MotoAmerica: Will Petrucci Be Stopped At Road Atlanta? (Updated)

David Swarts

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April 20, 2022

MotoAmerica: Will Petrucci Be Stopped At Road Atlanta? (Updated)

Will Petrucci Be Stopped In MotoAmerica Medallia Superbikes At Road Atlanta?

Medallia Superbikes Headline A Packed Weekend Of Action In The
Auto Parts 4 Less MotoAmerica Championship

IRVINE, CA (April 20, 2022) – The headline 37-entry strong MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike class rolls into Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, April 22-24, with Italian superstar Danilo Petrucci white-hot as he comes in fresh off his doubleheader sweep at Circuit of The Americas two weeks ago in what was his MotoAmerica debut. Petrucci was everything he was hyped up to be in Texas – friendly and fast – and although the victories didn’t come easy, he arrives in the Peach State with two race wins and a perfect 50 championship points.

Naysayers will point out that Petrucci had previously raced at Circuit of The Americas, which is true. The Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC-backed two-time MotoGP race winner had done battle in MotoGP at COTA, but his MotoAmerica debut was his first time racing the team’s Ducati Panigale V4 R and it was his first race weekend on Dunlop tires.

Doubters will also point to the fact that defending MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Champion Jake Gagne had a miserable weekend with mechanical failures leaving him with a DNF in race one and a third-place finish in race two and just a total of 16 points garnered from the weekend. Again, they’d be right, but there’s no taking away from the fact that Petrucci’s MotoAmerica debut was impressive on all fronts as he matched Toni Elias’ debut MotoAmerica performance from 2016 with a perfect weekend.

Gagne, meanwhile, has spent the past two weeks champing at the bit to have another crack at Petrucci and he gets that chance this weekend at Road Atlanta. After a DNF in race one last year in Georgia, it must have felt like déjà vu to Gagne in Texas. And he’ll be hoping the déjà vu continues as last year he bounced back after the opening-race disaster to win race two and that kick-started a 16-race win streak that ultimately led to a 17-win season and the 2021 MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship.

Although his results were slightly overshadowed by Petrucci’s first MotoAmerica round, Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz’s two second-place finishes at COTA were memorable as he was the only rider to seriously challenge Petrucci and he did so in both races. Scholtz left Texas with 40 points and a wry smile after his two second-place finishes at COTA. A year ago, at Road Atlanta, Scholtz was in the right place at the right time to take advantage of Gagne’s non-finish in race one to take victory, winning for the third time in his Superbike career.

The fact that South African Scholtz is now based in Georgia and thus considers Road Atlanta to be his home race is another reason for him to come through the Road Atlanta gates with a smile on his face.

Gagne’s new Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing teammate Cameron Petersen is third in the championship heading into Road Atlanta with the South African finishing third and fourth in the two COTA races. Petersen was fast throughout the weekend and battled to the bitter end of race two with his teammate to finish just .344 of a second from what would have been his second podium of his debut weekend with Yamaha.

Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki teammates Richie Escalante and Jake Lewis are tied for fourth in the championship with Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Hector Barbera with 20 points apiece as the series heads to Road Atlanta

For Escalante, the two COTA races were his first on a Superbike and after a botched start made for a difficult ride to seventh in race one, he rebounded to finish an impressive fifth in his second race on the team’s GSX-R1000 in race two. Lewis, meanwhile, was consistent with two sixth-place finishes in his return to the Superbike class.

Barbera, meanwhile, led the way for the new Tytlers Cycle Racing team with fifth in race one and seventh in race two for the Spaniard.

Gagne sits in seventh in the title chase – a whopping 34 points behind Petrucci – and four points behind the tied trio ahead of him.

Two points in arears of Gagne is Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC Racing’s Travis Wyman who opened his Medallia Superbike season with a pair of ninth-place finishes.

PJ Jacobsen’s return to racing after a two-year hiatus was a solid one. The New Yorker impressed with a fourth-place finish in race one, but a DNF in race two cost him in the championship. He sits in a tie for ninth with ADR Motorsports’ David Anthony with the Australian starting his 2022 campaign with an eighth-place finish in race one and a 10th in race two.

The MotoAmerica Medallia Superbikes will take to the track for the first time on Friday, April 22 at 10:20 a.m. The first of the two races will take place on Saturday at 3:10 p.m. with Sunday’s race two slated again for 3:10 p.m. Both races will be 19 laps/48.2 miles.

Road Atlanta Superbike Notes

Jake Gagne qualified on pole position for last year’s MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike races with a 1:23.746, which was a new lap record for the 12-turn, 2.54-mile Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. The Superbike race record is still held by Cameron Beaubier with his 1:24.085 set in race one in 2020.

Last year’s two MotoAmerica Superbike races at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta were won by Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz and Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne.

With his victory in race one at Circuit of The Americas, Danilo Petrucci became the 63rd rider to win an AMA Superbike race. When he won race two at COTA, Petrucci jumped all the way to a tie for 40th on the all-time Superbike-win list with countryman Alessandro Gramigni, Kurtis Roberts, Mike Hale, John Ashmead, Ron Pierce and Paul Ritter.

