Travis Wyman scores top-five, top-10 finishes in Stock 1000, maintains Superbike Cup points lead at MotoAmerica Superbikes at Virginia

Shair-sponsored BMW rider also scores top 10 in Saturday Superbike race, remains in the hunt for two MotoAmerica titles

ALTON, Va. — It wasn’t the weekend Travis Wyman had hoped for at MotoAmerica’s Superbikes at Virginia, but the Shair-sponsored BMW rider left VIRginia International Raceway with fifth-place and seventh-place finishes in the Stock 1000 Class, a top 10 in Superbike and had retained the lead in the Superbike Cup standings.

Though Wyman was fast out of the gate at the May 21-23 event, the lack of experience racing the team’s 2020 BMW S 1000 RR on VIR’s 2.25-mile North Course and mechanical issues curtailed the Las Vegas rider’s pace on Saturday and Sunday.

Wyman had a good start to the weekend, topping the time sheets in Friday’s Stock 1000 practice session. He ended up second in Friday qualifying and finished qualifying on Saturday morning in fifth place.

In Saturday’s Stock 1000 contest, Wyman got a decent start and slotted into fifth place at Turn 1. He finished the race in fifth after battling overheating issues and working his way past a lot of lapped traffic. However, Wyman was unfortunately docked two positions after the race due to a pass he made on a lapped rider under a waving yellow flag. In Saturday’s Superbike race, Wyman started 15th on the grid and gradually worked his way up the running order to 10th place, the second-best finish among the Superbike Cup riders.

Wyman got a good start in Sunday’s Stock 1000 race. After emerging from Turn 1 in fourth place, Wyman found his bike was down on top-end power and had to settle for a lonely fifth-place finish. Despite the mechanical setback, Wyman finished the weekend third in the Stock 1000 standings, just 10 points adrift of the class leader.

Later Sunday, Wyman got another good start in the final Superbike race of the weekend and was in the hunt for the top finish among the Superbike Cup riders. Wyman maintained a consistent pace throughout the 20-lap race and finished 11th overall, as well as third among the Superbike Cup competitors.

Travis Wyman Racing is back in action June 11-13 for the next round of the 2021 MotoAmerica season, which takes place at the historic Road America circuit in Elkhart Lake, Wis.

Travis Wyman / No. 10 

“We came out really strong on Friday, and I was happy being first in Friday practice and second in Friday qualifying. A few other riders caught up to our pace in Saturday qualifying, but that’s also when I first noticed our BMW’s overheating issues. Then we had another setback when we got docked two positions in Saturday’s Stock 1000 race after another rider protested us. The bike felt really good in the Saturday Superbike race, but the horsepower loss came back in a big way in Sunday’s races. Overall, it was a good weekend in that we salvaged some points, but we also missed out on a lot of points here. I’m stoked that the team was able to get the word out to MotoAmerica fans about Shair’s car-sharing service, and it was great to see the droves of fans who came out for this event. We expect to have our engine issues sorted out for Road America, which is a track I love and have won at before.”

More, from a press release issued by Jeremy Cook Racing:

Jeremy Cook scores more championship points despite arm troubles, illness at MotoAmerica Superbikes at Virginia

Maryland rider leaves VIRginia International Raceway round 16th in Stock 1000 standings

ALTON, Va. — It was a trying weekend of racing for Jeremy Cook at MotoAmerica’s Superbikes at Virginia, as the BMW rider persevered through an arm injury to score more championship points in MotoAmerica’s Stock 1000 Class.

Cook left the May 21-23 event at VIRginia International Raceway with his second points-paying finish of the 2021 season, a total of four championship points and 16th place in the Stock 1000 standings.

Unlike the first round of the 2021 MotoAmerica season at Road Atlanta, VIR is a track Cook has ample experience racing on. He finished the Stock 1000 Class’ first practice session in 17th place and, later on Friday, finished the class’ first qualifying session in 18th. Qualifying wrapped up Saturday morning with Cook having secured 19th place on the starting grid.

Saturday’s Stock 1000 race was Cook’s bright spot of the weekend. He got a good start and gradually worked his way up the running order. Cook finished Lap 4 of the 14-lap race in 13th and had advanced to 12th by the end of Lap 7. Cook maintained 12th place until the last lap of the race, when he was passed by another rider and had to settle for a 13th place finish.

Though it was Cook’s best finish of the 2021 season to date, he and his BMW motorcycle experienced setbacks on Friday that hampered the team’s efforts to claim its first top-10 of 2021. During Friday practice, oil began misting out of Cook’s motorcycle, ruining two rear tires and curtailing the team’s effort to find an ideal chassis and suspension setup. Cook’s first full on-track session of the weekend was Friday qualifying, during which the hot conditions and the physical nature of the VIR North Course caused an old left forearm injury of Cook’s to reemerge.

On Sunday, Cook came down with a dehydration-like symptoms, the effects of which slowed his pace toward the end of day’s Stock 1000 race. Cook finished that contest in 25th place.

Next up on Jeremy Cook Racing’s schedule is the MotoAmerica Superbikes at Road America round, which takes place June 11-13 at the Road America circuit in Elkhart Lake, Wis.

