AMA SUPERBIKE
AMA PRO SUPERBIKE SERIES
ROUNDS 8-9/JULY 20, 2014
MID-OHIO SPORTS CAR COURSE/LEXINGTON, OHIO
P76
chinery, Beaubier's light weight,
more diminutive stature, and flow-
ing style allow him to drive away
from Hayes out of corners and
drive by him down long straights.
And Mid-Ohio only has one prime
overtaking section - one that calls
for a draft pass or draft-enabled
braking maneuvers at the end of
the backstraight. Despite Hayes'
point-and-shoot, late-braking
style, it was unlikely he could
even put himself in a position to
set his talented teammate up en-
tering that all-important corner
should Beaubier somehow move
into the lead.
Meanwhile, the remainder of
the field of contenders - weren't,
quite frankly. In a bitterly disap-
pointing development for third,
title contender Roger Hayden
- who has pushed Hayes to the
brink at Mid-Ohio in recent years
- Hayes and Beaubier were in
their own league during Sunday's
twin finals, leaving everyone else
to decide the final spot on the po-
dium on down.
THE RACE
With the riders grid based on
points, Hayes took advantage
of his spot on the inside of row
one and immediately leapt into
the lead. Beaubier lurched at the
launch and was overhauled into
turn one by Yoshimura Suzuki
teammates Hayden and Martin
Cardenas. But by the end of the
second lap, the Yamaha duo were
running in formation out front and
starting to eek out some separa-
tion, which would continue to ac-
cumulate as the (shortened) 16-
lap race took shape.
Beaubier powered past Hayes
down the long, kinked back
straight while working lap six, at
which point Hayes went to work
behind the reigning Daytona
Roger Hayden (95) leads
his teammate Martin
Cardenas (36). The two
Yoshimura Suzuki riders
weren't at the same level
as the two Yamahas and
Hayden fared the best with
thirds in both races.
