WHALE BATTLES THROUGH ADVERSITY TO SECURE RUNNER-UP FINISH AT SACRAMENTO MILE
Round 13 – American Flat Track Championship
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Closing in on the end of the 2022 American Flat Track Championship, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Max Whale scored second in Sacramento, California, marking his eighth podium result of the year in the AFT Singles class. Teammate Kody Kopp captured fifth at the Sacramento Mile and he continues to maintain a comfortable lead in the championship standings heading into the final four rounds of the series.
Qualifying just outside the top-10, Whale started from Row 2 of the grid during Semi 1 but that didn’t stop him from blasting into the lead off the start. With a pair of riders breathing down his back, Whale eventually slipped to third early on but he continued to contend for the top two spots until he crossed the finish line in third. Once again starting from the second row, Whale put his KTM 450 SX-F into fourth for the first half of the AFT Singles Main Event before working his way up to third for a few laps. He continued to showcase his speed late in the race, moving into second with a few laps to go, and he crossed the line in second, collecting yet another podium finish in 2022.
Max Whale: “Sacramento Mile was definitely an up and down day. I started the day off on the backfoot, struggling a lot, and then my mechanic wasn’t feeling well. In the main, I started from the second row and had an outside pick but I rode a smart race and ended up second. I just want to give it up to my team, they worked really hard all day and it was a hot one.”
After securing the fastest qualifying time, Kopp started Semi 1 on pole position. He powered off the line into second, where he continually put pressure on the leader throughout the race. However, Kopp was unable to get around his competitor and went on to collect second in Semi 1 aboard his KTM 450 SX-F. Starting from the front row in the AFT Singles Main Event, the series points leader immediately placed himself into the lead spot but he was drafted before he reached the end of lap one. Settling into second for a few laps, he then found himself in a battle to maintain the spot, but slowly dropped to fifth. Late in the race, he regained one position, temporarily, before ultimately taking the checkered flag in fifth.
Kody Kopp (12). Photo courtesy KTM Factory Racing.
Kody Kopp: “I ended up fifth on the day, but it doesn’t show how much effort we really put in. Fastest qualifying on a mile is definitely a jump in the right direction and that’s what we did. We made some small gearing changes to the bike trying to figure out what was best for the end of straightaway draft and I felt like for the main we had a good setup. We holeshotted the Main Event and led it down the back straightaway. I feel like I struggled toward the end of the race and kind of faded backwards, but we ended up fifth and gained another two points with four rounds left to go. I’m really looking forward to Springfield!”
With four rounds remaining, Kopp continues to hold onto the AFT Singles Championship lead with a 48-point margin over second-place. Teammate Whale sits in fifth, just 11 points from podium contention.
Next Race: Springfield Mile (Double Header) – Springfield, Illinois – September 3-4, 2022
Round 13 Results – Sacramento Mile AFT Singles Main Event
TPR Team Pedercini announce Oscar Gutierrez for Magny-Cours & Catalunya
TPR Team Pedercini is pleased to announce that Oscar Gutierrez will race for them in the next two rounds of the 2022 FIM Superbike World Championship – at Magny-Cours and Catalunya.
Gutierrez, who competed in Red Bull Rookies before racing to Spanish Supersport championship glory in 2019 and 2020, finished third overall in Spanish Superbikes last season. The talented Spaniard has been one of the leading riders in ESBK this year and following a successful maiden outing with the team on Day 1 of the #CatalanTest, will make his WorldSBK debut in France in a couple of weeks.
He will also continue to test with the team in Spain today, on day two of the #CatalanTest
Lucio Pedercini: “We are very happy with the progress that Oscar has made in Catalunya and that we have been able to agree terms for him to ride with us in France and Spain. He has a lot of potential and we are excited to see what we can achieve together.”
Oscar Gutierrez: “I have adapted well to the Kawasaki, which is a new bike for me. They tyres are also new and I am enjoying the experience of being in World Superbike. I am looking forward to the final day of testing in Catalunya and to racing in France and also in my home race for TPR Team Pedercini.”
Kawasaki’s official WorldSBK riders Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes joined several of their championship rivals for a weekend test at the Kawasaki Racing Team’s local Barcelona – Catalunya circuit.
On-track action started on Saturday 20 August, with the second and final day on Sunday 21. Due to the limits placed on the number of approved testing days over a season, each rider chose when to take to the circuit and when to sit things out.
In generally hot conditions the 4.657km long circuit near the KRT squad’s own HQ gave both riders and their pit crews a chance to evaluate the kind of set-up options they cannot try out in race weekends, due to time constraints during practice and qualifying.
Sunday’s action was ended by a fall of rain in the final 30 minutes, by which time both KRT riders had reached their personal pre-test targets.
Rea started his own Barcelona test schedule on Saturday afternoon, setting the best lap of the first day in hot conditions. He was to set the best lap of the weekend in the slightly cooler conditions of Sunday morning, with a 1’40.913.
Lowes tested his Ninja ZX-10RR for a full day on Saturday, but only Saturday, evaluating set-up options designed for the hot track conditions. His place was taken on track on Sunday by Florian Marino.
Lowes set his best lap time of 1’42.358 on the busy opening day, having made just over 90 laps of the circuit.
The WorldSBK championship returns to race action at Magny Cours in France, between 9-11 September. The Circuit de Barcelona – Catalunya will host round eight of the WorldSBK championship, just two weeks after Magny Cours.
Jonathan Rea, stated: “It has been a really solid two days of testing. We started in the afternoon in the hot temperatures of day one, and straight away I got the rhythm for the track temperature, which got to the high forties and then 50°C. It was good to take the rhythm like that on day one. Step-by-step we worked through the test plan. We had some ideas during the season that we can only try at a test, without the stress of a race weekend. So it is good to check these things at a test. One of the things we had in mind was changing my position on the bike, to see what influence that would have. We drew some positive results from that. Also, the electronics side of the bike is an area where we never stop working. We understood how to take that forward. Aside from that, it was a great two days to test in hot conditions. I was able to be quite fast and consistent in these hotter conditions. We know it is an area we still need to improve on, but the first signs were positive. We focused on race starts on day two, in the afternoon, trying to understand the best set-up from an electronic and mechanical point of view. And also my style at the starts. I really enjoyed my bike these last two days and it has been nice to fill in the WorldSBK summer break again, after being at Suzuka on a different bike. So it is nice to come back here to understand the Pirelli tyres and the WorldSBK spec Ninja ZX-10RR.”
Alex Lowes (22). Photo courtesy Kawasaki.
Alex Lowes, stated: “We just did one day of testing at Montmelo, a hot day, which was perfect for us. Our target was to improve our rear performance in hotter, more slippery track conditions. I think on Saturday afternoon we did a good job with that. We tried a lot of different set-up combinations on the rear of the bike to get me into a bit of a better position exiting corners, to get more grip. We found some positive results and it was fun. This was a good test and I enjoyed being back in WorldSBK mode with all my guys. I feel quite optimistic for when we go back racing at Magny Cours. I really enjoyed this test.”
Pere Riba, Crew Chief for Jonathan Rea, stated: “We did half a day on Saturday, and one complete day on Sunday. We mainly prepared a starting point for the Montmelo race in September, and of course, finding some areas we can improve in. These were mainly on the electronics side. We finally reached all the things we wanted to try. Johnny finished with a good feeling and we collected all the info we wanted from our plan. We are now ready to go to Magny Cours for the next round.”
Marcel Duinker, Crew Chief for Alex Lowes, stated: “We know that this track has been not very friendly with our set-up in the past couple of years, so we were happy to have this test here at this time of year. We knew it was going to be hot so we took this opportunity to improve our bike in these hot and slippery track conditions. We had a clear target for this test. We wanted to improve some very important parts of our chassis package, mainly through the set-up. We were fast and consistent so we ended this test happy because we reached our target.”
Oliver König (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) and new rider Oscar Gutierrez (TPR Team Pedercini Racing) were also testing at Montmelo, with Gutierrez signed up to ride at the next two WorldSBK events for TPR.
More, from a press release issued by Team HRC:
Team HRC concludes a very positive test in sunny Catalunya
Factory Team HRC have completed a successful two-day test in hot and sunny conditions at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, where they shared the circuit with many other WorldSBK teams.
With a maiden 2022 Suzuka8H win still a fresh memory for Iker Lecuona, and an HRC contract extension option exercised for Xavi Vierge, two happy and motivated riders used this mid-summer test session as preparation for the second half of the season, while adapting their bike set-up to suit the fast Spanish layout ahead of their home round that will run at the same circuit over the weekend of September 23-25.
On track from 10:00 to 18:00 on day one and losing only the final half hour on day two due to a thunderstorm, Iker and Xavi focused on various aspects of their bike set-up, including the electronics and mapping settings, and compared a multitude of components including some linkages, Pirelli tyres and, on Iker’s side, a new handbrake system.
Having responded positively to the intense work carried out over the two days with their respective crews, the riders will now take a final two weeks off, before returning to the track in Magny-Cours, France on Friday 9 September for round seven of the WorldSBK Championship.
Iker Lecuona (7). Photo courtesy Team HRC.
Iker Lecuona 7
“Generally speaking, I’m very happy with these two test days. On the morning of day one we struggled with the brake setup and it also took me some time to readapt to the tyres and find my position on the bike, the setup of which is quite different for the Suzuka 8h’s one. It took a few hours to sort all these things but we were able to fix everything in the early afternoon and start to work effectively. I began feeling good and comfortable on my bike again and I also tried a handbrake that I liked. I couldn’t fully exploit it on day one but the more I used it, the more I got used to it and I think we will keep working in this area to further improve it. We tried a number of different setups, finding good pace on used tyres, and we also went for a fast lap with a qualifying tyre and were quick. So overall we leave here very happy.”
Xavi Vierge (97). Photo courtesy Team HRC.
Xavi Vierge 97
“After having been forced to miss a lot of testing, I’m really happy with how these two days have gone. We had some extra jobs to do after missing the Donington and Misano tests, so we made many changes to the bike to understand the direction and we were able to make good progress, particularly today. We have found the way and I’ve finally got back my good feeling on the bike and was able to find a strong race pace. It was just a pity we couldn’t try a soft tyre, which was something we had planned for the final minutes of the session but then a storm forced us to pit. As I said, it was a very productive test that I hope will prove helpful during the second part of the season. I’m also pleased with a view to next year of course – you can be sure that the team and I will continue to aim for the top where we want to be.”
