In a primary election on May 24, racer Caesar Gonzales won the Republican nomination for the U.S. House of Representatives in Georgia’s 13th Congressional District, which encompasses a significant portion of the Atlanta metropolitan area.
“I’ve worked very hard for this,” Gonzales exclusively told Roadracingworld.com Wednesday. “I campaigned like a demon. I hit every district. I was out on the streets talking to people. I was in all the local Republican clubs campaigning, and my opponents, on the other hand, just were not there.
“I put a lot of work to get the message out, and the message just resonated. And oddly enough it resonated with Democrats, too.”
Gonzales’ message traces back to his childhood, which he openly admits was very challenging.
“I grew up in New York. I grew up on the streets. I was a ward of the state. I lived in a boys’ home,” said Gonzales. “What are the solutions that will work in this district, which are 92% inner-city communities? What worked for me then? What will work for the community now?
“Looking back I was fortunate enough to have a social worker who asked, ‘What do you like to do? Because if you don’t find a hobby you’re going to end up in the penitentiary.’ I said, ‘I like motorcycles,’ and within two weeks I was in vocational school for motorcycle repair.
“That transformed my life. That changed everything. All of a sudden, I could earn an income, I could pay rent, I could buy a motorcycle – and I had a number of them. But it helped me become independent. And I think that is severely lacking in a lot of the inner-city communities nowadays.
“These kids have nothing to do. They have no sense of direction, no sense of self-worth. So, what do they do? They go on the streets. What’s on the streets? Crime. So, you have this increase in the crime rate among our young people, and what do we do? We just lock them up.
“Who are we locking up? This kid could be the one with the cure for cancer or he could be the next MotoGP Champion. We never know because we’ve not given them many options and we’ve taken opportunities away from them.
“I care very much about our communities, and it takes an investment in our community to get the best return. We can’t just let our young kids and disadvantaged workers and veterans fall through the cracks. We’ve got to give people options.
“That’s why the cornerstone of my campaign is vocational training. It answers a number of different questions and addresses a number of different problems in the community. Vocational training and oversight and accountability of federal resources.”
Gonzales said the tipping point that pushed him into action was seeing incumbent politicians making themselves rich at the expense of their community.
“I just go to a point where I saw a lot of resources being directed into the district I live in and nothing hitting the street,” said Gonzales. “I did a lot of non-profit work, particularly with child abuse [victims] and the homeless and indigent families. I heard a local politician say, ‘We brought $11 million in to address homelessness.’ I pressed him on where the money went. $11 million paid for a slideshow. A slideshow!
“My mouth was agape because I worked for a HUD community [group supporting] indigent families, and they’re having to source private donors because these resources this particular councilman was talking about weren’t there.”
Now that he has won the nomination of the Republican party, Gonzales will on November 8, 2022, face off against incumbent Democrat David Scott, who is in his 10th term and 20th year in Congress. But Gonzales says he has received a lot of support for his message and his campaign and is expecting to receive even more.
“One of my biggest supporters, believe it or not, is [former Pro football player] Herschel Walker,” who is running as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Georgia, said Gonzales. “It was a funny story. I saw him at one event. He’s got people hovering all around him asking for autographs, so I decided to leave him alone.
“I had to give my speech before he gave his. So, we’re standing there and he turns and looks at me and goes, ‘So you’re that motorcycle racer.’ And I turn and look at him and go, ‘So you’re that football player.’ And that was the icebreaker. You would’ve thought we’d known each other for a long time. We were cutting up and having a good ol’ time while we were campaigning.”
Asked if his many years in motorcycle road racing helped prepare him for his current journey, Gonzales – a machinist, fabricator, welder, and engineer by profession – said, “Oh, absolutely! Without a doubt. It’s the investment that’s required. It’s acclimating oneself to the visibility. It’s the reaching out and making contacts to help you along in the journey and the process, from getting with the right suspension guy to sourcing out decent tires to getting the equipment you need to make the bike competitive. It’s all relative. I think racing gave me a clear perspective where to focus my attention. I cannot emphasize how invaluable that experience was for preparing me for this.”
On the Front Cover: Corey Alexander (23) was flying on his Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC Racing BMW M 1000 RR at Road Atlanta, where he won the Stock 1000 race. At VIR for the next MotoAmerica round, Alexander ended up buried in the Airfence during Q2 and didn’t race. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
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JUNE 2022 ISSUE
FEATURES
Inside Info: 2022 BMW M 1000 RR 50 Years Special; Ducati DesertX;
LiveWire S2 Del Mar electric; MotoAmerica refugee Valentin Debise
wins in France; Hungarian-American kid Rossi Moor wins in Austria;
American Max Toth is second in Italy, and more…
MotoGP At Jerez And Le Mans: The Wrong Ducati Wins
MotoAmerica: Gagne Retakes Control At VIR
Seen At The Track: MotoAmerica At VIR
World Superbike: Rea And Bautista Win Again
COLUMNS
Letters To The Editor: Bearing An Imaginary Grudge For 24 Years…
10 Years Ago, June 2012: Audi buys Ducati; Mat Oxley explores “arm pump” phenomenon; Racer Jesse Davis builds a rulebook special; Editor’s Scrapbook
remembers when a 340cc single-cylinder Rokon beat the RD350s
in a 1970s MRA endurance race
Back In The Day: Editor’s Scrapbook: Bubba Shobert, Dan Chivington at Road America in June 1986
Numbers & Trivia: Josh Hayes’ Racing Career
The Kids’ Page: Grayson Correa
The Crash Page: Corey Alexander’s Wild Ride At VIR
Racing, School, & Track Day Calendar: Where & When To Ride
ASRA/CCS Newsletter
High-Performance Parts & Services
Chris Ulrich: Adventures Of An Ex-Racer: Opportunity Knocks
PRI RAMPS UP ADVOCACY EFFORTS THROUGH ALL-NEW ‘VOTE RACING’ CAMPAIGN
This latest initiative is among Performance Racing Industry’s expanded services aimed at uniting industry professionals, enthusiasts and fans in the fight to protect and preserve motorsports.
ALISO VIEJO, Calif. (June 1, 2022) —Performance Racing Industry (PRI), the leading industry organization supporting the interests of racers, enthusiasts, builders, tracks, sanctioning bodies and businesses, has expanded its advocacy efforts to further promote and protect one of America’s oldest pastimes and hobbies: motor vehicle racing.
PRI’s enhanced Save Our Racecars initiative features a redesigned website (SaveOurRacecars.com) that streamlines the process for industry professionals, enthusiasts and fans to join the fight to preserve racing. Included is an all-new “Vote Racing” program to help facilitate voter registration while highlighting pro-racing candidates in the November midterm elections. Visitors to the site also will find PRI-created template letters, phone scripts and other resources designed to streamline outreach to lawmakers.
“PRI has a long history of advocating for and protecting the racing industry, and the expansion of the Save Our Racecars campaign is our latest effort,” said PRI President Dr. Jamie Meyer. “Bringing together industry, enthusiasts and fans will be critical to driving awareness and support for an American passion that is under fire. The resources and access available on SaveOurRacecars.com make it easy for anyone to get involved, show their support, and demonstrate that support at the polls.”
Critical to the industry’s future—and central to PRI’s advocacy efforts—is the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports (RPM) Act of 2021 (H.R. 3281/S.2736), which must be enacted into law to protect the right to modify street cars, trucks and motorcycles into dedicated race vehicles. Supported by both PRI and SEMA, the RPM Act aims to protect Americans’ right to convert street vehicles into dedicated race cars and the motorsports-parts industry’s ability to sell products that enable racers to compete.
The RPM Act reverses the EPA’s interpretation that the Clean Air Act does not allow a motor vehicle designed for street use to be converted into a dedicated racecar. This American tradition was unquestioned for 45 years until 2015, when the EPA took the position that converted vehicles must remain emissions-compliant, even when they are no longer driven on public roadways. The RPM Act does not interfere with the EPA’s authority to enforce against individuals who illegally install race parts on vehicles driven on public roads and highways and companies that market such products.
Converting street vehicles into dedicated race vehicles is an American tradition dating back to the 1800s. Motorsports competition involves tens of thousands of amateur and professional participants and vehicle owners each year at more than 1,300 race tracks across the United States. Retail sales of racing products make up a nearly $2 billion market annually helping drive the larger $49B high performance aftermarket industry. The RPM Act will provide the racing community with certainty and confidence in the face of an EPA interpretation of the Clean Air Act that threatens to devastate an American pastime and eliminate jobs in our communities.
To date, more than 150 federal lawmakers and candidates on both sides of the aisle have either signed on as co-sponsors or expressed support for the RPM Act. PRI has compiled a database on SaveOurRacecars.com that allows individuals to “Vote Racing” in November’s midterms by researching and identifying those elected officials and candidates that share their passion. The site also provides resources to register to vote, apply for an absentee ballot, and access election resources through sites such as USA.gov.
Additionally, visitors to the site can join PRI’s Membership to show their support for the industry and stay up to date on critical developments. For more information and to get involved, visit SaveOurRacecars.com.
About Performance Racing Industry
Performance Racing Industry fuels the passion for motorsports by building, promoting and protecting the worldwide racing community. PRI supports the interests of racers, enthusiasts, builders, tracks, sanctioning bodies and businesses through legislative action and advocacy, its monthly business magazine Performance Racing Industry, and the world’s premier auto racing trade show, the PRI Trade Show. PRI also supports businesses by providing market research, education and best practices in motorsports business and racing technology. For more information, visit PerformanceRacing.com.
Petrucci, Scholtz And Gagne Tight At The Top As MotoAmerica Invades Road America
Danilo Petrucci, Mathew Scholtz And Jake Gagne Separated By Just 13 Points As Series Lands In Wisconsin
IRVINE, CA (June 1, 2022) – Last year when the MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship rolled into Road America for its third round, Jake Gagne was riding a three-race win streak and fighting to gain back what was lost with a mechanical failure in race one at Road Atlanta. He arrived in Wisconsin six points behind, but he left with two more victories, his fourth and fifth in a row, and an 18-point lead in the championship. From there, Gagne would march to 12 more wins, ending the season with 17 victories, and the 2021 MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike title.
This year, Gagne comes to the picturesque Road America racetrack again trailing in the championship and again riding a three-race win streak after three rounds (and six races) as he tries to overcome not only a first race mechanical DNF, but also a race-three crash.
The difference? This year Gagne trails two men: Italian Danilo Petrucci and South African Mathew Scholtz. And it is MotoAmerica first timer and former MotoGP race winner Petrucci who leads the championship after starting the season with three race wins in a row on his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC Panigale V4 R. Petrucci is four points ahead of Scholtz and his Westby Racing Yamaha YZF-R1 (and their five second-place finishes) and 13 points ahead of Gagne and his Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha YZF-R1.
Although no one knows which way this will go, the four-mile, high-speed Road America again promises to be a pivotal round in the title chase and again a possible turning point in the 10-round, 20-race championship.
