Bad Boys Racing Kawasaki’s Avery Dreher extended his Championship point lead by winning MotoAmerica Junior Cup Race Two Sunday at Pittsburgh International Race Complex (a.k.a. PittRace), in Wampum, Pennsylvania.
Dreher drafted past Altus Motorsports Kawasaki’s Alessandro Di Mario on the run from the final corner to the checkered flag, relegating Di Mario to second place by a margin of 0.030 second.
Fairium NGRT – Gray Area Racing KTM’s Rossi Moor was third, just 0.150 second behind Dreher.
Update: After the race, podium ceremony, and press conference were completed, MotoAmerica issued revised results for Junior Cup Race Two. Those results noted that Moor was disqualified for having illegal wheel bearings on his KTM RC 390 R.
As a result of this change, Hayden Bicknese Racing Kawasaki’s Hayden Bicknese was promoted to third, and Dreher clinched the 2023 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship.
Jake Gagne won MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Race Three Sunday at Pittsburgh International Race Complex (a.k.a. PittRace), in Wampum, Pennsylvania. Gagne led from start to finish on his Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha YZF-R1 and won the 17-lap race by 1.868 seconds.
With the race win, Gagne clinched his third consecutive MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship.
Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz broke free from the pack late in the race to secure a runner-up finish on his Yamaha YZF-R1.
Josh Herrin had to push his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R hard all the way to the checkered flag to earn third place.
Richie Escalante, riding his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R1000R, fought to get his first Superbike podium finish but had to settle for another fourth place, just 0.6 second behind Herrin and 0.4 second ahead of fifth-place PJ Jacobsen and his Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW.
Jacobsen’s teammate Cameron Beaubier did not start Race Three after crashing and suffering facial injuries in Race Two.
Gagne Wins His Third Straight MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Title
Jake Gagne Wraps Up Superbike Championship Number Three With Two Wins On Sunday at PittRace
Jake Gagne (1) leads the second of three MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike races over PJ Jacobsen (99), Josh Herrin (2), Mathew Scholtz (11), Richie Escalante (54) and JD Beach (95). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
WAMPUM, PA (August 20, 2023) – In case anyone had forgotten, Jake Gagne reaffirmed that he’s the best Superbike racer in the country on Sunday at Pittsburgh International Race Complex with his two decisive victories earning him his third successive MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship.
Gagne and his Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing Superbike were perfect in both of today’s races, holding back all of the challenges the top men threw at him. In the first of the two Superbike races held on a sunny Sunday at Pitt Race, Gagne was challenged to the bitter end and came up just .264 of a second ahead of Tytlers Cycle Racing’s PJ Jacobsen. In the second Superbike race of the day, Gagne had it a bit easier as he topped Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz by 1.868 of a second.
Not even Gagne would have predicted that he would come out of Pitt Race with his third title as most believed the title fight would at least go to round eight at Circuit of The Americas in a few weeks’ time.
But, today was the day with Gagne’s eighth and ninth wins of the season and the 37th and 38th wins of his AMA Superbike career clinching the title with two rounds and four races left on the 2023 schedule.
Superbike Race 2 – Gagne On The Verge
Race two was red-flagged early on when Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Cameron Beaubier was involved in a scary crash when he ran into the back of Ashton Yates’ Aftercare Scheibe Racing BMW. With the two in a battle and Beaubier looking to make up spots after an off-track excursion, Yates led him through the chicane but on the exit his BMW had a mechanical issue that caused him to slow suddenly. With nowhere to go, Beaubier ran into the back of Yates and crashed heavily. Beaubier was transported to the infield medical center and was treated for facial lacerations.
The battle for victory came down to Gagne (1) vs. Jacobsen (99) with Gagne emerging victorious. Herrin (2), meanwhile, ended up third. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
By this point, Wrench Motorcycles’ Bobby Fong was already out of the race with the pole sitter crashing his Yamaha YZF-R1 in the opening laps.
Although he was pushed the entire way by Jacobsen, it was Gagne taking the victory, his eighth of the year, over the New Yorker.
Third in race two on Saturday went to Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC’s Josh Herrin, 1.4 seconds behind Jacobsen and a second ahead of Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz.
JD Beach was impressive in riding the injured Cameron Petersen’s Fresh N Lean Progressive Racing Yamaha to fifth, well clear of Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Brandon Paasch. Disrupt Racing’s Hayden Gillim was eighth, just a few tenths ahead of Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Cory Alexander.
Benjamin Smith Racing’s Benjamin Smith and Steel Commander’s Gabriel Da Silva rounded out the top 10.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante crashed out of fourth place on the last lap.
Race Two Quotes Jake Gagne – Winner
“Yeah. Obviously that red flag, at first, I was bummed and then to go by and see Cam (Beaubier) down again… man, we were all just seeing what we saw on the track. It was gnarly there for a second. So, I hope he’s okay. I knew it would be hot, greasy, gnarly. Restart, eight-lap sprint. I could feel these guys on me. I could hear those bikes every turn. Just tried to hit my marks because I knew if I was a little wide there, a little wide here, they would have got up in there. But it was a fun race because I could hear them the whole time. So having eight laps pushing and trying to be as consistent as possible is a good time. So, hats off to these guys. We’ve got to go throw down this afternoon, so it will be fun.”
PJ Jacobsen – Second Place
“Yeah, people say that and I’m like, ‘I’m upright as much as I can, and I’m still sliding everywhere.’ Every time he was spinning up, I was spinning up as well, just trying to get the same drive grip as him. But both races were honestly going to be good for me, I thought. Even that first one before the restart, I think I was catching (Mathew) Scholtz and Richie (Escalante) when they started coming back to me. So, it was really good. I’m happy. We made some changes, and the bike was working really good.”
Josh Herrin – Third Place
“The bike felt good all weekend. It’s kind of like it was at Barber. I just feel super good on the bike, but we’re not able to drive forward on the track. Everybody is having the problem, but it seems like we’re having it pretty bad. Today I said just take the TC (traction control) out. Not all the way, but just let the thing hang. The warmup lap we ran shag tires on the parade lap, and that thing was like flat track sideways. I was like, ‘Is this thing okay? It’s sideways.’ They’re like, ‘That’s what you asked for.’ The thing obviously worked way better than it did yesterday. It was just a handful. I felt like I was riding a bike with 50 more horsepower today. But it worked, so that’s the important thing. I’m just wore out because it was tough. This third race, I’m not going to lie, it’s going to be hard on everyone but it’s going to be a tough one. It’s getting hotter. I’m really happy with how today went. I just didn’t have it for them at the end. I felt good. I just made one little mistake and then the mental focus kind of lost me for two turns and they were gone. I just couldn’t make it back up. I’ve been struggling really hard in the chicane.”
Superbike Race 3 – Title Time
Gagne got his normal fast start and led every lap of race three. Scholtz kept him honest, finishing 1.8 seconds behind the factory Yamaha.
The win, Gagne’s ninth on the year, gave him an insurmountable 337 points after 16 races – 101 points ahead of Herrin, who finished third. If Herrin would have finished second with Gagne winning, the title fight would have gone to the next round in Austin, Texas. Any chance of that was thwarted when Herrin, who was right on Gagne’s tail, blew the chicane and then waited for at least three riders to go by so that he wouldn’t be penalized.
Josh Herrin (2) tries to hold off Mathew Scholtz (11) and Richie Escalante (54) in the third and final Superbike race of the weekend while PJ Jacobsen (99) and JD Beach (95) give chase. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
Herrin fought back, but ultimately lost out to Scholtz with the South African pulling away to beat the Ducati rider by 3.6 seconds. Herrin, meanwhile, had his hands full with Escalante who was trying to land his first Superbike podium. He would come up .6 of a second short at the finish.
Jacobsen was fifth and just another few tenths behind Escalante with Beach sixth again and less than a second behind Jacobsen, who moved to third in the championship by one point over Beaubier with his teammate’s failure to score points on Sunday.
Gillim was seventh for the second time on the day with pole-sitter Bobby Fong eighth. Smith was ninth again with Tom Wood Powersports’ Nolan Lamkin rounding out the top 10.
Jake Gagne wrapped up his third straight MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship on Sunday at Pitt Race. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
Race 3 Quotes Jake Gagne – Winner
“To do it with a couple wins here at a place this Yamaha loves is awesome. I just didn’t expect it. We didn’t really do any math. The team didn’t talk about it. Nobody talked about it. I just had a feeling if I won and I didn’t exactly know what Josh (Herrin) had to do, but I knew sure as hell Josh was going to put up a fight to bring it down to one more round, and I knew he was right there. Congrats to Matty (Scholtz). Doing Yamaha a favor, doing me a favor today. It’s cool to get it done early. Again, kind of unexpected. I haven’t been the fastest guy all year, but I guess kind of luck has been on my side. We finished almost every race, besides one. It’s going to be a hell of a fight for that championship run with a lot of guys in it next year. I’m looking forward to going to the last couple rounds and just duking it out with these guys with nothing else to worry about.”
Mathew Scholtz – Second Place
“We made a pretty decent change on the traction control just to kind of help when I first crack the gas so that the bike doesn’t just want to spin as you first start to wind it on. I was definitely pushing the front more on the gas, but it definitely helped me to kind of roll through the middle of the corner to kind of keep up with the Ducati a little bit better, once you have it picked up. Overall, the race early on I was struggling. I was on the absolute limit. This race I felt confident and I managed to get past Josh (Herrin) with a couple laps to go and open up a small gap. Kept it pretty similar to (Jake) Gagne out front. So, I’m really happy with that. I’m happy with the changes that we made to the bike. I think it’s going to work well at the next two tracks for us.”
Josh Herrin – Third Place
“Yeah, we left it. It worked. We didn’t change anything from the first race. We looked at stuff. I talked about maybe going one or two taller in the gearing because it seemed like I was struggling a little bit in the corners that I was using first gear – just trying to get that initial squirt. But second didn’t feel comfortable to me. But we ended up not going with it. We decided to just play it safe and stick with what was working because it would have lengthened the bike a little bit. Whenever I missed the chicane and I fought to catch up to Jake (Gagne), got right there. I actually felt like I did at Brainerd where I was like, ‘Okay, I might get a little bit heated at the end but at least I’m here and I can kind of plan something out a little bit.’ Then I don’t know what I did and ran off in the chicane. Then, unfortunately, you have to give up a second whenever you do that, so I let two guys go by. Then kind of just waited as long as I could before PJ (Jacobsen) got on my butt and then went. Then I think I charged back up to second. Then I switched the engine brake map to a different map and it was just free-wheeling a little bit too much. Started to get some slides on the front on the right side. I put it back to the mode that I was in originally, but I just never got that confidence back and unfortunately just didn’t have the pace. Congrats to these guys. Congrats to Jake on wrapping that championship up this fast. I didn’t think that was even possible to happen that quick. It just came out of nowhere. I saw it on Instagram right before the race started, and it kind of helped me get a little motivated to try to get up there at the beginning of this race. It just seems like there’s a trend all year where if Friday and Saturday are pretty rough for me, then Sunday is there. So, I’m really hoping that these guys give me one more shot next year. It would be the first year that I’ve had the same bike in Superbike in 10 years, for two years in a row. So, I’m really hoping that I get it again because I just love everything about this team and I’m having fun. Looking forward to COTA.”
