UtahSBA: Hicks Clinches 2021 King Of The Mountain Championship

David Swarts

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August 18, 2021

UtahSBA: Hicks Clinches 2021 King Of The Mountain Championship

The Utah Sportbike Association held Round 5 of the Utah Motorcycle Law
Masters of the Mountains Race Series on August 14th. Racers from
around the country traveled to Grantsville to race on Utah Motorsports
Campus’ perimeter configuration which had been on hiatus since the
2019 racing season. The temperatures were high over the weekend, but
riders got to cool down on the long front straight.

On Saturday the UtahSBA held their final class of the season, the
Advanced Rider Training (ART). UtahSBA believes that a skilled,
educated, and trained rider is a safer rider, this program helps
accomplish that goal. The ART is in partnership with the Yamaha
Champions Riding School (YCRS) and teaches skills developed and
practiced by the world’s top riders. Skills that were taught included
vision skills, braking, accelerating, and managing direction changes.
ART students got classroom time, drill time, and when the racing was
finished the ART students took to the track to put it all to work.

The morning began with the Trackstar/Dunlop and Moto Station/Pirelli
King of the Mountain qualifying. In the first qualifying session
riders took the time to do last minute testing and get everything
dialed in. In the second qualifying session things got heated up.
Tyler Jones improved his Q1 time of 2:01.980 to a 1:59.241 for P4 on
the grid. Eric Jones set a great time of 1:58.529 for P3 on the grid.
Jerry Hicks bettered his Q1 time and set a 1:58.202 which was good for
P2. Bill Davis improved his 2:00.347 from Q1 with a blistering
1:57.875 for pole position.

After a morning filled with close racing and excitement it was time
for the King of the Mountain race. Racers took to their positions on
the grid, bikes revved and lights went out for KOM. Eric Jones from
third on the grid took the holeshot after the long straight into turn
one. Following Eric Jones was Davis in second and Hicks in third. On
their way into turn 5 Eric Jones, Davis, and Hicks were nose-to-tail.
Eric Jones took a tight entry line into the turn and tucked his front
end, sending him out of the race. To avoid running over Eric Jones,
Davis locked his front and lowsided out with Eric Jones. Hicks made it
through the corner and focused on keeping it all together for the
remainder of the race. Race direction then called for a red flag and
riders returned to their garages. In the second start of KOM Davis
took the holeshot from pole position and Hicks followed closely
behind. As the racers completed the first lap it was Davis leading
followed by Hicks and Tyler Jones. At the end of the second lap Ryan
Richardson drafted Tyler Jones and passed him on the inside into turn
1 to take third. Davis led the race followed by Hicks until lap 5 when
Hicks made a move on the brakes up the inside of Davis for the lead.
Tyler Jones finished the race in fourth, Richardson finished third.
Davis took the second podium spot, and the KOM championship points
leader Jerry Hicks got the gold clinching the KOM title for the 2021
season.

In a post-race interview we caught up with Hicks who said, “Although
it’s been a bit of a fist-fight with a few things this season, I’m
happy to have now taken a third KOM championship on the trot and to
have locked up the Open Superbike and Open Superstock championships.”
Hicks also had some people he wanted to thank, “I want to thank my
wife, Carrie for all of her support, being team manager, hospitality
manager, number one fan, holding the pit board during races, and all
the other stuff she does to make this happen. Also, I want to thank
Kory, Brian, James, and the entire Moto Station crew. For equipment,
I’ve gotta give a nod to Pirelli race tires and Kawasaki for offering
exceptional products that allow us racers to ride to our full
potential. Finally, special thanks to the USBA board and our club
sponsors; without them, none of this would be possible.”

The AZ Riding Academy Combined GTO race brought more excitement to the
paddock as the day went on. David Thomas started on P7, when the
lights went out Thomas put his new BMW to work and muscled his way
through the front of the pack down the long straight to take the
holeshot in turn 1. Following Thomas was Rick Squires and John Tran.
The race remained the same until the final lap. As Squires and Tran
were coming out of the attitudes, Tran made his move to pass Squires
on the inside. From there they took turns blocking each other in the
last three corners. As they came out of the final turn side by side it
was a drag race to the finish line and Tran won. Squires finished in
third, Tran took second, and Meyer had the gold. The Edge Powersports
Deseret Dash race also had some great battles. Tyler Jones, who
started fifth on the grid, took the holeshot into turn 1 followed by
David Meyer. In Lap 1 Braden Jones found his way through two riders on
the inside into turn 5 for third. On the final lap Meyer made his pass
stick on the inside into turn 13 to take the lead. Braden Jones took
third, Tyler Jones held onto silver, and Meyer took the win.

As the race day neared its end, it was time for the C&R Coatings
Combined GTU. The race did not disappoint. Racers took their positions
on the grid and the track went green. Peter Hofpointner who started on
pole took the holeshot out of turn 1 followed by Lee McNutt. On their
way into turn 3 McNutt made his move on the inside of Hofpointner to
take the lead. Samuel Gluss who started on grid spot 31 had a dream
start that got him up to 4th. On the first lap coming out of the
attitudes Nicholas Schmit who was in third made a mistake which Gluss
capitalized on and got a good drive through Schmit on the inside to
take third. Gluss finished the race in third, in front of Gluss for
second place was Hofpointner. And McNutt took home the gold in
Combined GTU.

Once the races were wrapped up, UtahSBA club members and family all
came together for the traditional post-race BBQ, awards, and to talk
about the ups and downs of the day’s races. Racers then began loading
up their bikes and cleaning up their garages with excitement for the
final round of the season. Round 6 is set to be held on Utah
Motorsports Campus’ East track on September 4th. We look forward to
seeing you all then for our closing round!

The Utah Sport Bike Association is a Utah Non-Profit dedicated to
promoting education, safe riding, and competition in the Intermountain
West. You can find more information about the USBA, upcoming events,
and schools at www.utahsba.com or find us on Facebook.

Motostation/Trackstar KOM Overall:

1. Jerry Hicks (KAW ZX10R)

2. Bill Davis (BMW S1000RR)

3. Ryan Richardson (KAW ZX10R)

4. David Meyer (YAM YZF-R1)

5. David Thomas (BMW S1000RR)

6. Tyler Jones (YAM YZF-R1)

Motostation KOM GTO:

1. Jerry Hicks (KAW ZX10R)

2. Bill Davis (BMW S1000RR)

3. Ryan Richardson (KAW ZX10R)

4. David Meyer (YAM YZF-R1)

5. David Thomas (BMW S1000RR)

6. Tyler Jones (YAM YZF-R1)

Trackstar KOM GTU:

1. Brian Childree (KAW ZX6R)

2. Cole Phillips (YAM YZF-R6)

3. Samuel Gluss (KAW 636)

4. Richard Findlay (SUZ GSXR-600)

AZ Riding Academy Combined GTO

1. David Thomas (BMW S1000RR)

2. John Tran (YAM YZF-R1)

3. Rick Squires (SUZ GSXR-1000)

4. Lee Mcnutt (YAM YZF-R6)

5. Aaron Sherman (YAM YZF-R1)

6. James Kling (DUC 1198)

C&R Coatings Combined GTU

1. Lee Mcnutt (YAM YZF-R6)

2. Peter Hofpointner (YAM YZF-R6)

3. Samuel Gluss (KAW 636)

4. Belisario Arango (KAW ZX6R)

5. Nicholas Schmit (SUZ GSXR-600)

6. Joshua Fisher (TRI 675R)

The Edge Powersports Deseret Dash – Expert

1. David Meyer (YAM YZF-R1)

2. Tyler Jones (YAM YZF-R1)

3. Braden Jones (YAM YZF-R1)

4. John Tran (YAM YZF-R1)

5. James Kling (DUC 1198)

6. Samuel Gluss (KAW 636)

The Edge Powersports Deseret Dash – Novice

1. Remington Mathews (BMW S1000RR)

2. Sam Arquit (HON CBR1000RR)

3. David Behrend (YAM YZF-R1)

4. John Tillotson (YAM YZF-R1)

5. Chayce Lance (YAM YZF-R6)

6. Joshua Fisher (TRI 675R)

Harrison Eurosports Formula 40 – GTO

1. Bill Davis (BMW S1000RR)

2. Eric Jones (YAM YZF-R1)

3. Tyler Jones (YAM YZF-R1)

4. David Meyer (YAM YZF-R1)

5. Rick Squires (SUZ GSXR1000)

6. John Tran (YAM YZF-R1)

Harrison Eurosports Formula 40 – GTU

1. Raymond Clark (TRI 675)

2. Nathan Bell (YAM YZF-R6)

3. Victor Arias (YAM YZF-R6)

4. Daniel Egbert (SUZ SV650)

5. Donald Rothfuss (DUC 848-EVO)

6. Dustin Lance (YAM YZF-R6)

Bingham Cyclery Lightweight Superbike

1. Ryan Smith (APR RS660)

2. Daniel Egbert (SUZ SV650)

3. Christopher De La Torre (SUZ SV650)

4. Mark Taylor (KAW NINJA-400)

5. Travers Johnson (KAW NINJA-400)

6. Rachel Kuns (KAW NINJA-400)

Blud Racing Lubricants Middleweight Superbike

1. Brian Childree (KAW ZX6R)

2. Cole Phillips (YAM YZF-R6)

3. Samuel Gluss (KAW 636)

4. Nicholas Schmit (SUZ GSXR-600)

5. Richard Findlay (SUZ GSXR-600)

6. Braxton Young (YAM YZF-R6)

Toxic Moto Racing Middleweight Superstock

1. Brian Childree (KAW ZX6R)

2. Cole Phillips (YAM YZF-R6)

3. Samuel Gluss (KAW 636)

4. Peter Hofpointner (YAM YZF-R6)

5. Richard Findlay (SUZ GSXR-600)

6. Nicholas Schmit (SUZ GSXR-600)

The Mechanic Modern Vintage – GTO

1. Kevin Dolan (SUZ GSXR1000)

2. James Kling (DUC 1198)

3. Joshua Snow (YAM YZF-R1)

4. Sam Arquit (HON CBR1000RR)

5. Barry Ketmany (YAM YZF-R1)

The Mechanic Modern Vintage – GTU

1. Nicholas Schmit (SUZ GSXR-600)

2. Richard Findlay (SUZ GSXR-600)

3. Tyler Donaworth (TRI 675R)

4. Braxton Young (YAM YZF-R6)

5. Kirk Doyle (KAW ZX6R)

6. Victor Arias (YAM YZF-R6)

Karl Malone Powersports Moto 2

1. Brian Childree (KAW ZX6R)

2. Cole Phillips (YAM YZF-R6)

3. Peter Hofpointner (YAM YZF-R6)

4. Lee Mcnutt (YAM YZF-R6)

5. Samuel Gluss (KAW 636)

6. Nicholas Schmit (SUZ GSXR-600)

Redline Realty Moto 3

1. Christopher De La Torre (SUZ SV650)

2. Sean Groenstein (HON NSF250R)

3. Mark Taylor (KAW NINJA-400)

4. Brian Gerwe (KAW NINJA-400)

5. Travers Johnson (KAW NINJA-400)

6. Rachel Kuns (KAW NINJA-400)

Legion of Speed Novice GTO

1. Remington Mathews (BMW S1000RR)

2. Sam Arquit (HON CBR1000RR)

3. Christopher Mousley (YAM YZF-R1)

4. John Tillotson (YAM YZF-R1)

5. Pratt Wellman (APR RSV4-RR)

6. David Behrend (YAM YZF-R1)

Brighton Peak Financial Novice GTU

1. Belisario Arango (KAW ZX6R)

2. Brock Jones (YAM YZF-R6)

3. Joshua Fisher (TRI 675R)

4. Chayce Lance (YAM YZF-R6)

5. Jeff Leeman (YAM YZF-R6)

6. Raymond Clark (TRI 675R)

Vortex Open Superbike

1. Jerry Hicks (KAW ZX10R)

2. Bill Davis (BMW S1000RR)

3. Ryan Richardson (KAW ZX10R)

4. Kevin Dolan (KAW ZX10R)

5. David Thomas (BMW S1000RR)

6. Gilbert Gonzalez (KAW ZX10R)

MotoUnited Open Superstock

1. Jerry Hicks (KAW ZX10R)

2. Ryan Richardson (KAW ZX10R)

3. David Thomas (BMW S1000RR)

4. Bill Davis (BMW S1000RR)

5. Tyler Jones (YAM YZF-R1)

6. David Meyer (YAM YZF-R1)

Karl Malone Powersports Open Twins

1. James Kling (DUC 1198)

2. Ryan Smith (APR RS660)

3. Daniel Egbert (DUC 1199S)

4. Joshua Fisher (TRI 675R)

5. Donald Rothfuss (DUC 848-EVO)

6. Raymond Clark (TRI 675R)

Velosio Production 500

1. Brian Childree (KAW NINJA-400)

2. Mark Taylor (KAW NINJA-400)

3. Brian Gerwe (KAW NINJA-400)

4. Travers Johnson (KAW NINJA-400)

5. Kirk Doyle (YAM FZR400)

6. Rachel Kuns (KAW NINJA-400)

Monarch Powersports Sportsman

1. Justin Stapleford (SUZ GSXR-1000)

2. Mario Fernandez (YAM YZF-R6)

3. Travers Johnson (KAW NINJA-400)

Napa Auto Parts Tooele Stock 1000

1. Jerry Hicks (KAW ZX10R)

2. Ryan Richardson (KAW ZX10R)

3. David Meyer (YAM YZF-R1)

4. Aaron Sherman (YAM YZF-R1)

5. Rick Squires (SUZ GSXR1000)

6. James Kling (DUC 1198)

Carbonsmith Super Street Bike

1. Peter Hofpointner (KAW ZX10R)

2. Daniel Bodon (SUZ GSXR-600)

3. Victor Arias (HON RVT-1000R-RC51)

4. Josh Carrion (YAM YZF-R6)

MotoAmerica: The Final Round Of Press Releases From PittRace

David Swarts

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August 18, 2021

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MotoAmerica: The Final Round Of Press Releases From PittRace

ESCALANTE RETURNS TO THE TOP IN PITTSBURGH

Wampum, Pennsylvania ( August 18th, 2021 ) – This past weekend the HONOS HVMC Racing team returned east to the beautiful Pittsburgh International Race Complex. On Saturday Richie Escalante would lead the team to his first win in five races followed by a second place finish yet again with the narrowest of margins on Sunday. Corey Alexander earned himself an uncharacteristic finish just inside the top ten during the sole Stock 1000cc race with two top 12 finishes in the HONOS Superbike class.

