New Americas GP date confirmed as the 2021 Japanese GP is cancelled and Thai GP delayed one week
Wednesday, 23 June 2021
The FIM, IRTA and Dorna Sports can now announce a new date for the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas in Austin, Texas. The event was previously postponed and will now take place from the 1st to the 3rd of October 2021.
The OR Grand Prix of Thailand will therefore take place a week later than previously scheduled, from the 15th to the 17th of October.
The FIM, IRTA and Dorna Sports must also confirm the cancellation of the Motul Grand Prix of Japan. The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and resulting travel complications and logistical restrictions mean that it has not been possible to confirm the event at this time, meaning that it will therefore not feature on the 2021 calendar. The FIM MotoGP™ Championship looks forward to returning to race in front of the Japanese fans at their home Grand Prix in 2022.
Gerloff joins PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team in Assen
Garrett Gerloff to make PYSRT debut as stand-in for Franco Morbidelli
PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team will welcome American Garrett Gerloff to the squad for this weekend’s DutchGP in Assen as a stand-in for the injured Franco Morbidelli.
Franco sustained an injury to his left knee yesterday and is currently undergoing medical assessment and treatment. 25 year-old Gerloff is currently a GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team rider. This will be Gerloff’s first time in Assen but he has previously ridden the Yamaha YZR-M1 when he substituted for Valentino Rossi at the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team in the European GP practice sessions at Valencia last year.
Razlan Razali, Team Principal, PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team
Everyone has had to move very quickly after the news late yesterday that Franco would not be able to race this weekend and we give our thanks to Yamaha for facilitating this. We’re very excited to welcome Garrett to the team this weekend and realise that it’s a tough task to come in at late notice but we are confident that he will be able to do a good job. We wish Franco all the best for his recovery and hope to welcome him back to the track after the summer break.
Garrett Gerloff, PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team
I’m excited for the opportunity ahead, I’m not someone who runs away from a challenge, so I’m ready to get to the track. It’ll be a new circuit for me, I like trying new tracks, it looks fun, fast and flowing, and really suits my riding style. I’m looking forward to jumping on the Yamaha M1 again and twisting the throttle. We’ll see how things go, but I feel good and would like to thank Yamaha and the team for considering me. It won’t be easy, but I’m going to give it my best shot!
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha Racing:
Gerloff to Replace Injured Morbidelli at PETRONAS Yamaha SRT at Dutch TT
GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team’s Garrett Gerloff will make his MotoGP race debut this weekend at TT Circuit Assen, riding for PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team at the Dutch TT in place of the injured Franco Morbidelli.
With Morbidelli sustaining a knee injury during training on Tuesday, Gerloff was called up to race at the Dutch round, as the American gets another chance to ride the Yamaha YZR-M1, having previously substituted for Valentino Rossi at the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team in the European GP practice sessions at Valencia last year.
The Texan has impressed throughout his FIM Superbike World Championship career so far and currently lies sixth in the riders’ standings, while he’s been a consistent front-runner throughout the opening three rounds.
Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK’s Toprak Razgatlıoğlu was also in the running to replace Morbidelli at Assen but turned down the opportunity in favour of remaining focused on his main aim in 2021, challenging for the FIM Superbike World Championship crown. The Turkish rider currently lies second in the championship standings and just 20 points off the top spot going into the next round at Donington Park round on 2-4 July.
After winning two MotoAmerica Supersport championship titles in 2016 and 2017, Gerloff further confirmed his potential with a third-place finish in the 2019 MotoAmerica Superbike championship. That saw the 25-year-old called up to the GRT Yamaha squad in WorldSBK, where he became a rookie sensation, scoring podiums at Barcelona and Estoril.
He impressed in his MotoGP practice sessions at Valencia, while also earning another year in WorldSBK, this time riding the latest spec Yamaha R1 bike. Gerloff has already added another podium to his tally and continues to show race winning potential in 2021.
Garrett Gerloff
PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team
“I’m excited for the opportunity ahead, I’m not someone who runs away from a challenge, so I’m ready to get to the track. It’ll be a new circuit for me, I like trying new tracks, it looks fun, fast and flowing, and really suits my riding style. I’m looking forward to jumping on the Yamaha M1 again and twisting the throttle. We’ll see how things go, but I feel good and would like to thank Yamaha and the team for considering me. It won’t be easy, but I’m going to give it my best shot!”
It is with heavy hearts that we can now make this official announcement regarding Round 3, this previous weekend.
In morning practice on 6/20/21, during the WMRRA Round 3 event at The Ridge Motorsports Park, rider #870 Sam Crawford was involved in a single bike incident in Turn 10, which ultimately claimed his life.
The practice session was immediately halted by race control and corner-worker staff, and priority medical response was deployed without delay. Sam was unconscious and unresponsive when first responders arrived on scene.
Trained race-day staff, with on-site medical teams performed CPR and worked to stabilize Sam prior to his transport to Mason General, where he was to meet an air-transport to Seattle. Sadly, during the transit to Mason General, Sam’s pulse was lost, and the medical teams could not revive him.
Sam was well known within the WMRRA paddock for many years as his brother’s (Rich Kim) personal cheerleader, a volunteer, and really just an all-around nice guy. Sam participated in the WMRRA NRS in 2020, and successfully completed all his novice graduation requirements, receiving the Race-Director’s final sign-off signature, Saturday night.
Sam was one of those ‘cool’ guys with a good poker face, but he could not hide his smile when he achieved his goal of becoming an ‘Expert’ rider. When Sam mounted his machine Sunday morning, he did it with pride of making his goal, and even prodding Rich to come race again so they could go out together.
As a final act of self-giving, Sam was also an organ donor and parts of him will live on, saving the lives of deserving folks who are in need. Rich asks that we celebrate Sam’s life, and that if anyone needs help coping with this loss to reach out if they need help.
We are all better people for having known Sam, and we will do our best to honor his contributions to our community and family.
We do understand that speculation and inaccuracies are bound to arise in the absence of absolute facts. If you have questions, please direct them to the E-board, and we will provide direct answers. Please respect Sam’s memory, and his family by not engaging in gross speculation, or other rumors that may be discussed.
Knee injury sustained in training puts Franco out of action for ninth round of season
PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team can confirm that Franco Morbidelli will miss this weekend’s DutchGP due to an injury to his left knee sustained in training today.
The injury is sufficient to mean Franco will miss this weekend’s event and he is undergoing medical assessment to determine the best course of action for recovery.
PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team wishes Franky a speedy recovery.
Hans Laske, a long-time crew member and truck driver for multiple AMA Pro/MotoAmerica Superbike teams, died suddenly June 20 at his home in Temecula, California.
News of Laske’s death was relayed to Roadracingworld.com by former Yoshimura Suzuki Team Manager Rich Doan, who spoke to Laske’s family.
Hans Laske, R.I.P.
Laske drove the tractor-trailer race hauler for the American Honda factory race team for several years before joining Yoshimura Suzuki as its primary truck driver/crew member in 1999.
During his 20 years with Yoshimura Suzuki, Laske was part of 11 AMA Pro/MotoAmerica Superbike Championship efforts: seven with Mat Mladin, three with Ben Spies, and one with Toni Elias.
Laske often joked that he was the winngest truck driver in the paddock.
In addition to driving, looking after the team’s trucks and pit equipment, and running the team’s hospitality, Laske also worked as a spotter and operated the pit board for Spies.
When Yoshimura Racing’s MotoAmerica Superbike program ended, Laske went to work driving for Vance & Hines’ racing team.
We will post information on any planned services as soon as it becomes available.
Mees Prepares To Defend Home Turf at Lima Half-Mile
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 22, 2021) – Progressive American Flat Track makes its hotly anticipated return to the Johnny K’s Indian Motorcycle Lima Half-Mile powered by Drag Specialties at Lima, Ohio’s Allen County Fairgrounds on Saturday, June 26 in the midst of a titanic three-way title fight.
Between them, Briar Bauman (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750), Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750), and Jared Mees (No. 9 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) have accounted for five of six Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle victories on the year along with 13 of 18 possible podiums.
As a result, the talented trio currently rank 1-2-3 in the standings with just nine points separating first from third. All three are previous premier-class winners at the Lima Half-Mile, setting the stage for another epic battle on the venue’s fabled pea-gravel cushion.
As even as the Mission SuperTwins racing has been at the front in 2021, any psychological advantage this weekend must surely go to Mees, who comes into the weekend as the season’s most recent winner, the winner of the previous two Lima Half-Miles, and as the event’s promoter (along with his wife, Nichole).
Behind the leading three, Ohio-native Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) rolls into Lima having strung together finishes of second, second, fourth, and fourth. That form has allowed Vanderkooi to supplant early-season championship leader JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) to take over fourth in the points.
