Riders Discount Triumph Wraps Up 2013 Season At Laguna Seca The 2013 AMA season came to its conclusion at Laguna Seca this past weekend, and Riders Discount Triumph continued it’s run of late season improvements to the new Triumph Daytona 675R by earning their best finish of the season. With the AMA sharing the track with WSBK for the weekend, there would only be one race instead of the standard two; and both of the team’s riders, Jake Zemke and Joey Pascarella, aimed to make the most of it. The pair started out the weekend well and managed to earn top-ten starting positions during qualifying, but they would end up with varying results. Zemke managed to give the team their best finish of the season by putting in an excellent performance during what was only his third race aboard the Triumph Daytona 675R. He passed and held off multiple riders in the last few laps before crossing the finish line in 6th place. Pascarella, however, wasn’t quite so lucky during Sunday’s race, and went down in turn one after coming together with another rider. He was able to pick the bike up, get back on track and make his way back up through the pack, but a mechanical issue resulting from the crash forced him back into the pits early. Jake Zemke – “The race went well for us. Once again, the Riders Discount team kept improving the Triumph 675R every time we went out. We didn’t qualify as well as we wanted to, but things went a lot better in the race. We were able to pass a few guys to finish 6th, which is not too bad at all considering it’s only our 3rd time on the bike. It makes me wish that the season was just starting instead of ending! We made great progress with the Triumph and haven’t reached the potential of the bike yet.” Joey Pascarella – “This weekend was a strange one for myself and the crew. Qualifying was tough because we had a problem with the bike that caused us to miss the first session. Luckily things were up and running for the second and I was able to get into a groove where I threw down a couple of good laps that put me in 8th. Considering the missed session, we were pretty happy with that result. In the race I got off to an okay start before I unfortunately got into it with another rider and went down in turn one. When I got back on track I started working my way back through the pack until I got a weird feeling with the bike and had to come in. We had a bad day on Sunday, but that’s how racing goes sometimes! I can’t thank the whole Riders Discount Triumph team enough, and I’m looking forward to 2014!” Joey Pascarella would like to thank his sponsors: Riders Discount, Triumph, Speed and Strength, Shoei, Akrapovic, Dunlop, Motion Pro, Zero Gravity, Vicci, Maxima, Saddlemen, Sidi, Forcefield Armour, Renthal, Andrew Swenson Designs, Hanshaw Engines, GB Covers, Brembo, Cap-It Tire Warmers, Spiegler, Attack Performance, Utopia, Sharkskinz, Drippinwet, Pitbull, Fastbikes USA. Jake Zemke would like to thank his sponsors: Riders Discount, Triumph, Shoei, TPL Racing, Akrapovic, Dunlop, Motion Pro, Zero Gravity, Maxima, Saddlemen, Renthal, Andrew Swenson Design, Hanshaw Engines, GB Covers, Brembo, Speigler, Sharkskin, Troy Lee Design, Alpinestars, Z Gallerie, DVS About RidersDiscount.com: 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 marquee 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. More, from a press release issued by Bel-Ray: Bel-Ray Racer Nico Terol Scores Moto2 Victory in Aragon FARMINGDALE, N.J. ? The fourteenth round of the 2013 World Championship series took place this weekend at the Motorland Aragon circuit in northeast Spain. Bel-Ray-sponsored Team Aspar racers were in all three championship classes and competed for top positions throughout the event. In what could be described as a magical weekend, Bel-Ray-supported Mapfre Aspar team rider Nico Terol showed his skill and dominance each time he took to the track. From the earliest practice sessions to his qualifying session, Terol was clearly the rider to beat. Starting from the pole, Terol quickly broke away from the field and led from wire to wire, opening up a 4.6 second gap by the checkered flag. This was Terol’s second victory of the season and the third podium of his career at the Aragon Circuit. “Before this weekend, at the Alcarrás test, I knew that I had found something very positive with the bike,” said Terol following the checkered flag. “I felt that we were getting an excellent feeling with the grip level. Nevertheless, it was unimaginable to have such a good weekend in Moto2, which is such a tough category. We’d had some trouble over the last few races, but this is a circuit I like, and I knew I could use it to mark a turning point for our fortunes. We worked very hard over the weekend, and taking my first Moto2 pole yesterday gave me an extra bit of confidence. Today, the weather changed, and I thought that maybe it would even things up at the front with the strong wind. On the first few laps, I was very consistent, and this allowed me to gain some distance. This victory is very special here at home, after a super weekend in which I was always establishing the gap that I wanted. This victory confirms that we can fight for the top places, so we’ll try to keep things that way.” Terol’s Moto2 teammate Jordi Torres also had excellent results at Aragon. He found the pace early and finished in a strong 6th place at the checkered