Alessandro di Mario wins the Twins Cup in MotoAmerica with the RS 660, third place for the Aprilia RSV4 in the legendary Suzuka 8 Hours in the EWC.
Aprilia Racing confirms its status as a global motorsport powerhouse by achieving two prestigious results simultaneously in different parts of the world. These successes further strengthen Aprilia’s position as a standout force in international racing, showcasing the versatility and competitiveness of two of its machines, the Aprilia RS 660 and the RSV4, across different challenges and racing environments.
In the United States, Alessandro Di Mario of Team Robem Engineering successfully defended his MotoAmerica Twins Cup title, claiming his second consecutive championship and securing Aprilia’s third title in this category in the last five years. Di Mario won both races at the Virginia International Raceway, securing the title already in Saturday’s first race and dominating a weekend in which of the 37 riders entered at VIR, 16 competed aboard Aprilia RS 660, a testament to the bike’s continued dominance in the category. After kicking off the 2025 season with three consecutive second-place finishes, Di Mario embarked on an unstoppable winning streak, taking victory in the last seven races, including both races at VIR this weekend.
At the same time, in the legendary Suzuka 8 Hours, the third round of the 2025 FIM EWC Endurance World Championship, the Aprilia RSV4 secured an exceptional third place in the Superstock class. This marks Aprilia’s second podium in three years, and the first ever achieved in Japan by an all-Italian team, with the Revo/M2 Racing Team. The result in this historic race confirms the competitiveness and reliability of the RSV4 1100.
Kevin Calia, Simone Saltarelli, and Flavio Ferroni on the Superstock podium. Photo courtesy Aprilia Racing.
The team made up of Kevin Calia, Simone Saltarelli, and Flavio Ferroni, all making their debut on this track, delivered a flawless race, bringing the Aprilia RSV4 1100 onto the Superstock podium. The Aprilia RSV4 1100 completed all 206 laps without any technical issues, confirming its reliability and competitiveness in one of the most demanding challenges on the global racing calendar. This is the team’s first international podium, achieved in their debut at the prestigious Japanese race, on a circuit never before tackled by either the riders or the team.
MASSIMO RIVOLA, CEO APRILIA RACING:
“Winning the MotoAmerica Twins Cup title for the second consecutive year confirms Di Mario’s talent and the quality of the RS 660 in this tough and competitive championship. Alessandro and his Team Robem Engineering deserve huge applause for the work they’ve done throughout the season. What the Revo/M2 Racing Team achieved in Japan was equally impressive. An Italian team taking on such a challenging event for the first time, on a circuit like Suzuka, full of traps and home-track specialists, is something we will remember. Kevin, Simone, and Flavio were flawless, as was the Team. The Aprilia RSV4 was impeccable too, and in this World Endurance Championship it can definitely play a leading role in the Superstock class, a category that will only become more important in the future.”
Following a 1-2 finish in the inaugural AdventureTrackers race at the 2024 Sturgis TT, which saw Sammy Halbert and Ivan Cervantes take the top two spots on stock Tiger 1200 motorcycles, Triumph returns to the Progressive American Flat Track AdventureTrackers series, with two elite riders set to compete aboard stock 2025 Triumph Tiger 900 GT Pro motorcycles. This year’s campaign includes four thrilling races across South Dakota and Illinois, showcasing the performance and versatility of Triumph’s middleweight adventure platform.
2025 AFT AdventureTrackers Triumph Line-Up:
• Brandon Paasch – #196: A two-time Daytona 200 winner and seasoned road racer, Brandon brings a unique blend of speed, precision, and adaptability to the dirt. Known for his aggressive style and technical finesse, Paasch is ready to push the Tiger 900 GT Pro to its limits in the AdventureTrackers format.
• Dalton Gauthier – #79: The 2019 AFT Singles Champion is a proven flat track competitor and no stranger to high-stakes racing. With his deep dirt track experience and natural talent, Gauthier is poised to be a top contender in every round of the 2025 series.
The 2025 expanded AdventureTracker season will feature two short track and two TT races. Locations this season include the legendary Jackpine Gypsies Short Track in Sturgis, South Dakota, during the 85th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally as well as at the Peoria Motorcycle Club, Peoria, IL.
2025 AFT AdventureTrackers Race Schedule:
• Monday, August 4 – Jackpine Gypsies Short Track – Jackpine Gypsies, Sturgis, SD
• Tuesday, August 5 – Jackpine Gypsies Short Track – Jackpine Gypsies, Sturgis, SD
• Saturday, August 16 – Peoria TT – Peoria Motorcycle Club, Peoria, IL
Adam VanderVeen – Marketing Director, Triumph Motorcycles America “The AdventureTrackers series continues to be an exciting platform to demonstrate the real-world performance of our adventure motorcycles. With Brandon and Dalton piloting the 2025 Tiger 900 GT Pro, we’re confident in our ability to compete at the highest level and show fans just how capable these bikes are—straight from the showroom floor.”
For more information about the race and to follow Triumph’s performance, visit the American Flat Track website.
They say good things come in threes. That is certainly the case at the 85th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, as this week in Sturgis, South Dakota, includes three Progressive American Flat Track rounds, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing. And the first of those three – tonight’s Jackpine Gypsies Short Track I – both featured the Mission Triple Challenge format and added a third class to the mix with the much anticipated return of the AFT AdventureTrackers™.
Meanwhile, two-time Grand National ChampionBriar Bauman (No. 3 RWR/Parts Plus/Latus Motors Harley-Davidson XG750R) is currently on a mission to up his Mission AFT SuperTwins title tally to match the #3 on his number plate.
He took another step in that direction with his sixth victory of the season, which came following a(nother) knock-down, drag-out battle with chief rival Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT).
Main Event 1
For the second time this season, the series used the new-for-‘25 Mission Triple Challenge format. Three successive Main Events – a 10-lap sprint, a 15-lapper that paid double points, and a final 20-lap Main which concluded the night with triple the points – determined the evening’s overall winner. All of this action was somehow contained by the Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club’s ultra-tight Short Track, which at 1/5-mile is claimed to be the shortest ever negotiated by twin-cylinders throughout the long history of the Grand National Championship.
The first Main Event barely gave the combatants a chance to breathe, taking just over two minutes to complete. But despite the diminutive track and short duration, Bauman still had enough room and time to deliver a relative blowout. The RWR ace grabbed the holeshot and immediately pulled clear of the frantic melee behind.
Daniels found himself an early fourth, overtaken at launch by ST master Henry Wiles (No. 911 DL Racing/HYMMC Yamaha MT-07) and Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Harley-Davidson XG750R).
It took Daniels just two laps to drive up the inside of both, but by then Bauman was nearly a second out in front.
But even with clear air in front of Daniels, Bauman would eventually work that advantage up to 1.329 seconds by the time he took the checkered flag.
Robinson came home third, followed by a charging Max Whale (No. 18 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650) and Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing KTM 790 Duke).
Main Event 2
Daniels nearly pulled off the holeshot, but that merely put him in a position for Bauman to push him wide and allow a resourceful Robinson through into second. Undeterred, the Estenson Racing pilot quickly regrouped and powered under Robinson to close right in on Bauman’s rear wheel.
Before he could attempt a strike, however, the race was red-flagged as a result of a crash on the part of Declan Bender (No. 70 Memphis Shades/Luczak Racing Yamaha MT-07).
While Bauman and Daniels picked their battle back up after the restart, Whale joined the party with the impressive utilization of an high-risk, high-reward, high line. But before the shootout could really take shape, another red was shown, this time due to a crash that involved Bender (again) and Fisher.
While Bauman grabbed the lead off the start for a third time, he got extremely loose and Daniels instantly pounced.
Bauman would go on to survive scares in the same corner on the subsequent two laps as well, allowing his rival to earn the win with more than a half second to spare.
Despite the repeated bobbles, Bauman maintained second, followed by Whale, Robinson, and Jarod VanDerKooi (No. 20 Fastrack Racing/Wally Brown Racing KTM 790 Duke).
Main Event 3
Bauman and Daniels saved the best for last, going back and forth down to the final lap.
The two swapped first place multiple times on the opening handful of laps before Daniels finally established himself in first and locked down the inside.
Unlike the earlier fights, the title fighters didn’t have this one all to themselves with Robinson, Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Progressive Insurance Honda Transalp), and Whale in close contention, eagerly awaiting any mistake that would allow them to potentially pull off an upset.
And that opportunity seemed almost likely, with Bauman riding on the ragged edge in hopes of finding a way – any way – past Daniels.
But rather than make a mistake, Bauman made it happen, ripping through with six to go. Robinson followed him past Daniels, but the Yamaha rider put himself right back into second and looked to turn the tables once again.
However, try as he might, Daniels couldn’t work out a path to the win and was forced to watch from close behind as Bauman claimed his sixth overall win of the year.
Bauman said, “Dallas took me to school in the second Main Event. To come back and get him… he usually just builds momentum and gets better throughout the night. My Rick Ware Racing/Part Plus/Latus Motors team worked really, really hard. We changed quite a bit of stuff even though we’ve been fast all day… Dallas is so good. I’ve never been this stressed out all the time, but we’re out here, baby, and we’re working for it.”
Robinson finished third in Main Event 3 and the overall results. Lowe finished fourth in Main Event 3 to move up to sixth in the final round results, while Whale took fifth in the race and fourth overall.
Wiles was awarded fifth overall following his 7-6-6 night.
Bauman now leads the Mission AFT SuperTwins championship fight over Daniels by just eight points (208-200). Robinson is a distant third at 135.
AFT Singles presented by KICKER
The Mission Triple Challenge delivered another barnburner in AFT Singles presented by KICKER action, with three different riders earning a win, including the round’s overall victor, Chase Saathoff (No. 88 RWR/Parts Plus Honda CRF450R).
Main Event 1
The night’s first Main Event saw Trevor Brunner (No. 21 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) overcome a determined challenge from Saathoff, who stormed by at one point only to be quickly dropped back to second.
Saathoff made another last-lap stab at the win, but Brunner held strong to grab the win by 0.230 seconds.
Aidan RoosEvans (No. 26 FRA Trust/ATV’s and More Yamaha YZ450F) slipped free from the big pack behind him to earn a fairly safe third a little over a second back of the win.
Rising stars Kage Tadman (No. 288 Roof Systems/Rice’s Rapid Motorsports KTM 450 SX-F) and Walker Porter (No. 100 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) came home fourth and fifth, with Tadman fighting past his fellow rookie on the final circulation.
Meanwhile, title leader Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F), who was feeling under the weather throughout the day, could only manage a sixth-place result
Main Event 2
Under the weather or not, Main Event 2 saw Drane revert to his more typical form, blasting up to second off the start and then sailing past Brunner to capture the lead just two laps in.
With the Australian walking off at the front, Brunner turned his attention to locking down second with Saathoff and Tadman in hot pursuit. That is until the race was red-flagged due to a bizarre crash that saw RoosEvans yanked clear of his bike when his left leg was somehow snared by the machine of Bradon Pfanders (No. 83 Hannum’s HD/Pfanders Racing KTM 450 SX-F).
Following the staggered restart, Drane resumed his position at the front. However, this time he found himself under serious fire from Tadman. The rookie tapped back into his California style, railing around the outside of both Saathoff and Brunner to zero in on Drane.
While he even nosed ahead at one point, Tadman couldn’t quite make a move stick and Drane went on to claim the victory.
Brunner finished third ahead of Saathoff, while Tarren Santero (No. 75 Mission Roof Systems Honda CRF450R) – who made his way into the Main Event program via the LCQ – finished fifth.
Main Event 3
After twice being denied, Saathoff pulled it all together when it mattered the most. The RWR pilot switched up his tactics to employ a Tadman-like high line and used it to work his way past Brunner, Tadman himself, and, soon enough, Drane to grab the lead.
Even when all alone in the lead, Saathoff continued to ride high, moving more than a second out in front of archrival Drane in the process.
Behind, Tadman and Brunner went back-and-forth for several laps while contesting third before up-and-comer Tadman finally established himself in the position.
A late charge from Drane saw him pull back alongside Saathoff with just two laps to go. However, Saathoff simply refused to allow him through as the two waged yet another epic final-lap clash.
Tadman came home in third followed by Brunner and RoosEvans.
The overall podium mirrored that of Main Event 3, with Saathoff earning his second win of the season, Drane scoring his sixth consecutive podium, and Tadman picking up the third podium of his stellar rookie season.
Brunner finished fourth in the race as well as the overall results, while RoosEvans was fifth in Main Event 3 and sixth overall. Fifth place overall went to Pfanders thanks to the combined points added up from his 8-6-6 evening.
Saathoff said, “This is very meaningful. I took a chance in that race off the start, and I just rolled with it. Man, I didn’t want to have to close the door on Tom that hard, but I was there for the win, and I wasn’t giving it up on the last lap. Hats off to my whole team. I can’t thank everybody enough. I’m so happy to have done it here.”
Despite suffering the narrow defeat, Drane continues to lead the title fight quite comfortably, boasting 191 points to Saathoff’s 172. Brunner is third at 151.
AFT AdventureTrackers™
While the Mission AFT SuperTwins and AFT Singles utilized the Mission Triple Challenge format, the AFT AdventureTrackers determined its first winner of the season in a single 10-lap Main Event, with 500-pound, near-stock Dual Adventure bikes going bar-to-bar in a two-wheeled cage match.
