2017 Austin MotoAmerica Results: Suzuki’s Elias Sweeps COTA…Again

2017 Austin MotoAmerica Results, Superbike & Superstock 1000

The 2017 MotoAmerica Series began this weekend at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas, the stateside motorcycle championship running in conjunction with MotoGP at the Texas Formula 1 circuit.

This track has always treated the Spaniards well; Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez dominated the MotoGP race once again, winning five of five races at COTA from pole. But he’s not the only Spaniard with a liking for COTA. Yoshimura Suzuki’s Toni Elias is also on a winning streak in the Lone Star State, the Moto2 Champion claiming both MotoAmerica Superbike races this weekend, repeating his 2016 performance.

Two of his largest threats at COTA were teammate Roger Lee Hayden, who claimed pole, and two-time reining MotoAmerica Champion Cameron Beaubier on the Monster Energy/Yamalube/Yamaha Factory Racing YZF-R1.

Beaubier had some issues in race one, though, due to a crash. He recovered and finished eight. This left Elias to battle with Hayden; Elias eventually finishing race one 1.770 seconds ahead of Hayden. Taking the final podium position was Quicksilver Latus Motors Kawasaki ZX-10R rider Bobby Fong—a Superstock 1000 competitor.

In race two Elias struck again, and this time was followed to the line 0.716 of a second back by Beaubier. Hayden would claim third.

Following race two, Elias said “Roger [Hayden] and I were pushing hard from the very start of the race since the conditions were much warmer today. Pulling off the double win this weekend is really good for my confidence, however, I have my boots on the ground and am concentrated on continuing my season with strong results and staying consistent at each race. All of the guys are going quick right now and it will be a fight each weekend.”

During race two, Beaubier made up for his race-one crash, and also had the fastest lap of the race with a 2:09.173.

“A year ago I left COTA in bad shape, so I’m happy to walk away with decent points today and carry the momentum into Atlanta,” said Beaubier. “Early in the race I was struggling to keep pace with the leaders in the final sections of the track, although I felt alright in the first few sections. I lost some ground at the beginning, but regrouped and got into a flow that allowed me to pick up the pace and make a move on Roger [Hayden] at the end.”

Hayden took second with ease on Saturday, but Beaubier prevented another runner-up finish. Following Sunday’s race, Hayden said: “It was a good race, a fun race, and solid start to the new season. There were a few sections of the track I was better than Toni and in other sections he was a little better than me. Cameron [Beaubier] and I had a good battle going, but it let Toni [Elias] slip away.”

Like his teammate Beaubier, Josh Hayes also bounced back in today’s Motul Superbike race after his disastrous crash in yesterday’s race one. Hayes’ race was mostly lonely as he finished some 11 seconds behind the lead trio and some 12 seconds ahead of fifth-placed Fong.

Fong backed up his Superbike podium finish from yesterday with a fifth in today’s race and that also put him on top of the heap in the Bazzaz Superstock 1000 race for the second straight day.

“The pace was a lot faster today and it was nice to walk away with the Superstock win,” said Fong. “I decided to make some changes after yesterday, specifically to the rear shock, and it ended up being for the worse. Today didn’t feel quite as rewarding as yesterday since we were a little bit behind the Superbike guys, but I think it is important to keep my focus on the Superstock class. Trying to keep up with the Superbike guys is awesome for me and has helped me elevate my game.”

Rounding out the top 10 were HelmetSounds.com/Western Services/Meen Motors’ Josh Herrin,

Yamalube/Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz (Superstock 1000), TOBC Racing’s Danny Eslick (Superstock 1000), Motovation USA/Lucas Oils/KWR’s Kyle Wyman, and M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Jake Lewis (Superstock 1000).

With two races complete in the 10-round (20-race) battle for the Motul Superbike crown, Elias leads the way with his perfect 50 points, 14 clear of Hayden’s 36. Beaubier sits third with 28 points, one better than Fong.

Fong leads the Bazzaz Superstock Championship with 50 points, 10 more than Scholtz and 21 more than Eslick.

Round two of the 2017 MotoAmerica Series is the Suzuki ECSTAR Championship at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia, next weekend, April 28-30.