[roadracingworld.com] - MotoAmerica: More From The Races At Barber

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Double win in Superbike, season’s best in Supersport at Barber Motorsports Park The second round of the 2024 MotoAmerica Championship took place this past weekend at one of the most […]

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Double win in Superbike, season’s best in Supersport at Barber Motorsports Park

The second round of the 2024 MotoAmerica Championship took place this past weekend at one of the most picturesque and quirkiest circuits on the calendar – Barber Motorsports Park – and the Tytlers Cycle team were back in action in both Superbike and Supersport categories.

In Superbike, both Cameron Beaubier and JD Beach arrived at the Alabama circuit buoyed by their results from the season opener at Road Atlanta and both started well as the event got underway with Cameron immediately at the sharp end whilst JD re-familiarised himself with a track he had not ridden at for several years.

Qualifying on Pole (Cameron) and ninth (JD), both riders were confident ahead of the three twenty lap races.

Beaubier hit the front from the start in race one but unfortunately crashed out with a healthy lead in the early stages. The #6 put Saturday’s crash behind him to bag a double win on Sunday, leaving round two as the points leader.

JD scored a solid eighth in race one before a spill and a DNF on Sunday meant no additional points for the #95 who is already looking ahead to Road America in a fortnight.

In the Supersport category Stefano Mesa once again flew the flag for the Tytlers team. Consistently fast throughout free practice and qualifying the #37 rode well in both races to secure eighth on Saturday and sixth in a restarted shorter race on Sunday. Mesa heads to round three at Road America eighth overall in the points classification after securing his season’s best result in race two at Barber.



Cameron Beaubier (6). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Tytlers Cycle Racing.Cameron Beaubier: “I had a great feeling with the bike this weekend thanks to the Tytlers guys’ hard work. This weekend really showed the progress we made from last year at this track. Saturday race one was going well until I crashed out. It stung pretty bad considering the pace we had going into the race, but we learned some things from it. Sunday went to our plan, and it felt great standing on top of the box in both races. I was bummed to see JD have a big one but glad he’s all good. I am excited for Road America!”



JD Beach (95). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Tytlers Cycle Racing.JD Beach: “Sometimes you have good weekends and then sometimes you have weekends like I did in Barber. Saturday in qualifying I had an off-track trip that hurt my manhood pretty bad. In race one on Saturday, I felt like we improved from our Friday pace a good amount and gained some info for race two and three. All of that went out of the window after about five laps in race two when I had a big get off. The only thing I did to help the Tytlers team this weekend was giving them practice at working on motorcycles. It is a weekend to forget for me but I’m glad the team got some much-deserved success with Cam.”



Stefano Mesa (37). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Tytlers Cycle Racing.Stefano Mesa: “Round two was a little better for us. We are starting to make good progress with the bike setup although race one was a bit of a struggle. The first few laps were good but then I started to get massive chatter and fell off the lead group. I ended up in P8. Sunday, we had made some big changes and race two the bike was better. We had a red flag incident on lap five and I restarted the race P4 on the grid. Halfway through the second half of the race battling for 4th,5th, an 6th I had to check up in quite a big way to avoid hitting another rider who crashed right in front of me. I wasn’t quite able to chase back down the lead group and I finished sixth. It was a better weekend and I’m looking forward to keeping chipping away to the front. Huge thanks to the Tytlers Cycle team for their efforts and to Zequi for coming and giving us a hand.”







More, from a press release issued by Ducati:

Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati endure an action-packed weekend at Barber Motorsports Park

Sunnyvale, Calif. — The Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama played host to the second round of the 2024 Steel Commander MotoAmerica Superbike Championship, and it was another action-packed encounter for the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati duo of Josh Herrin and Loris Baz.

Baz led the way throughout the weekend, with an exceptional qualifying performance in second place on his return to Barber, two places up on teammate Herrin. However, Herrin reversed the results in Race One to take his first podium of the season in third place, with Baz coming home in fifth despite losing part of his footpeg.

Race Two was tough for Herrin, who would record his first DNF of the year after crashing at the ‘Charlotte’s Webb’ corner on lap one. Fortunately, Baz continued to uphold and took fourth at the flag after an intense three-way battle for the podium.

In the final race of the triple-header, the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati pair circulated together for much of the race in fourth and fifth place until Baz was inexplicably taken out by a lapped rider at turn two late in the race, sending Baz into the gravel trap, thankfully without injury.

Herrin held on to fourth place to record his second top-five finish of the round. He now ranks sixth in the points standings with 47. Baz is two places behind, in eighth place with 43.