The sky-high capabilities of these versatile bikes – some of which were either ridden on the streets or sourced from dealer showroom floors as recently as yesterday – was expertly demonstrated by a field stacked with elite racers.
None did so more effectively than Jesse Janisch (No. 33 WFOracingonline.com/Öhlins Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250). The 2022 Mission Production Twins champion leveraged a low line to cut under early leader Dan Bromley (No. 62 Big Momma and Daddy Deep Pockets Suzuki V-Strom 1050) with eight laps remaining.
2018 AFT Singles champ Bromley spent the remainder of the race muscling his bike around in a fruitless bid to square up Janisch.
Afterward, Janisch said, “We’ve been having a blast. I got to ride the thing all day yesterday out in the hills, enjoying the scenic views of Sturgis, which was amazing. I’ve got to thank everyone who helped us out. I had a good battle with Dan, and I’m stoked to get the first one.”
2019 AFT Singles champion Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 Triumph Racing Triumph Tiger 900 GT Pro) claimed the final spot on the box following a three-way scrap that also included fourth-place finisher Hunter Bauer (No. 24 Vinson Construction/Memphis Shades BMW F 900 GS) and fifth-place finisher Henry Wiles (No. 911 Walter Bros. Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250).
In fact, Wiles appeared to have third all but sewn up, however, a mechanical issue on the final lap allowed Gauthier to steal back the position at the last possible moment.
Next Up:
The stars of Progressive American Flat Track will be back in action tomorrow as the Jackpine Gypsies Short Track IIconcludes this early-week ST doubleheader on Tuesday, August 5.
For those that can’t catch the live action from the circuit, FloRacing is the live streaming home of Progressive AFT. Sign up now and catch every second of on-track action starting with Practice & Qualifying and ending with the Victory Podium at the end of the night at https://flosports.link/aft.
FOX Sports coverage of the Jackpine Gypsies Short Track I, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 on Saturday, August 16, at 10:00 a.m. ET (7:00 a.m. PT), with the Jackpine Gypsies Short Track II set to air the following day, Sunday, August 17, at 1:00 p.m. ET (10:00 a.m. PT).
Racing in the dog days of summer is often a time when the grids are a little lighter, as vacation travel plans compete for weekend recreation time for track bound families. However, with rainy forecasts impacting a near record 15 weekends in a row in New England there was a pent-up demand for sunny track time and round 5 of the NEMRR series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway provided the perfect outlet. For the first time in 2025 there was a 100% chance of sun, fun and great racing and the riders fully embraced the opportunity.
Super Street Race. Photo by Sam Draiss.
The Super Street Class, NEMRR’s gateway to road racing that allows track day prepared machines and riders the opportunity to take part in a race weekend, had a record 26 entries this weekend! In the Unlimited division Mark Roberto and Eric Simpson traded wins on Saturday and Sunday, and in the Lighweight Division Jason Feinberg and Micheal Tower each took a race win. Simpson ran the fastest lap times of the weekend, with his quickest laps being not only good enough to win Super Street but would also have him at the front of the “next step” Novice division.
In the Novice division, three riders stood out from the crowd. The Novice division is the entry level racing class at NEMRR. Racers stay in the Novice class until they rdemonstrate the abilty to run times better than a designated “bump out” threshold, which varies in accordance with motorcycle size. Two riders in the larger displacement divisions, Randy Morrissette and Christopher O’Shea, took wins over the race weekend and flat-out crushed the 1:23 bump out time for the Novice division as they ran times all the way down into the 1:19 range. In addition Nate Lamontagne was able to run times in the 1:19 range on his lightweight bike – dominating in his class wins and guaranteeing a bump in to the Amateur division. Congratulations to all!
Joseph Townsend (167) on his Yamaha R6. Photo by Sam Draiss.
Joseph Townsend continued his impressive 2025 Amamteur campaign on his Yamaha R6. In addition to carding wins in multiple Middleweight and Heavyweight classes on both Saturday and Sunday, Townsend worked past fellow Amateur standout Rui Almeida on lap three of the Amateur Seacoast Sport Cycle Dash for cash and pulled away to victory by a comfortable 5 second margin at the checkered flag.
Eli Block (9) battling with Adam Muscaro (57). Photo by Sam Draiss.
In the expert ranks, three riders had standout weekends. First up was Eli Block who set a track record on his KTM Supermoto bike. Eli ran an impressive 1:13.799 lap on his motard, a time that would be competitive in many the Middleweight division races! Block battled with fellow Motard standout Adam Muscaro in his race wins.
Eric Wood (5) on his Dunlop-shod Yamaha R6. Photo by Sam Draiss.
2025 has been a breakout year for Adam Guyer, who has been dominating the Lightwieght classes on his Aprilia RS660 all season long. In addition to scoring 5 wins over the weekend, Guyer put on an impressive performance in the Seacoast Sport Cycle Dash for Cash. On his Lightwieght legal motorcycle Guyer finished 2nd in the Middleweight Grand Prix Division and a 3rd place finish overall….an impressive performance in a class dominated by 4 cylinder 600cc machinery. Veteran Eric Wood led all expert racers over the weekend, scoring victories in 6 classes across the Middleweight, Heavyweight and Unlmited displacement division including a wire to wire victory in the featured Dash for Cash. Wood, who often rides a Ducati V2, ran all of his races on his Dunlop-shod Yamaha R6. “This bike is so much fun to ride – it turns left when I simply look left, and that makes it a great weapon for New Hampshire Motor Speedway” Wood noted from the Dash for Cash podium.
The final round of the Northeast Motorcycle Road Racing Series will hold the final round of the 2025 season on August 23-24 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Nearly every championship is up for grabs at this final round will be a double points event. For more information please visit www.nemrr.com
The Canadian Motorcycle Hall of Fame have confirmed the new inductees that will be recognized at their 18th annual event at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Mount Hope, Ontario, Saturday, October 25.
Famed tuner and bike builder Rob Egan, owner of Brooklin Cycle Racing in Whitby, leads this year’s nomination group. Egan has owned a performance shop and dealership since the late 1970s and built bikes and ran teams for top racers including Steve Gervais, Norm Murphy, Paul MacMillan, Francis Martin, Micheal Taylor (class of 2015) and Kevin Lacombe.
Legendary Flat Track builder and tuner George Evans supported son Chris Evans (Class of 2015) career and found time to assist top Pros including Doug Lawrence and the late Tyler Seguin, the 2023 Pro National Champ on an Evans prepared Honda.
Scott Miller has been a main stay of the Kitchener Waterloo two-wheeled performance scene since the 1970s, toiling at Zdeno’s Honda and the famous Cy-Jo Cycle Palace. Miller started building bikes for local races including Mark Kowalski and Neil Jenkins, mostly for Yamaha Motor Canada. He rose to fame on the unlimited Formula USA WERA tour south of the border in the early 1990s, achieving success for Chiropractor Mark Brubacker’s “Barely Human” Race team at Road Atlanta with the late Fritz Kling of Michigan at the controls.
Miller eventually built Suzukis for the Cronoa Beer backed Ebsco Media Suzuki squad in the U.S., taking the squad to success at the Suzuka Eight Hours World Endurance round, with riders including Canadian legend Jordan Szoke (Class of 2023).
Miller built Hondas for Szoke in 2010 for the Parts Canada Superbike Championship, scoring a perfect season in Superbike and coming up one race short in the middleweight Sport Bike category. Miller currently runs the Economy Lube and Tire team for BMW Motorrad Canada, with Alex Dumas currently leading the points on that tour.
Doug Hoover won his first Motocross race in 1978 at the age of 13 and was a Schoolboy Champ the next year. He eventually raced for 11 years, retiring at the age of the 24. “The Sweeper” eventually won the 1981 125cc National Crown and all classes in the Ontario Pro Series. By 1984, he was second Nationally in 250cc and 125cc Nationals as well as Supercross runner-up. He earned the CMA National 125cc crown in 1985, and was second in the Grand Prix of Canada, and joined Team Canadian in Europe that fall.
London Ontario’s Inglis Cycle currently sells Yamaha, Suzuki, Triumph, CFMoto and Kawasaki machinery. Mike, Gord, and Lori Inglis very much follow in the footsteps of their great grandfather George William Foster, who owned a motorcycle manufacturer and parts business in London, England, in the early 1900s. The Inglis family, with fifth generation members Alan and David now part of the team, have supported the sport and racing since their business started in London 1978.
A top Motocross racer from a forgotten era of the 1970s, Jay Kimber started on a Bultaco, before switching to CZ, winning the 1972 125cc Ontario Senior title. Kimber eventually joined Carl Bastedo’s powerhouse works Kawasaki team, and achieved success in their 125 class, including at World Championship events in the U.S.A. at Mid-Ohio (1977 – 12th) and Unadilla (1979 – 12th). He retired in 1981 and started stock car racing.
A star of flat track in Canada and the U.S.A., Doug “Fresh” Lawrence is a competitor who sets the standard in his discipline of competition. Now 40 and still racing and organizing events at his home venue (as well as commentating), Welland County Speedway, Lawrence has raced every type of bike and track (including the X Games for American television), and achieved his best success on Harley-Davidson and Honda equipment built and tuned by his father, Doug Sr. Lawrence also had solid success in a brief roadracing career in 2016 and 2017, shortly after qualifying for eight AMA National Flat Track main events in 2014.
2002 Parts Canada Superbike Pro Open Sport Bike National Championship podium at Shannonville Motorsport Park (class of 2025) features new number one Frank Trombino (centre) as well as bike builder Rob Egan of Brooklin Cycle Racing (Class of 2025, glasses and hat, on the right of the “war lord of Shannonville”) and some of the staff of Ab’s Cycle, another 2025 Canadian Motorcycle Hall of Fame inductee. Photo by Colin Fraser.
This year’s Canadian Motorcycle Hall of Fame Historical Inductee is Ab Everest, the late owner/operator of Ab’s Cycle outside Oshawa, Ontario, east of Toronto who passed away in 1997. A central figure in Canadian racing, Ab’s supported a number of competitors, the shop active supporting top Pro Frank Trombino in the 2000s, before the Harley-Davidson and Yamaha dealer closed in 2002 after 40 years in business.
For 2025, the Bar and Hedy Hodgson Award will go to former Flat Track competitor and current Canadian event announcer and television host Frank C. Wood. Wood raced on the ovals in the 1970s and then turned his attention to announcing a variety of activities, including the legendary Corduroy Enduro. Bar and Hedy Hodgson are the founders of the International Motorcycles Supershow and initial supporters of the Canadian Motorcycle Hall of Fame.
This year’s Ambassador Award will be presented to John and Dominique Bondar, the couple who purchased Shannonville Motorsport Park in the fall of 2019. Initially built by former shop owner and racer John Nelson (Class of 2006), S.M.P. (“The birthplace of champions”) will celebrate it’s 50th anniversary of competition next year – the first race at the then just-updated and expanded venue was a motorcycle event held on Thanksgiving, 1976.
Veteran Pro competitor Michael Leon, who traces his road race routes to the now defunct ASM Regional Series at the closed St. Eustache Autodrome, rebounded from Saturday adversity during round four of the RACEMoto Ontario Regional Championship on the perimeter Pro version (2.47 km in length) of Shannonville Motorsport Park. Leon took his second straight win in the Lou-Ann Printing Pro Superbike Feature.
Aboard his Royal Distributing/Pro6 Cycle backed BMW Motorrad entry, Leon had just moved ahead of arch-rival Elie Daccache (Milwaukee Yamaha YZF-R1) during Saturday’s mid-day Almaguin Sprint Cup race when he tucked the front and his BeeMm slid into the infield in a cloud of dust, visible from the pit lane.
His team got the damaged bike repaired for Sunday, and Leon, winner of the previous round, openly discussed his recent history of recovering from setbacks when he seemed to be on a roll. Sunday’s conditions were not as hit as Saturday, the day overcast due to the remnants of northern forest fires.
Reigning Series Champ Daccache won the Sprint Cup event Sunday, but in the Pro Superbike Feature at the end of the day, Leon grabbed the lead on lap one and built a small lead to edge Daccache by 3.2 seconds. Daccache maintains his title chase lead with 47 points, with rising star Matt Vanderhorst second at 36 points and Leon in third at 28.
Speaking of his frustrating fall Saturday, post victory on Sunday, Leon confirmed that “part of the challenge was in my head, and I had to pretend I was back on my FZR400 at St. Eustache and just don’t think about things too much.”
“I was worried about the repair from the crash, I hurt a coolant pipe, but the bike felt fine. My guys did a great job and I’m proud it’s not bent.”
“I got the lead, my board showed plus zero, plus zero, and then I started to relax,” continued Leon. “The I put down a 5.9 (lap in the 1:05 range, his best an eventual 1:05.8, beaten only by Daccache, by just one tenth of a second), and that pace wasn’t expected –the switch just turned on!”
As far as the challenge from arch-rival Daccache, Leon explained that “he didn’t show me a wheel, and I try not to look back. But I risked a look over my shoulder at the hairpin, and he wasn’t right there…”
Behind runner-up Daccache, Vanderhorst put on a charge to earn third, even though he was disappointed with his pace between old tires in practice Saturday and new rubber Sunday.
