The Circuit of The Americas (COTA) is hosting MotoAmerica this weekend. Located outside of downtown Austin, Texas, the track has been hosting events since 2012. At 3,41 miles (5,4 km), it offers riders an impressive variety of curves and generally exciting spectacle. During this weekend of competition, Josh Herrin has first chance to wrap up championship.
Free Trials:
Arriving at COTA in good shape, Sean Dylan Kelly dominated Friday morning in Superbike in Austin. The BMW rider took his M 1000 RR at full speed around the Texan track, claiming a time of 2:09.095.
Championship leader Josh Herrin also made a fine start. After completing a total of ten laps, the Ducati rider set a time of 2:09.209. He therefore fell just one tenth behind the leader, but started his weekend on the right foot, as the title could be his on Sunday.
It is worth noting that Ducati arrived in Texas with a special livery for its Panigale V4 R. Herrin's machine will this weekend wear the colors of Fast by Ferracci Ducati which won the AMA Superbike championship 30 years ago in 1994.
Cameron Beaubier was third at the end of this session, with a time of 2:09.596. The Frenchman, Loris Baz, completed the session with a top-5. The Tricolore was nevertheless eight tenths slower than Sean Dylan Kelly.
Ranking : MotoAmerica.com
Qualification 1:
Quiet in the morning, Cameron Beaubier woke up during the tests, to seize the provisional pole position after slamming a time of 2:07.703, which left no chance to the competition. A time that allowed him to eclipse the previous lap record of 2:08.169, until then held by Jake Gagne. The BMW rider thus beats Josh Herrin's Ducati by more than half a second.
A sufficient second place, which could give him the title at the end of the weekend if he manages to defend it against Bobby Fong during the three races of the week.
After being the fastest in Free Practice 1, Sean Dylan Kelly continued with a top-3. The rookie of this 2024 season failed by a tenth of Josh Herrin to offer himself a provisional front row.
Loris Baz is progressing in the hierarchy, and is setting the fourth fastest time in this qualification 1. The Frenchman is once again seven tenths off the lead, but this time he is only two tenths off the top two, which suggests that he could still disrupt the hierarchy in Q2.
As a reminder, Jake Gagne will be out for the remainder of the 2024 MotoAmerica season, preferring to take time to resolve his forearm issues.
Ranking : MotoAmerica.com
