The following is from Yamaha…
Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne came out on top in a thrilling MotoAmerica Superbike battle in Race 2 at the Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia. It was a strong start to the season for the reigning back-to-back MotoAmerica Superbike Champion, whose second and first-place finish at the opening round has him tied for the points lead. Unfortunately, his teammate Cameron Petersen had a technical issue early in the restarted race and did not finish.
Once again, Gagne grabbed the holeshot, but he would have to make another attempt at a perfect start from pole position as the race was red-flagged on the second lap. The race was shortened to 15 laps with a complete restart, and this time he found himself second but moved into the lead at the end of the opening lap. From there on, it was a heated battle with multiple lead changes. Around the halfway point, a third rider was added to the mix, and shortly after, a fourth, making it an absolute dogfight for top honors. Sitting third, Gagne reclaimed the lead after the frontrunners made contact on the final lap and rode on to his 30th-career superbike victory and first of the season.
Petersen went into the final race of the opening round looking to fight for a win. The South African had a good start both times in third, but unfortunately, on Lap 3, he had a technical issue and had to withdraw from the race.
The Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing Team returns to action next month for Round 2 of the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at the Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds, Alabama, on May 19-21.
Richard Stanboli – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing Team Manager
“I think it was a super exciting race for the fans. It’s something different than they’ve seen in the last three years, with us pretty much dominating every single weekend. So I think it was fun for the fans. I’m glad some of the other manufacturers are in the mix, and we get to bring a lot of excitement. Jake rode really well, despite his arm pump. The pace was quite a bit slower than we were last year, so we’re trying to figure out why. It could have been Jake’s arm pump, or maybe it’s the new Dunlops. We haven’t got our heads around it quite yet, but we’ll work on that. I think Barber should be a much better track for us, and we look to get back to dominating the competition.”
Jake Gagne – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing
“That was a crazy one! I got off to a good start. I really wanted to push the pace, but Cam (Beaubier) and I went back and forth in those first couple of laps. He knew I wanted to get away, so any opportunity that he could, he went past me, especially down into Turn 10. Then after that, the pace was pretty slow. I think at that point, we knew no one was getting away, so we were kind of sizing each other up for the last lap. I was in third, and I was kind of planning on that I could get a good drive up over the hill in the second-to-last turn and maybe make a pass there, but those guys came together in the kink at like 180 (mph). The seas just kind of parted, and I got straight down the center of them. I got a little lucky on that one, for sure. I was kind of counting on something crazy happening on that last lap. All things considered, I’m really happy leaving here. I had a lot of struggles with arm pump this weekend. From lap three on, I couldn’t ride as hard as I wanted to ride, so to come out of the first round with a second and first is pretty awesome.”
Cameron Petersen – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing
“There’s not much to say, to be honest. It’s just one of those things; it’s just part of racing. I felt really good all weekend, other than the crash I had on Friday. I had some really good race pace, and even in the second race there, I felt really great. I really felt like I had the pace to go win one of these things this weekend. So I’m a little bit bummed out, but like I said, it’s part of racing. At least the next few tracks we go to are ones that I really enjoy. So, I’m going to bounce back and try and get some wins under my belt and claw my way back into this championship.”
The following is from Suzuki…
Suzuki Motor USA and Team Hammer continued to flash race-winning potential, scoring two top-five finishes as the first points-paying round of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike and Supersport championships concluded on Sunday at Road Atlanta.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Tyler Scott looked to improve upon his Supersport runner-up finish Saturday. The early going looked promising in both regards, as Scott powered off of pole position with the lead and repeatedly dove with confidence into the corner at the end of the long back straight aboard his next-generation GSX-R750. However, after leading multiple laps, the 17-year-old ace took the checkered flag in fourth, just 0.085 seconds removed from a second podium in as many days.
“I was really happy with how the race was going,” Scott said. “We had a good pace and it felt great to be back at the front. I can tell the bike is improved from last year, and the team worked well all weekend. I felt really comfortable while I had the lead. We had a problem in the last couple of laps that cost me some drive out of the corners, so we ended up a close fourth. We’ll come back stronger, and I am really happy for Barber coming up.”
Teagg Hobbs was encouraged by his Saturday sixth and hoped for even more in Sunday’s rematch. However, those aspirations were sunk nearly from the start as he ran off the track at the end of the back straight on the Sunday contest’s opening lap. Undeterred, Hobbs mounted a remarkable come-from-behind ride, working his way back up the field from outside the top ten. That charge ended with one final pass on the last lap to equal his Saturday sixth.