Fourth went to Yamaha YZF-R1 mounted “fastest farmer” Ernest Bernhard, Suzuki pilot Matthew Annable good for a close fifth after 12 laps.
Pro6 Cycle Pro Supersport action at Shannonville, with the No, 91 Yamaha YZF-R6 of Matt Simpson heading the No. 99 Kawasaki ZX-6R Ninja of Alex Michel. Simpson won on Saturday whole Michel was first in Supersport Sunday. Photo courtesy CSBK
In the combined Pro6 Cycle Supersport race on Sunday right after lunch, Yamaha mounted Matt Simpson resumed his weekend long dispute with third-in-National Points Alex Michel (Speed Factory Kawasaki).
Simpson won Saturday, but on Sunday the former National title challenger suhered mechanical issues and handed the win to Michel, visiting in preparation for the next weekend’s Bridgestone National at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (“old Mosport”). Michel also placed third, among the 1000cc racers, aboard his 636 in Sprint Cup, placing third behind Daccache and Leon.
The Amateur Supersport event produced a run-away win, the Triumph of Zaim Laflamme eventually nine seconds up from the Yamaha of Alexis Beaudoin. In Amateur Superbike, Martin Perreault won on a Kawasaki from Beaudoin and Ducati-mounted J.S. Lefebvre. In the Amateur Superbike Championship, Beaudoin has 48 points, just two up on Perreault with one round left.
Dumas leads four-rider showdown into championship finale at CTMP
The most anticipated season finale in years is finally here in the Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship, as the feature GP Bikes Pro Superbike class is set to crown another champion this weekend at historic Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, August 8-10.
Just who will lift the Canada Cup this year, however, is anyone’s guess.
Four riders will enter the doubleheader finale covered by just 24 points, with Alex Dumas leading reigning champion Ben Young, Sam Guerin, and Jordan Szoke in what has been a clear-cut lead four the entire season.
The trio of Dumas, Young, and Guerin each won races last time out in the Edmonton tripleheader, while Szoke has been a mainstay at the front himself despite a first win of the year still eluding him, giving all four their own bit of momentum entering CTMP.
Despite the practically even odds, Dumas would be the betting favourite by virtue of his five-point championship lead over familiar rival Young, a place the two have found themselves in multiple times before.
Dumas carried slim title leads over Young into the 2021 and 2023 seasons, though with very contrasting fortunes. He would sweep the final round in ’21 to earn a stunning championship as a rookie, but a crash out of the lead in ’23 spoiled his second attempt to hand that title to Young.
Neither one of those finale’s were at CTMP, but it’s unclear who will be more excited by the change of venue. Since their head-to-head rivalry began in 2021, Young has taken five wins and eleven podiums at “Old Mosport,” while Dumas has countered with three wins and ten podiums.
Alex Dumas (23) leads the CSBK championship by a mere five points with two races remaining in the 2025 season. Photo by Rob O’Brien / courtesy CSBK.
But a part of Young’s success – even by his own admission sometimes – was the BMW package underneath him, one that has mastered the very fast CTMP layout and now belongs to Dumas.
None of this should write off Young from a fourth consecutive title and fifth in his career, as his record at CTMP speaks for itself regardless of machine – including a pair of dramatic last-corner passes on Dumas to add to that win total.
While Young has dealt with his growing pains aboard the new Van Dolder’s Home Team Honda, his CBR1000RR is more than capable of keeping him in the lead fight at a track where it’s often difficult to break away from a chasing pack thanks to the long Andretti Straightaway.
The bigger problem for Young may be that it’s not a straight fight with Dumas this time around, as he will also have to contend with a former BMW-mate and a career-long rival in his title charge.
Guerin might be the one with the most confidence behind him, having out-scored every other rider in rounds two and three with three victories and five consecutive podiums, the only rider who’s been in the top three every time in that span.
The EFC Group BMW star is still paying for a heartbreaking electronics issue that knocked him out of the lead battle in round one, but he’s managed to cut that deficit to just 16 points behind Dumas thanks to his incredible mid-season comeback.
Defending CSBK champion Ben Young (1) is looking to defend his number one plate and claim his fourth consecutive Canadian Superbike championship next weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Photo by Rob O’Brien / courtesy CSBK.
He also will be carrying that momentum into one of his strongest circuits, even though a first victory at CTMP still eludes him. It was here last season where Guerin took pole by the largest margin in history (1.6 seconds), and his six podiums since 2020 are fewer than only Young and Dumas.
If machinery proves to be a difference-maker, Guerin is also on the same M1000RR as Dumas, meaning he will have all the tools to stay with the two former champions as he chases a first Canada Cup of his own.
The last rider of the four, though one still in a very good position, is Szoke. The 14-time champion has finished in the top four in every single race this season, taking four podiums for the Canadian Kawasaki Motors team.
Szoke has come up painfully short of a 79th career victory on a few occasions, but that might finally change at a venue where’s won an astonishing 20 times before, especially with a tweaked ZX-10RR this season that has proven to be far more competitive.
The problem for Szoke is that his impressive consistency will only get him so far if Dumas, Young, and Guerin avoid any major issues, meaning he will have to get his elbows out if he wants to add another #1 plate to his loaded resumé – something he will have no problem doing with a title on the line.
Only 16 points back from the championship lead, Sam Guérin (2) is still very much in the title fight as the 20205 CSBK season winds down next weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Photo by Rob O’Brien / courtesy CSBK
Should the lead pack extend beyond the four usual names, there will be a handful of proven riders vying for their first Pro Superbike win, headlined by a pair of emerging Honda stars in David MacKay and Phil DeGama-Blanchet.
MacKay has been consistently “best of the rest” in 2025, his second Superbike campaign, finishing between seventh and fourth in every race he’s finished aboard the ODH Snow City Cycle Honda.
As for DeGama-Blanchet, the 17-year-old has been equally as impressive in his first year aboard the Mots Machining Honda, finishing between seventh and fifth in all but one race, though he will have far less experience around CTMP compared to former Supersport champion MacKay.
Both riders will be crucial to Honda’s hopes of a first Constructors Championship, which will require a heroic effort from Young and company as they trail reigning champions BMW by 59 points with Dumas and Guerin at the front.
Entering the fray for Kawasaki will be Supersport flag-bearer Alex Michel, who fills in for the injured Connor Campbell to make his Superbike debut aboard the B&T MacFarlane/CKM Kawasaki.
Michel has been a regular frontrunner in the middleweight class, including taking a first career pro podium at CTMP in 2023, and will hope to carry that form into his first career weekend in the feature class.
The winningest rider in CSBK history, Jordan Szoke (101), still has a mathematical chance at the 2025 title. Expect the Kawasaki rider to be battling at the front for race victories at a venue he has won at many times. Photo by Rob O’Brien / courtesy CSBK
Barring anything dramatic, the doubleheader will likely see Laurent Laliberte-Girard crowned as the latest winner of the Brooklin Cycle Racing Pro Rookie of the Year award, holding a 32-point lead over Zoltan Frast.
Laliberte-Girard has done double-duty aboard his Nadon Sport Yamaha YZF-R6, and his career best fifth-place finish in Edmonton may prove to be the crucial difference as the reigning Amateur Supersport winner tries to cap off his strong rookie year in the history books.
The feature class will officially begin it’s highly-anticipated season finale with practice and BS Battery Qualifying on Friday, before the decisive doubleheader gets underway on Saturday and Sunday at CTMP, just an hour east of Toronto.
More information can be found on the series’ official website.
For more information on the Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship, visit www.csbk.ca or email info@csbk.ca.
In a busy day for MiniSBK competitors, a week after the opening National of the season suffered a rain out at Brechin, ON, and some competitors were racing for Team Canada in China, a strong field competed for victory around the perimeter Pro layout of Shannonville Motorsport Park at round four of the RACEMoto Regional Ontario Championship Series.
Opening regional winner on the 613 Cycle-backed Ohvale 160, Jager Stockill qualified on pole for the Moto1 class in warm and sunny conditions, and then got the jump on the deepest grid so far in the first year for the category running with the revamped Shannonville Regional Championships.
Jonathan Massignani held second on his Bucci 190 ahead of YCF190 pilot Ben Hodgson, while Philippe Luisgan was moving up to fourth aboard a YCF190 after stalling as the start lights turned oK.
A good mid-field battle developed for what would eventually turn out to be fifth overall, with two-stroke Kawasaki KX112 super moto pilot Chelsea Boursier, 15-years-old, holding off a group of several top runners. Eventually an on-form Boursier earned fifth ahead of her father, Yam Boursier (Bucci 190) in sixth, Ohvale 160 National Series competitor Mateen O’Brien (seventh) and eight overall Jacob Abnett on a YCF190.
Up front, Stockill gradually pulled clear for a solid (12.7 second at the chequered) advantage, turning a best tour at 49.19 seconds, close to his pole performance of 49.32. Inthe fight for second, Luisgnan used traffic to pass both Massignani and Hodgson, with second overall (and series rookie) Luisgnan turning the best overall lap of the race at 48.75 seconds.
Early in the “Mini50” Moto4 race, eventual winner No. 99 Honda of Thorleif Grummett holds off arch-rival No. 93 Yam of Austin Da – after suffering a technical problem, Da dropped from the lead dice and Grummett earned first in his second career road race. Photo courtesy CSBK.
A small field took to the inside Go Kart layout for the Moto4 or “50s” race, and a solid fight developed for first between Honda mounted Thorleif Grummet and Austin Da on a Yamaha. Da got the hole shot but Grummett, grand son of RACEMoto series co-founders Dave and Jill Grummett, moved into first and hung on from the pressuring Da. But Da had bike issues in the backfield Chicane and had to pull off track, loosing almost a lap as Grummett ran away.
8-year-old Grumett eventually won by 52 seconds in his second career road race, fresh from a recent M/X Camp. A frustrated Da (age 10) netted second, but did turn the best lap of the race at 1:05.78, to the 1:07.6 of victor Grummett.
Next Mini event is a Motul MiniGP National round at Lombardy Raceway, north of Kingston, ON, August 22-23 with the series returning to Shannonville in a month, September 5-6.
From a news release issued by Yamaha Motor Corporation USA:
Jake Gagne (32) leads Richie Escalante (50) at VIR. Photo by Andrea Wilson.
Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Bobby Fong capped off a flawless weekend with a dominant Race 2 victory at Round 6 of the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia. His fourth consecutive win moved him within five points of the championship lead. Teammate Jake Gagne battled in a fierce multi-rider fight for the podium, ultimately crossing the line fifth.
Fong continued to top the timesheets in morning warm-up, and then got a great start in Race 2 to take the lead from pole position. Although he was passed on that opening lap, he stayed close and reclaimed the lead on Lap 3 after the championship leader crashed in Turn 1. From there, Fong continued to set a blistering pace and built a comfortable gap up front, securing his fourth win by a 14-second margin. It was a perfect weekend for the Northern Californian, who led every session, and won both races, advancing him to second in the championship and closing the gap to within five points of the leader.
Gagne continued his progress and was fourth in the morning warmup. In sixth after the start of Race 2, he made his way to fourth by the second lap and then to third after the frontrunner crashed on the following lap. Locked in a multi-rider fight for the podium, Gagne was third until the final laps, when he dropped back to fifth. The Colorado rider stayed in the fight but ultimately would cross the line fifth to finish the weekend with a pair of top-five finishes, maintaining fourth in the standings.
Next up for the Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing team is Round 7 of the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, on August 15-17.
Richard Stanboli – Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing Team Manager
“I always hate to predict an outcome, but we had a really good idea this race was going to go the same way. Bobby did what we asked him to do — he kept a good, solid pace, put the pressure on the competition, and got us into a good position in the championship. Jake is still working on getting back to full strength, but has made some progress. We’re still not counting the championship points. We just want to go out and keep on winning, and show how good this R1 really is.”
Bobby Fong – Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing #50
“It’s good to get two wins this weekend and keep the momentum going. The crew deserves it. We’ve been working hard and making progress. I’m just happy to close in on the gap in the championship. I’m looking forward to Mid-Ohio and hopefully getting two Yamahas on the box.”
Jake Gagne – Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing #32
“The bike was working really well. It was just a tough weekend for me, dealing with my stuff and getting stronger, but Mid-Ohio will be better. Congrats to Bobby for getting another win for the team.”
From a news release issued by Suzuki Motor USA:
Sean Dylan Kelly (40). Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor USA.
Suzuki Motor USA reeled in ten top ten finishes, including multiple top fives – highlighted by a spectacular twin Superbike podium – as the MotoAmerica season made its annual stop at VIRginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia.
Race Highlights:
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki Superbike
Sean Dylan Kelly claimed a pair of top fours, including second place, his first podium finish of the season. Richie Escalante joined his teammate on the box following a thrilling five-way melee for third place.
Supersport
Tyler Scott closed out a solid weekend with a blistering final lap to lock down a fourth-place result. Max VanDenBrouck secured his third top ten of 2025.
RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Twins Cup
Matthew Chapin claimed pole position and rebounded from a Race 1 crash with a Race 2 top five Stock 1000. Rocco Landers was consistently fast en route to equaling his best finish of the Stock 1000 season.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Sean Dylan Kelly earned his first podium of the 2025 Superbike season on Sunday. Kelly had been plenty fast on the GSX-R1000R throughout and had come incredibly close on multiple occasions – finishing fourth six times, including in Saturday’s Superbike Race 1. But it all finally came together in Sunday’s rematch, when Kelly successfully countered teammate Richie Escalante’s last-lap pass with one of his own to finish as the race’s runner-up.