Another rider to watch is third Mission Roof Systems pilot Brandon Price (No. 92 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750). Price has finished sixth or better in four of the last five races and earned an eye-opening fourth at Lima back in 2019 as a class rookie.
AFT Singles
Estenson Yamaha’s Dallas Daniels (No. 1 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) dominated the 2020 AFT Singles season, winning more than half the races and locking up the championship fight early. Thanks to remarkably consistent finishes, Daniels has placed himself in good strategic position to defend his title. However, seconds, thirds, and fourths are quickly losing their allure to the newly 18-year-old.
Daniels has a real fight on his hands this season with both factory KTM pilots, Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-FFE) and Shayna Texter-Bauman (No. 52 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-FFE), boasting more wins, rival Henry Wiles (No. 17 American Honda/Progressive Insurance CRF450R) finding his form and teammate Mikey Rush (No. 15 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) demonstrating similar consistency.
Lima’s surface should suit the styles of Daniels’ major challengers quite well — none more so than Texter-Bauman, who has won the last two AFT Singles Main Events at the venue.
Another rider who has fared well at the track in the past is 2016 class champion Ryan Wells (No. 94 1st Impressions Race Team Honda CRF450R), who is due for a big weekend himself.
AFT Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines
Cory Texter (No. 65 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing Yamaha MT-07) has separated himself from his AFT Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines competition with four of six race wins to assemble an imposing 35-point championship advantage.
2019 AFT Singles champion Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Cycles/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson XG750R) and 2018 AFT Singles champion Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Vinson Construction Yamaha MT-07) are the closest riders to Texter in the points and remain threats to break into the 2021 win column on any given weekend.
Fourth-ranked Chad Cose (No. 49 Voodoo Ranger/Roof Systems Harley-Davidson XG750R) will be motivated to make up for a deeply disappointing weekend in Oklahoma in which he was forced out of action due to mechanical issues on Friday night. While a loaner from Latus Motors and help from Vance & Hines enabled Cose to return to the podium on Saturday, he’s still hungry to make amends.
As such, the Lima Half-Mile couldn’t be better timed for the Californian. The last time the series visited the circuit, Cose overcame the challenge of Texter in the evening’s AFT Production Twins Main to claim his first-career Progressive AFT race victory after more than a decade trying.
Tickets are available for purchase now at https://www.168tickets.com/venue.php?venueID=268. General Admission tickets start at $30, with a limited number of upgraded reserved seating options still available.
The return of the Fan Walk at the OKC Mile I & II was a massive hit for fans and riders alike. It’s back for the Lima Half-Mile along with a Paddock Access ticket upgrade option which provides access to the paddock throughout the event.
The gates will open for fans both days at 3:00 p.m. ET/12:00 p.m. PT with Opening Ceremonies set to begin at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.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 Johnny K’s Indian Motorcycle Lima Half-Mile powered by Drag Specialties will air on NBCSN on Saturday, July 3, at 5:00 p.m. ET/2:00 p.m. PT, featuring exclusive features and cutting-edge aerial drone and onboard footage.
Hall of Famer David Aldana to be Grand Marshal of 2021 AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days
2021 AMA VMD features On Any Sunday theme and special outdoor screening of the beloved moto-documentary
PICKERINGTON, Ohio — David Aldana, one of motorcycle racing’s most legendary and popular riders, and a fixture in Bruce Brown’s epic moto-documentary On Any Sunday, will be Grand Marshal for the 2021 AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days presented by Royal Enfield, July 23-25, at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.
Aldana replaces fellow On Any Sunday alumnus Mert Lawwill, who unfortunately had to back out due to a scheduling conflict.
Known worldwide for his trademark black leathers with a white skeleton print, Aldana will do more than simply meet and greet fans and sign autographs at this year’s event. He’ll also compete in the AMA’s vintage dirt track program on Saturday evening at the nearby Ashland Country Fairground.
“With the theme of this year’s AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days being On Any Sunday,” Aldana said, “which is far and away America’s favorite all-time motorcycle movie, things are going to be extra special. For the fans, for sure, but also for me, as my memories of that 1970 season and that movie are so powerful. I can’t wait to reconnect with all the great motorcycling folks who come to Mid-Ohio each year and celebrate what Bruce Brown achieved, along with so much motorcycle history. VMD is such a great event!”
Aside from Aldana’s presence and a scheduled screening of the movie on Friday night, AMA VMD 2021 will also feature several motorcycles from the fabled film, including a real-deal Husqvarna Malcolm Smith rode in the movie, Mert Lawwill’s KR750 dirt tracker (which he rode during the 1970 season) and a Cal Rayborn Harley-Davidson XRTT 750, also seen in the footage Brown shot.
There’s plenty of racing action for racers and fans, from road racing and motocross to cross-country, dirt track and trials — and much of it with an AMA Grand Championship flavor. Riders as young as age 4 are permitted to compete in motocross, while those 12 and up can ride in trials, dirt track and hare-scrambles events. There’s also exhibition pit-bike racing on Saturday. Learn more and register today.
There’s also the biggest swap meet in North America, with parts and bikes and memorabilia from the past 120 years of motorcycling. Add all that to the scenic Mid-Ohio grounds, plenty of food and refreshments, lots of camping and vintage motorcycles as far as the eye can see, and you’ve got what’s considered one of the very best events in all of motorcycling.
AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days is a fundraiser for the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, which houses the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame and other thematic exhibits that celebrate motorcycling’s heritage. The museum was founded in 1990 to provide a permanent home to the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, which celebrates and preserves the rich tradition of motorcycling in America through the recognition of the sport’s greatest heroes. Proceeds from AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days are donated to the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization tasked with funding the operation of the museum and Hall of Fame activities.
Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world’s largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders’ interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. The AMA also provides money-saving discounts on products and services for its members. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling. For more information, visit americanmotorcyclist.com.
Razgatlioglu vs Gerloff: Turkish star heads Yamaha 1-2 as Navarra test concludes
WorldSBK stars took to Navarra on Day 2 for one last time with the top three covered by just 0.093s
The 2021 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship may well be underway but crucial testing has been undertaken at the Circuito Navarra, a new venue on the calendar for this season. In the north of Spain in Los Arcos, the all-new venue for WorldSBK welcomed day two testing action and it was once again a Yamaha on top with Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK) blasting to the top, whilst Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) made it a Yamaha 1-2.
Toprak Razgatlioglu (54) at speed at Navarra. Photo courtesy Dorna WorldSBK Press Office.
YAMAHA DOMINANCE
Toprak Razgatlioglu was able to strike back in the afternoon running as he took his Yamaha YZF-R1 to top spot, having worked tirelessly over the two days on rider specific internals, with some items on his machine. A small bit of drama in the morning when he ran out of fuel but that didn’t dampen the Turk’s spirits as he completed an astonishing 190 laps. He wasn’t the only one to suffer from running out of fuel as teammate Andrea Locatelli also suffered a similar fate. Locatelli did briefly top the timesheets just before lunch but finished the test early after a positive two-day test where the bike kept getting better and better. Toprak topped the timesheets whilst Locatelli concluded running in fourth.
Making it a Yamaha 1-2 in the test was American Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team), with Yamaha dominant at Circuito Navarra. Gerloff was working across the two days on an array of things, from set-up to configuration, aiming to refine the set-up on the 2021 motorcycle. It was difficult test on the other side of the garage for Kohta Nozane (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team), who after a crash on day one – which left him with a micro-fracture to his middle finger on his right hand – sat out day two and was replaced by substitute Niccolo Canepa. Canepa was developing some parts and concluded the test in ninth place overall.
Alex Lowes (22). Photo courtesy Dorna WorldSBK Press Office.
KAWASAKI IN TOUCH
Further down the pitlane and it was an early end to proceedings for Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and teammate Alex Lowes, making their debut at Navarra. They packed up at midday to save their remaining testing for other times. Rea was working on improving the base-setting of the bike at the Los Arcos venue, whilst Lowes was working more for Donington Park set-up. Rea led the way periodically and finished up in third, whilst Lowes overcame three crashes – Turn 13, Turn 9 and ferociously fast at Turn 1 – to complete the top five on the end of day times.
Tom Sykes (66) on his factory BMW M1000RR. Photo courtesy Dorna WorldSBK Press Office.
BMW and the rest of the field
Also finishing up at midday was the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team, as Tom Sykes and Michael van der Mark continued to work on a variety of areas of the new BMW M 1000 RR. The team worked on suspension settings across the day and focused on getting the bike set up as it would happen in a race weekend. However, they were left wanting more after day one when their chassis solutions didn’t give the expected results. For van der Mark, he finished sixth and said his side of the garage is still aiming to make the bike stop and turn better, whilst Sykes was seventh and pretty pleased with a productive test in northern Spain. For the Independent BMW of Jonas Folger (Bonovo MGM Racing), he was eighth and found the new chassis to offer better braking stability, whilst he was left wanting more grip. Overall, he commented on the new chassis have more good points than bad.