More, from a press release issued by Aruba.it Racing Ducati:
The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Team concluded private testing at Barcelona (Spain). Bautista ended third while Rinaldi finished fifth
Two days of private tests with all five manufacturers of Superbike World Championship ended this afternoon on the “Circuito de Barcelona-Catalunya” (Spain)
For the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team it was a fruitful test during which Michael Rinaldi and Alvaro Bautista – the Spaniard lapped during the morning session only today) had the opportunity to try new components and to work in view of the Catalunya Round scheduled for September 23-25.
Here are the results of the two days of testing concluded by Bautista and respectively in third and fifth position in the combined standings
Day-1
P2 M. Rinaldi – 1’41.816 (+0.285) – 76 laps completed
P3 A. Bautista – 1’42.211 (+0.680) – 84 laps completed
Day-2
P3 A. Bautista – 1’41.281 (+0.368) – 66 laps completed
P5 M. Rinaldi – 1’41.621 (+6.01) – 83 laps completed
Alvaro Bautista (19). Photo courtesy Ducati.
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #19)
“I am satisfied with the work we did in these two days. It was important to get back on the bike after a three-week stop. We tried many solutions some of which could be useful in the rest of the season. Today we lapped only during the morning session also because, after yesterday’s hard work, it was important not to stress my hand too much. And if I have to be honest the best news is that I didn’t feel any pain today. See you in Magny Cours.”
Michael Rinaldi (21). Photo courtesy Ducati.
Michael Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #21)
“We conclude these two days of testing with the knowledge that we have carried out very intensive and productive work. We have tried new solutions with positive results although only the data will tell us if we can use them already this season. I am very satisfied with how things went yesterday: the feeling was immediately excellent. But I am also happy with today’s session. We didn’t focus on the time attack while in terms of race pace we were incisive. We go to France with great confidence.”
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK Completes Summer Test in Barcelona
Toprak Razgatlioglu (1). Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Defending FIM Superbike World Champion Toprak Razgatlıoğlu and teammate Andrea Locatelli completed 1.5 days of running with the Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK squad for a mid-season summer test at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya today.
The main objective for both riders was to work on the set-ups of their Yamaha R1 WorldSBKs in the hot conditions for the Catalunya Round on 23-25 September, with a particular focus on generating rear grip in 30-plus degree temperatures. The team also had the chance to trial a new front tyre option from Pirelli.
On the first day, Razgatlıoğlu completed 79 laps and ran for 43 laps on Day 2 before a high-side on the exit of Turn 5 ended his half day at 43 laps. He was taken to the medical centre for checks and then local hospital to close a minor wound on his elbow.
“Loka” finished his 1.5-day test after 74 laps on the first day and 56 laps through to 2pm, making positive improvements on his lap time and #55 set-up to prepare for the second half of the 2022 WorldSBK season.
Next on the summer schedule is a special guest appearance at Cadwell Park with the McAMS Yamaha British Superbike Team, as both Razgatlıoğlu and Locatelli will tackle “The Mountain” for demo laps in front of a packed UK Bank Holiday crowd.
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu
“It was a good test for me and also for Loka, because we ride the bike after a long summer break. We are always ready to race but also we try some new set-up for the Catalunya Round, a very positive day for me. I am happy for Loka, for his very good lap time, he is also very strong at this track and I hope in the race weekend we are on the podium together. On the second day today, I had a big crash but I am okay. We tried the new tyre, just some laps, and maybe we can use it in the race weekend – we will see. Thanks to the Pata Yamaha with Brixx team for this test. Now, in one week we go to Cadwell Park with McAMS, I am excited for this!”
Andrea Locatelli
“It was important to ride the bike and to understand where we need to improve, the mechanical set-up and some electronics here. We improved a lot in respect to yesterday – and probably yesterday was some strange conditions compared to normal with the heat and track surface. But this morning, the feeling came immediately. I’m happy because I think now we can arrive here in one month with a lot more focus and information. It was also important to ride so that we didn’t stop for a lot of time between the races. We tried the new front tyre and the feeling was a little bit different to the standard tyre we use on a race weekend but it will be interesting to also try maybe in Magny-Cours. It’s a positive test for sure, in general the feeling is good and when we arrive in France we can restart quickly and work to try to close the gap to the front guys. I want to try to get the podium, to be honest, we work for this and to continue to believe in myself and try to get some good results.”
Buasri bets on black to win Rookies 2 in Spielberg as Quiles loses on green
Tatchakorn Buasri rode another brilliant Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup race at Spielberg and this time the 21-year-old Thai took victory as Màx Quiles, the 14-year-old Spaniard clipped the green with the wheels of his KTM on the exit to the last corner and was dropped a place.
Buasri had lost 2nd the same way on Saturday. Yesterday’s winner, 15-year-old Angel Piqueras crossed the line 3rd having narrowly got the better of fellow Spaniard and points leader 16-year-old José Rueda.
Collin Veijer, the 17-year-old Dutchman and arch rival in the points chase to Rueda took 5th after a late race battle with Marcos Ruda the 17-year-old Spaniard.
Buasri takes well deserved win
“I enjoyed the race today so much, my first win in Rookies Cup and standing on the podium under my country’s flag and hearing our anthem is so special.”
“Yesterday I just made too many mistakes. Today I kept calm, kept my concentration, I really learnt from yesterday and only made a few mistakes,” he laughed.
“Both of the last two years the races here have been good to me and I have taken a step forward. I hope the same for this year so that I can go to Aragon and Valencia and get the same sort of results there.”
Quiles almost inconsolable
“I am very angry and disappointed because of my mistake in the last turn but….” choked the youngster.
“I’m happy because I rode a good race, I got on the podium. The bike was great this weekend, it gave me a great feeling and I had a lot of rhythm.”
“I still had a little difficulty with some gear changes but less than yesterday as I was concentrating better.”
Piqueras missed the double
“Today, I don’t know, we rode faster than yesterday, the race time was quicker. I didn’t really feel so good on the bike, not so strong.”
“On the last lap I really pushed the limit but only got a podium this time, not the win.”
“It is a podium though and good points so I am happy. I think I can be battling at the front also in the last races of the season.”
Rueda extends points lead
“I’m happy because I get some good points for the championship but not too happy because I am not on the podium,” he chuckled. “It’s good for the title chase.”
“It’s a good track but personally I prefer more corners, this is good for the smaller riders. I hope it will be different in Aragon and Valencia, we’ll see.”
Veijer gives everything to stay in the hunt
“It was a hard race again, we did change the sprocket, went lower, from 38 to 37. It went a bit better, gave me more drive out of the corners but of course it cost me on top speed. It is what it is.
“I tried my very best, I pushed hard all race, the start and first lap was a lot better today.”
“At the end Ruda came past, it was difficult to get past him again and he lost the front 4 a bit so unfortunately a podium wasn’t possible this time.”
“We just missed a bit of straight line speed but I am happy that I got everything I could and look forward to the next one.”
Editorial Note: Race Two was called complete after a red flag came out on lap six of a 10-lap restart. By rule, if only one-third of the distance of a restarted race is covered it can be called complete.
Gagne Wins, Takes Over MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Points Lead With Perfect Weekend
Pole Position, A New Lap Record, Two Race Wins And The Series Points Lead For Jake Gagne At Pittsburgh International Race Complex
Jake Gagne (1) leads Hector Barbera (80), Cameron Petersen (45), Danilo Petrucci (9) and the rest of the Medallia Superbike pack at the start of Sunday’s Superbike race at Pittsburgh International Race Complex. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, photo courtesy MotoAmerica.
WAMPUM, PA (August 21, 2022) – There are perfect weekends and then there are perfect weekends. Jake Gagne’s weekend at Pittsburgh International Race Complex was as immaculate at it could be. The defending MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Champion and his Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing Superbike didn’t put a wheel wrong at Pitt Race and the result was pole position, a new lap record, two victories and the points lead in the championship.
After snatching everything he could on Saturday, Gagne came back on Sunday and did the same thing. This time, however, the big bonus that came with his 10th win of the season and 27th of his career was a one-point lead in the MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship.
Gagne stormed away at the start, built a lead, and maintained it to the end of the 17-lap race. Behind him, he was getting help from Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz as the South African tore through from sixth on the grid to pass then-championship leader Danilo Petrucci and the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC Panigale V4 R for second place, a spot he would hold to the finish. And that gifted Gagne an extra four championship points, which translated to a one-point lead over Petrucci, 290-289.
Scholtz, who was racing with three broken bones in his left wrist, ended up 4.8 seconds behind Gagne and 1.9 seconds ahead of Petrucci, who earned his 14th podium in 16 races with his third-place finish.
Early on it was Gagne’s teammate Cameron Petersen who was tussling with Petrucci, but the South African couldn’t keep pace and slipped to fourth at the finish.
Tytlers Cycle Racing’s PJ Jacobsen finished fifth, barely besting Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante with both riders bouncing back from crashes in Saturday’s race one.
Disrupt Racing’s Hayden Gillim ended up seventh, which made up in small part for his crash in the Yuasa Stock 1000 race. Gillim was just under a second ahead of Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Hector Barbera with the Spaniard being hit with two five-second penalties – one for jumping the start and the other for running straight in the chicane.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Jake Lewis was ninth with Aftercare Hayes Scheibe Racing’s Ashton Yates rounding out the top 10.
With Gagne now leading Petrucci, 290-289, Petersen is third with 241 points, 22 more than Scholtz. Barbera is still fifth with 150 points.
The MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship resumes at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, New Jersey, September 9-11, with the ninth of 10 rounds.
