AMA Hall of Famer David Aldana Named AHRMA Classic MotoFest Grand Marshal
(May 20, 2021, Elora, Tennessee) Legendary racer David Aldana will be the Grand Marshal for the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) AHRMA Classic MotoFest® in the Heartland.
The event is May 28-30, 2021, at Heartland Motorsports Park, in Topeka, Kansas. Aldana will be available to sign autographs and will have t-shirts available for purchase in addition to his other Grand Marshal activities throughout the weekend.
“David Aldana is synonymous with all kinds of racing during the 70s and 80s and his legend on and off the racetrack continues to build,” said Arthur Kowitz, Chairman of the AHRMA Board of Trustees. “We’re honored that he’s the Grand Marshal for our first MotoFest at Heartland Motorsports Park.”
Aldana is held in high esteem in the racing community. Beginning in 1970, he competed at the top levels of dirt track racing, eventually moving into professional road racing, as well. He was a top AMA Grand National Series competitor during the 1970s, winning four AMA nationals during his career, and in 1981 he won the Suzuka eight-hour endurance race. He is known for his distinctive racing leathers which are adorned with a life-sized human skeleton design. Aldana also took on motocross and observed trials. His on-track achievements were captured in the classic 1971 Bruce Brown film “On Any Sunday,” and led to his 1999 induction into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.
Aldana will also be racing in AHRMA’s National Vintage Motocross series during the MotoFest.
AHRMA (American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving, restoring and competing on historic motorcycles. With more than 3,000 members, AHRMA is the leading historic motorcycle racing group in North America and one of the largest in the world. The association’s enthusiastic membership reflects this country’s strong interest in classic bikes.
ABOUT VISIT TOPEKA
Visit Topeka, Inc. is the visitor’s bureau for the capital city of Kansas. Visit Topeka’s mission is to increase tourism’s economic impact on Topeka through destination development and brand management. VisitTopeka.com
Corner by corner, and moment by moment, Tyler O’Hara’s ability to be present will determine the outcome of a daunting double-duty race weekend in Atlanta as he defends his #KingOfTheBaggers championship on the #IndianChallenger, and fulfills an American Flat Track dream on the #FTR750.
Indian Motorcycle is America’s First Motorcycle Company®. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the hearts of motorcyclists around the world and earned distinction as one of America’s most legendary and iconic brands through unrivaled racing dominance, engineering prowess and countless innovations and industry firsts. Today that heritage and passion are reignited under new brand stewardship.
MotoAmerica Support-Class Preview: There Is Only One Who Is Undefeated
Only One Rider Emerged From The Opening Round In Georgia Without A Loss: Sean Dylan Kelly
IRVINE, CA (May 20, 2021) – Only one rider arrives at VIRginia International Raceway this week with a blemish-free 2021 race record. That man is M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Sean Dylan Kelly, the newly turned 19-year-old the only rider to come away from the opening round at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta undefeated.
Kelly won both of the MotoAmerica Supersport races in the series opener in Georgia, the Floridian topping his class rival and last year’s champion Richie Escalante in both to get a leg up in what will certainly be a battle to the end between those two. For now, Kelly has a 10-point lead and also a boost in the confidence department heading into VIR.
With those two expected to battle for the title all year, nobody can predict what’s in store for those behind them. For round one, though, it was Kelly’s teammate Sam Lochoff and North East Cycle Outlet Racing’s Benjamin Smith who came out the best, with those two tied with 20 points. Smith earned his by virtue of two sixth-place finishes, including being in a fight for the final podium spot all the way to the last corner in race two. For Lochoff, it was a fifth and a seventh that earned him his points.
Cycle Gear Racing’s Nolan Lamkin and non-defending Twins Cup and SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup Champion Rocco Landers both earned career-first podiums in the class with Landers’ coming in third in just his second MotoAmerica Supersport race. Those two also had DNFs in the races they didn’t finish third in and they sit in a tie for fifth with 16 points apiece.
Things are tight at the top in Stock 1000 as the series lands in Virginia. Travis Wyman Racing’s Travis Wyman is at the top of the heap with 41 points after his third-place finish and victory at Road Atlanta. Wyman is trailed by Jones Honda’s Ashton Yates, who is five points in arrears, and race-one winner from Road Atlanta, Michael Gilbert. Gilbert is six points behind after the first two races of the season.
Geoff May Racing/VisionWheel.com’s Geoff May and Altus Motorsports’ Jake Lewis round out the top five as we head to round two. One rider who will be looking to rebound from a horrible start to his year is one of the preseason favorites for the title, Corey Alexander. The HONOS-backed Kawasaki rider was sixth and 13th in the two races after a myriad of problems over the course of the weekend.
With the top three riders in the SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup class from 2020 all moving up in class, it was expected that 2021 would bring a laundry list of first-time winners. Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta gave us the start to that with Scott Powersports KTM’s Tyler Scott taking his first career win (in his MotoAmerica debut) in race one and Landers Racing’s Ben Gloddy (who had eight podium finishes in 2020, but no wins) doing likewise in race two. Those two split the wins and when they didn’t win, they both finished second. Thus, they are tied atop the standings with 45 points apiece.
Next best is the pairing of KERmoto’s Cody Wyman and Veloce Racing’s David Kohlstaedt with those two splitting third and fifth-place finishes in the opener and finishing the weekend tied for third in the title chase.
Pure Attitude Racing’s Trevor Standish didn’t win a Twins Cup race in the series opener in Georgia, but he emerged with the points lead based on consistent fourth- and third-place finishes, with his ride in race two earning him his first podium finish in the class. Chris Parrish, who also didn’t win a race, is second in points heading to VIR – seven behind Standish and one point clear of race two winner Teagg Hobbs.
Race-one winner Kaleb De Keyrel is fourth in points as his weekend in Georgia featured the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. On Saturday, De Keyrel gave Aprilia its first MotoAmerica Twins Cup victory; a day later he crashed out of the lead battle when his RS 660 had a mechanical problem and took almost every Aprilia in the race with him.
VIR Support Class Notes
It’s worth noting that parity has most definitely arrived in the Stock 1000 class with the first of the two Stock 1000 races at Road Atlanta featuring three different manufacturers on the podium: Kawasaki (Gilbert), Yates (Honda) and Wyman (BMW).
On Saturday at Road Atlanta, Aprilia’s new RS 660 filled the podium in its debut in the class. The following day, it was Suzuki SV650s holding down the top three finishes.
Sean Dylan Kelly’s two wins at Road Atlanta were the eighth and ninth Supersport wins of his career. He has now won the same number of races as Hayden Gillim and is four behind his rival Richie Escalante in Supersport career victories.
With MotoAmerica not racing at VIR in 2020 because of COVID-19, it’s a look back to 2019 to see who did what at the popular racetrack. In the first of two Supersport races, it was PJ Jacobsen taking victory. In race two it was Hayden Gillim taking the win. In Junior Cup action, Rocco Landers won race one with Cameron Jones taking the first win of his career in wet conditions on Sunday. The lone Twins Cup race was won by Chris Parrish with Michael Gilbert scoring the win in Stock 1000.
RPM Act Introduced in U.S. House of Representatives
— Motorsports Allies in Congress Lead Campaign to Save Our Racecars —
WASHINGTON, D.C. – SEMA President & CEO Chris Kersting today commended U.S. Representatives Patrick McHenry (R-NC) and Raul Ruiz (D-CA) for introducing H.R. 3281, the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act of 2021 (RPM Act). The bipartisan bill includes 48 original sponsors. The RPM Act protects Americans’ right to convert street vehicles into dedicated racecars and the motorsports-parts industry’s ability to sell products that enable racers to compete.
The RPM Act reverses the EPA’s interpretation that the Clean Air Act prohibits a motor vehicle designed for street use—including a car, truck, or motorcycle—to be converted into a dedicated racecar. This American tradition was unquestioned from 1970 until 2015 when the EPA took the position that converted vehicles must remain emissions-compliant, even though they are no longer driven on public streets or highways.
“SEMA looks forward to working with Congress to enact the RPM Act and make permanent the Clean Air Act’s original intention that race vehicle conversions are legal,” said Kersting. “We thank Representatives McHenry and Ruiz for standing up for racing and the motorsports parts industry by introducing a bipartisan bill to protect racing and the businesses that produce, install, and sell the parts that enable racers to compete.”
There has already been an unprecedented outpouring of support for the RPM Act this year, with Americans sending over 1.1 million letters asking Congress to pass the legislation. It is imperative that enthusiasts and motorsports businesses keep up this momentum by reminding their lawmakers in Washington, D.C., that they must act now to protect the right to convert a motor vehicle into a racecar.
“I am proud to support automobile racing and will work to ensure motorsports enthusiasts here in North Carolina and across the country can continue the time-honored tradition of modifying stock vehicles for competitive racing,” said Rep. Patrick McHenry. “I look forward to working with my colleagues to help ensure the RPM Act becomes law.”
