The wait is over! Scott Redding, Michael Rinaldi and the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team ready for the 2021 WorldSBK season
The 2021 WorldSBK season finally gets underway after a long winter of private testing that brought the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team in Misano, Barcellona, Aragon and Navarra. The Motorland circuit of Aragon will be the opening round of 2021, with Scott Redding and Michael Ruben Rinaldi riding their Ducati Panigale V4 R.
After an exciting rookie season that saw him fighting for the title until the last race weekend of 2020, Scott Redding will be at the starting line with a wealth of experience and unchanged objectives for the title race.
For Michael Rinaldi, it will be the official debut on the Panigale V4 R of Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team on the circuit that saw him winning his first GP in WorldSBK last season.
Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #45)
“We have been waiting for this moment for a very long time. We have worked hard over the past few months and I cannot wait to be back on track. Aragon may not be my favorite circuit but during the tests, we have proved that we can be competitive. Last season brought me a lot of experience: I got to know new circuits, I learned to understand the tires, and I got familiar with the format of WorldSBK: these factors will be very useful to fight for the world title”.
Michael Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #21)
“We go to Aragon with great enthusiasm. It is a new championship, very special; I used the long winter break to work with my team, get to know them better, and to adapt to the bike. It will be the first race for all of us and we will have to do our best from Friday. I am very confident because the Motorland is a track that adapts very well to both my riding style and the bike. The key will be to keep calm during weekend and try to get the best results as possible. I can’t wait to get on track on Friday.”
Advantage Gurecky and Luciano as the NTC returns to Oschersleben
So far the two veterans have shared the wins. But now we return to familiar turf for the fastest rider – and rookie – in testing
Thursday, 20 May 2021
Round 1 of the 2021 Northern Talent Cup saw the field pitched against difficult conditions in both races, and in both races there were two riders sharing the top two steps: Lorenz Luciano (Junior Black Knights Team) first, and then Jakub Gurecky (JRT Brno Circuit) as the Czech rider absolutely dominated on Sunday. With a win and a second place apiece so it’s parity in the points at the top too. Now the NTC returns to the venue for pre-season testing, however, where rookie Rossi Moor (FAIRIUM Next Generation Riders Team) laid down the gauntlet in April.
At times the Hungarian was a second clear on the timesheets in testing, but the circumstances of returning for Round 2 are a little different. Moor once again showed his speed at Le Mans and took pole, but when the lights went out to race, he hit some bad luck and trouble. A crash in Race 1 and then a more muted ride to a point in 15th in Race 2 won’t be what he was hoping for, and he’ll doubtless be out to reset and take his place back near the top at Round 2.
Gurecky must be the rider walking tallest back into Oschersleben though. The Czech rider was in another postcode on Sunday and made the tough conditions look easy. Luciano, however, followed up his well-fought win on Saturday with his trademark consistency from last year once again to take a solid 20 points. Will they be the two veterans to beat again?
Jonas Kocourek (JRT Brno Circuit) and Jacopo Hosciuc (Hos Racing Team) were also fast at Le Mans, each taking a podium and a DNF from near the front in Round 1, and they had speed in preseason. They’re now playing catch up a little in the points, but with a much longer 2021 planned there’s time to claw back the deficit. Can they iron out the mistakes and take the fight to Gurecky and Luciano?
The likes of Niklas Kitzbichler (Racing-Team-Kitzbichler), Swiss rookie Lenoxx Phommara (Phommara Team), Kas Beekmans (Team KNMV) and Dustin Schneider (PrüstelGP Junior Team) also put together some solid top fives and flashes of speed at Le Mans, so they’ll want to keep that rolling and home in more on the front, and a few fast faces – like Tibor Varga (Forty Racing Team) – will also be looking for a little less drama at Round 2.
Two more races see the NTC get straight back in action this weekend at Oschersleben, with another 50 points on the table. Will it be status quo at the front or another shake up at the track that hosted preseason testing? We’ll find out on Sunday, with Race 1 at 9:45 (GMT +2) and Race 2 at 14:40.
AMA Hall of Famer David Aldana Named AHRMA Classic MotoFest Grand Marshal
(May 20, 2021, Elora, Tennessee) Legendary racer David Aldana will be the Grand Marshal for the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) AHRMA Classic MotoFest® in the Heartland.
The event is May 28-30, 2021, at Heartland Motorsports Park, in Topeka, Kansas. Aldana will be available to sign autographs and will have t-shirts available for purchase in addition to his other Grand Marshal activities throughout the weekend.
“David Aldana is synonymous with all kinds of racing during the 70s and 80s and his legend on and off the racetrack continues to build,” said Arthur Kowitz, Chairman of the AHRMA Board of Trustees. “We’re honored that he’s the Grand Marshal for our first MotoFest at Heartland Motorsports Park.”
Aldana is held in high esteem in the racing community. Beginning in 1970, he competed at the top levels of dirt track racing, eventually moving into professional road racing, as well. He was a top AMA Grand National Series competitor during the 1970s, winning four AMA nationals during his career, and in 1981 he won the Suzuka eight-hour endurance race. He is known for his distinctive racing leathers which are adorned with a life-sized human skeleton design. Aldana also took on motocross and observed trials. His on-track achievements were captured in the classic 1971 Bruce Brown film “On Any Sunday,” and led to his 1999 induction into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.
Aldana will also be racing in AHRMA’s National Vintage Motocross series during the MotoFest.
AHRMA (American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving, restoring and competing on historic motorcycles. With more than 3,000 members, AHRMA is the leading historic motorcycle racing group in North America and one of the largest in the world. The association’s enthusiastic membership reflects this country’s strong interest in classic bikes.
ABOUT VISIT TOPEKA
Visit Topeka, Inc. is the visitor’s bureau for the capital city of Kansas. Visit Topeka’s mission is to increase tourism’s economic impact on Topeka through destination development and brand management. VisitTopeka.com
Corner by corner, and moment by moment, Tyler O’Hara’s ability to be present will determine the outcome of a daunting double-duty race weekend in Atlanta as he defends his #KingOfTheBaggers championship on the #IndianChallenger, and fulfills an American Flat Track dream on the #FTR750.
