R1 and some upgrades to the bike’s electronics, engine, and suspension.
Mathew qualified fourth on the grid, got off to a good start and was in third place after the first lap. He lost a position on lap two, then one more position on lap three and stabilized in fifth place for the remainder of the 19-lap race.
For some teams, that’s a decent result. But, for a team that’s the caliber of Westby Racing, it didn’t set well with them.
“The race wasn’t what we were hoping for,” Mathew said. “We came to Road Atlanta thinking we had made a lot of progress, but it seems like the settings we came up with from our preseason testing program didn’t work out well at this track today. We’re kind of chasing our tails a little bit. I really feel like we have a lot of potential with our 2023 package, but we weren’t able to get there yesterday and today. Finishing fifth, I think we were only three-and-a-half seconds off the winner, which isn’t bad. But I know what the Westby team and I are capable of, so we’ve got a lot of work to do tonight. I know the guys will have us ready to come out swinging for the second race tomorrow. I’m really strong in some sections of the track, but we’ve got to fix the weak points, and I don’t see why we can’t be battling with Jake (Gagne) and Cam (Beaubier) up front. Myself, (Josh) Herrin, and Cam Petersen actually closed up to them from the midway point on, so we know that we have something to build on. The potential’s there, and I know we can fight at the front.”
For all the action from Road Atlanta, as it happens, subscribe to MotoAmerica Live+, which is MotoAmerica’s live streaming and on-demand service.
Meet Mathew, Get An Autographed Poster, And More
Mathew will be available for autographs during the Dunlop Hot Pit Walk & Autograph Session, scheduled for 11 to 11:40 a.m. Sunday on pit lane at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. He and the team will be handing out free posters and T-shirts, so don’t miss it.
Check Out The Westby Racing Sponsor Showcase
Superbike Unlimited and Suter Racing Products are the featured team sponsors on display in the Westby Racing paddock area this race weekend, so be sure to stop by to say hello and learn about some of the companies that support the team.
For more updates about Westby Racing, including news, photos, and videos, visit www.WestbyRacing.com
Also, follow “Westby Racing” on your favorite social media sites.
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Gagne Takes Runner-Up Finish at MotoAmerica Superbike Opener
Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne and Cameron Petersen finish second and fourth, respectively, in the first race of 2023 at Road Atlanta
MARIETTA, Ga. – April 22, 2023 – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne kicked off the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike season with a runner-up finish in today’s Race 1 at the Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia. His teammate Cameron Petersen also had a solid start to the opening round, narrowly missing the podium with a fourth-place finish.
Gagne set the pace early, topping both sessions on Friday and taking the first pole position of the season. From there, the defending Superbike Champion got the holeshot and worked on building a gap up front. Unfortunately, he started to have issues with arm pump early in the race, and the competition was able to close the gap, passing him on the back straight before the start of Lap 8. The Colorado rider rode a smart race and tried to pass the leader but would finish second to score some valuable points early in the title chase.
Petersen had a rough start to the weekend with a big get-off on Friday but still qualified third to join his teammate on the front row. The South African got a solid start in fourth and was shuffled to fifth on the first lap. He made his way back to fourth on the next lap and was locked in a three-rider battle for the final podium spot. As the race wore on, it was a two-rider battle for third, with Petersen right on the heels of the competition. He tried to make a pass but ultimately finished shy of the podium in fourth.
The Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing Team lines up again tomorrow for Race 2 of the opening round of the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship, on Sunday, April 23, at the Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
Richard Stanboli – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing Team Manager
“Our R1s were working great. Unfortunately, Jake had some arm pump which he hasn’t had a problem with in the past. The last two years, Jake didn’t finish the first race, so we’re off to a good start in the points. Cameron was still getting back to his pace after that big crash in QP1 yesterday. He feels pretty good for tomorrow, and the bike is good. We’re going come back stronger and get back on top.”
