North America Talent Cup: Clark, Enriquez Split Wins At Roebling Road

David Swarts

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July 19, 2022

North America Talent Cup: Clark, Enriquez Split Wins At Roebling Road

ROEBLING RODEO TIGHTENS UP THE CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

It could have been anyone’s win at the closest race yet of the NATC.

SAVANNAH, GA, July 18, 2022 – Round four of the North America Talent Cup (NATC) produced the closest racing of the season so far, with the top eight riders finishing within .5 second of each other in race one. Race two was even closer, with the top four within a tenth of a second.

His first win of the season, Alex Enriquez was able to work through the pack and finish first—just over a tenth of a second ahead of Aiden Sneed. Chris Clark rounded out the top three, with four other riders in the lead pack. It came down to race craft and patience to earn a podium among many worthy contenders.

In race two, it was a photo finish with Chris Clark beating Logan Monk to the finish line by .008. It was an incredibly close race. On the last lap, a pack of seven riders had a chance at the win all the way to the finish line.

After four rounds, the championship has tightened up. Alessandor DiMario leads with 145 points to Jesse James Shedden’s 141 points. Aiden Sneed sits in third with 100 points after a podium in race one.

The new North America Talent Cup aims to provide riders across the continent with a vital link to professional road racing. The NATC is considered a stepping-stone between the FIM MiniGP North America Series and professional series such as MotoAmerica’s™ Junior Cup or international feeder series like the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup or FIM Moto3™ Junior World Championship.

The North America Talent Cup is proud to partner have partnered with WERA for round four at Roebling Road Raceway.

To learn more about the North America Talent Cup, visit: www.northamericatalentcup.com

To learn more about the WERA, visit: www.wera.com

About NATC

The NATC is a one-make spec-series of teams and riders, using the successful Northern Talent Cup as a blueprint. The limit on entries is 20 riders between 13 and 16 years of age in 2022. The spec-motorcycle will be the Aprilia RS250 SP2; a machine developed by Aprilia in partnership with Ohvale and proven to offer a competitive platform for developing talent. The NATC is designed to create close competition in a cost-effective manner. In its first year, the NATC will race throughout the continental U.S., with seven designated rounds taking place alongside MotoGP™, MotoAmerica™, WERA, and MRA.

About WERA

WERA, based in Canton, Ga., is one of the oldest and largest national sanctioning bodies conducting motorcycle races at road courses across the United States. Since 1974 WERA has enabled thousands of racers at all levels the opportunity to compete across the country. WERA offers a Rider’s School with entry-level racing, pro-am racing and vintage racing for anyone with a motorcycle.

About the FIM North America

FIM North America is one of six Continental Unions (CONUs) recognized as geographical subdivisions and accountable to the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). It was founded in 1998. The national federations who are members of FIM North America are, by virtue of their geographical area and their membership in the FIM, the American Motorcyclist Association and the Canadian Motorcycle Association. FIM North America establishes an annual calendar of Continental Championship events and other activities and declares champions in designated disciplines and classes. Its member federations issue CONU licenses to riders participating in FIM NA events as well as those who are participating in Continental Championship events organized in other CONUs. For more information, visit fim-northamerica.com.

NATC Championship Standings _ RD4 Race 1
NATC Championship Standings _ RD4 Race 2

Central Roadracing Association: Miest Breaks Lap Record Again

David Swarts

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July 19, 2022

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Central Roadracing Association: Miest Breaks Lap Record Again

Justin Miest breaks his own track record at Brainerd International Raceway’s Competition Course

Brainerd, MN – The Central Roadracing Association (CRA) held its third event of the 2022 season on Brainerd International Raceway’s Competition Course July 15-17. The event+ included the annual Jed Copham 3-hour Team Challenge as well as 8-lap Supersport, Superbike and GP sprint races. The whole weekend was hot and humid but the track showed plenty of grip, some of which can be attributed to the improvements BIR has recently made to repave turn 9, or also known as ‘The Joker’.

25 teams entered the Jed Copham 3-hour Team Challenge, which was created by the CRA to honor former owner of Brainerd International Raceway who tragically lost his life in 2018. In this 3-hour team challenge, each team can consist of three riders and each rider can race their own machine. As riders take their pit stop they must transfer the team’s transponder to the next bike before heading out on track. At the beginning of the race Jake Schmotter of team SMR / Cheap Thrills set the pace out front putting down lap times in the 1:37 to 1:38 range on his Yamaha R1. Justin Miest of Nielsen Racing matched Schmotter’s pace and was content stalking Jake for the entire first stint. Shane Keaveny of Team Hawaii trailed close in third putting down 1:39 lap times.

As the race progressed there was a natural rate of small tip overs and mechanicals but at one point, we saw a racer who crashed, quickly grab the transponder off their crashed bike, and give it the ol’ Tom Brady over the track/pit wall where his teammates caught it and continued the race on of their other machines. In the end, Schmotter and teammate Nelson took the overall win finishing ahead of Nielsen Racing by 1 minute 33 seconds. Coming in third place was team Joe’s Hoes aboard their three Krämer motorcycles.

Featherweight proved to be amongst the closest racing all weekend. In the expert ranks, we saw a four-way battle between Andrew Vandal, Justin Miest, William Miller and Ike Messmore as they put down lap times in the high 1:51’s and low 1:52’s. Each racer was using the draft and swapping positions with every lap. Justin came out with two wins and Ike came out with the other win; Ike’s first win as a club expert. The other small-bike class, Ultralight expert, it was Jake Vandal who swept aboard his Kawasaki Ninja 400 ahead of Justin Miest and brother Andrew Vandal. In novice it was complete domination by Sam Fisk in both Featherweight and Ultralight often finishing a half a second ahead of his competitors.

