Rahal Ducati Moto, PJ Jacobsen Wins Race 1 at Road America
Jun. 2 2024
News
PJ Jacobsen and Rahal Ducati Moto claimed victory at the team's first outing at Road America. The abbreviated race ran under wet conditions and both riders showed tremendous talent moving through the field.
The nine-lap race was red-flagged after Lap 3 and both Jacobsen and Yaakov used this time to their advantage to reset the gap with a better understanding of the 14-turn track under racing conditions.
The nine-lap race was red-flagged after Lap 3 and both Jacobsen and Yaakov used this time to their advantage to reset the gap with a better understanding of the 14-turn track under racing conditions.
The forecast predicts drier conditions for tomorrow's warm-up and Round 6 of competition. Jacobsen looks to sweep the weekend and Yaakov seeks another top-five finish in the 2:10 pm CT start of Race 2. Coverage is available on MotoAmericaLivePlus.com.
PJ JACOBSEN
No. 15 XPEL DUCATI PANIGALE V2
STARTED: 4th
FINISHED: 1st
CHAMPIONSHIP: 1st (115 pts)
NOTES: Missed the rain warm-up due to rain light malfunction, so relied on competitors to inform him of track conditions // Rode comfortably in second for most of the race, inching closer and closer to the leader each lap // Passed championship runner-up Mathew Scholtz just before the finish line to collect his third victory and fifth podium of the season
No. 15 XPEL DUCATI PANIGALE V2
STARTED: 4th
FINISHED: 1st
CHAMPIONSHIP: 1st (115 pts)
NOTES: Missed the rain warm-up due to rain light malfunction, so relied on competitors to inform him of track conditions // Rode comfortably in second for most of the race, inching closer and closer to the leader each lap // Passed championship runner-up Mathew Scholtz just before the finish line to collect his third victory and fifth podium of the season
WHAT HE'S SAYING: “Today was a bit difficult at the start of the race with our rain light not working. It caused us to miss the seven minutes of rain warm-up track time, but I felt very confident in my skills in the rain. I can’t thank the whole Rahal Ducati Moto team enough. Thank you to XPEL, Roller Die + Forming, Ducati, and everyone who supports us. It. was great to get a win and extend the championship. I look forward to a dry race tomorrow and to see what we can do against the other riders.”
KAYLA YAAKOV
No. 19 XPEL DUCATI PANIGALE V2
STARTED: 12th
FINISHED: 5th
CHAMPIONSHIP: 10th (31 pts) +3
NOTES: Recorded her best finish of the season // Jumped three championship positions
No. 19 XPEL DUCATI PANIGALE V2
STARTED: 12th
FINISHED: 5th
CHAMPIONSHIP: 10th (31 pts) +3
NOTES: Recorded her best finish of the season // Jumped three championship positions
WHAT SHE'S SAYING: “Today was super positive. We made huge steps in Qualifying 2, but our main goal was to get better each session and we were able to do that. Going into the race, I felt pretty confident. If the weather was dry I knew I’d have a decent pace. I wasn’t expecting the rain this weekend, but that’s part of racing. The first start of the race was pretty rough for me honestly, just not feeling very confident with the bike. During the red flag, the team made amazing changes to the bike - which made me feel much more confident going back out. It was a sold Top 5 finish, and the best result of the year for me so far. These are really valuable points for the championship. We have a lot more confidence for the rest of the season knowing we can make changes and still be towards the front of the pack in the race.”
BEN SPIES
TEAM PRINCIPAL
WHAT HE'S SAYING: "Really happy with PJ [Jacobsen] and Kayla [Yaakov] today. They both rode great with the tricky track conditions - the standing water and a bit of hydroplane - and at the speed they’re going on the straightaways. PJ had a great attack at the end of the race and rode into the race really well, being smart, and didn’t make any mistakes. Kayla had an awesome race and this result is great for her confidence. It couldn’t have gone much better for the team in both race results and points standings. Really proud of the team's efforts today."
TEAM PRINCIPAL
WHAT HE'S SAYING: "Really happy with PJ [Jacobsen] and Kayla [Yaakov] today. They both rode great with the tricky track conditions - the standing water and a bit of hydroplane - and at the speed they’re going on the straightaways. PJ had a great attack at the end of the race and rode into the race really well, being smart, and didn’t make any mistakes. Kayla had an awesome race and this result is great for her confidence. It couldn’t have gone much better for the team in both race results and points standings. Really proud of the team's efforts today."