YOSHIMURA SUZUKI FACTORY RACING’S ROGER HAYDEN CAPTURES TWO SUPERBIKE PODIUMS AT MID-OHIO
Yoshimura Suzuki’s Martin Cardenas brings a home fourth, teammate Chris Clark cards a fifth
LEXINGTON, OH – Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing wrapped up the penultimate round of the 2014 AMA Pro Superbike Championships at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, OH, with two podium finishes and two top-five results. Because the double-header weekend was plagued by rain all day on Saturday, both Superbike races were run on Sunday. But Yoshimura Suzuki riders Roger Hayden, Martin Cardenas and Chris Clark were more than up to the challenge.
Despite very limited track time, Yoshimura Suzuki’s Roger Hayden came through, and then some. After losing Saturday to the weather, the AMA shortened the 21-lap Superbike races to 16 laps each. In both of Sunday’s events, Yoshimura Suzuki’s Hayden got good starts and battled up front before finishing third in each race.
“At the beginning of both races I felt pretty good,” Hayden said. “But toward the midway point, I made some mistakes trying to keep up with the other guys. But overall, I’m glad to get two podiums this weekend. I want to thank the whole Yoshimura Suzuki crew for doing an awesome job for me, as always. But we want to win races so we’re not completely satisfied with third. We have some time off, so we’ll do our homework and come back and finish the season off strong in New Jersey.”
Yoshimura Suzuki teammate Cardenas had a good first race on Sunday morning, battling with teammate Hayden early on before finishing a respectable fourth. In the second race, however, Cardenas crashed within the first few laps and was unable to finish the race.
“The first race was not what I wanted,” Cardenas said. “We were hoping to get on the podium. I was going good, but then I had a few moments with the bike and almost high-sided three times in a lap and a half, I so slowed down and I ended up fourth. In race two, we made some changes, and the Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 was working good for the first few laps. Then, when I was on the brakes, I hit a small bump and lost the front end and that was the end of my race. I’m pretty disappointed with that, but now we’ll get ready for New Jersey and try to do better.”
Meanwhile, Yoshimura Suzuki’s Clark was the picture of consistency at Mid-Ohio. He turned in two solid performances in both races, finishing sixth in the first event and fifth in the second.
“It’s tough when you haven’t had much track time,” Clark said. “I just tried to get up to speed as quickly as possible. In the first race, I focused on putting in solid laps and was able to get up to sixth. I had a little better start in the second race and we had a pretty good pace. I was happy to bounce back from Laguna and finish in the top five. Now I’m looking forward to New Jersey and finishing in the top five for the year.”
Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing’s next event is the final round of the 2014 AMA Pro Superbike Championships during the weekend of September 13 – 14, at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, NJ.
2014 Mid-Ohio Superbike Results, Race 1:
1. Cameron Beaubier
2. Josh Hayes
3. Roger Hayden
4. Martin Cardenas
5. Chris Fillmore
6. Chris Clark
7. David Anthony
8. Larry Pegram
9. Chris Ulrich
10. Frankie Babuska
2014 Mid-Ohio Superbike Results, Race 2:
1. Josh Hayes
2. Cameron Beaubier
3. Roger Hayden
4. Chris Fillmore
5. Chris Clark
6. Taylor Knapp
7. David Anthony
8. Chris Ulrich
9. Cory West
10. Frankie Babuska
2014 Superbike Standings:
1. Josh Hayes – 230
2. Cameron Beaubier – 190
3. Roger Hayden – 176
4. David Anthony – 159
5. Chris Clark – 148
6. Martin Cardenas – 126
7. Chris Fillmore – 119
8. Cory West – 101
9. Bernat Martinez – 80
10. Larry Pegram – 71
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 Motor of America, 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 Camacho Racing:
JC CAMACHO PUTS IN A HERCULEAN-LIKE EFFORT AT MID-OHIO TO ACHIEVE A CAREER BEST RESULT
The AMA’s new two-day format during the Buckeye Superbike weekend at Mid-Ohio’s Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, this past weekend became a one-day format after Mother Nature mocked any attempts to get in any racing on Saturday. The vast majority of riders considered the track unsafe with any amount of precipitation in the air, and as such Saturday’s races were scrubbed in favor of Sunday in hopes that the weather would improve. It did, and racing resumed, but the resulting lack of track time due to Saturday’s preemption made things extremely difficult on Texas privateer, and AMA Pro SuperSport class rider. JC Camacho, as he had never been to the Mid-Ohio circuit before, and was in need of vital practice time. Camacho was looking to redeem himself after a subpar – by his own standards – showing at Barber Motorsports Park, and doing so would be more difficult now that weather had limited his ability to gain knowledge of the race track. Even so, the young rider would eventually impress with his exceptional ability to find speed with limited track time.
