YOSHIMURA SUZUKI FACTORY RACING’S ROGER HAYDEN CELEBRATES TWO SECOND-PLACE FINISHES AT DAYTONA SUPERBIKE RACES

Yoshimura Suzuki’s Martin Cardenas podiums at Daytona, Chris Clark captures career-best fourth-place results

DAYTONA BEACH, FL – Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing started the 2014 AMA Pro Superbike season with style. Newest team member Roger Hayden raced his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 to two second-place finishes at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, FL, this past weekend. Teammate Martin Cardenas also celebrated a podium finish at the season-opening round, while Yoshimura Suzuki’s Chris Clark picked up his best performance to date with two fourth-place results.

For new Yoshimura Suzuki rider Hayden, Daytona was a success, albeit bittersweet in some ways. Hayden started the weekend by taking his second-ever Superbike pole position after setting the fastest qualifying lap on his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000. Then, in both 15-lap races, Hayden got good starts and turned flawless laps to battle for the lead, only to finish an extremely close second. Although Hayden admitted to some disappointment, he was pleased overall with his first race with the Yoshimura Suzuki squad.

“This was a good first race for us as a team, to be battling with the leaders and almost getting the win,” said Hayden. “The Yoshimura Suzuki team has been working really hard to help me get comfortable on the Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000. And while two second-place finishes is great, to lose that closely is a little disappointing. But overall, leaving Daytona just one spot out of the points lead is a positive step, and it’s a good way to start the year.”

Yoshimura Suzuki teammate Cardenas battled right there with Hayden for the first few laps in the first race, but then tucked the front end and went down. Undaunted, he rejoined the race in 20th place and worked his way up to 12th before the race’s end. In the second race, Cardenas was again right there with Hayden, swapping positions and battling for the lead before finishing an impressive third place.

“Sunday was much better than Saturday,” said the Colombian rider. “On Sunday, I bounced back and had a good race. I was hoping for a little better result but third was good enough on that day. I have to give it up to the Yoshimura Suzuki team, they worked on the GSX-R1000 overnight and I was able to maintain a better pace than the day before. I was hoping to make a last-lap charge in the draft but that wasn’t possible, so I’m happy with the result for me and for the Yoshimura Suzuki team.”

Rounding out the Yoshimura Suzuki crew, teammate Clark celebrated his best career Superbike finishes ever at Daytona. The Las Vegas native got good starts on his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 in both races, put his head down and turned consistently smooth laps to bring home two solid fourth-place results.

“I’m super-excited to get my best AMA Pro Superbike finishes so far,” said Clark. “I have to say thanks to the Yoshimura Suzuki guys for giving me such a great bike as the Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000. We were so close to the podium and I’m looking forward to getting up there soon. Overall, I’m just really excited about the whole weekend. This was great way to kick off the year and I’m looking forward to continuing the pace and closing down the gap with the front guys, and just having a really good year.”

Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing’s next event is the second round of the 2014 AMA Pro Superbike Championships during the weekend of May 30th – June 1st, at Road America in Elkhart Lake, WI.

Daytona Superbike Results, Race 1:

1. Josh Hayes

2. Roger Hayden

3. Cameron Beaubier

4. Chris Clark

5. David Anthony

6. Chris Fillmore

7. Diego Pierluigi

8. Taylor Knapp

9. Cory West

10. Stefano Mesa

Daytona Superbike Results, Race 2:

1. Cameron Beaubier

2. Roger Hayden

3. Martin Cardenas

4. Chris Clark

5. David Anthony

6. Chris Fillmore

7. Diego Pierluigi

8. Taylor Knapp

9. Cory West

10. Chris Ulrich

More, from a press release issued by Shelina Moreda’s publicist:

SHELINA MOREDA HAS HER BEST EVER DAYTONA FINISH IN THE 2014 AMA PRO RACING VANCE & HINES HARLEY-DAVIDSON SEASON OPENER.

After qualifying in 18th place for the 2014 AMA Pro Racing Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson series opening round at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, FL over the March 13th – 15th Bike week event, Shelina Moreda was able to work her way forward finishing several positions further up the order. After having a best race lap over a second faster than her qualifying time and some race long battles she was able to get to the front of the group she was in and finish 14th, which is her best ever finish on the high banks at the world center of racing.

Now that Daytona is completed, Shelina is flying straight to Qatar to compete for team QMMF in the next round of the LARRS series. This will be run in conjunction with the MotoGP season opener weekend at Losail International Circuit in Doha and she is looking forward to competing again and then staying for the MotoGP race.

