MILLVILLE — Gus Rodio had an incredible end Saturday.
The 17-year-outdated Hammonton bike driver gained the 1st STG Junior Cup race in the MotoAmerica SuperBikes at New Jersey at the New Jersey Motorsports Park. The three-day celebration ends Sunday, and the Junior Cup is a single of the 7 classes on the tour.
“We wanted this actually lousy,” Rodio mentioned. “We preferred this even worse than anybody. We are out right here. We are successful. Household track! Let’s go! It feels amazing. The fans here are wonderful, as often. I’m definitely stoked to do it.”
Rodio was in fourth location in the ultimate lap but was in a position to remain with the leaders, accelerated past the three and just crossed the end line initial to make a substantially-necessary 25 factors. Rodio won in 15 minutes, 14:52 seconds, about two seconds more rapidly than the runner-up.
This was the 10th cease on the MotoAmerica SuperBikes tour and the previous ahead of the championship Sept. 23-25 at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama. Some other stops involved Texas, Atlanta, Virginia, Minnesota and Pittsburgh.
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Rodio entered the race in second put in his course with 199 details.
On Saturday, Junior Cup leader Cody Wyman’s bike finished up in the grass on about the third lap and was unable to be pushed. Wyman now has 248 factors. Rodio moved up to 224 with a chance for far more Sunday when the class will race again.
The race Saturday was again-and-forth and remarkable to look at.
“It’s seriously cool for the reason that the home group arrives out,” Rodio stated. “We get a ton of aid in this article. We are seeking to retain this momentum likely (on Sunday).”
Rodio was not the only local specialist motorbike racer.
Anthony Mazziotto, also of Hammonton, competed in the 14-lap Rev’It Twin Cup collection race. The 22-yr-aged entered the race in next spot in his course with 172 points. He trailed Blake Davis, who had 173 points immediately after the 9 races.
Davis concluded very first in the race and upped his total to 198. Mazziotto put fifth but continue to stays in next location. Reps from Rodio Racing, the crew Mazziotto and Rodio race for, declined to enable Mazziotto talk just after the race.
But this end was however important for Mazziotto and Rodio. Hundreds of close friends, spouse and children and area enthusiasts arrived out Saturday to cheer on the Hammonton racers. Both equally have raced at NJMP many instances right before.
And Mazziotto and Rodio are additional than just teammates.
Each grew up in Hammonton and are shut friends. Anthony Mazziotto Jr., Mazziotto’s father, recalled Rodio coming about to his dwelling when the racer was 8 years old to hang out with his son.
Mazziotto is a 2018 Hammonton graduate. Rodio is homeschooled since he travels a great deal for races, but he just started out his senior 12 months of large college. Rodio started racing when he was 10. Mazziotto started racing professionally in 2015 but started using road bikes in 2012.
“Anthony and Gus have acknowledged each individual other virtually their whole life,” the elder Mazziotto claimed. “They rode minis and other things alongside one another. They have a brotherly partnership. From time to time they detest just about every other, most of the time they like every other.”
It was exclusive for the two buddies.
“It’s genuinely neat due to the fact we have been mates for so very long,” Rodio claimed about being on the exact same team as Mazziotto. “He kind of served me get into the activity and helped me to get far better from the start. It is really cool to arrive with each other.”
Mazziotto and Rodio bought their begin alongside one another with New Jersey MiniGP, which starts off youngsters out on the smaller sized grime monitor at NJMP and is effective them up to the major observe and, in the scenario of the two close friends, the skilled stage.
“Riding with (Rodio) all through the ranks, it has definitely been genuinely cool,” Mazziotto said.
There had been just so several nearby ties Saturday.
Mazziotto and Rodio each race for the exact same team, Rodio Racing, which is based mostly in Hammonton. Rodio’s father, Kevin, owns the corporation. A person of its most important sponsors, Geoscape Photo voltaic, is primarily based in Mount Laurel, Burlington County, but owner Lee Watson lives in Dennisville.
“It is quite great,” said Watson, who was born in England and is a former rider. “It is very good for me as I am obtaining more mature to assist the youthful fellas coming up now. … It is fantastic to enable out the younger talent in New Jersey.
“It’s definitely a local thing. We are a local organization, so this is terrific. (Mazziotto and Rodio) are local guys. I am a nearby guy. Motorcycle racing has always been my passion given that I was a kid and wished to give it back again.”
Brandon Paasch, of Freehold Township, Monmouth County, races in the Inventory 1000 course. Paasch, Rodio and Mazziotto grew up collectively “riding grime bikes and mini-highway racing to whole-sized highway racing to professional-street racing,” the elder Mazziotto claimed
“Not only do I have a whole lot of time at this monitor, but it is great when absolutely everyone will come alongside one another,” Gus Rodio claimed. “We all dangle out here. We all have a great time. It’s interesting to have the excess assist we really don’t commonly get absent from property.”
The other four classes in the celebration were being Medallia Superbike, Supersport, Mission King of the Baggers and Royal Enfield Women’s Construct Practice Race. Mazziotto will also race in the Inventory 1000 class Sunday, his initial time racing in the class.
“It’s extraordinary. We get wonderful assistance from (Watson) and his crew, and Anthony and Gus just strike it off ideal away,” Kevin Rodio stated, noting that young children who race tend to gravitate towards each other so they can “understand every single other. “It’s really excellent.”
Fox Sports 2 will televise some of Sunday’s racing from NJMP.
