WorldSBK: BMW Riders Test Ahead Of Estoril Round

David Swarts

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May 17, 2022

WorldSBK: BMW Riders Test Ahead Of Estoril Round

BMW Motorrad Motorsport in WorldSBK: Next stop, Estoril.

Round three of the 2022 FIM Superbike World Championship at Estoril, Portugal.
50 years of BMW M: BMW Motorrad Motorsport part of the anniversary weekend.
BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team and Bonovo action BMW Racing Team have been testing at Oschersleben and Portimão.

Estoril. This weekend, BMW Motorrad Motorsport returns to action in round three of the 2022 FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) after a break of three and a half weeks. Estoril, Portugal, is the venue from 20th to 22nd May. The circuit to the west of Lisbon has hosted WorldSBK on a regular basis since 2020. For BMW Motorrad Motorsport, the race weekend is also about a special anniversary: 50 years of BMW M will be an important theme in Estoril.

The two BMW Motorrad Motorsport teams used the time after the Assen (NED) races to optimise the BMW M 1000 RR. The Bonovo action BMW Racing Team, with riders Loris Baz (FRA) and Eugene Laverty (IRL), was testing at Oschersleben (GER) last Wednesday. The BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team took to the Portimão (POR) track on Monday with its riders Scott Redding (GBR) and Michael van der Mark (NED).

BMW M GmbH, a close partner of BMW Motorrad Motorsport, is celebrating its 50th birthday with numerous activities this year, and the big anniversary will also play a central role at Estoril. This includes BMW Motorrad Motorsport hosting a special birthday party in the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Hospitality, in the paddock, on Friday evening. Media representatives are cordially invited after prior registration (see contact below). The event starts at 19:30 on Friday.
Quotes ahead of the Estoril round.

Marc Bongers, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director: “Together with the teams, we have used the break after the first two race weekends at Aragón and Assen to prepare for the rest of the season. While the Bonovo action BMW Racing Team focused on chassis components at Oschersleben, the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team worked on the further development of the clutch technology at Portimão. Now, our full focus is on the coming race weekend. In the past, we have seen that Estoril is a challenging circuit for us. Nevertheless, we are confident that we can build on the first two rounds and take the next step. The conditions will be different to those at the first two race weekends. We expect higher temperatures, so it is important to ensure that the BMW M 1000 RR is set up well for those conditions from the first practice session. The riders, engineers and mechanics are working hard to get closer to achieving our goals. I am looking forward to an exciting race weekend at Estoril and especially to the integration of the BMW M anniversary.”

Scott Redding, BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “Estoril is the track where I first rode the BMW and it’s a nice place and a nice track for me. I enjoy Estoril. We had a test at Portimão on Monday. It was nice to be back on the bike and I really enjoyed that. I hope we can start Estoril how we finished at Assen and try to improve again the package together with the team and see what we can do so I am looking forward to being back on the motorcycle and to go from there.”

Michael van der Mark (60). Photo courtesy BMW Motorrad Motorsport WorldSBK Team.

Michael van der Mark, BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “It was nice to have an extra test and also for me it was good to ride the bike to see my condition on the bike. It improved so much compared to Assen so it gave me a lot of confidence. I really like the Estoril track. It’s a track where the differences are very small so I am happy that I am a lot fitter and a lot better on the bike now. Last year, we did quite well there but the bike has changed a lot since then and I am curious to see how it will work there. For me it is good that I can finally ride more normal.”

Loris Baz (76). Photo courtesy BMW Motorrad Motorsport WorldSBK Team.

Loris Baz, Bonovo action BMW Racing Team: “It was good to do some laps at Oschersleben. We have been able to work on our starts and maybe also come up with some ideas on geometry set up. The factory team was testing at Portimao and that is also going be important, as we share all our info. Estoril is a challenging track, I’m looking forward to being there. Eugene will be back and we will try everything to put the BMW M 1000 RR in the top five.”

Eugene Laverty (50). Photo courtesy BMW Motorrad Motorsport WorldSBK Team.

Eugene Laverty, Bonovo action BMW Racing Team: “Last week we had a chance to do some laps at Oschersleben. It was a great opportunity to get back on the horse and test my physical condition ahead of the upcoming round at Estoril, and I felt fine. Last year at Estoril, my pace was strong and therefore I’m optimistic of a strong weekend. Now we’re entering the summer period of races so let’s see how the BMW M 1000 RR performs with higher track temperatures. My team-mate Loris Baz did a fantastic job last time out at Assen and so the entire Bonovo action BMW Racing team is in high spirits. After missing out on the last round due to injury, my aim is to join the party at Estoril.”

