Taiyo Furusato led the Moto3 practice session on Saturday morning at the PT Grand Prix of Thailand. Furusato on a Honda led Ivan Ortola and Joel Kelso on KTM machines.
M3 FP2 Classification
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N2/WERA National Endurance Series Win To AOD, Title To Alpha Omega Rollers
Army of Darkness took victory in the last race of the season with riders Josh Hayes, Taylor Knapp, and Hunter Dunham scoring the Overall and Heavyweight class wins at round five of the N2/WERA National Endurance Series at Barber Motorsports Park. Team Alpha Omega Rollers won the 2024 Heavyweight and Overall Championship with riders Eziah Davis, Blake Davis, Miles Thorton, and Anthony Mazziotto. A total of 54 teams competed at the fifth round of the 2024 N2/WERA National Endurance Championship with over $100,000 in purse and contingency for the series.
The 4-Hour N2/WERA National Endurance race at Barber Motorsports Park started under perfect blue Alabama skies with no threat of weather throughout the day. Nature Power Superbike started from pole position with rider Jason Waters on a BMW M1000RR.
Alpha Omega Rollers rider Miles Thorton, Army of Darkness’s Josh Hayes, and Nature Power Superbikes Jason Waters started the race and battled tooth and nail for the first stint. The three heavyweight titans battled it out until lap 45 when Jesse Ruehling crashed the Nature Power M1000RR. This left Alpha Omega Rollers and Army of Darkness in a slugfest for overall victory. Although similar in pace and pit stops, ultimately Josh Hayes was able to make the difference in the last stint to win by 22 seconds over Alpha Omega Rollers after 4 hours. Full Send Moto finished third with riders Eric Anderson and Ian Groom.
Motor Drone Racing finished first in the middleweight class and third overall with riders Shane Mags and Gabriel Da Silva on a Wiseco-sponsored GSX-R600. Trash Panda secured the 2024 Middleweight National Championship when they finished second in the middleweight class with riders Chuck Ivey, Nathan Seethaler, Donovan Piper, and Sean Hopkins on a YZF-R6. AO XT33 finished third on a Dunlop-equipped Yamaha YZF-R6 with riders Anthony Taylor, Wristin Grigg, and Bryant Tyrawa.
The family team of Brown Town Racing won the lightweight class on an Aprilia RS660 with riders Chase Brown and David Brown. Chiefs Racing Team finished second on a Suzuki SV650 with riders Cassidy Heiser and Chris Parrish. Robem Engineering finished third on their Aprilia RS660 with teenage rider Alessandro DiMario and MotoAmerica rider Teagg Hobbs. Third place was all Robem had to do to win the 2024 Lightweight National Championship.
One One Nine Racing’s 14-year-old Reese Frankenfield and Carson King took the victory in the Ultra-Lightweight 2-Hour Endurance and the 2024 Ultra Lightweight National Championship. Hart/Wolf Racing finished second with riders Giacomo Manera and Alessandro DiMario. D&D Certified finished third with veteran rider Rob McLendon and Landon Smith.
Hart Racing won the exhibition Relay Class with riders Brennan Triplett, Chris Durbin, Philip Hart, and Ryan Wolfe. Double D Racing finished second. Four-Leaf Racing finished third with riders Tony Storniolo, Devidas Gaizutis, Steve Olson, and Sean Sturnot.
Congratulations to all of our 2024 Endurance Champions!
Heavyweight and Overall – Alpha Omega Rollers
Middleweight – Trash Panda
Lightweight – Robem Engineering
Ultralightweight – One One Nine Racing.
Details about the 2025 schedule, rule book, and class structure will be out soon! Stay tuned.
About N2: N2 – Ride, Learn, Race.
Founded in 2014, N2’s mission is to build a sustainable motorcycle community through safe, structured motorcycle track days, advanced rider training programs based on Yamaha Champions Riding School teaching methods, with a strong affinity for motorcycle road racing. N2 successfully resurrected Motorcycle Endurance Racing in America partnering with WERA Roadracing and creating the N2/WERA National Endurance Series by Dunlop. N2 is a premier participant in the MotoAmerica Pro Racing Series with a multi-rider team competing in several classes. N2 is also a major contributor to the Roadracing World Action Fund through fundraising efforts and support from its large member base.
The N2 National Endurance Series is proudly sponsored by: N2 Track Days, Yamaha Motor Corporation USA, Dainese, Woodcraft Technologies, BobbleHeadMoto, WERA Road Racing, KYT Helmets America, R.E.B Graphics, Millennium Technologies, Wiseco Pistons, JE Pistons, Rise Moto, Ghetto Customs, Pit-Lane Moto, SBS Brakes and Yamaha Champions Riding School.
