YOSHIMURA SUZUKI FACTORY RACING PODIUMS IN BOTH ROAD AMERICA SUPERBIKE RACES
Yoshimura Suzuki’s Martin Cardenas on the box Saturday, teammate Roger Hayden does it on Sunday
ELKHART LAKE, WI – For Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing, three was the lucky number at round two of the AMA Pro Superbike Championships at Road America in Elkhart Lake, WI, this past weekend. Yoshimura Suzuki teammates Martin Cardenas and Roger Hayden both had podium finishes, with Cardenas racing his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 to third place in Saturday’s Superbike race and Hayden doing the same in Sunday’s event. At the end of the weekend, Hayden was tied for first in the overall championship points.
With more than two months since the first round at Daytona International Speedway in March, Yoshimura Suzuki’s Cardenas came into the weekend ready to race. On Saturday, he got a good start in the 13-lap event and piloted his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 to a third-place result. On Sunday, Cardenas again got a good start and was in second for the first half of the race when it began to rain. The AMA restarted the race wet but because the rain was on-and-off, Cardenas went with slick tires. He got back out in second, but the rain picked up on the last few laps and the Colombian wound up finishing seventh.
“On Saturday, my position was good but I would like to have been better,” said Cardenas. “In the dry on Sunday, I felt good and strong. Then the AMA stopped the race and the rain came in. They restarted the race and I was running second when the big rain hit the track and I slowed because I thought they were going to stop they race, but apparently not. It’s a shame it ended up like that. Now we go to Barber, and I’ve had good results there so I’m looking forward to that track. The Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 is working good, so I’m hoping for a good race and good results.”
Yoshimura Suzuki teammate Hayden admittedly struggled at Road America. The Kentucky native ran in the top five in Saturday’s race and finished fourth. On Sunday, Hayden was again running fourth when the rider in front of him went down just before the race was rain delayed. After the restart, Hayden – like his teammates and most of the field – donned slicks and finished the rain-impacted race in third.
“It was pretty good,” said Hayden. “I really don’t deserve third place. I got lucky when the rider in front of me crashed earlier. With the off-and-on rain, I was just glad to finish the race on two wheels, it was kind of sketchy at the end; I’m pretty disappointed about that. But I will take the points and look forward to the next race at Barber.”
Rounding out the Yoshimura Suzuki crew, teammate Chris Clark celebrated two solid races. On Saturday, the Las Vegas native got a top-10 start and finished sixth. Then on Sunday, he turned in solid laps before the rain and was running fifth. After the restart, Clark took advantage of the weather and wound up finishing fourth.
“It was definitely an experience, that’s for sure,” said Clark. “I’ve really been focusing on the rest of the season as a whole. The Yoshimura Suzuki crew did a great job, so I have to thank the team for a positive weekend overall. On Sunday, fortunately, my crew was able to make a decision that benefitted us for the restart. I started seventh and then got up to fourth. But then it was just pouring rain and I could hardly see, so I just tried to hold on and not take too many risks. I think at Barber, we’ll have another good result because the Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 is working well, so I’m looking forward to it.”
Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing’s next event is the third round of the 2014 AMA Pro Superbike Championships during the weekend of June 21 – 22, at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, AL.
2014 Road America Superbike Results, Race 1:
1. Cameron Beaubier
2. Josh Hayes
3. Martin Cardenas
4. Roger Hayden
5. David Anthony
6. Chris Clark
7. Chris Fillmore
8. Chris Ulrich
9. Cory West
10. Jason Farrell
2014 Road America Superbike Results, Race 2:
1. Josh Hayes
2. David Anthony
3. Roger Hayden
4. Chris Clark
5. Chris Fillmore
6. Larry Pegram
7. Martin Cardenas
8. Bernat Martinez
9. Trent Gibson
10. Francois Dumas
2014 Superbike Standings:
1. Cameron Beaubier – 89
2. Roger Hayden – 89
3. Josh Hayes – 85
4. David Anthony – 73
5. Chris Clark – 69
6. Martin Cardenas – 65
7. Chris Fillmore – 60
8. Cory West – 42
9. Chris Ulrich – 39
10. Bernat Martinez – 38
About Yoshimura R&D of America: Yoshimura is “The Leader in Performance” and has been for more than 55 years. With unmatched skills, knowledge, and passion for racing, Yoshimura is on the forefront of the aftermarket exhaust industry. Yoshimura pipes are race bred and feature the same legendary performance, fit and quality that has been their trademark for more than five decades. To learn more about Yoshimura and view their wide variety of performance products, visit www.yoshimura-rd.com.
About Suzuki: Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (SMAI) distributes Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Outboard Motors and Automotive Parts and Accessories via an extensive dealer network throughout 49 states. SMAI’s supplier, Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer of Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automobiles and Outboard Motors. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, SMC has 147 distributors in 201 countries. For more information, visit www.suzuki.com.
Team Yoshimura Suzuki is grateful for the support of their sponsors: Yoshimura R&D, Suzuki, Motorex, Parts Unlimited, Dunlop, Shorai, Renthal, RK Racing Chain, NGK Spark Plugs, Pilot, K&N Performance Filters, Zero Gravity and Chicken Hawk Racing.
More, from a press release issued by Harley-Davidson:
Wyman Wins AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Race at Road America
Top Four Riders Finish Within Four Tenths of a Second
MILWAUKEE (June 2, 2014) – Kyle Wyman (KWR/Millennium Technologies) came to Road America for the second race of the AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley Davidson series 2014 season seeking redemption, and he found it on the last lap of the famed four-mile road course, taking the race win by a slim 0.033-second margin.