WorldSBK: Rea Looking To Maintain Consistency At Estoril

David Swarts

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May 17, 2022

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WorldSBK: Rea Looking To Maintain Consistency At Estoril

Third Round Approaches For KRT Duo

Kawasaki Racing Team riders Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes will make a return to the Iberian peninsula between 20-22 May for the third round of the WorldSBK championship, at the Circuito Estoril in Portugal.

After competing at Motorland Aragon in Spain and Assen in the Netherlands the official Ninja ZX-10RR riders will now head south once again for the first of two Portuguese rounds in 2022.

Jonathan has already won three races this year, accounting for half of the available victories. He has two previous WorldSBK race wins at Estoril – the most recent two – as he finished third, first and first again during the 2021 event.

A six times champion for Kawasaki, from 2015 to 2020, Rea’s overall aim in 2022 is to regain the crown over the 12-round season.

For Alex, the Estoril weekend offers him the chance show his pace and stamina once more as he looks to score his first podium finishes of the year. He came close at Assen with fourth place in the final race of a sometimes unlucky weekend.

He has been preparing for a return to action in Portugal after three free weekends for all in the WorldSBK paddock after the previous round.

Rea is currently second in the championship standings with 91 points and Lowes is ninth overall, with 28 points.

The 4.182km long Estoril circuit, located near the capital city of Lisbon, has been back on the calendar since 2020, after two previous outings in the first ever WorldSBK season of 1988 and then again in 1993.

After the Estoril weekend Round Four takes place at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, in Italy, between 10-12 June.

Jonathan Rea, stated: “It has been nice to have a little break but honestly after the first week of being away from the circuit I prefer to be back again. It is always nice when the feeling with the bike is good to keep the momentum going, but it was also nice to get some time at home, crack on with my training and also visit the North West 200 last weekend. It was cool to see such a big event in Northern Ireland and the support from motorcyclists for what I am doing is incredible, even at a pure road race event. Now I am pretty excited to go to Estoril. It is a very cool circuit and I enjoy the layout. I have had really good memories from there, especially in 2020. Winning my sixth WorldSBK title there was an incredible feeling. To be honest, that weekend I really didn’t ride so good as we had some difficulties, but in 2021 we were much better. We were able to get really good results and be competitive. We were able to understand how to exploit our Ninja ZX-10RR there. Of course, this year we will turn up with a further improved machine. In the first couple of races of the season I felt very strong on the bike and very consistent. This weekend it will be very important to keep the ball rolling. Aside from a DNF in Race Two at Assen we have not been off the podium, or even out of the top two, which shows our strength.”

Alex Lowes, stated: “I am looking forward to this weekend and it seems like a long, long break since the Assen round. I also went to Bristol in the UK to open a Kawasaki dealership and meet some fans after Assen. It was a little bit of a frustrating weekend in the Netherlands in terms of results, as we didn’t finish and had a technical issue but my speed all weekend was really strong. In Aragon as well, getting the fastest lap of the second race shows that the speed has been there all year, which is nice. My body feels good, because last year we know it didn’t after some injuries. So I am really optimistic for a better weekend in Portugal. I cannot wait to get back with the guys, start work on Friday, get back into it, and challenge for a podiums on the weekend. Keep it simple and have fun, those are the targets for the weekend.”

Frenchman Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) is keen to get back into action in his second full WorldSBK campaign with his Italian team, after a season best of tenth in Race Two at Assen.

Oliver König (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) continues his learning process inside the WorldSBK class after promotion from the WorldSSP300 category he raced in last year. Isaac Vinales (TPR Team Pedercini Racing Kawasaki) will take over the long-serving Italian squad’s WorldSBK machine in Portugal. He has already made 31 career race starts in WorldSBK.

Video: Army Of Darkness Visits Vanson Leathers, Part Two

David Swarts

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May 16, 2022

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Video: Army Of Darkness Visits Vanson Leathers, Part Two

Army Of Darkness members Melissa Berkoff and Luci Schelbert go to Vanson Leathers in Fall River, Massachusetts, to make leather handbags. In this video they learn different technologies for cutting leather, learn to sew, learn to add hardware, learn about linings, and learn how to fix mistakes.

0:15 Hand cutting leather

1:15 Programmable drag knife

1:40 Waterjet

2:30 Mary and lining cutter

3:40 Die cutter

5:55 Melissa learns to sew

9:55 Luci sews

11:35 Hardware

12:40 Melissa sews a lining

14:20 Luci sews a lining

14:50 adding the interior trim

15:25 oh goddamn it

16:15 Finished bags

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

Moto2: Americans Beaubier, Roberts Enjoy Big Comebacks At Le Mans

David Swarts

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May 16, 2022

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Moto2: Americans Beaubier, Roberts Enjoy Big Comebacks At Le Mans

Beaubier bounces back to claim career best Moto2 result 4th & 0.1s off the podium!

