CVMA: Rocco Landers Wins In 600 Racing Debut

David Swarts

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December 9, 2020

CVMA: Rocco Landers Wins In 600 Racing Debut

Reigning MotoAmerica Twins Cup and Junior Cup Champion Rocco Landers, age 15, made his 600cc racing debut in winning fashion during the CVMA (Chuckwalla Valley Motorcyclist Association) races December 5-6 at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway, in Desert Center, California

Riding an MP13 Racing Yamaha YZF-R6 in a one-off deal made at the last-minute, Landers won four races and finished third in the CVMA Shootout (open-class) race after a battle with fellow MotoAmerica racer Michael Gilbert, who took second on a borrowed Yamaha YZF-R6. The Shootout race was won by David Anthony on his FLY Racing/ADR Motorsports Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superbike.

Asked about how the deal came together, Landers’ father Stoney Landers said, “We’ve been trying to try out different brands – Kawasaki, Yamaha, Suzuki – because a big part of Rocco’s racing is making sure he likes the machine.

“All riders are different. They all like different things. We don’t have any opinion at all. We had no opinion before he tried the Yamaha other than he needed to try it out. I also wanted to have him try a bike out that was pretty much setup that wasn’t some beater bike that had been thrashed around.

“I knew that Melissa [Paris] had her Yamaha that Josh [Hayes] has raced and done well on, so it seemed like a pretty good idea to see if we could get him to throw a leg over that machine. So, I texted Melissa and said, ‘Hey, super-last-minute idea,’ because it was the Monday before the races at Chuck, ‘what do you think about Rocco racing your 600 this weekend at Chuck?’ We worked it out in just a few texts and she allowed him to go down and race it.”

And what did Rocco Landers think of Paris’ Yamaha?

“Dude, I loved it!” said Rocco Landers. “It was so fun. It was awesome. The best way I can describe it is it handled similar to the twin [Suzuki SV650 MotoAmerica Twins Cup racebike] almost, but it hooked up better and felt more like a racebike. And it had way better power and was faster. It felt great.”

Although Rocco Landers made very few changes to the MP13 Racing Yamaha, it was still an educational experience for the teenager.

“What I figured out at the end,” said Rocco Landers, “was how to go fast on an old tire. The new surface [at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway] is pretty hard on tires. During the Shootout race with Michael, it was so sketchy. We were sliding all the way coming out of corners, and I was figuring out how to go faster and faster every lap with it like that.”

Rocco Landers ended up with a fastest lap time of 1:46.746 in the counter-clockwise direction.

So, what comes next for young Landers?

“We haven’t gotten that far,” said Stoney Landers. “Right now, we don’t have any plans. I know he really does like the Yamaha. It’s one of the fastest times I’ve ever seen him get up to speed, and we hardly changed the bike all weekend. We experimented with different tire pressures and we made one small change to the front, but other than that he just kept riding the bike and didn’t have a lot of complaints. That was a good sign.”

MotoAmerica: Josh Herrin Talks High-Speed Elbow Dragging

David Swarts

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December 8, 2020

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MotoAmerica: Josh Herrin Talks High-Speed Elbow Dragging

Editorial Note: Scroll all the way down to hear the audio of the entire interview with Herrin.

Interview: Josh Herrin

“I’m Riding Better Than I Have Ever Rode Right Now…”

By Michael Gougis

Former AMA Superbike and MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 Champion and Daytona 200 winner Josh Herrin says he’s at the peak of his game, and will be in the MotoAmerica Superbike class in 2021 to prove it.

“I’m riding better than I ever have rode right now. I just need the right package to show that,” said Herrin at Buttonwillow Raceway Park on Monday, where he was attempting to set a Guinness World Records mark for the fastest recorded elbow drag in history.

“I have a good opportunity coming up for 2021. Fresh n’ Lean is also supporting what we’re going to do next year. They’ve got a lot into the program. Fresh n’ Lean’s stepping up big-time and trying to help me secure a spot. There are teams that need funding.

“I’ll be racing Superbike in MotoAmerica. I can’t say for what team or manufacturer. But there’s a couple of teams to talk to, and it’ll be a team I can be more competitive on than I was this year. And I’ll get back to having fun racing.”

