Kristian Daniel Jr. (70) during Red Bull Rookies Cup Race 2 at Jerez. Photo courtesy Red Bull Rookies Cup.
Australian Carter Thompson won ahead of Hakim Danish, Kristian Daniel Jr. and Marco Morelli.
Four wide into the final corner in Jerez and Australian Carter Thompson came out ahead of Hakim Danish, Kristian Daniel Jr. and Marco Morelli. Thompson’s first Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup victory was all the more remarkable as the 17-year-old had served a long-lap penalty for a high-speed bump with Veda Pratama that caused the Indonesian to fall.
From the long-lap loop, Thompson rejoined in 9th with just 3 laps remaining. His charge back was mirrored by Beñat Fernandez, who had been given a similar penalty for a collision with Brian Uriarte that put Saturday’s winner in the gravel. Fernandezfailed to serve his penalty perfectly, so he had to repeat, yet the 17-year-old Spaniard still managed to cut through to finish 5th.
Carter Thompson in the Parc Fermé after Race 2 – Jerez 2025. Photo courtesy Red Bull Rookies Cup.
Carter Thompson takes his first win : “It was definitely a crazy race. A lot happened, the conditions were quite a lot different to the rest of the weekend, the track was so much cooler that there was more of a drop in rear tyre grip so I was really hunting for that at the end. It’s the first time in Rookies Cup I’ve really been fighting for the win , so now I know how it all works. It should definitely be a big help for the rest of the year.”
Hakim Danish in the Parc Fermé after Race 2 in Jerez 2025. Photo courtesy Red Bull Rookies Cup.
Hakim Danish 2nd again to lead the points table : “I feel very happy to make the podium again,” said the 17-year-old Malaysian with his usual smile. “I feel confident that I can run at the front, now I just have to find that little bit extra to win the races. I have been working very hard with my training and I know I am so close. I just have to keep working, keep doing the same thing and just push a little bit harder every time. It is great to be leading the Cup points going to Le Mans, and I am confident that I can fight at the front again.”
Kristian Daniel Jr. and his dad Kristian Daniel Sr. are all smiles in the Parc fermé after Race 2 – Jerez 2025. Photo courtesy Reb Bull Rookies Cup.
Kristian Daniel Jr. 3rd and on the Rookies podium for the first time : “Not too bad considering what happened yesterday,” said the 16-year-old American, recalling Saturday’s fall. “Honestly, it was super nice the whole race. I was just trying to make passes where I saw, like, okay, this guy’s not gonna stay with the fast guys, I need to get past them.
“I gotta say I was a bit lucky with some of the crashes, you know, like, obviously Brian went out, and the double long-lap for Beñat but I also made some smart passes, so I think I really deserved this one and it was really good racing all the way until the end. Huge respect to Carter.”
Circuito de Jerez - Angel Nieto. Photo by Polarity Photo, courtesy KTM.
Alex Marquez won the MotoGP World Championship race Sunday at Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, in Spain. Riding his BK8 Gresini Ducati Desmosedici GP24 on Michelin control tires, the Spaniard won the 25-lap race by 1.561 second and become the new World Championship point leader.
French sensation, Fabio Quartararo was the runner-up on his Monster Energy Yamaha YZR-M1.
Two-time World Champion Francesco Bagnaia placed third on his Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP25.
Maverick Viñales crossed the finish line fourth on his Red Bull KTM Tech3 RC16.
Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing’s Fabio Di Giannantonio took fifth.
Marc Marquez finished 12th on his Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP25.
For the championship, M.Marquez is 1 point behind his brother A.Marquez who has 140 points. Bagnaia is third with 120 points.
Mr P1: Alex Marquez clinches maiden win as Quartararo makes rostrum return.The #73 is Mr P2 no more! Quartararo and Bagnaia join the new World Championship leader on the Spanish GP rostrum as Marc Marquez crashes.
Mr P2? Not anymore. Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) is a MotoGP winner after the new World Championship leader emerged victorious in what was a hugely dramatic Estrella Galicia 0,0 Grand Prix of Spain that saw Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) crash out on Lap 3 – and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) hold off Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) to clinch his first Grand Prix podium since 2023.
AN OPENING LAP BARNSTORMER
Corr, what a first lap. Quartararo launched superbly from pole, and so did Bagnaia from third. Marc Marquez didn’t get away as well as he would have wanted, and immediately the #93 was P3. Bagnaia tried to show a wheel to Quartararo at Turn 2 but thought better of it as Turn 6 saw Alex Marquez almost collect his older brother. The Spaniard was in way too hot but managed to hook it back up and hold into P4, as Marc Marquez and Bagnaia went into battle at Jerez’s famous stadium section.
Marquez dived underneath his teammate at Turn 9 to the roar of 100,000 fans. But Bagnaia, hanging it around the outside and getting a better run out of Turn 10, got back alongside the six-time MotoGP World Champion. Then, contact between the Ducati duo! Both were fighting for the same piece of asphalt, and it was the #63 who came out on top.
MARC MARQUEZ CRASHES FROM P3
An opening lap for the ages was then followed by monumental drama. The home hero, Marc Marquez, while shadowing Bagnaia, crashed at Turn 8 on Lap 3 while sitting in P3. Seemingly asking too much of that front end, the Spaniard was down and out of victory contention – but not the Grand Prix.