Giving credit where credit is due, 2021 #1 expert Christian Schmidt continued his superhuman form in the Welterweight expert class, sliding the front tire of his Krämer HKR EVO2 R through virtually every corner. The credit is warranted as he put down a blistering lap of 1:39.585 in Welterweight race two on a single-cylinder 690.

Kyle Franz was also a guy on the move this weekend aboard his team Futurestar Ducati 899 Panigale as he won both Lightweight Superbike and GP expert races, holding off the likes of Brian Rogers, Josh Pangier and Andrew Kruse. First-year expert Graham Williams was able to pull out his first win and hold off the likes of seasoned but new-to-lightweight Tony Mahto in Lightweight Supersport. Welterweight, Lightweight GP, and Supertwins novice was completely controlled by first-year CRA racer Thor Routh. Thor ended up winning every race entered and ended the weekend with a total of six wins.

Middleweight was the largest class we saw this weekend with 27 racers finishing Middleweight Supersport on Saturday. Naturally the larger grids made for excellent racing and needless to say, close racing. Zack Abraham won both Middleweight Supersport and Superbike expert races aboard his Kawasaki ZX-6R putting down a best lap of 1:38.806 and consistently lapping in the low 1:39’s. Zack held off one of the club’s favorite (or is it favourite) Canadian Jordan Imrie, who also took a win in Middleweight GP with a best lap of 1:39.498. Chase Sellers of Cheap Thrills entered Middleweight Supersport on a borrowed bike, only to upset the competition and finish in the final podium position. There were also outstanding battles between Dillon Baumeister, Justin Ebnet and Brian Hebeisen who all found themselves on the podium throughout the weekend.

The position swaps didn’t end with the experts, as there were a number of good battles in Middleweight novice. Second-year racer Ryan Largent on his Nielsen Racing Yamaha R6 swept the field taking home three wins and putting down a personal best and fastest lap of 1:39.307. Ryan held off Judah Wimbley in Middleweight Supersport who also found himself in the 1:39’s, but due to mechanical he didn’t start Middleweight Superbike and GP. Battling for the final podium positions were Nick Bjornstad, Austin Yantes and Reed Anderson.

The fight in Unlimited picked up right where it left off last month between Jake Schmotter and Justin Miest, but Justin’s pace was too hot to handle. In Unlimited Supersport on Saturday, Justin put down a lap time of 1:34.163 on his Nielsen Racing Kawasaki ZX-10R using Michelin Power Performance tires, breaking the previous track record (set by Justin) on the Competition Course of 1:34.678. throughout the weekend Justin was able to do three additional laps all under the previous lap record, proving that there are still tenths of a second to be found at BIR. The pace for all three Unlimited races at the front settled in the 1:36’s. Justin crashed out of the lead in Unlimited GP and Jake was able to capitalize and walked away with the win. Veteran Shane Keaveny found himself rounding out the final step of the podium in both Unlimited Supersport and Superbike. The club’s other favorite Canadian JR Hiebert, as well as Justin Robson, found themselves on the podium in Unlimited GP.

The CRA is operated entirely by volunteers that are dedicated to the sport of racing motorcycles. A very special thank you to all our volunteers.

Round Four of the CRA championship will be held at Brainerd International Raceway on August 12-14.

Volunteers can pre-register for CRA Round Four starting July 23^rd through MotorsportsReg.

