DOUBLE PODIUM FOR HAYDEN & YOSHIMURA SUZUKI
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2015 5:06 pm
DOUBLE PODIUM FOR @HAYDEN & @YOSHIMURA #SUZUKI
Team Suzuki Press Office – September 15.
Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing’s Roger Hayden closed-out the 2015 MotoAmerica/AMA Superbike season with a pair of podium finishes, including a runner-up at New Jersey Motorsports Park at the weekend.
But as Hayden had a strong finish to the season, his Superbike rookie team-mate Jake Lewis suffered a tough weekend, crashing in the first race and separating his shoulder; unable to race in Sunday’s second race.
Hayden was back in New Jersey sporting the special red-and-black 30th Anniversary GSX-R colour scheme on the Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superbike, which made its debut at the Indianapolis round. The colour scheme was nearly identical to the one used by Kevin Schwantz when he first introduced the Suzuki GSX-R750 to AMA Superbike racing in 1986 with Yoshimura Suzuki.
Hayden got the weekend off to a great start when he qualified second in wet conditions on the sure-footed Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superbike in Superpole with a time of 1:39.898.
“We had a wet race last year so we knew where the slick spots were,” Hayden said after securing his front-row start. “I was just trying to be cautious. I was pretty nervous before the session because I didn’t know how the track conditions would be, but it worked out. The front row is important here because it’s a tough place to pass. The bike was working really well for me.”
Hayden used the power of his Suzuki to lead off the start in race one. He stayed in the thick of the battle in the lead-pack, but eight laps in saw Lewis suffer a rare crash. His fall brought out the red flag.
“It was a tough way to end the year,” Lewis said after being checked-out by a medical team. “I had a really bad high-side. It started raining and I flicked the bike in and the rear stepped-out. I didn’t land on my shoulder, but I guess the jarring from getting flicked-off separated my shoulder. I landed pretty hard.”
That would be the end of Lewis’ weekend.
After the restart Hayden was again running with the leaders at the front. The race was red-flagged when rain began coming down again and Hayden finished third.
In race two Hayden was in contention for the win all race, swapping the lead back-and-forth with Josh Hayes most of the way. On the last lap Hayden tried to follow Hayes out of the final turn for a slingshot move to the line, but he pulled-out and didn’t quite make it, finishing a scant 44-100ths-of-a-second behind. It was yet another agonisingly close second for the Yoshimura Suzuki rider, who has been just that close several times this season.
His runner-up finish in the finale meant that Hayden scored 15 podium finishes in the 18-race series. He ended the year ranked third in the championship, with Lewis the top rookie, finishing just one position behind his older team-mate in the standings.
“It’s a little frustrating to have been so close so many times this season and coming up just short,” Hayden said. “But I also take a lot of positives with me from this season. My guys on the Yoshimura Suzuki team made the bike better all year and we were right there in nearly every race, especially in the second-half of the season. I’m really looking forward to next season.”
For Lewis, he too looked on the upside of his rookie campaign in the class.
“I learned a lot and at times we had the speed to be right there with the leaders,” Lewis said. “I hope to step-up my training program in the off-season and now that I have a full year of Superbike experience I think next year gives me an opportunity to be going strong and confident right out of the box at the first race.”
Yoshimura Suzuki would also like to congratulate new MotoAmerica/AMA Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier for his successful 2015 season.
Look for exciting news on Yoshimura Suzuki’s future racing endeavors in the upcoming months leading up to the 2016 season.
New Jersey Superbike Race one Results:
1. Josh Hayes (Yam)
2. Cameron Beaubier (Yam)
3. Roger Hayden (Yoshimura Suzuki)
4. Geoff May (Hon)
5. Chris Ulrich (Suzuki)
6. Elena Myers (Suzuki)
7. Chris Fillmore (KTM)
New Jersey Superbike Race two Results:
1. Josh Hayes (Yam)
2. Roger Hayden (Yoshimura Suzuki)
3. Cameron Beaubier (Yam)
4. Chris Ulrich (Suzuki)
5. Chris Fillmore (KTM)
6. Geoff May (Hon)
7. Elena Myers (Suzuki)
Final 2015 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship Points:
1. Cameron Beaubier (Yam), 372
2. Josh Hayes (Yam), 368
3. Roger Hayden (Yoshimura Suzuki), 281
4. Jake Lewis (Yoshimura Suzuki), 223
5. Elena Myers (Suzuki), 152
6. Chris Ulrich (Suzuki), 148
7. Bernat Martinez (Yam), 127
8. Chris Fillmore (KTM), 102
9. Danny Eslick (Hon), 92
10. Mathew Orange (Hon), 40
Team Suzuki Press Office – September 15.
Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing’s Roger Hayden closed-out the 2015 MotoAmerica/AMA Superbike season with a pair of podium finishes, including a runner-up at New Jersey Motorsports Park at the weekend.
But as Hayden had a strong finish to the season, his Superbike rookie team-mate Jake Lewis suffered a tough weekend, crashing in the first race and separating his shoulder; unable to race in Sunday’s second race.
Hayden was back in New Jersey sporting the special red-and-black 30th Anniversary GSX-R colour scheme on the Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superbike, which made its debut at the Indianapolis round. The colour scheme was nearly identical to the one used by Kevin Schwantz when he first introduced the Suzuki GSX-R750 to AMA Superbike racing in 1986 with Yoshimura Suzuki.
Hayden got the weekend off to a great start when he qualified second in wet conditions on the sure-footed Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superbike in Superpole with a time of 1:39.898.
“We had a wet race last year so we knew where the slick spots were,” Hayden said after securing his front-row start. “I was just trying to be cautious. I was pretty nervous before the session because I didn’t know how the track conditions would be, but it worked out. The front row is important here because it’s a tough place to pass. The bike was working really well for me.”
Hayden used the power of his Suzuki to lead off the start in race one. He stayed in the thick of the battle in the lead-pack, but eight laps in saw Lewis suffer a rare crash. His fall brought out the red flag.
“It was a tough way to end the year,” Lewis said after being checked-out by a medical team. “I had a really bad high-side. It started raining and I flicked the bike in and the rear stepped-out. I didn’t land on my shoulder, but I guess the jarring from getting flicked-off separated my shoulder. I landed pretty hard.”
That would be the end of Lewis’ weekend.
After the restart Hayden was again running with the leaders at the front. The race was red-flagged when rain began coming down again and Hayden finished third.
In race two Hayden was in contention for the win all race, swapping the lead back-and-forth with Josh Hayes most of the way. On the last lap Hayden tried to follow Hayes out of the final turn for a slingshot move to the line, but he pulled-out and didn’t quite make it, finishing a scant 44-100ths-of-a-second behind. It was yet another agonisingly close second for the Yoshimura Suzuki rider, who has been just that close several times this season.
His runner-up finish in the finale meant that Hayden scored 15 podium finishes in the 18-race series. He ended the year ranked third in the championship, with Lewis the top rookie, finishing just one position behind his older team-mate in the standings.
“It’s a little frustrating to have been so close so many times this season and coming up just short,” Hayden said. “But I also take a lot of positives with me from this season. My guys on the Yoshimura Suzuki team made the bike better all year and we were right there in nearly every race, especially in the second-half of the season. I’m really looking forward to next season.”
For Lewis, he too looked on the upside of his rookie campaign in the class.
“I learned a lot and at times we had the speed to be right there with the leaders,” Lewis said. “I hope to step-up my training program in the off-season and now that I have a full year of Superbike experience I think next year gives me an opportunity to be going strong and confident right out of the box at the first race.”
Yoshimura Suzuki would also like to congratulate new MotoAmerica/AMA Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier for his successful 2015 season.
Look for exciting news on Yoshimura Suzuki’s future racing endeavors in the upcoming months leading up to the 2016 season.
New Jersey Superbike Race one Results:
1. Josh Hayes (Yam)
2. Cameron Beaubier (Yam)
3. Roger Hayden (Yoshimura Suzuki)
4. Geoff May (Hon)
5. Chris Ulrich (Suzuki)
6. Elena Myers (Suzuki)
7. Chris Fillmore (KTM)
New Jersey Superbike Race two Results:
1. Josh Hayes (Yam)
2. Roger Hayden (Yoshimura Suzuki)
3. Cameron Beaubier (Yam)
4. Chris Ulrich (Suzuki)
5. Chris Fillmore (KTM)
6. Geoff May (Hon)
7. Elena Myers (Suzuki)
Final 2015 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship Points:
1. Cameron Beaubier (Yam), 372
2. Josh Hayes (Yam), 368
3. Roger Hayden (Yoshimura Suzuki), 281
4. Jake Lewis (Yoshimura Suzuki), 223
5. Elena Myers (Suzuki), 152
6. Chris Ulrich (Suzuki), 148
7. Bernat Martinez (Yam), 127
8. Chris Fillmore (KTM), 102
9. Danny Eslick (Hon), 92
10. Mathew Orange (Hon), 40