Gagne Scores Pair of Podiums in Sunday’s Superbike Doubleheader
Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne keeps podium streak rolling at Laguna Seca to strengthen his MotoAmerica Superbike title defense
MARIETTA, Ga. – July 9, 2023 – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne’s podium streak continued with a second and third-place finish in today’s MotoAmerica Superbike doubleheader at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. The reigning champ’s 1-2-3 score on the weekend has him leaving the iconic Monterey, California, track with a 34-point lead in the championship with nine races remaining. Teammate Petersen bounced back from yesterday’s tough Race 1 to conclude the weekend with a pair of top-five finishes.
On the heels of yesterday’s victory, Gagne put in another championship ride at the doubleheader. In the first race of the day, he got a great start to claim the lead and put in some fast times early to try and break away, but he had his championship rival hot on his heels. The duo built a comfortable gap up front, and Gagne continued to knock down consistently fast laps but was passed with five laps to go and rode on to a runner-up finish.
In the final race of the weekend, Gagne was fourth and laid in wait behind a three-rider fight which included his teammate and championship rivals. On Lap 6, he passed Petersen, but the frontrunners had amassed a healthy gap ahead. Undeterred, Gagne picked up the pace to close the gap and was right behind them with four laps to go. On the final lap, he set the fastest lap of the race and advanced to the runner-up spot. Gagne crossed the line .118 of a second behind the leader but was ultimately credited with third after a two-second penalty was assessed for exceeding the track limits.
After a tough opening race of the weekend that saw him crash out of the lead on the exit of Turn 2, Petersen got a good start in today’s Race 2 from the second row of the grid in fifth. Although he was shuffled to seventh on Lap 3, he kept pushing and made his way back to the top five. In Race 3, Petersen executed another flying start to take the lead into Turn 2. It was an eventful opening lap that turned into a three-rider battle, with the South African putting in a good fight for the lead before being shuffled to third. After Gagne made his way through, he was holding down fourth but was passed with five laps to go, ending the day with another solid fifth-place finish.
Next up for the Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing team is Round 6 of the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at the Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, Minnesota, on July 28-30.
Richard Stanboli – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing Team Manager
“Throughout the event, we made good progress and a significant step forward on the new surface and tires. We are happy with our progress. Jake rode well to catch the leaders in Race 3. I think the track limits penalty was extreme, considering the actual advantage that would be gained by jumping the green. If the goal is to emulate the world championship, then it should follow the world standards by giving track limits warnings to the riders and exacting punishments that fit the infraction.”
Jake Gagne – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing
“We had some good races on Sunday and made some great progress. In Race 3, those guys were messing around, and I was able to reel them in. I feel like I rode my butt off in that one, so regardless, I’m happy with how I rode. I’m happy for this team. They really helped me step it up this weekend. It definitely was some exciting racing today, and I’m excited to get to the next round!”
Cameron Petersen – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing
“It was another tough weekend for me. The bike felt good, and so did I, but unfortunately I had a crash in Race 1. Race 2 and 3 were way better, and I was happy with my pace and got some good starts. At the end of the day, I just need to put all the pieces of the puzzle together, and we will be fighting at the front.”
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 Energica:
Energica launches to first-ever EV race lead anywhere while breaking e-motorcycle record lap at Laguna Seca
Stefano Mesa and Tytlers Cycle Racing have completed round five and six of the 2023 Super Hooligan National Championship, which took place at the WeatherTech Laguna Seca Raceway. This was another opportunity to shine for the Kit-Corsa-Clienti-equipped Energica Eva Ribelle RS, which in the capable hands of the 30-year-old Colombian rider wrote a new chapter in the history of motorcycling, as Roland Sands himself stated on commentary: “The first EV ever in the world to lead a race against ICE machinery”. Mesa exploited the immense torque of the Energica streetfighter machine to bend space and time and enter Turn One ahead of the rest of the field in Race One.