But that’s why we race.
Championship leader Petrucci comes to Road America a bit beaten up after his post-race-two crash at VIRginia International Raceway. After finishing third in race two at VIR, Petrucci crashed in the high-speed turn one and suffered injuries that include a broken fibula (the non-weight-bearing bone) in his lower right leg. If you have to race injured, Road America isn’t a bad place to do it with its long straightaways providing a few places to rest.
Road America will also be the third new circuit for Petrucci to learn, but he’s proven a quick study and the track will allow the fast Ducati to stretch its legs.
Like Cal in “Talladega Nights,” Mathew Scholtz was already tired of finishing second to Gagne. Now he’s also tired of finishing second to Petrucci. Scholtz crossed the finish line behind Petrucci in his three wins and was second to Gagne in two of the defending champion’s three wins. In 2021, Scholtz had nine runner-up finishes.
Although Scholtz is starving for victory, consistency isn’t a bad thing and the only blemish on Scholtz’s 2022 scorecard is a crash in race two at Road Atlanta.
Another who would like to win soon is Gagne’s new-for-2022 teammate Cameron Petersen. With three podiums in six races, the South African is fourth in the championship, 13 behind third-placed Gagne and 26 behind Petrucci.
The points gap widens a bit after Petersen as the top four have distanced themselves a bit from the pack in the championship. Fifth place is held by Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Hector Barbera with the Spaniard 15 points behind Petersen and 41 behind Petrucci. Barbera’s season thus far has been one of consistency as he’s the only rider in the top five to have scored points in all six races on his BMW M 1000 RR
The Suzukis are next with Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Jake Lewis seven points behind Barbera and just four points ahead of his Superbike rookie teammate Richie Escalante. Both have a DNF each and Lewis has a podium finish to his credit.
Two others to score points in each and every race this year are Scheibe Racing’s Ashton Yates and Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC Racing’s Travis Wyman with those two tied for eighth in the championship.
Tytlers Cycle’s PJ Jacobsen round out the top 10 heading into Road America with the New Yorker missing two races after testing positive for COVID-19.
Pre-Road America Superbike Notes
Jake Gagne won both Superbike races at Road America in 2021, the Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha rider besting Ducati-mounted Loris Baz by 5.9 seconds in race one and Suzuki-mounted Cameron Petersen by 6.7 seconds in race two. Both of those were margins of victory rarely seen at Road America, the site of more close races than any other venue the MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike series visits.
In addition to winning both Superbike races a year ago, Gagne also qualified on pole position with a lap-record-setting 2:10.529. Gagne also has the fastest race lap with his best of 2:10.998 coming in race two last year.
Who has the most Superbike wins at Road America? That would be five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier with the current Moto2 World Championship racer chalking up 10 wins during his Superbike career in Wisconsin. Beaubier’s 10 wins is one better than Australian Mat Mladin and two more than Beaubier’s former teammate Josh Hayes.
Speaking of Hayes, with his victory in race on of the Supersport class at VIR a few weeks ago, the four-time AMA Superbike Champion moved to within two wins of Miguel Duhamel on the list of all-time AMA road race wins (across all classes). Duhamel has 86 wins and Hayes’ VIR victory moved him to 84. Hayes isn’t racing at Road America, but there’s a good chance we’ll see him in action again in 2022.
As far as manufacturers go, Yamaha has the most wins at Road America with 24 followed by Suzuki with 18, Honda (12), Ducati (eight) and Kawasaki (four). Yamaha had won seven of eight races until Suzuki swept both races in 2019 with Toni Elias and Josh Herrin. In 2020, however, Beaubier and Yamaha chalked up three more wins before Fong gave Suzuki another victory in race two in the June event. Last year, Jake Gagne gave Yamaha two more victories in America’s Dairyland.
Three-time World Champion Freddie Spencer won the first-ever AMA Superbike race at Road America in 1980.
Thirteen years ago, Larry Pegram won the Superbike race at Road America, giving Ducati its last Wisconsin win in the class. Pegram won a race-long battle with Mat Mladin in 2009 to take that victory. Pegram will be back in action this weekend, but he won’t be Ducati mounted. Pegram will race a Tytlers Cycle BMW M 1000 RR Superbike at Road America and later in the season at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
If Danilo Petrucci scores a victory at Road America this weekend, he won’t be the first Italian to do so. Nor will he be the first Italian on an Italian motorcycle to do so. Nor will he be the first to win his debut Superbike race at Road America. All of those honors go to Alessandro Gramigni, who raced a Fast By Ferracci Ducati to the Superbike win at Road America in 1996.
With his two wins at VIRginia International Raceway two weeks ago, Jake Gagne now has 20 career AMA Superbike victories which puts him into a tie for seventh with former AMA Superbike and World Superbike Champion Fred Merkel. Eight more victories will put him in a tie for sixth with former World Superbike Champion and MotoGP race winner Ben Spies.
Superbike Cup Update: Ezra Beaubier earned his fourth Superbike Cup win of the season at VIR and now leads Jeremy Coffey by 22 points, 100-78, in the class within a class that competes in the same races as the Medallia Superbikes.
About MotoAmerica
MotoAmerica is the North American road racing series created in 2014 that is home to the AMA Superbike Championship. MotoAmerica is an affiliate of KRAVE Group LLC, a partnership that includes three-time 500cc World Champion, two-time AMA Superbike Champion, and AMA Hall of Famer Wayne Rainey, ex-racer and former manager of Team Roberts Chuck Aksland, motorsports marketing executive Terry Karges, and businessman Richard Varner. For more information on MotoAmerica, visit www.MotoAmerica.com. Also make sure to follow MotoAmerica on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
More, from a press release issued by Westby Racing:
Mathew Scholtz And Westby Racing Look To Take Over MotoAmerica Superbike Points Lead At Road America
Mathew Scholtz (11). Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Tulsa, OK – June 1, 2022 – Round four of the 2022 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship starts this Friday at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Westby Racing’s ace Superbike rider Mathew Scholtz comes into the weekend just four points out of the championship lead, and he and his highly experienced crew know they have the talent, the skill, and the ultra-high performance of their #11 Westby Racing Yamaha YZF-R1 to help them notch a couple of wins in Wisconsin and take over the point lead.
Mathew had two strong, runner-up results at VIR a couple of weekends ago, and he and the team are hoping to build on that momentum this weekend at “America’s National Park of Speed.”
“Road America is an amazing track,” Mathew said. “It always brings back memories because it was my very first race in the U.S. back in 2016. It’s a really fast track, with hard braking zones, and just a beautiful place all-around to go to in a great part of the country. I struggled there last year, but it seems to be an entirely different ball game for me and the Westby Racing team this year. Our overall package is a lot better, the engine is a lot stronger, and I just feel like I’m riding better overall. So, I think we can take advantage of all that and continue our push towards fighting at the front. (Defending Superbike Champion) Jake (Gagne) obviously rebounded at VIR. We managed to beat (current point leader Danilo) Petrucci twice in head-to-head battles there, which has given me a lot of confidence. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t be challenging Jake at Road America. The weather looks like it’s going to be comfortably cool, which always plays more in our favor when the track has more grip. Overall, I’m looking forward to the weekend.
“(My wife) Kiara arrived in the country this past Saturday, and that will give me a little bit of an extra boost and a push to perform well. I know the team worked hard from the Virginia round. I crashed in the morning warmup on Sunday and gave them a lot to do, and I’m very thankful to them. I know I put a lot of hard work on them, and I’m sorry. I’m going to try my best to make up for it this weekend. I’m really happy to be going back to another MotoAmerica race weekend. I’ve been in the series for about six years now. It’s been really positive for me, with everything that the championship has done for me and my racing career. Hopefully, I’ll continue to be around racing here in the U.S. for a long time. I’m really looking forward to getting back with my team this weekend.”
Superbike final qualifying is on Saturday morning at 9:50 a.m. CT, Superbike race one will go green on Saturday afternoon at 3:10 p.m. CT, and Superbike Race 2 is on Sunday afternoon also at 3:10 p.m. CT. Both races will be broadcast on Fox Sports 2 (FS2) this weekend, with race one airing Saturday night at 7 p.m. ET and race two airing on Sunday night also at 7 p.m. ET.
For all the action from Road America, as it happens, subscribe to MotoAmerica Live+, which is MotoAmerica’s live streaming and on-demand service. To find out more about how to watch MotoAmerica, click HERE
Meet Mathew, Get An Autographed Poster, And More
Mathew will be available for autographs during the Dunlop Hot Pit Walk & Autograph Session, scheduled for 11 to 11:30 a.m. Sunday on pit lane at Road America. He and the team will be handing out free posters and T-shirts, so don’t miss it.
Check Out The Westby Racing Sponsor Showcase
BrakeTech USA and Renthal are the featured team sponsors on display in the Westby Racing paddock area this race weekend, so be sure to stop by to say hello and learn about some of the companies that support the team.
Bagnaia and Quartararo lead the charge to Catalunya
The battle of Barcelona awaits as the grid get in gear for another spectacular weekend of racing
Wednesday, 01 June 2022
In the wake of so much talk following Francesco Bagnaia’s (Ducati Lenovo Team) crash in Le Mans, the Italian’s stylish return to the top step on home turf likely felt pretty sweet as Mugello treated us to another Bagnaia vs Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) showdown. Now MotoGP™ heads to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya with 41 points between the two in the standings in favour of Quartararo, and plenty more to talk about.
Starting with Ducati, Barcelona hasn’t seen a Borgo Panigale win since 2018 and the number 63 seems a good candidate to change that looking at his form at similar venues. Teammate Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team), meanwhile, will just want more from the weekend in whatever form, with only a single point to his name from Mugello. Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) crashed out and now has a slightly bigger deficit at the top of the Championship, and Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) will want more before planning surgery to fix his ongoing issues arising from his big crash last year. Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) wants to be more than top Independent Team Ducati on race day, too.
Rookie Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), teammate Luca Marini and Mugello polesitter Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), however, probably want more of the same. ‘Diggia’ impressed for pole and then took a good chunk of points just outside the top ten, and Marini put in one of his best races with some choice moves to take a top six. But Bezzecchi stole a few headlines as the rookie led the race, went toe-to-toe with winners and Champions, and still only just faded from the podium. He’s now really leading Rookie of the Year.
At Yamaha, the two sides of the coin continue to trouble the Iwata marque. For his part, Quartararo remains Championship leader, keeps taking podiums, and wrung absolutely everything out of his machinery at Mugello to get stuck into a Ducati and Aprilia party in the top six and come out only six tenths off the win. He won in Barcelona in 2020, he had his leathers drama in 2021 but retained some scything speed at the front, and Yamaha are the most successful factory at the track. Can ‘El Diablo’ get back on the top step? And can a venue where the bike has a proven track record help the likes of Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) make a step forward?