Indian Motorcycle is America’s First Motorcycle Company®. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the hearts of motorcyclists around the world and earned distinction as one of America’s most legendary and iconic brands through unrivaled racing dominance, engineering prowess and countless innovations and industry firsts. Today that heritage and passion are reignited under new brand stewardship.
MotoAmerica Support-Class Preview: There Is Only One Who Is Undefeated
Only One Rider Emerged From The Opening Round In Georgia Without A Loss: Sean Dylan Kelly
IRVINE, CA (May 20, 2021) – Only one rider arrives at VIRginia International Raceway this week with a blemish-free 2021 race record. That man is M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Sean Dylan Kelly, the newly turned 19-year-old the only rider to come away from the opening round at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta undefeated.
Kelly won both of the MotoAmerica Supersport races in the series opener in Georgia, the Floridian topping his class rival and last year’s champion Richie Escalante in both to get a leg up in what will certainly be a battle to the end between those two. For now, Kelly has a 10-point lead and also a boost in the confidence department heading into VIR.
With those two expected to battle for the title all year, nobody can predict what’s in store for those behind them. For round one, though, it was Kelly’s teammate Sam Lochoff and North East Cycle Outlet Racing’s Benjamin Smith who came out the best, with those two tied with 20 points. Smith earned his by virtue of two sixth-place finishes, including being in a fight for the final podium spot all the way to the last corner in race two. For Lochoff, it was a fifth and a seventh that earned him his points.
Cycle Gear Racing’s Nolan Lamkin and non-defending Twins Cup and SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup Champion Rocco Landers both earned career-first podiums in the class with Landers’ coming in third in just his second MotoAmerica Supersport race. Those two also had DNFs in the races they didn’t finish third in and they sit in a tie for fifth with 16 points apiece.
Things are tight at the top in Stock 1000 as the series lands in Virginia. Travis Wyman Racing’s Travis Wyman is at the top of the heap with 41 points after his third-place finish and victory at Road Atlanta. Wyman is trailed by Jones Honda’s Ashton Yates, who is five points in arrears, and race-one winner from Road Atlanta, Michael Gilbert. Gilbert is six points behind after the first two races of the season.
Geoff May Racing/VisionWheel.com’s Geoff May and Altus Motorsports’ Jake Lewis round out the top five as we head to round two. One rider who will be looking to rebound from a horrible start to his year is one of the preseason favorites for the title, Corey Alexander. The HONOS-backed Kawasaki rider was sixth and 13th in the two races after a myriad of problems over the course of the weekend.
With the top three riders in the SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup class from 2020 all moving up in class, it was expected that 2021 would bring a laundry list of first-time winners. Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta gave us the start to that with Scott Powersports KTM’s Tyler Scott taking his first career win (in his MotoAmerica debut) in race one and Landers Racing’s Ben Gloddy (who had eight podium finishes in 2020, but no wins) doing likewise in race two. Those two split the wins and when they didn’t win, they both finished second. Thus, they are tied atop the standings with 45 points apiece.
Next best is the pairing of KERmoto’s Cody Wyman and Veloce Racing’s David Kohlstaedt with those two splitting third and fifth-place finishes in the opener and finishing the weekend tied for third in the title chase.
Pure Attitude Racing’s Trevor Standish didn’t win a Twins Cup race in the series opener in Georgia, but he emerged with the points lead based on consistent fourth- and third-place finishes, with his ride in race two earning him his first podium finish in the class. Chris Parrish, who also didn’t win a race, is second in points heading to VIR – seven behind Standish and one point clear of race two winner Teagg Hobbs.
Race-one winner Kaleb De Keyrel is fourth in points as his weekend in Georgia featured the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. On Saturday, De Keyrel gave Aprilia its first MotoAmerica Twins Cup victory; a day later he crashed out of the lead battle when his RS 660 had a mechanical problem and took almost every Aprilia in the race with him.
VIR Support Class Notes
It’s worth noting that parity has most definitely arrived in the Stock 1000 class with the first of the two Stock 1000 races at Road Atlanta featuring three different manufacturers on the podium: Kawasaki (Gilbert), Yates (Honda) and Wyman (BMW).
On Saturday at Road Atlanta, Aprilia’s new RS 660 filled the podium in its debut in the class. The following day, it was Suzuki SV650s holding down the top three finishes.
Sean Dylan Kelly’s two wins at Road Atlanta were the eighth and ninth Supersport wins of his career. He has now won the same number of races as Hayden Gillim and is four behind his rival Richie Escalante in Supersport career victories.
With MotoAmerica not racing at VIR in 2020 because of COVID-19, it’s a look back to 2019 to see who did what at the popular racetrack. In the first of two Supersport races, it was PJ Jacobsen taking victory. In race two it was Hayden Gillim taking the win. In Junior Cup action, Rocco Landers won race one with Cameron Jones taking the first win of his career in wet conditions on Sunday. The lone Twins Cup race was won by Chris Parrish with Michael Gilbert scoring the win in Stock 1000.
RPM Act Introduced in U.S. House of Representatives
— Motorsports Allies in Congress Lead Campaign to Save Our Racecars —
WASHINGTON, D.C. – SEMA President & CEO Chris Kersting today commended U.S. Representatives Patrick McHenry (R-NC) and Raul Ruiz (D-CA) for introducing H.R. 3281, the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act of 2021 (RPM Act). The bipartisan bill includes 48 original sponsors. The RPM Act protects Americans’ right to convert street vehicles into dedicated racecars and the motorsports-parts industry’s ability to sell products that enable racers to compete.
The RPM Act reverses the EPA’s interpretation that the Clean Air Act prohibits a motor vehicle designed for street use—including a car, truck, or motorcycle—to be converted into a dedicated racecar. This American tradition was unquestioned from 1970 until 2015 when the EPA took the position that converted vehicles must remain emissions-compliant, even though they are no longer driven on public streets or highways.
