MotoAmerica Round 9 - New Jersey

Misc. Press Release from the MotoAmerica 2018 New Jersey Round

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Beaubier Victorious as 2018 MotoAmerica Superbike Champion After Rain-Soaked Race 2 Win

Yamaha bLU cRU Riders Sweep the Supersport and Junior Cup Podiums at New Jersey Motorsports Park

Millville, N.J. – September 9, 2018 – Monster Energy/Yamalube/Yamaha Factory Racing’s Cameron Beaubier became a three-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion on Sunday after wrapping up the 2018 title with a confident victory amid a rainy, wet and slick Race 2 at New Jersey Motorsports Park.

The battle for the 2018 Superbike Championship was all about momentum, and Beaubier found his groove at just the right time. After working through some challenges to earn a consistent string of podium finishes in the first three rounds of the series, he dropped the hammer at Round 4 to earn a pair of significant victories that ignited his successful run for the 2018 title. Moving on to tally a four-race winning-streak, Beaubier built a points lead and gained confidence to ride at a level that proved hard to beat in the second half of the season.

Overall, Beaubier captured eight wins, eight podium-finishes and five Superpoles to earn the prestigious title of 2018 MotoAmerica Superbike Champion while bringing home a ninth Superbike title for Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA.

Monster Energy/Yamalube/Yamaha Factory Racing Superbike Team

Severe weather conditions called for some changes to Sunday’s race schedule, including earlier start times and shortened race lengths. Nonetheless, Cameron Beaubier remained focused, starting the day calm and collected. When the green flag waved to start Superbike Race 2, he launched his R1 from the grid and settled into the second-place position before assessing the extreme track conditions and making his move to the front of the pack. From there, Beaubier confidently set the pace on his Monster Energy/Yamalube/Yamaha Factory Racing R1 as rain continued to pour down over New Jersey Motorsports Park. After leading all 18 laps of Race 2, Beaubier brought home the 2018 Superbike Championship title to cap a very memorable weekend of racing in New Jersey.

Meanwhile, his teammate, Garrett Gerloff, was hard at work battling for a podium position. Gerloff got a great start and positioned himself inside the top five early on. Despite the wet and challenging track conditions, the Superbike rookie fought to keep himself within striking distance of a podium position. After increasing his pace in the final laps, Gerloff finished in fourth place, only a few seconds away from a podium position.

Cameron Beaubier - #6 YZF-R1

“To wrap up the Championship with a win on my R1 is the cherry on top. I wasn’t too confident going into the race with this weather, but it turned out good. I’m over the moon! I can’t thank everyone enough who helped us accomplish this. Like I said yesterday, we never quit even when we were struggling. Feels great to bring that number one plate home for Yamaha!”

Garrett Gerloff - #31 YZF-R1

“I was happy with my R1 and my start, but between practice this morning and the race, a lot of things seemed to change and we lost the good feeling that we had. I rode the best I could, but a fourth-place [finish] was all we had. I’m ready to come back for the last round at Barber.”

Tom Halverson - Team Manager

“It felt incredibly good to bring home Yamaha’s ninth Superbike Championship today, and we are so proud of Cam! This season he had incredible focus and speed, as well as the ability to make the best of a rough day. Congratulations to our entire team, including our YMUS [Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA] team members who are not at the race track but provide us with critical support that we need to win. Thanks, and congratulations to all our sponsors, especially Monster Energy, Yamalube, Yamaha Financial Services and Graves Motorsports!”

2018 MotoAmerica Superbike Standings – 18 of 20 Series Races Completed

Pos. Rider Points

1 Cameron Beaubier – Yamaha 3702Toni Elias – Suzuki 289
3 Josh Herrin – Yamaha 253
4 Mathew Scholtz – Yamaha 210
5 Garrett Gerloff – Yamaha 199

Monster Energy/Yamaha Extended Service/Graves/Yamaha Supersport Team

After clinching the 2018 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship on Saturday, JD Beach was ready for another win. Beach quickly maneuvered his Monster Energy/Yamaha Extended Service/Graves/Yamaha R6 into the second-place position at the start of Race 2, but the newly crowned Supersport Champion rode cautiously through the opening laps due to rainy and slick track conditions. On lap four, he capitalized on a mistake by race leader Hayden Gillim and moved to the front of the pack. From there, Beach maintained a solid pace in the unpredictable conditions to ride his R6 to victory for the eleventh time this season.