Lucrative Le Mans for the American Racing Team as Cameron Beaubier claims his career best Moto2 finish in 4th whilst rookie teammate Sean Dylan Kelly continues to improve to finish in 20th.

It was a steady start to the weekend for Cam as he struggled with bike setup throughout Friday running and looking set to fight his way through Q1, but a strong final practice session boosted the Californian up the combined timings and secured him a direct spot in Q2 and 17th on the grid.

Promoted to 16th after Sam Lowes was declared unfit, Cam made a lightening getaway to make up seven places and jump into 9th by the end of the first lap as he began his charge toward the podium places. Capitalising on crashes for Alonso Lopez, Albert Arenas, and Pedro Acosta, Cam placed himself into podium contention in 3rd position with Aron Canet firmly in his sights but Somkiat Chantra swarming all over his back wheel. With 12 laps remaining, a mistake for the 29-year-old allowed Chantra to sweep on through for 3rd before the Thai rider pushed Canet wide and opened the door for Cam to retake the place. The trio jostled for the remaining podium positions until the final lap with Cam narrowly missing out and ending the race with in 4th, his best race result to date.

Faced with another new circuit, Sean utilised the practice sessions to gather as much track time and data as he could ahead of Saturday’s qualifying. A crash in Q1 on his flying lap prevented Sean from improving on his first run time. He started Sunday’s race from 29th. Still aiming to gain as much track experience as possible, the 19-year-old rookie steadily made his way through the pack, making up nine places into 20th position as he attempted to close in on Alessandro Zaccone ahead. With only seven laps left, Sean pitted with a suspected mechanical issue but after a quick analysis and no issue to be found, he swiftly re-joined the race to see the chequered flag in 20th.

Cameron Beaubier (6) battling Aron Canet (40) for a podium position at Le Mans. Photo courtesy American Racing Team.

Cam Beaubier – #6

“I couldn’t ask for much more from today starting where we did. I felt really good on the bike and was able to work my way up. I was pretty comfortable sitting behind Canet until the last six laps or so, then I started having to ride on the ragged edge to stay with the struggling grip. A podium would have been amazing for the team, but I’m stoked with how I rode, and we will keep up the fight!”

Sean Dylan Kelly – #4

“Overall, it was definitely a tough weekend for me. It was another new track, and it was honestly quite nice to go there and learn. I really did enjoy the track, but I was struggling to get up to pace all weekend and we were chasing some things, but the good thing is I knew what I was having to work on throughout the track like some higher risk areas like corner entry that I need to pick up some pace on and keep on working. Overall, the race itself was pretty good at the beginning, I had a decent start and made up some positions and was fighting with some guys, but we immediately fell into some issues with the bike, and I had to pit because it was hard to ride. It turns out it wasn’t the problem that I thought, and we decided to tippy toe to the finish line. It wasn’t ideal but we made it to the flag once again after some clearly hard conditions which was obvious with so many riders going down. Overall, another weekend to take things from and I know what to work on and I’m looking forward to going to Mugello and make the most of it there.”

John Hopkins – Sporting Director

“As far as this weekend, I’m very happy that Cam has finally finished with a result that he’s deserved all season long. Had he been on the podium in the races where he should of, in my eyes, he would have definitely been second or third, but it was good that he just finished, he needed that for his head, the team and his confidence, and it was amazing. It was a tough weekend throughout, he felt like he couldn’t catch a break. Fortunately for the team, I’ve experienced that a lot throughout my career and I know the feeling, but I told him yesterday after ‘man, I can assure you, if you really, really believe and you ride like you know how to, you can finish in the top 5’ and sure enough he rode amazingly. He got a good start and pulled off a hell of a ride! To come back from that far and be fighting for a podium for pretty much the entire race, that’s a good job. I’m so pumped for him and more than confident that going into Mugello he can be on the podium. There’ll be plenty more times for him to be on the podium this season.

For Sean – it was a difficult weekend all around. It’s a tough one because he’s in the process of still having to learn the tracks, the bike, and he doesn’t have much time to do it. He’s had his confidence dented a bit from the start of the season and he’s still consistently trying to rebuild and get on track but it’s a tough class; they’re the best riders in the world who have been racing these bikes and these tracks for a long time, it was always going to be difficult. But it’s time to start knuckling down. Positively, we’ve nailed down some things this weekend that we need to work on – training wise – going into this next week before Mugello; things he can do off track that I think will make improvements and help him on track but we’re going to keep pushing and if there’s anyone that can do it, it’s Sean. I’ve never met a young man like him, with such determination and motivation. If there’s a rider out there that can do it and close that gap, I believe Sean is one of those guys. We’re going to keep pushing. Team’s looks good, we’re bright heading into Mugello. It’s a shame Cam could have been finishing inside the top 5 all year but that’s racing.”

