AHRMA – Laguna Seca, July 14-15-16
Team Obsolete is again bringing one of our Matchless G50s for Dave Roper to ride in the 500 Premier, along with his Aermacchi 350 in 350 Grand Prix. Walt Fulton will again ride our ex-factory Harley-Davidson XR750TT.
We hope that other competitors will dust off their G50s and Manx Nortons to breathe some needed life back into 500 Premier!
Team Obsolete thanks our sponsors Vanson Leathers, Redline Synthetic Oil, AVON TYRES, and Buchanan’s Spoke and Rim, Inc.
Simon Says – The end of our Dynavolt partnership
For the last three years Dynavolt have been our main partner and title sponsor of our team. For this year, 2023 we had verbally agreed to continue and were awaiting the signing of the contract. Just two days before we left for the opening round in Australia, the President of Dynavolt informed me that they would not be able to sign the contract due to a reduction in their marketing budget.
I have to say this was a big shock to me as everything was agreed. For sure this left me in a very difficult position to say the least. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Dynavolt for the three years of valuable support and on behalf of PTR Triumph, thank the President, Leonard Chen, the Managing Director of Dynavolt Tech Thailand, James Nay and everyone at Dynavolt for your support.
I have worked with Triumph and have raised budget supporting other Triumph teams in Europe and looking towards 2024. Also, of course I have had to invest a lot of my own money to replace the big hole Dynavolt have left. I am passionate about racing so I do this in good faith.
We are working very closely with Triumph to introduce a new title partner in 2024 and we are confident from both sides. I would like to say to all our fans and supporters that all is well for the rest of 2023 due to everyone around me and all our loyal partners working together for the Triumph Racing Team.
We are still fifth in the Championship with Niki Tuuli despite the last two rounds being disappointing. We and Niki are working hard to overcome this. It is difficult as the lap time is there, it is just in the race he cannot overtake and struggles to maintain consistent times for the whole race.
Harry also is not progressing after starting well with an eleventh-place finish in Australia. As an ex-rider I know how hard it is to regain confidence when things are not going well but we will keep working with Harry to improve.
I know in the past criticism has been levelled at me for working with riders who bring support to the team. Some people call this ‘pay rides’ but in my view, it is not that way at all. It is just two parties working together to achieve their goals in the best way. Trust me, whilst we may have been one of the first teams to openly admit working in this way, we are nowhere near the team who is asking riders and their partners for the most support. I have always wanted to work in the best way with all our riders and where at all possible, to work with British riders to help develop British riders in World Championship racing.
In the case of Harry Truelove this was the case and in fact I turned down opportunities which would have brought more benefit to the team to give a British rider a chance to shine at World level. I did discuss with Harry and his dad Paul just what a huge step up in level World Supersport was from British Supersport right at the start of our discussions. This has proved to be the case and while we have seen glimpses of Harry making the step there is still a long way to go and we will do everything we can to help him make that step.
Sometimes people miss the point that in Supersport there is not so much that can be changed on the bike and whilst all bikes have different strengths and weaknesses, quite soon the rider has to adapt to getting the best from his bike and make it happen. Niki has done this at times and at others times not. We have done half the season and now it is time to make it happen together.
Cheers
Simon
Gagne Scores Pair of Podiums in Sunday’s Superbike Doubleheader
Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne keeps podium streak rolling at Laguna Seca to strengthen his MotoAmerica Superbike title defense
MARIETTA, Ga. – July 9, 2023 – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne’s podium streak continued with a second and third-place finish in today’s MotoAmerica Superbike doubleheader at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. The reigning champ’s 1-2-3 score on the weekend has him leaving the iconic Monterey, California, track with a 34-point lead in the championship with nine races remaining. Teammate Petersen bounced back from yesterday’s tough Race 1 to conclude the weekend with a pair of top-five finishes.
On the heels of yesterday’s victory, Gagne put in another championship ride at the doubleheader. In the first race of the day, he got a great start to claim the lead and put in some fast times early to try and break away, but he had his championship rival hot on his heels. The duo built a comfortable gap up front, and Gagne continued to knock down consistently fast laps but was passed with five laps to go and rode on to a runner-up finish.
In the final race of the weekend, Gagne was fourth and laid in wait behind a three-rider fight which included his teammate and championship rivals. On Lap 6, he passed Petersen, but the frontrunners had amassed a healthy gap ahead. Undeterred, Gagne picked up the pace to close the gap and was right behind them with four laps to go. On the final lap, he set the fastest lap of the race and advanced to the runner-up spot. Gagne crossed the line .118 of a second behind the leader but was ultimately credited with third after a two-second penalty was assessed for exceeding the track limits.
After a tough opening race of the weekend that saw him crash out of the lead on the exit of Turn 2, Petersen got a good start in today’s Race 2 from the second row of the grid in fifth. Although he was shuffled to seventh on Lap 3, he kept pushing and made his way back to the top five. In Race 3, Petersen executed another flying start to take the lead into Turn 2. It was an eventful opening lap that turned into a three-rider battle, with the South African putting in a good fight for the lead before being shuffled to third. After Gagne made his way through, he was holding down fourth but was passed with five laps to go, ending the day with another solid fifth-place finish.
Next up for the Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing team is Round 6 of the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at the Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, Minnesota, on July 28-30.
Richard Stanboli – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing Team Manager
“Throughout the event, we made good progress and a significant step forward on the new surface and tires. We are happy with our progress. Jake rode well to catch the leaders in Race 3. I think the track limits penalty was extreme, considering the actual advantage that would be gained by jumping the green. If the goal is to emulate the world championship, then it should follow the world standards by giving track limits warnings to the riders and exacting punishments that fit the infraction.”
Jake Gagne – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing
“We had some good races on Sunday and made some great progress. In Race 3, those guys were messing around, and I was able to reel them in. I feel like I rode my butt off in that one, so regardless, I’m happy with how I rode. I’m happy for this team. They really helped me step it up this weekend. It definitely was some exciting racing today, and I’m excited to get to the next round!”
Cameron Petersen – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing
“It was another tough weekend for me. The bike felt good, and so did I, but unfortunately I had a crash in Race 1. Race 2 and 3 were way better, and I was happy with my pace and got some good starts. At the end of the day, I just need to put all the pieces of the puzzle together, and we will be fighting at the front.”
About Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA
Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA (YMUS), is a recognized leader in the outdoor recreation industry. The company’s ever-expanding product offerings include Motorcycles and Scooters, ATV and Side-by-Side vehicles, Snowmobiles, WaveRunner Personal Watercraft, Boats, Outboard Motors, Outdoor Power Equipment, Power Assist Bicycles, Golf Cars, Power Assist Wheelchair Systems, Surface Mount Technology (SMT) and Robotic Machines, Unmanned Helicopters, Accessories, Apparel, Yamalube products, and much more. YMUS products are sold through a nationwide network of distributors and dealers in the United States.
YMUS has a corporate office in California, two corporate offices in Georgia, facilities in Wisconsin and Alabama, and factory operations in Tennessee and Georgia. Additional U.S.-based subsidiaries include Yamaha Marine Systems Company (YMSC) with divisions Bennett Marine (Florida), Kracor Systems (Wisconsin) and Siren Marine, Inc. (Rhode Island), Skeeter Boats (Texas), with division G3 Boats (Missouri), and Yamaha Precision Propeller (Indiana).
More, from a press release issued by Energica:
Energica launches to first-ever EV race lead anywhere while breaking e-motorcycle record lap at Laguna Seca
Stefano Mesa and Tytlers Cycle Racing have completed round five and six of the 2023 Super Hooligan National Championship, which took place at the WeatherTech Laguna Seca Raceway. This was another opportunity to shine for the Kit-Corsa-Clienti-equipped Energica Eva Ribelle RS, which in the capable hands of the 30-year-old Colombian rider wrote a new chapter in the history of motorcycling, as Roland Sands himself stated on commentary: “The first EV ever in the world to lead a race against ICE machinery”. Mesa exploited the immense torque of the Energica streetfighter machine to bend space and time and enter Turn One ahead of the rest of the field in Race One.
But it was Race Two that proved how the rider and the technical package are gelling together, as Mesa showed a whole different pace on Sunday and set his fastest lap in 1:31.272secs, a time that would have placed him on fourth place on the grid.
This lap-time also holds a very special meaning as it was one tenth of a second quicker of the previous, all-time two-wheeled electric lap record at Laguna Seca set by Steve Rapp in 2011, resulting in a new, historical lap record at the American raceway a dozen years afterwards while sharing the track with ICE motorcycles for a whole season – something that was never done before.
Stefano’s efforts did not go unnoticed by his peers: soon after Saturday’s Super Hooligan Race One, he had to take part in the grueling, extended 38-lap Supersport race. Many Supersport riders, including multiple MotoAmerica Superbike champion Josh Hayes praised Mesa’s speed, determination and stamina which led to a fourth-place finish in that race.
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With a sixth and a fifth in the two Super Hooligan encounters, Mesa and Tytlers Cycle Racing are back to P6 in the overall championship standings and are only seven points away from the top five.
“Fantastic result. If you know everybody who’s behind Energica, you know this bike works. Stefano knows how to make it work and the team knows how to make it work. This is fabulous!” says Michael Kiley, Team Principal of Tytlers Cycle Racing and firm believer of the Made-in-Modena electric bike’s potential in the series.
With Laguna Seca being one of the most attended racetracks on the MotoAmerica calendar and considering the fact that is located in the most EV-friendly state in the USA, the stunning PETRONAS iona-liveried Eva Ribelle grabbed the attention of the many fans who joined in this time out. This included a number of Energica owners who rode from as far away as Los Angeles and San Diego to cheer on their hero, whose bikes crowded the entrance to Garage 20, seemingly standing guard over the #137 race bike itself.
Energica, Tytlers Cycle Racing and Stefano Mesa return to the action on September 8-10 at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, for the final event of the season.
Click here for the current championship standings
Click on the following links to watch the full encounters (YouTube) Race one – Race two
More, from a press release issued by Aprilia:
APRILIA RS 660 RIDERS LANDERS, RODIO, VICTORIOUS AT LAGUNA SECA FOR MOTOAMERICA TWINS CUP DOUBLE HEADER
RODIO RACING – POWERED BY ROBEM ENGINEERING RIDERS WIN BY LARGE MARGINS IN BOTH CONTESTS, WITH GUS RODIO RETAKING POINTS LEAD
MONTEREY, CA – Laguna Seca is one of the most iconic racing circuits in the world and, this past weekend, was the scene of two commanding victories by Aprilia RS 660 riders. The Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering duo of Rocco Landers and Gus Rodio were the class of the MotoAmerica Twins Cup field. The pair recorded one win apiece, and each winning rider took the checkered flag least 16 seconds ahead of the rest of the field at the July 7-9 event.
Though Landers was unable to finish the second contest, both Landers and Rodio took turns being at the top of the Twins Cup points standings. And Rodio, who was the championship leader through the first two rounds of the season, heads to the next round with a three-point lead.
Friday morning practice commenced under slick track conditions due to overnight rain on the recently repaved circuit. That 40-minute session ended with Top Pro Motorsports’ Alex Arango as the fastest Aprilia rider and sixth-fastest overall. Landers, Top Pro Motorsports’ other rider Agustin Sierra, and Gus Rodio finished the session 9th, 10th, and 11th fastest, respectively.
By Friday afternoon, track conditions had greatly improved for the first of two Twins Cup qualifying sessions. And Landers and Rodio were back to their usual frontrunning form. Landers top the time sheets with a best lap time of 1:30.741. Rodio was second-fastest, about half a second off Landers’ time and more than 1.3 seconds faster than the next fastest rider. The Twins Cup’ Qualifying 2 session took place Saturday morning and saw Landers convert his provisional pole position from Friday into his fourth consecutive Twins Cup pole position of the season. Rodio nearly bested Landers when he qualified second with a lap time about one-tenth of a second off Landers’ best time.
Race 1 was the scene of some frantic action on the first lap that quickly changed to an Aprilia rout. Though Landers and Rodio were running second and third as the field of 33 riders exited Turn 2, Landers assumed the lead after making a pass at Turn 6 and, by the end of the first lap, had already built an about one second advantage to the rest of the field. Rodio made his move up to second place at the iconic Corkscrew turn and was undeterred when another rider bumped him as he was navigating the tight, twisty corner and finished the first lap in second place. From Lap 2 to the end of the 13-lap race, the Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering duo built a large gap to the multi-rider battle for third place. At the end of Lap 3, Landers had pulled out a 1.4-second lead over Rodio, who had established his own 2.2-second advantage over the third-place rider. By the end of Lap 10, Landers was leading Rodio by more than 4.4 seconds, and Rodio had increased his gap to third place to more than 15 seconds. Landers ended up taking the victory by a margin of 4.180 seconds and Rodio crossed the finish line 21.417 seconds ahead of the next rider. Landers also set a new MotoAmerica Twins Cup lap record during the Saturday race with a lap time of 1:29.790 and moved into the lead in the class’ points standings. Three other Aprilia riders finished in the top 10, including Duffy Racing’s Tyler Duffy in seventh, Righteous Racing’s Ray Hofman in eighth and Arango in 10th.
Rodio got a better start in Sunday’s Race 2 and led the field through the first couple corners. Landers was running in third place for the first half of Lap 1 before moving up to second at Turn 6. He then took over the lead when Rodio made a mistake exiting Turn 6 that caused him to run wide. The Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering duo then built a large gap to the rest of the field and were taking turns setting new lap records until Landers crashed out from the lead on Lap 11. The lap before he crashed, Landers had an about 0.8 second advantage on Rodio, who was about 16 seconds ahead of the third-place rider. Rodio went on to win the race by a margin of 16.945 seconds and, with his victory and Landers’ bad luck, Rodio assumed the lead in the Twins Cup standings.
Rodio left Laguna Seca with a three-point lead in the championship chase, and Landers is just 18 points behind the second-place rider despite having not raced at the opening round at Daytona International Speedway.
Of the 33 riders entered in MotoAmerica Twins Cup for the Laguna Seca round, 16 were slated to compete aboard Aprilia RS 660s.
The MotoAmerica Twins Cup riders have a six-week break in the 2023 schedule until its back in action. The next round takes place Aug. 18-20 at Pittsburgh International Race Complex.
Gus Rodio / No. 96
“Overall, it was a great weekend for the Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering team. Me and Rocco worked together all weekend long. Race 1 went good. I had a few issues off the start, but I managed to collect it and stayed consistent the whole race. It was a pretty good finish and a pretty good, best lap time for me. I’m super happy with the results overall, as well as getting the championship lead back. I couldn’t have done it without the team and Aprilia backing me. I’m looking forward to heading back to the East Coast, and we’ll take it from there.”
Rocco Landers / No. 97
“It was a great weekend. On Saturday, things went amazing. Gus and I were able to work together to find the best possible setup for our Aprilia RS 660s. We had them set up really well, and they worked amazing here on the new surface. The Aprilia is definitely the bike to be on in Twins Cup, and it keeps getting better and better. Unfortunately, I kind of ruined the weekend by tossing the bike down the road in Race 2, but that aside, I’m looking forward to heading to Pittsburgh.”
