Beaubier Fast Late

Henny Ray Abrams | October 5, 2012

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, OCT 5 – Y.E.S. Graves Yamaha’s Cameron Beaubier has a chance to finish second in the Daytona Sportbike championship, despite missing three races through injury. And the way he began the final round of the series at NOLA Motorsports Park proved that it could happen.

In the first ever DSB qualifying session at NOLA, Beaubier stole the provisional pole from Bobby Fong (Meen Motorsports Yamaha) at the end of the afternoon session. The time showing on his lap timer didn’t indicate he was fastest, but his team made sure he knew he was on top at the end of the 50-minute session, held on a warm sunny day in New Orleans.

Beaubier’s time of 1:42.958 mins. edged Fong’s 1:43.083 mins. lap.

Beaubier broke his knee in a scooter accident at home following the Daytona 200 and missed the Road Atlanta races and one of two at Sonoma Raceway.

Road Race Factory/Red Bull Yamaha’s Jake Gagne followed his breakthrough win on a wet track at Homestead-Miami Speedway by qualifying third fastest, three-tenths in front of 2012 DSB champion Martin Cardenas (Geico Suzuki).

Cardenas wrapped up his second DSB title in Florida, but second overall is up for grabs. Beaubier has 317 points to 339 for Dane Westby, the M4 Suzuki rider who was seventh fastest today.

Also undecided is who will win the most races. Cardenas has seven and Beaubier six, with two up for grabs.

Daytona Sportbike Qualifying Results:

1. Cameron Beaubier (Yamaha) 1:42.958
2. Bobby Fong (Yamaha) 1:43.083
3. Jake Gagne (Yamaha) 1:43.306
4. Martin Cardenas (Suzuki) 1:44.607
5. Tommy Aquino(Yamaha) 1:44.159
6. JD Beach (Yamaha) 1:44.228
7. Dane Westby (Suzuki) 1:44.255
8. Jake Zemke (Ducati) 1:44.458
9. Michael Beck (Yamaha) 1:44.601
10. Jason DiSalvo (Triumph) 1:44.610