Precision, Pressure, and Perfect Weather:
MRA Launches Season at High Plains Raceway
By Chandler Dahl/MRA Rider Rep
The Motorcycle Roadracing Association (MRA) kicked off its 2025 championship season at High Plains Raceway, using the full course configuration. With the air electric and the grid packed, Round 1 delivered exactly what fans have come to expect from MRA’s tight-knit but fiercely competitive premiere classes, under partly cloudy Colorado skies and high-70s sunshine.
RoR GTO: Hendry Defends #1 Plate
The front row for Race of the Rockies was a bit of a shakeup after qualifying. James Wilkerson (#98) claimed pole with a blistering 1:48.317 lap, edging out Brad Hendry (#1) and Justen Behmer (#4). But when the lights dropped, Hendry reacted first.
Launching his BMW off the line, Hendry edged ahead of Behmer as they barreled into Turn 1, with Wilkerson right on their tail. The trio wasted no time pushing the pace, but unfortunately Behmer (despite his aggressive early pace) began to lose ground due to a sprocket issue. Wilkerson was quickly applying pressure on Hendry.
By lap five of the 12-lap contest, Behmer was slipping backwards as former Pro Superbike racer Mathew Cunha (#95), who had been quietly building momentum, took full advantage. Showing impressive mid-race pace, Cunha reeled in Behmer and made a clean pass, securing third.
Out front, Hendry proved untouchable. Once clear of pressure, he dropped the hammer and gapped the field with authority, showcasing the kind of composure and racecraft that’s made him a perennial front-runner. Hendry said afterwards, “I knew if I could keep my laps in the 1:48s, I could probably stay out front.” Wilkerson, meanwhile, held strong in second, managing the race from a distance and keeping Cunha at bay in the final laps.
When the checkered flag flew, it was Brad Hendry who took a dominant victory In the Fay Myers Motorcycle World RoR GTO, with James Wilkerson and Mathew Cunha rounding out the podium.
Final RoR GTO Results:
- Brad Hendry (BMW S1000RR)
2. James Wilkerson (Yamaha YZF-R1)
3. Mathew Cunha (Yamaha YZF-R1)
RoR GTU: Rizzo Recovers and Rises
If the GTO race was defined by dominance, Apex Auto Glass Race of the Rockies GTU was a story of recovery, persistence, and late-race heroics.
Salvatore Rizzo (#9) had a rough start—literally. A massive wheelie off the line cost him several positions, dropping him back to 4th or 5th and nearly derailing his race before it began. “It was mildly embarrassing,” Rizzo later joked. “But I knew I had the pace—I just had to get to work.”
And work he did. With Tyrel Diekmann (#724) ahead, the two engaged in a spirited back-and-forth, trading positions over several laps. Rizzo eventually took advantage of Diekmann’s lack of a functioning quick shifter and began laying down mid-to-low 1:53 lap times, creating a gap and setting his sights forward.
By lap eight or nine, another rider loomed ahead—Rizzo initially assumed it was a 1000cc bike, but as he closed the distance, he realized it was Jeremiah Walker (#562) aboard his MV Augusta F3 RR. “That lit a fire under me,” Rizzo said. “I knew he’d be a threat late in the race.”
After catching and passing Walker around lap ten, Rizzo went into defensive mode. The MV pilot stayed glued to his rear wheel, launching a last-lap lunge into Turn 10 in a bold bid for the win. But Rizzo stayed composed, holding his line and fending off the dive-bomb to secure a hard-fought victory in RoR GTU by only 0.300-second.
Final RoR GTU Results:
- Salvatore Rizzo (Suzuki GSX-R600)
2. Jeremiah Walker (MV Agusta F3 RR)
3. Tyrel Diekmann (Yamaha YZF-R6)
Amateur GTO: Evans Executes a Textbook Win
The Amateur GTO class, sponsored by Rocky Mountain Family Dental & Implant, brought its own brand of fire to Round 1, with a tightly contested front group and impressive pace throughout the grid. When the lights went out, John Evans (#154) fired off the line and took immediate control of the race on his BMW 1000cc superbike. Ryan Reasoner (#88) on the R6 slotted into second through Turn 1, determined to stay in touch.
Evans made the most of the BMW’s straight-line power, stretching a gap down the back straight. But Reasoner wasn’t giving in—closing the distance through the technical midsection of the track and keeping the pressure on. Behind them, Robert Brown (#41) ran a clean and steady race, staying within striking distance and never more than six seconds off the lead battle.
Despite Reasoner’s mid-race push, Evans maintained composure and pace, eventually crossing the line five seconds clear to take the checkered flag and a commanding win.
Final Amateur GTO Results:
- John Evans (BMW S1000RR)
2. Ryan Reasoner (Yamaha YZF-R6)
3. Robert Brown (Aprilia RSV4 RR)
More Than Just a Race
While the premier classes drew the most eyes, every grid at Round 1 reflected what makes the MRA special: a commitment to competitive excellence and community-driven racing. Whether it was a rider making their club debut or a veteran hunting tenths, the spirit of the sport was alive and well in every paddock, pit lane, and corner.
With Round 1 now in the books, the 2025 MRA season promises to be one of the most exciting yet—full of new rivalries, technical evolution, and the relentless pursuit of faster laps.
Catch all the action, live timing, photos, and future event info at www.mra-racing.org.
Next round: Round 2, June 8th at Pueblo Motorsports Park.
