The new Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha Racing MotoAmerica Superbike team tested Sunday and Monday, December 15-16, with new rider Jake Gagne at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway, and according to the Californian, he is happy with everything about his new ride.
“I was thrilled,” to get signed to the new Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha team, Gagne told Roadracingworld.com Monday at the track. “It [happened] the weekend when Garrett [Gerloff] was in [Magny-Cours] France.
“Keith [McCarty, Yamaha Motorsports, Racing Division Manager] told me, ‘I think Garrett’s going to sign the Ten Kate Yamaha deal, and if so, we’re good.’ I was so pumped. Then that next day, Garrett text me and said it didn’t work out with Ten Kate. So I was like, ‘Oh, sh-t! I got all my hopes up for nothing.’ But luckily {Gerloff] was able to put together that deal with the GRT Yamaha team. Then I was like, ‘Yes!’ It was like an emotional roller coaster real fast.
“I’m pumped. I’m happy Keith and Richard [Stanboli, Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha Racing owner] and everybody gave me the opportunity. I’m pumped for Garrett, too. I know he’s going to do good.”
The Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha Racing team held their first test of the 2019-2020 off-season at Buttonwillow Raceway Park in October. According to Stanboli, four-time and defending MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier tried his team’s 2019 Yamaha Superbike (as ridden by JD Beach) and an updated 2019 YZF-R1 Superbike while Gagne spent most of his time trying out the Superbike raced by Gerloff in 2019.
“It was great!” Gagne said. “Right away, I felt really comfortable. I remember riding R1’s in the past, so it felt like kind of right at home again.”
For the test at Chuckwalla, Gagne switched to the team’s updated 2019 Superbike “test mule,” as Stanboli called it.
“Today was better than yesterday. The track time and conditions are a bit better. It’s a little windy and cold, but we’re getting a bunch of laps, and we need laps,” said Gagne. “We’re working on electronics stuff, chassis stuff. We just getting me more and more comfortable so we can start trying stuff and feel what does what and try some changes and help me understand the bike. We’re just trying stuff to understand the bike, both for me and the team, and it’s going really well.”
Stanboli said his team will continue working with its updated 2019 Superbikes during the winter and may not switch to their new, 2020-model Yamaha YZF-R1 Superbike until the official MotoAmerica test at Barber Motorsports Park in March 2020.