After AMA officials reset the race schedule for Sunday morning, the activities of the day would be very tightly compressed, with seven races and just one round of practice for each. Adding further complication for the young Texan, the first time Camacho rolled out onto the track on Sunday, the track was still slick, but Camacho made terms with the track quickly, and with a late charge, he had put himself at 7th fastest in morning warm-up. Still the small amount of practice time and the ever-changing conditions would make a final decision on race set-up tricky for privateer Camacho; the qualifying timesheet didn’t accurately reflect his off-track struggles for a solid baseline.
In Race 1 Camacho turned a blistering 1:31.738 lap time and saw the young Texan locked in a four rider battle for the final podium position when he caught lap traffic and was separated from the lead group. Camacho pushed hard as he tried to close the gap, but with a shortened race he simply ran out of time. Camacho would still post his best finish of the season as he crossed the stripe in 5th place.
Now with a solid understanding of the Mid-Ohio course at race pace, Camacho was confident he could make some changes, go faster in Race 2 than he did in Race 1, and achieve his goal of a podium finish. When the starter’s lights went out, Camacho blasted off the line and played follow-the-leader for a few laps before it became apparent that the changes made to Camacho’s set-up after Race 1 were not going to allow him to ride faster. With no practice before the race, riders did not get to test any changes – it was simply grid and go – and Camacho was stuck with the changes his team made, changes that ultimately didn’t help. Realizing this early on, Camacho set out to ride as hard as he could, and hope the shortened race would play into his favor. He was the leader in three rider battle for 6th place but eventually lost the rear grip he needed to hold the others off, and finished in the 8th spot.
Camacho said of the weekend, “Race 1 was the closest we have been all year. The new Dunlop tires are awesome but we shredded the tire because of no track time. We were battling for a podium but I lost some time when we caught lappers. I charged back up and then caught lappers again so that was pretty frustrating. I felt confident I was going to go faster in Race 2.” Camacho, clearly disappointed after the second race, said “We changed the suspension but little track time on a new to me track and [with] a new tire really hurt us.”
Camacho would leave Mid-Ohio experiencing the highs and lows of racing – a best result followed by frustration by not being able to go quicker after learning the track. Still, Camacho was always smiling, and vowed to try even harder at the final round of the series at New Jersey Motorsports Park on September 13-14.
For the 2014 season, JC Camacho is proudly sponsored by Raceworx USA, House of Paint Designs, Nexx Helmets, AXO, Race Engine Services, Traxxion Dynamics, K&N Filters, Vortex, Spy Optics, Penske Shocks, Powerstands Racing and Speedfreakdecals.com. Camacho is seeking additional support to compete in the final round of AMA. If you are interested in helping young gun JC Camacho achieve his professional racing goals, please visit www.facebook.com/jc.camacho.54. contact Camacho directly via email at [email protected], or visit Camacho on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jc.camacho.54.