With his 17 career victories, Jake Gagne is tied for eighth on the all-time AMA Superbike win list with the late Nicky Hayden. Gagne needs three more victories to move up the list and into a tie for seventh with Fred Merkel.

The next highest active Superbike rider on the list is Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz, who is tied with Garrett Gerloff, Bubba Shobert, and Jamie James for 28th on the all-time list with four victories.

Six different manufacturers will be represented in the Medallia Superbike class at Road Atlanta. Yamaha leads the way with 13 entries, BMW is second with nine, Suzuki is next up with seven, Kawasaki has four of its ZX-10Rs and there are three Honda CBR1000RR-R SPs entered.

The good old days? The very first AMA Superbike race at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta was held in 1980, and it was won by four-time 500cc World Champion Eddie Lawson. The first-ever AMA National motorcycle race at Road Atlanta was held in 1971 and was won by Kel Carruthers. Coincidentally, Carruthers was Lawson’s crew chief for three of his four 500cc World Championships.

About MotoAmerica

MotoAmerica is the North American road racing series created in 2014 that is home to the AMA Superbike Championship. MotoAmerica is an affiliate of KRAVE Group LLC, a partnership that includes three-time 500cc World Champion, two-time AMA Superbike Champion, and AMA Hall of Famer Wayne Rainey, ex-racer and former manager of Team Roberts Chuck Aksland, motorsports marketing executive Terry Karges, and businessman Richard Varner. For more information on MotoAmerica, visit www.MotoAmerica.com. Also make sure to follow MotoAmerica on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

More, from a press release issued by Westby Racing:

Mathew Scholtz And Westby Racing Are Ready For Some “Home Cooking” This Weekend At Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta

Tulsa, OK – April 20, 2022 – Round two of the 2022 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship starts this Friday at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia. Rider Mathew Scholtz, along with the entire Westby Racing team, are extra-motivated for this round since it’s considered a home track.

South African-born Mathew now lives in nearby Acworth, Georgia, and Westby Racing team manager Chuck Giacchetto and crew chief Ed Sullivan also live in the Atlanta area. In addition, Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. is headquartered in nearby Kennesaw.

And, if that’s not enough motivation, Mathew and the team are coming off two strong, second-place finishes at the Circuit of The Americas two weeks ago and are rolling into Road Atlanta where they won the first MotoAmerica Superbike race of the season last year, and then followed that up with a second-place finish in race two.

Last year’s start propelled Mathew and the team to a runner-up finish in the season championship, and they are on pace to hopefully improve that result by one in this year’s championship chase. After all, the 2022 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship is the ultimate goal.

“I’m really looking forward to the Road Atlanta round this weekend,” Mathew said. “It’s a home race for me and some of the team, and it’s always great to have that special motivation from having friends coming to watch me race. Also, it’s a track that I’ve done really, really well at in the past.

“Coming off two second-place finishes at COTA, we put up a pretty good fight at what I would consider to be a ‘Ducati’ track with all of the tighter corners onto longer straightaways there. I think, now that we’re headed to the more ‘American-based’ tracks, it’s going to help the Yamaha, and we’re going to be much more competitive. I’ve always had a good feeling about Road Atlanta.

“After COTA, we were looking at changing one or two things with the bike, and we have a pretty good direction that we want to follow with the setup. I’m just really excited to get to the track. The weather looks like it’s going to be ideal, so I can’t wait to get out there and see how we measure up on a track that suits me and the bike. I’m looking to have a really strong showing.”

Superbike final qualifying is on Saturday morning at 10:15 a.m. ET, Superbike race one will go green on Saturday afternoon at 3:10 p.m. ET, and Superbike Race 2 is on Sunday afternoon also at 3:10 p.m. ET. Both races will be broadcast on Fox Sports 2 (FS2) this weekend, with race one airing Saturday night at 10 p.m. ET and race two airing on Sunday night at 6:30 p.m. ET.

For all the action from Road Atlanta, as it happens, subscribe to MotoAmerica Live+, which is MotoAmerica’s live streaming and on-demand service. To find out more about how to watch MotoAmerica, click HERE
Pick Up A FREE T-Shirt And Autographed Poster

Westby Racing T-shirts, as well as posters autographed by Mathew, will be available at the team transporter in the paddock throughout the weekend, so swing by and say hello to Mathew and the team.

Check Out The Westby Racing Sponsor Showcase

iOneMoto-Sharkskinz, Superbike Unlimited, and Suter Racing Products are the featured team sponsors on display in the Westby Racing paddock area this race weekend, so be sure to stop by to say hello and learn about some of the companies that support the team.

For more updates about Westby Racing, including news, photos, and videos, visit https://www.WestbyRacing.com

Also, follow “Westby Racing” on your favorite social media sites.

More, from a press release issued by Ducati:

MotoAmerica Round 2 – Petrucci Ready to Rumble at Road Atlanta

Danilo Petrucci Heads to Road Atlanta as the Man to Beat in MotoAmerica Superbike

Sunnyvale, Calif., April 20, 2022 – The 2022 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship sees America’s finest chasing a red-hot Italian heading into round two at Road Atlanta.

