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MotoAmerica: More From The Races At VIR

David Swarts
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MotoAmerica: More From The Races At VIR

DOUBLE-PODIUM WEEKEND FOR TYLER SCOTT  AND VISION WHEEL M4 ECSTAR SUZUKI IN VIRGINIA

New to Class Suzuki GSX-R750s Immediately Competitive in Supersport

BREA, Calif., May 23, 2022 — Suzuki Motor USA and Team Hammer enjoyed another trophy-winning performance as Round 3 of the 2022 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship concluded on Sunday at Virginia International Raceway.

For the second consecutive day, that podium was delivered by 16-year-old MotoAmerica Supersport rookie Tyler Scott. The fast-rising Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki star again battled for the win deep into the contest with a pair of premier-class champions before ultimately guiding his GSX-R750 to a third-place finish.

“The bike felt great all race,” Scott said. “We made some changes overnight and they helped, but the pace was faster today. Overall, it was a great weekend. The team has been amazing. The GSX-R750 was outstanding, and I’ll just keep working on my riding.”

Scott’s Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki teammate, Sam Lochoff, rebounded from a chaotic Saturday to come home one spot further back in fourth. The South African did so despite suffering from a lower leg injury and the intense heat to keep his title hopes very much alive.

 

After a tough Race 1, Sam Lochoff (44) bounced back and takes fourth in Race 2. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
After a tough Race 1, Sam Lochoff (44) bounced back and takes fourth in Race 2. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.

 

Lochoff said, “I’m extremely happy about the work my crew has put in on this GSX-R750. I think we’re nearly there, and we just need to do a bit of fine-tuning now. I’m sure we’re going to win some races on it this year.

“I was hurting from yesterday’s crash today, but we’re coming out swinging at Road America,” continued Lochoff.

While third Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki Supersport pilot Liam Grant crashed out of contention early, Altus Motorsports Suzuki’s Justin Jones made sure three Team Hammer-built GSX-Rs finished inside the top ten with a tenth-place performance.

 

Liam Grant (90) looks to the next round after a fall in Race 2.. Photo courtesy Team Suzuki Press Office.
Liam Grant (90) looks to the next round after a fall in Race 2.. Photo courtesy Team Suzuki Press Office.

 

Meanwhile, Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki Superbike teammates Richie Escalante and Jake Lewis spent the bulk of the contest embroiled in an intra-team fight for sixth position. Their battle nearly carried them to the top five, as together they, mounted on their Suzuki GSX-R1000R race bikes, drew in on the position late before running out of laps to challenge for the spot.

In the end, rookie Escalante finished in sixth with reigning Stock 1000 champion Jake Lewis close behind in seventh.

 

Richie Escalante (54) with another top ten finish aboard his GSX-R1000R. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Richie Escalante (54) with another top ten finish aboard his GSX-R1000R. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.

 

Escalante said, “Today was much better. I started both races very well, which is important to stay close with the front group. I didn’t have the pace to go for the podium, but I raced for fifth the whole race.

“I continue to work to adjust my riding style to help the bike work a little better, especially on corner exit. I’m really happy with the process. I’m getting closer over one lap and race distance. I’m pretty happy with that and I’ll keep working to find the next step.”

 

A pair of top-ten finishes from Jake Lewis (85) looks to carry the momentum into the next round. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
A pair of top-ten finishes from Jake Lewis (85) looks to carry the momentum into the next round. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.

 

Team Hammer will be back in action at the high-speed Road America at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, on June 3-5.

Suzuki Motor USA would also like to recognize Hayden Gillim aboard his GSX-R1000R for taking double wins in the Stock 1000 class.

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 332 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.

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by Tytlers Cycle Racing:

PJ Jacobsen, Hector Barbera and Travis Wyman bag multiple top ten finishes at VIR

Tytlers Cycle Racing raced to multiple top ten finishes in the latest round of the 2022 MotoAmerica Superbike championship at Virginia International Raceway with riders PJ Jacobsen and Hector Barbera achieving a best of fifth and sixth respectively across the weekend.

Their BMW M1000 RR machines once again performed superbly allowing both riders to fight for the front running positions on Saturday and Sunday.

For Jacobsen, who missed Road Atlanta through sickness, it was a positive return to the track, the #66 coming out on top of a three-way fight for P5 in the opening race on Saturday before racing to seventh on Sunday.

Spain’s Hector Barbera maintained his point scoring record with sixth and ninth, adding seventeen points to his already impressive tally for the season. He remains fifth overall in the standings.

Travis Wyman, one of the team’s Stock1000 regulars was also in action in the Superbike category. He finished tenth in both races.

 

PJ Jacobsen (66). Photo courtesy Tytlers Cycle Racing.
PJ Jacobsen (66). Photo courtesy Tytlers Cycle Racing.

 

PJ Jacobsen: “The opening race was difficult. I suffered with rear grip, and it was hard to manage. I did what I could, and it was pretty uncomfortable by half race distance. We knew we could lap faster and so we regrouped overnight before Race 2. Sunday was better. We were able to fix a lot of things and I was happy to bag a P5 finish. I was not happy with what happened on Saturday, but the team did a great job, and we were able to show our potential. It’s a brand-new team and a brand-new bike so the data we gathered here will certainly help us in the coming races.”

 

Hector Barbera (80). Photo courtesy Tytlers Cycle Racing.
Hector Barbera (80). Photo courtesy Tytlers Cycle Racing.

 

Hector Barbera: “All weekend, because of the heat, I struggled to get the feeling I wanted with the front tyre and so the races were quite difficult. When we improved the front, it made the rear worse. In Race 1 I was spinning everywhere. I tried my best, passed a few riders and was able to finish sixth. Race 2 I had problems with the tyre, and I couldn’t fight for a better position. We will continue to test and continue to work hard, and I am sure we can arrive at the front soon.”

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC Racing:

Travis Wyman delivers another Stock1000 podium as Zac Schumacher makes progress and Corey Alexander avoids serious injury

Corey Alexander, Zac Schumacher, and Travis Wyman were back on track at VIR this past weekend for the Tytlers Cycle Racing powered by Ride HVMC squad in the latest round of the MotoAmerica Stock1000 championship with Wyman delivering another podium for the squad in Saturday’s opening race.

Qualifying fifth, Wyman ensured he was in the mix from the off taking a well-earned P3 at the end of the nine-lap encounter. He finished eleventh on Sunday.

Zac Schumacher was racing at another new circuit. He progressed well throughout the weekend finishing nineteenth and eighteenth respectively to ensure another double top twenty finish.

Round 1 winner Alexander had a nasty looking spill early in the weekend after running strongly in practice. Crashing hard he thankfully escaped serious injury but missed both races. He will be back on track at Road America.

 

Travis Wyman (10). Photo courtesy Tytlers Cycle RideHVMC Racing.
Travis Wyman (10). Photo courtesy Tytlers Cycle RideHVMC Racing.

 

Travis Wyman: “After missing most of practice and qualifying we ended P5 on the grid which I was super happy about. I made a great start in Race 1 and after a race long battle was able to bring it home in third for another podium. I was in the lead group off the start again in Race 2 but unfortunately with about four laps to go I crashed after making a pass for second place. I tucked the front but was able to get going again and finish eleventh, salvaging some points which may make all the difference at the end of the season. See you all at Road America.”

 

Zac Schumacher (90). Photo courtesy Tytlers Cycle Ride HMVC Racing.
Zac Schumacher (90). Photo courtesy Tytlers Cycle Ride HMVC Racing.

 

Zac Schumacher: “It was my first time at VIR. I crashed in FP1 and missed the entire session which meant I was still learning the track in qualifying. I qualified twenty-ninth and was able to finish P19. Race 2 was a little better. We a couple of changes overnight and found the feeling I had been searching for. I started twenty-seventh and was able to pass several riders, eventually finishing P18. I want to say a huge thanks to the Tytlers Cycle guys. Without them my weekend would have been over.”

 

Corey Alexander (23). Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Corey Alexander (23) in action at VIR before his crash. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.

 

Corey Alexander: “I am bummed to have missed both races this weekend but am very thankful to have walked away as well as I did. I’m just recovering with some road rash and a couple bruises as well as some fog from the concussion I suffered but otherwise my Arai Helmet, Alpinestars suit with Tech-Air bag and the Road Racing World Action Fund Air Fence surely saved my life. I am hopeful to return to Road America and pick up where we left off prior to the crash. Thanks to everyone for the messages and support.”

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by Aprilia:

MOTOAMERICA TWINS CUP CHAMPIONSHIP CONCLUDES AT VIR WITH A PAIR OF LAST LAP WINS FOR JODY BARRY AND HIS VELOCE RACING APRILIA RS 660

BARRY EXTENDS HIS CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD LEAVING VIRGINIA AND BREAKS HIS OWN LAP RECORD SET AGAIN ON THE RS 660

ALTON, VA – 23 MAY 2022 – MotoAmerica Twins Cup arrived at Virginia International Raceway this weekend for the third round of the championship. 35 riders lined up to grid for race one, as the participation and competition of the Twins Cup class continues to grow in the series.

Leaving the second round in Atlanta, a single race weekend for the Twins Cup, the stakes were high upon arrival in Virginia for the teams, knowing there was a potential 50 points up for grab in the weekend’s two races. When Qualifying 2 had completed, the story was reminiscent of 2021, with Jody Barry, besting his best time and lap record set last year on his RS 660 of 1:30:823, with a pole position secured with a time of 1:30:082 on his Veloce Racing RS 660 on Saturday morning.

In race one of the weekend, after 13 complete laps, it came down to the line with a photo finish victory that showing Jody Barry across the line just inches ahead of the next rider.

Race 2 had an early red flag which forced a restart, but with a similar battle to Saturday’s race, Sunday proved to be another last lap dash to the line, where Jody Barry locked up his second win of the weekend, and third of season.

 

Jody Barry. Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Aprilia.
Jody Barry. Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Aprilia.

 

Jody Barry, Veloce Racing

“I’ve always loved this track. I had confidence coming out of Road Atlanta, and we started the weekend quick, getting the setup dialled in. By the end of both races, it was a chess game, working with grip, pushing the front end and working with track conditions.

I have a lot of confidence working with the Veloce team, which makes it easy for me to relax and focus on my riding. I feel comfortable with the RS 660 and finding any solutions with the team to keep it up front. I have to thank the whole Veloce team, and all the sponsors and partners that support putting a bike under me, including CycleTune, LiquiMoly, Vesrah, Arai, Bison, and Aprilia which help us compete and get these wins.

I am excited for Road America, my home track. Last year didn’t go how we wanted, with a flight to the hospital, but we won’t repeat that this year. My family will be there, the vibes will be cool, and we’re looking forward to it.”

MotoAmerica heads to Road America, June 3-5. Championship Schedule, Competitor information, and Class Rules can be found at https://motoamerica.com/

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by Robem Engineering:

Robem Engineering Aprilia riders score three top-10 finishes at MotoAmerica round at VIR

Hobbs, Gloddy finish May 20-22 round second, eighth in Twins Cup points standings

ALTON, Va. — The 2022 MotoAmerica Superbikes at Virginia round turned out to be a struggle for Robem Engineering Aprilia riders Teagg Hobbs and Ben Gloddy. Yet, the duo limited the damage to their championship aspirations at the May 20-22 event by scoring a total of three top-10s in two Twins Cup races at VIRginia International Raceway.

Despite a challenging weekend on track, both remain in the hunt to claim Robem Engineering’s second Twins Cup title in two years. Hobbs did enough to hold onto second place in the standings with 63 points. Gloddy is in eighth place with 40 points.

The VIR round started well for both riders. Hobbs topped the time sheets and Gloddy was sixth in Friday practice. The first of two qualifying sessions took place Friday afternoon, and Hobbs and Gloddy finished that session third and eighth, respectively. Saturday’s Qualifying 2 session didn’t go as well, as both riders lost some pace to the other Twins Cup front runners and ended up qualifying eighth and 10th.

In Saturday’s Race 1, both Hobbs and Gloddy got good starts and had advanced one position in the running order by the end of Lap 1. Hobbs was running as high as sixth before he dropped to 12th on Lap 8, but continued to push hard to make up the positions he lost and finished the race in 10th. Gloddy’s pace improved relative to the riders around him as the race went on. Though he dropped as low as 11th on Laps 3-5, Gloddy steadily worked his way up the running order to secure a seventh-place finish.

Sunday’s Race 2 proved to be a struggle. The pair got off the line well, with Hobbs finishing the first lap in seventh and Gloddy in eighth. The race was stopped at the beginning of Lap 3 due to a crash at Turn 1, and Hobbs made an error while slowing down for the race stoppage and crashed at Turn 1. He was able to get his Aprilia RS 660 running again and had to slowly make his way around the 2.25-mile course to pit lane. Hobbs’ delayed arrival in the pits caused him to miss the sighting lap for the race restart, and he had to take the restart from the back of the grid.

When racing resumed, Gloddy tried to work his way up the running order quickly and was running in fifth place during the first lap. Hobbs did his best to make up track position on the opening lap and advanced past 13 riders on the first lap of the restarted race. Though Gloddy was pushing his RS 660 hard, he lost several positions as the nine-lap race went on and had to settle for a 10th-place finish. Hobbs’ charge up the running order slowed as the race progressed, though he managed to work his way up to 12th place aboard his damaged bike by the end of the race.

The Robem Engineering Aprilia team will be back in action at the next MotoAmerica round, which takes place June 3-5 at the Road America circuit in Elkhart Lake, Wis.

 

Ben Gloddy (72). Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Robem Engineering.
Ben Gloddy (72). Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Robem Engineering.

 

Ben Gloddy / No. 72

“I had an amazing weekend overall and can’t thank the Robem Engineering team enough for everything they did to help me this weekend. We struggled a little bit on Friday and Saturday, but had a better race on Sunday. We just couldn’t quite hang with the leaders this round. We did get some things figured out with our Aprilia RS 660s, and I can’t wait to do it all again in a few weeks at Road America.”

 

Teagg Hobbs (79). Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Robem Engineering.
Teagg Hobbs (79). Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Robem Engineering.

 

Teagg Hobbs / No. 79

“This weekend had the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. We led a few sessions and found a good setup for our Aprilia RS 660. Unfortunately, both races were pretty rough. All we can do is move on to the next round, and I can’t think Robem Engineering enough for working tirelessly through the whole weekend. Now it’s on to Wisconsin in a few weeks!”

Robem Engineering’s technical partners for 2022 include Aprilia Racing, Piaggio Group Americas, The Center for Plastic Surgery, Synchrony, Velocity Calibrations, Bitubo Suspension, Dunlop, Woodcraft Technologies, Dymag, Vesrah, Sprint Filter, DID, Magura USA, Sara Chappell Photos, NGK/NTK, Blud Lubricants, Millennium Technologies, Motovation USA and SC-Project.

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by Pure Attitude Racing:

Chase Black delivers Junior Cup front row start and top six finish. Liam MacDonald bags Twins Cup points at VIR as Trevor Standish bounces back on Sunday

Virginia International Raceway was the setting for the latest round of the 2022

MotoAmerica Championship and Pure Attitude Racing was once again on the grid in both the Twins Cup and Junior Cup classes.

Teenager Chase Black, in only his second race weekend for the team performed superbly throughout the weekend. Running strongly on the opening day before qualifying on the front row of the grid in third in Junior Cup, for the first time in his career. He finished 8th in Saturday’s opening race before taking a brilliant fifth on Sunday.

Twins Cup continues to be one of the most competitive categories in MotoAmerica this year. Armed with the latest Yamaha R7 machines and Liam MacDonald and Trevor Standish were once again in the mix for points in both races. A DNF on Saturday for Trevor was a little disappointing, the #16 bouncing back on Sunday to finish seventeenth at the flag. Macdonald raced hard, understanding how to ride the Yamaha, which is a new challenge for him, with every lap completed. He added three more points to his championship tally with a thirteenth-place finish in the Race 1 before narrowly missing a second points scoring finish on Sunday. He crossed the line P16 after a race long battle with several riders including his team mate. With more data gathered the pair look forward to another strong showing next time out at Road America.

 

Chase Black (14). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Pure Attitude Racing.
Chase Black (14). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Pure Attitude Racing.

 

Chase Black: “I qualified on the front row for the first time in my MotoAmerica career after a great run in qualifying. I made a good start in Saturday’s first race but after a few laps I started to lose touch with the group and ended P8. Sunday’s second race was awesome, and I had so much fun. I was much closer to the front, and I was able to make some nice moves. I saved a possible high side and that cost me a shot at the podium but when I look back at the weekend, to leave with a front row and a top six in only my second race with the team is pretty good.”

 

Liam MacDonald (37). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Pure Attitude Racing.
Liam MacDonald (37). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Pure Attitude Racing.

 

Liam MacDonald: “It was great to ride at VIR this weekend and satisfying to come away with more points in Race 1. We made a few changes especially with the geometry of the bike and it gave me much more feel. I had a big moment early on, but I managed to stay on board and bring it home in thirteenth. Sunday was a bit more difficult but nevertheless I had a great race with Trevor and a couple of other guys and whilst I just missed out on other points finish it was a good race and to beat my team mate for the first time since I came to MotoAmerica is a nice little bonus.”

