Motourage

If you’re looking for AMA Pro road racer and second runner up to the 2011 Daytona Sportbike title, Tommy Aquino, this week, don’t bother searching near his Southern California home. You won’t find him relaxing in the west coast sun, enjoying the offseason like many of his fellow competitors.

No way. Tommy’s in Spain. Yes, that Spain; the one 6,000 miles away, across the Atlantic Ocean. Tommy has signed on with Wilmax Racing to contest the final two rounds of the CEV Buckler Spanish Moto2 season in Valencia and Jerez.

Danielle Teal has all of the details over at Next Moto Champion.

Under bright blue skies, AMA Pro road racers spent Friday warming up for the weekend’s Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix action at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, where they’ll join international MotoGP athletes on the world stage. The SuperBike and SportBike riders turned practice laps at the 11-turn, 2.238-mile racetrack today, while the SuperSport class knocked out practice and the first of two qualifying sessions.

Reigning AMA Superbike champion Josh Hayes

Reigning Superbike champion, Graves Yamaha’s Josh Hayes, topped the timesheets with a 1:25.362. “It was a standard first practice for us,” said Hayes. “We ran through our usual checklist of tires and parts to see if we could go fast. The session was busy on the track; you could tell there were a number of riders who hadn’t been to this racetrack before.”

SuperBike points leader, Suzuki’s Blake Young, was second, less than three tenths behind the leader, putting him and Hayes alone in riders within the 1:25 frame. “The session went pretty good,” said Young. “It started kind of slow because we made some big changes, but we got back out and started to go to work.”

Blake’s teammate, Tommy Hayden, clocked in third-quickest, with Martin Cardenas and Roger Hayden rounding out the top five.

In Daytona SportBike, three-time 2011 race winner, Ducati’s Jason DiSalvo, grabbed the fast time of 1:29.352 in closing stages of the class’ single on-track session. Danny Eslick, the current championship points leader, slotted in second after topping the time charts for the majority of the session, likewise dipping into the 1:29 range with a 1:29.648. Yamaha’s Josh Herrin was just tenths behind for third-quickest, followed by Celtic Racing/Fast by Ferracci’s P.J. Jacobson and Mid-Ohio Race 1 winner, Dane Westby.

“I was happy to be able to make constant progress with the Latus Ducati,” said DiSalvo. “The bike feels good and it suits this track, and after today, we have a solid direction to pursue for tomorrow.”

As the SuperSport riders wrapped up the day’s action for the large Friday crowd, Benny Solis took the top Q1 spot with a 1:30.802. David Gaviria was second on the charts, leading teammate Tomas Puerta and Discovery Bay resident Elena Myers, while Miller Motorsports Park race-winner Corey Alexander registered the fifth-quickest time.

“I didn’t really get a clear lap,” said Solis before heading home for the day. “I did get one good one, but there was a lot of traffic. I thought I could have been faster, and I know we have more for tomorrow.”

All AMA Pro classes will conclude final qualifying tomorrow, with SuperSport riders kicking off the weekend’s race action with a 3:40 p.m. (PST) contest. The highly anticipated SuperBike and Daytona SportBike races go green on Sunday.

Graves Motorsports‘ Josh Herrin issued a statement on his Facebook page yesterday in response to the suspension, probabtion and fine handed down from AMA Pro Racing for what it perceived as a dangerous maneuver during the last moments of the Daytona 200.

Herrin and Project 1 Atlanta rider Dane Westby made contact several times on the final straight. During the contact, Herrin or his bike activated Westby’s front brake lever causing him to crash and bring down trailing rider Taylor Knapp.

After reviewing the footage and talking with those involved, the AMA made the decision to impose a one race suspension, season-long probation and a $7,500 fine to the Graves Motorsports racer.

Herrin responded with this post on his Facebook page:

“Ever since I was a little kid racing mini bikes it has been my dream to become a professional racer. Five years ago, after years of hard work and dedication, I had the good fortune to achieve my goal of becoming a professional racer.

