The Superbikes are on their warmup lap for race two. Will anyone stop Josh Hayes? That's the question.
Chris Fillmore starts his KTM seventh on the grid. Dustin Dominguez is running well in Superbike, and is supporting his local community in Oklahoma affected by the horrendous tornadoes. Dominguez had a huge engine explosion yesterday. Can he get a better result in today's race? Josh Hayes is not making mistakes. Other riders might be, and they'll have to avoid them to beat the Monster Energy Yamaha today. The bikes are on their warmup lap. The EBR bikes could be challengers today. But, Chris Clark is a DNS. He has mechanical issues with his bike even before the bikes take the green flag.
Ah. Well, Clark will start the race. Maybe there was a hydro lock in the fuel tank. Everyone has a new slick rear tire. We're ready, but the start has been officially delayed. Larry Pegram won at Road America in 2009, beating legendary champion, Mat Mladin. In the Supersport race, there was a big crash. This is an awful wreck. Tomas Puerta clips another bike, and many bikes scattered. Ricardo Valdez, Caroline Olsen, and others, were involved.
Chris Clark will race, fortunately. He's back at it. We await the start of race two for the Superbikes. The bikes are on their warmup lap now. How will this race turn out? The weather might hold out. Josh Hayes ran a best lap of 2:14.9 in the warmup this morning. At the start, Josh Hayes gets a good start, but it's Martin Cardenas going for it. The Yamaha's jump all over the Suzuki. This race will be 12 laps. Martin Cardenas defends his line as Hayes runs wide and here comes Roger Hayden. He's going for it. Into turn eight, Cardenas seems to have the edge at least right now.
Hayes has mid corner speed, though. The bikes come to Canada corner. Josh Herrin is now third. Hayes has the slipstream, but he cannot get by Cardenas. Martin Cardenas will have to hold Hayes up, and he is. Chris Clark is off the road another time. He's had a fraught race. Watch out for turn five. Cardenas is doing what he has to, defending from Hayes. Hayes will push, though. Josh Herrin is coming, running a 2:19 flat. Danny Eslick is sixth. Geoff May seventh. Hayes takes the lead, going 190 miles an hour down the front straight. This is THE lap of Cardenas' race. But, there's a rider down. Geoff May has ditched his bike. A low side wreck.
May got pitched one way, and the bike sped towards the wall. Josh Herrin is now pushing in third, wanting to pass Cardenas, and make it a Monster Energy Yamaha 1-2. Dustin Dominguez is in the pits. He is trying to salvage a finish in this race. Where will Herrin make his move? This race is almost half over. Cardenas does not have the setup on his Suzuki like the Yamaha's do. Taylor Knapp on the sister KTM to Chriss Fillmore, is out. The engine blew. It's game over for Knapp. Dustin Dominguez is also out.
Halfway home. Cardenas and Herrin are still going for it. Will Herrin's arm hold out? Operating the clutch on a bike is big deal. Chris Ulrich is running well, and behind him is Jason Farrell. Honda and Kawasaki are coming back into U.S. Superbike racing, after having factory teams years ago. Ryan Kerr finished well yesterday. But, clutch problems sideline him today. Hayes has a two second lead, with five laps left. Roger Hayden is also running well.
He's going for it into Canada corner. Danny Eslick and Larry Pegram are also back there. Pegram should be running better, as he's got the same spec Yamaha R1 as Josh Hayes. Farrell and Ulrich are running well, bringing two big names back into Superbike racing. The Kawasaki chassis is very similar to the World Superbike bike that Tom Sykes is cleaning up with in FIM World Superbike this year. No change in the top three right now.
Hayes has bounced back after a horrendous race at Daytona, two and a half months ago. Martin Cardenas is a second and a half behind. The Yamaha and the Suzuki run Magnetti Marelli traction control. The Yamaha can run less traction control because it's got a better crankshaft in the motor than the Suzuki GSXR 1000 does. Two laps remain now. Could Hayes have an issue with the motor? There was a puff of smoke from the bike. Hmmm. Bike #13 of Cory West passes bike #86 of Farrell. David Anthony, Chris Fillmore, and Aaron Yates are also running well.
Anthony on a Yamaha, is battling Chris Fillmore on the KTM. It's a great looking bike. But, will the reliability improve? The white flag is out. It looks like Hayes will win. Cory West passes the Kawasaki. One more lap. Chris Ullrich is looking for a way by. This is a three way battle. West is riding another EBR. But, Josh Hayes is going to win. He does it and goes two for two!
#1 Josh Hayes Yamaha R1
The next AMA race will be at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama in three weeks. It is the Triumph Superbike Classic presented by America's First Federal Credit Union. A report of that race, will come. Stay tuned, fans.
Sunday, June 2, 2013
AMA Daytona Sportbike: Road America race 2
Will Cameron Beaubier do the double in Daytona Sportbike at Road America this weekend? Stay tuned, fans, to find out. This is race two for Daytona Sportbike.
It could be that Dane Westby and Jake Lewis could challenge for a win here. The tires are cold, and with only a few left hand corners, that is what will make a difference. Only one side of the tires will get warmed up. We're ready for a start.
At the start, it's Jake Gagne getting a good jump and so does J.D. Beach. Beach leads into turn one. Keep Cameron Beaubier in check. Watch out into turn five. The bikes fan out. Gagne holds on through turn six, going up the hill. Jake Lewis gets second place. Many riders are showing well right now. Through the carousel, Jake Gagne is going for it, but so is the Suzuki of James Rispoli. Get out clean. Don't get into outbraking battles. Cameron Beaubier holds second, with Gagne still leading.
Rispoli passes for third spot, running wide, and here comes J.D. Beach down the Andretti straightaway. Trust among your rivals is a huge factor at a track like Road America. In yesterday's race, Jake Gagne did well staying with Cameron Beaubier. This is much more competitive than yesterday's event. Everyone knows that this track is slick, and it's like riding on ice. Dane Westby is sixth. But, Gagne, Beaubier and others, are pulling away. Cameron Beaubier takes the lead.