More, from a press release issued by Harley-Davidson:
FACTORY HARLEY-DAVIDSON RIDER KYLE WYMAN TOPS ALL-HARLEY KING OF THE BAGGERS PODIUM ON SUNDAY AT LAGUNA SECA
Vance & Hines/Harley-Davidson racer Hayden Gillim wins on Saturday
MILWAUKEE (July 10, 2023) – Harley-Davidson® Screamin’ Eagle® factory rider Kyle Wyman topped an all-Harley-Davidson podium on Sunday in the MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in California. Wyman led from start to finish in the 8-lap race on the team’s race-prepared Harley-Davidson® Road Glide® motorcycle to claim his fifth win of the season. Vance & Hines/Mission Foods teammates James Rispoli and Hayden Gillim finished second and third on Harley-Davidson Road Glide motorcycles. With the win, Kyle Wyman preserved his championship points lead in the series.
“I really wanted to get a good start today to get out front and control the pace,” said Wyman. “I was feeling pressure from Rispoli in the second half of the race, and I know James would not hesitate to take his shot at a pass, so I made sure to not give him that opportunity. It’s really great to see Harley-Davidson lock up the podium today.”
Wyman opened the weekend by topping the first qualifying session on Friday with a new King of the Baggers track record lap of 1:28.586. On Saturday Wyman won the three-lap King of the Baggers Challenge race, besting second place Gillim by 1.462 seconds.
In the Saturday feature race, Wyman dogged race leader Tyler O’Hara on the Factory Indian motorcycle before passing for the lead in Turn 2 on lap 5. O’Hara passed Wyman back to take the lead on the last lap but crashed on the entrance to the last turn of the race. Wyman fell behind him and both riders slid off the track as Gillim, Rispoli, and Sacramento Mile/Roland Sands Indian rider Bobby Fong took advantage. O’Hara and Wyman both managed to pick up their bikes and cross the finish line, O’Hara in fourth place and Wyman in ninth place. Gillim finished first, 2.919 seconds ahead of Rispoli, with Fong in third place. Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle factory rider Travis Wyman finished in seventh place on his Harley-Davidson Road Glide motorcycle.
On Sunday roles were reversed, as Kyle Wyman took the lead from the pole position with O’Hara chasing in second place, followed by Rispoli and Gillim. O’Hara fell off the pace on lap 4 and was passed by both Vance & Hines riders. Rispoli closed to within a fraction of a second on Wyman but never had an opportunity to attempt a pass. O’Hara finished fourth. Travis Wyman was sixth on the Factory Harley-Davidson® Road Glide®.
After eight of 14 races in the 2023 MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers series, Kyle Wyman leads the championship with 148 points, followed by Rispoli with 143 points, and Gillim with 130 points. O’Hara sits in fourth place with 107 points. Travis Wyman is in 10th place with 59 points.
The Mission King of the Baggers series features race-prepared American V-Twin touring motorcycles. Harley-Davidson® Factory Team Road Glide® motorcycles are powered by modified Screamin’ Eagle® Milwaukee-Eight® 131 Performance Crate Engines. The team bikes also feature upgraded suspension components, including Screamin’ Eagle/Öhlins Remote Reservoir Rear Shocks, plus competition exhaust, race tires and lightweight bodywork.
The Harley-Davidson® Screamin’ Eagle® factory team returns to action July 28-30 in the MotoAmerica Superbikes at Minnesota at Brainerd International Raceway near Brainerd, Minn.
MotoAmerica King of the Baggers Race Results – Laguna Seca Race 1
MotoAmerica King of the Baggers Race Results – Laguna Seca Race 2
Harley-Davidson invites you to enhance the 2023 MotoAmerica King of the Baggers season with some adrenaline pumping action. Check out, ‘Push the Limit,’ a film that shares the story of defending 2021 champion Kyle Wyman, teammate Travis Wyman and the Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle race team’s 2022 championship pursuit. Watch it now on Harley-Davidson’s YouTube channel.
Harley-Davidson stands for the timeless pursuit of adventure and freedom for the soul. Go to H-D.com to learn more about the complete line of 2023 Harley-Davidson Grand American Touring, Sport, Adventure Touring, Cruiser and Trike motorcycles, Harley-Davidson Certified™ pre-owned motorcycles, Harley-Davidson Genuine Motor Parts & Accessories, Harley-Davidson MotorClothes and gear, and Harley-Davidson Financial Services.
More, from a press release issued by Westby Racing:
Westby Racing Has An Adversity-Filled Weekend At WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
Monterey, CA – July 10, 2023 – Mathew Scholtz and the Westby Racing team wrapped up the two-round West Coast swing in the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, and unfortunately, it was a weekend that Mathew and the team would just as soon forget.
The event had three Superbike races on the schedule, and in Saturday’s race one, Mathew, who had qualified fifth earlier in the day, got into a battle for third, but he had a big crash in Rainey Curve with just two laps to go in the race. The incident brought out the red flag, and the race was called complete. Mathew ended up bruised and battered, and he had a restless night as a result
On Sunday, the topnotch Westby Racing crew had Mathew’s #11 Yamaha YZF-R1 re-built and ready to go, but Mathew himself was still sore from Saturday’s crash. He shook off the difficulties and managed to finish seventh in the morning warmup session.
Then, in Sunday morning’s race, the second of three on the weekend, Mathew finished sixth, which was a decent result, all things considered, but not where he and the team hoped to finish.
In Sunday’s afternoon race, the third and concluding race of the weekend, Mathew unfortunately ran off the track on lap seven, which took him out of seventh place and into tenth. From there, he fought valiant for position and ultimately crossed the finish line in eighth.
So, all told, it was a DNF, a sixth, and an eighth for Mathew and the team. The results also moved Mathew from fourth to fifth in the points standings.
“Well, that didn’t quite go the way we hoped,” Mathew said. “I banged myself up pretty good in Saturday’s race one, and I also created some extra work for the boys, which I am sorry about. Sunday’s two races were tough, and I did all I could given my physical condition and the circumstances. Tryg Westby, our team, our sponsors, and I expect to be at the front, and that’s why we race. To not be able to deliver on that hurts more than these bumps and bruises. But, we are a strong group who pull together, and I know Tryg and the boys are behind me 100%. We’ve got some time till the next round, so I will recover, get stronger, and we’ll be more determined than ever for these final four rounds of the season.”
The Westby Racing team will take the much-needed break in the schedule to re-group, and then, they will return to action on July 28 through 30 at Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, Minnesota, for round six of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship.
MotoAmerica Superbike Standings
1. Jake Gagne – Yamaha – 217
2. Cameron Beaubier – BMW – 183
3. Josh Herrin – Ducati – 178
4. Richie Escalante – Suzuki – 127
5. Mathew Scholtz – Yamaha – 119
For more updates about Westby Racing, including news, photos, and videos, visit http://www.WestbyRacing.com
Also, follow “Westby Racing” on your favorite social media sites.
More, from a press release issued by Suzuki Motor USA, LLC:
ESCALANTE TOPS STRONG WEEKEND FOR VISION WHEEL M4 ECSTAR SUZUKI WITH FOURTH IN BOTH RACES
BREA, CA – July 10, 2023 – Suzuki Motor USA and Team Hammer upped their weekend tally to six top-fives, rounding out a trophy-winning MotoAmerica round with a pair of strong Superbike races on Sunday at WeatherTech Laguna Seca.
Race Highlights:
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante continued to establish himself as one of the nation’s top Superbike pilots with his fifth and sixth top-four finish in his last eight attempts. Both of Sunday’s Superbike contests shared much in common with Saturday’s, minus the sighting lap drama. Once again, the Mexican could not fully capitalize on his front-row grid position, but he still managed strong races that emphasized his quick pace. He systematically worked his way forward aboard his Suzuki GSX-R1000R to twin fourth-place results. Escalante came tantalizingly close to securing that elusive maiden premier-class podium finish during Race 3 in particular, ending up just 0.607 seconds short of third position at the flag and 2.725 seconds from the winner.
Escalante said, “Three fourth-place finishes and fourth in the championship – it was a good weekend for us. Thanks to the team for giving me a bike that worked great. I’m happy after yesterday, and we had two strong races today. On the first lap in the second race, I lost a couple of positions, but in the race, I made a pass and was able to improve my lap times. I feel like we are getting stronger with each race, and I look forward to training and recovering for the next round.”
Brandon Paasch was impressive in his own right. Making his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki debut in what was his first-ever weekend aboard a Superbike. Paasch was both steady and quick, all while still recovering from a broken back. He finished in eighth position in Race 2 and then went one better in Race 3, taking seventh as he continued to come to grips with the Suzuki GSX-R1000R Superbike.
“It’s been great coming out here on the Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki Superbike this weekend,” said Paasch. “There’s been a lot to learn coming up from the Stock 1000 last year, and then obviously not really racing yet this year. We’re taking it steady and chipping away at those front boys. We’re not too worried about the results at the moment, we’re just focused on my riding and communication with the team. I think we’re doing a good job, and everybody seems happy with what we’re doing. There’s still a lot to learn. I need to be a bit more patient on the bike and work on my fitness after returning from a big injury. We’ve got some gym work to do, but I’m not scared of hard work, so we’ll get after it.”
Team Hammer will return to action when the 2023 MotoAmerica season resumes at Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, Minnesota, on July 28-30.
For more racing news, results, and special team content please visit https://suzukicycles.com/racing/road-racing.
ABOUT SUZUKI
Suzuki Motor USA, LLC. (SMO) distributes Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automotive Parts, Accessories, and ECSTAR Oils & Chemicals via an extensive dealer network throughout 49 states. Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer of Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automobiles, Outboard Motors, and related products. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, SMC has business relations with 201 countries/regions. For more information, visit www.suzuki.com.
ABOUT TEAM HAMMER
The 2023 season marks Team Hammer’s 43rd consecutive year of operating as a professional road racing team. Race bikes built and fielded by Team Hammer have won 129 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National races, have finished on AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National podiums 351 times, and have won 11 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National Championships, as well as two FIM South American Championships (in Superbike and Supersport.) The team has also won 137 endurance races overall (including seven 24-hour races) and 13 Overall WERA National Endurance Championships with Suzuki motorcycles, and holds the U.S. record for mileage covered in a 24-hour race. The team also competed in the televised 1990s Formula USA National Championship, famously running “Methanol Monster” GSX-R1100 Superbikes fueled by methanol, and won four F-USA Championships.
ABOUT VISION WHEEL
Founded in 1976, Vision Wheel is one of the nation’s leading providers of custom wheels for cars and trucks, and one of the first manufacturers of custom wheels and tires for ATVs, UTVs, and golf carts. Vision Wheel looks beyond the current trends and to the future in developing, manufacturing, and distributing its wheels. Vision’s lines of street, race, off-road, American Muscle, and Milanni wheels are distributed nationally and internationally through a trusted network of distributors. Vision Wheel also produces the Vision It AR app to allow users to see how their wheel of choice will look on their vehicle before purchase and installation. For more information on Vision Wheel, visit www.visionwheel.com.
More, from a press release issued by Indian Motorcycle:
Indian Motorcycle Racing Sweeps Super Hooligan at Laguna Seca, Wins American Flat Track SuperTwins at Orange County Half-Mile
Indian Motorcycle Factory Rider Jeremy McWilliams Wins Back-to-Back Races, Ties Teammate & Reigning Champion Tyler O’Hara for Series Lead
Reigning SuperTwins Champion Jared Mees Continues Hot Streak Aboard Indian FTR750, Leads Series Following Seventh Win of Season
MINNEAPOLIS (July 10, 2023) – Following an action-packed race weekend, Indian Motorcycle Racing and factory riders Jeremy McWilliams and Jared Mees came out on top. McWilliams, piloting the Indian FTR in MotoAmerica’s Super Hooligan class, captured back-to-back wins at Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif. Mees, reigning American Flat Track (AFT) SuperTwins champion, secured a wire-to-wire victory aboard the Indian FTR750 at the Orange County Half-Mile in Middletown, N.Y.
The action began Saturday, July 8, when McWilliams captured his first career Super Hooligan race win. McWilliams, who earned the pole position for both races, returned on Sunday, July 9, to again reach the top of the box. During Sunday’s Race 2, O’Hara gave McWilliams a run for his money, but was edged out as the veteran road racer was precise and consistent all weekend long. McWilliams’ back-to-back wins and O’Hara’s Race 2 second-place finish put the Indian Motorcycle Factory Race team in a dead-even tie for first with 106 points each.
“Jeremy was fast all weekend, and after the controversy at ‘The Ridge,’ really wanted to prove himself,” said Gary Gray, Vice President for Racing, Service & Technology for Indian Motorcycle. “Jeremy not only has a wealth of experience racing Laguna Seca, but he’s as fierce of a competitor as there is, and we couldn’t be any more excited for him and the team to be leaving Monterey with a pair of wins.”
At the Orange County Half-Mile, Mees again showed up and reminded everyone why he’s riding for a record-tying nine Grand National Championships. After taking the hole shot in the Main and securing a five-second lead from the second-place rider, a red flag caused a restart with just five laps to go. But this didn’t slow Mees. He again jumped out in front and eventually passed the checkered flag to reach the top of the box for the seventh time this season. The win propelled him to the top of the leaderboard and marked his 36th career half-mile win, awarding him with the most half-mile wins of any rider of all time.
In the King of the Baggers class, O’Hara rode with typical zeal and courage as he battled to capture his first win of the season. O’Hara made a daring pass through the Corkscrew on the last lap, only to lose control on the final turn. Despite going down, O’Hara rushed up, picked up the 620-pound motorcycle and was able to salvage a fourth-place finish. O’Hara again finished fourth in Race 2, while McWilliams took P5.
Indian Motorcycle factory race efforts are presented by Progressive Insurance®, Mission® Foods and Medallia®, with additional support from Indian Motorcycle Motor Oil, S&S®, Parts Unlimited, Drag Specialties®, Performance Finance, and J&P Cycles®.
The AFT season continues next with the Bridgeport Half-Mile on July 22, while the Mission King of the Baggers continues at Brainerd International Raceway July 28-30. The Super Hooligan class picks back up September 8-18 at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, TX.
For more information on Indian Motorcycle Racing, visit IndianMotorcycle.com and follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
ABOUT INDIAN MOTORCYCLE®
Indian Motorcycle Company is America’s First Motorcycle Company®. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the hearts of motorcyclists around the world and earned distinction as one of America’s most legendary and iconic brands through unrivaled racing dominance, engineering prowess and countless innovations and industry firsts. Today that heritage and passion is reignited under new brand stewardship. To learn more, please visit www.indianmotorcycle.com.
INDIAN and INDIAN MOTORCYCLE are registered trademarks of Indian Motorcycle International, LLC. Always wear a helmet, protective clothing and eyewear and insist your passenger does the same. Ride within the limits of the law and your own abilities. Read, understand and follow your owner’s manual. Never ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
More, from a press release issued by Tytlers Cycle Racing:
Triple podium for Tytlers Cycle Racing at Laguna Seca… Cameron and PJ on the box as Corey scores solid points in three races
The Tytlers Cycle Racing team continued their front running performances in the latest round of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at the iconic Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca this past weekend. A double win on Sunday for Cameron Beaubier coupled with a race one podium for PJ Jacobsen meant the squad once again had at least one bike in the top three in every race! Corey Alexander also raced to strong finishes in the weekend’s three races.
After equaling the lap record in qualifying it was Beaubier who was the man to beat, placing his BMW M1000 RR on pole position in style. His hopes of a triple win were dashed however after a turn two tumble, through no fault of his own, saw him on the floor and unable to make the restart. Cameron’s disappointment turned to delight for both him and the team on Sunday, two perfectly executed overtakes saw the superbike returnee clinch two wins in front of an enthusiastic crowd. The results keep the #6 very much in title contention. He sits second on points ahead of the next round at Brainerd.