HOW THE GRAND PRIX WAS WON
Where did that leave us then? Quartararo led from Bagnaia, but Alex Marquez shoved his way past the Italian to climb into P2 and set his sights on trying to latch onto and pass El Diablo. Further back, there was more drama as lead rookie Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) crashed at Turn 6 from fourth place.
On Lap 10 of 25, Quartararo was keeping Alex Marquez at bay and Bagnaia was lapping 0.6s behind the Gresini star. Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3) was 1.3s behind the factory Ducati rider in P4 before Lap 11 saw a change of the Grand Prix lead.
Turn 1 saw Alex Marquez strike. An aggressive but great move up the inside of Quartararo saw the Sprint silver medallist snatch the race lead baton, and within a lap, his lead was up to 0.8s. Now, what could Bagnaia do about passing Quartararo?
After a few laps, the answer was nothing. And Viñales was beginning to reel in Quartararo and Bagnaia, while Alex Marquez’s lead grew to 1.7s on Lap 16 of 25. On Marc Marquez watch, he was now back in the points after crashes for Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) and Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) promoted Marquez into P15.
With five laps left, Marquez’s lead was 2.4s over Quartararo, and the latter was keeping Bagnaia 0.6s behind. Viñales was now 0.4s away from a podium spot, as we saw Marc Marquez and Aleix Espargaro (Honda HRC Test Team) enjoy a little battle for P13 on Lap 21.
Three to go. Was there life left in the fight for P2? Bagnaia was trying, but Quartararo was hitting all his markers in his efforts to keep the #63 behind him, as Alex Marquez edged closer to a maiden MotoGP win.
Two to go. It was as you were, with Viñales seemingly now settling for a P4 – the #12 was 0.9s away from Bagnaia’s tailpipes.
LAST LAP TIME IN JEREZ! Only a mistake now would cost Alex Marquez a famous win, and Quartararo was still far enough ahead of Bagnaia that it wasn’t allowing the latter to show a wheel. And after being Mr P2 for much of 2025 so far, Alex Marquez clinched a well-deserved maiden MotoGP Grand Prix win to crown himself Mr P1 in front of his adoring home fans.
Quartararo did fend off Bagnaia for an outstanding P2 finish and his first Grand Prix podium since the 2023 Indonesian GP. What a weekend for Yamaha, and although it’s not a fourth Jerez victory in a row, Bagnaia’s second P3 of the weekend brings solid points to the Italian’s camp.
YOUR SPANISH GP POINTS SCORERS
After the disappointment of a post-race penalty in Qatar, Viñales backed up his quality display by earning P4 in Spain, with Top Gun finishing three seconds up the road from fifth place Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team). Brad Binder and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Pedro Acosta crossed the line in P6 and P7 in what was a much more positive Sunday for KTM, as Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team), Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) rounded out the top 10.
Johann Zarco (Castrol Honda LCR) took the chequered flag in P11 and having crashed early doors, a disappointed Marc Marquez managed to salvage a P12. Not the Sunday Marquez was searching for, but those four points could prove pivotal.
Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), Espargaro and Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) – following an early crash – closed out the points scorers in Jerez.
NEXT UP: LE MANS
He’s done it. Alex Marquez is a MotoGP winner and once again, he’s the title chase leader. Jerez, you delivered. And next up, we land at another all-time legendary venue… Le Mans. What lies ahead at the French GP?
Circuito de Jerez - Angel Nieto. Photo by Michael Gougis.
Manuel Gonzalez won the FIM Moto2 World Championship race Sunday at Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, in Spain. Riding his Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP Kalex on Pirelli control tires, the Spaniard won the 21-lap race by 2.256 seconds.
Barry Baltus was the runner-up on his Fantic Racing Lino Sonego Kalex.
Gonzalez’s teammate, Senna Agius was third, 3.781 seconds behind the race winner.
Diogo Moreira finished fourth on his Italtrans Racing Team Kalex.
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Deniz Öncu took fifth.
American Joe Roberts finished Sunday race 11th on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.
For the championship, Canet is 7 points behind his principal rival Gonzalez who has 86 points. Dixon is third with 66 points.
Gonzalez unstoppable in Jerez as Baltus earns first 2025 podium. The Spaniard was inch-perfect on home soil and was joined on the podium by the Belgian and teammate Agius.
The perfect weekend on home turf always goes down a treat, and that’s exactly what Moto2 Spanish GP winner, Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP), enjoyed in Jerez. The Spaniard was in a class of his own on Sunday afternoon; now, he’s the Championship leader again too. Barry Balus (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego) was Gonzalez’s nearest challenger as the Belgian produced a fine ride to bag P2 and his first podium of the year, while Senna Agius made it two Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP riders on the famous Jerez podium with a hard-fought P3 finish.
From pole, Gonzalez grabbed the holeshot from teammate Agius as Albert Arenas (ITALJET Gresini Moto2) lost ground from the front row. Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) made a fast and aggressive start to see the Brazilian climb to an early P2, as the top four – Gonzalez, Moreira, Agius and Baltus – built an early 0.8s lead over Arenas and Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo).
Further down the order, Championship leader Aron Canet (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego) was in P8 behind seventh place Celestino Vietti (Beta Tools SpeedRS Team), as we saw both CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team riders crash out. First, Daniel Holgado following contact with teammate David Alonso at Turn 13, and then the latter crashed on Lap 5. The reigning Moto3 World Champion collected the luckless Izan Guevara (BLUCRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) along the way as both saw their races prematurely end at the Jorge Lorenzo corner.