Jake Gagne – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing
“It’s the first race of the year, and I got off to a good start. The bike was working really well, and I was happy to put in some solid first couple of laps. I just really struggled with arm pump, which I haven’t really dealt with in the last couple of years. By Lap 3, I was so pumped up I really couldn’t squeeze the lever any harder. When Cam (Beaubier) came by me, I figured I’d try to chill behind him and see if I could try and make a move, but, yeah, it was just tough from there on out. In the last two years, we didn’t get any points at the first race, so it’s still a good start to the season. We brought it home and got some points, and we’ve got another one tomorrow.”
Jake Gagne (1). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Yamaha.
Cameron Petersen – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing
“Yeah, it was a good first race at Road Atlanta. I got off to a fairly decent start, but those first few laps I rode around a little bit tentative after the get-off yesterday. Unfortunately, I just kind of got stuck where I was, but I felt great towards the end of the race and felt like I had some decent pace. All in all, it was just a positive day, especially with how the weekend started. I’m looking forward to Race 2.”
Cameron Petersen (45). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Yamaha.
About Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA
Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA (YMUS), is a recognized leader in the outdoor recreation industry. The company’s ever-expanding product offerings include Motorcycles and Scooters, ATV and Side-by-Side vehicles, Snowmobiles, WaveRunner Personal Watercraft, Boats, Outboard Motors, Outdoor Power Equipment, Power Assist Bicycles, Golf Cars, Power Assist Wheelchair Systems, Surface Mount Technology (SMT) and Robotic Machines, Unmanned Helicopters, Accessories, Apparel, Yamalube products, and much more. YMUS products are sold through a nationwide network of distributors and dealers in the United States.
YMUS has a corporate office in California, two corporate offices in Georgia, facilities in Wisconsin and Alabama, and factory operations in Tennessee and Georgia. Additional U.S.-based subsidiaries include Yamaha Marine Systems Company (YMSC) with divisions Bennett Marine (Florida), Kracor Systems (Wisconsin) and Siren Marine, Inc. (Rhode Island), Skeeter Boats (Texas), with division G3 Boats (Missouri), and Yamaha Precision Propeller (Indiana).
Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. Photo by David Swarts.
Spaniard Xavi Fores rode his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC Panigale V2 to victory in his debut MotoAmerica Supersport race Saturday at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
Fores fended off four-time AMA Superbike Championship Josh Hayes for most of the way and then withstood a late-race charge from 17-year-old Tyler Scott to secure the win by 0.041 second.
Scott scored second place on his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R750, Hayes was just 0.3 second behind Scott in third on his Squid Hunter Racing Yamaha YZF-R6, and Stefano Mesa was a very close fourth on his Tytlers Cycle Racing Kawasaki ZX-6R. Michael Gilbert rounded out the top five on his Michael Gilbert Racing Suzuki GSX-R750.
First Time Winners Headline Saturday At Road Atlanta
Ezra Beaubier, Avery Dreher and Xavi Fores Wins MotoAmerica Races For The First Time At Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta
BRASELTON, GA (April 22, 2023) – It was a day of firsts at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta on Saturday with the first three races of the day featuring riders winning their first career MotoAmerica races.
Orange Cat Racing’s Ezra Beaubier got things started with his victory in the Stock 1000 race and that was followed by Bad Boys Racing’s Avery Dreher’s debut win in the Junior Cup race. The third first-time MotoAmerica race winner was Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati’s Xavi Fores, with the Spaniard scoring his first series win in Supersport. It wasn’t until the fourth race of the day, Medallia Superbike, that the winner had won before. In this case it was the more famous of the Beaubier brothers, Cameron, winning the 55th AMA Superbike race of his career.