MotoAmerica: Royal Enfield BTR Program Expanding To Include Brazilians
ROYAL ENFIELD EXPANDS BUILD. TRAIN. RACE. PROGRAM TO EXPAND INTERNATIONAL REACH
Riders from Brazil will be invited to join Road Race series, starting in 2025
MILWAUKEE, (October 25, 2024)—The Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. (BTR) program will open registration to American, Canadian, and Brazilian riders for the 2025 season, a first for the program.
Developed for competition on United States-based tracks, BTR has welcomed North American-based racers since its inaugural season in 2020. Now, the Road Race slots will be allocated to riders from both North America, Canada, and Brazil. The Flat Track series will retain its structure with North American and Canadian riders only for the 2025 season.
To stay true to the program’s merit based system, applicants from Brazil will need to fulfill the same requirements as their North American counterparts. Brazilian applicants must be at least 18 years old and speak English. As with all other riders, Royal Enfield will cover all transportation and lodging costs associated with participation in the program. All riders are allowed and encouraged to return home between training sessions and race weekends.
The Brazil market is the largest and fastest-growing market for Royal Enfield outside of India, also holding the largest BTR viewership outside of North America. Royal Enfield expects an extraordinary number of applications for the 2025 Build. Train. Race. season, which will go live on October 25th and stay open through November 22nd. Additional details about the application process and the 2025 season will be available in the coming weeks.
“We’re blown away by the enthusiasm that follows our racers and this entire program,” said Adrian Sellers, Head – Custom & Motorsport at Royal Enfield. “Introducing international racers to our teams is a natural step towards taking the Build. Train. Race. program outside North America. Tapping into the enthusiastic market of Brazil will add an appealing dynamic to the 2025 season and allow us to assess the possibilities of further international expansion for Build.Train.Race. in the future. There are so many incredibly- talented female racers around the world.”
The 2024 Build. Train. Race. season concluded on September 14 with flat track racing at Lake Ozark Speedway in Eldon, Missouri with Kenzie Luker, Shasta L’Heureux, and Mya Maffei finishing as the top three racers of the season. The road racing program concluded its 2024 season on August 18, with Mikayla Moore, Camille Conrad, and Kira Knebel finishing as the top three racers for the season.
For more information on Royal Enfield’s Build. Train. Race. Program, visit https://buildtrainrace.com/events/.
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 150 dealers in North America, including the contiguous U.S. and Canada. RENA currently offers the all-new Hunter 350, Scram 411, Classic 350, Meteor 350, Himalayan and the 650 Twins (Shotgun 650, Super Meteor 650, INT650, and Continental GT 650)
Video Interview: MotoAmerica Tech Director Tige Daane Talks Balancing Performance
Roadracing World’s Sam Fleming interviews MotoAmerica Technical Director Tige Daane about the history, philosophy, logistics and politics of performance indexing motorcycles for Next Generation Supersport and Super Hooligan.
Yamaha Engineers Fully Developed R9 Supersport Racebike In Secret
Editorial Note: Insiders say that Yamaha will support at least one multi-rider R9 team in MotoAmerica Supersport.
Developing the R9 into a Next Generation Supersport Challenger
Yamaha Motor Europe’s supported teams in the FIM Supersport World Championship will race the all new R9 in 2025, marking a new generation of Supersport for Yamaha with the switch to the 890cc three-cylinder machine.
Over the last 25 years, the R6 has been Yamaha’s main WorldSSP challenger and to a lot of success. In its two and a half decades on the racetrack, the R6 achieved no fewer than ten rider world championships, ten manufacturer crowns and 147 race victories. And even in the last three seasons, following the introduction of the ‘Next Generation’ Supersport class, the R6 has remained competitive, even winning its last two races in Jerez in the final round of the 2024 season.
The new R9 made its public debut at the final round of the 2024 FIM Superbike World Championship at Jerez this weekend, where both the road-going bike and the new R9 WorldSSP were uncovered in a special presentation before James Whitham (the first ever WorldSSP winner on an R6) and Stefano Manzi (the last ever WorldSSP winner on an R6) took the bikes on a dedicated parade lap ahead of WorldSBK Race 1.
While the R9 has only recently been announced, engineers at Yamaha Motor Europe Motorsport Research & Development have been secretly working on developing this new Supersport machine into a WorldSSP contender for some time. Receiving the first pre-production unit last April, for more than a year, the team led by Yamaha Motor Europe Motorsport Road Racing Technical Manager Riccardo Tisci, has undergone a number of secret tests as well as development processes in house at Yamaha Motor Racing Europe (YMRE), based in Lesmo, Italy.
