Elias Perfect In MotoAmerica Season Finale
Thrilling End To 2018 At Barber Motorsports Park
Toni Elias (1) leading Josh Herrin (2), Cameron Beaubier and Mathew Scholtz (11) during Motul Superbike Race Two at Barber Motorsports Park. – Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
BIRMINGHAM, AL – The 2018 MotoAmerica Series ended on Sunday at Barber Motorsports Park with a Motul Superbike race that was a fitting finale and one of the best of the season. When all was said and done, it was Yoshimura Suzuki’s Toni Elias taking his ninth win of the season but not without a frantic final two laps by Motul Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier, the three-time champ coming up just .333 of a second short at the finish.
The win was the 25th of Elias’ MotoAmerica Superbike career and he will start the 2019 season just three behind World and AMA Superbike Champion Ben Spies, who is fifth on the all-time list.
“Honestly, I was thinking to open a gap, but at the end he (Beaubier) was there doing incredible lap times in the last part of the race,” Elias said. “Today was fun. It was fun because all of us,we didn’t think about anything – just go push over the limit. We show each other today was not any jokes. Some elbows, some hard-braking areas. Was fun. We enjoyed it. Finally, I won but also I could lose. But I’m lucky to finish the championship in this way. Yesterday I able to manage second position in the championship. Good job this year for Josh (Herrin). Incredible job for Cameron (Beaubier). He deserves the number one. This morning I was joking about this afternoon I want his number one out. I want to put that my number to start on Tuesday. I will be happy in two years with that number again. It’s been a nice year. Difficult. I learned a lot. My team, too. Thanks, because even in the difficult times, we are a family, we are a group. I feel all the time the support. They work like animals. That for me, win or lose, is the best. Thanks Roger Hayden for his career, but more to be a great human. He is an amazing teammate. We are friends. Now one day will be my time, but today arrive his time. Now time to go rest, to enjoy the family, create family, travel, as he said. I wish him all the best and Dana (Hayden’s wife). He comes from an amazing family. Nicky, Tommy, all the sisters. Amazing people. I’m very lucky to meet them. Thank you.”
Elias had his hands full for the duration with Attack Performance/Herrin Compound Yamaha’s Josh Herrin early, then Beaubier late as the three diced it up for the entire race. Beaubier made a mistake in turn five with two laps to go and it allowed Elias to pull out a lead. But the newly crowned champion put his head down and turned in two stellar laps to pull Elias back in. It was too little too late, however, and Beaubier was forced to settle for what was his 16th podium finish of the year.
“Yeah, absolutely. I would say so,” Beaubier said when asked if he surprised himself with his effort considering his heavy crash in yesterday’s race. “Yesterday was a pretty good off. Definitely the biggest one I had all year, probably in a couple years. I fell on my head pretty good. I wasn’t really too sore, honestly. My ribs were a little sore when I woke up this morning. Throughout the day I took some Advil and stuff like that. It wasn’t too bad. I feel like my confidence was a little low there at the beginning, going into that corner where I crashed, and also going into the last section with the water seeping up out of the seams. But my confidence kind of improved throughout the race. I knew Toni (Elias) was going to have really good pace there towards the end of the race after watching yesterday’s race. So hats off to both these guys. They rode so good all year. It’s been dog fights all year. A really fun, tough, rewarding year. Just getting beat up there at the beginning of the year and keep getting second places and third places to Toni and Josh (Herrin), it was tough, man. But we were able to fight back and went on a little winning streak and clinched that championship. Like I said on the podium, I can’t put into words how good it feels to bring this number one plate back to Yamaha. It’s been an amazing season. I gave it everything I had those last two laps. I was pushing the front. I was sliding the rear on the entries. I was just going for it. I had nothing to lose. I wanted to try to get up close to Toni and try to see if I could do something in the last section, but he had that last section dialed today. It was a really fun, rewarding season.”
At the end of the 21-lap race, Herrin was three seconds behind the lead duo but a comfortable third. It was the Georgian’s 12th podium of a season that included two victories.