Following a disqualification for unauthorized engine modifications following the season-opening round at Daytona International Speedway, Wyman arrived at Road America set on restarting his season. Despite a second row start, Wyman quickly worked his way into the lead five-rider pack consisting of defending series champion Steve Rapp (Suburban Motors H-D/ Aerostar Global), former series champ and 2014 Daytona 200 winner Danny Eslick (Ruthless Racing/Trev Deeley Motorcycles), Benny Carlson (Suburban Motors H-D), and Tyler O’Hara (Josh Chisum Racing/Bartels’ H-D), that broke away from the 19-rider field early in the race.
Rapp led the first three laps, but entering the first turn on lap four, he tucked the front end of his Harley-Davidson XR1200 race bike and slid into the gravel trap and out of the race. Rapp’s off forced O’Hara to check up, and the rider who was awarded the Daytona win after Wyman’s DQ spent the remainder of the race trying to catch back up to the remaining trio at the front of the race.
As Wyman, Carlson and Eslick battled back and forth, O’Hara crept closer to the front until finally regaining contact on the penultimate lap, but once he got there, positioning and the luck of the draft left him with little to show for his work other than the series points lead. Eslick finished second, just 0.033 seconds from the win, with Carlson only a tenth and a half behind Wyman.
“I just went out there with a clean slate and tried to put my head down and do what I could to get up front. It worked out in the end,” Wyman said. “There was a lot going on, and I’m just really happy to be up here for [my sponsor] Millennium Technologies at their home race and to redeem myself from Daytona and get maximum points.”
The third round in the AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley Davidson series is June 21-22 at Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds, Ala.
Road America Race Results:
1. Kyle Wyman (KWR/Millennium Technologies), 7 laps
2. Danny Eslick (Ruthless Racing/Trev Deeley Motorcycles), +0.033
3. Benjamin Carlson (Suburban Motors H-D), +0.157
4. Tyler O’Hara (Josh Chisum Racing/Bartels’ H-D), +0.322
5. Gage McAllister (Folsom H-D), +15.171 seconds
6. Ryan Kerr (Thunder Roads Magazine), +15.228 seconds
7. Hayden Schultz (Chili Pepper Racing), +15.242 seconds
8. Eric Stump (Level 10/Peter Brady Racing), +20.647 seconds
9. Nicholas Hansen (Suburban Motors H-D), +25.075 seconds
10. Josh Chisum (Josh Chisum Racing/Bartels’ H-D), +26.072 seconds
11. David Estok (Arrow Aviation/Thrashed Bike Racing), +26.141 seconds
12. Brice Cooper (none listed), +26.500 seconds
13. Darren James (Trev Deeley Motorcycles), +27.561 seconds
14. Ricky Parker (Chili Pepper Racing), +43.912 seconds
15. Shelina Moreda (Chili Pepper Racing), +1:05.489
16. Joseph Rozynski (Sirius XM Radio/Sound Waves), +1:06.023
17. Sam Rozynski (Sound-Waves.com/Sirius XM Radio), +1:06.046
18. Jerrett Martin (CPL Systems/Aggressive Insurance), +1:10.463
19. Steve Rapp (Suburban Motors H-D/ Aerostar Global), 3 laps, crash
20. Paul James (Hoban Cycle/Spectro Oils), DNS
AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series Points
1. O’Hara, 48
2. McAllister, 41
3. Eslick, 40
4. Carlson, 39
5. Hansen, 33
6. K. Wyman, 30
7. Stump, 29
8. Schultz, 28
9. Kerr, 25
10. Estok, 21
More, from a press release issued by Nitron USA:
Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin: Against a hoard of factory teams, paid riders, and established suspension companies, the lone David Anthony put it to the big dogs in an epic AMA Superbike race, earning an historic second place and leaving all but one in his wake, at Road America on Sunday. With this second-place finish, Anthony entered the record books as one of the very few privateer riders ever to stand on an AMA Superbike podium. And he did it his own way, with Nitron suspension.
Riding his Aussie Dave Racing SIC/Motul/Fly Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000, at a track that favors the higher-powered bikes of the factory competition, Anthony finished Saturday’s Superbike in fifth, maintaining his consistency of running with the lead pack. There’s only one replacement for horsepower: suspension. And rain. Okay, that’s two things. But rain is more of an equalizer than a replacement. But, either way, for suspension to prove it self you need short straights and lots of corners, and any amount of complicated traction issues. Which bring us back to rain. And Nitron.
So, Sunday’s Superbike race started in the dry, and was red-flagged at around midway through its 13 laps due to rain issues. It was then restarted as a “rain” race. A ‘rain” race means that all riders have to take responsibility for tire choices, and need to stop for a tire change at their own discretion, if conditions change. Anthony was running in an unusual seventh-place with two laps remaining, when the skies dumped serious amounts of water that created instant puddles and rivers on the racing line. Two laps latter Anthony crossed the finish line in second place, behind race winner Josh Hayes, through a combination of careful riding, dicey dicing, and some indiscretion of others.
By taking this career-high finish, Anthony’s now in a close fourth-place in the AMA Pro Racing Superbike championship with 73 points, only 16 points from the championship leaders. (Yes, plural; there’s a tie at the top.) Anthony is also one of only three riders to score a second place-finish this season in the Superbike class. With four events and seven races remaining in the AMA Pro Racing Superbike championship, all at tracks that respect skill and suspension, Anthony is looking for his first win on Nitron dampers, which is seeming more and more plausible with each race.
Meanwhile, with all things equal in the Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series, except for those twin shocks by Nitron, racer Kyle Wyman showed his stuff by whipping the field and winning without warping his push rods on his KWR/Millennium Technologies/Lucas Oil XR1200. Wyman, like Anthony, is one of a few proving the performance of Nitron products for modern times.
