The Virginia International Raceway (VIR) witnessed an intense start to the MotoAmerica weekend, with Mathew Scholtz setting the pace in the Superbike Timed Practice session. The South African rider, representing Strack Racing, delivered a stellar performance, becoming the only rider to break into the 1:24s with a lap time of 1:24.764.
As the sun blazed overhead, Scholtz not only conquered the track but also his competitors, leaving them trailing in his wake. The afternoon session determined the fastest 21 riders who will advance to the Final Qualifying session ahead of Race 1.
Superbike Session: Scholtz Leads the Charge
Scholtz’s 1:24.764 lap time was a testament to his skill and the performance of his machine. Behind him, a train of riders clocked times in the 1:25s. Sean Dylan Kelly of OrangeCat Racing secured second place, just 0.340 seconds behind Scholtz. Wrench Motorcycles’ Cameron Petersen rounded out the top three, 0.351 seconds adrift of the leader.
M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante and Warhorse HSBK Ducati Flo4Law’s Benjamin Smith completed the top five. Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Bobby Fong and teammate JD Beach followed closely, with Beach suffering a crash that cut short his session. Real Steel Honda’s Hayden Gillim was the final rider within a second of Scholtz’s blistering pace.
Supersport and Twins Cup: Tight Battles Ahead
The Supersport Q1 session was a tightly contested affair, with the top nine riders separated by under a second. Josh Herrin representing Rahal Ducati Moto with Desnuda Organic Tequila, claimed the top spot with a 1:27.581 lap time. Championship leader Darryn Binder was hot on his heels, just 0.061 seconds behind. Rahal Ducati Moto with Droplight’s Kayla Yaakov completed the provisional front row.
The Twins Cup class saw a massive turnout with 44 entrants. The session was split into two groups to maintain safe track density. Hank Vossberg of Robem Engineering topped both free practice and Qualifying 1 with a 1:30.320 lap time. Yamaha BLU CRU Estenson Racing’s Sam Drane and M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Mathew Chapin completed the provisional front row.
Talent Cup: Local Hero Shines
In the Talent Cup, local hero Nathan Gouker of Quarterly Racing showcased his home track prowess, setting a 1:35.646 lap time to claim the tentative pole. Yamaha BLU CRU Estenson Racing’s Sam Drane was close behind, with Nathan Bettencourt of Bettencourt Racing completing the top three. Championship leader Kensei Matsudaira of Team Roberts faced a challenging session after a crash in morning practice but remains a strong contender for the upcoming races.
As the teams fine-tune their strategies and machines overnight, the anticipation builds for the Final Qualifying session and the thrilling races ahead. With such tight competition across all classes, every millisecond will count in the quest for victory at VIR.
