English
Italiano
Saturday’s MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike race was held in a rainstorm at New Jersey Motorsports Park, and it was a race that Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha’s Jake Gagne didn’t need to win. But he did. Because he could. And that’s what Gagne does.
The three-time MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Champion won his 11th race of the season and the 40thSuperbike race of his career in horrible conditions at NJMP. He won by a tick over 16 seconds and in the same manner as the majority of his other 39 wins. He led off the line, led into turn one, gapped the field quickly and maintained his lead to the finish of the 16-lapper that was shortened due to the inclement weather.
Gagne’s victory came over his teammate-of-late, JD Beach. Beach, who is filling in for the injured Cameron Petersen, was in the top four throughout the race and took advantage of crashes, off-track excursions and a penalty given to Tytlers Cycle Racing’s PJ Jacobsen after the New Yorker made a pass on Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC’s Josh Herrin under a waving yellow flag.
When the dust (or mud) had settled, Beach was second with Jacobsen being dropped to fourth with the penalty.
While the Tytlers Cycle Racing team saw their lead rider dropped from second to fourth, they also got to enjoy the polar opposite with Jacobsen’s teammate Corey Alexander earning the first MotoAmerica Superbike podium of his career. Alexander was steady and fast and ended up some four seconds adrift of Beach and ahead of Jacobsen.
Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz was fifth on the track, but sixth in the official results after being penalized for punting Herrin off the track while passing the Ducati rider for fifth. Scholtz had already remounted after crashing out of third place in what was an eventful afternoon for the South African.
Seventh place went to Benjamin Smith Racing’s Benjamin Smith, who was 10 seconds clear of Disrupt Racing’s Hayden Gillim.
Tom Woods Powersports’ Nolan Lamkin and Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Stefano Mesa rounded out the top 10.
Notable non finishers included Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Brandon Paasch and Aftercare Scheibe Racing’s Ashton Yates. Paasch crashed out of the race in the fast last corner with Yates suffering a mechanical failure.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante had his worst finish of the season in 11th. Ditto for Wrench Motorcycles’ Bobby Fong, who was 13th.
Superbike Race 1
Jake Gagne (Yamaha)
JD Beach (Yamaha)
Corey Alexander (BMW)
PJ Jacobsen (BMW)
Josh Herrin (Ducati)
Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha)
Benjamin Smith (Yamaha)
Hayden Gillim (Suzuki)
Nolan Lamkin (BMW)
Stefano Mesa (BMW)
Photo courtesy MotoAmerica by Brian J. Nelson