For me as a racer, it’s incredibly disappointing when I don’t win, and sometimes in the heat of the moment at a race’s conclusion, make statements which are regrettable. That said; I would like to set the records straight and say that I did not intend to get caught up in the last lap incident that jeopardized my fellow racers Dane Westby and Taylor Knapp. I am sincerely thankful that Dane and Taylor did not sustain any serious injuries.

For the record, I do not agree with the penalty that was assessed and with a clear conscience I can say that I am not guilty of what was said of my actions. I want to ensure my fans, my team, my sponsors, the AMA and my fellow riders that it has always been and will continue to be my goal to race as competitively as possible for the entertainment of everyone while staying within the AMA rules and not endangering anyone else on the track. I look forward to this matter reaching a fair resolution and participating in future AMA Pro Racing events. Thank you to everyone who has believed in me and continued to support me.

-Josh Herrin”

AMA Pro Racing announced that penalties and an accompanying fine have been assessed against Josh Herrin and Graves Motorsports, respectively, as the result of actions during the March 12 Daytona 200, specifically those related to the rider’s last-lap approach to start/finish. As per the AMA Pro Road Racing 2011 Rule Book, rules A1.1, A2.1, A2.3.p, and A2.3.u, the details of the penalties and fine are as follows:

Rider penalty: One-event suspension, to be applied at Infineon Raceway Round 2, May 13-15

Rider penalty: Season-long probation, in effect through December 31, 2011, the violation of which shall result in further and more-serious penalties

Team penalty: $7,500 fine, the entire proceeds of which will be applied to the purchase of additional Airfence

Both rider and team were notified of the above details in advance of this release, and the penalties do not prevent them from taking part in the May 2-3 official AMA Pro test at Miller Motorsports Park.

The opening round of the 2011 AMA Pro Road Racing season featured some of the most intense, unforgettable action the series has seen yet. It also featured difficult decisions, outright failures, and confusion and dismay among fans and participants, out of respect for whom AMA Pro Racing pens this lengthy release. The decisions made last weekend will be explained here in detail; the failures that occurred will be acknowledged and addressed.

As is common knowledge at this point, AMA Pro Racing’s spec-tire partner, Dunlop, saw evidence of front-tire overheating in the aftermath of many Daytona 200 riders’ first pit stops. Once a conclusion was reached, they immediately notified AMA Pro officials that in the interests of rider safety, the Daytona 200 would need to be stopped long enough to allow all participating riders to mount a fresh front tire, and the red flag was thrown within ten seconds of that communication. The length of the downtime that followed has led to significant speculation about several aspects of the day’s events; the actual facts are detailed below.

Additional background: Initially, Dunlop advised AMA Pro that riders would need to swap their current fronts for fresh versions of the same tire before continuing the 200, and the paddock was instructed to do so. Once riders were pitted under the red flag, however, Dunlop reassessed the situation and decided, again in the interests of safety, that all riders would need to be fitted with entirely new-spec backup fronts then stored in Dunlop’s garages. The execution of both Dunlop decisions were complicated (and lengthened) by the fact that many teams had neither extra fronts (relating to the first set of instructions), nor extra rims.

LENGTH OF THE RED-FLAG HOLD: The length of the downtime that followed the first red flag was wholly and solely dictated by the amount of time it took to get each of the thirty-eight Daytona 200 competitors re-fitted with new-spec tires that were warmed long enough to be safely raced on. The downtime included the paddock’s attempts to comply with original instructions, the communication to the paddock of Dunlop’s revised assessment, the process of getting the entire field’s front rims re-fitted with new-spec rubber, and the time it took to safely warm new tires.

Dunlop’s new-spec re-fitment process was non-stop. During this period, AMA Pro re-set the Daytona 200 re-start time several times based on communication with Dunlop about their progress. LTD Racing’s Huntley Nash was the last rider in the class to receive a new tire, and in consultation with Nash’s crew chief, Gary Medley, it was decided that 20 minutes was the minimum amount of time his tire needed to warm. The 3-minute board for the race’s re-start was set for 20 minutes from that time.

