News and stories from Powersports racing in the United States.
Landers Rebounds, Forés Still Undefeated At Ridge Motorsports Park
On Saturday, Rocco Landers won the REV’IT! Twins Cup race at Ridge Motorsports Park but was docked two places for passing under a waving yellow flag. Nothing could stop Landers on Sunday, however, as the Robem Engineering-backed 18-year-old dominated race two with an 11-second win – his fourth victory of the season.
In other support class action from Ridge Motorsports Park, Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati’s Xavi Forés kept his undefeated season alive. Ditto for Mikayla Moore in the Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race where she took her fourth consecutive victory.
REV’IT! Twins Cup – The Revenge Of Landers
Robem Engineering’s Rocco Landers was still fuming about his penalty from Saturday when Sunday’s REV’IT! Twins Cup left the start line for its 12-lap race two and he promptly took out his aggression on the rest of the field.
Landers led from the start on his Aprilia RS 660 and was never headed in topping defending class champion Blake Davis and his N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto-backed Yamaha YZF-R7 by a tick over 11 seconds. Davis, in turn, had his hands full with Rodio Racing – Powered By Robem Engineering’s Gus Rodio leading the Virginian on the final lap only to have the 16-year-old pass him on the final lap.
Rodio held onto third, ending a three-race podium drought after finishing fourth on Saturday. Sunday’s result was his fifth podium of the season.
Davis still leads the title chase though Landers has closed to within 11 points, 127-116. Rodio is still very much in the mix and just two points behind Landers.
“The bike was working amazing,” Landers said. “Robem Engineering/Rodio Racing worked really hard to make the thing work as good as possible. I don’t even think we made a change since qualifying one. The thing has just been on rails all weekend. I felt good. The thing felt like it was just doing whatever I wanted. The wind was a bit gnarly. Felt like it was kind of screwing with the front end, especially long corners. But on the track, we’ve been undefeated this season on paper though some would say different. But I see no reason why we can’t continue this momentum into Laguna.”
Supersport – Xavi Times Seven
Seven MotoAmerica Supersport races have been held thus far in 2023 and Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati’s Xavi Forés has won all of them. That’s seven for seven. That’s a perfect 200 points. Spanish for perfect is perfecto. An easy one to remember. And about as easy as Forés had it on Sunday at Ridge Motorsports Park.
Although changes to the fork of his Ducati Panigale V2 didn’t pan out the way he wanted them to, it didn’t do much to hamper his performance as he sped away to a five-second victory over Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Tyler Scott, who in turn was some three seconds ahead of his teammate Teagg Hobbs.
With seven races in the books, Forés’s 200 points puts him 76 points clear of Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Stefano Mesa with the Floridian finishing fifth on Sunday in Washington. Scott is third in the standings – 12 points behind Mesa and nine clear of Squid Hunter Racing’s Josh Hayes, who crashed out of today’s race.
“I felt worse the front (fork) today,” Forés said. “I felt a little bit already this morning on the warmup, but I thought it was the track temperature. We keep the bike with stiffer springs on the front, but definitely was worse. I had a couple of moments on the front, especially in turn 13. I lost the front a couple of times. I wanted to try to stay all the race in 43s, but it was impossible to have the same feeling on the front, so I had to roll off a little bit and stay in the 44 mid, 44 low. I was expecting Tyler (Scott) coming strong today, because already this morning on the warmup I felt good. I saw good lines from him when he was in front of me. I was trying to put the gap as yesterday and I felt worse, so I couldn’t stay quite focused. I did a lot of mistakes on the laps, the speed, the pace. But anyway, another victory is good for me and good for the team and also for the championship points. We move now to Laguna. The track I know from the past. A track that I love. I always did good on the World Championship, so I hope to keep this momentum.”
Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. – Even More Of Moore
Race two of the Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race program kicked off the final day of MotoAmerica Superbikes at Ridge Motorsports Park, and it’s quite obvious that we’re starting to see a pattern here. Among the 12 ladies selected to compete in the spec series, Mikayla Moore has firmly established herself as the alpha-rider. She was recommended to the program by last year’s champion Kayleigh Buyck because Buyck felt Moore would be great competition for her. Is she ever. In Saturday’s race one, Moore beat Buyck by more than 16 seconds, and then, on Sunday, Moore won by more than 18 seconds over Buyck. That’s four consecutive wins for Moore, and she already seems unbeatable even though we’re only at the halfway point of the season.
