Cycle News

SUPERBIKE AMA SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP ROUNDS 3-4/MAY 31-JUNE 1, 2014 ROAD AMERICA/ELKHART LAKE, WISCONSIN P42 for two exceedingly tense laps, clocking times more than a min- ute slower than he had been running on the previous laps. Despite nearly falling on several occasions, he made it to what would have been the checkered flag - had it not been displayed as a second red flag due to fallen riders on track. The results were reverted a lap and Hayes was credited with his 43rd career AMA Superbike victory one day after Beaubier earned his second. Cardenas sat in second for much of the race but ran off in turn one when the torrential downpour arrived. He would ulti- mately finish seventh. Second, meanwhile, went to Anthony, who splashed his way forward to earn the first AMA Su- perbike podium of his career. Hayden outlasted Yosh team- mate Clark for third after the two went back and forth for the po- sition prior to the heavy rain's ar- rival. KTM/HMC Racing's Chris Fill- more had actually worked his way into third on the race's last lap, but crashed. However, he would end up fifth in the final order due to the red flag. Beaubier actually managed to re-join the fray from pit lane after the red flag despite being a lap down. In some ways, he might have preferred to sit out. He ran off track once in the wet and then crashed a second time, falling in standing water while traveling at a minimal rate of speed right in front of eventual winner Hayes. However, Beaubier's determina- tion paid off in the form of 13th- place points, allowing him to retain the title lead over Hayden on equal points at 89 due to the tiebreaker. Hayes' win moves him to within striking distance of the two at 85 points. However, he was not in an especially joyous mood after the race as he was more concerned with the fact that the race was not stopped sooner due to what he considered unreasonably dan- gerous conditions. "I won a race, but I was rid- ing around so angry, trying to fig- ure out how we got to this point," Hayes said. "How did we make this kind of a decision? I don't know if I point the finger at somebody, or if I'm part of the collective that did that. I kind of feel like I am by mak- ing the decision I made to do two laps in that and actually finish the race. When I came up the front straightaway and saw the white Hayes congratulates Beaubier after his race-one victory. Chris Fillmore wasn't happy with his weekend, but he still came away with seventh and fifth places, despite a crash in race two.

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