TEAM LATUS RACING/JASON DISALVO: Because Team Latus Racing used the significant red-flag downtime to repair eventual race-winner Jason DiSalvo’s Ducati machine, speculation has given rise to two rumors that will be addressed here: 1) That the red-flag hold was extended to give Latus time to re-enter the race; 2) That the Latus machine was out of AMA Pro’s control at points during said downtime.
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Jake Zemke, riding the all-black Project 1 Atlanta Yamaha R6, laid down the class’ fastest lap in virtually the last possible moment of AMA Pro Daytona SportBike qualifying to capture pole for today’s 70th Daytona 200 at Daytona International Speedway. His pole-winning time of 1:49.775 also earned him the coveted Rolex watch, which will be formally presented before the 200. Team Latus Motors Racing’s Jason DiSalvo took second, with GEICO/RMR Suzuki’s Danny Eslick and Team Cycle World/Attack Performance Kawasaki’s JD Beach rounding out the front row.

Project 1 Atlanta's Jake Zemke

Jake Zemke, Pole: “At the start of the session I just let everybody go; I just wanted to get some clear track and ride the bike a little bit. I don’t have a lot of laps on that bike so I’m not 100% comfortable with it yet. I have a little bit of the flu—been sick all week—and yesterday I didn’t really have my head around it, so today I wanted to ride my own pace, ride my own laps, find my own lines. Jason put down a pretty good lap early and I thought, ‘Wow, that’s going to be a hard time to beat.’ But the last two laps I started to see where I was going to get a little bit of clear track, and that last lap just worked out really well. It really didn’t feel overly special, though—I thought Jason got the pole. I came around the signal area and saw my pit board, and it said .49 P1. I thought, ‘No way,’ and then there’s the agony of riding around the last cool-off lap looking at the board the whole time waiting to see who’s still out there. Luckily, it stuck. It’s pretty nice to get that watch; it’s something that I definitely wanted for a long time.

“I’ll be happy when I get 100 percent out of the bike, but I still haven’t got it yet. The bike is really good, and my guys have been working non-stop since January to get here today in March. We’re an unsponsored team with no money, so we’re pretty happy to be here right now. It’s going to pay off dividends if we can do well in the 200—hopefully that can bring us sponsorship to get us through the rest of the season.”

Jason DiSalvo, 2nd: “I’ve had Miguel [Duhamel] to do it to me twice [take pole away on the last lap]—it’s not a new experience for me. Maybe we can win the race and I can make Danny an offer to buy his. It seems like that’s the only way I’m going to get one of those things.”

Danny Eslick, 3rd: Jake definitely pulled me along and got me to the third spot, but it’ll be a good place for us for the 200. The front row’s always a good place to be, because there’s a whole lot of excitement up there.”

Fifty entries have been filed for the 70^th running of the legendary Daytona 200 AMA Pro Daytona SportBike race. The 57-lap contest will go green this Saturday afternoon on the 3.51-mile Long Course that combines Daytona International Speedway’s high banks with its twisting infield course. This year, the classic race will be televised live on SPEED from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, March 12.

Dating back to 1937, when Ed Kretz won the fist Daytona 200 on an Indian, this world-class race has served as the opening event of the American road race season. In keeping with tradition, the 70-year-old contest will again kick off the current AMA Pro Road Racing season, and with 2010 class champion Martin Cardenas having moved to AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike this year, the field is wide open.

Headlining up the 2011 competitors is 2010 Daytona 200 winner Josh Herrin, who finished third in last season’s final points standings with five wins to his credit. Back with his long-time Graves Motorsports crew and fielding a newly liveried Monster Energy Graves Motorsports Yamaha, Josh’s 2011 bid for title redemption begins now.

Last year’s Daytona 200 Pole Position winner, Danny Eslick, finished second in the 2010 class championship and also returns with his 2010 squad, GEICO Powersports RMR Suzuki. The eternally hard-charging Eslick claimed three Daytona SportBike victories last year and can be expected to be high up in the mix come Saturday.