Shelina Moreda – AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley Davidson #93:

“I can’t thank Chris Richardson and Chili Pepper Racing enough for the support at Daytona as well as being able to be team-mates again with Hayden Schultz, Ricky Parker & Michael Barnes. I actually have been on the same team as Michael Barnes for 3 consecutive years and he has really helped me with adapting to the XR-1200 as he will always take whatever time is necessary to help me improve – Thank You ‘Barney’. Daytona was great and 2014 was my best ever finish there and I am looking forward to keeping my momentum going in Qatar this week.”

Chris Richardson – Chili Pepper Racing team owner:

“Having Shelina on the team this weekend exceeded all expectations – I am pleased to have provided the extra support she needed for Daytona. Her program fits perfectly with our teams mission and brings extra attention for the teams causes – ACCO.org and VETMotorsports.org – and I hope to be able to work together again in the future.”

Shelina Moreda would like to thank her sponsors: www.ChiliPepperRacing.com, BMC Racing, She’z Racing, GP Fabrication, AXO, Arai, Vance & Hines, Finish Line Fitness, G&B Motorsports, Go Pro, and Impact Safe-T-Armor.

More, from a press release issued by Orient Express/K-Tech Suspension:

K-Tech Suspension Racers Sweep SuperSport Podium And Capture Pole At Daytona

K-Tech Suspension equipped riders enjoyed tremendous success this weekend at the 2014 AMA Pro Road Racing season opener at Daytona International Speedway. In Fridays opening Supersport event Corey Alexander, riding the #5 Celtic/HVMC Suzuki GSX-R 600, captured pole position by nearly half a second over the field before storming to the race win with nearly eight seconds over second place. Celtic/HVMC Suzuki teammate Wyatt Farris on the #19 GSX-R 600 qualified fifth, and worked his way through traffic with confidence before moving into second place and securing second on the podium. Dustin Dominguez rode a determined race aboard his Houston Superbikes Yamaha YZF R6, challenging Farris through much of the race, before finishing third. All three riders were equipped with K-Tech Suspension 20DDS fork cartridges, and 35DDS Pro rear shocks – providing a podium sweep for K-Tech on Friday!

In Saturday’s SuperSport race, Alexander once again took the lead from the outset, and was never challenged. Alexander’s K-Tech Suspension equipped Celtic/HVMC Suzuki GSX-R 600 followed his inputs precisely, and allowed him to stretch a nearly seven second gap to second place before taking his second win of the weekend! Wyatt Farris once again navigated his way through the field after a strong start, doing battle with the lead pack, and moving into second position and a comfortable lead over third – for his second podium finish of the season. Dominguez fought his way into the front-running group, but would finish just shy of the podium in sixth place on Saturday. HSBK’s Dominguez commented to team owner Bobby Shek “that was the best suspension I have ever ridden on!”

Corey Alexander stated “Since we started working with K-Tech Suspension, the whole Celtic Racing team has worked tirelessly with Chris Nash, Jon Tyus, and Orient Express to get the bikes to the level they are now. I owe much of my success at Daytona this weekend to how well the bike worked, and the confidence and feedback it gave me. I think having both K-Tech Suspension backed bikes on the top of the podium both days is a testament to just how good the suspension is, and how crucial Chris and Jon both are to our program. I can’t thank Orient Express enough for providing us with K-Tech support.”

 

Wyatt Farris adapted quickly to the new platform, and his success at Daytona shows how easy that process was. “I’m very happy with how my K-Tech suspension worked all weekend. With only having a hand full of times on the bike going into Daytona, having K-Tech Suspension and the support of Chris and Jon made it that much easier to get comfortable and get the bike up front. I’m highly looking forward to our testing plans between Daytona and Road America” said Farris.

K-Tech Suspension offers high performance suspension and chassis solutions for nearly all late model sport bikes. The championship winning 20DDS fork cartridges feature K-Tech’s unique Direct Damping System and a pressurized design for the ultimate in feel, response, tune-ability, and control. The 35DDS Pro rear shock offers precision tuning including the unique By Pass Valve system, and its body is crafted in CNC machined aluminum for great strength and low weight. For more information regarding K-Tech Suspension and all the other products they offer, please contact Orient Express, the exclusive North American importer and distributor: http://www.orientexpress.com • 800.645.6521 • [email protected] . 