PJ Jacobsen showed top three pace from the off, matching Beaubier on Friday to end the day second on the time sheets. A crash in final qualifying left the team with a full rebuild before lights out but a great team effort saw the #99 on the grid and ready to fight. And fight he did. Running third PJ had his sights set on second before a red flag cut short the race. Nevertheless, a podium was well deserved and a reminder that he is one to watch for the remainder of the season. A retirement in race two was a disappointment but Jacobsen bounced back to take sixth in race three to consolidate sixth in the overall points classification.
The team’s third rider Corey Alexander battled through discomfort from previous back injuries to secure three solid results on his BMW M1000 RR. The reigning Stock1000 champion finished eighth, seventh and ninth in the three twenty lap races to move into P7 overall in the championship standings.
Cameron Beaubier: “Race one sucked but I was glad it wasn’t worse than it was. My guys worked their butts off to rebuild a bike for Sunday and we turned it around. I was pretty sore but once the blood got going, I felt great on the bike and was able to bring home a couple wins.”
PJ Jacobsen: “Race one was pretty crazy after I destroyed a bike in qualifying two. The team did a great job to rebuild it and I was able to take a podium which I was happy about. I was running third in race two, but I started to suffer with a brake issue pretty early in the race. I started to fall back, which sucked after we had shown such good pace all weekend and in the end I retired. Race three went well, although I was struggling to pass. I didn’t quite have the grip to follow the others as they closed up to the leading two, which was disappointing as I genuinely feel we could have also had a podium in the final race too. It is what it is, we took at least one podium, and I will go again at Brainerd which is a track I like.”
Corey Alexander: “We made some changes to the to the bike per my request for race one and ultimately went in the wrong direction. Due to some of the misfortune of some of our rivals we still managed P8 but it was not my best performance. For race two we went back to our previous setting, and I was able to run much closer to the front pack with a good pace and feeling. I felt good for race three but got pushed extremely wide off the start and lost some positions which made bridging the gap to the pack difficult. I am happy to salvage three top ten finishes, but it wasn’t the weekend for which I had hoped. Thanks to their team for their support and hard work. I am excited to head home and heal up this lingering back pain I am dealing with and come back stronger at Brainerd.”
Prize Money for Top Open Two-Stroke Racers at AHRMA Classic MotoFest™ of Monterey California July 14-16
MONTEREY, Calif. – Missing the scent of a two-stroke motorcycle engine or the sound of a Yamaha TZ750 on a world class track? Hear the music, experience the two-stroke aroma, and have your senses astounded at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. If you have your own two-stroke motorcycle, come out and race it!
Mojo Yamaha and two anonymous American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) racers will sponsor a total of $3,000 in prize money for winners of AHRMA’s Open Two-Stroke race event during AHRMA’s Classic MotoFestTM of Monterey July 15 and 16. On each race day, winners in each of these following tiers within the race will be awarded $500: 125cc, 250cc, and more than 250cc. AHRMA’s Open Two-Stroke class allows any two-stroke motorcycle regardless of displacement, number of cylinders, frame type, cooling type, or date of manufacture.
A current competition license from a known organization is required and AHRMA offers weekend event membership. Race school is also offered on Thursday July 13 with required practice for all on Friday July 14. Learn more and sign up at AHRMA.org. Spectators can purchase tickets here.
About Mojo Yamaha
Mojo Yamaha is a motorcycle racing team focused on classic Yamahas. The team runs monster Formula One racers based on the Yamaha FJ1100 engine pushed out to nearly 1300cc by Larry Cook Racing, as well as the legendary 2-stroke, the Yamaha TZ750. All bikes are housed in frames produced by the renown builder Denis Curtis at CMR Racing. Josh Hayes and Mojo Yamaha won Race 4 of the International Challenge the Phillip Island Classic in 2019.
About WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is a world-renowned 2.238-mile traditional road course that was built in 1957 and was known at the time as Laguna Seca Raceway. WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is owned by the County of Monterey and operated by A&D Narigi Consulting, LLC.
The 2023 premier event schedule includes the MotoAmerica Superbike Speedfest July 7-9, the AHRMA Classic MotoFest™ of Monterey July 14-16, the Monterey Pre-Reunion August 12-13, the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion August 16-19, Corkscrew Hillclimb & Community Day August 20, the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey September 8-10 and the Porsche Rennsport Reunion 7 September 28 – October 1.
ABOUT AHRMA
American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving, restoring, and competing on historic motorcycles. With more than 3,000 members, AHRMA is the leading historic motorcycle racing group in North America and one of the largest in the world. The association’s enthusiastic membership reflects this country’s strong interest in classic bikes.
KurveyGirl.com brings you the results of this weekend’s events.
Kyle Wyman won MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers Race Two Sunday at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, in Monterey, California.
Riding his Screamin’ Eagle Harley-Davidson Road Glide, Wyman led from the start lights to the checkered flag to take his fifth win of the season, but the whole way he was hounded by Vance & Hines Mission Harley-Davidson teammates James Rispoli and Hayden Gillim.
Rispoli was breathing down Wyman’s neck all the way to the end but ended up second, 0.796 second behind the winner. Gillim crossed the finish line third, just 0.292 second behind Rispoli, making it an all-Harley-Davidson podium.
Defending Champion Tyler O’Hara slipped off the lead pace early on and came home fourth on his Progressive Insurance/Mission Foods Indian Challenger.
O’Hara’s teammate Jeremy McWilliams rounded out the top five finishers.
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More, from a press release issued by MotoAmerica:
Wyman Bounces Back With Mission King Of The Baggers Win
McWilliams Does The Double, Rodio Gets It Done At WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
MONTEREY, CA (July 9, 2023) – A day after their synchronized crashing from the day before in the Mission King Of The Baggers on Saturday, the protagonists in the class were back at it on Sunday and this time H-D Screamin’ Eagle’s Kyle Wyman made amends by winning the second of the two races at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on a sunny Sunday on the Monterey Peninsula.
Mission King Of The Baggers – Wyman Bounces Back
Mission King Of The Baggers (KOTB) is a one make versus one make championship: Harley-Davidson versus Indian Motorcycles. But on Sunday at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, “The Motor Company” as they colloquially refer to Harley-Davidson, swept the podium in KOTB race two.
H-D Screamin’ Eagle factory rider Kyle Wyman got the victory, and he was hounded by Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson’s James Rispoli, who got balked by a lapped rider on the final run to the checkers, and it thwarted his last-turn effort. Finishing third was Rispoli’s teammate Hayden Gillim, who won Saturday’s race one.
“Today, I tried to pull the trigger the last few laps,” Wyman said. “I thought I had a bit of a gap, but we caught a lapper in turn 11 on the last lap. It feels good to get a win today. We all want to win. We all have, maybe, a little bit different approach in trying to do it. Today, fortunately, I was able to do it my way, which is control the pace and try to manage and see if I can dig a little deeper in the end.”
REV’IT! Twins Cup – Rodio Answers
REV’IT! Twins Cup race two was a tale of two teammates, and it was the best of times for one of them and the worst of times for the other. Race one winner Rocco Landers was at the front aboard his Robem Engineering Aprilia and looked to be headed for another victory, but he made a mistake and crashed out unhurt, which handed the lead to Gus Rodio who is sponsored by Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering but is technically on the same team as Landers.
For Rodio, who hadn’t won since Daytona, he gladly took the win and also took over the championship lead by just three points over defending class champ Blake Davis. Speaking of Davis, he finished third in Sunday’s REV’IT! Twins Cup race two aboard his N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto Yamaha YZF-R7.
“I got a really good start and then I ran wide in turn five,” Rodio said. “That corner seems to get me every time I come here. That’s where I threw the lead away last year in the Junior Cup. So, once I ran wide, I knew to just stand it up and try and get back on the track because that green, you keep the lean angle and that’s how I crashed last year. Got back on the track. Was surprised to only have fallen back to third. I knew I had to get around Blake and then just put the pressure on Rocco. He’s my teammate and I know his plan. I just tried to keep the pressure there. I don’t think that’s why he crashed. I think there was a lot going on in that corner with the yellow flag and a rider that had just gone down. So, there’s no telling what happened there. It definitely helped to be right on him and kind of like a cat and mouse. He would stretch it in a sector, and I’d close it in a sector. I’m really happy with the race. Disappointed that he went down. Hopefully he’s all right.
“When I hopped on the Aprilia at Daytona, I just really felt like one with the bike. It reminds me a lot of my supermoto, and I love that thing a lot. The last couple rounds, I just didn’t feel very connected with the bike. I came here and right off the bat it feels like my bike again and I feel like I’m one with the machine. I just had a lot of fun this weekend and it seems the results come with that. So, I’m just going to keep having fun and keep chipping away.”
Mission Super Hooligan National Championship – McWilliams Again
The Mission Super Hooligan National Championship had two feature races at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, and venerable Ulsterman Jeremy McWilliams did the double by winning both races. On Sunday, he battled again with his Indian Motorcycle/Progressive/Mission Foods teammate and defending class champ Tyler O’Hara, taking the checkered flag by just a little more than one-and-a-half seconds over O’Hara.
Thus far in the championship, O’Hara has won three races and McWilliams has won two, but the pair are now in a deadlock for the title with 106 points apiece. Meanwhile, DiBrino Racing KTM rider Andy DiBrino, who finished third in Sunday’s race to round out the podium, is just 16 points behind in the point standings.
“We’ve been fastest in every session (this weekend),” McWilliams said. “I think maybe that was a lap record on the last lap. I could just see plus zero, plus zero. I could see the back markers were approaching. The problem is here that you get a trip-up with the back markers, as I believe happened to him maybe going onto the last lap. It’s so tight at the Corkscrew that you get tripped up and unfortunately your lap just goes away. So, I did need to be at the front so I could try to control the back markers. That was the plan. Even if I got passed, whether it was Andy or my teammate, I had to be able to get back past again as soon as possible. I wasn’t fast everywhere. I wasn’t as strong in some parts of the track as Tyler, and I kind of knew that. Which would make it very difficult to make a pass again because I think Tyler could have gapped me quite easily. Then I would have had to fight really hard to get back at him. But I needed the points and I needed to do this for our guys that are working so hard. They didn’t get back last night until 12:00 or something yesterday evening, and they’re up at 5:00 every morning. They’re not getting any time to relax and it’s hard on them, so we’ve got to repay that with the best results we can give them. We’ve got the hardest-working team and we’ve got a factory behind us.”
KurveyGirl.com brings you the results of this weekend’s events.
Cameron Beaubier won MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Race Three Sunday at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, in Monterey, California.
Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati’s Josh Herrin led from the first lap with Beaubier right behind him on his Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW M 1000 RR.
Beaubier passed Herrin for the lead on lap 12, but Herrin took the lead right back on the next lap.
While Herrin and Beaubier battled, two-time and defending Champion Jake Gagne was catching the two from behind.
With two laps to go, Beaubier overtook Herrin on the brakes at Turn 11 to grab the lead. Gagne then slipped past Herrin in Turn Five on the last lap and pulled right behind the leader, but Beaubier was able to just hold off Gagne and take the win – his fifth of the season.
Gagne crossed the finish line right behind Beaubier, but the Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha rider was given a two-second penalty for exceeding track limits in the middle of the race. This promoted Herrin to second place, and Gagne was credited with third place.
Richie Escalante was turning some of the fastest laps at the end of the race and came within 0.06 second of passing Gagne on the timing screen, but Gagne turned the fastest lap of the race on the final race, relegating Escalante to fourth on his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R1000R.
Gagne’s teammate Cameron Petersen got another terrific start and came away with fifth place.
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More, from a press release issued by MotoAmerica:
Beaubier Does The Medallia Superbike Double At WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
Cameron Beaubier Wins Both Races On Sunday After A Crash On Saturday
MONTEREY, CA (July 9, 2023) – Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Cameron Beaubier had about as good of a Sunday as a person can have as he stormed to two MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike victories at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca a day after what was for him, a miserable Saturday.
Beaubier had similar battles in both of the Medallia Superbike races but with different foes. In race one, he hounded Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne for 15 of the 20 laps before making a pass and pulling away to a 2.423-second win over the defending two-time champion. Three hours later, Beaubier did it again only this time it was Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati’s Josh Herrin leading until the very last lap only to get passed by Beaubier, who won his second race on the day – this time by .620 of a second.
Beaubier’s two wins were his fourth and fifth of the season and the 58th and 59th of his AMA Superbike career. The two wins came a day after he crashed out of race one on the opening lap after Cameron Petersen crashed in front of him, leaving him nowhere to go.
Herrin, who is still nursing the injuries suffered in his Q2 crash at Ridge Motorsports Park two weeks ago, was third and second in the two races on Sunday.
Gagne, the championship points leader, was second in race one and crossed the line second in race two, as well. However, he was given a two-second penalty for exceeding track limits and that penalty dropped him to third behind Herrin.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante continues to prove that he’s now a Medallia Superbike front runner as he scored two fourth-place finishes on Sunday, beating Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Cameron Petersen in both races by 7.9 and 1.4 seconds, respectively.
Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz had a weekend to forget as he finished sixth and eighth in the two Sunday races.
Tytlers Cycle Racing’s PJ Jacobsen couldn’t match his podium finish from Saturday on Sunday as mechanical problems knocked him out of race two prior to him finishing sixth in race three.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Brandon Paasch, meanwhile, had a weekend he will always remember as he concluded his factory Suzuki debut weekend with eighth- and seventh-place finishes a day after finishing fifth.
The third of the Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW M 1000 RRs was ridden to seventh and ninth in Sunday’s two races by Corey Alexander.
Disrupt Racing’s Hayden Gillim had a busy day with two Superbike races and a Mission King Of The Baggers race and he was ninth and 10th in the two Superbike races.
After five rounds and 11 races, Gagne and Beaubier each have five wins, but Gagne has a 34-point lead on his former teammate, 217-183. Herrin, with one victory on the year, is third with 178 points. Escalante and his 127 points are eight better than Scholtz, who slips to fifth in the championship points chase.
Superbike Race Two
Superbike Race Three
Race Two Quotes
Cameron Beaubier – Winner
“I woke up pretty sore this morning, for sure, but it wasn’t too bad once I got riding. After the first few laps it was okay. But we destroyed a bike pretty good yesterday. The boys were here until 10:30, 11:00 making sure the second bike was ready to go. To be honest, coming into today I didn’t really know what to expect just because we made some good strides on that new frame and the new bike that we’ve been riding the last round. Went back to the other one, but it honestly felt really good. I felt like it absorbs some of the bumps that I was struggling with earlier in the weekend. So, hats off. Thank you so much to the Tytlers guys. They’ve been working their butts off all year and especially this weekend. There at the beginning I felt like I had some places I was stronger than Jake (Gagne), and then vice versa. He had some good spots too. I felt like they really made a good step on the brakes. It was pretty tough to get around him. I was trying to just be patient. There with five or six, I was struggling a little bit off the last corner compared to him and I felt like I finally got out of there pretty good one lap and I was able to sneak up the inside with the BMW power up over one and just tried to put my head down from there and see what happens. Felt really good. It’s hard to be too excited because I know we’ve got another one of these coming up in a couple hours, but I’m super happy and move on to the third race.”
Jake Gagne – Second Place
“The bike was about the same, but we made a couple little tweaks. I got off to a good start. Cam (Beaubier) threw it into one and it was a little wide, so I snuck it up in there. I knew especially Cam and Josh (Herrin), those guys have had incredible pace. All I could do was try to just not make mistakes and at least try to make it tough. I knew it was Cam behind me. I didn’t know if Josh was close exactly, but I could hear the Beemer behind me. Just tried to click off consistent laps and not leave the door open and hope that I could hold him off for a while. I can’t remember, five or six to go or something, he came by me on the front straight up over one and he just put his head down and I didn’t have anything to run that pace. Low 23s there at the end would have been really, really tricky for me. So, I think we learned a lot. We could see some areas where Cameron was really rolling and doing a good job. So, we’ll see. We got a couple hours here. We’ll see if we can maybe try a couple things. I think as we’ve seen it’s just going to be even tighter of a race this afternoon.”