“This weekend has been a dream,” Hobbs said. “Riding for Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki has been amazing, and it’s a dream come true to be racing full-time in MotoAmerica Supersport. I had a great weekend. We started strong, and my crew did a great job all weekend tuning the bike for me. Today’s race didn’t exactly go as planned, so I had to claw my way back. But we showed some good pace this weekend, and if we put it all together, we can be at the front fighting for the podium.” Scott and Hobbs were joined by four other Suzuki GSX-Rs in the top ten of Sunday’s Supersport race, once again showing Suzuki’s hallmark consistency.
Richie Escalante enjoyed a hugely promising outing at Road Atlanta as he made major strides aboard his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R1000R Superbike. Escalante bettered his Saturday sixth with a Sunday fifth, but even the reward of a top-five failed to adequately illustrate his improvement. The second-year Superbike ace cut his best lap by more than a half-second while slashing the gap to the leaders by a mammoth 17 seconds, finishing just 12.345 seconds back of the race winner.
“I’m super happy with the weekend, a P6 and P5,” said Escalante. “This morning, we tried something a little different with the setup, trying to provide more rear grip. In the end, we went back to yesterday’s settings for the race because I knew we could run the whole race consistently. I had a good start, and I stayed with the lead group for a couple of laps. It was difficult to continue the pace because I had an issue with how the rear brake was working. In racing, things like this happen. I dropped into the 1:26 range for a couple of laps but told myself to focus and got back in the ‘25s. I did a 1:25 on the last lap on worn tires. I can’t wait for Barber and am still working hard to get my first Superbike podium.”
In his return to active racing, former MotoAmerica Superbike champion Toni Elias backed up his Saturday seventh with an eighth on Sunday. The battle-proven Spaniard will take the points and focus his efforts on regaining his momentum to fight for victory once again like he’s done so many times.
“Today’s race was similar to yesterday,” Elias said. “The pace was better, but the problems were the same, transfer of weight to the front. We tried to find an improvement for today’s race, but we couldn’t. It wasn’t the comeback I was expecting but we will work hard to finish stronger for the next race.”
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki will return to action when the 2023 MotoAmerica season continues at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama, on May 19-21.
The following is from Tytlers Cycle Racing…
Tytlers Cycle Racing leave the opening round of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship as joint leaders of the series after Cameron Beaubier, who returns to the series after a couple of seasons on the world stage, romped to the win in Saturday’s first race before narrowly missing the double win on Sunday where he crossed the line second.
The team’s trio of riders Beaubier, PJ Jacobsen and reigning MotoAmerica Stock 1000 champion Corey Alexander were in fine form at Road Atlanta – all three showing a strong pace and potential throughout the weekend.
With all three inside the top ten in qualifying (Cameron second, PJ fifth and Corey ninth) the stage was set for a great opening round.
When the lights went out at the start of the opening encounter all eyes were on Cameron Beaubier as the former five-time MotoAmerica champion slowly but surely reduced the gap to early leader (and defending champion Jake Gagne). Hitting the front, the final stages were intense but as the checkered flag was waved it was the #6 who took the win to give the team the championship lead and BMW its first victory in the US national Superbike series for forty-five years.
Corey Alexander finished a credible eighth whilst unfortunately PJ Jacobsen crashed out, thankfully unhurt.
Sunday’s race was another barnstormer with Cameron once again in the battle for victory. Taking his turn to lead he would eventually be denied the win. He crossed the line second, adding another twenty points to his championship tally. He heads to the next round at Barber Motorsports Park as the join championship leader.
PJ Jacobsen raced to his first points of his 2023 campaign with a solid ride to sixth. He finished just over a second ahead of team mate Corey Alexander who finished. seventh.
Cameron Beaubier: “Saturday was a great day. I am super happy to start the year off a win but to be honest I wasn’t expecting it after the time gap Jake (Gagne) had on us in qualifying. Race two was a wild one with good battles all race long. I am glad we got out of there safe on the last lap. I want to say a massive thank you to the Tytlers team for this first weekend back. We know what we need to work on, and I am looking forward to the rest of the season.”
Corey Alexander: “It was a great first race and I was able to run inside the top eight for most of it. We knew after the race that there were a few set up issues that we could work on and improve, and I was confident of improving on Sunday. I am happy with the progress we made in Sunday’s race. Our average pace was much faster than Saturday and our set up took a step in the right direction. Overall, it was a successful first weekend on the superbike and I’m excited to continue the forward momentum into Barber. Thanks to my guys for all the hard work and congrats to Cam for the unbelievable weekend. It further proves the capability of the BMW.”