Nitron USA is the exclusive assembly facility/distributor in the Americas for Nitron Racing Systems Ltd., creator of high-quality dampers for performance, touring, adventure, twin-shock, and American V-twin motorcycles, and selected performance automobiles. Through the application of modern materials and manufacturing processes, Nitron’s mission is to create and service suspension products of incomparable form, function, and feel. Nitron USA, Miller Motorsports Park, 2901 Sheep Lane, Unit 704, Tooele, UT 84074; 801-663-7436; www.nitronusa.com; www.facebook.com/nitronusa; [email protected].
More, from a press release issued by Penske Shocks:
RoadRace Factory Red Bull and Jake Gagne Sweep Road America
Reading, PA – Penske Shocks would like to congratulate RoadRace Factory Red Bull and rider Jake Gagne for their success in this weekend’s GoPro Daytona SportBike action at Road America.
The weekend started with Gagne setting the pole with a 2:18:647 and a new Daytona Sportbike track record on Friday. In race one on Saturday, he had a 9 second lead, only to see that erased after the race was stopped due to a red flag with nine laps complete. On the restart, Gagne moved back to the front and was able fend off the challenges to win by 1.318. On Sunday, he got off to another good start and led all 12 laps in the race to earn his third AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike victory.
“It was a perfect weekend in Wisconsin. I’m so pumped for the whole RoadRace Factory Red Bull crew and the guys a Penske Racing Shocks to be able to come out of Road America with the pole and both wins,” stated Gagne. “Every session we hit the track we continue to make improvements and get comfortable with the bike and new suspension, and we’re thrilled with how awesome it is to be working with everyone at Penske. I just can’t wait to get to Barber now!”
The weekend was clearly a clean sweep for RoadRace Factory Red Bull Yamaha equipped with all-Penske suspension. Look for them to repeat the results at the next race at Barber Motorsports Park on June 21-22, 2014.
For more information on RoadRace Factory Red Bull and Jake Gagne, visit www.roadracefactory.com.
For more information on Penske Racing Shocks motorcycle suspension components, please contact:
Mike Himmelsbach, Motorcycle Market Manager
150 Franklin Street
Reading, PA 19602
(610) 375-6180, ext. 227
More, from a press release issued by Proforma:
SUCCESSFUL WEEKEND FOR CHILI PEPPER RACING AT ROAD AMERICA IN AMA PRO VANCE & HINES HARLEY-DAVIDSON XR1200 SERIES
Chili Pepper Racing riders Ricky Parker and Hayden Schultz raced to good results in round two of the 2014 AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson XR1200 series at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Hayden finished seventh in the seven-lap draft-fest, while Ricky dealt with mystery handling problems to finish in 14th place on the long, legendary four-mile road course.
Having qualified sixth fastest on Saturday afternoon, Hayden started on the second row for Sunday’s race. A good start saw him fall in with the fierce fifth- to eighth-place pack, who continued to draft and pass each other multiple times each lap throughout the race. Hayden tried to lead coming out of the last turn on the last lap, but it was anyone’s guess as to how they would cross the line. Hayden finished seventh, only 0.07 seconds out of fifth. “I went into turn one basically where I started, in sixth,” said seventeen-year-old Hayden. “I didn’t get away with the lead group, but started battling with a couple of guys. There was a group of us that just battled for the whole race. Coming into the last lap, I’d seen a few guys come out of the last turn and at least lead past the line. I thought maybe I could come out in front of all those, but I guess I didn’t get a good enough of a draft and a couple of guys got around me.”
Ricky came into Road America with renewed enthusiasm after Daytona, and by race time felt he had a good bike setup, but problems cropped up during the short seven-lap sprint race. “The race didn’t go as I wanted it to,” Ricky said. “My start was great, got past a couple of rows. I was ninth or tenth at the beginning, but I overshot a couple of corners, turns five, six and seven on the first lap. On lap two, after the carousel, I overshot that corner so I had to zig-zag through the tires, lost three or four places, so that was the race for me.”
Hayden currently sits in eight place in the season points standings, and Ricky is in 16th place.
The Chili Pepper Racing team’s next event of the 2014 AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson XR1200 series is at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama on June 21-22, 2014.
ChiliPepper Racing is a not-for-profit organization raising awareness for ACCO.org and VETMotorsports. The team takes a unique “per event” approach to sponsorship that includes promotion, hospitality and pit credential opportunities for your business or organization. Visit ChiliPepperRacing.com to get involved in their inclusive and exciting program.
For 2014, Chili Pepper Racing has technical support from Indian Motorcycles of Lafayette (IN), VETMotorsports.org and Lenny Albin/Nitron USA.
Hayden is proud to receive support from Chili Pepper Racing, Arai, AXO, Racer Gloves, TCX Boots, Silkolene, Leatt, Leo Vince, Speedmob, Moto Skiveez, Spy Optic, Lenny Albin/Nitron USA and Anthony & Joanne Cardarelli.
Ricky’s sponsors include Arai Helmets, DesotoMotorSportPark.com and MotoNation.
To learn more about Chili Pepper Racing and all that they do, please visit www.chilipepperracing.com. You can also visit them on Facebook at www.chilipepperracing.com. pepper.com.
More, from a press release issued by Proforma:
CONNER BLEVINS RACES TO STRONG FINISHES IN AMA PRO SUPERSPORT AT ROAD AMERICA
Conner Blevins rode his Kawasaki ZX-6R to two seventh-place finishes in the AMA Pro SuperSport doubleheader races on the historic Road America four-mile road course near Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Conner qualified eighth on Friday afternoon, which placed him on the third row of the grid for both of his ten-lap races.