JD Beach - #95 YZF-R6

“Today was another tricky race. The conditions were tougher than yesterday with more rain and colder temps. We got another rocket start with my R6 and I felt pretty good. Hayden passed me quick and I knew he was going to want to try and break away. I wanted to try and pressure him as much as possible. He made just a small mistake and tipped over, but I knew he would get going again. From there I just tried to be smooth for the last 12 laps. Any wrong move could catch you out. At the end of the day, I was able to bring the Monster Energy/Yamaha Extended Service/Graves/Yamaha R6 home with another win and no mud on it. Now the crew and I have our heads down looking forward to Barber.”

Chuck Graves – Team Owner

“JD rode a smart race today, managing the difficult conditions. I am proud of him for his patience and accuracy throughout the 16-lap wet race, ultimately taking the win for the Monster Energy/Yamaha Extended Service/Graves/Yamaha Team.”

2018 MotoAmerica Supersport Standings – 15 of 17 Series Races Completed

Pos. Rider Points

1 JD Beach – Yamaha 348
2 Hayden Gillim – Yamaha 2503 Valentin Debise – Suzuki 150
4 Bryce Prince – Yamaha 150

Additional Yamaha bLU cRU Rider Notes

In Supersport action, pole-sitter and Race 1 winner Hayden Gillim propelled his Rickdiculous Racing R6 into the lead from the start of Sunday’s Race 2. Gillim led the first three laps before going down, but the slick conditions allowed his bike to slide across the ground without major damage, enabling him to quickly remount and continue charging. Gillim then fought his way through the field to finish with an impressive second-place. YCRS/Motorcycle Mall’s Anthony Mazziotto III rounded out an all-Yamaha bLU cRU podium with a standout performance on his R6, earning his first Supersport podium of the season in his home state of New Jersey.

Yamaha bLU cRU rider Tawfik Khalil prevailed through the tough conditions on Sunday to pilot his Khalil Racing International R1 to a season-first victory in the Stock 1000 class. Ohare Motorsports’ Ricky O’Hare also raced his R1 to a season-first podium, finishing with an impressive third in New Jersey.

The Graves/Yamaha R3 Support Program riders proved to be on top of their game this weekend at New Jersey Motorsports Park. Following a podium sweep for the R3 in Saturday’s Junior Cup Race 1, MonkeyMoto/AGVSPORT’s Jay Newton was victorious while leading another Yamaha bLU cRU sweep in Sunday’s Race 2. Yamaha R3 riders claimed the top four positions in the class, with MP13 Racing’s Cory Ventura in second, Tuned Racing’s Joseph Blasius with his first podium appearance of the season in third, and Riderzlaw Racing’s Jackson Blackmon securing fourth-place in the toughest of conditions in New Jersey.

“The Junior Cup race was very exciting today,” commented Chuck Graves. “The Yamaha R3 was dominate in the tricky weather conditions, sweeping the podium again. A big congratulations to Jay Newton, Cory Ventura, and Joseph Blasius for the one-two-three punch!”

The Yamaha bLU cRU riders will head to Birmingham, Alabama Sept. 21-23 for the final round of the 2018 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship series at Barber Motorsports Park. For complete schedule details, visit http://motoamerica.com/.

For more Yamaha racing news, results, photos, and videos, visit http://www.YamahaMotorsports.com/Racing

Also, check out “YamahaMotorUSA” on your favorite social media site.

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JD Beach Crowned 2018 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion

Yamaha bLU cRU Riders Sweep Superbike, Supersport and Junior Cup Race 1 Podiums at New Jersey Motorsports Park

Millville, N.J. – September 8, 2018 – The 2018 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship saw an exciting conclusion to the Supersport Championship on Saturday as Monster Energy/Yamaha Extended Service/Graves/Yamaha’s JD Beach wrapped up his second-career title with a second-place finish in Race 1 from New Jersey Motorsports Park. Beach contributed to an all-Yamaha podium sweep in the class with Yamaha bLU cRU rider Hayden Gillim at the helm, and Richie Escalante rounding out the top three.

