Garrett Gerloff, the 2014 Superbike Shootout Pro Sportbike Champion, dominated the first day of MotoAmerica Supersport/Superstock 600cc testing at Circuit of The Americas, in Austin, Texas.
After learning the new track in wet conditions Wednesday morning, Gerloff lapped the 3.4-mile road course in 2:13.954 on his Yamalube/Y.E.S./Graves Yamaha YZF-R6. Not only was Gerloff’s time fastest in the Supersport/Superstock 600cc class by a margin of 1.4 seconds, it would have ranked him fifth among Superbike/Superstock 1000cc riders.
“I feel really comfortable on my bike,” Gerloff told Roadracingworld.com Wednesday, “and obviously my team has been doing a lot of work over the off-season to get my bike up to the spec for the rules they have for us. It just feels awesome. I’ve ridden around a few people, and I feel like I can be faster going in, mid-corner, coming out and then I have really good straightaway speed. So it’s a combination of me working well with my team and my bike working well with me.”
Second-best in the 600cc sessions was Josh Herrin, who did a time of 2:15.324 on his Wheels in Motion/Motosport.com/Meen Yamaha YZF-R6. Herrin, the 2013 AMA Pro Superbike Champion, raced in the Moto2 World Championship event at COTA in 2014 and just finished second in the Daytona 200 on March 14, although Herrin raced a different motorcycle in that event.
Bobby Fong was third in Supersport/Superstock 600cc testing Wednesday with a lap of 2:16.024 on his Latus Motors Racing Triumph 675R.
Herrin’s teammate Joe Roberts was fifth overall and the top Superstock 600cc rider thanks to the 2:17.018 he did in the final session of the day.
Testing resumes Thursday morning at COTA, and the 2015 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing series begins April 11-14 at the same track.
MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Series
Circuit of The Americas
Austin, Texas
March 18, 2015
Unofficial Supersport/Superstock 600cc Test Session Four Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Garrett Gerloff (Yam YZF-R6), 2:13.954, Supersport
2. Josh Herrin (Yam YZF-R6), 2:15.324, Supersport
3. Bobby Fong (Tri Daytona 675R), 2:16.024, Supersport
4. J.D. Beach (Yam YZF-R6), 2:16.695, Supersport
5. Joe Roberts (Yam YZF-R6), 2:17.018, Superstock
6. Tomas Puerta (Yam YZF-R6), 2:17.837, Supersport
7. Benny Solis (Yam YZF-R6), 2:18.708, Supersport
8. Cameron Peterson (Yam YZF-R6), 2:18.978, Supersport
9. David Anthony (Suz GSX-R600), 2:19.176, Supersport
10. Kyle Wyman (Yam YZF-R6), 2:20.421, Supersport
11. Ben Young (Yam YZF-R6), 2:20.788, Supersport
12. Hayden Gillim (MV F3 675), 2:21.889, Supersport
13. Tucker Lancaster (Kaw ZX-6R), 2:23.158, Supersport
14. Kaleb De Keyrel (Yam YZF-R6), 2:23.776, Supersport
15. Jay Newton (Yam YZF-R6), 2:24.643, Superstock
16. Kris Lillegard (MV F3 675), 2:28.057, Supersport