Escalante arrived to Pennsylvania feeling mostly recovered from lingering injuries. Initially the #54 Graves-Spec ZX-6R battled some adversities during Friday practice and qualifying 1 but Richie quickly rebounded to qualify in second position Saturday morning. Some additional adjustments prior to Saturdays race gained Escalante the confidence needed to make some aggressive maneuvers to take the lead just after half race distance. He would go on to open up a small margin over his championship rival crossing the line on the final lap 0.144 ahead to earn the victory.

Race two proved to be a similar battle royale with Richie swapping positions for the lead numerous times in a series of close passes. After what seemed like would be win #2 of the weekend, Richie lost the lead on the final lap and was unable to counter prior to the line finishing 0.064 behind his championship rival. This marks another one of several finishes this season separating the duo by under one tenth-of-a second.

Richie Escalante. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy HONOS HVMC Racing.

Richie commented: “It was another great weekend with a win and a second place. Now our goal is to be faster starting on Friday so we can better manage our set up prior to the races. If we can accomplish this then the only thing we have left to do is to go out and win. None of this would be possible without the support of my great team. I can’t wait for the final 2 rounds in a few weeks”.

After 1-2 finishes this weekend Richie maintains second place in the standings with a 61 point deficit to the championship leader. Richie’s personal sponsors include Fresh N’ Lean, HJC Helmets, Vircos Leathers, Alpinestars Boots & Gloves, and Hidalgo.

Corey Alexander again struggled to come to grips with his 2021 Graves-Spec ZX-10RR despite showing glimpses of speed after qualifying third for the weekends single Stock 1000cc race. During the weekends HONOS Superbike races the #23 earned an 11th place finish followed by a 12th for Sunday’s race 2.

The Stock 1000cc race would end up being delayed due to a red flag after a brief two lap start. After being pushed to the end of Sunday the race would see a full restart. Corey struggled to hold his third place starting position drifting back to a lonely 9th place finish by the races end.

Corey commented: “This weekend didn’t go to plan and I’m not very pleased with my performance on the bike. My guys worked so hard to give me a better setup all weekend and I couldn’t find the feeling I was searching for in order to consistently run the pace needed. With that said, I’m optimistic we will find some speed for our home race at NJMP in a few weeks time!”.

Corey’s 9th place finish places him 20 points behind but still 2nd in the Stock 1000cc championship. He maintains third place in the Superbike Cup points race. Corey’s personal sponsors include: Arai Helmets, Alpinestars, Sals Pizza & Pasta, Ikoniqa, Four3 Performance Lab, Redshift, Gemini, Tucker, and Prestige Services Group.

The HONOS HVMC Racing team heads to it’s home round at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, NJ for round 8 of the MotoAmerica Championship, September 10-12th. You can purchase tickets to the event via MotoAmerica.com or in person at the race track.

About WE ARE HONOS®

Founded in 2018, HONOS is a Los Angeles based performance gear and fashion apparel brand that promotes talent within the adrenaline sports realm. With worldwide partnerships ranging from the American Racing team in Moto2 to title sponsorship of the HONOS Superbike class in MotoAmerica, HONOS has heavily invested its brand into motorsports. Follow @wearehonos or visit wearehonos.com to shop for team gear now.

About Hudson Valley Motorcycles

Hudson Valley Motorcycles (HVMC) is a family owned and operated motorcycle dealership that has been serving New York’s Hudson Valley and Westchester County as well as Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New England region. HVMC has offered Kawasaki, Ducati, Scrambler Ducati, Suzuki, Energica and ATV, motorcycle or UTV Sales, Parts, and Service for over 50 years. For more info visit hudsonvalleymotorcycles.com, call (914)-762-2722 or follow @hvmotorcycles on social media.

More, from a press release issued by Bradley Ward Racing:

Career best MotoAmerica Superbike result for Bradley Ward in second race back

Bradley Ward was back in action and on the pace at Pittsburgh International Race Complex this past weekend in the latest round of the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship.

Qualifying on the third row of the grid, the #57 rider rode superbly in Saturday’s opening race, crossing the line in seventh. He was running strongly on Sunday before a small mistake saw him run off track and failing to finish.

Despite Sunday’s DNF, Bradley’s speed in the last two races, following his crash last season has been impressive and he heads to the penultimate round of the series in New Jersey in a few weeks confident of another good showing.

Bradley Ward (57). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Bradley Ward Racing.

Bradley Ward: “After my racing return in Brainerd where I struggled a lot with a bad blister, I have been battling an infection on antibiotics to try to be ready for Pittsburgh. I didn’t know if I would be able to ride. It’s not like me to moan about a bit pain given what’s happened to me in the last twelve months, but it wasn’t pleasant. I did a bit of home surgery and cut the infection out and we were good to go. We made some changes to make me more comfortable on the bike. The first session was decent, and we weren’t too far from where we were. I was happy to be honest. I managed to find a bit more time in Q2 when we put the qualifying tyre in and was able to make my best lap time at Pitt Race. I made a good start in Race 1 and was running inside the top ten and not too far behind Jake Lewis who is always a good benchmark. I enjoyed the race and was able to finish P7 which was my career best result to boot. We didn’t make too many changes for Sunday’s race, but I pushed a bit too hard and went down. I was carrying a bit more speed and lost the front. It wasn’t the way I wanted to end the weekend, but you must take the highs with the lows. It was my first crash since the big one last year so at least that’s out of the way and I can go to New Jersey confident.”

For more information go to bradleywardracing.com

More, from a press release issued by Landers Racing:

The battle for the Sportbiketrackgear.com Junior Cup Championship heated up over the weekend at Pittsburgh International Race Complex as Ben Gloddy was able to decrease his points deficit after finishing first in race one, followed by a very close second in race two by a mere .061 after recording the fastest lap of the weekend for the Junior Cup Class at 1:54.435. The lap record was previously set by Gloddy’s teammate, Rocco Landers, back in 2019 at 1:53.969.

Ben Gloddy (72) took the win in Junior Cup Race One. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Landers Racing.

Gloddy had this to say: “We came into Pitt prepared to work hard and looking to close the gap a bit in the championship points battle; we were able to do that this weekend and now heading into New Jersey we are down nine points instead of sixteen. I am having a ton of fun battling on the track. I’m not going to lie, I get frustrated with myself when I am not able to pull off a win. We are all here for the same thing though and it is fun dicing it up out there with my buddies. I can’t thank Landers Racing and all of my supporters enough for all the hard work that goes into the race weekends and leading up to the weekends. I couldn’t do this without you all.”

