YCB Book

Josh Hayes

Monster Energy | Graves Yamaha

2011 AMA SuperBike Championship

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Josh Hayes 2011 AMA SuperBike Championship

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P roudly sporting the AMA number plate in 2011, Josh Hayes proved to his team and competitors that his Yamaha R1 was worthy of a repeat!

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Welcome!

This 2011 AMA SuperBike Championship represents a great story in American roadracing, and I am truly proud to have been an integral part of this history making year for Yamaha.

We have always had great Sportbikes over the years, but had only one SuperBike championship to show

for it and that came in 1991 with Thomas Stevens aboard his Vance & Hines-prepped Yamaha 750cc OW01.

We knew as a team that we had a lot of work to do to bring the title back to Yamaha and we were looking for the right rider to help us get the job done. We as a group decided that Josh Hayes was our man!

In 2009, Josh’s first year on the then new crossplane crankshaft-

equipped R1, he was able to win seven events and finished second behind perennial championship winner Mat Mladin. With Mladin retiring and the Yamaha team improving the R1 at every race, Josh was the clear favorite for the title in 2010.

The 2010 season did not start out as planned, as a hungry young

rider named Blake Young, as well as seasoned veterans Jake Zemke, and Tommy Hayden, all had their eyes on the Championship. Each of these riders proved to be the toughest of competitors and Josh did not win his first National until the seventh event at Infineon Raceway in May. From then on, Josh had his sights set squarely on the championship and never looked back winning many pole positions and races and claiming the Championship at the final round at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama in September. Josh Hayes had just claimed Yamaha’s first AMA SuperBike championship in 19 years.

Winning the title for the second year in a row was one of the toughest challenges that I can remember

in my 35 years at Yamaha. Blake Young had finished the last race of 2010 with a win and started 2011 determined as ever to win the SuperBike title. By winning four of the first six rounds, Young was riding well but a very consistent Josh Hayes was right behind him. Josh managed to take the majority of the bonus points with an incredible seven of eight possible pole position points, eight of the 14 points for most laps led, three wins, eight seconds, one third and two fourths to ultimately win the championship in dramatic fashion on the last lap of the last race by just five points!

With two-time winner Josh Hayes returning to defend his title, there’s no doubt that next year’s 2012

SuperBike Championship will be another great one to remember.

Congratulations to Josh, our team, and our sponsors!

Sincerely, Keith McCarty

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There is no off-season Talk to anyone involved in virtually any form of motorsports these days, and they’ll tell you that there is no off-season in racing. To be the best, you have to be fully committed to the sport. Constantly looking for that extra mph in acceleration, hunting for that extra thousandth of a second in split times, and seeking out that extra edge over the competition. It’s hard work.

And the work is even harder when you’re number one. The big number 1 competition number on

your bike is a bull’s-eye. You’re the Champion. The standard-bearer. The one that everyone else on the track, in the pitboxes, and in the transporters wants to beat.

When Josh Hayes won his first American SuperBike title in late September of 2010, the first SuperBike title for Yamaha in nearly two decades, it was a momentous occasion.

But, the celebration was pretty short-lived. That’s because the very next day marked the beginning of Josh’s title defense. Josh and the team went right back to work with a new goal: to win the 2011 American SuperBike title. To repeat the success that the team had achieved the year before.

The crossplane-crankshaft Yamaha

YZF-R1® had proven itself to be a formidable racing motorcycle…that could be made even better. The team was confident that the development curve for the bike was still very much on the upswing, with many more things to be tried and learned on the bike.

Look at any calendar and you’ll see that there are nearly six months between the end of September

and the second week of March, also known as Daytona Bike Week. Look into the eyes of any AMA Pro Racing crew member, and you’ll see that those six months seem more like six days. That’s because between Barber Motorsports Park in September 2010 and Daytona International Speedway in March 2011, there’s engine-building, suspension-tuning, hours spent on the dyno, testing, testing, and more testing.

When Daytona Bike Week rolls around, you still don’t feel quite ready. But, you are ready…you have

to be. Daytona is the biggest race of the season, and it’s also time to put the hard work to the test and the big number 1 clearly in the sights of every other rider and team.

