AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike

GEICO Suzuki’s Martin Cardenas won the first AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike race at Road America on Saturday. Cardenas got a bad start and dropped outside the top ten but made a methodical charge and was back fighting for the lead by halfway. It was Cardenas’ 21st Class win and extended his record.

Cardenas won by 1.368 seconds. He was able to get away in the closing laps when the battle behind him (Cameron Beaubier, Jason DiSalvo, and Dane Westby) heated up. Beaubier (Y.E.S. Graves Yamaha) took second, ahead of DiSalvo (Latus Motors Racing Triumph).

“My start wasn’t great,” said Cardenas. “I worked my way up. The bike was very fast and handling perfect. I saw the sky and thought it might rain soon, so I moved to the front as soon as I could. It was my plan.”

Dane Westby of the M4 Suzuki team narrowly missed the podium by just 0.1. Bobby Fong (Meen Motorsports) impressed once again, finishing just over eight seconds behind the winner and setting the fast lap of the race (2:19.629) in a quest to catch the lead pack. Jake Zemke was solid on his Ducshop Ducati, earning sixth place.

The battle for seventh might have been the toughest one of all. Cory West (Riders Discount Vesrah Suzuki) took the spot ahead of RoadRace Factory/Red Bull’s Jake Gagne and J.D. Beach and Huntley Nash of LTD Racing.

Cardenas now leads DiSalvo in the points, 175 to 134.

AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport

The Saturday race in AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore SuperSport was the typical close, hard-fought contest the class is known for, and this time Jake Lewis of the Riders Discount Vesrah Suzuki won. Lewis consolidated his lead in the last two laps to take victory at Road America by 3.247 seconds.

“The wind was a huge factor,” said Lewis. “It really pushed us in some of the turns and made it tough.”

The 10-lap race saw polesitter Lewis lead much of the affair with by James Rispoli (Orient Express Celtic Racing) shadowing closely in arrears until the race was stopped around halfway. In the second part, Lewis was once again hounded Rispoli, Stefano Mesa (Kneedraggers.com Yamaha) and Dustin Dominguez (Latus Motors Racing Triumph) but managed to get away a bit after Dominguez overcooked turn five with two laps to go and ran wide.

Mesa made a tough pass around Rispoli in Canada Corner to earn second place, even though Rispoli made a strong bid to retake the position in the final turn.

Dominguez regrouped to take fourth, ahead of RoadRace Factory/Red Bull teammates Tomas Puerta and Hayden Gillim.