The highly anticipated first round of the CVMA 2026/2027 Winter series roared to life, attracting exhilarating racing talent from all corners of the country, all eager to bask in the California sunshine.

As other racing clubs wrapped up their seasons, the CVMA Winter series kicked off a thrilling new chapter, promising fierce competition and heart-pounding action.

The atmosphere buzzed with excitement as racers pushed their limits on the track, battling wheel to wheel. Lap records shattered under the pressure of fierce competition, while every rider poured their heart and soul into claiming double championship points.

The weekend kicked off with a spirited Friday practice session, setting the stage for what was to come. Among the participants, the New Racer School proudly celebrated the graduation of four determined newcomers, who bravely stepped up from their training to compete in the amateur ranks.

Their journey marked the beginning of an unforgettable weekend filled with adrenaline, camaraderie, and unforgettable moments on the track.

• Saturday Qualifying

The morning qualifying sessions started with moderate temperatures, clear skies, and little wind, perfect conditions for laying down fast laps.

The fastest of all in Saturday morning qualifying was Brenden Ketelsen on his middleweight bike, posting a 1:45.445 lap time.

Bryce Kornbau was quickest in the open-class qualifying session with a 1:46.151 lap time, two seconds ahead of the next rider.

Gio Alvarez was fastest on a lightweight bike with a 1:48.533 lap time.

Alex George was fastest on an ultra-lightweight bike with a 1:55.362 lap time.

Joel Ohman was fastest on a CVMA Hooligan bike with a 1:48.852 lap time.

• Saturday Races

Highlights from Saturday included:

● Mallory Dobbs and Gio Alvarez exchanged first and second place in tight battles across two separate races. Both riders set lap records over the weekend.

● Bryce Kornbau won two open-class races.

● Evan Esposito won two amateur-class races.

Saturday night CVMA hosted the awards banquet for the 2025/2026 Winter Series. Perfect weather made a large tent in the paddock the perfect setting to hand out awards for class championships and the top ten number plates. The club provided dinner and everyone in the pits was invited to attend.

• Sunday Shootouts

In the premier race of the day, The Shootout, Michael Gilbert took the holeshot and led Bryce Kornabu through the first lap, both riding Yamaha YZF-R1s. After dropping down to fourth at the start Eugene McMahel (Ducati Panigale V4S) made a pass on Luis Arredondo (Yamaha YZF- R9) at the end of the first lap to retake third place. Bryce Kornbau stayed in touch with Gilbert as they went into the second lap. Kornbau maximized the drive out of the turn 11/12 complex to get alongside Gilbert and pass him on the brakes on the entry to turn 10. Kornbau then streaked away at the front as McMahel and Gilbert fought for the remaining podium positions. McMahel caught Gilbert and, at one point, was within a couple of bike lengths, but Gilbert upped the pace on the penultimate lap and held off McMahel. Kornbau finished the race with a commanding win, followed by Gilbert in second and McMahel in third.

The Middleweight Shootout started with high drama right after the lights went out. Luis Arredondo got an excellent launch from P4 and looked like he had taken the holeshot, but as Arredondo and Haydn Meng rubbed fairings on the entry to turn 16 their bikes got stuck together, which resulted in both of them running straight off track into the dirt. Both riders kept their bikes upright and rejoined the race, with Arredondo fighting back to P6 and Meng retiring partway through.

Jack Roach (Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R) took advantage of the chaos ahead of him to take the lead, with Brenden Ketelsen (Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R) right behind him. Ketelsen quickly lined up a pass while on the brakes on the way into turn 10 where he took the lead and didn’t look back for the rest of the race.

While Ketelsen and Roach streaked away at the front, a four-way battle for the final podium position broke out behind them. Aden Sandlin (Yamaha YZF-R6) briefly took P3, but he had to roll off the throttle to avoid highsiding, opening the door for Parker Mayer, Edgar Zaragoza, and

Sawyer Lafayette to take control of the fight for P3 as Sandlin hung back for the remainder of the race. Mayer, Zaragoza, and Lafayette battled it out in an exhilarating fight. After multiple attempts to pass, Zaragoza took control down the main straight and passed Lafayette into turn 17. Zaragoza pulled out a comfortable gap as Lafayette and Mayer engaged in a two-mandogfight for the rest of the race, which Lafayette won. Ketelesen took his first shootout victory of the season, followed by Roach in second and Zaragoza in third.

At the start of the Formula Ultra Lightweight Shootout, Alex George wheelied off the line, making it seem like Nathan Gravelle would take the holeshot, but as they charged through turn 16, the race was red-flagged because a bike was stuck and stalled on the start line. On the second start, George put the power down more smoothly, took the holeshot, and led for the rest of the race. Chris Binker (Kawasaki Ninja 400) caught up and passed Quinn Swift (Kawasaki Ninja 400) at the end of the first lap. While the rest of the field spread out for the rest of the race, Swift and Binker were nose-to-tail for the next few laps. Binker slowly pulled a gap on Swift as he closed in on Nathan Gravelle (Kawasaki Ninja 400). George took a commanding first place, with Gravelle holding off Binker for second and Binker finishing third.

In the final shootout race of the day, the Formula Lightweight Twins Shootout, Mallory Dobbs and Gio Alvarez met for a rematch on their Aprilia RS 660s in their back-and-forth weekend rivalry. Once again, Dobbs rocketed from P2 to take the holeshot into turn 17. Alvarez tried to pass Dobbs on the outside of turn 15, but Dobbs held her line and got a stronger drive off the exit. Alvarez stayed tight on Dobbs’ tail, with less than a bike length separating them at multiple points throughout the race. Dobbs and Alvarez traded race-lap records as they pushed each other into the 1:48s. Alvarez closed the gap on the brakes into corners, and Dobbs opened it back up with better mid-corner speed through the turn 13 bowl. While Alvarez and Dobbs pulled away from the pack, Justin Bordonaro was locked in a tight, four-way fight for third. Dobbs resisted Alvarez’s pressure to take first, and Bordonaro held off Geiser Hernandez’s attacks to finish third, beating Hernandez to the line by one tenth of a second.

Full race results can be found on Speedhive: https://speedhive.mylaps.com/events/3759961

Come out and join us for the next round of the CVMA 26/27 Winter Series on November 13-15, 2026.

CVMA offers two full days of racing every race weekend and also includes Saturday qualifying for grid position in all classes, amateur, and expert, as well as a wide variety of classes to choose from.

CVMA offers free reciprocity as a means of encouraging racers from other clubs to come out and compete. CVMA also offers a New Racers School for those starting in racing on the Friday before each race weekend. Log on to www.cvmaracing.com to sign up or for more information.

CVMA. Built for racers by racers and offering the best racing experience around!

CVMA would also like to thank the 2026/2027 Winter Series Sponsors: Support Moto Racing, Apex Assassins, Ryder Gear, CaliPhotography, Racers Edge/Dunlop, Bridgestone – Pro J’s Cycle, Honu Marshals, The California Superbike School, CT Racing/Pirelli, aRacer.

NRS Sponsors: Alpinestars, 6D Helmets, Five Gloves, and Racers Edge/Dunlop

About CVMA:

The Chuckwalla Valley Motorcycle Association (CVMA) hosts the premier winter motorcycle road racing series in North America. With a racer-first focus and a mission of constant improvement, CVMA provides safe, competitive, and fun racing for riders of all levels.