Landers Racing team owner, Stoney Landers, added: “This past weekend proved to be a very solid and productive weekend for young Ben Gloddy aboard his Ninja 400R. He set the pace from the beginning, qualifying P1, then going on to win race 1. He came up half a bike length short in race 2 to get P2, but still salvaged some valuable points. We continue to learn every weekend and will go into New Jersey ready to rock! Thanks so much to Tarl Kuhn, Will Eikenberry, Cameron Jones, Jaime Landers, Eric Lingis, and of course our suspension/setup guru, Barry Wressell with Ohlins and KFG Motorsports, for all their help, tireless efforts and support.”

Thank you to: Stoney, Tarl, Will, Boyd, Jamie, Lee’s Cycle Service, Ohlins USA, KFG Motorsports, CJR Performance, Evol Technology, The Big S, Freedom Cycle, American Supercamp, Penguin Racing, REB Graphics, Innovative Motorsports, Atlantic Cruising Yachts, Arai Helmets, Dunlop, Scott Stump, Roche Realty Group, Sportbike Track Gear, Fast by Ferracci, Barnett Clutches and Cables, Beringer Brakes, SBS, Vortex, EK Chains, Tyrant Designs CNC and all of Ben’s team and personal sponsors for all of the support, as well as his parents, family, friends, and fans!

More, from a press release issued by Hayden Bicknese Racing:

Double points finish for Hayden Bicknese in latest MotoAmerica Junior Cup round

Fifteen-year-old Hayden Bicknese may be in his first season of MotoAmerica Junior Cup competition, but the talented teen is already showing signs that he will be one to watch as he further hones his racing skills.

Named after Nicky Hayden, and sporting the 2006 MotoGP champion’s iconic #69, Bicknese currently sits twelfth overall in the 2021 MotoAmerica Junior Cup standings, a mere five points from ninth, with a brace of seventh places under his belt.

He was backing in action at the Pittsburgh International Race Complex last weekend, where he once again made big strides, finishing P11 and P12 in the two ten lap encounters, narrowly missing the top ten on both occasions. Importantly was his pace on Sunday compared to Saturday. His best lap improving by almost two seconds, in line with those at the front.

With just two rounds and four races remaining, Hayden is looking forward to ending the year strong – his aim to bag a top six finish by the time the 2021 season draws to a close.

Hayden Bicknese (69). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Hayden Bicknese Racing.

Hayden Bicknese: “Race one went ok. I was struggling a little bit with rear grip, but I was able to pass someone on the line on the final lap. Overnight we discovered something with the front forks, and I was able to gain two seconds in warm up. I was battling with a huge group once again on Sunday and it was a fun race. We were all pushing each other, and the pace was much faster that in Race one. I was also able to pass someone right on the line again. I had a new mechanic this weekend who understands me and I think it is going to be a great end to the season now.”

British Superbike: Championship Heading To Cadwell Park

David Swarts

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August 18, 2021

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British Superbike: Championship Heading To Cadwell Park

War of the Wolds: Bennetts BSB returns to Cadwell Park this weekend

The Bennetts British Superbike Championship returns to Cadwell Park this weekend (August 20/21/22). And, by the time the opening BikeSocial race gets underway on Saturday afternoon, it will have been 734 days since the last Bennetts BSB racing action at the Lincolnshire track.

As the title fight reaches the Wolds, it’s locally-based Australian Jason O’Halloran who leads the standings for the McAMS Yamaha team after claiming eight wins so far this season. He counts Cadwell Park as one of his favourite circuits on the calendar, but heads into this weekend bidding for an elusive first victory at the track.

In second place ahead of this weekend is his teammate Tarran Mackenzie, who has twice been a race winner in 2021 and who climbed the order after his performance last weekend at Donington Park.

The pair, along with the third Donington Park race winner Tommy Bridewell, are all in contention to win in the Milwaukee Summer Grand Slam this weekend. Three different race winners at Donington Park just days ago means that a £10,000 prize for winning four of the six races from the two events, is still up for grabs. If O’Halloran, Mackenzie or Bridewell can claim a triple win in Lincolnshire, they will net the prize.

The Bennetts BSB contenders will also all be fighting it out to be crowned the Milwaukee King of the Mountain. The highest overall points’ scorer across the three races will be awarded the trophy after the final race on Sunday.

Christian Iddon dropped to third in the standings after a difficult weekend at Donington Park and so the VisionTrack Ducati rider will be determined to add to his seven podium finishes already this season. Two crashes cost him in the points, but with three races and a maximum of 75-points available this weekend, he could regain the ground with a strong performance.

Danny Buchan currently holds fourth in the standings, but following a heavy crash last weekend, the SYNETIQ BMW rider will be sidelined due to suspected concussion, leaving Andrew Irwin to fly the flag for the team after his podium finish at Donington Park.

Bridewell became the fifth different race winner of 2021 and he holds fifth in the overall standings, ahead of local hero Peter Hickman. The FHO Racing BMW team make their racing debut at Cadwell Park this weekend, and based locally in Louth, will be hoping for a strong home round as they target their first Superbike race win.

Honda Racing’s Glenn Irwin has been gathering podium momentum in recent rounds and as another local team have high hopes for the Cadwell Park races, whilst Bradley Ray completes the top eight currently.

There are now just nine races remaining before the Showdown as riders battle to be inside the top eight of the standings after Silverstone in order to be in the final three-round title fight.

One rider who is fully focused on moving up the order is reigning champion Josh Brookes on the second of the VisionTrack Ducatis. He scored a best result of fourth last time out, and at a circuit where he is hugely popular for his high-flying style over the Mountain, he will be aiming for his first podium finish of the season.

Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:

Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) 277

Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) 223

Christian Iddon (VisionTrack Ducati) 203

Danny Buchan (SYNETIQ BMW) 165

Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 157

Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW) 130

Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing) 121

Bradley Ray (Rich Energy OMG Racing BMW) 112

For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com

Jason O’Halloran – McAMS Yamaha

Championship leader

“I am really looking forward to Cadwell Park; I really missed not going there last year as it is one of my favourite tracks on the calendar.

“I love the place and the atmosphere of the weekend, especially with all the fans. I have so much local support there too, so I can’t wait to get into the event.

“We have won a lot of races and scored a lot of podiums so far this year and it would be awesome to do that again.

“To win at Cadwell Park would be a massive box ticked for something that I really want to achieve, so I am looking for a really strong weekend. It is on my bucket list to win there!”

Canadian Superbike: Even More From The Races At CTMP

David Swarts

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August 18, 2021

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Canadian Superbike: Even More From The Races At CTMP

YOUNG TAKES A POLE POSITION, A 1ST, A 2ND AND A 3RD IN TRIPLE-HEADER WEEKEND AT MOSPORT

Ben Young continues to charge in his campaign for the 2021 Canadian Superbike title. He was crowned “King of Mosport” after walking away with Pole Position, 1st place race one, 3rd place race two and a 2nd place in race three, along with a race lap record during the first-ever triple-header at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

After topping the timesheets in the first qualifying session, Young moved into Superpole with the top 10, where they have the opportunity to run a Dunlop spec qualifying tire which can improve times dramatically. The weather had other ideas, however. Young headed out on a soft slick at the start of the session and easily took pole position. He came into the pit, switched over to the spec tire but didn’t get out on track as heavy rain began to fall on the back section of the track and the session was stopped immediately. After much deliberation, the ultimate decision was to proceed to grid based on positions from Superpole – Young took his second Pole Position of the 2021 CSBK season.

