CHAMPIONSHIP
VOL. 54 ISSUE 37 SEPTEMBER 19, 2017 P67
one and dropping to 16th place.
But in typical champion form,
he stormed back through the
pack to take third behind win-
ner JD Beach (Monster Energy/
Yamalube/Y.E.S./Graves Ya-
maha), who took a commanding
9.8-second win over M4 Ecstar
Suzuki's Valentin Debise.
"The nice thing about coming
into this weekend was I had no
pressure except to need to finish
the races," said Gerloff. "I came
close to not finishing when I ran
off of the track, but made the
most of it. I pushed as hard as I
could once I got going because
finishing off the podium when
you win the championship is not
how you want to do it."
SUPERSPORT / SUPERSTOCK 600
Two of the three remaining
champions to be crowned
at Barber were in the 600cc
classes, with Gerloff (Monster
Energy/Yamalube/Y.E.S./
Graves Yamaha) unsurpris-
ingly taking his second straight
MotoAmerica Supersport crown
and Aguilar (Riderz Law/Aguilar
Racing Yamaha) besting Michael
Gilbert (Team MG55 Yamaha) to
take what will be the final Su-
perstock 600 class title as the
series undergoes a restructure
for 2018 (see In The Wind).
Gerloff—who only needed
four points to take the title—
didn't make it easy for himself
by running off the track in race
ning but without that final push
for a win.
"There was a little extra water
on the track for the restart and
I think that helped me early in
the race, but once it began to
dry the guys behind me seemed
to have a little bit more. I think
Mathew and Toni were a little bit
more comfortable running on
that lean angle. I just gave it my
best with where I felt comfort-
able running at."
Fourth, and second Stock
1000 bike, went to Gillim, ahead
of DiSalvo, Eslick, Prince and
Lewis. Strugess Cycle Kawasaki's
Kenny Riedmann and Quicksilver
Latus Motors Kawasaki's Bobby
Fong rounded out the top 10.
JD Beach (95)
cleared off to win
easily in race one of
Supersport, his fifth
win of the year.