More, from a press release issued by VETMotorsports:

VETMotorsports Program Travels to California this Week After Success at Daytona. 

Upper Arlington, Ohio

VETMotorsports had tremendous success in the pits and on the grid last weekend at the Daytona International Speedway. The non-profit program embedded post 9-11 wounded combat veterans into two AMA Pro Road Racing Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Teams. The riders of both teams proved to have a successful races; Paul James of James Gang / Hoban Brothers Racing placing 15th; Chili Pepper Racing’s Ricky Parker finishing 19th and Hayden Schultz ending up 8th at the checkered flag. Later this week VETMotorsports will fly west to visit Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, meet with various representatives within the veteran community and then assess the need for their program by attending the American Federation of Motocyclist (AFM) event at Buttonwillow on Saturday.

Off the track VETMotorsports’ mission to empower wounded veterans was highlighted all weekend. With James’s crew chief stuck in Chicago due to weather, his VETMotorsports crew member stepped up to assist. This became key as James suffered a low-side crash during Thursday’s qualifying session. The bike needed repairs before Friday morning, and the VETMotorsports’ participant jumped in to help James and his team make the grid. In the same garage Parker was left without a crew chief at the start the of weekend. The VETMotorsports participant, a motorcycle mechanics school graduate, filled the role as crew chief. By the end of the weekend he was invited to join the Chili Pepper Team as lead wrench at Road America.

“Our veterans had an amazing experience at Daytona Beach last weekend. To have one veteran step-up and to have another be asked to follow the team to the next race speaks volumes about the value of wounded veterans. James Gang / Hoban Brothers Racing and Chili Pepper Racing gave us the opportunity empower and support veterans and we took full advantage of this. By the end of the weekend, you could see a change in our participants. They walked a bit taller, smiled and had become key component to their team’s overall efforts,” stated VETMotorsports Executive Director and Founder Peter Cline.

“We were asked by the AFM to see if this concept has a place within their series. So we are traveling out to California to gauge veteran interest and, more importantly, see if we can make this program sustainable. Our program comes at no cost to the veteran participants. But we need on-site monitoring, logistical support and donations to make this program work. By meeting local veteran organizations, going to Camp Pendleton… we hope to find interest by local businesses and organizations to support our efforts in helping the veteran community,” added Cline.

To learn about or donate to VETMotorsports please visit them on the web at www.vetmotorsports.org or follow them on Facebook athttp://facebook.com/VETMotorsports, Twitter @VETMotorsports or Pinterest http://www.pinterest.com/VETMotorsports/

More, from a press release issued by Nitron USA:

First at Daytona in XR1200, First SuperBike Privateer: Nitron Shocks Have Arrived

Charlotte, North Carolina: Nitron USA ecstatically exceeded all expectations with two top-five finishes in its first-ever AMA Pro SuperBike races, achieved by racer David Anthony on his Team Aussie Dave Suzuki GSX-R1000, equipped with Nitron Racing Shocks.

In these two SuperBike finishes for Anthony, he was the first bike in both races that wasn’t a factory entry of Graves Yamaha or Yoshimura Suzuki, proving the sum of his detailed racing efforts. This was Nitron’s first race in the AMA Pro SuperBike class, and Anthony’s first AMA Pro SuperBike race on Nitron. These finishes were also Anthony’s best finishes ever in the AMA Pro SuperBike series, foretelling of things to come. As the radar gun and sector times attested at Daytona, Anthony’s machine was slower on the banking than his competition, but only two riders barely posted one-tenth faster infield times than him, where handling matters most and suspension expresses its complexion.

Finishing seventh in both SuperBike races was Daytona neophyte Diego Pierluigi, riding an Aussie Dave Racing prepared Suzuki GSX-R1000. After qualify 12th, placing him on the fourth row of the grid, Pierluigi improved his times in each race, finishing a hard-earned seventh each time, getting the most out of his new bike and new Nitron suspension, and stunning a grid of SuperBike regulars.

In the hotly contested Vance & Hines XR1200 class, it was a push-rod-to-push-rod, eleven-bike battle to the checkered flag, where number-33 Kyle Wyman pulled off a chrome-tarnishing win by 0.068 seconds. In the end, eleven XR1200s crossed the finish line under a blanket of 0.647 seconds, and none of the top-nine were even a tenth of a second from rider-to-rider down the line, with the dual-shocked contest going to Wyman and Nitron.

