Miller puts in a thriller to top Day 1 at MotorLand
The Ducati rider leads the way ahead of Aleix Espargaro, with Crutchlow slamming in a stunner to take third
Friday, 10 September 2021
Jack Miller (43). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) topped Day 1 at the Gran Premio TISSOT de Aragon, the Ducati rider putting in a late lunge as the final few minutes decided the combined timesheets. He enjoys nearly three tenths of breathing space at the top by the end of play, with Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) next up at a venue he and his machine have enjoyed some good success at – carrying that momentum from Silverstone. Third went the way of Cal Crutchlow (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) as the Brit pulled a seriously fast one to complete the top three on Day 1, and the number 35 was top Yamaha to boot. The top 17 were covered by nine tenths on Friday, and from second to 21st it’s just a single second.
FP1
Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) started the day with a statement. The eight-time World Champion laid down a 1:48.048, putting him a whopping 0.971 clear of reigning Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar). However, Mir did get within almost half a second on his final flying lap before that was cancelled, so the Suzuki rider seemed to have a little more in the locker initially…
Over a second off the number 93, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) was a consistent presence near the top as he ended the session in third, with Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) taking fourth with a late move up the timesheets to within 0.013 of the Italian. Thick and fast thereafter came Miller, Aleix Espargaro, Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing), Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu), with gaps ranging from 0.008 between the latter two and up to a maximum of 0.079 between Zarco and Quartararo. Close? Very. Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) completed the top ten, 0.130 off Nakagami.
On Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) watch, the Spaniard did 21 laps and got down to a 1:50.187 in his first official session with the Noale factory – about a second off Bagnaia in third.
Iker Lecuona (Tech 3 KTM Factory Racing) crashed early in the session, rider ok, before Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT) took a tumble in the latter stages at Turn 5, rider also ok.
FP2
Fortunes changed as Marc Marquez grabbed more headlines but this time for a crash, with number 93 sliding out from behind Alex Marquez. Rider ok but frustrated, and he didn’t improve so ended up in P20 on the FP2 timesheets… just ahead of Joan Mir in a real reversal of FP1 for the two.
Aleix Espargaro (41). Photo courtesy Dorna.
That was despite the number 93 still leading the combined times with five minutes to go too, but a final flurry of activity in the afternoon saw everything change. Aleix Espargaro and Lecuona charged, then Miller set down his serious marker to beat Marc Marquez’ FP1 best by a margin. Aleix Espargaro did that next, before Crutchlow put in a stunner to slot into second.
Quartararo pipped the FP1 marker next, with Bagnaia – who also crashed earlier in the session – then pipping the Frenchman too and slotting into fourth. Next came Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing), before his teammate Johann Zarco was the final mover and shaker. Almost literally, as the Frenchman leapt up more than ten places despite a serious front end moment on his final lap.
Combined timesheets
After the mad dash to the top, the combined timesheets saw everyone improve in the afternoon minus Marc Marquez. So Miller reigns with 0.273 in hand over Aleix Espargaro, with Crutchlow ending the day just 0.011 further back as top Yamaha, seriously impressing as his stand-in duty continues.
Zarco takes fourth ahead of Martin and Bagnaia – that’s four Ducatis in the top six as they show early promise of having moved forward a lot since our last visit to Aragon – and the margins remain tiny. Quartararo is P7, 0.002 off Bagnaia.
Cal Crutchlow (35). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Eighth is where Marc Marquez’ FP1 chart-toppper fits in, 0.014 slower than El Diablo’s best from the afternoon, with Nakagami in ninth and Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama) completing an impressive day in tenth overall – and therefore the last rider currently on to take a place in Q2.
That leaves Pol Espargaro out as it stands, down in P11, with last year’s Aragon winner Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) in P12. The comes Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), with a new chassis for the Austrian factory to explore too.
Mir ends the day in P21, Rossi in P19 and Viñales splits the two, although on a slightly different mission to those around him. The number 12 ended the day 1.142 off Miller after his first two official sessions with Aprilia.
That’s a wrap on Friday, with plenty to talk about and surely even more to come on Saturday. The final push in FP3 gears us up for qualifying, which starts from 14:10 (GMT +2)… so make sure to tune in!
MotoGP™ Friday top five:
1 Jack Miller – Ducati Lenovo Team – Ducati – 1:47.613
2 Aleix Espargaro* – Aprilia Racing Team Gresini – Aprilia – +0.273
3 Cal Crutchlow – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – Yamaha – +0.284
4 Johann Zarco* – Pramac Racing – Ducati – +0.375
5 Jorge Martin* – Pramac Racing – Ducati – +0.410
*Independent Team rider
Gardner denies Augusto Fernandez by just 0.007
It’s tight at the top on Friday, with thousandths deciding the honours at MotorLand and only a tenth covering the top four
Remy Gardner (87). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Moto2™ Championship leader Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) ends Day 1 at the Gran Premio TISSOT de Aragon as the fastest man in the intermediate class, but the Spaniard had some seriously close company as Augusto Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) got within just 0.007. Completing the top three it was rookie sensation Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) despite recent surgery for a small metacarpal fracture, but he had even closer company as Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) was just 0.003 in further arrears in fourth.
FP1
Elf Marc VDS Racing’s Sam Lowes and Augusto Fernandez held a 1-2 until late on, when Jorge Navarro (+Ego Speed Up) backed up his Silverstone podium with more speed to pull out an impressive 0.473 on Lowes and go fastest. Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46) then split the Brit and Augusto Fernandez to take over in third on his last lap, with Championship leader Gardner completing the top five but 0.888 off the top in the morning.
Only 0.004 off him, Di Giannantonio took sixth, with Raul Fernandez – after his cycling crash in training and subsequent surgery on his hand – slotting into seventh.
In eighth, 2021 Moto2™ European Champion Fermin Aldeguer (+Ego Speed Up) kept impressing, 0.098 off the number 25 ahead of him. Hector Garzo (Flexbox HP 40) and Albert Arenas (Kipin Energy Aspar Team) completed the top ten.
Aron Canet (Kipin Energy Aspar Team) was the only crasher, going down at Turn 12 and rider ok.
