It’s game time as the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati outfit of Josh Herrin and Loris Baz get set to take on America’s best at Road Atlanta for round one of the 2024 Steel Commander MotoAmerica Superbike Championship over the April 19-21 weekend.
The 2024 season marks 10 years since the creation of the MotoAmerica Superbike era and Ducati will celebrate the milestone by fielding a two-rider Superbike team for the first time in series history.
Josh Herrin comes into his home race of Road Atlanta full of confidence after a dominating performance in the Daytona 200, the Georgian taking his third win in the iconic event and second straight victory for Ducati.
Shifting his attention to the Ducati Panigale V4 R Superbike, Herrin was in contention right to the end of race two at Road Atlanta in 2024 and knows his way around the 12-turn, 2.54-mile road course better than anyone. And after a solid three-day test at Barber Motorsports Park, the number 2 has only the top step in mind come race time.
For Loris Baz, Road Atlanta marks his return to the series after a two-year hiatus in the WorldSBK Championship. Back to full fitness after a tough 2023 season, the popular Frenchman is looking for his first win in the series. Still, he will have the advantage of racing eight of the nine tracks on this year’s calendar, a luxury he didn’t have during his last MotoAmerica season with Ducati in 2021.
Josh Herrin (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati–#2)
“We just finished up three days of testing at Barber Motorsports Park, so it’s nice to have some time on the Superbike right before we head to the first race,” Herrin said. “The test was productive as we got to try some things that we couldn’t use last year, which made me feel comfortable with the 2024 package.
“Getting to ride with Loris Baz has been great. I’m so excited to have him as a teammate. We get along well and can bounce ideas off each other to continually improve the V4 R’s setup.
“Road Atlanta was a great round for us last year. We were fighting for the win, and I really want to see two Ducatis on the podium in both races this year.”
Loris Baz (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati–#76)
“It felt great to be back on the Ducati Panigale V4 R and get the feeling of going fast again after six months of injury recovery ahead of Road Atlanta,” Baz enthused. “I think we’ve found a good set-up direction for the first round but, more than that, it’s just nice to be back working with this team in the Ducati family.
“I love the V4 R, and it suits the Road Atlanta layout, so we’re aiming for nothing less than the podium. The weather might be strange, but we’ll be ready for whatever it does. Josh and I are looking forward to a great season.”
Round one of the 2024 Steel Commander MotoAmerica Superbike Championship will see Superbike action kick off with Free Practice 1 at 10:50 a.m. EDT on Friday, April 19. Race One will occur on Saturday, April 20, at 3:10 p.m., with Race Two scheduled for 3:10 p.m. on Sunday, April 21.
- From Ducati Media House
<
Discussion about this post