The Sunday race-two podium was a carbon copy of Saturday’s race-one podium with Moore first, Buyck second, and Sonya Lloyd rounding out the podium.
“When I’m out there, I have a lap timer on my bike so it’s really easy for me to keep myself going,” Moore said. “As long as I hit my marks, and I always try to find time wherever I can. Every lap, I was finding time and finding better pace. In yesterday’s race, I caught a false neutral, so I wasn’t trying to have that happen again today. I just made sure I was really smooth with the bike and wasn’t aggressive at all with it.”
Mission Super Hooligan National Championship – All Change
Following Sunday’s race two of the Mission Super Hooligan National Championship, the Indian FTR1200 motorcycles ridden by race winner Jeremy McWilliams and second-place finisher Tyler O’Hara were protested by another team. Upon inspection, the ends of the handlebars were found to be below the top plane of the triple clamp, which is a violation of the class’s technical rules.
As a result, McWilliams and O’Hara were disqualified, and third-place finisher Andy DiBrino, who was aboard a DiBrino Racing KTM, was declared the race winner. Second place went to Team Saddlemen Harley-Davidson rider Cory West, and Roland Sands Design/Indian Motorcycle’s Bobby Fong completed the revised podium.
Beaubier And BMW Stop Yamaha’s Win Streak At Ridge Motorsports Park
The talk coming into the Ridge Motorsports Park round of the MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike class was that the track is tailor made for Yamaha, as evidenced by six straight wins for the YZF-R1. In Saturday’s race one, Jake Gagne ran that streak to seven straight wins for Yamaha, but it ended on Sunday with a BMW M 1000 RR crossing the finish line first.
Ironically, that BMW was ridden to victory by the man who started Yamaha’s win streak at Ridge in 2020 – Cameron Beaubier.
Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Beaubier hinted at the possibility of a BMW win in Washington when he ran down Gagne and his Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing YZF-R1 on Saturday, only to crash out of the race on the 14th of 16 laps while on the R1’s rear wheel. On Sunday, Beaubier replicated the feat only this time he didn’t falter. He caught the fast-starting Gagne, took over at the front on the 10th lap and beat the championship points leader to the flag by a tick over two seconds.
For Beaubier it was his third win of the year and the 57th AMA Superbike win of his career.
When he was passed by Beaubier, Gagne knew he didn’t have the pace to match his former teammate and he opted to make certain of second place in the closing laps. At the finish Gagne was 2.045 behind Beaubier and 1.2 seconds ahead of third-place finisher Josh Herrin on the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R.
Herrin was fighting the injuries suffered in a qualifying crash on Saturday morning, didn’t get much sleep on Saturday night, and limped his way through his Sunday and onto the podium for a second straight day.
With Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante getting the better of the rest to finish fourth, it translated to the top four featuring four different manufacturers – BMW, Yamaha, Ducati, and Suzuki.
Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Corey Alexander had his second straight day of Superbike success with a fifth-place finish on his BMW M 1000 RR. Alexander was some three seconds behind Escalante and 3.4 seconds ahead of Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Cameron Petersen.
PJ Jacobsen was seventh on the third of the Tytlers Cycle Racing BMWs with Disrupt Racing’s Hayden Gillim eighth. Thrashed Bike Racing’s Max Flinders and CW Moto Racing’s Benjamin Smith rounded out the top 10.
Among the non-finishers were Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz and Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Taylor Knapp with both riders crashing out in separate incidents.
After four rounds and eight races, Gagne leads Beaubier in the Medallia Superbike Championship by 23 points, 156-133. Herrin is third with 122 points, 21 more than Scholtz. Jacobsen rounds out the top five with 91 points.
The series heads to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, July 7-9, for round five.
