Yet another race for MotoAmerica EBC Superbike, right here at Laguna Seca Raceway. It is time, to bring the action, on a Sunday afternoon! Red lights, on. Red lights, out! We're off and racing at Laguna Seca for the second time this weekend! Garrett Gerloff is the man who gets the jump, and tries to cut off Cameron Beaubier, but it's also Toni Elias on the Suzuki, who muscles his way past both of them on the inside! You need to bring some more power. Well, Toni Elias did, and the Yoshimura Suzuki has to be the motorcycle that leads in the power department, at least right now. We've got cool temperatures here in the Monterey peninsula, with a gusty wind at 13 miles an hour. Josh Herrin is trying hard to move past J.D. Beach. The EBC Superbikes and MotoAmerica are playing a supporting role to the World Superbike Championship here at Laguna Seca this weekend.
Mat Scholz moves past J.D. Beach as we are on lap one of 23 scheduled. Coming to The Corkscrew for the first time, one of the most iconic corners in all of racing. Toni Elias, is in a spot of bother, look, on the entry to the turn. Amazing that he turned that motorcycle despite having the blowtorch applied by Cameron Beaubier down the hill, as they drop through the Corkscrew and down into Rainey curve. Garrett Gerloff leads this race coming across for the completion of the first lap. Poor David Anthony, after having a good run in race one yesterday, it's game over for the rider of bike #25. Cameron Beaubier moves around Toni Elias for second place. Elias makes the move right back around Beaubier. It's that old pass and re-pass, slam the door in a competitor's face strategy at work.
Josh Herrin also swallows up Cameron Beaubier. In the meantime, on lap five, Garrett Gerloff is scorching his way around Laguna Seca! His fastest lap so far, clocked at 1:24.6 and change. Josh Herrin has a challenge from Cameron Beaubier. Like we've spoken of in previous races, square up the corner leaning into it, and force your rival to sit up. Garrett Gerloff is still mowing this field down, cutting the fastest lap of the bike race so far at 1:24.5. Toni Elias runs wide into turn five. Cameron Beaubier goes straight to the apex and the Suzuki sweeps past the Yamaha. Beaubier just does not have the power.
Josh Herrin goes across, and will he square Beaubier up. They almost touch! Yikes! Over the rise, he has a wheel hop up off the ground. 14 laps into the race, Herrin is flying and Beaubier wants to park him. Garrett Gerloff still leads and the cat and mouse game between Elias and Beaubier continues. Elias runs wide into The Corkscrew once again. Through Rainey corner they come, and Beaubier does not force the issue on Elias. That's a smart, tactical piece of riding from the Monster Energy Yamaha rider. Two laps left and Toni Elias goes in and gets in a little deep. Now, he is straight into the apex, and poor old Beaubier can't sequare it up.
But, it's a first-time winner in EBC Superbike. Garrett Gerloff! He wins! He wants to race in Europe, maybe in MotoGP. Gerloff is your winner!
#31 Garrett Gerloff Yamaha YZF R1
Just four race weekends now remain in the 2019 MotoAmerica season. Next up, we stay in California, headed for the wine country, and Sonoma Raceway in northern California, another beautiful, legendary circuit. Stay tuned for all of the action, yet to come, right here on 2 Wheelin'.
Tuesday, July 16, 2019
Monday, July 15, 2019
MotoAmerica Highlights: Laguna Seca Race 1
The spectacular beauty of the Monterey Peninsula in Monterey, California, welcomes the teams and riders of MotoAmerica Superbike for the next round of the championship. Will we have another stormer of a race on our hands? We'll find out, now. Red lights, on. Red lights, out. Clutches are out, and we're away and racing at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Josh Herrin and Toni Elias both launch off the line well, and J.D. Beach, on the inside, he has good track position as well. 23 laps scheduled for this race. Josh Herrin has made his way all the way from eighth on the grid to second. But, wait, we have a rider down in the middle of corner number two! Check that. Two riders are down! Jayson Uribe was one of the riders to take a spill, and we see that Kyle Wyman may have been the second rider involved in this little dust up.
Right away, through turn ten, at Rainey curve, Cameron Beaubier shoots underneath Toni Elias. Rainey curve, named for another motorcycle racing legend, Wayne Rainey, a multiple world champ back in the days of 500cc World Grand Prix motorcycle racing. Josh Herrin sees his chance and slides up underneath both Elias and Beaubier! Garrett Gerloff loses the front of the motorcycle, but as it is washing out from underneath, he saves it! That was a brilliant piece of riding from Gerloff. Josh Herrin drives past Cameron Beaubier as well. It appears Beaubier may have missed a shift coming off turn 11. How close do you like your motorcycle racing? The top three protagonists all year, are at it again. It's Cameron Beaubier vs. Josh Herrin vs. Toni Elias, all in the same place on the road, at the same time.