How will Gagne and Lewis respond? This race is heating up. Gagne must not make any mistakes. The uphill to Canada corner is a tough one to set up for. Gagne passes again through turn seven. Jake Lewis and J.D. Beach are staying right with everyone else. These rider wants their chance to go for it. Beaubier leads. He's got control of the race at the moment. Huntley Nash has crashed in turn five. He slid off the bike after the back end stepped out. The birthday boy doesn't get a gift from Road America today.
In the meantime, Jake Gagne is pushing hard. He is showing Beubier is second. Beaubier is twitching. The brakes are going south a little bit. Pump the lever. Beaubier slips up, fishtailing on the bike. Gagne gets back to the lead. The tires and brakes are not hooked up like they were yesterday. It's more due to tires. Working lap five of 13. Joey Pascarella, Jason DiSalvo, and Elena Myers are all running well. Gagne is all over Beaubier. He's been riding that bucking bronco of a bike, to the bell. All eight seconds in this two wheeled rodeo.
Jake Lewis is hounded by J.D. Beach, as both of them run for Red Bull factory road racing. Beaubier's cew chief Oliver Hutchinson is aware that Beaubier's race will go to the end, and be a good battle. Side-by-side, and here comes Beaubier into the lead. These guys are flying. With two races in the weekend, you can set up a bike to run even better the second time out. Lewis and Beach are being left behind. The Triumph's of DiSalvo and Myers are moving up.
This race is only half over. Joey Pascarella looks to be having trouble with his motorcycle. Beaubier tries opening a gap, but he can't really open it like he wants to. Jake Gagne still has to challenge. James Rispoli falls back just a little bit. Joey Pascarella's race is a fraught one. He won the 2012 Daytona 200. But, he'll need improvements to be competitive with his Triumph. Four laps remain as Lewis gets the best of Gagne at this point in time. Pascarella fell down, losing the front of his bike. That was more trouble. Turn five bites again.
J.D. Beach passes Jake Lewis into turn eight. Rispoli, Gerloff, DiSalvo, Myers and others, follow. Jake Gagne is coming back, trying hard to pass Cameron Beaubier. Gagne is still in the lead, showing he can run with Cameron Beaubier as Beaubier is right on top of the #32 bike. Beaubier passes, and then, Gagne comes right back. Holy smokes! Beaubier slides the bike, sterring with the rear tire, and staying on the bike! Yikes! What will Beaubier do?
Beaubier blew the corner in turn five! He just busted his chances of winning this one. He outbrakes himself, getting too close to Gagne's rear wheel. Good thing they didn't crash! Jake Gagne looks like he's going to motor on to a win here. All Gagne must do is relax, and keep the bike on the road. Gagne still leads. Who could stop Cameron Beaubier? Well, Beaubier, stopped himself. Danny Walker, (Gagne's crew chief), is charged up, looking for this win.
Two laps to go. Scratch that. It's the last lap of this race. J.D. Beach continues to hold off Jake Lewis. Gagne doesn't need to push past these lapped bikes. Jake Gagne is going to savor this one. But, the Beach/Lewis scuffle is still on. No worries about Canada Corner. But, maybe on the straightaway. Jake Gagne wins it!
#32 Jake Gagne Yamaha YZF R6
Jake Lewis beats J.D. Beach to the line, maybe. Ah. It is Lewis. Melissa Paris and Kyle Wyman battle to the end for the top ten. Wyman will get the spot. The next race on the calendar is at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama in three weeks. It is the Triumph SuperBike Classic presented by America's First Federal Credit Union. But, coming up next, it's Superbike race two.
It could be that Dane Westby and Jake Lewis could challenge for a win here. The tires are cold, and with only a few left hand corners, that is what will make a difference. Only one side of the tires will get warmed up. We're ready for a start.
At the start, it's Jake Gagne getting a good jump and so does J.D. Beach. Beach leads into turn one. Keep Cameron Beaubier in check. Watch out into turn five. The bikes fan out. Gagne holds on through turn six, going up the hill. Jake Lewis gets second place. Many riders are showing well right now. Through the carousel, Jake Gagne is going for it, but so is the Suzuki of James Rispoli. Get out clean. Don't get into outbraking battles. Cameron Beaubier holds second, with Gagne still leading.
Rispoli passes for third spot, running wide, and here comes J.D. Beach down the Andretti straightaway. Trust among your rivals is a huge factor at a track like Road America. In yesterday's race, Jake Gagne did well staying with Cameron Beaubier. This is much more competitive than yesterday's event. Everyone knows that this track is slick, and it's like riding on ice. Dane Westby is sixth. But, Gagne, Beaubier and others, are pulling away. Cameron Beaubier takes the lead.
How will Gagne and Lewis respond? This race is heating up. Gagne must not make any mistakes. The uphill to Canada corner is a tough one to set up for. Gagne passes again through turn seven. Jake Lewis and J.D. Beach are staying right with everyone else. These rider wants their chance to go for it. Beaubier leads. He's got control of the race at the moment. Huntley Nash has crashed in turn five. He slid off the bike after the back end stepped out. The birthday boy doesn't get a gift from Road America today.
In the meantime, Jake Gagne is pushing hard. He is showing Beubier is second. Beaubier is twitching. The brakes are going south a little bit. Pump the lever. Beaubier slips up, fishtailing on the bike. Gagne gets back to the lead. The tires and brakes are not hooked up like they were yesterday. It's more due to tires. Working lap five of 13. Joey Pascarella, Jason DiSalvo, and Elena Myers are all running well. Gagne is all over Beaubier. He's been riding that bucking bronco of a bike, to the bell. All eight seconds in this two wheeled rodeo.
Jake Lewis is hounded by J.D. Beach, as both of them run for Red Bull factory road racing. Beaubier's cew chief Oliver Hutchinson is aware that Beaubier's race will go to the end, and be a good battle. Side-by-side, and here comes Beaubier into the lead. These guys are flying. With two races in the weekend, you can set up a bike to run even better the second time out. Lewis and Beach are being left behind. The Triumph's of DiSalvo and Myers are moving up.