Race Results

Middleweight SS Expert

1 Zack Abraham

2 Jordan Imrie

3 Chase Sellers

4 Justin Ebnet

5 Dillon Baumeister

6 Justin Robson

Middleweight SS Novice

1 Ryan Largent

2 Judah Wimbley

3 Nicholas Bjornstad

4 Spencer Morabito

5 Austin Yantes

6 Reed Anderson

UL Cup Race 1 Expert

1 Jake Vandal

2 Justin Miest

3 Andrew Vandal

4 William Miller

5 Max Bullard

6 Harlan Bullard

UL Cup Race 1 Novice

1 Sam Fisk

2 Tom Marchant

3 Katerina Litvinova

4 Alec Irwin

WelterW Race 1 Expert

1 Christian Schmidt

2 Kyle Franz

3 Ike Messmore

4 Graham Williams

5 Brian Rogers

6 Dane Fickel

WelterW Race 1 Novice

1 Thor Routh

2 Jason Denman

90s SB Cup Race 1 Expert

1 Jes Schwartz

2 James Michaelson

3 Jason Weidholz

90s SB Cup Race 1 Novice

1 Michael McMerty

HWSS Expert

1 Zack Abraham

2 Brian Hebeisen

3 Jordan Imrie

4 Justin Ebnet

5 Dillon Baumeister

6 Chase Sellers

HWSS Novice

1 Nicholas Bjornstad

2 Spencer Morabito

3 Austn Yantes

4 Logan Willet

5 Reed Anderson

6 Chris Chamberland

FWSS Expert

1 Justin Miest

2 William Miller

3 Andrew Vandal

4 Ike Messmore

5 Dane Fickel

6 Catherine Hurley

FWSS Novice

1 Sam Fisk

2 Nicholas Bjornstad

3 Ross Olson

4 Braden Routh

5 Jacques Smith

6 Katerina Litvinova

Unlimited SS Expert

1 Justin Miest

2 Jake Schmotter

3 Shane Keaveny

4 Zachery Hughes

5 PR Stafki

6 Jesse Nelson

Unlimited SS Novice

1 Mike Olson

2 Aaron Inouye

LWSS Expert

1 Graham Williams

2 Tony Mahto

3 Jake Vandal

4 Jason Weidholz

5 Jeffrey Quam

LWSS Novice

1 Jason Denman

2 Denyse Brooks

3 Miranda Cain

Formula 40 – F1

1 Josh Pangier

2 Tate Guckin

3 Kristie Strandmark

Formula 40 – F2

1 JR Hiebert

2 Justin Robson

3 Mark Dargis

4 Kris Skellenger

5 Denyse Brooks

6 Christopher Staub

Sportsman LW Expert

1 Ike Messmore

2 Dane Fickel

3 Billy Lachmiller

Sportsman MW Expert

1 Jason Weidholz

Supertwins Expert

1 JR Hiebert

2 PR Stafki

3 Josh Pangier

4 Kyle Franz

5 Tate Guckin

6 Graham Williams

Supertwins Novice

1 Thor Routh

2 Jason Denman

3 Don Blaess

4 Denyse Brooks

5 Miranda Cain

MWSB Expert

1 Zack Abraham

2 Jordan Imrie

3 Dillon Baumeister

4 Brian Hebeisen

5 Justin Ebnet

6 Colin McMerty

MWSB Novice

1 Ryan Largent

2 Austin Yantes

3 Reed Anderson

4 Chris Castle

5 Nicholas Tindal

6 Logan Willet

UL Cup Race 2 Expert

1 Jake Vandal

2 Andrew Vandal

3 William Miller

4 Max Bullard

5 Harlan Bullard

6 Billy Lachmiller

UL Cup Race 2 Novice

1 Sam Fisk

2 Tom Marchant

3 Hunter Hebeisen

4 Matthew Gauer

5 Katerina Litvinova

WelterW Race 2 Expert

1 Christian Schmidt

2 Brian Rogers

3 Kyle Franz

4 Josh Pangier

5 Graham Williams

6 Tony Mahto

WelterW Race 1 Novice

1 Thor Routh

90s SB Cup Race 2 Expert

1 Jes Schwartz

2 James Michaelson

3 Jason Weidholz

90s SB Cup Race 2 Novice

1 Michael McMerty

HWSB Expert

1 Zack Abraham

2 Brian Hebeisen

3 Dillon Baumeister

4 Colin McMerty

5 Aaron Anderson

6 Justin Robson

HWSB Novice

1 Nicholas Bjornstad

2 Austin Yantes

3 Logan Willet

4 Nicholas Tindal

5 Spencer Morabito

6 Chris Chamberland

FWSB Expert

1 Ike Messmore

2 Andrew Vandal

3 William Miller

4 Justin Miest

5 Harlan Bullard

6 Max Bullard

FWSB Novice

1 Sam Fisk

2 Ross Olson

3 Hunter Hebeisen

4 Matthew Gauer

5 Braden Routh

6 Katerina Litvinova

Unlimited SB Expert

1 Justin Miest

2 Shane Keaveny

3 Jake Schmotter

4 Jesse Nelson

5 PR Stafki

6 Austin Tschida

Unlimited SB Novice

1 Aaron Inouye

LWSB Expert

1 Kyle Franz

2 Brian Rogers

3 Josh Pangier

4 Andrew Kruse

5 Jake Vandal

6 Graham Williams

LWSB Novice

1 Thor Routh

2 Sam Fisk

3 Jason Denman

4 Don Blaess

5 Miranda Cain

MWGP Expert

1 Jordan Imrie

2 Brian Hebeisen

3 Justin Ebnet

4 Justin Robson

5 Tony Boshart

6 Nick Paidosh

MWGP Novice

1 Ryan Largent

2 Nicholas Bjornstad

3 Austin Yantes

4 Spencer Morabito

5 Nicholas Tindal

6 Logan Willet

UL Cup Race 3 Expert

1 Jake Vandal

2 Justin Miest

3 Andrew Vandal

4 Harlan Bullard

5 Max Bullard

6 Catherine Hurley

UL Cup Race 3 Novice

1 Sam Fisk

2 Tom Marchant

3 Hunter Hebeisen

4 Matthew Gauer

5 Katerina Litvinova

WelterW Race 3 Expert

1 Christian Schmidt

2 Kyle Franz

3 Brian Rogers

4 Jeff Bean

5 Ike Messmore

6 Dane Fickel

WelterW Race 3 Novice

1 Thor Routh

2 Jason Denman

90s SB Cup Race 3 Expert

1 Jes Schwartz

2 James Michaelson

3 Jason Weidholz

HWGP Expert

1 Brian Hebeisen

2 Justin Robson

3 Mark Dargis

HWGP Novice

1 Nicholas Bjornstad

2 Spencer Morabito

3 Logan Willet

4 Nicholas Tindal

5 Christian Swanson

6 Chris Chamberland

FWGP Expert

1 Justin Miest

2 Andrew Vandal

3 Ike Messmore

4 Harlan Bullard

5 Max Bullard

6 Dane Fickel

FWGP Novice

1 Sam Fisk

2 Ross Olson

3 Hunter Hebeisen

4 Nicholas Bjornstad

5 Braden Routh

6 Katerina Litvinova

Unlimited GP Expert

1 Jake Schmotter

2 JR Hiebert

3 Justin Robson

4 Russell Chamberlin

5 Pat Gill

LWGP Expert

1 Kyle Franz

2 Graham Williams

3 Jake Vandal

4 Jeff Bean

5 Ike Messmore

6 Jeff Franz

LWGP Novice

1 Thor Routh

2 Sam Fisk

3 Jason Denman

4 Denyse Brooks

American Matsudaira Wins Moto5 Race In Spain

David Swarts

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July 19, 2022

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American Matsudaira Wins Moto5 Race In Spain

American Kensei Matsudaira Wins in Moto5 Spanish Championship

July 16-17, 2022

11-year-old Japanese-American Kensei Matsudaira became a Moto5 category race winner on July 17, 2022 in the third round of the Cuna de Campeones Spanish Championship at Kotarr Circuit in Burgos, Spain.

