Suzuki Celebrates 20 Years of ATV Manufacturing in the United States
Rome, GA – Suzuki Motor USA, LLC is proud to celebrate 20 years of manufacturing KingQuad ATVs at the Suzuki Manufacturing of America Corporation (SMAC) facility. KingQuad ATVs rolled off the assembly line in Rome, Georgia in May of 2002, and have continued to be built exclusively in the United States ever since.
Suzuki, the inventor of the 4-wheel ATV, has been building the award-winning KingQuad ATVs in this multi-million dollar, 35-acre manufacturing facility since 2002. The SMAC facility is located in the center of the biggest ATV market in the world, allowing access to real-world rider feedback for product refinement and timely delivery of KingQuad ATVs to Suzuki dealers worldwide.
First on Four Wheels – Suzuki has been an innovator in engineering since the company’s founding in 1909. This commitment to engineering excellence in the early 1980s saw Suzuki lead the industry with the creation of the first ever four-wheel ATV in 1983. Always committed to innovation, and attentive to the needs and desires of riders, Suzuki was literally First on Four Wheels.
“This is an extremely important milestone for Suzuki,” said Kerry Graeber, Vice President, Division Manager MC/ATV Sales and Marketing. “Suzuki is very proud to have built KingQuad ATVs in America for the past 20 years. The performance, toughness, and durability of Suzuki ATVs represent the commitment, hard work, and dedication of the people who build them in our Rome, Georgia facility.”
The SMAC facility is one key to the continued success of Suzuki’s global ATV business and Suzuki KingQuad ATVs built there are shipped to U.S. Suzuki dealers and nearly 30 countries worldwide.
Learn more about the complete line of Suzuki KingQuad ATVs at SuzukiCycles.com.
KAYLEIGH BUYCK FIRES FIRST AT ROYAL ENFIELD BTR OPENER
BUILD. TRAIN. RACE Road Race opening round heats up the already scorching MotoAmerica action at Virginia International Raceway
Milwaukee, WI – Nerves and emotions were high as the women of Royal Enfield’s groundbreaking Build. Train. Race. (BTR) Road Racing program took to the track at Virginia International Raceway, Sunday, May 22, for the first round of the 2022 season. For the first time, the full grid, each aboard a Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 of their own unique build, took the green lights at the MotoAmerica North American Road Race Championship. Through the intense Virginia heat and humidity, and the most competitive grid BTR has ever seen, it was 30-year-old Kayleigh Buyck of Sodus, New York who emerged victorious.
Buyck not only won the final race, but topped the charts in both practice and qualifying sessions. On paper it was a flawless performance, but was anything but a runaway victory for Buyck, who also had her share of drama when she crashed in Q2. Cora Tennyson passed Buyck for the lead in the early laps of Sunday’s main race, only to end her efforts with a spectacular high-side. From there, Buyck resumed the lead, with Crystal Martinez relentless in her pursuit. Martinez finished less than a second behind at the checkered flag. Not far off was Chloe Peterson, who rounded out the overall podium.
“I still haven’t found the words to describe the thousands of feelings from our first BTR race,” said Buyck. “Being able to hold pole position all weekend even after a bad crash, and then to pull a win is a feeling I cannot describe. Being on this team, racing with 14 other amazing women who empower each other is a dream come true. We are all each others’ biggest fans and having Breeann Poland, Melissa Paris and Anne Roberts there to make this all a possibility is something I will forever be grateful for!”
Even Tennyson, who didn’t get to run the full distance, and also incurred a jump-start penalty, had some good takeaways from the weekend. “Despite how it ended, I am very proud of what I was able to accomplish before my crash,” said Tennyson. “After a jump start and falling from second to seventh, I was able to battle back to the front. All of the ladies showed tremendous effort and resilience and I’m proud to ride with them.”
Opening round winner Kayleigh Buyck (center), flanked by BTR podium finishers Crystal Martinez (left) and Chloe Peterson (right). Photo courtesy Royal Enfield North America.
Alyssa Bridges was the top finisher among the returning BTR Road Racing women, and reflected on the change from the 2021 season to the far more competitive 2022 class of racers. “This year having more people to battle with is fun,” said Bridges. “I’ve improved a lot after being brand new to this sport last season and I’m happy I get to battle a few returning teammates, as well. The rivalries, race battles and crowded grid add even more fun, and it’s a pleasure to be around even more talented personalities to learn from.”
“This weekend went about as good as we could ask for,” said Breeann Poland, Marketing and Communications Lead – Royal Enfield Americas. “The racing was incredible. These ladies went at it and really put on a great show. Every single rider improved throughout the weekend. Spirits were high throughout with great teamwork, and all the participants helped each other both on and off the track. We’re pretty thrilled with how the opening round went.”
“We unfortunately had one low point this weekend; racer Patty Paul crashed in practice and suffered a broken collarbone. We wish her a speedy recovery and look forward to having her rejoin the paddock this season.
“Thank you again to all the Build. Train. Race. sponsors. We couldn’t do it without their support. And the reception from fans and the MotoAmerica paddock was more than we could ask for. We’re in for an outstanding season and we’re already looking forward to Road America in two weeks.”
The 2022 Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. programs (Road Race and Flat Track) are made possible by the participation of these generous sponsors. Our continued thanks to all our supporting companies behind BTR.
2022 Build. Train. Race. Sponsors
Parts Unlimited
Harris Performance
S&S Cycle
Dunlop
Maxima Racing Oils
BOXO USA
Öhlins USA Suspension
Arai Helmets
About Royal Enfield
The oldest motorcycle company in continuous production in the world, Royal Enfield made its first motorcycle in 1901. A division of Eicher Motors Limited, Royal Enfield has created the midsize motorcycle segment in India with its unique and distinctive modern classic motorcycles. With its manufacturing base in Chennai, India, Royal Enfield has been able to grow its production rapidly against a surge in demand for its motorcycles. Royal Enfield is a leading player in the global middleweight motorcycle market.
Royal Enfield North America (RENA) is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is developing a growing network of more than 150 dealers in North America, including the contiguous U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. RENA currently offers the all-new Classic 350, Meteor 350, Himalayan and the 650 Twins (INT650 and Continental GT 650) motorcycles, along with a range of Genuine Motorcycle Accessories and apparel.
Kayleigh Buyck (16) had her share of drama, including a crash in Q2 that left her scrambling to prep her bike for the main race, but rode to a near flawless victory. Photo courtesy Royal Enfield North America.
DOUBLE-PODIUM WEEKEND FOR TYLER SCOTT AND VISION WHEEL M4 ECSTAR SUZUKI IN VIRGINIA
New to Class Suzuki GSX-R750s Immediately Competitive in Supersport
BREA, Calif., May 23, 2022 — Suzuki Motor USA and Team Hammer enjoyed another trophy-winning performance as Round 3 of the 2022 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship concluded on Sunday at Virginia International Raceway.
For the second consecutive day, that podium was delivered by 16-year-old MotoAmerica Supersport rookie Tyler Scott. The fast-rising Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki star again battled for the win deep into the contest with a pair of premier-class champions before ultimately guiding his GSX-R750 to a third-place finish.
“The bike felt great all race,” Scott said. “We made some changes overnight and they helped, but the pace was faster today. Overall, it was a great weekend. The team has been amazing. The GSX-R750 was outstanding, and I’ll just keep working on my riding.”
Scott’s Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki teammate, Sam Lochoff, rebounded from a chaotic Saturday to come home one spot further back in fourth. The South African did so despite suffering from a lower leg injury and the intense heat to keep his title hopes very much alive.
After a tough Race 1, Sam Lochoff (44) bounced back and takes fourth in Race 2. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Lochoff said, “I’m extremely happy about the work my crew has put in on this GSX-R750. I think we’re nearly there, and we just need to do a bit of fine-tuning now. I’m sure we’re going to win some races on it this year.
“I was hurting from yesterday’s crash today, but we’re coming out swinging at Road America,” continued Lochoff.
While third Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki Supersport pilot Liam Grant crashed out of contention early, Altus Motorsports Suzuki’s Justin Jones made sure three Team Hammer-built GSX-Rs finished inside the top ten with a tenth-place performance.
Liam Grant (90) looks to the next round after a fall in Race 2.. Photo courtesy Team Suzuki Press Office.
Meanwhile, Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki Superbike teammates Richie Escalante and Jake Lewis spent the bulk of the contest embroiled in an intra-team fight for sixth position. Their battle nearly carried them to the top five, as together they, mounted on their Suzuki GSX-R1000R race bikes, drew in on the position late before running out of laps to challenge for the spot.
In the end, rookie Escalante finished in sixth with reigning Stock 1000 champion Jake Lewis close behind in seventh.
Richie Escalante (54) with another top ten finish aboard his GSX-R1000R. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Escalante said, “Today was much better. I started both races very well, which is important to stay close with the front group. I didn’t have the pace to go for the podium, but I raced for fifth the whole race.
“I continue to work to adjust my riding style to help the bike work a little better, especially on corner exit. I’m really happy with the process. I’m getting closer over one lap and race distance. I’m pretty happy with that and I’ll keep working to find the next step.”
A pair of top-ten finishes from Jake Lewis (85) looks to carry the momentum into the next round. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Team Hammer will be back in action at the high-speed Road America at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, on June 3-5.
Suzuki Motor USA would also like to recognize Hayden Gillim aboard his GSX-R1000R for taking double wins in the Stock 1000 class.
ABOUT TEAM HAMMER
The 2022 season marks Team Hammer’s 42nd consecutive year of operating as a professional road racing team. Racebikes built and fielded by Team Hammer have won 128 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National races, have finished on AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National podiums 332 times, and have won 11 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National Championships, as well as two FIM South American Championships (in Superbike and Supersport.) The team has also won 137 endurance races overall (including seven 24-hour races) and 13 Overall WERA National Endurance Championships with Suzuki motorcycles and holds the U.S. record for mileage covered in a 24-hour race. The team also competed in the televised 1990s Formula USA National Championship, famously running “Methanol Monster” GSX-R1100 Superbikes fueled by methanol, and won four F-USA Championships.
ABOUT VISION WHEEL
Founded in 1976, Vision Wheel is one of the nation’s leading providers of custom wheels for cars and trucks, and one of the first manufacturers of custom wheels and tires for ATVs, UTVs, and golf carts. Vision Wheel looks beyond the current trends and to the future in developing, manufacturing, and distributing its wheels. Vision’s lines of street, race, off-road, American Muscle, and Milanni wheels are distributed nationally and internationally through a trusted network of distributors. Vision Wheel also produces the Vision It AR app to allow users to see how their wheel of choice will look on their vehicle before purchase and installation. For more information on Vision Wheel, visit www.visionwheel.com.
ABOUT SUZUKI
Suzuki Motor USA, LLC. (SMO) distributes Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automotive Parts, Accessories, and ECSTAR Oils & Chemicals via an extensive dealer network throughout 49 states. Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer of Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automobiles, Outboard Motors, and related products. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, SMC has business relations with 201 countries/regions. For more information, visit www.suzuki.com.
More, from a press release issued by Tytlers Cycle Racing:
PJ Jacobsen, Hector Barbera and Travis Wyman bag multiple top ten finishes at VIR
Tytlers Cycle Racing raced to multiple top ten finishes in the latest round of the 2022 MotoAmerica Superbike championship at Virginia International Raceway with riders PJ Jacobsen and Hector Barbera achieving a best of fifth and sixth respectively across the weekend.
Their BMW M1000 RR machines once again performed superbly allowing both riders to fight for the front running positions on Saturday and Sunday.
For Jacobsen, who missed Road Atlanta through sickness, it was a positive return to the track, the #66 coming out on top of a three-way fight for P5 in the opening race on Saturday before racing to seventh on Sunday.
Spain’s Hector Barbera maintained his point scoring record with sixth and ninth, adding seventeen points to his already impressive tally for the season. He remains fifth overall in the standings.
Travis Wyman, one of the team’s Stock1000 regulars was also in action in the Superbike category. He finished tenth in both races.
PJ Jacobsen: “The opening race was difficult. I suffered with rear grip, and it was hard to manage. I did what I could, and it was pretty uncomfortable by half race distance. We knew we could lap faster and so we regrouped overnight before Race 2. Sunday was better. We were able to fix a lot of things and I was happy to bag a P5 finish. I was not happy with what happened on Saturday, but the team did a great job, and we were able to show our potential. It’s a brand-new team and a brand-new bike so the data we gathered here will certainly help us in the coming races.”
Hector Barbera: “All weekend, because of the heat, I struggled to get the feeling I wanted with the front tyre and so the races were quite difficult. When we improved the front, it made the rear worse. In Race 1 I was spinning everywhere. I tried my best, passed a few riders and was able to finish sixth. Race 2 I had problems with the tyre, and I couldn’t fight for a better position. We will continue to test and continue to work hard, and I am sure we can arrive at the front soon.”
More, from a press release issued by Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC Racing:
Travis Wyman delivers another Stock1000 podium as Zac Schumacher makes progress and Corey Alexander avoids serious injury
Corey Alexander, Zac Schumacher, and Travis Wyman were back on track at VIR this past weekend for the Tytlers Cycle Racing powered by Ride HVMC squad in the latest round of the MotoAmerica Stock1000 championship with Wyman delivering another podium for the squad in Saturday’s opening race.
Qualifying fifth, Wyman ensured he was in the mix from the off taking a well-earned P3 at the end of the nine-lap encounter. He finished eleventh on Sunday.
Zac Schumacher was racing at another new circuit. He progressed well throughout the weekend finishing nineteenth and eighteenth respectively to ensure another double top twenty finish.
Round 1 winner Alexander had a nasty looking spill early in the weekend after running strongly in practice. Crashing hard he thankfully escaped serious injury but missed both races. He will be back on track at Road America.
Travis Wyman: “After missing most of practice and qualifying we ended P5 on the grid which I was super happy about. I made a great start in Race 1 and after a race long battle was able to bring it home in third for another podium. I was in the lead group off the start again in Race 2 but unfortunately with about four laps to go I crashed after making a pass for second place. I tucked the front but was able to get going again and finish eleventh, salvaging some points which may make all the difference at the end of the season. See you all at Road America.”
Zac Schumacher (90). Photo courtesy Tytlers Cycle Ride HMVC Racing.