SDK said, “That was unbelievable. We’ve been working really hard since the start of the season, which feels like two years ago. I think everyone knew this was coming; but it’s one thing knowing and another actually making it happen. I’m really happy with the work we’ve done. A huge thank you to the Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki team – those guys have worked so hard. This feels so good to be back. I’m so, so excited.”
Richie Escalante (54). Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor Corp. USA.
Escalante completed the Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki double podium by claiming the checkered flag fractions of a second behind Kelly. Escalante found his form at VIR on the GSX-R1000R during Sunday’s race after finishing ninth on Saturday as a result of a mid-race mishap. The Mexican threw haymaker after haymaker to claw his way forward and ultimately finish in third.
“I’m really happy, honestly,” Escalante said. “We started the weekend with many problems, but my team did an amazing job. Every session I felt better and better. Today’s race was insane. It’s amazing to have both of us finish on the podium. Big thanks to my Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki team for an amazing job and believing in me. We’re going to enjoy this moment and be ready for Ohio.”
Tyler Scott (70). Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor Corp. USA.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Tyler Scott battled it out in Supersport duty all weekend long despite riding at less than full health. After qualifying fifth aboard the team’s next-generation GSX-R750, the hard-charging pilot came out on top of a three-rider scrap for sixth in Saturday’s Race 1. Scott pulled off the same feat in a four-way fight for fourth on Sunday, passing his way up to the position on the final lap and then successfully executing a late break to lock down the spot at the checkered flag.
Scott said, “Going into the weekend, I had a sore shoulder from being taken out by another rider at a practice day about ten days ago, then had some respiratory issues on top of that. Saturday, I wasn’t feeling that great, and the weekend became about doing as well as I could at less than 100%. Sunday, I felt better. The bike was great, and this time I was able to battle more, so we got fourth. This doesn’t seem like it will be a problem at Ohio, so I am looking forward to those races.”
Max VanDenBrouck (48). Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor Corp. USA.
Scott’s Supersport compatriot, Max VanDenBrouck, enjoyed an impressive weekend himself. Starting from eleventh, Max Van raced his way to his third top-ten result of the season aboard the Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R750, crossing the line in 10th on Saturday. He nearly did so again on Sunday, coming home a very respectable 11th.
“I like riding at VIR, so every lap I enjoyed,” VanDenBrouck said. “We qualified 11th, finished 10 in Race 1 and 11th in Race 2. I was able to maintain my qualifying position in the races. The starts went better, and I was able to be aggressive early. The team worked flawlessly all weekend. With Mid-Ohio two weeks away, I will go home and work out hard to be ready.”
Matthew Chapin (95). Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor Corp. USA.
RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki’s Matthew Chapin saw his weekend start off in unreal fashion – claiming pole position for the Twins Cup class by a margin of more than two seconds. Unfortunately, he suffered a crash on the opening lap of Race 1 after leaping out into the early lead. The reigning Junior Cup champ bounced back with a top five on Sunday, finishing fifth on the team’s Suzuki GSX-8R.
Chapin said, “I thought it was a pretty good weekend overall. I crashed out in the first race and had an arm pump issue early in the second one, so I didn’t get the results we have been getting at other rounds. We were still pretty competitive, though. We’re working on reducing some wheelspin, and I’m confident the team will continue improving the bike for us next time.”
Rocco Landers (97). Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor Corp. USA.
RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki’s Rocco Landers continued to showcase his developing literbike chops by demonstrating consistent pace aboard the team’s Stock 1000-spec GSX-R1000. Landers qualified on the second row, from where he logged seventh- and sixth-place results, the latter matching his best result on the 1000cc machine to date.
“Our best weekend so far,” said Landers. “Race 1 was one of the best times I have felt on the bike and Race 2 was the best. We’re getting closer and learning more every time. I got to ride the 1000 in the rain and the rider aids made it very controllable. We’re looking forward to racing again and continue to make improvements.”
The 2025 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship resumes on August 15-17 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.
Please visit SuzukiCycles.com/Racing/road-racing for more team news.
About Team Hammer
The 2025 season marks Team Hammer’s 45th consecutive year of operating as a professional road racing team. Racebikes built and fielded by Team Hammer have won 135 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National races, have finished on AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National podiums 381 times and have won 11 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National Championships, as well as two FIM South American Championships (in Superbike and Supersport). The team has also won 137 endurance races overall (including seven 24-hour races) and 13 Overall WERA National Endurance Championships with Suzuki motorcycles, and holds the U.S. record for mileage covered in a 24-hour race. The team also competed in the televised 1990s Formula USA National Championship, famously running “Methanol Monster” GSX-R1100 Superbikes fueled by methanol, and won four F-USA Championships.
About Vance & Hines Motorsports
Vance & Hines Motorsports is a powerhouse in the world of motorcycle racing, boasting a rich legacy of success. With a focus on innovation, performance, and commitment to pushing boundaries, the team continues to redefine excellence in NHRA and MotoAmerica.
More, from a news release issued by Aprilia:
Alessandro Di Mario (1). Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Entering the 2025 MotoAmerica Twins Cup season, Robem Engineering’s Alessandro Di Mario was widely considered a frontrunner in the highly competitive class. By the end of Round 5 of 6, the defending champion proved untouchable aboard his Aprilia RS 660.
Di Mario secured his second consecutive MotoAmerica Twins Cup title on Saturday at Virginia International Raceway, clinching Aprilia’s third championship in the category since the RS 660 became eligible five years ago.
After opening the 2025 season with three straight runner-up finishes, Di Mario has since gone on a dominant run – winning the last seven consecutive Twins Cup races, including both contests at the August 1–3 VIR round.
Saturday’s race featured an all-Aprilia podium, led by Di Mario, followed by his Robem Engineering teammate Hank Vossberg and Bad Boys Racing’s Avery Dreher in third. On Sunday, Di Mario and Vossberg returned to the podium, with Dreher narrowly missing out in fourth.
Despite less-than-ideal conditions during Friday morning practice, six Aprilia riders finished inside the top 10. The session was led by inaugural Twins Cup champion Chris Parrish (Ghetto Customs), followed by Di Mario in third, Chase Brown (Brown Town Racing) in fourth, Dreher in sixth, Vossberg in eighth, and Logan Cunnison (Speeddemon Racing) in ninth. Inclement weather led to the cancellation of Friday’s Qualifying 1 session.
In Saturday morning’s Qualifying 2, Dreher edged Di Mario for second on the starting grid by just 0.207 seconds. Vossberg qualified fourth, and Cunnison sixth.
Race 1 began with multiple early incidents and a tight battle for the lead. Di Mario led early, briefly lost position, then reclaimed the lead on Lap 6 of the 13-lap race and steadily pulled away. He crossed the finish line more than three seconds ahead to seal the title. Vossberg narrowly beat Dreher to the line by just 0.002 seconds, securing a second-place finish and an all-Aprilia podium.
Other Aprilia riders in the top 10 included Brown (fifth), Cunnison (sixth), Andrew Weyh (Weyh Racing, eighth), and Zachary Foster (Moto-Ace Racing, 10th).
With the championship secured, Di Mario delivered another dominant performance in Sunday’s Race 2, leading every lap and taking victory by over four seconds. Vossberg claimed his second podium of the weekend, finishing just 0.059 seconds shy of an Aprilia 1–2. Dreher placed fourth, Brown sixth, Cunnison seventh, and Weyh ninth. Of the 37 riders entered at VIR, 16 competed aboard Aprilia RS 660s, demonstrating the bike’s continued dominance in the class.
The final round of the 2025 MotoAmerica Twins Cup season takes place September 26–28 at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, New Jersey.
Alessandro Di Mario / Robem Engineering
“The race weekend was really good. I had two strong starts, and the plan all along was to break away at the front. That’s exactly what happened, and I’m really happy with the results. I want to thank the team for all their support this weekend.”
Hank Vossberg / Robem Engineering
“What a great weekend here at VIR. It went even better than I expected—I made the podium in both races and the bike felt amazing. I didn’t get the start I wanted in Race 1, but just managed to grab second at the line. I had a better start in Race 2 and I’m really happy to be back on the podium.”
More, from a news release issued by Ducati:
Josh Herrin (1). Photo by Brian J. Nelson courtesy Ducati.
Josh Herrin and Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati had a tough weekend as MotoAmerica returned to one of North America’s premier racing venues at Virginia International Raceway for round six.
Herrin secured a hard-fought third place in the first race on the number one Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R to secure solid points on the podium.
Race two, however, did not go to plan. After taking the lead with a decisive early pass, Herrin tried to make a break for it but lost the front of the motorcycle at turn one, sliding into the wet grass on the outside of the track.
Herrin’s motorcycle suffered damage to the right handlebar and throttle assembly, necessitating an emergency pit stop that dropped Herrin to 15th and several laps down on the leaders.
Herrin and the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati team refused to give in, and even with victory hopes dashed, Herrin still made it back on track to finish 14th and gain two championship points ultimately.
Herrin and the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati team remain optimistic and still lead the series points with three rounds to go.
2025 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship After Round Six:
“It’s obviously not what we wanted, but that’s racing,” Herrin philosophically said. “It happens, but that’s why we worked as hard as we did all year to get the points advantage. I didn’t need to win today, but I also wanted to give it my best shot. A win is always preferable to a second or third-place finish.
“I felt better than in race one on Saturday. I’m not sure if I had the bike to win today, but I was pushing hard and lost the front. I tried to hold on, and it helped a little, but I ended up on the ground. Thanks to my Warhorse HSBK Ducati team for getting the bike back together in the pits so we could get two points. Every point counts in the championship.
“We are going into Mid-Ohio and CoTA in Texas next, which are two of the best tracks for me and the Ducati Panigale V4 R. Sometimes weekends like this happen. It’s not the end of the world, but on the bright side, out of the next three tracks go to (Mid-Ohio, CoTA, and New Jersey Motorsports Park) for the rest of the year, we took seven race wins last year, so we’re ready to go.”
Round seven of the 2025 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship will be held in one week at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, August 8-10, 2025.
More, from a news release issued by Dunlop:
Dunlop Motorcycle Tires is excited to announce that new lap records have been established at Virginia International Raceway in Alton, VA. This thrilling showcase of speed and skill wasn’t possible without the Sportmax Slick tires, and the following records were achieved:
Twins Cup:
-Race Lap Record: 1:30.544 – Alessandro Di Mario, Race 2 (8/3/2025)
Supersport:
-Lap Record & Race Lap Record: 1:25.964 – Mathew Scholtz, Race 2 (8/3/2025)
-Lap Record & Race Lap Record: 1:26.094 – PJ Jacobsen, Race 1 (8/2/2025)
Build.Train.Race:
-Lap Record & Race Lap Record: 1:46.428 – Miranda Cain, Race 2 (8/3/2025)
-Lap Record & Race Lap Record: 1:47.957 – Miranda Cain, Race 1 (8/2/2025)
Talent Cup:
-Lap Record: 1:35.328 – Alessandro Di Mario, Warm Up (8/3/2025)
-Race Lap Record: 1:35.876 – Alessandro Di Mario, Race 1 (8/2/2025)
-Lap Record & Race Lap Record: 1:35.876 – Alessandro Di Mario, Race 1 (8/2/2025)
These outstanding performances demonstrate the exceptional grip and reliability of Dunlop’s Sportmax Slick tires, further cementing their position as the tire of choice for all competitive road racing.
To learn more about Dunlop racing tires, please visit www.dunlopracing.com
About Dunlop Motorcycle Tires:
Dunlop is the number one selling and largest supplier of original equipment and replacement motorcycle tires in North America. For more information, visit www.DunlopMotorcycleTires.com. Follow @ridedunlop on Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter) for the latest Dunlop news. Use #RideDunlop and/or #RaceDunlop to share your Dunlop moments.
Alessandro Di Mario on his Aprilia RS 660 at VIR. Photo courtesy Aprilia Racing.
Alessandro di Mario wins the Twins Cup in MotoAmerica with the RS 660, third place for the Aprilia RSV4 in the legendary Suzuka 8 Hours in the EWC.
Aprilia Racing confirms its status as a global motorsport powerhouse by achieving two prestigious results simultaneously in different parts of the world. These successes further strengthen Aprilia’s position as a standout force in international racing, showcasing the versatility and competitiveness of two of its machines, the Aprilia RS 660 and the RSV4, across different challenges and racing environments.
In the United States, Alessandro Di Mario of Team Robem Engineering successfully defended his MotoAmerica Twins Cup title, claiming his second consecutive championship and securing Aprilia’s third title in this category in the last five years. Di Mario won both races at the Virginia International Raceway, securing the title already in Saturday’s first race and dominating a weekend in which of the 37 riders entered at VIR, 16 competed aboard Aprilia RS 660, a testament to the bike’s continued dominance in the category. After kicking off the 2025 season with three consecutive second-place finishes, Di Mario embarked on an unstoppable winning streak, taking victory in the last seven races, including both races at VIR this weekend.