Despite some technical issues during free practice on Saturday, Kensei was able to secure his first front-row start in the Spanish championship with a result of third position in qualifying.

In Race One on Sunday, Kensei got a good start and became part of the top group of three riders fighting for the win. From third position, he bided his time in the first half of the race and made his moves in the latter half of the race, working his way into the lead on lap 10 of 12. He never looked back and took his first win in the Spanish national championship.

Race Two saw a similar start with the top three riders breaking away from the rest of the grid to fight for the win. This time Kensei worked his way into second position early on lap two, and fought to catch the race leader, but finally ended the race in P2, just 1.0 seconds off the race winner.

Kensei narrowly missed getting the fastest lap of the races by just 0.03 second in the first race and 0.004 second in the second race. In the end, it was a double podium weekend for Kensei who now sits second in the championship.

“It’s hard for me to find the right words, winning in Spain was always a goal of course but it seemed so far away from when I first came to Spain three years ago and raced here for the first time and saw the level of competition,” Kensei said after the race weekend. “I almost can’t believe I won, but I’m just so happy to be able to notch this first win, hopefully with more to come!”

Round Four of the Moto5 Cuna de Campeones Spanish Championship will be held at As Pontes Circuit in Galicia, Spain on August 13-14, 2022.

Kensei will return to the US the following weekend to race at Round Three of the MotoAmerica Mini Cup by Motul championship at Pittsburgh International Race Complex. He is currently third in the Ohvale GP-0 160 category and leads the championship in the Ohvale GP-2 190 category.

Kensei would like to thank all of his sponsors for their support to help him race both at home and abroad:

American Racing Team & Academy, Fresh N Lean, Evike.com, Shoei Helmets, Dave Designs, AGV Sport, VNM Sport, D.I.D Chain, Galfer USA, Yoshimura R&D, Suspension Matters, TechSpec, The Starting Grid, Moto Tecnica, Mad Labs Minimoto, 73 Moto Parts, Bickle Racing, Vortex Racing, Landers Racing, Boyko Racing, Apex Racing Center, Live 100 Moto, DRT Racing, Karen E. Ott Photography, Hans King, Moto Survival School, California Superbike School, and Toni Elias School USA.

Results - Kotarr (Moto5 Races)

MotoGP: Rins Signs Two-Year Deal With LCR Honda Castrol

David Swarts

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July 19, 2022

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MotoGP: Rins Signs Two-Year Deal With LCR Honda Castrol

ALEX RINS, LCR HONDA CASTROL TEAM AND HRC SIGN NEW CONTRACT

The LCR Honda CASTROL Team are pleased to announce the signing of Álex Rins on a two-year contract with Honda Racing Corporation.

The 26-year-old from Barcelona has established himself as a consistent front-runner in all Grand Prix classes and finished 3rd overall in the 2020 MotoGP World Championship. Making his debut in 2012 with Honda in the Moto3 World Championship, Rins battled for the lightweight and intermediate titles each year before stepping up to the premier class in 2017. Having claimed 15 wins, including three premier class victories, and a total of 55 podiums, 15 in MotoGP, Rins brings a wealth of experience to HRC and the LCR Honda CASTROL Team.

Álex Rins

“I am very happy to be joining the LCR Honda Team. Changing team and bike is a challenge but I am ready to give my 100% and to put into practice everything that I’ve learnt during my years in the MotoGP class.

Lucio and Honda’s trust have been crucial for me in deciding to take on this challenge with this factory. I would like to thank them for this opportunity.”

Lucio Cecchinello

“I am delighted to announce that Álex Rins will be the LCR Honda CASTROL rider in 2023. We’ve just finished signing the contract, all 3 parties, so we are finally able to announce it. Rins is an experienced rider, a fast rider and a podium finisher.

This wealth of experience, coupled with Rins’ ability to give the precise suggestions to his technicians, as I’ve heard, will surely help us to improve our our bike package, aiming to fight for more podiums.”

Morian Wins 2022 Nicky Hayden AMA Flat Track Horizon Award

David Swarts

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July 19, 2022

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Morian Wins 2022 Nicky Hayden AMA Flat Track Horizon Award

AMA Presents 2022 Nicky Hayden AMA Flat Track Horizon Award to Clarke Morian V

Congratulates Bill Werner AMA Fast Brain Award winner Declan Bender, and Vet/Senior and Youth Racer of the Year winners

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — After wrapping up the week-long Mission Foods AMA Flat Track Grand Championship, the American Motorcyclist Association congratulates Clarke Morian V, winner of the 2022 Nicky Hayden AMA Flat Track Horizon Award, and Declan Bender, winner of the 2022 Bill Werner AMA Fast Brain Award.

These outstanding flat track competitors, along with the Vet/Senior and Youth Racers of the Year, were selected from riders who participated in the event, which took place at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds in Du Quoin, Ill., June 7-13. They were among the 23 AMA amateur national champions crowned during the seven days of bar-banging action.

“The AMA is proud to present Clarke Morian and Declan Bender with our two most prestigious awards for amateur flat track racing,” said AMA Track Racing Manager Ken Saillant. “Both Clarke and Declan are great riders and competitors. Clarke is a very grounded, hardworking and well-focused kid, and as a racer he’s fast, smooth and clean on the track. Declan isn’t just fast on the racetrack, but he’s even better in the classroom, an outstanding student who’s earning straight As in Advanced Placement classes.”