Finishing on day one, Team HRC weren’t present at Navarra on day two, but they had plenty to test as both Alvaro Bautista and Leon Haslam worked on electronic solutions, whilst also waiting for feedback from Japan about the base set-up of a bike. Combined, the riders completed over 150 laps, crucial data for WorldSBK’s first ever visit to Navarra in August.
WorldSSP: AEGERTER ON A MISSION
In World Supersport, it was Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) who once more showed his strength and prowess, completing a stunning 93 laps on his way to the top of the WorldSSP times. The Swiss rider tested suspension, clutch, and electronic set-ups, as well as different gearings on day one and refined small details on day two. Teammate Galang Hendra Pratama completed 69 and the Indonesian built on his feeling at the track across the two days.
Day 2 results with total number of laps across the two days (each day separated in brackets):
1 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK) 1’36.877 – 190 laps (Day 1: 97, Day 2: 93)
2. Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +0.048s – 140 laps (Day 1: 74, Day 2: 66)
3. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +0.093s – 112 laps (Day 1: 67, Day 2: 45)
4. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK +0.174s – 138 laps (Day 1: 85, Day 2: 53)
5. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +0.486s – 110 laps (Day 1: 63, Day 2: 47)
6. Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.710s – 138 laps (Day 1: 78, Day 2: 60)
7. Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +1.023s – 128 laps (Day 1: 85, Day 2: 43)
8. Jonas Folger (Bonovo MGM Racing) +2.153s – 106 laps (Day 1: 52, Day 2: 54)
Non-stop work for Team HRC during a useful test session at Navarra
Just a few days after the conclusion of the Italian round of the WorldSBK Championship, Team HRC set off for Navarra, one of three new circuits appearing on the Superbike calendar for the first time this year.
The team planned to use the test to collate data and find a base set-up for the bikes at the circuit that will host round 7 over the weekend of 20-22 August, as well as continue with the ongoing development of the CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADES ridden by Alvaro Bautista and Leon Haslam.
Having got through its initial work programme swiftly and smoothly, the team decided to continue non-stop for the entire day, completing tasks that it had originally planned to address over two half-day sessions.
The track action ended at around 5.00pm as a result of a rain shower that, albeit brief, left the track wet.
Team HRC will be back on track for the season’s fourth round, scheduled to take place at Donington Park (UK) on 2-4 July.
Alvaro Bautista 19
“Today we used the time we had to understand the Navarra track and collect some references for when we return for the races. The circuit is very small and narrow, with a lot of first gear turns. It is definitely different from what we are used to and challenging because it’s not easy to tackle with a superbike. Another aspect is the asphalt, which is very bumpy, so all in all I think it will be a demanding round. I’m happy we had this test because, in addition to working on the bike set-up for this layout, we also did some electronics testing which we needed to complete, despite having to stop about an hour early because of the rain. It was definitely a useful test, and now we look forward to the next round at Donington Park.”
Leon Haslam 91
“We had to finish the test session a little early because I had a small crash with around one and a half hours to go and once the bike was ready, the rain came. So, we missed the last hour of track time, but we tested many of the items we wanted to try. The track is obviously very different to most others. It’s quite bumpy and reminds me of some of the old English tracks but, honestly, I think it will be a fun one to ride. For sure we have collected some positive information during this test.”
More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki:
Useful Navarra Test Sessions For KRT
Kawasaki Racing Team’s riders Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes had another new experience to add to their bank of WorldSBK knowledge on the new Ninja ZX-10RR thanks to a confidence-building two day test session at the Circuito de Navarra.
Although controlling their track time to save on their limited number of testing days available in 2021 both Rea and Lowes learned valuable lessons at the 3.933km long Navarra circuit in Northern Spain. These will prove useful when the championship itself visits a track that will be an all-new one on the WorldSBK calendar this year.
Rea concentrated on making sure both he and his Ninja ZX-10RR would arrive at Navarra for race weekend ready to put in the best performance possible, rather than pushing for a fast time at this particular test.
In his first experience of this relatively new circuit in Spain Rea found it challenging and fun to ride, with all kinds of corners and a greater change of elevation in some sectors than he had been expecting. After the first day he changed his riding approach and found benefits on a track neither he nor the team had any data for until this test.
For Lowes this ‘mid-season’ test was an important one to allow him and his technical crew to try some new things based on the experience of the first three rounds on the new Ninja ZX-10RR. He was able to set fast early times, but fell twice on day two. Unhurt, Alex’s confidence was not dented and he now looks forward to his home round in the UK in early July, and the return to Navarra to race there later this summer.
In the overall timesheets after day two Rea was third quickest with a best lap time of 1’36.970, putting him just 0.093 seconds from the fastest time. Lowes was fifth overall, with a 1’37.343 best lap.
After the first three rounds of the FIM Superbike World Championship and now this Navarra test have been completed the next points-scoring round will take place at Donington Park in the UK, between 2-4 July. It is the first home race for both Jonathan and Alex in two years, after the cancellation of the planned 2020 Donington event.
Jonathan Rea, stated: “It has been a really positive two days. I learned the circuit and it is a very difficult circuit to go fast at, to be fair. It has lots of little intricacies and challenges. From a technical point of view it is very challenging. I enjoyed working it out. On day one I learned the track quite quickly but I wasn’t comfortable to keep pushing the bike. On day two I woke up after sleeping on all my feelings and the data we gathered on day one, and I was able to be quite fast straight away. I carried that rhythm through. We found a lot of valuable information that will be good for race weekend and it will definitely allow us to make a shortcut in our set-up time when we start out in free practice one. This track has some mixtures of everything. Some super-fast corners but also some very tight and twisty sections in sectors two and three. The race is going to be a nice one. The main priority here was to learn and I am looking forward to Donington now for our next race weekend.”
Alex Lowes, stated: “I really enjoyed the Navarra circuit in my first time there. I had a good feeling on the bike and I was able to try everything that I wanted to and with a couple of things we tried on corner entry we were partly thinking about Donington, which is our next race. This was also positive. Unfortunately today I had a couple of crashes; made a couple of mistakes. Apart from that, it has been a great test. I leave here happy with the bike, enjoying the Ninja ZX-10RR, and it was a really good test for us. That gives me some confidence going into the next round, which is my home round at Donington Park. So we are really happy.”
Pere Riba, Crew Chief for Jonathan Rea, stated: “The test has been positive. Yesterday we did a half day on track. Johnny was learning the layout and where the most important places were. It is a very different track to ride compared to the ones we are used to. Also, technically, we started to collect information because this is an all new track for us. We had no data, nothing. We found the base but day one was not an easy day because it was a very different track, very bumpy. But we did the job. Today we kept focusing on the most important points and leave here with some base settings to start the race weekend in Navarra. Finally, Johnny was fast with the SC0 tyre and also on the SCX tyre he was strong. Considering we did a half day yesterday and a half day today I think we are in a good place to start the race weekend.”
Marcel Duinker, Crew Chief for Alex Lowes, stated: “This was the first time we had been to Navarra and the target was to learn the track as much as possible, and of course to prepare ourselves for the race in August. From the very beginning Alex was fast, one of the fastest on track, and he learned the layout very quickly. We also confirmed our base set-up was working well here. Of course we also tested a few items. After three rounds of the season we know more or less where to improve. So we did a couple of small tests on the bike which worked out very positively. On the second day Alex had two crashes, which can happen; it is part of the job sometimes. But we also reached our target of confirming our machine set-up for race weekend. Overall it has been a really positive test here. Now we can switch off for a couple of days and get ready for Donington and the next round.”
PETRONAS Yamaha SRT primed for trip to “Cathedral of Speed”
TT Circuit Assen hosts final round ahead of summer break for Morbidelli and Rossi this weekend
PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team’s Franco Morbidelli and Valentino Rossi are eagerly anticipating the return of the DutchGP this weekend; with Assen hosting the final round before the MotoGP summer break.
Morbidelli is looking forward to the return of Assen, after the global pandemic forced its cancellation last year, as it is somewhere that he has enjoyed success in the past. In 2017, when competing in Moto2, the Italian secured pole position, the race win and posted the fastest lap. Feeling ready to tackle its fast and flowing lines, Franco goes into the DutchGP hoping to move back into the top-ten of the world championship standings, as he currently sits 11th with 40 points.
Team-mate Rossi also has a long list of previous success around the 4.5km long TT Circuit Assen – eight wins, ten podiums, five pole positions and seven fastest laps in the premier class. Although the GermanGP did not reflect the Italian’s pace from earlier in the weekend, Valentino goes into this weekend eager to return to the scene of his most recent MotoGP victory and enjoy the final race before the championship’s summer break. Rossi currently has 17 world championship points and sits 19th in the riders’ standings.
