Just One Point Separates Gagne from Petrucci In 2022 MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship

Ultra-Close Title Chase Heads To New Jersey Motorsport Park, September 9-11.

IRVINE, CA – September 6, 2022 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – After completing eight rounds, 16 races, 246 laps and 659.948 miles in the 2022 MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship, just one point separates Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne from Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC’s Danilo Petrucci as the series makes its way to New Jersey Motorsports Park, September 9-11.

It all comes down to this: Jake Gagne (1) leads Danilo Petrucci (9) by just one point heading to this weekend’s ninth round of the 2022 MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship at New Jersey Motorsports Park with Gagne’s teammate Cameron Petersen (45) third in the point standings and on the outside looking in. Photo by Brian J. Nelson

One measly point.

The two have arrived at this point in totally different ways. Gagne has won 10 races but has blundered in two of them with crashes that resulted in zero points. Petrucci, meanwhile, hasn’t had the pure pace that Gagne has had at most races, but he’s been there to pick up the pieces when his rival has faltered. The Italian has won four races. Two of those came with two dominating performances at Circuit of The Americas in round one, the other two after Gagne deposited his YZF-R1 in the gravel trap at Road Atlanta and then destroyed a second Yamaha at Brainerd International Raceway. In total, Petrucci has 14 podium finishes in 16 races and podiums in 11 straight races heading to NJMP.

Both have had seasons worthy of championships, but only one will get it and it’s a battle that should keep us entertained until the final lap at Barber Motorsports Park, September 23-25. A September to remember, it seems.

While this has mostly been the Gagne/Petrucci show, let’s not forget the other two riders who have won races in 2022 – Gagne’s teammate Cameron Petersen and Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz. Both of their wins came midseason at Road America with Scholtz excelling early in the season while Petersen has had his best races in the second half. Petersen has 10 podiums while Scholtz has eight.

That puts Petersen ahead of his fellow South African by 22 points with the two rounds and four races left on the schedule. Those two have also proven to be fast enough that a bad day for either Gagne or Petrucci doesn’t mean an automatic second place, it potentially means a fourth-place finish. Thus, the two Yamaha riders could…