AMERICA’S JD BEACH
became just the third rider
ever to stand on the top step of
a Superprestigio podium when
the Yamaha rider won the fifth
edition of the Barcelona-based
dirt track event.
The two-time MotoAmerica
Supersport champ won all
three Open class finals to line
up in the Superfinal, which
combines top riders from both
the Superprestigio and Open
categories.
The 26-year-old American
was up against some big name
competition: 40 domestic
and international riders were
invited to contest the indoor
flat-track event. Between
them a total of 29 FIM World
Championships.
Double Moto2 world
champ Johann Zarco was
there, as was newly crowned
World Supersport champ
Lucas Mahias, 10-time world
endurance champ Vincent
Phillipe and 2003 WSBK
runner-up Rubén Xaus.
The Superprestigio Class
finals saw three different
winners from the three events,
with Australian Moto2 rider
Remy Gardner, former GP
veteran and 2017 MotoAmericaSuperbike champion Toni Elias
and Spanish road racer Albert
Arenas all taking one win each.
The four final victors made
it through to the Superfinal
and were joined by four more;
American short track star
Briar Bauman, Spain’s Ferran
Cardus, Italian Moto2 rider
Fabio di Giannantonio and
Spanish rider Guillermo Cano.
The 2017 event was the
first time in the revived race’s
five-year history that four-time MotoGP world champ
Marc Marquez hasn’t entered,
citing exhaustion as why he
chose not to contest this year’s
Superprestigio.
“The 2017 MotoGP season
was a very tough and stressful
one,” the Respol Honda rider
said. “Now it’s time for a rest.
“I’ve been lucky enough to
win the Superprestigio twice –
now it’s time for other Spanish
riders to win this race.”
While four Spaniardsqualified for the Superfinal,
it was a race between two
Americans; Bauman versus
Beach. Bauman battled his
road-racing compatriot all the
way to the chequered flag of
the 16-lap feature race. But
despite being the only rider
in the final to dip into the
11-second lap times, he was
beaten by Beach to the line by
just 0.965sec.
“It was a crazy day for sure!”
Beach said following the high-
profile event.
“Coming in, I didn’t expect
this. I struggled yesterday,
and qualifying wasn’t so good.
But it worked out. Everyone
helped. I’m at a loss for words,
really.”
“Gotta thank (two-time
Superprestigio winner) Brad
Baker! He couldn’t make it this
year, and I was the first guy he
called. I was honoured to take
his spot. I’m pumped that Briar
(Bauman) and I went one-two,
He wanted a different order
I’m sure, but it worked out.”
Cardus kept Spanish fans
happy when he claimed the
last podium position ahead of
Toni Elias. Moto2 racer, Remy
Gardner flew the Aussie flag to
finish in eighth place. KB122 amcn.com.au
sport
Dirt TrackYanks dominate Superprestigio
Enduro GPTHE RECENTLY RETIREDfour-
time world champ Matthew
Phillips has announced he will
contest the 2018 World Enduro
GP after all, citing recent series
format changes as the source of
his new-found motivation.
The series will revert back
to three classes and an overall
structure, the same as it was
when the talented Aussie won
the world title in 2016.
The 23-year-old Taswegian
announced his retirement in
August of 2017 revealing at the
time he’d not been “100 per cent
focused on the races – I need to
go home and find the fire beforeit goes out! The fans don’t want
that, and me neither.”
Luckily for his fans, the young
Aussie’s disillusionment was
short-lived, having recently
re-signed with the Sherco
squad which is also undergoing
changes for the 2018 season.
The talented Aussie has set his
sights on replicating his 2016
achievements, the year he
clinched both the overall title
as well as his class title. His
teammate will be British rider
Jack Edmondson who returns
to the world stage after racing
the 2017 season in the American
GNCC series. KBPhillips’ backflip!
Different
strokes,
different
folks: Drift vs
Slide