 

Trevor Standish (16). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Pure Attitude Racing.
Trevor Standish (16). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Pure Attitude Racing.

 

Trevor Standish: “We found an issue between Q2, and the first race related to the fueling, but we were able to resolve it. However, the problem came back on the warm up lap, and it turned out to be an issue with the clutch. I started at the back of the grid, but the problem got worse and that was the end of the race for me, so I decided to call it a day for safety reasons. On Sunday I was running well in the first start but then the red flag was thrown. In the restart I struggled with grip and fought hard with Liam and a couple of other guys, but I made a few mistakes and wasn’t able to stay with them. I closed the gap but just ran out of time. I am really bummed to leave VIR with no points, but we will go again at Road America where hopefully we will be able to further improve the bikes as we are still not at 100% yet.”

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by Levi Badie Racing:

First MotoAmerica points for Levi as he makes history by becoming the Belgian to score points in the US national series

Levi Badie made history at VIR this past weekend by becoming the first Belgian rider to score points in the MotoAmerica series.

Racing for Bartcon Racing in a Kawasaki in Junior Cup, Levi qualified eleventh on his debut at the circuit. Learning the circuit with every lap the talented teen was in the mix throughout Saturday’s opening race, claiming seventh at the flag – a mere 0.9s from the win.

Sunday saw another spirited effort from the #31 but his race was cut short after he was unable to avoid a rider that fell in front of him.

Despite his third DNF of the season Levi continues to be one of the most talked about riders – bringing his European flair to the US national series.

 

Levi Badie (71). Photo courtesy Levi Badie Racing.
Levi Badie (71). Photo courtesy Levi Badie Racing.

 

Levi Badie: “It wasn’t a bad first race given the circumstances. I made a bad start, but I was able to close the gap to the leading group, I even set the fastest lap at one point. It was hot conditions, and the race was reduced to five laps after a red flag. I had been told by the team that there’s always crazy riding in VIR and people getting taken out and so I wanted to stay calm and get some decent points which I did. I was not so far from the podium – only 0.9s from the win. I made some steps in Sunday’s warm-up session and then I was running quite strong in Race 2 on Sunday until one of the other riders fell and I had nowhere to go. I need to work on my starts, but I have shown I am fast, and the team is working well so hopefully at Road America I can show our real potential. The circuit is the most dangerous I have ever raced – very different to Europe and so when I took to the grass, I was happy to not be hurt. I want to thank everyone who is supporting me and look forward to riding at Road America. It looks like an amazing track and one that I think I can be fast at.”

MotoAmerica: Alexander Praises Gear, Airfence After Scary Crash At VIR

David Swarts
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MotoAmerica: Alexander Praises Gear, Airfence After Scary Crash At VIR

MotoAmerica Superbike and Stock 1000 racer Corey Alexander praised his safety gear and soft barriers for allowing him to escape from a scary crash at VIRginia International Raceway with only a concussion.

Alexander, the Stock 1000 Championship point leader coming into the weekend, was riding his Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC Racing BMW M 1000 RR during Stock 1000 Q2 Saturday morning, when he lost control coming out of Turn Five.

Watch a video of Alexander’s crash here: https://youtube.com/shorts/YgJrJLcg7yE?feature=share

The New Yorker was thrown from his machine and heavily impacted non-inflatable Airfence Bike sections on the right side of the track.

“I remember thinking I had it saved and holding on to it, and that’s really the last thing I remember until waking up at the hospital,” Alexander told Roadracingworld.com today, his 28th birthday. “I got a full CT scan. I had a little bit of coughing and trouble breathing, initially. I don’t actually know how long I was knocked out for or if I was truly knocked out. I assume I was. I heard I was. I don’t know. But they transported me. I was pretty out of it. But the rest of my body was good.”

Alexander impacted non-inflatable Airfence Bike modules purchased by the Roadracing World Action Fund, and the Airfence did its job well.

“If the Airfence wasn’t there I don’t think I would be alive. I couldn’t imagine hitting a steel wall at that speed,” said Alexander. “In fact, I feel really good, to be honest. Between my Arai helmet, my [Alpinestars] air bag suit, and the Airfence it’s pretty amazing. It definitely could have been a lot worse.”

Alexander said he has decided to skip a multi-team test scheduled this week at Pittsburgh International Race Complex and to focus on recovering as much as possible before the next MotoAmerica round, June 3-5 at Road America.

And Alexander wanted to point out to foreign journalists drawing conclusions and expressing opinions on social media after viewing video of his crash that his helmet did not come off at any point of the crash.

The Roadracing World Action Fund is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to prevent racetrack injuries through motorcycle road racing education and by advocating for and facilitating the use of soft barriers like those made by Airfence and Alpina. To make a tax-deductible donation to the Roadracing World Action Fund, click here, and visit www.roadracingworld.com/actionfund/ for more information.

MotoAmerica: Petrucci Injured In 174 mph Crash In Race Two At VIR

David Swarts
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MotoAmerica: Petrucci Injured In 174 mph Crash In Race Two At VIR

CAUTION: Includes graphic image.

Danilo Petrucci suffered injuries when he crashed at 174 mph after taking the checkered flag at the end of MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Race Two May 22 at VIRginia International Raceway.

Petrucci was attempting to overtake Westby Racing Yamaha’s Mathew Scholtz for second place in the final run to the checkered flag but came up 0.020 second short and crossed the finish line in third.

It wasn’t caught on camera, but an instant after crossing the finish line at 174 mph, Petrucci tucked the front end of his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC Panigale V4 R and went for a long slide and tumble alongside the front straightaway toward Turn One.

Petrucci was seen on video coverage — 56 seconds after he crossed the finish line — walking away from the crash scene, but he skipped the podium ceremony and instead went to the track’s medical center seeking aid.

The official post-race press release issued by Ducati North America made no mention of Petrucci’s crash or injuries, but Sunday night the Italian rider posted the following on his Instagram feed.

“Just to inform you, I crashed at 280 km/h under the finish line that’s on a sixth gear corner for avoid touching another rider. I hit three sponsors signs with my body, multiple burns, multiple hematomas and a deep cut on the ankle with five stitches. I rolled for over 100 meters, maybe one of the worst crash of my entire career. And I lying down for over two minutes with no assistance, hearing the bikes passes next to me, till I stand up by myself and went alone to the medical center.”

 

A screenshot of Danilo Petrucci's Instagram post showing some of his injuries.
A screenshot of Danilo Petrucci’s Instagram post showing some of his injuries.

 

Attempts by Roadracingworld.com to contact Petrucci were not successful.

Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha’s Cameron Petersen, who crossed the finish line 1.5 seconds after Petrucci, caught a glimpse of the incident.

“I kind of caught it right at the top of my vision,” Petersen told Roadracingworld.com. “I think what happened was I think Petrucci being so close to Matty [Scholtz] on the outside going at that speed, I think the outside of the track came up way faster than what he was expecting. We’re going 175-180 mph at that point, and I think the outside of the track just came up way faster than he expected.

“Honestly, Matty didn’t do anything wrong. He held his line. It’s not like he swerved, ran wide, or anything. I think just Petrucci being on the outside there just the outside of the track came up so fast and he tried to give it a little more lean angle and ended up pushing the front. There’s the little drop away there [change in track elevation] and there was a breeze coming from the side. I think a combination of all those things didn’t help him.”

MotoGP: World Championship Heading To Mugello Next Weekend

David Swarts
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MotoGP: World Championship Heading To Mugello Next Weekend

There’s no place like Mugello: MotoGP™ touches down in Tuscany

Add legend, myth, fable and the world’s fastest motorcycle racing Championship and you get the recipe for spectacle

Monday, 23 May 2022

Ladies and gentlemen, Mugello. That’s it, that’s the introduction. Or it could be, with the Italian venue so steeped in character, legend and myth – in the best way – that barely a word need be written. And yet, there is plenty to say as the FIM MotoGP™ World Championship heads for Tuscany and the rolling hills of the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley, so let’s say it.

Starting in Beast mode would be where Le Mans left off, with Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) coming into his first home race of the season as a three-time winner, serious title contender and an extremely fast MotoGP™ rider. Home glory would be something even more special, and with the form seen at Le Mans it’s hard to find a reason to rule him out… and Ducati have seen plenty of recent glory on the hallowed ground of Mugello.

Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) will be well aware of that and, despite crashing out at Le Mans, was fast once again. Too fast for everyone except Bastianini. So was it Pecco under pressure? A freak fall? A mistake that looked incredibly unlikely after his performance in Jerez? We’ll start to find out at Mugello. Teammate Jack Miller, meanwhile, arrives from another podium just not the top step this time around, and he’ll want to keep reasserting his authority as a surefire contender at the front – with some bad luck and a tougher start to the season seemingly behind him.

At Pramac Racing, there are two sides to the coin. Johann Zarco put in a solid ride on home ground, whereas Jorge Martin suffered another DNF in a difficult run in 2022, the Spaniard still suffering from the after effects of his big crash last year. What can they do on the team’s home turf? The same question can be asked of Mooney VR46 Racing Team too, as rookie Marco Bezzecchi continues to lead the fight for Rookie of the Year and continues to impress. What will he and teammate Luca Marini have in the locker at Mugello?

Home turf also comes into the equation for Aprilia. Maverick Viñales continues his learning curve, but the Noale Factory continue to impress pretty much everyone with Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing). Concessions somehow seem a distant memory already as the Spaniard and the RS-GP continue fighting for – and taking – podiums, and Mugello will be an interesting one with the long, long straight. Aleix Espargaro’s run is such that he can join only two other riders on the grid if he takes a fourth podium in a row too, with only eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) and former sparring partner Andrea Dovizioso (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP™) having achieved that in the current field.

Speaking of Yamaha, we can take a look back to 2021 for what they can do at Mugello. And then back to Jorge Lorenzo’s incredible record there, and before that back to Valentino Rossi’s five in a row. Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) is on form too – fighting as he said he would for every position – and he remains in a lonelier postcode compared to his fellow YZR-M1 riders. So does 2021 offer any portents of 2022? Or is it the tougher return to the likes of Losail that offer more clues? We’ll find out, with the long straight one thing likely on El Diablo’s mind, as well as those of Dovizioso and Franco Moribidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™).

The ballad of the inline four is also sung by Suzuki, and we’ve already seen both Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and teammate and 2020 Champion Joan Mir go well at the venue even up against the V4 grunt down the straight. Mir was on the podium last year too, which could bode well as the factory return to Tuscany looking to bounce back from a difficult French GP with two DNFs. Can they get back into the podium fight?

Honda, meanwhile, arrive still looking to find the zone for man and machine, as does Marc Marquez. What can the factory get out of the new RC213V at Mugello? The number 93 has continued his record of finishing as top Honda of late and fought for the podium at Jerez, but then Le Mans was a tougher one. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) was the closest though as he made a step forward in France, with Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) and Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) now looking for the same. Is Mugello, another new venue, another chance to make a step?

Finally, at KTM the tougher 2022 continues, but so does the work to get back to the front. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) has impressed nearly every weekend so far, and the South African seems to be able to wring every last drop out of Sunday. Can he do that at Mugello? Teammate Miguel Oliveira is also looking to find more speed and consistency in the dry, but the Austrian factory already know what it takes to win and they’re looking to return to the rostrum ASAP. Can Mugello offer a chance to move forward again after a podium for Oliveira at the venue last year?

We’ll find out on Sunday, with the spectacular Tuscan hills ready to receive the world’s fastest motorcycle racing Championship in style. Fans are back, the legend awaits and there’s nothing quite like Mugello, so make sure to join us on Sunday at 14:00 (GMT +2) for a date with a difference.

MotoGP™ CHAMPIONSHIP: TOP 5

1 Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) – Yamaha – 102

2 Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) – Aprilia – 98

3 Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) – Ducati – 94

4 Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) – Suzuki – 69

5 Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – 62

 

Vietti & Arbolino hunt for glory on home ground

They’ve both already won this year, and now it’s time for Moto2™ to take on the fabled Mugello

After another different winner in Le Mans as Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) got back on the top step for the first time since 2019, the Moto2™ grid return to Tuscany for another stunning showdown. Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) remains ahead in the standings despite being forced into some damage limitation at Le Mans, and it’ll be a big weekend for the number 13 with home turf pressure. The same is true in some ways of Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team), although the COTA winner has a little less to lose as it stands. So who’ll be in their way at Mugello?

Fernandez will likely have an extra boost of confidence after that long wait for another victory, and so too will teammate Pedro Acosta despite crashing out. Crashing out from the lead after taking a lap record pole is a different beast to crashing from the middle of the points, and the rookie will be one to watch. He can still also equal Marc Marquez’ record as youngest intermediate class winner…

Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) was back on song in France too, and teammate Ai Ogura remains quick. Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) will want to bounce back after ruling himself out in France, and Jake Dixon (Solunion GASGAS Aspar Team) crashed after being quick once again. Cameron Beaubier (American Racing), meanwhile, is in a rich vein of form – and he’ll want to take that maiden podium.

And then there’s Aron Canet (Flexbox HP 40). The Moto2™ man of steel followed up his Jerez podium with another, on the best streak of results he’s had in the intermediate class and despite that injury. He says riding with zero pressure – as taking podiums should be a superhuman endeavour anyway, given his injury – has changed his mindset, and so far the proof of the thinking is very much in the racing. The bow tie remains, however, and he says Mugello is a tougher track for him. Can he make at least a little more magic in Italy?

Vietti is under pressure, Arbolino joins him as the two fastest home heroes as we stand, and the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello awaits a fast field of rivals looking to ruin their party. Will they? They’ll also have wildcard Mattia Pasini in at GASGAS – a man whose record at Mugello needs no introduction –  to contend with, so the field is primed for a stunner. Tune in when the lights go out for Moto2 at 12:20, so make sure to tune in!

Moto2™ CHAMPIONSHIP: TOP 5

1 Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) – Kalex – 108

2 Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) – Kalex – 92

3 Aron Canet (Flexbox HP 40) – Kalex – 89

4 Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) – Kalex – 70

5 Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – Kalex – 69

 

Foggia leads the home hero charge at Mugello

The Italian already ruled the venue last year, but there will be serious competition – not least of all from Masia on a roll

It’s time to suit and boot up for the stunning Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello, and Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) comes into the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley from a tougher run in 2022, but the Italian is a previous winner at Mugello and remains in the top echelons of the Championship. Now third overall although equal on points with second, Tuscany would be a great place to hit back against the likes of Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Championship leader Sergio Garcia (Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team). So can he do it?

Foggia is joined by Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) as the two previous winners at the venue, and the two veteran Italians – and Honda riders – will be pushing to get back to their early season form at the first home race of the season. They should be counted out, but then there’s one rider on a super roll as of now: Masia.

The Spaniard has always been quick, but in 2022 he’s added consistency and his mental game seems stronger than ever. With four podiums in a row for the first time ever, nothing says anyone should bet against a fifth. He also has two podiums at Mugello…

Garcia, meanwhile, remains a threat. Championship leader through a mixture of glory and consistency – the latter never getting in the way of the Spaniard making a late race attack – he remains the rider to beat in 2022, and his teammate is no slouch either. It’s easy to assume Jerez winner Izan Guevara will always be at the front now, but the Spaniard has earned his stripes with some impressive performances and there’s no reason to assume he won’t serve up another.

The other rider on a roll is Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max). Once again just missing that maiden win at Le Mans, the Japanese rider’s step forward in 2022 nevertheless continues to impress. Last season was derailed through injury and no fault of his own, but 2022 Sasaki is quick, consistent and impressive… so surely it’s just a matter of time?

With the long straight at Mugello, Moto3™ is bound to be a freight train fight. But who will be conductor remains to be decided, with plenty fast riders looking for those valuable 25 points. Who’ll come out on top? Tune in for Tuscany at 11:00 (GMT +2) on Sunday to find out!

Moto3™ CHAMPIONSHIP: TOP 5

1 Sergio Garcia (Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team) – GASGAS – 112

2 Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – KTM – 95

3 Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) – Honda – 95

4 Izan Guevara (Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team) – GASGAS – 89

5 Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) – Husqvarna – 75

Northern Talent Cup: American-Born Moor Wins Race Two At Oschersleben

David Swarts
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Northern Talent Cup: American-Born Moor Wins Race Two At Oschersleben
NTC_2022_OSC_Race_2_Full_Results

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by Northern Talent Cup:

Moor wins three-way fight for Race 2

The Hungarian comes out on top with a last lap move to defeat Masili

Rossi Moor (FAIRIUM Next Generation Riders Team) struck on the last lap for his second win of the season, passing teammate Matteo Masili and able to keep the door shut to the line. Dustin Schneider (Goblin Racing), who was fastest in testing at the venue, completed the podium as the top three escaped for a rostrum-deciding showdown.

Off the line it was Moor who got the holeshot and the Hungarian soon escaped from the pack, with Masili and Schneider for company. There was drama early on though as Noa Cuypers (Junior Black Knights) crashed out leaving Tibor Varga (Forty Racing) nowhere to go, and a few more riders evading or tumbling out. But all ok, and Loris Veneman (TeamNL Open Line) facing a fight back to the front.

Once that dust had settled, Race 1 winner Lennoxx Phommara (Phommara Team) was holding fourth in some space just off the front three, ahead of a big group fight for the last place in the top five. But then the Swiss rider slid out, leaving one three-way fight for the win. And, as ever, it went down to the final lap.

