Gagne Wins His Ninth Medallia Superbike Race Of 2022 In Pittsburgh
Gagne Tops Petrucci And Scholtz To Take 26th Career Superbike Victory
Jake Gagne (1) leads Danilo Petrucci (9) early in one of the three starts during MotoAmerica Superbike Race One Saturday at PittRace. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
WAMPUM, PA (August 20, 2022) – Jake Gagne earned his ninth MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike victory of the season today in the red-flag interrupted race one of the Superbikes At Pittsburgh, Presented by LaRoche Aviation Services, round at Pittsburgh International Race Complex.
Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Gagne, who earlier in the day earned pole position with a new lap record of 1:39.344 around the 2.78-mile Pittsburgh International Race Complex, led all three starts and every lap of the three portions of the race to claim the 26th win of his AMA Superbike career.
Gagne’s victory also allowed him to claw back five precious championship points on series leader Danilo Petrucci, who finished a fighting second on his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC Panigale V4 R. Petrucci now leads Gagne by eight points, 273-265, with five races (including tomorrow’s race two at Pitt Race) remaining in the 2022 season.
Gagne crossed the line 2.064 seconds ahead of Petrucci at the end of the three-parter, with Petrucci was hounded to the finish line by Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz and Gagne’s teammate Cameron Petersen, with the three separated by just .417 of a second at the conclusion of what ended up being a five-lap sprint.
The runner-up finish was the ultra-consistent Petrucci’s 13th podium in 14 races after the Italian gave it his all in each of the restarts to try and latch on to Gagne.
Scholtz’s race to third was an adventurous one. Riding with a broken left wrist suffered at BIR three weeks ago, the South African was forced off track to avoid Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante, who made a mistake and crashed on the opening lap of the race. Scholtz had charged from well back to seventh when the first red flag was thrown on the seventh lap. Scholtz then charged through on the second restart and was battling with Petersen when another red flag was thrown. In the final portion of the race, Scholtz got the better of his countryman Petersen and the trio – Petrucci, Scholtz and Petersen, crossed the finish line in close formation.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Jake Lewis was a fighting fifth, 9.5 seconds behind Petersen and a tick over a second ahead of his fellow Kentuckian Hayden Gillim, who narrowly topped Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Hector Barbera.
Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC Racing’s Corey Alexander was eighth while Aftercare Hayes Scheibe Racing’s Ashton Yates and ADR Motorsports’ David Anthony rounded out the top 10.
The first red flag was thrown when Ezra Beaubier’s BMW M 1000 RR suffered a mechanical failure and was parked near the side of the track. The second red flag came out when Jeremy Coffey crashed and was in an impact zone.
Other than those two, the notable non-finisher was Tytlers Cycle Racing’s PJ Jacobsen, who crashed out of the final portion of the race.
As mentioned earlier, Petrucci leads Gagne, 273-265, with Petersen third on 228. Scholtz’s 199 points and Barbera’s 142 round out the top five in the championship heading into tomorrow’s race two at Pitt Race.
Jake Gagne – Winner
“Yeah, after crashing a bike, splitting that thing in half… It sucks creating all that work for Richard (Stanboli, the team owner). He gave me a bunch of crap. He told me he had to sell his car. He sent me a picture of a car at Walmart yesterday. I’m glad I got a good crew. We just put it behind us and focused on the racing. The red flags, when you’re out and you get a good start, it’s hard not to be a little frustrated when you see a red flag, but at the same time I understand someone could be hurt out there. I hope everybody is okay and got up okay. But again, three starts. I got two good starts. The third start wasn’t too good, and I could hear Danilo’s (Petrucci) Ducati. I could hear the other Yamaha, I think Cam (Petersen), up the inside. So, I had to go in there pretty deep. But the Dunlops held up good. Like Danilo said, this track when it gets this hot it gets really greasy. It’s a different track than in the morning time. I’m glad that we made a lot of progress with the bike from yesterday. I’m glad we got a couple good starts and avoided the drama. Like you said, we’ll see what happens tomorrow. The weather ain’t looking so good. I think we’ll get the opportunity to see what this place is like in the wet. I don’t think any of us have ever ridden this track in the wet, so that always makes it interesting.”
Danilo Petrucci – Second Place
“I tried my best. Since the warmup lap, I felt the track was really, really greasy. Compared to this morning, it was really, really tough. I really struggled the first part of the race, the first start. Then I really enjoyed from behind. What Jake (Gagne) is able to do on the first lap is really awesome. He let the bike slide. I tried to do the same, but he was simply faster. For two times, I tried to stay as close as possible to him, but in the middle part of the track and in the last part of the track he is a little bit faster. It’s really, really difficult to follow him. At the end, was tough because it was like a sprint race, and you never know what’s going to happen the first lap. You don’t have any space to recover any mistakes. We definitely missed some traction. The problem we have all the year, but let’s see. We are still there, and we have to try to improve our performance.”
Mathew Scholtz – Third Place
“I think when the second red flag came out, I started thinking about my wrist more. It just started hurting slightly more. To be honest, when I was out there riding, I didn’t really feel it too much. So, I can’t really complain and say it was my wrist’s fault. It was definitely just getting pushed off into the third corner on the first start. The second start, I got up to fourth. Caught up to Cam (Petersen). I felt good then. Third on the restart. Obviously, there were only five laps. I got stuck behind PJ (Jacobsen) in the first one. Reeled in Cam and passed him and kind of managed to kind of get behind Danilo, which was really good. I think we showed that on the older tires, we have some serious pace. Just hopefully tomorrow’s race we can be there early on.”
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Gagne Makes Championship Gains with Perfect Saturday at Pitt Race
Jake Gagne (1). Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne made championship gains with his ninth victory of the season in a shortened MotoAmerica Superbike Race 1 at the Pittsburgh International Race Complex. His teammate Cameron Petersen finished fourth in a challenging opening race at the eighth round of the championship.
It was a perfect day for Gagne at the 2.78-mile track in Wampum, Pennsylvania. He set the tone early with his seventh pole position of the season and broke another track record with a blistering 1:39.344. When it came time to go racing, he grabbed not one but three holeshots in the twice-restarted race. The reigning Superbike Champion continued to set the pace with some fast laps and built a gap up front to remain unchallenged. Even in the five-lap sprint race after the second restart, Gagne crossed the line with a two-second lead to return to the top of the podium and move within eight points of the championship leader.
Petersen got off to a flying start from the fifth spot on the grid and slotted into second behind his teammate. Although he was shuffled to third five laps into the race, he had a better starting spot on the front row of the grid for the restart. Once again, the South African claimed the runner-up spot but was soon shuffled to third. The second red flag was drawn, making for a heated five-lap sprint. Petersen was third after the start and found himself under pressure, and was passed by his fellow Yamaha rider on the final lap. He tried to counter but ultimately had to settle for fourth.
The Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing team returns tomorrow for MotoAmerica Superbike Race 2 at the Pittsburgh International Race Complex in Wampum, Pennsylvania.
Richard Stanboli – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing Team Manager
“Our Yamahas once again showed their strength and versatility here at Pitt Race. Jake set another track record and led every lap of the three starts to easily win his ninth race this season. Cameron showed good speed and had great starts, but the two restarts were not as good for him, and he ultimately finished fourth. Tomorrow we will have both riders work together a bit more and push harder to achieve our goal of a 1-2 finish.”
Jake Gagne – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing
“We got off to some great starts today, and with two red flags, that’s never easy. It’s great to get another win and get some points back. I’m really happy with how this R1 has been working here, and the team is doing an awesome job as always. We’ll try to get another win tomorrow!”
Cameron Petersen – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing
“It was a tough first race here at Pittsburgh. It’s never fun finishing off the podium, but I had a good battle with the boys and look forward to a better day tomorrow! Thanks to the team for always giving me the best.”
More, from a press release issued by Westby Racing:
Persistence Pays Off With A Podium Finish For Mathew Scholtz In Superbike Race One At Pittsburgh
Danilo Petrucci (9) takes second place ahead of Mathew Scholtz (11) and Cameron Petersen (45) in MotoAmerica Superbike Race One. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
Wampum, PA – August 20, 2022 – Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz finished third in MotoAmerica Superbike race aboard his Yamaha YZF-R1. Those are the facts about how Mathew and the team fared on Saturday at Pittsburgh International Race Complex, round 8, race 15 of the 10-round, 20-race MotoAmerica Superbike Championship. But there’s so much more to the story than the result. It was a demonstration of persistence, perseverance, and sheer determination for both Mathew and his experienced crew.
Mathew came into the weekend with three still-healing fractured bones in his left wrist, suffered in a crash during final qualifying at the previous MotoAmerica round in Minnesota. Despite the injuries, Mathew went to work at Pitt Race and put his #11 R1 Superbike on the provisional pole in Friday’s first qualifying.
Saturday morning’s final qualifying unfortunately moved Mathew back to sixth on the grid, which put him on the outside of the second row for the start of the weekend’s two races. Saturday afternoon’s race then brought even more adversity as another rider’s miscue resulted in Mathew being pushed off the track and shuffled way back in the field. Despite the huge setback, he immediately went to work running fast laps and overtaking riders as he moved back towards the front.
The race ended up being red-flagged and stopped twice, which resulted in two restarts after the initial start of the 17-lap race. On the second and final re-start of what became a five-lap sprint to the checkered flag, Mathew somehow overcame his injuries along with the added fatigue that were a result of the initial start, being pushed off the track and having to play catch-up, and the two re-starts, and he delivered a third-place result despite everything that conspired against him.
All in all, it was a hero effort for The Scholtz Kid, and one that he, his team, and his many fans will long remember.
“I think, when the second red flag came out, I started thinking about my wrist more. It just started hurting slightly more. To be honest, when I was out there riding, I didn’t really feel it too much. So, I can’t really complain and say it was my wrist’s fault. It was definitely just getting pushed off into the third corner on the first start. The second start, I got up to fourth. Caught up to Cam (Petersen). I felt good then. Third on the restart. Obviously, there were only five laps. I got stuck behind PJ (Jacobsen) in the first one. Reeled in Cam and passed him and managed to get behind Danilo, which was really good. I think we showed that, on the older tires, we have some serious pace. Just, hopefully, in tomorrow’s race, we can be there early on.”
Sunday’s Superbike race two starts at 3 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 2 (FS2).
For all the action from Pitt Race, as it happens, subscribe to MotoAmerica Live+, which is MotoAmerica’s live streaming and on-demand service.
Meet Mathew, Get An Autographed Poster, And More
Mathew will be available for autographs during the Dunlop Hot Pit Walk & Autograph Session, scheduled for 11 to 11:40 a.m. Sunday on pit lane at Pitt Race. He and the team will be handing out free posters and T-shirts, so don’t miss it.
Check Out The Westby Racing Sponsor Showcase
Eazi-Grip Racing Products and MWR Air Filters are the featured team sponsors on display in the Westby Racing paddock area this race weekend, so be sure to stop by to say hello and learn about some of the companies that support the team.
Gillim Keeps His Hopes Alive In Yuasa Stock 1000 With Pitt Race Win
Support Class Action Hot And Heavy At Pittsburgh International Race Complex
WAMPUM, PA (August 20, 2022) – Hayden Gillim had a good Saturday at Pittsburgh International Race Complex, the Disrupt Racing-backed Kentuckian taking full advantage of Yuasa Stock 1000 Championship leader Corey Alexander’s mechanical woes to move firmly back into championship contention.
With Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC’s Alexander dropping from the lead to ultimately finish 10th when mechanical problems wrecked his race, Gillim is now just 14 points out of the lead. With three races left, including tomorrow’s race two at Pitt Race, Gillim could clinch the title by winning all three races – even if Alexander finishes second in each of the three.
Yuasa Stock 1000 – New Life For Gillim
Hayden Gillim (69) won Saturday’s Yuasa Stock 1000 race at PittRace to move within 14 points of Championship points leader Corey Alexander. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
Yuasa Stock 1000 race one started off the day, and with only four races left in the Championship (two at Pitt Race and one each at New Jersey Park and Barber Motorsports Park), if anyone is going to catch points leader Corey Alexander, the time is now to win races. For championship challenger Hayden Gillim, that’s exactly what he did. The Disrupt Racing Suzuki rider got the win, while Alexander experienced technical problems that resulted in a 10th-place finish. Gillim’s victory, his third of the year, moved him to within 14 points of Alexander.
Runner-up in race one went to Cycle World/Octane/Chuckwalla Racing Suzuki fill-in rider Andrew Lee, who is substituting for injured team rider and owner Michael Gilbert. Altus Motorsports Suzuki rider Brandon Paasch finished third for his second straight podium result.
“When I decided to do this full-time this year,” Gillim said. “I set a goal for myself that I would finish every single race. So far, I’ve done that, other than the one race at Road America when I had a problem with the bike. So, I’m getting my goal complete, but now we’re fighting for a championship and all those little points that we’re losing are costing us. Corey has won every single race he’s been up here. So, it’s tough to see, being second, third, fourth to that. It’s tough to see. I know I can run with him. My starts have gotten better. That has helped a lot. But it’s going to be a dog fight the next three races. It’s going to be a lot of fun. I’m looking forward to it. I know Corey races hard. He knows I race hard. These boys are getting up there and keeping us honest. We just got to keep our head down, be smart, and just keep the bike on two wheels and take what we can get, even if it’s not a win. We’ve got to take everything that we can get.”
