Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1221777
IN THE WIND P32 Coronavirus Doesn't Stop Barber MotoAmerica Test I n the midst of the Coronavirus chaos, the MotoAmerica pad- dock opened their 2020 hostili- ties with the annual test at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama, March 10-11, with Cameron Beaubier (Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha) stamping his authority over the rest of the field. At the venue where he clinched his fourth MotoAmerica Superbike Championship last September, Beaubier topped the timesheets with a 1:24.332 in the seventh and first dry session of the test to finish a full second clear of M4 Ecstar Suzuki's Toni Elias on a 1:25.371, the fastest time set on day one. "I think we got in 25-plus laps this afternoon, which is better than nothing considering the weather," Beaubier said, as he adjusts to life within the Richard Stamboli-run camp. "Everything was okay. It was pretty nice, riding my new bike on this track and trying to compare it with last year. I've ridden it at Buttonwillow the last few times, so it was nice to do kind of a back-to-back because the track surface really hasn't changed other than it just being clean from the race. It was just nice to get on a new track. We're already down to a closer race pace on a super green track than we did last year. All in all, it was good." Beaubier's time was impres- sive considering the cold condi- tions and the fact that his fastest time from that title-winning week- end in 2019 was only about a half-second quicker at 1:23.871. Elias was happy to be back on the bike after a long winter and knows the job ahead will be a big one to get comfortable within the Chris and John Ulrich-run organi- zation after the factory Yoshimura Suzuki squad pulled the pin at the end of last year. "Well, it's a long time with- out riding the bike," Elias said. "Since the last race here, it's been great. We did some laps in Talladega two days ago. Was great to have the feeling back, but it's a new team. We need to understand each other. I'm also open to listen to their solutions. But we need to find a way to do everything together and everyone agree to make the solid moves. That's a relationship and takes some time to arrive to the perfect point." Third overall at the test was a solid return to form for Beaubier's teammate Jake Gagne. The former Yamaha-mounted Super- stock 1000 Champion tuned in a 1:25.919, which placed him 0.417 seconds clear of KWR Ducati's Kyle Wyman, who left the test early to head to Daytona Beach for the eventually canceled Day- tona 200. The surprise of the test came from Wyman's fellow Ducati rider and MotoAmerica Superbike rookie, PJ Jacobsen in fifth place overall. The former WorldSSP Catch me if you can! Cameron Beaubier looks like he's picking up right where he left off with the fastest Barber test time. PHOTOS: BRIAN J. NELSON