The Superprestigio Barcelona Dirt Track event was held on an indoor dirt track oval at Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona’s Olympic Park, with a capacity of 15,000 people and was televised live on Spanish TV.
A total of seventy-five riders from around the world were entered, with fifty-seven qualifying within various categories. Twenty-one of the competitors were from road racing/Moto GP, including two current World Champions, Marc Marquez and Maverick Vinales.
In the open class the outstanding rider of the night was reigning AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Champion Brad Baker. At the end of the night Marquez and Baker fought it out handle bar to handlebar in an incredible ten-lap battle in the Superfinal.
Baker made it over the line in first place after contact between the two riders took Marquez down on lap nine. Tito Rabat (Spain) took second place, with Kenny Noyes (USA) in third.
A total of 8 riders had made the SuperFinal (12 Laps). The competition was tight and intense, specially in Open and Superpretsigio categories, but specially for the 21 riders of the Superprestigio, groupped in three, disputing some intense heats, with two extra qualifying heats (6 laps each). The two top riders got their passport to the Main, and two more were added from the last chance.
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The Open category got an entry of 39 riders, but only 26 qualified. The final was completed in 12 laps and the three top, Baker, Gómez and and Schrerb made it to the final.
The show got more intese as Bou, world champ in X-Trial, and his team mate Taka Fujinamed performed their exhibition.
Marc Márquez (Honda), won both qualifying heats in Superprestigio, as Ricky Cardus (Yamaha) and Johann Zarco (Yamaha) were three of the 8 classified in for the Final. Maverick Viñales (KTM), Alvaro Bautista (Honda), Bradley Smith (Yamaha), and Alex Rins (Honda), runner up in Moto3, were eliminated while Kenny Noyes (Suzuki), as well as Julián Simón (Honda) gained their pass to the Main after their win in the Last Chance.
In the 4 Finals of the main discipline, MotoGP World Champ Marc Márquez won the 1st, third and 4th, in front of Kenny Noyes. The US rider Brad Baker had no rival in Open, but everything was so close.
Brad Baker: “I feel sorry for having that contact with Marquez in the Superfinal, it’s been a great hand to hand and I’d love to repeat this experience back home and invite Marc to the Half Mile next year.”
Marc Marquez: “I’m extremely happy with this show. The fans had discovered Dirt Track in Spain and they have really enjoyed so as we did! Nice fight with Baker. I’ve learned a lot of things. Hope to see this show back here next year!”
Chosen amongst the top riders of the Noyes Camp Dirt Track school to compete in the 18 rider Junior event, Wayne Gardner’s boys made an exciting start to their evening finishing first (Remy) and second (Luca) in the first heat. The Final race saw Remy take second place on the podium, with Luca finishing in fourth. A good start to 2014 for the brothers. First place was won by Gerard Riu (Spain) with Genis Glada (Spain) in third.
“It was great to get back on the dirt again. The event was really exciting to be a part of, especially with so many talented riders to watch and learn from. It’s been a long time since I rode on an oval so it took a bit of getting used to again, but at the end of it I was pretty happy with my result. Next year I want to be on one of the bigger bikes,” said Remy Gardner.
Luca Gardner loved the atmosphere of the indoor night race. “I was happy to get second in the heat, but wish I had a few more laps in the final to at least pass third place. But apart from that it was so much fun with all the crowd cheering us on and watching the top Moto GP riders and dirt track riders going against each other,” he said.
The revival of the Superprestigio brand has been led by Solomoto magazine founder Jaime Alguersuari.
Junior Category
1. Gerard Riu (ESP) Kawasaki
2. Remy Gardner (AUS) Kawadaki
3. Genis Gelada (ESP) Kawasaki
4. Luca Gardner (AUS) Kawasaki
5. Salvador Gelada (ESP) Kawasaki
Open Category
1. Brad Baker (USA) KTM
2. José Pedro Gómez (ESP) Yamaha
3. Merle Scherb (USA) Yamaha
4. Dani Ribalta ESP) Kawasaki
5. Tom Neave (GBR) Honda
Superprestigio Category
1. Marc Márquez (ESP) Honda
2. Tito Rabat (ESP) Honda
3. Kenny Noyes (USA) Suzuki
4. Aleix Espargaró (ESP) Yamaha
5. Lorenzo Baldasarri (ITA) Kawasaki
Superfinal
1. Brad Baker (USA) KTM
2. Tito Rabat (ESP) Honda
3. Kenny Noyes (USA) Suzuki
4. Aleix Esparagaró (ESP) Yamaha
5. José Pedro Gómez (ESP) Yamaha
6. Merle Scherb (USA) Yamaha
7. Dani Ribalta (ESP) Kawasaki
8. Marc Márquez (ESP) Honda
Video showing Marquez and Baker practicing in the lead up to the event
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