Jeremy Cook / No. 81 

“Race 1 went pretty good. I had a great start, but the heat got to me for sure during the last six laps. The track was really greasy — especially in Turn 2 — and I’m not really a flat tracker. I like to have the bike in line as much as possible. I had a big wreck here in 2009 and have some not-so-fond memories of this track from it. I was feeling under the weather before Sunday’s race, but toughed it out and made it to the starting grid. I stayed with a pack of riders around me as long as I could early in the race, but they gradually started to pull away from me. I outbroke myself heading into Turn 7 on one lap, got back on track and tried to make up as many positions as I could. I later had a near front-end tuck in Turn 1 as I was trying to make up track position, and after that I started to tire physically. Our goal this weekend was to be in the top 15 and even crack the top 10. There were just a bunch of mistakes all at once, but we’ll take what we learned here to the next round at Road America.”

More, from a press release issued by Jackson Blackmon Racing:

Traditions Continue for Jackson Blackmon: Two Podium Finishes at VIR

Jackson Blackmon took two second-place podium finishes this past weekend, placing him sixh overall in the point standings for the MotoAmerica Twins Cup Series.

“Action Jackson” is no stranger to the podium at Virginia International Raceway (VIR). Blackmon states, “VIR is one of my favorite tracks and is the first place I stood on the podium in my professional racing career with the help of Quarterley Racing’s On Track Development Team.”

In 2017, Blackmon’s professional debut in the KTM Junior Cup Race earned him second and first place finishes at VIR.

Unable to attend the opening round of the MotoAmerica series at Road Atlanta due to a broken wrist, Blackmon was on a mission to show what he and his Yamaha Motors USA / Finishline Machine Yamaha race bike could do. Qualifying fifth, Blackmon capitalized on the starts and remained in the lead for the majority of both races. The elevated competition in the MotoAmerica Twins Cup Series this season gave the fans an exciting show. Always an example of sportsmanship, Jackson congratulated his competitors in the winner’s circle for a clean, competitive race. Blackmon is quick to stop to snap a photo with fans and the chant “Action Jackson” could be heard across the paddock. Blackmon, knows none of this can happen without the support of the fans, his family, and his sponsors.

Blackmon had this to say about the weekend, “Man I’m glad to be back in action! Just six weeks ago I broke my arm and I’m so happy I was able to come back with two second-place finishes my first race back. Dale Quarterley and the whole Bartcon crew were on it all weekend. It was the first weekend on the Yamaha MT-07 and we made perfect setup changes all weekend that resulted in great finishes. I ran my fastest lap of the weekend on the last lap of Race Two, which goes to show we still have improvements to make, but we are making great strides. Big thanks to Yamaha and all of my sponsors for all the support, especially to everyone sticking behind me throughout my injury!”

Jackson Blackmon Racing is still open to sponsorship opportunities for the 2021 season. If interested please contact [email protected] serious business inquires only. Also stay up to date with Jackson throughout this season by following his Instagram: @Jblackmon_18, FaceBook: @JacksonBlackmon18, and Twitter: @Jblackmon_18.

Current 2021 Sponsors: Yamaha Motor USA, FinishLine Machine, Bartcon, bLU cRU, Track Day Winner, Roaring Toyz, GP Tech, HJC Helmets, OneX USA, Yamalube, Wiseco Pistons, SBS Brakes, North East Cycle Outlet, Millennium Technologies, 64 Degrees, 190 Hook Up, Vortex, Ghetto Customs, Davis Shooter Tips.

More, from a press release issued by HONOS HVMC Racing:

HONOS HVMC Racing Bounces Back During VIR Race Weekend

Alton, Virginia ( May 26th, 2021 ) – Following a trying first round, the HONOS HVMC Racing team bounces back to capture their first Stock 1000cc and Supersport wins of 2021 at Virginia International Raceway (VIR). After Road Atlanta the team and it’s technical partner Graves Motorsports made strategic changes and found improvements which were capitalized on over the hot weekend at VIR.

Corey Alexander had never ridden a 1000cc machine at VIR prior to Friday’s practice sessions, and had not visited the track since 2015. Despite limited seat time on the HONOS HVMC Graves-Spec Kawasaki ZX-10RR, Corey and the team were able to make adjustments to the ergonomics and electronics that helped him find needed comfort and speed. After qualifying on the front row with a second place starting position, Saturday’s Stock 1000cc race saw Corey break away early but would ultimately struggle with grip and hot track temperatures. This along with lapped traffic and some small mistakes resulted in a strong second place finish.

Corey did his homework for race two on Sunday making it clear he wanted to control the pace and manage lapped traffic to his advantage. After a last lap clash with Jake Lewis Corey came out victorious and stood on top of the podium for the first time this season. Corey stated “After such a rough start to the season I am stoked to walk away from this weekend with solid points and a win. I’m glad we were able to put on a show for all the fans that came out. Four races in the heat wasn’t easy but I’m pleased with what we were able to learn about this 2021 ZX-10RR and I’m really happy with the direction the team is moving. I am looking forward to Road America in two weeks time. Thank you to everyone for all their support and birthday wishes”. Corey’s personal sponsors include Arai Helmets, Alpinestars, Sals Pizza & Pasta, Ikoniqa, Four3 Performance Lab, Gemini, and Prestige Services Group.