Danilo Petrucci and the gorgeous Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC Panigale V4 SBK swept all before them at round one at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, earlier this month, taking both race wins to open a 10-point lead in the series over Yamaha’s Mathew Scholtz.

This will be Petrucci’s first visit to the undulating 2.5-mile Road Atlanta venue nestled just north of Braselton, Georgia, and he knows he’ll be the rabbit the dogs are all trying to chase after his CoTA exploits.

Petrucci’s smiling style has already proven a massive hit with the American Ducatisti, who are expected to turn out in droves to lend their support to the two-time MotoGP race winner.

Danilo Petrucci (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC – Ducati #9)

“We had the chance to make a few laps with the production Panigale V4 in Virginia since CoTA, but with the rain tires, it was freezing!” Petrucci laughs. “I’m feeling good. This weekend will be the first real test of the year because this is a new track for me. I will try to study the data and the videos as much as possible, but for sure, it will be more of a challenge than CoTA where I had a bit of an advantage because of my MotoGP experience. I know the three guys behind me in the series are fast, but I am determined to land on the top step of the podium once again.”

Round two of the 2022 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship will be held at Road Atlanta on April 22-24, 2022.

MotoGP: Lenovo Ducati Riders Pumped To Return To Portimao

David Swarts

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April 20, 2022

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MotoGP: Lenovo Ducati Riders Pumped To Return To Portimao

The Ducati Lenovo Team arrives in Portugal for the first European round of the 2022 MotoGP season

After the first four Grands Prix for the 2022 season held outside of Europe, the MotoGP World Championship arrives in Portugal, at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, near Portimão, for its first race of the year on the Old Continent.

The circuit, located in the Algarve region, was introduced to the calendar in 2020 and has already hosted the World Championship on three occasions. In the most recent, the Algarve GP last October, both Ducati Lenovo Team riders finished on the podium.

Francesco Bagnaia, who started from pole position after setting a new circuit record in qualifying, secured his third win of the season by also setting the fastest lap in the race. Jack Miller, who started second alongside his teammate, crossed the line third, bringing Ducati’s podiums to four at the Portuguese track.

After a good weekend in America, which saw him finish fifth and rediscover positive sensations on his Desmosedici GP bike, Pecco aims for an important result at Portimão. The Italian is currently 12th in the overall standings, 38 points behind leader Bastianini. Miller, seventh in the standings after securing his first podium of the season in Austin by finishing third in the race, wants to be among the frontrunners again at this weekend’s Grand Prix.

Jack Miller (#43 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 7th (31 points)

“I’m really excited to be back racing in Europe, where I think the world championship will come into its own. Being on the podium at the last American GP gives me the confidence to take on this crucial part of the championship. I can’t wait to get on track at Portimão, a track I like a lot! Last year I finished third in the last race here, and I think there are all the conditions to do well again this year”.

Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 12th (23 points)

“After the break of the past few days, I’m now charged up and ready to face the first European round of the season! In Argentina and America, we went back to work like we did last year, finally making progress and finding the sensations I was used to riding my Desmosedici GP. Unfortunately, in Austin, we couldn’t get beyond a fifth position because we lacked some speed in the race. This weekend we’ll be racing at Portimão, a circuit where we could do well in both races last year. That’s very positive because it will allow us to evaluate our work so far and understand where we still need to improve. I can’t wait to get on track!”

The Grand Prix of Portugal will start this Friday, 22nd April, from 9:50 am local time (CEST -1.00) with the first free practice session.

WorldSBK: TPR Team Pedercini And Rider Loris Cresson Split

David Swarts

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April 20, 2022

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WorldSBK: TPR Team Pedercini And Rider Loris Cresson Split

TPR Team Pedercini Announcement

TPR Team Pedercini wishes to inform that Loris Cresson will leave the team with immediate effect. A replacement for the upcoming Dutch Round at the TT Circuit Assen will be announced in due course.

TPR Team Pedercini wishes Loris all the best for the future.

Australian Superbike: A Preview Of The Next Round At Wakefield Park

David Swarts

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April 20, 2022

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Australian Superbike: A Preview Of The Next Round At Wakefield Park

So here we are, well into April 2022, with two rounds under our belt, a strong championship and next to no idea about who is going to take things by the scruff of the neck.

And when we speak of “Championship” we nominally talk about the Alpinestars Superbike Championship, but frankly, we could be talking about any, and all, of the championships racing under the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul banner…

So, with Australian schools having finished term one just ahead of Easter, we will offer a school report by way of an event preview…

Alpinestars Superbike

Mike continues to be a star student and despite moving schools over the summer, he seems to be able to get down to work and up to speed quickly. Outstanding work in Queensland has him at the top of the class and while there is plenty of racing to come, we see no reason he can’t continue to remain the potential dux of 2022 thanks to his work ethic and talent. 8.5/10

Bryan Staring

Phillip Island saw Bryan display that he can be the best in the class and that despite some unforced absences last few years, when he has all he needs, he can star. Round Two brought things heavily into focus, and perhaps showed that copying Wayne Maxwell’s work from Round One was less than ideal with a 16th and 2nd creating just a fraction of confusion and doubt about Bryan in 2022. 7.5/10

Josh Waters

Like former team-mate Bryan Staring, Josh had been somewhat absent in recent years, but thankfully never lost his desire to race and win. Landing a late enrolment at the Maxima Oils squad might have been his best option, but the timing has not proved an issue.

