Gagne Returns to the Podium at The Ridge
Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne takes a runner-up finish in MotoAmerica Superbike Race 2 at the Ridge Motorsports Park
MARIETTA, Ga. – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne completed a successful weekend at the Ridge Motorsports Park and returned to the podium with a runner-up finish in today’s Race 2. The defending MotoAmerica Superbike Champion’s 1-2 score at the fourth round of the championship has him leaving Shelton, Washington, with a 23-point lead. His teammate Cameron Petersen overcame adversity to finish sixth.
On the heels of his fifth-consecutive victory at The Ridge, Gagne got another great start to take the lead and threw down some fast times up front. He tried to break away, but his championship rival closed the gap. Gagne kept a strong pace but was passed after the halfway point and rode a smart race to finish second and score some valuable points in the title fight.
After a tough start to the weekend with some food poisoning and a crash in yesterday’s race, Petersen looked to rebound. He got a good start from the second row of the grid to battle in the top five and was holding down fourth with the competition on his heels, but ultimately was shuffled to sixth in the final laps.
The Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing team heads to Monterey, California, in two weeks for Round 5 of the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at the iconic Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca on July 7-9.
Richard Stanboli – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing Team Manager
“We missed the setup for Race 2, but Jake still managed to finish second and collect some good championship points. Cameron was set back a little from the two crashes earlier this weekend and struggled to maintain the pace at the front. The team will learn from this race and further improve for Laguna Seca. We look forward to seeing our California fans.”
Jake Gagne – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing
“I got off to another great start for Race 2 and had some clean opening laps. About halfway, I got passed, and I couldn’t hold the pace to make a run for the win and had to bring it home in second. Overall it was a good weekend, and we got some good points. We’re looking forward to Laguna.”
Cameron Petersen – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing
“It was a tough weekend for me. I felt great on the motorcycle, but unfortunately a few too many mistakes cost me. Having said that, we can take a few positives away from this weekend. My pace was strong, and we can build off of that for Laguna.”
About Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA
Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA (YMUS), is a recognized leader in the outdoor recreation industry. The company’s ever-expanding product offerings include Motorcycles and Scooters, ATV and Side-by-Side vehicles, Snowmobiles, WaveRunner Personal Watercraft, Boats, Outboard Motors, Outdoor Power Equipment, Power Assist Bicycles, Golf Cars, Power Assist Wheelchair Systems, Surface Mount Technology (SMT) and Robotic Machines, Unmanned Helicopters, Accessories, Apparel, Yamalube products, and much more. YMUS products are sold through a nationwide network of distributors and dealers in the United States.
YMUS has a corporate office in California, two corporate offices in Georgia, facilities in Wisconsin and Alabama, and factory operations in Tennessee and Georgia. Additional U.S.-based subsidiaries include Yamaha Marine Systems Company (YMSC) with divisions Bennett Marine (Florida), Kracor Systems (Wisconsin) and Siren Marine, Inc. (Rhode Island), Skeeter Boats (Texas), with division G3 Boats (Missouri), and Yamaha Precision Propeller (Indiana).
More, from a press release issued by Ducati:
Ducati Duo on the Podium at The Ridge
Josh Herrin and Xavi Forés spray the champagne with two exceptional races each in the Pacific Northwest
Sunnyvale, Calif. — Round four of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike and Supersport Championship saw America’s fastest road racers head to the beautiful Ridge venue in Washington state with both Josh Herrin and Xavi Forés scoring some champagne for their efforts.
Herrin’s weekend in the premier Superbike division saw him suffer a nasty spill immediately after securing pole position, the Georgian native injuring his ankle and being pretty bashed and bruised all over, but still fit enough to start race one.
Herrin battled on to a pair of third places, gritting his teeth through the pain in a heroic effort given the circumstances. He will visit his doctor tomorrow for further checks ahead of two weeks’ rest leading up to Laguna Seca’s fifth round of the championship.
The MotoAmerica Supersport Championship is fast becoming the Xavi Forés show as the sensational Spaniard took his seventh race win in a row at The Ridge, making his undefeated as the series nears its halfway point.
Forés was flying in the PNW, his margin of victory of 11.9 seconds in race one and five seconds in race two a sign of his domination.
Forés now leads the Supersport points standings by a massive 76 points, some three race wins clear of second-placed, Stefano Mesa.
2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Standings After Round Four
P1 – Jake Gagne (Yamaha) 156
P2 – Cameron Beaubier (BMW) 133
P3 – Josh Herrin (Ducati) 122
P4 – Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha) 101
P5 – PJ Jacobsen (BMW) 91
2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Standings After Round Two
P1 – Xavi Forés (Ducati) 200
P2 – Stefano Mesa (Kawasaki) 124
P3 – Tyler Scott (Suzuki) 112
P4 – Josh Hayes (Yamaha) 103
P5 – Teagg Hobbs (Suzuki) 83
Xavi Forés (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC – #12)
“It’s been an amazing weekend. I did my first pole position of the championship and the bike worked perfectly. I love this track and today in race two it was a little tougher than yesterday’s race one. We made some fork changes that didn’t really work but it was ok to keep the gap to second place. Seven race wins in a row in so far in front of what I expected at the start of the year so now we move the focus to Laguna Seca to keep the momentum.”
