Three-time Pro Superbike Champion Josh Hayes broke the motorcycle lap record en route to capturing the RaceFuelZ Pro Superbike pole position Saturday at the Arai Mountain Nationals, the finale of the GEICO Motorcycle Superbike Shootout Presented by Yamaha, at Miller Motorsports Park, near Salt Lake City, Utah.
Riding his Monster Energy Graves Yamaha YZF-R1, Hayes lapped the 2.2-mile, 10-turn West Course in just 1:27.979, lowering the new record of 1:28.442 his teammate Cameron Beaubier set during practice earlier in the morning. The lap record coming into the weekend was 1:29.339 set by Jeremy Toye in 2009.
“It’s gone pretty well,” said Hayes, who is the third different Pro Superbike pole position winner in the three-round series. “I went out in the really wet practice this morning to have a look around. Cam and I have both ridden around this course taking pictures for some different photo shoots and things like that…and we rode some of it when we raced [during the] World Superbike [event here] years ago and did the Full Course. We just never put all the pieces together. So it’s been fun to get out and do something a bit different.
“We got to the next session, which had some drizzle and rain on us a little bit, but the track was pretty good, I thought. I got some good laps in, and that just set us up well for qualifying. Qualifying went well. I got to do quite a few laps. I ran off the track quite a few laps. I don’t know that any of them would’ve been any better than my best lap. I’m just getting around the racetrack pretty well right now. I’m having fun and looking forward to the race tomorrow.”
Qualifying on the front row for a second consecutive event was Chris Fillmore, who did a time of 1:28.358 on his KTM/HMC Racing RC8R.
“I’m honestly feeling surprised,” said Fillmore. “I feel pretty good out there, but even when I’m feeling good sometimes I’m not anywhere close to these guys. I’m happy, surprised and proud of the team for giving me something that I can get as close as we are right now.”
Beaubier’s qualifying session was shortened significantly when his sole YZF-R1 encountered a mechanical problem after just a handful of laps. Still, Beaubier was able to qualify third with a lap at 1:29.133.
“I got three or four laps in before that, made a couple of mistakes trying to get a pace going, then my bike stopped down the straight,” said Beaubier, who is currently leading the Pro Superbike Championship point standings. “But I’m not too worried about it. My team is going to get my bike ready for tomorrow. I had a good, solid pace going in the second practice today and I felt really good. I didn’t get a chance to throw on that soft tire or anything, but I‘m sure I’m going to be there for the race. It should be fun.”
Privateer rider/team owner “Aussie Dave” Anthony claimed the final spot on the front row with a time of 1:29.490 on his SIC/Motul/Fly Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000.
“I’m was kind of surprised at how far off we are with coming here,” said Anthony. “We thought we would be pretty close with setup and everything would feel good and we’d just go spin laps, but it hasn’t been that way. I’ve been in and out changing a lot of things.”
Chris Ulrich made it four different brands of motorcycles in the top five spots by qualifying fifth thanks to a lap of 1:29.835 on his GEICO Honda CBR1000RR. It was Ulrich’s best qualifying result of the season.
West Coast privateer racer Marcel Irnie took the sixth spot on the grid by lapping the course in 1:30.443 on his MobiBuff/Irnie Racing BMW S1000RR.
Oleg Pianykh, a two-time Champion of the Utah Sport Bike Association (UtahSBA), the host club of the event, was seventh-fastest in qualifying with a 1:30.647 on his Moto Station Suzuki GSX-R1000.
Peter deGraaf, a 59-year-old Canadian, claimed the final spot on the second row with a time of 1:31.174 on his ex-Blake Young Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superbike.
Jesse Sherstan, a 26-year-old Canadian and former UtahSBA Champion, was ninth-fastest with his lap of 1:31.861 on his Terra Tech-sponsored Suzuki GSX-R1000.
Superbike Shootout regular Mathew Orange rounded out the top 10 qualifiers with a time of 1:32.007 on his OC Racing BMW S1000RR.
After competing in the first two rounds of the GEICO Motrocycle Superbike Shootout, Yoshimura Suzuki and its riders Martin Cardenas, Chris Clark and Roger Hayden are not competing at the Arai Mountain Nationals. Don Sakakura, Sr. Vice President at Yoshimura R&D of America, Inc., told Roadracingworld.com that his team would not attend the event at Miller Motorsports Park so it could better prepare for Round Two of the AMA Pro Superbike Championship May 30-June 1 at Road America.