Zac Schumacher: “It was my first time at VIR. I crashed in FP1 and missed the entire session which meant I was still learning the track in qualifying. I qualified twenty-ninth and was able to finish P19. Race 2 was a little better. We a couple of changes overnight and found the feeling I had been searching for. I started twenty-seventh and was able to pass several riders, eventually finishing P18. I want to say a huge thanks to the Tytlers Cycle guys. Without them my weekend would have been over.”
Corey Alexander (23) in action at VIR before his crash. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Corey Alexander: “I am bummed to have missed both races this weekend but am very thankful to have walked away as well as I did. I’m just recovering with some road rash and a couple bruises as well as some fog from the concussion I suffered but otherwise my Arai Helmet, Alpinestars suit with Tech-Air bag and the Road Racing World Action Fund Air Fence surely saved my life. I am hopeful to return to Road America and pick up where we left off prior to the crash. Thanks to everyone for the messages and support.”
More, from a press release issued by Aprilia:
MOTOAMERICA TWINS CUP CHAMPIONSHIP CONCLUDES AT VIR WITH A PAIR OF LAST LAP WINS FOR JODY BARRY AND HIS VELOCE RACING APRILIA RS 660
BARRY EXTENDS HIS CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD LEAVING VIRGINIA AND BREAKS HIS OWN LAP RECORD SET AGAIN ON THE RS 660
ALTON, VA – 23 MAY 2022 – MotoAmerica Twins Cup arrived at Virginia International Raceway this weekend for the third round of the championship. 35 riders lined up to grid for race one, as the participation and competition of the Twins Cup class continues to grow in the series.
Leaving the second round in Atlanta, a single race weekend for the Twins Cup, the stakes were high upon arrival in Virginia for the teams, knowing there was a potential 50 points up for grab in the weekend’s two races. When Qualifying 2 had completed, the story was reminiscent of 2021, with Jody Barry, besting his best time and lap record set last year on his RS 660 of 1:30:823, with a pole position secured with a time of 1:30:082 on his Veloce Racing RS 660 on Saturday morning.
In race one of the weekend, after 13 complete laps, it came down to the line with a photo finish victory that showing Jody Barry across the line just inches ahead of the next rider.
Race 2 had an early red flag which forced a restart, but with a similar battle to Saturday’s race, Sunday proved to be another last lap dash to the line, where Jody Barry locked up his second win of the weekend, and third of season.
Jody Barry. Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Aprilia.
Jody Barry, Veloce Racing
“I’ve always loved this track. I had confidence coming out of Road Atlanta, and we started the weekend quick, getting the setup dialled in. By the end of both races, it was a chess game, working with grip, pushing the front end and working with track conditions.
I have a lot of confidence working with the Veloce team, which makes it easy for me to relax and focus on my riding. I feel comfortable with the RS 660 and finding any solutions with the team to keep it up front. I have to thank the whole Veloce team, and all the sponsors and partners that support putting a bike under me, including CycleTune, LiquiMoly, Vesrah, Arai, Bison, and Aprilia which help us compete and get these wins.
I am excited for Road America, my home track. Last year didn’t go how we wanted, with a flight to the hospital, but we won’t repeat that this year. My family will be there, the vibes will be cool, and we’re looking forward to it.”
MotoAmerica heads to Road America, June 3-5. Championship Schedule, Competitor information, and Class Rules can be found at https://motoamerica.com/
More, from a press release issued by Robem Engineering:
Robem Engineering Aprilia riders score three top-10 finishes at MotoAmerica round at VIR
Hobbs, Gloddy finish May 20-22 round second, eighth in Twins Cup points standings
ALTON, Va. — The 2022 MotoAmerica Superbikes at Virginia round turned out to be a struggle for Robem Engineering Aprilia riders Teagg Hobbs and Ben Gloddy. Yet, the duo limited the damage to their championship aspirations at the May 20-22 event by scoring a total of three top-10s in two Twins Cup races at VIRginia International Raceway.
Despite a challenging weekend on track, both remain in the hunt to claim Robem Engineering’s second Twins Cup title in two years. Hobbs did enough to hold onto second place in the standings with 63 points. Gloddy is in eighth place with 40 points.
The VIR round started well for both riders. Hobbs topped the time sheets and Gloddy was sixth in Friday practice. The first of two qualifying sessions took place Friday afternoon, and Hobbs and Gloddy finished that session third and eighth, respectively. Saturday’s Qualifying 2 session didn’t go as well, as both riders lost some pace to the other Twins Cup front runners and ended up qualifying eighth and 10th.
In Saturday’s Race 1, both Hobbs and Gloddy got good starts and had advanced one position in the running order by the end of Lap 1. Hobbs was running as high as sixth before he dropped to 12th on Lap 8, but continued to push hard to make up the positions he lost and finished the race in 10th. Gloddy’s pace improved relative to the riders around him as the race went on. Though he dropped as low as 11th on Laps 3-5, Gloddy steadily worked his way up the running order to secure a seventh-place finish.
Sunday’s Race 2 proved to be a struggle. The pair got off the line well, with Hobbs finishing the first lap in seventh and Gloddy in eighth. The race was stopped at the beginning of Lap 3 due to a crash at Turn 1, and Hobbs made an error while slowing down for the race stoppage and crashed at Turn 1. He was able to get his Aprilia RS 660 running again and had to slowly make his way around the 2.25-mile course to pit lane. Hobbs’ delayed arrival in the pits caused him to miss the sighting lap for the race restart, and he had to take the restart from the back of the grid.
When racing resumed, Gloddy tried to work his way up the running order quickly and was running in fifth place during the first lap. Hobbs did his best to make up track position on the opening lap and advanced past 13 riders on the first lap of the restarted race. Though Gloddy was pushing his RS 660 hard, he lost several positions as the nine-lap race went on and had to settle for a 10th-place finish. Hobbs’ charge up the running order slowed as the race progressed, though he managed to work his way up to 12th place aboard his damaged bike by the end of the race.
The Robem Engineering Aprilia team will be back in action at the next MotoAmerica round, which takes place June 3-5 at the Road America circuit in Elkhart Lake, Wis.
Ben Gloddy (72). Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Robem Engineering.
Ben Gloddy / No. 72
“I had an amazing weekend overall and can’t thank the Robem Engineering team enough for everything they did to help me this weekend. We struggled a little bit on Friday and Saturday, but had a better race on Sunday. We just couldn’t quite hang with the leaders this round. We did get some things figured out with our Aprilia RS 660s, and I can’t wait to do it all again in a few weeks at Road America.”
Teagg Hobbs (79). Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Robem Engineering.
Teagg Hobbs / No. 79
“This weekend had the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. We led a few sessions and found a good setup for our Aprilia RS 660. Unfortunately, both races were pretty rough. All we can do is move on to the next round, and I can’t think Robem Engineering enough for working tirelessly through the whole weekend. Now it’s on to Wisconsin in a few weeks!”
Robem Engineering’s technical partners for 2022 include Aprilia Racing, Piaggio Group Americas, The Center for Plastic Surgery, Synchrony, Velocity Calibrations, Bitubo Suspension, Dunlop, Woodcraft Technologies, Dymag, Vesrah, Sprint Filter, DID, Magura USA, Sara Chappell Photos, NGK/NTK, Blud Lubricants, Millennium Technologies, Motovation USA and SC-Project.
More, from a press release issued by Pure Attitude Racing:
Chase Black delivers Junior Cup front row start and top six finish. Liam MacDonald bags Twins Cup points at VIR as Trevor Standish bounces back on Sunday
Virginia International Raceway was the setting for the latest round of the 2022
MotoAmerica Championship and Pure Attitude Racing was once again on the grid in both the Twins Cup and Junior Cup classes.
Teenager Chase Black, in only his second race weekend for the team performed superbly throughout the weekend. Running strongly on the opening day before qualifying on the front row of the grid in third in Junior Cup, for the first time in his career. He finished 8th in Saturday’s opening race before taking a brilliant fifth on Sunday.
Twins Cup continues to be one of the most competitive categories in MotoAmerica this year. Armed with the latest Yamaha R7 machines and Liam MacDonald and Trevor Standish were once again in the mix for points in both races. A DNF on Saturday for Trevor was a little disappointing, the #16 bouncing back on Sunday to finish seventeenth at the flag. Macdonald raced hard, understanding how to ride the Yamaha, which is a new challenge for him, with every lap completed. He added three more points to his championship tally with a thirteenth-place finish in the Race 1 before narrowly missing a second points scoring finish on Sunday. He crossed the line P16 after a race long battle with several riders including his team mate. With more data gathered the pair look forward to another strong showing next time out at Road America.
Chase Black (14). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Pure Attitude Racing.
Chase Black: “I qualified on the front row for the first time in my MotoAmerica career after a great run in qualifying. I made a good start in Saturday’s first race but after a few laps I started to lose touch with the group and ended P8. Sunday’s second race was awesome, and I had so much fun. I was much closer to the front, and I was able to make some nice moves. I saved a possible high side and that cost me a shot at the podium but when I look back at the weekend, to leave with a front row and a top six in only my second race with the team is pretty good.”
Liam MacDonald (37). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Pure Attitude Racing.
Liam MacDonald: “It was great to ride at VIR this weekend and satisfying to come away with more points in Race 1. We made a few changes especially with the geometry of the bike and it gave me much more feel. I had a big moment early on, but I managed to stay on board and bring it home in thirteenth. Sunday was a bit more difficult but nevertheless I had a great race with Trevor and a couple of other guys and whilst I just missed out on other points finish it was a good race and to beat my team mate for the first time since I came to MotoAmerica is a nice little bonus.”
Trevor Standish (16). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Pure Attitude Racing.
Trevor Standish: “We found an issue between Q2, and the first race related to the fueling, but we were able to resolve it. However, the problem came back on the warm up lap, and it turned out to be an issue with the clutch. I started at the back of the grid, but the problem got worse and that was the end of the race for me, so I decided to call it a day for safety reasons. On Sunday I was running well in the first start but then the red flag was thrown. In the restart I struggled with grip and fought hard with Liam and a couple of other guys, but I made a few mistakes and wasn’t able to stay with them. I closed the gap but just ran out of time. I am really bummed to leave VIR with no points, but we will go again at Road America where hopefully we will be able to further improve the bikes as we are still not at 100% yet.”
More, from a press release issued by Levi Badie Racing:
First MotoAmerica points for Levi as he makes history by becoming the Belgian to score points in the US national series
Levi Badie made history at VIR this past weekend by becoming the first Belgian rider to score points in the MotoAmerica series.
Racing for Bartcon Racing in a Kawasaki in Junior Cup, Levi qualified eleventh on his debut at the circuit. Learning the circuit with every lap the talented teen was in the mix throughout Saturday’s opening race, claiming seventh at the flag – a mere 0.9s from the win.
Sunday saw another spirited effort from the #31 but his race was cut short after he was unable to avoid a rider that fell in front of him.
Despite his third DNF of the season Levi continues to be one of the most talked about riders – bringing his European flair to the US national series.
Levi Badie (71). Photo courtesy Levi Badie Racing.
Levi Badie: “It wasn’t a bad first race given the circumstances. I made a bad start, but I was able to close the gap to the leading group, I even set the fastest lap at one point. It was hot conditions, and the race was reduced to five laps after a red flag. I had been told by the team that there’s always crazy riding in VIR and people getting taken out and so I wanted to stay calm and get some decent points which I did. I was not so far from the podium – only 0.9s from the win. I made some steps in Sunday’s warm-up session and then I was running quite strong in Race 2 on Sunday until one of the other riders fell and I had nowhere to go. I need to work on my starts, but I have shown I am fast, and the team is working well so hopefully at Road America I can show our real potential. The circuit is the most dangerous I have ever raced – very different to Europe and so when I took to the grass, I was happy to not be hurt. I want to thank everyone who is supporting me and look forward to riding at Road America. It looks like an amazing track and one that I think I can be fast at.”
MotoAmerica Superbike and Stock 1000 racer Corey Alexander praised his safety gear and soft barriers for allowing him to escape from a scary crash at VIRginia International Raceway with only a concussion.
Alexander, the Stock 1000 Championship point leader coming into the weekend, was riding his Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC Racing BMW M 1000 RR during Stock 1000 Q2 Saturday morning, when he lost control coming out of Turn Five.
The New Yorker was thrown from his machine and heavily impacted non-inflatable Airfence Bike sections on the right side of the track.
“I remember thinking I had it saved and holding on to it, and that’s really the last thing I remember until waking up at the hospital,” Alexander told Roadracingworld.com today, his 28th birthday. “I got a full CT scan. I had a little bit of coughing and trouble breathing, initially. I don’t actually know how long I was knocked out for or if I was truly knocked out. I assume I was. I heard I was. I don’t know. But they transported me. I was pretty out of it. But the rest of my body was good.”
Alexander impacted non-inflatable Airfence Bike modules purchased by the Roadracing World Action Fund, and the Airfence did its job well.
“If the Airfence wasn’t there I don’t think I would be alive. I couldn’t imagine hitting a steel wall at that speed,” said Alexander. “In fact, I feel really good, to be honest. Between my Arai helmet, my [Alpinestars] air bag suit, and the Airfence it’s pretty amazing. It definitely could have been a lot worse.”
Alexander said he has decided to skip a multi-team test scheduled this week at Pittsburgh International Race Complex and to focus on recovering as much as possible before the next MotoAmerica round, June 3-5 at Road America.
And Alexander wanted to point out to foreign journalists drawing conclusions and expressing opinions on social media after viewing video of his crash that his helmet did not come off at any point of the crash.
The Roadracing World Action Fund is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to prevent racetrack injuries through motorcycle road racing education and by advocating for and facilitating the use of soft barriers like those made by Airfence and Alpina. To make a tax-deductible donation to the Roadracing World Action Fund, click here, and visit www.roadracingworld.com/actionfund/ for more information.
Danilo Petrucci suffered injuries when he crashed at 174 mph after taking the checkered flag at the end of MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Race Two May 22 at VIRginia International Raceway.
Petrucci was attempting to overtake Westby Racing Yamaha’s Mathew Scholtz for second place in the final run to the checkered flag but came up 0.020 second short and crossed the finish line in third.
It wasn’t caught on camera, but an instant after crossing the finish line at 174 mph, Petrucci tucked the front end of his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC Panigale V4 R and went for a long slide and tumble alongside the front straightaway toward Turn One.