FP2
Lowes was the first rider to venture into the 1:52s in FP2 as he and Bezzecchi improved early doors, remaining the top two until the clocked ticked down towards 10 minutes to go. Augusto Fernandez and Gardner exchanged first, before Di Giannantonio then climbed to P3 as riders started to find some decent pace in the latter stages of FP2.
Raul Fernandez was able to take over in third in the closing stages to sit less than a tenth away from second place Augusto Fernandez. That meant Diggia dropped to P4 by the end of the session, a good day for the Italian nonetheless, as Lowes completed the top five.
Navarro crashed at Turn 14, rider ok but not improving on his FP1 best, before Celestino Vietti (Sky Racing Team VR46) tumbled at Turn 7.
John McPhee, making his Moto2™ debut with Petronas Sprinta Racing, also crashed but was able to continue. He ended the day on a 1:55.274.
Combined timesheets
Gardner, Augusto Fernandez, Raul Fernandez, ‘Diggia’ and Lowes are the top five overall, all from FP2, with reigning Moto3™ World Champion Albert Arenas in sixth, enjoying his first visit to MotorLand on a Moto2™ machine. He was just 0.003 ahead of seventh place Bezzecchi. Nicolo Bulega (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) takes P8, also from FP2, with Navarro ninth overall by the end of play and by virtue of his FP1 best.
Aldeguer rounded out the top 10 as his form continued impressing, finding even more speed in the afternoon, with Marcos Ramirez (American Racing), Canet, Garzo and Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) currently the final riders set to move straight to Q2. Will that change in FP3?
We’ll find out on Saturday morning, before qualifying decides the grid from 14:10 (GMT +2).
Moto2™ Friday top five:
1 Remy Gardner – Red Bull KTM Ajo – Kalex – 1:52.743
2 Augusto Fernandez – Elf Marc VDS Racing Team – Kalex – +0.007
3 Raul Fernandez – Red Bull KTM Ajo – Kalex – +0.102
4 Fabio Di Giannantonio – Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 – Kalex – +0.105
5 Sam Lowes – Elf Marc VDS Racing Team – Kalex – +0.228
Öncü pips Guevara to top Day 1 at Aragon
The number 53 deposes the rookie by just half a tenth, with Binder and Garcia completing a top four covered by just 0.081
Deniz Oncu (53) and Pedro Acosta (37). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) struck late on Day 1 at the Gran Premio TISSOT de Aragon to take over on top, the Turk’s advantage just half a tenth after a close first day on the Moto3™ timesheets. Rookie Izan Guevara’s (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) incredible form at MotorLand continued in second, this time in the Grand Prix paddock, with Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing) completing a top three split by just 0.076. Even more incredibly, the top 21 are all covered by just 0.999 after Day 1 at MotorLand.
FP1
Gabriel Rodrigo (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) started the day fastest. The final few minutes saw Filip Salač (CarXpert PrüstelGP) take over on top, the Czech rider then beaten by Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia VR46 Academy) before he hit back again, but Rodrigo nabbed the final say. Still, the top three remained covered by a tenth.
After a trickier weekend than normal at Silverstone, World Championship leader Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) finished P4 ahead of Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team), who’s on a mission to bounce back as well, but in his case from a technical problem. The Italian was three tenths away from the top spot.
There was one incident as Petronas Sprinta Racing debutant Syarifuddin Azman crashed unhurt in the early stages of FP1, the Malaysian tangling – literally – with the rear of Adrian Fernandez’ Sterilgarda Max Racing Team machine and the Husqvarna pulling the Honda into the run off, no harm done for either rider.
FP2
In the afternoon, Öncü left it late but struck to take over on top, heading an even closer top three and top five than FP1. The Turk’s 1:58.929 saw him end the day fastest by 0.045, with Guevara in second as the rider deposed.
Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing), who spent some time in a trio on track with Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) and Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) earlier in FP2, was third within 0.076 as he leapt up late on, with second in the Championship, Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team), fourth and still within 0.081 of the top as another late mover. Last year’s master of MotorLand, Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo), completed the top five, 0.104 off Öncü as he made key gains on the final push too.
A huge group headed out in the final few minutes, minus the likes of Fenati, who pushed on alone. With riding slowly and disturbing other riders on the racing line having been a key concern for the FIM MotoGP™ Stewards Panel in recent Moto3™ seasons, the big group was put under the microscope but they were judged to have paid good attention to where others were on track, making sure to not impede those already on fast laps.
There were no crashes in the afternoon for Moto3™.
Combined Timesheets
Öncü heads the table after Day 1, the Turk’s lap one of five in FP2 that beat Rodrigo’s FP1 best, backing up his progress at the venue. Guevara is therefore second on the combined times and his record at MotorLand is pretty special: in the European Talent Cup on his way to the crown he did the double in 2019, and then in 2020 as a rookie in the FIM Moto3™ Junior World Championship – and the eventual Champion – he won all three races at MotorLand. Which would be impressive enough, except he also did it from P22 on the grid… three times in a row.
Binder, who missed out on the Aragon GP win last season by less than a tenth, completes the top three. Then come Garcia, 0.005 further back, and Masia, 2020’s double winner. Sixth is then Rodrigo thanks to his FP1 quickest, with another gaggle of afternoon improvers behind him, of which Salač, Antonelli and Fenati are the first. Lorenzo Fellon (SIC58 Squadra Corse) completes the top ten after a good showing from the rookie Frenchman on Friday.
The same goes for Adrian Fernandez as he takes P11, pipping Foggia and last year’s near-winner in the Teruel GP, Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech3). Championship leader Pedro Acosta is currently the last rider set to move through to Q2, and by just 0.004, and from his FP1 best.
FP3 gives the grid another chance to push forward for a place in Q2, before qualifying then begins from 12:35 (GMT +2) to set the grid for the Gran Premio TISSOT de Aragon. Don’t miss it!
