GP Parts Europe de la Comunitat Valencia Red Bull Riders Cup October 25, 2008 Results (All on KTM and Dunlop) 1. Matthew Hoyle, MotoGP, Great Britain, 17 laps, 30:30.005 2. Luis Salom, MotoGP, Spain, -6.170 seconds 3. Jake Gagne, AMA, USA, -26.016 4. Florian Marino, MotoGP, France, -29.252 5. Nelson Major, MotoGP, France, -29.432 6. Leandro Mercado, AMA, Argentina, -29.755 7. Jakub Kornfeil, MotoGP, Czech Republic, -30.020 8. Markus Reiterberger, MotoGP, Germany, -30.217 9. Tomas Puerta, AMA, Colombia, -48.048 10. Hayden Gillim, AMA, USA, -48.812 11. J.D. Beach, MotoGP, USA, -54.528 12. Austin DeHaven, AMA, USA, -58.960 13. Emerson Connor, AMA, Canada, -59.285 14. Benny Solis, AMA, USA, -64.308 15. Joey Pascarella, AMA, USA, -71.367 16. Sturla Fagerhaug, MotoGP, Norway, -81.579 17. Bryce Prince, AMA, USA, -82.703 18. Huntley Nash, AMA, USA, -1 lap 19. Mathew Scholz, MotoGP, South Africa, -16 laps, DNF, crash More, from a press release issued by Red Bull: Hoyle leads MotoGP Rookies to victory. Matthew Hoyle led his team to victory in the Red Bull Riders Cup at Valencia on Saturday. The 17 year old Briton made it virtually a start-to-finish victory comfortably ahead of 16 year old Spaniard Luis Salom. The 16 year old Spaniard pulled through from a mediocre grid position and start to overtake 15 year old American Jake Gagne who finished 3rd. The Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup team won 91 points to 49. The Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies were up against it as the race was dry after soaking wet practice sessions left them no chance to know where the limit was on slicks on a circuit few of them had ever ridden on before. Gagne did a great job of chasing the more experienced Salom but then was almost thrown from his machine in a spectacular high-side that resulted in him running over his own left foot even though he stayed on the machine. “It just snapped round on me and I only just managed to stay on it. Sure it hurt my foot and made it hard to change direction on the bike after that. I just had to tough it out to the finish,” said Gagne who was carried onto the podium by his mechanics. A trip to the medical centre revealed a broken big toe in his left foot. Hoyle totally dominated the race from 3rd place on the grid and though German 14 year old Markus Reiterberger jumped into the lead at the first corner Hoyle was ahead at the end of the first lap. Mathew Scholtz was quickly into second but when the 16 year old South African crashed as he was about to start lap 2 what might have been a close fought battle evaporated. Hoyle charged into a lead that stretched to 7 seconds in only about 4 laps. “Though we hadn’t practised in the dry I was pretty confident because we have ridden here before. The bike was working well and having won races on my way to the British Championship this year I knew what to do. I just settled into a rhythm and kept my concentration going. It didn’t know it was Luis who had got into 2nd but I saw that my lead had dropped by about a second in one lap and upped the pace. I did a few 46s and the gap came back so I was happy with that.” “Finally my first Rookies win. It’s what I came here for and I’m so glad to get it in my last Rookies race,” concluded Hoyle who had a disastrous start to his 2008 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup season as much due to bad luck as anything but concluded the year with a string of podiums and finally victory. Second man home in Valencia and already second in the MotoGP Cup for 2008, Salom was typically, at least on the surface, accepting of the way the race went. “I can never seem to do well in the wet and I crashed in practice so only started 9th on the grid, then my start was terrible,” said Salom with a shrug and a grin. “I pushed to get through and chase after Matty but 7 seconds, his lead was too much. I’ve got a very sore hip from my practice crash so I think I must be happy with second… but I’m not.” The closest, most thrilling battle was that for 4th that went on the line to Florian Marino from Nelson Major, Leandro Mercado, Jakub Kornfeil and Markus Reiterberger. “That was so much fun,” said 15 year old Frenchman Marino but fellow countryman 15 year old Major was not so sure. “My bike was slow,” he claimed while Mercado didn’t not realise that the last lap was upon him as unlike the US there is no white flag to signal the start of the final circuit in GP rules. There were disappointments of course. JD Beach, the MotoGP Cup holder was forced wide entering the start and finish straight and had to make a trip down pit lane. The 16 year old American finished 11th. Sturla Fagerhaug, winner of the Indianapolis Riders Cup race was frustrated with brake problems that forced him to a pit-stop and a 16th place finish. More, from another press release issued by Red Bull: According To Hoyle: Valencia Red Bull Riders Cup Goes To Red Bull MotoGP Rookies