He has put his signature strong work ethic and positive energy towards making things work, and work they have. If someone said “Josh will be third in the championship after round two” we’d all agree that would be a fantastic outcome. 8/10

Wayne Maxwell

Always worth listening to in class, Wayne was typically expansive on why he’s in the class of ’22. “I like being challenged, if I’m not being challenged, I can’t really see the point”. The expression “be careful what you wish for” applies here.

You want a challenge? Yeah, you got one fella. A mathematical challenge. Twenty-two points down with a maximum of 250 odd points available for rest of the season. Plenty of work to do. 6/10

Glenn Allerton

The thing about bad luck is that it can’t last forever. As Douglas Adams said in The Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy”- ‘Don’t Panic.’ Illness at Round One followed by an engine issue at Round Two has made Glenn’s results look worse than they ought. When he’s right to go, then he’ll be right up there again. Needs to respond with excellent results for the rest of the season. 6.5/10

Arthur Sissis

Earlier this year, we threw down the challenge to Arthur; go from a top ten adjacent student to a contender.

He might have taken that on board. Round two saw a 7th and 4th and now up to 6th in the championship. The understanding that effort is a talent multiplier is paying off.

Where results = (talent x effort)

So, after just two rounds, we get to ask again; can he take it up to the top 5… the top 3? Get busy young man. 7.5/10

Cru Halliday

At the start of the season, we had a feeling that “Cru could be the boy most likely” to challenge Wayne Maxwell for the dux of ‘22 and he just ground out the best result possible at Phillip Island when the #1 plated Ducati just seemed to have skipped a year ahead.

Very solid podium results at Round One went sideways at Queensland with 5th and a DNF. This was a disappointing low points haul, and he knew it. With his teammate atop the podium and taking the maximum 51 points, it burned a little.

Like Wayne Maxwell, he needs to knuckle down and work hard at the maths here; no more DNFs and any spot below third will be less than stellar. 6.5/10

Daniel Falzon

A solid start to the season at Round One was cruelled by absenteeism at the early part of Round Two and that has seen Daniel 8th in the title chase when it was all looking a lot more promising.

With the calendar shenanigans out of the way, a supportive and quality team around him, he’s still well in the hunt for podiums and a solid season result. 7/10

Troy Herfoss

You can’t keep a good man down forever, but apparently, you can for Round One and you can try to do it at Round Two.

Round One was one we’d all rather forget for the red bike with the #17. Just 18 points in the bank and more worryingly a sense of helplessness and confusion. The normally all-pro, all-the-time Penrite Honda outfit were ticking the wrong boxes on the multiple-choice questions. Commentators and pundits alike rightly talked Troy up, but there was plenty of evidence that a return to the top was not happening any time soon.

Round Two showed signs- positive ones. Sixth in race one was a solid pass mark. Seventh in Race Two was also a pass. Some of the famed Herfoss swagger was back. As he returns to his roots in Goulburn, there’s promise in the air. Let’s see. 5/10

Ant West

Our famed mature-age student has just been off on an excursion to Europe and as we head to Wakefield, one cannot say with any authority what we will get from the ludicrously talented lucky #13.

The blunt instrument that is Westy’s style was in full effect when asked about the team’s prospects. While they were working hard, they seemed to be working on all the wrong subjects and the bike went slower at every opportunity.

But we have faith. As Anthony Doerr says in All the Light We Cannot See, “A real diamond is never perfect.” Or- perhaps more prophetically- “A weed is but an unloved flower.” ― Ella Wilcox 5/10

Michelin Supersport

The number one thing in the Supersport class of 2022 has not been a rider; it’s confusion. From Round One winner Senna Agius promptly leaving the country for overseas learning in 2022 to the exclusion of nominal Round Two winner Tom Edwards- who is now also off to Europe for some WSSP experience, we’re left to ponder- what the…?

After Round One, Tom Bramich was the nominal series leader in the absence of Senna Agius. He took this news on board and promptly DNF’d race one but recovered with a fourth in race two.

Lytras, Nicholson, Lynch and Drane all showed signs that they were interested and capable of solid results, but it would be the baby-faced assassin Olly Simpson who would depart Queensland Raceway with the apparently heavy burden of Championship leadership.

?/10 we have no idea what’s going on there.

Dunlop Supersport 300

After some unruly machines were suspended from the class of ’22 at Round One, the pundits threw their papers and plans in the air like confetti.

It would be Henry Snell who would emerge from the smoking ashes with the Championship leadership. Round Two would be a challenge for him, with just fourth for the round, but enough to hang on to the lead.

