More from a press release issued by Yamaha:
JD Beach Doubles Down at Laguna Seca. JD Beach adds a career milestone with a MotoAmerica Superbike sweep, while Andy DiBrino and Bryce Kornbau split Super Hooligan wins at Laguna Seca.
Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing’s JD Beach is on a hot streak. During the MotoAmerica West Coast swing, the roadracer with dirt track roots won three of the last four races, with his perfect score at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca putting him in the thick of the fight for the MotoAmerica Superbike crown.
“You know what, coming into the year, I wasn’t doubted, but I don’t think people were thinking of me for the fighting,” said Beach. “I kind of like to compare it to a golden retriever when they show up at a dog park. They look all sweet, and then you get the ball out, and they just go for it. I got that ball finally, and I’m just fighting for it.”
Also making championship gains and continuing their strong West Coast run at the iconic circuit in Monterey, California, were BPR Racing Yamaha’s MT-09-mounted Andy DiBrino and Bryce Kornbau, who split wins and moved into the top of the standings in the Super Hooligan Championship. BLU CRU riders enjoyed a successful outing in Supersport, the Superbike Cup, and the MotoAmerica Talent Cup as well. BPR Racing Yamaha’s Josh Hayes put his YZF-R9 on the box in Supersport, while Deion Campbell won both Superbike Cup races. Then in the MotoAmerica Talent Cup, Yamaha BLU CRU Estenson Racing’s Sam Drane earned a pair of podium finishes.
Aside from victories and podium finishes, it was also a weekend to celebrate Yamaha Motor Company’s seven decades of motorsports excellence, with the Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing Team sporting the iconic white-and-red speed block livery on race day.
Leading the way for the BLU CRU in Superbike, Beach qualified second and got great starts in both races from the front row of the grid. In Race 1, the Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing rider slotted into the runner-up spot and then took over the lead in the final corner on the opening lap. From there, he led every lap and built a gap up front to earn his first Superbike victory in dry conditions.
“I know I’ve got a couple of Superbike wins, but to finally get one in the dry, it just feels amazing,” said Beach. “The Attack Yamaha R1 was working so well at Laguna today. We got a great jump off the line and ran second for the first lap, and I was able to pass into the lead in the last turn. From there, I just put my head down and tried to run smooth laps. I’ve been wanting to get this dry win, and to lead it wire-to-wire like that just adds another layer to it. It was so cool to get the win running the 70th Anniversary design as well.”
Then in Race 2, Beach rode with authority. Once again starting in the runner-up spot, he wasted little time before making his move around the outside of PJ Jacobsen in Turn 5 to take the lead. From there, he threw down consistently fast laps to earn his fifth career Superbike victory by a 3.4-second margin.
“It’s hard to even have words for this weekend,” said Beach. “These types of weekends don’t come often, so I’m going to enjoy it. Being able to pick up my first Superbike double is simply amazing. The Attack team gave me such a great bike today, it made my job easy. I just felt like I was in the zone and could click off the laps. We still have a lot of races to go this year and a lot of points up for grabs, so I can’t rest on this, but I’ll enjoy it.”
It was an up-and-down weekend for Beach’s teammate Bobby Fong, but the rider from Stockton, California, rebounded on Sunday for a strong finish at his home race. After qualifying eighth, he had a good start to Race 1 in sixth, but dropped back to eighth in the opening laps, eventually regaining a spot and finishing seventh. In Race 2, Fong was eighth after the start and steadily made his way forward, making the pass for fifth in the latter half of the race and finishing the weekend with a top-five result.
Laguna Seca proved a difficult weekend for Strack Racing Yamaha’s Mathew Scholtz, who arrived at the track leading the championship. The South African qualified 10th and had a good start in Race 1 from the fourth row of the grid, slotting into seventh behind Fong. After passing his fellow BLU CRU rider on Lap 3, Scholtz continued to work his way forward to fourth. When a rider ahead crashed with four laps remaining, Scholtz inherited third, but he was passed by his title rival in the final corner and finished fourth.
