American Racing News Vol 1, Issue 2 Issue 4 | Page 29

BRYCE PRINCE:
2016 MOTOAMERICA SUPERSTOCK 600 CHAMPION
By Matthew Miles Photography by Brian J. Nelson

Bryce Prince arrived at Utah Motorsports Campus for the Moto
America Superbike Championship
of Utah with one goal in mind: win
the Superstock 600 title.
“We had a huge lead in the championship coming into this race,”
said the 23-year-old Riders Discount Tuned Racing rider, "and I
really wanted to win.”
Prince was third in opening practice, first in the second, and top
qualifier, nearly half a second
quicker than HB Racing/Meen Yamaha’s Richie Escalante, who is
back in top form following an offseason leg injury.
On Friday, Prince finished second
in 16-lap race one, 15 seconds behind Escalante.
Saturday’s race was much closer.
“Depending on how the start went,
that is how the race was going to
go,” Prince said. “I made sure I got
up to the front by the first couple
of corners.

Margin of victory after 16 laps was
0.340 seconds. Prince is the first
MotoAmerica rider to lock up a
championship this season.
“A good crew was a huge part of
our success," Bryce Prince said.
"My crew chief, Rocky Stargel, and
mechanics, Wesley Eastveld and
‘Uncle’ Randy Wheeler, gave me
the most comfortable bike I’ve had
in my racing career.”
With two race weekends remaining—Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
and New Jersey Motorsports
Park—Prince and Tuned Racing coowner Mike Pond are weighing
their options for the rest of the
season.
“We’re still on the fence as far as
what we’re going to do for the last
two rounds,” Prince said. “We
might try to ride Supersport or we
might stay in Superstock 600.
We’re not sure yet.”

“I would like to do Supersport to
help elevate my game going into
next season. I think it would be a
smart move for my career. I don’t
have any expectations of winning,
but hopefully I can be competitive
with some of the guys up front.”
Superstock 1000 is also on their
radar. “We have talked about doing Superstock 1000 next year,”
Prince said. “We even debated Laguna Seca. Problem is, I don’t have
any test time on a liter bike. We
might do it at New Jersey.”
That’s a discussion for another day.
For now, during their 14-hour drive
back to Bakersfield, California,
Prince and Pond can bask in the
glow of their first national championship.

Bryce Prince (74) and Richie Escalante
(54) battled for the win in race two
at Utah Motorsports Campus.

Motorcycle | American Racing News | 29