Wyman Said, “I was thinking that fourth was the best place to be exiting the chicane, so I knew I had a good chance. Nitron is a big part of what we’re doing. Last year we won at Indy with Hafizh Syarhin riding. We’re improving and the bike was so planted, and I was so comfortable, that it gave me extra brain space to just think about what I needed to do, rather than be concerned about the bike.”

Between Daytona and the next AMA Pro Road Racing round at Road America, May 30-June 1, Nitron riders, along with a strong field of many other pro racers, can be seen on track at the West Coast Superbike Shootout Series, starting the weekend of April 27, at the Auto Club Speedway, Fontana, California, in conjunction with WERA West (No XR1200s, though.).

Nitron USA is the exclusive North American assembly facility/distributor for Nitron Racing Systems Ltd., creator of high-quality dampers for performance, touring, adventure, twin-shock, and American V-twin motorcycles, and selected performance automotive applications. Through the evolving application of modern materials and manufacturing processes, Nitron’s mission is to create and service suspension products of incomparable form, function, and feel. Nitron USA, Miller Motorsports Park, 2901 Sheep Lane, Unit 704, Tooele, UT 84074; 801-663-7436; www.nitronusa.com; www.facebook.com/nitronusa;[email protected].

More, from a press release issued by Motosport.com/Meen Yamaha:

MotoSport.com / Meen Yamaha on the box in Daytona

Morgan Hill, CA (March 18th, 2014) – 2013 AMA GoPro Daytona Sportbike Rookie of the Year, Jake Lewis, kicked off the 2014 AMA Pro Road Racing season with a third place finish in the 73rd annual Daytona 200. Lewis, and rookie teammate Tucker Lancaster, started the weekend strong with Lewis qualifying his 2014 Yamaha YZF R6 on the front row in third position, while Lancaster put his bike twenty-seventh on the grid despite a minor get off.

During the 200 mile race, Lewis kept a steady pace, running consistent times on his MotoSport.com Meen Yamaha. Completing the 57 lap race, Lewis captured third place after an exceptionally well final pit stop by his Meen Motorsports crew, leaving Daytona second in championship points.

“I had a few problems during the first stint of the race so I could not run the pace I would have liked to with the riders at the front, but there is nothing to be disappointed about being in the victory circle after 200 miles, 57 laps,” states Lewis.

Coming off a difficult qualifying, due to limited seat time, Daytona Sportbike rookie Tucker Lancaster was unable to finish the race due to a mechanical. The young Daytona Sportbike rookie, out of Lincoln, California, now sets his sights on running with the front of the pack at the next AMA round in Road America.

“It definitely was not my best weekend given my small crash in qualifying and the DNF in the Daytona 200, but I learned a lot in my first AMA Pro race and I cannot wait to see what we can do on my MotoSport.com Meen Yamaha in Road America. I can’t thank the team enough for working so hard this weekend,” says Lancaster.

In Supersport, #146 Andre Ochs started the weekend off qualifying his MotoSport.com Meen Yamaha in seventh position. In race one Ochs ran with the lead group, finishing overall in tenth place, setting the fastest trap speed of 183 mph. After making some minor adjustments the Meen Team rider was in place for a good position in race two, yet due to a technical error, the 17 year old rider, out of Temecula California, had to start on the back of the grid in thirty-seventh position. Overcoming the challenge, Ochs set his weekend personal best time of 1.53.0, the second fastest lap of the race, finishing eighteenth.

“I had a great first weekend with my new Meen Motorsports crew. We all worked really hard and will keep on making improvements to get better with each race. I look forward to coming back even stronger at the next round in Road America,” comments Ochs.

“Our entire team worked very hard coming into this race, especially the riders, and I am happy that the MotoSport.com Meen Yamaha made it to the Winner’s Circle with Jake. It was quite unfortunate what happened to Tucker, yet it is Daytona and mechanicals are always a potential issue given the unusual wear and tear circumstances. I know in Road America he will have a better opportunity at showcasing his natural talent. I was very pleased with our Supersport rider Andre, who showed us he has the speed to run with the front. With some more seat time I am confident he will put the Yamaha R6 on the podium,” states Meen Motorsports team owner Ameen Sajjadi.

Meen Motorsports would like to thank their following sponsors, MotoSport.com, Yamaha Racing, Graves Motorsports, Roclun International, Yamalube, Yamaha Generators, MOTO-D, Core Moto, Bursig, Dynojet, Shorai, Cortech, Shoei, Next Moto Champion, Designstar3.com, Motopia, Pacific Track Time, Vortex, D.I.D, Sharkskinz, Zerogravity, Concept 5, Drippinwet and G Squared Studio.

