Hayes adds to his legendary status with fourth

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Monster Energy Graves Yamaha’s Josh Hayes entered the 2013 AMA Pro SuperBike season on the heels of the most dominant campaign in the history of the series and with his primary threat no longer in the paddock. Seeking an unprecedented fourth-straight premier series crown, Hayes was ultimately upset following a tumultuous season in which he demonstrated the pace to win every single race but still fell short of the title.

Hayes came back in 2014 a year closer to 40 and with a new teammate – one even quicker than the man who had just taken his No. 1 plate. After his season got off to another shaky beginning and upstart Cameron Beaubier flashed the potential to be untouchable at times, the end of the Josh Hayes era seemed to be within sight.

However, the 39-year-old fought back like the champion he is officially once again, ultimately securing his fourth AMA Pro SuperBike crown in convincing fashion.

Hayes ended his 2014 campaign on Sunday at the Kawasaki Devil’s Showdown at New Jersey Motorsports Park by scoring his seventh victory in eleven races, upping his mammoth career tally to 48.

Hayes has accumulated his Hall of Fame credentials so thoroughly since finally getting a shot at a factory ride in the SuperBike class, that it’s now difficult to remember that only a handful of years ago he was a journeyman rider in his mid-thirties who was repeatedly passed over and seemingly destined to never get a legitimate shot at the class.

Now he stands alone in second in virtually every class category of any importance, trailing only the legendary Mat Mladin.

Appropriately, Hayes’ era began when he closed the door on Mladin’s career by winning six of the final eight races that season – Hayes’ first as a factory SuperBike rider. He’s been the man to beat ever since.

“I remember early in 2009, having tears in my eyes because I was racing for eighth for the third weekend in a row,” Hayes said. “And within two months I had become the overdog. I was the giant killer. And then all the sudden, I was the giant. As soon as Mat retired, it became ‘Who’s going to beat Josh?’

“It’s not been completely smooth for five years since then – I’ve had ups and downs. I’ve had great challenges and some years that were pretty easy. But I’ll always remain motivated to make up for lost time.”

Hayes demonstrated his continued desire by racing for the win in treacherous conditions on Saturday despite having a title to lock up. The following day, he powered off to the win despite having already clinched the crown.

“If somebody takes a race win on me, I want them to feel good about it,” Hayes remarked. “I’ll always give everything I have – nothing left. I’m never going to give one away. If someone beats me, they earned it. Those are the right things to do and the right way to think about things. There are no gifts. I’ve never felt like anyone ever handed me anything and I’m not going to cheapen anyone else’s experience.

“If I can maintain the way I feel – reinvigorated and motivated – I think all the things are in place for me to continue at a high level for a long time.”

Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing’s Roger Hayden earned his first victory of the year on Saturday and closed out his season by finishing second – both in the race and in the standings – on Sunday.

Hayden was narrowly edged to the stripe by Hayes on Saturday but later awarded the win when Hayes was penalized for passing under yellow.

The Kentuckian rewarded Suzuki for making room for him when he was without a gig deep into the offseason by claiming its only SuperBike victory of the year. He also finished strong in general, closing out his first campaign with Yoshimura by ripping off five straight podium placements to edge second Yamaha pilot Beaubier for season runner-up.

“I’m really happy with the way the season went,” Hayden said. “We’ve been consistent and fast, and we were on the podium at just about every race. This was our first year together and I’m really proud of my team. I can’t thank Yoshimura and Suzuki enough for giving me this opportunity. This weekend was a good way to finish the season, I rode as hard as I could, every lap. This was my first time to finish second in points, and I learned a lot this year. We can all be proud of this.”

Beaubier ended his up-and-down rookie effort with a pair of crashes but made a huge impression during his first season in the premier class. Beaubier showed the raw speed to beat Hayes on his day and picked up three victories in the process.

Hayden’s Yoshimura Suzuki teammate Chris Clark also enjoyed a breakthrough season in which he earned his first SuperBike podium. He ultimately edged ADR Motorsports/Sic/Motul Fly Racing’s David Anthony – who took a big step forward himself – for fourth in the standings by a single point.