Unfortunately, it didn’t go better for the back-to-back Supersport champ on Sunday. Once again, Scholtz slotted in behind Fong after the start and was ninth. The duo made their way forward with Scholtz in seventh before a technical issue in the latter half of the race that ended his race early. The Strack Racing Yamaha rider looks to rebound at the next round in Ohio and sits third in the points standings, three back from Beach and 14 from the leader.
In the Super Hooligan Championship, the BPR Racing Yamaha team continued to build momentum at Laguna Seca and took over the championship lead. Team Owner Bryce Kornbau topped the timesheets in qualifying, with Andy DiBrino right behind in second. That set the stage for a memorable weekend, with the duo finishing in that order in Saturday’s Race 1. It started with DiBrino getting the holeshot and leading for the first half of the race. Although Kornbau was shuffled back early, it was a thrilling battle with four riders in the lead group. After Kornbau broke free of the competition, he chased down his teammate, who had begun to pull away, and passed him after the halfway mark, riding on to secure his first win in the class in front of the home crowd.
“What a race!” Said Kornbau. “That was crazy. I knew it was going to be tough, and Corey (Alexander) and (James) Rispoli kind of sent it under me on the first lap, and I just parked it back under them. For a brief moment, I thought it was going to be a repeat of The Ridge, and Andy was going to get a gap on us because we kept going back and forth. Finally, I’m like, ‘I’ve got to get through here.’ If not, I could see Andy starting to chip away and build that gap. I knew Andy was riding well, and I felt like I had enough pace to get back up to him while he was still close enough. Hats off to my whole BPR Racing team, all my family, my mom, my wife Savannah, and everyone who’s been a part of this. It’s awesome to do it at my home race. I’m just super excited.”
On Sunday, it was DiBrino’s turn, with the Pacific Northwest rider getting another holeshot and keeping cool under pressure to earn his second win aboard the BPR Racing Yamaha MT-09 and move into the championship lead, with his teammate Kornbau five points back in the runner-up spot.
“It feels amazing to get a win at Laguna Seca!” said DiBrino. “It’s such an iconic track, and it’s always my favorite race of the year. Things have really come together for me lately, and I’m enjoying the success tremendously. I owe a lot of thanks to BPR Racing’s team owner, who happens to be my teammate, Bryce Kornbau. I also want to thank Josh Hayes for his mentorship. Working alongside Bryce and Josh, and on this Yamaha, has elevated me big time.”
In Supersport, BPR Racing Yamaha’s Josh Hayes had a strong weekend, finishing fourth in Race 1 and scoring a runner-up finish in Race 2 to secure his first podium of the season with the team. Also finishing the weekend on a high note was Liberty St. Yamaha Racing’s Dominic Doyle, who earned a season-best result with a fifth-place finish in Race 2 and an eighth-place finish in Race 1. Strack Racing Yamaha’s Blake Davis concluded the weekend with a pair of top 10 finishes, crossing the line seventh in Race 1 and sixth in Race 2.
Yamaha BLU CRU Estenson Racing’s Sam Drane capped off an impressive week of racing on two wheels at Laguna Seca. He started with a standout performance at the AMA Flat Track Grand National Championships in Du Quoin, Illinois, where he was named the Nicky Hayden AMA Flat Track Horizon Award winner and earned class championships in four different categories. Then the young Australian headed to Monterey, California, and took home a pair of podium finishes in MotoAmerica Talent Cup, finishing third on Saturday and improving to a runner-up finish in Sunday’s Race 2.
Racing resumes at the end of the month as MotoAmerica heads back east to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, for Round 6 of the Superbike Championship on July 31 – August 2.
More from a press release issued by OrangeCat Racing:
Back-to-Back Podiums and Points Lead For Kelly, Two Top 10s For Uribe At WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. OrangeCat Racing’s Sean Dylan Kelly Finishes Third In Both Two Superbike Thrillers In Monterey, Jayson Uribe Nabs Two Top 10s.
OrangeCat Racing’s Sean Dylan Kelly put his BMW M 1000 RR on the podium in both Superbike races at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca with his two third-place finishes vaulting him into the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship points lead in the process.