Petrucci was seen on video coverage — 56 seconds after he crossed the finish line — walking away from the crash scene, but he skipped the podium ceremony and instead went to the track’s medical center seeking aid.
The official post-race press release issued by Ducati North America made no mention of Petrucci’s crash or injuries, but Sunday night the Italian rider posted the following on his Instagram feed.
“Just to inform you, I crashed at 280 km/h under the finish line that’s on a sixth gear corner for avoid touching another rider. I hit three sponsors signs with my body, multiple burns, multiple hematomas and a deep cut on the ankle with five stitches. I rolled for over 100 meters, maybe one of the worst crash of my entire career. And I lying down for over two minutes with no assistance, hearing the bikes passes next to me, till I stand up by myself and went alone to the medical center.”
A screenshot of Danilo Petrucci’s Instagram post showing some of his injuries.
Attempts by Roadracingworld.com to contact Petrucci were not successful.
Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha’s Cameron Petersen, who crossed the finish line 1.5 seconds after Petrucci, caught a glimpse of the incident.
“I kind of caught it right at the top of my vision,” Petersen told Roadracingworld.com. “I think what happened was I think Petrucci being so close to Matty [Scholtz] on the outside going at that speed, I think the outside of the track came up way faster than what he was expecting. We’re going 175-180 mph at that point, and I think the outside of the track just came up way faster than he expected.
“Honestly, Matty didn’t do anything wrong. He held his line. It’s not like he swerved, ran wide, or anything. I think just Petrucci being on the outside there just the outside of the track came up so fast and he tried to give it a little more lean angle and ended up pushing the front. There’s the little drop away there [change in track elevation] and there was a breeze coming from the side. I think a combination of all those things didn’t help him.”
There’s no place like Mugello: MotoGP™ touches down in Tuscany
Add legend, myth, fable and the world’s fastest motorcycle racing Championship and you get the recipe for spectacle
Monday, 23 May 2022
Ladies and gentlemen, Mugello. That’s it, that’s the introduction. Or it could be, with the Italian venue so steeped in character, legend and myth – in the best way – that barely a word need be written. And yet, there is plenty to say as the FIM MotoGP™ World Championship heads for Tuscany and the rolling hills of the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley, so let’s say it.
Starting in Beast mode would be where Le Mans left off, with Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) coming into his first home race of the season as a three-time winner, serious title contender and an extremely fast MotoGP™ rider. Home glory would be something even more special, and with the form seen at Le Mans it’s hard to find a reason to rule him out… and Ducati have seen plenty of recent glory on the hallowed ground of Mugello.
Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) will be well aware of that and, despite crashing out at Le Mans, was fast once again. Too fast for everyone except Bastianini. So was it Pecco under pressure? A freak fall? A mistake that looked incredibly unlikely after his performance in Jerez? We’ll start to find out at Mugello. Teammate Jack Miller, meanwhile, arrives from another podium just not the top step this time around, and he’ll want to keep reasserting his authority as a surefire contender at the front – with some bad luck and a tougher start to the season seemingly behind him.
At Pramac Racing, there are two sides to the coin. Johann Zarco put in a solid ride on home ground, whereas Jorge Martin suffered another DNF in a difficult run in 2022, the Spaniard still suffering from the after effects of his big crash last year. What can they do on the team’s home turf? The same question can be asked of Mooney VR46 Racing Team too, as rookie Marco Bezzecchi continues to lead the fight for Rookie of the Year and continues to impress. What will he and teammate Luca Marini have in the locker at Mugello?
Home turf also comes into the equation for Aprilia. Maverick Viñales continues his learning curve, but the Noale Factory continue to impress pretty much everyone with Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing). Concessions somehow seem a distant memory already as the Spaniard and the RS-GP continue fighting for – and taking – podiums, and Mugello will be an interesting one with the long, long straight. Aleix Espargaro’s run is such that he can join only two other riders on the grid if he takes a fourth podium in a row too, with only eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) and former sparring partner Andrea Dovizioso (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP™) having achieved that in the current field.
Speaking of Yamaha, we can take a look back to 2021 for what they can do at Mugello. And then back to Jorge Lorenzo’s incredible record there, and before that back to Valentino Rossi’s five in a row. Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) is on form too – fighting as he said he would for every position – and he remains in a lonelier postcode compared to his fellow YZR-M1 riders. So does 2021 offer any portents of 2022? Or is it the tougher return to the likes of Losail that offer more clues? We’ll find out, with the long straight one thing likely on El Diablo’s mind, as well as those of Dovizioso and Franco Moribidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™).
The ballad of the inline four is also sung by Suzuki, and we’ve already seen both Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and teammate and 2020 Champion Joan Mir go well at the venue even up against the V4 grunt down the straight. Mir was on the podium last year too, which could bode well as the factory return to Tuscany looking to bounce back from a difficult French GP with two DNFs. Can they get back into the podium fight?
Honda, meanwhile, arrive still looking to find the zone for man and machine, as does Marc Marquez. What can the factory get out of the new RC213V at Mugello? The number 93 has continued his record of finishing as top Honda of late and fought for the podium at Jerez, but then Le Mans was a tougher one. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) was the closest though as he made a step forward in France, with Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) and Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) now looking for the same. Is Mugello, another new venue, another chance to make a step?
Finally, at KTM the tougher 2022 continues, but so does the work to get back to the front. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) has impressed nearly every weekend so far, and the South African seems to be able to wring every last drop out of Sunday. Can he do that at Mugello? Teammate Miguel Oliveira is also looking to find more speed and consistency in the dry, but the Austrian factory already know what it takes to win and they’re looking to return to the rostrum ASAP. Can Mugello offer a chance to move forward again after a podium for Oliveira at the venue last year?
We’ll find out on Sunday, with the spectacular Tuscan hills ready to receive the world’s fastest motorcycle racing Championship in style. Fans are back, the legend awaits and there’s nothing quite like Mugello, so make sure to join us on Sunday at 14:00 (GMT +2) for a date with a difference.
3 Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) – Ducati – 94
4 Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) – Suzuki – 69
5 Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – 62
Vietti & Arbolino hunt for glory on home ground
They’ve both already won this year, and now it’s time for Moto2™ to take on the fabled Mugello
After another different winner in Le Mans as Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) got back on the top step for the first time since 2019, the Moto2™ grid return to Tuscany for another stunning showdown. Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) remains ahead in the standings despite being forced into some damage limitation at Le Mans, and it’ll be a big weekend for the number 13 with home turf pressure. The same is true in some ways of Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team), although the COTA winner has a little less to lose as it stands. So who’ll be in their way at Mugello?
Fernandez will likely have an extra boost of confidence after that long wait for another victory, and so too will teammate Pedro Acosta despite crashing out. Crashing out from the lead after taking a lap record pole is a different beast to crashing from the middle of the points, and the rookie will be one to watch. He can still also equal Marc Marquez’ record as youngest intermediate class winner…
Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) was back on song in France too, and teammate Ai Ogura remains quick. Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) will want to bounce back after ruling himself out in France, and Jake Dixon (Solunion GASGAS Aspar Team) crashed after being quick once again. Cameron Beaubier (American Racing), meanwhile, is in a rich vein of form – and he’ll want to take that maiden podium.
And then there’s Aron Canet (Flexbox HP 40). The Moto2™ man of steel followed up his Jerez podium with another, on the best streak of results he’s had in the intermediate class and despite that injury. He says riding with zero pressure – as taking podiums should be a superhuman endeavour anyway, given his injury – has changed his mindset, and so far the proof of the thinking is very much in the racing. The bow tie remains, however, and he says Mugello is a tougher track for him. Can he make at least a little more magic in Italy?
Vietti is under pressure, Arbolino joins him as the two fastest home heroes as we stand, and the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello awaits a fast field of rivals looking to ruin their party. Will they? They’ll also have wildcard Mattia Pasini in at GASGAS – a man whose record at Mugello needs no introduction – to contend with, so the field is primed for a stunner. Tune in when the lights go out for Moto2 at 12:20, so make sure to tune in!
Moto2™ CHAMPIONSHIP: TOP 5
1 Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) – Kalex – 108
2 Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) – Kalex – 92
3 Aron Canet (Flexbox HP 40) – Kalex – 89
4 Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) – Kalex – 70
The Italian already ruled the venue last year, but there will be serious competition – not least of all from Masia on a roll
It’s time to suit and boot up for the stunning Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello, and Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) comes into the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley from a tougher run in 2022, but the Italian is a previous winner at Mugello and remains in the top echelons of the Championship. Now third overall although equal on points with second, Tuscany would be a great place to hit back against the likes of Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Championship leader Sergio Garcia (Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team). So can he do it?
Foggia is joined by Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) as the two previous winners at the venue, and the two veteran Italians – and Honda riders – will be pushing to get back to their early season form at the first home race of the season. They should be counted out, but then there’s one rider on a super roll as of now: Masia.
The Spaniard has always been quick, but in 2022 he’s added consistency and his mental game seems stronger than ever. With four podiums in a row for the first time ever, nothing says anyone should bet against a fifth. He also has two podiums at Mugello…
Garcia, meanwhile, remains a threat. Championship leader through a mixture of glory and consistency – the latter never getting in the way of the Spaniard making a late race attack – he remains the rider to beat in 2022, and his teammate is no slouch either. It’s easy to assume Jerez winner Izan Guevara will always be at the front now, but the Spaniard has earned his stripes with some impressive performances and there’s no reason to assume he won’t serve up another.
The other rider on a roll is Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max). Once again just missing that maiden win at Le Mans, the Japanese rider’s step forward in 2022 nevertheless continues to impress. Last season was derailed through injury and no fault of his own, but 2022 Sasaki is quick, consistent and impressive… so surely it’s just a matter of time?
With the long straight at Mugello, Moto3™ is bound to be a freight train fight. But who will be conductor remains to be decided, with plenty fast riders looking for those valuable 25 points. Who’ll come out on top? Tune in for Tuscany at 11:00 (GMT +2) on Sunday to find out!
More, from a press release issued by Northern Talent Cup:
Moor wins three-way fight for Race 2
The Hungarian comes out on top with a last lap move to defeat Masili
Rossi Moor (FAIRIUM Next Generation Riders Team) struck on the last lap for his second win of the season, passing teammate Matteo Masili and able to keep the door shut to the line. Dustin Schneider (Goblin Racing), who was fastest in testing at the venue, completed the podium as the top three escaped for a rostrum-deciding showdown.
Off the line it was Moor who got the holeshot and the Hungarian soon escaped from the pack, with Masili and Schneider for company. There was drama early on though as Noa Cuypers (Junior Black Knights) crashed out leaving Tibor Varga (Forty Racing) nowhere to go, and a few more riders evading or tumbling out. But all ok, and Loris Veneman (TeamNL Open Line) facing a fight back to the front.
Once that dust had settled, Race 1 winner Lennoxx Phommara (Phommara Team) was holding fourth in some space just off the front three, ahead of a big group fight for the last place in the top five. But then the Swiss rider slid out, leaving one three-way fight for the win. And, as ever, it went down to the final lap.
Masili started that final lap in the lead and the Italian held firm until the end of the back straight, where Moor made his move. The Hungarian made it stick too, and there was no way back for his teammate as the number 92 took win number two of his season. Masili impressed with the podium finish in second, however, as did home rider Schneider as he took third and his first rostrum too.
Jurrien van Crugten (BB64 Academy) won the fight for fourth ahead of Le Mans winner Kevin Farkas (Agria Racing Team), with Rocco Sessler (MCA Racing) just thousandths further back. Martin Vincze ((Chrobák Motorsport Egyesület), Luca Göttlicher (JRP Junior Academy Team), Maxime Schmid (Team Schmid), Julius Coenen (HJRT – Helena und Julius Racing Team) and Kilian Holzer (HK Racing) locked out a super tight group down to 11th, with Veneman taking P12.
That’s all Oschersleben wrote, and now it’s time for the NTC to head for the Sachsenring in a month. Join us for more then, back alongside MotoGP™!
Gagne Perfect With Two Victories In MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike at VIR
The Defending MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Champion Wins His Third Straight Race
Jake Gagne (1) leads Mathew Scholtz (11), Danilo Petrucci (9), and the rest of the MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike field early in Race Two at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
DANVILLE, VA (May 22, 2022) – Last year at VIRginia International Raceway, Jake Gagne not only won both races, he dominated them, winning race one and two by 11.8 and 13.9 seconds, respectively. The two VIR races were his biggest margins of victory in a season that saw him win 17 races.
Gagne again leaves Virginia with two MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike wins at one of his favorite racetracks, but this time, the margins of victory were much closer – 2.9 seconds on Saturday, 3.2 seconds on Sunday. And he freely admits that his rivals have gained a bit of ground on him. He also admits that he’s in favor of it and likes the fact that 2022 looks to be a 180 from last year in terms of the speed of his competition.
“There’s no such thing as those big eight-second leads anymore,” Gagne said, post victory. “Every half-10th or 10th, I’ll take it. These guys are all stepping it up this year. I’m excited. I think we’re all excited. It’s going to be some good battling. I think we’ll put on a show. It will be a little bit more exciting than some of the races last year. As much as I love cruising around at the front, I love battling, too. I love racing these boys.”
With Gagne and his Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha YZF-R1 winning race two on Sunday to complete his perfect weekend, Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz finished second. Again. This time Scholtz wasn’t overly upset with his fifth runner-up finish of the year. After all, he’d destroyed his A bike in a morning warm-up crash, forcing his crew to try and replicate the setup on the second bike.
Third place went to MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship leader Danilo Petrucci, the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC-backed Italian crossing the line just .020 of a second behind Scholtz as the pair raced to the finish line together. What happened next is still a bit of a mystery, but Petrucci crashed the Panigale V4 R in the fast turn one after the finish line and suffered a laceration on a leg that required stiches. Petrucci was in the medical center and missed the podium ceremonies.
The scrap for second lasted the entire race and featured Scholtz, Petrucci and Gagne’s teammate Cameron Petersen. Petersen was dropped from the battle in the closing laps and finished fourth, 1.5 seconds behind Scholtz/Petrucci.
Tytlers Cycle Racing’s PJ Jacobsen finished fifth on his BMW M 1000 RR and was challenged to the end by the pair of Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzukis ridden by Richie Escalante and Jake Lewis. Escalante ended up .270 of a second behind Jacobsen in sixth and .257 of a second ahead of seventh-placed Lewis.