Josh Herrin (2). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Ducati.

Josh Herrin (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati–#2)

“We knew it would be a difficult track for us, but we’re leaving here with a couple of top-five finishes,” Herrin said. “I misjudged where everyone was getting on the brakes and got in too hot in Race Two. Now, we’re going places where we know the Panigale V4 R will shine. We’ll be full gas from here on out, and I can’t wait.”



Loris Baz (76). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Ducati.

Loris Baz (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati–#76)

“I am very thankful for all the work the guys in the Warhorse team did and everyone in Italy to get me comfortable on the bike after Road Atlanta.

Round three of the 2024 Steel Commander MotoAmerica Superbike Championship heads to one of the biggest rounds of the year at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, from May 31 to June 2, 2024.







More, from a press release issued by Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A.:

Petersen Returns to the Podium at Barber

Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Cameron Petersen scores another podium finish at Barber Motorsports Park

MARIETTA, Ga. – Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Cameron Petersen returned to the podium with a third-place finish in race two of the MotoAmerica Superbike tripleheader at Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds, Alabama. The South African was setting a strong pace up front for another podium position in race three, but unfortunately crashed and ultimately finished 21st. Jake Gagne overcame adversity to score an 8-7 finish on Sunday’s final day of racing at the second round of the championship.

On the heels of his first win of the season, Petersen got a great start in MotoAmerica Superbike Race 2 from the second row of the grid in third and passed his teammate a couple of laps later. He rode a strong pace in second and fought to the end, but ultimately crossed the line third. In the final race of the weekend, Petersen came out swinging and grabbed the holeshot. Although he was shuffled to second on the following lap, he maintained the runner-up position in a heated battle up front. In the latter half of the race, he was closing the gap to the frontrunner but around six laps to go, he unfortunately crashed in Turn 5. With some damage to the bike, he pulled into the pits, and the crew quickly worked to get him back on track, but with time running out he finished 21st.

Gagne also got another great start to the second race of the Superbike tripleheader and launched to the runner-up spot from the front row of the grid. He was passed by his teammate on Lap 3 and tried to stay on pace with the lead group but was dealing with some arm pump issues and ultimately crossed the line eighth. In the final race of the weekend, Gagne didn’t get the start he was hoping for and found himself back in eighth. From there, he did what he could to salvage points on a tough day and finished seventh.

The Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing team heads to Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, in two weeks’ time for Round 3 of the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at Road America on May 31- June 2.

Richard Stanboli – Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing Team Manager

“Sunday at Barber didn’t go as planned, but our R1’s were competitive. We will work hard to improve for the next round at Road America and look forward to seeing our fans in Wisconsin.”



Cameron Petersen (45). Photo courtesy Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A.

Cameron Petersen – Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing #45

“All in all, it was a great weekend. I’m really happy with the way I’m riding. Unfortunately, we went backward on set up for the bike in the second race, but we went back to what I ran yesterday for race three and I had a great pace. I started closing in on Cam (Beaubier) a little bit, like midway through the race, and then I was just trying to give it my all and unfortunately crashed. It’s a bummer and not how I wanted to end the weekend, but I’m riding well and I think we’re in a good place.”



Jake Gagne (1). Photo courtesy Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A.

Jake Gagne – Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing #1

“It was a rough day for sure. I was also struggling with arm pump yesterday, and it was really bad this morning in warm-up, so I knew it was going to be rough. The bike was awesome here. It’s always awesome here, so I’m just bummed for the team that I couldn’t do my part.”



About Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A.

Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. (YMUS), is a recognized leader in the outdoor recreation industry. The company’s ever-expanding product offerings include Motorcycles and Scooters, ATV and Side-by-Side vehicles, Snowmobiles, Personal Watercraft, Boats, Outboard Motors, Outdoor Power Equipment, Power Assist Bicycles, Golf Cars (sold, serviced, and distributed by Yamaha Golf-Car Company), Power Assist Wheelchair Systems, Surface Mount Technology (SMT) and Robotic Machines, Unmanned Helicopters, Accessories, Apparel, Yamalube products, and much more. YMUS products are sold through a nationwide network of distributors and dealers in the United States.

YMUS has a corporate office in California, three corporate offices in Georgia, as well as facilities in Wisconsin and Alabama. YMUS subsidiaries YMMC, based in Georgia, and YJBM based in Tennessee, each assemble and manufacture selected Yamaha brand products. Additional U.S.-based subsidiaries include Yamaha Marine Systems Company, Inc. (YMSC) with subsidiary Siren Marine and divisions Bennett Marine (Florida), Yamaha Marine Rotational Molders (Wisconsin) and Yamaha Precision Propeller Inc. (Indiana), and Skeeter Boats (Texas) with its division G3 Boats (Missouri).