Meen Motorsports is a professional motorcycle racing team established in 2012 aka GP Bike Parts Racing (2011). If Interested in being a partner/sponsor of Meen Motorsports please contact [email protected]. For more about the team please visit, www.meenmotorsports.com. Become a Facebook Fan, search Meen Motorsports. Follow the team on Twitter @meenmotorsports, as well as on Instagram @meenmoto. 

More, from a press release issued by RoadRace Factory:

Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL

Daytona International Speedway, the World’s Center of Speed is the traditional host of the AMA Pro Road Race season opener. This year, the team entered the gates with a new look and a new attitude. Tomas Puerta joins Jake Gagne on the Daytona SportBikes while the addition of Cameron Gish and Felipe Maclean lends a fresh approach in the SuperSport class. The attitude is reflective of the team’s assertive nature and more in tune with the attitudes of the crew. In the past, it was “Let’s just do our best and survive this race and prepare for the rest of the season.” Not any more, “Win it all!” That’s the new mantra.

Race Report

GoPro Daytona SportBike

Gagne lands on the podium, Puerta shines in debut

Let’s just jump right into the Daytona 200! The boys were solid and fast all through out practice and qualifying and things were fairly routine for everyone. Except a minor tip over, Jake was consistently fast and Tomas was dropping times every lap. Final qualifying and the grid was set for the 200. Jake would be starting from the 6th position and Tomas would be in 8th. Both riders poised to run up-front all race long.

Green flag and the grid launches like a sprint race! The leading pack consisted of about 7 riders with Jake on the tail end of that group. Typical first few laps are tricky and he didn’t want to get caught up in the mess that can happen so quickly at Daytona. Tomas got shoved back into the second group and was outside the top ten for the first few laps. However, he put his head down and as he knows his way around the circuit, he dropped the hammer and quickly caught up to the lead pack using the double draft.

Just before the first scheduled pit stops, Tomas pulled into the lead and crossed the line in P1. In his first DSB ride of his rookie season, Tomas lead the Daytona 200 and the best 600cc riders in the country. Jake never went outside that first group and continued to dice it up in the top 5 as Tomas was leading. Fate is cruel mistress, and just as soon as Tomas hit the front, he was struck with a mechanical failure that left him stranded just inside the first banking.

As he was able to get the bike on the truck and return to the pits as Jake went about the business of staying in the lead group. The racing was tight and at no point could he rest because Westby, DiSalvo, and Eslick applied continuous pressure. The first pit stop was a real piece of teamwork. Within mere seconds, Jake was back out on the track and still running in the top three, only a few seconds off the leader (Westby) who had yet to pit. Meanwhile the crew immediately turned to Tomas’ bike and got it back up and running.

Tomas would circulate for only a handful of laps before coming back in to retire. Not what he had expected to do in his first Daytona 200. Meanwhile, back on the track, Jake stayed on the heels of the leaders and was right there in the mix when Dane Westby and Jason DiSalvo crashed entering turn one. That crash left Danny Eslick and Jake Gagne to fight it out amongst themselves. It would come down to the final pit stops and the team was ready!

“Rider In!” was the call as Jake turned down pit lane for the final pit stop. Rev limiter screaming and air guns ready, Jake pulls into the pit stall and the team worked so fast, Jake wasn’t able to even get a splash of water. He was soon jumping back onto the bike and flying out of the pits. The team confident that they had just given him the best chance to win the 200. The gap between Jake and Danny was a little over 8 seconds and Danny still needed to pit. It was almost a dead heat when Eslick left his pit stall. Jake was in sight of Danny until the second out-lap when Jake overshot the entry of the International Horseshoe and had to use the old turn. From that point on, Jake just worked on closing the gap and not making mistakes. He continued to run Eslick down but as the checker flag was put out, Jake would have to take P2 and the team’s best finish ever in the most prestigious event on the calendar.

Jake Gagne – 2nd in Daytona 200

“The beginning of the race was kind of a mess out there, there was a giant pack of guys, we knew there would be. My goal was to just do my own thing and stay out of trouble really. Then it just started dwindling down to just a few guys. After the second pit stop, to kind of settled down and I was struggling in the infield sections to just hang on for all those laps. I don’t think the Daytona 200 is an endurance race anymore; it’s a 57 lap sprint! The pit stops were awesome and Scotty and Danny built me a real fast bike. I kinda went off in the first part of the International Horseshoe and had to use the old horseshoe. That’s where I lost the chance to catch Danny and just worked to bring it home. Thanks to everyone one the team for their effort and support.”