The Nicky Hayden AMA Flat Track Horizon award honors the legacy and success of Nicky Hayden while recognizing the amateur racer who’s demonstrated the skill, character and aptitude to make a significant impact at the professional level. Previous winners of the AMA’s most prestigious racing award include Chase Saathoff, Kody Kopp, Dallas Daniels, Briar Bauman, Jared Mees, Bryan Smith and Roger Lee Hayden.

Morian started racing just six years ago and got his first taste of bar-banging action at the Lawrenceburg Motorcycle Speedway, where he got second place aboard a borrowed Honda XR100. Since then he’s won the Half-Mile in the 250cc Modified class at the 2020 AMA Flat Track Grand Championship and at this year’s event showed excellent consistency with multiple top-five finishes.

“I decided to go for the award just a couple months ago,” Morian said, “[because] I wanted to be a part of that legacy that Nicky Hayden started. I’m proud to be a part of something this big in the flat track community. I have to thank my mom and dad, who’ve put in countless hours helping to get me to this point, and Chad Wells my motor guy, who puts in countless hours, as well.”

Declan Bender, who was presented with the 2022 Bill Werner AMA Fast Brain Award, started riding at the age of 3, and began his racing career on Yamaha PW50s. Since then he’s won 12 National Championships, three district titles, and previously won the Fast Brain Award in 2015. At this year’s Mission Foods AMA Flat Track Grand Championship, he took second in the 450cc A Production class and fourth in the Open Heavyweight class.

“It was definitely unexpected to win the Fast Brain Award,” Bender said. “I was excited to win it, especially because it was presented to me in front of the younger racers. I help a lot of little kids out racing, and some of them look up to me, so the presentation was perfect.”

“I’d also like to thank my mom and dad,” Bender continued. “They’re always behind me and in my corner, and they do everything to get me to the races. Tyler Raggio was my mechanic throughout the week, too, and he did a lot for me. I have so many people who help me out, and I’m very thankful.”

The Bill Werner AMA Fast Brain Award includes a $1,500 educational scholarship and is presented to a racer who understands — and demonstrates — that academic excellence is just as important as good performance on the racetrack. The AMA thanks AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Bill Werner, Estenson Racing, and Zanotti Racing’s Dave Zanotti for funding this award in 2022.

The AMA also awarded AMA Vet/Senior Racer of the Year to Dallas Mayer, who won the honor last year, and named Sam Drane the AMA Youth Racer of the Year.

The complete list of AMA amateur national champions crowned at the Mission Foods AMA Flat Track Grand Championship includes:

50cc Production Chain Drive Jr. (4-6)

Skylar Loucks

Christopher, Ill.

50cc Production Chain Drive Sr. (7-8)

Brentley Krimminger

Collinsville, Ill.

50cc Production PW Shaft Drive (4-8)

Odin Music

Pinconning, Mich.

50cc Production Chain Drive Shift (4-8)

Odin Music

Pinconning, Mich.

65cc Production (7-11)

Colton Shafer

Fresno, Calif.

65cc Modified (7-11)

Jed Fyffe

Jindera, NSA, Australia

85cc Production (9-13)

Sam Drane

Forbes, NSW, Australia

85cc Modified (9-11)

Sam Drane

Forbes, NSW, Australia

85cc Modified (9-13)

Sam Drane

Forbes, NSW, Australia

85cc Modified Supermini (12-15)

Jack Brucks

Neenah, Wis.

Veteran (25+)

Daniel Wicks

Gunnedah, NSW, Australia

Senior (40+)

Dallas Mayer

Carbondale, Ill.

Super Senior (50+)

Monty Smatt-Klein

Ocala, Fla.

Masters (60+)

Dallas Mayer

Carbondale, Ill.

Women 86cc and Up (12+)

Morgan Reinhold

Bethalto, Ill.

250cc Production

Walker Porter

Athens, Ala.

250cc Modified

Ryder Reese

Elmira N.Y.

250cc Open Singles (12+)

Bradon Pfanders

Bethlehem, Penn.

450cc A Production

Evan Renshaw

Kinzers, Pa.

450cc A Modified

Logan Eisenhard

Barto, Pa.

450cc B Production

Brandon Pfanders

Bethlehem, Pa.

450cc B Modified

Brandon Pfanders

Bethlehem, Pa.

Open Heavyweight

Brandon Pfanders

Bethlehem, Pa.

About the American Motorcyclist Association

Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world’s largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders’ interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. Besides offering members money-saving discounts on products and services, the AMA also publishes American Motorcyclist, a recently revitalized and monthly full-color magazine (and digital version of same) that covers current events and motorcycle history with brilliant photography and compelling writing. American Motorcyclist is also North America’s largest-circulation magazine. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling. For more information, visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com.

Not a member? Join the AMA today: AmericanMotorcyclist.com.

AHRMA: Race Results From WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca

David Swarts

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July 19, 2022

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AHRMA: Race Results From WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca

Editorial Note: Use the scroll and zoom tools in the PDF viewer to better see all pages of the race results.

RRW 2022 Laguna Seca Raceway - Weekend Results (Revised)

WorldSBK: Rea Signs Two-Year Extension With Kawasaki

David Swarts

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July 19, 2022

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WorldSBK: Rea Signs Two-Year Extension With Kawasaki

KRT And Rea Back Together Again

Kawasaki is delighted to announce that six-times WorldSBK champion Jonathan Rea has signed a two-year contract extension to race inside the official Kawasaki Racing Team (KRT), continuing a highly successful partnership that began in 2015.

After taking over 100 WorldSBK race wins on Kawasaki machinery Jonathan has shown characteristically high levels of motivation and confidence in the future of the overall KRT programme by extending his contract for the next two seasons.

The Ninja ZX-10RR programme will continue to be developed and this commitment has been central to Jonathan’s decision to remain inside the official Kawasaki WorldSBK effort.