“I got a massage yesterday at like 1:00 or something,” Herrin said of his back woes from Saturday. “I think it set it off. It was pretty deep in there. She got in there pretty hard. Maybe it just got me dehydrated or something, I’m not sure. It was really bad yesterday. Today I drank a lot more water last night. Stretched it out today. Put some Tiger Balm on it before the race. It helped a little bit more. It didn’t really flare up until the very end. It was a bummer, but I’m happy to finish the year on the podium, to finish the year with a bike that’s not smashed up. Like I said on the podium, I didn’t really think about it too much in the middle of the year, but now to be looking at it at the end of the year it’s pretty special, I think.”
Yamalube/Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz rode well to finish fourth, climbing to within a second of the top-three battle at the halfway mark but eventually finishing 9.5 seconds behind Herrin. M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Jake Lewis was fifth, some 10 seconds behind Scholtz and some six seconds clear of Scheibe Racing BMW’s Danny Eslick.
Genuine Broaster Chicken Honda’s Bobby Fong ended his trying 2018 season with a seventh-place finish.
Yoshimura Suzuki’s Roger Hayden ran off track on the opening lap of the final race of his career and spent the rest of the race making up for it. He ended up finishing eighth, honored on his final run down the front straight to the finish line with crews from every team lined up against the pit wall and cheering him on.
CCFOfficeSolutions.com’s Geoff May and Ben Young Racing’s Ben Young rounded out the top 10 on their BMWs.
Among the notable non-finishers were Fong’s teammate Cameron Petersen and Beaubier’s teammate Garrett Gerloff. Both riders crashed: Petersen crashed alone in turn one and Gerloff was taken down by Elias early in the race.
The final standings have Beaubier with 390 points, 51 more than Elias. Herrin ended the season third, 50 points clear of Scholtz. Gerloff rounded out the top five, just one point ahead of Lewis.
Supersport – Gillim, Again
JD Beach (left) and Hayden Gillim (right) race to the line in Supersport. – Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
In Supersport, Saturday’s winner Hayden Gillim won again on Sunday aboard his Rickdiculous Racing Yamaha, but it wasn’t easy. Monster Energy/Yamaha Extended Service/Graves/Yamaha’s JD Beach, the already crowned 2018 Supersport Champion, gave Gillim all he could handle, and the two even came together on the final lap, with Gillim getting the better of Beach to take the checkers for the second time this weekend. M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Valentin Debise just beat Bryce Prince at the line for third.
“We had a really good battle,” Gillim said. “JD made some good passes on me, and I made some good passes on him. On the last lap, I had one place to go and that was it. Unfortunately, we came together. That wasn’t supposed to happen. It’s racing, like he said. We both came across the finish line. We’re both healthy. It was a good race weekend for us. To get the double was pretty incredible. It’s always fun racing with these boys and being at the front.”
Liqui Moly Junior Cup – Dumas’ Double
Alex Dumas (23). – Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
In Liqui Moly Junior Cup, it was yet another balanced podium as riders from three different brands were represented, with KTM Orange Brigade/JP43 Training’s Alex Dumas winning his second race of the weekend, and his 10th of his championship season. BARTCON Racing Kawasaki rider Damian Jigalov scored his second podium result of the season with a second-place finish, and MP13 Racing’s Cory Ventura completed a double-podium with a third after finishing second on Sunday.
“Today was good,” said Dumas. “I set some good pace in the front. Didn’t know what to expect. It’s a little bit colder than yesterday, so the tire felt better with the grip. I’m just excited to win. Next weekend I’m going to France and the last round of the World 300 Supersport class. I’m excited to go there and see how I’m going to do there.”
Stock 1000 – Lee Caps It Off
Andrew Lee (14) leading the Stock 1000 race. – Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Already crowned 2018 Stock 1000 Champion Andrew Lee continued his winning ways when he notched his third victory of the season aboard his RiderzLaw Racing Kawasaki. Lewin Estates Yamaha rider Chad Lewis was second, and New Zealander Shane Richardson rode his Woolich Racing Kawasaki to third place for his third podium this season.
“Coming into this round, I knew I had already wrapped up the championship, so the goal was to get a win… to end the season with another win,” Lee said. “We had a slow start, just a string of seconds, but at the end of the day, it got me the championship so that’s what matters. Leading into the first round, we weren’t even too sure if we were going to make the first round. So doing my first full season as a pro, it’s fantastic. Couldn’t have asked for anything more. I want to thank RiderzLaw for getting behind me this year. Spidi, Arai, Graves Motorsports, everyone out there was just super-supportive of me this year, so thanks to everyone.”