Moto3™ Friday top five:
1 Deniz Öncü – Red Bull KTM Tech3 – KTM – 1:58.929
2 Izan Guevara – Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team – GASGAS – +0.045
KWR Ducati Team racing for One Cure at NJMP and Barber Motorsports Park
TUCSON, Ariz. (Sept. 9) — The KWR Ducati Team heads to New Jersey Motorsports Park this coming weekend for the eighth round of the MotoAmerica Superbike championship. Kyle Wyman will ride the #33 One Cure/KWR Ducati Panigale V4 R to finish the season at the final two rounds.
“We are racing for One Cure this weekend thanks to the generosity of One Cure fans and supporters David and Maxine Pierce. None of us like cancer, and David and Maxine are helping me to raise awareness, and funds, as we race for One Cure to help all cancer patients.”
“The answer to cancer may be walking right beside us in our canine companions, because cancer is the same between the species, down to the cellular level. That means, what works for pets with cancer may work for us, too. I’m all about speeding toward One Cure, and with Ducati horsepower I hope we can help them get there faster!”
One Cure is an initiative at the Colorado State University Flint Animal Cancer Center. Because cancer is the same, whether you have two legs or four, their mission to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer in pets also benefits people. Learn more at this link.
NJMP hosts the penultimate round of the 2021 championship, and will be a triple-header weekend featuring three Superbike races. NJMP is the site of Wyman’s best ever Superbike race result, when he finished 2nd in 2017 in his first podium appearance. He hopes to put the One Cure Ducati back on the podium and come away with a strong showing in New Jersey once again.
“The NJMP track is one that I’ve had great success at in the past,” Wyman said. “I look forward to bringing our 2021 spec Ducati Superbike back to Jersey this year for three races over the weekend, two of them on Sunday. My elbow has been healing up and I’ve had the opportunity to resume training over the past few weeks we’ve had off since Pittsburgh. Let’s see if we can finish off our 2021 campaign on a high note.”
How to keep up with the One Cure/KWR Ducati Team:
Friday practice starts at 10:55am EST, with LIVE coverage on MotoAmerica Live+ streaming. Race 1 on Saturday will be LIVE on Fox Sports 2 (FS2) at 3:00pm EST. Race 2 is LIVE on Fox Sports 1 (FS1) at 11:00am EST Sunday and Race 3 will be live on Fox Sports 2 (FS2) at 3:00pm Sunday.
Visit www.kylewyman.com for more news and updates.
“All we want is to push”: action stations for Aragon!
The Press Conference kicks off the Gran Premio TISSOT de Aragon, with plenty to talk about in Teruel
Thursday, 09 September 2021
The doors to MotorLand Aragon are open once again, with the pre-event Press Conference for the Gran Premio TISSOT de Aragon welcoming Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), closest challenger and reigning World Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Ducati Lenovo Team’s Jack Miller, Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Alex Rins, Silverstone podium man Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini), home hero Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) and the returning Maverick Viñales as he debuts with Aprilia Racing Team Gresini.
Here are some key quotes!
Fabio Quartararo. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Fabio Quartararo: “It’s a totally different situation compared to last year. In 2019 I didn’t do a bad race but now I have a totally different feeling on the bike, I’m in a different situation and I feel much better. Of course it’s not my favourite track but at some tracks I didn’t like I was pretty fast this year, so it’s not so important. It’s not my favourite place here but of course I will do the same work as always and try to fight for the best position.
“I think what I didn’t have last year… the consistency. We were fast in Jerez, Barcelona and even Misano, it was just up and down. This year I’m really consistent and it’s changed a lot and I think to fight for the championship it’s the main key, so if I need to say something I would say the consistency I could maintain this year.”
Joan Mir. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Joan Mir: “It was a shame in Silverstone, before the Grand Prix I expected much more and honestly during the race had some problems and I couldn’t finish in a better position. Luckily well the other Championship contenders also made some mistakes and they were also in trouble and yeah, I’m second but I’m not looking a lot at it. I think that we must reset, it’s important to start here with a good feeling, let’s see if I can find it again and to be fighting for the victory on Sunday would be amazing also. I will give my best and to see where we are.
“Compared to last year, we lost a bit of speed. The thing we wanted to improve this year was something we made a bit… not that we made it worse, but we didn’t improve as expected. This made everything a bit more difficult. There is still a lot of racing left and I think there’s room for improvement.”
Jack Miller. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Jack Miller: “It was really nice to be strong at the end of the race, it’s been a while. Being able to show I was able to maintain the tyres, especially at Silverstone which is one of the most brutal tracks on tyres, maintain them and put in a solid second half of the race was key. I enjoyed it a lot. I had to have a lunge on the last lap on Aleix, it was one of those things, you don’t just roll over and give it to him. And I think it would have made his podium a bit more special for sure, it was a lot of fun and hopefully we can do it all again on Sunday here in Aragon.
“We have a more consistent bike underneath us this year if we look at performance on every track. I think we’re in a good position but we won’t know until we go out for FP1 tomorrow. As you said the weather is a lot warmer than when we were here last year and it feels more like an Aragon GP now. We were on the podium here in 2019, last year both races were shocking, in the second one I only made it to Turn 2, so hopefully his year we will be able to turn the luck around. Six races left, we’re sitting fifth in the championship and yeah we need to get some more points on the board.”
New teammates Aleix Espargaro (left) and Maverick Vinales (right). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Aleix Espargaro: “I have a little more confidence after the Silverstone result. Obviously the podium was very important but the most important thing for me was the level we have showed at every GP, in different conditions we’re always close to the top guys so obviously now after the podium I feel a bit more relaxed. Now let’s try to do better, to keep fighting for the podium. This is a circuit that I really like, where the bike has worked quite well in the past. The weather looks better than last season, where we struggled a lot because it was cold so I can’t wait to ride the new bike here.
“I’m very happy Maverick joined our team. I think he arrived in the best moment of Aprilia’s racing story. We’ve been talking for a long time with Maverick about Aprilia, about joining us in the future, but after the thing in Austria, I’m super happy he can be racing again with us. As my teammate I think we have a very strong team also with Sava in the test team role. I think the future is bright for us, obviously to improve from where we are now is not going to be easy, the level is very high, the riders ahead of me are very strong and also their machines, but the challenge is very beautiful so Maverick and I are ready to go for it!”