Aftercare Hayes Scheibe Racing’s Ashton Yates ended a solid weekend with an eighth-place finish, ahead of the second Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW ridden by Spaniard Hector Barbera. Tenth place went to a lonely Travis Wyman on his Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC Racing BMW.
With three rounds (and six races) complete in the 2022 season, Petrucci’s lead has shrunk to 4 points over Scholtz, 104-100. Gagne, meanwhile, has vaulted himself to third in the championship chase, 13 points behind the Italian. Petersen is fourth, 13 behind Gagne. Barbera sits fifth – and is still the only rider in the top five to have scored points in every round.
Jake Gagne – Winner
“I think, in the beginning at least, the pace was a little quicker. I think all of us, at least me, for sure. I was a little surprised that the pace yesterday wasn’t what I was hoping. We didn’t make a lot of changes. We were a little off on tire pressure yesterday, I think. We definitely knew that. So, with that little bit of a tire pressure adjustment, I was able to run the times I wanted to a little bit easier in the beginning. Those first five, six, seven, eight laps were pretty strong. I didn’t make any mistakes. I could see I was just inching out on those guys. Going through turn four or five or whatever you’ve got that big screen and sometimes I could go through there and I saw Mat (Scholtz), Danilo (Petrucci), Cam (Petersen), all in a good battle there for second. So, I just tried to keep an eye on my pit board. Just like yesterday, mistakes can happen easily when it’s that slick out there towards the end, but these Dunlops held up good and this Yamaha… I’m just stoked that I get to ride this bike every weekend. I’ve got the best team that I could ask for behind me. I’m happy we made a little progress today because I knew we needed it. Everybody would be stepping it up. It’s good to get another win.”
Mathew Scholtz – Second
“If you had told me last night I would take another second today, I probably would have punched you in the face. I’m tired of getting seconds. But after this morning’s crash, I’ll happily take it. The bike was totaled. We have a totally different tank, which I had to get used to. We haven’t done a single lap on the bigger tank with the weight over the front tire. It’s just a completely different bike, really. Just the first couple laps, I was sensitive out there. We were pretty similar in most of the corners, but there were two or three corners where he would pull out probably one and a half tenths just in those corners. For the rest of the track, I felt we were similar in maybe one or two corners. I would catch him by a bike length, but for the most part on those parts where he was strong, he was a lot stronger. Just really happy to take second after battling and seeing the board with plus 0.1 for 15 laps straight and just hearing Cam’s (Petersen) bike, Danilo’s (Petrucci) bike. Danilo passed me one time and kind of pushed me a little bit wide, which I wasn’t the happiest with because we were upright braking. I passed him back and started riding my own pace to make sure I got out of the corners well and broke late. I was kind of hoping with braking late and kind of parking the bike that Danilo and Cam would start fighting and help me a little bit. A massive thank you to the Westby team. The bike was totaled, so for them to bring out the second bike and put the settings on it and for me to finish second, I couldn’t be happier. To Tryg (Westby) who runs this whole team. He’s the main guy behind this whole project. He’s put his heart and soul into this team and me for the last five or six years now. If it wasn’t for him, I’d be back home waiting tables or something. I’m just living the dream here. Happy to be up here with Jake (Gagne) and battling with Danilo, a world-class rider. It’s just incredible stuff. I’m really happy. The next race, Road America, I have struggled there previously so we need to try to figure something out there and hopefully I’ll be challenging Jake.”
More, from a press release issued by Ducati North America:
Danilo Petrucci Retains Points Lead at VIR
Danilo Petrucci Podium’s at VIR During Sweltering Weekend in Virginia
Danilo Petrucci (9). Photo courtesy Ducati.
Sunnyvale, Calif., May 22, 2022 – Danilo Petrucci (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC) rode through the sweltering temperatures at VIRginia International Raceway to grab some additional points and retain the MotAmerica Superbike lead.
The effort was unstoppable as the Italian started the weekend strong, qualifying fourth before finishing fourth in race one, and taking the final podium spot in race two.
This was the V4 R rider’s second time on the track, the former MotoGP rider getting up to speed quickly. He battled both days and finished Sunday’s race two 3.264 seconds behind the rider who chases him in the points, Jake Gagne (Yamaha).
Although Gagne won, Petrucci retains the lead with 104 points, four ahead of Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha).
The MotoAmerica series now breaks for two weeks before heading to Road America in Wisconsin.
2022 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship Standing – Top 5
P1 – Danilo Petrucci (Ducati) 104
P2 – Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha) 100
P3 – Jake Gagne (Yamaha) 91
P4– Cameron Petersen (Yamaha) 78
P5 – Hector Barbera (BMW) 63
Danilo Petrucci (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC – Ducati #9): “It’s been a tough weekend. Friday the V4 R was feeling good, then today I tried to stay with the other riders and was able to get the V4 R into a top position. This Ducati works, and I’m looking forward to Road America.”
More, from a press release issued by Westby Racing:
Two Runner-Up Results For Scholtz At VIR Bring Him To Within Four Points Of Superbike Lead
Mathew Scholtz (11) leads Cameron Petersen (45) and Danilo Petrucci (9) during Race Two at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Westby Racing.
Alton, VA – May 22, 2022 – After finishing second in Saturday’s Superbike race one at VIRginia International Raceway, Mathew Scholtz and his Westby Racing team showed championship-level grit and determination in overcoming Sunday-morning adversity to finish as runner-up in the afternoon’s Superbike race two. The two second-place finishes have put Mathew just four points behind championship leader Danilo Petrucci.
Mathew benefitted this weekend from some new parts on his #11 Yamaha YZF-R1, but a crash in Sunday morning warmup made the bike unrideable in the afternoon’s race. The team went to work and prepared a replacement R1 Superbike for him to ride, but they were unable to put the new parts on the bike.
Undeterred, Mathew rose to the challenge in Superbike race two. Starting from the middle of the front row, “The Scholtz Kid” withstood a strong challenge from Petrucci, who is a former MotoGP race winner, and ultimately crossed the finish line in second place, just a little more than three seconds adrift of race winner Jake Gagne.
“I’m definitely a little tired of finishing second, but after this morning’s crash, I’ll happily take it,” commented Mathew. “The bike was totaled. We have a completely different fuel tank, which I had to get used to. And, before the race, we hadn’t done a single lap on the bigger tank with the weight over the front tire. It’s just a totally different bike. So, for the first couple of laps, I had to adapt to the different bike. Jake (Gagne) and I were pretty similar in most of the corners, but there were two or three corners where he would pull out, probably, one-and-a-half tenths just in those corners. For the rest of the track, I felt we were similar in maybe one or two corners. I would catch him by a bike length, but for the most part, where he was strong, he was a lot stronger. Just really happy to take second after battling and seeing the board with plus 0.1 for 15 laps straight and just hearing Cam’s (Petersen) bike and Danilo’s (Petrucci) bike behind me. Danilo passed me one time and kind of pushed me a little bit wide, which I wasn’t the happiest with because we were upright braking. I passed him back and started riding my own pace to make sure I got out of the corners well and got on the brakes late. I was hoping that, with braking late and kind of parking the bike, Danilo and Cam would start battling with each other and help me a little bit. A massive thank you to the Westby team. The bike was totaled this morning, so for them to bring out the second bike and put the settings on it and for me to finish second, I couldn’t be happier. To Tryg (Westby) who runs this whole team. He’s the main guy behind this whole project. He’s put his heart and soul into this team and me for the past five or six years now. If it wasn’t for him, I’d be back home waiting tables or something. I’m just living the dream here. Happy to be up here with Jake and battling with Danilo, a world-class rider. It’s just incredible stuff. I’m really happy. The next race, Road America, I have struggled there previously so we need to try to figure something out there and, hopefully, I’ll be challenging Jake.”
The Westby Racing team will be back in action for round four of the 2022 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship, which takes place at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, on June 3 through 5.
Editorial Notes: Canadian Torin Collins finished 22nd in JuniorGP World Championship Race One but DNF Race Two. American Kristian Daniel Jr. DNF European Talent Cup Race One and then finished 24th in Race Two.
100% records extended as Alonso and Rueda share JuniorGP™ victories
Tulovic continued his perfect start to 2022 in Valencia as a new title leader emerges in JuniorGP™
On a phenomenal day of action in the Finetwork FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship, David Alonso (Aspar Team) and Jose Rueda (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) shared the JuniorGP™ class spoils by claiming Race 1 and Race 2 victories respectively at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo. Lukas Tulovic (Liqui Moly Intact GP Junior) won the only Moto2™ European Championship race of the day as Joel Esteban (Aspar Team) emerged victorious from Race 1 in Valencia in the Hawkers European Talent Cup, but a late disqualification from Race 2 for a technical infringement for the Spaniard meant Maximo Martinez (Team Honda Laglisse) took the 25 points.
The race for JuniorGP™ Race 1 victory came down to the final lap and making a classy move stick at the final corner was Alonso, who edged out comeback king Angel Piqueras (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) by just 0.030s – the latter coming from the back of the grid to earn a podium. Third place went to David Salvador (Laglisse Academy) as the Spaniard added to his P3 in Estoril, with Rueda taking away P4 from Race 1.
Race 2 followed a similar pattern; a cracking battle that went right down to the wire. Coming out on top this time around was Rueda who had spearheaded the pack for most of the race, as we saw Fillipo Farioli (Aspar Team) – a crasher in Race 1 from the lead – and Salvador standing on the rostrum. Leading the Championship after Race 1, Alonso crashed at the final corner but managed to remount and cross the line P7. But having won from pole, Rueda heads to Barcelona as the title race leader.
The fight for victory in the Moto2™ ECh was between Tulovic and Alex Escrig (Yamaha Philippines Stylobike) after Senna Agius (Promoracing) crashed out of the lead at Turn 12 in the early exchanges. Tulovic went on to win by 1.1s to extend his Championship lead, with the final podium place going to Xavi Cardelus (Promoracing) after a good scrap with Yeray Ruiz (FAU55 TEY Racing). The Stock honours went the way of Marco Tapia (Easyrace Team) after the Spaniard crossed the line in P10.
After a Dodo Boggio (Aspar Team) crash at 11 brought out the red flags, a five-lap dash decided Race 1 in the Hawkers ETC. Two tenths split the top four but it was once again Esteban who managed to fend off the competition for his third straight win, as Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 teammates Brian Uriarte and Rico Salmela – from the back of the grid – completed the podium ahead of fourth place Guido Pini (AC Racing Team).
Race 2 ended up being a bit more straight forward for Esteban. Contact between Uriarte and Pini caused the leading group to be broken up, and from there on, Esteban stretched his advantage to eventually take the chequered flag by more than 2.9s. However, a technical infringement saw his fourth win stripped, so after a mechanical problem in Race 1 and Long Lap penalty in Race 2, reigning Champion Martinez got his first points of the season on the board with P1 in what was a photo finish between himself and Pini in second. Boggio was promoted to P3 after his teammate’s post-race misfortunes, as Esteban heads to Barcelona with a 13-point lead in the overall standings.
Suzuki Motor USA headquarters in Brea, California. Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Suzuki Celebrates 20 Years of ATV Manufacturing in the United States
Rome, GA – Suzuki Motor USA, LLC is proud to celebrate 20 years of manufacturing KingQuad ATVs at the Suzuki Manufacturing of America Corporation (SMAC) facility. KingQuad ATVs rolled off the assembly line in Rome, Georgia in May of 2002, and have continued to be built exclusively in the United States ever since.
Suzuki, the inventor of the 4-wheel ATV, has been building the award-winning KingQuad ATVs in this multi-million dollar, 35-acre manufacturing facility since 2002. The SMAC facility is located in the center of the biggest ATV market in the world, allowing access to real-world rider feedback for product refinement and timely delivery of KingQuad ATVs to Suzuki dealers worldwide.
First on Four Wheels – Suzuki has been an innovator in engineering since the company’s founding in 1909. This commitment to engineering excellence in the early 1980s saw Suzuki lead the industry with the creation of the first ever four-wheel ATV in 1983. Always committed to innovation, and attentive to the needs and desires of riders, Suzuki was literally First on Four Wheels.
“This is an extremely important milestone for Suzuki,” said Kerry Graeber, Vice President, Division Manager MC/ATV Sales and Marketing. “Suzuki is very proud to have built KingQuad ATVs in America for the past 20 years. The performance, toughness, and durability of Suzuki ATVs represent the commitment, hard work, and dedication of the people who build them in our Rome, Georgia facility.”
The SMAC facility is one key to the continued success of Suzuki’s global ATV business and Suzuki KingQuad ATVs built there are shipped to U.S. Suzuki dealers and nearly 30 countries worldwide.
Learn more about the complete line of Suzuki KingQuad ATVs at SuzukiCycles.com.
The Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. competitors on the grid at VIR. Photo courtesy Royal Enfield North America.
KAYLEIGH BUYCK FIRES FIRST AT ROYAL ENFIELD BTR OPENER
BUILD. TRAIN. RACE Road Race opening round heats up the already scorching MotoAmerica action at Virginia International Raceway
Milwaukee, WI – Nerves and emotions were high as the women of Royal Enfield’s groundbreaking Build. Train. Race. (BTR) Road Racing program took to the track at Virginia International Raceway, Sunday, May 22, for the first round of the 2022 season. For the first time, the full grid, each aboard a Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 of their own unique build, took the green lights at the MotoAmerica North American Road Race Championship. Through the intense Virginia heat and humidity, and the most competitive grid BTR has ever seen, it was 30-year-old Kayleigh Buyck of Sodus, New York who emerged victorious.
Buyck not only won the final race, but topped the charts in both practice and qualifying sessions. On paper it was a flawless performance, but was anything but a runaway victory for Buyck, who also had her share of drama when she crashed in Q2. Cora Tennyson passed Buyck for the lead in the early laps of Sunday’s main race, only to end her efforts with a spectacular high-side. From there, Buyck resumed the lead, with Crystal Martinez relentless in her pursuit. Martinez finished less than a second behind at the checkered flag. Not far off was Chloe Peterson, who rounded out the overall podium.
“I still haven’t found the words to describe the thousands of feelings from our first BTR race,” said Buyck. “Being able to hold pole position all weekend even after a bad crash, and then to pull a win is a feeling I cannot describe. Being on this team, racing with 14 other amazing women who empower each other is a dream come true. We are all each others’ biggest fans and having Breeann Poland, Melissa Paris and Anne Roberts there to make this all a possibility is something I will forever be grateful for!”
