Editorial Note: The race was stopped after 14 of 19 laps due to rain.
More, from a press release issued by MotoAmerica:
Tyler O’Hara And Indian Are King Of The Baggers
Tyler O’Hara And Indian Emerge From Rainstorm With Baggers Crown
MILLVILLE, NJ (September 11, 2022) – The 2022 MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers series came to a dramatic conclusion at New Jersey Motorsports Park with Mission Foods/S&S Cycle/Indian Challenger Team’s Tyler O’Hara emerging from the Sunday afternoon rainstorm with the much-coveted championship.
O’Hara went into the series finale trailing H-D Screamin’ Eagle’s Travis Wyman by three points and came out of it 10 points ahead after a race that had everyone on the edge of their wet seats.
Although O’Hara lost out in the race to Kyle Wyman, with the defending Mission King Of The Baggers Champion winning his third race of the year. However, O’Hara was for all practical purposes crowned when Travis Wyman crashed on the second of seven laps.
Mission King Of The Baggers – O’Hara Is Champ
The 2022 Mission King Of The Baggers Championship had its final round of the season at New Jersey Motorsports Park, and their one race on Sunday putting a fitting crescendo on what has been an exciting third season for the Harley-Davidson versus Indian race series.
Copious amounts of rain fell during the race, and the riders had to tread lightly aboard their Big Twins. Mission Foods S&S Cycle Indian Challenger Team’s Tyler O’Hara clinched the title by virtue of his second-place finish. Polesitter Kyle Wyman won the race aboard his H-D Screamin’ Eagle Road Glide Special, and Daytona Harley-Davidson/Hoban Brothers Racing’s Michael Barnes finished third. Kyle Wyman’s brother and teammate Travis had a narrow three-point lead in the championship coming into New Jersey, but he crashed in the wet conditions and ultimately finished ninth.
“I just was really relaxed all weekend,” O’Hara said. “Just had to chip away at it. These boys were on it this weekend. I just took it one corner at a time. As the race went on, there were some standing puddles. Kyle was going good. I actually had some more pace. He was doing a great job out front. Kind of just let him lead the way and just do what I had to do to bring it home. We got a little sporty there. Jumped out of the seat one time and then just kind of backed her down a little bit. To be honest, I had no idea that Travis was out. I didn’t even see my OK on the board, and we counted the laps backwards. So, it was just taking it one lap at a time. That was my dream to stand up on top of that podium holding the number one plate, from the beginning of the year. I’m so grateful for this opportunity and this team. I was having fun, actually. I was just enjoying the moment.”
“Overall feeling for sure is bittersweet,” said Kyle Wyman. “Happy to have another sweep of the weekend type deal like we did at Laguna. Won the Challenge in the dry. This is, I think, the first time I’ve ever won a race in the wet. That’s good for my confidence. I’ve been close a lot of times in the wet in superbike and threw it down the road, and stuff. Good to finish one out. I didn’t know Travis was out, either. But I knew it was Tyler right behind me. I had a couple looks over my shoulder. I think he came by me on the second lap on the front straight. I passed him back into one. It was a tough race. I think we all wanted a dry, kind of showdown with how everybody’s pace was. Anything can happen in racing.”
Yuasa Stock 1000 – Alexander Crowned
The 2022 Yuasa Stock 1000 Championship was also decided on Sunday at New Jersey Motorsports Park with Corey Alexander clinching the title on the strength his fifth-place finish aboard his Tytlers Cycle RideHVMC BMW. The race was won in damp conditions by Disrupt Racing Suzuki’s Hayden Gillim, while Alexander’s teammate Travis Wyman finished second, and Altus Motorsports Suzuki’s Brandon Paasch was third.
“I wanted to be up there with Travis and Hayden, and I think we had the bike to do it today,” title-winner Alexander said. “We made a lot of changes last night, but it just wasn’t worth it for me (with the damp track). At a certain point, I’d rather have the gap there in fifth and I knew that was all I needed. So, I settled in. One of these times, I’d like to win at home. That would be really cool, or at least be on the box. We seem to be having a string of bad luck, but this makes up for it.”
