Estoril, Portugal — September 2025 — American rider Nathan Gouker showed determination and front-running pace in Round 6 of the ESBK Spanish Superbike Championship at Estoril. Despite setbacks in both races, the 14-year-old proved he has the speed to fight inside the top group and continues to grow as one of the youngest, Americans competing on the international stage.
- Race 1
Lining up from P18, Gouker once again delivered one of his trademark lightning starts, climbing to P10 by the end of the opening lap. With confidence from previous races at Estoril, he steadily worked his way forward, and with five laps remaining, had impressively moved into P3. Unfortunately, as early as lap two, he felt a problem with the bike, and the issue grew worse with each lap. With three laps to go, worsening sputtering forced him to pull in to avoid risking a crash or endangering others.
“To say we are absolutely gutted is an understatement,” Gouker said. “But it’s part of racing.”
- Race 2
Determined to bounce back, Gouker launched another strong start in Race 2, immediately pushing up to around P10 in the opening corners. But contact in the first turn of the first lap ended his race prematurely, resulting in a DNF.
Despite the heartbreak, Gouker’s performances in practice and qualifying highlighted his growing pace. He placed 5th in FP3 and 12th in FP4, proving that he has the outright speed to compete inside the top ten. Qualifying saw him line up 18th, only 1.3 seconds off pole, underlining the competitiveness of the ESBK field.
- Looking Ahead
“Every weekend we’re showing progress,” Gouker reflected. “The speed is there — now it’s about putting everything together when it counts and making sure we see the checkered flag.”
With Estoril in the books, Gouker now sets his focus on the final round at Jerez, where he’ll look to turn his strong pace into results.
- Sponsors & Supporters
Nathan would like to extend his gratitude to everyone who makes his racing possible:
