Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Cameron Beaubier kept his slender championship hopes alive with a win in the first of three Steel Commander Superbike races at Circuit of The Americas on Saturday, with the five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion catching and passing runaway championship leader Josh Herrin in the closing laps of the 12-lap race on a brutally hot Saturday in Austin.
The win was the fifth of the season for Beaubier and the 64th of his Superbike career, and it moved him into second in the 2024 Steel Commander Superbike Championship – 55 points behind Herrin with four races left in the series (two tomorrow at COTA and the final two in a few weeks at New Jersey Motorsports Park).
Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati’s Herrin did most of the leading, putting his Fast By Ferracci liveried Panigale V4 R out front for 10 of the 12 laps, but it was Beaubier leading the two that counted most to take five points away from Herrin.
In the early going, it looked to be fairly smooth sailing for Herrin as he led EasyHealthPlans.com/TopProRacing’s Sean Dylan Kelly and Beaubier. It got a bit easier when Beaubier nearly ran into the back of Kelly.
Beaubier was right behind Kelly when the Floridian’s BMW gave up the ghost and the Californian was fortunate to not rear-end him. That gave Herrin a bit of a gap that Beaubier was able to whittle away at. He was helped by Herrin losing the front and almost crashing, a moment that caused Herrin to re-think things and ease up, if only by a little.
Beaubier crossed the line 1.8 seconds ahead of Herrin, who in turn was 4.3 seconds ahead of Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante with the Mexican fighting back from a poor start. Escalante was in just his second race back from the serious injuries he suffered in the season opener at Road Atlanta.
Fourth place went to Herrin’s teammate Loris Baz, the Frenchman also recovering from a bad start. He was some 10 seconds behind Escalante and 1.3 seconds ahead of Beaubier’s teammate JD Beach, who rounded out the top five.
Wrench Motorcycles’ Bobby Fong was sixth, well clear of Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Brandon Paasch with Jones Honda’s Ashton Yates, Team Brazil’s Danilo Lewis and FLO4LAW Racing’s Benjamin Smith filling the top 10.
Notable non-finishers included Kelly (mechanical), and Xavi Forés, who crashed his Attack Performance/Progressive/Yamaha Racing YZF-R1.
Superbike Race 1
- Cameron Beaubier (BMW)
- Josh Herrin (Ducati)
- Richie Escalante (Suzuki)
- Loris Baz (Ducati)
- JD Beach (BMW)
- Bobby Fong (Yamaha)
- Brandon Paasch (Suzuki)
- Ashton Yates (Honda)
- Danilo Lewis (BMW)
- Benjamin Smith (Yamaha)
Josh Herrin (2) leads Cameron Beaubier (6), Sean Dylan Kelly (40), Xavi Forés (34), JD Beach (95) and the rest of the Steel Commander Superbike class into turn one on Saturday at Circuit of The Americas. Photo by Brian J. Nelson
Quotes
Richie Escalante – Third
“Yes, I’m really happy to finish on the podium. This year my goal is just back to finish the season, race Ohio, this weekend, and New Jersey, then thinking for next year. I feel really good here. For some reason, the Suzuki is working very well in this track. I like it. So today, I forgot to press the button to the launch control, so my start is very bad. I think in turn one maybe P9, P10. Then I just recovered positions. After that, I just maintained my pace. I’m really happy to finish in the podium, especially behind Cam Beaubier and Josh Herrin, super champs. Really, really happy.”
Josh Herrin – Second
After the front tuck, I just kind of reevaluated a little bit. Obviously, I still was trying to win the race. It’s not like I just gave up. I just was like, ‘all right, maybe I’m pushing a little too hard.’ So, I started kind of easing up a little bit on the brakes. Probably wasn’t the best idea. I probably was just off-line or had a little bit too much brake pressure or too much lean angle and just had a moment and let it kind of spook me for the rest of the race, which isn’t good. To come out here with a second place, I’m happy. It’s hard to be happy because I’ve had such a good run of race wins and fighting for the lead and stuff, that now you want to win. Once you get a taste of not just one but two or three, it starts to eat at you when you can’t win. It was a difficult race. It’s super-hot out there. When Cam (Beaubier) came by me, I saw him make a couple mistakes. It seemed like he was having the same issues I was, just lack of grip and it was hot, everything was greasy. I thought about it for a sec, trying to cut back under him. I think he ran wide off the back straight or somewhere. I just started thinking a little too much, but I think it was probably a good thing because we have a healthy lead, and I don’t want to be dumb out there. I looked bummed on the podium but was really happy. Just super-hot and wanted to get out of the sun and prepare for tomorrow. Thank you to my whole team. Excited to come back out tomorrow.”
Cameron Beaubier – Winner
“I was really close to SDK. I almost ran right into the back of him. Even before that, the first couple laps when I had first passed (Josh) Herrin, I was going before the long right-hander. I must have barely touched my shifter. It wasn’t a false neutral. I just clicked it into second on the side of the tire and just had nothing. Luckily, they didn’t run into me there. So, Josh and SDK got by me there. Then after that, I just tried to kind of settle in and build into the race and not go too crazy at the beginning. I think for all of us, it was pretty greasy out there. The track temperature… I don’t know exactly what it was, but it was super-hot, super greasy. Sliding around front, rear. I definitely felt better in practice yesterday and this morning, grip-wise. The race kind of came to me a little bit. Josh had a good pace going there in the middle after I almost ran into SDK. It was pretty tough to close in on him without doing anything too crazy. Then there at the end, I wanted to make a good pass on him and put my head down and see if I could pull something and we were able to do it today. But honestly, I think obviously he settled. It would have been maybe a different story if he kept his head down. But he’s got a lot to lose right now. He’s 55, 60 points out in the lead, points-wise. He’s had a great year. It’s good. Going to go back and see what we can improve tomorrow. Tomorrow is going to be tough. It was hot and sticky today.”
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