Kawasaki has also underlined its commitment to remain in WorldSBK as it is considered the perfect World stage in which to show Kawasaki’s technical strengths and development prowess, with its flagship motorcycle products being central to the entire endeavour.

All parties are happy to have concluded this agreement relatively early in the season, as it will allow KRT and Jonathan a clear run to concentrate on their immediate joint goal of winning the 2022 FIM Superbike World Championship.

Jonathan Rea, stated: “I am really happy and excited to renew my contract with Kawasaki, to roll on for another two more years. It has been an incredible partnership, we have enjoyed so much success together that it is almost a natural progression. There was not much negotiation needed to continue together from both sides. It was more a case of how much more motivation I had to keep racing at the highest level in the WorldSBK championship. It has been an incredible few seasons; more competitive than ever. I have realised how motivated I am to continue and to continue fighting to win. Kawasaki gave me the opportunity back in 2015 to realise a childhood dream when I won the WorldSBK championship in the first year together. As a partnership we are so solid, and I am looking forward to continue making memories and representing an incredible manufacturer and brand. My team is my racing family. I love everyone inside the team like my own family and relationships like that count for a lot in racing. Huge credit goes to every single person in the staff, from Provec Racing, all the engineers in Japan, and everyone in the Kawasaki family. I am excited to see what we can do over the next two seasons.”

Guim Roda, KRT Team Manager, stated: “Since we signed Johnny for the 2015 season, and until now, we have written a nice part of WorldSBK’s history. We are so proud to be part of this Rea success story, which also means, Kawasaki’s success story. It’s going on eight seasons together now, and Johnny has been performing at the maximum, always. Nowadays, and at the age of 35, he is in his best shape, and we know there’s still a lot of dancing left to be done. We have been working hard to define, with KMC, which kind of project we could create for Johnny to allow him to keep pushing at 110%. I think we gave him the motivation he needed to go for it for two years more. We can never rest on the laurels of our successful past, so we will have a hard job to cover JR’s expectations. We are ready for that. We guarantee it will be a real show for at least two more years…”

Shigemi Tanaka, General Manager of Marketing & Sales Division at Kawasaki Motors Corporation, Japan, stated: “Since Jonathan joined KRT in 2015, we have achieved a number of significant feats together with the incredible combination of his riding talent and our Ninja ZX-10RR. We are delighted that he will take the next step together with us again for another two years aiming to reach further unprecedented heights for all Kawasaki fans across the world”.

Steve Guttridge, Kawasaki Europe Race Planning Manager, stated: “Jonathan has been fundamental in creating an incredible relationship and a firm bond between the wider Kawasaki brand and the Ninja ZX-10RR in particular. Our six-time World Champion is undeniably part of the Kawasaki family and a history maker in his own right. Now, he has a chance to create another record-breaking chapter and we are eager to play a part in the next important phase of his racing journey.”

Rea Statistics

Jonathan Rea: World Champion 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 & 2020

2022: Races 15, Wins 5, Podiums 13, Superpoles 2

Career Race Wins: 117 (102 for Kawasaki)

Career Podiums: 228 (186 for Kawasaki)

Career Poles: 37 (33 for Kawasaki)

Kawasaki Statistics

8 x Riders’ Championships (Scott Russell 1993, Tom Sykes 2013, Rea 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 & 2020), 1 x EVO Riders’ Championship (David Salom 2014)

6 x Manufacturers’ Championships (Ninja ZX-10R 2015 & 2016, Ninja ZX-10RR 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020)

5 x Teams’ Championships (KRT/Provec Racing 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 & 2019)

Kawasaki FIM Superbike World Championship Statistics

Total Kawasaki Race Wins: 176 – second overall

Total Kawasaki Podiums: 503 – second overall

Total Kawasaki Poles: 102 – second overall

Video: MV Agusta Factory Tour, Part One

David Swarts

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July 19, 2022

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MV Agusta Factory Tour Part One (with a little history)

Roadracing World’s Sam Fleming and Melissa Berkoff visited the MV Agusta factory in Varese, Italy in April 2022.

It is very rare to be able to video inside a modern motorcycle factory so you can join Sam and Melissa in a detailed walk through the factory to learn about just in time inventory, machining valve heads and crankcases, the pros and cons of undercut forged transmissions, and how the beauty and quality of MV motorcycles are built.

This is a multi-part series.

Part One has a little context and history of MV (while watching Melissa ride a 2022 F3 Superveloce) before starting the factory tour.

Most of these videos are unscripted and had to be shot contemporaneously with the tour so forgive any verbal slips or the handheld nature of the camera work.

00:15 Introduction to the Factory

02:34 Ride with Ilario and short history of MV

06:05 Melissa uses the MV app to debrief her ride with Ilario

06:48 Roberto, our factory guide

09:25 Preassembly area

11:21 Valve heads and crank cases

We hope you find this look inside the factory as fascinating as we did. Please let us know in the comments!

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Subscribe to the print magazine at http://roadracingworld.com

See an archive of other Army Of Darkness articles at http://Armyofdarkness.com

@roadracingworld @mvagusta @vansonleathers

N2/WERA Endurance: N2/BobbleHeadMoto Wins At Roebling Road

David Swarts

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July 18, 2022

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N2/WERA Endurance: N2/BobbleHeadMoto Wins At Roebling Road

N2/BobbleHeadMoto Racing wins N2/WERA National Endurance Race at Roebling Road Raceway

Media, PA (July 2022) – N2/BobbleHeadMoto Racing captured the overall win at round two of the N2/WERA National Endurance Series by Dunlop at Roebling Road Raceway. Riders Josh Hayes, Emerson Amaya, and Kevin Olmedo dominated the event on their Dunlop-equipped Yamaha YZF-R1. In all, 49 teams competed in the 2-hour Ultralightweight and 4-Hour combined Endurance race for a $23,000 event purse provided by Dunlop, N2 Track Days and Yamaha Motor USA.

