A new section of Air Fence deployed at Road America may have saved Superbike racer James Doerfler from serious injury Saturday, June 9 at Road America. Doerfler appeared to be attempting to overtake another rider on the outside through the turn 11 area on the first lap of Saturday’s Superbike race when he lost the front end and crashed. Doerfler followed his Suzuki into the inflatable safety devices positioned in front of a wall on the outside of “The Kink”, a turn that was previously typically shielded by haybales.
The crash sent one end of the piece of Air Fence rebounding out onto the track, where Chuck Allen hit it and crashed. It’s unknown at post time if the Air Fence was properly secured to the wall behind it.
The race was stopped to give AMA officials a chance to repair and redeploy the Air Fence.
Meanwhile, Doerfler was transported to the local hospital for precautionary X-rays. According to Road America Communications Director Cheryl Barnes, Doerfler was expected to be treated and released.
In 1999, Fast By Ferracci Ducati Superbike rider Matt Wait crashed in exactly the same spot and was helicoptered away with a broken neck.