Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup Road Atlanta Braselton, Georgia August 31, 2008 Provisional Race Results:
1. Jacob Gagne, 13 laps 2. Hayden Gillim, -1.913 seconds 3. Benny Solis, Jr., -7.011 4. Leandro Mercado, -7.871 5. Huntley Nash, -11.409 6. Joey Pascarella, -11.472 7. Tomas Puerta, -12.168 8. Cameron Gish, -24.995 9. Jacob Cunningham, -28.478 10. Corey Alexander, -31.204 11. Jacob Morman, -38.576 12. Corey Rech, -39.178 13. Travis Wyman, -53.167 14. Austin Medrano, -53.604 15. Frankie Lee Gillim, -53.865 16. Bryce Prince 17. Garet Tomlinson 18. Otavio Lucchini, -1 lap 19. Jesse Stevens, -2 laps 20. Emerson Connor, -8 laps, DNF, mechanical 21. Austin DeHaven, -13 laps, DNF, crash
Championship Point Standings (After 8 of 10 races, best 9 count):
1. Solis, 156 points 2. Hayden Gillim, 122 3. Mercado, 121 4. Gagne, 97 5. Puerta, 73 6. Pascarella, 66 7. DeHaven, 61 8. Connor, 52 9. Prince, 43 10. Nash, 42 11. Toriano Wilson, 40 12. Rech, 36 13. Gish, 35 14. Stevens, 28 15. Morman, 27 16. TIE, Medrano, Frankie Lee Gillim, 26 18. Cunningham, 24 19. Alexander, 18 20. Wyman, 16 21. Luciano Ribodino, 6 22. Tomlinson, 4 23. Lucchini, 1
More, from a press release issued by Red Bull:
Georgia Bulldog: Jake Gagne Wins Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup Race At Road Atlanta
Line-up for Red Bull Riders Cup set
Braselton, Ga. (August 31, 2008) — Jake Gagne of Ramona, Calif., won the Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup race at Road Atlanta on Sunday. Gagne took his first-ever road racing win in a thrilling race that saw multiple battles for position throughout the field, including Hayden Gillim’s bid to top Gagne for the victory. Benny Solis, Jr., earned third place after a tough battle with Leandro Mercado and Huntley Nash.
The Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies line-up was also set for the Red Bull Riders Cup, which will take place in support of the Red Bull Indianapolis GP. This special team race will feature the top-10 Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies against the top-10 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies, with a rematch at Valencia, Spain, in October.
Gagne, a racer with a motocross background who competed in his first-ever road race at the Barber Rookies Cup race earlier this year, moved through several riders after the start and soon challenged Gillim for the lead. After trading the position a few times, Gagne took the point for good on lap five and managed his gap for the rest of the race to take a fantastic victory. The Ramona, Calif., native withstood Gillim’s challenge on lap 12 when Hayden was able to cut Jake’s margin to less than one second. Jake, who turned 15 years old earlier this week, was able to turn the wick up again on the final lap to expand his lead to 1.913 seconds at the end.
“It’s great. I got a podium earlier in the season but a win is even more special,” said Gagne, who finished second in the Elkhart Lake Rookies Cup race. “I’ve been trying to stay consistent through the season. When I qualified second for this race, I was hoping to stick with the leaders and get a good result. On the back straight, I got a good draft on Hayden and I was able to get him on the brakes. He came right back at me but I was able to pass him back. When I got in the lead, I would look back in turn seven and Hayden was always right on my tail. He made it tough on me but I was able to find some more speed when I needed it.”
Gillim, the winner of the two previous Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup contests, took a hard-earned second place finish. The Owensboro, Ky., racer said, “I got a good start and I tried to push as hard as I could. Jake was running with me and drafted by me and got me on the brakes. I tried to catch Jake there at the end but I just didn’t have enough for him. I’m glad to get another podium and I had fun out there today.” Hayden moved into second place in the series points standings with his Road Atlanta result.
Solis was able to finish on the podium once again, but not without a tight battle with Argentina’s Leandro Mercado and Huntley Nash of Marietta, Georgia. The 13-year-old from North Hollywood, Calif., was able to expand his series points lead on the day with a third place finish.