Masili started that final lap in the lead and the Italian held firm until the end of the back straight, where Moor made his move. The Hungarian made it stick too, and there was no way back for his teammate as the number 92 took win number two of his season. Masili impressed with the podium finish in second, however, as did home rider Schneider as he took third and his first rostrum too.

Jurrien van Crugten (BB64 Academy) won the fight for fourth ahead of Le Mans winner Kevin Farkas (Agria Racing Team), with Rocco Sessler (MCA Racing) just thousandths further back. Martin Vincze ((Chrobák Motorsport Egyesület), Luca Göttlicher (JRP Junior Academy Team), Maxime Schmid (Team Schmid), Julius Coenen (HJRT – Helena und Julius Racing Team) and Kilian Holzer (HK Racing) locked out a super tight group down to 11th, with Veneman taking P12.

That’s all Oschersleben wrote, and now it’s time for the NTC to head for the Sachsenring in a month. Join us for more then, back alongside MotoGP™!

MotoAmerica: Twins Cup Race Two Results From VIR

David Swarts
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MotoAmerica: Twins Cup Race Two Results From VIR
22_4_VIR_TWN_R2_res
 22_4_VIR_TWN_PTS_points

MotoAmerica: Medallia Superbike Race Two Results From VIR (Updated)

David Swarts
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0
MotoAmerica: Medallia Superbike Race Two Results From VIR (Updated)
22_4_VIR_SBK_R2_res
 22_4_VIR_SBK_PTS_points
 22_4_VIR_SBK_PTS_sbcpts

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by MotoAmerica:

Gagne Perfect With Two Victories In MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike at VIR

The Defending MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Champion Wins His Third Straight Race

 

Jake Gagne (1) leads Mathew Scholtz (11), Danilo Petrucci (9), and the rest of the MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike field early in Race Two at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
Jake Gagne (1) leads Mathew Scholtz (11), Danilo Petrucci (9), and the rest of the MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike field early in Race Two at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.

 

DANVILLE, VA (May 22, 2022) – Last year at VIRginia International Raceway, Jake Gagne not only won both races, he dominated them, winning race one and two by 11.8 and 13.9 seconds, respectively. The two VIR races were his biggest margins of victory in a season that saw him win 17 races.

Gagne again leaves Virginia with two MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike wins at one of his favorite racetracks, but this time, the margins of victory were much closer – 2.9 seconds on Saturday, 3.2 seconds on Sunday. And he freely admits that his rivals have gained a bit of ground on him. He also admits that he’s in favor of it and likes the fact that 2022 looks to be a 180 from last year in terms of the speed of his competition.

“There’s no such thing as those big eight-second leads anymore,” Gagne said, post victory. “Every half-10th or 10th, I’ll take it. These guys are all stepping it up this year. I’m excited. I think we’re all excited. It’s going to be some good battling. I think we’ll put on a show. It will be a little bit more exciting than some of the races last year. As much as I love cruising around at the front, I love battling, too. I love racing these boys.”

With Gagne and his Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha YZF-R1 winning race two on Sunday to complete his perfect weekend, Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz finished second. Again. This time Scholtz wasn’t overly upset with his fifth runner-up finish of the year. After all, he’d destroyed his A bike in a morning warm-up crash, forcing his crew to try and replicate the setup on the second bike.

Third place went to MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship leader Danilo Petrucci, the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC-backed Italian crossing the line just .020 of a second behind Scholtz as the pair raced to the finish line together. What happened next is still a bit of a mystery, but Petrucci crashed the Panigale V4 R in the fast turn one after the finish line and suffered a laceration on a leg that required stiches. Petrucci was in the medical center and missed the podium ceremonies.

The scrap for second lasted the entire race and featured Scholtz, Petrucci and Gagne’s teammate Cameron Petersen. Petersen was dropped from the battle in the closing laps and finished fourth, 1.5 seconds behind Scholtz/Petrucci.

Tytlers Cycle Racing’s PJ Jacobsen finished fifth on his BMW M 1000 RR and was challenged to the end by the pair of Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzukis ridden by Richie Escalante and Jake Lewis. Escalante ended up .270 of a second behind Jacobsen in sixth and .257 of a second ahead of seventh-placed Lewis.

Aftercare Hayes Scheibe Racing’s Ashton Yates ended a solid weekend with an eighth-place finish, ahead of the second Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW ridden by Spaniard Hector Barbera. Tenth place went to a lonely Travis Wyman on his Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC Racing BMW.

With three rounds (and six races) complete in the 2022 season, Petrucci’s lead has shrunk to 4 points over Scholtz, 104-100. Gagne, meanwhile, has vaulted himself to third in the championship chase, 13 points behind the Italian. Petersen is fourth, 13 behind Gagne. Barbera sits fifth – and is still the only rider in the top five to have scored points in every round.

Jake Gagne – Winner

“I think, in the beginning at least, the pace was a little quicker. I think all of us, at least me, for sure. I was a little surprised that the pace yesterday wasn’t what I was hoping. We didn’t make a lot of changes. We were a little off on tire pressure yesterday, I think. We definitely knew that. So, with that little bit of a tire pressure adjustment, I was able to run the times I wanted to a little bit easier in the beginning. Those first five, six, seven, eight laps were pretty strong. I didn’t make any mistakes. I could see I was just inching out on those guys. Going through turn four or five or whatever you’ve got that big screen and sometimes I could go through there and I saw Mat (Scholtz), Danilo (Petrucci), Cam (Petersen), all in a good battle there for second. So, I just tried to keep an eye on my pit board. Just like yesterday, mistakes can happen easily when it’s that slick out there towards the end, but these Dunlops held up good and this Yamaha… I’m just stoked that I get to ride this bike every weekend. I’ve got the best team that I could ask for behind me. I’m happy we made a little progress today because I knew we needed it. Everybody would be stepping it up. It’s good to get another win.”

Mathew Scholtz – Second

“If you had told me last night I would take another second today, I probably would have punched you in the face. I’m tired of getting seconds. But after this morning’s crash, I’ll happily take it. The bike was totaled. We have a totally different tank, which I had to get used to. We haven’t done a single lap on the bigger tank with the weight over the front tire. It’s just a completely different bike, really. Just the first couple laps, I was sensitive out there. We were pretty similar in most of the corners, but there were two or three corners where he would pull out probably one and a half tenths just in those corners. For the rest of the track, I felt we were similar in maybe one or two corners. I would catch him by a bike length, but for the most part on those parts where he was strong, he was a lot stronger. Just really happy to take second after battling and seeing the board with plus 0.1 for 15 laps straight and just hearing Cam’s (Petersen) bike, Danilo’s (Petrucci) bike. Danilo passed me one time and kind of pushed me a little bit wide, which I wasn’t the happiest with because we were upright braking. I passed him back and started riding my own pace to make sure I got out of the corners well and broke late. I was kind of hoping with braking late and kind of parking the bike that Danilo and Cam would start fighting and help me a little bit. A massive thank you to the Westby team. The bike was totaled, so for them to bring out the second bike and put the settings on it and for me to finish second, I couldn’t be happier. To Tryg (Westby) who runs this whole team. He’s the main guy behind this whole project. He’s put his heart and soul into this team and me for the last five or six years now. If it wasn’t for him, I’d be back home waiting tables or something. I’m just living the dream here. Happy to be up here with Jake (Gagne) and battling with Danilo, a world-class rider. It’s just incredible stuff. I’m really happy. The next race, Road America, I have struggled there previously so we need to try to figure something out there and hopefully I’ll be challenging Jake.”

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by Ducati North America:

Danilo Petrucci Retains Points Lead at VIR

Danilo Petrucci Podium’s at VIR During Sweltering Weekend in Virginia

 

Danilo Petrucci (9). Photo courtesy Ducati.
Danilo Petrucci (9). Photo courtesy Ducati.

 

Sunnyvale, Calif., May 22, 2022 – Danilo Petrucci (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC) rode through the sweltering temperatures at VIRginia International Raceway to grab some additional points and retain the MotAmerica Superbike lead.

The effort was unstoppable as the Italian started the weekend strong, qualifying fourth before finishing fourth in race one, and taking the final podium spot in race two.

This was the V4 R rider’s second time on the track, the former MotoGP rider getting up to speed quickly.  He battled both days and finished Sunday’s race two 3.264 seconds behind the rider who chases him in the points, Jake Gagne (Yamaha).

Although Gagne won, Petrucci retains the lead with 104 points, four ahead of Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha).

The MotoAmerica series now breaks for two weeks before heading to Road America in Wisconsin.

2022 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship Standing – Top 5

P1 – Danilo Petrucci (Ducati) 104

P2 – Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha) 100

P3 – Jake Gagne (Yamaha) 91

P4– Cameron Petersen (Yamaha) 78

P5 – Hector Barbera (BMW) 63

Danilo Petrucci (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC – Ducati #9): “It’s been a tough weekend. Friday the V4 R was feeling good, then today I tried to stay with the other riders and was able to get the V4 R into a top position. This Ducati works, and I’m looking forward to Road America.”

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by Westby Racing:

Two Runner-Up Results For Scholtz At VIR Bring Him To Within Four Points Of Superbike Lead    

 

Mathew Scholtz (11) leads Cameron Petersen (45) and Danilo Petrucci (9) during Race Two at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Westby Racing.
Mathew Scholtz (11) leads Cameron Petersen (45) and Danilo Petrucci (9) during Race Two at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Westby Racing.

 

Alton, VA – May 22, 2022 – After finishing second in Saturday’s Superbike race one at VIRginia International Raceway, Mathew Scholtz and his Westby Racing team showed championship-level grit and determination in overcoming Sunday-morning adversity to finish as runner-up in the afternoon’s Superbike race two. The two second-place finishes have put Mathew just four points behind championship leader Danilo Petrucci.

Mathew benefitted this weekend from some new parts on his #11 Yamaha YZF-R1, but a crash in Sunday morning warmup made the bike unrideable in the afternoon’s race. The team went to work and prepared a replacement R1 Superbike for him to ride, but they were unable to put the new parts on the bike.

Undeterred, Mathew rose to the challenge in Superbike race two. Starting from the middle of the front row, “The Scholtz Kid” withstood a strong challenge from Petrucci, who is a former MotoGP race winner, and ultimately crossed the finish line in second place, just a little more than three seconds adrift of race winner Jake Gagne.

“I’m definitely a little tired of finishing second, but after this morning’s crash, I’ll happily take it,” commented Mathew. “The bike was totaled. We have a completely different fuel tank, which I had to get used to. And, before the race, we hadn’t done a single lap on the bigger tank with the weight over the front tire. It’s just a totally different bike. So, for the first couple of laps, I had to adapt to the different bike. Jake (Gagne) and I were pretty similar in most of the corners, but there were two or three corners where he would pull out, probably, one-and-a-half tenths just in those corners. For the rest of the track, I felt we were similar in maybe one or two corners. I would catch him by a bike length, but for the most part, where he was strong, he was a lot stronger. Just really happy to take second after battling and seeing the board with plus 0.1 for 15 laps straight and just hearing Cam’s (Petersen) bike and Danilo’s (Petrucci) bike behind me. Danilo passed me one time and kind of pushed me a little bit wide, which I wasn’t the happiest with because we were upright braking. I passed him back and started riding my own pace to make sure I got out of the corners well and got on the brakes late. I was hoping that, with braking late and kind of parking the bike, Danilo and Cam would start battling with each other and help me a little bit. A massive thank you to the Westby team. The bike was totaled this morning, so for them to bring out the second bike and put the settings on it and for me to finish second, I couldn’t be happier. To Tryg (Westby) who runs this whole team. He’s the main guy behind this whole project. He’s put his heart and soul into this team and me for the past five or six years now. If it wasn’t for him, I’d be back home waiting tables or something. I’m just living the dream here. Happy to be up here with Jake and battling with Danilo, a world-class rider. It’s just incredible stuff. I’m really happy. The next race, Road America, I have struggled there previously so we need to try to figure something out there and, hopefully, I’ll be challenging Jake.”

The Westby Racing team will be back in action for round four of the 2022 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship, which takes place at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, on June 3 through 5.

MotoAmerica Superbike Standings

1. Danilo Petrucci – Ducati – 104

2. Mathew Scholtz – Yamaha – 100

3. Jake Gagne – Yamaha – 91

4. Cameron Petersen – Yamaha – 78

5. Hector Barbera – BMW – 63

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.

JuniorGP World Championship: Alonso, Rueda Split Wins At Valencia

David Swarts
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JuniorGP World Championship: Alonso, Rueda Split Wins At Valencia

Editorial Notes: Canadian Torin Collins finished 22nd in JuniorGP World Championship Race One but DNF Race Two. American Kristian Daniel Jr. DNF European Talent Cup Race One and then finished 24th in Race Two.

 

100% records extended as Alonso and Rueda share JuniorGP™ victories 

Tulovic continued his perfect start to 2022 in Valencia as a new title leader emerges in JuniorGP™

On a phenomenal day of action in the Finetwork FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship, David Alonso (Aspar Team) and Jose Rueda (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) shared the JuniorGP™ class spoils by claiming Race 1 and Race 2 victories respectively at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo. Lukas Tulovic (Liqui Moly Intact GP Junior) won the only Moto2™ European Championship race of the day as Joel Esteban (Aspar Team) emerged victorious from Race 1 in Valencia in the Hawkers European Talent Cup, but a late disqualification from Race 2 for a technical infringement for the Spaniard meant Maximo Martinez (Team Honda Laglisse) took the 25 points.

The race for JuniorGP™ Race 1 victory came down to the final lap and making a classy move stick at the final corner was Alonso, who edged out comeback king Angel Piqueras (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) by just 0.030s – the latter coming from the back of the grid to earn a podium. Third place went to David Salvador (Laglisse Academy) as the Spaniard added to his P3 in Estoril, with Rueda taking away P4 from Race 1.

Race 2 followed a similar pattern; a cracking battle that went right down to the wire. Coming out on top this time around was Rueda who had spearheaded the pack for most of the race, as we saw Fillipo Farioli (Aspar Team) – a crasher in Race 1 from the lead – and Salvador standing on the rostrum. Leading the Championship after Race 1, Alonso crashed at the final corner but managed to remount and cross the line P7. But having won from pole, Rueda heads to Barcelona as the title race leader.

The fight for victory in the Moto2™ ECh was between Tulovic and Alex Escrig (Yamaha Philippines Stylobike) after Senna Agius (Promoracing) crashed out of the lead at Turn 12 in the early exchanges. Tulovic went on to win by 1.1s to extend his Championship lead, with the final podium place going to Xavi Cardelus (Promoracing) after a good scrap with Yeray Ruiz (FAU55 TEY Racing). The Stock honours went the way of Marco Tapia (Easyrace Team) after the Spaniard crossed the line in P10.

After a Dodo Boggio (Aspar Team) crash at 11 brought out the red flags, a five-lap dash decided Race 1 in the Hawkers ETC. Two tenths split the top four but it was once again Esteban who managed to fend off the competition for his third straight win, as Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 teammates Brian Uriarte and Rico Salmela – from the back of the grid – completed the podium ahead of fourth place Guido Pini (AC Racing Team).

Race 2 ended up being a bit more straight forward for Esteban. Contact between Uriarte and Pini caused the leading group to be broken up, and from there on, Esteban stretched his advantage to eventually take the chequered flag by more than 2.9s. However, a technical infringement saw his fourth win stripped, so after a mechanical problem in Race 1 and Long Lap penalty in Race 2, reigning Champion Martinez got his first points of the season on the board with P1 in what was a photo finish between himself and Pini in second. Boggio was promoted to P3 after his teammate’s post-race misfortunes, as Esteban heads to Barcelona with a 13-point lead in the overall standings.

 

 

MotoAmerica: Supersport Race Two Results From VIR (Updated)

David Swarts
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0
MotoAmerica: Supersport Race Two Results From VIR (Updated)
22_4_VIR_SSP_R2_res
 22_4_VIR_SSP_PTS_points

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by MotoAmerica:

Close Racing Is The MotoAmerica Order Of The Day At VIR

Herrin Takes Supersport Thriller Over Hayes At VIRginia International Raceway

DANVILLE, VA (May 22, 2022) – Five races were held in support of the premiere MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike series on Sunday at VIRginia International Raceway. The average margin of victory for those five races was 1.3 seconds. Throw away Hayden Gillim’s “runaway” win of 5.5 seconds in the Yuasa Stock 1000 race and that average margin drops to an incredible .25 of a second.

The closest finish was in the Supersport class with Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC’s Josh Herrin beating Squid Hunter’s Josh Hayes by just .032 of a second in a race that featured over 20 leader changes in its 19 laps.

Yuasa Stock 1000 – Gillim Does It Again

 

Hayden Gillim (69) leads Geoff May (99), Michael Gilbert (55), and the rest of the field in Yuasa Stock 1000 Race Two at VIR. Gillim captured the win, his second of the weekend. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
Hayden Gillim (69) leads Geoff May (99), Michael Gilbert (55), and the rest of the field in Yuasa Stock 1000 Race Two at VIR. Gillim captured the win, his second of the weekend. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.