Morbidelli and Rossi will be on track at 9.55am local time (3.55pm MYT) Friday for Free Practice 1, with Sunday’s 26-lap MotoGP race due to get underway at 2pm local time (8pm MYT).
Franco Morbidelli
I’m feeling positive about heading to Assen as it is a track that is very flowing, a lot more so than Sachsenring. It’s another historical track, like Mugello, and a circuit that is great to ride. It is tricky, with the changes of direction at high speed, but it is a lot of fun at the same time. It is somewhere that maybe I can find and exploit some advantages of my bike. I won there in 2017, so it’s somewhere that I also have good memories at. I hope that we can have a good race there this weekend.
Valentino Rossi
We need to figure out what happened in Germany and work well to make some improvements before we are back on track this weekend. Assen is a great track for me though and I like the layout a lot, it is very flowing. It is somewhere I really enjoy and you always feel some great emotion when riding there. So we need to stay positive, concentrate on the final round before the summer break and achieve a good result in Assen.
LOUDON, NH – The 98th Annual Loudon Classic weekend by Mayhew Tools featured three days of perfect weather, fans from all over New England, and racing with the NorthEast Motorcycle Road Racing (NEMRR) series. NEMRR is part of the national Championship Cup Series organization, and riders from the Northeast, Atlantic and Mid-Atlantic regions competed in a twin-sprint weekend that ran an impressive 45 races in total.
The feature events of the weekend were the three Grand Prix classes, which boasted $9,500 in purse money in total. Specialty Saw presented the Seacoast Sport Cycle Lightweight Grand Prix class and the Street and Competition Unlimited Grand Prix classes. Mayhew Tools was the title sponsor of the featured Loudon Classic Middleweight Grand Prix class together with presenting sponsors Motorace and New Hampshire Motor Speedway. In the twin-sprint format the lap times from the Friday races were used to set the grid for the Saturday main events, and the Friday Motorace Middleweight Grand Prix race featured a $1,500 purse.
Saturday’s feature races were held in front of a fantastic crowd and led off with the two support classes presented by Specialty Saw, Lightweight GP and Unlimited GP. First off were the small-displacement machines, and NEMRR #1 rider Rick Doucette of Sandown, NH, showed why he was the heavy favorite, scoring the holeshot and running a string of blazing fast laps in the 1:14 and 1:15 range on his special de-stroked Yamaha YZF-R6/R5. The surprise of the day came from Eli Block, riding a strong running KTM 450 motard bike, who challenged Doucette right to the very end. The motard bike was down on power to the machine of Doucette, but the combination of the nimble handling and equsite skill of Block made for an incredibly entertaining race to watch. Block was especially good on the brakes and was be all over the back tire of Doucette in the back section of the track. In the end, Doucette’s experience and consistency proved too much to handle as he pulled out the win by 0.4 second at the line. The battle for third was a similar battle between the SV650 of Steven Hieder and the Honda 450 motard of MotoAmerica Junior Cup star Ben Gloddy, and in this case the motard won the battle and claimed the last spot on the podium.
In the Unlimited GP feature, pole sitter Shane Narbonne was forced to ride his Yamaha R6 after his Suzuki GSX-R1000 suffered a mechanical failure. Scott Mullin won the drag race off the line, and second row starter Eric Wood, of Ashburnham, MA, was able to use the power of his Kawasaki ZX-10R to pass Narbonne to assume second place as the trio rocketed into Turn One. Wood made an inside pass on Mullin into Turn Six and the two Kawasaki riders began to separate themselves from Narbonne. Mullin kept Wood honest throughout the contest, staying within a few bikelengths until Wood begin to open his advantage to an eventual 2.4 second gap as the pair navigated traffic in the closing laps.
The featured 98th running of the Loudon Classic by Mayhew Tools went off under 84-degree sunshine with a paddock abuzz and stands full of spectators excited to see the action. With all eyes focused on the front row, starting lights came on and perennial NEMRR star Scott Greenwood, of Dunbarton, NH, made an uncharacteristic mistake. To get a jump on the field, Greenwood launched out of his grid spot too early, a mistake that he clearly signaled as he entered Turn One with a gap on the field while he was shaking his head in disbelief. Greenwood was assessed a 30-second penalty, and the race was on. Greenwood and Narbonne separated themselves from the field while running a string of 1:12 lap times, Narbonne racing for the win and Greenwood racing against the clock to try to secure a podium position despite his penalty. Meanwhile, the battle for the podium was raging between the trio of Rick Doucette, Teagg Hobbs (riding a 600 at NHMS for the first time) and Paul Duval together. The 18-year-old Hobbs was fast to the end and came from a mediocre start through Doucette and up to the rear wheel of Duval. After several laps sizing up his competitor Hobbs finally made the move forward and separated himself in the later stages of the race from his competitor to secure a solid second place. Duval was racing against Greenwood and the 30-second penalty, and in the end managed to keep the gap to less than 30 seconds and finished the 20-lap final on the podium. Rounding out the top six were Greenwood in fourth, Doucette and fifth and young upstart Joe LiMandri in sixth. The top finishing amateur rider was Paul Hosue, finishing a very respectable 12th place in a field of 27 riders.
Editorial Note: Use the scroll tool at the bottom left of the PDF viewer to see all pages of the race results.
Circuit of The Americas. Photo courtesy Circuit of The Americas.
New Americas GP date confirmed as the 2021 Japanese GP is cancelled and Thai GP delayed one week
Wednesday, 23 June 2021
The FIM, IRTA and Dorna Sports can now announce a new date for the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas in Austin, Texas. The event was previously postponed and will now take place from the 1st to the 3rd of October 2021.
The OR Grand Prix of Thailand will therefore take place a week later than previously scheduled, from the 15th to the 17th of October.
The FIM, IRTA and Dorna Sports must also confirm the cancellation of the Motul Grand Prix of Japan. The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and resulting travel complications and logistical restrictions mean that it has not been possible to confirm the event at this time, meaning that it will therefore not feature on the 2021 calendar. The FIM MotoGP™ Championship looks forward to returning to race in front of the Japanese fans at their home Grand Prix in 2022.
Gerloff joins PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team in Assen
Garrett Gerloff to make PYSRT debut as stand-in for Franco Morbidelli
PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team will welcome American Garrett Gerloff to the squad for this weekend’s DutchGP in Assen as a stand-in for the injured Franco Morbidelli.
Franco sustained an injury to his left knee yesterday and is currently undergoing medical assessment and treatment. 25 year-old Gerloff is currently a GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team rider. This will be Gerloff’s first time in Assen but he has previously ridden the Yamaha YZR-M1 when he substituted for Valentino Rossi at the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team in the European GP practice sessions at Valencia last year.
Razlan Razali, Team Principal, PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team
Everyone has had to move very quickly after the news late yesterday that Franco would not be able to race this weekend and we give our thanks to Yamaha for facilitating this. We’re very excited to welcome Garrett to the team this weekend and realise that it’s a tough task to come in at late notice but we are confident that he will be able to do a good job. We wish Franco all the best for his recovery and hope to welcome him back to the track after the summer break.
Garrett Gerloff, PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team
I’m excited for the opportunity ahead, I’m not someone who runs away from a challenge, so I’m ready to get to the track. It’ll be a new circuit for me, I like trying new tracks, it looks fun, fast and flowing, and really suits my riding style. I’m looking forward to jumping on the Yamaha M1 again and twisting the throttle. We’ll see how things go, but I feel good and would like to thank Yamaha and the team for considering me. It won’t be easy, but I’m going to give it my best shot!
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha Racing:
Gerloff to Replace Injured Morbidelli at PETRONAS Yamaha SRT at Dutch TT
GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team’s Garrett Gerloff will make his MotoGP race debut this weekend at TT Circuit Assen, riding for PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team at the Dutch TT in place of the injured Franco Morbidelli.
With Morbidelli sustaining a knee injury during training on Tuesday, Gerloff was called up to race at the Dutch round, as the American gets another chance to ride the Yamaha YZR-M1, having previously substituted for Valentino Rossi at the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team in the European GP practice sessions at Valencia last year.
The Texan has impressed throughout his FIM Superbike World Championship career so far and currently lies sixth in the riders’ standings, while he’s been a consistent front-runner throughout the opening three rounds.
Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK’s Toprak Razgatlıoğlu was also in the running to replace Morbidelli at Assen but turned down the opportunity in favour of remaining focused on his main aim in 2021, challenging for the FIM Superbike World Championship crown. The Turkish rider currently lies second in the championship standings and just 20 points off the top spot going into the next round at Donington Park round on 2-4 July.
