Defending Champion Cameron Beaubier ended up on top after a busy MotoAmerica Superbike qualifying session Friday at Circuit of The Americas.
Beaubier and his Monster Energy Graves Yamaha teammate Josh Hayes, Yoshimura Suzuki’s Roger Hayden and Broaster Chicken/RoadRace Factory Yamaha’s Jake Gagne each led the 30-minute session at some point, but in the closing minutes Beaubier ripped off a 2:09.590 on his Dunlop-shod YZF-R1 to come away with the provisional pole position.
Hayes’ final lap, a 2:09.790, earned him the second spot on the time sheet and continued rebuilding his confidence after his lackluster performance during the official pre-season test at COTA two weeks ago.
Hayden peaked slightly ahead of the end of the session, but his 2:09.960 on his aging GSX-R1000 held up for third-best.
Former Moto2 World Champion Toni Elias, Hayden’s temporary teammate while Jake Lewis recovers from a shoulder injury, finished fourth-fastest with a 2:10.325.
Josh Herrrin, a former AMA Pro Superbike Champion, was fifth-quickest overall and the top rider in the Superstock 1000 category with a time of 2:10.920 on his Wheels In Motion/Motosport.com/Meen Yamaha YZF-R1.
After leading with less than 10 minutes to go, Gagne slipped backward to sixth overall with his lap of 2:10.926 on his YZF-R1 Superbike.
Bobby Fong made a huge jump from the 2:14.162 he did during Thursday’s free practice to the 2:11.068 he did on his Quicksilver Latus Motors Racing Kawasaki ZX-10R Superstock 1000 machine in qualifying. This is Fong’s first time racing a 1000cc machine professionally.
Josh Day came out eighth overall and third in Superstock 1000 with an effort of 2:11.339 on his Yamalube/Westby Racing Yamaha YZF-R1.
Kyle Wyman, riding in his first Pro Superbike event, went from 16th and a 2:15.488 on Thursday to ninth overall and a 2:12.071 on Friday.
Hayden Gillim, another rider new to 1000cc racing, rounded out the top 10 overall and was fourth among the Superstock 1000 riders, with a lap of 2:12.100 on his Cycle World Suzuki GSX-R1000.
Hayes Brakes BMW Superstock 1000 rider Steve Rapp (2:12.376) and Fong’s teammate David Anthony (2:12.522) will be the final two riders included in the 25-minute Superbike Shootout, which is scheduled to begin at 5:00 p.m. local time Friday.
MotoAmerica Superbike Championship of Texas
MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North America Road Racing Series
Circuit of The Americas, Austin, Texas
April 8, 2016
Provisional Qualifying Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Cameron Beaubier (Yam YZF-R1), Superbike, 2:09.590
2. Josh Hayes (Yam YZF-R1), Superbike, 2:09.790
3. Roger Hayden (Suz GSX-R1000), Superbike, 2:09.960
4. Toni Elias (Suz GSX-R1000), Superbike, 2:10.325
5. Josh Herrin (Yam YZF-R1), Superstock 1000, 2:10.920
6. Jake Gagne (Yam YZF-R1), Superbike, 2:10.926
7. Bobby Fong (Kaw ZX-10R), Superstock 1000, 2:11.068
8. Josh Day (Yam YZF-R1), Superstock 1000, 2:11.339
9. Kyle Wyman (Yam YZF-R1), Superbike, 2:12.071
10. Hayden Gillim (Suz GSX-R1000), Superstock 1000, 2:12.100
11. Steve Rapp (BMW S1000RR), Superstock 1000, 2:12.376
12. David Anthony (Kaw ZX-10R), Superstock 1000, 2:12.522
13. Danny Eslick (Yam YZF-R1), Superstock 1000, 2:12.543
14. Claudio Corti (Apr RSV4 RF), Superstock 1000, 2:12.600
15. Chris Ulrich (Suz GSX-R1000), Superbike, 2:13.226
16. Sheridan Morais (Yam YZF-R1), Superstock 1000, 2:14.199
17. Taylor Knapp (Yam YZF-R1), Superstock 1000, 2:14.498
18. Ryan Jones (Yam YZF-R1), Superbike, 2:15.845
19. Anthony Kosinski (Yam YZF-R1), Superstock 1000, 2:16.861
20. Barrett Long (Yam YZF-R1), Superbike, 2:16.894
21. Max Flinders (Yam YZF-R1), Superstock 1000, 2:17.132
107% of Fast Time: 2:18.661
22. Sam Verderico (Yam YZF-R1), Superstock 1000, 2:19.383
23. Jeff Wrobel (Suz GSX-R1000), Superstock 1000, 2:19.551
24. Jason Madama (Yam YZF-R1), Superstock 1000, 2:19.557, crash
25. Johnny Rock Page (Yam YZF-R1), Superbike, 2:20.060
26. Josh Chisum (Yam YZF-R1), Superstock 1000, 2:20.396
27. Roi Holster (Yam YZF-R1), Superstock 1000, 2:21.020
28. Darren James (Yam YZF-R1), Superstock 1000, 2:21.718
29. Aaron Hersh (Yam YZF-R1), Superstock 1000, 2:21.922
30. Brandon Cretu (Yam YZF-R1), Superbike, 2:22.583