 

The final day of Superbikes at Virginia kicked off with Yuasa Stock 1000 race two, and Disrupt Racing Suzuki rider Hayden Gillim made the most of the weekend. The Kentuckian won both Yuasa Stock 1000 races in an impressive performance for the veteran rider who has returned to MotoAmerica in 2022 as a full-time racer after an extended hiatus. Gillim overcame a few bike “gremlins” during the early part of the race, but the technical issue resolved itself, and he was able to go to the front and stay there.

VisionWheel/DiscountTire/KWS Honda’s Geoff May finished second, a little over five-and-a-half seconds behind Gillim. The surprise of the day was Uruguayan rider Maximiliano Gerardo, who made the first podium visit of his MotoAmerica career after finishing third aboard his PDR Motorsports Kawasaki.

“It was a pretty good start,” Gillim said. “I was right there with the guys and made a couple passes on the first lap. I don’t know what happened when we were coming down the front straight on lap two or something. I started coming through the kink, and the bike just shut off on me. I was giving it gas, giving it gas, trying to get it to go again. I was worried that the guys were going to smoke me from behind. Then, all of a sudden, it took off. Then, I made it another lap around, get into the kink, and it shuts off again. It did it a couple laps in a row, and then one lap, it did it to me coming down the little short-chute down into seven. I ended up breaking the windscreen with my helmet. All of a sudden, I started short-shifting into sixth going into the kink. I don’t know why. I don’t know what was going on. Once I kind of got it sorted out, I knew just from having to catch up in the infield that I had a little bit of pace. Bike was feeling really good. Yesterday, I had a little bit of front-end chatter and we ended up going to the hard front tire today, the 7455 that Dunlop has. That fixed a lot of it for us. It just felt more stable under braking. That’s where I felt really good, was under the brakes. I ended up getting out front and just tried to push. I dropped the lap times a little bit, and then all of a sudden, the pit board showed plus three. I could see the screen over here in turn five or whatever and I came through there the next lap, and I saw Michael (Gilbert) walking. I ended up seeing that he had crashed. From there, I just tried to manage it and make sure to bring it home. It’s a long season, and to bring home two wins is awesome for the team.”

Royal Enfield’s Build. Train Race. – Buyck Wins In Debut

Royal Enfield’s Build. Train Race. program had its first road race of the 2022 season, and Kayleigh Buyck was the standout of the weekend. The Central New Yorker led every practice session, both qualifying sessions, and she won the race by just a little over eight-tenths of a second over runner-up Crystal Martinez who made great strides in her riding over the course of the weekend. Third-place finisher Chloe Peterson also lowered her lap times dramatically over the weekend, and she was delighted to make it onto the podium.

“From day one in Roadracing World, they were all just posting articles about pole position,” Buyck said. “It does add a lot of stress. I know so many people here that came out to watch. That’s added stress. It just makes you that much more nervous. I’m grateful to have that many people behind me, supporting me, cheering me on, but at the same time just don’t talk to me until after the race weekend. It’s cool to see all the postings and everything. This whole program is going to make females in the sport. I feel like a lot of people don’t understand that we built the bikes ourselves. We put so much into this that some of the other racers don’t. We get a bike stock delivered in the box and we have to strip it down and build it to the race spec. So, I feel like a lot of people don’t understand the work that we have all put in to be here today. Sweat, blood, tears. Every single female here deserves to be up on the podium. They’ve worked so hard to get here today. My crash this morning was pretty rough. That took a toll. My elbow is hurting pretty bad. It set in like halfway through the race that I started to get sore. Eric busted his butt with me to get the bike back together, so it’s not as pretty anymore but it got the job done. All the mechanics, we had someone blow a motor this weekend. They deserve way more credit I think than they get, swapping motors during the day. We got my bike from trashed to being able to put it on the box within a couple hours. So, I’m so thankful for them. I know these girls are too. The whole program, thanks everyone for watching. Definitely helps and makes us feel a lot better about ourselves.”

SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup – Van Wins, Then DQd

 

Max Van (48) leads Yandel Medina (39) and Gus Rodio (96) in SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup Race Two. Van won on track but was later disqualified when his bike failed a post-race technical inspection, giving the victory to Cody Wyman. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
Max Van (48) leads Yandel Medina (39) and Gus Rodio (96) in SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup Race Two. Van won on track but was later disqualified when his bike failed a post-race technical inspection, giving the victory to Cody Wyman. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.

 

SportbikeTrackGear.com Kawasaki rider Max Van is having a breakthrough season in the STG Junior Cup Championship. He won one of the Junior Cup races at Road Atlanta to start the season, and then, he followed that up by winning Saturday’s race one at VIR. In Sunday’s race two, he got the victory again, this time by just three-tenths of a second over Alpha Omega Kawasaki rider Cody Wyman, who came back from a crash in race one to land on the middle step of the podium on Sunday. Third place went to Calishine Racing Kawasaki rider Aden Thao, who reached the podium for the first time in his MotoAmerica career at Atlanta and repeated the feat at VIR.

“I felt like I had really good pace throughout the race,” Van said. “Towards the end, I started to make a couple mistakes because I was figuring out where do I want to be on the last lap. I tried a couple things and there were a couple laps coming across the line when I was leading out of the last corner that Kayla (Yaakov), Cody, nobody could draft me, then there were some times that I could. So, I knew I had to get a good drive. Towards the end of the race, I made a mistake. I almost high-sided twice. I felt like that set me back a little bit, but who knows? It could have done me good. I had a good drag coming out of the front straightaway. Going into the kink, I saw Cody try to come around the outside of me. I was like, ‘All right, let’s get a little close and see what we can do,’ and that’s what we did. I just want to say thank you to my whole team for putting a great bike underneath me all weekend. It handled great. This morning I had a little get-off. I didn’t even make a lap in warmup. My dad threw the bike together. Same with my crew member, Dave. Threw it together in less than two hours. I’m very thankful for them. I can’t wait for Road America.”

UPDATE: Following a post-race technical inspection, Max Van’s Kawasaki was found to be illegal, and he was subsequently disqualified. As a result, Cody Wyman was declared the winner of Sunday’s Junior Cup race two, Aden Thao was moved up to second, and Gus Rodio was credited with third.

Supersport – Herrin’s Redemption

 

Josh Herrin (2) leads Josh Hayes (4), Tyler Scott (70), Sam Lochoff (44), and the rest en route to victory in an extremely close and action-packed Supersport Race Two at VIR on Sunday. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
Josh Herrin (2) leads Josh Hayes (4), Tyler Scott (70), Sam Lochoff (44), and the rest en route to victory in an extremely close and action-packed Supersport Race Two at VIR on Sunday. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.

 

After an eventful Supersport race one on Saturday, in which Squid Hunter Yamaha’s Josh Hayes notched his 84th all-time AMA win after battling with Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC’s Josh Herrin, the two combatants were back on Sunday for race two. This time around, Herrin and Hayes swapped positions at the front without incident. Herrin prevailed over his former teammate Hayes and took the checkers just three-tenths of a second over Hayes. Sixteen-year-old phenom Tyler Scott, meanwhile, had another great result, finishing on the podium for the second day in a row aboard his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki and raising a few eyebrows about the level of talent in the young man.

“Yesterday, I think I just was mad at myself for the mistake that I made going into one. I was bummed at Josh (Hayes) in the moment for the pass going into one,” Herrin said. “I felt like he came over to the left on me. That, to me, is the hardest thing to do to somebody. I would only do that to him whenever I’m really angry. In his eyes maybe he didn’t, but maybe he backed into me. I thought it was like that. I said some stuff in the moment that I shouldn’t have said. Josh is a legend of the sport, and I should just show respect for him and know that he wasn’t doing anything malicious, because he’s never done that to me before in the last ten years. Then when I got back to the hotel, I was just getting blown up by stuff on social media about the pass on (Sam) Lochoff, and Brandon Paasch running his mouth like he does nonstop all the time. Lochoff posting stuff about me. Got people texting me. It’s impossible for me to ever put my phone down. I really need to work on that. Today I just used it to fuel the fire a little bit, and it seemed like it paid off. It was good seeing him as far back as he was. It’s not fun coming to Race Control and having to deal with stuff like that in the morning right before the race. It’s funny. The team that was complaining about it is the same team that, 15 years ago, was purposely T-boning me all the time on the track, and now they’re the ones that are complaining when I think it was a safe pass. MotoAmerica removes the announcing of Pridmore talking about how clean the pass was just to get a reaction out of the fans, and it frustrated me. But, today was great. I’m super happy that we were able to get to win because yesterday was tough. Like I said on the podium, Josh has been somebody that’s waxed me my whole career. It’s been a lot of lucky wins for me. No matter what anybody says or no matter how close we got last year, it’s just something that fuels me all the time. When he’s here, especially when I listened to his podcast on Friday and he said that the lap times weren’t impressive at Road Atlanta, it just got me bummed out and wanted to come here and get a fight. We got one today. I’m happy that it was clean and fun. I hope these guys keep coming because it’s good for the series, it’s good for the class. Josh is a fan favorite for sure and brings a lot of people out to the races. Thank you to my team and thank you to KATO fasteners for being a big support for us. This is their local race. I’m bummed they didn’t get to make it out. Can’t wait to go to Road America.”

Twins Cup – Barry Perfect

 

Jody Barry (11) beat Hayden Schultz (49) and James Rispoli (behind Schultz) in Twins Cup Race Two. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
Jody Barry (11) beat Hayden Schultz (49) and James Rispoli (behind Schultz) in Twins Cup Race Two. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.

 

Veloce Racing Aprilia’s Jody Barry was another rider who had a perfect weekend. The Illinois-based rider won Twins Cup race one on Saturday, and then, he repeated the feat with another win on Sunday despite being punted off the track by Teagg Hobbs after the race was red-flagged by another incident. Barry shared the podium with the same two riders as he did in race one, but the order of finish was swapped. Cycle Tech teammates Hayden Schultz and James Rispoli finished second and third, respectively, after Rispoli was second and Schultz was third on Saturday.

“First race stint, I didn’t have a quick shifter, so I completely botched the start, which caused me to get caught up around the fifth-place area. Everybody was drafting and out-braking each other. It was a blast. Going into turn one, James came up the inside of a couple guys, so I let him do his thing, and then next thing you know, I just got taken out by Teagg. Kind of a bummer. I was super fortunate. I hope everybody is okay from the red flag, but I was super fortunate that they threw the red flag so I could get the bike back in and the crew could get it back going. We only really got one lap in the first stint, but as far as front-end grip goes, the track was really greasy. Front end grip was a little different for me. Whether that had anything to do with the crash, I couldn’t really say right now. But it all worked out for the best, I guess.”

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by Ducati North America:

Herrin Takes The Race Two Win at VIR to Extend His Supersport Lead

From Fourth to First, Josh Herrin Continues His Lead Aboard the Panigale V2

 

Josh Herrin (2). Photo courtesy Ducati North America.
Josh Herrin (2). Photo courtesy Ducati North America.

 

Sunnyvale, Calif., May 22, 2022 – Josh Herrin didn’t worry about much as he took his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC Panigale V2 to just outside the finish line in race one and embraced the win in race two at VIRginia International Raceway.

Under sweltering conditions, he rode his V2 to victory in the second race, obtaining yet another win. The Ducatisti grabbed the Supersport checkered flag in race two by 0.32 seconds of his old rival, Squid Hunter Yamaha’s Josh Hayes.

Despite the pressure of many riders, Herrin extended his lead in the MotoAmerica Supersport Championship to 88 points, 31 ahead of Samuel Lochoff ( Yamaha).

2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship Standing – Top 5

P1 – Josh Herrin (Ducati) 88

P2 –Samuel Lochoff  (Suzuki) 57

P3– Rocco Landers (Yamaha) 56

P4 – Tyler Scott (Suzuki) 47

P5 – Josh Hayes (Yamaha) 45

Josh Herrin (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC – Ducati #2) : “The track was tough, but the Panigale V2 worked well. We went from off the podium to the winner. The V2 did its job, and I’m looking forward to the next round at Road America – the Panigale V2 will work well there just as it did in Virginia.!”

British Superbike: Race Two & Three Results From Donington Park (Updated)

David Swarts
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British Superbike: Race Two & Three Results From Donington Park (Updated)
SBK R2
 SBK R3
 SBK Points after R3

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by MotorSport Vision Racing:

‘The O’Show’ takes centre stage: O’Halloran does the double at Donington Park

 

Jason O'Halloran (22) celebrates a British Superbike race victory at Donington Park. Photo courtesy MSVR.
Jason O’Halloran (22) celebrates a British Superbike race victory at Donington Park. Photo courtesy MSVR.

 

Jason O’Halloran celebrated winning the Milwaukee King of Donington trophy in style at the third round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship, doubling up on victories for McAMS Yamaha to launch himself up to second in the overall standings.

In the second race of the weekend, O’Halloran was determined to make amends for missing out on victory in yesterday’s eBay Sprint race to Kyle Ryde by just 0.038s at the chequered flag. The Australian did it in style as ‘The O’Show’ did the double, after becoming the fifth different race winner of the season.

Race two got underway with O’Halloran launching into the lead at Redgate ahead of the Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha pairing of Bradley Ray and Kyle Ryde.

On the second lap, Ray claimed the lead and that left O’Halloran under attack from Ryde, who made his move on lap three. However, there was disappointment for the local contender as he crashed out at Mcleans on the sixth lap.

The leading trio then became O’Halloran, Ray and Jackson as they had gapped the chasing pack. In the closing stages, O’Halloran had the pace to have an advantage over Ray as he took his first win for McAMS Yamaha since Silverstone last year.

Ray continued his momentum with a strong second place ahead of Jackson, but in the chasing pack, the fight for fourth had become a five-way dogfight.

Peter Hickman was able to claim the position with three laps remaining after the FHO Racing BMW rider took advantage of the earlier battles between the group to bridge the gap and make the moves needed to claim his best result of the season so far.

Hickman got the better of Leon Haslam in the closing stages as the VisionTrack Kawasaki rider valiantly finished in fifth despite still suffering from his sprained ankle from his crash at Craner Curves on Friday.

Tarran Mackenzie celebrated a hard-fought sixth place on the second of the McAMS Yamahas as the reigning champion scored his best result of the season on his return from injury, holding off Christian Iddon and Rory Skinner, who had been in the mix throughout the race.

In race three, O’Halloran was hunting another Podium Points haul and he didn’t disappoint. At the start of race three, Ryde had grabbed the lead from his Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha teammate Ray and the Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki’s of Jackson and Skinner.

Skinner was on the attack and by the fourth lap; he was into second position behind Ryde, with Ray and Jackson in close contention.

An incredible move at Redgate from Ray on lap four moved him from third to first as he dived ahead of his rivals to put himself at the front of the chasing pack.

A huge crash from Leon Haslam at Schwantz, also collected Glenn Irwin as the Honda Racing UK rider couldn’t avoid the stricken VisionTrack Kawasaki, bringing a BMW Safety Car intervention whilst the incident was cleared.

When the race resumed, Ray was holding the leading position from Skinner and O’Halloran with the pair trading blows for second place. By the eleventh lap, the pair had changed positions several times within one lap as O’Halloran then tried to make a break on the McAMS Yamaha.

O’Halloran was hunting Ray, closing the gap and then capturing the lead on lap 17 with a decisive move at Coppice. He was able to hold off his Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha rival to take the double win and move up to second in the overall standings ahead of Knockhill.

Ray’s second place saw him lift the Milwaukee Spring Grand Slam trophy and take a 28-point lead ahead of the next round at Knockhill with Jackson completing the podium for Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki. The Lincolnshire contender’s double podium finish puts him third in the overall standings.

Skinner had another consistent result in fourth place ahead of his home round, whilst Ryde held onto fifth as he bounced back from his race two crash to take another strong points haul on the second Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha, narrowly ahead of Buildbase Suzuki’s Iddon.

For the Buildbase Suzuki team, Donington Park marked their biggest points haul of the season so far for Iddon, moving him into the all-important top eight of the standings.

The MCE Ducati teammates finished in seventh and eighth place respectively in the final race of the weekend as Tom Sykes edged out Josh Brookes with Danny Buchan in ninth place. Chrissy Rouse completed the top ten to claim his best ever Bennetts BSB race finish.

Jason O’Halloran

McAMS Yamaha

Double race winner

“It’s been an amazing weekend, we nearly won yesterday, it was so close and then to take a double win today is excellent. Two pole positions, two wins and a second shows that all the hard work is paying off.

“I want to say a massive thanks to everyone from the team, when you are working through things and testing things when you are racing it’s never easy but this weekend things have really started to come together.

“That was probably the best I’ve ever felt on this bike, the way I could come through the pack, get to the front and pull away everything just worked. You have to enjoy these days as they don’t come around all the time, I’m super pleased with it so I can’t wait to get a test under our belt now ahead of the next few rounds.”

MotoAmerica: More From The Races At VIR

Tyler Scott (70) made it a double-podium weekend aboard his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR GSX-R750. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Tyler Scott (70) made it a double-podium weekend aboard his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR GSX-R750. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.

