BY RENNIE SCAYSBROOK
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN J. NELSON
W
hen rumors started to
circulate toward the
end of 2021 that Dani-
lo Petrucci would make the un-
precedented jump from MotoGP
to MotoAmerica for the 2022
season, the paddock was left
wondering just how a two-time
race winner at the highest level
would fare against America's
best on a foreign motorcycle and
control Dunlop tires.
We got our answer this week-
end as Petrucci and the stun-
ning Warhorse HSBK Racing
Ducati NYC Panigale V4 SBK
took two dominant victories over
2021 season runner-up Mathew
Scholz (Westby Racing Yamaha).
Petrucci's performance did
have a few caveats, however,
as the expansive Circuit of the
Americas venue is one he's rid-
den at every year that a MotoGP
race has been held there until
this year (2013-2019 and 2021),
so he knows the fast line in
Texas.
Petrucci also knows he did
not have to contend with a full-
strength Jake Gagne, as the
defending champion suffered a
mechanical issue—after a series
of problems in practice that saw
him blow a motor—before the red
light even went out in race one.
Gagne returned for race two
and engaged in a forceful battle
with new Fresh N' Lean Progres-
sive Yamaha Racing teammate
Cameron Petersen, eventually
taking third behind Petrucci and
Scholtz to salvage 16 champion-
ship points.
VOLUME 59 ISSUE 15 APRIL 12, 2022 P95
Danilo Petrucci ripped into his
MotoAmerica career in the best
way possible with two clear
wins on the Panigale.