Yamaha Motor Finance Corporation, U.S.A. (Yamaha Financial Services), an affiliate of Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., offers financing solutions to support Yamaha Dealers and loyal Yamaha Customers nationwide. Yamaha Financial Services provides retail and commercial financing for the diverse line of Yamaha brand motor products based out of Cypress, CA and Marietta, GA.







More, from a press release issued by Suzuki Motor USA:

ROCCO LANDERS AND THE SUZUKI GSX-8R CAPTURE ANOTHER PODIUM AT BARBER MOTORSPORTS PARK

BREA, CA — Suzuki Motor USA (Suzuki) and its lead MotoAmerica race teams – Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki and RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki each faced challenges at Barber Motorsports Park, but came away with several solid results, highlighted by Rocco Landers’ charge to the podium in the weekend’s final Twins Cup race aboard the new Suzuki GSX-8R.

Race Highlights:

RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki

Twins Cup

Rocco Landers rebounded from a wet sixth with a come-from-behind runner-up in Race 2 aboard the GSX-8R.

Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki

Twins Cup

Rossi Moor enjoyed another solid weekend, netting a pair of top-five finishes.

Superbike

Xavi Forés demonstrated immediate speed in his first weekend aboard his Suzuki GSX-R1000R Superbike.

Brandon Paasch scored top-ten results in the premier class.

Supersport

Tyler Scott had the pace necessary to win but was unable to capitalize on his speed.

Teagg Hobbs twice finished just outside the top ten.

Joel Ohman continued adapting to the pro ranks.



Rocco Landers (97) put the new Suzuki GSX-8R on the podium in Barber’s Twins Cup Race 2. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.

RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines rider Rocco Landers (97) saw his chances of securing a second consecutive victory on the new Suzuki GSX-8R suffer due to a rainstorm that hit the area just prior to Saturday’s Twins Cup race. After coming home sixth in the wet, Landers was ready to fight on Sunday, where he made an incredible second-half push. Landers came back from several seconds back to claim second place and very nearly chase down the win.

Landers said, “We made a small change before the second race, and it ended up panning out for us. I had to change my riding style quite a bit mid-race, and that’s where the change came from. One more lap, and I would have won that race. But it was awesome. My team worked incredibly hard all weekend, and Suzuki has worked super hard to help us build on what we’ve accomplished already with the GSX-8R. This was a good race for us. I’m super happy.”



Rossi Moor (92) and the GSX-8R earned two top-five finishes for Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Twins Cup effort at Barber. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.

Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s rising star Rossi Moor (92) backed up the GSX-8R’s strong weekend as Moor earned a pair of top five results in Twins Cup racing. After finishing fifth in Saturday’s race, Moor guided the GSX-8R to fourth in Race 2 after scrapping for third for much of the contest.

“This round was good points-wise,” Moor said. “I earned fourth today and P5 in the wet conditions on Saturday. I’m not the best rain rider, and the conditions were tough, and it was more survival. Our results would have been even better with some breaks in the weather. I was fighting for third until lapped traffic was a factor, and I wasn’t fortunate. We improved over the weekend and we’re in good shape going forward. There is more on the table for us.”



2023 MotoAmerica Supersport champion Xavi Forés (34), subbing for the injured Richie Escalante, adapted quickly to the Superbike class at Barber. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.

Reigning MotoAmerica Supersport champion Xavi Forés again showcased his experience and adaptability, immediately getting up to speed while substituting for the injured Richie Escalante on the Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R1000R Superbike. The Spaniard earned sixth in both Race 1 and Race 3 in his first weekend aboard the Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R1000R. Unfortunately Forés’ best chance for a top result was foiled by a mechanical issue in Race 2, after running near the front and clocking the second fastest lap of the race.

“It was an up and down weekend,” Forés said. “We started building my setting from Friday and were chipping away to get the pace I wanted for the races. Race 1 went well, and we managed to secure P6 while learning more information for Race 2.”

“Race 2 was good for us while it lasted… we were fighting for the podium but an issue on the bike forced us to retire. We had the second fastest lap of the race which showed our progress.

The team did an amazing job finishing the bike for race three, but we made a mistake with a tire choice, making it hard for me to fight for a podium. Another P6 was solid to finish a tough weekend. Thanks to all the guys and the team for the huge effort,” Forés added.




