Featured In the July 2020 issue of Roadracing World: Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa TD
“Pirelli TD tires are designed to work without tire warmers, so I didn’t use them. That was a nice change; I could just put up the kickstand, head to pit lane, and roll out onto the track. The TD tires warmed up quickly—I was dragging my knee by the third corner— and held up fine during the first sessions as I worked with my student. The lap times were at a low-1:40s pace around the road course, with little wear and consistent performance.
“On my own in the afternoon sessions under very hot conditions, tire wear increased rapidly when I sped up by more than eight seconds a lap, running a 1:33 pace on my standard bike. Even set at 32 psi, the front tire had some deflection on the brakes and turning into the corners. As I expected, in slower corners the front tire offered good grip and allowed me to trail-brake to the apex without drama. But I had to watch my turn-in rate in the faster corners—like Turn One—because the front tire doesn’t have the outright grip of a racing slick. But that’s typical for this type of tire, which is built for more durability. I felt some rear tire carcass flex on the first lap, but it went away as the tire quickly heated up; the overall performance was fine, with good edge grip at the apex and decent drive grip at the corner exit…”
—Chris Ulrich, Racing Editor
Pirelli’s Supercorsa TD meets the needs of the track day rider who doesn’t want to mess with tire warmers. It delivers a combination of good performance, comparable durability, and user-friendly characteristics. Read Racing Editor Chris Ulrich’s insights in the latest issue of Roadracing World!
Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology is THE definitive source for motorcycle racing, riding, and tech information.
Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology magazine is available in print and digital formats. SUBSCRIBE NOW . Or call (909) 654-4779, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday.
Visit www.roadracingworld.com daily for breaking news and events.
PETRONAS Yamaha SRT riders Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli eager to repeat Jerez performance this weekend at Andalucia GP
There’s no rest for Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli as PETRONAS Yamaha SRT head straight into another race weekend, leading both the Riders’ and Teams’ championships.
Fresh from his first MotoGP race win, Quartararo will be hoping for a repeat performance this weekend at Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto. Although the Frenchman took pole position, won the race and broke the lap record twice, he recognises that improvements can still be made. Confidence will be high though with the next race also held at the same circuit as the Spanish GP last weekend.
Team-mate Morbidelli also had a strong race after finishing fifth aboard his Yamaha YZR-M1, equalling his best ever MotoGP result. His race saw him involved in a number of battles and included a brilliant late overtake on Pol Espargaro. The Italian showed good pace across all sessions and will be looking to make further progress to fight for the top positions and help solidify the team’s position at the top of the standings.
Friday’s free practice session for the MotoGP riders will begin at 9.55am local time (3.55pm MYT), with lights due to go out at 2pm local time (8pm MYT) on Sunday for their 25-lap Andalucia GP.
Fabio Quartararo
Spanish GP was such an amazing race. The weekend just felt so good with the pole position and winning the GP, honestly it was the best. I can’t wait for Friday to be back again, try to improve our pace even more and try to do exactly the same as this week. I think we can still improve because the pace of those around us was really good so we need to look to see which areas we should work on. We know that sector three was one where I struggled. We need to enjoy this victory but also focus on the next race this weekend as this new calendar is intense with few breaks so it’s important to stay concentrated.
The race was good and we had some nice battles so I am looking forward to having that again this weekend. My bike is really nice to ride and the team has done a good job setting it up so I think we can be confident going forward. We do have some things to work on as we are losing time in some areas of the lap, but making it up in others. Racing at the same circuit again isn’t an advantage as such because everyone is in the same situation, but it’s good for understanding some other things and for improving set up. There is always room to improve and the track conditions could change this weekend. Whatever happens though I’m confident ahead of the next race and looking forward to it.
IRVINE, CA (July 21, 2020) – MotoAmerica is thrilled to announce that the series, in conjunction with Elevated Action Sports, is bringing a hillclimb event to its fans at the GEICO Motorcycle MotoAmerica Superbike Speedfest at Monterey round, October 23-25, at the world famous WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California
The Speedfest Motoclimb will be held on Saturday, October 24 on the same hill that is home to Laguna Seca’s famous Corkscrew. The event will be produced by Elevated Action Sports (EAS), an extreme moto company based in the San Francisco Bay area that has been hosting motoclimb and extreme enduro races since 2015.
The Speedfest Motoclimb will feature classes for many different types of motorcycles from minis to hooligan bikes and everything in between. Although the event will not feature pro classes, several nationally ranked Pro hillclimbers will be invited to perform for the fans on their high-performance, high-horsepower open bikes.
The Laguna Seca hill will be the place to be on the Saturday of the GEICO Motorcycle MotoAmerica Superbike Speedfest at Monterey as kids on minis and racers on motorcycles normally designed for street riding try to conquer the hillside adjacent to the Corkscrew.
“We were shocked and honored when MotoAmerica approached Elevated Action Sports with this opportunity to host a Motoclimb race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca,” said Matt Musgrove, owner of EAS. “When I met with Wayne (Rainey, MotoAmerica’s President) months ago at the track, I was overlooking the Pacific Ocean while above the Corkscrew sign and I couldn’t believe running a motoclimb up that hill was a reality. But thanks to MotoAmerica’s creative direction with the Speedfest, it’s now a reality and the EAS team is eager to host this race that will entertain both the racers and spectators.”
“We are really excited to have the Motoclimb event as part of our GEICO Motorcycle MotoAmerica Superbike Speedfest at Monterey,” said MotoAmerica President Wayne Rainey. “It’s going to be a show that’s for sure. I can’t wait to see the smiles on our fans’ faces when they watch these guys and girls attack that hill that they’ve previously only seen spectators walk on. Working with Matt and his crew has been seamless and we know this is going to be a huge success and another quality addition to what we know is going to be a heck of a weekend of motorcycling activity in Monterey.”
The Motoclimb race is in addition to a full slate of action on the famous WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca road course with a schedule that not only features the five classes of the MotoAmerica Series – HONOS Superbike, Supersport, Liqui Moly Junior Cup, Twin Cup and Stock 1000 – but also the debut of the Drag Specialties King of The Baggers event, making the event a true GEICO Motorcycle MotoAmerica Superbike Speedfest.
For the complete 2020 MotoAmerica Series schedule, click HERE
To purchase tickets for any of the 2020 series round, click HERE
For information on how to watch the 2020 MotoAmerica Series, click HERE
About MotoAmerica
MotoAmerica is the North American road racing series created in 2014 that is home to the AMA Superbike Championship. MotoAmerica is an affiliate of KRAVE Group LLC, a partnership that includes three-time 500cc World Champion, two-time AMA Superbike Champion, and AMA Hall of Famer Wayne Rainey, ex-racer and former manager of Team Roberts Chuck Aksland, motorsports marketing executive Terry Karges, and businessman Richard Varner. For more information on MotoAmerica, visit www.MotoAmerica.com. Also make sure to follow MotoAmerica on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Sandoz, Gottier put up 6 wins each, Franco impresses
The racing at round two of the 2020 Loudon Road Race Series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway was hot, both literally and figuratively. Racers battled through heat up into the mid 90’s and track temperatures up into the 120’s on both days. On a weekend that felt more like Texas than New Hampshire, riders were challenged to maintain mental focus while they simultaneously dealt with the change in traction in the afternoons.
Charles “Jesse” Sandoz was one rider who seemed to have no issues with the heat on his Ducati Monster 1100. In addition to his passion for motorcycle racing, Sandoz is an avid cyclist and used his high level of fitness to his full advantage over the weekend as he carded wins in all six of the classes he contested. The biggest challenge of the weekend came in the class that his own shop is the title sponsor – the Seacoast Sport Cycle Lightweight GP class.
Rick Doucette, the all-time leader in LRRS championships and current #1 plate holder, overcame a mediocre start and spent the entire race closing on Sandoz. Doucette completely closed the gap to Sandoz by the end of lap 5 and the pair of veterans each ran their fastest laps of their respective weekends on the last two of the race. Despite constant pressure from behind, Sandoz managed to hold of the charging Yamaha “R5” and keep his perfect weekend intact. The rematch at the Loudon Classic Weekend in August will be one to watch!
2020 has been quite the year for Lincoln Gottier so far. After spending some time away from the sport following a serious injury, the popular Gottier is 100% healed up and 100% focused on the task at hand. His primary challenges for the weekend came again from Brian Wardius and Anthony Dicecca, but the battles between these two friends and their Yamaha R6’s were for the runner-up spot in all classes but the Antham Amateur Heavyweight Supersport class, where Wardius came out on top after a race long battle with returning veteran rider Todd Burnham and his torque monster KTM 1190.
Lincoln Gottier (583). Photo by Martin Hanlon, courtesy LRRS.
Gottier had a particularly dominating performance in the Superbike Supply Amateur Middleweight Superbike race where he led by 21 seconds at the finish! The top riders in the Amateur middleweight classes seem to all be stuck in the 17’s, so we’ll see which of these riders is able to break out a string of 16’s for the next event. They’re going to need them, as the Loudon Classic is the only weekend that allows Amateur riders who qualify to line up with the Experts and compete in the 97th running of the Loudon Classic.