Monster Energy/Yamalube/Yamaha Factory Racing’s Cameron Beaubier moved 16-points closer to solidifying his third-career title on Saturday with a solid third-place finish in Superbike Race 1. Beaubier rounded out another all-Yamaha podium sweep alongside Yamaha bLU cRU riders Josh Herrin and Mathew Scholtz, who prevailed through the wet and slick conditions to take the top two positions.

Monster Energy/Yamalube/Yamaha Factory Racing Superbike Team

Beaubier started the weekend off well by claiming the fastest overall lap time on Friday, setting himself up for a strong Saturday ride. With rain and wet conditions factoring into the morning’s warm-up session, traction became increasingly limited and Beaubier went down hard during his Superpole run later in the day. Nonetheless, a solid lap time from Beaubier and an immense amount of hard work from the team placed the #6 Monster Energy/Yamalube/Yamaha Factory Racing R1 on the front row in the third grid position.

As the green flag waved to start Superbike Race 1, Beaubier launched from the starting line to claim a second-place position in turn one. With rain contributing to tricky surface conditions, Beaubier rode smart, slowing a bit from the pace of the leaders while keeping himself in a top-five position for the first half of the race. The two-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion gained momentum as the race progressed, though, and moved into a podium position just after the halfway point. From there, he kept a conservative pace to bring home a solid third and take a big step closer to the 2018 title. With three races remaining, Beaubier now holds a 72-point lead in the Superbike Championship.

Meanwhile, Garrett Gerloff worked to adapt to the slick conditions on his R1, battling inside the top-ten riders throughout the race. With nine laps to go, Gerloff passed his way into seventh place and rode a strong pace to the finish line.

Cameron Beaubier - #6 YZF-R1

“I crashed in qualifying and hurt my confidence and the bike pretty good. My team did a great job getting it back together and putting a new motor in. Honestly, I struggled pretty good early on in the race I couldn't do the times I did earlier on in the day and saw the guys in front of me riding away. But, I just kept it consistent and did what I could and ended up third. We have a chance to wrap the title up tomorrow and it makes me so happy just saying this! It was a crazy day, but I’m looking forward to getting back out there on my R1 tomorrow.”

Garrett Gerloff - #31 YZF-R1

“I really struggled today with the conditions we had, the track seemed to be getting worse with every wet session we had. My R1 is good but I'm lacking some experience in the wet in general and feeling in the rain. We have some improvements to make and some ideas to work through, so that's what we'll be doing tomorrow morning!”

Tom Halverson - Team Manager

“First of all, congratulations to JD and all the Graves crew for winning the 2018 Supersport Championship! Today, Cameron did a great job managing risk in the wet and slick conditions. I think that has been one of his strong points this season. The podium today puts him just three points away from his third Superbike Championship, so we look forward to tomorrow. Garrett didn't feel confident with the grip he had today, so tomorrow, if it's wet, we will make some changes and for sure improve.”

Superbike Race 2 will go green tomorrow (Sunday) at 3:30 p.m. EST.

2018 MotoAmerica Superbike Standings – 17 of 20 Series Races Completed

Pos. Rider Points

1 Cameron Beaubier – Yamaha 3452Toni Elias – Suzuki 273
3 Josh Herrin – Yamaha 253
4 Mathew Scholtz – Yamaha 210
5 Garrett Gerloff – Yamaha 186
7 Kyle Wyman – Yamaha 140

Monster Energy/Yamaha Extended Service/Graves/Yamaha Supersport Team

It’s been a dominant 2018 season for the newly crowned Supersport Champion, JD Beach, who has raced his YZF-R6 to an impressive total of ten victories in 14 races, while finishing on the podium three times and claiming Superpole twice throughout the season.

Championship number two wasn’t an easy feat for Beach by any means, as he battled stiff competition with a field of talented Supersport racers all season long. The Kentucky native held strong, week in and week out, to fight his way to a second-career Supersport title and he will continue to vie for race-wins in the final three races.

In Race 1, Beach got off to a great start aboard his Monster Energy/Yamaha Extended Service/Graves/Yamaha R6 and he engaged in an early battle for the lead with Yamaha bLU cRU rider Hayden Gillim. With the bigger picture in mind, Beach maintained his pace without pushing the limits to race his R6 to a championship-winning performance in second.