But it was Race Two that proved how the rider and the technical package are gelling together, as Mesa showed a whole different pace on Sunday and set his fastest lap in 1:31.272secs, a time that would have placed him on fourth place on the grid.
This lap-time also holds a very special meaning as it was one tenth of a second quicker of the previous, all-time two-wheeled electric lap record at Laguna Seca set by Steve Rapp in 2011, resulting in a new, historical lap record at the American raceway a dozen years afterwards while sharing the track with ICE motorcycles for a whole season – something that was never done before.
Stefano’s efforts did not go unnoticed by his peers: soon after Saturday’s Super Hooligan Race One, he had to take part in the grueling, extended 38-lap Supersport race. Many Supersport riders, including multiple MotoAmerica Superbike champion Josh Hayes praised Mesa’s speed, determination and stamina which led to a fourth-place finish in that race.
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With a sixth and a fifth in the two Super Hooligan encounters, Mesa and Tytlers Cycle Racing are back to P6 in the overall championship standings and are only seven points away from the top five.
“Fantastic result. If you know everybody who’s behind Energica, you know this bike works. Stefano knows how to make it work and the team knows how to make it work. This is fabulous!” says Michael Kiley, Team Principal of Tytlers Cycle Racing and firm believer of the Made-in-Modena electric bike’s potential in the series.
With Laguna Seca being one of the most attended racetracks on the MotoAmerica calendar and considering the fact that is located in the most EV-friendly state in the USA, the stunning PETRONAS iona-liveried Eva Ribelle grabbed the attention of the many fans who joined in this time out. This included a number of Energica owners who rode from as far away as Los Angeles and San Diego to cheer on their hero, whose bikes crowded the entrance to Garage 20, seemingly standing guard over the #137 race bike itself.
Energica, Tytlers Cycle Racing and Stefano Mesa return to the action on September 8-10 at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, for the final event of the season.
Click here for the current championship standings
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 LANDERS, RODIO, VICTORIOUS AT LAGUNA SECA FOR MOTOAMERICA TWINS CUP DOUBLE HEADER
RODIO RACING – POWERED BY ROBEM ENGINEERING RIDERS WIN BY LARGE MARGINS IN BOTH CONTESTS, WITH GUS RODIO RETAKING POINTS LEAD
MONTEREY, CA – Laguna Seca is one of the most iconic racing circuits in the world and, this past weekend, was the scene of two commanding victories by Aprilia RS 660 riders. The Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering duo of Rocco Landers and Gus Rodio were the class of the MotoAmerica Twins Cup field. The pair recorded one win apiece, and each winning rider took the checkered flag least 16 seconds ahead of the rest of the field at the July 7-9 event.
Though Landers was unable to finish the second contest, both Landers and Rodio took turns being at the top of the Twins Cup points standings. And Rodio, who was the championship leader through the first two rounds of the season, heads to the next round with a three-point lead.
Friday morning practice commenced under slick track conditions due to overnight rain on the recently repaved circuit. That 40-minute session ended with Top Pro Motorsports’ Alex Arango as the fastest Aprilia rider and sixth-fastest overall. Landers, Top Pro Motorsports’ other rider Agustin Sierra, and Gus Rodio finished the session 9th, 10th, and 11th fastest, respectively.
By Friday afternoon, track conditions had greatly improved for the first of two Twins Cup qualifying sessions. And Landers and Rodio were back to their usual frontrunning form. Landers top the time sheets with a best lap time of 1:30.741. Rodio was second-fastest, about half a second off Landers’ time and more than 1.3 seconds faster than the next fastest rider. The Twins Cup’ Qualifying 2 session took place Saturday morning and saw Landers convert his provisional pole position from Friday into his fourth consecutive Twins Cup pole position of the season. Rodio nearly bested Landers when he qualified second with a lap time about one-tenth of a second off Landers’ best time.