Brandon Paasch (96) carded three top-ten Superbike results on the GSX-R1000R. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.

Teammate Brandon Paasch (96) racked up a trio of solid results, logging three consecutive top ten finishes aboard his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R1000R. Paasch’s weekend was highlighted by a sixth in Race 2, after earning tenth in Race 1, and closing out the weekend with an eighth in the abbreviated Race 3.

“We made progress all weekend and were in the top ten three times,” Paasch said. “Today was the best. We made a bunch of changes and our lap times and distance to the leader were the best in the last race. I knew this weekend would be tough because I had not ridden a Superbike here before, and don’t have a lot of track time at Barber. We’re working on speeding up our learning progress but getting better is all we can ask for.”



Tyler Scott (70) was fast, but bad luck hampered his results at Barber. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.

Tyler Scott (70) was his usual blazing quick self aboard the squad’s next-generation Suzuki GSX-R750 in MotoAmerica Supersport competition. Unfortunately, the Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki ace was unable to fully capitalize on that speed. Scott finished fourth after running off track while in contention for the win in Saturday’s race, and then crashed out of the lead in Sunday’s rematch.

“The results weren’t what we wanted, but it was a good weekend,” Scott said. “We needed some better luck. I liked our pace, and we were in the lead today. It was going well. I came out of a corner and the bike snapped 90 degrees sideways on me and I went for a tumble. I’m okay, but we couldn’t continue. Overall though, I like how things are going. My Suzuki is great, the team is great, we just need a little better luck.”



Teagg Hobbs (79) earned championship points finishing both Supersport races just outside the top ten. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.

Second-year Supersport ace Teagg Hobbs (79) left Barber unsatisfied as well, but for different reasons than Scott. Hobbs managed to collect points in both races aboard his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R750, but finished short of his podium potential with a 12th and 11th on the weekend.

Hobbs said, “It was a tough weekend, and we’re not happy. I went down on Friday when someone put oil on the track. We had problems all weekend and could never put it all together and catch up. At least we get another shot at it in two weeks.”

Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki newcomer Joel Ohman (92) continued to acclimate racing for a top team at an elite level. Simply earning a slot on the grid for the Supersport race was a significant challenge with nearly 50 riders attempting to make the field. Ohman finished both races and moved up through the field each time out.

“We knew with so many riders, it was going to be hard to qualify,” Ohman said. “I started the weekend by throwing the bike on the ground on the second lap. I was trying a different line. The team scrambled but that left us without much time. We qualified and the race on Saturday was a knife fight with a lot of guys battling. I moved up seven spots in the race. On Sunday, I had an amazing start and jumped up two rows. The red flag messed up my rhythm, but we made a lot of progress.”

Suzuki Motor USA (Suzuki) will have full opportunity to flex its horsepower across all three classes in two weeks’ time, as the 2024 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship season resumes at the high-speed Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, on May 31-June 2.

For Suzuki road racing news, results, and team updates, visit suzukicycles.com/racing/road-racing. For more information and updates on Team Hammer, visit teamhammer.com.

ABOUT TEAM HAMMER

The 2024 season marks Team Hammer’s 44th consecutive year of operating as a professional road racing team. Racebikes built and fielded by Team Hammer have won over 130 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National races, have finished on AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National podiums over 360 times and have won 11 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National Championships, as well as two FIM South American Championships (in Superbike and Supersport). The team has also won over 130 endurance races overall (including seven 24-hour races) and 13 Overall WERA National Endurance Championships with Suzuki motorcycles, and holds the U.S. record for mileage covered in a 24-hour race. The team also competed in the televised 1990s Formula USA National Championship, famously running “Methanol Monster” GSX-R1100 Superbikes fueled by methanol, and won four F-USA Championships.

ABOUT VISION WHEEL

Founded in 1976, Vision Wheel is one of the nation’s leading providers of custom wheels for cars and trucks, and one of the first manufacturers of custom wheels and tires for ATVs, UTVs, and golf carts. Vision Wheel looks beyond the current trends and to the future in developing, manufacturing, and distributing its wheels. Vision’s lines of street, race, off-road, American Muscle, and Milanni wheels are distributed nationally and internationally through a trusted network of distributors. Vision Wheel also produces the Vision It AR app to allow users to see how their wheel of choice will look on their vehicle before purchase and installation. For more information on Vision Wheel, visit www.visionwheel.com.