“Growing up, I spent countless hours at the racetrack with my father,” said Rep. Raul Ruiz. “Racing has always been close to my heart. I am delighted to introduce the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports (RPM) Act, which will keep our American tradition of vehicle racing alive and give enthusiasts and their children the same opportunity that I had to create memories at the racetrack.”
Motorsports competition involves tens of thousands of participants and vehicle owners each year, both amateur and professional. Retail sales of racing products make up a nearly $2 billion market annually. Most of the vehicles raced on the estimated 1,300 racetracks operating across the U.S. are converted vehicles that the EPA considers to be illegal.
It is important that members of Congress hear from the racing and automotive enthusiast communities about the importance of passing the RPM Act into law in 2021. To write a letter to your members of Congress, visit www.sema.org/rpm.
About SEMA
SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association founded in 1963, represents the $46.2 billion specialty automotive industry. The industry provides appearance, performance, comfort, convenience and technology products for passenger and recreational vehicles. Association resources include market research, legislative advocacy, training and product development support, as well as leading trade shows such as the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, NV, and the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show in Indianapolis, IN. For more information, visit www.sema.org, www.semashow.com, or www.performanceracing.com.
Borgo Panigale Experience: the Ducati Museum reopens on 21 May
The Ducati Museum is getting ready to welcome enthusiasts and fans of two wheels every Friday, Saturday and Sunday starting from 21 May
The digital Borgo Panigale Experience is enriched by the “Ducati Factory Online Journey”, the new remote visit of the production lines where Ducati motorcycles take shape
Borgo Panigale (Bologna, Italy) – Starting from 21 May, the Ducati Museum reopens its doors on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Ducati is gearing up to welcome the public again starting from the halls of its Museum, one of the most iconic places to visit for all fans of two wheels and motorsport in general.
During the months of closure due to the pandemic, Ducati extended the digitalization process to the Ducati Museum, expanding the digital offer of the Borgo Panigale Experience through the “Ducati Museum Online Journey”. Real guided tours accessible from PC, tablet or Smart TV, virtually accompanied by the Museum’s expert guides, to discover – also remotely – the place where the Italian motorcycle manufacturer shares its essence and history with all fans. The “Ducati Museum Online Journey” remains available for all those who still cannot visit Borgo Panigale in Italy.
Starting from 22 May, the offer of the digital Borgo Panigale Experience is enriched by the “Ducati Factory Online Journey”. The fascinating tours of the Ducati factory, currently suspended for reasons related to Covid, can be experienced from remote by booking the online guided tour of the production areas of the Ducati plant.
During the tour, users will be accompanied by a guide who will show where and how Ducati motorcycles take shape, passing through the mechanical machining department, the engine assembly area and the vehicle assembly lines, up to testing and shipments. A unique experience for all enthusiasts of motorcycling and mechanical engineering.
Both for the Online Journey in the factory and for those in the Ducati Museum, it is possible to ask questions to the guide through the Questions and Answers section of the platform. The programming and tickets for the digital Borgo Panigale Experience (Ducati Museum and Ducati Factory Online Journey) are available on the ticketing platform.
The visit to the Ducati Museum in person is only available by reservation on Friday from 9.00 to 12.00 and from 14.30 to 18.00; Saturday and Sunday from 9.00 to 18.00. The entry ticket must be purchased online on the dedicated website.
To guarantee the health and safety of visitors and workers, access to the structure will take place with a limited number of entries. In order to enter the plant and for the entire period of stay inside the company area, visitors are required to respect the rules established by the internal Covid-19 Task Force, also described on the entrance tickets.
Further information on how to visit and book is available on the Ducati website.
In this episode, Co-Hosts Greg White and Jason Pridmore talk:
MotoGP – Round 4 of MotoGP from Le Mans. The boys talk about those races and what they saw.
MotoGP Fantasy – Make sure you join our league! “Gregs Garage Pod with Jason Pridmore” is the name.
MotoAmerica – The second round of the season is upon us, people. VIR is the host. The boys talk about how exciting this race weekend should be.
WorldSBK – We are finally back! A chat about who, if anyone, can topple the champ, Jonny Rea. And how about Garrett Gerloff? The American is primed for great success.
Next Week Tease – MotoAmerica VIR & WorldSBK’s first one of the season.
More, from a press release issued by MotorSport Vision Racing (MSVR):
O’Halloran holds off Bridewell by 0.037s to end Oulton Park Official Test on top
Jason O’Halloran set the pace in the final Bennetts British Superbike Championship Official Test session of the day at Oulton Park, putting the McAMS Yamaha rider just a narrow 0.037s ahead of Tommy Bridewell in a final five-minute fight to end the test in Cheshire fastest.
The opening two sessions had been topped by reigning champion Josh Brookes and RAF Regular and Reserve Kawasaki rider Ryan Vickers, but the final 55-minute session of the day saw the times inevitably tumble in perfect conditions at the parkland circuit.
As fans returned to watch trackside for the first time since 2019, 577 days since the season finale at Brands Hatch, they were treated to a thrilling end to the day as several riders headed out for a time attack to end the test.
Brookes had held the advantage with 15 minutes to go, but O’Halloran had soon surged back ahead of his fellow compatriot as the Australian pair locked out the leading two positions. However, with six minutes remaining of the day Vickers had posted a time, which moved him back to the top, nudging McAMS Yamaha’s O’Halloran back into second place.
Peter Hickman was then on a sequence of flying laps and he moved into second position and just 0.196s adrift of Vickers’ leading time, however with three minutes remaining O’Halloran set a time which put him back into P1 as the final minutes ticked down.
Oxford Products Racing Ducati’s Bridewell went into second position with just over a minute remaining of the day with Vickers moving back into third place, pushing Hickman into fourth at the chequered flag.
Brookes completed the top five for VisionTrack Ducati on his return to testing action after he missed the previous test at Snetterton following his crash at the Silverstone test. The defending champion moved back ahead of Gino Rea who led the Buildbase Suzuki charge in sixth.
Glenn Irwin ended the day in seventh place for Honda Racing as six different manufacturers featured in the top seven positions.
Kyle Ryde ended the session in eighth place after a crash at Island ended his day prematurely despite a strong showing from the Rich Energy OMG Racing BMW rider, who was second fastest in the opening two sessions.
Bradley Ray made his debut in 2021 on the second of the Rich Energy OMG Racing BMWs in ninth place on the combined times, just 0.005s ahead of SYNETIQ BMW rival Danny Buchan, who completed the top ten.
Jason O’Halloran, McAMS Yamaha
“What a day to have been at Oulton Park; the fans were back, the sun was shining and it doesn’t get much better than that! It has been fantastic to see the support today and we have had three good sessions. It has been a really positive day and to end up on top is always a nice feeling.
“We have got through plenty and I was quite surprised with how fast we were at the end of the day, as in each session we pretty much had a different bike where we had so many changes. We keep moving forward so we just need to keep working to evolve what we are doing in the final tests, ready for when we get back racing next month.
“We have gained a lot of information today and our race tyre pace was really good. We stayed on a SC0 tyre at the end of the day and it felt good. I feel like we are in a strong place for when we come back here for the first race of the season now.”
More, from a press release issued by VisionTrack Ducati:
Positive Test For VisionTrack Ducati At Oulton Park
Defending Bennetts British Superbike champions, VisionTrack Ducati, continued their pre-season testing with the third official BSB test at Oulton Park which saw Josh Brookes and Christian Iddon enjoy some dry track time at the Cheshire circuit today.
With very cold temperatures and wet weather badly affecting the previous two tests at Silverstone and Snetterton, the sunshine was a welcome relief for Paul Bird’s two riders as they continued their preparations for the opening round which also takes place at Oulton Park later next month.
After sitting out the Snetterton test to allow the finger injury he sustained at Silverstone to heal, reigning champion Brookes was fastest out of the blocks in the opening session, setting quickest time aboard the factory supported VisionTrack Ducati Panigale V4 R at 1:35.347s on his very last lap. Iddon, in his second year with the Penrith-based team, set fifth fastest time with a best lap of 1:36.172 to get the ball rolling.
Session two just after lunch saw the PBM team continue their pre-season development work on set-up with Bedfordshire-based Aussie Brookes ending up in seventh place with teammate Iddon, originally from Stockport but now living on Tyneside, one place further back as he improved his lap time.
The final session late this afternoon turned out to be the fastest with track conditions almost ideal and saw Brookes lower his lap time to 1:34.924 to end up fifth with Iddon continuing to improve his speed also and although he ended the session in 12th place, he dropped his lap time to a best of 1:35.412.
The team now moves on to the final test in the official schedule with takes place at Donington Park on June 8th prior to the opening round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship takes place over the weekend of 25/27 June at Oulton Park.
Josh Brookes: “The day was positive in as much as the finger injury didn’t really affect me, but regarding the actual test, I felt the track was a little slower than last year as it hadn’t been used very much. We put last year’s settings into the bike and straight away I was fastest but then we tried a few different things, including the new SCX tyre, and the changes didn’t really help us go faster. I learned a lot about the new tyre which was one of the main objects today so that information was invaluable. But we know we have a good base setting on the bike and these tests are to experiment a little but the whole idea is to evaluate our package. Even though I wasn’t fastest overall, I’m happy with where we are at and we got plenty of dry laps in.”