More, from a press release issued by Tuned Racing:
Tuned Racing Shows Improved Results at Mid-Ohio
Tuned Racing Riders Bryce Prince and Jason Aguilar showed improvement in difficult weather conditions at the AMA Pro Road Racing Buckeye SuperBike Weekend. On Saturday, rain washed out the qualifying sessions and the races. There was a single practice session for Daytona Sportbike and SuperSport classes. In Daytona Sportbike, Bryce Prince finished 11th overall. Supersport practice was a disaster for Jason Aguilar, who only managed 3 laps, a crash, and a fire, leaving him 37th out of 43 riders. AMA Pro Racing rules call for gridding by points when qualifying sessions are not able to be completed. This put Jason in 6th starting position for the first race. Bryce would start his race from 13th.
AMA Pro Racing decided to try to run a full weekend schedule of racing in one day on Sunday to make up for the washed out Saturday. The order of the races was reversed to make sure they completed the Superbike races first. In Daytona Sportbike Race 1, Bryce started in 13th and stayed there for the entire race. In Race 2, Bryce started from 13th, and was able to get around a couple of riders to advance to 11th Place.
Supersport Race 1 was going to be a challenge for Jason Aguilar after a difficult Saturday practice that gave Jason very little track time. Starting from 6th, Jason did not get a good start and dropped back in the 43 rider field. Jason moved into 9th place by the end of the first lap and was not able to advance beyond that, but was able to improve his lap times to better than some of the riders who finished ahead of him. Jason was feeling more confident for Race 2, but a change in the gridding rule moved him back to 9th starting position for Race 2. Once again, Jason did not get a good start and fell back in the field. Jason moved into 8th by the end of the first lap but lost a position on the second lap and got caught up in a battle for 7th place. Once Jason got around those riders he had some clear track and proceeded run his fastest laps of the race while hunting down another rider for 6th place. The two Top 10 finishes keeps Jason streak alive of Top 10 finishes in every AMA Supersport Race this year.
Jason currently sits in 6th Place in AMA Pro Racing’s Supersport Class and is the highest ranked rookie in the class. Bryce is in 14th in the highly competitive Daytona Sportbike class. Both riders look forward to the final race of the season September 13-14, at New JerseyMotorsportsPark. Tuned Racing will return to competition August 8-9 at the newly repaved ButtonwillowRacewayPark on August 9-10 for Moto West Grand Prix where Bryce leads the Overall Championship, and Formula 1, Open Superbike, and 600 Superbike classes. Jason Aguilar leads the 600 Superstock Class, and is 2nd in Open Superstock and Formula 1 classes.
Tuned Racing thanks all its sponsors for their support:
Tuned Industries, Graves Motorsports, Dunlop Tires, Solarmax Technology, Galfer Brakes, Worxxx Performance and Machine, Drive Systems USA, Torco Advanced Lubricants, OFD Racing, 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. Tuned Racing welcomes new sponsor Scott’s Plumbing to the team!
Jason Aguilar also thanks his personal sponsors: RS Taichi, Moto Liberty, AXO, Vortex Racing, Impact Safe-T Armor, Spider Grips, HT Moto, GPR Stabilizers, Troy Lee Designs, and Chicken Hawk Racing.
More, from a press release issued by Riders Discount Triumph:
HOLLAND, Mich. – Uncooperative weather put a damper on the AMA Pro Racing Saturday schedule delaying, and eventually canceling events for the day. What resulted was an action packed, race filled Sunday schedule. Seven races in one day made for an exciting spectacle.
After a 3rd place finish in race one, Danny Eslick was set to improve in race two but was caught up in a fluid spill from another bike on lap four. The Riders Discount Triumph crew was able to get Danny back out on track finishing 15th overall.
“Pretty crazy weekend at Mid Ohio,” said Brian Gibson, Riders Discount Triumph team owner. “Lots of downtime due to the weather on Saturday and then all hell broke loose on Sunday. Another strong finish for the team during the first race finishing third but unfortunately Danny crashing in the second race because of fluids on the track really took a hit in our championship goals. We will regroup and show up at New Jersey with nothing more than a plan to win both races. The Riders Discount Triumph is capable as is our rider.”
