Steven Taylor “Steve” Johnson, of Bend, Oregon, died June 9, 2021. He was 69 years old.
Johnson is survived by his brothers Sandy, Matt, and Patrick; and his children Ryan, Neal, and Jenna.
Johnson, originally from San Diego, California, grew up racing on two and four wheels and competed against the likes of King Kenny Roberts when they were dirt track Novices together in 1970, according to a biography prepared by the Trailblazers’ Hall of Fame.
While road racing in England, Johnson hooked up with Phil Read, became part of his crew, and helped Read win the 1971 250cc Grand Prix World Championship. Johnson was only 20 years old.
That led to Johnson working for Kawasaki building motocross racebikes and tuning for the likes of 1972 AMA 500cc Motocross National Champion Brad Lackey and 1974 AMA 500cc Motocross National Champion Jimmy Weinert, among others. In his spare time, he built Kawasaki road race bikes for Yvon Duhamel.
Kawasaki shifted Johnson over to road racing, and he worked with Freddie Spencer in 1979, when Spencer won two of the four AMA Superbike races on a Kawasaki and placed third in the Championship.
Johnson was then linked up with Eddie Lawson for 1980 and 1981. Lawson won the AMA 250cc Grand Prix Championship both years and the AMA Superbike crown in 1981.
Wayne Rainey then joined Kawasaki’s team, and Johnson tuned for both Lawson and Rainey, winning the 1982 AMA Superbike Championship with Lawson and the 1983 AMA Superbike Championship with Rainey.
Johnson next bounced back to Kawasaki’s motocross program, where he had several more successful seasons working with Jeff Ward, among other riders.
Johnson later joined Vance & Hines’ road racing team and won the Daytona 200 and the AMA 600cc Supersport Championship with David Sadowski in 1990. Johnson added another Daytona 200 victory with Lawson in 1993, before moving to Rob Muzzy Racing.
Johnson worked for Rob Muzzy Racing from 1994 until 1999, running its World Superbike team from 1994 to 1996 and later winning the AMA Superbike Championship with Doug Chandler in 1997.
After Rob Muzzy Racing stopped road racing motorcycles, Johnson moved to North Carolina and started working for a NASCAR team and eventually became a professor at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill teaching Motorsports Racing Management until he retired and relocated back to Bend, Oregon.
According to the Trailblazers, Johnson built and/or tuned motorcycles that won two World Championships and 21 National Championships in motocross, supercross, and road racing. He was inducted into the Trailblazers Hall of Fame in 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the induction ceremony did not take place before his passing.
A Celebration of Life in conjunction with Johnson’s induction into the Trailblazers Hall of Fame will be celebrated Sunday, August 29, in the Waverly Chapel at Fairhaven Memorial & Cemetery, 1702 Fairhaven Ave., Santa Ana, CA 92705 at 11:00 a.m.
SUZUKI’S SEAN DYLAN KELLY AND JAKE LEWIS DELIVER DECISIVE VICTORIES IN PITTSBURGH
Brea, CA – Suzuki Motor USA, LLC and Team Hammer were at it again at Pittsburgh International Race Complex, adding more wins, podiums, and pole positions to their season tally while taking another big step toward a pair of national championships.
M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s MotoAmerica Supersport ace Sean Dylan Kelly was the headliner as has become customary this season. The rising star saw his six-race win streak snapped following a hard-fought fight on Saturday only to come back even stronger a day later.
‘SDK’ pulled off a tactical master class in the rematch, executing a stunning last-lap maneuver aboard his agile GSX-R600 in Turn 11 to secure his tenth triumph of 2021.
Not even 20 years old, Kelly already boasts 17 victories and 36 podiums in his MotoAmerica Supersport career. He’s also closing in on a first career MotoAmerica Supersport championship as he currently leads the title fight by 61 points with just two stops on the calendar remaining.
Kelly said, “Man, the confidence came from the feeling I had in the bike today. It was absolutely amazing. Huge thank you to my whole M4 ECSTAR Suzuki crew … all my guys. I just felt so great with the bike. I feel I played it smarter today, too. Yesterday, I didn’t win and I wasn’t going to let it happen again. You can see I had a different game plan and it worked out to perfection.”
“We did what we had to do. I’m very proud of the work. Today was an important step to the ultimate goal. We’re going to keep on fighting until we reach it.”
Sam Lochoff (44) rode a strong race and delivered two top-five finishes in Pittsburgh, PA. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Kelly’s M4 ECSTAR Suzuki Supersport teammate, Samuel Lochoff, enjoyed a strong weekend as well, backing up his Saturday fifth with a podium-contending fourth on Sunday. The South African already boasts ten top-five finishes during a successful rookie Supersport campaign.
He said, “It’s still my first year, so finishing the year strong means just finishing every race. I’m not really putting a lot of pressure on myself. Obviously, getting podiums is nice, but wherever I finish, I’ve already reached many of my goals. I’m always trying to improve, but I’m very happy with how the year is going.”
Bobby Fong (50) delivered a well-earned podium finish on his Suzuki GSX-R1000R on Sunday. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Meanwhile, M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Bobby Fong concluded an inspiring weekend with a much-deserved podium in MotoAmerica Superbike action.
The Californian was robbed of an opportunity to demonstrate his full potential on Saturday due to a technical issue. Undeterred, he started the race from pitlane and ripped his way up through the field, overtaking nearly twenty riders en route to eighth.
He was forced to start from Row 3 on Sunday as a result, but continued his upward mobility, streaking up to third while pressuring second by the time he took the checkered flag aboard his GSX-R1000R.
Fong said, “It’s been a roller coaster of a year, but I’ve fought through worse challenges before. We just kept our head held high and kept charging. It was a good race. I’m happy to be back up and excited that we have the M4 ECSTAR Suzuki handling well.”
Cam Petersen (45) had another solid weekend with two top-ten finishes on his GSX-R1000R. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
It was another steady weekend for second Superbike pilot Cameron Petersen. The South African collected fourth- and sixth-place results on the weekend.
Jake Lewis (85) increased his Championship points lead with another dominant win on his GSX-R1000R. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Like Kelly, Altus Motorsports Suzuki’s Jake Lewis enjoyed another weekend that further strengthened his championship hopes. Lewis guided his Team Hammer-built GSX-R1000R to victory from pole to expand his Stock 1000 season advantage to 20 points.
Lewis was also the top Superbike Cup finisher in both Superbike races in Pennsylvania.
After earning his fourth Stock 1000 win of 2021, Lewis said, “It was a perfect weekend. This race was pretty tough. I had pace on the guys all weekend, but they kept me honest in the race. Big thanks to the whole team. The Suzuki has been amazing.”
Wyatt Farris (79) had a tough weekend but will be back stronger in New Jersey. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Unfortunately, M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Wyatt Farris was unable to earn additional Stock 1000 results from his recent strong form. Farris crashed on the original race’s second lap and his GSX-R1000R subsequently went up in flames and burned on the track. That brought out the red flag while pushing the Stock 1000 restart to the end of the day. Farris was forced to watch from the fences after flashing top-five potential in the lead up to the race.
Team Hammer will contest the season’s penultimate round at New Jersey Motorsports Park on September 10-12, 2021.
More, from a press release issued by Altus Motorsports:
MotoAmerica: Round 7 Results from Pittsburgh International Race Complex for the Altus Motorsports Tucker Environmental Service Solutions Team
(Pittsburgh, PA) The fan turnout for the 7th round of the MotoAmerica Championship at Pittsburgh International Race Complex [PittRace] was amazing. For the Altus team it was another weekend of highs and lows.
Honos Superbike & Stock 1000:
Jake Lewis has clearly found his stride and gelled with the Altus Motorsports GSX-R1000. Once again, he put the bike on pole for the Stock1000 race and led from the first corner to the final checkered flag. This win puts Jake on top of the Stock1000 championship by 20 points with two rounds to go.
Jake Lewis (85). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Altus Motorsports.
Lewis also gridded up for the Superbike races. He finished both races in 9th overall but he was the top Superbike Cup Rider, putting him out in front of that championship by 35 points.
“It was a perfect weekend. Won both the Superbike Cup races and the Stock1000 race. Big thanks to the Altus team, especially my mechanics. The bike was amazing,” said Jake Lewis.
Supersport 600:
It was a difficult weekend for the two Altus Supersport 600 racers. Intermittent rain on Friday made for a very green track most of the weekend. As a result, grip was hard to come by.
Kevin Olmedo missed the Friday practice and qualifying session after a canceled flight left him stranded in Miami. The Pittsburgh circuit is extremely technical and missing the practice time had Kevin at a disadvantage that he spent the weekend trying to make up.
Kevin Olmedo (16). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Altus Motorsports.
Both of the Supersport riders struggled with rear grip on Saturday. Olmedo struggled to get up to his usual pace in Q2 and ended up in 13th on the starting grid in Race 1, which was where he finished. Jaret Nassaney started Race 1 from 17th and finished in 14th.
Jaret Nassaney (59). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Altus Motorsports.
Saturday night the team made changes to the bike setup on both of the Altus GSX-R600s. During the warm-up practice on Sunday, Olmedo and Nassaney said the motorcycles felt much better. Unfortunately, at the start of Race 2, both of the Altus riders got pinched off and shuffled back. As a result, they spent the race fighting through traffic. Olmedo ended with a 9th place finish and Nassaney with 12th. However, each recorded their fastest times and said the bikes were significantly better.
“We struggled a bit this weekend. We improved on Sunday and salvaged what we could,” said Jaret Nassaney.
Junior Cup:
Hayden Bicknese started both Junior Cup races from 12th. On Saturday he crossed the finish line in 11th. On Sunday, in spite of major improvements in his lap times, he still finished in 12th.
Hayden Bicknese (69). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Altus Motorsports.
“I am super proud of the team. Riders, mechanics, and everyone. Overall, in spite of some setbacks, this was a very successful weekend. Big thanks to our Crew Chief, Eric Gray, for his help getting all our racers on the right track and heading in the right direction this weekend,” said team owner George Nassaney. “It’s been pretty busy since the end of June. I am looking forward to a few weeks off and it will be good to have a bit of downtime for the team and finish the season strong.”
The Altus Motorsports team is supported by our great family of sponsors: Altus Motorsports, Environmental Service Solutions, Suzuki Motor Corporation, Creative Sports Concepts, Tucker Powersports, Schaefer Engineering, Hot Bodies Racing, M4 Exhausts, Vortex EK, Motion Pro, Barnett, VP Lubricants, SBS Brakes, Galfer USA, Moto-D Racing, Bonamici, Ohlins, K-Techs, RS Taichi, Arai, Law Tigers Oklahoma, and Altus Factory Racing.
More, from a press release issued by Kyle Wyman Racing:
Wyman makes solid Superbike return at Pittsburgh International Race Complex
Kyle Wyman (33). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy KWR.
TUCSON, Ariz. — Kyle Wyman returned to action in the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship aboard his Panera Bread Ducati this past weekend at Pittsburgh International Race Complex, finishing 6th and 8th place in races one and two, respectively.
Wyman’s return to the Superbike grid was long awaited for both team and rider after an 8-week recovery on his fractured elbow, and an aborted attempt two weeks prior at Brainerd International Raceway. Friday’s practice and qualifying session saw Wyman place 6th overall and within striking distance of the top-3.
“After Brainerd, it was apparent that we were not quite ready to return to the grid safely,” Wyman said. “I went home to get some scans done to make sure everything was structurally good and that the bone was healing, and we were able to confirm that. Knowing it was good to go structurally gave me the confidence to start working it harder over the past couple weeks. With that and the ergonomics changes we made to the bike, I was able to ride the full day Friday without too much issue and we set a pretty good flyer lap time at the end of the day.”
Saturday morning’s QP2 session would set the grid as riders put on their sticky Dunlop Qualifying tires. Wyman qualified 8th on the grid to lock in a 3rd row starting position for Race One on Saturday afternoon. A great start would put him 6th on track and he would maintain that through to the end of the race, but with an unforeseen slower pace than expected and a lonely race.
“Race one I really struggled with the bike,” Wyman said. “I seemed to have some chatter from the get-go that was originating from the rear tire, even when it was new. Its hard to tell exactly what happened there but I suffered a lot in the middle section of the track, where we spend a lot of time on the side of the tire. For us we got a bit lucky with some attrition that gave us a top-6 but we were not happy with the pace.”
In Sunday’s warm-up session, the KWR team made adjustments to the bike to seek front end feel and mitigate the harsh chatter of the front tire, to some avail. With race two on the horizon, the team was presented with an opportunity to help out a fellow competitor – one who would be Wyman’s biggest rival of the day.
“About an hour before race two on Sunday, our friends over at the Schiebe BMW team were struggling with a stripped out thread in their kit swingarm,” Wyman said. “They came to us for help, knowing that we carried KATO Fastening thread insert kits. We had the size and pitch of thread they needed to get their bike back together and run the race.”
As if it were meant to be, Wyman found himself in a heated flag-to-flag battle with Scheibe BMW rider Hector Barbera as they scrapped over 7th place, trading positions more than 10 times throughout the affair. Barbera would win out in the duel and beat Wyman to the line in a last lap scrap that came down to just 0.117 of a second at the finish line.
“I got another great start and was hanging onto the top 5 guys in the first few laps,” Wyman said. “We definitely had a lot better pace in race two and I felt a bit more comfortable on the bike. Hector and I had a really wild battle that I will remember for a long time. It was one of those duels that was so challenging and fun to manage, trying to work out the race strategy and get to the line first. In the end, he was able to block me from a lunge in the chicane that I was able to do successfully a lap prior, and hold me off to the line.”
“All told I would say it was a positive weekend, for us to come back and get back in the groove again,” Wyman added. “The elbow was able to hold up throughout the event, but is very sore now that I’ve put in three consecutive days on it and Pittsburgh is no joke when it comes to how physical it is to wrestle a superbike around. I look forward to our little break we have over the next few weeks that will put us in a good position physically to finish the season strong.”
The next round will take place at New Jersey Motorsports Park, where Wyman has a best Superbike finish of 2nd place in 2017. NJMP will host round 8 of 9, September 10-12, 2021 in Millville, N.J..
Please visit our sponsor page to support the companies who support KWR.
The Chuckwalla Valley Motorcycle Association (CVMA) 2020-2021 racing season wrapped up a little earlier than scheduled this year, with the final day of racing cut short due to high winds. However, championships were decided and now it is time to celebrate the hard work put in by our competitors to earn some awesome trophies.
CVMA would like to announce that the annual awards banquet for the 2020-2021 winter series will be held at a location with as big a passion for motorcycles as they have for fine wine, the beautiful Doffo Winery in Temecula, California. We invite everyone to come out and have some great food and drink while we celebrate the riders that worked so hard to finish at the top in their class championships.
CVMA Awards Banquet:
Where? Doffo Winery, 36083 Summitville St., Temecula, CA 92592 in the Piazza area
CVMA would like to congratulate the champion of the CVMA Shootout and the repeat winner of the coveted #1 plate for the club, Michael Gilbert. We would also like to congratulate all the top three finishers in the class championships and our top finishers in the club points championship, those results are included below:
CVMA would also like to congratulate all the amateur racers that started racing with club last season and especially those that are now moving up to race in the expert ranks! We look forward to seeing you race against some of the fastest riders in the country in our expert classes. A list of those racers is included below:
The CVMA 2021-2022 Winter series kicks off in a few short weeks on September 25th with a double points event. Come on out and join us for some of the most competitive racing in the country, we look forward to seeing all our riders at the track soon!
AMA Hall of Famer Yvon Duhamel has died. He was 81.
Duhamel, was born in Montreal, Canada, in 1939. During his life he competed in many disciplines of motorcycle racing, including: drag racing, flat track, ice racing, motocross, and road racing.
He also competed as a professional in snowmobile racing.
Best known as a road racer, Duhamel competed in AMA Pro Nationals, the Grand Prix World Championships, and the Endurance World Championship.
In 1968 and 1969, he won the AMA Lightweight races at Daytona on a Yamaha 350 two-stroke.
In 1968, he finished second in the Daytona 200 behind Cal Rayborn and became the first two-stroke rider to ever finish on the podium in that race.
In 1969, he earned pole position for the Daytona 200.
Riding a Kawasaki two-stroke triple, he gave Kawasaki its first AMA National road race victory, at Talladega Superspeedway, in 1971.
From 1971 to 1973, he won five AMA Nationals on Kawasakis.