Pressure makes diamonds, and it’s time for the Monster Energy / Graves Yamaha American SuperBike

Team to shine.

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B rand exposure is essential in marketing. The Monster Energy / Graves Yamaha team transporters were polished examples of perfection.

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Monster Energy In recent years, Monster Energy and the Yamaha Motor Corporation have forged a frame weld-tight alliance in global motorcycle racing. An alliance which extended into both the World Championship Grand Prix and World SuperBike Championships. Over the winter of 2010, the opportunity for Monster Energy to align with Yamaha USA in the AMA Pro Racing Series presented itself.

And the green flag dropped.

Monster, already cognizant of the fact that Yamaha was committed to success, achievement – and more than anything – winning, joined forces with the Graves Yamaha team. The worlds collided, the stars lined up and the visceral and tactile telemetry showed for a perfect set-up. The Monster Energy / Graves Yamaha team was created and by the time Daytona hit in March, the brilliantly blue, green and black festooned Yamaha YZF-R1® of reigning champion Josh Hayes and the YZF-R6® of Josh Herrin were rolled out of the dark Daytona garages and into the sublime Florida sunshine. From there, the rest was history. Hayes, showing otherworldly determination and fortitude, fought for all he was worth, defending his AMA SuperBike Championship in the final 23-lap race of the season. Herrin, meanwhile, was a consistent winner and, despite a few brushes with bad luck, proved himself to be among the elite young riders in the entire AMA paddock.

Monster Energy, the number one selling

energy drink in America, and Yamaha, the most committed and passionate racing company in America, made for an amazing relationship in 2011, one which saw both of us proudly take hold of the Number One. 2011 was one hell of a ride and one we can’t wait to continue on into the future.

“All of us at Monster Energy want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone

at the Yamaha Motor Corporation and Graves Motorsports for the great season and professionalism throughout,” said Alex Dunstan, Motorsports Manager at Monster Energy. “In addition, both Josh Hayes and Josh Herrin embodied all the qualities we look for in a Monster athlete and were a true pleasure to work with. Herrin is a young man with a bright future and Hayes has set an example and reached Championship heights that few achieve. Thank you, let’s go do it again!”

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Motorsports has created a world of opportunities. On the technical side Motorsports has been the benchmark for performance, durability and accelerated development. Racing has proven to challenge the best racers and teams on the best circuits around the world. Without dependable and superior equipment, racers would find it difficult to claim victory. To be the very best, the racers and their teams demand the quality components that are essential in achieving success against their competitors on the world’s racing circuits.

Yamaha’s long history of winning races while working with highly respected aftermarket companies has been a valuable component for both Yamaha and our partners. Showcasing their quality products on Yamaha racing machinery provides the

MonsterEnergy.com Energy Drinks

ultimate test in a racing environment. Without a strong contingent of exceptional partners, this much sought after AMA SuperBike championship would not have been possible.

The marketing side of Motorsports has generated

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millions of revenue dollars for companies who expose their brand through Motorsports. Timeless images captured on film and recordings are testimony to history-making performances and long-lasting brand recognition. Marketing capitalizes on winning!

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Monster Energy / Graves Yamaha prides ourselves with the relationship we have built through trust,

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communication and delivery of exceptional representation of our team partners in AMA SuperBike.

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has been instrumental in allowing us to do our best on racing circuits across the U.S.A.

Speedcell Technologies Lightweight Batteries

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Your trust, valued products, teamwork and marketing

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Yamaha-Motor.com Yamaha Brand Racing Components

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Yamaha-Motor.com Power Generators

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Josh Hayes’ Championship Monster Energy | Graves Yamaha R1

T he YZF-R1ÂŽ machine and its shining armor - ready to assault the competition.

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J osh clocked a lap time of 1:38.228, which was quick enough to earn his first pole position of the season.

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Round 1 - Daytona International Speedway - Daytona Beach, Florida Traditional: 3.51-Miles • 12 Turns Short: 2.90-Miles • 12 Turns

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D aytona has to be the most demanding circuit for man, machine and tires.

Here Dunlop’s Sebastian Mincone and Mick Jackson discuss the track conditions with Hayes.

J osh Herrin was looking for a repeat win in the classic Daytona 200, however a mid-race red flag and a sprint race to the finishs did not work in his favor.

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In the first race event of the season for the new Monster Energy / Graves Yamaha team, defending American SuperBike Champion Josh Hayes won the pole position – and a valuable championship point – on a breathtakingly hot final qualifying lap aboard his crossplane-crankshaft YZF-R1®.

Josh then led the most laps in each of two races, before

finishing a hard-fought third in Friday’s event to Blake Young and Tommy Hayden – two riders who would become Josh’s stiffest competion throughout the entire 2011 season. In Saturday’s race, Josh finished one spot higher than on the previous day, crossing the finish line in second place, just behind Blake and in front of Tommy. In both SuperBike races at Daytona, Josh fell victim to the always unpredictable draft on the high banks of the World Center of

T wo solid podium finishes at the opening

Racing.

round was a great way to start the season.

Chris Clark reached a personal best with his seventh-

place finish in race two on the Yamaha Extended Service/ Pat Clark Motorsports/Graves Yamaha R1, moving up four spots from the previous day. Chris raised eyebrows by topping the speed traps at Daytona with a track high of 205 mph, showing that the crossplane-crankshaft R1 has unmatched speed and torque.

In Daytona SportBike, Josh Herrin raced an inspiring Daytona 200 aboard his Monster Energy / Graves Yamaha YZF-R6® and toughed it out despite having to contend with a sore wrist that had not quite returned to 100% strength after off-season surgery. The race was shortened to a total of 42 laps instead of the traditional 57, which meant that the event only went 147 miles instead of the namesake 200. In addition, the race was stopped, then re-started, which resulted in a 15-lap, all-out sprint to the finish. Despite the adversity, Josh persevered and finished a strong fifth, netting him a solid collection of points with which to build on throughout the season.

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B eing quick and agile in qualifying is becoming a trademark for Hayes.

Josh navigated his way around the twisty Infineon circuit en route to his second pole position in as many attempts.

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Round 2 - Infineon Raceway - Sonoma, California 2.32-Miles • 11 Turns

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I nfineon’s many elevation changes and transitions require precise communication between rider and crew to maximize the full potential of the machine and rider’s skills.

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At Infineon Raceway, Josh Hayes, the defending American SuperBike Champion, chalked up his second pole position of the season. Saturday’s SuperBike race was a textbook example of Josh’s smooth and fast riding style.

He took the lead after an early battle and was able to inch further and further ahead, ultimately recording the quickest lap of the race late in the going. At the checkered flag, Josh won the race with a sizable seven-second gap back to Tommy Hayden who finished in second.

Race two on Sunday proved to be more

of a battle for Josh. He eventually raced his way past Tommy Hayden and Blake Young to again head the field but, in the closing laps, Tommy found his way past the Yamaha star. Josh left northern California with a sixpoint lead in the championship standings.

Meanwhile, in the Daytona SportBike

class, Monster Energy / Graves Yamaha rider Josh Herrin earned a solid third-place finish on Sunday after sitting out Saturday’s race in order to serve a penalty that AMA Pro Racing had assessed following the Daytona 200.

J osh Hayes and crew chief Jim Roach discuss some pre-qualifying strategies. Josh went out and earned his second pole position of the season.

J osh Herrin gets ready for practice as crew members Gary Dean and Skye Girrard unwrap the warmers on the Monster Energy / Graves Yamaha R6.

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R ain, shine or snow, Tom Halverson has his team prepared to go.

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Round 3 - Miller Motorsports - Tooele, Utah 3.06-Miles • 15 Turns

M iller Motorsports Park welcomed racers and staff with compromising cold and wet conditions in Q2. Rain gear and Dunlop KR 222 and KR 393 were the tires of choice for most SuperBike competitors.

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At Miller Motorsports Park, Josh Hayes’ practice and qualifying times were, once again, unbeatable as the defending American SuperBike Champion earned yet another pole position - his third in as many races.

In the race, Josh engaged in an epic battle with Blake Young

that saw the two rivals trading the lead back and forth repeatedly as the laps wound down. On the final lap, Blake nipped ahead in turn one, then rode a defensive line to protect his lead, ultimately besting Josh by a heartbreaking 0.756 seconds. Despite just missing out on the win, Josh maintained his points lead in the premier SuperBike class.

