You are here

MotoAmerica, All change at the top: Beaubier wins, Gagne DNFs at Road America

Beaubier not only won his 11th career Superbike race at Road America but he also took over the lead of the 2023 MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship. Jake Gagne suffered a mechanical issue that knocked him out of the race and the points lead

MotoAmerica:  All change at the top: Beaubier wins, Gagne DNFs at Road America

Share


A near off-track excursion in turn three of Road America on the opening lap of the Medallia Superbike race dropped Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Cameron Beaubier back in the thick of the pack, but it didn’t’ stop him from working his way to the front and ultimately scoring his second race win of the season.
 
After completing lap one in sixth, while pole sitter Josh Herrin and his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R streaked away at the front of the field, Beaubier put his head down and started his charge. On lap two, Beaubier was fourth and a lap later he was third. He stayed there for two more laps before passing his teammate PJ Jacobsen and chasing down Herrin. Beaubier took the lead on the sixth lap and two laps later the race was red flagged when a blown engine oiled the racing surface. At that point the race was called complete with Beaubier 2.7 seconds clear of Jacobsen, who forced his way past Herrin and into second the lap prior.
 
Beaubier not only won his 11th career Superbike race at Road America (and 56th of his Superbike career), but he also took over the lead of the 2023 MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship when Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne suffered a mechanical issue that knocked him out of the race and the points lead.
 
After five races in 2023, Beaubier leads the title chase by four points, 99-95, heading into tomorrow’s second race as Gagne’s weekend went from bad to horrible on Saturday.
 
Herrin held on for third place after earning pole position with a new lap record in qualifying on Saturday morning.
 
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante finished fourth for the second race in a row, ending up four seconds adrift of Herrin and four and a half seconds ahead of Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Cameron Petersen, the South African bravely racing despite an injured right wrist.
 
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Toni Elias was sixth, well clear of seventh-placed Corey Alexander on the third Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW M 1000 RR.
 
Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz was eighth after being penalized two positions for passing under a waving yellow flag. Aftercare Scheibe Racing’s Ashton Yates and Disrupt Racing’s Hayden Gillim rounded out the top 10 finishers.
 
With Beaubier atop the standings with 99 points, Gagne is second on 95 with Scholtz and his 71 points third. Herrin is fourth with 65 points with Escalante rounding out the top five with 56 points.
 
Superbike Race One

Cameron Beaubier (BMW)
PJ Jacobsen (BMW)
Josh Herrin (Ducati)
Richie Escalante (Suzuki)
Cameron Petersen (Yamaha)
Toni Elias (Suzuki)
Corey Alexander (BMW)
Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha)
Ashton Yates (BMW)
Hayden Gillim (Suzuki)

Photo courtesy MotoAmerica by Brian J. Nelson

Related articles