This race is only half over. Joey Pascarella looks to be having trouble with his motorcycle. Beaubier tries opening a gap, but he can't really open it like he wants to. Jake Gagne still has to challenge. James Rispoli falls back just a little bit. Joey Pascarella's race is a fraught one. He won the 2012 Daytona 200. But, he'll need improvements to be competitive with his Triumph. Four laps remain as Lewis gets the best of Gagne at this point in time. Pascarella fell down, losing the front of his bike. That was more trouble. Turn five bites again.
J.D. Beach passes Jake Lewis into turn eight. Rispoli, Gerloff, DiSalvo, Myers and others, follow. Jake Gagne is coming back, trying hard to pass Cameron Beaubier. Gagne is still in the lead, showing he can run with Cameron Beaubier as Beaubier is right on top of the #32 bike. Beaubier passes, and then, Gagne comes right back. Holy smokes! Beaubier slides the bike, sterring with the rear tire, and staying on the bike! Yikes! What will Beaubier do?
Beaubier blew the corner in turn five! He just busted his chances of winning this one. He outbrakes himself, getting too close to Gagne's rear wheel. Good thing they didn't crash! Jake Gagne looks like he's going to motor on to a win here. All Gagne must do is relax, and keep the bike on the road. Gagne still leads. Who could stop Cameron Beaubier? Well, Beaubier, stopped himself. Danny Walker, (Gagne's crew chief), is charged up, looking for this win.
Two laps to go. Scratch that. It's the last lap of this race. J.D. Beach continues to hold off Jake Lewis. Gagne doesn't need to push past these lapped bikes. Jake Gagne is going to savor this one. But, the Beach/Lewis scuffle is still on. No worries about Canada Corner. But, maybe on the straightaway. Jake Gagne wins it!
#32 Jake Gagne Yamaha YZF R6
Jake Lewis beats J.D. Beach to the line, maybe. Ah. It is Lewis. Melissa Paris and Kyle Wyman battle to the end for the top ten. Wyman will get the spot. The next race on the calendar is at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama in three weeks. It is the Triumph SuperBike Classic presented by America's First Federal Credit Union. But, coming up next, it's Superbike race two.
MotoGP Round 5: Italy
Round five of the MotoGP World Championship is the Italian Grand Prix at the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello, located near Florence, Italy.
Ferrari owns the race track. It is also home to Ducati, and the fans will demand nothing less than a victory this weekend. Will it come? Andrea Dovizioso is on pole, but he had a huge crash in practice, and he's somewhat hurt. He's going to go for it. The track has been repaved. It has 14 corners. Less than ten minutes before the race starts. Qualifying highlights, and the race, are on tap.
Former Grand Prix racer Max Biaggi is at the track to watch. Dani Pedrosa is on pole for the race with a new record time of 1:47.157. Valentino Rossi starts seventh. Andrea Dovizioso starts third. Nicky Hayden will start on row three, and Marc Marquez, on row two, despite the fact that he had a huge crash in practice. Will he race to the limit today? Bradley Smith has had two wrecks. One in practice, and one, today in the warmup. Andrea Ianonne is also going to be one to watch. It is his first home Grand Prix at the top level, in MotoGP.
The bikes are on trhe grid, ready for the start. Ben Spies is not racing today. But, he's not quite ready yet. Yhis track has been around since 1974. There are fifteen corners, and it's really fast. 215 miles an hour on a MotoGP bike. Ben Spies is a guest commentator for the race today. The bikes are on their warmup lap. They form up and are ready. 23 laps scheduled. Let's go MotoGP racing!
At the start, it's clean, and Dovizioso blocks Cal Crutchlow right away as Marc Marquez tries getting through and Jorge Lorenzo shoots into the lead! Valentino Rossi crashes right away! Oh no! Alvaro Bautista is also out of it! The bikes race through San Donato. Bautista is groggy. The airbag inside his racing suit, protected him, fortunately. That was a scary wreck. Alvaro either went too wide and they touched tires, or Rossi leaned too far on the outside. Whoa. Scary. The front tires might be worked quite a bit. Andrea Dovizioso is holding off Cal Crutchlow.
In Arrabiata, they continue to battle. They are former team mates. Jorge Lorenzo leads with Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez following through the final corner at Bucine, back through San Donato to start another lap. Cal Crutchlow pulls away from Dovizioso as Stefan Bradl passes Nicky Hayden, back to San Donato again. Valentino Rossi returns to the garage. He hasn't said anything, and people seem to be in shock. Rossi is not happy at all. It's a racing incident. Alvaro Bautista probably didn't even see Rossi.
Each rider's style fits the bikes they ride. The Honda behaves differently than the Yamaha does, comparing Lorenzo's and Pedrosa's riding styles. Lorenzo is into the 1:48 bracket, running a 1:48.2. Most riders are in the 1:48s as Stefan Bradl makes a pass. Alvaro Bautista is not happy either, even though it's a racing incident. The leaders race back into Arrabiata. Lorenzo continues running down consistent laps, and holds off Pedrosa, six laps into the race.
Dani Pedrosa has had the opportunity to make a pass, but he's also watching Lorenzo to see where he is. Lorenzo is trying to wear Pedrosa down. This is a chess game on two wheels. Michele Pirro is running the wildcard Ducati #51, and he's chasing Aleix Espargaro. Stefan Bradl runs fifth, and needs a good result as his season has not been the best. These riders work their way through Casanova. Dovizioso's injury is a stiff neck. Some thought he wouldn't race at all. But, he's in the race today.
The Bautista/Rossi crash is under investigation by the stewards. Marquez is hanging on pretty well. Pedrosa is still sizing up Lorenzo for the lead battle here, and Marquez is also in it. How much does Jorge Lorenzo have in the bag? The marshals may have to talk to both Bautista and Rossi after the race. Aleix Espargaro is trying to hang on. He's riding well and is holding off Andrea Ianonne. Randy de Puniet and Hector Barbera are also there. Pedrosa and Marquez tussle, and Lorenzo continues to stretch his lead. Andrea Ianonne is losing spots. He's 19th. Has he crashed?