Supersport – Landers Rolls On
Rocco Landers (97) won his third straight Supersport race, topping Josh Herrin (2) and Tyler Scott (70 on Saturday at PittRace. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
The Supersport Championship looks like it will be won by Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC rider Josh Herrin, but contender Rocco Landers has definitely not given up the fight. The Landers Racing Yamaha rider won his third straight race, and once again, it was by a wide margin. Landers crossed the finish line more than six-and-a-half seconds ahead of Herrin, who lamented that he and his team made a wrong tire choice for the race. Herrin, in turn, finished just 0.074 of a second ahead of third-place finisher Tyler Scott aboard his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki.
It’s a bit late for the championship at this point, but Landers seems determined to win races, and he talked about it: “That’s the plan. That’s how I’m going to race next year. I can’t give it up to my team enough. We made a good call. Made some small changes. The bike worked absolutely incredibly. Even when the tire was completely smoked, my Dunlops held up so well. I was able to have pretty much as much grip as I wanted. Every time it slid, I could feel it from a half mile away. It was awesome. I love riding this R6. We’ve come a long way. We weren’t doing too good together for a little while. Can’t give it up to my team enough and Tom Halverson and Jim Roach with Yamaha for helping me out over the past few years. Hoping to stay in the Yamaha family. I’m pretty excited for what can come next year, hopefully.”
SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup – Wyman!
Cody Wyman (34) leads Gus Rodio (96) across the finish line to win SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup Race One. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup race one featured the close racing and multiple passes for which the class is known, and in the end, it was Alpha Omega Kawasaki’s Cody Wyman who prevailed with the win. In the first part of the race, polesitter Wyman battled for the lead with Rodio Racing/Warhorse HSBK Racing’s Gus Rodio until he stabilized his position at the front and took the victory by a little more than a second. While Rodio finished in the runner-up position, another three seconds back was Max Van who brought his SportbikeTrackGear.com Kawasaki across the finish line in third.
For Wyman, it was his sixth race win of the season, and today’s victory gives him a 38-point lead in the championship over Joseph LiMandri Jr., with just five races left in the season.
REV’IT! Twins Cup – Davis, Barely
REV’IT! Twins Cup race one concluded day two on the main track at Pitt Race, and MotoAmerica’s largest class of riders put a fitting crescendo on the day. Emerging with the win in a photo finish was N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto Yamaha rider Blake Davis who prevailed by a scant .053 of a second over runner-up and defending class champion Kaleb De Keyrel aboard his Veloce Racing Aprilia. The race for the final spot on the podium was even closer between Cycle Tech Yamaha’s Hayden Schultz and Robem Engineering Aprilia’s Ben Gloddy. At the checkers, it was Schultz who snatched third place from Gloddy by just nine milliseconds
“Kaleb (De Keyrel) came by me, and he ran a little wide into the last turn, but that just means he had more speed to drive out onto the front straight,” Davis said. “I still got by him by the line. I kind of rode off early into turn one knowing that I could get him by the line. So, I was just running defensive. I didn’t know who was behind us if there was anyone close behind us. So, I was going to the inside on braking zones and stuff like that, just trying to stay in second. I knew I kind of had him to the line. Westby Racing built me a great motor this year. The thing is so fast. It’s just been a struggle in the middle of the season. At VIR, I had a really bad race. I think that hurt a lot but coming back in the championship feels really good.”
More, from a press release issued by Suzuki Motor USA, LLC:
SCOTT ADDS ANOTHER PODIUM ON THE GSX-R750 FOR VISION WHEEL M4 ECSTAR SUZUKI IN PITTSBURG
Suzuki GSX-Rs Continue Consistent Top-Five Finishes in All Classes
BREA, Calif., August 20, 2022 — Suzuki Motor USA and Team Hammer returned to the podium as the 2022 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing season resumed on Saturday at Pittsburgh International Race Complex in Wampum, Pennsylvania.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Tyler Scott was again in the spotlight, adding a seventh top-three finish to his breakout rookie MotoAmerica Supersport campaign, aboard a new generation Suzuki GSX-R750.
The 16-year-old struggled to find his typical front-running pace earlier in the weekend but came together with his Team Hammer crew to pinpoint a better set-up when it mattered the most.
Scott got a terrific launch off the second row but was pinched off entering Turn 1 and shuffled back to fifth early. Undaunted, he made a pair of successive maneuvers for positions on laps 3 and 4, then set off after the race leaders.
Add another podium for Tyler Scott (70) in Supersport Race 1 at Pittsburg. Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
The rising star caught second and applied heavy pressure from third as the laps wound down. Unfortunately, his plans for a last-second pass to steal away a runner-up finish were foiled by a red flag that ended the race prematurely while working the final lap.
“Up until this morning, it was a difficult weekend,” Scott said. “But my Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki crew had the bike all dialed in and really boosted my confidence. I was hoping to set up a pass at the finish line, but unfortunately, there was a red flag. Still, we had good pace and it was a good race.
“I think we will make some more improvements to the bike’s race set up to be stronger tomorrow, but right now I’m just really happy to return to the podium.”
Cory Ventura (24) continues his progression in the Supersport class with a sixth-place finish in Race 1. Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Cory Ventura continued his impressive performance in substitute duty for the injured Sam Lochoff, battling his way forward throughout the race as well. The Californian, who opened the race from Row 3 after qualifying ninth, ultimately earned sixth after finishing fifth, fifth, and fourth in his previous three outings with Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki.
Ventura said, “It was a great race for us after I got a slow start to the weekend. I had a crash on Friday, but I started to get my form back in qualifying. In the race, I had a couple of guys to chase, and I think that helped out. We will try some things for Sunday depending on the weather, but I am looking forward to getting another chance.”
Learning more and more each race, Liam Grant (90) cards a 13th place finish in Race 1. Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
The squad’s third Supersport pilot, Liam Grant, finished 13th.
In the Stock 1000 class, there was a Suzuki GSX-R1000R lockout of the podium in Race 1. Congratulations to Disrupt Racing, Cycle World/Octane/Chuckwalla Racing, and Altus Motorsports teams for the clean sweep of the podium.
Meanwhile, the team’s Superbike duo of Jake Lewis and Richie Escalante were part of a drama-filled, twice red-flagged premier-class contest.