Former AMA Superbike Champion Josh Herrin was at Buttonwillow Raceway Park on Monday to attempt to set a world speed record for elbow-dragging. In an interview with Roadracing World, Herrin discussed the attempt, his 2020 results, his plans for 2021, and his advice for Cameron Beaubier as the reigning MotoAmerica Superbike Champion heads for Moto2. Photo by Michael Gougis.

Herrin is an ambassador for Fresh n’ Lean, the nation’s largest organic meal delivery service in the U.S. The company sponsored the attempt to set the elbow-dragging record, which turned out to be a lot of hard work. After nearly an hour of burning through Riverside Corner at Buttonwillow, Herrin’s crew said they had met the requirement that he keep his elbow on the ground for 30 meters while exceeding 161.1 kph (100.1 mph). Herrin’s run was timed at 163.4 kph (101.5 mph), and the data and camera recordings have been turned over to Guinness for confirmation.

“When I touched my elbow down, it had to stay on the ground the whole way, which is weird, because normally like when we’re racing, right, you like go through there at a faster speed than that and just barely touch it,” Herrin said.

“This is really the only turn in the whole country that I could think of that we could do that on. I asked Chris Ulrich, I asked Josh Hayes, I asked a lot of people, and this was really the only one we could do.”

Josh Herrin showing off a worn-out elbow slider on his Fresh n' Lean Alpinestars leathers. Photo by Michael Gougis. — Josh Herrin showing off a worn-out elbow slider on his Fresh n’ Lean Alpinestars leathers. Photo by Michael Gougis.

Lots of racers touch their elbows on the ground at the apex of a corner. Keeping his elbow on the ground for 30 meters at a track in the U.S. was a different beast entirely, Herrin said. Every ripple on the pavement sent an input into the handlebars through Herrin’s inside arm, and those sorts of inputs are rather unwelcome at triple-digit speeds and 60 degrees of lean.

“I had to make sure that I put enough pressure that when I hit a bump my elbow didn’t bounce off the ground. So when I put that much pressure on my elbow it was really lightening the front of the bike – lightening the whole bike, I think, so it got a little squirrely,” Herrin said.

The effort required for the attempt was entirely different that what happens on Sunday afternoon at a MotoGP or Superbike race, Herrin said. He used the same set of elbow sliders for the entire 2020 MotoAmerica Superbike season. He went through three sliders in 17 laps at Buttonwillow.

“They’re on GP bikes, GP tires, smooth tracks, and they’re touching the elbow down, they’re not holding it down the whole time. We’re on bumpy tracks here, it’s different stuff, we’re on sportbikes. It was very hard and very scary. It was nerve-wracking for me. He (Thomas Asseo, co-CEO of Fresh n’ Lean and a WERA West racer) has got a whole crew here. He’s got witnesses. He’s got five guys from Fresh n’ Lean here. He’s got a lot of money into something that’s supposed to be for fun. I didn’t want to crash.”

Herrin said he was satisfied with what he was able to do with the Scheibe Racing BMW S1000RR during the 2020 season.

“(Jake) Gagne was the best rider I knew who rode that bike. Pretty much every track that I went to, I was right on his times or a little better. My goal was to always try and go faster than him,” Herrin said.

“They don’t have any full-time guys. (Steve) Scheibe drives the truck to and from every race. With what we had, I think we did great. He put in a little more effort than he should have at a couple rounds, and we got the Öhlins guys to come over … it was a huge help for us. We had two rounds where they were there with us all weekend. Indy was the best one, and we were running up front the entire time. We got BMW’s first-ever (Modern-era) Superbike podium in America. For a model 2015 bike … for us to be that close to the front, even if it’s for one race, it shows the potential.”

Herrin’s potential has rarely been in question, although the results haven’t always shown it. Perhaps the worst period of his career was a disastrous foray into Moto2 in 2014, with a best of 16^th in 10 races. With five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier headed for Moto2 next season, Herrin had praise and advice for his Superbike colleague.

“I’m pumped for Cameron. I think it’s an awesome opportunity,” Herrin said. “I think it’s going to be tough. If I had any advice for him, it would be go there, stay there, don’t worry about coming home, because your family’s going to be there when you come back. Don’t keep trying to get on the first flight back to America.