Jorge Lorenzo runs a 1:47.9. New fast lap. He's continuing to gap the two Repsol Honda's. Lorenzo looks to be untouchable here. Marquez wants by his team mate, but he can't quite give there, even though he's really applying the blowtorch to his team mate. But, Lorenzo is checking out. Nine laps to go. Nicky Hayden passes Andrea Dovizioso on the inside. Colin Edwards is also moving up. He moves from 17th to 15th. Jorge Lorenzo is having a totally different race than he did last time out in France. Marquez is still trying Pedrosa, and Cal Crutchlow is also running consistently.
Marquez tries the outside into San Donato. But, he can't quite get by Pedrosa. Marquez tries the outside through Casanova. No dice. Marquez is fearless. He is pushing hard, and won't do things that fans expect. Hiroshi Aoyama has trouble, and is in the pits. Marquez passes into Casanova, and then, Pedrosa tries through the esses. Dovizioso passes Hayden. Stefan Bradl is also still pushing. But, Jorge Lorenzo has ridden the perfect race with just four laps left. Hiroshi Aoyama retires as he's sore from injuries. Andrea Dovizioso passes Nicky Hayden.
So, the hometown fans won't get a triumph here. But, Ducati's performance is still noteworthy. Cal Crutchlow is trying to catch Dani Pedrosa. Will he be able to make that work? Bradley Smith sets his personal best lap. But, Marc Marquez has crashed! He is furious! He's crashed four times this weekend. He had a gap, but took a huge tumble in Casanova. He was close to getting a fifth consecutive podium. But, it didn't happen. Marquez has had a fraught weekend. Cal Crutchlow is now on the podium as it looks like Lorenzo will sail to a win here.
Dani Pedrosa is second, 1.8 seconds behind. This is Marquez's first retirement in MotoGP. It will be a weekend he'll want to forget. It's the last lap. Lorenzo is going to win. The championship points table, will take a turn with Marquez's retirement, and Crutchlow getting a podium as Andrea Dovizioso wants by Stefan Bradl goin g into Savelli. It's the last lap now. Andrea Dovizioso passes Stefan Bradl for fourth. Lorenzo is going to win this race! He's done it!
#99 Jorge Lorenzo ESP Yamaha
This is the second win for Lorenzo in 2013. Marquez could have been the first rookie to ever have five consecutive podium finishes. But, that didn't happen. The next race sees the MotoGP racers return to Spain, and it will take place at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain, in two weeks.
Ferrari owns the race track. It is also home to Ducati, and the fans will demand nothing less than a victory this weekend. Will it come? Andrea Dovizioso is on pole, but he had a huge crash in practice, and he's somewhat hurt. He's going to go for it. The track has been repaved. It has 14 corners. Less than ten minutes before the race starts. Qualifying highlights, and the race, are on tap.
Former Grand Prix racer Max Biaggi is at the track to watch. Dani Pedrosa is on pole for the race with a new record time of 1:47.157. Valentino Rossi starts seventh. Andrea Dovizioso starts third. Nicky Hayden will start on row three, and Marc Marquez, on row two, despite the fact that he had a huge crash in practice. Will he race to the limit today? Bradley Smith has had two wrecks. One in practice, and one, today in the warmup. Andrea Ianonne is also going to be one to watch. It is his first home Grand Prix at the top level, in MotoGP.
The bikes are on trhe grid, ready for the start. Ben Spies is not racing today. But, he's not quite ready yet. Yhis track has been around since 1974. There are fifteen corners, and it's really fast. 215 miles an hour on a MotoGP bike. Ben Spies is a guest commentator for the race today. The bikes are on their warmup lap. They form up and are ready. 23 laps scheduled. Let's go MotoGP racing!
At the start, it's clean, and Dovizioso blocks Cal Crutchlow right away as Marc Marquez tries getting through and Jorge Lorenzo shoots into the lead! Valentino Rossi crashes right away! Oh no! Alvaro Bautista is also out of it! The bikes race through San Donato. Bautista is groggy. The airbag inside his racing suit, protected him, fortunately. That was a scary wreck. Alvaro either went too wide and they touched tires, or Rossi leaned too far on the outside. Whoa. Scary. The front tires might be worked quite a bit. Andrea Dovizioso is holding off Cal Crutchlow.
In Arrabiata, they continue to battle. They are former team mates. Jorge Lorenzo leads with Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez following through the final corner at Bucine, back through San Donato to start another lap. Cal Crutchlow pulls away from Dovizioso as Stefan Bradl passes Nicky Hayden, back to San Donato again. Valentino Rossi returns to the garage. He hasn't said anything, and people seem to be in shock. Rossi is not happy at all. It's a racing incident. Alvaro Bautista probably didn't even see Rossi.
Each rider's style fits the bikes they ride. The Honda behaves differently than the Yamaha does, comparing Lorenzo's and Pedrosa's riding styles. Lorenzo is into the 1:48 bracket, running a 1:48.2. Most riders are in the 1:48s as Stefan Bradl makes a pass. Alvaro Bautista is not happy either, even though it's a racing incident. The leaders race back into Arrabiata. Lorenzo continues running down consistent laps, and holds off Pedrosa, six laps into the race.
Dani Pedrosa has had the opportunity to make a pass, but he's also watching Lorenzo to see where he is. Lorenzo is trying to wear Pedrosa down. This is a chess game on two wheels. Michele Pirro is running the wildcard Ducati #51, and he's chasing Aleix Espargaro. Stefan Bradl runs fifth, and needs a good result as his season has not been the best. These riders work their way through Casanova. Dovizioso's injury is a stiff neck. Some thought he wouldn't race at all. But, he's in the race today.
The Bautista/Rossi crash is under investigation by the stewards. Marquez is hanging on pretty well. Pedrosa is still sizing up Lorenzo for the lead battle here, and Marquez is also in it. How much does Jorge Lorenzo have in the bag? The marshals may have to talk to both Bautista and Rossi after the race. Aleix Espargaro is trying to hang on. He's riding well and is holding off Andrea Ianonne. Randy de Puniet and Hector Barbera are also there. Pedrosa and Marquez tussle, and Lorenzo continues to stretch his lead. Andrea Ianonne is losing spots. He's 19th. Has he crashed?
