Rennie Scaysbrook | July 10, 2022
Sunday
Superbike
If you would have bet that Jake Gagne wouldn’t lead the 2022 MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship until the sixth round (and 12th race) of the series, you’d be a bit richer today than you were yesterday.
Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Gagne completed a sweep of the two Medallia Superbike races in the GEICO Motorcycle MotoAmerica Speedfest at Monterey on Sunday, the defending series champion taking over the lead of the 2022 title chase for the first time all season in the process.
Gagne got to the front early and checked out for another win.
Gagne nailed the holeshot from third on the front row, put his head down and gapped the field. From there it was just a matter of putting in quick laps, getting the lead to four seconds, then maintaining a fast pace to the finish. Gagne crossed the finish line after 20 laps of WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. It was a signature Gagne race.
The win was Gagne’s fourth in a row and seventh this year as he’s kicked his season into high gear heading into the second half of the series. He now leads the championship by three points.
Although the podium was the same as in yesterday’s race one, the results were different with Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC’s Danilo Petrucci turning the tables on Gagne’s teammate Cameron Petersen in race two, the pair finishing second and third, respectively.
Although he went one better than yesterday, Petrucci’s runner-up finish wasn’t enough to keep Gagne at bay and the Yamaha man now leads the championship by three points, 215-212, marking the first time since the season began in Texas that Petrucci isn’t the championship leader.
For the second day in a row, Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Superbike rookie Richie Escalante showed why he was picked by Suzuki to make the move to Superbike. Escalante ran third for a few laps before giving way to Petersen and Westby Racing Mathew Scholtz, his pace impressing both riders. When Scholtz crashed out of the race, Escalante inherited fourth and held it to the finish for the second straight day. He finished 17.9 seconds behind Gagne a day after finishing 17.5 seconds behind Gagne, but the race winner’s pace was faster in race two (28:17.534 to 28:19.887). An impressive weekend for the former MotoAmerica Supersport Champion.
Gagne (center) is not eh championship leader after his Laguna double.
With Scholtz a non-finisher, Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Hector Barbera improved by a position over yesterday’s sixth place with the Spaniard ending up fifth on Sunday. He was some eight seconds ahead of his teammate PJ Jacobsen at the finish.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Kyle Wyman was eighth in his fill-in ride for the injured Jake Lewis, the New Yorker beating his brother Travis to the finish line by some four seconds.
Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC Racing’s Corey Alexander was ninth, shadowing his teammate Travis Wyman to the end and losing out by just .247 of a second. ADR Motorsports’ David Anthony finished 10th after beating Disrupt Racing’s Hayden Gillim to the checkered flag.So, with 12 races in the books, Gagne leads Petrucci by three points, 215-212. Petersen’s third-place finish combined with Scholtz’s non-finish swaps the two South Africans with Petersen now third with 175 points to Scholtz’s 170. Barbera is fifth with 122 points.
Superbike Race 2
- Jake Gagne (Yamaha)
- Danilo Petrucci (Ducati)
- Cameron Petersen (Yamaha)
- Richie Escalante (Suzuki)
- Hector Barbera (BMW)
- PJ Jacobsen (BMW)
- Kyle Wyman (Suzuki)
- Travis Wyman (BMW)
- Corey Alexander (BMW)
- David Anthony (Suzuki)
Saturday
Superbike
Ladies and gentlemen, Jake Gagne is on a roll and that should make everyone else in the MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship uncomfortable. Like shaking-in-their-boots uncomfortable.
Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Gagne won his third straight race and his sixth of the season in the GEICO Motorcycle MotoAmerica Speedfest at Monterey, the defending series champion doing what he does best: clearing off at the start, putting down quick and consistent laps and then maintaining his lead to the finish. At the end of the 20-lapper at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Gagne was 4.381 seconds ahead in winning the 23rd Superbike race of his career.
Gagne was untouchable in race one at Laguna Seca.
While Gagne was clear at the front, the battle for second was a thriller. On the final lap, Gagne’s teammate Cameron Petersen held the spot going into the Corkscrew for the last time. Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC’s Danilo Petrucci hadn’t given up on the spot and he charged up the inside of the Yamaha, did a “soft touch” that pushed Petersen off track. Then the race was on to the bottom of the Corkscrew, ala Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner, with Petersen coming back on track alongside Petrucci but with more momentum. A determined Petersen wasn’t going to lose this one and he beat Petrucci to the finish line by .280 of a second.