Taking over the 200 reins for Team M4 Suzuki in Cardenas’ absence will be Dane Westby, who stunned many by claiming second in last year’s Daytona 200 contest after leading twelve laps. Jake Zemke, who won both Daytona AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike races last year, will return to middleweight competition with the Project 1 Atlanta team, the talented Californian representing a big unknown for other riders in the class.

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After waiting out a rain delay on Monday and losing most of Tuesday to damp conditions and early morning fog, the assembled AMA Pro Road Racing teams finally got onto the newly-paved Daytona International Speedway for the Dunlop Tire Test, the first official open test session in advance of the upcoming 2011 season.

Topping the timesheets in the AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike class was the reigning champion, Yamaha’s  Josh Hayes, posting a time of 1:38.795/127.901 MPH.  Right behind Hayes was Suzuki’s Tommy Hayden with a time of 1:39.074/127.542 MPH.  Hayden’s teammate Blake Young was third, and debuting Kawasaki’s new liter-bike was Eric Bostrom, who finished fourth.  Another rider showing well on a new combination was Larry Pegram, who posted the fifth-fastest time with his new BMW.

Debuting entirely new team-and-machinery combinations were Ben Bostrom and Roger Hayden, both showing well for Jordan Motorsports’ 2011 effort.  2010 AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion Martin Cardenas made his debut in the SuperBike class and ended up eighth, just ahead of his Team M4 Suzuki teammate Chris Ulrich.  Rounding out the top ten was the Buell-mounted Geoff May.

“The track is just so unbelievably smooth; when you compare some of the data from previous years, it is so much smoother,” Hayes commented on his day.  “It is different, but it doesn’t take long to get back into the groove.  I’m looking forward to the race.”

In preparation for the Daytona 200, the Daytona SportBike riders took to the track for one session, which was interrupted by a brief sprinkling of raindrops. Jason DiSalvo initially set the fastest time, returning to the series aboard the Team Latus Ducati, but ultimately settled for third. Jake Zemke, new to the Project 1 Atlanta team this year, finished second on his Yamaha with a time of 1:51.987/93.225 MPH. Last year’s Daytona 200 pole-position winner and 2009 Daytona SportBike Champion Danny Eslick also appeared at the top of the timesheets at numerous points during the disjointed session, but it was P. J. Jacobsen who topped the times after the short break with a best lap of 1:51.822/93.362 MPH on his new Ducati. Suzuki-mounted Cory West rounded out the top five, while Santiago Villa, who ran well early in the session, ended up sixth overall.
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Team Hammer, racing as Team M4 Suzuki, has signed Dane Westby to compete in AMA Pro Racing’s Daytona Sportbike class in 2011. With 2010  SportBike Champion Martin Cardenas moving to the Superbike class with M4 Suzuki for 2011, Westby will pilot the team’s Suzuki GSX-R600 as the team defends its title.

Cardenas moves to the premier class for 2011 making room for Westby in John Ulrich's stable

“I’m really looking forward to the Daytona test and getting to ride the Team M4 Suzuki. I’m really excited for the new year and this deal coming together is great. My goal is to make 2011 the Year of The Wolverine,” said Westby, referring to his nickname. “Team Hammer and (team owner) John Ulrich have been in the racing game for a long time and they know what is needed to put a competitive team out there. They won the championship last year and that speaks for itself. They were already there and getting the job done when I raced my first AMA Pro event, and that means a lot to me, as does their endurance racing success. Suzuki has a new model for 2011 that is lighter and stronger and that is another positive.”

Westby, 23 years old, had a breakthrough 2010 which saw him fight for the win in the Daytona 200 before earning his first AMA Pro Daytona SportBike podium and finishing second. The Oklahoman led the season finale in Alabama as well, earning the lap leader bonus point en route to a third-place finish. Westby also earned the podium at California Speedway, Infineon Raceway, and New Jersey Motorsports Park. He finished fifth in the season’s point standings.

