Following Josh Herrin’s dominant performance at Laguna Seca, Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati is now the points leader in the 2024 Steel Commander MotoAmerica Superbike Championship. Today’s momentous victory marks Ducati as the points leader for the first time since Ferracci Ducati pilot Troy Corser had the lead in 1994, ultimately winning the 1994 AMA Superbike Championship.
This weekend, Herrin took the lead in the championship after finishing second place in race one on Saturday, July 13. From there, Herrin knew it was all to play for in the second encounter on Sunday afternoon.
The Georgian refused to let race one winner Cameron Beaubier separate from the pack in the early stages, taking the lead at turn 11 on lap four and setting a fast but controlled pace as Beaubier, Sean Dylan Kelly, and Bobby Fong all tried and failed to find a way past.
Herrin stayed strong, and with a final lap that thwarted any possible attack from Beaubier, he crossed the line to take his third win of the year by 0.244s and move an impressive 15 points clear in the title chase heading into the summer break.
Loris Baz’s weekend at Laguna Seca didn’t quite yield the results he was looking for. The fast Frenchman carded a pair of sixth-place results, solidifying his sixth-place position in the standings, 52 points behind teammate Herrin.
Josh Herrin has enjoyed many great rides in his professional racing career, but few have matched the display he put on in race two of round six of the 2024 Steel Commander MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
2024 Steel Commander MotoAmerica Superbike Championship After Round Six
P1 – Josh Herrin (Ducati) 194
P2 – Jake Gagne 179
P3 – Bobby Fong 171
P4 – Cameron Petersen 167
P5 – Cameron Beaubier 147
P6 – Loris Baz (Ducati) 142
Josh Herrin (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati–#2)
“That was a super awesome weekend at Laguna Seca,” Herrin said. “It’s extra special because we have the Ducati Rider Experience (DRE) event here tomorrow, and it’s huge to go into that with a win. We did the same last year at COTA in Texas before the DRE there, and you feel a lot more welcome when you win!
“I’m super happy to get this win and the championship lead. I had my family and the DeNaples family here, and I had two-time World Champion John Kocinski here helping me all weekend, so I’m pumped. We’re going to keep this ball rolling at Mid-Ohio.”
Loris Baz (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati–#76)
“I was expecting more than we got this weekend,” Baz said. “On Friday, I didn’t feel as good as I would have liked, and we didn’t change the bike because we weren’t that far behind in pace but on Saturday, we changed the bike significantly before race one. That race was pretty good, and I finished sixth.
“Starting with that base, we made some more adjustments today for race two, but it didn’t quite work out. I was still sixth, but I was faster than in race one so there are some positives, but I was hoping for more for me personally. It’s been a great weekend for the team, and congratulations to Josh for taking the race two win and the championship lead.”
The seventh round of the 2024 Steel Commander MotoAmerica Superbike Championship sees the Herrin and Baz head to the legendary Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Ohio for the first time in the MotoAmerica era over the August 16-18 weekend.
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