PJ Jacobsen: “Race one was a complete disaster. It was a shame to crash but we worked as a team to understand what happened and I was determined to come back stronger on Sunday. We bagged some solid points on Sunday but in all honesty, I want to put the weekend behind me and move on to the next one. It was a tough one for me and I am hoping to be a lot closer to the front at Barber. Obviously, it was great for us a team with Cam getting the win, so congrats to him and I hope to be in the fight at the next one.”
The following is from Ducati…
MotoAmerica 2023 roared into life at Road Atlanta in Georgia this weekend with Josh Herrin and Xavi Forés doing the Ducatisti proud with exceptional performances in the Superbike and Supersport categories, respectively.
Herrin’s first race on the factory-spec Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC Ducati Panigale V4 R saw the current MotoAmerica Supersport Champion in the mix from the first green light of the weekend.
Using all his racing craft, Herrin scored a debut podium in race one on Saturday behind winner Cameron Beaubier (BMW) and current Superbike champion, second-placed Jake Gagne (Yamaha).
However, this was only the appetizer as Herrin engaged in what can only be described as a race for the ages in Sunday’s race two with Beaubier, Gagne and Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha), leading on the last lap but somehow pulling off an incredible save at over 190 mph down the back straight when he and Beaubier touched while fighting for the lead.
Herrin finished fourth at the finish and now lies third in the points after the first round.
In the Supersport class, it was a red-letter weekend for Xavi Forés as the vastly experienced Spaniard did what was expected of his talent by securing two dominant victories in his MotoAmerica Supersport debut.
Riding the number 12 Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC Ducati Panigale V2, the new father Forés was the class of the field in Georgia and leaves The Peach State with a perfect 50-point tally, some 17 points up on Stefano Mesa (Kawasaki).
Xavi Forés (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC – Ducati Panigale V2 – Ducati #12)
“It was a great weekend,” Forés enthused. “Today was slightly difficult at the beginning of the race because I didn’t gain any positions off the start, but, lap by lap, things got better. When I got the lead I put my rhythm on and knew I was very strong under brakes at the end of the back straight, so I used that to my advantage. I just tried to do consistent laps so I could relax a bit at the end of the race. We have the championship lead and now it is back home to Spain to see my new baby!”
Josh Herrin (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC – Ducati Panigale V4 R – Ducati #2)
“It’s a crazy feeling to be fighting for a superbike win because I’m still so new to the bike,” Herrin said. “I would not have expected to be in this position after Friday because I needed to rethink my mentality and work to close the gap between Jake (Gagne) and the rest. In race one, I saw I was getting close and today, I knew if I could hang within one second of Jake, I could win the race. Within five laps, things started to come to me and I thought, maybe I could lead the race and try to make a break, but I couldn’t quite manage that pace.” Josh continued. “But I couldn’t leave anything on the table and it ended up being one of the best superbike races anyone’s seen in a really long time. This is, without doubt, the best I’ve ever felt on a superbike in my career and it’s only going to get better.”
The following is from Westby Racing…
Mathew Scholtz, rider of the #11 Westby Racing Yamaha YZF-R1 Superbike, wrapped up the opening round of the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta with a third-place result in Sunday’s race two, which was an improvement over his fifth-place result in Saturday’s race one. The podium result gave him and the team encouragement for round two of the Championship at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama, on May 19 through 21.
In Sunday’s race, Mathew was part of a group of four riders at the front who battled each other all the way to the checkered flag. On the final lap, Josh Herrin, who was one of the other three riders, got pushed wide, which allowed Mathew to overtake him and finish third behind Cameron Beaubier in second and Jake Gagne, who ultimately won the race.
“We made quite a few changes after the first race,” Mathew said. “So, in race two, I was still feeling out what the bike was doing. I felt like, in certain sections of the track, I was really, really quick, but in other sections, I was losing a lot of time. So, I was just literally going backwards and forwards. I really didn’t have a spot where I could pass, unless something happened, which it did, and I managed to capitalize on that. But, otherwise, starting from where we were on Friday to where we ended up now, I think we made huge strides forward on the motorcycle. I have to give a big shout-out to the Westby Racing team. After the pre-season testing, we thought we were dialed in. Then we came here, and we were struggling. There were a few bits that we tried to change, and we didn’t manage to figure that out until the restart of today’s race. So, at least now, we’re confident heading into the rest of the season. I’m just happy to be up here on the podium now. I know it was pretty awesome watching these guys battle it out. Hopefully from the next race on, I’ll be part of that.”
As mentioned above, the Westby Racing team will be back in action on May 19 through 21 at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama, for round two of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship.