Jake Gagne – Winner
“On paper, it was a great weekend. I’m happy. We worked great as a team, even starting on Friday. Most of these tracks this year, our goal has been to go faster than last year. On Friday, I thought it would be tough. Like these guys said, we had the rain this morning. The track was pretty slick there for that second race. I think no rubber. It was really green. It got really hot really quick. So, I’m happy where we’re at. Obviously, we’ve got two rounds left, four races, and it’s as tight as you could be in the points chase. So, I’m happy. It’s an honor to be racing these guys and be in the championship hunt with Danilo (Petrucci). I think it’s going to come down to us for a couple more races. For me, that’s exciting. For the series, it’s exciting. I’m enjoying it. I keep saying I’m not trying to think about the points, just race by race do the best we can and that’s all I can do. So, I’m not going to stress out about anything else. Hats off to the team. I’m looking forward to Jersey and Barber. I think everybody really likes those tracks. The Yamaha is going to go good there. Hats off to Matty (Scholtz), too. That guy is a warrior. I know he was pretty beat up and that wrist was gnarly. I can’t even believe after seeing that thing a couple weeks ago that he’s out here up on the podium. So, roll on to the next one.”
Mathew Scholtz – Second Place
“We have a joke that the team are going to break my wrist before every single race, and hopefully we’ll just finish it like this now. But honestly, when I was out there racing and stuff, I don’t really notice the wrist too much. The only problem for me today was the last four or five laps my fingers began going numb. That was the worst part of it, really. After the race finish, I could feel the wrist throbbing a lot, but when I was out there riding, I didn’t notice it. So, I can’t blame it on that. Jake (Gagne) was definitely the quickest guy today. I reeled him in a couple laps towards the end there. I think he knew he had a couple seconds’ gap, so he was just chilling, really. But I know that I definitely have to sort the first couple laps out. That always hurts me bad. That’s something that we’re going to have to look at.”
Danilo Petrucci – Third Place
(Was he hoping for a wet race) Yeah, but it’s a story of my life. When you hope for something, it never happens. So, it was even hotter than yesterday. For me, the track conditions were really, really difficult. I don’t know why we didn’t have any change on the bike, but really, I was struggling on braking to stop the bike. The worst part was releasing the brake and opening the throttle was really like zero traction. I think I just did the 41 just one time, because I was really, really in trouble. We cannot complain. We did our best, but it was not enough. For sure, New Jersey will be another tough race for us, but we’ll see. I’m happy to make it through the heat to the end of the race because I was really, really in trouble today.”
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Gagne Reclaims Championship Lead in Pittsburgh
Jake Gagne (1). Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne dominated today’s second MotoAmerica Superbike race at the Pittsburgh International Race Complex, notching his 10th victory of the season to reclaim the championship lead. Cameron Petersen took home another fourth-place finish on a challenging weekend in Wampum, Pennsylvania.
Although the morning warm-up was a wash with wet conditions, the rain stayed away for the final superbike race of the weekend. Gagne picked up where he left off with his perfect Saturday and grabbed another holeshot from pole position. The reigning superbike champ then executed his trademark disappearing act with the fastest lap of the race on Lap 2 and kept a hot pace to amass a comfortable six-second lead by Lap 10. He continued to manage the race up front, securing his 27th-career superbike victory and 10th this season. Gagne’s sweep in the Keystone State moved him back into the championship lead, giving him a one-point advantage as the series heads into a three-week break.
Petersen got off to another great start in second behind his teammate but soon found himself under pressure from Gagne’s championship rival. He tried to hold him off but was passed before the halfway mark. A few laps later, his fellow Yamaha rider Mathew Scholtz made his way through and then charged to a second-place finish. Petersen rode on to score another fourth-place finish at the Pittsburgh International Race Complex.
After the break, the Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing team heads to Millville, New Jersey, for the penultimate round of the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at the New Jersey Motorsports Park on September 9-11.
Richard Stanboli – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing Team Manager
“It was another good day for Jake and the Yamaha R1. We are once again in the points lead and will continue to work hard for the next two events to secure enough points to wrap up the championship. Cameron also did a good job with another great start, allowing Jake to get a bit of breathing space from his championship competitor. We look forward to seeing our fans at the next event in New Jersey.”
Jake Gagne – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing
“We thought we were in for a rain race for sure, but luckily the weatherman got it wrong, and we were able to get another dry race. I got off to a great start and pushed hard at the beginning to build a gap and manage my race. I’m happy to bring home another win for the team!”
Cameron Petersen – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing
“It was not the best weekend for me. I was off the mark all weekend, but I can’t thank the team enough for all their hard work. We definitely had a bike to run up front. We’re going to keep working and come back stronger in New Jersey. It’s time to get this Yamaha back on the podium!”
More, from a press release issued by Ducati North America:
Close quarters for Danilo Petrucci and Ducati in Pittsburgh
A double podium closes the fight in the championship
Danilo Petrucci (9). Photo courtesy Ducati North America.
Sunnyvale, Calif., August 21, 2022 – Danilo Petrucci (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC) claimed a second and third place finishes behind double winner, Jake Gagne (Yamaha), at the eighth round of the 2022 Medallia MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at Pittsburgh International Race Complex this weekend.
The double podium has made the championship effectively a two-round battle between Petrucci and Gagne, with just one point separating the due heading into the penultimate round at New Jersey Motorsports Park on September 9-11.
Petrucci leaves Pittsburgh full of confidence heading to New Jersey, another track that he has previously ridden.
2022 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship Standing – Top 5
P1 – Jake Gagne (Yamaha) 290
P2 – Danilo Petrucci (Ducati) 289
P3 – Cameron Petersen (Yamaha) 241
P4 – Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha) 219
P5 – Hector Barbera (BMW) 150
Danilo Petrucci (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC – Ducati #9): “It was a tough weekend, more than I expected,” Petrucci said. “Regardless, we are still in the fight for the championship and we need to step up our performance. I have ridden at New Jersey before, so it’s not entirely new, and we will try our absolute maximum to get back into the championship lead.”
Petrucci and the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati will rejoin for the last two rounds of the 2022 Medallia MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at New Jersey Motorsports Park on September 9-11.
More, from a press release issued by Westby Racing:
Scholtz Is Runner-Up In Sunday’s Superbike Race At Pittsburgh
Mathew Scholtz (11) leading Danilo Petrucci (9) during MotoAmerica Superbike Race Two at PitttRace. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Westby Racing.
Wampum, PA – August 21, 2022 – After finishing on the podium with a third-place finish in Saturday’s Superbike race at Pittsburgh International Race Complex, Mathew Scholtz, rider of the #11 Westby Racing Yamaha YZF-R1, shrugged off the pain in his triple-fractured left wrist and put in another heroic effort on Sunday. In his encore performance, The Scholtz Kid outdid himself and finished second in Superbike race two.
Starting from the outside of row two on the grid, Mathew started moving towards the front on lap two. He went from sixth, to fifth, to fourth where he stabilized his position until lap 10 of the 17-lap race. He then made a brilliant pass on Cam Petersen with seven laps to go, which put him into third. Then, on lap 12, he overtook Danilo Petrucci for second and began pulling a gap on the former MotoGP race winner. Mathew ultimately crossed the finish line less than five seconds behind race winner Jake Gagne.
What a Sunday it was for Mathew Scholtz and his hard-working Westby Racing team. After the well-earned podium celebration, he reflected on the accomplishment:
“When I was out there racing, I didn’t really notice the wrist too much,” Mathew said. “The only problem for me today was, on the last four or five laps, my fingers began going numb. That was the worst part of it, really. After the race finish, I could feel the wrist throbbing a lot, but when I was out there riding, I didn’t notice it. So, I can’t blame it on that. Jake (Gagne) was definitely the quickest guy today. I reeled him in a couple laps towards the end there. I think he knew he had a couple seconds’ gap, so he was just chilling, really. I know that I definitely have to sort the first couple of laps out. That always hurts me bad. That’s something that we’re going to have to look at.”
After a well-deserved rest, Mathew and the Westby Racing team will be back in action for round nine of the 2022 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship, which takes place at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, New Jersey, on September 9 through 11.
Point Leads Grow, Point Leads Disappear At Pittsburgh International Race Complex
It’s All Change After Thrilling MotoAmerica Support Races In Pittsburgh
WAMPUM, PA (August 21, 2022) – Just when it looked like Disrupt Racing’s Hayden Gillim was going to make a battle out of the 2022 MotoAmerica Yuasa Stock 1000 Championship at Pittsburgh International Race Complex, it all went up in a cloud of dust. While in a heated fight for the lead with series rival Corey Alexander, the two made contact and Gillim crashed out of the race. And just like that, a 14-point lead is now a likely insurmountable 31-point lead with just 50 points left on the table.
With a victory on Saturday while Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC’s Alexander was plagued with mechanical ills and dropped to 10th, Gillim was just 14 points behind and in control of his own destiny. Three wins in the final three races and the title would be his. Not anymore.
With just a single race at both New Jersey Motorsports Park and the series finale at Barber Motorsports Park, Alexander’s lead looks solid but as Sunday proved, anything can still happen.
Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race – Buyck Again
Kayleigh Buyck (16) won the Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. race at PittRace, beating Crystal Martinez (25) and Chloe Peterson (55). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
Sunday’s races began in the morning with Royal Enfield’s Build. Train. Race. seven-lap sprint taking place on a slightly damp track that was the result of rain that had fallen earlier in the morning. It looked like Kayleigh Buyck, who had won all the BTR races thus far going into Pittsburgh, was going to have her winning streak snapped by Jennifer Chancellor. Unfortunately, Chancellor crashed out of the lead in the final turn of the final lap, and Buyck, who was in second, took the checkered flag once again. Second place went to Crystal Martinez, who was a little more than eight seconds behind Buyck, and third went to Chloe Peterson, who was only .083 of a second behind Martinez.
“Everyone thought I was going to go down,” Buyck said. “The bike was crazy. Coming down off the hill in the back, it was very wobbly. Dirt bike experience helps. I felt like I was on a Superbike when they always get crazy. I still had my rain gearing on, so it was completely off. I was hitting the rev limiter everywhere, so I was trying to balance that and be able to try to keep up with her. So, that set me back. Josh Hayes told me when he used to race that if his mechanic wrote “skirt down” that meant he was riding like a lady, and skirt up meant he was giving it hell. So, I just kept saying “skirt up” the whole time and I was able to catch up. I don’t want to take this win. That’s not how I want to get it. Hopefully (Chancellor is) all right. I saw it happening, and I was hoping she wasn’t going to go down because I think I may have had her. But with my gearing, she had way more drive than me so I think she would have gotten it either way. So, it was definitely a good race by her. Happy to be back up here with the blonde trio. They deserve it. Someone’s going to get me one of these times. I’m not ready for it, but it’s going to happen.”