“The weekend started off a little rough with the rain and weather on Saturday, but we were able to get one practice session in,” said Danny Eslick. “It definitely sucks for the fans but I’m a huge fan of the one day show. How much better for the fans could it be to have 6-7 races in one day? It’s pretty awesome and I had fun.”
“The podium felt good,” Danny said on his third place finish. “Ohio has always been one of my strong tracks and we had a good setup on the Riders Discount Triumph Daytona 675R. I got caught up in a little bit of traffic, but once I finally shook those guys I settled in to 3rd. Unfortunately, I didn’t have anything for Gagne or Lewis in race one.”
“Race two this afternoon was a big Hail Mary after starting 6th. I got off to a decent start, tucked in and got in a groove with the lead group until Westby dropped fluid onto the track causing us to crash. After that, the bike just didn’t seem to be as good as it was and we scrapped a 15th place finish and a few championship points. We’ll take the gloves off and come out swinging at New Jersey.”
The final round of the AMA Pro season is at New Jersey Motorsports Park, September 13-14.
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, Saddlemen, 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:
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, OH
If last weekend was a weekend to forget, then this weekend was certainly one to remember; and not because of the awesome racing. This weekend at one of our favorite tracks, Mother Nature decided to throw our already compressed schedule into chaos with a little rain. Mid-Ohio is fantastic track for riders and spectators alike; the only issue is the track surface. It’s often sketchy under dry conditions, when it rains however, it’s as one of our fans described it, “It’s like riding on greased ice.” Day one of the two day schedule was literally a wash..
Race Report
GoPro Daytona SportBike
Coming off a hard weekend at Laguna, Jake and Tomas were looking for some redemption at Mid-Ohio. With the two-day format redemption would have to come quickly, but when one day is lost, redemption would have to be swift as the limited track time wouldn’t allow for major changes in bike set-up. Because of the rain on Saturday, there were no practice sessions or qualifying. The only time the riders went on track was for a 20 minute “Inspection” ride. For the races on Sunday the riders would be gridded by their standing in series points following a 10 minute warm-up session with a 10 minute window to make adjustments. After that, it was grid and go!
First DSB race was set to go off late morning barring any more inference from the weather. Everyone in the paddock was buzzing about having two races in one day; the riders loved it, the crews were happy to be finally racing and the fans… The fans got every ounce of racing they could in one day. Right on cue, the horns sounded and the first DSB race was set to begin. The riders went straight out of the hot pits and onto the warm-up lap. As soon as the last rider hit his starting position, it was on! The entire field leapt off the line and Race 1 was underway.
Jake Gagne didn’t get the cleanest of starts and was back in fourth place by the end of the first lap. Unfortunately for Tomas, his start was deemed early and he was penalized 10 seconds. Undeterred he put his head down and went around the track faster than he had ever gone before. By mid race Tomas was battling some of the fastest riders in the class. Meanwhile at the front of the race, Jake had worked his way through the pack and was running in first followed by fellow Yamaha rider Jake Lewis. With about 3 laps to go Jake Lewis had gained on Gagne and the two of them would begin to pull away from the chasing riders in third and fourth.
As the shortened race was coming to a close, Jake Gagne had a small lead over Lewis and it looked as if Gagne had the victory in hand. Then a minor over run by Gagne on exiting the keyhole section allowed just enough room for Lewis to scoot through. They would pick their way through lapped traffic, which helped Lewis maintain his lead as the pair crossed the start finish. P2 for Jake Gagne and when the dust settled for Tomas he was in P12.
Race 2 was almost a carbon copy of race 1 at the start. Jake Gagne launched off the line and before turn 6 he had already built up a decent lead. Tomas made a clean start and was hanging in the middle of the second pack, which covered positions 5-12. The stage was being set for another breakaway performance from Gagne when behind him, Dane Westby crashed and fluid from his machine caused Danny Eslick and Jake Zemke to join him in the air fence. Red flag and restart with 10 laps.