“When we received the pre-production unit the first thing we did was put Stefano Manzi, our leading WorldSSP rider, on the bike at a local circuit in secret,” explains Tisci, talking about the R9 for the first time in Jerez.
“During this test, we did a direct comparison between the standard pre-production R9 and the WorldSSP-spec R6 Manzi was racing at the time. This gave us an understanding of the strengths of the new bike and the areas we needed to work on.
“Following this test, we went back to YMRE and started to develop the race kit from what we had learned, in line with the WorldSSP regulations. The rules allow you to work on triple clamps, linkage, suspension, radiators and engine, among some other areas including bodywork. When we were about 80% there, we took the bike back to the racetrack, this time with WorldSBK rider and 2020 WorldSSP champion Andrea Locatelli to see how we were getting on. The feedback was very positive, especially in terms of engine character – we were actually quite surprised to see the progress in just our second test.”
Developing a new race bike from a brand-new standard machine is no easy task, so YMRE’s engineers decided to deploy new, high-tech methods they’ve never used before including doing a lot of their development via computer simulation.
“We have a very good relationship with YMC and have worked with them closely on developing the bike. They provided the CAD drawings of the standard bike well in advance, these included every part of the bike up to every bolt and washer, so we had a complete modelling of the entire bike.
“From this model, we could then apply computer simulations to see how we could enhance the performance of the machine. We had three types of simulation to run; for the chassis there were stiffness and stress simulations, and for the engine performance we had engine simulations.
“We could simulate things we wanted to try via the computer and see what result this would achieve. Following this, we could then test this on the dyno and what we found was the results on the dyno were very close to what the simulation had suggested. The results were impressive, especially in terms of engine development so this is a procedure we will adopt more regularly in future, including in WorldSBK as we look to further develop the R1.”
Since the early tests, official test rider Niccolò Canepa has ridden the R9 as YMRE have worked on refining the package. The next stage will be for Yamaha’s 2025 Supersport line-up to ride the bikes – the line-up will feature three supported teams with six riders, all of whom will be confirmed in due course. This test takes place at Cremona in the first week of November.
“The bike is obviously still under development, so it will be interesting to hear the feedback of the official riders in the first test,” Tisci continued.
“It is possible we may need to adjust some parts as we head towards the season, we have the first test in early November and then have a few months to see if we need to make some adjustments before further testing next year. We still have time to make changes if needed, but it feels like we are in a good place.”
The R9 will make its debut in the FIM Supersport World Championship in 2025, where Yamaha Motor Europe’s engineers will continue to develop the bike ahead of rolling out a dedicated race kit for national championships for 2026.
Moto2: Canet Tops Friday Practice In Thailand
Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) kickstarted an unmissable weekend at the PT Grand Prix of Thailand, setting a 1:35.192 to steal the top spot on Friday. Canet bagged a 0.218s advantage over Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team), who had an incredible afternoon – claiming P2. The Italian battled back in Practice 1, fighting fit after an earlier incident on the entry to the pitlane in FP. Meanwhile, Marcos Ramirez (OnlyFans American Racing Team) took third, completing a strong day for the #24 after securing top honours in the morning session and ending Friday just 0.250s adrift from the #44’s benchmark.
It was a hectic start to the weekend, with Free Practice delivering further drama as Ramirez ended the day quickest – setting a 1:35.897. Once Practice 1 began, Canet became the early pacesetter, improving on the times set in Free Practice. Then in the final 10 minutes, lap times dropped, and Ramirez battled back, climbing to the top of the standings before Canet further improved and seized control on the opening day.
Taking fourth after an impressive final run of the day was Jake Dixon (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team), who set nearly 20 laps throughout the day. Dixon was in front of Alonso Lopez, who brought his Triumph-powered Beta Tools SpeedUp machine to fifth position in Thailand. However, Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) would end the day in P6 after the Championship leader suffered an early end to the day after an issue in the final two minutes. Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools SpeedUp) took seventh as Round 16 winner Manuel Gonzalez (Gresini Moto2™) earned P8 at the end of Friday.
Albert Arenas finished a great day for the Gresini Moto2™ squad, finishing in front of Jorge Navarro, who rounded out the top 10, with the #9 replacing the injured Joe Roberts at the OnlyFans American Racing Team. Further back, Izan Guevara (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) showed a strong pace across the day, placing in front of Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team). Meanwhile, Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and home hero Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia) took the final spots inside the provisional top 14. However, Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI) is one of the riders with work to do on Saturday morning – ending Friday in P15.