Speaking of steps forward also speaks to Aprilia, after another podium at Mugello extended their best ever run and made Aleix Espargaro only the third rider on the grid who’s taken three or more premier class podiums in a row. Now the challenge will be four and with Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) away, it’s only Andrea Dovizioso (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP™ Team) Espargaro can equal. It’s home turf for the Spaniard at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya too – as in, walking distance to where he grew up – and with the form he’s in, it’s hard to imagine Espargaro aiming for anything other than victory. On the other side of the box meanwhile, Maverick Viñales continues to make progress with some searing laptimes near the end of the race in Mugello, with those early laps now the next focus…
For KTM, Catalunya is turf they’ve already conquered, with Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) on the top step last season. But comparing Mugello 2021 and a podium to a top ten for the Portuguese rider a year on, there remains some margin between the Austrian factory and the podium, and there remains plenty of work going on to cut that down. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), however, continues to give it full gas on every given Sunday as the South African put in another race day charge up to seventh after a tough qualifying for both riders. What can KTM do in Barcelona?
The tougher times also continue for Suzuki. In the last two races neither rider has scored, but Barcelona offers a good track record and another chance to reset for 2020 Champion Joan Mir and teammate Alex Rins. It also offers a layout that may suit the Hamamatsu factory more, so can put the recent turmoil behind them and come out swinging again? It’s also home turf for both, with plenty of support in the stands.
Finally, at Honda it’s Stefan Bradl back in for Marc Marquez as the number 93 heads for surgery, and the test rider will likely have plenty to use the track time for as the factory continue to fettle the RC213V. Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) looks for some better form too, and on very home turf, and the same can be said for Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol). Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu), meanwhile, continues in his step forward… can he keep it rolling?
The Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya sees the field ready to race once more. Who will come out on top? We’ll find out on Sunday at 14:00 (GMT +2), so make sure to tune in for the battle of Barcelona!
3 Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) – Ducati – 94
4 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – 81
5 Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) – Ducati – 75
Acosta arrives on home turf with another record
The number 51 has opened his Moto2™ account. What will that mean in Barcelona?
In Le Mans, it looked like a done deal. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was off and away in the lead looking like he’d become the youngest ever intermediate class winner, and then came that mistake as the Spaniard hit the floor. But that seemed to have little effect once the paddock arrived in Mugello, with Acosta picking straight up where he left off and bolting away for victory to beat Marquez’ record with more than enough time left on take two. So are the flood gates open?
If they are, there are plenty of fast faces lining up to try and mute the Jaws music. Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) is now equal on points with Championship leader Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) after a podium for the former and a late technical heartbreak for the latter, Aron Canet (Flexbox HP 40) was on Acosta’s tail before he crashed out, Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) was back in the mix and the rostrum – and says his recent test in Barcelona was a key factor.
Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) had a tough Saturday and then a tough opening to the race before slicing back through from outside the points to a top five, and Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) was quick but overcooked a move on teammate Sam Lowes, earning himself a Long Lap. With a little less drama in Barcelona, what have they got in the locker?
We’ll find out at 12:20 (GMT +2) on Sunday, with Acosta arriving on home turf with another record and another trophy – so don’t miss it!
Moto2™ CHAMPIONSHIP: TOP 5
1 Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) – Kalex – 108
2 Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) – Kalex – 108
3 Aron Canet (Flexbox HP 40) – Kalex – 89
4 Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) – Kalex – 86
5 Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) – Kalex – 83
Moto3™ suited and booted for Barcelona
Garcia won last time out and last year, Guevara can’t stop being quick… and the GASGAS duo are now 1-2 at the top
On the back of another GASGAS Aspar 1-2, it’s time for Moto3™ to take on Barcelona… and if it ain’t Mugello winner Sergio García who won at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya last year. It’s also home turf for both he and teammate Izan Guevara (GASGAS Aspar team), they’re now 1-2 in the Championship too. Can they keep it rolling?
Two riders who couldn’t at Mugello were Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing), who crashed out the lead, and Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo), who had an off track excursion and when back on, was relegated to 17th and didn’t score. Therefore the two remain locked in a dead heat on points just behind the GASGAS duo, so they’ll be looking to bounce back – and so will Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3), who started from pole and then got a tap from Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing). The Turk fought back to score a point though.
Suzuki then faced a Long Lap and did his own fight back, with the Japanese rider returning to the rostrum for the first time since 2020. Will that kick his campaign into gear? Already a Grand Prix winner but having had a tougher run of late, the signs looked good to expect the number 24 back at the front.
The slipstream spectacular will be back in action in Barcelona this weekend 11:00 (GMT +2) on Sunday and there’s another 25 points on the line. Can the Aspar team continue making that Sunday magic? Can Foggia and Masia bounce back? Or are the likes of Suzuki and Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) back in the groove? Join us to find out!
HARRISON TOPS THE LEADERBOARD ON DAY 3 OF THE ISLE OF MAN TT RACES
The third qualifying session at the 2022 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy saw more 130mph laps laid down but it was Dean Harrison (DAO Racing Kawasaki) who moved to the top of the leaderboard with a lap of 131.767mph.
Harrison was followed by Davey Todd (Milenco by Padgett’s Motorcycles) who set a lap of 131.655mph from a standing start before stopping on the Mountain on his second lap. Meanwhile, Peter Hickman was again quickest in the Superstock class, the Gas Monkey Garage by FHO Racing man lapping at 130.695mph.
Michael Dunlop (MD Racing) and Jamie Coward (KTS Racing by Steadplan) topped the Supersport and Supertwin timesheets respectively with speeds of 125.938mph and 119.775mph. Newcomer Glenn Irwin’s TT debut continued to get better with a superb lap of 124.797mph.
With good conditions all around the course, the session kicked off at 6.31pm with Michael Rutter (Bathams Ales) again the first rider to set off towards Bray Hill and he was swiftly followed by Harrison, Ian Hutchinson (Milwaukee BMW Motorrad), James Hillier (RICH Energy OMG Racing), and the FHO Racing pairing of Brian McCormack and Hickman, the latter again in the Gas Monkey Garage colours. All were Superbike-mounted but Lee Johnston (Ashcourt Racing) had again opted for his Supersport machine.
Harrison quickly caught Rutter on the road and it was soon apparent that the Kawasaki man, Hickman and Davey Todd were the ones to watch and the ones setting the pace. Harrison was the first to complete the lap at 130.369mph, whilst Hickman’s pace slowed slightly to 128.972mph as the lap progressed, although it was Todd who was tearing up the Mountain Course and a lap of 131.655mph sent him quickest.
Michael Dunlop (129.119mph) slotted into third and that pushed Hickman down to fourth with Conor Cummins on the second Milenco by Padgett’s Honda placing fifth at 128.721mph and ahead of sixth placed Hutchinson (127.716mph).
Nathan Harrison (125.367mph) was the quickest rider in the Superstock class whilst Johnston was comfortably fastest in the Supersport category at 124.168mph. Meanwhile, all the newcomers were going well on their first lap including Glenn Irwin (121.418mph), Milo Ward (117.638mph), Joe Loughlin (116.822mph) and Rennie Scaysbrook (112.501mph).
At the head of the field, Dean Harrison was the man setting the pace on lap two and he crossed the line at 131.767mph to move to the top of the leaderboard but Todd’s hopes of responding were dashed as he was reported as having stopped at Casey’s.
John McGuinness MBE (Honda Racing UK) moved into sixth quickest with a speed of 128.644mph and that put him one place ahead of Jamie Coward who was again going well on the KTS Racing powered by Steadplan Yamaha with a lap of 127.936mph. Their laps pushed Hutchinson back to eighth whilst Mike Browne, in his first year at the TT on a Superbike, had lapped at 124.224mph
Hickman was back out on track on his Superstock machine and he made it count with a first lap of 130.032mph and then a second at 130.695mph which put him quickest in that particular class. Equally impressive was Irwin’s second lap, a stunning 124.377mph but late in the session he increased that to 124.947mph and Ward also upped his pace to 119.555mph.
Unfortunately, a non-racing medical urgency brought the session to an end at 7.12pm with an ambulance needing to get onto the course to attend to the patient. The session resumed just before 7.30pm for the Supersport and Supertwin classes.
Dunlop was the rider setting the pace in the 600s and his lap of 125.386mph was more than eight seconds quicker than Johnston’s second lap speed of 124.444mph. Dean Harrison (123.942mph) placed third ahead of Coward (123.838mph) Hillier (122.501mph) and James Hind (121.493mph). Newcomers Loughlin (119.077mph), Jamie Cringle (114.457mph) and Scaysbrook (113.548mph) were all continuing to go well.
Dunlop’s second lap saw him increase his speed to 125.938mph with Dean Harrison moving up to second after lapping at 124.817mph. Johnston, Coward and Hillier stayed as they were but Conor Cummins slotted into sixth at 121.885mph.
The Supertwin class saw Hickman, out for the first time on the VAS Engine Racing Paton, put in a fine lap of 118.424mph which was almost twenty seconds quicker than second placed Johnston (Ashcourt Racing), Gary Johnson (Dafabet Racing) and the second VAS Paton of Pierre Yves Bian, the trio lapping at 116.438mph, 116.375mph and 116.067mph respectively.
Hickman went quicker on his second lap, 118.983mph, but he was upstaged by Coward who just missed out on a 120mph lap with a speed of 119.775mph. Rob Hodson, on the second Dafabet machine, moved up to third, at 117.732mph, ahead of Johnston (116.917mph), Johnson (116.843mph) and Dominic Herbertson (116.652mph).
After a delay of almost 30 minutes due to an incident in the Supersport and Supertwin classes, the Sidecars were able to get out onto the Mountain Course for the first time since Sunday afternoon but with both time and light disappearing, it was only for one lap.
As expected, the Birchalls, on the Haith Honda, set the pace through all the sectors but Pete Founds/Jevan Walmsley (FHO Racing) were staying in touch but both Dave Molyneux/Darryl Gibson (DMR) and John Holden/Jason Pitt (Barnes Racin) stopped, at Cronk-y-Voddy and Sulby respectively.
The latter got going but leading the way on the road were the Birchalls and they completed their solitary lap at 115.663mph, not surprisingly the quickest of the week so far. Founds/Walmsley slotted into second, 13.7s adrift at 114.326mph but ahead of Ryan and Callum Crowe (112.545mph), Lewis Blackstock/Patrick Rosney (111.164mph) and Tim Reeves/Kevin Rousseau (110.768mph).
Newcomers Harry Payne/Mark Wilkes and Lee Crawford/Scott Hardie were next up at 109.733mph and 109.709mph respectively.
Incident update:
Dave Moffitt, off at Laurel Bank, reported conscious, airlifted to Noble’s Hospital.
Rider condition update:
Following the incidents during the qualifying session on Monday 30th May, we can report the following rider condition updates: Ilja Caljouw – off at at 27th, airmed to Noble’s Hospital but discharged
James Chawke – off at Union Mills, rider OK, passed fit by medical team
Jonathan Perry – off at Cruickshanks, rider OK, passed fit by medical team
Michael Sweeney – off at 11th, airmed to Noble’s Hospital but discharged
Sam West – off at Laurel Bank, incident that led to red flag, airmed to Noble’s Hospital but discharged
Larry Pegram joins Tytlers Cycle Racing for Road America and Laguna Seca
Ahead of this weekend’s MotoAmerica event at Road America, Wisconsin, the Tytlers Cycle Racing team is excited to announce a wildcard Superbike appearance for Larry Pegram. Pegram, who made his racing return last year, will also ride for the team at Laguna Seca.