Josh Herrin grabbed his first Daytona SportBike win of

the 2011 AMA Pro Racing season aboard his Monster Energy / Graves Yamaha YZF-R6ÂŽ. With the win, Josh moved into third in J osh Herrin scored his first

the Daytona SportBike points.

Daytona SportBike win at Miller.

Chris Lessing, Pat Muras, Rick Williams, Gary Dean, Josh Herrin, Sky Girrard, Vitto Bolognesi, Steve Rounds, Josh Hayes, Jeff Myers, Jim Roach, Tom Halverson, Chuck Graves,

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C hris Clark does his best to stay glued to the champ’s rear wheel. Josh Hayes proves once again he’s a team player, helping the young Clark find the quickest way around the Miller Motorsports circuit.

Ron Heben, Chris Clark, Rick Hobbs, Kei Maeda, Bryce Eikelberger, Kyle Guglielmetti, Tommy Aquino, Oliver Hutchinson, Geoff Cesmat and John Buanno.

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J osh Hayes celebrates one of his two trips to the Road America podium.

A nother pole and another point, Hayes and the R1 were the most consistent with 2-1 finishes for the weekend.

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Round 4 - Road America - Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin 4.048-Miles • 14 Turns

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Josh aways makes time for his fans and a few photos.

E ven Blake Young’s cheesehead fans appreciate a well-earned victory.

Josh and crew celebrate a stellar performance on America’s longest circuit, over 4 miles long with a front straight over a mile long. Great job boys!

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Monster Energy / Graves Yamaha rider Josh Hayes arrived in Elkhart Lake leading the points chase in American SuperBike, and he had another sterling performance at Road America aboard his crossplane-crankshaft YZFR1®. Capturing his fourth pole position in a row, Josh made it a clean sweep of pole-position bonus points to that point in the season.

A rider who clearly knows that consistency at the

front is critical to winning a championship, Josh battled hard in Saturday’s race and finished a hard-fought second to Blake Young, with Tommy Hayden finishing second. Josh came back on Sunday and ran a perfect race, leading all but one lap and pulling a gap of nearly three-and-a-half seconds over the rest of the field at one point in the race.

In Daytona SportBike, Monster Energy / Graves Yamaha rider Josh Herrin did the double, winning both the Saturday and Sunday race in dramatic fashion, which followed up his win at Miller Motorsports Park in Utah, to make it three Daytona SportBike wins in a row for Josh and his Number 8 Yamaha YZF-R6®.

Josh showed his immense talent and racecraft in his

win at Miller, and those same qualities were on display at the historic 4.048-mile Road America. He kept himself consistently in the lead pack throughout both races, waiting for the right moments to safely and dramatically make his moves to the front. The long front straight across start-finish gave Josh the room to show the top-speed prowess of his R6, while the bike’s razor-sharp handling worked to his advantage. With the two wins, Josh took over the season points lead in Daytona SportBike.

M onster Energy’s partnership with Yamaha and Josh Hayes has proved to be a win-win opportunity for both.

D ouble back-to-back wins for Josh Herrin proved valuable in the chase for the championship.

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B arber is Hayes’s home circuit. Things started out well with Josh winning his fifth consecutive pole, however, challenging track conditions kept him off the podium for the first time in the 2011 season.

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Round 5 - Barber Motorsports - Birmingham, Alabama 2.38-Miles • 14 Turns

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At Barber Motorsports Park, Josh Hayes earned another valuable point for winning the pole, which gave him a perfect five-for-five in pole positions and five critical points towards his successful defense of the season championship.

Josh fought hard for wins in both SuperBike races, finishing

fourth behind Martin Cardenas, Ben Bostrom, and Blake Young in Saturday’s rain-interrupted event and a close second to Blake on Sunday. It was a challenging weekend in Birmingham, but Josh still emerged from the Barber round leading the American SuperBike Championship by two points.