M2 Friday Practice ClassificationMoto3: Alonso Again In Thailand
Moto3™ kicked off a fascinating weekend at the PT Grand Prix of Thailand, with David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) grabbing Friday honours after a brilliant start to the weekend. The #80 clocked a 1:40.703 on Friday afternoon on what was a hectic day for the Colombian, who ended the day with a 0.385s advantage over Joel Kelso (BOE Motorsports) in second. The Australian had a great opening day of action in Thailand, improving in the closing stages of the session after setting 15 laps. Kelso placed ahead of Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing), with the #31 ending Friday as the top Honda rider with a strong starting point for this weekend.
Alonso had a busy morning, finding the limit with a crash at Turn 3 before remounting and later posting a 1:40.544 to end Free Practice at the top of the standings and with a new lap record. Temperatures continued to rise, and once Practice 1 got underway, Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) was the rider at the top of the standings as Alonso suffered a second crash of the day before remounting and improving on his Practice 1 time to end Friday at the top of the standings.
Meanwhile, Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) worked hard throughout the day, claiming fourth spot and ending Friday in front of Veijer. After leading early on, the Dutchman dropped back to fifth, 0.587s adrift from Alonso’s reference time. Veijer rounded out the top five, while Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse) continued to impress, stealing sixth place on a great day for the Italian. Lunetta improved on his final fast lap to place ahead of MT Helmets – MSI’s Ivan Ortola, who seeks redemption after a tough Australian GP. Ortola was ahead of David Almansa (Kopron Rivacold Snipers Team), who had a busy day in eighth.
Further back, Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Angel Piqueras (Leopard Racing) rounded out the top 10 places, with the #36 lapping inside the low 1:41 bracket. Meanwhile, David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) and Riccardo Rossi (CIP Green Power) were 11th and 12th, as Scott Ogden (FleetSafe Honda – MLav Racing) and MT Helmets – MSI’s Ryusei Yamanaka took the vital final spots inside the top 14.
M3 Friday Practice ClassificationMotoGP: Marquez Leads Friday Practice In Thailand
Friday afternoon’s Practice delivered a vital session for teams and riders at the PT Grand Prix of Thailand, with Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) securing the top spot at the end of proceedings. The #93 set an unbelievable 1:29.165, securing a 0.110s advantage over Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), who continued a strong day in Thailand. Martin crucially ended the session safely inside the top 10 and ahead of Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team). ‘The Beast’ improved on his final flying lap of the day, recovering after an earlier fall at Turn 3.
The 60 minute session served up further drama with a busy start to the session for Lorenzo Savadori (Trackhouse Racing) and Bastianini, who suffered small crashes in the opening stages – riders OK. Meanwhile, Marc Marquez stole top honours early on as the premier class stars began to dip into the low 1:30 bracket. Times were extremely close in the opening 40 minutes, with just 0.445s separating the top 15 riders.
However, time attacks – as usual – began to arrive thick and fast in the final 15 minutes at the Chang International Circuit, with Brad Binder (Red Bull Factory Racing) setting the pace and stealing top honours before Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) found time. It was a breathtaking end to Friday’s action, with Martin becoming the next rider to have a go at the top before Marc Marquez seized control and ended Practice fastest.
Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) will sleep well tonight, ending proceedings in fourth spot as the Italian continues to work on the setup of his GP24. The reigning World Champion was less than two-tenths adrift from Marc Marquez’ benchmark, finishing Friday in front of the top Aprilia Racing rider, Maverick Viñales. The #12 showed stunning pace throughout the day, beating Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing), who grabbed sixth.
Meanwhile, Acosta was able to find time, safely securing a spot in seventh, bouncing back after a tough weekend in Australia. The rookie was quick to adapt, placing ahead of Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), who set over 20 laps across the hour-long Practice. The #73 was strong in the third sector, ending the afternoon in front of Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), who climbed to ninth after topping FP1, with the final spot inside the important top 10 going the way of CASTROL Honda LCR’s Johann Zarco.
Further back, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Binder and Jack Miller will go back to the drawing board overnight as both riders prepare to battle in Q1 on Saturday. Joining them will be Quartararo and the fighting fit Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) as an action-packed session awaits. Meanwhile, Aprilia Racing’s Aleix Espargaro completed the day 2.218s down, opting to spend the latter stages of the session in the pit box as the #41 continued to recover from his FP1 crash.
MotoGP Friday practice ClassificationMoto2: American Racing’s Ramirez Tops FP1 In Thailand
Marcos Ramirez headed Manuel Gonzalez and Fermin Aldeguer in the Moto2 Free Practice session at Chang International Circuit. Moto2 Championship leader Ai Ogura was fourth.
M2 FP1 ClassificationMoto3: Alonso Quickest In FP1 In Thailand
2024 Moto3 World Champion David Alonso topped the first Moto3 practice session at the Chang International Circuit. The Leopard Racing Hondas of Angel Piqueras and Adrian Fernandez completed the top three.