Tomas Puerta – DNF Daytona 200

“My first 200, it wasn’t really 200. It was more like 17 – 18 laps. It was crazy! I was really excited to be out riding with the DSB guys for first time this year. I got an okay start, was running up ok, I made a little mistake and ended up like 12th on first lap. After that I tried to be a little smart. Hard for me because it’s a long race but I want to be up front. I was excited to be up there and running with the leaders. It was the fastest I have ever gone at Daytona, it was incredible to lead them for a lap. My bike was on rails, it was working great and I knew I had to start making moves. But as soon as I take the lead and head into the horseshoe, I downshifted to 2nd and my bike went right away to 3rd. I thought it was my mistake but when I got onto the first banking, I tried to pass Gagne on the inside and again I downshifted to 2nd and the bike went to 3rd. I almost took him out. It happened a couple of more time and I thought that the transmission wasn’t working good. I didn’t want to pull into the pits because I knew no-one would be waiting for me and I would mess it all up. Next thing I know, I’m getting on the banking and my chain broke, my rear tire got locked. I stopped and tried to put it back on the sprocket but I couldn’t. I started pushing my bike to get back to the pits, but it took me almost two full laps to get me on the truck. I knew my race was over. We got it to the pits and the team did a great job to get it back together and send me back out.

But the transmission wasn’t working right and I didn’t see any good points to keep riding and maybe crashing. So I just came in and that was it. Not what I wanted to do with my first 200 but that’s how it went. My guys put a really fast bike under me and my confidence was really high with this bike. I am now looking forward to Road America because I know I can run up front and I’m feeling really good and excited to be in DSB..”

AMA Pro SuperSport

Two fresh riders to the AMA Pro Road Racing Super Sport series, Cameron Gish and Felipe MacLean were excited to begin their careers at the World Center of Speed. Their bike still had the fresh paint smell on them. During activities on Wednesday, Cameron was all about set-up. He and his crew spent most of the time tweaking clip-ons, rearsets, and suspension. When they weren’t wrenching, they were cleaning and applying decals. Love was in the air!

First day on track would be Thursday and both of them were full of excitement and anticipation. Felipe having ridden the bike twice previously was already somewhat familiar with it and has extensive experience riding at Daytona. This would Cameron’s maiden voyage at the high-banked track. As the first session began, both riders attacked it head on. Sadly, it was over almost as soon as it started for Cameron. After a few short laps, he crashed exiting turn one. The crash itself wasn’t too bad, but when he hit the transition from asphalt to grass his heels dug into the grass and torqued his right leg. He tried to get up but could not, a quadruple break of the Tib-Fib would be the end of his Daytona weekend.

Felipe continued to make progress and move steadily up the time charts. When qualifying was over he had placed his bike in the top 20. More importantly, every lap he turned was quicker than the last and heading into the first race, he was confident he would improve steadily. He was correct, once the first race settled down; he found himself inside the top 15 and crossed the line in 15th. For the second race, the track temps would be a little cooler as it was a morning race but his confidence was higher. Perhaps a little too high, as the green flag dropped Felipe had jumped and received a 10 second penalty. He rode a brilliant race and fought hard for the entire race. With the penalty, he ended up in P21, obviously disappointed but still happy with the race and how his bike felt.

Felipe Maclean

“Overall it was a good weekend, it has been a while since I rode the R6 and I had to adapt quick to the bike because basically we had only one practice before Q1. I am happy being top 10 and top 12 in the morning practices and top 15 on Race 1. I was hoping for a top 12 finish in Race 2 but a mistake in the first lap cost me many positions in I could not recover from that.

To be honest Daytona is not the best track for me, I really think that in regular road courses we should be able to fight for a top 10. Hopefully I can have a little more seat time on the R6 between now and Road America.

I would like to thank the team for all their efforts, they really worked hard this weekend and I love being part of such an amazing group of people!”

Cameron Gish

“This isn’t the way I wanted to start the season. However I have a great team behind me and really this just puts a small speed bump in our goals for the year. I’m doing everything I can to recover and I’ll be back on the bike soon.”