Richie Escalante had an exceptional weekend on his HONOS HVMC Graves-Spec Kawasaki ZX-6R in Supersport considering he was racing with a recently broken and plated collarbone, sustained in training just under two weeks prior to the weekend. Hot and greasy conditions made controlling the bike difficult but Richie showed his determination and drive with a strong fourth place finish on Saturday.

Gaining confidence with the strength of his injury, Richie led the field to a dominating win during Sunday’s race two. Richie made an early move to the front and then opened up a gap that he would maintain to finish 7.5 seconds ahead of his competitors. Richie commented “I am very happy in general even though it was a complicated weekend due to the injury I suffered. A win always gives me extra confidence and so now I can’t wait to race my favorite track at Road America. Of course thanks to my team and all of our sponsors”. Richies personal sponsors include Fresh & Lean, HJC Helmets, Vircos Leathers, Alpinestars, and Hidalgo.

The HONOS HVMC Racing team heads to Road America in Eklhart Lake, Wisconsin for round 3 of the MotoAmerica Championship June 11-13th. 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 it’s brand into motorsports. Follow @wearehonos or visit wearehonos.com to shop for team gear now.

About Hudson Valley Motorcycles

Hudson Valley Motorcycles 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 Landers Racing:

Gloddy takes lead in the STG Junior Cup Championship points following his first and second place finishes at VIR with Landers Racing

The MotoAmerica Sportbike Track Gear Junior Cup races at VIR this past weekend did a great job of keeping fans on the edge of their seats as they rooted for their favorite racers.

In race one Landers Racing’s, Ben Gloddy, came out on top after a killer start from the third row and a close 12 lap race with 7 other racers all less than a second apart as they crossed the finish line.

Gloddy had this to say: “Once the group caught up to me in race one, I knew it was going to be a close race. As we all exchanged positions a handful of times, I knew I had to come up with a plan and try to execute it at the right time. Fortunately, I was able to position myself perfectly for the race winning draft as we came onto to the straightaway. It was a great race by everyone and a lot of fun.”

In race two, Gloddy’s start got him swallowed up a bit into the pack, but he was able to work himself up to the lead group, again exchanging multiple positions throughout the race. On the final lap, Gloddy was attempting to again set himself up for a solid move but as they came across the finish line, he was second by a mere .049 seconds behind the leader.

Gloddy stated: “Race two was another fun and very close race. Of course, I wanted to be back on that top step, but Cody ran a smart race and I am happy for him. I am really looking forward to getting back to Road America in few weeks. I faced some challenges there last year and I am anxious to conquer those challenges and stay ahead in the points. My Landers Racing Team and sponsors are working hard to give me their best; Stoney, Tarl, Will, Lees Cycle Service, Ohlins USA, KFG Motorsports, CJR Performance, Evol Technology, have put together an amazing motorcycle for me and I will continue to work and train hard and give them my best as well. Thank you to my team, 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, Tyrant Designs CNC and all of my team and personal sponsors for all of the support, as well as my parents, family, friends, and fans!”

Team owner, Stoney Landers, had this to say: “This weekend was a new challenge for Ben in that he had to learn the track as he had not been there before. Ben struggled a little bit in qualifying and ended up 8th. He shocked everyone and got the start of a lifetime by starting 8th, shooting up and ending up in first going into turn one, I personally had never witnessed that good of a start before. You could tell right away that race was going to be a dog fight. Ben played the race perfectly and was able to get a solid draft to the finish to take the win. In race two, one again it was a crazy back and forth exchange of leaders and again Ben was able to set the draft up really well, but came up a little short and took second by .04. We learned so much in that race and will be able to take that data with us to Road America. Ben now holds a pretty decent lead in the championship, but we will not stop pushing for more.”

Individual and Team Sponsorship Opportunities are still available for the 2021 MotoAmerica Season, please contact:

Christina Day: [email protected]

Stoney Landers: [email protected]

Rider Connection:

Ben Gloddy: [email protected]

Facebook: @bengloddyracing

Instagram: @bengloddy_72

Website: bengloddyracing.com

M4 ECSTAR SUZUKI’S SEAN DYLAN KELLY TAKES CHARGE IN MOTOAMERICA SUPERSPORT

Brea, CA – Suzuki and Team Hammer upped the ante following a successful 2021 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship season opener with an even stronger Round 2, notching up two victories, two pole positions, and four podiums at Virginia International Raceway.
M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Sean Dylan Kelly continued to lead the charge, scoring the pole in MotoAmerica Supersport for a second consecutive weekend aboard his GSX-R600 and then backing it up with a fifth consecutive race win dating back to the end of the 2020 season.

‘SDK’ rounded out his weekend with a runner-up result on Sunday to leave VIR with a healthy 17-point championship advantage following four races.