Alex Rins. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Alex Rins: “As what we did in the first part of the season, all the ups and downs, we deserved that podium, myself and the team. We’ve arrived at this track with a lot of confidence. It’s a track I really enjoy, the layout is unbelievable but you know, all the riders are super fast, and the level in MotoGP is super high. Let’s see where we are, we will give our 100%.
“It was hard to accept, but in the end we worked hard with the team, my personal team and race team, and after the summer break we arrived in Austria with a different mentality, trying to go race by race and trying to learn and enjoy the ride and in the end I think it is the best idea. We suffered a little bit in Austria for the layout but in Silverstone we were able to show our real potential and yeah, let’s see how we go here.”
Pol Espargaro. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Pol Espargaro: “Well… I don’t trust so much in these kinds of steps, like you work good during one weekend after a tough season and everything changes. I trust in the hard work, for sure the season hasn’t been what we wanted, at the end we were working hugely to make it in one weekend, ok it was Silverstone, but our goal isn’t to make one weekend for the season. We want to keep this pace for the rest of the season, or if it’s not possible this year, do a good pre-season next year and hammer next year. For us, all of Honda’s goal, we are so far back in the Championship that we don’t have a chance to fight for something, let’s say, interesting. We’ll keep our heads down, maybe it’s going to happen that we arrive here and we suffer again. Trust me when I tell you that I’m working hugely, Honda too, to try to be the best package possible in the second half of the season or at the start of the next one.
“I’ve been in the last races, last year I was fighting with some of them, but last year I was fighting with different riders, not the ones I was facing at Silverstone. For sure the way they approach the overtake, and the way they overtake you, is much different. It allows you to ride in a different way, much smoother, relaxed, no one is going to come overtake you in a crazy way when you are in first or second. They are smoother in their overtakes and everything is much easier when you are in front and you don’t need to be stressed and recovering positions, just trying to overtake the other guy and protecting the inside every lap. So the race was much easier, even if I finished in the top five. As you say this place is good for Honda, at least last year, but as Jack said this year the temperature has changed a lot. We face sometimes, from one week to another the track changes so much, so from one year to another we don’t know, especially with the temperature we’re going to face for the weekend.”
Maverick Vinales. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Maverick Viñales: “I’m more than excited, I’m very hungry and motivated to start this story with Aprilia. The six races ahead are just a present to prepare better for next year. Our priority is trying to learn, for sure it is very different, I need to learn a lot and learn quick.
“For sure, this year set up a lot of fire inside of myself. All we want is to push. I’ve been away for a while, but I think we come back in a good way. After the two tests I feel positive to be here and get experience on a weekend and we just need to learn.”
That’s the lowdown from the Press Conference, with MotorLand Aragon poised to deliver a thriller. Tune in as Free Practice begins on Friday morning, before Sunday sees the lights go out for the premier class race at 14:00 (GMT +2)!
Fuentespalda, home of the longest zipline in Europe, welcomes some fast faces for their first race of the weekend
On Thursday morning before the Aragon GP, MotoGP™ riders Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing), Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) were joined by Moto2™ Championship leader Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) at Europe’s longest zipline. Located in the Teruel province, the “Tirolina Fuentespalda” zipline extends over almost two kilometers and sees those who dare drop 200m over that distance, reaching some impressive speeds. And so, of course, the race was on for the quartet of eager riders.
The winner? Rins. The Suzuki rider got up to a whopping 128km/h, with Zarco hot on his heels with 121 on his second run. Gardner reached 115, and Miller? The Ducati rider didn’t put the monitor on… so we’ll never know!
Zarco and Miller praised the Team Suzuki Ecstar rider’s untouchable top speed though, and enjoyed getting back out the saddle for something a little different. And Rins? The quip of the day came from the winner, with the home hero giving an accurate appraisal of the layout. A two kilometre straight? “More a Ducati track”, but he nevertheless took to the top step and aims to do the same on Sunday at MotorLand.
Corey Alexander Unveils FDNY 9/11 Tribute for NJMP
Manhattan, New York ( September 9th, 2021 ) –
Corey Alexander and the HONOS HVMC Racing team are honored to unveil their FDNY Engine 23-inspired livery for this weekend’s MotoAmerica races at New Jersey Motorsports Park, which coincide with the 20th anniversary of the September 11th attacks.
The team’s Graves-spec Kawasaki ZX-10RR “Engine 23” will be raced in the Stock 1000cc and HONOS Superbike classes throughout the weekend as a tribute to first responders past and present, as well as to honor victims of the attacks and their families.
The livery features a fire engine red, yellow, and white paint scheme with iconic gold decals provided by Drippin’ Wet Designs. Corey will also be wearing a custom leather suit produced by Alpinestars and custom painted Arai Corsair-X helmet, both emulating the black and fluorescent yellow uniform that FDNY firemen wear daily.
The entire Alexander family is born and raised in New York and the team’s title sponsor, Hudson Valley Motorcycles, is located just 30 miles north of where the World Trade Center’s twin towers once stood.
“As a New Yorker, 9/11 is a really meaningful day on the calendar each year for me,” Alexander said. “When I realized this year’s race fell on the 20th anniversary, I knew I wanted to pay tribute again just as we did in 2016. It was a lot of work the past two weeks to make it happen, but we are here and I can’t wait to show the bike off around the track this weekend. I hope everyone loves it as much as I do.”
Corey and the HONOS HVMC team have partnered with Honor365® and Maxima Racing Oils to produce 300 limited edition t-shirts with a special FDNY-inspired design. The tees will be available for a $30 donation while supplies last and can be found at the team’s hospitality area in NJMP’s paddock.
Tickets to the event are available at New Jersey Motorsports Park or online via MotoAmerica.com.
About Honor365®
Honor365® was founded on March 31, 2017 with the mission of providing resource and referral services to veterans, first responders, and their families. As a result, six programs were developed in order to support those who support us 24/7. Visit Honor365.org for more information or to donate.