This time the restart had a different result. Jake still jumped off and was clearing out however Jason DiSalvo was in tow. Tomas meanwhile was fighting hard with Blake Young for a top 10 position. Up front Jake couldn’t shake Jason and as the race was coming to another dramatic close, Jake was pushing hard and riding at the limits of his tires. DiSalvo pulled a little gap with a couple of laps to go and Jake was unable to rein him in. At the line it was to be another P2 for Gagne. Tomas’ battle had been decided earlier as his bike began to slide around on him, he crossed the stripe in P9.
Jake Gagne – 1st in Standings
“Weird weekend for sure. Yeah, it was an action packed day and a really quick pace. I’m glad that they decided to do the two races in one day, I actually kinda liked it. It’s a bit more of a gamble when you go straight into a race instead of having time to set-up like a normal weekend. We were able to make some small changes between the races and it helped a little bit. I guess when you come away with two Seconds its a good and a bad thing in that we’re not satisfied with it. All we want to do is win and I’m happy to be up the podium but we really are expecting the wins. We’re going into New Jersey the same as always, get in there and go as fast as we can and win some races. If we do that, then everything will fall into place”
Tomas Puerta – 12th in Standings
“I think it was a good day of racing, I was having fun and the results were ok. We struggled a little bit. I got penalized in the first race, 10 seconds for moving a little on the start. Also we were having some rear tire issues, the bike was sliding a lot. They got it fixed before the second race. On the first start the bike was running ok and I was feeling good. I got another decent start after the red flag but it took me a couple of laps to get by Eslick and I lost contact with the group I was running with. I just put my head down and kept going at my pace. It was a weird weekend, but I had fun today in both races, they were close.”
SuperSport
SuperSport was the most unfortunate group this past weekend. They had fewest laps on Saturday as the rain started back up and falling riders brought out a red flag that would not be lifted as the remaining session for the day were cancelled. In total, Felipe was able to make roughly five laps before being directed back into the pits.
Sunday’s races were relegated to the last of the classes as the normal order was flipped. Which meant Race 1 was at lunchtime and Race 2 was the last race of the weekend at 3:00 pm. Having made the most of his 20 minute morning warm-up, Felipe and his crew would be ready.
It was another massive field of riders that took to the grid for race one. Again over 40 riders set out to chase down victory. Fortunately for the SuperSport class, three other races had laid down some rubber so the track was nowhere near as slippery as it had been for his DSB counterparts. So as the track went hot and racers began racing, the action was close. Felipe got a good start and in the early stages, was involved in a battle of 7 riders, all jockeying for their places. Running in his typical methodical pace, Felipe continued to fight as he lowered his lap times each lap. As the checkers were being waved, Felipe crossed the line in P24.
Race 2 was being staged as the afternoon crowd was taking up their favorite viewing positions. Another grid and go went off without a hitch and again 43 riders went hurdling towards turn 1. Felipe would settle into a good groove in the early going. With five laps to go, Felipe “woke up” and really started putting down some respectable times; times that would’ve had him fighting for a top 15. He was enjoying the speed as he set his fastest lap on the second to last lap. In the final analysis, he crossed the line again in P24.
Felipe MacLean
“What a crazy weekend! First race was ok, I started to comfortable again on the bike, but on this track it is really really hard to have some feeling on the tires. I struggled a lot but I started to slowly pick up my pace. By the end of the day was my best time, I think that if we had more track time this weekend it would’ve been much better. I’m positive going into New Jersey, New Jersey is a track that I really like. I’m having fun and that’s the most important thing for me.”
The Final Word – Danny Walker
“Well, Mother Nature showed us whose boss! That happens sometimes, I know we race in the rain, but this track isn’t the greatest when it’s wet so I agree with the AMA’s decision to run two races on Sunday. It was actually pretty cool and fun and I think the fans got a great show of non-stop racing.
I’ve said it before and I’ll repeat it, we’re here to take victories not just podiums and points. Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited about Gagne and his two-second places and Tomas’ continuously improving race craft, but we feel we should be dominating. We’re going to go back to the shop and figure out what’s going on. Road America showed everyone what we’ve known all along, that Jake can dominate and our bikes are insanely good. We just need to find that missing piece and come back to New Jersey and do what we know we can do.”