More, from a press release issued by Ducati:
Josh Herrin and Xavi Forés on the Podium at PittRace
Sunnyvale, Calif., August 20 2023 — The seventh round of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike and Supersport Championship, held at the stunning 2.8-mile Pittsburgh International Race Complex, saw Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC stars Josh Herrin and Xavi Forés fighting at the pointy end in both categories.
In the three races for the Superbike category, Herrin came away with sixth place in race one and dug deep in races two and three to finish in third each time out behind Jake Gagne.
Herrin had his hands full with attention from Suzuki’s Richie Escalante in races two and three but resisted the his advances, Herrin’s two podium places cementing second in the championship on 236 points.
Forés nearly took the race one win, finishing a scant 0.180 behind race winner, Kawasaki’s Stefano Mesa, and had to settle for second place in race two behind Suzuki’s Tyler Scott.
Regardless, Forés is in the box seat to clinch the title at Circuit of The Americas in September as he heads into the round with an 86 point advantage and only needs to leave Texas with 50 points in hand.
2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Standings After Round Seven
P1 – Jake Gagne (Yamaha) 337
P2 – Josh Herrin (Ducati) 236
P3 – PJ Jacobsen (BMW) 204
P3 – Cameron Beaubier (BMW) 203
P5 – Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha) 184
2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Standings After Round Seven
P1 – Xavi Forés (Ducati) 312
P2 – Tyler Scott (Suzuki) 226
P3 – Stefano Mesa (Kawasaki) 213
P4 – Josh Hayes (Yamaha) 209
P5 – Teagg Hobbs (Suzuki) 142
Josh Herrin (2) in action at PittRace. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Ducati.
Josh Herrin (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC – #2)
“This weekend, I’m happy,” Herrin said. “To get two podium finishes after the start of the weekend, I’m stoked. It’s hard to say you’re happy when you’re getting third places when in my mind I’m on the best bike, but it is what it is. We’re nearly there and just missing that final piece to put it all together. Hopefully, I get to do another year with this team, which I think will help a lot given the experience I have. I’m happy to be back on the podium. I tried my hardest and was sliding around like crazy. It was a positive end to the weekend and now we’re onto COTA, a track we know well and one I know the bike and I will be strong at.”
Xavi Fores (12) leading a Supersport race at PittRace. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Ducati.
Xavi Forés (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC – #12)
“Overall it was a good weekend with two second places,” Forés said. “It was great to be back on the podium after the disaster in Brainerd. I was happy with my performance this weekend. It wasn’t enough to win but we are getting closer to the target of the title. We’ve got a small break between here and COTA, where I will spend time with my young family and recharge the batteries. My goal will be to take the title at COTA and then look to the future, where I hope to ride a Panigale V4 R soon.”
Round eight of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike and Supersport Championship will take place at Circuit of The Americas in Texas on September 8-10, 2023.
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Gagne Crowned 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Champion
Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne clinches third-consecutive premier-class championship with a sweep of the MotoAmerica Superbike tripleheader at PIRC
Jake Gagne. Photo courtesy Yamaha.
MARIETTA, Ga. – August 20, 2023 – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne took home his third-consecutive MotoAmerica Superbike Championship in style, sweeping the weekend at the Pittsburgh International Race Complex. The Colorado rider reigned supreme, winning both superbike races today in Wampum, Pennsylvania, to clinch the title two rounds early. Filling in for the injured Cameron Petersen, JD Beach continued to make progress in the challenging conditions, improving to a top-five finish in Race 2 and a sixth-place finish in Race 3.
Earlier today, Gagne got a great start in Race 2 and quickly claimed the lead. The Colorado rider threw down some fast times early and built a gap up front, but then the red flag came out with 10 laps to go. After the restart, Gagne grabbed the holeshot but was unable to break away from the pack in the eight-lap race. He kept cool under pressure and rode on to secure his eighth victory of the season and second of the weekend to move closer to the crown.
In Race 3, it was another flying start from Gagne with the holeshot. Although he was unable to ride away from the competition early on, he set the pace up front and threw down consistently fast times to build a gap and cross the line with a comfortable victory. Gagne’s superbike sweep at the Pittsburgh International Race Complex secured his third-consecutive premier-class title two rounds early with nine wins and a total of 13 podiums. During those three years, the Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing Rider has amassed an impressive tally of 38-career superbike wins aboard the Attack Performance Yamaha R1 and looks to add some more at the final rounds.
With more seat time, Beach continued to make progress in his first weekend back to superbike racing and got a better start in Race 2. In seventh, the dirt track/road racer jockeyed for position and kept pushing, making the pass for sixth on Lap 7 before the red flag came out. Moving up a row for the restart, Beach got another good start in sixth. He then closed the gap to the lead group with four laps to go, ultimately advancing to fifth. In the final race of the weekend, Beach was eighth after the start and made the pass for sixth on Lap 4. Once again, the Kentucky rider closed the gap to the lead group and rode a smart race in the greasy conditions to finish sixth.
Next up for the Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing Team is the penultimate round of the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at the Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, on September 8-10.
Richard Stanboli – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing Team Manager
“The weekend went perfectly for us. Jake rode smart, won all three races, and against the odds, the championship. The crew did a great job, and our R1s ran great. We are very pleased that we can put counting the points behind us and will now just concentrate on winning.
“JD did a good job as well. He showed good pace and stayed within striking distance of the lead group in today’s races. It was a fun weekend, and we look forward to the last two events at COTA and NJMP.”
Jake Gagne – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing
“It was a little unexpected and a little hard to put into words. Hats off to the whole team, my crew. It’s been a challenging year, but we’ve learned a lot – me as a rider and together as a team. I’ve just got an amazing group of people around me, and I get to ride this amazing R1. It feels so good to get my third title, and it’s going to feel good going into these next few rounds battling with these guys and not having to worry about the championship.
“It’s been different from the last couple of years. We weren’t always the fastest guy out there, but we were pretty consistent. Even if we weren’t able to win the race, we brought it home and got a lot of podiums. It’s amazing when the competition is so stacked. This field is getting gnarlier every year, and it’s going to be another battle next year, but we’ve still got some more races to go.”
JD Beach – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing
“I’m really happy with how the day went. Every race and every time I got on the bike, I felt better and better. I know I did the one-off race in 2021, but really it’s been four years since I’ve raced a superbike, and I’d honestly say I felt almost as good as I did in 2019. I had a blast being at the tail end of the podium battle in Race 3. I’m not sure what the fortune holds for me for the rest of the season, but I hope to be on the bike again.”
Tyler Scott won MotoAmerica Supersport Race Two Sunday at Pittsburgh International Race Complex (a.k.a. PittRace), in Wampum, Pennsylvania. Scott took control of the race on lap five of 16 and kept pushing the pace on his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R750 until he won the race by 2.813 seconds.
Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati’s Xavi Fores fought for the lead with Scott early in the race and pushed to the end, but the best the Spaniard could do was the runner-up spot, which gave him an 86-point lead over Scott with four races remaining in the season.
Race One winner Stefano Mesa was also in the fight for first place, but a setup change to his Tytlers Cycle Racing Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R worked against him and relegated him to third place.
Scott’s teammate Teagg Hobbs was a close fourth, and Josh Hayes, the all-time AMA/MotoAmerica race win leader, finished fifth on his Squid Hunter Racing Yamaha.
Twins Cup Title Chase Going To The Wire After PittRace Thriller
Only 14 Points Separate The Top Three In The REV’IT! Twins Cup Championship After Pitt Race Round
Gus Rodio (96) leads Blake Davis (1) and Rocco Landers (hidden behind Davis) in their REV’IT! Twins Cup battle at PittRace on Sunday. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
WAMPUM, PA (August 20, 2023) – The top three contenders in the REV’IT! Twins Cup Championship are locked in a close battle for the title, and those three contenders were also locked in a close battle for the race win on Sunday at Pitt Race. Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering teammates Gus Rodio and Rocco Landers not only raced hard against each other, but they also raced hard against N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto’s Blake Davis throughout the nine-lap event.
Davis led seven of the laps, while Landers only led one lap and Rodio led the other. But it was Rodio who led the most important one, which resulted in him crossing the finish line first and notching the win by just .104 of a second over his teammate Landers.
Davis almost finished as runner-up, but he couldn’t quite overtake Landers when the checkered flag flew. Rodio goes into the final round at New Jersey Motorsports Park with an eight-point lead over Davis and a 14-point lead over Landers, which means that the season championship is very much up in the air with just two more races to go.
“I knew me and Blake had power,” Rodio said. “I knew Rocco was taking those wide, sweeping lines. From the looks of it, I didn’t want to get tangled up in that. I just sat back. I was kind of resting the whole race and the pace in the 49s. We qualified a lot faster than that. There were just five passes a lap, so that’s where that time is going to come into play. I knew Blake was going to pass him on the straight. He’s good on the brakes, too, so down in the chicane, I saw him making moves there. I knew he wasn’t going to let Rocco lead a full lap because it would have been not good. So, I just sat back. Knew the passes were coming. Knew the pace was going to stay in the 49s. I just planned for the last lap. Blake made a mistake and then I knew coming to the line I just had to make the pass. I had to stay close enough to make the pass. Everything went according to plan.”
Supersport – Great Scott
Although there is little doubt that Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC’s Xavi Forés will be crowned as the 2023 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion, Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Tyler Scott didn’t allow it to happen at Pitt Race on Sunday.
Eventual winner Tyler Scott leads Xavi Fores and Stefano Mesa at the front of the Supersport race at Pittsburgh International Race Complex. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
In order for Forés to be crowned on Sunday, he had to win with Scott finishing no worse than second. Scott, however, decided to just go ahead and win the race to make sure that the war would go to the next round of the championship at Circuit of The Americas next month.
Scott ended up beating Forés by 2.8 seconds after an early back-and-forth battle. Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Stefano Mesa, who won Saturday’s Superbike race, was third, 7.8 seconds adrift of Scott and five seconds clear of Scott’s teammate Teagg Hobbs, who got the better of Squid Hunter Racing’s Josh Hayes.