“SEMA looks forward to working with Congress to enact the RPM Act and make permanent the Clean Air Act’s original intention that race vehicle conversions are legal,” said Kersting. “We thank Representatives McHenry and Ruiz for standing up for racing and the motorsports parts industry by introducing a bipartisan bill to protect racing and the businesses that produce, install, and sell the parts that enable racers to compete.”
There has already been an unprecedented outpouring of support for the RPM Act this year, with Americans sending over 1.1 million letters asking Congress to pass the legislation. It is imperative that enthusiasts and motorsports businesses keep up this momentum by reminding their lawmakers in Washington, D.C., that they must act now to protect the right to convert a motor vehicle into a racecar.
“I am proud to support automobile racing and will work to ensure motorsports enthusiasts here in North Carolina and across the country can continue the time-honored tradition of modifying stock vehicles for competitive racing,” said Rep. Patrick McHenry. “I look forward to working with my colleagues to help ensure the RPM Act becomes law.”
“Growing up, I spent countless hours at the racetrack with my father,” said Rep. Raul Ruiz. “Racing has always been close to my heart. I am delighted to introduce the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports (RPM) Act, which will keep our American tradition of vehicle racing alive and give enthusiasts and their children the same opportunity that I had to create memories at the racetrack.”
Motorsports competition involves tens of thousands of participants and vehicle owners each year, both amateur and professional. Retail sales of racing products make up a nearly $2 billion market annually. Most of the vehicles raced on the estimated 1,300 racetracks operating across the U.S. are converted vehicles that the EPA considers to be illegal.
It is important that members of Congress hear from the racing and automotive enthusiast communities about the importance of passing the RPM Act into law in 2021. To write a letter to your members of Congress, visit www.sema.org/rpm.
About SEMA
SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association founded in 1963, represents the $46.2 billion specialty automotive industry. The industry provides appearance, performance, comfort, convenience and technology products for passenger and recreational vehicles. Association resources include market research, legislative advocacy, training and product development support, as well as leading trade shows such as the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, NV, and the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show in Indianapolis, IN. For more information, visit www.sema.org, www.semashow.com, or www.performanceracing.com.
Borgo Panigale Experience: the Ducati Museum reopens on 21 May
The Ducati Museum is getting ready to welcome enthusiasts and fans of two wheels every Friday, Saturday and Sunday starting from 21 May
The digital Borgo Panigale Experience is enriched by the “Ducati Factory Online Journey”, the new remote visit of the production lines where Ducati motorcycles take shape
Borgo Panigale (Bologna, Italy) – Starting from 21 May, the Ducati Museum reopens its doors on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Ducati is gearing up to welcome the public again starting from the halls of its Museum, one of the most iconic places to visit for all fans of two wheels and motorsport in general.
During the months of closure due to the pandemic, Ducati extended the digitalization process to the Ducati Museum, expanding the digital offer of the Borgo Panigale Experience through the “Ducati Museum Online Journey”. Real guided tours accessible from PC, tablet or Smart TV, virtually accompanied by the Museum’s expert guides, to discover – also remotely – the place where the Italian motorcycle manufacturer shares its essence and history with all fans. The “Ducati Museum Online Journey” remains available for all those who still cannot visit Borgo Panigale in Italy.
Starting from 22 May, the offer of the digital Borgo Panigale Experience is enriched by the “Ducati Factory Online Journey”. The fascinating tours of the Ducati factory, currently suspended for reasons related to Covid, can be experienced from remote by booking the online guided tour of the production areas of the Ducati plant.
During the tour, users will be accompanied by a guide who will show where and how Ducati motorcycles take shape, passing through the mechanical machining department, the engine assembly area and the vehicle assembly lines, up to testing and shipments. A unique experience for all enthusiasts of motorcycling and mechanical engineering.
Both for the Online Journey in the factory and for those in the Ducati Museum, it is possible to ask questions to the guide through the Questions and Answers section of the platform. The programming and tickets for the digital Borgo Panigale Experience (Ducati Museum and Ducati Factory Online Journey) are available on the ticketing platform.
The visit to the Ducati Museum in person is only available by reservation on Friday from 9.00 to 12.00 and from 14.30 to 18.00; Saturday and Sunday from 9.00 to 18.00. The entry ticket must be purchased online on the dedicated website.
To guarantee the health and safety of visitors and workers, access to the structure will take place with a limited number of entries. In order to enter the plant and for the entire period of stay inside the company area, visitors are required to respect the rules established by the internal Covid-19 Task Force, also described on the entrance tickets.
Further information on how to visit and book is available on the Ducati website.
In this episode, Co-Hosts Greg White and Jason Pridmore talk:
MotoGP – Round 4 of MotoGP from Le Mans. The boys talk about those races and what they saw.
MotoGP Fantasy – Make sure you join our league! “Gregs Garage Pod with Jason Pridmore” is the name.
MotoAmerica – The second round of the season is upon us, people. VIR is the host. The boys talk about how exciting this race weekend should be.
WorldSBK – We are finally back! A chat about who, if anyone, can topple the champ, Jonny Rea. And how about Garrett Gerloff? The American is primed for great success.
Next Week Tease – MotoAmerica VIR & WorldSBK’s first one of the season.
More, from a press release issued by MotorSport Vision Racing (MSVR):
O’Halloran holds off Bridewell by 0.037s to end Oulton Park Official Test on top
Jason O’Halloran set the pace in the final Bennetts British Superbike Championship Official Test session of the day at Oulton Park, putting the McAMS Yamaha rider just a narrow 0.037s ahead of Tommy Bridewell in a final five-minute fight to end the test in Cheshire fastest.
The opening two sessions had been topped by reigning champion Josh Brookes and RAF Regular and Reserve Kawasaki rider Ryan Vickers, but the final 55-minute session of the day saw the times inevitably tumble in perfect conditions at the parkland circuit.