Race winner Gillim commented. “Yeah. It was an awesome year. To not really be racing full-time the past two years and then to be able to come in and do this has been really cool. Luckily, it was on a bike that I know really well. I’ve had a lot of laps on Suzukis over the years, so I know the bike really well. We were able to get it up to speed pretty quick. These guys were flying all year. Corey was unreal. A couple little mistakes on my part, and we let him have a little bit too early. It was an awesome season for Corey. Travis was still right on my butt for second, so we got to keep fighting at Barber. I had a couple races where my starts were good, and then today they went back downhill. So, I don’t know. I got to figure that out. Luckily, turn one I think Brandon (Paasch) came in a little hot and gave me a couple extra positions and I was able to get on Travis (Wyman) and Stefano (Mesa) pretty quick. Once we got to the front, I tried to push. There were little raindrops and we kind of would go fast, go slow, kind of ease up. I didn’t want to be the one that crashed right out of the lead in the rain. So, it was a really good race. Travis kept me honest. I was waiting for that draft move at the end, but I knew with how tight the last couple sectors are, it would be really tough for him to pass me anywhere else leading up to the last corner. It would take some balls to really try and go for something up the inside into the last corner, so I knew if I could get out of the last corner good, I felt like I had a pretty good shot at it. It was an awesome weekend for us.”
Supersport – Hayes Gets His 86th
History was made in Supersport race two at New Jersey Motorsports Park when Squid Hunter Yamaha rider Josh Hayes won the race and tied AMA Hall of Famer Miguel Duhamel at 86 victories for the most all-time road racing wins in AMA history. Forty-seven-year-old Hayes was masterful in the rain-shortened race, which started out in the dry. On lap two, Hayes passed race leader Josh Herrin going into turn one, and Herrin went wide, which shuffled him back to 10th. From there, Hayes pulled a gap at the front, which was nearly 11 seconds at the finish line over second-place finisher Stefano Mesa abord his Mesa37 Racing Kawasaki. Completing the podium in third was North East Cycle Outlet Racing Yamaha’s Benjamin Smith.
“They’re all pretty special,” Hayes said about his 86 career AMA race wins. “The only thing missing is I didn’t have to beat Miguel to get it. That’s kind of a bummer. I wish he was here. When Jake (Gagne) got 17 (Superbike wins) in a season, I was like, the only thing that upsets me is I won 16 in a season, and you didn’t have to beat me to get my record. I’m sure Miguel will be looking for a Twins (Cup) ride or a Supersport ride here next weekend at Barber. I have a lot of respect for the man. I think it’s incredible that a guy that I looked up to in racing, now I’m on the record books up there with that name. I think that’s incredible. I’m so fortunate. I’ve been lucky in racing. It took a while. The first decade was hard, and then the next one has been pretty special. I’m thankful for the opportunity.”
SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup – Yaakov The Dominator
SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup race two concluded the weekend’s race action at New Jersey Motorsports Park, and Pennsylvanian Kayla Yaakov won her third race of the season. The race was red-flagged and restarted with just a four-lap sprint, but Yaakov, aboard her Altus Motorsports Kawasaki, crossed the finish line nearly three seconds ahead of Rodio Racing Kawasaki’s Gus Rodio in second place. Alpha Omega Kawasaki rider Cody Wyman rounded out the podium in third.
“I don’t have a ton of track time here,” Yaakov said. “I’ve been here a couple of times here and there, but never in the rain. So, I didn’t really know what to expect. But I kind of just went out there and with that small warmup, I honestly thought I was going to be mid-pack. It felt really slow because I’m just trying to get the bike to stay under me and not crash. But I ended up being pretty solid. It was good motivation going into the race. I think the biggest thing for me was just to stay up and be comfortable, stay comfortable on the bike. Don’t push too far out of my limit because I know that I’m still in it for the championship, and I could still be there in the end. So, I just wanted to stay up. I’m really happy with this result.”
More, from a press release issued by Ducati North America:
Herrin Tops Weekend With the 2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship
Two top-four finishes put the Supersport title in red for the first time in MotoAmerica history
Sunnyvale, Calif., September 11, 2022 – At New Jersey Motorsports Park for the eighth round of the 2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship, Josh Herrin (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC) takes second place in race one to seal the title and backing that up fourth in race two in treacherous weather conditions.
Herrin used all his years of experience to get the important task of getting the title win as early as possible, but the New Jersey rain made race two a case of slip and slide for the 19 laps as Yamaha’s Josh Hayes took his first double win of the season.
