Josh Herrin Has His Sights Set On Superbike Title, However It’s Not Over But As COTA Awaits, September 13-15
Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati’s Josh Herrin arrives this weekend on the Circuit of The Americas with a 52-point lead within the 2024 MotoAmerica Metal Commander Superbike Championship. If he leaves Texas on Sunday afternoon with an analogous level lead, he can be topped because the Superbike Champion for the second time in his profession and for the primary time in 11 years.
However with that being mentioned, there may be loads of racing nonetheless to be raced at COTA with 75 factors up for grabs from the time the lights go inexperienced for race one on Saturday till the checkered flag comes out on the finish of race three on Sunday afternoon.
And there are nonetheless every kind of hungry racers behind him that can be decided to at the least make Herrin wait till the unpredictable, anything-can-happen New Jersey Motorsports Park spherical and the season finale.
Let’s again up a bit bit.
Herrin has gotten the place he’s by pouring it on when it issues most. The championship isn’t received within the early rounds at Street Atlanta, Barber and even Street America. These are three components, however the bread is baked within the final half of the season and that’s the place Herrin has put a dagger within the hearts of his competitors.
Prior to now 9 races, Herrin has received 5 occasions and stood on the rostrum three different occasions. His solely actual miscue got here in race one at Ridge Motorsports Park when he selected to make use of slicks on a moist racetrack. He wasn’t alone in making that poor choice and he paid for it, scoring simply 5 factors within the race.
Since then, Herrin has been just about unstoppable with 4 wins previously 5 races, together with three in a row heading into COTA – a racetrack he’s received on earlier than and a racetrack that fits the Ducati.
Two males are tied for second within the championship heading to Texas and certainly one of them received’t be racing. Wrench Bikes’ Bobby Fong and Assault Efficiency/Progressive/ Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne are tied – 52 factors behind Herrin – however Gagne received’t be racing at COTA as he’s opted to take a seat out the remainder of the season in an try and get his arm-pump downside sorted out for the 2025 season. Gagne has completed each single race in 2024 and he’s the one rider within the prime 10 who could make that declare. However his well being points haven’t gotten any higher so sitting out for a re-charged 2025 might be the best choice.
Fong had a robust center a part of the season, together with two wins at Brainerd Worldwide Raceway, however his outcomes have slipped of late, and he hasn’t stood on the rostrum since race two at Ridge Motorsports Park. Fong’s a fighter, nonetheless, and he received’t stop till the championship is over. He’s additionally a rider who has executed effectively ln the previous at COTA.
The person Herrin in all probability fears probably the most is the one who has climbed his manner as much as fourth after lacking occasions and failing to attain in 5 straight races whereas recuperating from a damaged heel. That rider is Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Cameron Beaubier.
The five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion is 60 factors behind Herrin and that could be an excessive amount of to ask. Beaubier has 4 podium finishes (together with a victory) previously 4 races, proving that his foot harm is behind him. Count on him to struggle till the top and he’ll be capable of let the quick BMW M 1000 RR really feel its oats at COTA.
Cameron Petersen sits fifth within the title chase, 9 factors behind Beaubier and 69 in arrears of Herrin. Petersen has had an up-and-down season up to now and some crashes at the newest Mid-Ohio Sports activities Automotive Course spherical left him a bit overwhelmed. A number of weeks off seemingly did wonders for the Assault Racing/Progressive/Yamaha Racing-backed South African. Additionally, Petersen does have three victories within the 2024 season so he is aware of the best way to win.
Petersen can be joined at COTA by Xavi Forés with the Spaniard set to switch Gagne for each the Texas spherical and the season-ending New Jersey spherical. Forés is “Mr. Have Leathers Will Journey” in 2024 as he beforehand stuffed in on the Imaginative and prescient Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki workforce for Richie Escalante. That is Forés’ second go together with the Assault workforce as he raced for them within the Daytona 200 in March.
It could be arduous to argue in opposition to Sean Dylan Kelly being the “quickest rider but to win a MotoAmerica Superbike race” because the rookie has taken the collection by storm with 4 podium finishes in his debut season. Kelly’s confidence continues to develop, helped by his shut second-place end to Herrin in the newest race at Mid-Ohio. It is going to be attention-grabbing to see if the EasyHealthPlans.com/TopPro Racing rider can come by with a victory in any of the remaining 5 races.
Loris Baz sits seventh within the championship after throwing away what gave the impression to be a sure 20 factors in race one at Mid-Ohio when he crashed whereas circulating behind his teammate Herrin. Baz is 12 factors behind Kelly and 31 factors forward of Beaubier’s teammate JD Seaside.
Imaginative and prescient Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Brandon Paasch and Actual Metal Motorsports’ Hayden Gillim full the highest 10 heading into COTA’s three races.
Paasch’s teammate Escalante was again in motion at Mid-Ohio. Sadly, he crashed out of race one and completed seventh in race two as he fights to get again to his regular self.
Pre-Circuit of The America Notes…
What a distinction a yr makes. Jake Gagne and Josh Herrin cut up wins this time final yr at Circuit of The Americas with Gagne topping Richie Escalante and JD Seaside to win race one whereas Herrin beat PJ Jacobsen and Bobby Fong to win race two. Gagne arrived in Texas after wrapping up his third successive championship within the earlier spherical at Pittsburgh Worldwide Race Advanced. Gagne has opted to take a seat out the remaining 5 races of the season as he tries to repair his season-long arm-pump downside.
Gagne earned pole place for the 2 races at COTA with a greatest lap of two:08.169 to greatest Herrin and Escalante, with the Imaginative and prescient Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki rider incomes his first front-row beginning place. Gagne’s greatest lap set a brand new Superbike report on the 3.4-mile, 20-turn Circuit of The Americas, breaking Roger Hayden’s 2:08.184 from 2017.
Of the 14 MotoAmerica Superbike races held at COTA, non-People have received 9 of them. The all-time win chief at COTA is Toni Elias, the now-retired Spaniard successful six races in Texas. The riders with the second most victories at COTA are Danilo Petrucci, with the Italian successful each races in 2022, and Josh Herrin, who received a race in 2019 and received race two final yr. The third foreigner to win at COTA is Mathew Scholtz with the South African successful race one in 2018 for Westby Racing.
Suzuki is the producer with probably the most MotoAmerica Superbike wins at COTA with seven. Yamaha has 4 victories in Austin with Josh Herrin giving Ducati its third win in Texas final yr.
Cameron Beaubier arrives in Texas because the winningest lively Superbike racer with the five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion second on the all-time win record behind Australian Mat Mladin with 63 Superbike victories. Mladin retired with 82 Superbike wins. Beaubier has 4 wins in 2024 and involves COTA in dire want of three victories to maintain his championship hopes alive.
The second highest lively racer on the all-time Superbike win record is Jake Gagne together with his 41 victories.
With 5 victories up to now in 2024, Josh Herrin has moved right into a tie with Eric Bostrom and Freddie Spencer for eleventh on the all-time AMA Superbike win record with 15 victories.
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