“We’re looking forward to having Dane on our bike this year,” said Crew Chief Keith Perry. “We’ve seen how he’s come on in the last year and even before. He has the ability to run up front and our goal is to have him up there every week. As a team, we have a lot of experience with the 600cc Suzuki and our goal is to use that to help Dane continue his improvement. It was great that he was available and we were able to put a deal together with him.”

With Westby in the Daytona SportBike class, Martin Cardenas will join Chris Ulrich in AMA Pro American Superbike. The rapid Colombian’s presence in Superbike is sure to boost the series’ excitement level.

“Naturally, we’re really looking forward to having Martin on the Superbike as well,” Perry continued. “We think he’s one of the very top talents in the paddock and we’re anxious to see him on our big bike. Sure, there will be a transition period but when we first saw Martin in AMA Pro he was racing a 1000; we know him well and we’re supremely confident in him and what he can do. As a team, our challenge is to give him the equipment he needs to compete.”

P.J. Jacobsen in 2010

Celtic Racing will once again compete with the talented P.J.  Jacobsen in the AMA Pro Racing Daytona SportBike class in the 2011 season. The team will race Ducati 848EVO machinery with support from legendary Ducati tuning house Fast By Ferracci.

Jacobsen and Celtic Racing enjoyed a successful 2010 season, with the young New Yorker building tremendous momentum as the year went on. P.J. and Celtic Racing increased their competitiveness throughout the campaign, scoring a notable fourth place in Virginia and registering an impressive performance in New Jersey in which P.J fought for victory in the lead pack to the checkered flag. Armed with the quick and reliable Celtic Racing-prepped equipment, Jacobsen earned nine top-10 finishes in AMA Pro’s most competitive class.

“2010 was a good year for us and I’m glad to be back with Celtic Racing once again,” said the 17 year-old who has earned success in both dirt track and road racing thus far in his career. “We made a lot of progress and the team worked really hard. I’m excited about our program for 2011. The Ducati 848EVO is going to be a great bike and to have support from Fast By Ferracci is really positive.”

Since the team’s inception in 2001, Celtic Racing has taken a professional approach and delivered solid results in several AMA Pro classes. Celtic Racing’s riders have earned the podium in AMA Pro Superbike, Formula Xtreme, and the XR1200 series along the way. The alliance with Fast By Ferracci holds with Celtic Racing’s desire to take the next step in competitiveness.

“We’re delighted to have re-signed P.J. to ride the Ducati 848EVO with backing from Fast By Ferracci,” said team owner Barry Gilsenan. “We have the right rider, the new Ducati 848EVO, and Eraldo’s knowledge and passion for racing on our side. It’s a good combination and we’re really excited about next year. We’re looking to build on our past successes and take it even further to get to the top steps of the podium. The program will be a success on the track and while that’s the most important thing, I think with the personalities we have involved with our program there will be plenty of fun as well.”

Fast By Ferracci has a glorious racing history, winning both the World Superbike Championship and the AMA Pro Superbike Championship in the 1990s. Eraldo Ferracci is one of the preeminent Ducati tuners and the proprietor of a successful aftermarket performance business. As a long time Ducati dealer, Eraldo was convinced to go racing again upon examining the shop’s first 848EVO and its class potential.

“I’m excited about this and I know we can have success,” said Eraldo Ferracci. “Barry has been my friend for a long time and he runs a very good team. I’ve seen P.J. race over the years and am impressed. I’ve followed his career and have wanted to work with him. He’s a fast guy that has judgment and focus. I was impressed how he is not just out there trying hard. He has a strategy and knows when to make a pass and where. He’s talented and smart.”

“I have worked with Ducatis for more than half my life and I know them well and believe in them,” he continued. “The Ducati 848EVO is going to be a new machine, but our goal is to make the combination of P.J.’s skill and the machine work. I think we can run with the leaders in Daytona SportBike. I have a lot of confidence.”