Christian Iddon (21). Photo courtesy VisionTrack Ducati.
Christian Iddon: “Today was really beneficial in getting through a big workload and we came away having done that which was really good. I did a full race run in the middle session and set my fastest lap on lap 17 which bodes well for an 18-lap race round here. In the final session, we needed to try a setting which we’d run previously and just wanted to eliminate certain things so despite being further down the order than I’d have liked, we needed to do that experiment and have learned a lot from it. I’m feeling very happy and positive, and the plan seems to be coming together so we’ll stick at it and now look forward to Donington.”
John Mowatt, Team Co-Ordinator: “It was finally good to get some decent dry laps in at a track we know suits us, so the plan was to define our base setting and then try a few different ideas and of course, get some data on running the new Pirelli tyre. Josh showed what he and the bike are capable of by topping the opening session and from there, we just needed to work through things. Same for Christian, he gradually improved his lap times in all three sessions and prioritised getting data for the opening races rather than setting a one-off fast lap. We now have a lot more information to work with which we will continue at Donington.”
MotoAmerica HONOS Superbike VIR Preview: Reunited And It Feels So Good
MotoAmerica Is Back In Action At VIRginia International Raceway This Weekend After COVID-19 Forced The Event To Be Cancelled Last Year
IRVINE, CA (May 19, 2021) – If absence does indeed make the heart grow fonder, then the men of the 2021 MotoAmerica HONOS Superbike Series are longing more than ever to get back to one of their favorite venues on the calendar – VIRginia International Raceway – after the event was cancelled last year due to COVID-19.
If you ask 20 of the top motorcycle road racers in the country to list their favorite racetracks, VIR would rank in the top two or three for the majority of them. With its vast array of corners, elevation changes and high speed, VIR is always one of the most eagerly anticipated rounds of the season. Especially so with the stars of the series not getting the opportunity to race through the Virginia forest in 2020.
“VIR is the next round and it’s one of my strongest tracks, so I’m looking forward to it.” – Mathew Scholtz
“I’m looking forward to VIR. I really, really love that place and this bike will be rockin’ around there.” – Jake Gagne
With the opening round of the 2021 MotoAmerica Superbike Series in the books, round two is on the horizon this week at VIRginia International Raceway and for a few riders in the HONOS Superbike class it takes on the utmost of importance.
While all or nothing may be a bit extreme, getting a good result at VIR is… well, for Loris Baz anyway, all or nothing. Of all the championship hopefuls, Baz’s opening round was the one most in need of a re-do as he left Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta with a big ol’ goose egg in the championship points tally after a crash and a mechanical took him out of both races.
But let’s remember that it’s always better to trail the championship points leader by 45 points after the first round than with just one remaining. And that’s where Baz and his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati New York team finds themselves: 45 points behind championship leader Mathew Scholtz. Time, however, is on Baz’s side and, put it this way, if he rips off nine race wins in a row with Scholtz finishing second in those nine races, the two would be tied. With 18 races and 450 points up for grabs, this thing is far from over.
While Baz’s opener was somewhat flawed, Scholtz’s was near perfect. The Westby Racing rider won the first race and finished second in the second, and that vaulted him to the top of the standings and feeling fine as the series moves to VIR after a one-year hiatus from the popular venue. Scholtz shows up at VIR with 45 out of a possible 50 points in his pocket.
Although it’s not a weekend he’s going to brag about, the two races at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta might be ones that Josh Herrin looks back on fondly at season’s end. Herrin rode his Fresh N’ Lean Attack Performance Yamaha YZF-R1 to a pair of thirds in the opening round and that places him second in the championship heading into VIR. Although he was third both times out, Herrin wasn’t pleased about the distance between him and the race winner – 12.8 seconds in race one, 15 seconds in race two – as he struggles to get comfortable on the new Yamaha. Still, he left with a boatload of points and that’s better than most.
M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Bobby Fong had a good opening weekend, albeit marred by a race-two jump start that forced him to take a pit-lane ride-through penalty. From there he fought through to finish fifth, a day after finishing second to Scholtz in race one. It was a good piece of damage control and he rolls into VIR third in the points – 14 points adrift of Scholtz.
Speaking of damage control… Jake Gagne qualified on pole position and was the man to beat all weekend. Well, right up to the point where he suffered a blown engine just one lap into the first race of the season. Unlike Baz, however, Gagne was able to rebound and rebound in a big way with a dominating victory in race two on the Fresh N’ Lean Attack Performance Yamaha. He sits fifth in the title chase – 20 points behind Scholtz.
Kyle Wyman’s opening weekend was quietly effective. The team owner/racer ripped the covers off his Ducati Panigale V4 R to show his off new sponsor Panera Breads during the week and then went out and finished fifth and sixth in the two races. It was also a weekend where Wyman did double duty as he made his King Of The Baggers debut at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. He will be less busy at VIR and will focus his efforts solely on his HONOS Superbike program.
Quiet best describes Hector Barbera’s MotoAmerica debut with the Spaniard finishing sixth and seventh in the two races in Georgia on his Scheibe Racing BMW. New bike, new track, new tires, unfamiliar series… not a bad effort considering the challenges he faced.
Travis Wyman ended up at the top of the Superbike Cup, which runs within the Superbike class for riders mounted on Stock 1000-spec motorcycles, at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, the Travis Wyman BMW rider carding seventh- and-eighth place finishes over the course of the weekend. That bested Altus Motorsports’ Jake Lewis in his return to MotoAmerica action. Lewis and Geoff May came away from the Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta weekend ranked ninth and 10th in the HONOS Superbike title chase.
VIR Superbike Notes
The first-ever AMA Superbike race at VIRginia International Raceway in 2001 was won by the late Nicky Hayden, the 2002 AMA Superbike Champion and 2006 MotoGP World Champion backing that up with a second victory at VIR in 2002.
Five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier, who now competes in the Moto2 World Championship, is the HONOS Superbike lap record holder at VIRginia International Raceway. Beaubier’s best lap is a 1:23.790 set during Superpole in 2018.
With no race at VIR in 2020, we have to bounce back to 2019 to see that JD Beach won his first AMA Superbike race in the second of two races – just a week after the popular racer won bis first career AMA Grand National Flat Track in Arizona. Beach topped his former Supersport Series rival Garrett Gerloff in taking his first career win. The day prior, Cameron Beaubier topped his rival Toni Elias to score the MotoAmerica Superbike win.
Mathew Scholtz scored the third AMA Superbike win of his career on Saturday at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta a few weeks ago and that put him into a nine-way tie for 30th on the all-time AMA Superbike win list. Scholtz is tied with some pretty impressive names: Martin Cardenas, Ben Bostrom, Pascal Picotte, Colin Edwards, Troy Corser, Bobby Fong, Steve McLaughlin and Reg Pridmore.
With his victory in race two a few weeks ago at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, Jake Gagne became the 61st rider to win an AMA Superbike race.
Scholtz’s and Gagne’s victories at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta were the 146th and 147th career wins for Yamaha as a manufacturer in AMA Superbike racing. Suzuki leads the way with 215 Superbike wins.
The Stock 1000 class again leads the way in entries with 36 riders scheduled to take to the track at VIR. There are 28 HONOS Superbike entries, 26 Supersport entries, 18 SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup entries and 28 Twins Cup entries.
More, from a press release issued by Kyle Wyman Racing:
KWR/Panera Bread Ducati Team heads to Virginia International Raceway
TUCSON, Ariz. (May 19) — The KWR/Panera Bread Ducati Team heads to Virginia International Raceway this weekend for round two of the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship. Rider Kyle Wyman looks to improve on the Road Atlanta performances to fight for podium finishes in Alton, Virginia.
The KWR Team has been hard at work preparing the Ducati Panigale V4 R Superbike for battle as the series starts to find its rhythm. With limited testing time the team is still aiming for podium results, with a capable bike and rider that can get the job done. For Chief Mechanic Dave Hopkinson, it’s an opportunity to try some new parts and put the latest version of the KWR Ducati to work.
“I’m excited for this weekend,” Hopkinson said. “For me personally it’s a new track with MotoAmerica not having raced here last year. I’m excited also because following a successful first outing for our all-new bike at Atlanta, we now have further new parts from Accossato to use at VIR that I’m hoping will further improve our new bike. It’s been busy in the gap assessing the Atlanta weekend, making improvements and changes ready to take on VIR. We are still learning about the new bike but are excited about its prospects as we enter round two.”
With the team evolving from a technical standpoint, Wyman says the key to having a successful weekend in Virginia will be to spin numerous, quality laps on Friday.
“The bike is in a good place, and I’m in a good place,” Wyman said. “In Atlanta we had some technical issues on Friday that caused us to miss a lot of quality track time. This week we need to make sure Friday goes smoothly and that I can get a lot of laps to get more familiar with the bike. It’s truly the best Superbike I’ve ever ridden. I just need to develop the confidence to push it to the maximum, and to accomplish that we need laps.”