Josh Herrin (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC – #2)
“For how bad Saturday was with the injures I got, I’m super excited to get two third place finishes,” Herrin said. “The V4 R was amazing this weekend. It’s the best it has felt all year, I just wasn’t able to ride it to its full potential. I’m bummed about that but happy with two podium finishes. Now I’m ready to heal up and come back to Laguna strong.”
Round Five of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike and Supersport Championship will take place at Laguna Seca on the beautiful Californian coastline over the June 5-7 weekend.
More, from a press release issued by Westby Racing:
Westby Racing’s Ridge Weekend Ends Early
Shelton, WA – Hopes and expectations were high on Sunday morning for Mathew Scholtz and the Westby Racing team after Mathew finished as runner-up in Saturday’s MotoAmerica Superbike race one at Ridge Motorsports Park. Unfortunately, however, Mathew suffered a tipover in Sunday’s race two, along with some technical issues with his Yamaha YZF-R1, and he was unable to finish.
“We made another step in the positive direction overnight and the morning warm up was also positive,” Mathew said. “We were pretty confident heading into the second race, but unfortunately, I realized early on that we had an electronic issue going into the chicane, and I ran off the track, which moved me further back. I kind of got stuck there further back, and it was difficult to overtake anyone. But, I put my head down and tried to make a charge towards the front. I got a little too eager with the bike, though, and I had a tipover, which bent the right handlebar, so I couldn’t continue. It was very disappointing because I thought we deserved to be at the front. It wasn’t the Sunday we were looking for, but I’m happy with the steps forward that we made in the setup, and it should help us a lot at (WeatherTech Raceway) Laguna Seca. We showed that, when the bike is right, we have phenomenal pace, and with the way things are now, I’m optimistic about Laguna.”
The Westby Racing team will be back in action on July 7 through 9 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California, for round five of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship.
MotoAmerica Superbike Standings
1. Jake Gagne – Yamaha – 156
2. Cameron Beaubier – BMW – 133
3. Josh Herrin – Ducati – 122
4. Mathew Scholtz – Yamaha – 101
5. PJ Jacobsen – BMW – 91
For more updates about Westby Racing, including news, photos, and videos, visit http://www.WestbyRacing.com
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More, from a press release issued by Energica:
Cresting The Ridge: Energica and Tytlers Cycle Racing rise to the challenge
Team Tytlers Cycle Racing and Stefano Mesa have just completed rounds three and four of the 2023 Super Hooligan National Championship at Ridge Motorsports Park. The experienced Colombian rider crossed the line in sixth place at the end of the seven-lap, second race of the weekend, aboard the Energica Eva Ribelle RS sporting the new, striking Petronas colours and equipped with the Kit Corsa Clienti. However, both the first and second placed Indian motorcycles and their riders were disqualified due to a technical breach, leaving Mesa in fourth position.
Mesa was able to maintain his position at the start as the Super Hooligan field entered the first chicane and maintained a solid pace throughout the encounter, while keeping seventh-place rider AJ Peaslee (riding an ICE-powered KTM machine) at bay right up to the chequered flag. He did so by using the rear brake to back into the corner – all without having the use of the clutch.
Race one saw Mesa crossing the line in seventh place after starting from the back of the grid – dramatically cutting “like a knife through butter” (as one of the race announcers exclaimed) as he rapidly made his way up to eighth position and then gained one more place just before the chequered flag. He was able to make his final move on Peaslee in part because the latter – by his own words – had a hard time hearing him coming through!
Click here for the updated championship standings
All in all, this was an exceptional performance for rider #137, considering the dramatic crash he had in the Supersport race only a couple of hours prior. Unfortunately, the hard-won result was voided due to a technical rule infringement (sensor).
The level of performance shown at the spectacular, Washington-state venue, provides a welcome boost of fresh confidence for the team, now looking forward to the upcoming event taking place in a fortnight’s time at Monterey’s own WeatherTech Laguna Seca Raceway.
The team will use the time available to digest the experience gained at The Ridge, in order to continue optimising the technical package for what is, in many respects, a very different challenge for Energica. For this is a series where ICE and EV share not only the same track but also identical spec-tyres – all while diverging significantly when it comes to technology and specs.
In Stefano Mesa’s own words “The electric gives me a smoother acceleration and much easier control and focus because I don’t have to shift in order to have the right horsepower or torque at the rear wheel; on the other hand, the bike makes so much torque that we have to find a way to tame it for a course like this, with so many turns and so many twists.”
Energica’s presence as the first and only electric motorcycle manufacturer in the full series keeps attracting an intense level of attention and curiosity from fans, motorcycle enthusiasts, fellow racers and other insiders. As one spectator said to his friends while walking past Tytlers Cycle Racing’s tent “this is the future”. The team is looking forward to meeting the fans at Laguna Seca, with a surprise in store.
