Beaubier Qualifies Fifth, Roberts 26th In Moto2 At Red Bull Grand Prix Of The Americas

Beaubier got down on his knee and pleaded the fifth in Saturday’s Moto2 qualifying. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.

In Saturday’s Moto2 qualifying at the Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, American Racing Team’s Cameron Beaubier put his Triumph-powered #6 Kalex Moto2 machine fifth on the starting grid for Sunday’s race. It was, by far, Beaubier’s best qualifying effort of the season, far eclipsing the 13th-place start that he qualified for at Portugal in round three of the season, which was his best starting position until today.

The five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion is clearly showing his prowess on a race track that he is familiar with after racing all season thus far on tracks that he has either never been to, or he hasn’t raced on since early in his career.

Meanwhile, his fellow countryman Joe Roberts has inexplicably struggled so far on his home track. The Italtrans Racing rider was 12th in Q1 aboard his #16 Triumph-powered Kalex, which put him 26th on the starting grid for Sunday’s Moto2 race. Pole position was earned by Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Raul Fernandez, also on a Triumph-powered Kalex machine.

Beaubier, Roberts, and the rest of the Moto2 stars will grid up for Sunday’s Moto2 race at 12:20 p.m. Central Time.