Petersen’s second-place finish was his seventh podium of year keeping him in fourth in series standings; and Petrucci’s ninth podium of the year sees him still atop the championship point standings, though that lead is now an anorexic two points over Gagne
Richie Escalante had his best Superbike race of the season, the Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki rider finishing fourth. He was 17.5 seconds behind Gagne, but over five seconds ahead of Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz, the South African battling traction problems that made his Yamaha YZF-R1 barely rideable.
Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Hector Barbera was sixth, some five seconds ahead of his teammate PJ Jacobsen. Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Kyle Wyman, who was filling in for the injured Jake Lewis, had a lonely ride to eighth with Champ School BPR Yamaha’s Bryce Prince ninth in his only MotoAmerica appearance of the season.
Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC Racing’s Travis Wyman rounded out the top 10 finishers.
Petrucci still leads the title chase over Gagne, 192-190, heading into tomorrow’s race two at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Scholtz is still third with 170 points, 11 clear of Petersen’s 159 points. Barbera rounds out the top five with 111 points.
Superbike Race 1
- Jake Gagne (Yamaha)
- Cameron Petersen (Yamaha)
- Danilo Petrucci (Ducati)
- Richie Escalante (Suzuki)
- Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha)
- Hector Barbera (BMW)
- PJ Jacobsen (BMW)
- Kyle Wyman (Suzuki)
- Bryce Prince (Yamaha)
- Travis Wyman (BMW)
Stock 1000
The Yuasa Stock 1000 class had one race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, and polesitter Alexander made the most of it. The Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC Racing BMW rider expected a close battle at the front, but it never materialized, and Alexander led the 14-lap race from start to finish. The New Yorker’s gap at the checkered flag was nearly five seconds over second-place finisher Champ School BPR Racing Yamaha rider Bryce Prince, the former MotoAmerica regular returning to the paddock just for the Laguna Seca round. Disrupt Racing Suzuki’s Gillim, who is second to Alexander in the point standings, finished third.
Three on the trot for Corey Alexander in Stock 1000.
Supersport
After suffering a crash that was not his fault in Supersport final qualifying, Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC rider Josh Herrin bounced back in a big way, notching his sixth win of the season and third victory in a row in the afternoon’s race. Keeping Herrin honest for the majority of the 19-lap race was polesitter Tyler Scott, the Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki rider hounding Herrin, but eventually finishing second and a little over one-and-a-half seconds adrift of him.
Rocco Landers finished third on his Landers Racing Yamaha to make it three different motorcycle brands on the podium.
SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup
Saturday’s SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup race had a lot of drama with a couple of crashes changing the way things finished. In fact, one of the crashes involving SportbikeTrackGear.com Kawasaki’s Max Van and Altus Motorsports Kawasaki’s Kayla Yaakov led to a red flag with two laps left to go, and the race was called. Van’s teammate Joseph LiMandri Jr. took the victory by .513 of a second over Alpha Omega Kawasaki rider Cody Wyman. Bicknese Racing Kawasaki’s Hayden Bicknese was third, the Missouri-based rider celebrating his 16th birthday a few days early with his first MotoAmerica podium.
Twins Cup
Saturday wrapped up with Twins Cup, which like Stock 1000, was their only race of the weekend. Cory Ventura, who podiumed twice at Laguna Seca in Supersport last year, proved that the home of the Corkscrew is home sweet home for him as he took the checkered flag in Twins Cup aboard his MP13 Racing Yamaha for his first win this season. N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto Yamaha’s Blake Davis finished second for his best finish since winning the first Twins Cup race of the season at Daytona this past March. Polesitter Kaleb De Keyrel, who started on the pole, rounded out the podium in third aboard his Veloce Racing Aprilia.
Friday
Superbike
Defending MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Champion Jake Gagne started the weekend off the way he normally does by throwing down the fastest laps in both practice and Q1 on opening day for this weekend’s GEICO Motorcycle MotoAmerica Speedfest at Monterey.
And if today’s opening day of action at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is any indication, we’re in for a pair of white-hot Medallia Superbike races this weekend.
Gagne leads but it’s tight at the top.
While Gagne and his Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing YZF-R1 set the pace with a 1:23.707 lap in Q1 to take provisional pole position for the two Medallia Superbike races, he’s got company at the top with Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC’s Danilo Petrucci just .232 of a second behind and the top five all within a second of Gagne.
