Darryn Binder caps off his season with the final race win of the year in Supersport Ducati Panigale V2 sweeps Supersport Championship podium.
Sunnyvale, Calif., September 27, 2026 — Three wet races were held at New Jersey Motorsports Park to end the 2026 Quad Lock MotoAmerica Superbike Championship, with both Cameron Beaubier and Benjamin Smith gaining podium finishes for the Warhorse HSBK Ducati FLo4Law team.
Race one saw two separate red flags and three race starts in torrential rain. Beaubier garnered a second-place finish behind winner Bobby Fong, with Smith carding a maiden MotoAmerica Superbike podium in third.
Race two wasn't a great one for the Warhorse HSBK Ducati FLo4Law team as both Beaubier and Smith failed to finish, and with conditions not improving for Sunday's final race, the team took the decision not to compete when championship positions were largely set before the green light.
That meant Beaubier would finish 11th on 105 points and Smith was one place behind in 12th with 97 points.
In the Supersport championship, champion-elect Darryn Binder played it safe in race one, taking fourth place behind race winner Josh Hayes. The South African righted that wrong in race two, charging to the line to defeat season-long rival Josh Herrin by a scant 0.137-seconds in an epic encounter.
The final race of the season has Binder a rookie champion on 406 points, 78 up on Herrin with Kayla Yaakov third, 157 off Binder, marking Ducati's first ever top-three clean sweep of the MotoAmerica Supersport Championship. Todays results also makes Yaakov the first female rider to finish inside the top three of the MotoAmerica Supersport Championship.
Cameron Beaubier (Warhorse HSBK Ducati FLo4Law team – #1)
“I'm just stoked to be back for these last two rounds,” Beaubier said. “My shoulder isn't 100 percent, but it's good enough to ride. We tested here before Road Atlanta, and to see how far the bike has come since then is pretty incredible. Huge credit to my team for working so hard and developing it all year.
“I was having a lot of fun in the dry on Friday. Then the rain came. Saturday was brutal, but I was able to get on the podium after two red flags in wild conditions. I was pretty timid because of my shoulder, so I was happy to get through it safely and get on the podium.
“In the second race, I had zero grip from the start. About eight guys passed me, and every time I tipped the bike in, the rear would come around. It felt like I had a flat tire, so I pulled into the pits. We looked at the data afterward and saw what I was talking about.
“Sunday brought more rain, and we decided to sit out race three. I'm in one piece, my bike's in one piece, and there was a lot more to lose than gain. I knew MotoAmerica needed to get a race in to decide the championship, but the track was pretty gnarly with all the standing water. I'm happy my team is looking out for me, and we made that decision together.
“I'm really excited for next year. I've been super happy with how the bike has felt over these last two rounds, and it makes me really excited for 2027.”
Benajmin Smith (Warhorse HSBK Ducati FLo4Law team – #78)
“I checked a big box this weekend that I really wanted to, getting on the podium yesterday in race one. That's a huge step in my career in the right direction, and I'm really proud to have achieved it.
“We had a mechanical issue with the engine in race two and had to end that race early. Unfortunately, the same situation has meant the team decided to withdraw us from race three today. Obviously, as a racer, I want to be out there racing. I understand the situation and I respect the decision.
“We checked some big boxes this year—pole position and a podium in my first year on a real Superbike. So, thank you to the team, Ducati North America, and everybody else who gave me this opportunity. Let's see what the future holds.”
Darryn Binder (Celtic/Economy Lube + Tire/Warhorse – #53)
“It was a long day of waiting, but we finally managed to get out there and do race two, and I'm super happy we did,” Binder said on Sunday. “I really wanted to end the season on a good note, and I had a huge battle with Josh (Herrin) there at the end. It felt amazing to come away with the win and finish the season on such a good note. It's like the cherry on the cake.
“I just want to thank the entire Celtic HSBK Racing team, Warhorse HSBK and Ducati. Thank you guys so much for everything. Thanks to my personal sponsors, Sport Pesa, Bell and Alpinestars. Thank you guys for everything this year. I'm looking forward to what's to come.”