The following laps saw the race settle down as Gonzalez stretched his lead to 2.6s by the end of Lap 11. Baltus was keeping Moreira and Agius behind him for the time being, with the latter making a move into the podium places with three to go. The Australian was past Moreira on the run down the hill into Turn 6, and then he faced a 1.2s gap up to Baltus in second place.
Manuel Gonzalez on the podium at Jerez. Photo courtesy Dorna.
However, no one could lay a glove on Gonzalez. A pole position, lights to flag victory from the Spaniard saw him retake the Championship lead in front of his home fans, a simply wonderful weekend from the #18. Baltus bagged his first podium of the season with a classy P2, while Agius did eventually fend off Moreira to stand on the rostrum for the second time in 2025.
Moreira was forced to settle for P4, while Öncü picked up a P5 after his Qatar GP podium finish. Arenas was less than a second away from the Turk in P6, Vietti led home the Boscoscuro charge in P7, with Canet conceding the Championship lead after a P8 finish on home turf. Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) claimed some valuable points in P9 ahead of teammate Filip Salač, as Joe Roberts, his OnlyFans American Racing teammate Marcos Ramirez, Adrian Huertas (Italtrans Racing Team), Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Tony Arbolino (BLUCRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) finished in the points paying places.
The Pittsburgh Supercross marked the return of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross to Pittsburgh for the first time since 1983. Acrisure Stadium delivered great track conditions and outstanding action to the Pennsylvania race fans.
Cooper Webb Answers Back to Win Pittsburgh Supercross Thriller
Pittsburgh, Pa., (April 27, 2025) Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb withstood heavy pressure to earn his fifth win of the 2025 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship. The Pittsburgh Supercross victory helped secure Webb’s points lead with two rounds remaining on the season.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Chase Sexton had Webb in his sights for nearly every lap of the race, putting on two charges for the lead – both before and after a bobble that sent him off the track – but Sexton never got close enough to make a pass attempt. Sexton finished in second place, slowing his drive for the title after two consecutive wins at the previous rounds. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper followed up a heat race win with his second podium of the season. The Eastern Divisional 250SX Class delivered big thrills of its own with defending champion Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle taking over the lead in the closing minutes to earn his season-first win and take back the points lead. The victory marked the first time in the sport’s history that a divisional championship has delivered seven different winners.
First place 450SX Class – Cooper Webb (2).
“[I felt] a little bit of everything, man. It’s been a heck of a fight, and a rough two weeks, especially last week. So, it was much needed tonight. It was an incredible main event. We were going for it and if I made one little mistake, I knew he was going to get me. So, you want to talk about pressure, that was a lot. I’m just stoked on myself to rebound after last week to pull the holeshot and lead every lap with that kind of pressure. Man, it’s not easy to do. I’m stoked for myself, and I’m stoked for my team. I want to give it up to them. We made a bike change this week that was awesome… Last weekend was pretty hard on me and it’s great to get back up here and get another win, get the ball rolling, obviously stop the momentum that Chase had a little bit. But he’s going to be firing. I know he’s a hellova competitor.” – Cooper Webb (#2 in photo), when asked what he was feeling after the win, whether it was exhaustion or relief.
Second place 450SX Class – Chase Sexton.
“It was just hard. I knew I could skim [the whoops] for a little bit but I was using a lot of energy doing that. They’re really far apart, so just wasn’t getting too much drive and Cooper wasn’t losing too much time jumping. So, I went to the jump line, made one mistake and went off the track, but other than that I felt like I was pretty solid. Coop rode a really good race. I pressured him the whole time and he didn’t make a mistake. Every time I tried to push a little bit more, I’d make a mistake. It was a tough track. You couldn’t really push too hard and there wasn’t a whole lot of separation. He rode a great race and [I’ll] come back next weekend and try to do better, but it was a tough pill to swallow losing that race. But it is what it is, and we have two more.” – Chase Sexton, when asked about his decision to switch from blitzing the whoops to jumping through the whoops.
Third place 450SX Class – Justin Cooper.
“I felt like I was riding better tonight all around. Obviously a really good heat race for me, and I just didn’t really adapt to the track as well as I needed to. Those guys were really pushing, and they kept pushing to the end, and they’re running a great pace that I just really couldn’t figure out towards the middle there. I made a little bit of a charge toward them, and then lost track of them; I was kind of just in no man’s land in third. Third’s good for me tonight, it was a really good day for me, so we’ll take all the positives from this. Just gotta give it up to the whole team… Let’s keep this going.” – Justin Cooper
Tom Vialle Wins 250SX Class and Recaptures Points Lead
The penultimate round of the Eastern Divisional 250SX Class Championship was a breathtaking race from start to finish. Tom Vialle took the win after an intense back-and-forth battle for the lead with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Nate Thrasher, who led most of the race but had to settle for second at the end. Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha’s Maximus Vohland battled Vialle early for second, and held on for his career-first podium finish. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire took over third place in the later half of the race, but then crashed trying to work around a lapped rider. Hampshire remounted quickly to remain ahead of fifth-place finisher Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Seth Hammaker. Hammaker, who held the points lead before the gate dropped, had a dramatic ride after a poor start; he made contact with several riders and pulled off one amazing save to stay on two wheels in the early laps. From there he marched forward to salvage a fifth place. The division’s points now have the top three riders separated by only three points with one round remaining for the East division – the Dave Coombs Sr. 250SX Class East/West Showdown.
First place 250SX Class – Tom Vialle.
Coming into this round I pretty much had to win. And I delivered tonight so that feels really good. I had a pretty big crash in practice, I hit my head pretty bad, but we bounced back. This track was tough tonight, but I had some good lines for the main event and could make the pass at the end. This one feels good, and I’m lucky to have the chance to fight for the title in Salt Lake City.” – Tom Vialle
Second place 250SX Class – Nate Thrasher (#41 in photo).
“I was close to a win there. I could taste it, I could feel it, and [it was] just one mistake, just like last weekend, that cost me. I feel like I’ve been able to win these last two and just haven’t been able to do it. But after my Atlanta crash a couple years ago my confidence just wasn’t the same in the whoops, and I’m glad to say I’m back. I feel great and that was my strength tonight. We’ll just keep chipping away and I think we’re going to be in contention in Salt Lake to get another win there. I’ve won there before so let’s go do it again.” – Nate Thrasher (#41 in photo)
Third place 250SX Class – Max Vohland.
“We’ve been putting in so much work at the facility and it’s been such a long road for me. I can’t believe that I got here this soon with the [right foot] injury and everything. Having to come out and figure out a new way to ride with a hand brake. I came here in Pittsburgh to play with the hand brake – and I just want to give it up to all these fans. You guys were awesome tonight… [This is the] first career podium for me tonight and I feel a huge weight off my shoulders and I’m hungry for more.” – Max Vohland, who adapted a hand brake to his motorcycle due to an injury to his right foot that diminished some of that foot’s sensitivity.
Fourth place 250SX Class – RJ Hampshire.
“It took me a little bit to get going and then there was just a lapper in the line. I jumped left and I just hooked a little bit too far left and – man, it’s tough. I put myself in a good position tonight and I threw it away. But I’ll praise Him in glory, and I’ll praise Him in defeat. We’re still in this thing, I just need to win in Salt Lake.” – RJ Hampshire
Fifth place 250SX Class – Seth Hammaker.
“It was going to come down to that last [round] reagardless, and now its just winner take all for sure. I just spun off the gate there, right when I went, on the grate, and just lost it from there. I had a sketchy first two laps, but we salvaged as good as we could. A fifth place was all we had tonight after that start. One point behind, we’ll take it to Salt Lake and see who’s crowned champion.” – Seth Hammaker
The SMX Next Class, which gives the top amateur racers a chance to compete on the world stage, wrapped up its Supercross season with winner-take-all SMX Next – Supercross AMA National Championship. Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha’s Alexander Fedortsov crossed the holeshot stripe in fourth but quickly worked his way into the lead. Fedortsov had led in previous events but issues, including a flat tire while leading the Daytona Supercross, had kept him out of the winner’s circle. Fedortsov put in a strong and steady ride to capture the win when it counted most and became the 2025 SMX Next – Supercross AMA National Champion. Kawasaki Team Green’s Landen Gordon, with two wins on the season, moved steadily forward to capture second place in Pittsburgh. Kawasaki Team Green’s Enzo Temmerman, with one win in 2025, recovered from an eighth-place start to take the final spot on the podium.
SMX Next – Supercross AMA National Championship – Alexander Fedortsov.
“[It] feels insane. Honestly, I can’t believe I did it. I keep thinking about it, and it’s like I had a [lock on the win] every time, every time, and I keep losing, keep losing. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, there’s something wrong with me or something… I just need to get it done.’ I had a great start, passed my teammate right away, and just checked out a little bit and had a really great race. I felt great on the track. No better place to do that, honestly. I’m so excited.” – Alexander Fedortsov
In the ongoing partnership with Monster Energy AMA Supercross, the auction to benefit the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital kicks off at 8:00 p.m. ET on Monday, April 28th and runs until 8:00 p.m. ET on Monday, May 12th. Items up for auction include the actual gear worn by some of the top racers at the Indianapolis Supercross as well as many outstanding donated new items. To be a part of this partnership that has already raised over two million dollars for this great organization – and possibly take home some one-of-a-kind memorabilia – please go to SupercrossLIVE.com/StJude.
Nothing can match the thrill of seeing a Monster Energy AMA Supercross in person, but streaming and broadcast viewing options are also available from nearly any location. Peacock streams each round live and on-demand. NBC will air a Sunday encore presentation of the Pittsburgh Supercross on April 27th at 1:00 p.m. ET. Select events can be viewed on NBC, CNBC, USA Network, and NBC Sports digital platforms; CNBC airs a 1:00 p.m. ET Monday encore presentation of each round. A Spanish-language, live presentation is available for every round on Telemundo Deportes’ Facebook and YouTube channels. International live coverage is available through the SuperMotocross Video Pass (supermotocross.tv) in English, Spanish and French languages. Races can also be heard live on NBC Sports Audio on SiriusXM Channel 85.
Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado hosts the penultimate round of the 2025 season; racing starts at 7:00 p.m. ET. Tickets are available for the final two rounds of the 17-round Monster Energy AMA Supercross season. For live timing, race results, video highlights, and for ticket purchases, please go to SupercrossLIVE.com.