The Expert middleweight classes are always a primary focus of the weekend at LRRS, but this event had extra interest as Shane Narbonne made his return to LRRS for the first time in over a year. The battle between he and perennial LRRS fast guy Scott Greenwood has been going on for many years now, and the presence of his old rival demanded a laser-like focus if we was going to win for the second time in 2020. In the feature Michelin-Motorace Dash for Cash, Shane came from the back of the grid to 4th place on lap 1, but only 1 second behind the leader Greenwood. After a move to 3rd, Narbonne spent a full lap behind the up-and-coming Tyler Wasserbauer before making his pass going into the “bowl,” Turn 6. Now clear of traffic and head down, Narbonne set after Greenwood but the multi-time champion was solid as a rock. As times dropped into the 12’s, Greenwood churned out flawless laps and extended his lead by a few tenths each lap. After several laps of hard charging, Narbonne conceded victory for the day but has his sights clearly set on avenging his 2019 Loudon Classic loss to Greenwood at the next event.
Sunday brought a bit of a scare to the paddock as Scott’s son Sam (also a top LRRS rider) suffered from heat stroke in the morning. Scott and family quickly made the decision to pack up and go to the hospital to support Sam, who fortunately is now fully recovered and looking forward to round #3. With the field wide open, some new faces stepped up to the top step of the podium. In the Ktech Suspension Middleweight Supersport race, the pair of rising stars Tyler Wasserbauer and Anthony Furia (who will both be attending their first MotoAmerica race at Pittsburgh in August) nearly finished right on top of each other as Wasserbauer managed the hold off the charging Furia in the final two laps of traffic. In the Middleweight Formula 40 division, Paul Duval capped off his first podium in the MWGP class on Saturday with his first win of 2020 (all while celebrating his 50th birthday).
Renee Franco (194). Photo by Martin Hanlon, courtesy LRRS.
LRRS has an incredible crop of young riders that has injected the paddock with a new level of enthusiasm and interest. Renee Franco is a 16-year-old who just made the jump from Novice to Amateur for this event and managed to score two wins in her first Amateur weekend, one in the Orient Express Amateur 500 Superbike class, and one in the 500 Supersport class. Her teammate, 15-year-old Jacob Crossman, also bumped up to Amateur for this weekend and finished runner-up to Renee in 500 and carded a 3rd in 500 Superbike.
Between now and the Loudon Classic Twin Sprint weekend August 28-30, LRRS will have six riders competing in MotoAmerica at Pittsburgh. Be sure to cheer on Ben Gloddy and Eli Block in Junior Cup, Teagg Hobbs in Twins Cup and Tyler Wasserbauer, Anthony Furia and Scott Briody in Supersport!
LCR Honda CASTROL rider Cal Crutchlow has undergone successful surgery on his injured left wrist. The Briton reported a fracture to his left scaphoid after crashing during the warm-up session at the Spanish GP last Sunday.
This morning, Dr. Xavier Mir performed surgery on Crutchlow’s wrist at the Hospital Universitari Quirón DEXEUS in Barcelona. The surgeon was pleased with how the procedure went.
Lucio Cecchinello
“I would like to thank Dr. Mir and his medical team for performing surgery on Cal’s left wrist this morning. A small screw has been inserted into his scaphoid to fix the fracture. The surgery went well as Dr. Mir personally informed me, and Cal will be discharged from the hospital later this afternoon. If everything goes well, we expect him back at the Angel Nieto Circuit in Jerez on Thursday morning, where he will be visited by Dorna’s Medical Director, Dr. Ángel Charte who will assess his fitness to race. Our technical staff is working to have everything ready to allow Cal to ride in Friday’s morning practice.”
Successful surgery for Marc Marquez, Alex Marquez prepares for second run in Jerez
Alex Marquez prepares for back-to-back races as reigning World Champion Marc Marquez undergoes surgery on his broken right humerus in Barcelona.
After falling heavily on Sunday, Marc Marquez was diagnosed with a broken right humerus and travelled to Barcelona on Monday to the Hospital Universitari Dexeus. Dr Xavier Mir and his team in collaboration with Dr Barrera performed an open reduction and internal fixation of a titanium plate to the right humerus. The radial nerve was untouched and did not need intervention.
Marc is now recovering from successful surgery and will remain in hospital for up to 48 hours. His aim is to return to the 2020 World Championship as soon as possible with an expected date becoming clearer soon.
Alex Marquez will again mount his Repsol Honda Team RC213V at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto after a solid rookie debut. The Gran Premio Red Bull de Andalucía presents a unique chance to run at the same circuit as the previous race, Alex and his side of the Repsol Honda Team garage able to apply all that they found during the previous weekend. Conditions ahead of the weekend look to again be demanding as temperatures are expected push above 30°C for most of the event. The reigning Moto2 World Champion will be aiming to collect points and finish as the top rookie once more.
Free Practice 1 begins at 09:55 Local Time on Friday, July 24. Lights for the 25-lap Andalucía GP will go out at 14:00 Local Time on Sunday, July 26.
Alex Marquez
“First, I’d like to again wish Marc, Cal and Alex Rins a speedy recovery. From my side as a rider, the situation does not change too much as I have my job, my objectives and I will always push to the maximum to achieve them. Going racing at the same circuit will be interesting, times will be very fast as most people have a good base setting but I am confident for the weekend, I learned a lot in my first GP and now I can apply it directly on the track again.”
Alberto Puig
Team Manager
“Everyone who races in the World Championship has the unfortunate possibility of getting injured and having to go to the operating room. Unfortunately, it was our turn and it was Marc who has had to undergo surgery. Marc will take some time to recover but we are happy with how everything has gone. Doctor Mir and his team have taken care of the entire situation since the fall and performed a successful operation. This gives the Repsol Honda Team a lot of motivation, knowing it went well, but now we have to be patient to see how Marc recovers and to understand when he can return.”
“Cal Crutchlow also had an operation that went well and in principle, his intention is to test the wrist on Friday. We are optimistic about his participation in the Grand Prix.”
“This weekend we will be focused on Alex, helping him to take another step forward. When you are young and new in a category, every week you improve and grow. We hope he can close the gap to the front of the race.”
The Can-Am sports car race at Road Atlanta in July 1971 was not a good race for Formula One World Champion Jackie Stewart. The Can-Am series paid good money, more than F1, so Stewart flew across the ocean regularly to hustle a fat Lola sports car around North American circuits. On this day in history, he earned his money.
A flat tire and a struggle to re-start the car after the pit stop dropped him to 21st, three laps down. Stewart went back out. The brakes started to fade and the right front wheel wore a big hole in the top of the fender, showering him with tire and bodywork debris. He came back into the pits, went back out and set the race’s fastest lap time – 1.3 seconds better than he’d done in qualifying and 0.3-second quicker than pole. Then the car finally broke for good.
When asked why he was driving so hard when there was absolutely no hope of a win, a podium or even points, Stewart said: “Ooch! Ye must never let y’self fall into the habit o’ drivin’ at anythin’ less than yer maximum!”
The saying is that consistency wins championships. Like many other things in life, that saying is partly true. It obscures a deeper truth. What really wins championships is speed. At the end of the day, to seize a championship requires the racer to finish higher up the order than the other riders, race after race. Slower riders do not win races. They are gifted wins when faster riders falter. Occasionally it happens often enough in a short enough period of time that a championship goes to a slower rider. That is one of the joys of watching motorsport.
But more often than not, speed gives you a better chance of finishing higher. Speed keeps you out of more trouble, prevents you from fighting with mid-packers as you try to get to the front after starting from the third row. Speed puts you ahead of your competitors on the track. All other things being equal, the faster rider/bike combination wins the race more often. And even though all other things never are equal, pure speed gives a rider more of a chance to take the win rather than inherit the win. As a competitor, you don’t prepare to inherit wins. You prepare to beat the others. Yes, most of us would rather be lucky than good. But you can’t control luck. You can control speed.
Marc Marquez (93) during MotoGP qualifying at Brno in 2019. Photo courtesy Honda Pro Racing.
Talent makes you fast. Experience keeps you fast. There’s a reason that riders are slower when they come back from the off-season for the first tests of the new year. They’re not less talented. They’re further from the last time they experienced riding on the edge. They’re not as used to the sensation of losing the front tire under braking, for example. In the first practice session, it seems to happen in a millisecond.
By mid-season, when the rider has saved the front-end washout dozens of times, the experience is familiar. The feedback from the bike telling you that it is about to happen is recognizable. Time stretches, and the transition from full grip to slide seems to take longer. The panic reaction is gone. There’s more brain power to decode the messages from the tire, suspension and bike, and the messages are clearer because the rider has heard and felt them recently.
To be on top, a rider has to be the best at interpreting those messages, and understanding the new ones that come from changes to tires, suspension, engine, brakes and chassis. And the ability to understand the language of those messages is developed and maintained like any other ability–through practice and experience.
It was mostly a pleasure to watch Marc Marquez dance off with multiple MotoGP World Championships in recent years. He’s won when he could, finished on the podium when he couldn’t, and taken what points were on offer when the podium was out of reach. His relatively-new-found maturity met with widespread praise.
But looking at Stewart’s comment, there’s a reason for a bit of concern to creep in. Backing off even slightly means less time spent on the edge. It means less time with the bike speaking the language of imminent loss of traction, the fine line between slip and grip as the power pours through the rear wheel.
It is admirable to pace your way to a championship. But a racer does so at the risk of forgetting how to live on the edge. And the less the racer lives in that environment, the fewer experiences on the edge the racer has, the more unfamiliar territory it is, and the harder it is to survive there. A lap of 1:27 is flying for a lightweight bike at the big track at Willow Springs. I once heard a rider say, “It’s been a while since I’ve run a 1:27 here.” To the best of my knowledge, that rider never did again. It’s easy to lose the direction to the edge, and even if a racer finds it again, they may not be able to understand the language spoken there.