Motul Superbike
1.Toni Elias (Suzuki)
2.Cameron Beaubier (Yamaha)
3.Josh Herrin (Yamaha)
4.Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha)
5.Jake Lewis (Suzuki)
Supersport
1.Hayden Gillim (Yamaha)
2.JD Beach (Yamaha)
3.Valentin Debise (Suzuki)
4.Bryce Prince (Yamaha)
5.Richie Escalante (Yamaha)
Liqui Moly Junior Cup
1.Alex Dumas (KTM)
2.Damian Jigalov (Kawasaki)
3.Cory Ventura (Yamaha)
4.Jay Newton (Yamaha)
5.Gavin Anthony (Yamaha)
Stock 1000
1.Andrew Lee (Kawasaki)
2.Chad Lewin (Yamaha)
3.Shane Richardson (Kawasaki)
4.Garrick Schneiderman (Yamaha)
5.Travis Wyman (BMW)
More, from a press release issued by Yamalube/Westby Racing:
Mathew Scholtz Finishes Fourth In Sunday’s MotoAmerica Superbike Race And Fourth In The Final Standings
Mathew Scholtz (11). Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Birmingham, AL – The 2018 MotoAmerica season wrapped up on Sunday, and in the final Superbike race of the year, Mathew Scholtz followed up his podium result on Saturday with a solid, fourth-place finish on Sunday. It was his 14th top-five finish out of a total of 20 races this season.
Riding his #11 Yamalube/Westby Racing Yamaha YZF-R1 Superbike, Mathew was close behind the front three riders, and he managed to close the gap to about half a second as the laps wound down. As tire wear came into play in the closing laps, the “Durban Dynamo” used his discretion and brought his Superbike safely across the finish line in fourth.
“As usual, I got a terrible start,” Mathew said. “So, the first couple of laps were kind of hairy, but cool. We made some changes to the traction control overnight, and it helped me run about a half-second quicker today. I got up to fourth, and I could see the front group. I started closing in on them, but the tires dropped off. I was at the absolute limit, so I had to settle in and take fourth today. It’s been a good season for me, but I’m hungry for more. I wanted to end up in the top three in the championship, and I missed that mark and finished fourth in points. So, I’m a little disappointed, but I’m looking forward to coming back strong next year.”
2018 MotoAmerica Superbike Final Standings
1. Cameron Beaubier – Yamaha – 390
2. Toni Elias – Suzuki – 339
3. Josh Herrin – Yamaha – 289
4. Mathew Scholtz – Yamaha – 239
For more updates about Yamalube/Westby Racing, including news, photos, and videos, visit http://www.WestbyRacing.com
Also, follow “Westby Racing” on your favorite social media sites.
More, from a press release issued by KTM North America:
DUMAS CAPS OFF CHAMPIONSHIP WINNING SEASON WITH A DOUBLE VICTORY AT MOTOAMERICA FINALE
Alex Dumas (23) leading Cory Ventura (64) and Jackson Blackmon (18) during a Junior Cup race. – Photo by Brock Imaging, courtesy of KTM North America.
FINALE – MotoAmerica Junior Cup
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – KTM Orange Brigade rider Alex Dumas swept both MotoAmerica Junior Cup races over the weekend with one of his strongest performances of the year for the series finale at Barber Motorsports Park.
The French-Canadian rider amassed ten race-wins and 12 podium finishes during the 18-race season, making KTM the first marque to win a MotoAmerica Junior Cup title. Dumas set the stage from the start of the weekend, putting on a strong performance in Saturday’s Race 1. He powered his KTM RC 390 R to a great start and had a big lead built up when the race was red-flagged because of a crash. When the race restarted, Dumas got another good start and led the race from start to finish on his way to a ninth-career win in the class. In Sunday’s Race 2, Dumas got another great start and put himself into the lead early on. He led every lap and won the race by a margin of more than five seconds.