450SX Class podium (riders left to right) Chase Sexton, Cooper Webb, and Justin CooperRace_Result_5855670 450
250SX Class podium (riders left to right) Nate Thrasher, Tom Vialle, and Max Vohland.
Mission AFT SuperTwins riders at the start of the Main Event in Ventura; Dallas Daniels (32), Briar Bauman (3), Max Whale (18), Brandon Robinson (44) Photo courtesy: American Flat Track/Tim Lester
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 26, 2025) – It took the Harley-Davidson XG750R more than eight Progressive American Flat Track seasons, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, to at last earn its maiden Mission AFT SuperTwins victory. It took just one more race to get its second. Both wins came courtesy of two-time Grand National ChampionBriar Bauman (No. 3 RWR/Parts Plus/Latus Motors Harley-Davidson XG750R), who was again in spectacular form at Ventura Raceway en route to a second consecutive victory in the Memphis Shades Ventura Short Track presented by Law Tigers.
While Bauman ended the night in glory, the spotlight panned back and forth throughout the day. Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) held the upper hand for the bulk of the event with his stiffest challenge arguably coming from Suzuki-mounted Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Vinson Construction Suzuki GSX-8S), who actually came out on top of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge.
Meanwhile, the likes of Max Whale (No. 18 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650), Logan McGrane (No. 14 Schaeffer’s Motorsports/Rick Canode KTM 790 Duke), and James Ott (No. 19 G&G Racing Yamaha MT-07) jockeyed for podium positions in the early going of the Main after Daniels took the holeshot, but the genuine shape of the race would quickly be made evident.
Despite demonstrating largely pedestrian speed in the lead-up to the Main, once there Bauman pounced on Daniels in the opening handful of laps. While the Estenson Racing star attempted to work out a way in which to counter, he also had to contend with the charging Jarod VanDerKooi (No. 20 Fastrack Racing/Wally Brown Racing KTM 790 Duke), who powered his way into third where he set his sights past Daniels and on Bauman.
A red flag provided both Daniels and VanDerKooi with a second chance at corralling Bauman, but neither were able to take advantage. Little changed after the restart, and the checkered flag eventually saw Bauman sail by with a 0.881-second margin of victory, while Daniels came out on top of a seesawing fight with VanDerKooi for second.
Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Harley-Davidson XG750R) found his way into contention as he so often does to claim fourth, while Bromley closed out a standout day with a top-five Main Event showing.
Whale was also rewarded with a strong sixth, while Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing KTM 790 Duke), Ott, Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Progressive Insurance Honda Transalp), and McGrane rounded out the top ten.
Bauman’s back-to-back victories not only put him level with Daniels in terms of wins on the season, it also catapulted him past the preseason title rival favorite in the early-season championship chase (84-81).
Bauman said, “I’m just proud of everyone on this Rick Ware Racing team. We’re just digging on this thing. I don’t know if it’s a renaissance or a fairy tale, but we’re just doing our thing. I’m still so green on the bike – and when I show up and qualify ninth or tenth or whatever it was – it’s tough to think (that we’re the championship favorite).
“We’re still putting one foot in front of the other, and Dallas has an incredible motorcycle and he’s an incredible racer. He’s got an insane team, and right now I think he’s going to win this championship. He’s heir to the throne, but I have worn the crown a few times, and I’m going to do my job and try to get it back.”
The AFT Singles presented by KICKER class has a long and illustrious history of generating new stars for the sport. And yet, it has perhaps never done so as immediately nor so convincingly as it did on Saturday night at Ventura Raceway.
Making his professional debut on the evening, Kage Tadman (No. 288 Old Oak Ranch/Roof Systems KTM 450 SX-F) came in with the admirable goal of simply making the Main Event.
Remarkably, the 17-year-old Californian managed to accomplish that goal by setting the pace in qualifying, winning his heat, taking top honors in AFT Singles 1st Impressions Challenge, and then dominating the Main Event. And he did it all in extreme style, running an ultra-wide line throughout with his front and rear wheels appearing desperate to break free of his control all the while.
Chase Saathoff (No. 88 RWR/Parts Plus Honda CRF450R), who carried the momentum of his first-career Short Track win into Ventura Raceway, did everything in his power to prevent Tadman from pulling off the stunner.
The RWR ace combated Tadman’s wide and wild line with a more controlled and conservative inside tour of the beach-side circuit. That strategy allowed Saathoff to make the occasional inroad, but Tadman’s sheer pace ultimately proved too much as the rookie pulled to a near one-second margin of victory to open his career with a perfect 100% winning percentage.
He said, “It all starts in practice. I felt really good in practice. I knew there were a few things we needed to work on to get a little bit quicker. After practice, qualifying rolled around and we did super well there, and then heats, dash, and especially the Main… this is a dream night. I would never have thought this could have happened in my rookie debut.”
Tarren Santero (No. 75 Mission Roof Systems Honda CRF450R) made it two Californians on the podium in third. Santero, who was in need of a strong result after getting his ‘25 campaign off to a slower-than-anticipated start, worked his way past and then shook free of points leader Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) to grab his second career AFT Singles top three.
