The MotoAmerica round at Mid-Ohio got off to a blistering start. In sweltering heat, the riders turned the first day of action into a true demonstration of speed, breaking several records on the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course track. With rain forecast for Saturday and Sunday, every lap completed in dry conditions on Friday could prove crucial for the rest of the season.
Six categories were on track for practice and qualifying sessions in sweltering summer conditions. Teams made the most of every lap on the hot asphalt to fine-tune their setups and set benchmark times, aware that the weather forecast predicted a radically different scenario for the races. If rain arrives on Saturday and Sunday, the times achieved on this first day will become the essential basis for adapting strategies, both in terms of tire choice and chassis and electronic settings.
In the highly competitive Superbike category, Sean Dylan Kelly made a strong start. The OrangeCat Racing rider put his BMW M 1000 RR at the top of the timesheets after an extremely close Timed Practice session. Championship leader “SDK” snatched the fastest time by a mere four hundredths of a second, a testament to the strength of the field at Mid-Ohio.
He didn't break the Superbike track record, but riders did in three other categories: Hayden Gillim for the Baggers, Hank Vossberg in the Twins Cup, and Bryce Kornbau in the Mission Super Hooligan National Championship.
Jacobsen and Baz following in Kelly's footsteps
Just behind Kelly, PJ Jacobsen confirmed his growing strength aboard the Rahal Ducati Moto with XPEL, a 2026 Ducati Panigale V4R which he already seems to be handling with considerable ease. The American finished the day just a hair's breadth behind the leading BMW, promising a close battle for both pole position and the race.
Third, Frenchman Loris Baz puts the Warhorse HSBK Ducati Flo4Law in the top three and confirms the competitiveness of the Italian V4s. His teammate Benjamin Smith, as well as Cameron Petersen (Wrench Motorcycles, Ducati Panigale V4 R 2025), set exactly the same time of 1:25.130, 387 thousandths of a second off the day's benchmark.
One of the major takeaways from Friday is the extreme tightness of the field. From Kelly down to tenth place, the gap is less than a second, suggesting particularly close races ahead.
MotoAmerica Superbike Mid Ohio – Qualifying Results:
Ranking: MotoAmerica.com
Photo : Brian J. Nelson