Josh Herrin – Third Place
“I wanted to try to catch those guys. I keep thinking about earlier in the year. I don’t know if it’s tires on the Ducati or fitness, or something comes into play middle of the race today where I’m able to kind of get a little bit on them. So, I didn’t want to give up. Obviously, normally you never want to give up, but especially this year I have felt good in the second half of the race. So, I just wanted to make sure I kept plugging away in case I was able to get them to come back. It seemed like for a little while I was a tenth here, two tenths here maybe catching up. So, just wanted to get as close as I could just in case I got an opportunity at the end. Also, then I saw Richie (Escalante) behind me, so that definitely scared me into going a little bit faster. I’m just starting to get really comfortable on this thing. It seems like every weekend I get a little bit stronger in the second race, so I’m glad we got three this time. I feel like I can capitalize on that. I’m just having fun on the bike and really enjoying spinning laps out there. The beginning of the weekend it wasn’t going so well for me. I wasn’t feeling comfortable. Today in the race I felt really good. Just having a lot of fun and trying to plug as many laps away as I can and get as much confidence as I can for race three.”
Race Three Quotes
Cameron Beaubier – Winner
“They were both tough in their own way. I think this afternoon I was struggling more than I did earlier today. I felt like when I could put my head down earlier today my bike was working really good and I felt hooked up. Here this afternoon, I felt like every time I tried to put my head down, even when Josh (Herrin) would pull me in a little bit and I would try to get back to him in the next section, the rear end would come around on the entry. That’s not very confidence inspiring. Especially down Rainey, the rear end was coming around and I hadn’t really had that all weekend, other than when the track was really green. I’m not sure why. I think obviously that’s the hottest the track temp has been for us all week, so maybe that’s a little bit has to do with it. Anyway, Josh rode incredible. He was so good on the brakes. I was kind of like earlier today, I was sniffing here and there, but I couldn’t really commit to anything. I saw his tire starting to shred and I was able to get out of the second-to-last corner before the last corner a little bit better than him. So, I was trying to make that work where he passed me earlier in the race. After that, I just put my head down. I saw my gap just shrinking. I knew Jake (Gagne) was coming and I really didn’t want to be in second with Jake behind me going into the last lap. So, today was an amazing day. After a really tough day yesterday, and just shout out to the Tytlers guys. Good to wrap it up good here.”
Josh Herrin – Second Place
“I knew he (Beaubier) had pace on me. Whenever he passed me earlier in the race, maybe four to go or something, I saw he had the pace. I knew if I wanted to win the race, I had to just get back by him and make a dogfight out of it. I kind of had a feeling that he didn’t want to risk Jake (Gagne) getting by both of us, if he had to keep battling. So, in my head I was thinking, ‘all right, he’s probably going to wait until the last lap and try to make a move.’ I was thinking in the three, four section, because I was pretty slow there. I could hear him every time coming up on me. With five to go, I was trying – like I talked about yesterday, trying third instead of second in four, but I just couldn’t make it work. Second was too slow mid-corner. He was getting me mid-corner. I just had nothing for him. So, I tried my hardest and made a huge mistake out of four. That’s when (Jake) Gagne got by me. I was worried that Richie (Escalante) was right there. I didn’t know how close anybody else was, so I just put my head down and tried my hardest to get back up to Jake, but I couldn’t do it. That was one of the funnest races that I’ve had in a long time. I was pumped to get to lead. I knew my pace wasn’t super good. I figured maybe they were battling behind me or something, but I was really happy. I’m happy with how the weekend turned out. Getting on the podium all three times, I’m stoked on that. Getting more and more comfortable on the V4. Hopefully Brainerd treats us well and we can keep fighting for the lead. We made a little bit up on Jake today, but not much, and we didn’t earn it the right way, but I’ll take it. I’ve won a championship like that before where (Josh) Hayes made a bunch of jump starts. Sometimes that’s what you got to do. I think (Ben) Bostrom won a championship in the early 2000s and he didn’t win one race. Just got to be consistent and keep trying.”
More, from a press release issued by Ducati:
Herrin and Forés Turn it on at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
Josh Herrin and Xavi Forés bring home some glory in the Californian sunshine
Sunnyvale, Calif., July 9, 2023 — Round five of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike and
Supersport Championship was held at Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca and it was a podium-filled celebration for the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC team.
In the extended 38 lap Supersport race, it was yet another red letter weekend for Xavi Forés who took his eighth-straight win in the class to maintain his perfect season.
Forés charged hard to the pit stop and a flawless display by the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC team gave the Spaniard the advantage he needed as he crossed the line a massive 12 seconds in front of Yamaha’s Josh Hayes.
For Herrin, the gritty Georgian had three races to contend with in the Superbike category. Still dealing with his ankle injury suffered in a crash at The Ridge, Herrin pushed on to take a second in race one, third in race two, and very nearly took the win in the final race but was bested by eventual winner, Cameron Beaubier.
Witnessed by the packed Ducatisti crowd and Ducati Corse Sporting Director, Paolo Ciabatti, the result sees Herrin solidify third in the championship, 39 point off the lead heading into the next round of the series at Brainerd in Minnesota in two weeks.
2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Standings
P1 – Jake Gagne (Yamaha) 217
P2 – Cameron Beaubier (BMW) 183
P3 – Josh Herrin (Ducati) 178
P4 – Richie Escalante (Suzuki) 127
P5 – Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha) 119
2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Standings
P1 – Xavi Forés (Ducati) 250
P2 – Stefano Mesa (Kawasaki) 150
P3 – Tyler Scott (Suzuki) 144
P4 – Josh Hayes (Yamaha) 143
P5 – Teagg Hobbs (Suzuki) 105
Xavi Forés (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC – #12)
“It was a great race for me today,” Forés said. “The pace was better than I expected after a couple of crashes this weekend and not the best feeling with the bike, but we found a good solution and could maximize our potential. I was pushing really hard before the pit stop. I was feeling good but I was still having issues with the front end. The guys did a massive job in the pit stop and that’s where we won the race. It’s my eighth win in a row, an all-time record in this class, so I couldn’t be happier.”
Josh Herrin (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC – #2)
“Super good weekend,” Herrin said. “I’m a little bummed we didn’t come out of this weekend with a win as this is Ducati’s local track to the U.S. headquarters, and for it being one of my favorite tracks, but to be on the podium in each of the three races, I’m really happy. It was great to lead so much of the last race. It was a great battle with Cam (Beaubier) and Jake (Gagne), and I’m just so happy with life at Ducati and riding this Panigale V4 R.”
Round six of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike and Supersport Championship will take place
at Laguna Seca on the beautiful Californian coastline over the June 5-7 weekend.
KurveyGirl.com brings you the results of this weekend’s events.
Gus Rodio won MotoAmerica REV’IT! Twins Cup Race Two Sunday at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, in Monterey, California.
Riding his Robem Engineering Aprilia RS 660, Rocco Landers led from early on but he crashed out of the race on lap 11 of 13.
Rodio went from pressuring Landers to leading and then brought his Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering Aprilia home for his second victory of the season.
Italian rider Filippo Rovelli got second place on his Team Iso Yamaha YZF-R7 by holding off defending Champion Blake Davis, who got third on his N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto Yamaha YZF-R7.
Kayla Yaakov was fourth on her The WagBar MP13 Racing Yamaha, and Rovelli’s teammate Dominic Doyle placed fifth.
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More, from a press release issued by MotorSport Vision Racing:
Bridewell serves up a first Bennetts BSB treble after denying Irwin victory by 0.032s
Tommy Bridewell celebrated his first ever Bennetts British Superbike Championship treble win at Snetterton, denying Glenn Irwin the final victory of the weekend following an intense third race as the BeerMonster Ducati teammates were separated by just 0.032s at the chequered flag.
Snetterton produced the first hat trick of the season and whilst Bridewell claimed three race wins, a further four riders representing four different teams sealed podium finishes as Ducati, Yamaha and BMW featured in the top three across the weekend.
After winning the BikeSocial Sprint Race yesterday, Bridewell’s confidence was high ahead of today’s races, whilst yesterday’s podium finishers Josh Brookes and Jason O’Halloran aimed to increase their tally.
Race two became an eight-lap dash following a red flag earlier in the race, and at the start Brookes hit the front of the pack from Irwin and Bridewell, with the leading pair trading blows on the opening lap, but the FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team rider had the edge.
Brookes led until lap four when O’Halloran grabbed the advantage at Coram with a move down the inside. His Australian rival had moved ahead into Riches, but O’Halloran regained the position into Wilsons.
As O’Halloran led, Irwin moved into second with a move at Wilson on lap five, with the leading trio then the McAMS Yamaha, Irwin and Brookes, but the race was red flagged when Peter Hickman and Danny Buchan crashed out at Hamilton on lap seven. Buchan was taken to Norfolk and Norwich hospital for further scans and assessment after suffering a concussion.
On the restart, Brookes took the initial advantage before Bridewell grabbed the lead on lap three with a move at Agostini. The BeerMonster Ducati rider then pulled the pin as he edged out his advantage over the closing stages.
The battle for the remaining podium positions was a four-way tussle on the final lap with Brookes emerging ahead to claim second place after holding off Haslam, who had been piling the pressure on his rival as he returned to the podium for ROKiT BMW Motorrad.
Irwin and O’Halloran went head-to-head for fourth place but the second BeerMonster Ducati rider was able to hold off the Yamaha after a series of passes on the final lap with positions changing three times.
The final race went down to the wire, but at the start, home contender Ryan Vickers launched into the lead from Bridewell, Brookes and Irwin with Haslam and Danny Kent in close contention.
Brookes was instantly on the attack and grabbed second at Brundle, before fighting for the lead. Initially he made a move into Riches on the second lap before Vickers reclaimed the position.
It was another disappointing race for Peter Hickman as he crashed out with Franco Bourne at Wilson on the second lap, but at the front, his FHO Racing BMW Motorrad teammate grabbed the lead at Nelson on the same lap.
Bridewell was carving his way up the order and he moved into second on lap three, but his BeerMonster Ducati teammate was soon behind him as he dived into third at Brundle ahead of Vickers.
Brookes continued to lead the pack as Irwin moved into second on lap at Agostini on lap four, easing his teammate back into third. However, the pair had Haslam for company and the ‘Pocket Rocket’ moved into third a lap later, launching ahead of Bridewell at Riches.
Irwin and Haslam were then dicing for second but after swapping places on the seventh lap, the BeerMonster Ducati rider remained ahead.
There was heartbreak for the FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team when Brookes was forced to retire on lap ten from the lead with a technical problem and that handed the position to Irwin, who was holding position ahead of Haslam, Bridewell and Vickers who completed the first pack on track but Christian Iddon was also pushing to close in.
As Irwin led, Bridewell was pushing Haslam for second and he made a pass on the brakes into Murrays on lap 12, but the ROKiT BMW Motorrad rider regained second into Riches. The BeerMonster Ducati rider wasn’t giving up though and as they approached Wilson, Bridewell was back ahead.
The BeerMonster Ducati teammates then duelled at the front with the battle for the podium finishes going all the way down to the wire, but Irwin had made a mistake at Wilson and after running wide he dropped to fourth and then had to regain the ground.
Irwin was hassling Bridewell all the way to the finish as the BeerMonster Ducati teammates ended the race separated by just 0.032s at the chequered flag.
Haslam and Vickers were also in close formation, but the ROKiT BMW Motorrad rider denied the Thetford contender a home round podium at the finish.
Iddon held onto fifth ahead of O’Halloran who worked his way back up the order to finish sixth ahead of Lee Jackson and Kyle Ryde. Kent held ninth ahead of Tito Rabat who claimed a second Bennetts BSB top ten finish.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Snetterton, Race 2 result:
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Snetterton, Race 3 result:
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings
For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com
Tommy Bridewell
BeerMonster Ducati
“It’s so hard to make a game plan in general in any form of racing, because you never know what can happen and what hurdles you get and so on. I had an idea that if I could make the start and get away, fantastic, that wasn’t obviously the plan.
“I was conserving my tyre and it’s something me and the team have been working really hard on and its paying off. I knew I had some tyre left, I could remember looking at my pit board with seven laps to go thinking ‘I really could do with pushing on’.
“It came a bit late, it was a little bit too tight for comfort I must be honest. But credit to everyone out there. I think Glenn is a phenomenal rider and a very fierce competitor. But I’ve been around the block a few years and I’ve been there and seen it all, and I just keep my head down and just focus on what I’m doing.
“The fans have wanted to see me and Glenn go toe to toe for a few rounds now, he outrode me at Knockhill and did a phenomenal job and I was just happy to pick up the podiums there because it’s not somewhere I’m that confident and comfortable on the bike.
“So coming into this weekend I knew my target, as always, was to win. To get my first ever triple win is something that I’ve dreamt of for a long time. We most definitely do not get complacent on my side of the garage, I said to Paolo my Crew Chief that we’ve won two races on the trot, I feel brilliant, the bike’s working phenomenal, but let’s keep our feet on the ground. If I can win this race I will, if I’m second, third, fourth and that’s all that’s there, we need to accept it.
“I just want to enjoy the moment we’re in, fortunately the way the sport is, I save this moment and then when I’m driving home tonight, I’ll get up tomorrow morning, collect the dogs, check that all the sheep are alive and not got their head stuck in a fence, and then I’m preparing for Brands Hatch already!”
KurveyGirl.com brings you the results of this weekend’s events.
Former MotoGP star Jeremy McWilliams won his second straight MotoAmerica Mission Super Hooligans race Sunday at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, in Monterey, California.
McWilliams battled with his Progressive Insurance/Mission Foods Indian teammate Tyler O’Hara until O’Hara lost out in an encounter with a backmarker in the Corkscrew.
McWilliams went on to win the eight-lap race by 1.510 seconds over runner-up O’Hara.
Andy DiBrino finished third on his DiBrino Racing KTM 890 Duke R.
Cory West got fourth on the Team Saddlemen Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250.
Stefano Mesa rounded out the top five finishers on the Energica Eva Ribelle RS electric motorcycle.
Hawk Mazzotta finished 17th overall but won the air-cooled class for a second day in a row on his Lloydz Garage Indian Chief.
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KurveyGirl.com brings you the results of this weekend’s events.
Five-time Champion Cameron Beaubier won MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Race Two Sunday at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, in Monterey, California.
Riding his back-up Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW M 1000 RR, Beaubier passed Jake Gagne late in the race and pulled away to win the 20-lapper by 2.423 seconds. It was Beaubier’s fourth win of the season, the 58th Superbike win of his career, and his 79th overall AMA/MotoAmerica race victory.
Two-time and defending Champion Jake Gagne led from the first lap and made no mistakes, but second place was the best he could do on his Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha YZF-R1. Second place, however, allowed Gagne to expand his Championship lead to 43 points.
Josh Herrin was the fastest rider on track at one point and was closing on the lead duo late in the race, but he ran out of time and ended up third on his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R.
Richie Escalante recovered from a sub-par start and being seventh at the end of the first lap to catching the top three late in the race. The Mexican rider crossed the finish line fourth, just 1.2 seconds behind Herrin, on his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R1000R.
Gagne’s teammate Cameron Petersen got a strong start but faded somewhat during the race to an eventual fifth-place finish.