Even Tennyson, who didn’t get to run the full distance, and also incurred a jump-start penalty, had some good takeaways from the weekend. “Despite how it ended, I am very proud of what I was able to accomplish before my crash,” said Tennyson. “After a jump start and falling from second to seventh, I was able to battle back to the front. All of the ladies showed tremendous effort and resilience and I’m proud to ride with them.”
Opening round winner Kayleigh Buyck (center), flanked by BTR podium finishers Crystal Martinez (left) and Chloe Peterson (right). Photo courtesy Royal Enfield North America.
Alyssa Bridges was the top finisher among the returning BTR Road Racing women, and reflected on the change from the 2021 season to the far more competitive 2022 class of racers. “This year having more people to battle with is fun,” said Bridges. “I’ve improved a lot after being brand new to this sport last season and I’m happy I get to battle a few returning teammates, as well. The rivalries, race battles and crowded grid add even more fun, and it’s a pleasure to be around even more talented personalities to learn from.”
“This weekend went about as good as we could ask for,” said Breeann Poland, Marketing and Communications Lead – Royal Enfield Americas. “The racing was incredible. These ladies went at it and really put on a great show. Every single rider improved throughout the weekend. Spirits were high throughout with great teamwork, and all the participants helped each other both on and off the track. We’re pretty thrilled with how the opening round went.”
“We unfortunately had one low point this weekend; racer Patty Paul crashed in practice and suffered a broken collarbone. We wish her a speedy recovery and look forward to having her rejoin the paddock this season.
“Thank you again to all the Build. Train. Race. sponsors. We couldn’t do it without their support. And the reception from fans and the MotoAmerica paddock was more than we could ask for. We’re in for an outstanding season and we’re already looking forward to Road America in two weeks.”
The 2022 Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. programs (Road Race and Flat Track) are made possible by the participation of these generous sponsors. Our continued thanks to all our supporting companies behind BTR.
2022 Build. Train. Race. Sponsors
Parts Unlimited
Harris Performance
S&S Cycle
Dunlop
Maxima Racing Oils
BOXO USA
Öhlins USA Suspension
Arai Helmets
About Royal Enfield
The oldest motorcycle company in continuous production in the world, Royal Enfield made its first motorcycle in 1901. A division of Eicher Motors Limited, Royal Enfield has created the midsize motorcycle segment in India with its unique and distinctive modern classic motorcycles. With its manufacturing base in Chennai, India, Royal Enfield has been able to grow its production rapidly against a surge in demand for its motorcycles. Royal Enfield is a leading player in the global middleweight motorcycle market.
Royal Enfield North America (RENA) is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is developing a growing network of more than 150 dealers in North America, including the contiguous U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. RENA currently offers the all-new Classic 350, Meteor 350, Himalayan and the 650 Twins (INT650 and Continental GT 650) motorcycles, along with a range of Genuine Motorcycle Accessories and apparel.
Kayleigh Buyck (16) had her share of drama, including a crash in Q2 that left her scrambling to prep her bike for the main race, but rode to a near flawless victory. Photo courtesy Royal Enfield North America.
Tyler Scott (70) made it a double-podium weekend aboard
his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR GSX-R750. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
DOUBLE-PODIUM WEEKEND FOR TYLER SCOTT AND VISION WHEEL M4 ECSTAR SUZUKI IN VIRGINIA
New to Class Suzuki GSX-R750s Immediately Competitive in Supersport
BREA, Calif., May 23, 2022 — Suzuki Motor USA and Team Hammer enjoyed another trophy-winning performance as Round 3 of the 2022 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship concluded on Sunday at Virginia International Raceway.
For the second consecutive day, that podium was delivered by 16-year-old MotoAmerica Supersport rookie Tyler Scott. The fast-rising Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki star again battled for the win deep into the contest with a pair of premier-class champions before ultimately guiding his GSX-R750 to a third-place finish.
“The bike felt great all race,” Scott said. “We made some changes overnight and they helped, but the pace was faster today. Overall, it was a great weekend. The team has been amazing. The GSX-R750 was outstanding, and I’ll just keep working on my riding.”
Scott’s Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki teammate, Sam Lochoff, rebounded from a chaotic Saturday to come home one spot further back in fourth. The South African did so despite suffering from a lower leg injury and the intense heat to keep his title hopes very much alive.
After a tough Race 1, Sam Lochoff (44) bounced back and takes fourth in Race 2. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Lochoff said, “I’m extremely happy about the work my crew has put in on this GSX-R750. I think we’re nearly there, and we just need to do a bit of fine-tuning now. I’m sure we’re going to win some races on it this year.
“I was hurting from yesterday’s crash today, but we’re coming out swinging at Road America,” continued Lochoff.
While third Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki Supersport pilot Liam Grant crashed out of contention early, Altus Motorsports Suzuki’s Justin Jones made sure three Team Hammer-built GSX-Rs finished inside the top ten with a tenth-place performance.
Liam Grant (90) looks to the next round after a fall in Race 2.. Photo courtesy Team Suzuki Press Office.
Meanwhile, Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki Superbike teammates Richie Escalante and Jake Lewis spent the bulk of the contest embroiled in an intra-team fight for sixth position. Their battle nearly carried them to the top five, as together they, mounted on their Suzuki GSX-R1000R race bikes, drew in on the position late before running out of laps to challenge for the spot.
In the end, rookie Escalante finished in sixth with reigning Stock 1000 champion Jake Lewis close behind in seventh.
Richie Escalante (54) with another top ten finish aboard his GSX-R1000R. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Escalante said, “Today was much better. I started both races very well, which is important to stay close with the front group. I didn’t have the pace to go for the podium, but I raced for fifth the whole race.
“I continue to work to adjust my riding style to help the bike work a little better, especially on corner exit. I’m really happy with the process. I’m getting closer over one lap and race distance. I’m pretty happy with that and I’ll keep working to find the next step.”
A pair of top-ten finishes from Jake Lewis (85) looks to carry the momentum into the next round. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Team Hammer will be back in action at the high-speed Road America at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, on June 3-5.
Suzuki Motor USA would also like to recognize Hayden Gillim aboard his GSX-R1000R for taking double wins in the Stock 1000 class.
ABOUT TEAM HAMMER
The 2022 season marks Team Hammer’s 42nd consecutive year of operating as a professional road racing team. Racebikes built and fielded by Team Hammer have won 128 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National races, have finished on AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National podiums 332 times, and have won 11 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National Championships, as well as two FIM South American Championships (in Superbike and Supersport.) The team has also won 137 endurance races overall (including seven 24-hour races) and 13 Overall WERA National Endurance Championships with Suzuki motorcycles and holds the U.S. record for mileage covered in a 24-hour race. The team also competed in the televised 1990s Formula USA National Championship, famously running “Methanol Monster” GSX-R1100 Superbikes fueled by methanol, and won four F-USA Championships.
ABOUT VISION WHEEL
Founded in 1976, Vision Wheel is one of the nation’s leading providers of custom wheels for cars and trucks, and one of the first manufacturers of custom wheels and tires for ATVs, UTVs, and golf carts. Vision Wheel looks beyond the current trends and to the future in developing, manufacturing, and distributing its wheels. Vision’s lines of street, race, off-road, American Muscle, and Milanni wheels are distributed nationally and internationally through a trusted network of distributors. Vision Wheel also produces the Vision It AR app to allow users to see how their wheel of choice will look on their vehicle before purchase and installation. For more information on Vision Wheel, visit www.visionwheel.com.
ABOUT SUZUKI
Suzuki Motor USA, LLC. (SMO) distributes Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automotive Parts, Accessories, and ECSTAR Oils & Chemicals via an extensive dealer network throughout 49 states. Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer of Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automobiles, Outboard Motors, and related products. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, SMC has business relations with 201 countries/regions. For more information, visit www.suzuki.com.
More, from a press release issued by Tytlers Cycle Racing:
PJ Jacobsen, Hector Barbera and Travis Wyman bag multiple top ten finishes at VIR
Tytlers Cycle Racing raced to multiple top ten finishes in the latest round of the 2022 MotoAmerica Superbike championship at Virginia International Raceway with riders PJ Jacobsen and Hector Barbera achieving a best of fifth and sixth respectively across the weekend.
Their BMW M1000 RR machines once again performed superbly allowing both riders to fight for the front running positions on Saturday and Sunday.
For Jacobsen, who missed Road Atlanta through sickness, it was a positive return to the track, the #66 coming out on top of a three-way fight for P5 in the opening race on Saturday before racing to seventh on Sunday.
Spain’s Hector Barbera maintained his point scoring record with sixth and ninth, adding seventeen points to his already impressive tally for the season. He remains fifth overall in the standings.
Travis Wyman, one of the team’s Stock1000 regulars was also in action in the Superbike category. He finished tenth in both races.
PJ Jacobsen: “The opening race was difficult. I suffered with rear grip, and it was hard to manage. I did what I could, and it was pretty uncomfortable by half race distance. We knew we could lap faster and so we regrouped overnight before Race 2. Sunday was better. We were able to fix a lot of things and I was happy to bag a P5 finish. I was not happy with what happened on Saturday, but the team did a great job, and we were able to show our potential. It’s a brand-new team and a brand-new bike so the data we gathered here will certainly help us in the coming races.”
Hector Barbera: “All weekend, because of the heat, I struggled to get the feeling I wanted with the front tyre and so the races were quite difficult. When we improved the front, it made the rear worse. In Race 1 I was spinning everywhere. I tried my best, passed a few riders and was able to finish sixth. Race 2 I had problems with the tyre, and I couldn’t fight for a better position. We will continue to test and continue to work hard, and I am sure we can arrive at the front soon.”
More, from a press release issued by Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC Racing:
Travis Wyman delivers another Stock1000 podium as Zac Schumacher makes progress and Corey Alexander avoids serious injury
Corey Alexander, Zac Schumacher, and Travis Wyman were back on track at VIR this past weekend for the Tytlers Cycle Racing powered by Ride HVMC squad in the latest round of the MotoAmerica Stock1000 championship with Wyman delivering another podium for the squad in Saturday’s opening race.
Qualifying fifth, Wyman ensured he was in the mix from the off taking a well-earned P3 at the end of the nine-lap encounter. He finished eleventh on Sunday.
Zac Schumacher was racing at another new circuit. He progressed well throughout the weekend finishing nineteenth and eighteenth respectively to ensure another double top twenty finish.
Round 1 winner Alexander had a nasty looking spill early in the weekend after running strongly in practice. Crashing hard he thankfully escaped serious injury but missed both races. He will be back on track at Road America.
Travis Wyman: “After missing most of practice and qualifying we ended P5 on the grid which I was super happy about. I made a great start in Race 1 and after a race long battle was able to bring it home in third for another podium. I was in the lead group off the start again in Race 2 but unfortunately with about four laps to go I crashed after making a pass for second place. I tucked the front but was able to get going again and finish eleventh, salvaging some points which may make all the difference at the end of the season. See you all at Road America.”
Zac Schumacher (90). Photo courtesy Tytlers Cycle Ride HMVC Racing.
Zac Schumacher: “It was my first time at VIR. I crashed in FP1 and missed the entire session which meant I was still learning the track in qualifying. I qualified twenty-ninth and was able to finish P19. Race 2 was a little better. We a couple of changes overnight and found the feeling I had been searching for. I started twenty-seventh and was able to pass several riders, eventually finishing P18. I want to say a huge thanks to the Tytlers Cycle guys. Without them my weekend would have been over.”
Corey Alexander (23) in action at VIR before his crash. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Corey Alexander: “I am bummed to have missed both races this weekend but am very thankful to have walked away as well as I did. I’m just recovering with some road rash and a couple bruises as well as some fog from the concussion I suffered but otherwise my Arai Helmet, Alpinestars suit with Tech-Air bag and the Road Racing World Action Fund Air Fence surely saved my life. I am hopeful to return to Road America and pick up where we left off prior to the crash. Thanks to everyone for the messages and support.”
More, from a press release issued by Aprilia:
MOTOAMERICA TWINS CUP CHAMPIONSHIP CONCLUDES AT VIR WITH A PAIR OF LAST LAP WINS FOR JODY BARRY AND HIS VELOCE RACING APRILIA RS 660
BARRY EXTENDS HIS CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD LEAVING VIRGINIA AND BREAKS HIS OWN LAP RECORD SET AGAIN ON THE RS 660
ALTON, VA – 23 MAY 2022 – MotoAmerica Twins Cup arrived at Virginia International Raceway this weekend for the third round of the championship. 35 riders lined up to grid for race one, as the participation and competition of the Twins Cup class continues to grow in the series.
Leaving the second round in Atlanta, a single race weekend for the Twins Cup, the stakes were high upon arrival in Virginia for the teams, knowing there was a potential 50 points up for grab in the weekend’s two races. When Qualifying 2 had completed, the story was reminiscent of 2021, with Jody Barry, besting his best time and lap record set last year on his RS 660 of 1:30:823, with a pole position secured with a time of 1:30:082 on his Veloce Racing RS 660 on Saturday morning.
In race one of the weekend, after 13 complete laps, it came down to the line with a photo finish victory that showing Jody Barry across the line just inches ahead of the next rider.
Race 2 had an early red flag which forced a restart, but with a similar battle to Saturday’s race, Sunday proved to be another last lap dash to the line, where Jody Barry locked up his second win of the weekend, and third of season.
Jody Barry. Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Aprilia.
Jody Barry, Veloce Racing
“I’ve always loved this track. I had confidence coming out of Road Atlanta, and we started the weekend quick, getting the setup dialled in. By the end of both races, it was a chess game, working with grip, pushing the front end and working with track conditions.
I have a lot of confidence working with the Veloce team, which makes it easy for me to relax and focus on my riding. I feel comfortable with the RS 660 and finding any solutions with the team to keep it up front. I have to thank the whole Veloce team, and all the sponsors and partners that support putting a bike under me, including CycleTune, LiquiMoly, Vesrah, Arai, Bison, and Aprilia which help us compete and get these wins.
I am excited for Road America, my home track. Last year didn’t go how we wanted, with a flight to the hospital, but we won’t repeat that this year. My family will be there, the vibes will be cool, and we’re looking forward to it.”