Dumas’ teammate, Sean Ungvarsky, had a difficult start to the weekend. The team battled through problems with his motorcycle’s set-up during both qualifying sessions, and Ungvarsky qualified in the 25th position. In Saturday’s Race 1, Ungvarsky remained poised through difficult track conditions and worked his way up to a 17th-place finish. In Sunday’s Race 2, Ungvarsky recovered from a poor start to finish 17th once again. With a great start to the season, Ungvarsky finished the 2018 Junior Cup with five podium finishes, giving the KTM Orange Brigade Team two riders within the top five in the overall championship standings.
While the 2018 MotoAmerica season has end, Dumas is not done with his 2018 racing schedule. He will compete aboard a KTM RC 390 R at the next round of the World Supersport 300 Championship at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours in Magny-Cours, France on Sept. 28-30, 2018.
Chris Fillmore, KTM Orange Brigade Team Manager: “With the championship wrapped up and nothing to lose, it was great to see Alex sweep the last two races of the season aboard a KTM. We’re excited for Alex to head over to France to race as a wildcard in the World Supersport 300 Championship and represent the KTM Orange Brigade on the international level of motorcycle road racing. I wish Sean had been able to maintain his early season form, but finishing fifth overall in a highly competitive championship is still very impressive. It has been a very successful first-year for the KTM Orange Brigade program in MotoAmerica’s Junior Cup, and I want to sincerely thank Alex, Sean and their teams for making this a very special season for KTM.”
Alex Dumas, #23 KTM Orange Brigade Rider: “The weekend did not start as planned. We were battling set-up issues Friday and missed part of the first practice session while changing fork springs. The changes worked, and I finished fourth in Friday’s qualifying session. We improved the bike even more during Saturday’s qualifying session and I was able to qualify on pole. Race 1 was confusing with all the red flags, but I felt comfortable on the bike and was able to pick up another race win. Today’s race was less eventful, and I was able to finish the season off with a win. I want to thank my team and KTM for all of the support they have given me this year.”
Sean Ungvarsky, #48 KTM Orange Brigade Rider: “This weekend was definitely a struggle for me. We lost some momentum as a team with the struggles we have had the past couple rounds. Working with KTM this season was definitely the best experience I have had in my racing career. Alex and I had the best bike in the paddock this year, and it was great seeing so many fans out here this weekend cheering me on.”
More, from a press release issued by Yoshimura Suzuki:
Yoshimura Suzuki’s Toni Elias Scores Double Victory in Alabama Finale
Fans Cheer Roger Hayden as He Runs his Final Pro Race
BIRMINGHAM, AL — Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing’s Toni Elias earned an impressive sweep at Barber Motorsports Park this weekend, scoring victory on his Suzuki GSX-R1000 in both Saturday and Sunday’s 2018 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship finale. Sunday’s win marked the ninth of the season for Elias, earning him the distinction of scoring the most MotoAmerica Superbike wins in 2018.
Elias’ teammate Roger Hayden experienced an emotion-filled weekend with hundreds of fans, fellow racers and race team members offering him well wishes as he competed in his final pro race. Hayden battled for a podium spot and finished fourth in Saturday’s race and then ran off the track early in Sunday’s race falling to last, before charging back to finish 8th.
Toni Elias (1). Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Elias had riveting battles for the win in both races, moving up quickly from his seventh-place start on the grid, Saturday he pulled away decisively late in the race to win by 7.340 second. In Sunday’s race the top positions in the championship were all decided, so it was a no-holds-barred battle up front between Elias, Cameron Beaubier and Josh Herrin. At the checkered flag Elias won by 3-10ths of a second over Beaubier.
“It was an incredible way to end the year,” Elias said. “It was a real fair fight on Sunday since we were no longer thinking about points. It was a challenge and my team gave me a great bike. To have the most wins this year was a nice accomplishment for the team. Cameron [Beaubier] and his team had a fantastic year and they deserved the championship, but now we will begin testing and get ready to come back to fight to win back the No. 1 plate next season. I also will miss Roger as a teammate. He was a great competitor and teammate.”
Roger Hayden (95). Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
For Hayden, Sunday marked the end of a brilliant racing career. Hayden announced his intention to retire from racing back in July. He raced professionally for 20 seasons. In 2006 he was named AMA Superbike Rookie of the Year and then in 2007 he won the AMA Supersport Championship.