“It was definitely a challenging day and we’re not satisfied at all with the P2,” a motivated Kelly said. “We’ve been working hard. We’ve got three wins so far and we’re looking for more. I promise we won’t make it as easy for the opposition at the next one. We’re going to do our homework and come back stronger at the next one,” added SDK.

“Thanks again to M4 ECSTAR Suzuki and all my guys.”

Sam Lochoff, Kelly’s young M4 ECSTAR Suzuki stablemate, continued to show vast potential early in his MotoAmerica Supersport career. After seeing a potential podium foiled by an off-track excursion that resulted in an eighth on Saturday, the South African rebounded with a fifth-place ride on Sunday to match his career best in the class.

Meanwhile, Altus Motorsports Suzuki’s Jake Lewis effectively mirrored Kelly’s weekend in Stock 1000 aboard his Team Hammer-built GSX-R1000. The Kentuckian earned the pole on Saturday and then parlayed it into his first race win since claiming the Superstock 1000 victory at Sonoma Raceway aboard an M4 ECSTAR Suzuki back in 2017.

Like Kelly, Lewis rounded out his weekend with a Sunday runner-up in a thriller that came down to the race’s final lap. As a result, Lewis now leads the Stock 1000 championship fight by a seven-point margin.

M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Superbike duo of Bobby Fong and Cam Petersen again demonstrated podium pace and race-winning potential but were unable to fully exploit it.

An electronics issue dropped Fong out of a fight for second on Saturday and down to an eventual 12th-place finish. As a result, he was forced to start Sunday’s rematch from the outside of Row 4. Despite the disadvantage, the charging Californian hustled his GSX-R1000 Superbike into another scrap for the podium before taking fifth in the end.

Petersen was shuffled back from third to fifth in the race’s decisive laps on Saturday. Looking to make amends, the South African got an excellent start and attempted to storm into second in the race’s opening corner, only to be pushed off track and down to last place.

Petersen spent the remainder of the race making up that lost ground, finally clawing his way to seventh at the checkered flag.

M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Wyatt Farris improved on his opening round performance in Stock 1000, claiming eighth and 11th-place finishes as he continues to acclimate to the team’s GSX-R1000.

Team Hammer and Suzuki will be back in action for Round 3 at high-speed Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, on June 11-13.

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

Cody Wyman Grabs First Career MotoAmerica Victory

It was a very successful weekend for KERmoto rider Cody Wyman at VIRginia International Raceway with a fourth-place finish on Saturday and then emerging on Sunday with a career-first victory in MotoAmerica SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup. Leaving round two third place in points standings had the New Yorker satisfied with his results.

“I was pretty hard on myself for trying to put myself in the right spot in race one, and it really backfired on me,” said Wyman. “Fourth-place points was solid, but I wanted more.”

Cody achieved his first career MotoAmerica podium last round at Road Atlanta, but wanted to improve results on finish on the top step.

“Sunday morning we tried some changes and kind of gambled into race two,” said Wyman. “I was more comfortable on the bike thanks to tuning by Weir Everywhere and Quarterley Racing to put me up front. I rode a great race until the end I had a moment and bucked myself out of the seat. Then I never gave up put my head down and got the drive of my life to draft pass for the win.”

It was Cody’s first professional victory in road racing and a long time coming for the 27-year-old.

“I’ve worked really hard since a hiatus from the sport, and it feels amazing to come back and be so strong on a different bike,” said Wyman. “We’ve got a ton of momentum and can’t wait to keep it going at Road America!”

More, from a press release issued by Altus Motorsports:

MotoAmerica: Round 2 Results from VIR for the Altus Motorsports Tucker Environmental Service Solutions Team

(Alton, VA). Round 2 of the MotoAmerica Season at Virginia International Raceway [VIR], saw solid improvements across the entire team.

Honos Superbike & Stock 1000:

After finishing just off the podium in fourth in both races at Round 1, Jake Lewis came to VIR fired up. He and the team put their heads down and improved every session. The reward for that hard work was Jake putting the Altus Motorsports Suzuki GSX-R 1000 on Pole for both the Stock 1000 races. At the season opener, the Stock 1000 grids were deep and highly competitive. The races at VIR were more of the same. In Race 1 Jake Lewis was in a three bike battle all the way to the finish. Ultimately, he crossed the line as the winner. Race 2 on Sunday continued where Saturday left off. Lewis fell back to third for a few laps and the pair at the front pulled a bit of a gap. As a veteran, Jake was patient. He took a few laps to reel the leaders in and, eventually, claimed the lead. In a hard fought, last lap battle, Jake finished in second just barely off the top step.

“This feels amazing. We had some great battles this weekend. I can’t thank Altus Motorsports enough for giving me this opportunity to come back to the paddock and show what I can do. Last year was depressing being away from racing. I have a hell of a lot of motivation to keep winning. I also want to thank my crew chief, Eric Gray, mechanic Shawn, and Victor for their hard work getting the bike dialed in. And also to Team Hammer for their support,” said Jake Lewis. “We struggled a bit at Round 1, but we made big progress this weekend and I’m looking forward to Road America and the rest of the season.”

In Superbike, Lewis started Race 1 from 10th and finished in 9th as the top Stock 1000 bike. Unfortunately, an issue with the shifter forced a retirement from Race 2 on Sunday.