Yuasa Stock 1000 – Alexander Wins, Gillim Crashes
Corey Alexander (23) and Hayden Gillim (69) had a heated battle in Yuasa Stock 1000 with Gillim crashing out of the race on the final lap. Travis Wyman (10) inherited second place. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
In Yuasa Stock 1000 race two, the fortunes of the two main protagonists in the championship went in opposite directions. Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC Racing BMW rider Corey Alexander started from the pole and looked to have the victory well in his grasp until Disrupt Racing Suzuki’s Hayden Gillim chased him down and took the lead. Alexander managed to overtake Gillim for the lead, and then, the two made contact, which resulted in Gillim crashing out of the race. Alexander prevailed with the win, and his teammate Travis Wyman inherited the runner-up position, which he maintained to the checkered flag. Altus Motorsports Suzuki rider Brandon Paasch finished third to complete the podium.
“First of all, it’s a bummer, for sure,” Alexander said. “I wanted Hayden to be up here. I want to win more than anything, but I don’t want to win like that where he has no chance of making another pass back or anything like that. I hope he’s all right. I think he is. I pulled over (after the race) to see if he was there still, see if he needed a ride, see if he was okay. Like I said, it’s not how we want to win, but it is a championship battle, and it was the last lap. I had a couple opportunities there through that section previously that I knew it was going to be tight if I wanted to do it and it wasn’t worth it on those laps, but on the last lap I needed to do something. He made a move through there on me that was pretty aggressive early on at the beginning of the race. It might not have appeared from the angle, but we had a little bit of contact there. It kind of put me in a predicament. Hayden rides hard. I knew that’s how it was going to be coming down to that last lap if we wanted to have a shot at the win there. So, I think I passed him clean. From my perspective, I was fully ahead of him. I think he just was trying to line me up for that next left like he had before and was going to kind of just block pass me. I think he just leaned on me a little bit too hard, and it took him out, unfortunately. Getting through Pittsburgh was always the challenge for me because I knew how good Hayden could be here. I know the last two rounds, I’m good at Jersey so I know we’ll get through that and then Barber will be a duel.”
SportbikeTrackGear.com – Wyman Pulls Clear
Cody Wyman (34) pulled out to a lead and held it to win the SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup class for the second straight day. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
Alpha Omega Kawasaki rider Cody Wyman, who won Saturday’s SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup race one, got the double win on the weekend with a victory in Sunday’s race two. Wyman started from the pole and led every one of the 10 laps. Rodio Racing/Warhorse HSBK Racing’s Gus Rodio finished second in a race that was mostly processional for him. The battle for third place came right down to a photo-finish between SportTrackGear.com Kawasaki rider Max Van and Altus Motorsports Kawasaki rider Kayla Yaakov. At the stripe, it was Yaakov who grabbed the last spot on the podium with perfectly timed pass on Van.
“It was as good as it gets, really,” Wyman said about his perfect weekend. “I think I led every session and got two wins. Army of Darkness picked me up to do the endurance race here last weekend. I think just showing that if I can get some time on the track a little bit beforehand and just get in a flow, that this is the potential some weekends that we could have. I’ve really hit a rhythm in the middle of the year. Just enjoying riding motorcycles and working with my family. Things have been pretty good. Hats off to these two. These two are some of the smartest riders in the class, and I’m privileged to share the podium with them. I wish Kayla had some better luck in the middle of the year. I think all three of us are championship worthy. Really, overall, a great weekend. Probably the best weekend I’ve had.”
Supersport – Herrin Bounces Back
Josh Herrin (2) ran away in the Supersport race at PittRace on Sunday, besting Saturday’s winner Rocco Landers (97). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
After winning the past three Supersport races in a row, the question was whether a surging Landers Racing Yamaha’s Rocco Landers could keep his winning streak going in Sunday’s race two. Well, championship leader Josh Herrin had something to say about that. The Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC rider put in a dominant performance and even withstood an unplanned off-track excursion to notch his eighth win of the season and stretch out his championship lead to a rather gaudy 76 points over Landers, who finished as runner-up. Third place went to Vision Wheel M4 Suzuki ECSTAR’s Tyler Scott, who reached the podium for the eighth time in this, the 17-year-old’s rookie year in MotoAmerica’s hotly contested middleweight class.
“After how good of a season we’ve had, to get beat three races in a row, and not just beat but get walked away from, it hurt,” Herrin said. “Brainerd, he smoked us. Yesterday, he did really well, but unfortunately, I just chose the wrong tire. I was just beating myself up from the start of the warmup lap. I really wanted to get it today. I didn’t have a whole lot of confidence coming into the race if it was dry. I had a lot going into it if it was going to be wet, just because this morning I had really good feel. But, I looked back coming over turn five and saw a big lead and just put my head down and tried my hardest to pull a little gap. The track was pretty green, I think. The lap times were mid 44’s to low 45’s. I felt like I was pushing harder than I was in qualifying. When I ran off in turn one, I was scared. I thought for sure I was going to go down, just because it was wet out there and there was a lot of little pot holes. So, I thought I was going to hit maybe a puddle of water somewhere. But I got really lucky that I chose a good line, I guess, through the grass and was able to pull it off. Hats off to my entire team. They’ve worked super hard all year. I’m just excited to go into New Jersey, which is our home race, with a solid chance at getting the championship wrapped up.”
REV’IT! Twins Cup – Ventura Saves His Weekend
Blake Davis (22) finished second in the REV’IT! Twins Cup race on Sunday to move into the championship points lead. The race was won by Cory Ventura (28). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
The Pittsburgh race weekend concluded with REV’IT! Twins Cup race two, and MotoAmerica tuner class put a fitting crescendo on the event. In a class that pits riders aboard Aprilia RS 660s versus riders aboard Yamaha YZF-R7s, it was Yamaha that swept the podium with MP13 Racing’s Cory Ventura getting his third win of the year. N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto’s Blake Davis, who won Saturday’s race one, finished second on Sunday, while BARTCON Racing’s Dominic Doyle was third.
“Coming into today and rolling around in the wet out there, I’m like, ‘Gosh, I just want this weekend to be over,’” Ventura said. “But, I took it one step at a time, got some great starts today and put myself right up with the leaders. I know that, from yesterday, they weren’t that much quicker than me, and I needed to learn from them and evolve very quickly, and that’s exactly what I did.”
More, from a press release issued by Ducati North America:
Two Podiums for Josh Herrin in Pittsburgh
A win and a second place for Josh Herrin in Pittsburgh
Josh Herrin (2). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Ducati North America.
Sunnyvale, Calif., August 21, 2022 – Josh Herrin (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC) put one hand firmly on the 2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship with a measured performance at the Pittsburgh International Race Complex, taking second place behind Yamaha’s Rocco Landers on Saturday before romping home to the race two victory Sunday.
The Californian’s title advantage stays at 76 points coming into the penultimate round at New Jersey Motorsports Park on September 9-11, meaning he only needs to finish race one with 75 points or more in hand over the second place rider to claim the title.
Herrin, however, isn’t getting carried away with the possibility of another championship, noting he perhaps took it too cautiously over the last two rounds to protect his points lead. The former MotoAmerica Superbike and Stock 1000 Champion will thus ride to win in New Jersey, and let the points take care of themselves.
2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship Standing – Top 5
P1 – Josh Herrin (Ducati) 309
P2 – Rocco Landers (Yamaha) 233
P3 – Tyler Scott (Suzuki) 192
P4 – Benjamin Smith (Yamaha) 123
P5 – Kevin Olmedo (Yamaha) 114
Josh Herrin (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC Ducati – #2): “It was a good weekend for us,” Herrin said. “I’m happy we could win today with some dominance and I’m happy about the weekend. The Ducati V2 is running great, we chose the right tire, and I’m so excited to go to New Jersey and try to clinch the championship.”
Herrin and the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati team will rejoin for the last two rounds of the 2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship at New Jersey Motorsports Park on September 9-11.
Max Whale (18). Photo courtesy KTM Factory Racing.
WHALE BATTLES THROUGH ADVERSITY TO SECURE RUNNER-UP FINISH AT SACRAMENTO MILE
Round 13 – American Flat Track Championship
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Closing in on the end of the 2022 American Flat Track Championship, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Max Whale scored second in Sacramento, California, marking his eighth podium result of the year in the AFT Singles class. Teammate Kody Kopp captured fifth at the Sacramento Mile and he continues to maintain a comfortable lead in the championship standings heading into the final four rounds of the series.
Qualifying just outside the top-10, Whale started from Row 2 of the grid during Semi 1 but that didn’t stop him from blasting into the lead off the start. With a pair of riders breathing down his back, Whale eventually slipped to third early on but he continued to contend for the top two spots until he crossed the finish line in third. Once again starting from the second row, Whale put his KTM 450 SX-F into fourth for the first half of the AFT Singles Main Event before working his way up to third for a few laps. He continued to showcase his speed late in the race, moving into second with a few laps to go, and he crossed the line in second, collecting yet another podium finish in 2022.
Max Whale: “Sacramento Mile was definitely an up and down day. I started the day off on the backfoot, struggling a lot, and then my mechanic wasn’t feeling well. In the main, I started from the second row and had an outside pick but I rode a smart race and ended up second. I just want to give it up to my team, they worked really hard all day and it was a hot one.”
After securing the fastest qualifying time, Kopp started Semi 1 on pole position. He powered off the line into second, where he continually put pressure on the leader throughout the race. However, Kopp was unable to get around his competitor and went on to collect second in Semi 1 aboard his KTM 450 SX-F. Starting from the front row in the AFT Singles Main Event, the series points leader immediately placed himself into the lead spot but he was drafted before he reached the end of lap one. Settling into second for a few laps, he then found himself in a battle to maintain the spot, but slowly dropped to fifth. Late in the race, he regained one position, temporarily, before ultimately taking the checkered flag in fifth.
Kody Kopp (12). Photo courtesy KTM Factory Racing.
