MotoAmerica dodges weather in return to Mid-Ohio
MotoAmerica returned triumphantly to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, after a 10-year absence from the iconic track. MotoAmerica, home of the AMA Superbike Championship, visited Mid-Ohio for its eighth round of the 2024 season.
“It has been a long time coming but worth the wait to welcome the AMA Superbike Championship back to the flowing curves of Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course,” says Rob Dingman, AMA president and CEO. “The weekend wasn’t without some challenges from Mother Nature, but the MotoAmerica team, supported by the Mid-Ohio track crew, were decisive and flexible, squeezing in as much racing action as possible.”
Race officials and track personnel battled volatile weather on both Saturday and Sunday but successfully completed the program. The hard work and quick planning allowed for a full slate of racing, rewarding fans with two championships and memorable moments on the newly paved road-race course.
In the premier Steel Commander Superbike class, Warhorse HSBK Racing’s Josh Herrin had a perfect weekend, with a clean sweep of the class doubleheader. While his first race was a runaway, the second offered some of the most exciting racing action of the weekend, with a full race battle with Sean Dylan Kelly and Cameron Beaubier, both on BMWs.
Two support class championships were decided on Sunday. Mikayla Moore wrapped up the 2024 Royal Enfield Build Train Race title with her seventh win of the season, and Matthew Chapin locked down the 2024 Junior Cup Championship on his BARTCON Racing Kawasaki with the double-header sweep.
The titles also are notable because both young riders have been selected to represent North America at the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme Intercontinental Games on Nov. 30-Dec. 1 in Jerez, Spain.
“Congratulations to Mikalya and Chapin for outstanding seasons,” says Dingman, who presented Moore with her AMA No. 1 plate. “Their performances this year have been impressive, and both Mikalya and Matt will represent us well on the international stage in Jerez.”
The Supersport class saw a split in wins, with Rahal Ducati’s PJ Jacobsen winning on Saturday and Strack Racing’s Mathew Scholtz finishing out front on Sunday with his seventh win of the year.
Saturday’s Supersport race likely will be remembered by Mid-Ohio fans for the rider who crossed the line in third behind Jacobsen and second-place finisher Scholtz: veteran AMA racer and Ohio native Larry Pegram. With the race starting in the wet, the 51-year-old, riding a Suzuki for TopPro Racing, led the race on rain tires for several laps before fading slightly. It was his first AMA podium finish since 2014 in the AMA Superbike class at New Jersey Motosports Park.
MotoAmerica resumes its season on Sept. 13-15 at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