DOUBLE-PODIUM WEEKEND FOR TYLER SCOTT  AND VISION WHEEL M4 ECSTAR SUZUKI IN VIRGINIA

New to Class Suzuki GSX-R750s Immediately Competitive in Supersport

BREA, Calif., May 23, 2022 — Suzuki Motor USA and Team Hammer enjoyed another trophy-winning performance as Round 3 of the 2022 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship concluded on Sunday at Virginia International Raceway.

For the second consecutive day, that podium was delivered by 16-year-old MotoAmerica Supersport rookie Tyler Scott. The fast-rising Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki star again battled for the win deep into the contest with a pair of premier-class champions before ultimately guiding his GSX-R750 to a third-place finish.

“The bike felt great all race,” Scott said. “We made some changes overnight and they helped, but the pace was faster today. Overall, it was a great weekend. The team has been amazing. The GSX-R750 was outstanding, and I’ll just keep working on my riding.”

Scott’s Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki teammate, Sam Lochoff, rebounded from a chaotic Saturday to come home one spot further back in fourth. The South African did so despite suffering from a lower leg injury and the intense heat to keep his title hopes very much alive.

 

After a tough Race 1, Sam Lochoff (44) bounced back and takes fourth in Race 2. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
After a tough Race 1, Sam Lochoff (44) bounced back and takes fourth in Race 2. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.

 

Lochoff said, “I’m extremely happy about the work my crew has put in on this GSX-R750. I think we’re nearly there, and we just need to do a bit of fine-tuning now. I’m sure we’re going to win some races on it this year.

“I was hurting from yesterday’s crash today, but we’re coming out swinging at Road America,” continued Lochoff.

While third Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki Supersport pilot Liam Grant crashed out of contention early, Altus Motorsports Suzuki’s Justin Jones made sure three Team Hammer-built GSX-Rs finished inside the top ten with a tenth-place performance.

 

Liam Grant (90) looks to the next round after a fall in Race 2.. Photo courtesy Team Suzuki Press Office.
Liam Grant (90) looks to the next round after a fall in Race 2.. Photo courtesy Team Suzuki Press Office.

 

Meanwhile, Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki Superbike teammates Richie Escalante and Jake Lewis spent the bulk of the contest embroiled in an intra-team fight for sixth position. Their battle nearly carried them to the top five, as together they, mounted on their Suzuki GSX-R1000R race bikes, drew in on the position late before running out of laps to challenge for the spot.

In the end, rookie Escalante finished in sixth with reigning Stock 1000 champion Jake Lewis close behind in seventh.

 

Richie Escalante (54) with another top ten finish aboard his GSX-R1000R. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Richie Escalante (54) with another top ten finish aboard his GSX-R1000R. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.

 

Escalante said, “Today was much better. I started both races very well, which is important to stay close with the front group. I didn’t have the pace to go for the podium, but I raced for fifth the whole race.

“I continue to work to adjust my riding style to help the bike work a little better, especially on corner exit. I’m really happy with the process. I’m getting closer over one lap and race distance. I’m pretty happy with that and I’ll keep working to find the next step.”

 

A pair of top-ten finishes from Jake Lewis (85) looks to carry the momentum into the next round. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
A pair of top-ten finishes from Jake Lewis (85) looks to carry the momentum into the next round. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.

 

Team Hammer will be back in action at the high-speed Road America at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, on June 3-5.

Suzuki Motor USA would also like to recognize Hayden Gillim aboard his GSX-R1000R for taking double wins in the Stock 1000 class.

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 332 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.

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by Tytlers Cycle Racing:

PJ Jacobsen, Hector Barbera and Travis Wyman bag multiple top ten finishes at VIR

Tytlers Cycle Racing raced to multiple top ten finishes in the latest round of the 2022 MotoAmerica Superbike championship at Virginia International Raceway with riders PJ Jacobsen and Hector Barbera achieving a best of fifth and sixth respectively across the weekend.

Their BMW M1000 RR machines once again performed superbly allowing both riders to fight for the front running positions on Saturday and Sunday.

For Jacobsen, who missed Road Atlanta through sickness, it was a positive return to the track, the #66 coming out on top of a three-way fight for P5 in the opening race on Saturday before racing to seventh on Sunday.

Spain’s Hector Barbera maintained his point scoring record with sixth and ninth, adding seventeen points to his already impressive tally for the season. He remains fifth overall in the standings.

Travis Wyman, one of the team’s Stock1000 regulars was also in action in the Superbike category. He finished tenth in both races.

 

PJ Jacobsen (66). Photo courtesy Tytlers Cycle Racing.
PJ Jacobsen (66). Photo courtesy Tytlers Cycle Racing.

 

PJ Jacobsen: “The opening race was difficult. I suffered with rear grip, and it was hard to manage. I did what I could, and it was pretty uncomfortable by half race distance. We knew we could lap faster and so we regrouped overnight before Race 2. Sunday was better. We were able to fix a lot of things and I was happy to bag a P5 finish. I was not happy with what happened on Saturday, but the team did a great job, and we were able to show our potential. It’s a brand-new team and a brand-new bike so the data we gathered here will certainly help us in the coming races.”

 

Hector Barbera (80). Photo courtesy Tytlers Cycle Racing.
Hector Barbera (80). Photo courtesy Tytlers Cycle Racing.

 

Hector Barbera: “All weekend, because of the heat, I struggled to get the feeling I wanted with the front tyre and so the races were quite difficult. When we improved the front, it made the rear worse. In Race 1 I was spinning everywhere. I tried my best, passed a few riders and was able to finish sixth. Race 2 I had problems with the tyre, and I couldn’t fight for a better position. We will continue to test and continue to work hard, and I am sure we can arrive at the front soon.”

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC Racing:

Travis Wyman delivers another Stock1000 podium as Zac Schumacher makes progress and Corey Alexander avoids serious injury

Corey Alexander, Zac Schumacher, and Travis Wyman were back on track at VIR this past weekend for the Tytlers Cycle Racing powered by Ride HVMC squad in the latest round of the MotoAmerica Stock1000 championship with Wyman delivering another podium for the squad in Saturday’s opening race.

Qualifying fifth, Wyman ensured he was in the mix from the off taking a well-earned P3 at the end of the nine-lap encounter. He finished eleventh on Sunday.

Zac Schumacher was racing at another new circuit. He progressed well throughout the weekend finishing nineteenth and eighteenth respectively to ensure another double top twenty finish.

Round 1 winner Alexander had a nasty looking spill early in the weekend after running strongly in practice. Crashing hard he thankfully escaped serious injury but missed both races. He will be back on track at Road America.

 

Travis Wyman (10). Photo courtesy Tytlers Cycle RideHVMC Racing.
Travis Wyman (10). Photo courtesy Tytlers Cycle RideHVMC Racing.

 

Travis Wyman: “After missing most of practice and qualifying we ended P5 on the grid which I was super happy about. I made a great start in Race 1 and after a race long battle was able to bring it home in third for another podium. I was in the lead group off the start again in Race 2 but unfortunately with about four laps to go I crashed after making a pass for second place. I tucked the front but was able to get going again and finish eleventh, salvaging some points which may make all the difference at the end of the season. See you all at Road America.”

 

Zac Schumacher (90). Photo courtesy Tytlers Cycle Ride HMVC Racing.
Zac Schumacher (90). Photo courtesy Tytlers Cycle Ride HMVC Racing.

 

Zac Schumacher: “It was my first time at VIR. I crashed in FP1 and missed the entire session which meant I was still learning the track in qualifying. I qualified twenty-ninth and was able to finish P19. Race 2 was a little better. We a couple of changes overnight and found the feeling I had been searching for. I started twenty-seventh and was able to pass several riders, eventually finishing P18. I want to say a huge thanks to the Tytlers Cycle guys. Without them my weekend would have been over.”

 

Corey Alexander (23). Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Corey Alexander (23) in action at VIR before his crash. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.

 

Corey Alexander: “I am bummed to have missed both races this weekend but am very thankful to have walked away as well as I did. I’m just recovering with some road rash and a couple bruises as well as some fog from the concussion I suffered but otherwise my Arai Helmet, Alpinestars suit with Tech-Air bag and the Road Racing World Action Fund Air Fence surely saved my life. I am hopeful to return to Road America and pick up where we left off prior to the crash. Thanks to everyone for the messages and support.”

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by Aprilia:

MOTOAMERICA TWINS CUP CHAMPIONSHIP CONCLUDES AT VIR WITH A PAIR OF LAST LAP WINS FOR JODY BARRY AND HIS VELOCE RACING APRILIA RS 660

BARRY EXTENDS HIS CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD LEAVING VIRGINIA AND BREAKS HIS OWN LAP RECORD SET AGAIN ON THE RS 660

ALTON, VA – 23 MAY 2022 – MotoAmerica Twins Cup arrived at Virginia International Raceway this weekend for the third round of the championship. 35 riders lined up to grid for race one, as the participation and competition of the Twins Cup class continues to grow in the series.

Leaving the second round in Atlanta, a single race weekend for the Twins Cup, the stakes were high upon arrival in Virginia for the teams, knowing there was a potential 50 points up for grab in the weekend’s two races. When Qualifying 2 had completed, the story was reminiscent of 2021, with Jody Barry, besting his best time and lap record set last year on his RS 660 of 1:30:823, with a pole position secured with a time of 1:30:082 on his Veloce Racing RS 660 on Saturday morning.

In race one of the weekend, after 13 complete laps, it came down to the line with a photo finish victory that showing Jody Barry across the line just inches ahead of the next rider.

Race 2 had an early red flag which forced a restart, but with a similar battle to Saturday’s race, Sunday proved to be another last lap dash to the line, where Jody Barry locked up his second win of the weekend, and third of season.

 

Jody Barry. Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Aprilia.
Jody Barry. Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Aprilia.

 

Jody Barry, Veloce Racing

“I’ve always loved this track. I had confidence coming out of Road Atlanta, and we started the weekend quick, getting the setup dialled in. By the end of both races, it was a chess game, working with grip, pushing the front end and working with track conditions.

I have a lot of confidence working with the Veloce team, which makes it easy for me to relax and focus on my riding. I feel comfortable with the RS 660 and finding any solutions with the team to keep it up front. I have to thank the whole Veloce team, and all the sponsors and partners that support putting a bike under me, including CycleTune, LiquiMoly, Vesrah, Arai, Bison, and Aprilia which help us compete and get these wins.

I am excited for Road America, my home track. Last year didn’t go how we wanted, with a flight to the hospital, but we won’t repeat that this year. My family will be there, the vibes will be cool, and we’re looking forward to it.”

MotoAmerica heads to Road America, June 3-5. Championship Schedule, Competitor information, and Class Rules can be found at https://motoamerica.com/

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by Robem Engineering:

Robem Engineering Aprilia riders score three top-10 finishes at MotoAmerica round at VIR

Hobbs, Gloddy finish May 20-22 round second, eighth in Twins Cup points standings

ALTON, Va. — The 2022 MotoAmerica Superbikes at Virginia round turned out to be a struggle for Robem Engineering Aprilia riders Teagg Hobbs and Ben Gloddy. Yet, the duo limited the damage to their championship aspirations at the May 20-22 event by scoring a total of three top-10s in two Twins Cup races at VIRginia International Raceway.

Despite a challenging weekend on track, both remain in the hunt to claim Robem Engineering’s second Twins Cup title in two years. Hobbs did enough to hold onto second place in the standings with 63 points. Gloddy is in eighth place with 40 points.

The VIR round started well for both riders. Hobbs topped the time sheets and Gloddy was sixth in Friday practice. The first of two qualifying sessions took place Friday afternoon, and Hobbs and Gloddy finished that session third and eighth, respectively. Saturday’s Qualifying 2 session didn’t go as well, as both riders lost some pace to the other Twins Cup front runners and ended up qualifying eighth and 10th.

In Saturday’s Race 1, both Hobbs and Gloddy got good starts and had advanced one position in the running order by the end of Lap 1. Hobbs was running as high as sixth before he dropped to 12th on Lap 8, but continued to push hard to make up the positions he lost and finished the race in 10th. Gloddy’s pace improved relative to the riders around him as the race went on. Though he dropped as low as 11th on Laps 3-5, Gloddy steadily worked his way up the running order to secure a seventh-place finish.

Sunday’s Race 2 proved to be a struggle. The pair got off the line well, with Hobbs finishing the first lap in seventh and Gloddy in eighth. The race was stopped at the beginning of Lap 3 due to a crash at Turn 1, and Hobbs made an error while slowing down for the race stoppage and crashed at Turn 1. He was able to get his Aprilia RS 660 running again and had to slowly make his way around the 2.25-mile course to pit lane. Hobbs’ delayed arrival in the pits caused him to miss the sighting lap for the race restart, and he had to take the restart from the back of the grid.

When racing resumed, Gloddy tried to work his way up the running order quickly and was running in fifth place during the first lap. Hobbs did his best to make up track position on the opening lap and advanced past 13 riders on the first lap of the restarted race. Though Gloddy was pushing his RS 660 hard, he lost several positions as the nine-lap race went on and had to settle for a 10th-place finish. Hobbs’ charge up the running order slowed as the race progressed, though he managed to work his way up to 12th place aboard his damaged bike by the end of the race.

The Robem Engineering Aprilia team will be back in action at the next MotoAmerica round, which takes place June 3-5 at the Road America circuit in Elkhart Lake, Wis.

 

Ben Gloddy (72). Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Robem Engineering.
Ben Gloddy (72). Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Robem Engineering.

 

Ben Gloddy / No. 72

“I had an amazing weekend overall and can’t thank the Robem Engineering team enough for everything they did to help me this weekend. We struggled a little bit on Friday and Saturday, but had a better race on Sunday. We just couldn’t quite hang with the leaders this round. We did get some things figured out with our Aprilia RS 660s, and I can’t wait to do it all again in a few weeks at Road America.”

 

Teagg Hobbs (79). Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Robem Engineering.
Teagg Hobbs (79). Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Robem Engineering.

 

Teagg Hobbs / No. 79

“This weekend had the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. We led a few sessions and found a good setup for our Aprilia RS 660. Unfortunately, both races were pretty rough. All we can do is move on to the next round, and I can’t think Robem Engineering enough for working tirelessly through the whole weekend. Now it’s on to Wisconsin in a few weeks!”

Robem Engineering’s technical partners for 2022 include Aprilia Racing, Piaggio Group Americas, The Center for Plastic Surgery, Synchrony, Velocity Calibrations, Bitubo Suspension, Dunlop, Woodcraft Technologies, Dymag, Vesrah, Sprint Filter, DID, Magura USA, Sara Chappell Photos, NGK/NTK, Blud Lubricants, Millennium Technologies, Motovation USA and SC-Project.

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by Pure Attitude Racing:

Chase Black delivers Junior Cup front row start and top six finish. Liam MacDonald bags Twins Cup points at VIR as Trevor Standish bounces back on Sunday

Virginia International Raceway was the setting for the latest round of the 2022

MotoAmerica Championship and Pure Attitude Racing was once again on the grid in both the Twins Cup and Junior Cup classes.

Teenager Chase Black, in only his second race weekend for the team performed superbly throughout the weekend. Running strongly on the opening day before qualifying on the front row of the grid in third in Junior Cup, for the first time in his career. He finished 8th in Saturday’s opening race before taking a brilliant fifth on Sunday.

Twins Cup continues to be one of the most competitive categories in MotoAmerica this year. Armed with the latest Yamaha R7 machines and Liam MacDonald and Trevor Standish were once again in the mix for points in both races. A DNF on Saturday for Trevor was a little disappointing, the #16 bouncing back on Sunday to finish seventeenth at the flag. Macdonald raced hard, understanding how to ride the Yamaha, which is a new challenge for him, with every lap completed. He added three more points to his championship tally with a thirteenth-place finish in the Race 1 before narrowly missing a second points scoring finish on Sunday. He crossed the line P16 after a race long battle with several riders including his team mate. With more data gathered the pair look forward to another strong showing next time out at Road America.

 

Chase Black (14). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Pure Attitude Racing.
Chase Black (14). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Pure Attitude Racing.

 

Chase Black: “I qualified on the front row for the first time in my MotoAmerica career after a great run in qualifying. I made a good start in Saturday’s first race but after a few laps I started to lose touch with the group and ended P8. Sunday’s second race was awesome, and I had so much fun. I was much closer to the front, and I was able to make some nice moves. I saved a possible high side and that cost me a shot at the podium but when I look back at the weekend, to leave with a front row and a top six in only my second race with the team is pretty good.”

 

Liam MacDonald (37). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Pure Attitude Racing.
Liam MacDonald (37). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Pure Attitude Racing.

 

Liam MacDonald: “It was great to ride at VIR this weekend and satisfying to come away with more points in Race 1. We made a few changes especially with the geometry of the bike and it gave me much more feel. I had a big moment early on, but I managed to stay on board and bring it home in thirteenth. Sunday was a bit more difficult but nevertheless I had a great race with Trevor and a couple of other guys and whilst I just missed out on other points finish it was a good race and to beat my team mate for the first time since I came to MotoAmerica is a nice little bonus.”

 

Trevor Standish (16). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Pure Attitude Racing.
Trevor Standish (16). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Pure Attitude Racing.