Riding a Kawasaki, he finished fifth in the 250cc Grand Prix World Championship race at Assen in 1975.
He raced modified Kawasaki KZ1000s in Le Mans and Bol d’Or 24-hour races for several years.
Yvon Duhamel. Photo courtesy AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.
In 1999, Yvon Duhamel was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio.
Duhamel is survived by sons Miguel and Mario, both of whom became professional motorcycle road racers. Miguel Duhamel was one of the winningest AMA Pro road racers of all time and is also a member of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.
We will update this post with more details as they become available.
During the Canadian Superbike race weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Alex Dumas was able to put his Liqui Moly MPG Fast Riding School Suzuki on the podium for each of the three pro superbike races. Dumas also received the Pro Rookie of the year 2021 award.
Dumas said: “I had an overall good weekend. It was really interesting to learn a track that is so fast. I got the hole shot in every race and lead multiple laps of the races. Unfortunately I couldn’t draft the other guys as much as they were drafting me but we still managed to be competitive throughout all races. I can’t wait to go to the final round at Calabogie next month.
“Thanks to all my supporters and sponsors, including: Liqui Moly, MPG Moto, FAST Riding School, Suzuki Canada, SM Sport, VR St-Cyr, Hindle Exhaust, Öhlins USA, RoadracingWorld.com, T.A import, Furygan, Arai Helmet Americas, G2 Ergonomics, Domino Racing, TCX Boots, Vortex Racing, Attack Performance, Hotbodies Racing, BrakeTech USA, CL Brakes, Motovan, Team Hammer, and DSM body.”
Alex Dumas with trophies and awards at CTMP. Photo by Anik Sanfacon, courtesy of Alex Dumas.
JOHNNY LEWIS PUSHES THROUGH AT TRICKY NEW YORK SHORT TRACK DOUBLEHEADER
Ladies of Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. highlight MotoAmerica Pitt Race & New York Short Track
Milwaukee, WI – It was a big weekend for Royal Enfield race teams, as Johnny Lewis and the Moto Anatomy X team took on Weedsport Speedway for the New York Short Track Doubleheader. The women of Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. (BTR) also had a doubleheader of sorts, with both Road Racing at Pitt Race MotoAmerica, and Flat Track at Weedsport Speedway taking place on Saturday, August 14. Johnny Lewis carded a fourth-place finish in the American Flat Track Production Twins class on Friday night, followed by seventh place on Saturday evening. In the BTR showdown at the New York Short Track, Jillian Deschenes edged out previous round winner Jaycee Jones for the win, while the BTR Road Race podium was once again dominated by CJ Lukacs, who continues to shine in the MotoAmerica BTR exhibition.
Johnny Lewis and the Moto Anatomy X Royal Enfield Racing Team continue to make progress with the Twins FT race bike. After the historic win at the Lima Half Mile, the Moto Anatomy team has tasted success, and are ready to fight for more wins. On Friday night, the first New York Short Track of the doubleheader at Weedsport Speedway in Weedsport, New York, Lewis was knocking on the door of the podium, right on the heels of Dalton Gauthier, but ended one step away in fourth at the flag.
On Saturday night, the Moto Anatomy X team continued to chase setup on the slick track and changing conditions. In a testament to the crew’s hard work and Lewis’ consistency, he carded a solid seventh-place finish on the Royal Enfield Twins FT.
“These slick clay ovals have been tough to dial in but we aren’t giving up,” said Lewis. “An ever-changing surface made a day of endless changes right up until the main event on Friday. On Saturday we lost valuable time in the opening laps, but held on for a seventh. I’m ready to put this one behind me and we’re all excited to head to Peoria TT this weekend.”
“Johnny continues to improve his impressive performances on track,” said Breeann Poland, Marketing and Communications Lead – Royal Enfield Americas. “We’re proud to see a solid fourth on Friday night and seventh the following evening on the slick and fast track, where the entire paddock was battling complicated conditions. We’re now looking forward to the Peoria TT.”
BUILD. TRAIN. RACE.
Saturday night at Weedsport Speedway saw the ladies of Build. Train. Race. take to the track for the third round of BTR Flat Track. Once again, it was Jillian Deschenes and Jaycee Jones duking it out for top honors. With one win apiece in the previous two rounds, the duo came into New York locked in battle for the championship. Round-one winner Deschenes answered back with another victory, besting Jones, this time by over five seconds. Malary Lee claimed the third and final podium position.
Jillian Deschenes (center), Jaycee Jones (left), and Malary Lee (right) enjoy a champagne shower on the New York Short Track AFT podium. Photo courtesy Royal Enfield North America.
“Flat Track racing never fails to send me home smiling from ear to ear,” said Deschenes. “But the champagne showers on the podium with my friends are those moments I will never forget.”
The BTR Road Race team was also in action on Saturday, and it was once again CJ Lukacs with a dominant performance, this time at Pittsburgh International Race Complex. The former pro motocross racer proves to be taking to the tarmac with ease, and took her second victory in as many races, leaving the rest of the field to battle behind her. Trisha Dahl claimed another runner-up finish while Becky Goebel took third. Dahl fended off a late-race challenge from Michaela Trumbull to secure her position on the podium in third.
CJ Lukacs (77) at speed at Pittsburgh International Race Complex. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Royal Enfield North America.
Despite her dominant performance, Lukacs admits, “This weekend was a tough one for me. Trying to learn this track with limited time was challenging. I became a little faster as the race went on and just stayed consistent found my flow. Melissa [Paris] really helped me interpret what was happening to help me find my footing. I couldn’t be happier to come out with a second win. I’m so grateful to have the support around us to help us succeed. It wouldn’t be possible without them. It’s humbling; it truly is.”
“Our BTR Program participants continue to amaze me. We are a few races in for both Road Racing and Flat Track, and the women are learning more every time out and honing their skills,” said Breeann Poland, Marketing and Communications Lead – Royal Enfield Americas. “In both disciplines, the battles on track are keeping us all on the edge of our seats. We came up with this program to empower and inspire more women to get into motorsports and I think it’s working. The support from the community and our racing partners has been more than we could have hoped for.”
The women of Royal Enfield BTR Road Racing will be back in action September 17-19 at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama for the third and final round. The Build. Train. Race. Flat Track program will race their fourth and final round at the Charlotte Half-Mile in Charlotte, North Carolina on October 8. Find more information on the Royal Enfield BUILD. TRAIN. RACE. Road Race Program at https://buildtrainrace.com/.
About Royal Enfield
The oldest motorcycle company in continuous production in the world, Royal Enfield made its first motorcycle in 1901. A division of Eicher Motors Limited, Royal Enfield has created the midsize motorcycle segment in India with its unique and distinctive modern classic motorcycles. With its manufacturing base in Chennai, India, Royal Enfield has been able to grow its production rapidly against a surge in demand for its motorcycles. Royal Enfield is a leading player in the global middleweight motorcycle market.
Royal Enfield North America (RENA) is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is developing a growing network of more than 125 dealers in North America, including the contiguous U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. RENA currently offers the all-new Meteor 350, Himalayan and the 650 Twins (INT 650 and Continental GT 650) motorcycles, along with a range of Genuine Motorcycle Accessories and apparel.
For more information on Royal Enfield North America, visit www.RoyalEnfield.com/us/en/, www.Instagram.com/RoyalEnfield_NA, www.Facebook.com/RoyalEnfieldNorthAmerica.
More, from a press release issued by KTM Factory Racing:
RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING TEAM MANAGE TOUGH WEEKEND AT NEW YORK SHORT TRACK
Rounds 9 and 10 – American Flat Track Championship
WEEDSPORT, N.Y. – The American Flat Track Championship delivered another intense double-header weekend with the New York Short Track taking place back-to-back nights for rounds 9 and 10 of the series. The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing duo of Max Whale and Shayna Texter-Bauman battled through adversity all weekend long but both multi-time AFT Singles Class winners are optimistic on their direction heading into the final stretch of the series.
Entering the race weekend as the AFT Singles Championship points leader, Max Whale was prepared to keep his momentum rolling in New York. He struggled to piece it all together on day one, finishing sixth in Semi 1 and claiming an uncharacteristic eighth-place finish in the evening’s Main Event. Texter-Bauman qualified into the first Main Event by way of a seventh-place finish in the semi and she battled from a fourth-row start to finish 16th on the night.
With a fresh start on day two, Whale bounced back with a solid third in the semi and he transferred into the Main Event with ease. He got off to a 10th place start in the main and quickly passed his way up to fifth, holding on for a top-five finish on the second day of racing. The Aussie now sits only two points back in the championship standings with plenty of racing left to go in 2021.
Max Whale (18). Photo courtesy KTM Factory Racing.
Whale: “Tough weekend at New York Short track. I struggled on day one, I just couldn’t figure it out. That was probably our biggest struggle all year. On day two, we qualified better and had a better semi, which was good. I had a really bad start in the Main Event, I was in 10th on the first lap and ended up making my way back to fifth. I wasn’t far off a podium spot, so that was a good positive, and I’m just happy we figured it out and made some changes to move forward.”
It was a tough night two for Texter-Bauman, who was on-track to battle for a spot into the Main Event through Semi 1. However, she got pushed off the race track on the opening lap and wasn’t able to make up time in the short eight-lap race, therefore missing the transfer by only two positions. After 10 rounds, Shayna sits ninth overall in the AFT Singles Championship point standings.
Texter-Bauman: “On night one, I felt pretty good to start the day and we just continued to chase the track as the conditions got a lot drier and slick. I ended the night 16th and felt like we had learned a little bit in the Main so we were pretty encouraged going into night two. I felt good and felt like we had a good bike for the semi and we got off the line and got kind of shuffled going into turn one by a guy behind me and kind of pushed me off the race track. The track was really dry and slippery and that little bit of time that I gave up by getting pushed off the track was enough to allow a couple people to go up underneath me and the track was really hard to make up time and pass on so unfortunately, I wasn’t able to qualify for the Main Event. Overall positives from the weekend, we were able to make some improvement to the motorcycle and it was working well, and I felt like we definitely had speed to be in it come Main Event but unfortunately the eight-lap semi cost us the rest of the night.”
KTM-mounted rider Morgen Mischler earned his first AFT Singles Main Event victory of the season on night two, backing up a solid third-place podium finish on the first night. Mischler sits third overall in the championship standings with an impressive season thus far.
Next Race: Peoria TT – Peoria, Illinois – August 21, 2021
AFT Singles Main Event – New York Short Track I
1. Dallas Daniels, Yamaha
2. Trevor Brunner, Honda
3. Morgen Mischler, KTM
OTHER KTM
8. Max Whale – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
16. Shayna Texter-Bauman – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
17. Damon Ream, KTM
AFT Singles Main Event – New York Short Track II
1. Morgen Mischler, KTM
2. Brandon Kitchen, Husqvarna
3. Dallas Daniels, Yamaha
OTHER KTM
5. Max Whale – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
14. Damon Ream, KTM
16. Hunter Bauer, KTM
AFT Singles Point Standings (After 10 Rounds)
1. Dallas Daniels, 178 points
2. Max Whale – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 176
3. Morgen Mischler, 150
OTHER KTM
9. Shayna Texter-Bauman – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 94
More, from a press release issued by Indian Motorcycle:
INDIAN MOTORCYCLE RACING WINS AT NEW YORK SHORT TRACK DOUBLEHEADER
Indian Motorcycle Privateer Sammy Halbert Captures First Win of Season aboard FTR750,
Wrecking Crew Rider Jared Mees Returns to the Top of the Box with Third Win of the Season
Jared Mees (9). Photo courtesy Indian Motorcycle.
WEEDSPORT, N.Y. – Indian Motorcycle Racing, presented by Progressive Motorcycle Insurance, continues its success within the 2021 American Flat Track (AFT) SuperTwins season, as Indian Motorcycle Racing privateer Sammy Halbert and Wrecking Crew rider Jared Mees each captured wins at the New York Short Track doubleheader. Piloting the FTR750, Halbert secured his first win of the 2021 season, while Mees returned to the top of the box for his third win of the season.
On Friday, the two-time reigning SuperTwins Champion Briar Bauman was in a close and aggressive battle with Halbert. Living up to his nickname, ‘Slammin’ Sammy Halbert was able to pull away from the No. 1 plate and secure the victory – leaving the two Wrecking Crew factory riders, Bauman and Mees, left to duke it out for second. Ultimately, Bauman was able to fend off Mees and reach the podium for his eighth straight race.
“Sammy has been battling an injury over these last several weeks, so to see him come back and battle with Bauman and get his first win of the season says a lot about his competitive nature and drive to win. Hats off to him, Kenny and the entire Coolbeth-Nila Racing team,” said Gary Gray, Vice President – Racing, Technology & Service for Indian Motorcycle. “In round two, we all saw a classic Mees performance, as he came back with a chip on his shoulder. He knew he could have his way with this track, and that’s exactly what he did. For Jared, there’s plenty of racing to make a run at this year’s championship, but he knows each race is extremely critical.”
Round two saw Mees return with a vengeance and lead all but the first lap from the Main event. While the line changed dramatically throughout the weekend, Mees smartly adjusted to optimize traction. His best decision came when he took the high line allowing him to pass multiple riders and put him out in front, ultimately leading the way through the checkered flag.
Following the doubleheader at Weedsport Speedway, Bauman maintains his lead with 197, while Mees sits in second with 175 points. Indian Motorcycle privateer Brandon Robinson is third with 168 points.
The 2021 AFT season continues August 21 at the Peoria Motorcycle Club for the Law Tigers Peoria TT. For more information on Indian Motorcycle Racing and the Indian Wrecking Crew, visit IndianMotorcycle.com or follow along on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.
ABOUT INDIAN MOTORCYCLE®
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 is reignited under new brand stewardship. To learn more, please visit www.indianmotorcycle.com.
Championship Cup Series Atlantic and Mid-Atlantic Regions Featuring the AMA Sanctioned ASRA Team Challenge Series Presented by Michelin Tire
Summit Point Motorsports Park
Summit Point, West Virginia
August 14-15, 2021
Twenty-six teams and more than 220 racers met to compete at the Summit Point Summer Cyclefest for a two-day event with the Atlantic and Mid-Atlantic regions of the Championship Cup Series Featuring the AMA Sanctioned ASRA Team Challenge Series Presented by Michelin Tire.
Team Washed Up Racing’s George Demetropolis and Mark Heckles, riding a Suzuki GSX-R1000, won the ASRA Team Challenge (Overall and GTO) race after nabbing the holeshot and staking their claim as race leaders. The team dominated the front of the pack for nearly all 100 laps of the endurance race with Team Grease Monkey Racing’s riders Eric Helmbach and Stephen Hoffman keeping up the pace on board their BMW S1000RR. Hoffman and Helmbach chased the early race leaders around the two mile-long road course, occasionally, and briefly, taking over the top spot. The two teams crossed the finish line exactly as they started with Heckles out front, ahead of Hoffman, and were the only teams to complete all 100 laps of the race. Team Slopoke Racing’s Antonio Rodriguez rounded off the top three in the Combined Overall and GTO classes with 98 solo laps completed on his Kawasaki ZX-10R.
Team Fast Lane Racing won the GTU class with 96 completed laps, followed by Team Real Beal Racing, and Team MI Boys. Team Racing 101 won the GT Lights class with 91 completed laps with Team Making Memories Racing, and Team LWT Dangerous Dough rounding off the podium.
Ryan Jones showed up with his BMW S1000RR to claim victory in his only race of the weekend, the Unlimited Grand Prix. Heckles had nabbed the holeshot and led the first lap, but was meatball flagged for improper grid position and pulled out of the race. Behind him, Jones had maneuvered around second place Roniel Guzman with Alexander Barrera in hot pursuit. Jones began to steadily pick up the pace and open a gap on the rest of the field to win the race without further challenge. Barrera finished second with Antal Halasz close behind in third. Jones is sponsored by Seven West Racing, Gochi Tech, Pirelli Tires, Ride On Moto, and Shoei Helmets.
Arthur Diaz was the winningest expert of the weekend with five-for-five first place finishes. He finished the weekend undefeated, winning the GTL, Lightweight F40, Lightweight GP, Combined Classic Unlimited, and Combined Classic Middleweight races after taking early leads with his 565cc Yamaha R6. Diaz is supported by Innovative Motorcycle Research, Bridgestone Tires, Cycle Gear, Sonoco Fuels, and Evans Cooling.
