MotoAmerica heads to Road America after a turbulent round at Barber, which saw Cameron Beaubier come out on top to win two of the three scheduled races. This weekend it will therefore be a question of Jake Gagne getting back in the saddle, getting the better of his main rival, while Loris Baz should not be excluded from the equation. The Frenchman's Ducati could give him a significant advantage on a fast track.
Qualification 2:
Unsurprisingly, Cameron Beaubier took the Superbike pole position at Road America, after largely dominating his opponents throughout the first day of the third meeting of the MotoAmerica season.
It was after having wiped away a few drops of rain that the championship leader stood out. Beaubier pushed his BMW M 1000 RR to the limit, before being rewarded with a time of 2:08.464, synonymous with a new lap record.
The previous benchmark was set last year by Josh Herrin, in 2:08.795. The Ducati rider also tried to defend himself, and led the session for a while with a time of 2:09.197. The Warhorse Racing driver ultimately finished in second position in the combined standings of the two qualifying sessions.
The three-time and reigning Superbike champion, Jake Gagne, straightens the bar after a complicated Friday, and manages to promote himself to third position on the grid, although he was only the ninth fastest rider in Q1. A notable effort expected to allow him to put pressure on Beaubier during the weekend's races.
Complicated start to Saturday, however, for Loris Baz. After a checkered start to the weekend, the Frenchman qualified in tenth position on the starting grid. However, he will be able to count on the power of his Ducati in the race to try to move up the hierarchy, while the rain threatens to fall on the American track.
Ranking : MotoAmerica
Race 1:
The rain had already appeared during the second Superbike qualifying practice session at Road America, but it intensified in Race 1.
A factor which completely reshuffled the cards, to the disadvantage of Cameron Beaubier. Starting from pole, the man who dominated the entire first part of the weekend made a first mistake which compromised his chances of victory. Returning to the leading peloton with an infernal pace, lap almost two seconds faster per lap than the leaders, he suffered a second fall two laps from the finish. More costly this time as he was taken to the medical center due to pain in his right leg.
As in Barber, Cameron Petersen took advantage of Beaubier's misfortunes to win the first race of the weekend. A victory which was not easy, since the latter attempted a maneuver on Jake Gagne in the last corner, so that the two men crossed the line side by side. Only 4 thousandths separated Petersen from Gagne at the finish.
A bitter defeat for the title champion, although he took advantage of this race to regain control of the championship.
Loris Baz held off the duo for a long time, and even tried to get the better of Petersen with two laps to go. The Frenchman, however, pulled straight ahead to take the fifth curve with a trajectory that was too wide. The Warhorse Racing driver was, however, rewarded with a podium at the end of a race which saw him start in tenth position. Enough to put a smile back on his face after a difficult start to the season.
Baz's teammate, Josh Herrin, for his part, did not have an easy end to Saturday. Qualified in second position, Herrin made an off-track excursion at the start of the race, and was unable to salvage better than ninth place at the finish.
The difficult racing conditions led to significant accidents. Sean Dylan Kelly made a mistake at high speed at turn 12, just like Xavi Forés in turn 6. More information regarding the condition of all his drivers will be communicated on the sidelines of the last day of the weekend.
Cameron Petersen – Winner at Road America:
“The last thing you want as a driver is to bring down your teammate. Like those guys said, it was just a wild ride. Once Jake (Gagne) passed me, he slowed down a bit. Then on the last lap I had a good feeling and I felt like I could try something in the last corner. Like Jake said, it's so funny when the race comes down to the line. I could hear the sound of his motorcycle. I think I took a drier route, which allowed me to take the advantage. I'm so happy for the team, and I can't wait to fight tomorrow. »
Loris Baz – Third at Road America:
“I think these are the worst conditions I have ever ridden in my entire career. I remember my first Superbike victory, there was a lot of water on the track. I was running injured. But it wasn't comparable. I think we were at 20% on the throttle in a straight line. Normally I have a lot of fun in the rain, but here it was all about being really smart and not making mistakes.
Seven minutes before the race, I didn't feel good on the bike. They made some adjustments very quickly I felt better straight away. So it was just a race where I was improving and trying to learn. It's only the first podium and it gives a big smile to the team. We're having so much fun with Josh (Herrin) and I just hope we can share a podium soon. »
Ranking : MotoAmerica
Road America: Sunday schedules
Sunday June 02:
16:30 p.m. – Steel Commander Superbike Class Warm Up (15 min)
22:10 p.m. – Steel Commander Superbike Race 2 (12 laps)
How to watch MotoAmerica at Road America?