 

Trevor Standish: “We found an issue between Q2, and the first race related to the fueling, but we were able to resolve it. However, the problem came back on the warm up lap, and it turned out to be an issue with the clutch. I started at the back of the grid, but the problem got worse and that was the end of the race for me, so I decided to call it a day for safety reasons. On Sunday I was running well in the first start but then the red flag was thrown. In the restart I struggled with grip and fought hard with Liam and a couple of other guys, but I made a few mistakes and wasn’t able to stay with them. I closed the gap but just ran out of time. I am really bummed to leave VIR with no points, but we will go again at Road America where hopefully we will be able to further improve the bikes as we are still not at 100% yet.”

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by Levi Badie Racing:

First MotoAmerica points for Levi as he makes history by becoming the Belgian to score points in the US national series

Levi Badie made history at VIR this past weekend by becoming the first Belgian rider to score points in the MotoAmerica series.

Racing for Bartcon Racing in a Kawasaki in Junior Cup, Levi qualified eleventh on his debut at the circuit. Learning the circuit with every lap the talented teen was in the mix throughout Saturday’s opening race, claiming seventh at the flag – a mere 0.9s from the win.

Sunday saw another spirited effort from the #31 but his race was cut short after he was unable to avoid a rider that fell in front of him.

Despite his third DNF of the season Levi continues to be one of the most talked about riders – bringing his European flair to the US national series.

 

Levi Badie (71). Photo courtesy Levi Badie Racing.
Levi Badie (71). Photo courtesy Levi Badie Racing.

 

Levi Badie: “It wasn’t a bad first race given the circumstances. I made a bad start, but I was able to close the gap to the leading group, I even set the fastest lap at one point. It was hot conditions, and the race was reduced to five laps after a red flag. I had been told by the team that there’s always crazy riding in VIR and people getting taken out and so I wanted to stay calm and get some decent points which I did. I was not so far from the podium – only 0.9s from the win. I made some steps in Sunday’s warm-up session and then I was running quite strong in Race 2 on Sunday until one of the other riders fell and I had nowhere to go. I need to work on my starts, but I have shown I am fast, and the team is working well so hopefully at Road America I can show our real potential. The circuit is the most dangerous I have ever raced – very different to Europe and so when I took to the grass, I was happy to not be hurt. I want to thank everyone who is supporting me and look forward to riding at Road America. It looks like an amazing track and one that I think I can be fast at.”

MotoAmerica: Alexander Praises Gear, Airfence After Scary Crash At VIR

Corey Alexander (23). Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Corey Alexander (23). Photo by Brian J. Nelson.

MotoAmerica Superbike and Stock 1000 racer Corey Alexander praised his safety gear and soft barriers for allowing him to escape from a scary crash at VIRginia International Raceway with only a concussion.

Alexander, the Stock 1000 Championship point leader coming into the weekend, was riding his Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC Racing BMW M 1000 RR during Stock 1000 Q2 Saturday morning, when he lost control coming out of Turn Five.

Watch a video of Alexander’s crash here: https://youtube.com/shorts/YgJrJLcg7yE?feature=share

The New Yorker was thrown from his machine and heavily impacted non-inflatable Airfence Bike sections on the right side of the track.

“I remember thinking I had it saved and holding on to it, and that’s really the last thing I remember until waking up at the hospital,” Alexander told Roadracingworld.com today, his 28th birthday. “I got a full CT scan. I had a little bit of coughing and trouble breathing, initially. I don’t actually know how long I was knocked out for or if I was truly knocked out. I assume I was. I heard I was. I don’t know. But they transported me. I was pretty out of it. But the rest of my body was good.”

Alexander impacted non-inflatable Airfence Bike modules purchased by the Roadracing World Action Fund, and the Airfence did its job well.

“If the Airfence wasn’t there I don’t think I would be alive. I couldn’t imagine hitting a steel wall at that speed,” said Alexander. “In fact, I feel really good, to be honest. Between my Arai helmet, my [Alpinestars] air bag suit, and the Airfence it’s pretty amazing. It definitely could have been a lot worse.”

Alexander said he has decided to skip a multi-team test scheduled this week at Pittsburgh International Race Complex and to focus on recovering as much as possible before the next MotoAmerica round, June 3-5 at Road America.

And Alexander wanted to point out to foreign journalists drawing conclusions and expressing opinions on social media after viewing video of his crash that his helmet did not come off at any point of the crash.

The Roadracing World Action Fund is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to prevent racetrack injuries through motorcycle road racing education and by advocating for and facilitating the use of soft barriers like those made by Airfence and Alpina. To make a tax-deductible donation to the Roadracing World Action Fund, click here, and visit www.roadracingworld.com/actionfund/ for more information.

MotoAmerica: Petrucci Injured In 174 mph Crash In Race Two At VIR

Danilo Petrucci (9) attempting to go around the outside of Mathew Scholtz (11) on the final lap of MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Race Two at VIR. Petrucci crashed immediately after this photo was taken. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Ducati North America.
Danilo Petrucci (9) attempting to go around the outside of Mathew Scholtz (11) on the final lap of MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Race Two at VIR. Petrucci crashed immediately after this photo was taken. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Ducati North America.

CAUTION: Includes graphic image.

Danilo Petrucci suffered injuries when he crashed at 174 mph after taking the checkered flag at the end of MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Race Two May 22 at VIRginia International Raceway.

Petrucci was attempting to overtake Westby Racing Yamaha’s Mathew Scholtz for second place in the final run to the checkered flag but came up 0.020 second short and crossed the finish line in third.

It wasn’t caught on camera, but an instant after crossing the finish line at 174 mph, Petrucci tucked the front end of his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC Panigale V4 R and went for a long slide and tumble alongside the front straightaway toward Turn One.

Petrucci was seen on video coverage — 56 seconds after he crossed the finish line — walking away from the crash scene, but he skipped the podium ceremony and instead went to the track’s medical center seeking aid.

The official post-race press release issued by Ducati North America made no mention of Petrucci’s crash or injuries, but Sunday night the Italian rider posted the following on his Instagram feed.

“Just to inform you, I crashed at 280 km/h under the finish line that’s on a sixth gear corner for avoid touching another rider. I hit three sponsors signs with my body, multiple burns, multiple hematomas and a deep cut on the ankle with five stitches. I rolled for over 100 meters, maybe one of the worst crash of my entire career. And I lying down for over two minutes with no assistance, hearing the bikes passes next to me, till I stand up by myself and went alone to the medical center.”

 

A screenshot of Danilo Petrucci's Instagram post showing some of his injuries.
A screenshot of Danilo Petrucci’s Instagram post showing some of his injuries.

 

Attempts by Roadracingworld.com to contact Petrucci were not successful.

Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha’s Cameron Petersen, who crossed the finish line 1.5 seconds after Petrucci, caught a glimpse of the incident.

“I kind of caught it right at the top of my vision,” Petersen told Roadracingworld.com. “I think what happened was I think Petrucci being so close to Matty [Scholtz] on the outside going at that speed, I think the outside of the track came up way faster than what he was expecting. We’re going 175-180 mph at that point, and I think the outside of the track just came up way faster than he expected.

“Honestly, Matty didn’t do anything wrong. He held his line. It’s not like he swerved, ran wide, or anything. I think just Petrucci being on the outside there just the outside of the track came up so fast and he tried to give it a little more lean angle and ended up pushing the front. There’s the little drop away there [change in track elevation] and there was a breeze coming from the side. I think a combination of all those things didn’t help him.”

MotoGP: World Championship Heading To Mugello Next Weekend

Fabio Quartararo (20). Photo courtesy Monster Energy Yamaha.
Fabio Quartararo (20) leads the MotoGP World Championship point standings heading into Mugello. Photo courtesy Monster Energy Yamaha.

There’s no place like Mugello: MotoGP™ touches down in Tuscany

Add legend, myth, fable and the world’s fastest motorcycle racing Championship and you get the recipe for spectacle

Monday, 23 May 2022

Ladies and gentlemen, Mugello. That’s it, that’s the introduction. Or it could be, with the Italian venue so steeped in character, legend and myth – in the best way – that barely a word need be written. And yet, there is plenty to say as the FIM MotoGP™ World Championship heads for Tuscany and the rolling hills of the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley, so let’s say it.

Starting in Beast mode would be where Le Mans left off, with Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) coming into his first home race of the season as a three-time winner, serious title contender and an extremely fast MotoGP™ rider. Home glory would be something even more special, and with the form seen at Le Mans it’s hard to find a reason to rule him out… and Ducati have seen plenty of recent glory on the hallowed ground of Mugello.

Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) will be well aware of that and, despite crashing out at Le Mans, was fast once again. Too fast for everyone except Bastianini. So was it Pecco under pressure? A freak fall? A mistake that looked incredibly unlikely after his performance in Jerez? We’ll start to find out at Mugello. Teammate Jack Miller, meanwhile, arrives from another podium just not the top step this time around, and he’ll want to keep reasserting his authority as a surefire contender at the front – with some bad luck and a tougher start to the season seemingly behind him.

At Pramac Racing, there are two sides to the coin. Johann Zarco put in a solid ride on home ground, whereas Jorge Martin suffered another DNF in a difficult run in 2022, the Spaniard still suffering from the after effects of his big crash last year. What can they do on the team’s home turf? The same question can be asked of Mooney VR46 Racing Team too, as rookie Marco Bezzecchi continues to lead the fight for Rookie of the Year and continues to impress. What will he and teammate Luca Marini have in the locker at Mugello?

Home turf also comes into the equation for Aprilia. Maverick Viñales continues his learning curve, but the Noale Factory continue to impress pretty much everyone with Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing). Concessions somehow seem a distant memory already as the Spaniard and the RS-GP continue fighting for – and taking – podiums, and Mugello will be an interesting one with the long, long straight. Aleix Espargaro’s run is such that he can join only two other riders on the grid if he takes a fourth podium in a row too, with only eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) and former sparring partner Andrea Dovizioso (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP™) having achieved that in the current field.

Speaking of Yamaha, we can take a look back to 2021 for what they can do at Mugello. And then back to Jorge Lorenzo’s incredible record there, and before that back to Valentino Rossi’s five in a row. Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) is on form too – fighting as he said he would for every position – and he remains in a lonelier postcode compared to his fellow YZR-M1 riders. So does 2021 offer any portents of 2022? Or is it the tougher return to the likes of Losail that offer more clues? We’ll find out, with the long straight one thing likely on El Diablo’s mind, as well as those of Dovizioso and Franco Moribidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™).

The ballad of the inline four is also sung by Suzuki, and we’ve already seen both Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and teammate and 2020 Champion Joan Mir go well at the venue even up against the V4 grunt down the straight. Mir was on the podium last year too, which could bode well as the factory return to Tuscany looking to bounce back from a difficult French GP with two DNFs. Can they get back into the podium fight?

Honda, meanwhile, arrive still looking to find the zone for man and machine, as does Marc Marquez. What can the factory get out of the new RC213V at Mugello? The number 93 has continued his record of finishing as top Honda of late and fought for the podium at Jerez, but then Le Mans was a tougher one. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) was the closest though as he made a step forward in France, with Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) and Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) now looking for the same. Is Mugello, another new venue, another chance to make a step?

Finally, at KTM the tougher 2022 continues, but so does the work to get back to the front. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) has impressed nearly every weekend so far, and the South African seems to be able to wring every last drop out of Sunday. Can he do that at Mugello? Teammate Miguel Oliveira is also looking to find more speed and consistency in the dry, but the Austrian factory already know what it takes to win and they’re looking to return to the rostrum ASAP. Can Mugello offer a chance to move forward again after a podium for Oliveira at the venue last year?

We’ll find out on Sunday, with the spectacular Tuscan hills ready to receive the world’s fastest motorcycle racing Championship in style. Fans are back, the legend awaits and there’s nothing quite like Mugello, so make sure to join us on Sunday at 14:00 (GMT +2) for a date with a difference.

MotoGP™ CHAMPIONSHIP: TOP 5

1 Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) – Yamaha – 102

2 Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) – Aprilia – 98

3 Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) – Ducati – 94

4 Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) – Suzuki – 69

5 Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – 62

 

Vietti & Arbolino hunt for glory on home ground

They’ve both already won this year, and now it’s time for Moto2™ to take on the fabled Mugello

After another different winner in Le Mans as Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) got back on the top step for the first time since 2019, the Moto2™ grid return to Tuscany for another stunning showdown. Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) remains ahead in the standings despite being forced into some damage limitation at Le Mans, and it’ll be a big weekend for the number 13 with home turf pressure. The same is true in some ways of Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team), although the COTA winner has a little less to lose as it stands. So who’ll be in their way at Mugello?

Fernandez will likely have an extra boost of confidence after that long wait for another victory, and so too will teammate Pedro Acosta despite crashing out. Crashing out from the lead after taking a lap record pole is a different beast to crashing from the middle of the points, and the rookie will be one to watch. He can still also equal Marc Marquez’ record as youngest intermediate class winner…

Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) was back on song in France too, and teammate Ai Ogura remains quick. Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) will want to bounce back after ruling himself out in France, and Jake Dixon (Solunion GASGAS Aspar Team) crashed after being quick once again. Cameron Beaubier (American Racing), meanwhile, is in a rich vein of form – and he’ll want to take that maiden podium.

And then there’s Aron Canet (Flexbox HP 40). The Moto2™ man of steel followed up his Jerez podium with another, on the best streak of results he’s had in the intermediate class and despite that injury. He says riding with zero pressure – as taking podiums should be a superhuman endeavour anyway, given his injury – has changed his mindset, and so far the proof of the thinking is very much in the racing. The bow tie remains, however, and he says Mugello is a tougher track for him. Can he make at least a little more magic in Italy?

Vietti is under pressure, Arbolino joins him as the two fastest home heroes as we stand, and the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello awaits a fast field of rivals looking to ruin their party. Will they? They’ll also have wildcard Mattia Pasini in at GASGAS – a man whose record at Mugello needs no introduction –  to contend with, so the field is primed for a stunner. Tune in when the lights go out for Moto2 at 12:20, so make sure to tune in!

Moto2™ CHAMPIONSHIP: TOP 5

1 Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) – Kalex – 108

2 Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) – Kalex – 92

3 Aron Canet (Flexbox HP 40) – Kalex – 89

4 Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) – Kalex – 70

5 Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – Kalex – 69

 

Foggia leads the home hero charge at Mugello

The Italian already ruled the venue last year, but there will be serious competition – not least of all from Masia on a roll

It’s time to suit and boot up for the stunning Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello, and Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) comes into the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley from a tougher run in 2022, but the Italian is a previous winner at Mugello and remains in the top echelons of the Championship. Now third overall although equal on points with second, Tuscany would be a great place to hit back against the likes of Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Championship leader Sergio Garcia (Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team). So can he do it?

Foggia is joined by Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) as the two previous winners at the venue, and the two veteran Italians – and Honda riders – will be pushing to get back to their early season form at the first home race of the season. They should be counted out, but then there’s one rider on a super roll as of now: Masia.

The Spaniard has always been quick, but in 2022 he’s added consistency and his mental game seems stronger than ever. With four podiums in a row for the first time ever, nothing says anyone should bet against a fifth. He also has two podiums at Mugello…

Garcia, meanwhile, remains a threat. Championship leader through a mixture of glory and consistency – the latter never getting in the way of the Spaniard making a late race attack – he remains the rider to beat in 2022, and his teammate is no slouch either. It’s easy to assume Jerez winner Izan Guevara will always be at the front now, but the Spaniard has earned his stripes with some impressive performances and there’s no reason to assume he won’t serve up another.

The other rider on a roll is Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max). Once again just missing that maiden win at Le Mans, the Japanese rider’s step forward in 2022 nevertheless continues to impress. Last season was derailed through injury and no fault of his own, but 2022 Sasaki is quick, consistent and impressive… so surely it’s just a matter of time?

With the long straight at Mugello, Moto3™ is bound to be a freight train fight. But who will be conductor remains to be decided, with plenty fast riders looking for those valuable 25 points. Who’ll come out on top? Tune in for Tuscany at 11:00 (GMT +2) on Sunday to find out!

Moto3™ CHAMPIONSHIP: TOP 5

1 Sergio Garcia (Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team) – GASGAS – 112

2 Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – KTM – 95

3 Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) – Honda – 95

4 Izan Guevara (Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team) – GASGAS – 89

5 Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) – Husqvarna – 75

Northern Talent Cup: American-Born Moor Wins Race Two At Oschersleben

Hungarian-American Rossi Moor (92) leading Matteo Masili (46) and Dustin Schneider (20) during Race Two at Oschersleben. Photo courtesy Northern Talent Cup.
Hungarian-American Rossi Moor (92) leading Matteo Masili (46) and Dustin Schneider (20) during Race Two at Oschersleben. Photo courtesy Northern Talent Cup.
NTC_2022_OSC_Race_2_Full_Results

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by Northern Talent Cup:

Moor wins three-way fight for Race 2

The Hungarian comes out on top with a last lap move to defeat Masili

Rossi Moor (FAIRIUM Next Generation Riders Team) struck on the last lap for his second win of the season, passing teammate Matteo Masili and able to keep the door shut to the line. Dustin Schneider (Goblin Racing), who was fastest in testing at the venue, completed the podium as the top three escaped for a rostrum-deciding showdown.

Off the line it was Moor who got the holeshot and the Hungarian soon escaped from the pack, with Masili and Schneider for company. There was drama early on though as Noa Cuypers (Junior Black Knights) crashed out leaving Tibor Varga (Forty Racing) nowhere to go, and a few more riders evading or tumbling out. But all ok, and Loris Veneman (TeamNL Open Line) facing a fight back to the front.

