The Tytlers Cycle Racing team were back in action at Brainerd International Raceway this past weekend with riders PJ Jacobsen and Hector Barbera once again representing them in the 2022 MotoAmerica Superbike championship aboard the all-new BMW M1000 RR.
With no data at the circuit, it was a case of the entire team working together to achieve the best set up possible ahead of the two eighteen lap races. Steady improvements on Friday paved the way for encouraging lap times in qualifying with PJ qualifying seventh and Hector eighth.
Saturday’s opening race saw Hector Barbera start strongly but the #80 ran off track on lap one, and even though he re-joined he retired to the pits early on. PJ Jacobsen was involved in a race long battle for fifth, a battle that he came out on top of by just over a second.
Sunday morning’s rain shower meant no real chance of further tweaks but that didn’t dampen the spirits ahead of Race 2. An aggressive Jacobsen slotted into fourth at the start, running third briefly before conceding the place. A crash by the race leader elevated PJ back onto the podium in third, a position he would hold to the flag - securing the team’s third top three of the year. Hector Barbera ran closely behind his team mate in the early stages before running the remainder of the race a few seconds behind, the Spaniard involved in a titanic on track battle. He crossed the line fifth.
Stock1000 title contenders Corey Alexander and Travis Wyman were also in action on Saturday in the Superbike class. They finished eighth and eleventh, respectively.
PJ Jacobsen:“Race 1 was pretty good, and I ended up fifth. It was a new track for me, and we did the best job that we could. Sunday’s race went really well. We made some big changes and they seemed to work. It was great to be back on the podium, not just for me but for the team too as they’ve been working so hard all season and deserve it. We will continue to keep moving forward. I am happy with the pace, especially in the early stages, where I was able to lap faster than I did in qualifying.”
Hector Barbera:“I suffered a lot in Race 1 with the tyre. It was impossible to ride, and I had to retire after running off on lap one. Race 2 was also difficult. I had difficulty to enter the corner and the electronics were also not perfect. I am sad that we couldn’t show our full potential but focused on doing better in Pittsburgh.”
The entire Tytlers Cycle Racing team wish to extend their deepest condolences to the family, friends and team of Scott Briody who sadly passed away at the circuit on Friday. He will be missed.