The Final Word – Danny Walker

“Wow… I mean we had the total Daytona Experience. Gagne and Tomas were just railing all weekend and we knew we could be winning this thing. In fact I told my guys, ‘We’re all in this time! Win it!’ And I’ll be darned, they put themselves right there in qualifying and we were pumped. Tomas lead a lap and we were blown away by his speed and then it just went kinda sideways for him. It’s just one of those freak things that happens here.

Jake, that kid was flying all race long. He and the crew nailed there stops and he was just racing like a mad man. Super proud of what he did and the team. I mean to come here and leave with a 2nd place is pretty awesome. I know we wanted to win it but we accomplished everything else we set out to do and now we’re on for the points race in the championship.

To add to the Daytona experience, we saw Felipe improve lap after lap and that’s something we look for in our riders. Constantly learning and improving. He brought it him in 15th and could’ve been closer to top ten without the penalty on Sunday. He’s got a great attitude and we’re looking forward to his progression this season.

What happened to Gish is something you can’t predict. It’s a total bummer and I know he’s a tough kid and he’ll recover quickly. They inserted a rod into his leg already so the recovery process is in full effect and we expect him back soon. We’re going to continue to work with him throughout his recovery and ensure that when he returns, he’s 100%.”

More, from a press release issued by G.O. Right Side Up Racing:

G.O. Right Side Up Racing Goes The Distance Inside The Top 20
AMA Pro GoPro Daytona 200
2014 Season Opener

New York, New York – March 18, 2014: A top-20 finish at AMA Pro Racing’s season kick off at Daytona requires commitment, teamwork, tenacity, creativity, love-passion and the right equipment.

A 2009 Yamaha R6 provided by Gabe Oldfield Racing with the support of Joe Oldfield Used Cars out of Mt Sterling, KY was transformed by chief mechanic Jonathan Boswell and race crew of Right Side Up Racing’s Matt Zimmerman and Christian Reynolds to compete as bike #141 with rider Eric Pinson.

Race support for tires, fuel and accommodations were provided by Action Towing out of Rochester, NY. Industry sponsors included Arai Helmets, Heroic Racing Apparel, GPR Stabilizers, Optimal Body Work, Pit-Bull, Woodcraft and Vortex Sprockets.

Overcoming a late session crash in Thursday afternoon’s practice, the team launched the bike to Friday afternoon’s final 20 minute qualifying session. With a lap time of 1:57.208, the team earned the 31st position on the grid.

The team had 17 pace laps to assess and perform final adjustments going into the race. Pinson got up to pace early in the race and progressively became faster and dropped down to a fast time of 1:55.698 in the 45th lap. He and rider #20, Frank Babuska had a strong battle towards the end of the race and Pinson captured 18th position at the checkered flag. Pinson’s 13 position gain was the highest in the field and earned him the distinction as HEROIC Racing Apparel’s “Most Valuable Racer” for the season’s first round.

About Right Side Up Racing
Right Side Up Racing (RSUR), out of Rochester, NY is a motorcycle repair business that caters street rider needs. From standard tune-ups and maintenance, through race prep and performance tuning for lower lap times on the track, RSUR can help your ride be more enjoyable. Right Side Up Kreations will pimp your ride by providing services for bike customization to make the greatest impact at bike shows and on the road.

About Rider, Eric Pinson
This marked Pinson’s eighth Pro AMA Roadracing appearance at Daytona International and his second time in the Daytona 200. His previous Daytona 200 was in 2007 where he finished 41st. In 2009 he and teammate, Eric Haugo, captured third in the Moto GT 1 season opener and the bronze medal in the Series Championship. Pinson last raced Daytona and captured 16th in the AMA Pro Superbike 2012 on a BMW S1000. 

More, from a press release issued by Houston Superbikes:

HSBK Racing started the 2014 AMA SuperSport season with bang at Daytona. HSBK Rider Dustin Dominguez was on a HSBK-prepped 2014 Yamaha YZF-R6.

Dominguez finished race one on Friday in third place after starting in ninth and falling all the way back to 16th after the first lap. He was able to recover and was eventually battling for second. The team was excited to see Dominguez on the box as they begin their third year in the series.

On Saturday during race two, Dominguez was running in the front pack again. After the Daytona drafting battle, ultimately Dominguez finished in sixth place only .5 seconds behind the second place finisher.

“This is an exciting result for the first weekend of our third season. The team has shown what they are capable of and we are looking forward to chasing the championship. We had some engine issues before and during testing and owe a big thanks to RSRacecraft owner and HSBK Crew Chief, Ronnie Saner and crew for the swift rebuild of the motor that helped Dustin achieve such a strong showing at Daytona.” commented Team Proprietor, Bobby Shek.