In Daytona SportBike, Monster Energy / Graves Yamaha

rider Josh Herrin displayed brilliant racecraft in Sunday’s Daytona SportBike event. He kept his Number 8 Yamaha YZF-R6® in strategic position throughout the 16-lap contest and made a perfect pass on championship rival Danny Eslick towards the end of the final lap. With just a couple of corners H ow sweet is Alabama when you win? Just ask Josh Herrin. remaining, Josh secured the victory, and he left Alabama just four points shy of the Daytona SportBike Championship lead.

Yamaha Extended Service/Pat Clark Motorsports/Graves

Yamaha YZF-R6® rider Tommy Aquino had another solid weekend in Daytona SportBike competition where he once again battled with the lead pack in both the Saturday and Sunday races. Tommy had two solid fourth-place finishes – making it three fourths in a row – and in Sunday’s race, he shadowed Josh Herrin for a number of laps. With only a couple of corners left to complete on the final lap, Tommy was passed by a hard-charging Cameron Beaubier – himself Yamaha YZF-R6®-mounted.

With Josh Herrin’s win, Cameron Beaubier’s third, and

Tommy Aquino’s fourth, Yamaha was well represented in the top five of Sunday’s DSB race at Barber.

J osh Herrin and Gary Dean listen as Chris Lessing discusses suspension options, while maintaing his focus on the mission to make it four wins in a row.

H ayes didn’t get the results he wanted at Barber, but held on to his points lead.

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Round 6 - Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course - Lexington, Ohio 2.258-Miles • 15 Turns

Mid-Ohio has always been a good track for Hayes. Even with his past success, this year’s competition played havoc with the champ. After two incredible battles, Josh came out of Ohio with a respectable 2nd and 4th.

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T ommy Aquino had his head down all weekend, placing 5th on Saturday and coming back with a strong 2nd in Sunday’s final.

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At Mid-Ohio, a venue that Josh Hayes once called a “paved motocross track” with its tricky elevation changes and areas of suddenly reduced grip, the Monster Energy / Graves Yamaha rider and defending SuperBike Champion was met with his toughest challenge thus far in the season, and at one of his favorite tracks.

In Saturday’s race, he finished second to archrival Blake Young, but Josh still earned another

valuable point for leading the most laps. Then, on Sunday, Josh finished in an uncharacteristic fourth place behind Roger Lee Hayden, while Blake finished in second behind Roger’s oldest brother Tommy who won the race. With the Haydens’ home not all that far down the road in Owensboro, Kentucky, Roger and Tommy generally do well at Mid-Ohio with a lot of their family and fans in attendance.

When the points were all tallied and everything was said and done on Sunday, Josh suddenly

found himself 11 points out of the championship lead with only two rounds left in the season.

In Daytona SportBike, Monster Energy / Graves Yamaha rider Josh Herrin earned his first

pole position of the season in Daytona SportBike. The combination of the bonus point for winning the pole and his hard-fought secondplace finish in Saturday’s race put Josh tied for first in the championship points standings heading into Sunday’s race.

Josh was poised perfectly in second posi-

tion for most of Sunday’s race, sizing up the race leader and planning his move to the front. It was the kind of racecraft and talent-beyond-hisyears that has become a Josh Herrin trademark.

But, while coming out of Mid-Ohio’s famed

“Carousel”on the final lap and with the checkered flag in sight, Josh’s Yamaha YZF-R6® mo- A fter another great start, Aquino captured his first mentarily lost a bit of traction, and in the hotly podium finish of the year at Mid-Ohio. contested DSB class, that’s all it takes. He crossed the finish line in fifth. Despite the outcome, Josh left Ohio in second place in the season points standings, just 15 points out of the lead.

Josh Herrin’s Yamaha teammate, Tommy Aquino, who rode for the Yamaha Extended

Service/Pat Clark Motorsports/Graves Yamaha team, had two more of his patented in-the-leadpack races, but with a decided difference on Sunday. When positions suddenly changed at the end of the final lap, Tommy capitalized and brought his R6 across the finish line in second place for his first podium finish of his young career. And, with his fifth-place finish in Saturday’s race, Tommy moved up to fourth in the Daytona SportBike Championship points standings.

M id-Ohio presented racers and fans with ideal weather conditions. This circuit has been part of Motorsports racing history for fifty years.