As fans returned to watch trackside for the first time since 2019, 577 days since the season finale at Brands Hatch, they were treated to a thrilling end to the day as several riders headed out for a time attack to end the test.
Brookes had held the advantage with 15 minutes to go, but O’Halloran had soon surged back ahead of his fellow compatriot as the Australian pair locked out the leading two positions. However, with six minutes remaining of the day Vickers had posted a time, which moved him back to the top, nudging McAMS Yamaha’s O’Halloran back into second place.
Peter Hickman was then on a sequence of flying laps and he moved into second position and just 0.196s adrift of Vickers’ leading time, however with three minutes remaining O’Halloran set a time which put him back into P1 as the final minutes ticked down.
Oxford Products Racing Ducati’s Bridewell went into second position with just over a minute remaining of the day with Vickers moving back into third place, pushing Hickman into fourth at the chequered flag.
Brookes completed the top five for VisionTrack Ducati on his return to testing action after he missed the previous test at Snetterton following his crash at the Silverstone test. The defending champion moved back ahead of Gino Rea who led the Buildbase Suzuki charge in sixth.
Glenn Irwin ended the day in seventh place for Honda Racing as six different manufacturers featured in the top seven positions.
Kyle Ryde ended the session in eighth place after a crash at Island ended his day prematurely despite a strong showing from the Rich Energy OMG Racing BMW rider, who was second fastest in the opening two sessions.
Bradley Ray made his debut in 2021 on the second of the Rich Energy OMG Racing BMWs in ninth place on the combined times, just 0.005s ahead of SYNETIQ BMW rival Danny Buchan, who completed the top ten.
Jason O’Halloran, McAMS Yamaha
“What a day to have been at Oulton Park; the fans were back, the sun was shining and it doesn’t get much better than that! It has been fantastic to see the support today and we have had three good sessions. It has been a really positive day and to end up on top is always a nice feeling.
“We have got through plenty and I was quite surprised with how fast we were at the end of the day, as in each session we pretty much had a different bike where we had so many changes. We keep moving forward so we just need to keep working to evolve what we are doing in the final tests, ready for when we get back racing next month.
“We have gained a lot of information today and our race tyre pace was really good. We stayed on a SC0 tyre at the end of the day and it felt good. I feel like we are in a strong place for when we come back here for the first race of the season now.”
More, from a press release issued by VisionTrack Ducati:
Positive Test For VisionTrack Ducati At Oulton Park
Defending Bennetts British Superbike champions, VisionTrack Ducati, continued their pre-season testing with the third official BSB test at Oulton Park which saw Josh Brookes and Christian Iddon enjoy some dry track time at the Cheshire circuit today.
With very cold temperatures and wet weather badly affecting the previous two tests at Silverstone and Snetterton, the sunshine was a welcome relief for Paul Bird’s two riders as they continued their preparations for the opening round which also takes place at Oulton Park later next month.
After sitting out the Snetterton test to allow the finger injury he sustained at Silverstone to heal, reigning champion Brookes was fastest out of the blocks in the opening session, setting quickest time aboard the factory supported VisionTrack Ducati Panigale V4 R at 1:35.347s on his very last lap. Iddon, in his second year with the Penrith-based team, set fifth fastest time with a best lap of 1:36.172 to get the ball rolling.
Session two just after lunch saw the PBM team continue their pre-season development work on set-up with Bedfordshire-based Aussie Brookes ending up in seventh place with teammate Iddon, originally from Stockport but now living on Tyneside, one place further back as he improved his lap time.
The final session late this afternoon turned out to be the fastest with track conditions almost ideal and saw Brookes lower his lap time to 1:34.924 to end up fifth with Iddon continuing to improve his speed also and although he ended the session in 12th place, he dropped his lap time to a best of 1:35.412.
The team now moves on to the final test in the official schedule with takes place at Donington Park on June 8th prior to the opening round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship takes place over the weekend of 25/27 June at Oulton Park.
Josh Brookes: “The day was positive in as much as the finger injury didn’t really affect me, but regarding the actual test, I felt the track was a little slower than last year as it hadn’t been used very much. We put last year’s settings into the bike and straight away I was fastest but then we tried a few different things, including the new SCX tyre, and the changes didn’t really help us go faster. I learned a lot about the new tyre which was one of the main objects today so that information was invaluable. But we know we have a good base setting on the bike and these tests are to experiment a little but the whole idea is to evaluate our package. Even though I wasn’t fastest overall, I’m happy with where we are at and we got plenty of dry laps in.”
Christian Iddon (21). Photo courtesy VisionTrack Ducati.
Christian Iddon: “Today was really beneficial in getting through a big workload and we came away having done that which was really good. I did a full race run in the middle session and set my fastest lap on lap 17 which bodes well for an 18-lap race round here. In the final session, we needed to try a setting which we’d run previously and just wanted to eliminate certain things so despite being further down the order than I’d have liked, we needed to do that experiment and have learned a lot from it. I’m feeling very happy and positive, and the plan seems to be coming together so we’ll stick at it and now look forward to Donington.”
John Mowatt, Team Co-Ordinator: “It was finally good to get some decent dry laps in at a track we know suits us, so the plan was to define our base setting and then try a few different ideas and of course, get some data on running the new Pirelli tyre. Josh showed what he and the bike are capable of by topping the opening session and from there, we just needed to work through things. Same for Christian, he gradually improved his lap times in all three sessions and prioritised getting data for the opening races rather than setting a one-off fast lap. We now have a lot more information to work with which we will continue at Donington.”
Michael Ruben Rinaldi (left) and Scott Redding (right). Photo courtesy Aruba.it Racing Ducati.
The wait is over! Scott Redding, Michael Rinaldi and the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team ready for the 2021 WorldSBK season
The 2021 WorldSBK season finally gets underway after a long winter of private testing that brought the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team in Misano, Barcellona, Aragon and Navarra. The Motorland circuit of Aragon will be the opening round of 2021, with Scott Redding and Michael Ruben Rinaldi riding their Ducati Panigale V4 R.