Riding an Alpha-spec BMW M 1000 RR machine which won’t be quite to the full superbike spec machines, Larry will have the full support of the team for the two planned wildcard appearances, with the possibility of further outings later in the season.
Larry has also taken on the role of brand ambassador for the team after being instrumental and playing a fundamental part in the launch of the team after laying the foundation of what we see today through his foundation with Michael Kiley.
Larry Pegram: “I am exciting to be racing a Superbike at Road America this year. I’m getting older but seem to remember that I am still pretty fast. I guess we will find out in a few days whether my memory is bad now that I’m old or if that’s the case. On a serious note, I just want to have some fun and enjoy the weekend. Michael Kiley and I put together the one race deal last year and had some success and he then decided that Tytlers Cycle Racing should compete big-time, and he’s done a great job. A lot of my old crew were drafted in, and I think the Tytlers Cycle Racing squad can be proud of what they have achieved in their first few races. I’m also looking forward to seeing some old faces and catching up with the fans at the track. See you there!”
With a Stock 1000 race win and a Superbike podium already under their belts, the Tytlers Cycle Racing team will continue to field PJ Jacobsen and Hector Barbera in the Superbike category, whilst Corey Alexander, Travis Wyman and Zac Schumacher will be back on track in Stock 1000.
As Marc Marquez heads for the US, the Repsol Honda Team prepare to forge ahead with Pol Espargaro and Stefan Bradl in Barcelona.
The MotoGP train doesn’t stop as it arrives in Barcelona for round nine of the 2022 season. In Mugello, it was announced that Marc Marquez would have a fourth surgery on his right humerus and will be absent from the Catalan GP. Stefan Bradl will once again take over the reigns of the RC213V in his place.
There are none that can challenge the Catalan Grand Prix as being Pol Espargaro’s home race, the #44 having been born and raised just a short distance from the track in Granollers. After several difficult rounds Espargaro is eager to steady himself and put on a show for the home fans and perform at the maximum possible level. His best premier class result at home is fifth place, achieved in 2016 and last year he suffered an unfortunate DNF aboard the RC213V. Despite not achieving the end results he has aimed for, the past races have shown signs of progress and flashes of what he and the bike are capable of.
Stefan Bradl will once again join Pol Espargaro inside the Repsol Honda Team garage, their fifth race as teammates. This is the third time that Bradl will race in 2022, having taken 19th in Argentina and suffering a DNF in Jerez while running as a wildcard. As with many circuits on the calendar, Bradl has a strong and consistent point-scoring history at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Missing points just once in his six premier class races there and with a best finish of fifth in 2013 and 2014.
Monday after the race also presents the second in-season MotoGP test of the year, both Espargaro and Bradl set to continue development work on the RC213V alongside the rest of the MotoGP grid.
Pol Espargaro
“I know that the home fans will give me an extra boost this weekend. After some hard races, this is just what I need to get our year back to where it should be. I arrive as motivated and as focused as ever and from Free Practice 1 we will be working to achieve our goals. There’s still a lot of races left to run and what we find in these races can help us a lot at the end of the year. Also with the test on Monday, we will have a lot of bike time to be able to understand everything.”
Stefan Bradl
“First I want to wish Marc all the best with his operation and his recovery. I am here for everything that HRC and the Repsol Honda Team need until Marc’s return. We have all seen the level in MotoGP, so we know the challenge that is ahead of us but I am confident that working with Honda and the team we can achieve something. Let’s see what the weekend brings, it will be important to get in a lot of laps and prepare well for Monday’s test.”
Race of Champions: an unprecedented starting grid for the exciting challenge between Ducati riders at WDW2022
A unique race starring the Ducati team riders in MotoGP, Superbike and Supersport that will ignite the passion of the Ducatisti on Saturday 23 July at World Ducati Week 2022
On Friday 22 July two great champions who have made Ducati history also take to the track for the lap of honour: Carl Fogarty and Troy Bayliss, together with Chaz Davies, Régis Laconi and Rubén Xaus
Tickets to live every moment of the WDW2022 are already available on the Ducati website
Borgo Panigale (Bologna, Italy), 31 May 2022 – After the dream Sunday that saw Ducati triumph in the Italian Grand Prix at the Mugello International Circuit, the Bologna-based motorcycle manufacturer announces the details of one of the most highly-anticipated moments of World Ducati Week 2022: the Race of Champions.
The race that will ignite the passion of fans and enthusiasts of two wheels and unite the community in the name of “Let’s Ride as One” will see 21 Ducati riders from MotoGP, Superbike and Supersport competing on the track on Saturday 23 July. Many of them have won world titles in various classes and races in the European and Italian championships.
Pecco Bagnaia, Jack Miller, Michele Pirro, Johann Zarco, Jorge Martin, Enea Bastianini, Fabio Di Giannantonio, Luca Marini, Marco Bezzecchi, Alvaro Bautista, Michael Ruben Rinaldi and Danilo Petrucci are just some of the champions who will compete on the Misano track, together with other Ducati riders present in the Superbike and Supersport championships, including Oliver Bayliss, son of the legendary Troy.
The Ducati heroes will fight it out on Panigale V4 S and Panigale V2 bikes in racing configuration, each one customized by an exclusive livery inspired by the graphics of the bike used by the rider during the championships. All the bikes will be equipped with the best Ducati Performance accessories for the track, such as Akrapovič titanium exhausts, Pirelli slick tyres and Rizoma brake lever protector. While the engines will be equipped with the only oil certified by the Ducati Research and Development Department, Shell Advance Ducati 15W 50.
It will be a unique competition: a dual category race with two winners. The Panigale V4 will be lined up in front of the Panigale V2 and the riders will compete in 12 laps of the track with free practice, qualifying and warm-up, with times certified by Locman, Official Timing Partner of the race. An unforgettable spectacle that only Ducati can offer, and which represents one more reason to participate in WDW2022.
Another unmissable appointment of the World Ducati Week is the lap of honour with all the riders present at the event, including the historic ones who have taken the red bikes of Borgo Panigale to victory on circuits all over the world and who have maintained a strong bond with the Ducatisti, their great fans. On Friday 22 July Carl Fogarty, Troy Bayliss, Chaz Davies, Régis Laconi and Rubén Xaus will join the Race of Champions riders to lap around the track, celebrating the pride of being Ducatisti.
On Friday 22 July there will be the track moment par excellence, which sees all the Ducatisti and their Ducati bikes as protagonists: the parade! Starting from a lap of the circuit, the colourful snake of motorcycles will take thousands of fans to Riccione for the evening program of the World Ducati Week, which will shortly be announced.
Tickets to not miss a moment of the eleventh edition of the WDW tickets are already on sale. Different entry formulas are available for those who participate on a motorbike or as a passenger, for one day or all three days. To discover all the options, just visit the dedicated section on the Ducati website.
New events and international guests will be announced in the coming weeks, completing the three-day programme. All the news will be available on the dedicated website, on the brand’s social media channels and on the official Facebook page of the World Ducati Week.
Maddrill Increases Points Lead in AHRMA Vintage Cup Action at Heartland Motorsports Park
(May 31, 2022, Elora, Tennessee) Two victories at the AHRMA Classic MotoFest™ in the Heartland helped Jeremy Maddrill extend his lead in the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) Vintage Cup. The event was rounds 11 and 12 of the 2022 Bridgestone Tires AHRMA National Historic Cup Roadracing Series and was held at Heartland Motorsports Park in Topeka, Kansas May 28 and 29.
The 2022 Vintage Cup, sponsored by RoadracingWorld.com, highlights the Vintage Superbike Heavyweight class and Maddrill, from Stiger, Illinois, won both rounds on his 1979 Kawasaki KZ 650.
“These 650cc-sized superbikes are the real deal and in the right hands, may earn a Vintage Cup championship,” said Brian Larrabure, 2022 Chair of the AHRMA Board of Trustees.
On Saturday, Maddrill had a clean start, immediately took, and held the lead until the checkered flag. Kevin Rammer, from Newnan, Georgia, on a 1982 Honda CB650SC was unable to reel in Maddrill and placed second. Rounding out the podium in third was Matt Esterline from Portage, Michigan, on a 1977 Honda CB750F, with Andre Hauer of Houston, Texas finishing fourth on a 1981 Kawasaki GPZ 550.
In a repeat performance of Saturday, Maddrill took the lead and the eventual win for Sunday. Rammer was in close pursuit until he experienced traction and chassis wobble issues which allowed Ben Sloter of Island Lake, Illinois to take second on his 1981 Kawasaki GPZ 550. Rammer took third place points which elevated him to second overall in the Vintage Cup points chase.
The 2022 Vintage Cup Trophy will be awarded to the Vintage Superbike Heavyweight class winner at select events including New Jersey Motorsports Park, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, and Barber Motorsports Park.
The Vintage Superbike Heavyweight class is sponsored by International CBX Owners Association (ICOA).
AHRMA National Historic Cup Roadracing Series Vintage Superbike Heavy Weight – Vintage Cup Results – Saturday, May 28, 2022
Jeremy Maddrill, 1979 Kawasaki KZ 650, Steger, IL
Kevin Rammer, 1982 Honda CB650SC, Newnan, GA
Matt Esterline, 1977 Honda CB750F, Portage, MI
Andre Hauer, 1981 Kawasaki GPZ, Houston, TX
AHRMA National Historic Cup Roadracing Series Vintage Superbike Heavy Weight – Vintage Cup Sunday, May 29, 2022
Jeremy Maddrill, 1979 Kawasaki KZ 650, Steger, IL
Ben Sloter, 1981 Kawasaki GPZ 550, Island Lake, IL
Kevin Rammer, 1982 Honda CB650SC, Newnan, GA
About AHRMA:
The American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated competing on fantastic classic and true vintage along with a wide range of modern motorcycles. With about 3300 members, AHRMA is the largest vintage racing group in North America and one of the biggest in the world. The association has grown steadily over the years, reflecting the increasing interest in classic bikes.
Racer Caesar Gonzales. Photo courtesy Caesar Gonzales For Congress.
In a primary election on May 24, racer Caesar Gonzales won the Republican nomination for the U.S. House of Representatives in Georgia’s 13th Congressional District, which encompasses a significant portion of the Atlanta metropolitan area.
“I’ve worked very hard for this,” Gonzales exclusively told Roadracingworld.com Wednesday. “I campaigned like a demon. I hit every district. I was out on the streets talking to people. I was in all the local Republican clubs campaigning, and my opponents, on the other hand, just were not there.