Marc Marquez in action at Silverstone in 2016. Photo courtesy Honda Pro Racing.
That is why it is important to reflect on Marquez’s race at Silverstone 2016 before it disappears into the mists of history. The set-up on his Honda was poor, and the bike had been a handful all year. On top of that, Marquez chose the wrong front tire. The machine was a disaster from the moment the lights went out. The smart thing to do would have been to cruise around and gather points.
Marquez took a different approach.
The (then) two-time MotoGP champion saved countless front-end slides on his elbow. He battled frantically with Valentino Rossi and Cal Crutchlow and Andrea Iannone, ran off the track, came back onto the track, forced his way past Rossi again and then nicked Crutchlow at nearly 200 mph, sending himself off the track once more before re-joining the race and passing his teammate on the last lap for fourth.
It was absolute madness. It was every corner on the edge of disaster. It was exactly what a rider with a 53-point lead in the championship chase should not be doing.
But Marquez and Stewart know that there are worse things in racing than crashing, losing a race or even a championship. At all costs, the racer must maintain a residence on the edge of madness and make it home. And it was glorious to watch Marquez re-stake his claim to that place where mere mortals–including some World Champions–never can go.
* A version of this article was first published on September 8, 2016 at motorbikeroadracing.com.
Mighty Mouse Takes First Place in the WERA/N2 Four Hour Endurance at RRR
Bloomingdale, GA – Team Mighty Mouse not only battled the summer heat during the 4-hour endurance race at Roebling Road Raceway but also 7 other teams on their way to claiming the top step of the podium in the Mediumweight class as well as third place overall.
Stefano Mesa got the team out front early during his first stint on the team’s 2019 Yamaha R6 and then remounting the bike in the final 20 minutes finishing strong in the blistering heat.
“Had a great time ripping the four-hour endurance with the team and we put in some good work. I started the race and was able to stay with the big bikes for all of my stint in the crazy heat! The team did a great job on the pit stops and all of the riders did what we had to do to keep it up front to get the win! Thank you to Seth and the team for the invite and to Pirelli USA for the grippers.” – Stefano Mesa
Seth Starnes took over for Mesa after 40 laps. He was forced to pit in for new rubber significantly earlier than the team had planned but the pit stop and rider exchange went smoothly.
“The N2/WERA endurance race was a great success last weekend in Savannah. I couldn’t be more excited about our finish and the overall experience with the team. 2020 has been a banner year for us and to have such a strong team is a testament to our program. This event was a great chance for both Stefano and Daniel to prepare for their respective runs at the Daytona 200. Aaron, The Rain Man, put us in great shape to finish strong after Stefano put in some amazing results from the start. Great stops, great people and much success on a perfectly prepared R6 with the best Thermosman Suspension you can find!” – Seth Starnes
Rider and bike owner, Daniel Caldwell added: “I couldn’t have imagined a better result. Had a great weekend with the team! Thank you to Stefano, Seth and Aaron for the hard work put in to achieve such a great result in our first ever endurance race. We learned a lot and managed well through the four hours. It’s great to be a part of a team that came together so quickly to run a great race!” – Daniel Caldwell
After running 13 laps in the rain on slicks, rider Aaron Tennyson is affectionately being called “The Rain Man” by the team. He offered: “It was an amazing experience! I’m super thankful to have had this opportunity and can’t thank Danny enough for inviting me to take part. We faced some unforeseen obstacles including the weather but worked together and at the end of the day got the job done! It really was a total and complete team effort and I’m proud to have been a part of it.”
Daniels and Rush Top the Podium for Yamaha in AFT Singles Thriller at Volusia Half-Mile II
Estenson Racing’s Dallas Daniels bounced back from a disappointing American Flat Track opening round to come out on top in an absolute barn burner of an AFT Singles race at Volusia Speedway Park. Mikey Rush was also in the fight to the finish line and finished third. The AFT SuperTwins team also had a better second day of racing. JD Beach scored another top-10 finish and Kolby Carlile improved on Friday’s result to finish 14th.
It was still a hot July day in Barberville, Florida, but the track conditions were much better for Saturday’s Volusia Half-Mile II. In addition to better track conditions, the team was able to build on what they learned on Friday to get some better results. Rush came out swinging with a win in the first AFT Singles Semi, and Daniels got back on track with a third-place finish in the second Semi after missing out on the final transfer spot the day before.
In the Main Event, Rush grabbed the holeshot with his young teammate getting a good start as well in third. The Estenson Racing riders had a fight on their hands though, with an eight-rider battle in the lead pack. Both Rush and Daniels had a turn up front, but there were multiple lead changes and a lot of shuffling in the pack throughout the eight-minute-plus-two-lap Main.
In the closing laps, the 17-year-old was in the lead with his veteran teammate behind him when a downed rider brought out the red flag, making for a two-lap sprint after the restart. When racing resumed it came down to the wire with a three-way fight to the finish line, but Daniels was able to hold them off to take his second-career AFT Singles win by .02 of a second. After a disappointing first round, the win was a big boost to the Illinois rider’s championship fight, moving him to sixth in the standings and 11 points adrift of the leader.
His veteran teammate joined him on the podium in third, crossing the line .101 behind Daniels. Although Rush was hoping for a 1-2 finish, it was a good weekend for the Californian who leaves the season opener third in the championship, trailing by four points.
Beach was feeling good on his Yamaha MT-O7 DT and got his night off to a good start with a second-place finish in the Semi. That gave him the third pick and a front row spot on the grid for the Main Event which he took full advantage of and grabbed the holeshot. Unfortunately, a gamble on tire choice proved not to be ideal and he was quickly shuffled back to fifth. Without enough grip, he lost a few more positions in those early laps, but was holding steady in ninth and running consistently faster laps than in Friday’s Main. With two laps to go, Beach had a technical issue but was able to secure a 10th-place finish.
Carlile also was more comfortable on day two at Volusia Speedway Park. He and the team continued to make progress on finding the right setup. The 23-year-old qualified 15th with an eighth-place finish in the Semi and was able to advance to 14th before the half-way mark and maintain that position to the checkered flag.
Tommy Hayden – Estenson Racing Team Manager
“Today for sure was a lot more positive for the whole team. We’re glad to take advantage of a doubleheader weekend and take what we learned yesterday and apply it today. We definitely were a lot stronger today. We put up a better fight in both classes. On the 450 in particular, Dallas rebounded very well today and came back and did what we all thought he was capable of. It was also definitely good to see Mikey ride another strong race. He rode well all day and won his Semi. I’m really happy with how things are going for him.
“Then on the Twins side, we improved today as well. We definitely went faster and the lap times were a lot more consistent over the race. There were a couple things I think we could have done better for the race. There were a few mistakes that we made that would have made us a little more competitive, but we learned from them and we won’t make them again in the future. Overall, it was a positive weekend. I’m just really happy to get one race under our belt. It answered a lot of questions for us and will help us move forward now.”
Dallas Daniels – Estenson Racing AFT Singles
“It was a crazy race! I think that was the most I’ve been passed and the most I’ve passed anyone in a race ever, especially in my professional career. I knew I needed to stay in the top three or four. If I dropped back any more, it was going to be hard to pass. Finally I was able to pass Mikey and Chad (Cose) for the lead. With two to go, the red flag came out which was not what I wanted to see. I knew I just needed to get a really good start and not tighten up. So I tried to stay loose and we came out with the win. To be honest, rolling out for the Semi I was really nervous after yesterday’s performance. It was really disappointing for myself and the team. I wanted to prove to not just my team, but everybody watching that it wasn’t a fluke deal last year. So to come back and win after not making the Main Event last night, it’s awesome.”
Mikey Rush – Estenson Racing AFT Singles
“It was an awesome, hectic race! It was a lot of fun and clean racing. I got off to a really good start and led a few laps. Then I kind of changed my lines up and started going more to the bottom of the track. I think that was a mistake for me to do that. I should have stayed at the top of the groove, it was faster up there. The bike was awesome. The whole team did a fantastic job with the motorcycle. It was the best motorcycle I’ve ridden in a long time. It was a really good showing for us to get a fourth yesterday and a third today. It would have been nice to at least get second and be one, two with Dallas, but we’re sitting good in the points. I honestly just had a great time being back at the racetrack and not stuck at home like we have been over the last several months. It’s good to be back with the guys on the team and working with everyone to keep improving. We’re just going to get better as the year continues.”
JD Beach (95). Photo courtesy Yamaha.
JD Beach – Estenson Racing AFT SuperTwins
“I think the day went well. We made some good steps from yesterday. The bike was working really well. I think every time we went out on track we just kept getting better and better. I got a good start in the Semi, finished second and felt really good. The bike was working great. Going into the Main, we kind of made a gamble with the tires. With the new tires this year and the bike working a lot different compared to last year, we took a chance and it didn’t really pay off. I got the holeshot though and led through the first turn, which is something we haven’t done on an oval before. So I think that was really good. Once the rear tire started to work well, we had some really good lap times that were really consistent. I feel like we’ve taken some really good steps this weekend with the bike. So I’m really excited to get the season going now and I feel that we have a bike that we can improve on and keep moving forward.”