Race 1 was the scene of some frantic action on the first lap that quickly changed to an Aprilia rout. Though Landers and Rodio were running second and third as the field of 33 riders exited Turn 2, Landers assumed the lead after making a pass at Turn 6 and, by the end of the first lap, had already built an about one second advantage to the rest of the field. Rodio made his move up to second place at the iconic Corkscrew turn and was undeterred when another rider bumped him as he was navigating the tight, twisty corner and finished the first lap in second place. From Lap 2 to the end of the 13-lap race, the Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering duo built a large gap to the multi-rider battle for third place. At the end of Lap 3, Landers had pulled out a 1.4-second lead over Rodio, who had established his own 2.2-second advantage over the third-place rider. By the end of Lap 10, Landers was leading Rodio by more than 4.4 seconds, and Rodio had increased his gap to third place to more than 15 seconds. Landers ended up taking the victory by a margin of 4.180 seconds and Rodio crossed the finish line 21.417 seconds ahead of the next rider. Landers also set a new MotoAmerica Twins Cup lap record during the Saturday race with a lap time of 1:29.790 and moved into the lead in the class’ points standings. Three other Aprilia riders finished in the top 10, including Duffy Racing’s Tyler Duffy in seventh, Righteous Racing’s Ray Hofman in eighth and Arango in 10th.
Rodio got a better start in Sunday’s Race 2 and led the field through the first couple corners. Landers was running in third place for the first half of Lap 1 before moving up to second at Turn 6. He then took over the lead when Rodio made a mistake exiting Turn 6 that caused him to run wide. The Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering duo then built a large gap to the rest of the field and were taking turns setting new lap records until Landers crashed out from the lead on Lap 11. The lap before he crashed, Landers had an about 0.8 second advantage on Rodio, who was about 16 seconds ahead of the third-place rider. Rodio went on to win the race by a margin of 16.945 seconds and, with his victory and Landers’ bad luck, Rodio assumed the lead in the Twins Cup standings.
Rodio left Laguna Seca with a three-point lead in the championship chase, and Landers is just 18 points behind the second-place rider despite having not raced at the opening round at Daytona International Speedway.
Of the 33 riders entered in MotoAmerica Twins Cup for the Laguna Seca round, 16 were slated to compete aboard Aprilia RS 660s.
The MotoAmerica Twins Cup riders have a six-week break in the 2023 schedule until its back in action. The next round takes place Aug. 18-20 at Pittsburgh International Race Complex.
Gus Rodio / No. 96
“Overall, it was a great weekend for the Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering team. Me and Rocco worked together all weekend long. Race 1 went good. I had a few issues off the start, but I managed to collect it and stayed consistent the whole race. It was a pretty good finish and a pretty good, best lap time for me. I’m super happy with the results overall, as well as getting the championship lead back. I couldn’t have done it without the team and Aprilia backing me. I’m looking forward to heading back to the East Coast, and we’ll take it from there.”
Rocco Landers / No. 97
“It was a great weekend. On Saturday, things went amazing. Gus and I were able to work together to find the best possible setup for our Aprilia RS 660s. We had them set up really well, and they worked amazing here on the new surface. The Aprilia is definitely the bike to be on in Twins Cup, and it keeps getting better and better. Unfortunately, I kind of ruined the weekend by tossing the bike down the road in Race 2, but that aside, I’m looking forward to heading to Pittsburgh.”
More, from a press release issued by Harley-Davidson:
FACTORY HARLEY-DAVIDSON RIDER KYLE WYMAN TOPS ALL-HARLEY KING OF THE BAGGERS PODIUM ON SUNDAY AT LAGUNA SECA
Vance & Hines/Harley-Davidson racer Hayden Gillim wins on Saturday
MILWAUKEE (July 10, 2023) – Harley-Davidson® Screamin’ Eagle® factory rider Kyle Wyman topped an all-Harley-Davidson podium on Sunday in the MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in California. Wyman led from start to finish in the 8-lap race on the team’s race-prepared Harley-Davidson® Road Glide® motorcycle to claim his fifth win of the season. Vance & Hines/Mission Foods teammates James Rispoli and Hayden Gillim finished second and third on Harley-Davidson Road Glide motorcycles. With the win, Kyle Wyman preserved his championship points lead in the series.
