Beaubier’s win normal on odd day
ELKHART LAKE – In most ways, Saturday looked more like a test day at Road America than a full-fledged professional, international racing event.
The hillside overlooking signature Turn 5 under a bright blue sky with light clouds was bare; full trees created acres of unused shade.
On Saturday of a normal race weekend, spectators would pop out of their tents to get Friday's party restarted. But due to the coronavirus pandemic, there were no spectators. No tents. No parties.
Restrictions aside, though, one thing looked perfectly normal: Cameron Beaubier aboard a sleek, No. 1-plated Yamaha at the front of the field in the main event.
Beaubier, who paced every session and broke the qualifying record on the 4.048-mile course, steadily edged away from the field for his eighth win in 13 Su
perbike races at Road America.
“I was able to get a good start and just put my head down at the beginning … and I saw my gap grew a little bit and I just kept my head down and tried to ride as consistent as I could,” said Beaubier, a 27-year-old Californian. “Everything's working well.
“I'm definitely ready for things to get back to normal though. It was strange not having fans around and you can't hug your team or anything when you get a good result. But I'm just so pumped to be racing.”
Road America became the season opener for MotoAmerica after two rounds were wiped out because of concerns over coronavirus. For the same reason, this weekend came with restrictions, such as face coverings worn in the pits, social distancing and no tickets sold.
Fans will be permitted at Road America for MotoAmerica's second round, set for June 26-28.
Four classes will compete again Sunday, headlined by Superbike at 1:15 p.m., a race televised live on FS1.
Even Beaubier's situation is different this season, not because of the pandemic but rather the business. Instead of fielding a team, Yamaha moved its backing – and its four-time and defending champion rider Beaubier – to Attack Performance, apparently without skipping a beat.
Beabuier finished the 12-lap event 7.800 seconds ahead of Westby Racing Yamaha rider Mathew Scholtz, with Jake Gagne, Beaubier's teammate, another 0.705 of a second back.
“This offseason with Yamaha and Richard (Stanboli, owner) and Attack putting this together, they came up with an incredible package,” Beaubier said. “Everything's just working. I feel so good on this thing. I don't want to jinx nothing; I just want to keep the ball rolling.”
Beaubier rode away from a good three-man competition for second. Then after Scholtz broke free of Gagne and Suzuki rider Bobby Fong, those two battled ferociously on the final lap for the last spot on the podium.
Supersport: Richie Escalante scored his first victory in the class, his task made easier when challenger Sean Dylan Kelly took a tumble into the Turn 14 gravel trap midway through the 11-lap race.
Escalante won by 11.512 seconds over Brandon Paasch, who scored his first podium finish in the class. Kelly dogged Escalante but spilled over the top of his bike, landed on his head and rolled over several times.
Stock 1000: PJ Jacobsen edged around Cameron Peterson on the second lap and pulled away for a victory of 4.266 seconds in the eight-lap race.
Twins Cup: Despite a less-thanperfect drive off the final corner, Kaleb De Keyrel drafted past Rocco Landers in the final couple of feet of the eightlap race and nipped him by 0.002 of a second.
Liqui Moly Junior Cup: Dominic Doyle turned back Landers by 0.078 of a second in seven laps of nose-to-tail and side-to-side competition.