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AMA Pro Superbike
AMA SBK: Road Atlanta Review
A look back on last weekend's AMA Pro Superbike showdown at Road Atlanta...
It's often cautioned that the AMA Pro Road Racing season opener at Daytona International Speedway can provide a false read -- a one-off weekend contested on a banked superspeedway that doesn't necessarily serve as a good indicator of the field's true strength for when they arrive at more conventional road circuits.
However, the Triumph Big Kahuna Atlanta presented by Dunlop Tire and LeoVince only confirmed what was learned at Daytona, providing even more evidence that we're in for another season of remarkably competitive AMA Pro National Guard Superbike racing in 2012.
This past weekend's stop at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Ga. hinted that the status quo that took shape throughout 2011 remains intact with a pecking order that is relatively unchanged. Fortunately, the '11 season was one of the most compelling in the series' history and more of the same is exactly what everyone had hoped to see.
If anything, the racing early in 2012 has been even more spirited. While just 0.002 seconds separated title favorites Blake Young and Josh Hayes at the flag in Race 2 at Daytona, Young one-upped that dramatic performance with what may go down as the signature victory for the emerging superstar on Saturday at Road Atlanta.
The Yoshimura Racing Suzuki pilot and his Monster Energy Graves Yamaha-backed rival again elevated their fight for the lead to a level that was impossible for the remainder of the pack to match early in Saturday's contest.
The two routinely swapped positions in tight quarters, with Young swooping around the inside or outside of Turn 10 at will, while Hayes had a counterpunch in the form of an inside jab as they headed down the hill toward the track's final corner, Turn 12.
Young and Hayes have fought fiercely on just about every race weekend for over a year now, but what happened on lap 14 was unprecedented. The two touched as they crested the hill, front wheels aloft. Hooked together, Young was slammed to the pavement and left dazed on the track. A red flag was immediately thrown and Hayes powered his way around the 2.55-mile circuit at race pace to check on the condition of his primary rival.
Appearing for a moment to be seriously injured, Young finally picked himself up off the tarmac, brushed off the approaching medical attention, and limped his way to his fallen GSX-R1000 (which somehow managed to merely slide on its side instead of roll). Young remounted his #79 machine and rode it back into the pits to prepare for the restart.
Of course, he was forced to do so from the back of the field. Not happy with that development, Young channeled his anger and aggression to fuel his charge up through the field and arrived on Hayes' tail almost immediately.
The two resumed their epic battle and once again Young pulled a last-lap rabbit out of his helmet to walk away victorious following another final corner duel.
However, the Triumph Big Kahuna Atlanta presented by Dunlop Tire and LeoVince only confirmed what was learned at Daytona, providing even more evidence that we're in for another season of remarkably competitive AMA Pro National Guard Superbike racing in 2012.
This past weekend's stop at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Ga. hinted that the status quo that took shape throughout 2011 remains intact with a pecking order that is relatively unchanged. Fortunately, the '11 season was one of the most compelling in the series' history and more of the same is exactly what everyone had hoped to see.
If anything, the racing early in 2012 has been even more spirited. While just 0.002 seconds separated title favorites Blake Young and Josh Hayes at the flag in Race 2 at Daytona, Young one-upped that dramatic performance with what may go down as the signature victory for the emerging superstar on Saturday at Road Atlanta.
The Yoshimura Racing Suzuki pilot and his Monster Energy Graves Yamaha-backed rival again elevated their fight for the lead to a level that was impossible for the remainder of the pack to match early in Saturday's contest.
The two routinely swapped positions in tight quarters, with Young swooping around the inside or outside of Turn 10 at will, while Hayes had a counterpunch in the form of an inside jab as they headed down the hill toward the track's final corner, Turn 12.
Young and Hayes have fought fiercely on just about every race weekend for over a year now, but what happened on lap 14 was unprecedented. The two touched as they crested the hill, front wheels aloft. Hooked together, Young was slammed to the pavement and left dazed on the track. A red flag was immediately thrown and Hayes powered his way around the 2.55-mile circuit at race pace to check on the condition of his primary rival.
Appearing for a moment to be seriously injured, Young finally picked himself up off the tarmac, brushed off the approaching medical attention, and limped his way to his fallen GSX-R1000 (which somehow managed to merely slide on its side instead of roll). Young remounted his #79 machine and rode it back into the pits to prepare for the restart.
Of course, he was forced to do so from the back of the field. Not happy with that development, Young channeled his anger and aggression to fuel his charge up through the field and arrived on Hayes' tail almost immediately.
The two resumed their epic battle and once again Young pulled a last-lap rabbit out of his helmet to walk away victorious following another final corner duel.
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