“I put a lot of work to get the message out, and the message just resonated. And oddly enough it resonated with Democrats, too.”
Gonzales’ message traces back to his childhood, which he openly admits was very challenging.
“I grew up in New York. I grew up on the streets. I was a ward of the state. I lived in a boys’ home,” said Gonzales. “What are the solutions that will work in this district, which are 92% inner-city communities? What worked for me then? What will work for the community now?
“Looking back I was fortunate enough to have a social worker who asked, ‘What do you like to do? Because if you don’t find a hobby you’re going to end up in the penitentiary.’ I said, ‘I like motorcycles,’ and within two weeks I was in vocational school for motorcycle repair.
“That transformed my life. That changed everything. All of a sudden, I could earn an income, I could pay rent, I could buy a motorcycle – and I had a number of them. But it helped me become independent. And I think that is severely lacking in a lot of the inner-city communities nowadays.
“These kids have nothing to do. They have no sense of direction, no sense of self-worth. So, what do they do? They go on the streets. What’s on the streets? Crime. So, you have this increase in the crime rate among our young people, and what do we do? We just lock them up.
“Who are we locking up? This kid could be the one with the cure for cancer or he could be the next MotoGP Champion. We never know because we’ve not given them many options and we’ve taken opportunities away from them.
“I care very much about our communities, and it takes an investment in our community to get the best return. We can’t just let our young kids and disadvantaged workers and veterans fall through the cracks. We’ve got to give people options.
“That’s why the cornerstone of my campaign is vocational training. It answers a number of different questions and addresses a number of different problems in the community. Vocational training and oversight and accountability of federal resources.”
Gonzales said the tipping point that pushed him into action was seeing incumbent politicians making themselves rich at the expense of their community.
“I just go to a point where I saw a lot of resources being directed into the district I live in and nothing hitting the street,” said Gonzales. “I did a lot of non-profit work, particularly with child abuse [victims] and the homeless and indigent families. I heard a local politician say, ‘We brought $11 million in to address homelessness.’ I pressed him on where the money went. $11 million paid for a slideshow. A slideshow!
“My mouth was agape because I worked for a HUD community [group supporting] indigent families, and they’re having to source private donors because these resources this particular councilman was talking about weren’t there.”
Now that he has won the nomination of the Republican party, Gonzales will on November 8, 2022, face off against incumbent Democrat David Scott, who is in his 10th term and 20th year in Congress. But Gonzales says he has received a lot of support for his message and his campaign and is expecting to receive even more.
“One of my biggest supporters, believe it or not, is [former Pro football player] Herschel Walker,” who is running as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Georgia, said Gonzales. “It was a funny story. I saw him at one event. He’s got people hovering all around him asking for autographs, so I decided to leave him alone.
“I had to give my speech before he gave his. So, we’re standing there and he turns and looks at me and goes, ‘So you’re that motorcycle racer.’ And I turn and look at him and go, ‘So you’re that football player.’ And that was the icebreaker. You would’ve thought we’d known each other for a long time. We were cutting up and having a good ol’ time while we were campaigning.”
Asked if his many years in motorcycle road racing helped prepare him for his current journey, Gonzales – a machinist, fabricator, welder, and engineer by profession – said, “Oh, absolutely! Without a doubt. It’s the investment that’s required. It’s acclimating oneself to the visibility. It’s the reaching out and making contacts to help you along in the journey and the process, from getting with the right suspension guy to sourcing out decent tires to getting the equipment you need to make the bike competitive. It’s all relative. I think racing gave me a clear perspective where to focus my attention. I cannot emphasize how invaluable that experience was for preparing me for this.”
On the Front Cover: Corey Alexander (23) was flying on his Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC Racing BMW M 1000 RR at Road Atlanta, where he won the Stock 1000 race. At VIR for the next MotoAmerica round, Alexander ended up buried in the Airfence during Q2 and didn’t race. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
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JUNE 2022 ISSUE
FEATURES
Inside Info: 2022 BMW M 1000 RR 50 Years Special; Ducati DesertX;
LiveWire S2 Del Mar electric; MotoAmerica refugee Valentin Debise
wins in France; Hungarian-American kid Rossi Moor wins in Austria;
American Max Toth is second in Italy, and more…
MotoGP At Jerez And Le Mans: The Wrong Ducati Wins
MotoAmerica: Gagne Retakes Control At VIR
Seen At The Track: MotoAmerica At VIR
World Superbike: Rea And Bautista Win Again
COLUMNS
Letters To The Editor: Bearing An Imaginary Grudge For 24 Years…
10 Years Ago, June 2012: Audi buys Ducati; Mat Oxley explores “arm pump” phenomenon; Racer Jesse Davis builds a rulebook special; Editor’s Scrapbook
remembers when a 340cc single-cylinder Rokon beat the RD350s
in a 1970s MRA endurance race
Back In The Day: Editor’s Scrapbook: Bubba Shobert, Dan Chivington at Road America in June 1986
Numbers & Trivia: Josh Hayes’ Racing Career
The Kids’ Page: Grayson Correa
The Crash Page: Corey Alexander’s Wild Ride At VIR
Racing, School, & Track Day Calendar: Where & When To Ride
ASRA/CCS Newsletter
High-Performance Parts & Services
Chris Ulrich: Adventures Of An Ex-Racer: Opportunity Knocks
The U.S. Capital building. Photo courtesy U.S. Capital Visitor Center.
PRI RAMPS UP ADVOCACY EFFORTS THROUGH ALL-NEW ‘VOTE RACING’ CAMPAIGN
This latest initiative is among Performance Racing Industry’s expanded services aimed at uniting industry professionals, enthusiasts and fans in the fight to protect and preserve motorsports.
ALISO VIEJO, Calif. (June 1, 2022) —Performance Racing Industry (PRI), the leading industry organization supporting the interests of racers, enthusiasts, builders, tracks, sanctioning bodies and businesses, has expanded its advocacy efforts to further promote and protect one of America’s oldest pastimes and hobbies: motor vehicle racing.
PRI’s enhanced Save Our Racecars initiative features a redesigned website (SaveOurRacecars.com) that streamlines the process for industry professionals, enthusiasts and fans to join the fight to preserve racing. Included is an all-new “Vote Racing” program to help facilitate voter registration while highlighting pro-racing candidates in the November midterm elections. Visitors to the site also will find PRI-created template letters, phone scripts and other resources designed to streamline outreach to lawmakers.
“PRI has a long history of advocating for and protecting the racing industry, and the expansion of the Save Our Racecars campaign is our latest effort,” said PRI President Dr. Jamie Meyer. “Bringing together industry, enthusiasts and fans will be critical to driving awareness and support for an American passion that is under fire. The resources and access available on SaveOurRacecars.com make it easy for anyone to get involved, show their support, and demonstrate that support at the polls.”
Critical to the industry’s future—and central to PRI’s advocacy efforts—is the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports (RPM) Act of 2021 (H.R. 3281/S.2736), which must be enacted into law to protect the right to modify street cars, trucks and motorcycles into dedicated race vehicles. Supported by both PRI and SEMA, the RPM Act aims to protect Americans’ right to convert street vehicles into dedicated race cars and the motorsports-parts industry’s ability to sell products that enable racers to compete.
The RPM Act reverses the EPA’s interpretation that the Clean Air Act does not allow a motor vehicle designed for street use to be converted into a dedicated racecar. This American tradition was unquestioned for 45 years until 2015, when the EPA took the position that converted vehicles must remain emissions-compliant, even when they are no longer driven on public roadways. The RPM Act does not interfere with the EPA’s authority to enforce against individuals who illegally install race parts on vehicles driven on public roads and highways and companies that market such products.
Converting street vehicles into dedicated race vehicles is an American tradition dating back to the 1800s. Motorsports competition involves tens of thousands of amateur and professional participants and vehicle owners each year at more than 1,300 race tracks across the United States. Retail sales of racing products make up a nearly $2 billion market annually helping drive the larger $49B high performance aftermarket industry. The RPM Act will provide the racing community with certainty and confidence in the face of an EPA interpretation of the Clean Air Act that threatens to devastate an American pastime and eliminate jobs in our communities.
To date, more than 150 federal lawmakers and candidates on both sides of the aisle have either signed on as co-sponsors or expressed support for the RPM Act. PRI has compiled a database on SaveOurRacecars.com that allows individuals to “Vote Racing” in November’s midterms by researching and identifying those elected officials and candidates that share their passion. The site also provides resources to register to vote, apply for an absentee ballot, and access election resources through sites such as USA.gov.
Additionally, visitors to the site can join PRI’s Membership to show their support for the industry and stay up to date on critical developments. For more information and to get involved, visit SaveOurRacecars.com.
About Performance Racing Industry
Performance Racing Industry fuels the passion for motorsports by building, promoting and protecting the worldwide racing community. PRI supports the interests of racers, enthusiasts, builders, tracks, sanctioning bodies and businesses through legislative action and advocacy, its monthly business magazine Performance Racing Industry, and the world’s premier auto racing trade show, the PRI Trade Show. PRI also supports businesses by providing market research, education and best practices in motorsports business and racing technology. For more information, visit PerformanceRacing.com.
Danilo Petrucci (9) will make his Road America debut this weekend and he comes to Wisconsin with a four-point lead in the MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship. Photo by Brian J. Nelson
Petrucci, Scholtz And Gagne Tight At The Top As MotoAmerica Invades Road America
Danilo Petrucci, Mathew Scholtz And Jake Gagne Separated By Just 13 Points As Series Lands In Wisconsin
IRVINE, CA (June 1, 2022) – Last year when the MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship rolled into Road America for its third round, Jake Gagne was riding a three-race win streak and fighting to gain back what was lost with a mechanical failure in race one at Road Atlanta. He arrived in Wisconsin six points behind, but he left with two more victories, his fourth and fifth in a row, and an 18-point lead in the championship. From there, Gagne would march to 12 more wins, ending the season with 17 victories, and the 2021 MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike title.
This year, Gagne comes to the picturesque Road America racetrack again trailing in the championship and again riding a three-race win streak after three rounds (and six races) as he tries to overcome not only a first race mechanical DNF, but also a race-three crash.
The difference? This year Gagne trails two men: Italian Danilo Petrucci and South African Mathew Scholtz. And it is MotoAmerica first timer and former MotoGP race winner Petrucci who leads the championship after starting the season with three race wins in a row on his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC Panigale V4 R. Petrucci is four points ahead of Scholtz and his Westby Racing Yamaha YZF-R1 (and their five second-place finishes) and 13 points ahead of Gagne and his Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha YZF-R1.
Although no one knows which way this will go, the four-mile, high-speed Road America again promises to be a pivotal round in the title chase and again a possible turning point in the 10-round, 20-race championship.
But that’s why we race.
Championship leader Petrucci comes to Road America a bit beaten up after his post-race-two crash at VIRginia International Raceway. After finishing third in race two at VIR, Petrucci crashed in the high-speed turn one and suffered injuries that include a broken fibula (the non-weight-bearing bone) in his lower right leg. If you have to race injured, Road America isn’t a bad place to do it with its long straightaways providing a few places to rest.