After winning two MotoAmerica Supersport championship titles in 2016 and 2017, Gerloff further confirmed his potential with a third-place finish in the 2019 MotoAmerica Superbike championship. That saw the 25-year-old called up to the GRT Yamaha squad in WorldSBK, where he became a rookie sensation, scoring podiums at Barcelona and Estoril.
He impressed in his MotoGP practice sessions at Valencia, while also earning another year in WorldSBK, this time riding the latest spec Yamaha R1 bike. Gerloff has already added another podium to his tally and continues to show race winning potential in 2021.
Garrett Gerloff
PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team
“I’m excited for the opportunity ahead, I’m not someone who runs away from a challenge, so I’m ready to get to the track. It’ll be a new circuit for me, I like trying new tracks, it looks fun, fast and flowing, and really suits my riding style. I’m looking forward to jumping on the Yamaha M1 again and twisting the throttle. We’ll see how things go, but I feel good and would like to thank Yamaha and the team for considering me. It won’t be easy, but I’m going to give it my best shot!”
WMRRA racer Sam Crawford (870), R.I.P. Photo courtesy WMRRA.
It is with heavy hearts that we can now make this official announcement regarding Round 3, this previous weekend.
In morning practice on 6/20/21, during the WMRRA Round 3 event at The Ridge Motorsports Park, rider #870 Sam Crawford was involved in a single bike incident in Turn 10, which ultimately claimed his life.
The practice session was immediately halted by race control and corner-worker staff, and priority medical response was deployed without delay. Sam was unconscious and unresponsive when first responders arrived on scene.
Trained race-day staff, with on-site medical teams performed CPR and worked to stabilize Sam prior to his transport to Mason General, where he was to meet an air-transport to Seattle. Sadly, during the transit to Mason General, Sam’s pulse was lost, and the medical teams could not revive him.
Sam was well known within the WMRRA paddock for many years as his brother’s (Rich Kim) personal cheerleader, a volunteer, and really just an all-around nice guy. Sam participated in the WMRRA NRS in 2020, and successfully completed all his novice graduation requirements, receiving the Race-Director’s final sign-off signature, Saturday night.
Sam was one of those ‘cool’ guys with a good poker face, but he could not hide his smile when he achieved his goal of becoming an ‘Expert’ rider. When Sam mounted his machine Sunday morning, he did it with pride of making his goal, and even prodding Rich to come race again so they could go out together.
As a final act of self-giving, Sam was also an organ donor and parts of him will live on, saving the lives of deserving folks who are in need. Rich asks that we celebrate Sam’s life, and that if anyone needs help coping with this loss to reach out if they need help.
We are all better people for having known Sam, and we will do our best to honor his contributions to our community and family.
We do understand that speculation and inaccuracies are bound to arise in the absence of absolute facts. If you have questions, please direct them to the E-board, and we will provide direct answers. Please respect Sam’s memory, and his family by not engaging in gross speculation, or other rumors that may be discussed.
Knee injury sustained in training puts Franco out of action for ninth round of season
PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team can confirm that Franco Morbidelli will miss this weekend’s DutchGP due to an injury to his left knee sustained in training today.
The injury is sufficient to mean Franco will miss this weekend’s event and he is undergoing medical assessment to determine the best course of action for recovery.
PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team wishes Franky a speedy recovery.
Hans Laske (back row, far left) was a long-time truck driver and crew member for Yoshimura Suzuki. This photo is from 2017 when Yoshimura Suzuki's Toni Elias and Roger Hayden went 1-2 in the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Hans Laske, a long-time crew member and truck driver for multiple AMA Pro/MotoAmerica Superbike teams, died suddenly June 20 at his home in Temecula, California.
News of Laske’s death was relayed to Roadracingworld.com by former Yoshimura Suzuki Team Manager Rich Doan, who spoke to Laske’s family.
Hans Laske, R.I.P.
Laske drove the tractor-trailer race hauler for the American Honda factory race team for several years before joining Yoshimura Suzuki as its primary truck driver/crew member in 1999.
During his 20 years with Yoshimura Suzuki, Laske was part of 11 AMA Pro/MotoAmerica Superbike Championship efforts: seven with Mat Mladin, three with Ben Spies, and one with Toni Elias.
Laske often joked that he was the winngest truck driver in the paddock.
In addition to driving, looking after the team’s trucks and pit equipment, and running the team’s hospitality, Laske also worked as a spotter and operated the pit board for Spies.
When Yoshimura Racing’s MotoAmerica Superbike program ended, Laske went to work driving for Vance & Hines’ racing team.
We will post information on any planned services as soon as it becomes available.
Briar Bauman (1) and the stars of the AFT Mission SuperTwins class will converge on the Lima Half-Mile this coming weekend. Photo courtesy AFT.
Mees Prepares To Defend Home Turf at Lima Half-Mile
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 22, 2021) – Progressive American Flat Track makes its hotly anticipated return to the Johnny K’s Indian Motorcycle Lima Half-Mile powered by Drag Specialties at Lima, Ohio’s Allen County Fairgrounds on Saturday, June 26 in the midst of a titanic three-way title fight.
Between them, Briar Bauman (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750), Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750), and Jared Mees (No. 9 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) have accounted for five of six Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle victories on the year along with 13 of 18 possible podiums.
As a result, the talented trio currently rank 1-2-3 in the standings with just nine points separating first from third. All three are previous premier-class winners at the Lima Half-Mile, setting the stage for another epic battle on the venue’s fabled pea-gravel cushion.
As even as the Mission SuperTwins racing has been at the front in 2021, any psychological advantage this weekend must surely go to Mees, who comes into the weekend as the season’s most recent winner, the winner of the previous two Lima Half-Miles, and as the event’s promoter (along with his wife, Nichole).
Behind the leading three, Ohio-native Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) rolls into Lima having strung together finishes of second, second, fourth, and fourth. That form has allowed Vanderkooi to supplant early-season championship leader JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) to take over fourth in the points.
Another rider to watch is third Mission Roof Systems pilot Brandon Price (No. 92 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750). Price has finished sixth or better in four of the last five races and earned an eye-opening fourth at Lima back in 2019 as a class rookie.
AFT Singles
Estenson Yamaha’s Dallas Daniels (No. 1 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) dominated the 2020 AFT Singles season, winning more than half the races and locking up the championship fight early. Thanks to remarkably consistent finishes, Daniels has placed himself in good strategic position to defend his title. However, seconds, thirds, and fourths are quickly losing their allure to the newly 18-year-old.
Daniels has a real fight on his hands this season with both factory KTM pilots, Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-FFE) and Shayna Texter-Bauman (No. 52 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-FFE), boasting more wins, rival Henry Wiles (No. 17 American Honda/Progressive Insurance CRF450R) finding his form and teammate Mikey Rush (No. 15 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) demonstrating similar consistency.
Lima’s surface should suit the styles of Daniels’ major challengers quite well — none more so than Texter-Bauman, who has won the last two AFT Singles Main Events at the venue.
Another rider who has fared well at the track in the past is 2016 class champion Ryan Wells (No. 94 1st Impressions Race Team Honda CRF450R), who is due for a big weekend himself.
AFT Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines
Cory Texter (No. 65 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing Yamaha MT-07) has separated himself from his AFT Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines competition with four of six race wins to assemble an imposing 35-point championship advantage.
2019 AFT Singles champion Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Cycles/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson XG750R) and 2018 AFT Singles champion Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Vinson Construction Yamaha MT-07) are the closest riders to Texter in the points and remain threats to break into the 2021 win column on any given weekend.
Fourth-ranked Chad Cose (No. 49 Voodoo Ranger/Roof Systems Harley-Davidson XG750R) will be motivated to make up for a deeply disappointing weekend in Oklahoma in which he was forced out of action due to mechanical issues on Friday night. While a loaner from Latus Motors and help from Vance & Hines enabled Cose to return to the podium on Saturday, he’s still hungry to make amends.
As such, the Lima Half-Mile couldn’t be better timed for the Californian. The last time the series visited the circuit, Cose overcame the challenge of Texter in the evening’s AFT Production Twins Main to claim his first-career Progressive AFT race victory after more than a decade trying.
Tickets are available for purchase now at https://www.168tickets.com/venue.php?venueID=268. General Admission tickets start at $30, with a limited number of upgraded reserved seating options still available.
The return of the Fan Walk at the OKC Mile I & II was a massive hit for fans and riders alike. It’s back for the Lima Half-Mile along with a Paddock Access ticket upgrade option which provides access to the paddock throughout the event.
The gates will open for fans both days at 3:00 p.m. ET/12:00 p.m. PT with Opening Ceremonies set to begin at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.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 Johnny K’s Indian Motorcycle Lima Half-Mile powered by Drag Specialties will air on NBCSN on Saturday, July 3, at 5:00 p.m. ET/2:00 p.m. PT, featuring exclusive features and cutting-edge aerial drone and onboard footage.