More, from a press release issued by OrangeCat Racing:

OrangeCat Racing rider Jayson Uribe scores top-five finish in MotoAmerica Stock 1000 debut at Barber Motorsports Park

Uribe’s teammate Travis Wyman bounces back from challenging Race 1 to finish sixth in Sunday’s Race 2

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – OrangeCat Racing debuted its all-new rider lineup for the 2024 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 season at the class’ opener at Barber Motorsports Park, and one of those riders – Jayson Uribe – followed up a sixth-place finish aboard a BMW M 1000 RR in Saturday’s Race 1 with a top-five result in Sunday’s Race 2. The team’s other rider — two-time Stock 1000 runner-up Travis Wyman — had a mechanical issue hamper his pace in the Saturday race — but was back to his usual form Sunday when he finished right behind Uribe in sixth place.

Uribe ended his first round of MotoAmerica Stock 1000 competition fourth in the class points standings after two races, and Wyman is one of three riders tied for ninth place.

Uribe and Wyman both had a positive start to the round’s on-track action, as they finished fourth-fastest and sixth-fastest, respectively, in Friday morning practice. The pair also ended the first of the weekend’s two qualifying sessions in those same positions on the time sheets, and Uribe was the fastest of the BMW riders in both sessions.

The second and final qualifying session took place Saturday morning and concluded with Uribe and Wyman having secured the eighth and ninth places on the starting grid for the round’s two Stock 1000 contests.

In the Saturday afternoon Race 1, both riders got good starts, though Wyman lost several positions during the first lap due to a mechanical issue. Uribe had moved up to seventh place by the end of the first lap and was part of a multi-rider, race-long battle for fifth place. Wyman finished the race in 13th place, and Uribe finished in sixth.

Sunday morning’s Race 2 saw both riders finish the first lap in better positions than they started it. Uribe moved up two positions to sixth place by the end of Lap 1, and Wyman was running right behind Uribe in seventh place. Though Uribe and Wyman were running in seventh and eighth place, respectively, at the end of Laps 3 and 4, Uribe moved up one position on each of the next two laps and was running in fourth place at the end of Lap 13 – though he finished the 14-lap contest in fifth – 0.162 seconds behind the fourth-place rider. Wyman moved up to seventh place on Lap 5 and sixth on Lap 8 – the position he finished the race in.

The OrangeCat Racing team will be back in action June 14-16 when MotoAmerica visits Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, Minn.



Jayson Uribe (360). Photo by Fatal Visualz, courtesy OrangeCat Racing.

Jayson Uribe / No. 360

“Overall, I think it was a positive first weekend for us. We tried lots of different things, and improved every time we got on the bike. The one-lap pace wasn’t where I wanted it to be, but our race pace overall was fantastic — especially in Race 2. Being able to fight for the top five in my first race weekend on a BMW was awesome. I have now had the chance to see what the strengths and weaknesses are of our current package are against other fast riders. We’ve learned a lot, and we’re ready to keep moving up the field at Brainerd.”



Travis Wyman (10). Photo by Fatal Visualz, courtesy OrangeCat Racing.

Travis Wyman / No. 10

“Our first race weekend as a team had its challenges. We found ourselves pretty far back on the grid and went backwards in Race 1. My team worked super hard overnight on Saturday, and I was able to fight in Race 2 to finish sixth. It wasn’t the weekend we wanted, but I’m really looking forward to the next round at Brainerd International Raceway.”

OrangeCat Racing’s promotional and technical partners for the 2024 MotoAmerica season include Motoworks Chicago, Ohlins USA, and alpha Racing.

Travis Wyman’s promotional partners for the 2024 MotoAmerica season include SP Connect, Klingler Thrillers, Fast Line Motorcycle Performance, Stomp Grip, On Any Moto, Bilmola USA and Alpinestars.

Jayson Uribe’s promotional partners for the 2024 MotoAmerica season include CT Racing, 4SR, San Jose Motorsport and Red Engine Brewing.

To learn more about OrangeCat Racing, visit the team’s website at http://orangecatracing.com and follow the team on Instagram at @orangecatracing.







More, from a press release issued by Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering:

Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering rider Di Mario takes maiden MotoAmerica Twins Cup victory Sunday at Barber Motorsports Park

Gus Rodio claims podium finish Sunday, remains atop championship standings


BIRMINGHAM, Ala – This is Alessandro Di Mario’s first season racing in MotoAmerica’s Twins Cup, but the Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering rider was at the head of the field in practice, qualifying and the weekend’s only dry Twins Cup race at Barber Motorsports Park. The 2022 Nicky Hayden AMA Road Race Horizon Award winner set a new Twins Cup lap record, took pole and notched his first win in just his sixth Twins Cup race at the May 17-19 event.

