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Ducati Boasts Double Podiums At Laguna Seca

Toni Elias, Suberbike racer who subbed for Kyle Wyman on Team Ducati after Wyman suffered a broken arm

​​This weekend saw the breaking of a couple of records at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca by none other than Loris Baz, who broke the record for the weekend’s fastest lap  – his best this season. 

Baz also did his team proud, challenging Yamaha’s Jake Gagne for the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati.

Loris Baz on his Ducati machine

“It’s been a great weekend; the best we’ve had so far,” Baz says. “We’ve had no real issues all weekend; besides the small fumble on Friday, we’ve been strong all weekend. I think since Road America, race one, we finally found a bass setup that I like on the bike, so I’m riding better and better.”

“I’ve really enjoyed riding the V4 R at Laguna Seca. I was able to put pressure on Jake during race one and race two. We put on a great show in front of the many fans around the track. Considering how new this project is, we are getting better and better, so I look forward to the future.”

The results won Baz two second-place podiums, punting him into fifth place. 

Toni Elias isn’t far behind either. His battle at the Panera Bread Ducati boosted him from 8th to 7th as he subbed in for Kyle Wyman, who broke his left arm at the Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta on June 13.

Wyman plans on focusing his efforts on winning the Mission King Of The Baggers Championship (if you’re interested in baggers on a racetrack, check out the interview we did on Patricia Fernandez).

Toni Elias shaking hands

“I am really happy to come here and have the opportunity to ride Kyle’s bike,” says Elias. “I felt what it was like to be racing again, feeling the pressure, the nervousness, and battling all the way up until the last corner. It’s been amazing. We worked on improving every session to get better and better. We suffered with traction, and that’s what made me suffer a little, but in general, we made good steps forward.”

“I felt super great with Kyle’s team – a lot of good people. They were very open and listened to my opinion, which can be difficult when coming into a new team. Overall, it was a good experience, and now I have more information on the Ducati, so I look forward to the future to hopefully continue riding for the brand.”

Jake Gagne ahead of Loris Baz at Laguna Seca

Here are the official specs of the weekend’s results:
2021 MotoAmerica Superbike Standing – Top 5

P1 – Jake Gagne (Yamaha) 225

P2 – Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha) 160

P3 – Josh Herrin (Yamaha) 145

P4 – Cameron Petersen (Suzuki) 137

P5 – Loris Baz (Ducati) 122

P10 – Kyle Wyman (Ducati) 49

Best of luck to these young men in the continuation of the season.