Pegram and Ducati take Topeka AMA double

Larry Pegram scored his first career double win in AMA Superbike at Heartland Park Topeka riding his Ducati 1098R.

Pegram dominated both Saturday’s and Sunday’s American Superbike races although a persistent Tommy Hayden on a Rockstar/Makita Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 chased Pegram to the finish on Sunday.

Pegram said: “Tommy was all over me, he was an animal. I could hear him back there, I could feel him. The last three laps I was riding fairly defensive.

“I was still trying to set a good pace but in the places where I knew there were opportunities to pass, I wasn’t giving any room there.

“My hats off to him, I rode as hard as I possibly could and he was there the whole race.”

Hayden crossed the finish line 0.333s behind Pegram and he has now been on the podium for half of this year’s 16 races.

Yamaha’s Josh Hayes finished third for his third podium in the last four races after scoring a double victory of his own one race ago at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Hayden’s team-mate Mat Mladin refused to ride, citing a lack of track safety. Kawasaki’s Jamie Hacking followed his lead.

Brit Neil Hodgson finished tenth and sixth, still carrying a shoulder injury on his Corona Extra Honda. Michael Laverty crashed on Saturday then finished seventh on Sunday.

Chas Davies finished fourth on his Aprilia RSV1000 in Saturday’s Daytona Sportbike race but didn’t finish on Sunday.

Buell rider Danny Eslick and Columbian-born Martin Cardenas (Suzuki) shared the race wins – and now share the championship lead.