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AHRMA – Laguna Seca, July 14-15-16
Team Obsolete is again bringing one of our Matchless G50s for Dave Roper to ride in the 500 Premier, along with his Aermacchi 350 in 350 Grand Prix. Walt Fulton will again ride our ex-factory Harley-Davidson XR750TT.
We hope that other competitors will dust off their G50s and Manx Nortons to breathe some needed life back into 500 Premier!
Team Obsolete thanks our sponsors Vanson Leathers, Redline Synthetic Oil, AVON TYRES, and Buchanan’s Spoke and Rim, Inc.
Simon Says – The end of our Dynavolt partnership
For the last three years Dynavolt have been our main partner and title sponsor of our team. For this year, 2023 we had verbally agreed to continue and were awaiting the signing of the contract. Just two days before we left for the opening round in Australia, the President of Dynavolt informed me that they would not be able to sign the contract due to a reduction in their marketing budget.
I have to say this was a big shock to me as everything was agreed. For sure this left me in a very difficult position to say the least. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Dynavolt for the three years of valuable support and on behalf of PTR Triumph, thank the President, Leonard Chen, the Managing Director of Dynavolt Tech Thailand, James Nay and everyone at Dynavolt for your support.
I have worked with Triumph and have raised budget supporting other Triumph teams in Europe and looking towards 2024. Also, of course I have had to invest a lot of my own money to replace the big hole Dynavolt have left. I am passionate about racing so I do this in good faith.
We are working very closely with Triumph to introduce a new title partner in 2024 and we are confident from both sides. I would like to say to all our fans and supporters that all is well for the rest of 2023 due to everyone around me and all our loyal partners working together for the Triumph Racing Team.
We are still fifth in the Championship with Niki Tuuli despite the last two rounds being disappointing. We and Niki are working hard to overcome this. It is difficult as the lap time is there, it is just in the race he cannot overtake and struggles to maintain consistent times for the whole race.
Harry also is not progressing after starting well with an eleventh-place finish in Australia. As an ex-rider I know how hard it is to regain confidence when things are not going well but we will keep working with Harry to improve.
I know in the past criticism has been levelled at me for working with riders who bring support to the team. Some people call this ‘pay rides’ but in my view, it is not that way at all. It is just two parties working together to achieve their goals in the best way. Trust me, whilst we may have been one of the first teams to openly admit working in this way, we are nowhere near the team who is asking riders and their partners for the most support. I have always wanted to work in the best way with all our riders and where at all possible, to work with British riders to help develop British riders in World Championship racing.
In the case of Harry Truelove this was the case and in fact I turned down opportunities which would have brought more benefit to the team to give a British rider a chance to shine at World level. I did discuss with Harry and his dad Paul just what a huge step up in level World Supersport was from British Supersport right at the start of our discussions. This has proved to be the case and while we have seen glimpses of Harry making the step there is still a long way to go and we will do everything we can to help him make that step.
Sometimes people miss the point that in Supersport there is not so much that can be changed on the bike and whilst all bikes have different strengths and weaknesses, quite soon the rider has to adapt to getting the best from his bike and make it happen. Niki has done this at times and at others times not. We have done half the season and now it is time to make it happen together.
Cheers
Simon
Gagne Scores Pair of Podiums in Sunday’s Superbike Doubleheader
Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne keeps podium streak rolling at Laguna Seca to strengthen his MotoAmerica Superbike title defense
MARIETTA, Ga. – July 9, 2023 – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne’s podium streak continued with a second and third-place finish in today’s MotoAmerica Superbike doubleheader at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. The reigning champ’s 1-2-3 score on the weekend has him leaving the iconic Monterey, California, track with a 34-point lead in the championship with nine races remaining. Teammate Petersen bounced back from yesterday’s tough Race 1 to conclude the weekend with a pair of top-five finishes.
On the heels of yesterday’s victory, Gagne put in another championship ride at the doubleheader. In the first race of the day, he got a great start to claim the lead and put in some fast times early to try and break away, but he had his championship rival hot on his heels. The duo built a comfortable gap up front, and Gagne continued to knock down consistently fast laps but was passed with five laps to go and rode on to a runner-up finish.
In the final race of the weekend, Gagne was fourth and laid in wait behind a three-rider fight which included his teammate and championship rivals. On Lap 6, he passed Petersen, but the frontrunners had amassed a healthy gap ahead. Undeterred, Gagne picked up the pace to close the gap and was right behind them with four laps to go. On the final lap, he set the fastest lap of the race and advanced to the runner-up spot. Gagne crossed the line .118 of a second behind the leader but was ultimately credited with third after a two-second penalty was assessed for exceeding the track limits.
After a tough opening race of the weekend that saw him crash out of the lead on the exit of Turn 2, Petersen got a good start in today’s Race 2 from the second row of the grid in fifth. Although he was shuffled to seventh on Lap 3, he kept pushing and made his way back to the top five. In Race 3, Petersen executed another flying start to take the lead into Turn 2. It was an eventful opening lap that turned into a three-rider battle, with the South African putting in a good fight for the lead before being shuffled to third. After Gagne made his way through, he was holding down fourth but was passed with five laps to go, ending the day with another solid fifth-place finish.
Next up for the Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing team is Round 6 of the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at the Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, Minnesota, on July 28-30.
Richard Stanboli – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing Team Manager
“Throughout the event, we made good progress and a significant step forward on the new surface and tires. We are happy with our progress. Jake rode well to catch the leaders in Race 3. I think the track limits penalty was extreme, considering the actual advantage that would be gained by jumping the green. If the goal is to emulate the world championship, then it should follow the world standards by giving track limits warnings to the riders and exacting punishments that fit the infraction.”
Jake Gagne – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing
“We had some good races on Sunday and made some great progress. In Race 3, those guys were messing around, and I was able to reel them in. I feel like I rode my butt off in that one, so regardless, I’m happy with how I rode. I’m happy for this team. They really helped me step it up this weekend. It definitely was some exciting racing today, and I’m excited to get to the next round!”
Cameron Petersen – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing
“It was another tough weekend for me. The bike felt good, and so did I, but unfortunately I had a crash in Race 1. Race 2 and 3 were way better, and I was happy with my pace and got some good starts. At the end of the day, I just need to put all the pieces of the puzzle together, and we will be fighting at the front.”
About Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA
Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA (YMUS), is a recognized leader in the outdoor recreation industry. The company’s ever-expanding product offerings include Motorcycles and Scooters, ATV and Side-by-Side vehicles, Snowmobiles, WaveRunner Personal Watercraft, Boats, Outboard Motors, Outdoor Power Equipment, Power Assist Bicycles, Golf Cars, Power Assist Wheelchair Systems, Surface Mount Technology (SMT) and Robotic Machines, Unmanned Helicopters, Accessories, Apparel, Yamalube products, and much more. YMUS products are sold through a nationwide network of distributors and dealers in the United States.
YMUS has a corporate office in California, two corporate offices in Georgia, facilities in Wisconsin and Alabama, and factory operations in Tennessee and Georgia. Additional U.S.-based subsidiaries include Yamaha Marine Systems Company (YMSC) with divisions Bennett Marine (Florida), Kracor Systems (Wisconsin) and Siren Marine, Inc. (Rhode Island), Skeeter Boats (Texas), with division G3 Boats (Missouri), and Yamaha Precision Propeller (Indiana).
More, from a press release issued by Energica:
Energica launches to first-ever EV race lead anywhere while breaking e-motorcycle record lap at Laguna Seca
Stefano Mesa and Tytlers Cycle Racing have completed round five and six of the 2023 Super Hooligan National Championship, which took place at the WeatherTech Laguna Seca Raceway. This was another opportunity to shine for the Kit-Corsa-Clienti-equipped Energica Eva Ribelle RS, which in the capable hands of the 30-year-old Colombian rider wrote a new chapter in the history of motorcycling, as Roland Sands himself stated on commentary: “The first EV ever in the world to lead a race against ICE machinery”. Mesa exploited the immense torque of the Energica streetfighter machine to bend space and time and enter Turn One ahead of the rest of the field in Race One.
But it was Race Two that proved how the rider and the technical package are gelling together, as Mesa showed a whole different pace on Sunday and set his fastest lap in 1:31.272secs, a time that would have placed him on fourth place on the grid.
This lap-time also holds a very special meaning as it was one tenth of a second quicker of the previous, all-time two-wheeled electric lap record at Laguna Seca set by Steve Rapp in 2011, resulting in a new, historical lap record at the American raceway a dozen years afterwards while sharing the track with ICE motorcycles for a whole season – something that was never done before.
Stefano’s efforts did not go unnoticed by his peers: soon after Saturday’s Super Hooligan Race One, he had to take part in the grueling, extended 38-lap Supersport race. Many Supersport riders, including multiple MotoAmerica Superbike champion Josh Hayes praised Mesa’s speed, determination and stamina which led to a fourth-place finish in that race.
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With a sixth and a fifth in the two Super Hooligan encounters, Mesa and Tytlers Cycle Racing are back to P6 in the overall championship standings and are only seven points away from the top five.
“Fantastic result. If you know everybody who’s behind Energica, you know this bike works. Stefano knows how to make it work and the team knows how to make it work. This is fabulous!” says Michael Kiley, Team Principal of Tytlers Cycle Racing and firm believer of the Made-in-Modena electric bike’s potential in the series.
With Laguna Seca being one of the most attended racetracks on the MotoAmerica calendar and considering the fact that is located in the most EV-friendly state in the USA, the stunning PETRONAS iona-liveried Eva Ribelle grabbed the attention of the many fans who joined in this time out. This included a number of Energica owners who rode from as far away as Los Angeles and San Diego to cheer on their hero, whose bikes crowded the entrance to Garage 20, seemingly standing guard over the #137 race bike itself.
Energica, Tytlers Cycle Racing and Stefano Mesa return to the action on September 8-10 at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, for the final event of the season.
Click here for the current championship standings
Click on the following links to watch the full encounters (YouTube) Race one – Race two
More, from a press release issued by Aprilia:
APRILIA RS 660 RIDERS LANDERS, RODIO, VICTORIOUS AT LAGUNA SECA FOR MOTOAMERICA TWINS CUP DOUBLE HEADER
RODIO RACING – POWERED BY ROBEM ENGINEERING RIDERS WIN BY LARGE MARGINS IN BOTH CONTESTS, WITH GUS RODIO RETAKING POINTS LEAD
MONTEREY, CA – Laguna Seca is one of the most iconic racing circuits in the world and, this past weekend, was the scene of two commanding victories by Aprilia RS 660 riders. The Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering duo of Rocco Landers and Gus Rodio were the class of the MotoAmerica Twins Cup field. The pair recorded one win apiece, and each winning rider took the checkered flag least 16 seconds ahead of the rest of the field at the July 7-9 event.
Though Landers was unable to finish the second contest, both Landers and Rodio took turns being at the top of the Twins Cup points standings. And Rodio, who was the championship leader through the first two rounds of the season, heads to the next round with a three-point lead.
Friday morning practice commenced under slick track conditions due to overnight rain on the recently repaved circuit. That 40-minute session ended with Top Pro Motorsports’ Alex Arango as the fastest Aprilia rider and sixth-fastest overall. Landers, Top Pro Motorsports’ other rider Agustin Sierra, and Gus Rodio finished the session 9th, 10th, and 11th fastest, respectively.
By Friday afternoon, track conditions had greatly improved for the first of two Twins Cup qualifying sessions. And Landers and Rodio were back to their usual frontrunning form. Landers top the time sheets with a best lap time of 1:30.741. Rodio was second-fastest, about half a second off Landers’ time and more than 1.3 seconds faster than the next fastest rider. The Twins Cup’ Qualifying 2 session took place Saturday morning and saw Landers convert his provisional pole position from Friday into his fourth consecutive Twins Cup pole position of the season. Rodio nearly bested Landers when he qualified second with a lap time about one-tenth of a second off Landers’ best time.
Race 1 was the scene of some frantic action on the first lap that quickly changed to an Aprilia rout. Though Landers and Rodio were running second and third as the field of 33 riders exited Turn 2, Landers assumed the lead after making a pass at Turn 6 and, by the end of the first lap, had already built an about one second advantage to the rest of the field. Rodio made his move up to second place at the iconic Corkscrew turn and was undeterred when another rider bumped him as he was navigating the tight, twisty corner and finished the first lap in second place. From Lap 2 to the end of the 13-lap race, the Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering duo built a large gap to the multi-rider battle for third place. At the end of Lap 3, Landers had pulled out a 1.4-second lead over Rodio, who had established his own 2.2-second advantage over the third-place rider. By the end of Lap 10, Landers was leading Rodio by more than 4.4 seconds, and Rodio had increased his gap to third place to more than 15 seconds. Landers ended up taking the victory by a margin of 4.180 seconds and Rodio crossed the finish line 21.417 seconds ahead of the next rider. Landers also set a new MotoAmerica Twins Cup lap record during the Saturday race with a lap time of 1:29.790 and moved into the lead in the class’ points standings. Three other Aprilia riders finished in the top 10, including Duffy Racing’s Tyler Duffy in seventh, Righteous Racing’s Ray Hofman in eighth and Arango in 10th.
Rodio got a better start in Sunday’s Race 2 and led the field through the first couple corners. Landers was running in third place for the first half of Lap 1 before moving up to second at Turn 6. He then took over the lead when Rodio made a mistake exiting Turn 6 that caused him to run wide. The Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering duo then built a large gap to the rest of the field and were taking turns setting new lap records until Landers crashed out from the lead on Lap 11. The lap before he crashed, Landers had an about 0.8 second advantage on Rodio, who was about 16 seconds ahead of the third-place rider. Rodio went on to win the race by a margin of 16.945 seconds and, with his victory and Landers’ bad luck, Rodio assumed the lead in the Twins Cup standings.
Rodio left Laguna Seca with a three-point lead in the championship chase, and Landers is just 18 points behind the second-place rider despite having not raced at the opening round at Daytona International Speedway.
Of the 33 riders entered in MotoAmerica Twins Cup for the Laguna Seca round, 16 were slated to compete aboard Aprilia RS 660s.
The MotoAmerica Twins Cup riders have a six-week break in the 2023 schedule until its back in action. The next round takes place Aug. 18-20 at Pittsburgh International Race Complex.
Gus Rodio / No. 96
“Overall, it was a great weekend for the Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering team. Me and Rocco worked together all weekend long. Race 1 went good. I had a few issues off the start, but I managed to collect it and stayed consistent the whole race. It was a pretty good finish and a pretty good, best lap time for me. I’m super happy with the results overall, as well as getting the championship lead back. I couldn’t have done it without the team and Aprilia backing me. I’m looking forward to heading back to the East Coast, and we’ll take it from there.”
Rocco Landers / No. 97
“It was a great weekend. On Saturday, things went amazing. Gus and I were able to work together to find the best possible setup for our Aprilia RS 660s. We had them set up really well, and they worked amazing here on the new surface. The Aprilia is definitely the bike to be on in Twins Cup, and it keeps getting better and better. Unfortunately, I kind of ruined the weekend by tossing the bike down the road in Race 2, but that aside, I’m looking forward to heading to Pittsburgh.”