With his two third-place finishes on the Monterey Peninsula, Kelly now sits atop the championship by 11 points over new runner-up JD Beach, the rider who came away with a two-race Superbike sweep at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Kelly’s two-podium weekend in California gives him eight podiums in 10 races, including his two victories. He has amassed 172 points to Beach’s 161, with Mathew Scholtz slipping to third with 158 points.
Kelly’s teammate Jayson Uribe had his best weekend of the year with hard-fought sixth- and eighth-place finishes on his BMW M 1000 RR in the two races after turning in a career-best Superbike qualifying effort on Saturday morning. Uribe’s solid weekend moved him to eighth in the championship points standings after five rounds and 10 races.
Uribe’s weekend started out on the right foot with the Californian coming into Laguna Seca after finding a sweet spot in the handling of his BMW. The result? A career-best fourth in qualifying and a spot on the inside of the second row. Kelly, meanwhile, also started the race from the second row after he qualified sixth on Saturday morning.
Saturday’s race one had the two teammates circulating together for the first four laps in a battle for fifth. Kelly would hold the spot for 11 of the 20 laps before passing Loris Baz to move into fourth. Kelly wasn’t done yet, however, as he dove up the inside of Mathew Scholz in the last corner on the last lap to nab third place and a trip to the podium.
Uribe circulated in seventh place for 11 laps before passing Bobby Fong to move into sixth, a spot he held for the remaining four laps after fighting for fifth with Baz.
Sunday was again a good day for the OrangeCat Racing duo. Kelly did his normal march through the field, ending lap one in fifth place, moving to fourth a lap later, and staying there for 14 laps. Then came a final push with Kelly passing PJ Jacobsen with six laps to go to take over third place, a spot he would claim for the second straight day.
Uribe was sixth on lap one but lost two positions as the race wore on to ultimately finish eighth, ending the weekend with two solid top-ten finishes. Uribe’s solid weekend moved him from 12th to eighth in the championship standings.
Jeff Connors – Team Principal: “Overall, it was a strong and productive weekend for our Superbike program. Sean didn’t have the qualifying performance we were looking for, starting sixth, but he responded with two excellent rides to finish third in both races. He leaves Laguna Seca with the championship points lead, so it was a very valuable weekend from that standpoint. JD Beach’s victory showed that he will be a serious championship contender, and while we’re pleased with the points Sean earned, we’re also disappointed that we weren’t able to challenge for the win.
Jayson had his best weekend of the season. He qualified fourth, just one-tenth of a second off pole, and finished sixth in Race 1. Unfortunately, contact with another competitor in Race 2 injured his left arm and limited him physically, but he fought through it to finish eighth. The entire team worked extremely well together throughout the weekend, and I’m very proud of the effort everyone put into our Superbike program.”
Jayson Uribe – No. 36: “Overall, it was a weekend full of positives from my side. We made a lot of progress towards the front-runners when it came to lap times, and I was very happy with how hard the team worked. Our abilities for all-out pace are getting better each weekend, but I will be the first to say I was disappointed in my finishes, especially in race two. But at the end of the day, I’m happy to be moving forward, and my sights are set on Mid-Ohio. Thanks again to the OrangeCat team for this weekend.”
Sean Dylan Kelly – No. 40: “We had a tough but really positive weekend. I was competitive both days here at Laguna Seca. I think we only lacked a little bit in qualifying, but we still managed to fight for podiums and finish on the box both Saturday and Sunday. I made a step forward from race one to two, and I’m happy about that. We need to find a little bit more pace in hot conditions, but I’m very happy to be leading the championship and coming home with two podiums. Thank you to the OrangeCat team for all the hard work they do.”
For full results of the fifth round of the 2026 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship, click Saturday (race one) and Sunday (race two).
The sixth round of the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship will be held at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, July 31-August 2.
More from a press release issued by Suzuki Motor USA:
Difficult weekend for M4 Ecstar Suzuki at Laguna Seca.
Brea, CA – Suzuki Motor USA and Team Hammer endured a hard luck weekend at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca as the 2026 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship continued in Monterey, California.
Race Highlights:
- M4 ECSTAR Suzuki
- Superbike
- Brandon Paasch closed out the weekend inside the top 10.
