New Jersey Motorsports Park: first win for Baz in MotoAmerica Superbike

The one at New Jersey Motorsports Park will remain a Round long etched in Loris Baz's memory. In fact, on Sunday, the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati team's rider conquered his first success in MotoAmerica Superbike, triumphing in an exciting Race 2, which saw the top five riders at the finish line bunched within less than a second.

Taking the chequered flag ahead of everyone on his Ducati Panigale V4R, Baz became the first French rider to win a MotoAmerica Superbike race, in addition to being the 68th rider to taste success in the history of the category and the seventh different winner in 2024. Improving on the previous championship record, which counted five different riders to win a race in a season.

After giving Baz a run for his money in the final laps, Sean Dylan Kelly earned his seventh podium finish of the season by finishing in second, just 151 thousandths behind the Frenchman. Bobby Fong, on the other hand, scored his second podium finish of the weekend, passing third under the checkered flag, 140 thousandths behind the BMW of the EasyHealthPlans.com/TopPro Racing team, with the Yamaha of Wrench Motorcycles.

Stopping at the foot of the podium for the second consecutive time was Cameron Beaubier, followed by the Suzuki of Richie Escalante, who finished fifth, just under 9 tenths behind the winner.

Reversing the roles from Saturday's race, in which Josh Herrin got his hands on the 2024 championship title with a sweeping victory, the 34-year-old Californian was a sidekick to his teammate Loris Baz. In fact, Herrin followed the Frenchman for almost 90 percent of the race, only to step aside in the final laps and finish sixth, about three seconds behind the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati team's twin Panigale.

Seventh place, however, went to Brandon Paasch, who rounded out the Top 10 with Benjamin Smith and Ashton Yates.

Photo courtesy MotoAmerica by Brian J. Nelson

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