Disrupt Racing’s Jake Lewis ended up sixth, hot on Hayes’s heels.
“Yesterday I got a decent start the first time, starting from the second row on the grid,” Scott said. “Couldn’t get a clear lap in qualifying, so right off the bat it was hard to lead the race and try and set the pace. Overnight we thought about it. This morning we made some changes to be able to push the pace. In the race today, I got a pretty similar start to yesterday, but I saw an opening to pass Xavi (Forés) and I took it. I wanted to see if I could lead the race and start pulling a gap. It was .0 for what felt like an eternity, and then .2, .4, .6, one second, one second, one second, two seconds. I just kept pushing the pace every lap and was able to create that gap.”
Junior Cup – Moor DQ’d. Dreher Crowned
Bad Boy Racing’s Avery Dreher won his sixth race of the season on Sunday at Pitt Race, but he didn’t know that he’d also been crowned as the 2023 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship. That decision came later when Fairium NGRT – Gray Area Racing’s Rossi Moor was later DQ’d for using an illegal wheel bearing on his KTM RC 390 R ending any chance of Dreher being surpassed in the final round at New Jersey Motorsports Park next month.
Avery Dreher wrapped up the Junior Cup title on Sunday with his victory at PittRace. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
Altus Motorsports’ Alessandro Di Mario was second on the track and second in the final results while Bicknese Racing’s Hayden Bicknese was moved from fourth to third in the final standings after Moor’s DQ. Yandel Racing’s Yandel Medina was fourth with Badie Racing’s Levi Badie rounding out the top five.
Dreher is now 52 points head of Bicknese in the title chase with just 50 points on the table in the final round.
“It worked yesterday, so I just figured I’d go with the same strategy today,” Dreher said. “The team and I worked on a few things this morning with the bike. Got that sorted out. I knew it would be a little hotter today than yesterday. Our race was three hours later, so I knew that would play a factor. Lost the grip on the rear on the last lap. Thought I would lose the draft on the front straightaway but ended up pulling it together. I’m just super happy with the results this weekend. I don’t know how many points I have left to clinch the title, but I’m just going to keep working hard between rounds and hopefully get that jersey.”
Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race – Perfect Moore
The Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. program wrapped up its second year with MotoAmerica on Sunday, and Mikayla Moore completed a perfect season. The Maryland-based rider clinched the championship with her win in Saturday’s race one, and her race two victory on Sunday was her seventh win in as many races. Moore won Sunday’s race by nearly 11 seconds over second-place finisher Sonya Lloyd, who in turn was a little over nine seconds ahead of Crystal Martinez in third place. The finishing order of race two was also the finishing order of the season championship with Lloyd finishing second to title winner Moore and Martinez locking up third.
Mikayla Moore (78) ended her perfect season with another victory in the Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. at PittRace. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
“With this being our last race, I wanted to see how fast I could actually take it. Being by myself yesterday, only hitting (a lap of) 2:08, I was experiencing chatter and some other bike issues. So, when Sonya showed me that wheel yesterday, I was like, ‘All right. Come tomorrow, she’s going to be on top of her game.’ So, Megan (from Öhlins) was able to fix some issues with the bike for me in terms of suspension. I ended up making a gearing change, and that definitely helped for this race.”
Mission Mini Cup By Motul – Gouker Again
Three Mission Mini Cup Presented By Motul races were held on Saturday evening at the Pitt Race karting track and they were again mostly dominated by the same riders as on Friday.
Stadler America’s Nathan Gouker continued his hot hand in the Ohvale 160 class with his seventh straight win in the championship to build his points lead to 40 points over Madd Will Racing’s Kruz Maddison, who was fourth, second and fourth in the three races on Saturday. American Racing’s Connor Raymond, meanwhile, was second best to Gouker in two of the three races.
The Ohvale 190 class featured three different winners in the three races on Saturday with American Racing’s Joshua Raymond, Historic GP’s Mahdi Salem and Alpha Omega’s Ryder Davis all coming away with victories. Davis, however, is still the points leader with a 23-point lead over Salem, 156-133.
In Stock class action, Cruise Texter won all three Stock 50 races on his Cory Texter Racing/Roof Systems-backed Honda.
There were three different winners in the three Stock 110 classes – Varnes Racing’s Cole Varnes, Xtreme Autoglass Pros’ Jacob Davis and Ryan Clark Racing’s Ryan Clark, who leads the title chase by 24 points.
Jacobsen Motorcycle Training/Bettencourt Racing’s Nathan Bettencourt kept his perfect 2023 record intact with his 10th, 11th and 12th straight wins in the Stock 125 class.
Mikayla Moore won MotoAmerica Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. (BTR) Race Two Sunday at Pittsburgh International Race Complex (a.k.a. PittRace), in Wampum, Pennsylvania. The victory completed a perfect seven-races-for-seven-wins for 19-year-old Moore.
Sonya Lloyd was the runner-up for a second straight day, and Crystal Martinez used a late-race move to overtake defending Champion Kayleigh Buyck and snag third place.
Moore, Lloyd, and Martinez also finished first, second, and third, respectively, in the final Championship point standings.
Gus Rodio used a last-lap move to overtake his Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering Aprilia teammate Rocco Landers and win MotoAmerica REV’IT! Twins Cup Race Two Sunday at Pittsburgh International Race Complex (a.k.a. PittRace).
Defending Champion Blake Davis, riding his N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto Yamaha YZF-R7, exchanged the lead with Landers throughout the race. On the ninth and final lap, Landers was leading Davis, when Davis overshot Turn Seven, allowing Rodio to move up to second.
Rodio then drove past Landers and his ailing Aprilia RS 600 on the run to the checkered flag to secure his third win of the season and takeover the Championship point lead.
Defending Champion Jake Gagne won MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Race Two Sunday at Pittsburgh International Race Complex (a.k.a. PittRace), in Wampum, Pennsylvania. It was Gagne’s eighth win of the season on his Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha YZF-R1, extending his Championship point lead to where he can possibly clinch the 2023 title in Race Three later Sunday afternoon.
PJ Jacobsen was a very close runner-up, just 0.264 second behind Gagne on his Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW M 1000 RR.
Josh Herrin finished third on his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R.
The race was red flagged seven laps into the original start for a crash involving five-time Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier. Beaubier had run off track early in the race and was running ninth right behind Ashton Yates when Yates’ Aftercare Scheibe Racing BMW lost power momentarily coming out of the chicane. Beaubier ran into the back of Yates’ BMW, and as Beaubier was coming off his bike he was struck by Hayden Gillim and his Disrupt Racing Suzuki.
Beaubier suffered a bloody facial laceration but was seen awake and alert on video feeds after the incident.
The race was then restarted for an eight-lap final segment.
Defending World Champion Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia took a dominant victory in Sunday’s MotoGP World Championship race at Red Bull Ring, in Spielberg, Austria. It was the Italian rider’s fifth full-distance race win of the season, extending his Championship point lead.
South African Brad Binder challenged Bagnaia in the early going bet slipped back to a lonely second-place finish on his Red Bull KTM RC16.
Marco Bezzecchi bounced back from a disappointing crash in Saturday’s Sprint race to score third on his Mooney VR46 Racing Team Ducati.
Unstoppable: Bagnaia escapes Binder as the podium battle lights up in Spielberg
The #1 was in a league of his own on Sunday as Binder and Bezzecchi complete the Red Bull Ring podium
Francesco Bagnaia (1) pulled away from Brad Binder (33) and the rest of the MotoGP field Sunday at Red Bull Ring. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Sunday, 20 August 2023
Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) capped off a perfect weekend at the CryptoDATA Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich with an unbeatable performance in Sunday’s MotoGP™ race to bring it up to a half-century of Grand Prix podiums for the reigning World Champion. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) hung in there early on as he chased KTM home glory but was forced to settle for second – still, plenty to cheer about for the Mattighofen factory. After bad luck on Saturday, Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) rebounded from Tissot Sprint disappointment to climb onto the rostrum in third.
Simply unstoppable
Just like he did in the Tissot Sprint, Bagnaia launched incredibly to grab the holeshot ahead of Binder. Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was away well as well – and as usual – to propel himself up to P3, as Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) went backwards again. It wasn’t a terrible getaway from ‘Top Gun’ but Viñales then got swarmed at Turn 1, as Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) gained places.
Bagnaia and Binder quickly pulled a second clear of the chasers, with the #33 shadowing the World Champion. It got close. Lap 4 saw Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) take his Long Lap penalty, which dropped the title hopeful to P13, as Binder hounded Pecco at the front. Alex Marquez then passed Miller for P3 at the end of Lap 4 but faced a 1.7s gap to Pecco and Binder, with Bezzecchi and Mooney VR46 teammate Marini quickly dispatching the Australian too.
As the race settled, Binder dropped to half a second adrift of Bagnaia’s rear wheel as ‘Mapping 2’ popped up on the South African’s dashboard. In the fight for P3, meanwhile, Alex Marquez was holding off Bezzecchi as we entered Lap 11, with the double World Champions still 1.7s shy of Binder in P2.
With 15 laps to go, Pecco’s lead crept up to a second for the first time. That went up to 1.2s on Lap 17 of 28, as Bezzecchi continued to pursue Alex Marquez. Marini was a safe P5 with Viñales two seconds down the road in P6, while Martin’s recovery found him in a commendable P7 with 12 laps to go.
Could Binder get the gap down? Two crucial laps were slammed in by the race-leading #1 to give us our answer. With 10 laps left, Pecco’s advantage was up to 2.5s. A battle was raging for the final podium spot though as Bezzecchi attempted to make a pass stick at Turn 1, however the Spaniard was able to get back past on the cutback. Meanwhile, Marini had reeled the Ducati duo in to join the rostrum battle.
Bezzecchi made a move stick at Turn 9 with seven laps to go, and the Italian immediately began to open up a gap to make his podium chase a lot more comfortable. Marini made his way past Alex Marquez with three laps to go, but by that point, Bezzecchi had 1.7s in his back pocket.
At the front, Bagnaia was in a league of his own. The #1 proving just why he wears that special number on the front of his red Bologna bullet, as Bagnaia claimed victory to make it a pole, Tissot Sprint and Grand Prix race triple at the Red Bull Ring. That’s 50 career podiums for the Italian, as Binder brings his KTM home in P2 to cap off a very strong weekend on the Austrian manufacturer’s home turf. Bezzecchi bounced back very well to stand on the rostrum after his Saturday disappointment.
The points scorers
Marini’s late race pace was superb as the Italian crossed the line in P4 after getting the better of Alex Marquez, who rounded out the top five. Viñales ended P6 after a disappointing start and Martin made up ground but will leave Styria disappointed with P7.
Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) made a late attack to get past Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) for eighth, and Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) completed the top 10.
Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) eventually got the better of Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) for P11, and the latter took P12 but takes points and finishes a GP race for the first time in 301 days. Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) was next up after a tough weekend but one with some headlines, with Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) and Miller, after dropping back throughout, taking home the final points. Pol Espargaro (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) was also in contention but got a late Long Lap for track limits.
Next stop: Barcelona
After a perfect weekend in Austria, Bagnaia’s Championship lead sits at a healthy 62 points over Martin heading to the Catalan GP. Can the chasing pack stop the World Champion’s charge in Barcelona? We’ll find out in two weeks!
Celestino Vietti (13) won the Moto2 race over Pedro Acosta (37). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Vietti defeats Acosta in tense Moto2™ contest in Austria
The Italian arrives and conquers for his first win in more than a year as Acosta is forced to settle for second and Ogura completes the rostrum
The CryptoDATA Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich delivered blockbuster action as Celestino Vietti (Fantic Racing) picked off rider by rider in a superb chargeto victory. The Italian wasn’t settling for anything other than the top step as he denied Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and KTM the victory in Austria. The Spaniard put in a clever ride, however, to strengthen his Championship position as Ai Ogura (IDEMISTU Honda Team Asia) continued his podium form in P3.
It was Acosta who took the holeshot down into turn 1 as Jake Dixon (Autosolar GASGAS Aspar Team) shot up into P2, with Ogura keeping himself in the mix. Acosta got into his groove and began to pull away from the rest of the field, meanwhile, Dixon was coming under pressure from Ogura who eventually got the better of the Brit to put himself into P2.
Dixon then fell into the clutches of Vietti, who was on an absolute charge. The Italian pushed his way past the GASGAS man and then had Ogura locked in his sights. Acosta led the way by a second and a half at the front, but Vietti was the man on the move as he pounced on Ogura with eleven laps to go.
The Japanese rider had no response for the Italian as he proceeded to put down a scintillating pace and started to reel in the race leader. With six laps remaining Vietti was all over the rear wheel of Acosta and wasted no time at all in pushing his way past the Championship leader, arriving and immediately making a move. Acosta tried all he could to cling onto Vietti but had no answer for Italian who put in an inch-perfect performance to take the victory by 1.435s.
Acosta took a crucial 20 points towards his title tilt with Ogura taking a second podium in three races. Jake Dixon missed out on the podium one second back from the Japanese rider, with Somkiat Chantra (IDEMISTU Honda Team Asia) rounding out the top five.
Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) took sixth place and lost some key points to his title rival Acosta.
Aron Canet (Pons Wegow Los40) was one of the crashers as well as Alonso Lopez (CAG SpeedUp) and Manuel Gonzalez (Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Team). Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) and Darryn Binder (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) crashed out early on as they fell victim to the Turn 2a-2b chicane, Binder crashing and Lowes collecting the South African. Binder was declared unfit due to fractured vertebrae.
He’ll need to rest up as attention now turns to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Spain where Acosta will be looking to further extend his Championship lead. Can he get the job done on home turf? Find out in two weeks!
Deniz Öncü beat Daniel Holgado in a photo finish in the Moto3 race in Austria. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Photo finish! Öncü pulls a fast one at the final corner
Just 0.005 sees the Turkish rider take his second Grand Prix win, slicing past a Holgado-Sasaki duel at the final corner
Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) took a stunning win at the CryptoDATA Motorrad Grand PRix von Österreich, just coming out on top in a photo finish against Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3). Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna IntactGP) completed the podium, losing out in a spectacular final corner shuffle that saw Öncü play his cards to perfection.
Holgado took the early lead ahead of Öncü, but polesitter Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) didn’t take long to take back over in second. He stuck in with the lead group, comprising that trio plus Silverstone winner David Alonso (GASGAS Aspar Team), Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) looking for some redemption, 2022 Austria winner Sasaki and Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse).
With 17 laps still on the clock, drama hit for Masia. A technical problem saw the Spaniard forced to pull over and out of the fight, leaving him with an increased deficit in the title fight once again, this time through no fault of his own.
That left a small gap between Holgado, Öncü and Veijer in the lead and the chasing trio of Sasaki, Alonso and Rossi. By 10 to go though, it was a leading quintet: Holgado, Öncü, Alonso, Veijer and Sasaki. But then came some more drama for a frontrunner as Alonso, having made his way into the lead, then suddenly slid out at the chicane – leaving four riders fighting for three places on the podium.
Onto the last lap, Holgado led Sasaki but the Japanese rider took over at Turn 1. At Turn 3, Holgado launched it – and Öncü capitalised to attack as well. But Sasaki once again hit back, and it all went down to that final corner. Holgado went for it on Sasaki, and both headed a little wide… leaving Öncü just enough room to slice through on both. That became a drag to the line between the Turkish rider and the Championship leader, with Sasaki left dragging it out against teammate Veijer.
It was one of the closest finishes ever, and Öncü took it, winning his second ever Grand Prix on Red Bull KTM home turf – and gaining a valuable five points on Holgado. Sasaki just pipped his rookie teammate to complete the podium, continuing his best ever run of rostrum finishes but just missing out on the top step once more.
Veijer takes fourth, his best finish yet, ahead of Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) as he caught and passed Rossi for fifth. Ryusei Yamanaka (GASGAS Aspar Team) headed the second bigger group in seventh, ahead of Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI), David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) and Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team), who pipped Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) to the final place in the top ten.
As we head back west to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, it’s now a 26-point lead for Holgado ahead of Sasaki, but Öncu is now within 37 of the top and in third. Join us for more twists and turns in Barcelona!
Celestino Vietti rode his Fantic Racing Kalex to victory in Sunday’s 23-lap FIM Moto2 World Championship race at Red Bull Ring, in Spielberg, Austria. Not only was it the Italian rider’s first win of the season it was his first podium finish of 2023.
Championship point leader Pedro Acosta finished a close second, 1.435 seconds behind Vietti, on his Red Bull KTM Ajo Kalex.
Japanese star Ai Ogura took third on his Idemitsu Honda Team Asia Kalex.
American Joe Roberts crashed his Italtrans Racing Kalex near the halfway point of the race and did not finish (DNF).
American Sean Dylan Kelly (SDK) did not participate in the event in Austria because he is still recovering from arm surgery, according to a press release issued by his American Racing Team.
Deniz Oncu won the FIM Moto3 World Championship race Sunday at Red Bull Ring, in Spielberg, Austria. Riding his Red Bull KTM Ajo machine, the Turkish racer won the 20-lap race by a scant 0.005 second over Red Bull KTM Tech3’s Daniel Holgado.
Ayumu Sasaki was third, just 0.119 second behind Oncu, on his Liqui Moly Intact GP Husqvarna.
8th Rookies Cup win of the year for Piqueras in Spielberg
Angel Piqueras was back to his winning ways on Sunday morning in Spielberg picking up his 10th Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup career win in superb style. The 16-year-old Spaniard stole 1st from Saturday’s victor Álvaro Carpe with Rico Salmela flashing across the line just behind for a double 3rd.
Even more intense than yesterday it was an 8 KTM battle for the lead. Max Quiles ran off track from the lead group early and went for a trip through the gravel that left him battling back from last to 8th.
Cormac Buchanan had his 2nd very competitive ride of the weekend, led briefly but slid off when the front end tucked at the chicane on lap 14.
Piqueras perfect
“I’m happy to equal the wins total, in Misano I will try to be the best,” laughed the Cup winner after his 8th win of the season that matches Bo Bendsneyder’s score from 2015. Piqueras won 2 races last year so has now matched Karel Hanika’s total of 10 from 2012 & 13.
“This race was so fast, Salmela and Carpe were pushing a lot, I had to push hard also. We went for the taller gearing today, that helped when I had the slipstream, I needed that.”
“On the last lap, I pushed, coming to the end I knew I really only had one chance, the last corner is not the place, I went for it the corner before and it worked.”
Carpe leading again
“The race was difficult, more difficult than yesterday,” explained the 16-year-old Spaniard. “All the riders were pushing more and our group at the front was bigger.”
“I am really happy with the podium, the points for 2nd are so important for the championship. I’m the 2nd right now in the Rookies Cup and in a good position to hold that. It’s really important for me, for my mentality and for all my family.”
“The feeling with the bike was good, not quite as good as yesterday, in Race 1 I was more comfortable and I think I was riding better. I like the bike though very much and I know that it meant nothing to change, I look forward to riding it again in Misano.”
“On the last lap I knew that Angel would try to overtake me, he had said he wants to be the best Rookie ever. I thought he would try it at the last corner but he did it a corner before and there was nothing I could do,” he grinned.
Salmela smooth again
“It was a pretty good race, I had a good battle in the front group,” explained the 15-year-old Finn. “I don’t know why but I felt it was still a bit slippery on the rear tyre but I think it was more or less the same for everyone.”
“I tried to push every lap, then with about 4 laps to go I made a small mistake. So then I had to gain a few positions. I was P4 on the last lap, I couldn’t find a way to make any clean overtakes on Ruda so I just decided to try to pass on the straight before the 2nd to last corner but he defended well.”
“So I just had to get a good exit from the corner and I passed him in the last corner.”
“It was a great weekend, pole and two podiums, of course, I’m happy with that even though I wanted the win.”
Marcos Ruda 4th after the 2nd great ride of the weekend
“Yes I’m happy with both races,” enthused the 18-year-old Spaniard. “I felt really good battling at the front, I am sorry that I didn’t make the podium because I really thought it was possible, especially today. The bike was great.”
“Carpe and Piqueras were very fast but I did manage to get in front, even for a short time. On the last lap, I was there, going for the podium but Rico passed me right at the end.”
Ruche Moodley a strong ride to 5th
“It was a really fast race, the pace was very high,” explained the 16-year-old South African. “I was on the limit a lot so even to overtake was hard when the pace was faster than I was really comfortable with.”
“It was a very good race for me though, I was understanding the front group a lot better, I’m starting to be more confident, racing at the front of the Rookies Cup. I’m a little bit disappointed not to be on the podium but I’ll try again in Misano.”
Cormac Buchanan hit the front
“It was great to lead my first Rookies Cup race in the dry,” enthused the 16-year-old New Zealander. “I made probably the best start of my career and that was a big help.”
“It was weird because in the warm-up lap, the bike didn’t feel that great but I knew it was just because everything was cold, my body was cold and as the race went on I just kind of settled into a really fast rhythm and I was getting ready for the last 2 or 3 laps to try and get back to the front which I felt really comfortable doing. But unfortunately, just one mistake meant that I was down.”
