Extra, from a press launch issued by MotoAmerica:
Gagne Wins, Closes To Inside Two Factors Of Petrucci
Medallia Superbike Race One At WeatherTech Raceway Is A Thriller With Extra To Come In GEICO Motorbike MotoAmerica Speedfest at Monterey
MONTEREY, CA (July 9, 2022) – Girls and gents, Jake Gagne is on a roll and that ought to make everybody else within the MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship uncomfortable. Like shaking-in-their-boots uncomfortable.
Recent N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Gagne gained his third straight race and his sixth of the season within the GEICO Motorbike MotoAmerica Speedfest at Monterey, the defending sequence champion doing what he does greatest: clearing off at the beginning, placing down fast and constant laps after which sustaining his result in the end. On the finish of the 20-lapper at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Gagne was 4.381 seconds forward in successful the twenty third Superbike race of his profession.
Whereas Gagne was clear on the entrance, the battle for second was a thriller. On the ultimate lap, Gagne’s teammate Cameron Petersen held the spot going into the Corkscrew for the final time. Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC’s Danilo Petrucci hadn’t given up on the spot and he charged up the within of the Yamaha, did a “tender contact” that pushed Petersen off observe. Then the race was on to the underside of the Corkscrew, ala Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner, with Petersen coming again on observe alongside Petrucci however with extra momentum. A decided Petersen wasn’t going to lose this one and he beat Petrucci to the end line by .280 of a second.
Petersen’s second-place end was his seventh podium of yr protecting him in fourth in sequence standings; and Petrucci’s ninth podium of the yr sees him nonetheless atop the championship level standings, although that lead is now an anorexic two factors over Gagne.
Richie Escalante had his greatest Superbike race of the season, the Imaginative and prescient Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki rider ending fourth. He was 17.5 seconds behind Gagne, however over 5 seconds forward of Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz, the South African battling traction issues that made his Yamaha YZF-R1 barely rideable.
Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Hector Barbera was sixth, some 5 seconds forward of his teammate PJ Jacobsen. Imaginative and prescient Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Kyle Wyman, who was filling in for the injured Jake Lewis, had a lonely experience to eighth with Champ Faculty BPR Yamaha’s Bryce Prince ninth in his solely MotoAmerica look of the season.
Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC Racing’s Travis Wyman rounded out the highest 10 finishers.
Petrucci nonetheless leads the title chase over Gagne, 192-190, heading into tomorrow’s race two at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Scholtz continues to be third with 170 factors, 11 away from Petersen’s 159 factors. Barbera rounds out the highest 5 with 111 factors.
Jake Gagne – Winner
“It’s type of good being on the within right here. However my preliminary bounce was actually robust. This Yamaha at all times will get off the road good. I bought down into flip two fairly exhausting. I used to be anticipating any person to throw it up the within, for certain. I feel, like Danilo (Petrucci) stated, possibly he missed a gear. I bought somewhat fortunate on the primary lap I feel to get that little bit of a break. I got here by first lap and on the pit board I see .3 or .4. It’s simply sufficient to type of make me run my traces and never must experience too defensively. At that time it’s like, ‘Okay, simply click on off laps.’ I used to be somewhat bit stunned, actually. I used to be somewhat stunned to see my hole rising somewhat bit greater than I had anticipated. I assumed all people has been actually, actually tight all weekend. All through apply, we’ve actually executed our homework and simply understanding what the race goes to really feel like. It was slick. It was slick for everyone on the market, I feel, particularly after these first six, seven, eight laps. You nearly couldn’t even use full lean angle in numerous the turns. However I had enjoyable sliding round on the market. I may see coming down, Cam’s (Petersen) pit board, P2, plus zero. I see Danilo, P3 pit board. So, I knew they had been having an excellent struggle again there. Tomorrow goes to be a special story. I do know all people goes to step it up tomorrow. Each of those guys are going to step it up. They’re going to have extra pace, little question. So, hopefully we are able to attempt to do our homework, too, and get somewhat higher and it’ll be one other struggle.”
Cameron Petersen – Second Place
“I don’t suppose there was contact once I got here again previous him. I knew I used to be going to must do one thing as a result of he clearly was going to get the run on me. So, I simply tried every little thing I may. I actually wished to attempt to get one and two for the crew in that one. Truthfully, I’ve been ready all yr to have a pleasant, enjoyable battle with any person like that, particularly Danilo (Petrucci). We’ve been off somewhat bit all yr from Jake (Gagne). We’re figuring it out. That was a enjoyable race. I had strain from Danilo the entire time. I knew he was going to strive one thing, similar to each racer would, going into the final lap. I used to be fairly decided earlier than that one. I actually wished to get a one and two for the crew. We managed to make it occur. Congrats to those guys. I had a bunch of enjoyable that race. I haven’t had strain like that for some time. A bunch of enjoyable using with Danilo. Nicely executed to my teammate, Jake. As soon as once more, he’s simply on one other degree. We’ll go do our homework and see if we are able to discover a number of issues for tomorrow. As soon as once more, these first few laps, we’ve bought to determine it out. Wanting ahead to it.”
Danilo Petrucci – Third Place
“Yeah, it was good. I made a big gamble with the rear tire. This morning, I attempted this tire, and it was somewhat bit higher than within the afternoon. I made a mistake within the first nook. I used to be in third as a substitute of second. I used to be shedding quite a bit, particularly the primary two laps. However then I stated, ‘Perhaps the 2 guys with the softer choice will drop a bit the tempo.’ However actually, it was not, as a result of I used to be lap by lap an increasing number of in bother, particularly with the nook pace. I used to be feeling at all times the rear sliding. I managed to stick with Cam (Petersen) however was actually tough for me to go as a result of I bought no traction out of the nook. So, from the surface, I feel all people was pondering I used to be ready till the final lap, however I bought simply the chance of the final lap as a result of I used to be not desirous about the championship. I simply tried to not less than end second. Sadly, the one factor with Cam was, not slower, however we bought two totally different bikes and our traces are barely totally different. I simply have one meter of area. I attempted to go in. I stated, ‘Hopefully, he won’t shut the road. ‘Thankfully, we did only a tender contact. However then I used to be somewhat bit much less comfortable once I noticed him coming once more. Positively, I feel from the surface it was good to observe. Sadly, everybody forgot that Jake was miles away, and that is the primary downside for tomorrow. For at this time, I loved. Congrats to those two guys. We’re actually having enjoyable. It’s good to have racing like this.”