The team heads to Round 3 at Road America leading in the Stock 1000 Championship.

Supersport 600:

At Round 1, Jaret Nassaney was still recovering from an injury. He was, admittedly, not at full strength. With three weeks of healing between the rounds, Jaret rolled into Virgina feeling good. He started both Supersport 600 races from 14th. In the Saturday race, he fought his way forward to finish 9th. On Sunday he crossed the line in 10th.

“It was a really positive weekend! We went faster than I ever have at VIR and we made good progress with the bike setup. I ended up with a 9th and a 10th which I’m pretty happy with. Two top tens so it was a good weekend,” said Jaret Nassaney.

At Round 2, Cooper McDonald once again sat in for the recovering Kevin Olmedo. Coming from racing Twins, he is still adapting to the 600. To complicate things, this was also Cooper’s first visit to VIR. After qualifying in 19th, McDonald finished Race 1 in 17th and Race 2 in an impressive 12th.

“I loved this weekend. This track is awesome. It was my first time here so I had to learn the track and get fast on the equipment quickly. The team put me on a great bike. In the first race I ran off the track twice and pulled 17th, but today I pushed hard and finished 12th. Overall I am super happy,” said Cooper McDonald.

Kevin Olmedo plans to remount the Altus Motorsports Suzuki GSX-R600 for Round 3 at Road America.

Junior Cup: 

VIR is another new track for Hayden Bicknese and, as such, he set out to learn the track as quickly as possible. Every time he took to the track he went faster. He qualified 14th for both Junior Cup races. An unfortunate mechanical issue knocked him out of Race 1 on Saturday. In Race 2, Bicknese got into an epic, race-long, four bike battle for 9th place. Every lap saw multiple passes and position changes. Hayden crossed the line in 9th on the penultimate lap but, in the end, he finished in 12th.

“I’d say this was a fantastic weekend for our entire team. We made huge improvements on the 1000. Jake won the Saturday Stock 100 race and took a second on Sunday. Jaret looked great and went faster than he ever has at this track. Cooper continues to improve and we are thankful he could step in for these first two rounds. Hayden is doing great. He’s only been on a road race bike for a couple of years. To step up to the national level and learn completely new tracks and race against the fastest kids in the country is pretty impressive. I can’t wait to see what he can do when we get to tracks he knows,” said team owner George Nassaney.

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, Lawton Motorsports, and Altus Factory Racing.

More, from a press release issued by N2 Racing:

Blake Davis Scores a Pair of 8’s at VIR

Alton, VA (May 2021) – N2 Racing’s Blake Davis scored two eighth-place finishes at Virginia International Raceway in MotoAmerica Junior Cup. Although the two top-10 finishes scored valuable points toward the championship, they did not show Blake’s true potential or speed.

The weekend started with some struggles with chassis set up in FP1 and QP1 that saw Blake in the 11th and 10th position, respectively. The team, led by crew chief Shiloh Salopek, worked hard overnight to find a solution and by Qualifying 2 on Saturday morning, Blake was going very quickly leading most of the session. At the end of qualifying, Blake was in the seventh spot but was disqualified for being a pound, or 15oz of fuel, underweight. This meant that Blake would qualify with his Qualifying 1 time, which put him 11th on the grid.

Blake got a great start in Race 1, but the starting position hurt his chances for a fight with the lead group. Blake worked his way through the pack with well-timed and patient passes. On lap seven, Blake turned the fastest lap of the race with a time of 136:921, but it wasn’t enough to catch the lead group and Blake had to settle for eighth.

Race 2 once again saw Blake starting from 11th on the grid. Blake quickly sliced through the pack working his way up to seventh on lap seven. Blake fell into a race-long battle with his friend Gus Rodio. The two riders battled back and forth for eight laps with Rodio finishing seventh and Blake finishing eighth

Blake Davis – “Getting disqualified really hurt my spot on the grid and I just couldn’t make it up in the races. Now I’m really just looking forward to the next race at Road America. I really want to thank the team for all the hard work and sponsors like N2, BobbleHeadMoto, and Ohlins USA for the support.”

Shiloh Salopek (Crew Chief) – “The defining moment of the weekend was qualifying 2 when we were disqualified for being underweight. When you are giving up 80cc of displacement to the competition, you must push things to the limit, and we pushed it too far. The YZF-R3 is a fantastic motorcycle and Blake is a great rider. We feel confident that we can put together a package that will allow him to run up front.

About N2 Track Days:

N2 provides a structured riding environment for sport-bike riders of all levels promoting motorcycle safety through instruction on a closed course racetrack. Our instructors and coaching staff are comprised of club-racers, pro racers, and experienced track day riders who are articulate and passionate about all aspects of this sport. N2 strives to provide an enjoyable riding experience in an environment where members can hone their skills and inspire confidence in their riding ability. Riding with N2 means you and your sportbike gain access to a structured environment without the hazards, limitations, distractions, and obstacles that you’ll find on the street.

N2 Racing is proudly sponsored by: N2 Track Days, BobbleHeadMoto, SBS Brakes, Renthal, Motorex, Shoei Helmets, Ohlins USA, Trading Paint, Westby Racing, and Moto Liberty.