Herrin is off on the gravel going up the hill towards The Corkscrew! He's off the road. Can he save the bike? No! Down he goes into the sand on the side of the circuit, sliding towards the air fence. You could almost see that coming because there is a large bump headed for The Corkscrew, in that hill, and Herrin hit it and was vaulted off the bike. In replay, we can see that Beaubier and Herrin made contact, racing for position, but poor old Herrin knew he was down and out at that moment. When you miss the turn, and your lean in point, there is no room, before you and your motorcycle are pitched into the gravel.
Josh Herrin is OK. But, it is without doubt game over for the Yoshimura Suzuki rider. Toni Elias dives around Cameron Beaubier, but Beaubier walks right back through the door and slams it in Elias' face. Elias comes back, returning the favor, slamming the door in Beaubier's face. The tug of war continues. Now, we see Garrett Gerloff and J.D. Beach both coming to the sharp end. Gerloff makes the pass on lap seven while poor old Cameron Beaubier is dropping like a stone. Still on lap seven, coming off turn 11, Garrett Gerloff goes for the lead on Toni Elias. It's Yamaha YZF R1 vs. Suzuki GSXR1000 in a drag race down the front straight here at Laguna Seca! Elias back to the lead, but J.D. Beach wants a piece of both of these two blokes. It's not done yet!
Two laps to go. Now, the white flag. Toni Elias is flying. He powers off the final turn. Gerloff really needs the whole rest of the track to try and catch Elias. Gerloff can't do it. Toni Elias wins race one at Laguna Seca!
#24 Toni Elias Suzuki GSXR1000
Stay tuned as we still have action from race two at Laguna Seca yet to come.
Right away, through turn ten, at Rainey curve, Cameron Beaubier shoots underneath Toni Elias. Rainey curve, named for another motorcycle racing legend, Wayne Rainey, a multiple world champ back in the days of 500cc World Grand Prix motorcycle racing. Josh Herrin sees his chance and slides up underneath both Elias and Beaubier! Garrett Gerloff loses the front of the motorcycle, but as it is washing out from underneath, he saves it! That was a brilliant piece of riding from Gerloff. Josh Herrin drives past Cameron Beaubier as well. It appears Beaubier may have missed a shift coming off turn 11. How close do you like your motorcycle racing? The top three protagonists all year, are at it again. It's Cameron Beaubier vs. Josh Herrin vs. Toni Elias, all in the same place on the road, at the same time.
Herrin is off on the gravel going up the hill towards The Corkscrew! He's off the road. Can he save the bike? No! Down he goes into the sand on the side of the circuit, sliding towards the air fence. You could almost see that coming because there is a large bump headed for The Corkscrew, in that hill, and Herrin hit it and was vaulted off the bike. In replay, we can see that Beaubier and Herrin made contact, racing for position, but poor old Herrin knew he was down and out at that moment. When you miss the turn, and your lean in point, there is no room, before you and your motorcycle are pitched into the gravel.
Josh Herrin is OK. But, it is without doubt game over for the Yoshimura Suzuki rider. Toni Elias dives around Cameron Beaubier, but Beaubier walks right back through the door and slams it in Elias' face. Elias comes back, returning the favor, slamming the door in Beaubier's face. The tug of war continues. Now, we see Garrett Gerloff and J.D. Beach both coming to the sharp end. Gerloff makes the pass on lap seven while poor old Cameron Beaubier is dropping like a stone. Still on lap seven, coming off turn 11, Garrett Gerloff goes for the lead on Toni Elias. It's Yamaha YZF R1 vs. Suzuki GSXR1000 in a drag race down the front straight here at Laguna Seca! Elias back to the lead, but J.D. Beach wants a piece of both of these two blokes. It's not done yet!
Two laps to go. Now, the white flag. Toni Elias is flying. He powers off the final turn. Gerloff really needs the whole rest of the track to try and catch Elias. Gerloff can't do it. Toni Elias wins race one at Laguna Seca!
#24 Toni Elias Suzuki GSXR1000
Stay tuned as we still have action from race two at Laguna Seca yet to come.
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