Xavier Zayat wrapped up the weekend with four first place finishes in the Middleweight Supersport, Heavyweight Supersport, Middleweight GP, and Heavyweight Superbike races on board his Kawasaki ZX-6R. He ran his fastest lap of the day in the Middleweight Superbike Race with a lap time of 1:12.472, slightly less than two seconds off the overall lap record set by Stefano Mesa (1:10-551) two months earlier on his Kawasaki ZX-10R. Zayat is sponsored by KWS Motorsports, Metric Devil Moto (MDM), Pirelli Tires, and Thermosman.
The winningest amateur of the weekend was Grant Lancaster also with four first place finishes. Lancaster won the Middlweight Supersport, Heavyweight Supersport, Middleweight GP, and Middleweight Superbike races with his Yamaha YZF-R6. Lancaster is supported by Bauce Racing, Fresh Oil & Co., Moto XT, Team Pro-Motion, and Vortex Racing.
The next ASRA Team Challenge event is scheduled for September 4-5th, at New Jersey Motorsports Park with the final round to be held at Daytona International Speedway during the 38th Annual Race of Champions, October 15-17th.
The Atlantic region of CCS will also meet at New Jersey Motorsports Park on September 4-5th for the region’s final round. The Mid-Atlantic region’s season finale was held at last weekend’s Summit Point Motorsports Park event.
Full race results, lap times, points standings and remaining 2021 season schedules for the Championship Cup Series, ASRA sprint races, and ASRA Team Challenge Series are available online at: www.ccsracing.us.
Editorial Note: Use the scroll and zoom tools in the bottom left corner of the PDF viewer to better see all of the results.
Sahar Zvik was unchallenged in the big-bore classes, taking six wins in six starts at the WERA West Sportsman Series Presented by Lucas Oil Products double-header round August 14-15 at Buttonwillow Raceway Park.
Under a searing central California sun, Zvik took his Pirelli-shod, Wawa Racing-backed ZX-10R to a win in the first race of the weekend, A Superstock, ripping off a best lap of 1:48.718 seconds around the 3.0-mile Buttonwillow circuit.
It would be Zvik’s best lap of the weekend, but he didn’t need more, as he went on to take the Formula One and A Superbike wins later that day, and then swept all three classes on Sunday.
Gio Alvarez ran Zvik hard in the Formula One race, finishing just 5.928 seconds back, and took second in that race and in A Superstock on Saturday. Terry Heard finished second in A Superbike on Saturday, and followed that up with a trio of runner-up finishes to Zvik on Sunday.
In the Mediumweight classes, Mookie Wilkerson also took six wins in six starts, crossing the stripe first both days in Senior Superbike Mediumweight, C Superbike and B Superbike.
RESULTS
SATURDAY
A SUPERSTOCK EXPERT:
Sahar Zvik (Kaw ZX-10R)
Gil Alvarez (Yam YZF-R1)
Keir Leonhardt (Suz GSX-R750)
Terry Heard (Kaw ZX-10R)
Johnny Edwards (Suz GSX-R1000)
Dexter Stuart (Apr RSV4)
A SUPERSTOCK NOVICE:
Max Ledesma (Duc 998)
Jaycee Sterling (Suz GSX-R1000)
Jesus Ruiz (Yam YZF-R1)
Omar Carrillo (Yam YZF-R1)
HEAVYWEIGHT TWINS SUPERBIKE EXPERT:
Ed Guzman (KTM 1190)
Demond Wilson (Duc 849)
HEAVYWEIGHT TWINS SUPERBIKE NOVICE:
John Trujillo (H-D 1450)
C SUPERSTOCK EXPERT:
Orel Madsr (Kaw ZX-6R)
Jansher Ashraf (Yam YZF-R6)
Mitsu Ueda (Yam YZF-R6)
Edward Hearn (Yam YZF-R6)
Jacob van Rensburg (Hon CBR600RR)
C SUPERSTOCK NOVICE:
Robert Rozycki (Kaw ZX-6R)
Declan van Rosmalen (Yam YZF-R6)
Javad Asehari (Hon CBR600RR)
Christopher Morris (Yam YZF-R6)
Jai Dicipulo (Kaw ZX-6R)
Jimmyjam Salters (Kaw ZX-6R)
FORMULA 2 EXPERT:
Jim Dobson (Yam 700)
FORMULA 2 NOVICE:
Austin Lefevre (Kra 690)
LIGHTWEIGHT TWINS SUPERSTOCK EXPERT:
Ed Guzman (Suz SV650)
SENIOR SUPERBIKE HEAVYWEIGHT EXPERT:
Ruben Soto (Suz GSX-R1000)
Ed Guzman (Yam YZF-R1)
Johnny Edwards (Suz GSX-R1000)
Dexter Stuart (Apr RSV4)
SENIOR SUPERBIKE HEAVYWEIGHT NOVICE:
Robert Morton (Kaw ZX-10R)
Jaycee Sterling (Suz GSX-R1000)
SENIOR SUPERBIKE MEDIUMWEIGHT EXPERT:
Mookie Wilkerson (Yam YZF-R6)
Mitsu Ueda (Yam YZF-R6)
Gerardo Flores (Kaw ZX-6R)
Michael Gougis (Hon CBR600RR)
B SUPERSTOCK EXPERT:
1. Keir Leonhardt (Suz GSX-R750)
Orel Mader (Kaw ZX-6R)
B SUPERSTOCK NOVICE:
1. Declan van Rosmalen (Yam YZF-R6)
Westby Racing And Mathew Scholtz Celebrate Their Second Double-Podium Race Weekend In A Row
Wampum, PA – Following up their two Superbike podium results at Brainerd International Raceway, Mathew Scholtz and the Westby Racing team notched two more podium results this weekend at Pittsburgh International Race Complex. In fact, Mathew and the team exactly matched the results from Brainerd with a third-place result on Saturday and a runner-up result on Sunday, perfectly illustrating the team’s and the rider’s collective ability to improve as the race weekends progress.
On Sunday, Mathew lined up on the front row in third position, got a good jump at the start, and maintained his third-place position for the first four laps. On lap five, he overtook Toni Elias for third and focused on catching race leader Jake Gagne. As the laps wound down, Mathew managed to cut into Jake’s gap at the front, but there just weren’t enough laps left in the 17-lap race, and he ultimately took the runner-up result at the checkered flag.
Mathew commented:
“Overnight, we made a decent TC (Traction Control) change and just one or two torque changes to try to get it out of the corner better. Yesterday, I was just spinning up way too much, so we softened it slightly and made one or two TC changes to get it to hook up better. I felt like it definitely did in today’s race. It felt pretty cool doing mid-41’s during the morning warm up. I kind of knew that I had a decent pace. We were doing 40’s, which was a little bit of a surprise to me. I followed Toni for a couple laps, got past him, and Jake was only maybe three or four seconds ahead. I put in a couple of heater laps, and I closed in on Jake slightly, but then, he obviously noticed that the gap on his board was getting smaller, and he turned it back up. So, kudos to him. Overall, I was really happy just to ride my own pace, my own rhythm, and show that we can be up there challenging. We just need to try to get with Jake for those first couple of laps, and we might be able to do something at the end. But, right now, Jake is riding incredibly well. Well done to Bob (Fong, who finished third). I feel like both of us should have been winning this year, but it seems like things weren’t really working out for us. It seems like we’re kind of finding our way back to where we should be. So, overall, I’m just happy to be back up here. I’ve got to give a huge thanks to the Westby Racing team. There’s a three-week break now. I get to go and see my wife who I haven’t seen in six or seven months, so I’m really happy about that. It’s going to really make me feel better going to Jersey and to Barber having that time with my special person (his wife Kiara). It’s kind of been a difficult year staying by myself with no family and stuff.”
Ed Sullivan, Westby Racing Crew Chief, said:
“It was a really strong weekend for Westby Racing. I feel today was our best race of the season so far. We made some changes overnight, and took another small step after warm up, all aimed at improving drive grip. Just as he did at Brainerd, Mathew showed what he’s capable of, and the next two rounds can’t come soon enough.”
Chuck Giacchetto, Westby Racing Team Manager, said:
“What did I tell you yesterday? Tune in! I was locked to the monitor on pit road today. This was as sweet as our win at Road Atlanta in the first race of the year. Mathew has proven yet again that he is more than capable of running up front with a vengeance. I am extremely proud of the entire team.
“Overnight, Ed and Herschel (Auxier) went to work and from Mat’s feedback, we were able to give him an even more impressive weapon for today’s race. In my opinion, man and machine arrived as one in race two. I hope the entire team feels great about their performance because they were ‘great.’ Special thanks to the diehard MotoAmerica fans. We love all the support you provide.”
Next up for Westby Racing is round eight of the MotoAmerica Championship, which will take place at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, New Jersey, on September 10 through 12.
Also, follow “Westby Racing” on your favorite social media sites.
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Gagne Extends MotoAmerica Superbike Win Streak to 13
Fresh N’ Lean Attack Performance Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne once again dominated today’s proceedings at the Pittsburgh International Race Complex to score a 13th-straight win in MotoAmerica Superbike Race 2. The victory also broke the series’ record for consecutive victories, which he had previously set in the past two races. Standing in for Josh Herrin this weekend, Toni Elias had another solid result for the team in fourth.
With Saturday’s victory, Gagne duly took pole position for the second race. After the start, the points leader and his fellow Fresh N’ Lean Attack Performance Yamaha rider launched well to hold first and second after the first lap. The Californian put some distance between himself and Elias within a couple of laps, repeating yesterday’s masterclass performance to run a lonely race out front. He crossed the finish line comfortably with a 6-second margin, increasing his formidable series’ consecutive win record and extending his championship lead to 93 points with six races remaining.
After another great start in the runner-up position, Elias found himself under pressure from fellow Yamaha rider Mathew Scholtz a couple of laps into the race. He fought hard to hold him off but was passed on Lap 5 and soon had other company. The Spaniard engaged in a thrilling battle after the halfway mark but ultimately was shuffled to fourth on Lap 11, where he would finish.
The Fresh N’ Lean Attack Performance Yamaha Racing Team now enters nearly a month-long break before heading to the New Jersey Motorsports Park for Round 8 of the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship, 10-12 September.
Richard Stanboli – Fresh N’ Lean Attack Performance Yamaha Racing Team Manager
“Today was fun, and Jake rode a safe race for another win. He has such great rhythm, and the crew is doing a great job keeping him comfortable. We made a decent step overnight with Toni’s bike and improved his pace. Unfortunately, that pace was not sustainable, and he had to settle for fourth. Hats off to him for bringing a good atmosphere to the team while maintaining the determination to race at the front. It was a lot to ask of a rider, to race without any testing, and to be competitive, so the results were better than anticipated.
“Also, hats off to Mat (Scholtz) and the Westby team for making it a Yamaha 1-2. We now look forward to seeing our fans at NJ in a few weeks. Josh should be fully recovered by then and in good form, and Jake will do what he does best.”
Jake Gagne (32). Photo courtesy Yamaha Racing.
Jake Gagne – Fresh N’ Lean Attack Performance Yamaha Racing
“It was another great weekend for the whole team! I’m happy to see that all of the hard work that this crew puts in keeps paying off. This Attack Yamaha R1 worked amazing at this track all weekend. I got off to another great start and rode my laps to the end to pull off another win! We’re ready for a little break, and then it’s back-to-back weekends which will be awesome.”
Toni Elias (24). Photo courtesy Yamaha Racing.
Tony Elias – Fresh N’ Lean Attack Performance Yamaha Racing
“Today, I had more speed but less pace, and I paid the price midway through the race. I was hoping for another podium after yesterday’s result, but anyways, a second and fourth-place finish was more than what I was thinking to achieve for the first run with the R1. It has been a pleasure to work with this amazing bike and team, so a big thank you to Richard Stanboli and the Fresh N’ Lean Attack Yamaha team for the opportunity!”
More, from a press release issued by Ducati:
Ducati Duo Take The Positives From a Trying Weekend In Pittsburgh
Sunnyvale, Calif. – The lush green surrounds of the Pittsburgh International Race Complex saw Ducati duo Loris Baz Loris Baz (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati New York) and Kyle Wyman go into battle against America’s best in what was ultimately a trying weekend for the two.
Baz put the #76 Ducati in third on the grid for race one but crashed out on lap three while lying third, pushing him back to a fourth row start for race two. Suffering acute pain in his left hand following the crash, Baz put on a brave face and charged home to an impressive fifth with Yamaha’s Jake Gagne taking both wins.
For Wyman, his first full race meeting back on the Panera Bread Ducati Panigale saw him get steadily faster across the weekend, culminating in an incredible battle with former MotoGP rider, Hector Barbera. Wyman and the Spaniard pushed each other to the limit, with Barbera just getting the better of Wyman at the flag. Regardless, it was a solid performance from the Arizona resident, who carded sixth and eighth place finishes in Pittsburgh.
2021 MotoAmerica Superbike Standing – Top 5
P1 – Jake Gagne (Yamaha) 325
P2 – Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha) 232
P3 – Cameron Petersen (Suzuki) 184
P4 – Bobby Fong (Suzuki) 165
P5 – Loris Baz (Ducati) 149
P10 – Kyle Wyman 67
Loris Baz (76). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Ducati.
Loris Baz (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati New York – Ducati #76)
“It’s been a rough weekend,” Baz said. “We started with P3 in qualifying. I knew we didn’t have the pace to match Jake, but I tried hard and I don’t regret it (the crash). I gave it my best but it was not enough. I lost the front and crashed and hurt my finger a little on the left side, but it was OK. Fortunately, the bike wasn’t too badly damaged. I apologized to my team and said we are in the position where we have to try and stay with Jake, rather than settle for third or fourth. Today, we started from P11 and it was pretty warm, so I just tried to come back as soon as I could. I went to P5 but I struggled a lot with pain in my hand. I was screaming in my helmet for 20 laps. Now, we have three weeks off so I will go back home to France and I have an appointment with the hospital tomorrow to see what I can do with the hand. We’ll regroup and come back in New Jersey. I leave my heart on the bike and I give everything, just like all the guys in the team and I’m proud to work with them.”
Kyle Wyman (33). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Ducati.
Kyle Wyman (Panera Bread Ducati – Ducati #33)
“Today went quite a bit better,” Wyman said after race two. “We are still a little off where we’d expect to be, here at Pittsburgh, but we made some progress with the bike. The elbow was hanging in there and I made it through the weekend physically, so that’s a plus, considering I haven’t been on a bike in a while. We made some positive changes and I had a really good battle with Hector Barbera. I think we passed each other about 20 times throughout the race, and it felt good to be in a battle and to fight again. Sixth and eighth is not where we know we can be but we have some time off now to get focused on what we need to do for New Jersey and then to finish off the year at Barber, but we’ll be trying our best to finish the season with the Ducati on a high note.”
More, from a press release issued by Travis Wyman Racing:
Travis Wyman perseveres through injury from near-crash Saturday to score Stock 1000 podium Sunday at MotoAmerica Superbikes at Pittsburgh
BMW rider remains second in Superbike Cup standings, moves up to third in Stock 1000 points at Pittsburgh International Race Complex
Travis Wyman (10). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Travis Wyman Racing.
WAMPUM, Pa. — Travis Wyman’s weekend racing at Pittsburgh International Race Complex could easily have ended Saturday in spectacular fashion. Instead, the BMW rider showed true grit persevering though a leg injury to claim a podium finish Sunday and move up from fourth to third in the MotoAmerica Stock 1000 standings.
The Las Vegas resident suffered a torn calf muscle while keeping his motorcycle from running into a track barrier in the Saturday MotoAmerica Superbike race, but the contender for two MotoAmerica class titles could not be deterred from taking part in two races on Sunday. Thanks to Wyman’s determination to compete, he maintained second place in the chase for the 2021 MotoAmerica Superbike Cup and is ninth in the overall Superbike standings.
Wyman and the other top five riders in the Superbike Cup practiced and qualified with the Superbike Class — something that had been done at previous rounds. Wyman had a good start to the weekend in Friday morning practice. He finished the session 10th overall and was the fastest of the Cup competitors. Later Friday, Wyman ended Qualifying 1 in 10th and was the second-fastest Cup rider.
In Saturday morning’s Qualifying 2 session, Wyman did enough to secure second on the Stock 1000 starting grid and 12th for the Saturday Superbike race despite struggling for grip in the rear tire.