Nelson, Dunker and Jacobs are all rightly regarded as likely contenders for the rest of the year, and the Wakefield circuit will be very interesting with the usual tight racing likely to happen – yet again. 8/10 for the whole field.

Yamaha Finance R3 Cup

Some familiar names from the 300 class reappear, though in a different order.

In this class, Glenn Nelson has been fast- and critically- consistently attending the podium. Dunker might have shaded him at Queensland Raceway, but Nelson leads the series by some 12 points.

Snell, Hayden Nelson, Russo, Aksu, Simpson et al can all contend for wins, but even a glance at the maths shows that they can’t afford to let Glenn Nelson just saunter off with the title without a fight. 7/10 see me after class for some remedial maths lessons.

Oceania Junior Cup

Predicting the OJC results is like predicting the landing site of an errant satellite- either way, it’s going to end in a mess.

Garry McCoy is the rider coach/teacher and has had his work cut out for him from the get-go as the red mist has descended upon this junior category from time to time and while you can’t always get passive kids to fire up, it’s also hard getting fired up kids to calm down.

But consistency of message and methodology will surely pay off and after some stern parent-teacher interviews, all looks good for the remainder of the season.

Harrison Watts leads at present by 12 points from Cameron Rende and Hudson Thompson.

Ahead of points and series leaders, what one really wants to see in the junior class is progression- and not just in terms of lap times.

For the class of ’22 to graduate to the next class, McCoy really wants to see progression in all things; maturity, attitude, understanding, listening and then see what results that brings track.

Garry McCoy 10/10, the class… a bit less. For now.

2022 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul (ASBK)

Round 1 Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, VIC 25 – 27 February

Round 2 Queensland Raceway, Ipswich QLD 18 – 20 March

Round 3 Wakefield Park Raceway, Goulburn NSW 22 – 24 April

Round 4 Hidden Valley Raceway, Darwin NT 17 – 19 June
* With Supercars – SBK Only

Round 5 Morgan Park Raceway, Warwick QLD 5 – 7 August

Round 6 Symmons Plains Raceway – Launceston TAS 20 – 23 October

Round 7 Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, Cowes VIC  – 18-20 November

Round 8 The Bend Motorsport Park, Tailem Bend SA 2 – 4 December

ASBK Night of Champions Dinner – The Bend 4 December

Roadracing World Young Guns 2022: Gus Rodio

David Swarts

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April 20, 2022

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Roadracing World Young Guns 2022: Gus Rodio

Roadracing World started this exclusive special feature recognizing the most promising young road racers as an answer to pessimists who claimed America had no new, up-and-coming young racers. This edition of the Roadracing World Young Gun Awards marks the 26th consecutive year of showcasing an abundance of new talent.

Roadracing World Young Guns have won:

FIM MotoGP and FIM Superbike races and World Championships;

MotoAmerica and AMA Pro races and Championships, including 11 AMA Pro Superbike Championships;

A KTM RC Cup World Final race;

The Daytona 200 (11 times);

WERA National Endurance Championships and WERA National Challenge Championships;

ASRA/Formula USA Grand National and CCS National Championships;

AMA Road Racing Grand Championships and Horizon Awards;

USGPRU National Championships;

Many regional and local titles.

The competition has continually become more intense as more – and younger—racers with higher levels of accomplishment are nominated, and the level of achievement required to make the grade keeps getting tougher.

We’ve spent the last several months accepting nominations and evaluating road racers between the ages of 10 and 18 (as of the start of the 2022 season) who have, at a minimum, won Expert-level road races and/or Championships or had outstanding results as an Amateur/Novice. Most of the riders included here have done far more than the minimum.

The young riders recognized here are the most promising young road racers in North America. All have earned the title of Roadracing World Young Gun.

We will feature one Young Gun per day, presenting them in alphabetical order.

Gus Rodio

Age: 17.

Current home: Hammonton, New Jersey.

Current height/weight: 5’9”/130 pounds.

Current school grade level: 10th grade.

Began riding motorcycles at age: 3.5 years.

First road race: 2015, Millville, New Jersey, NJMiniGP, Spec 50, 8th Place.

Current racebikes: Kawasaki Ninja 400, Aprilia RS 660, Husqvarna FS 450.

Current tuners/mechanics: Kevin Rodio (father), Artie Meeker, Frank Angel, Mike Marthaler.

Primary race series: MotoAmerica Junior Cup & Twins Cup.

Top Sponsors: Rodio Racing, Evolve GT, N2, Spellcaster Productions, HJC Helmets, Moto-Liberty RS Taichi, Dunlop Motorcycle Tires, Kathedral, Spears Racing, K-Tech, Orient Express, VNM Sport, Red Mist Racing, MAR Contractors,

Recent racing accomplishments: 2021 season, finished 3^rd in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (1 win, 3 total podium finishes), won 4 CCS National Championships (ThunderBike, Lightweight SuperBike, Lightweight SuperSport, Lightweight Grand Prix), placed 2^nd in CCS Atlantic Overall Regional Championship; 2020 season, placed 11^th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (5 top-five finished in the first 7 races); 2019 season, 3 top-10 finishes in MotoAmerica Junior Cup; won 9 CCS regional and track Championships, won NJMiniGP: Supermini Championship; 2018 season, 10 podium finishes with CCS, won 2 Motogladiator Championship (SS300, SB300), won 3 NJMiniGP Championships.