JD Beach - #95 YZF-R6

“Man, today was a crazy and stressful race. Looking at the weather last night, we thought it was going to be a dry race but Mother Nature had a different plan. My Monster Energy/Yamaha Extended Service/Graves/Yamaha R6 felt great in the rain from the first laps this morning. We knew we didn't have to win the race to wrap up the title but I still wanted to do battle. Leading the race in the rain felt great and we were able to dice it up a bit with Hayden [Gillim]. Once he got a gap and I was running second, it was all about bringing it home. The last ten laps were the longest race of my life!

It feels so amazing to win this title again – maybe even better than in 2015. I've worked so hard to get this title back and haven't stopped thinking about it since I lost in here at NJMP at the end of 2016. I'm so thankful to my team and crew, I just can't thank them enough!”

Chuck Graves – Team Owner

“Four-straight 600cc Championships is no small accomplishment and it couldn't be done without all of our partners and the team. I would like to thank JD Beach, the crew and all of the partners for their hard work and support this season. Thank you all."

2018 MotoAmerica Supersport Standings – 14 of 17 Series Races Completed

Pos. Rider Points

1 JD Beach – Yamaha 323
2 Hayden Gillim – Yamaha 2303 Valentin Debise – Suzuki 150
4 Bryce Prince – Yamaha 144

Supersport Race 2 will go green tomorrow (Sunday) at 2:30 p.m. EST.

Additional Yamaha bLU cRU Rider Notes

Attack Performance/Herrin Compound/Yamaha’s Josh Herrin dominated the Superbike competition on Saturday to claim an impressive 37-second victory in Race 1. Herrin powered his R1 to the front on lap one and from there he never looked back, successfully navigating his way through the wet and slick conditions to earn his second win in the last two rounds.

Superbike pole-sitter, Mathew Scholtz, put forth a solid performance in Race 1 as he piloted his Yamalube/Westby Racing R1 to a second-place finish. Although he wasn’t able to catch Herrin out front, Scholtz was able to ride a consistently fast pace.

In Supersport action, pole-sitter Hayden Gillim sealed the deal on his second victory of the season after leading all but three laps of Saturday’s Race 1. Gillim rode his Rickdiculous Racing R6 into the lead on lap four, and from there he was able to hold off 2018 Supersport Champion JD Beach for the remainder of the race, finishing with almost 14 seconds to spare.

Quicksilver/Hudson Motorcycles’ Richie Escalante rounded out the all-Yamaha Supersport podium with an impressive performance in third.

In Twins Cup racing, Yamaha bLU cRU racer Jason Madama rode his Syndicate/AP Motoarts-backed MT-07 to a second-straight podium finish on Saturday with third place in the class. Madama now sits in second place in the Twins Cup Championship, with only two points separating him from the lead position.

It was a Yamaha bLU cRU podium sweep for Race 1 of the MotoAmerica Junior Cup as Graves/Yamaha R3 Support Program riders captured all three of the top positions on Saturday. Chuck Graves assisted riders with technical settings in the wet conditions, while Yamaha bLU cRU Riding Coach Josh Hayes helped the young riders conquer the slick conditions. MonkeyMoto/AGVSPORT’s Kevin Olmedo rode his R3 to the top of the podium, with his teammates Marc Edwards and Jay Newton completing the podium sweep in second and third, respectively.

“Today was a breakthrough moment for the R3, sweeping all of the available podium positions,” commented Chuck Graves. “It's moments like this that validate the effort put forth by everyone who contributed.”

The Yamaha bLU cRU riders return on Sunday for day two of racing from Millville, New Jersey for Round 9 of the 2018 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship series at New Jersey Motorsports Park. For complete schedule details, visit http://motoamerica.com/.

For more Yamaha racing news, results, photos, and videos, visit http://www.YamahaMotorsports.com/Racing

Also, check out “YamahaMotorUSA” on your favorite social media site.

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Yamaha bLU cRU Road Racers Prepare to Harvest in Garden State

New Jersey Motorsports Park Proffers Hallowed Ground for Beaubier and Beach

Cypress, CA – September 6, 2018 – With championship goals on the horizon, Yamaha bLU cRU road racers head to New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP) this weekend, Sept. 7-9, for the penultimate round of the 2018 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship. The 2.25-mile Thunderbolt Raceway will set the stage for close battles with a track that features 12 corners and a half-mile straightaway, calling for an exciting weekend of racing in Millville, New Jersey.