“I wish I would have just gotten an apartment there, stayed there, and really focused on hanging out with people from there and not worry about bringing friends over there, bringing family there, bringing girlfriends over there. Just focus on living that lifestyle over there. He’s good enough to win World Championships. That would be the biggest thing for him.”

British Superbike: FHO Racing BMW Concludes Testing In Portugal

David Swarts

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December 8, 2020

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British Superbike: FHO Racing BMW Concludes Testing In Portugal

FHO RACING BMW COMPLETE THREE-DAY PORTUGUESE SHAKEDOWN TEST

The all-new FHO Racing BMW British Superbike duo of Peter Hickman and Xavi Fores have completed a successful three-day shakedown test in Portimao, Portugal, allowing both riders to gain some crucial winter track time.

The fast and undulating Portimao circuit in Portugal provided the perfect space for the newly established team to begin working together and understand the BMW ‘kit’ electronics. Utilising the 2020 BMW S1000RR but with a number of refinements, both Peter Hickman and Xavi Fores were able to log a number of laps throughout the three-day test despite some inclement weather, with both feeling positive about the new team and upcoming season.

It was also an opportunity for new team owner Faye Ho and manager Darren Jones to observe the team in action and ascertain what extra support they might need before the next series of tests and the blast off for Bennetts British Superbikes 2021.

For Hicky, the test allowed his side of the garage to focus on working through a number of ideas to help him improve the feel of the S1000RR after a season in the BSB series. The experienced rider also ride the team’s 2020 Superstock machine whilst at the popular Algarve circuit.

Spaniard Xavi made the short hop across the Iberian peninsula to enjoy his first time on a BMW Superbike, acclimatise himself with the team and the BSB spec Superbike.

The FHO Racing BMW team will now return back to the UK, to take delivery and begin work on the incredible new BMW M 1000 RR Superbike. The team will return to the track early in 2021, where both Superbike riders will be joined by Alex Olsen, who will be competing in the National Superstock 1000 class.

FHO Racing BMW Team Owner Faye Ho

“It’s been fantastic to get the whole team together for the first time and the atmosphere in the team has been great throughout the test. Both Pete and Xavi are working very well together and their relationship and bike feedback has been brilliant, which has given us a clear direction to work on over the winter.

I’m now looking forward to some more testing in the new year when the guys will be out on the all-new M 1000 RR Superbike for the first time!”

FHO Racing BMW Team Manager Darren Jones

“We jumped on the opportunity for some track time in Southern Europe but caught a bit of rain still. This meant we needed to maximise the dry sessions with Xavi and Peter out on track, for as much feedback as possible. It was probably more beneficial for Xavi to be honest as he’s never ridden our Superbike before without electronics but Hicky also got to spin some laps, so their combined feedback shows what we need to work on.

Ultimately the test was about bringing the team and riders together and gaining some track time which would be impossible in the UK. I think it’s fair to say we are all straining at the bit to get to the new M 1000 RR!”

Peter Hickman

“It’s been good to escape the UK to spin some laps for sure and nice to get to know Xavi, whilst he sees how the BMW will work in BSB trim. The weather has not played into our hands which means we haven’t been able to get through as many things as we’d liked but it was better on the final day to try some items. We’ve had no issues, just looking forward to getting out again and of course getting stuck into the 2021 bike when it arrives!”

Xavi Fores

“It was very important to get some dry laps in and also get to know the new team. Overall, I feel very comfortable and the bike is working great, we also have some other areas to concentrate on with engine braking and braking stability. I can’t wait to jump on the bike again, I feel me and Peter can build a strong package together!”

Moto2: Federal Oil Continuing As Title Sponsor For Gresini Racing

David Swarts

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December 8, 2020

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Moto2: Federal Oil Continuing As Title Sponsor For Gresini Racing

A DECADE TOGETHER: FEDERAL OIL AND GRESINI CONTINUE THEIR MOTO2 JOURNEY

It is already time to finalise plans for 2021, and after the announcement of the return of Fabio Di Giannantonio alongside Nicolò Bulega, here comes the confirmation of Federal Oil as title sponsor of the Gresini’s team middleweight class team.