Due to unfortunate circumstances on Saturday, all three races were switched to 14 laps, and would all be held on Sunday. They would prove to be close racing the likes of which we’ve not seen at this level for years.

Race one began with Young slotting into 2nd place behind Dumas for the first few laps. He was constantly on Dumas tail and by lap 6, Young managed to make a pass stick and led the race on his Van Dolder’s Home Team BMW. With the top 5 close on his tail. Young continued to push, closing the door on his opponents and held on to take the win.

With a great start off the line in race two, Ben rocketed his BMW S1000RR into first position. Young jostled positions with Szoke and Dumas for the entirety of the race. Multiple times, they crossed the line three-abreast, so close was the competition. Ultimately, Young took 3rd place, with just 3/10ths of a second covering the top 3. This would only prove to make Young hungrier for the final race of tripleheader weekend.

Young got a bad launch of the line for the third and last race of the day, dropping as low as 5th place. He quickly picked off riders and was battling for first again in no time. Young led the race, with Szoke close on his tail, renewing their long rivalry. They switched positions, and with one lap to go on the last corner, Young attempted one last pass on Szoke but had to sit up at the last moment to avoid a collision. The riders crossed the line three-wide, with Young taking the second position – completing his trifecta of positions for the weekend.

Of the weekend, Young said the following: “Three races in one day was a lot, but we were more than ready for it. We had a great race set up for the crucial last laps of the 20 and 18 lap races, and with our race being shortened to 14 laps, I felt like it helped a lot of the other riders who hadn’t had it figured out. Some great battles throughout all 3 races, and all clean and fair racing.”

Ben now tails first place in the standings by only 10 points. The championship will be decided at the final round held at Calabogie Motorsports Park, dates to be confirmed.

Young’s partners for his 2021 CSBK Championship season include; BMW Motorrad Canada, Van Dolder’s Home Team, Scot-Build Developments Inc, Parts Canada, HJC Helmets, Alpinestars, Motul, Hindle Exhaust, Barrie Trim and Mouldings, Alpha Racing and Vass Performance Cycle.

To keep up-to-date on Ben Young throughout the year visit; www.BenYoungRacing.com, www.facebook.com/BenYoungRacing and on Twitter and Instagram: @benyoung_86

American Flat Track: 74th Peoria TT Happening Next Weekend

David Swarts

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August 18, 2021

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American Flat Track: 74th Peoria TT Happening Next Weekend

History Awaits as Progressive AFT Powers into 74th Peoria TT

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Progressive American Flat Track will make its highly anticipated return to PMC Race Park for the 74th Law Tigers Peoria TT presented by Country Saloon in Peoria, Illinois, this Saturday, August 21.

The race easily ranks as among the most prestigious and fabled on the Grand National Championship tour. It’s earned that distinction both via its long history and incredible setting inside a natural amphitheater that offers spectacular viewing for the massive crowds that annually pack the grassy hills surrounding the 5/8-mile course.

The Peoria TT is one of those special events aspiring racers dream of someday winning. And that’s a goal that’s proved elusive to an overwhelming percentage of even the world’s greatest flat trackers due to the circuit-specific excellence of a small handful of riders over the past few decades.

Between the two of them, “King” Henry Wiles and “Prince of Peoria” Chris Carr have garnered 26 of the most recent 30 premier-class Peoria TT victories. Wiles had singlehandedly shut the current generation of Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle aces out with 14 straight wins prior to missing the 2019 edition due to injury.

Reigning Grand National Champion Briar Bauman (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) reigned in Wiles’ absence and is likely viewed as the pre-race favorite by most heading into this weekend. That doesn’t mean there aren’t a number of other serious contenders to consider, however.

New York Short Track II winner Jared Mees (No. 9 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) has racked up a pile of Peoria runner-up finishes to Wiles over the years, and the race is one of the very few he has yet to conquer.

Multi-time road racing national champion JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) was already widely considered the class’ resident TT master, and the recent rule changes designed to level the playing field between race-only and production-based motorcycles should only make Beach that much more formidable in Peoria.

The increasingly on-form Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Indian Motorcycle of Oklahoma City FTR750) pushed his older brother for the win at the 2019 Peoria TT and would love nothing more than to get the job done in the rematch.

Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) has the versatility to excel at the venue and the drive to finally get his maiden Mission SuperTwins victory after scoring three runner-up finishes already in 2021.

Who will be the next to etch their name on the legendary Peoria TT’s winners list?

AFT Singles

Undercard or not, it’s possible this year’s AFT Singles showdown in Peoria is the most eagerly awaited race the sport has seen over the past two seasons.

The aforementioned Henry Wiles (No. 17 American Honda/Progressive Insurance CRF450R) is now plying his trade on a 450cc machine full-time. And his presence arguably makes the AFT Singles Peoria TT Main Event the single most difficult race for any other rider to win regardless of class in 2021.

But if someone is capable of doing so, it might just be defending class champion Dallas Daniels (No. 1 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F). The Peoria TT is Daniels’ home race, and it served as the scene of his arrival as a series winner in 2019, when he dominated the AFT Singles field as a precocious 16-year-old just five races into his Progressive AFT career.

Daniels is much further along down the path towards superstardom these days. He’s since collected ten additional victories along with a class championship but defeating Wiles straight up at Peoria would be a next-level accomplishment.

This isn’t a two-rider duel however. The field, which hosts several skilled TT riders, will expand this weekend to include some high-profile wild cards as well, including future Hall of Famer Ryan Sipes (No. 264 Red Bull/Leatt/KTM 450 SX-F) and Spanish flat track hero Ferran Cardús (No. 377 WBR Suzuki RM-Z450).

Among the riders most motivated to stand tall this weekend is Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-FFE), who won’t want to allow Daniels to steal away any more momentum in their tight championship tussle.

AFT Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines

It’s not often that 2019 AFT Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines champion Cory Texter (No. 65 G&G Racing/Roof Systems Yamaha MT-07) appears vulnerable of giving up points to his rivals prior to a race weekend.

Texter is unlikely to make it all that easy this weekend either, with a strong all-around base of riding skills to his credit. However, there’s no denying that the class’ third-ranked rider, Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Vinson Construction Yamaha MT-07), boasts a more impressive TT résumé than Texter. If Bromley is hoping to make up big chunks of ground at some point this season, short of fluke or injury, this weekend is likely his best opportunity to do so.

Following his incident and subsequent injury at Weedsport Speedway, second-place championship contender Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Cycles/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson XG750R) announced he will not be racing at this weekend’s event.