Stock 1000 – No One Better Than Ezra
Ezra Beaubier (16) was one of three riders to win their first career MotoAmerica races on Saturday at Road America with the Californian taking victory in the Stock 1000 class. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Ezra Beaubier had never finished on the podium in any of the MotoAmerica classes he’d dabbled in. Not KTM RC Cup, not Stock 600, not Supersport. Last year, Beaubier raced in Superbike and Stock 1000 with a best finish of fifth in Stock 1000.
On Saturday at Road Atlanta that all changed as Beaubier didn’t resemble a first-time winner as he withstood constant pressure from the likes of Travis Wyman and Geoff May to win his first career MotoAmerica race on his Orange Cat Racing BMW M 1000 RR without putting a wheel wrong.
Beaubier, who made a break for it when the lead trio encountered traffic, bested Wyman by 2.7 seconds with May another half a second behind in third at the end of the 13-lap race.
Junior Cup – Dreher’s First
The Junior Cup race gets started at Road Atlanta. The race was won by Avery Dreher (99) by 0.612 of a second over Max Van (48). Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
The Junior Cup race featured your typical Junior Cup race with a horde of racers battling to the bitter end. This one was a bit different than last year’s version in that the names were mostly different as a new class of youngsters settled in at the front with last year’s best moving on to other classes.
Avery Dreher was the best of the new crop on Saturday with the Bad Boys Racing Kawasaki-mounted 16-year-old besting SportbikeTrackGear.com’s Max Van, a three-time winner in 2022, by .612 of a second. Bicknese Racing’s Hayden Bicknese, a one-time podium finisher last year, was third and just .348 of a second behind Van
Supersport – Fores’ First
Xavi Fores (12) won his first MotoAmerica Supersport race on Saturday with a close victory over Tyler Scott (70) and Josh Hayes. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati’s Xavi Fores raced at Road Atlanta in 2004 in a Suzuki World Cup race as a 16-year-old. Nineteen years later, Fores was back on the top step of the podium with a scintillating victory over 17-year-old Tyler Scott by a scant .041 of a second after a thrilling 18-lap battle.
For the majority of the race, it was a battle between Fores and Squid Hunter Racing’s Josh Hayes, but Scott moved into contention in the closing laps and almost beat Fores to the line. Hayes, meanwhile, held on for third, just .315 of a second from victory as he searches for what would be a record-setting 87th AMA victory.
Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Stefano Mesa and Michael Gilbert Racing’s Michael Gilbert rounded out the top five finishers.
Mission King Of The Baggers – Wyman!
Kyle Wyman (33) leads Bobby Fong (50) and Tyler O’Hara (1) on the opening lap of the Mission King Of The Baggers race at Road Atlanta on Saturday. Wyman earned the victory. Photo. by Brian J. Nelson.
H-D Screamin’ Eagle’s Kyle Wyman was unstoppable in the first of two Mission King Of The Baggers races at Road Atlanta on Saturday. After botching his line and shift points in the opening laps, Wyman settled in and pulled away from his pursuers to take his second win of the season and his seventh career King Of The Baggers victory.
At the end of the eight-lap race, Wyman was 3.908 seconds clear of defending champion Tyler O’Hara, the Indian Motorcycle/Progressive/Mission Foods-backed Challenger rider holding off the advances of Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson’s Hayden Gillim and Sac Mile/SDI Racing/Roland Sands/Indian’s Bobby Fong at the finish line. O’Hara beat Gillim by .137 of a second with Fong just another .177 of a second behind.
REV’IT! Twins Cup – Davis Barely
Defending REV’IT! Twins Cup Champion Blake Davis (1) won his first race of the season with a victory over Gus Rodio (96) at Road Atlanta. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
The final race of the day on Saturday was REV’IT! Twins Cup and it marked the first victory of the season for defending class champion Blake Davis, the N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto-backed rider besting championship points leader Gus Rodio by .276 of a second after 11 laps.
Davis and Rodio, on the Rodio Racing – Powered By Robem Engineering Aprilia battled for the duration with some six seconds in hand over the battle behind them that went to Cycle Tech’s Hayden Schultz over Track Day Winner/Blackmon Racing’s Jackson Blackmon.