flag. In the MotoGP class, Bel-Ray-supported Power Electronics riders Aleix Espargaro and Randy DePuniet were again the top CRT competitors in the field, with Espargaro finishing 11th and DePuniet just two places behind in 13th. “The first part of the race was very fun,” said Espargaro. “I started great, and that allowed me to maintain a good fight with the Ducati riders and even overtake (Bradley) Smith on the second lap. At the end of the race we suffered a bit; we knew that at this circuit the straights are very long and we would lose time there to the official bikes. I fought with them in the corners but on the straights I was always passed back. Anyway, I had a lot of fun with (Andrea) Iannone and (Nicky) Hayden. At the end we were very close, which was our mission for the day, so I’m very satisfied. Now we have a week to recharge our batteries, then we have to face the final sprint of the season.” DePuniet too was happy with the results from the event. “I am delighted that we were finally able to experience a normal Sunday. The beginning of the weekend was complicated, and even yesterday we had some setup problems. This meant that we didn’t do many laps during practice, but in this morning’s warm-up session, we had a good feeling. That helped me to face the race with more confidence. To finish 13th, starting from 16th on the grid, is a good result. I think I could have finished in front of (Yonny) Hernandez, but the power difference was evident today. We are back in the points; I am happy with this, and I hope to continue like this at the next races.” Bel-Ray’s entry into the Moto3 class, Jonas Folger, was questionable coming into the weekend. Following his spectacular crash at Misano, which resulted in a fractured ankle, the German racer had surgery on Monday and arrived at Aragon ready to push through the pain in search of world championship points. He started well and was just off the lead pack for most of the race, eventually finishing in 7th place at the checkered flag. Following the race, Folger spoke about his gritty determination. “Since the start of the weekend, the pain in my foot has gone down, but today it was clear that, with twenty laps ahead of us, sooner or later I was going to suffer. Over the weekend we could not put in many laps, and that kept us from establishing a steady pace. That, coupled with the pain in my foot, was what kept us from finishing the race in a better position. Nevertheless, I’m happy. I think we did a great job all weekend, despite coming back from a big injury.” The series will take a one-week break before continuing at the Sepang Circuit in Malaysia on October 13th. To learn more about Bel-Ray specialty powersports lubricants, visit www.belray.com/powersports or call (732) 938-2421. Follow Bel-Ray racers all season long at www.belray.com More, from a press release issued by Saddlemen: Saddlemen Riders Finish 2013 AMA Road Racing Season in Style Rancho Dominguez, Calif. – October 1, 2013 – Saddlemen racers returned to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca this past weekend for the final race of the 2013 season. AMA Pro Road Racing shared the track once again with international riders as the FIM Superbike World Championship made its only stop in the United States. AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike With the SuperSport class wrapped up, expectations were high for an exciting Daytona SportBike finale, and Saddlemen riders did not disappoint. Taking on the famed Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for the second time this season, Saddlemen riders set out to take one last shot at a podium finish while solidifying class positions as the season came to an end. The RoadRace Factory’s Jake Gagne and JD Beach were both exceptional competitors throughout the entire 2013 season, logging 22 top-5 finishes and 15 podium appearances between the two of them. Gagne headed to Laguna Seca with a decent hold on second place in the DSB standings, but needed to log just a few more points to ensure that he would finish the season in second. Gagne was in visible pain all weekend with a broken collarbone and separated shoulder but made the brave decision to fight through the pain and compete in Sunday’s race all the same. Gagne’s 11th place finish earned him more than enough points to secure second place on the season. Gagne’s teammate JD Beach was also recovering from an injury heading into the final round, though Beach’s was far less substantial. Following an incredible save after nearly high-siding at New Jersey, Beach was banged up as he raced in that round. If Beach was feeling any lingering effects he didn’t show it, as he finished in third place at Laguna Seca. Beach finished out the season in fourth place in the standings. National Guard/Celtic Racing’s James Rispoli worked incredibly hard this year, finishing no worse than eighth in all twelve races heading into the finale. Tied in points in the Saddlemen Rookie of the Year standings, Rispoli had a lot on the line going into the last race. Unfortunately, things were not going Rispoli’s way as a mechanical issue forced him out of the race after just seven laps. Despite missing out on the Rookie of the Year honors, Rispoli put together an incredible season and proved that he can compete in the Daytona SportBike class. Riders Discount racer Jake Zemke put in a solid sixth