The first Superbike race of the weekend didn’t produce the results Wyman had hoped for, but his great save kept him in the Superbike Cup title hunt. Wyman got a good start, finished the first lap in 11th place and moved up to 10th on Lap 3. He was still in 10th when the violent near-crash on occurred on Lap 6. As Wyman exited Turn 2 – the same corner he had a big crash at two years ago – his motorcycle began bucking uncontrollably. Wyman valiantly tried to get the BMW back under control and managed to keep the bike on the track. Though he stayed in the race, Wyman dropped to 13th in the running order and went on to finish 14th.
Wyman’s first of two races on Sunday was the event’s lone Stock 1000 contest — though that race wouldn’t be restarted until after the day’s Superbike race. Wyman got a decent start and successfully defended second place into Turn 1. He was running close behind the race leader when the race was stopped due to a crash and bike fire.
In Superbike Race 2, Wyman got off the line well from 14th on the grid and was running in 12th place at the end of Lap 1. When another rider dropped out of the race on Lap 5, Wyman moved up to 11th, but ran a lonely race from thereon. He finished the race in 11th, about eight seconds behind the 10th place rider and about nine seconds ahead of the rider in 12th.
About an hour after the Superbike race wrapped up, Wyman was back on the grid for the restarted Stock 1000 race. After a good start, Wyman was the second rider through the first corner – a position he wouldn’t relinquish through the rest of the race. Wyman caught up to the race leader midway through the shortened 10-lap race, but discomfort from the injuries he sustained Saturday forced him to back off his pace. His runner-up finish was Wyman’s fourth Stock 1000 podium this season.
The team has three weeks to prepare for the last two rounds of the 2021 season, which are scheduled for Sept. 10-12 at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, N.J., followed by the season finale Sept. 17-19 at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Ala.
Travis Wyman / No. 10
“I was confident coming into this weekend that we could get back on top of the box here at Pitt Race. Qualifying went great, as we qualified second for the Stock 1000 race. I was looking forward to the first Superbike race, but I had a big moment that set me back a bit. I tore my left calf muscle in the incident, and I woke up Sunday morning not sure if I’d be able to race. I got help from the doctors here and my riding coach, but I knew it was going to be difficult to get through the day. I battled in the Sunday Superbike race to get a pretty good finish – third among the Cup riders. In the Stock 1000 race, I knew if I got a good start and pushed hard early I could break away with the polesitter and battle with him until the end of the race. I just couldn’t push in the last handful of laps due to arm pump and my calf injury. I’m not super happy with second place, but it was great to bring home another podium for the team.”
More, from a press release issued by Robem Engineering:
Toth scores sixth-place finish in Robem Engineering debut Saturday in MotoAmerica Twins Cup race at Pittsburgh International Race Complex
De Keyrel recovers from off-track excursion to score top-10 finish, maintains championship points lead
WAMPUM, Pa. — It wasn’t the weekend the Robem Engineering team had hoped for in its first time racing the Aprilia RS 660 at Pittsburgh International Race Complex. Yet, Saturday’s Twins Cup race featured the team’s newest rider have a promising debut and its championship-leading rider recovering from an early setback to maintain his lead in the points standings.
Though he wasn’t able to pad his championship lead with one of his usual podium finishes, rider Kaleb De Keyrel finished the MotoAmerica Superbikes at Pittsburgh round with a 53-point advantage– the same margin he’d started the event with. And the team’s newest rider, Max Toth, of Belmont, Calif., finished sixth in his first time racing on the 2.78-mile Pitt Race circuit.
The team had a slower-than-usual start to the weekend. De Keyrel and Toby Khamsouk finished Friday morning practice in eighth and ninth place, respectively, and Toth and Carl Price were 14th and 18th. Later Friday, De Keyrel finished Qualifying 1 as the eighth-fastest rider. Khamsouk was 10th fastest, Toth was 17th and Price 24th. The second and final qualifying session of the weekend on Saturday morning ended with De Keyrel having secured 6th, Toth 10th, Khamsouk 12th and Price 22nd on the starting grid for the lone Twins Cup race of the weekend.
Saturday afternoon’s race saw De Keyrel get a good start but drop to seventh in the running order for the first three laps. In his first race aboard an Aprilia RS 660, Toth struggled a little in the early part of the race – falling from 10th to 12th by Lap 2. Khamsouk and Price had good starts to the race, as Khamsouk advanced to eighth and Price moved up from 22nd to 20th on the first lap.
De Keyrel was running in seventh place on Lap 4 when he ran off track and rejoined the race in 17th place. Having fallen out of the points-paying positions, De Keyrel rallied to make up as many positions as he could. He moved up two positions before the end of Lap 4 and was running in 14th at the end of Lap 5, 13th on Lap 6 and 12th on Lap 7. De Keyrel made up one more position before the conclusion of the race to cross the finish line in 11th.
Newcomer Toth led the team’s effort in the race, moving up three places in the last three laps of the 11-lap race to cross the line in seventh. One of the riders he passed was his teammate Khamsouk, who crossed the finish line in ninth to score his ninth top-10 finish of the season. Price’s pace improved as the race progressed, and he crossed the line in 18th — four places ahead of where he’d started.
A post-race disqualification of another Twins Cup rider moved all four of the Robem Enginnering riders up one place in the results. Toth was re-classified in sixth place, Khamsouk in eighth, De Keyrel in 10th and Price in 17th.
Next up on the Robem Engineering schedule is the penultimate round of the 2021 MotoAmerica season, which takes place Sept. 10-12 on the 2.25-mile Thunderbolt circuit at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, N.J.
Kaleb De Keyrel (51). Photo by Sara Chappell Photo, courtesy Robem Engineering.
Kaleb De Keyrel / No. 51
“Unfortunately, we had a technical problem on Lap 4 that caused me to run off-track. I got the problem sorted enough to continue racing and get as many points as I could. Obviously, the championship is on the line here, so every couple points really helps. I made the best of it and rode as good as I could. I’m looking forward to having things sorted out for New Jersey and getting back on the podium there. I think setup is going to be huge there, as it’s a very technical track with several left-right corner combinations.”
Max Toth (58). Photo by Sara Chappell Photo, courtesy Robem Engineering.
Max Toth / No. 58
“It was a really tough weekend with a lot of ups and downs. We had technical problems for the first two sessions that set us back a bit. I didn’t finish where I wanted to, but we made some big improvements from where we started. It’s going to be an all-new experience racing at New Jersey and Barber – just like it was here – but I think we can go into the next round with a lot more confidence.”
Toby Khamsouk (27). Photo by Sara Chappell Photo, courtesy Robem Engineering.
Toby Khamsouk / No. 27
“We started the weekend OK in Friday practice, but we spent a lot of the weekend trying some things with the rear of the bike to get me more comfortable. We made a change in the race, and it was a step in the right direction. We still have some things to figure out, but the whole team is working very hard on it. I’m looking forward to the next round. New Jersey Motorsports Park is a fun track.”
Dr. Carl Price (532). Photo by Sara Chappell Photo, courtesy Robem Engineering.
Carl Price / No. 532
“It was a great weekend and it was so much fun to be back out racing a motorcycle. The Robem Engineering team put in a Herculean effort to get this Aprilia RS 660 together for me. I can’t say enough good things about the Aprilia, and I did my fastest lap of the race on the last lap. I won’t be back on the bike at New Jersey, but I’m hoping to race the last round of the season at Barber.”
Robem Engineering’s technical partners for 2021 include Aprilia Racing, Piaggio Group Americas, 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.
More, from a press release issued by Pure Attitude Racing:
Points aplenty at Pitt Race for Pure Attitude Racing in Twins Cup and Supersport
Pure Attitude Racing picked up plenty of points in the latest round of the 2021 MotoAmerica Championship at the Pittsburgh International Race Complex this past weekend, with all four riders, Liam MacDonald, Trevor Standish, Austin Miller and Nate Minster, once again in action in the Twins Cup and Supersport series.
Solid qualifying by all four competitors ensured that the team were once again able to leave Round 7 with a double Top Ten finish and a bagful of points in both categories. The event also saw the return of early Twins Cup points leader Trevor Standish. The #16 had missed several races following his Road America crash and whilst a technical issue forced his retirement, Standish rode through the discomfort to run strongly in the top ten prior to his stoppage.
Liam MacDonald finished P9, consolidating his overall championship position of P8 in Twins Cup, whilst in Supersport Nate Minster and Austin Miller both scored points once again on Saturday, with Nate bagging a double points finish with P13, whilst Austin’s weekend in a DNF after he was taken out by a fellow competitor.
The team now has a couple of weeks to regroup prior to the penultimate round of the 2021 season, taking place in September at New Jersey Motorsports Park.
Liam MacDonald (37). Photo courtesy Pure Attitude Racing.
Liam MacDonald: “It was a great race. The track reminded me a lot of Suzuka in Japan. It is very flowing and favors smoother riders but is super intense. It was another new circuit for me and the first time that I was able to race the entire race in a group. It was a lot of fun. I know I could have finished higher than I did but it has been so long since I was in a race long fight that I was honestly just a bit rusty. I must be happy with another top ten and I am already looking forward to the next one in New Jersey. Big thanks to the team who did another awesome job this weekend.”
Trevor Standish (16) and crew. Photo courtesy Pure Attitude Racing.
Trevor Standish: “Unfortunately I made a call to change something on the bike for the race that meant we went in the wrong direction but I powered through and after almost being taken out at the start was able to run some competitive times considering my wrist is still not 100%. Sadly, we hit a small technical issue which meant I had to pit. The team did a great job and I went back out but sadly finished outside of the points. It’s a bittersweet feeling as we were strong in qualifying and I am stoked to be back on track, but we live and learn, and we move onto New Jersey ready to push again.”
Austin Miller (61). Photo courtesy Pure Attitude Racing.
Austin Miller: “Race 1 on Saturday was decent, and we were able to finish in the points again which is always the aim. On Sunday I made an ok start and held my position but then I got hit by another rider which bent my exhaust and basically ruined the rest of the race. I did a couple of laps, but the bike was damaged, and we got black flagged. It’s annoying as once again we were looking good for points, but I am taking the positives, we were not a million miles away from the top ten pace wise for the third consecutive race which shows our progress. We will go again in a few weeks.”
Nate Minster (99). Photo courtesy Pure Attitude Racing.
Nate Minster: “I made a good start in Race 1 but made a small mistake and lost a couple of positions. I regrouped and fought my way back into contention. We were able to score some good points and I was confident for Sunday. Race 2 went well. I ran P9 for most of the race. It was a bit lonely but then I was told at the end of the race I had jump start penalty which I don’t understand as you can see from the footage that my entire row and those ahead all moved at the same time so I don’t agree with the decision at all. Nevertheless, that’s how it is, and we have to take the positives and move on to New Jersey knowing that we were once again well inside the top ten and not far from the top 6 or 7.”
Further into the unknown: Navarra welcomes WorldSBK as the next new territory Monday, 16 August 2021 06:50 GMT
It’s all to play for in northern Spain, with the WorldSBK paddock arriving in Los Arcos for Round 7
The 2021 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is well underway and heads into the second half of the season as the Pirelli Navarra Round beckons at the all-new Circuito de Navarra. The facility was opened in 2010 and is the second consecutive new venue for WorldSBK whilst also being the fifth consecutive that wasn’t on the 2020 calendar. With one of the fastest turns on the calendar and intricate sectors, Navarra is ready to welcome the intense Championship battle between Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK), with both separated by just three points after 18 races.
THREE WAY FIGHT: Yamaha vs Kawasaki vs Ducati
The Championship battle is the closest it has been after 18 races since 2004 and there’s absolutely no shortage of vintage action in 2021. Toprak Razgatlioglu took 34 points out of Jonathan Rea’s lead at the last round at Most, meaning he is just three behind. Heading to Navarra where he was fast in testing, Razgatlioglu knows that he’s within striking distance of the Championship lead, even though he is focused on the race in hand and not the standings. He has a strong teammate for support too, with Andrea Locatelli not out of the top five in the last six races – of which he took two podiums, one at Assen in Race 2 and the other at Most in Race 1. The level playing field of Navarra may bring Locatelli further into contention as he aims for a first win, whilst also aims to pack out the places between Toprak and his Championship rivals.
Jonathan Rea’s disastrous Most is now behind him as he hit the reset button with a small break and then a return to testing duties at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Taking 23 points from three races in the Czech Republic, his second lowest amount for a round tally after Estoril’s 20 last year, Rea has got to hit the ground running at Navarra if he is to remain in the Championship lead. Taking a triple win at Assen and then enduring Most’s difficulties, the WorldSBK pendulum swings wildly from round to round, adding to the excitement and unpredictability of 2021. Teammate Alex Lowes was racing with physical restrictions at Most and had three crashes in one day at Navarra during testing, so he’ll hope that those two aspects of his form aren’t indicative of the weekend ahead.
One of the main stories coming out of the Czech Republic was that Ducati and Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) are back, with the British star taking a long-awaited victory at Most. After getting his knee down in another way on the podium by proposing to his girlfriend, Redding’s mindset coming to Navarra is in a good place as he seeks to close the gap down further from 50, having taken it down from 81 last time out. Teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi will also look to get back on the rostrum after his comebacks in Race 1 and Race 2 at Most, with the Italian storming through from eighth and 11th respectively. Can Ducati utilise their recent form and get their Panigale V4 R in the perfect operating window in Los Arcos?
BACK ON TRACK: BMW and Honda in contention?
BMW had a mixed weekend at Most, as Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) took a sturdy fifth place in Race 1, whilst teammate Michael van der Mark’s comeback from 17th to 7th in Race 2 also gave the German manufacturer something to shout about. However, they’re still yet to cement their place in the constant fight for the podium. With Navarra closing in, this could be the round where they really come on strong; Sykes has consistently hailed the progress that the team made with the bike at the Navarra test in July, citing that as one of the turning points of the 2021 season and the M 1000 RR project. Both he and van der Mark were quick and there’s a feeling that if both can have a clean run through Free Practice, they could be contenders come racing.
Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC) showed strength at the Autodrom Most last time out as the Honda rider recovered from a Race 1 error to finish sixth, whilst he fought back after a slow start in Race 2. In his second ‘home event’ of the season, Bautista will hope the recent test in Barcelona can propel him and Honda forwards after electronic issues have plagued them continuously throughout the first six rounds of the season. Teammate Leon Haslam will hope the level playing field can bring him further into play and especially after a strong Barcelona test, as HRC seek to return to the leading positions.
THE INDEPENDENT BATTLE: who will feature?
The Independent battle is starting to see new names come into the picture; Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) enjoyed a calm Most weekend and was on top of testing after day one at Navarra back in July. However, it was Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) who took his best ever result at Most with a first top five in Race 1, finishing fifth. Bassani’s potential is high, and he’s growing in stature with each race – could he be a surprise towards the front of the field this weekend? Making a return to action will be Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), whilst Tito Rabat (Barni Racing Team) will hope he can progress forward at his second home round of the year.
Kohta Nozane (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) is 16th in the Championship and returns to the track where he crashed at during testing, resulting in a broken finger. Isaac Viñales (ORELAC Racing VerdNatura) aims to continue knocking on the door of the top ten, whilst Eugene Laverty’s (RC Squadra Corse) attendance is to be confirmed. Jonas Folger (Bonovo MGM Racing), Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport Yamaha) and Leandro Mercado (MIE Racing Honda Team) are next up, with Mercado returning after a positive COVID-19 test ruled him out of Most. Loris Cresson (OUTDO TPR Team Pedercini Racing) and teammate Jayson Uribe complete the full-time entrants, whilst Suzuki return to the WorldSBK grid with Spanish Superbike rider Naomichi Uramoto wildcarding, meaning there’re six manufacturers on the grid.
Watch the inaugural Pirelli Navarra Round in style with the WorldSBK VideoPass!
Steve Johnson (center) with Wayne Rainey (left) and Eddie Lawson (right). Photo courtesy Trailblazers.
Steven Taylor “Steve” Johnson, of Bend, Oregon, died June 9, 2021. He was 69 years old.
Johnson is survived by his brothers Sandy, Matt, and Patrick; and his children Ryan, Neal, and Jenna.
Johnson, originally from San Diego, California, grew up racing on two and four wheels and competed against the likes of King Kenny Roberts when they were dirt track Novices together in 1970, according to a biography prepared by the Trailblazers’ Hall of Fame.
While road racing in England, Johnson hooked up with Phil Read, became part of his crew, and helped Read win the 1971 250cc Grand Prix World Championship. Johnson was only 20 years old.