Race One – Saturday
A great start in Race One on Saturday saw Conner run in third place for the first couple of laps, but some of the problems from earlier in the weekend crept back up and caused him to lose time in some key corners and lose places. “I got off to a good start,” said Conner. “But I made a few mistakes and had issues with the setup on the bike. It kept running wide and I’ve got to figure out some things on the bike. The tires were great, I had no issues with those.”
Race Two – Sunday
With crashes by competitors on both a dry and a wet track, it took two restarts to get the 10-lap SuperSport race finished. Conner got a good start in the one that mattered, the last one, but a new issue cropped up with the bike. “My third start was alright,” Conner said. “I got into turn one and everybody slowed down a lot. I was having issues with the bike coming off the corners and I struggled being able to pass anyone. I feel like if I could have gotten out in front of them, I would have been able to be up front. I had no issues with the handling, but it just didn’t have the acceleration and speed like before.”
Conner Blevins’ next event of the 2014 AMA Pro SuperSport championship series is at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama on June 21-22, 2014.
For the 2014 season, Conner is proud to be sponsored by Excel Machine Racing, Kawasaki USA, Dunlop Tires, LeoVince USA, Arai Helmets, Ajax Kawasaki, HT Moto, Lone Star Track Days, Moto Liberty, Ohlins Suspension and Bazzaz.
For more information, contact Conner Blevins at [email protected] or visit Conner on Facebook at www.facebook.com/conner.blevins.
More, from a press release issued by Tuned Racing:
Tuned Racing rider Jason Aguilar scores his first professional podium finish at Road America in the AMA Pro Road Racing Subway Superbike Doubleheader
Still struggling to get a good setup on new suspension, Jason was only able to manage a 14th Place qualifying position. The team worked hard all weekend to make improvements and the bike felt much better in the final qualifying session with Jason running 6th overall, but not better than the time from Friday’s qualifying in warmer conditions.
Before SuperSport Race 1, Jason explained: “I know what I have to do. I have to stop riding like a little bitch. I just have to go for it.” In Race 1, Jason got a great start going from 14th to 9th in the first turn. By the end of lap 1, Jason had moved into 8th place. On lap 3, Jason moved up to 7th place, and gained one more position on the final lap for a best ever professional finish of 6th place.
On Sunday, Jason was determined to improve on his finishing position. It would not be easy. Getting another great start, Jason moved up to 8th by the end of the first lap, but a red flag incident required a full restart, negating the gains that Jason had made. Starting from 14th for the third time that weekend, Jason delayed slightly with his reaction time, but still got a good launch. At the end of the first official lap, Jason again moved up to 8th Place. On lap 3, rain started coming down. Jason kept pushing hard in the slippery conditions. By the end of the lap, he had moved up to 4th. Jason continued his charge through the field, moving into 2nd place on Lap 4 when the red flag came out again.
When the track had dried, the race was shortened to a 5 lap sprint for the finish. This time, Jason would be starting from the 2nd row in 4th position. Unfortunately, Jason’s string of good starts came to an end and he dropped back to 8th going into the first turn. Jason had a tough time getting by one rider and lost ground to the pack ahead. Finally moving up to 5th with 2 laps to go, Jason started reeling in the 2 riders ahead of him. On the final turn of the last lap, Jason got a good drive, took advantage of the draft, swung to the inside, and nipped the 2 riders by .028 and 0.31 seconds for the final podium position.
The 3rd place finish is the first AMA Pro Road Racing podium for Tuned Racing. “Jason showed what we knew all along. It was just a matter of time before he put his Tuned Racing Yamaha R6 on the box. I knew he would surprise some people this year,” stated Team Owner Mike Pond. “I knew I could battle for podiums. I just did not expect it to come this soon, and not after qualifying 14th. I really can’t thank my team enough for giving me such a good bike, and giving me the setup to get my first podium,” Jason said.
Jason is now 5th in points for the 2014 SuperSport Championship.
In Daytona Sportbike, Bryce Prince had similar struggles in qualifying, ending up 18th overall. In Race 1, Bryce got a good start and started picking off riders, moving up to 10th place at the finish. Race 2 saw Bryce finish 11th, a big improvement over qualifying. Bryce got caught in a battle with another rider for the majority of the race, and could not improve on Saturday’s result.
Tuned Racing thanks all its sponsors for their support:
Tuned Industries, Graves Motorsports, Dunlop Motorcycle Road Racing Tires USA , SolarMax Technology, Galfer Brakes, Worxxx Performance and Machine, Drive Systems USA, Torco Advanced Lubricants, Motoyard.com, Let’s Ride Trackdays, Zero Gravity Racing Corporation, Dynojet, VNM Sportgear, EFSigns.com, SBKPaint.com, Optimal Racing Bodywork, SpeedAngle, Shorai Batteries, ACT Leathers , NEXX-USA, and Onyx Oil Service.
Jason Aguilar also thanks his personal sponsors: RS Taichi, Moto Liberty, AXO, Vortex Racing, Impact Safe-T Armor, Spider Grips, HT Moto, GPR Stabilizers, and Chicken Hawk Racing.
More, from a press release issued by Riders Discount Press:
ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (June 2, 2014) – Riders Discount Triumph’s Danny Eslick secured a fourth place finish on Sunday after crashing out of Saturday’s race.
Saturday did not go quite as planned for the Riders Discount Triumph crew. Electronic issues disrupted second qualifying, and a high side in turn 13 on lap two of race one left the crew rebuilding the second bike under AMA Pro Racing’s new one bike rule. Asked about his 103 mph crash Danny said, “I’m a little bit beat up, banged up, bruised, but my pride’s probably hurt more than any of it. I think it was 2008 since I’ve last crashed out of a race. It’s a bit of a disappointment for me, that was a pretty good run I had going there.”