Kody Kopp: “I ended up fifth on the day, but it doesn’t show how much effort we really put in. Fastest qualifying on a mile is definitely a jump in the right direction and that’s what we did. We made some small gearing changes to the bike trying to figure out what was best for the end of straightaway draft and I felt like for the main we had a good setup. We holeshotted the Main Event and led it down the back straightaway. I feel like I struggled toward the end of the race and kind of faded backwards, but we ended up fifth and gained another two points with four rounds left to go. I’m really looking forward to Springfield!”
With four rounds remaining, Kopp continues to hold onto the AFT Singles Championship lead with a 48-point margin over second-place. Teammate Whale sits in fifth, just 11 points from podium contention.
Next Race: Springfield Mile (Double Header) – Springfield, Illinois – September 3-4, 2022
Round 13 Results – Sacramento Mile AFT Singles Main Event
Oscar Gutierrez (left) with TPR Team Pedercini owner Lucio Pedercini (right). Photo courtesy TPR Team Pedercini.
TPR Team Pedercini announce Oscar Gutierrez for Magny-Cours & Catalunya
TPR Team Pedercini is pleased to announce that Oscar Gutierrez will race for them in the next two rounds of the 2022 FIM Superbike World Championship – at Magny-Cours and Catalunya.
Gutierrez, who competed in Red Bull Rookies before racing to Spanish Supersport championship glory in 2019 and 2020, finished third overall in Spanish Superbikes last season. The talented Spaniard has been one of the leading riders in ESBK this year and following a successful maiden outing with the team on Day 1 of the #CatalanTest, will make his WorldSBK debut in France in a couple of weeks.
He will also continue to test with the team in Spain today, on day two of the #CatalanTest
Lucio Pedercini: “We are very happy with the progress that Oscar has made in Catalunya and that we have been able to agree terms for him to ride with us in France and Spain. He has a lot of potential and we are excited to see what we can achieve together.”
Oscar Gutierrez: “I have adapted well to the Kawasaki, which is a new bike for me. They tyres are also new and I am enjoying the experience of being in World Superbike. I am looking forward to the final day of testing in Catalunya and to racing in France and also in my home race for TPR Team Pedercini.”
Kawasaki’s official WorldSBK riders Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes joined several of their championship rivals for a weekend test at the Kawasaki Racing Team’s local Barcelona – Catalunya circuit.
On-track action started on Saturday 20 August, with the second and final day on Sunday 21. Due to the limits placed on the number of approved testing days over a season, each rider chose when to take to the circuit and when to sit things out.
In generally hot conditions the 4.657km long circuit near the KRT squad’s own HQ gave both riders and their pit crews a chance to evaluate the kind of set-up options they cannot try out in race weekends, due to time constraints during practice and qualifying.
Sunday’s action was ended by a fall of rain in the final 30 minutes, by which time both KRT riders had reached their personal pre-test targets.
Rea started his own Barcelona test schedule on Saturday afternoon, setting the best lap of the first day in hot conditions. He was to set the best lap of the weekend in the slightly cooler conditions of Sunday morning, with a 1’40.913.
Lowes tested his Ninja ZX-10RR for a full day on Saturday, but only Saturday, evaluating set-up options designed for the hot track conditions. His place was taken on track on Sunday by Florian Marino.
Lowes set his best lap time of 1’42.358 on the busy opening day, having made just over 90 laps of the circuit.
The WorldSBK championship returns to race action at Magny Cours in France, between 9-11 September. The Circuit de Barcelona – Catalunya will host round eight of the WorldSBK championship, just two weeks after Magny Cours.
Jonathan Rea, stated: “It has been a really solid two days of testing. We started in the afternoon in the hot temperatures of day one, and straight away I got the rhythm for the track temperature, which got to the high forties and then 50°C. It was good to take the rhythm like that on day one. Step-by-step we worked through the test plan. We had some ideas during the season that we can only try at a test, without the stress of a race weekend. So it is good to check these things at a test. One of the things we had in mind was changing my position on the bike, to see what influence that would have. We drew some positive results from that. Also, the electronics side of the bike is an area where we never stop working. We understood how to take that forward. Aside from that, it was a great two days to test in hot conditions. I was able to be quite fast and consistent in these hotter conditions. We know it is an area we still need to improve on, but the first signs were positive. We focused on race starts on day two, in the afternoon, trying to understand the best set-up from an electronic and mechanical point of view. And also my style at the starts. I really enjoyed my bike these last two days and it has been nice to fill in the WorldSBK summer break again, after being at Suzuka on a different bike. So it is nice to come back here to understand the Pirelli tyres and the WorldSBK spec Ninja ZX-10RR.”
Alex Lowes (22). Photo courtesy Kawasaki.
Alex Lowes, stated: “We just did one day of testing at Montmelo, a hot day, which was perfect for us. Our target was to improve our rear performance in hotter, more slippery track conditions. I think on Saturday afternoon we did a good job with that. We tried a lot of different set-up combinations on the rear of the bike to get me into a bit of a better position exiting corners, to get more grip. We found some positive results and it was fun. This was a good test and I enjoyed being back in WorldSBK mode with all my guys. I feel quite optimistic for when we go back racing at Magny Cours. I really enjoyed this test.”
Pere Riba, Crew Chief for Jonathan Rea, stated: “We did half a day on Saturday, and one complete day on Sunday. We mainly prepared a starting point for the Montmelo race in September, and of course, finding some areas we can improve in. These were mainly on the electronics side. We finally reached all the things we wanted to try. Johnny finished with a good feeling and we collected all the info we wanted from our plan. We are now ready to go to Magny Cours for the next round.”
Marcel Duinker, Crew Chief for Alex Lowes, stated: “We know that this track has been not very friendly with our set-up in the past couple of years, so we were happy to have this test here at this time of year. We knew it was going to be hot so we took this opportunity to improve our bike in these hot and slippery track conditions. We had a clear target for this test. We wanted to improve some very important parts of our chassis package, mainly through the set-up. We were fast and consistent so we ended this test happy because we reached our target.”
Oliver König (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) and new rider Oscar Gutierrez (TPR Team Pedercini Racing) were also testing at Montmelo, with Gutierrez signed up to ride at the next two WorldSBK events for TPR.
More, from a press release issued by Team HRC:
Team HRC concludes a very positive test in sunny Catalunya
Factory Team HRC have completed a successful two-day test in hot and sunny conditions at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, where they shared the circuit with many other WorldSBK teams.
With a maiden 2022 Suzuka8H win still a fresh memory for Iker Lecuona, and an HRC contract extension option exercised for Xavi Vierge, two happy and motivated riders used this mid-summer test session as preparation for the second half of the season, while adapting their bike set-up to suit the fast Spanish layout ahead of their home round that will run at the same circuit over the weekend of September 23-25.
On track from 10:00 to 18:00 on day one and losing only the final half hour on day two due to a thunderstorm, Iker and Xavi focused on various aspects of their bike set-up, including the electronics and mapping settings, and compared a multitude of components including some linkages, Pirelli tyres and, on Iker’s side, a new handbrake system.
Having responded positively to the intense work carried out over the two days with their respective crews, the riders will now take a final two weeks off, before returning to the track in Magny-Cours, France on Friday 9 September for round seven of the WorldSBK Championship.
Iker Lecuona (7). Photo courtesy Team HRC.
Iker Lecuona 7
“Generally speaking, I’m very happy with these two test days. On the morning of day one we struggled with the brake setup and it also took me some time to readapt to the tyres and find my position on the bike, the setup of which is quite different for the Suzuka 8h’s one. It took a few hours to sort all these things but we were able to fix everything in the early afternoon and start to work effectively. I began feeling good and comfortable on my bike again and I also tried a handbrake that I liked. I couldn’t fully exploit it on day one but the more I used it, the more I got used to it and I think we will keep working in this area to further improve it. We tried a number of different setups, finding good pace on used tyres, and we also went for a fast lap with a qualifying tyre and were quick. So overall we leave here very happy.”
Xavi Vierge (97). Photo courtesy Team HRC.
Xavi Vierge 97
“After having been forced to miss a lot of testing, I’m really happy with how these two days have gone. We had some extra jobs to do after missing the Donington and Misano tests, so we made many changes to the bike to understand the direction and we were able to make good progress, particularly today. We have found the way and I’ve finally got back my good feeling on the bike and was able to find a strong race pace. It was just a pity we couldn’t try a soft tyre, which was something we had planned for the final minutes of the session but then a storm forced us to pit. As I said, it was a very productive test that I hope will prove helpful during the second part of the season. I’m also pleased with a view to next year of course – you can be sure that the team and I will continue to aim for the top where we want to be.”
More, from a press release issued by Aruba.it Racing Ducati:
The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Team concluded private testing at Barcelona (Spain). Bautista ended third while Rinaldi finished fifth
Two days of private tests with all five manufacturers of Superbike World Championship ended this afternoon on the “Circuito de Barcelona-Catalunya” (Spain)
For the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team it was a fruitful test during which Michael Rinaldi and Alvaro Bautista – the Spaniard lapped during the morning session only today) had the opportunity to try new components and to work in view of the Catalunya Round scheduled for September 23-25.
Here are the results of the two days of testing concluded by Bautista and respectively in third and fifth position in the combined standings
Day-1
P2 M. Rinaldi – 1’41.816 (+0.285) – 76 laps completed
P3 A. Bautista – 1’42.211 (+0.680) – 84 laps completed
Day-2
P3 A. Bautista – 1’41.281 (+0.368) – 66 laps completed
P5 M. Rinaldi – 1’41.621 (+6.01) – 83 laps completed
Alvaro Bautista (19). Photo courtesy Ducati.
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #19)
“I am satisfied with the work we did in these two days. It was important to get back on the bike after a three-week stop. We tried many solutions some of which could be useful in the rest of the season. Today we lapped only during the morning session also because, after yesterday’s hard work, it was important not to stress my hand too much. And if I have to be honest the best news is that I didn’t feel any pain today. See you in Magny Cours.”
Michael Rinaldi (21). Photo courtesy Ducati.
Michael Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #21)
“We conclude these two days of testing with the knowledge that we have carried out very intensive and productive work. We have tried new solutions with positive results although only the data will tell us if we can use them already this season. I am very satisfied with how things went yesterday: the feeling was immediately excellent. But I am also happy with today’s session. We didn’t focus on the time attack while in terms of race pace we were incisive. We go to France with great confidence.”