More, from a press release issued by Harley-Davidson:
FACTORY HARLEY-DAVIDSON RIDER KYLE WYMAN TOPS ALL-HARLEY KING OF THE BAGGERS PODIUM ON SUNDAY AT LAGUNA SECA
Vance & Hines/Harley-Davidson racer Hayden Gillim wins on Saturday
MILWAUKEE (July 10, 2023) – Harley-Davidson® Screamin’ Eagle® factory rider Kyle Wyman topped an all-Harley-Davidson podium on Sunday in the MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in California. Wyman led from start to finish in the 8-lap race on the team’s race-prepared Harley-Davidson® Road Glide® motorcycle to claim his fifth win of the season. Vance & Hines/Mission Foods teammates James Rispoli and Hayden Gillim finished second and third on Harley-Davidson Road Glide motorcycles. With the win, Kyle Wyman preserved his championship points lead in the series.
“I really wanted to get a good start today to get out front and control the pace,” said Wyman. “I was feeling pressure from Rispoli in the second half of the race, and I know James would not hesitate to take his shot at a pass, so I made sure to not give him that opportunity. It’s really great to see Harley-Davidson lock up the podium today.”
Wyman opened the weekend by topping the first qualifying session on Friday with a new King of the Baggers track record lap of 1:28.586. On Saturday Wyman won the three-lap King of the Baggers Challenge race, besting second place Gillim by 1.462 seconds.
In the Saturday feature race, Wyman dogged race leader Tyler O’Hara on the Factory Indian motorcycle before passing for the lead in Turn 2 on lap 5. O’Hara passed Wyman back to take the lead on the last lap but crashed on the entrance to the last turn of the race. Wyman fell behind him and both riders slid off the track as Gillim, Rispoli, and Sacramento Mile/Roland Sands Indian rider Bobby Fong took advantage. O’Hara and Wyman both managed to pick up their bikes and cross the finish line, O’Hara in fourth place and Wyman in ninth place. Gillim finished first, 2.919 seconds ahead of Rispoli, with Fong in third place. Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle factory rider Travis Wyman finished in seventh place on his Harley-Davidson Road Glide motorcycle.
On Sunday roles were reversed, as Kyle Wyman took the lead from the pole position with O’Hara chasing in second place, followed by Rispoli and Gillim. O’Hara fell off the pace on lap 4 and was passed by both Vance & Hines riders. Rispoli closed to within a fraction of a second on Wyman but never had an opportunity to attempt a pass. O’Hara finished fourth. Travis Wyman was sixth on the Factory Harley-Davidson® Road Glide®.
After eight of 14 races in the 2023 MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers series, Kyle Wyman leads the championship with 148 points, followed by Rispoli with 143 points, and Gillim with 130 points. O’Hara sits in fourth place with 107 points. Travis Wyman is in 10th place with 59 points.
The Mission King of the Baggers series features race-prepared American V-Twin touring motorcycles. Harley-Davidson® Factory Team Road Glide® motorcycles are powered by modified Screamin’ Eagle® Milwaukee-Eight® 131 Performance Crate Engines. The team bikes also feature upgraded suspension components, including Screamin’ Eagle/Öhlins Remote Reservoir Rear Shocks, plus competition exhaust, race tires and lightweight bodywork.
The Harley-Davidson® Screamin’ Eagle® factory team returns to action July 28-30 in the MotoAmerica Superbikes at Minnesota at Brainerd International Raceway near Brainerd, Minn.
MotoAmerica King of the Baggers Race Results – Laguna Seca Race 1
MotoAmerica King of the Baggers Race Results – Laguna Seca Race 2
Harley-Davidson invites you to enhance the 2023 MotoAmerica King of the Baggers season with some adrenaline pumping action. Check out, ‘Push the Limit,’ a film that shares the story of defending 2021 champion Kyle Wyman, teammate Travis Wyman and the Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle race team’s 2022 championship pursuit. Watch it now on Harley-Davidson’s YouTube channel.
Harley-Davidson stands for the timeless pursuit of adventure and freedom for the soul. Go to H-D.com to learn more about the complete line of 2023 Harley-Davidson Grand American Touring, Sport, Adventure Touring, Cruiser and Trike motorcycles, Harley-Davidson Certified™ pre-owned motorcycles, Harley-Davidson Genuine Motor Parts & Accessories, Harley-Davidson MotorClothes and gear, and Harley-Davidson Financial Services.
More, from a press release issued by Westby Racing:
Westby Racing Has An Adversity-Filled Weekend At WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
Monterey, CA – July 10, 2023 – Mathew Scholtz and the Westby Racing team wrapped up the two-round West Coast swing in the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, and unfortunately, it was a weekend that Mathew and the team would just as soon forget.
The event had three Superbike races on the schedule, and in Saturday’s race one, Mathew, who had qualified fifth earlier in the day, got into a battle for third, but he had a big crash in Rainey Curve with just two laps to go in the race. The incident brought out the red flag, and the race was called complete. Mathew ended up bruised and battered, and he had a restless night as a result
On Sunday, the topnotch Westby Racing crew had Mathew’s #11 Yamaha YZF-R1 re-built and ready to go, but Mathew himself was still sore from Saturday’s crash. He shook off the difficulties and managed to finish seventh in the morning warmup session.
Then, in Sunday morning’s race, the second of three on the weekend, Mathew finished sixth, which was a decent result, all things considered, but not where he and the team hoped to finish.
In Sunday’s afternoon race, the third and concluding race of the weekend, Mathew unfortunately ran off the track on lap seven, which took him out of seventh place and into tenth. From there, he fought valiant for position and ultimately crossed the finish line in eighth.
So, all told, it was a DNF, a sixth, and an eighth for Mathew and the team. The results also moved Mathew from fourth to fifth in the points standings.
“Well, that didn’t quite go the way we hoped,” Mathew said. “I banged myself up pretty good in Saturday’s race one, and I also created some extra work for the boys, which I am sorry about. Sunday’s two races were tough, and I did all I could given my physical condition and the circumstances. Tryg Westby, our team, our sponsors, and I expect to be at the front, and that’s why we race. To not be able to deliver on that hurts more than these bumps and bruises. But, we are a strong group who pull together, and I know Tryg and the boys are behind me 100%. We’ve got some time till the next round, so I will recover, get stronger, and we’ll be more determined than ever for these final four rounds of the season.”
The Westby Racing team will take the much-needed break in the schedule to re-group, and then, they will return to action on July 28 through 30 at Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, Minnesota, for round six of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship.
MotoAmerica Superbike Standings
1. Jake Gagne – Yamaha – 217
2. Cameron Beaubier – BMW – 183
3. Josh Herrin – Ducati – 178
4. Richie Escalante – Suzuki – 127
5. Mathew Scholtz – Yamaha – 119
For more updates about Westby Racing, including news, photos, and videos, visit http://www.WestbyRacing.com
Also, follow “Westby Racing” on your favorite social media sites.
More, from a press release issued by Suzuki Motor USA, LLC:
ESCALANTE TOPS STRONG WEEKEND FOR VISION WHEEL M4 ECSTAR SUZUKI WITH FOURTH IN BOTH RACES
BREA, CA – July 10, 2023 – Suzuki Motor USA and Team Hammer upped their weekend tally to six top-fives, rounding out a trophy-winning MotoAmerica round with a pair of strong Superbike races on Sunday at WeatherTech Laguna Seca.
Race Highlights:
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante continued to establish himself as one of the nation’s top Superbike pilots with his fifth and sixth top-four finish in his last eight attempts. Both of Sunday’s Superbike contests shared much in common with Saturday’s, minus the sighting lap drama. Once again, the Mexican could not fully capitalize on his front-row grid position, but he still managed strong races that emphasized his quick pace. He systematically worked his way forward aboard his Suzuki GSX-R1000R to twin fourth-place results. Escalante came tantalizingly close to securing that elusive maiden premier-class podium finish during Race 3 in particular, ending up just 0.607 seconds short of third position at the flag and 2.725 seconds from the winner.
Escalante said, “Three fourth-place finishes and fourth in the championship – it was a good weekend for us. Thanks to the team for giving me a bike that worked great. I’m happy after yesterday, and we had two strong races today. On the first lap in the second race, I lost a couple of positions, but in the race, I made a pass and was able to improve my lap times. I feel like we are getting stronger with each race, and I look forward to training and recovering for the next round.”
Brandon Paasch was impressive in his own right. Making his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki debut in what was his first-ever weekend aboard a Superbike. Paasch was both steady and quick, all while still recovering from a broken back. He finished in eighth position in Race 2 and then went one better in Race 3, taking seventh as he continued to come to grips with the Suzuki GSX-R1000R Superbike.
“It’s been great coming out here on the Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki Superbike this weekend,” said Paasch. “There’s been a lot to learn coming up from the Stock 1000 last year, and then obviously not really racing yet this year. We’re taking it steady and chipping away at those front boys. We’re not too worried about the results at the moment, we’re just focused on my riding and communication with the team. I think we’re doing a good job, and everybody seems happy with what we’re doing. There’s still a lot to learn. I need to be a bit more patient on the bike and work on my fitness after returning from a big injury. We’ve got some gym work to do, but I’m not scared of hard work, so we’ll get after it.”
Team Hammer will return to action when the 2023 MotoAmerica season resumes at Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, Minnesota, on July 28-30.
For more racing news, results, and special team content please visit https://suzukicycles.com/racing/road-racing.
ABOUT SUZUKI
Suzuki Motor USA, LLC. (SMO) distributes Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automotive Parts, Accessories, and ECSTAR Oils & Chemicals via an extensive dealer network throughout 49 states. Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer of Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automobiles, Outboard Motors, and related products. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, SMC has business relations with 201 countries/regions. For more information, visit www.suzuki.com.
ABOUT TEAM HAMMER
The 2023 season marks Team Hammer’s 43rd consecutive year of operating as a professional road racing team. Race bikes built and fielded by Team Hammer have won 129 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National races, have finished on AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National podiums 351 times, and have won 11 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National Championships, as well as two FIM South American Championships (in Superbike and Supersport.) The team has also won 137 endurance races overall (including seven 24-hour races) and 13 Overall WERA National Endurance Championships with Suzuki motorcycles, and holds the U.S. record for mileage covered in a 24-hour race. The team also competed in the televised 1990s Formula USA National Championship, famously running “Methanol Monster” GSX-R1100 Superbikes fueled by methanol, and won four F-USA Championships.
ABOUT VISION WHEEL
Founded in 1976, Vision Wheel is one of the nation’s leading providers of custom wheels for cars and trucks, and one of the first manufacturers of custom wheels and tires for ATVs, UTVs, and golf carts. Vision Wheel looks beyond the current trends and to the future in developing, manufacturing, and distributing its wheels. Vision’s lines of street, race, off-road, American Muscle, and Milanni wheels are distributed nationally and internationally through a trusted network of distributors. Vision Wheel also produces the Vision It AR app to allow users to see how their wheel of choice will look on their vehicle before purchase and installation. For more information on Vision Wheel, visit www.visionwheel.com.
More, from a press release issued by Indian Motorcycle:
Indian Motorcycle Racing Sweeps Super Hooligan at Laguna Seca, Wins American Flat Track SuperTwins at Orange County Half-Mile
Indian Motorcycle Factory Rider Jeremy McWilliams Wins Back-to-Back Races, Ties Teammate & Reigning Champion Tyler O’Hara for Series Lead
Reigning SuperTwins Champion Jared Mees Continues Hot Streak Aboard Indian FTR750, Leads Series Following Seventh Win of Season
MINNEAPOLIS (July 10, 2023) – Following an action-packed race weekend, Indian Motorcycle Racing and factory riders Jeremy McWilliams and Jared Mees came out on top. McWilliams, piloting the Indian FTR in MotoAmerica’s Super Hooligan class, captured back-to-back wins at Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif. Mees, reigning American Flat Track (AFT) SuperTwins champion, secured a wire-to-wire victory aboard the Indian FTR750 at the Orange County Half-Mile in Middletown, N.Y.
The action began Saturday, July 8, when McWilliams captured his first career Super Hooligan race win. McWilliams, who earned the pole position for both races, returned on Sunday, July 9, to again reach the top of the box. During Sunday’s Race 2, O’Hara gave McWilliams a run for his money, but was edged out as the veteran road racer was precise and consistent all weekend long. McWilliams’ back-to-back wins and O’Hara’s Race 2 second-place finish put the Indian Motorcycle Factory Race team in a dead-even tie for first with 106 points each.
“Jeremy was fast all weekend, and after the controversy at ‘The Ridge,’ really wanted to prove himself,” said Gary Gray, Vice President for Racing, Service & Technology for Indian Motorcycle. “Jeremy not only has a wealth of experience racing Laguna Seca, but he’s as fierce of a competitor as there is, and we couldn’t be any more excited for him and the team to be leaving Monterey with a pair of wins.”
At the Orange County Half-Mile, Mees again showed up and reminded everyone why he’s riding for a record-tying nine Grand National Championships. After taking the hole shot in the Main and securing a five-second lead from the second-place rider, a red flag caused a restart with just five laps to go. But this didn’t slow Mees. He again jumped out in front and eventually passed the checkered flag to reach the top of the box for the seventh time this season. The win propelled him to the top of the leaderboard and marked his 36th career half-mile win, awarding him with the most half-mile wins of any rider of all time.
In the King of the Baggers class, O’Hara rode with typical zeal and courage as he battled to capture his first win of the season. O’Hara made a daring pass through the Corkscrew on the last lap, only to lose control on the final turn. Despite going down, O’Hara rushed up, picked up the 620-pound motorcycle and was able to salvage a fourth-place finish. O’Hara again finished fourth in Race 2, while McWilliams took P5.
Indian Motorcycle factory race efforts are presented by Progressive Insurance®, Mission® Foods and Medallia®, with additional support from Indian Motorcycle Motor Oil, S&S®, Parts Unlimited, Drag Specialties®, Performance Finance, and J&P Cycles®.
The AFT season continues next with the Bridgeport Half-Mile on July 22, while the Mission King of the Baggers continues at Brainerd International Raceway July 28-30. The Super Hooligan class picks back up September 8-18 at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, TX.
For more information on Indian Motorcycle Racing, visit IndianMotorcycle.com and follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
ABOUT INDIAN MOTORCYCLE®
Indian Motorcycle Company is America’s First Motorcycle Company®. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the hearts of motorcyclists around the world and earned distinction as one of America’s most legendary and iconic brands through unrivaled racing dominance, engineering prowess and countless innovations and industry firsts. Today that heritage and passion is reignited under new brand stewardship. To learn more, please visit www.indianmotorcycle.com.
INDIAN and INDIAN MOTORCYCLE are registered trademarks of Indian Motorcycle International, LLC. Always wear a helmet, protective clothing and eyewear and insist your passenger does the same. Ride within the limits of the law and your own abilities. Read, understand and follow your owner’s manual. Never ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
More, from a press release issued by Tytlers Cycle Racing:
Triple podium for Tytlers Cycle Racing at Laguna Seca… Cameron and PJ on the box as Corey scores solid points in three races
The Tytlers Cycle Racing team continued their front running performances in the latest round of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at the iconic Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca this past weekend. A double win on Sunday for Cameron Beaubier coupled with a race one podium for PJ Jacobsen meant the squad once again had at least one bike in the top three in every race! Corey Alexander also raced to strong finishes in the weekend’s three races.
After equaling the lap record in qualifying it was Beaubier who was the man to beat, placing his BMW M1000 RR on pole position in style. His hopes of a triple win were dashed however after a turn two tumble, through no fault of his own, saw him on the floor and unable to make the restart. Cameron’s disappointment turned to delight for both him and the team on Sunday, two perfectly executed overtakes saw the superbike returnee clinch two wins in front of an enthusiastic crowd. The results keep the #6 very much in title contention. He sits second on points ahead of the next round at Brainerd.