Battling throughout the whole race, Jake Lewis (85) guts out a fifth-place finish in Superbike Race 1. Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Kentuckian Lewis repeatedly hustled his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R1000R forward, fighting his way to sixth before both red flags. He continued that trend in the final, five-lap sprint race, and ultimately went one better, securing a fifth-place finish at the checkered flag.
In contrast to Lewis’ drawn-out day, Superbike rookie Escalante’s race return only lasted a few corners. Escalante injured his ankle in a crash during qualifying at the previous round and opened his race from the outside of Row 3 in Pittsburgh as he worked his way back up to speed. Unfortunately, he went off track on the opening lap following an ambitious attempt to gain positions and suffered a fall after running off track.
Still nursing an injury, Richie Escalante (54) looks forward to Race 2 for a solid result. Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Escalante said, “I made a mistake and braked really hard in Turn 3, but I knew I couldn’t stop in time. I went straight to make sure I didn’t hit any other riders. When I touched the grass, I lost the front. I just need to keep learning and focus on tomorrow.”
Team Hammer will be back in action tomorrow to conclude the MotoAmerica weekend at Pittsburgh International Race Complex.
ABOUT TEAM HAMMER
The 2022 season marks Team Hammer’s 42nd consecutive year of operating as a professional road racing team. Racebikes built and fielded by Team Hammer have won 128 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National races, have finished on AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National podiums 343 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.
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.
GRANADO WINS RACE 1 IN AUSTRIA AND KEEPS TITLE BATTLE ALIVE
Eric Granado (51). Photo courtesy Energica and Dorna.
The opening race of the Austrian Grand Prix for the MotoE class was marked by two key moments: one at the very beginning, while the other took place just before the chequered flag was deployed. The latter saw Mattia Casadei (Pons Racing 40) crashing out on the last lap while holding a solid lead, and this opened the door for the LCR E-Team’s fourth win of the season as Eric Granado edged World Cup leader Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt IntactGP) and teammate Miquel Pons at the line.
As the second day of action at the Red Bull Ring draws to a close, Aegerter and Granado are arguably the only two riders left in the battle for the ultimate prize (26 points currently separate the two). This is especially true after Matteo Ferrari’s surprising low side at turn one on the opening lap. The standard bearer of team Felo Gresini Racing MotoE was able to re-join the race and finish fourteenth, but his current gap to the top of the standings – 63 points with 75 still up for grabs – makes his mission to reclaim the MotoE throne close to impossible now.
The threat of rain – which luckily did not turn into a downpour – meant that several riders chose to take a conservative approach in the early stages of the race. This was not the case for Casadei, who pushed hard from the beginning and managed to pull away – seemingly untouchable. Granado, however, was not keen on letting him go and after getting the better of Kevin Zannoni (Ongetta Sic58 Squadracorse), he put together a series of extremely competitive laps (which included the new outright lap record of 1’41.064secs) and bridged the gap to first place. The two exchanged positions a few times but, after the Italian rider stretched his lead once again, he ended up losing it altogether it in a matter of milliseconds as he rolled his way into the gravel trap on the outside of turn nine.
Aegerter’s damage limitation was successful as he kept Pons at bay in the final stages, while Japan’s Hikari Okubo (Avant Ajo MotoE) edged out team Tech 3 E-Racing’s Hector Garzo and Alex Escrig for fourth place. Zannoni, Jordi Torres (Pons Racing 40), Xavi Forés and Kevin Manfredi (Octo Pramac MotoE) completed the top ten in seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth, respectively.
Race two for the 2022 FIM Enel MotoE World Cup will get underway tomorrow at 15:30 local time (GMT +2).
ABOUT ENERGICA MOTOR COMPANY S.p.A
Energica Motor Company is the first Italian manufacturer of high-performing electric motorcycles and is the single manufacturer chosen by Dorna for the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup. Energica Motorcycles are on sale worldwide.
Gagne Wins His Ninth Medallia Superbike Race Of 2022 In Pittsburgh
Gagne Tops Petrucci And Scholtz To Take 26th Career Superbike Victory
Jake Gagne (1) leads Danilo Petrucci (9) early in one of the three starts during MotoAmerica Superbike Race One Saturday at PittRace. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
WAMPUM, PA (August 20, 2022) – Jake Gagne earned his ninth MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike victory of the season today in the red-flag interrupted race one of the Superbikes At Pittsburgh, Presented by LaRoche Aviation Services, round at Pittsburgh International Race Complex.
Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Gagne, who earlier in the day earned pole position with a new lap record of 1:39.344 around the 2.78-mile Pittsburgh International Race Complex, led all three starts and every lap of the three portions of the race to claim the 26th win of his AMA Superbike career.
Gagne’s victory also allowed him to claw back five precious championship points on series leader Danilo Petrucci, who finished a fighting second on his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC Panigale V4 R. Petrucci now leads Gagne by eight points, 273-265, with five races (including tomorrow’s race two at Pitt Race) remaining in the 2022 season.
Gagne crossed the line 2.064 seconds ahead of Petrucci at the end of the three-parter, with Petrucci was hounded to the finish line by Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz and Gagne’s teammate Cameron Petersen, with the three separated by just .417 of a second at the conclusion of what ended up being a five-lap sprint.
The runner-up finish was the ultra-consistent Petrucci’s 13th podium in 14 races after the Italian gave it his all in each of the restarts to try and latch on to Gagne.
Scholtz’s race to third was an adventurous one. Riding with a broken left wrist suffered at BIR three weeks ago, the South African was forced off track to avoid Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante, who made a mistake and crashed on the opening lap of the race. Scholtz had charged from well back to seventh when the first red flag was thrown on the seventh lap. Scholtz then charged through on the second restart and was battling with Petersen when another red flag was thrown. In the final portion of the race, Scholtz got the better of his countryman Petersen and the trio – Petrucci, Scholtz and Petersen, crossed the finish line in close formation.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Jake Lewis was a fighting fifth, 9.5 seconds behind Petersen and a tick over a second ahead of his fellow Kentuckian Hayden Gillim, who narrowly topped Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Hector Barbera.
Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC Racing’s Corey Alexander was eighth while Aftercare Hayes Scheibe Racing’s Ashton Yates and ADR Motorsports’ David Anthony rounded out the top 10.
The first red flag was thrown when Ezra Beaubier’s BMW M 1000 RR suffered a mechanical failure and was parked near the side of the track. The second red flag came out when Jeremy Coffey crashed and was in an impact zone.
Other than those two, the notable non-finisher was Tytlers Cycle Racing’s PJ Jacobsen, who crashed out of the final portion of the race.
As mentioned earlier, Petrucci leads Gagne, 273-265, with Petersen third on 228. Scholtz’s 199 points and Barbera’s 142 round out the top five in the championship heading into tomorrow’s race two at Pitt Race.