This is, without a doubt, one of the most long-lasting partnership in the MotoGP World Championship as it began back in 2012, meaning next year it will celebrate its tenth anniversary: an unequivocal sign of an ever-tighter bond between the Faenza-based team and the Indonesian giant in the motorcycle lubricant sector.

The new season of Team Federal Oil Gresini Racing Moto2 will already begin during the week of the 23rd of November (right after the last official event in Portimão) with a two-day test at Jerez de la Frontera which will see together the new rider line-up of Di Giannantonio and Bulega.

PATRICK ADHIATMADJA – P.T. FEDERAL PRESIDENT and CEO

“I am pleased to extend our partnership for 2021 season with Gresini Racing team. I would like to thank and appreciate Fausto and the entire Gresini Racing family as we continue this journey together. We both want to be back in the spotlight. We both want to compete at the top of the table. Welcome to the FOGM2 team, Diggia! Looking forward to a fruitful 2021 season and let’s make Indonesian riders proud to see the Federal Oil brand delivering top performance in the best circuits around the world, including our very own first ever Mandalika GP.“

FAUSTO GRESINI – TEAM MANAGER FEDERAL OIL GRESINI Moto2

“Our goal is to get back to being among the protagonists in this very important and competitive category. In order to do so, we needed a strong and fresh addition such as Di Giannantonio, but also and especially of a crucial confirmation such as the one by Federal Oil for what will be our tenth season together. This is a journey started in 2012 that we’re carrying forward with a level of synergy that is hard to explain with words. My thanks go to Patrick and all Federal Oil: we’re ready for a truly important 2021.”

New Road Course Under Construction In Missouri

David Swarts

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December 7, 2020

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New Road Course Under Construction In Missouri

Ozarks International Raceway is a new, multi-configuration road course and motorsports facility currently under construction in the Lake of the Ozarks region of southwestern Missouri.

A course map of Ozarks International Raceway. Image courtesy Ozarks International Raceway.

Paving has already begun on the 3.87-mile, 19-turn Full Course, and cut-throughs will allow for five different configurations. A dirt tri-oval, an off-road course, and a rally car track are also part of the project.

Paving of the 3.87-mile Full Course at Ozarks International Raceway has begun. Photo courtesy Ozarks International Raceway.

An old turkey barn on the property has been renovated into a 58-bay garage, and a 10,000-square-foot clubhouse/media center is being constructed.

The 58-bay garage at Ozarks International Raceway. Photo courtesy Ozarks International Raceway.

The racetrack is slated to be completed in the second half of 2021.

The track is owned by PF Racing, a professional automobile racing team based in the greater Kansas City, Missouri area.

Roadracingworld.com has reached out to the owners of the racetrack for more details about the racetrack and plans for its use.

In the meantime, read more in a local article here: https://www.lakeexpo.com/real_estate/world-class-racetrack-coming-to-lake-of-the-ozarks/article_3f2b4078-3335-11eb-aa39-0bd36a98fb48.html

ASRA/CCS: Mesa Goes Undefeated, Breaks Lap Record At Homestead

David Swarts

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December 7, 2020

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ASRA/CCS: Mesa Goes Undefeated, Breaks Lap Record At Homestead

Stefano Mesa ran undefeated and set a new ASRA/CCS lap record during the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Mesa’s lap time of 1:23.032 was 1/10th of a second faster than Geoff May’s longstanding record set in 2011. Mesa had been running in the 1:23 range during the race and clocked his fastest time during lap three of the Unlimited Superbike race on board his Pirelli-shod Kawasaki ZX-10R.

Mesa won a grand total of 9 races during the event, including the highly competitive Unlimited Grand Prix race, after nabbing the lead from early front runner Eric Wood. Mesa and Wood battled head-to-head throughout the day with Mesa pushing his way to the front to finish ahead of Wood in the GTO, Unlimited Supersport, and Unlimited Superbike races as well. Mesa won the GTU, Middleweight Supersport, and Middleweight Superbike races on his Kawasaki ZX-6R, and was out front early to take additional victories in the ASRA Superstock and ASRA Sportbike races.