Road America will also be the third new circuit for Petrucci to learn, but he’s proven a quick study and the track will allow the fast Ducati to stretch its legs.
Like Cal in “Talladega Nights,” Mathew Scholtz was already tired of finishing second to Gagne. Now he’s also tired of finishing second to Petrucci. Scholtz crossed the finish line behind Petrucci in his three wins and was second to Gagne in two of the defending champion’s three wins. In 2021, Scholtz had nine runner-up finishes.
Although Scholtz is starving for victory, consistency isn’t a bad thing and the only blemish on Scholtz’s 2022 scorecard is a crash in race two at Road Atlanta.
Another who would like to win soon is Gagne’s new-for-2022 teammate Cameron Petersen. With three podiums in six races, the South African is fourth in the championship, 13 behind third-placed Gagne and 26 behind Petrucci.
The points gap widens a bit after Petersen as the top four have distanced themselves a bit from the pack in the championship. Fifth place is held by Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Hector Barbera with the Spaniard 15 points behind Petersen and 41 behind Petrucci. Barbera’s season thus far has been one of consistency as he’s the only rider in the top five to have scored points in all six races on his BMW M 1000 RR
The Suzukis are next with Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Jake Lewis seven points behind Barbera and just four points ahead of his Superbike rookie teammate Richie Escalante. Both have a DNF each and Lewis has a podium finish to his credit.
Two others to score points in each and every race this year are Scheibe Racing’s Ashton Yates and Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC Racing’s Travis Wyman with those two tied for eighth in the championship.
Tytlers Cycle’s PJ Jacobsen round out the top 10 heading into Road America with the New Yorker missing two races after testing positive for COVID-19.
Pre-Road America Superbike Notes
Jake Gagne won both Superbike races at Road America in 2021, the Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha rider besting Ducati-mounted Loris Baz by 5.9 seconds in race one and Suzuki-mounted Cameron Petersen by 6.7 seconds in race two. Both of those were margins of victory rarely seen at Road America, the site of more close races than any other venue the MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike series visits.
In addition to winning both Superbike races a year ago, Gagne also qualified on pole position with a lap-record-setting 2:10.529. Gagne also has the fastest race lap with his best of 2:10.998 coming in race two last year.
Who has the most Superbike wins at Road America? That would be five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier with the current Moto2 World Championship racer chalking up 10 wins during his Superbike career in Wisconsin. Beaubier’s 10 wins is one better than Australian Mat Mladin and two more than Beaubier’s former teammate Josh Hayes.
Speaking of Hayes, with his victory in race on of the Supersport class at VIR a few weeks ago, the four-time AMA Superbike Champion moved to within two wins of Miguel Duhamel on the list of all-time AMA road race wins (across all classes). Duhamel has 86 wins and Hayes’ VIR victory moved him to 84. Hayes isn’t racing at Road America, but there’s a good chance we’ll see him in action again in 2022.
As far as manufacturers go, Yamaha has the most wins at Road America with 24 followed by Suzuki with 18, Honda (12), Ducati (eight) and Kawasaki (four). Yamaha had won seven of eight races until Suzuki swept both races in 2019 with Toni Elias and Josh Herrin. In 2020, however, Beaubier and Yamaha chalked up three more wins before Fong gave Suzuki another victory in race two in the June event. Last year, Jake Gagne gave Yamaha two more victories in America’s Dairyland.
Three-time World Champion Freddie Spencer won the first-ever AMA Superbike race at Road America in 1980.
Thirteen years ago, Larry Pegram won the Superbike race at Road America, giving Ducati its last Wisconsin win in the class. Pegram won a race-long battle with Mat Mladin in 2009 to take that victory. Pegram will be back in action this weekend, but he won’t be Ducati mounted. Pegram will race a Tytlers Cycle BMW M 1000 RR Superbike at Road America and later in the season at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
If Danilo Petrucci scores a victory at Road America this weekend, he won’t be the first Italian to do so. Nor will he be the first Italian on an Italian motorcycle to do so. Nor will he be the first to win his debut Superbike race at Road America. All of those honors go to Alessandro Gramigni, who raced a Fast By Ferracci Ducati to the Superbike win at Road America in 1996.
With his two wins at VIRginia International Raceway two weeks ago, Jake Gagne now has 20 career AMA Superbike victories which puts him into a tie for seventh with former AMA Superbike and World Superbike Champion Fred Merkel. Eight more victories will put him in a tie for sixth with former World Superbike Champion and MotoGP race winner Ben Spies.
Superbike Cup Update: Ezra Beaubier earned his fourth Superbike Cup win of the season at VIR and now leads Jeremy Coffey by 22 points, 100-78, in the class within a class that competes in the same races as the Medallia Superbikes.
About MotoAmerica
MotoAmerica is the North American road racing series created in 2014 that is home to the AMA Superbike Championship. MotoAmerica is an affiliate of KRAVE Group LLC, a partnership that includes three-time 500cc World Champion, two-time AMA Superbike Champion, and AMA Hall of Famer Wayne Rainey, ex-racer and former manager of Team Roberts Chuck Aksland, motorsports marketing executive Terry Karges, and businessman Richard Varner. For more information on MotoAmerica, visit www.MotoAmerica.com. Also make sure to follow MotoAmerica on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
More, from a press release issued by Westby Racing:
Mathew Scholtz And Westby Racing Look To Take Over MotoAmerica Superbike Points Lead At Road America
Mathew Scholtz (11). Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Tulsa, OK – June 1, 2022 – Round four of the 2022 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship starts this Friday at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Westby Racing’s ace Superbike rider Mathew Scholtz comes into the weekend just four points out of the championship lead, and he and his highly experienced crew know they have the talent, the skill, and the ultra-high performance of their #11 Westby Racing Yamaha YZF-R1 to help them notch a couple of wins in Wisconsin and take over the point lead.
Mathew had two strong, runner-up results at VIR a couple of weekends ago, and he and the team are hoping to build on that momentum this weekend at “America’s National Park of Speed.”
“Road America is an amazing track,” Mathew said. “It always brings back memories because it was my very first race in the U.S. back in 2016. It’s a really fast track, with hard braking zones, and just a beautiful place all-around to go to in a great part of the country. I struggled there last year, but it seems to be an entirely different ball game for me and the Westby Racing team this year. Our overall package is a lot better, the engine is a lot stronger, and I just feel like I’m riding better overall. So, I think we can take advantage of all that and continue our push towards fighting at the front. (Defending Superbike Champion) Jake (Gagne) obviously rebounded at VIR. We managed to beat (current point leader Danilo) Petrucci twice in head-to-head battles there, which has given me a lot of confidence. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t be challenging Jake at Road America. The weather looks like it’s going to be comfortably cool, which always plays more in our favor when the track has more grip. Overall, I’m looking forward to the weekend.
“(My wife) Kiara arrived in the country this past Saturday, and that will give me a little bit of an extra boost and a push to perform well. I know the team worked hard from the Virginia round. I crashed in the morning warmup on Sunday and gave them a lot to do, and I’m very thankful to them. I know I put a lot of hard work on them, and I’m sorry. I’m going to try my best to make up for it this weekend. I’m really happy to be going back to another MotoAmerica race weekend. I’ve been in the series for about six years now. It’s been really positive for me, with everything that the championship has done for me and my racing career. Hopefully, I’ll continue to be around racing here in the U.S. for a long time. I’m really looking forward to getting back with my team this weekend.”
Superbike final qualifying is on Saturday morning at 9:50 a.m. CT, Superbike race one will go green on Saturday afternoon at 3:10 p.m. CT, and Superbike Race 2 is on Sunday afternoon also at 3:10 p.m. CT. Both races will be broadcast on Fox Sports 2 (FS2) this weekend, with race one airing Saturday night at 7 p.m. ET and race two airing on Sunday night also at 7 p.m. ET.
For all the action from Road America, as it happens, subscribe to MotoAmerica Live+, which is MotoAmerica’s live streaming and on-demand service. To find out more about how to watch MotoAmerica, click HERE
Meet Mathew, Get An Autographed Poster, And More
Mathew will be available for autographs during the Dunlop Hot Pit Walk & Autograph Session, scheduled for 11 to 11:30 a.m. Sunday on pit lane at Road America. He and the team will be handing out free posters and T-shirts, so don’t miss it.
Check Out The Westby Racing Sponsor Showcase
BrakeTech USA and Renthal are the featured team sponsors on display in the Westby Racing paddock area this race weekend, so be sure to stop by to say hello and learn about some of the companies that support the team.
The start of a MotoGP race at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in 2021. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Bagnaia and Quartararo lead the charge to Catalunya
The battle of Barcelona awaits as the grid get in gear for another spectacular weekend of racing
Wednesday, 01 June 2022
In the wake of so much talk following Francesco Bagnaia’s (Ducati Lenovo Team) crash in Le Mans, the Italian’s stylish return to the top step on home turf likely felt pretty sweet as Mugello treated us to another Bagnaia vs Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) showdown. Now MotoGP™ heads to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya with 41 points between the two in the standings in favour of Quartararo, and plenty more to talk about.
Starting with Ducati, Barcelona hasn’t seen a Borgo Panigale win since 2018 and the number 63 seems a good candidate to change that looking at his form at similar venues. Teammate Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team), meanwhile, will just want more from the weekend in whatever form, with only a single point to his name from Mugello. Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) crashed out and now has a slightly bigger deficit at the top of the Championship, and Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) will want more before planning surgery to fix his ongoing issues arising from his big crash last year. Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) wants to be more than top Independent Team Ducati on race day, too.
Rookie Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), teammate Luca Marini and Mugello polesitter Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), however, probably want more of the same. ‘Diggia’ impressed for pole and then took a good chunk of points just outside the top ten, and Marini put in one of his best races with some choice moves to take a top six. But Bezzecchi stole a few headlines as the rookie led the race, went toe-to-toe with winners and Champions, and still only just faded from the podium. He’s now really leading Rookie of the Year.
At Yamaha, the two sides of the coin continue to trouble the Iwata marque. For his part, Quartararo remains Championship leader, keeps taking podiums, and wrung absolutely everything out of his machinery at Mugello to get stuck into a Ducati and Aprilia party in the top six and come out only six tenths off the win. He won in Barcelona in 2020, he had his leathers drama in 2021 but retained some scything speed at the front, and Yamaha are the most successful factory at the track. Can ‘El Diablo’ get back on the top step? And can a venue where the bike has a proven track record help the likes of Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) make a step forward?
