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Bobby Fong Sweeps The VIR Superbike Doubleheader With Points Leader Josh Herrin Crashing. The Gap Is Now Five Points

ALTON, VA (August 3, 2025) – The 2025 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship was flipped upside down on Sunday at VIRginia International Raceway with Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Bobby Fong racing to an immaculate doubleheader sweep while championship points leader Josh Herrin crashed out of the lead on the third lap of race two.

And just like that the complexity of the 2025 championship has changed, and things are now suddenly tight at the top as Herrin’s championship points lead has been cut down to just five points with three rounds and seven races left to run in the 2025 season.

Fong was even more unstoppable on Sunday than he was on Saturday as he simply raced at a different level than the rest of the class. After 20 laps of VIRginia International Raceway, he was a tick over 14 seconds ahead of the battle for second place.

And what a battle it was. Five riders raced to the checkered flag with the five separated by just .702 of a second.

Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Sean Dylan Kelly led the battle behind him for almost the entire race. The almost came in the final two laps when Kelly’s teammate Richie Escalante, who was having the best ride of his Superbike career, not only threatened but led Kelly with Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Cameron Beaubier, Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne, and Real Steel Honda’s Hayden Gillim all in position to pounce should it go badly for the two Suzukis.

The war went to the final lap and the run to the finish line with Kelly besting Escalante by .093 of a second. Beaubier, whose title hopes got a lot brighter with Herrin’s miscue, was a shadow fourth with Gagne and Gillim breathing down his neck in fifth and sixth, respectively.

It would have been the race of the year if not for Fong, who was miles up the road from the fighting fivesome.

BPR Racing Yamaha’s Bryce Kornbau was seventh, almost five seconds behind but four seconds clear of Real Steel Honda’s JD Beach, with the Kentuckian winning the MotoAmerica Superbike Cup for the top finishing rider on a Stock 1000-spec motorcycle.

Jones Honda’s Ashton Yates and Aftercare Scheibe Racing’s Danilo Lewis rounded out the top 10.

With Fong closing the gap on Herrin, who scored two points for remounting and finishing 14^th (three laps behind), to just five points, 242-237, the race for the title is now white-hot. Beaubier was also a benefactor of Herrin’s tip over as he is now 16 points behind with 226 points.

Fong’s teammate Gagne is fourth in the title chase with 187 points, 50 points clear of fifth-placed Escalante. Beach is sixth but leads the Superbike Cup by 59 points over Jason Waters, 283-224. The win at VIR was Beach’s 12^th in the class within a class.

Superbike Race 2

1. Bobby Fong (Yamaha)
2. Sean Dylan Kelly (Suzuki)
3. Richie Escalante (Suzuki)
4. Cameron Beaubier (BMW)
5. Jake Gagne (Yamaha)
6. Hayden Gillim (Honda)
7. Bryce Kornbau (Yamaha)
8. JD Beach (Honda)
9. Ashton Yates (Honda)
10. Danilo Lewis (BMW)

Quotes

Bobby Fong – Winner

“When I got to the start/finish line, after the warmup lap, that whole warmup lap going to the start/finish line, my dash wasn’t working. It was staying all red and it was black. So, I was like, ‘I think I need to restart this thing.’ This thing needed a battery to start. So, I did the switch on and off and it died. Then I started back up and the dash was still there. So, I had to recycle the whole program. It’s very rare that it could actually start without the battery. So, I finally got my stuff together and I pushed the button, and it started. The first lap, I was honestly just trying to get back in my rhythm. It kind of just threw me off. Then Josh Herrin got by me. I’m like, ‘Okay. I could already see he was riding really hard for the first two laps.’ He was already out of control. I’m like, ‘I’m just going to sit here. He’ll put his pace.’ I didn’t know how the race was going to go, but I knew once lap nine or 10 rolls around I would be pretty good. He (Herrin) made a small mistake. Bummer for him. I’m stoked to get the win. Four in a row, which is nice. I got to stay humble and just calm. Hero to zero in this racing world happens very fast.”

Sean Dylan Kelly – Second Place

“It was insanely important (to finish on the podium). Like you said, I think it’s been coming since the first race weekend. If you look at Atlanta, I finished fourth a few tenths from the podium. It took six race weekends, or I don't know how many we’re at now, and a lot of close moments, a lot of good battles, a lot of good speed but it just wasn’t going. A lot of frustrating moments. Probably the most I’ve ever had in racing. I always managed to keep my head down and keep focused. Yesterday was extremely close, too. Finishing fourth again, a couple tenths off. I really just knew that what was holding me back big time, at least yesterday, was my start. Richie (Escalante) said that he had the best start of his Superbike career. I definitely had the best start for myself, and I actually got into the first corner in third, which is amazing. Still losing a place, but it’s not losing four or five, which is kind of the average lately. So, really excited. Super happy that I was able to manage what I did. Once I saw that (Josh) Herrin went down, I tried to keep up with Bobby’s (Fong) pace even though I knew he was on another level. I wanted to use him a little bit as a carrot in front of me, but also not going overboard. I said, ‘Okay, man. I’m in P2.’ I pretty much just want to carry this as long as I can. Yesterday I was on the bad side. I was the one behind someone blocking a lot. So now I’m like, ‘I’m the one in front so let me block a lot.’ I really don’t think the pace was all that amazing, but I knew that it wasn’t that easy to pass me. With five laps to go, I didn’t know the group was that big. I honestly thought it was (Cameron) Beaubier behind me. So, with five laps to go, I started hearing a bike much closer. So, I just started defending. Completely different lines everywhere. I heard a bike on my butt, bad. Then when I go into the last corner, I go into turn 10 and I see this guy pass me. I’m like, what is Richie (Escalante) doing passing me? I didn’t know it was going to be Richie. The first thing I thought was, ‘I think we got a double podium for the team, which is amazing by itself.’ But I also didn’t want this guy to beat me, so I set up last corner really well. Definitely excited to finish in P2, finish on the podium with this guy. We talked about it at the beginning of the year. If we do a double podium, we’re going to celebrate. I’m going to change my flight. We’re going to celebrate. Really, really happy. Finally got this podium. I really hope that this will now lead us to do more and better for the next few races. Just excited that we were finally able to turn around some good speed into a podium.”

Richie Escalante – Third Place

“I’m really happy, honestly. We started the weekend with a big problem with the bike. I didn’t feel really good on the exit, especially it was spinning a lot. But I think everybody on the track was spinning a lot. But step by step, I feel better and better with the bike. Then finally this morning, I found something in the electronics with the rear grip. I think for sure it worked in the race. One of my best starts. I think in this category, in the Superbike class, it’s really important. So then when I saw (Josh) Herrin crash, the group is together again. So, I said, ‘okay, maybe it’s possible to battle for the podium.’ Then I have a big, insane battle with (Cameron) Beaubier, (Jake) Gagne. All the time Sean (Dylan Kelly) is in the front. Then maybe with six laps to go, I know my race pace in the end always is good. So finally, I’m close to the front. In the end I feel really good with the bike. I made some passes in turn 10. I’m really happy to finish on the podium, especially now we were rivals in the past in 2020 and ’21. More like teammates, I think both are good friends. So, I’m really happy with the Team Hammer Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki. Finished on the podium, finally. I think the potential and all the package when everything works correctly it’s possible to battle for these races. I’m super happy.”