“It was a tough weekend to focus, being pulled in every direction,” Hayden explained after Sunday’s race. “I was right there battling for a podium finish on Saturday and that felt good. Then I ran off the track in today’s race, but made a good charge back through the field. It was great to have so many family and friends from home here to be a part of this weekend.
“I’ve had a great career and I especially enjoyed racing for Yoshimura Suzuki. It hasn’t hit me yet that I’m done, but it probably will on Tuesday when everyone is doing the tire test and I’m home setting up a deer stand.”
Yoshimura Suzuki’s Don Sakakura was happy to end 2018 on a high note.
“It was a great way to end an up and down season,” Sakakura said. “We started so strong and then had some challenges in the middle of the season. But we rebounded and closed out the year on a positive note. The team plans to take this momentum and carry it into off-season testing and then into next year’s championship.”
In the 40th Anniversary season of the Suzuki and Yoshimura Superbike partnership, Suzuki reached a major milestone this year winning a record-setting 200th MotoAmerica/AMA Superbike victory in July. Elias added three more bringing the total to 203 all-time victories for Suzuki at the end of 2018.
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A.:
Yamaha bLU cRU Riders Claim Podium Finishes from MotoAmerica Championship Finale at Barber Motorsports Park
Overall Championship Results Cap Strong Year for Yamaha
Birmingham, Ala. – September 24, 2018 – The 2018 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship concluded on Sunday at Barber Motorsports Park, where Yamaha bLU cRU riders finished the series strong by capturing podium finishes in the Superbike, Supersport, Stock 1000 and Junior Cup races throughout the day.
The action capped an incredible year for the Yamaha bLU cRU. 70 percent (42 out of 60) of the Superbike podium finishes, including 11 race wins, and four of the top-five Superbike Championship positions were captured by YZF-R1 riders. Also, 78 percent (40 out of 51) of the Supersport podium finishes, including 15 race wins, and eight of the top-ten final Supersport Championship positions were claimed by YZF-R6 riders.
Monster Energy/Yamalube/Yamaha Factory Racing Superbike Team
After shaking off a hard crash during Saturday’s Superbike Race1, pole-sitter Cameron Beaubier wasted no time getting up to speed on his Monster Energy/Yamalube/Yamaha Factory Racing R1 when the green flag waved for Sunday’s Race 2. Beaubier battled hard from the start with Yamaha bLU cRU rider Josh Herrin, and the duo swapped positions several times in a close three-way battle with Toni Elias at the front of the pack. With two laps to go, Beaubier passed Herrin for the second-place position before hunting down race leader Elias. Executing a valiant charge on the final lap, Beaubier reeled in Elias and pushed him to the finish line, narrowly missing the victory by only 0.333 of a second.
Beaubier’s second-place finish marked his seventeenth trip to the Superbike podium for the year. In addition to clinching the third Superbike Championship title of his career at Round 9 in New Jersey, Beaubier captured eight victories, 6 Superpoles and two lap records throughout the season.
Garrett Gerloff’s final race of his rookie Superbike season got off to a good start as he quickly moved his Monster Energy/Yamalube/Yamaha Factory Racing R1 into a top-five spot on lap two. However, while making a charge for the lead group, Gerloff came into contact with Toni Elias’ rear tire, sending Gerloff off-course and onto the ground, ending his day.
Overall, Gerloff claimed five podium finishes in his first season aboard the R1, notching two second-place finishes and three third-place finishes.
Cameron Beaubier – #6 YZF-R1
“We came up short, but I was happy I was even able to fight for the win today on my R1 after having a pretty good crash on Saturday. It’s been an incredible season, and I can’t believe it’s over. It feels so good to get that number one plate back!”
“I had a great bike, and I felt great. I got a good jump from the start on my R1, but then got kinda pinched off at the first corner. I was working my way forward and making passes when I collided with Toni Elias in the second to last corner. He cut across my front end, and I didn’t have anywhere to go. But I know that he couldn’t see me, so it was just a racing incident. Not how I wanted to end the season, but I’m ready to start fresh in 2019.”
Tom Halverson – Team Manager
“Cameron ended a championship-winning season by battling to the finish while going after another race win. Even though Cam finished second, he displayed the speed, race craft, and determination that earned him his third Championship Title. Garrett was set to have a great race, but unfortunately, he had an incident and went down. Still, he had a very strong rookie season, and we are very proud of him.”