Speaking of steps forward also speaks to Aprilia, after another podium at Mugello extended their best ever run and made Aleix Espargaro only the third rider on the grid who’s taken three or more premier class podiums in a row. Now the challenge will be four and with Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) away, it’s only Andrea Dovizioso (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP™ Team) Espargaro can equal. It’s home turf for the Spaniard at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya too – as in, walking distance to where he grew up – and with the form he’s in, it’s hard to imagine Espargaro aiming for anything other than victory. On the other side of the box meanwhile, Maverick Viñales continues to make progress with some searing laptimes near the end of the race in Mugello, with those early laps now the next focus…
For KTM, Catalunya is turf they’ve already conquered, with Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) on the top step last season. But comparing Mugello 2021 and a podium to a top ten for the Portuguese rider a year on, there remains some margin between the Austrian factory and the podium, and there remains plenty of work going on to cut that down. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), however, continues to give it full gas on every given Sunday as the South African put in another race day charge up to seventh after a tough qualifying for both riders. What can KTM do in Barcelona?
The tougher times also continue for Suzuki. In the last two races neither rider has scored, but Barcelona offers a good track record and another chance to reset for 2020 Champion Joan Mir and teammate Alex Rins. It also offers a layout that may suit the Hamamatsu factory more, so can put the recent turmoil behind them and come out swinging again? It’s also home turf for both, with plenty of support in the stands.
Finally, at Honda it’s Stefan Bradl back in for Marc Marquez as the number 93 heads for surgery, and the test rider will likely have plenty to use the track time for as the factory continue to fettle the RC213V. Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) looks for some better form too, and on very home turf, and the same can be said for Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol). Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu), meanwhile, continues in his step forward… can he keep it rolling?
The Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya sees the field ready to race once more. Who will come out on top? We’ll find out on Sunday at 14:00 (GMT +2), so make sure to tune in for the battle of Barcelona!
3 Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) – Ducati – 94
4 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – 81
5 Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) – Ducati – 75
Acosta arrives on home turf with another record
The number 51 has opened his Moto2™ account. What will that mean in Barcelona?
In Le Mans, it looked like a done deal. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was off and away in the lead looking like he’d become the youngest ever intermediate class winner, and then came that mistake as the Spaniard hit the floor. But that seemed to have little effect once the paddock arrived in Mugello, with Acosta picking straight up where he left off and bolting away for victory to beat Marquez’ record with more than enough time left on take two. So are the flood gates open?
If they are, there are plenty of fast faces lining up to try and mute the Jaws music. Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) is now equal on points with Championship leader Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) after a podium for the former and a late technical heartbreak for the latter, Aron Canet (Flexbox HP 40) was on Acosta’s tail before he crashed out, Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) was back in the mix and the rostrum – and says his recent test in Barcelona was a key factor.
Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) had a tough Saturday and then a tough opening to the race before slicing back through from outside the points to a top five, and Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) was quick but overcooked a move on teammate Sam Lowes, earning himself a Long Lap. With a little less drama in Barcelona, what have they got in the locker?
We’ll find out at 12:20 (GMT +2) on Sunday, with Acosta arriving on home turf with another record and another trophy – so don’t miss it!
Moto2™ CHAMPIONSHIP: TOP 5
1 Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) – Kalex – 108
2 Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) – Kalex – 108
3 Aron Canet (Flexbox HP 40) – Kalex – 89
4 Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) – Kalex – 86
5 Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) – Kalex – 83
Moto3™ suited and booted for Barcelona
Garcia won last time out and last year, Guevara can’t stop being quick… and the GASGAS duo are now 1-2 at the top
On the back of another GASGAS Aspar 1-2, it’s time for Moto3™ to take on Barcelona… and if it ain’t Mugello winner Sergio García who won at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya last year. It’s also home turf for both he and teammate Izan Guevara (GASGAS Aspar team), they’re now 1-2 in the Championship too. Can they keep it rolling?
Two riders who couldn’t at Mugello were Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing), who crashed out the lead, and Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo), who had an off track excursion and when back on, was relegated to 17th and didn’t score. Therefore the two remain locked in a dead heat on points just behind the GASGAS duo, so they’ll be looking to bounce back – and so will Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3), who started from pole and then got a tap from Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing). The Turk fought back to score a point though.
Suzuki then faced a Long Lap and did his own fight back, with the Japanese rider returning to the rostrum for the first time since 2020. Will that kick his campaign into gear? Already a Grand Prix winner but having had a tougher run of late, the signs looked good to expect the number 24 back at the front.
The slipstream spectacular will be back in action in Barcelona this weekend 11:00 (GMT +2) on Sunday and there’s another 25 points on the line. Can the Aspar team continue making that Sunday magic? Can Foggia and Masia bounce back? Or are the likes of Suzuki and Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) back in the groove? Join us to find out!
Dean Harrison (2). Photo courtesy Isle of Man TT Press Office.
HARRISON TOPS THE LEADERBOARD ON DAY 3 OF THE ISLE OF MAN TT RACES
The third qualifying session at the 2022 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy saw more 130mph laps laid down but it was Dean Harrison (DAO Racing Kawasaki) who moved to the top of the leaderboard with a lap of 131.767mph.
Harrison was followed by Davey Todd (Milenco by Padgett’s Motorcycles) who set a lap of 131.655mph from a standing start before stopping on the Mountain on his second lap. Meanwhile, Peter Hickman was again quickest in the Superstock class, the Gas Monkey Garage by FHO Racing man lapping at 130.695mph.
Michael Dunlop (MD Racing) and Jamie Coward (KTS Racing by Steadplan) topped the Supersport and Supertwin timesheets respectively with speeds of 125.938mph and 119.775mph. Newcomer Glenn Irwin’s TT debut continued to get better with a superb lap of 124.797mph.
With good conditions all around the course, the session kicked off at 6.31pm with Michael Rutter (Bathams Ales) again the first rider to set off towards Bray Hill and he was swiftly followed by Harrison, Ian Hutchinson (Milwaukee BMW Motorrad), James Hillier (RICH Energy OMG Racing), and the FHO Racing pairing of Brian McCormack and Hickman, the latter again in the Gas Monkey Garage colours. All were Superbike-mounted but Lee Johnston (Ashcourt Racing) had again opted for his Supersport machine.
Harrison quickly caught Rutter on the road and it was soon apparent that the Kawasaki man, Hickman and Davey Todd were the ones to watch and the ones setting the pace. Harrison was the first to complete the lap at 130.369mph, whilst Hickman’s pace slowed slightly to 128.972mph as the lap progressed, although it was Todd who was tearing up the Mountain Course and a lap of 131.655mph sent him quickest.
Michael Dunlop (129.119mph) slotted into third and that pushed Hickman down to fourth with Conor Cummins on the second Milenco by Padgett’s Honda placing fifth at 128.721mph and ahead of sixth placed Hutchinson (127.716mph).
Nathan Harrison (125.367mph) was the quickest rider in the Superstock class whilst Johnston was comfortably fastest in the Supersport category at 124.168mph. Meanwhile, all the newcomers were going well on their first lap including Glenn Irwin (121.418mph), Milo Ward (117.638mph), Joe Loughlin (116.822mph) and Rennie Scaysbrook (112.501mph).
At the head of the field, Dean Harrison was the man setting the pace on lap two and he crossed the line at 131.767mph to move to the top of the leaderboard but Todd’s hopes of responding were dashed as he was reported as having stopped at Casey’s.
John McGuinness MBE (Honda Racing UK) moved into sixth quickest with a speed of 128.644mph and that put him one place ahead of Jamie Coward who was again going well on the KTS Racing powered by Steadplan Yamaha with a lap of 127.936mph. Their laps pushed Hutchinson back to eighth whilst Mike Browne, in his first year at the TT on a Superbike, had lapped at 124.224mph
Hickman was back out on track on his Superstock machine and he made it count with a first lap of 130.032mph and then a second at 130.695mph which put him quickest in that particular class. Equally impressive was Irwin’s second lap, a stunning 124.377mph but late in the session he increased that to 124.947mph and Ward also upped his pace to 119.555mph.
Unfortunately, a non-racing medical urgency brought the session to an end at 7.12pm with an ambulance needing to get onto the course to attend to the patient. The session resumed just before 7.30pm for the Supersport and Supertwin classes.
Dunlop was the rider setting the pace in the 600s and his lap of 125.386mph was more than eight seconds quicker than Johnston’s second lap speed of 124.444mph. Dean Harrison (123.942mph) placed third ahead of Coward (123.838mph) Hillier (122.501mph) and James Hind (121.493mph). Newcomers Loughlin (119.077mph), Jamie Cringle (114.457mph) and Scaysbrook (113.548mph) were all continuing to go well.
Dunlop’s second lap saw him increase his speed to 125.938mph with Dean Harrison moving up to second after lapping at 124.817mph. Johnston, Coward and Hillier stayed as they were but Conor Cummins slotted into sixth at 121.885mph.
The Supertwin class saw Hickman, out for the first time on the VAS Engine Racing Paton, put in a fine lap of 118.424mph which was almost twenty seconds quicker than second placed Johnston (Ashcourt Racing), Gary Johnson (Dafabet Racing) and the second VAS Paton of Pierre Yves Bian, the trio lapping at 116.438mph, 116.375mph and 116.067mph respectively.
Hickman went quicker on his second lap, 118.983mph, but he was upstaged by Coward who just missed out on a 120mph lap with a speed of 119.775mph. Rob Hodson, on the second Dafabet machine, moved up to third, at 117.732mph, ahead of Johnston (116.917mph), Johnson (116.843mph) and Dominic Herbertson (116.652mph).
After a delay of almost 30 minutes due to an incident in the Supersport and Supertwin classes, the Sidecars were able to get out onto the Mountain Course for the first time since Sunday afternoon but with both time and light disappearing, it was only for one lap.
As expected, the Birchalls, on the Haith Honda, set the pace through all the sectors but Pete Founds/Jevan Walmsley (FHO Racing) were staying in touch but both Dave Molyneux/Darryl Gibson (DMR) and John Holden/Jason Pitt (Barnes Racin) stopped, at Cronk-y-Voddy and Sulby respectively.
The latter got going but leading the way on the road were the Birchalls and they completed their solitary lap at 115.663mph, not surprisingly the quickest of the week so far. Founds/Walmsley slotted into second, 13.7s adrift at 114.326mph but ahead of Ryan and Callum Crowe (112.545mph), Lewis Blackstock/Patrick Rosney (111.164mph) and Tim Reeves/Kevin Rousseau (110.768mph).
Newcomers Harry Payne/Mark Wilkes and Lee Crawford/Scott Hardie were next up at 109.733mph and 109.709mph respectively.
Incident update:
Dave Moffitt, off at Laurel Bank, reported conscious, airlifted to Noble’s Hospital.
Rider condition update:
Following the incidents during the qualifying session on Monday 30th May, we can report the following rider condition updates: Ilja Caljouw – off at at 27th, airmed to Noble’s Hospital but discharged
James Chawke – off at Union Mills, rider OK, passed fit by medical team
Jonathan Perry – off at Cruickshanks, rider OK, passed fit by medical team
Michael Sweeney – off at 11th, airmed to Noble’s Hospital but discharged
Sam West – off at Laurel Bank, incident that led to red flag, airmed to Noble’s Hospital but discharged
Tytlers Cycle Racing's Larry Pegram (73) during testing with Travis Wyman (10), PJ Jacobsen (66), and Hector Barbera (80) at Pittsburgh International Race Complex. Photo courtesy Tytlers Cycle Racing.