After an exciting rookie season that saw him fighting for the title until the last race weekend of 2020, Scott Redding will be at the starting line with a wealth of experience and unchanged objectives for the title race.
For Michael Rinaldi, it will be the official debut on the Panigale V4 R of Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team on the circuit that saw him winning his first GP in WorldSBK last season.
Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #45)
“We have been waiting for this moment for a very long time. We have worked hard over the past few months and I cannot wait to be back on track. Aragon may not be my favorite circuit but during the tests, we have proved that we can be competitive. Last season brought me a lot of experience: I got to know new circuits, I learned to understand the tires, and I got familiar with the format of WorldSBK: these factors will be very useful to fight for the world title”.
Michael Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #21)
“We go to Aragon with great enthusiasm. It is a new championship, very special; I used the long winter break to work with my team, get to know them better, and to adapt to the bike. It will be the first race for all of us and we will have to do our best from Friday. I am very confident because the Motorland is a track that adapts very well to both my riding style and the bike. The key will be to keep calm during weekend and try to get the best results as possible. I can’t wait to get on track on Friday.”
Lorenz Luciano (81) and Jakub Gurecky (59) are tied for the points lead in the Northern Talent Cup Championship heading into the Oschersleben round. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Advantage Gurecky and Luciano as the NTC returns to Oschersleben
So far the two veterans have shared the wins. But now we return to familiar turf for the fastest rider – and rookie – in testing
Thursday, 20 May 2021
Round 1 of the 2021 Northern Talent Cup saw the field pitched against difficult conditions in both races, and in both races there were two riders sharing the top two steps: Lorenz Luciano (Junior Black Knights Team) first, and then Jakub Gurecky (JRT Brno Circuit) as the Czech rider absolutely dominated on Sunday. With a win and a second place apiece so it’s parity in the points at the top too. Now the NTC returns to the venue for pre-season testing, however, where rookie Rossi Moor (FAIRIUM Next Generation Riders Team) laid down the gauntlet in April.
At times the Hungarian was a second clear on the timesheets in testing, but the circumstances of returning for Round 2 are a little different. Moor once again showed his speed at Le Mans and took pole, but when the lights went out to race, he hit some bad luck and trouble. A crash in Race 1 and then a more muted ride to a point in 15th in Race 2 won’t be what he was hoping for, and he’ll doubtless be out to reset and take his place back near the top at Round 2.
Gurecky must be the rider walking tallest back into Oschersleben though. The Czech rider was in another postcode on Sunday and made the tough conditions look easy. Luciano, however, followed up his well-fought win on Saturday with his trademark consistency from last year once again to take a solid 20 points. Will they be the two veterans to beat again?
Jonas Kocourek (JRT Brno Circuit) and Jacopo Hosciuc (Hos Racing Team) were also fast at Le Mans, each taking a podium and a DNF from near the front in Round 1, and they had speed in preseason. They’re now playing catch up a little in the points, but with a much longer 2021 planned there’s time to claw back the deficit. Can they iron out the mistakes and take the fight to Gurecky and Luciano?
The likes of Niklas Kitzbichler (Racing-Team-Kitzbichler), Swiss rookie Lenoxx Phommara (Phommara Team), Kas Beekmans (Team KNMV) and Dustin Schneider (PrüstelGP Junior Team) also put together some solid top fives and flashes of speed at Le Mans, so they’ll want to keep that rolling and home in more on the front, and a few fast faces – like Tibor Varga (Forty Racing Team) – will also be looking for a little less drama at Round 2.
Two more races see the NTC get straight back in action this weekend at Oschersleben, with another 50 points on the table. Will it be status quo at the front or another shake up at the track that hosted preseason testing? We’ll find out on Sunday, with Race 1 at 9:45 (GMT +2) and Race 2 at 14:40.
David Aldana. Photo by Eddie RapidPhoto, courtesy AHRMA.
AMA Hall of Famer David Aldana Named AHRMA Classic MotoFest Grand Marshal
(May 20, 2021, Elora, Tennessee) Legendary racer David Aldana will be the Grand Marshal for the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) AHRMA Classic MotoFest® in the Heartland.
The event is May 28-30, 2021, at Heartland Motorsports Park, in Topeka, Kansas. Aldana will be available to sign autographs and will have t-shirts available for purchase in addition to his other Grand Marshal activities throughout the weekend.
“David Aldana is synonymous with all kinds of racing during the 70s and 80s and his legend on and off the racetrack continues to build,” said Arthur Kowitz, Chairman of the AHRMA Board of Trustees. “We’re honored that he’s the Grand Marshal for our first MotoFest at Heartland Motorsports Park.”
Aldana is held in high esteem in the racing community. Beginning in 1970, he competed at the top levels of dirt track racing, eventually moving into professional road racing, as well. He was a top AMA Grand National Series competitor during the 1970s, winning four AMA nationals during his career, and in 1981 he won the Suzuka eight-hour endurance race. He is known for his distinctive racing leathers which are adorned with a life-sized human skeleton design. Aldana also took on motocross and observed trials. His on-track achievements were captured in the classic 1971 Bruce Brown film “On Any Sunday,” and led to his 1999 induction into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.
Aldana will also be racing in AHRMA’s National Vintage Motocross series during the MotoFest.
AHRMA (American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving, restoring and competing on historic motorcycles. With more than 3,000 members, AHRMA is the leading historic motorcycle racing group in North America and one of the largest in the world. The association’s enthusiastic membership reflects this country’s strong interest in classic bikes.
ABOUT VISIT TOPEKA
Visit Topeka, Inc. is the visitor’s bureau for the capital city of Kansas. Visit Topeka’s mission is to increase tourism’s economic impact on Topeka through destination development and brand management. VisitTopeka.com
Tyler O'Hara (29). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
Corner by corner, and moment by moment, Tyler O’Hara’s ability to be present will determine the outcome of a daunting double-duty race weekend in Atlanta as he defends his #KingOfTheBaggers championship on the #IndianChallenger, and fulfills an American Flat Track dream on the #FTR750.