- Supersport
- Tyler Scott suffered a bout of poor luck that prevented him from capitalizing on his speed.
- Superbike
- Mission M4 ECSTAR Suzuki
- Superbike
- Richie Escalante collected a top-10 finish despite a largely luckless weekend.
- Superbike
The fabled home of the Corkscrew provided California vibes in the way only it can but the team found little good fortune to accompany those vibes.
Mission M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante never really had a chance to find his form on the GSX-R1000R during the weekend, but he still managed to fight his way up from 12th to finish ninth in Saturday’s Superbike contest.
Hopes for a better day on Sunday were dashed almost as soon as the rematch got underway; the Mexican was forced into the pits at the end of the first lap and retired with mechanical issues.
Escalante said, “It was a tough weekend. We had a lot of problems here at Laguna Seca, and it seemed like we had something go wrong for us in every session. There’s not too much to say about it. In Saturday’s race, we had a decent pace and got some points. Overall, we had a rough one but that’s racing. We’ll keep working and reset for Ohio.”
M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Brandon Paasch faced his difficulties as well. Still, he managed to put together a pair of respectable rides aboard his GSX-R1000R. After qualifying 13th, the New Jersey native worked his way up to 11th on Saturday and then broke into the top ten on Sunday.
Paasch said, “It was one of our worst weekends. The results weren’t very good, and we struggled with the bike and couldn’t make it happen. We improved on Sunday in the race, but it’s disappointing. It is what it is. We are going to work hard to improve it before Ohio.”
M4 ECSTAR Suzuki Supersport runner Tyler Scott showcased his trademark speed but endured a difficult weekend that prevented him from translating his sheer pace into podium finishes.
Scott posted the fourth-fastest time in qualifying aboard his GSX-R750 and then twice launched into second place from his second row grid position. However, both races took disappointing turns shortly thereafter.
After running inside the top three for several laps in Saturday’s race, Scott suffered a fall from fourth position on lap 8 of 19. The determined Pennsylvanian picked up his bike and returned to the fray, fighting his way up to a final 12th position.
His designs for revenge on Sunday were undone by a battery issue that forced him into the pits twice before he was ultimately retired.
Despite the down weekend, Scott still stands fourth in the 2026 MotoAmerica Supersport standings with six podium finishes to his name. He said, “Yesterday was a little rough. I crashed out of podium contention but finished the race. We are always looking for points, but the result wasn’t what I was hoping for. We made some improvements to the bike for Sunday and felt like we could be even more competitive, but we had an issue that caused a DNF. It was a tough weekend with some bad luck but our speed was there and I feel really good about the bike and our program going into Mid-Ohio.”
The team’s MotoAmerica campaign will resume on July 31-August 2 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.
For more Road racing news please visit suzukicycles.com/racing/road-racing.
More from a press release issued by Ducati:
Loris Baz and Benjamin Smith Achieve the Best Weekend of the Season So Far at Laguna Seca.
The Quad Lock MotoAmerica Superbike field rolled into the historic WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca for the fifth round of the 2026 series, with Loris Baz and Benjamin Smith carrying the charge for the Warhorse HSBK Ducati FLo4Law team on the Monterey Peninsula.
Part of MotoAmerica’s season-long salute to ’50 Years of Superbike Racing,’ and coming fresh off the nation’s 250th-anniversary celebrations, the return to the world-renowned 11-turn, 2.238-mile road course known for its infamous Corkscrew.
In race one, Baz went to work in a 20-lap fight with Bobby Fong and Jayson Uribe, coming out on top of the trio to take fifth by 0.32s over Fong. Smith, meanwhile, finished eighth after a scrap with Hayden Gillim and Richie Escalante.
Race two produced another Baz-versus-Fong duel, the roles reversed this time as Baz crossed the line sixth, just 0.32s behind Fong. Smith stayed glued to his teammate all the way to the flag, taking seventh a further 0.125s back, the pair’s strongest combined result of the campaign.
Also of note was Wrench Motorcycles Ducati’s Cameron Petersen, who secured second in both races.