At the same time, in the legendary Suzuka 8 Hours, the third round of the 2025 FIM EWC Endurance World Championship, the Aprilia RSV4 secured an exceptional third place in the Superstock class. This marks Aprilia’s second podium in three years, and the first ever achieved in Japan by an all-Italian team, with the Revo/M2 Racing Team. The result in this historic race confirms the competitiveness and reliability of the RSV4 1100.
Kevin Calia, Simone Saltarelli, and Flavio Ferroni on the Superstock podium. Photo courtesy Aprilia Racing.
The team made up of Kevin Calia, Simone Saltarelli, and Flavio Ferroni, all making their debut on this track, delivered a flawless race, bringing the Aprilia RSV4 1100 onto the Superstock podium. The Aprilia RSV4 1100 completed all 206 laps without any technical issues, confirming its reliability and competitiveness in one of the most demanding challenges on the global racing calendar. This is the team’s first international podium, achieved in their debut at the prestigious Japanese race, on a circuit never before tackled by either the riders or the team.
MASSIMO RIVOLA, CEO APRILIA RACING:
“Winning the MotoAmerica Twins Cup title for the second consecutive year confirms Di Mario’s talent and the quality of the RS 660 in this tough and competitive championship. Alessandro and his Team Robem Engineering deserve huge applause for the work they’ve done throughout the season. What the Revo/M2 Racing Team achieved in Japan was equally impressive. An Italian team taking on such a challenging event for the first time, on a circuit like Suzuka, full of traps and home-track specialists, is something we will remember. Kevin, Simone, and Flavio were flawless, as was the Team. The Aprilia RSV4 was impeccable too, and in this World Endurance Championship it can definitely play a leading role in the Superstock class, a category that will only become more important in the future.”
2-Time Daytona 200 Winner, Brandon Paasch, and 2019 AFT Singles Champion, Dalton Gauthier, both have what it takes to be contenders in this series. Photo courtesy Triumph Racing.
Following a 1-2 finish in the inaugural AdventureTrackers race at the 2024 Sturgis TT, which saw Sammy Halbert and Ivan Cervantes take the top two spots on stock Tiger 1200 motorcycles, Triumph returns to the Progressive American Flat Track AdventureTrackers series, with two elite riders set to compete aboard stock 2025 Triumph Tiger 900 GT Pro motorcycles. This year’s campaign includes four thrilling races across South Dakota and Illinois, showcasing the performance and versatility of Triumph’s middleweight adventure platform.
2025 AFT AdventureTrackers Triumph Line-Up:
• Brandon Paasch – #196: A two-time Daytona 200 winner and seasoned road racer, Brandon brings a unique blend of speed, precision, and adaptability to the dirt. Known for his aggressive style and technical finesse, Paasch is ready to push the Tiger 900 GT Pro to its limits in the AdventureTrackers format.
• Dalton Gauthier – #79: The 2019 AFT Singles Champion is a proven flat track competitor and no stranger to high-stakes racing. With his deep dirt track experience and natural talent, Gauthier is poised to be a top contender in every round of the 2025 series.
The 2025 expanded AdventureTracker season will feature two short track and two TT races. Locations this season include the legendary Jackpine Gypsies Short Track in Sturgis, South Dakota, during the 85th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally as well as at the Peoria Motorcycle Club, Peoria, IL.
2025 AFT AdventureTrackers Race Schedule:
• Monday, August 4 – Jackpine Gypsies Short Track – Jackpine Gypsies, Sturgis, SD
• Tuesday, August 5 – Jackpine Gypsies Short Track – Jackpine Gypsies, Sturgis, SD
• Saturday, August 16 – Peoria TT – Peoria Motorcycle Club, Peoria, IL
Adam VanderVeen – Marketing Director, Triumph Motorcycles America “The AdventureTrackers series continues to be an exciting platform to demonstrate the real-world performance of our adventure motorcycles. With Brandon and Dalton piloting the 2025 Tiger 900 GT Pro, we’re confident in our ability to compete at the highest level and show fans just how capable these bikes are—straight from the showroom floor.”
For more information about the race and to follow Triumph’s performance, visit the American Flat Track website.
Mission AFT SuperTwins riders Briar Bauman (3), Dallas Daniels (32), Brandon Robinson (44) lead the rest of the pack during Round 10 in Sturgis Monday night. Photo by Tim Lester / courtesy American Flat Track.
They say good things come in threes. That is certainly the case at the 85th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, as this week in Sturgis, South Dakota, includes three Progressive American Flat Track rounds, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing. And the first of those three – tonight’s Jackpine Gypsies Short Track I – both featured the Mission Triple Challenge format and added a third class to the mix with the much anticipated return of the AFT AdventureTrackers™.
Meanwhile, two-time Grand National ChampionBriar Bauman (No. 3 RWR/Parts Plus/Latus Motors Harley-Davidson XG750R) is currently on a mission to up his Mission AFT SuperTwins title tally to match the #3 on his number plate.
He took another step in that direction with his sixth victory of the season, which came following a(nother) knock-down, drag-out battle with chief rival Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT).
Main Event 1
For the second time this season, the series used the new-for-‘25 Mission Triple Challenge format. Three successive Main Events – a 10-lap sprint, a 15-lapper that paid double points, and a final 20-lap Main which concluded the night with triple the points – determined the evening’s overall winner. All of this action was somehow contained by the Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club’s ultra-tight Short Track, which at 1/5-mile is claimed to be the shortest ever negotiated by twin-cylinders throughout the long history of the Grand National Championship.
The first Main Event barely gave the combatants a chance to breathe, taking just over two minutes to complete. But despite the diminutive track and short duration, Bauman still had enough room and time to deliver a relative blowout. The RWR ace grabbed the holeshot and immediately pulled clear of the frantic melee behind.
Daniels found himself an early fourth, overtaken at launch by ST master Henry Wiles (No. 911 DL Racing/HYMMC Yamaha MT-07) and Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Harley-Davidson XG750R).
It took Daniels just two laps to drive up the inside of both, but by then Bauman was nearly a second out in front.
But even with clear air in front of Daniels, Bauman would eventually work that advantage up to 1.329 seconds by the time he took the checkered flag.
Robinson came home third, followed by a charging Max Whale (No. 18 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650) and Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing KTM 790 Duke).
Main Event 2
Daniels nearly pulled off the holeshot, but that merely put him in a position for Bauman to push him wide and allow a resourceful Robinson through into second. Undeterred, the Estenson Racing pilot quickly regrouped and powered under Robinson to close right in on Bauman’s rear wheel.
Before he could attempt a strike, however, the race was red-flagged as a result of a crash on the part of Declan Bender (No. 70 Memphis Shades/Luczak Racing Yamaha MT-07).
While Bauman and Daniels picked their battle back up after the restart, Whale joined the party with the impressive utilization of an high-risk, high-reward, high line. But before the shootout could really take shape, another red was shown, this time due to a crash that involved Bender (again) and Fisher.
While Bauman grabbed the lead off the start for a third time, he got extremely loose and Daniels instantly pounced.
Bauman would go on to survive scares in the same corner on the subsequent two laps as well, allowing his rival to earn the win with more than a half second to spare.
Despite the repeated bobbles, Bauman maintained second, followed by Whale, Robinson, and Jarod VanDerKooi (No. 20 Fastrack Racing/Wally Brown Racing KTM 790 Duke).
Main Event 3
Bauman and Daniels saved the best for last, going back and forth down to the final lap.
The two swapped first place multiple times on the opening handful of laps before Daniels finally established himself in first and locked down the inside.
Unlike the earlier fights, the title fighters didn’t have this one all to themselves with Robinson, Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Progressive Insurance Honda Transalp), and Whale in close contention, eagerly awaiting any mistake that would allow them to potentially pull off an upset.
And that opportunity seemed almost likely, with Bauman riding on the ragged edge in hopes of finding a way – any way – past Daniels.
But rather than make a mistake, Bauman made it happen, ripping through with six to go. Robinson followed him past Daniels, but the Yamaha rider put himself right back into second and looked to turn the tables once again.
However, try as he might, Daniels couldn’t work out a path to the win and was forced to watch from close behind as Bauman claimed his sixth overall win of the year.
Bauman said, “Dallas took me to school in the second Main Event. To come back and get him… he usually just builds momentum and gets better throughout the night. My Rick Ware Racing/Part Plus/Latus Motors team worked really, really hard. We changed quite a bit of stuff even though we’ve been fast all day… Dallas is so good. I’ve never been this stressed out all the time, but we’re out here, baby, and we’re working for it.”
Robinson finished third in Main Event 3 and the overall results. Lowe finished fourth in Main Event 3 to move up to sixth in the final round results, while Whale took fifth in the race and fourth overall.
Wiles was awarded fifth overall following his 7-6-6 night.
Bauman now leads the Mission AFT SuperTwins championship fight over Daniels by just eight points (208-200). Robinson is a distant third at 135.
AFT Singles presented by KICKER
The Mission Triple Challenge delivered another barnburner in AFT Singles presented by KICKER action, with three different riders earning a win, including the round’s overall victor, Chase Saathoff (No. 88 RWR/Parts Plus Honda CRF450R).
Main Event 1
The night’s first Main Event saw Trevor Brunner (No. 21 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) overcome a determined challenge from Saathoff, who stormed by at one point only to be quickly dropped back to second.
Saathoff made another last-lap stab at the win, but Brunner held strong to grab the win by 0.230 seconds.
Aidan RoosEvans (No. 26 FRA Trust/ATV’s and More Yamaha YZ450F) slipped free from the big pack behind him to earn a fairly safe third a little over a second back of the win.
Rising stars Kage Tadman (No. 288 Roof Systems/Rice’s Rapid Motorsports KTM 450 SX-F) and Walker Porter (No. 100 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) came home fourth and fifth, with Tadman fighting past his fellow rookie on the final circulation.
Meanwhile, title leader Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F), who was feeling under the weather throughout the day, could only manage a sixth-place result
Main Event 2
Under the weather or not, Main Event 2 saw Drane revert to his more typical form, blasting up to second off the start and then sailing past Brunner to capture the lead just two laps in.
With the Australian walking off at the front, Brunner turned his attention to locking down second with Saathoff and Tadman in hot pursuit. That is until the race was red-flagged due to a bizarre crash that saw RoosEvans yanked clear of his bike when his left leg was somehow snared by the machine of Bradon Pfanders (No. 83 Hannum’s HD/Pfanders Racing KTM 450 SX-F).
Following the staggered restart, Drane resumed his position at the front. However, this time he found himself under serious fire from Tadman. The rookie tapped back into his California style, railing around the outside of both Saathoff and Brunner to zero in on Drane.
While he even nosed ahead at one point, Tadman couldn’t quite make a move stick and Drane went on to claim the victory.
Brunner finished third ahead of Saathoff, while Tarren Santero (No. 75 Mission Roof Systems Honda CRF450R) – who made his way into the Main Event program via the LCQ – finished fifth.
Main Event 3
After twice being denied, Saathoff pulled it all together when it mattered the most. The RWR pilot switched up his tactics to employ a Tadman-like high line and used it to work his way past Brunner, Tadman himself, and, soon enough, Drane to grab the lead.
Even when all alone in the lead, Saathoff continued to ride high, moving more than a second out in front of archrival Drane in the process.
Behind, Tadman and Brunner went back-and-forth for several laps while contesting third before up-and-comer Tadman finally established himself in the position.
A late charge from Drane saw him pull back alongside Saathoff with just two laps to go. However, Saathoff simply refused to allow him through as the two waged yet another epic final-lap clash.
Tadman came home in third followed by Brunner and RoosEvans.
The overall podium mirrored that of Main Event 3, with Saathoff earning his second win of the season, Drane scoring his sixth consecutive podium, and Tadman picking up the third podium of his stellar rookie season.
Brunner finished fourth in the race as well as the overall results, while RoosEvans was fifth in Main Event 3 and sixth overall. Fifth place overall went to Pfanders thanks to the combined points added up from his 8-6-6 evening.
Saathoff said, “This is very meaningful. I took a chance in that race off the start, and I just rolled with it. Man, I didn’t want to have to close the door on Tom that hard, but I was there for the win, and I wasn’t giving it up on the last lap. Hats off to my whole team. I can’t thank everybody enough. I’m so happy to have done it here.”
Despite suffering the narrow defeat, Drane continues to lead the title fight quite comfortably, boasting 191 points to Saathoff’s 172. Brunner is third at 151.
AFT AdventureTrackers™
While the Mission AFT SuperTwins and AFT Singles utilized the Mission Triple Challenge format, the AFT AdventureTrackers determined its first winner of the season in a single 10-lap Main Event, with 500-pound, near-stock Dual Adventure bikes going bar-to-bar in a two-wheeled cage match.
The sky-high capabilities of these versatile bikes – some of which were either ridden on the streets or sourced from dealer showroom floors as recently as yesterday – was expertly demonstrated by a field stacked with elite racers.
None did so more effectively than Jesse Janisch (No. 33 WFOracingonline.com/Öhlins Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250). The 2022 Mission Production Twins champion leveraged a low line to cut under early leader Dan Bromley (No. 62 Big Momma and Daddy Deep Pockets Suzuki V-Strom 1050) with eight laps remaining.
2018 AFT Singles champ Bromley spent the remainder of the race muscling his bike around in a fruitless bid to square up Janisch.