Click on the following links to watch the full encounters (YouTube) Race one – Race two
More, from a press release issued by Aprilia:
APRILIA RS 660 RIDERS EARN VICTORY, PAIR OF PODIUM FINISHES IN MOTOAMERICA TWINS CUP RACES AT THE RIDGE MOTORSPORTS PARK
RODIO RACING – POWERED BY ROBEM ENGINEERING RIDERS LANDERS, RODIO, NOW SECOND, THIRD, IN POINTS STANDINGS
SHELTON, WA – It turned out to be a near-perfect weekend for Aprilia rider Rocco Landers at The Ridge Motorsports Park. The Rodio Racing — Powered by Robem Engineering rider and three-time MotoAmerica class champion was the fastest rider in practice, qualifying and both races at the northwest Washington State circuit. Though a post-race penalty reduced a victory to a podium finish on Saturday, Landers and his teammate — and fellow podium finisher at The Ridge — Gus Rodio are now just 11 and 13 points out of the lead in the MotoAmerica Twins Cup standings.
The Ridge’s undulating and technical 2.5-mile road course also proved to be a good match for the Aprilia RS 660. Aprilia riders claimed four of the top 10 grid spots in qualifying, half of the podium finishes and nearly half of the top 10 places in the weekend’s two Twins Cup races.
Landers and Rodio showed immediate pace in the first on-track session of the weekend. Landers led the field in Friday morning practice with a 1:48.063 lap time — which was 0.525 seconds faster than the next-fastest rider. Rodio finished the session in fourth place, and Luke Luciano of Zone 9 Racing/EDR Performance and Tyler Duffy of Duffy Racing gave Aprilia four riders in the session’s top 10. Later Friday, Landers ended the first of two qualifying sessions on provisional pole and improved his best lap time to 1:45.546. Rodio finished the session fifth-fastest, and Jacob Crossman of 3D Motorsports was the third Aprilia rider to end the session in the top 10.
Landers didn’t improve his blistering lap time from Qualifying 1 in Saturday morning’s Qualifying 2, but still clinched pole position. Rodio found some additional pace in Qualifying 2 and joined his teammate on the front row by qualifying third. Also qualifying in the top 10 was Agustin Sierra of Top Pro Motorsports, who secured 10th on the starting grid for the round’s two Twins Cup races.
Saturday’s Race 1 saw Landers put in a dominant performance that was partially undone by a late-race infraction. Landers briefly lost and then re-took the lead during the short run to the first corner and didn’t relinquish the lead after that. He crossed the finish line in first place by a margin of 4.8 seconds. However, Landers passed a lapped rider in a yellow flag zone at the start of the final lap, and as a result was reclassified in third place. Rodio got a good start and finished the first lap running in fourth. After falling as low as fifth in the running order at the end of Lap 2 and nearly crashing on Lap 3, he gradually got closer to the battle for the last two steps on the podium but had to settle for a fourth-place finish. Landers and Rodio were joined in the top 10 by three other Aprilia riders – Top Pro Motorsports’ Alex Arango in eighth, Duffy in ninth and Righteous Racing’s Ray Hoffman in 10th.
The start of Race 2 was a near-mirror image of Race 1, with Landers getting an OK jump off the line but still leading the field through the holeshot. Rodio also dropped one position in the running order like he did on Saturday and was running in a lonely fifth place for the first couple laps. As Landers gradually built a big lead at the front of the field, Rodio gained pace as the race went on. By the end of Lap 4, Rodio had moved up to third place and finished Laps 9-11 of the 12-lap contest in second place. Landers took the victory in commanding fashion — crossing the finish line more than 11 seconds ahead of the runner-up — while Rodio lost one position in the closing stages of the last lap and finished third. Two other Aprilia riders – Crossman and Arango – finished in ninth and 10th place, respectively.
More than half of the riders registered for the Ridge round – 16 of 29 – were set to compete aboard Aprilia RS 660s.
The MotoAmerica Twins Cup has a one-weekend break before it’s back in action July 7-9 at the Laguna Seca circuit in Monterey, California. More information on that round and the series can be found on https://motoamerica.com/
Rocco Landers / Rodio Racing — Powered by Robem Engineering
“The end to Race 1 was disappointing, but my Aprilia RS 660 is working amazing. My favorite thing about the bike is how easy it has been to set up. We found a solid base setup at the Road Atlanta round, and we haven’t had to make any big changes since then. We actually didn’t change anything from Friday’s Qualifying 1 to today’s Race 2. I don’t see why we can’t get a couple 1-2 finishes at the next round at Laguna Seca and keep this momentum rolling.”
Gus Rodio / Rodio Racing — Powered by Robem Engineering
“It was a good weekend on my Rodio Racing — Powered by Robem Engineering Aprilia RS 660. It was a little bit of a learning curve for me, as I hadn’t raced here on a Twins Cup bike before. I think we did a pretty good job at figuring the bike setup out, and I’m happy to leave here with a podium finish after not scoring any points at the last round. I’m looking forward to racing at Laguna Seca and making more improvements there.”