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More, from a press release issued by Westby Racing:
Superbike Championship Leader Scholtz Is Ready To Press His Advantage This Weekend In Virginia
Tulsa, OK – May 19, 2021 – Round two of the 2021 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship starts this Friday at VIRginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia, and current Superbike points leader Mathew Scholtz, along with his Westby Racing team, will be looking to build on his race win and runner-up finish from round one at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
Meanwhile, JR12 Racing/Westby Racing’s Junior Cup rider Jack Roach is eager for more seat time aboard his Yamaha YZF-R3, especially at a track that is new to him.
For Mathew, VIR’s 14-turn, 2.25-mile natural road course is one of his favorite racetracks on the MotoAmerica schedule, and he’s looking forward to returning there after MotoAmerica took a one-year hiatus from the venue due to COVID-19.
Mathew Scholtz (11). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Westby Racing.
“I’m excited to get the VIR round started this weekend, especially after coming off a solid round at Road Atlanta,” Mathew said. “I know that we are going to have our work cut out for us this weekend, but VIR has always been a very strong track for me. It really suits my riding style. There are a lot of switchbacks, and you need a lot of front-end feel with those, which the Westby Racing Yamaha R1 Superbike has in spades. I’ve been training extremely hard on the motocross bike the past few days, and I feel a lot more confident than I ever have. I’m just going to take things as they come, but I’m expecting some pretty good results and to be fighting up front as usual. We’re looking to get up to speed quickly so we can work on our race pace. I feel like we are getting stronger every time I’m on the bike, and we have a solid game plan for how to improve the areas where we were a little bit weak in the first race weekend. All is well, and I can’t wait to see all the Westby crew and carrying on with where we left off at Atlanta, which is to maintain the lead up front.”
Superbike final qualifying is on Saturday morning at 11 a.m. ET, Superbike race one will go green on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. ET, and Superbike Race 2 is on Sunday afternoon also at 3 p.m. ET. Both races will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 2 (FS2), as well as streamed on MotoAmerica Live+.
For Jack, VIR presents a new challenge. He has never before raced at the venue, and his only experience there was gained during a track day earlier this year in what turned out to be wet conditions. But the young Brit, who now lives in Canada and races here in America, is used to new experiences, and he goes into Virginia with his usual level of gusto and enthusiasm.
Jack Roach (12). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Westby Racing.
Jack commented, “Following what was a very tough first round at Road Atlanta, I am as hungry as ever for results. I’ve just got to transfer that hunger into speed on the track, which I know I can do. I have no excuses now because (Westby Racing team manager) Chuck Giacchetto has dedicated a lot of his time to the Yamaha R3, and I’m very grateful for that. VIR is a track that I don’t have a lot of experience at, but my plan is to take it corner by corner, lap after lap, and session by session. I’m super-excited, and I can’t wait for the race weekend to begin.”
Junior Cup race one starts on Saturday at 5 p.m. ET, and Junior Cup race two is on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET. Both races will be broadcast via tape-delay on FOX Sports 2 (FS2) this Tuesday, May 25, beginning at 9 p.m. ET. In addition, both Junior Cup races will be streamed on MotoAmerica Live+.
Pick Up Some FREE Westby Racing Collectibles
Westby Racing has produced some great collectibles featuring Mathew and Jack, and they’ll be available at the team transporter throughout the weekend, so swing by and pick some up while maintaining proper social distancing.
Check Out The Westby Racing Sponsor Showcase
Capit Performance Srl, Drippin’ Wet, SBS Friction A/S, Superbike Unlimited, and Suter Racing Products will be the featured team sponsors on display in the Westby Racing paddock area, so be sure to stop by to say hello and learn about some of the companies that support the team.
Also, follow “Westby Racing” on your favorite social media sites.
More, from a press release issued by Ducati:
Loris Baz and Kyle Wyman Ready to Get After America’s Best at VIR
Sunnyvale, Calif., May 19, 2021 – Round two of the 2021 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship sees Ducati stars Loris Baz (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati New York) and Kyle Wyman (Panera Bread Ducati) heading to the legendary VIRginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia, with both riders looking to ignite their title charges.
Baz’s round one on the glorious Ducati Panigale V4 SBK was less than the MotoGP and WorldSBK veteran was looking for with a double DNF (did not finish). However, the Frenchman has taken some positives after showing front running pace in both races in his MotoAmerica debut at Road Atlanta, a circuit he’d never seen before first practice on Friday.
Wyman’s opening round saw the Arizona resident card a fifth and sixth place finish on the Panera Bread Ducati, and he’ll be looking for more at a circuit that should suit the ultra-fast nature of his distinctive green and black Ducati Panigale V4 R.
Loris Baz (76). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Ducati.
Loris Baz (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati New York – Ducati #76)
“I’ve been training hard like always and trying to stay fit,” Baz said. “We’ve done one day of testing in New Jersey to try a couple of things because we are still quite far from the limit of this bike. That’s a positive aspect because all the guys in the championship know their bikes pretty well and we’re still getting to know our bike.
“I’m really looking forward to this race. I only have the positives from Atlanta in my head which was the speed we had, and I just want it to go the same way at VIR. I know the track. I did a track day there on the Ducati Panigale V4 S, so that will help us get going straight away without having to learn the way. We are starting our season in VIR but the target is always the same: we’re here to win.”
Kyle Wyman (33). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Ducati.
Kyle Wyman (Panera Bread Ducati – Ducati #33)
“There’s been lots happening behind the scenes to get ready for VIR but not a lot of seat time since Road Atlanta,” Wyman said. “The goal for this weekend is to have a solid Friday so we can spin some quality laps. This Panera Bread Ducati is in constant evolution and we’ve made a few changes since Road Atlanta to try and get the bike in a more familiar area. We’ve been hard at work prepping the bike, getting more spares built, and laying the proper foundations for the rest of the season. It’s a long year and we want to be there at the end.”
Round two of the 2021 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship will be held at VIRginia International Raceway on May 21-23, 2021.
Twisted Speed Cruises To N2/WERA National Endurance Series By Dunlop Win
Roebling Road Raceway
Twisted Speed Racing’s Dustin Dominguez, Hayden Gillim and Brad Burns took the lead at the start of the N2/WERA National Endurance Series By Dunlop four-hour endurance race at Roebling Road Raceway and held it to the finish, crossing the line 168 laps later without ever surrendering the lead.
Most remarkably, the team’s Suzuki GSX-R1000 ran the entire event on a single front Dunlop slick, the team changing only rears during each of its hourly fuel and rider swaps. The durability of the tires – a Dunlop KR448 medium 7455 compound, and a quartet of Dunlop KR451 medium 0455 rears – left Twisted Speed able to run the race on three stops while other teams struggled with tire wear.
“We were pitting just past the hour mark, and the tires were holding up,” Burns said. “We just let the motorcycle and the tires set the pace, and we let the race come to us. Because of our Dunlops, we were able to have a faster lap time for a longer lap time.”
Dominguez took the first stint and established a solid lead, while Gillim set the team’s fast lap of a 1:13.821 on the 60th lap around the 2.02-mile circuit.
Dominguez got back in the saddle for the third stint, while Burns rode the final leg, clocking in 1:15 laps with plenty in reserve on his way to a two-lap margin of victory. “There was plenty left,” said Burns. “I was just trying to make sure the motorcycle didn’t fall over!”
The victory – overall and in the Heavyweight class – left Twisted Speed on top of the Championship chase in the Heavyweight class with a 196.72-192.28 margin over AOD, with N2/Bobblehead third with 179.88 points.
Troy Bayliss confirms injuries after bicycle crash
Three-time World Superbike champion Troy Bayliss has confirmed that a bicycle crash last Friday, 14th May, has left him with a fractured C4 vertebra and corresponding spinal damage that will see the active 52-year-old Ducati legend on the sidelines for several months.
With Troy having no exact recollection of the incident, it appears that another bicycle was exiting between two parked cars and he has collided head first into it. Most of the impact was transferred through his head to his neck, and he lost consciousness. He was immediately treated and taken to hospital.
While the injuries are serious, Troy’s condition is stable. He returned to his Gold Coast home yesterday to begin his recovery.
Troy Bayliss:
“I’m OK and I’m home, but the crash means I won’t be riding a motorcycle until I regain full movement in my arms and hands. I really just wanted to let everyone know what’s happened, that I’m OK and that I’ll be back in leathers as soon as I can. It’s been an intense weekend for me and my family, but luckily I’m OK and I will recover. My doctors have been really positive, but there’s no firm indication of how long it will be until I can regain enough control to get back on a bike – maybe a few months, maybe longer; it just depends on how the recovery goes once the bones heal up.”
David Aldana. Photo by Eddie RapidPhoto, courtesy AHRMA.
AMA Hall of Famer David Aldana Named AHRMA Classic MotoFest Grand Marshal
(May 20, 2021, Elora, Tennessee) Legendary racer David Aldana will be the Grand Marshal for the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) AHRMA Classic MotoFest® in the Heartland.
The event is May 28-30, 2021, at Heartland Motorsports Park, in Topeka, Kansas. Aldana will be available to sign autographs and will have t-shirts available for purchase in addition to his other Grand Marshal activities throughout the weekend.
“David Aldana is synonymous with all kinds of racing during the 70s and 80s and his legend on and off the racetrack continues to build,” said Arthur Kowitz, Chairman of the AHRMA Board of Trustees. “We’re honored that he’s the Grand Marshal for our first MotoFest at Heartland Motorsports Park.”
Aldana is held in high esteem in the racing community. Beginning in 1970, he competed at the top levels of dirt track racing, eventually moving into professional road racing, as well. He was a top AMA Grand National Series competitor during the 1970s, winning four AMA nationals during his career, and in 1981 he won the Suzuka eight-hour endurance race. He is known for his distinctive racing leathers which are adorned with a life-sized human skeleton design. Aldana also took on motocross and observed trials. His on-track achievements were captured in the classic 1971 Bruce Brown film “On Any Sunday,” and led to his 1999 induction into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.
Aldana will also be racing in AHRMA’s National Vintage Motocross series during the MotoFest.
AHRMA (American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving, restoring and competing on historic motorcycles. With more than 3,000 members, AHRMA is the leading historic motorcycle racing group in North America and one of the largest in the world. The association’s enthusiastic membership reflects this country’s strong interest in classic bikes.
ABOUT VISIT TOPEKA
Visit Topeka, Inc. is the visitor’s bureau for the capital city of Kansas. Visit Topeka’s mission is to increase tourism’s economic impact on Topeka through destination development and brand management. VisitTopeka.com
Tyler O'Hara (29). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
Corner by corner, and moment by moment, Tyler O’Hara’s ability to be present will determine the outcome of a daunting double-duty race weekend in Atlanta as he defends his #KingOfTheBaggers championship on the #IndianChallenger, and fulfills an American Flat Track dream on the #FTR750.
Indian Motorcycle is America’s First Motorcycle Company®. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the hearts of motorcyclists around the world and earned distinction as one of America’s most legendary and iconic brands through unrivaled racing dominance, engineering prowess and countless innovations and industry firsts. Today that heritage and passion are reignited under new brand stewardship.
Sean Dylan Kelly (40). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
MotoAmerica Support-Class Preview: There Is Only One Who Is Undefeated
Only One Rider Emerged From The Opening Round In Georgia Without A Loss: Sean Dylan Kelly
IRVINE, CA (May 20, 2021) – Only one rider arrives at VIRginia International Raceway this week with a blemish-free 2021 race record. That man is M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Sean Dylan Kelly, the newly turned 19-year-old the only rider to come away from the opening round at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta undefeated.
Kelly won both of the MotoAmerica Supersport races in the series opener in Georgia, the Floridian topping his class rival and last year’s champion Richie Escalante in both to get a leg up in what will certainly be a battle to the end between those two. For now, Kelly has a 10-point lead and also a boost in the confidence department heading into VIR.
With those two expected to battle for the title all year, nobody can predict what’s in store for those behind them. For round one, though, it was Kelly’s teammate Sam Lochoff and North East Cycle Outlet Racing’s Benjamin Smith who came out the best, with those two tied with 20 points. Smith earned his by virtue of two sixth-place finishes, including being in a fight for the final podium spot all the way to the last corner in race two. For Lochoff, it was a fifth and a seventh that earned him his points.
Cycle Gear Racing’s Nolan Lamkin and non-defending Twins Cup and SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup Champion Rocco Landers both earned career-first podiums in the class with Landers’ coming in third in just his second MotoAmerica Supersport race. Those two also had DNFs in the races they didn’t finish third in and they sit in a tie for fifth with 16 points apiece.
Things are tight at the top in Stock 1000 as the series lands in Virginia. Travis Wyman Racing’s Travis Wyman is at the top of the heap with 41 points after his third-place finish and victory at Road Atlanta. Wyman is trailed by Jones Honda’s Ashton Yates, who is five points in arrears, and race-one winner from Road Atlanta, Michael Gilbert. Gilbert is six points behind after the first two races of the season.
Geoff May Racing/VisionWheel.com’s Geoff May and Altus Motorsports’ Jake Lewis round out the top five as we head to round two. One rider who will be looking to rebound from a horrible start to his year is one of the preseason favorites for the title, Corey Alexander. The HONOS-backed Kawasaki rider was sixth and 13th in the two races after a myriad of problems over the course of the weekend.
With the top three riders in the SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup class from 2020 all moving up in class, it was expected that 2021 would bring a laundry list of first-time winners. Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta gave us the start to that with Scott Powersports KTM’s Tyler Scott taking his first career win (in his MotoAmerica debut) in race one and Landers Racing’s Ben Gloddy (who had eight podium finishes in 2020, but no wins) doing likewise in race two. Those two split the wins and when they didn’t win, they both finished second. Thus, they are tied atop the standings with 45 points apiece.
Next best is the pairing of KERmoto’s Cody Wyman and Veloce Racing’s David Kohlstaedt with those two splitting third and fifth-place finishes in the opener and finishing the weekend tied for third in the title chase.
Pure Attitude Racing’s Trevor Standish didn’t win a Twins Cup race in the series opener in Georgia, but he emerged with the points lead based on consistent fourth- and third-place finishes, with his ride in race two earning him his first podium finish in the class. Chris Parrish, who also didn’t win a race, is second in points heading to VIR – seven behind Standish and one point clear of race two winner Teagg Hobbs.
Race-one winner Kaleb De Keyrel is fourth in points as his weekend in Georgia featured the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. On Saturday, De Keyrel gave Aprilia its first MotoAmerica Twins Cup victory; a day later he crashed out of the lead battle when his RS 660 had a mechanical problem and took almost every Aprilia in the race with him.
VIR Support Class Notes
It’s worth noting that parity has most definitely arrived in the Stock 1000 class with the first of the two Stock 1000 races at Road Atlanta featuring three different manufacturers on the podium: Kawasaki (Gilbert), Yates (Honda) and Wyman (BMW).
On Saturday at Road Atlanta, Aprilia’s new RS 660 filled the podium in its debut in the class. The following day, it was Suzuki SV650s holding down the top three finishes.
Sean Dylan Kelly’s two wins at Road Atlanta were the eighth and ninth Supersport wins of his career. He has now won the same number of races as Hayden Gillim and is four behind his rival Richie Escalante in Supersport career victories.
With MotoAmerica not racing at VIR in 2020 because of COVID-19, it’s a look back to 2019 to see who did what at the popular racetrack. In the first of two Supersport races, it was PJ Jacobsen taking victory. In race two it was Hayden Gillim taking the win. In Junior Cup action, Rocco Landers won race one with Cameron Jones taking the first win of his career in wet conditions on Sunday. The lone Twins Cup race was won by Chris Parrish with Michael Gilbert scoring the win in Stock 1000.
Tyler O'Hara (29) at speed on his Mission Foods S&S Indian Challenger, a streetbike modified for racing use only. Photo courtesy Indian Motorcycle.
RPM Act Introduced in U.S. House of Representatives
— Motorsports Allies in Congress Lead Campaign to Save Our Racecars —
WASHINGTON, D.C. – SEMA President & CEO Chris Kersting today commended U.S. Representatives Patrick McHenry (R-NC) and Raul Ruiz (D-CA) for introducing H.R. 3281, the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act of 2021 (RPM Act). The bipartisan bill includes 48 original sponsors. The RPM Act protects Americans’ right to convert street vehicles into dedicated racecars and the motorsports-parts industry’s ability to sell products that enable racers to compete.
The RPM Act reverses the EPA’s interpretation that the Clean Air Act prohibits a motor vehicle designed for street use—including a car, truck, or motorcycle—to be converted into a dedicated racecar. This American tradition was unquestioned from 1970 until 2015 when the EPA took the position that converted vehicles must remain emissions-compliant, even though they are no longer driven on public streets or highways.
“SEMA looks forward to working with Congress to enact the RPM Act and make permanent the Clean Air Act’s original intention that race vehicle conversions are legal,” said Kersting. “We thank Representatives McHenry and Ruiz for standing up for racing and the motorsports parts industry by introducing a bipartisan bill to protect racing and the businesses that produce, install, and sell the parts that enable racers to compete.”
There has already been an unprecedented outpouring of support for the RPM Act this year, with Americans sending over 1.1 million letters asking Congress to pass the legislation. It is imperative that enthusiasts and motorsports businesses keep up this momentum by reminding their lawmakers in Washington, D.C., that they must act now to protect the right to convert a motor vehicle into a racecar.
“I am proud to support automobile racing and will work to ensure motorsports enthusiasts here in North Carolina and across the country can continue the time-honored tradition of modifying stock vehicles for competitive racing,” said Rep. Patrick McHenry. “I look forward to working with my colleagues to help ensure the RPM Act becomes law.”
“Growing up, I spent countless hours at the racetrack with my father,” said Rep. Raul Ruiz. “Racing has always been close to my heart. I am delighted to introduce the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports (RPM) Act, which will keep our American tradition of vehicle racing alive and give enthusiasts and their children the same opportunity that I had to create memories at the racetrack.”
