Righteous Racin’ to Honor Late Racer Ray Hofman with Commemorative MotoAmerica Twins Cup Entry at Road America
Jody Barry to pilot Ray’s original Aprilia RS660 at hometown round; memorial shirt sales
benefit Motor Racing Outreach Association
ELKHART LAKE, Wis.
One year after losing their team captain and racer Ray Hofman, members of his Righteous Racin’ team will return to Road America for the May 29-31 MotoAmerica Twins Cup round with a tribute effort that brings Ray’s racing legacy full circle.
Rider Jody Barry will campaign the original Aprilia RS660 that Ray purchased new from a small Wisconsin dealership when the model first launched. It’s the same bike Ray put Barry on during their first season together, which led to immediate success. It’s also the machine Ray himself raced in subsequent years, chasing faster lap times each round and scoring a career-best eighth place finish in MotoAmerica competition.
Ray grew up on a small family farm, drawn to anything with speed: aviation, farm equipment, motorcycles. After leaving farm life behind, he joined Sam’s Well Drilling in Randolph, Wisconsin, working year-round in brutal Midwest conditions and eventually becoming part owner. He finally got his first bike and spent years watching races before making it to the track himself later in life. What followed was a string of ASRA and CCS victories, then the leap to MotoAmerica Twins Cup, first on an SV650, then on the RS660 he believed in from day one.
“Ray saw potential in everything and everyone,” said Righteous Racin’ crew member Jason Knudsen. “He saw it in Jody, he saw it in that RS660, and he saw it in this team. We’re the same old Midwest crew having the same old kind of fun, but this time we’re doing it for Ray at our home track.”
The team has partnered with Bison and PopShadow Decals and Wraps for the Road America effort. Two commemorative shirts are available through Bison: a limited edition “Ride Like Ray” memorial shirt and the original Righteous Racin’ team crew shirt. 100% of proceeds from the memorial shirt benefit the Motor Racing Outreach Association (MROA). Supporters unable to attend Road America are encouraged to purchase shirts to honor Ray’s memory.
Memorial Shirt: bisontrack.com/products/bison-ride-like-ray-t-shirt
Team Crew Shirt: bisontrack.com/products/bison-jody-barry-sublimated-crew-shirt
“Ray was the most giving person we knew,” Knudsen added. “Positive, can-do, always pushing us to go faster and go further. We made cross-country memories that’ll last forever. This past year without him has been tough, but we can feel him watching over us. This one’s for you, Ray.”
The Road America tribute effort is made possible through support from Sam’s Well Drilling, Bison, Arai Helmet Americas, LIQUI MOLY, PopShadow Decals and Wraps Inc, Thrashed Bike Racing, Max Flinders, Robem Engineering, and Aprilia USA.
About Righteous Racin’
Righteous Racin’ is a Midwest-based motorcycle racing team founded by Ray Hofman and his wife Brenda, competing in MotoAmerica’s Twins Cup series aboard Aprilia RS660 machinery.
About Motor Racing Outreach Association (MROA)
The Motor Racing Outreach Association provides spiritual support and practical assistance to the racing community and their families.
