After JD Beach’s landmark win at the team’s home race at the Super TT, Estenson Racing heads west to the So-Cal Half-Mile in Perris, California, on May 11, looking to keep momentum rolling in both the AFT Twins and AFT Singles classes.
Beach’s victory at the Super TT at Wild Horse Park Pass was a win for the ages. Not only a career first for the 27-year-old, but the first win on the Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT and the first win for the Yamaha brand on a twin in the Grand National Championship since Scott Pearson at the Peoria TT in 1981. He went on to back that up with another milestone for the record books, his first career AMA Superbike win at VIRginia International Raceway, eight days after his first AFT Twins win in Arizona, making him the first rider to do that in the same season since Nicky Hayden in 2002, and the first Yamaha rider to win a flat track race and a road race in the same season since Kenny Roberts in 1980.
With lots of racing on the calendar for the next several weeks, the focus is forward for the team and Beach, and there will be ample opportunities to continue the development of the all-new Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT. Jake Johnson has a podium under his belt with the new machine and looks to keep building on that with a top spot on the podium, as well.
On the AFT Singles side of things, Ryan Wells hit pay dirt at the team’s home race in Arizona. While the 2016 AFT Singles Champion was happy to get results after a tough start to the season, the top step of the podium is his goal, and he plans to carry that momentum forward.
Jake Johnson – AFT Twins #5:
“I’m looking forward to getting back to racing after a week away. We’ve been pretty competitive on the TT’s so far this season. The team’s been working really hard to develop this new bike in a short time frame. Hopefully, we’ve made enough progress to put us in the hunt on these slick oval tracks. We’ll just have to wait and see.”
JD Beach – AFT Twins #95:
“Going into the Perris Half Mile I’m really excited to see how it will go. It’s a track I’ve done well at in the past. With this new bike it’s still kind of an unknown how it will be, though. We do have some new ideas to try so hopefully we can find the speed we have been missing on the oval tracks.
Ryan Wells – AFT Singles #94:
“I’m super excited to head to Perris this weekend, especially after getting back on track with the podium results we were looking for at the team’s home race at the Super TT. It really felt good to finally get myself and the team a result that I feel we all deserve. We’re definitely going to keep building. I’ve spent the week off working on some things that I felt have been holding me back this year. As a racer, you always want to keep the ball rolling, but I think having the weekend off helped. Did some riding. Did some training. Can’t wait to get back on the half-mile and hopefully chase down my first win of 2019.”