Motorsports competition involves tens of thousands of participants and vehicle owners each year, both amateur and professional. Retail sales of racing products make up a nearly $2 billion market annually. Most of the vehicles raced on the estimated 1,300 racetracks operating across the U.S. are converted vehicles that the EPA considers to be illegal.
It is important that members of Congress hear from the racing and automotive enthusiast communities about the importance of passing the RPM Act into law in 2021. To write a letter to your members of Congress, visit www.sema.org/rpm.
About SEMA
SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association founded in 1963, represents the $46.2 billion specialty automotive industry. The industry provides appearance, performance, comfort, convenience and technology products for passenger and recreational vehicles. Association resources include market research, legislative advocacy, training and product development support, as well as leading trade shows such as the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, NV, and the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show in Indianapolis, IN. For more information, visit www.sema.org, www.semashow.com, or www.performanceracing.com.
One of the display halls at the Ducati Museum in Bologna, Italy. Photo courtesy Ducati.
Borgo Panigale Experience: the Ducati Museum reopens on 21 May
The Ducati Museum is getting ready to welcome enthusiasts and fans of two wheels every Friday, Saturday and Sunday starting from 21 May
The digital Borgo Panigale Experience is enriched by the “Ducati Factory Online Journey”, the new remote visit of the production lines where Ducati motorcycles take shape
Borgo Panigale (Bologna, Italy) – Starting from 21 May, the Ducati Museum reopens its doors on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Ducati is gearing up to welcome the public again starting from the halls of its Museum, one of the most iconic places to visit for all fans of two wheels and motorsport in general.
During the months of closure due to the pandemic, Ducati extended the digitalization process to the Ducati Museum, expanding the digital offer of the Borgo Panigale Experience through the “Ducati Museum Online Journey”. Real guided tours accessible from PC, tablet or Smart TV, virtually accompanied by the Museum’s expert guides, to discover – also remotely – the place where the Italian motorcycle manufacturer shares its essence and history with all fans. The “Ducati Museum Online Journey” remains available for all those who still cannot visit Borgo Panigale in Italy.
Starting from 22 May, the offer of the digital Borgo Panigale Experience is enriched by the “Ducati Factory Online Journey”. The fascinating tours of the Ducati factory, currently suspended for reasons related to Covid, can be experienced from remote by booking the online guided tour of the production areas of the Ducati plant.
During the tour, users will be accompanied by a guide who will show where and how Ducati motorcycles take shape, passing through the mechanical machining department, the engine assembly area and the vehicle assembly lines, up to testing and shipments. A unique experience for all enthusiasts of motorcycling and mechanical engineering.
Both for the Online Journey in the factory and for those in the Ducati Museum, it is possible to ask questions to the guide through the Questions and Answers section of the platform. The programming and tickets for the digital Borgo Panigale Experience (Ducati Museum and Ducati Factory Online Journey) are available on the ticketing platform.
The visit to the Ducati Museum in person is only available by reservation on Friday from 9.00 to 12.00 and from 14.30 to 18.00; Saturday and Sunday from 9.00 to 18.00. The entry ticket must be purchased online on the dedicated website.
To guarantee the health and safety of visitors and workers, access to the structure will take place with a limited number of entries. In order to enter the plant and for the entire period of stay inside the company area, visitors are required to respect the rules established by the internal Covid-19 Task Force, also described on the entrance tickets.
Further information on how to visit and book is available on the Ducati website.
In this episode, Co-Hosts Greg White and Jason Pridmore talk:
MotoGP – Round 4 of MotoGP from Le Mans. The boys talk about those races and what they saw.
MotoGP Fantasy – Make sure you join our league! “Gregs Garage Pod with Jason Pridmore” is the name.
MotoAmerica – The second round of the season is upon us, people. VIR is the host. The boys talk about how exciting this race weekend should be.
WorldSBK – We are finally back! A chat about who, if anyone, can topple the champ, Jonny Rea. And how about Garrett Gerloff? The American is primed for great success.
Next Week Tease – MotoAmerica VIR & WorldSBK’s first one of the season.
More, from a press release issued by MotorSport Vision Racing (MSVR):
O’Halloran holds off Bridewell by 0.037s to end Oulton Park Official Test on top
Jason O’Halloran set the pace in the final Bennetts British Superbike Championship Official Test session of the day at Oulton Park, putting the McAMS Yamaha rider just a narrow 0.037s ahead of Tommy Bridewell in a final five-minute fight to end the test in Cheshire fastest.
The opening two sessions had been topped by reigning champion Josh Brookes and RAF Regular and Reserve Kawasaki rider Ryan Vickers, but the final 55-minute session of the day saw the times inevitably tumble in perfect conditions at the parkland circuit.
As fans returned to watch trackside for the first time since 2019, 577 days since the season finale at Brands Hatch, they were treated to a thrilling end to the day as several riders headed out for a time attack to end the test.
Brookes had held the advantage with 15 minutes to go, but O’Halloran had soon surged back ahead of his fellow compatriot as the Australian pair locked out the leading two positions. However, with six minutes remaining of the day Vickers had posted a time, which moved him back to the top, nudging McAMS Yamaha’s O’Halloran back into second place.
Peter Hickman was then on a sequence of flying laps and he moved into second position and just 0.196s adrift of Vickers’ leading time, however with three minutes remaining O’Halloran set a time which put him back into P1 as the final minutes ticked down.
Oxford Products Racing Ducati’s Bridewell went into second position with just over a minute remaining of the day with Vickers moving back into third place, pushing Hickman into fourth at the chequered flag.
Brookes completed the top five for VisionTrack Ducati on his return to testing action after he missed the previous test at Snetterton following his crash at the Silverstone test. The defending champion moved back ahead of Gino Rea who led the Buildbase Suzuki charge in sixth.
Glenn Irwin ended the day in seventh place for Honda Racing as six different manufacturers featured in the top seven positions.
Kyle Ryde ended the session in eighth place after a crash at Island ended his day prematurely despite a strong showing from the Rich Energy OMG Racing BMW rider, who was second fastest in the opening two sessions.
Bradley Ray made his debut in 2021 on the second of the Rich Energy OMG Racing BMWs in ninth place on the combined times, just 0.005s ahead of SYNETIQ BMW rival Danny Buchan, who completed the top ten.
Jason O’Halloran, McAMS Yamaha
“What a day to have been at Oulton Park; the fans were back, the sun was shining and it doesn’t get much better than that! It has been fantastic to see the support today and we have had three good sessions. It has been a really positive day and to end up on top is always a nice feeling.
“We have got through plenty and I was quite surprised with how fast we were at the end of the day, as in each session we pretty much had a different bike where we had so many changes. We keep moving forward so we just need to keep working to evolve what we are doing in the final tests, ready for when we get back racing next month.
“We have gained a lot of information today and our race tyre pace was really good. We stayed on a SC0 tyre at the end of the day and it felt good. I feel like we are in a strong place for when we come back here for the first race of the season now.”
More, from a press release issued by VisionTrack Ducati:
Positive Test For VisionTrack Ducati At Oulton Park
Defending Bennetts British Superbike champions, VisionTrack Ducati, continued their pre-season testing with the third official BSB test at Oulton Park which saw Josh Brookes and Christian Iddon enjoy some dry track time at the Cheshire circuit today.
With very cold temperatures and wet weather badly affecting the previous two tests at Silverstone and Snetterton, the sunshine was a welcome relief for Paul Bird’s two riders as they continued their preparations for the opening round which also takes place at Oulton Park later next month.
After sitting out the Snetterton test to allow the finger injury he sustained at Silverstone to heal, reigning champion Brookes was fastest out of the blocks in the opening session, setting quickest time aboard the factory supported VisionTrack Ducati Panigale V4 R at 1:35.347s on his very last lap. Iddon, in his second year with the Penrith-based team, set fifth fastest time with a best lap of 1:36.172 to get the ball rolling.
Session two just after lunch saw the PBM team continue their pre-season development work on set-up with Bedfordshire-based Aussie Brookes ending up in seventh place with teammate Iddon, originally from Stockport but now living on Tyneside, one place further back as he improved his lap time.
The final session late this afternoon turned out to be the fastest with track conditions almost ideal and saw Brookes lower his lap time to 1:34.924 to end up fifth with Iddon continuing to improve his speed also and although he ended the session in 12th place, he dropped his lap time to a best of 1:35.412.
The team now moves on to the final test in the official schedule with takes place at Donington Park on June 8th prior to the opening round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship takes place over the weekend of 25/27 June at Oulton Park.
Josh Brookes: “The day was positive in as much as the finger injury didn’t really affect me, but regarding the actual test, I felt the track was a little slower than last year as it hadn’t been used very much. We put last year’s settings into the bike and straight away I was fastest but then we tried a few different things, including the new SCX tyre, and the changes didn’t really help us go faster. I learned a lot about the new tyre which was one of the main objects today so that information was invaluable. But we know we have a good base setting on the bike and these tests are to experiment a little but the whole idea is to evaluate our package. Even though I wasn’t fastest overall, I’m happy with where we are at and we got plenty of dry laps in.”