PJ Jacobsen showed top three pace from the off, matching Beaubier on Friday to end the day second on the time sheets. A crash in final qualifying left the team with a full rebuild before lights out but a great team effort saw the #99 on the grid and ready to fight. And fight he did. Running third PJ had his sights set on second before a red flag cut short the race. Nevertheless, a podium was well deserved and a reminder that he is one to watch for the remainder of the season. A retirement in race two was a disappointment but Jacobsen bounced back to take sixth in race three to consolidate sixth in the overall points classification.
The team’s third rider Corey Alexander battled through discomfort from previous back injuries to secure three solid results on his BMW M1000 RR. The reigning Stock1000 champion finished eighth, seventh and ninth in the three twenty lap races to move into P7 overall in the championship standings.
Cameron Beaubier: “Race one sucked but I was glad it wasn’t worse than it was. My guys worked their butts off to rebuild a bike for Sunday and we turned it around. I was pretty sore but once the blood got going, I felt great on the bike and was able to bring home a couple wins.”
PJ Jacobsen: “Race one was pretty crazy after I destroyed a bike in qualifying two. The team did a great job to rebuild it and I was able to take a podium which I was happy about. I was running third in race two, but I started to suffer with a brake issue pretty early in the race. I started to fall back, which sucked after we had shown such good pace all weekend and in the end I retired. Race three went well, although I was struggling to pass. I didn’t quite have the grip to follow the others as they closed up to the leading two, which was disappointing as I genuinely feel we could have also had a podium in the final race too. It is what it is, we took at least one podium, and I will go again at Brainerd which is a track I like.”
Corey Alexander: “We made some changes to the to the bike per my request for race one and ultimately went in the wrong direction. Due to some of the misfortune of some of our rivals we still managed P8 but it was not my best performance. For race two we went back to our previous setting, and I was able to run much closer to the front pack with a good pace and feeling. I felt good for race three but got pushed extremely wide off the start and lost some positions which made bridging the gap to the pack difficult. I am happy to salvage three top ten finishes, but it wasn’t the weekend for which I had hoped. Thanks to their team for their support and hard work. I am excited to head home and heal up this lingering back pain I am dealing with and come back stronger at Brainerd.”
Prize Money for Top Open Two-Stroke Racers at AHRMA Classic MotoFest™ of Monterey California July 14-16
MONTEREY, Calif. – Missing the scent of a two-stroke motorcycle engine or the sound of a Yamaha TZ750 on a world class track? Hear the music, experience the two-stroke aroma, and have your senses astounded at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. If you have your own two-stroke motorcycle, come out and race it!
Mojo Yamaha and two anonymous American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) racers will sponsor a total of $3,000 in prize money for winners of AHRMA’s Open Two-Stroke race event during AHRMA’s Classic MotoFestTM of Monterey July 15 and 16. On each race day, winners in each of these following tiers within the race will be awarded $500: 125cc, 250cc, and more than 250cc. AHRMA’s Open Two-Stroke class allows any two-stroke motorcycle regardless of displacement, number of cylinders, frame type, cooling type, or date of manufacture.
A current competition license from a known organization is required and AHRMA offers weekend event membership. Race school is also offered on Thursday July 13 with required practice for all on Friday July 14. Learn more and sign up at AHRMA.org. Spectators can purchase tickets here.
About Mojo Yamaha
Mojo Yamaha is a motorcycle racing team focused on classic Yamahas. The team runs monster Formula One racers based on the Yamaha FJ1100 engine pushed out to nearly 1300cc by Larry Cook Racing, as well as the legendary 2-stroke, the Yamaha TZ750. All bikes are housed in frames produced by the renown builder Denis Curtis at CMR Racing. Josh Hayes and Mojo Yamaha won Race 4 of the International Challenge the Phillip Island Classic in 2019.
About WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is a world-renowned 2.238-mile traditional road course that was built in 1957 and was known at the time as Laguna Seca Raceway. WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is owned by the County of Monterey and operated by A&D Narigi Consulting, LLC.
The 2023 premier event schedule includes the MotoAmerica Superbike Speedfest July 7-9, the AHRMA Classic MotoFest™ of Monterey July 14-16, the Monterey Pre-Reunion August 12-13, the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion August 16-19, Corkscrew Hillclimb & Community Day August 20, the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey September 8-10 and the Porsche Rennsport Reunion 7 September 28 – October 1.
ABOUT AHRMA
American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving, restoring, and competing on historic motorcycles. With more than 3,000 members, AHRMA is the leading historic motorcycle racing group in North America and one of the largest in the world. The association’s enthusiastic membership reflects this country’s strong interest in classic bikes.
KurveyGirl.com brings you the results of this weekend’s events.
Kyle Wyman won MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers Race Two Sunday at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, in Monterey, California.
Riding his Screamin’ Eagle Harley-Davidson Road Glide, Wyman led from the start lights to the checkered flag to take his fifth win of the season, but the whole way he was hounded by Vance & Hines Mission Harley-Davidson teammates James Rispoli and Hayden Gillim.
Rispoli was breathing down Wyman’s neck all the way to the end but ended up second, 0.796 second behind the winner. Gillim crossed the finish line third, just 0.292 second behind Rispoli, making it an all-Harley-Davidson podium.
Defending Champion Tyler O’Hara slipped off the lead pace early on and came home fourth on his Progressive Insurance/Mission Foods Indian Challenger.
O’Hara’s teammate Jeremy McWilliams rounded out the top five finishers.
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More, from a press release issued by MotoAmerica:
Wyman Bounces Back With Mission King Of The Baggers Win
McWilliams Does The Double, Rodio Gets It Done At WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
MONTEREY, CA (July 9, 2023) – A day after their synchronized crashing from the day before in the Mission King Of The Baggers on Saturday, the protagonists in the class were back at it on Sunday and this time H-D Screamin’ Eagle’s Kyle Wyman made amends by winning the second of the two races at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on a sunny Sunday on the Monterey Peninsula.
Mission King Of The Baggers – Wyman Bounces Back
Mission King Of The Baggers (KOTB) is a one make versus one make championship: Harley-Davidson versus Indian Motorcycles. But on Sunday at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, “The Motor Company” as they colloquially refer to Harley-Davidson, swept the podium in KOTB race two.
H-D Screamin’ Eagle factory rider Kyle Wyman got the victory, and he was hounded by Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson’s James Rispoli, who got balked by a lapped rider on the final run to the checkers, and it thwarted his last-turn effort. Finishing third was Rispoli’s teammate Hayden Gillim, who won Saturday’s race one.
“Today, I tried to pull the trigger the last few laps,” Wyman said. “I thought I had a bit of a gap, but we caught a lapper in turn 11 on the last lap. It feels good to get a win today. We all want to win. We all have, maybe, a little bit different approach in trying to do it. Today, fortunately, I was able to do it my way, which is control the pace and try to manage and see if I can dig a little deeper in the end.”
REV’IT! Twins Cup – Rodio Answers
REV’IT! Twins Cup race two was a tale of two teammates, and it was the best of times for one of them and the worst of times for the other. Race one winner Rocco Landers was at the front aboard his Robem Engineering Aprilia and looked to be headed for another victory, but he made a mistake and crashed out unhurt, which handed the lead to Gus Rodio who is sponsored by Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering but is technically on the same team as Landers.
For Rodio, who hadn’t won since Daytona, he gladly took the win and also took over the championship lead by just three points over defending class champ Blake Davis. Speaking of Davis, he finished third in Sunday’s REV’IT! Twins Cup race two aboard his N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto Yamaha YZF-R7.
“I got a really good start and then I ran wide in turn five,” Rodio said. “That corner seems to get me every time I come here. That’s where I threw the lead away last year in the Junior Cup. So, once I ran wide, I knew to just stand it up and try and get back on the track because that green, you keep the lean angle and that’s how I crashed last year. Got back on the track. Was surprised to only have fallen back to third. I knew I had to get around Blake and then just put the pressure on Rocco. He’s my teammate and I know his plan. I just tried to keep the pressure there. I don’t think that’s why he crashed. I think there was a lot going on in that corner with the yellow flag and a rider that had just gone down. So, there’s no telling what happened there. It definitely helped to be right on him and kind of like a cat and mouse. He would stretch it in a sector, and I’d close it in a sector. I’m really happy with the race. Disappointed that he went down. Hopefully he’s all right.
“When I hopped on the Aprilia at Daytona, I just really felt like one with the bike. It reminds me a lot of my supermoto, and I love that thing a lot. The last couple rounds, I just didn’t feel very connected with the bike. I came here and right off the bat it feels like my bike again and I feel like I’m one with the machine. I just had a lot of fun this weekend and it seems the results come with that. So, I’m just going to keep having fun and keep chipping away.”
Mission Super Hooligan National Championship – McWilliams Again
The Mission Super Hooligan National Championship had two feature races at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, and venerable Ulsterman Jeremy McWilliams did the double by winning both races. On Sunday, he battled again with his Indian Motorcycle/Progressive/Mission Foods teammate and defending class champ Tyler O’Hara, taking the checkered flag by just a little more than one-and-a-half seconds over O’Hara.
Thus far in the championship, O’Hara has won three races and McWilliams has won two, but the pair are now in a deadlock for the title with 106 points apiece. Meanwhile, DiBrino Racing KTM rider Andy DiBrino, who finished third in Sunday’s race to round out the podium, is just 16 points behind in the point standings.
“We’ve been fastest in every session (this weekend),” McWilliams said. “I think maybe that was a lap record on the last lap. I could just see plus zero, plus zero. I could see the back markers were approaching. The problem is here that you get a trip-up with the back markers, as I believe happened to him maybe going onto the last lap. It’s so tight at the Corkscrew that you get tripped up and unfortunately your lap just goes away. So, I did need to be at the front so I could try to control the back markers. That was the plan. Even if I got passed, whether it was Andy or my teammate, I had to be able to get back past again as soon as possible. I wasn’t fast everywhere. I wasn’t as strong in some parts of the track as Tyler, and I kind of knew that. Which would make it very difficult to make a pass again because I think Tyler could have gapped me quite easily. Then I would have had to fight really hard to get back at him. But I needed the points and I needed to do this for our guys that are working so hard. They didn’t get back last night until 12:00 or something yesterday evening, and they’re up at 5:00 every morning. They’re not getting any time to relax and it’s hard on them, so we’ve got to repay that with the best results we can give them. We’ve got the hardest-working team and we’ve got a factory behind us.”
KurveyGirl.com brings you the results of this weekend’s events.
Cameron Beaubier won MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Race Three Sunday at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, in Monterey, California.
Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati’s Josh Herrin led from the first lap with Beaubier right behind him on his Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW M 1000 RR.
Beaubier passed Herrin for the lead on lap 12, but Herrin took the lead right back on the next lap.
While Herrin and Beaubier battled, two-time and defending Champion Jake Gagne was catching the two from behind.
With two laps to go, Beaubier overtook Herrin on the brakes at Turn 11 to grab the lead. Gagne then slipped past Herrin in Turn Five on the last lap and pulled right behind the leader, but Beaubier was able to just hold off Gagne and take the win – his fifth of the season.
Gagne crossed the finish line right behind Beaubier, but the Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha rider was given a two-second penalty for exceeding track limits in the middle of the race. This promoted Herrin to second place, and Gagne was credited with third place.
Richie Escalante was turning some of the fastest laps at the end of the race and came within 0.06 second of passing Gagne on the timing screen, but Gagne turned the fastest lap of the race on the final race, relegating Escalante to fourth on his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R1000R.
Gagne’s teammate Cameron Petersen got another terrific start and came away with fifth place.
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More, from a press release issued by MotoAmerica:
Beaubier Does The Medallia Superbike Double At WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
Cameron Beaubier Wins Both Races On Sunday After A Crash On Saturday
MONTEREY, CA (July 9, 2023) – Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Cameron Beaubier had about as good of a Sunday as a person can have as he stormed to two MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike victories at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca a day after what was for him, a miserable Saturday.
Beaubier had similar battles in both of the Medallia Superbike races but with different foes. In race one, he hounded Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne for 15 of the 20 laps before making a pass and pulling away to a 2.423-second win over the defending two-time champion. Three hours later, Beaubier did it again only this time it was Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati’s Josh Herrin leading until the very last lap only to get passed by Beaubier, who won his second race on the day – this time by .620 of a second.
Beaubier’s two wins were his fourth and fifth of the season and the 58th and 59th of his AMA Superbike career. The two wins came a day after he crashed out of race one on the opening lap after Cameron Petersen crashed in front of him, leaving him nowhere to go.
Herrin, who is still nursing the injuries suffered in his Q2 crash at Ridge Motorsports Park two weeks ago, was third and second in the two races on Sunday.
Gagne, the championship points leader, was second in race one and crossed the line second in race two, as well. However, he was given a two-second penalty for exceeding track limits and that penalty dropped him to third behind Herrin.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante continues to prove that he’s now a Medallia Superbike front runner as he scored two fourth-place finishes on Sunday, beating Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Cameron Petersen in both races by 7.9 and 1.4 seconds, respectively.
Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz had a weekend to forget as he finished sixth and eighth in the two Sunday races.
Tytlers Cycle Racing’s PJ Jacobsen couldn’t match his podium finish from Saturday on Sunday as mechanical problems knocked him out of race two prior to him finishing sixth in race three.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Brandon Paasch, meanwhile, had a weekend he will always remember as he concluded his factory Suzuki debut weekend with eighth- and seventh-place finishes a day after finishing fifth.
The third of the Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW M 1000 RRs was ridden to seventh and ninth in Sunday’s two races by Corey Alexander.
Disrupt Racing’s Hayden Gillim had a busy day with two Superbike races and a Mission King Of The Baggers race and he was ninth and 10th in the two Superbike races.
After five rounds and 11 races, Gagne and Beaubier each have five wins, but Gagne has a 34-point lead on his former teammate, 217-183. Herrin, with one victory on the year, is third with 178 points. Escalante and his 127 points are eight better than Scholtz, who slips to fifth in the championship points chase.
Superbike Race Two
Superbike Race Three
Race Two Quotes
Cameron Beaubier – Winner
“I woke up pretty sore this morning, for sure, but it wasn’t too bad once I got riding. After the first few laps it was okay. But we destroyed a bike pretty good yesterday. The boys were here until 10:30, 11:00 making sure the second bike was ready to go. To be honest, coming into today I didn’t really know what to expect just because we made some good strides on that new frame and the new bike that we’ve been riding the last round. Went back to the other one, but it honestly felt really good. I felt like it absorbs some of the bumps that I was struggling with earlier in the weekend. So, hats off. Thank you so much to the Tytlers guys. They’ve been working their butts off all year and especially this weekend. There at the beginning I felt like I had some places I was stronger than Jake (Gagne), and then vice versa. He had some good spots too. I felt like they really made a good step on the brakes. It was pretty tough to get around him. I was trying to just be patient. There with five or six, I was struggling a little bit off the last corner compared to him and I felt like I finally got out of there pretty good one lap and I was able to sneak up the inside with the BMW power up over one and just tried to put my head down from there and see what happens. Felt really good. It’s hard to be too excited because I know we’ve got another one of these coming up in a couple hours, but I’m super happy and move on to the third race.”
Jake Gagne – Second Place
“The bike was about the same, but we made a couple little tweaks. I got off to a good start. Cam (Beaubier) threw it into one and it was a little wide, so I snuck it up in there. I knew especially Cam and Josh (Herrin), those guys have had incredible pace. All I could do was try to just not make mistakes and at least try to make it tough. I knew it was Cam behind me. I didn’t know if Josh was close exactly, but I could hear the Beemer behind me. Just tried to click off consistent laps and not leave the door open and hope that I could hold him off for a while. I can’t remember, five or six to go or something, he came by me on the front straight up over one and he just put his head down and I didn’t have anything to run that pace. Low 23s there at the end would have been really, really tricky for me. So, I think we learned a lot. We could see some areas where Cameron was really rolling and doing a good job. So, we’ll see. We got a couple hours here. We’ll see if we can maybe try a couple things. I think as we’ve seen it’s just going to be even tighter of a race this afternoon.”
