Page 18 - GRID-4

CAMERON BEAUBIER : MOTUL SUPERBIKE
Last year’s results indicate that VIRginia International Raceway is a suitable track for the R1. This year’s Superpole was no exception as Beaubier conquered the winding course and completed an all Yamaha front row with a 1:24.525 during his very last lap of the fifteen minute session. It was tough to determine who had the race pace to separate themselves at the head of the field considering the dodgy weather that plagued the opening day of action, but Beaubier’s consistent lap times in qualifying projected him as one of the favorites to stand on the top step of the podium. As the lights went out on Saturday afternoon, he launched his YZF-R1 down the start straight and immediately became involved in a dogfight for the lead. The privateer Yamaha efforts of Josh Herrin and Kyle Wyman established themselves at the front on the opening lap and Toni Elias rocketed from the third row to establish himself in third position as Beaubier settled into fourth. The pack stormed into the first corner for the second time and the late braking competition created a bit of carnage, sending Beaubier outside of the track limits and into the grass. Considering the heavy amount of rainfall from the night before, the grass was extremely slick and he had to channel his best motocross skills in order to keep the R1 on two wheels, safely rejoinining the race in dead last with a mountain to climb ahead of him. Beaubier put his head down and mounted a charge back through the field, making a plethora of passes at turn one and turn seven on his unsuspecting prey. At first, he thought he had no chance of catching back up to the leading group, but it was only a matter of time before he was nipping at the heels of the top five.
18 GRIDMOTO • JUNE 2017
>>
CAMERON BEAUBIER
THEGRID!
“WHEN I WOULD CATCH A GUY I WAS ABLE TO PASS ‘EM RIGHT AWAY, AND THAT HELPED ME A LOT GETTIN’ THROUGH THE FIELD.”