Jake Gagne – Winner
“Yeah, after crashing a bike, splitting that thing in half… It sucks creating all that work for Richard (Stanboli, the team owner). He gave me a bunch of crap. He told me he had to sell his car. He sent me a picture of a car at Walmart yesterday. I’m glad I got a good crew. We just put it behind us and focused on the racing. The red flags, when you’re out and you get a good start, it’s hard not to be a little frustrated when you see a red flag, but at the same time I understand someone could be hurt out there. I hope everybody is okay and got up okay. But again, three starts. I got two good starts. The third start wasn’t too good, and I could hear Danilo’s (Petrucci) Ducati. I could hear the other Yamaha, I think Cam (Petersen), up the inside. So, I had to go in there pretty deep. But the Dunlops held up good. Like Danilo said, this track when it gets this hot it gets really greasy. It’s a different track than in the morning time. I’m glad that we made a lot of progress with the bike from yesterday. I’m glad we got a couple good starts and avoided the drama. Like you said, we’ll see what happens tomorrow. The weather ain’t looking so good. I think we’ll get the opportunity to see what this place is like in the wet. I don’t think any of us have ever ridden this track in the wet, so that always makes it interesting.”
Danilo Petrucci – Second Place
“I tried my best. Since the warmup lap, I felt the track was really, really greasy. Compared to this morning, it was really, really tough. I really struggled the first part of the race, the first start. Then I really enjoyed from behind. What Jake (Gagne) is able to do on the first lap is really awesome. He let the bike slide. I tried to do the same, but he was simply faster. For two times, I tried to stay as close as possible to him, but in the middle part of the track and in the last part of the track he is a little bit faster. It’s really, really difficult to follow him. At the end, was tough because it was like a sprint race, and you never know what’s going to happen the first lap. You don’t have any space to recover any mistakes. We definitely missed some traction. The problem we have all the year, but let’s see. We are still there, and we have to try to improve our performance.”
Mathew Scholtz – Third Place
“I think when the second red flag came out, I started thinking about my wrist more. It just started hurting slightly more. To be honest, when I was out there riding, I didn’t really feel it too much. So, I can’t really complain and say it was my wrist’s fault. It was definitely just getting pushed off into the third corner on the first start. The second start, I got up to fourth. Caught up to Cam (Petersen). I felt good then. Third on the restart. Obviously, there were only five laps. I got stuck behind PJ (Jacobsen) in the first one. Reeled in Cam and passed him and kind of managed to kind of get behind Danilo, which was really good. I think we showed that on the older tires, we have some serious pace. Just hopefully tomorrow’s race we can be there early on.”
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Gagne Makes Championship Gains with Perfect Saturday at Pitt Race
Jake Gagne (1). Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne made championship gains with his ninth victory of the season in a shortened MotoAmerica Superbike Race 1 at the Pittsburgh International Race Complex. His teammate Cameron Petersen finished fourth in a challenging opening race at the eighth round of the championship.
It was a perfect day for Gagne at the 2.78-mile track in Wampum, Pennsylvania. He set the tone early with his seventh pole position of the season and broke another track record with a blistering 1:39.344. When it came time to go racing, he grabbed not one but three holeshots in the twice-restarted race. The reigning Superbike Champion continued to set the pace with some fast laps and built a gap up front to remain unchallenged. Even in the five-lap sprint race after the second restart, Gagne crossed the line with a two-second lead to return to the top of the podium and move within eight points of the championship leader.
Petersen got off to a flying start from the fifth spot on the grid and slotted into second behind his teammate. Although he was shuffled to third five laps into the race, he had a better starting spot on the front row of the grid for the restart. Once again, the South African claimed the runner-up spot but was soon shuffled to third. The second red flag was drawn, making for a heated five-lap sprint. Petersen was third after the start and found himself under pressure, and was passed by his fellow Yamaha rider on the final lap. He tried to counter but ultimately had to settle for fourth.
The Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing team returns tomorrow for MotoAmerica Superbike Race 2 at the Pittsburgh International Race Complex in Wampum, Pennsylvania.
Richard Stanboli – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing Team Manager
“Our Yamahas once again showed their strength and versatility here at Pitt Race. Jake set another track record and led every lap of the three starts to easily win his ninth race this season. Cameron showed good speed and had great starts, but the two restarts were not as good for him, and he ultimately finished fourth. Tomorrow we will have both riders work together a bit more and push harder to achieve our goal of a 1-2 finish.”
Jake Gagne – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing
“We got off to some great starts today, and with two red flags, that’s never easy. It’s great to get another win and get some points back. I’m really happy with how this R1 has been working here, and the team is doing an awesome job as always. We’ll try to get another win tomorrow!”
Cameron Petersen – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing
“It was a tough first race here at Pittsburgh. It’s never fun finishing off the podium, but I had a good battle with the boys and look forward to a better day tomorrow! Thanks to the team for always giving me the best.”
More, from a press release issued by Westby Racing:
Persistence Pays Off With A Podium Finish For Mathew Scholtz In Superbike Race One At Pittsburgh
Danilo Petrucci (9) takes second place ahead of Mathew Scholtz (11) and Cameron Petersen (45) in MotoAmerica Superbike Race One. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
Wampum, PA – August 20, 2022 – Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz finished third in MotoAmerica Superbike race aboard his Yamaha YZF-R1. Those are the facts about how Mathew and the team fared on Saturday at Pittsburgh International Race Complex, round 8, race 15 of the 10-round, 20-race MotoAmerica Superbike Championship. But there’s so much more to the story than the result. It was a demonstration of persistence, perseverance, and sheer determination for both Mathew and his experienced crew.
Mathew came into the weekend with three still-healing fractured bones in his left wrist, suffered in a crash during final qualifying at the previous MotoAmerica round in Minnesota. Despite the injuries, Mathew went to work at Pitt Race and put his #11 R1 Superbike on the provisional pole in Friday’s first qualifying.
Saturday morning’s final qualifying unfortunately moved Mathew back to sixth on the grid, which put him on the outside of the second row for the start of the weekend’s two races. Saturday afternoon’s race then brought even more adversity as another rider’s miscue resulted in Mathew being pushed off the track and shuffled way back in the field. Despite the huge setback, he immediately went to work running fast laps and overtaking riders as he moved back towards the front.
The race ended up being red-flagged and stopped twice, which resulted in two restarts after the initial start of the 17-lap race. On the second and final re-start of what became a five-lap sprint to the checkered flag, Mathew somehow overcame his injuries along with the added fatigue that were a result of the initial start, being pushed off the track and having to play catch-up, and the two re-starts, and he delivered a third-place result despite everything that conspired against him.