Baz reported that the Warhorse HSBK Ducati FLo4Law squad spent the weekend battling electronics issues on the Panigale V4R, with the bike short on grip through some of Laguna Seca’s flatter corners but noticeably stronger through the cambered sections.
Heading into round six of nine at Mid-Ohio, Baz sits 17th in the standings with 21 points, and Smith 13th with 46.
In the Supersport class, rookie sensation Darryn Binder (Celtic/Economy Lube + Tire/Warhorse) continued his dominant run, claiming pole position and converting it into the race-one win ahead of fellow Ducati riders Josh Herrin (Rahal Ducati Moto) by 2.394s and Kayla Yaakov (Rahal Ducati Moto) by 11.384s.
Binder led the opening 10 laps of race two but, under sustained pressure from Herrin, ran wide through the Corkscrew and was pitched into the gravel trap. He kept the Ducati upright but rejoined to finish 11th.
Despite the race-two mishap, Binder continues to lead the Supersport title chase after six rounds, with 223 points and nine clear of Herrin.
Loris Baz (Warhorse HSBK Ducati FLo4Law – #76): “After a tough start, this was our first proper run on the bike in the dry. We’ve been chipping away since Friday. Our feeling wasn’t ideal at the start of the weekend, so we took a lot of baby steps and improved the bike every time we went out. I’m starting to understand what we need to do to make this beast work here.
“We did good stuff, and I’m proud of the team and happy with the group. It’s great to have a clean weekend like that behind us and to roll on to the next one with that data and this confidence. I’m really happy, and I’m looking forward to Mid-Ohio.”
Benjamin Smith (Warhorse HSBK Ducati FLo4Law – #78): “Overall, it was definitely a positive weekend,” Smith said. “This West Coast swing has been really refreshing for me and the team, and we finally got some good, solid results in and built my confidence step by step. I was happy with the pace we had today and was fighting up toward the front early on, with some really good lap times in those first couple of laps before I settled in. We brought it home in seventh, right behind Loris.
“The team is working their butts off to give me the best bike possible and doing a phenomenal job — I can’t thank those guys enough. The bike keeps getting better and better, and the package is phenomenal. Now I’ll get back to training hard. We’ve got a couple of weeks until Mid-Ohio, a place I usually like and tend to go well at, so I’m going to keep my nose to the grindstone and keep chipping away — we’re getting closer to the front and to where I want to be.”
Round six of the 2026 Quad Lock MotoAmerica Superbike Championship will be held at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on July 31-August 1, 2026.
More from a press release issued by Harley-Davidson:
Bradley Smith and Kyle Wyman each win for Harley-Davidson x Dynojet Factory race team in King of the Baggers double-header at Laguna Seca.
MILWAUKEE – Harley-Davidson® x DynoJet Factory Race Team riders Bradley Smith and Kyle Wyman each won a round of the MotoAmerica Mission Foods King of the Baggers championship aboard race-prepared Harley-Davidson Road Glide® motorcycles in a double-header race weekend at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, Calif. Each rider won for the first time this season, and for Smith the victory on Saturday was his first in the King of the Baggers series since joining the Harley-Davidson® x DynoJet Factory Race Team in 2025.
- A Harley-Davidson Double in King of the Baggers
Wyman, the defending Mission King of the Baggers champion, was fast qualifier for the weekend with a best lap of 1:28.402 on the 2.238-mile, 11-turn WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca road course. Wyman also won the three-lap Mission Foods Challenge sprint bonus race.
On Saturday, Smith led eight of nine laps after passing Factory Indian rider Troy Herfoss for the lead on lap two. By lap four Smith had opened a gap of 1.266 seconds over Herfoss, a lead that would grow to 4.690 seconds by the end of the race. Wyman finished fifth and James Rispoli finished sixth on the Big Diehl x Harley-Davidson Factory Racing entry. Smith has finished in the top four in each of eight races this season, on the podium three times and is currently third in series points.
“I’ve been an absolute terror to the Harley-Davidson team this week, asking them absolutely everything they can give me from eight in the morning to six at night on test days, so I’ve been a nuisance,” said Smith. “There was some blind faith from all the members of the team, but when we put it all together, we can do things like today. I’m very proud of everyone who has been a part of this as we put an end to the winning streak on the other boys and gain some points back in the championship.”