HSBK Racing is grateful to have supportive sponsors and loyal fans. Special thanks to RSRacecraft, Orient Express, K-tech Suspension, LighTech Controls, Concept Five Graphics, Ferodo, Braking Rotors, Catalyst Racing Composites, Puig, Sunstar Chain & Sprockets, Motion Pro, Capit, GB Racing, Race Seats Italy, Samco Sport, Silkolene, Dynojet, Yamaha Motor Corp, LeoVince, HT Moto, Rizoma, Dunlop, RS Tai Chi, Arai, Moto Liberty, Sidi, & Jack Rhodes Mind Magic.

To learn more about HSBK Racing and Houston Superbikes, visitwww.houstonsuperbikes.comand follow us on Facebook.www.facebook.com/HSBKRACING

Houston Superbikes
Established in 2005, Houston Superbikes (HSBK) caters to motorcycle enthusiasts with its diverse line of high performance bikes, parts and apparel. HSBK is proud to offer their own line of carbon fiber and billet accessories for racing and street applications. Offering dyno tuning, engine building services and suspension setup, HSBK is an industry leader in building Ducati and Aprilia race machines. For more information regarding HSBK, or to find out what HSBK can do for you, please visitwww.houstonsuperbikes.com.

HSBK Racing
Founded in 2011, HSBK Racing is a division of Houston Superbikes showcasing its race parts and experienced technicians. Known for its bold and distinguishable red and black livery, HSBK Racing prides itself on showcasing up-and-coming riders from the U.S. and abroad. ###

More, from a press release issued by Galfer USA:

Galfer USA Rider Alexander Wins SuperSport Twice, Gagne 2nd in Daytona 200 in Roadracing Opener

Oxnard, Calif. – March 18, 2014 – The AMA Pro Road Racing season kicked off the weekend of March 13-15 at Daytona International Speedway, and Galfer USA sponsored riders ensured that the season got off to a great start. Jake Gagne was second in the Daytona 200, while Celtic Racing’s Corey Alexander and Wyatt Farris podiumed in both SuperSport races.

SuperBike

Chris Fillmore got the SuperBike season off to a consistent start, finishing sixth in both races on the No. 11 KTM/HMC KTM RC8R. He was the highest-finishing Galfer USA rider in the class.

GEICO Honda/Team Hammer rider Chris Ulrich was 13th in race one, but he bettered his result in race two by finishing tenth on his No. 18 Honda CBR1000RR.

Huntley Nash had a similar result, finishing 14th in race one and 11th in race two on the No. 75 Neyra Racing Kawasaki ZX-10.

Daytona SportBike

The Daytona 200 featured the Daytona SportBike class for the final time in 2014, and Jake Gagne worked hard to keep his No. 32 Red Bull/Roadrace Factory Yamaha YZF-R6 among the frontrunners. He crossed the finish line in second, a great start to the season in the year’s toughest race.

Bobby Fong put in a strong performance, as well, finishing fourth on his No. 50 Latus Motors Triumph Daytona 675.

Two former Daytona 200 winners finished inside the top ten. Jake Zemke was eighth on the No. 98 GEICO Honda CBR600RR, and Steve Rapp was tenth on the No. 15 D&D Cycles Triumph Daytona 675. Zemke’s teammate Joe Roberts was just outside the top ten, taking 11th on his No. 3 GEICO Honda.

SuperSport

Celtic Racing’s Corey Alexander and Wyatt Farris gave Galfer USA its best results of the weekend. Alexander and Farris were first and second, respectively, in both of the SuperSport races at Daytona. Alexander is racing the No. 5 Celtic Racing Suzuki GSX-R600 this year, while Farris is on the No. 19 Suzuki.

Miles Thornton had a solid finish of sixth in race one, but a mechanical problem for his No. 72 D&D Cycles Triumph Daytona 675 in race two forced him to retire.

Tuned Racing rider Jason Aguilar came away from Daytona with a pair of top tens. He was eighth in race one and ninth in race two on his No. 96 Yamaha YZF-R6.

From the track to the street, Galfer USA distributes the full range of Galfer brake components. Galfer’s wave rotors, brake pads and brake lines provide more consistent, predictable braking and increased modulation, giving all riders a competitive edge when it comes to stopping like a pro. Keep up with Galfer USA at facebook.com/GalferUSA and follow @GalferUSA on Twitter and Instagram.