More, from a press release issued by Ethan Cook Racing:

First double points finish in MotoAmerica Twins Cup for Ethan Cook 

Ethan Cook secured his first double points finish of the 2021 MotoAmerica Twins Cup season, finishing ninth and tenth in the two races at VIR (Virginia International Raceway).

The weekend started well for Ethan, who despite having never ridden at VIR before, qualified strongly on the third row of the grid, ahead of many more experienced riders. His race results elevated Cook, who is in his debut MotoAmerica season, into P12 in the overall points classification ahead of Round 3 at Road America in a fortnight.

Ethan Cook: “Friday’s practice went well; I hadn’t ridden at this track before, so it was just about getting to grips with it. The bike felt way off compared to where it was at Atlanta. We made some big adjustments in Q1 which went well. That continued into Q2 where we set the bike up closer to where it was in Atlanta. We qualified on the third row in P9, I put in some good laps and the times were close, especially in the top three. We were working really hard on making the bike right and found a good setting ahead of race 1. The first race went well, I spent the first half in a big group but was in P9 for most of that. The top eight guys were riding at a slightly quicker pace. At half race distance we lost so much grip and had no rear tyre at all, I had to conserve it for the rest of the race, so the group ahead managed to pull away from me I pulled a gap on the group behind, so I found myself running a lonely race. I came across the line, securing a good result and putting in some good times as well so I’m happy enough with that. Race 2 was good for us; I came across the line in P10 making that two top ten results throughout the weekend. We made a couple of changes to the bike hoping that they would work in our favour, but they went in the wrong direction and gave me a worse feeling with the rear end of the bike. We’ve got a bit of work to do for the next round but I’m really happy with the progress we made this weekend. We started and finished both races so I’m happy with that and I’m looking forward to Wisconsin.”

For more information go to EthanCookRacing.com

Gagne Unstoppable at VIR

Fresh N’ Lean Attack Performance Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne completed a perfect weekend at Virginia International Raceway with another dominant MotoAmerica Superbike victory in today’s Race Two. His teammate Herrin battled for a podium position but ultimately had to settle for fourth.

It was another hot one in Alton, Virginia, but that didn’t stop Gagne’s forward charge. The Californian topped morning warm-up to lead every session of the second round of the championship and then got another flying start from pole position to grab the holeshot. He then put in some consistently fast times, including the fastest lap of the race on Lap 2, and checked out to score his third consecutive win in the premier class by nearly 14 seconds. Gagne’s masterclass victory closed the gap on the points leader to six points.

With Sunday’s race being gridded by yesterday’s results, Herrin joined his teammate on the front row in third. Although he didn’t get the start he was hoping for, he was able to advance to third amidst the chaos going into the first turn. The 2013 Superbike Champion then drafted past the competition on the front straight to take the runner-up position at the start of Lap 2 but was passed on the following lap. While his teammate continued to stretch his lead, Herrin once again had a fight on his hands. At times, it was a four-rider battle for the podium, but he held onto third for eight laps despite the pressure. After the halfway mark, he found himself in a heated battle with the points leader, Mathew Scholtz. With four laps to go, Herrin went wide into Turn 1 and was passed by his fellow Yamaha rider, ultimately having to settle for fourth. The California rider leaves Virginia sitting third in the championship standings.

Next up for the Fresh N’ Lean Attack Performance Yamaha Racing team is Round 3 of the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship on June 11- 13, at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.

Richard Stanboli – Fresh N’ Lean Attack Performance Yamaha Racing Team Manager

“As I said after Race One at Road Atlanta, everyone gives up one or two races and that we would make sure that we did not give up anymore. We did just that this weekend. Our R1s once again proved to be the fastest and best-handling bikes on the track. We went away with another track record and Jake is super motivated to continue his momentum. We also made some good headway with Josh. He will for sure be super strong at Road America and we are anxious to race there as our bikes always work well there.”

Jake Gagne – Fresh N’ Lean Attack Performance Yamaha Racing

“We rolled this R1 off the truck on Friday, and it was working amazing straight away. To get pole and my first double win feels amazing! I’m so stoked for the whole team. These guys have been working so hard, and to have a stellar weekend like this is a huge pay off. We’ll try to keep this momentum rolling!”

Josh Herrin – Fresh N’ Lean Attack Performance Yamaha Racing

“I’m happy with our results this weekend. We made a lot of headway towards getting me more confident on the motorcycle. Also, we got some solid points and are leaving here healthy. Thank you to the entire team for all of their hard work and congrats to Gagne and his team on two great races.”

More, from a press release issued by Ducati:

Ducati on the Podium at VIRginia International Raceway

Sunnyvale, Calif. – Round two of the 2021 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship was a fine one for the Bologna boys as Loris Baz (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati New York) clinched the first podium of his MotoAmerica career with second place in race two behind Yamaha’s Jake Gagne, who took out both races in Virginia.

Baz, who finished fourth in Saturday’s race one, used all his experience to fend off the attack from Mathew Scholtz and Josh Herrin, the Frenchman holding a gap of just over one second at the flag to the Yamaha duo.