More, from a press release issued by Italtrans Racing:

Great comeback race for Joe Roberts and Lorenzo Dalla Porta at Le Mans

The weekend of the French Grand Prix ends with a sweet taste for Italtrans Racing Team, with both riders author of a wonderful comeback race.

At Le Mans Circuit, that hosted the sixth round of the MotoGP World Championship, Joe Roberts and Lorenzo Dalla Porta finished in the points.

Setting his best qualifying session, Dalla Porta started 15th on the grid, but in the action of the first lap he lost positions. 25th at the end of lap 1, the Tuscan rider made a masterpiece comeback thanks to a consistent pace, finishing 12th once again in the points.

Positive race for Roberts too. Starting from P25 after a tough qualifying session, by the end of the first lap he had already recovered 10 positions and reached the top 15. He kept a steady pace all race long, finishing 7th. With the 9 points gained today, he is now 6th in the overall standings, 3 points behind the top five.

Now a little break before the awaited home Grand Prix at Mugello.

Lorenzo Dalla Porta #19

12th

“I lost many positions in the action of the first lap. The pace was really good and I managed to make a good comeback, finishing close to the top ten. It was a shame because we could fight for the top five. We look forward to Mugello”.

Joe Roberts #16

7th

“Tough weekend for us. I’m not sure why we didn’t have the speed this weekend but we’ll figure it out. Stoked we could salvage 7th from starting 25th”.

Franco Brugnara, Lorenzo Dalla Porta’s Crew Chief

“It’s a shame because Lorenzo could finish in the top ten. He kept a high pace throughout the race, making a good comeback. We hope to make up for it at Mugello”.

Giovanni Sandi, Joe Roberts’ Crew Chief

“Good race of Joe with a great comeback. There is still the regret of qualifying, because starting from a different position we would have finished in the top positions. However, he once again showed his qualities ending with good points for the standings”.

Rossi Fights Back After Qualifying Crash At Magny-Cours

David Swarts

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May 16, 2022

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Rossi Fights Back After Qualifying Crash At Magny-Cours

ONE WIN AND GOOD POINTS FOR TEAM WRT FROM THE VISIT TO MAGNY-COURS

The journey to Magny-Cours for the second round of the Fanatec GT World Challenge powered by AWS Sprint Cup yielded another win (in Race 1) for Team WRT and Dries Vanthoor-Charles Weerts and a handful of good points despite the ups and downs lived by the four cars of the Belgian squad.

Car #33 of Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer and Christopher Mies scored points in both races but the 4th place in Race 2 left some bitterness, as a penalty put the Frenchman and the German down from the podium. The other home hero, Thomas Neubauer, together with Benjamin Goethe, harvested two P4 in the Silver Cup that bring useful points, while the weekend of Valentino Rossi and Frédéric Vervisch was made challenging by an accident in Q1. Still, the pair recovered well to take P11 in Race 2, where Vale showed again progress and good pace.

Team WRT Principal Vincent Vosse assessed the weekend so: “We had a bit of everything this weekend, and performance-wise, we were not the top car but I understand that the Audi being a new evolution, it takes some time to find the right BoP. Saturday, car #32 had a perfect race and the crews did a wonderful job all weekend, today it was car #33 showing the best pace, but the penalty cost it two positions. It was a more difficult outing for our car in the Silver Cup and for car #46 after the incident in Q1, but again, it recovered well, with Vale improving constantly.”

Since the beginning of the weekend, the Audi R8 LMS proved competitive on the technical French track, with Team WRT putting three of its cars in the top-6 in pre-qualifying. The qualifying session for Race 1 saw Charles Weerts taking P2 and first row, after conceding the pole position only in the closing minutes, with Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer qualifying 9th and Benji Goethe 15th (6th among Silver Cup cars). It was a more difficult session for Valentino Rossi, who was 15th when he lost the car at high speed in the Grande Courbe and hit the barriers laterally. Eventually, car #46 closed the session in P22.

At the start of Race 1, Charles Weerts was a little bit surprised by the early kick-off of the poleman and lost the benefit of the front row, passing third through turn 1, while Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer kept 9th and Benjamin Goethe gained four positions in the initial phases to take P11. Valentino Rossi immediately started fighting at the back of the grid and with a couple of brilliant moves, gained positions up to P19. Shortly after, Simmenauer dropped to P11, right in front of Goethe, while it took a few more laps for Weerts to regain second after a great duel with Gilles Magnus.