The Championship Cup Series season-opener, including the AMA Sanctioned ASRA Team Challenge Series Presented by Michelin Tire, will be held at Homestead-Miami Speedway January 16-17, 2021. The AMA Sanctioned ASRA Championship Series Presented by Pirelli Tire is scheduled to kick of at Roebling Road Raceway February 13-14, 2021

Race results, lap times, points standings, and information regarding the upcoming 2021 season schedule, licensing are available online at: www.ccsracing.us.

Job Opportunity With AHRMA

David Swarts

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December 7, 2020

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AHRMA SEEKS CANDIDATES FOR ROADRACE DIRECTOR

AHRMA is looking for a dedicated Roadrace Director to operate its successful national road racing series. This position is that of Program Manager, coordinating all aspects of the series and individual event planning, staffing, budget and race day administration.

The schedule for the 2021 season has already been set, a full array of experienced staff and the equipment needed to host these events is in place. The manager to keep our series running smoothly next season and beyond is what we seek.

The Roadrace Director reports to AHRMA’s Executive Director. There are regular planning meetings with the Executive Committee for assistance, coordination with AHRMA strategies and other disciplines. The roadrace event staff report to the Roadrace Director.

Familiarity with motorcycle racing, experience in managing personnel, contract negotiation, and a high level of computer literacy are pluses. AHRMA regularly uses Zoom for video meetings, MotorsportReg for membership management/race registrations and Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.).

This is a part-time position which can be performed by a resident from anywhere in the USA with travel required to all championship events. Compensation is in the $20k-$40k range, depending on experience.

Information about our 30+ year old racing organization can be attained by viewing our website www.ahrma.org.

Please email your cover letter and resume to: [email protected].

ASRA: Mesa Takes Historic Victories At Homestead

David Swarts

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December 7, 2020

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ASRA: Mesa Takes Historic Victories At Homestead

ASRA Sprints at Homestead-Miami Speedway

Homestead FL – Stefano Mesa won the combined SuperStock and SportBike running both classes at once with his Kawasaki ZX-6R and starting behind the SuperStock class with the other SportBikes, a feat that has never happened in the history of ASRA competition.

Other winners include Kris Lillegard in ThunderBike, Thomas McMaster in Moto 3 Scott Beal in Amateur Superstock, Jesse Hwilka in Amateur Sportbike, Mack Laughridge for Amateur ThunderBike and Anthony Pagan took Amateur Moto 3.

Congratulations to all the winners!

For more racing information visit www.asraracing.com or call us at (817) 246-1127. Join ASRA in the greatest road racing experience available today!

Editorial Note: Use the zoom and scrolling tools in the bottom left corner of the PDF viewer to better see all of the race results.

120620 HMS ASRA Results

Australian Superbike: More From The Races At Wakefield Park

David Swarts

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December 7, 2020

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Australian Superbike: More From The Races At Wakefield Park

WINNING DEBUT FOR PENRITE HONDA RACING AND CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADE SP

Penrite Honda Racing’s Troy Herfoss delivered a spectacular victory on debut with the all-new CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP at Wakefield Park’s final stop of the 2020 Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) between 3-6 December, winning three of four races across the double-header event.

Following a lengthy nine-month delay in the series, rounds two and three were staged over a single weekend, where Michelin-equipped Herfoss took pole position for both Saturday and Sunday’s pair of premier class races.

The ER Motorsport-operated Penrite Honda Racing team has been constantly developing the latest Fireblade in ASBK trim since its arrival earlier this year and it quickly became evident that 33-year-old Herfoss had swiftly adapted the factory team’s new machinery. He entered the weekend 28 points down in his quest for a third championship in the category.

Friday afternoon saw Herfoss capture pole position for round two after posting a 57.331s lap-time and he went on to win the opening 18-lap encounter on Saturday morning by 0.728s. Later that afternoon he repeated his success, this time by 0.694s and scoring a remarkable overall win – his fifth in succession at the technical 2.2-kilometre circuit.

