Josh Hayes (Yamaha) closed out the 2009 AMA Pro Road Racing season with a pair of race wins in the AMA Superbike Championships at New Jersey Motorsports Park.

In the first race, Hayes won his third straight AMA Superbike race of the year after waging a great duel with recently crowned 2009 American Superbike Champion Mat Mladin (Suzuki) from the drop of the green flag.

Mladin led the first seven laps from the pole, with Hayes taking the top spot for the first time on lap 8, only to have Mladin return to the front on Lap 12.  Hayes kept the pressure on Mladin and took the lead for good one lap later when the Suzuki rider had a rare lowside going into Turn 1. Fortunately, Mladin was uninjured while Hayes ran unchallenged to the checkered flag.

Tommy Hayden (Suzuki) crossed the finish line 1.4 seconds behind Hayes, while Aaron Yates (Suzuki) capped another competitive run with a third-place finish.

On Sunday, Hayes had another classic battle with Mat Mladin. Mladin's teammate Tommy Hayden was also in the mix, with each rider taking turns up front before Hayes took the lead for good on lap 15. The race saw seven official at-the-line lead changes, with the actual lead changing twice as often around the track.

Hayes crossed the finish line 2.3 seconds ahead Mladin, while Aaron Yates (Suzuki) was third for the second straight day after Mladin passed him on the last lap.

Mladin was making his final AMA Superbike start in a record-setting career, with an unmatched total of seven AMA Superbike championships and a record 82 career victories.


AMA SBK New Jersey Race 1 – Results
Pos Rider Bike Gap
1. Josh Hayes Yamaha 23 laps
2. Tommy Hayden Suzuki 1.418 sec
3. Aaron Yates Suzuki 1.613 sec
4. Ben Bostrom Yamaha 4.549 sec
5. Larry Pegram Ducati 5.906 sec
6. Etc………….

AMA SBK New Jersey Race 2 – Results
Pos Rider Bike Gap
1. Josh Hayes Yamaha 23 laps
2. Mat Mladin Suzuki 2.253 sec
3. Aaron Yates Suzuki 2.334 sec
4. Larry Pegram Ducati 4.440 sec
5. Neil Hodgson Honda 4.974 sec
6. Etc………….

AMA SBK Championship – Final
Pos. Rider Points
1. Mat Mladin 453
2. Josh Hayes 406
3. Tommy Hayden 373
4. Larry Pegram 347
5. Ben Bostrom 333