“Overall, it was a really incredible year,” Clark said. “I felt like we were finally going in the right direction and we became a lot more competitive. There were some changes with my Yoshimura Suzuki crew, our chemistry improved and we were able to communicate really well. I have to thank the whole Yoshimura Suzuki team for opportunity to race and for providing me with a great bike like the Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000.”

Preseason title hopeful Martin Cardenas struggled at times in 2014 but ended the year with a strong podium effort – his fourth of the season – to wind up ranked sixth.

“This was a tough weekend,” said Cardenas. “The track is very physical. I wanted to finish a little higher on the podium on Sunday but third was the best I could do. I’m very happy for me and for the Yoshimura Suzuki team to finish on the box.”

Team AMSOIL Hero EBR’s Cory West moved ahead of KTM/HMC Racing’s Chris Fillmore to finish seventh as Fillmore again saw a potential first podium ride end in disappointment.

Foremost Insurance Pegram Racing’s Larry Pegram earned his first podium ride of the season aboard the EBR 1190RS in Saturday’s wet race while Proto-Tech Spain’s Bernat Martinez secured tenth in the championship with what was easily his most impressive outing of the season.

More, from another press release issued by AMA Pro Racing:

Gagne continues his rise to the top by winning AMA Pro Road Racing GoPro Daytona SportBike championship

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – At New Jersey, Jake Gagne wrapped up his first AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike championship, winning one race and finishing second in the other in last weekend’s doubleheader.

Gagne marked his stamp on the 2014 season as he continues the upward trajectory of his racing career.

Gagne showed up at the Kawasaki Devil’s Showdown at New Jersey Motorsports Park in the midst of a close title fight with a hot young rider and left the Garden State after making a statement in a pressure-filled weekend. No stranger to championship hunts, the RoadRace Factory/Red Bull pilot previously won the highly contested Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup in Europe. He showed up at New Jersey calm and collected then went about his business in his usual professional manner.

The season was especially competitive, with five riders winning races and a dozen or more racers capable of putting their machine on the podium at any race. Gagne was consistently quick and it paid off over the course of the year. Gagne won when he could (with three victories, tied for the most in class) but grabbed maximum points when he couldn’t.

Several riders experienced hot streaks along the way, but the Californian finished first or second in the last four races, when it counted most. His combination of speed and temperament paid off big time.

Gagne may have given the impression everything was smooth, but it wasn’t always. The team changed to Penske suspension before the season, so previous data wasn’t necessarily relevant. Gagne also had arm pump issues early and had surgery following the Alabama round.

In New Jersey, Gagne took second place to Dane Westby in the first race, clinching the championship when second place points man Jake Lewis had bike issues during the red flag. On Sunday, he won in the dry to end the season in style. His pace was hot and he grew a gap while riders behind him diced for position.

For Gagne, the future is bright, indeed. His smooth riding style should adapt to bigger bikes, too.

“It was a huge weight off our shoulders to get it done,” said Gagne. “I’m totally stoked for my guys and for the team. This is awesome. I mean, there’s no better way to thank your guys for their hard work than by winning the championship. We set out with one goal this season, to win races. If we did that then the championship would come. We didn’t win as many as we wanted (but) in the end we got the championship.”

“Ending the season with a win is amazing,” he added after his 2.562-second victory on Sunday. “Dane and Garrett (Gerloff) and those guys were really haulin’, and I could see on my pitboard that I needed to turn it up a little bit.”

Westby also had a huge weekend in New Jersey. ‘The Wolverine’ grabbed the opportunity to leap to third in points on the Yamalube/Westby Racing entry. His pole, a win on Saturday, and third on Sunday rounded out a great year as Westby cemented his status as a class contender on a brand new team.

Westby won three races, equal with Gagne as best in class in 2014. He rebounded from a tough start, with a crash at Daytona while running at the front and then a machine failure in the next race at Road America, to charge up to the top three via some fast riding.