M3 FP1 ClassificationMoto3: Furusato Quickest In Saturday Practice In Thailand
Taiyo Furusato led the Moto3 practice session on Saturday morning at the PT Grand Prix of Thailand. Furusato on a Honda led Ivan Ortola and Joel Kelso on KTM machines.
M3 FP2 ClassificationN2/WERA National Endurance Series Win To AOD, Title To Alpha Omega Rollers
Army of Darkness took victory in the last race of the season with riders Josh Hayes, Taylor Knapp, and Hunter Dunham scoring the Overall and Heavyweight class wins at round five of the N2/WERA National Endurance Series at Barber Motorsports Park. Team Alpha Omega Rollers won the 2024 Heavyweight and Overall Championship with riders Eziah Davis, Blake Davis, Miles Thorton, and Anthony Mazziotto. A total of 54 teams competed at the fifth round of the 2024 N2/WERA National Endurance Championship with over $100,000 in purse and contingency for the series.
The 4-Hour N2/WERA National Endurance race at Barber Motorsports Park started under perfect blue Alabama skies with no threat of weather throughout the day. Nature Power Superbike started from pole position with rider Jason Waters on a BMW M1000RR.
Alpha Omega Rollers rider Miles Thorton, Army of Darkness’s Josh Hayes, and Nature Power Superbikes Jason Waters started the race and battled tooth and nail for the first stint. The three heavyweight titans battled it out until lap 45 when Jesse Ruehling crashed the Nature Power M1000RR. This left Alpha Omega Rollers and Army of Darkness in a slugfest for overall victory. Although similar in pace and pit stops, ultimately Josh Hayes was able to make the difference in the last stint to win by 22 seconds over Alpha Omega Rollers after 4 hours. Full Send Moto finished third with riders Eric Anderson and Ian Groom.
Motor Drone Racing finished first in the middleweight class and third overall with riders Shane Mags and Gabriel Da Silva on a Wiseco-sponsored GSX-R600. Trash Panda secured the 2024 Middleweight National Championship when they finished second in the middleweight class with riders Chuck Ivey, Nathan Seethaler, Donovan Piper, and Sean Hopkins on a YZF-R6. AO XT33 finished third on a Dunlop-equipped Yamaha YZF-R6 with riders Anthony Taylor, Wristin Grigg, and Bryant Tyrawa.
The family team of Brown Town Racing won the lightweight class on an Aprilia RS660 with riders Chase Brown and David Brown. Chiefs Racing Team finished second on a Suzuki SV650 with riders Cassidy Heiser and Chris Parrish. Robem Engineering finished third on their Aprilia RS660 with teenage rider Alessandro DiMario and MotoAmerica rider Teagg Hobbs. Third place was all Robem had to do to win the 2024 Lightweight National Championship.
One One Nine Racing’s 14-year-old Reese Frankenfield and Carson King took the victory in the Ultra-Lightweight 2-Hour Endurance and the 2024 Ultra Lightweight National Championship. Hart/Wolf Racing finished second with riders Giacomo Manera and Alessandro DiMario. D&D Certified finished third with veteran rider Rob McLendon and Landon Smith.
Hart Racing won the exhibition Relay Class with riders Brennan Triplett, Chris Durbin, Philip Hart, and Ryan Wolfe. Double D Racing finished second. Four-Leaf Racing finished third with riders Tony Storniolo, Devidas Gaizutis, Steve Olson, and Sean Sturnot.
Congratulations to all of our 2024 Endurance Champions!
Heavyweight and Overall – Alpha Omega Rollers
Middleweight – Trash Panda
Lightweight – Robem Engineering
Ultralightweight – One One Nine Racing.
Details about the 2025 schedule, rule book, and class structure will be out soon! Stay tuned.
About N2: N2 – Ride, Learn, Race.
Founded in 2014, N2’s mission is to build a sustainable motorcycle community through safe, structured motorcycle track days, advanced rider training programs based on Yamaha Champions Riding School teaching methods, with a strong affinity for motorcycle road racing. N2 successfully resurrected Motorcycle Endurance Racing in America partnering with WERA Roadracing and creating the N2/WERA National Endurance Series by Dunlop. N2 is a premier participant in the MotoAmerica Pro Racing Series with a multi-rider team competing in several classes. N2 is also a major contributor to the Roadracing World Action Fund through fundraising efforts and support from its large member base.
The N2 National Endurance Series is proudly sponsored by: N2 Track Days, Yamaha Motor Corporation USA, Dainese, Woodcraft Technologies, BobbleHeadMoto, WERA Road Racing, KYT Helmets America, R.E.B Graphics, Millennium Technologies, Wiseco Pistons, JE Pistons, Rise Moto, Ghetto Customs, Pit-Lane Moto, SBS Brakes and Yamaha Champions Riding School.