Larry Pegram joins Tytlers Cycle Racing for Road America and Laguna Seca
Ahead of this weekend’s MotoAmerica event at Road America, Wisconsin, the Tytlers Cycle Racing team is excited to announce a wildcard Superbike appearance for Larry Pegram. Pegram, who made his racing return last year, will also ride for the team at Laguna Seca.
Riding an Alpha-spec BMW M 1000 RR machine which won’t be quite to the full superbike spec machines, Larry will have the full support of the team for the two planned wildcard appearances, with the possibility of further outings later in the season.
Larry has also taken on the role of brand ambassador for the team after being instrumental and playing a fundamental part in the launch of the team after laying the foundation of what we see today through his foundation with Michael Kiley.
Larry Pegram: “I am exciting to be racing a Superbike at Road America this year. I’m getting older but seem to remember that I am still pretty fast. I guess we will find out in a few days whether my memory is bad now that I’m old or if that’s the case. On a serious note, I just want to have some fun and enjoy the weekend. Michael Kiley and I put together the one race deal last year and had some success and he then decided that Tytlers Cycle Racing should compete big-time, and he’s done a great job. A lot of my old crew were drafted in, and I think the Tytlers Cycle Racing squad can be proud of what they have achieved in their first few races. I’m also looking forward to seeing some old faces and catching up with the fans at the track. See you there!”
With a Stock 1000 race win and a Superbike podium already under their belts, the Tytlers Cycle Racing team will continue to field PJ Jacobsen and Hector Barbera in the Superbike category, whilst Corey Alexander, Travis Wyman and Zac Schumacher will be back on track in Stock 1000.
Stefan Bradl (6) at speed in Argentina. Photo courtesy Repsol Honda.
Espargaro focuses in on home challenge
As Marc Marquez heads for the US, the Repsol Honda Team prepare to forge ahead with Pol Espargaro and Stefan Bradl in Barcelona.
The MotoGP train doesn’t stop as it arrives in Barcelona for round nine of the 2022 season. In Mugello, it was announced that Marc Marquez would have a fourth surgery on his right humerus and will be absent from the Catalan GP. Stefan Bradl will once again take over the reigns of the RC213V in his place.
There are none that can challenge the Catalan Grand Prix as being Pol Espargaro’s home race, the #44 having been born and raised just a short distance from the track in Granollers. After several difficult rounds Espargaro is eager to steady himself and put on a show for the home fans and perform at the maximum possible level. His best premier class result at home is fifth place, achieved in 2016 and last year he suffered an unfortunate DNF aboard the RC213V. Despite not achieving the end results he has aimed for, the past races have shown signs of progress and flashes of what he and the bike are capable of.
Stefan Bradl will once again join Pol Espargaro inside the Repsol Honda Team garage, their fifth race as teammates. This is the third time that Bradl will race in 2022, having taken 19th in Argentina and suffering a DNF in Jerez while running as a wildcard. As with many circuits on the calendar, Bradl has a strong and consistent point-scoring history at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Missing points just once in his six premier class races there and with a best finish of fifth in 2013 and 2014.
Monday after the race also presents the second in-season MotoGP test of the year, both Espargaro and Bradl set to continue development work on the RC213V alongside the rest of the MotoGP grid.
Pol Espargaro
“I know that the home fans will give me an extra boost this weekend. After some hard races, this is just what I need to get our year back to where it should be. I arrive as motivated and as focused as ever and from Free Practice 1 we will be working to achieve our goals. There’s still a lot of races left to run and what we find in these races can help us a lot at the end of the year. Also with the test on Monday, we will have a lot of bike time to be able to understand everything.”
Stefan Bradl
“First I want to wish Marc all the best with his operation and his recovery. I am here for everything that HRC and the Repsol Honda Team need until Marc’s return. We have all seen the level in MotoGP, so we know the challenge that is ahead of us but I am confident that working with Honda and the team we can achieve something. Let’s see what the weekend brings, it will be important to get in a lot of laps and prepare well for Monday’s test.”
Francesco "Pecco" Bagnaia is one of the riders scheduled to take part in the Race of Champions at World Ducati Week 2022. Photo courtesy Ducati.
Race of Champions: an unprecedented starting grid for the exciting challenge between Ducati riders at WDW2022
A unique race starring the Ducati team riders in MotoGP, Superbike and Supersport that will ignite the passion of the Ducatisti on Saturday 23 July at World Ducati Week 2022
On Friday 22 July two great champions who have made Ducati history also take to the track for the lap of honour: Carl Fogarty and Troy Bayliss, together with Chaz Davies, Régis Laconi and Rubén Xaus
Tickets to live every moment of the WDW2022 are already available on the Ducati website
Borgo Panigale (Bologna, Italy), 31 May 2022 – After the dream Sunday that saw Ducati triumph in the Italian Grand Prix at the Mugello International Circuit, the Bologna-based motorcycle manufacturer announces the details of one of the most highly-anticipated moments of World Ducati Week 2022: the Race of Champions.
The race that will ignite the passion of fans and enthusiasts of two wheels and unite the community in the name of “Let’s Ride as One” will see 21 Ducati riders from MotoGP, Superbike and Supersport competing on the track on Saturday 23 July. Many of them have won world titles in various classes and races in the European and Italian championships.
Pecco Bagnaia, Jack Miller, Michele Pirro, Johann Zarco, Jorge Martin, Enea Bastianini, Fabio Di Giannantonio, Luca Marini, Marco Bezzecchi, Alvaro Bautista, Michael Ruben Rinaldi and Danilo Petrucci are just some of the champions who will compete on the Misano track, together with other Ducati riders present in the Superbike and Supersport championships, including Oliver Bayliss, son of the legendary Troy.
The Ducati heroes will fight it out on Panigale V4 S and Panigale V2 bikes in racing configuration, each one customized by an exclusive livery inspired by the graphics of the bike used by the rider during the championships. All the bikes will be equipped with the best Ducati Performance accessories for the track, such as Akrapovič titanium exhausts, Pirelli slick tyres and Rizoma brake lever protector. While the engines will be equipped with the only oil certified by the Ducati Research and Development Department, Shell Advance Ducati 15W 50.
It will be a unique competition: a dual category race with two winners. The Panigale V4 will be lined up in front of the Panigale V2 and the riders will compete in 12 laps of the track with free practice, qualifying and warm-up, with times certified by Locman, Official Timing Partner of the race. An unforgettable spectacle that only Ducati can offer, and which represents one more reason to participate in WDW2022.
Another unmissable appointment of the World Ducati Week is the lap of honour with all the riders present at the event, including the historic ones who have taken the red bikes of Borgo Panigale to victory on circuits all over the world and who have maintained a strong bond with the Ducatisti, their great fans. On Friday 22 July Carl Fogarty, Troy Bayliss, Chaz Davies, Régis Laconi and Rubén Xaus will join the Race of Champions riders to lap around the track, celebrating the pride of being Ducatisti.
On Friday 22 July there will be the track moment par excellence, which sees all the Ducatisti and their Ducati bikes as protagonists: the parade! Starting from a lap of the circuit, the colourful snake of motorcycles will take thousands of fans to Riccione for the evening program of the World Ducati Week, which will shortly be announced.
Tickets to not miss a moment of the eleventh edition of the WDW tickets are already on sale. Different entry formulas are available for those who participate on a motorbike or as a passenger, for one day or all three days. To discover all the options, just visit the dedicated section on the Ducati website.
New events and international guests will be announced in the coming weeks, completing the three-day programme. All the news will be available on the dedicated website, on the brand’s social media channels and on the official Facebook page of the World Ducati Week.
Jeremey Maddrill (1p) en route to one of his AHRMA Vintage Cup victories during the AHRMA Classic MotoFest in the Heartland at Heartland Motorsports Park. Photo by etechphoto.com, courtesy AHRMA.
Maddrill Increases Points Lead in AHRMA Vintage Cup Action at Heartland Motorsports Park
(May 31, 2022, Elora, Tennessee) Two victories at the AHRMA Classic MotoFest™ in the Heartland helped Jeremy Maddrill extend his lead in the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) Vintage Cup. The event was rounds 11 and 12 of the 2022 Bridgestone Tires AHRMA National Historic Cup Roadracing Series and was held at Heartland Motorsports Park in Topeka, Kansas May 28 and 29.
The 2022 Vintage Cup, sponsored by RoadracingWorld.com, highlights the Vintage Superbike Heavyweight class and Maddrill, from Stiger, Illinois, won both rounds on his 1979 Kawasaki KZ 650.
“These 650cc-sized superbikes are the real deal and in the right hands, may earn a Vintage Cup championship,” said Brian Larrabure, 2022 Chair of the AHRMA Board of Trustees.
On Saturday, Maddrill had a clean start, immediately took, and held the lead until the checkered flag. Kevin Rammer, from Newnan, Georgia, on a 1982 Honda CB650SC was unable to reel in Maddrill and placed second. Rounding out the podium in third was Matt Esterline from Portage, Michigan, on a 1977 Honda CB750F, with Andre Hauer of Houston, Texas finishing fourth on a 1981 Kawasaki GPZ 550.
In a repeat performance of Saturday, Maddrill took the lead and the eventual win for Sunday. Rammer was in close pursuit until he experienced traction and chassis wobble issues which allowed Ben Sloter of Island Lake, Illinois to take second on his 1981 Kawasaki GPZ 550. Rammer took third place points which elevated him to second overall in the Vintage Cup points chase.
The 2022 Vintage Cup Trophy will be awarded to the Vintage Superbike Heavyweight class winner at select events including New Jersey Motorsports Park, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, and Barber Motorsports Park.
The Vintage Superbike Heavyweight class is sponsored by International CBX Owners Association (ICOA).
AHRMA National Historic Cup Roadracing Series Vintage Superbike Heavy Weight – Vintage Cup Results – Saturday, May 28, 2022
Jeremy Maddrill, 1979 Kawasaki KZ 650, Steger, IL
Kevin Rammer, 1982 Honda CB650SC, Newnan, GA
Matt Esterline, 1977 Honda CB750F, Portage, MI
Andre Hauer, 1981 Kawasaki GPZ, Houston, TX
AHRMA National Historic Cup Roadracing Series Vintage Superbike Heavy Weight – Vintage Cup Sunday, May 29, 2022
Jeremy Maddrill, 1979 Kawasaki KZ 650, Steger, IL
Ben Sloter, 1981 Kawasaki GPZ 550, Island Lake, IL
Kevin Rammer, 1982 Honda CB650SC, Newnan, GA
About AHRMA:
The American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated competing on fantastic classic and true vintage along with a wide range of modern motorcycles. With about 3300 members, AHRMA is the largest vintage racing group in North America and one of the biggest in the world. The association has grown steadily over the years, reflecting the increasing interest in classic bikes.
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