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK Completes Summer Test in Barcelona
Toprak Razgatlioglu (1). Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Defending FIM Superbike World Champion Toprak Razgatlıoğlu and teammate Andrea Locatelli completed 1.5 days of running with the Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK squad for a mid-season summer test at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya today.
The main objective for both riders was to work on the set-ups of their Yamaha R1 WorldSBKs in the hot conditions for the Catalunya Round on 23-25 September, with a particular focus on generating rear grip in 30-plus degree temperatures. The team also had the chance to trial a new front tyre option from Pirelli.
On the first day, Razgatlıoğlu completed 79 laps and ran for 43 laps on Day 2 before a high-side on the exit of Turn 5 ended his half day at 43 laps. He was taken to the medical centre for checks and then local hospital to close a minor wound on his elbow.
“Loka” finished his 1.5-day test after 74 laps on the first day and 56 laps through to 2pm, making positive improvements on his lap time and #55 set-up to prepare for the second half of the 2022 WorldSBK season.
Next on the summer schedule is a special guest appearance at Cadwell Park with the McAMS Yamaha British Superbike Team, as both Razgatlıoğlu and Locatelli will tackle “The Mountain” for demo laps in front of a packed UK Bank Holiday crowd.
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu
“It was a good test for me and also for Loka, because we ride the bike after a long summer break. We are always ready to race but also we try some new set-up for the Catalunya Round, a very positive day for me. I am happy for Loka, for his very good lap time, he is also very strong at this track and I hope in the race weekend we are on the podium together. On the second day today, I had a big crash but I am okay. We tried the new tyre, just some laps, and maybe we can use it in the race weekend – we will see. Thanks to the Pata Yamaha with Brixx team for this test. Now, in one week we go to Cadwell Park with McAMS, I am excited for this!”
Andrea Locatelli
“It was important to ride the bike and to understand where we need to improve, the mechanical set-up and some electronics here. We improved a lot in respect to yesterday – and probably yesterday was some strange conditions compared to normal with the heat and track surface. But this morning, the feeling came immediately. I’m happy because I think now we can arrive here in one month with a lot more focus and information. It was also important to ride so that we didn’t stop for a lot of time between the races. We tried the new front tyre and the feeling was a little bit different to the standard tyre we use on a race weekend but it will be interesting to also try maybe in Magny-Cours. It’s a positive test for sure, in general the feeling is good and when we arrive in France we can restart quickly and work to try to close the gap to the front guys. I want to try to get the podium, to be honest, we work for this and to continue to believe in myself and try to get some good results.”
Tatchakorn Buasri (5) leads Màx Quiles (28), José Rueda (99), and Angel Piqueras (18) during Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Race Two. Photo courtesy Red Bull.
Buasri bets on black to win Rookies 2 in Spielberg as Quiles loses on green
Tatchakorn Buasri rode another brilliant Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup race at Spielberg and this time the 21-year-old Thai took victory as Màx Quiles, the 14-year-old Spaniard clipped the green with the wheels of his KTM on the exit to the last corner and was dropped a place.
Buasri had lost 2nd the same way on Saturday. Yesterday’s winner, 15-year-old Angel Piqueras crossed the line 3rd having narrowly got the better of fellow Spaniard and points leader 16-year-old José Rueda.
Collin Veijer, the 17-year-old Dutchman and arch rival in the points chase to Rueda took 5th after a late race battle with Marcos Ruda the 17-year-old Spaniard.
Buasri takes well deserved win
“I enjoyed the race today so much, my first win in Rookies Cup and standing on the podium under my country’s flag and hearing our anthem is so special.”
“Yesterday I just made too many mistakes. Today I kept calm, kept my concentration, I really learnt from yesterday and only made a few mistakes,” he laughed.
“Both of the last two years the races here have been good to me and I have taken a step forward. I hope the same for this year so that I can go to Aragon and Valencia and get the same sort of results there.”
Quiles almost inconsolable
“I am very angry and disappointed because of my mistake in the last turn but….” choked the youngster.
“I’m happy because I rode a good race, I got on the podium. The bike was great this weekend, it gave me a great feeling and I had a lot of rhythm.”
“I still had a little difficulty with some gear changes but less than yesterday as I was concentrating better.”
Piqueras missed the double
“Today, I don’t know, we rode faster than yesterday, the race time was quicker. I didn’t really feel so good on the bike, not so strong.”
“On the last lap I really pushed the limit but only got a podium this time, not the win.”
“It is a podium though and good points so I am happy. I think I can be battling at the front also in the last races of the season.”
Rueda extends points lead
“I’m happy because I get some good points for the championship but not too happy because I am not on the podium,” he chuckled. “It’s good for the title chase.”
“It’s a good track but personally I prefer more corners, this is good for the smaller riders. I hope it will be different in Aragon and Valencia, we’ll see.”
Veijer gives everything to stay in the hunt
“It was a hard race again, we did change the sprocket, went lower, from 38 to 37. It went a bit better, gave me more drive out of the corners but of course it cost me on top speed. It is what it is.
“I tried my very best, I pushed hard all race, the start and first lap was a lot better today.”
“At the end Ruda came past, it was difficult to get past him again and he lost the front 4 a bit so unfortunately a podium wasn’t possible this time.”
“We just missed a bit of straight line speed but I am happy that I got everything I could and look forward to the next one.”
The iconic water tower at Pittsburgh International Race Complex in Wampum, Pennsylvania. Photo by David Swarts.
Editorial Note: Race Two was called complete after a red flag came out on lap six of a 10-lap restart. By rule, if only one-third of the distance of a restarted race is covered it can be called complete.
Gagne Wins, Takes Over MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Points Lead With Perfect Weekend
Pole Position, A New Lap Record, Two Race Wins And The Series Points Lead For Jake Gagne At Pittsburgh International Race Complex
Jake Gagne (1) leads Hector Barbera (80), Cameron Petersen (45), Danilo Petrucci (9) and the rest of the Medallia Superbike pack at the start of Sunday’s Superbike race at Pittsburgh International Race Complex. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, photo courtesy MotoAmerica.
WAMPUM, PA (August 21, 2022) – There are perfect weekends and then there are perfect weekends. Jake Gagne’s weekend at Pittsburgh International Race Complex was as immaculate at it could be. The defending MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Champion and his Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing Superbike didn’t put a wheel wrong at Pitt Race and the result was pole position, a new lap record, two victories and the points lead in the championship.
After snatching everything he could on Saturday, Gagne came back on Sunday and did the same thing. This time, however, the big bonus that came with his 10th win of the season and 27th of his career was a one-point lead in the MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship.
Gagne stormed away at the start, built a lead, and maintained it to the end of the 17-lap race. Behind him, he was getting help from Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz as the South African tore through from sixth on the grid to pass then-championship leader Danilo Petrucci and the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC Panigale V4 R for second place, a spot he would hold to the finish. And that gifted Gagne an extra four championship points, which translated to a one-point lead over Petrucci, 290-289.
Scholtz, who was racing with three broken bones in his left wrist, ended up 4.8 seconds behind Gagne and 1.9 seconds ahead of Petrucci, who earned his 14th podium in 16 races with his third-place finish.
Early on it was Gagne’s teammate Cameron Petersen who was tussling with Petrucci, but the South African couldn’t keep pace and slipped to fourth at the finish.
Tytlers Cycle Racing’s PJ Jacobsen finished fifth, barely besting Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante with both riders bouncing back from crashes in Saturday’s race one.
Disrupt Racing’s Hayden Gillim ended up seventh, which made up in small part for his crash in the Yuasa Stock 1000 race. Gillim was just under a second ahead of Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Hector Barbera with the Spaniard being hit with two five-second penalties – one for jumping the start and the other for running straight in the chicane.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Jake Lewis was ninth with Aftercare Hayes Scheibe Racing’s Ashton Yates rounding out the top 10.
With Gagne now leading Petrucci, 290-289, Petersen is third with 241 points, 22 more than Scholtz. Barbera is still fifth with 150 points.
The MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship resumes at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, New Jersey, September 9-11, with the ninth of 10 rounds.
Jake Gagne – Winner
“On paper, it was a great weekend. I’m happy. We worked great as a team, even starting on Friday. Most of these tracks this year, our goal has been to go faster than last year. On Friday, I thought it would be tough. Like these guys said, we had the rain this morning. The track was pretty slick there for that second race. I think no rubber. It was really green. It got really hot really quick. So, I’m happy where we’re at. Obviously, we’ve got two rounds left, four races, and it’s as tight as you could be in the points chase. So, I’m happy. It’s an honor to be racing these guys and be in the championship hunt with Danilo (Petrucci). I think it’s going to come down to us for a couple more races. For me, that’s exciting. For the series, it’s exciting. I’m enjoying it. I keep saying I’m not trying to think about the points, just race by race do the best we can and that’s all I can do. So, I’m not going to stress out about anything else. Hats off to the team. I’m looking forward to Jersey and Barber. I think everybody really likes those tracks. The Yamaha is going to go good there. Hats off to Matty (Scholtz), too. That guy is a warrior. I know he was pretty beat up and that wrist was gnarly. I can’t even believe after seeing that thing a couple weeks ago that he’s out here up on the podium. So, roll on to the next one.”
Mathew Scholtz – Second Place
“We have a joke that the team are going to break my wrist before every single race, and hopefully we’ll just finish it like this now. But honestly, when I was out there racing and stuff, I don’t really notice the wrist too much. The only problem for me today was the last four or five laps my fingers began going numb. That was the worst part of it, really. After the race finish, I could feel the wrist throbbing a lot, but when I was out there riding, I didn’t notice it. So, I can’t blame it on that. Jake (Gagne) was definitely the quickest guy today. I reeled him in a couple laps towards the end there. I think he knew he had a couple seconds’ gap, so he was just chilling, really. But I know that I definitely have to sort the first couple laps out. That always hurts me bad. That’s something that we’re going to have to look at.”