All in all, it was a hero effort for The Scholtz Kid, and one that he, his team, and his many fans will long remember.
“I think, when the second red flag came out, I started thinking about my wrist more. It just started hurting slightly more. To be honest, when I was out there riding, I didn’t really feel it too much. So, I can’t really complain and say it was my wrist’s fault. It was definitely just getting pushed off into the third corner on the first start. The second start, I got up to fourth. Caught up to Cam (Petersen). I felt good then. Third on the restart. Obviously, there were only five laps. I got stuck behind PJ (Jacobsen) in the first one. Reeled in Cam and passed him and managed to get behind Danilo, which was really good. I think we showed that, on the older tires, we have some serious pace. Just, hopefully, in tomorrow’s race, we can be there early on.”
Sunday’s Superbike race two starts at 3 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 2 (FS2).
For all the action from Pitt Race, as it happens, subscribe to MotoAmerica Live+, which is MotoAmerica’s live streaming and on-demand service.
Meet Mathew, Get An Autographed Poster, And More
Mathew will be available for autographs during the Dunlop Hot Pit Walk & Autograph Session, scheduled for 11 to 11:40 a.m. Sunday on pit lane at Pitt Race. He and the team will be handing out free posters and T-shirts, so don’t miss it.
Check Out The Westby Racing Sponsor Showcase
Eazi-Grip Racing Products and MWR Air Filters are the featured team sponsors on display in the Westby Racing paddock area this race weekend, so be sure to stop by to say hello and learn about some of the companies that support the team.
Gillim Keeps His Hopes Alive In Yuasa Stock 1000 With Pitt Race Win
Support Class Action Hot And Heavy At Pittsburgh International Race Complex
WAMPUM, PA (August 20, 2022) – Hayden Gillim had a good Saturday at Pittsburgh International Race Complex, the Disrupt Racing-backed Kentuckian taking full advantage of Yuasa Stock 1000 Championship leader Corey Alexander’s mechanical woes to move firmly back into championship contention.
With Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC’s Alexander dropping from the lead to ultimately finish 10th when mechanical problems wrecked his race, Gillim is now just 14 points out of the lead. With three races left, including tomorrow’s race two at Pitt Race, Gillim could clinch the title by winning all three races – even if Alexander finishes second in each of the three.
Yuasa Stock 1000 – New Life For Gillim
Hayden Gillim (69) won Saturday’s Yuasa Stock 1000 race at PittRace to move within 14 points of Championship points leader Corey Alexander. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
Yuasa Stock 1000 race one started off the day, and with only four races left in the Championship (two at Pitt Race and one each at New Jersey Park and Barber Motorsports Park), if anyone is going to catch points leader Corey Alexander, the time is now to win races. For championship challenger Hayden Gillim, that’s exactly what he did. The Disrupt Racing Suzuki rider got the win, while Alexander experienced technical problems that resulted in a 10th-place finish. Gillim’s victory, his third of the year, moved him to within 14 points of Alexander.
Runner-up in race one went to Cycle World/Octane/Chuckwalla Racing Suzuki fill-in rider Andrew Lee, who is substituting for injured team rider and owner Michael Gilbert. Altus Motorsports Suzuki rider Brandon Paasch finished third for his second straight podium result.
“When I decided to do this full-time this year,” Gillim said. “I set a goal for myself that I would finish every single race. So far, I’ve done that, other than the one race at Road America when I had a problem with the bike. So, I’m getting my goal complete, but now we’re fighting for a championship and all those little points that we’re losing are costing us. Corey has won every single race he’s been up here. So, it’s tough to see, being second, third, fourth to that. It’s tough to see. I know I can run with him. My starts have gotten better. That has helped a lot. But it’s going to be a dog fight the next three races. It’s going to be a lot of fun. I’m looking forward to it. I know Corey races hard. He knows I race hard. These boys are getting up there and keeping us honest. We just got to keep our head down, be smart, and just keep the bike on two wheels and take what we can get, even if it’s not a win. We’ve got to take everything that we can get.”
Supersport – Landers Rolls On
Rocco Landers (97) won his third straight Supersport race, topping Josh Herrin (2) and Tyler Scott (70 on Saturday at PittRace. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
The Supersport Championship looks like it will be won by Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC rider Josh Herrin, but contender Rocco Landers has definitely not given up the fight. The Landers Racing Yamaha rider won his third straight race, and once again, it was by a wide margin. Landers crossed the finish line more than six-and-a-half seconds ahead of Herrin, who lamented that he and his team made a wrong tire choice for the race. Herrin, in turn, finished just 0.074 of a second ahead of third-place finisher Tyler Scott aboard his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki.
It’s a bit late for the championship at this point, but Landers seems determined to win races, and he talked about it: “That’s the plan. That’s how I’m going to race next year. I can’t give it up to my team enough. We made a good call. Made some small changes. The bike worked absolutely incredibly. Even when the tire was completely smoked, my Dunlops held up so well. I was able to have pretty much as much grip as I wanted. Every time it slid, I could feel it from a half mile away. It was awesome. I love riding this R6. We’ve come a long way. We weren’t doing too good together for a little while. Can’t give it up to my team enough and Tom Halverson and Jim Roach with Yamaha for helping me out over the past few years. Hoping to stay in the Yamaha family. I’m pretty excited for what can come next year, hopefully.”
SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup – Wyman!
Cody Wyman (34) leads Gus Rodio (96) across the finish line to win SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup Race One. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup race one featured the close racing and multiple passes for which the class is known, and in the end, it was Alpha Omega Kawasaki’s Cody Wyman who prevailed with the win. In the first part of the race, polesitter Wyman battled for the lead with Rodio Racing/Warhorse HSBK Racing’s Gus Rodio until he stabilized his position at the front and took the victory by a little more than a second. While Rodio finished in the runner-up position, another three seconds back was Max Van who brought his SportbikeTrackGear.com Kawasaki across the finish line in third.
For Wyman, it was his sixth race win of the season, and today’s victory gives him a 38-point lead in the championship over Joseph LiMandri Jr., with just five races left in the season.