Monster Energy/Yamalube/Yamaha Factory Racing Superbike Team

Superbike points leader Cameron Beaubier carries a 56-point advantage into the race weekend, along with excitement to compete on the NJMP circuit after missing the round last year due to a season-ending shoulder injury. Beaubier’s strategic race craft has garnered him seven victories thus far in the 2018 series aboard his mighty Monster Energy/Yamalube/Yamaha Factory Racing R1, and the two-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion is poised for a tenacious ride this weekend as he closes in on another championship title.

Fifth in the Superbike points standings, Garrett Gerloff has gained a wealth of knowledge during his rookie season in the premier class. With five podium finishes behind him and a very special connection to New Jersey Motorsports Park, the two-time Supersport Champion has his sights set for battle throughout the weekend on his Monster Energy/Yamalube/Yamaha Factory Racing R1.

Cameron Beaubier - #6 YZF-R1

“This year has been a wild one. I am proud of the season we have had so far. We dug deep after a slow start and never quit. I enjoy the New Jersey course and look forward to getting on track with my R1 since I didn’t get to race this round last year. I’m planning to ride smart and keep the momentum going through the last two rounds.”

Garrett Gerloff - #31 YZF-R1

“There’s only two weekends left of 2018 and four races to really show who I am as a rider, and what I’ve learned over the past nine months on the Yamaha R1. I have great memories at NJMP, from winning my first professional race to winning my first professional championship. I don’t know what it is, but we have a good relationship! It’s also the first place that I rode an R1 way back at the end of 2015, so technically, I have six laps of experience behind me! I’m ready to go rain or shine and looking forward to starting the weekend. I have a plan and I’m ready to execute it. See y’all there!

2018 MotoAmerica Superbike Standings – 16 of 20 Series Races Completed

Pos. Rider Points

1 Cameron Beaubier – Yamaha 329
2Tony Elias – Suzuki 273
3 Josh Herrin – Yamaha 228
4 Mathew Scholtz – Yamaha 190
5 Garrett Gerloff – Yamaha 177
7 Kyle Wyman – Yamaha 130

Superbike Superpole (Qualifying) is on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. EDT, Superbike Race 1 will go green on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. and Superbike Race 2 is on Sunday at 3:30 p.m.

Monster Energy/Yamaha Extended Service/Graves/Yamaha Supersport Team

With a 98-point lead in the Supersport Championship, Monster Energy/Yamaha Extended Service/Graves/Yamaha’s JD Beach continues to take it one race at a time as he strives to clinch his second career title in the class. Beach has performed dominantly this year, claiming ten victories over the course of 13 races on his R6, and is on target to capture the 2018 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship this weekend in New Jersey.

JD Beach - #95 YZF-R6

“New Jersey Motorsports Park is a great track but it's a tricky one. Throughout the weekend, the track will change and that's part of the fun. It's a track I enjoy a lot and look forward to. In the past, Graves has given me an R6 that works great there. With this being a short track, it makes the times close and the racing closer. It will be fun and I can't wait to try and put my R6 at the front.”

2018 MotoAmerica Supersport Standings – 13 of 17 Series Races Completed

Pos. Rider Points

1 JD Beach – Yamaha 303
2 Hayden Gillim – Yamaha 2053 Valentin Debise – Suzuki 150
4 Bryce Prince – Yamaha 136

Supersport Qualifying in New Jersey is Saturday at 10:50 a.m. EDT, Supersport Race 1 is scheduled for Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and Supersport Race 2 will go green on Sunday at 2:30 p.m.

Meet the Yamaha bLU cRU Road Racers

Friday night from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m., stop by DHY Motorsports at 1300 Clements Bridge Road in Woodbury, New Jersey. Monster Energy/Yamalube/Yamaha Factory Racing’s Cameron Beaubier and Garrett Gerloff will be on hand to meet fans, sign autographs and give away posters.

Other Yamaha bLU cRU road racers who will be at DHY Motorsports include:

• Monster Energy/Yamaha Extended Service/Graves/Yamaha’s JD Beach
• Yamalube/Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz

All your favorite Yamaha bLU cRU road racers will be available for autographs at their Team Transporters during the Dunlop Paddock Autograph Session on Saturday from Noon to 12:45 p.m., and again on Sunday during the Dunlop Hot Pit Walk & Autograph Session on pit lane from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.