Danilo Petrucci – Third Place
(Was he hoping for a wet race) Yeah, but it’s a story of my life. When you hope for something, it never happens. So, it was even hotter than yesterday. For me, the track conditions were really, really difficult. I don’t know why we didn’t have any change on the bike, but really, I was struggling on braking to stop the bike. The worst part was releasing the brake and opening the throttle was really like zero traction. I think I just did the 41 just one time, because I was really, really in trouble. We cannot complain. We did our best, but it was not enough. For sure, New Jersey will be another tough race for us, but we’ll see. I’m happy to make it through the heat to the end of the race because I was really, really in trouble today.”
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Gagne Reclaims Championship Lead in Pittsburgh
Jake Gagne (1). Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne dominated today’s second MotoAmerica Superbike race at the Pittsburgh International Race Complex, notching his 10th victory of the season to reclaim the championship lead. Cameron Petersen took home another fourth-place finish on a challenging weekend in Wampum, Pennsylvania.
Although the morning warm-up was a wash with wet conditions, the rain stayed away for the final superbike race of the weekend. Gagne picked up where he left off with his perfect Saturday and grabbed another holeshot from pole position. The reigning superbike champ then executed his trademark disappearing act with the fastest lap of the race on Lap 2 and kept a hot pace to amass a comfortable six-second lead by Lap 10. He continued to manage the race up front, securing his 27th-career superbike victory and 10th this season. Gagne’s sweep in the Keystone State moved him back into the championship lead, giving him a one-point advantage as the series heads into a three-week break.
Petersen got off to another great start in second behind his teammate but soon found himself under pressure from Gagne’s championship rival. He tried to hold him off but was passed before the halfway mark. A few laps later, his fellow Yamaha rider Mathew Scholtz made his way through and then charged to a second-place finish. Petersen rode on to score another fourth-place finish at the Pittsburgh International Race Complex.
After the break, the Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing team heads to Millville, New Jersey, for the penultimate round of the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at the New Jersey Motorsports Park on September 9-11.
Richard Stanboli – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing Team Manager
“It was another good day for Jake and the Yamaha R1. We are once again in the points lead and will continue to work hard for the next two events to secure enough points to wrap up the championship. Cameron also did a good job with another great start, allowing Jake to get a bit of breathing space from his championship competitor. We look forward to seeing our fans at the next event in New Jersey.”
Jake Gagne – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing
“We thought we were in for a rain race for sure, but luckily the weatherman got it wrong, and we were able to get another dry race. I got off to a great start and pushed hard at the beginning to build a gap and manage my race. I’m happy to bring home another win for the team!”
Cameron Petersen – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing
“It was not the best weekend for me. I was off the mark all weekend, but I can’t thank the team enough for all their hard work. We definitely had a bike to run up front. We’re going to keep working and come back stronger in New Jersey. It’s time to get this Yamaha back on the podium!”
More, from a press release issued by Ducati North America:
Close quarters for Danilo Petrucci and Ducati in Pittsburgh
A double podium closes the fight in the championship
Danilo Petrucci (9). Photo courtesy Ducati North America.
Sunnyvale, Calif., August 21, 2022 – Danilo Petrucci (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC) claimed a second and third place finishes behind double winner, Jake Gagne (Yamaha), at the eighth round of the 2022 Medallia MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at Pittsburgh International Race Complex this weekend.
The double podium has made the championship effectively a two-round battle between Petrucci and Gagne, with just one point separating the due heading into the penultimate round at New Jersey Motorsports Park on September 9-11.
Petrucci leaves Pittsburgh full of confidence heading to New Jersey, another track that he has previously ridden.
2022 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship Standing – Top 5
P1 – Jake Gagne (Yamaha) 290
P2 – Danilo Petrucci (Ducati) 289
P3 – Cameron Petersen (Yamaha) 241
P4 – Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha) 219
P5 – Hector Barbera (BMW) 150
Danilo Petrucci (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC – Ducati #9): “It was a tough weekend, more than I expected,” Petrucci said. “Regardless, we are still in the fight for the championship and we need to step up our performance. I have ridden at New Jersey before, so it’s not entirely new, and we will try our absolute maximum to get back into the championship lead.”
Petrucci and the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati will rejoin for the last two rounds of the 2022 Medallia MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at New Jersey Motorsports Park on September 9-11.
More, from a press release issued by Westby Racing:
Scholtz Is Runner-Up In Sunday’s Superbike Race At Pittsburgh
Mathew Scholtz (11) leading Danilo Petrucci (9) during MotoAmerica Superbike Race Two at PitttRace. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Westby Racing.
Wampum, PA – August 21, 2022 – After finishing on the podium with a third-place finish in Saturday’s Superbike race at Pittsburgh International Race Complex, Mathew Scholtz, rider of the #11 Westby Racing Yamaha YZF-R1, shrugged off the pain in his triple-fractured left wrist and put in another heroic effort on Sunday. In his encore performance, The Scholtz Kid outdid himself and finished second in Superbike race two.
Starting from the outside of row two on the grid, Mathew started moving towards the front on lap two. He went from sixth, to fifth, to fourth where he stabilized his position until lap 10 of the 17-lap race. He then made a brilliant pass on Cam Petersen with seven laps to go, which put him into third. Then, on lap 12, he overtook Danilo Petrucci for second and began pulling a gap on the former MotoGP race winner. Mathew ultimately crossed the finish line less than five seconds behind race winner Jake Gagne.
What a Sunday it was for Mathew Scholtz and his hard-working Westby Racing team. After the well-earned podium celebration, he reflected on the accomplishment:
“When I was out there racing, I didn’t really notice the wrist too much,” Mathew said. “The only problem for me today was, on the last four or five laps, my fingers began going numb. That was the worst part of it, really. After the race finish, I could feel the wrist throbbing a lot, but when I was out there riding, I didn’t notice it. So, I can’t blame it on that. Jake (Gagne) was definitely the quickest guy today. I reeled him in a couple laps towards the end there. I think he knew he had a couple seconds’ gap, so he was just chilling, really. I know that I definitely have to sort the first couple of laps out. That always hurts me bad. That’s something that we’re going to have to look at.”
After a well-deserved rest, Mathew and the Westby Racing team will be back in action for round nine of the 2022 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship, which takes place at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, New Jersey, on September 9 through 11.
Point Leads Grow, Point Leads Disappear At Pittsburgh International Race Complex
It’s All Change After Thrilling MotoAmerica Support Races In Pittsburgh
WAMPUM, PA (August 21, 2022) – Just when it looked like Disrupt Racing’s Hayden Gillim was going to make a battle out of the 2022 MotoAmerica Yuasa Stock 1000 Championship at Pittsburgh International Race Complex, it all went up in a cloud of dust. While in a heated fight for the lead with series rival Corey Alexander, the two made contact and Gillim crashed out of the race. And just like that, a 14-point lead is now a likely insurmountable 31-point lead with just 50 points left on the table.
With a victory on Saturday while Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC’s Alexander was plagued with mechanical ills and dropped to 10th, Gillim was just 14 points behind and in control of his own destiny. Three wins in the final three races and the title would be his. Not anymore.
With just a single race at both New Jersey Motorsports Park and the series finale at Barber Motorsports Park, Alexander’s lead looks solid but as Sunday proved, anything can still happen.
Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race – Buyck Again
Kayleigh Buyck (16) won the Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. race at PittRace, beating Crystal Martinez (25) and Chloe Peterson (55). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
Sunday’s races began in the morning with Royal Enfield’s Build. Train. Race. seven-lap sprint taking place on a slightly damp track that was the result of rain that had fallen earlier in the morning. It looked like Kayleigh Buyck, who had won all the BTR races thus far going into Pittsburgh, was going to have her winning streak snapped by Jennifer Chancellor. Unfortunately, Chancellor crashed out of the lead in the final turn of the final lap, and Buyck, who was in second, took the checkered flag once again. Second place went to Crystal Martinez, who was a little more than eight seconds behind Buyck, and third went to Chloe Peterson, who was only .083 of a second behind Martinez.
“Everyone thought I was going to go down,” Buyck said. “The bike was crazy. Coming down off the hill in the back, it was very wobbly. Dirt bike experience helps. I felt like I was on a Superbike when they always get crazy. I still had my rain gearing on, so it was completely off. I was hitting the rev limiter everywhere, so I was trying to balance that and be able to try to keep up with her. So, that set me back. Josh Hayes told me when he used to race that if his mechanic wrote “skirt down” that meant he was riding like a lady, and skirt up meant he was giving it hell. So, I just kept saying “skirt up” the whole time and I was able to catch up. I don’t want to take this win. That’s not how I want to get it. Hopefully (Chancellor is) all right. I saw it happening, and I was hoping she wasn’t going to go down because I think I may have had her. But with my gearing, she had way more drive than me so I think she would have gotten it either way. So, it was definitely a good race by her. Happy to be back up here with the blonde trio. They deserve it. Someone’s going to get me one of these times. I’m not ready for it, but it’s going to happen.”
Yuasa Stock 1000 – Alexander Wins, Gillim Crashes
Corey Alexander (23) and Hayden Gillim (69) had a heated battle in Yuasa Stock 1000 with Gillim crashing out of the race on the final lap. Travis Wyman (10) inherited second place. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
In Yuasa Stock 1000 race two, the fortunes of the two main protagonists in the championship went in opposite directions. Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC Racing BMW rider Corey Alexander started from the pole and looked to have the victory well in his grasp until Disrupt Racing Suzuki’s Hayden Gillim chased him down and took the lead. Alexander managed to overtake Gillim for the lead, and then, the two made contact, which resulted in Gillim crashing out of the race. Alexander prevailed with the win, and his teammate Travis Wyman inherited the runner-up position, which he maintained to the checkered flag. Altus Motorsports Suzuki rider Brandon Paasch finished third to complete the podium.