Schultz was fortunate to be racing as he was taken out in a crash on the warm-up lap but was able to get back to the pits for repairs in time for the restart.
After three races, Rodio leads Davis by 14 points in the championship, 65-51. Blackmon is third with 49 points.
Quotes…
Ezra Beaubier – Stock 1000 Winner
“A lot has changed. New team. New bike. And just a new mindset, really. Just happy with where I’m at. Everything was just clicking. Yesterday I surprised myself with pole. I definitely did not expect that at all. To go out and win today, that was another huge shocker. I did not expect it to come that easy. I know these guys are fast. Last year I left everything I had out on the track and sometimes, a lot of times, ended up on my head. My main goal for the year was I just wanted to see every checkered flag. Last year I had so many DNFs, that I just want to be there until the end. To come out of the box swinging like this, it’s a dream come true. That was the easiest race of my life, literally. Everything was clicking and working. I wanted to lead, especially coming into the lappers, just because if you’re the first guy through the lappers, you usually are able to get through them a little bit cleaner. Even when Geoff (May) passed me, I wanted to go straight back past him because I wanted to be at the front. I knew I had a little bit more in the tank if needed. I just kept hitting my marks. Everything was just clicking. It was like a dream out there. It was just butter.”
Xavi Fores – Supersport Winner
“Well, honestly, I was struggling all the weekend in that part, especially because our bike is quite stiff with no chassis device. It’s quite stiff. On what is a bumpy area, the bike struggles a little bit. So, one of the laps Josh (Hayes) overtook me and he was first there. He pulled some meters away from me. I said, ‘Well, if I don’t pass him and I defend my position, it will be hard to fight for the win because there I was losing that much.’ Especially every single lap when I was putting the bike into turn one, I could hear the bikes behind me really close to me. So, I said, ‘Okay, this is not my sector. I have to defend that sector and I was quite strong on the brakes.’ The second and third split, I was quite fast and consistent. That was my target. To keep defending my position all the time because I had no more pace to go away and put meters. It’s impossible. Josh has a lot of experience. Also, Tyler (Scott) is really fast. It was impossible. The main thing for me was try to stay always first. Try to defend the position. Tyler passed me on the last lap on the back straight before the chicane. I was lucky that I didn’t lose that much on the draft with him and I could pass him on the brakes. But I was really scared in the last corner because we got the lapped rider and I had to go over the grass because I had no space to pass him. I was afraid to lose the victory. But anyway, the long, dry laps I did on the weekend because yesterday we had some electrical problems and have been forced to stay in the garage most of the time. I’m really happy to have the first victory and a good start to the season, even if it’s quite long and we have to be ready for the race tomorrow.”
Avery Dreher – Junior Cup Winner
“Coming into this season, I had high hopes of getting into the top three in the championship. Been working pretty hard. The race was tough. Just tried to play it smart. It sucks that we had the restart, but there was a little bit of contact in there. At the end of the race, I got shuffled back a little to fourth, and then clawed my way back up into third which was where I anticipated being. Just went by Max (Van).”
Kyle Wyman – King Of The Baggers Winner
Definitely felt like I kind of found another gear this morning. Dug deep for some into the 30s. I did a 30.4 this morning. I kind of backed it up with a 30.5. I felt like I could do that pace. During the race, I made a really clean first lap, and then second and third lap I kind of spaced a couple things, made some mistakes. I lost a half second on the back straightaway with some weird shifting. Kind of waited too long to get a shift, got rev limiter, upshift, had to backshift and upshift again. I had to gather it up a little bit in the first two or three laps. Then just kind of settled into that kind of mid to high 30 pace. I thought that that would grow the gap. It kind of stayed a little bit constant, so I kind of dug one out and put together a 30.3 with a few laps to go. That kind of finished it to where I had enough of a gap where I could relax. It’s really cool that I’m in a position with the bike where I can ask a little bit more out of it at times, and it will respond well. There was a long time with these bikes where you get a little bit greedy with it, and it’ll put you on the ground. I’m getting really comfortable on the bike, and I think it’s showing. There’s definitely some things that we can clean up for tomorrow because I kind of struggled in a few areas. So, I think we’ll be even quicker tomorrow.”