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Round 7 - Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca - Monterey, California 2.238-Miles • 11 Turns

L aguna Moto GP weekend is an epic event for the road racing community. Josh earned his sixth pole of the season, led the most laps and once again was on the podium.

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C hris Clark rides effortlessly en route to another top ten finish. Laguna and Miller are his favorite circuits.

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At Laguna Seca, Monster Energy / Graves Yamaha rider and defending American SuperBike Champion Josh Hayes picked up six more valuable and hard-earned points toward his successful repeat of the championship. Josh earned a point for capturing the pole position on his crossplane crankshaft YZF-R1®, as well as an additional point for leading the most laps in what was clearly the most action-packed and nail-biting race of the entire weekend.

Josh looked to have victory in hand

for most of the race, but nothing is a sure bet in American SuperBike with such a competitive field of riders, teams, and motorcycles. The lead changed hands T he Yamaha hospitality tent had an international flair with the MotoGP more than a couple of times on the taking place the same weekend as the AMA road race events. final lap, and Tommy Hayden just barely pulled out the win while Josh finished in second place.

With Josh’s closest championship challenger Blake Young finishing third, Josh was just a scant five points out of the lead with New Jersey Motorsports Park looming as the final round and final two races of the season.

Following up his career-high second-place finish at Mid-Ohio, Tommy Aquino, who rides an R6

in Daytona SportBike competition for the Yamaha Extended Service/Pat Clark Motorsports/Graves Yamaha team, had another excellent result at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. His fourth-place finish kept Tommy firmly in fourth place in the season points standings heading into New Jersey.

LTD Racing/Y.E.S./Yamaha R6 rider David Gaviria won Yamaha its first Championship of the

season in the SuperSport West Division with a fourth-place finish in Saturday’s race.

A quino’s fourth-place finish at Laguna Seca kept him in title contention for the Daytona SuperBike championship.

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W ayne Rainey, Kenny Roberts and the umbrella girls have all been part of the Yamaha MotoGP heritage.

L ast year’s Laguna Seca winner and MotoGP Champion, Jorge Lorenzo, sets the pace for team mate Ben Spies.

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Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca has a rich, storied history in the annals of motorcycle road racing, both in the U.S. and on an international scale. For Yamaha, the track is especially significant.

Over the years, Yamaha riders have performed exceedingly well at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, netting im-

portant wins in virtually every discipline of national and international competition—from SuperSport, to SuperBike, to 500cc Grand Prix and MotoGP racing. Names like Kenny Roberts, Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey, and Valentino Rossi are literally etched into the heritage of the track as a fitting legacy of the phenomenal success that each legendary rider has had at the track.

And much like Sportsland SUGO is Yamaha’s home track in

Japan, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is quite literally the home track for Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. We’ve invested our resources—both human and financial—in the track because, frankly, Laguna Seca has not only played such a major role in our own racing history, but we are thoroughly committed to supporting the venue and its many loyal and passionate fans.

This past July was an especially memorable occasion at Laguna

Seca, as Yamaha and our MotoGP Team celebrated 50 Years in Grand Prix Racing with special red and white livery on the team members’ uniforms, the racing leathers of riders Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies, as well as emblazoned on their beautiful YZR-M1 racebikes.

Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca was also, once again, memorable for our U.S. Road Racing Teams. Defending

AMA Pro Racing American SuperBike Champion Josh Hayes came to Laguna Seca on a mission. Not that he needed any more motivation, but Josh was bound and determined to do Yamaha proud at its home track.

And he quickly got to work. Josh was the fastest rider on the track from the very first practice session on

Friday, through both qualifying sessions, and in the Sunday morning warm-up prior to the race. As was Josh’s style all season long, he captured another valuable championship point for winning the pole position.

In Sunday’s 23-lap American SuperBike race, Josh led the most laps and also recorded the fastest race lap. He

was truly a man on a mission, just as he was all season long, giving fans all the excitement they wanted.

That’s really why we’ve made such a commitment to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca: for the fans. We’re proud

of our ongoing relationship with Gill Campbell and all our friends at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, and we’re already looking forward to the weekend of July 27-29, 2012, when we’ll return to our home track, ready to make even more Yamaha history.