Afterward, Janisch said, “We’ve been having a blast. I got to ride the thing all day yesterday out in the hills, enjoying the scenic views of Sturgis, which was amazing. I’ve got to thank everyone who helped us out. I had a good battle with Dan, and I’m stoked to get the first one.”
2019 AFT Singles champion Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 Triumph Racing Triumph Tiger 900 GT Pro) claimed the final spot on the box following a three-way scrap that also included fourth-place finisher Hunter Bauer (No. 24 Vinson Construction/Memphis Shades BMW F 900 GS) and fifth-place finisher Henry Wiles (No. 911 Walter Bros. Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250).
In fact, Wiles appeared to have third all but sewn up, however, a mechanical issue on the final lap allowed Gauthier to steal back the position at the last possible moment.
Next Up:
The stars of Progressive American Flat Track will be back in action tomorrow as the Jackpine Gypsies Short Track IIconcludes this early-week ST doubleheader on Tuesday, August 5.
For those that can’t catch the live action from the circuit, FloRacing is the live streaming home of Progressive AFT. Sign up now and catch every second of on-track action starting with Practice & Qualifying and ending with the Victory Podium at the end of the night at https://flosports.link/aft.
FOX Sports coverage of the Jackpine Gypsies Short Track I, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 on Saturday, August 16, at 10:00 a.m. ET (7:00 a.m. PT), with the Jackpine Gypsies Short Track II set to air the following day, Sunday, August 17, at 1:00 p.m. ET (10:00 a.m. PT).
Adam Guyer (24) on his Aprilia RS660. Photo by Sam Draiss.
Racing in the dog days of summer is often a time when the grids are a little lighter, as vacation travel plans compete for weekend recreation time for track bound families. However, with rainy forecasts impacting a near record 15 weekends in a row in New England there was a pent-up demand for sunny track time and round 5 of the NEMRR series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway provided the perfect outlet. For the first time in 2025 there was a 100% chance of sun, fun and great racing and the riders fully embraced the opportunity.
Super Street Race. Photo by Sam Draiss.
The Super Street Class, NEMRR’s gateway to road racing that allows track day prepared machines and riders the opportunity to take part in a race weekend, had a record 26 entries this weekend! In the Unlimited division Mark Roberto and Eric Simpson traded wins on Saturday and Sunday, and in the Lighweight Division Jason Feinberg and Micheal Tower each took a race win. Simpson ran the fastest lap times of the weekend, with his quickest laps being not only good enough to win Super Street but would also have him at the front of the “next step” Novice division.
In the Novice division, three riders stood out from the crowd. The Novice division is the entry level racing class at NEMRR. Racers stay in the Novice class until they rdemonstrate the abilty to run times better than a designated “bump out” threshold, which varies in accordance with motorcycle size. Two riders in the larger displacement divisions, Randy Morrissette and Christopher O’Shea, took wins over the race weekend and flat-out crushed the 1:23 bump out time for the Novice division as they ran times all the way down into the 1:19 range. In addition Nate Lamontagne was able to run times in the 1:19 range on his lightweight bike – dominating in his class wins and guaranteeing a bump in to the Amateur division. Congratulations to all!
Joseph Townsend (167) on his Yamaha R6. Photo by Sam Draiss.
Joseph Townsend continued his impressive 2025 Amamteur campaign on his Yamaha R6. In addition to carding wins in multiple Middleweight and Heavyweight classes on both Saturday and Sunday, Townsend worked past fellow Amateur standout Rui Almeida on lap three of the Amateur Seacoast Sport Cycle Dash for cash and pulled away to victory by a comfortable 5 second margin at the checkered flag.
Eli Block (9) battling with Adam Muscaro (57). Photo by Sam Draiss.
In the expert ranks, three riders had standout weekends. First up was Eli Block who set a track record on his KTM Supermoto bike. Eli ran an impressive 1:13.799 lap on his motard, a time that would be competitive in many the Middleweight division races! Block battled with fellow Motard standout Adam Muscaro in his race wins.
Eric Wood (5) on his Dunlop-shod Yamaha R6. Photo by Sam Draiss.
2025 has been a breakout year for Adam Guyer, who has been dominating the Lightwieght classes on his Aprilia RS660 all season long. In addition to scoring 5 wins over the weekend, Guyer put on an impressive performance in the Seacoast Sport Cycle Dash for Cash. On his Lightwieght legal motorcycle Guyer finished 2nd in the Middleweight Grand Prix Division and a 3rd place finish overall….an impressive performance in a class dominated by 4 cylinder 600cc machinery. Veteran Eric Wood led all expert racers over the weekend, scoring victories in 6 classes across the Middleweight, Heavyweight and Unlmited displacement division including a wire to wire victory in the featured Dash for Cash. Wood, who often rides a Ducati V2, ran all of his races on his Dunlop-shod Yamaha R6. “This bike is so much fun to ride – it turns left when I simply look left, and that makes it a great weapon for New Hampshire Motor Speedway” Wood noted from the Dash for Cash podium.
The final round of the Northeast Motorcycle Road Racing Series will hold the final round of the 2025 season on August 23-24 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Nearly every championship is up for grabs at this final round will be a double points event. For more information please visit www.nemrr.com
1993 Formula USA Feature race podium on Halloween at Road Atlanta, GA, with the Barely Human entered Yamaha effort of Fast Company and associates (Left to Right): Fred Burchill, Trevor Weiles (eventual factory Honda USA race Tech), Peter Newfeld, builder Scott Miller (Class of 2025), Fred Kling, Tina Kling, Rob Stoeser, rider (the late) Fritz Kling, bike owner Doc Mark Brubacher, EBC Brakes Rep Gary Gallagher. (Chuck Graves in hat with Suzuki to left and the late Mike Velasco on Sadowski Honda to right). Photo by Colin Fraser.
The Canadian Motorcycle Hall of Fame have confirmed the new inductees that will be recognized at their 18th annual event at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Mount Hope, Ontario, Saturday, October 25.
Famed tuner and bike builder Rob Egan, owner of Brooklin Cycle Racing in Whitby, leads this year’s nomination group. Egan has owned a performance shop and dealership since the late 1970s and built bikes and ran teams for top racers including Steve Gervais, Norm Murphy, Paul MacMillan, Francis Martin, Micheal Taylor (class of 2015) and Kevin Lacombe.
Legendary Flat Track builder and tuner George Evans supported son Chris Evans (Class of 2015) career and found time to assist top Pros including Doug Lawrence and the late Tyler Seguin, the 2023 Pro National Champ on an Evans prepared Honda.
Scott Miller has been a main stay of the Kitchener Waterloo two-wheeled performance scene since the 1970s, toiling at Zdeno’s Honda and the famous Cy-Jo Cycle Palace. Miller started building bikes for local races including Mark Kowalski and Neil Jenkins, mostly for Yamaha Motor Canada. He rose to fame on the unlimited Formula USA WERA tour south of the border in the early 1990s, achieving success for Chiropractor Mark Brubacker’s “Barely Human” Race team at Road Atlanta with the late Fritz Kling of Michigan at the controls.
Miller eventually built Suzukis for the Cronoa Beer backed Ebsco Media Suzuki squad in the U.S., taking the squad to success at the Suzuka Eight Hours World Endurance round, with riders including Canadian legend Jordan Szoke (Class of 2023).
Miller built Hondas for Szoke in 2010 for the Parts Canada Superbike Championship, scoring a perfect season in Superbike and coming up one race short in the middleweight Sport Bike category. Miller currently runs the Economy Lube and Tire team for BMW Motorrad Canada, with Alex Dumas currently leading the points on that tour.
Doug Hoover won his first Motocross race in 1978 at the age of 13 and was a Schoolboy Champ the next year. He eventually raced for 11 years, retiring at the age of the 24. “The Sweeper” eventually won the 1981 125cc National Crown and all classes in the Ontario Pro Series. By 1984, he was second Nationally in 250cc and 125cc Nationals as well as Supercross runner-up. He earned the CMA National 125cc crown in 1985, and was second in the Grand Prix of Canada, and joined Team Canadian in Europe that fall.
London Ontario’s Inglis Cycle currently sells Yamaha, Suzuki, Triumph, CFMoto and Kawasaki machinery. Mike, Gord, and Lori Inglis very much follow in the footsteps of their great grandfather George William Foster, who owned a motorcycle manufacturer and parts business in London, England, in the early 1900s. The Inglis family, with fifth generation members Alan and David now part of the team, have supported the sport and racing since their business started in London 1978.
A top Motocross racer from a forgotten era of the 1970s, Jay Kimber started on a Bultaco, before switching to CZ, winning the 1972 125cc Ontario Senior title. Kimber eventually joined Carl Bastedo’s powerhouse works Kawasaki team, and achieved success in their 125 class, including at World Championship events in the U.S.A. at Mid-Ohio (1977 – 12th) and Unadilla (1979 – 12th). He retired in 1981 and started stock car racing.
A star of flat track in Canada and the U.S.A., Doug “Fresh” Lawrence is a competitor who sets the standard in his discipline of competition. Now 40 and still racing and organizing events at his home venue (as well as commentating), Welland County Speedway, Lawrence has raced every type of bike and track (including the X Games for American television), and achieved his best success on Harley-Davidson and Honda equipment built and tuned by his father, Doug Sr. Lawrence also had solid success in a brief roadracing career in 2016 and 2017, shortly after qualifying for eight AMA National Flat Track main events in 2014.
2002 Parts Canada Superbike Pro Open Sport Bike National Championship podium at Shannonville Motorsport Park (class of 2025) features new number one Frank Trombino (centre) as well as bike builder Rob Egan of Brooklin Cycle Racing (Class of 2025, glasses and hat, on the right of the “war lord of Shannonville”) and some of the staff of Ab’s Cycle, another 2025 Canadian Motorcycle Hall of Fame inductee. Photo by Colin Fraser.
This year’s Canadian Motorcycle Hall of Fame Historical Inductee is Ab Everest, the late owner/operator of Ab’s Cycle outside Oshawa, Ontario, east of Toronto who passed away in 1997. A central figure in Canadian racing, Ab’s supported a number of competitors, the shop active supporting top Pro Frank Trombino in the 2000s, before the Harley-Davidson and Yamaha dealer closed in 2002 after 40 years in business.
For 2025, the Bar and Hedy Hodgson Award will go to former Flat Track competitor and current Canadian event announcer and television host Frank C. Wood. Wood raced on the ovals in the 1970s and then turned his attention to announcing a variety of activities, including the legendary Corduroy Enduro. Bar and Hedy Hodgson are the founders of the International Motorcycles Supershow and initial supporters of the Canadian Motorcycle Hall of Fame.
This year’s Ambassador Award will be presented to John and Dominique Bondar, the couple who purchased Shannonville Motorsport Park in the fall of 2019. Initially built by former shop owner and racer John Nelson (Class of 2006), S.M.P. (“The birthplace of champions”) will celebrate it’s 50th anniversary of competition next year – the first race at the then just-updated and expanded venue was a motorcycle event held on Thanksgiving, 1976.
Motard class with: John Snead (9A), Glen Johnson (833), Tom Teterycz (308), Steve Karoutzos (85K), Sam York (66Y), Anthony Shidla (172), Todd Pugh (531). Photo By Craig Chawla.
Complete race results from the 2025 AHRMA Roadracing Series presented by Motobilia event held August 2-3 at Blackhawk Farms Raceway, South Beloit, IL.
Early in the Lou-Ann Printing Pro Superbike Feature at Shannonville Motorsport Park’s RACEMoto Regional, the Dunlop-shod Royal Distributing BMW of Michael Leon holds first from the Milwaukee Yamaha of 2024 overall Cham Elie Daccache. Photo courtesy CSBK.
Leon Rebounds for Win
Veteran Pro competitor Michael Leon, who traces his road race routes to the now defunct ASM Regional Series at the closed St. Eustache Autodrome, rebounded from Saturday adversity during round four of the RACEMoto Ontario Regional Championship on the perimeter Pro version (2.47 km in length) of Shannonville Motorsport Park. Leon took his second straight win in the Lou-Ann Printing Pro Superbike Feature.
Aboard his Royal Distributing/Pro6 Cycle backed BMW Motorrad entry, Leon had just moved ahead of arch-rival Elie Daccache (Milwaukee Yamaha YZF-R1) during Saturday’s mid-day Almaguin Sprint Cup race when he tucked the front and his BeeMm slid into the infield in a cloud of dust, visible from the pit lane.
His team got the damaged bike repaired for Sunday, and Leon, winner of the previous round, openly discussed his recent history of recovering from setbacks when he seemed to be on a roll. Sunday’s conditions were not as hit as Saturday, the day overcast due to the remnants of northern forest fires.
Reigning Series Champ Daccache won the Sprint Cup event Sunday, but in the Pro Superbike Feature at the end of the day, Leon grabbed the lead on lap one and built a small lead to edge Daccache by 3.2 seconds. Daccache maintains his title chase lead with 47 points, with rising star Matt Vanderhorst second at 36 points and Leon in third at 28.
Speaking of his frustrating fall Saturday, post victory on Sunday, Leon confirmed that “part of the challenge was in my head, and I had to pretend I was back on my FZR400 at St. Eustache and just don’t think about things too much.”
“I was worried about the repair from the crash, I hurt a coolant pipe, but the bike felt fine. My guys did a great job and I’m proud it’s not bent.”