MotoAmerica heads to Road America, June 3-5. Championship Schedule, Competitor information, and Class Rules can be found at https://motoamerica.com/
More, from a press release issued by Robem Engineering:
Robem Engineering Aprilia riders score three top-10 finishes at MotoAmerica round at VIR
Hobbs, Gloddy finish May 20-22 round second, eighth in Twins Cup points standings
ALTON, Va. — The 2022 MotoAmerica Superbikes at Virginia round turned out to be a struggle for Robem Engineering Aprilia riders Teagg Hobbs and Ben Gloddy. Yet, the duo limited the damage to their championship aspirations at the May 20-22 event by scoring a total of three top-10s in two Twins Cup races at VIRginia International Raceway.
Despite a challenging weekend on track, both remain in the hunt to claim Robem Engineering’s second Twins Cup title in two years. Hobbs did enough to hold onto second place in the standings with 63 points. Gloddy is in eighth place with 40 points.
The VIR round started well for both riders. Hobbs topped the time sheets and Gloddy was sixth in Friday practice. The first of two qualifying sessions took place Friday afternoon, and Hobbs and Gloddy finished that session third and eighth, respectively. Saturday’s Qualifying 2 session didn’t go as well, as both riders lost some pace to the other Twins Cup front runners and ended up qualifying eighth and 10th.
In Saturday’s Race 1, both Hobbs and Gloddy got good starts and had advanced one position in the running order by the end of Lap 1. Hobbs was running as high as sixth before he dropped to 12th on Lap 8, but continued to push hard to make up the positions he lost and finished the race in 10th. Gloddy’s pace improved relative to the riders around him as the race went on. Though he dropped as low as 11th on Laps 3-5, Gloddy steadily worked his way up the running order to secure a seventh-place finish.
Sunday’s Race 2 proved to be a struggle. The pair got off the line well, with Hobbs finishing the first lap in seventh and Gloddy in eighth. The race was stopped at the beginning of Lap 3 due to a crash at Turn 1, and Hobbs made an error while slowing down for the race stoppage and crashed at Turn 1. He was able to get his Aprilia RS 660 running again and had to slowly make his way around the 2.25-mile course to pit lane. Hobbs’ delayed arrival in the pits caused him to miss the sighting lap for the race restart, and he had to take the restart from the back of the grid.
When racing resumed, Gloddy tried to work his way up the running order quickly and was running in fifth place during the first lap. Hobbs did his best to make up track position on the opening lap and advanced past 13 riders on the first lap of the restarted race. Though Gloddy was pushing his RS 660 hard, he lost several positions as the nine-lap race went on and had to settle for a 10th-place finish. Hobbs’ charge up the running order slowed as the race progressed, though he managed to work his way up to 12th place aboard his damaged bike by the end of the race.
The Robem Engineering Aprilia team will be back in action at the next MotoAmerica round, which takes place June 3-5 at the Road America circuit in Elkhart Lake, Wis.
Ben Gloddy (72). Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Robem Engineering.
Ben Gloddy / No. 72
“I had an amazing weekend overall and can’t thank the Robem Engineering team enough for everything they did to help me this weekend. We struggled a little bit on Friday and Saturday, but had a better race on Sunday. We just couldn’t quite hang with the leaders this round. We did get some things figured out with our Aprilia RS 660s, and I can’t wait to do it all again in a few weeks at Road America.”
Teagg Hobbs (79). Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Robem Engineering.
Teagg Hobbs / No. 79
“This weekend had the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. We led a few sessions and found a good setup for our Aprilia RS 660. Unfortunately, both races were pretty rough. All we can do is move on to the next round, and I can’t think Robem Engineering enough for working tirelessly through the whole weekend. Now it’s on to Wisconsin in a few weeks!”
Robem Engineering’s technical partners for 2022 include Aprilia Racing, Piaggio Group Americas, The Center for Plastic Surgery, Synchrony, Velocity Calibrations, Bitubo Suspension, Dunlop, Woodcraft Technologies, Dymag, Vesrah, Sprint Filter, DID, Magura USA, Sara Chappell Photos, NGK/NTK, Blud Lubricants, Millennium Technologies, Motovation USA and SC-Project.
More, from a press release issued by Pure Attitude Racing:
Chase Black delivers Junior Cup front row start and top six finish. Liam MacDonald bags Twins Cup points at VIR as Trevor Standish bounces back on Sunday
Virginia International Raceway was the setting for the latest round of the 2022
MotoAmerica Championship and Pure Attitude Racing was once again on the grid in both the Twins Cup and Junior Cup classes.
Teenager Chase Black, in only his second race weekend for the team performed superbly throughout the weekend. Running strongly on the opening day before qualifying on the front row of the grid in third in Junior Cup, for the first time in his career. He finished 8th in Saturday’s opening race before taking a brilliant fifth on Sunday.
Twins Cup continues to be one of the most competitive categories in MotoAmerica this year. Armed with the latest Yamaha R7 machines and Liam MacDonald and Trevor Standish were once again in the mix for points in both races. A DNF on Saturday for Trevor was a little disappointing, the #16 bouncing back on Sunday to finish seventeenth at the flag. Macdonald raced hard, understanding how to ride the Yamaha, which is a new challenge for him, with every lap completed. He added three more points to his championship tally with a thirteenth-place finish in the Race 1 before narrowly missing a second points scoring finish on Sunday. He crossed the line P16 after a race long battle with several riders including his team mate. With more data gathered the pair look forward to another strong showing next time out at Road America.
Chase Black (14). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Pure Attitude Racing.
Chase Black: “I qualified on the front row for the first time in my MotoAmerica career after a great run in qualifying. I made a good start in Saturday’s first race but after a few laps I started to lose touch with the group and ended P8. Sunday’s second race was awesome, and I had so much fun. I was much closer to the front, and I was able to make some nice moves. I saved a possible high side and that cost me a shot at the podium but when I look back at the weekend, to leave with a front row and a top six in only my second race with the team is pretty good.”
Liam MacDonald (37). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Pure Attitude Racing.
Liam MacDonald: “It was great to ride at VIR this weekend and satisfying to come away with more points in Race 1. We made a few changes especially with the geometry of the bike and it gave me much more feel. I had a big moment early on, but I managed to stay on board and bring it home in thirteenth. Sunday was a bit more difficult but nevertheless I had a great race with Trevor and a couple of other guys and whilst I just missed out on other points finish it was a good race and to beat my team mate for the first time since I came to MotoAmerica is a nice little bonus.”
Trevor Standish (16). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Pure Attitude Racing.
Trevor Standish: “We found an issue between Q2, and the first race related to the fueling, but we were able to resolve it. However, the problem came back on the warm up lap, and it turned out to be an issue with the clutch. I started at the back of the grid, but the problem got worse and that was the end of the race for me, so I decided to call it a day for safety reasons. On Sunday I was running well in the first start but then the red flag was thrown. In the restart I struggled with grip and fought hard with Liam and a couple of other guys, but I made a few mistakes and wasn’t able to stay with them. I closed the gap but just ran out of time. I am really bummed to leave VIR with no points, but we will go again at Road America where hopefully we will be able to further improve the bikes as we are still not at 100% yet.”
More, from a press release issued by Levi Badie Racing:
First MotoAmerica points for Levi as he makes history by becoming the Belgian to score points in the US national series
Levi Badie made history at VIR this past weekend by becoming the first Belgian rider to score points in the MotoAmerica series.
Racing for Bartcon Racing in a Kawasaki in Junior Cup, Levi qualified eleventh on his debut at the circuit. Learning the circuit with every lap the talented teen was in the mix throughout Saturday’s opening race, claiming seventh at the flag – a mere 0.9s from the win.
Sunday saw another spirited effort from the #31 but his race was cut short after he was unable to avoid a rider that fell in front of him.
Despite his third DNF of the season Levi continues to be one of the most talked about riders – bringing his European flair to the US national series.
Levi Badie (71). Photo courtesy Levi Badie Racing.
Levi Badie: “It wasn’t a bad first race given the circumstances. I made a bad start, but I was able to close the gap to the leading group, I even set the fastest lap at one point. It was hot conditions, and the race was reduced to five laps after a red flag. I had been told by the team that there’s always crazy riding in VIR and people getting taken out and so I wanted to stay calm and get some decent points which I did. I was not so far from the podium – only 0.9s from the win. I made some steps in Sunday’s warm-up session and then I was running quite strong in Race 2 on Sunday until one of the other riders fell and I had nowhere to go. I need to work on my starts, but I have shown I am fast, and the team is working well so hopefully at Road America I can show our real potential. The circuit is the most dangerous I have ever raced – very different to Europe and so when I took to the grass, I was happy to not be hurt. I want to thank everyone who is supporting me and look forward to riding at Road America. It looks like an amazing track and one that I think I can be fast at.”
MotoAmerica Superbike and Stock 1000 racer Corey Alexander praised his safety gear and soft barriers for allowing him to escape from a scary crash at VIRginia International Raceway with only a concussion.
Alexander, the Stock 1000 Championship point leader coming into the weekend, was riding his Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC Racing BMW M 1000 RR during Stock 1000 Q2 Saturday morning, when he lost control coming out of Turn Five.
The New Yorker was thrown from his machine and heavily impacted non-inflatable Airfence Bike sections on the right side of the track.
“I remember thinking I had it saved and holding on to it, and that’s really the last thing I remember until waking up at the hospital,” Alexander told Roadracingworld.com today, his 28th birthday. “I got a full CT scan. I had a little bit of coughing and trouble breathing, initially. I don’t actually know how long I was knocked out for or if I was truly knocked out. I assume I was. I heard I was. I don’t know. But they transported me. I was pretty out of it. But the rest of my body was good.”
Alexander impacted non-inflatable Airfence Bike modules purchased by the Roadracing World Action Fund, and the Airfence did its job well.
“If the Airfence wasn’t there I don’t think I would be alive. I couldn’t imagine hitting a steel wall at that speed,” said Alexander. “In fact, I feel really good, to be honest. Between my Arai helmet, my [Alpinestars] air bag suit, and the Airfence it’s pretty amazing. It definitely could have been a lot worse.”
Alexander said he has decided to skip a multi-team test scheduled this week at Pittsburgh International Race Complex and to focus on recovering as much as possible before the next MotoAmerica round, June 3-5 at Road America.
And Alexander wanted to point out to foreign journalists drawing conclusions and expressing opinions on social media after viewing video of his crash that his helmet did not come off at any point of the crash.
The Roadracing World Action Fund is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to prevent racetrack injuries through motorcycle road racing education and by advocating for and facilitating the use of soft barriers like those made by Airfence and Alpina. To make a tax-deductible donation to the Roadracing World Action Fund, click here, and visit www.roadracingworld.com/actionfund/ for more information.
Danilo Petrucci (9) attempting to go around the outside of Mathew Scholtz (11) on the final lap of MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Race Two at VIR. Petrucci crashed immediately after this photo was taken. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Ducati North America.
CAUTION: Includes graphic image.
Danilo Petrucci suffered injuries when he crashed at 174 mph after taking the checkered flag at the end of MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Race Two May 22 at VIRginia International Raceway.
Petrucci was attempting to overtake Westby Racing Yamaha’s Mathew Scholtz for second place in the final run to the checkered flag but came up 0.020 second short and crossed the finish line in third.
It wasn’t caught on camera, but an instant after crossing the finish line at 174 mph, Petrucci tucked the front end of his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC Panigale V4 R and went for a long slide and tumble alongside the front straightaway toward Turn One.
Petrucci was seen on video coverage — 56 seconds after he crossed the finish line — walking away from the crash scene, but he skipped the podium ceremony and instead went to the track’s medical center seeking aid.
The official post-race press release issued by Ducati North America made no mention of Petrucci’s crash or injuries, but Sunday night the Italian rider posted the following on his Instagram feed.
“Just to inform you, I crashed at 280 km/h under the finish line that’s on a sixth gear corner for avoid touching another rider. I hit three sponsors signs with my body, multiple burns, multiple hematomas and a deep cut on the ankle with five stitches. I rolled for over 100 meters, maybe one of the worst crash of my entire career. And I lying down for over two minutes with no assistance, hearing the bikes passes next to me, till I stand up by myself and went alone to the medical center.”
A screenshot of Danilo Petrucci’s Instagram post showing some of his injuries.
Attempts by Roadracingworld.com to contact Petrucci were not successful.
Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha’s Cameron Petersen, who crossed the finish line 1.5 seconds after Petrucci, caught a glimpse of the incident.
“I kind of caught it right at the top of my vision,” Petersen told Roadracingworld.com. “I think what happened was I think Petrucci being so close to Matty [Scholtz] on the outside going at that speed, I think the outside of the track came up way faster than what he was expecting. We’re going 175-180 mph at that point, and I think the outside of the track just came up way faster than he expected.
“Honestly, Matty didn’t do anything wrong. He held his line. It’s not like he swerved, ran wide, or anything. I think just Petrucci being on the outside there just the outside of the track came up so fast and he tried to give it a little more lean angle and ended up pushing the front. There’s the little drop away there [change in track elevation] and there was a breeze coming from the side. I think a combination of all those things didn’t help him.”
Fabio Quartararo (20) leads the MotoGP World Championship point standings heading into Mugello. Photo courtesy Monster Energy Yamaha.
There’s no place like Mugello: MotoGP™ touches down in Tuscany
Add legend, myth, fable and the world’s fastest motorcycle racing Championship and you get the recipe for spectacle
Monday, 23 May 2022
Ladies and gentlemen, Mugello. That’s it, that’s the introduction. Or it could be, with the Italian venue so steeped in character, legend and myth – in the best way – that barely a word need be written. And yet, there is plenty to say as the FIM MotoGP™ World Championship heads for Tuscany and the rolling hills of the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley, so let’s say it.
Starting in Beast mode would be where Le Mans left off, with Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) coming into his first home race of the season as a three-time winner, serious title contender and an extremely fast MotoGP™ rider. Home glory would be something even more special, and with the form seen at Le Mans it’s hard to find a reason to rule him out… and Ducati have seen plenty of recent glory on the hallowed ground of Mugello.
Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) will be well aware of that and, despite crashing out at Le Mans, was fast once again. Too fast for everyone except Bastianini. So was it Pecco under pressure? A freak fall? A mistake that looked incredibly unlikely after his performance in Jerez? We’ll start to find out at Mugello. Teammate Jack Miller, meanwhile, arrives from another podium just not the top step this time around, and he’ll want to keep reasserting his authority as a surefire contender at the front – with some bad luck and a tougher start to the season seemingly behind him.
At Pramac Racing, there are two sides to the coin. Johann Zarco put in a solid ride on home ground, whereas Jorge Martin suffered another DNF in a difficult run in 2022, the Spaniard still suffering from the after effects of his big crash last year. What can they do on the team’s home turf? The same question can be asked of Mooney VR46 Racing Team too, as rookie Marco Bezzecchi continues to lead the fight for Rookie of the Year and continues to impress. What will he and teammate Luca Marini have in the locker at Mugello?
Home turf also comes into the equation for Aprilia. Maverick Viñales continues his learning curve, but the Noale Factory continue to impress pretty much everyone with Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing). Concessions somehow seem a distant memory already as the Spaniard and the RS-GP continue fighting for – and taking – podiums, and Mugello will be an interesting one with the long, long straight. Aleix Espargaro’s run is such that he can join only two other riders on the grid if he takes a fourth podium in a row too, with only eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) and former sparring partner Andrea Dovizioso (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP™) having achieved that in the current field.
Speaking of Yamaha, we can take a look back to 2021 for what they can do at Mugello. And then back to Jorge Lorenzo’s incredible record there, and before that back to Valentino Rossi’s five in a row. Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) is on form too – fighting as he said he would for every position – and he remains in a lonelier postcode compared to his fellow YZR-M1 riders. So does 2021 offer any portents of 2022? Or is it the tougher return to the likes of Losail that offer more clues? We’ll find out, with the long straight one thing likely on El Diablo’s mind, as well as those of Dovizioso and Franco Moribidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™).
The ballad of the inline four is also sung by Suzuki, and we’ve already seen both Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and teammate and 2020 Champion Joan Mir go well at the venue even up against the V4 grunt down the straight. Mir was on the podium last year too, which could bode well as the factory return to Tuscany looking to bounce back from a difficult French GP with two DNFs. Can they get back into the podium fight?
Honda, meanwhile, arrive still looking to find the zone for man and machine, as does Marc Marquez. What can the factory get out of the new RC213V at Mugello? The number 93 has continued his record of finishing as top Honda of late and fought for the podium at Jerez, but then Le Mans was a tougher one. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) was the closest though as he made a step forward in France, with Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) and Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) now looking for the same. Is Mugello, another new venue, another chance to make a step?
Finally, at KTM the tougher 2022 continues, but so does the work to get back to the front. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) has impressed nearly every weekend so far, and the South African seems to be able to wring every last drop out of Sunday. Can he do that at Mugello? Teammate Miguel Oliveira is also looking to find more speed and consistency in the dry, but the Austrian factory already know what it takes to win and they’re looking to return to the rostrum ASAP. Can Mugello offer a chance to move forward again after a podium for Oliveira at the venue last year?
We’ll find out on Sunday, with the spectacular Tuscan hills ready to receive the world’s fastest motorcycle racing Championship in style. Fans are back, the legend awaits and there’s nothing quite like Mugello, so make sure to join us on Sunday at 14:00 (GMT +2) for a date with a difference.
3 Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) – Ducati – 94
4 Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) – Suzuki – 69
5 Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – 62
Vietti & Arbolino hunt for glory on home ground
They’ve both already won this year, and now it’s time for Moto2™ to take on the fabled Mugello
After another different winner in Le Mans as Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) got back on the top step for the first time since 2019, the Moto2™ grid return to Tuscany for another stunning showdown. Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) remains ahead in the standings despite being forced into some damage limitation at Le Mans, and it’ll be a big weekend for the number 13 with home turf pressure. The same is true in some ways of Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team), although the COTA winner has a little less to lose as it stands. So who’ll be in their way at Mugello?
Fernandez will likely have an extra boost of confidence after that long wait for another victory, and so too will teammate Pedro Acosta despite crashing out. Crashing out from the lead after taking a lap record pole is a different beast to crashing from the middle of the points, and the rookie will be one to watch. He can still also equal Marc Marquez’ record as youngest intermediate class winner…
Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) was back on song in France too, and teammate Ai Ogura remains quick. Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) will want to bounce back after ruling himself out in France, and Jake Dixon (Solunion GASGAS Aspar Team) crashed after being quick once again. Cameron Beaubier (American Racing), meanwhile, is in a rich vein of form – and he’ll want to take that maiden podium.
And then there’s Aron Canet (Flexbox HP 40). The Moto2™ man of steel followed up his Jerez podium with another, on the best streak of results he’s had in the intermediate class and despite that injury. He says riding with zero pressure – as taking podiums should be a superhuman endeavour anyway, given his injury – has changed his mindset, and so far the proof of the thinking is very much in the racing. The bow tie remains, however, and he says Mugello is a tougher track for him. Can he make at least a little more magic in Italy?
Vietti is under pressure, Arbolino joins him as the two fastest home heroes as we stand, and the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello awaits a fast field of rivals looking to ruin their party. Will they? They’ll also have wildcard Mattia Pasini in at GASGAS – a man whose record at Mugello needs no introduction – to contend with, so the field is primed for a stunner. Tune in when the lights go out for Moto2 at 12:20, so make sure to tune in!
Moto2™ CHAMPIONSHIP: TOP 5
1 Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) – Kalex – 108
2 Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) – Kalex – 92
3 Aron Canet (Flexbox HP 40) – Kalex – 89
4 Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) – Kalex – 70
The Italian already ruled the venue last year, but there will be serious competition – not least of all from Masia on a roll
It’s time to suit and boot up for the stunning Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello, and Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) comes into the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley from a tougher run in 2022, but the Italian is a previous winner at Mugello and remains in the top echelons of the Championship. Now third overall although equal on points with second, Tuscany would be a great place to hit back against the likes of Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Championship leader Sergio Garcia (Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team). So can he do it?
Foggia is joined by Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) as the two previous winners at the venue, and the two veteran Italians – and Honda riders – will be pushing to get back to their early season form at the first home race of the season. They should be counted out, but then there’s one rider on a super roll as of now: Masia.
The Spaniard has always been quick, but in 2022 he’s added consistency and his mental game seems stronger than ever. With four podiums in a row for the first time ever, nothing says anyone should bet against a fifth. He also has two podiums at Mugello…
Garcia, meanwhile, remains a threat. Championship leader through a mixture of glory and consistency – the latter never getting in the way of the Spaniard making a late race attack – he remains the rider to beat in 2022, and his teammate is no slouch either. It’s easy to assume Jerez winner Izan Guevara will always be at the front now, but the Spaniard has earned his stripes with some impressive performances and there’s no reason to assume he won’t serve up another.
The other rider on a roll is Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max). Once again just missing that maiden win at Le Mans, the Japanese rider’s step forward in 2022 nevertheless continues to impress. Last season was derailed through injury and no fault of his own, but 2022 Sasaki is quick, consistent and impressive… so surely it’s just a matter of time?
With the long straight at Mugello, Moto3™ is bound to be a freight train fight. But who will be conductor remains to be decided, with plenty fast riders looking for those valuable 25 points. Who’ll come out on top? Tune in for Tuscany at 11:00 (GMT +2) on Sunday to find out!
Hungarian-American Rossi Moor (92) leading Matteo Masili (46) and Dustin Schneider (20) during Race Two at Oschersleben. Photo courtesy Northern Talent Cup.
More, from a press release issued by Northern Talent Cup:
Moor wins three-way fight for Race 2
The Hungarian comes out on top with a last lap move to defeat Masili
Rossi Moor (FAIRIUM Next Generation Riders Team) struck on the last lap for his second win of the season, passing teammate Matteo Masili and able to keep the door shut to the line. Dustin Schneider (Goblin Racing), who was fastest in testing at the venue, completed the podium as the top three escaped for a rostrum-deciding showdown.
Off the line it was Moor who got the holeshot and the Hungarian soon escaped from the pack, with Masili and Schneider for company. There was drama early on though as Noa Cuypers (Junior Black Knights) crashed out leaving Tibor Varga (Forty Racing) nowhere to go, and a few more riders evading or tumbling out. But all ok, and Loris Veneman (TeamNL Open Line) facing a fight back to the front.
Once that dust had settled, Race 1 winner Lennoxx Phommara (Phommara Team) was holding fourth in some space just off the front three, ahead of a big group fight for the last place in the top five. But then the Swiss rider slid out, leaving one three-way fight for the win. And, as ever, it went down to the final lap.
Masili started that final lap in the lead and the Italian held firm until the end of the back straight, where Moor made his move. The Hungarian made it stick too, and there was no way back for his teammate as the number 92 took win number two of his season. Masili impressed with the podium finish in second, however, as did home rider Schneider as he took third and his first rostrum too.
Jurrien van Crugten (BB64 Academy) won the fight for fourth ahead of Le Mans winner Kevin Farkas (Agria Racing Team), with Rocco Sessler (MCA Racing) just thousandths further back. Martin Vincze ((Chrobák Motorsport Egyesület), Luca Göttlicher (JRP Junior Academy Team), Maxime Schmid (Team Schmid), Julius Coenen (HJRT – Helena und Julius Racing Team) and Kilian Holzer (HK Racing) locked out a super tight group down to 11th, with Veneman taking P12.
That’s all Oschersleben wrote, and now it’s time for the NTC to head for the Sachsenring in a month. Join us for more then, back alongside MotoGP™!
Gagne Perfect With Two Victories In MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike at VIR
The Defending MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Champion Wins His Third Straight Race
Jake Gagne (1) leads Mathew Scholtz (11), Danilo Petrucci (9), and the rest of the MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike field early in Race Two at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
DANVILLE, VA (May 22, 2022) – Last year at VIRginia International Raceway, Jake Gagne not only won both races, he dominated them, winning race one and two by 11.8 and 13.9 seconds, respectively. The two VIR races were his biggest margins of victory in a season that saw him win 17 races.
Gagne again leaves Virginia with two MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike wins at one of his favorite racetracks, but this time, the margins of victory were much closer – 2.9 seconds on Saturday, 3.2 seconds on Sunday. And he freely admits that his rivals have gained a bit of ground on him. He also admits that he’s in favor of it and likes the fact that 2022 looks to be a 180 from last year in terms of the speed of his competition.
“There’s no such thing as those big eight-second leads anymore,” Gagne said, post victory. “Every half-10th or 10th, I’ll take it. These guys are all stepping it up this year. I’m excited. I think we’re all excited. It’s going to be some good battling. I think we’ll put on a show. It will be a little bit more exciting than some of the races last year. As much as I love cruising around at the front, I love battling, too. I love racing these boys.”
With Gagne and his Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha YZF-R1 winning race two on Sunday to complete his perfect weekend, Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz finished second. Again. This time Scholtz wasn’t overly upset with his fifth runner-up finish of the year. After all, he’d destroyed his A bike in a morning warm-up crash, forcing his crew to try and replicate the setup on the second bike.
Third place went to MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship leader Danilo Petrucci, the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC-backed Italian crossing the line just .020 of a second behind Scholtz as the pair raced to the finish line together. What happened next is still a bit of a mystery, but Petrucci crashed the Panigale V4 R in the fast turn one after the finish line and suffered a laceration on a leg that required stiches. Petrucci was in the medical center and missed the podium ceremonies.
The scrap for second lasted the entire race and featured Scholtz, Petrucci and Gagne’s teammate Cameron Petersen. Petersen was dropped from the battle in the closing laps and finished fourth, 1.5 seconds behind Scholtz/Petrucci.
Tytlers Cycle Racing’s PJ Jacobsen finished fifth on his BMW M 1000 RR and was challenged to the end by the pair of Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzukis ridden by Richie Escalante and Jake Lewis. Escalante ended up .270 of a second behind Jacobsen in sixth and .257 of a second ahead of seventh-placed Lewis.
Aftercare Hayes Scheibe Racing’s Ashton Yates ended a solid weekend with an eighth-place finish, ahead of the second Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW ridden by Spaniard Hector Barbera. Tenth place went to a lonely Travis Wyman on his Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC Racing BMW.
With three rounds (and six races) complete in the 2022 season, Petrucci’s lead has shrunk to 4 points over Scholtz, 104-100. Gagne, meanwhile, has vaulted himself to third in the championship chase, 13 points behind the Italian. Petersen is fourth, 13 behind Gagne. Barbera sits fifth – and is still the only rider in the top five to have scored points in every round.
Jake Gagne – Winner
“I think, in the beginning at least, the pace was a little quicker. I think all of us, at least me, for sure. I was a little surprised that the pace yesterday wasn’t what I was hoping. We didn’t make a lot of changes. We were a little off on tire pressure yesterday, I think. We definitely knew that. So, with that little bit of a tire pressure adjustment, I was able to run the times I wanted to a little bit easier in the beginning. Those first five, six, seven, eight laps were pretty strong. I didn’t make any mistakes. I could see I was just inching out on those guys. Going through turn four or five or whatever you’ve got that big screen and sometimes I could go through there and I saw Mat (Scholtz), Danilo (Petrucci), Cam (Petersen), all in a good battle there for second. So, I just tried to keep an eye on my pit board. Just like yesterday, mistakes can happen easily when it’s that slick out there towards the end, but these Dunlops held up good and this Yamaha… I’m just stoked that I get to ride this bike every weekend. I’ve got the best team that I could ask for behind me. I’m happy we made a little progress today because I knew we needed it. Everybody would be stepping it up. It’s good to get another win.”
Mathew Scholtz – Second
“If you had told me last night I would take another second today, I probably would have punched you in the face. I’m tired of getting seconds. But after this morning’s crash, I’ll happily take it. The bike was totaled. We have a totally different tank, which I had to get used to. We haven’t done a single lap on the bigger tank with the weight over the front tire. It’s just a completely different bike, really. Just the first couple laps, I was sensitive out there. We were pretty similar in most of the corners, but there were two or three corners where he would pull out probably one and a half tenths just in those corners. For the rest of the track, I felt we were similar in maybe one or two corners. I would catch him by a bike length, but for the most part on those parts where he was strong, he was a lot stronger. Just really happy to take second after battling and seeing the board with plus 0.1 for 15 laps straight and just hearing Cam’s (Petersen) bike, Danilo’s (Petrucci) bike. Danilo passed me one time and kind of pushed me a little bit wide, which I wasn’t the happiest with because we were upright braking. I passed him back and started riding my own pace to make sure I got out of the corners well and broke late. I was kind of hoping with braking late and kind of parking the bike that Danilo and Cam would start fighting and help me a little bit. A massive thank you to the Westby team. The bike was totaled, so for them to bring out the second bike and put the settings on it and for me to finish second, I couldn’t be happier. To Tryg (Westby) who runs this whole team. He’s the main guy behind this whole project. He’s put his heart and soul into this team and me for the last five or six years now. If it wasn’t for him, I’d be back home waiting tables or something. I’m just living the dream here. Happy to be up here with Jake (Gagne) and battling with Danilo, a world-class rider. It’s just incredible stuff. I’m really happy. The next race, Road America, I have struggled there previously so we need to try to figure something out there and hopefully I’ll be challenging Jake.”