We can hardly wait till next year!

Bob Starr General Manager, National Communications Yamaha Motorsports Group

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Round 8 - New Jersey Motorsports Park - Millville, New Jersey 2.2-Miles • 12 Turns

O n Saturday, Hayes was flawless.

Taking advantage of his pole position he captured the victory and regained the championship lead, while turning up the heat on Blake Young.

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A fter a hard fought win on Saturday, Hayes takes his trusty R1 for a celebratory victory lap around New Jersey Motorsports Park.

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Coming into the final round of the season, Josh Hayes was just five points behind in the championship chase, and he quickly went to work to make up the deficit. He earned a valuable point for winning the pole in Saturday’s qualifying session, which made it a remarkable seven out of eight pole positions won by Josh on the season. Then, later on Saturday, Josh won SuperBike race one, and he also earned another bonus point for leading the most laps.

Coming out of Saturday’s excitement, Josh turned his five-point deficit into an 11-point lead by the end of the

race day. On Sunday, Josh was a key protagonist in one of the most exciting American SuperBike races of all time.

From start to finish, the race was very much in contention, but never more so than on the final lap.

Josh’s points lead increased and decreased with practically every one of the 14 turns on the track, and by the time his blue-white-and-black Monster Energy / Graves Yamaha R1 crossed the finish line for the final time, he had captured his second American SuperBike Championship in a row.

Josh finished the day, and the season, five points ahead of Blake Young, which, ironically, was the polar opposite of where he began the weekend. It was a remarkable turnaround for the twotime title winner and indicative of his unbeatable will to win.

The other Josh H. on the Monster Energy / Graves Yamaha team, Josh Herrin, rounded out his Daytona SportBike season with a second-place finish on Saturday, followed by a win in Sunday’s S aturday’s Daytona SportBike race was all Yamahas with Tommy Aquino exciting, season-ending race. Aboard his Yamaha taking the win, Josh Herrin in second and Cameron Beaubier in third.

YZF-R6®, Josh earned two bonus points for leading 15 of the 23 laps in Saturday’s race and all but four of the laps in Sunday’s season finale. With his win and those two bonus points, Josh just missed out on the Daytona SportBike Championship by only 19 points.

In a memorable weekend for Yamaha Extended Service/Pat Clark Motorsports/Graves Yamaha rider Tommy

Aquino, the California native traveled about as far to the east as he could in America to notch his first win in Daytona SportBike competition. Tommy was fast right out of the team transporter, capturing the pole position in Saturday’s qualifying, then winning the race on Saturday over hard-charging teammate Josh Herrin, as well as fellow Yamaha R6 rider Cameron Beaubier. That finish made it an impressive, all-Yamaha podium.

In Sunday’s race, Tommy fought hard for the win again, coming up short to Josh, with Cameron finishing off

the podium in fourth. Tommy finished the season third in the championship points standings, to give Yamaha two R6s in the top three.

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Why we race. The team celebrates their 2011 AMA SuperBike Championship!

Front row left to right: Kei Maeda, Vitto Bolognesi, Jim Roach, Josh Hayes, Chuck Graves and Tom Halverson

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Middle Row: Bryce Eikelberger, Kyle Guglielmetti, Jim Rounds, Jeff Myers, Gary Dean, Pat Muras, Skye Girrard and John Buanno Back Row: Colin Haugh, Weston Gleave, Sean Bice, Chris Lessing, Geoff Cesmat, Oliver Hutchinson, Rick Hobb, Rick Williams, Mitch Leonard, Ron Heben

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J osh recaps his race first race of the year with his crew in the celebrated Daytona winners circle.

G raves Motorsports factory titanium exhaust and Carbon fiber silencer makes for a powerful performance component on the MGY R1.

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V itto Bolognesi and Rick Williams confirming that all pit lane communications and data lines are in order.

R ick Hobbs and Josh Hayes discuss gearing selections, while Chris Clark gets ready to go out on track.

T eam MGY umbrellas do their job over Josh Herrin’s machines and make for a cool photo op.