Kolby Carlile – Estenson Racing AFT SuperTwins
“It was a better Main Event than yesterday. So I’m happy. My body felt good. The physical work we put in during the off-season is really paying off. There are some things I can improve on for the next race. Coming in we didn’t know exactly what we needed but now we do. Thirty-eight laps is long, but fun. We’re learning a lot in general, about the bikes and the setup. As a team, we’re going to work a little better on getting comfortable earlier on in the day. We had some fast times in the Main, so we have something to build on. We’re going to put our heads together and work harder, and get ready for the next one.”
More, from a press release issued by Indian Motorcycle:
INDIAN MOTORCYCLE RACING SWEEPS AMERICAN FLAT TRACK OPENING WEEKEND DOUBLEHEADER WITH SEVERAL EARNED ACCOMPLISHMENTS AT VOLUSIA HALF-MILE
Jared “the Jammer” Mees Unequivocally Takes First Place in Both Races, Earns 50th Career Win;
Indian FTR750 Factory & Privateer Riders Sweep Back-to-Back Podiums
BARBERVILLE, FL (July 20, 2020) – Indian Motorcycle Racing, presented by Progressive Motorcycle Insurance, kicked off American Flat Track’s 2020 opening weekend in commanding style – earning back-to-back podium sweeps. As the sport’s premier race bike, the Indian FTR750 took the top six and top nine spots on Friday and Saturday night, respectively.
Ultimately taking control of both races was five-time Grand National Champion and Wrecking Crew Rider Jared Mees, who earned his 49th and 50th career wins. During the Volusia Half-Mile I, Mees displayed a seemingly effortless win as he separated himself from the pack on his way to a commanding victory. On Saturday night, at the Volusia Half-Mile II, Mees started the Main from the second row behind, but was able to slide through the field and take home his second win of the weekend.
“Our team has been chomping at the bit to get out on the track and race since the season was postponed,” said Gary Gray, Vice President – Racing, Technology and Service for Indian Motorcycle. “To get out there and have the success we did two days in a row really made a statement.”
Joining Mees in the box in both races was reigning Grand National Champion and Wrecking Crew Rider Briar Bauman, who finished second both nights. During the Volusia Half-Mile I, Briar held third place until the final lap where he was able to overtake Indian FTR750 privateer Sammy Halbert to finish second. Briar had another competitive outing at the Volusia Half-Mile II, where he ran in second for a vast majority of the Main.
Mees starts off the season as the series points leader with 50 points, while Briar Bauman is in second with 40 points, followed by fellow Wrecking Crew teammate Bronson Bauman who sits in fifth with 27 points.
The season looks to continue on August 28, in the Northeast, at a to-be-determined track. For more information on Indian Motorcycle Racing, visit IndianMotorcycle.com and follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
ABOUT INDIAN MOTORCYCLE®
Indian Motorcycle is America’s First Motorcycle Company®. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the hearts of motorcyclists around the world and earned distinction as one of America’s most legendary and iconic brands through unrivaled racing dominance, engineering prowess and countless innovations and industry firsts. Today that heritage and passion is reignited under new brand stewardship. To learn more, please visit www.indianmotorcycle.com.
This 1999 Kawasaki ZRX1100 Eddie Lawson-autographed “tribute bike” is being raffled by AHRMA to benefit AHRMA and the Roadracing World Action Fund. Photo courtesy AHRMA.
AHRMA is raffling off an autographed Eddie Lawson “tribute bike,” a 1999-model Kawasaki ZRX1100, to benefit AHRMA and the Roadracing World Action Fund.
Another view of the 1999 Kawasaki ZRX1100 Eddie Lawson-autographed “tribute bike” being raffled by AHRMA to benefit AHRMA and the Roadracing World Action Fund. Photo courtesy AHRMA.
The fuel tank of the motorcycle has been autographed by four-time 500cc Grand Prix World Champion Lawson, and the autographing has been documented with photos.
Four-time 500cc Grand Prix World Champion Eddie Lawson autographing the fuel tank of the 1999 Kawasaki ZRX1100 tribute bike being raffled by AHRMA. Photo courtesy AHRMA.
The 1999 Kawasaki ZRX1100 was donated by AHRMA racer Peter Nicolosi.
Four-time 500cc Grand Prix World Champion Eddie Lawson autographed the fuel tank of the 1999 Kawasaki ZRX1100 tribute bike being raffled by AHRMA. Photo courtesy AHRMA.
Raffle tickets are on sale now for $5 each or 5 tickets for $20. Raffle tickets can be purchased online HERE or in person at selected AHRMA events.
The grand prize drawing will take place during the Barber Vintage Festival October 9-11 at Barber Motorsports Park.The holder of the winning ticket does not have to be present to win.
Another view of the 1999 Kawasaki ZRX1100 Eddie Lawson-autographed “tribute bike” being raffled by AHRMA to benefit AHRMA and the Roadracing World Action Fund. Photo courtesy AHRMA.
Other rules and restrictions apply.
AHRMA is a member-owned 501(c)(4) non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the sport of motorcycle racing and the enjoyment of riders and spectators. For more information, go to www.ahrma.org.
The Roadracing World Action Fund – a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization – was founded by John Ulrich in 2001 and quickly gained monentum as a grassroots movement to improve racetrack safety for motorcycle racers and riders. At the time, haybales or stacks of tires were sometimes placed in front of concrete walls for rider protection in case of a crash. A far better solution for rider safety existed – inflatable soft barriers which absorb the energy of a crash. Soft barriers – made by Airfence or Alpina – can allow racers to often walk away from a crash which in the past might have caused catastrophic injury, or even death.
The Roadracing World Action Fund gained the support of the motorcycle community, as racers, riders, family and friends, motorcycle businesses, and racing organizations and racetracks helped to make use of soft barriers the standard, rather than the exception, for motorcycle races and track days at racetracks across the nation. Now, from Laguna to Daytona, Motorsports Ranch to VIR, Auto Club Speedway to Blackhawk Farms, and many more, soft barriers are deployed more frequently and in greater quantities than ever before, thanks to the contributors who, over 19 years, have donated more than $2,000,000 to support the Roadracing World Action Fund’s mission of helping prevent racetrack injuries and spread the word through motorcycle road racing safety education, and deployment of Airfence and Alpina soft barriers. Donations are tax-deductible.
Chris Ulrich aboard a Suzuki GSX-R1000 during a Fastrack Riders day at Auto Club Speedway. Photo by Caliphotography.com.
Featured In the July 2020 issue of Roadracing World: Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa TD
“Pirelli TD tires are designed to work without tire warmers, so I didn’t use them. That was a nice change; I could just put up the kickstand, head to pit lane, and roll out onto the track. The TD tires warmed up quickly—I was dragging my knee by the third corner— and held up fine during the first sessions as I worked with my student. The lap times were at a low-1:40s pace around the road course, with little wear and consistent performance.
“On my own in the afternoon sessions under very hot conditions, tire wear increased rapidly when I sped up by more than eight seconds a lap, running a 1:33 pace on my standard bike. Even set at 32 psi, the front tire had some deflection on the brakes and turning into the corners. As I expected, in slower corners the front tire offered good grip and allowed me to trail-brake to the apex without drama. But I had to watch my turn-in rate in the faster corners—like Turn One—because the front tire doesn’t have the outright grip of a racing slick. But that’s typical for this type of tire, which is built for more durability. I felt some rear tire carcass flex on the first lap, but it went away as the tire quickly heated up; the overall performance was fine, with good edge grip at the apex and decent drive grip at the corner exit…”
—Chris Ulrich, Racing Editor
Pirelli’s Supercorsa TD meets the needs of the track day rider who doesn’t want to mess with tire warmers. It delivers a combination of good performance, comparable durability, and user-friendly characteristics. Read Racing Editor Chris Ulrich’s insights in the latest issue of Roadracing World!
Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology is THE definitive source for motorcycle racing, riding, and tech information.
Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology magazine is available in print and digital formats. SUBSCRIBE NOW . Or call (909) 654-4779, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday.
Visit www.roadracingworld.com daily for breaking news and events.
Fabio Quartararo on the grid at Jerez I. Photo courtesy PETRONAS Yamaha SRT.
Quartararo and Morbidelli hungry for more success
PETRONAS Yamaha SRT riders Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli eager to repeat Jerez performance this weekend at Andalucia GP
There’s no rest for Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli as PETRONAS Yamaha SRT head straight into another race weekend, leading both the Riders’ and Teams’ championships.
Fresh from his first MotoGP race win, Quartararo will be hoping for a repeat performance this weekend at Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto. Although the Frenchman took pole position, won the race and broke the lap record twice, he recognises that improvements can still be made. Confidence will be high though with the next race also held at the same circuit as the Spanish GP last weekend.
Team-mate Morbidelli also had a strong race after finishing fifth aboard his Yamaha YZR-M1, equalling his best ever MotoGP result. His race saw him involved in a number of battles and included a brilliant late overtake on Pol Espargaro. The Italian showed good pace across all sessions and will be looking to make further progress to fight for the top positions and help solidify the team’s position at the top of the standings.
Friday’s free practice session for the MotoGP riders will begin at 9.55am local time (3.55pm MYT), with lights due to go out at 2pm local time (8pm MYT) on Sunday for their 25-lap Andalucia GP.
Fabio Quartararo
Spanish GP was such an amazing race. The weekend just felt so good with the pole position and winning the GP, honestly it was the best. I can’t wait for Friday to be back again, try to improve our pace even more and try to do exactly the same as this week. I think we can still improve because the pace of those around us was really good so we need to look to see which areas we should work on. We know that sector three was one where I struggled. We need to enjoy this victory but also focus on the next race this weekend as this new calendar is intense with few breaks so it’s important to stay concentrated.