Bad Boys Racing Kawasaki’s Avery Dreher extended his Championship point lead by winning MotoAmerica Junior Cup Race Two Sunday at Pittsburgh International Race Complex (a.k.a. PittRace), in Wampum, Pennsylvania.
Dreher drafted past Altus Motorsports Kawasaki’s Alessandro Di Mario on the run from the final corner to the checkered flag, relegating Di Mario to second place by a margin of 0.030 second.
Fairium NGRT – Gray Area Racing KTM’s Rossi Moor was third, just 0.150 second behind Dreher.
Update: After the race, podium ceremony, and press conference were completed, MotoAmerica issued revised results for Junior Cup Race Two. Those results noted that Moor was disqualified for having illegal wheel bearings on his KTM RC 390 R.
As a result of this change, Hayden Bicknese Racing Kawasaki’s Hayden Bicknese was promoted to third, and Dreher clinched the 2023 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship.
Jake Gagne won MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Race Three Sunday at Pittsburgh International Race Complex (a.k.a. PittRace), in Wampum, Pennsylvania. Gagne led from start to finish on his Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha YZF-R1 and won the 17-lap race by 1.868 seconds.
With the race win, Gagne clinched his third consecutive MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship.
Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz broke free from the pack late in the race to secure a runner-up finish on his Yamaha YZF-R1.
Josh Herrin had to push his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R hard all the way to the checkered flag to earn third place.
Richie Escalante, riding his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R1000R, fought to get his first Superbike podium finish but had to settle for another fourth place, just 0.6 second behind Herrin and 0.4 second ahead of fifth-place PJ Jacobsen and his Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW.
Jacobsen’s teammate Cameron Beaubier did not start Race Three after crashing and suffering facial injuries in Race Two.
Gagne Wins His Third Straight MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Title
Jake Gagne Wraps Up Superbike Championship Number Three With Two Wins On Sunday at PittRace
Jake Gagne (1) leads the second of three MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike races over PJ Jacobsen (99), Josh Herrin (2), Mathew Scholtz (11), Richie Escalante (54) and JD Beach (95). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
WAMPUM, PA (August 20, 2023) – In case anyone had forgotten, Jake Gagne reaffirmed that he’s the best Superbike racer in the country on Sunday at Pittsburgh International Race Complex with his two decisive victories earning him his third successive MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship.
Gagne and his Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing Superbike were perfect in both of today’s races, holding back all of the challenges the top men threw at him. In the first of the two Superbike races held on a sunny Sunday at Pitt Race, Gagne was challenged to the bitter end and came up just .264 of a second ahead of Tytlers Cycle Racing’s PJ Jacobsen. In the second Superbike race of the day, Gagne had it a bit easier as he topped Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz by 1.868 of a second.
Not even Gagne would have predicted that he would come out of Pitt Race with his third title as most believed the title fight would at least go to round eight at Circuit of The Americas in a few weeks’ time.
But, today was the day with Gagne’s eighth and ninth wins of the season and the 37th and 38th wins of his AMA Superbike career clinching the title with two rounds and four races left on the 2023 schedule.
Superbike Race 2 – Gagne On The Verge
Race two was red-flagged early on when Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Cameron Beaubier was involved in a scary crash when he ran into the back of Ashton Yates’ Aftercare Scheibe Racing BMW. With the two in a battle and Beaubier looking to make up spots after an off-track excursion, Yates led him through the chicane but on the exit his BMW had a mechanical issue that caused him to slow suddenly. With nowhere to go, Beaubier ran into the back of Yates and crashed heavily. Beaubier was transported to the infield medical center and was treated for facial lacerations.
The battle for victory came down to Gagne (1) vs. Jacobsen (99) with Gagne emerging victorious. Herrin (2), meanwhile, ended up third. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
By this point, Wrench Motorcycles’ Bobby Fong was already out of the race with the pole sitter crashing his Yamaha YZF-R1 in the opening laps.
Although he was pushed the entire way by Jacobsen, it was Gagne taking the victory, his eighth of the year, over the New Yorker.
Third in race two on Saturday went to Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC’s Josh Herrin, 1.4 seconds behind Jacobsen and a second ahead of Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz.
JD Beach was impressive in riding the injured Cameron Petersen’s Fresh N Lean Progressive Racing Yamaha to fifth, well clear of Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Brandon Paasch. Disrupt Racing’s Hayden Gillim was eighth, just a few tenths ahead of Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Cory Alexander.
Benjamin Smith Racing’s Benjamin Smith and Steel Commander’s Gabriel Da Silva rounded out the top 10.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante crashed out of fourth place on the last lap.
Race Two Quotes Jake Gagne – Winner
“Yeah. Obviously that red flag, at first, I was bummed and then to go by and see Cam (Beaubier) down again… man, we were all just seeing what we saw on the track. It was gnarly there for a second. So, I hope he’s okay. I knew it would be hot, greasy, gnarly. Restart, eight-lap sprint. I could feel these guys on me. I could hear those bikes every turn. Just tried to hit my marks because I knew if I was a little wide there, a little wide here, they would have got up in there. But it was a fun race because I could hear them the whole time. So having eight laps pushing and trying to be as consistent as possible is a good time. So, hats off to these guys. We’ve got to go throw down this afternoon, so it will be fun.”
PJ Jacobsen – Second Place
“Yeah, people say that and I’m like, ‘I’m upright as much as I can, and I’m still sliding everywhere.’ Every time he was spinning up, I was spinning up as well, just trying to get the same drive grip as him. But both races were honestly going to be good for me, I thought. Even that first one before the restart, I think I was catching (Mathew) Scholtz and Richie (Escalante) when they started coming back to me. So, it was really good. I’m happy. We made some changes, and the bike was working really good.”
Josh Herrin – Third Place
“The bike felt good all weekend. It’s kind of like it was at Barber. I just feel super good on the bike, but we’re not able to drive forward on the track. Everybody is having the problem, but it seems like we’re having it pretty bad. Today I said just take the TC (traction control) out. Not all the way, but just let the thing hang. The warmup lap we ran shag tires on the parade lap, and that thing was like flat track sideways. I was like, ‘Is this thing okay? It’s sideways.’ They’re like, ‘That’s what you asked for.’ The thing obviously worked way better than it did yesterday. It was just a handful. I felt like I was riding a bike with 50 more horsepower today. But it worked, so that’s the important thing. I’m just wore out because it was tough. This third race, I’m not going to lie, it’s going to be hard on everyone but it’s going to be a tough one. It’s getting hotter. I’m really happy with how today went. I just didn’t have it for them at the end. I felt good. I just made one little mistake and then the mental focus kind of lost me for two turns and they were gone. I just couldn’t make it back up. I’ve been struggling really hard in the chicane.”
Superbike Race 3 – Title Time
Gagne got his normal fast start and led every lap of race three. Scholtz kept him honest, finishing 1.8 seconds behind the factory Yamaha.
The win, Gagne’s ninth on the year, gave him an insurmountable 337 points after 16 races – 101 points ahead of Herrin, who finished third. If Herrin would have finished second with Gagne winning, the title fight would have gone to the next round in Austin, Texas. Any chance of that was thwarted when Herrin, who was right on Gagne’s tail, blew the chicane and then waited for at least three riders to go by so that he wouldn’t be penalized.
Josh Herrin (2) tries to hold off Mathew Scholtz (11) and Richie Escalante (54) in the third and final Superbike race of the weekend while PJ Jacobsen (99) and JD Beach (95) give chase. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
Herrin fought back, but ultimately lost out to Scholtz with the South African pulling away to beat the Ducati rider by 3.6 seconds. Herrin, meanwhile, had his hands full with Escalante who was trying to land his first Superbike podium. He would come up .6 of a second short at the finish.
Jacobsen was fifth and just another few tenths behind Escalante with Beach sixth again and less than a second behind Jacobsen, who moved to third in the championship by one point over Beaubier with his teammate’s failure to score points on Sunday.
Gillim was seventh for the second time on the day with pole-sitter Bobby Fong eighth. Smith was ninth again with Tom Wood Powersports’ Nolan Lamkin rounding out the top 10.
Jake Gagne wrapped up his third straight MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship on Sunday at Pitt Race. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
Race 3 Quotes Jake Gagne – Winner
“To do it with a couple wins here at a place this Yamaha loves is awesome. I just didn’t expect it. We didn’t really do any math. The team didn’t talk about it. Nobody talked about it. I just had a feeling if I won and I didn’t exactly know what Josh (Herrin) had to do, but I knew sure as hell Josh was going to put up a fight to bring it down to one more round, and I knew he was right there. Congrats to Matty (Scholtz). Doing Yamaha a favor, doing me a favor today. It’s cool to get it done early. Again, kind of unexpected. I haven’t been the fastest guy all year, but I guess kind of luck has been on my side. We finished almost every race, besides one. It’s going to be a hell of a fight for that championship run with a lot of guys in it next year. I’m looking forward to going to the last couple rounds and just duking it out with these guys with nothing else to worry about.”
Mathew Scholtz – Second Place
“We made a pretty decent change on the traction control just to kind of help when I first crack the gas so that the bike doesn’t just want to spin as you first start to wind it on. I was definitely pushing the front more on the gas, but it definitely helped me to kind of roll through the middle of the corner to kind of keep up with the Ducati a little bit better, once you have it picked up. Overall, the race early on I was struggling. I was on the absolute limit. This race I felt confident and I managed to get past Josh (Herrin) with a couple laps to go and open up a small gap. Kept it pretty similar to (Jake) Gagne out front. So, I’m really happy with that. I’m happy with the changes that we made to the bike. I think it’s going to work well at the next two tracks for us.”
Josh Herrin – Third Place
“Yeah, we left it. It worked. We didn’t change anything from the first race. We looked at stuff. I talked about maybe going one or two taller in the gearing because it seemed like I was struggling a little bit in the corners that I was using first gear – just trying to get that initial squirt. But second didn’t feel comfortable to me. But we ended up not going with it. We decided to just play it safe and stick with what was working because it would have lengthened the bike a little bit. Whenever I missed the chicane and I fought to catch up to Jake (Gagne), got right there. I actually felt like I did at Brainerd where I was like, ‘Okay, I might get a little bit heated at the end but at least I’m here and I can kind of plan something out a little bit.’ Then I don’t know what I did and ran off in the chicane. Then, unfortunately, you have to give up a second whenever you do that, so I let two guys go by. Then kind of just waited as long as I could before PJ (Jacobsen) got on my butt and then went. Then I think I charged back up to second. Then I switched the engine brake map to a different map and it was just free-wheeling a little bit too much. Started to get some slides on the front on the right side. I put it back to the mode that I was in originally, but I just never got that confidence back and unfortunately just didn’t have the pace. Congrats to these guys. Congrats to Jake on wrapping that championship up this fast. I didn’t think that was even possible to happen that quick. It just came out of nowhere. I saw it on Instagram right before the race started, and it kind of helped me get a little motivated to try to get up there at the beginning of this race. It just seems like there’s a trend all year where if Friday and Saturday are pretty rough for me, then Sunday is there. So, I’m really hoping that these guys give me one more shot next year. It would be the first year that I’ve had the same bike in Superbike in 10 years, for two years in a row. So, I’m really hoping that I get it again because I just love everything about this team and I’m having fun. Looking forward to COTA.”