place ride, and though he only competed in seven races in his 2013 campaign still managed to finish 16th in the standings. Teammate Joey Pascarella raced in each round but unfortunately was knocked out of the final race after 15 laps. Pascarella finished 14th in the standings. Though the SuperSport season officially ended in New Jersey, several Saddlemen riders took the opportunity to step up to the Daytona SportBike ranks for the final race of the year. SuperSport West and Overall champion Tomas Puerta led the way with an eighth place finish in his DSB debut. National Guard/Celtic Racing rider Corey Alexander also made his DSB debut but was dropped out after six laps. The SuperSport East champ will join Puerta in the Daytona SportBike class fulltime in 2014. SuperSport East runner-up Hayden Gillim also got his first DSB ride with Meen Motorsports and finished 13th. Saddlemen is honored for the opportunity to support AMA Pro Road Racing as well as some of the most talented and hard-working riders on the planet. Visit www.saddlemen.com for more information on seats and luggage, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest updates. More, from a press release issued by Celtic Racing/Orient Express: Celtic Racing Wraps Up 2013 Season With Two Riders in Daytona Sport Bike Event At Laguna Seca National Guard Celtic Racing’s Corey Alexander and James Rispoli completed the 2013 AMA Pro Road Racing Daytona Sport Bike season together with a single race at Laguna Seca during the combined AMA / World Superbike weekend. Alexander arrived at Laguna Seca fresh from his 2013 AMA SuperSport East championship, with two podium finishes at New Jersey. Rispoli returned to Laguna Seca with strong intentions after a good outing at New Jersey where he was able to run in the top five and had two top ten finishes over the weekend. Corey Alexander rode hard on his #23 National Guard Celtic Racing Suzuki GSX-R 600 in his first Daytona Sport Bike event. Alexander picked up speed with each practice and qualifying session, despite a vicious high side crash early on in practice. Alexander qualified a strong fourteenth, ahead of several DSB regulars, quite an accomplishment for the young rider from New York. During the race, Corey’s lap times kept improving, and his pace was over a second faster than when he had visited Laguna Seca earlier in the season. Unfortunately, Corey would wind up crashing out of the race on Sunday, while turning times at a similar pace to the lead group. Corey reflected on things with enthusiasm and stated “the end of the 2013 season is very bittersweet. When the year began, I was not even able to walk and less than 10 months later I’ve got my first championship under my belt. I also moved up to Daytona Sport Bike alongside some of the best racers in America. Though my DSB debut didn’t go quite as planned, I was happy with the potential and what I was able to learn, even in such a short period of time. My team worked hard all year, through the ups and downs and I can’t thank them enough for that. We started off the season strong, struggled a bit, and managed to sort things out and come back stronger than ever. I’m truly excited for what the future holds and I can’t thank my guys Mike, Tim, and Barry for building me such good bikes all year. Being one of the few Suzuki’s in the field, it’s even more of an accomplishment for our National Guard Celtic Racing team to show you don’t need to be on a particular brand to run up front or win races. I also have to give a tremendous thanks to everyone behind the scenes. Without the support of Chris and Jon from K-Tech Suspension and Skip from Orient Express, I’m not sure we would have ever been as successful as we ended up being. The whole reason the Celtic Racing team was able to run this year was due to the huge support from the National Guard and Michael Jordan Motorsports so I also cannot thank them enough for standing behind us. It’s truly an honor to represent both the men and women of our country as well as such an iconic figure as MJ! I have to give a special thanks to my personal sponsors who also helped get me through this year, Arai Helmets, Spidi Leathers, XPD Boots, AMMO NYC, MJRS Freeman Racing, Hudson Valley Motorcycles, Sportbikes INC Magazine, and Jason Pridmore’s STAR School. Also to my friends and family but, most importantly Uncle Richie and Jason Pridmore. I wouldn’t know how to ride a road race bike without either of them so they’re pretty important! Thanks to the folks at AMA Pro Road Racing for a great 2013, and thanks to Roadracing World, it’s an honor to win the 2013 Young Gun award and I can only hope to be successful enough to support the youth of racing at some point in my career. Thanks everyone, I’m excited for 2014 but for now I’m off to Europe… stay tuned via Twitter or Facebook: @corey5alexander James Rispoli finished the 2013 Daytona Sport Bike season in seventh place, after a rare mechanical problem with his machine pushed him out of the race in 32nd position. Rispoli would qualify in tenth position ahead of the race, a strong grid position despite a crash. All weekend, Rispoli worked hard to push his #43 National Guard Celtic Racing Suzuki GSX-R 600 to the front of the field and though the results don’t reflect it, he made progress. Describing the race, Rispoli said that “Laguna was a tough weekend, we struggled from the