More, from a press release issued by Ducati North America:
Danilo Petrucci Retains Points Lead at VIR
Danilo Petrucci Podium’s at VIR During Sweltering Weekend in Virginia
Danilo Petrucci (9). Photo courtesy Ducati.
Sunnyvale, Calif., May 22, 2022 – Danilo Petrucci (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC) rode through the sweltering temperatures at VIRginia International Raceway to grab some additional points and retain the MotAmerica Superbike lead.
The effort was unstoppable as the Italian started the weekend strong, qualifying fourth before finishing fourth in race one, and taking the final podium spot in race two.
This was the V4 R rider’s second time on the track, the former MotoGP rider getting up to speed quickly. He battled both days and finished Sunday’s race two 3.264 seconds behind the rider who chases him in the points, Jake Gagne (Yamaha).
Although Gagne won, Petrucci retains the lead with 104 points, four ahead of Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha).
The MotoAmerica series now breaks for two weeks before heading to Road America in Wisconsin.
2022 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship Standing – Top 5
P1 – Danilo Petrucci (Ducati) 104
P2 – Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha) 100
P3 – Jake Gagne (Yamaha) 91
P4– Cameron Petersen (Yamaha) 78
P5 – Hector Barbera (BMW) 63
Danilo Petrucci (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC – Ducati #9): “It’s been a tough weekend. Friday the V4 R was feeling good, then today I tried to stay with the other riders and was able to get the V4 R into a top position. This Ducati works, and I’m looking forward to Road America.”
More, from a press release issued by Westby Racing:
Two Runner-Up Results For Scholtz At VIR Bring Him To Within Four Points Of Superbike Lead
Mathew Scholtz (11) leads Cameron Petersen (45) and Danilo Petrucci (9) during Race Two at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Westby Racing.
Alton, VA – May 22, 2022 – After finishing second in Saturday’s Superbike race one at VIRginia International Raceway, Mathew Scholtz and his Westby Racing team showed championship-level grit and determination in overcoming Sunday-morning adversity to finish as runner-up in the afternoon’s Superbike race two. The two second-place finishes have put Mathew just four points behind championship leader Danilo Petrucci.
Mathew benefitted this weekend from some new parts on his #11 Yamaha YZF-R1, but a crash in Sunday morning warmup made the bike unrideable in the afternoon’s race. The team went to work and prepared a replacement R1 Superbike for him to ride, but they were unable to put the new parts on the bike.
Undeterred, Mathew rose to the challenge in Superbike race two. Starting from the middle of the front row, “The Scholtz Kid” withstood a strong challenge from Petrucci, who is a former MotoGP race winner, and ultimately crossed the finish line in second place, just a little more than three seconds adrift of race winner Jake Gagne.
“I’m definitely a little tired of finishing second, but after this morning’s crash, I’ll happily take it,” commented Mathew. “The bike was totaled. We have a completely different fuel tank, which I had to get used to. And, before the race, we hadn’t done a single lap on the bigger tank with the weight over the front tire. It’s just a totally different bike. So, for the first couple of laps, I had to adapt to the different bike. Jake (Gagne) and I were pretty similar in most of the corners, but there were two or three corners where he would pull out, probably, one-and-a-half tenths just in those corners. For the rest of the track, I felt we were similar in maybe one or two corners. I would catch him by a bike length, but for the most part, where he was strong, he was a lot stronger. Just really happy to take second after battling and seeing the board with plus 0.1 for 15 laps straight and just hearing Cam’s (Petersen) bike and Danilo’s (Petrucci) bike behind me. Danilo passed me one time and kind of pushed me a little bit wide, which I wasn’t the happiest with because we were upright braking. I passed him back and started riding my own pace to make sure I got out of the corners well and got on the brakes late. I was hoping that, with braking late and kind of parking the bike, Danilo and Cam would start battling with each other and help me a little bit. A massive thank you to the Westby team. The bike was totaled this morning, so for them to bring out the second bike and put the settings on it and for me to finish second, I couldn’t be happier. To Tryg (Westby) who runs this whole team. He’s the main guy behind this whole project. He’s put his heart and soul into this team and me for the past five or six years now. If it wasn’t for him, I’d be back home waiting tables or something. I’m just living the dream here. Happy to be up here with Jake and battling with Danilo, a world-class rider. It’s just incredible stuff. I’m really happy. The next race, Road America, I have struggled there previously so we need to try to figure something out there and, hopefully, I’ll be challenging Jake.”
The Westby Racing team will be back in action for round four of the 2022 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship, which takes place at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, on June 3 through 5.
David Alonso (80) leads Jose Rueda (99), David Salvador (38), and the rest of the field during JuniorGP Race One at Valencia. Photo courtesy JrGP.
Editorial Notes: Canadian Torin Collins finished 22nd in JuniorGP World Championship Race One but DNF Race Two. American Kristian Daniel Jr. DNF European Talent Cup Race One and then finished 24th in Race Two.
100% records extended as Alonso and Rueda share JuniorGP™ victories
Tulovic continued his perfect start to 2022 in Valencia as a new title leader emerges in JuniorGP™
On a phenomenal day of action in the Finetwork FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship, David Alonso (Aspar Team) and Jose Rueda (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) shared the JuniorGP™ class spoils by claiming Race 1 and Race 2 victories respectively at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo. Lukas Tulovic (Liqui Moly Intact GP Junior) won the only Moto2™ European Championship race of the day as Joel Esteban (Aspar Team) emerged victorious from Race 1 in Valencia in the Hawkers European Talent Cup, but a late disqualification from Race 2 for a technical infringement for the Spaniard meant Maximo Martinez (Team Honda Laglisse) took the 25 points.
The race for JuniorGP™ Race 1 victory came down to the final lap and making a classy move stick at the final corner was Alonso, who edged out comeback king Angel Piqueras (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) by just 0.030s – the latter coming from the back of the grid to earn a podium. Third place went to David Salvador (Laglisse Academy) as the Spaniard added to his P3 in Estoril, with Rueda taking away P4 from Race 1.
Race 2 followed a similar pattern; a cracking battle that went right down to the wire. Coming out on top this time around was Rueda who had spearheaded the pack for most of the race, as we saw Fillipo Farioli (Aspar Team) – a crasher in Race 1 from the lead – and Salvador standing on the rostrum. Leading the Championship after Race 1, Alonso crashed at the final corner but managed to remount and cross the line P7. But having won from pole, Rueda heads to Barcelona as the title race leader.
The fight for victory in the Moto2™ ECh was between Tulovic and Alex Escrig (Yamaha Philippines Stylobike) after Senna Agius (Promoracing) crashed out of the lead at Turn 12 in the early exchanges. Tulovic went on to win by 1.1s to extend his Championship lead, with the final podium place going to Xavi Cardelus (Promoracing) after a good scrap with Yeray Ruiz (FAU55 TEY Racing). The Stock honours went the way of Marco Tapia (Easyrace Team) after the Spaniard crossed the line in P10.
After a Dodo Boggio (Aspar Team) crash at 11 brought out the red flags, a five-lap dash decided Race 1 in the Hawkers ETC. Two tenths split the top four but it was once again Esteban who managed to fend off the competition for his third straight win, as Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 teammates Brian Uriarte and Rico Salmela – from the back of the grid – completed the podium ahead of fourth place Guido Pini (AC Racing Team).
Race 2 ended up being a bit more straight forward for Esteban. Contact between Uriarte and Pini caused the leading group to be broken up, and from there on, Esteban stretched his advantage to eventually take the chequered flag by more than 2.9s. However, a technical infringement saw his fourth win stripped, so after a mechanical problem in Race 1 and Long Lap penalty in Race 2, reigning Champion Martinez got his first points of the season on the board with P1 in what was a photo finish between himself and Pini in second. Boggio was promoted to P3 after his teammate’s post-race misfortunes, as Esteban heads to Barcelona with a 13-point lead in the overall standings.
A “press release” is promotional text issued by a rider, team, company or organization to inform
the public about an event, product, or service from the issuer’s own point of view, and if deemed
to have news value, may be placed on roadracingworld.com as a service to our readers.
A press release is not an article written by Roadracingworld.com staffers. When a post is labeled with the words “press release”, it means that Roadracingworld.com is not responsible for its content and that Roadracingworld.com makes no guarantee that it is accurate. Not all press releases are posted and Roadracingworld.com may reject press releases if the content is too heavy on commercial promotion with little or no news value or if the press release contains obvious errors.
Accessibility
Accessibility modes
Epilepsy Safe Mode
Dampens color and removes blinks
This mode enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode
Improves website's visuals
This mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode
Helps to focus on specific content
This mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode
Reduces distractions and improve focus
This mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode
Allows using the site with your screen-reader
This mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
Online Dictionary
Readable Experience
Content Scaling
Default
Text Magnifier
Readable Font
Dyslexia Friendly
Highlight Titles
Highlight Links
Font Sizing
Default
Line Height
Default
Letter Spacing
Default
Left Aligned
Center Aligned
Right Aligned
Visually Pleasing Experience
Dark Contrast
Light Contrast
Monochrome
High Contrast
High Saturation
Low Saturation
Adjust Text Colors
Adjust Title Colors
Adjust Background Colors
Easy Orientation
Mute Sounds
Hide Images
Hide Emoji
Reading Guide
Stop Animations
Reading Mask
Highlight Hover
Highlight Focus
Big Dark Cursor
Big Light Cursor
Cognitive Reading
Virtual Keyboard
Navigation Keys
Voice Navigation
Accessibility Statement
www.roadracingworld.com
November 10, 2026
Compliance status
We firmly believe that the internet should be available and accessible to anyone, and are committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience,
regardless of circumstance and ability.
To fulfill this, we aim to adhere as strictly as possible to the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) at the AA level.
These guidelines explain how to make web content accessible to people with a wide array of disabilities. Complying with those guidelines helps us ensure that the website is accessible
to all people: blind people, people with motor impairments, visual impairment, cognitive disabilities, and more.
This website utilizes various technologies that are meant to make it as accessible as possible at all times. We utilize an accessibility interface that allows persons with specific
disabilities to adjust the website’s UI (user interface) and design it to their personal needs.
Additionally, the website utilizes an AI-based application that runs in the background and optimizes its accessibility level constantly. This application remediates the website’s HTML,
adapts Its functionality and behavior for screen-readers used by the blind users, and for keyboard functions used by individuals with motor impairments.
If you’ve found a malfunction or have ideas for improvement, we’ll be happy to hear from you. You can reach out to the website’s operators by using the following email
Screen-reader and keyboard navigation
Our website implements the ARIA attributes (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) technique, alongside various different behavioral changes, to ensure blind users visiting with
screen-readers are able to read, comprehend, and enjoy the website’s functions. As soon as a user with a screen-reader enters your site, they immediately receive
a prompt to enter the Screen-Reader Profile so they can browse and operate your site effectively. Here’s how our website covers some of the most important screen-reader requirements,
alongside console screenshots of code examples:
Screen-reader optimization: we run a background process that learns the website’s components from top to bottom, to ensure ongoing compliance even when updating the website.
In this process, we provide screen-readers with meaningful data using the ARIA set of attributes. For example, we provide accurate form labels;
descriptions for actionable icons (social media icons, search icons, cart icons, etc.); validation guidance for form inputs; element roles such as buttons, menus, modal dialogues (popups),
and others. Additionally, the background process scans all the website’s images and provides an accurate and meaningful image-object-recognition-based description as an ALT (alternate text) tag
for images that are not described. It will also extract texts that are embedded within the image, using an OCR (optical character recognition) technology.
To turn on screen-reader adjustments at any time, users need only to press the Alt+1 keyboard combination. Screen-reader users also get automatic announcements to turn the Screen-reader mode on
as soon as they enter the website.
These adjustments are compatible with all popular screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA.
Keyboard navigation optimization: The background process also adjusts the website’s HTML, and adds various behaviors using JavaScript code to make the website operable by the keyboard. This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys, operate dropdowns with the arrow keys, close them with Esc, trigger buttons and links using the Enter key, navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys, and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally, keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus, available at any time by clicking Alt+1, or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard. The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear, and not allow the focus drift outside it.
Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Disability profiles supported in our website
Epilepsy Safe Mode: this profile enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode: this mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode: this mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode: this mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode: this mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
Keyboard Navigation Profile (Motor-Impaired): this profile enables motor-impaired persons to operate the website using the keyboard Tab, Shift+Tab, and the Enter keys. Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Additional UI, design, and readability adjustments
Font adjustments – users, can increase and decrease its size, change its family (type), adjust the spacing, alignment, line height, and more.
Color adjustments – users can select various color contrast profiles such as light, dark, inverted, and monochrome. Additionally, users can swap color schemes of titles, texts, and backgrounds, with over seven different coloring options.
Animations – person with epilepsy can stop all running animations with the click of a button. Animations controlled by the interface include videos, GIFs, and CSS flashing transitions.
Content highlighting – users can choose to emphasize important elements such as links and titles. They can also choose to highlight focused or hovered elements only.
Audio muting – users with hearing devices may experience headaches or other issues due to automatic audio playing. This option lets users mute the entire website instantly.
Cognitive disorders – we utilize a search engine that is linked to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, allowing people with cognitive disorders to decipher meanings of phrases, initials, slang, and others.
Additional functions – we provide users the option to change cursor color and size, use a printing mode, enable a virtual keyboard, and many other functions.
Browser and assistive technology compatibility
We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers).
Notes, comments, and feedback
Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs. There may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to