Those results enabled Herfoss to close the deficit in the championship to 17 points, which he further reduced to 16 after earning another pole position on Sunday morning by setting a 57.663s in windy conditions. An unfortunate issue while leading race one saw his title chances come to an early end, however, the team rebounded for one more race win by 0.787s in the final outing.

“We knew that it was a long-shot for the title this weekend, but this package that we have with Penrite Honda Racing and the new CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP is so good that we weren’t ruling ourselves out too soon,” explained Herfoss, who originates from the Goulburn region.

“The way it turned out, even if we did win all four races we would have come up a little bit short anyway, but for me, I’m so happy that we’ve got such an impressive bike to ride – I’m going into next year in the best position I’ve ever been in. The Michelin tyres and K-Tech Suspension are great, the new bike’s incredible and the team are really motivated to win.

“It is disappointing to come close to the championship two years in a row now and not win it, but I’ve been in the hunt every year and that’s an achievement in itself. I’ve been waiting for this opportunity with the new Honda for some time, so it’s a credit to the team and everybody involved with Penrite Honda Racing to have such a strong debut.”

Herfoss managed to climb from fifth position to third in the final ASBK standings for 2020, importantly gaining crucial information and data on-board the CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP throughout the Wakefield Park weekend. Penrite Honda Racing owner Deon Coote said it was a rewarding debut for the team with the new model, now setting their sights firmly upon next year.

“Every race that we’ve finished with the new bike we’ve won, so it was certainly a great start with the latest Honda,” Coote commented. “Troy was able to take pole position in both rounds, finished first in three of the four races and the package that we have between Honda, Michelin, K-Tech Suspension and Penrite is incredibly strong, so we look forward to 2021.”

Follow Honda Racing Australia on Facebook, as well as @honda_racing_aus on Instagram for the latest updates. To find out more on the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP, visit: https://motorcycles.honda.com.au/models/onroad/supersport/cbr1000rr-r-sp

Australian Superbike: Sunday’s Race Report From Wakefield Park

David Swarts

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December 6, 2020

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Australian Superbike: Sunday’s Race Report From Wakefield Park

Maxwell Clinches Superbike Title After Herfoss Retirement

Wayne Maxwell has secured his second victory mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul, finishing first and second in the final two Kawaskai Superbike races of the season at Wakefield Park today.

In Race 1, Maxwell slotted into second behind polesitter and runaway race leader Troy Herfoss, while resisting pressure from Glenn Allerton, Mike Jones and Cru Halliday.

However, on the race’s 13th lap, Herfoss’ Honda developed a mechanical problem at Turn 8 and forced him into retirement, ending his championship challenge and elevating Maxwell to the lead; the win for Maxwell was enough for him to seal the title with a race to spare.

For the 2013 Australian Superbike Champion, who had come close to winning his second title on several occasions only to fall short, his 2020 championship victory was an emotional one.

“I didn’t expect to win the title like that – Troy and his team are very good,” Maxwell said.

“But at the end of last year, when I put my hand out and said I needed some support, there were so many people that gave me what I needed and I can’t thank them all enough. We worked pretty hard, everyone gave me what I wanted to make me happy and a happy rider is a fast rider.

“It’s so different to my last championship win. To win the championship by winning the race is brilliant and there’s no better feeling, but Troy has been so good all weekend and I didn’t deserve to win that race, it was his to win.

“I’m stoked; we’ve put ourselves in the position to win the championship and that’s why we’ve won it.”

Allerton continued his strong run of form by finishing second ahead of Mike Jones.

While he may have missed out on the title, Herfoss demonstrated the speed of his Honda with victory in the second race, after another typically entertaining battle with Maxwell. The two riders swapped positions several times in the race’s early stages before Herfoss finally pulled out a race-winning margin in the closing laps.

“Congratulations to Wayne – people forget about the previous rounds but he dominated Round 1, and he did a really good job here this weekend as well,” Herfoss said.

“Man am I happy. I’m lucky to have the package I’ve got with the bike and tyres and I’m so excited for the future.”

While Mike Jones held third for the opening stanza of the race, he fell backwards in the second half allowing Bryan Staring to score the final podium position aboard his Kawasaki.

“It’s a great way to finish the year,” Staring said.