MotoAmerica: Royal Enfield BTR Program Expanding To Include Brazilians
ROYAL ENFIELD EXPANDS BUILD. TRAIN. RACE. PROGRAM TO EXPAND INTERNATIONAL REACH
Riders from Brazil will be invited to join Road Race series, starting in 2025
MILWAUKEE, (October 25, 2024)—The Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. (BTR) program will open registration to American, Canadian, and Brazilian riders for the 2025 season, a first for the program.
Developed for competition on United States-based tracks, BTR has welcomed North American-based racers since its inaugural season in 2020. Now, the Road Race slots will be allocated to riders from both North America, Canada, and Brazil. The Flat Track series will retain its structure with North American and Canadian riders only for the 2025 season.
To stay true to the program’s merit based system, applicants from Brazil will need to fulfill the same requirements as their North American counterparts. Brazilian applicants must be at least 18 years old and speak English. As with all other riders, Royal Enfield will cover all transportation and lodging costs associated with participation in the program. All riders are allowed and encouraged to return home between training sessions and race weekends.
The Brazil market is the largest and fastest-growing market for Royal Enfield outside of India, also holding the largest BTR viewership outside of North America. Royal Enfield expects an extraordinary number of applications for the 2025 Build. Train. Race. season, which will go live on October 25th and stay open through November 22nd. Additional details about the application process and the 2025 season will be available in the coming weeks.
“We’re blown away by the enthusiasm that follows our racers and this entire program,” said Adrian Sellers, Head – Custom & Motorsport at Royal Enfield. “Introducing international racers to our teams is a natural step towards taking the Build. Train. Race. program outside North America. Tapping into the enthusiastic market of Brazil will add an appealing dynamic to the 2025 season and allow us to assess the possibilities of further international expansion for Build.Train.Race. in the future. There are so many incredibly- talented female racers around the world.”
The 2024 Build. Train. Race. season concluded on September 14 with flat track racing at Lake Ozark Speedway in Eldon, Missouri with Kenzie Luker, Shasta L’Heureux, and Mya Maffei finishing as the top three racers of the season. The road racing program concluded its 2024 season on August 18, with Mikayla Moore, Camille Conrad, and Kira Knebel finishing as the top three racers for the season.
For more information on Royal Enfield’s Build. Train. Race. Program, visit https://buildtrainrace.com/events/.
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 150 dealers in North America, including the contiguous U.S. and Canada. RENA currently offers the all-new Hunter 350, Scram 411, Classic 350, Meteor 350, Himalayan and the 650 Twins (Shotgun 650, Super Meteor 650, INT650, and Continental GT 650)
Video Interview: MotoAmerica Tech Director Tige Daane Talks Balancing Performance
Roadracing World’s Sam Fleming interviews MotoAmerica Technical Director Tige Daane about the history, philosophy, logistics and politics of performance indexing motorcycles for Next Generation Supersport and Super Hooligan.
Yamaha Engineers Fully Developed R9 Supersport Racebike In Secret
Editorial Note: Insiders say that Yamaha will support at least one multi-rider R9 team in MotoAmerica Supersport.
Developing the R9 into a Next Generation Supersport Challenger
Yamaha Motor Europe’s supported teams in the FIM Supersport World Championship will race the all new R9 in 2025, marking a new generation of Supersport for Yamaha with the switch to the 890cc three-cylinder machine.
Over the last 25 years, the R6 has been Yamaha’s main WorldSSP challenger and to a lot of success. In its two and a half decades on the racetrack, the R6 achieved no fewer than ten rider world championships, ten manufacturer crowns and 147 race victories. And even in the last three seasons, following the introduction of the ‘Next Generation’ Supersport class, the R6 has remained competitive, even winning its last two races in Jerez in the final round of the 2024 season.
The new R9 made its public debut at the final round of the 2024 FIM Superbike World Championship at Jerez this weekend, where both the road-going bike and the new R9 WorldSSP were uncovered in a special presentation before James Whitham (the first ever WorldSSP winner on an R6) and Stefano Manzi (the last ever WorldSSP winner on an R6) took the bikes on a dedicated parade lap ahead of WorldSBK Race 1.
While the R9 has only recently been announced, engineers at Yamaha Motor Europe Motorsport Research & Development have been secretly working on developing this new Supersport machine into a WorldSSP contender for some time. Receiving the first pre-production unit last April, for more than a year, the team led by Yamaha Motor Europe Motorsport Road Racing Technical Manager Riccardo Tisci, has undergone a number of secret tests as well as development processes in house at Yamaha Motor Racing Europe (YMRE), based in Lesmo, Italy.