Sunday was the dawn of a new day. A new engine, and a new chassis meant Danny would be riding a completely different motorcycle. Danny started in fifth position until fourth place Triumph’s Jason Disalvo suffered mechanical issues allowing Danny to slot into fourth for the remainder of the race, finishing as the top Triumph rider. “Today’s race was pretty uneventful for me,” Danny said Sunday. “I was just trying to salvage the best finish I could and stay in line for the championship.”
“After a rough weekend like ours it definitely let’s you know what your team and rider are made of,” said Riders Discount Triumph team owner, Brian Gibson. “After a 103 mph high side crash for Danny and the team having to completely build a new bike, it showed we have one tough rider and a great crew. Not only did we make the race Sunday we were able to battle and finish with a very solid fourth place position. With that being said, I can only thank the whole Riders Discount Triumph team for salvaging a very difficult weekend and keeping us in a strong second position in the championship.”
Danny and the Riders Discount Triumph team hold second place in the AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike Championship and are looking forward to the Triumph SuperBike Classic at Barber Motorsports Park in a little under three weeks.
Riders Discount would like to thank all of our sponsors: Triumph Motorcycles, Speed and Strength, Akrapovic, Attack Performance, Renthal, Andrew Swenson Design, Zero Gravity, GB Racing, Capit Performance, Motion Pro, DynoJet, DrippinWet.com, Fast Frank Racing, Spiegler, Castrol, and Sharkskinz Racing Bodies.
About RidersDiscount.com:
Riders Discount (www.ridersdiscount.com) is an online retailer of quality powersports gear, apparel, and accessories. A company founded by racers, RidersDiscount.com ships equipment for every riding style to customers worldwide, backed by knowledgeable sales team and excellent customer service.
Triumph Motorcycles (www.TriumphMotorcycles.com) is the British motorcycle marque that produces a wide range of sport, cruiser, adventure and touring motorcycles. From the storied Bonneville to the class-leading Speed Triple and Daytona 675R, Triumph offers a blend of design, character and performance that result in truly distinctive motorcycles. First established in 1902 and now located in Hinckley, Leicestershire, England, Triumph has always set the pace for category-winning machines. The company is solely owned by Bloor Holdings Ltd. and its North American operations are based in Atlanta.
Danny Eslick (http://www.eslick69.com) The Ultimate experience for all fans of Danny Eslick Racing. Check back often for all the latest news, photos, videos, and rider profiles.
More, from a press release issued by RoadRace Factory:
Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin
Anything worth doing once, is worth doing again.
In case you missed it (First of all, shame on you, secondly you missed something magical) Jake Gagne pulled off the most dominant performance of his career with the team. The team rolled into Road America with “High Expectations” having used the extended break after Daytona, to conduct testing at the High Plains Raceway just outside Denver. When asked how that test went, Team Manager, Danny Walker just smiled and said, “Really really well. We found some things that will really work in our favor, especially with the suspension.” Not one to typically say such outwardly positive predictions, Danny’s only hope was that he didn’t just jinx the whole thing.
Race Report
GoPro Daytona SportBike
Double Vision
From the first few laps of the opening practice round, it was clear that the team had indeed found some things. Jake Gagne was immediately quick and was able to drop his times lap after lap. Tomas Puerta even though he was still getting accustomed to the new bike, was fast and always improving his times. Practice is practice and times don’t mean anything unless they can be translated to grid positions. That’s what qualifying is for. As the riders went out for Qualifying Session 1, every rider was eager to get as high up on the order as possible.
As the laps continued and the session time was getting closer to expiring, it was clear that whatever was found in testing was truly working. Gagne was close to lap record times with fellow Yamaha rider Garrett Gerloff putting on a two rider display that couldn’t be matched by the rest of the pack. When the session ended, Jake Gagne had placed the RoadRace Factory / Red Bull Yamaha on provisional pole with a new lap record. Tomas Puerta was impressive, as his second outing on the bike had put him just outside the top 10.
Kudos and celebrations can be short lived, there was still one more qualifying session to do and you can be sure that the factory Yamaha men were busy making tweaks and changes to their bikes in order to knock Gagne out of the top spot. Only the morning qualifying session would show if it worked.
Getting out on a colder morning track surface is always a sketchy proposition. Some teams struggle with the conditions and in a typical race weekend, Q2 doesn’t typically yield the fastest times. However this wasn’t a normal Q2, Gagne had a huge target on his back the factory Yamaha pilots Garrett Gerloff and JD Beach were taking their aim. The pace was immediately fast. Lap after lap the Yamaha men were clicking off lap record times and Jake had been knocked off provisional pole. That is, however until with one last lap remained and a clear track lay ahead of him, Jake put his head down and set a blistering pace and as he crossed the line, he had once again set a new lap record and placed himself on pole with a solid performance. Looks like Danny’s worry of jinxing the whole thing wouldn’t prove out.
Race one is set to go and the riders have taken their staggered 3 wide positions. Track is clear, Lights go on, Revs come up and lights go off.. The whole pack streaks down the front straight of this massive circuit. Jake Gagne took the whole shot and never really looked back. Tomas was caught right in the middle of the large pack as they snaked around the natural terrain course. Tomas found it difficult to pass or to make any real progress through the field. Gagne on the other hand was just running clear of the chasing group. By lap nine he had created a 7 second lead.