Westby said he couldn’t sleep the night before Saturday’s races. Never a great qualifier, Westby surprisingly put it on pole for the races and then was a demon in the wet, running away on Saturday in both legs of the red-flagged race.

“I still have the claws,” said the Oklahoman. “It was extremely treacherous out there, even with the rain tires. Until the very end, it was tough even with the bike straight up. Eric Knight, my Ohlins guy, put a new shock in at the last second for the wet conditions. I am glad we had a couple of laps to try things out before the race started. The crew has really worked hard for me all year and this morning they really came through again. They gave me a great bike in the dry and in the wet. I felt like I was on fire.”

Jake Lewis came into the season eying the title. He and his Motosport.com/Meen Yamaha team entered the weekend trailing by seven points. An unfortunate machine issue left him in pit lane when the race restarted after a red flag and his championship hopes evaporated.

Still, it didn’t take away from Lewis’ season, one that saw him win twice (his first AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike victories) and fight back into the points. The teenager proved he is a hot commodity in the paddock.

Lewis charged back on Sunday, fighting for the second spot before ultimately finishing a close fourth.

Gerloff closed out the year with fourth on Saturday and second on Sunday. The Yamaha Extended Service/Monster Energy/Graves Yamaha pilot was strong late in Race 2, making his way through Westby and Lewis on the last laps.

“That was a fun race, to be in that group with Dane. I was glad to get at the front of those guys and finish second,” said Gerloff, sixth in the final standings. “The year didn’t go quite the way I’d hoped, but I have to thank my Y.E.S./Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha team for giving me an awesome R6 all season long.”

Eslick emerged as fourth in points. The DAYTONA 200 win was a highlight of his season and ‘Slick’ also took a championship in the AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series, but a Sunday morning tumble didn’t help him hold off Westby in the points.

“Crashing the Harley wasn’t a good thing. My thumb is sore and my shoulder is pretty banged up,” said Eslick.

Eslick’s fifth and sixth held off JD Beach in the standings. Beach, on board the other Yamaha Extended Service/Monster Energy/Graves Yamaha entry, earned eighth and fifth in New Jersey.

Jake Zemke earned his first podium of the year on Saturday. The veteran made the most of tough conditions to put the M4 Motorcycle Racing squad on the box for the first time in 2014.

“It’s been a tough year for us and we wanted to get up on the podium before the year was out,” said Zemke. “I wanted to get up here to reward all the guys who worked hard all season.”

Zemke dedicated the performance to his stepson who passed away this spring. He ended the year seventh in points.

Castrol/Triumph/Sportbike Track Time’s Jason DiSalvo couldn’t back up his Mid-Ohio win this time out, but the New York native secured eighth in the championship, ahead of fellow New Yorker Kyle Wyman with Kyle Wyman Racing.

Blake Young finished tenth on the GN Gonzalez entry. Young topped the best rookie in class, Tomas Puerta of RoadRace Factory/Red Bull.

Another young rider, Joe Roberts of M4 SportBikeTrackGear.com, earned his best result of the year on Saturday with sixth place.

More, from another press release issued by AMA Pro Racing:

Gillim claims first AMA Pro SuperSport title following epic battle with Dominguez

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Hayden Gillim emerged as AMA Pro SuperSport champion at the Kawasaki Devil’s Showdown at New Jersey Motorsports Park last weekend. Gillim, who had finished second in the points four straight years in his various AMA Pro attempts and three times in AMA Pro SuperSport, had his hands full with Dustin Dominguez, and the battle for the title in 2014 was a true showdown.

The racing was very close – typical of the AMA Pro SuperSport class. Gillim had a two-point lead coming into the event and left with the same margin after he and Dominguez split wins in the Garden State.

“The last three years I have finished short, and to finally to come out to battle for wins every weekend and battle with Dustin, Corey (Alexander) and Wyatt (Farris) and everybody is fantastic. I was finally able to get the No. 1 plate,” Gillim said.