“I really wanted to get a good start today to get out front and control the pace,” said Wyman. “I was feeling pressure from Rispoli in the second half of the race, and I know James would not hesitate to take his shot at a pass, so I made sure to not give him that opportunity. It’s really great to see Harley-Davidson lock up the podium today.”
Wyman opened the weekend by topping the first qualifying session on Friday with a new King of the Baggers track record lap of 1:28.586. On Saturday Wyman won the three-lap King of the Baggers Challenge race, besting second place Gillim by 1.462 seconds.
In the Saturday feature race, Wyman dogged race leader Tyler O’Hara on the Factory Indian motorcycle before passing for the lead in Turn 2 on lap 5. O’Hara passed Wyman back to take the lead on the last lap but crashed on the entrance to the last turn of the race. Wyman fell behind him and both riders slid off the track as Gillim, Rispoli, and Sacramento Mile/Roland Sands Indian rider Bobby Fong took advantage. O’Hara and Wyman both managed to pick up their bikes and cross the finish line, O’Hara in fourth place and Wyman in ninth place. Gillim finished first, 2.919 seconds ahead of Rispoli, with Fong in third place. Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle factory rider Travis Wyman finished in seventh place on his Harley-Davidson Road Glide motorcycle.
On Sunday roles were reversed, as Kyle Wyman took the lead from the pole position with O’Hara chasing in second place, followed by Rispoli and Gillim. O’Hara fell off the pace on lap 4 and was passed by both Vance & Hines riders. Rispoli closed to within a fraction of a second on Wyman but never had an opportunity to attempt a pass. O’Hara finished fourth. Travis Wyman was sixth on the Factory Harley-Davidson® Road Glide®.
After eight of 14 races in the 2023 MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers series, Kyle Wyman leads the championship with 148 points, followed by Rispoli with 143 points, and Gillim with 130 points. O’Hara sits in fourth place with 107 points. Travis Wyman is in 10th place with 59 points.
The Mission King of the Baggers series features race-prepared American V-Twin touring motorcycles. Harley-Davidson® Factory Team Road Glide® motorcycles are powered by modified Screamin’ Eagle® Milwaukee-Eight® 131 Performance Crate Engines. The team bikes also feature upgraded suspension components, including Screamin’ Eagle/Öhlins Remote Reservoir Rear Shocks, plus competition exhaust, race tires and lightweight bodywork.
The Harley-Davidson® Screamin’ Eagle® factory team returns to action July 28-30 in the MotoAmerica Superbikes at Minnesota at Brainerd International Raceway near Brainerd, Minn.