As fate would have, a red flag was thrown with three laps remaining. Would this be the jinx of Danny Walker? He was nowhere to be found. Having left the pit to nervously start cleaning the inside of the transporter, he wanted nothing to do with what could be karma for his bold statements. The race would be restarted as a three lap sprint. All that work and the lead was now meaningless as Gagne would have to try to break away again. The riders re-gridded and took their places according to how they finished the last race lap. Upon the restart, Gagne was sucked into the pack and fellow Yamaha rider Garrett Gerloff took the lead with Jake Lewis making some bold maneuvers to stake his claim.
As they entered the mid-course carousel however, Gagne had moved himself back into the lead and maintained about a two bike length lead all the way to the checkers. It was perhaps the most dominating performance of the RoadRace Factory rider’s career. Tomas Puerta continued his impressive run in the new class with a solid 7th place finish. Not something he’s happy with as a proven champion, but a very outstanding finish in this hotly contested class. Gagne had a straight up, dominating victory. He’d have to do it one more time to prove it wasn’t a fluke.
Race 2 was set to go off on Sunday at 2:00 pm. However, Wisconsin weather was having her way with the AMA Paddock. The SuperSport race was red-flagged 3 times due to weather and that had a ripple effect on the remaining Sportbike and Superbike races. By the time the DSB riders took to their grid positions, Race Direction had determined it would be a “Grid and Go” start. Knowing that the potential for some serious rain was coming, the riders were eager to get underway. The lights went out and Daytona Sportbike Race 2 was underway.
Gagne got another whole shot and was looking to run away with it. Tomas again got another great start and was battling for position in the chasing group. Unfortunately early in the race, Garrett Gerloff had a major high-side coming up the hill through turn 13 and collected fellow Yamaha rider Jake Lewis. The race would have to be red-flagged while Garrett was being attended to and the track cleared. After about 20 mins of delay, the race was restarted and again, Jake Gagne jumped to the front. This time, there was no hesitation whatsoever. By the second lap he was clear of the chasing group and never once put a wheel wrong. At the stripes Jake had amassed a 12 second gap over fellow Yamaha riders JD Beach and Dane Westby.
Tomas Puerta seized his opportunities and crossed the finish line in his best ever finish in DSB, 5th. So, a double victory for Gagne and career best finishes for Puerta… Not a bad way to close out a race weekend. Weather and Team Manager Jinxes be darned…
Jake Gagne – 1st in Standings
“Two wins and a pole, freakin’ awesome weekend. I can’t complain. I mean I’m just so stoked for the guys and the work they put in. All the hard work they put in after Daytona really paid off. We came here swinging.
We had a really good race on Saturday and Sunday. A couple of red-flags but I just put head down and went for it and came away with it. I’m really happy and can’t thank my crew and sponsors enough for putting such a great bike together for me this weekend.”
Tomas Puerta – 7th in Standings
“It was an ok weekend for me. I felt better on the bike and each session out, I started making improvements. In race 2 I got a decent start but the guy in front of me, something happened to his bike so I had to slow down a lot to avoid him. It took me a few laps to get back up to speed.
I was in P12 and just decided to put my head down and go for it. It was fun to battle with those guys. I finished in P5 which is my best result so far. It’s a good result but I would like to be getting better results soon. I know we can improve and I’m really looking forward to Barber.
Thank you to my team and my crew. We are getting closer to the front and I know we can be battling for podiums if not wins soon.”
AMA Pro SuperSport
The AMA SuperSport class is without a doubt the largest and most competitive class. With 40 riders finishing the races this weekend, there can be no understating how important this class is to the health of the series. This round would be the second appearance of the season for Felipe MacLean aboard his RoadRace Factory Yamaha.
Due to the longer than normal break from Daytona to the second round, Felipe had to use his time wisely and attend a local track day at Road America to reacquaint himself with his motorcycle and to learn this massive natural terrain course.
From the onset of the practice sessions, it was clear that the extra track time proved worthwhile. When qualifying was completed, Felipe found himself just outside the top 20. Remember that this is a stacked class with 40 plus riders so he was going to have battle for every position possible. And battle he did. In race one he fell into a good groove with a decent size pack and fought within that group all race long to bring it home in 18th.
Feeling confident that he could get into the ’27’s (lap time) during race two, Felipe took the grid full of determination. However this race was one for the record books. With three red flags and some confusion on the restart of the shortened race (5 Lap Sprint), Felipe would have to battle more than just the other riders, the rain was quickly approaching. A hard fought 5 laps later, saw Felipe cross the line in 18th again. Not quite meeting his personal expectations, but well within his growth plan in the series. It was an impressive finish for his second race in this highly competitive class.
Felipe Maclean – 19th in Standings
“Another great weekend with Road Race Factory Team. The goal for this second round in AMA was to keep improving and getting more comfortable on the bike. I am used to ride on a 1000cc bike and I need to change my riding style and habits in order to fit to the 600cc.
I was hoping to get a top 15 this weekend, but we only could get P18 and both races. On a positive note, each time that I rode I improved my lap times. I got into the 28s on Saturday Race and was confident that could get into the 27s on Sunday race. Unfortunately the weather didn’t help. After 2 red flags, one because of a crash and the second one because of rain..the race turn out to be a 5 lap shootout. I started quite good and was fighting with a group of 5 bikes, because of the fight P15 and P16 opened a gap and the fight end up being for P17, we passed each other a couple of times but by the end of the race I lost grip on my rear tire and couldn’t get the drive to pass him on the final straightaway. I lost by 0.1s and ended up P18.
I cannot thank enough RoadRace Factory Team for helping me over the weekend, I am really proud to be part of this team and thankful of this unique opportunity. I am really happy the team won in Daytona DSB and excited for both Jake’s and Tomy’s awesome results.
I am looking forward for Barber in a coulple of weeks, even though I have not raced in that track, I feel confident as its only a couple of weeks ahead and all the progress I have made on my riding will be quite fresh for Barber.”