That led to Johnson working for Kawasaki building motocross racebikes and tuning for the likes of 1972 AMA 500cc Motocross National Champion Brad Lackey and 1974 AMA 500cc Motocross National Champion Jimmy Weinert, among others. In his spare time, he built Kawasaki road race bikes for Yvon Duhamel.
Kawasaki shifted Johnson over to road racing, and he worked with Freddie Spencer in 1979, when Spencer won two of the four AMA Superbike races on a Kawasaki and placed third in the Championship.
Johnson was then linked up with Eddie Lawson for 1980 and 1981. Lawson won the AMA 250cc Grand Prix Championship both years and the AMA Superbike crown in 1981.
Wayne Rainey then joined Kawasaki’s team, and Johnson tuned for both Lawson and Rainey, winning the 1982 AMA Superbike Championship with Lawson and the 1983 AMA Superbike Championship with Rainey.
Johnson next bounced back to Kawasaki’s motocross program, where he had several more successful seasons working with Jeff Ward, among other riders.
Johnson later joined Vance & Hines’ road racing team and won the Daytona 200 and the AMA 600cc Supersport Championship with David Sadowski in 1990. Johnson added another Daytona 200 victory with Lawson in 1993, before moving to Rob Muzzy Racing.
Johnson worked for Rob Muzzy Racing from 1994 until 1999, running its World Superbike team from 1994 to 1996 and later winning the AMA Superbike Championship with Doug Chandler in 1997.
After Rob Muzzy Racing stopped road racing motorcycles, Johnson moved to North Carolina and started working for a NASCAR team and eventually became a professor at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill teaching Motorsports Racing Management until he retired and relocated back to Bend, Oregon.
According to the Trailblazers, Johnson built and/or tuned motorcycles that won two World Championships and 21 National Championships in motocross, supercross, and road racing. He was inducted into the Trailblazers Hall of Fame in 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the induction ceremony did not take place before his passing.
A Celebration of Life in conjunction with Johnson’s induction into the Trailblazers Hall of Fame will be celebrated Sunday, August 29, in the Waverly Chapel at Fairhaven Memorial & Cemetery, 1702 Fairhaven Ave., Santa Ana, CA 92705 at 11:00 a.m.
Sean Dylan Kelly (40) executed an impressive last-lap pass for the win on his Suzuki GSX-R600. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
SUZUKI’S SEAN DYLAN KELLY AND JAKE LEWIS DELIVER DECISIVE VICTORIES IN PITTSBURGH
Brea, CA – Suzuki Motor USA, LLC and Team Hammer were at it again at Pittsburgh International Race Complex, adding more wins, podiums, and pole positions to their season tally while taking another big step toward a pair of national championships.
M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s MotoAmerica Supersport ace Sean Dylan Kelly was the headliner as has become customary this season. The rising star saw his six-race win streak snapped following a hard-fought fight on Saturday only to come back even stronger a day later.
‘SDK’ pulled off a tactical master class in the rematch, executing a stunning last-lap maneuver aboard his agile GSX-R600 in Turn 11 to secure his tenth triumph of 2021.
Not even 20 years old, Kelly already boasts 17 victories and 36 podiums in his MotoAmerica Supersport career. He’s also closing in on a first career MotoAmerica Supersport championship as he currently leads the title fight by 61 points with just two stops on the calendar remaining.
Kelly said, “Man, the confidence came from the feeling I had in the bike today. It was absolutely amazing. Huge thank you to my whole M4 ECSTAR Suzuki crew … all my guys. I just felt so great with the bike. I feel I played it smarter today, too. Yesterday, I didn’t win and I wasn’t going to let it happen again. You can see I had a different game plan and it worked out to perfection.”
“We did what we had to do. I’m very proud of the work. Today was an important step to the ultimate goal. We’re going to keep on fighting until we reach it.”
Sam Lochoff (44) rode a strong race and delivered two top-five finishes in Pittsburgh, PA. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Kelly’s M4 ECSTAR Suzuki Supersport teammate, Samuel Lochoff, enjoyed a strong weekend as well, backing up his Saturday fifth with a podium-contending fourth on Sunday. The South African already boasts ten top-five finishes during a successful rookie Supersport campaign.
He said, “It’s still my first year, so finishing the year strong means just finishing every race. I’m not really putting a lot of pressure on myself. Obviously, getting podiums is nice, but wherever I finish, I’ve already reached many of my goals. I’m always trying to improve, but I’m very happy with how the year is going.”
Bobby Fong (50) delivered a well-earned podium finish on his Suzuki GSX-R1000R on Sunday. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Meanwhile, M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Bobby Fong concluded an inspiring weekend with a much-deserved podium in MotoAmerica Superbike action.
The Californian was robbed of an opportunity to demonstrate his full potential on Saturday due to a technical issue. Undeterred, he started the race from pitlane and ripped his way up through the field, overtaking nearly twenty riders en route to eighth.
He was forced to start from Row 3 on Sunday as a result, but continued his upward mobility, streaking up to third while pressuring second by the time he took the checkered flag aboard his GSX-R1000R.
Fong said, “It’s been a roller coaster of a year, but I’ve fought through worse challenges before. We just kept our head held high and kept charging. It was a good race. I’m happy to be back up and excited that we have the M4 ECSTAR Suzuki handling well.”
Cam Petersen (45) had another solid weekend with two top-ten finishes on his GSX-R1000R. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
It was another steady weekend for second Superbike pilot Cameron Petersen. The South African collected fourth- and sixth-place results on the weekend.
Jake Lewis (85) increased his Championship points lead with another dominant win on his GSX-R1000R. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Like Kelly, Altus Motorsports Suzuki’s Jake Lewis enjoyed another weekend that further strengthened his championship hopes. Lewis guided his Team Hammer-built GSX-R1000R to victory from pole to expand his Stock 1000 season advantage to 20 points.
Lewis was also the top Superbike Cup finisher in both Superbike races in Pennsylvania.
After earning his fourth Stock 1000 win of 2021, Lewis said, “It was a perfect weekend. This race was pretty tough. I had pace on the guys all weekend, but they kept me honest in the race. Big thanks to the whole team. The Suzuki has been amazing.”
Wyatt Farris (79) had a tough weekend but will be back stronger in New Jersey. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Unfortunately, M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Wyatt Farris was unable to earn additional Stock 1000 results from his recent strong form. Farris crashed on the original race’s second lap and his GSX-R1000R subsequently went up in flames and burned on the track. That brought out the red flag while pushing the Stock 1000 restart to the end of the day. Farris was forced to watch from the fences after flashing top-five potential in the lead up to the race.
Team Hammer will contest the season’s penultimate round at New Jersey Motorsports Park on September 10-12, 2021.
More, from a press release issued by Altus Motorsports:
MotoAmerica: Round 7 Results from Pittsburgh International Race Complex for the Altus Motorsports Tucker Environmental Service Solutions Team
(Pittsburgh, PA) The fan turnout for the 7th round of the MotoAmerica Championship at Pittsburgh International Race Complex [PittRace] was amazing. For the Altus team it was another weekend of highs and lows.
Honos Superbike & Stock 1000:
Jake Lewis has clearly found his stride and gelled with the Altus Motorsports GSX-R1000. Once again, he put the bike on pole for the Stock1000 race and led from the first corner to the final checkered flag. This win puts Jake on top of the Stock1000 championship by 20 points with two rounds to go.
Jake Lewis (85). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Altus Motorsports.
Lewis also gridded up for the Superbike races. He finished both races in 9th overall but he was the top Superbike Cup Rider, putting him out in front of that championship by 35 points.
“It was a perfect weekend. Won both the Superbike Cup races and the Stock1000 race. Big thanks to the Altus team, especially my mechanics. The bike was amazing,” said Jake Lewis.
Supersport 600:
It was a difficult weekend for the two Altus Supersport 600 racers. Intermittent rain on Friday made for a very green track most of the weekend. As a result, grip was hard to come by.
Kevin Olmedo missed the Friday practice and qualifying session after a canceled flight left him stranded in Miami. The Pittsburgh circuit is extremely technical and missing the practice time had Kevin at a disadvantage that he spent the weekend trying to make up.
Kevin Olmedo (16). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Altus Motorsports.
Both of the Supersport riders struggled with rear grip on Saturday. Olmedo struggled to get up to his usual pace in Q2 and ended up in 13th on the starting grid in Race 1, which was where he finished. Jaret Nassaney started Race 1 from 17th and finished in 14th.
Jaret Nassaney (59). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Altus Motorsports.
Saturday night the team made changes to the bike setup on both of the Altus GSX-R600s. During the warm-up practice on Sunday, Olmedo and Nassaney said the motorcycles felt much better. Unfortunately, at the start of Race 2, both of the Altus riders got pinched off and shuffled back. As a result, they spent the race fighting through traffic. Olmedo ended with a 9th place finish and Nassaney with 12th. However, each recorded their fastest times and said the bikes were significantly better.
“We struggled a bit this weekend. We improved on Sunday and salvaged what we could,” said Jaret Nassaney.
Junior Cup:
Hayden Bicknese started both Junior Cup races from 12th. On Saturday he crossed the finish line in 11th. On Sunday, in spite of major improvements in his lap times, he still finished in 12th.
Hayden Bicknese (69). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Altus Motorsports.
“I am super proud of the team. Riders, mechanics, and everyone. Overall, in spite of some setbacks, this was a very successful weekend. Big thanks to our Crew Chief, Eric Gray, for his help getting all our racers on the right track and heading in the right direction this weekend,” said team owner George Nassaney. “It’s been pretty busy since the end of June. I am looking forward to a few weeks off and it will be good to have a bit of downtime for the team and finish the season strong.”
The Altus Motorsports team is supported by our great family of sponsors: Altus Motorsports, Environmental Service Solutions, Suzuki Motor Corporation, Creative Sports Concepts, Tucker Powersports, Schaefer Engineering, Hot Bodies Racing, M4 Exhausts, Vortex EK, Motion Pro, Barnett, VP Lubricants, SBS Brakes, Galfer USA, Moto-D Racing, Bonamici, Ohlins, K-Techs, RS Taichi, Arai, Law Tigers Oklahoma, and Altus Factory Racing.
More, from a press release issued by Kyle Wyman Racing:
Wyman makes solid Superbike return at Pittsburgh International Race Complex
Kyle Wyman (33). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy KWR.
TUCSON, Ariz. — Kyle Wyman returned to action in the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship aboard his Panera Bread Ducati this past weekend at Pittsburgh International Race Complex, finishing 6th and 8th place in races one and two, respectively.
Wyman’s return to the Superbike grid was long awaited for both team and rider after an 8-week recovery on his fractured elbow, and an aborted attempt two weeks prior at Brainerd International Raceway. Friday’s practice and qualifying session saw Wyman place 6th overall and within striking distance of the top-3.
“After Brainerd, it was apparent that we were not quite ready to return to the grid safely,” Wyman said. “I went home to get some scans done to make sure everything was structurally good and that the bone was healing, and we were able to confirm that. Knowing it was good to go structurally gave me the confidence to start working it harder over the past couple weeks. With that and the ergonomics changes we made to the bike, I was able to ride the full day Friday without too much issue and we set a pretty good flyer lap time at the end of the day.”
Saturday morning’s QP2 session would set the grid as riders put on their sticky Dunlop Qualifying tires. Wyman qualified 8th on the grid to lock in a 3rd row starting position for Race One on Saturday afternoon. A great start would put him 6th on track and he would maintain that through to the end of the race, but with an unforeseen slower pace than expected and a lonely race.
“Race one I really struggled with the bike,” Wyman said. “I seemed to have some chatter from the get-go that was originating from the rear tire, even when it was new. Its hard to tell exactly what happened there but I suffered a lot in the middle section of the track, where we spend a lot of time on the side of the tire. For us we got a bit lucky with some attrition that gave us a top-6 but we were not happy with the pace.”
In Sunday’s warm-up session, the KWR team made adjustments to the bike to seek front end feel and mitigate the harsh chatter of the front tire, to some avail. With race two on the horizon, the team was presented with an opportunity to help out a fellow competitor – one who would be Wyman’s biggest rival of the day.
“About an hour before race two on Sunday, our friends over at the Schiebe BMW team were struggling with a stripped out thread in their kit swingarm,” Wyman said. “They came to us for help, knowing that we carried KATO Fastening thread insert kits. We had the size and pitch of thread they needed to get their bike back together and run the race.”
As if it were meant to be, Wyman found himself in a heated flag-to-flag battle with Scheibe BMW rider Hector Barbera as they scrapped over 7th place, trading positions more than 10 times throughout the affair. Barbera would win out in the duel and beat Wyman to the line in a last lap scrap that came down to just 0.117 of a second at the finish line.
“I got another great start and was hanging onto the top 5 guys in the first few laps,” Wyman said. “We definitely had a lot better pace in race two and I felt a bit more comfortable on the bike. Hector and I had a really wild battle that I will remember for a long time. It was one of those duels that was so challenging and fun to manage, trying to work out the race strategy and get to the line first. In the end, he was able to block me from a lunge in the chicane that I was able to do successfully a lap prior, and hold me off to the line.”
“All told I would say it was a positive weekend, for us to come back and get back in the groove again,” Wyman added. “The elbow was able to hold up throughout the event, but is very sore now that I’ve put in three consecutive days on it and Pittsburgh is no joke when it comes to how physical it is to wrestle a superbike around. I look forward to our little break we have over the next few weeks that will put us in a good position physically to finish the season strong.”
The next round will take place at New Jersey Motorsports Park, where Wyman has a best Superbike finish of 2nd place in 2017. NJMP will host round 8 of 9, September 10-12, 2021 in Millville, N.J..
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Michael Gilbert (1) successfully defended his title and won the 2020-2021 CVMA Winter Series overall Championship. Photo by CaliPhotography.com, courtesy CVMA.
The Chuckwalla Valley Motorcycle Association (CVMA) 2020-2021 racing season wrapped up a little earlier than scheduled this year, with the final day of racing cut short due to high winds. However, championships were decided and now it is time to celebrate the hard work put in by our competitors to earn some awesome trophies.
CVMA would like to announce that the annual awards banquet for the 2020-2021 winter series will be held at a location with as big a passion for motorcycles as they have for fine wine, the beautiful Doffo Winery in Temecula, California. We invite everyone to come out and have some great food and drink while we celebrate the riders that worked so hard to finish at the top in their class championships.
CVMA Awards Banquet:
Where? Doffo Winery, 36083 Summitville St., Temecula, CA 92592 in the Piazza area
CVMA would like to congratulate the champion of the CVMA Shootout and the repeat winner of the coveted #1 plate for the club, Michael Gilbert. We would also like to congratulate all the top three finishers in the class championships and our top finishers in the club points championship, those results are included below:
CVMA would also like to congratulate all the amateur racers that started racing with club last season and especially those that are now moving up to race in the expert ranks! We look forward to seeing you race against some of the fastest riders in the country in our expert classes. A list of those racers is included below:
The CVMA 2021-2022 Winter series kicks off in a few short weeks on September 25th with a double points event. Come on out and join us for some of the most competitive racing in the country, we look forward to seeing all our riders at the track soon!
Yvon Duhamel. Photo courtesy AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.
AMA Hall of Famer Yvon Duhamel has died. He was 81.
Duhamel, was born in Montreal, Canada, in 1939. During his life he competed in many disciplines of motorcycle racing, including: drag racing, flat track, ice racing, motocross, and road racing.
He also competed as a professional in snowmobile racing.
Best known as a road racer, Duhamel competed in AMA Pro Nationals, the Grand Prix World Championships, and the Endurance World Championship.
In 1968 and 1969, he won the AMA Lightweight races at Daytona on a Yamaha 350 two-stroke.
In 1968, he finished second in the Daytona 200 behind Cal Rayborn and became the first two-stroke rider to ever finish on the podium in that race.
In 1969, he earned pole position for the Daytona 200.
Riding a Kawasaki two-stroke triple, he gave Kawasaki its first AMA National road race victory, at Talladega Superspeedway, in 1971.
From 1971 to 1973, he won five AMA Nationals on Kawasakis.
Riding a Kawasaki, he finished fifth in the 250cc Grand Prix World Championship race at Assen in 1975.
He raced modified Kawasaki KZ1000s in Le Mans and Bol d’Or 24-hour races for several years.
Yvon Duhamel. Photo courtesy AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.