MotoAmerica King of the Baggers Race Results – Laguna Seca Race 1
- Hayden Gillim (H-D) Vance & Hines/Mission Foods/Harley-Davidson
- James Rispoli (H-D) Vance & Hines/Mission Foods/Harley-Davidson
- Bobby Fong (Ind) Sacramento Mile/SDI Racing/Roland Sands Design
- Tyler O’Hara (Ind) Progressive/Mission Foods
- Jake Lewis (H-D) Team Saddlemen
- Cory West (H-D) Team Saddlemen
- Travis Wyman (H-D) Screamin’ Eagle Harley-Davidson
- Jeremy McWilliams (Ind) Progressive/Mission Foods
- Kyle Wyman (H-D) Screamin’ Eagle Harley-Davidson
- Kyle Ohnsorg (Ind) Roland Sands Design
- Frankie Garcia (H-D) Team Saddlemen
- Kole King (H-D) King Performance
- Patricia Fernandez-West (H-D) Team Saddlemen
- Danny Spina (H-D) Flex CBD
MotoAmerica King of the Baggers Race Results – Laguna Seca Race 2
- Kyle Wyman (H-D) Screamin’ Eagle Harley-Davidson
- James Rispoli (H-D) Vance & Hines/Mission Foods/Harley-Davidson
- Hayden Gillim (H-D) Vance & Hines/Mission Foods/Harley-Davidson
- Tyler O’Hara (Ind) Progressive/Mission Foods
- Jeremy McWilliams (Ind) Progressive/Mission Foods
- Travis Wyman (H-D) Screamin’ Eagle Harley-Davidson
- Kyle Ohnsorg (Ind) Roland Sands Design
- Jake Lewis (H-D) Team Saddlemen
- Cory West (H-D) Team Saddlemen
- Bobby Fong (Ind) Sacramento Mile/SDI Racing/Roland Sands
- Frankie Garcia (H-D) Team Saddlemen
- Kole King (H-D) King Performance
- Patricia Fernandez-West (H-D) Team Saddlemen
- Eric Stahl (H-D) Jiffy Tune Racing
- Danny Spina (H-D) Flex CBD
Harley-Davidson invites you to enhance the 2023 MotoAmerica King of the Baggers season with some adrenaline pumping action. Check out, ‘Push the Limit,’ a film that shares the story of defending 2021 champion Kyle Wyman, teammate Travis Wyman and the Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle race team’s 2022 championship pursuit. Watch it now on Harley-Davidson’s YouTube channel.
Harley-Davidson stands for the timeless pursuit of adventure and freedom for the soul. Go to H-D.com to learn more about the complete line of 2023 Harley-Davidson Grand American Touring, Sport, Adventure Touring, Cruiser and Trike motorcycles, Harley-Davidson Certified™ pre-owned motorcycles, Harley-Davidson Genuine Motor Parts & Accessories, Harley-Davidson MotorClothes and gear, and Harley-Davidson Financial Services.
More, from a press release issued by Westby Racing:
Westby Racing Has An Adversity-Filled Weekend At WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
Monterey, CA – July 10, 2023 – Mathew Scholtz and the Westby Racing team wrapped up the two-round West Coast swing in the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, and unfortunately, it was a weekend that Mathew and the team would just as soon forget.
The event had three Superbike races on the schedule, and in Saturday’s race one, Mathew, who had qualified fifth earlier in the day, got into a battle for third, but he had a big crash in Rainey Curve with just two laps to go in the race. The incident brought out the red flag, and the race was called complete. Mathew ended up bruised and battered, and he had a restless night as a result
On Sunday, the topnotch Westby Racing crew had Mathew’s #11 Yamaha YZF-R1 re-built and ready to go, but Mathew himself was still sore from Saturday’s crash. He shook off the difficulties and managed to finish seventh in the morning warmup session.
Then, in Sunday morning’s race, the second of three on the weekend, Mathew finished sixth, which was a decent result, all things considered, but not where he and the team hoped to finish.
In Sunday’s afternoon race, the third and concluding race of the weekend, Mathew unfortunately ran off the track on lap seven, which took him out of seventh place and into tenth. From there, he fought valiant for position and ultimately crossed the finish line in eighth.
So, all told, it was a DNF, a sixth, and an eighth for Mathew and the team. The results also moved Mathew from fourth to fifth in the points standings.
“Well, that didn’t quite go the way we hoped,” Mathew said. “I banged myself up pretty good in Saturday’s race one, and I also created some extra work for the boys, which I am sorry about. Sunday’s two races were tough, and I did all I could given my physical condition and the circumstances. Tryg Westby, our team, our sponsors, and I expect to be at the front, and that’s why we race. To not be able to deliver on that hurts more than these bumps and bruises. But, we are a strong group who pull together, and I know Tryg and the boys are behind me 100%. We’ve got some time till the next round, so I will recover, get stronger, and we’ll be more determined than ever for these final four rounds of the season.”