“When we received the pre-production unit the first thing we did was put Stefano Manzi, our leading WorldSSP rider, on the bike at a local circuit in secret,” explains Tisci, talking about the R9 for the first time in Jerez.
“During this test, we did a direct comparison between the standard pre-production R9 and the WorldSSP-spec R6 Manzi was racing at the time. This gave us an understanding of the strengths of the new bike and the areas we needed to work on.
“Following this test, we went back to YMRE and started to develop the race kit from what we had learned, in line with the WorldSSP regulations. The rules allow you to work on triple clamps, linkage, suspension, radiators and engine, among some other areas including bodywork. When we were about 80% there, we took the bike back to the racetrack, this time with WorldSBK rider and 2020 WorldSSP champion Andrea Locatelli to see how we were getting on. The feedback was very positive, especially in terms of engine character – we were actually quite surprised to see the progress in just our second test.”
Developing a new race bike from a brand-new standard machine is no easy task, so YMRE’s engineers decided to deploy new, high-tech methods they’ve never used before including doing a lot of their development via computer simulation.
“We have a very good relationship with YMC and have worked with them closely on developing the bike. They provided the CAD drawings of the standard bike well in advance, these included every part of the bike up to every bolt and washer, so we had a complete modelling of the entire bike.
“From this model, we could then apply computer simulations to see how we could enhance the performance of the machine. We had three types of simulation to run; for the chassis there were stiffness and stress simulations, and for the engine performance we had engine simulations.
“We could simulate things we wanted to try via the computer and see what result this would achieve. Following this, we could then test this on the dyno and what we found was the results on the dyno were very close to what the simulation had suggested. The results were impressive, especially in terms of engine development so this is a procedure we will adopt more regularly in future, including in WorldSBK as we look to further develop the R1.”
Since the early tests, official test rider Niccolò Canepa has ridden the R9 as YMRE have worked on refining the package. The next stage will be for Yamaha’s 2025 Supersport line-up to ride the bikes – the line-up will feature three supported teams with six riders, all of whom will be confirmed in due course. This test takes place at Cremona in the first week of November.
“The bike is obviously still under development, so it will be interesting to hear the feedback of the official riders in the first test,” Tisci continued.
“It is possible we may need to adjust some parts as we head towards the season, we have the first test in early November and then have a few months to see if we need to make some adjustments before further testing next year. We still have time to make changes if needed, but it feels like we are in a good place.”
The R9 will make its debut in the FIM Supersport World Championship in 2025, where Yamaha Motor Europe’s engineers will continue to develop the bike ahead of rolling out a dedicated race kit for national championships for 2026.
Moto2: Canet Tops Friday Practice In Thailand
Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) kickstarted an unmissable weekend at the PT Grand Prix of Thailand, setting a 1:35.192 to steal the top spot on Friday. Canet bagged a 0.218s advantage over Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team), who had an incredible afternoon – claiming P2. The Italian battled back in Practice 1, fighting fit after an earlier incident on the entry to the pitlane in FP. Meanwhile, Marcos Ramirez (OnlyFans American Racing Team) took third, completing a strong day for the #24 after securing top honours in the morning session and ending Friday just 0.250s adrift from the #44’s benchmark.
It was a hectic start to the weekend, with Free Practice delivering further drama as Ramirez ended the day quickest – setting a 1:35.897. Once Practice 1 began, Canet became the early pacesetter, improving on the times set in Free Practice. Then in the final 10 minutes, lap times dropped, and Ramirez battled back, climbing to the top of the standings before Canet further improved and seized control on the opening day.
Taking fourth after an impressive final run of the day was Jake Dixon (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team), who set nearly 20 laps throughout the day. Dixon was in front of Alonso Lopez, who brought his Triumph-powered Beta Tools SpeedUp machine to fifth position in Thailand. However, Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) would end the day in P6 after the Championship leader suffered an early end to the day after an issue in the final two minutes. Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools SpeedUp) took seventh as Round 16 winner Manuel Gonzalez (Gresini Moto2™) earned P8 at the end of Friday.
Albert Arenas finished a great day for the Gresini Moto2™ squad, finishing in front of Jorge Navarro, who rounded out the top 10, with the #9 replacing the injured Joe Roberts at the OnlyFans American Racing Team. Further back, Izan Guevara (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) showed a strong pace across the day, placing in front of Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team). Meanwhile, Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and home hero Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia) took the final spots inside the provisional top 14. However, Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI) is one of the riders with work to do on Saturday morning – ending Friday in P15.