“I got the lead, my board showed plus zero, plus zero, and then I started to relax,” continued Leon. “The I put down a 5.9 (lap in the 1:05 range, his best an eventual 1:05.8, beaten only by Daccache, by just one tenth of a second), and that pace wasn’t expected –the switch just turned on!”
As far as the challenge from arch-rival Daccache, Leon explained that “he didn’t show me a wheel, and I try not to look back. But I risked a look over my shoulder at the hairpin, and he wasn’t right there…”
Behind runner-up Daccache, Vanderhorst put on a charge to earn third, even though he was disappointed with his pace between old tires in practice Saturday and new rubber Sunday.
Fourth went to Yamaha YZF-R1 mounted “fastest farmer” Ernest Bernhard, Suzuki pilot Matthew Annable good for a close fifth after 12 laps.
Pro6 Cycle Pro Supersport action at Shannonville, with the No, 91 Yamaha YZF-R6 of Matt Simpson heading the No. 99 Kawasaki ZX-6R Ninja of Alex Michel. Simpson won on Saturday whole Michel was first in Supersport Sunday. Photo courtesy CSBK
In the combined Pro6 Cycle Supersport race on Sunday right after lunch, Yamaha mounted Matt Simpson resumed his weekend long dispute with third-in-National Points Alex Michel (Speed Factory Kawasaki).
Simpson won Saturday, but on Sunday the former National title challenger suhered mechanical issues and handed the win to Michel, visiting in preparation for the next weekend’s Bridgestone National at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (“old Mosport”). Michel also placed third, among the 1000cc racers, aboard his 636 in Sprint Cup, placing third behind Daccache and Leon.
The Amateur Supersport event produced a run-away win, the Triumph of Zaim Laflamme eventually nine seconds up from the Yamaha of Alexis Beaudoin. In Amateur Superbike, Martin Perreault won on a Kawasaki from Beaudoin and Ducati-mounted J.S. Lefebvre. In the Amateur Superbike Championship, Beaudoin has 48 points, just two up on Perreault with one round left.
The top three riders in the 2025 CSBK championship heading into the final round of the season at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park: Alex Dumas (center), Ben Young (left), and Sam Guérin. Who will hoist the Canada Cup next weekend? Photo by Rob O'Brien / courtesy CSBK.
Dumas leads four-rider showdown into championship finale at CTMP
The most anticipated season finale in years is finally here in the Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship, as the feature GP Bikes Pro Superbike class is set to crown another champion this weekend at historic Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, August 8-10.
Just who will lift the Canada Cup this year, however, is anyone’s guess.
Four riders will enter the doubleheader finale covered by just 24 points, with Alex Dumas leading reigning champion Ben Young, Sam Guerin, and Jordan Szoke in what has been a clear-cut lead four the entire season.
The trio of Dumas, Young, and Guerin each won races last time out in the Edmonton tripleheader, while Szoke has been a mainstay at the front himself despite a first win of the year still eluding him, giving all four their own bit of momentum entering CTMP.
Despite the practically even odds, Dumas would be the betting favourite by virtue of his five-point championship lead over familiar rival Young, a place the two have found themselves in multiple times before.
Dumas carried slim title leads over Young into the 2021 and 2023 seasons, though with very contrasting fortunes. He would sweep the final round in ’21 to earn a stunning championship as a rookie, but a crash out of the lead in ’23 spoiled his second attempt to hand that title to Young.
Neither one of those finale’s were at CTMP, but it’s unclear who will be more excited by the change of venue. Since their head-to-head rivalry began in 2021, Young has taken five wins and eleven podiums at “Old Mosport,” while Dumas has countered with three wins and ten podiums.
Alex Dumas (23) leads the CSBK championship by a mere five points with two races remaining in the 2025 season. Photo by Rob O’Brien / courtesy CSBK.
But a part of Young’s success – even by his own admission sometimes – was the BMW package underneath him, one that has mastered the very fast CTMP layout and now belongs to Dumas.
None of this should write off Young from a fourth consecutive title and fifth in his career, as his record at CTMP speaks for itself regardless of machine – including a pair of dramatic last-corner passes on Dumas to add to that win total.
While Young has dealt with his growing pains aboard the new Van Dolder’s Home Team Honda, his CBR1000RR is more than capable of keeping him in the lead fight at a track where it’s often difficult to break away from a chasing pack thanks to the long Andretti Straightaway.
The bigger problem for Young may be that it’s not a straight fight with Dumas this time around, as he will also have to contend with a former BMW-mate and a career-long rival in his title charge.
Guerin might be the one with the most confidence behind him, having out-scored every other rider in rounds two and three with three victories and five consecutive podiums, the only rider who’s been in the top three every time in that span.
The EFC Group BMW star is still paying for a heartbreaking electronics issue that knocked him out of the lead battle in round one, but he’s managed to cut that deficit to just 16 points behind Dumas thanks to his incredible mid-season comeback.
Defending CSBK champion Ben Young (1) is looking to defend his number one plate and claim his fourth consecutive Canadian Superbike championship next weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Photo by Rob O’Brien / courtesy CSBK.
He also will be carrying that momentum into one of his strongest circuits, even though a first victory at CTMP still eludes him. It was here last season where Guerin took pole by the largest margin in history (1.6 seconds), and his six podiums since 2020 are fewer than only Young and Dumas.
If machinery proves to be a difference-maker, Guerin is also on the same M1000RR as Dumas, meaning he will have all the tools to stay with the two former champions as he chases a first Canada Cup of his own.
The last rider of the four, though one still in a very good position, is Szoke. The 14-time champion has finished in the top four in every single race this season, taking four podiums for the Canadian Kawasaki Motors team.
Szoke has come up painfully short of a 79th career victory on a few occasions, but that might finally change at a venue where’s won an astonishing 20 times before, especially with a tweaked ZX-10RR this season that has proven to be far more competitive.
The problem for Szoke is that his impressive consistency will only get him so far if Dumas, Young, and Guerin avoid any major issues, meaning he will have to get his elbows out if he wants to add another #1 plate to his loaded resumé – something he will have no problem doing with a title on the line.
Only 16 points back from the championship lead, Sam Guérin (2) is still very much in the title fight as the 20205 CSBK season winds down next weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Photo by Rob O’Brien / courtesy CSBK
Should the lead pack extend beyond the four usual names, there will be a handful of proven riders vying for their first Pro Superbike win, headlined by a pair of emerging Honda stars in David MacKay and Phil DeGama-Blanchet.
MacKay has been consistently “best of the rest” in 2025, his second Superbike campaign, finishing between seventh and fourth in every race he’s finished aboard the ODH Snow City Cycle Honda.
As for DeGama-Blanchet, the 17-year-old has been equally as impressive in his first year aboard the Mots Machining Honda, finishing between seventh and fifth in all but one race, though he will have far less experience around CTMP compared to former Supersport champion MacKay.
Both riders will be crucial to Honda’s hopes of a first Constructors Championship, which will require a heroic effort from Young and company as they trail reigning champions BMW by 59 points with Dumas and Guerin at the front.
Entering the fray for Kawasaki will be Supersport flag-bearer Alex Michel, who fills in for the injured Connor Campbell to make his Superbike debut aboard the B&T MacFarlane/CKM Kawasaki.
Michel has been a regular frontrunner in the middleweight class, including taking a first career pro podium at CTMP in 2023, and will hope to carry that form into his first career weekend in the feature class.
The winningest rider in CSBK history, Jordan Szoke (101), still has a mathematical chance at the 2025 title. Expect the Kawasaki rider to be battling at the front for race victories at a venue he has won at many times. Photo by Rob O’Brien / courtesy CSBK
Barring anything dramatic, the doubleheader will likely see Laurent Laliberte-Girard crowned as the latest winner of the Brooklin Cycle Racing Pro Rookie of the Year award, holding a 32-point lead over Zoltan Frast.
Laliberte-Girard has done double-duty aboard his Nadon Sport Yamaha YZF-R6, and his career best fifth-place finish in Edmonton may prove to be the crucial difference as the reigning Amateur Supersport winner tries to cap off his strong rookie year in the history books.
The feature class will officially begin it’s highly-anticipated season finale with practice and BS Battery Qualifying on Friday, before the decisive doubleheader gets underway on Saturday and Sunday at CTMP, just an hour east of Toronto.
More information can be found on the series’ official website.
For more information on the Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship, visit www.csbk.ca or email info@csbk.ca.
Lap one, turn one of the Moto4 Feature MiniSBK event with the No. 68 613 Cycle Ohvale 160 of eventual winner Jager Stockill leading No. 84 YCF190 of Ben Hodgson, No. 213 Bucci 190 of Jan Massignani, No. 222 Kawasaki KX112 two-stroke of Chelsea Baursier, No. 88 YCF190 of Jacob Abnett, No. 21 Bucci 190 Yan Boursier by CF April 2. Photo courtesy CSBK.
In a busy day for MiniSBK competitors, a week after the opening National of the season suffered a rain out at Brechin, ON, and some competitors were racing for Team Canada in China, a strong field competed for victory around the perimeter Pro layout of Shannonville Motorsport Park at round four of the RACEMoto Regional Ontario Championship Series.
Opening regional winner on the 613 Cycle-backed Ohvale 160, Jager Stockill qualified on pole for the Moto1 class in warm and sunny conditions, and then got the jump on the deepest grid so far in the first year for the category running with the revamped Shannonville Regional Championships.
Jonathan Massignani held second on his Bucci 190 ahead of YCF190 pilot Ben Hodgson, while Philippe Luisgan was moving up to fourth aboard a YCF190 after stalling as the start lights turned oK.
A good mid-field battle developed for what would eventually turn out to be fifth overall, with two-stroke Kawasaki KX112 super moto pilot Chelsea Boursier, 15-years-old, holding off a group of several top runners. Eventually an on-form Boursier earned fifth ahead of her father, Yam Boursier (Bucci 190) in sixth, Ohvale 160 National Series competitor Mateen O’Brien (seventh) and eight overall Jacob Abnett on a YCF190.
Up front, Stockill gradually pulled clear for a solid (12.7 second at the chequered) advantage, turning a best tour at 49.19 seconds, close to his pole performance of 49.32. Inthe fight for second, Luisgnan used traffic to pass both Massignani and Hodgson, with second overall (and series rookie) Luisgnan turning the best overall lap of the race at 48.75 seconds.
Early in the “Mini50” Moto4 race, eventual winner No. 99 Honda of Thorleif Grummett holds off arch-rival No. 93 Yam of Austin Da – after suffering a technical problem, Da dropped from the lead dice and Grummett earned first in his second career road race. Photo courtesy CSBK.
A small field took to the inside Go Kart layout for the Moto4 or “50s” race, and a solid fight developed for first between Honda mounted Thorleif Grummet and Austin Da on a Yamaha. Da got the hole shot but Grummett, grand son of RACEMoto series co-founders Dave and Jill Grummett, moved into first and hung on from the pressuring Da. But Da had bike issues in the backfield Chicane and had to pull off track, loosing almost a lap as Grummett ran away.
8-year-old Grumett eventually won by 52 seconds in his second career road race, fresh from a recent M/X Camp. A frustrated Da (age 10) netted second, but did turn the best lap of the race at 1:05.78, to the 1:07.6 of victor Grummett.
Next Mini event is a Motul MiniGP National round at Lombardy Raceway, north of Kingston, ON, August 22-23 with the series returning to Shannonville in a month, September 5-6.
From a news release issued by Yamaha Motor Corporation USA:
Jake Gagne (32) leads Richie Escalante (50) at VIR. Photo by Andrea Wilson.
Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Bobby Fong capped off a flawless weekend with a dominant Race 2 victory at Round 6 of the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia. His fourth consecutive win moved him within five points of the championship lead. Teammate Jake Gagne battled in a fierce multi-rider fight for the podium, ultimately crossing the line fifth.
Fong continued to top the timesheets in morning warm-up, and then got a great start in Race 2 to take the lead from pole position. Although he was passed on that opening lap, he stayed close and reclaimed the lead on Lap 3 after the championship leader crashed in Turn 1. From there, Fong continued to set a blistering pace and built a comfortable gap up front, securing his fourth win by a 14-second margin. It was a perfect weekend for the Northern Californian, who led every session, and won both races, advancing him to second in the championship and closing the gap to within five points of the leader.
Gagne continued his progress and was fourth in the morning warmup. In sixth after the start of Race 2, he made his way to fourth by the second lap and then to third after the frontrunner crashed on the following lap. Locked in a multi-rider fight for the podium, Gagne was third until the final laps, when he dropped back to fifth. The Colorado rider stayed in the fight but ultimately would cross the line fifth to finish the weekend with a pair of top-five finishes, maintaining fourth in the standings.
Next up for the Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing team is Round 7 of the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, on August 15-17.
Richard Stanboli – Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing Team Manager
“I always hate to predict an outcome, but we had a really good idea this race was going to go the same way. Bobby did what we asked him to do — he kept a good, solid pace, put the pressure on the competition, and got us into a good position in the championship. Jake is still working on getting back to full strength, but has made some progress. We’re still not counting the championship points. We just want to go out and keep on winning, and show how good this R1 really is.”
Bobby Fong – Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing #50
“It’s good to get two wins this weekend and keep the momentum going. The crew deserves it. We’ve been working hard and making progress. I’m just happy to close in on the gap in the championship. I’m looking forward to Mid-Ohio and hopefully getting two Yamahas on the box.”