The race was good and we had some nice battles so I am looking forward to having that again this weekend. My bike is really nice to ride and the team has done a good job setting it up so I think we can be confident going forward. We do have some things to work on as we are losing time in some areas of the lap, but making it up in others. Racing at the same circuit again isn’t an advantage as such because everyone is in the same situation, but it’s good for understanding some other things and for improving set up. There is always room to improve and the track conditions could change this weekend. Whatever happens though I’m confident ahead of the next race and looking forward to it.
Hillclimbers will attempt to tame the hill that houses the famous Corkscrew at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca as part of the MotoAmerica Superbike Speedfest at Monterey, October 23-25. Photo courtesy WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
IRVINE, CA (July 21, 2020) – MotoAmerica is thrilled to announce that the series, in conjunction with Elevated Action Sports, is bringing a hillclimb event to its fans at the GEICO Motorcycle MotoAmerica Superbike Speedfest at Monterey round, October 23-25, at the world famous WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California
The Speedfest Motoclimb will be held on Saturday, October 24 on the same hill that is home to Laguna Seca’s famous Corkscrew. The event will be produced by Elevated Action Sports (EAS), an extreme moto company based in the San Francisco Bay area that has been hosting motoclimb and extreme enduro races since 2015.
The Speedfest Motoclimb will feature classes for many different types of motorcycles from minis to hooligan bikes and everything in between. Although the event will not feature pro classes, several nationally ranked Pro hillclimbers will be invited to perform for the fans on their high-performance, high-horsepower open bikes.
The Laguna Seca hill will be the place to be on the Saturday of the GEICO Motorcycle MotoAmerica Superbike Speedfest at Monterey as kids on minis and racers on motorcycles normally designed for street riding try to conquer the hillside adjacent to the Corkscrew.
“We were shocked and honored when MotoAmerica approached Elevated Action Sports with this opportunity to host a Motoclimb race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca,” said Matt Musgrove, owner of EAS. “When I met with Wayne (Rainey, MotoAmerica’s President) months ago at the track, I was overlooking the Pacific Ocean while above the Corkscrew sign and I couldn’t believe running a motoclimb up that hill was a reality. But thanks to MotoAmerica’s creative direction with the Speedfest, it’s now a reality and the EAS team is eager to host this race that will entertain both the racers and spectators.”
“We are really excited to have the Motoclimb event as part of our GEICO Motorcycle MotoAmerica Superbike Speedfest at Monterey,” said MotoAmerica President Wayne Rainey. “It’s going to be a show that’s for sure. I can’t wait to see the smiles on our fans’ faces when they watch these guys and girls attack that hill that they’ve previously only seen spectators walk on. Working with Matt and his crew has been seamless and we know this is going to be a huge success and another quality addition to what we know is going to be a heck of a weekend of motorcycling activity in Monterey.”
The Motoclimb race is in addition to a full slate of action on the famous WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca road course with a schedule that not only features the five classes of the MotoAmerica Series – HONOS Superbike, Supersport, Liqui Moly Junior Cup, Twin Cup and Stock 1000 – but also the debut of the Drag Specialties King of The Baggers event, making the event a true GEICO Motorcycle MotoAmerica Superbike Speedfest.
For the complete 2020 MotoAmerica Series schedule, click HERE
To purchase tickets for any of the 2020 series round, click HERE
For information on how to watch the 2020 MotoAmerica Series, click HERE
About MotoAmerica
MotoAmerica is the North American road racing series created in 2014 that is home to the AMA Superbike Championship. MotoAmerica is an affiliate of KRAVE Group LLC, a partnership that includes three-time 500cc World Champion, two-time AMA Superbike Champion, and AMA Hall of Famer Wayne Rainey, ex-racer and former manager of Team Roberts Chuck Aksland, motorsports marketing executive Terry Karges, and businessman Richard Varner. For more information on MotoAmerica, visit www.MotoAmerica.com. Also make sure to follow MotoAmerica on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Charles "Jesse" Sandoz (18). Photo by Martin Hanlon, courtesy LRRS.
Sandoz, Gottier put up 6 wins each, Franco impresses
The racing at round two of the 2020 Loudon Road Race Series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway was hot, both literally and figuratively. Racers battled through heat up into the mid 90’s and track temperatures up into the 120’s on both days. On a weekend that felt more like Texas than New Hampshire, riders were challenged to maintain mental focus while they simultaneously dealt with the change in traction in the afternoons.
Charles “Jesse” Sandoz was one rider who seemed to have no issues with the heat on his Ducati Monster 1100. In addition to his passion for motorcycle racing, Sandoz is an avid cyclist and used his high level of fitness to his full advantage over the weekend as he carded wins in all six of the classes he contested. The biggest challenge of the weekend came in the class that his own shop is the title sponsor – the Seacoast Sport Cycle Lightweight GP class.
Rick Doucette, the all-time leader in LRRS championships and current #1 plate holder, overcame a mediocre start and spent the entire race closing on Sandoz. Doucette completely closed the gap to Sandoz by the end of lap 5 and the pair of veterans each ran their fastest laps of their respective weekends on the last two of the race. Despite constant pressure from behind, Sandoz managed to hold of the charging Yamaha “R5” and keep his perfect weekend intact. The rematch at the Loudon Classic Weekend in August will be one to watch!
2020 has been quite the year for Lincoln Gottier so far. After spending some time away from the sport following a serious injury, the popular Gottier is 100% healed up and 100% focused on the task at hand. His primary challenges for the weekend came again from Brian Wardius and Anthony Dicecca, but the battles between these two friends and their Yamaha R6’s were for the runner-up spot in all classes but the Antham Amateur Heavyweight Supersport class, where Wardius came out on top after a race long battle with returning veteran rider Todd Burnham and his torque monster KTM 1190.
Lincoln Gottier (583). Photo by Martin Hanlon, courtesy LRRS.
Gottier had a particularly dominating performance in the Superbike Supply Amateur Middleweight Superbike race where he led by 21 seconds at the finish! The top riders in the Amateur middleweight classes seem to all be stuck in the 17’s, so we’ll see which of these riders is able to break out a string of 16’s for the next event. They’re going to need them, as the Loudon Classic is the only weekend that allows Amateur riders who qualify to line up with the Experts and compete in the 97th running of the Loudon Classic.
The Expert middleweight classes are always a primary focus of the weekend at LRRS, but this event had extra interest as Shane Narbonne made his return to LRRS for the first time in over a year. The battle between he and perennial LRRS fast guy Scott Greenwood has been going on for many years now, and the presence of his old rival demanded a laser-like focus if we was going to win for the second time in 2020. In the feature Michelin-Motorace Dash for Cash, Shane came from the back of the grid to 4th place on lap 1, but only 1 second behind the leader Greenwood. After a move to 3rd, Narbonne spent a full lap behind the up-and-coming Tyler Wasserbauer before making his pass going into the “bowl,” Turn 6. Now clear of traffic and head down, Narbonne set after Greenwood but the multi-time champion was solid as a rock. As times dropped into the 12’s, Greenwood churned out flawless laps and extended his lead by a few tenths each lap. After several laps of hard charging, Narbonne conceded victory for the day but has his sights clearly set on avenging his 2019 Loudon Classic loss to Greenwood at the next event.
Sunday brought a bit of a scare to the paddock as Scott’s son Sam (also a top LRRS rider) suffered from heat stroke in the morning. Scott and family quickly made the decision to pack up and go to the hospital to support Sam, who fortunately is now fully recovered and looking forward to round #3. With the field wide open, some new faces stepped up to the top step of the podium. In the Ktech Suspension Middleweight Supersport race, the pair of rising stars Tyler Wasserbauer and Anthony Furia (who will both be attending their first MotoAmerica race at Pittsburgh in August) nearly finished right on top of each other as Wasserbauer managed the hold off the charging Furia in the final two laps of traffic. In the Middleweight Formula 40 division, Paul Duval capped off his first podium in the MWGP class on Saturday with his first win of 2020 (all while celebrating his 50th birthday).
Renee Franco (194). Photo by Martin Hanlon, courtesy LRRS.
LRRS has an incredible crop of young riders that has injected the paddock with a new level of enthusiasm and interest. Renee Franco is a 16-year-old who just made the jump from Novice to Amateur for this event and managed to score two wins in her first Amateur weekend, one in the Orient Express Amateur 500 Superbike class, and one in the 500 Supersport class. Her teammate, 15-year-old Jacob Crossman, also bumped up to Amateur for this weekend and finished runner-up to Renee in 500 and carded a 3rd in 500 Superbike.
Between now and the Loudon Classic Twin Sprint weekend August 28-30, LRRS will have six riders competing in MotoAmerica at Pittsburgh. Be sure to cheer on Ben Gloddy and Eli Block in Junior Cup, Teagg Hobbs in Twins Cup and Tyler Wasserbauer, Anthony Furia and Scott Briody in Supersport!
LCR Honda CASTROL rider Cal Crutchlow has undergone successful surgery on his injured left wrist. The Briton reported a fracture to his left scaphoid after crashing during the warm-up session at the Spanish GP last Sunday.
This morning, Dr. Xavier Mir performed surgery on Crutchlow’s wrist at the Hospital Universitari Quirón DEXEUS in Barcelona. The surgeon was pleased with how the procedure went.
