Gagne began the weekend in strong form, breaking Beaubier’s Superpole streak. When the lights went out, he made a run for the holeshot from pole position, but the four-time Superbike Champion swiftly countered into turn one. A few corners later, the race was red-flagged after a crash at turn two. As the grid reformed for the restart in their original starting positions, Gagne once again got off to a flying start before Beaubier stormed down the inside into turn one. He didn’t look back, charging ahead to build a comfortable gap and crossed the line eight seconds ahead of the competition in the shortened 13-lap race. His eighth win of the season in nine races, Beaubier continues to fortify his title defense with a 49-point lead.
Lapping within a few tenths of the champ, Gagne kept his teammate honest. Unfortunately, as the race wore on, the conditions were not ideal for the softer-option tire choice. He gradually lost pace as he went into conservation mode to keep it on two wheels. After a brief battle, he eventually crossed the line fourth to score some valuable points in the championship. Gagne sits second in the standings, 15 points ahead of third.
The Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha Racing team heads into Sunday’s race two looking for another strong race result at the Ridge Motorsports Park.