Pit stops proved to be decisive, with cars #32 and #33 stopping in lap 16, one lap before the two other WRT cars. The stop of the former was incredibly fast and allowed Dries Vanthoor to narrowly take the lead when the rivals pitted. From then on, the Belgian tried to build a sufficient gap, eventually winning by 3 seconds ahead of Marciello. Christopher Mies managed to make it to the points, by finishing 9th, with Thomas Neubauer crossing the line in P11 and fourth in the Silver Cup. Frédéric Vervisch was able to recover further positions on the narrow French track, despite car #46 having to serve a 10-seconds penalty at the pit stop for having to use an extra set of tyres after the morning accident.

Qualifying for Race 2 saw Dries Vanthoor taking P3 despite having touched the barriers in the early phase of the session, with Christopher Mies in 6th, Fred Vervisch in 9th and Thomas Neubauer in 13th.

At the start, Vanthoor found himself on the outside line and was forced to put the wheels in the gravel to avoid contact, dropping to 14th, while Mies rose to 3rd and Vervisch kept P9. Also down the order fell Neubauer, 23rdin the first lap. From there, it was a recovery race for car #32, which thanks to another great stop, was sixth at the beginning of the second stint, a position that Weerts could not further improve. The best-placed WRT car, #33 of Mies and Simmenauer, climbed one position up to P2 at the pit stop, with the young Frenchman resisting well to the attacks of more experienced rivals. Unfortunately, a 10-second penalty for unsafe release meant a final P4. Valentino Rossi, like in Brands Hatch, had a great stint, showing good pace and finishing right off the points, in 11th position, while Goethe secured another P4 in the Silver Cup.

Dries Vanthoor: “Race 1 was great but tough, as Marciello was catching me and putting pressure. I was as quick as I could, but we were on the maximum. Once again, the pit stop was amazing, a big thanks to the guys because, without that, we wouldn’t have won. Today wasn’t a great day, due to my mistakes, starting from the one in qualifying. Luckily, the team got the car back in order, but it was a messy start, I went into the dirt and lost it, and after that, P6 was the best we could obtain.”

Charles Weerts: “Overall, a decent weekend, we took the first Sprint Cup win of the season, and we qualified once in first row. Unfortunately, Race 2 was not what we could have expected, but still, we take some points, mainly because of the very good job in the pit stop, so a huge thanks to the boys.”

Benjamin Goethe: “It wasn’t an ideal weekend, my qualifying on Saturday wasn’t that good, but we managed to recover up to 4th. In Race 2, again 4th, the pace was good throughout the weekend but results could have been better, hopefully we will be luckier in next races.”

Thomas Neubauer: “Another difficult weekend, where we could not show the pace we have in the bank… Today, I got surprised at the start and ended up in the gravel, then there was a contact as I rejoined and we were last, but could recover and Benji did a great job to finish fourth.”

Christopher Mies: “Race 1 was more difficult, we had a good pace but it is very difficult to overtake here. Today, starting 5th, it was easier, I had a good start and could take 3rd, and J-B gained one position. It was a pity to get the penalty, but rules are rules. In the end, we can be happy with the weekend, as we showed a very good pace.”

Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer: “Race 1 was good, although I did a couple of mistakes in the first laps and lost a couple of positions, but we had a strong pace and could recover. In Race 2, Chris did a great job in the first stint, it was unfortunate to get the penalty and lose the podium, but there are a lot of positives, the pace and the car were strong and it’s a big improvement compared to Brands Hatch.”

Frédéric Vervisch: “Race 1 was difficult because we started from the back and had the penalty to serve at the pit stop, but the pace was good and Vale showed a big improvement, making also a few overtakes. The start of Race 2 was very messy, hopefully we didn’t lose positions but it is very difficult to overtake here. In the end, no points but it’s all part of the journey of improving and gaining experience. When we’ll manage to qualify better, both of us, I think we can aim at the top-5.”

Valentino Rossi: “Race 1 was difficult. Unfortunately, we had to start from the back, because I did a mistake in qualifying and we couldn’t do better than P22. The race itself wasn’t so bad, I enjoyed it and there were some battles and overtakes. My pace was improving lap by lap. Race 2 also was tough, although we started more upfront. The target was the top-10 and we finish right off, in P11. I struggled a bit with the warmth, the car was more difficult to drive and I also lost some time in a fight with one of the Porsches.”