And thus the Australian’s record-setting podium streak came to an end at nine with his fourth-place finish. However, it was good enough to maintain his place atop the championship order, albeit by a slim two-point margin over rival Saathoff (68-66).
Trevor Brunner (No. 21 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) completed the top five after battling with the hungry Jared Lowe (No. 63 Big R/Little Debbie Racing Honda CRF450R) and Aidan RoosEvans (No. 26 FRA Trust/ATV’s and More Yamaha YZ450F).
Justin Anselmi (No. 15 Leblanc Family Farms Yamaha YZ450F), Evan Renshaw (No. 65 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450), and Reece Pottorf (No. 46 Diamond Auto Body Honda CRF450R) completed the top ten.
Earlier in the evening, MadicelaRodriguez (No. 113 Royal Enfield/Parts Unlimited) held off a charging Emma Gottsch (No. 5 Royal Enfield/Parts Unlimited) to secure her first-career Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. Main Event victory. Taia Little (No. 11 Royal Enfield/Parts Unlimited) grabbed the final spot on the podium.
Next Up:
The world’s premier dirt track motorcycle racing series closes out its back-to-back West Coast swing with next week’s visit to Chico, California, for the Silver Dollar Short Track at Silver Dollar Speedway on Saturday, May 3. Visit https://www.americanflattrack.com/events/2025/view/silver-dollar-short-track-2025 to secure your tickets today.
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FOX Sports coverage of the Memphis Shades Ventura Short Track presented by Law Tigers, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere onFS1 on Sunday, May 4, at 1:00 p.m. ET (10:00 a.m. PT).
Moto3 practice session at Jerez. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Jose Antonio Rueda won the FIM Moto3 World Championship race Sunday at Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, in Spain. Using his Pirelli-shod Red Bull KTM Ajo, the Spaniard won the 19-lap race by 4.334 seconds.
Spanish rider Angel Piqueras was the runner-up on his FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI.
Australian rider Joel Kelso was third, 4.486 seconds behind Rueda.
For the championship, Piqueras is 4 points behind his principal rival Rueda who has 91 points. Kelso is third with 57 points.
Rueda achieves childhood dream with home victory. Winning in front of a huge home crowd in his maiden Spanish Grand Prix, Jose Antonio Rueda sealed the deal to retake the Championship lead.
The cliché goes that every Spanish rider wants to win the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez but for some, it means even more. Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) is one of those; born an hour away in Sevilla, he’s gone from watching it on TV with friends and family to winning it with them in attendance. A childhood dream was achieved with domination as Rueda gave the home crowd a victory in Moto3™ to start off Sunday in style for the home fans.
Polesitter Rueda hit the front and snatched the holeshot on the opening lap, holding position in front of his home crowd. At Turn 6 on Lap 1, there was drama as Ruche Moodley (DENSII Racing – BOE) took out David Almansa (Leopard Racing) and David Muñoz (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP); the #64 of Muñoz was able to remount but an already-difficult GP due to his back of the grid penalty was made a whole lot harder. Lap 2 was likewise eventful, as Riccardo Rossi (Rivacold Snipers Team), Vicente Perez (LEVELUP-MTA) and Cormac Buchanan (DENSII Racing – BOE) all fell in separate incidents, with New Zealander Buchanan rejoining.
With Rueda demonstrating his pace and supremacy that we already knew from Friday and Saturday, the field stretched out but Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA) and Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) were digging deep and keeping him honest. With three seconds back to Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) and Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) behind, all three were alone for the podium places. Just past half-race distance, Rueda set the fastest lap, asking more from his rivals to see if they could keep up with his pace. On Lap 13 and sensing his compatriot breaking clear, Piqueras picked off Kelso at Turn 1 but the gap was bordering on a second. In his attempt to keep with Rueda, the #36 went wide, allowing Kelso back through, with the gap now at 1.5s.
That exchange was enough for the #99 to put his trademark on the Grand Prix, easing clear where he remained until the chequered flag, taking a magical home victory that never looked in doubt across the weekend. P2 was to be sorted out on the final lap however, with Kelso vs Piqueras at Turn 5 and Turn 6; it was close but eventually, it went the way of the Valencian to make it a Spanish 1-2, leading to a memorable celebration at Turns 9 and 10 on their slow-down lap. Kelso’s podium is his second of the season whereas Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) made it three Spaniards in the top four, pipping Yamanaka, who was P5.
Furusato was solid in sixth, with Guido Pini (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) a career-best seventh. Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) made it all three of the most recent JunioGP™ Champions in the top eight, with Jacob Roulstone (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) and teammate Valentin Perrone completing the top ten after their Long Lap Penalties from qualifying.
Podium picture, from left to right, Arenas, Gonzalez and Agius. Photo courtesy Pirelli Moto.
With the new supersoft rear, the Spanish rider was the fastest in Moto2™️ qualifying, while Deniz Oncu set a new all-time lap record in Free Practice 2.
With the new supersoft SCX rear combined with the SC1 soft front, Manuel Gonzalez (Kalex) took pole position in Moto2™️ in 1’56.301. All the top fourteen riders, including the other two Kalex riders, Albert Arenas and Senna Agius – who completed the front row with the same tyre combination -, managed to lap faster than the previous track record set by Aron Canet in 2023.