The Final Word – Danny Walker
“Holy smokes.. did that just happen? I was hoping all weekend that my statement of having ‘High Expectations’ wasn’t gonna jinx us. I went out on a limb and said that I think we have what it takes now to be winning races, and I was nervous that the Karma police were going to come knocking. That red-flag on Saturday sent me hiding… A huge gap was lost due to a restart and I was scared. But man, Gagne showed us all what he and our bikes are capable of.
With Gagne taking care of business up front Tomas was on fire learning this new class. I know he’s not too happy when he’s not winning but he is doing an outstanding job in this class. A 7th and 5th in this class, totally impressive and I couldn’t be happier to see his progress.
Felipe is also really coming along. It’s been a little difficult because of the lack of seat time, but the track day he did on Monday was a huge benefit in terms of learning the track and getting the bike set-up. He’s a real class act and takes this very seriously and that makes this whole thing really work well. I’m looking forward to seeing his continued progress.”
More, from a press release issued by Team H35:
Benny Solis Recaps Round 2 of the AMA Pro Roadracing series at Road America.
ELKHART LAKE, WI (June 3, 2014)
The weekend, like so many other race weekends in the history of motorsports, actually began last week when father and son duo Ben & Benny Solis jumped in their truck & began the multi-day journey to Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
Round 2 of the AMA Pro Road Racing series was a double header event. These are a blessing and a curse, the schedules are tight but you have two chances to get it right. Friday morning’s warm-up session was a frustrating affair. On the 3rd lap, Benny had a significant crash that left his bike unable to rejoin the action on the track. Due to the inconvenient location of the ill-timed shunt, track workers were unable to get Benny back to the pits until the end of the session. The clock was ticking, but Ben Sr. was able to restore the race-machine to track worthy status in time for the two qualifying sessions. With so few laps under his belt and virtually no set-up adjustments, Benny managed a 12th place result in session 1 and was pushed to 16th by session 2.
Although the team was certainly starting on the back foot, they were undeterred. Benny has a history of making up positions during a race and equally as important, team member Randy Acevado was en route from Los Angeles to help them get closer to the front of the grid.
Saturday morning Team H35, now three members strong worked diligently to find a chassis setting that married Benny’s style of riding to the 14 turn circuit. Fortunately, the tuning gods were with them and every change they made resulted in a positive result.
Benny got a great start in Race 1 and used the refined chassis set-up to work his way towards the front of the pack. A red flag was displayed in response to an incident elsewhere on track. Per AMA rules, the competitors returned to the hot-pit and prepared to re-grid when the red flag was lifted. Once the track was cleared and the race was restarted, Benny capitalized on the opportunity and used the resultant 3 lap sprint to continue his march towards the front.
When the checkered flag dropped, Benny had broken into the top ten thanks to a 9th place finish.
Thanks to the double header weekend, the team had one more opportunity to better their results. Sunday’s race 2, was held under threatening skies but the track remained dry. With a head full of confidence and a wrist full of twist, Benny continued his weekends rise up the standings. His eventual[1] 6th place result is his best ever at this track and it is made sweeter knowing that it was accomplished with his own team, made up of weekend warrior family and friends.
With this Road America event now in the books, Benny and his dad are back on the interstates headed to the 3rd round of season, held at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
Benny Solis #35
“What a challenge this weekend was for sure! Although it started out real tough for us, we feel good that we were able to stay positive, keep pushing forward, and improve the results each day. Apart from that, I had so much fun in the second race. This is also the best I’ve ever done at Road America so I’m real happy about that and I can’t wait to go race at my favorite track next! Huge thanks to my Dad and Randy Acevedo for working so hard for me, also to Humberto Baca and all our sponsors, Humberto Baca, Alpinestars, Arai Helmets, Motul, Dunlop, Poncho Rangel, GPR Stabilizer, Galfer, SpeedCell, Renthal, ”Z”, Evol Technology, InHouse Suspension, YoyoDyne, RK Chains, Oakley, Zero Gravity, Moto Club di Santa Monica, Akrapovic, C-5, E-Z UP. I can’t wait to make them all proud at Barber!”
Humberto:
“This weekends results give us great momentum going in to Barber! We had setup problems which slowed Benny’s qualifying times and forced a bad grid position. Benny rode through the pack to get in the top ten both races !
Team H35 invites everybody to watch the AMA Pro Racing live at FansChoice.tv and to follow @BennySolis35 on Twitter.
More, from a press release issued by Acorn Woods Communications on behalf of Galfer USA:
Galfer USA Rider Gagne Dominates Daytona SportBike at Road America
Oxnard, Calif. – June 3, 2014 – Round two of the AMA Pro Road Racing season was an outstanding one for Galfer USA riders. Wisconsin’s historic Road America was the setting for the round, which included three wins, one second and two third-place finishes for riders using Galfer USA brake components.
SuperBike
Once again, Chris Fillmore had a great run in SuperBike. He rode his No. 11 KTM/HMC KTM RC8R to seventh and fifth. Fillmore scored a pair of sixths in round one at Daytona, giving him four top-ten finishes in a row.
Chris Ulrich had his best finish of the season in the first SuperBike race, scoring eighth on his No. 18 GEICO Honda CBR1000RR. In a turbulent second race Ulrich finished 14th.
Daytona SportBike
Jake Gagne was the pacesetter in Daytona SportBike, taking the win in both races. The rider of the No. 32 Red Bull/RoadRace Factory Yamaha YZF-R6 won by a narrow margin of victory in race one, but he pulled away in race two to cross the finish line over 12 seconds ahead of the field.