Jorge Lorenzo runs a 1:47.9. New fast lap. He's continuing to gap the two Repsol Honda's. Lorenzo looks to be untouchable here. Marquez wants by his team mate, but he can't quite give there, even though he's really applying the blowtorch to his team mate. But, Lorenzo is checking out. Nine laps to go. Nicky Hayden passes Andrea Dovizioso on the inside. Colin Edwards is also moving up. He moves from 17th to 15th. Jorge Lorenzo is having a totally different race than he did last time out in France. Marquez is still trying Pedrosa, and Cal Crutchlow is also running consistently.
Marquez tries the outside into San Donato. But, he can't quite get by Pedrosa. Marquez tries the outside through Casanova. No dice. Marquez is fearless. He is pushing hard, and won't do things that fans expect. Hiroshi Aoyama has trouble, and is in the pits. Marquez passes into Casanova, and then, Pedrosa tries through the esses. Dovizioso passes Hayden. Stefan Bradl is also still pushing. But, Jorge Lorenzo has ridden the perfect race with just four laps left. Hiroshi Aoyama retires as he's sore from injuries. Andrea Dovizioso passes Nicky Hayden.
So, the hometown fans won't get a triumph here. But, Ducati's performance is still noteworthy. Cal Crutchlow is trying to catch Dani Pedrosa. Will he be able to make that work? Bradley Smith sets his personal best lap. But, Marc Marquez has crashed! He is furious! He's crashed four times this weekend. He had a gap, but took a huge tumble in Casanova. He was close to getting a fifth consecutive podium. But, it didn't happen. Marquez has had a fraught weekend. Cal Crutchlow is now on the podium as it looks like Lorenzo will sail to a win here.
Dani Pedrosa is second, 1.8 seconds behind. This is Marquez's first retirement in MotoGP. It will be a weekend he'll want to forget. It's the last lap. Lorenzo is going to win. The championship points table, will take a turn with Marquez's retirement, and Crutchlow getting a podium as Andrea Dovizioso wants by Stefan Bradl goin g into Savelli. It's the last lap now. Andrea Dovizioso passes Stefan Bradl for fourth. Lorenzo is going to win this race! He's done it!
#99 Jorge Lorenzo ESP Yamaha
This is the second win for Lorenzo in 2013. Marquez could have been the first rookie to ever have five consecutive podium finishes. But, that didn't happen. The next race sees the MotoGP racers return to Spain, and it will take place at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain, in two weeks.
Saturday, June 1, 2013
AMA Superbike: Road America (Subway Superbike Double Header) Race 1
This is round two of the 2013 AMA Superbike Championship. Mat Mladin, Fred Merkel, Freddie Spencer, and Eddie Lawson, are just some of the riders who have won at Road America. This track is a "grand old lady" of road racing. A returning champion is back, and that of course, is Josh Hayes, who had lots of issues at Daytona back in March.
30 points are allotted for a win, 25 for second, 21 for third. Plus, there are points for pole, fast lap, and leading most laps. Reg Pridmore, Fred Merkel, Doug Chandler, and Mat Mladin have all won multiple championships, just as Josh Hayes has so far in his career. Daytona Sportbike will also race. That update will come in another post. Cameron Beaubier, winner of the Daytona 200, wants to keep the momentum up.
Garrett Gerloff and Bobby Fong also ran well at Daytona. The difference between a Sportbike and Superbike are that the Sportbikes have 600cc motors and run DOT street tires along with a modded electronics package. The Superbikes have 1,000cc motors, with slick tires, and high tech electronics that control everything on the bike. It is easier to push a Sportbike. But, a Superbike is MUCH quicker. Either of those bikes would scare the daylights out of mere mortals like yours truly, who is only a fan.
Triumph and Elena Myers are very competitive. Myers has a new 2013 bike this weekend. She is getting very comfortable on the bike. Huntley Nash is racing both Superbikes and Daytona Sportbikes this weekend. These races will be back-to-back. Geico sponsored rider Dan Westby had a big crash at Daytona and fortunately, he's recovered. He can get back to racing now. Road America is one of his favorite tracks. Rider Ryan Kerr jumps from the Supersport feeder series, past the Daytona Sportbikes, right to Superbike.
EBR has Geoff May, and veteran rider Aaron Yates, running in Superbike. The well known #20 bike is back. In 2000, Steve Rapp had a huge wreck in2000, with John Kocinski. Last year, Rapp's chain fell off his bike, and the other riders avoided it. The weather will be a factor in this race.
Danny Eslick wants his first podium of the season in this race. Josh Herrin will also want a good result. The start of the race, and turn five, will be a big deal. Keeping up with Josh Hayes will be another story. The weather was a question mark. But, it's improving, and so, the riders will have a clear track and can use slick tires. Taylor Knapp and Chris Fillmore are looking to run well for KTM as the bikes are on their warmup lap, getting ready for a start.
At the start, the bikes fan out and right now, Martin Cardenas has the lead. Josh Hayes wants the spot. They touch. Hayes and Herrin pass Cardenas on the Suzuki. Through turn five, there are three riders that crash. Who is in this pileup? The bikes can be cleared off the track. No red flag needed. Two incidents happened. The riders are up. But, it's not known who crashed. Cardenas is going to pass Herrin. It's Suzuki vs. Yamaha. This race will be 13 laps. Three are complete. Roger Hayden and Larry Pegram battle.
Aaron Yates and Chris Clark as well as Geoff May and Chris Fillmore, are up there in the running order. It's EBR and KTM battling. These bikes are still in development. Maybe the KTM can't get good tire grip. Danny Eslick is going for it as well. The Suzuki has much more power than the KTM does. Reese Wacker has crashed his bike, #78. Chris Clark misses his braking mark at turn five and runs wide. He got trapped behind another bike. Josh Hayes is flying. He wants to change things after a dreadful race at Daytona back in March.