Indian Motorcycle is America’s First Motorcycle Company®. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the hearts of motorcyclists around the world and earned distinction as one of America’s most legendary and iconic brands through unrivaled racing dominance, engineering prowess and countless innovations and industry firsts. Today that heritage and passion are reignited under new brand stewardship.
Sean Dylan Kelly (40). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
MotoAmerica Support-Class Preview: There Is Only One Who Is Undefeated
Only One Rider Emerged From The Opening Round In Georgia Without A Loss: Sean Dylan Kelly
IRVINE, CA (May 20, 2021) – Only one rider arrives at VIRginia International Raceway this week with a blemish-free 2021 race record. That man is M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Sean Dylan Kelly, the newly turned 19-year-old the only rider to come away from the opening round at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta undefeated.
Kelly won both of the MotoAmerica Supersport races in the series opener in Georgia, the Floridian topping his class rival and last year’s champion Richie Escalante in both to get a leg up in what will certainly be a battle to the end between those two. For now, Kelly has a 10-point lead and also a boost in the confidence department heading into VIR.
With those two expected to battle for the title all year, nobody can predict what’s in store for those behind them. For round one, though, it was Kelly’s teammate Sam Lochoff and North East Cycle Outlet Racing’s Benjamin Smith who came out the best, with those two tied with 20 points. Smith earned his by virtue of two sixth-place finishes, including being in a fight for the final podium spot all the way to the last corner in race two. For Lochoff, it was a fifth and a seventh that earned him his points.
Cycle Gear Racing’s Nolan Lamkin and non-defending Twins Cup and SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup Champion Rocco Landers both earned career-first podiums in the class with Landers’ coming in third in just his second MotoAmerica Supersport race. Those two also had DNFs in the races they didn’t finish third in and they sit in a tie for fifth with 16 points apiece.
Things are tight at the top in Stock 1000 as the series lands in Virginia. Travis Wyman Racing’s Travis Wyman is at the top of the heap with 41 points after his third-place finish and victory at Road Atlanta. Wyman is trailed by Jones Honda’s Ashton Yates, who is five points in arrears, and race-one winner from Road Atlanta, Michael Gilbert. Gilbert is six points behind after the first two races of the season.
Geoff May Racing/VisionWheel.com’s Geoff May and Altus Motorsports’ Jake Lewis round out the top five as we head to round two. One rider who will be looking to rebound from a horrible start to his year is one of the preseason favorites for the title, Corey Alexander. The HONOS-backed Kawasaki rider was sixth and 13th in the two races after a myriad of problems over the course of the weekend.
With the top three riders in the SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup class from 2020 all moving up in class, it was expected that 2021 would bring a laundry list of first-time winners. Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta gave us the start to that with Scott Powersports KTM’s Tyler Scott taking his first career win (in his MotoAmerica debut) in race one and Landers Racing’s Ben Gloddy (who had eight podium finishes in 2020, but no wins) doing likewise in race two. Those two split the wins and when they didn’t win, they both finished second. Thus, they are tied atop the standings with 45 points apiece.
Next best is the pairing of KERmoto’s Cody Wyman and Veloce Racing’s David Kohlstaedt with those two splitting third and fifth-place finishes in the opener and finishing the weekend tied for third in the title chase.
Pure Attitude Racing’s Trevor Standish didn’t win a Twins Cup race in the series opener in Georgia, but he emerged with the points lead based on consistent fourth- and third-place finishes, with his ride in race two earning him his first podium finish in the class. Chris Parrish, who also didn’t win a race, is second in points heading to VIR – seven behind Standish and one point clear of race two winner Teagg Hobbs.
Race-one winner Kaleb De Keyrel is fourth in points as his weekend in Georgia featured the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. On Saturday, De Keyrel gave Aprilia its first MotoAmerica Twins Cup victory; a day later he crashed out of the lead battle when his RS 660 had a mechanical problem and took almost every Aprilia in the race with him.
VIR Support Class Notes
It’s worth noting that parity has most definitely arrived in the Stock 1000 class with the first of the two Stock 1000 races at Road Atlanta featuring three different manufacturers on the podium: Kawasaki (Gilbert), Yates (Honda) and Wyman (BMW).
On Saturday at Road Atlanta, Aprilia’s new RS 660 filled the podium in its debut in the class. The following day, it was Suzuki SV650s holding down the top three finishes.
Sean Dylan Kelly’s two wins at Road Atlanta were the eighth and ninth Supersport wins of his career. He has now won the same number of races as Hayden Gillim and is four behind his rival Richie Escalante in Supersport career victories.
With MotoAmerica not racing at VIR in 2020 because of COVID-19, it’s a look back to 2019 to see who did what at the popular racetrack. In the first of two Supersport races, it was PJ Jacobsen taking victory. In race two it was Hayden Gillim taking the win. In Junior Cup action, Rocco Landers won race one with Cameron Jones taking the first win of his career in wet conditions on Sunday. The lone Twins Cup race was won by Chris Parrish with Michael Gilbert scoring the win in Stock 1000.
Tyler O'Hara (29) at speed on his Mission Foods S&S Indian Challenger, a streetbike modified for racing use only. Photo courtesy Indian Motorcycle.
RPM Act Introduced in U.S. House of Representatives
— Motorsports Allies in Congress Lead Campaign to Save Our Racecars —
WASHINGTON, D.C. – SEMA President & CEO Chris Kersting today commended U.S. Representatives Patrick McHenry (R-NC) and Raul Ruiz (D-CA) for introducing H.R. 3281, the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act of 2021 (RPM Act). The bipartisan bill includes 48 original sponsors. The RPM Act protects Americans’ right to convert street vehicles into dedicated racecars and the motorsports-parts industry’s ability to sell products that enable racers to compete.