More, from a press release issued by Ducati:
Josh Herrin and Xavi Forés on the Podium at PittRace
Sunnyvale, Calif., August 20 2023 — The seventh round of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike and Supersport Championship, held at the stunning 2.8-mile Pittsburgh International Race Complex, saw Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC stars Josh Herrin and Xavi Forés fighting at the pointy end in both categories.
In the three races for the Superbike category, Herrin came away with sixth place in race one and dug deep in races two and three to finish in third each time out behind Jake Gagne.
Herrin had his hands full with attention from Suzuki’s Richie Escalante in races two and three but resisted the his advances, Herrin’s two podium places cementing second in the championship on 236 points.
Forés nearly took the race one win, finishing a scant 0.180 behind race winner, Kawasaki’s Stefano Mesa, and had to settle for second place in race two behind Suzuki’s Tyler Scott.
Regardless, Forés is in the box seat to clinch the title at Circuit of The Americas in September as he heads into the round with an 86 point advantage and only needs to leave Texas with 50 points in hand.
2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Standings After Round Seven
P1 – Jake Gagne (Yamaha) 337
P2 – Josh Herrin (Ducati) 236
P3 – PJ Jacobsen (BMW) 204
P3 – Cameron Beaubier (BMW) 203
P5 – Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha) 184
2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Standings After Round Seven
P1 – Xavi Forés (Ducati) 312
P2 – Tyler Scott (Suzuki) 226
P3 – Stefano Mesa (Kawasaki) 213
P4 – Josh Hayes (Yamaha) 209
P5 – Teagg Hobbs (Suzuki) 142
Josh Herrin (2) in action at PittRace. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Ducati.
Josh Herrin (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC – #2)
“This weekend, I’m happy,” Herrin said. “To get two podium finishes after the start of the weekend, I’m stoked. It’s hard to say you’re happy when you’re getting third places when in my mind I’m on the best bike, but it is what it is. We’re nearly there and just missing that final piece to put it all together. Hopefully, I get to do another year with this team, which I think will help a lot given the experience I have. I’m happy to be back on the podium. I tried my hardest and was sliding around like crazy. It was a positive end to the weekend and now we’re onto COTA, a track we know well and one I know the bike and I will be strong at.”
Xavi Fores (12) leading a Supersport race at PittRace. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Ducati.
Xavi Forés (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC – #12)
“Overall it was a good weekend with two second places,” Forés said. “It was great to be back on the podium after the disaster in Brainerd. I was happy with my performance this weekend. It wasn’t enough to win but we are getting closer to the target of the title. We’ve got a small break between here and COTA, where I will spend time with my young family and recharge the batteries. My goal will be to take the title at COTA and then look to the future, where I hope to ride a Panigale V4 R soon.”
Round eight of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike and Supersport Championship will take place at Circuit of The Americas in Texas on September 8-10, 2023.
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Gagne Crowned 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Champion
Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne clinches third-consecutive premier-class championship with a sweep of the MotoAmerica Superbike tripleheader at PIRC
Jake Gagne. Photo courtesy Yamaha.
MARIETTA, Ga. – August 20, 2023 – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne took home his third-consecutive MotoAmerica Superbike Championship in style, sweeping the weekend at the Pittsburgh International Race Complex. The Colorado rider reigned supreme, winning both superbike races today in Wampum, Pennsylvania, to clinch the title two rounds early. Filling in for the injured Cameron Petersen, JD Beach continued to make progress in the challenging conditions, improving to a top-five finish in Race 2 and a sixth-place finish in Race 3.
Earlier today, Gagne got a great start in Race 2 and quickly claimed the lead. The Colorado rider threw down some fast times early and built a gap up front, but then the red flag came out with 10 laps to go. After the restart, Gagne grabbed the holeshot but was unable to break away from the pack in the eight-lap race. He kept cool under pressure and rode on to secure his eighth victory of the season and second of the weekend to move closer to the crown.
In Race 3, it was another flying start from Gagne with the holeshot. Although he was unable to ride away from the competition early on, he set the pace up front and threw down consistently fast times to build a gap and cross the line with a comfortable victory. Gagne’s superbike sweep at the Pittsburgh International Race Complex secured his third-consecutive premier-class title two rounds early with nine wins and a total of 13 podiums. During those three years, the Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing Rider has amassed an impressive tally of 38-career superbike wins aboard the Attack Performance Yamaha R1 and looks to add some more at the final rounds.
With more seat time, Beach continued to make progress in his first weekend back to superbike racing and got a better start in Race 2. In seventh, the dirt track/road racer jockeyed for position and kept pushing, making the pass for sixth on Lap 7 before the red flag came out. Moving up a row for the restart, Beach got another good start in sixth. He then closed the gap to the lead group with four laps to go, ultimately advancing to fifth. In the final race of the weekend, Beach was eighth after the start and made the pass for sixth on Lap 4. Once again, the Kentucky rider closed the gap to the lead group and rode a smart race in the greasy conditions to finish sixth.
Next up for the Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing Team is the penultimate round of the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at the Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, on September 8-10.
Richard Stanboli – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing Team Manager
“The weekend went perfectly for us. Jake rode smart, won all three races, and against the odds, the championship. The crew did a great job, and our R1s ran great. We are very pleased that we can put counting the points behind us and will now just concentrate on winning.
“JD did a good job as well. He showed good pace and stayed within striking distance of the lead group in today’s races. It was a fun weekend, and we look forward to the last two events at COTA and NJMP.”
Jake Gagne – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing
“It was a little unexpected and a little hard to put into words. Hats off to the whole team, my crew. It’s been a challenging year, but we’ve learned a lot – me as a rider and together as a team. I’ve just got an amazing group of people around me, and I get to ride this amazing R1. It feels so good to get my third title, and it’s going to feel good going into these next few rounds battling with these guys and not having to worry about the championship.
“It’s been different from the last couple of years. We weren’t always the fastest guy out there, but we were pretty consistent. Even if we weren’t able to win the race, we brought it home and got a lot of podiums. It’s amazing when the competition is so stacked. This field is getting gnarlier every year, and it’s going to be another battle next year, but we’ve still got some more races to go.”
JD Beach – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing
“I’m really happy with how the day went. Every race and every time I got on the bike, I felt better and better. I know I did the one-off race in 2021, but really it’s been four years since I’ve raced a superbike, and I’d honestly say I felt almost as good as I did in 2019. I had a blast being at the tail end of the podium battle in Race 3. I’m not sure what the fortune holds for me for the rest of the season, but I hope to be on the bike again.”
Tyler Scott won MotoAmerica Supersport Race Two Sunday at Pittsburgh International Race Complex (a.k.a. PittRace), in Wampum, Pennsylvania. Scott took control of the race on lap five of 16 and kept pushing the pace on his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R750 until he won the race by 2.813 seconds.
Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati’s Xavi Fores fought for the lead with Scott early in the race and pushed to the end, but the best the Spaniard could do was the runner-up spot, which gave him an 86-point lead over Scott with four races remaining in the season.
Race One winner Stefano Mesa was also in the fight for first place, but a setup change to his Tytlers Cycle Racing Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R worked against him and relegated him to third place.
Scott’s teammate Teagg Hobbs was a close fourth, and Josh Hayes, the all-time AMA/MotoAmerica race win leader, finished fifth on his Squid Hunter Racing Yamaha.
Twins Cup Title Chase Going To The Wire After PittRace Thriller
Only 14 Points Separate The Top Three In The REV’IT! Twins Cup Championship After Pitt Race Round
Gus Rodio (96) leads Blake Davis (1) and Rocco Landers (hidden behind Davis) in their REV’IT! Twins Cup battle at PittRace on Sunday. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
WAMPUM, PA (August 20, 2023) – The top three contenders in the REV’IT! Twins Cup Championship are locked in a close battle for the title, and those three contenders were also locked in a close battle for the race win on Sunday at Pitt Race. Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering teammates Gus Rodio and Rocco Landers not only raced hard against each other, but they also raced hard against N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto’s Blake Davis throughout the nine-lap event.
Davis led seven of the laps, while Landers only led one lap and Rodio led the other. But it was Rodio who led the most important one, which resulted in him crossing the finish line first and notching the win by just .104 of a second over his teammate Landers.
Davis almost finished as runner-up, but he couldn’t quite overtake Landers when the checkered flag flew. Rodio goes into the final round at New Jersey Motorsports Park with an eight-point lead over Davis and a 14-point lead over Landers, which means that the season championship is very much up in the air with just two more races to go.
“I knew me and Blake had power,” Rodio said. “I knew Rocco was taking those wide, sweeping lines. From the looks of it, I didn’t want to get tangled up in that. I just sat back. I was kind of resting the whole race and the pace in the 49s. We qualified a lot faster than that. There were just five passes a lap, so that’s where that time is going to come into play. I knew Blake was going to pass him on the straight. He’s good on the brakes, too, so down in the chicane, I saw him making moves there. I knew he wasn’t going to let Rocco lead a full lap because it would have been not good. So, I just sat back. Knew the passes were coming. Knew the pace was going to stay in the 49s. I just planned for the last lap. Blake made a mistake and then I knew coming to the line I just had to make the pass. I had to stay close enough to make the pass. Everything went according to plan.”
Supersport – Great Scott
Although there is little doubt that Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC’s Xavi Forés will be crowned as the 2023 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion, Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Tyler Scott didn’t allow it to happen at Pitt Race on Sunday.
Eventual winner Tyler Scott leads Xavi Fores and Stefano Mesa at the front of the Supersport race at Pittsburgh International Race Complex. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
In order for Forés to be crowned on Sunday, he had to win with Scott finishing no worse than second. Scott, however, decided to just go ahead and win the race to make sure that the war would go to the next round of the championship at Circuit of The Americas next month.
Scott ended up beating Forés by 2.8 seconds after an early back-and-forth battle. Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Stefano Mesa, who won Saturday’s Superbike race, was third, 7.8 seconds adrift of Scott and five seconds clear of Scott’s teammate Teagg Hobbs, who got the better of Squid Hunter Racing’s Josh Hayes.
Disrupt Racing’s Jake Lewis ended up sixth, hot on Hayes’s heels.
