Josh Herrin (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati) relied on his skill and experience to secure a podium finish in race two of the opening round of the 2025 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
In torrential conditions that saw many top-seeded riders crash out, Herrin kept his cool and his Ducati Panigale V4 R pointed in the right direction, earning his first full wet weather podium on the V4 R in third place behind winner Jake Gagne and Cameron Beaubier.
The podium made up for what Herrin described as a challenging race, in which he secured fifth place behind the winner, Beaubier, in completely dry conditions.
Thus, Herrin leaves his first race as the number one plate holder for Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati, securing a credible fourth place overall in the championship standings. It’s still very early in the season as Herrin strives to become the first Ducati rider in AMA/MotoAmerica Superbike history to defend the championship title in 2025.
2025 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship After Round One
P1 – Cameron Beaubier, 45
P1 – Jake Gagne, 41
P3 – Bobby Fong, 31
P4 – Josh Herrin (Ducati) 27
P5 – Sean Dylan Kelly, 26
Josh Herrin (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati–#1)
“We knew coming to Barber that the dry conditions were going to be hard, so in the rain, we tried something completely different,” Herrin said after race two. “If we didn’t, we’d have been fifth or sixth place, so it was worth it to roll the dice.
“Race one on Saturday was a difficult one for us. The rain came on Sunday morning, and I was super nervous, but we tried something in the warm-up that just clicked.
“Everything felt like in the past when I’d won races in the wet. Going into the race I was high on the confidence scale, but Jake (Gagne) pulled away early and I was with Cam (Beaubier). We had some issues with some lapped riders, and I was trying as hard as possible to make up the gap. I even did the fastest lap of the race on the last lap.
“But the main thing is the bike and I made it home in one piece and I had fun. It’s been a long time since I’d had fun in the wet—we just needed to find the right set-up for my riding style on the Panigale V4 R. All in all, it was a good weekend and we’re ready for my home track of Road Atlanta in just under a month’s time.”
Round two of the 2025 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship is scheduled for May 2-4 at one of America’s favorite racetracks, Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia.