M2 Friday Practice ClassificationMoto3: Alonso Again In Thailand
Moto3™ kicked off a fascinating weekend at the PT Grand Prix of Thailand, with David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) grabbing Friday honours after a brilliant start to the weekend. The #80 clocked a 1:40.703 on Friday afternoon on what was a hectic day for the Colombian, who ended the day with a 0.385s advantage over Joel Kelso (BOE Motorsports) in second. The Australian had a great opening day of action in Thailand, improving in the closing stages of the session after setting 15 laps. Kelso placed ahead of Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing), with the #31 ending Friday as the top Honda rider with a strong starting point for this weekend.
Alonso had a busy morning, finding the limit with a crash at Turn 3 before remounting and later posting a 1:40.544 to end Free Practice at the top of the standings and with a new lap record. Temperatures continued to rise, and once Practice 1 got underway, Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) was the rider at the top of the standings as Alonso suffered a second crash of the day before remounting and improving on his Practice 1 time to end Friday at the top of the standings.
Meanwhile, Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) worked hard throughout the day, claiming fourth spot and ending Friday in front of Veijer. After leading early on, the Dutchman dropped back to fifth, 0.587s adrift from Alonso’s reference time. Veijer rounded out the top five, while Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse) continued to impress, stealing sixth place on a great day for the Italian. Lunetta improved on his final fast lap to place ahead of MT Helmets – MSI’s Ivan Ortola, who seeks redemption after a tough Australian GP. Ortola was ahead of David Almansa (Kopron Rivacold Snipers Team), who had a busy day in eighth.
Further back, Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Angel Piqueras (Leopard Racing) rounded out the top 10 places, with the #36 lapping inside the low 1:41 bracket. Meanwhile, David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) and Riccardo Rossi (CIP Green Power) were 11th and 12th, as Scott Ogden (FleetSafe Honda – MLav Racing) and MT Helmets – MSI’s Ryusei Yamanaka took the vital final spots inside the top 14.
M3 Friday Practice ClassificationMotoGP: Marquez Leads Friday Practice In Thailand
Friday afternoon’s Practice delivered a vital session for teams and riders at the PT Grand Prix of Thailand, with Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) securing the top spot at the end of proceedings. The #93 set an unbelievable 1:29.165, securing a 0.110s advantage over Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), who continued a strong day in Thailand. Martin crucially ended the session safely inside the top 10 and ahead of Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team). ‘The Beast’ improved on his final flying lap of the day, recovering after an earlier fall at Turn 3.
The 60 minute session served up further drama with a busy start to the session for Lorenzo Savadori (Trackhouse Racing) and Bastianini, who suffered small crashes in the opening stages – riders OK. Meanwhile, Marc Marquez stole top honours early on as the premier class stars began to dip into the low 1:30 bracket. Times were extremely close in the opening 40 minutes, with just 0.445s separating the top 15 riders.
However, time attacks – as usual – began to arrive thick and fast in the final 15 minutes at the Chang International Circuit, with Brad Binder (Red Bull Factory Racing) setting the pace and stealing top honours before Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) found time. It was a breathtaking end to Friday’s action, with Martin becoming the next rider to have a go at the top before Marc Marquez seized control and ended Practice fastest.
Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) will sleep well tonight, ending proceedings in fourth spot as the Italian continues to work on the setup of his GP24. The reigning World Champion was less than two-tenths adrift from Marc Marquez’ benchmark, finishing Friday in front of the top Aprilia Racing rider, Maverick Viñales. The #12 showed stunning pace throughout the day, beating Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing), who grabbed sixth.
Meanwhile, Acosta was able to find time, safely securing a spot in seventh, bouncing back after a tough weekend in Australia. The rookie was quick to adapt, placing ahead of Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), who set over 20 laps across the hour-long Practice. The #73 was strong in the third sector, ending the afternoon in front of Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), who climbed to ninth after topping FP1, with the final spot inside the important top 10 going the way of CASTROL Honda LCR’s Johann Zarco.
Further back, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Binder and Jack Miller will go back to the drawing board overnight as both riders prepare to battle in Q1 on Saturday. Joining them will be Quartararo and the fighting fit Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) as an action-packed session awaits. Meanwhile, Aprilia Racing’s Aleix Espargaro completed the day 2.218s down, opting to spend the latter stages of the session in the pit box as the #41 continued to recover from his FP1 crash.
MotoGP Friday practice ClassificationMoto2: American Racing’s Ramirez Tops FP1 In Thailand
Marcos Ramirez headed Manuel Gonzalez and Fermin Aldeguer in the Moto2 Free Practice session at Chang International Circuit. Moto2 Championship leader Ai Ogura was fourth.
M2 FP1 ClassificationMoto3: Alonso Quickest In FP1 In Thailand
2024 Moto3 World Champion David Alonso topped the first Moto3 practice session at the Chang International Circuit. The Leopard Racing Hondas of Angel Piqueras and Adrian Fernandez completed the top three.
M3 FP1 Classification