start, and we didn’t have the best qualifying either. We worked really hard, and it’s unfortunate to have a mechanical in the race, but you know I’ve been working with the Celtic team for the last two years and I haven’t had a mechanical until now. So I guess I’ll have to take one and move forward. I really want to thank everyone on the team for all the hard work this season, and Jordan, and K-Tech, and Orient Express. Couldn’t have done any of this without the support of the National Guard as well. Many thanks to all my fans and supporters, and of course my personal sponsors for sticking with me this year – AGV Helmets, Dainese Leathers, Monster Energy, Spider Grips, Techmounts, and Jason Pridmore’s Star School. Keep up with what I am doing in Europe on Facebook and Twitter!” Celtic Racing is proud to partner with: Army National Guard, Michael Jordan Motorsports, Orient Express Racing, Hudson Valley Motorcycles, American Suzuki, Armour Bodies, Bazzaz, Chicken Hawk Racing, DesignStar3, D.I.D. Chain, FMF Exhaust, Full Spectrum Power, Galfer, GB Racing, K-Tech Suspension, Maxima Racing Oils, Motion Pro, Pit Bull Products, Saddlemen, Signs Ink, Star Motorcycle School, Vortex Racing, and Zero Gravity. CELTIC RACING Celtic Racing was established in 2001 by Barry Gilsenan, and over the past 12 seasons has established itself as a premier privateer racing team. 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. Please join Celtic Racing on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CelticRacing . ARMY NATIONAL GUARD The National Guard is the oldest military branch. Today, Citizen-Soldiers hold civilian jobs or attend college while training part time, staying ready to defend America in the event of an emergency. The National Guard serves both state and federal governments. During local emergencies, Guard units assist residents endangered by storms, floods, fires and other disasters. Guard companies deployed overseas may see combat, but are often found building schools and hospitals, training local peacekeepers or teaching local farmers more efficient techniques and better uses of their land. Please visit http://www.nationalguard.com to find out more. ORIENT EXPRESS Established in 1973, Orient Express is celebrating it’s 40th 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.facebook.com/OrientExpressRacing . More, from a press release issued by LeoVince USA: LeoVince USA and Dion Device at Laguna Seca: SuperBike Title for Herrin Richmond, Calif. – October 1, 2013 – The 2013 AMA Pro Road Racing season wrapped up last weekend at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, where LeoVince USA and Dion Device riders capped a year of championships, podiums and awards. SuperBike The SuperBike race was absolutely dominated by Josh Hayes, who crossed the finish line 13.434 seconds ahead of the rest of the field on his Dion Device-equipped Monster Energy Graves Yamaha YZF-R1. It was the eighth win of the season for Hayes. While the day belonged to Hayes, the season belonged to his teammate Josh Herrin. The 23-year-old won his first SuperBike championship with his second-place finish at Laguna Seca. Herrin ended the season with 345 points, and he attributes his 15-point winning margin to his consistency this season. Herrin never finished lower than sixth, and he was on the podium in all but two races. Dion Device riders accounted for the top five spots at the checkered flag. Larry Pegram was third on the Pegram Racing R1 following a race-long battle for the final spot on the podium. Cory West was fourth on the Motorsport.com/EBR II EBR 1190RS, and Aaron Yates completed the top five on his Team Hero EBR 1190RS. Daytona SportBike JD Beach finished the Daytona SportBike season with third place at Laguna Seca, an appropriate ending for what has been an outstanding year for the RoadRace Factory R6 rider. Beach has been a consistent top finisher, earning both LeoVince USA and Dion Device seven podiums this season. His performance also earned him the Next Moto Champion Rider of the Year honor during the AMA Pro Road Racing banquet on Sunday night. While Beach made the weekend look easy, it was a very different story for his teammate Jake Gagne. Gagne raced with a broken collarbone and separated shoulder, braving the pain to finish 11th. The finish was good enough for Gagne to maintain his second-place spot in the Daytona SportBike championship. The SuperSport season wrapped up during round eight at New Jersey, so several of the top competitors in the series entered the Daytona SportBike race at Laguna Seca. Tomas Puerta, the SuperSport Overall and West champion, finished eighth in his first Daytona SportBike appearance on board a RoadRace Factory R6. Hayden Gillim rode a Meen Motorsports Racing R6 to a 13th-place finish. During the awards banquet, a number of LeoVince USA and Dion Device riders took home championship trophies and other awards. The Sunoco “Go the Distance Award” was awarded to the riders who completed the furthest distance in their class. Josh Hayes took SuperBike honors, while Tomas Puerta won the award for SuperSport. For more information about sponsored teams and the LeoVince line of performance products, visit the LeoVince USA website at www.leovinceusa.com. To keep up with the latest product and racing news from LeoVince, be sure to like them on facebook at www.facebook.com/leovinceusa.