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AMA Pro Superbike
AMA SBK: 2012 Championship Prediction Countdown: #5
With the Daytona season opener just days away, we place our bets on the 2011 AMA Pro Superbike Championship, starting at #5.
Monster Energy Graves Motorsports Yamaha's Josh Herrin (Photo: Evan Williams)
The 2012 AMA Pro Superbike Championship kicks off in just days around the fabled high banks of Daytona International Speedway.
And with that comes another chance for Evan Williams and myself to prove our worth as prognosticators.
Last season's Superbike title fight was one of the most intense and entertaining in the series' history. And we did pretty well in our pics, one perhaps slightly better than the other… (ahem.)
Here's a quick review of our 2011 predictions and the season's actual standings:
Evan Williams
5. Roger Hayden (National Guard Jordan Suzuki)
4. Ben Bostrom (Jordan Suzuki)
3. Blake Young (Rockstar Makita Yoshimura Suzuki)
2. Josh Hayes (Monster Energy Graves Yamaha)
1. Tommy Hayden (Rockstar Makita Yoshimura Suzuki)
Chris Martin
5. Roger Hayden (National Guard Jordan Suzuki)
4. Martin Cardenas (M4 Suzuki)
3. Tommy Hayden (Rockstar Makita Yoshimura Suzuki)
2. Blake Young (Rockstar Makita Yoshimura Suzuki)
1. Josh Hayes (Monster Energy Graves Yamaha)
2011 Actual Final Standings
6. Roger Hayden (202)
5. Ben Bostrom (209)
4. Martin Cardenas (231)
3. Tommy Hayden (288)
2. Blake Young (358)
1. Josh Hayes (363)
That's right -- Roger Hayden fell just a handful of points short of handing me a perfect sweep. But now we have the chance to do better -- or more likely -- much, much worse.
Starting with #5:
Evan Williams: Larry Pegram - Foremost Insurance Pegram Racing BMW
Pegram's switch to BMW last season ended his run in the victory column. His team was never quite able to tune in the German machine and the success of 2009 and 2010 couldn't be replicated. Pegram Racing has sorted out their electronics issues, getting a proper base map in place. Larry is confident his squad can contend for wins this year.
For 2012 the BMW S1000RR has some improvements and perhaps at a few tracks might even be the superior bike. If Pegram can take advantage, he'll get some wins. Overall, I see Pegram earning fifth in points for the season. The competition at the top is very tough.
Chris Martin: Josh Herrin - Monster Energy Graves Yamaha
Despite being just 21 years old, it feels like Herrin's Superbike ascension has been a very long time coming. Herrin has major league ability and proven championship-winning equipment underneath him. He also has some big expectations to live up to -- not just from long-time employer Yamaha, but AMA officials and Superbike fans in general, who will look for him to inject some excitement into a Superbike championship that has been left staggered by the dual loss of Tommy Hayden and Martin Cardenas from its ranks.
Fortunately for Herrin, his efforts are made a bit easier by their absence, and he has the potential to rack up multiple podium finishes in his rookie season. That said, expect some struggles as well, as he becomes just the second high-profile Superbike rookie in recent years to advance to the class without significant big-bore experience. And like Cardenas a year ago, Herrin will probably take a few lumps along the way as he acclimates to his new 200+-horsepower reality. Equaling Cardenas' rookie win a year ago would be a massive accomplishment.
I expect Herrin to resume a few old undercard rivalries while fighting for 'best of the rest' honors.
Look for #4 to be posted in short order…
SPEED.com Motorcycle Racing Editor Chris Martin saw Eddie Lawson win aboard a Kawasaki the first time he attended an AMA Superbike race and witnessed Ben Bostrom win a World Superbike race aboard a V&H Ducati the first time he worked one. He has written about AMA SBK, WSBK, and MotoGP for SPEED.com since 2003. Chris is now on Twitter.
And with that comes another chance for Evan Williams and myself to prove our worth as prognosticators.
Last season's Superbike title fight was one of the most intense and entertaining in the series' history. And we did pretty well in our pics, one perhaps slightly better than the other… (ahem.)
Here's a quick review of our 2011 predictions and the season's actual standings:
Evan Williams
5. Roger Hayden (National Guard Jordan Suzuki)
4. Ben Bostrom (Jordan Suzuki)
3. Blake Young (Rockstar Makita Yoshimura Suzuki)
2. Josh Hayes (Monster Energy Graves Yamaha)
1. Tommy Hayden (Rockstar Makita Yoshimura Suzuki)
Chris Martin
5. Roger Hayden (National Guard Jordan Suzuki)
4. Martin Cardenas (M4 Suzuki)
3. Tommy Hayden (Rockstar Makita Yoshimura Suzuki)
2. Blake Young (Rockstar Makita Yoshimura Suzuki)
1. Josh Hayes (Monster Energy Graves Yamaha)
2011 Actual Final Standings
6. Roger Hayden (202)
5. Ben Bostrom (209)
4. Martin Cardenas (231)
3. Tommy Hayden (288)
2. Blake Young (358)
1. Josh Hayes (363)
That's right -- Roger Hayden fell just a handful of points short of handing me a perfect sweep. But now we have the chance to do better -- or more likely -- much, much worse.
Starting with #5:
Evan Williams: Larry Pegram - Foremost Insurance Pegram Racing BMW
Pegram's switch to BMW last season ended his run in the victory column. His team was never quite able to tune in the German machine and the success of 2009 and 2010 couldn't be replicated. Pegram Racing has sorted out their electronics issues, getting a proper base map in place. Larry is confident his squad can contend for wins this year.
For 2012 the BMW S1000RR has some improvements and perhaps at a few tracks might even be the superior bike. If Pegram can take advantage, he'll get some wins. Overall, I see Pegram earning fifth in points for the season. The competition at the top is very tough.
Chris Martin: Josh Herrin - Monster Energy Graves Yamaha
Despite being just 21 years old, it feels like Herrin's Superbike ascension has been a very long time coming. Herrin has major league ability and proven championship-winning equipment underneath him. He also has some big expectations to live up to -- not just from long-time employer Yamaha, but AMA officials and Superbike fans in general, who will look for him to inject some excitement into a Superbike championship that has been left staggered by the dual loss of Tommy Hayden and Martin Cardenas from its ranks.
Fortunately for Herrin, his efforts are made a bit easier by their absence, and he has the potential to rack up multiple podium finishes in his rookie season. That said, expect some struggles as well, as he becomes just the second high-profile Superbike rookie in recent years to advance to the class without significant big-bore experience. And like Cardenas a year ago, Herrin will probably take a few lumps along the way as he acclimates to his new 200+-horsepower reality. Equaling Cardenas' rookie win a year ago would be a massive accomplishment.
I expect Herrin to resume a few old undercard rivalries while fighting for 'best of the rest' honors.
Look for #4 to be posted in short order…
SPEED.com Motorcycle Racing Editor Chris Martin saw Eddie Lawson win aboard a Kawasaki the first time he attended an AMA Superbike race and witnessed Ben Bostrom win a World Superbike race aboard a V&H Ducati the first time he worked one. He has written about AMA SBK, WSBK, and MotoGP for SPEED.com since 2003. Chris is now on Twitter.
AMA SBK Homestead-Miami
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