2018 MotoAmerica Superbike Standings – 20 of 20 Series Races Completed
Pos. Rider Points
1 Cameron Beaubier – Yamaha 390
2 Toni Elias – Suzuki 339
3 Josh Herrin – Yamaha 289
4 Mathew Scholtz – Yamaha 239
5 Garrett Gerloff – Yamaha 208
Monster Energy/Yamaha Extended Service/Graves/Yamaha Supersport Team
Due to some rain showers just before the start of Supersport Race 2, the day’s schedule was delayed, resulting in a shortened 14-lap race that took place in a mixture of wet and dry conditions. As the green flag waved, JD Beach raced his Monster Energy/Yamaha Extended Service/Graves/Yamaha R6 to the front of the pack on the opening lap. While navigating the unpredictable track conditions early on in the race, Beach dropped back to fourth while keeping the race leader within sight. After moving back into second place, Beach made a charge with six laps to go, igniting an intense battle With Yamaha bLU cRU rider Hayden Gillim for the final race win of the season.
Beach pulled the trigger to pass Gillim for the lead with only four laps left in the race, but Gillim quickly answered back, reclaiming the position on his R6. The duo diced back-and-forth while the race wound down to the finish line, and despite a few close encounters, both riders remained intact for a photo finish that separated them by only 0.029 of a second, with Gillim claiming victory and Beach taking second place.
In addition to claiming the 2018 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship at Round 9, the second Supersport Championship of his career, Beach had a dominant season with sixteen trips to the podium that included 11 race wins.
JD Beach – #95 YZF-R6
“It was another great race on my R6 and almost a great end to the season. We had to fight hard in tricky conditions and make our way up to the front from a good ways back. We rode a smart race and made some good passes. At the end on the last lap, we came together with another rider, but I guess that’s racing. Now we’ll go into the off-season and see what happens for next year.”
Chuck Graves – Team Owner
“Wow! This was the best fight of the year between the race leaders, with less than three-hundredths of a second between Hayden Gillim and JD Beach at the finish line! We are proud of JD, and his championship win this year, and although he finished second today, it was great to see him and Hayden go first and second on R6’s outfitted with the Graves ElectriK bLUE exhaust systems.”
2018 MotoAmerica Supersport Standings – 17 of 17 Series Races Completed
Pos. Rider Points
1 JD Beach – Yamaha 388
2 Hayden Gillim – Yamaha 300
3 Valentin Debise – Suzuki 182
4 Bryce Prince – Yamaha 174
Additional Yamaha bLU cRU Rider Notes
Attack Performance/Herrin Compound/Yamaha’s Josh Herrin led the most laps of Sunday’s Superbike Race 2 aboard his R1 as he held off a hard-charging group of riders for the first 11 laps. After a race-long battle at the front of the pack, Herrin finished with a hard-fought third place to close out a successful season, where he earned third overall in the Superbike Championship.
Yamalube/Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz pushed hard to keep his R1 close to the lead battle in Superbike Race 2. Finishing fourth in the race, Scholtz wrapped up the 2018 season with fourth overall in the Superbike Championship.
It was a flawless weekend for Rickdiculous Racing’s Hayden Gillim, who concluded the 2018 season with pole-position and a double-victory in the Supersport class. Gillim launched his R6 to the front early on in Supersport Race 2, holding firm in a close battle to clinch his second victory of this weekend, and fourth of the season.
The final race of the Stock 1000 class for 2018 saw Yamaha bLU cRU rider Chad Lewin claim his third podium of the season with third-place aboard his Team Lewin Estates R1. Lewin played a role in bringing the R1 an additional six podiums and two race-wins this season in the Stock 1000 class.
Graves/Yamaha R3 Support Program riders once again dominated the top-ten spots in Junior Cup racing, claiming seven of the top-ten positions in Race 2. MP13 Racing’s Cory Ventura made his seventh podium appearance of the season on Sunday with a solid third-place finish in the class.