Hayes has a three second lead over Martin Cardenas while Dustin Dominguez has motor problems. His EBR has gone ka blammo with a major mosquito killer. Game over for Dominguez. There's a battle between Roger Hayden and Larry Pegram, with Danny Eslick also running close behind into Canada Corner. The race is at it's halfway mark. Pegram has really improved after running with Ducati and BMW in the past. The Yamaha seems to be a good package for him. Meanwhile, Roger Hayden had a slight off, according to his crew chief.
Huntley Nash has had a fraught weekend, crashing out of the Superbike race as well. Taylor Knapp's KTM is stalled on course. It's a beautiful bike, but is having real issues now. Josh Hayes is checking out once again, running laps in the 2:12 bracket. Martin Cardenas is 2.3 seconds behind. But, he's pushing. Josh Herrin is third. At halfway, the gaps seem to be closing. Hayes' crew chief Jim Roach says that he'll have to lead laps and win races to win the title. Hayes is cruising. But, Chris Fillmore on the sister KTM bike is headed for the house.
Oops. Chris Fillmore is fine. Retract that last statement. He might have made a mistake. He's far from being out of this race. Roger Hayden still is ahead of Larry Pegram. Roger has a gap and there are five laps remaining. No real change at the front. Hayes is going to master another Superbike race, folks. Three laps left in this race. Danny Eslick is catching Larry Pegram at the moment. Time running out for the competition at least in this contest. Hayes' state of mind is that he knows what is going on. That is the sign of a championship winner.
Martin Cardenas will come in second, and it's been good. We'll see what happens tomorrow in the next race. The riders are still feeling their way around on these new tires. It is unclear as to what Larry Pegram's issue is. Crew chief Dave Weaver says, "I honestly have no idea what the problem is." Pegram still wants by Hayden. It's the last lap of race one. Josh Hayes has a 3.5 second lead. The Hayden/Pegram battle is the one to watch. Roger Hayden gets a better drive off the corner. But, Josh Hayes will win. He's back in form and can forget all about the miserable experience of Daytona.
#1 Josh Hayes Yamaha R1
Dave Anthony makes it to the top eight spots. This race is done and dusted.
Race two tomorrow. Stay tuned, fans. Looking for another good one.
30 points are allotted for a win, 25 for second, 21 for third. Plus, there are points for pole, fast lap, and leading most laps. Reg Pridmore, Fred Merkel, Doug Chandler, and Mat Mladin have all won multiple championships, just as Josh Hayes has so far in his career. Daytona Sportbike will also race. That update will come in another post. Cameron Beaubier, winner of the Daytona 200, wants to keep the momentum up.
Garrett Gerloff and Bobby Fong also ran well at Daytona. The difference between a Sportbike and Superbike are that the Sportbikes have 600cc motors and run DOT street tires along with a modded electronics package. The Superbikes have 1,000cc motors, with slick tires, and high tech electronics that control everything on the bike. It is easier to push a Sportbike. But, a Superbike is MUCH quicker. Either of those bikes would scare the daylights out of mere mortals like yours truly, who is only a fan.
Triumph and Elena Myers are very competitive. Myers has a new 2013 bike this weekend. She is getting very comfortable on the bike. Huntley Nash is racing both Superbikes and Daytona Sportbikes this weekend. These races will be back-to-back. Geico sponsored rider Dan Westby had a big crash at Daytona and fortunately, he's recovered. He can get back to racing now. Road America is one of his favorite tracks. Rider Ryan Kerr jumps from the Supersport feeder series, past the Daytona Sportbikes, right to Superbike.
EBR has Geoff May, and veteran rider Aaron Yates, running in Superbike. The well known #20 bike is back. In 2000, Steve Rapp had a huge wreck in2000, with John Kocinski. Last year, Rapp's chain fell off his bike, and the other riders avoided it. The weather will be a factor in this race.
Danny Eslick wants his first podium of the season in this race. Josh Herrin will also want a good result. The start of the race, and turn five, will be a big deal. Keeping up with Josh Hayes will be another story. The weather was a question mark. But, it's improving, and so, the riders will have a clear track and can use slick tires. Taylor Knapp and Chris Fillmore are looking to run well for KTM as the bikes are on their warmup lap, getting ready for a start.
At the start, the bikes fan out and right now, Martin Cardenas has the lead. Josh Hayes wants the spot. They touch. Hayes and Herrin pass Cardenas on the Suzuki. Through turn five, there are three riders that crash. Who is in this pileup? The bikes can be cleared off the track. No red flag needed. Two incidents happened. The riders are up. But, it's not known who crashed. Cardenas is going to pass Herrin. It's Suzuki vs. Yamaha. This race will be 13 laps. Three are complete. Roger Hayden and Larry Pegram battle.
Aaron Yates and Chris Clark as well as Geoff May and Chris Fillmore, are up there in the running order. It's EBR and KTM battling. These bikes are still in development. Maybe the KTM can't get good tire grip. Danny Eslick is going for it as well. The Suzuki has much more power than the KTM does. Reese Wacker has crashed his bike, #78. Chris Clark misses his braking mark at turn five and runs wide. He got trapped behind another bike. Josh Hayes is flying. He wants to change things after a dreadful race at Daytona back in March.
Hayes has a three second lead over Martin Cardenas while Dustin Dominguez has motor problems. His EBR has gone ka blammo with a major mosquito killer. Game over for Dominguez. There's a battle between Roger Hayden and Larry Pegram, with Danny Eslick also running close behind into Canada Corner. The race is at it's halfway mark. Pegram has really improved after running with Ducati and BMW in the past. The Yamaha seems to be a good package for him. Meanwhile, Roger Hayden had a slight off, according to his crew chief.
Huntley Nash has had a fraught weekend, crashing out of the Superbike race as well. Taylor Knapp's KTM is stalled on course. It's a beautiful bike, but is having real issues now. Josh Hayes is checking out once again, running laps in the 2:12 bracket. Martin Cardenas is 2.3 seconds behind. But, he's pushing. Josh Herrin is third. At halfway, the gaps seem to be closing. Hayes' crew chief Jim Roach says that he'll have to lead laps and win races to win the title. Hayes is cruising. But, Chris Fillmore on the sister KTM bike is headed for the house.