Di Mario’s teammate, Gus Rodio, made the most of a difficult situation in Saturday’s wet Race 1, then scored his fifth podium finish of the 2024 season to help maintain his position at the top of the Twins Cup points standings.

Both Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering riders were at the top of the time sheets for the first on-track session for the Twins Cup. Di Mario posted the best time in Friday morning practice with a 1:29.858. Rodio finished the session second-fastest, about half a second off his teammate’s pace.

Unfortunately for Gus Rodio, he suffered a severe migraine and was declared unfit to take part in Friday afternoon’s Qualifying 1. Di Mario proved to be the star of that session. With a best lap time of 1:28.269, Di Mario improved his best time of the weekend by more than 1.5 seconds, claimed provisional pole and reset the Twins Cup lap record for Barber Motorsports Park.

A crash for Di Mario in the Saturday morning Qualifying 2 session kept him from posting a lap time, but his blistering time from Qualifying 1 was more than enough to secure him pole position for the round’s two Twins Cup races. Rodio was cleared to take part in Qualifying 2 and made the most of the session by clinching second place on the starting grid – giving the team two riders on the front row of the starting grid.

Race 1 took place Saturday afternoon – but under much different conditions than the Twins Cup’s previous on-track sessions. Rain began pouring down before racing was due to get underway, and the race distance was reduced from 14 laps to seven. Riders were allowed a seven-minute wet practice session, and things went awry for Rodio on the warm-up lap for the race. Though he lined up on the starting grid for the warm-up lap, Rodio had to pull into the pits to have a problem with his helmet’s face shield remedied and took the race start from the pit lane. Di Mario got a good start and nearly led the field for the whole of the first lap. While battling with another rider for the race lead, Di Mario crashed at Turn 3 on Lap 6 and had to settle for a seventh-place finish. Rodio made the most of a bad situation and raced his way from last place to a ninth-place finish.

Conditions were dry and hot late Sunday afternoon for the second and final Twins Cup race of the weekend. The Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering duo both got good starts, though Rodio lost a couple positions as the field navigated the first few corners of the 17-turn track. The disadvantage didn’t last long, as Rodio moved up to third place at Turn 5 and was leading the race by the time the field reached Turn 8. Rodio and Di Mario gradually broke away from the rest of the field, and Di Mario resumed the race lead with a move at Turn 12 on Lap 5. Though Rodio got passed by another rider on the last lap and finished the race in third, Di Mario wasn’t to be denied and finished the race 0.768 seconds ahead of the second-place rider.

Rodio’s gritty performance on Saturday and podium finish Sunday limited the damage to his championship points lead. He still has a 15-point advantage in the standings with six races remaining, and Di Mario’s victory allowed him to move up from fourth to third in the points standings.

The Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering team will be back in action in two weeks time for the fourth round of the MotoAmerica Twins Cup, which is slated to take place May 31- June 2 at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis.



Alessandro Di Mario (27). Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering.
Alessandro Di Mario / No. 27

“I came into the weekend really excited. I love this track. I was able to set [a new track record] in qualifying, and my pace was really good. In yesterday’s race, I didn’t really think I was going to be that fast in the wet. After Avery [Dreher] passed me, I tried to stick with him and was able to pass him again. Then the sun came out, and I couldn’t see anything in the back section of the track. So when I got to Turn 3, I thought there was a little dry line but there wasn’t. So I lost the rear, but was able to pick the bike up and get seventh – which I’m happy about. Today, I just tried to manage it. I was managing the gap a little. I probably could have gone a little faster, but there was really no need to. The front [tire] was sliding a lot, so I didn’t want to take the risk.”



Gus Rodio (96). Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering.
Gus Rodio / No. 96

“Yesterday was kind of points control, as I had to start from pit lane and work my way back up. Today in the race, my rear tire just fell off and I was just riding a flat track bike around. Did the best I could, secured another podium and hopefully started another streak of these.”

Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering’s technical partners for the 2024 season include Spellcaster Productions, Luxestar VIP, Geoscape Solar, MAR Contractors, Blud Lubricants, Spiegler Performance, Woodcraft Technologies, Dymag Performance Wheels, Millennium Technologies, Sprint Filter, Dunlop, SC Project, MVR Endeavor, GRG Designs, REB Graphics, NGK Spark Plugs, EvolveGT, Bitubo Suspension and N2 Racing.







