The Yamaha bLU cRU Is ’Bama Bound To Barber
Cypress, CA – June 9, 2016 – The Yamaha bLU cRU’s Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha Factory Racing and Yamaha Extended Service/Graves/Yamaha team transporters are rolling into Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, AL, today for this weekend’s round six of the 2016 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Motorcycle Road Racing Championship. George Barber’s picturesque 2.38-mile, 17-turn road course is a favorite stop on the MotoAmerica schedule for Yamaha’s bLU cRU road racers and crew members.
Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha: Beaubier & Hayes
Fresh off his double win last weekend at Road America, defending MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier will be looking to keep his momentum going as he takes to the track at Barber Motorsports Park.
Cameron won Sunday’s MotoAmerica Superbike Race 2 at Barber last year. And, with his two wins at Road America last weekend, the 23-year-old is now leading the 2016 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship by seven points over his Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha Factory Racing teammate Josh Hayes.
Speaking of Josh, the four-time AMA Superbike Champion absolutely thrives in the heat and stifling humidity of Barber Motorsports Park, a climate akin to where he grew up in Gulfport, Mississippi. Josh won Sunday’s MotoAmerica Superbike Race 1 last year at Barber, and he doubled the year before. Last week at Road America, he earned his first Superpole of 2016 and led the field in both races, but ultimately had to settle for two third-place finishes. Josh’s results in Wisconsin did not sit well with him, and he comes to Alabama with the bit in his teeth and ready to put his #4 Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha Factory Racing YZF-R1 on the top of the box in both of Sunday’s Superbike races at Barber.
Superbike Superpole (Qualifying) begins on Saturday at 2:00 PM CST. Superbike Race 1 will go green on Sunday at 12:30 PM CST, and Superbike Race 2 is later on Sunday at 4:00 PM CST.
Yamaha Extended Service/Graves/Yamaha: Gerloff & Beach
Garrett Gerloff earned the pole, won Supersport Race 1, and finished second in Supersport Race 2 last weekend at Road America. His stellar results extended his 2016 Championship lead to a gaudy 43 points just past the halfway point in the season.
Garrett considers Barber Motorsports Park to be one of his favorite tracks on the schedule, partly because the thoroughly likeable Texan used to live in nearby Trussville. He’s hoping that momentum and familiar surroundings will work in his favor as he takes to the Alabama track aboard his #31 Y.E.S./Graves/Yamaha YZF-R6.
Driving down to the track in his race van from just a short distance up the road in Philpot, Kentucky, is defending MotoAmerica Supersport Champion JD Beach. “The Jiggy Dog” notched second- and third-place results last weekend at Road America for his sixth and seventh podiums of the 2016 season.
JD had a breakthrough weekend last year at Barber Motorsports Park, winning both Supersport races. He took a noticeably different line around Barber road course than did his competitors, and it paid off.
“I’ve watched a lot of old races from Barber,” JD commented. “And I learned a little something from watching Ben Spies go around the track. Last year, I took a tighter line because I’m a dirt tracker, and I like to take the shortest way around the track, if I can.”
Look for JD to continue taking that tight line around Barber this weekend as he looks to repeat the double-win success in Alabama that he enjoyed in 2015.
Supersport Qualifying is Saturday at 9:20 AM CST. Supersport Race 1 is scheduled for Saturday at 4:00 PM CST, and Supersport Race 2 will go green on Sunday at 2:45 PM CST.
Meet The Yamaha bLU cRU Road Racers
Cameron, Josh, Garrett, and JD will be available for autographs at their Team Transporters in the Road America paddock on Saturday from 11:45 AM to 12:30 PM.
The Fan Walk, scheduled for 10:50 to 11:30 AM Sunday on pit lane at Barber Motorsports Park, is another great opportunity to meet Yamaha’s bLU cRU riders. They will be handing out free, autographed posters and other team items, and you can also get your picture taken with them, as well as with the Monster Energy and Y.E.S. Umbrella Girls.
Watch Round 6 Of The MotoAmerica Championship LIVE On beIN SPORTS And beIN SPORTS CONNECT
beIN SPORTS:
– Saturday, June 11, 3:00 PM EST: Superbike Superpole 1 & 2, Supersport Race 1
– Sunday, June 12, 1:00 PM EST: Superbike Race 1, Supersport Race 2, Superbike Race 2
beIN SPORTS CONNECT (beIN SPORTS 6):
– Saturday, June 11, 2:45 PM EST: Superbike Superpole 1 & 2, Supersport Race 1
– Sunday, June 12, 1:00 PM EST: Superbike Race 1, Supersport Race 2, Superbike Race 2
For information and airtimes for MotoAmerica races on BeIN SPORTS and BeIN SPORTS CONNECT, check out http://www.beinsports.com/us/motoamerica/ and http://www.beinsports.com/us/motoamerica/
For more Yamaha racing news, results, photos, and videos, visit http://www.YamahaMotorsports.com/Racing
Also, check out “YamahaMotorUSA” on your favorite social media site.
More, from a press release issued by Riders Discount/Tuned Racing:
HOLLAND, Mich. (June 9, 2016) — After a successful weekend at Road America, Riders Discount/Tuned Racing is heading to Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama for the Honda Superbike Showdown of Alabama. Both riders had good performances at Barber last year, with Jason Aguilar taking third place for race one and Bryce Prince taking second place for race two. Prince currently carries a 65 point lead in the Superstock 600 Championship.