Once that dust had settled, Race 1 winner Lennoxx Phommara (Phommara Team) was holding fourth in some space just off the front three, ahead of a big group fight for the last place in the top five. But then the Swiss rider slid out, leaving one three-way fight for the win. And, as ever, it went down to the final lap.

Masili started that final lap in the lead and the Italian held firm until the end of the back straight, where Moor made his move. The Hungarian made it stick too, and there was no way back for his teammate as the number 92 took win number two of his season. Masili impressed with the podium finish in second, however, as did home rider Schneider as he took third and his first rostrum too.

Jurrien van Crugten (BB64 Academy) won the fight for fourth ahead of Le Mans winner Kevin Farkas (Agria Racing Team), with Rocco Sessler (MCA Racing) just thousandths further back. Martin Vincze ((Chrobák Motorsport Egyesület), Luca Göttlicher (JRP Junior Academy Team), Maxime Schmid (Team Schmid), Julius Coenen (HJRT – Helena und Julius Racing Team) and Kilian Holzer (HK Racing) locked out a super tight group down to 11th, with Veneman taking P12.

That’s all Oschersleben wrote, and now it’s time for the NTC to head for the Sachsenring in a month. Join us for more then, back alongside MotoGP™!

MotoAmerica: Twins Cup Race Two Results From VIR

VIRginia International Raceway. Photo courtesy of VIR.
VIRginia International Raceway. Photo courtesy of VIR.
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MotoAmerica: Medallia Superbike Race Two Results From VIR (Updated)

VIRginia International Raceway. Photo courtesy of VIR.
VIRginia International Raceway. Photo courtesy of VIR.
22_4_VIR_SBK_R2_res
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More, from a press release issued by MotoAmerica:

Gagne Perfect With Two Victories In MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike at VIR

The Defending MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Champion Wins His Third Straight Race

 

Jake Gagne (1) leads Mathew Scholtz (11), Danilo Petrucci (9), and the rest of the MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike field early in Race Two at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
Jake Gagne (1) leads Mathew Scholtz (11), Danilo Petrucci (9), and the rest of the MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike field early in Race Two at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.

 

DANVILLE, VA (May 22, 2022) – Last year at VIRginia International Raceway, Jake Gagne not only won both races, he dominated them, winning race one and two by 11.8 and 13.9 seconds, respectively. The two VIR races were his biggest margins of victory in a season that saw him win 17 races.

Gagne again leaves Virginia with two MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike wins at one of his favorite racetracks, but this time, the margins of victory were much closer – 2.9 seconds on Saturday, 3.2 seconds on Sunday. And he freely admits that his rivals have gained a bit of ground on him. He also admits that he’s in favor of it and likes the fact that 2022 looks to be a 180 from last year in terms of the speed of his competition.

“There’s no such thing as those big eight-second leads anymore,” Gagne said, post victory. “Every half-10th or 10th, I’ll take it. These guys are all stepping it up this year. I’m excited. I think we’re all excited. It’s going to be some good battling. I think we’ll put on a show. It will be a little bit more exciting than some of the races last year. As much as I love cruising around at the front, I love battling, too. I love racing these boys.”

With Gagne and his Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha YZF-R1 winning race two on Sunday to complete his perfect weekend, Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz finished second. Again. This time Scholtz wasn’t overly upset with his fifth runner-up finish of the year. After all, he’d destroyed his A bike in a morning warm-up crash, forcing his crew to try and replicate the setup on the second bike.

Third place went to MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship leader Danilo Petrucci, the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC-backed Italian crossing the line just .020 of a second behind Scholtz as the pair raced to the finish line together. What happened next is still a bit of a mystery, but Petrucci crashed the Panigale V4 R in the fast turn one after the finish line and suffered a laceration on a leg that required stiches. Petrucci was in the medical center and missed the podium ceremonies.

The scrap for second lasted the entire race and featured Scholtz, Petrucci and Gagne’s teammate Cameron Petersen. Petersen was dropped from the battle in the closing laps and finished fourth, 1.5 seconds behind Scholtz/Petrucci.

Tytlers Cycle Racing’s PJ Jacobsen finished fifth on his BMW M 1000 RR and was challenged to the end by the pair of Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzukis ridden by Richie Escalante and Jake Lewis. Escalante ended up .270 of a second behind Jacobsen in sixth and .257 of a second ahead of seventh-placed Lewis.

Aftercare Hayes Scheibe Racing’s Ashton Yates ended a solid weekend with an eighth-place finish, ahead of the second Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW ridden by Spaniard Hector Barbera. Tenth place went to a lonely Travis Wyman on his Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC Racing BMW.

With three rounds (and six races) complete in the 2022 season, Petrucci’s lead has shrunk to 4 points over Scholtz, 104-100. Gagne, meanwhile, has vaulted himself to third in the championship chase, 13 points behind the Italian. Petersen is fourth, 13 behind Gagne. Barbera sits fifth – and is still the only rider in the top five to have scored points in every round.

Jake Gagne – Winner

“I think, in the beginning at least, the pace was a little quicker. I think all of us, at least me, for sure. I was a little surprised that the pace yesterday wasn’t what I was hoping. We didn’t make a lot of changes. We were a little off on tire pressure yesterday, I think. We definitely knew that. So, with that little bit of a tire pressure adjustment, I was able to run the times I wanted to a little bit easier in the beginning. Those first five, six, seven, eight laps were pretty strong. I didn’t make any mistakes. I could see I was just inching out on those guys. Going through turn four or five or whatever you’ve got that big screen and sometimes I could go through there and I saw Mat (Scholtz), Danilo (Petrucci), Cam (Petersen), all in a good battle there for second. So, I just tried to keep an eye on my pit board. Just like yesterday, mistakes can happen easily when it’s that slick out there towards the end, but these Dunlops held up good and this Yamaha… I’m just stoked that I get to ride this bike every weekend. I’ve got the best team that I could ask for behind me. I’m happy we made a little progress today because I knew we needed it. Everybody would be stepping it up. It’s good to get another win.”

Mathew Scholtz – Second

“If you had told me last night I would take another second today, I probably would have punched you in the face. I’m tired of getting seconds. But after this morning’s crash, I’ll happily take it. The bike was totaled. We have a totally different tank, which I had to get used to. We haven’t done a single lap on the bigger tank with the weight over the front tire. It’s just a completely different bike, really. Just the first couple laps, I was sensitive out there. We were pretty similar in most of the corners, but there were two or three corners where he would pull out probably one and a half tenths just in those corners. For the rest of the track, I felt we were similar in maybe one or two corners. I would catch him by a bike length, but for the most part on those parts where he was strong, he was a lot stronger. Just really happy to take second after battling and seeing the board with plus 0.1 for 15 laps straight and just hearing Cam’s (Petersen) bike, Danilo’s (Petrucci) bike. Danilo passed me one time and kind of pushed me a little bit wide, which I wasn’t the happiest with because we were upright braking. I passed him back and started riding my own pace to make sure I got out of the corners well and broke late. I was kind of hoping with braking late and kind of parking the bike that Danilo and Cam would start fighting and help me a little bit. A massive thank you to the Westby team. The bike was totaled, so for them to bring out the second bike and put the settings on it and for me to finish second, I couldn’t be happier. To Tryg (Westby) who runs this whole team. He’s the main guy behind this whole project. He’s put his heart and soul into this team and me for the last five or six years now. If it wasn’t for him, I’d be back home waiting tables or something. I’m just living the dream here. Happy to be up here with Jake (Gagne) and battling with Danilo, a world-class rider. It’s just incredible stuff. I’m really happy. The next race, Road America, I have struggled there previously so we need to try to figure something out there and hopefully I’ll be challenging Jake.”

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by Ducati North America:

Danilo Petrucci Retains Points Lead at VIR

Danilo Petrucci Podium’s at VIR During Sweltering Weekend in Virginia

 

Danilo Petrucci (9). Photo courtesy Ducati.
Danilo Petrucci (9). Photo courtesy Ducati.

 

Sunnyvale, Calif., May 22, 2022 – Danilo Petrucci (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC) rode through the sweltering temperatures at VIRginia International Raceway to grab some additional points and retain the MotAmerica Superbike lead.

The effort was unstoppable as the Italian started the weekend strong, qualifying fourth before finishing fourth in race one, and taking the final podium spot in race two.

This was the V4 R rider’s second time on the track, the former MotoGP rider getting up to speed quickly.  He battled both days and finished Sunday’s race two 3.264 seconds behind the rider who chases him in the points, Jake Gagne (Yamaha).

Although Gagne won, Petrucci retains the lead with 104 points, four ahead of Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha).

The MotoAmerica series now breaks for two weeks before heading to Road America in Wisconsin.

2022 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship Standing – Top 5

P1 – Danilo Petrucci (Ducati) 104

P2 – Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha) 100

P3 – Jake Gagne (Yamaha) 91

P4– Cameron Petersen (Yamaha) 78

P5 – Hector Barbera (BMW) 63

Danilo Petrucci (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC – Ducati #9): “It’s been a tough weekend. Friday the V4 R was feeling good, then today I tried to stay with the other riders and was able to get the V4 R into a top position. This Ducati works, and I’m looking forward to Road America.”

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by Westby Racing:

Two Runner-Up Results For Scholtz At VIR Bring Him To Within Four Points Of Superbike Lead    

 

Mathew Scholtz (11) leads Cameron Petersen (45) and Danilo Petrucci (9) during Race Two at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Westby Racing.
Mathew Scholtz (11) leads Cameron Petersen (45) and Danilo Petrucci (9) during Race Two at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Westby Racing.

 

Alton, VA – May 22, 2022 – After finishing second in Saturday’s Superbike race one at VIRginia International Raceway, Mathew Scholtz and his Westby Racing team showed championship-level grit and determination in overcoming Sunday-morning adversity to finish as runner-up in the afternoon’s Superbike race two. The two second-place finishes have put Mathew just four points behind championship leader Danilo Petrucci.

Mathew benefitted this weekend from some new parts on his #11 Yamaha YZF-R1, but a crash in Sunday morning warmup made the bike unrideable in the afternoon’s race. The team went to work and prepared a replacement R1 Superbike for him to ride, but they were unable to put the new parts on the bike.

Undeterred, Mathew rose to the challenge in Superbike race two. Starting from the middle of the front row, “The Scholtz Kid” withstood a strong challenge from Petrucci, who is a former MotoGP race winner, and ultimately crossed the finish line in second place, just a little more than three seconds adrift of race winner Jake Gagne.

“I’m definitely a little tired of finishing second, but after this morning’s crash, I’ll happily take it,” commented Mathew. “The bike was totaled. We have a completely different fuel tank, which I had to get used to. And, before the race, we hadn’t done a single lap on the bigger tank with the weight over the front tire. It’s just a totally different bike. So, for the first couple of laps, I had to adapt to the different bike. Jake (Gagne) and I were pretty similar in most of the corners, but there were two or three corners where he would pull out, probably, one-and-a-half tenths just in those corners. For the rest of the track, I felt we were similar in maybe one or two corners. I would catch him by a bike length, but for the most part, where he was strong, he was a lot stronger. Just really happy to take second after battling and seeing the board with plus 0.1 for 15 laps straight and just hearing Cam’s (Petersen) bike and Danilo’s (Petrucci) bike behind me. Danilo passed me one time and kind of pushed me a little bit wide, which I wasn’t the happiest with because we were upright braking. I passed him back and started riding my own pace to make sure I got out of the corners well and got on the brakes late. I was hoping that, with braking late and kind of parking the bike, Danilo and Cam would start battling with each other and help me a little bit. A massive thank you to the Westby team. The bike was totaled this morning, so for them to bring out the second bike and put the settings on it and for me to finish second, I couldn’t be happier. To Tryg (Westby) who runs this whole team. He’s the main guy behind this whole project. He’s put his heart and soul into this team and me for the past five or six years now. If it wasn’t for him, I’d be back home waiting tables or something. I’m just living the dream here. Happy to be up here with Jake and battling with Danilo, a world-class rider. It’s just incredible stuff. I’m really happy. The next race, Road America, I have struggled there previously so we need to try to figure something out there and, hopefully, I’ll be challenging Jake.”

The Westby Racing team will be back in action for round four of the 2022 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship, which takes place at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, on June 3 through 5.

MotoAmerica Superbike Standings

1. Danilo Petrucci – Ducati – 104

2. Mathew Scholtz – Yamaha – 100

3. Jake Gagne – Yamaha – 91

4. Cameron Petersen – Yamaha – 78

5. Hector Barbera – BMW – 63

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.

JuniorGP World Championship: Alonso, Rueda Split Wins At Valencia

David Alonso (80) leads Jose Rueda (99), David Salvador (38), and the rest of the field during JuniorGP Race One at Valencia. Photo courtesy JrGP.
David Alonso (80) leads Jose Rueda (99), David Salvador (38), and the rest of the field during JuniorGP Race One at Valencia. Photo courtesy JrGP.

Editorial Notes: Canadian Torin Collins finished 22nd in JuniorGP World Championship Race One but DNF Race Two. American Kristian Daniel Jr. DNF European Talent Cup Race One and then finished 24th in Race Two.

 

100% records extended as Alonso and Rueda share JuniorGP™ victories 

Tulovic continued his perfect start to 2022 in Valencia as a new title leader emerges in JuniorGP™

On a phenomenal day of action in the Finetwork FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship, David Alonso (Aspar Team) and Jose Rueda (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) shared the JuniorGP™ class spoils by claiming Race 1 and Race 2 victories respectively at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo. Lukas Tulovic (Liqui Moly Intact GP Junior) won the only Moto2™ European Championship race of the day as Joel Esteban (Aspar Team) emerged victorious from Race 1 in Valencia in the Hawkers European Talent Cup, but a late disqualification from Race 2 for a technical infringement for the Spaniard meant Maximo Martinez (Team Honda Laglisse) took the 25 points.

The race for JuniorGP™ Race 1 victory came down to the final lap and making a classy move stick at the final corner was Alonso, who edged out comeback king Angel Piqueras (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) by just 0.030s – the latter coming from the back of the grid to earn a podium. Third place went to David Salvador (Laglisse Academy) as the Spaniard added to his P3 in Estoril, with Rueda taking away P4 from Race 1.

Race 2 followed a similar pattern; a cracking battle that went right down to the wire. Coming out on top this time around was Rueda who had spearheaded the pack for most of the race, as we saw Fillipo Farioli (Aspar Team) – a crasher in Race 1 from the lead – and Salvador standing on the rostrum. Leading the Championship after Race 1, Alonso crashed at the final corner but managed to remount and cross the line P7. But having won from pole, Rueda heads to Barcelona as the title race leader.

The fight for victory in the Moto2™ ECh was between Tulovic and Alex Escrig (Yamaha Philippines Stylobike) after Senna Agius (Promoracing) crashed out of the lead at Turn 12 in the early exchanges. Tulovic went on to win by 1.1s to extend his Championship lead, with the final podium place going to Xavi Cardelus (Promoracing) after a good scrap with Yeray Ruiz (FAU55 TEY Racing). The Stock honours went the way of Marco Tapia (Easyrace Team) after the Spaniard crossed the line in P10.

After a Dodo Boggio (Aspar Team) crash at 11 brought out the red flags, a five-lap dash decided Race 1 in the Hawkers ETC. Two tenths split the top four but it was once again Esteban who managed to fend off the competition for his third straight win, as Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 teammates Brian Uriarte and Rico Salmela – from the back of the grid – completed the podium ahead of fourth place Guido Pini (AC Racing Team).

Race 2 ended up being a bit more straight forward for Esteban. Contact between Uriarte and Pini caused the leading group to be broken up, and from there on, Esteban stretched his advantage to eventually take the chequered flag by more than 2.9s. However, a technical infringement saw his fourth win stripped, so after a mechanical problem in Race 1 and Long Lap penalty in Race 2, reigning Champion Martinez got his first points of the season on the board with P1 in what was a photo finish between himself and Pini in second. Boggio was promoted to P3 after his teammate’s post-race misfortunes, as Esteban heads to Barcelona with a 13-point lead in the overall standings.

 

 

MotoAmerica: Supersport Race Two Results From VIR (Updated)

VIRginia International Raceway. Photo courtesy of VIR.
VIRginia International Raceway. Photo courtesy of VIR.
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More, from a press release issued by MotoAmerica:

Close Racing Is The MotoAmerica Order Of The Day At VIR

Herrin Takes Supersport Thriller Over Hayes At VIRginia International Raceway

DANVILLE, VA (May 22, 2022) – Five races were held in support of the premiere MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike series on Sunday at VIRginia International Raceway. The average margin of victory for those five races was 1.3 seconds. Throw away Hayden Gillim’s “runaway” win of 5.5 seconds in the Yuasa Stock 1000 race and that average margin drops to an incredible .25 of a second.

The closest finish was in the Supersport class with Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC’s Josh Herrin beating Squid Hunter’s Josh Hayes by just .032 of a second in a race that featured over 20 leader changes in its 19 laps.