Jake Gagne – Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing #32
“The bike was working really well. It was just a tough weekend for me, dealing with my stuff and getting stronger, but Mid-Ohio will be better. Congrats to Bobby for getting another win for the team.”
From a news release issued by Suzuki Motor USA:
Sean Dylan Kelly (40). Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor USA.
Suzuki Motor USA reeled in ten top ten finishes, including multiple top fives – highlighted by a spectacular twin Superbike podium – as the MotoAmerica season made its annual stop at VIRginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia.
Race Highlights:
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki Superbike
Sean Dylan Kelly claimed a pair of top fours, including second place, his first podium finish of the season. Richie Escalante joined his teammate on the box following a thrilling five-way melee for third place.
Supersport
Tyler Scott closed out a solid weekend with a blistering final lap to lock down a fourth-place result. Max VanDenBrouck secured his third top ten of 2025.
RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Twins Cup
Matthew Chapin claimed pole position and rebounded from a Race 1 crash with a Race 2 top five Stock 1000. Rocco Landers was consistently fast en route to equaling his best finish of the Stock 1000 season.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Sean Dylan Kelly earned his first podium of the 2025 Superbike season on Sunday. Kelly had been plenty fast on the GSX-R1000R throughout and had come incredibly close on multiple occasions – finishing fourth six times, including in Saturday’s Superbike Race 1. But it all finally came together in Sunday’s rematch, when Kelly successfully countered teammate Richie Escalante’s last-lap pass with one of his own to finish as the race’s runner-up.
SDK said, “That was unbelievable. We’ve been working really hard since the start of the season, which feels like two years ago. I think everyone knew this was coming; but it’s one thing knowing and another actually making it happen. I’m really happy with the work we’ve done. A huge thank you to the Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki team – those guys have worked so hard. This feels so good to be back. I’m so, so excited.”
Richie Escalante (54). Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor Corp. USA.
Escalante completed the Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki double podium by claiming the checkered flag fractions of a second behind Kelly. Escalante found his form at VIR on the GSX-R1000R during Sunday’s race after finishing ninth on Saturday as a result of a mid-race mishap. The Mexican threw haymaker after haymaker to claw his way forward and ultimately finish in third.
“I’m really happy, honestly,” Escalante said. “We started the weekend with many problems, but my team did an amazing job. Every session I felt better and better. Today’s race was insane. It’s amazing to have both of us finish on the podium. Big thanks to my Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki team for an amazing job and believing in me. We’re going to enjoy this moment and be ready for Ohio.”
Tyler Scott (70). Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor Corp. USA.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Tyler Scott battled it out in Supersport duty all weekend long despite riding at less than full health. After qualifying fifth aboard the team’s next-generation GSX-R750, the hard-charging pilot came out on top of a three-rider scrap for sixth in Saturday’s Race 1. Scott pulled off the same feat in a four-way fight for fourth on Sunday, passing his way up to the position on the final lap and then successfully executing a late break to lock down the spot at the checkered flag.
Scott said, “Going into the weekend, I had a sore shoulder from being taken out by another rider at a practice day about ten days ago, then had some respiratory issues on top of that. Saturday, I wasn’t feeling that great, and the weekend became about doing as well as I could at less than 100%. Sunday, I felt better. The bike was great, and this time I was able to battle more, so we got fourth. This doesn’t seem like it will be a problem at Ohio, so I am looking forward to those races.”
Max VanDenBrouck (48). Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor Corp. USA.
Scott’s Supersport compatriot, Max VanDenBrouck, enjoyed an impressive weekend himself. Starting from eleventh, Max Van raced his way to his third top-ten result of the season aboard the Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R750, crossing the line in 10th on Saturday. He nearly did so again on Sunday, coming home a very respectable 11th.
“I like riding at VIR, so every lap I enjoyed,” VanDenBrouck said. “We qualified 11th, finished 10 in Race 1 and 11th in Race 2. I was able to maintain my qualifying position in the races. The starts went better, and I was able to be aggressive early. The team worked flawlessly all weekend. With Mid-Ohio two weeks away, I will go home and work out hard to be ready.”
Matthew Chapin (95). Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor Corp. USA.
RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki’s Matthew Chapin saw his weekend start off in unreal fashion – claiming pole position for the Twins Cup class by a margin of more than two seconds. Unfortunately, he suffered a crash on the opening lap of Race 1 after leaping out into the early lead. The reigning Junior Cup champ bounced back with a top five on Sunday, finishing fifth on the team’s Suzuki GSX-8R.
Chapin said, “I thought it was a pretty good weekend overall. I crashed out in the first race and had an arm pump issue early in the second one, so I didn’t get the results we have been getting at other rounds. We were still pretty competitive, though. We’re working on reducing some wheelspin, and I’m confident the team will continue improving the bike for us next time.”
Rocco Landers (97). Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor Corp. USA.
RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki’s Rocco Landers continued to showcase his developing literbike chops by demonstrating consistent pace aboard the team’s Stock 1000-spec GSX-R1000. Landers qualified on the second row, from where he logged seventh- and sixth-place results, the latter matching his best result on the 1000cc machine to date.
“Our best weekend so far,” said Landers. “Race 1 was one of the best times I have felt on the bike and Race 2 was the best. We’re getting closer and learning more every time. I got to ride the 1000 in the rain and the rider aids made it very controllable. We’re looking forward to racing again and continue to make improvements.”
The 2025 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship resumes on August 15-17 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.
Please visit SuzukiCycles.com/Racing/road-racing for more team news.
About Team Hammer
The 2025 season marks Team Hammer’s 45th consecutive year of operating as a professional road racing team. Racebikes built and fielded by Team Hammer have won 135 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National races, have finished on AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National podiums 381 times and have won 11 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National Championships, as well as two FIM South American Championships (in Superbike and Supersport). The team has also won 137 endurance races overall (including seven 24-hour races) and 13 Overall WERA National Endurance Championships with Suzuki motorcycles, and holds the U.S. record for mileage covered in a 24-hour race. The team also competed in the televised 1990s Formula USA National Championship, famously running “Methanol Monster” GSX-R1100 Superbikes fueled by methanol, and won four F-USA Championships.
About Vance & Hines Motorsports
Vance & Hines Motorsports is a powerhouse in the world of motorcycle racing, boasting a rich legacy of success. With a focus on innovation, performance, and commitment to pushing boundaries, the team continues to redefine excellence in NHRA and MotoAmerica.
More, from a news release issued by Aprilia:
Alessandro Di Mario (1). Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Entering the 2025 MotoAmerica Twins Cup season, Robem Engineering’s Alessandro Di Mario was widely considered a frontrunner in the highly competitive class. By the end of Round 5 of 6, the defending champion proved untouchable aboard his Aprilia RS 660.
Di Mario secured his second consecutive MotoAmerica Twins Cup title on Saturday at Virginia International Raceway, clinching Aprilia’s third championship in the category since the RS 660 became eligible five years ago.
After opening the 2025 season with three straight runner-up finishes, Di Mario has since gone on a dominant run – winning the last seven consecutive Twins Cup races, including both contests at the August 1–3 VIR round.
Saturday’s race featured an all-Aprilia podium, led by Di Mario, followed by his Robem Engineering teammate Hank Vossberg and Bad Boys Racing’s Avery Dreher in third. On Sunday, Di Mario and Vossberg returned to the podium, with Dreher narrowly missing out in fourth.
Despite less-than-ideal conditions during Friday morning practice, six Aprilia riders finished inside the top 10. The session was led by inaugural Twins Cup champion Chris Parrish (Ghetto Customs), followed by Di Mario in third, Chase Brown (Brown Town Racing) in fourth, Dreher in sixth, Vossberg in eighth, and Logan Cunnison (Speeddemon Racing) in ninth. Inclement weather led to the cancellation of Friday’s Qualifying 1 session.
In Saturday morning’s Qualifying 2, Dreher edged Di Mario for second on the starting grid by just 0.207 seconds. Vossberg qualified fourth, and Cunnison sixth.
Race 1 began with multiple early incidents and a tight battle for the lead. Di Mario led early, briefly lost position, then reclaimed the lead on Lap 6 of the 13-lap race and steadily pulled away. He crossed the finish line more than three seconds ahead to seal the title. Vossberg narrowly beat Dreher to the line by just 0.002 seconds, securing a second-place finish and an all-Aprilia podium.
Other Aprilia riders in the top 10 included Brown (fifth), Cunnison (sixth), Andrew Weyh (Weyh Racing, eighth), and Zachary Foster (Moto-Ace Racing, 10th).
With the championship secured, Di Mario delivered another dominant performance in Sunday’s Race 2, leading every lap and taking victory by over four seconds. Vossberg claimed his second podium of the weekend, finishing just 0.059 seconds shy of an Aprilia 1–2. Dreher placed fourth, Brown sixth, Cunnison seventh, and Weyh ninth. Of the 37 riders entered at VIR, 16 competed aboard Aprilia RS 660s, demonstrating the bike’s continued dominance in the class.
The final round of the 2025 MotoAmerica Twins Cup season takes place September 26–28 at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, New Jersey.
Alessandro Di Mario / Robem Engineering
“The race weekend was really good. I had two strong starts, and the plan all along was to break away at the front. That’s exactly what happened, and I’m really happy with the results. I want to thank the team for all their support this weekend.”
Hank Vossberg / Robem Engineering
“What a great weekend here at VIR. It went even better than I expected—I made the podium in both races and the bike felt amazing. I didn’t get the start I wanted in Race 1, but just managed to grab second at the line. I had a better start in Race 2 and I’m really happy to be back on the podium.”
More, from a news release issued by Ducati:
Josh Herrin (1). Photo by Brian J. Nelson courtesy Ducati.
Josh Herrin and Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati had a tough weekend as MotoAmerica returned to one of North America’s premier racing venues at Virginia International Raceway for round six.
Herrin secured a hard-fought third place in the first race on the number one Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R to secure solid points on the podium.
Race two, however, did not go to plan. After taking the lead with a decisive early pass, Herrin tried to make a break for it but lost the front of the motorcycle at turn one, sliding into the wet grass on the outside of the track.
Herrin’s motorcycle suffered damage to the right handlebar and throttle assembly, necessitating an emergency pit stop that dropped Herrin to 15th and several laps down on the leaders.
Herrin and the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati team refused to give in, and even with victory hopes dashed, Herrin still made it back on track to finish 14th and gain two championship points ultimately.
Herrin and the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati team remain optimistic and still lead the series points with three rounds to go.
2025 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship After Round Six:
“It’s obviously not what we wanted, but that’s racing,” Herrin philosophically said. “It happens, but that’s why we worked as hard as we did all year to get the points advantage. I didn’t need to win today, but I also wanted to give it my best shot. A win is always preferable to a second or third-place finish.
“I felt better than in race one on Saturday. I’m not sure if I had the bike to win today, but I was pushing hard and lost the front. I tried to hold on, and it helped a little, but I ended up on the ground. Thanks to my Warhorse HSBK Ducati team for getting the bike back together in the pits so we could get two points. Every point counts in the championship.
“We are going into Mid-Ohio and CoTA in Texas next, which are two of the best tracks for me and the Ducati Panigale V4 R. Sometimes weekends like this happen. It’s not the end of the world, but on the bright side, out of the next three tracks go to (Mid-Ohio, CoTA, and New Jersey Motorsports Park) for the rest of the year, we took seven race wins last year, so we’re ready to go.”
Round seven of the 2025 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship will be held in one week at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, August 8-10, 2025.
More, from a news release issued by Dunlop:
Dunlop Motorcycle Tires is excited to announce that new lap records have been established at Virginia International Raceway in Alton, VA. This thrilling showcase of speed and skill wasn’t possible without the Sportmax Slick tires, and the following records were achieved:
Twins Cup:
-Race Lap Record: 1:30.544 – Alessandro Di Mario, Race 2 (8/3/2025)
Supersport:
-Lap Record & Race Lap Record: 1:25.964 – Mathew Scholtz, Race 2 (8/3/2025)
-Lap Record & Race Lap Record: 1:26.094 – PJ Jacobsen, Race 1 (8/2/2025)
Build.Train.Race:
-Lap Record & Race Lap Record: 1:46.428 – Miranda Cain, Race 2 (8/3/2025)
-Lap Record & Race Lap Record: 1:47.957 – Miranda Cain, Race 1 (8/2/2025)
Talent Cup:
-Lap Record: 1:35.328 – Alessandro Di Mario, Warm Up (8/3/2025)
-Race Lap Record: 1:35.876 – Alessandro Di Mario, Race 1 (8/2/2025)
-Lap Record & Race Lap Record: 1:35.876 – Alessandro Di Mario, Race 1 (8/2/2025)
These outstanding performances demonstrate the exceptional grip and reliability of Dunlop’s Sportmax Slick tires, further cementing their position as the tire of choice for all competitive road racing.
To learn more about Dunlop racing tires, please visit www.dunlopracing.com
About Dunlop Motorcycle Tires:
Dunlop is the number one selling and largest supplier of original equipment and replacement motorcycle tires in North America. For more information, visit www.DunlopMotorcycleTires.com. Follow @ridedunlop on Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter) for the latest Dunlop news. Use #RideDunlop and/or #RaceDunlop to share your Dunlop moments.
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