Lucio Cecchinello
“I would like to thank Dr. Mir and his medical team for performing surgery on Cal’s left wrist this morning. A small screw has been inserted into his scaphoid to fix the fracture. The surgery went well as Dr. Mir personally informed me, and Cal will be discharged from the hospital later this afternoon. If everything goes well, we expect him back at the Angel Nieto Circuit in Jerez on Thursday morning, where he will be visited by Dorna’s Medical Director, Dr. Ángel Charte who will assess his fitness to race. Our technical staff is working to have everything ready to allow Cal to ride in Friday’s morning practice.”
Successful surgery for Marc Marquez, Alex Marquez prepares for second run in Jerez
Alex Marquez prepares for back-to-back races as reigning World Champion Marc Marquez undergoes surgery on his broken right humerus in Barcelona.
After falling heavily on Sunday, Marc Marquez was diagnosed with a broken right humerus and travelled to Barcelona on Monday to the Hospital Universitari Dexeus. Dr Xavier Mir and his team in collaboration with Dr Barrera performed an open reduction and internal fixation of a titanium plate to the right humerus. The radial nerve was untouched and did not need intervention.
Marc is now recovering from successful surgery and will remain in hospital for up to 48 hours. His aim is to return to the 2020 World Championship as soon as possible with an expected date becoming clearer soon.
Alex Marquez will again mount his Repsol Honda Team RC213V at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto after a solid rookie debut. The Gran Premio Red Bull de Andalucía presents a unique chance to run at the same circuit as the previous race, Alex and his side of the Repsol Honda Team garage able to apply all that they found during the previous weekend. Conditions ahead of the weekend look to again be demanding as temperatures are expected push above 30°C for most of the event. The reigning Moto2 World Champion will be aiming to collect points and finish as the top rookie once more.
Free Practice 1 begins at 09:55 Local Time on Friday, July 24. Lights for the 25-lap Andalucía GP will go out at 14:00 Local Time on Sunday, July 26.
Alex Marquez
“First, I’d like to again wish Marc, Cal and Alex Rins a speedy recovery. From my side as a rider, the situation does not change too much as I have my job, my objectives and I will always push to the maximum to achieve them. Going racing at the same circuit will be interesting, times will be very fast as most people have a good base setting but I am confident for the weekend, I learned a lot in my first GP and now I can apply it directly on the track again.”
Alberto Puig
Team Manager
“Everyone who races in the World Championship has the unfortunate possibility of getting injured and having to go to the operating room. Unfortunately, it was our turn and it was Marc who has had to undergo surgery. Marc will take some time to recover but we are happy with how everything has gone. Doctor Mir and his team have taken care of the entire situation since the fall and performed a successful operation. This gives the Repsol Honda Team a lot of motivation, knowing it went well, but now we have to be patient to see how Marc recovers and to understand when he can return.”
“Cal Crutchlow also had an operation that went well and in principle, his intention is to test the wrist on Friday. We are optimistic about his participation in the Grand Prix.”
“This weekend we will be focused on Alex, helping him to take another step forward. When you are young and new in a category, every week you improve and grow. We hope he can close the gap to the front of the race.”
Repsol Honda rider Marc Marquez (93). Photo courtesy Repsol Honda.
First Person/Opinion:
By Michael Gougis
The Can-Am sports car race at Road Atlanta in July 1971 was not a good race for Formula One World Champion Jackie Stewart. The Can-Am series paid good money, more than F1, so Stewart flew across the ocean regularly to hustle a fat Lola sports car around North American circuits. On this day in history, he earned his money.
A flat tire and a struggle to re-start the car after the pit stop dropped him to 21st, three laps down. Stewart went back out. The brakes started to fade and the right front wheel wore a big hole in the top of the fender, showering him with tire and bodywork debris. He came back into the pits, went back out and set the race’s fastest lap time – 1.3 seconds better than he’d done in qualifying and 0.3-second quicker than pole. Then the car finally broke for good.
When asked why he was driving so hard when there was absolutely no hope of a win, a podium or even points, Stewart said: “Ooch! Ye must never let y’self fall into the habit o’ drivin’ at anythin’ less than yer maximum!”
The saying is that consistency wins championships. Like many other things in life, that saying is partly true. It obscures a deeper truth. What really wins championships is speed. At the end of the day, to seize a championship requires the racer to finish higher up the order than the other riders, race after race. Slower riders do not win races. They are gifted wins when faster riders falter. Occasionally it happens often enough in a short enough period of time that a championship goes to a slower rider. That is one of the joys of watching motorsport.
But more often than not, speed gives you a better chance of finishing higher. Speed keeps you out of more trouble, prevents you from fighting with mid-packers as you try to get to the front after starting from the third row. Speed puts you ahead of your competitors on the track. All other things being equal, the faster rider/bike combination wins the race more often. And even though all other things never are equal, pure speed gives a rider more of a chance to take the win rather than inherit the win. As a competitor, you don’t prepare to inherit wins. You prepare to beat the others. Yes, most of us would rather be lucky than good. But you can’t control luck. You can control speed.
Marc Marquez (93) during MotoGP qualifying at Brno in 2019. Photo courtesy Honda Pro Racing.
Talent makes you fast. Experience keeps you fast. There’s a reason that riders are slower when they come back from the off-season for the first tests of the new year. They’re not less talented. They’re further from the last time they experienced riding on the edge. They’re not as used to the sensation of losing the front tire under braking, for example. In the first practice session, it seems to happen in a millisecond.
By mid-season, when the rider has saved the front-end washout dozens of times, the experience is familiar. The feedback from the bike telling you that it is about to happen is recognizable. Time stretches, and the transition from full grip to slide seems to take longer. The panic reaction is gone. There’s more brain power to decode the messages from the tire, suspension and bike, and the messages are clearer because the rider has heard and felt them recently.
To be on top, a rider has to be the best at interpreting those messages, and understanding the new ones that come from changes to tires, suspension, engine, brakes and chassis. And the ability to understand the language of those messages is developed and maintained like any other ability–through practice and experience.
It was mostly a pleasure to watch Marc Marquez dance off with multiple MotoGP World Championships in recent years. He’s won when he could, finished on the podium when he couldn’t, and taken what points were on offer when the podium was out of reach. His relatively-new-found maturity met with widespread praise.
But looking at Stewart’s comment, there’s a reason for a bit of concern to creep in. Backing off even slightly means less time spent on the edge. It means less time with the bike speaking the language of imminent loss of traction, the fine line between slip and grip as the power pours through the rear wheel.
It is admirable to pace your way to a championship. But a racer does so at the risk of forgetting how to live on the edge. And the less the racer lives in that environment, the fewer experiences on the edge the racer has, the more unfamiliar territory it is, and the harder it is to survive there. A lap of 1:27 is flying for a lightweight bike at the big track at Willow Springs. I once heard a rider say, “It’s been a while since I’ve run a 1:27 here.” To the best of my knowledge, that rider never did again. It’s easy to lose the direction to the edge, and even if a racer finds it again, they may not be able to understand the language spoken there.
Marc Marquez in action at Silverstone in 2016. Photo courtesy Honda Pro Racing.
That is why it is important to reflect on Marquez’s race at Silverstone 2016 before it disappears into the mists of history. The set-up on his Honda was poor, and the bike had been a handful all year. On top of that, Marquez chose the wrong front tire. The machine was a disaster from the moment the lights went out. The smart thing to do would have been to cruise around and gather points.
Marquez took a different approach.
The (then) two-time MotoGP champion saved countless front-end slides on his elbow. He battled frantically with Valentino Rossi and Cal Crutchlow and Andrea Iannone, ran off the track, came back onto the track, forced his way past Rossi again and then nicked Crutchlow at nearly 200 mph, sending himself off the track once more before re-joining the race and passing his teammate on the last lap for fourth.
It was absolute madness. It was every corner on the edge of disaster. It was exactly what a rider with a 53-point lead in the championship chase should not be doing.
But Marquez and Stewart know that there are worse things in racing than crashing, losing a race or even a championship. At all costs, the racer must maintain a residence on the edge of madness and make it home. And it was glorious to watch Marquez re-stake his claim to that place where mere mortals–including some World Champions–never can go.
* A version of this article was first published on September 8, 2016 at motorbikeroadracing.com.
Stefano Mesa (51) on the Team Mighty Mouse Yamaha YZF-R6 at Roebling Road Raceway. Photo by Rick Hentz.
Mighty Mouse Takes First Place in the WERA/N2 Four Hour Endurance at RRR
Bloomingdale, GA – Team Mighty Mouse not only battled the summer heat during the 4-hour endurance race at Roebling Road Raceway but also 7 other teams on their way to claiming the top step of the podium in the Mediumweight class as well as third place overall.
Stefano Mesa got the team out front early during his first stint on the team’s 2019 Yamaha R6 and then remounting the bike in the final 20 minutes finishing strong in the blistering heat.
“Had a great time ripping the four-hour endurance with the team and we put in some good work. I started the race and was able to stay with the big bikes for all of my stint in the crazy heat! The team did a great job on the pit stops and all of the riders did what we had to do to keep it up front to get the win! Thank you to Seth and the team for the invite and to Pirelli USA for the grippers.” – Stefano Mesa
Seth Starnes took over for Mesa after 40 laps. He was forced to pit in for new rubber significantly earlier than the team had planned but the pit stop and rider exchange went smoothly.
