M4 SportbikeTrackGear.com Racing’s Joe Roberts showcased measured skill and considerable bravery to splash his way up to an outstanding result in Saturday’s AMA Pro Daytona SportBike contest at New Jersey Motorsports Park.
Starting from the outside of the fifth row after qualifying 15th on Saturday morning, Roberts slashed through the field despite the day’s slick and rainy conditions.
By the conclusion the once-stopped and shortened race, 17-year-old Roberts worked forward to ultimately claim sixth aboard his CBR600RR.
The result was the Californian’s first top-ten in the SportBike class and his best result of the 2014 AMA Pro Road Racing season with just tomorrow’s finale remaining.
“Today was good,” Roberts said. “The race was difficult, just staying on two wheels was tough. I was able to catch up with Jake Gagne, Garrett Gerloff, and Danny Eslick after a few laps.
“At the end, I stayed a little more conservative than those guys to secure a good result. I am happy and it was actually the first time I rode a bigger bike with rain tires. I’ve ridden smaller machines in the wet before but this was my first time racing a 600 on rain tires.”
Roberts’ sixth added to what proved to be a spectacular day for Team Hammer as GEICO Motorcycle Racing’s Jake Zemke finished third in the race, his first podium result of the ’14 racing season.
Roberts will look to end in fine style as the 2014 AMA Pro Road Racing season will wrap up tomorrow after at New Jersey Motorsports Park.Roberts will look to end in fine style as the 2014 AMA Pro Road Racing season will wrap up tomorrow after at New Jersey Motorsports Park.