More, from a press release issued by Aprilia:

DREHER AND DI MARIO EACH PUT THEIR APRILIA RS 660 ON TOP AT BARBER, SPLITTING WINS IN MIXED CONDITION RACES

CHAMPIONSHIP LEADER, GUS RODIO, GIVES APRILIA THREE PODIUM FINISHERS AT MAY 17-19 EVENT, AS HE MAINTAINS LEAD IN CLASS STANDINGS

BIRMINGHAM, AL — Two MotoAmerica Twins Cup rookies notched their first victories in only their third round racing in the class – and both did it aboard Aprilia RS 660s this past weekend at Barber Motorsports Park. TopPro Racing Team’s Avery Dreher took the win in a soggy contest on Saturday, while Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering’s Alessandro Di Mario was victorious in Sunday’s dry Race 2.

And an Aprilia rider remained atop the Twins Cup points standings at the conclusion of the May 17-19 round, as Di Mario’s teammate Gus Rodio bounced back from a challenging race on Saturday to score a podium finish on Sunday and maintain a double-digit points lead with six races remaining in the 2024 season.

The Barber circuit appeared to be a good fit for the strengths of the Aprilia RS 660 package from the start of the weekend. Seven of the 10 fastest riders in Friday morning practice were riding an Aprilia, with Di Mario being the fastest of them. Di Mario finished the session with a best lap time of 1:29.858, which was more than half a second quicker than his teammate Rodio’s best lap time. Dreher finished Friday practice fifth-fastest, TopPro Racing Team’s Romeo Chiavini sixth, BG Capital Fund/Eleven Motorsports Ryan Max Johnson seventh, DRC’s Tyler Duffy ninth and 2018 Twins Cup Champion Chris Parrish in 10th.

Di Mario’s pace got even hotter later Friday in Qualifying 1, when he improved his best lap time by more than 1.5 seconds and set a new MotoAmerica Twins Cup lap record. Rodio didn’t set a time during the session due to a physical ailment, but four other Aprilia RS 660 riders – Johnson, Dreher, Parrish, and Chiavini – provisionally qualified fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth, respectively.

Di Mario suffered a minor crash in Saturday morning’s Qualifying 2 session, but his lap time from Qualifying 1 was enough for him to secure pole position. Rodio didn’t miss a beat when he got back aboard his Aprilia for Qualifying 2, qualifying right behind his teammate Di Mario in second. Aprilia riders in the top 10 include Chiavini (sixth), Parrish (seventh), Johnson (eighth), and Dreher (10th).

Saturday afternoon’s Race 1 changed conditions near the beginning, with rain pouring down on the track before racing got underway. The 14-lap race was shortened to seven laps and riders were given a short wet practice session to familiarize themselves with the soaked track before competition began. Rodio, who had an issue with his helmet’s face shield on the warm-up, was forced to start the race from the pit lane.

When racing did commence, it was Di Mario who took the lead from pole for most of Lap 1, but Dreher began what proved to be a determined performance and bested Di Mario to the line to lead Lap 1. Di Mario and Dreher then began a nearly race-long battle for the lead, with both riders taking turns at the front of the field. Unfortunately for Di Mario, he crashed out from the lead at the start of Lap 6, and Dreher went on to take the victory by more than 2.7 seconds. Di Mario did remount his Aprilia RS 660 and finished in seventh place. Duffy finished in eighth place, and Rodio came back from starting last to finish ninth.

Sunday’s Race 2 took place under hot and dry conditions. Di Mario got a very good start but his teammate Rodio stole the show on the first lap. After falling back to at least fourth place during the opening set of corners, Rodio managed to take the lead before the field reached Turn 8 on the first lap. Rodio and Di Mario gradually broke away from the rest of the field, and Di Mario caught up to and passed Rodio at Turn 12 on Lap 5 to assume the race lead. Though Rodio was passed by another front-running rider on the last lap, Di Mario’s gap to the rest of the field to allow him to take his first MotoAmerica Twins Cup victory by a margin of 0.768 seconds. Rodio held onto third place on the last lap, giving Aprilia two podium finishers on the day. Other Aprilia riders who finished in the top 10 include Parrish in eighth place, Chiavini in ninth and Dreher in 10th.

Though Rodio’s lead in the Twins Cup points standings shrunk from 22 to 15, his early season successes have allowed him to maintain the championship lead despite enduring a setback on Saturday. Di Mario leaves Barber third in the points standings, and Dreher is in fifth.