“First of all, it’s a bummer, for sure,” Alexander said. “I wanted Hayden to be up here. I want to win more than anything, but I don’t want to win like that where he has no chance of making another pass back or anything like that. I hope he’s all right. I think he is. I pulled over (after the race) to see if he was there still, see if he needed a ride, see if he was okay. Like I said, it’s not how we want to win, but it is a championship battle, and it was the last lap. I had a couple opportunities there through that section previously that I knew it was going to be tight if I wanted to do it and it wasn’t worth it on those laps, but on the last lap I needed to do something. He made a move through there on me that was pretty aggressive early on at the beginning of the race. It might not have appeared from the angle, but we had a little bit of contact there. It kind of put me in a predicament. Hayden rides hard. I knew that’s how it was going to be coming down to that last lap if we wanted to have a shot at the win there. So, I think I passed him clean. From my perspective, I was fully ahead of him. I think he just was trying to line me up for that next left like he had before and was going to kind of just block pass me. I think he just leaned on me a little bit too hard, and it took him out, unfortunately. Getting through Pittsburgh was always the challenge for me because I knew how good Hayden could be here. I know the last two rounds, I’m good at Jersey so I know we’ll get through that and then Barber will be a duel.”
SportbikeTrackGear.com – Wyman Pulls Clear
Cody Wyman (34) pulled out to a lead and held it to win the SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup class for the second straight day. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
Alpha Omega Kawasaki rider Cody Wyman, who won Saturday’s SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup race one, got the double win on the weekend with a victory in Sunday’s race two. Wyman started from the pole and led every one of the 10 laps. Rodio Racing/Warhorse HSBK Racing’s Gus Rodio finished second in a race that was mostly processional for him. The battle for third place came right down to a photo-finish between SportTrackGear.com Kawasaki rider Max Van and Altus Motorsports Kawasaki rider Kayla Yaakov. At the stripe, it was Yaakov who grabbed the last spot on the podium with perfectly timed pass on Van.
“It was as good as it gets, really,” Wyman said about his perfect weekend. “I think I led every session and got two wins. Army of Darkness picked me up to do the endurance race here last weekend. I think just showing that if I can get some time on the track a little bit beforehand and just get in a flow, that this is the potential some weekends that we could have. I’ve really hit a rhythm in the middle of the year. Just enjoying riding motorcycles and working with my family. Things have been pretty good. Hats off to these two. These two are some of the smartest riders in the class, and I’m privileged to share the podium with them. I wish Kayla had some better luck in the middle of the year. I think all three of us are championship worthy. Really, overall, a great weekend. Probably the best weekend I’ve had.”
Supersport – Herrin Bounces Back
Josh Herrin (2) ran away in the Supersport race at PittRace on Sunday, besting Saturday’s winner Rocco Landers (97). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
After winning the past three Supersport races in a row, the question was whether a surging Landers Racing Yamaha’s Rocco Landers could keep his winning streak going in Sunday’s race two. Well, championship leader Josh Herrin had something to say about that. The Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC rider put in a dominant performance and even withstood an unplanned off-track excursion to notch his eighth win of the season and stretch out his championship lead to a rather gaudy 76 points over Landers, who finished as runner-up. Third place went to Vision Wheel M4 Suzuki ECSTAR’s Tyler Scott, who reached the podium for the eighth time in this, the 17-year-old’s rookie year in MotoAmerica’s hotly contested middleweight class.
“After how good of a season we’ve had, to get beat three races in a row, and not just beat but get walked away from, it hurt,” Herrin said. “Brainerd, he smoked us. Yesterday, he did really well, but unfortunately, I just chose the wrong tire. I was just beating myself up from the start of the warmup lap. I really wanted to get it today. I didn’t have a whole lot of confidence coming into the race if it was dry. I had a lot going into it if it was going to be wet, just because this morning I had really good feel. But, I looked back coming over turn five and saw a big lead and just put my head down and tried my hardest to pull a little gap. The track was pretty green, I think. The lap times were mid 44’s to low 45’s. I felt like I was pushing harder than I was in qualifying. When I ran off in turn one, I was scared. I thought for sure I was going to go down, just because it was wet out there and there was a lot of little pot holes. So, I thought I was going to hit maybe a puddle of water somewhere. But I got really lucky that I chose a good line, I guess, through the grass and was able to pull it off. Hats off to my entire team. They’ve worked super hard all year. I’m just excited to go into New Jersey, which is our home race, with a solid chance at getting the championship wrapped up.”
REV’IT! Twins Cup – Ventura Saves His Weekend
Blake Davis (22) finished second in the REV’IT! Twins Cup race on Sunday to move into the championship points lead. The race was won by Cory Ventura (28). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
The Pittsburgh race weekend concluded with REV’IT! Twins Cup race two, and MotoAmerica tuner class put a fitting crescendo on the event. In a class that pits riders aboard Aprilia RS 660s versus riders aboard Yamaha YZF-R7s, it was Yamaha that swept the podium with MP13 Racing’s Cory Ventura getting his third win of the year. N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto’s Blake Davis, who won Saturday’s race one, finished second on Sunday, while BARTCON Racing’s Dominic Doyle was third.
“Coming into today and rolling around in the wet out there, I’m like, ‘Gosh, I just want this weekend to be over,’” Ventura said. “But, I took it one step at a time, got some great starts today and put myself right up with the leaders. I know that, from yesterday, they weren’t that much quicker than me, and I needed to learn from them and evolve very quickly, and that’s exactly what I did.”
More, from a press release issued by Ducati North America:
Two Podiums for Josh Herrin in Pittsburgh
A win and a second place for Josh Herrin in Pittsburgh
Josh Herrin (2). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Ducati North America.
Sunnyvale, Calif., August 21, 2022 – Josh Herrin (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC) put one hand firmly on the 2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship with a measured performance at the Pittsburgh International Race Complex, taking second place behind Yamaha’s Rocco Landers on Saturday before romping home to the race two victory Sunday.
The Californian’s title advantage stays at 76 points coming into the penultimate round at New Jersey Motorsports Park on September 9-11, meaning he only needs to finish race one with 75 points or more in hand over the second place rider to claim the title.
Herrin, however, isn’t getting carried away with the possibility of another championship, noting he perhaps took it too cautiously over the last two rounds to protect his points lead. The former MotoAmerica Superbike and Stock 1000 Champion will thus ride to win in New Jersey, and let the points take care of themselves.
2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship Standing – Top 5
P1 – Josh Herrin (Ducati) 309
P2 – Rocco Landers (Yamaha) 233
P3 – Tyler Scott (Suzuki) 192
P4 – Benjamin Smith (Yamaha) 123
P5 – Kevin Olmedo (Yamaha) 114
Josh Herrin (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC Ducati – #2): “It was a good weekend for us,” Herrin said. “I’m happy we could win today with some dominance and I’m happy about the weekend. The Ducati V2 is running great, we chose the right tire, and I’m so excited to go to New Jersey and try to clinch the championship.”
Herrin and the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati team will rejoin for the last two rounds of the 2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship at New Jersey Motorsports Park on September 9-11.
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to all people: blind people, people with motor impairments, visual impairment, cognitive disabilities, and more.
This website utilizes various technologies that are meant to make it as accessible as possible at all times. We utilize an accessibility interface that allows persons with specific
disabilities to adjust the website’s UI (user interface) and design it to their personal needs.
Additionally, the website utilizes an AI-based application that runs in the background and optimizes its accessibility level constantly. This application remediates the website’s HTML,
adapts Its functionality and behavior for screen-readers used by the blind users, and for keyboard functions used by individuals with motor impairments.
If you’ve found a malfunction or have ideas for improvement, we’ll be happy to hear from you. You can reach out to the website’s operators by using the following email
Screen-reader and keyboard navigation
Our website implements the ARIA attributes (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) technique, alongside various different behavioral changes, to ensure blind users visiting with
screen-readers are able to read, comprehend, and enjoy the website’s functions. As soon as a user with a screen-reader enters your site, they immediately receive
a prompt to enter the Screen-Reader Profile so they can browse and operate your site effectively. Here’s how our website covers some of the most important screen-reader requirements,
alongside console screenshots of code examples:
Screen-reader optimization: we run a background process that learns the website’s components from top to bottom, to ensure ongoing compliance even when updating the website.
In this process, we provide screen-readers with meaningful data using the ARIA set of attributes. For example, we provide accurate form labels;
descriptions for actionable icons (social media icons, search icons, cart icons, etc.); validation guidance for form inputs; element roles such as buttons, menus, modal dialogues (popups),
and others. Additionally, the background process scans all the website’s images and provides an accurate and meaningful image-object-recognition-based description as an ALT (alternate text) tag
for images that are not described. It will also extract texts that are embedded within the image, using an OCR (optical character recognition) technology.
To turn on screen-reader adjustments at any time, users need only to press the Alt+1 keyboard combination. Screen-reader users also get automatic announcements to turn the Screen-reader mode on
as soon as they enter the website.
These adjustments are compatible with all popular screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA.
Keyboard navigation optimization: The background process also adjusts the website’s HTML, and adds various behaviors using JavaScript code to make the website operable by the keyboard. This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys, operate dropdowns with the arrow keys, close them with Esc, trigger buttons and links using the Enter key, navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys, and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally, keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus, available at any time by clicking Alt+1, or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard. The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear, and not allow the focus drift outside it.
Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Disability profiles supported in our website
Epilepsy Safe Mode: this profile enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode: this mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode: this mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode: this mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode: this mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
Keyboard Navigation Profile (Motor-Impaired): this profile enables motor-impaired persons to operate the website using the keyboard Tab, Shift+Tab, and the Enter keys. Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Additional UI, design, and readability adjustments
Font adjustments – users, can increase and decrease its size, change its family (type), adjust the spacing, alignment, line height, and more.
Color adjustments – users can select various color contrast profiles such as light, dark, inverted, and monochrome. Additionally, users can swap color schemes of titles, texts, and backgrounds, with over seven different coloring options.
Animations – person with epilepsy can stop all running animations with the click of a button. Animations controlled by the interface include videos, GIFs, and CSS flashing transitions.
Content highlighting – users can choose to emphasize important elements such as links and titles. They can also choose to highlight focused or hovered elements only.
Audio muting – users with hearing devices may experience headaches or other issues due to automatic audio playing. This option lets users mute the entire website instantly.
Cognitive disorders – we utilize a search engine that is linked to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, allowing people with cognitive disorders to decipher meanings of phrases, initials, slang, and others.
Additional functions – we provide users the option to change cursor color and size, use a printing mode, enable a virtual keyboard, and many other functions.
Browser and assistive technology compatibility
We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers).
Notes, comments, and feedback
Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs. There may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to