Christian Iddon (21). Photo courtesy VisionTrack Ducati.
Christian Iddon: “Today was really beneficial in getting through a big workload and we came away having done that which was really good. I did a full race run in the middle session and set my fastest lap on lap 17 which bodes well for an 18-lap race round here. In the final session, we needed to try a setting which we’d run previously and just wanted to eliminate certain things so despite being further down the order than I’d have liked, we needed to do that experiment and have learned a lot from it. I’m feeling very happy and positive, and the plan seems to be coming together so we’ll stick at it and now look forward to Donington.”
John Mowatt, Team Co-Ordinator: “It was finally good to get some decent dry laps in at a track we know suits us, so the plan was to define our base setting and then try a few different ideas and of course, get some data on running the new Pirelli tyre. Josh showed what he and the bike are capable of by topping the opening session and from there, we just needed to work through things. Same for Christian, he gradually improved his lap times in all three sessions and prioritised getting data for the opening races rather than setting a one-off fast lap. We now have a lot more information to work with which we will continue at Donington.”
The start of MotoAmerica Superbike Race One at VIR in 2019. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
MotoAmerica HONOS Superbike VIR Preview: Reunited And It Feels So Good
MotoAmerica Is Back In Action At VIRginia International Raceway This Weekend After COVID-19 Forced The Event To Be Cancelled Last Year
IRVINE, CA (May 19, 2021) – If absence does indeed make the heart grow fonder, then the men of the 2021 MotoAmerica HONOS Superbike Series are longing more than ever to get back to one of their favorite venues on the calendar – VIRginia International Raceway – after the event was cancelled last year due to COVID-19.
If you ask 20 of the top motorcycle road racers in the country to list their favorite racetracks, VIR would rank in the top two or three for the majority of them. With its vast array of corners, elevation changes and high speed, VIR is always one of the most eagerly anticipated rounds of the season. Especially so with the stars of the series not getting the opportunity to race through the Virginia forest in 2020.
“VIR is the next round and it’s one of my strongest tracks, so I’m looking forward to it.” – Mathew Scholtz
“I’m looking forward to VIR. I really, really love that place and this bike will be rockin’ around there.” – Jake Gagne
With the opening round of the 2021 MotoAmerica Superbike Series in the books, round two is on the horizon this week at VIRginia International Raceway and for a few riders in the HONOS Superbike class it takes on the utmost of importance.
While all or nothing may be a bit extreme, getting a good result at VIR is… well, for Loris Baz anyway, all or nothing. Of all the championship hopefuls, Baz’s opening round was the one most in need of a re-do as he left Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta with a big ol’ goose egg in the championship points tally after a crash and a mechanical took him out of both races.
But let’s remember that it’s always better to trail the championship points leader by 45 points after the first round than with just one remaining. And that’s where Baz and his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati New York team finds themselves: 45 points behind championship leader Mathew Scholtz. Time, however, is on Baz’s side and, put it this way, if he rips off nine race wins in a row with Scholtz finishing second in those nine races, the two would be tied. With 18 races and 450 points up for grabs, this thing is far from over.
While Baz’s opener was somewhat flawed, Scholtz’s was near perfect. The Westby Racing rider won the first race and finished second in the second, and that vaulted him to the top of the standings and feeling fine as the series moves to VIR after a one-year hiatus from the popular venue. Scholtz shows up at VIR with 45 out of a possible 50 points in his pocket.
Although it’s not a weekend he’s going to brag about, the two races at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta might be ones that Josh Herrin looks back on fondly at season’s end. Herrin rode his Fresh N’ Lean Attack Performance Yamaha YZF-R1 to a pair of thirds in the opening round and that places him second in the championship heading into VIR. Although he was third both times out, Herrin wasn’t pleased about the distance between him and the race winner – 12.8 seconds in race one, 15 seconds in race two – as he struggles to get comfortable on the new Yamaha. Still, he left with a boatload of points and that’s better than most.
M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Bobby Fong had a good opening weekend, albeit marred by a race-two jump start that forced him to take a pit-lane ride-through penalty. From there he fought through to finish fifth, a day after finishing second to Scholtz in race one. It was a good piece of damage control and he rolls into VIR third in the points – 14 points adrift of Scholtz.
Speaking of damage control… Jake Gagne qualified on pole position and was the man to beat all weekend. Well, right up to the point where he suffered a blown engine just one lap into the first race of the season. Unlike Baz, however, Gagne was able to rebound and rebound in a big way with a dominating victory in race two on the Fresh N’ Lean Attack Performance Yamaha. He sits fifth in the title chase – 20 points behind Scholtz.
Kyle Wyman’s opening weekend was quietly effective. The team owner/racer ripped the covers off his Ducati Panigale V4 R to show his off new sponsor Panera Breads during the week and then went out and finished fifth and sixth in the two races. It was also a weekend where Wyman did double duty as he made his King Of The Baggers debut at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. He will be less busy at VIR and will focus his efforts solely on his HONOS Superbike program.
Quiet best describes Hector Barbera’s MotoAmerica debut with the Spaniard finishing sixth and seventh in the two races in Georgia on his Scheibe Racing BMW. New bike, new track, new tires, unfamiliar series… not a bad effort considering the challenges he faced.
Travis Wyman ended up at the top of the Superbike Cup, which runs within the Superbike class for riders mounted on Stock 1000-spec motorcycles, at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, the Travis Wyman BMW rider carding seventh- and-eighth place finishes over the course of the weekend. That bested Altus Motorsports’ Jake Lewis in his return to MotoAmerica action. Lewis and Geoff May came away from the Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta weekend ranked ninth and 10th in the HONOS Superbike title chase.
VIR Superbike Notes
The first-ever AMA Superbike race at VIRginia International Raceway in 2001 was won by the late Nicky Hayden, the 2002 AMA Superbike Champion and 2006 MotoGP World Champion backing that up with a second victory at VIR in 2002.
Five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier, who now competes in the Moto2 World Championship, is the HONOS Superbike lap record holder at VIRginia International Raceway. Beaubier’s best lap is a 1:23.790 set during Superpole in 2018.
With no race at VIR in 2020, we have to bounce back to 2019 to see that JD Beach won his first AMA Superbike race in the second of two races – just a week after the popular racer won bis first career AMA Grand National Flat Track in Arizona. Beach topped his former Supersport Series rival Garrett Gerloff in taking his first career win. The day prior, Cameron Beaubier topped his rival Toni Elias to score the MotoAmerica Superbike win.
Mathew Scholtz scored the third AMA Superbike win of his career on Saturday at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta a few weeks ago and that put him into a nine-way tie for 30th on the all-time AMA Superbike win list. Scholtz is tied with some pretty impressive names: Martin Cardenas, Ben Bostrom, Pascal Picotte, Colin Edwards, Troy Corser, Bobby Fong, Steve McLaughlin and Reg Pridmore.
With his victory in race two a few weeks ago at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, Jake Gagne became the 61st rider to win an AMA Superbike race.
Scholtz’s and Gagne’s victories at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta were the 146th and 147th career wins for Yamaha as a manufacturer in AMA Superbike racing. Suzuki leads the way with 215 Superbike wins.
The Stock 1000 class again leads the way in entries with 36 riders scheduled to take to the track at VIR. There are 28 HONOS Superbike entries, 26 Supersport entries, 18 SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup entries and 28 Twins Cup entries.
More, from a press release issued by Kyle Wyman Racing:
KWR/Panera Bread Ducati Team heads to Virginia International Raceway
TUCSON, Ariz. (May 19) — The KWR/Panera Bread Ducati Team heads to Virginia International Raceway this weekend for round two of the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship. Rider Kyle Wyman looks to improve on the Road Atlanta performances to fight for podium finishes in Alton, Virginia.
The KWR Team has been hard at work preparing the Ducati Panigale V4 R Superbike for battle as the series starts to find its rhythm. With limited testing time the team is still aiming for podium results, with a capable bike and rider that can get the job done. For Chief Mechanic Dave Hopkinson, it’s an opportunity to try some new parts and put the latest version of the KWR Ducati to work.
“I’m excited for this weekend,” Hopkinson said. “For me personally it’s a new track with MotoAmerica not having raced here last year. I’m excited also because following a successful first outing for our all-new bike at Atlanta, we now have further new parts from Accossato to use at VIR that I’m hoping will further improve our new bike. It’s been busy in the gap assessing the Atlanta weekend, making improvements and changes ready to take on VIR. We are still learning about the new bike but are excited about its prospects as we enter round two.”
With the team evolving from a technical standpoint, Wyman says the key to having a successful weekend in Virginia will be to spin numerous, quality laps on Friday.
“The bike is in a good place, and I’m in a good place,” Wyman said. “In Atlanta we had some technical issues on Friday that caused us to miss a lot of quality track time. This week we need to make sure Friday goes smoothly and that I can get a lot of laps to get more familiar with the bike. It’s truly the best Superbike I’ve ever ridden. I just need to develop the confidence to push it to the maximum, and to accomplish that we need laps.”