More, form a press release issued by Hindle Exhausts:
Round 5 – AMA Pro Road Racing
Round 5 – Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (Lexington, Ohio) Jason Disalvo, on the Apex Manufacturing/Castrol/Hindle/Triumph 675R, took home an exciting first place finish in Race 2 of the Go Pro Daytona Sportbike race at Round 5 of the 2014 AMA Pro Roadracing Series, held in Mid-Ohio on July 20th.
Unfortunately, due to heavy rainfall, Saturday’s races were cancelled at Mid-Ohio and were to take place on Sunday instead. This made for a jam-packed day full of racing. Disalvo also finished 7th in Race 1 of the Go Pro Daytona Sportbike race, also held on Sunday July 20th.
Bobby Fong, on the Latus Motors/Castrol/Hindle/Triumph 675R, finished in 8th place in Race 1 of the Go Pro Daytona Sportbike class, and in 5th place in Race 2 of the Go Pro Daytona Sportbike class.
Next up is Round 6 of the 2014 AMA Pro Roadracing Series, August 8-10, 2014, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (XR1200 class only), and Round 7, September 13-14, 2014 at New Jersey Motorsports Park. For more information, check out www.amaproracing.com.
More, from a press release issued by Celtic Racing/HVMC Suzuki:
Farris Takes Third & Fifth Place Finishes At Mid Ohio While Teammate Alexander Endures Difficulty
Celtic Hudson Valley Motorcycles Suzuki riders Corey Alexander and Wyatt Farris had very different weekends at the Mid Ohio Sports Car Course. This was the second two day event on the AMA Pro Road Racing schedule, and with the heavy rains and reduced track time, all the teams had very limited practice and tuning. Saturday was basically a wash out, which forced a very busy schedule for Sunday, with both SuperSport events in the afternoon. Since there was no time for an official qualifying session, the first race grid was determined by the points standings, which put Alexander on pole, with Farris starting from fourth. In the Sunday morning warm up session, Alexander was second fastest, with Farris in fifth position for what was essentially the only practice session before the races that afternoon.
In race one, Alexander got a strong start on his #5 Celtic/HVMC Suzuki GSX-R 600 and was making up some time on Gillim and Dominguez who had passed him in the middle of lap one. Unfortunately, Alexander crashed while exiting turn four on lap four, uninjured but putting an end to his race. Farris slipped into sixth at the beginning of the race on his #19 Celtic/HVMC Suzuki GSX-R 600, but with some determination and skill managed to work his way past Blevins and Camacho to take third place by lap seven. Farris continued to do close battle with the two riders near him, and would finish a strong third, his third podium finish of the season.
Race two was later in the afternoon on Sunday, with grid positions for both Alexander and Farris determined by their race one lap times. As they were on the grid waiting for the start, Alexander noticed a problem with his front brakes, and was unable to start the race. Farris got another good start, and was putting in consistently quick laps in fourth position for much of the race chasing the lead pack, until he slipped into fifth when De Keyrel worked his way past on the final lap.
Wyatt Farris was pleased to score some points and visit the podium again at Mid Ohio, stating “I’m happy to get back on the podium with a third, and bring home a fifth for the Celtic/HVMC Suzuki team and our sponsors. Even though they may not be quite the results I’m looking for, or the results we know we can get, any time you’re on the podium it’s a good day. I’m going to use this seven week break to work on a few things, and head to New Jersey looking to improve our results. A massive thank you to my team, our sponsors and my personal sponsors: Jon Block Group, Cortech, Shoei, Defy All Odds Apparel, Above Category, and CT Racing.” You can keep up with Wyatt Farris via Instagram or Twitter @wyattfarris19 or join him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wyattfarrisracing . Wyatt moves into third position in the points standings, with 144 points, behind Dominguez and Gillim, and just ahead of his teammate Alexander in fourth.