In the inaugural MotoAmerica Junior Cup season, Chuck Graves and Yamaha bLU cRU Riding Coach Josh Hayes led a solid group of young racers to multiple successes throughout the season, including two of the top three positions in the 2018 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship, three race-wins, and 16 podium finishes. Ventura, who claimed the runner-up position in the championship standings, finished as the highest placing R3 rider after earning one race-win and seven podium finishes in 2018. MonkeyMoto/AGVSPORT’s Jay Newton follows with third overall in the Championship, having earned one race-win and four podium finishes this season.
“It was great to see Cory Ventura finish on the podium again,” said Chuck Graves, “and to see him and Jay Newton wrap up second and third in the Junior Cup Championship.”
Sunday’s race action from Barber Motorsports Park concludes the 2018 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship. For complete results and championship standings, visit http://motoamerica.com/.
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 Damian Jigalov’s publicist:
Damian Jigalov takes 2nd Place at Barber in Race 2
MotoAmerica Liqui Moly Junior Cup finale took place this past weekend on September 22-23 at Barber Motorsports Park ,with MotoAmerica’s Youngest rider, 14 year old Damian Jigalov piloting a BARTCON Kawasaki Ninja 400.
Coming into the weekend, Jigalov had expected tough competition, with the Championship already decided and knowing the entire field wanted to end the season with a good result. With a lack of track time on the new BARTCON Kawasaki Ninja 400, setup and gearing for Barber was crucial, the entire team and Damian had a lot of work ahead of them.
Friday began with a practice session followed by Qualifying 1. Jigalov is familiar with Barber but not a Kawasaki Ninja 400. The BARTCON RACING team was able to find ideal suspension setup and gearing with every session. This gave Jigalov the confidence and ability to push the limits comfortably.
Qualifying was done under ideal conditions, with sunny skies and warm temperatures – allowing the 27 riders competing in the Liqui Moly Junior Cup class to set a very fast pace, and saw Jigalov qualifying in P9. The BARTCON RACING TEAM not satisfied with that, found a better setup that gave Jigalov the confidence and ability to push harder and improve further in the race, as he was still finding the limits.
On Saturday in Race 1 Jigalov improved lap times and speed with every lap. Jigalov was able to get a very good start and gained 3 positions into P6. Jigalov tried pushing the limits and was able to pick off each rider into P3 and catching the 2 leaders. After setting the fastest lap of the entire race and on the heals of P2. Unfortunately, Jigalov had a high speed low side that ended his day with only 2 laps remaining. Jigalov was unhurt but the Ninja 400 needed repairs to be ready for Sunday’s Race 2. Team BARCON RACING Crew Chief Gary Medley with the skilled team technician’s, Harry Houck and Jeremy Kolewski, worked hard to get the Kawasaki Ninja ready for Sunday’s Race 2.
During Sunday’s Race 2, Jigalov’s confidence with the bike setup grew. The BATCON RACING KAWASAKI team worked to ensure he could have a good package and push harder. Starting from P8, due to one rider not able to start race 2, Jigalov dropped the hammer as the lights went out and found himself in the middle of the top 6 riders going into turn 1.
Jigalov kept pushing, determined to regain important positions, and was able to chase down the pack in front of him, lowering his best lap times of the weekend once again and pass multiple riders including 3 riders in a single lap despite the very fast pace in the closing stages of the race. The battle continued to the last Jigalov getting the edge for P2 at the finish line.
Jigalov leaves the weekend feeling strong and confident, knowing that he has the pace to battle with his older rivals next season.
Damian Jigalov:
“Thank you to my BARTON KAWASAKI RACING team, Colin Barton, team owner, Gary Medley, Crew Chief and Harry Houck, Jeremy Kolewski team technicians. Thank you to the title sponsors, Barton Construction, Arch Motorcycle Company, Dainese AGV, WERA along with co-sponsors, DP Brakes, Sportbikes4hire, DSM Exteriors, Lionize Delivery Solutions, Pop Shadow, 44 Industries Inc, Farmers Insurance Maria Cid, Woolich Racing . I look forward to return to MotoAmerica Junior Cup for the 2019 season. I plan to train hard in the off season and ready for tough competition. Thank you to my parents and everyone’s support! Thank you to WERA for giving a very strong race series that has gotten me ready to compete at this high level of competition in MotoAmerica!”