“I had a lot of fun,” said Solis. “I had a good fight with Huntley and Leandro and I was glad to get third today. I am trying to be consistent as possible and to win the championship is my main goal. I want to put it on the podium every race and get some more wins when I can.”
Mercado, who is 16 years old, qualified deep in the field with little Road Atlanta track knowledge, but made a great leap in competitiveness for Sunday. The Elkhart Lake winner was rewarded with fourth place after steadily increasing his pace over the weekend.
Nash, one of three riders hailing from the Atlanta area, had his best Rookies Cup weekend yet. With his fifth place finish, he earned a spot in the Red Bull Riders Cup at the Red Bull Indianapolis GP. Nash rose as high as second place in the event and eventually earned his first top-five of the year in his home race.
Joey Pascarella (Vacaville, Calif.) and Tomas Puerta (Colombia) contested fifth with Nash before following him to the checkered flag. Three improving riders, Cameron Gish of Shingle Springs, Calif., Jake Cunningham of Kimberly, Wis., and Corey Alexander of Ossining, N.Y., occupied the next spots in the top ten with some of their best results of the season.
Dennis Wilson, father of Toriano Wilson, presented the trophies at the podium celebration.
The next Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup race is Sept. 13, and the Red Bull Riders Cup race will take place on Sept. 14, both in support of the Red Bull Indianapolis GP at historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup Race Results From Road Atlanta 1. 32 Jake Gagne, Ramona, California 2. 69 Hayden Gillim, Owensboro, Kentucky 3. 35 Benny Solis, North Hollywood, California 4. 36 Leandro Mercado, Cordoba, Argentina 5. 75 Huntley Nash, Marietta, Georgia 6. 25 Joey Pascarella, Vacaville, California 7. 12 Tomas Puerta, Medellin, Colombia 8. 31 Cameron Gish, Shingle Springs, California 9. 94 Jacob Cunningham, Kimberly, Wisconsin 10. 23 Corey Alexander, Ossining, New York 11. 66 Jake Morman, Loganville, Georgia 12. 34 Corey Rech, Liverpool, New York 13. 3 Travis Wyman, Macedon, New York 14. 7 Austin Medrano, Mustang, Oklahoma 15. 95 Frankie Lee Gillim, Owensboro, Kentucky 16. 74 Bryce Prince, Bakersfield, California 17. 22 Garet Tomlinson, Aledo, Texas 18. 82 Otavio Lucchini, Jundiai, SP, Brazil 19. 13 Jesse Stevens, Lawrenceville, Georgia 20. 50 Emerson Connor, Burlington, Ontario 21. 56 Austin DeHaven, Los Angeles, California
Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup Points (after eight races)
1. 35 Benny Solis, North Hollywood, California 156 points * 2. 69 Hayden Gillim, Owensboro, Kentucky 122* 3. 36 Leandro Mercado, Cordoba, Argentina 121* 4. 32 Jake Gagne, Ramona, California 97* 5. 12 Tomas Puerta, Medellin, Colombia 73* 6. 25 Joey Pascarella, Vacaville, California 66* 7. 56 Austin DeHaven, Los Angeles, California 61* 8. 50 Emerson Connor, Burlington, Ontario 52* 9. 74 Bryce Prince, Bakersfield, California 43* 10. 75 Huntley Nash, Marietta, Georgia 42* 11. 26 Toriano Wilson, St. Davids, Bermuda 40 12. 34 Corey Rech, Liverpool, New York 36 13. 31 Cameron Gish, Shingle Springs, California 35 14. 13 Jesse Stevens, Lawrenceville, Georgia 28 15. 66 Jake Morman, Loganville, Georgia 27 16. 95 Frankie Lee Gillim, Owensboro, Kentucky 26 17. 7 Austin Medrano, Mustang, Oklahoma 26 18. 94 Jacob Cunningham, Kimberly, Wisconsin 24 19. 23 Corey Alexander, Ossining, New York 18 20. 3 Travis Wyman, Macedon, New York 16 21. 11 Luciano Ribodino San Francisco, Cordoba, Argentina 6 22. 22 Garet Tomlinson, Aledo, Texas 4 23. 82 Otavio Lucchini, Jundiai, SP, Brazil 1
* denotes qualification for Riders Cup at Indianapolis