Corey Alexander was very disappointed with how the weekend at Mid Ohio progressed, and said “I guess bad luck comes all at once when it does come. This weekend started off rough just from the weather alone, which cut down the whole weekend to essentially one day. With that said, I felt we had a really good bike and a lot of potential to do really well. Unfortunately the unpredictable track surface caught us out in race one which ultimately caught us out in race two with a brake failure induced by the crash. With such a short schedule it puts a lot of pressure on the whole team to get everything together in a big hurry, and very little time for the riders to get a feel for everything. It’s unfortunate for the team, the sponsors, and myself to be plagued with such bad luck especially with such high potential and a strong start to the season. The only thing we can do is move forward and hope to dominate at our home track, New Jersey Motorsports Park in September. Thanks to all of the sponsors and people who made this season possible. It is unfortunate when things don’t go as expected as we owe it to all of you to get a good result.”
Corey’s personal sponsors include: MJRS Freeman, Spidi Leathers, XPD Boots, Arai Helmets, Boxed Water Is Better, Defy All Odds Apparel, Oakley, Crossfit OSA, and Lapizta Watches. Please follow Corey Alexander on twitter and Instagram via @corey5alexander , keep track of him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/corey5alexander , and check out his webpage – www.facebook.com/corey5alexander – as well. Alexander slips into fourth position in the points, just three points behind his teammate Farris.
Sponsors for the Celtic/Hudson Valley Motorcycles Suzuki team include: HVMC Racing, Suzuki, MJRS Freeman, Orient Express, Jon Block Group, Yoshimura R&D, Bazzaz, Gemini, K-Tech Suspension, Pitbull, Maxima Racing Oils, Galfer, Chicken Hawk, Motion Pro, Armour Bodies, Saddlemen, Star School, DesignStar3, Zero Gravity, Signs Ink, GB Racing, DID, and Vortex.
CELTIC RACING
Celtic Racing was established in 2001 by Barry Gilsenan, and over the past 13 seasons has established itself as a premier privateer racing team. Celtic Racing has seen consecutive championship seasons in AMA Pro Racing SuperSport from 2012 to 2013. Development of riding talent began with two-stroke 125cc, and 250cc machines competing in professional and regional championship events. More recent Celtic Racing efforts have focused on AMA Pro Road Racing in the Daytona SportBike and SuperSport classes with Ducati, Honda, Suzuki, and Yamaha four stroke motorcycles. Gilsenan’s talent for coaching racers of all ages and abilities has brought Celtic Racing worldwide attention and recognition, with many former Celtic Racing riders now competing on World Championship levels. For more information regarding Celtic/HVMC Suzuki please join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/celticracing and follow @celticracing on twitter and Instagram – we appreciate all your support!
HUDSON VALLEY MOTORCYCLES
Hudson Valley Motorcycles has been serving New York’s Hudson Valley and Westchester County as well as Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and greater New England with Ducati, Kawasaki, and Suzuki Motorcycle/ATV Sales, Parts, and Service since 1966. Established by Richard Alexander Sr, the dealership is a family run business with employees who have been part of the family for decades in some cases. With deep and long standing customer relationships around the region, Hudson Valley Motorcycles is known for outstanding customer service, in-depth product expertise, and the foremost service department for machines of all brands. Please visit www.hvmotorcycles.com, join them on Facebook at www.hvmotorcycles.com, or follow them via @hvmotorcycles .
ORIENT EXPRESS
Established in 1973, Orient Express is celebrating its 41st year as a high performance motorcycle parts distributor and race shop. Orient Express offers engine and motorcycle building services, precision machine work, suspension servicing, and dyno tuning services. Orient Express has an extensive history of racing, including support of both professional and amateur race series and individuals. For more information regarding Orient Express, or to find out what Orient Express can do for your racing success, please call 800.645.6521 or 631.231.9552 (NY/International), visit http://www.orientexpress.com or join them on Facebook at http://www.orientexpress.com .