“We’ve had a testing weekend but this couldn’t be better for our Kawasaki team to have a podium here. We’ve been nowhere near the podium at Wakefield Park the last two years, so this is a massive turnaround and I can’t thank my Dunlop Kawasaki BC Performance Team enough.”

The only retirement during the race was Chandler Cooper, who crashed his Honda at Turn 9 on the 13th lap.

The 2021 Australian Superbike Championship action begins with a pre-season test at Phillip Island on 27-28 January, before the season begins on 19-21 February, also at Phillip Island.

Australian Superbike Championship Top 10 Points

1. Wayne Maxwell – 161

2. Cru Halliday – 126

3. Troy Herfoss – 125

4. Bryan Staring – 112

5. Josh Waters – 105

6. Glenn Allerton – 104

7. Mike Jones – 98

8. Arthur Sissis – 87

9. Aiden Wagner – 81

10. Jed Metcher – 76

Keep up to date with the latest news on the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul, via www.asbk.com.au and following ASBK on Facebook and Instagram.

More, from another press release issued by Motorcycling Australia:

Stauffer, Pearson Score Supersport Wins, Toparis Secures Title

Today’s MotorsportsTV Supersport races at the grand finale of the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance ASBK, presented by Motul, produced a pair of first-time winners, with Max Stauffer and Broc Pearson breaking through for their maiden victories, while a pair of top-five finishes ensured Goulburn’s Tom Toparis wrapped up back-to-back titles in the category.

At a windy Wakefield Park circuit, Stauffer was forced to fend off a hard-charging Tom Edwards on the final lap of Race 1; Edwards passed Stauffer in the second-last corner before Stauffer fought back by slicing down the inside of Edwards into the final turn and out-dragging his rival to the finish line.

“It’s amazing, the conditions out there were so tricky and it was so hard, but it’s amazing to get it done,” Stauffer said.

In the second race, Pearson passed Toparis on the fourth lap and was never headed from there, riding to a 1.3s win from Stauffer and Oli Bayliss.

However, the biggest celebration was reserved for two-time champion Toparis.

“I didn’t even know if I was going to be doing this race meeting – I was in hotel quarantine when I found out it was on,” Toparis said.

“I made a few phone calls, I got Ben Richards as my mechanic this weekend and I think that made the difference.

“It was a crazy weekend but it’s so good to see the young guys going so well. Oli (Bayliss) and I are such good mates, we’ve had great racing this year and I think he and Max (Stauffer) are two of the brightest Australian stars of the future.

“We had a bit of drama in the races and I was happy just to limp home in the end and win back-to-back championships.”

bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup

Cameron Dunker and Tom Drane were the winners of today’s two Oceania Junior Cup races, but a second and a third-place finish were enough for Marianos Nikolis to wrap up the title.

The three riders battled fiercely in Race 1 and were separated by just 0.4s at the finish, while the margins were even closer in Race 2, with just 0.8s separating the top five.

Nikolis said he was happy to make up a sizeable points deficit leading into the event.

“I was feeling a bit nervous before the weekend, because I was 26 points behind the championship lead,” Nikolis said.

“Yesterday I was able to win all three races, which put me in the championship lead, which meant I was able to be a bit more conservative today.

“I’m feeling great, but I wouldn’t be able to race without support from all the Oceania Junior Cup sponsors and Motorcycling Australia in putting on the series.”

YMI Supersport 300

John Lytras won both today’s Supersport 300 races after epic battles with Ben Baker, but it was Harry Khouri who was crowned the champion, picking up two fourth-place finishes and clinching the title with a race to spare.

“It’s an amazing feeling to come back from overseas and wrap up the championship, I couldn’t be happier,” Khouri said.

“At the start of the day, I started to push a bit hard and chase the lead when I didn’t need to – I made a little mistake, so I decided to back off, be conservative and wrap up the championship.

“In the last race, I wasn’t quite feeling comfortable on the bike so I just brought it home. Overall, it’s been a fantastic season and I can’t wait to head back overseas next year.”

Lytras’ domination of the final two races saw him move up to second in the final standings ahead of Baker.

YMF R3 Cup

The YMF R3 Cup title was decided in a dramatic decider, with Carter Thompson defeating John Lytras by a solitary point.