Miller puts in a thriller to top Day 1 at MotorLand
The Ducati rider leads the way ahead of Aleix Espargaro, with Crutchlow slamming in a stunner to take third
Friday, 10 September 2021
Jack Miller (43). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) topped Day 1 at the Gran Premio TISSOT de Aragon, the Ducati rider putting in a late lunge as the final few minutes decided the combined timesheets. He enjoys nearly three tenths of breathing space at the top by the end of play, with Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) next up at a venue he and his machine have enjoyed some good success at – carrying that momentum from Silverstone. Third went the way of Cal Crutchlow (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) as the Brit pulled a seriously fast one to complete the top three on Day 1, and the number 35 was top Yamaha to boot. The top 17 were covered by nine tenths on Friday, and from second to 21st it’s just a single second.
FP1
Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) started the day with a statement. The eight-time World Champion laid down a 1:48.048, putting him a whopping 0.971 clear of reigning Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar). However, Mir did get within almost half a second on his final flying lap before that was cancelled, so the Suzuki rider seemed to have a little more in the locker initially…
Over a second off the number 93, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) was a consistent presence near the top as he ended the session in third, with Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) taking fourth with a late move up the timesheets to within 0.013 of the Italian. Thick and fast thereafter came Miller, Aleix Espargaro, Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing), Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu), with gaps ranging from 0.008 between the latter two and up to a maximum of 0.079 between Zarco and Quartararo. Close? Very. Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) completed the top ten, 0.130 off Nakagami.
On Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) watch, the Spaniard did 21 laps and got down to a 1:50.187 in his first official session with the Noale factory – about a second off Bagnaia in third.
Iker Lecuona (Tech 3 KTM Factory Racing) crashed early in the session, rider ok, before Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT) took a tumble in the latter stages at Turn 5, rider also ok.
FP2
Fortunes changed as Marc Marquez grabbed more headlines but this time for a crash, with number 93 sliding out from behind Alex Marquez. Rider ok but frustrated, and he didn’t improve so ended up in P20 on the FP2 timesheets… just ahead of Joan Mir in a real reversal of FP1 for the two.
Aleix Espargaro (41). Photo courtesy Dorna.
That was despite the number 93 still leading the combined times with five minutes to go too, but a final flurry of activity in the afternoon saw everything change. Aleix Espargaro and Lecuona charged, then Miller set down his serious marker to beat Marc Marquez’ FP1 best by a margin. Aleix Espargaro did that next, before Crutchlow put in a stunner to slot into second.
Quartararo pipped the FP1 marker next, with Bagnaia – who also crashed earlier in the session – then pipping the Frenchman too and slotting into fourth. Next came Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing), before his teammate Johann Zarco was the final mover and shaker. Almost literally, as the Frenchman leapt up more than ten places despite a serious front end moment on his final lap.
Combined timesheets
After the mad dash to the top, the combined timesheets saw everyone improve in the afternoon minus Marc Marquez. So Miller reigns with 0.273 in hand over Aleix Espargaro, with Crutchlow ending the day just 0.011 further back as top Yamaha, seriously impressing as his stand-in duty continues.
Zarco takes fourth ahead of Martin and Bagnaia – that’s four Ducatis in the top six as they show early promise of having moved forward a lot since our last visit to Aragon – and the margins remain tiny. Quartararo is P7, 0.002 off Bagnaia.
Cal Crutchlow (35). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Eighth is where Marc Marquez’ FP1 chart-toppper fits in, 0.014 slower than El Diablo’s best from the afternoon, with Nakagami in ninth and Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama) completing an impressive day in tenth overall – and therefore the last rider currently on to take a place in Q2.
That leaves Pol Espargaro out as it stands, down in P11, with last year’s Aragon winner Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) in P12. The comes Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), with a new chassis for the Austrian factory to explore too.
Mir ends the day in P21, Rossi in P19 and Viñales splits the two, although on a slightly different mission to those around him. The number 12 ended the day 1.142 off Miller after his first two official sessions with Aprilia.
That’s a wrap on Friday, with plenty to talk about and surely even more to come on Saturday. The final push in FP3 gears us up for qualifying, which starts from 14:10 (GMT +2)… so make sure to tune in!
MotoGP™ Friday top five:
1 Jack Miller – Ducati Lenovo Team – Ducati – 1:47.613
2 Aleix Espargaro* – Aprilia Racing Team Gresini – Aprilia – +0.273
3 Cal Crutchlow – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – Yamaha – +0.284
4 Johann Zarco* – Pramac Racing – Ducati – +0.375
5 Jorge Martin* – Pramac Racing – Ducati – +0.410
*Independent Team rider
Gardner denies Augusto Fernandez by just 0.007
It’s tight at the top on Friday, with thousandths deciding the honours at MotorLand and only a tenth covering the top four
Remy Gardner (87). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Moto2™ Championship leader Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) ends Day 1 at the Gran Premio TISSOT de Aragon as the fastest man in the intermediate class, but the Spaniard had some seriously close company as Augusto Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) got within just 0.007. Completing the top three it was rookie sensation Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) despite recent surgery for a small metacarpal fracture, but he had even closer company as Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) was just 0.003 in further arrears in fourth.
FP1
Elf Marc VDS Racing’s Sam Lowes and Augusto Fernandez held a 1-2 until late on, when Jorge Navarro (+Ego Speed Up) backed up his Silverstone podium with more speed to pull out an impressive 0.473 on Lowes and go fastest. Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46) then split the Brit and Augusto Fernandez to take over in third on his last lap, with Championship leader Gardner completing the top five but 0.888 off the top in the morning.
Only 0.004 off him, Di Giannantonio took sixth, with Raul Fernandez – after his cycling crash in training and subsequent surgery on his hand – slotting into seventh.
In eighth, 2021 Moto2™ European Champion Fermin Aldeguer (+Ego Speed Up) kept impressing, 0.098 off the number 25 ahead of him. Hector Garzo (Flexbox HP 40) and Albert Arenas (Kipin Energy Aspar Team) completed the top ten.
Aron Canet (Kipin Energy Aspar Team) was the only crasher, going down at Turn 12 and rider ok.
FP2
Lowes was the first rider to venture into the 1:52s in FP2 as he and Bezzecchi improved early doors, remaining the top two until the clocked ticked down towards 10 minutes to go. Augusto Fernandez and Gardner exchanged first, before Di Giannantonio then climbed to P3 as riders started to find some decent pace in the latter stages of FP2.
