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MotoAmerica, Roger Hayden heads to Pittsburgh to repeat his 2017 success

Intent on finishing the season as a protagonist, the Suzuki rider could tip the scales in the battle between Beaubier and Elias

MotoAmerica: Roger Hayden heads to Pittsburgh to repeat his 2017 success

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In Western Pennsylvania, sports fans go nuts for the Pirates and the Steelers, Pittsburgh's baseball and football teams.

However, for the past few years, motorcycle racing has also drawn a big crowd in the USA. Just outside Wampum, the Pittsburgh International Race Complex was built, a new and futuristic circuit equipped with all the comforts and a track that can be modified on request with some advance notice.

The MotoAmerica protagonists are ready and willing to return to a track that was full of thrills, excitement and surprises last year. The rolling hills are immersed in green, to say the least. In fact, every now and then a curious critter crosses the strip of asphalt and there are frogs everywhere. It is a very technical track and a rider with guts can really make the difference. In the Saturday race last year, Cameron Beaubier finished in the lead, answered by Roger Lee Hayden on Sunday, winning Race 2.

Roger announced that he will be retiring at the end of the season, promising to finish out his career with a bang to the best of his abilities. Right here in Pennsylvania, the youngest Hayden brother could repeat - and you can be sure that he’ll do his best to do so - the victory he earned last season.

In order to succeed, he will first and foremost have to reckon with the two cocks of the walk in the American roost, at loggerheads with one another since the season start. The overall standings favor the Californian on his number 6 bike, Cameron Beaubier, two-time champion riding for team Monster/Yamalube who, astride his factory R1, has 65 points more than Toni Elias on his Yoshimura Suzuki.

There are three rounds left and 150 points up for grabs, but right now Cameron is on a hot streak and in Pittsburgh he will be trying to put the finishing touches on the 2018 title. Hayden could be the one who tips the scales between the two. Garrett Gerloff – Beaubier’s teammate – does not have the consistent pace of the leaders, whereas Roger is keen to do well for the manufacturer from Hamamatsu, which would work in Toni’s favor. One thing is certain and that is that Hayden is smack dab in the middle of the Beaubier-Elias sandwich. The Spaniard only has a few more shots and keeping the number 1 on his GSX-R, so he needs to finish on the top step of the podium, and fast.

Josh Herrin is hungry for a win to show that he can stay out front astride his team Attack R1, Mathew Scholtz has taken home one win and a few podiums here and there, so he would love to repeat that performance and the aforementioned Gerloff absolutely must get close to Beaubier’s performance. Keep an eye on Jason Uribe and Cameron Petersen too (in the adjacent photo) astride the two Honda Fireblade SP2 machines. To attract the attention of Tokyo, a good result for team Broadster Chicken is indispensable.

There will be plenty to talk about in Pittsburgh and, with JD Beach running away in the Supersport standings, another win would go a long way toward cinching the title for the wild-haired and extravagant Yamaha R6 rider who has been basically unbeatable in this 2018 season.

 

Translated by Jonathan Blosser
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