MORE PODIUM VISITS FOR HAYDEN AT MILLER MOTORSPORTS PARK
June 29, 2015
TOOELE, UTAH – Roger Hayden continued to show great speed in MotoAmerica AMA Superbike action aboard his Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing GSX-R1000, enough in fact to lead parts of race two at Miller Motorsports Park on Sunday. In the end Hayden found a way to finish on the podium, in third, in both races in Utah, in spite of having a few issues along the way. Hayden’s teammate Jake Lewis continued his progress in his first year of Superbike racing. Lewis was fourth in both legs, good enough to hold onto third in the series standings. Hayden’s string of podium results has moved him to within two points of Lewis in the points.
This weekend’s races were held in 100-degree heat of Utah’s Great Basin testing both man and machine. Hayden and his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 were up to the task qualifying on the front row with a time of 1:50.968 on the expansive 3.048-mile outer course.
In the first Superbike race Hayden and Lewis finished third and fourth, less than a second apart, but well back from the leaders. Adjustments were made and for Hayden things were looking up in race two. He battled Josh Hayes for the lead and actually led portions of the race. But then Hayden’s machine experienced a mechanical issue and he reluctantly had to give up the battle for the lead and instead focus on finishing the race. Although he was down a bit on power, the handling of the GSX-R1000 helped Hayden cross the line once again in third.
It marked Hayden’s fourth consecutive podium finish and moved him just two points out of third in the standings.
“It’s hard to complain about two podium finishes,” Hayden said. “I think the whole team was a little disappointed though because we were battling for a win there in the second race. We just had a little mechanical issue the last six laps and I brought it home third. Luckily we actually got to finish the race. I thank my whole team. It was hot this weekend and they did an incredible job. We’re looking forward to Laguna.”
Lewis meanwhile scored another fourth-place finish in race two and continues to be turn in solid performances as a rookie in MotoAmerica AMA Superbike. Remarkably Lewis continues to hold third in the standings after six event weekends and 12 races.
"This weekend went pretty well,” he said. “I was a little disappointed to finish fourth both races, but I rode as hard as I could. We had a few small issues that cost us a little bit, but I'm happy to leave the weekend healthy and I'm looking forward to the next round"
Yoshimura Suzuki will be back in action during the combined MotoAmerica and World Superbike weekend at on the picturesque Monterey Peninsula and Laguna Seca, in Monterey, California, on July 17-19.
The Laguna race will air nationally on CBS Sports Network on July 26 at 2:00pm Eastern.
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