It would be Wyman setting the pace on Sunday. After dialing in his set-up while winning the Mission Challenge race in the morning, Wyman led the main event from the start with Smith, Herfoss and Hayden Gillim on his tail. Series points leader Gillim went down in turn two on lap five and Wyman and Smith began pulling away from Herfoss. Wyman crossed the finish line 0.240 seconds clear of Smith, with Herfoss third 7.636 seconds behind Wyman. Gillim remounted and finished eighth.
“It’s been a tough weekend and a tough year,” said Wyman. “We’ve had a lot of ups and downs, but these boys never quit. I can’t say enough about the Harley-Davidson team. It’s so gratifying to put those nine laps together. It feels so good when you can execute a plan you have in your head, and I don’t think I put a wheel wrong. It comes down to the team and all of our partners for giving me an amazing bike. Laguna’s been my place and it feels like it again.”
Wyman raced this weekend using a special number plate and a helmet painted as a tribute to legendary Harley-Davidson racer Mert Lawwill, who died on May 6 at age 85. Lawwill won the 1969 AMA Grand National Championship with the Harley-Davidson factory team and continued to compete for the AMA Grand National Championship, winning a total of 15 Grand National races before retiring in 1977.
“I want to give a shout-out to the Lawwill family,” said Wyman on Sunday. “It’s so cool to get a win here in his helmet with his number 1 plate on the bike. I don’t know a better way to honor him.”
After eight of 14 rounds in the 2026 MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers series Gillim leads with 156 points, followed by Herfoss with 143 points, Smith with 136 points, and Wyman with 113 points. The Harley-Davidson® x Dynojet Factory Race Team returns to action July 31-August 2 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. Experience racing as a VIP with the Harley-Davidson Factory Racing Fan Pass, visit this site to learn more.
More from a press release issued by Altus Motorsports:
Mesa and Nassaney rebound from a challenging Saturday to a double top 10 on Sunday.
- Supersport
Jaret Nassaney followed up his strong performances from the previous round by improving even further and achieving his best result of the season. The Friday and Saturday sessions were spent searching for a chassis setup which prioritized rear grip, which Nassaney utilized to his advantage during race 1. Nassaney steadily built up pace throughout the race and was about to fight for P10 before unfortunately suffering a mechanical issue that forced him to retire from the race early. Nassaney was able to put the disappointment of the DNF behind him on Sunday where he displayed his best performance of the season so far. After a strong start from P14 Nassaney steadily made his way up the field. Nassaney held a strong pace throughout the race and clocked his fastest time on the penultimate lap on used tires before finishing with his best result of the season in P9.
Jaret Nassaney: “It was a little bit of a difficult weekend trying to find a set up that suited us. We struggled with rear grip a lot. We got the bike moving in the right direction for the race though. Race 1 I was battling for a top 10 finish and while sitting in 11th with only a few laps left my bike unfortunately formed a leak at the oil cooler. I was not able to finish the race but I’m grateful it didn’t get ugly. Race 2 we really found a set up that allowed me to fight all race long and I was able to finish 9th. Super happy with that. I’m excited to continue to build on what we found when we head to Ohio!”
Stefano Mesa made his return to the MotoAmerica paddock by filling in as a replacement rider for the still-injured Torrin Collins. This was Mesa’s debut racing the YZF-R9 so a significant portion of the weekend was dedicated to establishing a comfortable setup for him to ride.
Mesa hit the ground running on Friday in practice and was setting fast times in Qualifying 1 before a crash in turn three cut his time short. Despite the crash limiting his track time, Mesa was still able to qualify in P11. Saturday’s race unfortunately ended early after a highside crash in turn three which Mesa thankfully walked away from without any major injuries. Mesa came back strong on Sunday where a few key passes early on set him up for a steady race which he finished in P8.
Stefano Mesa: “It was great to be back in the MotoAmerica paddock after some time away. It wasn’t the weekend we were hoping for on paper, but we learned a lot throughout the weekend. The Yamaha R9 is a new platform for me, and this was our first weekend together, so the focus was on understanding the bike, finding a direction with the setup, and building confidence. We spent a lot of time working to improve rear grip and overall feel, and we definitely came away with a much better understanding of what the bike needs. There’s still plenty of work to do, but I think we’re headed in the right direction.