Nevertheless, Herrin accomplished what he set out to do at the beginning of the season and take a world-first national championship for the Ducati Panigale V2 and will now turn his attention to the final round at Barber Motorsports Park on September 23-25 as he attempts to put an exclamation point on 2022.
2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship – Top Five
P1 – Josh Herrin (Ducati) 342
P2 – Rocco Landers (Yamaha) 249
P3 – Tyler Scott (Suzuki)
P4 – Benjamin Smith (Yamaha) 150
P5 – Josh Hayes (Yamaha) 148
Josh Herrin (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC – #2): “It was a super-good weekend,” Herrin said. “We were able to wrap up the championship yesterday, so I’m stoked about that. Sunday’s race wasn’t the best, but Rocco (Landers) was a fair way back, so we were able to increase the points lead, so that’s a positive. I’m happy to go into Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama and have a chance to ride the Ducati Panigale V4 SBK, which will be a real treat. Thanks, as always, to the team for providing me with such an awesome motorcycle this weekend.
More, from a press release issued by Suzuki Motor USA, LLC:
VISION WHEEL M4 ECSTAR SUZUKI’S JAKE LEWIS FINISHES STRONG IN THE RAIN IN NEW JERSEY
Suzuki GSX-Rs Continue to Dominate the Top Ten Superbike and Supersport Results
BREA, Calif., September 11, 2022 — Suzuki Motor USA and Team Hammer closed the book on the penultimate round of the MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing season with gritty performances under trying circumstances.
Superbike stalwart Jake Lewis leaned upon his vast experience to climb up through the field in Sunday’s wet premier-class contest. The Kentuckian started from the back of the grid due to a last-second pre-race tire change and found himself mired down in 14th position early with the rain coming down, but steadily improved his outlook with a confident, measured ride aboard the team’s Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R1000R.
Already firmly entrenched inside the top ten, Lewis picked up a few more positions late when the precipitation stepped up on the race’s final lap, ultimately claiming sixth place at the checkered flag to lead a five-strong Suzuki GSX-R train that all finished inside the top ten.
“It was a tough race in rainy, mixed conditions, but it was a good race for us,” Lewis said. “It started raining a lot harder two minutes before the start and we changed to wet tires. I planned to go out on slicks but obviously, that changed. We started from the back of the grid and passed a bunch of riders. Given the challenges, our main goal was to keep it on two wheels, and we accomplished that.”
Superbike rookie teammate Richie Escalante gained valuable wet-weather experience scoring a 13th-place result that certainly clears the way for better races in similar conditions down the road.
In the MotoAmerica Supersport competition, Tyler Scott was once again a factor up front despite his very participation being questionable, after suffering a left-hand injury in Saturday’s race. Scott ran as high as second aboard the Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R750 but lost a handful of positions recalibrating his aggression and form after the skies opened up.
He ultimately earned sixth place, when the race was red flagged and called complete five laps early due to the increasing rainfall.
Scott said, “I’m very thankful for the whole Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki team getting the bike fixed overnight. I felt strong this morning and had some pace, but I’ve been struggling with my hand. Yesterday, when I high sided, my ring finger was injured making it difficult to hold onto the bike in the second and fourth sectors. Other than that, I felt pretty well throughout the race, but didn’t want to push too hard and risk things, so I just tried to keep a fast pace and finish with a decent result.”
Teammate and fellow class rookie Liam Grant was another of the six Suzuki-mounted riders to break into the top ten, finishing tenth after edging a rival to the strip by a mere 0.032 seconds.
The returning Sam Lochoff was sixth early but came home in 12th. The South African continues to both heal and recover his fitness after being unable to train for much of the season.
Lochoff said, “It was a good race in some ways. I felt more confident out there today than yesterday and it was progress coming back from injury. Then it started to rain. I strongly felt they should have stopped the race to let us get on wet tires. I had nothing to gain being out there taking big risks on dry tires since I wasn’t going to win the race or get on the podium. Still, it was great to be back on the GSX-R and I am looking forward to Barber.”
Team Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki will cap off the ‘22 campaign at the Barber Motorsports Park season finale on September 23-25, in Birmingham, Alabama.
ABOUT TEAM HAMMER
The 2022 season marks Team Hammer’s 42nd consecutive year of operating as a professional road racing team. Racebikes built and fielded by Team Hammer have won 129 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National races, have finished on AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National podiums 344 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.
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.