REV’IT! Twins Cup – Davis, Barely
REV’IT! Twins Cup race one concluded day two on the main track at Pitt Race, and MotoAmerica’s largest class of riders put a fitting crescendo on the day. Emerging with the win in a photo finish was N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto Yamaha rider Blake Davis who prevailed by a scant .053 of a second over runner-up and defending class champion Kaleb De Keyrel aboard his Veloce Racing Aprilia. The race for the final spot on the podium was even closer between Cycle Tech Yamaha’s Hayden Schultz and Robem Engineering Aprilia’s Ben Gloddy. At the checkers, it was Schultz who snatched third place from Gloddy by just nine milliseconds
“Kaleb (De Keyrel) came by me, and he ran a little wide into the last turn, but that just means he had more speed to drive out onto the front straight,” Davis said. “I still got by him by the line. I kind of rode off early into turn one knowing that I could get him by the line. So, I was just running defensive. I didn’t know who was behind us if there was anyone close behind us. So, I was going to the inside on braking zones and stuff like that, just trying to stay in second. I knew I kind of had him to the line. Westby Racing built me a great motor this year. The thing is so fast. It’s just been a struggle in the middle of the season. At VIR, I had a really bad race. I think that hurt a lot but coming back in the championship feels really good.”
More, from a press release issued by Suzuki Motor USA, LLC:
SCOTT ADDS ANOTHER PODIUM ON THE GSX-R750 FOR VISION WHEEL M4 ECSTAR SUZUKI IN PITTSBURG
Suzuki GSX-Rs Continue Consistent Top-Five Finishes in All Classes
BREA, Calif., August 20, 2022 — Suzuki Motor USA and Team Hammer returned to the podium as the 2022 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing season resumed on Saturday at Pittsburgh International Race Complex in Wampum, Pennsylvania.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Tyler Scott was again in the spotlight, adding a seventh top-three finish to his breakout rookie MotoAmerica Supersport campaign, aboard a new generation Suzuki GSX-R750.
The 16-year-old struggled to find his typical front-running pace earlier in the weekend but came together with his Team Hammer crew to pinpoint a better set-up when it mattered the most.
Scott got a terrific launch off the second row but was pinched off entering Turn 1 and shuffled back to fifth early. Undaunted, he made a pair of successive maneuvers for positions on laps 3 and 4, then set off after the race leaders.
Add another podium for Tyler Scott (70) in Supersport Race 1 at Pittsburg. Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
The rising star caught second and applied heavy pressure from third as the laps wound down. Unfortunately, his plans for a last-second pass to steal away a runner-up finish were foiled by a red flag that ended the race prematurely while working the final lap.
“Up until this morning, it was a difficult weekend,” Scott said. “But my Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki crew had the bike all dialed in and really boosted my confidence. I was hoping to set up a pass at the finish line, but unfortunately, there was a red flag. Still, we had good pace and it was a good race.
“I think we will make some more improvements to the bike’s race set up to be stronger tomorrow, but right now I’m just really happy to return to the podium.”
Cory Ventura (24) continues his progression in the Supersport class with a sixth-place finish in Race 1. Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Cory Ventura continued his impressive performance in substitute duty for the injured Sam Lochoff, battling his way forward throughout the race as well. The Californian, who opened the race from Row 3 after qualifying ninth, ultimately earned sixth after finishing fifth, fifth, and fourth in his previous three outings with Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki.
Ventura said, “It was a great race for us after I got a slow start to the weekend. I had a crash on Friday, but I started to get my form back in qualifying. In the race, I had a couple of guys to chase, and I think that helped out. We will try some things for Sunday depending on the weather, but I am looking forward to getting another chance.”
Learning more and more each race, Liam Grant (90) cards a 13th place finish in Race 1. Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
The squad’s third Supersport pilot, Liam Grant, finished 13th.
In the Stock 1000 class, there was a Suzuki GSX-R1000R lockout of the podium in Race 1. Congratulations to Disrupt Racing, Cycle World/Octane/Chuckwalla Racing, and Altus Motorsports teams for the clean sweep of the podium.
Meanwhile, the team’s Superbike duo of Jake Lewis and Richie Escalante were part of a drama-filled, twice red-flagged premier-class contest.
Battling throughout the whole race, Jake Lewis (85) guts out a fifth-place finish in Superbike Race 1. Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Kentuckian Lewis repeatedly hustled his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R1000R forward, fighting his way to sixth before both red flags. He continued that trend in the final, five-lap sprint race, and ultimately went one better, securing a fifth-place finish at the checkered flag.
In contrast to Lewis’ drawn-out day, Superbike rookie Escalante’s race return only lasted a few corners. Escalante injured his ankle in a crash during qualifying at the previous round and opened his race from the outside of Row 3 in Pittsburgh as he worked his way back up to speed. Unfortunately, he went off track on the opening lap following an ambitious attempt to gain positions and suffered a fall after running off track.
Still nursing an injury, Richie Escalante (54) looks forward to Race 2 for a solid result. Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Escalante said, “I made a mistake and braked really hard in Turn 3, but I knew I couldn’t stop in time. I went straight to make sure I didn’t hit any other riders. When I touched the grass, I lost the front. I just need to keep learning and focus on tomorrow.”
Team Hammer will be back in action tomorrow to conclude the MotoAmerica weekend at Pittsburgh International Race Complex.
ABOUT TEAM HAMMER
The 2022 season marks Team Hammer’s 42nd consecutive year of operating as a professional road racing team. Racebikes built and fielded by Team Hammer have won 128 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National races, have finished on AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National podiums 343 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.
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.
GRANADO WINS RACE 1 IN AUSTRIA AND KEEPS TITLE BATTLE ALIVE
Eric Granado (51). Photo courtesy Energica and Dorna.
The opening race of the Austrian Grand Prix for the MotoE class was marked by two key moments: one at the very beginning, while the other took place just before the chequered flag was deployed. The latter saw Mattia Casadei (Pons Racing 40) crashing out on the last lap while holding a solid lead, and this opened the door for the LCR E-Team’s fourth win of the season as Eric Granado edged World Cup leader Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt IntactGP) and teammate Miquel Pons at the line.
As the second day of action at the Red Bull Ring draws to a close, Aegerter and Granado are arguably the only two riders left in the battle for the ultimate prize (26 points currently separate the two). This is especially true after Matteo Ferrari’s surprising low side at turn one on the opening lap. The standard bearer of team Felo Gresini Racing MotoE was able to re-join the race and finish fourteenth, but his current gap to the top of the standings – 63 points with 75 still up for grabs – makes his mission to reclaim the MotoE throne close to impossible now.
The threat of rain – which luckily did not turn into a downpour – meant that several riders chose to take a conservative approach in the early stages of the race. This was not the case for Casadei, who pushed hard from the beginning and managed to pull away – seemingly untouchable. Granado, however, was not keen on letting him go and after getting the better of Kevin Zannoni (Ongetta Sic58 Squadracorse), he put together a series of extremely competitive laps (which included the new outright lap record of 1’41.064secs) and bridged the gap to first place. The two exchanged positions a few times but, after the Italian rider stretched his lead once again, he ended up losing it altogether it in a matter of milliseconds as he rolled his way into the gravel trap on the outside of turn nine.