· In Moto2™️, thanks to the new rear supersoft SCX, at least one rider in every session rode below the previous track record. Already in the first session of the weekend, with 23° C on the asphalt, the improvement was a good 8 tenths of a second, while today Deniz Oncu (Kalex) set a new all-time lap record in Free Practice 2 with a 1’39.564, lowering the 2023 record by 1.2 seconds.
· In Moto3™️, José Antonio Rueda (KTM), withsoft SC1 compound tyres on both the front and rear, took pole position by stopping the watch at 1’43.755, improving David Alonso’s 2024 pole time by 1 second and 2 tenths. The front row was completed by Joel Kelso and David Muñoz, both on KTMs. Unlike the other two, Muñoz chose a medium SC2 compound at the front.
New record-breaking supersoft SCX in all sessions Giorgio Barbier – Motorcycle Racing Director : “The supersoft SCX rear compound debut in Moto2™️ was definitely positive. The track temperatures, ranging from 23° C in the morning to 48° C in the afternoon, created ideal conditions for this kind of tyre. All riders used it on most sessions, and it was the common choice for qualifying. The lap record was improved by 8 tenths already in the first free practice session, with the asphalt at 23° C. This trend was maintained in all sessions, culminating in Free Practice 2, when Oncu set the new all-time lap record, and then in qualifying where 14 riders lapped faster than the previous record. A clear sign of how this solution suits Moto2™️perfectly, and how, thanks to the teams’ refinement work, the margins for growth are still high. If conditions remain stable, the rear SCX + front SC1 combo will probably be the common choice for the race. Rueda’s performance in Moto3™️ was also excellent, improving last year’s pole time by more than a second.”
MotoGP Sprint race start at Jerez. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Marc Marquez won the MotoGP Tissot Sprint race Saturday afternoon at Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, in Spain. Riding his Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP25 on Michelin control tires, the six-time World Champion won the 12-lap race by 1.001 seconds.
Alex Marquez was the runner-up on his BK8 Gresini Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP24.
The two-time World Champion, Francesco Bagnaia finished third on his Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP25.
Franco Morbidelli crossed the finish line fourth on his Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team Ducati Desmosedici GP24.
Alex Marquez’s teammate, Fermin Aldeguer was fifth.
Poleman, Fabio Quartararo crashed his Monster Energy Yamaha YZR-M1 in the second lap.
For the championship, Alex Marquez is 20 points behind his principal rival Marc Marquez who has 135 points. Bagnaia is third with 104 points.
Marquez clinches Jerez Sprint victory as Quartararo crashes. A Lap 2 crash for the impressive Frenchman sees the #93 capitalise for a record-equalling fifth straight Tissot Sprint win.
Five Saturday victories in a row are something that only reigning World Champion Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) has been able to achieve before – until now. Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team), after polesitter Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) crashed out on Lap 2, delighted a magnificent Estrella Galicia 0,0 Grand Prix of Spain crowd by clinching a gold medal in Jerez as the World Championship leader beat Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) by just over a second in Jerez. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) took the chequered flag in P3 to pocket a decent haul of Tissot Sprint points, the Italian was just over three seconds adrift of Sprint King Marquez.
A SPRINT-DEFINING OPENING TWO LAPS
From a historic pole, Quartararo was beaten off the line by Marc Marquez but late on the brakes into Turn 1, the Yamaha star grabbed P1 back expertly to lead the pack around the opening lap. Alex Marquez was up to P3 from P4 on the grid, with Bagnaia holding off Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) – the Italians sat fourth and fifth.
Then, drama unfolded on Lap 2. Marc Marquez managed to get alongside Quartararo going into the Dani Pedrosa corner at Turn 6. The latter, hanging it around the outside on the dirtier part of the circuit and braking ultra hard, saw his Sprint cruelly end as the front end washed out from underneath him. A real shame after a stunning Saturday in Jerez for Quartararo.
BRINGING IT HOME
So, where did that leave us? Marc Marquez led Alex Marquez by half a second, with Bagnaia 0.8s behind the Gresini Ducati in third. Morbidelli was 0.4s away from Bagnaia in P4, rookie Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) was fifth after an early scare on Lap 1, with Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) a close sixth.
With eight laps to go, Marquez’s lead over Marquez was up to a second, but that closed to 0.9s a lap later. However, the #93’s lead rose to 1.4s with five laps remaining and with three laps left, it was still hovering around that number. Bagnaia wasn’t attacking Alex Marquez, and Morbidelli was now a second off his compatriot, so it looked like no late challenges for the podium positions were coming unless a mistake was going to be made.
And those potential mistakes didn’t arise. To the tune of 100,000 Spanish supporters filling the famous Jerez hillsides, Marc Marquez held off Alex Marquez to clinch his fifth consecutive Tissot Sprint victory, as the #73 collects another Saturday silver medal. Important points were secured by Bagnaia in P3, but the Italian will be searching for more in Sunday’s Grand Prix.
THE SPRINT POINTS SCORERS IN JEREZ
Morbidelli was P4 with Aldeguer impressing again to collect a Sprint P5 in front of his home crowd, as Di Giannantonio managed to hold off Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3) to earn P6. Viñales crossed the line in seventh, 2.3s ahead of eighth place Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing), as 2020 World Champion Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) picked up the final Saturday point in P9 ahead of tenth place Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing).