Raul Fernandez was able to take over in third in the closing stages to sit less than a tenth away from second place Augusto Fernandez. That meant Diggia dropped to P4 by the end of the session, a good day for the Italian nonetheless, as Lowes completed the top five.
Navarro crashed at Turn 14, rider ok but not improving on his FP1 best, before Celestino Vietti (Sky Racing Team VR46) tumbled at Turn 7.
John McPhee, making his Moto2™ debut with Petronas Sprinta Racing, also crashed but was able to continue. He ended the day on a 1:55.274.
Combined timesheets
Gardner, Augusto Fernandez, Raul Fernandez, ‘Diggia’ and Lowes are the top five overall, all from FP2, with reigning Moto3™ World Champion Albert Arenas in sixth, enjoying his first visit to MotorLand on a Moto2™ machine. He was just 0.003 ahead of seventh place Bezzecchi. Nicolo Bulega (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) takes P8, also from FP2, with Navarro ninth overall by the end of play and by virtue of his FP1 best.
Aldeguer rounded out the top 10 as his form continued impressing, finding even more speed in the afternoon, with Marcos Ramirez (American Racing), Canet, Garzo and Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) currently the final riders set to move straight to Q2. Will that change in FP3?
We’ll find out on Saturday morning, before qualifying decides the grid from 14:10 (GMT +2).
Moto2™ Friday top five:
1 Remy Gardner – Red Bull KTM Ajo – Kalex – 1:52.743
2 Augusto Fernandez – Elf Marc VDS Racing Team – Kalex – +0.007
3 Raul Fernandez – Red Bull KTM Ajo – Kalex – +0.102
4 Fabio Di Giannantonio – Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 – Kalex – +0.105
5 Sam Lowes – Elf Marc VDS Racing Team – Kalex – +0.228
Öncü pips Guevara to top Day 1 at Aragon
The number 53 deposes the rookie by just half a tenth, with Binder and Garcia completing a top four covered by just 0.081
Deniz Oncu (53) and Pedro Acosta (37). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) struck late on Day 1 at the Gran Premio TISSOT de Aragon to take over on top, the Turk’s advantage just half a tenth after a close first day on the Moto3™ timesheets. Rookie Izan Guevara’s (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) incredible form at MotorLand continued in second, this time in the Grand Prix paddock, with Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing) completing a top three split by just 0.076. Even more incredibly, the top 21 are all covered by just 0.999 after Day 1 at MotorLand.
FP1
Gabriel Rodrigo (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) started the day fastest. The final few minutes saw Filip Salač (CarXpert PrüstelGP) take over on top, the Czech rider then beaten by Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia VR46 Academy) before he hit back again, but Rodrigo nabbed the final say. Still, the top three remained covered by a tenth.
After a trickier weekend than normal at Silverstone, World Championship leader Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) finished P4 ahead of Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team), who’s on a mission to bounce back as well, but in his case from a technical problem. The Italian was three tenths away from the top spot.
There was one incident as Petronas Sprinta Racing debutant Syarifuddin Azman crashed unhurt in the early stages of FP1, the Malaysian tangling – literally – with the rear of Adrian Fernandez’ Sterilgarda Max Racing Team machine and the Husqvarna pulling the Honda into the run off, no harm done for either rider.
FP2
In the afternoon, Öncü left it late but struck to take over on top, heading an even closer top three and top five than FP1. The Turk’s 1:58.929 saw him end the day fastest by 0.045, with Guevara in second as the rider deposed.
Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing), who spent some time in a trio on track with Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) and Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) earlier in FP2, was third within 0.076 as he leapt up late on, with second in the Championship, Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team), fourth and still within 0.081 of the top as another late mover. Last year’s master of MotorLand, Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo), completed the top five, 0.104 off Öncü as he made key gains on the final push too.
A huge group headed out in the final few minutes, minus the likes of Fenati, who pushed on alone. With riding slowly and disturbing other riders on the racing line having been a key concern for the FIM MotoGP™ Stewards Panel in recent Moto3™ seasons, the big group was put under the microscope but they were judged to have paid good attention to where others were on track, making sure to not impede those already on fast laps.
There were no crashes in the afternoon for Moto3™.
Combined Timesheets
Öncü heads the table after Day 1, the Turk’s lap one of five in FP2 that beat Rodrigo’s FP1 best, backing up his progress at the venue. Guevara is therefore second on the combined times and his record at MotorLand is pretty special: in the European Talent Cup on his way to the crown he did the double in 2019, and then in 2020 as a rookie in the FIM Moto3™ Junior World Championship – and the eventual Champion – he won all three races at MotorLand. Which would be impressive enough, except he also did it from P22 on the grid… three times in a row.
Binder, who missed out on the Aragon GP win last season by less than a tenth, completes the top three. Then come Garcia, 0.005 further back, and Masia, 2020’s double winner. Sixth is then Rodrigo thanks to his FP1 quickest, with another gaggle of afternoon improvers behind him, of which Salač, Antonelli and Fenati are the first. Lorenzo Fellon (SIC58 Squadra Corse) completes the top ten after a good showing from the rookie Frenchman on Friday.
The same goes for Adrian Fernandez as he takes P11, pipping Foggia and last year’s near-winner in the Teruel GP, Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech3). Championship leader Pedro Acosta is currently the last rider set to move through to Q2, and by just 0.004, and from his FP1 best.
FP3 gives the grid another chance to push forward for a place in Q2, before qualifying then begins from 12:35 (GMT +2) to set the grid for the Gran Premio TISSOT de Aragon. Don’t miss it!
Moto3™ Friday top five:
1 Deniz Öncü – Red Bull KTM Tech3 – KTM – 1:58.929
2 Izan Guevara – Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team – GASGAS – +0.045
KWR Ducati Team racing for One Cure at NJMP and Barber Motorsports Park
TUCSON, Ariz. (Sept. 9) — The KWR Ducati Team heads to New Jersey Motorsports Park this coming weekend for the eighth round of the MotoAmerica Superbike championship. Kyle Wyman will ride the #33 One Cure/KWR Ducati Panigale V4 R to finish the season at the final two rounds.