Thompson held a commanding lead after his domination of yesterday’ races, but his title bid took a severe turn for the worse at the start of today’s opening race when he crashed in the first corner, triggering a red-flag interruption.

When the race restarted, Lytras took control and rode to the win ahead of Ben Baker and Archie McDonald, setting up a final race showdown for the title.

Despite being knocked around by the earlier crash, a brave Thompson rode to victory ahead of Lytras and McDonald, winning the title in the process.

“I was a little sore in the hand after the crash this morning, and it was a little painful when I was out there riding,” Thompson said.

“I was a bit nervous in the races because the crash knocked me around a bit. I knew I had to win to get the championship, so I did my best to pull away and stay in front.

“I’m stoked to win the title, a big thank you to my team for getting my bikes ready after a couple of crashes.”

Keep up to date with the latest news on the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul, via www.asbk.com.au and following ASBK on Facebook and Instagram.

CVMA: Rocco Landers Wins In 600 Racing Debut

December 9, 2020

Rocco Landers (center) with his father Stoney Landers (right) and MP13 Racing Team Owner Melissa Paris (left) at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway. Photo courtesy Rocco Landers.

Reigning MotoAmerica Twins Cup and Junior Cup Champion Rocco Landers, age 15, made his 600cc racing debut in winning fashion during the CVMA (Chuckwalla Valley Motorcyclist Association) races December 5-6 at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway, in Desert Center, California

Riding an MP13 Racing Yamaha YZF-R6 in a one-off deal made at the last-minute, Landers won four races and finished third in the CVMA Shootout (open-class) race after a battle with fellow MotoAmerica racer Michael Gilbert, who took second on a borrowed Yamaha YZF-R6. The Shootout race was won by David Anthony on his FLY Racing/ADR Motorsports Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superbike.

Asked about how the deal came together, Landers’ father Stoney Landers said, “We’ve been trying to try out different brands – Kawasaki, Yamaha, Suzuki – because a big part of Rocco’s racing is making sure he likes the machine.

“All riders are different. They all like different things. We don’t have any opinion at all. We had no opinion before he tried the Yamaha other than he needed to try it out. I also wanted to have him try a bike out that was pretty much setup that wasn’t some beater bike that had been thrashed around.

“I knew that Melissa [Paris] had her Yamaha that Josh [Hayes] has raced and done well on, so it seemed like a pretty good idea to see if we could get him to throw a leg over that machine. So, I texted Melissa and said, ‘Hey, super-last-minute idea,’ because it was the Monday before the races at Chuck, ‘what do you think about Rocco racing your 600 this weekend at Chuck?’ We worked it out in just a few texts and she allowed him to go down and race it.”

And what did Rocco Landers think of Paris’ Yamaha?

“Dude, I loved it!” said Rocco Landers. “It was so fun. It was awesome. The best way I can describe it is it handled similar to the twin [Suzuki SV650 MotoAmerica Twins Cup racebike] almost, but it hooked up better and felt more like a racebike. And it had way better power and was faster. It felt great.”

Although Rocco Landers made very few changes to the MP13 Racing Yamaha, it was still an educational experience for the teenager.

“What I figured out at the end,” said Rocco Landers, “was how to go fast on an old tire. The new surface [at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway] is pretty hard on tires. During the Shootout race with Michael, it was so sketchy. We were sliding all the way coming out of corners, and I was figuring out how to go faster and faster every lap with it like that.”

Rocco Landers ended up with a fastest lap time of 1:46.746 in the counter-clockwise direction.

So, what comes next for young Landers?

“We haven’t gotten that far,” said Stoney Landers. “Right now, we don’t have any plans. I know he really does like the Yamaha. It’s one of the fastest times I’ve ever seen him get up to speed, and we hardly changed the bike all weekend. We experimented with different tire pressures and we made one small change to the front, but other than that he just kept riding the bike and didn’t have a lot of complaints. That was a good sign.”

MotoAmerica: Josh Herrin Talks High-Speed Elbow Dragging

December 8, 2020

Josh Herrin (2) leaned over on his Scheibe Racing BMW S1000RR MotoAmerica Superbike at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.