Fanatec World GT Challenge Europe powered by AWS – Sprint Cup Round 2
Magny-Cours, France – 13-15 May 2022

Race 1 results:

1. Vanthoor-Weerts (Audi R8 LMS) 37 laps

2. Marciello-Boguslavskiy (Mercedes AMG) + 3s138

3. Gachet-Haase (Audi R8 LMS) + 8s924

4. Panis-Niederhauser (Audi R8 LMS) +13s685

5.Drudi-Ghiotto (Audi R8 LMS) +23s702

9. Simmenauer-Mies (Audi R8 LMS) +34s249 (4th Silver)

11. Goethe-Neubauer (Audi R8 LMS) +38s480

13. Rossi-Vervisch (Audi R8 LMS) +53s407

Race 2 Result

1. Boguslavskiy-Marciello (Mercedes AMG) 37 laps

2. Götz-Pla (Mercedes AMG) +13s683

3. Panis-Niederhauser (Audi R8 LMS) +19s651

4. Mies-Siemmenauer (Audi R8 LMS) +23s146

5. Jean-De Pauw (Ferrari 488) +25s010

6. Vanthoor-Weerts (Audi R8 LMS) +25s345

11. Rossi-Vervisch (Audi R8 LMS) +50s202

13.Goethe-Neubauer (Audi R8 LMS) +54s486 (4th Silver)

AHRMA Classic MotoFest Returns To Laguna Seca July 15-17

David Swarts

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May 16, 2022

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AHRMA Classic MotoFest™ Returns to Laguna Seca

ELORA, TN, May 16, 2022 – The American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA), will return to the iconic WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey County for its second AHRMA Classic MotoFest™ of Monterey. With the mission of restoring and racing on and off-road vintage motorcycles while appealing to a wide array of different audiences, it’s an event that fits in with the historic aura of the original Laguna Seca.

The July 15-17 AHRMA Classic MotoFest™ of Monterey will be the bookend to a motorcycle week of activities that begins July 8-10 with the return of MotoAmerica’s professional racing series.

“We can’t wait to return to WeatherTech Raceway for a second year in a row,” said Brian Larrabure, 2022 Chair of the AHRMA Board of Trustees. “This year, we’re going to have more of everything that makes AHRMA special: more racing on the road course and more off-road racing that really highlights how much fun you can have at AHRMA.”

The fan experience at AHRMA’s Classic MotoFest offers something for everyone whose interests lie in two- and three-wheel competition, whether it be road racing, sidecars, vintage motocross, trials, cross country or flat track racing, this event will fill the need for speed. The fan zone will include a swap meet hosted by Laroque Motorsports on both Saturday and Sunday and a bike show on Saturday. For more info regarding the swap meet and/or bike show contact Maurice at: [email protected]. AHRMA offers a family-friendly environment, and our fan zone will include a bouncy house for our small guests to enjoy!

Road racers will take to the famous Corkscrew with AHRMA featuring classes for motorcycles spanning pre-World War II up to modern single, twin and triple-cylinder, sidecars, and electric-powered racers. It is more common to see some of these bikes in museums, but AHRMA events are a unique opportunity for moto lovers of all ages to watch and enjoy. Our paddock is open providing an interactive racing experience.

Fans of off-road competition will love this year’s event as it includes Vintage Motocross, Observed Trials and Cross-Country racing on courses located around the road racing track. Four-stroke motocross machines from the early 60s, twin-shock air-cooled trials bikes, and the coolest off-road race bikes from the 70s and 80s will all be competing on tracks at one venue.

New for the 2022 AHRMA Classic MotoFest™ experience is flat track racing! “AHRMA dirt track returned to the West Coast in 2021 with great success,” said Richard Brodock, AHRMA Dirt Track Coordinator. “For 2022 we added more rounds in California and we are very excited to work with the Salinas Ramblers to build a great flat-track to showcase the program during the AHRMA Classic MotoFest™ of Monterey at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.”

“This is an exciting addition to our season calendar,” commented John Narigi, president, and general manager of WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. “This has all the makings for a weeklong series of events and activities to establish the Monterey and Salinas communities as the place to be for sharing the passion of motorcycles past, present and future.”

A full array of ticket packages is available from camping to single-day admission tickets for the AHRMA Classic MotoFest™ of Monterey. For non-member ticketing, go to weathertechraceway.com. For event information, go to www.ahrma.org. To register to compete go to ahrma.motorsportreg.com.

For general questions contact the AHRMA event coordinator, Lorraine Crussell at [email protected].

Media Contact

Barry Toepke

831-242-8291

[email protected]

ABOUT AHRMA

American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving, restoring, and competing on historic motorcycles. With more than 3,300 members, AHRMA is the leading historic motorcycle racing group in North America and one of the largest in the world. The association’s enthusiastic membership reflects this country’s strong interest in classic bikes.