Aegerter’s damage limitation was successful as he kept Pons at bay in the final stages, while Japan’s Hikari Okubo (Avant Ajo MotoE) edged out team Tech 3 E-Racing’s Hector Garzo and Alex Escrig for fourth place. Zannoni, Jordi Torres (Pons Racing 40), Xavi Forés and Kevin Manfredi (Octo Pramac MotoE) completed the top ten in seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth, respectively.
Race two for the 2022 FIM Enel MotoE World Cup will get underway tomorrow at 15:30 local time (GMT +2).
ABOUT ENERGICA MOTOR COMPANY S.p.A
Energica Motor Company is the first Italian manufacturer of high-performing electric motorcycles and is the single manufacturer chosen by Dorna for the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup. Energica Motorcycles are on sale worldwide.
A “press release” is promotional text issued by a rider, team, company or organization to inform
the public about an event, product, or service from the issuer’s own point of view, and if deemed
to have news value, may be placed on roadracingworld.com as a service to our readers.
A press release is not an article written by Roadracingworld.com staffers. When a post is labeled with the words “press release”, it means that Roadracingworld.com is not responsible for its content and that Roadracingworld.com makes no guarantee that it is accurate. Not all press releases are posted and Roadracingworld.com may reject press releases if the content is too heavy on commercial promotion with little or no news value or if the press release contains obvious errors.
Accessibility
Accessibility modes
Epilepsy Safe Mode
Dampens color and removes blinks
This mode enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode
Improves website's visuals
This mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode
Helps to focus on specific content
This mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode
Reduces distractions and improve focus
This mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode
Allows using the site with your screen-reader
This mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
Online Dictionary
Readable Experience
Content Scaling
Default
Text Magnifier
Readable Font
Dyslexia Friendly
Highlight Titles
Highlight Links
Font Sizing
Default
Line Height
Default
Letter Spacing
Default
Left Aligned
Center Aligned
Right Aligned
Visually Pleasing Experience
Dark Contrast
Light Contrast
Monochrome
High Contrast
High Saturation
Low Saturation
Adjust Text Colors
Adjust Title Colors
Adjust Background Colors
Easy Orientation
Mute Sounds
Hide Images
Hide Emoji
Reading Guide
Stop Animations
Reading Mask
Highlight Hover
Highlight Focus
Big Dark Cursor
Big Light Cursor
Cognitive Reading
Virtual Keyboard
Navigation Keys
Voice Navigation
Accessibility Statement
www.roadracingworld.com
April 22, 2026
Compliance status
We firmly believe that the internet should be available and accessible to anyone, and are committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience,
regardless of circumstance and ability.
To fulfill this, we aim to adhere as strictly as possible to the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) at the AA level.
These guidelines explain how to make web content accessible to people with a wide array of disabilities. Complying with those guidelines helps us ensure that the website is accessible
to all people: blind people, people with motor impairments, visual impairment, cognitive disabilities, and more.
This website utilizes various technologies that are meant to make it as accessible as possible at all times. We utilize an accessibility interface that allows persons with specific
disabilities to adjust the website’s UI (user interface) and design it to their personal needs.
Additionally, the website utilizes an AI-based application that runs in the background and optimizes its accessibility level constantly. This application remediates the website’s HTML,
adapts Its functionality and behavior for screen-readers used by the blind users, and for keyboard functions used by individuals with motor impairments.
If you’ve found a malfunction or have ideas for improvement, we’ll be happy to hear from you. You can reach out to the website’s operators by using the following email
Screen-reader and keyboard navigation
Our website implements the ARIA attributes (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) technique, alongside various different behavioral changes, to ensure blind users visiting with
screen-readers are able to read, comprehend, and enjoy the website’s functions. As soon as a user with a screen-reader enters your site, they immediately receive
a prompt to enter the Screen-Reader Profile so they can browse and operate your site effectively. Here’s how our website covers some of the most important screen-reader requirements,
alongside console screenshots of code examples:
Screen-reader optimization: we run a background process that learns the website’s components from top to bottom, to ensure ongoing compliance even when updating the website.
In this process, we provide screen-readers with meaningful data using the ARIA set of attributes. For example, we provide accurate form labels;
descriptions for actionable icons (social media icons, search icons, cart icons, etc.); validation guidance for form inputs; element roles such as buttons, menus, modal dialogues (popups),
and others. Additionally, the background process scans all the website’s images and provides an accurate and meaningful image-object-recognition-based description as an ALT (alternate text) tag
for images that are not described. It will also extract texts that are embedded within the image, using an OCR (optical character recognition) technology.
To turn on screen-reader adjustments at any time, users need only to press the Alt+1 keyboard combination. Screen-reader users also get automatic announcements to turn the Screen-reader mode on
as soon as they enter the website.
These adjustments are compatible with all popular screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA.
Keyboard navigation optimization: The background process also adjusts the website’s HTML, and adds various behaviors using JavaScript code to make the website operable by the keyboard. This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys, operate dropdowns with the arrow keys, close them with Esc, trigger buttons and links using the Enter key, navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys, and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally, keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus, available at any time by clicking Alt+1, or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard. The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear, and not allow the focus drift outside it.
Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Disability profiles supported in our website
Epilepsy Safe Mode: this profile enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode: this mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode: this mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode: this mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode: this mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
Keyboard Navigation Profile (Motor-Impaired): this profile enables motor-impaired persons to operate the website using the keyboard Tab, Shift+Tab, and the Enter keys. Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Additional UI, design, and readability adjustments
Font adjustments – users, can increase and decrease its size, change its family (type), adjust the spacing, alignment, line height, and more.
Color adjustments – users can select various color contrast profiles such as light, dark, inverted, and monochrome. Additionally, users can swap color schemes of titles, texts, and backgrounds, with over seven different coloring options.
Animations – person with epilepsy can stop all running animations with the click of a button. Animations controlled by the interface include videos, GIFs, and CSS flashing transitions.
Content highlighting – users can choose to emphasize important elements such as links and titles. They can also choose to highlight focused or hovered elements only.
Audio muting – users with hearing devices may experience headaches or other issues due to automatic audio playing. This option lets users mute the entire website instantly.
Cognitive disorders – we utilize a search engine that is linked to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, allowing people with cognitive disorders to decipher meanings of phrases, initials, slang, and others.
Additional functions – we provide users the option to change cursor color and size, use a printing mode, enable a virtual keyboard, and many other functions.
Browser and assistive technology compatibility
We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers).
Notes, comments, and feedback
Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs. There may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to