“The N2/WERA endurance race was a great success last weekend in Savannah. I couldn’t be more excited about our finish and the overall experience with the team. 2020 has been a banner year for us and to have such a strong team is a testament to our program. This event was a great chance for both Stefano and Daniel to prepare for their respective runs at the Daytona 200. Aaron, The Rain Man, put us in great shape to finish strong after Stefano put in some amazing results from the start. Great stops, great people and much success on a perfectly prepared R6 with the best Thermosman Suspension you can find!” – Seth Starnes
Rider and bike owner, Daniel Caldwell added: “I couldn’t have imagined a better result. Had a great weekend with the team! Thank you to Stefano, Seth and Aaron for the hard work put in to achieve such a great result in our first ever endurance race. We learned a lot and managed well through the four hours. It’s great to be a part of a team that came together so quickly to run a great race!” – Daniel Caldwell
After running 13 laps in the rain on slicks, rider Aaron Tennyson is affectionately being called “The Rain Man” by the team. He offered: “It was an amazing experience! I’m super thankful to have had this opportunity and can’t thank Danny enough for inviting me to take part. We faced some unforeseen obstacles including the weather but worked together and at the end of the day got the job done! It really was a total and complete team effort and I’m proud to have been a part of it.”
Dallas Daniels (32), Mikey Rush (15), and another rider in action in Florida. Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Daniels and Rush Top the Podium for Yamaha in AFT Singles Thriller at Volusia Half-Mile II
Estenson Racing’s Dallas Daniels bounced back from a disappointing American Flat Track opening round to come out on top in an absolute barn burner of an AFT Singles race at Volusia Speedway Park. Mikey Rush was also in the fight to the finish line and finished third. The AFT SuperTwins team also had a better second day of racing. JD Beach scored another top-10 finish and Kolby Carlile improved on Friday’s result to finish 14th.
It was still a hot July day in Barberville, Florida, but the track conditions were much better for Saturday’s Volusia Half-Mile II. In addition to better track conditions, the team was able to build on what they learned on Friday to get some better results. Rush came out swinging with a win in the first AFT Singles Semi, and Daniels got back on track with a third-place finish in the second Semi after missing out on the final transfer spot the day before.
In the Main Event, Rush grabbed the holeshot with his young teammate getting a good start as well in third. The Estenson Racing riders had a fight on their hands though, with an eight-rider battle in the lead pack. Both Rush and Daniels had a turn up front, but there were multiple lead changes and a lot of shuffling in the pack throughout the eight-minute-plus-two-lap Main.
In the closing laps, the 17-year-old was in the lead with his veteran teammate behind him when a downed rider brought out the red flag, making for a two-lap sprint after the restart. When racing resumed it came down to the wire with a three-way fight to the finish line, but Daniels was able to hold them off to take his second-career AFT Singles win by .02 of a second. After a disappointing first round, the win was a big boost to the Illinois rider’s championship fight, moving him to sixth in the standings and 11 points adrift of the leader.
His veteran teammate joined him on the podium in third, crossing the line .101 behind Daniels. Although Rush was hoping for a 1-2 finish, it was a good weekend for the Californian who leaves the season opener third in the championship, trailing by four points.
Beach was feeling good on his Yamaha MT-O7 DT and got his night off to a good start with a second-place finish in the Semi. That gave him the third pick and a front row spot on the grid for the Main Event which he took full advantage of and grabbed the holeshot. Unfortunately, a gamble on tire choice proved not to be ideal and he was quickly shuffled back to fifth. Without enough grip, he lost a few more positions in those early laps, but was holding steady in ninth and running consistently faster laps than in Friday’s Main. With two laps to go, Beach had a technical issue but was able to secure a 10th-place finish.
Carlile also was more comfortable on day two at Volusia Speedway Park. He and the team continued to make progress on finding the right setup. The 23-year-old qualified 15th with an eighth-place finish in the Semi and was able to advance to 14th before the half-way mark and maintain that position to the checkered flag.
Tommy Hayden – Estenson Racing Team Manager
“Today for sure was a lot more positive for the whole team. We’re glad to take advantage of a doubleheader weekend and take what we learned yesterday and apply it today. We definitely were a lot stronger today. We put up a better fight in both classes. On the 450 in particular, Dallas rebounded very well today and came back and did what we all thought he was capable of. It was also definitely good to see Mikey ride another strong race. He rode well all day and won his Semi. I’m really happy with how things are going for him.
“Then on the Twins side, we improved today as well. We definitely went faster and the lap times were a lot more consistent over the race. There were a couple things I think we could have done better for the race. There were a few mistakes that we made that would have made us a little more competitive, but we learned from them and we won’t make them again in the future. Overall, it was a positive weekend. I’m just really happy to get one race under our belt. It answered a lot of questions for us and will help us move forward now.”
Dallas Daniels – Estenson Racing AFT Singles
“It was a crazy race! I think that was the most I’ve been passed and the most I’ve passed anyone in a race ever, especially in my professional career. I knew I needed to stay in the top three or four. If I dropped back any more, it was going to be hard to pass. Finally I was able to pass Mikey and Chad (Cose) for the lead. With two to go, the red flag came out which was not what I wanted to see. I knew I just needed to get a really good start and not tighten up. So I tried to stay loose and we came out with the win. To be honest, rolling out for the Semi I was really nervous after yesterday’s performance. It was really disappointing for myself and the team. I wanted to prove to not just my team, but everybody watching that it wasn’t a fluke deal last year. So to come back and win after not making the Main Event last night, it’s awesome.”
Mikey Rush – Estenson Racing AFT Singles
“It was an awesome, hectic race! It was a lot of fun and clean racing. I got off to a really good start and led a few laps. Then I kind of changed my lines up and started going more to the bottom of the track. I think that was a mistake for me to do that. I should have stayed at the top of the groove, it was faster up there. The bike was awesome. The whole team did a fantastic job with the motorcycle. It was the best motorcycle I’ve ridden in a long time. It was a really good showing for us to get a fourth yesterday and a third today. It would have been nice to at least get second and be one, two with Dallas, but we’re sitting good in the points. I honestly just had a great time being back at the racetrack and not stuck at home like we have been over the last several months. It’s good to be back with the guys on the team and working with everyone to keep improving. We’re just going to get better as the year continues.”
JD Beach (95). Photo courtesy Yamaha.
JD Beach – Estenson Racing AFT SuperTwins
“I think the day went well. We made some good steps from yesterday. The bike was working really well. I think every time we went out on track we just kept getting better and better. I got a good start in the Semi, finished second and felt really good. The bike was working great. Going into the Main, we kind of made a gamble with the tires. With the new tires this year and the bike working a lot different compared to last year, we took a chance and it didn’t really pay off. I got the holeshot though and led through the first turn, which is something we haven’t done on an oval before. So I think that was really good. Once the rear tire started to work well, we had some really good lap times that were really consistent. I feel like we’ve taken some really good steps this weekend with the bike. So I’m really excited to get the season going now and I feel that we have a bike that we can improve on and keep moving forward.”
Kolby Carlile – Estenson Racing AFT SuperTwins
“It was a better Main Event than yesterday. So I’m happy. My body felt good. The physical work we put in during the off-season is really paying off. There are some things I can improve on for the next race. Coming in we didn’t know exactly what we needed but now we do. Thirty-eight laps is long, but fun. We’re learning a lot in general, about the bikes and the setup. As a team, we’re going to work a little better on getting comfortable earlier on in the day. We had some fast times in the Main, so we have something to build on. We’re going to put our heads together and work harder, and get ready for the next one.”
More, from a press release issued by Indian Motorcycle:
INDIAN MOTORCYCLE RACING SWEEPS AMERICAN FLAT TRACK OPENING WEEKEND DOUBLEHEADER WITH SEVERAL EARNED ACCOMPLISHMENTS AT VOLUSIA HALF-MILE
Jared “the Jammer” Mees Unequivocally Takes First Place in Both Races, Earns 50th Career Win;
Indian FTR750 Factory & Privateer Riders Sweep Back-to-Back Podiums
BARBERVILLE, FL (July 20, 2020) – Indian Motorcycle Racing, presented by Progressive Motorcycle Insurance, kicked off American Flat Track’s 2020 opening weekend in commanding style – earning back-to-back podium sweeps. As the sport’s premier race bike, the Indian FTR750 took the top six and top nine spots on Friday and Saturday night, respectively.
Ultimately taking control of both races was five-time Grand National Champion and Wrecking Crew Rider Jared Mees, who earned his 49th and 50th career wins. During the Volusia Half-Mile I, Mees displayed a seemingly effortless win as he separated himself from the pack on his way to a commanding victory. On Saturday night, at the Volusia Half-Mile II, Mees started the Main from the second row behind, but was able to slide through the field and take home his second win of the weekend.
“Our team has been chomping at the bit to get out on the track and race since the season was postponed,” said Gary Gray, Vice President – Racing, Technology and Service for Indian Motorcycle. “To get out there and have the success we did two days in a row really made a statement.”
Joining Mees in the box in both races was reigning Grand National Champion and Wrecking Crew Rider Briar Bauman, who finished second both nights. During the Volusia Half-Mile I, Briar held third place until the final lap where he was able to overtake Indian FTR750 privateer Sammy Halbert to finish second. Briar had another competitive outing at the Volusia Half-Mile II, where he ran in second for a vast majority of the Main.
Mees starts off the season as the series points leader with 50 points, while Briar Bauman is in second with 40 points, followed by fellow Wrecking Crew teammate Bronson Bauman who sits in fifth with 27 points.