The TOBC Racing pilot won on Saturday in a shortened wet race and set himself up for a scenario where he only needed to follow Dominguez and the Houston Superbikes entry on Sunday. Gillim gave it his best shot to shot at the win in the finale but his second was more than enough to take the crown.

On Saturday, Gillim got off to a solid start, trailing Mark Miller, Jr., on the Mar Del Racing machine. Dominguez was third early, but was cautious in the slightly damp conditions. The Oklahoman upped his pace and was the fastest man on the track as the contest approached the midpoint, but he needed to make up serious ground.

Gillim worked past Miller and pulled away. Dominguez made his way to second by lap eight. The conditions worsened throughout the race and as the leaders were working lap 10, the a red flag flew. Multiple riders, including several fighting inside the top ten, crashed as the rain picked up.

The race was called since the stoppage came after the halfway point. Gillim was the winner ahead of Dominguez and Miller.

“The first couple of laps felt really good,” said Gillim. “But (the rain) started getting thicker and thicker.”

On Sunday, polesitter Dominguez got away second behind Gillim and was able to run strong. Even though Gillim was much friskier than one might expect from a rider just needing to finish second, Dominguez was in a good position and put pressure on Gillim early.

Eventually Dominguez took the lead and seemed to have a little more than Gillim.

Unfortunately for Dominguez, no other rider could join the fray and Gillim stayed on two wheels. Dominguez won the 16-lapper but it was not enough and he ended up two points short in the title chase.

“This is probably the most depressing win I’ve ever had but it’s a win and that’s good. I was trying to push (Gillim) into making a mistake and he never did. He rode a great race. At the end I decided to pick it up a bit,” said Dominguez.

Gillim admitted the championship wasn’t the only thing on his mind.

“The strategy was to win. It always is,” said Gillim. “The first few laps, I was pushing as hard as I could. We were having a really good battle.”

Miller had a great weekend, earning third and fifth. The Maryland native has performed well in AMA Pro competition before, but led Race 1 extensively and was rewarded with his best weekend yet on the Mar Del Racing Yamaha.

“It was amazing to be on the podium with these guys, a dream come true,” said Miller.

Wyatt Farris also earned the podium the next day. Farris fought in the second group on Saturday on his way to fourth but upped his pace in the dry. Farris also finished a clear third in points in a season where he learned plenty.

Farris seemed to be involved in close battles all year, a great situation for the young Californian on the Celtic/HVMC Suzuki.

“It was kind of a crazy race, I didn’t spend too much time with the harder tire and by the time I came to grips with it, they had gotten away,” said Farris, who described his season as solid. “It’s good to finish the year on the box.”

The final championship picture emerged with the checkered flag on Sunday.

Reigning East champ Corey Alexander saw his season slip away late. A couple of tough rounds meant he was out of the title fight. The other Celtic/HVMC pilot won the first three races but was only 23rd and sixth in New Jersey. Alexander held off young ace Kaleb De Keyrel for fourth place by a single point.

De Keyrel and his De Keyrel Racing team rallied on Sunday to jump five spots to fourth place. The 17 year-old earned a podium in 2014 and made a big leap from his first year in class.

Jason Aguilar, another youngster, took sixth in the final points. The Tuned Industries pilot put together the solid season in his first year on the tour. Aguilar’s best moment was his third place at Road America.

Race Worx USA’s JC Camacho was solidly inside the top ten all year long and took seventh in points. The Texan earned seven top tens in 2014.

Three young riders filled the last spots in the point standings, with Cody Wyman (Harv’s Harley-Davidson) leading Excel Racing’s Conner Blevins and TOBC Racing’s Curtis Murray home.

Riders impressing in New Jersey included Justin Jones. The Showtime Inc., pilot was fifth on Saturday. Escalante Racing’s Richie Escalante, from Mexico, took sixth and seventh. Florida’s Tim Hunt earned another eighth place.

Gillim was a fitting champion in another exciting year for the class. Having given it a great shot in previous campaigns, Gillim’s conquest serves as a testament to perseverance and hard racing.