Superbike Race Two
- Cameron Beaubier (BMW)
- Jake Gagne (Yamaha)
- Josh Herrin (Ducati)
- Richie Escalante (Suzuki)
- Corey Alexander (BMW)
- Cameron Petersen (Yamaha)
- PJ Jacobsen (BMW)
- Hayden Gillim (Suzuki)
- Max Flinders (Yamaha)
- Benjamin Smith (Yamaha)
Quotes…
Cameron Beaubier – Winner
“Yesterday the race was a really good confidence boost for us because, let’s be honest, Jake (Gagne) was setting the pace all weekend and also (Josh) Herrin was really fast on Saturday morning. So, I felt like going into the race we could do a couple of those laps, but I didn’t think we could sustain them. The guys have not stopped working on the thing and we came up with a good race bike yesterday and they made it even better overnight for today. I was feeling really good. Herrin and I were going back and forth there at the beginning. I feel like we were honestly both kind of making a couple mistakes. I was running wide here and there and so was he. Once the race kind of settled down, I put my head down and I was really surprised how good my bike felt. It was a pretty amazing feeling. I was able to run Jake down, but he was really strong getting off the last corner onto the front straight. I was struggling. I was spinning out of there pretty good. But I knew I had some spots that I was better than him in. Same for him, he had some spots that he was better than me in. I was able to get the lead and just kind of kept my head down but kept a little in reserve just so I didn’t throw it away like I did yesterday. I was honestly really surprised to see a little gap on my board. Feels great for the team. It’s a bummer yesterday, falling down like that, but it feels really good to cap a weekend off like we did. Plain and simple, the Superbike class is just pretty gnarly this year. To have three different manufacturers on the box and all the incredible riders up in the top 10, it’s tough but it’s pretty fun.”
Jake Gagne – Second Place
“I wasn’t surprised, for sure. I watched the race last night. I got off to a clean start and kind of made that gap from him, but once Cam (Beaubier) made his way through yesterday, he just reeled me in. Same thing today. At one point, I had a second gap on my pit board, and then by the top of the chicane I could hear him right behind me. That’s probably the lap he did a 39.6. At that point, I was struggling a little bit. I thought we kind of made the bike a little bit better today, but I was struggling a little more to even run the 40s that we ran yesterday. I knew Cam was going to make his way by at some point, and then once he made his way by, I tried to latch on a little bit but there was nothing I could do. At that point, I knew Josh (Herrin) was back there and I knew he was going to be strong until the end, so I just tried to do what I could to bring it home in second. Either way, I think we learned a lot. It’s been a while since I’ve been able to race with these guys really for this full race distance and kind of see what the bikes are doing differently. All three of these bikes really have different strengths and different weaknesses. So, we got some good data. Know what we need to improve. I think we’re still in the points lead, so that’s always a good day.”
Josh Herrin – Third Place
“Both third places I wasn’t expecting, so I guess it’s the hard weekends that count. I tried my hardest to take advantage of it and, luckily, we were able to come out with two thirds. I’m bummed because I wanted to be there. I feel like this weekend nobody thought that me or Cam (Beaubier) were going to be here at this track, I don’t think. I think they thought it was going to be a Yamaha show all weekend. He’s (Beaubier) riding super strong, and I felt super strong up until race one. I think we’re going to be there all year. No matter what track we go to, I think we’ll be competitive. I just got to keep trying to find more out of this thing. I’m still riding a little bit… Up until Saturday, I was riding timid on this thing, like nervous to really throw it in there. I’m finally getting the confidence. Obviously, found the limit now on the front. I’m really happy with this. I’ve been lucky enough to win three championships and know that consistency is key. The only problem is that I’m dealing with two guys that have more championships than I do. So, they know the name of the game also. It’s going to be a hard year, but I’m glad that we’re still all pretty tight in the championship and it seems like it’s going to be a really good battle the whole year, which is the way that everybody wants to win a title. Nobody wants to win a title by running away. It’s always fun to just look back at years like this. I just hope that we can have a really good weekend at Laguna and rest up and heal as much as I can. I’m stoked. Hats off to these guys and thanks to my team.”
Bauman Makes History at Lima Half-Mile
Two-time Grand National Champion Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 790 Duke) took an emotional and historic victory in Saturday night’s Mission Lima Half-Mile presented by Indian Motorcycle and Drag Specialties at the Allen County Fairgrounds in Lima, Ohio.
Following an often challenging half-season spent developing an all-new racebike for an all-new team, Bauman kicked off the second half of 2023 by claiming the first premier-class victory for a KTM twin in the history of Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing.
And that win came at the conclusion of a thrilling Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle Main Event. Bauman, who earned the crown in 2019 and 2020, spent all ten minutes plus two laps embroiled in a non-stop dogfight with the rider who currently has the inside track on this year’s title, Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT).