In 1999, Yvon Duhamel was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio.
Duhamel is survived by sons Miguel and Mario, both of whom became professional motorcycle road racers. Miguel Duhamel was one of the winningest AMA Pro road racers of all time and is also a member of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.
We will update this post with more details as they become available.
Rookie Alex Dumas (23) leads the 2021 Canadian Superbike Championship point standings heading into the season finale. Photo by Anik Sanfacon, courtesy of Alex Dumas.
During the Canadian Superbike race weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Alex Dumas was able to put his Liqui Moly MPG Fast Riding School Suzuki on the podium for each of the three pro superbike races. Dumas also received the Pro Rookie of the year 2021 award.
Dumas said: “I had an overall good weekend. It was really interesting to learn a track that is so fast. I got the hole shot in every race and lead multiple laps of the races. Unfortunately I couldn’t draft the other guys as much as they were drafting me but we still managed to be competitive throughout all races. I can’t wait to go to the final round at Calabogie next month.
“Thanks to all my supporters and sponsors, including: Liqui Moly, MPG Moto, FAST Riding School, Suzuki Canada, SM Sport, VR St-Cyr, Hindle Exhaust, Öhlins USA, RoadracingWorld.com, T.A import, Furygan, Arai Helmet Americas, G2 Ergonomics, Domino Racing, TCX Boots, Vortex Racing, Attack Performance, Hotbodies Racing, BrakeTech USA, CL Brakes, Motovan, Team Hammer, and DSM body.”
Alex Dumas with trophies and awards at CTMP. Photo by Anik Sanfacon, courtesy of Alex Dumas.
Royal Enfield's Johnny Lewis (10) racing for position with Ryan Varnes (68) and Danny Eslick (64) at the New York Short Track. Photo courtesy Royal Enfield North America.
JOHNNY LEWIS PUSHES THROUGH AT TRICKY NEW YORK SHORT TRACK DOUBLEHEADER
Ladies of Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. highlight MotoAmerica Pitt Race & New York Short Track
Milwaukee, WI – It was a big weekend for Royal Enfield race teams, as Johnny Lewis and the Moto Anatomy X team took on Weedsport Speedway for the New York Short Track Doubleheader. The women of Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. (BTR) also had a doubleheader of sorts, with both Road Racing at Pitt Race MotoAmerica, and Flat Track at Weedsport Speedway taking place on Saturday, August 14. Johnny Lewis carded a fourth-place finish in the American Flat Track Production Twins class on Friday night, followed by seventh place on Saturday evening. In the BTR showdown at the New York Short Track, Jillian Deschenes edged out previous round winner Jaycee Jones for the win, while the BTR Road Race podium was once again dominated by CJ Lukacs, who continues to shine in the MotoAmerica BTR exhibition.
Johnny Lewis and the Moto Anatomy X Royal Enfield Racing Team continue to make progress with the Twins FT race bike. After the historic win at the Lima Half Mile, the Moto Anatomy team has tasted success, and are ready to fight for more wins. On Friday night, the first New York Short Track of the doubleheader at Weedsport Speedway in Weedsport, New York, Lewis was knocking on the door of the podium, right on the heels of Dalton Gauthier, but ended one step away in fourth at the flag.
On Saturday night, the Moto Anatomy X team continued to chase setup on the slick track and changing conditions. In a testament to the crew’s hard work and Lewis’ consistency, he carded a solid seventh-place finish on the Royal Enfield Twins FT.
“These slick clay ovals have been tough to dial in but we aren’t giving up,” said Lewis. “An ever-changing surface made a day of endless changes right up until the main event on Friday. On Saturday we lost valuable time in the opening laps, but held on for a seventh. I’m ready to put this one behind me and we’re all excited to head to Peoria TT this weekend.”
“Johnny continues to improve his impressive performances on track,” said Breeann Poland, Marketing and Communications Lead – Royal Enfield Americas. “We’re proud to see a solid fourth on Friday night and seventh the following evening on the slick and fast track, where the entire paddock was battling complicated conditions. We’re now looking forward to the Peoria TT.”
BUILD. TRAIN. RACE.
Saturday night at Weedsport Speedway saw the ladies of Build. Train. Race. take to the track for the third round of BTR Flat Track. Once again, it was Jillian Deschenes and Jaycee Jones duking it out for top honors. With one win apiece in the previous two rounds, the duo came into New York locked in battle for the championship. Round-one winner Deschenes answered back with another victory, besting Jones, this time by over five seconds. Malary Lee claimed the third and final podium position.
Jillian Deschenes (center), Jaycee Jones (left), and Malary Lee (right) enjoy a champagne shower on the New York Short Track AFT podium. Photo courtesy Royal Enfield North America.
“Flat Track racing never fails to send me home smiling from ear to ear,” said Deschenes. “But the champagne showers on the podium with my friends are those moments I will never forget.”
The BTR Road Race team was also in action on Saturday, and it was once again CJ Lukacs with a dominant performance, this time at Pittsburgh International Race Complex. The former pro motocross racer proves to be taking to the tarmac with ease, and took her second victory in as many races, leaving the rest of the field to battle behind her. Trisha Dahl claimed another runner-up finish while Becky Goebel took third. Dahl fended off a late-race challenge from Michaela Trumbull to secure her position on the podium in third.
CJ Lukacs (77) at speed at Pittsburgh International Race Complex. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Royal Enfield North America.
Despite her dominant performance, Lukacs admits, “This weekend was a tough one for me. Trying to learn this track with limited time was challenging. I became a little faster as the race went on and just stayed consistent found my flow. Melissa [Paris] really helped me interpret what was happening to help me find my footing. I couldn’t be happier to come out with a second win. I’m so grateful to have the support around us to help us succeed. It wouldn’t be possible without them. It’s humbling; it truly is.”
“Our BTR Program participants continue to amaze me. We are a few races in for both Road Racing and Flat Track, and the women are learning more every time out and honing their skills,” said Breeann Poland, Marketing and Communications Lead – Royal Enfield Americas. “In both disciplines, the battles on track are keeping us all on the edge of our seats. We came up with this program to empower and inspire more women to get into motorsports and I think it’s working. The support from the community and our racing partners has been more than we could have hoped for.”
The women of Royal Enfield BTR Road Racing will be back in action September 17-19 at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama for the third and final round. The Build. Train. Race. Flat Track program will race their fourth and final round at the Charlotte Half-Mile in Charlotte, North Carolina on October 8. Find more information on the Royal Enfield BUILD. TRAIN. RACE. Road Race Program at https://buildtrainrace.com/.
About Royal Enfield
The oldest motorcycle company in continuous production in the world, Royal Enfield made its first motorcycle in 1901. A division of Eicher Motors Limited, Royal Enfield has created the midsize motorcycle segment in India with its unique and distinctive modern classic motorcycles. With its manufacturing base in Chennai, India, Royal Enfield has been able to grow its production rapidly against a surge in demand for its motorcycles. Royal Enfield is a leading player in the global middleweight motorcycle market.
Royal Enfield North America (RENA) is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is developing a growing network of more than 125 dealers in North America, including the contiguous U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. RENA currently offers the all-new Meteor 350, Himalayan and the 650 Twins (INT 650 and Continental GT 650) motorcycles, along with a range of Genuine Motorcycle Accessories and apparel.
For more information on Royal Enfield North America, visit www.RoyalEnfield.com/us/en/, www.Instagram.com/RoyalEnfield_NA, www.Facebook.com/RoyalEnfieldNorthAmerica.
More, from a press release issued by KTM Factory Racing:
RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING TEAM MANAGE TOUGH WEEKEND AT NEW YORK SHORT TRACK
Rounds 9 and 10 – American Flat Track Championship
WEEDSPORT, N.Y. – The American Flat Track Championship delivered another intense double-header weekend with the New York Short Track taking place back-to-back nights for rounds 9 and 10 of the series. The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing duo of Max Whale and Shayna Texter-Bauman battled through adversity all weekend long but both multi-time AFT Singles Class winners are optimistic on their direction heading into the final stretch of the series.
Entering the race weekend as the AFT Singles Championship points leader, Max Whale was prepared to keep his momentum rolling in New York. He struggled to piece it all together on day one, finishing sixth in Semi 1 and claiming an uncharacteristic eighth-place finish in the evening’s Main Event. Texter-Bauman qualified into the first Main Event by way of a seventh-place finish in the semi and she battled from a fourth-row start to finish 16th on the night.
With a fresh start on day two, Whale bounced back with a solid third in the semi and he transferred into the Main Event with ease. He got off to a 10th place start in the main and quickly passed his way up to fifth, holding on for a top-five finish on the second day of racing. The Aussie now sits only two points back in the championship standings with plenty of racing left to go in 2021.
Max Whale (18). Photo courtesy KTM Factory Racing.
Whale: “Tough weekend at New York Short track. I struggled on day one, I just couldn’t figure it out. That was probably our biggest struggle all year. On day two, we qualified better and had a better semi, which was good. I had a really bad start in the Main Event, I was in 10th on the first lap and ended up making my way back to fifth. I wasn’t far off a podium spot, so that was a good positive, and I’m just happy we figured it out and made some changes to move forward.”
It was a tough night two for Texter-Bauman, who was on-track to battle for a spot into the Main Event through Semi 1. However, she got pushed off the race track on the opening lap and wasn’t able to make up time in the short eight-lap race, therefore missing the transfer by only two positions. After 10 rounds, Shayna sits ninth overall in the AFT Singles Championship point standings.
Texter-Bauman: “On night one, I felt pretty good to start the day and we just continued to chase the track as the conditions got a lot drier and slick. I ended the night 16th and felt like we had learned a little bit in the Main so we were pretty encouraged going into night two. I felt good and felt like we had a good bike for the semi and we got off the line and got kind of shuffled going into turn one by a guy behind me and kind of pushed me off the race track. The track was really dry and slippery and that little bit of time that I gave up by getting pushed off the track was enough to allow a couple people to go up underneath me and the track was really hard to make up time and pass on so unfortunately, I wasn’t able to qualify for the Main Event. Overall positives from the weekend, we were able to make some improvement to the motorcycle and it was working well, and I felt like we definitely had speed to be in it come Main Event but unfortunately the eight-lap semi cost us the rest of the night.”
KTM-mounted rider Morgen Mischler earned his first AFT Singles Main Event victory of the season on night two, backing up a solid third-place podium finish on the first night. Mischler sits third overall in the championship standings with an impressive season thus far.
Next Race: Peoria TT – Peoria, Illinois – August 21, 2021
AFT Singles Main Event – New York Short Track I
1. Dallas Daniels, Yamaha
2. Trevor Brunner, Honda
3. Morgen Mischler, KTM
OTHER KTM
8. Max Whale – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
16. Shayna Texter-Bauman – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
17. Damon Ream, KTM
AFT Singles Main Event – New York Short Track II
1. Morgen Mischler, KTM
2. Brandon Kitchen, Husqvarna
3. Dallas Daniels, Yamaha
OTHER KTM
5. Max Whale – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
14. Damon Ream, KTM
16. Hunter Bauer, KTM
AFT Singles Point Standings (After 10 Rounds)
1. Dallas Daniels, 178 points
2. Max Whale – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 176
3. Morgen Mischler, 150
OTHER KTM
9. Shayna Texter-Bauman – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 94
More, from a press release issued by Indian Motorcycle:
INDIAN MOTORCYCLE RACING WINS AT NEW YORK SHORT TRACK DOUBLEHEADER
Indian Motorcycle Privateer Sammy Halbert Captures First Win of Season aboard FTR750,
Wrecking Crew Rider Jared Mees Returns to the Top of the Box with Third Win of the Season
Jared Mees (9). Photo courtesy Indian Motorcycle.
WEEDSPORT, N.Y. – Indian Motorcycle Racing, presented by Progressive Motorcycle Insurance, continues its success within the 2021 American Flat Track (AFT) SuperTwins season, as Indian Motorcycle Racing privateer Sammy Halbert and Wrecking Crew rider Jared Mees each captured wins at the New York Short Track doubleheader. Piloting the FTR750, Halbert secured his first win of the 2021 season, while Mees returned to the top of the box for his third win of the season.
On Friday, the two-time reigning SuperTwins Champion Briar Bauman was in a close and aggressive battle with Halbert. Living up to his nickname, ‘Slammin’ Sammy Halbert was able to pull away from the No. 1 plate and secure the victory – leaving the two Wrecking Crew factory riders, Bauman and Mees, left to duke it out for second. Ultimately, Bauman was able to fend off Mees and reach the podium for his eighth straight race.
“Sammy has been battling an injury over these last several weeks, so to see him come back and battle with Bauman and get his first win of the season says a lot about his competitive nature and drive to win. Hats off to him, Kenny and the entire Coolbeth-Nila Racing team,” said Gary Gray, Vice President – Racing, Technology & Service for Indian Motorcycle. “In round two, we all saw a classic Mees performance, as he came back with a chip on his shoulder. He knew he could have his way with this track, and that’s exactly what he did. For Jared, there’s plenty of racing to make a run at this year’s championship, but he knows each race is extremely critical.”
Round two saw Mees return with a vengeance and lead all but the first lap from the Main event. While the line changed dramatically throughout the weekend, Mees smartly adjusted to optimize traction. His best decision came when he took the high line allowing him to pass multiple riders and put him out in front, ultimately leading the way through the checkered flag.
Following the doubleheader at Weedsport Speedway, Bauman maintains his lead with 197, while Mees sits in second with 175 points. Indian Motorcycle privateer Brandon Robinson is third with 168 points.
The 2021 AFT season continues August 21 at the Peoria Motorcycle Club for the Law Tigers Peoria TT. For more information on Indian Motorcycle Racing and the Indian Wrecking Crew, visit IndianMotorcycle.com or follow along on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.
ABOUT INDIAN MOTORCYCLE®
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 is reignited under new brand stewardship. To learn more, please visit www.indianmotorcycle.com.
Ryan Jones (683) leads Alexander Barrera (444) during the CCS Unlimited Grand Prix race at Summit Point. Photo by Lisa Theobald, courtesy ASRA/CCS.
Championship Cup Series Atlantic and Mid-Atlantic Regions Featuring the AMA Sanctioned ASRA Team Challenge Series Presented by Michelin Tire
Summit Point Motorsports Park
Summit Point, West Virginia
August 14-15, 2021
Twenty-six teams and more than 220 racers met to compete at the Summit Point Summer Cyclefest for a two-day event with the Atlantic and Mid-Atlantic regions of the Championship Cup Series Featuring the AMA Sanctioned ASRA Team Challenge Series Presented by Michelin Tire.
Team Washed Up Racing’s George Demetropolis and Mark Heckles, riding a Suzuki GSX-R1000, won the ASRA Team Challenge (Overall and GTO) race after nabbing the holeshot and staking their claim as race leaders. The team dominated the front of the pack for nearly all 100 laps of the endurance race with Team Grease Monkey Racing’s riders Eric Helmbach and Stephen Hoffman keeping up the pace on board their BMW S1000RR. Hoffman and Helmbach chased the early race leaders around the two mile-long road course, occasionally, and briefly, taking over the top spot. The two teams crossed the finish line exactly as they started with Heckles out front, ahead of Hoffman, and were the only teams to complete all 100 laps of the race. Team Slopoke Racing’s Antonio Rodriguez rounded off the top three in the Combined Overall and GTO classes with 98 solo laps completed on his Kawasaki ZX-10R.
Team Fast Lane Racing won the GTU class with 96 completed laps, followed by Team Real Beal Racing, and Team MI Boys. Team Racing 101 won the GT Lights class with 91 completed laps with Team Making Memories Racing, and Team LWT Dangerous Dough rounding off the podium.
Ryan Jones showed up with his BMW S1000RR to claim victory in his only race of the weekend, the Unlimited Grand Prix. Heckles had nabbed the holeshot and led the first lap, but was meatball flagged for improper grid position and pulled out of the race. Behind him, Jones had maneuvered around second place Roniel Guzman with Alexander Barrera in hot pursuit. Jones began to steadily pick up the pace and open a gap on the rest of the field to win the race without further challenge. Barrera finished second with Antal Halasz close behind in third. Jones is sponsored by Seven West Racing, Gochi Tech, Pirelli Tires, Ride On Moto, and Shoei Helmets.