The crashes were a bit of a setback, but they didn’t take away from everything we learned. Now it’s about continuing to build on what we found, finding a setup that gives me more confidence, and taking another step forward at Mid-Ohio. A huge thank you to Altus Motorsports for the opportunity and to everyone involved for all the hard work throughout the weekend. I’m excited to keep building together, keep finding a little more speed, and continue moving in the right direction.”
“First of all wishing our riders Torin Collins and Max Gerardo all best with their recoveries. We all are definitely missing them. This weekend our team worked hard to give our riders the best setup possible. If finally started to come together in race 2. Proud of everyone’s hard work and we can’t wait till Ohio in a few weeks” said team co owner George Nassaney
The Altus Motorsports team worked hard throughout the weekend to fine tune the YZF-R9’s handling which was rewarded with very strong finishes on Sunday in the final race of the weekend. The team was grateful for Mesa stepping in and giving his full effort throughout the course of the weekend. Everyone at Altus continues to hold Torrin Collins and Maxi Gerardo in their thoughts as they continue to heal. The team is excited to keep the positive momentum from race 2 and build to even better results at the next round at Mid-Ohio.
More from a press release issued by Team Roberts:
It was another perfect weekend for Kensei Matsudaira and Team Roberts this weekend at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca with Kensei taking the victory in both MotoAmerica Talent Cup races and taking back the lead in the championship.
The weekend started off well with Kensei showing strong pace through Friday and Saturday, qualifying 3rd on the grid just 0.3 seconds behind the pole sitter.
In race one, Kensei settled into the top group of 4 riders and consistently fought at the front, leading a large portion of the race. The race was red-flagged on the final lap as Kensei started to make a small break, but the race was won.
Sunday brought a new challenge as Kensei’s race bike suffered an engine failure during warmup, necessitating a last-minute engine swap before the race. The team rallied around the challenge and the bike was quickly made race-ready for the afternoon race.
In race two, Kensei once again settled into the top group from the beginning, putting on a show and fighting to the end leading most of the laps and taking his 5th win of the season and his 11th podium in a row in the championship.
Kensei Matsudaira: “It feels amazing to be able to take both wins this weekend at my home track and what has been Kenny’s home track forever, and with all my family and friends here. It definitely wasn’t easy after having an engine problem on the first lap of warmup and having to change engines before the race, but everyone jumped in to help and it was a big team effort so I’m super happy to be able to share this win with the team. Huge thank you to everyone on the team, all the fans that came to see me, and to all the MotoAmerica staff that made this one really special.”
Kensei Matsudaira now leads the MotoAmerica Talent Cup championship with a 23 point advantage, while also leading the FIM Mobil Moto4 Latin Cup championship with a 18.5 point advantage.
The next MotoAmerica Talent Cup round will be held at Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia on August 14-16.
More from a press release issued by Real Steel Honda:
Real Steel Honda Racing Monterey CA July 14, 2026. MotoAmerica Superbike Speedfest at Monterey event held July 10 – 12 at Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca.
Hayden Gillim debuted a special livery celebrating America 250 years at this round and qualified at the head of the 3rd row with a 7th place. In Race 1 on Saturday Hayden scored a 10th place finish and improved by 1 spot in Race 2 on Sunday. Hayden moved up to be tied for 8th in the Superbike championship standings. Andrew Lee had a rare slip up with a DNF in Race 1 on Saturday but rebounded on Sunday in Race 2 scoring a podium finish in 2nd place in the Superbike Cup class and now leads that championship by 75 points with 215 points.
In the Talent Cup races, Ian Fraley scored a 7th place finish in Race 1 but unfortunately suffered a DNF in Race 2 on Sunday. Ian sits in 8th place in the Talent Cup championship.
Next up for the team is the MotoAmerica Superbikes at Ohio event July 31- Aug 2 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington OH.