David Aldana (10) on a Kawasaki back in the day. Photo courtesy AMA.
Hall of Famer David Aldana to be Grand Marshal of 2021 AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days
2021 AMA VMD features On Any Sunday theme and special outdoor screening of the beloved moto-documentary
PICKERINGTON, Ohio — David Aldana, one of motorcycle racing’s most legendary and popular riders, and a fixture in Bruce Brown’s epic moto-documentary On Any Sunday, will be Grand Marshal for the 2021 AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days presented by Royal Enfield, July 23-25, at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.
Aldana replaces fellow On Any Sunday alumnus Mert Lawwill, who unfortunately had to back out due to a scheduling conflict.
Known worldwide for his trademark black leathers with a white skeleton print, Aldana will do more than simply meet and greet fans and sign autographs at this year’s event. He’ll also compete in the AMA’s vintage dirt track program on Saturday evening at the nearby Ashland Country Fairground.
“With the theme of this year’s AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days being On Any Sunday,” Aldana said, “which is far and away America’s favorite all-time motorcycle movie, things are going to be extra special. For the fans, for sure, but also for me, as my memories of that 1970 season and that movie are so powerful. I can’t wait to reconnect with all the great motorcycling folks who come to Mid-Ohio each year and celebrate what Bruce Brown achieved, along with so much motorcycle history. VMD is such a great event!”
Aside from Aldana’s presence and a scheduled screening of the movie on Friday night, AMA VMD 2021 will also feature several motorcycles from the fabled film, including a real-deal Husqvarna Malcolm Smith rode in the movie, Mert Lawwill’s KR750 dirt tracker (which he rode during the 1970 season) and a Cal Rayborn Harley-Davidson XRTT 750, also seen in the footage Brown shot.
There’s plenty of racing action for racers and fans, from road racing and motocross to cross-country, dirt track and trials — and much of it with an AMA Grand Championship flavor. Riders as young as age 4 are permitted to compete in motocross, while those 12 and up can ride in trials, dirt track and hare-scrambles events. There’s also exhibition pit-bike racing on Saturday. Learn more and register today.
There’s also the biggest swap meet in North America, with parts and bikes and memorabilia from the past 120 years of motorcycling. Add all that to the scenic Mid-Ohio grounds, plenty of food and refreshments, lots of camping and vintage motorcycles as far as the eye can see, and you’ve got what’s considered one of the very best events in all of motorcycling.
AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days is a fundraiser for the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, which houses the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame and other thematic exhibits that celebrate motorcycling’s heritage. The museum was founded in 1990 to provide a permanent home to the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, which celebrates and preserves the rich tradition of motorcycling in America through the recognition of the sport’s greatest heroes. Proceeds from AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days are donated to the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization tasked with funding the operation of the museum and Hall of Fame activities.
Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world’s largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders’ interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. The AMA also provides money-saving discounts on products and services for its members. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling. For more information, visit americanmotorcyclist.com.
Garrett Gerloff (31) in action at Circuito de Navarra. Photo courtesy Dorna WorldSBK Press Office.
Razgatlioglu vs Gerloff: Turkish star heads Yamaha 1-2 as Navarra test concludes
WorldSBK stars took to Navarra on Day 2 for one last time with the top three covered by just 0.093s
The 2021 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship may well be underway but crucial testing has been undertaken at the Circuito Navarra, a new venue on the calendar for this season. In the north of Spain in Los Arcos, the all-new venue for WorldSBK welcomed day two testing action and it was once again a Yamaha on top with Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK) blasting to the top, whilst Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) made it a Yamaha 1-2.
Toprak Razgatlioglu (54) at speed at Navarra. Photo courtesy Dorna WorldSBK Press Office.
YAMAHA DOMINANCE
Toprak Razgatlioglu was able to strike back in the afternoon running as he took his Yamaha YZF-R1 to top spot, having worked tirelessly over the two days on rider specific internals, with some items on his machine. A small bit of drama in the morning when he ran out of fuel but that didn’t dampen the Turk’s spirits as he completed an astonishing 190 laps. He wasn’t the only one to suffer from running out of fuel as teammate Andrea Locatelli also suffered a similar fate. Locatelli did briefly top the timesheets just before lunch but finished the test early after a positive two-day test where the bike kept getting better and better. Toprak topped the timesheets whilst Locatelli concluded running in fourth.
Making it a Yamaha 1-2 in the test was American Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team), with Yamaha dominant at Circuito Navarra. Gerloff was working across the two days on an array of things, from set-up to configuration, aiming to refine the set-up on the 2021 motorcycle. It was difficult test on the other side of the garage for Kohta Nozane (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team), who after a crash on day one – which left him with a micro-fracture to his middle finger on his right hand – sat out day two and was replaced by substitute Niccolo Canepa. Canepa was developing some parts and concluded the test in ninth place overall.
Alex Lowes (22). Photo courtesy Dorna WorldSBK Press Office.
KAWASAKI IN TOUCH
Further down the pitlane and it was an early end to proceedings for Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and teammate Alex Lowes, making their debut at Navarra. They packed up at midday to save their remaining testing for other times. Rea was working on improving the base-setting of the bike at the Los Arcos venue, whilst Lowes was working more for Donington Park set-up. Rea led the way periodically and finished up in third, whilst Lowes overcame three crashes – Turn 13, Turn 9 and ferociously fast at Turn 1 – to complete the top five on the end of day times.
Tom Sykes (66) on his factory BMW M1000RR. Photo courtesy Dorna WorldSBK Press Office.
BMW and the rest of the field
Also finishing up at midday was the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team, as Tom Sykes and Michael van der Mark continued to work on a variety of areas of the new BMW M 1000 RR. The team worked on suspension settings across the day and focused on getting the bike set up as it would happen in a race weekend. However, they were left wanting more after day one when their chassis solutions didn’t give the expected results. For van der Mark, he finished sixth and said his side of the garage is still aiming to make the bike stop and turn better, whilst Sykes was seventh and pretty pleased with a productive test in northern Spain. For the Independent BMW of Jonas Folger (Bonovo MGM Racing), he was eighth and found the new chassis to offer better braking stability, whilst he was left wanting more grip. Overall, he commented on the new chassis have more good points than bad.
Finishing on day one, Team HRC weren’t present at Navarra on day two, but they had plenty to test as both Alvaro Bautista and Leon Haslam worked on electronic solutions, whilst also waiting for feedback from Japan about the base set-up of a bike. Combined, the riders completed over 150 laps, crucial data for WorldSBK’s first ever visit to Navarra in August.
WorldSSP: AEGERTER ON A MISSION
In World Supersport, it was Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) who once more showed his strength and prowess, completing a stunning 93 laps on his way to the top of the WorldSSP times. The Swiss rider tested suspension, clutch, and electronic set-ups, as well as different gearings on day one and refined small details on day two. Teammate Galang Hendra Pratama completed 69 and the Indonesian built on his feeling at the track across the two days.
Day 2 results with total number of laps across the two days (each day separated in brackets):
1 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK) 1’36.877 – 190 laps (Day 1: 97, Day 2: 93)
2. Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +0.048s – 140 laps (Day 1: 74, Day 2: 66)
3. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +0.093s – 112 laps (Day 1: 67, Day 2: 45)
4. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK +0.174s – 138 laps (Day 1: 85, Day 2: 53)
5. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +0.486s – 110 laps (Day 1: 63, Day 2: 47)
6. Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.710s – 138 laps (Day 1: 78, Day 2: 60)
7. Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +1.023s – 128 laps (Day 1: 85, Day 2: 43)
8. Jonas Folger (Bonovo MGM Racing) +2.153s – 106 laps (Day 1: 52, Day 2: 54)
Non-stop work for Team HRC during a useful test session at Navarra
Just a few days after the conclusion of the Italian round of the WorldSBK Championship, Team HRC set off for Navarra, one of three new circuits appearing on the Superbike calendar for the first time this year.
The team planned to use the test to collate data and find a base set-up for the bikes at the circuit that will host round 7 over the weekend of 20-22 August, as well as continue with the ongoing development of the CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADES ridden by Alvaro Bautista and Leon Haslam.
Having got through its initial work programme swiftly and smoothly, the team decided to continue non-stop for the entire day, completing tasks that it had originally planned to address over two half-day sessions.
The track action ended at around 5.00pm as a result of a rain shower that, albeit brief, left the track wet.
Team HRC will be back on track for the season’s fourth round, scheduled to take place at Donington Park (UK) on 2-4 July.