Four-time AMA Pro Superbike Champion Josh Hayes started the race against Army of Darkness’s Cody Wyman and TSR-Dunlop’s Hayden Gillim with all three riders setting a blistering pace. The three riders battled until Gillim crashed on lap 10 bringing out the first of five red flags and destroying the TRS-Dunlop GSX-R1000. The TSR-Dunlop team was able to rejoin the race on a back-up bike but several laps down and essentially out of the race. Army of Darkness and N2/BobbleHeadMoto were left to challenge for the overall victory.

Army of Darkness briefly held the lead after the first pit stop window, but N2’s Kevin Olmedo was able to catch and pass Army of Darkness’s Robertino Pietri for the lead. In the third hour, Army of Darkness’s Cody Wyman had a small tip over on his Pirelli-equipped Yamaha YZF-R1. Fortunately for Cody, a well-timed, unrelated red flag came out allowing him to get back to the pits. The Army of Darkness team was able to do a quick repair when the race restarted, but the team was two laps down, allowing N2/BobbleHeadMoto to cruise to their first ever overall victory and the points lead.

The Middleweight class was won by endurance veterans Topbox Racing with riders Doug Royce, Tony McKnight, and Caleb Odom on a Dunlop-equipped Yamaha YZF-R6. A strategy of consistency and avoiding trouble ensured victory over second place Indy United SBK with riders Christian Guffy, Jason Lee, and Geoff Gruber. Edge Racing finished third with cousins Jason and Tyler Waters and Scott Beal.

The Lightweight Class was also won by N2 Racing riders, this time with the B&A Racing Team. N2 Racing Twins Cup rider Blake Davis and Angle Olmedo, brother of N2 Supersport racer Kevin Olmedo, won the Lightweight class on a Dunlop-equipped Yamaha YZF-R7. Team Yo! finished second with riders Chris Parrish and Darren Cooks. Third place went to Brown Town Racing with the father-and-sons team of David, Chase, and Reese Brown on a Suzuki SV650.

The New Relay class is run at the same time as the traditional 4-Hour Endurance Classes, but instead of pitstops to change tires and add fuel, the teams switch complete bikes. The Relay Class was won by P1Moto with riders Sean Hopkins, Simon Egan, Micah Hand, and Chuck Ivey all on Yamaha YZF-R6’s. The remarkable all-paraplegic team of The Bike Experience with riders David Hunt, Mark Lapansie, and Joe Pomeroy finished second.

The 2-Hour Ultralight Endurance was won by Team Yo! Ultra with rider Keith Buris, who did the entire race by himself with only a stop for fuel. RM Paint Design ULW with riders Ryan Maye and Peter Komanecki finished second ahead of third place Cymbal Monkey Lite riders Logan Monk and Heather Trees.

Round 3 of the N2 / WERA National Endurance Series by Dunlop will be held at Pittsburgh International Race Complex on August 13th. Learn more at https://www.n2td.org/endurance/

About N2:

N2 – Ride, Learn, Race.

Founded in 2014, N2’s mission is to build a sustainable motorcycle community through safe, structured motorcycle track days, advanced rider training programs based on Yamaha Champions Riding School teaching methods, with a strong affinity for motorcycle road racing. N2 successfully resurrected Motorcycle Endurance Racing in America partnering with WERA Roadracing and creating the N2/WERA National Endurance Series by Dunlop. N2 is a premier participant in the MotoAmerica Pro Racing Series with a multi-rider team competing in several classes. N2 is also a major contributor to the Roadracing World Action Fund through fundraising efforts and support from its large member base.

The N2 National Endurance Series is proudly sponsored by: Dunlop Motorcycle Tire, Yamaha Motor Corporation USA, Dainese, BobbleHeadMoto, WERA Road Racing, KYT Helmets America, Innovative Motorsports, R.E.B Graphics, Millennium Technologies, Wiseco Pistons, JE Pistons, Rise Moto, Ghetto Customs and Yamaha Champions Riding School.

American Flat Track: More From The Port Royal Half-Mile

David Swarts

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July 18, 2022

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American Flat Track: More From The Port Royal Half-Mile

RED BULL KTM TEAMMATES STORM THE AFT SINGLES PODIUM AT PORT ROYAL HALF-MILE

KOPP TAKES THE CENTER SPOT FOR THE FOURTH-STRAIGHT ROUND; WHALE IN THIRD

PORT ROYAL, Pa. – With AFT Singles points leader Kody Kopp at the helm, the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team celebrated a double-podium finish at the Port Royal Half-Mile – their fourth of the season – with teammate Max Whale rounding out the third step of the box. Notching his fourth-straight win in the 2022 American Flat Track Championship, Kopp further boosted his points lead as the series surpassed its halfway point with Round 9 of 17 in Port Royal, Pennsylvania.

Kopp qualified second, just 0.027 of a second behind the first-place qualifier. Starting on pole for Semi 2, he launched off the start and commanded the race, leading all eight laps aboard his KTM 450 SX-F. Also grabbing the Dallas Lamb Challenge win after leading all laps in the hot and humid conditions, Kopp headed into the AFT Singles Main Event with a confident start position. He got off to an incredible start out front and his stamina and skills did not waiver as he led all 21 laps en route to securing his sixth victory in the first nine rounds of racing.

Kody Kopp: “We were able to keep the winning streak alive, making it four-in-a-row, which felt awesome. The track was really good to start the day and it kind of deteriorated as the day went on, which made it a challenge for not only myself but every rider in the paddock. It was just who could adjust the best to the conditions we were given. All-in-all, we found a really good setup on the bike that I was happy with and I could push comfortably, and we were able to go green-flag-to-checkers and win our sixth main event of the season.”