The Westby Racing team will take the much-needed break in the schedule to re-group, and then, they will return to action on July 28 through 30 at Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, Minnesota, for round six of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship.
MotoAmerica Superbike Standings
1. Jake Gagne – Yamaha – 217
2. Cameron Beaubier – BMW – 183
3. Josh Herrin – Ducati – 178
4. Richie Escalante – Suzuki – 127
5. Mathew Scholtz – Yamaha – 119
For more updates about 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 Suzuki Motor USA, LLC:
ESCALANTE TOPS STRONG WEEKEND FOR VISION WHEEL M4 ECSTAR SUZUKI WITH FOURTH IN BOTH RACES
BREA, CA – July 10, 2023 – Suzuki Motor USA and Team Hammer upped their weekend tally to six top-fives, rounding out a trophy-winning MotoAmerica round with a pair of strong Superbike races on Sunday at WeatherTech Laguna Seca.
Race Highlights:
- Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki
- Superbike
- Richie Escalante continued to rack up the top-five finishes, with two more fourth-place runs.
- Brandon Paasch took another step forward as he acclimates with the team.
- Superbike
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante continued to establish himself as one of the nation’s top Superbike pilots with his fifth and sixth top-four finish in his last eight attempts. Both of Sunday’s Superbike contests shared much in common with Saturday’s, minus the sighting lap drama. Once again, the Mexican could not fully capitalize on his front-row grid position, but he still managed strong races that emphasized his quick pace. He systematically worked his way forward aboard his Suzuki GSX-R1000R to twin fourth-place results. Escalante came tantalizingly close to securing that elusive maiden premier-class podium finish during Race 3 in particular, ending up just 0.607 seconds short of third position at the flag and 2.725 seconds from the winner.
Escalante said, “Three fourth-place finishes and fourth in the championship – it was a good weekend for us. Thanks to the team for giving me a bike that worked great. I’m happy after yesterday, and we had two strong races today. On the first lap in the second race, I lost a couple of positions, but in the race, I made a pass and was able to improve my lap times. I feel like we are getting stronger with each race, and I look forward to training and recovering for the next round.”
Brandon Paasch was impressive in his own right. Making his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki debut in what was his first-ever weekend aboard a Superbike. Paasch was both steady and quick, all while still recovering from a broken back. He finished in eighth position in Race 2 and then went one better in Race 3, taking seventh as he continued to come to grips with the Suzuki GSX-R1000R Superbike.
“It’s been great coming out here on the Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki Superbike this weekend,” said Paasch. “There’s been a lot to learn coming up from the Stock 1000 last year, and then obviously not really racing yet this year. We’re taking it steady and chipping away at those front boys. We’re not too worried about the results at the moment, we’re just focused on my riding and communication with the team. I think we’re doing a good job, and everybody seems happy with what we’re doing. There’s still a lot to learn. I need to be a bit more patient on the bike and work on my fitness after returning from a big injury. We’ve got some gym work to do, but I’m not scared of hard work, so we’ll get after it.”
Team Hammer will return to action when the 2023 MotoAmerica season resumes at Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, Minnesota, on July 28-30.
For more racing news, results, and special team content please visit https://suzukicycles.com/racing/road-racing.
ABOUT SUZUKI
Suzuki Motor USA, LLC. (SMO) distributes Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automotive Parts, Accessories, and ECSTAR Oils & Chemicals via an extensive dealer network throughout 49 states. Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer of Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automobiles, Outboard Motors, and related products. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, SMC has business relations with 201 countries/regions. For more information, visit www.suzuki.com.
ABOUT TEAM HAMMER
The 2023 season marks Team Hammer’s 43rd consecutive year of operating as a professional road racing team. Race bikes built and fielded by Team Hammer have won 129 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National races, have finished on AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National podiums 351 times, and have won 11 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National Championships, as well as two FIM South American Championships (in Superbike and Supersport.) The team has also won 137 endurance races overall (including seven 24-hour races) and 13 Overall WERA National Endurance Championships with Suzuki motorcycles, and holds the U.S. record for mileage covered in a 24-hour race. The team also competed in the televised 1990s Formula USA National Championship, famously running “Methanol Monster” GSX-R1100 Superbikes fueled by methanol, and won four F-USA Championships.