MotoGP: Qatar Will Not Host 2023 Season-Opener

David Swarts

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May 16, 2022

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MotoGP: Qatar Will Not Host 2023 Season-Opener

Lusail International Circuit facilities set for extensive remodeling

Lusail International Circuit is set to undergo extensive renovation and remodeling to the paddock area and circuit facilities for 2023. The track is already confirmed on the MotoGP™ calendar until at least 2031, and the works will see the Middle East’s flagship motorsport venue further confirm its status as one of the world’s best-equipped racing facilities.

The remodeling project will begin to take shape in 2022 and will see various areas redeveloped to create an even better experience for all those racing at and visiting the venue, from riders and teams to fans and guests. That includes new areas for spectators, establishing Lusail as a truly state-of-the-art, cutting edge racetrack.

Lusail will host the 2023 Grand Prix of Qatar upon completion of the work, meaning the event will therefore not be the opening round, as it has been from 2007. Instead it will take place towards the end of the season, under the spectacular floodlights of Lusail as the sport returns to enjoy some incredible racing – as has become tradition at the Qatar GP.

ASRA: Martinez Motorsports Wins Team Challenge At Blackhawk Farms

David Swarts

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May 15, 2022

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ASRA: Martinez Motorsports Wins Team Challenge At Blackhawk Farms

Martinez Motorsports GTO comes back from one-lap deficit to Birch Racing at half-way to dominate last 30 laps of the ASRA Team Challenge by Michelin Tire at Blackhawk Farms Raceway.

Editorial Note: Use the scroll and zoom tools in the lower left corner of the PDF viewer to better see all of the results.

051522 BHF ASRA TC Results

Northern Talent Cup: Farkas Wins, Rossi Moor P3 In Race Two At Le Mans

David Swarts

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May 15, 2022

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Northern Talent Cup: Farkas Wins, Rossi Moor P3 In Race Two At Le Mans

Session_for_FRA_NTC_RAC2_1_

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Farkas strikes late to win Race 2

A penultimate corner move on Moor sees the Hungarian claim a stunning Sunday victory in Le Mans

Kevin Farkas (Agria Racing Team) claimed a stunning victory in Race 2 of the opening Northern Talent Cup round in Le Mans after the Hungarian pulled off a late penultimate corner move on Race 1 winner Rossi Moor (FARIUM Next Generation Riders). Moor crossed the line in P2 but was demoted one place for exceeding track limits on the last lap, seeing Loris Venemen (TeamNL Open Line) promoted to second.

Hungarian-American Rossi Moor (92) in action during Northern Talent Cup Race Two at Le Mans. Photo courtesy Dorna.

Moor was once again on pole but it was his teammate Matteo Masili who launched excellently from P6 on the grid to take the holeshot, as the field safely negotiated the tricky Dunlop Chicane on Lap 1. A lead group of 11 riders formed at the front and as we saw on Saturday, the P1 baton was being passed around often – no one able to properly establish themselves as a long time race leader.

Moor and Veneman were able to bridge a gap in the closing stages of the opening race, but there wasn’t to be a repeat in Race 2 – Farkas, the aforementioned duo, Dustin Schneider (Goblin Racing), Noa Cuypers (Junior Black Knights), Masili and Tibor Varga (Forty Racing) were all eyeing at least a podium heading into the closing stages.

Farkas led onto the final lap and held P1 until Turn 11. That’s when Moor – a favourable passing place for the Hungarian this weekend – planted his KTM 250 machine up the inside. It was a move that stuck, but Farkas conjured up a plan that he executed to perfection at Turn 13.

The pass up the inside of Moor was firm but fair, as the number 92 then stepped out onto the green. Farkas made no mistake at the final corner to pick up a phenomenal victory in Le Mans, Moor was forced to cross the line in second with Venemen third, but track limits saw those positions switched after the chequered flag.

Cuypers took P4 less than half a second away from victory, with Schneider completing the top five. Race 1 podium finisher Masili ended Race 2 in sixth, as Varga lost out on the final lap at Turn 8 in the scrap for the podium – the Hungarian was P7. Jurrien Van Crugten (BB64 Academy), Martin Vincze (Chrobak Motorsport Egyesület) and Maxime Schmid (Team Schmid) rounded out the top 10.

After two cracking races at the classic Le Mans Bugatti Circuit, Moor leads the Cup standings by one point over Venemen heading to Oschersleben next weekend. Who will prevail in Germany?

MotoE World Cup: Race Two Results From Le Mans

David Swarts

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May 15, 2022

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MotoE World Cup: Race Two Results From Le Mans

MotoE Race 2
MotoE Points after Race 2

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Aegerter puts in a masterclass to win MotoE™ Race 2

The Swiss rider gets back on top and denies Casadei, with Canepa taking a first MotoE™ podium in third

Dominique Aegerter (77). Photo courtesy Dorna.