Oops. Chris Fillmore is fine. Retract that last statement. He might have made a mistake. He's far from being out of this race. Roger Hayden still is ahead of Larry Pegram. Roger has a gap and there are five laps remaining. No real change at the front. Hayes is going to master another Superbike race, folks. Three laps left in this race. Danny Eslick is catching Larry Pegram at the moment. Time running out for the competition at least in this contest. Hayes' state of mind is that he knows what is going on. That is the sign of a championship winner.
Martin Cardenas will come in second, and it's been good. We'll see what happens tomorrow in the next race. The riders are still feeling their way around on these new tires. It is unclear as to what Larry Pegram's issue is. Crew chief Dave Weaver says, "I honestly have no idea what the problem is." Pegram still wants by Hayden. It's the last lap of race one. Josh Hayes has a 3.5 second lead. The Hayden/Pegram battle is the one to watch. Roger Hayden gets a better drive off the corner. But, Josh Hayes will win. He's back in form and can forget all about the miserable experience of Daytona.
#1 Josh Hayes Yamaha R1
Dave Anthony makes it to the top eight spots. This race is done and dusted.
Race two tomorrow. Stay tuned, fans. Looking for another good one.
AMA Daytona Sportbike: Road America race 1
Bobby Fong on bike #50 could be a factor in this race. The weather will be an issue with rain and thunderstorms in the forecast. Jason DiSalvo and the Triumph could be a factor as well. The wind has picked up as we are getting ready to go racing, Daytona Sportbike style.
Jake Gagne has qualified second for the race. Jake Lewis, won the Supersport championship on the East Coast last year. But, he's made the jump to Daytona Sportbike. He grew up down the road from the Hayden brothers, Nicky, Roger, and Tommy. Nicky Hayden won the 2006 MotoGP World Championship. Lewis could follow in those footsteps. The bikes are on their warmup lap as Cameron Beaubier of course, starts from pole. Pack racing, and passes into turn one will be a big deal. It's a four mile track, with 14 corners.
At the start, Dane Westby gets the jump, but the Yamaha's both go around immediately going downhill. Try to get through cleanly. Four riders are already going for it. James Rispoli, Dane Westby, and others. Westby runs wide playing defense. Thirteen laps scheduled. Jake Gagne moves to second behind Cameron Beaubier. Yamaha has the top bike in this class. Bobby Fong moves to sixth on his Triumph Daytona 675. Fong is trying to get used to this new bike. Jake Gagne is going for it. Both riders are on Yamaha bikes. Beaubier is going to have the heat put on him.
J.D. Beach is on the move as James Rispoli gets loose in turn five. Elena Myers is thirteenth. Huntley Nash and Joey Pascarella are also in this contest towards the latter half of the top dozen. Rispoli runs off the road. But, he'll be fine. Two laps complete. Beaubier checked out at the Daytona 200. But now, Jake Gagne is going after Cameron Beaubier. Will Beaubier gap the field here? Beach, Lewis, Westby, Gagne, Gerloff etc. are going to have to push to catch Beaubier.
Cameron Beaubier still has Jake Gagne right up his tailpipe. Dane Westby passes Jake Lewis, and J.D. Beach will be the next rider he's going after. One lap to halfway. Lewis tries passing Westby, but no dice. This race is definitely on now. Westby tries to pass Lewis and runs wide. He's losing time as Garrett Gerloff, James Rispoli, and Bobby Fong are all catching up. Fong is the quickest Triumph bike at the moment.
Rispoli tries passing Garrett Gerloff, and can't quite get there. Jake Lewis holds off Dane Westby. Gerloff is Cameron Beaubier's team mate. Beaubier runs a 2:20.063. The gap is at 1.4 seconds. No mistakes. That's the big deal in these races. Beaubier's crew chief Oliver Hudson says things are going to plan at the moment. Yhis race is into it's second half. Westby, Gerloff, Rispoli, and Fong are still going for it. Rispoli forces his way by. Gerloff tries the outside line and these guys are three wide into the corner! No one wants to give an inch!
Now, can Garrett Gerloff pull away? Beaubier is in another zip code. He's flying. Five laps remain. Bobby Fong is going for it. He's the highest placed Triumph who wants by Rispoli. Jason DiSalvo and Elena Myers are behind. Four laps left. Westby's crew chief Chick Giacetto is confident of their chances to do well. Beaubier's lead is 1.7 seconds over Jake Gagne. We are coming to the finish of this race. Still four laps left. The tires are starting to tear up. Be careful. Manage them. Jake Gagne is trying hard. J.D. Beach and Jake Lewis are trying to battle each other. They are neighbors in Kentucky, and going for it.
Dane Westby protects his place. But, Fong nearly loses his bike! Huntley Nash is out of the race. There's a tire issue, or one for the bike. Game over in Daytona Sportbike. But Nash will be back in Superbike. Fong is also going for it. Will Beaubier win? It's odd that he isn't yet on the road to racing in Europe, in MotoGP competition. Will he be there in the future? Time will tell. Now, it's the last lap. No change at the front. The battle is Gerloff, Westby, Fong, and Rispoli. Myers and DiSalvo on the Triumph's are back there. But, they've not had the race they wanted.
Garrett Gerloff's crew chief Brian Stokes is satisfied with where Gerloff is in the order at the moment. This is the last lap. It'll be a scrap between Westby and Gerloff. James Rispoli is actually racing with Westby. Westby goes for it. Gerloff runs wide! Wow. Westby holds off the challenge, but the riders go four wide! Rispoli wants to show his hand. What will happen into this passing zone? Rispoli is pushing the limits of his bike as Beaubier leads nearly by three seconds. He's going to win it!
#6 Cameron Beaubier Yamaha
It will be Fong passing both Gerloff and Rispoli as Benny Solis and Ben Young are tussling for the last spots in the top six or so. Young gets the place. This race is done and dusted. There will be a second race. Stay tuned for that later on, tomorrow.
Jake Gagne has qualified second for the race. Jake Lewis, won the Supersport championship on the East Coast last year. But, he's made the jump to Daytona Sportbike. He grew up down the road from the Hayden brothers, Nicky, Roger, and Tommy. Nicky Hayden won the 2006 MotoGP World Championship. Lewis could follow in those footsteps. The bikes are on their warmup lap as Cameron Beaubier of course, starts from pole. Pack racing, and passes into turn one will be a big deal. It's a four mile track, with 14 corners.