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More, from a press release issued by Westby Racing:
Superbike Championship Leader Scholtz Is Ready To Press His Advantage This Weekend In Virginia
Tulsa, OK – May 19, 2021 – Round two of the 2021 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship starts this Friday at VIRginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia, and current Superbike points leader Mathew Scholtz, along with his Westby Racing team, will be looking to build on his race win and runner-up finish from round one at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
Meanwhile, JR12 Racing/Westby Racing’s Junior Cup rider Jack Roach is eager for more seat time aboard his Yamaha YZF-R3, especially at a track that is new to him.
For Mathew, VIR’s 14-turn, 2.25-mile natural road course is one of his favorite racetracks on the MotoAmerica schedule, and he’s looking forward to returning there after MotoAmerica took a one-year hiatus from the venue due to COVID-19.
Mathew Scholtz (11). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Westby Racing.
“I’m excited to get the VIR round started this weekend, especially after coming off a solid round at Road Atlanta,” Mathew said. “I know that we are going to have our work cut out for us this weekend, but VIR has always been a very strong track for me. It really suits my riding style. There are a lot of switchbacks, and you need a lot of front-end feel with those, which the Westby Racing Yamaha R1 Superbike has in spades. I’ve been training extremely hard on the motocross bike the past few days, and I feel a lot more confident than I ever have. I’m just going to take things as they come, but I’m expecting some pretty good results and to be fighting up front as usual. We’re looking to get up to speed quickly so we can work on our race pace. I feel like we are getting stronger every time I’m on the bike, and we have a solid game plan for how to improve the areas where we were a little bit weak in the first race weekend. All is well, and I can’t wait to see all the Westby crew and carrying on with where we left off at Atlanta, which is to maintain the lead up front.”
Superbike final qualifying is on Saturday morning at 11 a.m. ET, Superbike race one will go green on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. ET, and Superbike Race 2 is on Sunday afternoon also at 3 p.m. ET. Both races will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 2 (FS2), as well as streamed on MotoAmerica Live+.
For Jack, VIR presents a new challenge. He has never before raced at the venue, and his only experience there was gained during a track day earlier this year in what turned out to be wet conditions. But the young Brit, who now lives in Canada and races here in America, is used to new experiences, and he goes into Virginia with his usual level of gusto and enthusiasm.
Jack Roach (12). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Westby Racing.
Jack commented, “Following what was a very tough first round at Road Atlanta, I am as hungry as ever for results. I’ve just got to transfer that hunger into speed on the track, which I know I can do. I have no excuses now because (Westby Racing team manager) Chuck Giacchetto has dedicated a lot of his time to the Yamaha R3, and I’m very grateful for that. VIR is a track that I don’t have a lot of experience at, but my plan is to take it corner by corner, lap after lap, and session by session. I’m super-excited, and I can’t wait for the race weekend to begin.”
Junior Cup race one starts on Saturday at 5 p.m. ET, and Junior Cup race two is on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET. Both races will be broadcast via tape-delay on FOX Sports 2 (FS2) this Tuesday, May 25, beginning at 9 p.m. ET. In addition, both Junior Cup races will be streamed on MotoAmerica Live+.
Pick Up Some FREE Westby Racing Collectibles
Westby Racing has produced some great collectibles featuring Mathew and Jack, and they’ll be available at the team transporter throughout the weekend, so swing by and pick some up while maintaining proper social distancing.
Check Out The Westby Racing Sponsor Showcase
Capit Performance Srl, Drippin’ Wet, SBS Friction A/S, Superbike Unlimited, and Suter Racing Products will be the featured team sponsors on display in the Westby Racing paddock area, so be sure to stop by to say hello and learn about some of the companies that support the team.
Also, follow “Westby Racing” on your favorite social media sites.
More, from a press release issued by Ducati:
Loris Baz and Kyle Wyman Ready to Get After America’s Best at VIR
Sunnyvale, Calif., May 19, 2021 – Round two of the 2021 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship sees Ducati stars Loris Baz (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati New York) and Kyle Wyman (Panera Bread Ducati) heading to the legendary VIRginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia, with both riders looking to ignite their title charges.
Baz’s round one on the glorious Ducati Panigale V4 SBK was less than the MotoGP and WorldSBK veteran was looking for with a double DNF (did not finish). However, the Frenchman has taken some positives after showing front running pace in both races in his MotoAmerica debut at Road Atlanta, a circuit he’d never seen before first practice on Friday.
Wyman’s opening round saw the Arizona resident card a fifth and sixth place finish on the Panera Bread Ducati, and he’ll be looking for more at a circuit that should suit the ultra-fast nature of his distinctive green and black Ducati Panigale V4 R.
Loris Baz (76). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Ducati.
Loris Baz (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati New York – Ducati #76)
“I’ve been training hard like always and trying to stay fit,” Baz said. “We’ve done one day of testing in New Jersey to try a couple of things because we are still quite far from the limit of this bike. That’s a positive aspect because all the guys in the championship know their bikes pretty well and we’re still getting to know our bike.
“I’m really looking forward to this race. I only have the positives from Atlanta in my head which was the speed we had, and I just want it to go the same way at VIR. I know the track. I did a track day there on the Ducati Panigale V4 S, so that will help us get going straight away without having to learn the way. We are starting our season in VIR but the target is always the same: we’re here to win.”
Kyle Wyman (33). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Ducati.
Kyle Wyman (Panera Bread Ducati – Ducati #33)
“There’s been lots happening behind the scenes to get ready for VIR but not a lot of seat time since Road Atlanta,” Wyman said. “The goal for this weekend is to have a solid Friday so we can spin some quality laps. This Panera Bread Ducati is in constant evolution and we’ve made a few changes since Road Atlanta to try and get the bike in a more familiar area. We’ve been hard at work prepping the bike, getting more spares built, and laying the proper foundations for the rest of the season. It’s a long year and we want to be there at the end.”
Round two of the 2021 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship will be held at VIRginia International Raceway on May 21-23, 2021.
Twisted Speed Racing’s Dustin Dominguez (912) took the lead at the start of the WERA/N2 Racing National Endurance Series race at Roebling Road Raceway, a lead that the team never relinquished. Photo by Lee Fields/Active Shooter Photography, courtesy Twisted Speed Racing.
Twisted Speed Cruises To N2/WERA National Endurance Series By Dunlop Win
Roebling Road Raceway
Twisted Speed Racing’s Dustin Dominguez, Hayden Gillim and Brad Burns took the lead at the start of the N2/WERA National Endurance Series By Dunlop four-hour endurance race at Roebling Road Raceway and held it to the finish, crossing the line 168 laps later without ever surrendering the lead.
Most remarkably, the team’s Suzuki GSX-R1000 ran the entire event on a single front Dunlop slick, the team changing only rears during each of its hourly fuel and rider swaps. The durability of the tires – a Dunlop KR448 medium 7455 compound, and a quartet of Dunlop KR451 medium 0455 rears – left Twisted Speed able to run the race on three stops while other teams struggled with tire wear.
“We were pitting just past the hour mark, and the tires were holding up,” Burns said. “We just let the motorcycle and the tires set the pace, and we let the race come to us. Because of our Dunlops, we were able to have a faster lap time for a longer lap time.”
Dominguez took the first stint and established a solid lead, while Gillim set the team’s fast lap of a 1:13.821 on the 60th lap around the 2.02-mile circuit.
Dominguez got back in the saddle for the third stint, while Burns rode the final leg, clocking in 1:15 laps with plenty in reserve on his way to a two-lap margin of victory. “There was plenty left,” said Burns. “I was just trying to make sure the motorcycle didn’t fall over!”
The victory – overall and in the Heavyweight class – left Twisted Speed on top of the Championship chase in the Heavyweight class with a 196.72-192.28 margin over AOD, with N2/Bobblehead third with 179.88 points.
Troy Bayliss at World Ducati Week in 2018. Photo courtesy Ducati.
Troy Bayliss confirms injuries after bicycle crash
Three-time World Superbike champion Troy Bayliss has confirmed that a bicycle crash last Friday, 14th May, has left him with a fractured C4 vertebra and corresponding spinal damage that will see the active 52-year-old Ducati legend on the sidelines for several months.
With Troy having no exact recollection of the incident, it appears that another bicycle was exiting between two parked cars and he has collided head first into it. Most of the impact was transferred through his head to his neck, and he lost consciousness. He was immediately treated and taken to hospital.
While the injuries are serious, Troy’s condition is stable. He returned to his Gold Coast home yesterday to begin his recovery.
Troy Bayliss:
“I’m OK and I’m home, but the crash means I won’t be riding a motorcycle until I regain full movement in my arms and hands. I really just wanted to let everyone know what’s happened, that I’m OK and that I’ll be back in leathers as soon as I can. It’s been an intense weekend for me and my family, but luckily I’m OK and I will recover. My doctors have been really positive, but there’s no firm indication of how long it will be until I can regain enough control to get back on a bike – maybe a few months, maybe longer; it just depends on how the recovery goes once the bones heal up.”
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