Sunday, 15 May 2022

Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™) is back on top in the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup! The Swiss rider put in a masterclass at the SHARK Grand Prix de France to take his first win in the Cup since 2020, and in doing so put himself back on top in the standings, too. The fight for victory went all the way down to the final lap, with Aegerter passing Mattia Casadei (Pons Racing 40) for the lead and affording the Italian no right to reply. Joining them on the podium for the first time in MotoE™ came Niccolo Canepa (WithU GRT RNF MotoE™ Team), with the Italian beating compatriot Kevin Zannoni (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse) to the line by just 0.008 seconds.

Casadei took the spoils in Race 1 on the afternoon prior at Le Mans and, from pole position, he took the early lead in Race 2 as well. Aegerter lost two positions off the start before getting both back, the Swiss rider passing of Hikaro Okubo (Avant Ajo MotoE™) and then Zannoni at Turn 3 on Laps 2 and 3 respectively. That put him in clear air behind Casadei, beginning to chip away at the Italian’s one-second lead.

There was plenty of shuffling for position behind, but Aegerter was on a singular mission at the front and with a couple to go, the number 77 was right on Casadei to make it a duel for the win. By the time the two were approaching Turn 3 on the final lap, it was go time and Aegerter struck with a decisive move for the lead. Casadei stayed close but couldn’t quite bridge the gap back, with the Swiss rider keeping it pinned for his first MotoE™ win of the year and first since 2020, just over half a second in hand at the flag.

While the contest for victory was only settled late in the race, the final podium position was not even locked in until right at the finish line. In the early stages, it was pre-race points leader Eric Granado (LCR E-Team) on a charge, dropping as low as eighth on Lap 1 but getting into the top five when he passed Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE™) at the start of Lap 4. On Lap 5, he used a cutback to overtake Okubo for fourth spot as they accelerated off Garage Vert, but then the Brazilian found himself under threat.

Canepa took advantage of Okubo’s attempt to immediately hit back at Granado, and the Italian picked the Japanese rider’s pocket at Chemin aux Boeufs to set off a duel with Granado. The battle was settled by a decisive move from Canepa on the penultimate lap as the Italian just edged away, next locking onto the back of Zannoni up ahead and the final place on the podium.

The number 7 just got it done and stayed ahead, joining Aegerter and Casadei on the podium by just a few thousandths of a second. Zannoni was denied the rostrum once more but took a much bigger chunk of points from Race 2, with Granado completing the top five.

Okubo and Ferrari crossed the line just behind in sixth and seventh, with Hector Garzo (Tech3 E-Racing) moveing up from his grid position to eighth. Xavi Fores (Octo Pramac MotoE™) and Xavi Cardelus (Avintia Esponsorama Racing) were ninth and the tenth at the flag but both took three-second penalties for a shortcut and failure to comply with a Long Lap penalty, respectively, so the top 10 was rounded out by Marc Alcoba (Openbank Aspar Team) and Miquel Pons (LCR E-Team).

Jordi Torres did not start the race after sustaining a broken left fibula when he crashed on the opening lap of Race 1, but was in good spirits as he stayed at Le Mans to cheer on Pons Racing 40 team-mate Casadei… saying he is hoping to be back at Mugello.

Granado won both races when the season began in Jerez, but Aegerter’s first MotoE™ win since 2020 has helped him go to top of the standings, with an eight-point margin over the Brazilian. Casadei, who matched Aegerter’s 45 points for the Le Mans weekend, is nine points further behind in third.

That’s it from Le Mans, but the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup is back again in just a fortnight as the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley lights up the spectacular Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello.

Dominique Aegerter: “For sure, I’m very happy to get the first position. The season has started very well, here in MotoE and also in Supersport, so it’s very nice to stay in parc ferme, to be on the podium! Today it was great. The weather this morning was slightly raining so I said, ‘Ooh, I don’t know whether the Le Mans weather is coming back,’ but we were lucky to get a lot of sunshine. The fans stayed here after the MotoGP too, thank you very much to them. Next week, I’m going to be racing at Estoril, and then back in Mugello for MotoE, so for the next two weeks I’m still busy. Thanks to all the Dynavolt Intact MotoE team. They made again a small adjustment so, in the first few laps, I could stay a little bit better with the lead group. On the last lap, I attacked and took this victory!”

WorldSBK: BMW Riders Test Ahead Of Estoril Round

May 17, 2022

BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team rider Scott Redding (45). Photo courtesy BMW Motorrad Motorsport WorldSBK Team.