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S teve Rounds and Jeff Myers work side-by-side making sure that Hayes’ machines are performing at their peak while Skye Girrard quickly mounts up a new Dunlop DOT on Josh Herrin’s R6.

T he Daytona 200 and its exciting pit stops. Here the team does some extended adjustments during a practice run.

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G raves Motorsports’ owner Chuck Graves and Hayes’ chassis technician Steve Rounds are always looking for ways to improve the R1.

T ommy Aquino and his Yamaha Extended Service/Pat Clark Sports/Graves Yamaha R6 posted consistant results throughout the season.

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G arrett Gerloff’s first pro AMA Pro SuperSport race at NJMP was epic. Taking a dominating win on Saturday followed by strong runner-up position on Sunday made for a happy Gerloff family.

D avid Gaviria celebrates the #1 plate he earned in Motorcycle-Superstore SuperSport West division.

D avid Gaviria and Tomas Puerta, both from Columbia, race for the LTD Racing/Y.E.S./Yamaha team and always are at the front of the pack.

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A Yamaha sweep at NJMP in Saturdays Daytona SportBike class was just what Yamaha boss Keith McCarty wanted to see... total dominance!

S mokin’!!! Josh Herrin and Tommy Aquino delight the NJMP fans with a double Yamaha R6 burnout.

C ameron Beaubier was rock solid at NJMP with a 3rd and 4th and finished the season in 6th in the Daytona SportBike championship.

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Vittorio Bolognesi: Manages all electronics, data acquisition, engine mapping, and pit lane monitors with a smile.

Mike Guerra: A 26 year veteran at YMUS, Mike is the Dept Manager. who works behind the scenes on all projects, agreements, and planning.

Tom Halverson: RR Supervisor with more than 15 years at Yamaha manages budgets and personnel with an eye on everything.

Curtis Jablonski: Engineer, machinest, designer, and fabricator for all YMUS racing activities in addition to programming video games.

Mitch Leonard: T1 transport driver, Hayes sign board, and master chef in our hospitality tent.

Chris Lessing: Oversees all suspension activity for the MGY and YES teams while focusing on rider satisfaction.

Pat Muras: Has worked for Yamaha racing for more than 15 years driving and cooking his way across the USA with a smile.

Jeff Myers: Engine builder for all R1 / SBK projects and Josh Hayes 2nd chassis technician who loves winning.

Bob Oliver: A 26 year veteran at Yamaha, Bob oversees fabrication, engine development for all YMUS racing activities.

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Leo Patterson: Manages all parts orders and the distribution to Yamaha supported teams with an eye on efficiency.

Jim Roach: Crew chief for Josh Hayes, RR engine Dyno development, engine mapping , and the man with the plan.

Steve Rounds: Hayes SBK chassis man, fiberglass specialist with an eye for detail and a Yamaha employee for 15 years.

Carla Serr: Administrative assistant to the stars of racing who doesn’t take anything from anyone!

Bob Walker: Fabricator extraordinaire for all YMUS racing activities and softball coach on the weekend.

Rick Williams: MGY team manager, handling travel logistics, scheduling, and best of all, he’s a team player!

T he 2011 AMA Road Race awards banquet was held in Atlantic City at Caesars Hotel and Casino where Josh Hayes and team were honored for their AMA Pro Racing SuperBike championship.

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T he AMA road racing series begins in March at Daytona, however the season starts in early fall with the Dunlop tire test. Tire development, machine performance and collection of critical race data are all part of the test, while racers work on mastering the unique circuit that Daytona presents.

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Design and production by 541 Marketing • Photography by Brian J. Nelson • Editorial by Sean Bice

Back-to-Back Championships In any sport, back-to-back championships are one of the most difficult accomplishments to achieve.

In 2011, Josh Hayes did just that.

After an incredible 2010 Championship campaign, Josh and his Monster Energy/Graves Yamaha team set their sights on defending the title.

The competition was relentless - but at the final round of the series in New Jersey, Josh and his team put the hammer down and captured the #1 plate for the second year in a row.

Here is how it happened...

Josh Hayes 2011 AMA Pro Racing SuperBike Champion

Yamaha Motor Corporation: 6555 Katella Avenue • Cypress, CA 90630 • www.Yamaha-Motor.com