Monster Energy Graves Yamaha rider Josh Herrin took his first AMA Superbike Championship victory last Saturday, 29th September, with the Yamaha YZF-R1, Yamaha’s fourth consecutive AMA title.
Herrin and teammate Josh Hayes have been locked in a season long battle for the title, both regular contenders to put their R1 machines on the top step of the premier US road racing class podium.
Herrin’s second place finish behind teammate Hayes last Saturday at the Laguna Seca circuit was enough to take the title. Hayes race win, his eighth of the season, guaranteed him second in the overall standings. Hayes can already claim three AMA titles with Yamaha on the R1. Pegram Racing Yamaha’s Larry Pegram came in third on the Laguna podium, giving the R1 a clean sweep of the AMA podium for the weekend.
Josh Herrin 2013 AMA Superbike Champion
"This has been a lifelong dream of mine and it's finally come true. I can't even explain the emotions right now. Coming around that last lap, I just filled up with tears. I could barely see where I was going. I've never felt that kind of emotion before. It's crazy the emotions you feel when you achieve something you've been waiting to do your whole life."
Herrin’s success in the Superbike class was echoed by Cameron Beaubier who took 12 wins through the season on his Yamaha YZF-R6 on his way to the 2013 AMA Daytona Sportbike Championship. Beaubier moves up to take Herrin’s place on the R1 for 2014.
Herrin now moves up to the world stage, joining the MotoGP Championship to ride in the Moto2 class for 2014.
Source: www.yamaha-racing.com