Josh Herrin – Third Place
“I wanted to try to catch those guys. I keep thinking about earlier in the year. I don’t know if it’s tires on the Ducati or fitness, or something comes into play middle of the race today where I’m able to kind of get a little bit on them. So, I didn’t want to give up. Obviously, normally you never want to give up, but especially this year I have felt good in the second half of the race. So, I just wanted to make sure I kept plugging away in case I was able to get them to come back. It seemed like for a little while I was a tenth here, two tenths here maybe catching up. So, just wanted to get as close as I could just in case I got an opportunity at the end. Also, then I saw Richie (Escalante) behind me, so that definitely scared me into going a little bit faster. I’m just starting to get really comfortable on this thing. It seems like every weekend I get a little bit stronger in the second race, so I’m glad we got three this time. I feel like I can capitalize on that. I’m just having fun on the bike and really enjoying spinning laps out there. The beginning of the weekend it wasn’t going so well for me. I wasn’t feeling comfortable. Today in the race I felt really good. Just having a lot of fun and trying to plug as many laps away as I can and get as much confidence as I can for race three.”
Race Three Quotes
Cameron Beaubier – Winner
“They were both tough in their own way. I think this afternoon I was struggling more than I did earlier today. I felt like when I could put my head down earlier today my bike was working really good and I felt hooked up. Here this afternoon, I felt like every time I tried to put my head down, even when Josh (Herrin) would pull me in a little bit and I would try to get back to him in the next section, the rear end would come around on the entry. That’s not very confidence inspiring. Especially down Rainey, the rear end was coming around and I hadn’t really had that all weekend, other than when the track was really green. I’m not sure why. I think obviously that’s the hottest the track temp has been for us all week, so maybe that’s a little bit has to do with it. Anyway, Josh rode incredible. He was so good on the brakes. I was kind of like earlier today, I was sniffing here and there, but I couldn’t really commit to anything. I saw his tire starting to shred and I was able to get out of the second-to-last corner before the last corner a little bit better than him. So, I was trying to make that work where he passed me earlier in the race. After that, I just put my head down. I saw my gap just shrinking. I knew Jake (Gagne) was coming and I really didn’t want to be in second with Jake behind me going into the last lap. So, today was an amazing day. After a really tough day yesterday, and just shout out to the Tytlers guys. Good to wrap it up good here.”
Josh Herrin – Second Place
“I knew he (Beaubier) had pace on me. Whenever he passed me earlier in the race, maybe four to go or something, I saw he had the pace. I knew if I wanted to win the race, I had to just get back by him and make a dogfight out of it. I kind of had a feeling that he didn’t want to risk Jake (Gagne) getting by both of us, if he had to keep battling. So, in my head I was thinking, ‘all right, he’s probably going to wait until the last lap and try to make a move.’ I was thinking in the three, four section, because I was pretty slow there. I could hear him every time coming up on me. With five to go, I was trying – like I talked about yesterday, trying third instead of second in four, but I just couldn’t make it work. Second was too slow mid-corner. He was getting me mid-corner. I just had nothing for him. So, I tried my hardest and made a huge mistake out of four. That’s when (Jake) Gagne got by me. I was worried that Richie (Escalante) was right there. I didn’t know how close anybody else was, so I just put my head down and tried my hardest to get back up to Jake, but I couldn’t do it. That was one of the funnest races that I’ve had in a long time. I was pumped to get to lead. I knew my pace wasn’t super good. I figured maybe they were battling behind me or something, but I was really happy. I’m happy with how the weekend turned out. Getting on the podium all three times, I’m stoked on that. Getting more and more comfortable on the V4. Hopefully Brainerd treats us well and we can keep fighting for the lead. We made a little bit up on Jake today, but not much, and we didn’t earn it the right way, but I’ll take it. I’ve won a championship like that before where (Josh) Hayes made a bunch of jump starts. Sometimes that’s what you got to do. I think (Ben) Bostrom won a championship in the early 2000s and he didn’t win one race. Just got to be consistent and keep trying.”
More, from a press release issued by Ducati:
Herrin and Forés Turn it on at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
Josh Herrin and Xavi Forés bring home some glory in the Californian sunshine
Sunnyvale, Calif., July 9, 2023 — Round five of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike and
Supersport Championship was held at Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca and it was a podium-filled celebration for the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC team.
In the extended 38 lap Supersport race, it was yet another red letter weekend for Xavi Forés who took his eighth-straight win in the class to maintain his perfect season.
Forés charged hard to the pit stop and a flawless display by the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC team gave the Spaniard the advantage he needed as he crossed the line a massive 12 seconds in front of Yamaha’s Josh Hayes.
For Herrin, the gritty Georgian had three races to contend with in the Superbike category. Still dealing with his ankle injury suffered in a crash at The Ridge, Herrin pushed on to take a second in race one, third in race two, and very nearly took the win in the final race but was bested by eventual winner, Cameron Beaubier.
Witnessed by the packed Ducatisti crowd and Ducati Corse Sporting Director, Paolo Ciabatti, the result sees Herrin solidify third in the championship, 39 point off the lead heading into the next round of the series at Brainerd in Minnesota in two weeks.
2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Standings
P1 – Jake Gagne (Yamaha) 217
P2 – Cameron Beaubier (BMW) 183
P3 – Josh Herrin (Ducati) 178
P4 – Richie Escalante (Suzuki) 127
P5 – Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha) 119
2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Standings
P1 – Xavi Forés (Ducati) 250
P2 – Stefano Mesa (Kawasaki) 150
P3 – Tyler Scott (Suzuki) 144
P4 – Josh Hayes (Yamaha) 143
P5 – Teagg Hobbs (Suzuki) 105
Xavi Forés (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC – #12)
“It was a great race for me today,” Forés said. “The pace was better than I expected after a couple of crashes this weekend and not the best feeling with the bike, but we found a good solution and could maximize our potential. I was pushing really hard before the pit stop. I was feeling good but I was still having issues with the front end. The guys did a massive job in the pit stop and that’s where we won the race. It’s my eighth win in a row, an all-time record in this class, so I couldn’t be happier.”
Josh Herrin (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC – #2)
“Super good weekend,” Herrin said. “I’m a little bummed we didn’t come out of this weekend with a win as this is Ducati’s local track to the U.S. headquarters, and for it being one of my favorite tracks, but to be on the podium in each of the three races, I’m really happy. It was great to lead so much of the last race. It was a great battle with Cam (Beaubier) and Jake (Gagne), and I’m just so happy with life at Ducati and riding this Panigale V4 R.”
Round six of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike and Supersport Championship will take place
at Laguna Seca on the beautiful Californian coastline over the June 5-7 weekend.
KurveyGirl.com brings you the results of this weekend’s events.
Gus Rodio won MotoAmerica REV’IT! Twins Cup Race Two Sunday at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, in Monterey, California.
Riding his Robem Engineering Aprilia RS 660, Rocco Landers led from early on but he crashed out of the race on lap 11 of 13.
Rodio went from pressuring Landers to leading and then brought his Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering Aprilia home for his second victory of the season.
Italian rider Filippo Rovelli got second place on his Team Iso Yamaha YZF-R7 by holding off defending Champion Blake Davis, who got third on his N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto Yamaha YZF-R7.
Kayla Yaakov was fourth on her The WagBar MP13 Racing Yamaha, and Rovelli’s teammate Dominic Doyle placed fifth.
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More, from a press release issued by MotorSport Vision Racing:
Bridewell serves up a first Bennetts BSB treble after denying Irwin victory by 0.032s
Tommy Bridewell celebrated his first ever Bennetts British Superbike Championship treble win at Snetterton, denying Glenn Irwin the final victory of the weekend following an intense third race as the BeerMonster Ducati teammates were separated by just 0.032s at the chequered flag.
Snetterton produced the first hat trick of the season and whilst Bridewell claimed three race wins, a further four riders representing four different teams sealed podium finishes as Ducati, Yamaha and BMW featured in the top three across the weekend.
After winning the BikeSocial Sprint Race yesterday, Bridewell’s confidence was high ahead of today’s races, whilst yesterday’s podium finishers Josh Brookes and Jason O’Halloran aimed to increase their tally.
Race two became an eight-lap dash following a red flag earlier in the race, and at the start Brookes hit the front of the pack from Irwin and Bridewell, with the leading pair trading blows on the opening lap, but the FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team rider had the edge.
Brookes led until lap four when O’Halloran grabbed the advantage at Coram with a move down the inside. His Australian rival had moved ahead into Riches, but O’Halloran regained the position into Wilsons.
As O’Halloran led, Irwin moved into second with a move at Wilson on lap five, with the leading trio then the McAMS Yamaha, Irwin and Brookes, but the race was red flagged when Peter Hickman and Danny Buchan crashed out at Hamilton on lap seven. Buchan was taken to Norfolk and Norwich hospital for further scans and assessment after suffering a concussion.
On the restart, Brookes took the initial advantage before Bridewell grabbed the lead on lap three with a move at Agostini. The BeerMonster Ducati rider then pulled the pin as he edged out his advantage over the closing stages.
The battle for the remaining podium positions was a four-way tussle on the final lap with Brookes emerging ahead to claim second place after holding off Haslam, who had been piling the pressure on his rival as he returned to the podium for ROKiT BMW Motorrad.
Irwin and O’Halloran went head-to-head for fourth place but the second BeerMonster Ducati rider was able to hold off the Yamaha after a series of passes on the final lap with positions changing three times.
The final race went down to the wire, but at the start, home contender Ryan Vickers launched into the lead from Bridewell, Brookes and Irwin with Haslam and Danny Kent in close contention.
Brookes was instantly on the attack and grabbed second at Brundle, before fighting for the lead. Initially he made a move into Riches on the second lap before Vickers reclaimed the position.
It was another disappointing race for Peter Hickman as he crashed out with Franco Bourne at Wilson on the second lap, but at the front, his FHO Racing BMW Motorrad teammate grabbed the lead at Nelson on the same lap.
Bridewell was carving his way up the order and he moved into second on lap three, but his BeerMonster Ducati teammate was soon behind him as he dived into third at Brundle ahead of Vickers.
Brookes continued to lead the pack as Irwin moved into second on lap at Agostini on lap four, easing his teammate back into third. However, the pair had Haslam for company and the ‘Pocket Rocket’ moved into third a lap later, launching ahead of Bridewell at Riches.
Irwin and Haslam were then dicing for second but after swapping places on the seventh lap, the BeerMonster Ducati rider remained ahead.
There was heartbreak for the FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team when Brookes was forced to retire on lap ten from the lead with a technical problem and that handed the position to Irwin, who was holding position ahead of Haslam, Bridewell and Vickers who completed the first pack on track but Christian Iddon was also pushing to close in.
As Irwin led, Bridewell was pushing Haslam for second and he made a pass on the brakes into Murrays on lap 12, but the ROKiT BMW Motorrad rider regained second into Riches. The BeerMonster Ducati rider wasn’t giving up though and as they approached Wilson, Bridewell was back ahead.
The BeerMonster Ducati teammates then duelled at the front with the battle for the podium finishes going all the way down to the wire, but Irwin had made a mistake at Wilson and after running wide he dropped to fourth and then had to regain the ground.
Irwin was hassling Bridewell all the way to the finish as the BeerMonster Ducati teammates ended the race separated by just 0.032s at the chequered flag.
Haslam and Vickers were also in close formation, but the ROKiT BMW Motorrad rider denied the Thetford contender a home round podium at the finish.
Iddon held onto fifth ahead of O’Halloran who worked his way back up the order to finish sixth ahead of Lee Jackson and Kyle Ryde. Kent held ninth ahead of Tito Rabat who claimed a second Bennetts BSB top ten finish.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Snetterton, Race 2 result:
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Snetterton, Race 3 result:
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings
For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com
Tommy Bridewell
BeerMonster Ducati
“It’s so hard to make a game plan in general in any form of racing, because you never know what can happen and what hurdles you get and so on. I had an idea that if I could make the start and get away, fantastic, that wasn’t obviously the plan.
“I was conserving my tyre and it’s something me and the team have been working really hard on and its paying off. I knew I had some tyre left, I could remember looking at my pit board with seven laps to go thinking ‘I really could do with pushing on’.
“It came a bit late, it was a little bit too tight for comfort I must be honest. But credit to everyone out there. I think Glenn is a phenomenal rider and a very fierce competitor. But I’ve been around the block a few years and I’ve been there and seen it all, and I just keep my head down and just focus on what I’m doing.
“The fans have wanted to see me and Glenn go toe to toe for a few rounds now, he outrode me at Knockhill and did a phenomenal job and I was just happy to pick up the podiums there because it’s not somewhere I’m that confident and comfortable on the bike.
“So coming into this weekend I knew my target, as always, was to win. To get my first ever triple win is something that I’ve dreamt of for a long time. We most definitely do not get complacent on my side of the garage, I said to Paolo my Crew Chief that we’ve won two races on the trot, I feel brilliant, the bike’s working phenomenal, but let’s keep our feet on the ground. If I can win this race I will, if I’m second, third, fourth and that’s all that’s there, we need to accept it.
“I just want to enjoy the moment we’re in, fortunately the way the sport is, I save this moment and then when I’m driving home tonight, I’ll get up tomorrow morning, collect the dogs, check that all the sheep are alive and not got their head stuck in a fence, and then I’m preparing for Brands Hatch already!”
KurveyGirl.com brings you the results of this weekend’s events.
Former MotoGP star Jeremy McWilliams won his second straight MotoAmerica Mission Super Hooligans race Sunday at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, in Monterey, California.
McWilliams battled with his Progressive Insurance/Mission Foods Indian teammate Tyler O’Hara until O’Hara lost out in an encounter with a backmarker in the Corkscrew.
McWilliams went on to win the eight-lap race by 1.510 seconds over runner-up O’Hara.
Andy DiBrino finished third on his DiBrino Racing KTM 890 Duke R.
Cory West got fourth on the Team Saddlemen Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250.
Stefano Mesa rounded out the top five finishers on the Energica Eva Ribelle RS electric motorcycle.
Hawk Mazzotta finished 17th overall but won the air-cooled class for a second day in a row on his Lloydz Garage Indian Chief.
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KurveyGirl.com brings you the results of this weekend’s events.
Five-time Champion Cameron Beaubier won MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Race Two Sunday at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, in Monterey, California.
Riding his back-up Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW M 1000 RR, Beaubier passed Jake Gagne late in the race and pulled away to win the 20-lapper by 2.423 seconds. It was Beaubier’s fourth win of the season, the 58th Superbike win of his career, and his 79th overall AMA/MotoAmerica race victory.
Two-time and defending Champion Jake Gagne led from the first lap and made no mistakes, but second place was the best he could do on his Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha YZF-R1. Second place, however, allowed Gagne to expand his Championship lead to 43 points.
Josh Herrin was the fastest rider on track at one point and was closing on the lead duo late in the race, but he ran out of time and ended up third on his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R.
Richie Escalante recovered from a sub-par start and being seventh at the end of the first lap to catching the top three late in the race. The Mexican rider crossed the finish line fourth, just 1.2 seconds behind Herrin, on his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R1000R.
Gagne’s teammate Cameron Petersen got a strong start but faded somewhat during the race to an eventual fifth-place finish.
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