Another rider to keep an eye on is Johnny Lewis (No. 10 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield Twins FT). Lewis has repeatedly shown he can put the Royal Enfield Twins FT up front on more favorable battlegrounds, and it’s possible that PMC Race Park could prove to be just that.

Spectator safety remains the top priority and Progressive AFT has worked closely with local health and government officials toward those ends. For more on the specific precautions being undertaken, please consult the Progressive AFT Events Health & Safety FAQ.

Tickets are available for purchase now at https://store.americanflattrack.com/ebooking/ticket/view/id/3444/. General Admission tickets are available for $30 if purchased in advance/$40 at the gate (children 12 and under are free with the purchase of an adult GA ticket). A limited number of VIP admission passes are also available, which includes access to the Turn 1 VIP Lounge, for $150 in advance (all ages).

The gates will open for fans at 9:00 a.m. local time with Opening Ceremonies set to begin at 2:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. PT. Live coverage of the entire weekend’s racing activities will be available on any device for only $1.99 a month via TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold.

The Law Tigers Peoria TT presented by Country Saloon will premiere on NBCSN on Sunday, August 29, at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT, featuring exclusive features and cutting-edge aerial drone and onboard footage.

For more information, please visit http://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.

R.I.P. Famed Race Tuner Steve Johnson

David Swarts

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August 18, 2021

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Steven Taylor “Steve” Johnson, of Bend, Oregon, died June 9, 2021. He was 69 years old.

Johnson is survived by his brothers Sandy, Matt, and Patrick; and his children Ryan, Neal, and Jenna.

Johnson, originally from San Diego, California, grew up racing on two and four wheels and competed against the likes of King Kenny Roberts when they were dirt track Novices together in 1970, according to a biography prepared by the Trailblazers’ Hall of Fame.

While road racing in England, Johnson hooked up with Phil Read, became part of his crew, and helped Read win the 1971 250cc Grand Prix World Championship. Johnson was only 20 years old.

That led to Johnson working for Kawasaki building motocross racebikes and tuning for the likes of 1972 AMA 500cc Motocross National Champion Brad Lackey and 1974 AMA 500cc Motocross National Champion Jimmy Weinert, among others. In his spare time, he built Kawasaki road race bikes for Yvon Duhamel.

Kawasaki shifted Johnson over to road racing, and he worked with Freddie Spencer in 1979, when Spencer won two of the four AMA Superbike races on a Kawasaki and placed third in the Championship.

Johnson was then linked up with Eddie Lawson for 1980 and 1981. Lawson won the AMA 250cc Grand Prix Championship both years and the AMA Superbike crown in 1981.

Wayne Rainey then joined Kawasaki’s team, and Johnson tuned for both Lawson and Rainey, winning the 1982 AMA Superbike Championship with Lawson and the 1983 AMA Superbike Championship with Rainey.

Johnson next bounced back to Kawasaki’s motocross program, where he had several more successful seasons working with Jeff Ward, among other riders.

Johnson later joined Vance & Hines’ road racing team and won the Daytona 200 and the AMA 600cc Supersport Championship with David Sadowski in 1990. Johnson added another Daytona 200 victory with Lawson in 1993, before moving to Rob Muzzy Racing.

Johnson worked for Rob Muzzy Racing from 1994 until 1999, running its World Superbike team from 1994 to 1996 and later winning the AMA Superbike Championship with Doug Chandler in 1997.

After Rob Muzzy Racing stopped road racing motorcycles, Johnson moved to North Carolina and started working for a NASCAR team and eventually became a professor at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill teaching Motorsports Racing Management until he retired and relocated back to Bend, Oregon.

According to the Trailblazers, Johnson built and/or tuned motorcycles that won two World Championships and 21 National Championships in motocross, supercross, and road racing. He was inducted into the Trailblazers Hall of Fame in 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the induction ceremony did not take place before his passing.

A Celebration of Life in conjunction with Johnson’s induction into the Trailblazers Hall of Fame will be celebrated Sunday, August 29, in the Waverly Chapel at Fairhaven Memorial & Cemetery, 1702 Fairhaven Ave., Santa Ana, CA 92705 at 11:00 a.m.

MotoAmerica: Even More From The Races At PittRace

David Swarts

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August 17, 2021

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MotoAmerica: Even More From The Races At PittRace

SUZUKI’S SEAN DYLAN KELLY AND JAKE LEWIS DELIVER DECISIVE VICTORIES IN PITTSBURGH

Brea, CA – Suzuki Motor USA, LLC and Team Hammer were at it again at Pittsburgh International Race Complex, adding more wins, podiums, and pole positions to their season tally while taking another big step toward a pair of national championships.

M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s MotoAmerica Supersport ace Sean Dylan Kelly was the headliner as has become customary this season. The rising star saw his six-race win streak snapped following a hard-fought fight on Saturday only to come back even stronger a day later.

‘SDK’ pulled off a tactical master class in the rematch, executing a stunning last-lap maneuver aboard his agile GSX-R600 in Turn 11 to secure his tenth triumph of 2021.

Not even 20 years old, Kelly already boasts 17 victories and 36 podiums in his MotoAmerica Supersport career. He’s also closing in on a first career MotoAmerica Supersport championship as he currently leads the title fight by 61 points with just two stops on the calendar remaining.

Kelly said, “Man, the confidence came from the feeling I had in the bike today. It was absolutely amazing. Huge thank you to my whole M4 ECSTAR Suzuki crew … all my guys. I just felt so great with the bike. I feel I played it smarter today, too. Yesterday, I didn’t win and I wasn’t going to let it happen again. You can see I had a different game plan and it worked out to perfection.”

“We did what we had to do. I’m very proud of the work. Today was an important step to the ultimate goal. We’re going to keep on fighting until we reach it.”

Sam Lochoff (44) rode a strong race and delivered two top-five finishes in Pittsburgh, PA. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.

Kelly’s M4 ECSTAR Suzuki Supersport teammate, Samuel Lochoff, enjoyed a strong weekend as well, backing up his Saturday fifth with a podium-contending fourth on Sunday. The South African already boasts ten top-five finishes during a successful rookie Supersport campaign.

He said, “It’s still my first year, so finishing the year strong means just finishing every race. I’m not really putting a lot of pressure on myself. Obviously, getting podiums is nice, but wherever I finish, I’ve already reached many of my goals. I’m always trying to improve, but I’m very happy with how the year is going.”

Bobby Fong (50) delivered a well-earned podium finish on his Suzuki GSX-R1000R on Sunday. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.

Meanwhile, M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Bobby Fong concluded an inspiring weekend with a much-deserved podium in MotoAmerica Superbike action.

The Californian was robbed of an opportunity to demonstrate his full potential on Saturday due to a technical issue. Undeterred, he started the race from pitlane and ripped his way up through the field, overtaking nearly twenty riders en route to eighth.

He was forced to start from Row 3 on Sunday as a result, but continued his upward mobility, streaking up to third while pressuring second by the time he took the checkered flag aboard his GSX-R1000R.

Fong said, “It’s been a roller coaster of a year, but I’ve fought through worse challenges before. We just kept our head held high and kept charging. It was a good race. I’m happy to be back up and excited that we have the M4 ECSTAR Suzuki handling well.”