Arai Mountain Nationals Hosted by UtahSBA/GEICO Motorcycle Superbike Shootout Presented by Yamaha
Miller Motorsports Park West Course
Tooele, Utah
May 24, 2014
RaceFuelZ Pro Superbike Qualifying Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Josh Hayes (Yam YZF-R1), 1:27.979 (new lap record)
2. Chris Fillmore (KTM RC8R), 1:28.358
3. Cameron Beaubier (Yam YZF-R6), 1:29.133
4. David Anthony (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:29.490
5. Chris Ulrich (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:29.835
6. Marcel Irnie (BMW S1000RR), 1:30.443
7. Oleg Pianykh (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:30.647
8. Peter deGraaf (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:31.174
9. Jesse Sherstan (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:31.861
10. Mathew Orange (BMW S1000RR), 1:32.007
11. Michael Bradshaw (BMW S1000RR), 1:32.089
12. Daytona Anderson (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:32.773
13. Ryan Brand (BMW S1000RR), 1:32.950
14. Johnny Rock Page (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:34.075
15. Kevin Dolan (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:34.519
16. Erik Postnieks (BMW S1000RR), 1:36.580
17. Joy Higa (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:36.844
More, from a press release issued by Geiger Global Media:
Zemke, Ulrich ready to challenge for GEICO Motorcycle Superbike Shootout in Utah
TOOELE, Utah (May 24) — Road racing veteran Jake Zemke will contest the third and final leg of the GEICO Motorcycle Superbike Shootout from the No. 6 spot on the Pro Sportbike starting grid after qualifying with a best lap of 1:31.963 Saturday at Miller Motorsports Park.
Chris Ulrich, Zemke’s teammate on the GEICO Motorcycle Honda team, one-upped his friend with a fifth-best time of 1:29.385 in Pro Superbike.
It was a decent result for the team, considering both riders had less track time than they had hoped as morning rain and cool temperatures kept everyone in the pits during a scheduled early-morning practice session. In the end, most riders used just one practice period to prep for the lone qualifying round.
“We certainly were a bit limited by time today,” Zemke said. “No one even went out this morning because it was wet, and that probably hurt all of us a bit. I know for us qualifying really didn’t quite work out like we had hoped. We took a couple steps back, actually, after making some changes to the rear shock that didn’t pan out.
“We didn’t get our best run in there today but we’re still on the second row for the race, and I think we’re going to be OK. It’s not like we’re a mile behind the guys in front of us. We’ll work on the bike tonight and try to improve it for race day. We do have one more practice session in the morning and although it will probably be a bit cooler, we’ll be able to work on some things. I’d personally like to have the bike turn a little better. I have complete confidence in the guys. They’ll have this thing ready to race.”
Ulrich tempered his enthusiasm after qualifying inside of Row 2, pointing out that a few of the tour regulars had skipped this race to prep for next weekend’s AMA Pro event at Road America. Still, he was very pleased with the progress of his team’s efforts.
“It’s encouraging because we closed the gap on a lot of really good bikes that had put time on us in the first two rounds of the GEICO Motorcycle Superbike Shootout,” Ulrich said. “We went home and found some thing with the forks that needed changing and it’s helped quite a bit. I have a lot more confidence with the front of the bike.
“We made another change between practice and qualifying today and it didn’t feel as good but we were quicker. We closed right up on the guys in front of us and even passed a few, so we’re encouraged by that, not only for this race but for next weekend and beyond.
“I think we can make this latest configuration more comfortable and stay just as quick. I’m a comfort rider; I like to feel good when I’m riding. If I feel good I’m able to push harder.”
The Dynojet Pro Sportbike race will begin at 2:25 p.m. MT, Sunday, immediately followed by the RaceFuelZ Pro Superbike race at 3:10 p.m. Both races are slated for 18 laps each.
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Three-Time U.S. Superbike Champ Josh Hayes Earns Pro Superbike Pole At Miller Motorsports Park With A New Lap Record; Teammate Beaubier Also Notches Front-Row Start
Tooele, UT – May 24, 2014 – Both Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha Pro Superbike riders Josh Hayes and Cameron Beaubier got down to business in the final round of the Superbike Shootout at Miller Motorsports, and the R1 tandem will each start on the front row for tomorrow’s race. Josh will line up on the pole, while Cameron will start in third position on the grid.
Circulating on Miller’s 10-turn, 2.183-mile West Course, Josh broke the track record during his qualifying session. Afterwards, he said, “We went out in the wet morning (practice) session to take a look around. I’ve ridden on this (West) Course a little bit in the past, but I still needed to get in some good laps to string all the corners together. My R1 always goes well here at Miller, and I was able to get into a pretty good rhythm during qualifying. I feel like we’re in good shape for tomorrow’s race, and I’m looking forward to it.”
As dramatic as Josh’s record-breaking performance was, Cameron’s qualifying session had a completely different kind of drama. “I got three or four laps in, and I was getting a good pace going, but I had a little (technical) problem with the bike,” Cameron said. “I’m not too worried about it, though, because I’m confident that my crew will have everything sorted out for tomorrow. I ran some pretty good laps, even though we didn’t have a chance to put in the soft tire. I’m sure I could have gone quicker on that softer tire, but I just didn’t have chance.”
Sunday’s 18-lap Pro Superbike race is set to go green at 3:10 PM MST.
Tune In To MAVTV For All Three Rounds Of The GEICO Motorcycle Superbike Shootout Presented By Yamaha
All six races from the three-round GEICO Motorcycle Superbike Shootout Presented By Yamaha are being taped for airing later on MAVTV. Log on to www.MAVTV.com for the exact time and channel, and don’t miss it!
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