Bauman and Daniels alternated high and low lines as theft continually swapped the lead, running side-by-side when one or the other wasn’t making a futile attempt to shake loose at the front. And all the while, their engagement threatened to transform the race for the win into a three-rider affair with reigning king Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750) lurking right around one second back and just waiting for his chance to strike.
Finally, with less than minute to go, Bauman seized the upper hand and then refused to allow Daniels a last-gasp bid to steal away his hard-earned win for Rick Ware Racing.
The emotion of the victory was further amplified as Bauman reflected on both the recent passing of his mother as well as his triumphant performance at the scene of his maiden Mission SuperTwins win.
He said, “I think these guys are probably going to start making fun of me because I think I cry every time I win. But aside from all that, my brother (Bronson) and I lost our mom six months ago last Sunday, and this is where I got my first Twins win. The love that everyone gives in this sport no matter how hard you’re going up against one another… We’re fighting for everything we can get. I just appreciate all these guys a lot more than maybe I used to.
“There are so many people who have supported us. To actually get this done… It’s an honor to be a part of this program. I’m just proud, and I know my mom is proud. We did it.”
Last year’s Lima HM winner, Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750), outlasted JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) as the two finished fourth and fifth, respectively, just over eight seconds behind the fight for the win.
Sixth went to Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Fastrack Racing/2 Wheelz KTM 790 Duke), who quietly earned his best result yet aboard the Fastrack KTM. Just behind in seventh and eighth were Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750) and Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Indian FTR750).
Kolby Carlile (No. 36 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing Yamaha MT-07) finished ninth, while Johnny Lewis (No. 10 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650) completed the top ten in his return to action even after suffering an ugly heat race crash earlier in the evening.
Despite falling short of victory, Daniels maintained his season-long perfect podium record and picked up some points in the title fight in the process. He now leads Mees by 12 points (219-207), while Bauman has moved ahead of Beach to take control of third (166-161).
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
Reigning Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER champ Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) notched up a timely victory on a night that proved to be a huge boon for his title defense.
Kopp came to Lima as the odds-on favorite due to his performance here a year ago, along with his general Half-Mile mastery, but this one did not come easily. Kopp took the holeshot but soon found himself in second and losing ground to rising star Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F).
The KTM ace regrouped and successfully countered Drane’s bid to shake free, clawing his way back to the Australian at mid-distance. The two then wove the lead back-and-forth with around three minutes remaining on the clock before Kopp finally got a firm grip on the position.
He then stretched open his advantage as the two slithered through lapped traffic, ultimately claiming his fourth victory of the season with more than two seconds in hand.
“That was a tough one,” Kopp said. “I got a good start and led it for a couple laps, but Tom is so fast on this stuff, it’s really underrated. We had a heck of a fight, and it was really fun. A lot of hard work went into this one. Those last three Miles were really frustrating as a team in general, but we never gave up and we’re here to fight for a championship.”
Kopp and Drane were joined on the podium by the resurgent James Ott (No. 19 1st Impressions Race Team/Husqvarna Racing FC450), who fought off second factory KTM pilot Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) to register his second trophy-earning ride of the season.
Drane’s teammate, Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F), rounded out the top five.
Kopp’s championship outlook was further enhanced by the misfortune of Chase Saathoff (No. 88 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), who entered the weekend having closed to within ten points of the title leader. That advantage is significantly greater now, as Saathoff’s momentum was slammed to a halt by a mechanical DNF suffered while running in third position.
Kopp’s lead more than tripled as a result, expanding from just nine points to 29 (191-162). His closest challenger shifted as well, with Whale taking second over from Saathoff, who is now ranked third with 158 points after being credited with 19th place in the Main.
Next Up:
Progressive American Flat Track will now travel to Mineral Wells, West Virginia, for the All Seasons Powersports West Virginia Half-Mile at West Virginia Motor Speedway on Saturday, July 1. Visit https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/west-virginia-half-mile-58480 to reserve your seats today.
For those that can’t catch the live action from the circuit, FansChoice.tv is the live streaming home of Progressive AFT. Sign up now and catch every second of on-track action starting with Practice & Qualifying and ending with the Victory Podium at the end of the night at https://www.fanschoice.tv.
FOX Sports coverage of the Mission Lima Half-Mile presented by Indian Motorcycle and Drag Specialties, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 on Sunday, July 2, at 2:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. PT).
For more information on Progressive AFT visit https://www.americanflattrack.com.
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