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/1480014
ROUND 10 / SEPTEMBER 23-25, 2022 BARBER MOTORSPORTS PARK / BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA P78 ROAD RACE I FIM NORTH AMERICAN ROAD RACING CHAMPIONSHIP "Last year was cool winning all those races and taking home the championship, but this one feels good to bring it all the way down to the last race," Gagne said. "It was just incredible. It was amazing being able to race with Danilo. That guy is a world-class racer. I don't think there has ever been anybody that I wanted to beat more, just because of his resume. He's a MotoGP guy, a MotoGP winner. I don't know how many of those we've had here in the States, so I wanted to do right and protect the home turf here and bring this Mo- toAmerica Championship home with an American." With Fresh N Lean Progres- sive Yamaha Racing teammate Cameron Petersen doing a similar job on the field in race two as Gagne had in race one with a 3.1-second victory, all Gagne had to do was keep it on the island in second place to join an exclusive club that includes Reg Pridmore, Wes Cooley, Eddie Lawson, Fred Merkel, Wayne Rainey, Doug Chandler, Mat Mladin, Ben Spies, Josh Hayes and Cameron Beaubier as a two-time AMA/MotoAmerica Superbike Champion. Petrucci would finish race two in fourth place, sealing second in the title in his rookie year. MYOWNRACE 2 JOSH HERRIN 2-1 SUPERSPORT "Mentally, I think if you can win the last race, I feel like it helps a lot going into the next year," Herrin said. "You've got six, seven months to sit and think about everything. Happy to be up here. I wasn't expec ng to get the win, for sure. In the warmup in the wet, I had a couple mo- ments. Even on the warmup lap of the race, I had a moment. I was really nervous, but things just went our way. When Rocco and Stefano (Mesa) came by on the slicks, I was a li le nervous. I waved Stefano by because I saw how fast he was coming up. I thought for sure he was going to catch us, but we got lucky, and we were able to hold him off. So, [I'm] super happy." 16 KAYLEIGH BUYCK 1ST ROYAL ENFIELD BTR "I psyched myself out trying to do a lot of math," Kayleigh Buyck said. "I knew it was going to be close a er Jersey, so I just put my head down and came into this weekend. I wanted to have fun. It's been a stressful season. Everyone has been kicking bu the whole me. I wanted to win the whole race, but I knew if I at least Gagne leads race one. This was as close as anyone got to him.