“We are racing for One Cure this weekend thanks to the generosity of One Cure fans and supporters David and Maxine Pierce. None of us like cancer, and David and Maxine are helping me to raise awareness, and funds, as we race for One Cure to help all cancer patients.”
“The answer to cancer may be walking right beside us in our canine companions, because cancer is the same between the species, down to the cellular level. That means, what works for pets with cancer may work for us, too. I’m all about speeding toward One Cure, and with Ducati horsepower I hope we can help them get there faster!”
One Cure is an initiative at the Colorado State University Flint Animal Cancer Center. Because cancer is the same, whether you have two legs or four, their mission to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer in pets also benefits people. Learn more at this link.
NJMP hosts the penultimate round of the 2021 championship, and will be a triple-header weekend featuring three Superbike races. NJMP is the site of Wyman’s best ever Superbike race result, when he finished 2nd in 2017 in his first podium appearance. He hopes to put the One Cure Ducati back on the podium and come away with a strong showing in New Jersey once again.
“The NJMP track is one that I’ve had great success at in the past,” Wyman said. “I look forward to bringing our 2021 spec Ducati Superbike back to Jersey this year for three races over the weekend, two of them on Sunday. My elbow has been healing up and I’ve had the opportunity to resume training over the past few weeks we’ve had off since Pittsburgh. Let’s see if we can finish off our 2021 campaign on a high note.”
How to keep up with the One Cure/KWR Ducati Team:
Friday practice starts at 10:55am EST, with LIVE coverage on MotoAmerica Live+ streaming. Race 1 on Saturday will be LIVE on Fox Sports 2 (FS2) at 3:00pm EST. Race 2 is LIVE on Fox Sports 1 (FS1) at 11:00am EST Sunday and Race 3 will be live on Fox Sports 2 (FS2) at 3:00pm Sunday.
Visit www.kylewyman.com for more news and updates.
MotoGP racers (from left) Joan Mir, Alex Rins, Fabio Quartararo, Aleix Espargaro, Jack Miller, Pol Espargaro, and Maverick Viñales at MotorLand Aragon. Photo courtesy Dorna.
“All we want is to push”: action stations for Aragon!
The Press Conference kicks off the Gran Premio TISSOT de Aragon, with plenty to talk about in Teruel
Thursday, 09 September 2021
The doors to MotorLand Aragon are open once again, with the pre-event Press Conference for the Gran Premio TISSOT de Aragon welcoming Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), closest challenger and reigning World Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Ducati Lenovo Team’s Jack Miller, Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Alex Rins, Silverstone podium man Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini), home hero Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) and the returning Maverick Viñales as he debuts with Aprilia Racing Team Gresini.
Here are some key quotes!
Fabio Quartararo. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Fabio Quartararo: “It’s a totally different situation compared to last year. In 2019 I didn’t do a bad race but now I have a totally different feeling on the bike, I’m in a different situation and I feel much better. Of course it’s not my favourite track but at some tracks I didn’t like I was pretty fast this year, so it’s not so important. It’s not my favourite place here but of course I will do the same work as always and try to fight for the best position.
“I think what I didn’t have last year… the consistency. We were fast in Jerez, Barcelona and even Misano, it was just up and down. This year I’m really consistent and it’s changed a lot and I think to fight for the championship it’s the main key, so if I need to say something I would say the consistency I could maintain this year.”
Joan Mir. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Joan Mir: “It was a shame in Silverstone, before the Grand Prix I expected much more and honestly during the race had some problems and I couldn’t finish in a better position. Luckily well the other Championship contenders also made some mistakes and they were also in trouble and yeah, I’m second but I’m not looking a lot at it. I think that we must reset, it’s important to start here with a good feeling, let’s see if I can find it again and to be fighting for the victory on Sunday would be amazing also. I will give my best and to see where we are.
“Compared to last year, we lost a bit of speed. The thing we wanted to improve this year was something we made a bit… not that we made it worse, but we didn’t improve as expected. This made everything a bit more difficult. There is still a lot of racing left and I think there’s room for improvement.”
Jack Miller. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Jack Miller: “It was really nice to be strong at the end of the race, it’s been a while. Being able to show I was able to maintain the tyres, especially at Silverstone which is one of the most brutal tracks on tyres, maintain them and put in a solid second half of the race was key. I enjoyed it a lot. I had to have a lunge on the last lap on Aleix, it was one of those things, you don’t just roll over and give it to him. And I think it would have made his podium a bit more special for sure, it was a lot of fun and hopefully we can do it all again on Sunday here in Aragon.
“We have a more consistent bike underneath us this year if we look at performance on every track. I think we’re in a good position but we won’t know until we go out for FP1 tomorrow. As you said the weather is a lot warmer than when we were here last year and it feels more like an Aragon GP now. We were on the podium here in 2019, last year both races were shocking, in the second one I only made it to Turn 2, so hopefully his year we will be able to turn the luck around. Six races left, we’re sitting fifth in the championship and yeah we need to get some more points on the board.”
New teammates Aleix Espargaro (left) and Maverick Vinales (right). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Aleix Espargaro: “I have a little more confidence after the Silverstone result. Obviously the podium was very important but the most important thing for me was the level we have showed at every GP, in different conditions we’re always close to the top guys so obviously now after the podium I feel a bit more relaxed. Now let’s try to do better, to keep fighting for the podium. This is a circuit that I really like, where the bike has worked quite well in the past. The weather looks better than last season, where we struggled a lot because it was cold so I can’t wait to ride the new bike here.
“I’m very happy Maverick joined our team. I think he arrived in the best moment of Aprilia’s racing story. We’ve been talking for a long time with Maverick about Aprilia, about joining us in the future, but after the thing in Austria, I’m super happy he can be racing again with us. As my teammate I think we have a very strong team also with Sava in the test team role. I think the future is bright for us, obviously to improve from where we are now is not going to be easy, the level is very high, the riders ahead of me are very strong and also their machines, but the challenge is very beautiful so Maverick and I are ready to go for it!”
