Two-time and defending MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier was the fastest rider during Motul Superbike practice Friday at Sonoma Raceway, near San Francisco, California.
Riding his Monster Energy/Yamalube Yamaha YZF-R1 Superbike, Beaubier lapped the 2.5-mile road course in 1:36.585 and led both practice sessions during the day.
“Overall, it was a good day,” Beaubier told Roadracingworld.com. “I felt comfortable as soon as I jumped on my Yamaha. It was nice to have the summer break and refresh my mind. I came in ready to ride.
“We made a change to my bike on Sunday morning at Laguna Seca, and I think that’s helping. We tested it at [Auto Club Speedway] to confirm it. Hopefully, it will continue to help us for the rest of the year.”
The second-best rider overall and the quickest competitor in the Bazzaz Superstock 1000 class was Quicksilver Latus Motors Racing’s Bobby Fong, who did a 1:36.800 on his Kawasaki ZX-10R. Fong improved from the 1:38.996 he did in the first practice, a difference of more than two seconds.
“We made some changes and we went the right direction,” said Fong. “We did some decent times on old tires, and then we put some fresh ones on, went faster and felt consistent doing those faster times.”
Spaniard Toni Elias was third in both sessions during his first day of riding his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superbike at Sonoma Raceway. Elias ended up with a best time of 1:37.212.
Beaubier’s teammate Josh Hayes and Elias’ teammate Roger Hayden did not have good days Friday. In Free Practice Two, Hayes was 10th with a lap at 1:37.601 and Hayden was 11th with a lap of 1:37.618.
MotoAmerica Championship at Sonoma Raceway
MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Series
Sonoma Raceway
Sonoma, California
August 11, 2017
Motul Superbike/Bazzaz Superstock 1000 Free Practice Two Results (top 12 advance to Superpole, all on Dunlop tires):
1. Cameron Beaubier (Yam YZF-R1), Superbike, 1:36.585
2. Bobby Fong (Kaw ZX-10R), Superstock 1000, 1:36.800
3. Toni Elias (Suz GSX-R1000), Superbike 1:37.212
4. Josh Herrin (Yam YZF-R1), Superbike, 1:37.253
5. Mathew Scholtz (Yam YZF-R1), Superstock 1000, 1:37.260
6. Jake Gagne (Hon CBR1000RR SP2), Superbike, 1:37.464
7. Jason DiSalvo (BMW S1000RR), Superbike, 1:37.546
8. Kyle Wyman (Yam YZF-R1), Superbike, 1:37.576
9. Sylvain Barrier (BMW S1000RR), Superbike, 1:37.586
10. Josh Hayes (Yam YZF-R1), Superbike, 1:37.601
11. Roger Hayden (Suz GSX-R1000), Superbike, 1:37.618
12. Jake Lewis (Suz GSX-R1000), Superstock 1000, 1:37.638, crash
13. Danny Eslick (Yam YZF-R1), Superstock 1000, 1:37.977
14. David Anthony (Kaw ZX-10R), Superstock 1000, 1:38.059
15. Hayden Gillim (Suz GSX-R1000), Superstock 1000, 1:38.636
16. Bryce Prince (Yam YZF-R1), Superstock 1000, 1:38.681
17. Tyler O’Hara (Kaw ZX-10R), Superstock 1000, 1:39.441
18. Cameron Peterson (Kaw ZX-10R), Superstock 1000, 1:39.479
19. Sebastiao Ferreira (Yam YZF-R1), Superbike, 1:39.859
20. Wyatt Farris (Kaw ZX-10R), Superstock 1000, 1:40.326, crash
21. Jeremy Coffey (Kaw ZX-10R), Superstock 1000, 1:41.070
22. Mathew Orange (Suz GSX-R1000), Superbike, 1:41.335
23. Barrett Long (Yam YZF-R1), Superbike, 1:41.381
24. Jason Lauritzen (Kaw ZX-10R), Superstock 1000, 1:41.608
25. Sam Verderico (Yam YZF-R1), Superstock 1000, 1:42.507
26. Max Flinders (Yam YZF-R1), Superstock 1000, 1:42.511
27. Roi Holster (Yam YZF-R1), Superstock 1000, 1:43.811
More, from a press release issued by MotoAmerica:
Beaubier Leads as Superbikes Return to Sonoma
Gerloff On Top Of Supersport Class On Day One At Sonoma Raceway
SONOMA, Calif. (August 11, 2017) – On-track action got started today at Sonoma Raceway as the MotoAmerica Series brought AMA Superbike racing back to Northern California wine country for the first time since 2012. When all was said and done on a sunny Friday afternoon it was nearby Roseville resident Cameron Beaubier leading the way on the opening day of the Championship at Sonoma Raceway, the defending two-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion heading both sessions.
Beaubier lapped at a best of 1:36.585 to best Quicksilver Latus Motors Kawasaki’s Bobby Fong, the Californian slotting his Superstock 1000-spec ZX-10R into second in the lead-up to Saturday’s Superpole session that will set the grid for both Saturday and Sunday’s headline races. Motul Superbike Championship points leader Toni Elis ended up third fastest on Friday.
Championship leader Garrett Gerloff led the two Supersport practice sessions on his Monster Energy/Yamalube/Y.E.S./Graves Yamaha R6, the Texan besting M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Valentin Debise by 1.2 seconds. Team H35’s Benny Solice ended up third with Gerloff’s teammate JD Beach, who sits just four points behind Gerloff, closing out the day with the fourth fastest time.
The KTM RC Cup, meanwhile, held the first of its two qualifying sessions on Friday with Benjamin Smith heading the time sheets.