ABOUT VISION WHEEL
Founded in 1976, Vision Wheel is one of the nation’s leading providers of custom wheels for cars and trucks, and one of the first manufacturers of custom wheels and tires for ATVs, UTVs, and golf carts. Vision Wheel looks beyond the current trends and to the future in developing, manufacturing, and distributing its wheels. Vision’s lines of street, race, off-road, American Muscle, and Milanni wheels are distributed nationally and internationally through a trusted network of distributors. Vision Wheel also produces the Vision It AR app to allow users to see how their wheel of choice will look on their vehicle before purchase and installation. For more information on Vision Wheel, visit www.visionwheel.com.
More, from a press release issued by Indian Motorcycle:
Indian Motorcycle Racing Sweeps Super Hooligan at Laguna Seca, Wins American Flat Track SuperTwins at Orange County Half-Mile
Indian Motorcycle Factory Rider Jeremy McWilliams Wins Back-to-Back Races, Ties Teammate & Reigning Champion Tyler O’Hara for Series Lead
Reigning SuperTwins Champion Jared Mees Continues Hot Streak Aboard Indian FTR750, Leads Series Following Seventh Win of Season
MINNEAPOLIS (July 10, 2023) – Following an action-packed race weekend, Indian Motorcycle Racing and factory riders Jeremy McWilliams and Jared Mees came out on top. McWilliams, piloting the Indian FTR in MotoAmerica’s Super Hooligan class, captured back-to-back wins at Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif. Mees, reigning American Flat Track (AFT) SuperTwins champion, secured a wire-to-wire victory aboard the Indian FTR750 at the Orange County Half-Mile in Middletown, N.Y.
The action began Saturday, July 8, when McWilliams captured his first career Super Hooligan race win. McWilliams, who earned the pole position for both races, returned on Sunday, July 9, to again reach the top of the box. During Sunday’s Race 2, O’Hara gave McWilliams a run for his money, but was edged out as the veteran road racer was precise and consistent all weekend long. McWilliams’ back-to-back wins and O’Hara’s Race 2 second-place finish put the Indian Motorcycle Factory Race team in a dead-even tie for first with 106 points each.
“Jeremy was fast all weekend, and after the controversy at ‘The Ridge,’ really wanted to prove himself,” said Gary Gray, Vice President for Racing, Service & Technology for Indian Motorcycle. “Jeremy not only has a wealth of experience racing Laguna Seca, but he’s as fierce of a competitor as there is, and we couldn’t be any more excited for him and the team to be leaving Monterey with a pair of wins.”
At the Orange County Half-Mile, Mees again showed up and reminded everyone why he’s riding for a record-tying nine Grand National Championships. After taking the hole shot in the Main and securing a five-second lead from the second-place rider, a red flag caused a restart with just five laps to go. But this didn’t slow Mees. He again jumped out in front and eventually passed the checkered flag to reach the top of the box for the seventh time this season. The win propelled him to the top of the leaderboard and marked his 36th career half-mile win, awarding him with the most half-mile wins of any rider of all time.
In the King of the Baggers class, O’Hara rode with typical zeal and courage as he battled to capture his first win of the season. O’Hara made a daring pass through the Corkscrew on the last lap, only to lose control on the final turn. Despite going down, O’Hara rushed up, picked up the 620-pound motorcycle and was able to salvage a fourth-place finish. O’Hara again finished fourth in Race 2, while McWilliams took P5.
Indian Motorcycle factory race efforts are presented by Progressive Insurance®, Mission® Foods and Medallia®, with additional support from Indian Motorcycle Motor Oil, S&S®, Parts Unlimited, Drag Specialties®, Performance Finance, and J&P Cycles®.