Alex Rins. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Alex Rins: “As what we did in the first part of the season, all the ups and downs, we deserved that podium, myself and the team. We’ve arrived at this track with a lot of confidence. It’s a track I really enjoy, the layout is unbelievable but you know, all the riders are super fast, and the level in MotoGP is super high. Let’s see where we are, we will give our 100%.
“It was hard to accept, but in the end we worked hard with the team, my personal team and race team, and after the summer break we arrived in Austria with a different mentality, trying to go race by race and trying to learn and enjoy the ride and in the end I think it is the best idea. We suffered a little bit in Austria for the layout but in Silverstone we were able to show our real potential and yeah, let’s see how we go here.”
Pol Espargaro. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Pol Espargaro: “Well… I don’t trust so much in these kinds of steps, like you work good during one weekend after a tough season and everything changes. I trust in the hard work, for sure the season hasn’t been what we wanted, at the end we were working hugely to make it in one weekend, ok it was Silverstone, but our goal isn’t to make one weekend for the season. We want to keep this pace for the rest of the season, or if it’s not possible this year, do a good pre-season next year and hammer next year. For us, all of Honda’s goal, we are so far back in the Championship that we don’t have a chance to fight for something, let’s say, interesting. We’ll keep our heads down, maybe it’s going to happen that we arrive here and we suffer again. Trust me when I tell you that I’m working hugely, Honda too, to try to be the best package possible in the second half of the season or at the start of the next one.
“I’ve been in the last races, last year I was fighting with some of them, but last year I was fighting with different riders, not the ones I was facing at Silverstone. For sure the way they approach the overtake, and the way they overtake you, is much different. It allows you to ride in a different way, much smoother, relaxed, no one is going to come overtake you in a crazy way when you are in first or second. They are smoother in their overtakes and everything is much easier when you are in front and you don’t need to be stressed and recovering positions, just trying to overtake the other guy and protecting the inside every lap. So the race was much easier, even if I finished in the top five. As you say this place is good for Honda, at least last year, but as Jack said this year the temperature has changed a lot. We face sometimes, from one week to another the track changes so much, so from one year to another we don’t know, especially with the temperature we’re going to face for the weekend.”
Maverick Vinales. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Maverick Viñales: “I’m more than excited, I’m very hungry and motivated to start this story with Aprilia. The six races ahead are just a present to prepare better for next year. Our priority is trying to learn, for sure it is very different, I need to learn a lot and learn quick.
“For sure, this year set up a lot of fire inside of myself. All we want is to push. I’ve been away for a while, but I think we come back in a good way. After the two tests I feel positive to be here and get experience on a weekend and we just need to learn.”
That’s the lowdown from the Press Conference, with MotorLand Aragon poised to deliver a thriller. Tune in as Free Practice begins on Friday morning, before Sunday sees the lights go out for the premier class race at 14:00 (GMT +2)!
Fuentespalda, home of the longest zipline in Europe, welcomes some fast faces for their first race of the weekend
On Thursday morning before the Aragon GP, MotoGP™ riders Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing), Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) were joined by Moto2™ Championship leader Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) at Europe’s longest zipline. Located in the Teruel province, the “Tirolina Fuentespalda” zipline extends over almost two kilometers and sees those who dare drop 200m over that distance, reaching some impressive speeds. And so, of course, the race was on for the quartet of eager riders.
The winner? Rins. The Suzuki rider got up to a whopping 128km/h, with Zarco hot on his heels with 121 on his second run. Gardner reached 115, and Miller? The Ducati rider didn’t put the monitor on… so we’ll never know!
Zarco and Miller praised the Team Suzuki Ecstar rider’s untouchable top speed though, and enjoyed getting back out the saddle for something a little different. And Rins? The quip of the day came from the winner, with the home hero giving an accurate appraisal of the layout. A two kilometre straight? “More a Ducati track”, but he nevertheless took to the top step and aims to do the same on Sunday at MotorLand.
Corey Alexander's specially painted Kawasaki ZX-10RR racebike. Photo by Sam Thurman, courtesy HONOS HVMC Racing.
Corey Alexander Unveils FDNY 9/11 Tribute for NJMP
Manhattan, New York ( September 9th, 2021 ) –
Corey Alexander and the HONOS HVMC Racing team are honored to unveil their FDNY Engine 23-inspired livery for this weekend’s MotoAmerica races at New Jersey Motorsports Park, which coincide with the 20th anniversary of the September 11th attacks.
The team’s Graves-spec Kawasaki ZX-10RR “Engine 23” will be raced in the Stock 1000cc and HONOS Superbike classes throughout the weekend as a tribute to first responders past and present, as well as to honor victims of the attacks and their families.
The livery features a fire engine red, yellow, and white paint scheme with iconic gold decals provided by Drippin’ Wet Designs. Corey will also be wearing a custom leather suit produced by Alpinestars and custom painted Arai Corsair-X helmet, both emulating the black and fluorescent yellow uniform that FDNY firemen wear daily.
The entire Alexander family is born and raised in New York and the team’s title sponsor, Hudson Valley Motorcycles, is located just 30 miles north of where the World Trade Center’s twin towers once stood.
“As a New Yorker, 9/11 is a really meaningful day on the calendar each year for me,” Alexander said. “When I realized this year’s race fell on the 20th anniversary, I knew I wanted to pay tribute again just as we did in 2016. It was a lot of work the past two weeks to make it happen, but we are here and I can’t wait to show the bike off around the track this weekend. I hope everyone loves it as much as I do.”
Corey and the HONOS HVMC team have partnered with Honor365® and Maxima Racing Oils to produce 300 limited edition t-shirts with a special FDNY-inspired design. The tees will be available for a $30 donation while supplies last and can be found at the team’s hospitality area in NJMP’s paddock.
Tickets to the event are available at New Jersey Motorsports Park or online via MotoAmerica.com.
About Honor365®
Honor365® was founded on March 31, 2017 with the mission of providing resource and referral services to veterans, first responders, and their families. As a result, six programs were developed in order to support those who support us 24/7. Visit Honor365.org for more information or to donate.
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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