It was a similarly great race from Panera Bread Ducati rider Kyle Wyman, who after finishing seventh in race one, changed the set up on his green and black Ducati to come home sixth in race two. The result saw Wyman seven seconds closer to winner Gagne at the flag, and optimistic of a good result next time out at Road America on June 25-27.

2021 MotoAmerica Superbike Standing – Top 5

P1 – Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha) 81

P2 – Jake Gagne (Yamaha) 75

P3 – Josh Herrin (Yamaha) 61

P4 – Bobby Fong (Suzuki) 46

P5 – Cameron Petersen (Suzuki) 46

P6 – Kyle Wyman (Ducati) 40

P8 – Loris Baz Ducati 33

Loris Baz (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati New York – Ducati #76)

“I wanted more coming into this weekend but, honestly, it’s been a tough weekend for us,” Baz said. “We had to guess the set-up of the bike a little bit—we got the guess right in Atlanta but we missed the mark in VIR. We changed the bike a lot from Friday to Saturday, a lot of electronics, which made the straight line speed less than we’d hoped for in race one. I had to fight really hard to stay in front of the guys and I lost the podium.

“Today we improved the bike a lot in the warm-up, and we had a really good race. I had to fight so hard to bring it home. I kept increasing the gap until I was 4.5 seconds in front, then I just tried to manage it to the flag and we got our first podium, which I’m so happy about. Thank you very much to Ducati and my team who have worked so hard and hats off to Jake Gagne on an excellent ride today.”

Kyle Wyman (Panera Bread Ducati – Ducati #33)

“Race one was a struggle as we were trying to get to some edge grip out of the bike and we really struggled to find our way,” Wyman said. “I thought we had a set up but it turned out not to be, and I couldn’t do much back in seventh.

“But, we got some good data and tried some stuff overnight that got us a lot closer in the morning. Then this morning’s data was pivotal for us to make a decision for the race to go a little bit softer in the rear, and race two was awesome.

“I had so much fun out there. It felt so good to be up towards the front and battling with the with the podium guys. That put us back where I know we belong. We ended up sixth but it was such a positive takeaway for us to realize we can be up there at the front and fighting for it.

“I’m really looking forward to our two-day test and in about a week and half at Pittsburgh. It’s going to get us even closer to the front. We haven’t tested yet this year so this is really good for us moving forward and I can’t wait to get to Road America and fight up the front.”

More, from a press release issued by Pure Attitude Racing:

For the second race running, VIR sees four Pure Attitude Racing riders in the points

Pure Attitude Racing enjoyed another successful weekend in the latest round of the MotoAmerica championship with all four riders achieving points scoring finishes for the second consecutive event.

Buoyed by their front running pace in the Twins Cup season opener Trevor Standish and Liam MacDonald were once again in the mix, both riders bagging a double top ten finish. Trevor taking a sixth and a fifth to remain second overall in the points classification, while Liam took a tenth and ninth place finish to consolidate ninth overall in his debut season of racing in the US.

In Supersport both riders, Nate Minster and Austin Miller overcome small issues to salvage 12th and 15th respectively at the flag in race one on Saturday, with Austin racing solo on Sunday following an incident that saw Nate Minster take a tumble through no fault of his own. Miller raced to fourteenth and his first double points finish of the year.

Trevor Standish: “I made a good start in Race 1 and was leading but got shuffled back a bit early on. I was holding my own but then ran into some rear grip issues which prevented me from pushing as hard as I knew we could have. It was a solid Saturday and good points for the championship. Race 2 was a nice step forward. I was leading again for a lap and was able to hang with the lead group before arm pump meant I faded a little. Fifth and still second overall in the points is a great result and I am ready to race again at Road America in a couple of weeks.”

Liam MacDonald: “Race 1 went really well. I had a much better feeling and was able to settle into my rhythm more quickly than at Road Atlanta. I was able to lap consistently but it was tough with my arm pumping towards the end. VIR is really physical. I am really proud of my race and of the team for giving me such a great bike, and for rebuilding it after I stepped off in Q1. Mentally it was the best I have ever felt, coming back from a crash, and getting a good result and it’s all down to the team. I couldn’t ask for a better bunch of people to be with. Race 2 went even better. I got a lightning start and was running fifth. I felt really good. I lost the rear and the front on the same lap but saved it and was able to bring it home for my fourth points finish in a row!”

Nate Minster: “Qualifying was ok. We had some pretty big suspension issues, but the team worked well, and we were able to improve although Q2 was still a little rough. I was suffering some arm pump which meant it was hard to hang onto the bike I was determined to give it my all in the races. Race 1 was actually pretty good all things considered. We still don’t have the ideal setting, but I was able to lap consistently and got some points. In the Warm-Up we wanted to test some things. We got down to pace right away but then I was taken out by another rider in the last five minutes of the session. I decided not to ride as I wasn’t feeling the best. The team fully supported my decision, and we will come back strong at Road America.”