“I’m very happy to be going to Barber this weekend,” said Prince. “It is a very fun track and I have a lot of experience there. Last year went well for us at Barber, and we are looking forward to running up front this weekend. We currently have a solid lead in the championship after Road America and we are now looking forward to extending it further this weekend!”
Jason Aguilar took another podium at Road America, securing the third spot alongside his teammate for race two. Aguilar hopes to build on that success this weekend at Barber.
“Only a couple days break and we already get to go racing again; I couldn’t be more excited,” said Aguilar. “Barber is an extremely beautiful and fun track so I’m really looking forward to getting out there on Friday. My Riders Discount/Tuned Racing team went straight to Barber from Road America, and have been working very hard these past couple weeks. I would love to get a good result for myself and especially for my team to show all of their hard work. Let’s see what we can make happen!”
About Riders Discount:
Riders Discount (www.ridersdiscount.com) is an online retailer of quality powersports gear, apparel and accessories. A company founded by racers, Riders Discount offers equipment for every riding style to customers worldwide, backed by a knowledgeable sales team and excellent customer service.
About Quicksilver:
Since 1950, discriminating customers have depended on the Quicksilver brand for premium quality marine parts, accessories, and engine care products. Quicksilver is one of the most trusted brands in the markets we serve. It has earned a loyal following by providing the highest quality products for more than 60 years. Quicksilver is a brand of Mercury Marine and Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC).
More, from a press release issued by Millennium Technologies/KWR:
Millennium Technologies/KWR ready for Barber after success in Wisconsin
LEEDS, Ala. (June 9) — It’s a short turnaround for the Millennium Technologies/KWR racing team as the MotoAmerica Superbike series heads straight to Barber Motorsports Park near Birmingham, Alabama for this weekend’s races.
This past weekend at Road America was a breakthrough event for Kyle Wyman, as he rode his Superbike to another top-5 finish, but also battled for 5th overall on the race track with the championship leaders of the Superstock 1000 series.
“It feels great to be riding to what I feel is my capability,” Wyman said. “Essentially we are still on a Superstock bike with Superbike number plates, so to be battling with the top Superstock competitors is like battling for a win for us. We have had some lonely races this year but having a six-way battle in both races at Road America makes it way more fun and exciting for everyone.”
Wyman was off to a slow start on Friday, battling electronic issues that sidelined the bike for the majority of the day, making only 6 practice laps in over two hours of available track time. As for Saturday’s Superpole sessions, the usual Wisconsin rain showed up and drenched the track. Wyman qualified 15th overall, again missing out on Superpole 2 by just over one tenth of a second.
“It was a huge bummer to be 15th but after Friday’s woes we were just happy to have a bike that was running,” Kyle said. “We are getting closer with the rain bike however and I’m getting a better feel for riding a very powerful motorcycle in the wet.”
In both races Kyle shot off the line and entered turn one in 6th position, passing 9 riders off the race start alone each time. He then spent the majority of both races in a battle with Superstock competitors Josh Herrin, Claudio Corti and Bobby Fong. Race one ended when Kyle ran out of fuel with a lap to go, and race two ended in a crash.
“Despite the way our races ended, I’m still leaving Road America happier than I’ve been all season long,” Wyman added. “I learned so much this weekend about myself and the bike, and I found some confidence that I’ve been missing this year, and even last year for that matter. I feel like I rode better here than I ever have before, so I’m really looking forward to Barber this weekend.”
Travis Wyman earns podium result in Wisconsin for Millennium Technologies
Travis Wyman competed in the Superstock 600 series again this weekend, earning a 3rd place podium finish in race one for the Millennium Technologies/KWR team.
“It was really an up and down weekend for us,” Travis said. “We didn’t qualify the best but I knew I had the pace to run with the front group. I had a great three way battle in race one for the win and we just got unlucky, came up a little short.”
In race two Wyman battled again in the front pack, but had an early crash that took him out and ended his weekend.
“I just got into turn one a little hot and couldn’t hold my line,” Wyman added. “There are some bumps there and I just lost the front. The bike was pretty tore up. I want to thank my crew for working hard to put it back together, because we have another round coming right up at Barber Motorsports Park.”
The next round at Barber Motorsports Park begins tomorrow morning, June 10th at 11:20am when the Superbike field hits the track for first practice. Be sure to tune in to Bein Sports USA for LIVE coverage of Superbike qualifying and all the races.
For more information on the products and services offered by the Millennium Technologies family of companies, visit www.mt-llc.com
For mor information about Kyle Wyman Racing (KWR), visit www.kylewymanracing.com
About Millennium Technologies:
Millennium Technologies is the world leader in Advanced Engine Solutions. Starting in 1997 as a Nickel Silicon Carbide (NSC) cylinder plating and service company, Millennium Technologies has expanded into complete service solutions for cylinders, cylinder heads, crankshafts, big-bore kits, and supplies parts such as pistons, gaskets, camshafts, and more. Millennium Technologies provides services for all levels of the powersports industry including OEMs, dealers, pro race teams and weekend mechanics. Millennium Technologies is the parent company of Revolution Performance, who provides a complete line of high performance American V-Twin engine parts and services, as well as Ballistic Performance Components, the leader in lightweight lithium-ion starter batteries for powersports vehicles.
About Kyle Wyman Racing:
Kyle Wyman Racing (KWR) was formed in 2011 as a motorcycle road racing team focusing on healthy sponsorship opportunities for companies within and outside the motorcycle industry. KWR is the 2012 AMA Pro Harley-Davidson series championship winning team and current partner with Millennium Technologies. For more information visit www.kylewymanracing.com