RACING CHAMPIONSHIP
VOL. 54 ISSUE 27 JULY 11, 2017 P75
last lap. I tried to throw a Hail
Mary on the last turn, but he was
protecting the inside line. I knew
it was a long shot and it didn't
quite work. I'm looking forward
to getting back to Sonoma and
hopefully we can finish strong in
the last four events."
Beaubier held on for a fading
third in race one and was in the
hunt for victory in race two, but
inflicted some serious champi-
onship damage on himself when
he lost the front of the Monster
Energy Yamaha/Yamalube/
Saturday's and Sunday's races,
only for Elias to snatch the
victory away at the moment.
Hayden didn't go down without
a fight in race two, coming from
about five bike lengths back on
the final corner for an Elias-like
dive-bomb pass. It was never
going to work, however, and he
predictably ran wide but kept the
bike upright to take his second
be good too."
One could not help feeling
sorry for pole-sitter Roger, as
Elias went for two successful
kills on the youngest of the three
Haydens in a weekend where
his late brother Nicky's #69 was
never far from sight.
Like so many times this year,
Roger was forced to do the
donkeywork out front in both
Yamaha Factory Racing R1 at
turn 10 midway through the race,
remounting to finish 14th.
"Coming out of the Cork-
screw, I went a little wide in
Rainey Corner in order to set
myself up to try to make a pass
on Rog in Turn 10, but I lost the
front," he said. "I was able to
pick up my bike again and get
going, but I only managed to do
place for the second time on the
weekend.
"We got the pole again this
weekend, so I was pretty excited
about that," Hayden explained.
"In race one Saturday I followed
Toni around. Then we made
some changes and it was a lot
better for today's race. I tried to
hold on to the lead, but Toni got
by me in turn two there on the
Mathew Scholtz and Bobby Fong go
at it in race two of Superstock 1000.
The South African Scholtz is now in
the championship box seat.