2022 racing goals: Win double MotoAmerica Championships in Junior Cup and Twins Cup.

Racing career goal: Win a World Championship.

Racing hero: Nicky Hayden.

Favorite track: Road America.

Favorite hobby: Supermoto.

If I wasn’t racing I would be…: Bored.

WorldSBK: Temperatures & Tire Life On Rea’s Mind Heading To Assen

David Swarts

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April 19, 2022

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WorldSBK: Temperatures & Tire Life On Rea’s Mind Heading To Assen

Round Two Anticipation Builds For KRT Duo

KRT riders Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes are looking forward to competing at a true classic WorldSBK venue when the second round of the WorldSBK championship gets underway at the TT Circuit Assen, between 22-24 April.

After making a winning start to his latest campaign on his Ninja ZX-10RR at the Motorland Aragon opening round Rea approaches his statistically best circuit with a high degree of confidence and three podium finishes from three race starts so far. He was the victor in a thrilling Race One at Motorland, before going on to finish second in the two subsequent contests.

Rea has scored a class-leading 15 race victories at the Assen circuit, ten of them on Kawasaki machinery. Fifteen is the greatest number of race wins at a single circuit for any rider in WorldSBK racing history; just one of the many records held by six-times champion Rea.

Lowes is looking to boost his early season championship position after a Race One no-score preceded his sixth and fifth place finishes at the opening round in Aragon. Alex has scored one podium finish at Assen in the past, his very first top three performance in WorldSBK, in 2014. He has also taken a pre-race Superpole starting position at Assen, in 2018.

Alex set the fastest lap of Race Two at Motorland recently, proving that his pace is progressing well as he aims to get back into the championship fight in the coming rounds.

In the overall points’ standings Rea is second with 54 and Lowes is eighth overall, with 15. After Assen there will be a small break in the championship calendar as Round Three will not take place until May 20-22, at Estoril in Portugal.

Jonathan Rea, stated: “I expect to do my best again. Of course, I expect to be strong, but you never know how strong. The level is really good now. I hope my bike works well from the first day and we can, step-by-step, build the package. I think the temperature will be a little bit lower than it was in Motorland, so we have to understand the life of all the tyre options and see what happens. But Assen is a track I really love. A lot of fans make the journey from the UK, so I’m excited.”

Alex Lowes, stated: “Assen is a track I really enjoy and the Dutch fans are fantastic. I’m hoping to see them out in force this weekend. We had a solid Sunday at Round One and I’m looking forward to building on that. I am excited to see if me and my guys can challenge for our first podium of the 2022 season.”

Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) will be back in action and out for more points scores in his second season of WorldSBK competition. He is 14th overall in the championship rankings after Round One.

Oliver König (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) is enjoying his first season of WordSBK competition on the Ninja ZX-10RR, and like his fellow independent rider Loris Cresson (TPR Team Pedercini Racing) he is aiming to score his first championship points at Assen this coming weekend.

American Flat Track: First Race Broadcasts On FOX Sports Broke Records

David Swarts

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April 19, 2022

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American Flat Track: First Race Broadcasts On FOX Sports Broke Records

Progressive AFT Telecasts on FOX Sports Draw Record-Breaking Viewership

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 19, 2022) – Progressive American Flat Track is pleased to announce record-breaking viewership ratings for the opening two broadcasts in its new partnership with FOX Sports.

Preliminary combined numbers for the Mission Volusia Half-Mile presented by Daytona Dodge and Mission Texas Half-Mile Presented by Roof Systems according to Nielsen:

450,000 total viewers watched the opening two rounds of the Progressive AFT season, up 105% year-over-year compared with last season’s opening two rounds.

366,000 households tuned in for this season’s first two rounds, up 117% year-over-year.

The key 18-34 demographic enjoyed a particularly dramatic increase with 54,000 viewers. That beat the previous high mark in terms of total 18-34 viewership for the opening two rounds of 40,000 dating back to 2018 by 35%.

The new multi-year agreement with FOX Sports, featuring highly desirable time slots and bolstered by an outstanding overall motorsports line-up on the network, promised to both deliver for the sport’s hardcore enthusiasts and introduce it to legions of new fans. The early returns demonstrate that potential is already being fulfilled with much more to come.

Progressive AFT makes its inaugural visit to I-70 Motorsports Park in Odessa, Missouri, on Saturday, April 23 for the I-70 Half-Mile presented by Indian Motorcycle of Kansas City. Secure your tickets now at https://store.americanflattrack.com/ebooking/ticket/view/id/3775.

The I-70 Half-Mile presented by Indian Motorcycle of Kansas City will premiere on FS1 on Sunday, May 1 starting at 10:00 a.m. ET/7:00 a.m. PT.

For more information on Progressive AFT visit https://www.americanflattrack.com. To score the latest gear for the Progressive American Flat Track fan, visit our official merchandise store at https://store.americanflattrack.com.