Arthur Diaz was the winningest expert of the weekend with five-for-five first place finishes. He finished the weekend undefeated, winning the GTL, Lightweight F40, Lightweight GP, Combined Classic Unlimited, and Combined Classic Middleweight races after taking early leads with his 565cc Yamaha R6. Diaz is supported by Innovative Motorcycle Research, Bridgestone Tires, Cycle Gear, Sonoco Fuels, and Evans Cooling.
Xavier Zayat wrapped up the weekend with four first place finishes in the Middleweight Supersport, Heavyweight Supersport, Middleweight GP, and Heavyweight Superbike races on board his Kawasaki ZX-6R. He ran his fastest lap of the day in the Middleweight Superbike Race with a lap time of 1:12.472, slightly less than two seconds off the overall lap record set by Stefano Mesa (1:10-551) two months earlier on his Kawasaki ZX-10R. Zayat is sponsored by KWS Motorsports, Metric Devil Moto (MDM), Pirelli Tires, and Thermosman.
The winningest amateur of the weekend was Grant Lancaster also with four first place finishes. Lancaster won the Middlweight Supersport, Heavyweight Supersport, Middleweight GP, and Middleweight Superbike races with his Yamaha YZF-R6. Lancaster is supported by Bauce Racing, Fresh Oil & Co., Moto XT, Team Pro-Motion, and Vortex Racing.
The next ASRA Team Challenge event is scheduled for September 4-5th, at New Jersey Motorsports Park with the final round to be held at Daytona International Speedway during the 38th Annual Race of Champions, October 15-17th.
The Atlantic region of CCS will also meet at New Jersey Motorsports Park on September 4-5th for the region’s final round. The Mid-Atlantic region’s season finale was held at last weekend’s Summit Point Motorsports Park event.
Full race results, lap times, points standings and remaining 2021 season schedules for the Championship Cup Series, ASRA sprint races, and ASRA Team Challenge Series are available online at: www.ccsracing.us.
Editorial Note: Use the scroll and zoom tools in the bottom left corner of the PDF viewer to better see all of the results.
Sahar Zvik (16) at speed at Buttonwillow. Photo by Michael Gougis.
by Michael Gougis
Sahar Zvik was unchallenged in the big-bore classes, taking six wins in six starts at the WERA West Sportsman Series Presented by Lucas Oil Products double-header round August 14-15 at Buttonwillow Raceway Park.
Under a searing central California sun, Zvik took his Pirelli-shod, Wawa Racing-backed ZX-10R to a win in the first race of the weekend, A Superstock, ripping off a best lap of 1:48.718 seconds around the 3.0-mile Buttonwillow circuit.
It would be Zvik’s best lap of the weekend, but he didn’t need more, as he went on to take the Formula One and A Superbike wins later that day, and then swept all three classes on Sunday.
Gio Alvarez ran Zvik hard in the Formula One race, finishing just 5.928 seconds back, and took second in that race and in A Superstock on Saturday. Terry Heard finished second in A Superbike on Saturday, and followed that up with a trio of runner-up finishes to Zvik on Sunday.
In the Mediumweight classes, Mookie Wilkerson also took six wins in six starts, crossing the stripe first both days in Senior Superbike Mediumweight, C Superbike and B Superbike.
RESULTS
SATURDAY
A SUPERSTOCK EXPERT:
Sahar Zvik (Kaw ZX-10R)
Gil Alvarez (Yam YZF-R1)
Keir Leonhardt (Suz GSX-R750)
Terry Heard (Kaw ZX-10R)
Johnny Edwards (Suz GSX-R1000)
Dexter Stuart (Apr RSV4)
A SUPERSTOCK NOVICE:
Max Ledesma (Duc 998)
Jaycee Sterling (Suz GSX-R1000)
Jesus Ruiz (Yam YZF-R1)
Omar Carrillo (Yam YZF-R1)
HEAVYWEIGHT TWINS SUPERBIKE EXPERT:
Ed Guzman (KTM 1190)
Demond Wilson (Duc 849)
HEAVYWEIGHT TWINS SUPERBIKE NOVICE:
John Trujillo (H-D 1450)
C SUPERSTOCK EXPERT:
Orel Madsr (Kaw ZX-6R)
Jansher Ashraf (Yam YZF-R6)
Mitsu Ueda (Yam YZF-R6)
Edward Hearn (Yam YZF-R6)
Jacob van Rensburg (Hon CBR600RR)
C SUPERSTOCK NOVICE:
Robert Rozycki (Kaw ZX-6R)
Declan van Rosmalen (Yam YZF-R6)
Javad Asehari (Hon CBR600RR)
Christopher Morris (Yam YZF-R6)
Jai Dicipulo (Kaw ZX-6R)
Jimmyjam Salters (Kaw ZX-6R)
FORMULA 2 EXPERT:
Jim Dobson (Yam 700)
FORMULA 2 NOVICE:
Austin Lefevre (Kra 690)
LIGHTWEIGHT TWINS SUPERSTOCK EXPERT:
Ed Guzman (Suz SV650)
SENIOR SUPERBIKE HEAVYWEIGHT EXPERT:
Ruben Soto (Suz GSX-R1000)
Ed Guzman (Yam YZF-R1)
Johnny Edwards (Suz GSX-R1000)
Dexter Stuart (Apr RSV4)
SENIOR SUPERBIKE HEAVYWEIGHT NOVICE:
Robert Morton (Kaw ZX-10R)
Jaycee Sterling (Suz GSX-R1000)
SENIOR SUPERBIKE MEDIUMWEIGHT EXPERT:
Mookie Wilkerson (Yam YZF-R6)
Mitsu Ueda (Yam YZF-R6)
Gerardo Flores (Kaw ZX-6R)
Michael Gougis (Hon CBR600RR)
B SUPERSTOCK EXPERT:
1. Keir Leonhardt (Suz GSX-R750)
Orel Mader (Kaw ZX-6R)
B SUPERSTOCK NOVICE:
1. Declan van Rosmalen (Yam YZF-R6)
Mathew Scholtz (11) leads Toni Elias (24) and Bobby Fong (50) during MotoAmerica Superbike Race Two at PittRace. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Westby Racing.
Westby Racing And Mathew Scholtz Celebrate Their Second Double-Podium Race Weekend In A Row
Wampum, PA – Following up their two Superbike podium results at Brainerd International Raceway, Mathew Scholtz and the Westby Racing team notched two more podium results this weekend at Pittsburgh International Race Complex. In fact, Mathew and the team exactly matched the results from Brainerd with a third-place result on Saturday and a runner-up result on Sunday, perfectly illustrating the team’s and the rider’s collective ability to improve as the race weekends progress.
On Sunday, Mathew lined up on the front row in third position, got a good jump at the start, and maintained his third-place position for the first four laps. On lap five, he overtook Toni Elias for third and focused on catching race leader Jake Gagne. As the laps wound down, Mathew managed to cut into Jake’s gap at the front, but there just weren’t enough laps left in the 17-lap race, and he ultimately took the runner-up result at the checkered flag.
Mathew commented:
“Overnight, we made a decent TC (Traction Control) change and just one or two torque changes to try to get it out of the corner better. Yesterday, I was just spinning up way too much, so we softened it slightly and made one or two TC changes to get it to hook up better. I felt like it definitely did in today’s race. It felt pretty cool doing mid-41’s during the morning warm up. I kind of knew that I had a decent pace. We were doing 40’s, which was a little bit of a surprise to me. I followed Toni for a couple laps, got past him, and Jake was only maybe three or four seconds ahead. I put in a couple of heater laps, and I closed in on Jake slightly, but then, he obviously noticed that the gap on his board was getting smaller, and he turned it back up. So, kudos to him. Overall, I was really happy just to ride my own pace, my own rhythm, and show that we can be up there challenging. We just need to try to get with Jake for those first couple of laps, and we might be able to do something at the end. But, right now, Jake is riding incredibly well. Well done to Bob (Fong, who finished third). I feel like both of us should have been winning this year, but it seems like things weren’t really working out for us. It seems like we’re kind of finding our way back to where we should be. So, overall, I’m just happy to be back up here. I’ve got to give a huge thanks to the Westby Racing team. There’s a three-week break now. I get to go and see my wife who I haven’t seen in six or seven months, so I’m really happy about that. It’s going to really make me feel better going to Jersey and to Barber having that time with my special person (his wife Kiara). It’s kind of been a difficult year staying by myself with no family and stuff.”
Ed Sullivan, Westby Racing Crew Chief, said:
“It was a really strong weekend for Westby Racing. I feel today was our best race of the season so far. We made some changes overnight, and took another small step after warm up, all aimed at improving drive grip. Just as he did at Brainerd, Mathew showed what he’s capable of, and the next two rounds can’t come soon enough.”
Chuck Giacchetto, Westby Racing Team Manager, said:
“What did I tell you yesterday? Tune in! I was locked to the monitor on pit road today. This was as sweet as our win at Road Atlanta in the first race of the year. Mathew has proven yet again that he is more than capable of running up front with a vengeance. I am extremely proud of the entire team.
“Overnight, Ed and Herschel (Auxier) went to work and from Mat’s feedback, we were able to give him an even more impressive weapon for today’s race. In my opinion, man and machine arrived as one in race two. I hope the entire team feels great about their performance because they were ‘great.’ Special thanks to the diehard MotoAmerica fans. We love all the support you provide.”
Next up for Westby Racing is round eight of the MotoAmerica Championship, which will take place at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, New Jersey, on September 10 through 12.
Also, follow “Westby Racing” on your favorite social media sites.
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Gagne Extends MotoAmerica Superbike Win Streak to 13
Fresh N’ Lean Attack Performance Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne once again dominated today’s proceedings at the Pittsburgh International Race Complex to score a 13th-straight win in MotoAmerica Superbike Race 2. The victory also broke the series’ record for consecutive victories, which he had previously set in the past two races. Standing in for Josh Herrin this weekend, Toni Elias had another solid result for the team in fourth.
With Saturday’s victory, Gagne duly took pole position for the second race. After the start, the points leader and his fellow Fresh N’ Lean Attack Performance Yamaha rider launched well to hold first and second after the first lap. The Californian put some distance between himself and Elias within a couple of laps, repeating yesterday’s masterclass performance to run a lonely race out front. He crossed the finish line comfortably with a 6-second margin, increasing his formidable series’ consecutive win record and extending his championship lead to 93 points with six races remaining.
After another great start in the runner-up position, Elias found himself under pressure from fellow Yamaha rider Mathew Scholtz a couple of laps into the race. He fought hard to hold him off but was passed on Lap 5 and soon had other company. The Spaniard engaged in a thrilling battle after the halfway mark but ultimately was shuffled to fourth on Lap 11, where he would finish.
The Fresh N’ Lean Attack Performance Yamaha Racing Team now enters nearly a month-long break before heading to the New Jersey Motorsports Park for Round 8 of the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship, 10-12 September.
Richard Stanboli – Fresh N’ Lean Attack Performance Yamaha Racing Team Manager
“Today was fun, and Jake rode a safe race for another win. He has such great rhythm, and the crew is doing a great job keeping him comfortable. We made a decent step overnight with Toni’s bike and improved his pace. Unfortunately, that pace was not sustainable, and he had to settle for fourth. Hats off to him for bringing a good atmosphere to the team while maintaining the determination to race at the front. It was a lot to ask of a rider, to race without any testing, and to be competitive, so the results were better than anticipated.
“Also, hats off to Mat (Scholtz) and the Westby team for making it a Yamaha 1-2. We now look forward to seeing our fans at NJ in a few weeks. Josh should be fully recovered by then and in good form, and Jake will do what he does best.”
Jake Gagne (32). Photo courtesy Yamaha Racing.
Jake Gagne – Fresh N’ Lean Attack Performance Yamaha Racing
“It was another great weekend for the whole team! I’m happy to see that all of the hard work that this crew puts in keeps paying off. This Attack Yamaha R1 worked amazing at this track all weekend. I got off to another great start and rode my laps to the end to pull off another win! We’re ready for a little break, and then it’s back-to-back weekends which will be awesome.”
Toni Elias (24). Photo courtesy Yamaha Racing.
Tony Elias – Fresh N’ Lean Attack Performance Yamaha Racing
“Today, I had more speed but less pace, and I paid the price midway through the race. I was hoping for another podium after yesterday’s result, but anyways, a second and fourth-place finish was more than what I was thinking to achieve for the first run with the R1. It has been a pleasure to work with this amazing bike and team, so a big thank you to Richard Stanboli and the Fresh N’ Lean Attack Yamaha team for the opportunity!”
More, from a press release issued by Ducati:
Ducati Duo Take The Positives From a Trying Weekend In Pittsburgh
Sunnyvale, Calif. – The lush green surrounds of the Pittsburgh International Race Complex saw Ducati duo Loris Baz Loris Baz (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati New York) and Kyle Wyman go into battle against America’s best in what was ultimately a trying weekend for the two.
Baz put the #76 Ducati in third on the grid for race one but crashed out on lap three while lying third, pushing him back to a fourth row start for race two. Suffering acute pain in his left hand following the crash, Baz put on a brave face and charged home to an impressive fifth with Yamaha’s Jake Gagne taking both wins.
For Wyman, his first full race meeting back on the Panera Bread Ducati Panigale saw him get steadily faster across the weekend, culminating in an incredible battle with former MotoGP rider, Hector Barbera. Wyman and the Spaniard pushed each other to the limit, with Barbera just getting the better of Wyman at the flag. Regardless, it was a solid performance from the Arizona resident, who carded sixth and eighth place finishes in Pittsburgh.
2021 MotoAmerica Superbike Standing – Top 5
P1 – Jake Gagne (Yamaha) 325
P2 – Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha) 232
P3 – Cameron Petersen (Suzuki) 184
P4 – Bobby Fong (Suzuki) 165
P5 – Loris Baz (Ducati) 149
P10 – Kyle Wyman 67
Loris Baz (76). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Ducati.
Loris Baz (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati New York – Ducati #76)
“It’s been a rough weekend,” Baz said. “We started with P3 in qualifying. I knew we didn’t have the pace to match Jake, but I tried hard and I don’t regret it (the crash). I gave it my best but it was not enough. I lost the front and crashed and hurt my finger a little on the left side, but it was OK. Fortunately, the bike wasn’t too badly damaged. I apologized to my team and said we are in the position where we have to try and stay with Jake, rather than settle for third or fourth. Today, we started from P11 and it was pretty warm, so I just tried to come back as soon as I could. I went to P5 but I struggled a lot with pain in my hand. I was screaming in my helmet for 20 laps. Now, we have three weeks off so I will go back home to France and I have an appointment with the hospital tomorrow to see what I can do with the hand. We’ll regroup and come back in New Jersey. I leave my heart on the bike and I give everything, just like all the guys in the team and I’m proud to work with them.”
Kyle Wyman (33). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Ducati.
Kyle Wyman (Panera Bread Ducati – Ducati #33)
“Today went quite a bit better,” Wyman said after race two. “We are still a little off where we’d expect to be, here at Pittsburgh, but we made some progress with the bike. The elbow was hanging in there and I made it through the weekend physically, so that’s a plus, considering I haven’t been on a bike in a while. We made some positive changes and I had a really good battle with Hector Barbera. I think we passed each other about 20 times throughout the race, and it felt good to be in a battle and to fight again. Sixth and eighth is not where we know we can be but we have some time off now to get focused on what we need to do for New Jersey and then to finish off the year at Barber, but we’ll be trying our best to finish the season with the Ducati on a high note.”
More, from a press release issued by Travis Wyman Racing:
Travis Wyman perseveres through injury from near-crash Saturday to score Stock 1000 podium Sunday at MotoAmerica Superbikes at Pittsburgh
BMW rider remains second in Superbike Cup standings, moves up to third in Stock 1000 points at Pittsburgh International Race Complex
Travis Wyman (10). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Travis Wyman Racing.
WAMPUM, Pa. — Travis Wyman’s weekend racing at Pittsburgh International Race Complex could easily have ended Saturday in spectacular fashion. Instead, the BMW rider showed true grit persevering though a leg injury to claim a podium finish Sunday and move up from fourth to third in the MotoAmerica Stock 1000 standings.
The Las Vegas resident suffered a torn calf muscle while keeping his motorcycle from running into a track barrier in the Saturday MotoAmerica Superbike race, but the contender for two MotoAmerica class titles could not be deterred from taking part in two races on Sunday. Thanks to Wyman’s determination to compete, he maintained second place in the chase for the 2021 MotoAmerica Superbike Cup and is ninth in the overall Superbike standings.