 Jake Gagne Earns Podium as Top Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookie in Spain

 
 Valencia, Spain (October 25, 2008) — Matthew Hoyle dominated the Red Bull Riders Cup in Valencia, leading his Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup squad to a victory in the team competition over the Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup team, 91 to 49. Hoyle, from Great Britain, won the race over Spaniard Luis Salom and Jake Gagne of Ramona, Calif., in dominating fashion. Hoyle started out quickly and continued to improve, setting his quickest lap on the 13th time around the 2.489-mile, stadium-style circuit.
 
 “It was my last race with the Red Bull Rookies so I wanted to go out with a win,” said Holye. “I was quick in all the practice and qualifying sessions. I managed to get my head down at the beginning of the race and pull a gap. I tried to stay as consistent as possible.”
 
 Jake Gagne was the top finisher on the Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies team after another remarkable performance from the two-time Rookies Cup race winner. Gagne ends his first year of roadracing by earning a hard fought podium position in the all-star Riders Cup event.
 
 After showing remarkable consistency in the 2008 season, Jake had a difficult day on Friday. Gagne, who was the only Rookie to score points in every 2008 race in the U.S., fell three times in the wet in Friday’s practice. But Jake rebounded nicely in the race. Gagne moved up to second place by the end of lap two.
 
 Gagne fell into the clutches of the charging Salom, and Luis took the position on lap six. Jake kept up the pressure on his Spanish rival and shadowed him until lap 11 when Gagne had a miraculous save after a near crash. Jake injured his foot (breaking his left toe) while saving his KTM RC 125 fitted with Dunlop tires. From then on, Gagne consolidated his third place spot position to earn a podium finish in his first road race outside the United States.
 
 “I’m really happy with the race today,” said Gagne. “A podium felt really good. I was trying to stay with Salom and in turn three I nearly highsided. I saved it but I ran over my foot. From then on, I was just trying to stay on the podium and I tried to keep an eye on what was going on behind me.”
 
 For Jake, his first year of roadracing is in the books with another accomplishment to add. “It’s pretty crazy in a good way. I need to keep focusing and keep putting in the work and improving,” he said.
 
 Gagne said he was disappointed the team not to win the Red Bull Riders Cup, but noted the final results were closer this time than at Indy. “We tried hard but the MotoGP Rookies Cup team did a great job and won the Cup again. We’ll come back next year and try to win it,” he said.
 
 Leandro Mercado from Argentina produced a thrilling race for the Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup team on Saturday. “Tati” started last (19th place) after problems in wet qualifying but in the race put on a spectacular charge. Mercado held fourth position at the beginning of the last lap but ended up sixth place in a spectacular five-rider pack battling for the spot.
 
 “It was a very difficult race because I only got six laps on Friday because of some crashes,” said Mercado. “I was learning as the race went on but I was able to battle with some great riders and keep moving up. It feels good to get a solid result because I just about wanted to go home yesterday and charging up through the field today gave me a lot of confidence.”
 
 Tomas Puerta of Colombia and Hayden Gillim from Owensboro, Ky., also finished in the top ten for the Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup team. 
 
 “All the boys from both teams did a great job this weekend,” said Riders Coach Kevin Schwantz. “The Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup team had the toughest situation possible with having to learn the track in the wet and then have a dry race. All of our team were able to keep it up on two wheels and finish the race. We learned a lot this weekend and I think every rider came through in the race.”
 
 1. Matthew Hoyle, GBR¨ 2. Luis Salom, SPA 3. Jake Gagne, USA*¨ 4. Florian Marino FRA¨ 5. Nelson major, FRA¨ 6. Leandro Mercado, ARG*¨ 7. Jakub Kornfeil CZE 8. Marcus Reiterberger, GER¨ 9. Tomas Puerta, COL* 10. Hayden Gillim, USA*¨ 11. JD Beach, USA 12. Austin DeHaven, USA* 13. Emerson Connor, CAN*¨ 14. Benny Solis, USA*¨ 15. Joey Pascarella, USA*¨ 16. Sturla Fagerhaug, NOR¨ 17. Bryce Prince, USA* 18. Huntley Nash, USA*¨ DNF Mathew Scholtz RSA¨ DNS Daniel Ruiz SPA * denotes Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup team member