AMA Pro SuperSport heads to Barber Motorsports Park

[totalmotorcycle]

@AMA Pro #SuperSport heads to Barber Motorsports Park for Round 3 of #AMA Pro Road #Racing



DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 19, 2014) - AMA Pro SuperSport resumes this weekend at the Triumph SuperBike Classic at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Ala. The class for up-and-coming stars of tomorrow and fast local club aces has seen some exciting action so far in 2014 and this weekend's doubleheader promises more of the same.

The Barber circuit offers a different set of challenges than the last round, held at Road America. For the whopping 50 pre-entered riders, the technical Barber Motorsports Park layout offers little time to rest or regroup from mistakes. The key at Barber is concentration. The Alabama tract's 14 turns are packed in to 2.38 miles of scenic circuit, and the fastest AMA Pro SuperSport pilots know to attack the track in sections.


Corey Alexander on the No. 5 Celtic/HVMC Racing Suzuki GSX-R600 leads the series in points heading into the weekend. With three wins so far in 2014, Alexander has shown he's the man to beat this year. But after winning both Daytona races and the first at Road America, Alexander lost out to Hayden Gillim on his No. 69 TOBC Racing Suzuki GSX-R600 in a draft-to-the-line battle in Elkhart Lake.

Just reaching the starting grid was a big step for Alexander after injuring his shoulder in a training accident before the race. Fresh off surgery, Alexander was very quick in Wisconsin despite not even being sure he'd be fit enough to ride on Friday morning.

Relatively speaking, Alexander didn't have a great couple of runs at Barber last year, taking sixth place twice. The New Yorker will be looking to recapture the dominance he showed in the first three races of the year. The reigning East champ has shown steady progression over his time in the class, and this weekend will be a good gauge of how far he has come.

Gillim is coming off his win in Wisconsin and the Kentuckian seems to be settling in with his new team. Gillim now looks poised to take the fight to his rival Alexander on a routine basis.

Known for his hot streaks, Gillim can be untouchable on his good days. Over his time in the class, he has worked hard to become more consistent and has grown as a racer. But if Gillim wants to battle Alexander for the championship up to the very last corner of the season like he did last year, he needs to finish in front of him with more frequency.

Gillim has some catching up to do as he trails Alexander, 115-86 in the point standings. A good result will go a long way in closing that gap.

Wyatt Farris, pilot of the No. 19 Celtic/HVMC Racing Suzuki GSX-R600, is third, trailing Gillim by just two points. Farris has made great strides since mid-2013 in the class and has become a regular on the podium. The Californian has been in the top five in every 2014 race, running second in both Daytona contests.

Farris' aggressive style has earned him good results, but at Road American had at least one rival unhappy with his tactics after he came together with Dustin Dominguez on the No. 68 HSBK Racing Yamaha YZF-R6in the race.

Dominguez, a six-time class winner, would certainly like to return to the top of the podium in Alabama. The talented Oklahoman has shown speed in 2014, but luck hasn't always been in his favor. Dominguez has second and third place finishes this year, but his best ride might have happened last time out.

After finding himself on the ground, Dominguez started last following a red flag in Sunday's race. His run from the back of the pack to eighth in Wisconsin was certainly a spectacular ride.

The top rookie in AMA Pro SuperSport is next in the standings. Californian Jason Aguilar aboard the No. 96 Tuned Racing Yamaha YZF-R6 holds the slot, having risen through the pack in a short time. Aguilar is riding high after earning his first AMA Pro podium on Sunday at Road America. Aguilar made a late double draft move to earn third in Wisconsin, showing he has substantial racecraft to match his speed.

New Yorker Cody Wyman on the No. 3 Harv's Harley-Davidson Racing Yamaha YZF-R6 has seen solid fortunes this year and has emerged as the leader in a tight group fighting for sixth in series points. Wyman leads Texan J.C. Camacho, rider of the No. 623 Camacho Racing Yamaha YZF-R6and young rider Kaleb De Keyrel on board the No. 51 De Keyrel Racing Yamaha YZF-R6 in the standings. Just three points separate each racer.

De Keyrel looked especially racy at the last event, earning fourth and fifth in the doubleheader.

Mexico's Erick Sanchez on the No. 64 EYK Racing Team Yamaha YZF-R6 leads Armando Ferrer and his No. 78 DMS Racing Yamaha YZF-R6 for ninth in points.

Young rider Connor Blevins on the No. 33 Excel Racing Kawasaki ZX-6R is just outside the top ten but closing. He finished seventh both times out in Wisconsin and is poised to move up the standings.

Class veteran Miles Thornton, pilot of the No. 72 D&D Castrol Triumph Daytona 675 has experienced a tough 2014 so far. The former class podium finisher has seen three races below his usual standard after fighting in the second pack in the opener and taking sixth.

Another challenge for the AMA Pro SuperSport field is the new two-day event format. With two qualifying sessions on Saturday morning, the emphasis is on getting up to speed quickly. At 4:10 p.m. local time (5:10 p.m. ET, 2:10 p.m. PT), the competitors will begin their 15-lap race.

On Sunday, the lights turn green at 1 p.m. (2 p.m. ET, 11 a.m. PT) for the 15-lap finale.