Skip to main content

STREAK CONTINUES FOR DEBISE AT LAGUNA SECA

By July 10, 2016April 28th, 20212016 News

M4 SportbikeTrackGear.com Suzuki’s Valentin Debise scored his ninth podium of the 2016 MotoAmerica FIM North American Road Racing Championship season with a deeply impressive runner-up result in the Laguna Seca weekend’s MotoAmerica Supersport contest.

The Frenchman proved instantly at home and relentless around the highly technical track. He showcased his adeptness both on the brakes and firing out of the corners to seize second and defend the position to the checkered flag following a spirited battle.

In doing so, Debise furthered his perfect record of attaining at least one podium per race weekend since debuting in MotoAmerica. Besides standing as Debise’s ninth podium of the year, it was also his sixth finish of second or better.

“This track is more about exit corner and that’s where I’m good on my bike,” he explained. “I used everything I could on my bike to be the best. I was hoping to go and stay in the fight for the win, but I ended up having a great battle for second. I had a lot of fun. I want to say thanks to my M4 SportbikeTrackGear.com Suzuki team.”

South African Cameron Petersen came home just one position off the podium, winning out following a heated fight for fourth.

Debise and Petersen continue to rank third and fourth, respectively, in the 2016 MotoAmerica Supersport title chase with a combined two wins, 12 podiums, and 22 top fives.

M4 LOXY Suzuki’s Caroline Olsen enjoyed her best qualifying showing of the season, throwing down the fifth best lap among all Superstock 600 qualifiers and 11th overall including the Supersport contenders. Unfortunately, she was unable to take advantage of her speed, crashing out of the weekend’s solitary race.

However, M4 SportbikeTrackGear.com Suzuki’s substitute rider, Cameron Gish, quickly adapted to the team’s GSX-R600 and earned himself a top-ten result, taking tenth in the Superstock 600 contest.

Meanwhile, Superstock 1000 contender Jake Lewis walked away with fifth and seventh-place results aboard the team’s fire-breathing GSX-R1000.

Team Hammer will return to action following an extended layoff when the 2016 AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship reconvenes for its season finale at New Jersey Motorsports Park on September 9-11.

This year marks Team Hammer’s 36th consecutive season of operating as a professional road racing team. During that time, racebikes built and fielded by Team Hammer have won 61 AMA Pro National races, have finished on AMA Pro National podiums 151 times and have won five AMA Pro National Championships (the most recent in 2012), as well as two FIM South American championships. The team has also won 133 endurance races overall (including seven 24-hour races) and won 13 Overall WERA National Endurance Championships with Suzuki motorcycles, and holds the U.S. record for mileage covered in a 24-hour race. The team also competed in the televised 1990s Formula USA National Championship, famously running “Methanol Monster” GSX-R1100 Superbikes fueled by methanol, and won the F-USA Championship four times.