COMING UP: GRAND PRIX SUNDAY
That sets us up nicely for Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix then doesn’t it? Will Marc Marquez go back-to-back on home turf to banish the demons of 2020, or can the brilliant Quartararo and the likes of Alex Marquez and Bagnaia respond? We’ll find out at 2pm local time (UTC+1).
Manuel Gonzalez in parc fermé after taking pole position. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Manuel Gonzalez earned pole position during Moto2 World Championship qualifying Saturday at Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, in Spain. Riding his Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP Kalex on Pirelli control tires, the Spaniard rider turned a 1:39.858 to top the field of 28 riders.
Spanish rider Albert Arenas was second-best with a 1:39.890 on his ITALJET Gresini Moto2 Kalex.
Gonzalez’s teammate, Senna Agius claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:39.926.
American Joe Roberts will start the race from row 6, in 16th place on his Onlyfans American Racing Team Kalex.
Gonzalez heads Arenas to make it a Spanish 1-2 ahead of Agius.
Home is where the heart is and whilst some crack under the pressure, others rise to the occasion and that’s exactly the case for Manuel Gonzalez (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP Team) and Albert Arenas (ITALJET Gresini Moto2), who head a Spanish 1-2 in Moto2™ at Jerez. Both put in superb late laps to bag the first two grid slots and with both split by just 0.032s, it’s a mouthwatering prospect in the offing for Sunday’s Grand Prix. In third it’s a first front row for Australian Senna Agius (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) who is likewise close on the chase.
Q1 was always going to be a close-fought contest to scrape through. The likes of Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2), Zonta Van Den Goorbergh (RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP), Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Ivan Ortola (QJMOTOR-FRINSA-MSI) all booked their slot, although not without a potential late scare. Darryn Binder (ITALJET Gresini Moto2) was looking on course to move into the all-important top four but fell at the final corner, ending his hopes of moving up further.
In Q2 itself, there were surprises in store right the way through; Agius was the long-time session leader ahead of Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego) but it was a set of late laps by Gonzalez and Arenas that propelled them up the order into pole and P2 respectively. Agius remains third, making it a double front row for the LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt squad. Baltus heads up the second row ahead of Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) and Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo), so whilst it’s a Spain 1-2 on home turf, there’s an international flavour to the opposition behind.
There were costly crashes for Aron Canet (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego) and David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team), with the #44 crashing at Turn 6 on his final flying lap and the reigning Moto3™ World Champion at the final corner halfway through the session. Both came home in P7 and P8 respectively and Alonso improved on his last lap. Elf Marc VDS Racing Team duo Jake Dixon and Filip Salac complete the top ten. Two shocks outside the top ten in P13 and P14 were the Beta Tools SpeedRS Team duo of Celestino Vietti and Alonso Lopez, with work to do and a busy Sunday ahead.
Find full results from Moto2 qualifying from Jerez here and tune in for more as the lights go out for another showdown on Sunday!
Jose Antonio Rueda (99) at Circuito de Jerez during practice. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Jose Antonio Rueda earned pole position during Moto3 World Championship qualifying Saturday at Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, in Spain. Riding his Red Bull KTM Ajo on Pirelli control tires, the Spaniard topped the 26-rider field with a lap time of 1:43.755.
Joel Kelso was the best of the rest with a 1:44.042 on his LevelUp-MTA KTM, and David Muñoz claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:44.165 on his Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP KTM.
Rueda bounces back for home pole position in Jerez. The #99 will have the honour of going from P1 in front of his home crowd as he aims to take back the points lead in Jerez.
Home hero Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) has been mighty all weekend at the Estrella Galicia 0,0 Grand Prix of Spain, and he bagged a first pole of 2025 as he aims to retake the Championship lead he relinquished in Qatar through no fault of his own with that late technical issue. Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA) takes a third front row of the season in second, with David Muñoz (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) forced to settle for third. Championship leader Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) only just missed out, set to start fourth on home turf.
Having to fight through Q1, riders such as David Almansa (Leopard Racing), Riccardo Rossi (Rivacold Snipers Team) and Scott Ogden (CIP Green Power) were some of the big names in the hunt to move into Q2. Despite being provisionally inside the top four, late lap time cancellations meant Almansa, Ogden and Tatchakorn Buasri (Honda Team Asia) all missed out and instead, it was Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse), Dennis Foggia (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team), Cormac Buchanan (DENSSI Racing – BOE) and Vicente Perez (LEVELUP-MTA) who moved into Q2.
The fight for pole position in the opening stages of Q2 was tight too, with just 0.047s separating home heroes Rueda and Muñoz at the halfway point. Going into the second half, it was all to play for but Rueda, like he had been all weekend, was in a class of his own and secured pole by just under three tenths of a second. A late charge welcomed Kelso to a third front row of the season in second, pipping Muñoz, and Piqueras in P4 is primed for a good home GP as he looks to protect his lead. Top rookie Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) could be one to watch at a venue where he’s got a wealth of experience, and he’s just ahead of Lusail pole-sitter Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI).
There was drama late on for Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing), who was held up on a fast lap by a touring Buchanan, before crashing on his final flying lap. He held onto P7 though ahead of Jacob Roulstone (Red Bull KTM Tech 3), Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) and Argentine star Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) who complete the top ten. Stand-out performances further down included super-sub Perez in P11 and South African rookie Ruche Moodley (DENSSI Racing – BOE) with a personal best of P15.
Find the full results from Moto3 qualifying in Jerez HERE!
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