How to Watch:

FOX Sports and Facebook are the official homes for coverage of Progressive American Flat Track. For the 2022 season, all 18 races will premiere in one-hour telecasts on FS1 during highly desirable weekend time slots. The complete schedule can be viewed at https://www.americanflattrack.com/events-foxsports. Viewers can watch livestream coverage of every round in the Facebook mobile app, Facebook desktop site or on the Facebook Watch mobile app. To watch the livestream on TV, fans can download the Facebook Watch TV app, or cast to a TV from the Facebook mobile app. Facebook Watch is available through Apple TV, Samsung Smart TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, and Xbox One.

Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup: 2022 Season Starts In Portugal

David Swarts

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April 19, 2022

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Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup: 2022 Season Starts In Portugal

Roisterous Rookies ride starts season in Portimão

It’s all action in Portugal this weekend. Races one and two of the 16th Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup season take place in Portimão with 26 young riders ready to put on the dazzling displays of skill and enthusiasm that are the hallmark of the Cup.

The dramatic tarmac twists and elevation changes of the Algarve circuit are a perfect stage for the Rookies to show their skills on the KTM RC 250 Rs and after the three day preseason test they are primed to go racing.

New stars the only certainty

Lining up for the 2022 Cup are just 4 riders in their 3rd Cup season, Tatchakorn Buasri, Gabin Planques, Luca Lunetta and Collin Veijer. For 14 it is their first season so a wide variety of experience going into the opening weekend.

We are guaranteed to see some new stars as the top 7 in last year’s title chase have moved on. None of this year’s grid have won a race, only Buasri has been on the podium.

First races only a hint of things to come

Last year Portimão saw eventual Cup winner David Alonso win both races. It looked like the start of a charge but against super tough opposition he didn’t win again until the 4th event at the Sachsenring. It was then his incredible hat-trick, winning 3 of the 4 races at the Red Bull Ring that really secured him the Cup that he actually clinched at the final weekend in Aragón.

Alonso won 6 of 14 races last season, the most ever wins is Bo Bendsneyder who won 8 of 13 in 2015. There were 7 different victors in last year’s incredible season, we have only once had 8. That was back in 2011 when Lorenzo Baldassarri took the title with just 2 wins. Arthur Sissis had 4 wins but was only 2nd on points.

Whatever happens in these first 2 races it is unlikely to be much of a help predicting the outcome of the 2022 Rookies Cup, the only thing we can be certain of is that it will be thrilling.

History making

This is the first of 7 2022 Rookies Events that will build on the already extraordinary legacy, these are Rookies Cup races 183 and 184.

The World Championship classes have already started their 2022 seasons of course and ex-Rookies have already won 5 GPs. The GP paddock will be keeping a close eye on the Rookies races as always, wondering which will be the next riders to join their ranks. To date 49.25% of Rookies make it to the GPs.

Broadcast

This weekend’s Rookies Cup races can be seen live on www.redbull.tv and on TV stations around the world.

Race 1 is at 17:30 CEST on Saturday and Race 2 is on Sunday at 17:00, the show starts 10 minutes before the race.

MotoAmerica: Shoei And Cortech Are Newest Official Partners

David Swarts

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April 19, 2022

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MotoAmerica: Shoei And Cortech Are Newest Official Partners

SHOEI And Cortech Onboard As Official Partners For 2022 MotoAmerica Season

Helmet And Apparel Companies Are A Perfect Fit For North America’s Premier Road Racing Series

IRVINE, CA (April 19, 2022) – MotoAmerica, North America’s premier motorcycle road racing series, is pleased to announce SHOEI Helmets and Cortech motorcycle apparel as official partners for the 2022 Auto Parts 4 Less MotoAmerica Championship.

“SHOEI and Cortech are both quality brands and a natural fit for our series,” said Lance Bryson, MotoAmerica’s Senior Sponsorship Manager. “Safety and protection from the elements are important to our motorcycle-riding fans and SHOEI and Cortech make top-notch products. We look forward to having a great relationship with them as our newest sponsorship partners for the 2022 season.”

With some 60 years of helmet building experience, every SHOEI helmet is still handmade in Japan. The company is also very active in racing with sponsorship of some of the top racers in the world, including multi-time World Champion Marc Marquez.

Cortech, meanwhile, has virtually every part of motorcyclists covered – from leather jackets, to gloves, to riding suits, to rain wear. Cortech also has a Speedway collection that caters to sportbike riders and racers.

“Watching MotoAmerica’s dedication to the sport of road racing over the years made the partnership with SHOEI and Cortech a no-brainer for us,” said Don Becklin, Helmet House Chief Digital Officer. “We’re honored to be a part of America’s premier road racing series for the 2022 season, and we look forward to seeing where this partnership takes us. MotoAmerica has elevated U.S. motorcycle road racing to unprecedented levels and it’s a natural fit for premium brands like SHOEI helmets and Cortech riding gear to be involved. We can’t wait to watch the racing and grow our participation.”