Blake Davis – REV’IT! Twins Cup Winner
“I figured Gus (Rodio) was going to just draft by me and out-brake me into turn ten. I ran a really defensive line coming through the kink, turn nine. Just was able to stay out front. Then also I was kind of scared going into turn twelve. I didn’t know if he was going to make a last-minute dive bomb. Definitely gets a little crazy down in there sometimes. It was definitely a great race. We were going back and forth the whole time. I felt like I was really good on the brakes. Gus had his strong points also. I’m not going to give away too many secrets. It was definitely a lot of fun battling with Gus.”
More, from a press release issued by Suzuki Motor USA, LLC:
TYLER SCOTT A CLOSE SECOND IN ATLANTA SUPERSPORT OPENER
Suzuki GSX-Rs Continue to Dominate the Top Ten
BREA, CA – April 23, 2023 – The MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing championship arrived at Road Atlanta for the first points-paying round of the 2023 season in both Superbike and Supersport following March’s Daytona 200 opener. Suzuki Motor USA and Team Hammer kicked off their twin title campaigns with a trophy-winning Saturday.
Race Highlights:
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki
Supersport
Tyler Scott fought back aboard his next-generation GSX-R750 following a poor start to finish a close second, best among the six Suzuki-mounted riders who finished inside the top ten.
Teagg Hobbs registered a steady ride to sixth after qualifying in the same position.
Superbike
Richie Escalante picked up a couple positions early and held his ground to finish sixth.
Former MotoAmerica and Moto2 champion Toni Elias made his return to competition with a seventh-place performance.
Tyler Scott (70) battled for the Supersport win, finishing second at Road Atlanta Saturday. Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Tyler Scott earned the pole for the MotoAmerica Supersport race. However, he was still forced to fight his way forward on his GSX-R750 after a less-than-ideal start saw him running an early fifth with a sizable gap to the leaders. Undaunted, Scott was calculating in his comeback, arriving on the lead group at mid-distance before making a double pass from third to first with two laps to go. Scott made another pass for the lead on the final lap before losing the position with just a couple corners remaining. He attempted one final pass for the lead at the flag, but his attempt for the win came up 0.041 seconds short.
“I got a horrible start to begin with,” Scott said. “The launch was good, but I just didn’t let the clutch out soon enough. So I had a long way to work from the back, just chipping away. I tried to follow them for a few laps and put together a strategy. I thought if I could pass them at the right spot on the back straight I might be able to have enough of a gap for it to work out. Big thanks to the whole Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki team. We’ve made so much progress since the beginning of last year. The bike’s settings are better and the whole program is better. I’m super excited for tomorrow.”
Teagg Hobbs (79) earned a strong sixth-place result at Road Atlanta. Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Teagg Hobbs qualified in sixth on his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R600 and stayed in that position from green light to checkered flag. He made a push to pick up a position late, but ultimately finished 0.350 seconds off a top-five result.
“It was a great first points-paying race of the year for me in MotoAmerica Supersport,” said Hobbs. “I learned more in those first 30 or so minutes than I have in my entire career to this point. The guys in the front group are all very fast and experienced. I spent 18 laps watching them. I made a few mistakes throughout the race and lost touch, and then I just brought it home for the points. We will make a few small changes for tomorrow, but I am looking forward to giving it another shot to see if I can improve.”
Suzuki GSX-Rs continued their dominance of the top ten finishing positions at Road Atlanta. A mix of next-generation Suzuki GSX-R750s and GSX-R600s captured 60% of the top ten Supersport finishing positions Saturday, continuing last year’s consistent and strong race performance for the iconic Suzuki GSX-R.