The RPM Act reverses the EPA’s interpretation that the Clean Air Act prohibits a motor vehicle designed for street use—including a car, truck, or motorcycle—to be converted into a dedicated racecar. This American tradition was unquestioned from 1970 until 2015 when the EPA took the position that converted vehicles must remain emissions-compliant, even though they are no longer driven on public streets or highways.
“SEMA looks forward to working with Congress to enact the RPM Act and make permanent the Clean Air Act’s original intention that race vehicle conversions are legal,” said Kersting. “We thank Representatives McHenry and Ruiz for standing up for racing and the motorsports parts industry by introducing a bipartisan bill to protect racing and the businesses that produce, install, and sell the parts that enable racers to compete.”
There has already been an unprecedented outpouring of support for the RPM Act this year, with Americans sending over 1.1 million letters asking Congress to pass the legislation. It is imperative that enthusiasts and motorsports businesses keep up this momentum by reminding their lawmakers in Washington, D.C., that they must act now to protect the right to convert a motor vehicle into a racecar.
“I am proud to support automobile racing and will work to ensure motorsports enthusiasts here in North Carolina and across the country can continue the time-honored tradition of modifying stock vehicles for competitive racing,” said Rep. Patrick McHenry. “I look forward to working with my colleagues to help ensure the RPM Act becomes law.”
“Growing up, I spent countless hours at the racetrack with my father,” said Rep. Raul Ruiz. “Racing has always been close to my heart. I am delighted to introduce the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports (RPM) Act, which will keep our American tradition of vehicle racing alive and give enthusiasts and their children the same opportunity that I had to create memories at the racetrack.”
Motorsports competition involves tens of thousands of participants and vehicle owners each year, both amateur and professional. Retail sales of racing products make up a nearly $2 billion market annually. Most of the vehicles raced on the estimated 1,300 racetracks operating across the U.S. are converted vehicles that the EPA considers to be illegal.
It is important that members of Congress hear from the racing and automotive enthusiast communities about the importance of passing the RPM Act into law in 2021. To write a letter to your members of Congress, visit www.sema.org/rpm.
About SEMA
SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association founded in 1963, represents the $46.2 billion specialty automotive industry. The industry provides appearance, performance, comfort, convenience and technology products for passenger and recreational vehicles. Association resources include market research, legislative advocacy, training and product development support, as well as leading trade shows such as the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, NV, and the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show in Indianapolis, IN. For more information, visit www.sema.org, www.semashow.com, or www.performanceracing.com.
One of the display halls at the Ducati Museum in Bologna, Italy. Photo courtesy Ducati.
Borgo Panigale Experience: the Ducati Museum reopens on 21 May
The Ducati Museum is getting ready to welcome enthusiasts and fans of two wheels every Friday, Saturday and Sunday starting from 21 May
The digital Borgo Panigale Experience is enriched by the “Ducati Factory Online Journey”, the new remote visit of the production lines where Ducati motorcycles take shape
Borgo Panigale (Bologna, Italy) – Starting from 21 May, the Ducati Museum reopens its doors on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Ducati is gearing up to welcome the public again starting from the halls of its Museum, one of the most iconic places to visit for all fans of two wheels and motorsport in general.
During the months of closure due to the pandemic, Ducati extended the digitalization process to the Ducati Museum, expanding the digital offer of the Borgo Panigale Experience through the “Ducati Museum Online Journey”. Real guided tours accessible from PC, tablet or Smart TV, virtually accompanied by the Museum’s expert guides, to discover – also remotely – the place where the Italian motorcycle manufacturer shares its essence and history with all fans. The “Ducati Museum Online Journey” remains available for all those who still cannot visit Borgo Panigale in Italy.
Starting from 22 May, the offer of the digital Borgo Panigale Experience is enriched by the “Ducati Factory Online Journey”. The fascinating tours of the Ducati factory, currently suspended for reasons related to Covid, can be experienced from remote by booking the online guided tour of the production areas of the Ducati plant.
During the tour, users will be accompanied by a guide who will show where and how Ducati motorcycles take shape, passing through the mechanical machining department, the engine assembly area and the vehicle assembly lines, up to testing and shipments. A unique experience for all enthusiasts of motorcycling and mechanical engineering.
Both for the Online Journey in the factory and for those in the Ducati Museum, it is possible to ask questions to the guide through the Questions and Answers section of the platform. The programming and tickets for the digital Borgo Panigale Experience (Ducati Museum and Ducati Factory Online Journey) are available on the ticketing platform.
The visit to the Ducati Museum in person is only available by reservation on Friday from 9.00 to 12.00 and from 14.30 to 18.00; Saturday and Sunday from 9.00 to 18.00. The entry ticket must be purchased online on the dedicated website.
To guarantee the health and safety of visitors and workers, access to the structure will take place with a limited number of entries. In order to enter the plant and for the entire period of stay inside the company area, visitors are required to respect the rules established by the internal Covid-19 Task Force, also described on the entrance tickets.
Further information on how to visit and book is available on the Ducati website.
In this episode, Co-Hosts Greg White and Jason Pridmore talk:
MotoGP – Round 4 of MotoGP from Le Mans. The boys talk about those races and what they saw.
MotoGP Fantasy – Make sure you join our league! “Gregs Garage Pod with Jason Pridmore” is the name.
MotoAmerica – The second round of the season is upon us, people. VIR is the host. The boys talk about how exciting this race weekend should be.
WorldSBK – We are finally back! A chat about who, if anyone, can topple the champ, Jonny Rea. And how about Garrett Gerloff? The American is primed for great success.
Next Week Tease – MotoAmerica VIR & WorldSBK’s first one of the season.
More, from a press release issued by MotorSport Vision Racing (MSVR):
O’Halloran holds off Bridewell by 0.037s to end Oulton Park Official Test on top
Jason O’Halloran set the pace in the final Bennetts British Superbike Championship Official Test session of the day at Oulton Park, putting the McAMS Yamaha rider just a narrow 0.037s ahead of Tommy Bridewell in a final five-minute fight to end the test in Cheshire fastest.