About MotoAmerica

MotoAmerica is the North American road racing series created in 2014 that is home to the AMA Superbike Championship. MotoAmerica is an affiliate of KRAVE Group LLC, a partnership that includes three-time 500cc World Champion, two-time AMA Superbike Champion, and AMA Hall of Famer Wayne Rainey, ex-racer and former manager of Team Roberts Chuck Aksland, motorsports marketing executive Terry Karges, and businessman Richard Varner. For more information on MotoAmerica, visit www.MotoAmerica.com. Also make sure to follow MotoAmerica on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

WorldSBK: Van Der Mark Returning To Action Next Weekend At Assen

David Swarts

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April 19, 2022

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WorldSBK: Van Der Mark Returning To Action Next Weekend At Assen

BMW Motorrad Motorsport in WorldSBK: Heading to the ‘Cathedral of Speed’ at Assen.

Round two of the 2022 FIM Superbike World Championship.

BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team rider Michael van der Mark plans his comeback at his home round.

Loris Baz and Eugene Laverty from the Bonovo action BMW Racing Team aim to build on the good basis from the season opener.

Assen. The next stop of the 2022 FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) will lead BMW Motorrad Motorsport to the famous ‘Cathedral of Speed’. The TT Circuit at Assen (NED) will host round two of the season this coming weekend (22nd to 24th April). Michael van der Mark (NED) from the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team, who had to sit out the season opener at MotorLand Aragón (ESP), plans his comeback at his home round. The final decision will be made at a medical test on Thursday.

Van der Mark suffered a fractured leg in a training accident with his mountain bike in early March. After surgery, he fully focused on his healing process that went very well. If he gets green light from the WorldSBK medical team, van der Mark will race at the weekend in the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team next to his new team-mate Scott Redding (GBR).

In the Bonovo action BMW Racing Team, riders Loris Baz (FRA) and Eugene Laverty (FRA) head to Assen with great confidence. They want to build on the strong results the team achieved at the Aragón season opener.

Quotes ahead of the Assen round.

Marc Bongers, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director: “Assen is always something special and I don’t say that just because I am Dutch. It is great that Michael recovered so well and we hope that he gets green light to ride his BMW M 1000 RR at the Assen races. Of course it won’t be an easy weekend for him as he has not been on the World Superbike for a long time but it would be a first step into the season for him. In addition, his feedback can be valuable for our work with all our M 1000 RRs, particularly with Scott’s bike. After the difficult season opener we have analysed the data and Scott and the entire team are working very hard to improve the situation for Assen. The Bonovo action BMW Racing Team demonstrated at the season opener that they have a very good base and I am confident that they can make the next step forward at Assen.”

Michael van der Mark, BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “After the forced break of several weeks I feel ready to return at my home round in Assen. Of course it depends on the final medical check on Thursday but I am confident I can get back on my BMW M 1000 RR at the weekend. The healing process after the surgery went very well. I also had several treatments that additionally seem to have helped to speed up my recovery. I regularly trained in the gym, with an adjusted programme, and that enabled me to keep my fitness at a high level. Of course, I am not expecting to ride at the top at Assen. I know that it will be a challenge, as I haven’t ridden my WorldSBK BMW M 1000 RR since the end of last year and I missed all the pre-season tests in spring time so I also don’t know all the developments made over winter and I first need to understand them before I can benefit from them. In addition, I am feeling very well but am not back to 100 per cent fitness yet, so for me, the most important thing would be to be back in action without focusing on any results. Then we move forward step by step.”

Scott Redding, BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “Assen is a good track for me, a track that I had a lot of good results on in the past. It’s a track I really enjoy to ride. I love going to Holland, the atmosphere is always amazing with the fans there. I also lived there for a while, so I have some friends there and it feels very good for me to go to Assen. I think it is maybe a circuit a little bit better for our bike, so I hope to work on better results than in Aragón and work from there. So I look forward to the weekend.”

Loris Baz, Bonovo action BMW Racing Team: “I’m looking forward to Assen. It’s one of my favourite tracks in the world and I love racing there! It’s a long time since I have raced there, although I was there testing in 2019 and 2020. I’m looking forward to it! It’s always full of fans and definitely one of the best circuits in the calendar. I think also it suits the BMW M 1000 RR a little bit better than Aragón, so I will try to keep the same direction, making some improvements on the bike and continue the good job we are doing with the Bonovo action BMW Racing Team together with BMW. So, let’s go rock one of the most amazing tracks of the world!”

Eugene Laverty, Bonovo action BMW Racing Team: “We had a reasonable start to the season at Aragón. I’ve gelled fantastically well with the Bonovo action BMW Team and we will build from here on. Next up is the flowing circuit of Assen and while I’ve yet to ride the BMW M 1000 RR there I believe that the circuit is better suited to the strengths of our bike. Our aim will be to qualify better to give a better track position during the early laps of the race. The fight at the front is currently out of reach but I’m confident that we can fight to finish between 6th and 8th position. That is our target right now.”

MotoAmerica: Will Petrucci Be Stopped At Road Atlanta? (Updated)

April 20, 2022

Danilo Petrucci (9) leading Mathew Scholtz (11) during MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Race One at COTA. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.