Alvaro Bautista 19
“Today we used the time we had to understand the Navarra track and collect some references for when we return for the races. The circuit is very small and narrow, with a lot of first gear turns. It is definitely different from what we are used to and challenging because it’s not easy to tackle with a superbike. Another aspect is the asphalt, which is very bumpy, so all in all I think it will be a demanding round. I’m happy we had this test because, in addition to working on the bike set-up for this layout, we also did some electronics testing which we needed to complete, despite having to stop about an hour early because of the rain. It was definitely a useful test, and now we look forward to the next round at Donington Park.”
Leon Haslam 91
“We had to finish the test session a little early because I had a small crash with around one and a half hours to go and once the bike was ready, the rain came. So, we missed the last hour of track time, but we tested many of the items we wanted to try. The track is obviously very different to most others. It’s quite bumpy and reminds me of some of the old English tracks but, honestly, I think it will be a fun one to ride. For sure we have collected some positive information during this test.”
More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki:
Useful Navarra Test Sessions For KRT
Kawasaki Racing Team’s riders Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes had another new experience to add to their bank of WorldSBK knowledge on the new Ninja ZX-10RR thanks to a confidence-building two day test session at the Circuito de Navarra.
Although controlling their track time to save on their limited number of testing days available in 2021 both Rea and Lowes learned valuable lessons at the 3.933km long Navarra circuit in Northern Spain. These will prove useful when the championship itself visits a track that will be an all-new one on the WorldSBK calendar this year.
Rea concentrated on making sure both he and his Ninja ZX-10RR would arrive at Navarra for race weekend ready to put in the best performance possible, rather than pushing for a fast time at this particular test.
In his first experience of this relatively new circuit in Spain Rea found it challenging and fun to ride, with all kinds of corners and a greater change of elevation in some sectors than he had been expecting. After the first day he changed his riding approach and found benefits on a track neither he nor the team had any data for until this test.
For Lowes this ‘mid-season’ test was an important one to allow him and his technical crew to try some new things based on the experience of the first three rounds on the new Ninja ZX-10RR. He was able to set fast early times, but fell twice on day two. Unhurt, Alex’s confidence was not dented and he now looks forward to his home round in the UK in early July, and the return to Navarra to race there later this summer.
In the overall timesheets after day two Rea was third quickest with a best lap time of 1’36.970, putting him just 0.093 seconds from the fastest time. Lowes was fifth overall, with a 1’37.343 best lap.
After the first three rounds of the FIM Superbike World Championship and now this Navarra test have been completed the next points-scoring round will take place at Donington Park in the UK, between 2-4 July. It is the first home race for both Jonathan and Alex in two years, after the cancellation of the planned 2020 Donington event.
Jonathan Rea, stated: “It has been a really positive two days. I learned the circuit and it is a very difficult circuit to go fast at, to be fair. It has lots of little intricacies and challenges. From a technical point of view it is very challenging. I enjoyed working it out. On day one I learned the track quite quickly but I wasn’t comfortable to keep pushing the bike. On day two I woke up after sleeping on all my feelings and the data we gathered on day one, and I was able to be quite fast straight away. I carried that rhythm through. We found a lot of valuable information that will be good for race weekend and it will definitely allow us to make a shortcut in our set-up time when we start out in free practice one. This track has some mixtures of everything. Some super-fast corners but also some very tight and twisty sections in sectors two and three. The race is going to be a nice one. The main priority here was to learn and I am looking forward to Donington now for our next race weekend.”
Alex Lowes, stated: “I really enjoyed the Navarra circuit in my first time there. I had a good feeling on the bike and I was able to try everything that I wanted to and with a couple of things we tried on corner entry we were partly thinking about Donington, which is our next race. This was also positive. Unfortunately today I had a couple of crashes; made a couple of mistakes. Apart from that, it has been a great test. I leave here happy with the bike, enjoying the Ninja ZX-10RR, and it was a really good test for us. That gives me some confidence going into the next round, which is my home round at Donington Park. So we are really happy.”
Pere Riba, Crew Chief for Jonathan Rea, stated: “The test has been positive. Yesterday we did a half day on track. Johnny was learning the layout and where the most important places were. It is a very different track to ride compared to the ones we are used to. Also, technically, we started to collect information because this is an all new track for us. We had no data, nothing. We found the base but day one was not an easy day because it was a very different track, very bumpy. But we did the job. Today we kept focusing on the most important points and leave here with some base settings to start the race weekend in Navarra. Finally, Johnny was fast with the SC0 tyre and also on the SCX tyre he was strong. Considering we did a half day yesterday and a half day today I think we are in a good place to start the race weekend.”
Marcel Duinker, Crew Chief for Alex Lowes, stated: “This was the first time we had been to Navarra and the target was to learn the track as much as possible, and of course to prepare ourselves for the race in August. From the very beginning Alex was fast, one of the fastest on track, and he learned the layout very quickly. We also confirmed our base set-up was working well here. Of course we also tested a few items. After three rounds of the season we know more or less where to improve. So we did a couple of small tests on the bike which worked out very positively. On the second day Alex had two crashes, which can happen; it is part of the job sometimes. But we also reached our target of confirming our machine set-up for race weekend. Overall it has been a really positive test here. Now we can switch off for a couple of days and get ready for Donington and the next round.”
Valentino Rossi (46) in action at Sachsenring. Photo courtesy PETRONAS Yamaha SRT.
PETRONAS Yamaha SRT primed for trip to “Cathedral of Speed”
TT Circuit Assen hosts final round ahead of summer break for Morbidelli and Rossi this weekend
PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team’s Franco Morbidelli and Valentino Rossi are eagerly anticipating the return of the DutchGP this weekend; with Assen hosting the final round before the MotoGP summer break.
Morbidelli is looking forward to the return of Assen, after the global pandemic forced its cancellation last year, as it is somewhere that he has enjoyed success in the past. In 2017, when competing in Moto2, the Italian secured pole position, the race win and posted the fastest lap. Feeling ready to tackle its fast and flowing lines, Franco goes into the DutchGP hoping to move back into the top-ten of the world championship standings, as he currently sits 11th with 40 points.
Team-mate Rossi also has a long list of previous success around the 4.5km long TT Circuit Assen – eight wins, ten podiums, five pole positions and seven fastest laps in the premier class. Although the GermanGP did not reflect the Italian’s pace from earlier in the weekend, Valentino goes into this weekend eager to return to the scene of his most recent MotoGP victory and enjoy the final race before the championship’s summer break. Rossi currently has 17 world championship points and sits 19th in the riders’ standings.
Morbidelli and Rossi will be on track at 9.55am local time (3.55pm MYT) Friday for Free Practice 1, with Sunday’s 26-lap MotoGP race due to get underway at 2pm local time (8pm MYT).
Franco Morbidelli
I’m feeling positive about heading to Assen as it is a track that is very flowing, a lot more so than Sachsenring. It’s another historical track, like Mugello, and a circuit that is great to ride. It is tricky, with the changes of direction at high speed, but it is a lot of fun at the same time. It is somewhere that maybe I can find and exploit some advantages of my bike. I won there in 2017, so it’s somewhere that I also have good memories at. I hope that we can have a good race there this weekend.
Valentino Rossi
We need to figure out what happened in Germany and work well to make some improvements before we are back on track this weekend. Assen is a great track for me though and I like the layout a lot, it is very flowing. It is somewhere I really enjoy and you always feel some great emotion when riding there. So we need to stay positive, concentrate on the final round before the summer break and achieve a good result in Assen.
Shane Narbonne (64) at speed during the 98th Loudon Classic at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Photo by Martin Hanlon, courtesy NEMRR.
LOUDON, NH – The 98th Annual Loudon Classic weekend by Mayhew Tools featured three days of perfect weather, fans from all over New England, and racing with the NorthEast Motorcycle Road Racing (NEMRR) series. NEMRR is part of the national Championship Cup Series organization, and riders from the Northeast, Atlantic and Mid-Atlantic regions competed in a twin-sprint weekend that ran an impressive 45 races in total.
The feature events of the weekend were the three Grand Prix classes, which boasted $9,500 in purse money in total. Specialty Saw presented the Seacoast Sport Cycle Lightweight Grand Prix class and the Street and Competition Unlimited Grand Prix classes. Mayhew Tools was the title sponsor of the featured Loudon Classic Middleweight Grand Prix class together with presenting sponsors Motorace and New Hampshire Motor Speedway. In the twin-sprint format the lap times from the Friday races were used to set the grid for the Saturday main events, and the Friday Motorace Middleweight Grand Prix race featured a $1,500 purse.