Richie Escalante (54) captured a solid sixth-place Superbike result on Saturday. Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Richie Escalante returned to his regular ride aboard the Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R1000R in the premier Superbike class after a highly impressive one-off return to a Supersport bike for the Daytona 200. The Mexican ace made a smooth transition back to the more powerful machine, gaining a couple of positions early for a sixth-place finish.
“I am pretty happy with my pace during the race,” said Escalante. “After the first few laps, I lost touch with the front group. I was able to pass Toni, and, after that, I worked on my rhythm. Our pace was pretty good, but the key will be to be aggressive on the start to be closer to the leading group. We are still looking for about half a second per lap and will try some changes in the warm-up. It may be in the right direction for us or maybe not, but we will know more about the direction we should take to improve.”
Toni Elias (24) returned to Superbike with a respectable seventh-place at Road Atlanta. Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
MotoAmerica and Grand Prix legend Toni Elias came out of retirement and showed relatively little rust with a strong return to action that hinted at even bigger things to come. The Spaniard made a late-race overtake to battle his way to seventh in his first race back with the Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki squad.
“I was disappointed with how the first race turned out,” Elias admitted. “The result was not what I was expecting, and we were not able to run a pace to contend for the podium. The good thing is we have ideas on how to improve and we will have big changes for tomorrow. So let’s move forward. The goal right now is to run a stronger pace.”
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki will be back at it tomorrow to close out this weekend’s MotoAmerica round at Road Atlanta.
Suzuki Motor USA, LLC. (SMO) distributes Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automotive Parts, Accessories, and ECSTAR Oils & Chemicals via an extensive dealer network throughout 49 states. Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer of Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automobiles, Outboard Motors, and related products. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, SMC has business relations with 201 countries/regions. For more information, visit www.suzuki.com.
ABOUT TEAM HAMMER
The 2023 season marks Team Hammer’s 43rd consecutive year of operating as a professional road racing team. Race bikes built and fielded by Team Hammer have won 129 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National races, have finished on AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National podiums 346 times, and have won 11 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National Championships, as well as two FIM South American Championships (in Superbike and Supersport.) The team has also won 137 endurance races overall (including seven 24-hour races) and 13 Overall WERA National Endurance Championships with Suzuki motorcycles, and holds the U.S. record for mileage covered in a 24-hour race. The team also competed in the televised 1990s Formula USA National Championship, famously running “Methanol Monster” GSX-R1100 Superbikes fueled by methanol, and won four F-USA Championships.
ABOUT VISION WHEEL
Founded in 1976, Vision Wheel is one of the nation’s leading providers of custom wheels for cars and trucks, and one of the first manufacturers of custom wheels and tires for ATVs, UTVs, and golf carts. Vision Wheel looks beyond the current trends and to the future in developing, manufacturing, and distributing its wheels. Vision’s lines of street, race, off-road, American Muscle, and Milanni wheels are distributed nationally and internationally through a trusted network of distributors. Vision Wheel also produces the Vision It AR app to allow users to see how their wheel of choice will look on their vehicle before purchase and installation. For more information on Vision Wheel, visit www.visionwheel.com.
Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. Photo by David Swarts.
Avery Dreher rode a Bad Boys Racing Kawasaki Ninja 400 to his career-first MotoAmerica race win in Junior Cup Race One at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. SportbikeTrackGear.com’s Max Van was the runner-up, and Bicknese Racing’s Hayden Bicknese completed an all-Kawasaki Ninja 400 podium in third.
Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. Photo by David Swarts.
Ezra Beaubier, the younger brother of Cameron Beaubier, took his career-first MotoAmerica race win in Saturday’s Stock 1000 race. Beaubier piloted his Orange Cat Racing BMW M 1000 RR to victory ahead of Travis Wyman on the Travis Wyman Racing BMW and Geoff May on the Geoff May Racing Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP.
Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. Photo by David Swarts.
Tyler O’Hara, riding his Progressive Insurance/Mission Foods Indian Challenger, won the three-lap MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers (KOTB) Challenge dash for cash Saturday at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
The KOTB Challenge doesn’t pay any points but the winner earns $5,000.
Vance & Hines/Mission Foods Harley-Davidson’s James Rispoli finished second, just 0.137 second behind O’Hara and less than 0.2 second ahead of Rispoli’s teammate Hayden Gillim.
O’Hara’s teammate Jeremy McWilliams did not finish, while pole-sitter Kyle Wyman and Bobby Fong did not start.
Screamin’ Eagle Harley-Davidson rider Kyle Wyman lowered his own lap record again and claimed pole position in MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers (KOTB) Qualifying Two (Q2) Saturday morning at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
Wyman did a lap time of 1:30.427 in Q2, improving on the lap record of 1:30.941 he set in Q1 on Friday, which had eclipsed his All-Time and Race Lap Record of 1:31.789 from 2022.
Also earning spots on the KOTB front row were Progressive/Mission Foods Indian’s defending Champion Tyler O’Hara (1:31.092) and Vance & Hines/Mission Harley-Davidson’s Hayden Gillim (1:31.366).
Jake Gagne (1). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
Progressive Fresh N Lean Yamaha rider Jake Gagne, the two-time and defending Champion, will start the MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike races at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta from pole position.
Gagne was fastest in Qualifying One (Q1) on Friday afternoon, and when overnight rain left the 2.5-mile circuit with damp patches during Qualifying Two (Q2) on Saturday morning, Gagne’s lap time of 1:23.453 held up to earn him pole position.
Gagne will share the front row with Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW’s Cameron Beaubier (1:24.381) and Gagne’s teammate Cameron Petersen (1:24.542).
Westby Racing Yamaha’s Mathew Scholtz came close to improving his lap time in Q2 but his 1:24.666 from Q1 was good enough for fourth on the grid. Scholtz will line up next to Beaubier’s teammate PJ Jacobsen (1:24.972) and Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC rider Josh Herrin (1:24.999), who improved his best lap time in Q2.
Lining up on row three of the grid will be Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki teammates Richie Escalante (1:25.512) and Toni Elias (1:25.785) along with Corey Alexander (1:25.900) on a third Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW.
Aruba.it Racing Ducati rider Nicolo Bulega rode his Panigale V2 to victory in World Supersport Race One Saturday at TT Circuit Assen, in The Netherlands.
Marcel Schrotter was the runner-up, 4.017 seconds back, on his MV Agusta F3 RR 800.
Glenn Van Straalen got third, just 0.107 second behind Schrotter, on his EAB Racing Team Yamaha YZF-R6.
Former MotoAmerica regular Valentin Debise was fourth, just 0.107 second behind Van Straalen, on his GMT94 Racing Yamaha.
Stefano Manzi rounded out the top five finishers on his Ten Kate Racing Yamaha.
Rocco Landers (97). Photo from earlier this season at Road Atlanta by Sara Chappell Photos.
Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering Aprilia rider Rocco Landers will start the MotoAmerica REV’IT! Twins Cup races at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta from pole position.
Landers, age 18, was fastest in Qualifying One (Q1) on Friday afternoon, and when overnight rain left the Georgia circuit damp-but-drying for Qualifying Two (Q2) on Saturday morning, Landers’ lap time of 1:31.907 (an new All-Time Lap Record) held up to earn him pole position.
Landers will start on the front row alongside Optimum Performance Motorsports Aprilia’s Jody Barry (1:32.857) and N2/BobbleHeadMoto Yamaha’s defending class Champion Blake Davis (1:33.213).
Landers was also the fastest in Q2’s mixed conditions with a 1:35.795.
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