Yuasa Stock 1000 – Gillim Does It Again

 

Hayden Gillim (69) leads Geoff May (99), Michael Gilbert (55), and the rest of the field in Yuasa Stock 1000 Race Two at VIR. Gillim captured the win, his second of the weekend. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
Hayden Gillim (69) leads Geoff May (99), Michael Gilbert (55), and the rest of the field in Yuasa Stock 1000 Race Two at VIR. Gillim captured the win, his second of the weekend. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.

 

The final day of Superbikes at Virginia kicked off with Yuasa Stock 1000 race two, and Disrupt Racing Suzuki rider Hayden Gillim made the most of the weekend. The Kentuckian won both Yuasa Stock 1000 races in an impressive performance for the veteran rider who has returned to MotoAmerica in 2022 as a full-time racer after an extended hiatus. Gillim overcame a few bike “gremlins” during the early part of the race, but the technical issue resolved itself, and he was able to go to the front and stay there.

VisionWheel/DiscountTire/KWS Honda’s Geoff May finished second, a little over five-and-a-half seconds behind Gillim. The surprise of the day was Uruguayan rider Maximiliano Gerardo, who made the first podium visit of his MotoAmerica career after finishing third aboard his PDR Motorsports Kawasaki.

“It was a pretty good start,” Gillim said. “I was right there with the guys and made a couple passes on the first lap. I don’t know what happened when we were coming down the front straight on lap two or something. I started coming through the kink, and the bike just shut off on me. I was giving it gas, giving it gas, trying to get it to go again. I was worried that the guys were going to smoke me from behind. Then, all of a sudden, it took off. Then, I made it another lap around, get into the kink, and it shuts off again. It did it a couple laps in a row, and then one lap, it did it to me coming down the little short-chute down into seven. I ended up breaking the windscreen with my helmet. All of a sudden, I started short-shifting into sixth going into the kink. I don’t know why. I don’t know what was going on. Once I kind of got it sorted out, I knew just from having to catch up in the infield that I had a little bit of pace. Bike was feeling really good. Yesterday, I had a little bit of front-end chatter and we ended up going to the hard front tire today, the 7455 that Dunlop has. That fixed a lot of it for us. It just felt more stable under braking. That’s where I felt really good, was under the brakes. I ended up getting out front and just tried to push. I dropped the lap times a little bit, and then all of a sudden, the pit board showed plus three. I could see the screen over here in turn five or whatever and I came through there the next lap, and I saw Michael (Gilbert) walking. I ended up seeing that he had crashed. From there, I just tried to manage it and make sure to bring it home. It’s a long season, and to bring home two wins is awesome for the team.”

Royal Enfield’s Build. Train Race. – Buyck Wins In Debut

Royal Enfield’s Build. Train Race. program had its first road race of the 2022 season, and Kayleigh Buyck was the standout of the weekend. The Central New Yorker led every practice session, both qualifying sessions, and she won the race by just a little over eight-tenths of a second over runner-up Crystal Martinez who made great strides in her riding over the course of the weekend. Third-place finisher Chloe Peterson also lowered her lap times dramatically over the weekend, and she was delighted to make it onto the podium.

“From day one in Roadracing World, they were all just posting articles about pole position,” Buyck said. “It does add a lot of stress. I know so many people here that came out to watch. That’s added stress. It just makes you that much more nervous. I’m grateful to have that many people behind me, supporting me, cheering me on, but at the same time just don’t talk to me until after the race weekend. It’s cool to see all the postings and everything. This whole program is going to make females in the sport. I feel like a lot of people don’t understand that we built the bikes ourselves. We put so much into this that some of the other racers don’t. We get a bike stock delivered in the box and we have to strip it down and build it to the race spec. So, I feel like a lot of people don’t understand the work that we have all put in to be here today. Sweat, blood, tears. Every single female here deserves to be up on the podium. They’ve worked so hard to get here today. My crash this morning was pretty rough. That took a toll. My elbow is hurting pretty bad. It set in like halfway through the race that I started to get sore. Eric busted his butt with me to get the bike back together, so it’s not as pretty anymore but it got the job done. All the mechanics, we had someone blow a motor this weekend. They deserve way more credit I think than they get, swapping motors during the day. We got my bike from trashed to being able to put it on the box within a couple hours. So, I’m so thankful for them. I know these girls are too. The whole program, thanks everyone for watching. Definitely helps and makes us feel a lot better about ourselves.”

SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup – Van Wins, Then DQd

 

Max Van (48) leads Yandel Medina (39) and Gus Rodio (96) in SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup Race Two. Van won on track but was later disqualified when his bike failed a post-race technical inspection, giving the victory to Cody Wyman. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
Max Van (48) leads Yandel Medina (39) and Gus Rodio (96) in SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup Race Two. Van won on track but was later disqualified when his bike failed a post-race technical inspection, giving the victory to Cody Wyman. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.

 

SportbikeTrackGear.com Kawasaki rider Max Van is having a breakthrough season in the STG Junior Cup Championship. He won one of the Junior Cup races at Road Atlanta to start the season, and then, he followed that up by winning Saturday’s race one at VIR. In Sunday’s race two, he got the victory again, this time by just three-tenths of a second over Alpha Omega Kawasaki rider Cody Wyman, who came back from a crash in race one to land on the middle step of the podium on Sunday. Third place went to Calishine Racing Kawasaki rider Aden Thao, who reached the podium for the first time in his MotoAmerica career at Atlanta and repeated the feat at VIR.

“I felt like I had really good pace throughout the race,” Van said. “Towards the end, I started to make a couple mistakes because I was figuring out where do I want to be on the last lap. I tried a couple things and there were a couple laps coming across the line when I was leading out of the last corner that Kayla (Yaakov), Cody, nobody could draft me, then there were some times that I could. So, I knew I had to get a good drive. Towards the end of the race, I made a mistake. I almost high-sided twice. I felt like that set me back a little bit, but who knows? It could have done me good. I had a good drag coming out of the front straightaway. Going into the kink, I saw Cody try to come around the outside of me. I was like, ‘All right, let’s get a little close and see what we can do,’ and that’s what we did. I just want to say thank you to my whole team for putting a great bike underneath me all weekend. It handled great. This morning I had a little get-off. I didn’t even make a lap in warmup. My dad threw the bike together. Same with my crew member, Dave. Threw it together in less than two hours. I’m very thankful for them. I can’t wait for Road America.”

UPDATE: Following a post-race technical inspection, Max Van’s Kawasaki was found to be illegal, and he was subsequently disqualified. As a result, Cody Wyman was declared the winner of Sunday’s Junior Cup race two, Aden Thao was moved up to second, and Gus Rodio was credited with third.

Supersport – Herrin’s Redemption

 

Josh Herrin (2) leads Josh Hayes (4), Tyler Scott (70), Sam Lochoff (44), and the rest en route to victory in an extremely close and action-packed Supersport Race Two at VIR on Sunday. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
Josh Herrin (2) leads Josh Hayes (4), Tyler Scott (70), Sam Lochoff (44), and the rest en route to victory in an extremely close and action-packed Supersport Race Two at VIR on Sunday. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.

 

After an eventful Supersport race one on Saturday, in which Squid Hunter Yamaha’s Josh Hayes notched his 84th all-time AMA win after battling with Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC’s Josh Herrin, the two combatants were back on Sunday for race two. This time around, Herrin and Hayes swapped positions at the front without incident. Herrin prevailed over his former teammate Hayes and took the checkers just three-tenths of a second over Hayes. Sixteen-year-old phenom Tyler Scott, meanwhile, had another great result, finishing on the podium for the second day in a row aboard his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki and raising a few eyebrows about the level of talent in the young man.

“Yesterday, I think I just was mad at myself for the mistake that I made going into one. I was bummed at Josh (Hayes) in the moment for the pass going into one,” Herrin said. “I felt like he came over to the left on me. That, to me, is the hardest thing to do to somebody. I would only do that to him whenever I’m really angry. In his eyes maybe he didn’t, but maybe he backed into me. I thought it was like that. I said some stuff in the moment that I shouldn’t have said. Josh is a legend of the sport, and I should just show respect for him and know that he wasn’t doing anything malicious, because he’s never done that to me before in the last ten years. Then when I got back to the hotel, I was just getting blown up by stuff on social media about the pass on (Sam) Lochoff, and Brandon Paasch running his mouth like he does nonstop all the time. Lochoff posting stuff about me. Got people texting me. It’s impossible for me to ever put my phone down. I really need to work on that. Today I just used it to fuel the fire a little bit, and it seemed like it paid off. It was good seeing him as far back as he was. It’s not fun coming to Race Control and having to deal with stuff like that in the morning right before the race. It’s funny. The team that was complaining about it is the same team that, 15 years ago, was purposely T-boning me all the time on the track, and now they’re the ones that are complaining when I think it was a safe pass. MotoAmerica removes the announcing of Pridmore talking about how clean the pass was just to get a reaction out of the fans, and it frustrated me. But, today was great. I’m super happy that we were able to get to win because yesterday was tough. Like I said on the podium, Josh has been somebody that’s waxed me my whole career. It’s been a lot of lucky wins for me. No matter what anybody says or no matter how close we got last year, it’s just something that fuels me all the time. When he’s here, especially when I listened to his podcast on Friday and he said that the lap times weren’t impressive at Road Atlanta, it just got me bummed out and wanted to come here and get a fight. We got one today. I’m happy that it was clean and fun. I hope these guys keep coming because it’s good for the series, it’s good for the class. Josh is a fan favorite for sure and brings a lot of people out to the races. Thank you to my team and thank you to KATO fasteners for being a big support for us. This is their local race. I’m bummed they didn’t get to make it out. Can’t wait to go to Road America.”

Twins Cup – Barry Perfect

 

Jody Barry (11) beat Hayden Schultz (49) and James Rispoli (behind Schultz) in Twins Cup Race Two. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
Jody Barry (11) beat Hayden Schultz (49) and James Rispoli (behind Schultz) in Twins Cup Race Two. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.

 

Veloce Racing Aprilia’s Jody Barry was another rider who had a perfect weekend. The Illinois-based rider won Twins Cup race one on Saturday, and then, he repeated the feat with another win on Sunday despite being punted off the track by Teagg Hobbs after the race was red-flagged by another incident. Barry shared the podium with the same two riders as he did in race one, but the order of finish was swapped. Cycle Tech teammates Hayden Schultz and James Rispoli finished second and third, respectively, after Rispoli was second and Schultz was third on Saturday.

“First race stint, I didn’t have a quick shifter, so I completely botched the start, which caused me to get caught up around the fifth-place area. Everybody was drafting and out-braking each other. It was a blast. Going into turn one, James came up the inside of a couple guys, so I let him do his thing, and then next thing you know, I just got taken out by Teagg. Kind of a bummer. I was super fortunate. I hope everybody is okay from the red flag, but I was super fortunate that they threw the red flag so I could get the bike back in and the crew could get it back going. We only really got one lap in the first stint, but as far as front-end grip goes, the track was really greasy. Front end grip was a little different for me. Whether that had anything to do with the crash, I couldn’t really say right now. But it all worked out for the best, I guess.”

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by Ducati North America:

Herrin Takes The Race Two Win at VIR to Extend His Supersport Lead

From Fourth to First, Josh Herrin Continues His Lead Aboard the Panigale V2

 

Josh Herrin (2). Photo courtesy Ducati North America.
Josh Herrin (2). Photo courtesy Ducati North America.

 

Sunnyvale, Calif., May 22, 2022 – Josh Herrin didn’t worry about much as he took his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC Panigale V2 to just outside the finish line in race one and embraced the win in race two at VIRginia International Raceway.

Under sweltering conditions, he rode his V2 to victory in the second race, obtaining yet another win. The Ducatisti grabbed the Supersport checkered flag in race two by 0.32 seconds of his old rival, Squid Hunter Yamaha’s Josh Hayes.

Despite the pressure of many riders, Herrin extended his lead in the MotoAmerica Supersport Championship to 88 points, 31 ahead of Samuel Lochoff ( Yamaha).

2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship Standing – Top 5

P1 – Josh Herrin (Ducati) 88

P2 –Samuel Lochoff  (Suzuki) 57

P3– Rocco Landers (Yamaha) 56

P4 – Tyler Scott (Suzuki) 47

P5 – Josh Hayes (Yamaha) 45

Josh Herrin (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC – Ducati #2) : “The track was tough, but the Panigale V2 worked well. We went from off the podium to the winner. The V2 did its job, and I’m looking forward to the next round at Road America – the Panigale V2 will work well there just as it did in Virginia.!”

British Superbike: Race Two & Three Results From Donington Park (Updated)

Donington Park. Photo courtesy Michelin.
Donington Park. Photo courtesy Michelin.
SBK R2
 SBK R3
 SBK Points after R3

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by MotorSport Vision Racing:

‘The O’Show’ takes centre stage: O’Halloran does the double at Donington Park

 

Jason O'Halloran (22) celebrates a British Superbike race victory at Donington Park. Photo courtesy MSVR.
Jason O’Halloran (22) celebrates a British Superbike race victory at Donington Park. Photo courtesy MSVR.

 

Jason O’Halloran celebrated winning the Milwaukee King of Donington trophy in style at the third round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship, doubling up on victories for McAMS Yamaha to launch himself up to second in the overall standings.

In the second race of the weekend, O’Halloran was determined to make amends for missing out on victory in yesterday’s eBay Sprint race to Kyle Ryde by just 0.038s at the chequered flag. The Australian did it in style as ‘The O’Show’ did the double, after becoming the fifth different race winner of the season.

Race two got underway with O’Halloran launching into the lead at Redgate ahead of the Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha pairing of Bradley Ray and Kyle Ryde.

On the second lap, Ray claimed the lead and that left O’Halloran under attack from Ryde, who made his move on lap three. However, there was disappointment for the local contender as he crashed out at Mcleans on the sixth lap.

The leading trio then became O’Halloran, Ray and Jackson as they had gapped the chasing pack. In the closing stages, O’Halloran had the pace to have an advantage over Ray as he took his first win for McAMS Yamaha since Silverstone last year.

Ray continued his momentum with a strong second place ahead of Jackson, but in the chasing pack, the fight for fourth had become a five-way dogfight.

Peter Hickman was able to claim the position with three laps remaining after the FHO Racing BMW rider took advantage of the earlier battles between the group to bridge the gap and make the moves needed to claim his best result of the season so far.

Hickman got the better of Leon Haslam in the closing stages as the VisionTrack Kawasaki rider valiantly finished in fifth despite still suffering from his sprained ankle from his crash at Craner Curves on Friday.

Tarran Mackenzie celebrated a hard-fought sixth place on the second of the McAMS Yamahas as the reigning champion scored his best result of the season on his return from injury, holding off Christian Iddon and Rory Skinner, who had been in the mix throughout the race.

In race three, O’Halloran was hunting another Podium Points haul and he didn’t disappoint. At the start of race three, Ryde had grabbed the lead from his Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha teammate Ray and the Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki’s of Jackson and Skinner.

Skinner was on the attack and by the fourth lap; he was into second position behind Ryde, with Ray and Jackson in close contention.

An incredible move at Redgate from Ray on lap four moved him from third to first as he dived ahead of his rivals to put himself at the front of the chasing pack.

A huge crash from Leon Haslam at Schwantz, also collected Glenn Irwin as the Honda Racing UK rider couldn’t avoid the stricken VisionTrack Kawasaki, bringing a BMW Safety Car intervention whilst the incident was cleared.

When the race resumed, Ray was holding the leading position from Skinner and O’Halloran with the pair trading blows for second place. By the eleventh lap, the pair had changed positions several times within one lap as O’Halloran then tried to make a break on the McAMS Yamaha.

O’Halloran was hunting Ray, closing the gap and then capturing the lead on lap 17 with a decisive move at Coppice. He was able to hold off his Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha rival to take the double win and move up to second in the overall standings ahead of Knockhill.

Ray’s second place saw him lift the Milwaukee Spring Grand Slam trophy and take a 28-point lead ahead of the next round at Knockhill with Jackson completing the podium for Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki. The Lincolnshire contender’s double podium finish puts him third in the overall standings.

Skinner had another consistent result in fourth place ahead of his home round, whilst Ryde held onto fifth as he bounced back from his race two crash to take another strong points haul on the second Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha, narrowly ahead of Buildbase Suzuki’s Iddon.

For the Buildbase Suzuki team, Donington Park marked their biggest points haul of the season so far for Iddon, moving him into the all-important top eight of the standings.

The MCE Ducati teammates finished in seventh and eighth place respectively in the final race of the weekend as Tom Sykes edged out Josh Brookes with Danny Buchan in ninth place. Chrissy Rouse completed the top ten to claim his best ever Bennetts BSB race finish.

Jason O’Halloran

McAMS Yamaha

Double race winner

“It’s been an amazing weekend, we nearly won yesterday, it was so close and then to take a double win today is excellent. Two pole positions, two wins and a second shows that all the hard work is paying off.

“I want to say a massive thanks to everyone from the team, when you are working through things and testing things when you are racing it’s never easy but this weekend things have really started to come together.

“That was probably the best I’ve ever felt on this bike, the way I could come through the pack, get to the front and pull away everything just worked. You have to enjoy these days as they don’t come around all the time, I’m super pleased with it so I can’t wait to get a test under our belt now ahead of the next few rounds.”

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