The AFT season continues next with the Bridgeport Half-Mile on July 22, while the Mission King of the Baggers continues at Brainerd International Raceway July 28-30. The Super Hooligan class picks back up September 8-18 at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, TX.
For more information on Indian Motorcycle Racing, visit IndianMotorcycle.com and follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
ABOUT INDIAN MOTORCYCLE®
Indian Motorcycle Company is America’s First Motorcycle Company®. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the hearts of motorcyclists around the world and earned distinction as one of America’s most legendary and iconic brands through unrivaled racing dominance, engineering prowess and countless innovations and industry firsts. Today that heritage and passion is reignited under new brand stewardship. To learn more, please visit www.indianmotorcycle.com.
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More, from a press release issued by Tytlers Cycle Racing:
Triple podium for Tytlers Cycle Racing at Laguna Seca… Cameron and PJ on the box as Corey scores solid points in three races
The Tytlers Cycle Racing team continued their front running performances in the latest round of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at the iconic Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca this past weekend. A double win on Sunday for Cameron Beaubier coupled with a race one podium for PJ Jacobsen meant the squad once again had at least one bike in the top three in every race! Corey Alexander also raced to strong finishes in the weekend’s three races.
After equaling the lap record in qualifying it was Beaubier who was the man to beat, placing his BMW M1000 RR on pole position in style. His hopes of a triple win were dashed however after a turn two tumble, through no fault of his own, saw him on the floor and unable to make the restart. Cameron’s disappointment turned to delight for both him and the team on Sunday, two perfectly executed overtakes saw the superbike returnee clinch two wins in front of an enthusiastic crowd. The results keep the #6 very much in title contention. He sits second on points ahead of the next round at Brainerd.
PJ Jacobsen showed top three pace from the off, matching Beaubier on Friday to end the day second on the time sheets. A crash in final qualifying left the team with a full rebuild before lights out but a great team effort saw the #99 on the grid and ready to fight. And fight he did. Running third PJ had his sights set on second before a red flag cut short the race. Nevertheless, a podium was well deserved and a reminder that he is one to watch for the remainder of the season. A retirement in race two was a disappointment but Jacobsen bounced back to take sixth in race three to consolidate sixth in the overall points classification.
The team’s third rider Corey Alexander battled through discomfort from previous back injuries to secure three solid results on his BMW M1000 RR. The reigning Stock1000 champion finished eighth, seventh and ninth in the three twenty lap races to move into P7 overall in the championship standings.
Cameron Beaubier: “Race one sucked but I was glad it wasn’t worse than it was. My guys worked their butts off to rebuild a bike for Sunday and we turned it around. I was pretty sore but once the blood got going, I felt great on the bike and was able to bring home a couple wins.”
PJ Jacobsen: “Race one was pretty crazy after I destroyed a bike in qualifying two. The team did a great job to rebuild it and I was able to take a podium which I was happy about. I was running third in race two, but I started to suffer with a brake issue pretty early in the race. I started to fall back, which sucked after we had shown such good pace all weekend and in the end I retired. Race three went well, although I was struggling to pass. I didn’t quite have the grip to follow the others as they closed up to the leading two, which was disappointing as I genuinely feel we could have also had a podium in the final race too. It is what it is, we took at least one podium, and I will go again at Brainerd which is a track I like.”
Corey Alexander: “We made some changes to the to the bike per my request for race one and ultimately went in the wrong direction. Due to some of the misfortune of some of our rivals we still managed P8 but it was not my best performance. For race two we went back to our previous setting, and I was able to run much closer to the front pack with a good pace and feeling. I felt good for race three but got pushed extremely wide off the start and lost some positions which made bridging the gap to the pack difficult. I am happy to salvage three top ten finishes, but it wasn’t the weekend for which I had hoped. Thanks to their team for their support and hard work. I am excited to head home and heal up this lingering back pain I am dealing with and come back stronger at Brainerd.”