Saturday’s feature races were held in front of a fantastic crowd and led off with the two support classes presented by Specialty Saw, Lightweight GP and Unlimited GP. First off were the small-displacement machines, and NEMRR #1 rider Rick Doucette of Sandown, NH, showed why he was the heavy favorite, scoring the holeshot and running a string of blazing fast laps in the 1:14 and 1:15 range on his special de-stroked Yamaha YZF-R6/R5. The surprise of the day came from Eli Block, riding a strong running KTM 450 motard bike, who challenged Doucette right to the very end. The motard bike was down on power to the machine of Doucette, but the combination of the nimble handling and equsite skill of Block made for an incredibly entertaining race to watch. Block was especially good on the brakes and was be all over the back tire of Doucette in the back section of the track. In the end, Doucette’s experience and consistency proved too much to handle as he pulled out the win by 0.4 second at the line. The battle for third was a similar battle between the SV650 of Steven Hieder and the Honda 450 motard of MotoAmerica Junior Cup star Ben Gloddy, and in this case the motard won the battle and claimed the last spot on the podium.
In the Unlimited GP feature, pole sitter Shane Narbonne was forced to ride his Yamaha R6 after his Suzuki GSX-R1000 suffered a mechanical failure. Scott Mullin won the drag race off the line, and second row starter Eric Wood, of Ashburnham, MA, was able to use the power of his Kawasaki ZX-10R to pass Narbonne to assume second place as the trio rocketed into Turn One. Wood made an inside pass on Mullin into Turn Six and the two Kawasaki riders began to separate themselves from Narbonne. Mullin kept Wood honest throughout the contest, staying within a few bikelengths until Wood begin to open his advantage to an eventual 2.4 second gap as the pair navigated traffic in the closing laps.
The featured 98th running of the Loudon Classic by Mayhew Tools went off under 84-degree sunshine with a paddock abuzz and stands full of spectators excited to see the action. With all eyes focused on the front row, starting lights came on and perennial NEMRR star Scott Greenwood, of Dunbarton, NH, made an uncharacteristic mistake. To get a jump on the field, Greenwood launched out of his grid spot too early, a mistake that he clearly signaled as he entered Turn One with a gap on the field while he was shaking his head in disbelief. Greenwood was assessed a 30-second penalty, and the race was on. Greenwood and Narbonne separated themselves from the field while running a string of 1:12 lap times, Narbonne racing for the win and Greenwood racing against the clock to try to secure a podium position despite his penalty. Meanwhile, the battle for the podium was raging between the trio of Rick Doucette, Teagg Hobbs (riding a 600 at NHMS for the first time) and Paul Duval together. The 18-year-old Hobbs was fast to the end and came from a mediocre start through Doucette and up to the rear wheel of Duval. After several laps sizing up his competitor Hobbs finally made the move forward and separated himself in the later stages of the race from his competitor to secure a solid second place. Duval was racing against Greenwood and the 30-second penalty, and in the end managed to keep the gap to less than 30 seconds and finished the 20-lap final on the podium. Rounding out the top six were Greenwood in fourth, Doucette and fifth and young upstart Joe LiMandri in sixth. The top finishing amateur rider was Paul Hosue, finishing a very respectable 12th place in a field of 27 riders.
Editorial Note: Use the scroll tool at the bottom left of the PDF viewer to see all pages of the race results.
A “press release” is promotional text issued by a rider, team, company or organization to inform
the public about an event, product, or service from the issuer’s own point of view, and if deemed
to have news value, may be placed on roadracingworld.com as a service to our readers.
A press release is not an article written by Roadracingworld.com staffers. When a post is labeled with the words “press release”, it means that Roadracingworld.com is not responsible for its content and that Roadracingworld.com makes no guarantee that it is accurate. Not all press releases are posted and Roadracingworld.com may reject press releases if the content is too heavy on commercial promotion with little or no news value or if the press release contains obvious errors.
Accessibility
Accessibility modes
Epilepsy Safe Mode
Dampens color and removes blinks
This mode enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode
Improves website's visuals
This mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode
Helps to focus on specific content
This mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode
Reduces distractions and improve focus
This mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode
Allows using the site with your screen-reader
This mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
Online Dictionary
Readable Experience
Content Scaling
Default
Text Magnifier
Readable Font
Dyslexia Friendly
Highlight Titles
Highlight Links
Font Sizing
Default
Line Height
Default
Letter Spacing
Default
Left Aligned
Center Aligned
Right Aligned
Visually Pleasing Experience
Dark Contrast
Light Contrast
Monochrome
High Contrast
High Saturation
Low Saturation
Adjust Text Colors
Adjust Title Colors
Adjust Background Colors
Easy Orientation
Mute Sounds
Hide Images
Hide Emoji
Reading Guide
Stop Animations
Reading Mask
Highlight Hover
Highlight Focus
Big Dark Cursor
Big Light Cursor
Cognitive Reading
Virtual Keyboard
Navigation Keys
Voice Navigation
Accessibility Statement
www.roadracingworld.com
May 8, 2026
Compliance status
We firmly believe that the internet should be available and accessible to anyone, and are committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience,
regardless of circumstance and ability.
To fulfill this, we aim to adhere as strictly as possible to the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) at the AA level.
These guidelines explain how to make web content accessible to people with a wide array of disabilities. Complying with those guidelines helps us ensure that the website is accessible
to all people: blind people, people with motor impairments, visual impairment, cognitive disabilities, and more.
This website utilizes various technologies that are meant to make it as accessible as possible at all times. We utilize an accessibility interface that allows persons with specific
disabilities to adjust the website’s UI (user interface) and design it to their personal needs.
Additionally, the website utilizes an AI-based application that runs in the background and optimizes its accessibility level constantly. This application remediates the website’s HTML,
adapts Its functionality and behavior for screen-readers used by the blind users, and for keyboard functions used by individuals with motor impairments.
If you’ve found a malfunction or have ideas for improvement, we’ll be happy to hear from you. You can reach out to the website’s operators by using the following email
Screen-reader and keyboard navigation
Our website implements the ARIA attributes (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) technique, alongside various different behavioral changes, to ensure blind users visiting with
screen-readers are able to read, comprehend, and enjoy the website’s functions. As soon as a user with a screen-reader enters your site, they immediately receive
a prompt to enter the Screen-Reader Profile so they can browse and operate your site effectively. Here’s how our website covers some of the most important screen-reader requirements,
alongside console screenshots of code examples:
Screen-reader optimization: we run a background process that learns the website’s components from top to bottom, to ensure ongoing compliance even when updating the website.
In this process, we provide screen-readers with meaningful data using the ARIA set of attributes. For example, we provide accurate form labels;
descriptions for actionable icons (social media icons, search icons, cart icons, etc.); validation guidance for form inputs; element roles such as buttons, menus, modal dialogues (popups),
and others. Additionally, the background process scans all the website’s images and provides an accurate and meaningful image-object-recognition-based description as an ALT (alternate text) tag
for images that are not described. It will also extract texts that are embedded within the image, using an OCR (optical character recognition) technology.
To turn on screen-reader adjustments at any time, users need only to press the Alt+1 keyboard combination. Screen-reader users also get automatic announcements to turn the Screen-reader mode on
as soon as they enter the website.
These adjustments are compatible with all popular screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA.
Keyboard navigation optimization: The background process also adjusts the website’s HTML, and adds various behaviors using JavaScript code to make the website operable by the keyboard. This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys, operate dropdowns with the arrow keys, close them with Esc, trigger buttons and links using the Enter key, navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys, and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally, keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus, available at any time by clicking Alt+1, or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard. The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear, and not allow the focus drift outside it.
Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Disability profiles supported in our website
Epilepsy Safe Mode: this profile enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode: this mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode: this mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode: this mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode: this mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
Keyboard Navigation Profile (Motor-Impaired): this profile enables motor-impaired persons to operate the website using the keyboard Tab, Shift+Tab, and the Enter keys. Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Additional UI, design, and readability adjustments
Font adjustments – users, can increase and decrease its size, change its family (type), adjust the spacing, alignment, line height, and more.
Color adjustments – users can select various color contrast profiles such as light, dark, inverted, and monochrome. Additionally, users can swap color schemes of titles, texts, and backgrounds, with over seven different coloring options.
Animations – person with epilepsy can stop all running animations with the click of a button. Animations controlled by the interface include videos, GIFs, and CSS flashing transitions.
Content highlighting – users can choose to emphasize important elements such as links and titles. They can also choose to highlight focused or hovered elements only.
Audio muting – users with hearing devices may experience headaches or other issues due to automatic audio playing. This option lets users mute the entire website instantly.
Cognitive disorders – we utilize a search engine that is linked to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, allowing people with cognitive disorders to decipher meanings of phrases, initials, slang, and others.
Additional functions – we provide users the option to change cursor color and size, use a printing mode, enable a virtual keyboard, and many other functions.
Browser and assistive technology compatibility
We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers).
Notes, comments, and feedback
Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs. There may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to