In only his second race back since knee surgery, team rider Max Whale qualified seventh aboard his KTM 450 SX-F. Starting from the front row in Semi 1, he jumped into second off the start and he diced back-and-forth inside the top-three for the rest of the race. Overtaking second a couple laps before the finish, he held strong in the runner-up position. Lining up on the front row in the AFT Singles Main Event, Whale grabbed third off the start and he held firm in the spot until the checkered flag waved, taking his fifth podium of the season.

Max Whale. Photo courtesy KTM Factory Racing.

Max Whale: “The day started out pretty tough, I was pretty far back in qualifying but it seemed like every session I felt better and better on-track. It still feels kind of fresh – it’s been a long month-and-a-half trying to get back to 100 percent. In the semi, I had a front row start, which was huge for me. I had a good start and then struggled a little bit early on before I found a rhythm. In the main, my line went away mid-race and I really struggled with trying to hang onto Dalton and Kody but all-in-all, it felt so good to be running back up front. Still on the mend, but feeling way better every day.”

With eight podium finishes this year, Kopp extends his lead in the AFT Singles Championship standings to 55 points, while teammate Whale moves up to fifth. In addition to wins, Kopp has led 122 laps this season, which is more than double that of his nearest competitor.

Next Race: Peoria TT – Peoria, Illinois – July 30, 2022

Round 9 Results – Port Royal Half-Mile

AFT Singles Main Event

1. Kody Kopp, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

2. Dalton Gauthier, Honda

3. Max Whale, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

OTHER

8. James Ott, KTM

10. Hunter Bauer, KTM

11. Travis Petton IV, KTM

15. Damon Ream, KTM

AFT Singles Point Standings (After Round 9)

1. Kody Kopp, 205 points

2. Morgen Mischler, 150

3. Dalton Gauthier, 134

OTHER

5. Max Whale, 119

8. James Ott, 75

10. Hunter Bauer, 67

14. Travis Petton IV, 49

More, from a press release issued by Indian Motorcycle:

INDIAN MOTORCYCLE RACING CRUSHES THE COMPETITION AT THE PORT ROYAL HALF-MILE WITH BAUMAN, VANDERKOOI AND MEES SWEEPING THE PODIUM FOR THE SECOND CONSECTUVE WEEKEND

Briar Bauman (3). Photo courtesy Indian Motorcycle.

Win Marks Briar Bauman’s Third of the Season and Closes Championship Chase to 8-points

Jarod Vanderkooi Continues to Impress with Back-to-Back Second-Place Finishes

Minneapolis, MN. (July 18, 2022) – Indian Motorcycle Racing, presented by Progressive Motorcycle Insurance, had another outstanding night of racing at the Port Royal Half-Mile in Port Royal, Pennsylvania, with Briar Bauman riding unchallenged throughout the 26-lap Mission SuperTwins Main Event to claim his second consecutive victory. In another FTR750 podium sweep, Bauman was joined by privateer Jarod Vanderkooi in second and current points leader, Jared Mees, taking third.

In the main event, Bauman was swift off the starting line, getting the hole shot and an immediate lead over Mees, running close behind in second. Despite early attempts by Mees to overtake him, Bauman remained unphased, opening up a gap on Mees and the rest of the field. Bauman led wire-to-wire, ultimately taking the checkered flag for his third win of the season. Meanwhile, Mees was entangled in a heated battle with Vanderkooi for second. With less than a minute and two-laps remaining, Vanderkooi made a bold move, taking the higher outside line to pass Mees and secure his second-place spot on the podium.

“Tonight was another incredible night of racing and a testament to the talent and grit of our riders. Considering the restrictions that have recently been imposed on the FTR750, it’s all the more gratifying to sweep the podium for the second consecutive weekend,” said Gary Gray, Vice President Racing, Service & Technology for Indian Motorcycle. “Briar’s [Bauman] incredible will has been on display at these past two events, and as a result, he’s back in the hunt as the battle for the championship tightens. It’s looking to be an absolute dogfight over the remainder of the season.”

Mees continues to lead the championship with 173 points, while Bauman now sits solidly in second place trailing by a mere eight points.

In addition to the incredible racing action, the night was filled with emotion for Bauman and the entire paddock, following the tragic loss of a fellow racer, Ryan Varnes, at the recent New York Short Track. Bauman paid tribute to Varnes throughout his winning night, memorializing Varnes’ by donning his number 68 and including Varnes’ girlfriend, Jennifer Hoshauer, with him on his victory lap.

The 2022 AFT season will continue on Saturday, July 30 at the Peoria TT in Peoria, IL.

Sponsors for Indian Motorcycle Racing’s American Flat Track efforts include Progressive Insurance, S&S®, Indian Motorcycle Oil, Mission Foods, Bell Helmets, Drag Specialties and Parts Unlimited.

For more information on Indian Motorcycle Racing, visit IndianMotorcycle.com and follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

ABOUT INDIAN MOTORCYCLE®

Indian Motorcycle is America’s First Motorcycle Company®. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the hearts of motorcyclists around the world and earned distinction as one of America’s most legendary and iconic brands through unrivaled racing dominance, engineering prowess and countless innovations and industry firsts. Today that heritage and passion is reignited under new brand stewardship. To learn more, please visit www.indianmotorcycle.com.

North America Talent Cup: Clark, Enriquez Split Wins At Roebling Road

July 19, 2022

Alex Enriquez (25) leading a NATC race at Roebling Road Raceway. Photo by Fast Glass Media, courtesy NATC.