Half of the riders registered to compete in MotoAmerica Twins Cup at the Barber Motorsports Park round (17 of 34 riders) were slated to be competing aboard Aprilia RS 660s.

The next round of the MotoAmerica Twins Cup takes place May 31-June 2 at the Road America circuit in Elkhart Lake, Wis.



Avery Dreher. Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Aprilia.

Avery Dreher / TopPro Racing Team

“I knew as soon as I saw the rain start to fall that I had a chance to win. I knew that if I got a good start I could roll around some of the other riders on the first lap. Once I got up to first place, I just tried to keep the bike up on two wheels and be as smooth as possible. I’m super happy with Saturday’s result.”



Alessandro Di Mario. Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Aprilia.

Alessandro Di Mario / Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering

“I came into the weekend really excited. I love this track. I was able to set [a new track record] in qualifying, and my pace was really good. In yesterday’s race, I didn’t really think I was going to be that fast in the wet. After Avery [Dreher] passed me, I tried to stick with him and was able to pass him again. Then the sun came out, and I couldn’t see anything in the back section of the track. So when I got to Turn 3, I thought there was a little dry line but there wasn’t. So I lost the rear, but was able to pick the bike up and get seventh – which I’m happy about. Today, I just tried to manage it. I was managing the gap a little. I probably could have gone a little faster, but there was really no need to. The front [tire] was sliding a lot, so I didn’t want to take the risk.”



Gus Rodio (96). Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Aprilia.

Gus Rodio / Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering

“Yesterday was kind of points control, as I had to start from pit lane and work my way back up. Today in the race, my rear tire just fell off and I was just riding a flat track bike around. Did the best I could, secured another podium and hopefully started another streak of these.”







More, from a press release issued by Altus Motorsports:

MotoAmerica: Altus Motorsports Results from Barber Motorsports Park

(Birmingham, AL) Between the Atlanta round and their arrival at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama, the Altus Motorsports team undertook significant preparations. Two of the three bikes were nearly completely rebuilt. The throttle bodies were returned to the manufacturers for testing, wiring harnesses were inspected and improvements made, and both bikes spent extensive time on the dyno to ensure peak performance for the upcoming race.

Overall, the Alabama round was a success for the Altus Motorsports team. Despite a failed oil pressure sensor connector on the motors during qualifying for Jaret and Torin’s bikes, the Suzuki GSX-R750s performed well, and the riders fought hard in the highly competitive Supersport class.

After qualifying 9th, Jake Lewis finished Race 1 in the same position. In the Sunday race, he improved to finish 7th.



Jake Lewis (85). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Altus Motorsports.

Jake Lewis: “It wasn’t the best weekend for us at Barber. After a difficult Friday, we were on the back foot all weekend. Being a little off pace in this class is tough, but we managed a 9th and 7th for decent points. We will regroup and try to come out swinging to get back up front in Wisconsin.”

For Jaret Nassaney, round 2 was a much more consistent and positive weekend. He qualified 15th and finished Race 1 in 14th. In Race 2, he took 12th.



Jaret Nassaney (59). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Altus Motorsports.

Jaret Nassaney: “Not exactly where we wanted to end up I am but happy with a 14th and a 12th. The class is so stacked and the pace is significantly faster this year. We are moving in the right direction. I’m excited for Road America to continue to make progress!”



Torin Collins (171). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Altus Motorsports.

It looks like Torin Collins is starting to gel with the Altus Suzuki GSX-R750. He qualified 13th and was inside the top 10 in race 1 before he crashed on lap 6. In race 2, he crossed the finish line in 9th.

George Nassaney: “We made a big investment between rounds to ensure we showed up ready to race. Our Crew Chief Boyd Brunner and Data Engineer Murph worked their butts off before Barber. Then all race weekend the entire team worked extremely hard to get our bikes out front. The Supersport class is incredibly competitive this year and our riders did well. We are not satisfied, so we are working hard this week to improve our results next week. We are looking forward to Road America and the rest of the season!”

Altus Motorsports team is supported by our great family of sponsors: Altus Motorsports, WPS, Firepower, Suzuki Motor Corporation, Buy A Jet From Steve Main, Barnett, Evol Technology, Maxima Oils, Hot Bodies Racing, M4 Exhausts, Vortex EK, Motion Pro, SBS Brakes, BrakeTech USA, Inc., Pit Bull Products, GB Racing, Ohlins, Puig Racing, RS Taichi, Arai, Core Moto, Pro Bolt, Chicken Hawk Tire Warmers, Law Tigers Oklahoma, and Altus Factory Racing

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