Austin Miller: “We finally got the bike straightened out for Q2 and it went really well. It was a hard day of working on things, but we made the race which was the important thing and the target. The focus was to push for points in the race and I was able to achieve that. I needed that after all the problems and missing most of the first day as I was beginning to lose hope. I was able to finish fifteenth after gaining eight places from where I started. I made an ok start and made a few mistakes but was able to bring it home. Race Two went great. I made a good start but around lap eleven my arm started to stiffen, and it was difficult to ride as I wanted. I almost got one more position on the last lap, but I ran out of time. We made a step from Race 1 and it was two races in the points for the first time in my Supersport career so I can move on to Road America happy.”

More, from a press release issued by Robem Engineering:

Robem Engineering riders score podium, top-five finishes at MotoAmerica Superbikes at Virginia

Aprilia team leaves VIRginia International Raceway with all three riders in top eight in Twins Cup standings

ALTON, Va. — The Robem Engineering squad faced much uncertainty as it prepared for this weekend’s MotoAmerica’s Superbikes at Virgina round at VIRginia International Raceway. The team was campaigning a new-for-2021 motorcycle at a track two of its riders had little or no experience on. Despite the odds not being in its favor, the three-rider team scored a podium and two additional top-five finishes in the round’s two MotoAmerica Twins Cup races.

The team had only one race weekend under its belt with its Aprilia RS 660 motorcycles prior to the May 21-23 event getting underway. By the end of the weekend, all three of the team’s riders – Kaleb De Keyrel, Hayden Schultz and Toby Khamsouk — had maintained or improved their position in the Twins Cup standings. De Keyrel held onto fourth in the championship – just 11 points behind the class leader — Schultz moved up from ninth place to seventh and Khamsouk advanced from 12th place to eighth.

The team got off to a good start when on-track activity commenced Friday morning. Khamsouk was the third-fastest rider in the session, with Schultz finishing practice in fourth and De Keyrel in seventh. When Twins Cup qualifying got underway on Friday afternoon, Khamsouk was again the third-fastest rider in the 28-bike field. De Keyrel finished the session in seventh – posting a lap time about three seconds faster than his best practice time – and Schultz ended up in sixth place. When qualifying wrapped up early Saturday afternoon, De Keyrel had secured second place on the starting grid. Schultz qualified sixth and Khamsouk seventh.

Saturday’s race saw Schultz and De Keyrel in the pack of riders in the hunt for the race lead. Schultz was the team’s top-finishing rider, bringing his Aprilia home in fourth place and missing out on a podium finish by less than three-tenths of a second. De Keyrel was right behind Schultz, finishing fifth, and Khamsouk crossed the finish line in seventh place.

Sunday’s Twins Cup race went better for the team, as De Keyrel claimed the last step on the podium and Schultz and Khamsouk finished sixth and eighth, respectively. De Keyrel got a great start, led the field into Turn 1 and finished about three-tenths of a second behind the second-place rider.

The next round on the 2021 MotoAmerica schedule takes place June 11-13 at the Road America circuit in Elkhart Lake, Wis. The team plans to test on Monday on VIR’s South Course, which will provide the team valuable data to help perfect its setup for its Aprilia RS 660s.

Kaleb De Keyrel / No. 51

“It’s been a little bit of a struggle this weekend, but we ended it on a pretty positive note. I’m extremely happy with the setup we used for Race 2. We changed our tire choice as the weekend went on, which also worked out for us. Overall, I felt a lot better in Race 2 than Race 1 as far as being comfortable on the bike. On Saturday, I had trouble pushing the bike without it pushing back. The team worked really hard on finding solutions to our setup issues. I’m really looking forward to the next round at Road America. I grew up in Minnesota and will have lots of friends and family coming to see me race there.”

Hayden Schultz / No. 49

“The weekend had some positives and some things we can improve on. This was my first time racing at VIR, so I had to learn a new track before we could really get going on figuring out how to make our Aprilia work best here. You can play as many hours on a video game as you want, but it just doesn’t replicate reality. Race 1 wasn’t so bad, but we missed out on a podium finish. We were only about a second off the win in that race. For Race 2, we didn’t have the race we wanted, as I struggled getting by a couple other riders that I maybe had a chance to. The bike was working well, and I know it will get better as the season goes along. I owe a big shout out to the team for giving me a bike that can run up front. Now it’s my job to get better and make those better results happen. I expect a lot out of myself as a rider, especially after consistently being on the podium last year. Even though I was a learning a new track, I still expected to be on the podium. We’re not far off from getting a win, but it’s frustrating to get the results we had this weekend.”

Toby Khamsouk / No. 27

“It was an up and down weekend. We learn a lot though, and I really like this track. With having to learn a new bike, it just wasn’t the weekend we’d hoped for. We were working to find the right setup for me. Lots of positive vibes from this event though, and I’ll be working hard to help my team find a good setup quicker at Road America.”

Robem Engineering’s technical partners for 2021 include The Center for Plastic Surgery, Velocity Calibrations, Bitubo Suspension, Dunlop, Woodcraft Technologies, Dymag, Vesrah, DNA Filters, Magura USA, Sara Chappell Photos, NGK/NTK, Blud Lubricants, Millennium Technologies and SC-Project.