Wyman and the other top five riders in the Superbike Cup practiced and qualified with the Superbike Class — something that had been done at previous rounds. Wyman had a good start to the weekend in Friday morning practice. He finished the session 10th overall and was the fastest of the Cup competitors. Later Friday, Wyman ended Qualifying 1 in 10th and was the second-fastest Cup rider.
In Saturday morning’s Qualifying 2 session, Wyman did enough to secure second on the Stock 1000 starting grid and 12th for the Saturday Superbike race despite struggling for grip in the rear tire.
The first Superbike race of the weekend didn’t produce the results Wyman had hoped for, but his great save kept him in the Superbike Cup title hunt. Wyman got a good start, finished the first lap in 11th place and moved up to 10th on Lap 3. He was still in 10th when the violent near-crash on occurred on Lap 6. As Wyman exited Turn 2 – the same corner he had a big crash at two years ago – his motorcycle began bucking uncontrollably. Wyman valiantly tried to get the BMW back under control and managed to keep the bike on the track. Though he stayed in the race, Wyman dropped to 13th in the running order and went on to finish 14th.
Wyman’s first of two races on Sunday was the event’s lone Stock 1000 contest — though that race wouldn’t be restarted until after the day’s Superbike race. Wyman got a decent start and successfully defended second place into Turn 1. He was running close behind the race leader when the race was stopped due to a crash and bike fire.
In Superbike Race 2, Wyman got off the line well from 14th on the grid and was running in 12th place at the end of Lap 1. When another rider dropped out of the race on Lap 5, Wyman moved up to 11th, but ran a lonely race from thereon. He finished the race in 11th, about eight seconds behind the 10th place rider and about nine seconds ahead of the rider in 12th.
About an hour after the Superbike race wrapped up, Wyman was back on the grid for the restarted Stock 1000 race. After a good start, Wyman was the second rider through the first corner – a position he wouldn’t relinquish through the rest of the race. Wyman caught up to the race leader midway through the shortened 10-lap race, but discomfort from the injuries he sustained Saturday forced him to back off his pace. His runner-up finish was Wyman’s fourth Stock 1000 podium this season.
The team has three weeks to prepare for the last two rounds of the 2021 season, which are scheduled for Sept. 10-12 at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, N.J., followed by the season finale Sept. 17-19 at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Ala.
Travis Wyman / No. 10
“I was confident coming into this weekend that we could get back on top of the box here at Pitt Race. Qualifying went great, as we qualified second for the Stock 1000 race. I was looking forward to the first Superbike race, but I had a big moment that set me back a bit. I tore my left calf muscle in the incident, and I woke up Sunday morning not sure if I’d be able to race. I got help from the doctors here and my riding coach, but I knew it was going to be difficult to get through the day. I battled in the Sunday Superbike race to get a pretty good finish – third among the Cup riders. In the Stock 1000 race, I knew if I got a good start and pushed hard early I could break away with the polesitter and battle with him until the end of the race. I just couldn’t push in the last handful of laps due to arm pump and my calf injury. I’m not super happy with second place, but it was great to bring home another podium for the team.”
More, from a press release issued by Robem Engineering:
Toth scores sixth-place finish in Robem Engineering debut Saturday in MotoAmerica Twins Cup race at Pittsburgh International Race Complex
De Keyrel recovers from off-track excursion to score top-10 finish, maintains championship points lead
WAMPUM, Pa. — It wasn’t the weekend the Robem Engineering team had hoped for in its first time racing the Aprilia RS 660 at Pittsburgh International Race Complex. Yet, Saturday’s Twins Cup race featured the team’s newest rider have a promising debut and its championship-leading rider recovering from an early setback to maintain his lead in the points standings.
Though he wasn’t able to pad his championship lead with one of his usual podium finishes, rider Kaleb De Keyrel finished the MotoAmerica Superbikes at Pittsburgh round with a 53-point advantage– the same margin he’d started the event with. And the team’s newest rider, Max Toth, of Belmont, Calif., finished sixth in his first time racing on the 2.78-mile Pitt Race circuit.
The team had a slower-than-usual start to the weekend. De Keyrel and Toby Khamsouk finished Friday morning practice in eighth and ninth place, respectively, and Toth and Carl Price were 14th and 18th. Later Friday, De Keyrel finished Qualifying 1 as the eighth-fastest rider. Khamsouk was 10th fastest, Toth was 17th and Price 24th. The second and final qualifying session of the weekend on Saturday morning ended with De Keyrel having secured 6th, Toth 10th, Khamsouk 12th and Price 22nd on the starting grid for the lone Twins Cup race of the weekend.
Saturday afternoon’s race saw De Keyrel get a good start but drop to seventh in the running order for the first three laps. In his first race aboard an Aprilia RS 660, Toth struggled a little in the early part of the race – falling from 10th to 12th by Lap 2. Khamsouk and Price had good starts to the race, as Khamsouk advanced to eighth and Price moved up from 22nd to 20th on the first lap.
De Keyrel was running in seventh place on Lap 4 when he ran off track and rejoined the race in 17th place. Having fallen out of the points-paying positions, De Keyrel rallied to make up as many positions as he could. He moved up two positions before the end of Lap 4 and was running in 14th at the end of Lap 5, 13th on Lap 6 and 12th on Lap 7. De Keyrel made up one more position before the conclusion of the race to cross the finish line in 11th.
Newcomer Toth led the team’s effort in the race, moving up three places in the last three laps of the 11-lap race to cross the line in seventh. One of the riders he passed was his teammate Khamsouk, who crossed the finish line in ninth to score his ninth top-10 finish of the season. Price’s pace improved as the race progressed, and he crossed the line in 18th — four places ahead of where he’d started.
A post-race disqualification of another Twins Cup rider moved all four of the Robem Enginnering riders up one place in the results. Toth was re-classified in sixth place, Khamsouk in eighth, De Keyrel in 10th and Price in 17th.
Next up on the Robem Engineering schedule is the penultimate round of the 2021 MotoAmerica season, which takes place Sept. 10-12 on the 2.25-mile Thunderbolt circuit at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, N.J.
Kaleb De Keyrel (51). Photo by Sara Chappell Photo, courtesy Robem Engineering.
Kaleb De Keyrel / No. 51
“Unfortunately, we had a technical problem on Lap 4 that caused me to run off-track. I got the problem sorted enough to continue racing and get as many points as I could. Obviously, the championship is on the line here, so every couple points really helps. I made the best of it and rode as good as I could. I’m looking forward to having things sorted out for New Jersey and getting back on the podium there. I think setup is going to be huge there, as it’s a very technical track with several left-right corner combinations.”
Max Toth (58). Photo by Sara Chappell Photo, courtesy Robem Engineering.
Max Toth / No. 58
“It was a really tough weekend with a lot of ups and downs. We had technical problems for the first two sessions that set us back a bit. I didn’t finish where I wanted to, but we made some big improvements from where we started. It’s going to be an all-new experience racing at New Jersey and Barber – just like it was here – but I think we can go into the next round with a lot more confidence.”
Toby Khamsouk (27). Photo by Sara Chappell Photo, courtesy Robem Engineering.
Toby Khamsouk / No. 27
“We started the weekend OK in Friday practice, but we spent a lot of the weekend trying some things with the rear of the bike to get me more comfortable. We made a change in the race, and it was a step in the right direction. We still have some things to figure out, but the whole team is working very hard on it. I’m looking forward to the next round. New Jersey Motorsports Park is a fun track.”
Dr. Carl Price (532). Photo by Sara Chappell Photo, courtesy Robem Engineering.
Carl Price / No. 532
“It was a great weekend and it was so much fun to be back out racing a motorcycle. The Robem Engineering team put in a Herculean effort to get this Aprilia RS 660 together for me. I can’t say enough good things about the Aprilia, and I did my fastest lap of the race on the last lap. I won’t be back on the bike at New Jersey, but I’m hoping to race the last round of the season at Barber.”
Robem Engineering’s technical partners for 2021 include Aprilia Racing, Piaggio Group Americas, 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.
More, from a press release issued by Pure Attitude Racing:
Points aplenty at Pitt Race for Pure Attitude Racing in Twins Cup and Supersport
Pure Attitude Racing picked up plenty of points in the latest round of the 2021 MotoAmerica Championship at the Pittsburgh International Race Complex this past weekend, with all four riders, Liam MacDonald, Trevor Standish, Austin Miller and Nate Minster, once again in action in the Twins Cup and Supersport series.
Solid qualifying by all four competitors ensured that the team were once again able to leave Round 7 with a double Top Ten finish and a bagful of points in both categories. The event also saw the return of early Twins Cup points leader Trevor Standish. The #16 had missed several races following his Road America crash and whilst a technical issue forced his retirement, Standish rode through the discomfort to run strongly in the top ten prior to his stoppage.
Liam MacDonald finished P9, consolidating his overall championship position of P8 in Twins Cup, whilst in Supersport Nate Minster and Austin Miller both scored points once again on Saturday, with Nate bagging a double points finish with P13, whilst Austin’s weekend in a DNF after he was taken out by a fellow competitor.
The team now has a couple of weeks to regroup prior to the penultimate round of the 2021 season, taking place in September at New Jersey Motorsports Park.
Liam MacDonald (37). Photo courtesy Pure Attitude Racing.
Liam MacDonald: “It was a great race. The track reminded me a lot of Suzuka in Japan. It is very flowing and favors smoother riders but is super intense. It was another new circuit for me and the first time that I was able to race the entire race in a group. It was a lot of fun. I know I could have finished higher than I did but it has been so long since I was in a race long fight that I was honestly just a bit rusty. I must be happy with another top ten and I am already looking forward to the next one in New Jersey. Big thanks to the team who did another awesome job this weekend.”
Trevor Standish (16) and crew. Photo courtesy Pure Attitude Racing.
Trevor Standish: “Unfortunately I made a call to change something on the bike for the race that meant we went in the wrong direction but I powered through and after almost being taken out at the start was able to run some competitive times considering my wrist is still not 100%. Sadly, we hit a small technical issue which meant I had to pit. The team did a great job and I went back out but sadly finished outside of the points. It’s a bittersweet feeling as we were strong in qualifying and I am stoked to be back on track, but we live and learn, and we move onto New Jersey ready to push again.”
Austin Miller (61). Photo courtesy Pure Attitude Racing.
Austin Miller: “Race 1 on Saturday was decent, and we were able to finish in the points again which is always the aim. On Sunday I made an ok start and held my position but then I got hit by another rider which bent my exhaust and basically ruined the rest of the race. I did a couple of laps, but the bike was damaged, and we got black flagged. It’s annoying as once again we were looking good for points, but I am taking the positives, we were not a million miles away from the top ten pace wise for the third consecutive race which shows our progress. We will go again in a few weeks.”
Nate Minster (99). Photo courtesy Pure Attitude Racing.
Nate Minster: “I made a good start in Race 1 but made a small mistake and lost a couple of positions. I regrouped and fought my way back into contention. We were able to score some good points and I was confident for Sunday. Race 2 went well. I ran P9 for most of the race. It was a bit lonely but then I was told at the end of the race I had jump start penalty which I don’t understand as you can see from the footage that my entire row and those ahead all moved at the same time so I don’t agree with the decision at all. Nevertheless, that’s how it is, and we have to take the positives and move on to New Jersey knowing that we were once again well inside the top ten and not far from the top 6 or 7.”
The riders of the FIM Superbike World Championship are heading to the Navarra Circuit this coming weekend. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Further into the unknown: Navarra welcomes WorldSBK as the next new territory Monday, 16 August 2021 06:50 GMT
It’s all to play for in northern Spain, with the WorldSBK paddock arriving in Los Arcos for Round 7
The 2021 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is well underway and heads into the second half of the season as the Pirelli Navarra Round beckons at the all-new Circuito de Navarra. The facility was opened in 2010 and is the second consecutive new venue for WorldSBK whilst also being the fifth consecutive that wasn’t on the 2020 calendar. With one of the fastest turns on the calendar and intricate sectors, Navarra is ready to welcome the intense Championship battle between Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK), with both separated by just three points after 18 races.
THREE WAY FIGHT: Yamaha vs Kawasaki vs Ducati
The Championship battle is the closest it has been after 18 races since 2004 and there’s absolutely no shortage of vintage action in 2021. Toprak Razgatlioglu took 34 points out of Jonathan Rea’s lead at the last round at Most, meaning he is just three behind. Heading to Navarra where he was fast in testing, Razgatlioglu knows that he’s within striking distance of the Championship lead, even though he is focused on the race in hand and not the standings. He has a strong teammate for support too, with Andrea Locatelli not out of the top five in the last six races – of which he took two podiums, one at Assen in Race 2 and the other at Most in Race 1. The level playing field of Navarra may bring Locatelli further into contention as he aims for a first win, whilst also aims to pack out the places between Toprak and his Championship rivals.
Jonathan Rea’s disastrous Most is now behind him as he hit the reset button with a small break and then a return to testing duties at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Taking 23 points from three races in the Czech Republic, his second lowest amount for a round tally after Estoril’s 20 last year, Rea has got to hit the ground running at Navarra if he is to remain in the Championship lead. Taking a triple win at Assen and then enduring Most’s difficulties, the WorldSBK pendulum swings wildly from round to round, adding to the excitement and unpredictability of 2021. Teammate Alex Lowes was racing with physical restrictions at Most and had three crashes in one day at Navarra during testing, so he’ll hope that those two aspects of his form aren’t indicative of the weekend ahead.
One of the main stories coming out of the Czech Republic was that Ducati and Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) are back, with the British star taking a long-awaited victory at Most. After getting his knee down in another way on the podium by proposing to his girlfriend, Redding’s mindset coming to Navarra is in a good place as he seeks to close the gap down further from 50, having taken it down from 81 last time out. Teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi will also look to get back on the rostrum after his comebacks in Race 1 and Race 2 at Most, with the Italian storming through from eighth and 11th respectively. Can Ducati utilise their recent form and get their Panigale V4 R in the perfect operating window in Los Arcos?
BACK ON TRACK: BMW and Honda in contention?
BMW had a mixed weekend at Most, as Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) took a sturdy fifth place in Race 1, whilst teammate Michael van der Mark’s comeback from 17th to 7th in Race 2 also gave the German manufacturer something to shout about. However, they’re still yet to cement their place in the constant fight for the podium. With Navarra closing in, this could be the round where they really come on strong; Sykes has consistently hailed the progress that the team made with the bike at the Navarra test in July, citing that as one of the turning points of the 2021 season and the M 1000 RR project. Both he and van der Mark were quick and there’s a feeling that if both can have a clean run through Free Practice, they could be contenders come racing.
Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC) showed strength at the Autodrom Most last time out as the Honda rider recovered from a Race 1 error to finish sixth, whilst he fought back after a slow start in Race 2. In his second ‘home event’ of the season, Bautista will hope the recent test in Barcelona can propel him and Honda forwards after electronic issues have plagued them continuously throughout the first six rounds of the season. Teammate Leon Haslam will hope the level playing field can bring him further into play and especially after a strong Barcelona test, as HRC seek to return to the leading positions.
THE INDEPENDENT BATTLE: who will feature?
The Independent battle is starting to see new names come into the picture; Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) enjoyed a calm Most weekend and was on top of testing after day one at Navarra back in July. However, it was Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) who took his best ever result at Most with a first top five in Race 1, finishing fifth. Bassani’s potential is high, and he’s growing in stature with each race – could he be a surprise towards the front of the field this weekend? Making a return to action will be Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), whilst Tito Rabat (Barni Racing Team) will hope he can progress forward at his second home round of the year.
Kohta Nozane (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) is 16th in the Championship and returns to the track where he crashed at during testing, resulting in a broken finger. Isaac Viñales (ORELAC Racing VerdNatura) aims to continue knocking on the door of the top ten, whilst Eugene Laverty’s (RC Squadra Corse) attendance is to be confirmed. Jonas Folger (Bonovo MGM Racing), Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport Yamaha) and Leandro Mercado (MIE Racing Honda Team) are next up, with Mercado returning after a positive COVID-19 test ruled him out of Most. Loris Cresson (OUTDO TPR Team Pedercini Racing) and teammate Jayson Uribe complete the full-time entrants, whilst Suzuki return to the WorldSBK grid with Spanish Superbike rider Naomichi Uramoto wildcarding, meaning there’re six manufacturers on the grid.
Watch the inaugural Pirelli Navarra Round in style with the WorldSBK VideoPass!
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