Cam Petersen (45) had another solid weekend with two top-ten finishes on his GSX-R1000R. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.

It was another steady weekend for second Superbike pilot Cameron Petersen. The South African collected fourth- and sixth-place results on the weekend.

Jake Lewis (85). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC. — Jake Lewis (85) increased his Championship points lead with another dominant win on his GSX-R1000R. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.

Like Kelly, Altus Motorsports Suzuki’s Jake Lewis enjoyed another weekend that further strengthened his championship hopes. Lewis guided his Team Hammer-built GSX-R1000R to victory from pole to expand his Stock 1000 season advantage to 20 points.

Lewis was also the top Superbike Cup finisher in both Superbike races in Pennsylvania.

After earning his fourth Stock 1000 win of 2021, Lewis said, “It was a perfect weekend. This race was pretty tough. I had pace on the guys all weekend, but they kept me honest in the race. Big thanks to the whole team. The Suzuki has been amazing.”

Wyatt Farris (79). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC. — Wyatt Farris (79) had a tough weekend but will be back stronger in New Jersey. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.

Unfortunately, M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Wyatt Farris was unable to earn additional Stock 1000 results from his recent strong form. Farris crashed on the original race’s second lap and his GSX-R1000R subsequently went up in flames and burned on the track. That brought out the red flag while pushing the Stock 1000 restart to the end of the day. Farris was forced to watch from the fences after flashing top-five potential in the lead up to the race.

Team Hammer will contest the season’s penultimate round at New Jersey Motorsports Park on September 10-12, 2021.

More, from a press release issued by Altus Motorsports:

MotoAmerica: Round 7 Results from Pittsburgh International Race Complex for the Altus Motorsports Tucker Environmental Service Solutions Team

(Pittsburgh, PA) The fan turnout for the 7th round of the MotoAmerica Championship at Pittsburgh International Race Complex [PittRace] was amazing. For the Altus team it was another weekend of highs and lows.

Honos Superbike & Stock 1000:

Jake Lewis has clearly found his stride and gelled with the Altus Motorsports GSX-R1000. Once again, he put the bike on pole for the Stock1000 race and led from the first corner to the final checkered flag. This win puts Jake on top of the Stock1000 championship by 20 points with two rounds to go.

Jake Lewis (85). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Altus Motorsports.

Lewis also gridded up for the Superbike races. He finished both races in 9th overall but he was the top Superbike Cup Rider, putting him out in front of that championship by 35 points.

“It was a perfect weekend. Won both the Superbike Cup races and the Stock1000 race. Big thanks to the Altus team, especially my mechanics. The bike was amazing,” said Jake Lewis.

Supersport 600:

It was a difficult weekend for the two Altus Supersport 600 racers. Intermittent rain on Friday made for a very green track most of the weekend. As a result, grip was hard to come by.

Kevin Olmedo missed the Friday practice and qualifying session after a canceled flight left him stranded in Miami. The Pittsburgh circuit is extremely technical and missing the practice time had Kevin at a disadvantage that he spent the weekend trying to make up.

Kevin Olmedo (16). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Altus Motorsports.

Both of the Supersport riders struggled with rear grip on Saturday. Olmedo struggled to get up to his usual pace in Q2 and ended up in 13th on the starting grid in Race 1, which was where he finished. Jaret Nassaney started Race 1 from 17th and finished in 14th.

Jaret Nassaney (59). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Altus Motorsports.

Saturday night the team made changes to the bike setup on both of the Altus GSX-R600s. During the warm-up practice on Sunday, Olmedo and Nassaney said the motorcycles felt much better. Unfortunately, at the start of Race 2, both of the Altus riders got pinched off and shuffled back. As a result, they spent the race fighting through traffic. Olmedo ended with a 9th place finish and Nassaney with 12th. However, each recorded their fastest times and said the bikes were significantly better.

“We struggled a bit this weekend. We improved on Sunday and salvaged what we could,” said Jaret Nassaney.

Junior Cup:

Hayden Bicknese started both Junior Cup races from 12th. On Saturday he crossed the finish line in 11th. On Sunday, in spite of major improvements in his lap times, he still finished in 12th.

Hayden Bicknese (69). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Altus Mmotorsports. — Hayden Bicknese (69). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Altus Motorsports.

“I am super proud of the team. Riders, mechanics, and everyone. Overall, in spite of some setbacks, this was a very successful weekend. Big thanks to our Crew Chief, Eric Gray, for his help getting all our racers on the right track and heading in the right direction this weekend,” said team owner George Nassaney. “It’s been pretty busy since the end of June. I am looking forward to a few weeks off and it will be good to have a bit of downtime for the team and finish the season strong.”

The Altus Motorsports team is supported by our great family of sponsors: Altus Motorsports, Environmental Service Solutions, Suzuki Motor Corporation, Creative Sports Concepts, Tucker Powersports, Schaefer Engineering, Hot Bodies Racing, M4 Exhausts, Vortex EK, Motion Pro, Barnett, VP Lubricants, SBS Brakes, Galfer USA, Moto-D Racing, Bonamici, Ohlins, K-Techs, RS Taichi, Arai, Law Tigers Oklahoma, and Altus Factory Racing.

More, from a press release issued by Kyle Wyman Racing:

Wyman makes solid Superbike return at Pittsburgh International Race Complex

Kyle Wyman (33). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy KWR.

TUCSON, Ariz. — Kyle Wyman returned to action in the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship aboard his Panera Bread Ducati this past weekend at Pittsburgh International Race Complex, finishing 6th and 8th place in races one and two, respectively.

Wyman’s return to the Superbike grid was long awaited for both team and rider after an 8-week recovery on his fractured elbow, and an aborted attempt two weeks prior at Brainerd International Raceway. Friday’s practice and qualifying session saw Wyman place 6th overall and within striking distance of the top-3.

“After Brainerd, it was apparent that we were not quite ready to return to the grid safely,” Wyman said. “I went home to get some scans done to make sure everything was structurally good and that the bone was healing, and we were able to confirm that. Knowing it was good to go structurally gave me the confidence to start working it harder over the past couple weeks. With that and the ergonomics changes we made to the bike, I was able to ride the full day Friday without too much issue and we set a pretty good flyer lap time at the end of the day.”

Saturday morning’s QP2 session would set the grid as riders put on their sticky Dunlop Qualifying tires. Wyman qualified 8th on the grid to lock in a 3rd row starting position for Race One on Saturday afternoon. A great start would put him 6th on track and he would maintain that through to the end of the race, but with an unforeseen slower pace than expected and a lonely race.
“Race one I really struggled with the bike,” Wyman said. “I seemed to have some chatter from the get-go that was originating from the rear tire, even when it was new. Its hard to tell exactly what happened there but I suffered a lot in the middle section of the track, where we spend a lot of time on the side of the tire. For us we got a bit lucky with some attrition that gave us a top-6 but we were not happy with the pace.”

In Sunday’s warm-up session, the KWR team made adjustments to the bike to seek front end feel and mitigate the harsh chatter of the front tire, to some avail. With race two on the horizon, the team was presented with an opportunity to help out a fellow competitor – one who would be Wyman’s biggest rival of the day.