The season looks to continue on August 28, in the Northeast, at a to-be-determined track. For more information on Indian Motorcycle Racing, visit IndianMotorcycle.com and follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
ABOUT INDIAN MOTORCYCLE®
Indian Motorcycle is America’s First Motorcycle Company®. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the hearts of motorcyclists around the world and earned distinction as one of America’s most legendary and iconic brands through unrivaled racing dominance, engineering prowess and countless innovations and industry firsts. Today that heritage and passion is reignited under new brand stewardship. To learn more, please visit www.indianmotorcycle.com.
Eddie Lawson (21) riding a Kawasaki KZ1000 in an AMA Superbike race at Daytona in 1982. Photo by Shigeo Kibiki. Lawson's Superbike was the inspiration for the 1999 Kawasaki ZRX1100 being raffled by AHRMA.
This 1999 Kawasaki ZRX1100 Eddie Lawson-autographed “tribute bike” is being raffled by AHRMA to benefit AHRMA and the Roadracing World Action Fund. Photo courtesy AHRMA.
AHRMA is raffling off an autographed Eddie Lawson “tribute bike,” a 1999-model Kawasaki ZRX1100, to benefit AHRMA and the Roadracing World Action Fund.
Another view of the 1999 Kawasaki ZRX1100 Eddie Lawson-autographed “tribute bike” being raffled by AHRMA to benefit AHRMA and the Roadracing World Action Fund. Photo courtesy AHRMA.
The fuel tank of the motorcycle has been autographed by four-time 500cc Grand Prix World Champion Lawson, and the autographing has been documented with photos.
Four-time 500cc Grand Prix World Champion Eddie Lawson autographing the fuel tank of the 1999 Kawasaki ZRX1100 tribute bike being raffled by AHRMA. Photo courtesy AHRMA.
The 1999 Kawasaki ZRX1100 was donated by AHRMA racer Peter Nicolosi.
Four-time 500cc Grand Prix World Champion Eddie Lawson autographed the fuel tank of the 1999 Kawasaki ZRX1100 tribute bike being raffled by AHRMA. Photo courtesy AHRMA.
Raffle tickets are on sale now for $5 each or 5 tickets for $20. Raffle tickets can be purchased online HERE or in person at selected AHRMA events.
The grand prize drawing will take place during the Barber Vintage Festival October 9-11 at Barber Motorsports Park.The holder of the winning ticket does not have to be present to win.
Another view of the 1999 Kawasaki ZRX1100 Eddie Lawson-autographed “tribute bike” being raffled by AHRMA to benefit AHRMA and the Roadracing World Action Fund. Photo courtesy AHRMA.
Other rules and restrictions apply.
AHRMA is a member-owned 501(c)(4) non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the sport of motorcycle racing and the enjoyment of riders and spectators. For more information, go to www.ahrma.org.
The Roadracing World Action Fund – a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization – was founded by John Ulrich in 2001 and quickly gained monentum as a grassroots movement to improve racetrack safety for motorcycle racers and riders. At the time, haybales or stacks of tires were sometimes placed in front of concrete walls for rider protection in case of a crash. A far better solution for rider safety existed – inflatable soft barriers which absorb the energy of a crash. Soft barriers – made by Airfence or Alpina – can allow racers to often walk away from a crash which in the past might have caused catastrophic injury, or even death.
The Roadracing World Action Fund gained the support of the motorcycle community, as racers, riders, family and friends, motorcycle businesses, and racing organizations and racetracks helped to make use of soft barriers the standard, rather than the exception, for motorcycle races and track days at racetracks across the nation. Now, from Laguna to Daytona, Motorsports Ranch to VIR, Auto Club Speedway to Blackhawk Farms, and many more, soft barriers are deployed more frequently and in greater quantities than ever before, thanks to the contributors who, over 19 years, have donated more than $2,000,000 to support the Roadracing World Action Fund’s mission of helping prevent racetrack injuries and spread the word through motorcycle road racing safety education, and deployment of Airfence and Alpina soft barriers. Donations are tax-deductible.
A “press release” is promotional text issued by a rider, team, company or organization to inform
the public about an event, product, or service from the issuer’s own point of view, and if deemed
to have news value, may be placed on roadracingworld.com as a service to our readers.
A press release is not an article written by Roadracingworld.com staffers. When a post is labeled with the words “press release”, it means that Roadracingworld.com is not responsible for its content and that Roadracingworld.com makes no guarantee that it is accurate. Not all press releases are posted and Roadracingworld.com may reject press releases if the content is too heavy on commercial promotion with little or no news value or if the press release contains obvious errors.
Accessibility
Accessibility modes
Epilepsy Safe Mode
Dampens color and removes blinks
This mode enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode
Improves website's visuals
This mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode
Helps to focus on specific content
This mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode
Reduces distractions and improve focus
This mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode
Allows using the site with your screen-reader
This mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
Online Dictionary
Readable Experience
Content Scaling
Default
Text Magnifier
Readable Font
Dyslexia Friendly
Highlight Titles
Highlight Links
Font Sizing
Default
Line Height
Default
Letter Spacing
Default
Left Aligned
Center Aligned
Right Aligned
Visually Pleasing Experience
Dark Contrast
Light Contrast
Monochrome
High Contrast
High Saturation
Low Saturation
Adjust Text Colors
Adjust Title Colors
Adjust Background Colors
Easy Orientation
Mute Sounds
Hide Images
Hide Emoji
Reading Guide
Stop Animations
Reading Mask
Highlight Hover
Highlight Focus
Big Dark Cursor
Big Light Cursor
Cognitive Reading
Virtual Keyboard
Navigation Keys
Voice Navigation
Accessibility Statement
www.roadracingworld.com
November 13, 2026
Compliance status
We firmly believe that the internet should be available and accessible to anyone, and are committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience,
regardless of circumstance and ability.
To fulfill this, we aim to adhere as strictly as possible to the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) at the AA level.
These guidelines explain how to make web content accessible to people with a wide array of disabilities. Complying with those guidelines helps us ensure that the website is accessible
to all people: blind people, people with motor impairments, visual impairment, cognitive disabilities, and more.
This website utilizes various technologies that are meant to make it as accessible as possible at all times. We utilize an accessibility interface that allows persons with specific
disabilities to adjust the website’s UI (user interface) and design it to their personal needs.
Additionally, the website utilizes an AI-based application that runs in the background and optimizes its accessibility level constantly. This application remediates the website’s HTML,
adapts Its functionality and behavior for screen-readers used by the blind users, and for keyboard functions used by individuals with motor impairments.
If you’ve found a malfunction or have ideas for improvement, we’ll be happy to hear from you. You can reach out to the website’s operators by using the following email
Screen-reader and keyboard navigation
Our website implements the ARIA attributes (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) technique, alongside various different behavioral changes, to ensure blind users visiting with
screen-readers are able to read, comprehend, and enjoy the website’s functions. As soon as a user with a screen-reader enters your site, they immediately receive
a prompt to enter the Screen-Reader Profile so they can browse and operate your site effectively. Here’s how our website covers some of the most important screen-reader requirements,
alongside console screenshots of code examples:
Screen-reader optimization: we run a background process that learns the website’s components from top to bottom, to ensure ongoing compliance even when updating the website.
In this process, we provide screen-readers with meaningful data using the ARIA set of attributes. For example, we provide accurate form labels;
descriptions for actionable icons (social media icons, search icons, cart icons, etc.); validation guidance for form inputs; element roles such as buttons, menus, modal dialogues (popups),
and others. Additionally, the background process scans all the website’s images and provides an accurate and meaningful image-object-recognition-based description as an ALT (alternate text) tag
for images that are not described. It will also extract texts that are embedded within the image, using an OCR (optical character recognition) technology.
To turn on screen-reader adjustments at any time, users need only to press the Alt+1 keyboard combination. Screen-reader users also get automatic announcements to turn the Screen-reader mode on
as soon as they enter the website.
These adjustments are compatible with all popular screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA.
Keyboard navigation optimization: The background process also adjusts the website’s HTML, and adds various behaviors using JavaScript code to make the website operable by the keyboard. This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys, operate dropdowns with the arrow keys, close them with Esc, trigger buttons and links using the Enter key, navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys, and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally, keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus, available at any time by clicking Alt+1, or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard. The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear, and not allow the focus drift outside it.
Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Disability profiles supported in our website
Epilepsy Safe Mode: this profile enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode: this mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode: this mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode: this mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode: this mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
Keyboard Navigation Profile (Motor-Impaired): this profile enables motor-impaired persons to operate the website using the keyboard Tab, Shift+Tab, and the Enter keys. Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Additional UI, design, and readability adjustments
Font adjustments – users, can increase and decrease its size, change its family (type), adjust the spacing, alignment, line height, and more.
Color adjustments – users can select various color contrast profiles such as light, dark, inverted, and monochrome. Additionally, users can swap color schemes of titles, texts, and backgrounds, with over seven different coloring options.
Animations – person with epilepsy can stop all running animations with the click of a button. Animations controlled by the interface include videos, GIFs, and CSS flashing transitions.
Content highlighting – users can choose to emphasize important elements such as links and titles. They can also choose to highlight focused or hovered elements only.
Audio muting – users with hearing devices may experience headaches or other issues due to automatic audio playing. This option lets users mute the entire website instantly.
Cognitive disorders – we utilize a search engine that is linked to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, allowing people with cognitive disorders to decipher meanings of phrases, initials, slang, and others.
Additional functions – we provide users the option to change cursor color and size, use a printing mode, enable a virtual keyboard, and many other functions.
Browser and assistive technology compatibility
We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers).
Notes, comments, and feedback
Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs. There may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to