The opening two sessions had been topped by reigning champion Josh Brookes and RAF Regular and Reserve Kawasaki rider Ryan Vickers, but the final 55-minute session of the day saw the times inevitably tumble in perfect conditions at the parkland circuit.
As fans returned to watch trackside for the first time since 2019, 577 days since the season finale at Brands Hatch, they were treated to a thrilling end to the day as several riders headed out for a time attack to end the test.
Brookes had held the advantage with 15 minutes to go, but O’Halloran had soon surged back ahead of his fellow compatriot as the Australian pair locked out the leading two positions. However, with six minutes remaining of the day Vickers had posted a time, which moved him back to the top, nudging McAMS Yamaha’s O’Halloran back into second place.
Peter Hickman was then on a sequence of flying laps and he moved into second position and just 0.196s adrift of Vickers’ leading time, however with three minutes remaining O’Halloran set a time which put him back into P1 as the final minutes ticked down.
Oxford Products Racing Ducati’s Bridewell went into second position with just over a minute remaining of the day with Vickers moving back into third place, pushing Hickman into fourth at the chequered flag.
Brookes completed the top five for VisionTrack Ducati on his return to testing action after he missed the previous test at Snetterton following his crash at the Silverstone test. The defending champion moved back ahead of Gino Rea who led the Buildbase Suzuki charge in sixth.
Glenn Irwin ended the day in seventh place for Honda Racing as six different manufacturers featured in the top seven positions.
Kyle Ryde ended the session in eighth place after a crash at Island ended his day prematurely despite a strong showing from the Rich Energy OMG Racing BMW rider, who was second fastest in the opening two sessions.
Bradley Ray made his debut in 2021 on the second of the Rich Energy OMG Racing BMWs in ninth place on the combined times, just 0.005s ahead of SYNETIQ BMW rival Danny Buchan, who completed the top ten.
Jason O’Halloran, McAMS Yamaha
“What a day to have been at Oulton Park; the fans were back, the sun was shining and it doesn’t get much better than that! It has been fantastic to see the support today and we have had three good sessions. It has been a really positive day and to end up on top is always a nice feeling.
“We have got through plenty and I was quite surprised with how fast we were at the end of the day, as in each session we pretty much had a different bike where we had so many changes. We keep moving forward so we just need to keep working to evolve what we are doing in the final tests, ready for when we get back racing next month.
“We have gained a lot of information today and our race tyre pace was really good. We stayed on a SC0 tyre at the end of the day and it felt good. I feel like we are in a strong place for when we come back here for the first race of the season now.”
More, from a press release issued by VisionTrack Ducati:
Positive Test For VisionTrack Ducati At Oulton Park
Defending Bennetts British Superbike champions, VisionTrack Ducati, continued their pre-season testing with the third official BSB test at Oulton Park which saw Josh Brookes and Christian Iddon enjoy some dry track time at the Cheshire circuit today.
With very cold temperatures and wet weather badly affecting the previous two tests at Silverstone and Snetterton, the sunshine was a welcome relief for Paul Bird’s two riders as they continued their preparations for the opening round which also takes place at Oulton Park later next month.
After sitting out the Snetterton test to allow the finger injury he sustained at Silverstone to heal, reigning champion Brookes was fastest out of the blocks in the opening session, setting quickest time aboard the factory supported VisionTrack Ducati Panigale V4 R at 1:35.347s on his very last lap. Iddon, in his second year with the Penrith-based team, set fifth fastest time with a best lap of 1:36.172 to get the ball rolling.
Session two just after lunch saw the PBM team continue their pre-season development work on set-up with Bedfordshire-based Aussie Brookes ending up in seventh place with teammate Iddon, originally from Stockport but now living on Tyneside, one place further back as he improved his lap time.
The final session late this afternoon turned out to be the fastest with track conditions almost ideal and saw Brookes lower his lap time to 1:34.924 to end up fifth with Iddon continuing to improve his speed also and although he ended the session in 12th place, he dropped his lap time to a best of 1:35.412.
The team now moves on to the final test in the official schedule with takes place at Donington Park on June 8th prior to the opening round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship takes place over the weekend of 25/27 June at Oulton Park.
Josh Brookes: “The day was positive in as much as the finger injury didn’t really affect me, but regarding the actual test, I felt the track was a little slower than last year as it hadn’t been used very much. We put last year’s settings into the bike and straight away I was fastest but then we tried a few different things, including the new SCX tyre, and the changes didn’t really help us go faster. I learned a lot about the new tyre which was one of the main objects today so that information was invaluable. But we know we have a good base setting on the bike and these tests are to experiment a little but the whole idea is to evaluate our package. Even though I wasn’t fastest overall, I’m happy with where we are at and we got plenty of dry laps in.”
Christian Iddon (21). Photo courtesy VisionTrack Ducati.
Christian Iddon: “Today was really beneficial in getting through a big workload and we came away having done that which was really good. I did a full race run in the middle session and set my fastest lap on lap 17 which bodes well for an 18-lap race round here. In the final session, we needed to try a setting which we’d run previously and just wanted to eliminate certain things so despite being further down the order than I’d have liked, we needed to do that experiment and have learned a lot from it. I’m feeling very happy and positive, and the plan seems to be coming together so we’ll stick at it and now look forward to Donington.”
John Mowatt, Team Co-Ordinator: “It was finally good to get some decent dry laps in at a track we know suits us, so the plan was to define our base setting and then try a few different ideas and of course, get some data on running the new Pirelli tyre. Josh showed what he and the bike are capable of by topping the opening session and from there, we just needed to work through things. Same for Christian, he gradually improved his lap times in all three sessions and prioritised getting data for the opening races rather than setting a one-off fast lap. We now have a lot more information to work with which we will continue at Donington.”
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