In addition to Gagne, three other riders came away from Road America with two top tens. Tomas Puerta was seventh and fifth on his No. 12 Red Bull/RoadRace Factory Yamaha YZF-R6. Blake Young, riding the No. 79 GN Gonzales Racing Yamaha YZF-R6, finished sixth and tenth. Benny Solis was ninth and sixth on the No. 35 Team H35 Honda CBR600RR.
Several Galfer USA riders had to rebound from bad results in race one. Dane Westby was 19th in the first race, but he went on to take third in race two on his No. 00 Yamalube/Westby Racing Yamaha YZF-R6. Steve Rapp had a similar day on the No. 15 D&D Cycles Triumph Daytona 675: after a finish of 25th, Rapp came back to take seventh.
Other top-ten finishes in Daytona SportBike included fifth for Apex Racing’s Jason DiSalvo in race one, ninth for GEICO Honda’s Jake Zemke in race two, and tenth for Tuned Racing’s Bryce Prince in race one.
SuperSport
Corey Alexander took a decisive win in the first SuperSport race, winning by over four seconds on his No. 5 Celtic Racing Suzuki GSX-R600. He very nearly won the second race, crossing the finish line only 0.015-second behind the winner.
Jason Aguilar finished third behind Alexander in race two, riding the No. 96 Tuned Racing Yamaha YZF-R6. Aguilar was sixth in race one.
Wyatt Farris earned two top fives: he was fourth in race one and fifth in race two on his No. 19 Celtic Racing Suzuki GSX-R600.
From the track to the street, Galfer USA distributes the full range of Galfer brake components. Galfer’s wave rotors, brake pads and brake lines provide more consistent, predictable braking and increased modulation, giving all riders a competitive edge when it comes to stopping like a pro. Keep up with Galfer USA at facebook.com/GalferUSA and follow @GalferUSA on Twitter and Instagram.
More, from a press release issued by Acorn Woods Communications on behalf of SpeedMob Inc.:
Race Weekend a Success for SpeedMob’s Brand Athletes
Richmond, Calif. – June 3, 2014 – The 2014 race season may have just begun for newly established SpeedMob, Inc., but the sponsored brands and their riders proved successful at more than one event over the busy weekend. Between national races at Road America and Hangtown, and international contests at Mugello and Erzberg, SpeedMob’s race season is off to a great start.
RoadRace Factory/Red Bull rider Jake Gagne had yet another impressive showing during the AMA GoPro Daytona Sportbike race at Road America. Gagne managed to keep a solid lead in both races, taking first place in Race 1 as well as Race 2, sweeping the weekend with his Dion Device, Vortex and GPR fitted Yamaha R6. Last year, Gagne was the 2013 Pro Racing Daytona Sportbike Championship runner-up and is now sitting in first place in the 2014 championship.
RoadRace Factory/Red Bull continued to make noise in the AMA GoPro Daytona Sportbike class at Road America with Dion Device, Vortex and GPR sponsored rider Tomas Puerta taking seventh place in Race 1 and fifth place in Race 2 on his Yamaha R6. Puerta is now sitting in seventh place in the championship.
Dion Device sponsored riders Josh Hayes and Cameron Beaubier made their presence known during the AMA Pro Superbike race at Road America. The Elkhart Lake, Wis. weather was enough to halt the race more than once in its final laps but it was not enough to stop the two defending champions. Factory Yamaha rider Josh Hayes took second place in Race 1 and first place in Race 2 on his Yamaha R1, putting him in third place overall in the championship. Teammate Cameron Beaubier took first place in Race 1 but suffered a setback during Race 2 when he lost the front of his Yamaha R1 in lap six; however, he managed to pull through the Subway Superbike Doubleheader and is now tied with Roger Hayden for first place overall in the championship.
The GoPro Hangtown Motocross Classic was successful for Airoh helmet sponsored riders Jason Anderson and Marvin Musquin. In the 250 class, Rockstar Energy Racing’s Jason Anderson took 10th place in Moto 1 and fourth place in Moto 2, earning him 6th oveerall for the weekend and putting him in sixth place for the championship. Red Bull/KTM rider Marvin Musquin finished ninth in Moto 1 and seventh in Moto 2, earning him seventh place overall for the weekend and landing him in fifth place in the championship.
Meanwhile, internationally at the action packed MotoGP Round 6 in Mugello, Italy over the weekend, BMC sponsored riders Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi put on quite the show. Movistar Yamaha MotoGP rider Lorenzo endured a grueling duel for the majority of the race with Marc Marquez, neck to neck for first place. Lorenzo ultimately earned a second place finish in the race. Yamaha teammate Valentino Rossi had a somewhat slow start in 10th place place but quickly redeemed himself with a third place finish.
USWE sponsored riders swept nine of the top 10 spots at the 20th Red Bull Hare Scramble in Erzberg, Austria, with Jonny Walker taking the top spot on the podium:
1st J. Walker (USWE Athlete)
2nd G. Jarvis
3rd A. Lettenbichler (USWE Athlete)
4th A. Gomez (USWE Athlete)
5th P. Bolton (USWE Athlete)
6th D. Lampkin (USWE Athlete)
7th C. Graffunder (USWE Athlete)
8th B. Hemingway (USWE Athlete)
9th T. Roberts (USWE Athlete)
10th C. Webb (USWE Athlete)
For more information on Dion Device, Vortex, GPR, Airoh, BMC, USWE and other products distributed by SpeedMob, please visit www.speedmob.com. For more information on race affiliation, sponsorships or to become a SpeedMob dealer, please email [email protected]. To keep up with the lastest SpeedMob news and products, be sure to like them on Facebook and sign up for their monthly newsletter at www.facebook.com/speedmobinc.