Real Steel Honda Racing is proudly supported by American Honda, HRC, Progressive Insurance, Pro Honda Oils. Southern Honda Powersports, Idemitsu, Last Ark: Tactics Analogue, Vesrah, K-Tech suspension, Orient Express, Dunlop, Akrapovic Exhaust Systems, Sprint Filter, Armor Bodywork, Vortex and REB Graphics.
Hayden Gillim – Rider #69 / Team Principal: “Laguna has never been a great track for me, but I felt like we could get closer than I’ve been able to in the past. After a good qualifying I just was not able to carry the same pace into the races. Race 1 I had a good fight going and a tight pass ended up with me running off in the gravel trap which resulted in a lonely 10th place finish. Race 2 was a little lonelier where I was just chasing the guys in front of me and ended up coming back in 9th place. Mid-Ohio is a special place for me and a home race for the team so we should be back to being up closer to the front guys!”
Andrew Lee – Rider #14: “Laguna was a tough one from our side of the canopy. We got off to a good start of the weekend then we struggled from there. I was running in a good spot in Race 1 and had a weird fall. I picked it up again just to claim the most embarrassing stat of my career. Which is a second fall in a single race. We recovered on Sunday with a second in class, but we left a little unsatisfied. Thank you to everyone on the team for working their butts off to get us to where we are, still much more to come. Ohio is next, teams’ home race. Let’s get some good results.”
Ian Fraley – Rider #10: “Wasn’t the weekend we wanted, but it is part of the story. We qualified P9, and I wasn’t happy with it. I struggled to find speed all weekend, nothing ever really clicked. Race 1 was mostly a lonely race, and we came home P7. Then in Race 2, the fork cap popped off on the first lap. We pulled in, went back out, and it happened again, forcing us to pull in a second time. Some weekends just don’t go your way. We’ll take the lessons, leave the frustration, and keep moving forward. On to next weekend.”
More from a press release issued by Arch Racing:
Podium streak continues for Arch Racing at Laguna Seca.
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca brought a different kind of weekend for ARCH Racing. Coming off the team’s first MotoAmerica Mission Super Hooligan victory at The Ridge, the California home round arrived with momentum, attention, and added pressure — both on track and off.
Corey Alexander kept ARCH Racing firmly in the fight at the front, qualifying third overall aboard the ARCH Motorcycle 2s-R with a 1:28.698. The front-row start set the tone for another competitive weekend in one of the tightest Super Hooligan fields of the season. Michael Gilbert, stepping in for the injured Jeremy McWilliams, quickly adapted to the 2s-R and qualified 11th in his first appearance with the team.
Race 1 saw Alexander settle into the lead battle and stay there, putting together a measured ride to finish third and add another podium to ARCH Racing’s growing run of results. Gilbert brought the second 2s-R home in 11th, gaining important laps and settling into the rhythm of a new bike, new team, and new race weekend.
Sunday’s Race 2 delivered more of the same intensity at the front. Alexander again ran with the lead group and remained in striking distance throughout the eight-lap race, crossing the line third by less than one second. The result gave ARCH Racing two podiums on the weekend and extended Alexander’s streak to four consecutive podium finishes.
Gilbert also moved the #55 forward on Sunday, finishing 10th in Race 2 and giving the team a solid two-rider result to close out the weekend.
“After getting the first win at The Ridge, the goal was to come to Laguna and prove we could keep putting ourselves in the fight. Two more podiums at the home round is something the whole team can be proud of. We’re still chasing more, but the consistency we’ve shown over the last few races says a lot about the work everyone is putting in.” said Alexander.
For Gilbert, the weekend was a fast introduction to the ARCH Racing program.
Beyond the results, Laguna Seca carried extra significance for ARCH Racing. The weekend coincided with the successful launch of Hooligans: The ARCH Racing Project on Samsung TV Plus, bringing the team’s story to a national audience during its home round. With cameras, guests, partners, and fans surrounding the paddock, the team delivered a weekend that matched the moment: front-row speed, two more podiums, and continued momentum for the 2s-R program.
ARCH Racing thanks everyone that came to support the team at Laguna Seca. The team now turns its focus to the next round of the MotoAmerica Mission Super Hooligan National Championship at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, July 31st–August 2nd