“About an hour before race two on Sunday, our friends over at the Schiebe BMW team were struggling with a stripped out thread in their kit swingarm,” Wyman said. “They came to us for help, knowing that we carried KATO Fastening thread insert kits. We had the size and pitch of thread they needed to get their bike back together and run the race.”

As if it were meant to be, Wyman found himself in a heated flag-to-flag battle with Scheibe BMW rider Hector Barbera as they scrapped over 7th place, trading positions more than 10 times throughout the affair. Barbera would win out in the duel and beat Wyman to the line in a last lap scrap that came down to just 0.117 of a second at the finish line.

“I got another great start and was hanging onto the top 5 guys in the first few laps,” Wyman said. “We definitely had a lot better pace in race two and I felt a bit more comfortable on the bike. Hector and I had a really wild battle that I will remember for a long time. It was one of those duels that was so challenging and fun to manage, trying to work out the race strategy and get to the line first. In the end, he was able to block me from a lunge in the chicane that I was able to do successfully a lap prior, and hold me off to the line.”

“All told I would say it was a positive weekend, for us to come back and get back in the groove again,” Wyman added. “The elbow was able to hold up throughout the event, but is very sore now that I’ve put in three consecutive days on it and Pittsburgh is no joke when it comes to how physical it is to wrestle a superbike around. I look forward to our little break we have over the next few weeks that will put us in a good position physically to finish the season strong.”

The next round will take place at New Jersey Motorsports Park, where Wyman has a best Superbike finish of 2nd place in 2017. NJMP will host round 8 of 9, September 10-12, 2021 in Millville, N.J..
Please visit our sponsor page to support the companies who support KWR.

For more information about Panera Bread, visit www.panerabread.com.

Stay tuned for news and updates on KWR at www.kylewyman.com

CVMA 2020-2021 Awards Banquet Scheduled Sept. 4 At Doffo Winery

David Swarts

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August 17, 2021

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CVMA 2020-2021 Awards Banquet Scheduled Sept. 4 At Doffo Winery

The Chuckwalla Valley Motorcycle Association (CVMA) 2020-2021 racing season wrapped up a little earlier than scheduled this year, with the final day of racing cut short due to high winds. However, championships were decided and now it is time to celebrate the hard work put in by our competitors to earn some awesome trophies.

CVMA would like to announce that the annual awards banquet for the 2020-2021 winter series will be held at a location with as big a passion for motorcycles as they have for fine wine, the beautiful Doffo Winery in Temecula, California. We invite everyone to come out and have some great food and drink while we celebrate the riders that worked so hard to finish at the top in their class championships.

CVMA Awards Banquet:

Where? Doffo Winery, 36083 Summitville St., Temecula, CA 92592 in the Piazza area

When? September 4th, 2021 6pm-10pm

Tickets? https://www.motorsportreg.com/events/cvma-2020-2021-awards-banquet-doffo-winery-chuckwalla-valley-raceway-468496

CVMA would like to congratulate the champion of the CVMA Shootout and the repeat winner of the coveted #1 plate for the club, Michael Gilbert. We would also like to congratulate all the top three finishers in the class championships and our top finishers in the club points championship, those results are included below:

2020-2021 Champions

CVMA would also like to congratulate all the amateur racers that started racing with club last season and especially those that are now moving up to race in the expert ranks! We look forward to seeing you race against some of the fastest riders in the country in our expert classes. A list of those racers is included below:

2020-2021 Amateur Bumps

The CVMA 2021-2022 Winter series kicks off in a few short weeks on September 25th with a double points event. Come on out and join us for some of the most competitive racing in the country, we look forward to seeing all our riders at the track soon!

R.I.P. AMA Motorcycle Hall Of Famer Yvon Duhamel

David Swarts

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August 17, 2021

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R.I.P. AMA Motorcycle Hall Of Famer Yvon Duhamel

AMA Hall of Famer Yvon Duhamel has died. He was 81.

Duhamel, was born in Montreal, Canada, in 1939. During his life he competed in many disciplines of motorcycle racing, including: drag racing, flat track, ice racing, motocross, and road racing.

He also competed as a professional in snowmobile racing.

Best known as a road racer, Duhamel competed in AMA Pro Nationals, the Grand Prix World Championships, and the Endurance World Championship.

In 1968 and 1969, he won the AMA Lightweight races at Daytona on a Yamaha 350 two-stroke.

In 1968, he finished second in the Daytona 200 behind Cal Rayborn and became the first two-stroke rider to ever finish on the podium in that race.

In 1969, he earned pole position for the Daytona 200.

Riding a Kawasaki two-stroke triple, he gave Kawasaki its first AMA National road race victory, at Talladega Superspeedway, in 1971.

From 1971 to 1973, he won five AMA Nationals on Kawasakis.

Riding a Kawasaki, he finished fifth in the 250cc Grand Prix World Championship race at Assen in 1975.

He raced modified Kawasaki KZ1000s in Le Mans and Bol d’Or 24-hour races for several years.

Yvon Duhamel. Photo courtesy AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

In 1999, Yvon Duhamel was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio.

Duhamel is survived by sons Miguel and Mario, both of whom became professional motorcycle road racers. Miguel Duhamel was one of the winningest AMA Pro road racers of all time and is also a member of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

We will update this post with more details as they become available.

Canadian Superbike: More From The Races At CTMP

David Swarts

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August 17, 2021

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Canadian Superbike: More From The Races At CTMP

During the Canadian Superbike race weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Alex Dumas was able to put his Liqui Moly MPG Fast Riding School Suzuki on the podium for each of the three pro superbike races. Dumas also received the Pro Rookie of the year 2021 award.

Dumas said: “I had an overall good weekend. It was really interesting to learn a track that is so fast. I got the hole shot in every race and lead multiple laps of the races. Unfortunately I couldn’t draft the other guys as much as they were drafting me but we still managed to be competitive throughout all races. I can’t wait to go to the final round at Calabogie next month.

“Thanks to all my supporters and sponsors, including: Liqui Moly, MPG Moto, FAST Riding School, Suzuki Canada, SM Sport, VR St-Cyr, Hindle Exhaust, Öhlins USA, RoadracingWorld.com, T.A import, Furygan, Arai Helmet Americas, G2 Ergonomics, Domino Racing, TCX Boots, Vortex Racing, Attack Performance, Hotbodies Racing, BrakeTech USA, CL Brakes, Motovan, Team Hammer, and DSM body.”

Alex Dumas with trophies at CTMP. Photo by Anik Sanfacon, courtesy of Alex Dumas. — Alex Dumas with trophies and awards at CTMP. Photo by Anik Sanfacon, courtesy of Alex Dumas.

UtahSBA: Hicks Clinches 2021 King Of The Mountain Championship

August 18, 2021

Jerry Hicks (527) fends off Bill Davis (53) during Round 5 of UtahSBA’s King of the Mountain Race held at Utah Motorsports Campus’ Perimeter Track. Photo by Steve Midgley, Courtesy UtahSBA.