Virginia Is For Lovers…Of Motorcycle Road Racing As The Yamaha bLU cRU Goes To VIR For Round Three Of The MotoAmerica Championship
Cypress, CA – May 13, 2015 – If you love motorcycle road racing (and who doesn’t?), then Alton, VA, is the place to be this weekend as Round Three of the MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Motorcycle Road Racing Championship takes place at VIRginia International Raceway. The Yamaha bLU cRU riders are currently holding down first and second place in both the Superbike and Supersport points standings as AMA professional road racing returns to VIR for the first time since 2010.
Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha: Hayes & Beaubier
When four-time and defending AMA Superbike Champion Josh Hayes last raced his Yamaha YZF-R1 Superbike at VIR, in 2010, he came away with a win. The year before that, in 2009, Josh won both Superbike races at VIR and soundly defeated none other than seven-time AMA Superbike Champ Mat Mladin.
Does the “Mississippi Madman” think his experience and record of Superbike success at VIR will give him an advantage this weekend, after a five-year series hiatus from the 14-turn, 2.25-mile natural road course?
“I can’t imagine that my experience at VIR wouldn’t give me an advantage. After all, most of my opponents this weekend were still children the last time I raced at VIR,” Josh said, with his trademark pirate smile. “I’m excited to go back to VIR, and with the weather being what it was at the first two MotoAmerica rounds, I’m hoping for clear skies and a dry track for this third round. I’ve got an awesome new R1 Superbike to race this weekend at VIR, too, so I can’t wait.”
Josh’s teammate Cameron Beaubier, who has three MotoAmerica Superbike wins in four races thus far this season and leads the Superbike Championship by a whopping 30 points over Josh in second place, will be visiting VIR for the very first time. Cameron will be looking to record his second-consecutive double-win weekend, aboard his all-new 2015 #6 Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha R1.
MotoAmerica Superbike Superpole (Qualifying) begins at VIR on Saturday, May 16, at 2:10 PM EST. Superbike Race 1 will go green on Sunday, May 17, at 12:00 PM EST, and Superbike Race 2 is set for later on Sunday at 4:00 PM EST.
Yamalube/Y.E.S./Graves/Yamaha: Gerloff & Beach
Like Cameron and Josh, teammates Garrett Gerloff and JD Beach are also currently sitting in the first and second place, respectively, in the Championship points standings. Aboard their identically prepared Yamalube/Y.E.S./Graves/Yamaha YZF-R6 Supersport machines, Garrett and JD have each won a race, and both riders have finished on the podium in all five of the Supersport races that have taken place so far this season. The pair will go head to head again this weekend, and only eight points currently separate first-place Garrett from second-place JD.
As for experience at VIR, JD has the advantage there. He finished second at VIR in 2009 aboard a Yamaha R6, and in 2010, he won both AMA SuperSport races, again riding an R6, on his way to winning the 2010 AMA SuperSport East Championship.
When asked about his experience at VIR, JD said, “VIR is an awesome track and a lot of fun. I’m really looking forward to going back there. I think my past success there won’t be a huge advantage other than the fact that I’ve done quite a few laps on that track. But, everyone running at the front in MotoAmerica Supersport has been there either for AMA or club racing, so I feel it will be a level playing field.”
MotoAmerica Supersport Qualifying 1 is on Friday, May 15, at 1:55 PM EST. Final Supersport Qualifying is Saturday, May 16, at 9:50 PM EST, and Supersport Race 1 will go green later on Saturday at 1:00 PM EST. Supersport Race 2 is scheduled to start on Sunday, May 17, at 1:30 PM EST.
Meet The Yamaha bLU cRU
The Dunlop Fan Walk, scheduled for 10:15 EST Sunday on pit lane at VIR, is a great opportunity to meet Josh, Cameron, JD, and Garrett up close and personal. They’ll be handing out free, autographed posters and other team items, and you can also get your picture taken with them, as well as the Monster Energy and Yamalube Umbrella Girls.
Watch Round 3 Of The MotoAmerica Championship on CBS Sports
MotoAmerica Round 3 from VIR will air on Sunday, May 24, at 4:00 PM EST with a replay later that day at 9:00 PM EST, and a second replay on Tuesday, May 26, at 10:00 AM EST.
For the complete MotoAmerica TV broadcast schedule on CBS Sports Network, visit http://www.motoamerica.com/motoamerica-tv-schedule
For live, online streaming during the race weekend, visit http://torque.tv or http://fanschoice.tv
For more Yamaha racing news, results, photos, and videos, visit http://www.YamahaMotorsports.com/Racing. Also, check out “YamahaMotorUSA” on all your favorite social media sites.