Two-time and defending MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Champion Jake Gagne was quickest general throughout a two-day, multi-team Dunlop tire take a look at at Buttonwillow Raceway Park, in Buttonwillow, California.
Driving his Contemporary N Lean Progressive Yamaha YZF-R1 with new electronics, a brand new engine spec together with a World Superbike gearbox, and one in all Dunlop’s new Superbike qualifying tires, Gagne lapped the two.68-mile course in 1:40.896. Not solely was that quickest of the six Superbike riders current, nevertheless it was the quickest that Gagne or some other Yamaha rider had ever gone across the observe by half a second.
The unofficial lap file for Buttonwillow’s Race 13 clockwise configuration is a 1:41.350, which was completed by Cameron Beaubier on an Assault Yamaha in 2020.
“Actually good,” is how Gagne described his take a look at. “Clearly, we’re testing the brand new tires that Dunlop introduced us. I believe all people’s actually glad. They made a superb step. The entrance tire made a superb step for positive. It’s good that every part they’ve been engaged on is working, and I’m positive that we’ll all be breaking the lap information subsequent 12 months.”
Dunlop’s new Sportmax Slicks, as they’re referred to as, are made in new sizes – a 120/75 entrance and a 200/65 rear – with the entrance getting a barely completely different building, in response to Dunlop’s Anthony “Tony” Romo. The compounds will stay the identical as in 2022 however their identifiers will change. For example, the 0129 compound shall be referred to as the R3 compound.
“I believe one of many large steps they made is how laborious you’ll be able to brake on the entrance tire,” continued Gagne. “Even with the lean angle, you’ll be able to actually throw it into the apex with extra brake strain. I believe that’s what they needed, they usually did a superb job.
“That’s just about all we did at this time was going via all of the tires and seeing how they affected the bike. Even with the tires being a bit of completely different [size] it didn’t completely upset the bike or flip it fully upside-down.”
Gagne’s teammate Cameron Petersen additionally made the many of the superb observe and climate circumstances Wednesday and went beneath the outdated unofficial Buttonwillow Superbike lap file with a 1:41.250. And like Gagne, Petersen was proud of how his take a look at went and even happier with the brand new bigger Dunlop slicks.
“I believed the brand new tires had been nice,” stated Petersen. “I nonetheless don’t suppose we’ve actually touched the potential of how deep and the way late we will path the brakes going into the nook, which is a pleasant feeling. I believe each single observe file goes to be damaged [in 2023].”
Third within the lap time rankings on the take a look at was five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier, who did a 1:41.685 in his second day of using a Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW M 1000 RR Superbike.
“It was good to have my first expertise on the BMW,” Beaubier advised Roadracingworld.com. “Yesterday, we did 30-35 laps and was simply getting used to a Superbike once more. I felt like I used to be using alright, however I regarded on the instances and I used to be like three seconds off what Jake [Gagne] and Cam [Petersen] had been doing. (laughs)
“I used to be a bit of shocked at how briskly they had been going. It positively made me a bit of nervous, however at this time I attempted not to have a look at any instances, as laborious as that’s for us racers. It appeared like I used to be adapting to the bike an increasing number of. The staff did an superior job getting me comfortable, and it appeared like we had been working properly collectively. It’s been a superb first take a look at.”
In lieu of any official announcement, to date, from Tytlers Cycle Racing about Beaubier becoming a member of the staff, we requested Beaubier for his standing.
“It’s positively going ahead, getting in that course,” stated Beaubier. “There’s nothing signed on paper simply but, nevertheless it’s all wanting prefer it’s shaping up like that. We’re simply getting all the main points finalized.”
PJ Jacobsen did a finest lap of 1:42.685 on his unchanged Tytlers Cycle BMW M 1000 RR early Wednesday, his second day ever using at Buttonwillow, however the New Yorker’s take a look at ended with a crash within the late afternoon. Unharmed, Jacobsen stated the setting solar affected his imaginative and prescient and he clipped the within curb on the Bus Cease nook, inflicting the crash.
Richie Escalante was the only rider representing Imaginative and prescient Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki on the take a look at. The Mexican racer racked up essentially the most laps of anybody Wednesday, 51, whereas attempting the brand new Dunlop tires and new electronics on his GSX-R1000R. Escalante, who did a fifth-fastest 1:43.886 in his first go to to Buttonwillow, was additionally glad to report that he was totally recovered from accidents he suffered in a crash at Brainerd.
The sixth Superbike rider on the take a look at was 2022 MotoAmerica Inventory 1000 Champion Corey Alexander, who collectively together with his crew centered on attending to know their new Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW M 1000 RR Superbike and due to this fact determined to stay with 2022-spec Dunlop tires throughout the take a look at. Alexander’s finest lap time was a 1:45.329.
MotoAmerica/Dunlop Take a look at
Buttonwillow Raceway Park (Race #13 CW configuration)
Buttonwillow, California
November 16, 2022
Greatest Lap Instances (all on Dunlop tires):
- Jake Gagne (Yam YZF-R1), 1:40.896
- Cameron Petersen (Yam YZF-R1), 1:41.250
- Cameron Beaubier (BMW M 1000 RR), 1:41.685
- PJ Jacobsen (BMW M 1000 RR), 1:42.685
- Richie Escalante (Suz GSX-R1000R), 1:43.886
- Corey Alexander (BMW M 1000 RR), 1:45.329