Gagne tamed the wind to click off his best lap on his 11th go-around, his 1:23.707 – just .799 of a second off Josh Herrin’s lap record of 1:22.908 set during Superpole in 2018.
South African Cameron Petersen was third in Q1 with his 1:24.076 just .369 of a second behind his teammate Gagne. Then came his countryman Mathew Scholtz on the Westby Racing Yamaha YZF-R1 with his best .143 of a second behind Petersen.
Tytlers Cycle Racing’s PJ Jacobsen was fifth and the last rider within a second of Gagne.
Tomorrow morning the Medallia Superbikes field will be out to improve upon today’s times in a battle for pole position. Thus far in 2022, Gagne has been on pole at all five rounds.
Supersport
Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC’s Supersport Championship points leader Josh Herrin led Friday’s Q1 session on his Ducati Panigale V2, but only just. Herrin lapped at 1:26.942 and that put him just .110 of a second ahead of Landers Racing’s Rocco Landers and .346 of a second ahead of Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Tyler Scott.
Herrin topped Friday in Supersport.
As in Medallia Superbike Q1, the top five Supersport riders were all within a second of Herrin’s best. N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto’s Kevin Olmedo and North East Cycle Outlet Racing’s Benjamin Smith were the two who completed the top five.
Yuasa Stock 1000
You can’t get much closer than .005 of a second, but that’s all that separates Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC Racing’s Corey Alexander from Disrupt Racing’s Hayden Gillim, the same two riders who are fighting tooth and nail for the Yuasa Stock 1000 Championship.
And they have company.
Champ School BPR Yamaha’s Bryce Prince is making his one-off MotoAmerica appearance one to remember as he put his YZF-R1 into third – just .095 of a second behind Alexander and a tick faster than fourth-placed Travis Wyman on the second Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC Racing BMW M 1000 RR.
Fifth-fastest is Vision Wheel/DiscountTire/KWS’s Geoff May, the last rider on the same second as Alexander and his 1:26.146.
REV’IT! Twins Cup
Veloce Racing’s Kaleb De Keyrel led the REV’IT! Twins Cup Q1 session on a windy Friday afternoon on the Monterey Peninsula with the defending series champion besting Cycle Tech Racing teammates James Rispoli and Hayden Schultz by only .301 and .329 of a second, respectively. De Keyrel’s best lap came on his 11th go-around – a 1:30.530.
Rodio Racing/Warhorse HSBK Racing’s Anthony Mazziotto, fresh off his two wins at Ridge Motorsports Park two weeks ago, ended up fourth-fastest and half a second slower than De Keyrel with MP13 Racing’s Cory Ventura rounding out the top five on opening day at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
Championship points leader Jody Barry ended day one 10th-fastest on his Veloce Racing Aprilia RS 660.
SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup
Not many in the MotoAmerica paddock could tell you yesterday who Daniel Lanuza was. As Friday came to a close, everyone in the SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup class knew who Lanuza was. And he obviously knows his way around WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca as he won four California Roadrace Association (CRA) classes here a few weeks ago.
Local boy Daniel Lanuza topped the Junior Cup on Friday.
T3 Racing-backed Lanuza, who resides in Mountain View, California, some 75 miles north of Monterey, led today’s Q1 session in the Junior Cup class with a fastest lap of 1:38.567 to best SportbikeTrackGear.com’s Max Van by a scant .035 of a second. Altus Motorsports’ Kayla Yaakov, fresh off her first win in the class at Ridge Motorsports Park two weeks ago, was third-fastest on opening day and just .048 of a second behind Lanuza.
Talk about close… the top seven riders in the SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup class were covered by just .353 of a second heading into Q2 tomorrow morning.
Roland Sands Design’s Super Hooligans National Championship
Andy DiBrino looks as though he’s serious about reversing the order from last year’s Roland Sands Design’s Super Hooligan National Championship round here at Laguna when he lost out to Chris Fillmore by a fraction of a second.
JLC Concrete/KTM/DiBrino Racing’s DiBrino got things started on the right foot by taking provisional pole position with a lap of 1:30.635 to top Roland Sands Design’s Jeremy McWilliams, the Ulsterman .060 of a second faster than his teammate Tyler O’Hara.
KTM’s Fillmore, meanwhile, ended the day in fourth, 1.4 seconds behind the man he beat in last year’s race, in what is his first MotoAmerica outing of the year.
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