“Yesterday I got a decent start the first time, starting from the second row on the grid,” Scott said. “Couldn’t get a clear lap in qualifying, so right off the bat it was hard to lead the race and try and set the pace. Overnight we thought about it. This morning we made some changes to be able to push the pace. In the race today, I got a pretty similar start to yesterday, but I saw an opening to pass Xavi (Forés) and I took it. I wanted to see if I could lead the race and start pulling a gap. It was .0 for what felt like an eternity, and then .2, .4, .6, one second, one second, one second, two seconds. I just kept pushing the pace every lap and was able to create that gap.”
Junior Cup – Moor DQ’d. Dreher Crowned
Bad Boy Racing’s Avery Dreher won his sixth race of the season on Sunday at Pitt Race, but he didn’t know that he’d also been crowned as the 2023 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship. That decision came later when Fairium NGRT – Gray Area Racing’s Rossi Moor was later DQ’d for using an illegal wheel bearing on his KTM RC 390 R ending any chance of Dreher being surpassed in the final round at New Jersey Motorsports Park next month.
Avery Dreher wrapped up the Junior Cup title on Sunday with his victory at PittRace. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
Altus Motorsports’ Alessandro Di Mario was second on the track and second in the final results while Bicknese Racing’s Hayden Bicknese was moved from fourth to third in the final standings after Moor’s DQ. Yandel Racing’s Yandel Medina was fourth with Badie Racing’s Levi Badie rounding out the top five.
Dreher is now 52 points head of Bicknese in the title chase with just 50 points on the table in the final round.
“It worked yesterday, so I just figured I’d go with the same strategy today,” Dreher said. “The team and I worked on a few things this morning with the bike. Got that sorted out. I knew it would be a little hotter today than yesterday. Our race was three hours later, so I knew that would play a factor. Lost the grip on the rear on the last lap. Thought I would lose the draft on the front straightaway but ended up pulling it together. I’m just super happy with the results this weekend. I don’t know how many points I have left to clinch the title, but I’m just going to keep working hard between rounds and hopefully get that jersey.”
Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race – Perfect Moore
The Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. program wrapped up its second year with MotoAmerica on Sunday, and Mikayla Moore completed a perfect season. The Maryland-based rider clinched the championship with her win in Saturday’s race one, and her race two victory on Sunday was her seventh win in as many races. Moore won Sunday’s race by nearly 11 seconds over second-place finisher Sonya Lloyd, who in turn was a little over nine seconds ahead of Crystal Martinez in third place. The finishing order of race two was also the finishing order of the season championship with Lloyd finishing second to title winner Moore and Martinez locking up third.
Mikayla Moore (78) ended her perfect season with another victory in the Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. at PittRace. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
“With this being our last race, I wanted to see how fast I could actually take it. Being by myself yesterday, only hitting (a lap of) 2:08, I was experiencing chatter and some other bike issues. So, when Sonya showed me that wheel yesterday, I was like, ‘All right. Come tomorrow, she’s going to be on top of her game.’ So, Megan (from Öhlins) was able to fix some issues with the bike for me in terms of suspension. I ended up making a gearing change, and that definitely helped for this race.”
Mission Mini Cup By Motul – Gouker Again
Three Mission Mini Cup Presented By Motul races were held on Saturday evening at the Pitt Race karting track and they were again mostly dominated by the same riders as on Friday.
Stadler America’s Nathan Gouker continued his hot hand in the Ohvale 160 class with his seventh straight win in the championship to build his points lead to 40 points over Madd Will Racing’s Kruz Maddison, who was fourth, second and fourth in the three races on Saturday. American Racing’s Connor Raymond, meanwhile, was second best to Gouker in two of the three races.
The Ohvale 190 class featured three different winners in the three races on Saturday with American Racing’s Joshua Raymond, Historic GP’s Mahdi Salem and Alpha Omega’s Ryder Davis all coming away with victories. Davis, however, is still the points leader with a 23-point lead over Salem, 156-133.
In Stock class action, Cruise Texter won all three Stock 50 races on his Cory Texter Racing/Roof Systems-backed Honda.
There were three different winners in the three Stock 110 classes – Varnes Racing’s Cole Varnes, Xtreme Autoglass Pros’ Jacob Davis and Ryan Clark Racing’s Ryan Clark, who leads the title chase by 24 points.
Jacobsen Motorcycle Training/Bettencourt Racing’s Nathan Bettencourt kept his perfect 2023 record intact with his 10th, 11th and 12th straight wins in the Stock 125 class.
Mikayla Moore won MotoAmerica Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. (BTR) Race Two Sunday at Pittsburgh International Race Complex (a.k.a. PittRace), in Wampum, Pennsylvania. The victory completed a perfect seven-races-for-seven-wins for 19-year-old Moore.
Sonya Lloyd was the runner-up for a second straight day, and Crystal Martinez used a late-race move to overtake defending Champion Kayleigh Buyck and snag third place.
Moore, Lloyd, and Martinez also finished first, second, and third, respectively, in the final Championship point standings.
Gus Rodio used a last-lap move to overtake his Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering Aprilia teammate Rocco Landers and win MotoAmerica REV’IT! Twins Cup Race Two Sunday at Pittsburgh International Race Complex (a.k.a. PittRace).
Defending Champion Blake Davis, riding his N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto Yamaha YZF-R7, exchanged the lead with Landers throughout the race. On the ninth and final lap, Landers was leading Davis, when Davis overshot Turn Seven, allowing Rodio to move up to second.
Rodio then drove past Landers and his ailing Aprilia RS 600 on the run to the checkered flag to secure his third win of the season and takeover the Championship point lead.
Defending Champion Jake Gagne won MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Race Two Sunday at Pittsburgh International Race Complex (a.k.a. PittRace), in Wampum, Pennsylvania. It was Gagne’s eighth win of the season on his Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha YZF-R1, extending his Championship point lead to where he can possibly clinch the 2023 title in Race Three later Sunday afternoon.
PJ Jacobsen was a very close runner-up, just 0.264 second behind Gagne on his Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW M 1000 RR.
Josh Herrin finished third on his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R.
The race was red flagged seven laps into the original start for a crash involving five-time Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier. Beaubier had run off track early in the race and was running ninth right behind Ashton Yates when Yates’ Aftercare Scheibe Racing BMW lost power momentarily coming out of the chicane. Beaubier ran into the back of Yates’ BMW, and as Beaubier was coming off his bike he was struck by Hayden Gillim and his Disrupt Racing Suzuki.
Beaubier suffered a bloody facial laceration but was seen awake and alert on video feeds after the incident.
The race was then restarted for an eight-lap final segment.
The Red Bull Ring, in Austria. Photo courtesy Michelin.
Defending World Champion Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia took a dominant victory in Sunday’s MotoGP World Championship race at Red Bull Ring, in Spielberg, Austria. It was the Italian rider’s fifth full-distance race win of the season, extending his Championship point lead.
South African Brad Binder challenged Bagnaia in the early going bet slipped back to a lonely second-place finish on his Red Bull KTM RC16.
Marco Bezzecchi bounced back from a disappointing crash in Saturday’s Sprint race to score third on his Mooney VR46 Racing Team Ducati.
Unstoppable: Bagnaia escapes Binder as the podium battle lights up in Spielberg
The #1 was in a league of his own on Sunday as Binder and Bezzecchi complete the Red Bull Ring podium
Francesco Bagnaia (1) pulled away from Brad Binder (33) and the rest of the MotoGP field Sunday at Red Bull Ring. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Sunday, 20 August 2023
Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) capped off a perfect weekend at the CryptoDATA Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich with an unbeatable performance in Sunday’s MotoGP™ race to bring it up to a half-century of Grand Prix podiums for the reigning World Champion. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) hung in there early on as he chased KTM home glory but was forced to settle for second – still, plenty to cheer about for the Mattighofen factory. After bad luck on Saturday, Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) rebounded from Tissot Sprint disappointment to climb onto the rostrum in third.
Simply unstoppable
Just like he did in the Tissot Sprint, Bagnaia launched incredibly to grab the holeshot ahead of Binder. Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was away well as well – and as usual – to propel himself up to P3, as Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) went backwards again. It wasn’t a terrible getaway from ‘Top Gun’ but Viñales then got swarmed at Turn 1, as Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) gained places.
Bagnaia and Binder quickly pulled a second clear of the chasers, with the #33 shadowing the World Champion. It got close. Lap 4 saw Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) take his Long Lap penalty, which dropped the title hopeful to P13, as Binder hounded Pecco at the front. Alex Marquez then passed Miller for P3 at the end of Lap 4 but faced a 1.7s gap to Pecco and Binder, with Bezzecchi and Mooney VR46 teammate Marini quickly dispatching the Australian too.
As the race settled, Binder dropped to half a second adrift of Bagnaia’s rear wheel as ‘Mapping 2’ popped up on the South African’s dashboard. In the fight for P3, meanwhile, Alex Marquez was holding off Bezzecchi as we entered Lap 11, with the double World Champions still 1.7s shy of Binder in P2.
With 15 laps to go, Pecco’s lead crept up to a second for the first time. That went up to 1.2s on Lap 17 of 28, as Bezzecchi continued to pursue Alex Marquez. Marini was a safe P5 with Viñales two seconds down the road in P6, while Martin’s recovery found him in a commendable P7 with 12 laps to go.
Could Binder get the gap down? Two crucial laps were slammed in by the race-leading #1 to give us our answer. With 10 laps left, Pecco’s advantage was up to 2.5s. A battle was raging for the final podium spot though as Bezzecchi attempted to make a pass stick at Turn 1, however the Spaniard was able to get back past on the cutback. Meanwhile, Marini had reeled the Ducati duo in to join the rostrum battle.
Bezzecchi made a move stick at Turn 9 with seven laps to go, and the Italian immediately began to open up a gap to make his podium chase a lot more comfortable. Marini made his way past Alex Marquez with three laps to go, but by that point, Bezzecchi had 1.7s in his back pocket.
At the front, Bagnaia was in a league of his own. The #1 proving just why he wears that special number on the front of his red Bologna bullet, as Bagnaia claimed victory to make it a pole, Tissot Sprint and Grand Prix race triple at the Red Bull Ring. That’s 50 career podiums for the Italian, as Binder brings his KTM home in P2 to cap off a very strong weekend on the Austrian manufacturer’s home turf. Bezzecchi bounced back very well to stand on the rostrum after his Saturday disappointment.
The points scorers
Marini’s late race pace was superb as the Italian crossed the line in P4 after getting the better of Alex Marquez, who rounded out the top five. Viñales ended P6 after a disappointing start and Martin made up ground but will leave Styria disappointed with P7.
Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) made a late attack to get past Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) for eighth, and Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) completed the top 10.
Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) eventually got the better of Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) for P11, and the latter took P12 but takes points and finishes a GP race for the first time in 301 days. Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) was next up after a tough weekend but one with some headlines, with Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) and Miller, after dropping back throughout, taking home the final points. Pol Espargaro (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) was also in contention but got a late Long Lap for track limits.
Next stop: Barcelona
After a perfect weekend in Austria, Bagnaia’s Championship lead sits at a healthy 62 points over Martin heading to the Catalan GP. Can the chasing pack stop the World Champion’s charge in Barcelona? We’ll find out in two weeks!
Celestino Vietti (13) won the Moto2 race over Pedro Acosta (37). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Vietti defeats Acosta in tense Moto2™ contest in Austria
The Italian arrives and conquers for his first win in more than a year as Acosta is forced to settle for second and Ogura completes the rostrum
The CryptoDATA Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich delivered blockbuster action as Celestino Vietti (Fantic Racing) picked off rider by rider in a superb chargeto victory. The Italian wasn’t settling for anything other than the top step as he denied Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and KTM the victory in Austria. The Spaniard put in a clever ride, however, to strengthen his Championship position as Ai Ogura (IDEMISTU Honda Team Asia) continued his podium form in P3.
It was Acosta who took the holeshot down into turn 1 as Jake Dixon (Autosolar GASGAS Aspar Team) shot up into P2, with Ogura keeping himself in the mix. Acosta got into his groove and began to pull away from the rest of the field, meanwhile, Dixon was coming under pressure from Ogura who eventually got the better of the Brit to put himself into P2.
Dixon then fell into the clutches of Vietti, who was on an absolute charge. The Italian pushed his way past the GASGAS man and then had Ogura locked in his sights. Acosta led the way by a second and a half at the front, but Vietti was the man on the move as he pounced on Ogura with eleven laps to go.
The Japanese rider had no response for the Italian as he proceeded to put down a scintillating pace and started to reel in the race leader. With six laps remaining Vietti was all over the rear wheel of Acosta and wasted no time at all in pushing his way past the Championship leader, arriving and immediately making a move. Acosta tried all he could to cling onto Vietti but had no answer for Italian who put in an inch-perfect performance to take the victory by 1.435s.
Acosta took a crucial 20 points towards his title tilt with Ogura taking a second podium in three races. Jake Dixon missed out on the podium one second back from the Japanese rider, with Somkiat Chantra (IDEMISTU Honda Team Asia) rounding out the top five.
Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) took sixth place and lost some key points to his title rival Acosta.
Aron Canet (Pons Wegow Los40) was one of the crashers as well as Alonso Lopez (CAG SpeedUp) and Manuel Gonzalez (Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Team). Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) and Darryn Binder (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) crashed out early on as they fell victim to the Turn 2a-2b chicane, Binder crashing and Lowes collecting the South African. Binder was declared unfit due to fractured vertebrae.
He’ll need to rest up as attention now turns to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Spain where Acosta will be looking to further extend his Championship lead. Can he get the job done on home turf? Find out in two weeks!
Deniz Öncü beat Daniel Holgado in a photo finish in the Moto3 race in Austria. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Photo finish! Öncü pulls a fast one at the final corner
Just 0.005 sees the Turkish rider take his second Grand Prix win, slicing past a Holgado-Sasaki duel at the final corner
Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) took a stunning win at the CryptoDATA Motorrad Grand PRix von Österreich, just coming out on top in a photo finish against Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3). Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna IntactGP) completed the podium, losing out in a spectacular final corner shuffle that saw Öncü play his cards to perfection.
Holgado took the early lead ahead of Öncü, but polesitter Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) didn’t take long to take back over in second. He stuck in with the lead group, comprising that trio plus Silverstone winner David Alonso (GASGAS Aspar Team), Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) looking for some redemption, 2022 Austria winner Sasaki and Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse).
With 17 laps still on the clock, drama hit for Masia. A technical problem saw the Spaniard forced to pull over and out of the fight, leaving him with an increased deficit in the title fight once again, this time through no fault of his own.
That left a small gap between Holgado, Öncü and Veijer in the lead and the chasing trio of Sasaki, Alonso and Rossi. By 10 to go though, it was a leading quintet: Holgado, Öncü, Alonso, Veijer and Sasaki. But then came some more drama for a frontrunner as Alonso, having made his way into the lead, then suddenly slid out at the chicane – leaving four riders fighting for three places on the podium.
Onto the last lap, Holgado led Sasaki but the Japanese rider took over at Turn 1. At Turn 3, Holgado launched it – and Öncü capitalised to attack as well. But Sasaki once again hit back, and it all went down to that final corner. Holgado went for it on Sasaki, and both headed a little wide… leaving Öncü just enough room to slice through on both. That became a drag to the line between the Turkish rider and the Championship leader, with Sasaki left dragging it out against teammate Veijer.
It was one of the closest finishes ever, and Öncü took it, winning his second ever Grand Prix on Red Bull KTM home turf – and gaining a valuable five points on Holgado. Sasaki just pipped his rookie teammate to complete the podium, continuing his best ever run of rostrum finishes but just missing out on the top step once more.
Veijer takes fourth, his best finish yet, ahead of Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) as he caught and passed Rossi for fifth. Ryusei Yamanaka (GASGAS Aspar Team) headed the second bigger group in seventh, ahead of Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI), David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) and Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team), who pipped Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) to the final place in the top ten.
As we head back west to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, it’s now a 26-point lead for Holgado ahead of Sasaki, but Öncu is now within 37 of the top and in third. Join us for more twists and turns in Barcelona!
The Red Bull Ring, in Austria. Photo courtesy Michelin.
Celestino Vietti rode his Fantic Racing Kalex to victory in Sunday’s 23-lap FIM Moto2 World Championship race at Red Bull Ring, in Spielberg, Austria. Not only was it the Italian rider’s first win of the season it was his first podium finish of 2023.
Championship point leader Pedro Acosta finished a close second, 1.435 seconds behind Vietti, on his Red Bull KTM Ajo Kalex.
Japanese star Ai Ogura took third on his Idemitsu Honda Team Asia Kalex.
American Joe Roberts crashed his Italtrans Racing Kalex near the halfway point of the race and did not finish (DNF).
American Sean Dylan Kelly (SDK) did not participate in the event in Austria because he is still recovering from arm surgery, according to a press release issued by his American Racing Team.
The Red Bull Ring, in Austria. Photo courtesy Michelin.
Deniz Oncu won the FIM Moto3 World Championship race Sunday at Red Bull Ring, in Spielberg, Austria. Riding his Red Bull KTM Ajo machine, the Turkish racer won the 20-lap race by a scant 0.005 second over Red Bull KTM Tech3’s Daniel Holgado.
Ayumu Sasaki was third, just 0.119 second behind Oncu, on his Liqui Moly Intact GP Husqvarna.
8th Rookies Cup win of the year for Piqueras in Spielberg
Angel Piqueras was back to his winning ways on Sunday morning in Spielberg picking up his 10th Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup career win in superb style. The 16-year-old Spaniard stole 1st from Saturday’s victor Álvaro Carpe with Rico Salmela flashing across the line just behind for a double 3rd.
Even more intense than yesterday it was an 8 KTM battle for the lead. Max Quiles ran off track from the lead group early and went for a trip through the gravel that left him battling back from last to 8th.
Cormac Buchanan had his 2nd very competitive ride of the weekend, led briefly but slid off when the front end tucked at the chicane on lap 14.
Piqueras perfect
“I’m happy to equal the wins total, in Misano I will try to be the best,” laughed the Cup winner after his 8th win of the season that matches Bo Bendsneyder’s score from 2015. Piqueras won 2 races last year so has now matched Karel Hanika’s total of 10 from 2012 & 13.
“This race was so fast, Salmela and Carpe were pushing a lot, I had to push hard also. We went for the taller gearing today, that helped when I had the slipstream, I needed that.”
“On the last lap, I pushed, coming to the end I knew I really only had one chance, the last corner is not the place, I went for it the corner before and it worked.”
Carpe leading again
“The race was difficult, more difficult than yesterday,” explained the 16-year-old Spaniard. “All the riders were pushing more and our group at the front was bigger.”
“I am really happy with the podium, the points for 2nd are so important for the championship. I’m the 2nd right now in the Rookies Cup and in a good position to hold that. It’s really important for me, for my mentality and for all my family.”
“The feeling with the bike was good, not quite as good as yesterday, in Race 1 I was more comfortable and I think I was riding better. I like the bike though very much and I know that it meant nothing to change, I look forward to riding it again in Misano.”
“On the last lap I knew that Angel would try to overtake me, he had said he wants to be the best Rookie ever. I thought he would try it at the last corner but he did it a corner before and there was nothing I could do,” he grinned.
Salmela smooth again
“It was a pretty good race, I had a good battle in the front group,” explained the 15-year-old Finn. “I don’t know why but I felt it was still a bit slippery on the rear tyre but I think it was more or less the same for everyone.”
“I tried to push every lap, then with about 4 laps to go I made a small mistake. So then I had to gain a few positions. I was P4 on the last lap, I couldn’t find a way to make any clean overtakes on Ruda so I just decided to try to pass on the straight before the 2nd to last corner but he defended well.”
“So I just had to get a good exit from the corner and I passed him in the last corner.”
“It was a great weekend, pole and two podiums, of course, I’m happy with that even though I wanted the win.”
Marcos Ruda 4th after the 2nd great ride of the weekend
“Yes I’m happy with both races,” enthused the 18-year-old Spaniard. “I felt really good battling at the front, I am sorry that I didn’t make the podium because I really thought it was possible, especially today. The bike was great.”
“Carpe and Piqueras were very fast but I did manage to get in front, even for a short time. On the last lap, I was there, going for the podium but Rico passed me right at the end.”
Ruche Moodley a strong ride to 5th
“It was a really fast race, the pace was very high,” explained the 16-year-old South African. “I was on the limit a lot so even to overtake was hard when the pace was faster than I was really comfortable with.”
“It was a very good race for me though, I was understanding the front group a lot better, I’m starting to be more confident, racing at the front of the Rookies Cup. I’m a little bit disappointed not to be on the podium but I’ll try again in Misano.”
Cormac Buchanan hit the front
“It was great to lead my first Rookies Cup race in the dry,” enthused the 16-year-old New Zealander. “I made probably the best start of my career and that was a big help.”
“It was weird because in the warm-up lap, the bike didn’t feel that great but I knew it was just because everything was cold, my body was cold and as the race went on I just kind of settled into a really fast rhythm and I was getting ready for the last 2 or 3 laps to try and get back to the front which I felt really comfortable doing. But unfortunately, just one mistake meant that I was down.”
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