At the start, Dane Westby gets the jump, but the Yamaha's both go around immediately going downhill. Try to get through cleanly. Four riders are already going for it. James Rispoli, Dane Westby, and others. Westby runs wide playing defense. Thirteen laps scheduled. Jake Gagne moves to second behind Cameron Beaubier. Yamaha has the top bike in this class. Bobby Fong moves to sixth on his Triumph Daytona 675. Fong is trying to get used to this new bike. Jake Gagne is going for it. Both riders are on Yamaha bikes. Beaubier is going to have the heat put on him.
J.D. Beach is on the move as James Rispoli gets loose in turn five. Elena Myers is thirteenth. Huntley Nash and Joey Pascarella are also in this contest towards the latter half of the top dozen. Rispoli runs off the road. But, he'll be fine. Two laps complete. Beaubier checked out at the Daytona 200. But now, Jake Gagne is going after Cameron Beaubier. Will Beaubier gap the field here? Beach, Lewis, Westby, Gagne, Gerloff etc. are going to have to push to catch Beaubier.
Cameron Beaubier still has Jake Gagne right up his tailpipe. Dane Westby passes Jake Lewis, and J.D. Beach will be the next rider he's going after. One lap to halfway. Lewis tries passing Westby, but no dice. This race is definitely on now. Westby tries to pass Lewis and runs wide. He's losing time as Garrett Gerloff, James Rispoli, and Bobby Fong are all catching up. Fong is the quickest Triumph bike at the moment.
Rispoli tries passing Garrett Gerloff, and can't quite get there. Jake Lewis holds off Dane Westby. Gerloff is Cameron Beaubier's team mate. Beaubier runs a 2:20.063. The gap is at 1.4 seconds. No mistakes. That's the big deal in these races. Beaubier's crew chief Oliver Hudson says things are going to plan at the moment. Yhis race is into it's second half. Westby, Gerloff, Rispoli, and Fong are still going for it. Rispoli forces his way by. Gerloff tries the outside line and these guys are three wide into the corner! No one wants to give an inch!
Now, can Garrett Gerloff pull away? Beaubier is in another zip code. He's flying. Five laps remain. Bobby Fong is going for it. He's the highest placed Triumph who wants by Rispoli. Jason DiSalvo and Elena Myers are behind. Four laps left. Westby's crew chief Chick Giacetto is confident of their chances to do well. Beaubier's lead is 1.7 seconds over Jake Gagne. We are coming to the finish of this race. Still four laps left. The tires are starting to tear up. Be careful. Manage them. Jake Gagne is trying hard. J.D. Beach and Jake Lewis are trying to battle each other. They are neighbors in Kentucky, and going for it.
Dane Westby protects his place. But, Fong nearly loses his bike! Huntley Nash is out of the race. There's a tire issue, or one for the bike. Game over in Daytona Sportbike. But Nash will be back in Superbike. Fong is also going for it. Will Beaubier win? It's odd that he isn't yet on the road to racing in Europe, in MotoGP competition. Will he be there in the future? Time will tell. Now, it's the last lap. No change at the front. The battle is Gerloff, Westby, Fong, and Rispoli. Myers and DiSalvo on the Triumph's are back there. But, they've not had the race they wanted.
Garrett Gerloff's crew chief Brian Stokes is satisfied with where Gerloff is in the order at the moment. This is the last lap. It'll be a scrap between Westby and Gerloff. James Rispoli is actually racing with Westby. Westby goes for it. Gerloff runs wide! Wow. Westby holds off the challenge, but the riders go four wide! Rispoli wants to show his hand. What will happen into this passing zone? Rispoli is pushing the limits of his bike as Beaubier leads nearly by three seconds. He's going to win it!
#6 Cameron Beaubier Yamaha
It will be Fong passing both Gerloff and Rispoli as Benny Solis and Ben Young are tussling for the last spots in the top six or so. Young gets the place. This race is done and dusted. There will be a second race. Stay tuned for that later on, tomorrow.
Friday, May 31, 2013
assorted motorcycle racing stories
Stories from AMA, MotoGP, and World Superbike.
MOTOGP: Lorenzo Lead, Marquez Escapes Terrifying Crash
http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/motogp-lorenzo-fastest-marquez-escapes-terrifying-crash/
WSBK: Hopkins Visits Crescent Suzuki At TT
http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/wsbk-hopkins-visits-crescent-suzuki-at-tt/
MOTOGP: Mixed Start for Monster Yamaha Tech 3
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2013/Mixed+start+for+Monster+Yamaha+Tech+3
MOTOGP: Spies Faces Dilemma
http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/motogp-spies-faces-dilemma/
MOTOGP: Lorenzo Lead, Marquez Escapes Terrifying Crash
http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/motogp-lorenzo-fastest-marquez-escapes-terrifying-crash/
WSBK: Hopkins Visits Crescent Suzuki At TT
http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/wsbk-hopkins-visits-crescent-suzuki-at-tt/
MOTOGP: Mixed Start for Monster Yamaha Tech 3
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2013/Mixed+start+for+Monster+Yamaha+Tech+3
MOTOGP: Spies Faces Dilemma
http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/motogp-spies-faces-dilemma/
Thursday, May 30, 2013
AMA racing news bits
A couple news items heading into round two for AMA Superbike and AMA Daytona Sportbike this weekend at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
AMA DSB: Mending Westby Excited For Road America
http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/ama-dsb-mending-westby-excited-for-road-america/
AMA SBK: Yamaha Title Hopefuls Lead Into Round 2
http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/ama-sbk-yamaha-title-hopefuls-lead-into-round-2/
AMA DSB: Mending Westby Excited For Road America
http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/ama-dsb-mending-westby-excited-for-road-america/
AMA SBK: Yamaha Title Hopefuls Lead Into Round 2
http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/ama-sbk-yamaha-title-hopefuls-lead-into-round-2/
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