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MotoAmerica, Elias in Utah to chase down Beaubier

At Utah Motosports Campus the defending champion Suzuki riding Spaniard wants to keep the Yamaha riding Californian's from running away at the front

MotoAmerica: Elias in Utah to chase down Beaubier

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Besides BSB, all the international motorcycle racing championships will have a (well deserved) weekend off and, in addition to the Brits, the Americans will start their engines for the sixth round of the season.

The track in the Utah desert - Miller Motosport Park - will be hosting the MotoAmerica protagonists, headed into the second part of the 2018 season, with Californian Cameron Beaubier leading the way with his 203 points earned astride the team Monster Energy factory Yamaha R1.

Cameron, a two-time champion, has had to deal with the attacks of Toni Elias - 2017 champ with the Yoshimura Suzuki - in the initial rounds, then reacting unequivocally. Once he had the setup dialed in on his number 6 R1, Beaubier began to win, masterfully managing his efforts during the race and his tires in the finale until taking over the championship lead. He is well aware that now, if he wants to take his third title, running away at the front is the best course of action to avoid any inconvenient contenders.

The Spanish former Moto2 world champion is still in the running for the final victory, his GSX-R as competitive as the Yamaha, and Toni will need to react soon to stay in contact with his direct adversary. Toni trains extensively on his dirt bike, bicycle and supermotard and, at the news of Dani Pedrosa’s farewell, he expressed his sadness: Elias and the number 26 Honda HRC rider were great rivals on the track, but also good friends outside the paddock. If he wins, who wants odds on Toni dedicating the victory to Dani?

In Utah, the Americans race using the “long” configuration of the various available layouts (the World Championship riders raced on the “short” version) and it will be important for the Yamaha and Suzuki riders battling for the championship title to defend against aggressive riders like Josh Herrin, who also made a wild card appearance in WSBK at Laguna Seca, Mathew Scholtz - who has already won a race this year - Garrett Gerloff, Jake Lewis and Roger Lee Hayden, the late Nicky’s younger brother, who is anxious to get back onto the top step of the podium. No matter how it goes, it will be a battle between the Yamahas and Suzukis: Honda, Kawasaki and BMW, for now, will have to settle for the second level positions.

 

 

Translated by Jonathan Blosser
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